An injury accident that sent three to area hospitals was caused by some type of distracted driving on Tuesday night in Howell Township. Thatâs according to the Livingston County Sheriffâs Department, which is investigating the accident on West Grand River near Fleming Road that hospitalized a young boy, an elderly man and the at-fault driver. Sheriff Bob Bezotte tells WHMI 28-year-old Joseph Blake of Fowlerville was traveling westbound on Grand River in a Chevy Trail Blazer when it crossed the center line and struck a Ford Explorer head-on near Fleming Road. He says witnesses reported the Blazer crossed the center line several times before striking the Explorer. Bezotte says Blake was taken to a hospital, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries and released following a blood draw. He says they wonât know if there was any drug or alcohol involvement until the results are back. That is expected to take somewhere between six to eight weeks and will likely aid in determining if any criminal charges will be filed or not. Bezotte tells WHMI the cause was related to some kind of distracted driving and they donât know if it was texting but Blake said he had been playing with the radio so that part is still under investigation. Bezotte identified the driver of the Ford Explorer as 82-year-old Frederick Steinmiller of Fowlerville, who remains hospitalized in critical condition at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. His 8-year-old passenger sustained leg injuries and was taken to C.S. Mott Childrenâs Hospital. (JM)
Distracted Driving Likely Cause Of Head-On Crash Distracted Driving Likely Cause Of Head-On Crash
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2nd Annual Family Tree Seminar Will Help Researchers Fill In The Blanks2nd Annual Family Tree Seminar Will Help Researchers Fill In The Blanks
Community members can receive tips on how to branch out while growing their family tree at a workshop in Pinckney this month. The second annual genealogy seminar will be held at the Pinckney Community Public Library on Saturday, April 16th from 8 am to 4 pm. The workshop, Putting the Puzzle Together, will feature Katherine Willson, who is an expert at the historical population trends in Michigan. The seminar will offer information to help those who are just beginning to build their family tree, expanding it to new generations, or are struggling to fill in the gaps. Individuals are encouraged to bring their questions and family names they are seeking. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the door. More information about the event can be found by calling the library at 734-878-3888 or visiting their website at the link below. (DK)
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Fowlerville Police Trained In Naloxone UseFowlerville Police Trained In Naloxone Use
One local village has all of its police officers trained in the administration of a drug to counter an overdose. Fowlerville has the only police department in the county whose force is all trained in the use of Naloxone. Sgt. John Tyler, who will become the chief of the department this summer, says a recent training at the Livingston County Emergency Medical Services Building in Howell allowed the last of his officers to be trained. Tyler says all 10 of the departmentâs officers will now carry Naloxone injectors on their person. He says although some of the officers have been trained for the last three months, no one has yet had the opportunity to use it. Tyler also says the drug wonât be a cure for the opiate problem in the village, but it is a good thing if they can save a life. He says the Naloxone training has become part of police department policy in Fowlerville. The training the officers received was through a program offered by Mitchellâs Hope. Tyler says he works closely with Michele Wagner, president of the organization, and appreciates what they do. Wagner lost her son to an overdose in 2014 and has since channeled her grief into helping others. (DS)
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M-DOT Crews Busy With Potholes & Patching This Spring M-DOT Crews Busy With Potholes & Patching This Spring
While spring typically signifies renewal, itâs all about preservation for the Michigan Department of Transportation with patch crews out and about. M-DOT spokeswoman Kari Arend says they have a lot of construction either upcoming or already underway but if itâs not projects, its potholes this time of year. Arend says now that that crews are not out salting and sanding on freeways, theyâll be trying to keep up with all of the potholes and patching as needed. Arend tells WHMI itâs a short term solution but one that helps keep roads safe and open so they ask that motorists report potholes and crews can get them fixed. Those along state trunk lines can be reported to the local M-DOT office in Brighton at (810) 227-4681 or online. The annual spring thaw is a vulnerable time according to M-DOT, which recently released information about spring load restrictions and a new soil freezing model that could help lower the toll of the spring thaw on roads. A link to the new study by Michigan State University and M-DOT is available through the link below. (JM)
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Good Morning Livingston Will Highlight Local Healthcare InvestmentsGood Morning Livingston Will Highlight Local Healthcare Investments
Representatives from neighboring hospitals will discuss local healthcare contributions at a public breakfast meeting next week. The Howell Area Chamber of Commerceâs Good Morning Livingston Program will have a focus on healthcare in the county at their breakfast meeting on Tuesday, April 12th from 7:30-9 am. Representatives from University of Michigan Hospitals, St. John Providence, and St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital will be present to share plans and whatâs happening for healthcare in the area. The event will be held at The Johnson Center at Cleary University in Howell. The cost is $20 for members with reservations, $25 for members at the door, and $30 for future and non-members. For more information about Good Morning Livingston or Tuesdayâs event, contact the chamber at 517-546-3920 or visit chamber@howell.org.
