March 2016 - The Courant

S E RV I N G WA S H T E N AW, L I V I N G S T O N A N D OA K L A N D C O U N T I E S
COURANTONLINE.COM
MARCH 2016
Finding Alternatives to
Addictive Pain Relievers
IN THE NEWS, PAGE 11
WISHING YOU A HAPPY
ST. PATRICK’S DAY!
BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL
PRESENTS THE CRUCIBLE
By Michaela Larsen
With the upcoming election looming
ever so near, pointing fingers and placing
blame on innocent scapegoats seems
to be a recurring issue with politicians
and the media. Brighton High School will
present Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, a
chilling drama set in Puritan America
that spins a relevant tale of deceit, sin,
and redemption. Written in the 1950’s,
when the world was abuzz with the
“witch hunt” for Communism, Arthur
Miller draws a striking parallel with
the Salem Witch Trials. Hundreds of innocent people will hang in the gallows
if they do not swallow their pride and
dishonestly admit to being a witch. The
only way to save your own life is to live a
lie. The Crucible speaks a universal truth
to it’s audience: maintaining integrity
throughout times of despair and insanity
is not always easy, let alone possible.
Featuring a diverse group of incredibly talented students, Brighton High
School’s The Crucible will open on March
17th, 2016, and run through March 20th.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at
www.bhscrucible.com.
THE LIVINGSTON CLASSICAL CYBER ACADEMY
PUBLICLY CHARTERED K-12 CLASSICAL SCHOOL
The Livingston Classical Academy may
be one of the most significant education
opportunities in recent history in the
State of Michigan. LCA is being launched
to deliver a classical liberal arts academic
program. LCA was formed by local civic
groups, parents, educators and business
owners; all concerned citizens seeking to
restore the time-tested Classical model
of education that was the standard of
educating America’s citizens and leaders
for more than three centuries.
After three years of considerable investment and development work, the
Livingston Classical Academy (LCA)
received a public charter school authorization from Whitmore Lake Public
Schools for a projected school opening in
September 2016. LCA is confident that
By Giani Cazan
achieving the opening and operating of
this first Academy will be a light set upon
a hill for all to see. It will be the catalyst
that helps to open the floodgates for all
Michigan residents who put a premium
on preserving our future through effectively educating our youth today.
The LCA Mission is to re-introduce the
classical model into public education
through charter schools which will have
an immediate positive impact.
This Classical education model seeks
to instill in every student an ability to
express their thoughts clearly, eloquently
and persuasively. The program’s goal is
for all graduates to become independent
thinkers; equipped with the scientific, analytic, and literary abilities to succeed in
whatever vocation that they choose The
LCA model will provide students with the
academic work ethic and rigor necessary
to excel at the most elite colleges and universities in the world. A classical liberal
arts academic program will provide a
strong foundation for any career field.
With LCA, there will now be a viable
means of helping students obtain a
sound, tuition-free, classical education in
virtually any community in Michigan.
Please join us on March 5, 2016 from
1-3pm for a parent informational meeting. LCA’s open enrollment window is
from March 5 through March 18, intent
to enroll forms will be available at the
meeting for parents to enroll their children in LCA! The meeting will be held at
American Spirit Centre, 10590 E Grand
River Ave, Brighton, MI 48116.
$2.4 MILLION UNCONSTITUTIONAL VETERANS
RELIEF FUND TAX LIVINGSTON COUNTY
Last November similar information was
published on Washtenaw County taxes.
The violation was based on mil rate limits
set forth in the Michigan Constitution.
Now, we learn this is not isolated to just
Washtenaw. Additional local governments
have been doing the same thing. Livingston county erroneous taxation exists
2009 to present.
According to the Michigan Constitution
1963, Art 9, Sections 6 & 31, the Michigan
Attorney General confirmed local governments are breaking the law related to mil
rate limits. The Attorney General has not
gone far enough. The 1908 constitution
was still applicable when two laws (public
acts) were originally crafted for the erroneous tax. Now, decades later some local
governments have falsely utilized invalid
public acts in order to levy the tax. Based
on the 1908 Michigan Constitution (Article VIII, Sections 10 & 11, and Schedule
Section 1), local governments are at this
time breaking the law in a second way.
Two wrongs do not make a right.
The Veterans Relief Fund Tax is a line
item on your property tax bill. In Livingston County it appears on the ‘winter’
bill. The mil rate amount is nominal so
most people may not have noticed it. And,
despite its noble sounding name (Veterans Relief), it is blatantly against the law
of the land in Michigan. Not only does it
exceed the mil rate limitations, but our
counties do not have appropriate constitutional authority to take this money from
us at all.
In Livingston County, elected officials
and associated governmental departments have been sent a Cease and Desist
Livingston Classical Academy
School Opening Fall of 2016
CONTENTS
VOLUME XII • ISSUE 5
By Linda Bullard
letter. The letter went to: Livingston
County Treasurer, Township Treasurer,
Board of Commissioners, Director Veterans Relief Fund, County Administrator, House Rep and Senate Rep. And, a
request for opinion and assistance has
been made to the local Sheriff who is the
highest law enforcement official in the
constitution.
Our government must obey the laws.
They are required to fulfill their oath of
office to the constitution. They must be
held accountable to correct their behavior. Thus far, only the Livingston County
Treasurer has proven her good character
and integrity by assistance with this issue.
Kudo goes to her. The remaining officials
have yet to take appropriate action. Perhaps this is where the Sheriff may be able
to assist.
Parent Information Meeting • Saturday, March 5th, 2016 • 1–3 PM
American Spirit Center • 10590 E. Grand River • Brighton, MI 48116
Advice.................................................. 12
Business Cards.................................. 12
Calendar.......................................................6
Gardening................................................... 3
Law.........................................................9, 10
Music............................................................. 7
Puzzle........................................................ 12
Travel............................................................ 2
FREE
NEWS BRIEF
PIANIST
GEORGE WINSTON
COMING TO BCPA
By Sophia Freni
It may seem unusual for a business
organization – the local Chamber of
Commerce – to be so passionate about
supporting the arts, but that really has
become a mantra in Brighton, which
welcomes renowned pianist George
Winston on April 9.
The city, with less than 8,000 residents, is now recognized for its live music offerings, anchored by the Smokin’
Jazz & Barbecue Blues Festival, which
drew nearly 40,000 attendees last September.
The Winston concert, at the Brighton Center for the Performing Arts, is
an extension of that effort and a joint
partnership between the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce and
2 Stones Events with St. Joseph Mercy
Livingston.
“We want Brighton to be a mecca for
the arts, especially live music,” said Pam
McConeghy, Pres/CEO of the chamber.
“Like our festivals, George Winston will
draw people from all around to our city
– people who will shop, dine and experience first-hand the culture of Brighton.”
2 Stones Events’ Whitney and Cal
Stone agree that live music is a catalyst for business and a proven way to
bring a community together. “We had
been toying with the idea of presenting
George Winston for a while when Pam
approached us last fall, wanting to do
a concert at the BCPA,” said Whitney
Stone. “It was perfect timing.”
“It’s an impressive venue – amazing
acoustics, unobstructed views, comfortable seating, plenty of parking, easy to
get to … and that piano!” said Cal Stone.
“George Winston playing that Steinway
is going to be one amazing, memorable
evening for music lovers.”
A KING OF THE KEYBOARD
Winston, born in Montana, has released 13 solo piano albums. His April
9 concert will feature his Winter Show,
which includes melodic fall and winter
type songs, some of Vince Guaraldi’s
Peanuts pieces, inspirations from New
Orleans and stride piano traditions and
songs from his soon-to-be-released
album, Spring Carousel – A Cancer Research Benefit.
Perhaps as impressive as his musical
abilities is Winston’s philanthropic efforts. Every one of his concerts features
a food drive for a local non-profit –
for this event, it will be the Livingston
County Hunger Council.
