The City of Brighton will be able to proceed with several mostly infrastructure projects as a result of City Council action at Thursday nightâs meeting.
Council voted unanimously to accept the Downtown Development Authority's offer to pay $2.5 million toward the projects. Capital improvement bonds and refunding bonds will be used for the projects. They include one project already completed: the $300,000 local match required toward resurfacing and other improvements that were made to West Grand River this past summer. City Manager Nate Geinzer tells WHMI there are several future projects that will be paid for using DDA funds via the bonding mechanism that was approved Thursday night.
The projects also include resurfacing and other improvements to Challis Road from Karl Greimel Drive to Grand River. This section is not part of the Livingston County Road Commission project on Challis, which will go from Karl Greimel Drive west to the CSX Railroad tracks. The CIP bonds will also pay for improvements to Second Street from Mill Pond Lane to Walnut and possibly Cross St. as funds permit, as well as the $750,000 Mill Pond bandshell and amphitheater project. (TT)
Infrastructure Projects To Proceed In City Of Brighton Infrastructure Projects To Proceed In City Of Brighton
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Local Group Weighs In On Pipeline Response To Environmental Violations Local Group Weighs In On Pipeline Response To Environmental Violations
Local residents and members of a group are reacting to what they feel is an arrogant response from a pipeline company regarding recent state violations for spilling a mix of gasoline and water into a wetland area near Pinckney.
Local anti-pipeline group, ET Go Home, filed a complaint with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality regarding the smell of petroleum in water discharged from the pipeline project. Residents noticed an ongoing water spill on the construction easement on Dexter-Townhall Road near the border of Livingston and Washtenaw Counties.
Energy Transfer is the company constructing the pipeline and received a violation notice dated October 13th from the MDEQ stating Roverâs dewatering activities may be exacerbating the spread of contaminated groundwater from a former gas station. It says groundwater contaminated with petroleum was being captured through the dewatering process, which is being employed for the pipeline installation. That groundwater was being discharged to the wetlands adjacent to the Portage River. The response letter from Rover says the company voluntarily ceased dewatering activities and has been in communication with the MDEQ. It states Rover decided to employ a carbon filter system to eliminate the flow of any pre-existing contamination at the site. The letter adds the company does not believe any registration was given for water withdrawal. The letter closes by reminding the MDEQ that the Rover Pipeline Project is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or FERC, which places certain limits on MDEQâs permitting authority once a project is certificated and begins construction.
Local Activist Jen Nelson tells WHMI Rover obviously fears they have uncovered a possibly long-term contamination source in the route they pushed for but, failed to adequately assess. She says if they've touched off a major pollution problem, it will be their own fault, and all damages and remediation will be theirs to pay for â adding the public is not going to back off.
Environmental Law Attorney Terry Lodge commented that Rover persists in denying the authority of state environmental agencies to impose limits on their activity. In Ohio, she says they have pointedly refused to pay a $2.4 (M) million fine for various drilling fluid spills and other misdeeds. Lodge says their response letter arrogantly suggests that they need only 'voluntarily' respond when their construction may be poisoning the water source for downstream communities, adding it's time to terminate Rover's pipeline construction permit permanently.
Both the violation notice and Rover's response are attached. (JM)
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Constituents Call On Congressman Bishop To Pass Dream Act Constituents Call On Congressman Bishop To Pass Dream Act
Under a sunshine filled sky, those holding out hope for a group of dreamers gathered outside of Congressman Mike Bishopâs Brighton office Friday afternoon.
Rallies, marches and protests are planned in various U.S. House Districts during the Congressional recess to encourage members to support and pass The Dream Act by December. Undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children are referred to as âdreamersâ. Through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program, they are legally able to work, attend college and obtain valid driverâs licenses. They also pay income taxes. The Trump administration is looking to end the DACA program but gave Congress a window to act, which is why a group of concerned 8th District constituents gathered outside Bishopâs Office, hoping heâll join with other Republicans to sign on and co-sponsor the Dream Act, House Resolution 3440.
