Last week, The Lake Orion Review recounted stories about the faces and places that filled our pages in the first half of 2009. This week, come along as we look back thorough our July-December archives.

July 1
Swine flu found in schools H1N1 cases in Oakland County totaled 513, according to the State of Michigan’s Web site, making up nearly half of the 1077 confirmed and suspected cases in the state. At least two of those cases were in Lake Orion Community Schools, according to the district, though both students made a full recovery.
Whose land is it anyway? Lawsuits were brought to 56 homeowners along the Paint Creek Trail after a new property survey suggested land encroachment. The survey, for instance, claimed Dwight Watros’s land didn’t extend all the way to an old fence bordering the trail, though he’d been maintaining it for years.

July 8
Township absorbs water rate hike While the economy swirled down the drain, Orion Township continued to soak up higher water rates instead of passing them along to customers. Approval by the township was a close 4-3 vote, a sign the beleaguered economy has even places with large fund balances, like Orion, rethinking positions of the past. A similar motion concerning sewer rates was approved by the board by a 6-1 vote June 1.
Economy forces Post Office cutbacks The Lake Orion Post Office was yet another victim of bad economic times. They had shorter summer hours that started July 6 and ran until September.

July 15
Money-saving ideas haven’t made cut for school district The school district looked at switching from focus schools to traditional models, and shortening the number of days students attend school by adding minutes onto remaining days. Cost savings could have equaled $27,190, but the school board chose not to make the changes.
Art center celebrates 30 years Not only did the village celebrate its 150th birthday, but the area’s oracle of creative inspiration also had an anniversary. The Orion Art Center turned 30.
Administrators take pay freeze A positive assessment from the school board could have earned Ken Gutman a pay raise, but the superintendent announced that he and the two assistant superintendents, Jillynn Keppler and Heidi Kast, would take a pay freeze instead.

July 22
Township grants GM giant tax break There was no opposition from the audience at a public hearing concerning the generous 25-year tax abatement for GM. Instead, the crowd clapped after the Orion Township Board of Trustees approved the motion 7-0. The 100-percent abatement will allow GM to not pay any taxes on new personal property. Since GM has said it plans to spend about $600 million retooling the plant for a new, unnamed small car, the break is significant.
Developer to pay village to finish Atwater work The village council finally called upon the Atwater Commons developer’s letter of credit after several letters of default and deadline extensions so the village can arrange to have the work done. The money funded completion of eight original deficient projects in the development, such as laying sod.
Water deal down drain A proposed amendment to the way the township sells water to the village was shot down by the Orion Township Board of Trustees. The township sells water to residents, large facilities like the General Motors plant and the Village of Lake Orion. Though the village received no services from the township department of public works, it paid for those services through the mark-up the township added to retail customers.

July 29
Officials: rainy day funds will help weather storm It was a rainy day in the economy, and Lake Orion’s local governments and schools seemed to have the dough to weather the storm. The township, village and school district all have healthy fund balances, or “rainy day” funds, money stashed away during good times for when things go sour. All totaled, $28 million in tax dollars are in Orion fund balances. By far, the schools have the largest amount.
Is the Sandbar’s song over? Carl and Joan Slomczenski, owners of CJ’s Caf? and Sandbar, were ordered by the Village of Lake Orion to ‘cease and desist’ any live music or entertainment. According to village ordinances, taverns and cocktail lounges require special permission and permits from the planning commission to have entertainment, and the Sandbar hasn’t obtained those things.
15-year-old assaulted with baseball bat Oakland County Sheriff deputies responded to a report of felonious assault in Orion Township where a 15-year-old male victim was struck in the head with a aluminum baseball bat by an 18-year-old Orion Township resident.