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LACASA Clothesline Project Kicks Off Month-Long ObservanceLACASA Clothesline Project Kicks Off Month-Long Observance

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4/3/13 - LACASA is planning events throughout the month of April as part of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. As part of the 15th annual Clothesline Project, LACASA invited survivors of sexual assault as well as their friends and family to come in and express their feelings by creating unique t-shirts, which are being displayed at local libraries around the county all month long. In addition, the shirts will be the targets in a scavenger hunt at the Tanger Outlet Center. Some inspirational shirts will be hidden in participating retailers, and customers who find them can enter a drawing to win a $100 Tanger gift card. On April 20th, LACASA will also hold its 8th annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event at the Tanger center. Each year, hundreds of men participate in the fundraiser by collecting pledges, then walking a full mile around the outlet mall wearing women’s shoes. Prizes and recognition are given out to the most successful and enthusiastic participants. Registration for the walk is now open, and more information about all LACASA events can be found online through the link below. (TD/JK)

Family Displaced Following Electrical Fire in Brighton Township Family Displaced Following Electrical Fire in Brighton Township

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4/3/13 - A family of seven was displaced following an early morning fire yesterday at their Brighton Township home. Brighton Area Fire Authority Chief Mike O’Brian tells WHMI they were called out just after 6:30am and arrived to find fire coming out of the attic of a single story home on Ethel Drive. He says damage was mostly limited to the attic, but there was significant water damage on the first floor. He says all seven occupants were able to make out safely and investigators determined the cause to be an electrical problem in the attic. O’Brian says since this was an early morning fire, it could have become a big tragedy pretty quickly since the smoke alarms inside the home were not working. He says there was nothing intentional on the part of the homeowners but it should serve as a reminder to everyone to check the batteries in smoke alarms and make sure they’re in proper working order. Yesterday’s blaze was the second fire reported in the Brighton area within a 36-hour period. Brighton firefighters and several departments battled a serious blaze at a home late Sunday night. Hamburg Township Fire Chief Mark Hogrebe reported at Tuesday’s board meeting that he believes the injuries sustained by firefighters could have been much worse, had the township had not provided the department with top-of-the-line equipment. Two firefighters were electrocuted and a third suffered from dehydration while fighting the blaze. Hogrebe says the quality gear used by the department helped mitigate the impact on those firefighters. All three were hospitalized, but were released within four hours of admission and suffered no serious injuries. (JM)

67-Year-Old Woman Allegedly Threatens Family With Axe67-Year-Old Woman Allegedly Threatens Family With Axe

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4/3/13 - A domestic dispute in Putnam Township led to a 67-year-old woman being jailed for allegedly attacking family members and threatening them with an axe. The Michigan State Police Brighton post reports that troopers were called out Monday at 4:30pm to respond to an assault in progress at a home on Dexter-Pinckney Road. A trooper arrived on the scene to find three residents in the home. One of them, a 19-year-old woman, claimed that her grandmother, identified as Stephanie Maruszewski of Gladwin, had punched her and threatened her with a small axe. The third resident, a 22-year-old man, said Maruszewski had choked him. Neither of the victims required medical attention. Maruszewski, who was reportedly visiting her sister in Putnam Township, was arrested for felonious assault and taken to the Livingston County Jail. She was later arraigned on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and is due back in court April 10th for an exam conference. The male victim was also taken into custody and turned over to the White Lake Township Police on an outstanding bench warrant for failing to appear in court on an alcohol-related charge. (JK)

Brighton Township Residents May See SAD Moratorium LiftedBrighton Township Residents May See SAD Moratorium Lifted

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4/3/13- The Brighton Township Board will consider lifting the Moratorium on Special Assessment Districts (SAD) for special circumstances. It has been brought to the township’s attention that certain community members may need to enact an SAD in order to perform normal tasks with their home such as refinancing or selling. The issue that brought this topic into light involves roads that are lacking proper maintenance, and neighborhoods that lack enough cooperation to form a maintenance agreement on their own. Township Supervisor Tom Murphy says allowing SAD's under certain guidelines can help residents govern themselves as needed. The township has not made a decision regarding the issue, but is seeking more information on the topic to discover options for helping solve residents’ problems in a feasible manner. Vick will be presenting information to board members in the next few weeks to seek a viable solution. (SO)

