WA3 Welcomes Mayors Metzger and Waterman to Board (Adapted from WA3 Press Release, March 12, 2014) 2014 and the recent mayoral elections bring three new leaders to the Board of the Woodward Avenue Action Association (WA3), a collaborative effort to promote the 11 communities along M1. From the far north is Pontiac’s mayor Deidre Waterman. …
Dentists Asked to Check Records to Help Identify Body Found in Pontiac (Oakland County Press Release, March 12, 2014) The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance to identify the mummified remains of a woman found at a home on Savanna Drive in Pontiac. Any dentist who has ever treated Pia Farrenkopf,…
Dentists Asked to Check Records to Help Identify Body Found in Pontiac (Oakland County Press Release, March 12, 2014) The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance to identify the mummified remains of a woman found at a home on Savanna Drive in Pontiac. Any dentist who has ever treated Pia Farrenkopf,…
Shots Fired into Home in Pontiac (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, March 9, 2014) INCIDENT: 21:41 Hrs. March 8 –Pontiac – Drive by Shooting – #14-34389 SUMMARY: Deputies responded to the 400 block of Fourth St. for a report of 4-5 gun shots heard. Deputies located a female who stated someone fired several shots into her…
Mummified Body Found in Pontiac Garage (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, March 6, 2014) INCIDENT: 17:09 hrs. March 5– City of Pontiac Death Investigation – #14-032661 SUMMARY: Deputies responded to the 1600 block of Savanna for a deceased person in a vehicle. OUTCOME OF INCIDENT: Upon arrival deputies spoke to the complainant who is an employee…
Mummified Body Found in Pontiac Garage (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, March 6, 2014) INCIDENT: 17:09 hrs. March 5– City of Pontiac Death Investigation – #14-032661 SUMMARY: Deputies responded to the 1600 block of Savanna for a deceased person in a vehicle. OUTCOME OF INCIDENT: Upon arrival deputies spoke to the complainant who is an employee…
OU Ranks 4th in Country for Percentage of Women in Engineering (Oakland University Press Release, March 4, 2014) Oakland University is ranked fourth in the country for the percentage of women tenured/tenure-track faculty in engineering. According to recent data from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Oakland University is among national leaders in categories…
Pontiac Bank Robbery Suspect Sought (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, March 3, 2014) The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI are requesting assistance with identifying a subject involved in the robbery of the Bank of America in Pontiac, MI. on March 3rd, 2014 at 1630hrs. Anyone with information is requested to contact The Oakland County…
‘Madam Mayors’ Share Success Stories and Advice (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 1, 2014) Fighting and faith were themes that came up repeatedly in the “Madam Mayors” discussion with the Women Officials Network on Feb. 28 in West Bloomfield. Mayor Deirdre Waterman (Pontiac), Mayor Brenda Lawrence (Southfield), and Mayor Marian McClellan (Oak Park) spoke to…
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…
Car Left Running at Pontiac Liquor Store, Stolen, then Recovered (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, Feb. 21, 2014) INCIDENT: 00:28 hrs. Feb. 19 – City of Pontiac Stolen / Recovered Auto/Auto Theft Detective Assist #14-025024 SUMMARY: Deputies responded to a report of a stolen auto at Big Daddy’s Liquor Store located in the 800 block of…
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…
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…
Pontiac Man Catches Copper Thief in the Act (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, Jan. 19, 2014) INCIDENT: 13:50 hrs., Jan 18, 2014 – City of Pontiac Home Invasion #14-008542 SUMMARY: Deputies responded to the 100 block of LeGrande Ave. for a B&E in progress. Upon arriving Deputies spoke to the victims (tenants) of the residence. The…
Plane Crash Kills Pilot Near Pontiac Lake (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 10, 2014) Various sources report that the pilot of a small twin-engine Cessna 310 airplane was killed when his aircraft crashed just west of the Oakland County International Airport Friday evening. According to Fox 2 News, “the scene of the accident is off North…