Livingston County Area News Archive

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Saturday, February 27, 2021

Brighton High Schools Wraps Up "Kindness Week"

On Friday, Brighton High School wrapped up a busy week of activities which took place during "Kindness Week" - which is part of "Kindness Month" being observed throughout the Brighton Are Schools all this month.

Sheriff Warns Of Phone Scams Circulating Again

Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy says the scam involves callers supposedly with the Social Security Administrative Office who state a person's social security number has been compromised and is being used for criminal activity.

Friday, February 26, 2021

Violent Threat Results In Canceled Deer Cull

Officials with Huron-Clinton Metroparks said the planned thinning of the deer herd at Kensington Metropark did not take place following threats of violence that resulted in misdemeanor charges against an Oakland County man.

GVSU Honors Hornung PE Instructor

Carly Anderson is being honored this month as the premiere volleyball player, and one of the top female athletes overall, in Grand Valley State University history.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Theis Calls On Senate To Reject Hertel As MDHHS Director

State Sen. Lana Theis today urged her Senate colleagues to reject confirming Elizabeth Hertel's appointment by Gov. Whitmer as director of the state Department of Health and Human Services unless Hertel “fully commits to reopening the state immediately, to restore a fully in-person learning experience for K-12 students, and to not shutting down school sports"

Senate Panel Working To Ban SVI Factors For Vaccine Allocation

Following the lead of the Livingston County Board of Commissioners, the Michigan Senate Appropriations Committee voted 11-6 to adopt an amendment on a party-line vote that would force the state to stop using the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index to determine vaccine allocations.

Whitmer: In-Person Instruction Crucial For Schools

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has strongly encouraged schools to provide a face-to-face option by March 1st and she said most districts will be able to meet that goal. Meanwhile, Whitmer said her administration will announce the further loosening of coronavirus restrictions in the coming days.

Bollin Measure Would Expand Telehealth Access

Lawmakers unveiled a plan designed to lower prescription drug prices, bring parity in insurance coverage of chemotherapy and improve the quality of health care - which includes a measure sponsored by State Rep. Ann Bollin of Brighton Township.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Face Mask Distribution Set For Howell Later This Week

The Area Agency on Aging 1-B will be holding a drive-up facemask distribution event from noon to 2pm this Friday, February 26th at the Howell Senior Center, 925 W. Grand River Avenue. The agency has approximately 2,000 KN95 masks to give away at the event, which will be available to those 60 and older.

Former Gregory Man Charged For Threatening Stabenow & Slotkin

62-year-old Daniel Thompson, formerly of Gregory but now living in Harrison, was charged after leaving threatening messages for U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow and making vulgar and threatening remarks via phone with a member of Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin’s office.

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

County Approves Anti-SVI Resolution

The Board of Commissioners passed a resolution asking the state to retract the current Social Vulnerability Index-based vaccine allocation plan and replace it with one more medically-based and weighted towards the senior population.

Fire Forces Iosco Twp. Family From Their Home

The Fowlerville Fire Department was called out at 2:19am on the report of a fire at a home on Lange Road. Fire Chief Bob Feig says upon arrival they found that a fire that had started in the chimney area of the home was extending through the roof and into the walls.

BAS Sticks With 2-1-2 Configuration

The 2-1-2 arrangement that has been in place since the start of the school year in September simply means all in-classroom students attend school on Mondays and Tuesdays, have a virtual, online day on Wednesdays, and are back in school on Thursdays and Fridays.

Monday, February 22, 2021

Judge To Rule On Chelsea Protest Tickets

29 people were issued $180 tickets for impeding traffic at a racial injustice protest last July in Chelsea. The American Civil Liberties Union and attorneys with the University of Michigan Law School argue police “illegally infringed on (defendants’) constitutionally protected right(s)".

Sunday, February 21, 2021

Saturday, February 20, 2021

Howell Man Jailed After Hit & Run Crash With School Bus

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were dispatched just after 7:30 Friday morning to a crash involving a 2016 GMC Sierra pickup truck and a Livingston Educational Services school bus at the intersection of Challis Road and Conrad Road.

Friday, February 19, 2021

Brighton Minister Pens Open Letter To Racist Zoom Bombers

After Zoom-bombers interrupted an online service of the Community Unitarian Universalists in Brighton, showing KKK-related images and making racist statements and violent threats, Minister Julie Brock has responded with an open letter to the culprits.

Cleary Hires Full-Time Esports Coach To Field Team In The Fall

Jarod Ericksen has been hired to start the Esports team at Cleary University this fall. Considered the fastest growing sport in college athletics, esports involves organized, multiplayer video game competitions, usually played for an audience. Space is being dedicated in the Cleary Commons to build an Esports Arena.

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Whitmer Again Urges Legislature To Pass COVID Relief Plan

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is again calling on the Republican-led Legislature to pass a COVID Recovery plan to provide critical support for those struggling. GOP leaders say, instead, they are working with each other as their plans are "substantially" different than Whitmer's.

Online Seminar To Examine Health Disparities and Alzheimer’s

The Alzheimer’s Association is hosting the virtual Dr. James S. Jackson Seminar on Health Equity and Alzheimer's Disease on Wednesday, March 3rd from 5 - 6:30pm. It is named in honor of the late-Dr. James Jackson’s research at the University of Michigan.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Voter Registration Lawsuit Dismissed

A lawsuit alleging inadequate voter list maintenance against several state and local election officials, including Livingston County Clerk Elizabeth Hundley, has been voluntarily dismissed.

