Free Republic

Group aims at educating families about guns Wayne County sheriff's Deputy Steve Fisher decided education was a positive outcome to the endless news reports about a child being killed because someone - often another child - found a gun and thought it was a toy. As a result, Family Firearm Day was created. The inaugural event is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Howell Gun Club, 3210 Jewell Road in Marion Township. "Putting (guns) in your sock drawer is not the right place," said Fisher, an NRA-certified instructor. "I was tired of hearing how another child...

Vote No: Schools must live within means Friday, April 29, 2005 BY KEN MOILANEN Special to The News Those proclaiming the "critical" need for additional school funding tell only part of the story. Here is a different perspective. Here is ... the rest of the story. Thomas Watkins, recent state superintendent of public instruction, had it right when he stated in his Dec. 6, 2004, Michigan School Funding report that "calls to raise taxes to fund education without a systematic overhaul will only serve to maintain the status quo. For our children's sake, this is unacceptable." He further said that...

Brighton pink-slips 32 teachers, some could be recalled 4/26/2005, 10:08 p.m. ET The Associated Press BRIGHTON, Mich. (AP) — The Brighton Board of Education has voted to issue layoff notices to 32 first-year teachers, some of whom could be recalled if positions open up. District voters decide the fate of a 3-mill tax proposal May 3. It would cost owners of a $150,000 home about $225 a year. "If the millage passes, we won't have to lay off anybody," Brighton Education Association President Barry Goode told the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus of Howell after Monday's vote. "If there...

Lawmaker takes stand against millage election By Christopher Nagy DAILY PRESS & ARGUS State Rep. Joe Hune, R-Hamburg Township, has already come out against the May 3 enhancement millage, but he is now coming out against the election itself. Hune, who supported the election consolidation plan that reduced the number of elections in the state to four specific dates, eliminating the standard school election held each June, said school districts in Livingston County made a mistake by opting to hold their elections on the date in May provided under the consolidation. The move cost districts money that could have been...

Opposition group says 'this is a huge tax increase' By Christopher Nagy DAILY PRESS & ARGUS (snip) The upcoming countywide enhancement millage has been a different sort of animal, though, with dozens of opposition letters submitted to the Daily Press & Argus and a fully formed opposition group taking to the streets to counter the messages of pro-millage groups. Cohoctah Township resident Bill Johnston, who formed the Concerned Taxpayers Group in hopes of defeating the May 3 proposal, said a variety of factors play into the groundswell against this particular millage. "First of all, for the taxpayers, this is going...

Millage for survival? Districts' officials say they are trying to buy time for revamping of school funding Friday, March 25, 2005 BY LISA CAROLIN News Staff Reporter Officially, the 3-mill school tax levy that Livingston County voters will decide May 3 is called an enhancement millage. If approved, an additional $19.767 million will be spread among the county's five public school districts to help pay for operations. But school officials call it a survival millage. They argue that the three-year levy will allow the current educational program to survive another three years. They hope that will be long enough for...

4 districts support millage Countywide measure would shore up school operating budgets Friday, January 28, 2005 BY LEANNE SMITH, STEPHENIE KOEHN AND LISA CAROLIN News Staff Reporters Four county school districts where officials have openly supported a countywide enhancement millage have given their blessing to placing the measure to a vote on May 3. School boards in Pinckney, Howell, Brighton and Hartland voted Monday to support the measure, which would bring a three-year, 3-mill tax to all county districts to help shore up operating budgets in light of state budget cuts. Local school officials say the millage would be a...

Auction house to start bidding on KKK robes 1/29/2005, 6:13 p.m. ET By DAVID EGGERT The Associated Press HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — Gary Gray said he felt more like a teacher than auctioneer Saturday, as visitors perused Ku Klux Klan robes and other KKK items ahead of an auction that has attracted a level of interest he's never seen before. He said a steady stream of people visited the auction house in Howell, about 35 miles east of Lansing and 55 miles west of Detroit, in the hours leading up to the big evening auction. He plans to sell seven...

4 districts unify for bond vote All but Fowlerville to give support Jan. 24 Friday, January 14, 2005 BY LEANNE SMITH News Staff Reporters A resolution supporting a countywide enhancement millage is expected to be adopted Jan. 24 by four Livingston County school districts. Officials and board members in Brighton, Hartland, Howell and Pinckney hope this show of solidarity for the 3-mill levy demonstrates just how important the millage is to their schools' survival, said Pinckney Superintendent Mike Couchman. "We agreed we all need to do this together," Couchman said. "This spirit of solidarity is very encouraging." The resolution supports...

