As promised in last week’s issue (‘The countdown begins?), here they are, The Review’s six biggest stories from the past year.
Keep reading the paper to find out which stories in 2007 will make the cut this time next year…

6. The GCC closes
In April, a Michigan Tax Tribunal ruled that the Gingellville Community Center owed state property taxes, ending a dispute between the center and the township that began in March of 2004.
Unable to pay all of the tax bills, which included some back taxes and interest, membership of the GCC, located on Waldon Road since the late 1990s, decided to sell their building.
‘The membership as a whole is very sad,? GCC director Pam Hutchison told The Review in October. ‘Our organization has started the process of dissolving.?
Shortly thereafter, the sale of the building to the Orion Oxford Boys & Girls Club became official, and the club opened its doors at the new location on Dec. 26 (see page four for more details).
‘My membership really wanted the building and property to go to a youth-oriented organization,? Hutchison said. ‘The Boys and Girls Club is a very worthy organization.?

5. Gridders tie win record
The Lake Orion High School football program completed its third undefeated regular season and first since 1989, going 9-0 in the regular season to claim their first outright OAA I championship.
The season was capped off by the Dragon’s 32-8 win at Clarkston on Oct. 20 in a battle of previously unbeaten teams.
The team tied the school record for wins in a season when they beat Waterford Mott 40-0 in the first round of the playoffs.
Lake Orion outscored their opponents by a combined 300 points in their run to 10-0.
But then Clarkston invaded Dragon Stadium on Nov. 3 and got their revenge, defeating the state’s top ranked team 34-14 to end Lake Orion’s season.
Quarterback Chris Lum was named to the All-State squad after the season, with defensive lineman Josh Allison earning an honorable mention (For more on the football season, including photos, see our sports-in-review on the back page).

4. The Sagebrush returns
Nearly 33 months after a fire destroyed the Sagebrush Cantina and some neighboring businesses in downtown Lake Orion, the restaurant reopened its doors in the same location.
The grand opening, which came just in time for holiday celebrations in Lake Orion, had been pushed back a few times from its originally planned end of June timeframe.
In spite of the delay, many fans of the Mexican restaurant were glad to have the Sagebrush back in town, as was owner Dia Zaraga.
‘It feels so good,? he said of the reopening. ‘We’re really enjoying this.?

3. Township audit takes shape
In yet another issue that dates back to 2004, the Orion Township Board of Trustees decided to go forward with a Forensic Audit to look into township investments and selected the Whall Group, based in Auburn Hills, to carry out the audit in August.
The audit alone could cost over $26,000 and should be completed in early 2007.
The board was split 4-3 on the issue of whether to proceed with the audit, which will specifically look into commissions earned by Diane Young, Treasurer Alice Young’s daughter-in-law, who was hired by the township as an advisor.
‘Because the whole matter appears to be a politically motivated attempt to discredit me and my department, I have concluded that spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on this would be a misplaced and inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars,? Alice Young said in August.
Several board members have noted that the issue is proving to be a divisive one, especially between the board’s three full-time representatives.

2. Senior Center proposal defeated
Visions of a multi-community senior center, which had begun two years prior, finally heated up when the issue went to the voters in the November elections.
The Older Persons? Task Force successfully pushed the issue onto the ballots in Orion, Oxford and Addison townships, but voters rejected both millage and bond proposals in all three townships by roughly two-to-one margins.
Nonetheless, the task force vowed to keep fighting for the center citing a lack of education on the issue and the struggling economy among reasons for the proposal’s defeat.
‘The need is there,? said proponent Ed Peters. ‘The figures show that in just a few years, about 50 percent of the people in these townships will be considered senior citizens ? mainly because of all the ‘baby boomers.? I just think people didn’t know enough about all the benefits of having a center.?

1. War hits close to home
Marine Staff Sergeant Raymond Plouhar, a 1996 graduate of Lake Orion High School, was killed while on duty in Iraq in late June.
Plouhar, who was on his second tour of duty and was just a month away from returning home, was given a hero’s farewell at LOHS in early July, where close to 1,000 people gathered to pay their respects.
The 40th Orion soldier to be killed in action, Plouhar was the first casualty in the Iraqi conflict from Orion, though many from the area are still engaged in action there.
Plouhar is survived by his wife, Leigha, and sons, Raymond and Michael, as well as his parents, sisters and extensive family based locally.
‘That man gave so much of himself, it is unreal,? said Plouhar’s uncle Tim Kennedy, to whom Plouhar donated a kidney in early 2001, saving his life.
‘Raymond, God bless you, and you will always be here with me,? Kennedy said at the funeral.