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"Girls On Fire" Camp Aims To Inspire Local Teens"Girls On Fire" Camp Aims To Inspire Local Teens

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The Brighton Area Fire Authority is hosting a “Girls on Fire” Camp focused on leadership, teamwork and inspiration. It’s open to future women of Livingston County, teenage girls age 14-18, who are invited to learn about what it takes to be a firefighter in the hands-on, three day camp. Participants will train with firefighters and learn CPR, self-defense tactics, leadership and firefighting skills – in addition to meeting women who are breaking down stereotypes in the historically male-dominated career. Brighton Fire Chief Mike O’Brian says the Authority employs quite a few females already and thinks they’re probably one of the bigger employers on the fire side with the number of females. He says they are really excited to offer the new day camp and have partnered with some of the other area fire departments. He says it’s designed to break down some of the barriers as it relates to the fire service, provide great leadership training and self-confidence and really dive in so participants can get a view of what the fire service is all about. O’Brian notes the Authority already has a cadet program that is always looking for young men and women as well as the Howell high School Fire Academy, which is open to any Livingston County student who is a junior or senior. He tells WHMI they’re always looking for different ways to plant the seed early that the fire service and EMS is a great opportunity. O’Brian says they hope the camp will help stimulate young minds and perhaps let them do something they never thought they would like using the Jaws of Life in a training, supervised atmosphere. He says spots are filling up fast so they encourage anyone interested to fill out an application. The camp will take place June 17th through the 19th from 8am to 3pm. More information and application details can be found through the provided link. (JM)

Michigan Supreme Court Sets Date To Hear Arguments In Brennan PetitionMichigan Supreme Court Sets Date To Hear Arguments In Brennan Petition

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The Michigan Supreme Court has scheduled dates to hear arguments about whether Livingston County Judge Theresa Brennan should be removed from office. The state’s highest court announced today it will hear oral arguments on a petition by the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission June 19th at 9:30am. The Commission last week formally requested the state Supreme Court remove Brennan from the bench for misconduct. That conclusion was based on testimony and other evidence that emerged during a hearing last fall about Brennan’s conduct as a judge, centering on her failure to disclose a relationship with former State Police Detective Sean Furlong, who served as they chief prosecution in the 2013 murder trial of Jerome Kowalski, over which Brennan presided and resulted in a conviction and life sentence. That conviction has since been vacated and Kowalski is in the process of getting a new trial following the revelation that Brenna and Furlong were engaged in an affair before, during and after the trial. That’s despite Brennan’s insistence they were just friends when questioned under oath about the nature of their relationship just days before the trial began. The commission is also seeking the Supreme Court to assess costs, fees, and expenses in excess of $35,000 based on Brennan's "intentional misrepresentations and misleading statements made to the Commission." After hearing oral arguments, the Supreme Court can accept, modify or reject the commission's recommendations or send the case back for additional fact-finding. Other allegations made by the Commission against Brennan include her failure to immediately recuse herself from her own divorce case, tampering with evidence in that case, lying under oath and failing to disclose her friendship with an attorney who represented clients in her courtroom. Brennan, who was previously suspended with pay by the high court, is also charged criminally with several felonies, including perjury and tampering with evidence. A preliminary hearing on those charges is scheduled to continue April 25th in Livingston County. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison. (JK)

Monday Is Heatstroke Prevention Awareness DayMonday Is Heatstroke Prevention Awareness Day

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Public health officials are reminding parents and caregivers about the dangers of heatstroke and leaving children in hot cars. Heatstroke Prevention Awareness Day is this Monday, April 22nd. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the Michigan Department of State are combining forces to raise awareness about heatstrokes and how to prevent tragedies. Heatstroke is leading cause of vehicular non-crash related deaths for children under 14. Last year, 51 kids nationwide died from being left in a car, a 19% increase from 2017. There have been 794 such deaths among children since 1998, with 10 of them occurring in Michigan. Parents and caregivers are being asked to A.C.T. together to keep children safe. A- Avoid heatstroke related injuries and death by never leaving children alone in a car, even for a few minutes. Lock door and trunks, and keep keys out of reach. C- Create reminders by placing something needed at the next stop, like a bag or cell phone, next to a car seat or booster. And T- Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911 to talk to experienced emergency personnel who are trained to respond to such a situation. The National Heatstroke Prevention Campaign begins on May 27 and runs through August 11. More information and tips for preventing heatstroke can be found at https://www.safekids.org/take-action-prevent-heatstroke#care. (MK)