Millage election proposed for May Howell, others eye countywide plan to beef up local school funding Wednesday, January 7, 2005 BY STEPHENIE KOEHN News Staff Reporter The particulars of a long-discussed regional school enhancement millage were spelled out Monday when the Howell Board of Education got a look at the draft of a resolution calling for a countywide May election to bolster school funding locally. The proposal asks voters for a 3-mill increase in property taxes for three years, from 2005-2007. School districts countywide have been considering the wisdom of requesting a millage seeking a temporary increase in property taxes...

Unfortunatly, I Can't post from Gannett. Article here2nd Article

I can't post this story since Hometown papers is now owned by Gannett. Some real arrogant comments though from two people there, and an email addy for comments.

Flag stirs flap at Howell High Controversy centered over meaning of Diversity Club message Thursday, December 23, 2004 BY STEPHENIE KOEHN News Staff Reporter What is the meaning of a rainbow? For many who see one during or after a rainstorm, it's a harbinger of good luck or at least a warm and fuzzy feeling. In the form of a flag hanging at Howell High School, however, it has created a controversy between those who see it as an expression of diversity and those who see it as supporting homosexuality. Confusion over the meaning of the flag, said Howell High...

Backers: Turnout key to override Howell voters go to polls Monday on schools' request Friday, September 17, 2004 BY STEPHENIE KOEHN News Staff Reporter "Vote Monday" reads a large sign at the Howell McDonald's Restaurant, reminding the community to go to the polls to vote on the Howell Public Schools' request for a Headlee override. That's the key, said Bonnie White, chairwoman of the Friends of the Howell Public Schools, a community organization that supports the request. "If everyone I talked to at open houses, PTO meetings and the Farmers' Market gets to the polls, the override will pass," White...

Bush Sees Fertile Soil in 'Exurbia' GOP strategists believe they can win many new voters in outlying towns rich with conservatives. By Peter Wallsten, Times Staff Writer LEBANON, Ohio — Tom Grossman parks his blue convertible at a home expo center and walks through the maze of booths hawking the necessities of upscale living: home security systems, Jacuzzi tubs, fancy kitchen fixtures and wooden blinds. Then he settles into a booth of his own. But Grossman has not come to Chestnut Hill, one of southwestern Ohio's newest subdivisions, to peddle home furnishings. He has come to hunt new Republican voters....

County GOP chair runs for supervisor By Kevin Shopshire DAILY PRESS & ARGUS Hamburg Township resident Cindy Pine has thrown down the gauntlet in announcing late Monday her intention to run for Hamburg Township supervisor. Pine, the chair of the Livingston County Republican Committee since November 2002, said incumbent Howard Dillman is not doing the job he was elected to do by making the position part time and hiring a deputy supervisor, and she is calling for new leadership in the township. "I'm running to be a full-time supervisor who will serve the township residents," she said. "That's in stark...

Radio station claims responsibility for Livingston County crop circles The Associated Press 8/5/2003, 7:06 p.m. ET HOWELL TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A radio station on Tuesday claimed responsibility for three crop circles that mysteriously appeared in a Livingston County farmer's wheat field. The farmer, Michael Esper, says he doesn't believe the station created the circles — one of which is more than 50 feet in diameter — but says he has consulted a lawyer and is weighing his legal options. "They owe me some money because of the damage to the field, lost time and wages," said Esper. "I've been...

District court showdown -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed, Jan 15, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Judge, defendant at stalemate as obscenity ruling heads for trial Call it the showdown at 53rd District Court. Eric Wilmoth, the 26-year-old Howell resident who wrote obscenities on the memo line of a check he used to pay a traffic fine, won't admit guilt. Judge John Pikkarainen, who found Wilmoth in contempt of court for writing the offensive check, won't dismiss the case. It all means that the case of the obscene check will move on to an evidentiary hearing on Jan. 24 at 1:30 p.m., which could include arguments and...

Please join us on the morning of September 18th to hear our guest speaker, Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus. The breakfast will be held at Lake Point Manor, 5768 E. Grand River between Brighton and Howell. Cost is $15 dollars with checks made payable to "Livingston County Republicans". If you are interested, please Freepmail me. This is priced reasonable in order to get a high turnout.

County school elections today -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Published on Mon, Jun 10, 2002 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Voters head to polls as contested races in Howell and Hartland mark ballot Elections for all five of the county's school districts is being held Monday, with Howell and Hartland having the only contested races. Each of the candidates are running for a four-year team on their school boards, which will end in 2006. In Brighton, Fowlerville and Pinckney, one incumbent in each district is running for an open seat. The polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. in all school districts. Howell Incumbents...