Livingston County Area News Archive

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Monday, November 30, 2020

Motion Seeks To Drop Charges In Fatal Steroid Case

A motion filed on behalf of Glenn Chin, one of two men charged with murder for 11 Livingston County deaths, says the prosecution has not identified any act on his part that caused the deaths, which occurred after the victims were injected with steroids that had been contaminated with deadly meningitis bacteria.

Art Show Seeks To Inspire Environmental Activism

Organizers of the 2021 Our Changing Climate art exhibition say it is intended to act as a, “wake-up call that fosters an understanding of the need to protect the environment and call us all to action.”

Slotkin Named As Possible Contender For CIA Director

8th District Democrat Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA officer who worked for both the Bush and Obama administrations, was named in a New York Times report as one of several “leading possibilities” to become the next director of the nation’s leading intelligence agency.

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Friday, November 27, 2020

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Local Boy Scouts Pitch In For Area Seniors

A group of Boy Scouts in Scoutmaster Kevin Cox’s Troop 350 in Brighton was busy over the weekend doing yard work for the elderly and physical challenged. They did it while adhering to the latest executive orders regarding social distancing, wearing masks and other COVID protocols.

South Lyon Snowflake Scavenger Hunt Underway

The City of South Lyon’s Downtown Development Authority, Cultural Arts Commission, and Salem-South Lyon District Library are sponsoring a socially-distanced scavenger hunt through December 20th.

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Brighton Couple Celebrate Book's 20th Anniversary

It was in 2000 that Brighton author Colleen Monroe and her husband, illustrator Michael Glenn Monroe, published “A Wish To Be A Christmas Tree” which became an instant classic and made the couple regular guests at The White House.

COVID-19 Guidance for Holiday Travel & Gatherings

While many people begin to plan for fall and winter holiday celebrations, the Livingston County Health Department is reminding residents about some considerations to help protect individuals and their families, friends, and communities from COVID-19.

Rising COVID Cases Prompt Concerns Over School Testing Criteria

Several teachers in Livingston County have expressed concern that students who have been exposed to COVID-19, either through a sibling or other family member, are being allowed to return to their classrooms following a quarantine period, but without receiving a test to confirm they are virus-free. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Hamburg WWTP To Take Part In COVID Monitoring Project

Launched in October, the three-month pilot program supports local public health department efforts to coordinate with counties, universities, and other institutions across the state on COVID-19 wastewater testing programs.

Election Integrity Focus Of Virtual Event

Republican State Senator Lana Theis of Brighton Township hosted the event Monday afternoon with the majority of the time spent addressing allegations with the election process and maintaining or reasserting confidence in that process.

Church Bookkeeper Heads To Trial On Embezzlement Charge

76-year-old Judy Murray of Wyandotte formerly worked for the Assemblies of God Michigan District, which is located in Brighton Township. She was charged last month with embezzlement of $100,000 or more, although it is alleged that she stole more than $200,000.

Monday, November 23, 2020

State Canvassers Certify Election Results, Biden Win

The Board of State Canvassers, which has two Republicans and two Democrats, confirmed the results on a 3-0 vote with one abstention. Allies of President Trump and losing GOP Senate candidate John James had urged the panel to delay voting for two weeks to audit votes in heavily Democratic Wayne County, home to Detroit, where Trump has claimed without evidence that he was the victim of fraud.

Theis Mum On Support For Impeachment Effort

Republican State Senator Lana Theis of Brighton Township was named as a lawmaker supporting the introduction of impeachment articles against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. However, she has declined to comment on the issue.

COVID-19 Update Featured During Virtual Town Hall

Republican State Representative Hank Vaupel of Fowlerville, who is term limited, and successor Bob Bezotte of Howell were joined by Dianne McCormick and Dr. Juan Marquez from the Livingston County Health Department.

Sunday, November 22, 2020

Fifth Local COVID Death Reported In Less Than A Week

The death was the 40th in Livingston County. Over the past two weeks, there were 1,279 total cases, a 53% increase over the previous two weeks, while the positivity rate is 13.3%, which is almost double what it was at the beginning of November.

Saturday, November 21, 2020

Twelve Days Of Gleaners Continues

Donations are being matched until November 28th, as Gleaners Community Food Bank continues to offer food assistance options through their 12 Days of Gleaners and other programs.

