The Livingston County Health Department is reminding residents to be on the lookout for ticks as the weather warms up. A blacklegged deer tick found within the county has recently been confirmed to be a carrier of the Lyme-disease causing bacteria. Health Department Medical Director Don Lawrenchuk said this is significant because while there have been cases of Lyme Disease in Livingston County residents, until now the tick bites had all occurred elsewhere and were brought back. The ticks that might be a carrier of the bacteria are most active in bushy and wooded areas between April and September. Symptoms of Lyme Disease normally appear 3 to 30 days after being bitten and can include chills, fever, headaches, muscle or joint pain, and a bullseye-shaped rash. Anyone noticing these should contact their health care provider. Tick bites can be most easily prevented by avoiding tick-infested areas and using insect repellants with DEET. Residents who have been in a danger zone should perform daily tick checks. The Health Department recommends wearing light colored clothing to more easily spot them. Ticks usually need 24 hours to begin transmitting the disease-causing bacteria which means early detection is key. More information, including how to have a tick tested can be found by contacting the Livingston County Health Department at (517) 546-9850, or by visiting www.lchd.org. (MK)
Protect Yourself And Family From Lyme DiseaseProtect Yourself And Family From Lyme Disease
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Bishop Among Michigan Lawmakers Seeking Meningitis Compensation UpdateBishop Among Michigan Lawmakers Seeking Meningitis Compensation Update
Congressman Mike Bishop is among 12 Michigan legislators who have asked for a âprogress reportâ on a compensation program for meningitis victims.
The Rochester Hills Republican led the effort to provide $40 million for victims of the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak, and he and 11 colleagues have requested an update from the Massachusetts Attorney Generalâs office on the disbursement process. Michiganâs Eighth District was the hardest hit by the outbreak as more than 200 people became sick and 15 people died after receiving the New England Compounding Centerâs tainted injections from a clinic in Brighton. Nationwide, there were 78 deaths from the tainted steroids.
Bishop said that as elected representatives they have âa duty to continue fighting for the victims of this tragedyâ adding that, âFive years after patients received these tainted steroid injections, their families remain in dire need of financial assistance. With all of the stress and mounting costs they face, time is of the essence.â
A two-year investigation resulted in 14 individuals being charged with 131 criminal counts, including second-degree murder. NECC owner Barry Cadden was acquitted in March on the murder charges, but jurors convicted him on 58 counts of racketeering and mail fraud. He faces 20 years in prison. (JK)
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Brighton Community Mourns Passing Of Jack Conely Brighton Community Mourns Passing Of Jack Conely
A Brighton businessman with a lengthy family history has passed away.
Jack Conely passed away Wednesday of natural causes. He was 87. A lifetime resident of Livingston County, he is most remembered for his racing and engine building career. A 1987 Motor Sports Hall of Fame inductee, he was nationally recognized for his work with Ford and Chevrolet as well as for his contributions to well-known race teams including Indy and NASCAR.
The Air Force veteran credited much of his success to the time he spent at Father Flanniganâs Boys Town School in Nebraska. Jack Conely is the father of John Conely, who serves on the Brighton Area Schools Board of Education and owns Conely Auto Sales on Grand River in Brighton, which is a family tradition. In the 1920âs John Conelyâs grandfather, a World War I Veteran, started selling trucks on Grand River.
Visitation for Jack Conely will be held Tuesday, May 16th from 5-9pm at the Keehn Funeral Home in Brighton, and then again on Wednesday the 17th from 10am to noon, when a funeral service will be held at the funeral home. Memorial contributions in Jackâs name are suggested to Boys Town. He is survived by his four children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. (JM/JK)
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Rock The Block Bringing Live Music And Food To Downtown HowellRock The Block Bringing Live Music And Food To Downtown Howell
Downtown Howell is bringing back a summer event to celebrate music and local food with the community.