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Village Of Pinckney To Enforce Parking LimitsVillage Of Pinckney To Enforce Parking Limits
People who park too long in public spaces one local village could start paying fines soon. Last week the Pinckney Village Council discussed the possibility of fining people who violate time limits in some parking areas. Village President Linda Lavey says she brought the issue up because she wanted discussion on eliminating time limits on certain parking spaces. Police Chief Jeff Newton says ticketing will help solve the problem, but the current fine is $125.00. Newton told the council that the violators are employees of downtown businesses parking all day in parking spaces limited to two and three hours. He says he has warned violators several times, to no avail. Newton says there are a handful of all-day parking spaces near downtown the employees could use but donât. One council member asked about selling permits, but Lavey says the village is not in the parking business. After some lengthy discussion, Newton suggested that he would send a letter to all of the downtown businesses warning that ticketing will start. Employees will be directed to park at East Livingston and Mill Streets. The council agreed and directed Newton to start ticketing. The council agreed to reduce the fine for parking per offense. Enforcement will soon start in the villageâs new municipal lot and along Howell Street. (DS)
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Green Oak Township To Apply For FEMA GrantGreen Oak Township To Apply For FEMA Grant
A FEMA grant may help Green Oak Township restore a troubled neighborhood into a floodway. A twenty-four parcel lot of land off of Nichwagh Lake, which connects to the Huron River, suffers yearly flooding which makes living conditions difficult. Of the 19 homes on Limekiln Road and Kirby, only three are known to be occupied, with seven on the market. Township Supervisor Mark St Charles said the board of trustees has made an intent to apply for the federal grant which would reimburse them 75% of the estimated $800,000 needed to purchase properties and demolish them. There are no water or sewer services in the area, and some septic fields are underwater currently, presenting an environmental risk.A damaged culvert has allowed a stream to run through the neighborhood and cut off north Kirby Road from south. The board was also concerned because they feel the roads that do exist in the area are unsafe for emergency vehicles to navigate. Letters of intent will next be sent out to property owners. Properties will be appraised and offered a fair value, according to St Charles. He said this is a strictly voluntary program, but they are doing it in the interest of the health and safety of residents. If won, conditions of the grant require that the land the township purchases be public land and open space after demolition, with no future developments. (MK)
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Fungal Meningitis Victims Don't Want To Be ForgottenFungal Meningitis Victims Don't Want To Be Forgotten
Survivors of a fungal meningitis outbreak that occurred in 2012 are still looking for justice and donât want to be forgotten. The New England Compounding Center pharmacy in Massachusetts was responsible for distributing 17,000 doses of a tainted steroid that resulted in over 750 cases, including 64 deaths, nationwide. Nineteen of the deaths happened in Michigan, with at least eight being from Livingston County. Kathy Pugh of Hamburg Township said her mother, Evelyn Bates-March (pictured), was one of the victims and still hasnât fully recovered. She said her mother continued to grow weaker until Pugh had to make the decision to stay home with her or put her in a nursing home. Many of the victims say that most of the adverse symptoms they have suffered have actually come from the anti-fungal medication they received to treat the infection rather than the infection itself. Bates-March was one of 200 cases linked to Michigan Pain Specialists in Genoa Township. She, like another victim, Betty Ruttman of Fowlerville, each started feeling the effects of the tainted shot around one month after injection. Ruttman believes she is paying the price of the government trying to cut costs and canât believe that something like this could happen in the United States. "I would like to see more legislation, more accountability to any compound company that there is. We were farmers and I'll tell you the milk inspector was there many times, we never knew when he was coming and you better have all the cobwebs brushed down." Pugh says now that more than three years later, there is very little that has actually been done to make sure it doesn't happen again. "It has to go back to the FDA. The first draft of the new bill that they were working on after their big Senate investigation where everybody was fire and brimstone 'We're going to make sure this doesn't happen. We're going to take care of the victims'...After the cameras went off, nothing. The compounding lobbyists got to the politicians and now the bill that was passed, it's the same as using duct tape on the Titanic." A $10.5 million class action lawsuit was settled last month to help the victims, but Ruttman said her bills are three-and-a-half times greater than what she will receive from it. A bi-partisan letter asking for the victimâs claims to be waived was signed by four senators and sent to the Department of Health and Human Services. Ruttman said the request was denied and that after the lawyers and insurance companies get paid, there will be little to nothing left for the families affected. 14 New England Compounding Center owners and employees were charged in 2014 in a 131-count criminal indictment, including 25 acts of second-degree murder against owner and head pharmacist Barry J. Cadden and NECC supervisory pharmacist Glenn A. Chin. They are currently set for trial in September. If convicted, they face up to life in prison. Pugh, Ruttman and Ruttman's daughter, Karen Johnson, will be the featured guests this week on WHMI's Viewpoint, Sunday at 8:30am. (MK/JK)
