8/13/13 - Today marks the Howell Theaterâs official farewell and a celebration featuring unique concessions and the showing of two iconic 80â²s movies are planned. The Root Restaurant in White Lake plans to open up its second location in the old theater building but before renovations really begin, a special celebration has been planned for the community. Chef James Rigato, a Howell native, says the theater has had a great run and theyâre excited about their plans for Howell so the showing is a great way to mark both occasions. The theater has two separate screens and Rigato says they wanted to utilize both and show something with a vintage 80âs feel but getting the same movie was difficult so they ultimately decided it would be fun to allow attendees their own pick between Back to the Future and The Breakfast Club. All concessions will be provided by The Root and included with the ticket price. In addition to the traditional candy, popcorn and pop; Rigato says a spread of cured and smoked meats, sausages, mustards and pickles will be offered along with pork and grits and a watermelon salad. Seating is first come, first served and tickets can be purchased through The Root or the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce. 10% of ticket sales will also be donated to the Howell Downtown Development Authority to help further revitalization efforts. A link to the details can be found below. (JM)
Celebration Planned Tonight for Howell Theater's FarewellCelebration Planned Tonight for Howell Theater's Farewell
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Council Postpones Adopting Fireworks Ordinance AmendmentsCouncil Postpones Adopting Fireworks Ordinance Amendments
8/13/13 - The Howell City Council met Monday night and decided to hold off on adopting some fireworks ordinance amendments dealing with times and fines for illegal discharge. Council previously introduced amendments to the Cityâs fireworks ordinance, which prohibit the discharge of fireworks between 1am and 8am during the designated holiday time period and on public property, church property or the property of another without permission. A separate amendment provides for the inclusion of fines for those who violate the ordinance and make it a municipal civil infraction of up to $500 for a first offense. The amendments were up for adoption Monday night but ultimately postponed to ensure the language was correct. Mayor Phil Campbell tells WHMI there were some questions related to the ordinance language and clarification was being sought on the portion that deals with the use of fireworks by minors. Two council members and City Manager Shea Charles were also absent Monday night, prompting further consensus to postpone adopting the amendments. Theyâll be up again in two weeks for a vote. (JM)
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Brighton School Board May Not Reinstate BHS Media AssistantBrighton School Board May Not Reinstate BHS Media Assistant
8/13/13 - At the Brighton Area Schoolsâ Board of Education meeting Monday night board members decided as their first item of business to take reinstatement of a media technology assistantâs position off the agenda. Some on the board wanted the item at least discussed, if not acted upon. The vote to drop the media assistant reinstatement item from the agenda passed 4-3 with Vice President Bill Anderson, Board Treasurer Jay Krause and Trustee Beth Minert voting no. The media assistant would have come from the ranks of the 20 people laid off at the last board meeting and would be assigned to the high school media center to serve the large number of the high schoolâs 2,000 students who utilize the center and help the new media specialist who will be starting in September. Anderson says a qualified person is needed for the position, particularly with all the new technology that is being installed this summer as part of the $88 million bond issue. During the public comments portion, Media Specialist Margaret Adams told the board they should carefully consider their action,, saying that media positions in district schools are down to unacceptable levels. However, Superintendent Greg Gray tells WHMI that the district has every intention of bringing back as many of those positions as possible, depending on district finances and what enrollment numbers are when school starts on Sept. 3. Gray adds that the item may very well be back on the agenda when the board meets again on August 26. Also on Monday, the resignation of Director of Technology Elson Liu was accepted âwith regret.â Liu has held the tech directorâs position for nearly six years, and, before that, held the same position for eight years in the Howell Public Schools. Liu will be leaving Brighton at the end of August to accept a position with the Plymouth-Canton School District. (TT)
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Michigan Secretary of State Plans Online Booth at MelonfestMichigan Secretary of State Plans Online Booth at Melonfest
