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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.
