Category: Crime
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Lines in the Sand
By Andy Bolander Here is an annual reminder of the beautiful frailty our community possesses in the Elberta dunes and beach. It will take persistent and vocal presence for us to protect this resource. Why is it necessary to protect the dune habitat? Well, something you may feel intuitively is actually…
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Manville Takes Leave of Leave of Absence to Call Special Meeting Monday May 5
Via email from president pro tem Robin Rommell today, Village President Reggie Manville has come out of his leave of absence to call a special meeting for this coming Monday at 7 pm to discuss the following: 1. Theft of Village property 2. DPW Superintendent and 3. Parks and Recreation…
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What’s Going Around: Rent Scammers
By Kimm X Jayne For any of you who list a property on HomeAway.com or VRBO, be aware of this scam going around. Someone reserves your place and sends a cashier’s check, but before you get the check, he or she “realizes” they overpaid you and part of that money…
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Fuzz-y Math: Has the Sheriff Made the Case for the Public Safety Millage?
By Emily Votruba On November 5 (tomorrow), county residents will be asked to approve a funding increase for the Benzie County Sheriff’s Office. The 1.5 mill “public safety millage” will replace the jail millage (.9 mills) and is meant to allow the return of 24-hour road patrol, which proponents say…
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Public Safety Committee Report: Drug Dealers, Stay out of Benzie
By Bob Kenison March 21, 2013 BENZIE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT—Last week Sheriff Ted Schendel held his third public safety meeting since becoming sheriff of Benzie County in January. The meetings are open to the public, and are held the third Thursday of each month. People are encouraged to attend and…
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Public Safety Meeting Synopsis: No Cuts to Sheriff Budget
The Public Safety Committee meets monthly to provide an opportunity for the public to share their concerns and questions about county safety and other matters of interest to the community with Sheriff Rory Heckman. By Bob Kenison The Public Safety Committee met at the Sheriff’s Department on September 20 at…
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Sheriff’s Dept. Investigating Platte Valley Auto Sales Fraud Allegations
Sheriff Rory Heckman said this morning that the Sheriff’s Department is in the middle of its investigation of alleged fraud perpetrated by Platte Valley Auto Sales owner Dave Purchase and his sister Brenda Purchase. Asked if any arrests were planned, Heckman said, “We are right in the middle of an…
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The Top Man: Sheriff Race ’12
At press time, three Republican candidates were to meet in the August primary, seeking to serve as our county sheriff for the next four years: Dave Casey, Blair Moss, and Ted Schendel. We were not able to obtain a response to our interview questions from Mr. Casey, but here we…
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Questions for Sheriff Candidates
Ahead of the League of Women Voters candidate forum, sometime in July (TBA here), the Alert asked several community members what they’d ask the candidates if they could. Here are the results, in no particular order. If you have additional questions, please post them in comments here or on the…
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Memorial Day Bike Theft
It was a not so nice Memorial Day for one local vet: Bill Buck’s new three-wheel bike was taken sometime between last night (Memorial Day Monday) and this morning. The bike was in the Bucks’ yard right by their house on Washington Avenue. They would very much appreciate its return!…
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Road Blocked to Beach Driving
A barrier has been placed at the end of Elberta Beach road as of this morning. The action was prompted by a rash of calls and complaints about beach and dune driving, including several new paths cut, over the past few weeks. This barrier is a temporary measure until a…
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Beach Driving
On November 2 a meeting was held among Village leaders, the sheriff’s department, three local property owners, and three conservation officers including Robin Schmitt from the DNR to discuss the problem of off-road driving on Elberta Beach. By federal and state law, it is illegal to operate a vehicle outside…
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M-168: Life on the Straightaway
In her hometown of Hartland, MI, Michele Cannaert got used to the sound of squealing tires. “It was the same as here,” she said, referring to the conjunction of M-22 and M-168. “Three corners. You’d hear the squeal and then wait to hear the crash.” At about 2 a.m. on…