City of Troy Regains Top Spot in “Safest City” Crime Rankings (Troy Police Department Press Release, Jan. 25, 2014) CQ Press has released their “City Crime Rankings 2014: Crime in Metropolitan America:” (http://os.cqpress.com/citycrime/2013/cc2014.htm). Troy is ranked as the 1st overall safest city in Michigan and 35th overall safest city in America (regardless of population size).…
Review Team Finds Financial Emergencies in Royal Oak Twp. & Highland Park (State of Michigan Press Release, Jan. 25, 2014) Two separate, independent Financial Review Teams, appointed December 2, 2013 to examine the finances of Royal Oak Township and the City of Highland Park respectively, under Public Act 436 of 2012 (Local Financial Stability and…
Deputy County Executive Defends Patterson, Touts Oakland County Achievements (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 24, 2014) The day after local media swarmed on a scandalous profile piece published in The New Yorker, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson cancelled a speaking engagement with the Oakland Chamber Network, sending Deputy County Executive Phil Bertolini instead. The…
Bad Checks, Cell Phone Thefts and More in Royal Oak Police Report (Lieutenant David Clemens, Royal Oak Police Dept., Jan 24, 2014) For the week of January 16, 2014 through January 23, 2014 Larceny from an Automobile 400 block of N. Main, 1-18-14 – 1-19-14, 8:00pm – 11:00am: Complainant parked her vehicle in a nearby…
Citizens for Fair Ferndale Recognized by County Commission (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 23, 2014) Could a commitment to civility improve political discourse throughout Oakland County? Commissioner Helaine Zack was so impressed by a Good Neighbors Project and Civility Pledge in Ferndale that she decided to bring the idea to her colleagues on the Oakland…
Police Report: School Bus Driver Assaulted by Brandon Twp. High Alt. Ed. Student (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, Jan. 23, 2014) On 1/20/14 at approximately 2:30PM a Brandon High School Alternative Education student assaulted a bus driver on a High School bus. The incident was not immediately reported to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. · The…
Beyond Coal Kicks Off Oakland County Campaign (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 23, 2014) Over 70 people came together Tuesday night in Ferndale to begin organizing a campaign to convince DTE to phase out their coal-burning power plants. Beyond Coal has been a project of the Sierra Club nationally for 30 years, and until recently…
Madison Heights Mourns Loss of Teacher, Volunteer Cristy Berger (Dignity Memorial and Madison Schools, Jan. 21, 2014) Cristy Berger, age 38 was born Anjwanette Cristina Barron on February 16, 1975 in Dearborn, Michigan. A lifetime resident of Madison Heights, she died on January 18, 2014 in Southfield, Michigan at St. John Providence Hospital. Beloved wife…
Ferndale Police Report: Woman Robbed at Knife-point (Lt. William Wilson, Ferndale Police Dept., Jan. 21, 2014) On Monday, January 20, 2014 a 52 year old Ferndale woman reported that shortly before 7:00 p.m. she was robbed at knife point. The woman said that she had been in the Ferndale Library and walking home. Near the…
Blues Festival Brings People to Ferndale, Raises Money for Charity, Jan. 24 – Feb. 2 (Ferndale Blues Festival Press Release, Jan. 20, 2014) For the 13th year in a row, the now legendary Annual Bud Light Ferndale Blues & Music Festival will bring music and crowds to locations across Ferndale with more than five dozen…
A Week with L. Brooks Patterson Nets New Yorker a Juicy Profile (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 20, 2014) Amid the dry and bureaucratic world of county-level governance, and the slow-moving pace of progress in the revitalization of a community hurt by economic loss, corrupt leadership and racial divide, The New Yorker has managed to find…
Details of UAW Contract with Ferndale Schools (Ferndale Schools Press Release, Jan. 20, 2014) EDITOR’S NOTE: Ferndale Schools is currently negotiating with all unions in hopes of wage concessions. Read a letter from School Board President Jim O’Donnell at https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/01/19/letter-from-ferndale-school-board-president-jim-odonnell-on-budget/, and a story on picketing at the School Board meeting at https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/01/14/proposed-pay-cuts-to-teachers-and-staff-spark-protest-at-ferndale-schools/. The union agreement…
Promises Kept: Because I Said I Would (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 19, 2014) Are promises more meaningful than resolutions? That’s the idea behind the Because I Said I Would project that came to several cities on New Year’s Eve, including Dino’s Lounge in Ferndale. Over 200 people made promises they posted on the Because…
Suspect Wanted in Theft and More Royal Oak Police Updates (Royal Oak Police Department, Jan. 19, 2014) For the week of January 9, 2014 through January 16, 2014 Larceny from an Automobile 2800 block of Woodslee, 1-7-14 – 1-8-14, 7:00pm – 8:00am: Complainant reported she parked her vehicle in the parking lot. When she returned…
In First US Tour, Haifa Symphony Orchestra Visits W. Bloomfield Feb. 20 (Berman Center for Performing Arts Press Release, Jan. 19, 2014) The Haifa Symphony Orchestra is touring the United States for the first time ever and will come with Israel’s premier violist, Avshalom Sarid. Avshalom Sarid is an accomplished violist, musical producer and teacher…
The Chaldean American Ladies of Charity Gala Feb. 1 (CALC Press Release, Jan. 19, 2014) The Chaldean American Ladies of Charity will host a Charity Gala on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at the Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield at 7:00 pm. The purpose of the event is to assist the nonprofit in providing resources…
Letter from Ferndale School Board President Jim O’Donnell on Budget (Jim O’Donnell, Jan. 19, 2014) (EDITOR’S NOTE: This letter was submitted by School Board President Jim O’Donnell and also appeared in the Ferndale Schools e-blast. This is in response to public questions about ongoing negotiations with district employees, discussed in this article: https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/01/14/proposed-pay-cuts-to-teachers-and-staff-spark-protest-at-ferndale-schools/) Ferndale Public…
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…
Royal Oak Mayor Learns Lesson in Fire Prevention (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 18, 2014) Royal Oak Mayor Jim Ellison and his wife Jodie learned first-hand the importance of keeping dryer vents clean, as a fire damaged their house Friday afternoon. The Royal Oak Fire Department acted quickly to put out the fire, which stared at…
Update: Suspect in Ferndale Murder Arraigned (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 17, 2014) Ferndale Police Lt. William Wilson released the following statement: “On 01/17/14, William Thomas Goad (homeless white male, DOB 01/22/1976) was arraigned and charged with Homicide-Open Murder, Unlawfully Driving Away Motor Vehicle and Larceny In A Building. Judge Charles G. Goedert denied bond. Goad’s…