Byron Haskins of Lansing was one constituent who wants Bishop to act, telling WHMI there are up to 1,100 dreamers in the 8th District but thousands statewide, contributing millions to the local and state economy. He says Republicans are joining other members of the House in signing on as co-sponsors and they want leadership from Bishop. The group Moveon.org says there are 7,070 DACA recipients in Michigan, and each year they contribute $15,938,000 in state and local taxes.
If nothing happens at the end of the year, the dreamers could fall into some type of limbo status and face deportation to a country they have never known because they grew up in America. Thatâs why Lelah Melton of Haslett came out. She says if they are deported, it will be to a country where they might not even speak the language or have relatives theyâve probably never met. Melton says sheâs hoping that Bishop, who is quite conservative by nature and by vote, will sign on with other Republicans who have supported DACA and preserving The Dream Act. She encourages constituents of the 8th District to contact Congressman Bishop, honor DACA and support the dreamers.
Requests for comment have been placed by WHMI with Bishopâs office. In September, the Congressman commented âThe previous administration overstepped its bounds with DACA, and it is clear that we need a legislative solution to address this deeply important issue. Congress has been given a timeline and we must now take a responsible approach that balances compassion and the rule of law. We are a nation that is bound by the Constitution and we must ensure t is followed.â (JM)
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Police Still Looking For Man Considered Violent And DangerousPolice Still Looking For Man Considered Violent And Dangerous
A wanted man considered violent and dangerous remains at large.
Court records indicate a warrant remains active for 38-year-old Edward Franklin Hulbert, who is known to have an extensive and violent criminal history. On October 12th, the Livingston County Sheriffâs Office received information that Hulbert was at an address on Bates Street in the City of Howell. The Sheriffâs Tactical Response Team was activated, but Hulbert was not found at the residence. Sheriff Mike Murphy confirmed Friday that police are still looking for him.
Hulbert has two outstanding felony warrants; one for a probation violation on a felony assault charge and another for aggravated stalking. He is also a registered sex offender, related to a 2003 conviction of criminal sexual conduct assault with intent to commit sexual penetration. The Sheriffâs Office says he is considered violent but at this point, access to weapons or a vehicle is unknown.
Hulbert is described as a white male, with red hair and brown eyes, standing 5 foot 10 and weighing 180 pounds. Multiple photos can be viewed at the attached press release. Anyone with information is asked to contact 911, the Sheriffâs Office or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
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Middle School Students Raise $5,400 For Hurricane ReliefMiddle School Students Raise $5,400 For Hurricane Relief
Local middle school students planned and participated in a fundraiser to benefit hurricane relief.
Highlander Way Middle School in Howell recently held a 5K run/walk to support the American Red Cross. The Hawks Care 5K began with sixth grade students researching various organizations to donate the funds before eventually selecting the Red Cross. Seventh graders planned the details of the race, and the schoolâs eighth graders promoted the race to the student body and contacted local businesses for donations. After a pep assembly and check presentation, students then participated in the 5K.
Highlander Way principal Melanie Post said she was incredibly proud of the work the student body put into the event and that it was amazing to see the school rally behind hurricane relief. Through their efforts the students were able to far surpass their goal of $2,000 and donated $5,400 to the Red Cross. (MK)
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Brighton Police to Host Open House and Distribute Halloween TreatsBrighton Police to Host Open House and Distribute Halloween Treats
A couple of âfirstsâ for the Brighton Police Dept. - there will be an open house, and the department will be giving out candy on Halloween night.
Deputy Chief Craig Flood says that patrol officers â who will be out in full force making sure that youthful trick-or-treaters will be safe â will be handing out candy to the young ghosts, goblins and superheroes. Flood tells WHMI the purpose is to get the officers out of their cars to interact with adults and especially children, to let them know that police officers are just regular people, but people who are trained and there to protect the public.