“He wants to give back to the communities that support his shows -- another
great reason to come hear this incredible musician,” said McConeghy. “Businesses can join this effort too by sponsoring the concert and turning this into
a win-win for the entire community.”
DETAILS
Tickets for the George Winston Saturday, April 9 concert at the Brighton Center for the Performing Arts are $20, $35
and $50. Row H ticketholders ($100)
are also invited to a special after-show
reception to meet Winston. To purchase
online, visit brightonperformingarts.
com and click on the Buy Tickets link.
All sponsors will receive tickets to both
the concert and the party; call 810-5990491 for more information.
To view videos of Winston, visit www.
youtube.com/GeorgeWinstonPiano.
BURN CAMP FUNDRAISER TO HONOR LOCAL TEEN A fundraiser for the Great
Lakes Burn Camp will take place Saturday, March 5 from 3:00-7:00 p.m.
at Stout Irish Pub in Brighton. The fundraiser is in honor of Sarah Grundy who was injured in a bonfire accident in 2013 and passed away
from her injuries in January 2014. Items to be raffled or auctioned are
in need, and those interested in donating are asked to contact Catherine O’Brien at 810.861.9640. If you would like to make a monetary
donation, visit www.gofundme.com/greatlakesburncamp.
POSTAL
CUSTOMER
ECRWSS
SOUTH LYON MI
PERMIT NO. 15
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U.S. POSTAGE
2 • THE COURANT • MARCH 2016
EXPANDING HORIZONS TANZANIA PART 3
I
’ve been telling you about my trip to
Tanzania, and last month I promised
you’d learn about the Hadza this
month. The reason I chose Thomson
Safaris for my trip was because they
offered an “in depth” look at this hunter-gatherer tribe. Soon after we arrived
at our tent camp near them, we went on
a walk the home of a widow from the
Datoga tribe. A fence made of branches
surrounded her home, which was made
of wood studs plastered with mud, covered by a thatched roof. She has seven
children, but only three were home, all
girls. One of them, a teenager, modeled
a traditional dress made out of skins,
then her mother put it on; both were
very proud of it. I was disillusioned. The
children had flies in their eyes, and the
littlest one, probably around 2 ½, urinated while standing in the doorway to their
hut watching us; you could see the wet
Story By Phyllis Kreger Stillman
tracks down the dust on her legs.
That afternoon we met Sandra, a woman from Boston, probably in her late
50’s, who was traveling in the bush for
6 weeks to be with the Hadza, accompanied by two guides, one Datoga, one
Hadza, she had hired prior to leaving
home, and two donkeys. None of them
understood the language of the others.
She told us about how the man in charge
of the donkeys wanted to take a short
cut — he went one way and she and her
guide went another. Unfortunately, they
didn’t meet as planned — she was without food, water, or any supplies for 1 1/2
days. Local Hadza took her in; she slept
on skins next to their fire. She made me
feel so unadventurous; I would never do
what she was doing. She really experienced the culture, which is what I say I
want to do, but I don’t have the guts or
the trust to really do it.
You’ve probably seen pictures of the
hunting safaris of the 1920’s, with tablecloths, china, and gourmet food. That
was pretty much what we experienced;
miles away from Sandra.
The next day we took a long hike to
caves with ancient paintings on the walls;
it’s not clear how old they are. There was
a village consisting of several families
at the trail head. There’s very little in a
Hadza hut; they own almost nothing because of their nomadic lifestyle. There’s
just a fire pit; they sleep on skins by the
fire. Everyone seemed to be just hanging
around. From what I’ve read, the Hadza really don’t do much unless they’re
hungry. A woman there had twins; at
one point, both were nursing at once, an
unusual sight. We ran into Sandra again
they afternoon, and she thankfully she
had been reunited with her donkey handler and donkeys.
Needless to say, my experience with
the Hadza was not what I had expected or wanted. This was partly because
of our guide in that area, Patrick. He
was a white man, in his 50’s, probably
British. He seemed to me like a caricature of the British colonial, with a superior attitude regarding the natives.
He didn’t speak the Hadza language or
even much Swahili. We didn’t spend
much time at the villages and didn’t
get a chance to interact with them
hardly at all. A real disappointment.
The next day we made the long drive
back out of the valley on our way to
Ngongoro crater.
I’ll tell you more about the crater, part
of a conservation area in Tanzania, next
month.
©2016 Phyllis Kreger Stillman. Phyllis
may be contacted at pkstill@umich.edu.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 3
GARDEN SPOT MARCH SPRINGS ANEW
I
n March we can flip the calendar and
start looking forward to planting and
getting ready to clean our gardens.
The causal walk through your garden
can be a joy. The bluebirds, which are
staying for the winter in Michigan, are
now checking out houses to nest in. This
is the time to clean out your old ones and
make sure they are in good shape. There
are many on the market if you have to
purchase one. It took me some time to
change over to a new type of bluebird
house. The wood house can be pecked
at and fall apart after a while. I like the
model that Joyce Schuelke has in her
Wildernest store in Brighton. It is made
out of PVC tubing and is well made. It has
stood the test of time and the bluebirds
really do prefer it over the wood ones.
You can buy a post for it to hang on and
you are ready for the season. Joyce carries some mealworm feeders that can be
mounted near your birdhouse and help
By John Keast
the bluebirds feed in the early spring.
The moles or voles in your lawn are
more prevalent now. They had plenty of
time to make more tunnels this winter
because we had such a late freeze so
be careful where you walk. Don`t panic
when you see quite a few humps in your
yard. My dog, Loongy, likes to be the official scout to find them in our yard. If I
look carefully, I can see the grass being
moved and I call Loongy over and the
rest is history. I like the method of putting water into their tunnels and watching the mole come out of the hole. Again,
I call Loongy over and the rest is history.
I use traps when they are not immediately noticed pushing up the soil. Always
read the directions when using traps as
they might trap you. In the end, you can
call a pest control company which is a lot
safer. You should press down the tunnels
and the next day check to see which one
has been disturbed. That is their main
runway where you can start using your
method of elimination.
The Four Seasons Garden Club of
South Lyon will have a very special
speaker on Tuesday, March 1st. Janet
Macunovich, a world famous speaker
and author, will present a program titled, “The Green Revival: The Perennial
Garden as a Spring Tonic.” It will be held
at the South Lyon High School in the Lecture Hall at 7:00 p.m.
Information: 248-437-8539
John Keast is an Advanced Master Gardener.
Q&A at Gardenspotkeast@aol.com Copyright©2016 John Keast.
4 • THE COURANT • MARCH 2016
RIGHT AT HOME HOME FALL PREVENTION TIPS FOR SENIORS
D
ad recently switched medications and starting shuffling
more than walking. Last
week, he tripped on a bedroom rug but landed on the bed. He
was shaken but not injured. Yesterday,
Mom tiptoed to reach for baking soda
in the kitchen cupboard and slipped,
bruising her ribs. You worry about
your parents’ safety at home and
know it’s time to help prevent falls
from happening. But what’s the best
approach?
Aging increases the risk of stumbling and sustaining injuries. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one out
of three Americans age 65 and older
falls each year. Roughly 20 percent of
falls cause serious injuries including
lacerations, broken bones and head
injuries. Annually nationwide, at least
250,000 elderly people are hospi-
By Barry Paxton
talized because of hip fractures, and
more than 95 percent of these broken
hips originate from a fall.
Fall-related fractures are more than
double for older women than for older men. For the elderly, injuries from
a fall often limit mobility and can
lead to isolation and depression. A
quick stumble can even prove deadly.
Weakened balance, vision and physical strength affect an elderly person’s
ability to stay on his/her feet, so regular eyesight and overall health exams
are essential. Medication reviews by a
physician are also crucial since many
elders fall because of medication side
effects or dosage issues.
“Seniors who fall, even if they are
not injured, often develop a fear of
falling,” said Barry Paxton, owner
Right at Home of Central Michigan.
