The majority of Livingston County voters can cast ballots on this Election Day for various millage and bond proposals as well as two contested city council races. The Brighton District Library has a millage request on the ballot for general operation expenses and maintenance while the Livingston Educational Service Agency is proposing a special education millage to restore the Headlee Amendment reduction. Howell Public Schools has a $12.5 (m) million technology bond on the ballot while a millage proposal in Putnam Township would provide funds to cover the costs and legal fees related to fighting the ET Rover Pipeline project. Voters in portions of Unadilla Township will be casting ballots on a bond proposal for Stockbridge Community Schools while some in Cohoctah Township will cast votes for a millage renewal request from Byron Area Schools. However because of how some school district boundaries are drawn, Livingston County Elections Supervisor Joan Runyan tells WHMI not everyone will be voting on all candidates and proposals, such as the LESA request. Specifically, that includes voters in some portions of Tyrone, Deerfield and Green Oak townships. She suggests voters check out the Michigan Voter Information Center and viewing their sample ballot before heading out to the polls. Meanwhile, three seats on the Howell City Council are up for grabs in whatâs become a contentious race. Incumbents Steve Manor, Bob Ellis and Doug Heins will face challenger Michael Mulvahill. Mayor Nick Proctor is running unopposed for a two-year term and there is also an open seat on the board of review. The Brighton City Council race is also contested. Incumbents Shanda Willis, Jim Bohn, Jim Muzzin and Susan Gardner are running against challengers Susan Walters-Steinacker, Randy Clifton and Leslie Aaron. Polling locations close at 8pm. Details about the local ballot issues are attached and a link to the Michigan Voter Information Center can be found below. (JM)
Millage Issues & Council Races On Ballot Today Millage Issues & Council Races On Ballot Today
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Accident Shuts Down 10 Mile & Napier Roads In Lyon Township Accident Shuts Down 10 Mile & Napier Roads In Lyon Township
Oakland County advised at 3:10pm that both 10 Mile Road and Napier Road in Lyon Township were closed in all directions due to a serious accident, with alternate routes suggested. Meanwhile, heavy and slow traffic was reported on I-96 for most of the afternoon after a truck hauling dirt lost its load. Only the right lane of westbound I-96 was open at Old Plank Road, resulting in lengthy back-ups. Then not long before 4pm, D-19 at Rush Lake Road was closed due to an accident but that re-opened at around 4:15pm. Another crash at Latson Road and Grand Oaks Drive near the I-96 interchange was reported around that same time frame but was cleared relatively quickly. Tune in to WHMI 93.5FM for traffic updates. (JM)
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Despite High Projections, Light Voter Turnout Reported At Polls Despite High Projections, Light Voter Turnout Reported At Polls
Although higher than average voter turnout was anticipated across Livingston County on this Election Day â the opposite could prove to be true. Earlier projections pegged voter turnout around 35% to 40% but potentially higher in some districts. Livingston County Elections Coordinator Joan Runyan told WHMI there seemed to be a little more interest with some of the proposals and races on todayâs ballot. Runyan told WHMI that would be a little above average for an off-year election, noting they always have the cities on the November ballot but in the past, turnout has probably been around 25%. However, an afternoon update indicated the latter could hold true. Despite the earlier projections, Runyan reported that as of 3pm today voter turnout was extremely light countywide and in some jurisdictions there could be more absentee voters than walk-in voters. She encouraged everyone to get out and vote if they do have an election in their community. Runyan added it would probably be a good idea for voters to study the issues and/or the candidates to make sure they know exactly who and what theyâre voting on before they arrive at the polls. Polls across Livingston County close at 8:00 tonight. Results can be found on the Livingston County Clerk's website by Clicking Here. (JM)
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General Election Results For Tuesday, November 3rd General Election Results For Tuesday, November 3rd
