WILLKOMMEN! - The Courant

S E RV I N G WA S H T E N AW, L I V I N G S T O N A N D OA K L A N D C O U N T I E S
COURANTONLINE.COM
JULY 2016
FREE
A Visit with Vince Gill at the WHITMORE LAKE 4TH
Country Music Hall of Fame OF JULY SCHEDULE
JULIAN K’S MUSIC SCENE, PAGE 4
PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE
IN OUR
CLASSROOMS
By John Conely
As July 4th approaches reminding us
of the patriotism it represents, and as a
Brighton Area School Board Trustee who
is very proud of our compliance with
Michigan’s State law MCL 38.1347A, I
want to share how everyone working
together made the transition happen.
Passed in 2012, this law compels all
school boards to ensure that an opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance
to the flag of the United States is offered
“Our success story is a
great example of how
members of the community and elected officials,
when working together,
can facilitate change.”
John Conely
Second-Term Trustee –
Brighton Area Schools
each day to all public school students. A
student, however, shall not be obligated to
recite the Pledge. In addition, the school
board will ensure these students will not
be subject to any penalty if they choose
not to participate.
After passage of this law, a joint effort
ensued between a local chapter of the
Knights of Columbus and a retired Air
Force officer. As a result of this joint effort, Brighton Area Schools were presented with well over 100 American flags so
that each classroom had a flag to display.
Through community support and the
school board’s guidance, what started as
a need to comply with state law, became
an achievable goal. Our project can serve
as an example to other county schools
that board members must take seriously
their oath to support both the Constitution of the United States and the State of
Michigan.
Since then, Brighton Area Schools has
agreed to my proposal to post not only
the words of the Pledge of Allegiance, but
also Pledge protocol, in every classroom
in every school. I feel very passionate
about my obligation as an elected official
to educate our youth on the significance
of our flag and its pledge.
Our success story is a great example
of how members of the community and
elected officials, when working together,
can facilitate change.
CONTENTS
VOLUME XII • ISSUE 9
IN THE NEWS, PAGE 13
WILLKOMMEN!
GERMAN PARK HOSTS IT’S SUMMER PICNIC SEASON
With 78 years under it’s belt German
Park Recreation Club has just started
its summer picnic season. The famous
German Club hosts a German culture
themed picnic from 4 pm to 11 pm
(admission ends at 9 pm) on the last
Saturday of June (25th), July (30th) and
August (27th). There is always plenty
of authentic German food, beer, wine,
music and dancing. In July music and
entertainment will be provided by The
Bavarian Showtime Band featuring Jay
Fox. If you can’t afford to go to Germany
for Oktoberfest German Park is your
next best thing. While not a secret many
folks in our area still have not figured
out what, when and where German
Park is. Do yourself a favor and take
your family and friends to this ethnic
event. Located in Northfield township
on Pontiac Trail it is accessible and has
plenty of parking. Entrance tickets are
just $5.00 and all the information you
need can be found at www.germanpark.
com or call 734-769-0048
By Gary Wellings
FIRST NATIONAL BANK AWARDS OVER $12,000 WITH
PROGRAM AND TEACHER CLASSROOM GRANTS
First National Bank is pleased to
announce the 2016 Community Scholarship and Teacher Classroom Grant
recipients. Eleven scholarships of
$1,000 each were awarded to the selected Livingston County high school
seniors to continue their academic or
vocational education. The bank also
presented five, teacher classroom
grants of $250.
The ‘Community Scholarship’ selection criteria focuses on dedicated
and proven community service participation along with academics (a minimum 3.0 GPA is required), a written
Advice..................................................... 7
Business Cards.................................. 14
Calendar.......................................................8
Gardening................................................... 2
Guest Editorial....................................... 12
Law..............................................................14
Music............................................................. 4
Puzzle........................................................ 14
By Tom Gisewhite
essay, recommendation letters, and
challenges, if any, overcome to graduate. The teacher classroom grants
were selected using information provided by the scholarship applicants
in both their written applications
and personal interviews where they
addressed questions regarding educators who made a significant contribution to their educational experience.
During a banquet recognizing the
recipients Ron Long, President/CEO
of First National Bank, said, “At First
National, Service to our customers
and community sets us apart. The
NEWS BRIEF
Community Scholarship Program and
the teacher classroom grants are wonderful examples of the power of local
banking at work. First National staff
and community leaders are involved
in the selection process, the scholarships benefit the future leaders of our
community and the grants help our
teachers with their important work
guiding and shaping the fine young
people in our schools. This is truly
a win, win, win program and First
National is proud of the more than
$250,000 provided through it since its
inception.”
DAYLILY DIG OPEN HOUSE Specialty Growers will showcase stunning
new varieties of daylilies and provide expert gardening tips for
their care during the nursery’s annual Daylily Dig Open House on
July 23. Specialty Growers is located at 4330 Golf Club Rd. (between
Latson and Hughes) in Howell. Specialty Growers also displays perennials, annuals, hostas, herbs and ornamental plants at the Brighton Farmer’s Market. For more information contact Karen Bovio at
(517) 546-7742 or visit her Web site www.specialtygrowers.net.
POSTAL
CUSTOMER
ECRWSS
SOUTH LYON MI
PERMIT NO. 15
PAID
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
2 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
A
s I write this article we are in
a three week spell of rainless
conditions and hot temperatures. This coincides, of course,
with the initial planting of my annuals
and vegetable plants. I had some tense
moments with transplant shock the first
day. I am using the changeover of water
from the fish pond to water my garden.
It is high in fish nutrients and a good
source to recycle my water.
I poured this water into a fifty gallon
barrel in which I installed a spigot to fill
my sprinkler can for my vegetable garden. Your local store has a good supply of
rain barrels. The rain barrel comes with
directions on how to install it to the gutter on your garage or house. It’s one of
the best ways to conserve water. It has a
lid on it to keep mosquitoes from laying
eggs in it and it takes a little time to empty your barrel, too!
The use of a soaker hose that lays by
GARDEN SPOT WATERING
By John Keast
the plants roots is an effective way of
saving water and you are not wetting
down the leaves of your plants. The
rule of thumb is an inch a week for your
plants and grass. If you have sand or clay
soil the rules will change. The use of your
finger by touching to see if it is dry is still
one of the best ways to determine if you
need to water.
You can use the very modern way of
watering your plants by using a dripper system. It uses an emitter sprayer
off the main line so you can water each
plant right at the roots. You can switch
off with different nozzles if a plant
needs more water.
Landscape plants are well watered
with an irrigation system. Unfortunately,
the water can run off very easily and so
many times you are watering the road as
it seeps off your land. Overwatering can
be fatal to your plants. It is very important to pay attention to the moisture con-
tent that you have and shut off that section of the irrigation system if the plants
are too wet. One of the main reasons
plants will die is the roots are saturated
with water every day.
