Police have identified the man shot to death over the weekend in Argentine Township.
Argentine Township Police say the victim is 28-year-old Christopher Baldwin. He was killed at an apartment complex on Seymour Road at around 7pm Saturday. WEYI-TV quotes Chief Dan Allen as saying that a 22-year-old man is in custody in connection to the shooting and is jailed on a manslaughter charge. He is expected to be arraigned on Tuesday.
Baldwin reportedly lived in the complex and was with three acquaintances, two of whom also lived there, at the time of the incident. Police say the initial call indicated the shooting was an accident. (JK)
Man Killed In Argentine Township Shooting IdentifiedMan Killed In Argentine Township Shooting Identified
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Overturned Semi Shuts Down US-23Overturned Semi Shuts Down US-23
UPDATE: All lanes re-opened before 5:30pm.
An overturned semi is causing problems on US- 23 in the Brighton area.
All lanes of northbound US-23 are currently blocked just before I-96. The ramp from eastbound I-96 to northbound US-23 is also closed. The incident happened around 3:30pm and a long term shut down is anticipated as it will take some time for crews to upright the semi.
Tune in to 93.5FM for traffic updates. (JM)
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Lane Shift On Grand River In Downtown Howell WednesdayLane Shift On Grand River In Downtown Howell Wednesday
Repairs to a water service line could impact traffic in downtown Howell Wednesday.
Repairs are needed to a water line from a chiropractic office located on Grand River, between Elm Street and Fair Avenue. A report was provided to the Howell City Council during Monday nightâs meeting. Howell City Manager Shea Charles tells WHMI crews will be replacing a portion of a water service line at 821 East Grand River. Work is scheduled this Wednesday and Charles says there will be a lane shift during that time frame while theyâre working on it. He says it should only take one day to get it finished and crews will be out of the way.
Charles says the water service leak was discovered last week. However, since it occurred within Grand River, replacement had to be coordinated with the Michigan Department of Transportation to facilitate the repair. (JM)
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Volunteers Sought For 25th Annual National Public Lands Day This SaturdayVolunteers Sought For 25th Annual National Public Lands Day This Saturday
Volunteers are being sought for National Public Lands Day at Kensington Metropark and the Island Lake State Recreation Area this weekend.
Huron Clinton Metroparks Volunteer Services Supervisor Katie Kowalski says the annual event aims to celebrate and encourage volunteers to help steward public land, knowing how sacred they are and how many people enjoy them throughout the nation. She says theyâre hoping around 100 volunteers will come out Saturday to help out as a way to give back to the parks and help steward them, so everyone can enjoy them for years to come. Kowalski tells WHMI theyâll be primarily focusing on trail work, which involves cutting back any over growth as well as invasive species. Volunteers will also be working on a footbridge and stair project, and some general maintenance and trimming along mountain biking trails. Kowalski says the National Public Lands Day is celebrated annually but this will be one of their bigger events in partnering with the Island Lake Rec Area state park, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Friends of Island Lake volunteer group to make it a bigger collaborative effort, considering how close the two parks are. She says also involved are the Crossroads Group of the Sierra Club and REI Co-Op, to bring more awareness and engage even more volunteers.
National Public Lands Day is held every year on the last Saturday of September and brings together hundreds of thousands of volunteers to help maintain and restore treasured places across the nation. Kowalski says Kensington Metropark alone has over 1.5 million visitors annually, which is pretty significant, and she believes Island Lake Rec Rea has close to that or even more. She says between the two parks there is over 8,000 acres of public land that people are enjoying and itâs a huge asset for southeast Michigan so the event and conservation effort is a nice way not only highlight the green and public space everyone enjoys.
Kowalski says theyâre hoping for at least 100 volunteers from 10am to 1pm. She says everyone will meet at the Kensington Metropark picnic shelter at the east boat launch and theyâll do a kick-off before people divide up into different teams to help out at both parks and along the mountain biking trial. Kowalski says they welcome volunteers of all ages but those under 18 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Participants should bring their own work gloves and if possible any hand tools such as pruners or hand saws as there will be limited quantities on site. Pre-registration for National Public Lands Day is required through REI Co-Op, which includes lunch and a free t-shirt. That link is provided. (JM)
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Plea Negotiations Push Health Care Fraud Trial To 2019Plea Negotiations Push Health Care Fraud Trial To 2019
A Fenton Township doctor facing federal health care fraud charges wonât go to trial until almost a year from now.
