WHMI 93.5 FM - Latest News Headlines

Pinckney Residents Urge School Board To Support Local Workers

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 03:56:00 EDT

9/10/10 - After passing a $59 million bond, leaders in the Pinckney Community Schools don’t face all the same financial struggles as other districts, but that doesn’t mean they don’t face tough decisions. Thursday night the school board had before them the task of awarding several contracting bids, including the electrical work for the new high school stadium. Dozens of local electrical workers packed the meeting, urging board members to vote for the contractor that did not have the lowest bid. That company, Superior Electric of Lansing, bid $598,000 for the work, which was about $30,000 higher than Great Lakes Power and Lighting, a company based near Port Huron. But Superior Electric promised to use workers from Ann Arbor-based union IBEW-252, many of whom live in Pinckney. Union representative Ron Motsinger was among those pleading with the board to go local, reminding the board that many of those same workers supported the district by voting "yes" on the bond issue. While the board seemed to be leaning toward awarding the bid to Superior Electric, they had reservations and questions about whether or not they were legally allowed to choose a contractor that did not have the lowest bid. They chose to table the issue and get those answers, and plan to hold a special board meeting next week to award the bid. (MS)

Dental Clinic Fundraiser Pits Wolverine & Spartan Fans

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:48:00 EDT

9/10/10 - A unique fundraiser is again approaching next month that capitalizes on the die-hard rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State fans. “Teaming Up for VINA – Spartans Vs. Wolverines” will be held in early October to serve as a fundraiser for the VINA Community Dental Center. The clinic provides dental care to low-income Livingston County residents who have no access to dental care. Dr. Christine Love volunteers at the VINA Dental Clinic and is also chairs the VINA’s fundraiser committee. She tells WHMI that they’ve been overwhelmed with patients and the goal is raise more funds to continue helping more people in need. Last year’s inaugural tailgate party raised more than $13,000 with the Spartans prevailing. Therefore Love, an avid Wolverine fan, says maize and blue fans need to really step it up this year. There’s a minimum $25 donation to attend the event on October 7th at Cleary University’s Johnson Center and everyone is asked to dress up and support the team of their choice. Complete details can be found in the event section at right. Meanwhile, the entire interview with Dr. Love may be heard on this Sunday’s Viewpoint program at 8:30am. (JK)

Hartland Man Sentenced In Local Police Chase & Assault Case

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:29:00 EDT

9/10/10 - A Hartland man charged with leading deputies on a brief chase in July and then assaulting them at a local hospital has been sentenced. 25-year-old Troy Lee Kincaid Jr. will serve five days in the Livingston County Jail and 18 months probation for his earlier guilty pleas to two counts of resisting police and one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. In exchange, officials dropped several other felony counts including malicious destruction of property. Livingston County Sheriff’s deputies were on routine patrol near southbound US-23 and Clyde Road in Hartland Township July 11th when they observed Kincaid’s vehicle speeding nearly thirty miles over the limit. After initially refusing to stop, Kincaid finally pulled over but then refused to comply with requests for a sobriety test. He was then taken into custody and transported to St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital in Howell where a search warrant for a blood test was obtained. Authorities say that’s when Kincaid became combative and started fighting with deputies. He had to be held down and was allegedly kicking and trying to punch sheriff’s deputies and a Howell police officer. A deputy suffered a broken hand during the scuffle. (JM)

MHOG Offers Marion Township $50,000 For Tower Easement

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:12:00 EDT

9/10/10 - The MHOG water authority has offered Marion Township $50,000 for an easement on a 2-acre plot of land to serve as a “fall zone” for the planned water tower near the corner of Peavy Road and Tracilee Drive. The tower was conceived by the water authority, which includes Marion, Howell, Oceola, and Genoa Townships, to compensate for a loss of water pressure experienced by some Marion Township residents when a certain pressure pump in Genoa is activated. Construction is expected to take two years and $2 million to complete. As part of the easement, MHOG would agree to construct a small service road from Peavy to the water tower to serve as maintenance access. The deal is not yet final due to questions of price and location. The cost of the easement must be adjusted upward to compensate for the requisite loss of five residential plots in the planned development nearby. The highly variable cost of the plots means that a counter-offer from the township will take some time to complete. In addition, the plot has not even been confirmed as the future location of the water tower since the final site plan for it will not be approved until February at the earliest. (TD)