One of the ways to check your hanging
plants is to pay attention to how lightweight they are when you plant them.
I went to the nursery and they were
checking to see if their pots needed
watering. They would lift the container
from the bottom and could tell by the
pot’s weight whether to water or not.
The art of watering as you can see can
be in the touch of the holder. The guide
line is to water your garden early in the
morning or late afternoon so the plant
has a chance to dry out before night.
John Keast is an Advanced Master Gardener. Q&A at [email protected]
Copyright©2016 John Keast. For information: 248-437-8539.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 3
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
THANKS FROM THE CUB SCOUTS
I’d like to take a few minutes of your
time to tell you about how Mr. Carl Schauer has been a blessing helping both Hamburg and Whitmore Lake communities as
well as our local Cub Scout Pack. He and
his wife Ruth are very active with their
church, Wesley United Methodist Church
in Whitmore Lake, which is our Cub Scout
Pack’s sponsor.
For the last 8 years he has helped the
Cub Scout Pack in Whitmore Lake in so
many ways. He allows our scouts to get
credit as well as learn valuable lessons
while we put American flags on Veteran’s
graves at Hamburg cemetery in May &
remove them in Nov. Our scouts learn so
much about being brave, courteous, kind,
reverent through this experience and
they learn in action what those words
mean that is part of the Scout Law as well
as learn about why we are honoring the
veterans that Mr. Schauer talks about before we place and remove the American
flags. These things not only instill lasting
impressions on our boys, they also earn
badges for this.
This year was exceptionally great when
Mr. Carl was able to visit our pack in April
He gave a short talk about the war and
bravery during his service to our country
during the Korean War. Our scouts sat
in awe as they got to see a picture of a
ship Mr. Carl was on. Scouts and adults
thought it was neat and interesting when
Mr. Carl read the poem “Flanders Fields”
and told us that Lieutenant Colonel John
McCray, MD (1872-1918), Canadian Army,
author of poem was a relative of his. We
have again this year earn badges because
he took time to come and help us learn
about being a loyal citizen to America as
well as a community supporter. The highlight was he gave us all a poppy before
he and his wife left. It was another time
when he stepped in and helped us out. We
gave him a plaque from the Boy Scouts of
America, thanking him for being a help to
us and an example of true American Spirit
and community supporter.
Dave Richards
Whitmore Lake
THANK YOU FIRST RESPONDERS!
My husband, Thomas Pawley, and I
moved to Hamburg twp in November
2014. It was his long desire to become
a firefighter. So he recently joined the
Hamburg Township fire department, Station 11 and is an apprentice in training.
The job of a firefighter is always to be a
first responder to help people in need.
Throughout his training he’s been eager
to learn and has already assisted in many
situations. At the end of training, he will
be a certified EMT/Firefighter. One evening, when a small finch bird crashed into
our patio window and knocked himself
out, it didn’t surprise me that Tom went
out on the deck to help. He scooped this
little guy up and nursed him back for
about a half an hour until the little bird
got strong enough and flew away.
I’m very proud of my husband and
all of the first responders everywhere
for their work and commitment to our
communities.
Ruthanne M. Pawley
Hamburg
CANDIDATES NIGHT
I attended the candidates night at the
Township Public Safety Building. I was
surprised that two of the candidates running for the office of Supervisor apparently do not want a Township Manager. The
candidates are John Zarzecki and Marlene
Chockley. The township has made much
progress in the four years that we have
had Township Manager, Howard Fink and
taking steps backward is not conducive to
continued progress.
Mary Devlin
Northfield Township
4 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
JULIAN K’S MUSIC SCENE VINCE GILL
S
ince I have been writing this column I have either featured local or
national musicians playing in our
fine area venues. I want to deviate
from that this time because I took full
advantage of an opportunity too sweet
to miss. I drove ten hours to the home of
Country Music, Nashville, to meet, greet,
and hear Vince Gill perform at The Country Music Hall of Fame. First, let’s talk
about The Hall of Fame.
There is no finer collection of country
memorabilia anywhere. The Hall of Fame
has three spacious floors absolutely loaded with instruments of all types, posters, photographs, endless film clips and
videos, clothes and boots from the stars,
thousands of gold and platinum records,
hand written lyric sheets, scribbled notes
and so much more. You can see Elvis’ gold
piano and gold Cadillac, motorcycles,
muscle cars, old recording studios, vintage
microphones and record cutting equipment. They cover Country from the very
Story & Photo By Julian Konwinski
beginning thru Taylor Swift. If you care
at all for this wonderful music you must
get this on your bucket list. It is one of the
best museums I’ve seen worldwide. Allow
yourself at least half a day to experience it.
Incidentally, Vince Gill is the acting head
of The Hall and has been instrumental in
raising over one hundred million dollars
to remodel and expand the place and to
keep on very sound financial footing.
Vince Gill is one of the biggest stars currently in Country. He is also so ordinary
and accessible with an enormous fan base
and the utmost respect from his peers. A
native of Oklahoma he began to get notice for his vocal and instrumental ability
as a teenager in the band “Pure Prairie
League.” His dream was to be a serious
Country session performer so early in the
70’s he moved to Nashville. He quickly became in heavy demand by artists in many
musical genres and is now recognized as
the single most recorded artist ever. However, his breakout as an individual artist
would not come until he changed his record company in the early 1980’s. It has
been onward and upward since.
Vince met with a group of about three
hundred people for five hours. He answered any and all questions from the
crowd. He told numerous stories and sang
several songs people requested. He took
time to sign anything asked and allowed
photos of him and with him. His hero remains his fellow Oklahoman, the recently
departed, Merle Haggard. He is incredibly
thankful for his ability to play and sing
but says his greatest gift is his finely tuned
ears. It allows him to hear and generate
very intricate harmonics which greatly enriches his music. He also said that he has
always felt that while playing, the spaces
between the notes are as important as the
notes themselves. These days he is busy
listening to his daughters develop their
musical voices. It’s just a matter of time
before they follow dad’s footsteps.
Someone asked Vince what it’s like
to win so many awards and be in such
demand? He said, “it’s nice and he’s so
thankful for all he has gotten. All that
means nothing compared to sitting in his
easy chair and having his grandson come
charging across the room and jumping
into his arms with unconditional love.”
These days that’s what he’s living for.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 5
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
EDITOR’S PICKS
I
By Gary Wellings
’ll keep this short. I’m picking the
candidates who think forward not
backward. I’m picking the Northfield
candidates who support keeping the
professional Township Manager who has
on the whole made things much better in
Northfield Township. I’m also voting for
candidates who know that we need both
commercial and residential development
along US-23 at our exits and Old US-23
(Whitmore Lake Road).
