A new report says while Livingston County children are faring well, child poverty statewide continues to be on the upswing.
The Michigan League for Public Policyâs 2017 Kids Count in Michigan Data Book was released today and shows 22% of Michigan children are living in poverty. By contrast, in Livingston County, the poverty rate is just 7.8%, which is the best of Michiganâs 83 counties. Livingston County also ranked number one with the lowest percentage of children up to age 5 enrolled in the Food Assistance Program at 10.9%. That compares to the statewide rate of 30.1%. In all, Livingston County was ranked 4th in the state in Child Well-Being, behind Ottawa, Clinton and Oakland counties.
Despite the good news locally, the reportâs authors say that, âHistorical and current public policies are adversely affecting Michigan kidsâ ability to thriveâ especially depending on where they live, their race and their familyâs income. According to the report, while one in five Michigan children lived in poverty in 2015, the rates are significantly worse for children of color, nearly 50% for African-American kids and 30% for Latino kids.
The report also found that working a full-time, minimum wage job leaves a parent with a family of three $1,657 below the poverty line, with monthly child care consuming 38% of those earnings. One of the reportâs recommendations is to increase access to affordable child care by raising eligibility levels for state subsidies. A link to the report and Livingston County extract are posted below. (JK)
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Report Says Livingston Child Poverty Rate Remains Low As It Rises StatewideReport Says Livingston Child Poverty Rate Remains Low As It Rises Statewide
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Plans for Proposed Senior Citizen Development in Brighton Twp. Move ForwardPlans for Proposed Senior Citizen Development in Brighton Twp. Move Forward
A proposed senior citizen residential facility and multi-unit development in Brighton Township is one step closer in the process toward approval.
Encore Village is a proposed project that would be built across 147 acres near Pickerel Lake, west of Woodruff Lake. In order to construct the 555 unit development, developers sought to have the land rezoned from Office Service to Residential Multi-family. That zoning map amendment received a public hearing Monday before the townshipâs Board of Trustees and drew mixed responses from residents.
One community member expressed his full support, saying the development will increase property values and make the surrounding area a more desirable place to live. However most neighbors expressed concern about the size of the development, the additional traffic it would bring and its impact on wildlife. The board was hesitant to approve a conditional rezoning agreement due to two issues some board members felt hadnât been addressed.
Township Manager Brian Vick tells WHMI one of those was a lack of specified dates determining when developers will be required to make debt service charge and REU payments. The other issue in question was $75,000 that is being earmarked to possibly solve traffic problems at busy intersections. Vick says the board wanted to ensure that if a traffic problem arises, those funds will be available to mitigate a solution.
With the agreement that developers would work on those issues, the board approved the conditional zoning agreement in a 5 to 1 vote. Developers will need to work with the townshipâs planner and engineers before pursuing preliminary site plan approval. Vick says thatâs ââ¦not going to happen overnight, but the ball is rolling.â (DK)
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Help The Livingston County Animal Shelter "Empty The Shelter"Help The Livingston County Animal Shelter "Empty The Shelter"
The Livingston County Animal Shelter will be holding a drive to help save the lives of all their pets and find them loving homes.
The shelter, with the help of the BISSEL Pet Foundation, is participating in a statewide effort to âEmpty the Sheltersâ on Saturday, April 29th. The adoption process requires a pre-approved application which can be picked up at the shelter and must be returned by next Thursday, April 27th. Applications are subject to approval by landlords, if the adopter is renting, and verification of current veterinary records for those who already own pets. The only fee for adopters will be the cost of a dog license.
Families who bring home a pet during the event will receive a free AdoptBox as a thank you from the shelter. The AdoptBox is full of treats, toys, and information on how to best care for the new member of the family. The event runs from 11am to 4pm on the 29th, at the shelter, which is located at 418 South Highlander Way, in Howell. (MK)
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Williamston Woman Charged With Stealing From Memorial Statue FundWilliamston Woman Charged With Stealing From Memorial Statue Fund
A Williamston woman is charged with felony embezzlement for allegedly using funds dedicated to a memorial statue to instead fund her personal expenses while working as a former state employee.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced the charges Tuesday against 80-year-old Maria Louisa Mason, the same day she was arraigned in 54A District Court.