Following an overwhelming response in 2016, Rock the Block will be taking over the streets on the first Wednesday of each of the next 3 months. Starting on June 7th, this family friendly event will showcase downtown Howell while live music is being played from bands on 4 different stages. Guests can also participate in Best Bites on the Block. Howell Main Street and Downtown Development Authority Director Cathleen Edgerly said this is a great opportunity to sample the local cuisine. At each stage, a different Howell restaurant will be there with selections from their menu for guests to try. Many businesses will remain open during the event for attendees who wish to visit the many unique shops downtown.
The concerts are free, and wristbands for Best Bites can be purchased through Howell Main Street Inc. at the DDAâs office or at various locations around the city. They will also be on sale at the event. Complete information on Rock the Block can be found online through the link below. (MK)
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Brighton High School Holds Successful Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Brighton High School Holds Successful Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
Brighton High School conducted a one-day prescription drug-take back program Thursday for the purpose of parents returning unused prescription drugs.
Itâs believed that Brighton is the first high school in the state to have a drug take-back day, since such events are normally held at police stations. The event was sponsored by the student group Bulldogs Against Narcotics, and is part of the Big Red Barrel Project, a program of the Livingston County Community Alliance. Senior Annika Weber, who is in the student leadership class and on the Student Council, initiated the program. Weber tells WHMI that such initiatives help keep potentially dangerous prescription drugs out of the hands of children and adolescents.
Weber says youths taking their parentsâ prescription drugs happens more often than most adults think, but the matter is seldom discussed. She says drugs often taken include Oxycodone, a dangerous opioid pain reliever, Adderall, used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and cough syrup that contains codeine. High School Principal Gavin Johnson and two high school teachers supervised the day-long effort.
Big Red Barrel Project spokesman Terry Murray says the program, part of Safety Week at Brighton High, was successful despite virtually no advance publicity. The take-back day resulted in 22 pounds of prescription drugs being brought to the administration office at Brighton High School by about 20 parents. (TT)
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Woman Appealing Judge's Decision To Throw Out Dead Cattle LawsuitWoman Appealing Judge's Decision To Throw Out Dead Cattle Lawsuit
A woman who says gas emissions from a companyâs Livingston County facility killed her cattle is appealing a judgeâs decision to dismiss a lawsuit against the company in question.
Peggy Zlatkin owned a farm located on Cherry Blossom Road in Milford, where she kept a herd of Hereford cattle. Zlatkin filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in September alleging that on the evening of November 17th, 2013, the Merit Energy facility on Lone Tree Road in Hartland Township emitted a large quantity of hydrogen sulfide into the air.
The lawsuit alleges that the hydrogen sulfide was then transported by natural winds to her farm, killing two cows immediately and forcing her to euthanize three others. Zlatkin voluntarily dismissed the federal lawsuit in October, and then filed it in Livingston County Circuit Court. Zlatkinâs attorney says the case was thrown out by Judge Michael P. Hatty, as the court granted summary disposition in favor of the defendants. Zlatkin is now appealing Judge Hattyâs decision to the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Zlatkin is seeking damages totaling $197,500 for the death of her five cows, having to move her herd to a farm in Montcalm County and veterinary expenses.
The Merit Energy facility was also at the center of an investigation into potential groundwater pollution. As the plant was being decommissioned in the fall of 2015, it was discovered that the chemical sulfolane was present in nearby soil and groundwater. The company was required to clean the site up by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Hartland Townshipâs website states, âThe sulfolane impact to groundwater appears localized to the site and there is no evidence that residential groundwater is impacted at this time.â (DK)
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New Trial Date Set For Milford Woman In Husband's MurderNew Trial Date Set For Milford Woman In Husband's Murder
A trial date has again been set for a Milford woman charged with murder in connection with her husband's death.
Yvonne Cortis was charged with open murder following the death of 68-year-old Greg Cortis, who died from injuries sustained in the November 2015 crowbar attack. She was originally to have stood trial last October, but that was delayed so Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews could decide on the admissibility of statements Cortis made to police. She ultimately ruled that what Cortis said outside of a patrol car was voluntary and could be used at her trial, while everything said after she was inside the car could not be admitted because she was then technically in custody and they were made prior to her being read her Miranda rights.
