A western New York businessman is recovering from injuries suffered when his private jet slid off an icy runway at the Livingston County Airport.
60-year-old Peter Zeliff of Batavia in Genesee County, New York was at the controls of his twin-engine aircraft when the crash occurred Monday morning after he landed at the Spencer J. Hardy Airport in Howell Township. The aircraft's wings sheared off and caught fire. Zeliff (pictured second from left) was pulled from the overturned fuselage by witnesses who included Howell's mayor. Kathy Zeliff says her husband suffered a back injury and remains hospitalized at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, where he was listed in good condition as of this morning.
Zeliff said her husband flew his Textron 525C commuter jet to Michigan to pick up supplies for his company, P.W. Minor, a 150-year-old shoe company in Batavia. Photo courtesy of Brent Earl. (JK)
Recovery Continues For New York Businessman After Jet Crash Near HowellRecovery Continues For New York Businessman After Jet Crash Near Howell
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Nominations Sought For Brighton Women's History Roll Of HonorNominations Sought For Brighton Women's History Roll Of Honor
Nominations are being sought for the 2017 Brighton Area Womenâs History Roll of Honor.
The Roll of Honor serves to bring awareness to the general public about the contributions women have made over the years to society. The group started recognizing women from the Brighton area in 2003 and its advisory council is looking for the next potential candidate to be inducted into the Roll of Honor. Joyce Powers, Chair of the Roll of Honorâs Advisory Council, says there is no limit to the number of nominations that can be made. Nominees can be a woman who has done something for the first time, has made significant contributions to the community, served the area or has distinctive accomplishments.
Nominations are due by January 31st. A committee meeting will be held in February where the advisory council will discuss each nominee and then hold a vote. The 2017 honorees will be announced in March as a part of National Womenâs History Month. Nomination forms can be found at the Brighton District Library, Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce or Brighton Area Schools. Forms can also be found at the Brighton Libraryâs website. That link is below. (JK)
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Hartland Township Board Is Unwrapping 50 Year Old Property DebateHartland Township Board Is Unwrapping 50 Year Old Property Debate
Hartland Township is trying to solve what their Township Manager called a âconundrum 50 years in the making.â Thatâs how James Wickman described the situation between two neighboring subdivisions with an outlot parcel between them.
The Penny subdivision off of Maxfield Road in Hartland was drawn up in the 1960s to be 8 developable lots with an outlot behind them. Wickman explained to the Township Board that normally when you see an outlot there is a purpose attached to it, like being a park or recreation area. This parcel, however has no such information attached to it. The current owner purchased the property in 1999 and because of it being designated a single REU and a sewer attachment heâs paid for, believes he should be able to develop on it. Heâs been approached by developers from the neighboring Forest Brook subdivision about building on it, but because of confusion with its designation, has not been able to make a deal. Township Supervisor Bill Fountain invited the owner and neighbors to give their thoughts at Tuesday nightâs regular meeting of the Board. Fountain compared the details of this case to peeling off the many layers of an onion.
A couple of property owners were concerned about what a new development would do to poor drainage in the area that already causes what one resident described as 20 feet of standing water between her home and a neighborâs. One residentâs driveway cuts through the outlotâs Maxfield Road access point thanks to an easement, and concern was raised about what would happen if it needed to be added upon. The other major concern was what would happen to property values if a home was built on what many homeowners said they were told was an un-buildable lot. The Board of Trustees agreed in unison that this was more complicated than they originally thought and are interested in gathering all of the information they can before deciding how to best move forward. (MK)
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LETS Receives County Approval To Apply For Transportation Study GrantLETS Receives County Approval To Apply For Transportation Study Grant
A local organization has received the Livingston County Board of Commissionerâs approval to apply for state funding that would be used to explore the areaâs public transit options.
The State Service Development and New Technology Grant would provide $150,000 used to ultimately develop a county-wide comprehensive transportation plan. Douglas Britz, Director of the Livingston Essential Transportation Service or LETS, says the organization must apply for the funding through the Michigan Department of Transportation by February 15th.
If Livingston County was awarded the planning grant, Britz says professionals would be hired to perform a transportation study of the region. The vendor would then create a plan suggesting what would be the best option for the county, whether that be keeping transit options as is or expanding them. A resolution of intent to apply for the grant was brought before the countyâs Board of Commissioners by LETS Tuesday night.
