Last minute filers rushing to finish their taxes have just a few days left to get the dreaded task done.
The Internal Revenue Service says taxpayers are encouraged to review returns carefully, because those who rush to beat the deadline can sometimes miss benefits or make a mistake. Errors delay tax refunds and could result in a letter from the IRS.
The filing deadline in Michigan is Tuesday, April 18th. All the states that usually have an April 15th deadline have delayed their filing date.
The IRS says as of Thursday, nearly 40 million taxpayers had yet to file their returns. With the tax deadline approaching, officials say taxpayers shouldn't panic as the IRS has many options available to help people as they finalize their tax returns or if they need to get extra time to file.
Meanwhile, the Michigan Department of Treasury is reminding cyber criminals tend to increase activity leading up to the income tax filing deadline through phone scams and email phishing scams. Department officials say they will never initiate a phone call or email to ask for personal information and will not ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. Contact is typically done through the mail. (JM)
Deadline To File Taxes Is Tuesday Deadline To File Taxes Is Tuesday
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Lahring Road Repairs At US-23 In Fenton Start MondayLahring Road Repairs At US-23 In Fenton Start Monday
The Michigan Department of Transportation says repairs to the Lahring Road overpass at US-23 in Fenton will kick off Monday.
The bridge was hit from underneath by an oversize load last June â an incident that shut down both lanes of US-23 and caused serious traffic back-ups during the morning commute. The project includes some demolition, beam replacement, and deck repairs. M-DOT Spokeswoman Jocelyn Hall says starting Monday, crews will start to mobilize operations and work to repair the damaged bridge beams.
US-23 traffic will be maintained with single-lane closures, occurring between 8pm Friday and 10am Sunday. Occasional single-lane closures may be required during overnight hours on weeknights as well, from 8pm to 7am.
Hall says motorists should also be aware bridge demolition is planned around April 21st and may require 15-minute closures of US-23 in both directions between midnight and 4am to demolish the bridge over top of the area where the beams were damaged. Lahring Road traffic will continue to be maintained with temporary signals and full closures when necessary.
Hall says the goal is to have the project finished up sometime in May before the end of the school year. She says itâs a priority to have all of the work done before the summer tourism season kicks off. M-DOT Photo. (JM)
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Man Enters Plea In Case Of Fatal Crash That Killed Hamburg Police SergeantMan Enters Plea In Case Of Fatal Crash That Killed Hamburg Police Sergeant
A Dearborn Heights man admitted Friday that he purchased and registered the vehicle that his brother was driving in the crash that killed Hamburg Police Sergeant Jim Sanderson.
51-year-old Michael David Kelty is the brother of Steven Kelty. Last May, Steven Kelty was sentenced to serve 15 to 30 years in prison after being convicted of causing the 2014 crash that claimed the life of Hamburg Police Sergeant Jim Sanderson. Steven Kelty has not had a license since 2002, as it was suspended due to six prior drunk driving convictions.
Prosecutors say the car that Steven was driving at the time of the crash was purchased and registered for him by his brother because an unlicensed person cannot register a vehicle. Michael Kelty was charged last September, and pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor charge for allowing an unlicensed person to drive. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the original charge of allowing an unlicensed person to operate a vehicle causing death. Michael Kelty is required to pay $10,481 to the victimâs family by his sentencing date May 11th.