Lingenfelter Open House To Benefit American Cancer SocietyLingenfelter Open House To Benefit American Cancer Society

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Livingston County residents will have an opportunity to check out a rare car collection this weekend to help support a good cause. The Lingenfelter Collection will be opening its doors to the public this Saturday, April 27th from 10am to 5pm. The Spring Open House will benefit The American Cancer Society by allowing community members to make donations of their choice at the door. The American Cancer Society works to fund and conduct research, share expert information, support patients, and spread the word about prevention. A donation to the American Cancer Society allows guests to view what is hailed as one of the best rare car collections in the world with more than 200 unique vehicles including corvettes, muscle cars and exotics. There will be activities throughout the day like poster signing by Ken Lingenfelter from 1:30 to 2pm and 3:30 to 4pm, and the start-up of the Enzo Ferrari at 3:15pm. The event will also host food vendors on site including Tony’s Dogs. The Lingenfelter Collection is located at 7819 Lochlin Drive in Brighton. You’ll find details at the link below.

Alumni Group Offer Scholarship Opportunity For Brighton Middle School StudentsAlumni Group Offer Scholarship Opportunity For Brighton Middle School Students

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Brighton students will have a chance at a scholarship being offered by an alumni group. The Brighton Area Schools Alumni Association will pick one middle school student by random draw to win a Career Exploration Scholarship. As part of the May 25th ACT Practice Test offered at Brighton High School, a Career Exploration Scholarship, with a value up to $250, will be available to area students in grades 6-8 that early register by 5pm May 10th and complete the Practice Test onsite. The winner must be accepted and attend an approved summer 2019 program that focuses on teaching career skills of the student’s choice, including engineering, physics, writing, music and culinary arts. Current middle and high school students from Brighton and beyond are encouraged to complete an ACT Practice test on May 25th before it counts toward college admission or financial aid decisions. The BAS Alumni Association partners with students throughout and beyond their academic careers to help find success. Multiple academic scholarships are offered to graduating Brighton High School seniors each year as they embark on their chosen career. In addition, 59 alumni are expected from the BHS class of 1969 to receive Golden Diplomas during the 2019 Brighton High School Graduation Ceremony on June 8th in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their graduation. Additional information can be found under the Events tab through the link below , by emailing BASAlumniSAT@gmail.com or by calling 810-227-0656. (JK)

Brighton Police, MSP Running Distracted Driving Operations This MonthBrighton Police, MSP Running Distracted Driving Operations This Month

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With April being Distracted Driving month, Brighton police officers have been out enforcing laws against driving while distracted. According to Police chief Rob Bradford, that usually involves using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle. Bradford tells WHMI that city police ran two, 4-hour operations this month in which they stationed an unmarked patrol car at select locations, and ended up with 30 citations. Bradford says it doesn’t matter whether the driver is using a cell phone for talking, scrolling or texting, it still amounts to distracted driving. Michigan State Police are also operating a Distracted Driving program during April. Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For a first distracted driving offense, the fine is $100, while subsequent offenses result in a $200 fine. There are three kinds of distracted driving: visual - taking your eyes off the road, manual - taking your hands off the wheel, and cognitive - taking your mind off what you're doing. While using a cell phone for talking or texting is the number one driver distraction, others include eating and drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, reading (including maps), using a PDA or navigation system, watching a video, or changing the radio station, CD, or MP3 player. Bradford says city police will likely run two more Distracted Driving operations later this year. (TT)

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day SaturdayNational Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Saturday

