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Arc Of Livingston Celebrates 22 Years Of Celebrity Fashion Show FundraiserArc Of Livingston Celebrates 22 Years Of Celebrity Fashion Show Fundraiser

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A yearly fashion show used the help of local celebrities to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities and their families. The Arc of Livingston provides support, information, services, and inclusion for people with developmental disabilities. Celebrating over two decades of their annual Celebrity Fashion Show, the Arc of Livingston held their 22nd event at Crystal Gardens in Howell Thursday night. Celebrities walked the runway modeling fashions from local businesses and a live auction and jewelry raffle raised money for the Arc’s cause. Sophia Freni, member of the Board of Directors for the Arc, tells WHMI the event is an outreach that builds support among the disabled community and their families. A variety of area celebrities took part in the show, including actress and Congressional candidate Melissa Gilbert. Miss Michigan 2015, Emily Kieliszewski walked the runway and also served as a co-host to the evening’s Master of Ceremonies, Steve Garagiola from Channel 4 Detroit. Emily tells WHMI the fashion show reflects her own personal beliefs. While the final amount of funds raised won’t be tallied until next week, the goal was to raise over $100,000. (DK)

Former Brighton Post Trooper Gets New TrialFormer Brighton Post Trooper Gets New Trial

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A former Michigan State Police trooper who had been convicted on four counts of criminal sexual conduct has been granted a new trial. Ingham County Circuit Court Judge William Collette on Wednesday granted a motion for a new trial for 33-year-old Brian Alexander of Holt, who was facing up to 15 years in prison. The decision came after Alexander’s attorney brought forward phone records discovered during the trial and what he claimed was the prosecution’s failure to correct false or perjured testimony. An order that Alexander register as a sex offender was also canceled. Collette said the phone records might have impacted the way the jury weighed the credibility of the victim and Alexander, who both testified. The phone records are relevant to one of four charged incidents. Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said his office will review trial transcripts and decide whether to appeal Collette’s ruling to the state Court of Appeals or prepare for a new trial. However, he said any allegation that prosecutors withheld evidence is “completely and utterly false.” The incidents in question occurred in 2013, before Alexander was hired by the State Police in January 2014. After the allegations came to light, Alexander was arrested and suspended without pay. (JK)

Holiday Glow to Take Place Saturday in Downtown BrightonHoliday Glow to Take Place Saturday in Downtown Brighton

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Downtown Brighton will be aglow with the sights and sounds of the holiday season Saturday with the annual Holiday Glow celebration, sponsored by the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce. Chamber President and CEO Pam McConeghy tells WHMI there will be all sorts of entertaining activities for children and parents alike during the afternoon and evening. After the presentation of the keys to the city, Mayor Jim Muzzin, along with Mike Marino and Jon King from the Mike and Jon in the Morning show on WHMI, will pull the switch lighting the holiday lights. McConeghy says the highlight of the evening will be numbers from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” ballet performed on a platform in front of Ciao Amici restaurant by the Academy of Russian Classical Ballet, a professional ballet company based in the Metro Detroit area. Other entertainment will include numbers from “White Christmas” sung by the cast of the Brighton High School musical being performed this holiday season at the high school. And the Livingston Lamplighters will bring their barbershop harmony to the festivities with holiday songs. There will also be hay rides, a nativity petting farm, the Jollie Choo Choo Train and a chance for the kiddies to have their photo taken with a live reindeer. The Holiday Glow – marking the official kickoff of the holiday season in Brighton - will take place from 4-7 p.m. on Main Street. (TT)

Brighton Council Members Reject Pay Raise RecommendationBrighton Council Members Reject Pay Raise Recommendation

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Brighton City Council members will continue to receive the same $52.50 per meeting that they have been receiving for the last several years. The five council members who were at Thursday night’s meeting unanimously rejected a recommendation by the city’s Officers Compensation Commission that their per diem be increased to $70 per meeting. Mayor Jim Muzzin tells WHMI that with a continuing tight budget, council felt this wasn’t the right time to grant itself a pay raise. Council members’ pay for special meetings will also continue the same, at $50 per diem. Also, the per diem for city planning commission and zoning board of appeals members will remain at $75 per meeting, while board of review members will continue to get $80 per meeting. The Officers Compensation Commission meets just once every two years, and its sole purpose is to recommend compensation. In voting to decline the raise, council thanked the OCC for its vote of confidence. However, members felt there are many pressing needs in the city that are a higher priority than pay for council meeting attendance. (TT)