8/13/13 - A special tent will be set up during Howell Melonfest this weekend to allow the Michigan Secretary of State to demonstrate its online services. Secretary of State Ruth Johnson made the announcement on Monday. The tent will be in place Saturday and Sunday on Grand River in the cityâs downtown. Residents will get the chance to use the secretaryâs online services, including renewing their license plates, signing up as organ donors, or changing their addresses. It will be one of over 100 vendors at the event. In addition, the Howell Rotary Club is now taking orders for Howell Melon Ice Cream. The official Facebook page for the sale can be found by clicking the link below. (TD)
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Firm to Help Guide Renovations to Fenton LibraryFirm to Help Guide Renovations to Fenton Library
8/13/13 - The Fenton City Council approved hiring an outside firm last night to provide guidance to the Fenton Library's renovation project. The Downtown Development Authority is working with the city to provide renovations to the aging building, which was never designed to be a library. A feasibility study was performed to determined if the structure was even sustainable as a library, and if so, what kind of repairs and improvements need to be made. Assistant City Manager Mike Burns says they plan to replace carpeting, repair the leaky roof, upgrade mechanical and electrical systems, paint, and improve the building's exterior. He says city staff has no experience in library improvement and no vision for how it should be implemented. Last night, the city council approved spending up to $9,375 to hire Library Design Associates, a specialty firm based in Plymouth which deals exclusively with libraries, to guide the project. A total of $200,000 over two years has been budgeted for the library renovation project. (TD)
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Livingston Home Prices Make Big Jump in JulyLivingston Home Prices Make Big Jump in July
8/13/13 - While Livingston County home sales jumped again in July, it was the sale prices that saw some real movement. Farmington Hills-based Realcomp II Limited reports that the combined Livingston County home and condo sales for July increased 9.5%, while the median sales price jumped 17.6%. In July 2012, the average price of a home being sold in Livingston County $157,250. Last month, that number was $185,000. Adding to the signs of an improving real estate market was the decline in the number of foreclosure sales locally, which were down more than 30%. Non-foreclosure sales, meanwhile, were up nearly 25% from a year earlier. Across the metro Detroit area - defined by Realcomp as the four-county region of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Livingston Counties â while sales were only up about 4%, prices were up more than 47% over last year. Inventory was also down 27% from June 2012. Realcomp reports homes were on the market for an average of 52 days before getting sold in July â eight fewer days than homes sold in June.
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Stretch of Old US-23 To Be Named in Honor of Slain OfficerStretch of Old US-23 To Be Named in Honor of Slain Officer
8/13/13 - A stretch of local roadway will soon be named after a police officer from Livingston County killed in the line of duty. West Bloomfield Police Sgt. Patrick OâRourke died last September when he was shot by a barricaded gunman in that community. The father of four lived with his wife Amy in Tyrone Township. Now two local legislators have made arrangements to name a portion of Old US-23 in his honor. The Sgt. Patrick John OâRourke Memorial Highway will be designated at a ceremony next month for the portion of Old US-23 that stretches from M-59 to Center Road. Cindy Denby is a State Representative from Handy Township. She, along with State Senator Joe Hune of Hamburg Township, sought a way to honor OâRourkeâs sacrifice. Denby and Hune arranged for private funding of the signs. Denby says because they werenât dealing with a state road, no legislative action was needed to make the name change. She said the signs will be a small way to honor OâRourkeâs legacy and let his children know that their father is regarded as a hero in their community. The dedication ceremony is tentatively planned for September 13th at 9am. Denby and Hune arranged for private funding to pay for the signs. Sgt. OâRourkeâs name was recently added to the National Law Enforcement Officerâs Memorial in Washington D.C. (JK)
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Two Men Sought In Monday Bank Robbery in WIlliamston
8/14/13 - An investigation is ongoing after a Williamston bank was robbed by two armed men on Monday afternoon. According to police reports, the two men walked into the Fifth Third Bank on West Grand River at about 2:30pm on Monday and held up the employees at gunpoint. The Lansing State Journal reports the men made off with an undisclosed amount of cash and were seen walking south, but a tracking dog was unable to pick up their scent. They are described as black men in their 30âs, both of them stocky and about 5 feet 11 inches tall. They were wearing black hoodies, bandanas over their faces, and white latex gloves. No getaway vehicle was reported. Police and the FBI are now investigating the robbery and whether it has any ties to at least two other bank robberies in the area. (TD)