“This fear can keep them from enjoying regular activities, which then
reduces mobility and physical fitness.
With less muscle tone and confidence,
a person’s actual risk of falling increases. Falls also limit older adults
from living independently, which is
something our at-home care providers
work hard to preserve for each individual.”
Paxton recommends Right at
Home’s Fall Prevention Guide to help
family caregivers and seniors identify
and avert fall hazards inside and outside the home. The guide was developed with the assistance of Dr. Rein
Tideiksaar, a gerontologist, geriatric
physician’s assistant and president
of FallPrevent, a consulting company
that helps safeguard older adults from
falling.
I n a d d i t i o n to p ro te c t i n g o l d e r
adults from falls inside their home,
it is important to note that slips and
trips occur more often on the exter-
nal premises, especially in inclement
weather. Men tend to fall outdoors
more than women, and those seniors
who are most active fall more often
than those with physical frailties.
Nearly half of tumbles outdoors are
related to walking, particularly on uneven sidewalks or tripping over curbs.
More than 70 percent of people who
fall outside land on a hard surface
such as concrete, asphalt or rocks.
Right at Home senior care providers
can assist with a review of potential
fall hazards and help ensure older
adults feel safe, confident and comfortable living at home. The Right at
Home website, rightathome.net, also
features a monthly blog by Dr. Rein on
fall prevention in the elderly.
For more information, contact Right
at Home of Central Michigan at www.
RAH-MI.com, 810-225-4724.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 5
HORSESHOE LAKE CORNER
L
ast month several of the Horseshoe Lake Corporation Board
members (as well as many others from the Whitmore Lake
Community) had the opportunity to
take part in the filming,(music video)
of an up and coming country music
artist named Justin Tranchita. This
video turned out very good and enjoyable to watch, but it also brought
Whitmore Lake to life and displayed
many businesses and areas of our
community. Please read below:
Dear Friends,
Please help us make this #1 on
A L L t h e C H A RT S by v i e w i n g a n d
s h a r i n g i t w i t h yo u r f r i e n d s a n d
families, on VEVO at http://www.
vevo.com/watch/justin-tranchita/
Saturday-Night-Beauty-Queen/
GBLFP1598514
By Lisa Craft
It is currently #1 on the SongCloud
website Top 50 Chart for Country, with
over 300,000 hits its first 2 weeks. We
also just released it on Vevo and at last
glance it had 108,500 hits so far.
Even though Country is not my preferred genre, as I am much more of a
Classic Jazz (ballad) - R&B, Motown,
Soul/Blues kind of a guy ;-), I nonetheless had a lot of fun syncing the visual
images we filmed and chose to accompany the hard driving, catchy, snappy
song of Justin’s with the choreography
I created for it all. And I love sending
up the “macho” at the end. It was a
lot of fun for everyone, and I think it
shows. The Whitmore Lake/Horseshoe
Lake Community was so incredibly
gracious and welcoming that it shows
what we can accomplish when we
come together and are positive rather
than obstructionist. Should you wish
to help us out in continuing to make
this go viral, please jump aboard, as
we can use all the grassroots help we
can muster.
And you can see the version with
our local Whitmore Lake Credits here
from Justin’s FB page at
https://saturdaynightbeautyqueen.
wordpress.com/2016/01/23/saturday-night-beauty-queen-music-videocredits-and-thank-yous/
Just scroll down to the end of the
hard copy page and you will find the
link to click onto. It’s fun to see your
friends’ names appear on the credit
roll at the end.
Thank you for sharing and helping
us in this way with this fun Music
Video.
Brian J. Trim
Producer/Director/Choreographer
Courant
The
MARCH 2016 EDITION
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FINE ARTS
JACK’S CORNER TRAVELING SALVATION SHOWS AEDUCATION
I
t’s a bit unsettling to realize we’re
one liberal attorney or judge away
from having a Supreme Court able
and willing to control how we live,
how we think, how we speak or how we
worship. Even more unsettling is a lot of
people don’t care or think it could never
happen in America.
Hey Trump fans, be careful what you
wish for. Don’t get too enamored with
Brother Donald’s traveling salvation
shows. He’s a showman, a promoter, a
modern day P.T. Barnum into casinos instead of circus freak shows.
He’s changed political stripes five
times to get what he wants. In an unguarded moment, he told Fox News Greta Van Susteren, “I’m capable of changing
to anything I want to.” With the mood of
the country right now, his outsider anti-establishment persona is the perfect
play.
He uses people to get what he wants
like the undocumented Polish immigrants who worked 12 hour shifts, seven
days a week for sub-standard pay clearing the site for Trump Towers then having to sue him for unpaid wages or the
estimated 10,000 people who spent as
much as $35,000 to attend Trump University expecting to learn the Donald’s
personal secrets to getting rich in real
estate only to find class content about
not-so-secret flipping houses.
That’s not Presidential. Neither is bullying and trashing opponents to stoke
an already enormous ego, behavior that
won’t play well on the world stage. If a
President Trump stiffs you doing a 180
on his campaign promises in pursuit of
another personal agenda, don’t say you
weren’t warned.
Have you ever wondered what some
By Jack Belisle
political-speak means? Here are a few
examples. “Quantitative easing,”counterfeiting your way to false prosperity.
“Debt ceiling,” a wild guess at how much
more money can be borrowed before the
country collapses.
“Middle East cease fire”….what the
Arabs agree to when they run out of
rockets. “Censure or reprimand,”what
politicians get for misdeeds that would
put civilians in jail. “Multiculturalism,”
the belief that other cultures opposed
to western values, unwilling to assimilate, demanding speech they don’t like
be criminalized, their legal system be
recognized in American courts and their
religion taught in American schools is
somehow good for the country.
“The Constitution,” what liberals
swear to defend and protect as long as it
doesn’t interfere with how they think the
country should be run or how they think
people should live their lives. “Reproductive rights,”what babies in the womb
do not have. “Home Ready Program,”the
latest home-is-a-right social justice home
loan program available to anyone with a
pulse. “Citizen of the World,”what Hillary
Clinton calls herself and what liberals/
socialists hope all Americans will one
day become.
I see where reality impaired college
students are demanding removal of
Thomas Jefferson images from campuses. Why?...he was racist, he had slaves.
Racism paranoia aside boys and girls,
slavery was part of our history. Go to one
of your healing circles and get over it!
Yup, Jefferson owned slaves. So did
George Washington and Ben Franklin.
So did Anthony Johnson, William Ellison
Jr., Antoine Dubuclet, Justus Angel, Widow C. Richards and other Black land-
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owners.
Then slavery went through a reformation, like other unsavory secular and
religious practices, ending with the 13th
Amendment abolishing it. Economist
Thomas Sowell noted that a century later
black marriage and labor participation
rates were higher than those of whites
and likely would have remained so today
were it not for Democrat President Lyndon Johnson.
Poverty rates had fallen from 32.2%
in 1950 to 17.3% in 1965 then 14% by
1967 without government meddling. So
Johnson meddled. His War on Poverty
birthed the welfare state spawning a
culture of dependency with minimal
improvement in poverty rates fifty years
and $22 trillion dollars later per the Heritage Foundation.
Anti-marriage, anti-work welfare rules
led to inter-generational poverty, crime
and violence in once stable black neighborhoods. Race hustlers blame it on
“white privilege” or the “legacy of slavery.” The only remnants of slavery that
remain are liberal welfare policies that
prevent dependent blacks, tethered to
their government masters, from regaining the independence and self respect
enjoyed by their grandparents.
You need more taxpayers to create
more revenue. You need a strong economy to create more taxpayers. You can’t
do that by confiscating job creating private sector capital through taxation and
regulation. Why do Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders find that
concept so difficult to understand?
Your comments are welcomed and could
be referenced in future columns. Email
jackscorner4345@yahoo.com.
