2008 in ‘Review? | Oxford Leader

10. Police ‘weed? out father and son in marijuana growing operation
A father/son drug operation was uncovered when Oakland County narcotics officers seized 17 pounds of marijuana and over 200 plants at an Orion Township home.
James Miller, 59, and Jason Miller, 25, were allegedly behind the grow operation.
Police also found 35 Licoderm patches, 100 methadone tablets, 100 Percocets, two digital scales and $4,447 in cash.

9. Community mourned historian who literally wrote the book on Lake Orion
Jim Ingram, Lake Orion’s storyteller, researcher, historian, writer and raconteur, passed away at the age of 72.

8. Village heroin bust reveals some of those involved were only 16 years old
Chad Benson, 24, was arrested and charged with dealing heroin after a Lake Orion police investigation and raid of his downtown apartment.
Police said some of those seen going in and out of the apartment were as young as 16 years old. A female that age is thought to have indentified a Lapeer-area home Benson broke into and stole weapons from. 7. Former twp. employee settles suit
Jill Verros, former assistant to the supervisor, obtained a $340,000 settlement from Orion Township, resolving her eleven-count lawsuit against the township.
The settlement ended a suit brought in June 2007, in which Verros claimed she had been denied benefits and had been unlawfully terminated in retaliation for discovering and reporting to the board that she and other contract employees were eligible for such benefits.

6. Schraugers find their way home
A year and a day after losing two of their sons in an automobile accident, Cliff and Vicki Schrauger were presented with the keys to their new Lake Orion home on Sept. 30.
County and local officials, as well as 75 sponsors, all came together to build and donate the new house to the family.

Check back next week for the top five stories

2008 in ‘Review? added by John Counts on December 24, 2008
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5.Schools get new superintendent
~On July 2, Ken Gutman signed a three-year contract to serve as superintendent of Lake Orion Community Schools.
Gutman, who had served as assistant superintendent and the principal of Scripps Middle School, replaced Christine Lehman, who retired after 30 years in the district.
4.Zelenak gets village manager job
~In 2007, a two-month-old village council ousted JoAnn Van Tassel from her position as village manager, leaving a vacant spot.
Throughout the beginning of 2008, the council considered several candidates including Tori Kelly, city manager of Standish.
In February, the council made their decision: Paul Zelenak, whose previous jobs include city manager in Bloomfield Hills (2005-06), village manager in Ortonville (2001-05) and duties in various departments within Rochester Hills (1987-2000).

3.Ehman Center auctioned off
~Lake Orion’s old schoolhouse, since transformed into the Ehman Center, was sold at auction for $52,500 to Deborah Moceri in October. Moceri changed the name to the ‘Angel Center? and hopes to offer theraputic and community services from the building.2.GM’s problems reach Orion plant
~GM narrowly avoided bankruptcy with a recent federal bridge loan, but while the company attempts to restructure, it’s places like the Orion Assembly Plant that suffered.Things looked optimistic in September, with an addition of a third shift, but after the economic meltdown, GM laid off 650 employees in Novemeber, and then cut the third shift in December, affecting 1,200 jobs in total.1. Dragons head to state finals
~Even though it ended with a loss to Rockford at Ford Field, the Lake Orion Dragons football squad had their best season ever, heading to the state finals for the first time.
The team went undeafeted in their OAA Red league and went on to win their district and regional crowns with victories over Romeo, S.H. Stevenson and Fordson.

2008 in ‘Review? added by on December 31, 2008
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