A grand jury indictment was unsealed last month in U.S. District Court in Detroit against Dr. April Tyler, Patrick Wittbrodt and Jeffrey Fillmore. The three face one count of attempt and conspiracy to commit fraud and 17 counts of health care fraud. Fillmore is also charged with money laundering. A trial date had been set for October, but court records indicate it is now set for August 5th of 2019 as both sides try to work out a plea deal.
Tyler is an osteopathic physician who owns and operates Fenton Creative Healthcare on North Long Lake Road, while Wittbrodt and Fillmore both worked out of the clinic selling compounded creams and other services. The indictment alleges the three executed a scheme to defraud Medicare and other health insurers by submitting or causing others to submit false claims for prescription pain creams, scar creams, pain patches and vitamins authorized by Dr. Tyler.
Authorities say Fillmore had acquaintances and personal contacts with the UAW through his job and various family members, while Wittbrodt had business connections with multiple pharmacies which he used to receive kickbacks for directing prescriptions to them. The three allegedly scheduled time at various UAW meetings to tout the products. Dr. Tyler is accused of authorizing the prescriptions without a valid doctor patient relationship including physical exam or corresponding office visit.
If convicted, the trio faces up to ten years in prison on the felony counts, which each carry fines of up to $250,000. (JK)
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Chamber Event Draws Questions About PartisanshipChamber Event Draws Questions About Partisanship
An upcoming luncheon hosted by the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce is drawing questions after being advertised as a âMeet the Candidatesâ event, but only featuring Republicans running for various offices.
The Power Luncheon: Meet the Candidates! event is co-hosted by Ann Arbor SPARK and is set to take place Friday, October 5th at the Oak Pointe Country Club. In an e-mailed invitation to chamber members, the gathering is billed as featuring, âa panel of political incumbentsâ including 8th District Congressman Mike Bishop, State Senate candidate Lana Theis, State House candidate Ann Bollin and State Representative Hank Vaupel. But neither Theis nor Bollin are incumbents. Theis is running against Democrat Adam Dreher for the 22nd State Senate seat and Bollin is taking on Democrat Mona Shand for the 42nd State House seat. In addition, a picture accompanying the invitation featured Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow.
When questioned about the discrepancy, Chamber President Pam McConeghy told WHMI the Political Power lunch is something they âdo every year with incumbents (and that) whoever is elected in after November will be in our next political power lunch. We are non-partisan, just asking our incumbents to participate. Nothing off the normal.â When asked about Bollinâs participation despite not being an incumbent, McConeghy said she was âonly representing as a member of our boardâ while James would not be present. She offered no explanation as to Theisâ participation, despite not being an incumbent.
Among those left scratching their heads at the inconsistencies was Rebecca Foster, a Pinckney Village Trustee who also serves as Secretary of the Economic Development Council of Livingston County, which works with Ann Arbor SPARK to provide economic development services to businesses in the area. Foster thinks the chamber âshould call it what it is, a discussion of economic development with select candidates. Or their preferred candidates, or their endorsed candidates, if that is indeed the case.â But Foster thinks promoting it as a "Meet the Candidates" forum, âwhen you've only included some of them (and honestly, just the Republicans) - with a side of Joe Hune - is disingenuous at best.â
McConeghy admits that perhaps how they marketed the event could have been done better, but insists the chamber is non-partisan and points to their participation in an election forum October 18th in Hartland that will feature all of the candidates for various local, state and federal races. (JK) Picture courtesy of The Livingston Post
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HVS Board Selects New SuperintendentHVS Board Selects New Superintendent
The Huron Valley Schools superintendent search is over.
Following completion of second round interviews on Monday, the Huron Valley Schools Board of Education voted 6-0 to begin contract negotiations with Dr. Paul Salah to lead the district. Salah is currently the Associate Superintendent of Educational Services for Wayne County RESA.
