5/5/13 - A Howell Township woman accused of stealing a donation jar from a local store with her husband has been sentenced. 28-year-old Tena Cory was ordered to spend 21 days in the Livingston County jail with credit for eight already served. She must also complete 18 months of probation and pay fines and costs following her previous guilty plea to larceny in a building. Her husband, 34-year-old Michael Cory, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and will be sentenced May 16th by Circuit Court Judge David Reader. He was on parole for a previous retail fraud conviction at the time of the crime and is currently incarcerated at a correctional facility in Ann Arbor. Authorities say the couple walked into a convenience store at M-59 and Grand River with a child on February 16th. Police say surveillance video showed Tena distracting a clerk while Michael stole the collection jar, which was for a girl in Arkansas with Down Syndrome to get a needed surgery. Several members of the community more than replaced the money after hearing about the story. (JM)
Howell Township Woman Sentenced for Donation Jar Theft Howell Township Woman Sentenced for Donation Jar Theft
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Brighton Rec Area Opens Accessible Kayak/Canoe LaunchBrighton Rec Area Opens Accessible Kayak/Canoe Launch
5/6/13 - The Brighton Recreation Area has installed a new launch system for kayaks and canoes, making it easier for people with disabilities to use the crafts on Bishop Lake. The EZ Launch System will make it possible for a visitor in a wheelchair to move themselves onto a bench and then into a kayak or canoe without assistance. The new system was installed by the Department of Natural Resources using funds awarded through the Michigan State Waterways Program. The system exceeds the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is available for public use beginning this month. (TD)
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Fowlerville Man Enters Plea to Charges of Resisting OfficersFowlerville Man Enters Plea to Charges of Resisting Officers
5/6/13 - A Fowlerville man charged with fleeing from police last year will be sentenced next month after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors. 39-year-old David Kluesner pleaded guilty Friday to charges of 3rd degree fleeing police, driving on a suspended license, and assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer. He was earlier found competent to stand trial after undergoing a forensic psychiatric exam. Kluesner faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced June 6th, but can withdraw his plea if he doesnât agree with the sentence imposed by the judge. Prosecutors say Kluesner was stopped by police July 29th, 2012 for driving on a suspended license. Police say he refused to cooperate or provide identification before trying to flee from the officer, who deployed a Taser with no effect. They say Kluesner then got back in his car and fled at a high rate of speed through a residential area to his home, where he again fled from officers. Police say he eventually returned to his residence and was arrested shortly thereafter. Kluesner claimed he was Tasered by the officer for merely asking why he was under arrest and that he fled in fear for his life. He also claimed officers beat him unnecessarily resulting is a broken clavicle and other injuries. (JK)
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Lake Fenton Walk Highlights Anti-Bullying AwarenessLake Fenton Walk Highlights Anti-Bullying Awareness
5/6/13 - A group of walkers that included dozens of local students, parents, and staff members, and a state legislator announced its anti-bullying message through the Fenton area yesterday afternoon. The walk was an action by the Starfish Initiative, a Lake Fenton High School activism group. The group gets its name from a story in which a man sees hundreds of starfish washed up on shore and begins throwing them back into the sea. When he is told that he cannot possibly help them all, he points out that he is still doing good by helping those he can. More than 50 people, including State Representative Joe Graves, turned out for yesterday's walk, which traveled along Silver Parkway from Silver Lake Road to Owen Road and back. The group was led by a banner to display their anti-bullying message to passers-by. The walk included students from other districts from around the county, including Linden and Grand Blanc. A similar walk was held by the group in December. (TD)
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Historic School's Owner Seeks Help in RestorationHistoric School's Owner Seeks Help in Restoration
5/6/13 - A historic schoolhouse in Putnam Township is facing demolition unless someone steps up to save the structure. David Keller put a "for rent" sign outside the Hicks School but says it's temporary. The former schoolteacher wants help preserving and relocating the 1850 building. Otherwise he'll have the building razed. Keller bought the one-room schoolhouse for $25,000 in December from Pinckney Community Schools. He owns three duplexes near the schoolhouse and plans to build another at the site. Efforts to strike a deal with the Livingston Centre Historical Society to take on the building failed because the society cannot afford it. The 924-square-foot red building has been dormant for at least the past five years. (JK)
