Supporters seek budget solution for OSMTech

As local school districts attempt to solve their budget challenges, some fear a special cooperative program will be a victim of the cuts. Students from several area school districts travel to the Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northwest in Springfield Township to attend the Oakland Science, Mathematics and Technology Academy (commonly referred to as OSMTech). Because […]

Lower lake level leads to proposal for new well

Battle lines are being drawn over a proposed ‘augmentation well? for Waumegah Lake, with both sides preparing for a Jan. 6, 2004 public hearing. The lake which straddles the Springfield-Independence township border, has been a topic of debate ? and legal action ? since 1996, when a retention dam failed. Since then, a number of […]

Holiday home. . .

The Allison family (Beth, Ben and Allison) stand outside their home, which comes alive with Christmas color each evening. For more photos of this holiday home, please see the regular edition of The Clarkston News. Photo by Don Schelske

Sisters stay close as neighbors

Their families ties are strong. Zella Pennartz and Zetta Pierce are identical twin sisters. They are also neighbors and best friends. ‘We just go everywhere together,? according to Zella, including breakfast and shopping trips. ‘When we get bored, I call and ask, ‘Can Zetta come out and play?? Zella said. Their husbands (Zella is married […]

Springfield Kroger store back on track

A new shopping center on Dixie Highway in Springfield Township is taking shape, although perhaps not as quickly as some would like to see. A new Kroger store was advertised as being open in November 2003. The new target date is March 2004. According to John Mansour of JM Development, construction on the 80,000-square-foot shopping […]

Springfield supervisor sees focus on Dixie Highway in 2004

Some believe the biggest challenge in Springfield Township is balancing the rural lifestyle with the demand for modern services. Looking into 2004, Supervisor Collin Walls sees the challenge in a different light. ‘The real challenge is separating what’s needed from what’s desired,? Walls said. ‘I don’t have the feeling that we have a preponderance of […]

Auto dealer is driven to help charity

Chuck Fortinberry is an unabashed ‘car guy.? He is also a community guy. The owner of Clarkston Chrysler Plymouth Jeep in Springfield Township is currently busy with his duties as senior co-chairman of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. While his business is important, he also makes time for charitable activities out of […]

Springfield Twp. sheriff’s deputy resigns

The resignation of an Oakland County Sheriff’s Department deputy who was stationed at the Springfield Township caught fellow deputies by surprise, and they are waiting with the public to see if he will be charged in connection with a multi-state Internet child pornography operation. The resignation came Friday, Jan. 2, several days after Waterford police […]

MDEQ hears both sides of well debate

Residents packed the meeting room at the Springfield Township Library last week to voice concerns about a proposed ‘augmentation well? on Waumegah Lake. Many learned, however, that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality cannot legally respond to their concerns. Many protesters fear the augmentation well will threaten their private wells, but MDEQ officials at the […]

President sees budget, feds as challenges in 2004

The school year runs a bit different from the calendar year, so officials already knew most of the challenges of 2004 months ago. Karen Foyteck, president of the Clarkston Community Schools Board of Education, said the district is actually at mid-year, with budget challenges, bond construction and federal mandates at the top of the agenda. […]