The board initially interviewed six candidates before narrowing the field to three finalists, including Scott Lindberg, Interim Assistant of Administrative Services and Human Resources for Huron Valley Schools and Steven Archibald, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Livonia Public Schools. Board President Jeff Long said that while they had an âexceptionally strong pool from which to chooseâ the board felt strongly that Dr. Salah possesses the leadership qualities they were looking for to move Huron Valley Schools to the next level, adding that Salah brings a wealth of experience to the district and will, âwork diligently to learn the unique aspects of our culture and build productive and meaningful relationships with our staff, students and the community." (JK)
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2019 Bond Issue Likely for Brighton Area Schools2019 Bond Issue Likely for Brighton Area Schools
Itâs looking more and more like the Brighton Area Schools will be asking the voters to approve a bond issue next year.
Unlike the 2012 bond issue of nearly $89 million, this time around the amount will be about half that. The bond money would be used for many aspects that were left off the 2012 bond issue. They were not included because it was felt that if the bond issue were too high, it would not pass.
The items in the next bond issue could include roof replacement for some schools, parking lot repaving, replacement of acoustic tile, some new lighting and other items. At its meeting Monday night the board discussed creating a time schedule for certain benchmarks prior to submitting the proposed bond to the state, such as deciding on the types of items - and the amount - to be requested. Superintendent Greg Gray tells WHMI the application to the state treasury dept. would have to be made by sometime in May, with the deadline for submitting such applications in June.
With the districtâs long-term debt now declining, the bond issue would not result in a millage increase, but rather would extend the year by which the districtâs debts from past millages and bond issues would be paid off. In the coming weeks and months the board will be deciding what items â and the estimated cost of each item - to include in the possible $45 million bond issue. (TT)
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Grand Opening Set This Week For Rage Room "Destruction Depot"Grand Opening Set This Week For Rage Room "Destruction Depot"
A new business in Brighton Township is all the rage among people looking to vent their frustrations by smashing everyday objects. Matt Crawford, owner of Destruction Depot, says the ârage roomâ gives its customers a safe environment to let out their emotions in a healthy manner.
Patrons of rage rooms essentially pay for the experience of breaking objects, which Crawford says has been described as cathartic and âbetter than therapyâ. Destruction Depot offers a variety of items customers can purchase to destroy, and their choice of various weapons to get the job done. Objects intended for destruction include computers, vases and printers, while weapons include golf clubs, sledgehammers and, according to Crawford, the crowd-favorite crowbar. Patrons can also bring their own objects, like the woman who held her âdivorce partyâ at Destruction Depot and destroyed her wedding photos.
Crawford, a U.S. Army veteran, says destroying or blowing things up was part of the job for him and his Army pals. He says he remembers thinking he wouldnât have an outlet to do just that when he left the Army, only later to learn about the rage room concept. Crawford, who also works a corporate job, says he understands how the work environment can get to people and become overwhelming. He feels rage rooms provide an outlet for the release of emotions that result from daily or pent-up frustrations. Crawford says feedback has been more positive than negative, noting that people either love the concept or donât understand the value of it and hate it.
Though Destruction Depot opened in mid-August, a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held this Friday, starting at 4pm. The public is invited to attend and Crawford encourages guests to stay and âbreak stuff until their heartâs content.â (DK)
Photos courtesy of Matt Crawford.
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Hearing Will Gather Comment On Proposal To Modify IslandHearing Will Gather Comment On Proposal To Modify Island
Modifications proposed for an island in West Crooked Lake will be the topic of a public hearing on Wednesday.
The hearing is being conducted by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for a permit application that would allow for the construction of a boardwalk, docks and a beach area on what is known as Perri Island in West Crooked Lake. The applicant, Joe Perri of Brighton, is proposing to place approximately 141 cubic yards of clean sand fill to construct a 60-foot wide beach that would taper down to 40-feet where it impacts the wetland, and then use a pea stone and sand fill mix to extend the beach area onto bottomland of West Crooked Lake.
He also wants to construct a permanent 40-foot long by 6-foot wide elevated, open pile boardwalk through the wetland to facilitate access to a seasonal dock, while replacing an existing dock with a new permanent 56-foot long by 4-foot wide elevated, open pile dock. The proposal also calls for a small area of the wetland to be used as a landing area for boats and construction equipment.