Season's First Major Snowfall Expected To Hit Late Friday, Through SaturdaySeason's First Major Snowfall Expected To Hit Late Friday, Through Saturday

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A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect for all of Lower Michigan, including Livingston County, with predictions of between four and eight inches of snow through Saturday night. Maggie Johnson is an AccuWeather Meteorologist and says the mild weather we’ve been enjoying the last few weeks is most definitely over for the foreseeable future. She says Saturday morning will have temperatures between 32 and 35 degrees, with predictions that the storm center will intensify during the afternoon. Precipitation is expected to be heaviest into the afternoon and early evening Saturday as temperatures begin to fall. The snowfall should diminish overnight Saturday and be done by the time the sun rises on Sunday. Stay tuned to WHMI for the latest of traffic and weather information through the season’s first major snowstorm. (JK)

Pinckney Man Killed In Early Morning CrashPinckney Man Killed In Early Morning Crash

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A Pinckney man is dead following an early morning crash in Unadilla Township. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Department says they were dispatched at about 2:15am to Doyle Road south of Unadilla Road for a single vehicle crash. A preliminary investigation indicates a 2002 Chevy Trail Blazer was northbound on Doyle Road, when it left the roadway. The Trail Blazer struck a road sign along with several small trees and then rolled over, ejecting the driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle. He was identified as 58-year-old James Barry Walker. He passed away after being transported by Livingston County EMS to the U of M Hospital in Ann Arbor. Alcohol and speed both appear to be a factor in the accident, which remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Bureau. Deputies were assisted at the scene by personnel from Unadilla Fire Department and Livingston County EMS. (JK)

Charter High School Completes First Season In MHSAACharter High School Completes First Season In MHSAA

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A local charter school recently completed its first year of sports competition with the Michigan High School Athletic Association. The Charyl Stockwell Prepatory Academy capped off their first season as full MHSAA members with an appearance in the Class D boys soccer tournament. CSPA was selected to be a host team and took Dansville to double overtime before falling in a shootout. Even though it was a loss in the scorebooks, the tournament appearance was a win for the school and all involved in the athletic program for the work it took to get there. CSPA added their high school sports program in the 2008-09 school year, but not being a part of the MHSAA or a conference made it difficult to schedule opponents. They applied for membership last year and spent the 2014-15 on probationary status before being fully accepted for this year. Athletic Director Laurie DeLorenzo told WHMI she was excited for the opportunities this would bring the student athletes, like being able to compete for state championships. CSPA offers nine sports programs to their high school students and DeLorenzo said that the next challenge was to find a conference for them to be a part of. The athletic director said that it would be better if they could find other small schools in the area and form their own conference, rather than trying to join one that’s already established. The feeling is that in that scenario, they would be competing with Class C and D schools, where many of the area schools in the existing Kensington Lakes Activities Association are class A. (MK)

Brighton City Council Likely to Appoint Interim ManagerBrighton City Council Likely to Appoint Interim Manager

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The Brighton City Council will hold several special meetings during December related to the job of selecting a new city manager. At Thursday’s City Council meeting, it was announced that “almost 40” people had submitted applications for the post. The person hired will replace Dana Foster, who announced back in August that he would be leaving his position after 24 years on December 18th to take a position in private industry. Mayor Jim Muzzin tells WHMI that since the new city manager may not be available until mid-January, council will have to appoint someone as interim manager. Muzzin says the person could be an outside individual recommended by the Michigan Municipal League representative in charge of the managerial search process or an internal appointment involving a department head. (TT)

Brighton Residents Satisfied with City Services OverallBrighton Residents Satisfied with City Services Overall

