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Tele-Town Hall Held On Michigan's Auto Insurance Reform LawsTele-Town Hall Held On Michigan's Auto Insurance Reform Laws

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By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com A tele-town hall event Wednesday focused on upcoming changes to Michigan’s auto insurance system. Republican State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township hosted the event and was joined by Representative Jason Wentworth of Farewell, who served as chairman of the House Select Committee on Reducing Car Insurance Rates. Michigan has had some of the highest auto insurance rates in the county for years but come July, people will have a choice. Under a deal negotiated last year between the GOP-led legislature and Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the annual fee for the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, which all drivers must pay, will drop by at least $120 per car. Starting July 2nd, drivers can select from a number of different options for personal injury protection, or PIP. People can also opt-out of the PIP premium completely if they have supplemental insurance and choose to have private insurance cover an auto accident but they need to confirm it actually covers auto. Depending on the policy, that could result in be a savings of 40% to 50%. The majority of the tele-town hall was spent taking questions from callers from Brighton, Pinckney, South Lyon, Hamburg, Howell and Green Oak Township. Many callers had already talked to their insurance agents but still had questions. Wentworth said the reform legislation now provides a choice for people who don’t want to pay for those benefits for whatever reason or perhaps don’t drive as much or a senior citizen. He said people were mandated to purchase that benefit by state law and it’s expensive and feels it forces people to drive un-insured. Bollin noted there is some risk to changing policies. She said various factors need to be taken into consideration such as someone’s personal situation and budget, how much they drive and where they drive and the risk they’re willing to take. People are still required by law to have insurance. Wentworth said he thinks the reform opens up the market to people who have never been able to afford insurance for the last 40 years – adding they’ve found it became a generational problem over the decades for many people. Wentworth said he believes many people are driving without insurance because they can’t afford it but the reforms offer affordable options to people and time to buy insurance where they won’t get penalized. There will be a window for un-insured drivers to purchase policies without being penalized for not having it. He stated Michigan has the most expensive auto insurance in the country and the new law gives people an affordable option to purchase so he thinks that will drive people into the market. Wentworth added he thinks people want to drive legally and this gives them an opportunity to afford an option that fits their budget with a significant level of coverage. Caller Darren from Brighton questioned the ramifications of driving without insurance and if the reform legislation addressed that. He stated it’s good to have incentives for people to participate with the affordability aspect but the ramifications are too serious for people to not be participating and if they’re involved in something catastrophic, there needs to be consequences. Wentworth said no changes made to penalties to related driving without insurance in the reform package although they could revisit that in the future. He said they chose to focus more on the fraud authority to encourage better coordination between law enforcement and the Secretary of State and really put an emphasis on ramping down fraud. Wentworth acknowledged they are giving people without insurance an incentive almost but they’re also giving them a grace period to get insured so they’re not being penalized for driving around without insurance and then trying to obtain it but the price is so high they can’t afford it again. Caller Barbara from Brighton raised questions about the amount of insurance related lawsuits and if the reforms will help put an end to that. Wentworth stated when the mandate was first passed in the 1970’s it was designed to lower lawsuits but that wasn’t the case and now over 40% of the court docket across the state is made up of no-fault cases because people are so quick to sue. Wentworth said they’ve provided a lot of attorney reforms that are significant in the legislation to prevent that from happening in the future. Cost controls were also enacted so insurance companies are on a fee schedule and can only charge so much. Wentworth said that way fraud becomes less rampant because there’s not as much money to be made on the system – saying right now there’s an unlimited check book for trial attorneys to go after and they’re good at it. Wentworth says the reform law closes those loopholes and also increases the fraud unit and their capabilities of investigating and prosecuting fraud. He says more people will be partnering with law enforcement to make sure not just drivers but auto insurance companies and healthcare providers don’t scam the system. Bollin and Wentworth encouraged people to get educated about their choices and contact their insurance agents. People can keep the same insurance provider and coverage but both lawmakers recommend people shop as the reforms have created a market disruption in the state. Wentworth said there are a lot of new entrants into the market looking competitively to pick up new customers – stressing other companies are out there and hungry for new Michigan customers who haven’t bought insurance or are looking for different coverage. Wentworth noted companies have already started filing rates and the average reduction in the PIP portion of premium is 16.5 % if people keep what have. The mandated rate reduction is 10% but he said they’re already seeing higher savings. Any constituents with questions about the upcoming reforms are encouraged to contact Bollin’s office by calling (517) 373-1784 or by email at AnnBollin@house.mi.gov.

