Three people were injured - one critically - in a 2-vehicle collision last evening at Grand River and Burkhart Road in Howell Township. According to Livingston County Undersheriff Mike Murphy, the collision occurred when a 2002 Dodge minivan driven by James Hale of Cadillac, going west on Grand River, failed to stop at the traffic light. Another Dodge minivan, this one a 2015 model driven by John Re of Romulus, then struck the Hale minivan. A passenger in the 2002 minivan, 68-year-old Glenwood Kipper of Perry, was airlifted by Survival Flight Helicopter to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. Kipper is currently listed in critical condition. Two other passengers were transported by Livingston County Ambulance to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing for treatment of undetermined injuries. The drivers of the two minivans escaped injury. The sheriffâs dept. says alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the crash and seat belt use is still under review. Traffic was detoured around the accident scene for about three hours. The crash remains under investigation by the Livingston County Traffic Safety Bureau. (TT)
Three Injured in Crash at Grand River & Burkhart Road near HowellThree Injured in Crash at Grand River & Burkhart Road near Howell
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Brighton Millpond Gathering Will Show Public Support For Local Law EnforcementBrighton Millpond Gathering Will Show Public Support For Local Law Enforcement
An event this week in Brighton will seek to show community support for local law enforcement. The Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce has organized a âPrayer at the Pondâ for Thursday, August 11th from 5:30-6:30pm at the Mill Pond Gazebo. Chaplain Scott Sage of the Brighton City Police Department will preside over the event, which follows recent incidents in Dallas and Baton Rouge in which eight officers were killed after being deliberately targeted. In the aftermath of those tragedies, several local departments have reported members of the public spontaneously dropping off thank-you cards, food and flowers. Livingston County Undersheriff Mike Murphy says that, âThese kind words, mean more than you will ever knowâ and that while there are some âbad applesâ they in the âLaw Enforcement world have been turned into the bad guysâ and that âThis went on while the silent majority just shook their heads and didn't buy into the media portrayal.â Details about the âPrayer at the Pondâ are being handled by Brighton Chamber Executive Director Pam McConeghy. She can be contacted at 1-810-227-5086 or by email at pamm@brightoncoc.org. (JK)
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Hartland Township Approves Sale Of Land, Residents Voice ConcernsHartland Township Approves Sale Of Land, Residents Voice Concerns
One rural community voiced concerns to their township board about an incoming development disturbing the peace. Twenty five people attended a special meeting of the Hartland Township Board of Trustees Wednesday night with many stressing issues about future development from Mayberry Homes. Many people who live in the area around where the housing units will potentially go up expressed a fear of bringing a dense pocket of population into an area where they believe traffic is already too heavy. Township Supervisor Bill Fountain said the townshipâs Master Plan has accounted for developments like this. He said they have mapped out areas for higher density housing, and that they believe M-59 can handle the traffic and development. Fountain said that action on this land has been in the works since the 90âs and that Mayberryâs preliminary plans are less dense than what older operations had planned. At the meeting, the board passed a motion to approve the sale of the land to Mayberry Homes, transfer some REUs from the north parcel of land to the south, and gave preliminary approval for the land division of 2 acres. It is speculated that a gas station and coffee shop might be built there, though the owner is still subject to completing the full process through the planning commission and township board. The supervisor said that the township should offer every type of housing opportunity and that Hartland is an attractive place to live because of its central vicinity to major cities like Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, and Flint. Fountain stressed that tonightâs approval was not for a site for plan and that was lots of work to still be done. A representative from Mayberry Homes stated that this project could take as long as 10 years to complete. (MK)
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Officials Plan To Approach DDA's About Recently-Passed Veterans Millage Officials Plan To Approach DDA's About Recently-Passed Veterans Millage
Officials say funds generated by a millage approved by Livingston County voters to support veterans services will be put to good use. The .139-mill operating millage proposal was approved by voters in the August primary election. Current funding for veterans services comes from the countyâs general fund and a Veterans Relief millage, although those funds had specific limitations. Veterans Relief Counselor Josh Parish says the new millage allows a little more freedom to assist more veterans and the department wonât be constrained to only assisting honorably discharged wartime veterans. Because it is a dedicated millage specifically for veterans, Parish tells WHMI they want all of that money to go toward that purpose. Parish says he was concerned with the number of people who voted against the millage, but felt it was likely due to the wording of the ballot proposal and DDAâs capturing a portion of the dedicated millage. Downtown Development Authorities capture a certain portion of funding from all county millages under Michigan law and the mechanism has been in place for some time. As many are unaware of the state law, some questions were raised by the public about the funding not being used for veterans. Parish tells WHMI he both understands and shared in those concerns. Local Democrats raised the issue early on, with the partyâs executive committee calling on local DDAâs to pledge to return their share of the millage so that the department can provide more services. Parish says it was previously decided that once the millage passed, they would then try to sit down with the local Downtown Development Authorities and discuss if they would be willing to exempt the funds or potentially earmark whatever money is collected for veteran businesses or projects in the community. There are four DDAâs within Livingston County - Howell, Brighton, and the Villages of Fowlerville and Pinckney. Parish assured voters and the community at large that the money generated from the millage will be put to good use, with every penny spent on veterans. He stressed the county office is there specifically to provide services for local veterans whether it be emergency needs, filing disability claims, help determining what benefits theyâre entitled to or even find a job. A detailed plan regarding what the funds will support is available on the Livingston County Department of Veterans Services webpage. A link is posted below. (JM)