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Residents of the city of Brighton appear generally satisfied with city services and programs, according to the latest in a survey taken every two years of city residents, business owners and property owners. Overall, the survey revealed that 15% those responding feel that city services are “excellent” while 44% regard them as “very good”. Another 35% give city services a “good” rating in the survey. City Manager Dana Foster tells WHMI he is pleased with the overall survey results, which had no glaring areas in which citizens were dissatisfied. The majority of respondents - over 69% - rank police and public safety as of “critical” importance. Also regarded as “critical” were city water and sewer services, which over 53% gave that rating. Regarded as “very important” were refuse collection and disposal, which over 49.5% said is very important. In the category of “quality of service”, the highest rating was given to the city police department, which over 49% regarded as “excellent”. The next-highest rating was given to the walkability of the downtown area, which 31% said is “excellent”. Over 53% said that the appearance of public grounds and facilities is “very good”, and 47% gave a “very good” rating to civic and special events and promotional activities. While 34% said the condition of city streets and storm drainage is “very good”, another 25% felt the condition of streets is either “fair” or “poor”. An interesting side aspect to the survey is that 72% feel the city should continue to subsidize with taxpayer dollars the cost of participation in SELCRA and public recreation. SELCRA – the Southeastern Livingston County Recreation Authority – is in danger of disbanding and being absorbed into the Brighton Area Schools system because of continuing financing problems. (TT)

Brighton Woman Recognized For Her Volunteer Work To End HungerBrighton Woman Recognized For Her Volunteer Work To End Hunger

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A local woman is being honored by the Food Bank Council of Michigan for her volunteer efforts to end hunger. Heide Clausnitzer of Brighton is being recognized by the Food Bank Council of Michigan as one of this year’s Beacon of Light recipients. The Beacon of Light award honors people who guide and inspire their community towards hunger-solution problems. She was nominated by Gleaner’s Community Food Bank and has volunteered over 1,150 hours to the pantry and call centers. Growing up in Mannheim, Germany, Clausnitzer experienced hunger and dedicated her life to giving people a voice and helping end hunger. She and her husband Jack have donated an acre of land for produce harvest called the “Victory Garden”. It has provided over 45,000 pounds of healthy food since its donation. Clausnitzer was recognized on Thursday at the Michigan Harvest Gathering’s annual luncheon in Lansing. The MHG has raised over 54 million meals for people and families across Michigan and serves 1.7 million people who rely on food banks within the state each year. (DK)

Lane Closures On US-23 At I-96 Expected Monday And TuesdayLane Closures On US-23 At I-96 Expected Monday And Tuesday

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Nightly lane closures on US-23 at I-96 are expected at the beginning of the week. The Michigan Department of Transportation reports there will be overnight single lane closures on US-23 in each direction near I-96 for pavement striping. On Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24, there will be a single lane closure on northbound US-23 between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. the following morning. There will be a single lane closure on southbound US-23 between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following morning. (DK)

Trial Delayed For Man Charged In Death Of Hamburg Police SergeantTrial Delayed For Man Charged In Death Of Hamburg Police Sergeant

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A local man charged in connection with a crash that killed a Hamburg Township Police sergeant will not head to trial until April. With a new attorney representing him, 54-year-old Steven Mark Kelty of Oceola Township was in court Friday for a pre-trial hearing. Kelty is charged in a crash that killed Sergeant Jim Sanderson, a 20-year veteran of the Hamburg Township Police Department. His trial has been delayed several months because his original attorney went missing back in August. Kelty dismissed that attorney and last month the court appointed Heather Nalley to represent him. At Friday’s hearing, Nalley asked the court for additional time to prepare for the trial. Judge Miriam Cavanaugh set the trial date for April 11, 2016 in Livingston County Circuit Court. Nalley also asked for indigent funding for Kelty to assist with his defense, which is expected to focus on whether Sanderson’s operation of his motorcycle may have contributed to the crash. A witness at a previous hearing testified he was behind Sanderson as he drove on Figurski Drive and appeared to pull out onto Latson Road without stopping at the stop sign. Kelty is charged with driving while his license was suspended causing death, and operating a motor vehicle with the presence of a schedule one substance causing death; in this case marijuana. He is also charged as a third time habitual offender for prior drunk driving convictions. If convicted, Kelty faces up to 30 years in prison. (DS/JK)

Sentencing Handed Down To One Of Four Men Charged In Brighton Teen Sex Case Sentencing Handed Down To One Of Four Men Charged In Brighton Teen Sex Case