Survey Says Benefits Are Limiting Employer Hiring Options

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:51:00 EDT

9/9/10 - New hiring and economic optimism are on the rise for local businesses, but the high cost of employee benefits is putting pressure on employers. That’s according to data released from the Livingston County Employer Benefits Survey at the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce earlier today. The survey has been performed every two years by the American Society of Employers since the 1950’s, with a specific survey for Livingston County performed since the 1980’s. The data was presented to more than a dozen local business owners by Director of Survey Services Kevin Marrs, who tells WHMI that they gain a competitive edge by studying these trends. This year, the survey included 39 businesses and nearly 10,000 employees, but this is almost a 30% decline in participation compared to 2008. The Society attributes this to reduced staffing among businesses, making it difficult to take the time to respond to the survey. (JK)

Hospital Chief Leaving For Chicago Health System

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:44:00 EDT

9/9/10 - After less than a year and a half on the job, Kathleen Rhine will be leaving her position as vice president and chief operating officer at Saint Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital for an administrative job with a Chicago-based health system. Her final day will be September 17th. Lauren Stokes, spokeswoman for Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, tells WHMI that Rhine, who took over as chief operating officer in May of 2009, has accepted an offer to become the Senior Vice President of Patient Centered Care at Resurrection Health Care in Chicago. She leaves the St. Joseph system after 12 years, during which she held several leadership positions. Rhine was also responsible for overseeing their hospital in Saline. Stokes said the health system will determine a transition plan in the coming weeks. (JK)

Milford Music Teacher Charged With Molesting Student

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:23:00 EDT

9/9/10 - A Milford music teacher is due back in court next week after being accused of criminal sexual activity with one of his teenage students. 58-year-old Gregory Stahl is charged with fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and is set for an exam next Thursday in 52-1 District Court in Novi. Officials say the alleged victim, now 17, recently told his parents that he was molested in Stahl's private music studio from June 2006 to December 2007. They say that when confronted with the accusation, Stahl admitted to improperly touching the teen. Stahl, who is free on a $10,000 personal bond, taught privately and at Milford Music for several years, as well as at St. Mary Parish in Milford. (JK)

Activist Unhappy Over Lack Of Volunteer Program At Animal Control

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:23:00 EDT

9/9/10 - A local animal activist is criticizing Livingston County Animal Control for delayed action in implementing a volunteer program. Genoa Township resident Cindy Beauchamp is with Concerned Citizens for Livingston County’s Homeless Pets and was one of many that attended various county commission meetings asking for changes to the Animal Control Department. Many measures were implemented at their urging and animals are also being held longer at the shelter. However, Beauchamp says one item that has yet to be formally implemented is a volunteer program. Animal Control held an initial volunteer orientation but Director Ann Burns says she was later forced to postpone the program and future orientations until further notice. Beauchamp says this is just another stall tactic and doesn’t believe Burns wants to implement the program. She says they've been pushing for a volunteer program for a year and a half but there's been no action, adding that if its really that busy a volunteer program should be in place. In defense, Burns says the department has been very busy with the recent seizure of 77 dogs in a hoarding situation and the volunteer coordinator is currently on disability but they’re also training two new employees. Burns says they “fully intend to operate a volunteer program but need to make sure that it’s done right”. She says legal issues must also be addressed and county attorneys are reviewing all documents to ensure proper implementation. (JM)