By Suzanne Bellore
At the Fine Arts Preschool/Childcare
Center located at 238 Jennings Road in
Whitmore Lake, Michigan…..Education
in the arts is an integral part of the development of each child. Those who have
studied learning processes throughout the
ages, have emphasized the importance of
the arts in education. Arts Education at the
Fine Arts Preschool refers to education in
the disciplines of Music, Dance, Tumbling,
Theatre, Martial Arts and the Visual Arts.
Study in the arts in integral in our society.
The Arts are a part of our cultural heritage,
and define many characteristics of individuals. The Arts cannot be learned through
occasional or random exposure any more
than math or science can. Education and
engagement in the fine arts are an essential
part of the Fine Arts Preschools curriculum
as it incorporates the State Benchmarks for
Preschool age children through the arts.
The fine arts are an important component
in the educational programs unique approach to teaching young children.
Evidence from studies on brain research
and early childhood development is only
one of the many reasons, education and
engagement in the fine arts is beneficial to
the educational process. The arts develop
neural systems that produce a broad spectrum of benefits ranging from fine motor
skills to creativity and improved emotional
balance. One must realize that these systems often take months and even years to
fine-tune. Introducing the arts to young
children is a great benefit to their future.
Sources: Jensen, E, (2001) Arts with the brain
in mind. Alexandria, Va., Association for Superfision and Curriculum Development
Chapman, R. (1998). Improving student performance through the arts. Principan. 20-26
Kaagan, S(1998) Arts education: Schooling
with imagination. Principal. 16-19
6 • THE COURANT • MARCH 2016
CALENDAR OF EVENTS MARCH 2016
EUCHRE Every Wednesday. Games start
promptly at 7pm. $7.00 per person. Public Welcome. Pinckney Memorial Unit
419 American Legion Auxiliary, 9807
Whitewood Road, Pinckney, MI 48169.
734-878-9522.
PINOCHLE Every Tuesday and Thursday.
2:00p.m.-4:00p.m. FREE! Northfield
Twp. Community Center, 9101 Main St.,
Whitmore Lake. Everyone welcome! For
more information, contact the Community Center at 734-449-2295.
MARCH 2
MISSION TO MARS- A “LIVINGSTON READS”
EVENT 6:30 p.m. Pinckney Community
Public Library, 125 Putnam St. Pinckney,
MI 48169. FREE. Registration Required:
Yes. Call 734-878-3888 for more information about this or any upcoming
events or visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
FREE BUSINESS WORKSHOP FOR ARTISTS:
WHERE’S IT HANGING—HOW TO MARKET
& SELL YOUR ART South Salem District
Library, 9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon.
3:00-5:00pm. Sponsored by Ann Arbor
SCORE. Pre-registration required at
www.annarborscore.com
MARCH 3
CONEY NIGHT $1.50 Coney Dogs and Root
Beer Floats, 5 - 7:30 pm. Pinckney Memorial Unit 419 American Legion Auxiliary, 9807 Whitewood Road, Pinckney,
MI 48169. 734-878-9522.
MARCH 4
38TH ANNUAL LENTEN FISH FRY! Join us
4:30-7:00 pm. Fridays, Mar. 4, 11, 18.
Beer & wine available/donation. Additional fryer! Join us! Adults $9.00 (Seniors, $8; Children 6-11, $6.00; Children
5 & under FREE). Old St. Patrick’s Parish
Hall, 5671 Whitmore Lake Rd., north
side of Ann Arbor http://stpatricka2.org
or 734-662-8141.
ANNUAL FISH DINNER The Men’s Club of
St Mary’s Catholic Parish in Pinckney
is proudly sponsoring its annual Fish
Dinners on Friday evenings during
Lent. March 4, 11, and 18. The Parish is
located south of M-36 at 10601 Dexter
Pinckney Road in Putnam Township. Our
delicious dinner is served from 4:00 to
7:00pm. Cost is $10 adults, $9 seniors,
$5 children (under age 12) with a family
(immediate only) plan available at $35.
Bankcards are accepted and take outs
are available! For further information
contact Heather at the Parish office 734878-3161.
ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH, CHICKEN AND RIBS
5:00 - 8:00 P.M. Adults $10.00 Seniors
$9.00 Ages 6-12 $5.00 5 & Under: Free.
Cash Bar Available. The Livingston County Wildlife and Conservation Club, 6060
E. M-36, Hamburg, MI 48139. (810) 2311811.
THE ANN ARBOR SYMPHONY BRASS QUINTET
will perform at the Hamburg Township
Library. Pre-registration is required for
this free event at 810-231-1771, www.
hamburglibrary.org, or stopping by the
library, located at 10411 Merrill Road,
Hamburg. 6:00 pm.
MARCH 5
MEAT LOAF DINNER 5-7:30 pm. Sponsored
by the American Legion Riders- The
meal includes Meat loaf & gravy, cheesy
potatoes, corn, green beans, roll & butter,
and homemade pie. $8 per person 9807
Whitewood Road, Pinckney, MI 48169
734-878-9522.
PRIVATE VIEWING OF “THE MARTIAN” Join
all 6 Livingston County libraries for a
free, private viewing of “The Martian”
at the Historic Howell Theater, located
at 315 E Grand River Ave in Howell. You
must show your library card from a
Livingston County library to be admitted. Seats will be given first come, first
served. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
MARCH 6
ST MARY COUNTRY STYLE BREAKFAST St
Mary Men’s Club in Pinckney is sponsoring our monthly “Country Style
Breakfast”, at the Parish located south of
M-36 at 10601 Dexter Pinckney Road in
Putnam Township. Breakfast is served
8:30 until 11am and is a free-will donation. Proceeds will be used to help fund
new lighting for our Parish parking lot.
We are proud to welcome the talented
Patrick Rutkowski as our musical guest.
Multi-chance raffles add to the fun. For
further information call Heather at Parish Office 734-878-3161.
TURKEY SHOOT Doors Open at Noon.
Selling begins at 12:30. Shooting starts
promptly at 1:00 P.M. We pay First and
Second Place. Bring your shotgun, we
supply the ammunition. Kitchen is Open.
Raffles - scatter Shots - 50/50. WE DO
NOT SHOOT TURKEYS........PAPER TARGETS. The Livingston County Wildlife
and Conservation Club, 6060 E. M-36,
Hamburg, MI 48139. (810) 231-1811.
MARCH 7
MOM & TOT TIME – BUGS! 10:00a.m.11:00a.m. $2.00 suggested donation.
Pre-registration is suggested. Call the
Community Center at 734-449-2295 to
register or for more information. Northfield Twp. Community Center, 9101 Main
St., Whitmore Lake.
MARCH 8
TUESDAY NIGHT THEATER- THE INTERN (PG13) 6:30 p.m. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St. Pinckney, MI
48169. FREE. Registration Required: No.
Call 734-878-3888 for more information
about this or any upcoming events or
visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.
org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
FREE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS 1:45p.
m.-2:15p.m. FREE! Northfield Township
Community Center, 9101 Main St., Whitmore Lake. Have your blood pressure
checked by an RN from Regency of Whitmore Lake. For more information contact the Community Center at 734-4492295.
MARCH 9
LIBRARY AFTER HOURS- DOWNTON ABBEY
FAREWELL) 6:30 p.m. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St.
Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Registration
Required: Yes. Call 734-878-3888 for
more information about this or any upcoming events or visit our website www.
pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, &
Twitter.
FREE BUSINESS WORKSHOP FOR ARTISTS:
WHERE’S IT HANGING—HOW TO MARKET
& SELL YOUR ART South Salem District
Library, 9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon.
7:00-9:00pm. Sponsored by Ann Arbor
SCORE. Pre-registration required at
www.annarborscore.com
DEVELOP PRE-READING SKILLS 6:30 pm.
Learn simple ways to help children ages
0-5 develop pre-reading skills at the
Hamburg Township Library. Pre-registration is required for this free event at
810-231-1771, www.hamburglibrary.
org, or stopping by the library, located at
10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg.