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Events are being held across the state this weekend, including in Livingston County, to help dispose of expired medications, especially opioid painkillers. This Saturday, April 27th, Livingston County residents can get rid of opioids and other unused and expired prescription medicines at various locations. A number of local law enforcement agencies will serve as collection sites, along with municipal offices. All of the events will run from 10am to 2pm. According to the Michigan Department of Education, nearly 13% of Livingston County youths have abused prescription drugs and painkillers in the past 30 days, a rate higher than the national average. The FDA also recently released a study on the harmful effects of medications that are flushed or dumped into the environment. The Red Barrel project is designed to combat both these issues by collecting and disposing of unused medications in your bathroom cabinet. Genoa Township is among those participating in Saturday’s drug take-back event and the Big Red Barrel will be at the township hall off Dorr Road. 70 pounds was collected during the first event – which Supervisor Bill Rogers tells WHMI was extremely successful and quite surprising. Rogers says when they originally talked to those behind the Big Red barrel Project, they indicated they wanted to try it out so they gave it a go. He says as long as benefits all parties, they’ll continue to house it. Those dropping off items in Genoa Township are asked to bring a plastic bag filled with all outdated and/or unused medication. Sharps also will be collected for a one-time only opportunity. Controlled substances and all other solid dosage medications are accepted with no questions asked. Liquid medication will be accepted if stuffed into a Ziplock bag with enough paper towels to absorb all the liquid. No inhalers will be accepted. Also, the Drain Commissioner's office will also be on-site to collect sharps and needles. Sharp collection is open to residents. Businesses and medical facilities are not allowed to dispose of sharps at this event. Sharps need to be in a heavy plastic container -- i.e. Red "Sharp" Box or empty plastic laundry detergent jug sealed with tape. Details about the different prescription drug-take back events on Saturday can be found through the provided link. (JM)

Howell Public Schools State Of The District Address TuesdayHowell Public Schools State Of The District Address Tuesday

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Superintendent Erin MacGregor will provide district stakeholders an update on the current status of the district during the annual State of the District address Tuesday. The event is open to all district stakeholders including parents, teachers, students, community members, and local business owners. During the event, MacGregor will share updates on enrollment, the budget, current initiatives, and future plans. The event will also include information on the district's bond proposal, which will appear on the May 7th ballot. Macgregor says the address highlights their accomplishments, ongoing work and their vision for the future, adding he always looks forward to the event as it provides an opportunity to share all of the wonderful things happening at Howell Public Schools with the community. The address starts at 6pm in the Parker Middle School media center. Attendees should park on the east side of the building and enter through the school’s main entrance. (JM)

Construction Will Close Owosso RoadConstruction Will Close Owosso Road

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Construction work is expected to start today that will close a road in Howell Township. The Livingston County Road Commission says that Owosso Road between Grand River and Sharp Road will be closed starting at 6am and remain closed through 9pm Tuesday. The work is being done to replace two drain crossings under Owosso Road that will require excavation of the trenches to replace the culverts and then backfill the area. While the road will be completely closed to through traffic, local traffic will still have access. The road commission reminds that, as always, the work is dependent on the weather.

80 Bed Senior Assisted Living Facility Approved In Hamburg80 Bed Senior Assisted Living Facility Approved In Hamburg

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A new senior assisted living center has been given site plan approval in Hamburg Township. The Hamburg Township Board of Trustees seemed impressed with the final site plan for what will be Hampton Manor of Hamburg, at their regular meeting last week. Co-owner and developer Sam Martin addressed the Board, saying that it will be built to the same quality standards that their Brighton location is known for. He says that he has been doing this line of work for several years, and not just developing, but also running the buildings. Martin says through this, he knows what the residents look for, what they want, and that they will do everything they can to make sure they are happy. The plan calls for a 55,000-square foot main building with 64 assisted living rooms, and another 16 dedicated for memory care. Further down the road, a second phase will add 16 independent living suites. Hamburg Township Supervisor Pat Hohl said that a recent study determined a need for senior assisted living in the township. The township was able to purchase the land near M-36 and Village Center Parkway through a tax sale at a good price and put out a request-for-proposal. Hohl said they will be able to recoup the cost through the sale to the development team, with the extra money being used to make infrastructure improvements to roads, sewer, and water in the area. The site plan came from the planning commission with 13 conditions of approval, many being tied to architecture and landscaping requests. Most have been met, with the board’s approval contingent on the remaining few to be satisfied. (MK)

Brighton Library Hosting Human Trafficking PresentationBrighton Library Hosting Human Trafficking Presentation