Summer Reading Challenge Goes OnlineSummer Reading Challenge Goes Online

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By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com The Brighton District Library’s annual Summer Reading Challenge is going virtual this year. In an effort to reach as many families and individuals as possible, the Brighton Library is moving their yearly summer program online. The 2020 Summer Reading Challenge theme is “Imagine Your Story.” It will draw on fairy tales, mystical lands, and make-believe. This year, the Brighton Library is partnering with Beanstack- an online reading program. Participants can sign up, log in when it’s convenient, and track their reading and completed activities. Each completed activity enters the summer reader into weekly and grand prize drawings. Fun challenges will be available for each age group from young, to teen, to adult. The program runs from June 14th through August 8th, and all events will be available through Zoom, Facebook Live, or YouTube. Registration begins June 14th at www.brightonlibrary.beanstack.org A big kick-off is scheduled for Monday June 15th, when the Library will host entertainer Mat Emerick. Emerick performs an all-ages show with juggling, miming, and funny stories. Registration for this event begins June 1st. Visit www.brightonlibrary.evanced.info/signup to register and view virtual program details. Carla Sharp, Head of Youth Services at the Brighton District Library, says that now more ever summer reading can play an important role in helping to promote and maintain literacy skills, gain knowledge through library resources, and encourage reading for enjoyment.

South Lyon City Council Approves First Tax AbatementSouth Lyon City Council Approves First Tax Abatement

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By Mike Kruzman / news@gmail.com A tax abatement will help transform a well-known South Lyon building into a new eating establishment. Earlier this year South Lyon City Council approved an ordinance that allows for the creation of tax abatements. At this week’s online meeting, according to Hometownlife.com, Council approved the city’s first commercial rehabilitation tax exemption certificate. The certificate is being awarded to Dan Schwegler for his building, the RCA building, located at 135 East Lake Street. Schwegler asked for a 4-year abatement, saying that it would help him recoup costs that include complete renovations on the ground level and the installation of a new elevator. Council approved the exemption for 3 years, with the fourth year added if the value of Schwegler’s investments to the property are determined to be more than $1.5-million. Schewegler said he expects to be near the $2-million range by the time the project is finished. He said the idea to turn the old electronics repair shop into a restaurant came from former Downtown Development Authority Director Bob Donohue. Schewgler said he bought into Donohue’s vision that that a restaurant in that location would enhance the downtown South Lyon area. He hopes to have the site rehabilitated and the project finished by next spring. The tax exemption certificate still needs to be approved by the state. (Photo- Googlemaps)

Brighton School District Saves $30 Million On Bond RefinancingBrighton School District Saves $30 Million On Bond Refinancing

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By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com By any stretch of the imagination the recent bond sale conducted by the Brighton Area Schools was wildly successful. According to Assistant Superintendent Michael Engelter, the district - and therefore district taxpayers - will be saving millions of dollars on each of the three transactions. The reason for the significant savings is that the Brighton Area Schools jumped two positions in its credit rating with Moody’s Investors Service, a top American credit rating agency - to “A-3”. The most recent bond issue was the $59 million bond issue that passed last November, which will be used for numerous school improvements, mostly beginning in 2021. Engelter says the bonds were sold at between 1.02% and 2.79% interest - better than the district anticipated and saving the district $25 million over the life of the bonds. The district also refinanced the $89 million bond issue that passed in 2012, getting a 1.02% to 2.84% interest rate - a gross saving of $5.39 million in interest over the life of the bonds. Finally, the district refinanced its $48 million debt to the Michigan School Loan Revolving Fund. Whereas the state charges an interest rate of 3.1%, going to the bond market to refinance the loan reduced the interest rate to 0.934 % in one series and 1.28% interest in a different series. The net result is a savings of $2.59 million for district taxpayers. Engelter says he is “extremely happy” with the results of the bond sale and refinancing, remarking that it is more evidence of the district's continued financial rebound. In his words, “We’ve come a long way.” Overshadowing all of this, of course, is the expected cut in per-pupil funding from the state due to the COVID-19 shutdown and the effect on Michigan’s economy.

