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Hartland & Tyrone Open to New Road Patrol Contract Talks Hartland & Tyrone Open to New Road Patrol Contract Talks

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3/13/13 - Contract talks appear to be picking back up between two municipalities and the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department for road patrols. Hartland and Tyrone Townships contract for specified patrols to ensure quick response times in the northern portion of the county. The contracts expire March 31st and previous discussions ended late last month after the terms of a new deal could not be reached. Hartland Township Manager James Wickman sent out an e-mail to county officials Tuesday, which he says was an effort to re-start the conversation and affirm both municipalities were open to talking but they continue to look at options and the sheriff’s department is one of those. Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte tells WHMI he was encouraged by the communication and thought it was positive. A copy may be viewed below. (JM)

Man Pleads Guilty to Trying to Pass Counterfeit Traveler's Check

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3/13/13 - A Brooklyn man who witnesses say tried to pay for items with a counterfeit traveler’s check has pleaded guilty in the case. 19-year-old Akhabue Ukpebor is charged with one count of possession of a counterfeit note with intent to publish as well as three counts of uttering and publishing. He pleaded guilty last week to all counts in exchange for the prosecution recommending a sentence of one year in the Livingston County Jail with no probation. He has also waived his right to be sentenced by a District Court judge, and so was bound over to Circuit Court to be sentenced by Judge Michael Hatty. That will take place on April 18th. Police say Ukpebor tried to pass a $100 American Express traveler’s check at a retailer in the Tanger Outlet Center to buy a shirt. The clerk says he grabbed the check and left the store when she tried to verify it. She then saw him enter another store in the mall and called the authorities. (TD)

Stranger Tries to Grab Female Custodian at Hartland SchoolStranger Tries to Grab Female Custodian at Hartland School

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3/13/13 - Hartland Consolidated Schools are stepping up security after an unknown man tried to grab a female employee as she exited the school Friday night. The incident happened after 11pm as a female custodian was leaving Farms Intermediate School. Hartland Patch reports that she was approached by a man in a hooded sweatshirt who tried to grab her as she was walking. According to school officials, the man reached for the custodian but then turned and ran. The employee could not see if he was a student or an adult. The exterior lights on the building were off due to the late hour, and in response to the incident the district will be adding a new light and leaving the lights on longer to improve visibility. Superintendent Janet Sifferman says custodians typically leave the building at 8 to 9pm and are encouraged to do so using the buddy system. She says parents were not notified of the incident because the incident did not directly involve student safety. (TD)

Superintendent's Contract Extended After Positive EvaluationSuperintendent's Contract Extended After Positive Evaluation

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3/13/13 - Despite headlines in the last week of looming deficits and rejected debt reduction plans, the Brighton Board of Education, acting on a very favorable annual performance evaluation, has given Superintendent Greg Gray a one-year extension on his five year contract. The vote on the extension at Monday night's meeting was 6-0, with Trustee Nick Fiani abstaining. Fiani, elected to a 4-year term last November, said he had not been on the board long enough to be able to properly assess Gray's performance. Board President Miles Vieau said Gray received a 3.75 out of four points overall, which he called "extremely high". Gray received his highest marks, both 4's, in board relationships and professional leadership. In selected additional categories, he got a 3.9 in curriculum and instruction, 3.75 in community relations and personnel, and 3.5 in fiscal management. The extension came as a positive note after an otherwise turbulent week in which the district and state officials differed over how much the district’s deficit is and the Department of Education rejected the district’s latest deficit elimination plan. The action extends Gray's contract to June 30th, 2018. Gray currently earns a salary of $138,000, although he voluntarily took a 7% pay cut in 2011 and agreed to pay 15% of his health insurance premiums. He also took a voluntary pay freeze for the current fiscal year due to the state of the district's finances. (JK)

Right-To-Work Talks Spurs Debate at Tea Party GatheringRight-To-Work Talks Spurs Debate at Tea Party Gathering

