Livingston County Area News Archive

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Friday, April 30, 2021

Howell Woman Knits Together 30 Years Of Success

Saturday will mark 30 years since Charlene Hatfield first opened up her knitting shop, Stitch In Time, in Downtown Howell and says it has been her loyal customers that have sustained through the economic ups and downs of the last three decades.

Brighton Man Enters Plea To Tossing Sandbag Onto Freeway

41-year-old David Vincent Garcia of Brightona pleaded no contest to throwing a sandbag off of the Old Plank Road overpass over westbound I-96 on October 4th, 2020, injuring Cindy Eckley of Livonia, who suffered serious facial and eyes injuries.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

County Board Omits Democrat From Appointment To Jury Commission

Wes Nakagiri, the Chair of the all-Republican County Board, said it was difficult to envision any Democrat being appointed to a county committee, slamming the party for its transgender policies and insisting among other things that they are, "indoctrinating children with hate-filled systemic racist ideology..."

Local Realtors To Hold Annual Food Drive Saturday

The 19th annual Livingston County Association of Realtors Food & Fund Drive is scheduled this Saturday, May 1st at 19 real estate agencies across Livingston County. Donations go to Gleaners Community Food Pantry, which will then distribute them to local pantries.

Three Whitmer Kidnap Plotters Face New Charges

40-year-old Adam Fox of Wyoming, Michigan; 45-year-old Barry Croft Jr. of Bear, Delaware; and 23-year-old Daniel Joseph Harris of Lake Orion, Michigan, were charged with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property.

Clarkston Vet Advocates For Slotkin Burn Pit Legislation

Jared Enochs of Clarkston, a veteran who served in Iraq, said his repeated exposure to the toxins coming from burn pits has resulted in a lengthy list of ailments. He spoke during a Zoom press conference Wednesday hosted by 8th District Democrat Elissa Slotkin.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Fowlerville Mom Wants Answers In Daughter's Death

Belinda Pierce of Fowlerville says she feels that authorities bungled the investigation of her daughter Kayla's disappearance, while Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy points the finger squarely at Detroit Police for dropping the ball.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Online Town Hall Will Focus On Redistricting Process

The League of Women Voters of Brighton/Howell Unit is holding a town hall event this Thursday, April 29th at 7pm via Zoom, to educate Michigan voters on the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission’s process in drawing new legislative and congressional maps.

Monday, April 26, 2021

Eight Candidates Seeking Three Open Howell Council Seats

Among those seeking election are two incumbents, Jeannette Ambrose and Jan Lobur, along with newcomers Kriston Detmer, Kevin Shopshire, Lee Ann Blazejewski, Alexander Clos, Luke Wilson and Jacob Schlittler. In addition, two candidates have filed to be the new Mayor of Howell; Councilman Bob Ellis and former Mayor Bob Parker.

Michigan Became Hotspot As Variants Rose & Vigilance Fell

Michigan has become the current national hotspot for COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations at a time when more than half the U.S. adult population has been vaccinated and other states have seen the virus diminish substantially. Beaumont Health warned that its hospitals and staff had hit critical capacity levels. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Saturday, April 24, 2021

Friday, April 23, 2021

Slotkin Bill Seeks To Help New Vets Adjust To Civilian Life

8th District Democrat Elissa Slotkin, along with Ohio Republican Congressman David Joyce, introduced the bipartisan Solid Start Act, a bill to ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs proactively reaches out to service members in their first year transitioning back to civilian life to connect them with critical benefits and services they have earned.

Howell Medical Company Issued Air Quality Violation

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy issued an air quality violation notice related to public health to Centurion Medical Products after air sampling around its facility found unsafe levels of ethylene oxide emissions.

YouTube Pulls County Commission Meeting Video

Livingston County Administrator Nathan Burd told WHMI they “were notified that YouTube would not allow it to be posted because it violated their ‘Covid-19 medical misinformation policy.’” He says they filed an immediate appeal of the decision, but it was denied.

Mask Protestors Speak At Pinckney School Board Meeting

About a dozen parents spoke out against mask requirements during the Pinckney Community Schools Board of Education virtual meeting on Thursday night. Other parents praised the board for their "common sense" actions to protect their children.