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Memorials to Honor Fallen Officer From Livingston County
5/6/13 - A police officer from Livingston County will be among those honored at a ceremony tonight in Lansing and then this weekend in the nationâs capital. Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors, known as MI-C.O.P.S., is hosting the 20th Annual Michigan Peace Officersâ Candlelight Memorial Service at 7pm on the steps of the State Capitol in Lansing. The three officers being honored this year are West Bloomfield Sergeant Patrick OâRourke, who lived with his wife Amy and their four children in Tyrone Township. OâRourke was killed last September after responding to a domestic dispute. Also being honored tonight are Denver Police Officer Celena Hollis, a former Detroit Police Officer killed while trying to break up a fight and Britney Meux, an Indiana Corrections officer who has family members living in Michigan. She was killed by a hit-and-run driver during a training exercise. Tonightâs memorial service in Lansing is open to the public. Survivors and other program participants will begin gathering at 6pm at Lansing City Hall, across from the Capitol. At 7, they will lead a procession along with an honor guard to the Capitol with a memorial wreath. OâRourke will also be honored later this week during the Police Unity Tour. Beginning Thursday, hundreds of police officers from all over the United States will ride bicycles from New Jersey to Washington to raise awareness and financial support for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. OâRourkeâs name will be added to the memorial this year and his name called during a candlelight vigil after the Police Unity Tour riders arrive on Sunday. (JK)
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âGolfing for the Most Goodâ to Benefit Salvation Army âGolfing for the Most Goodâ to Benefit Salvation Army
5/6/13 - With spring finally here, golfers across Livingston County are likely getting back into the swing of things and an outing this weekend will help support those most in need. The Salvation Army of Livingston County will host its second annual âGolfing for the Most Goodâ golf classic on Saturday at Whispering Pines in Pinckney. All of the funds raised benefit those in need in Livingston County and all of the programs and services that the local Corps offers, including its upcoming summer feeding program. Development Director April Dertian tells WHMI they have some great prizes and a variety of activities, including hole-in-one and putting contests. Some prizes being offered include an R1 Taylor-made driver and putter, a season of golf with passes to more than ten courses in the area, two-carat diamond earrings, more than $300 in shopping and dining in downtown Brighton and a silent auction with autographed memorabilia. Sponsorships and golf team space is still available. Golfers can register as a team or individually and the event has a 9am tee-off this Saturday. For more information or to register, contact the Salvation Army of Livingston County at 517-546-4750 ext 105 or log onto the site below. (JM)
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City of Brighton Repainting Center Lines at Main Street & SpencerCity of Brighton Repainting Center Lines at Main Street & Spencer
5/6/13 - Anyone traveling in the City of Brighton Tuesday morning could experience some minor traffic issues. The Cityâs contractor will be re-painting the center lines on Main Street/Spencer Road from the city limits, west to Grand River. The City says some traffic inconveniences could occur in the area but the work shouldn't take too long and the cooperation of motorists would be appreciated. (JM)
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Voters to Cast Ballots in Special Primary Election Tuesday Voters to Cast Ballots in Special Primary Election Tuesday
5/6/13 - Local voters will cast ballots in a special primary election tomorrow and other school-related questions. The special primary is required by law to fill a vacant seat on the Livingston County Board of Commissioners. Former Commissioner Donald Parker is running on the Republican ticket but has been appointed by the board to serve in the interim while Howell Township Trustee Michael Tipton has the Democratic nomination for the District 5 seat. The district includes the City of Howell and both Howell and Cohoctah Townships. Since they are the only two candidates, they both automatically go on to face Libertarian candidate Mike Brennan in a special election on August 6th. While the cost and purpose of the special election has been debated, Tipton tells WHMI itâs a necessary process to officially set the candidate field and kick off campaign efforts, adding there are a lot of choices in the race. Meanwhile, voters in the Hartland Consolidated School district are being asked to approve a millage renewal for non-homestead property. Voters in Hamburg Township will cast ballots on two issues in Dexter Community Schools. Polls are open from 7am until 8pm Tuesday and local voters are reminded to bring a valid photo ID. (JM)