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Threat Discovered On Bathroom Wall At Howell High School Threat Discovered On Bathroom Wall At Howell High School
There was a stepped up police presence at Howell High School today after a threat of violence was discovered on a bathroom wall. The nature of the threat was not disclosed but the district sent out a message notifying parents. The threat on a bathroom wall at the 10-12 campus building was said to be reported immediately to administration and Howell Police were contacted. The letter states that after investigating, the Howell Police Department did not believe the threat was credible. However, as a precaution, the district requested an increased police presence for the remainder of the day. Deputy Chief Scott Mannor tells WHMI they determined the threat was not credible but are still investigating to try and get to the bottom of it and determine the responsible party. Mannor says the nature of the threat is not being made public due to the ongoing investigation and there was an increased police presence at Howell High School this afternoon when school let out. He says there will also be an increased presence tomorrow morning. District officials commended individuals for reporting such incidents, which ensures a swift response and provides for a safe environment. (JM)
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Free Bus Ride From South Lyon to DIA Offered Saturday Free Bus Ride From South Lyon to DIA Offered Saturday
Area residents can hitch a free ride from South Lyon to the Detroit Institute of Arts this weekend. South Lyon is among the cities selected as a pick-up location for Oakland County Day this Saturday. The DIA will provide free coach bus transportation for residents from different county locations and then return to each in the afternoon. General museum admission is free so visitors can browse the collection or exhibits, take part in a free drop-in art making workshop or guided tours. Reservations for the free transportation are required, which is open to senior citizens, families and children but on a first come, first serve basis. Pick-up is 9:15am Saturday at South Lyon High School. Details are available on the Detroit Institute of Arts website through the link below or by calling 313-833-4005. (JM)
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"Real Life Call Of Duty" Training Center Will Take Over Pinckney Elementary"Real Life Call Of Duty" Training Center Will Take Over Pinckney Elementary
A new business will soon be arriving in Livingston County, making its home at Pinckney Elementary School. The school has sat vacant for many years, but a purchase agreement was approved by the Board of Education on Thursday with a group out of Detroit. Tango Down Tactical is a facility that uses airsoft guns and technology to train law enforcement in a closed quarter environment. Pinckney Superintendent Rick Todd calls the business the âreal life Call of Dutyâ. During weekdays, the business is used in a professional manner to train law enforcement and is open to the public for recreational use on the weekends. Todd tells WHMI the Board of Education was interested in the business because of the impact it will have on the community. He says the board was receptive to the tactical training business because they believe it will have a strong impact on the local economy by bringing people to the area. The group made a cash offer of $200,000, the boardâs full asking price for the school. That money will be used to make a dent in the districtâs $1.1(m) million dollar debt and accelerate their 2 year debt pay-off plan. Todd says the board had heard many purchase proposals, several of which involved a lot of money and work to make the potential buyerâs plans come to fruition. One such offer was from SKA LLC, which had been interested in building homes on the property. The board rejected SKA LLCâs purchase offer and is ready to move forward with the new development. Todd says the timeline thus far is to have the business moved in and ready to run by fall. (DK)
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Howell Woman Pleads In Stolen Vehicle Police Chase IncidentHowell Woman Pleads In Stolen Vehicle Police Chase Incident
A Livingston County woman who led two separate police chases and tried to run her ex-boyfriend over with his own truck has entered a plea. On Thursday, 24-year-old Alycia Pless of Howell pleaded no contest to charges of fleeing and eluding, resisting or obstructing a police officer, felonious assault, operating while intoxicated, 2nd degree home invasion, unlawful driving away of a vehicle, and breaking and entering a vehicle to steal property less than $200. In August, Pless allegedly stole her ex-boyfriendâs pickup truck and trailer from the Thompson Lake boat launch while he was out on the water. The man reported the theft and a chase ensued after officers spotted Pless. They broke off the chase once they were informed the suspect was an ex-girlfriend and they knew her identity. Pless returned to the boat launch later that evening and reportedly tried to run her ex-boyfriend down with the stolen vehicle before taking off again. Police spotted the pickup truck and gave chase until she eventually crashed and was taken into custody. Pless is scheduled to be sentenced April 28th. A sentencing agreement with prosecutors calls for her to serve a minimum of 23 months in the Michigan Department of Corrections and she must pay restitution as determined. If the details of the agreement are not granted at sentencing, Pless is allowed to withdraw her plea. (DK)
