Democrats Pack Cobo for Fmr. President Bill Clinton Speech (video)

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…

Grace Centers of Hope Thrift Stores Ask For Spring Donations

Grace Centers of Hope Thrift Stores Ask For Spring Donations (Grace Centers of Hope Press Release, April 4, 2014) Grace Centers of Hope, one of southeast Michigan’s oldest and largest homeless shelters, is encouraging metro Detroit residents to take advantage of the spring cleaning season and donate gently-used household items to one of its four…

Gary Meier Announces Retirement from Ferndale Schools

Gary Meier Announces Retirement from Ferndale Schools (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 20, 2014) After 14 years as Superintendent of Ferndale Schools, Gary Meier has announced that he is retiring. In a memo to Ferndale Schools staff, Meier wrote: “It is with many mixed emotions that I write this letter to formally advise you of my…

Rochester Hills Mayor Barnett’s State of the City Address

Rochester Hills Mayor Barnett’s State of the City Address (Bryan K. Barnett, March 13, 2014, presented March 12, 2014) •           Good evening. It is my privilege to welcome you here tonight as I present the 2014 Rochester Hills State of the City from the totally radical Emagine Theatre. •           This is my 8th State of…

WA3 Welcomes Mayors Metzger and Waterman to Board

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. …

WA3 Welcomes Mayors Metzger and Waterman to Board

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. …

MML President: Placemaking is Key for Cities

MML President: Placemaking is Key for Cities (Matt Bach, Michigan Municipal League, Feb. 23, 2014) Utica Mayor Jacqueline Noonan discusses the League’s Partnership for Place initiative. When it comes to the value of placemaking and how it ties to municipal financing in Michigan, Utica Mayor Jacqueline Noonan doesn’t mince words: “The state’s current system of…

Jim O’Donnell’s State of the Ferndale Schools Address

Jim O’Donnell’s State of the Ferndale Schools Address (Jim,O’Donnell Ferndale Schools Board President, Feb. 14, 2014) NOTE:  Ferndale School Board President Jim O’Donnell presented this speech on Feb. 12, 2014 to the community through a Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce gathering held at Local Kitchen and Bar.  Below is the full text of the speech…

Mode Shift’s Road Map To Understanding SEMCOG

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…