Detroit Man Again Found Competent For Trial In Sex Sting Case

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:56:00 EDT

9/9/10 - A Detroit man has been found competent to stand trial on charges of soliciting sex from someone in Howell he thought was a teenager after undergoing a second psychological exam. 54-year-old George William Allen had previously undergone a mental exam that found him competent to stand trial, but the defense asked that another exam be conducted. At a hearing yesterday, both parties stipulated to admit the competency report finding him able to stand trial. He’ll appear in Livingston County Circuit Court Friday for a settlement conference, at which time a plea deal could be worked out. Allen is charged with child abusive commercial activity and using a computer to commit that crime. He was one of nine men arrested last August in an undercover sting conducted by the Michigan Attorney General's office. The sting targeted individuals who sent sexually explicit messages or photographs to a person they thought was a minor. The defendants were all arrested after showing up at a house in Howell being used by authorities as a decoy. Allen is the last of the nine defendants to have his case adjudicated. All of the others entered pleas and have since been sentenced. (JM)

Services Set For Former Howell Teacher Killed In Car Crash

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:58:00 EDT

9/9/10 - Funeral services have been set for a former Howell High School teacher who was killed in a car crash last week in Las Vegas. John Meredith died after the taxicab he was a passenger in was rear-ended while waiting in a traffic backup. The 62-year-old Williamston resident taught social studies at Howell High School for most of his career before retiring in 2004. In that time he served as a leader for the Model United Nations early in his career and later leading the Mock Trial team. Visitation will take place Friday from 2-4pm and then from 6-8pm at Tiffany Funeral Home in Lansing. Services will be held Saturday at St. Gerard Church, also in Lansing. Memorial contributions may be made to Saint Vincent Catholic Charities. (JK)

Brighton Woman Publishes Book About Brain Injuries

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:51:00 EDT

9/9/10 - A Brighton woman is out with her first book, one she hopes will help other families through the struggles she’s faced in her own life. C. J. Teahan has just published the nonfiction book titled "CARON: Awakening," which chronicles what she and her family went through when her daughter Caron suffered a traumatic brain injury in 1989. Teahan says Caron, who was 16 at the time, was driving from Brighton to Howell for band rehearsal one January morning when her car hit a patch of black ice, skidded off the road, and smashed into a tree. Caron spent over a month in a coma and underwent years of extensive therapy to relearn basically everything she had known. Teahan tells WHMI she feels very fortunate her daughter has made great strides in her recovery, and she hopes the book will serve as a guide for others coping with the devastation of closed head injuries. She says she put the book together based on notes she took while her daughter was in the hospital. Teahan is a retired teacher who spent three decades working in the Brighton Area Schools. Her book is available for purchase online. For more information click here. (MS)

Brighton Bar & Grill To Be Sold

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:24:00 EDT

9/9/10 - A well known restaurant in downtown Brighton will soon be under new ownership. Brighton Bar and Grill Owner Craig Heath tells WHMI that he is selling the business, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary after having opened on Main Street in January of 1990. Heath says the opportunity presented itself and it was no easy decision but the buyers are experienced restaurateurs and he has confidence in their abilities. Heath declined to identify the new owners but says they plan to keep the current name and menu as well as the chef and staff. Heath says the investigation is being conducted by the Liquor Control Commission so the sale is not yet final but he doesn’t anticipate any problems and hopes to close within a month or so. Meanwhile, Heath will continue to operate the Red Cedar Grill in downtown Williamston but his latest project is the new "Boomtown Kitchen and Tap" located in the Green Oak Village Place Mall where a formal grand opening is planned this weekend. (JM)

Hartland Twp. Discovers $3 Million Assessment District Surplus

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:35:00 EDT

9/9/10 - Hartland Township officials have discovered a hefty monetary surplus tied to an assessment district that could eventually pay off for property owners. The board met Tuesday night and discussed the surplus that’s projected to be around $3.3 million for the assessment district, referred to as SAD #2. It was formed in 1996 and was an expansion of the township’s sewer system. It reached out to many of the residents around the lakes area who had failing septic systems but also included part of the commercial district on M-59. The SAD is set to expire in roughly five years. Township Manager James Wickman tells WHMI that that the surplus is linked to numerous items. He says some of funds should have gone into the operations and maintenance fund but there were also errors in interest being charged to certain parcels, most of which were commercial. There was also interest due on inter-fund loans that wasn’t paid while another portion of the surplus can be attributed to expenses for grinder pumps that have been made since 1996. Wickman says the township will make corrections to the funds and transfer the funds back where they belong. He says credits and refunds will be given on interest errors and grinder pumps will be paid for before looking at issuing some refunds to those being assessed. Resolutions are expected to be drafted by the township’s bond counsel to make the changes and will eventually be provided to the board for approval. A memo provided to the board prior to Tuesday's meeting about the surplus is posted in the attachment below. (JM)