MARCH 10
LIVING WATER MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS
9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. “Anger Management Techniques” Hot Breakfast,
Friendship, Discussion. Whitmore Lake
Middle School Building, 8877 Main
Street. Free Child Care in Moppets Program. Contact 248.231.0128.
STAND OUT SUBJECT LINES—LOOK GREAT
IN THE INBOX: FREE BUSINESS WEBINAR
9:00-10:00am. Sponsored by Ann Arbor
SCORE. Free online webinar but pre-registration required at www.annarborscore.com
GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH EMAIL &
SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOP $10. New Center Bldg., 1100 N. Main St., Ann Arbor.
6:00-7:30pm. Sponsored by Ann Arbor
SCORE. Pre-registration required at
www.annarborscore.com
CLEAN YOUR CLUTTER 12:00 pm. Learn
how to spring clean your clutter with
this presentation at the Hamburg Township Library. Pre-registration is required
for this free event at 810-231-1771,
www.hamburglibrary.org, or stopping
by the library, located at 10411 Merrill
Road, Hamburg.
MARCH 11
SPAGHETTI DINNER NIGHT 5-7:30 pm, $8.00
adult, $7.00 Senior & $3.00 children 9
and under. Pinckney Memorial Unit 419
American Legion Auxiliary, 9807 Whitewood Road, Pinckney, MI 48169. 734878-9522.
MARCH 12
WESLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PRESENTS FISH FRY! 5-7PM, 9318 Main St,
Whitmore Lake. Adults, $10. Children
under 10 years of age: $5. All proceeds
go to the church. For more information,
call: 734-449-2121.
LEARN ABOUT THE BETTER MADE POTATO
CHIP COMPANY including free samples, at
the Hamburg Township Library. Pre-registration is required for this free event
at 810-231-1771, www.hamburglibrary.
org, or stopping by the library, located at
10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg. 1:00 pm.
MARCH 14
RETIREMENT-MAPPING WORKSHOP 6:00 pm.
Join us for a retirement-mapping workshop at the Hamburg Township Library.
Pre-registration is required for this free
event at 810-231-1771, www.hamburglibrary.org, or stopping by the library,
located at 10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg.
MARCH 15
HARNESS THE POWER OF MOBILE: SMALL
SCREEN, BIG OPPORTUNITY Free Business
Workshop. South Salem District Library,
9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon. 9:0010:30am. Sponsored by Ann Arbor
SCORE. Free, but pre-registration required at www.annarborscore.com
MARCH 16
LUNCH & A MOVIE: BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD
HOTEL 12:15p.m.-3:30p.m. Lunch Fee:
$3.00/60 yrs. & Up; $5.50/Under 60yrs.
Reservations must be made at least 24
hours ahead. Northfield Twp. Community Center, 9101 Main St., Whitmore Lake.
Join us for an afternoon of good food and
fun! Contact the Community Center at
734-449-2295 to register.
BUILD YOUR BUSINESS WEBSITE WORKSHOP
$10. New Center Bldg., 1100 N. Main St.,
Ann Arbor. 6:00-8:00pm. Sponsored by
Ann Arbor SCORE. Pre-registration required at www.annarborscore.com
MARCH 17
IT DOESN’T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST- A
“LIVINGSTON READS” EVENT 6:30 p.m.
Pinckney Community Public Library, 125
Putnam St. Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE.
Registration Required: Yes. Please call
to register. Call 734-878-3888 for more
information about this or any upcoming
events or visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
CONEY NIGHT $1.50 Coney Dogs and Root
Beer Floats, 5 - 7:30 pm. Pinckney Memorial Unit 419 American Legion Auxiliary, 9807 Whitewood Road, Pinckney,
MI 48169. 734-878-9522.
TRADITIONAL IRISH DINNER Live music by
Sullins Trio. Corn Beef And Cabbage. Dinner 5:00 P.m. - 7:30 P.m. Adults $12.00
Ages 6-12 $ 5.00 5 & Under Free Cash
Bar Available. The Livingston County
Wildlife and Conservation Club, 6060 E.
M-36, Hamburg, Mi 48139. (810) 2311811.
MARCH 19
FRIENDS OF THE PINCKNEY LIBRARY BOOK
SALE 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St.
Pinckney, MI 48169. Call 734-878-3888
for more information about this or any
upcoming events or visit the Friends of
Pinckney Library Facebook page.
DIVE IN MOVIE 6:30-9:30 p.m. with Whitmore Lake Community Recreation at WL
Community Pool, 7430 Whitmore Lake
Rd. Whitmore Lake. Come watch a family-friendly movie on our inflatable screen
while floating, diving or swimming in the
pool. Pizza, drinks and popcorn included! $5/person with a $30 family limit. 3
and under are free.
MARCH 21
MOM & TOT TIME – HOPPY EASTER! 10:00a.
m.-11:00a.m. $2.00 suggested donation.
Pre-registration is suggested. Call the
Community Center at 734-449-2295 to
register or for more information. Northfield Twp. Community Center, 9101 Main
St., Whitmore Lake.
MARCH 22
PRESCHOOL MOVIE MADNESS 11:30 a.m.
Pinckney Community Public Library, 125
Putnam St. Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE.
Call the library at 734-878-3888 for
more information about this or any upcoming events or visit our website www.
pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, &
Twitter.
OFF THE SHELF BOOK DISCUSSION- THE
UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY
6:30 p.m. Pinckney Community Public
Library, 125 Putnam St. Pinckney, MI
48169. FREE. Please call to register. Call
734-878-3888 for more information
about this or any upcoming events or
visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.
org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
SENIOR SEMINAR & LUNCHEON – FALL
PREVENTION 12:00p.m.-1:00p.m. FREE!
Northfield Twp. Community Center,
9101 Main St., Whitmore Lake. Call 734-
449-2295 to register.
“STAR SEARCH” TALENT AUDITIONS for the
Hamburg Fun Fest – additional details/
registration at www.hamburgfunfest.
com. Junior - March 22, 2016 (14 and
Under), Upper Div. (15+) on April 5,
2016, both 6:30pm at Zukey Lake Tavern
in Hamburg, MI. Register online or by
emailing TheTalentedStar@gmail.com.
Onsite registration opens 6:30 pm. Sponsored by Hamburg Enhanced Recreation
Organization. Finals June 17,2016 at 7:00
pm at Hamburg Fun Fest.
LOOK GREAT IN THE INBOX Free Business
Workshop. South Salem District Library,
9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon. 9:0011:00am. Sponsored by Ann Arbor
SCORE. Pre-registration required at
www.annarborscore.com
MARCH 24
SOUP SUPPER 5-7pm- Homemade soups,
desserts and breads. Sponsored by
American Legion Auxiliary. $7 per person Contact Joan Beaudoin, President,
810-588-2006, for more information.
9807 Whitewood Road, Pinckney, MI
48169 734-878-9522.
LIVING WATER MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS
9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Holy Week/
Easter Theme. Hot Breakfast, Friendship, Discussion. Whitmore Lake Middle
School Building, 8877 Main Street. Free
Child Care in Moppets Program. Contact
248.231.0128.
BASICS OF SOCIAL MEDIA Free Business
Webinar. 9:00-10:00am. Sponsored by
Ann Arbor SCORE. Pre-registration required at www.annarborscore.com
MARCH 25
SLOPPY JOE & PULLED PORK SANDWICH
NIGHT 5 - 7:30 pm Sloppy Joe and Pulled
Pork sandwiches and “plates” available.
Pinckney Memorial Unit 419 American
Legion Auxiliary, 9807 Whitewood Road,
Pinckney, MI 48169. 734-878-9522.
ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH FRY NIGHT 5:00 - 8:00
P.M. Adults $10.00 Seniors $9.00 Ages
6-12 $5.00 Under 5: Free. Cash Bar Available. The Livingston County Wildlife and
Conservation Club, 6060 E. M-36, Hamburg, MI 48139. (810) 231-1811.