On September 26th, 2014, the Chevy Trailblazer Steven Kelty was driving collided with Sandersonâs motorcycle at Latson Road and Figurski Drive in Genoa Township. Sanderson, a 20-year veteran of the Hamburg Township Police Department, was pronounced dead at the scene. (DK)
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Committee Plans on Distributing Pamphlets for Better State Funding of Local CommunitiesCommittee Plans on Distributing Pamphlets for Better State Funding of Local Communities
During Brighton 150th Birthday celebration this year, residents and visitors will be getting a subtle pitch on behalf of increased state funding to local municipalities. According to the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan is dead last in the percentage of its budget that goes to local cities, counties, villages and townships to help cover the costs of providing local services. In fact, Michigan is the only state in the nation in which revenue sharing funds to its local communities went down during the decade from 2002 to 2012. 150th Birthday Committee Chairman Shawn Pipoly tells WHMI that the committee is having pamphlets printed to outline the disparity of state funding to local communities between Michigan and the other 49 states. Pipoly says that despite growing in population, Brighton has had to cut staff and impose other economies due to the decline in state revenue sharing funds. He adds that other communities across the state are having similar problems. Pipoly says when property values plummeted in the recession, people got a significant break on their property taxes. But now that property values are rising again, communities arenât able to quickly recoup those lost dollars. Thatâs because the Headlee Tax Limitation Amendment only allows property taxes to increase a maximum of 5% a year, or less, depending on the cost of living index. Pipoly says the pamphlets will be distributed at the 4th of July parade, and will be available at the 150th Birthday booth, which will be on Main Street during this summerâs downtown events. (TT)
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Noted Analyst And Award Winning Journalist To Keynote Democrat DinnerNoted Analyst And Award Winning Journalist To Keynote Democrat Dinner
An Emmy Award winning journalist and noted political analyst will be speaking to area democrats at a dinner next month. Jack Lessenberry has worked as a newspaper, radio, television, and internet journalist over different periods of the past 40 years. He won an Emmy in 1995 for a Frontline documentary he helped report and produce on Dr. Jack Kevorkian and has been published in publications like Vanity Fair, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. On Friday May 19th Lessenberry will be the keynote speaker at the Livingston County Democratsâ 34th annual Winans Dinner. Several Democrats will vying for the partyâs 2018 nomination for 8th District Congress will also have the chance to make remarks. Along with the dinner there will be a cash bar, music, snack, dessert, and a silent auction. Reservations are $70 per person through April 28th, and $80 after. Student tickets are $25.(MK)
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Howell Superintendent To Deliver 2nd Annual State Of The District Address Howell Superintendent To Deliver 2nd Annual State Of The District Address
Accomplishments and ongoing work in Howell Public Schools will be detailed during an address later this month.
Superintendent Erin MacGregor will deliver his second annual State of the District address on Tuesday, April 25th at 6pm in the Parker Middle School commons area. MacGregor will provide an update on the current state of the district as well as the vision for the coming years. MacGregor says heâs excited to host the address, which gives him an opportunity to connect with the community and share successes as well as ongoing work. He noted a number of great things are happening in the district and he looks forward to sharing them.
The address is free and open to all district stakeholders including, parents, teachers, staff, community members and local business owners.
Those interested in attending the State of the District address are asked to RSVP to Jan Stewart at 517-548-6232 or by email to stewartj@HowellSchools.com by April 21. Parker Middle School is located at 400 Wright Road, Howell. Attendees should enter using the schoolâs main entrance off of D-19. (JM)
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Brighton School Board to Establish Committees to Recommend to Full BoardBrighton School Board to Establish Committees to Recommend to Full Board
The Brighton Board of Education in the future will be going about its business in a somewhat different way. No radical changes are in store, but board members will be hashing things out and exchanging ideas before bringing them to the board for action in one of two new committees that will be formed.
Board President Andy Burchfield says he will look to the members for input on who is interested in which committee, augmented by each member's skill set, and then Burchfield will select the makeup of the committees. One committee will focus on finance, human resources and staffing, while the other will center on facilities, operations and the culture of the district.
The board will also eliminate individual board liaisons to each school, starting with the fall term. The steps are an outgrowth of the board workshop held three weeks ago at the LESA offices in Howell. (TT)
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Local Women's Group Looks To Educate Community About Human TraffickingLocal Women's Group Looks To Educate Community About Human Trafficking
An issue that is relevant not only globally, but also locally, will be the focus of an event in Brighton this month.