Commissioners Doug Helzerman and Don Parker voted against the resolution. Parker says the grant money isnât free, but rather taxpayersâ money, used to fund a study that would likely suggest service expansion. Parker called it a âself-fulfilling prophecyâ and felt a problem with transportation should be more specifically identified and addressed.
On the other hand, Commissioner Gary Childs says he appreciates not wanting to spend money unnecessarily, but says the issue is really a no-brainer. Childs says the money is earmarked by the state for grants such as this. Childs argued that LETS can apply for the grant, possibly receive it and it could be utilized for the benefit of the citizens of Livingston County, or they could let another county receive it. Childs says it is indeed taxpayers' money, but it will be spent either way and Livingston County may as well take a shot at being the area to receive it.
The resolution passed seven to two. Britz says he has no idea what the study will bring should the county receive the funding, or what the right thing to do is. He did note however, that he feels itâs important to do everything the county possibly can for its residents and constituents. Britz says it will likely take MDOT four to six months to review the application before LETS discovers if they are the grantâs recipients or not. (DK)
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Drop-In Preschool Open House Saturday For Livingston County Parents Drop-In Preschool Open House Saturday For Livingston County Parents
Parents throughout Livingston County who are interested in preschool for their young children are encouraged to attend a weekend open house.
The Brighton District Library will be hosting a drop-in Preschool Open House Saturday from 10am to 1pm. Organizers say parents searching for a preschool program for their child can stop-in and meet with local representatives and learn about various programs available in Livingston County. Businesses, local organizations and agencies related to young children will also be displaying information.
Preschools attending the Brighton District Library Preschool Open House include: LESA Early Childhood Programs, Magdalenâs Preschool, Pleasant Valley Day Care and Preschool, Brighton Montessori, Maple Tree Montessori, First Steps Preschool, Shepherd of the Lakes, Rosebrook Child Development Center and First Baptist Child Care Center.
Businesses and community service organizations attending the Brighton Library Preschool Open House include: Childrenâs Center for Growth and Development â OT, Rollerama/Zap Zone, Brighton Community Education, Great Start Livingston, and SELCRA. (JM)
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Call to Artists For 2017 Brighton Biennial Sculpture ExhibitCall to Artists For 2017 Brighton Biennial Sculpture Exhibit
Officials are putting out the call to artists for the Brighton Biennial Sculpture Exhibit.
The City of Brighton Arts and Culture Commission is seeking submissions of outdoor sculptures for the Biennial Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit. The chosen sculptures will be shown in high profile locations in and around Downtown Brighton. Online and print brochures will be provided to the public to inspire self-guided and docent walking tours of the exhibit. Selected pieces will be exhibited for a minimum of two years. Installation of the pieces will be coordinated with the Brighton Fine Arts Festival in August. All work must remain in the exhibit and be for sale for the entire duration.
The deadline for application submissions is April 7th. Artists may submit up to three original sculptures. Only freestanding sculptures for outdoor display will be considered. The exhibit is open to all artists 18 years of age or older. (JM)
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Bishop Fully On Board With Obamacare RepealBishop Fully On Board With Obamacare Repeal
With Republicans in Congress looking to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Livingston Countyâs Representative in the House is in agreement that changes need to be made.
Congressman Mike Bishop, whose district also includes all of Ingham County and northern Oakland County, voted last Friday to support the House budget resolution, which opens up the process to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Bishop said that he and many others in Congress believe the federal government approach with the Affordable Care Act hasnât worked, doesnât work, and has driven up the cost of health care. The Congressman conceded that there were some good ideas within the ACA, but that the only solution is to repeal and replace it with something that works. He named allowing 26-year-olds to stay on their parentâs plan and people with pre-existing conditions being more easily insured as a couple examples of ideas that could be preserved.
The repeal process has created push-back, with several rallies recently being held across the country in support of the ACA, including one in Macomb County that drew 8,000 people. But Bishop insists Congress wasnât going to pull the rug out from under people who have coverage now. He predicted a slow transition-period being enacted so that families and businesses have a chance to find a new plan and system that will give them back control.
But whatever plans the Congressional Republicans may be formulating are in question after President-elect Donald Trump said an Obamacare replacement plan should cover everyone, a pledge that congressional Republicans have repeatedly declined to make. Trump has said his administration will put forward its own replacement plan and called for Medicare to negotiate prices, embracing a position that has long been taken by Democrats.