Flood says the complement of officers out on Halloween night will include those on regular duty, those on overtime and officers who will be volunteering their time for the evening. In addition to the Halloween activities, the Brighton Police Dept. will have an open house for the first time this year. The open house will take place on Thursday, Nov. 2nd, from 5-8 p.m. at the police station, 440 S. Third St. Flood says the police dept., under the direction of Police Chief Rob Bradford, is hosting the open house this year in an effort to foster better community relations.
The fire dept., meanwhile, will be hosting its 76th annual Halloween Party on Tuesday, Oct. 31st, from 6-9 p,m, at the main fire station at 615 W. Grand River in Brighton. The party will include trick or treating, a costume contest, games, pizza, doughnuts, lemonade, prizes and candy. You can go to their website for more information. (TT)
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Brighton Council OKs Project to Repair Cracked Sewer Line on Rickett Road Brighton Council OKs Project to Repair Cracked Sewer Line on Rickett Road
Brighton City Utilities Director Tim Krugh told City Council at its meeting Thursday that video footage taken of the line shows that itâs cracked and fractured in several places. The sewer line is nearly 80 years old, dating from 1939. The 8-inch sewer main, which is 25 feet deep, runs from Church Street to the south end of the island that separates northbound and southbound Rickett. The project involves lining 2,800 feet of sewer lineâ slightly over one-half mile.
Krugh said the work needs to be done as soon as possible because the line is âready to failâ in two locations at any moment. He added that time is also of the essence in order to get the work done before the frost sets in. Krugh said that $50,000 of the work would be covered by remaining funds in last yearâs CIP budget and another $40,000 would come from this yearâs budget, leaving only about $30,000 that would need to be covered from other funds.
Because of the emergency nature of the problem, whether the city can skip a bidding process was discussed, but City Attorney Paul Burns said the law requires the city to go solicit bids and accept the lowest qualified bid. Council voted unanimously to initiate a bidding process and spend up to $120,000 for the work. The bids will come back to council in two weeks for a final vote. (TT)
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City Of Brighton Receives Favorable Audit City Of Brighton Receives Favorable Audit
The city of Brighton got another glowing audit report at Thursdayâs City Council meeting.
Representatives from Plante Moran, the cityâs auditors, gave the city an âunmodifiedâ report â the 30th straight year the city has received an unmodified opinion from its auditors, something of which auditor Martin Olejnik told council the city âshould be very proud.â
An unmodified audit means the cityâs finances during the past year were recorded in accordance with accepted accounting standards and practices and there were no red flags. It also marks the 8th straight year that Brighton has received a Certificate of Achievement for financial reporting. Olejnik tells WHMI the city âdoes a very good job of checks and balances and internal controls, based on (Plante Moranâs) testing.â
Olejnik said that property values in Brighton increased 2% in last year, adding that due to the Headlee Tax Limitation Amendment it would take many years for the city even to get to where it was back in 2008, when the recession hit. Headlee requires that tax increases be limited to 5% or the rate of inflation â whichever is lower.
The cost of doing business is taking its toll, and that is shown by the numbers. The city recorded a 15.4% fund balance in fiscal 2017, a drop from the 18.3% recorded in 2016. In the past year, the taxable value of homes and businesses in Brighton totaled $5.7 million, up slightly from the $5.5 million realized in the preceding year. (TT)
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Project Opiate Team & Judges Attend Specialty Court Breakfast Project Opiate Team & Judges Attend Specialty Court Breakfast
A community prevention project was represented and local judges at an event in a neighboring county focused on intervention for those with addictions.
The Project Opiate team and the Livingston County judicial bench, consisting of Circuit Court Judge Michael Hatty and 53rd District Court Judges Suzanne Geddis and Carol Sue Reader, were represented at the Ingham County Sobriety Court Foundation 6th Annual Breakfast recently. The guest speaker was former CEO West Huddelston with the National Association of Drug Court Professionals at the Lansing Country Club.
The Ingham County Sobriety Court was founded in 2007 to develop support for local Sobriety Courts in meeting the needs of their participants. Specialty courts have been deemed the most effective judicial intervention for treating addicted participants. Livingston County Project Opiate aims to educate and curb prescription drug abuse and opiate addiction.