Mason is the former Executive Director of the Michigan Hispanic/Latino Commission within the Department of Civil Rights. Schuetteâs Office says a complaint was filed with the Michigan State Police by the Department of Civil Rights after it was suspected that Mason had stolen money that had been given to the state to construct a Cesar Chavez Memorial statue in Lansing. MSP began an investigation that revealed Mason allegedly embezzled over $73,500 from February 2013 until June 2015 before retiring in December 2015.
It is alleged that Mason took State of Michigan money that had been given to the commission to build the memorial statue in Lansing. She arranged to have the funds transferred to a non-profit and a local community center. Mason allegedly had control of the bank accounts for both organizations. Neither used the money for the Chavez statute. Instead, Mason is accused of transferring the funds to her personal accounts and taking numerous cash withdrawals. The monument has not been built.
Mason is free on bond pending a pre-exam conference scheduled for April 27th. (JM)
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Constituents Organize Clothesline Protest Against Congressman Bishop Constituents Organize Clothesline Protest Against Congressman Bishop
Some 8th District constituents have organized a âclothesline protestâ this week to demonstrate how they feel Congressman Mike Bishop is "hanging them out to dry."
A group of Ingham County residents say theyâve been requesting a meeting for with Bishop, who has not held a town hall in the county for more than year. Bishops office has organized a series of listening sessions, including one this Thursday at the American Legion Hall in Stockbridge from 12pm to 4pm.
But the organizers of Thursday's protest say they want an open forum to talk with Bishop and that the listening sessions are too small, closed to the general public, held during work hours on a weekday and in distant locations. As a means of protest, those who canât attend plan to express their frustration on posters hung on clotheslines outside of Thursdayâs session.
Organizer Kirsten Fermaglich tells WHMI those involved in Thursdayâs activities are just everyday people who have a desire to talk with the person who is supposed to represent them in Congress. But Fermaglich believes that while Bishop says heâs coming to listen, really heâs not and is actually closing the doors on the public with the listening sessions. She says they want him to know there are people in the 8th District that want to talk to him and view it as his job to hear them out.
At the end of the session on Thursday, constituents who can attend the protest will deliver a letter to Bishop signed by the many citizens who are frustrated by their exclusion from the democratic process.
A request for comment was left with Bishopâs office. (JM/JK)
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Tornado Drill Today To Coincide With Severe Weather Awareness WeekTornado Drill Today To Coincide With Severe Weather Awareness Week
Livingston County's tornado sirens will be activated this afternoon as part of a test meant to serve as a practice round before real severe weather strikes.
Businesses, organizations, families, and individuals throughout Livingston County are encouraged to engage in a statewide tornado drill at 1pm as a preparedness activity. Officials say itâs an opportunity for everyone to practice their severe weather/tornado safety plan. For those that donât have one, itâs said to be the perfect excuse to make one or have dialogue with love ones about what to do.
The exercise is being done in conjunction with Severe Weather Awareness Week across Michigan. Last year was the lowest amount of severe weather recorded in Southeast Lower Michigan but the state was also tied for the warmest summer on record according to Warning Coordination Meteorologist Rich Pollman with the National Weather Service White Lake Township office. He says thatâs a good reason to brush up on preparedness and safety rules because severe weather will happen and people might not be as in practice as they usually are but there are multiple ways to get severe weather information.
Pollman noted unfortunately, the state is already off to a pretty active start to severe weather season with four tornadoes documented in Michigan in 2017. He says itâs important to know safe places, where to go and ways to get severe weather information. He suggests cleaning out the space underneath basement steps, a typical storage spot, and keep an emergency preparedness kit on hand. Pollman says on average the National Weather Service gives a 13 minute lead time with tornado warnings and 20-25 minutes for severe thunderstorms.
Further information about how to prepare and details on this afternoons 1pm tornado safety drill are available through the link. (JM)
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Local Volunteers To Be Recognized During National Volunteer WeekLocal Volunteers To Be Recognized During National Volunteer Week
A local program will honor the communityâs volunteers next week as part of a national movement.
Volunteer Livingston, a program of the Livingston County United Way, will celebrate the dedication of area volunteers during National Volunteer Week. April 23rd through the 29th is an opportunity to celebrate the impact volunteer service has on the community.