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Schools Closed As Snowfall Prompts Snow Emergencies

As a major snowstorm has dumped more than half a foot of snow across most of the region, the cities of Howell & Brighton, along with the villages of Fowlerville & Pinckney have declared snow emergencies. All area schools have also canceled classes for the day. Also, Livingston County offices, including the courts, will open at Noon today.

Monday, February 15, 2021

Preliminary Plans Approved For Lucy Road Development

Businessman Vern Brockway owns approximately 100 acres at 1388 Lucy Road, where site renovations are being proposed that will eventually replace an existing structure with a larger 6,000-square-foot repair shop and office building.

Saturday, February 13, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Set Next Week

St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Varsha Moudgal will share the latest updates on COVID-19 in Livingston County, as well as COVID-19 vaccines.

Friday, February 12, 2021

Cadden & Chin Cases On Hold Pending Appeals Court Ruling

Attorneys for Barry Cadden and Glenn Chin filed motions last month in the Michigan Court of Appeals to reverse earlier rulings against their clients that they should stand trial on 11 counts of second-degree murder for their roles in the 2012 meningitis outbreak which killed more than 100 people nationwide, 11 of them in Livingston County.

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Theis Urges Whitmer To Ditch SVI For Vaccine Distribution

State Sen. Lana Theis says the use of the Social Vulnerability Index, or SVI, in determining how much COVID-19 vaccine each county receives is “grossly disproportionate" to Livingston County, which ranks low based on its status as relatively healthy and prosperous.

Tyrone Township Residents Concerned About Possible Asphalt Plant

Plans call for constructing an asphalt plant and warehouses on 30 acres adjacent to the northwest corner of the Old US-23 and Center Road intersection. Residents raised concerns about waste disposal, odor, traffic, pollution and say it would be an eyesore that would ruin the rural character of the community.

Motion Seeks To Dismiss Lawsuit Against Pipeline Company

The suit was filed last October in U.S. District Court in Detroit by Michigan resident Matthew Borke against Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the ET Rover natural gas pipeline which was built through Livingston County in 2017 despite public protest.

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Livingston Receives Fewest Vaccines In State Per Latest Metric

Livingston County has the lowest ranking of all 83 counties in Michigan on the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index, which is now being used by the state to determine vaccine allocation. State officials say vaccine distribution "correlates with the communities hardest hit by COVID-19 this spring."

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Monday, February 8, 2021

Two Local Bridges To Be Replaced

The Iosco Road Bridge over the West Branch Red Cedar River Drain and the Mason Road Bridge over the South Branch Shiawassee River have been selected.

Public Can Name MDOT Snow Plows

Plowy McPlowface, Kid Rock Salt, Darth Blader, Plowthagorean Theorem and Sir-Salts-A-Lot are just some of the fun names that have been submitted.

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Friday, February 5, 2021

Michigan House Ties School Aid To Whitmer Ceding Virus Powers

The Republican-controlled state House, including both of Livingston County’s representatives, approved a nearly $3.6 billion coronavirus relief package Thursday but voted to withhold $2.1 billion for schools unless Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer cedes the state’s authority to prohibit in-person instruction or sports and hands it over to local health officials.

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Whitmer Announces End To Ban On Contact Sports

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today announced the state will amend its most current epidemic order, allowing the start of four contact winter sports on Monday, February 8th; boys and girls basketball, hockey, wrestling and competitive cheer, as long as masks are worn at all times. The restriction was set to be in place through Feb. 21.

Howell Announces Hiring Of New City Clerk

Angela Guillen has been selected to succeed longtime Howell City Clerk Jane Cartwright. Guillen, who is currently the Deputy Clerk in Genesee County’s Mundy Township, is expected to begin her role with the City later this month.

Theis Joins GOP Colleagues In Blocking Whitmer Appointments

Republican State Senator Lana Theis of Brighton Township, said she joined with her GOP colleagues to reject the nominees, saying that Gov. Whitmer must, “learn to respect the separation of powers, respect the Michigan Supreme Court, and respect the will of Michigan's people.”

Hartland Religious Order Not Associated With Catholic Church

The women, who dress in full nun habits and go by the name of, "The Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary" are based in Hartland Township, but according to a spokesman for the Diocese of Lansing, "do not have canonical standing within the Church."

App Is Promoted As February Is Heart Month

Community members are encouraged to support Livingston County in becoming a Heart Safe community by learning CPR, downloading the Pulse Point App and following Livingston County EMS.

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

AARP: Michigan Seniors Frustrated Over Vaccine Access

Melissa Seifert, associate state director of government affairs at AARP Michigan, said vaccine appointments are available through local health departments. However, she noted that with such high demand, time slots are in short supply and the online system can be glitchy.

MDHHS To Provide COVID-19 Tests To Educators

The MI Safe Schools Testing Program aims to help achieve Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s goal of having all Michigan school districts offer an in-person learning option for students by March 1st.

Employees Recognized For Stepping Up During Quarantine

Kris Valade and Cody Alexander were chosen as “Shining Stars” by the Brighton Board of Education for their efforts during a recent COVID-19 incident that left the entire kindergarten class at the school in quarantine, including their regular classroom teacher.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Monday, February 1, 2021