53rd District Court Administrator Francine Zysk co-founded the program and makes presentations about the epidemic at the local, state, national and international levels. Zysk told WHMI âThe Project Opiate team is encouraged by the Specialty Courts that are conducted to improve our programs. The Specialty Courts that are done in Livingston County are conducted as a team with the passionate, hardworking and compassionate Judicial bench. With the presentations today we heard incredible stories of perseverance, struggle and sobriety with the assistance of Specialty Courts. I am grateful for cognitive programs and Specialty Courts. One of the speakers stated today âWhen we meet someone new, we meet them where they are at in their life.â One of the greatest gifts is to watch a person change where they are and to improve their life with a smile of success. It is heartfelt to be part of that journey with that person.â
Pictured from left to right are: Judge Suzanne Geddis, Judge Michael Hatty, Francine Zysk, Judge Carol Sue Reader, Undersheriff Jeff Warder, Kathryn Heath and Shera Novak.(JM)
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Fenton Arts Council Presents Butterfly Sculpture To DDAFenton Arts Council Presents Butterfly Sculpture To DDA
A new sculpture created by the Fenton community will soon be flying over the downtown area.
Fenton Mayor Sue Osborn called it âbeautifulâ and Downtown Development Authority Chairman Craig Schmidt said it went miles beyond what it should have. Those were some of the reactions after the Fenton Arts Council revealed and presented a 5 foot high butterfly sculpture made by community members to the DDA at their meeting last week. Schmidt said the council came to them and asked for $3,000 in funding for the project that would include a lot of the children in the community and give them their first look at art. Arts Council Member Sally Bright headed the project, which started 10 months ago, and said she was continuously amazed throughout the year at the developments she witnessed. In the beginning she had hoped for 50 people to lend a hand. In the end, her list of contributors had grown to 126 children, adults, and businesses.
Much of the work on the butterfly was done by kids, from elementary schoolers weaving copper wire to middle school students and teenagers doing the soldering. The âbodyâ of the butterfly was made so that it could ultimately rest on top of a flag pole. Many in the DDA along the Arts Council expressed a desire to see it end up at the millpond, behind the city council building. Schmidt thought that the way it could potentially catch sunlight off of the colorful wings could really turn it into something special. (MK)
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Pinckney New Tech Students Thrive In Internship ProgramPinckney New Tech Students Thrive In Internship Program
Students in one local high schoolâs technology program are gaining valuable experience working in real world situations.
The New Tech program within Pinckney Community Schools is open to students entering their sophomore year who want to learn more about technologies that are shaping the future. New Tech Director Julia McBride said the idea is to make learning relevant so that at any point a New Tech student should be able to see the broader context and transferable purpose of the project they are working on. Over the past 6 years they have cultivated a partnership with Lowry Solutions that has proved beneficial to both. They recently celebrated 7 students who finished an internship with Lowry over the past summer. Students worked in different areas of marketing, sales, administration, and IT. McBride said at the banquet she observed a genuine professional relationship between the students and the people of Lowry. One student was offered to continue working there as a paid intern and currently does so. McBride said that students being offered jobs after the program is not unheard of.
The New Tech program is part of the New Tech Network of which 200 schools nationwide participate in. It is a 3 year program that runs from 10th grade through graduation, and with freedom of choosing schools in Livingston County, is open to all students after completing 9th grade. During their junior year, students work on a project with Lowry and then can decide whether or not they wish to pursue an internship with the company during the following summer. (MK)
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Green Oak Twp. Property To Be Investigated For Soil ContaminantsGreen Oak Twp. Property To Be Investigated For Soil Contaminants
Funding has been approved for an investigation of soil on Green Oak Township property that could contain contaminants.