To those points I am endorsing current
Supervisor Marilyn Handloser, current
Township Treasurer Kathy Braun and former trustee Mark Stanalajczo for Township Clerk. For Trustees I’m voting for
incumbents Wayne Dockett, Jackie Otto
and Janet Chick and I am going to roll the
dice and say give Tawn Beliger a chance
for Trustee.
This township has been bypassed for
commercial growth for decades and is still
battling the terrible reputation given to us
as a courtesy of the Northfield Neighbor
group in the south end of the township.
They want the community to subsidize
their privacy and hobby farm lifestyles by
preventing owners from selling their now
defunct farmlands to developers and bringing in some much needed population for
this stagnant township and school district.
The choice voters need to make is simple. Do you want to look like Ypsilanti and
Sumpter Township or would you rather
look like Brighton and Genoa Township?
Ask yourself before you vote because a no
growth board could devastate your property values for decades.
TROJAN PRIDE
By Lisa Mccully
Whitmore Lake High School graduates
are going places!
Last year, for the first time, I attended
the graduation ceremony for Whitmore
Lake High School. I was so impressed
with all the plans these young people
had! The graduating class this year did
not disappoint!
This year, I decided to share some
numbers from the class of 2016.
• There were 63 graduates
• 98% of the class graduated
• 39% will attend a university
• 39% will attend community college
• 9% will attend trade school
• 9% will enlist in the military
• 7% are planning to enter the workforce
• More than 1/3 were awarded scholarships
• About 1/3 earned college credit before graduating
We even had one student that graduated as a licensed EMT!
Thanks to the dedication of our teachers and staff, we have kids graduating
that are ready to face the next phase of
their life.
This makes me proud to be part of this
wonderful community!
Congratulations to the Whitmore Lake
High School class of 2016!!
PLEASE VOTE
AUGUST 2, 2016
6 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 7
THE RESOLUTIONIST
Dear Resolutionist,
I am so tired of hearing people nitpick
Donald Trump. It really upsets me, primarily because of their inability to see
that people like me have felt the EXACT
same way about President Obama…for
several years now! His healthcare reform in and of itself is enough to make
us Constitution-lovers want to flee the
country! Many of his other policies have
caused small businesses to fold or layoff workers, and his inability to keep
our nation secure is really the straw
that broke the camel’s back for me. The
basic safety of our citizens and our children has not been a priority. And maybe
we’re not supposed to discuss this, but
it seems to me that crimes against Black
Americans have soared during his presidency…which if you ask me, proves that
his presence in office has caused more
racism, arguably because so many citizens simply hate him. I wanted to see
By Amy Scholl
a Black president in office, but Obama
was simply the wrong guy for the job. He
has caused more dissension than unity, and he has caused more regression
than progress. So when the others say
how “extreme” Trump is, and how he
doesn’t represent them… I just roll my
eyes because I (and MANY others) have
felt the exact same way about Obama for
the past few years! Bottom line: Why do
people not see that many of us have felt
this way and we had to “deal with it”?
They’re blind to their own hypocrisy and
I’m losing my patience!
Sincerely, Name Redacted
for Workplace Privacy
Dear “Redacted”,
As you’ve already discovered, political
conflict is unique. Unlike other issues,
there is typically minimal success when
one tries to convey their perspective to
another party. Trying to change some-
one’s mind is not a practical approach in
this highly personal, impassioned arena.
Rather than “resolve” this type of conflict, the best approach is to “manage”
it. Learn how to politely excuse yourself
from a conversation when it gets too
heated, because at the end of the day
candidates are often judged by their
constituents. So the best advice I can
give is to conduct yourself with decorum
and show people why your candidate is
a good choice. After all, the majority of
communication is actually non-verbal,
so we say more with our actions than
we do with our words. These seemingly
minor day-to-day changes can also set a
good example for our country’s children,
who are surely gleaning a thing or two
from their elders during these conflicting
times.
Courant
The
JULY 2016 EDITION
Published Monthly by Marula
Management and Consulting LLC
Copyright © 2015
P.O. Box 440
Whitmore Lake, MI 48189
(734) 922-2502
[email protected]
www.courantonline.com
THE COURANT STAFF
CHIEF EDITOR
Gary Wellings • 734.629.6010
DESIGN
Kevin Serbus • 248.506.9560
AD SALES & DISTRIBUTION
Gary Wellings • 734.629.6010
Thank You to All of Our
Volunteer Contributing Writers
Amy is a Mediation and Conflict Resolution Specialist.
Printed by Michigan Web Press
SOCIAL SECURITY PREPARATION STARTS WITH INFORMATION
Y
our parents were there for you
when you were born. They’ve
been with you through the
most important achievements
of your life. Now it’s your turn to show
them that they can count on you. As
your parents get older, they may need
help making decisions. When you volunteer to become a representative payee, you’re supporting your parents and
their future.
A representative payee is someone
who receives Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments
on behalf of a person not capable of
managing the funds on his or her own.
By Mike Laird
As a representative payee, you would
make sure your parents’ basic needs are
met by using the money to provide them
with food, clothing, and shelter. Any leftover money goes into an interest-bearing account or savings bond for your
parents’ future needs. You’re responsible for keeping records of expenses, and
we request yearly reports to see how
you’ve used or saved the benefits.
Other representative payee duties
include knowing your parents’ needs
so you can decide the best way to meet
those needs with the benefits provided
and telling us about any changes that
may affect your parent’s eligibility for
benefits or the payment amount.
If your parents receive Social Security
or SSI benefits and are unable to manage their finances, or you think that may
be the case in the future, take the time
to become familiar with the responsibilities of a representative payee and
consider becoming one.
To learn more about becoming a representative payee, you can read our publication, A Guide for Representative Payees, at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs and
visit the webpage, “When People Need
Help Managing Their Money,” at www.
socialsecurity.gov/payee. Or, call us at
1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778)
to request an appointment.
Take the steps to ensure your parents
have a safe and comfortable future. After
all they’ve done for you over your lifetime, volunteering as a representative
payee is just one way to show how much
you care for and appreciate them. Social
Security will always be there for you and
your parents through life’s journey.
For more information about Social
Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.
Mike Laird is the Social Security District
Manager in Ann Arbor. He can be contacted at 800-772-1213 or Mike.Laird@
ssa.gov.
ADVERTISE IN THE COURANT • For more info call 734.629.6010
8 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
CALENDAR OF EVENTS JULY 2016
EUCHRE Every Wednesday. Games start
promptly at 7pm. $7.00 per person. Public Welcome. Pinckney Memorial Unit
419 American Legion Auxiliary, 9807
Whitewood Road, Pinckney, MI 48169.
734-878-9522.
PINOCHLE Every Tuesday and Thursday.
2:00p.m.-4:00p.m. FREE! Northfield
Twp. Community Center, 9101 Main St.,
Whitmore Lake. Everyone welcome! For
more information, contact the Community Center at 734-449-2295.