Volunteer Livingston says people are brought together through volunteerism to tackle tough challenges, promote change and build a stronger community. The organization wants to extend their thanks to the communityâs change makers. Volunteer Livingston believes it is their stories that inspire others to take action and discover the power in uniting to make a difference. (DK)
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Hartland Figure Skaters Competing In 2017 Nations' CupHartland Figure Skaters Competing In 2017 Nations' Cup
Local figure skaters will a take to the ice and compete against an international field in Ann Arbor this week.
The 2017 Nationsâ Cup is coming to Yost Ice Arena beginning Thursday and running through the weekend. The Nationsâ Cup is a theatre-on-ice event where teams of 14-20 men and women compete in a new discipline of figure skating that aims more at entertaining and being creative than rigorous technical merit. The Harmony Theatre Company from Hartland will be a hometown favorite throughout the weekend with multiple teams having qualified.
Company General Manager Heather Olson said the United States invites the top 3 teams from the previous yearâs Nationals to the following yearâs Nationsâ Cup. The Harmony Theater Company swept the 2016 national championships and will have a team competing in each of the four divisions; novice, junior, senior, and adult. They will compete against approximately 35 teams from six countries including France, Russia, and Australia. Olson compared the performances that will be put on to being like a miniature 6-minute Disney-on-Ice event, full of costumes and props all meant to entertain.
More information on the event can be found online through the link below. (MK)
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Caroline Street Extension To Begin In FentonCaroline Street Extension To Begin In Fenton
A long awaited road project in Fenton is about to come to fruition.
Plans to extend Caroline Street are currently being finalized in hopes of creating a much smoother traffic flow. This extension will expand in between Leroy and Walnut, where a street was once located back in the 1970s before being removed for urban renewal. The Fenton Downtown Development Authority looked into this project last year and their patience in waiting another year to pursue it ended up saving them money. Chairman of the DDA, Craig Schmidt, stated that after only receiving one bid to complete this project in 2016, this year they received a total of four. Schmidt said the bid they received last year was approximately $65,000 more than what they settled for this year. Schmidt said âitâs just one small block, but itâs really needed.â He said they have been wanting to do it for a while, and finally have the funds to make it happen.
The lowest bid was slightly over $326-thousand and was placed by Champaign and Marks Excavating Inc. This project is expected to begin within the next four weeks with the goal of being finished by early September. (DF)
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US-23 Bridge Work Set To ResumeUS-23 Bridge Work Set To Resume
US-23 bridge repairs will resume this weekend in Livingston County.
The project originally started last September as part of a $2.2 million investment by the Michigan Department of Transportation. Starting Sunday, there will be nightly, single lane closures on northbound US-23 between Clyde Road and Faussett Road between 7:30pm and 10am each day through May 3rd. Then starting the following Sunday, April 30th, there will be a single lane closure on the White Lake Road bridge at US-23 until May 14th. A temporary traffic signal will be used to maintain traffic on the bridge.
MDOT officials say the repairs are "capital preventative maintenance" designed to extend the life of the structures as long as possible. The bridge improvements include deck patching and overlay, beam repair, substructure patching, painting, slope repair and replacement, and approach work. All of the work and related closures are weather dependent. (JK)
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LACASA-Sponsored Events Raise Awareness About Sexual AssaultLACASA-Sponsored Events Raise Awareness About Sexual Assault
April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the Howell LACASA Center is working to dispel myths and misconceptions through several educational events.
LACASA promotes awareness about sexual assault each year and will once again contribute to their campaign with some annual events. One is the Clothesline Project, which is returning to local libraries for its 19th year. Clotheslines hung at the libraries throughout the month will display t-shirts decorated by local abuse victims to convey a message about their personal experience.
Another yearly happening is Denim Day, which will be held on Wednesday, April 26th. Denim Day is an international movement that stems from an overturned rape conviction by an Italian Supreme Court. Judges determined because the victim in the case had tight jeans on, she must have helped her rapist remove them, implying consent. The overturned conviction triggered outrage across the globe and kicked off Denim Day, where the community wears jeans to draw attention to the issue of victim blaming and the meaning of consent.