Despite that, Bishop believes there are many different elements in play with health care reform and that doctors, businesses, lawyers, and everyone in between will need to come to the table. He said that as a member of Congress he is open to hearing any and all suggestions people may have so that he can share them with his colleagues and House leaders. You can email him through his website, a link for which is below. (MK/JK)
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Putnam Twp. Defers To MDEQ On Pipeline Construction Through WetlandsPutnam Twp. Defers To MDEQ On Pipeline Construction Through Wetlands
Putnam Township is shifting its limited responsibility in regards to wetlands that may be affected by the construction of the ET Rover Pipeline project.
The ET Rover Pipeline, designed to transport natural gas to markets across the country, is said to be in the final stages before construction can begin. Over 15 miles of the pipeline will pass through Livingston County, making its way through Marion, Iosco, Handy and Putnam Townships.
Rover is securing permits, purchasing easements and addressing related environmental issues as it waits for its final construction certificate from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). An easement along the back of Putnam Township Hallâs property was purchased by Rover recently for approximately $24,680. But the townshipâs Board of Trustees has washed their hands of another matter.
Rover expects their pipeline to travel through a portion of wetlands located in the municipality and therefore had to apply to build underneath them through the township and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Township Supervisor Dennis Brennan tells WHMI the board will not be taking action on the issue because of a local ordinance that allows the MDEQ to act on their behalf.
Putnam Township has a wetlands ordinance which allows it to delegate its limited ordinance capability to the MDEQ, regarding the application made to construct part of the pipeline underneath some of the municipalityâs wetlands.
Brennan says the townshipâs decision to relinquish responsibility to the MDEQ was ânot done lightly by any means.â The townshipâs attorneys say Putnam doesnât really have any enforcement capabilities anyway, and that if they tried to sue Rover in an effort to deny their application, the MDEQ and FERC would override them because they have a higher jurisdiction.
Though Brennan says the township has been assured that the MDEQ will provide sufficient wetlands protection, he expects they will still approve Roverâs application because they donât intend to destroy the wetlands, but transition them from forested to un-forested wetlands.
Brennan says environmental groups are challenging the project in hopes of delaying its final approval. He believes the environmental groupsâ intent is to delay its approval until after March so construction would be pushed back to next year. A Rover spokeswoman says approval from FERC is expected âany day nowâ. (DK)
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MDOT Announces US-23 Lane ClosuresMDOT Announces US-23 Lane Closures
Lane closures could cause traffic delays on US-23 south of Livingston County.
The Michigan Department of Transportation says that there will be a single-lane closure on southbound US-23 from M-36 to 6 Mile Road starting at 8pm Friday and lasting through 8am Saturday so crews can work on pavement markings.
Then on Monday there will be a single-lane closure on northbound US-23 from M-14 to Warren Road. That lane closure will be in place between 8pm and 7am the following morning. That work is needed so crews can install Intelligent Transportation System conduit. (JK)
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Brighton & Green Oak Twp. Officials Deny Conflict With SELCRABrighton & Green Oak Twp. Officials Deny Conflict With SELCRA
Does Brighton Township have a conflict of interest because two of its board members also serve on the Southeastern Livingston County Recreation Authority? A township resident and longtime critic says yes.
Mike Palmer of Fonda Lake wants Supervisor Patrick Michel and Trustee Sam Theis to either resign their seat on the SELCRA Board of Directors or their position on the township board. Michel serves as the SELCRA Chair, while Theis is its secretary. Palmer says a Freedom of Information Act request a 2004 letter from then-Chief Deputy Attorney General Carol Isaacs, who said in a communication to former State Representative Chris Ward that having a person on a school board and a recreation authority simultaneously is a conflict. Isaacs also said that it results a breach of duty when there is a contract being negotiated. Such a contract would include the agreement between SELCRA and the Brighton Area Schools to provide recreational and athletic programs for youths and adults, using school facilities at a set fee. Township Attorney John Harris also rendered an opinion in 2004 that members of the township board should not also sit at the same time on the SELCRA Board. However, the township has continued to have two of its board members on the SELCRA Board since that time.
Brighton Township Manager Brian Vick, who was not the township manager when the two informal opinions were rendered, says it does not appear to be a conflict since the contract was between the school district and SELCRA, and not the township. Nonetheless, since the matter has again come into question, the township board in a Nov. 28, 2016 meeting voted to request an AGâs opinion on the matter of township trustees also sitting as its liaisons to the SELCRA Board. Vick says so far he has not received a response from the state, and the township has continued to have two of its board members serving also as SELCRA board members.