The trial was delayed again in March to allow for further investigation by a self-defense expert. Court records show that following a pre-trial hearing last week, a trial date was re-set for August 24th. Cortis is also charged with a count of animal torture for beating the family dog in the attack. Family members said the 60-year-old Milford woman has a history of mental illness, although a mental exam determined she was competent to assist in her own defense.
Police say Cortis admitted to beating her husband and dog to put "them out of their misery," although itâs not known if that was one of the statements ruled inadmissible. Cortis remains held without bond. (JK)
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Funeral Services Next Week For Crash Victims Funeral Services Next Week For Crash Victims
Funeral services have been finalized for the five individuals killed in a tragic crash this past Tuesday in Oceola Township.
The crash happened Tuesday night when a Cadillac CTS traveling eastbound on M-59 was rammed by a Subaru traveling southbound on Argentine Road that failed to stop at the intersection. The crash caused the Cadillac to roll over and the Subaru caught on fire. Killed in the Cadillac were 35-year-old Candice Dunn, her mother Linda Hurley and her motherâs boyfriend, Jerome Tortomasi. They were returning from a banquet honoring Dunn as Michiganâs Probation Agent of the Year.
Funeral services for the three are being combined. Visitation will take place Monday and Tuesday in Shelby Township, with a funeral service Wednesday at 11am at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Romeo Plank at 21 Mile. Funeral services will also be held next week for the two Fenton men killed in the Subaru.
Funeral services for 18-year-old Justin Henderson will be held at 11am on Monday at the Freedom Center on Shiawassee Avenue in Fenton. A memorial service for 24-year-old Preston Wetzel will be held at 6pm Friday at the Linden Free Methodist Church in Linden.
Meanwhile, at least one of the three people injured remains hospitalized. A University of Michigan Medical Center spokeswoman confirmed that Matthew Carrier, the driver of the Subaru, was listed in serious condition Friday. Information for 39-year-old Albert Boswell, Dunnâs boyfriend who was driving the Cadillac, and 23-year-old Kyle Lixie of Fenton, was not available. (JM)
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Northfield Township To Conduct Township Manager Interviews Northfield Township To Conduct Township Manager Interviews
Northfield will conduct township manager interviews next week.
The Board of Trustees met in early May to review resumes received. After discussing the candidates, the board chose six candidates with two alternates to bring in for first round interviews. Special meetings are scheduled on Tuesday, and Wednesday in order to conduct interviews. Meeting times will be 6 to 9pm each day to allow 1 hour time-slots for each candidate. The interviews will be held during an open meeting with a moderator in attendance. The meetings are open to the public.
After the first round has concluded, the board will select three candidates to attend a second interview. Officials say the board will schedule a meeting to discuss candidate interviews in an open session and then vote to conditionally offer the township manager position to one or none of the candidates. A background investigation would be done utilizing a third party agency and upon successful completion, the board would then negotiate a contract with the candidate. (JM)
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Hartland Board & Planning Commission Discuss SewersHartland Board & Planning Commission Discuss Sewers
The Hartland Board of Trustees and Planning Commission discussed the state of vacant sewer taps at a joint meeting.
Township Supervisor Bill Fountain said it was his hope to help everybody better understand and bring newer Commissioners up to speed on how the sewer system works. In the early 2000s they entered into an agreement with neighboring Tyrone Township to form the Livingston Regional Sewer System that would ultimately hook into Genesee Countyâs system. While the cost to get the waste moving north was expensive, Fountain said Hartland Township was quickly becoming a desirable location to be. However, last decadeâs recession hit the township hard and many of the developers who had been making payments regularly and gone into default. As a result, there were many REUs left vacant on undeveloped land.