Poll Puts Rogers Ahead Among GOP Contenders to Replace LevinPoll Puts Rogers Ahead Among GOP Contenders to Replace Levin

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4/3/13 - As the various GOP candidates to potentially replace Senator Carl Levin continue to feel out potential support, a new poll indicates Congressman Mike Rogers is ahead of the pack. A poll by MRG Michigan of likely Republican voters indicated the Howell Republican had at least a nine-percentage point lead over four other potential Republican candidates. Among GOP primary voters, Rogers received 24 percent of the vote, followed by Congressman Justin Amash of Grand Rapids with 15 percent, former Secretary of State Terri Land at 14 percent, and State Senator Roger Kahn of Saginaw and former GOP party chair Saul Anuzis with 1 percent each. Tom Shields, President of MRG said that Rogers, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, has a strong base of support in his home area among mid-Michigan and Oakland County voters, while Amash and Land split the west Michigan vote. Levin announced last month that he would not seek a seventh term in 2014. Rogers has said he is giving serious consideration to a possible run and expects to make a decision soon. (JK)

Gregory Apartment Raided Tuesday; Drugs Seized Gregory Apartment Raided Tuesday; Drugs Seized

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4/3/13 - Criminal charges are expected against several individuals following a drug raid in Gregory. Unadilla Township Police in conjunction with the Livingston and Washtenaw Narcotics Enforcement Team or LAWNET executed a search warrant Tuesday at a downtown Gregory apartment located in the 100 block of Main Street. Police say a variety of illegal drugs were seized and felony charges are expected to be filed against several of the occupants. Police did not elaborate as to the type of drugs or the quantity involved. Both the Pinckney and Hamburg Police Departments assisted on scene. The incident remains under investigation by Unadilla Township Police and LAWNET. (JM)

New Emergency Siren System Planned For Hamburg TownshipNew Emergency Siren System Planned For Hamburg Township

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4/3/13 - A request by the Hamburg Township Fire Department granted by the township board last night will cover the township in emergency sirens over the next few years. Hamburg currently has no emergency sirens in place anywhere in the township. The plan, proposed by Fire Chief Mark Hogrebe, is to place four sirens along the Lakeland Trail this year. One or two additional sirens will be added each successive year until full coverage is reached for the township with 12 or 13 sirens. Hogrebe says the project was prompted by concerns from citizens after the tornado that destroyed large portions of downtown Dexter last year. Nobody was seriously hurt by the storm, which emergency officials attribute in part to the village’s early warning system for severe weather. The Hamburg Township Board approved spending $95,000 on the first of the new sirens, split between the current budget year’s surplus and the budget year that begins on July 1st. Each siren will cost about $20,000, with a one-time cost of $12,000 for the software and equipment necessary to run the system. Washtenaw County is also planning to increase its emergency siren coverage in response to the effectiveness of the system during last year’s tornado. (TD)

Appeal Filed in Oceola Double-Murder ConvictionAppeal Filed in Oceola Double-Murder Conviction

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4/3/13 - Less than a month after being sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison, an appeal has been filed for the man convicted in a 2008 double-homicide. A motion to reconsider the conviction and sentence of 66-year-old Jerome Kowalski was filed last week with the Michigan Court of Appeals. The Warren man was convicted in January of two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and two felony weapons charges for the shooting deaths of Richard and Brenda Kowalski in their Oceola Township home in 2008. Prosecutors said Kowalski was disgruntled about his relationship with his more successful brother and the two had disagreed about how to handle the estate of their mother. During the two-week trial in January, prosecutors played the videotaped interrogation of Kowalski by State Police, including a portion where he seemingly confessed. His defense attorney, Walter Piszczatowski, unsuccessfully tried to undermine that with an expert who testified that he evaluated Kowalski to be a depressed, passive-aggressive individual with alcohol dependence and a tendency to try and please authority. Following the jury’s conviction, Piszczatowski said he thought the jury was unable to understand how someone could give a false confession, which he had wanted to be a key point in his case. An earlier ruling by Judge Theresa Brennan barred the defense testimony of another expert on false confessions, which is likely to form the basis of the appeal. (JK)