BAS Approves Purchase Of Chromebooks & AccessoriesBAS Approves Purchase Of Chromebooks & Accessories

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By Jon King - jking@whmi.com At its meeting this week, the Brighton Area Schools Board of Education approved the purchase of 1,900 Dell Chromebooks at a cost of $340,000 to replace Chromebooks purchased from 2012 to 2014. On a related note, the board also approved purchase of 18 Dell Chromebook cart-bundles for $145,000 and Google chrome management licenses for about $61,000. In explaining the reason for the needed purchase, Superintendent Greg Gray said the old Chromebooks are becoming outmoded with the development of new technology. The Chromebooks will be used to “replace and supplement the overall inventory” of Chromebooks in the school district. The items, with a total price tag of over $545,000, are being purchased with bond issue proceeds. Photo - Pexels.com

New Pedestrian Crosswalks Possible In Downtown HowellNew Pedestrian Crosswalks Possible In Downtown Howell

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By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com Some pedestrian crossings could possibly be installed in downtown Howell as part of a larger repaving project that will be starting up soon. The Michigan Department of Transportation will be repaving Grand River in the downtown area in June, with work to be done in zones starting at Highlander Way and then moving east. The project also involves some improvements to ADA ramps at intersections, the landings and sidewalks in-between. With that work already scheduled, City staff has been working with MDOT’s Brighton Transportation Service Center about possibly adding some pedestrian crossing points along the route downtown. The Brighton TSC was said to be open to the idea of allowing mid-block crossings, including pedestrian refuge islands. After much review, City staff is proposing three different locations. At a recent virtual meeting, City Council reviewed the different locations and conceptual details for the proposed islands/crossings - which members felt would be a great addition to the downtown. The locations are on West Grand River, between Chestnut and Center in front of the Howell Carnegie District Library; on East Grand River between State Street and Court; and on East Grand River in front of City Hall. The crossing between State Street and Court Street would be closer to Court because at least 300 feet needs to be maintained from the traffic signal at Michigan Avenue. Interim Director of Public Services Matt Davis told Council that there will be some parking trade-off for the proposed crossing locations in front of the Library and Court Street. Davis said because of the on-street parking, curb bump-outs would need to be installed in the parking area to help safeguard pedestrians and get them to a point where they can see past any parked cars and see oncoming traffic. He noted the City would end up losing eight total parking spaces from those locations as part of the two proposed islands. Davis told Council the islands can be constructed and finished in different ways with different possible layouts and possible plantings. Council ultimately approved a motion for the proposed mid-block crossing locations and authorized staff to continue to work with MDOT to gain approval for installation. If things proceed favorably, then final design plans would be brought back for approval, prior to installation.

Salvation Army Adapting To Evolving Community NeedsSalvation Army Adapting To Evolving Community Needs

