2/9/13 - Organizers say a one-day event that helps the homeless and other community members in need connect with local information and services was a success. The Livingston County Homeless Continuum of Careâs 6th annual Community Connect event took place last weekend at Parker Middle School in Howell, serving more than 900 guests ranging in age from infant to over 75-years-old. They accessed take-home items and thousands of hours of free services including haircuts, massages, health screenings, food resources and others. Thatâs in addition to countless sessions of one-on-one information sharing and resource networking with over 50 organizations. Officials say basic care items that can be difficult to afford and access when someone is in poverty were also distributed to guests including more than 900 personal care bags filled with items by LOVE Inc., 1,700 fresh meals prepared and donated by Cornerstone Evangelical Church, more than 12,000 articles of clothing and over 18,000 pounds of groceries donated by Gleaners. More than 230 individuals also received bedding items such as comforters, pillows and blankets. Organizers say tremendous thanks is owed to Howell Public Schools for donating the space but note Community Connect would not have been possible without the help of more than 400 exceptional volunteers â a number of which were said to be paying it forward, having attended as guests in prior years but coming back as volunteers. A complete summary of the event can be found below. (JM)
Community Connect Event Helps More Than 900 In Need This Year Community Connect Event Helps More Than 900 In Need This Year
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Local Dems to Welcome Possible 2014 Gubernatorial Candidate Local Dems to Welcome Possible 2014 Gubernatorial Candidate
2/9/13 - A man being considered as a possible Democratic candidate for the office of governor in 2014 will speak at this monthâs meeting of the Livingston County Democratic Party. Local party chairwoman Judy Daubenmier tells WHMI that John Austin, president of the State Board of Education and director of the Michigan Economic Development Center, will be the partyâs featured speaker at its regular meeting February 28th. She says Austin will likely talk about the current state of education in Michigan, recent cuts to state aid for schools, and the role of education in a strong economy. Austin has also served on the Commission for Higher Education and Economic Growth and was the founding director of the philanthropic New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan. Daubenmier says he is being considered as the Democratic candidate to run against Governor Snyder in the 2014 elections. He currently lives in Ann Arbor. Daubenmier says all local residents of Democratic persuasion are welcome to attend the meeting. (TD)
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Suspected I-96 Shooter Due in 53rd District Court in Howell Monday Suspected I-96 Shooter Due in 53rd District Court in Howell Monday
2/9/13 - Now that the suspected I-96 shooter has been found competent to stand trial in both Oakland and Livingston counties, criminal proceedings are moving forward. 43-year-old Raulie Wayne Casteel of Wixom is due back in 53rd District Court in Howell on Monday where is he is charged in a seven-count indictment from the Michigan Attorney Generalâs Office that includes a charge of terrorism. The stateâs AG is handling all of the charges arising out of Casteelâs alleged shootings in Livingston, Ingham and Shiawassee counties. Heâs also facing 60 counts in Oakland County, including assault with intent to murder. A March 1st hearing is set there. Authorities allege the un-employed geologist shot at two-dozen cars on and around the I-96 corridor this past October. One victim was struck in the buttocks by a bullet that entered his driver's side door while traveling through Fowlerville. Casteelâs lawyer Charles Groh says he's "pursuing all possible defenses" for his client. (JM)
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Man Found Guilty Of Helping Former Putnam Man In MurderMan Found Guilty Of Helping Former Putnam Man In Murder
2/10/13 - The man accused of helping a former Putnam Township man break into a car dealership and fatally beat an employee more than six years ago has been found guilty. According to AnnArbor.com, 32-year-old Jonathan Aiden was found guilty on all counts Friday, including open murder, in the 2006 death of William Kenny at an auto dealership in Scio Township. The trial began on Monday. Aidenâs uncle Shane Roscoe, a one-time candidate for Putnam Township Supervisor, was convicted in the killing last year and sentenced to life in prison. Both men were former employees of the dealership. Authorities say they beat Kenny while trying to steal equipment from the business. He was taken to the University of Michigan Hospital but later died from his injuries. (TD)
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Fenton Family Awaits Answers to Woman's DisappearanceFenton Family Awaits Answers to Woman's Disappearance
