The City of Fenton is asking voters to approve a special millage for road improvements, but first the community must approve changes to the City Charter.
Roads in the municipality, particularly local residential streets, are in bad shape, according to a recent study and City Manager Lynn Markland. Markland says Act 51 dollars received from the state-approved gas tax has really only accrued enough for road maintenance, not rehabilitation.
The city plans to ask voters to approve a special millage that will fund a long-term road improvement program. Currently the City Charter allows a special millage to be levied for a period of time not to exceed three years. City officials feel for the program to be successful, the millage must be levied for much longer, specifically ten years. For that to happen, voters must approve an amendment to the City Charter, changing the maximum period for a millage to be levied from three to ten years.
At a Monday night work session, City Council unanimously approved a resolution that will place that proposal on the November ballot. Markland says the amendment to the charter speaks only to the street millage.
If voters approve the amendment to the City Charter, the maximum amount that can be levied will not change, only the maximum period of time. The state must approve the ballot language and city officials intend to have the language submitted by August 15th. (DK)
Fenton Council Seeks Approval To Amend Charter For Street MillageFenton Council Seeks Approval To Amend Charter For Street Millage
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Northbound US-23 Ramp To 6 Mile Road Closes Today Northbound US-23 Ramp To 6 Mile Road Closes Today
A freeway ramp closes to traffic today in Northfield Township.
The Michigan Department of Transportation advises that the northbound US-23 ramp to 6 Mile Road will be closed, starting today for reconstruction. The ramp is expected to reopen on September 7th. The detour route will be posted when the ramp is closed.
That detour involves exit #49 or North Territorial Road to northbound Whitmore Lake Road to Kearney Road, to west bound 6 Mile. For eastbound 6 Mile traffic, motorists should use Barker Road to Main Street and then back to 6 Mile.
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Chelsea-Area Mom Sentenced To Prison For Sex With TeensChelsea-Area Mom Sentenced To Prison For Sex With Teens
A Chelsea-area woman charged with having sex with two teenage boys has been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
38-year-old Brooke Lajiness of Lima Township learned her punishment on Monday in a Washtenaw County courtroom. Lajiness read from a statement, saying that what happened was the biggest regret of her life and that she caused her family "great pain." The sentence of four years and nine months to 15 years followed an earlier guilty plea to several criminal sexual conduct counts and other charges by the mother of two. As part of a plea agreement, other charges were dismissed.
Authorities say the boys were 14 and 15 last summer when Lajiness lured them in with naked pictures of herself on Snapchat. The majority of the incidents in the case were alleged to have occurred in the backseat of Lajiness' car in a Lima Township driveway. (JK)
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Commissioners Give Green-Light To New Central Dispatch Facility Commissioners Give Green-Light To New Central Dispatch Facility
The Livingston County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the planning of a new 911 Central Dispatch Facility.
The building that Livingston County Central Dispatch has been operating out of was originally built in the 1970âs and officials say they have outgrown its capabilities. Monday nightâs board meeting saw the approval for a new dispatch center to be constructed behind the current facility. 911 Central Dispatch Deputy Director, Joni Harvey, says it would be more efficient to build a new facility rather than update the current one. The estimated $5.2 million project cost will be fully funded through the Central Dispatch Fund with no money needed from the countyâs general fund or through the issuance of bonds. The next step will be for Central Dispatch to select contractors for the facility.
While only in the beginning stages of the project, Harvey said she is thankful and excited for the project to be underway and expects the new facility to be beautiful, cost-efficient, and effective. Picture courtesy of Google Maps. (DF)
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Pinckney Woman Enters Plea To Embezzlement ChargesPinckney Woman Enters Plea To Embezzlement Charges
A plea has been entered by a Livingston County woman charged with multiple embezzlement counts.
53-year-old Debbie Broich of Pinckney pleaded guilty as charged in Oakland County Circuit Court Monday to five felony counts of embezzlement over $100,000 and one count of embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000. She was charged after an audit was conducted at Blue Chip Talent and its related company, Computer Consultants of America, where Broich worked as a bookkeeper. Bloomfield Township police say she embezzled the money over a period of six years âfor personal living expenses,â including buying new vehicles and paying credit card bills.