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A presentation next month in Brighton will delve into the facts involved with a practice called a form of modern slavery. The Brighton District Library will present “Human Trafficking Awareness” on Monday, May 6th from 7-8:30 p.m. Presenters David Manille and Anita Hoepner of the Sparrow Freedom Project will provide information regarding human trafficking in Michigan, as well as the signs and red flags to look for, and how to help. Sparrow Freedom Project is a faith-based nonprofit from South Lyon whose purpose is to provide assistance to survivors and to raise awareness about human trafficking and childhood sexual exploitation through education, prevention, advocacy, and collaborative action. The group says that among the many lures traffickers use is social media to build relationship with their victims online. Another tactic used is to trick young teens using a marketing campaign. They claim to be from a modeling agency, offering security and health insurance. Aid and support that Sparrow Freedom Project provides to victims or survivors of human trafficking includes: food, clothing, emergency housing rental costs, transportation, and other basic needs. As admission into the Human Trafficking Awareness program, they are asking each attendee to please bring at least one of a list of needed items including toiletry/hygiene items (full-sizes and travel-sizes accepted), toilet paper, household cleaning products, paper towels, laundry detergent, baby wipes, women’s size small/medium yoga/stretchy pants and casual tops, and grocery/gas/fast food/Uber gift cards. The Brighton District Library is located at 100 Library Drive, Brighton, Michigan. Registration for this program can be done by calling 810-229-6571 ext. 227 or going to http://brightonlibrary.evanced.info/signup/Calendar (JK)

Showcase Will Raise Funds For Ongoing Effort To Restore B-25Showcase Will Raise Funds For Ongoing Effort To Restore B-25

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A local organization dedicated to restoring and preserving a Word War II-era bomber will be hosting a fundraising event this weekend. The Warbirds of Glory Museum will hold the event at the Livingston County Airport in Howell Township this Saturday, April 27th from 6-9pm. The public is invited to come and tour the progress of the Sandbar Mitchell, the group’s WWII B-25 bomber restoration that will include sections of the actual aircraft as well as exhibits and displays. In addition to viewing artifacts and memorabilia from that era, there will also be a special ceremony honoring the crew of a B-25 shot down over Italy. The fundraising showcase will highlight the Kittyhawk Academy, a youth mentorship program that encourages Michigan youth to consider skilled trades as a career and to prepare them for accredited trades school and certification. The casual-dress evening will include a strolling dinner, along with raffles and silent actions as well as other options to help fund scholarships and the Student Tool Reward fund. Get details through the link below. (JK)

October Opening Planned For Fenton Redevelopment ProjectOctober Opening Planned For Fenton Redevelopment Project

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A grand opening is set for this fall on a Fenton commercial property undergoing redevelopment. The former Kmart building in the Silver Lake Village plaza west of US-23 and north of Owen Road is being reconfigured to house a variety of retailers, including TJ Maxx, Michaels and Five Below. Kris Krstovski, the president and found of K2 Retail and Construction, told the Tri-County Times that the difficult winter delayed their efforts and forced them to push off the grand opening to October 1st. K2 purchased the nearly 130,000 square foot building and almost 13 acres of adjacent land last July for $2.8 million. Krstovski estimated the project’s total cost will be about $5 million. In addition, K2 plans three new 10,000 square foot commercial buildings on the out lots next to the Applebee’s restaurant. (JK)

Brighton Crack Sealing Program To Start This WeekBrighton Crack Sealing Program To Start This Week

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It’s getting into the busy season for the City of Brighton’s Department of Public Services. The annual crack sealing program will be getting underway this week. The procedure helps provide a longer lasting pavement surface and gets everything sealed up so it lasts. Work will be done starting around 8pm tonight on Grand River, and then various others throughout the city. A list is attached. DPS Director Marcel Goch tells WHMI they’re trying to maintain and save some of the newer pavement and will do as much as they can until funds run short. The crack sealing program will take about a week or two but Goch cautions that the work is weather dependent. He asks that motorists slow down where work crews are present, noting there will be some traffic impact - especially on Grand River, Flint and Brighton Lake Roads. Crews will be working in neighborhood areas during the day but some of the work will be done at night in busier areas and the contractor has that option. Meanwhile, final paving work is getting started on North Second Street this week, which will be closed to through traffic but local access is being maintained. Then come May, spray patching will be done on Main Street throughout downtown and Grand River. That work is expected to likely take a week or two but Goch says again, a lot is weather dependent. (JM)

