Berkley Public Library Offers Winter Storytimes (Berkley Library Press Release, Dec. 23, 2013) Winter storytimes will take place in January and February at the Berkley Public Library. These storytimes are reserved for Berkley residents. Preschool Storytime Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. on January 14, 21, 28 and February 4, 11. The program includes 30 minutes of…
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 (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) (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…
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.…
EAA Expansion to be Voted On (Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 11, 2013) Michigan legislators are considering bills this week to expand the State’s authority to take over schools and run them as part of a State-controlled school district known as the Education Achievement Authority. The EAA takes over failing schools and puts them in a…
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 (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…
Berkley Kids Get SMART in the Classroom (Berkley Public Schools, orig. Berkley Beat, Dec. 6, 2013) Classrooms at Rogers Elementary School look, for the most part, the same. But what’s happening in the classrooms has changed since the arrival of the SMART Interactive projectors. In November, each K-5 classroom received a SMART projector that is…
Meet the Mayor: Kurt Metzger of Pleasant Ridge (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 29, 2013) With less than a month on the job, Pleasant Ridge Mayor Kurt Metzger has one main goal on his mind – how to get people more involved in a more transparent government. The 66-year-old data specialist is part of a…
Holiday Shopping Legal Tips (Guest Columnist Atty. Tim Burns, Nov. 29, 2013) It’s November and for many people that ushers in the start of the Holiday shopping season. As you are hitting the stores and shopping on the Internet it’s important to be proactive in knowing your legal rights so that your gift giving experiences…
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…
December programs at the Berkley Public Library (Berkley Library Press Release, Nov. 27, 2013) Three great programs will be taking place at the Berkley Public Library in December. Adopting and Fostering Household Pets Interested in learning about adopting and fostering household pets? Laurie Stadther, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Michigan Humane Society, will cover a…
Small Turtles Not a Good Pet Choice: Risky and Illegal (Oakland County Health Dept. Press Release, Nov. 27, 2013) According to the Michigan Departments of Community Health (MDCH) and Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) small turtles with shells that measure less than four inches in length…
Senator Stabenow Speaks to Women Elected Officials (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 25, 2013) In her over 34 years in public office, Senator Debbie Stabenow has seen the faces of leadership change in Michigan and in the nation. In particular she’s witnessed the impact of increasing the number of women holding elected office. On Nov.…
Free Kids Environmental Calendar, Order Online (Oakland County Water Resource Commission Press Release, Nov. 24, 2013) For the ninth year in a row the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s office (WRC) is proud to offer its 2014 Kids’ Clean Water Calendar free of charge to the public. The Kids’ Clean Water Calendar was designed to…
Ellen Cogen Lipton Shares EAA Concerns, Education Alternatives (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 21, 2013) As Democratic Vice Chair of the Education Committee of the Michigan House of Representatives, Ellen Cogen Lipton saw first-hand the way The Michigan Education Achievement Authority has taken shape. Beyond that, she has looked into the results of having the…
Woodward Rapid Transit Public Meetings in Several Cities in December (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 18, 2013) The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) is hosting a series of community meetings so people can learn more about the potential for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along Woodward Avenue. Information that will be presented includes: ~Proposed Alignments: What…
Berkley Hometown Holidays Dec. 7 (Berkley DDA, Nov. 18, 2013) December 7, 2013 In the afternoon Free Vintage Trolley Rides from 1 pm to 4:30 pm Trolley stops along 12 Mile Road from Greenfield to Coolidge Hwy. and on Coolidge Hwy. from 12 Mile Road to 11 Mile Road. Look for the Trolley Stop signs…
New Testing Standard for Teachers Announced (Michigan Dept. of Education Press Release, Nov. 15, 2013) Better prepared and effective teachers will be available for Michigan students with the advent of a more rigorous teacher certification exam this year. “We want the best and brightest teachers in Michigan classrooms,” said State Superintendent Mike Flanagan. “Increasing the…