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Summit Meeting In Hamburg Township Will Discuss Road ConcernsSummit Meeting In Hamburg Township Will Discuss Road Concerns
A public meeting will be held tomorrow evening to address serious road concerns in Hamburg Township. The public âRoad Summitâ meeting will be held at 7pm at the Hamburg Township Hall. Local and county officials have been invited to join the Board of Trustees in the open discussion on road issues in Hamburg Township. Township Supervisor Pat Hohl says the meeting is in response to âsignificant public concernâ. In an effort to address the road concern issues, the Hamburg Township Board is contemplating placing a road millage proposal for a 3 to 5 year short duration millage on the November 2016 election ballot. The meeting is being held Tuesday in order to meet the time frames required to place the issue on the upcoming ballot. (DK)
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Howell Icon Remembered For Kindness & Lifelong Record Of Service Howell Icon Remembered For Kindness & Lifelong Record Of Service
People came from all over to share memories and stories of an icon in the Howell community yesterday. For more than 50 years, Duane âZempâ Zemper touched the lives of many in Howell, some of whom returned to attend a memorial held in his honor at the American Legion Post in Howell. Hosted by his children, the gathering featured several of Zemperâs photographs and art. His son Steve Zemper says his dadâs life of service was a touchstone for them. Steve says for being a poor family, his father was an excellent photographer, but not a businessman at all. He says they scrimped a lot, but he never let his children or his wife go without. His service to the community was just a marker for them; even though after he took the business over and was raising his own family, Steve didn't have time for that. Steve says his dad was doing it though, and it was an appreciation they had for it. He says now he's gone and it is their turn. The senior Zemper is known as the Howell Archivist and won awards for his photography. Steve calls the event a âgood old German wake,â with people coming from several states to remember the man who took their portrait or gave them something of his life. Wendel Freever says he came back to Howell numerous times from his home near Traverse City to visit with Zemp. He appreciated that Zemper has always been there for the community. Freever says he would come back to visit him in the archives at the library and found Zemper to be a walking history book of Howell and his military service. He says Zemper was a very well liked and wonderful man with a wonderful family. Freever says he always knew he could find Zemper at the library in the archives on Saturday, so he would sneak down there and spend a half hour with him. Freever says Zemp shot the portraits for his high school class, and he knew the family. He says he was influenced by the man who fought in WWII and ended up working in service himself. Freever is a retired police officer and says he appreciates the work Zemp did in preserving Howell history. Several people noted that Zemp was not only involved in the community as a photographer and archivist, but he had a positive attitude and was kind. A group in Howell has started an effort to provide a legacy for Zemp and permanently memorialize him. For information or to help with that effort, visit www.zemplegacy.org. (DS)
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Pinckney Hosting CyberCamp This WeekPinckney Hosting CyberCamp This Week
Pinckney Community High School is among a handful of schools and organizations chosen to take part in a unique summer camp. Starting today, more than 20 students are taking part in the Air Force Associationâs CyberCamp Program. As one of the hosts of the program, Pinckney High School received software and a hands-on curriculum kit designed to teach students cyber safety, cyber ethics, and critical network security skills and tools. According to a release issued by the district, the camp will culminate in a team-based competition that puts students in the role of IT administrators trying to find and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities in a simulated network. Cyndi Millns, the districtâs Cyber Security & Networking Instructor, is teaching the course which came about after the school sent a team to the 2015 national finals of the CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition and placed among the top 12 teams in the country. The district says that because cyber security is one of the fastest growing job fields, they are working with post-secondary organizations to provide pathways for continuing education at Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College and Cleary University. Pinckney Community Schools also recently received a grant for becoming a Michigan Cyber Range Hub and will begin to train business professionals and adult learners in addition to K-12 students focusing on certifications and classes in a variety of subjects including Cyber Security and Computer Networking. (JK)
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"First-Of-Its-Kind" Speedway Under Construction In Hartland"First-Of-Its-Kind" Speedway Under Construction In Hartland
Drivers heading through Hartland Township on M-59 likely have noticed a change of scenery on the southeast corner with Old US-23. Where once stood the Speedway gas station, now sits a mostly empty parcel with bulldozers and dump trucks busily working to replace that facility. The new 6,100 square foot fuel and retail center is being called the first of its kind for Speedway. The new building will feature a café, gas station and retail space and when completed will be one of the largest in the chain. There will be nine self-service islands instead of the three at the old station. The company purchased a neighboring lot to expand the property from 2.34 acres to 3.64 acres. In order to expand the building, the driveway into the Fountain Walk strip-mall is being moved east nearly 50 feet. In addition, the old underground fuel storage tanks have been removed and replaced with new environmentally safe tanks. The project, which is expected to cost more than $1.5 million, is planned to be complete by mid-December. (JK)
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Passenger Remains Critical After Saturday Crash In Howell Twp.Passenger Remains Critical After Saturday Crash In Howell Twp.