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Milford Village Manager Resigns Quickly, No Reason AnnouncedMilford Village Manager Resigns Quickly, No Reason Announced
8/14/13 - The Milford Village Manager resigned last week with very little notice, and the reason why is unclear. Brent Morgan has resigned the post after just nine months on the job. The Milford Times reports that village officials would not return calls following a meeting on Thursday to accept the resignation. Village Clerk Deb Frazer says she has been named the new interim manager, and that residents will not notice any changes while the village finds a new permanent manager. She served as the interim manager for a period in 2012 as well, between the unexpected death of former manager Arthur Shufflebarger and the hiring of Morgan. She will receive a small increase in salary while serving in the position. (TD)
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Today Marks Ten Year Anniversary of the Power Blackout of 2003 Today Marks Ten Year Anniversary of the Power Blackout of 2003
8/14/13 - Itâs been ten years today since a power blackout cascaded across eight states and local utilities say there have been a lot of changes, improvements and better preparation to ensure it wonât happen again. DTE Energy says things have changed quite a bit over the last decade and overall, demand has been dropping with increased energy efficiency efforts. DTE Vice President and Chief Engineer of Distribution Vince Dow says ITC is the transmission company in the area and has improved a lot of assets while theyâve started to implement smart grids for the distribution. It was a tree touching a high-voltage power line in Ohio that sparked the blackout in 2003. While the ramp up of security around the electrical system, the training and investment into the electrical systems have all increased, Dow tells WHMI trees remain their biggest problem and theyâre coming through on a five year cycle and trimming service areas. However, he says if homeowners would trim around the wire to their home or remove dead trees from their property; especially dead Ash trees, it would be the biggest improvement in reliability. Livingston County went mostly unscathed on this day in 2003 but there were more than 2.1 million customers affected across southeast Michigan and in Detroit (pictured). That sent many motorists and others left in the dark into Livingston County for fuel, hotel rooms and other basic conveniences until power was finally restored. AP Photo: Paul Sancya(JM)
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That's All Folks; Howell Theater Screens Final FilmsThat's All Folks; Howell Theater Screens Final Films
8/14/13 - With plans in motion to convert it into a restaurant, the Howell Theater got its last hurrah yesterday with two final screenings. Hundreds of people turned out for the event, which included screenings of the classic 80's movies âThe Breakfast Clubâ and âBack to the Future.â The event was organized by The Root Restaurant of White Lake, which now owns the building and plans to turn it into a second restaurant. Many of those who attended were sad to see the old theater close down, although some said they were also excited for The Root to open in the downtown. The Root provided some of its cuisine as an alternative to the classic popcorn and candy, including a selection of smoked and cured meats, sausages, pork, and cheddar grits. Several desserts, like dark chocolate brownies and sea-salt cookies, were also available. The Root's Executive Chef James Rigato says the plans to renovate the building are still in the design stage, but he hopes to maintain some of the aesthetic of the theater in the final product. Mayor Phil Campbell says the city government hopes The Root will help revitalize that portion of the downtown. He and several members of the city council watched the screening of âBack to the Future,â which was the more popular choice and was played in the larger of the building's two theaters. (TD)
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Local Tea Party Honors Legislators as "Defenders Of Freedom"Local Tea Party Honors Legislators as "Defenders Of Freedom"
8/14/13 - Every seat was filled in Cromaine Hall at Waldenwoods Tuesday night for the âDefender of Freedomâ awards ceremony. The first annual Michiganâs Freedom Celebration took place in Hartland and was a gathering for members and supporters of Retake Our Gov to honor four Michigan legislators. RetakeOurGov is described by founder Wes Nakagiri as a âgrass roots organization of people who are passionate about constitutional government.â State Representative Tom McMillin, State Senator Patrick Colbeck, State Senator Joe Hune and Congressman Justin Amash (pictured) all received awards and recognition for their work in actively defending freedoms for TEA party groups across Michigan. As Hune had a prior engagement, he was unable to attend but had his parents receive the award for him instead. Congressman Amash was the keynote speaker for the event as well as a recipient of the âDefender of Freedomâ award. Amash tells WHMI he is passionate about representing Michiganâs 3rd District in Congress. Nakagiri has already begun planning for next yearâs Freedom Celebration and hopes to move it to different locations across Michigan. While Nakagiri says ânot every legislator will vote the way you want every timeâ, he believes the âgrassroots TEA party is alive and well.â (DK)