Then on May 5th, LACASA will present a screening of the film Audrie & Daisy at the Historic Howell Theater at 7pm. The documentary focuses on sexual assault in the high school setting and its impact on victims and the community, which LACASA Community Education Director Nicole Matthews-Creech says is a relevant issue.
Creech says the more conversations that are sparked, the better prepared a community will be to prevent and appropriately respond to sexual assault. She feels this is a way for individuals, groups, and businesses to show support for survivors, and eliminate myths about sexual assault and consent. More information about these events can be found through the link below. (DK)
Photo: LACASA
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As Lawsuit Proceeds, Brighton Twp. Looks To Update Sewer Action Plan As Lawsuit Proceeds, Brighton Twp. Looks To Update Sewer Action Plan
Both Brighton Township officials and residents are looking for an update regarding the municipalityâs sanitary sewer system.
On Monday, the townshipâs Board of Trustees had a brief discussion in which they indicated theyâd like Manager Brian Vick to resurrect the sewer systemâs action plan, which was created in 2004. Vick plans to add recent data to show the steps that have been taken and decisions that have been made regarding the operation and maintenance of the system. The system was built in 2003 based on projections that indicated a user increase, however the recession hit and growth stagnated which affected the capacity at which the system currently runs at. Vick tells WHMI this is an issue heâd like to address when updating the plan, which he feels will be a work in progress.
However system user Bob Potocki says, âReviving the 2004 action plan is 13 years late and about $15 million dollars short.â Potocki is a long-time critic of the system and one of the users represented in a class-action lawsuit against Brighton Township which challenges sewer assessments being made. A motion to dismiss that lawsuit was recently denied in Livingston County Circuit Court. A group of residents have not only questioned multiple aspects of the sewer system, but also relative actions taken by township officials. Potocki says, âThe cover-up, lies, and continuous price increases are not going to stop until someone does something.â He feels the business plan for the system was hopeless and ââ¦so full of pork from the very beginning that it had to fail.â
At Mondayâs meeting, resident Mike Palmer stated that the board has failed to enforce an ordinance that requires residents within a certain distance to hook up to the system. Palmer says not enforcing the ordinance was a âpolitical issueâ and that through âincompetent leadershipâ the board has ââ¦failed to do their fiduciary duty.â
A Brighton Township Sewer Ad Hoc Creditors Committee will be holding a meeting this Saturday from 9:30 to 11am at the Brighton Area Fire Authorityâs Station 32 on Old US 23. According to the committee, the meeting will serve to answer system users or interested community membersâ questions, and will provide access to related legal documents. (DK)
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Community Pizza Party Friday Night To Benefit Relay For Life Community Pizza Party Friday Night To Benefit Relay For Life
An all-you-can-eat pizza event to benefit Relay for Life of Livingston County is planned Friday.
Community members are encouraged to take the night off from cooking to support the American Cancer Societyâs Relay for Life. Local pizza places will provide different pies so that attendees can vote for the best pizza in Livingston County in 2017. Attendees can also learn more about the Relay for Life event in August.
In recent years, separate events have been held in Brighton, Hartland and Fowlerville but all three will combine into one this year at the Howell High School Freshman Campus.
Pizza Palooza will run from 6 to 8 this Friday in the Howell High School cafeteria. The event is open house style so pizza will be served until close. The cost is $10 per person, $5 for students. Water, soda, salad and breadsticks are included. Cancer survivors registered for Relay for Life and kids under 4 eat for free.
Details are available through the link. (JM)
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Man Receives Prison For Role In Numerous Car Break-InsMan Receives Prison For Role In Numerous Car Break-Ins
A New Hudson man has been sentenced on charges connected to an organized crime ring of car break-ins.
25-year-old John Garcia-Stowe was one of two men convicted in what police say was a rash of car break-ins last August. Garcia-Stowe and 20-year-old Deionte Glass, also of New Hudson, were arrested after police became suspicious of several cars with their dome lights on in a Brighton neighborhood. Personal items were strewn throughout the vehicles.
Hamburg Police reportedly searched the residence of one of the suspects, where they recovered hundreds of items believed to have been stolen by the pair. They were both sentenced late last year to jail time and probation. Garcia-Stowe was later charged in two more break-ins, which also occurred last August. Last month, he pleaded to various charges including third degree home invasion, larceny from a motor vehicle, larceny of a firearm and receiving and concealing a stolen firearm.