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By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com The Salvation Army of Livingston County is continuing to meet multiple community needs during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. As soon as the pandemic hit Livingston County in March and families began to be impacted, the local Corps immediately switched gears. Major Prezza Morrison says they created new programs to ensure people were receiving food and adjusting their current services to safely continue assisting those in need. Speaking on WHMI's Viewpoint program Sunday, Morrison said they have flexibility with programming and can revamp if needed to make sure services aren’t being duplicated but the local Corps has had a strong emphasis on feeding programs. It has been providing meals through the Summer Lunch Bunch program in addition to other food assistance, helped out the school system with lunches and breakfasts and started a food home delivery service - all while still providing their regular programs and services such as utility, rent and shelter assistance. The new Mobile Lunch Program has already served 6366 prepared meals in just 45 days and will continue serving prepared meals daily until June 5th. The partnership with Howell Public Schools has provided 622 kids with 9084 pounds of food to help with breakfast, lunch and snacks. In addition to onsite food pantry services and “drive-through” pick up assistance, the new pantry delivery program was recently added. The Corps is also providing increased shelter assistance, providing 850 bed nights to 200 families experiencing homelessness. In addition to the many hours of service provided, Morrison says they’ve received financial support to help with the approximately $50,000 of added expenses for the new and increased services. She says they could not have done it alone and thanked the 267 volunteers that have provided over 735 valuable hours to help others. Morrison says community needs are constantly evolving and changing, almost on a weekly basis, so they keep switching gears to adjust and be flexible to serve people with whatever needs they might have. She says they’re blessed to be part of such a close knit, collaborative community and everyone works very well together to serve people the best they can. Morrison said individuals, organizations and companies possibly struggling themselves have stepped up and supported the local Corps financially – adding things like food, toilet paper and other hard to find items have shown up at their doorstep. Morrison further thanked all of the volunteers and donors, noting people have come out of their homes with masks and gloves to volunteer every time they ask. Morrison says the many helping hands have ensured that families all over Livingston County have been taken care of. She added the challenge is far from over though and support is and will be needed throughout the entire pandemic to ensure struggling families, senior citizens and individuals are taken care of. Morrison says donations of pantry and personal care items are being sought to continue to help serve those in need. She noted personal care and feminine items go fast, along with things like cleaning supplies, detergent and dish soap because bridge cards don’t cover those. Morrison says it’s important they provide that so people can then focus on food and other needs. More information on community needs and how to support various programs and services can be found in the attached press release.

Free Virtual Tax Prep Offered To Low-Income County ResidentsFree Virtual Tax Prep Offered To Low-Income County Residents

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By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com Free tax preparation is again being offered to low-income Livingston County residents but through a new electronic process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Accounting Aid Society has long offered preparation and filing of federal, state and city income taxes for free, along with various credits. Amended returns can also be done. There is no age limitation and the only eligibility requirement is that household annual income be less than $56,000, which includes tax-able and non-taxable. John Dillon is a longtime volunteer and site coordinator for the various Livingston County locations that are typically held during tax season such as local libraries and senior centers. He says the Accounting Aid Society was forced to shut down all sites in mid-March and they already had many clients scheduled. He says they wanted to work out a way to continue to serve clients as most are low income and receive returns and credits, which could be helpful during this time when many are unemployed or facing other difficulties. He says the AAS has developed a virtual process in which everything is done electronically online. It’s titled VITA or Volunteer Income Tax Assistants, which is a nation-wide program for the IRS. He says they’ve now put an ACE designation behind it - which stands for Accessible, Convenient and Electronic. Dillon noted that within Michigan, AAS is the lead unit in implementing this new process of having tax preparers complete returns from home electronically. Dillon says they have well trained preparers who are very familiar with tax law and take classes and exams every year, which is required by the IRS. He said it’s taken some time to get things set up because the IRS had to approve all of the processes and make sure everything is secure. He says Livingston County is the first group of AAS preparers to implement it and things have been going well, and preparers have been doing around 50 returns a week. Dillon says there are always start-up issues and a lot of new questions but things will move quicker once everyone gets more familiar with the process and retrieving files and information. Dillon noted this year’s tax filing deadline was extended to July 15th due to the national pandemic. Clients can schedule an appointment via phone or online and someone will call them back and go through everything all of the tax information they need to provide. Since it’s an electronic process though Dillon says clients will need a smart phone, tablet or computer to scan or photograph documents and have an email account to provide information through a secure location to the interviewer. Dillon noted the process goes a little bit slower than when meeting with clients face-to-face as in the past. He says there’s a detailed intake interview process with various questions. Once everything is provided, everything is put on a protected website with AAS that tax preparers can access from home – including password protection and virus protection. Once the tax return is prepared, Dillon says an interviewer will get back to the client by phone, review the return and go over everything in detail. The client then electronically signs their return and it gets filed. Those interested can set up an appointment by phone at 844-806-5780 or visit the provided web link.