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U of M Officials Present Plans for New Medical Center in BrightonU of M Officials Present Plans for New Medical Center in Brighton
Representatives of the University of Michigan and the U of M Health System gave a detailed presentation to the Brighton City Council on the planned, $175 million health care facility at a Blue Sky session Thursday evening. The Brighton Health Center will be a full-service, 23-hour ambulatory care center. It will be an outpatient care facility, although there will be a small area for patients who have to be kept overnight. However, any patients requiring care for more than 23 hours straight will be transferred to another U of M facility. The facility will be built on the southwest corner of Challis Road and Karl Greimel Drive. After the presentation, WHMI asked Director of Community Relations Jim Kosteva the purpose of the visit, when the university doesnât need site plan approval â or any kind of approval from the city - on the project. Because the Brighton Health Center will be under the control of the University of Michigan - which is a state-run university, they are exempt from local codes and ordinances. Current plans are to keep the existing Brighton Health Center operated by the University of Michigan across Challis Road in the Brighton Towne Square development open. The new facility will have 313,000 square feet of space on two floors, will house over 40 medical specialties, and will have the capability of expanding in the future if the need arises. I will provide an estimated 300 or more full-time jobs, many of them requiring medical degrees. It will have its own pharmacy and a limited service caféteria. There will be parking space for 1,000 cars. Two local women in the audience said they were grateful the facility is going to be built since it will save them a trip to Ann Arbor for their regular cancer treatments. One final authorization â bid approval â is required, although thatâs considered a legal formality. Plans are to start site grading this fall or next spring and begin construction next year. The facility is expected to be open in the early fall of 2018. (TT)
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Summer Lunch Bunch Program Seeks Volunteers & Support Summer Lunch Bunch Program Seeks Volunteers & Support
Volunteers and support are being sought for a collaborative community meals program that happens every summer in Livingston County. The Summer Lunch Bunch meets at various host sites across Livingston County during the summer recess, serving up free meals along with activities for children focused on literacy, physical and nutrition education, science and art. The program is a coordinated by The Salvation Army of Livingston County and is an initiative of The Livingston Hunger Council. The 2016 program goal is to serve 35,000 meals and reach more local families but organizers say to do so, community support is needed and training groups are forming. Sessions are scheduled in May and June at the Salvation Army Corps Community Center on Lake Street in Howell. In addition to volunteers, financial support and donations are needed for the Summer Lunch Bunch Program. More information is available through the link and attachments below. (JM)
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Fenton DDA Balancing Downtown Growth With Operation Demands, Keeping Budget SteadyFenton DDA Balancing Downtown Growth With Operation Demands, Keeping Budget Steady
Fentonâs Downtown Development Authority is handling the areaâs new growth while remaining financially responsible as they prepare for next yearâs budget. Assistant City Manager Michael Burns says the DDA expects the 2017 fiscal yearâs budget will be similar to 2016âs and that the numbers are in âdecent shapeâ. A budget hearing will be held at the end of this month before the 2017 budget can be adopted by City Council in May. Burns tells WHMI the DDAâs revenue stream is a balancing act between growth and tax appeals. With the new development downtown, the DDA is seeing an increase in revenue. However, due to tax appeals from properties on Silver Parkway, their revenue stream is taking a hit as well. Burns says the cityâs biggest challenge with the new development is accounting for its operational demands. Increased events, marketing, and maintenance in the downtown region require more employees and management, which leads to additional costs. Moreover, a movement in Lansing could eliminate DDAâs statewide or at least funding sources if the proposed legislation were to pass. Burns says Fenton is working through these obstacles and the DDAâs projected 5 year budget shows a sustainable revenue stream. At a meeting on Wednesday, Burns urged the DDA to remain conscientious of the fund balance as they move forward toward the budgetâs adoption. (DK)
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Willis Resigns from Brighton Council; City Hopes to Fill Post in MayWillis Resigns from Brighton Council; City Hopes to Fill Post in May