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Balloon Launch to Help Heal Those Left Behind by Suicide
5/7/13 - A support group for family members affected by suicide will be holding an event next month to both remember and help heal. Each year, the Livingston County Survivors of Suicide Support Group remembers those who have been taken from them as a result of suicide with a commemorative balloon launch. The 10th annual event will be held June 4th from 7-9pm at Saint Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital on Byron Road in Howell. Group Co-facilitator Laura Edwards says the loss of a loved one from suicide is a very different kind of loss than from diseases such as cancer. She says it often involves feelings of guilt over failure to have spotted the symptoms which lead to the suicide and thatâs why the group is so important for those who are left behind. The balloons â released by family members and others who have lost a loved one to suicide â will contain a personal note to the suicide victim. Edwards and her husband Jeff, who live in Genoa Township, lost their 12-year-old son to suicide in 2003. Both speak before local school groups to talk about factors that lead down the path to suicide and how to spot the symptoms before itâs too late. (JK)
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Genoa Township Seeks Opinions on Land Use and TaxesGenoa Township Seeks Opinions on Land Use and Taxes
5/7/13- Genoa Township sought the feedback of its residents through a recent mailed survey. The purpose of the survey was to get residentâs opinions regarding taxes they would be willing to support and what they would like to see done with certain land. Residents who responded to the survey said they were most willing to support taxes that aid road maintenance. There are two proposed ideas for the land south of the Latson Road Interchange that were popular among Genoa residents. Most residents would like to see the land remain rural, while others would like to see it used as some sort of campus. Possibilities include a hospital, business headquarters, or even a university, but nothing official has been proposed. Assistant Township Manager Kelly VanMarter says this survey was just a step in what will be a very long process before a decision is made. Board members agree that the survey shed light on what residents support in the area, but will not be a basis for any decision due to the variables that exist with the actual survey process. There will be multiple public hearings and meetings before the Genoa Township Board of Trustees and Planning Commission before a decision is made regarding the Land Use Master Plan. (SO)
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Injured Fowlerville Veterinarian Returns to WorkInjured Fowlerville Veterinarian Returns to Work
5/7/13 - A beloved Fowlerville veterinarian is returning to work more than eight months after he was critically injured in an accident. 56-year-old Daniel Paternoster was riding his bike to work at the Fowlerville Veterinary Clinic last August 28th when he was hit by a car whose driver had become distracted and drifted off the roadway. Paternoster was originally listed in critical condition and remained unconscious for several days. He has undergone intense rehabilitation and family members say he is now able to return to the clinic on a limited basis. Meanwhile, the woman who hit Paternoster, 50-year-old Robin Fournier of Webberville, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of a moving violation causing serious impairment of bodily function. Fournier will be sentenced June 11th. The misdemeanor charge carries a possible penalty of up to 93 days in jail. (JK)
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Brighton School Board OKs Shared Time Services ContractBrighton School Board OKs Shared Time Services Contract
5/7/13 - The Brighton Area Schoolsâ Board of Education approved the shared time services contract for the coming year at its meeting Monday night. Shared services is a program by which private and parochial schools contract with a public school district to provide non-core courses for which the private school lacks certified teachers in that particular discipline. Under the contract, the district will pay School Financial Solutions of Livonia 6% of the amount the district will be receiving in state school aid for the students enrolled. Superintendent Greg Gray tells WHMI that the shared services program is a major revenue-producer for the school district. Gray says that administration is working hard to increase the number of schools participating in Brightonâs shared time services program, and he expects from 20-40 more schools to be added to the over 40 which are enrolled in the program this year. The matter of shared time services was a sticking point in the districtâs earlier deficit elimination plan presented to the state, education department officials saying the numbers were overly optimistic. Gray says, however, Brighton school officials were able to convince the state in their latest presentation last week that the numbers were realistic. (TT)