On Saturday, April 29th, the Brighton First United Methodist Church will host an event that tackles the topic of human trafficking. âRemoving the Veil of Silenceâ is a first time program that the United Methodist Womenâs group seeks to educate the community through. Event organizer Marsha Ikle says the response to the issue of human trafficking needs to be threefold- awareness, education and action. Ikle says it is time to bring human trafficking to the forefront of community discussion.
Ikle says the more the United Methodist Womenâs group began to research the topic, the more they realized how relevant it is to the community. Michigan ranks number two in the country for the highest volume of human trafficking in the sex trade, with Nevada as number one. In the county alone, the Livingston County Abolitionist Project reports that between 186 to 322 victims have been identified.
Ikle says through education and by combining local efforts, the community can approach this problem in a more powerful and direct way. The event will include a presentation from Reverend Carrie Woods, a Methodist minister who began a grassroots organization called the Pearls of Great Price Coalition, which fights human trafficking in southeast Michigan. Mary Kapp, Detective First Lieutenant and a 31-year veteran of the Michigan State Police, will also educate guests about how to identify human trafficking and related trends.
The event runs from 10am to noon and will offer coffee and refreshments. A free-will donation will also be accepted which will be used to continue the work of the Pearls of Great Price Coalition. (DK)
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Officials Warn Of Exposure To Measles At Two Ann Arbor RestaurantsOfficials Warn Of Exposure To Measles At Two Ann Arbor Restaurants
Following Fridayâs confirmation by state health officials that a Livingston County resident had contracted the second case of measles in Michigan this year, officials in Washtenaw County are warning the public that people may have been exposed to the disease at two Ann Arbor restaurants recently.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced the second confirmed case Friday. Livingston County Medical Director Dr. Don Lawrenchuk says the individual was on the same airplane as a young child who was not vaccinated and returning from a country where many measles cases were reported. State officials say the two individuals are not related but both were passengers on the same flight when the first individual was contagious. Because itâs believed the Livingston County resident was a customer at two restaurants while contagious, Washtenaw County health officials say anyone who was at Mark's Midtown Coney Island on Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor between noon and 3 p.m. April 6 or at Benny's Family Dining on Industrial Highway during the same hours the following day should monitor themselves for rash with fever or other symptoms consistent with measles for 21 days. Since the health department can't contact other customers individually to alert them, it is sharing information publicly.
Measles is an extremely contagious disease caused by the measles virus and can cause complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis as well cause miscarriages or premature delivery in pregnant women. State and local health officials say the best line of defense is vaccination and encourage it for all persons, especially those traveling internationally. (JK)
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Grand River Maintenance Project Starts Today In Brighton Grand River Maintenance Project Starts Today In Brighton
Roadwork on Grand River Avenue starts today in Brighton.
Residents and motorists have likely noticed signs posted about the Grand River Avenue road maintenance project around the city. Crews will be repairing sections of the road before asphalting Grand River Avenue between the I-96 overpass and Ore Creek. The work is expected to get underway today and last through roughly June 30th, as long as the weather cooperates. Crews plan on doing the work overnight to help limit the impact on motorists.
Officials advise that there will be single lane closures at times, mostly the outside lanes and around the Cross Street intersection, but the city appreciates patience while the highly necessary work is being done.
Additionally, motorists are advised that the left and center lanes of Grand River at Cross Street will be closed from 7am today to Monday, April 24th. Motorists will not be able to turn left from Grand River to Cross Street during that time. (JM)
Photo courtesy of Google Street View
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5K Obstacle Course Fundraiser Coming To Mt. Brighton5K Obstacle Course Fundraiser Coming To Mt. Brighton
The Brighton Rotary Club is bringing back its popular obstacle course fundraiser to Mt. Brighton next month.
The 3rd annual Top of the Mountain Dash or Crash, scheduled for May 20th, is promising to be both more fun and challenging this year. Three new obstacles have to been to the 5K course bringing the total number to 13. Highlights include a tire bridge, climbing wall, swamp walk, and a final run down the mountain under a shower sprayed by the ski parkâs snow guns. There are also 2 one-mile kids runs which promise to be both muddy and wet for adventurous children. There will be live music, food and drink available on site for participants and spectators, alike.