On Monday, Garcia-Stowe was sentenced to one and a half to ten years in the Michigan Department of Corrections. As part of his plea deal, prosecutors also required he make restitution in the amount of $4,496. (DK)
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Glow Run To Raise Funds For Specialized Food Service TrainingGlow Run To Raise Funds For Specialized Food Service Training
An event next week will literally bring a glow to participants as they run in support of a local organization trying to help the disabled.
100% of the proceeds of the 3rd annual Torch 180 Glow 5k Run & Walk on Friday, April 28th will assist in providing food-industry training and employment for people who have disabilities. Torch 180 co-founder Rhonda Callanan says the all-ages event is perfect for all fitness levels including people who just want to have some fun and support a great cause.
The run, which is being put on for Torch 180 by the Howell High School Interact Club, will include hundreds of dollars of free prizes scattered throughout the course, as well glow stations that will help the runners light up the night. There will also be live music and a chance to walk through The Torch food truck. The money that is raised will help Torch 180 pay for the commercial kitchen they need to host the training courses that will ultimately help disabled residents find jobs in the food industry. (JK)
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Residents Against Rover Pipeline Expand Fight Through Strategy and SupportResidents Against Rover Pipeline Expand Fight Through Strategy and Support
A grassroots organization working to halt construction of the ET Rover Pipeline is broadening offensive and defensive strategies in their fight.
Members of the group, ET Rover Go Home, say though construction has already begun, theyâre not giving up their fight. The ET Rover Pipeline is a 42-inch natural gas underground pipeline slated to run through portions of Putnam Township and the Huron River Watershed. ET Rover Go Home met Wednesday night to communicate where they are at in their fight against the project and what comes next.
Media Team Coordinator Cady Johnson says the group is focused on keeping their social media updated and working with a lawyer to pose legal challenges that they hope will slow the project down. Johnson says the group also wants to connect with residents impacted by the pipeline and encourage them to be vigilant of how the project is proceeding. ET Rover Go Home is urging residents against the pipeline to submit comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to halt the projectâs construction and be aware of any tree-clearing as the deadline for cutting trees was March 31st.
Shannon Abbott of the Grand Rapids Water Protectors and Camp Promise also attended the meeting to vocalize her support. The GRWP is a group of citizens that began educating the community about the Dakota Access Pipeline and plans for it to pass through the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. They then expanded their awareness efforts to local and statewide water issues.
Abbott says people are ready to stand and fight with the community against the ET Rover Pipeline, but first she wants to know how the community would like to go about doing that. Abbott says that could include educational community events or setting up non-violent, peaceful protesting camps to ââ¦make it as difficult as possible for the pipeline to come through.â Once Abbott identifies how the community wants to move forward, she plans to offer support in facilitating those efforts.
ET Rover Go Home plans to meet again May 2nd from 6 to 8pm at the Hamburg Township Library and encourages concerned community members to attend. (DK)
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Local Judge's Affair With Murder Trial Detective Getting International AttentionLocal Judge's Affair With Murder Trial Detective Getting International Attention
The sexual affair involving a Livingston County judge and the lead detective in an Oceola Township double homicide has now made international headlines.
The Japanese-based morning television show Tokodane is airing today a news segment featuring the case of 53rd District Court Judge Theresa Brennan, whose divorce case has unearthed an ongoing affair with Michigan State Police Lt. Sean Furlong, who was the lead detective and prosecution witness during the 2013 murder trial of Jerome Kowalski, who was charged in the murders of his brother and sister-in-law in their Lyngre Drive home in 2008. Kowalski was convicted and sentenced to life in prison by Judge Brennan based on a confession he made to Lt. Furlong, who has admitted that he and the judge were engaged in a sexual affair, although they insist it didn't begin until after the trial. But filings in the divorce case allege it began as early as 2009 and that phone records show Brennan and Furlong spoke extensively during the trial, which has been described as a violation of judicial ethics by Brennan for contacting a witness during a murder trial.