The owner of the company reportedly became suspicious after reviewing the firmâs checking account and finding multiple checks issued in her name. Broich, who is free on a $250,000 bond, faces up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced October 9th. (JK)
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Police Search For Fleeing Suspect After He Requested FingerprintsPolice Search For Fleeing Suspect After He Requested Fingerprints
A police search yesterday in the Brighton area involved a helicopter and K-9, but authorities say the public was never in danger.
Sgt. Sura with the Michigan State Police Brighton Post tells WHMI that an individual came into the post Monday afternoon and requested to be fingerprinted, a service that is provide to the public on a scheduled basis. When he was told he would have to make an appointment, the man became agitated and said he needed the fingerprints in relation to a suspended license. After he left, the desk sergeant noticed the man walking over to a motorcycle parked in the Brighton Township Hall parking lot. When confronted about whether or not he had a valid license, the man ran off across Spencer Road and then all six lanes of I-96.
Sgt. Sura said the helicopter joined in as it was on its way back to Flint when it heard about the search on the radio and a State Police K-9 unit then also joined in, but they were unable to locate the suspect. However, they believe they know who the man is and are working to bring him into custody. (JK)
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Groundbreaking Held for New Downtown Development in Brighton Groundbreaking Held for New Downtown Development in Brighton
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held today for a new development that city officials say will serve to enhance downtown Brightonâs reputation as a âdestination âdowntown. The groundbreaking, by Cheresko Development of New Hudson, marks the beginning of a project to raze the vacant McCririe law offices at 317 West Main to make way for two identical buildings. They will be constructed of brick and mortar and will include restaurants, offices and two loft apartments. Developer Dan Cheresko told city officials and well-wishers attending the groundbreaking that the project would not have been possible without the support of the City Council, Planning Commission, Downtown Development Authority and other city agencies. Cheresko says the project cost is estimated at $2.5-$3 million. The ground floor of each building will include a restaurant that will seat about 45 customers. One, to be called âWindwoodsâ, will have a music theme and will incorporate a piano bar. The other restaurant will be called the âMain Street Steakhouseâ and will serve steaks and other menu items. Connecting the two restaurants will be an outdoor courtyard with a gas fire pit and heated paver bricks for the comfort of patrons in cooler weather. The upper floors will include offices and four upscale apartments with balconies and private rooftop sundecks. There will also be a pedestrian walkway between the buildings â to be paid for by the DDA - which will connect to a public parking lot to the rear. Cheresko says once the existing property is razed and levelled he plans to start construction, with completion slated for next summer. (TT)
Pictured: Cheresko Development President Dan Cheresko
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New Trial Date Set In Human Trafficking CaseNew Trial Date Set In Human Trafficking Case
A new trial date has been set for a former Livingston County woman accused of sex trafficking.
41-year-old Amber Speed, a former Unadilla Township resident who now resides in Munith, is facing a variety of charges, including minor sex trafficking, prostitution/pandering, accepting the earnings of a prostitute and debt bondage. A trial date had been set for July 17th in Ingham County Circuit Court, but court records show that has been delayed two months and is now schedule for September 18th.
The charges were originally announced in March by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, who said the case stems from an investigation by a Michigan State Police Trooper who came across online ads for Speedâs escort operation, involving herself and at least three other girls. The trooper had recently completed human trafficking training, and Schuette says the alleged victims were minors when they were brought into the ring.
Multiple instances of Speed allegedly trafficking minors are also alleged to have occurred from 2009 through approximately 2014. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison. (JK)
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Couple Facing Charges After Stabbing Man With Box Cutter In Fenton Twp. Couple Facing Charges After Stabbing Man With Box Cutter In Fenton Twp.
A man and woman are facing multiple charges following a stabbing incident in Fenton Township.
22-year-old Justin Ryan Winslow is facing charges of assault with intent to murder, mayhem, and false report of a felony. He remains behind bars in the Genesee County Jail on an $800,000 bond. 32-year-old Kathryn Marie Serra is charged as an accessory after the fact to a felony, false report of a felony and resisting & obstructing police.
The Genesee County Sheriffâs Office and Fenton Police responded to a report of a stabbing around 2:30am on July 28th at a home on Bay View Drive off North Road in Fenton Township. Authorities arrived to find a 28-year-old male victim with multiple stab wounds to the face, head and neck. Police say the victim advised that Winslow was responsible and had fled the scene along with Serra, his girlfriend. The two were apprehended a short time later at a mobile home park by a K-9 unit.