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One of four men charged with sex and computer crimes involving a Brighton teen have been sentenced. 21-year-old John Joseph Gasiorek III has been sentenced to 36 months of probation following a hearing on Thursday. Gasiorek pleaded guilty as charged to all five counts against him, including criminal sexual conduct in the 3rd and 4th degree, using a computer to commit a crime and accosting a child for immoral purposes. In exchange for his guilty plea, Gasiorek was sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act which will expunge his record if he successfully completes probation. Gasiorek is one of the four men who are accused of having separate sexual relations with the now 16-year-old victim. The men are said to have met the victim through a social networking application that is self-described as a “Gay iPhone App” and police say all but one of the alleged incidents occurred when the victim was 15. Also charged in the case is 18-year-old Cody Swatling of South Lyon, 27-year-old Burhan Ahmed Mian of Flint and 24-year-old Alex Peter Benedict of Brighton. Swatling and Benedict are scheduled for sentencing hearings in December under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act and Mian will appear for his pre-trial hearing December 18th. (DK)

Animal Cruelty Case Proceeds For Mother And Son ChargedAnimal Cruelty Case Proceeds For Mother And Son Charged

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A case is moving forward regarding a mother and her son charged with animal cruelty. Sharon Bath and her son Kevin Roberts each face a single count of animal cruelty to ten or more animals. In August, over 100 cats were seized from their residence on Dutcher Road. Officials from Livingston County Animal Control say the cats taken were very sick, despite Roberts claims they had been given food and water. A plea was not entered by Roberts at a pre-trial hearing on Friday and his defense attorney requested an adjournment to file a motion to suppress a search warrant in the case. A final settlement conference and jury trial has been scheduled for Roberts in February. Meanwhile, Robert’s mother was bound over to Circuit Court following a probable cause conference on Tuesday. (DK)

No Parking on Brighton City Streets During Snow EmergencyNo Parking on Brighton City Streets During Snow Emergency

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This notice from the Brighton Department of Public Works: A snow emergency remains in effect for the city of Brighton from now until further notice. A snow emergency means that all parked vehicles must be off city streets until the snow emergency is over. Vehicles that remain on the street will be towed after attempts have been made to inform the vehicle owner. The enforcement action has been authorized by Police Chief Tom Wightman. The owners of impounded vehicles will be required to pay all the required fees in order to reclaim them. For more information, call DPW Director Dave Blackmar at 810-225-9282. (TT)

Green Oak Twp. Added to Police Special Response TeamGreen Oak Twp. Added to Police Special Response Team

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During the past three years, the Brighton City Police Department and the Hamburg Township Police have operated a joint police “Special Response Team”. Brighton Police Chief Tom Wightman tells WHMI the unit is trained to respond to high-risk situations involving the potential for extreme danger. At its meeting last week, the Brighton City Council approved a mutual aid agreement which expands the Special Response Team to include Green Oak Township. The unit is trained to conduct entry into locations with known or armed or potentially armed people, to apprehend those who pose a serious threat of injury to themselves or others, and to conduct tactical entry into search warrant locations. Members of this unit participate in regular specialized training with an emphasis on team operations while practicing weapons techniques, entry and movement procedures, and live fire exercises. This unit has conducted operations in Brighton and Hamburg Township, as well as in neighboring communities when requested, to provide assistance to other agencies. During the past year the Green Oak Police Department has assigned several officers to train with the Brighton-Hamburg SRT because Green Oak didn’t have its own SRT unit. This project has worked well and the members of all three departments are now trained to operate as a combined team. Wightman says the addition of Green Oak to the program will have no effect on either the police department’s, or the city’s, budget. (TT)

Season's First Snowfall Breaks RecordsSeason's First Snowfall Breaks Records

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A massive winter storm dumped 16.5 inches of snow on Howell, with lesser, but still impressive, totals reported elsewhere across Livingston County. Forecasts had originally called for a maximum of 8 inches to blanket the area, but by mid-afternoon Saturday that had already been exceeded in many areas. Roads were slippery and snow-covered for much of the day and evening with reports of multiple spinouts and fender-bender crashes. The City of Brighton declared a Snow Emergency after 5pm Saturday, requiring all cars to be off of city streets to facilitate plowing efforts. The National Weather Service said that the storm total of 15.5 inches reported at its White Lake Office, made this the largest snowstorm reported there since 1994 and the largest ever in November. Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte says that between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday the sheriff's dept. responded to 69 fender-bender accidents, 31 vehicle runoffs and seven personal injury accidents, all of them minor. (JK/TT.)