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3/13/13 - A panel discussion put on by local Tea Party group RetakeOur Gov focusing on the state’s new Right-to-Work laws turned heated more than once last night. More than 100 Livingston residents attended the meeting at Memories Lounge in Brighton. Speakers included representatives from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Union Conservatives, the Michigan chapter of Americans for Prosperity and an economics professor from Hillsdale College. Also among the speakers was Jim Perialas, a teacher and union leader from Roscommon. He tells WHMI that the teachers in his district separated from the Michigan Education Association to form their own union, feeling that the MEA was not responsive to their needs despite increasing fees. The speakers promoted the new legislation, saying Right-to-Work would improve the Michigan economy and prevent workers from being forced to donate money to causes they do not support. However, not everyone agreed. Several of the members of the audience who spoke up at the Q&A portion of the meeting argued against the legislation, which they said is an unnecessary attack on unions and the protection they give workers. Debates between those audience members and the speakers broke out during the later portion of the meeting, with some of the detractors shouting their arguments when the speakers were responding or when they could not get a microphone. Non-speaking attendees included State Representatives Bill Rogers and Cindy Denby as well as local school board members, including Deborah McCormick from the Howell Public Schools and Bill Gatewood from Hartland Consolidated Schools. McCormick said she approved of the development with the Roscommon teachers forming their own union and was supportive of Right-to-Work in general. (TD)

Democrats Invite UAW Political Director To Discuss Union LawsDemocrats Invite UAW Political Director To Discuss Union Laws

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3/13/13 - A guest speaker will discuss right-to-work legislation and its impact on upcoming elections at this month’s regular meeting of the Livingston County Democratic Party. Art Luna is the political director for the United Auto Workers in Region 1C, based in Jackson, and will address the local Democratic Party on March 27th. In a press release, the party says Governor Rick Snyder originally said right-to-work legislation would be too divisive for Michigan but later signed the bills after they had been passed by the legislature. Luna will discuss this change in Snyder’s policy and how it will affect the November 2014 election. Luna was a third-generation production worker at the Fisher body plant in Lansing before being elected to an official position in the union. The meeting will be free and open to local Democrats. (TD)

Man Arrested For Incidents in Oakland & Livingston CountiesMan Arrested For Incidents in Oakland & Livingston Counties

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3/13/13 - A Highland Township man is behind bars in connection with a string of vehicle larcenies and breaking and entering incidents in Oakland and Livingston Counties. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Department says the suspect, 18-year-old Ross Austin Dimercurio, was questioned by detectives and confessed to four separate incidents that took place in January in residential areas in Brighton and Hartland Townships. The department says Dimercurio targeted unlocked vehicles in driveways during the late night and early morning hours and stole mainly money and electronics. He’s been charged locally with 2nd degree home invasion and two counts each of breaking and entering and larceny from a motor vehicle. He remains lodged in the Oakland County Jail on separate charges stemming from similar incidents there. (JM)

Commissioner Defends Deputies While Contract Talks ContinueCommissioner Defends Deputies While Contract Talks Continue

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3/13/13 - Amid all of the discussion in the past several weeks about township contracts with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department for targeted road patrols, one county commissioner is upholding the reputation of the deputies themselves. Commissioner Steve Williams says the dispute between Hartland and Tyrone townships over renewing the road patrol contract with the county might make it seem to some that the reliability or service of the deputies themselves is being called into question. "I do represent Putnam Township, which is the third township in the county that has a contract with the sheriff's department, and I want to make sure that it's at least recognized that Putnam Township is very happy with the level of service. I think in a way that the deputies are caught in the middle here and I want to publicly recognize them for the good work they do." The contract talks with Tyrone and Hartland townships and the county broke off last month after reaching an impasse over costs. Just yesterday though, township officials indicated a willingness to keep talking as the March 31st deadline approaches. A meeting is set up next week for just that purpose. The proposed contract would have provided Hartland and Tyrone with a 24-hour road patrol for the next two years with each township paying $153,000 the first year and $160,000 the next year. That was similar to previous deals in which the townships paid for the officers’ salaries while the county paid for the vehicle and equipment costs. Township officials, however, have said they are essentially subsidizing service for other municipalities that pay nothing for the patrols. (JK)

Griffith Among 5 Named to Brighton Women’s History Roll of HonorGriffith Among 5 Named to Brighton Women’s History Roll of Honor