Friday, November 20, 2020

Indiana Woman Hit By Truck In Fowlerville

A truck was attempting to turn left on to W. Grand River from S. Grand Ave. and struck the 32 year old Indiana woman who was attempting to cross the street. She was transported by EMS to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing and released sometime during the night.

Annual Sportsman Charity Dinner Postponed

Organizer Bob Beck said the final decision was not easy to make as last year the event raised over $35,000 to support the Fisher House Foundation, which builds comfort homes where military & veterans’ families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Bollin Says Unbalanced Precincts Not Unusual

State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township, a former clerk, hosted a virtual town hall event centered on election integrity Wednesday evening. One of the issues raised was precincts that were out of balance in Detroit, but she noted it is not unheard of and has happened before in precincts in Livingston County.

4th Annual "Cram The Cruiser" Set This Saturday

Non-perishables, canned goods, and household paper products are being sought to fill patrol vehicles that will be parked Saturday from 10am until 2pm in front of the Kroger stores in Howell, Brighton Township, Hamburg Township and Hartland; the Howell and Fowlerville Walmarts, Busch’s Fresh Food Market in Pinckney and the Genoa Township Aldi.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Local Courts Restrict In-Person Access

Following state health department directives in the wake of rising COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations, Livingston County Courts are restricting many of their services to the public.

Theis Online Office Hour Event Set For Monday

State Senator Lana Theis will hold the online event Monday afternoon with the chair of the GOP-controlled Senate Oversight Committee, which issued a subpoena on November 7th to the Michigan Department of State for records related to the November 3rd election.

GOP Backtracks After Blocking Wayne County Vote Certification

The deadlock was broken after a motion was added to demand that the Secretary of State's office conduct a "comprehensive audit" of precincts with unexplained out-of-balance tallies. While the decision propels Biden toward formal victory in Michigan, the chaotic process is likely to sow more doubt among Trump’s supporters in the election results.

Maltby Students Spread Cheer To Area Veterans

Over 200 cards and gift bags made by students at Maltby Intermediate School in Brighton were recently passed out to military service veterans of all branches at the VA Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Howell Closes City Hall To The Public

Per the recent order by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, all City of Howell offices will be closed to the public starting Wednesday and until further notice.

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Survey Ranks BAS Teachers As District's Most Valued Asset

The Brighton Area Schools recently sent out a survey developed by newly-hired Superintendent Matthew Outlaw to district parents and other stakeholders to learn more about the district and get feedback from parents and other community members.

Genoa Man Sentenced In Assault & Stalking Case

35-year-old Marcus Wayne Nichols was charged in June of 2019 with the assault of a teen girl. Two months later, while free on bond, he was also charged with trying to run down the victim’s mother and her friend as they walked in their neighborhood.

Monday, November 16, 2020

Bollin Reiterates Opposition To Mandatory Mask Order

Republican State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township held an online Coffee Hour this morning with constituents. The event had originally been planned to be in person, but was switched late last week after it had been reported that Bollin had contracted coronavirus.

Brighton Library Returns To Curbside-Only Service

Citing recent data regarding rapidly rising cases of COVID-19 in Livingston County and across Michigan, the Library announced today it will return to Phase 3 of its phased reopening plan and only offer curbside services effective immediately.

Michigan Halts High School Classes; Indoor Dining

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration on Sunday ordered high schools and colleges to stop in-person classes, closed restaurants to indoor dining and stopped organized sports — including the football playoffs — in a bid to curb Michigan’s spiking coronavirus cases. The move came as the state faces surging COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Thousands Without Power Due To High Winds

As of this morning, about 4,500 Livingston County DTE customers are without power. The outages are scattered across the county, with no estimates listed for service restoration.

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Friday, November 13, 2020

Slotkin Says She Will Vote Against Pelosi For Speaker

8th District Democrat Elissa Slotkin says she would not be voting for Nancy Pelosi to return as House Speaker, telling Politico, “I have no idea if people are gonna run against her, or who might run against her. And I will of course have this conversation directly with her. But I believe we need new leadership.”