Final results are in for all ballot proposals and the two contested city council races. Voters approved the LESA special education millage request in what was a very close count all night. Voters in the Howell Public Schools district have approved a technology bond while those in the Brighton District Library boundaries approved a millage request. In Putnam Township, a millage to fight the proposed ET Rover pipeline was turned down. As for contested local races, Doug Heins has been ousted from the Howell City Council. There were three open seats and voters elected incumbents Steve Manor and Bob Ellis, along with challenger Michael Mulvahill. Mayor Nick Proctor was running un-opposed. In the Brighton City Council race, all four incumbents have been re-elected â Shanda Willis, Jim Muzzin, Jim Bohn and Susan Gardner. Election results will be updated as they become available on the Livingston County Clerkâs webpage by Clicking Here. Complete results will be announced live on WHMI 93.5FM beginning at 5am. (JM)
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20 Counties, Including Livingston, Receive Grants From Consumer's Energy20 Counties, Including Livingston, Receive Grants From Consumer's Energy
The Consumers Energy Foundation is recognizing volunteerism to their employees and retirees in 20 counties with grants worth over $20,000. Non-profit organizations across the state were awarded 44 grants to recognize exceptional volunteerism by the Consumers Energy Foundation, totaling out to $20,975. The foundation awards Volunteer Investment Program grants to encourage acts of volunteerism by Consumers Energy employees and retirees. In Livingston County, the Great Lakes Prep JV Hockey League received $450 thanks to the volunteer work of Audra Cumberworth. The Consumers Energy Foundation works to provide funding for organizations that fall into several different categories, including education, community, social services and the environment. (DK)
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Plea Entered For One Of Two Suspects In Pinckney Home InvasionsPlea Entered For One Of Two Suspects In Pinckney Home Invasions
A plea has been entered for one of the two suspects connected to a case of home invasions in Pinckney. 28-year-old Jessica Milliken has pleaded guilty as charged to a single count of home invasion following her pre-trial hearing on Friday. Milliken waived a trial by jury and the prosecution has agreed to one year of jail time with probation and $300 in restitution fees. She will be sentenced November 23rd. Milliken was arrested with 30-year-old Kenneth Gauer on the west side of the village of Pinckney in September after authorities received two home invasion complaints. The incidents occurred within 24 hours of each other and were only a block apart. Gauer faces two counts of 2nd degree home invasion and he and Milliken were both charged as habitual offenders. Gauer is scheduled for a final settlement conference on December 4th and a jury trial on December 14th. (DK)
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Public Meeting Seeks Green Oak Residents Input On Parks And Rec PlanPublic Meeting Seeks Green Oak Residents Input On Parks And Rec Plan
Green Oak Township officials are working towards building their Parks and Recreation Plan with robust public input. A Parks and Recreation Community Engagement Meeting will be held Monday, November 9th, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Green Oak Township Hall for residents interested in offering some insight. The township officials are looking to exchange ideas with the people they serve regarding the communityâs future and the plans for it. The Parks and Recreation Plan is the guiding blueprint used for future decision making, outlining goals and objectives for the townshipâs recreation activities. The community meeting will be interactive and township officials feel its success will be dependent on public participation. Residents can also provide input through a brief survey which can be found through the link below. For additional information on the meeting, call 734-662-2200. (DK/JK)
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Howell Fundraiser Will Help Pay For Dental Mission Trip To HaitiHowell Fundraiser Will Help Pay For Dental Mission Trip To Haiti
A family-run dentistry in Howell will hold a fundraiser Thursday for their mission trip to Haiti. The George Stines Foundation was created in 2000 by Dr. Alfred Stines of Stines Family Dentistry. Since its inception, the Foundation has worked to offer dental care for the Haitian people through mission trips as Dr. Alfred is originally from Haiti. He says the foundation was a dream of his fatherâs and he now continues the work with his daughter, Dr. Michelle Stines, and a team of volunteers from the office. A fundraiser Thursday at Buffalo Wild Wings in Howell is looking to accrue donations for the January trip including travel and supply costs. The foundation has two fixed dental clinics in Haiti as well as a mobile clinic that is equipped for various dental services. The team is hoping to serve up to 200 people a day, providing basic dental hygiene, restorative dentistry, extractions and surgery. 20% of all proceeds Thursday at Buffalo Wild Wings will be donated to the cause. In addition, community donated baskets will be also raffled off from 5 to 8pm. (JK)
