03/18/10

THOSE WHO ATTENDED A FORUM IN TRAVERSE CITY WEDNESDAY NIGHT OUTLINED THE QUALITIES THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. BUSINESS EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS WERE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. TRAVERSE CITY AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS HOPE TO FIND THE REPLACEMENT FOR JIM FEIL BY JULY FIRST. FEIL IS LEAVING TO PURSUE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN EDUCATION.

NORTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN COLLEGE IN PETOSKEY IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY STUDENTS ARE CHARGED FOR TUITION. IT WILL NOW BE BASED ON CONTACT HOURS AS OPPOSED TO CREDIT HOURS. THOSE WHO HAVE MORE CONTACT WITH TEACHERS WILL PAY MORE. THE RATES REMAIN THE SAME THROUGH 2011. THE FEE WILL BE 72 DOLLARS PER CONTACT HOUR FOR EMMET COUNTY STUDENTS. $118.50 FOR INSTATE STUDENTS AND $153 FOR OUT OF STATE STUDENTS AT NCMC.

A PETOSKEY MAN HAS BEEN INDICTED IN FEDERAL COURT FOR ALLEGEDLY FILING FALSE TAX RETURNS. HERBERT FRISKE IS ACCUSED OF FILING ILLEGAL TAX RETURNS FROM 2003 THROUGH 2005. THE INDICTMENT ALLEGES THAT FRISKE USED SHAM TRUSTS TO HIDE INCOME FROM RENT AND PROPERTY SALES IN PETOSKEY AND ALANSON. HE IS FACING THREE YEARS IN PRISON AND A 250 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE ON EACH OF THE THREE COUNTS.

 

03/17/10

TRAVERSE CITY AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE GATHERING INPUT WEDNESDAY ON THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT. THE MICHIGAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE WILL BE TALKING WITH STAFF AND OTHER DISTRICT EMPLOYEES DURING THE DAY. THE PUBLIC CAN OFFER THEIR COMMENTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 7:30PM AT THE TOMPKINS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ON WEBSTER STREET. TCAPS HOPES TO HAVE A SUCCESSOR TO JIM FEIL BY JULY FIRST.

THE NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL HAS IDENTIFIED THE VOLUNTEERS WHO WON THE FLIGHT DECK, VIP PASSES, TO SEE THE BLUE ANGELS IN JULY. ANNA FARDELL, CHRISTOPHER SMITH, MAUREEN O’ BRIEN, BARBARA WOODRUFF, DORIS GORENCE, SHAWN SHEFFER AND JEFF HARRAND ARE ALL FROM TRAVERSE CITY. BARBARA KLEIN IS FROM SUTONS BAY. CHARLES CHANDLER HAILS FROM LIVONIA AND SHELLY KITCHEN LIVES IN EVART.

NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE HAS ANNOUNCED THE PROGRAMS THAT WILL SHARE PROCEEDS FROM THE 55TH ANNUAL BARBECUE ON MAY 17TH. THE MILLIKEN AUDITORIUM, LOBDELL’S TEACHING RESTURANT, AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, STUDENT INNOVATION FUND AND THE NURSING PROGRAM ARE SET TO RECEIVE FUNDS.

 

03/16/2010

THE TRAVERSE CITY COMMISSION HAS AGREED TO A SETTLEMENT WITH THE DNRE ON SWIM ZONES ALONG GRAND TRAVERSE BAY. THE CITY WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH TO EXPAND THE SWIMMING AREAS IF AT ALL. THE CITY COMMISSION HAS VOWED TO WORK WITH BOATERS BEFORE MAKING ANY FINAL DECISIONS. WITHOUT THE AGREEMENT THE DNRE COULD HAVE APPEALED AN EARLIER CIRCUIT COURT RULING.

THERE IS A SCAM ALERT FROM OTSEGO COUNTY. THE STATE POLICE SAY PEOPLE ARE GETTING CALLS CLAIMING TO BE FROM THE US CENSUS DEPARTMENT. THE CALLERS SAY THERE IS NO SPOT ON THE CENSUS FORM TO REPORT WHETHER YOU HAVE DIABETES, BUT THAT INSURANCE CARRIERS NEED THE INFORMATION. IT IS NOT TRUE. IF YOU GET SUCH A CALL, HANG UP AND DON’T GIVE OUT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.

AN ALANSON WOMAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED ON EMBEZZLEMENT CHARGES. 39 YEAR OLD ROBYN GARVER WILL START SERVING A 12 MONTH SENTENCE IN THE EMMET COUNTY JAIL TUESDAY. GARVER WAS ALSO PLACED ON 60 MONTHS PROBATION. SHE MUST ALSO MAKE RESTITUTION OF 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO WINDJAMMER COVE AND MARINA IN ODEN.

 

03/15/10

LONGTIME TV AND RADIO METEROLOGIST GREG MACMASTER HAS KICKED OFF HIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE STATE HOUSE. MACMASTER WILL SEEK THE 105TH DISTRICT SEAT THAT IS CURRENTLY HELD BY HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN ELSENHEIMER. MACMASTER GREW UP IN ALDEN. HE WAS THE CHIEF METEROLOGIST FOR MIDWESTERN BROADCASTING FOR 15 YEARS. ELSENHEIMER IS BEING TERM LIMITED OUT OF OFFICE.

FIREFIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO SAVE A MAN FROM A BURNING HOUSE IN CADILLAC EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THE MAN WAS TAKEN FROM THE HOUSE ON MOSSER STREET AND RUSHED TO CADILLAC MERCY FOR TREATMENT OF SMOKE INHALATION. NO NAME HAS BEEN RELEASED. THE HOME WAS DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE UP FOR LOST PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THE PETOSKEY CITY COUNCIL MAY ALTER RUBBISH PICKUP SCHEDULES MONDAY NIGHT. THE COUNCIL COULD CUT THE PICKUP SCHEDULE FROM 12 WEEKS TO SIX WEEKS. SMALL YARD WASTE PICKUP COULD BE CUT TO 10 WEEKS. THE BRUSH CHIPPING AND DISPOSAL PROGRAM COULD ALSO BE CUT BACK.

 

03/12/10

THE TRAVERSE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS CONCLUDED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION CONCERNING AN INCIDENT INVOLVING AN OFF DUTY OFFICER ON FEBRUARY 7TH. JOE SOFFREDINE HAS BEEN PLACED ON UNPAID SUSPENSION. THE GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE WILL DETERMINE WHETHER SOFFREDINE SHOULD BE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH A CRASH THAT TOOK PLACE THAT NIGHT.

THERE WILL BE A TOWN HALL MEETING IN BENZIE COUNTY LATER THIS MONTH TO DEAL WITH THE ASIAN CARP THREAT. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS HOSTING THE FORUM ON MONDAY MARCH 22ND AT 5:30PM AT THE GARDEN THEATER IN FRANKFORT. EXPERTS AND STATE LEGISLATORS WILL BE ON HAND TO ADDRESS THE ASIAN CARP ISSUE. TIME WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

STARTING NEXT WEEK TRAVERSE CITY LIGHT AND POWER WILL BE TRIMMING TREE LIMBS TO PREVENT POWER OUTAGES. UTILITY CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE A DOOR TAG PRIOR TO THE TRIMMING WORK GETTING UNDERWAY. TO FIND OUT WHICH AREAS WITHIN THE CITY ARE INVOLVED, LOG ONTO TCLP DOT ORG.