Snyder Declines Request To Support Obama Tax Break Plan

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:22:00 EDT

9/8/10 - The man seeking to become the next Republican governor of Michigan says a request from his Democratic opponent to support a tax break plan put forward by President Obama is a political stunt he’s not willing to engage in. Rick Snyder is an Ann Arbor businessman who has made the plight of Michigan businesses the centerpiece of his campaign. But in an interview this morning on WHMI, he says the request by Democrat Virg Bernero to co-sign a letter urging Congress to quickly pass the plan misses the point. "I'm not going to sign the letter, because again that is more political gamesmanship...The real issue in front of us is the State of Michigan. Instead of talking about issues in Washington, we should be talking about eliminating the Michigan Business Tax." Obama proposed the plan to make it easier for small businesses to get loans at low interest rates some time ago. But the measure, which has the backing of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, has stalled in the Senate. Bernero wanted Snyder to co-sign the letter with him as a bipartisan call-to-action for measures that could have an immediate effect on the economy. But Snyder says both candidates need to focus on things they can "materially impact in our state." Meanwhile, the latest poll numbers show Snyder continues to be the favorite among Michigan voters for governor. A poll by East Lansing's Mitchell Research & Communication gives Snyder a 53-to-26 percent lead over Bernero. (JK)

Group Highlights Dangers Of Drinking During Pregnancy

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:10:00 EDT

9/8/10 - A local child abuse prevention agency is hoping that events tomorrow will help reinforce the message that drinking and pregnancy do not mix. Thursday is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day in Michigan. Prenatal exposure to alcohol is the leading known cause of mental retardation in the United States and can also result in a child being born with physical abnormalities, learning and behavior problems, organ damage and other ailments that last a lifetime. Throughout the year, the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Livingston County offers programming at several middle and high schools designed to educate adolescents about the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. CAP Council Program Director Deanna Norris says that Livingston County has a history of higher-than-average alcohol use among pregnant women and that they want to be sure that long before people even think about starting a family, they understand that no amount of alcohol has been proven safe during pregnancy. In addition to providing preventative education, CAP also hosts FASD Living, a support group for parents and caregivers of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The group usually meets the first Thursday of each month at St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital, but will hold September’s meeting Thursday, Sept. 9th. For information about FASD Living, contact Terri Moore at (810) 599-9399, or the CAP Council at (517) 548-2200. (JK)

High Winds Knock Out Power To Hundreds Of Local Residents

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:29:00 EDT

9/8/10 - Tuesday’s high winds resulted in scattered power outages across Livingston County. At the peak, DTE Energy officials said about 4,100 of its customers were without power in Livingston County, including approximately 1,000 in the Howell area and more than 1,400 in Brighton. The remaining outages were spread across the county. Spokesman Scott Simons tells WHMI that the area has been cleaned up and power should now be restored to all local residents and businesses. Both DTE and CMS Energy say a total of 113,000 customers lost power across the region with the National Weather Service reporting wind gusts of up to 50 mph. (JM/JK)