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Association Urges President to Nominate Rogers Next FBI Director Association Urges President to Nominate Rogers Next FBI Director
5/7/13 - A group representing FBI agents and retirees says it wants President Obama to make Congressman Mike Rogers as the next FBI director. The Howell Republican worked as an FBI agent before being elected to the Michigan Senate and later to Congress. The FBI Agents Association on Monday endorsed Rogers to replace FBI Director Robert Mueller, whose 10-year term was extended by Congress for 2 years and ends in September. The organization says Rogers is respected on both sides of the aisle and his background as a special agent "sets him apart." The 49-year-old Rogers chairs the House Intelligence Committee. He says in a statement he's honored and humbled by the endorsement. Rogers is also considering whether to run for the U.S. Senate seat opening with Democrat Carl Levin's retirement. (JK)
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Local Officer Killed Last Year Honored at Lansing CeremonyLocal Officer Killed Last Year Honored at Lansing Ceremony
5/7/13 - An annual memorial service for fallen police officers in Lansing paid tribute yesterday to an officer from Livingston County killed in the line of duty in September. Sergeant Patrick OâRourke lived with his wife Amy and four children in Tyrone Township while working for the West Bloomfield Police Department. He was killed while responding to a domestic dispute. Every year, Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors, or MI-COPS, holds a memorial ceremony to bring attention to all police personnel with ties to Michigan who were killed in the line of duty during the previous year. The ceremony in front of the Capitol Building in Lansing honored OâRourke as well as two other officers, a Denver police officer who had formerly served in Michigan and a corrections officer with family in the state. Over a hundred police officers from around the state and hundreds of civilians were in attendance. The family and friends of the fallen officers were invited to place roses on a wreath in remembrance, and traditions such as a 21-gun salute, a color guard, and Amazing Grace played on bagpipes paid tribute to the officers. Amy OâRourke added that she thought the ceremony was a beautiful and appropriate tribute to her husband, and she is still overwhelmed at the support her family receives from the law enforcement community. She and her family will be going to Washington this Sunday when her husband will be honored as part of the Police Unity Tour and his name inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial. (TD)
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City of Howell Eyes Grant Program to Rehabilitate Apartments City of Howell Eyes Grant Program to Rehabilitate Apartments
5/6/13 - A new grant program could help provide some funding to downtown building owners to rehabilitate apartments in the City of Howell. The City has had several downtown building owners express an interest in re-creating and/or improving upper floor residential spaces. A rental rehabilitation program through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority offers grant funds to help offset the costs incurred for those types of projects. It offers a number of community development grants to assist municipalities with implementing local initiatives to improve the quality and diversity of housing stock. The program provides a zero-percent interest, five-year forgivable loan to property owners who meet certain terms and conditions but Howell City Manager Shea Charles tells WHMI a portion of the apartments must be dedicated to low-to-moderate income tenants. Given limited staff resources, the City will be using a third party administrator to run the program and Council authorized issuing a request for proposals at last nightâs meeting. There would be no cost incurred by the City since the administrator would be paid through the grant funds. After staff reviews the requests, it will make a recommendation to the City Council for approval. The City will also need to approve local program guidelines and hold a public hearing before submitting grant documents and eventually proceed with promoting the resource to eligible building owners. (JM)
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Bond Denied For Hamburg Man Charged in Fatal CrashBond Denied For Hamburg Man Charged in Fatal Crash
