Funds needed for Village Skate Park

Ortonville- The Village Skate Park closes for the season Oct. 30. Now, let the fundraising begin. The skate park has been open for only two hours per day for several weeks after a myriad of problems, including profanity, indecent exposure, and other complaints from neighbors of the park. A Skate Park Committee that has been […]

DDA names new chairman, members

Ortonville- The new Downtown Development Authority board appears to be nearing completion. Robert Renchik is the new chairman of the DDA and Robert Flath’s appointment to the board was approved by the village council Oct. 22. Tim Palulian also announced this week that he accepted an invitation to join the board. Renchik, 54, is a […]

Looking toward the future

Ortonville- About 40 people came to give input and share ideas on what they would like to see in the village during Future Days on Oct. 20. Village Manager Ed Coy was very pleased with the turnout. ‘The folks that came all had ideas and opinions and they were all equally valuable,? he said. ‘Our […]

‘We had no choice,? students protest class split

By Susan Bromley Staff Writer Ortonville- Some sixth-grade students got a lesson in protesting during social studies on Tuesday. The 10- and 11-year-olds in Nadine Vantine’s class were distraught over a recent decision by the district to move three of their classmates to another room. So, they decided to protest. At 3:15 p.m., the students […]

Advanced placement key for college bound

Brandon Twp.- By next summer, Rachel Hartwig will have completed 18 college credits? for free and before becoming a college student. She will have accomplished this through successfully completing numerous advanced placement courses as a student at Brandon High School. ‘I like the challenge and it’s a great opportunity to get college credit and save […]

Surviving domestic abuse: Emerging from darkness: Part II

Editor’s Note: October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The story below about a local woman who survived domestic abuse is the second in a two-part series. View the first part, Stephanie’s story, online at www.thecitizenonline.com. Names have been changed to protect identities. Brandon Twp.- Mary was in her mid-20s, fresh out of college and […]

HAVEN: lighting the way out of darkness

As president and CEO of HAVEN, a counseling center for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, Beth Morrison is leading the fight against abuse. Morrison defines domestic violence as a pattern of behavior over time where one person uses tactics to gain or maintain power over another individual, essentially believing it is their right […]

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 […]

‘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 […]