Howell Street Committee Holds Final Public Meeting

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:23:00 EDT

9/8/10 - About two dozen Howell residents attended the final meeting of the city’s Ad Hoc Street Committee Tuesday night to voice complaints, comments, and concerns about Howell’s ongoing street renovation project. The committee has been interacting with the public for several weeks in order to form recommendations for the City Council on how to proceed with the project. Citizens have criticized the narrowing of streets to slow traffic, the use and size of swales to mitigate runoff during storms, and the lack of parking allowed by the new setup. Attendees were shown cost-comparisons of eight different courses of action and asked for their opinions, but no clear preference was expressed by the public. The costs of the various options ranged from $415,000 to $4.8 million. The residents were also divided on the use of parking bays, which would be installed free of charge to residents who requested them. The bays would be taken out of the residents’ yards to provide parking out of the street, but would be open to anyone wishing to park there. Members of the committee also expressed concerns about the cost of many of the options being considered, especially in light of declining property tax revenues. The Ad Hoc Committee will make recommendations to the City Council at its next meeting on Monday. (TD)

Ulrich Denies Deleting Hartland Township E-Mails

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:31:00 EDT

9/8/10 - Despite some major changes over the past few months, the Clerk’s office in Hartland Township is transitioning well according to officials, although they said actions by the past clerk had made the job more difficult than originally thought. Clerk Larry Hopkins was appointed to the position following the resignation of former Clerk Ann Ulrich. A report on the transition and progress was provided to the board at Tuesday night’s meeting and Hopkins says a lot of filing and organizational work still must be done, in addition to preparing for the November election. A report from Supervisor Bill Fountain was also presented accusing Ulrich of deleting several thousand files from her computer before she left July 6th, a charge she has denied saying anything that was deleted was of a personal nature and not related to township business. The report further said that when she was contacted about providing a password to the Qualified Voter File, Ulrich said she couldn’t remember it. As for hiring a deputy, Hopkins tells WHMI that he’s received about 120 resumes and hopes to have interviews done in the next couple of weeks. He says the candidates have a lot of experience, some with actual experience in a Clerk’s office and he’s pleased with the pool he has to choose from. Hopkins had earlier appointed Pat Franklin to serve as an interim deputy to get through the August primary and to help out while the search for a formal replacement was underway. As of now, the deputy position is expected to be part time at 20 hours a week. However it could be more or less depending on whether or not its an election year. A budget must still be discussed for the deputy position and Hopkins plans to make a future proposal to the board to fund it. (JM)

Hamburg Approves Funding to Keep River Station Operating

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:27:00 EDT

9/8/10 - Another year of funding for the Huron River Gauging Station was approved at yesterday’s meeting of the Hamburg Township Board of Trustees. The station has provided data on water flow and height for the Huron River since the mid-1950’s and allows the township to monitor flood activity. This has become more important in recent years, since 8 of the 12 highest water surges in the station’s history occurred in the past six years. This is due to fertilizer runoff and zebra mussels filtering the river’s water, which have led to increased plant life choking the river at key points. The station was originally funded by the federal government, but in 2006 funding was canceled due to budget cuts. Part of the $15,000 annual bill has since been picked up by the US Geological Survey, but the bulk of the cost is split evenly between Hamburg Township, Green Oak Township, and the Livingston County Drain Commission. In years past, the township has sent requests to the Army Corps of Engineers to have a federal reconnaissance analysis performed on the river and to get recommendations on how to mitigate future flooding. To date, the project has been approved, but no federal funding could be found for its $100,000 price tag. (TD)

Grass Fire & Truck Spill Close US-23 In Green Oak Township

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:42:00 EDT

9/7/10 - The Green Oak Township Police and Fire Departments along with Michigan State Police at the Brighton Post were tied up with two incidents this morning that forced the closure of US-23. There were two problems in the area of US-23 near 9 Mile Road shortly before noon today. Green Oak Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Gentry tells WHMI that one was on northbound US-23 that involved a small grass fire between the median walls and the other was on southbound US-23 which involved a trailer that had lost a load of nails. The fire was extinguished rather quickly but the trailer had deposited thousands of nails onto southbound side of the freeway, making the road impassable for anyone with tires. State Police shut down the freeway and Gentry says it took about two hours to clean up all the nails and get the freeway re-opened. The cause of the grass fire remains under investigation and Gentry says it does not appear as if the incidents were related, despite their close proximity. (JM)