Since the city of Brighton and Genoa Township both dropped out of SELCRA last year, the only remaining municipalities are Brighton Township and Green Oak Township. In Green Oak, Supervisor Mark St. Charles confirms that they also have two representatives on the SELCRA Board - himself as vice president and Township Trustee Richard Everett, who is SELCRAâs treasurer. St. Charles notes that an Attorney Generalâs opinion is just that â an opinion â and does not have the force of law. St. Charles, like Vick, does not think itâs a conflict of interest to serve on both boards, while adding the caveat that he is ânot a legal scholar.â However, he has asked Township Attorney Carol Rosati to meet with Brighton Twp. Attorney John Harris to make sure that the two townships are on the same page and have the same information. (TT/JK)
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Howell Planning Commission Looks Forward To Successful 2017Howell Planning Commission Looks Forward To Successful 2017
The City of Howell Planning Commission is putting the final touches on their 2016 Annual Report and will begin now looking at the future.
It was another business-as-usual, successful year for the commission as Chairman Paul Streng described it. They made ordinance changes to modify setbacks to make construction on so-called âin-fill lotsâ blend into the neighborhood more effectively. Streng said the Planning Commission has also begun working with City Council on the creation of a new Commercial Rehabilitation Act District which should attract new businesses.
Part of the creation of this district requires approval from Livingston County, where it is currently under review. Staff has also begun the process of becoming a Redevelopment Ready Community through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, something in which Streng has set the board in motion towards gaining.
Part of what the MEDC requires is a policy and procedures manual from the Commission and a pamphlet that informs possible new members on what they can expect. The commission delayed approving the Annual Report until these new additions could be added and expects to put it on record at their next meeting, in February. A draft of the report is posted below. (MK/JK)
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Control Programs Approved For Geese & Mute Swans On Woodland LakeControl Programs Approved For Geese & Mute Swans On Woodland Lake
The Brighton Township Board has approved resolutions related to nuisance geese and mute swan control on Woodland Lake.
The Organization of Woodland Lake submitted the request for the program, which is not new and was said to have been relatively successful to address nuisance geese and if the occasion should arise, aggressive mute swans. Control programs permitted through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources allow for entrapment, removal and relocation of nuisance geese and mute swans as well as nest and egg destruction. The program allows for the actions to be taken if deemed necessary but resolutions from the township must be filed with the county or the state wonât come out. Previous resolutions have been approved and itâs been an ongoing application for a five-year renewal period.
OWL Board President Anita Grapentien says they live directly across from an island on the lake where geese nest, so they previously had 50 -70 geese on their yard every day. By removing the geese, she told the board it gives them and others relief in the summer so they can enjoy their yard and the lake in a healthy environment. She noted the DNR sets strict standards when it comes to removing geese, which gives residents on the lake relief from the droppings. She says OWL hires out for geese removal from the lake and there is only a three week period in June it can be done.
One resident and board critic, Bob Potocki, raised concerns about the swan component, saying if lake-dwellers are threatened by swans they should move on to a place where they can buy a filtered, indoor swimming pool.
Grapentien clarified that OWL does not remove or kill mute swan eggs nor destroy nests and does not intend to do anything to swans except call the DNR if necessary. Grapentien told the board that if there is an aggressive mute swan that could pose a threat, then OWL notifies the DNR, she says a conservation officer will come out, assess the situation and determine the necessary action to take â which might be nothing at all. As for any destruction of mute swan eggs or nests, Grapentien stressed they are just as concerned about safety and welfare issues as other residents. She further clarified that no action has been taken to date but the resolutions provide the ability to do so if the safety of an individual should be threatened. (JM)
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Firearm Charges Filed Against New Hudson Man In Car-Theft RingFirearm Charges Filed Against New Hudson Man In Car-Theft Ring
Sentencing has been adjourned for a New Hudson man authorities say is connected to an organized crime ring of car break-ins, as he is facing new charges.
24-year-old John Garcia-Stowe is one of two suspects charged in what police say was a rash of car break-ins. He and 20-year-old Deionte Glass, also of New Hudson, were arrested on the morning of August 10th. Police became suspicious upon noticing several cars with their dome lights on and personal items strewn throughout the cars in a Brighton neighborhood. Brighton police passed on a license plate number to Hamburg Township police, which turned out to be registered to a vehicle that police had been looking for in relation to car thefts in the Hamburg area.
Hamburg Police reportedly searched the residence of one of the suspects, where they recovered hundreds of items believed to have been stolen by those apprehended. Glass and Garcia-Stowe were charged with breaking and entering a vehicle to steal property less than $200. They were sentenced in November and December, and received jail time and probation. Garcia-Stowe was also charged with three counts of larceny from a motor vehicle in a separate case, but his January 12th sentencing was adjourned to March 2nd as a result of new charges in a third case.