Severe Weather Network To Host Volunteer Appreciation DessertSevere Weather Network To Host Volunteer Appreciation Dessert

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Volunteers and the success of a local non-profit that helps the homeless during cold winter months will be recognized during an event this week. The Severe Weather Network Livingston County is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit and a collaborative effort of The Salvation Army, the Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency (OLHSA), local churches and community members. The Network provides emergency, overnight refuge during the winter months for adult individuals affected by homelessness and works to connect individuals with community action agencies committed to providing the services and support necessary for the transition into affordable housing. Officials say on any given day in Livingston County, 100 members of the community endure the challenges of being homeless. Livingston County does not have a permanent homeless shelter. Prior to the opening of the Severe Weather Network in 2015, the only means of emergency shelter available to homeless adult men and women was through a very limited supply of one week motel vouchers funded through local non-profit agencies. From December 1st through April 14th, the Severe Weather Network’s team of over 400 volunteers served 45 guests - providing 1,417 nights of shelter and saving local agencies $56,680 in motel costs. The Severe Weather Network Board of Directors will host an appreciation dessert to celebrate the many successes of this year’s program and to honor the volunteers who dedicated their time to ensure men and women of Livingston County facing homelessness had a warm, safe and welcoming refuge to reside during the harsh winter months. The event will take place Thursday from 7 to 8:30pm at the Chilson Hills Church located on Brighton Road in Howell. The Severe Weather Network operates solely on monetary donations and by the help of compassionate community volunteers. Donations may be made online at www.livingstonswn.org or mailed directly to the Severe Weather Network Livingston County, 214 E. Brooks Street, Suite 1, and Howell MI 48843. Donations are tax deductible. We are currently recruiting volunteers for the 2019/2020 season. Interested volunteers should contact Severe Weather Network Livingston County Board Chairperson Diane Duncan at livingstonswn@gmail.com or by calling 810-534-7625. (JM)

9-Year-Old Raises Funds For CPR Device For Howell Fire Dept.9-Year-Old Raises Funds For CPR Device For Howell Fire Dept.

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In record time, an area boy has raised enough money to purchase a life-saving device for the Howell Area Fire Department but he isn’t stopping there. In almost exactly 5 months, 9-year-old Lucas Vetter has raised enough money for the department to get a second LUCAS Chest Compression System. It provides continuous chest compressions, freeing up firefighters and paramedics for other life-saving tasks while at an emergency scene. Lucas’ dad is one of the contractors that worked on the expansion to the department’s main station on Grand River and earlier gave his son a tour of the facility. The Rose Township boy was able to witness the device in action, which is what inspired his fundraising journey. After the tour, he went home and used a marker to draw up a business plan on a piece of construction paper to raise the $16,000 needed to purchase one of the devices. He started fundraising last October and was able to raise $6,000. Just last week, the Buhr Foundation in Ann Arbor agreed to donate the remaining $10,000. The small family foundation went further though and told Lucas if he continued with his fundraising efforts, it would pay for half of the cost for the second and third devices for the department. The Howell department currently has one machine and Lucas plans to keep fundraising for the third and fourth so there will eventually be a device installed in each of the department’s four stations. Lucas told WHMI after the tour at the department, he immediately became “insanely impressed” with how amazing the device was, how it worked and helped the firefighters so much. He said the fundraising aspect was very nerve-wracking in the beginning but after he started doing it, he got the hang of it and it wasn’t as hard as he thought it was going to be. Details are still being worked out as to how the device will be presented to the Howell Fire Department but a formal announcement will be made during the 4th Annual SaveMiHeart conference this Friday at the Livingston County EMS Complex off Tooley Road in Howell Township. Lucas’ mother Kerry says it’s a pretty big achievement, one of the doctors who helped create the device, Dr. Hans Friberg, will be coming all the way from Sweden. She Lucas has been busy coming up with a power point slide show and they’re excited to announce how Lucas has been able to raise enough funds for one LUCAS device but is now on a roll to raise more funds for the others. Details about Lucas’ fundraising efforts and how to donate can be found through ther providewd link. Those interested in donating can also email: lucasforlucascpr@gmail.com. (JM)