Popular Howell High School Teacher Killed In Car Crash

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:06:00 EDT

9/7/10 - A former Howell High School teacher was killed in a car crash last Friday in Las Vegas. 62-year-old John Meredith died after the cab in which he was a passenger was rear-ended while waiting in a freeway backup on I-15 caused by an earlier crash. Deputy Superintendent of Howell Public Schools Lynn Parrish says she learned of the tragedy over the weekend. She tells WHMI that Meredith, a Social Studies teacher who retired in 2004, was well regarded by both fellow teachers and students. Parrish says she was told that Meredith was in Las Vegas on vacation with another retired Howell teacher, Jarred Lang. Lang was also in the cab at the time of the crash, but survived and was last listed in stable condition. Funeral arrangements for Meredith are still pending. (JK)

Pinckney Schools Partner With Police To Curb Substance Abuse

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:54:00 EDT

9/7/10 - As a new school year begins in the Pinckney district, both administration and local law enforcement are working together to help curb drug use. Hamburg Township Police officers along with teachers and other staff attended various drug intervention and education programs over the summer to learn ways to identify and confront substance abuse. There has been growing abuse of prescription drugs and heroin in the community. Drug overdose deaths have also been on the rise, including two recent deaths of Pinckney High School graduates. An anonymous tip line is now available to the community and the district has partnered with Hamburg Police and the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department to ensure that an officer or deputy is present at the high school during the day. Hamburg Police recently hosted a back-to-school in-service program to educate teachers about Opiates and signs of drug use in students. Administrators are also taking part in Livingston County’s “Project Opiate” which aims to coordinate efforts with prosecutors, judges, probation and parole offices and substance abuse counselors. (JM)

Legislation Moves Forward To Ban Pot-Like Substance

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:55:00 EDT

9/7/10 - Legislation to ban a psychoactive compound that serves as a legal substitute for marijuana may soon be banned following the efforts of one local lawmaker. The substance, known as K2, is sprayed on a mixture of herbs and sold legally as incense. Despite being labeled to indicate that the contents are not meant for human consumption, users smoke the substance for its marijuana-like effects. K2 can be more powerful than marijuana, however, and while overdose is not fatal it can cause seizures, vomiting, and brief psychotic episodes. Representatives from St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital report that the county experiences one or two K2 overdoses every month. Representative Cindy Denby, who sponsored the legislation, tells WHMI that the proposed ban on K2 is meant to prevent whatever health problems the drug may bring about. "We don't know yet whether there are any potential side-effects because it's relatively new. People do not understand that it has such high potency as compared to marijuana." Because K2 is sold as incense rather than as a smoking product it can be purchased by minors. However, many retailers recognize the intended use of the product and choose not to sell it to anyone under the age of 18. Ryan McDonell, who owns The Haven in downtown Brighton, agrees that the product should not be sold to minors, and says that regulating the composition and sale of the drug would make more sense than banning it. However, shops like The Haven and The Dream Factory in Brighton Township were recently condemned by a community substance abuse coalition in Pinckney for selling the product, which they say serves as a legal gateway drug that can eventually lead to more severe abuse. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the K2 ban, which will now go before the Senate. The ban is expected to be approved by Governor Granholm and put into law as early as October. (JK)

Brighton Woman Arraigned On Embezzlement Charge

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:54:00 EDT

9/7/10 - A Livingston County woman has been formally arraigned on charges that she embezzled nearly $2 million from a Livonia machine shop. 59-year-old Bonnie Deppert of Brighton is accused of taking the money over a six year period from Delta Gear where she worked as an office manager. She pleaded not guilty last month when she waived her preliminary exam in Wayne County District Court. Last week, she was officially arraigned on a single count of embezzling more than $100,000 in Wayne County Circuit Court and an exam conference set for September 20th. The president of Delta Gear, Bob Sakuta, said he first learned of the missing money when a bank contacted him while Deppert was on vacation, inquiring why company checks were being used to pay personal credit cards. Livonia police then began an investigation that prosecutors say showed Deppert, who worked at the company for 19 years, took a total of $1.8 million dollars. Deppert remains out on bond after she posted a cash bond of $50,000. (JK)