2/11/13 - Itâs been four years to the day since a Fenton woman was last heard from by her family and they continue to search for answers. 43-year-old Randa Jawhari vanished from her apartment complex on Shiawassee Avenue near US-23 in Fenton on February 11th, 2009. Police say there were no signs of foul play or other clues as to where she may have gone. Randa, who had been diagnosed with mental illness, didnât own a car, cell phone or credit card. Extensive searches were conducted and at one point her family paid to have a billboard asking for information about her disappearance. The website www.findranda.org remains active and the family is also using other social networking sites in hopes of finding closure one day. Family members ask that anyone with information come forward and a cash reward through Crime Stoppers of Michigan is still being offered. Fenton Police had very few leads in the case but one of those they did receive was a vehicle seen on footage from a surveillance camera that pulled into the apartment building lot early that morning and then exiting about a minute later. Another lead was an unknown African-American male who accompanied Jawhari to a dentist several times in Flint before her disappearance. A composite sketch of the man was widely distributed, but yielded no new information. (JK)
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Runway Repurposed Raises Funds for Livingston Arts Programs
2/11/13 - 48 models and designers walked the runway at the Cleary University Johnson Center on Sunday at the 5th Annual Runway Repurposed. The fashion show fundraiser displays designs that were created from all donated repurposed clothing made by designers who ranged from ages 7 to 70. Many designers modeled their own creations, while others used friends and family. Two designers used models provided by Kimberly Simpson of Your Entourage Agency, Inc., Wixom. A silent auction for the clothing followed the fashion show with bids starting at $30. Attendants were encouraged to vote for The Peopleâs Choice Award which was won by a three-way tie from designers Maddie May Kroll, Sarah Corcoran and Karissa Kastamo. The prize came as a donation from Snedicorâs Cleaners; a brand new A-stich Project Runway sewing machine. As the 3 way tie was unexpected, 2 more sewing machines were donated by Gwen Haggerty of Howell and 3 $100 gift cards were donated by Mary Ann McCray of La Boutique. Maddie May Kroll, one of the Peopleâs Choice Award winners, who designed and modeled her own piece, told WHMI she has been designing for this fundraiser since its inception in 2008. Kroll also took in 2nd place in the Beginning Student category. Mary Rettenmaier, co-chair of Runway Repurposed, says that some contestants came as far as Marshall, Waterford and Bay City. Rettenmaier tells WHMI News that Runway Repurposed has grown since it first begun. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the programs of Livingston Arts Council. (DK)
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Hune Sponsored Conflict of Interest Law Called Into QuestionHune Sponsored Conflict of Interest Law Called Into Question
2/11/13 - A new law setting conflict-of-interest standards for school board members is also calling into question the motivation and ethics of those who supported it. Public Act 606 prohibits board members from voting on district contracts if they or a family member are covered by that contract. Sponsored by State Senator Joe Hune, it was passed during the state Legislature's lame-duck session in December. But itâs already created issues locally with the Howell board, where President Mike Witt and his wife Kim, who serves as the boardâs secretary, will be barred from voting on future teacher contracts as Mrs. Wittâs sister is a teacher in the district. Kim Witt says the law is a misguided attempt to shift blame about school funding inadequacies from Lansing onto local school boards where most members are like herself; lifelong residents of the community who simply want to do what is right. "There is a presumption that I will automatically vote unethically." She says most districts have tight finances not because board members have relatives employed by the district, but because "...Lansing can't or won't find a fair and consistent way to fund education." Mike Witt says he also has a problem with the lawâs sole focus on school boards and not on other elected officials. He points to Joe Huneâs receipt of $10,000 in campaign donations in 2010 from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (Click Here) while chairing the Senate Insurance Committee, which recently passed legislation sponsored by Hune transforming Blue Cross into a customer-owned non-profit. Hune said that accusation is off-base, calling it "hogwash" and "an absolute smokescreen." There has also been questions raised as to the lawâs passage, notably that the only two individuals who testified in favor of it at a committee hearing in September were former Howell School Board President Debi Drick and current Trustee Mike Moloney, both of whom are staff members of Huneâs colleague, State