Brighton Board of Education in Contract Talks with Teachers' UnionBrighton Board of Education in Contract Talks with Teachers' Union

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The Brighton Area Schools Board fo Education is now engaged in collective bargaining toward a new contracts or wage reopeners with its three unions. The three unions are the Brighton Education Association, BESPA– the Brighton Educational Support Personnel Association, and BASAA – the Brighton Area Schools Administrators Association. The BEA represents about 320 teachers in the Brighton school district, and their contract expires on Aug. 31st. The teachers are in the last year of a 5-year contract, and Superintendent Greg Gray says the two sides have already had several discussions regarding language aspects of the contract. He tells WHMI that the really intensive part of the process is negotiating salaries and benefits. In the current contract, teachers have technically been under a wage freeze, but can ask for – and have – requested salary reopeners, resulting in incremental salary hikes. The other two unions only have wage and benefits reopeners this year. BESPA represents about 50 para-professionals, food service, maintenance, clerical and ancillary staff employees, while BASAA involves nearly 20 principals, assistant principals and department heads. Gray, in addition to being superintendent, also acts as the district’s chief negotiator in the absence of a human services director. Brighton is currently looking for an administrator to head the human services department. The district went through one round of candidate searches last year and was unable to find a qualified person to fill the role. (TT)

Howell's Senior Survivor Sets Record-Breaking GoalHowell's Senior Survivor Sets Record-Breaking Goal

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Assisting a camp for kids is the goal that’s been set by a group of local high school students. Howell High School’s annual Senior Survivor will get underway this weekend with 16 students set to arrive at the school on Sunday, April 28th, with the goal of raising enough money each day to remain in the competition throughout next week. Each day the Senior Survivors will fundraise during the day and compete in immunity and reward challenges at night. At the end of the school day, the two students who raised the least amount of money will be eliminated and sent home. The student who turns in the most money on the last day of the competition will be named the winner of Senior Survivor. The senior class has set this year’s fundraising goal at $100,000 with all of the funds donated to North Star Reach a medically-supported camp near Pinckney that serves kids with chronic and life-threatening health challenges and their family members, all at no charge to them. This year’s Howell High School Senior Survivors are Chloe Chandler (Team Chlochan), Lexi Garbacik (Team Bacik), Madelyn Gillett (Team Mad Money), Matt Hornyak (Team Matty Freeze), Dawson Kling (Team Kling-kong), Sarah Laughner (Team S'laughter), Isaak Miller (Team Money Mill), Ben Masters (Team Chicken Master), Shane Morrison (Team Sh'merica), Kallan Packard (Team Pack-attack), Seth and Sydney Ramonaitis (Team Ramo), Grace Snell (Team Snail), Darko Stavrev (Team D.N.A.), Liam Timmerman (Team Timmerdation), Paige Van Gordon (Team Rage Paige), and Jenna Wincher (Team J-win). Each Senior Survivor will be supported by a fifth grade Junior Survivor at one of the district’s elementary schools, who will support their senior partners by leading a coin drive in their schools. New this year, the Howell High School student council is hosting a community-wide event to kick off Senior Survivor Week. The inaugural Senior Survivor Carnival will take place this Friday, April 26th, at 6 p.m. in the Howell High School Field House. The carnival will include games, inflatables, photo booth, arts and crafts, raffles, entertainment, and food. Admission is $10 per person (kids under age 3 are free), or you can buy a family pass for $30 (up to 5 family members from the same home.) An adult must accompany students in eighth grade or below. All proceeds from the carnival will go towards a scholarship in memory of Julianna Ward-Brown, a member of the Class of 2019 who passed away last year. “We are very excited to support two outstanding causes with this year’s Senior Survivor. By helping to fund a scholarship in honor of Julianna, our students will ensure that their classmate’s memory will live on,” said Gabby DiNatale, Howell High School student council advisor. “North Star Reach is an amazing organization that has provides a camp experience for children who cannot attend a traditional summer camp due to serious health challenges. We have students as well as children in the community who have attended North Star Reach, so to be able to support the mission is very rewarding.” “North Star Reach means so much to me. It has shown me that I’m not alone and that others have been through what I have,” said Shyann, a three-year camper who lives in the Howell Area. “North Star Reach has changed me in a great way. I have made so many new friends, and it has shown me that my condition doesn’t hold me back.” Doug Armstrong, North Star Reach Founder & CEO, said they are “tremendously grateful to Howell High School seniors and community for choosing North Star Reach as their “Senior Survivor” charity” and that the “incredibly generous financial support will make a significant contribution” toward their efforts to positively impact the lives of children and their families facing serious health challenges. Last year, Senior Survivor raised more than $90,000 that was split between the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) and LACASA. To date, Senior Survivor has raised more than $350,000 for various charities. You can find out more about this year’s Senior Survivors, or make a donation, through the link below. (JK)

