Village fund equity balance remains healthy at 56 percent

Ortonville- The village continues to have a healthy fund balance and unlike other governmental entities, the council has no planned cuts to the budget again this year. During a public hearing on the 2012-13 village budget, Village Manager John Lyons said the village has a projected fund balance of $264,425, or roughly 56 percent. The […]

Stepping Stone expands care

Brandon Twp.- Stepping Stone is stepping up to fill a need for childcare. The child development center, 885 S. Ortonville Road, is expanding their summer childcare for the summer and possibly even for the next school year. School-aged childcare will be offered at the H.T. Burt Lifelong Learning Center, 209 Varsity Drive, with June 18 […]

Homework done? Parent Connect is just the key

Brandon Twp.- Parents who want to see their student’s test grades, which assignments are due, and when, or even what, their child had for lunch, can now have the information at their fingertips. The Brandon School District recently implemented Parent Connect, a new web interface program which allows parents to view grades, assignments, attendance, schedules, […]

Surviving domestic abuse: Emerging from darkness

(Editor’s note: October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The story below about a local woman who survived domestic abuse is the first in a 2-part series. Names have been changed to protect identities.) Brandon Twp.- The first 10-15 years of Stephanie’s life were very unsteady. Her parents had married very young and she describes […]

Relay for Life

Ortonville- Pat Guziak was sitting at her campsite at about 3 a.m. at the Relay for Life in Westland five years ago when she saw a woman in distress at the 24-hour walk to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Guziak walked up and asked her if she wanted to talk, and soon learned […]

Nine fire departments respond for massive Ortonville blaze

Ortonville- Eight local fire departments responded last week to assist Brandon firefighters in extinguishing one of the largest fires ever in the township. The blaze began at about 1:03 a.m. June 18 and destroyed a building on property the village is in the process of purchasing at 255 Narrin Street. Atlas, Hadley, Groveland, Independence, Springfield, […]

‘He was the student that everyone loved?

Brandon Twp.- John Joseph Lafata was remembered last week as an intelligent, charismatic, and outstanding young man. John, a Brandon High School junior who also attended OSMTech at Clarkston High School, died Oct. 15. He was 16. ‘He was the student that everyone loved,? said John’s OSMTech math teacher and robotics coach, Kyle Hughes. ‘He […]

Doggy Olympics

Ortonville- Go, dog, go! The first annual Doggy Olympics to benefit North Oakland Animal Help (NOAH) will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 30, at Crossman Park in the village (located next to the township offices, 395 Mill St.). ‘Originally we were going to have a charity dog show, but being an Olympic […]

No privatization, bus drivers stay in Brandon

Brandon Twp.- The school board unanimously approved during their June 18 meeting a contract with the Teamsters Local #214 bus drivers and mechanics. The move avoided privatization, saved jobs in the community, and drew cheers from several bus drivers in attendance, including union steward Debbie Allen. ‘Debbie, we thank you for working with the board,? […]

School board candidate Q&A

Residents of the Brandon School District interested in serving on the school board are invited to an informational session planned for 6:30 p.m., Monday, June 25 at the central district office, 1025 S. Ortonville Road. The school board has three seats up for election this year? two four-year terms currently held by Debbie Schummer and […]