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Fenton Looks To Replace Aging PlayscapeFenton Looks To Replace Aging Playscape
Over the next year the Fenton Parks and Recreation Board will begin looking for funding to replace an aging playscape in one of its downtown parks. Monday night during a work session Parks and Recreation Board representative Sean Sage told the board about options for replacing a structure at the Mill Pond Park. Sage says he doesnât know how old the current structure is, but is getting dangerous. Although no decisions were made during the meeting, City Manager Lynn Markland suggested the Parks and Rec board create a master plan for the park and make improvements in phases. Sage says they will be updating the master plan, but at this point the plan is just to start with the playscape in Mill Pond Park. The grant process will begin right away and takes at least a year and a half. The project is expected to cost about $30,000. Sage says once grants and funding are secured the play structure can be replaced, probably by 2017. Fenton has seven parks in need of various upgrades. Sage tells WHMI this is just the start. He says this park is right downtown and is the one most people will see. With all of the development in the downtown there are more people in the area, and this is a good place to start. What the Parks and Rec Board is looking at for replacement equipment includes a tunnel type play structure and a climbing play structure. Sage says he argued against a merry-go-round, but the structure will include one. Sage says they want to be able to accommodate different age groups. Parks and Rec Board chair Mary Hansen says the Mill Pond Park was the obvious place to start because of all of the improvements being made downtown. (DS)
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Arraignment Held For Suspect In High Speed Police Chase & CrashArraignment Held For Suspect In High Speed Police Chase & Crash
A Livingston County man has been arraigned on charges related to a police chase and crash early Sunday. 23-year-old Marc Christian Thibodeau of Brighton was arraigned today on two counts of breaking and entering a building, unlawful driving away of a vehicle, operating a vehicle under the influence and a charge of third degree fleeing and eluding police. The Livingston County Sheriffâs Department says they arrested Thibodeau early Sunday after he crashed a 2015 Dodge Challenger he stole from Brighton Chrysler after breaking into the showroom. Heâs also accused of breaking into Inkwell Tattoos on East Grand River. The crash occurred on Grand River near Owosso Road in Howell Township after Thibodeau is alleged to have led deputies on a chase that began at Grand River and Hacker Road in Genoa Township and reached speeds of 100 mph, much of it without his headlights on. The crash involved a utility pole and resulted in areas of Fowlerville and Howell losing power for several hours. Thibodeau, who is jailed on a $100,000 bond, was also ordered to undergo a psychological examination. He is due back in court November 17th for a probable cause conference. (JK)
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Heins Ousted From Howell City Council While Brighton Library, LESA & Howell Tech Bond Proposals PassHeins Ousted From Howell City Council While Brighton Library, LESA & Howell Tech Bond Proposals Pass
There will be a shake up on the Howell City Council following Tuesdayâs election. Voters ousted Councilman Doug Heins, who will be replaced by Michael Mulvahill. Heins had been a frequent critic of the councilâs actions, most recently suggesting that Mayor Nick Proctor and Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Manor were âin bedâ with Heart of Howell developer Joe Parker for their support of a plan to bury utility lines in a municipal parking lot behind Parkerâs Heart of Howell development. That prompted angry denunciations of Heins at the last council meeting and voters apparently took note as both Manor and fellow incumbents Bob Ellis were re-elected. In Brighton, voters easily re-elected four incumbents that include Mayor Jim Muzzin, Susan Gardner, Jim Bohn and Shanda Willis. The majority of ballot proposals fared well in Tuesdayâs election. The Brighton District Library millage request for maintenance and operations was overwhelmingly approved and will not increase taxes as it replaces an expiring debt levy. Retiring Director Nancy Johnson and a group of library supporters gathered at Brewery Becker in Brighton to watch