July 5
~ Horrible news comes from Iraq, where Marine Staff Sgt. Raymond Plouhar is reported to have been killed in the line of duty. A 1996 graduate of Lake Orion High School, the Marine died in a roadside bombing, just one month shy of completing his tour of duty. Sgt. Plouhar is survived by his wife, Leigha and sons, Raymond, 9, and Michael, 5; his parents, Raymond and Cindy Plouhar, his siblings and numerous other family members. In an emotional display of support for Sgt. Plouhar’s family, hundreds turned out to honor his memory at events during the course of the year.
~ Work begins to widen and reconfigure the intersection of Baldwin and Brown roads in Orion Township. Once completed, the project will realign the intersection to allow traffic on Brown to make left turns onto southbound Baldwin.
July 12
~ A 15-year-old girl is seriously hurt while riding a kite tube being pulled by a speedboat on Lake Orion. A strong wind gust reported pushed the tube into the air and the teen crashed into the water.
~ Oakland County Sheriff deputies are forced to use a taser on a man who becones aggressive at the Orion Lakes mobile home park near Brown Road. The man is arrested for resisting arrest and obstructing police and is lodged in the Oakland County Jail.
~ The annual fireworks demonstration is prematurely halted when a wiring problem occurs on one of two barges stationed in Lake Orion.
July 19
~ The school district’s administration building on Lapeer Street is getting a new look, including facade and entryway alterations and improved parking lot. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
~ Businessman Ted Schmidt proposes that the village allow him to operate a fee-based valet parking service downtown, using available public parking spaces and private lots where the owners agree.
~ An alert store manager at the Lake Orion Kroger store foils a meat-stealing thief when he recognizes that the person’s heavy winter coat is inappropriate for a 90-degree day.
July 26
~ Orion Township officials discover that soil donated for use at Friendship Park contains pieces of brick, muck and broken glass, creating a safety issue.
~ High school choir Director Deborah Fristad announces that the choir has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City next May. The choir will join other outstanding high school choruses invited to participate.
~ Guest House breaks ground on a new treatment facility on Joslyn Road. The new 16-bedroom facility will provide housing for individuals with substance abuse problems.
August 2
~ An Oakland County Sheriff deputy resigns after being charged with felony drug possession.
~ Lake Orion Fire Chief Jeff Key describes the fire at the two-story farmhouse on Kern Road, as being ‘very unusual.? He pointed out that the accidental fire appeared to have burned ‘up and down.?
~ Ten area churches join forces as affiliates of Love INC, an organization founded to aid the poor with various services and other assistance.
August 9
~ An Orion Township man is killed in a head-on crash on Oakland Road. Edward Allan Majesky, 49, was operating a motorcycle when he was struck by a 49-year-old Leonard woman driving a 2006 Kia. The woman was injured in the crash.
~ Orion Township Trustee Michael Gingell upsets incumbent Eric Wilson for the District 3 Oakland County Commission seat in the Primary Election.
~ Local historian and author Jim Ingram releases his new book on the history of Lake Orion, Images of America: Lake Orion. The book, published by Arcadia, is now available for $19.99.
August 16
~ Lake Orion songstress Emily Rupp is competing for a chance to win $10,000 and a tour with the Auto Show during a singing competition at Palace Chrysler-Jeep.
~ Fans of Commander Cody, the Ann Arbor musician who took ‘Hot Rod Lincoln? to the top of the radio charts in 1972, will appear at Olde World Canterbury Village.
~ Businesswomen Bonnie Blais and Shelley Peek open the doors to Elements on Broadway in downtown Lake Orion. The new store features an eclectic potpourri of home decor items.
August 30
~ The Orion Township Board agrees 4-3 to hire the Whall Group of Auburn Hills to conduct a forensic audit of township investments. The process is expected to cost about $26,000.
~ The township board approves a plan to renovate the old Union Church, including the installation of heating and air conditioning. The renovation is expected to cost about $1.3 million and will be completed in phases.
~ A 51-year-old Flint man is nabbed for the second time for retail fraud in the Baldwin Commons shopping plaza. The man is also charged with carrying a concealed weapon and drug paraphernalia.
September 6
~ The Lake Orion Village Council wants the DDA to help pay for a water main and road rehabilitation project on Flint Street. Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel says the village doesn’t have the $475,000 to proceed with the project alone.
~ Lake Orion resident Lisa Marie Gabriele (a.k.a. Prudence Trite) is appearing in the Ample and Trite show at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. Gabriele wrote and performs in the program.