Man Charged In Oakland & Livingston Counties Rejects Plea DealMan Charged In Oakland & Livingston Counties Rejects Plea Deal

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4/4/13 - A Highland Township man facing a variety of charges for allegedly breaking into homes and vehicles in Oakland and Livingston Counties has rejected a plea deal and appears to be headed to trial locally. 18-year-old Ross Dimercurio is charged locally with 2nd degree home invasion and two counts each of breaking and entering and larceny from a motor vehicle for January incidents. Court records show he rejected a plea deal that was offered off-the-record during a hearing Wednesday, and the case is now scheduled for jury selection in early May. Meanwhile, Dimercurio faces eleven different charges in Oakland County, including felony firearms. His co-defendant there, 18-year-old Devin Newell of Milford, will be sentenced later this month after pleading guilty to nine charges including breaking and entering and larceny. Police say the pair targeted unlocked vehicles in residential areas in Brighton and Hartland Townships during the late night and early morning hours. They were eventually busted by police at a local pawn store and found to be in possession of the majority of stolen property as well as large amount of stolen prescription pills. (JM)

Township Following Through on Liquid Manufacturing LawsuitTownship Following Through on Liquid Manufacturing Lawsuit

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4/4/13 - Green Oak Township and Liquid Manufacturing will meet in court again on April 18th, and the municipality held a closed session at its meeting last night to discuss the case. The township and Liquid Manufacturing have been waging a legal battle over the company’s wastewater discharge for years. The company, which manufactures beverages, produces more than half of the discharge that enters the Green Oak wastewater treatment system. According to the township, the discharge has higher levels of sodium and other contaminants than the system can handle under Michigan Department of Environmental Quality guidelines. The municipality also claims the facility has numerous outstanding violations of local ordinance which pose a potential danger to workers and the community. Supervisor Mark St. Charles tells WHMI the township issued a motion to shut down the manufacturer in March based on the building, fire, and sewer violations. The fate of that motion is undecided, as it has not been granted but it has not yet been denied either. The township has also filed a motion calling for Liquid Manufacturing to show cause why the municipality should not cut off its sewer service. (TD)

Police Seek Help in Finding Prolific Catalytic Converter ThievesPolice Seek Help in Finding Prolific Catalytic Converter Thieves

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4/4/13 - Local authorities are seeking the public’s help in tracking down the parties responsible for a string of thefts targeting catalytic converters. Over the last several months, the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department, the Michigan State Police, and local police departments in Howell, Brighton, and Hartland have gotten reports of stolen converters. Sheriff Bob Bezotte says more than a dozen vehicles have been hit, and they believe the crimes are related. A surveillance photo has been released of a gold-colored, four-door Chrysler Cirrus with a model year between 1996 and 2000. Bezotte says they believe the vehicle is related to the thefts, and anyone with information about it or any other aspect of the case is being sought. Catalytic converters can contain precious metals including platinum, gold, and rhodium, and are prime targets for thieves who sell them for scrap at $60 to $90 apiece. Bezotte says the current string of thefts has targeted large vehicles like commercial trucks which are high off the ground, providing easy access to their catalytic converters. He says the thieves are using a wrap-around saw to remove the devices. Anyone who finds that a theft has taken place, suspects a theft might be in progress, or knows anything about the crimes or the vehicle is asked to contact Detective Curt Novara at (517) 540-7952 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. (TD)

Event Showcases Rare Car Collection While Fighting Hunger Event Showcases Rare Car Collection While Fighting Hunger

