AG tells Orion ‘not so fast?

John Fitzgerald had some disappointing news for the Lake Orion Board of Education on Wednesday night. Fitzgerald, assistant superintendent of business and finances, informed the board that school bond refinancing attempts were not to proceed as originally envisioned. In February, the school board announced intentions to refinance its school bond, saving taxpayers about $12 million […]

School Board President retires

12/12/12 was a special day on Lake Orion calendars, but it had very little to do with the coincidence of numbers. For Lake Orion, it was special because it was the last school board meeting for President Mary Jo Burchart. She stepped down on 12/12/12 after 12 years of service to the community. Burchart began […]

Caution at Orion Schools

It is difficult to be rational after violence strikes our children as it did at Sandy Hook Elementary School. But despite the fog of fear that has crept into our Michigan homes and schools, Lake Orion School officials have taken steps to be prepared in the event of an emergency. Orion schools rehearse lock-down procedures […]

Orion’s fiscal cliff

Assistant superintendent of business and finances John Fitzgerald announced further bad news at the Dec. 12 school board meeting. Due to the impending federal sequestration process that will impose severe spending cuts and revenue increases (a.k.a. the fiscal cliff), Lake Orion Community schools finds itself at risk. Currently, the school has about $6 million in […]

Cop shop requests a makeover

The Orion Township Board authorized the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department to send out a request for proposal (RFP) to remodel the Orion Township Hall Sheriff substation. According to Lt. Daniel Toth, “unfortunately it’s something that needs to be done now because the station has not had any improvements since 1996.” The Orion substation operates 24 […]

Orion Library makes some noise

Even though we’ve always been told to use our inside voices when in a library, the Orion Township Public Library sure is making a lot of noise this year. If you’re curious about the science of bubble gum, want a sense of how our cooking has been influenced by our geography, or understand what makes […]

The hits keep on coming . . .

After a break-through 2012 season which was capped with a record-setting performance at the Michigan State competition, four members of the Lake Orion High School Marching Dragons have been tapped to play for the All-State Band. Your musical all-stars are seniors Emma Pendergrass on alto sax, Thomas Vieira on trumpet, Raymond Whittenberg, on baritone saxophone, […]

‘When in doubt, don’t go out?

“I’ve been here 31 years and never fell in the lake before,” Edgar Barbar said. As reported in the Dec. 7, 1967 Lake Orion Review, Barbar and neighbor Robert Chamberlain were pulled from the icy waters of Lake Orion by alert neighbors Mrs. Chuck Mosley and Francine Howland. Fast-forward twenty-one years and an afternoon of […]

School bond refi redux

Assistant superintendent of business and finances John Fitzgerald went back to the Orion School board with a new take on school bond refinancing. As reported in the Dec. 19 Lake Orion Review, the school board had previously announced intentions to refinance its school bond and save taxpayers millions in the process. But then Attorney General […]

Tax relief for Orion homeowners

Would you like up to $30,000 deducted from your delinquent property taxes? If you’ve got back taxes that have placed your home under threat of foreclosure, Oakland County treasurer Andy Meisner has an option that just might keep your family in a home. Nearly two dozen Orion family residences are at risk of foreclosure due […]