The supervisor said they came up with a plan to get the REUs back into the market, like buying the properties from scavenger sales. He said for a few years they were on edge, but now everything is back where it should be and things are looking up. They also discussed future options for vacant land applicants with existing REUs, like rezoning the land for relevant density, allowing transfer buybacks, and even denying the application if different, better terms can be found to be acceptable. The planning commission can now use these guidelines when it comes time to look at the townshipâs comprehensive plan for where they would like Hartland to be over the next 20 years. (MK)
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Right Lane Closures On Grand River In Brighton Mostly OverRight Lane Closures On Grand River In Brighton Mostly Over
Most of the right lane closures associated with construction on Grand River in the City of Brighton should be done next week.
The majority of concrete work has been completed and the City says most of the outer right lane closures will be ending this week. That will leave the only remaining closure at Cross Street for concrete curing time and crosswalk lighting installation. Motorists might experience intermittent lane closures for right-of-way rehabilitation but those are expected to be short and kept between the hours of 9am and 3pm as the contractor has plans to move swiftly.
Milling and asphalt replacement is still on schedule for May 30th with the work taking place at night in order to alleviate traffic congestion during the day. It will start with milling and leveling being performed one lane at a time with paving beginning after that work has been completed. (JM)
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Project To Improve Safety At 10 Mile/Napier Intersection In Lyon Township Project To Improve Safety At 10 Mile/Napier Intersection In Lyon Township
A public information meeting is planned later this month about a large construction project in Lyon Township that will improve safety at a busy intersection.
The Road Commission for Oakland County will be constructing a roundabout at Napier and 10 Mile Road and a meeting is planned on May 24th to share information with anyone interested. The meeting will be an open-house format with no formal presentation but staff will be on hand to answer questions and drawings will be available. Itâs a two phase project. The first involves actual construction of the roundabout but crews will also be reducing a hill to the west of the intersection, which blocks a clear view as motorists approach it. The hill will be reduced, the roundabout will be constructed and other work will improve drainage at the intersection. Access to homes and businesses will be maintained in the area. Then next year, the second phase will involve the paving of Napier from 9 Mile to 10 Mile. Road Commission spokesman Craig Bryson says a formal start date has not yet been nailed down but it will probably be a late July or August time frame, with everything completed and open to traffic in the fall, sometime between October and November. He says the ability to close the intersection will allow crews to build it much more quickly than if they had to do it under traffic.
Bryson says the project should significantly improve the safety and efficiency of the intersection, which has an accident problem. He says itâs heavily traveled, on 10 Mile inparticular, and with the hill, itâs been a bit of a problem so the project should resolve the safety issues and make it a much more efficient intersection.
Details about the work and open house on May 24th at the Gateway Banquet Quarters in the Novi Civic Center are available in the attachment. (JM)
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Annual Conference Focuses on Increasing Cardiac Arrest Survival RatesAnnual Conference Focuses on Increasing Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates
A conference in Howell Friday focused on a statewide initiativeâs next steps to improve cardiac arrest survival rates.
The SaveMIHeart conference, held at the Livingston County Public Safety Complex, brought together individuals who all have a role in the chain of survival when it comes to treating a patient who is experiencing cardiac arrest. Those in attendance included cardiac arrest survivors, bystanders that have aided them, EMS dispatchers, responders, and physicians.
SaveMIHeart seeks to double the rate of survival for Michiganâs cardiac arrest patients from 8% to 16% by 2020. Each year, the nonprofit organization leads a conference that allows stakeholders to review data from cardiac arrest process variables to discuss progress that has been made and what more can be done to improve survival outcomes.
Robert Neumar, Professor and Chair of Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan and President of SaveMiHeart, says the process variables are broken down into the bystander response, 911 dispatchers providing CPR instruction, EMS provision of care, and hospital treatment. Neumar says this yearâs conference turned out an action plan that includes increasing CPR awareness so bystanders will act, training dispatchers to better provide CPR instructions over the phone, monitoring the quality of CPR in an EMS system, and ensuring appropriate prognostication.
