House Passes Bills to Allow Faith-Based Adoption Refusal (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 18, 2015) Nearly along party lines, the House of Representatives voted today on a package of bills that would allow agencies to make adoption decisions based upon their chosen religious values. The bills (HB 4188, HB 4189, and HB 4190) would allow agencies…
NewThe Rundown of Changes in Ferndale Schools Restructuring Plan (Ferndale Schools, March 18, 2015) As a result of a comprehensive analysis of its buildings, an extensive engagement to determine the needs of the community, and a review of the most efficient and effective use of the School District’s resources moving forward, the Ferndale Schools Board…
NewThe Rundown of Changes in Ferndale Schools Restructuring Plan (Ferndale Schools, March 18, 2015) As a result of a comprehensive analysis of its buildings, an extensive engagement to determine the needs of the community, and a review of the most efficient and effective use of the School District’s resources moving forward, the Ferndale Schools Board…
Farmington Hills Approves Building Three Hotels (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 18, 2015) Farmington Hills is positioning itself to be a hub of hospitality, with a developer planning on building a Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn, and Homewood Suites brand hotels on the site of the former Alexander Hamilton office building east of the 12 Mile/Farmington…
Guest View: Will Michigan’s Board of Ed Reassert its Authority or Fade into Obscurity? (Nick Krieger, Mitten Memo, March 18, 2015) Last week, Governor Rick Snyder signed Executive Order 2015-9, moving the Office of School Reform from the Department of Education to the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget. The Office of School Reform is…
Guest View: Lack of Voting, Not Registration, is the Problem (Kurt Metzger, DetroitDataGuru.com, March 17, 2015) This week marks the beginning of a voter registration drive in Oakland County. Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Brown will hold five voter registration drives throughout March in the communities of Southfield, Auburn Hills, Royal Oak, Waterford, and Farmington Hills.…
Hazel Park School Administrators Resign, Oakland Schools Steps In (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 17, 2015) With a deficit that grew from $2.5 million to nearly $8 million in the course of a year, the Hazel Park School Board has accepted the resignation of top administrators and asked Oakland Schools to step in. On Monday, March…
Coyote Captured in Royal Oak Stirs Controversy (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 17, 2015) A coyote was captured in a Royal Oak back yard and subsequently euthanized, with footage of the captured animal struggling in a toothless rubber jaw-style trap aired on WXYZ news causing reaction through the community. The City of Royal Oak issued the…
A Parade of Green and Irish Pride Graces Downtown Royal Oak (Ron Arnold, March 17, 2015) St. Patrick’s Day celebrating began early in Royal Oak as the community enjoyed the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday. Hosted by The Norman O’Brien Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the parade featured green-clad community groups,…
A Parade of Green and Irish Pride Graces Downtown Royal Oak (Ron Arnold, March 17, 2015) St. Patrick’s Day celebrating began early in Royal Oak as the community enjoyed the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday. Hosted by The Norman O’Brien Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the parade featured green-clad community groups,…
Ferndale Settles Water/Sewer Bill Lawsuit, Checks to be Mailed to Residents (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 16, 2015) Some Ferndale homeowners will be getting a refund on their water bills after the City of Ferndale has reached a $4,250,000 settlement with attorney Kickham Hanley who represented Lawrence Wolf in a suit over fees the city had…
Ferndale Settles Water/Sewer Bill Lawsuit, Checks to be Mailed to Residents (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 16, 2015) Some Ferndale homeowners will be getting a refund on their water bills after the City of Ferndale has reached a $4,250,000 settlement with attorney Kickham Hanley who represented Lawrence Wolf in a suit over fees the city had…
Fight Outside Mustang Jane’s Ends in Two Arrests (Oakland County Sheriff’s Dept., March 16, 2015) INCIDENT: 0217 hrs- City of Pontiac-Disorderly, R&O Taser Deployment # 15-37380 SUMMARY: Deputies observed a large crowd of subjects fighting on the sidewalk near a downtown bar, Mustang Janes. Deputies ordered the subjects to stop fighting with no effect and they…
Fight Outside Mustang Jane’s Ends in Two Arrests (Oakland County Sheriff’s Dept., March 16, 2015) INCIDENT: 0217 hrs- City of Pontiac-Disorderly, R&O Taser Deployment # 15-37380 SUMMARY: Deputies observed a large crowd of subjects fighting on the sidewalk near a downtown bar, Mustang Janes. Deputies ordered the subjects to stop fighting with no effect and they…
Ferndale Doctor Gets 66 Months in Prison, Loses License After Drug Conviction (Compiled, March 16, 2015) The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has immediately suspended the license to practice medicine of Joel Adrian Milliner, M.D., based on his conviction in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. On January 22,…
SOGI Story #4: Increasing Support for LGBT Youth of Color and Faith (C. Proxmire, March. 15, 2015) The SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Issues in Education Conference is hosted each year by Oakland University, with the aim of giving educators and social workers tools they need to understand how best to work with LGBTQ…
Clawson Brings Groups in From Other Cities for Tours (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 15, 2015) Downtown Clawson has come up with a new way to attract visitors to their community – by offering bus tours to out of town groups. A March 13 blog post on the DDA website shares what the program and the…
Clawson Brings Groups in From Other Cities for Tours (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 15, 2015) Downtown Clawson has come up with a new way to attract visitors to their community – by offering bus tours to out of town groups. A March 13 blog post on the DDA website shares what the program and the…
The Stars Come Out for 2015 FEF Oscar Fundraiser (C. Proxmire, March 14, 2015) The stars came out for the annual Ferndale Education Foundation fundraiser on March 13. The theme of the red-carpet gala was the Oscars, with attendees dressed as movie characters. Tables paid homage to famous flicks like Cleopatra, West Side Story, Cleopatra,…
Debate Continues Over Hazel Park’s Pit Bull Ban (Doug Sanders and Crystal A. Proxmire, March 14, 2015) A ban on pit bulls that was passed in 2012 has made its way into public discussion in Hazel Park, where the debate comes down to if violent K9 behavior is the fault of the dog’s breed or…