Investigation later revealed that the three had met while patients in a psychiatric hospital in Flint. Both men became involved romantically with Serra but had a falling out, prompting Winslow to move to Caro. The Sheriffâs Office says the three had been hanging out drinking alcohol and taking prescription medications the night before the incident, when Winslow attacked him with a box cutter. Both Winslow and Serra originally told authorities the victim was attempting to sexually assault Serra, which led to the attack, but later admitted it was a lie.
The victim suffered serious injuries but was upgraded to stable and released from the hospital two days later. Winslow and Serra are scheduled to appear for a probable cause conference in 67th District Court in Fenton. (JM)
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Bergin Road Improvements Begin Today In Hartland TownshipBergin Road Improvements Begin Today In Hartland Township
Construction begins today for improving a stretch of road between Old-US 23 and Hacker Road in Hartland Township. Rehabilitation is beginning on Bergin Road and is expected to continue through next week.
Hartland Township Supervisor Bill Fountain said the Board of Trustees has had this targeted since the Safer Roads Plan came into existence roughly 3 years ago. Fountain told WHMI that Bergin Road gets a lot of traffic and itâs been in their plan to fix it before it completely deteriorates down to where it needs to be rebuilt. He said you never know whatâs going to happen to the price of asphalt, and with fuel prices being down, this is a good time to do this and other similar projects. Public Works Director Bob West said they will be milling the road today and tomorrow, and will start paving the top layer by Friday. Next week, the Livingston County Road Commission, as part of the project, will construct a new right turn lane at Old 23. Paving will continue next Thursday, with the road expected to be fully open by the evening of Friday the 18th.
The townshipâs Safer Roads Millage will pay for the project. Fountain said they conservatively allocated roughly $480,000 for the job. Thanks to competitive bidding of materials and a $100,000 contribution from the Road Commissionâs Pavement Preservation Program, the balance of the project is coming in under budget at $350,000, with a 10% contingency. All costs associated with the right hand turn lane are being funded entirely by the Road Commission. Residents and commuters should expect be intermittent lane closures throughout the project.(MK)
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Fowlerville School Teachers Still Without ContractFowlerville School Teachers Still Without Contract
Teachers at Fowlerville Community Schools are frustrated as the start of the school years draws near and they are still without a contract.
Teacher contracts for the upcoming year are typically negotiated early in the summer and of course before the school year starts. But thatâs not the case for the Fowlerville Community School districtâs teachers as of Tuesday.
At the districtâs board of education meeting, 8th grade teacher Michelle Spisz spoke on behalf of the Fowlerville Education Association as the Vice President. As an educator who has been with the district for over a decade, she says she has seen the board make many financial decisions with ease, and it makes her wonder why there is so much question when it comes to paying the districtâs teachers. Spisz says as this is her 11th year with the district, she expected it would be financially rewarding. Instead, she says her family is under a lot of stress.
Frustrations were further felt as the boardâs agenda included approving the hiring of two new teachers and a counselor. Spisz says the districtâs teachers need to be rewarded for their experience and loyalty, and are frustrated they are rewarding incoming employees with experience. Though she spoke on behalf of the FEA and was the only teacher to speak during the meetingâs call to the public, it appeared many shared Spisz's thoughts as applause followed her presentation.
The board entered into a closed session for the purpose of negotiations at the end of their meeting; however Superintendent Wayne Roedel declined to comment on its outcome. The Board of Educationâs next meeting is set for August 22nd. (DK)
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Hune Emails Sought In Tesla LawsuitHune Emails Sought In Tesla Lawsuit
Michigan lobbyists and lawmakers, including a local legislator and his wife, are fighting efforts to release emails concerning car sales in the state.