A Shiawassee County woman remains hospitalized with critical injuries following a weekend crash in Howell Township. 68-year-old Glenwood Kipper of Perry was airlifted by Survival Flight Helicopter on Saturday to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor following the crash at Grand River and Burkhart Road. She remains listed in critical condition as of this morning. The Livingston County Sheriffâs Department continues to investigate the two-vehicle collision that occurred when a 2002 Dodge minivan driven by James Hale of Cadillac, going west on Grand River, failed to stop at the traffic light. Another Dodge minivan, this one a 2015 model driven by John Re of Romulus, then struck the Hale minivan. Kipper was a passenger in the 2002 minivan. Two other passengers were transported by Livingston County Ambulance to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing for treatment of undetermined injuries. The drivers of the two minivans escaped injury. The sheriffâs dept. says alcohol didnât appear to have been a factor in the crash although seat belt use is still under review. Traffic was detoured around the accident scene for about three hours. (JK)
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Brighton District Court Closing As Part Of Larger Plan Brighton District Court Closing As Part Of Larger Plan
The 53rd District Court in Brighton will be closing. Operations have been gradually slowing at the courthouse, with the majority of staff having already been relocated. Court officials confirm that Judge Theresa Brennan will be moving her docket over to the historic courthouse in downtown Howell. Judge Brennan is said to be getting a domestic docket and paperwork is in the midst of being finalized with the State Court Administratorâs Office. The City of Brighton has first right of refusal on the court building located near the Brighton Mill Pond. Funds realized from the closure and sale of the building would reportedly go toward a project to add an additional courtroom onto the existing Judicial Center at the countyâs west complex. Itâs unclear when the final day of operations for the court will be and further information has not been released. Requests for comment have been placed with Chief Circuit Court Judge David Reader. (JM)
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Highland Township Fire & Hazmat Team Respond To Tanker Truck Gas LeakHighland Township Fire & Hazmat Team Respond To Tanker Truck Gas Leak
A gas leak from a tanker truck prompted clean-up efforts in Highland Township on Saturday afternoon. The Highland Township Fire Department and deputies with the Oakland County Sheriffâs Department responded shortly after 3pm to the incident on Saturday. The incident was reported in the 2900 block of East Highland Road near the Mobil Gas Station for a gas leak from a tanker truck to the storage unit in the ground. An estimated 60 gallons of fuel leaked across the parking lot into a storm drain. The fire department called in the Oakland County Hazmat Team to assist in the cleanup. The Oakland County Road Commission also responded to make sure the drain did not lead into the road storm drains. (JM)
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Pinckney Bids Farewell To Longtime DPW DirectorPinckney Bids Farewell To Longtime DPW Director
One nearby village said farewell to a longtime staffer last night during its council meeting. Department of Public Works Director for the Village of Pinckney, Dave Marshall bid his goodbyes during a brief reception before the Village Council meeting. Marshall left after 33 years in service to the village. He says he appreciates the people he worked with. Marshall says probably the most significant thing he did was to put a water system in for the village in 1991. He says the village had never had water and there was contamination at the time. He says that and the upgrade to the system were the most memorable; along with working with the people. He says the people that he worked with, along with his bosses; and he had many different presidents over the years was a great experience. He says sometimes they were tough to work with, but some of them made it pleasant. Marshall officially vacated his seat at the council table and handled two other items of business before giving his seat to incoming DPW Director Scott Mills. Council President Linda Lavey presented Marshall with a key to the village, and says a plaque will be installed on the waterworks building, officially naming it after Marshall. Lavey says sheâs worked with Marshall for the last 12 years as a council member and village president, and will miss him. She says he could always be counted on, and usually was the first one out at 4 am when the snow needed to be plowed. Marshall says he isnât sure yet what retirement will bring, saying he may take a few trips and spend some time golfing. (DS)
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Hughes Road Closure Set For Today & TomorrowHughes Road Closure Set For Today & Tomorrow
A culvert project will close a Genoa Township roadway today and tomorrow. The Livingston County Road Commission is replacing a cross culvert under Hughes Road. The work involves excavating a trench, placing a culvert and back-fill. As a result, Hughes Road, west of Edwin Drive, will be completely closed starting at 7am until 5:30pm Wednesday. Signs advising of the closure went up last week. The Road Commission says one-lane access will be maintained for Edwin Drive to Hughes Road, south to Grand River at all times, while Westmore Drive and other roads to the west will be accessible via Golf Club Road.