State Street Reconstruction In Downtown Howell To Start In MayState Street Reconstruction In Downtown Howell To Start In May

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The large State Street reconstruction project in downtown Howell has been given the final green light. The Howell City Council met Monday night and granted final project approvals, with Councilman Michael Mulvahill abstaining to avoid any perception of conflict of interest as his employer is a material supplier for the project. The construction of the project is being funded through a $2 (m) million Community Development Block Grant from the State of Michigan. The City is responsible for all design and construction engineering costs, per the terms of the grant agreement. A memo noted the City worked hard with the bidder, TLS Construction, and has been able to value engineer the project at a reduced cost, without substantially impairing the overall design vision of the project. City Manager Shea Charles says project costs were much higher than anticipated but did work with the contractor to do some value engineering to bring it much more in line with the grant amount. City costs were also greater than anticipated by around $35,000 to $36,000. He says the total construction cost with TLS Construction is $1.9 (m) million but the City also has contracts with DTE Energy for street lighting and cable line replacement with Comcast, - which works out to just over $2 (m) million in actual construction costs. However, Charles tells WHMI they are comfortable with the value engineering. The difficulty level of the project is being attributed to a lack of other bidders and it was also noted that the Michigan Department of Transportation flooded the market with different jobs, which is in turn tying up contractors that have traditionally bid on city work. Charles says it was a very unique situation in that only one contractor bid and it was well over what was anticipated. He says it looks like M-DOT will be releasing additional work next summer so this is something that is not going to go away any time soon and staff recommended proceeding with the project. Plans call for reconstructing State Street as a festival street that is completely barrier free, reconstruct both the east/west and north/south alleys with improved drainage and replace water mains and sewer lines in the area, as well as replace storm sewer as needed. It’s said to be a difficult project because it’s an older area of the city and there could be unknown variables once construction commences. The alley area is also narrow and described as a tough place to work. The anticipated groundbreaking is around May 8th or 9th. Charles says they’ll be working with the contractor to reach out to property owners and business owners along State Street to let them know the work is coming. Photo: Google Street View. (JM)

Volunteer Sign Up, Work Site Registration Open For Day Of CaringVolunteer Sign Up, Work Site Registration Open For Day Of Caring

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Community members can now submit worksite project ideas and sign up to volunteer for Livingston County United Way’s Annual Day of Caring. The largest one-day community service event in the county returns for its 18th year on Wednesday, August 7th. Last year’s event brought together 1,216 volunteers, including over 500 youth participants, to accomplish a total of 130 projects. The Livingston County United Way collects worksite proposals from local residents, seniors, schools, disabled residents and non-profit agencies. The work is often minor household repair projects, cleaning and yard work that the homeowner is not able to do on their own. Anyone can recommend a worksite and are encouraged to apply for a neighbor or friend who needs extra help. The deadline for worksite projects is June 28th. Volunteers are invited to register individually or as groups, and can designate preferences for location, type of project, special skills and specific shift times, or a full-day commitment. The deadline for volunteer registration is July 5th. Companies, clubs and organizations are invited and encouraged to participate together and high school students are encouraged to join the fun and enter the Citizens Insurance Day of Caring Youth Challenge. Clubs or teams from area high schools can win up to $1,000 for their group simply by participating in the Day of Caring. There are sponsorship and donation opportunities for anyone that is unable to participate but still wants to help. All sponsorships and donations will be used to buy supplies needed for Day of Caring worksite projects. To register, get involved or learn more, visit lcunitedway.org or call 810-494-3000.
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