Habitat For Humanity ReStore Re-OpeningHabitat For Humanity ReStore Re-Opening

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By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com The Livingston County Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore is re-opening with new policies for safety. Habitat for Humanity ReStores are non-profit home improvement stores and donation centers. Customers can find new and gently used furniture, appliances, home accessories, and building materials at fraction of the retail price. This Tuesday, the Genoa Township location is reopening with additional hours and policies. Masks will be required for all customers with the exception of those who are medically unable to wear one. Habitat for Humanity is asking that, if possible, limit the party shopping to 2 people. Finally, only 10 people will be allowed to shop in the store at one time, so there may be a waiting period upon arrival. News times are as follows: The ReStore will be open from 11am until 5pm Tuesdays through Fridays, from 10am to 3pm on Saturdays, and closed Sundays and Mondays. Donations will be accepted from noon to 4pm Tuesdays through Fridays, and from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays. Those wishing to donate are asked to stay in their car and staff and volunteers will be available to unload the items. The Livingston County Habitat for Humanity ReStore is located at 7198 Grand River Avenue.

County Extends Pay To Non-Essential WorkersCounty Extends Pay To Non-Essential Workers

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By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com Livingston County Commissioners approved, but were split on the decision to continue pay and benefits to non-essential county employees. With last week’s extension of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order moving out to June 12th, came the need for the Board of Commissioners to make the decision. As the county’s legal counsel, Rich McNulty explained during Commissioner’s latest online meeting, this applies to the subset of county employees who are not authorized to work in person, or telecommute. He presented the Board with 3 options: Option 1 to continue pay as long as the employees are ready to return to work when allowed; Option 2- instruct elected officials and department heads to reduce staff and payrolls; and Option 3; have officials and departments heads evaluate if more people could be brought back. A motion was on the table for Option 1. Much of the discussion period, however, was spent with Commissioners asking McNulty about lawsuits against the Governor and the validity of two conflicting statutes that she is drawing on for use of her Executive Order powers. A 1945 statute grants the governor emergency powers with no-timeline, while a 1976 statute grants broader powers, but requires legislative approval after 28 days. McNulty advised the prudent thing for the county to do is to wait on the courts to decide on the legitimacy of her orders under the statutes. For now, the Executive Orders are considered to be lawful. Commissioner Wes Nakagiri compared Livingston County’s COVID-19 numbers to others in northern Michigan that have already been opened and questioned whether the county could sue the governor on the grounds that her standards for opening up counties is arbitrary. McNulty said they could sue, but it wouldn’t be easy to win. He the issue is that decisions of this type are done on a “rationally related” standard (is the decision rationally related to the goal?), which is the lowest of a number of different standards. McNulty said it is such a low standard that such a challenge would face significant hurdles. The Board then voted on the resolution to continue paying appropriate non-essential employees until the sooner of the expiration of the executive orders, court or legal action superseding such orders, or the revocation of this resolution by the Board. It passed 5-3. Commissioners Gary Childs, Kate Lawrence, Bill Green, Bob Bezotte, and Carol Griffith were in favor. Commissioners Nakagiri, Doug Helzerman, and Jay Gross voted against.

Snyder Disqualified From 8th District GOP PrimarySnyder Disqualified From 8th District GOP Primary

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By Jon King / jking@whmi.com And then there were four. One of the five Republican candidates vying for the GOP nomination to the 8th District Congressional race has been disqualified from running due to a lack of valid petition signatures. Last week, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers approved a recommendation to disqualify Nikki Snyder from appearing on the August 4th ballot. Snyder, from Dexter, is a member of the State Board of Education. An inspection of her signatures indicated that of the 507 which were submitted, 63 were invalid. That left only 444 valid signatures with 500 the minimum needed for inclusion on the ballot. The report found that of the 63 invalidated signatures, 56 were for “Jurisdiction errors”, in which either the signer listed a municipality outside the district, an unknown municipality or gave a dual entry. Two others either had no date listed or a date later than the circulator’s date of signing, while 3 signatures had no address given. Two more were invalidated due to a damaged petition sheet. A request for comment from Snyder has yet to be returned. Her disqualification leaves four candidates now vying for the GOP nomination; East Lansing Attorney Kristina Lyke, Paul Junge, a former Fox 47 News anchor who also worked at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, Howell resident Mike Detmer and Marine Corps Veteran Alan Hoover. The winner of the primary will take on Incumbent Democrat Elissa Slotkin in November.