Early bird rates for $45 for adults and $15 for kids. Entrance to the event for non-runners is free, and there will also be free rides up the chair lift to the top of Mt. Brighton where 80% of the course will be visible. More information can be found through the link below. (MK)
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Earth Day Cleanup And Celebration Planned At MillpondEarth Day Cleanup And Celebration Planned At Millpond
Volunteers are needed for a big Earth Day cleanup and celebration at the Millpond in Brighton.
Earth Day is on Saturday, April 22nd and the city has a whole day of activities planned around restoring the Millpond to its former glory. The first of many Millpond cleanups is scheduled to begin at 8am, with volunteers removing invasive plants, tidying up the boardwalk, and removing trash from the area. Anyone with waders or a kayak whoâd like to in on the action in the water is encouraged to bring them along.
The city is encouraging volunteers to wear protective clothing as they will provide the trash bags, gloves, and garbage-pickers. As the cleanup wraps up around 11am, students from Maltby Intermediate Schoolâs 6th grade enrichment class have a family friendly celebration planned with food carts, crafts, activities, and recycled art. In celebration of Arbor Day a Littleleaf Linden tree will also be planted near the Imagination Station at noon.
Volunteers can sign up online through the link posted below or just show up ready to help Saturday at 8am. (MK)
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Hearing Adjourned For Former Auto Shop Employee Jailed For Illicit PhotosHearing Adjourned For Former Auto Shop Employee Jailed For Illicit Photos
A Williamston man who allegedly secretly photographed women in the bathroom of a Brighton auto shop where he worked has had his hearing adjourned.
Hearings for 37-year-old Joshua David Porter in 53rd District Court were adjourned twice this month to allow time for review of discovery materials. Porter was charged earlier this month with three counts of capturing/distributing images of an unclothed person and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Michigan State Police identify Porter as a Williamston resident, but court records show an Ypsilanti address.
Porter reportedly installed a camera in the womenâs bathroom at Brighton Auto One where he worked, prior to being transferred to the storeâs Wixom location. After a photograph was posted to social media, a police raid of the Brighton store was conducted at which time the camera was discovered. Court records indicate the incident took place April 1st of 2016. He is due back in court April 25th. (DK)
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Health Department Warns Of Possible Measles Exposure At Local FacilitiesHealth Department Warns Of Possible Measles Exposure At Local Facilities
Local health officials are warning of potential exposure as they continue to investigate the stateâs second measles case that was confirmed last week in an adult Livingston County resident.
The case was confirmed in connection with the first, travel-related case in late March of the highly contagious disease that spreads through the air by coughing or sneezing. The local individual was on the same airplane as a young child who was not vaccinated and contagious while returning from a country where a lot of cases were reported.
Livingston County Medical Director Dr. Don Lawrenchuk says an individual can be communicable for anywhere from three to five days before the onset of the rash illness. He says this particular individual had some congestion, a runny nose and runny eyes and was coming down with cold-like symptoms. To err on the side of caution, Dr. Lawrenchuk says they through it would be wise to indicate some of the places the man had been prior to the onset of his rash illness as two were in Livingston County.
Lawrenchuk tells WHMI the patient has been extremely cooperative and is very detail oriented, thus provided a list of everywhere he had been to.
Anyone who visited the St. Joseph Mercy Brighton facility on Grand River from 7 to 10am on Monday, April 3rd or the Dragon Court restaurant on M-36 in Hamburg Township from 5 to 9pm on April 5th are advised to monitor themselves for rash with fever or other symptoms consistent with measles until April 25th.
Meanwhile, the same local confirmed case visited two restaurants in Washtenaw County. Health officials there say anyone who was at Mark's Midtown Coney Island on Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor between noon and 3pm April 6th or at Benny's Family Dining on Industrial Highway during the same hours the following day should monitor themselves.