The lawsuit was filed by electric car-maker Tesla and challenges the Michigan law requiring new car sales through a franchised dealership. However, it is also trying to reveal emails between Republican State Senator Joe Hune of Iosco Township and GOP State Representative Jason Sheppard of Temperance. Hune introduced a 2014 amendment to the law, which Tesla says was designed to maintain a monopoly for auto dealers on car sales in Michigan. Hune's wife, Marcia, is also a registered lobbyist employed by Government Consultant Services, whose clients include the Auto Dealers of Michigan. The Detroit News says Sheppard was subpoenaed because of 2016 statements that Michigan dealers and manufacturers do not want Tesla in the state. Under a protective order signed in March, the emails would be âfor attorneysâ eyes only,â but lawyers for Hune and Sheppard argue their clients have legislative privilege and characterize the subpoenas as an attempt âto harass legislators who will not buckle to Teslaâs demands.â
Tesla claims the law unconstitutionally prevents it from using its preferred model of direct-to-consumer sales. But Attorney General Bill Schuetteâs office, which is defending the state in the lawsuit, claims the 2014 revision to the law did not target Tesla and says Michigan has âlong barredâ automakers from owning or operating dealerships. Currently, Michigan consumers who want to buy a Tesla have to do so from the companyâs website and then have the cars delivered to a retail store in Ohio or Illinois. (JK)
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Fire Destroys Lyon Township HomeFire Destroys Lyon Township Home
A cause remains under investigation for a fire that destroyed a Lyon Township home this morning.
Witness say the home on Douglas Drive near 10 Mile Road caught fire around 4am. The Lyon Township Fire Department found the home fully involved in flames when they arrived on scene minutes later and immediately went into a defense operation, using more than a thousand feet of hose to reach the home.
Everyone in the home, including the family cat, was able to escape safely. The investigation into exactly what started the fire is ongoing. (JK)
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Hartland High School Choir To Perform With ForeignerHartland High School Choir To Perform With Foreigner
Students in the Hartland High School choir have the opportunity of a lifetime this weekend.
25 choir students will perform as part of Foreignerâs 40th Anniversary Tour at DTE Energy Music Theatre on Friday at 7pm. Hartland High School Choir Director Kathi Letovsky says itâs an awesome opportunity for the kids, who are beside themselves. She says the tough part was only choosing 25 kids, but they figured it out. Letovsky tells WHMI the choir will perform on stage with the band for "I wanna know what love is" and will all wear matching t-shirts that read âHartland Rocks Foreigner DTE 2017â.
Theyâll perform the second to last song of the night so Letovsky says it will be a long night but everyone is really excited. Letovsky says itâs around verse three of the song when theyâll walk out behind the band and start singing backup. She says theyâve already held some practices and coached the kids on what to expect, reminding them not to freeze up on stage and try to interact with Foreigner. She added it will be a pretty cool send off for some of the students performing, as a few just graduated and will be headed off to college the next day.
Foreigner is celebrating its 40th Anniversary Tour alongside Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Cheap Trick, who is also celebrating 40 years since the release of their self-titled debut album. Special guest Jason Bonham will perform the music of Led Zeppelin. (JM)
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Dexter Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Bond IssueDexter Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Bond Issue
A new elementary school will be among new projects in Dexter after a successful bond vote.
Voters supported a $72 million request from Dexter Community Schools in order to fund the construction of a new elementary school among other buildings and facility upgrades. The new school will be located where the Mill Creek Middle School baseball fields currently are and district officials say the construction plans will start as quickly as possible.
The bond proposal passed Tuesday by a more than 2 - 1 margin. District taxpayers will repay the bond within the next 30 years and will also continue to pay the $8.5 million debt retirement levy through 2030, six years longer than originally planned. However, there will be no increase in the millage rate currently paid by taxpayers. (JK)
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South Lyon Man Charged In Baseball Bat AttackSouth Lyon Man Charged In Baseball Bat Attack
A South Lyon man who allegedly assaulted another individual with a baseball bat has been arraigned on a related felony charge.
18-year-old Malachi Collins was arraigned Wednesday on one count of assault with intent to murder. The charge stems from the July 30th incident, regarding a report of several people fighting near Longfellow Drive and Poe Lane in the South Lyon Woods Mobile Home Park.
Oakland County Sheriffâs deputies and South Lyon Police officers were dispatched and upon their arrival found a man lying on the ground who had been âseverely beatenâ. Authorities say the victimâs face was swollen and was bleeding from both his head and eyes. Responding officers indicate he appeared to have been hit with a blunt object. The victim was transported to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor for medical treatment.
A police report indicates that a baseball bat with blood smears on it was found at the residence of one of the witnesses. Subjects involved in the incident say the dispute was over $7 and some clothing. A warrant for Collins was issued August 4th and he was taken into custody by police several days later after being found at a motel near Washtenaw and US-23. Collinsâs bond has been denied and he is being held in the Oakland County Jail.