Livingston County Prosecutor Bill Vailliencourt says Garcia-Stowe is being charged with larceny from a motor vehicle, larceny of a firearm, receiving and concealing a stolen firearm, breaking and entering a vehicle to steal property between $200 and $1000, breaking and entering a vehicle to steal property less than $200 and two counts of 2nd degree home invasion. The charges are connected to incidents that court records indicate occurred between August 6th and 9th. Garcia-Stowe is expected to appear in Circuit Court today for a final settlement conference and a jury trial has been tentatively scheduled to begin Monday. (DK)
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New Howell Teen Center Invites Community To Grand Opening New Howell Teen Center Invites Community To Grand Opening
The grand opening of a new youth center in downtown Howell will be held this evening.
The Hive, which is the new home of the Howell Teen Center, is located at the old Swannâs building on North Walnut Street downtown. The teen center is a division of the Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority (HAPRA) and will serve as the new Youth Services facility.
Though it officially opened in November, a grand opening of The Hive will take place tonight from 6 to 10pm. The building will be open for the community to explore and connect with the Teen Centerâs director, Tim Church. Refreshments will also be available.
HAPRA says the center is a great place for middle and high-schoolers to hang out, socialize, take classes, watch movies, do homework and play games. According to HAPRA, the goal of The Hive is to provide a place where teens can gather with friends, interact with adults on relatively equal footing, and gain recognition for their efforts and skills in a place that is teen-driven. Daily admission for students is free, with the only requirement being parental permission. (DK)
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More Review For Proposed Encore Village Project In Brighton Township More Review For Proposed Encore Village Project In Brighton Township
Proposed plans for a new active living residential community were reviewed by the Brighton Township board Monday night.
A team of developers with the Encore Village project were before the board for the first reading of a conditional rezoning request and delivered an abbreviated presentation about the project, which is proposed on 147 acres between I-96 and Grand River, east of US-23. The concept is an âaging in placeâ community, designed to be more upscale with various amenities. Single and multi-story units are proposed, featuring senior apartments as well as a potential assisted living and memory care component. Developers are seeking a conditional rezoning from office service to residential multiple family, which is the first of multiple steps and the project is still in the preliminary stages. A representative gave an overview of a traffic study performed, which will continue to be updated but determined a signal at Pleasant Valley and Grand River was not warranted. It was noted the four entrances to the project would help dissipate traffic and there were enough driveways, appropriately spaced out to mitigate traffic in the development.
The team has been before the Planning Commission three times already and the Livingston County Planning Department, both of which recommended approval of the conditional rezoning request. However, board members posed questions and raised some concerns related to traffic, density and a market study before ultimately sending the team back to the planning commission. The market study was completed and posted on the township website but never formally reviewed by the Planning Commission. Township Manager Brian Vick tells WHMI says the number one driver was getting the market study in the hands of the planning commission so they get an opportunity to review it. The board will also be putting together questions they want forwarded to the planning commission to make sure the developer addresses. Vick says he expects to see Encore Village on the Planning Commission agenda at either the next meeting or the following month to answer whatever questions the board comes up with.
Clerk Ann Bollin posed the majority of questions but commented she felt itâs a great concept to address a real demand in the community.
Information about the proposed development and the market study are available on the Brighton Township website. (JM)
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3rd Annual Free Hartland Family Winterfest Set January 28th 3rd Annual Free Hartland Family Winterfest Set January 28th
Organizers and the community are gearing up for some winter fun in Hartland Township later this month.
The 3rd annual Hartland Family Winterfest will be held on Saturday, January 28th from noon-7pm at Hartland Heritage Park on M-59, located just west of Fenton Road. A warming tent will be offered and the event is held no matter what the weather. Attractions include ice skating with free ice skate rental, sledding, fireworks, ice bowling, tundra volleyball, bubble ball, ice carving demonstrations and face painting.
Hartland Township Manager James Wickman tells WHMI activities are offered at no cost so families can come out and enjoy the park and the winter weather. He says they had perfect snow the first year but not so much last year, hence why the family friendly events are specifically designed for whether there is snow or not. Wickman thanked all of the local businesses and community organizations that have continuously stepped up, saying itâs truly a grassroots effort throughout the community and the growing support helps make it bigger and better every year.