5/7/13 - A Hamburg Township man charged in a fatal head-on crash remains in jail after his bond request was denied. 44-year-old Richard Childress is charged with reckless driving causing death in the April 26th crash on M-36 near Kress Road. In court Monday, his attorney requested that the $150,000 bond be reduced, a motion that was adamantly opposed to by the prosecution and eventually denied. Police say Childress was westbound on M-36 in an SUV but veered left of center as he approached Kress Road, striking a station wagon head-on driven by 77-year-old John Pavlic of Hamburg Township. Pavlic died the next day at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor as a result of his injuries. Police say drugs are suspected as being a contributing factor in the cause of the crash. A search warrant was obtained for a blood sample from Childress and officials are now awaiting a toxicology report. Childress remains jailed on a $150,000 cash or surety bond and is due back in court for an exam conference on June 10th. (JK)
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Genoa Township Seeks Information To Possibly Re-Join SELCRA Genoa Township Seeks Information To Possibly Re-Join SELCRA
5/7/13 - Genoa Township is taking steps to possibly rejoin the Southeast Livingston County Recreation Authority. The township decided against taking part in SELCRA a few years ago due to portions of the contractual agreement they did not agree with. This included an obligation on the township to pay for facilities and land purchased by SELCRA if the organization was bought out or taken over by a governmental body. That portion of the agreement has since been amended to require the approval of any member communities involved before the purchase of such property. SELCRA has approached the municipality about becoming a member again, which would give Genoa Township residents a preferred customer rate when participating in the organizationâs programs. However, the township has continued to offer a voucher program that allows residents to be reimbursed for the difference between in and out-of-district rates for SELCRA programs. At Monday nightâs meeting, board members voted to seek more information regarding an official agreement with the organization before officially signing on. (SO/JM)
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Prosecutor: Shooting of Green Oak Man by Officers JustifiedProsecutor: Shooting of Green Oak Man by Officers Justified
5/7/13 - The Livingston County Prosecutorâs Office announced today that the shooting of a man by a Michigan State Trooper and Green Oak Township Police Officer was justified. 31-year-old Kevin William Hassell was hit and killed during the exchange and later died at a hospital. A release issued today says an autopsy confirmed that Hassell died from gunshot wounds. Police chased Hassell from a home on Bishop Road in Green Oak Township where a breaking and entering was reported to his motherâs residence on Twilight Drive, where the shooting occurred February 18th. Hassell is alleged to have fired on officers as he exited his vehicle and multiple shots were fired inside of the home by the three. According to an investigation by the Michigan State Police, Hassell produced a handgun, raised it, and pointed it towards the Green Oak officer as he approached Hassellâs vehicle. The officer then responded by firing one round through the passenger window of the vehicle towards Hassell. The investigation shows the trooper pursued Hassell into the house and followed him upstairs, where Hassell yelled that he had a gun. The trooper followed Hassell into an upstairs room and saw Hassell raise a handgun at him. The trooper then responded by firing his weapon at Hassell, and the trooper fell back down the stairs. From the first floor, both officers then observed Hassell point a gun at them and fire it towards them. Police returned fire and the scene was eventually secured by officers from multiple departments. Prosecutor Bill Vailliencourt says the officers acted reasonably and lawfully under the circumstances, noting the shooting of Mr. Hassell was completely justified. The complete details be found in the attached release. (JM)
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Brighton Business & Howell Orthopedics Office Raided TuesdayBrighton Business & Howell Orthopedics Office Raided Tuesday
5/8/13 - A doctorâs office in Howell and a Brighton business were both raided by federal and local authorities yesterday. A search warrant was executed by Drug Enforcement Administration agents at Livingston County Orthopedics on Byron Road in Howell yesterday morning. Itâs the office of Dr. Michael E. Holda, who is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who has been practicing in Howell for more than 32 years and in the same location for 29 years. The search warrant was executed with assistance from the Livingston County Sheriffâs Department. Meanwhile, DEA agents also executed a search warrant for narcotics at the Grow Green Michigan warehouse on Canterbury Drive in Brighton yesterday and could be seen carrying file-type boxes. That raid was the result of a joint investigation by the Detroit DEA Field Office and Michigan State Police. Further details about the raids have yet to be released, and calls for comments have been placed by WHMI with the DEA. (JM)
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