According to a notice about the meeting circulated by area residents opposed to the project, the island has been used primarily as a rental unit that the past two summers including the use of a pontoon boat, which they claim has caused safety issues due to the lack of boating experience by renters. The notice further claims that the modifications would, âresult in damage to the wetlands surrounding the islandâ while the boat docks could lead to an increase in âboat traffic through the fragile channel ecosystem.â
The meeting will be held at 7pm Wednesday at the Genoa Township hall on Dorr Road. (JK)
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Ann Arbor SPARK Withdraws From Chamber LuncheonAnn Arbor SPARK Withdraws From Chamber Luncheon
The organization that had been planning to co-sponsor a Brighton Chamber event next week has withdrawn amid concerns over its partisan appearance.
The Power Luncheon: Meet the Candidates! event is set to take place Friday, October 5th at the Oak Pointe Country Club. But after an e-mailed invitation to chamber members billed the event as âa panel of political incumbentsâ while featuring several non-incumbents and only Republican candidates, Ann Arbor SPARK has withdrawn its participation. In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Phil Santer, the organizationâs Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff, said they are, âremoving ourselves from the upcoming meeting. In yearâs past, a similar event connecting elected officials with the business community to discuss questions and concerns and share the business communityâs needs was held in November. Thatâs not the case this year, and the nature of the event changed, as has our support of it. Ann Arbor SPARK is a non-profit, non-partisan organization and does not support or endorse political candidates."
Among those invited to attend was 8th District Congressman Mike Bishop, State Senate candidate Lana Theis, State House candidate Ann Bollin and State Representative Hank Vaupel. But neither Theis nor Bollin are incumbents. Theis is running against Democrat Adam Dreher for the 22nd State Senate seat and Bollin is taking on Democrat Mona Shand for the 42nd State House seat. In addition, a picture accompanying the invitation featured Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow.
When questioned about the discrepancy, Chamber President Pam McConeghy told WHMI the Political Power lunch is something they âdo every year with incumbents (and that) whoever is elected in after November will be in our next political power lunch. We are non-partisan, just asking our incumbents to participate. Nothing off the normal.â When asked about Bollinâs participation despite not being an incumbent, McConeghy said she was âonly representing as a member of our boardâ while James would not be present. She offered no explanation as to Theisâ participation, despite not being an incumbent.
Among those left scratching their heads at the inconsistencies was Rebecca Foster, a Pinckney Village Trustee who also serves as Secretary of the Economic Development Council of Livingston County, which works with Ann Arbor SPARK to provide economic development services to businesses in the area. Foster thinks the chamber âshould call it what it is, a discussion of economic development with select candidates. Or their preferred candidates, or their endorsed candidates, if that is indeed the case.â But Foster thinks promoting it as a "Meet the Candidates" forum, âwhen you've only included some of them (and honestly, just the Republicans) - with a side of Joe Hune - is disingenuous at best.â
McConeghy admits that perhaps how they marketed the event could have been done better, but insists the chamber is non-partisan and points to their participation in an election forum October 18th in Hartland that will feature all of the candidates for various local, state and federal races. (JK)
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Volunteers Sought To Help Work On North Village TrailVolunteers Sought To Help Work On North Village Trail
Northfield Township is seeking volunteers to help out with a trail project this weekend.
The Parks & Recreation Board will be out at the North Village lakefront property working on a perimeter trail starting at 1:00 this Saturday afternoon. The township says theyâll be out working for a few hours and are looking for some volunteers that can spare any amount of time. The perimeter trail has been marked and now just needs to be cleared out so that it can be used by residents. Organizers say they will be out rain or shine Saturday. Those interested in volunteering should wear boots and bring gloves, as Parks & Rec members will be bringing some of the more heavy equipment such as brush hogs and chain saws. However, if anyone has rakes, shovels, wheelbarrows, or other equipment that might be helpful, they are welcome to bring them. Volunteers are being instructed to park at the post office.
More information is available on the Northfield Township Facebook page. The link is provided. Facebook photo. (JM)
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Howell Twp.'s New Sign Ordinance One Step Closer to ApprovalHowell Twp.'s New Sign Ordinance One Step Closer to Approval
A revised sign ordinance for Howell Township has received preliminary approval and now moves toward final review in hopes of beating the expiration date for a moratorium on new signs.