the results come in. Johnson says itâs a 20-year-building and the funds will allow them to plan carefully for future needs, such as when the roof needs to be done. She tells WHMI they plan to be good stewards of whatâs entrusted to them. Library Board President Patrick McDonald said he was delighted by the turnout and reaction of citizens. He tells WHMI they there was no deception and it was a just and fair request that presented voters with the facts. As for other ballot issues, a $12.5 (m) million technology bond was approved for Howell Public Schools, which Superintendent Erin MacGregor says speaks volumes to the opportunities and instructional technology tools theyâre going to be able to provide in the district. He tells WHMI a lot of work went into the proposal and theyâre thankful to the community. In what was an extremely close count all night, by just a 63 vote margin voters also approved the LESA special education millage proposal that will restore reduced funding from the Headlee Amendment to all local school districts. LESA Superintendent Dan Danosky tells WHMI Tuesdayâs outcome, at least for school and library issues, was strong and says great things about the voters of Livingston County. Danosky says it was close all the way and it was a difficult and confusing issue. He assured those who supported the millage that it will be money well spent and go a long way toward helping local districts make ends meet and catch up on whatâs been cut. In Putnam Township, voters rejected a millage that would have generated approximately $315,000 to cover costs and legal fees related to fighting the ET Rover Pipeline project. Clerk Sally Guyon estimated an almost 25% turnout. 72 miles of the Rover Pipeline are in Michigan, with 8.6 miles in Putnam Township according to project spokeswoman Vicki Granado. She told WHMI they look forward to being a long-standing and valued member of the communities through which the pipeline will pass, including Putnam Township. Complete election results are available on the Livingston County Clerkâs webpage and a link is posted below. (JM/JK)
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Boil Water Notice Issued For Howell Township SubdivisionBoil Water Notice Issued For Howell Township Subdivision
A precautionary Boil Water Notice is in effect for the next 48 hours in a Howell Township subdivision. Officials with the MHOG Water Authority say that due to a pump replacement this afternoon, they lost pressure when they isolated a booster station in the Amber Oaks subdivision off of Oak Grove Road. As is standard procedure when pressure is lost, residents in that subdivision are being advised that any water used for direct consumption or cooking needs to be boiled until Friday afternoon. Updates can be viewed online at MHOG.org. Any questions or concerns may also be directed to the MHOG Utility Department at (810) 227-5225. (JK)
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Lyon Township Crashes Renew Safety Concerns Lyon Township Crashes Renew Safety Concerns
A Wixom woman is in critical condition following a rollover accident in Lyon Township Tuesday that shut down two busy roads for hours and was accompanied by a four car pile-up. Deputies from the Oakland Countyâs Sheriffâs Lyon Township substation were called out around 3:25pm to the crash involving two vehicles in the area of Napier and 10 Mile Roads. A 24-year-old Wixom woman was airlifted to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where she remains listed in critical condition. Police identified the driver of the other vehicle as a 36-year-old Pinckney man, who was also hospitalized but treated and released. Roughly two hours after the rollover crash, deputies responded to a separate four car pile-up in the area of 10 Mile Road and Johns with minor injuries. All were treated and released from an area hospital, including two South Lyon residents aged 35 and 61. 10 Mile Road and Napier Road were closed in all directions for hours and re-opened early Wednesday morning. The Sheriffâs Office says alcohol and drugs do not appear to have been factors in either crash and both remain under investigation. The latest incidents bring further attention to what many say is an already dangerous area with large traffic volumes that will only worsen with the construction of new subdivisions. Prior to the crashes, Lyon Township Trustee John Hicks sent a letter to the Road Commission for Oakland County to replace a flashing signal with a fully functioning one at 10 Mile and Napier. Safety improvements are planned but not until 2017/2018 â which Hicks and other advocates feel is not soon enough. (JM)
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Probation & Counseling Ordered For Fowlerville FlasherProbation & Counseling Ordered For Fowlerville Flasher