Senator Mark Jansen. Drick testified that such conflicts had the potential to chart a district into deep deficit and needed to be curtailed. Ironically, the very bill Drick said was needed to prevent bias in school board votes would have prohibited her from voting on a hire sheâs alleged to have suggested while she served on the board. Howell Superintendent Ron Wilson confirmed for WHMI that in 2010 when he was seeking to hire an attorney for the district, Drick said she knew someone who might be interested. The following day, Wilson says he received a voicemail from Drickâs husband Jay, expressing an interest in the job. Wilson says he was taken aback by the obvious conflict in such a hire, and eventually told Jay Drick he was seeking a labor attorney. Drick denies she encouraged her husband to apply for the post. "Jay looked at me and said 'Hey, do you think I'd like that?' and I said 'I don't know, go talk to Ron' and that was the end of that. I said 'I can't have anything to do with that'." The motivations of the lawâs supporters aside, other educational leaders say they are concerned its long-term effects may prove to be a negative. LESA Superintendent Dave Campbell says that in many of Michiganâs smaller communities, the school district is the largest employer and it may prove difficult to find enough motivated individuals to serve on school boards that donât have relatives employed by the district. That notion was echoed by Superintendent Wilson, who thinks the legislation was not well thought out and presumes that just because a board member is related to a district employee, they will act unethically. He says his experience has been the exact opposite. Supporters of the law point out that it does not prevent people from serving on school boards if they have relatives employed by the district, but merely prevents them from voting on a related contract. Opponents counter that contracts are usually the biggest item in any district's finances and the law effectively neuters affected board members. Hune is expected to further detail the lawâs intent and specifics when he addresses members of the Brighton Area Schools Board of Education at their meeting tonight. (JK)
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Howell Township Trustee to File for County Board Howell Township Trustee to File for County Board
2/11/13 - As the deadline approaches to file for a special election to fill a seat on the Livingston County Board of Commissioners, it appears there will be at least two candidates vying against each other. The District 5 seat was recently vacated by Jay Drick following his appointment as a county magistrate. The board of commissioners then appointed former Commissioner Donald Parker to fill that seat until a special election is held in August to fill out the remainder of Drickâs original term. Parker was the first to file on the Republican ticket. But itâs expected that Michael Tipton, a member of the Howell Township Board of Trustees, will file before tomorrowâs 4pm deadline to be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the District 5 seat. The district includes the city of Howell and both Howell and Cohoctah townships. The winners of the two primary elections on May 7th will then face off in a special election August 6th. Interested candidates must be at least 18 years old, a registered voter and a resident of District 5, and in compliance with Campaign Finance Act. Candidate filing packets are available through the Livingston County Clerkâs Office. More information can be found through the link below. (JK)
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Autopsy Offers No Cause of Death for Woman Found Under Deck Autopsy Offers No Cause of Death for Woman Found Under Deck
2/11/13 - An autopsy has failed to shed any light on what might have happened to a young woman whose body was found underneath the deck of her motherâs home in Iosco Township. The body of 24-year-old Kalin Rose Woods was found by a neighbor in what authorities described as an odd position last Thursday, underneath the back deck of the home on Dutcher Road, north of Coon Lake Road. She had no shoes or coat on despite the winter weather and police said there were no obvious signs of trauma to her body. The cause of death remains under investigation and Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte says an autopsy was conducted over the weekend at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing but failed to offer any explanation or clues about what might have happened. He says the autopsy found no injuries or blunt force trauma on the body and tells WHMI things are on hold until the results of toxicology tests come back in four to six weeks, which will reveal anything that was in her system. He says the toxicology report will be key to the investigation and it's possible Woods may have been intoxicated and froze to death after being unable to get back inside the home. Woods is said to have moved to the area from Western Pennsylvania to care for her ill mother, who has been hospitalized in Ann Arbor. After not hearing from her daughter for a few days, she asked a neighbor to check on her. Bezotte says her mother did come home late Friday to the scene and spoke with detectives but has since returned to the hospital. (JM)