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Dems File To Remove Gilbert From Ballot Same Day She Undergoes SurgeryDems File To Remove Gilbert From Ballot Same Day She Undergoes Surgery
State elections officials must now decide whether to allow the removal of a congressional candidate from the ballot in the general election. As had been expected, the Michigan Democratic Party has formally requested that the Secretary of State's office remove actress Melissa Gilbert from the November ballot for the 8th Congressional District. The filing, which came Monday, seeks to replace the Brighton-area Democrat with an assistant Macomb County prosecutor. Gilbert announced in May that she was abandoning her campaign to replace Incumbent Republican Mike Bishop, citing complications from previously sustained neck and back injuries. But because that came too late to remove her name from the primary ballot, state Democrats had to wait until after August 2nd to formally request that she be removed. In her place, they are seeking to place Suzanna Shkreli, a political newcomer who resides in Clarkston. It will now be up to the Michigan Bureau of Elections to decide whether Gilbert should be allowed to withdraw her name. In the filing, the state Democratic Party indicated Gilbert was scheduled to undergo spinal surgery Monday and had been "deemed by her neurosurgeon to be 'medically disabledâ and âtherefore physically unfit to continue her campaign or serve if elected." A picture of Gilbert in a neck brace and in a hospital bed was posted on her Twitter account Monday. Fred Woodhams, a spokesman for the Secretary of State's Office, said the Bureau of Elections is reviewing the letter and would make a decision soon. However, state Republican officials have indicated they might challenge a ruling to remove her from the ballot. (JK)
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Discussions Underway To Close Brighton District Court BuildingDiscussions Underway To Close Brighton District Court Building
Livingston County officials say discussions are in the works to close down the Brighton District Court building. Operations have been gradually slowing at the courthouse, with the majority of staff having already been relocated. Judge Theresa Brennan will reportedly be moving her docket over to the historic courthouse in downtown Howell. County Commissioner Kate Lawrence says Chief Circuit Court Judge David Reader has been in discussions with the State Court Administratorâs Office or SCAO, in regards to the docket that is held in the Brighton District Court. Lawrence says it is still premature to say whether that court building will be closed and that the discussion surrounding the issue has been ongoing for âa number of yearsâ. Judge Reader needs SCAOâs permission because under current state law, a municipality with a population of over 5,000 people must have a court there periodically. If the building does close and is put up for sale, the city of Brighton has the first right of refusal. Funds realized from the closure and sale of the building would reportedly go toward a project to add an additional courtroom onto the existing Judicial Center at the countyâs west complex. Calls for comment have been placed with Judge Reader and are currently unreturned. (DK)
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Brighton School Board Votes to Hire New TeachersBrighton School Board Votes to Hire New Teachers
The Brighton Area Schoolsâ Board of Education voted Monday night to hire 14 new teachers for the 2016-17 school year, The teachers will replace a similar number of faculty who retired, were granted a leave of absence or otherwise left the school district. Brighton Superintendent Greg Gray tells WHMI the new teachers come from a strong pool of qualified candidates. Gray says that three of the new teachers hired are Brighton High School graduates, Gray says that as replacements, and not additional staff, the new hires will keep the number of Brighton teachers at about 300. (TT)
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Ten Livingston County Teens Injured In Van Rollover, Two Critically Ten Livingston County Teens Injured In Van Rollover, Two Critically
A van full of Livingston County-area teens returning from Cedar Point flipped over early this morning, injuring all ten of them. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports the accident occurred when the driver, identified as 17-year-old Jenna Halonen of Howell, attempted to âswap seatsâ with a passenger, 16-year-old Lilley Kastamo of Brighton, at about 1:15am on northbound I-75, just outside of Toledo. In the process, the van lost control, traveled off the left side of the road and into the median, where it rolled over, ejecting Lilley Kastamo and Ellie Kastamo, also 16, from Howell. They were last reported in critical condition. Another teen was reported in serious condition, while the seven others suffered minor injuries. The remaining occupants were identified as Blake Pietila, 16, of Howell; Logan Pietila, 16, of Howell; Lauren Pietila, 16, of Brighton; Sam Daavettila, 16, of Williamston; Andrew Daavettila, 15, of Howell; Caroline Halonen, 15, of Howell and Sylvia Lesperance, 16, of Howell. The crash remains under investigation. I-75 was closed for several hours while police investigated the scene, but has since reopened. Picture courtesy of 13abc Action News. (JK)
