President Obama Visits Ann Arbor to Promote Minimum Wage Increase (Crystal A. Proxmire, April 2, 2014) The move is on in Michigan and across the country to raise the minimum wage, and to help promote the effort President Barack Obama came to Ann Arbor for a speech at the University of Michigan. Stepping off Air…
Purse Snatching and Possible Heroin Possession in Orion Twp. (Oakland County Sheriff’s Dept, April 1, 2014) INCIDENT: 19:00 hrs. March 31, 2014 – Orion Township Purse Snatching / Narcotics Enforcement Team Assist #14-046567 SUMMARY: Deputies responded to the Kroger Store in the 400 block of N. Lapeer Rd for a purse snatching complainant. No injury…
Orion Township Hit and Run Driver Sought by Sheriffs (Oakland County Sheriff’s Dept, March 6, 2014) THURSDAY MARCH 6, 2014 TOWNSHIP OF ORION UPDATED INFORMATION AS OF 12:30 PM TODAY: Car parts were found at the scene which indicate they may have come off a 2000 Ford Focus. The vehicle being sought will have damage…
MEAP Scores Released, Improvement in Reading Celebrated (Michigan Dept. of Education Press Release, Feb. 28, 2014) Reading test scores for Michigan fourth graders improved for the fourth consecutive year, the Michigan Department of Education reported today. Results from the Fall 2013 Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) are reflective of what children had learned the previous…
Nearly 200 Attend Lake Orion Suicide Prevention Forum (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 25, 2014) The Oakland County Youth Suicide Prevention Taskforce revealed its new Youth Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Parents at a forum with nearly 200 attendees at Lake Orion High School on Sunday evening. When the taskforce’s scheduled guest speaker ran into a…
Vendor Applications Accepted for Lake Orion Flower Fair, May 9-10 (Lake Orion DDA Press Release, Feb. 21, 2014) In its 14th year, downtown Lake Orion’s annual Flower Fair event will be held on Friday, May 9, 2014 from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 10, 2014 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Why should you…
Bridge Magazine Ranks Michigan School Districts (Crystal Proxmire, Feb. 9, 2014) Bridge Magazine looked at public school districts and public charters and compared them based on performance weighted by economics to determine how schools are performing compared to expectations. The publication used three years’ worth of data and ranked the schools. A score of 100…
Mode Shift’s Road Map To Understanding SEMCOG (David Sands, Mode Shift, Feb. 2, 2014, orig. wearemodeshift.org/mode-shifts-road-map-understanding-semcog) It was a noteworthy 2013 for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. The organization not only helped jumpstart the new Regional Transit Authority, but it’s been busy developing a regional non-motorized transportation plan and conducting an analysis of rapid transit…
Man Wanted in Kansas City Arrested in Oakland County After Intoxicated Incidents with Minors, Including Hit and Run Accident (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, Jan. 31, 2014) On 1/28/2014 at 10:49 PM Oakland County Sheriff Deputies responded to a hit and run accident on Northbound Lapeer Road at Scripps Road. The driver and victim is a…
How We Make the Call about School Closings (Marion Ginopolis, Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools, Jan 27, 2014, orig. Lake Orion Schools Blogspot) NOTE: Photo is of a 2012 accident where a Lake Orion bus slid in slippery conditions. No students were on the bus at the time and the bus driver was not injured.…
Cold Prompts School Closings for Tuesday (C. Proxmire, Jan. 27, 2014) School administrators across SE Michigan have declared Tuesday a “snow day” due to temperatures and wind chills below zero. Classes and events will be cancelled in many districts, including Berkley, Birmingham, Clawson, Farmington, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Madison Public Schools, Pontiac, Rochester Schools, Royal Oak,…
40 Under 40 Announced, Public to Pick Top Winner (Oakland County Press Release, Jan. 27, 2014) Starting Jan. 27 the public can cast an online vote to choose the winner of the Oakland County Executive’s Elite 40 under 40 Class of 2014. More than 500 applications and nominations were reviewed by a panel of judges,…
Oakland Chamber Network Learns From National Trends (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 27, 2014) Collaborating to improve the environment for business success is the core strength of Chambers of Commerce in general, and the Oakland Chamber Network doubles up on that principle by bringing 27 local Chambers together. At their annual meeting on Jan. 22, OCN…
Group Seeks Ballot Measure to Increase Minimum Wage (Mothering Justice Press Release, Jan. 27, 2014) Community organizing, social justice and labor groups today formed a committee to explore a ballot campaign to raise the minimum wage in Michigan. The minimum wage in Michigan –currently $7.40 an hour – hasn’t been raised since 2008, leaving many…
The Return on Investment from Michigan Passenger Rail (Dan Sommerville, Michigan Environmental Council, Jan. 26, 2014, orig. Michigan by Rail Blog) Passenger rail has been booming nationwide and in Michigan. Record-breaking ridership was recorded in 10 of the last 11 years (1) (2), and there has been a whopping 78% growth in Michigan ridership since…
20 Year Old Orion Twp. Man Dies of Suicide (Oakland County Sheriff’s Dept., Jan. 11, 20140 INCIDENT: 03:44 Hrs. Jan. 11, 2014 – Orion Twp. – Suicide #14-5201 SUMMARY: Deputies along with Orion Twp. Fire Department were dispatched to an address in the 1200 block of Heights on report of a suicide attempt. Initial information…
Tips to Avoid Crimes Targeting Seniors (Troy Police Dept. Press Release, Jan. 8, 2014) Health Insurance Frauds Medical Equipment Fraud: Equipment manufacturers offer “free” products to individuals. Insurers are then charged for products that were not needed and/or may not have been delivered. “Rolling Lab” Schemes: Unnecessary and sometimes fake tests are given to individuals…
Tips to Avoid Crimes Targeting Seniors (Troy Police Dept. Press Release, Jan. 8, 2014) Health Insurance Frauds Medical Equipment Fraud: Equipment manufacturers offer “free” products to individuals. Insurers are then charged for products that were not needed and/or may not have been delivered. “Rolling Lab” Schemes: Unnecessary and sometimes fake tests are given to individuals…
Tips to Avoid Crimes Targeting Seniors (Troy Police Dept. Press Release, Jan. 8, 2014) Health Insurance Frauds Medical Equipment Fraud: Equipment manufacturers offer “free” products to individuals. Insurers are then charged for products that were not needed and/or may not have been delivered. “Rolling Lab” Schemes: Unnecessary and sometimes fake tests are given to individuals…
Shelters for Homeless in Oakland County (City of Oak Park, Jan. 5, 2014) The City of Oak Park released the following information via email to help those in need of shelter during the cold. For a printable pdf. go to http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1113800372963-61/OC+Warming+Centers.pdf. Please also call the Housing Resource Center at 248-928-0111 for additional specific information related…