Brighton City Council Member Shanda Willis has resigned from her position, effective immediately. Announcement of her departure was made at the Brighton City Council meeting Thursday evening. Willis gave no reason for her resignation, although she was known to have been experiencing health problems. Mayor Jim Muzzin tells WHMI the city will post the position and hope to have enough resumes to conduct interviews and fill the vacancy at one of the two meetings in May. Letters of interest and resumes must be received by April 29 at 4 p.m. and council hopes to conduct interviews and fill the vacancy at either the first or second meeting in May. Willis was elected in November of 2013 and re-elected to another 2-year term last November. Her current term wasnât set to expire until the general election in 2017, so the person appointed will fill out the last year-and-a-half of her term. Willis, a Brighton High School graduate, has a nursing degree from the University of Michigan and has served as a nurse case manager for people catastrophically injured in auto accidents. (TT)
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Pedestrian Critical After Being Struck By Tanker Truck In Pinckney Pedestrian Critical After Being Struck By Tanker Truck In Pinckney
A man on a bicycle suffered significant injuries after being struck by a tanker truck this afternoon in downtown Pinckney. The incident happened around 1:00pm at West Main and Unadilla Streets. Pinckney Police Chief Jeff Newton tells WHMI officers responded to a pedestrian personal injury accident involving a commercial motor vehicle, which was identified as propane carrying tanker truck. Newton says a 64-year-old man was seriously injured and was transported to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, where he was last listed in critical condition. Main Street was shut down at Unadilla Street in the Village, with traffic being detoured along Unadilla Street. The county-wide accident investigation team was called in to assist, which is made up of local police and fire departments. (JM)
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Melvindale Man Sentenced In Green Oak Twp Home InvasionMelvindale Man Sentenced In Green Oak Twp Home Invasion
A Melvindale man has been sentenced on charges related to a home invasion in Green Oak Township. 25-year-old Jonathan Parkkila pleaded guilty last month to one count of first degree home invasion, carrying concealed weapons, resisting and obstructing police, possession of marijuana and two counts of receiving and concealing firearms. He and 24-year-old Jacquelyn Hickman of Romulus were caught attempting to steal a large amount of personal property from a home in Green Oak Township in November. The incident is reportedly one of several other criminal acts the two have been involved in and property was recovered linking them both to at least six other home invasions and vehicle thefts in the metro Detroit area. On Thursday, Parkkila was sentenced to time in prison by 53rd District Court Judge Michael Hatty. Parkkila will serve a minimum of 7 years and a maximum of 20 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections with a credit of 144 days served. Meanwhile, Hickman, who is charged with one count of first degree home invasion, receiving and concealing weapons, resisting and obstructing police and prisoner in possession of weapons, is due back in court May 6th for a final settlement conference. (DK)
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Dog Saves Owner From Highland Township House Fire Dog Saves Owner From Highland Township House Fire
An elderly Highland Township homeowner was sleeping but able to safely escape from a fire Thursday after being alerted by her dog. The Highland Township Fire Department responded to an address on North Milford Road for a report of a residential structure fire, with requested assistance from the Oakland County Sheriffâs Office Fire Investigations Unit. The 73-year-old homeowner was in bed sleeping when the fire started. The office reports the womanâs Labrador Retriever alerted her to the fire and they both escaped un-injured. A Sheriffâs Fire Investigator responded for a cause and origin investigation, which revealed that the fire started in the attached garage of the residence. The cause remains under investigation. (JM)
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Howell Students Earn Spot To Represent State At National Leadership ConferenceHowell Students Earn Spot To Represent State At National Leadership Conference
Three Howell High School students will represent Michigan at a national leadership conference this summer. In July, three students from Howell High Schoolâs Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club will travel to San Diego to participate in the National FCCLA Leadership Conference. Abby Olszewski, Jodi Kilpela and Mary Pennala will represent the state at the conference and compete against other FCCLA club members from all over the country. The three recently attended the Michigan FCCLA Leadership Conference where they competed in a Students Taking Action with Recognition event. The group received the highest score and gold medal in the Focus on Children category, which looks for a child development project that makes a positive impact on the community. The studentsâ project that earned them the spot at the national conference was maintaining a Little Free Library to help increase literacy rates in area schools. Kilpela says their project stemmed from Governor Rick Snyderâs literacy initiative, which they implemented locally at the Livingston Educational Service Agency and Howellâs Freshman Campus. (DK)
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