~ Village resident Luis Rodriguez says the portion of Grampian Road he lives on has not been graded in more than a year. The village council agrees to submit a request to the road commission for the work.
September 13
~ An accident at the McDonald’s restaurant on M-24 leads to a large cocaine bust and the largest drug seizure in the history of the Lake Orion Police Department. Police arrest Agron Kalaj, 44, of New York, who was trapped inside his vehicle and was observed stuffing a large packet of cocaine into the side of the driver’s seat.
~ The Orion Historical Society is the recipient of a $10,000 grant from the History Channel for the rescue and relocation of the Howarth Schoolhouse. The school at Silverbell and Bald Mountain roads in the last remaining one-room schoolhouse in the township.
~ Alcohol is believed to be a factor in a crash on Lapeer Road that involved two vehicles. Police report that the 35-year-old man deemed responsible for the crash, registered well above the alcohol limit on a breathalizer test.
September 20
~ Plans are to expand the Orion Township Library, assuming voters approve a proposed 2007 ballot proposal for the expansion. The current building on Joslyn Road reportedly has no extra room for computers and books.
~ The village council agrees to modify the village’s building fee for the Celtic Cove expansion in downtown Lake Orion. The Catholic book store at 45 N. Flint St. plans to expand into the other poriton of its building, formerly occupied by Rompers & Scampers.
~ Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos is the featured speaker at the September luncheon of the Orion Area Chamber of Commerce. DeVos discusses his economic ‘Turn Around? plan for the state.
September 27
~ Local residents and public officials gather for a presentation related to traffic flow on M-24, sponsored by the Michigan Department of Transportation. The public hearing addresses concerns about traffic congestion, flow and safety issues along the major travel artery.
~ Orion Township resident Ryan Payne is arrested for allegedly taking a truck that belongs to the township from a residence on Hopefield. The same man reportedly had an altercation with another man at a bar earlier in the day.
~ Students at Carpenter Elementary are given a lesson in Constitutional law by Lake Orion Attorney Ken Mogill, in conjunction with Constitution Day at the school.
October 4
~ A second break-in at the Baldwin Cafe has the business owners ready to close their doors. Oakland County deputies report that about $200 was taken from the Cafe and the adjacent Speedy Pizza in a ‘smash and grab? incident involving both businesses.
~ The towship opts to sue former State Senator Mat Dunaskiss for allegedly setting up a marina on his property without proper documentation. Dunaskiss later decides to abandon his plans.
~ Some Park Island residents seek assistance from the Lake Orion Village Council to make the private road leading to the island, public. Council President Bill Siver suggests that the residents set up a special assessment district to pay for the process.
October 11
~ The Lake Orion Dragons football team keeps its unbeaten streak alive with a 42-21 Homecoming drubbing of Farmington Hills Harrison. The win catapults the team to number 1 in the high school football rankings. But a battle against rival Clarkston is on the horizon.
~ Oakview Middle School Principal Alice Seppanen is named 2007 Principal of the Year by MetLife. She was honored on September 25 in Traverse City.
~ With the election less than a month away, proponents of a Tri-Township Senior Center for Orion, Oxford and Addison townships make a final push for votes.
October 18
~ The annual Barn Daze event draws thousands of people to Friendship Park for a day of fun and seasonal celebration.
~ Dr. Kevin Robertson of the Health First Medical Group, battles the township over rights to a parking space for the Health First bus at the Bald Mountain Regional Complex on Lapeer Road. Township officials say the bus is in violation of the recently-updated sign oridinance.
~ About 250 Lake Orion High School students walk for breast cancer awareness during a charity event at the school’s fieldhouse. On hand were Lake Orion resident Deena Centofanti of Fox 2, and Kara Braxton of the WNBA champion Detroit Shock basketball team.
October 25
~ A 40-year-old Orion Township woman is arrested on charges of third-degree child abuse involving her 11-year-old son. She is lodged in the Oakland County Jail, with bond set at $10,000 cash. Sheriff Det. Kevin Hearitt reports that the boy was beaten with various items, including a pool cue, extension cord and bamboo stick.
~ A new surgical center is coming to the Bald Mountain Regional Medical Complex. The facility will be overseen by the Crittenton Hospital Medical Center and will also offer various non-emergency services.
~ While most local officials are concerned with the traffic flow along M-24, there are also concerns about traffic and safety issues on Baldwin Road. Some authorities point out that the slow economy has tentatively given the township a reprieve, because developments slated to be built along Baldwin earlier have been stalled.