While measles is a very serious, potentially life threatening disease Lawrenchuk says it is preventable and there is a safe, effective vaccine. Health officials say there is no cause for public panic but anyone displaying symptoms who might suspect measles should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. More information is available in the attached press release. (JM)
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2-Year-Old Injured In Lawnmower Accident 2-Year-Old Injured In Lawnmower Accident
A child was seriously injured during an accident involving a lawnmower on Monday in South Lyon.
The Green Oak Township Police and Fire Departments responded to a report in the areas of Ten Mile Road and Pheasant Lake Road around 12:16pm. Reports indicated the 2-year-old child had been struck by a mower, which was attached to a lawn tractor, and sustained significant injury to his lower extremities.
Upon arrival, police learned the lawn mower was being operated by the childâs grandparent. The grandparent reported that the child ran out in front of the tractor and could not be stopped before striking the child with the mowing deck. Emergency care was provided on scene by police, firefighters and Huron Valley Ambulance.
Officials say the child was transported to the University of Michigan Mott Childrenâs Hospital for continued emergency care. (JM)
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Local Man Who Assaulted Girlfriend and Set Home On Fire Receives Prison Local Man Who Assaulted Girlfriend and Set Home On Fire Receives Prison
A Howell man authorities say assaulted his girlfriend and then set their home on fire has received a lengthy prison sentence.
The July 2016 incident began with a fight between 55-year-old Donald Baggett and his girlfriend, and ended with a suspicious fire. Baggett pleaded guilty as a 4th time habitual offender earlier this year to assault with intent to commit sexual penetration, assault by strangulation, domestic violence, and 2nd degree arson. He was sentenced in Livingston County Circuit Court Monday to 18 to 40 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections. He will also be required to make just over $383,600 restitution.
Things got heated on July 21st when Baggett allegedly threatened his girlfriend at their home in Marion Township and asked if she had ever cheated on him. He then reportedly strangled her while demanding to know if she had ever slept with any African American men. The victim says Baggett then sniffed her to see if she had had sex with someone else and tried to remove her pants.
Baggettâs girlfriend kicked him out of their house, though he was reportedly seen driving in the area later that day. Authorities say as Baggett was driving by the home that evening, he called to report a fire in their garage. He was later identified as a person of interest in that fire which police said was deemed suspicious because there was nothing in the garage to indicate the cause of the fire. (DK)
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Cleary University Joins National Association of Intercollegiate AthleticsCleary University Joins National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
Cleary University, which revived its sports program five years ago, announced an important step in the school's athletic program on Monday.
Cleary was one of seven schools which were admitted to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or NAIA, as associate members for the 2017-18 school year and could become a full member in 2018-19. Cleary University athletic director Ward Mullens tells WHMI that it will mean a bigger stage for the university to perform at the national level and provide them with extra recruiting power.
The university made the announcement Monday. Cleary will also remain a member of the USCAA, the organization it currently belongs to, while it is an associate member of the NAIA. The NAIA is a much larger organization, with schools in the U.S. and Canada, while the USCAA's members are mostly in the Northeast. Once it becomes a full NAIA member, Cleary officials will look to join a conference. It currently is an independent. Baseball coach Karl Kling, a former Cleary athletic director, says joining the NAIA will help Cleary teams in recruiting.
There currently are 11 NAIA colleges and universities in Michigan, including Concordia University in Ann Arbor and Lawrence Tech in Southfield. (TR)
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"Ribs On The River" Event To Honor Late Ron Savage "Ribs On The River" Event To Honor Late Ron Savage
A barbeque event to honor the memory of a well-known news anchor and firefighter will be held in Milford Central Park this summer, although somewhat censored to the dismay of organizers.
