Newsmakers 2008

Newsmakers 2008

Newsmakers: Former official in prison

Sherrie Schuster once was a Gaylord city official, the executive director of its Downtown Development Authority. Today she is guilty of stealing upwards of $300,000 from public coffers and resides at a prison camp in Oakland County on a three-to-15-year stint for embezzlement and forgery.
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Updated Jan 3, 2009 9:30 am
Newsmakers: Bright future for Kaliseum

A new tax levy approved by a slim majority of Kalkaska County voters will have a big impact at the local sports arena and on the county's bottom line.
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Jan 2, 2009 9:40 am 1 Photo
Newsmakers: Rescuer remains modest

Mark Lyon remains modest when asked about his actions on a cold morning nearly a year ago.
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Updated Jan 1, 2009 9:45 am
Newsmakers: Hihnala trial still has impact

The verdict was not what she wanted to hear. For months, Vicki Hihnala has tried to cope with the acquittal of her daughter-in-law in the death of her son, Alan. But the images from Michelle Hihnala's trial this fall haven't gone away, no matter how hard she tried to prepare herself to see them.
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Updated Dec 31, 2008 9:41 am
Newsmakers: Mother still mourns Dawnette

Donna Hart still struggles. Former Whitewater Township resident Justin Stair was convicted in January of first-degree murder in the death of Hart's daughter, Dawnette Harrell. The time since hasn't been easy for Hart, though she vows to be strong.
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Updated Dec 30, 2008 9:52 am
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Newsmakers: Moving on after school closings

At first, it was common to hear families and staff at Willow Hill Elementary ask each other whether they were Norris or Willow Hill. Welcome to life after school closings.
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Updated Dec 29, 2008 9:35 am 1 Photo
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Newsmakers: Restoring confidence in Benzie

John B. Daugherty aims to turn things around. Daugherty will take over Jan. 1 for embattled three-term Benzie County Prosecutor Anthony Cicchelli, who dropped his re-election bid before the August primary.
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Updated Dec 28, 2008 9:33 am
Friday, December 26, 2008
Newsmakers: Solid-waste woes continue

Incumbent commissioners are counting on board newcomers to write an ending to the county's solid-waste woes, "the story that will not die."
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Updated Dec 27, 2008 9:21 am 2 Photos
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Newsmakers: Vision is becoming clearer

Residents took several steps this year in determining the region's future as part of the Grand Vision, a $1.6 million land-use and transportation study for Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Antrim, Benzie, Kalkaska and Wexford counties.
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Updated Dec 26, 2008 9:25 am 1 Photo
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Newsmakers: Injection well fight continues

There's one watering hole in Alba, the kind of place where everybody knows your name -- and your issues. And Alba residents have big issues with a proposed deep-injection disposal well planned for their backyard, said Green Lantern Bar owner Lori Sheridan. And they talk about it.
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Updated Dec 25, 2008 9:31 am
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Newsmakers: Septage plant still not fixed

Chris Buday still has Jan. 18, the day officials promised to complete Grand Traverse County's septage treatment facility, posted in his office. He only wishes he had written the year on it.
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Updated Dec 24, 2008 9:31 am 1 Photo
Monday, December 22, 2008
Newsmakers: State trooper remembered

Natalie Torres has a tough act to follow. Torres, a Michigan State Police trooper, recently joined the Honor detachment to fill the void left when Trooper Blair DuVall died of cancer in July. She's heard much about DuVall as she's visited with residents and businesses in the area, she said.
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Updated Dec 23, 2008 9:46 am 1 Photo
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Newsmakers: Power outage for TCL&P

Traverse City Light & Power spent much of the year working to regain public trust after the city utility drove out its top two administrators amid incidents of misconduct and public discord.
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Updated Dec 22, 2008 10:00 am
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Newsmakers: 1K+ acres ravaged by wildfire

A raging, wind-whipped wildfire on April 24 threatened the city of Grayling and burned to the edge of town, destroying three homes in the nearby Grayling Game Club. Hundreds of acres of timber were charred and city residents fled the area with hopes they'd see their homes again.
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Updated Dec 21, 2008 8:16 am 1 Photo
Newsmakers: Clock is ticking for theme park

Downstate developers are about out of time to show the state the money for a proposed theme park development in Crawford County.
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Dec 20, 2008 9:49 am 1 Photo
Friday, December 19, 2008
Newsmakers: Change comes to TCAPS

In a word, the Traverse City school board can sum up the past year as one of "change." Two new members took office in January, at the same time the board elected its first new president in six years. Members adopted a set of goals for their own improvement. And they revisited a contentious July 2007 decision to close three elementary schools.
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Dec 19, 2008 10:16 am 3 Photos
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Newsmakers: Meijer tax break irks some

Ray Franz's small grocery store got "clobbered" with a four-fold tax increase under the new Michigan Business Tax. Then state lawmakers added insult to injury when they gave one of his competitors an $8.5M tax break.
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Dec 18, 2008 9:55 am 1 Photo
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Newsmakers: Sculpture fueled debate

It's a large, immobile object that remains more than 200 miles from Traverse City, yet it managed to spark months of debate around the region.
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Dec 17, 2008 10:01 am 1 Photo
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Newsmakers: Family keeps faith after murder

Chanda Allen is forced to have a difficult conversation with her son every now and then. The toddler, Scout, asks about his great aunt Gladys, who cared for him and showered him with gifts. Allen tells him Aunt Gladys is "up in heaven" and won't be returning. Sometimes, Scout asks why.
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Dec 16, 2008 9:56 am 1 Photo