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Police Report: Jones Threatened To Call Whitmer During Arrest

Democratic State Representative Jewell Jones of Inkster, charged with drunk driving and resisting officers after a crash earlier this month near Fowlerville, reportedly threatened responding Michigan State Police troopers that he would call Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and report them.

Outdoor Recreation Projects Likely Awarded State Funding

The grant awards include $300,000 for the Southern Lakes Parks and Recreation District to put toward a nearly $2 (m) million project to develop the Silver Lake Road Connector Trail through the communities of Linden, Fenton and Fenton Township.

County Animal Shelter Seeking Grant To Expand Dog Room

If awarded, the funds would be used to renovate the shelter’s dog room, including new windows, outdoor kennels, bathing station, sound system, and an isolation room, which Shelter Director Christy Peterson says is definitely needed.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

OB/GYN Among Anti-Maskers To Address HPS Board

A week after a group calling itself Unmask Livingston forced the Board to adjourn, a special meeting was held via Zoom. Among those speaking against the wearing of masks was an OB/GYN with Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, contradicting her own hospital's policy.

Hartland Man Bound Over On Attempted Murder Charges

26-year-old Clay Garner is charged with assault with intent to murder and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder for the February 18th incident in which he is alleged to have beaten his father, who suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung with internal bleeding.

Monday, April 19, 2021

Brown Bag Lunch To Explore Rural Broadband

The next installment of the Livingston County Planning Department's Brown Bag Lunch series will explore the status and efforts at bringing high speed internet to rural residents.

Saturday, April 17, 2021

State Rep Arraigned On Drunk Driving, Resisting Arrest Charges

Chief Assistant Livingston County Prosecutor Carolyn Henry said that State Representative Jewell Jones' "erratic and assaultive behaviors" following an April 6th crash near Fowlerville prompted police to be called, but that he continued to be "confrontational, uncooperative and insisting again to his status of importance by flashing badges rather than producing the identification as law enforcement officers were requesting." faces multiple felony charges stemming from an April 6th incident on I-96 near Folwerville.

Friday, April 16, 2021

Felony Charges Filed Against Lawmaker For Incident Near Fowlerville

Democratic State Representative Jewell Jones of Inkster was arraigned Friday on four counts of Resisting and Obstructing a Police Officer, Operating a Motor Vehicle with a High Blood Alcohol Content, Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated, Possession of a Weapon Under the Influence of alcohol and Reckless Driving.

Gun Charges Filed Against Grand Rapids Man Shot By MSP

20-year-old Tristan Stavedahl was shot early Tuesday morning on Milett Road, north of North Burkhart Road, by a Detective Trooper with the Livingston and Washtenaw Narcotics Enforcement Team (LAWNET) who was in the area searching for a car theft suspect.

Motion Again 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 and its security contractor, Leighton Security. It alleges the companies engaged in a conspiracy to deprive Borke of his civil rights through a campaign of harassment and intimidation in response to his efforts to halt the project.

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Witnesses Say Genoa Clerk Admitted Using Illegal Ballot Containers

Genoa Township Clerk Polly Skolarus was charged with a misdemeanor charge of Election Law - Failure to Perform Duty following an investigation by Michigan State Police. A Freedom of Information Act request by WHMI turned over the 30-page police report and 45 additional pages of supporting documents.

Online Town Hall Will Focus On Redistricting Process

The League of Women Voters of Brighton/Howell Unit is holding a town hall event on Thursday, April 29th at 7pm via Zoom, to educate Michigan voters on the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission’s process in drawing new legislative and congressional maps.

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Board Hears Teacher Grievance, Delays Decision

The grievance was filed on behalf of Brighton High School teacher Aaron Walter, who argues that he was approved and assigned to teach a credit recovery class for two semesters. A clerical error was blamed for it not being assigned for the second semester.

MSP Detective Placed On Leave Following Shooting

A Detective Trooper was in the area assisting in the search when the officer confronted a 20-year-old Grand Rapids man who matched the suspect’s description. The suspect reportedly showed a weapon, at which point the MSP Detective shot the individual.