Neumar says the plan entails picking at least one statewide initiative for each of those areas in the chain of survival, and then attempting to deploy that across the state in as many EMS systems and hospitals as possible. The continual data collection, review, and revise plan of action approach is effective according to Neumar because he believes ââ¦your system of care is only as strong as your weakest link.â (DK)
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Construction Continues On US-23 Flex Route Project Construction Continues On US-23 Flex Route Project
A lot of construction activity is continuing on US-23 as part of the Michigan Department of Transportationâs Flex Route project.
The southbound US-23 ramps to 8 Mile and North Territorial Road are both closed through June while a loop configuration has been implemented at 6 Mile and North Territorial. A number of ramp and other traffic modifications will be forthcoming.
This week, M-DOT advises there will be overnight single lane closures on US-23 between Silver Lake Road and 8 Mile Road for concrete patch work. Then, starting at 8pm Friday through 5am Monday, there will again be a continuous single lane closure on southbound US-23. During the around-the-clock weekend lane closure, there will again be a Stopped Traffic Advisory System active on US-23. The system is placed in advance of the work zone and uses electronic messages boards to display traffic warnings to alert motorists of possible slowing traffic ahead.
Also this week, overnight single lane closures will continue in each direction on US-23 at Joy Road for bridge work.
A link to an updated newsletter from M-DOT detailing progress on the Flex Route project, upcoming closures and modifications is provided. M-DOT photo. (JM)
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Rogers Endorsed Again By FBI Agents AssociationRogers Endorsed Again By FBI Agents Association
For a second time, the organization that represents FBI agents has endorsed former Congressman Mike Rogers to become the FBI Director.
On Saturday, the FBI Agents Association offered support to Rogers, a Howell Republican and former FBI agent, to replace ousted FBI Director James Comey. The association previously endorsed Rogers in 2013 after the retirement of former Director Robert Mueller. Former President Obama chose Comey instead. But in a statement Saturday, the associationâs president, Thomas F. OâConnor, said that Rogers, the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, "exemplifies the principles that should be possessed by the next FBI Director" and noted that âduring his time in Congress, Rogers "showed a commitment to confronting threats to our country in a nonpartisan and collaborative manner."
Despite the endorsement, Rogers was not among the first round of candidates interviewed for the position Saturday. They included acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, former Justice Department Criminal Division Chief Alice Fisher, New York state judge and former U.S. Attorney in Manhattan Michael Garcia and the FBI special agent in charge in Richmond, Adam Lee. However, Rogers is said to be on Trumpâs list of candidates.
Trumpâs firing of Comey last week set off a firestorm of criticism, mostly from Democrats but also from some Republicans, that were concerned it had more to do with Comeyâs request to expand the investigation into the administrationâs ties to Russia than with the stated reason that Comey had lost the ability to effectively lead the bureau. President Trump says he plans to make a "fast decision" on selecting a new FBI director, perhaps naming the replacement before he leaves for his first foreign trip on Friday. Photo Credit: AP (JK)
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Substance Abuse Prevention Project Seeks Additional Funding Substance Abuse Prevention Project Seeks Additional Funding
A collaborative program of Livingston County agencies that provides substance abuse prevention services is seeking an increase in funding to expand their impact.
The Livingston Community Prevention Project (LCPP) is comprised of four local agencies- Karen Bergbower and Associates, Key Development Center, Inc., LACASA, and Livingston County Catholic Charities. The agencies have worked together for the last nine years to coordinate government-funded prevention programs in the county. Later this month, the LCPP will be submitting a proposal seeking $399,000 in their bid for funding. Funding is up for rebid every two to three years.
Livingston County Catholic Charities Executive Director Mark Robinson says much of the LCPPâs work will remain the same, including efforts like public campaigns to build awareness, keeping Project Success in all middle and high schools in the county, and supporting community-based activities. However there will be a few changes, like expanding community based support groups from two to four school districts within the next year and providing prevention services to Whitmore Lake Public Schools.
Another change the LCPP has planned is to upgrade from the âParents Who Host Lose the Mostâ campaign. Robinson felt the campaign had run its course, as the LCPP has promoted it for the last nine years. The organization is now spreading the word about âSafe Homesâ, which requires parents to take an online pledge, promising that they will keep their homes free of drugs and alcohol for minors during prom or graduation parties.