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Hamburg Police Identify Body Found in Van TuesdayHamburg Police Identify Body Found in Van Tuesday
8/14/14 - Hamburg Township Police have identified the man whose body was found Tuesday morning inside a van parked on rural property along Ore Lake. Police Chief Richard Duffany says the man was 56-year-old Timothy Mark Gilders, whose last address was South Lyon. However, he says family and friends report that Gilders was known to be living in the van. Whether or not he had permission to be on the property near Hamburg and Cowell Roads is still under investigation. Duffany tells WHMI that they are also pretty sure that the death was not a suicide and that their initial observations are that he died of asphyxiation. Hamburg Police are being assisted in their investigation by the Livingston County Major Crimes Task Force. Gilders was last reported to be alive on Sunday by a friend. That same friend found the body yesterday. (JK)
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St. Paul's Groundbreaking Ceremony Set for SundaySt. Paul's Groundbreaking Ceremony Set for Sunday
8/15/13 - A groundbreaking ceremony is planned this weekend for a major renovation to a downtown Brighton landmark. St. Paulâs Episcopal Church, located adjacent to the Mill Pond, was originally constructed in 1880, with an addition added in 1952. The original building will be completely renovated with a new entrance while the addition, which currently houses the parish hall, will be repurposed into a new worship space. Complete handicap accessibility to the upstairs will also be created with a new elevator. The ceremony will take place at 5pm Sunday with the public invited to attend. The church is closed during the construction process with the work expected to take between nine and ten months. In the meantime, the congregation has been invited to use St. Mary Magdalen Church in Brighton Township for services. (JK)
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Genoa Twp. to Build Pedestrian Pathway Over I-96Genoa Twp. to Build Pedestrian Pathway Over I-96
8/15/13 - Genoa Township officials are getting ready to construct a pedestrian path now that work on the actual Latson Road interchange over I-96 is coming along. The township will be putting in a pathway along Nixon Road, which will become Latson Road once the new I-96 interchange opens up. The path will be slightly more than one mile and stretch all the way down to the Three Fires School. It will also be the only path in Livingston County that allows pedestrian travel over I-96, thus providing a safe crossing for kids to ride their bikes to school. Genoa Township Manager Mike Archinal tells WHMI theyâve been in the construction phase with grading but everything will pretty much be done all at once after the overpass is complete. He says it's all part of a larger comprehensive pathway plan the township has been working on for several years now and the interchange project provided the opportunity to cross over I-96. Meanwhile, the Latson Road interchange project is visibly progressing with beams being set this week (pictured) and next over the freeway. As a result, the Michigan Department of Transportation has been implementing full, overnight closures on eastbound I-96 all week with traffic being re-routed off and on the new ramps. Tonight is expected to be the final eastbound closure from 10pm to 4am, with a double lane starting at 7pm. The westbound work is scheduled to start up next week, with the freeway closed each night Monday through Thursday. Picture courtesy of Jim Latson. (JM)
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Women's Charity Group Writes Check for Howell Nature CenterWomen's Charity Group Writes Check for Howell Nature Center
8/15/13 - An organization of local women who put their checkbooks where their hearts are has chosen the Howell Conference & Nature Center to be the recipients of their generosity. 100 Women Who Care - Livingston County recently donated $10,000 to the nature center following a tour of the facility that serves as both a wildlife park for the public and rehabilitation center for injured animals. The groupâs mission is based on the idea that 100 women, each donating $100 four times per year, can make a big impact on local non-profits. The centerâs Director of Wildlife & Outreach Dana DeBenham noted that the donation could not have come at a better time after the company that has donated specialized feed, cut their allotment in half, resulting in a $1.500 a month increase in their monthly feed costs. The centerâs Wildlife Clinic was also forced to suspend the intake of injured and orphaned animals in June when the volume of cases exceeded capacity. To date, 100 Women Who Care - Livingston County has donated more than $37,000 to local causes. Details about the group are online at 100 women who care livingston county.org. Pictured left to right: Carol Taggart, Dick Grant, Dana DeBenham, Candye Hinton, Karen Ryan, Cheryl Rogers. (JK)