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Preliminary Exam Scheduled For Alleged I-96 Shooter In Howell Preliminary Exam Scheduled For Alleged I-96 Shooter In Howell
2/11/13 - A preliminary exam is set to play out late next month for the alleged I-96 shooter. 43-year-old Raulie Wayne Casteel of Wixom appeared briefly in 53rd District Court in Howell today, where Judge Carol Sue Reader set two dates for a preliminary exam on March 27th and March 29th. That will determine if enough evidence exists to send the case to trial. The Michigan Attorney Generalâs Office is handling all of the charges arising out of alleged shootings in Livingston, Ingham and Shiawassee Counties. Spokeswoman Joy Yearout tells WHMI they intend to present evidence and witnesses during the exam. Casteelâs defense team consists of Ann Arbor Attorneys Charles Groh and Douglas Mullkoff, who addressed the competency reference again in court today according to records. Casteel is charged with terrorism, assault with intent to murder and others for incidents that took place on and around the I-96 corridor and injured one man. Casteel faces 60 separate counts in Oakland County, where he will appear for a hearing March 1st. Photo Courtesy WLNS. (JM)
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Man Caught Breaking Into Hamburg Shed Sentenced to Prison
2/12/13 - A Warren man who police say attempted to break into a shed at a Hamburg Township home but was thwarted by the homeowner and his son has been sentenced in the case. 42-year-old Gary Kulpa was sentenced to 19 months to 20 years in prison, with credit for 204 days already served. He pleaded guilty to a single count of breaking and entering with intent after an incident on June 26th of last year at a home on Riverside Drive. Kulpa also pleaded guilty to being a 4th time habitual offender. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to recommend to Livingston County Circuit Court Judge David Reader that he be sentenced at the bottom of the guidelines. Hamburg Township Police say the homeownerâs son heard someone walking outside and then the sound of the shed door opening at around midnight. Police say the men went outside to find Kulpa, who fled, but they were able to catch and hold him until officers arrived. (TD)
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Howell High to Add Aviation & Firefighting to CurriculumHowell High to Add Aviation & Firefighting to Curriculum
2/12/13 - New courses at Howell High School this fall will help students get real-world certifications for flying airplanes or fighting fires. New courses in aviation and firefighting were approved for the high schoolâs curriculum by the Howell School Board last night. The firefighting course will be taught with cooperation from the Howell, Brighton, and Hartland-Deerfield fire authorities. It will provide the necessary training and coursework to become certified as a volunteer firefighter by the end of the school year. The flight course is being offered with the help of Crosswinds Aviation and the Experimental Aircraft Association. Superintendent Ron Wilson tells WHMI the earthbound instruction and testing will be given by the school, but students will need to provide their own time and money to get the hands-on flight training needed for the course. Wilson says the goal of the class will be to have students ready to take the FAA exam by the end of the year, which would earn them their visual flight rules private pilotâs license. He adds that scholarship and financing options are available for students to pay for their time in the air. Both courses will be offered at the high school beginning this fall. (TD)
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Real Estate Market Looking Up In Livingston CountyReal Estate Market Looking Up In Livingston County
2/12/13 - The RealComp real estate listing service has released market numbers for Metro Detroit for January, and overall the report is good news for Livingston County. Compared to January 2012, the number of homes sold last month increased by 29% while prices remained virtually unchanged. That number included a small decrease in the number of foreclosure sales, while the number of non-foreclosure sales jumped nearly 50%. The number of homes on the market waiting to be sold has also decreased by 22% since last January, with the average home spending 96 days on the market before being sold. The news was not all good, however. While the average sale price held steady from 2012 to 2013 at about $150,000, prices on non-foreclosed homes decreased by about 11% over that period. Those falling prices were offset by a 13% increase in sale prices on foreclosed homes. Livingston County had the highest sale prices for foreclosed homes in the 15 communities included in the report, and was second only to Grosse Pointe in overall sale prices. (TD)