Road Commission Trucks Kept Busy After First Snowfall of SeasonRoad Commission Trucks Kept Busy After First Snowfall of Season

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The first snowstorm of the season in Southeast and Mid-Michigan dumped nearly a foot-and-a-half of snow on the Howell area Saturday and Saturday night. Howell got 16.5 inches while Hartland received 16 inches, with Brighton getting slightly less. All that snow has kept crews out on the roads cleaning up the mess. Livingston County Road Commission Director Mike Craine tells WHMI he had all 32 drivers out on shifts Saturday night and Sunday, salting and plowing. Craine says his people will keep at it until they have all areas cleared of snow, including subdivisions, although highways and primary roads are the top priority, followed by secondary roads, with subdivision streets coming last. Craine says the road commission uses about $1.2 million out of its budget on average each winter season for snow removal. He says 82% of this calendar year’s budget for snow removal has been used up, with the rest of November and all of December to go. Craine says, however, that the low fuel prices right now are giving him some extra “wiggle room” to work with. (TT)

Pinckney To Continue Working With Wellhead Protection ProgramPinckney To Continue Working With Wellhead Protection Program

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The Village of Pinckney is taking steps to ensure their drinking water remains safe. A presentation was made to the Putnam Township Board of Trustees at their meeting last week to update their participation in the Wellhead Protection Program. The WHPP helps to identify groundwater and monitor its quality and movement, which could be helpful in the event of a contamination event. In many states the program is mandatory, but in Michigan participation is voluntary. That’s something that training and water specialist for the Michigan Rural Water Association’s Kelly Hon says actually works in the community’s favor, as local residents know their land better than out-of-area ones. Guidelines for the program were designed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and are set up to rely on local volunteers and government officials who know and are invested in their community. A couple cautious concerns were raised by board members, who were otherwise all in favor of the project, around environmental issues that could arise from a gravel pit and sod farm in the area. Hon informed the board there were strategies for situations like these and will be sending templates for regions comparable to Pinckney to the board for review. Village Council President Linda Lavey was involved with the presentation and said that Pinckney has been in the program since 1997 following cleanup of a contamination event by factory a few years earlier. Lavey stressed repeatedly about the importance of the program and having clean drinking water for all. (MK)

Brighton DDA Still Looking to Build Downtown Theater Brighton DDA Still Looking to Build Downtown Theater

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Saying there is a great need for it, the Brighton Downtown Development Authority is committed to putting a theater building in downtown Brighton. The only question is when. The Brighton Center for the Performing Arts at Brighton High School – which has a capacity of just under 1,000 - is the primary venue in Brighton for larger types of live entertainment. However, the community – particularly its downtown - lacks a medium-sized venue. Brighton previously had the Mill Pond Theater, which hosted plays and other live productions, but the decaying building eventually had to be torn down because of safety and other code violations. The only problem with a new theater building is the DDA does not currently have the funding for a project that would cost over $2 million. The theater would be used for performances by musical groups, for staging plays and putting on other forms of live entertainment. The city currently has an option to buy a piece of property owned by Fifth Third Bank located next to the Ciao Amici restaurant on West Main Street. At its meeting last week, the board voted to request that Fifth Third extend the DDA’s option to purchase the property by another five years. The land is currently used for public parking. DDA Director Matt Modrack says the DDA is looking into constructing a 2-story building at the site with a capacity of about 400 persons. Modrack tells WHMI a marketing study is currently underway by a well-known marketing firm, and so far the results are favorable, showing a genuine need for a downtown indoor entertainment venue. Modrack says with its many good restaurants, Brighton’s downtown has become a true dining destination, attracting people from far and wide. But he tells WHMI there is a need for patrons to have entertainment in the community after they have had dinner. Modrack says the Imagination Station playground is fine if people have small children and the weather is good, but that doesn’t work in cold or rainy weather. Modrack says the marketing study will be completed by next month and he will report to the DDA with the results at its next meeting on Dec. 15. (TT)
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