WHITMORE LAKE KIWANIS CLUB RUMMAGE
SALE Every Friday from 3-7 pm and every Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm, 9567
Main Street. Donations can be dropped
off at any time at the back.
3D RANGE The Livingston County Wildlife
and Conservation Club, 6060 E. M-36,
Hamburg, MI 48139 (810) 231-1811 3D
Range is open on Sundays. June thru the
first Sunday in September. 9:00 A.M. to
3 P.M. Walk thru the woods. 30 Targets.
6 Elevated stand shots. 4 across water.
Children must be accompanied by an
adult. No Cross Bows allowed. MBH
Members $1.00 Discount.
JULY 1
STEVE KING & THE DITTILIES Concerts at the
Courthouse. 7 pm. Downtown Howell.
ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH, CHICKEN AND RIBS
5:00 - 8:00 P.M. Adults $10.00 Seniors
$9.00 Ages 6-12 $5.00 5 & Under: Free.
Cash Bar Available. The Livingston County Wildlife and Conservation Club, 6060
E. M-36, Hamburg, MI 48139. (810) 2311811.
JULY 2
8 OZ NY STRIP STEAK with baked potato
and other side dishes, dessert. $12/
person. 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm. American
Legion Post 419, 9807 Whitewood Rd,
Pinckney, MI 48178, For more info call
734-878-9522.
JULY 7
BUBBLES AND CHALK ART 11:00 a.m. Children of all ages are invited to help us fill
the lawn with some of the biggest bubbles you’ve ever seen, and transform our
parking lot into a one-of-a-kind chalk
mural. No registration required. The
Northfield Township Area Library. For
more information or to register for these
free programs, please call the library at
734.449.0066. A complete list of monthly programs can be found on our website
www.ntal.org.
FAMILY TREAT NIGHT 5:00 pm-7:30 pm.
$1.50 coneys and $1.50 root beer floats.
American Legion Post 419, 9807 Whitewood Rd, Pinckney, MI 48178, For more
info call 734-878-9522.
TEENS AND TWEENS ages 11 and up can
come make crafts from recycled CDs at
the Hamburg Township Library. The cost
is $0.50 per person. Pre-registration is
required by calling 810-231-1771 or visiting the library at 10411 Merrill Road,
Hamburg. 2pm.
JULY 8
SPAGHETTI DINNER 5:00 pm-7:30 pm. $8
adults, $7 seniors, $3 children under 9.
American Legion Post 419, 9807 Whitewood Rd, Pinckney, MI 48178, For more
info call 734-878-9522.
RHYTHM SOCIETY ORCHESTRA – WORLD WAR
II SHOW Concerts at the Courthouse. 7
pm. Downtown Howell.
JULY 11
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Pinckney’s Arise
United Methodist Church is happy to
host this years Vacation Bible School
“B.O.O.T Camp” for children 4-12 years
of age (open to all). July 11-14th 6:00pm
- 8:30 pm. Dinner, skits, music, storytelling, crafts, and games! www.arisechurch.
org.
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 Come watch “Hotel
Transylvania 2,” rated PG, at the Hamburg Township Library, located at 10411
Merrill Road, Hamburg. Bring a blanket
and snack. No pre-registration required.
6pm.
JULY 12
MEET THE CANDIDATES NIGHT Green Oak
Township Hall at 7PM. Contact information (734) 449-7387.
OLD TIME ROCK AND ROLL Come watch and
listen to an Old Time Rock and Roll concert that combines history, comedy, song,
and dance, at the Hamburg Township
Library. This event is free and open to all
ages. Pre-registration is required by calling 810-231-1771 or visiting the library
at 10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg. 6:30
pm.
JULY 15
PETE “BIG DOG” FETTERS AND THE BOURBON
STREET BAND Concerts at the Courthouse.
7 pm. Downtown Howell.
JULY 18
THE PEANUTS MOVIE Come watch “The
Peanuts Movie,” rated G, at the Hamburg
Township Library, located at 10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg. Bring a blanket and
snack. No pre-registration required. 6
pm.
JULY 19
LIBRARY’S BIRTHDAY Kids 5 and under can
come celebrate the library’s birthday
with games, cake and fun at the Hamburg Township Library. The cost is $0.50
per child. Pre-registration is required
by calling 810-231-1771 or visiting the
library, located at 10411 Merrill Road,
Hamburg. 6:30 pm.
JULY 20
EXOTIC ANIMALS Kids 5 and up can come
see a variety of exotic animals up-close
at the Hamburg Township Library. The
cost is $1.00 per child. Pre-registration is
required by calling 810-231-1771 or visiting the library at 10411 Merrill Road,
Hamburg. 2 pm.
JULY 21
A2 MAGIC 11:00 a.m. Jeff Wawrzasek
will be here to tickle your funny bone
with a healthy dose of humor and pure
magical fun. Registration required. The
Northfield Township Area Library. For
more information or to register for these
free programs, please call the library at
734.449.0066. A complete list of monthly programs can be found on our website
www.ntal.org.
FAMILY TREAT NIGHT 5:00 pm-7:30 pm.
$1.50 coneys and $1.50 root beer floats.
American Legion Post 419, 9807 Whitewood Rd, Pinckney, MI 48178, For more
info call 734-878-9522.
BROOKLYN Come watch “Brooklyn,” rated PG-13, at the Hamburg Township
Library, located at 10411 Merrill Road,
Hamburg. No pre-registration required.
1 pm.
JULY 22
SLOPPY JOES/PULLED PORK NIGHTS For
$2.00, you will get one Sloppy Joe sandwich, chips, additional Sloppy Joes are
$2.00. Pulled Pork Plates are $3.00,
additional Pulled Pork Sandwiches for
$3.00, open faced $7.00, all with a pickle. Boston Coolers are also available for
$1.25. American Legion Post 419, 9807
Whitewood Rd, Pinckney, MI 48178, For
more info call 734-878-9522.
TOM SHARPE – DRUMMER FOR MANNHEIM
STEAMROLLER Concerts at the Courthouse. 7 pm. Downtown Howell.
JULY 23
MARC MEYER MEMORIAL GOLF OUTING The
Pinckney Memorial Post 419-American
Legion hosts the Marc Meyer Memorial
Golf Outing to benefit area Veterans.
The cost $75 per person at Timber
Trace Golf Course in Pinckney. Includes
lunch/dinner. For more info contact Cary
(734)646-3985 or Chip (616)446-5346.
JULY 25
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Barnyard Roundup. Free. July 25-29. 9 am – Noon. Open
to ages 3* – 13. (Three year olds will
need to have an adult onsite the first
day). St Paul Lutheran Church
7701
E, M-36 Hamburg, MI 48139. (810) 2311033. Register Online Now: www.stpaulhamburg.com.