The townshipâs Planning Commission met Tuesday and discussed the latest draft of the revised ordinance, which was modified to address issues like electronic billboards and their permitted location. One of the main goals in updating the ordinance was to create buffers and distance spacing between billboards in order to limit the number of signs in the area. Planning Commission Chairman Andrew Sloan believes that objective is in accordance with the wishes of the majority of township residents, citing feedback the township received from residents when working on the municipality's master plan two years ago.
After discussing the draft, Commissioner Mark Freude suggested tabling a vote on recommendation to approve the ordinance as two members of the planning commission were missing. However the ordinance must receive approval by the Board of Trustees before it can become official and if tabled, the draft likely would not make it to the board before a moratorium on new sign approvals expired.
Township officials first enacted a moratorium in March while they reworked the ordinance, but it expired in July, prompting officials to establish a second one while discussions surrounding the suggested revisions continued. The second moratorium will expire mid-November. As a result, the Planning Commission decided it would be best to act now, and voted to recommend approval of the ordinance to the Board of Trustees.
While the ordinance awaits board review and possible approval, an application for an electronic billboard from the American Legion Devereaux Post 141 remains tabled. The Legion had applied for the sign prior to the moratorium, but their application did not make it to the review process before the moratorium was enacted. Many Legion members felt their application should be considered under the original ordinance instead of the revised version.
At a meeting in June, Legion members questioned why it took 14 months for their site plan to make it to the Planning Commission and why commissioners didnât know about it until the Board of Trustees had already adopted the freeze on sign approval. Sloan says he does not know how the township will proceed if the Legion chooses to pursue it, but did mention at the meeting that he does not agree with the way the township handled the Legionâs application. (DK)
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Bishop & Slotkin Settle On Three Debates Next MonthBishop & Slotkin Settle On Three Debates Next Month
The two candidates vying to represent the 8th Congressional District have agreed to a series of three debates prior to Novemberâs General Election.
Both Incumbent Republican Mike Bishop and his challenger, Democrat Elissa Slotkin announced Tuesday they will go to head-to-head in three different forums next month. The first will be a taping of Flashpoint on WDIV October 5th, then an appearance on a Lansing area radio show October 16th followed two days later with their participation in a candidate forum in Hartland sponsored by Voterâs Voice and the League of Women Voters. That forum will also feature Libertarian candidate Brian Ellison.
Laura Epstein, Slotkinâs spokesperson, said that both campaigns have also been approached to debate at Michigan State University and Oakland University, and Slotkin hopes that Rep. Bishop will join her for at least one of these in-person debates. (JK)
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Brennan Impeachment Resolution Expected TodayBrennan Impeachment Resolution Expected Today
A local lawmaker plans to introduce an impeachment resolution today against 53rd District Court Judge Theresa Brennan, who is accused of corruption in office and perjury.
State Representative Lana Theis announced in August she was considering such a resolution that could ultimately remove Brennan from the bench. Theis said, while a rarely used procedure, it seemed to be fitting in this case as the investigation by the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission began over 18 months ago but it wasnât up until about three months ago that Brennan finally had her caseload removed and re-assigned to a visiting judge. She says Brennan is now getting paid to sit at home and do nothing while taxpayers are now paying a visiting judge to hear all of her cases.
The Judicial Tenure Commission complaint stems from Brennanâs relationship with former Michigan State Police Detective Sean Furlong, who served as the chief prosecution witness during the 2013 double murder trial of Jerome Kowalski. Brennan presided over the trial that resulted in Kowalskiâs conviction and life sentence. Brennan and Furlong maintain they had a friendship that morphed into an affair but claim it began after the trial. Testimony and documents from Brennanâs 2017 divorce indicate the relationship began long before Kowalskiâs trial.
The JTC hearing into its complaint against Brennan will commence October 1st. The case will be heard at the 16th District Court in Livonia, a decision made to ensure there is no conflict of interest. A Michigan State Police criminal investigation also remains active.
Meghan Reckling, a Senior Advisor for Theis, told WHMI that as they have dug through thousands of pages of documents, they have not found any additional impeachable information besides what was already included in the information from the Judicial Tenure Commission complaint and that is what will be included in the impeachment resolution language. (JK)
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Baby Fair To Help Expecting And New ParentsBaby Fair To Help Expecting And New Parents
An upcoming event will help set up parents and expecting parents of newborns with the support and information to help keep their families healthy and safe.
