CHOICES program raises standards, expectations

Ortonville- CHOICES student Amanda Quintero likes to smoke, as do many of her classmates. But she won’t be doing it at lunchtime during the school day anymore, and neither will her classmates following several changes in the Brandon School District’s alternative education program this year. ‘No more off campus lunches are killing us,? says Quintero, […]

St. Anne 50th anniversary

Brandon Twp.- Full-term babies are born after nine months of gestation. This September, St. Anne Church will mark the 50th anniversary of its birth’after nine months of events leading up to it. ‘We hope everyone enjoys what we put together,? said Adele Ferguson, chairperson for St. Anne’s 50th anniversary committee. ‘We tried to have a […]

Man sentenced in township assault

Pontiac- Former Brandon Township resident Jason Thyrion was sentenced by Sixth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Nanci Grant to 4-15 years in prison on Jan. 16 for assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder. He was credited with 248 days served. It was about 9:53 p.m., May 12, when Brandon deputies were […]

Brandon School enrollment sags

Brandon Twp.- For the past two years, the school district has suffered the loss each fall of about 90 students. This year, that number has doubled. ‘We are down 187 students from last year at this time,? said Superintendent Lorrie McMahon on Wednesday. ‘That is twice what we anticipated. It’s pretty harsh.? Count day was […]

Two fatal accidents prompt questions on M-15 safety

Brandon Twp.- Two fatal accidents at the same location on M-15 in the township within five months of each other have residents and officials concerned. Township Supervisor Kathy Thurman said she and Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Pete Burkett will be contacting the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Traffic Improvement Association regarding the safety […]

All fired up

Ortonville- A vacant building in the village is taking some serious damage in the name of progress. A portion of the former Sherman Lifelong Learning Center, located at 330 Sherman Court, was burned the morning of Oct. 5 during a training exercise for new Brandon firefighters. Two consecutive fires were set by lighting straw and […]

Suspect nabbed with trail cam

Trail cameras, commonly used to capture pictures of wildlife, recently helped police catch a home invasion suspect. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office announced Oct. 4 that Oxford Township resident Chadwick Adam Cartner, 27, was arraigned on charges related to a series of break-ins in Brandon Township and Independence Township. A warrant was issued out of […]

Township board OKs fireworks ordinance

Brandon Twp.- A quieter, more peaceful township may soon be in the works? or in the lack of fireworks. The township board passed by a 5-0 vote the first reading of a fireworks ordinance during their Oct. 7 meeting. Trustees Ron Lapp and Jayson Rumball were absent. ‘We’ve been getting quite a few complaints regarding […]

Board grapples with cable fees for police

Brandon Twp.- The township board has postponed a decision on using excess cable franchise fees to support police services. The board voted 4-1 at their Oct. 7 meeting to delay a motion that would transfer nearly $72,000 in cable franchise fees into the police fund. Supervisor Kathy Thurman voted no. Trustees Ron Lapp and Jayson […]

Brandon man arrested for 2004 California murder

By Susan Bromley Staff Writer A 41-year-old Brandon Township man is in Oakland County Jail awaiting extradition to California on a murder charge. Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies, accompanied by detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Charles Patrick Leppan at his home in the 3800 block of Cherry at about 12:10 p.m., Oct. […]