Police Say Threat Is Just "Social Media Chatter"Police Say Threat Is Just "Social Media Chatter"

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By Jon King / jking@whmi.com Following protests and confrontations with police across the country over the death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis Police custody, social media threats to cause violence in Livingston County appear to be no more than online bluster. In a press release issued Sunday morning on behalf of all Livingston County law enforcement, Sheriff Mike Murphy thanked “citizens for bringing to our attention the recent social media chatter about “burning down Howell.” Murphy said they were in the process of doing threat assessments on the posts, but that, “it appears none are credible.” The “chatter” in question appears to have begun with a tweet that states, “the first city to burn in michigan should be Howell, all in favor say I”. It received several thousand likes and retweets before the account holder removed it and then later deleted their account. However, it was quickly reposted across Twitter and Facebook with many area residents reacting unfavorably. Some tried to distance the city from its reputation as being unfriendly to people of color, while others openly discussed using firearms to deter anyone from carrying out such a threat. The nationwide protests began in Minneapolis after the Memorial Day death of George Floyd, who was arrested on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. Derick Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, kept his knee on the right side of Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes, despite the fact that he was handcuffed and not resisting. Chauvin has since been charged with 3rd degree murder and manslaughter. In the message from Sheriff Murphy, he continues, “As your Livingston County Law Enforcement Officials, our goal is, and always has been, the protection and safety of our residents. We know the posts do not represent the mentality of our residents. The police - public relationship and mutual respect we have for each other in this county is second to none and no one wants to jeopardize that. “

Northfield Township Agrees To Sale Of Old Fire HouseNorthfield Township Agrees To Sale Of Old Fire House

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By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com A long-vacant firehouse in Northfield Township has been sold to an award winning developer for redevelopment. The Old Fire Station at 75 Barker Road in Whitmore Lake has been vacant for many years as multiple township boards have considered what the property’s fate should be. At their latest meeting, the current Northfield Township Board of Trustees authorized the Township Manager and Attorney to move forward with a purchase agreement and a Development Agreement for the sale of the property to Munger Ventures, for $112,500. Supervisor Marlene Chockley said that Munger Ventures is known for really high quality development. She and Downtown Development Authority Chair Barbara Griffith-Walters met its president and namesake, Robert Munger at a Michigan Downtown Association meeting last year, and invited him to come out and look at the property. Munger is the recipient of the 2019 Michigan Historic Preservation Governor’s Award for his work on a building in Cadillac. Munger plans to rehabilitate the building into a development that features apartments on the top floor, and commercial retail business on the main floor. Parking in downtown Whitmore Lake has long been of concern, as new businesses are not required to provide it on-site. Chockley said this agreement guarantees that they won’t lose any spaces. She told WHMI that the Board of Trustees negotiated for a permanent easement for parking on the site. She said the building will be a nice amenity to the downtown that will attract businesses and residents. Chockley said they are excited on the Board-level to get some funds for the budget and not have to maintain that parking lot downtown, anymore. A closing date has not been set, but Chockley said that Munger plans to begin work within 30 days of it. The project is estimated to take a year and a half to complete.

Street & Sidewalk Work Taking Place in City of BrightonStreet & Sidewalk Work Taking Place in City of Brighton

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By Jessica Mathews/News@whmicom Construction and some sidewalk maintenance is continuing in the City of Brighton. A street rehabilitation project has been underway. The City advises the contractor will be laying the final layer of asphalt on S. Third Street between Brighton Lake Road and Fairway Trails, as well as on Fairway Trails between Brighton Lake Road and S. Third Street on Monday. The work will take one day to complete. During that time, residents who live within the area are asked to avoid traveling to and from their residences unless necessary. Drivers may also experience intermittent traffic delays. Residents who do not live within the specific work will not be allowed to drive through and will need to seek an alternate route to access their homes. Meanwhile, the City’s contractor has begun performing sidewalk repairs on the south/west side of Grand River. The work will consist of saw cutting the sidewalks, removing the old concrete, and then forming and pouring the replacements. The City advises drivers may experience slight lane shifts or traffic delays while traveling east/south on Grand River. Portions of the sidewalk will be closed while the project is ongoing, so pedestrians are asked to use caution when walking along Grand River. Photo: Brighton Bulletin.