November 1
~ A 35-year-old Pontiac man drowns in Buckhorn Lake when a paddleboat he and a companion were riding in began taking on water and capsized. The companion was able to swim to shore, but the victim died in about 12-15 feet of water. Investigators blamed the lack of a life-saving device as a factor in the tragedy.
~ The Lake Orion School Board concludes students and organizers are well prepared for the new Michigan Merit Exam should it be implemented in place of the existing MEAP Test.
~ The Lake Orion High School Marching Band makes its best-ever finish at the Michigan Competing Band Association’s state championships. The band finished third in the competition at Ford Field, with a score of 82.60 points.
November 8
~ Orion Township voters defeat a proposal for a tri-township senior center by more than a 2-1 margin at the polls. Similar vote margins occurred in Oxford and Addison townships, with about 67 percent opposed to the idea. Opponents of the proposal generally cited the cost and slow economy for voting against the plan.
~ Lake Orion resident Linda Romanowski directs a play honoring the group of early pioneers that made their way to America on the Mayflower. A direct descendant of one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact, Romanowski presented ‘Our Forefathers? Story? at the First Congregational Church in Clarkston.
November 15
~ Carl Slomczenski, owner of CJ’s Village Cafe, and members of the Flaming Pistons Car Club team up in anticipation of another free Thanksgiving Dinner at the downtown eatery. The Car Club donated $1,000 to the cause.
~ Nearly 200 people turn out for a Veterans Day observance at the Orion Veterans Memorial to honor the memory of Lake Orion native Sgt. Raymond Plouhar, and acknowledge the unveiling of the Peacoat Memorial. The Peacoat Memorial has long been the dream of Joesph Zikewich, who served on the U.S.S. Lexington when it was struck by a kamikaze plane, killing 47 shipmates.
November 22
~ The refurbished school administration building on Lapeer Street is nearly complete. School officials expect the building to be ready by the first school board meeting in January. The $1 million project includes facade changes, new parking lot, and realignment of the building’s entrance.
~ Local students dig up history during archeological project at the Howarth Schoolhouse. The project was sponsored through a grant from the History Channel, and support from various volunteers and ONTV. The plan is to move the historic one-room schoolhouse to another location.
~ Dia Zaraga, owner of the Sagebrush Cantina in downtown Lake Orion, is still waiting for a liquor license that will allow him to reopen the popular eatery after it was destroyed in a 2004 fire.
December 6
~ Lake Orion police are seeking the public’s help in finding the man who robbed the village’s Sunoco station at gunpoint. Police Chief Jerry Narsh warns other businesses to be particularly observant of suspicious behavior during the holiday period.
The annual Holly Jolly Folly is a huge success, as hundreds of supporters of the village’s Holiday Lighted Parade gather at Milosch’s Palace Chrysler. The parade is now considered the fourth-largest of its type in Michigan.
~ Lions Club members are out in force, selling their annual Goodfellows newspaper edition and raising money for the upcoming Christmas Basket distribution to families needing a hand this year.
December 13
~ With an assist from Oxford police and other law enforcement agencies, the Lake Orion Police Department gets the man who robbed the village’s Sunoco station on November 28. The culprit is 22-year-old Blake Harlow of Clarkston, who robbed a female station employee at gunpoint.
~ Cobasys, an Orion Township supplier of advanced energy storage products, is selected to provide its battery system for GM’s 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line.
~ Local volunteers take part in Operation Guardian Angel, an effort to gather and send needed items to U.S. troops serving at duty stations abroad. More than 1,000 items were donated for distribution to troops, said organizers.
December 20
~ The Lake Orion Review marks its 125th anniversary this week with features from past and present. U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers acknowledges the newspaper’s milestone with a tribute placed in the Congressional Record in Washington D.C.
~ A Lake Orion youth, 17, is injured in a crash on M-24 that resulted in the death of a 24-year-old Oxford woman. Sherry Burke died wher her Ford Focus collided with a Ford Explorer driven by the youth.
~ A Hazmat team is called to the GM Orion Assembly Plant to assist three workers exposed to a mysterious substance that caused breathing difficulty.
December 27
~ The debate continues between the village and township over a proposed 30-percent increase in 911 dispatch fees. The proposed increase is reportedly the result of an increased number of emergency and non-emergency calls made to the dispatch center.
~ Representatives from Kohl’s stores provide books, candy and goodwill to the Lake Orion school district’s Head Start program. The retail store also donated $1,000 to the program.