Scholarships Honoring Brighton Teen Available

Students are once again eligible for scholarship money through the Darian Locklear Kindness Scholarship program, which was initiated to honor former Brighton High School student Darian Locklear. The 16-year-old BHS junior, along with Howell High School student Juliana Ward-Brown, lost their lives in a traffic accident in February 2018.

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Brighton School Board Will Return To Hybrid Meeting Format

At Monday night’s Brighton Board of Education meeting, the board reached an informal consensus that future meetings will involve a hybrid format, in which board members will attend the meeting in person and the public will be able to participate in the meeting virtually.

Hartland Board Of Education Approves DEI Subcommittee

While unanimously supportive of the district's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, board members were split on the necessity of a DEI subcommittee of board members who would oversee the main committee and report back to the full Board.

Monday, April 12, 2021

Pinckney High School On Pause This Week

Pinckney Superintendent Rick Todd said they would pause both in-person instruction and sports at the high school this week, with most students going to online learning. Todd pointed to the 19 confirmed COVID cases last week in the district, which he said was as many as they normally see over the course of a month. Six more cases were reported over the weekend in Pinckney.

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Tyrone Twp. Teen Seriously Injured In Friday Night Crash

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office reports they were called out just before 8pm Friday to a crash on Foley Road, east of Hartland Road. A preliminary investigation indicated that a 16-year-old Davison resident lost control of a pickup truck, left the roadway and hit a tree, entrapping his 16-year-old cousin.

Friday, April 9, 2021

Whitmer Urges, But Not Orders, Halt Of High School Classes, Youth Sports

Faced with the country’s highest rate of new coronavirus infections, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today urged a two-week suspension of in-person high school classes, all youth sports and indoor restaurant dining. She stopped short of ordering restrictions, instead asking for voluntary compliance to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Howell SOS Branch Closed After COVID Exposure

The SOS branch located on Grand River in Genoa Township is closed, as is the Michigan Avenue branch in Lansing. Tracy Wimmer, the Director of Media Relations for the Michigan Secretary of State, tells WHMI that both offices were ordered closed due to a COVID exposure.

Warrant Sought Against State Rep. For Obstructing Police

Video broadcast on Fox 2 Detroit shows an SUV belonging to Democratic State Representative Jewell Jones of Inkster swerving on I-96. Michigan State Police records show that warrants were requested against Jones for obstructing police, along with misdemeanor weapons and traffic offenses after troopers from the Brighton Post arrested him near Fowlerville Tuesday night.

BAS Therapy Dog Recuperating After Surgery

Ford - one of the Brighton Area School District’s 12 social-emotional-learning dogs — is resting at home after surgery last month for a torn ligament. The surgery was performed for free by Oakland Veterinary Referral Services in Bloomfield Twp., which earned it a 'Shining Star' award from the district.

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

State Representative Arrested Near Fowlerville

State Representative Jewell Jones was arrested by Michigan State Police near Fowlerville last night. MSP says he has been released pending lab results. The 25-year-old Democrat lives in Inkster and is in his third term representing the 11th District. He is also an Inkster Auxiliary Police Officer.

Brighton Twp. Man Bound Over For Attempted Murder Of Wife

35-year old Bradley James Crainer is accused of trying to electrocute his wife while she was in the bathtub, placing Benadryl into a smoothie he gave to his wife and children, and opening a natural gas line inside his vacant home in a failed attempt to destroy it.

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Monday, April 5, 2021

Flood Study Sought For Hamburg Township

The township experiences frequent flooding along the Huron River and Ore Lake and the board recently authorized a letter of support for a no-cost study through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Sunday, April 4, 2021

Saturday, April 3, 2021

Friday, April 2, 2021

Thursday, April 1, 2021

State Provides Flexibility For In-Person Public Meetings

An order signed Wednesday by Elizabeth Hertel, Director of the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) allows “gatherings of public bodies and attendees of meetings held by public bodies” at “50% of the total occupancy limits established by the fire marshal.”

Treasury: Don't Wait To File Tax Returns

Although the deadline has been pushed back, Livingston County residents and others are being urged to file their taxes sooner than later as they could receive unexpected refunds.