Free Food Distribution Set For Tuesday In Oceola TownshipFree Food Distribution Set For Tuesday In Oceola Township

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By Jon King / jking@whmi.com A free food distribution is set to take place Tuesday in Howell as part of a federal program to ensure excess food isn’t being wasted during the pandemic. The Farmers to Families program is run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which partners with national, regional and local suppliers, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service businesses. Up to $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products has been authorized for purchase and distribution into local communities. Locally, that will be handled by St. John Catholic Church on N. Hacker Road and M-59 in Oceola Township. Parishioner Allen Luja is helping to organize the distribution and says that Gordon Food Service has prepared 500 boxes of food, which will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 11am. Luja says boxes will consist of a mix of produce, dairy and pre-cooked chicken and pork. He says the federal funding for the program will make it available each Tuesday in June, but then will run out. However, he hopes it might be extended into July depending on the demand. You'll find additional details on the church's Facebook page. That link is posted below.

Still Time To Complete 2020 CensusStill Time To Complete 2020 Census

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By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com Although Livingston County leads the way when it comes to Census numbers, officials are still pushing to get everyone counted. Census Day was April 1st but the count is still happening and residents can complete their questionnaire online, by phone, or by mail. The Census is nine questions long and all responses are kept confidential. Census data is used to determine funding that comes down from the federal government, with each uncounted individual representing approximately $18,000 in lost funds over the next 10 years. Livingston County Commissioner Doug Helzerman is the Chair of the Livingston County Complete Count Committee. He tells WHMI word is getting out and citizens are responding well. He noted the county’s self-response rates are already ahead of the 2010 census numbers, which had a response rate of 75.3%, and they’ve taken quite a bit of action to make sure everyone gets counted. Michigan currently ranks 4th in the nation for the highest response rate to the 2020 Census. The response rate for the state was 66.4%, compared to the national rate of 59.7%. Livingston County has the highest response rate of all Michigan counties with a response rate of 78.7%. Livingston currently has the 12th highest response rate nationwide. Reminder mailers recently went out to Livingston County residents. Helzerman said households that have not yet responded should expect to see Census workers coming around door-to-door this summer to try and make contact with people. Helzerman stressed that census workers will only be going to households that have not responded. He says they’ll be easily identifiable and have paperwork so residents know it’s a census worker and not a scam. Residents that haven’t participated yet can do so by calling 844-330-2020 or visit the provided web link.

Holkins Property In Downtown Howell To Be MarketedHolkins Property In Downtown Howell To Be Marketed

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By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com Conceptual plans have been identified for a privately owned site that could be developed in the City of Howell. The City is a Redevelopment Ready Certified community and has been engaging with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation on marketing and development potential for what has been dubbed the City’s main priority site. Referred to as the Holkins Lot, it’s a downtown block bounded by Walnut, Wetmore, Center and Clinton. Half of the property is currently owned by the library and half by local businessman Joe Parker. One of things being looked at is getting both owners to work together and perhaps sell both properties so that a development could come in for the entire block, instead of doing half at a time. However, any project involving redevelopment of the property for a use other than parking will need to address the library’s parking needs in some way. The MEDC is proceeding with the marketing process given the desire by the parties involved to potentially sell under the right circumstances. At a recent virtual meeting, Council was presented with marketing materials and general concepts for the site, which can be viewed in the attached council meeting packet. The plans aren’t finalized and only a general consensus from Council was being sought, which was given. Members liked the overall concept plans and felt there is opportunity. The next step in the process involves the MEDC working with potential developers. A memo states the ultimate goal is to have a potential development proposal for both the Parker family and the library board to review later this year.