âRibs on the Riverâ will be held on Saturday, July 8 to serve as a tribute to the local firefighter and news anchor who died unexpectedly in February after suffering a heart attack during a training exercise with the Milford Fire Department where he worked as a volunteer. The event was approved but with only beer and wine sales being permitted. Organizers had sought to include liquor for a Bloody Mary bar, something Savage was known for and loved and somewhat at the heart of the event.
A motion to approve the request as submitted was made by President Pro-Tem Jim Kovach but failed to pass, with Councilman Thomas Nader also voting in support. Kovach said he preferred to monitor the event and see how it goes before eliminating the Bloody Mary bar aspect. A second motion to approve beer and wine sales passed unanimously.
Bear Hall serves as treasurer for the Ron Savage Memorial Foundation and told WHMI theyâll try to give it another go. He commented that he didnât believe the council decision was 100% accurate based on the way it was worded, so theyâll discuss it. Hall says he doesnât have a problem eliminating the hard liquor sales but would hope to at least get the Bloody Mary bar back in, as itâs one of the signature portions of the event designed to keep Savageâs memory alive in the community.
Hall says Savage was passionate about various causes so proceeds raised from the event will go to help support local charities, with half to going toward a youth charity within the Huron Valley area. He says theyâre challenging first responders, news media, police, firefighters, EMTâs and others to organize BBQ teams, hopefully around 100, as part of a friendly competition. Itâs anticipated that a foundation and event website should be operational sometime next week.
It was noted during the meeting that the event policy was not specific, so the approval would not necessarily have been precedent setting. The majority of members raised concerns with hard liquor sales at the event as well as blurring the line between events. Police Chief Tom Lindberg weighed in when asked prior to the vote, saying he supported the event but did have concerns about hard liquor sales. (JM)
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Residents Reminded To Have Utilities Marked Before Digging In YardResidents Reminded To Have Utilities Marked Before Digging In Yard
As local residents prepare to take on outdoor spring projects, Consumers Energy is reminding the community about the importance of safe digging.
April is Safe Digging Month in Michigan and a simple call can help those digging up their yard avoid damaging utilities. At least three working days before digging, residents are asked to contact MISS DIG by dialing 8-1-1. The call is free and will follow with a utility worker visiting the residence and marking where utilities are located in the yard.
Consumers Energy Spokeswoman Debra Dodd suggests homeowners stay at least four feet away from those marks. If the project will require digging within that four foot berth, it is suggested a wooden handle shovel is used to expose underground lines and confirm their exact location. Dodd says this of course can save someone from personal injury or death, but also helps avoid the hassle of hitting a line and potentially losing an essential service.
Dodd says too often people assume they know where their utilities are at, but changes like soil erosion or landscaping can shift the utilitiesâ location. In 2016, 275 cases of damages were caused by residential customers or residents who hit a gas, electric, cable or water line while digging. 16 of those cases were in Livingston County alone. Dodd says 88% of those incidents were a result of someone who began digging without calling to have their yard marked in advance.
Residents are also reminded to confirm with contractors and excavators that 8-1-1 has been contacted before allowing digging work to proceed. (DK)
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Regional Job Fair Set Thursday At Crystal GardensRegional Job Fair Set Thursday At Crystal Gardens
Local job seekers have an opportunity to connect with employers at a job fair this week.
Over 45 area employers will be recruiting candidates for hundreds of job openings at the Livingston Regional Job Fair this Thursday from 3-7pm at Crystal Garden Banquet Center in Genoa Township. Representatives from 45 companies that include Lake Trust Credit Union, TG Fluid Systems, Medilodge of Howell and Chem Trend will be present and ready to speak with qualified applicants. In addition to meeting directly with employers, job seekers will have the opportunity to attend live workshops that will help them improve their resume.
A bank of computers will also be available so that job seekers can search and apply for jobs online. The Livingston Regional Job Fair is presented by the Job Fair Planning Committee, which consists of representatives from more than 12 local organizations including state and local workforce agencies, local chambers of commerce, post-secondary education, and local nonprofit agencies. (JK)
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