A Fowlerville man has been sentenced on charges that he exposed himself in Oakland County. 38-year-old Ryan Daniel Daves pleaded no contest in September to three charges of aggravated indecent exposure for incidents in Bloomfield Township. On Tuesday he was sentenced to 15 days in jail with credit for 15 days already served. He was also ordered to undergo 5 years of probation. Daves was arrested after a woman said she was able to snap photos of Daves as he âtried to get her attention by making sexual gesturesâ in his SUV on Telegraph Road, near Maple. After the photos and a description of the suspect were released to the media, tips came in from Wayne, Oakland, and Livingston counties. That led investigators to Daves, who was also entered on the stateâs sex offender registry, ordered to undergo sex offender counseling and barred from any establishment in which nudity is a source of entertainment. (JK)
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Marion Township Buck Pole Contest SetMarion Township Buck Pole Contest Set
As bow hunting season winds down for a couple weeks and firearm season opens up, deer hunters are encouraged to gather for bragging rights in Marion Township. The 8th annual Buck Pole Contest is set for Sunday, November 15 at the Marion Township Hall. The event is being held by the township, the Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority, and Anything That Moves. For a $10 registration fee hunters will receive a hat and be able to hang their deer to be eligible for several prizes and awards to be judged by the Buck Pole Committee. Deers must be completely field dressed and points must be one inch or longer to be counted. The spreads will be measured by the widest inside dimension of the rack. Hunters need to be able to provide the general area and time of the kill in Livingston County. There will be a warming tent and gathering place for hunters to share stories and photos, as well as concessions, a bonfire, and a raffle. For more information, log on to howellrecreation.org (MK)
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Green Oak Signs Agreement To Join Police Response Team With Hamburg And BrightonGreen Oak Signs Agreement To Join Police Response Team With Hamburg And Brighton
Several local municipalities are entering into an agreement to combine police personnel and share their services and resources. Green Oak Township has signed an inter local agreement that will allow their police department to join the Special Response Team that Hamburg Township and the city of Brighton share. The SRT handles high-risk situations and the combination of personnel will focus their response in all three communities. Green Oak Township Chief Jason Pless likens the SRT to a SWAT Team. He tells WHMI there are minimal costs involved in the agreement. The Green Oak Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved the agreement Wednesday night and Supervisor Mark St. Charles says itâs great for the township. He feels it speaks to the good relationship they have with the city of Brighton and Hamburg Township. The agreement must come before both municipalitiesâ boards for approval. Hamburg is scheduled to review it this week and Chief Pless believes Brighton will be looking at theirs in the second or third week of November. As long as the agreement is approved from all municipalities, Chief Pless is hopeful everything will be official by the first of December. (DK)
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Putnam Pipeline Opponents Regroup After Legal Defense Millage FailsPutnam Pipeline Opponents Regroup After Legal Defense Millage Fails
Opponents of a pipeline project in Putnam Township are considering their next moves after a ballot proposal to aid the legal defense against the ET Rover pipeline was voted down at the polls. The 1-mill proposal would have generated approximately $315,000 to cover legal fees. The current proposed route for the natural gas pipeline brings it through 72 miles of Michigan, with 8.2 of that bisecting Putnam Township and some homeownerâs properties. Despite many residentsâ concerns about safety and the degradation on their environment, the vote failed 851 votes to 578. Oceola Township homeowner Ron Kardos has worked with the community group, ET Rover Go Home, and believes that if the pipelineâs route affected more residents, the vote may have gone differently. According to ET Rover pipeline spokeswoman Vicki Granado, they are looking forward to being a long-standing valued member of the community. She told WHMI that the project will bring in approximately 1,500 construction jobs and generate $9 million in sales tax revenue. Once the pipeline is installed, the pipeline will be paying annual property taxes for its space in Michigan, which is estimated to be around $6 million in the first year. (MK)