The assault victimâs condition is unknown at this time, but he was reportedly scheduled to have facial reconstruction surgery last Friday. In speaking with the victim, police say he indicated he wasnât sure who assaulted him and did not want to press charges. South Lyon Police Lieutenant Christopher Sovik says the state is pursuing the charge against Collins. (DK)
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Suspect Arraigned After Foot Chase & Police Search Monday Suspect Arraigned After Foot Chase & Police Search Monday
A man who sparked a strange police search in the Brighton area turned himself in to authorities Wednesday.
The Michigan State Police Brighton Post says the subject who fled from the post on foot Monday turned himself in yesterday morning without any incident. 28-year-old Robert Edward Culbertson was arraigned Wednesday afternoon on charges of driving while license suspended 2nd offense and resisting/obstructing police causing injury. The latter charge was due to a Trooper who was chasing Culbertson on foot fell, injuring his shoulder.
Police said Culbertson had went into the post to be fingerprinted but got agitated after being informed he would need to make an appointment. He indicated the fingerprints were in relation to a suspended license and a desk sergeant noticed him walk over to a motorcycle in the Brighton Township Hall parking lot. When confronted about his license status, Culbertson ran off across Spencer Road and then all six lanes of I-96. A helicopter and a State Police K-9 unit were said to be nearby and joined in the search, which was unsuccessful.
Court dates are pending and details were not provided about any injuries. (JM)
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Solar Eclipse Party Being Held At Hartland Cromaine LibrarySolar Eclipse Party Being Held At Hartland Cromaine Library
A viewing party for the upcoming solar eclipse of the sun is being help at a local library.
The Hartland Cromaine District Library is holding an Eclipse Party on the afternoon of the event which falls on Monday, August 21st. Beginning at 2pm, patrons are invited to join together on the south lawn of the library and view this special celestial event with a free pair of special eclipse glasses. There will be displays and discussions about the eclipse and more to better help attendees explore the universe even after the sun comes back fully out.
Head of Adult Services for the library, Glenn Fischer, said itâs important that people use the special glasses or another device, like a pinhole camera, to view the eclipse. Sunglasses, or trying to look at it directly, can be severely harmful to your eyes and could cause blindness. Fischer said that if people canât make the party, the library still wants to help them protect their eyes. He said if you are not attending or are out of town, patrons are welcome to come by the library's reference desk and ask for a pair of the glasses.
According to NASA, this is the first time a total eclipse will be seen in the contiguous United States since 1979. It will first appear in Oregon at 12:05 eastern daylight time, and travel east across the central United States, ending in South Carolina at 2:48pm. Locally it will be seen as a partial eclipse, with the moonâs disc shielding roughly 80% of the sun. The eclipse will peak in Hartland around 2:20pm. (MK)
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Fisherman Drowns In Bruin LakeFisherman Drowns In Bruin Lake
A fisherman drowned Tuesday after his boat sank in a lake in the Pinckney State Recreation Area.
The Washtenaw County Sheriffâs Office says the 75-year-old man was fishing on Bruin Lake Tuesday afternoon. He was spotted in his boat by officers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, but according to MLive.com, a short time later they saw he was in the water and his boat was gone. He was unresponsive when he was pulled from the water around 3:40pm. He was then transported by Huron Valley Ambulance to St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea hospital in critical condition, and then airlifted to the University of Michigan hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police believe the man fell into the lake after his boat began taking on water. It appears he tried to put on his life vest, but was unable to do so. The incident remains under investigation. (JK)
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More Closures On US-23 Overnight & This Weekend More Closures On US-23 Overnight & This Weekend
Traffic delays should be expected for anyone traveling in US-23 this weekend, while other closures start tonight.
A total overnight closure is scheduled along southbound US-23 at 6 Mile Road so crews can set beams at the new bridge. The closure will start at 7:00 tonight and continue until 5am Friday. A detour will be posted when southbound US-23 is closed.
Then this weekend, M-DOT advises that there will be a continuous single lane closure in each direction on US-23 for concrete pavement patching. On northbound US-23 at North Territorial Road, a single lane closure will start at 9pm Friday and last until 7am Monday. Then on southbound US-23 at North Territorial Road, and between 8 Mile and 9 Mile Roads, a single lane closure will be in effect from 8pm Friday until 5am Monday.
Motorists are advised to watch for traffic back-ups and to slow down in the work zone. (JM)
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