Fallen Oak Park Officer’s Memory Lives on, Family Fights Early Release Law

Fallen Oak Park Officer’s Memory Lives on As Family Fights Early Release Law (Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 28, 2013) Even though it’s been five years, Beth Ziemba cannot say the words “murderer” or “killer” without them getting caught on the lump in her throat.  The thought that the man who shot her son-in-law to death…

Area Libraries Switch to New Inter-loan System

Area Libraries Switch to New Inter-loan System (Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 26, 2013) Beginning Jan. 1, the system through which patrons can check out items from libraries other than their own will be changing throughout Michigan.  Those who wish to borrow items will need to stop by their home library and get either a new…

Ferndale Second Graders Take Virtual Trip to Japan

Ferndale Second Graders Take Virtual Trip to Japan (Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 25, 2013) Second graders from Roosevelt and Kennedy Elementary Schools in Ferndale boarded an imaginary plane bound for the far off land of Japan for a “virtual trip” Thursday.  In this annual tradition, teachers and volunteers plan a day’s worth of cultural lessons…

Christmas Tree Recycling in Oakland County

Christmas Tree Recycling in Oakland County (Oakland County Press Release, Dec. 23, 2013) Oakland County Parks and Recreation offers free Christmas Tree Recycling at 11 park locations. Dec. 26, 2013 – Jan. 20, 2014 Free Self-Serve Christmas Tree Recycling, seven days, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Please remove all decorations, metal, plastic and string. Locations: Addison Oaks near…

More than Just a Pretty Trunk: How Trees Enhance Complete Streets

More than Just a Pretty Trunk: How Trees Enhance Complete Streets (Jeff Prygoski, orig. Transportation for Michigan, Dec. 19, 2103) Roads and sidewalks have undergone dramatic transformations in communities with complete streets policies. More than 90 Michigan communities have passed complete street policies, which contain a variety of design elements that foster a safer, more…

DNC Chair, Michigan Dems Rally For LGBT Equality (video)

DNC Chair, Michigan Dems Rally For LGBT Equality (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Between the Lines, Dec. 18, 2013) As Republicans continue to condone the hateful, anti-gay comments of their Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema, Democrats brought out the big guns for a community forum at Affirmations featuring Democratic National Committee Chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “In…

Moeser Resigns, Ferndale School Board Seeks Applicants

Moeser Resigns, Ferndale School Board Seeks Applicants (Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 18, 2013) Charles (Chuck) Moeser turned in his resignation Tuesday night after over 20 years on the Ferndale School Board, including ten as Board President. The Board has 30 days to find someone to appoint who will fill his position.  The partial term ends…

Deadlines For CDL Drivers… Fast Approaching

Deadlines For CDL Drivers And Their Medical Providers Fast Approaching (Michigan Secretary of State Press Release, Dec. 12, 2013) Secretary of State Ruth Johnson strongly encourages Michigan residents with a Commercial Driver License (CDL) to self-certify to which type of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operation they perform to avoid losing CDL privileges after Jan. 30.…

How Michigan Funds Schools

How Michigan Funds Schools (Kevin Deegan-Krause, orig. Ferndale Friends/ KevinDeeganKrauseForFerndaleSchools.com, Dec. 10, 2013) Please put away your notes and let’s begin our discussion of school funding with a high-stakes multiple choice test: 1. Does Michigan fund schools from:                         A. Local sources         B. Federal sources C. State sources 2. Does the revenue come from:                                  …

SEMCOG Approves I-94, I-75, US-23 Amendment to Expand

SEMCOG Approves I-94, I-75, US-23 Amendment to Expand (David Sands, SEMCOG, Dec.7, 2013, orig. http://wearemodeshift.org/node/1055) Although plans to widen the I-94 and I-75 expressways have been generating a bit of a buzz this week, dissenting voices seemed to have little sway over the bulk of the Southeast Michigan Council of Government’s Executive Committee. At a Friday meeting, the…

Ferndale’s UHS Partners with Wayne State University

Ferndale’s UHS Partners with Wayne State University (Wayne State University Press Release, Dec. 6, 2013) A group of more than 100 Detroit-area high school students are learning firsthand how to navigate the college experience thanks to a newly formed partnership between Wayne State University’s College of Education (COE) and the Ferndale Public Schools’ University High…

Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption Deadline Nears

Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption Deadline Nears (Oakland County Press Release, Nov. 28, 2013) Counselors in Oakland County’s Veterans’ Services Division are ready to help totally disabled veterans meet the Dec. 5 deadline to retroactively claim their homestead property tax exemption for 2013. Under a new Michigan law, Public Act 161 of 2013, totally disabled…

Holiday Magic Parade Brings Communities Together (video)

Royal Oak’s Holiday Magic Parade Brings Communities Together (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 25, 2013) The Royal Oak Holiday Magic Parade brought people from all over SE Michigan together for an afternoon of fun. Students from Southfield, Ferndale, Royal Oak and Detroit marched in the parade.  Many community groups did as well, including Brownie Troops,…

Burn Demo Shows Value of Residential Sprinklers (video)

Burn Demo Shows Value of Residential Sprinklers (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 22, 2013) Students from The Detroit Carpentry Apprentice Training School in Ferndale got a first-hand lesson in fire prevention on Thursday as they watched a side by side demo of two residential rooms in flames.  One room had a sprinkler installed, while the…