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3/13/13 - Five women were recently added to the Brighton Area Women’s History Roll of Honor, all of whom are well known for their extensive volunteer work and projects within the community. Local Realtor and County Commission Chairwoman Carol Griffith told WHMI she was both surprised and humbled by the honor, considering the extensive society of women included on the roll. Having grown up here, Griffith says it makes her want to give back and if it weren’t for volunteers; she doesn’t think the community would move forward as fast as it does. Others making this year’s list of honorees include Brighton Businesswoman Barb Binkley; Teacher Patricia Sue Cherry; Teacher and Education Advocate Dorothy Musch; the 2011 Brighton Varsity Girls Lacrosse Team and Jeannine M. Dufault, a driving force in the development of organized girls softball. The latest additions bring the total number of honorees up to 59. A celebration and induction take place with the Brighton Rotary Club next Tuesday at the Brighton Community Center. (JM)

Argentinian Archbishop is Newly Elected Pope FrancisArgentinian Archbishop is Newly Elected Pope Francis

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3/13/13 - Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope Wednesday and chose the name Francis, becoming the first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. Looking stunned, Francis shyly waved to the crowd of tens of thousands of people who gathered in St. Peter's Square, marveling that the cardinals needed to look to "the end of the earth" to find a bishop of Rome. In choosing a 76-year-old pope, the cardinals clearly decided that they didn't need a vigorous, young pope who would reign for decades but rather a seasoned, popular pastor who would draw followers to the faith. The cardinal electors overcame deep divisions to select the 266th pontiff in a remarkably fast, five-ballot conclave. Francis asked for prayers for himself, and for retired Pope Benedict XVI, whose surprising resignation paved the way for the conclave that brought the first Jesuit to the papacy. "Brothers and sisters, good evening," Francis said to wild cheers in his first public remarks as pontiff. "You know that the work of the conclave is to give a bishop to Rome. It seems as if my brother cardinals went to find him from the end of the earth. Thank you for the welcome." Bergoglio had reportedly finished second in the 2005 conclave that produced Benedict — who last month became the first pope to resign in 600 years. The church bells rang out at Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church following the announcement and Father John Rocus tells WHMI the selection was a surprise and will serve as the face of the Christian faith on earth, regardless of denomination. He says children attending a small school that the church operates in Hamburg Township gathered to watch a live internet feed, although with a few technological hiccups. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

County Discusses Plans to Tackle Handy Township DebtCounty Discusses Plans to Tackle Handy Township Debt

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3/14/13 - With millions in debt on the line, the Handy Township is working with the county government to find a solution to its unpaid sewer bonds. The issue was a topic of discussion at yesterday’s meeting of the county debt management committee. After developers defaulted on sewer assessments, Handy Township was stuck with almost $3 million in bonds, charge-backs, and interest that will come due in 2014. The issue is complicated by several lawsuits involving the township, the county, the developer, a construction company, a bonding company, and several Handy Township residents. The township’s debt is backed by the county and defaulting on it would damage the county’s triple-A credit rating. Part of yesterday’s talk included discussion of a millage to help raise the revenue needed to pay off the bonds that are going unpaid due to the lack of development. Vaupel says it is too early to say how the municipalities will handle the issue, especially with the ongoing litigation. (TD)

St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festivities Planned Saturday in Pinckney St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festivities Planned Saturday in Pinckney

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3/14/13 - Leprechauns, bagpipes, Irish dancers and floats will take over downtown Pinckney this weekend. The 9th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins at noon Saturday in the parking lot of Pinckney Elementary School and will proceed through the downtown area before ending at the new library. The parade will be led by American Legion Post 419 and Color Guard with Michigan National Guard Staff Sgt. Julie Wiles serving as The Grand Marshal. A number of activities are planned prior to the parade, including the 5th Annual Paddy Wagon Bed Race, a Best Legs Kilt Contest for men, Cutest Leprechaun Contest, and the Annual Run for the Gold 5K Race at 9:30am. It benefits both Light of the World Academy and the Faith Medical Clinic, which was recently destroyed by fire. A complete parade schedule can be found below. (JM)

County Plans Team-Up With USDA to Fight Emerald Ash BorerCounty Plans Team-Up With USDA to Fight Emerald Ash Borer