Whitmer Lifts Stay-At-Home OrderWhitmer Lifts Stay-At-Home Order

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LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted Michigan’s coronavirus stay-at-home order Monday, letting restaurants reopen to dine-in customers next week and immediately easing limits on gatherings while keeping social-distancing rules intact. The governor moved six remaining regions comprising 93% of the state’s population to phase 4 — “improving” — two weeks after she announced that two regions in northern Michigan could advance to that stage. Some businesses where close contact is necessary — gyms, hair salons, indoor theaters and casinos — will remain closed. Retailers can reopen to customers without an appointment on Thursday and restaurants can offer dine-in service on June 8 — both with capacity limits. Day camps for children and pools can open June 8. Groups of up to 100 can gather outside with social distancing, up from a threshold of 10. In-home services such as housecleaning can resume. Gyms and fitness centers can offer outdoor activities such as classes, practices, training sessions and games as long as participants, coaches and spectators stay 6 feet apart. Whitmer said her goal is to shift the state to phase 5 — “containing” — before July 4. “While Michiganders are no longer required to stay home, we must all continue to be smart and practice social distancing, and encourage those who meet the criteria to get tested for COVID-19,” she said in a statement before a scheduled news conference. Photo - AP

Bottle Returns To Be Accepted Again Starting June 15Bottle Returns To Be Accepted Again Starting June 15

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By Mike Kruzman /news@whmi.com The State of Michigan will again be allowing bottle returns later this month. The Michigan Treasury Department issued a notice Monday mandating that some retailers re-open their bottle return facilities and resume the collection of containers and refund of deposits, effective June 15th. This applies to retailers with facilities located at the front of the store or housed in a separate area that use machines and require minimal or no person-to-person contact. Retailers must comply with state-mandated safety protocols and may take additional steps that include: Limiting the refund amount to $25 per individual per day; establish special or limited hours of operation for returns; limit the number of available machines; periodically close bottle deposit facilities as needed for cleaning and supply management; and implement other procedures and restrictions deemed necessary for promoting safety and efficiency. Retailers during this initial phase must limit their weekly volume of returned containers to no more than 140% of their average collection volume from April and May of 2019. Consumers also have the option of recycling their returnables if they choose not to return them to a bottle deposit redemption facility.

Bars & Restaurants To Re-Open; Salons & Gyms To Remain ClosedBars & Restaurants To Re-Open; Salons & Gyms To Remain Closed

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By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com As data improves and the spread of COVID-19 lessens across Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has begun to re-open the state’s economy. The entire state has now moved to Stage 4 of the Governor’s MI Safe Start plan, which allows bars and restaurants to re-open at 50% capacity starting June 8th. As a result, Michiganders are no longer required to stay home. Instead, certain businesses will remain closed and specific activities that present a heightened risk of infection will remain prohibited. The executive order states businesses and activities that involve close contact and shared surfaces, including gyms, hair salons, indoor theaters, tattoo parlors, casinos, and similar establishments, will remain closed for the time being. At Monday’s press conference, Whitmer was asked about many people traveling to Ohio and Indiana for hair and nail salon services. Whitmer said the state is taking a big step forward from essential services only to now re-engaging the economy but some things are still too risky. The Governor said she’s hoping to take the next step in two to three weeks, which is what they believe is needed in terms of data. Whitmer said she is concerned about people traveling out of state and bringing COVID-19 back because numbers in other states have been increasing while numbers in Michigan are decreasing. She added what Michigan has done has worked – setting it apart from other states. For those that need a haircut desperately, Whitmer said a couple more weeks and the state could be in a place to do that safely. The Governor said strict protocols would still be required but the state may be taking that step and she would like to do so before Independence Day weekend but stressed she must follow the data. Whitmer said she hopes those traveling to Ohio are doing their part to not bring COVID-19 home. For those who haven’t resorted to that, Whitmer suggested they “Google how to do a haircut or throw your hair into a ponytail or curl it” and get through the next couple of weeks so they can start to resume some of these things. Meanwhile as for the re-opening of businesses; the Governor’s order states “unless otherwise prohibited by local regulation, restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, bars, taverns, brew pubs, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, tasting rooms, special licensees, clubs, and like places” can all open June 8th. The order allows those businesses to make their own decisions about re-opening but due to the abrupt declaration, it’s unclear how many will actually re-open at that time as many will need time to prepare. Local municipalities are permitted to impose stricter regulations as they see fit. The Governor’s full executive order is attached.
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