Theis & Barrett Request Benson Conduct Election Audit

In a hand-delivered letter, Republican State Senators Lana Theis of Brighton Township and Tom Barrett of Charlotte cite “hundreds of sworn affidavits claiming numerous allegations of voter fraud and irregularities throughout the state.” Elections officials says they are mostly human error that would only affect a small number of ballots and not nearly enough to overturn the election results.

Ford Fund & Local Dealer Step Up For 12 Days Of Gleaners

The Ford Fund is once again doubling all donations made during the 12 Days of Gleaners, which starts Saturday. In addition, Bob Maxey Ford in Howell will also make a $20 donation for every test drive made between now and Thanksgiving.

Spartan Fans Win VINA Tailgate

Local Michigan State fans were more charitable than local Wolverine fans and will now see their school's logo adorned upon a canopy outside of the Brighton dental clinic.

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Motion To Move Tainted Steroid Trial Is Denied

Barry Cadden and Glenn Chin are facing trial in Livingston County Circuit Court on second degree murder charges for their roles in running the New England Compounding Center. Judge Michael Hatty said he was “fairly confident” the defendants could still get a fair trial locally.

Annual Giving Trees Going Up This Week

The organization sponsors the drive each holiday season and is setting up giving trees starting this week at nearly 60 locations throughout the county. Each tree has a number of dove tags attached with the wishes of those in need.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Sacrifice & Service Honored During Annual Veterans Day Ceremony

Following a 21-gun salute by the David Murnighan Detachment 161 Livingston County Marine Corp League Honor Guard, the traditional playing of Taps marked a cold, windy day for those assembled to mark the annual Veterans Day observance in front of the veteran’s memorial in Downtown Howell.

New Venue Sought For Trial In Tainted Steroid Deaths

A hearing set Thursday in front of Judge Michael Hatty will hear a motion to move the trial of Barry Cadden and Glenn Chin out of Livingston County. They are charged with second degree murder for their roles in running the New England Compounding Center.

Mike Rogers Calls For Biden To Receive Presidential Daily Briefings

In a tweet Tuesday, former Congressman Mike Rogers said that Biden should be receiving the presidential daily briefings as the White House, something that has yet to take place despite decades of precedent. Rogers said, "This isn't about politics; this is about national security.”

Election Breathes New Life Into False ‘Dead Voter’ Claims

As President Donald Trump continued to assert without evidence Tuesday that the presidential election was undermined by voter fraud, social media users falsely claimed that people had cast extra votes using the identities of dead people in Pennsylvania and Michigan. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Monday, November 9, 2020

Second COVID Wave Threatens In-Person Instruction

The Livingston County Health Department says COVID case counts and the positivity rate have both more than doubled, meaning that “in-person instruction is at risk due to increasing numbers of quarantined students and lack of teachers to provide instruction.”

Unadilla Township Woman Hit By Car

Unadilla Township Police were dispatched at 4:39 p.m. to a single vehicle versus pedestrian accident at the intersection of Main St and M36. The victim, a 67 year old Gregory woman, was struck by a Ford F250 driven by a 45 year old Gregory woman.

Theis Bill Would Require Clerks To Issue, Renew Pistol Licenses

State Senator Lana Theis said the bill was prompted by what she called “Gov. Whitmer’s unconstitutional shutdown of Michigan” saying that county clerks across the state “infringed on law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights by refusing or delaying the issue or renewal of concealed pistol licenses under the guise of public safety,”

Saturday, November 7, 2020

GOP Legislative Leaders Issue Subpoena On Election

On the same day that Democrat Joe Biden was declared the winner of the election, the Senate and House oversight committees approved a subpoena along party lines seeking documents from the Michigan Department of State.

Online Meeting Will Discuss US-23, US-12 Projects

The Michigan Department of Transportation has invited the public to attend an online public meeting on Thursday, November 12th at 6pm regarding upcoming improvements along US-23 from Stony Creek Road to Ellsworth Road and along US-12 from Platt Road to Carpenter Road.

Friday, November 6, 2020

Without Evidence, Bollin Accuses Gov. Whitmer & SOS Benson Of "Hijacking" Election

Just a day after Republican State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township was elected to serve as an assistant majority floor leader for the upcoming Michigan House of Representatives legislative session, she has posted on social media allegations, without evidence, of illegality at the TCF Center in Detroit, where ballots have been counted from Tuesday’s election.