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3/14/13 - The US Department of Agriculture is seeking permission to use local parks to wage biological warfare against the invasive emerald ash borer. A representative from the USDA went before the county Parks and Open Spaces Committee yesterday afternoon to ask for permission to harvest some young ash trees from the county’s park land. Ash trees 3-4 inches in diameter will be harvested to be infected with the emerald ash borer as a breeding ground for three distinct species of insects that feed on the ash borer’s eggs and larvae. The parasites will be bred in a laboratory and released into the wild, where they will feed exclusively on the ash borers and provide a natural deterrent to their population. While the committee was receptive to the idea and supported the plan, the legality of cutting the trees has to be investigated before full permission can be granted. However, some members of the committee volunteered to give the USDA access to the ash trees on their own private property to help the fight against the ash borer. (TD)

Brighton School Board President Says Community Ed SafeBrighton School Board President Says Community Ed Safe

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3/14/13 - The Brighton Area School District's community education program will not be eliminated or taken over by the Southeast Livingston County Recreation Authority, nor will the Brighton High School pool be closed. That's what Board of Education President Miles Vieau told the public at the board meeting Monday night. Vieau said he was responding to rumors, and to an e-mail sent to parents and others by community education Director Ann Rennie. Rennie confirmed Wednesday for WHMI that the e-mail said that the program was in danger of being eliminated or taken over by SELCRA. Vieau assured the packed audience at the meeting that neither scenario will happen. There are six distinct programs under the heading "community education", including The Bridge alternative high school, swimming, the performing arts center, enrichment, the senior center and the Tot Spot before-and-after-school and child care program for preschoolers. Rennie tells WHMI she sent out an e-mail after the Feb. 25 board meeting, in which Board Secretary Nick Fiani said the district should look into restructuring to save costs by giving aquatics and enrichment programs to SELCRA. Rennie says she was concerned community education would suffer if that happened and e-mailed her staff and parents of kids enrolled in swimming programs as well as adults taking enrichment courses, asking them to come to the school board meeting. Rennie says community education is nearly a self-sustaining program in that it largely relies on fees and donations to operate. SELCRA Director Derek Smith addressed the board, saying SELCRA was not there to create divisiveness but to serve the community, and the only way it would be successful is to work collaboratively with the school district. SELCRA operates through fees it collects for its athletic and other programs and by annual contributions from the municipalities in the Brighton school district. SELCRA also pays fees for using school athletic facilities since it has no facilities of its own. Looking at next year, the Brighton Area School District is facing a projected $3.5 million deficit, based on a projected enrollment decline of 150 students and other factors. That's on top of the $7.4 million in legacy debt the district owes the state. The board spent considerable time Monday poring over 33 potential areas in which reductions could be made for the coming year. One of those areas being considered is a potential $250,000 cut in the community education budget. Rennie says if that happens, program reductions and personnel layoffs would be the end result. (TT)

North Leroy Road Work Resumes In Fenton This Spring

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3/14/13 - Work to improve North Leroy Street in Fenton will continue this spring, picking up where workers left off last fall. This year, the construction will extend from where the City of Fenton left off north of the business district. Genesee County will take over the project and repair North Leroy Road, called Fenton Road outside city limits, all the way to Butcher Road. MLive.com reports that the $3.3 million project will widen the road to include a turn lane as well as add curb, gutter, and storm sewers. It is scheduled to run from the 2nd week in May through late October. During the first half of the project the road should remain open to through traffic, while the second half will restrict access to local traffic only. That changeover should occur in mid-June. Through traffic will be rerouted along Thompson, Torrey, and South Long Lake roads. (TD)

Genoa Man Sentenced in Home Invasion & AssaultGenoa Man Sentenced in Home Invasion & Assault

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3/13/13 - A Genoa Township man has been sentenced to prison following his conviction for what authorities called a random home invasion and sexual assault. 23-year-old Brandon Michael Thompson was ordered to serve between 7 and 20 years in prison this morning for his earlier no contest pleas to 1st degree home invasion and 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct. He was given credit for 482 days already served. Thompson was also sentenced to a two to 5 year term for his no contest plea to malicious destruction of a building less than $1,000. Thompson was charged after his arrest in November of 2011 at a home on Court Street in the Brighton Village mobile home park. Authorities say he forced his way into the home by prying open the back door and then entered the bedroom of the victim, a 22-year-old woman. She told police that she awakened to find a man molesting her and started screaming, which woke up others inside of the home who then came to her assistance. Thompson fled but was later identified by detectives. He lived in the nearby Sylvan Glen mobile home park, but had relatives residing in Brighton Village. (JK)