MARCH 27
LIVING WATER LUTHERAN CHURCH Easter
Sunday Festival Worship. 10:15 a.m.11:30 a.m. Brunch, Easter Egg Hunt, Photo Booth! Whitmore Lake High School,
7430 Whitmore Lake Road. Children’s
Church and Nursery Available. Contact
734.426.4006.
MARCH 28
SPRING BREAK MOVIE SHOWING –THE GOOD
DINOSAUR (PG) 1- 3 pm. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St.
Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Registration
Required: No. Call the library at 734878-3888 for more information about
this or any upcoming events or visit our
website www.pinckneylibrary.org or on
Facebook, & Twitter.
MARCH 29
KIDS CRAZY CRAFT DAY 1 - 3 p.m. Pinckney
Community Public Library, 125 Putnam
St. Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Registration Required: Not required. Contact
Information: Call the library at 734878-3888 for more information about
this or any upcoming events or visit our
website www.pinckneylibrary.org or on
Facebook, & Twitter.
MARCH 30
“LIVINGSTON READS” EVENT-AFTER HOURS
MOVIE- THE MARTIAN 6:30 p.m. Pinckney
Community Public Library, 125 Putnam
St. Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Registration Required: No. Call 734-878-3888 for
more information about this or any upcoming events or visit our website www.
pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, &
Twitter.
MARCH 31
HOLY SPIRIT CATHOLIC CHURCH ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE 9565 Musch Road, Brighton,
MI. Thurs, March 31, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fri, April 1, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sat, April
2, 9 a.m. to Noon ($1.00 bag). For more
information: (810) 231-9199, Ext. 0
LEGO CLUB 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Pinckney
Community Public Library, 125 Putnam
St. Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Registration Required: Yes. Call the library
at 734-878-3888 for more information
about this or any upcoming events or
visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.
org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 7
JULIAN K’S MUSIC SCENE P.O.R.K.
I
was having lunch recently in a local
diner and overheard the next table of
four lamenting the lack of anything
exciting to do on Sunday evenings. It
took a few moments to get their attention
and I told them they needed a good dose
of “P.O.R.K.”, which stands for “Phil Ogilvies Rhythm Kings”.
You can find and enjoy them on Sunday
evenings from 5-8PM at Zal Gaz Grotto
on West Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor.
What you’ll get is a 10 piece top drawer
professional ensemble that play hot jazz
from the 1920’s and 1030’s. Be sure to
wear your dancing shoes as the dance
floor in front of the band is full of folks
whirling and swinging about having the
time of their life.
P.O.R.K. was formed in late 2000 when a
Florida musician and entrepreneur (Phil
Ogilvie) approached two local jazz players, pianist James Dapogny and brass man
Story & Photo By Julian Konwinski
Chris Smith, about starting a band similar
to what he had in Coral Gables, Florida.
The idea quickly caught on and by February 2001, they began playing in the now
defunct “Firefly Club”. They did a short
stay later at a club “Live”, but a change in
ownership forced another move, this time
to their current home at Zal Gaz Grotto.
The band is based on the rhythm section of piano, rhythm guitar, a sousaphone
for bass, and drums. The front is an assortment of brass and woodwinds that
changes from tune to tune. All the players
are highly skilled soloists and most are
multi instrumentalists so playing different
horns comes naturally. There are some
crooners in the band so you can expect
some vocals. Since many of the members
are also educators you will get interesting
historical data, always be given song titles,
the songwriter and year penned. This is
vital to keep this wonderful music alive
today. Sometimes the
band will have extras
sit in for a few “Swing
Era” numbers or shrink
down to a sextet for
some “Dixieland” tunes.
P.O.R.K. has been
featured at music fairs
and festivals across
Southeast Michigan,
Ohio, and nearby Canada. They have even
gone to Washington
D.C. to display their
dedication and talents
to this country’s purest art form. Doctor
James Dapogny still leads the band at
piano and Chris Smith is the manager
and does lots of arranging. They are
among the seven original members still
with the group.
Give your Sunday evening a jolt and
sample some “P.O.R.K.” Warning—the
music and enjoyment are highly contagious! You could develop a wonderful
new habit.
LIVINGSTON CLASSICAL ACADEMY PRESENTS
A Classical Education for Modern Times
The following is the first in a series of 5 articles that makes an argument for a Classical Liberal Arts Education for our public school system
in America. It will be presented here in The Courant over the next 5 issues. The author is Dr. Terrence O. Moore, Hillsdale College.
T
he Hillsdale College Barney Charter School Initiative has deliberately
taken a classical approach to education. By “classical,” we mean a form of
education that could be called classical, civic, and
liberal but in the school reform movement these
days most often goes by the designation “classical.”
Some might call it “conservative,” but we prefer the
term “traditional.” That is, we adhere to an ancient
view of learning and traditional teaching methods.
Such a choice might at first seem paradoxical or
even out-of-touch with reality. Why, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, in the age of the
internet, in a country that has long been addicted
to the revolutionary and the novel, when almost
everyone in the world of K-12 education is singing
the chorus of “critical thinking skills for a twenty-first-century global economy,” should cutting edge schools root themselves so deeply in the past? Is
not newer always better? What could today’s young people learn from old
books? We must answer these questions clearly from the outset.
Classical education has a history of over 2500 years in the West. It began
in ancient Greece, was adopted wholesale by the Romans, faltered after
the fall of Rome, made a slow but steady recovery during the Middle
Ages, and was again brought to perfection in the Italian Renaissance. The
classical inheritance passed to England, and from the mother country to
America through colonial settlement. At the time of this nation’s founding classical education was still thriving. Jefferson heartily recommended
Greek and Latin as the languages of study for early adolescence. One
of the Founding Fathers’ favorite books was Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans. Eighteenth-century Americans venerated and
trusted George Washington in large part because he reminded them of
the Roman patriot Cincinnatus. So important has
classical education been in the history of the West
that it would only be a slight exaggeration to say
that the march of civilization has paralleled the vibrancy of classical schools. Unlike the old classical
schools, today’s classical schools do not make the
medium of instruction Latin and Greek (though to
be classical they must require the study of Latin at
some point). Nonetheless, the Hillsdale sponsored
charter schools will remain classical by upholding
the same standards of teaching, of curriculum, and
of discipline found in the schools of old. Indeed, in
these schools English will be taught using methods
derived from centuries of teaching and learning the
classical languages. Hillsdale thus takes stock in the
tried and true rather than in the latest fads frothing
forth from the schools of education.
Apart from this impressive history, Hillsdale has embraced classical education as the surest road to school reform for at least four reasons. These
reasons constitute a clear break from modern, progressive education and a
return to traditional aims and methods. Classical education:
• values knowledge for its own sake;
• upholds the standards of correctness, logic, beauty, weightiness, and
truth intrinsic to the liberal arts;
• demands moral virtue of its adherents;
• and prepares human beings to assume their places as responsible citizens in the political order.
We shall discuss each of these characteristics of classical education in turn.
(To be continued in next month’s edition of The Courant.)
8 • THE COURANT • MARCH 2016
THIS MONTH @ THE BRIGHTON DISTRICT LIBRARY
WORKSHOPS KICK OFF PARENTING AWARENESS MONTH
M
arch is Parenting Awareness Month. To highlight
the importance of effective
parenting throughout a
child’s life, Carrie Shrier, a Michigan State
University Extension Educator, will present three free programs at the Brighton
District Library, 100 Library Drive. These
programs are generously funded by the
Friends of the Brighton District Library.
“As a society we all benefit from effective parenting,” said Carla Sharp, head of
Youth Services at the Brighton District
Library. “Engaged parenting promotes
the idea that everyone in a community
benefits from parent education. It also
encourages the development of parent
and caregiver networks and support,”
said Sharp.