The 4th annual Livingston County Baby Fair is coming on Saturday, October 13th from 9am until noon at the Livingston Educational Service Agency Building in Howell. Previously known as the Community Baby Shower, the organizers from LACASA changed the name to better reflect what the event is.
The Baby Fair will feature tables offering breastfeeding support, parent support groups, libraries, various government agencies, and free flu shots. Four different educational workshops will be held throughout the event. Learn about Postpartum Depression and Other Concerns at 9:30, Safe Sleep for Your Baby at 10, Infant Crying and How to Cope at 10:30, and Health Care Decisions when Your Child is Sick at 11. Attendees will receive free raffle tickets for every workshop and table they visit. Previous raffle prizes include strollers, car seats, diapers, wipes, and toys. Door prizes will also be given out.
More information on this free event can be found on the events tab on LACASAâs Facebook page, located at https://www.facebook.com/events/2133002546962532/ (Photo: LACASA Facebook) (MK)
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Gas Odor Forces Closure Of Hartland High SchoolGas Odor Forces Closure Of Hartland High School
Classes were canceled this morning at one area school due to a building issue, while another was evacuated.
District officials with Hartland Consolidated Schools said they smelled the odor of natural gas in the high school just before 7am. An initial decision was made to divert the students to nearby Ore Creek Middle School while the issue was investigated. But after an hour, the decision was made to call off classes for the day. Hartland Area Fire Authority responded, but cleared the scene after crews from Consumers Energy arrived to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, students at Hilton Elementary School in Brighton had to be evacuated after a small fire in a mechanical mezzanine due to a pump overheating. Brighton Fire Chief Mike OâBrian says after the fire caused light smoke in the building, students were evacuated according to the districtâs plan and remained outside while they got the smoke out of the building. They then returned to classes. (JK)
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House Resolution To Impeach Judge Brennan IntroducedHouse Resolution To Impeach Judge Brennan Introduced
Local lawmakers have officially introduced a resolution calling for the impeachment of embattled 53rd District Court Judge Theresa Brennan.
Republican State Representative Lana Theis of Brighton Township is the primary sponsor of the impeachment resolution introduced today, which has various co-sponsors including State Representative Hank Vaupel of Handy Township. He says while Judge Brennanâs caseload was removed and reassigned to a visiting judge a few months ago, she continues to collect a paycheck at the expense of taxpayers and they are committed to doing everything they can to hold her accountable.
Theis says the troubling pattern of improper conduct exhibited by Judge Brennan has resulted in her losing the trust and confidence of her colleagues and the public. She says if Brennan wonât resign, then itâs time for the House to move forward with the impeachment process. Theis tells WHMI it is beyond frustrating to know the people of Livingston County are having to pay for Brennan to sit and do nothing but that is still infinitely better than when she had her docket in front of her, adding everyone is in a better place now that she is not actually hearing cases.
Theis referenced a recent town hall meeting, saying they heard over and over again from people who have been personally harmed by how this judge chose to carry herself in the courtroom.
Theis tells WHMI itâs urgently necessary to get this corrected, adding she hopes the Michigan judicial Tenure Commission and Michigan State Police forward fast enough that this particular process isnât necessary but in case they donât, they have an option and she wanted to take it. She says itâs been 18 months and a lot of investigation can happen during that time, as well as a lot of evidence being reviewed and well vetted. Theis says from the information she has seen, it warrants removing Brennan from the bench by whatever process necessary.
House Resolution 399 was referred to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration. Theis noted the resolution can be amended prior to the vote, if more items are vetted and appropriate to include. If the resolution is approved by the House, an impeachment trial would occur in the Senate. If convicted, Brennan would then be removed from office.
Meanwhile, Brennan is also under investigation through the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission in the wake of an affair with Michigan State Police Detective Sean Furlong, who was the chief prosecution witness in the 2013 double murder trial of Jerome Kowalski, which Brennan presided over. Kowalski is currently serving life in prison. (JM)
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Charter School Founder May Have Violated Campaign Finance LawCharter School Founder May Have Violated Campaign Finance Law
An email and letter distributed by the founder of a local charter school district appears to be a violation of Michigan election law.