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: ROAD CHIP
Come watch “Alvin and the Chipmunks:
Road Chip,” rated PG, at the Hamburg
Township Library, located at 10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg. Bring a blanket and
snack. No pre-registration required. 6
pm.
JULY 26
A2 MAGIC WORKSHOP 2:00 p.m. for kids
age 8 and up. Jeff Wawrzasek will be
back to teach the children simply amazing, yet amazingly simple magic tricks.
The children will take home illustrated
instruction, props and materials. Registration required. The Northfield Township Area Library. For more information
or to register for these free programs,
please call the library at 734.449.0066.
A complete list of monthly programs can
be found on our website www.ntal.org.
CRAFTS Kids 5 and up can come make
several crafts at the Hamburg Township Library. The cost is $0.50 per child.
Pre-registration is required by calling
810-231-1771 or visiting the library at
10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg. 2 pm.
JULY 27
POPSICLE STICK CRAFTS Kids 5 and under
can come make Popsicle stick crafts and
enjoy a summer treat at the Hamburg
Township Library. The cost is $0.50 per
child. Pre-registration is required by calling 810-231-1771 or visiting the library
at 10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg. 10 am.
JULY 28
END OF SUMMER READING CLUB PIZZA PARTY
11:00 a.m. Genot Picor will be here to
entertain us with interactive stories, music and dance. After his performance the
children will be served pizza. Registration required. The Northfield Township
Area Library. For more information or to
register for these free programs, please
call the library at 734.449.0066. A complete list of monthly programs can be
found on our website www.ntal.org.
TEEN BOOK CLUB 6:30 p.m. Teens age 12
– 18 are invited to join our newest book
club. Every month the kids will help
choose a book that they would like to
read and discuss. Light refreshments will
be served. Registration required. The
Northfield Township Area Library. For
more information or to register for these
free programs, please call the library at
734.449.0066. A complete list of monthly programs can be found on our website
www.ntal.org.
JULY 29
ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH FRY NIGHT 5:00 - 8:00
P.M. Adults $10.00 Seniors $9.00 Ages
6-12 $5.00 Under 5: Free Cash Bar Available. The Livingston County Wildlife and
Conservation Club, 6060 E. M-36, Hamburg, MI 48139. (810) 231-1811.
LOOKIN’ BACK – BOB SEGER TRIBUTE Concerts at the Courthouse. 7 pm. Downtown Howell.
JACK’S CORNER FED UP YET?
F
ed up with politics yet? I am.
There’s an old car salesman’s
motto, “If you can’t dazzle em with
brilliance, baffle em with BS.” Politics is all BS folks. Politicians pile it up, the
media spreads it and people keep stepping in it.
Nobody wants to be bothered with brilliance anymore. Brilliance is boring. So is
the truth. Stroke my emotions and prejudices with grand claims and promises
spiked with some entertaining Don Rickles insult humor and you have my vote.
Voters are like mushrooms, kept in the
dark and fed BS until they demand an
end to all the promises never kept and
lies never questioned before falling for
the same BS packaged in a new slogan.
It reminds me of the old fraternity
hazing ritual Hell Weekend that included
paddling. We were told to “assume the position,” grab our ankles, get swatted and
had to respond “thank you sir, may I have
another” and were happily obliged.
Prepare to assume the position again
next January 20.
How about we end all this bathroom/
gender nonsense. Let’s remove gender
references from restrooms and locker
rooms. Henceforth, let’s call them “plumb-
By Jack Belisle
ing appropriate facilities.”
Entries will be clearly marked with
tasteful, universally recognized symbols
of outies and innies, no reference to boys/
girls, men/women or pants and skirts
which is upsetting to some in the land of
the aggrieved and home of the perpetually offended.
The LGBT community already uses
plumbing appropriate facilities including
most T’s before and after gender reassignment. The “gender fluid” want to decide
their gender based on how they feel at
the moment however the Bill of Rights
and Title IX make no accommodations for
feelings.
“Trans-masculines” or “gender queers”
refuse gender labels altogether. No problem. Just follow the outie and innie signs.
One will likely apply.
If all this sounds insensitive, I make no
apologies. You have to draw a line when
the feelings of a very few are allowed to
transcend the common good of the many.
I’m all for the LGBT’s, gender fluids and
gender queers living their lives as they see
fit as long as the majority isn’t forced by
law or extorted into participating.
You can thank liberal politicians, gender
chasing lawyers and agenda driven judges
that operate the gender grievance industry and the gender studies academics who
birthed it.
It’s all part of the fundamental transformation people voted for twice not knowing what to expect. You’re now finding
out. Too bad it’s too late.
The Orlando terror attack elicited the
same tired excuses of inadequate gun control and something we must have done to
incite it. It never has anything to do with
the Koran’s 109 passages promoting violence against non-believers to advance
Islamic rule.
Liberals chant “we are not at war with
a religion” despite a religion being at
odds with anyone who is not one of them
evidenced by the Muslim Brotherhood’s
published plan to “destroy western civilization from within” using “stealth jihad,”
to impose their culture on politically correct host countries blind to the totalitarian ideology hiding behind religion.
What should be a wake-up call is ignored by proponents of multiculturalism
who embrace the fantasy that Islamic
fundamentalists will one day reject their
Holy Book’s calls to violence and embrace
the western values they so vehemently
oppose.
It seems character no longer counts
in elections. It’s all about making history. Eight years ago people were giddy
about casting an historic vote for the
first half-black President oblivious to
his associations with card carrying communist Frank Marshall Davis, domestic
terrorists Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn
and Mark Klonsky, avowed communist Van Jones, Mao Tse-Tung fan Anita
Dunn, eugenicist John Holdren among
many others.
This year, some are giddy about casting
an historic vote for a woman despite her
being the less than historic third female
candidate after Victoria Woodhull in 1872
and Margaret Chase Smith in 1964
What is historic is her being under
an active FBI criminal investigation,
the first to protect and enable a sexual
predator husband in pursuit of her own
political ambitions, the first to conduct
classified State Department business
through an unsecured private email
server shielded from the Freedom of Information Act.
Your comments are welcomed and could be
referenced in future columns. Email [email protected].
SALESPERSON WANTED ADVERTISE IN THE COURANT
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734.629.6010
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 9
THIS MONTH @ THE BRIGHTON DISTRICT LIBRARY
NEW CERTIFIED MONARCH WAYSTATION AT THE LIBRARY
M
onarch Butterflies will
have a safe new habitat to
visit this summer and fall
when migrating through
the U.S. to their final wintering destinations in the mountain forests of Mexico
and select spots in California, thanks to
a generous donation from the Shirley
Shill family.