While events are free, food and beverages are offered with proceeds benefitting the Hartland Teen Center. A shuttle will also be available from the old Hartland Wal-Mart to Heritage Park and All Saints Church. More information and a full schedule of events are available online at www.HartlandWinterfest.com. A link is below. (JM)
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Water Booster Station to Be Built for Pine Creek BluffsWater Booster Station to Be Built for Pine Creek Bluffs
The Brighton City Council has approved a $45,000 contract to provide engineering services for a planned new water service booster station.
The station, approved at Thursday's meeting, will be located in the Pine Creek Bluffs development. The city provides water to the several phases of the upscale Pine Creek subdivisions. Pine Creek Bluffs is located in Hamburg Township, just west of the Brighton city limits. The contract for the engineering work was awarded Thursday night to Tetra Tech, the cityâs engineering firm. The city will be installing a booster station to service Pinemont Drive and Rexford Court, which are now under development. About 20 homes have been built, and the neighborhood to be serviced will eventually have 38 homes.
The booster station needs to be built to increase water pressure to the homes, which are all priced in the $500,000 and up range. The costs associated with the booster station will come out of the utility fund, and no general fund monies will be used. The booster station was already approved as part of the Capital Improvement Program for the 2016-17 fiscal year. City Manager Nate Geinzer says the construction portion of the project will be addressed separately in a future meeting. The work will be done in the upcoming construction season this year.(TT)
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Howell City Council To Host Budget Work Session Tuesday Howell City Council To Host Budget Work Session Tuesday
The Howell City Council will host another budget work session.
City Council met for a work session in December, in which various accomplishments were highlighted and the financial forecast was provided. Some challenges include property tax revenues and millage roll backs. The City is grappling with budget issues like many municipalities but was able to increase fund balance by $200,000 due to a combination of factors including lower than projected health insurance renewal costs and delaying the debt issuance for parking lot projects.
The next work session will take place on Tuesday, January 24th at 6pm in council chambers in the basement of Howell City Hall.
City Manager Shea Charles tells WHMI the focus of this session will be to start looking at goals and objectives for the next fiscal year 2017/2018. He says theyâll be reviewing and polling last yearâs goals and objectives to determine what will stay or go. At this point, Charles says there are no plans for a big formal retreat since they did a major initiative last year. He says thereâs enough on that âto doâ list right now that Council will just do more of a check in and set priorities for next year.
Some accomplishments highlighted include capital improvement in the northwest corner of the business district and replacement of the water line on Grand River. Another positive is that there has been some odd but brisk building permit activity, with rehabilitations and remodel projects. Staff noted during a recent meeting that the City is seeing conversion of multi-tenant structures back to the original single family use. Three have already been closed out in January and another was pending. (JM)
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Local Democrats Plan Rally Saturday In BrightonLocal Democrats Plan Rally Saturday In Brighton
Local Progressives will gather for a rally in downtown Brighton Saturday featuring a Democrat running in the 2018 Michigan Gubernatorial race.
Gretchen Whitmer, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018, will headline the rally at the Brighton Mill Pond gazebo. Whitmer first served in the House until she was elected in 2006 to the Michigan Senate, where she served until being term limited out of office in 2014. She most recently served for six months in 2016 as interim Ingham County prosecutor and has since announced her campaign to run for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018. Local Democrats are hoping the rally will unite progressives to protect and expand on what they view as progress made under President Obama.
In addition to Whitmer, an invocation will be delivered by the Reverend Deon Johnson of St. Paulâs Episcopal Church and Ian Robinson, president of the Huron Valley Area Labor Federation, will also speak. The rally will start Saturday at 10am and is timed to coincide with similar events around the country, including in Lansing and Washington D.C. (JK)
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Trio Representing Livingston County In Inaugural ParadeTrio Representing Livingston County In Inaugural Parade
Livingston County is being well represented during the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy (center) has joined with Diane Brady (right), an Oceola Township resident and member of the Livingston County Mounted Police Division and Don Packard (left), a retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel from Hamburg Township, to participate in the inaugural parade through Washington D.C. All three have joined up with the Michigan Multi-Jurisdictional Mounted Police Drill Team & Color Guard, one of two groups from Michigan taking part in the festivities.
Packard was invited to participate as the current president of the Michigan Horse Council, while Brady serves regularly with the county's mounted police division. Sheriff Murphy, who wonât be riding a horse, but will instead either walk or ride in a golf cart, says he is excited to be part of the historic event and that it doesn't matter which president is in office, it is an honor to have been invited. (JK)
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