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Man Killed In Brighton Township House Fire Man Killed In Brighton Township House Fire
A Brighton Township man is dead following an early morning fire that left the familyâs home destroyed. Brighton Area Fire Authority Chief Mike OâBrian says they got the call at about 1:45 this morning for a house fire on Huskey Court, off of Larkins Road and east of Pleasant Valley Road. Because it was an automatic mutual aid call, Green Oak Fire Chief Kevin Gentry was the first on the scene. He was met by three occupants who had safely exited the home and told a fourth person was still inside. He then made entry in an attempt to find the occupant, but was forced to exit the home when the conditions inside quickly worsened. Firefighters from Brighton, along with Green Oak and Lyon townships, battled the blaze for about two hours until it was under control. Because there were no fire hydrants nearby, extra tankers were called in to assist. When they re-entered the home, a male in his mid-twenties was found deceased inside. His name has not been released. Chief OâBrian says it appears the fire may have started in an enclosed area under the homeâs deck, but all indications are it was accidental in nature. The Livingston County Sheriffâs Department is assisting in the investigation. Picture courtesy of Brighton Area Fire Authority. (JK)
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St. Joe Mercy Health System Announces New Head Of Livingston OperationsSt. Joe Mercy Health System Announces New Head Of Livingston Operations
Saint Joseph Mercy Health System has announced a new president to oversee facilities in Livingston County and lead efforts to enhance health care. John O'Malley will lead day-to-day operations of both the hospital and St. Joseph Mercy Brighton health center, leading the expansion projects at both campuses and serving as executive liaison within the community. St. Joe's health facilities in Livingston County are currently undergoing a $41 (m) million renovation to upgrade St. Joseph Mercy Livingston hospital and develop a unique short stay center for overnight stays at St. Joseph Mercy Brighton. O' Malley was selected following a full search process. Hospital officials describe him as a proven leader with âa sharp focus on customer service, process improvement and culture change over an impressive 34-year career in health care.â The appointment is effective September 12th. (JM)
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High Fives For Littles Kicks OffHigh Fives For Littles Kicks Off
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Livingston County is asking for help in raising money to better support area children. The 2nd annual High 5 for Littles campaign kicked off earlier this week with the non-profit organization hoping to blow away the numbers they brought in last year. This year, Big Brothers Big Sistersâ Shari Davis-Schoech (Shek) said that theyâve set a goal of $15,000, which is 5 times what the campaign made last year. The money from this event will better allow the organization to maintain their school-based programming and better support their one-on-one community based mentor program. Davis-Schoeck said that Big Futures is one of the more popular mentor programs that people think of when they think of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Big Futures matches up a child with a mentor once a week for 90 minutes. The mentor helps the child with whatever homework they have, and then they devote the rest of their time to games, crafts, or whatever else they may like to do. Another program that could see a boon is Rockinâ Readers. Rockinâ Readers pairs up a young student who may have trouble reading, with a high schooler who helps them out. Davis-Schoeck said the âcoolness factorâ of having an older student to connect with has showed repeated signs of helping the younger student-in-need. Currently Rockinâ Readers is only available in one school in Livingston County, but with an increase in donations, Davis-Schoeck said they would be better able to expand. To make a donation to High 5 for Littles, they are asking interested parties to text â$5.00â to (517) 227-5090 and follow the instructions that will be texted back.(MK)
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