Shirley’s Monarch Shelter, located in
Millie’s Garden at the library, was named
after Shirley Shill, a Brighton classroom
teacher and founder of School Bell, the
first preschool in Brighton. Bev Barton, niece of Shirley said, “Her family,
friends, children, and reading were her
passions in life and the butterfly symbolized freedom and rebirth for Aunt
Shirley.” The family honored her memory by sponsoring the certification for
the Monarch Waystation, offering children’s programing in the garden, and by
By Margaret Vergith
purchasing a sculpted butterfly shaped
chair. The chair will be nestled among
the flowers that attract the brightly colored Monarch for individuals to sit and
watch.
Brighton District Library staff member and Advanced Master Gardener,
Jane Reed, headed up the certification
project for the Monarch Waystation. “It’s
exciting to be able to gain certification
at a time when Monarch Butterfly numbers are dropping at an alarming rate.
This new waystation will help sustain
the Monarch, thus providing a better
chance for survival,” said Reed.
To gain certification Reed had to put
into place several factors. These included growing milkweed plants, the host
plant and the only plant that Monarch
caterpillars feed on; adding necessary
annual and perennial nectar plants
(marigold, zinnia, bee balm, boneset,
butterfly bush, catmint, phlox, and JoePye) for the migrating butterflies; incorporating an area of at least 100 square
feet with six or more hours of sunlight
per day; providing shelter from predators; having proper drainage and soil
type; and creating a pesticide-free site.
The library is fortunate to be situated on a uniquely beautiful 10
acre natural setting. This National
Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife
Habitat allows the library to provide
nature-based programming to the
community for enjoyment through
Brighton…Naturally, an environmental initiative connecting individuals,
children, and families to the natural
world. The new Monarch Waystation
will continue to connect individuals
to the world through books, materials,
literacy, and education which is the
mission of the library.
10 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
RIGHT AT HOME BABY BOOMER BRAIN DRAIN
A
merica’s more than 76 million
baby boomers—those individuals born between 1946 and
1964—are known for shaping
new cultural trends in music, fashion, politics, the economy and everyday life. Think
Beatlemania, bellbottoms and lava lamps.
Or, smiley faces, Barbie dolls and casual
chic. Now this same trendsetting generation is shifting America’s workforce by retiring and creating a business “brain drain.”
This older worker brain drain, also
called “human capital flight,” leaves mega
corporations to smaller businesses with
a void of accumulated leadership and
skills expertise. The retiring men and
women who helped develop and oversee top products, equipment, marketing
strategies and client relationships forge
a substantial knowledge gap for companies. The years of cultivating industry
networks, increasing sales and ensuring
reliable service are at risk when boomers
By Barry Paxton
move on from their careers.
The following are suggested solutions
for businesses to consider in slowing the
older worker brain drain:
Know the numbers. According to
business.com, “Nearly two-thirds of Fortune 1000 companies believe they face
near-term skilled labor shortages, but 68
percent of employers have not analyzed
their workforce demographics and half
do not track the percentage of employees
eligible to retire within two years.” Companies can assess their risk of brain drain
by gathering updated personnel data
including age, tenure and job positions.
Looking at the big picture of employees
will help determine the most beneficial
workforce for the right jobs over time.
Adjust work arrangements. To decrease boomer departures, companies
can review their policies and schedules
to accommodate greater flexibility with
senior employees. What about com-
pressed workweeks, job-sharing or parttime hours? Is working from home a
doable option?
Pair senior employees with emerging leaders. Instead of being stymied as
older employees prepare to retire, businesses can tap into the wealth of experience of seasoned workers by assigning
them to mentor younger successors. Fortunately, the majority of up-and-coming
younger employees welcome working
with business veterans. Involving senior
workers in new-hire and departmental
trainings is a proven way to transfer
workplace wisdom.
Document processes and procedures. Involving older workers in compiling a detailed company history with specifics on the business’ internal workings
is essential. Another proactive step is to
talk with senior employees to gather their
firsthand recollections and perspectives
on workflow and technical operations.
Questions to ask include the following:
Over the years, what were the company’s
greatest challenges and how were these
solved? What do you recommend as ways
to improve and grow business?
As baby boomers continue an exodus
from the workplace in the years ahead,
many firms are hiring back long-term
employees as project-based consultants
to solve specific problems or work on
projects that require a sought-after skill
set. Companies value these experienced
veterans who can hit the ground running, and boomers value the adaptable
hours, extra pay and opportunity to keep
engaged. Together, both businesses and
long-time workers nationwide are creating beneficial ways to turn the country’s
brain drain into a brain gain.
For more information, contact Right
at Home of Central Michigan at www.
RAH-MI.com, 810-225-4724.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 11
12 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
GUEST EDITORIAL FORWARD OR BACKWARD?
T
he Northfield Neighbors are back
and trying very hard to unseat
the current board, fire the Township Manager and get back to
their agenda of halting all development
in Northfield Township.
The Northfield Neighbors are a group
of people who live in Northfield but have
Ann Arbor mailing addresses and Ann
Arbor Schools and despite their name
they really don’t want any more neighbors. However like all special interest
groups they do have an agenda.
The agenda they will bring with them is
to use taxpayer dollars to fight the people
living next to them who are trying to develop their own property in the southwest
edge of Northfield Township. They want
to use your money to fight their battle.
They also want to fire the Township
Manager. We need the Professional
Township Manager to provide the stability and continuity necessary for smart
By Kathy Braun
development and efficient operation.
Something that is lacking when you have
allegedly full time, elected career politicians that change every four years. The
Northfield Neighbors will fire the Township Manager and put themselves on the
Township payroll as full-time, benefit
receiving employees.
The last board worked very hard to
make the change by hiring a Professional
Manager and having the elected officials
be part-time (no benefits, paid for approx. 12 hours per week.) This is the first
time the elected officials who are on the
board have not been career politicians.
They have brought a wide range of professional business experience to the table and because they have other full time
jobs they are up to date on what is going
on in the business world today.
Many cities, townships and villages
now have Professional Managers for all
those reasons.
The Township Manager Howard Fink
has saved money in almost every routine
expenditure that we have been overpaying for years. Utilities, Insurance, Building maintenance...he has found so many
areas where the Township was being
overcharged and under provided.
He also spends countless hours keeping up with everything that is going on
in the county and the state to keep the
Board informed and educated so they
can make good policy decisions. His
background in professional municipal
management has been priceless.
I have lived here for 40 years and I
have never seen a board so well prepared and educated about their decisions
thanks to Howard.
Because the current elected officials
are part-time and have other income,
they do not have to spend all their time
thinking about getting re-elected. It’s
quite distracting when you think you
might lose your livelihood in four years
and that leads to bad decision making.
The Northfield neighbors have been
against having the downtown park, community services and especially development that would save our schools and
businesses.
They have controlled the Board before
and when they were in control they spent
more than a quarter million in taxpayer
dollars to fight the residential development across the road from the new high
school where it belonged. That development probably would save our schools.
The Northfield Neighbors are in the Ann
Arbor school district, they don’t care about
Whitmore Lake Schools. They shop in Ann
Arbor; they do not come to our downtown.
