Friendly Forest, other events fall to budget cuts

Friendly Forest is finished, a victim of budget cuts. ‘It’s such a popular event, but you have to cut somewhere,? said Mike Turk, director of Independence Township Parks and Recreation. ‘Special events are kind of the extra things we do, so I think you have to look at those things first.? Besides Friendly Forest, a […]

Former trustee’s legal work in hot water

Former township Trustee Charles Dunn is back to work with the township, this time as an attorney. Some current trustees are unhappy about it. Trustees David Lohmeier and Neil Wallace, and Clerk Shelagh VanderVeen voted against continuing a contract with Charles Dunn, Giarmarco, Mullins, and Horton, P.C, as well as August Mack Environmental firm concerning […]

Clarkston Village Players offer bloody good time

If you like mysterious phone calls, gun shots, and blood on the wall, then don’t miss Clarkston Village Player’s 2009 season opener ‘Blood Money.? Joseph P. Saulski plays Mike Mason, a 40’s something celebrity game show host who considers himself quite the ‘ladies man.? When not at work he enjoys the company of his 20-something […]

Citizens call for a recall

Efforts to recall Supervisor David Wagner is growing. Rae Luallen and Linda Donkerbrook, members of ‘Citizens Against Independence Township Waste,? handed out ‘Recall Wagner? fliers to residents paying their summer taxes at Township Hall. ‘His spending is out of control and the township cannot continue to beat down the residents and expect us to continue […]

Trustees turn down budget adjustments

It’s back to the chopping block for Independence Township trustees, rejecting second quarter recommended reconciliation and budget adjustments. ‘With my meetings with the supervisor, I would tell you I don’t know if the supervisor and I will be able to come back to you with anymore cuts,” said Finance Director Susan Hendricks at the Sept. […]

Trustees learn from four-day week

An experiment with four-day weeks is over for Department of Public Works, with some positive results. ‘Residents in general are very happy with the extended hours,? said Independence Township DPW Director Linda Richardson in her Sept. 1 memo to the board. ‘I feel we are better able to serve the public offering earlier and later […]

City considers broadcasting meetings on cable television

City Manager Dennis Ritter met with Clarkston Public Access Center (CPAC) Program Director Andy Reish to discuss taping and broadcasting City Council meetings on cable. ‘I showed him we had some equipment here and he came over and he evaluated it,? Ritter told the council at last Monday’s meeting. ‘He said that we can do […]

Stimulating home sales

First-time homebuyers can get a federal tax break of up to $8,000, but not for long. ‘As that deadline creeps up, I’ve gotten much busier showing houses,? said local realtor Tim Winters, Independent Brokerage Network. The Nov. 30 deadline does not leave much time, especially with all the paperwork, Winters said. ‘People are a little […]

Head injury leads to life change

When Devin Kalisz was rear-ended at a stoplight, she didn’t know the head injury she suffered when she hit the windshield would trigger a life-altering condition known as Chiari Malformation. ‘It took about a year from when I had the accident for them to figure out what it might be. The only way to find […]

More meetings wanted

Township board meetings clock in at more than five hours, despite getting together almost every week. Trustee Neil Wallace wants to make it official, calling for four regular meetings a month. ‘For the past several months we have had a board meeting scheduled virtually every week. Even with all of that, we are not completing […]