The Michigan Campaign Finance Act prohibits the use of public funds to advocate for or against ballot proposals. Chuck Stockwell sent an email communication (posted below) to the Charyl Stockwell Academy District as well as a physical letter home with some students on September 17th. It shares some information on charter school funding and states "it isnât fair" that public schools can capture taxes via millages and public charter schools cannot. It urges parents and families to vote no on all public school millages and vote for politicians who support charter schools, providing a link to a list of preferred candidates by Great Lakes Education Project, a charter school advocacy group. It concludes by soliciting a donation of $250 per student that will go to teachers in grants to encourage them to stay and teach in the CSA district.
LESA Superintendent Mike Hubert joined Livingston Countyâs five public school superintendents in issuing a response to the communication (also posted below), saying the inclusion of the "vote no" advocacy points combined with the distribution of the letter via the CSA email system does appear to violate Michigan election law. A statement clarified it is not their intent to report the communication as a violation but they hope future communications by educational leaders in the community will be handled more appropriately. Hubert says both traditional public schools and public school academies bring value to our educational community. He wants both organizations to maximize their unique characteristics and work cooperatively to advance student learning. He did note that whereas a public school academy cannot levy a bond issue to build a new building they also typically don't incur the higher operating costs for items such as transportation, accommodating students with disabilities or participation in the school employee retirement system.
Michigan Department of Education Spokesman Bill Desessa tells WHMI school districts must use care when disseminating information to ensure that it is factual and doesnât attempt to influence the outcome of the proposal. He says board members and school employees may engage in campaign activities that support or oppose a ballot proposal on their own time outside of work as long as district funds are not used.
CSPA receives per-pupil funding from the state, the same as traditional public schools do. All traditional public schools and public school academies are receiving $7,631 per student this year. However, CSA is run by a for-profit management company called CS Partners, which was created by Stockwell, which takes a percentage of that per-pupil funding to pay for administration of the district. CSA was recognized as a school of excellence by Central Michigan University in 2013 and is usually one of the higher ranking schools academically in the state.
Stockwell did not directly respond to requests for comment. CSA District Executive Director Steven Beyer told WHMI Stockwell was asked by the CSA Education Foundation to explain the state funding gap, which was why the communication was sent out. He says the intent was to inform parents why they were being asked to consider making a donation. He added that enrollment is up and they have a solid operating budget, in addition to a fund equity above state average. Beyer declined to address any alleged violations of election law. (JM)
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Claims In Bishop TV Ad Deemed "False"Claims In Bishop TV Ad Deemed "False"
A recent television ad being aired by the campaign to re-elect Republican Mike Bishop to the 8th District seat in Congress has been labeled as false by a fact-checking website.
PolitiFact on Wednesday weighed in on the ad, which is aimed at his opponent, Democrat Elissa Slotkin and her stance on health care. In the ad, a senior couple from Brighton identified only as Ann and Richard, recount how Medicare saved them when she was in the hospital and then accuse Slotkin of backing a policy to take away their Medicare coverage. PolitiFact noted that the ad, âcontains no onscreen sources, recordings by Slotkin, or links to offer evidence or contextâ and that no evidence was found, âto suggest that any of Slotkinâs positions on health care would result in taking away coverage for current seniors.â
In response, Bishop consultant Stu Sandler, questioned the veracity of PolitiFact, pointing out that in 2008 the website, âcalled "If you like your plan you can keep your plan" the truth before labeling it the Lie of the Year in 2013.â Sandler added that, âMike Bishop is comfortable standing with the Mercatus Center and AARP as both have shown the risksâ brought about by what he called Slotkin's ârisky scheme to change Medicare as we know it.â He finished by saying that, âMike Bishop will stand up against this false reporting because he cares far more about the protection of Medicare than he does the opinion of Politifact."
But the report from the Mercatus Center he cited is critical of a single-payer health care system, something Slotkin has actually advocated against. Instead, PolitiFact says Slotkin has supported a voluntary Medicare âbuy-inâ option. And while Sandler told PolitiFact that a buy-in option would risk higher premiums, reduce senior access and threaten the solvency of Medicare, the websiteâs analysis determined it would likely not impact the program as long as a separate risk pool was created for those under 65.
But it rated the Bishop ad as âFalseâ for claiming Slotkinâs plan is to, âtake Medicare away from current senior recipientsâ a position based on a single-payer health care system, which she does not support. (JK)
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