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Ramp & Lane Closures To Continue At I-96 & US-23 Interchange Ramp & Lane Closures To Continue At I-96 & US-23 Interchange
More frequent ramp and lane closures can be expected for the remainder of the construction season as part of ongoing work at the I-96 and US-23 interchange. Ramp and lane closures are continuing to accommodate work as part of the improvement project. Michigan Department of Transportation crews have started work on stage two of the project that involves rebuilding the existing bridges along I-96 on the outer edges of the interchange, which are the collector-distributor lanes traffic is using to access US-23 and Spencer Road on the westbound side. M-DOT spokeswoman Kari Arend tells WHMI the lanes are narrower now though than what they will be after construction is complete. With the shift to the second stage to fix the outside bridges, Arend says they donât have enough room for traffic control to open up the eastbound on-ramp at I-96 and Spencer Road so it will remain closed until the end of the project in the fall of 2016. Arend says crews will be working through the fall and into the early winter for as long as they can before shutting down for the season, noting there will be more lane and ramp closures during this second stage of construction. However, she says any closures or shifts with a major impact will be done overnight during off-peak times to try and minimize the impact to motorists. Photo courtesy of M-DOT. (JM)
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Local Filmmaker Shows Documentary On Native AmericansLocal Filmmaker Shows Documentary On Native Americans
A local moviemaker showed off her original documentary on Native Americans in Howell on Wednesday. The Livingston Arts Council hosted Brightonâs Audrey Geyer at the Howell Opera House for a screening of her film âOur Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience.â Geyer is an independent video producer who also directed this piece. The documentary chronicled some of the struggles and stereotypes Native American cultures have faced and how current day role models are striving to preserve their ancestorâs heritage. Geyer told WHMI that the idea for this film has been floating around in her head since high school. The documentary is very Michigan-centric, something that Geyer said was important to her because she hadnât seen a lot of programming on Native Americans from the Midwest. Following the movie, she took questions from the crowd, and some in attendance shared their own personal stories of what it meant to them to be Native American. Geyer said that she has plans for a new documentary based the educational crisis in the Native American culture. For more information, or to order a copy of the film, visit her website through the link below. (MK)
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Local Salvation Army Kicks Off Campaign With Blessing of the BellsLocal Salvation Army Kicks Off Campaign With Blessing of the Bells
The Salvation Army got ready to kick off its annual Red Kettle Campaign this morning by blessing the bells that ringers will use through the upcoming holiday season. A handful of people gathered around a table full of red and gold bells at the Salvation Army of Livingston County on Lake Street in Howell to pray. Corps officer Major Prezza Morrison was joined by the Reverend David Speicher, pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Howell and several others in praying over the bells for those who will ring them, those who will hear them and those who will donate. Morrison says the red kettle campaign, which officially begins on November 13th is the Salvation Armyâs largest fundraiser of the year. This year the organization hopes to raise $195,000 from the collection. Over $180,000 more is expected through mail and drop off donations. Morrison says she hopes the bells are more than just a reminder to donate. She says the bells are a sign of hope for those in need and she hopes people who hear them ring will take the opportunity to reach out to their neighbors and family in need. Morrison says she also hopes people will hear the bells as a sign of hope and use them as a reminder to attend church and pray. She says the bells are a sign of hope for this community. Money raised over the next month and a half is used to support programs like the summer lunch bunch, which Morrison says fed some 20,000 people last year. She says the organization also uses the money to assist people locally with basic needs, including rent, utilities, food, and clothing vouchers. She says the organization gives people a hand up when they are in need and often those same people return to the Salvation Army to give back. (DS)
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