Helping Your Child Manage Their
Anger, March 1, 6:30-7:30pm. Helping
young children learn self-control is im-
By Margaret Vergith
portant for their development now and
in the future. Shrier will discuss ways to
create appropriate environments and
experiences to strengthen these skills.
In addition, she will provide useful tips
and tools for parents and caregivers to
help kids get back on track by learning to
manage their anger and take control of
their emotions. Call 810-229-6571 ext.
223 to register.
Kindergarten Readiness: What Your
Child Needs to Know, March 15, 6:307:30pm. What does it mean to be kindergarten ready? Many parents wonder
if their child is ready to start school or
should they wait another year. Shrier will
discuss ways to determine if your child is
ready for school and what skills kindergarten teachers want before a child begins school. Call 810-229-6571 ext. 223
to register.
Setting the Stage: Promoting So-
cial-Emotional Health in Young Children, March 24, 1-2pm.
What is social and emotional health?
It’s a critical aspect of overall brain development that begins at birth. Social and
emotional skills are nurtured through
daily routines, language, and play which
happen within the context of one’s fami-
ly, community, and cultural background.
These skills affect a child’s ability to
adapt to experiences and emotions, form
secure relationships, and more. Shier
will discuss the importance of social and
emotional health and offer helpful suggestions for building these critical tools.
Call 810-229-6571 ext. 223 to register.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 9
WITHIN THE LAW SQUATTER’S RIGHTS
T
he term “squatter’s rights” may
call up an image of someone
camping out on a piece of property. The thought that illegal
entry upon property of another can turn
into possessory rights within a short
period of time, or ownership if the possession continues for a very long time
(15 years in Michigan), probably seems
contrary to what laws should be. Nevertheless, our laws have always recognized and protected intrusions to some
degree for short term stays, and totally
for many of those long stays. If it seems
such laws are unjust, consider that this
entire nation of ours originated through
squatting by our founders on property
they did not own.
Unauthorized entry upon land or into
a building is unlawful and gives rise to
civil and criminal consequences. Howev-
By Chuck Hoffman
er, the longer the entry and possession
and money that spent on the property by
the trespasser, the more the law will provide some protection for that possession.
For instance, a stay of several months
may result in proving a lease had been
formed; therefore, legal proceedings may
be necessary to remove the tenant.
The ultimate legal form of squatter’s
rights, which has existed in every state
in this country since its formation, is
adverse possession. Every state has its
own statutes which set time limitations
when civil and criminal actions must
be filed in their courts. Likewise, every
state has a time limit on when suits
must be filed which involve ejectment of
trespassers from property. It is 15 years
from the date of entry of trespassers
in Michigan, and it varies from 5 to 30
years from state to state. When it is too
late for legal removal of trespassers, it
means they own it. However, there is
no document which verifies title in the
trespassers. A suit for quiet title must
be filed so that the trespassers can get
a written order which states that they
own the property. Courts have put the
burden in these legal proceedings on the
trespassers who have to show that the
15-year trespass was adverse, hostile,
open, notorious and continuous. Possession can never be by permission. Thus,
a written letter to trespassers making
their intrusions permissive would result
in trespassers never gaining title.
Facts which constitute adverse possession, as well as another doctrine
called acquiescence which will be
discussed in the next issue, are alive
and well and occurring in your neighborhood. These two legal theories are
looked upon with favor by the courts as
they resolve most boundary disputes.
You may see an old stone fence, a
string of survey stakes, and a barbed
wire fence located somewhat near each
other. GPS (GIS) indicates a line even
different than the others. Which one of
these four markers will the court usually select as being the true boundary
between neighboring properties? The
answer will be provided at end of next
month’s column.
The information provided in this article does not constitute the giving or offering of legal advice or counsel. Chuck
Hoffman is an attorney located in Ann
Arbor. Contact Chuck at (231) 6274249 or cgh.reallaw@gmail.com for
advice regarding Michigan real property matters.
10 • THE COURANT • MARCH 2016
THE LEGAL SPOT SMALL CLAIMS
I
n Michigan, if you have a relatively
small claim against an individual or
a business, you may file an action in
small claims court yourself without
an attorney. Small claims court is a division of your local district court. You may
file your action in small claims court if
your claim is for $3,000 or less.
A small claims action is typically
started by a person who has been injured or is owed payment but cannot
afford a lawyer. In fact, parties in small
claims lawsuits are prohibited from
having lawyers represent them in court.
Your local district court clerk will have
the necessary paperwork to get your
small claims action started, and the
clerk will often provide instructions and
assistance in filling out the forms. The
filing fee for a small claims action can
vary from $25 to $65, depending on the
By Derek Edwards
amount in dispute.
If you decide to start a small claims
action, you first need to determine
which district court location is proper.
There are approximately 100 district
courts in Michigan, and each covers a
specific area. Generally, you will file in
the city or county where the incident
or transaction that lead to the dispute
occurred (e.g. where the car accident
took place; where the contract was to
be performed; where the property in
dispute is located; etc.) or where the
person you are suing resides or the
business you are suing does business.
For a guide to Michigan trial courts, go
to www.courts.michigan.gov and click
on “Trial Court Locations.” The web
site also has a “Self-Help” section and
provides forms used in small claims
lawsuits.
After you file your action, you must
arrange for service upon the defendant(s). The court clerk can arrange for
service of your complaint and summons
to the defendant(s) for a fee, or you may
mail a copy of the complaint and summons to the defendant(s) via certified
mail, return receipt requested, and delivery restricted to the addressee. Once
served, the defendant has a limited time
to file and serve an answer. If the defendant fails to do so, you may receive a
default judgment against the defendant.
If the defendant does respond, he or
she may simply agree to settle the dispute (e.g. by paying you), answer your
complaint (with argument for why you
should not win your case), object to
your action as being improper (and try
to have the case dismissed), counterclaim against you, or attempt to have the
case removed from small claims court
and transferred to regular district court.
If the defendant does the latter, you may
then wish to speak with a lawyer to discuss your options. If legal fees are likely
to exceed the amount of your claim, you
may wish to settle the matter through
some form of alternative dispute resolution. Whether your case is in small
claims or district court, you will likely
have the opportunity to settle your case
before trial through mediation or case
evaluation.
Disclaimer: The information in this
article does not constitute legal advice.
Derek Edwards is an attorney serving
southeast Michigan. For a free initial
consultation, call Derek at (734) 5021176 or email AffordableLegalServicesPLC@gmail.com.
SALESPERSON WANTED 734.629.6010 • SALESPERSON WANTED 734.629.6010
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 11
PINS FOR PAIN—AN ALTERNATIVE TO ADDICTIVE PAIN RELIEVERS
Your back has been bother you for
months. After waking up on Sunday
morning and not being able to get out
of bed, you finally commit to getting in
to see your medical doctor that week, as
you can no longer afford to be in so much
pain. You also certainly cannot afford to
miss more work. The doctor does his best
to help you and immediately issues you a
prescription for hydrocodone.
You take the medication and notice
relief pretty quickly. You are grateful, but
after a few months you start to notice the
tinges of pain coming back. You call your
doctor’s office and they increase the prescription to provide you relief. The new
dose is effective.
Months go by, and your body seems to
respond less and less to the medication.
You now notice moments of dizziness,
nausea, and constipation after taking the
medication. Your doctor prescribes physical therapy and you begin going weekly.
The stretches are useful, but your sleep is
by Erika Schultz, Dipl. OM, LAc, RAc, ACN
becoming more and more difficult as the
pain seems to intensify at night.
This story is a common one amongst
pain sufferers. Unfortunately, what is becoming increasingly more commonplace
is the story of the chronic pain sufferer
and his/her increasing need for more of
the addictive narcotic drugs to relieve the
pain— this is often leading to an increasing rate of drug overdoses in local communities as well as nationwide.
A local newspaper recently reported
that the number of deaths related to
opioid usage is on the incline in Ingham
County— up from 14 deaths in 2003 to
57 deaths in 2014. The City of Lansing’s
opioid overdose numbers increased from
six overdoses and one fatality in 2013 to a
staggering 138 overdoses and 26 fatalities
in 2015.