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4/4/13 - Community members are being encouraged to help drive hunger out of Livingston County and attend a unique event in Brighton next week showcasing cars that some will only ever see in their dreams. From classic muscle cars to the exotic, organizers say attendees will be able to experience 150 of the most exclusive cars in the United States during the event next Thursday, April 11th at the Lingenfelter Car Collection in Brighton. The new event is raising funds for the Livingston County Hunger Council, which is a collaborative effort of individuals working to eliminate the hunger gap locally and ensure everyone in need has access to food in the community. Organizers say attendees will be able to experience 150 world-class cars including the Lamborghini Reventon #12, which is one of 20 ever made. Tickets are $50 per person and include hors d’oeuvres and drinks. In addition to Car-Opoly, which organizers say offers a twist on a classic game, guests are also able to win a ride in a Bugatti Veyron or Ferrari Enzo. Business or cocktail attire is requested and only a limited amount of tickets will be sold. Livingston County United Way Executive Director Nancy Rosso and Hunger Council Chairman Gerry Olinik will discuss the event in detail during WHMI’s Viewpoint program this Sunday morning at 8:30. Tickets are available on the Livingston County Hunger Council website via the link below or by calling the Livingston County United Way offices at 810-494-3000. (JM)

LACASA Working to Drive Out Child Abuse with New Golf Scramble LACASA Working to Drive Out Child Abuse with New Golf Scramble

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4/5/13 - A golf fundraiser is planned for this June, and the deadline to become a sponsor for the event is approaching. On June 14th, LACASA will hold its first Drive Out Child Abuse golf scramble event at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Pinckney. The event will allow teams to compete in a scramble-style golf game before taking part in other games, a barbeque dinner, an award ceremony, and a silent auction. Those interested in sponsoring the event have until April 12th to do so. All funds from sponsorships and player participation fees will go toward LACASA’s child abuse prevention programs. Each team will bear the name and hear the story of a child who was assisted through those programs. Limited space is available for golfers. For information on registering a team or becoming a sponsor, visit. (TD)

Accused Lil' Chef Robber Heading to TrialAccused Lil' Chef Robber Heading to Trial

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4/4/13 - The suspect charged with a 2010 Brighton robbery is heading to trial. 43-year-old Kevin Michael Clark waived a hearing Wednesday in Livingston County District Court, sending his case to Circuit Court for trial. Clark is charged with armed robbery and felony firearms in the December 10th, 2010, robbery at the Lil' Chef restaurant in Brighton. Police allege that after paying his bill, Clark brandished a handgun to the restaurant’s owner and announced a robbery. The owner ended up struggling with Clark, who then fled the business. Clark was eventually identified as the suspect through evidence left at the scene. He remains lodged in in the Livingston County Jail on a $50,000 bond. (JK)

Weekend Lane Closures Planned on US-23 in Livingston County Weekend Lane Closures Planned on US-23 in Livingston County

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4/4/13 - It’s getting to be orange barrel time again and local motorists can expect to see some lane closures on US-23 in Livingston County this weekend. The Michigan Department of Transportation has scheduled lane closures in both directions of US-23 between M-36 and 8 Mile Road beginning at 10pm Friday, lasting through 6am Saturday. Other lane closures will be in place in the Hartland area on both northbound and southbound US-23 between Crouse Road and Clyde Road starting at 9pm Friday, also lasting until 6am Saturday. MDOT officials say the rolling lane closures are needed for catch basin cleaning in those areas. (JM)

Handy Township Man Jailed After Early Morning Police Chase Handy Township Man Jailed After Early Morning Police Chase

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4/4/13 - A Handy Township man was jailed early this morning after leading police on a chase that ended with him crashing a possibly stolen vehicle. Lieutenant Jim Lynch with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department says a unit was conducting traffic enforcement on I-96 near the Lake Chemung exit when a radar reading came in shortly after 1:30am, clocking a westbound vehicle at 121 mph in a 70 mph speed zone. The deputy tried to initiate a traffic stop but the suspect gave chase and a vehicle pursuit ensued. Lynch tells WHMI the suspect exited at D-19 and headed into the City of Howell, where he then fled onto Mason Road. The pursuit continued up until it was determined the chase was becoming a hazard to the public. Within just a few minutes of terminating the chase, Lynch says they were notified that the 26-year old suspect had crashed the 2000 Chrysler Crossfire on Mason Road, just east of Truhn Road. The man sustained minor injuries and was treated at the Livingston County Jail after being taken into custody on charges of operating under the influence and fleeing and eluding. However, more charges are possible and Lynch says there is still an open investigation as to whether or not the vehicle had been stolen from a family member. The suspect’s name is being withheld pending his arraignment on the criminal charges. (JM)