The township purchased 3.35 acres off of Rushton Road, north of 9 Mile Road, in the late 1990sâ, but officials didnât do their due diligence, according to current Supervisor Mark St. Charles. Shortly after the purchase, a significant amount of steel and tires were found on the vacant land. St. Charles says there wasnât anything âtoo glaringâ, but that there was some concern because the property is adjacent to wetlands.
The township considered selling the parcel in 2008 and conducted minor testing, which found heavy metals about four feet below the surface. After some preliminary work, St. Charles says the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality felt the township should ânot exasperate the problemâ. However the MDEQ recently requested (see document below) an investigation of the site, which will be conducted by Hydro-Logic Associates. The scope of work performed by the environmental program will include soil boring, well installation to monitor groundwater, collection of sediment, groundwater, and surface water samples, determine direction of groundwater flow, and preparation of a final report.
On Wednesday, the townshipâs Board of Trustees unanimously approved a work plan budget of $60,000 for the investigation activities. St. Charles says itâs not typical for heavy metals to seep into groundwater, but believes itâs important to confirm they have not because of the proximity to wetlands.
Following Hydro-Logicâs analysis, the MDEQ will direct the township on how to move forward based on test results. St. Charles says the goal is to begin the work before the rainy season. (DK)
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Design Of Duane Zemper Statue UnveiledDesign Of Duane Zemper Statue Unveiled
A project to memorialize a Howell icon has moved a step closer to reality.
The Duane Legacy Project committee, formed to memorialize the man fondly known as âZemp,â has selected artists and a sculpture design. After a nationwide request for proposal, the sculpture team of Colin & Kristine Poole of Santa Fe, New Mexico was chosen from eight finalists. The Pooles are nationally-renowned and have family and roots in Livingston County. The husband-and-wife team has numerous accomplishments, including corporate commissions for such notable clients as the National Audubon society, The Nature Conservancy, PBS, the US Postal Service and others.
After an extensive design process involving the Pooles and the committee, the bronze sculpture the Pooles will create is a âlarger than lifeâ Duane Zemper in his later years, dressed in his familiar sweater and bolo tie , holding his camera and leaning on a tall pile of books. An honored photographer, Duane Zemper valued education and was a co-founded of the Howell Archives. His 66-year perfect Howell Rotary attendance will be marked with a Rotary pin on the statueâs sweater. When completed, the sculpture will be installed on the lawn of the Howell Carnegie District Library, although the exact location has yet to be determined. (This rendering does not represent the final location for the statue) The goal of the committee is to have the sculpture installed by the end of 2018.
Zemperâs preservation of historic photographs and those he took throughout his career have recorded the areaâs history for future generations. He was a photographer in WWII before moving to Howell in 1946, where he was an active community member until his death in 2016. He was a founding member of the Howell Athletic Boosters and the Howell Archives and was named Citizen of the Year in 1976. The project is a collaboration between the Howell Rotary Club, community members and the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which is acting as the fiduciary for the project.
Committee Chairman Mike Hall says the final phase of fundraising is underway. âWe are seeking contributions of any size from the community as well as a few more significant contributions from area business leaders and community members.â Donors of $500 to $5,000 and above will be memorialized on a bronze plaque adjacent to the statue. For more information on the project and the life of Duane Zemper, or to make a contribution, you can check out the link below or contact Mike Hall at 517-546-1600. (JK)
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DDA Declines Brighton Family's Contribution For Mill Pond RenovationDDA Declines Brighton Family's Contribution For Mill Pond Renovation
The Brighton Downtown Development Authority has politely declined an offer by a prominent local family for a sizable donation toward the $750,000 Mill Pond band shell and amphitheater project.
The family, which requested to remain anonymous, had offered the city $100,000 toward the project spread out over five years. The city council approved the final site plan for the project at its meeting last Thursday. The project had undergone several changes since first being proposed several years ago, and the publicâs main concern was over the destruction of four of six shade trees behind the current gazebo. Many residents felt the trees provide valuable shade, particularly on hot sunny summer afternoons and evenings for events such as the weekly summertime Kiwanis gazebo concerts.