Last year the Detroit Free Press cited
that more than 30 people died in Livingston County in 2014 as a result of a
drug-related overdose. This figure has
steadily climbed each year since 2011,
when 11 overdoses (and fewer deaths)
occurred.
As a result, more and more primary
care providers are recommending other
alternatives to patients- including chiropractic, massage and acupuncture. Some
Western healthcare facilities are now employing acupuncturists to provide treatments to patients for not only pain, but
also to aid in post-surgical healing and to
better manage the side effects of chemotherapy to name a few.
The 3,000 year old ancient medicineknown as Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM) is composed of five branches- one
of which is acupuncture. The five branches include acupuncture, bodywork (which
includes the increasingly popular cupping
therapy), exercises (like Tai Chi and Qigong), Chinese herbs, and nutrition. The
most commonly used therapy for pain
relief is acupuncture- which is often times
combined with cupping therapy.
Acupuncture helps relieve pain by balancing the nervous system. In TCM this is
known as balancing Yin and Yang. This is
important because the nervous system is
key when it comes to healing. I describe
it to patients as the control tower in the
body- instrumental in ensuring messaging
is clear for proper healing and functioning.
If you are one of the millions of Americans suffering from pain and are not
getting full relief from drugs or surgery
perhaps it is time to consider other viable
therapies like acupuncture. The procedure is relatively painless and effective
in reducing, and given enough time fully
abolishing, pain that has been taking you
out of your life. The good news is there
is a now a practice locally providing this
care to the community.
For more information contact Erika
Schultz, LAc, RAc, Dipl.OM, ACN at info@
lakelandacupuncturist.com or go to www.
lakelandacupuncturist.com.
12 • THE COURANT • MARCH 2016
GRIFFITH VETERINARY HOSPITAL
240 Jennings Rd., Whitmore Lake, MI 48189
(U.S. 23 at Barker Road)
(734) 449-PETS (7387)
DR. BARBARA J. GRIFFITH - WATKINS
M 8-6 T 8-6 W 8-6 Th 8-6 F 8-6 Sat 8-12
SALESPERSON WANTED
For more info call
734.629.6010
THE RESOLUTIONIST
By Amy Scholl
Dear Resolutionist,
My soon-to-be ex-husband and I were
ordered to work with a mediator regarding our divorce. I don’t like the mediator
at all; I researched her and couldn’t even
find her mediator’s license! Other than
talk to the judge (which isn’t really an option for me), what course of action can I
take?
— Mediator Skeptic
Dear Mediator Skeptic,
Unfortunately, this isn’t particularly
uncommon in cases where mediation
has been “court ordered”, because when
mediation is “mandatory”, the involved
parties may be less likely to take a personal stake in the process (as humans,
anything that’s “our idea” is a “good idea”
typically, right?!). With that said, it can be
a highly effective process for some parties,
and it takes family issues out of the courts
a bit, which is typically favorable. I’m not
surprised that your search for her mediator’s license came-up short however… in
Michigan there really is no such thing as
a mediator’s license per se. “The Mediator Training Standards and Procedures”
handbook (which you can access via the
courts.mi.gov website) details training
requirements for professional mediators,
but as a whole this sector is still relatively
unregulated on a nationwide level. As
such, people are naturally going to have
different experiences with mediation depending on which mediator they receive.
Typically, when mediation is court-mandated the mediator should be highly
qualified, but that doesn’t mean that your
conflict resolution style will necessarily
mesh with hers. In an ideal situation,
the involved parties will basically make
progress on their own while the mediator
simply facilitates the process in a highly
professional, unbiased manner. If this is
not the case, you may want to consider
having your attorney contact the judge on
your behalf.
Amy is a Mediation and Conflict Resolution Specialist.
2015 AMENDMENT • PUBLIC NOTICE
FROM THE LYON’S DEN
By Tedd Wallace
L
ike many communities carved
out of the area swamps, South
Lyon was founded in1832. It
was called Thompson’s Corners. In the same year the surrounding
township was named Lyon for Lucius
Lyon, a member of the state Legislature. The village was given a name for
its location within the township in the
south west corner of Lyon. I guess they
could have called it South West Lyon,
which happens to be the first city north
of Ann Arbor? Actually South Lyon was
not a city yet and became incorporated
as a village in 1873. It would become a
city with a mayor in 1930. Later in the
1970’s the city rechartered to a city
manager form of government. It was the
city managers job to seek grants to help
the city meet its needs and to justify the
costs involved with having a city manager. The mayor became a figurehead and
was to be part of a council to approve
decisions by the manager.
Section 5310 FY2013 Dispatching software capital Federal $15,120. State $3,780. Total $18,900.
Section 5310 FY 2014 capital Office furniture Federal $8,644 State $2,161. Total $ 10,805.
Section 5316 mobility capital State $12,000. Federal $48,000 Total $60,000.
Section 5316 Operating Federal 76,092 state $76,092 Total $ 152,184.
Section 5316 capital 1 vehicle Federal $30,400. Local $7,600. Total $38,000.
Section 5317 capital 2 vehicles Federal $72,000 State $ 18,000 total 90,000.
Section 5317 mobility capital- Federal $24,000. State $6,000. Total $30,000.
Section 5317 Operating-Local Federal $26,750. Local $26,750. Total $53,500.
People’s Express ensures that the level and quality of transportation service is provided without
regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Right s Act of 1964.
For more information regarding our Title VI obligations or to file a complaint please contact us
at the address given below. The proposed application is on file at People’s Express at 10 Jennings
Rd, Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 and may be reviewed during a 30-day period (3/1/206-4/1/16)
between the hours of 8:00 a.m.-4:00pm Monday-Friday. Written comments regarding the application and/or written requests for a public hearing to review the application must be received by
April 30, 2015. If a hearing is requested, notice of the scheduled date, time, and location will be
provided at least 10 days in advance. Submittals should be sent to People’s Express offices at 10
Jennings Rd. Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 or via e-mail to douganhs@sbcglobal.net
Tedd Wallace is a former mayor and
retired teacher from South Lyon, email:
Teddmwallace@sbcglobal.net
LEO’S MAGIC GRID
By Leo Tschirhart
Amendment for PEOPLE’S EXPRESS PROPOSED STATE AND FEDERAL APPLICATION
FOR OPERATING AND/OR CAPITAL ASSISTANCE
All citizens are advised that People’s Express has prepared an application for State of Michigan
Financial assistance for fiscal year 2016 as required under Act 51 of the Public Acts of 1951, as
amended, and for federal assistance as required under the Federal Transit Act, as amended. People’s Express is requesting a total of $453,389.00 through the following funding source(s).
One moment that stands out where
the manager played a huge role in getting grant monies was back in 2000.
Howell, Brighton and South Lyon had
been declared an urban area by the
federal government with over 100,000
residents. The manager knew there
would be federal dollars with such a
declaration. The manager sought out
and received $900,000.00 of the 1.2 million available. It actually wasn’t used in
the city but Lyon Township was invited
to participate in paving a dirt road that
ran south and north on the outside edge
of the city in Lyon. Recently that road,
called Griswold, was completed all the
way to Eight Mile from Ten Mile. Much
needed for the infrastructure of the
area, it became another niche carved
out of the swamps.
Enter the
numbers 1 thru
5 into each of
the five rows and
each of the five
columns without
repetition.
5 2
5
3
1
1
34
2
4
Look for the answer to
this puzzle next month.
1
3
4
5
R E MA I ND E R
M E E
I
E
2M I N I P U R S E
R A N
I
A
3 I M P R OV I N G
N U V L A
4D E R A I L I N G
E S N N E
5 R E E N G AG E D
1
Here is the answer to
last month’s puzzle.
2
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 13
14 • THE COURANT • MARCH 2016
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 15
16 • THE COURANT • MARCH 2016