Trump Unity Bridge Owner Arrested At Detroit Protest

Rob Cortis is the owner of the Trump Unity Bridge, a 30-foot trailer festooned with Trump memorabilia that has become a fixture at campaign events for the past four years. Earlier today, however, Detroit Police impounded the vehicle and arrested Cortis.

Slotkin Says Leaders Need To Choose Between Trump Or Democracy

Following comments Thursday by President Trump in which he sought to undermine confidence in the nation’s election, 8th District Democrat Elissa Slotkin said that, “Republican elected officials need to speak out, now, to make clear they will not participate in attempts to thwart the will of the voters. If you remain silent, you are complicit.”

Fowlerville Fire Chief Cautions Against Open Burning

Following a major grass fire earlier this week, Fowlerville Fire Chief Bob Feig is cautioning for residents to try and hold off on open burning through the weekend until cooler, wetter weather returns later next week.

Online Session Will Discuss Medicare Options For 2021

The Brighton District Library is holding a Zoom presentation on Thursday, November 16th from 6 to 7pm entitled “What’s New to Medicare 2021”. A team from the Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program will host the presentation covering the changes coming to Medicare for 2021.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

COVID Cases Reported At HPS, CSA & St. Pat’s

On Tuesday, Howell Public School reported they had been notified that a Highlander Way Middle School staff member had tested positive for COVID-19. According to the district’s website, an additional confirmed case was reported Wednesday at Howell High School, becoming the fourth confirmed case involving the district since Sunday.

Crews Battle Massive Grass Fire North Of Fowlerville

Warmer than normal temperatures have led to a spate of grass fires in Livingston County. Firefighters responded to a brush fire this morning in Green Oak Township in the Huron Meadows Metropark. Meanwhile, a large grass fire kept crews busy in Conway Township Wednesday afternoon.

School Board Races Bring Some Changes

There were a couple of surprises in area school board election races, one of them in Howell, where long-time board member Michael Yenshaw was defeated for another term on the Howell school board.

Trump Backers Protest At Voting Center In Detroit

The protest came as the president insisted without evidence that there were major problems with the voting and the ballot counting, especially with mail-in votes, and as Republicans filed suit in various states over the election.

Four Friends Bag Bucks On Same Night

Alex Miklashek, Nick Miklashek, Justin Mishler and Donny Alnajjar recently took to the woods separately in different areas of Livingston County and within a couple of hours, all had managed to bag a buck.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Slotkin Wins Re-Election To 8th District Seat

Results from Ingham County, where Incumbent Democrat Elissa Slotkin won by 52,000 votes, put her over the top. With 100% of the precincts reporting, Slotkin beat Republican challenger Paul Junge 51.1% to 47.1%, a similar margin to her 2018 victory.

Annual “High Five” Turkey Drive Underway

Since 1980, the Midwest Independent Retailers Foundation and its members have provided thanksgiving turkeys to needy families and officials say each year the list of charitable groups asking for turkeys grows.

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Long Lines Greet Local Voters As They Head To The Polls

Reports from precincts in Genoa, Hartland and Hamburg townships were of long lines out the door this morning. That was the same situation in Green Oak Township, where Clerk Mike Sedlak says he had never seen it so busy in his twenty years of administering elections.

County Lifts Hiring Freeze

The Livingston County Board of Commissioners lifted the moratorium on new hires, allowing department heads to now pursue filling around 30 job vacancies at the county level.

Monday, November 2, 2020

Huron Valley Switches To Remote Learning Amid Rising COVID Cases

Huron Valley Superintendent Dr. Paul Salah in which he said they were informed late Friday that Oakland County’s risk category had moved to Level E. As recently as last Monday, it was at Level C. In addition, they were also told both Lakeland and Milford High Schools had experienced two or more cases from different households.

Former Church Employee Charged With Embezzlement

75-year-old Judy Murray of Wyandotte formerly worked for the Assemblies of God Michigan District, which is located in Brighton Township. She was charged last month with embezzlement of $100,000 or more, although it is alleged that she stole more than $200,000.