A letter of concern with over 500 signatures from those opposing removal of the trees was presented to the city asking that the trees remain. But in the end, even with modifications, it was felt that four of the six shade trees would have to go. Citizens were also concerned about the amount of heat the planned concrete amphitheater seats and floors would reflect toward the audience, as opposed to the current grass and soil, which absorb the heat. There were also concerns about losing the casual, small-town atmosphere of the current amphitheater, as opposed to the more formal concrete seats and flooring.
As a result of the controversy, the DDA has told the donor that it might be better to donate toward a different future project in the community, and staff is working to come up with viable ideas for such an endeavor. City Manager Nate Geinzer says as a result, 100% of the funds for the Mill Pond project will be coming from the DDA. Geinzer said the bidding process on the bandshell and amphitheater project will begin right after the first of the year, with construction to start in early spring and completion in time for the Smokinâ Jazz & Barbecue Blues Festival next September 8th and 9th. (TT)
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Juvenile Sex Offender Sentence Draws CriticismJuvenile Sex Offender Sentence Draws Criticism
The sentence for a Brighton Township teen charged with multiple sexual assaults is producing a backlash of criticism from the community that it is too lenient and an insult to the victims.
The 16-year-old, who is not being identified because he was charged as a juvenile, originally faced 31 felonies, but entered into a plea deal in which he only admitted to six of the counts including one count each of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and accosting a minor for immoral purposes, and four counts of possession of child sexually explicit material.
On Thursday he was ordered by Livingston County Juvenile Court Referee Chelsea Thomason to spend 45 days at the Monroe County Youth Center, but then will be allowed to return home and undergo outpatient sex offender rehabilitation. That was despite the plea agreement stipulating he be admitted to a residential sex offender facility. However, the referee was not bound by the terms of the deal and sided with the boyâs attorney and probation officer that residential treatment was not necessary. That drew quick reaction from parents of the victims, who said they were âshockedâ by the sentence and the refereeâs refusal to follow the plea agreement. Social media reaction has also been highly critical of the decision.
Livingston County Prosecutor Bill Vailliencourt tells WHMI that, âItâs obviously not what we had asked for. But when a juvenile pleads guilty to the most serious offense - in this case, first degree criminal sexual conduct - while we can make our recommendations, we canât make the court impose any specific sentence. The court has the discretion to impose whatever sentence it thinks appropriate.â Vailliencourt said his office is reviewing their options and may ask for a review of the sentence. If they do, it would be made by Chief Judge David Reader.
The majority of the charges against the teen stemmed from allegations that he sexually assaulted three teen girls in Livingston County within the last two and a half years. (JK)
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Scary Storytelling At Howell Opera House Saturday Scary Storytelling At Howell Opera House Saturday
Spooky tales will again be told by the Ann Arbor Storytellersâ Guild at the Howell Opera House Halloween weekend.
The event will be held on Saturday. Starting at 7pm, the first floor of the historic building will be open to children 14 and younger for age appropriate scary stories. Then at 9pm, those 14 and older can venture upstairs to the second floor of the Opera House and join the resident ghost Meredith for tales to send a chill down your spine. The childrenâs storytelling event will be free of charge. For the adult storytelling, a donation of $20 will include dessert and coffee.
There is limited seating available so those looking to attend are asked to reserve their spots though a link on our website or by calling the Livingston Arts Council at 517-540-0065. (JM)
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Crane Falls On Home In Genoa Township Crane Falls On Home In Genoa Township
Crews are working to upright a crane that took out power lines and hit a house in Genoa Township.
The Brighton Fire Department responded around 3pm after a crane fell on Sunrise Road, near the Lake Chemung exit and Grand River. Fire Chief Mike OâBrian says the 100-foot crane was doing tree removal work and fell, damaging a house and causing a pretty large power outage in the Sunrise Park area. He says luckily nobody was injured - the tree crew or the man operating the crane. A family of four has been displaced for the evening and multiple power lines are down in the area. He says itâs going to be a long night and probably into tomorrow before the vehicle is on all wheels and out.