Scott Filipski is the Senior Producer for Fuji TV, which produces the Tokodane show. Speaking from New York, he explained why the case had caught their attention. "I guess the fact that a judge was involved in what appears to be a an inappropriate relationship and how that may very well have had a tremendous impact on the case of Mr. Kowalski, a man currently incarcerated for this double murder charge. That seemed very interesting and we said, 'Okay, let's look into it deeper.'" Filipski says they have also interviewed Jared Kowalski, Jerome Kowalskiâs son, about the case as well as local attorney Tom Kizer, who represented Brennanâs ex-husband Donald Root in the divorce case.
Meanwhile, several investigations are thought to be underway involving the relationship between Brennan and Furlong, including by the State Police for possible criminal wrongdoing as well as by the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission, although neither of those agencies have confirmed that. (JK)
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Lahring Road Bridge Demolition This Weekend, Closures On US-23 Lahring Road Bridge Demolition This Weekend, Closures On US-23
Motorists can expect weekend closures on US-23 as part of repair work to the Lahring Road bridge.
The Michigan Department of Transportation is investing $535,000 in repairs to the Lahring Road bridge over US-23 due to damage sustained last June during a high-load hit. The project got underway this week and includes some demolition, beam replacement and deck repairs.
M-DOT Spokeswoman Jocelyn Hall says crews demolished the portion of the bridge over the top of the area where the two beams were damaged.
US-23 traffic is being maintained with single-lane closures while Lahring Road over US-23 has only one lane open using a temporary signal. Lahring Road traffic will continue to be maintained with temporary signals and full closures when necessary.
The estimated completion date is sometime in May, before the start of the summer tourism season. (JM)
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Tea Party Activist Files Another Complaint Against Hartland SchoolsTea Party Activist Files Another Complaint Against Hartland Schools
A Tea Party activist has filed another campaign-finance complaint against the Hartland Consolidated Schools district.
Wes Nakagiri alleges the district has been using taxpayer funded facilities to advocate a yes vote on a sinking fund proposal to appear on the May ballot. He filed two Michigan Campaign Finance Act complaints with the Bureau of Elections after the district denied two Freedom of Information Act or FOIA requests in which he sought to access the district website and email to distribute his opposing viewpoints.
The latest complaint filed alleges the Board of Education distributed a mass mailing expressly advocating a yes vote. He further alleges it did not include an identification statement and a ballot question committee was not formed. The complaint is attached, which includes the board letter stating members are reaching out as concerned citizens, not part of any official board action.
Superintendent Chuck Hughes tells WHMI they believe that they have provided appropriate information to their constituents. Officials maintain the proposal is not a tax hike but a net zero increase since the board has agreed to lower the districtâs debt levy if the proposal passes. The sinking fund is described as a pay-as-you-go method to repair and maintain aging buildings. The funds would be used for repairs, security enhancement, remodeling and technology.
Secretary of State Spokesman Fred Woodhams says the Bureau of Elections has asked the school district to respond to Nakagiriâs first campaign-finance complaint and is still reviewing the second one. He says the district has 15 business days to respond after the letter went out and then Nakagiri will have 10 business days to submit a rebuttal. Woodhams says elections staff then will consider the evidence and decide if they have reason to believe a violation occurred. (JM)
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Hearing To Determine Whether Dog Involved In Fatal Attack Should Be EuthanizedHearing To Determine Whether Dog Involved In Fatal Attack Should Be Euthanized
A dog said to be responsible for killing another dog could be put down.
31-year-old Zackery Bradley of Howell is scheduled to arraigned April 27th on three counts of dogs running at large and four counts for failure to license dogs in the home.
The charges stem from the February 25th incident, when Roni Evans was walking her shih tzu and maltipoo in the city of Howell. Bradleyâs three dogs, a pit bull, pit bull-husky mix and a cane corso, allegedly attacked Evanâs dogs. The shih tzu survived the attack but underwent several surgeries. The maltipoo died from his injuries.
Mia, Bradleyâs pit bull-husky mix, is reportedly responsible for the death of the maltipoo. Following an expert evaluation of Mia, her fate will be left up to Magistrate Jerry Sherwood. Livingston County Animal Control is handling the case and a hearing has been scheduled for May 4th to determine whether Mia is dangerous and should be euthanized. (DK)
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