New Visualization Tool Shows That We Are All In This Together! (Guest Column by Pleasant Ridge Mayor Kurt Metzger, July 10, 2014) The clearest indicator of the regional connections that we share as communities comes from an analysis of place of residence and place of work. The Census Bureau uses commuting patterns to determine the…
Birmingham Raises Parking Rates (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 24, 2014) The cost of parking in Downtown Birmingham’s structures will go up beginning Aug. 1 after a vote by the City Commission on Monday to increase the cost of permits. The rates will also go up from there on July 1, 2015. “[Parking rates] have not…
Birmingham Bans Electronic Cigarette Usage by Minors (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 23, 2014) The City of Birmingham voted Monday to be a step ahead of the state in banning the use or sale of electronic cigarettes to youth. Monday’s vote adds the word “nicotine” to ordinances restricting tobacco use by those under 18, since electronic…
Oakland County Wins 11 National Association of Counties Awards (Oakland County Press Release, June 16, 2014) Oakland County has garnered at least 11 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards for innovative programs that help improve access to healthy food for low-income residents, train nursing students how to teach parents about preventing infant deaths,…
Birmingham Farmers Market Blossoms Every Sunday (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 7, 2014) Blossoming with flowers, farmers, and other vendors, the Birmingham Farmers Market is a Sunday destination spot from May through October. The market is open from 9am to 2pm in Public Parking Lot 6 on the east side of N. Old Woodward (across from…
Birmingham Farmers Market Blossoms Every Sunday (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 7, 2014) Blossoming with flowers, farmers, and other vendors, the Birmingham Farmers Market is a Sunday destination spot from May through October. The market is open from 9am to 2pm in Public Parking Lot 6 on the east side of N. Old Woodward (across from…
Gun Violence in Oakland County Prompts Gun Lock Giveaway in 38 Communities (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 6, 2014) Putting partisan politics aside and collaborating with 38 local agencies, The Oakland County Board of Commissioners organized a fight to reduce gun violence. They unanimously voted to make June 6 Gun Safety Awareness Day. They conducted…
Birmingham Girl Scout Honored for Suicide Prevention Work (GSSEM Press Release, May 29, 2014) Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan (GSSEM) is pleased to announce 16-year-old Jacqueline Caserio of Birmingham, MI as the 2014 Young Woman of Distinction for Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan. Her award was announced at the GSSEM’s annual Honor Reception on May…
Hometown Parade Shares Spirit of Birmingham (Crystal A. Proxmire, May 21, 2014) The kick off to parade season took place May 18 with the Birmingham Hometown Parade. Featuring the Birmingham Seaholm Marching Band, a slew of politicians, veterans, and community groups, the parade showcased the spirit of the community. To learn more about this tradition…
Oakland University Theatre instructor on the big screen in ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ (OU Press Release, May 16, 2014) Oakland University special lecturer Milica “Mila” Govich plays a significant role in “The Fault in Our Stars,” a film based on John Green’s best-selling young adult novel. The faculty and staff of the University’s theatre…
Gloria Steinem Puts Reproductive Rights into Perspective (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, May 13, 2014) Over 900 people packed the Henry in Dearborn to listen to women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem talk about her lifelong fight for equality. For 80 years she has experienced patriarchy, and as she spoke to people of all ages at Planned…
Oakland County Fights Detroit Water and Sewer Plan (C. Proxmire, May 13, 2014) As the City of Detroit struggles to restructure under bankruptcy, the issue of regional water management is in the forefront of the discussions. Oakland County leaders, including County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash are advocating for…
2014 – County Commissioner 12th District The Oakland County115 News provides three levels of election info. All candidates are listed. Candidates may return a questionnaire without cost to provide more information. For a small fee they may add their website, advertisement and endorsement list. The fee for enhanced listings helps fun this community news project.…
SMART Funding Increase to be on August Ballot (Crystal A. Proxmire, May 3, 2014) Residents of Oakland County will decide on Aug. 5 if SMART should receive taxpayer funding. County Commissioners voted to put a 1-mil rate on the ballot, an increase over the .59 millage rate of years past. On average, the additional millage…
WONder Women Recognized for Changing the World (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, May 1, 2014) One of Women Officials Network WONder Women Award winners carries little silver acorns around with her to give to strangers who cross her path. “When we reach out to other people…it does evoke the metaphor of the acorn. Everything that an…
Be Part of the Seeds of Support Campaign Sign up now to get your own custom ad! Conditions are growing worse in the corporate news landscape. Cutbacks in journalism jobs including the shutdown of traditional publications and the de-staffing of AOL’s Patch chain have left news deserts, places where citizens are thirsty for a local,…
SEMCOG Releases Traffic Crash and Fatality Report, Urges Safety (SEMCOG Press Release, April 29,2014) The number of traffic crashes in Southeast Michigan increased by more than four percent in 2013 compared with the previous year, according to an analysis of traffic crash data by SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. Traffic Crashes, 2009-2013 The…
Commission to Vote Wednesday on SMART Funding (Sherry A. Wells and Crystal Proxmire, April 29, 2014) Tomorrow morning, Wednesday, April 30 at 9:30 AM, the Oakland County Commission votes on whether to join Wayne and Macomb County Commissions for a vote to keep the SMART bus system running in the midst of vastly reduced property…
Democrats Pack Cobo for Fmr. President Bill Clinton Speech (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, April 27, 2014) Raising over $500,000 for the Michigan Democratic Party, the 2014 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at Cobo Hall featuring Former President Bill Clinton was considered “a rousing success” by Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson. Johnson and others took time to share their…
What Once Was Winezilla, Now Birmingham Wine (Crystal A. Proxmire, April 25, 2014) Winezilla once graced Downtown Ferndale with $15 bottles of wine, a no-snobs approach to wine-tasting, and the colorful artwork of local artist Daniel Cascardo. However in a town ripe with mead, craft beer, restaurants and bars even the business’s fun Godzilla theme…