OâBrian tells WHMI the crane was still on its side around 5:18pm and they were trying to come up with a plan to get it back on its feet and not damage the home anymore. He says Corrigan Towing is on scene, trying to evaluate what they can and canât do with the systems on the truck. He says theyâll have get the boom either detached or retracted in before they can right side the crane, calling it a matter of time and patience. Photo courtesy Brighton Fire. (JM)
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Cyber Bullying to Be Addressed in Brighton Schools' Student HandbookCyber Bullying to Be Addressed in Brighton Schools' Student Handbook
For the first time, the problem of cyber bullying is being put in the Brighton Area School District student handbook. Revisions to the handbook were discussed at the Board of Education meeting Monday night.
Cyber bullying is an increasing problem around the nation, due to the widespread use of social media and other technologies. Supt. Greg Gray tells WHMI that cyber bullying is an issue that needs to be addressed, with appropriate penalties for violations.
Under the draft revisions, cyber bullying is defined as âthe use of information and communication technologies such as, but not limited to, email, cell phone, instant messaging, defamatory personal web sites, and defamatory online personal polling websites to support deliberate, repeated and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others.â A violation will result in a warning, parent contact, a conference with the school principal, and/or up to a three-day suspension. Despite the potential damage of cyber bullying, it is alarmingly common among adolescents and teens.
According to Cyber bullying statistics from the i-SAFE foundation: Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying. More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyber threats online. Over 25% of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet. Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs. The board is expected to approve the handbook revisions at the Nov. 13th meeting. (TT)
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New Voting Equipment Gets Positive FeedbackNew Voting Equipment Gets Positive Feedback
Residents and election inspectors are giving Livingston Countyâs new voting equipment two thumbs up.
Demonstrations are being held throughout the week to give voters a crash course in using the machines that will be implemented in next monthâs election. The first demonstration was held Monday evening at the Hamburg Township Library and was successful, says County Clerk Betsy Hundley. Though the session had a small turnout, those in attendance said the equipment was easy to use. Hundley tells WHMI election inspectors are happy with the system's added safety and security devices.
Hundley says those voting in the precinct on November 7th wonât see much change in the process, but will notice small differences on the ballot. Squares are replacing the fill-in bubbles and are located to the left of candidatesâ names. Hundley says research has found this is best practice as most Americans read left to right. After the ballot is fed into the tabulator, an American flag appears on the machineâs screen to inform the citizen their vote has been counted.
Additional public demonstrations are being held Wednesday, from 6 to 7:30pm, at the Howell Carnegie District Library and Saturday, from 1 to 2:30pm, at the Brighton District Library. Anyone who is unable to attend or has additional questions is encouraged to contact the County Clerkâs Elections Division. (DK)
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New Howell Bakery & Restaurant Seeks Liquor LicenseNew Howell Bakery & Restaurant Seeks Liquor License
A new bakery and restaurant in downtown Howell hopes to serve beer and wine to future customers.
M Street Baking Company is said to be in the process of applying for a redevelopment liquor license for a new bakery and restaurant that will be opening at 117 North Michigan Avenue, former home of Mexicali Allies. The Howell City Council met Monday night and adopted a resolution recommending approval of a redevelopment liquor license and catering permit for the business. A new liquor license requires local approval prior to submittal of the application to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
The license is proposing to include Sunday sales, in the morning and evening. The owner of M Street Baking Company is Nancy Mazaris, the mother of Adam Merkel who owns multiple restaurants in downtown Howell. Some council members had general questions about the operation and sales, but Mazaris was not present during the meeting. Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Manor indicated it was his understanding there would be around 25-40 seats in the restaurant but would have a large catering aspect.
Renovations and improvements are being made to the building. A unique menu is being advertised with bread, pastries and cakes; along with breakfast, lunch and dinner options. A memo states that a liquor license is said to be vital in the mission to create a distinctive bakery and restaurant thatâs different from other establishments. Facebook photo. (JM)
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