Remember to vote on August 2nd and
think about voting for the candidates
that continue to move our township forward not the Northfield Neighbor candidates who want to take us backward.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 13
ADVERTISE IN THE COURANT • For more info call 734.629.6010
14 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
GRIFFITH VETERINARY HOSPITAL
240 Jennings Rd., Whitmore Lake, MI 48189
(U.S. 23 at Barker Road)
(734) 449-PETS (7387)
DR. BARBARA J. GRIFFITH - WATKINS
M 8-6 T 8-6 W 8-6 Th 8-6 F 8-6 Sat 8-12
FROM THE LYON’S DEN
NORTHFIELD’S FUTURE
By Tedd Wallace
By Mary Devlin
T
he early morning hours of June
23, 2016 the very heart and
soul of South Lyon, Michigan
was ripped out. The South Lyon
Hotel suffered extensive fire damage
and at press time it had not been determined if the shell could be saved to
rebuild. Being the Hotel was built on a
dirt Michigan basement and the intense
fire heat and water damage to the lower
floor the likelihood is sadly questionable. No way can the history be relived
in this column but here are a few ditties.
In the roaring 1920’s, before the
depression, it was a common sight to
see ladies in their hoop shirts and fine
dresses promenade down Ten Mile from
the railroad station on a mid-Sunday afternoon. Although there were a few other eatery’s, the ultimate goal was to go
to the Hotel for luncheons, as they had
traversed from the Detroit area on special train excursions into the boonies of
South Lyon. That train station is now an
anchor attraction in South Lyons Historical Park on the south side of McHattie
Park. That station (Witches hat roof) is
the local museum, open 1:30 pm to 4:00
p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays.
Right after President Kennedy was
shot, President Johnson had to try and
regroup the nation and move forward.
In a national speech on TV he presented
his “unconditional war on poverty” com-
monly called the kick the poverty program. In it he noted three spots in America where they were working on poverty.
He read a letter from Mr. Dupree, the
owner of the South Lyon Hotel. It said,
“Dear President Johnson, I am taking
care of the poverty pocket of South Lyon.
I am letting the less fortunate people live
in my hotel for a dollar a day.” The next
day South Lyon was swarmed with news
media setting up their tripods for their
cameras and for news reels across the
street from the South Lyon Hotel. Back
then the media didn’t share pictures etc.,
like today’s news.
In 1985 Paul Baker bought the Hotel,
and as I was mayor then he shared with
me that within two years I would see
parents bring their families to dine at the
Hotel again. He ripped all the upstairs
16 rooms out and remodeled what had
become a pretty run down facility. I was
incredulous, but always marveled in recent times how his prediction and goals
of family dining had become so popular.
To me losing Paul Baker at a young age
was every bit as sad as losing the Hotel. We all hope his legacy can carry on
somehow, some way. South Lyon needs
its heartbeat back.
Tedd Wallace is a former mayor and
retired teacher from South Lyon, email:
[email protected]
THE LEGAL SPOT
LAND CONTRACTS
I
By Derek Edwards
have recently had many requests
from clients for land contracts, so I
thought I’d revisit the subject here.
In today’s real estate market, an increasing number of property sellers are
accepting land contracts as opposed to
traditional bank financing. A land contract is a “seller financing” technique
whereby the seller (known as the Vendor in legal-speak) sells real property
to the buyer (known as the Vendee)
and accepts monthly installment payments from the buyer over a period of
time. The monthly payment may cover
only the interest on the unpaid balance
(which is most typical), or it may include some amount of principal as well.
A land contract is nothing more than a
contract under which the buyer agrees
to make payments and complete other
obligations, and the seller agrees to give
possession of the property to the buyer,
accept payments, and transfer title at the
completion of the contract period.
Land contract sales involve two separate closings. At the initial closing, the
appropriate documents are executed,
including the Land Contract itself, a Memorandum of Land Contract, a Property
Transfer Affidavit, and a Warranty Deed
(and an Escrow Agreement if the title
company is to hold the deed). The land
contract itself need not be recorded, but
the buyer should record the memorandum, which puts the public on notice
that the buyer has a legal interest in the
subject property. The seller also typically
receives a down payment at the initial
closing, provides the buyer with title insurance, and prepares a deed to transfer
the property. Again, the deed is held either
by the seller or the title company until the
second and final closing. The final closing
is often overlooked, but it is essential. At
the final closing, the buyer makes his/
her final payment under the contract
(the payoff), the seller transfers title to
the buyer by delivering the deed, and the
property transfer taxes are paid (the default in Michigan is for the seller to pay the
transfer taxes, but a deal may be negotiat-
ed so that the buyer is responsible for the
transfer taxes – this is often overlooked,
and the parties should be clear about who
is responsible for the transfer taxes, which
can be several thousands of dollars).
Even though the seller retains the deed
(and “legal” title) until the end of the contract, the buyer has what is known as “equitable” title. The buyer’s equitable title is
considered a real property interest; however, the seller’s legal title is considered
a personal property interest (essentially,
an interest in the money payments due
under the contract – this distinction can
be important in estate planning). Further,
the buyer almost always becomes responsible for paying the property taxes, assessments, and insurance for the property
under contract.
Many land contracts run for
short-to-medium time periods, such as
three to five years, but I’ve seen some for
as long as ten years. But there are also
shorter land contracts, such as a year or
less, which may be “renewable” contracts.
This gives the seller and buyer more flexibility during the contract period(s). Some
sellers also accept interest-only payments
with a balloon payment due at the end of
the contract period. If the land being sold
is vacant land on which the buyer plans
to build a home, the land contract is often
rolled into the construction loan once it’s
obtained by the buyer, and the land contract balance is paid off by the new lender
who subsumes the contract balance as a
part of the new loan.
Remedies for land contract defaults
in Michigan include forfeiture and foreclosure, both of which are controlled
primarily by state statutes. Anyone who is
considering entering into a land contract,
either as seller or buyer, should consult
with an experienced real estate attorney.
Disclaimer: The information in this article
does not constitute legal advice. Derek
Edwards is an attorney serving southeast
Michigan. For a free initial consultation,
call Derek at (734) 502-1176 or email [email protected].
Most of the current Township Board
members that are seeking re-election
have done a fantastic job during the past
4 years and the Township Manager has
also done a phenomenal job. I am going
to remind you of the positive things that
have happened during their time in office.
The township has purchased the Van
Curler and Darlene Curtis properties
as well as the property across from the
Community Center. A Community Garden
is available for township residents. Regarding the Community Center, a Meals
On Wheels program is ready and waiting for volunteers as well as the Senior
Lunch program. The Community Center
was renamed from the Senior Center
which added many added programs for
all residents (young and old alike).