In the last fiscal year, the LCPP received approximately $345,000 in government funding. Their proposal is asking for a $54,000 increase based on their plans to expand school programs to Whitmore Lake schools. Robinson says heâs not sure what the likelihood is that the LCPP will receive the additional funding, or the final amount that theyâll receive at all. Their proposal is due May 22nd for funds that would become available October 1st. (DK)
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South Hill & Grand River Project In Lyon Township Postponed To 2018 South Hill & Grand River Project In Lyon Township Postponed To 2018
Improvements to a busy intersection in Lyon Township will be offset by grant funds, although the project has been postponed to next year.
A $1.6 (m) million project is planned at the intersection of South Hill Road and Grand River in Lyon Township. A traffic signal will be added and the intersection reconfigured to add dedicated left, right and through lanes in all four quadrants. The Road Commission for Oakland County has been awarded a $1 million Transportation Economic Development Fund grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The remainder of the project cost is $675,000 and will be split between the road commission, Magna International and Lyon Township.
The grant will support a recently constructed manufacturing facility at the intersection and 250 jobs. Cosma Body Assembly of Michigan is a manufacturing division of Magna International that produces underbody structural components for global automakers.
Road Commission for Oakland County spokesman Craig Bryson tells WHMI the project is going forward but due to the timing of the grant award, it had to be delayed until 2018.
The company had concerns about access due to high traffic volumes on Grand River Avenue and the grant will help fund road improvements needed to facilitate economic growth. As part of the project, the Road Commission will construct acceleration and deceleration lanes at driveways to the facility, in addition to reconstructing the Grand River/South Hill Road intersection. (JM)
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Howell Schools Works To Improve Early LiteracyHowell Schools Works To Improve Early Literacy
The importance of literacy among young students was a focal point during Howellâs Board of Education Meeting last week.
Executive Director for Instructional Services, Elson Liu, spoke to the board about the literacy programs in the district. In 2015, a law was passed that focused a great deal on 3rd grade illiteracy. It is at this grade that studentâs proficiency in English Language Arts begins to get examined through the use of the M-STEP Program.
In the upcoming years, the proficiency of literacy in third grade students will be scrutinized even more so than it already is. Students struggling with English Language Arts will be retained at a larger rate in hopes of allowing them to improve in their proficiency. Liu claims that by 2020, up to 30% of 3rd grade students could be retained due to illiteracy.
Right now there is a Three-Tier System implemented to assist students with their reading and writing skills. The three separate tiers represent the comprehension students have with a certain subject and the level of assistance they receive. Liu also claimed that more summer literacy programs are already being discussed to help keep students on the right track. (DF)
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Local MSP Post Hosting Anniversary Open HouseLocal MSP Post Hosting Anniversary Open House
The community is invited to celebrate 100 years with Michigan State Police during an upcoming open house.
The Michigan State Police Brighton Post is hosting a 100th anniversary open house this Thursday, May 18th. Officials say the fun filled event is suitable for both children and adults. Visitors will be able to meet troopers from the post as well as members of the Emergency Support Team, Marine Services Unit, Canine Unit, Motor Unit and Traffic Safety Division but also check out the Michigan State Police unmanned aerial vehicle.
Recruiters will also be on hand at the event for anyone interested in learning more about joining MSP. (JM)
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Fowlerville Man Killed In Off-Road Motorcycle CrashFowlerville Man Killed In Off-Road Motorcycle Crash
A Fowlerville man is dead after an off-road motorcycle crash over the weekend.
The Livingston County Sheriffâs Office says 55-year-old Dennis James Shepp was riding a motorcycle along the edge of a farm field near Fowlerville and Mason roads just after 7pm Saturday when the motorcycle struck a tree limb laying on the ground. Shepp was thrown from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say he was not wearing a helmet or any other protective gear. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation by the Sheriffâs Officeâs Traffic Safety Bureau. Fowlerville firefighters and Livingston County EMS assisted at the scene. (JK)
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