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Monument Honoring Military Families May Take Root in PinckneyMonument Honoring Military Families May Take Root in Pinckney
2/12/13- Pinckney could become the home for a national monument and park honoring military families in the near future. The National Monument for Military Families Non-Profit Organization is asking the Village of Pinckney to donate a parcel of land for the development of a memorial park. The park will be called âThe Journey Gardenâ, because it will take visitors on a walk through the journey military families take when their loved ones are deployed. The monument, which will be the focal point of the Journey Garden, will stand 25 feet tall and will be made of bronze. Miniature replicas of the monument are available for purchase to aid fundraising efforts for the project at www.HonorMilitaryFamilies.com. The organization originally asked for 8 to 12 acres for the project, but presented a plan for a 29 acre park at last nightâs village meeting. The village council is positive about the idea, but would like to research further into the land requested to ensure that the donation wonât restrict further growth in the village. The council will provide an update for the public and the monument organization at their regularly scheduled meeting on March 25th at 7:00 pm. (SO)
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Although Competent, Alleged I-96 Shooter has 'Delusional Disorder'Although Competent, Alleged I-96 Shooter has 'Delusional Disorder'
2/12/13 - Lawyers for a Wixom man accused of a shooting spree on area roads last year say he suffers from a delusional disorder. But attorneys for 43-year-old Raulie Casteel donât think it will impede on his ability to comprehend the judicial proceedings against him. At a hearing yesterday, 53rd District Court Judge Carol Sue Reader scheduled a March 27th preliminary exam for Casteel on charges of terrorism, assault with intent to murder and five felony firearm counts for alleged incidents in Livingston County. Casteel has been found competent to stand trial on the charges following court-ordered psychological testing although details of the report have not been made public. He remains behind bars in the Livingston County Jail on a $2 (m) million bond and is being represented by Ann Arbor lawyers Douglas Mullkoff and Charles Groh. Evidence and witness testimony will be presented at the preliminary exam by the defense team and the Michigan Attorney Generalâs Office, which is prosecuting the case for Livingston, Shiawassee and Ingham Counties. Spokeswoman Joy Yearout tells WHMI Casteel had the option to waive the exam but did not. The shootings took place on and around the I-96 corridor and injured one man who was traveling through Fowlerville. Casteel was eventually arrested October 17th after a task force consisting of federal, state and local authorities linked evidence to victims' vehicles. He faces up to life in prison on the local charges but also faces 60 additional charges in Oakland County for incidents that took place mostly in Wixom and Commerce Township. (JK)
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Hune Explains School Board Conflict Law to Brighton BoardHune Explains School Board Conflict Law to Brighton Board
2/12/13 - State Sen. Joe Hune of Hamburg Township gave a presentation to the Brighton Board of Education at its meeting Monday night, discussing provisions of the so-called Conflict-of-Interest bill, which was passed in January and signed into law. The law, which he sponsored, says that school board members may not vote on an employee contract if they have a relative who is employed by the school district and would be impacted by the contract. A ârelativeâ is defined as a spouse, sibling, child, adopted child or in-law. It does not include students who are children of the board member. Brighton teachersâ union President Ellen Lafferty had several questions she had prepared for Hune, including how his receipt of thousands of dollars from the insurance industry wasn't a conflict considering his position as chair of the Senate Insurance Committee. But she was cut off by Board President Miles Vieau who said Hune's presentation did not include taking queries from the audience. However, later in the meeting board member Beth Minert, a retired Brighton teacher, asked Hune another of Laffertyâs questions: Why the bill did not also include city and village councils and county and township boards and was directed only at school boards. Hune said the measure was patterned after the law which governs intermediate school districts. He said a bill which would address potential conflicts of interest on other bodies such as city councils and county boards of commissioners may be introduced in the legislature the future. At the public comments portion of the meeting, two district residents stated the law was needed, citing the need for greater transparency on local school boards. But Brighton High School teacher Arnella Park said she resented comments by Howell school board Trustee Mike Maloney when he testified before the Senate Education Committee that an overly-generous teachersâ contract approved in Brighton in 2009 was part of the reason for Brightonâs financial difficulties. He said two members of the Brighton Board at that time who voted on the contract had children who were teachers in the district. But Park said the fault with the deficits that accrued in Brighton over several years were not the fault of any board members but of a former superintendent, presumably referring to former Superintendent Jim Craig. (TT/JK)