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Final Site Plan Approval Recommended For Kid Patients' CampFinal Site Plan Approval Recommended For Kid Patients' Camp
8/15/13 - A specialized camp for children with medical conditions was given a recommendation for final site plan approval by the Putnam Township Planning Commission last night. Doug Armstrong is the founder and CEO of North Star Reach, which will offer the full summer camp experience to children with conditions such as cancer, limited mobility, sickle cell anemia, and heart problems. The camp will provide activities like horseback riding, archery, swimming, hiking, and various sports. Armstrong hopes to open in 2015. The camp will be a nonprofit operated on a stretch of land owned by the University of Michigan near Pinckney. Last night, the Putnam Township Planning Commission reviewed the final site plan for the small portion of the camp which lies in the township, including the entrance and main gate, before recommending its approval. Armstrong says the gate is necessary to control the security of the camp, but had to be specially designed to allow access to first responders in case of an emergency. The commissioners also had several concerns about the entrance to the park, which would go through a wetland area and would not be paved as is typically required under township ordinance. The camp still needs final site plan approval from the township board. Organizers have raised about $10 million for the camp, mostly through philanthropic donations from sources like the Ted and Jan Von Voigtlander Foundation. Another $16 million in donations is being sought. (TD)
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Man Enters Plea in Road Rage Incident on US-23 in Hartland Man Enters Plea in Road Rage Incident on US-23 in Hartland
8/15/13 - A Flint man who police say fired shots at another motorist on a local freeway in a road rage incident has entered a plea in the case. 23-year-old Finus James Harvey pleaded guilty as charged to two counts of felonious assault in connection with the July 26th incident. In exchange, prosecutors have agreed to not file additional felony firearms charges against him. Harvey was charged after allegedly brandishing a gun at another motorist and his passenger while traveling on US-23 in Hartland Township. He was said to be agitated because the driver was going too slow in the fast lane and slammed on his brakes, nearly causing a rear-end collision. The three men proceeded to argue, and the two men who reported the incident claimed Harvey pointed and fired the weapon at them. He remains free on bond pending his sentencing September 19th in Livingston County Circuit Court. (JM)
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Fenton Woman Killed in Rollover Crash Fenton Woman Killed in Rollover Crash
8/15/13 - A rollover crash near Rochester Hills killed two people last night, including a Fenton woman. The incident happened at about 9:20 Wednesday night in Shelby Township. According to Fenton Patch, witnesses told police the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on M-53. The vehicle veered off of the road into a wooded area and rolled over several times. The driver, a 28-year-old Sterling Heights man, was ejected during the crash, while the passenger, a 33-year-old Fenton woman, was trapped inside. Neither one survived the crash. Police say they were not wearing seat belts and alcohol may have been a factor. The names of the victims have not been released, and the investigation is ongoing. (TD)
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First Responders Take Part In "Active Shooter" Exercise In FentonFirst Responders Take Part In "Active Shooter" Exercise In Fenton
8/15/13 - Police, fire and EMS first responders participated in an âactive shooterâ exercise to utilize their training in such scenarios this morning. The multi-jurisdictional exercise took place at Andrew G. Schmidt Middle School in Fenton and simulated the occurrences and responses of an active shooter situation. The exercise involved two scenarios, one in which the shooter was wearing a bomb and detonated it killing himself, and another where he attempted to escape and was taken down by officers. First responders all agreed that the second scenario carried out much smoother due to better communication. Tom Mynsberge, whose company Critical Incident Management put on the training exercise, says âcommunications are critical. Mynsberge tells WHMI one of his main goals is to rescue victims more quickly. Post exercise, all responders and school staff involved came together to discuss the improvements that could be made from each unit and staff. School staff found one area of improvement to be their current âsafe roomâ, which had only one entrance so therefore it was moved to another room with two. Fenton Area Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Timothy Jalkanen tells WHMI their number one concern is student safety and reuniting them with their parents. Jalkanen plans to discuss further improvements at an administrative level. (DK)
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