Defense Seeks Further Psychiatric Testing for Alleged I-96 ShooterDefense Seeks Further Psychiatric Testing for Alleged I-96 Shooter

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4/4/13 - A court hearing was postponed Thursday for the man accused of two dozen random shootings last fall in a four-county area while attorneys arrange further psychiatric testing for him. Raulie Casteel was scheduled to appear this morning for a pre-trial in Oakland County Circuit Court, where he faces 60 charges including attempted murder for shootings in Commerce Township and in Wixom. That hearing was moved out to May 30th after Ann Arbor Attorney Doug Mulkoff informed Judge Denise Langford Morris that he’s working to arrange an independent psychiatric examination for Casteel, who suffers from delusional disorder. He was previously found competent to stand trial following state forensic testing but today’s adjournment was also requested in part because his defense team is still awaiting the findings of separate evaluations that were previously ordered to determine criminal responsibility. 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, where a pre-trial hearing is scheduled next Friday. Photo courtesy WLNS. (JM)

Injuries Avoided In Marion Township House Fire

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4/5/13 - Some fortunate timing allowed Howell firefighters to provide a fast response to a house fire in Marion Township on Wednesday. Fire Chief Andy Pless says the fire started at around 6pm at a residence on Schafer Road west of D-19. The home had six occupants and one pet, all of whom managed to escape injury. Pless says the day-shift firefighter crew was still on duty from an earlier call and had just returned to the station when the call came in. They were therefore able to provide a very quick response to the fire, which was knocked down quickly. The blaze appears to have started on the front porch and moved into the upper portions of the home, and firefighters had to break through the ceiling in some parts of the home to extinguish burning insulation. Pless says the fire did not burn through the roof. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but is not considered suspicious. Howell firefighters were assisted on the scene by the Pinckney and Unadilla Fire Departments. (TD)

Accused Gas Station Robber Charged In 7-Eleven RobberyAccused Gas Station Robber Charged In 7-Eleven Robbery

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4/5/13 - A Brighton man charged with armed robbery for an incident at a BP gas station last month is now facing similar charges for the robbery of a 7-Eleven days before. 34-year-old David Kenneth Rentsch is charged in the hold-up of the gas station on March 18th. An investigation by Green Oak Police Officer Matt Hughes has led to Rentsch being charged in the robbery of the 7-Eleven store at Grand River and Pleasant Valley Road three days before he allegedly robbed the BP. He has been arraigned on a single count of armed robbery for that incident and will appear at an exam conference on April 10th. Police allege Rentsch entered the 7-Eleven with his face concealed by a black scarf, produced a handgun and demanded money. He made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police say three days later he walked into the BP gas station at 204 W. Grand River, where he once again pulled out a handgun and demanded money. After receiving an undetermined amount of cash, Rentsch fled the station. He was later spotted near the Brighton Education and Community Center and taken into custody. (TD)

Presentation Brings Arab American Culture To Howell LibraryPresentation Brings Arab American Culture To Howell Library

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4/5/13 - About 30 residents attended a presentation at the Howell Carnegie Library last night that provided history and information about Arab Americans. About 30 people attended the program, which was led by educator David Serio from the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn. He spoke on a wide variety of topics, including the cultural, linguistic, and political ties that define Arab countries, as well as the history of immigration from those countries to the United States. He made a strong distinction between Arabs, which represent a cultural and ethnic group, and Muslims, which make up a religious group. According to Serio, less than half of the world’s Muslim-majority countries are considered Arab nations and only 10% of the worldwide Muslim population is made up of Arabs. Serio and his colleagues give presentations like this one frequently and are willing to go wherever they are wanted in the name of informing people about the history and culture of Arab Americans. The meeting concluded with the audience joining Serio in the debkah, a traditional Arab line-dance performed at weddings and celebrations. (TD)
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