Despite ‘technical difficulty? local gay couples marry

Like Michigan’s literal roads, currently ridden with potholes, the figurative road to history is not always a smooth one. Gay couples in the state are still encountering roadblocks to legal marriage, but at least two of these area couples bypassed the obstacles, although their future plans may be temporarily halted. Willie and David Ollie Ray […]

‘If you love each other, love conquers everything?

Brandon Twp.- After more than half a century of marriage, Sophie and Jerry Strygulec endured four years of living apart. Now they are reunited and demonstrating the meaning of devotion, commitment and hope to their fellow residents of Nature’s Way Adult Foster Care Home. The couple’s journey to end up together is one that spans […]

Library board eyes financial recovery

Brandon Twp.- The library board is planning a civil lawsuit against former director Paula Gauthier to recover financial losses. The board voted to pursue civil action during their March 24 meeting. Whether they will proceed following an investigation is dependent on the potential cost of a court case. ‘The amount we will pursue has not […]

OCEF expects to assist 180 families with Easter dinner

Brandon Twp.- St. Patrick’s Day turned out to be green indeed for the Ortonville Community Emergency Fund. The non-profit food pantry which serves families in need in the Brandon School District received more than $3,000 in donations in its annual ‘Sharin? O? the Green? drive. This was the fifth year of the annual event, in […]

Local plans fundraiser with eye on prevention of suicide

Jessica Keesling knows firsthand the devastating effects suicide has on those left to grieve. She was just 17-years-old when her father, Joe Keesling, died Feb. 23, 2009 at the age of 46 from suicide. Joe Keesling, a former Bueche’s employee, was also a volunteer for the Ortonville Community Emergency Fund. Jessica had visited her Dad, […]

Sewer setback: Grant out of reach for village

Ortonville- The village will not receive a $2 million grant that could have been used for design of a sewer system. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality recently announced communities that would be awarded $97 million in grant funds from the Stormwater, Asset Management and Wastewater Program for this fiscal year. The village did not […]

MEAP=Math problems

Brandon Twp.- On average, less than one-third of students in third through eighth grades in the district are proficient in mathematics, according to the Michigan Educational Assessment Program. MEAP scores released last month showed 28 percent of third grade students are proficient in math, compared with 40.2 percent statewide and 51 percent in the county. […]

School budget? more cuts coming

Brandon Twp.- A harsher winter than normal has resulted in higher than average bills for the school district? utility costs are forecast to be $143,000 more than last year. Severance of a contract with VARtek, the private company who had been providing technology services for schools also cost the district $72,000. However, these expenses have […]

No master’s degree and no bachelor’s degree either

Brandon Twp.- The library failed to receive state aid revenue for the last five years because former Director Paula Gauthier didn’t have a master’s degree as she claimed. Now the library board has learned she didn’t have a bachelor’s degree, either. ‘The library board has discovered through the course of our investigation that she not […]

New Brandon superintendent

Brandon Twp.- Dr. Matthew Outlaw will be the next superintendent of the Brandon School District, pending contract agreement. The school board unanimously approved his selection during a special meeting March 11. Board President Greg Allar made a conference call immediately after the vote to the superintendent designee, asking him to accept the board’s invitation to […]

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