Big News Around You: Dexter's Payton Lakey to Audition for 'America's Got Talent'

Here is a list of the top five most interesting stories from around Washtenaw County this week.

1. Dexter resident Payton Lakey ia auditioning for the eighth season of the popular NBC talent show, "America's Got Talent."  According to Ann Arbor.com, Lakey will travel to Chicago for a private audition for the show.

2. The Chelsea-Area Fire Authority turned down a vote to unionize, according to the Chelsea Update. The 12-member CAFA firefighters turned down unionization with the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) by a 7-4 vote.

3. State Reps. Jeff Irwin and Woodrow Stanley are pushing for no-reason absentee voting in Michigan. According to Ann Arbor.com, House Bill 4058 would get rid of several restrictions and allow anyone to vote absentee without having to provide justification.

4. Lafontaine Chevrolet in Dexter is once again offering a two-year lease on a new car to one lucky winner during its annual "Kiss the Car" contest, according to Patch.com.

5. Several Washtenaw County students installed water filtration systems for communities in Haiti during the Christmas break. According to the Saline Reporter, students worked with Poured Out, a Michigan-based humanitarian organization formed to help areas affected by hurricanes.