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Police Chase Ends With Fatal Shooting in Salem TownshipPolice Chase Ends With Fatal Shooting in Salem Township
2/12/13 - Authorities say police fatally shot a suspect following a chase that began in Wayne County after someone attempted to destroy a vehicle and ended in Washtenaw County with a shootout and a car crashed into a house. Northville police said they were investigating a suspicious car that had its license plate covered up in the area of 6 Mile and Napier roads at about three oâclock this morning when another car nearby exploded. A man who police said they spotted in the area refused to answer questions and took off, firing shots as he fled. State Police joined Northville police as they chased the suspect into Salem Township, where he crashed his pickup truck into a home in the area of 6 Mile and Dixboro roads. State Police 1st Lt. Joel Allen of the Brighton Post said the suspect then fled on foot before charging one of the troopers with a knife. Lt. Allen said thatâs when a trooper fired at the suspect and killed him. No one was hurt as a result of the car bombing and the three people who were inside the Salem Township home when the suspect crashed into it were also uninjured. (JK)
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Electronics And Jewelry Stolen From Unadilla Township HomeElectronics And Jewelry Stolen From Unadilla Township Home
2/12/13 - The Unadilla Township Police are asking for the publicâs help in solving a breaking and entering that took place yesterday. The department received a 911 call at 6:40 Monday evening on the 14000 block of Worden Road. They arrived to find that the residence had been forcibly broken into. Items including a Samsung flat screen television, a 17-inch Toshiba laptop, and jewelry had been stolen. The department is asking anyone with information about this crime to come forward and help them solve the case. Those who wish to report information can contact the Unadilla Township Police or call Crimestoppers of Michigan at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. (TD)
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Former County GOP Treasurer Passes AwayFormer County GOP Treasurer Passes Away
2/12/13 - Services were held today for a longtime member of the local Republican Party who passed away over the weekend. Richard Pine died Saturday following a lengthy illness. The husband of former Hamburg Township Supervisor Cindy Pine, Richard Pine was the former treasurer for the Livingston County Republican Party. He also served for six years on the Livingston County Airport Board. Pine was an Army veteran who worked for the Ford Motor Company for 35 years. In addition to his wife Cindy, he is survived by three children and two brothers. A Simple Farewell Service was held for Pine this morning in Ann Arbor. Funeral arrangements are being handled through the Borek Jennings Funeral Home. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church of Ann Arbor, and/or St. Joseph Mercy Hospice of Livingston County. (JK)
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Lt. Gov. Touts Proposed Gas Tax Hike at Howell Chamber EventLt. Gov. Touts Proposed Gas Tax Hike at Howell Chamber Event
2/12/13 - Lt. Governor Brian Calley spoke Tuesday before about 100 people at the Howell Area Chamber of Commerceâs âGood Morning Livingstonâ breakfast on myriad topics, touting Governor Rick Snyderâs proposed state budget as a good blueprint for Michigan. One of the items the Lieutenant governor touched upon was the governorâs proposed gasoline tax hike. In his state-of-the-state address last month, Gov. Snyder called for increases in gasoline, diesel and vehicle registration taxes, saying Michigan is in dire need of $1.2 billion in road repairs. After his speech, Calley told WHMI that the proposed gas tax increase has a good chance of passing through the legislature without major changes. However, Snyder has admitted it will be difficult to get the legislature, though controlled by fellow Republicans, to raise the current 19-cent gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax to 33 cents per gallon. Snyder is also calling for a 60 percent hike motor vehicle registration fees on cars and 25 percent on trucks and trailers. State Sen. Joe Hune of Hamburg Township, who addressed the Brighton Board of Education Monday night, said the sought-after gas tax hike, like other aspects of the governorâs budget proposal, will be part of what he called the âgive-and-take" that is part of the legislative process. (TT)
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