Pinckney Pastor Camping Out For Cancer This Weekend Pinckney Pastor Camping Out For Cancer This Weekend

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3/14/13 - A local pastor will be camping out for a cure this weekend. This marks the third year that Reverend Lynn Martin of the Community Congregational United Church of Christ in Pinckney will camp out in front of the church entrance on Unadilla Street. She’ll be collecting donations for the American Cancer Society along with her trained service dog Tanner starting at 9am tomorrow, and hopes to reach her goal of $1500 by Saturday morning. Martin tells WHMI this year will be interesting because of the winter weather but says she’ll be out no matter what and feels strongly about supporting the cause, especially having lost both of her parents to cancer. Martin and around 80 church members will also be taking part in the Relay for Life event at Brighton High School in May. For more details about Martin’s efforts, contact the Community Congregational United Church of Christ in Pinckney at (734) 878-3140. (JM)

United Way Recognizes Local Random Acts of Kindness United Way Recognizes Local Random Acts of Kindness

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3/14/13 - Random acts of kindness were the theme at this morning’s United Way 36th annual meeting at Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Howell. Livingston County United Way hosted a recognition breakfast to thank volunteers, elect the 2013 Board of Directors and celebrate “paying it forward”. Random and intentional acts of kindness testimonies were read that came from the public and from one of the speakers herself. Nancy Johnson (pictured along with George Moses), director of Brighton District Library and a Livingston County United Way board member, tells WHMI volunteering at this event was extremely rewarding. Piet Lindhout, Patricia Linton and Steve Williams were welcomed as incoming members on Livingston County United Way’s Board of Directors and Kevin Brennen was made this year’s board president. Brennan, President of Brennan Investment Services of Brighton, started out as a college intern with the United Way ten years ago. Dawn Boss, who finished out this year as president of the Livingston County United Way’s board, handed out several recognition awards. Jackie Rogers was named as recipient of the Charles W. Itsell Award, Bryan Condra received the Young Person of Distinction Award and Judy Paulsen was the Donald Epley Lifetime Community Service Award recipient. The Howell First United Methodist Church youth group was also named as the Youth Organization of the Year. The Randy Rudisill Business of the Year award was shared by WHMI and The Livingston County Daily Press and Argus. Boss says that financial stability, community wellness and having every child ready for school are the three community impact areas that United Way has recognized and researched and wants to focus their efforts on. The organization also presented its annual financial report, which indicated they raised $1.56 million during last year’s fundraising campaign, while distributing more than $983,000 in allocations and grants to local agencies. (DK/JK)

96 Shooting Suspect Arraigned on Oakland Charges96 Shooting Suspect Arraigned on Oakland Charges

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3/14/13 - A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for a man accused of a series of shootings on and off I-96 in southeast Michigan, including Livingston County. Raulie Casteel appeared today for an arraignment in Oakland County Circuit Court, where an April 4th pretrial was set. Casteel earlier waived a hearing to determine if prosecutors have enough evidence for trial. He faces 60 charges in Oakland County, including attempted murder, linked to shootings in Commerce Township and in Wixom. In a separate but related case, the Michigan attorney general's office is prosecuting Casteel on terrorism, attempted murder and other charges in Livingston County. A March 18th hearing is set for those cases. Two dozen random shootings occurred last fall in a four-county area. Only one driver was injured, a West Michigan man who was shot in the buttocks near Fowlerville as he drove to Detroit to see the Tigers in the World Series. (JK)

Input Sought on Plans For Possible South Lyon Community CenterInput Sought on Plans For Possible South Lyon Community Center

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3/14/13 - Public input is being sought next week on proposed plans to build a community center that would serve the greater South Lyon area. The center would serve the communities of South Lyon, Lyon Township and Green Oak Township and a committee was previously formed with members from each municipality. The committee has been researching how centers operate in other areas and all three have put $10,000 toward the project. Officials are looking to put a bond proposal before voters in each of the communities, possibly in November of next year, but continue to investigate grant options at both the federal and state levels. The committee is scheduled to meet this coming Monday, March 18th at 7 pm at South Lyon City Hall and the public is encouraged to attend. (JM)
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