Grant money in the amount of $80,000
dollars for sidewalk on Main Street. Savings of $80,000 over three years on the
liability insurance contract. Saved over
$100,000 in total expenses regarding
electrical costs and the phone system.
Negotiated a lease with Verizon wireless
on a cell phone tower and as a result
the township will receive about $12,000
annually. Savings also on the negotiated
utility contracts.
Regarding the township office and
their employees the following has occurred: Changed the Health insurance to
the employees benefit, upgraded tech-
nology, a Credit Card Payments system
in office and on line, changed roles and
responsibilities for many office personnel and a new payroll system used in our
township. Completed Website re-design.
Let’s not forget about the organizing
of neglected township historic records
or work on the Seven Mile Preserve
Park that is continuing also the Parks
and Recreation Master Plan. In addition
our Township Manager (Howard Fink)
worked diligently with Arvin Sango for
them to come to Northfield Township
as he has done with all of the above and
more). There are also positive changes
in the zoning ordinances. Approval of
Phase III of the non-motorized path, the
completion of the township dog park,
extended grace period for sewer bill payments, contract with Peoples Express.
Let’s not forget about the Horseshoe
Lake refund to those residents that was
long overdue.
If you haven’t seen the new and more
professional Northfield Township Board
meeting room on the 2nd floor, it’s a vast
improvement.
I’m sure that I have missed some of
the other wonderful things that have
happened in our township due to the
hard work and expert direction of Township Manager Howard Fink and the due
diligence of the Township Board. To all I
want to say THANK YOU.
SALESPERSON
WANTED
Become a part of the Courant ad sales team!
For more info call 734.629.6010
LEO’S SENTENCE FIND
By Leo Tschirhart
African big game hunter
Claude Bottom watched:
Begin at the upper left
to the lower right, and
return on the same
path (reading in both
directions). Angle
moves are OK.
Look for the answer to
this puzzle next month.
Here is the answer to
last month’s puzzle.
T H E
E N E W
N A I R
N
M I T
A
S
L S L
A S
A
M A T
I N
A
N E T
Was it a cat I saw
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 15
16 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 17
NEWS FROM THE LIVINGSTON COUNTY
SPARTANS ALUMNI CLUB
The Livingston County Spartans MSU
Alumni Club would like to present our
2016 MSU Textbook Scholarship winners. Each recipient each won a monetary award of $1,000 which will be
placed in an account in their name at the
MSU Student Bookstore in East Lansing
to use for course materials. The Club
was restarted in 2009. We are proud to
be able to offer eleven Textbook Scholarships this year. We wish to thank all
of the MSU Alumni Club members and
friends who have attended our events
and supported our fundraisers to allow
us to award scholarships to eleven outstanding graduates in our County this
year. We congratulate the 2016 recipients from the following High Schools.
Brighton High School
Alyssa Guadagni
Amelia Krause
By Linda Purchase
Julia Rapaport
Meghan Rich
Zoe Dittman
Howell High School
Breanna Koslowski
Jillian Brennan
Fowlerville High School
Clay Boak
Williamston High School
Harrison Greenleaf
Pinckney High School
Katrina Gensterblum
Kelly Yanick
The Livingston County Spartans Alumni Club is seeking fellow SPARTANS to
walk in the Brighton 4th of July parade.
Families and pets are encouraged.
The parade starts at 10:00 AM and will
proceed west on Main Street and then
from Church to 7th Street. It is not necessary to walk the entire route.
The staging area is in the BECC Building parking lot located at the corners of
Main and Church Streets. Please arrive
by 9:45 AM and look for the decked out
Spartan ambulance and our Club walking
banner.
If you are unable to walk, please stop
our tent by the Mill Pond to pick up a
give-away.
Although Sparty has been invited, his
attendance has not been confirmed yet.
If he comes, it will be a great opportunity
to take pictures with him.
For questions, please contact Linda
Purchase at 517-294-2358 or lpurch@
comcast.net.
We invite you to join us and demonstrate your SPARTAN WILL and PRIDE!!
HAPPY
INDEPENDENCE
DAY!
18 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016
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COMMUNITY CRIME REPORT
06/01/2016- 5000 Block of Hellner RdLarceny-The victim reports that an unknown subject entered his shed and stole
two chainsaws. There were no witnesses
and no suspects. The case is currently
under investigation by the responding officer.
06/02/2016- 4000 Block of Five Mile RdDamaged Property- The victim reports
a fresh milk storage tank was damaged.
The victim states that the suspect in the
case damaged the tank while moving it
from the suspect’s property to the victim’s
property. The case was submitted to the
Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office for
review.
06/05/2016- 7000 Block of Coyle RdDamaged Property- The victims reported his privacy fence was damaged by a
neighbor. The case was reviewed and sent
to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor for
Contributed By Northfield Township Police Department
possible charges.
06/06/2016- 9000 Block of SummerlandFraud- The victim reporting finding that
her debit card had been used by an unknown individual several times and that
she had no idea who may have taken her
items. The case is still under investigation
by the NTPD Investigator.
06/09/2016- 100 Block of Amethyst Circle- Larceny- The victim reports her debit
card was stolen and then used in multiple
transactions occurred in various cities.
The case is being investigated by the responding Officer. No suspects have been
identified.
06/10/2016- 8000 Block Main St- Larceny- The victim reports that his son’s cell
phone was stolen from his son’s backpack
while participating in a sports event. There
are currently no suspects. The case is being
investigated by the responding officer.
06/13/2016- 100 Block of Joy Rd- FraudThe victim reports while reviewing his
transactions on his debit card he realized his card had been used to purchase
$105.20 worth of merchandise from
Home Depot. Upon further investigation
the victim learned that the card that had
been used was his old deactivated debit
card. The case was turned over to the
Credit union to do a follow investigation.
06/13/2016- 3000 Block of Joy Rd.Fraud- The victim reports hiring a contractor to do work and paying the contractor so that materials could be purchased.
The victim stated that material was
delivered but that the contractor never returned to complete the work. The case is
being investigated by the NTPD Detective.
06/13/2016- 100 Block of Jade Lane-Larceny From Auto- The victim reports that
a back pack was stolen out of the back of
his work vehicle. The victim states that
the vehicle was unlocked and there are no
suspects or witnesses.
06/14/2016- 9000 Block of Main StVehicle Theft- The victim states that an
unknown subject stole an 18’ trailer from
the property. This is a heavy equipment
trailer and the victim stated that it would
have to have been moved by a large truck.
No suspects and no witnesses. The Northfield Township Investigator is continuing
the investigation.
06/14/2016- 9000 lock of Lincoln DriveHome Invasion- The victim reports that an
unknown subject forced their way into his
home and stole cash and other small items.
The case is currently being investigated.
During the first two weeks of June the
Northfield Township Police Officers responded to 201 calls for service and the
year to date total of arrests made is 57.
20 • THE COURANT • JULY 2016