June 03, 2009
CVS finally ‘in the zone’ on Baldwin
After ping-ponging between the planning commission and the township board for months, the zoning of a parcel at Baldwin and Maybee roads, where CVS is interested in building a new drugstore, squeaked through on a 4-3 vote at the board’s regular meeting June 1.
Milosch makes Chrysler’s cut Chrysler announced it would close around 800 dealerships nationwide this summer, but when the ax fell, Orion’s Palace Chrysler Jeep or Milosch Dodge were not on the list.
Money, Dunckley subject of tough questions for schools Residents who gathered for Superintendent Ken Gutman’s Community Coffee were hot with questions on state funding and the direction of the district as Gutman referred the financial situation as a “budget cliff districts are about to go over.” The district reiterated an earlier announcement that it was taking steps to modify the high school and middle school concepts in a huge effort to reduce costs. The other hot topic was LOHS Principal Todd Dunckley’s replacement. Interviewing was in its second round and Gutman said “they aren’t naming names just yet.”

June 10, 2009
Is Orion’s post-GM ‘advantage’ on the Web? The second Orion Township ‘Call to Arms’ meeting was held Thursday, June 4, on the heels GM’s decision to place the Orion assembly plant on standby. Area business and political leaders listened as Supervisor Matt Gibb defined problems and potential solutions for the region, and unveiled a new website, www.advantageorion.com, a supplement to the township’s official site.
Schools slice, dice classes District administrators announced schools wouldn’t see any programming or staff cuts for the 2009-2010 school year, and also said any money lost in state funding would be replaced by American Reinvestment and Recovery Act money.

June 17, 2009
Dog bite led to amputations Joe Lintol, a Lake Orion resident and 1978 graduate of Lake Orion High School, told of his near-death experience, heart attack, organ failure and amputation of both hands and feet as a result of the streptococcal infection he contracted when a dog nipped his finger on Christmas Eve 2008.
Woman drowns after driving truck into lake Diane Morrow, a 47-year-old Lake Orion woman, died June 11 after the truck she was driving careened into Buckhorn Lake at the Orion Cove apartment complex on Kimberly Road.
School administrators not ready to cut salaries As Lake Orion Community Schools searched for ways to keep the budget under control, some wondered if teacher and staff salaries and benefits might be cut. And what about administrators? Answers from the district were vague.
Heroin claims another in village Tyler Aust, 21, was found dead June 4 in the E. Shadbolt Street group home he was residing in. The Lake Orion Police Department suspected, and later confirmed, a heroin overdose. At the time of his death, Aust was under the care of TTI (Training and Treatment Innovations) of Oxford; the home he was found in is a TTI group home.

June 24, 2009
We got it! GM picks Orion plant for new small car General Motors officially announced that the currently idled Orion Assembly Plant has been chosen over two other plants’one in Wisconsin, the other in Tennessee’to build a new, as of yet unnamed, small car.A total of 1,400 jobs will be saved: 1,200 at the plant and 200 and the stamping facility in Pontiac, which will be involved in the manufacturing of the automobile.