School Funding Discussions Feb. 18, Advocacy Trip Feb. 19 (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 16, 2014) The Ferndale School Board and other advocates are focusing some of their efforts on Lansing as they grapple with the problem of less funding for public education. On Tuesday, Board Trustee Kevin Deegan-Krause will give two presentations on school funding,…
Ferndale Superintendent Takes Pay Cut, Hopes Others Will Too (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 12, 2014) Concessions continue as Ferndale Schools tries to negotiate their way out of a $2.4 million budget shortfall by asking employees for temporary pay cuts. Superintendent Gary Meier and Director of Finance Maureen Adams accepted 7.38% reductions in their contracts for…
Pleasant Ridge Seeks City Manager (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb 11, 2014) The City of Pleasant Ridge has embarked on the search for a long-term City Manager. The job posting went live on the Michigan Municipal League website with details about what they are looking for, and offering. “The ideal candidate must also possess the leadership…
State Rep. and State Senator at Ferndale Public Library Feb. 13 (Ellen Cogen-Lipton Press Release, Feb. 11, 2014) State Representative Ellen Cogen-Lipton (D-Huntington Woods) invites residents to attend her coffee hour on Thursday, Feb. 13, to discuss state and community issues, including the governor’s budget proposal. Sen. Vincent Gregory (D-Southfield) will be Lipton’s special guest…
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…
Ferndale Schools State of the District Address Feb. 12 (Ferndale Schools Press Release, Feb. 9, 2014) Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM 5:30-7:00 Meet the Board | 7:00 Address (Free and open to the public) Local Kitchen and Bar, 344 W. Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale The Reception will feature an opportunity to…
Ferndale Schools State of the District Address Feb. 12 (Ferndale Schools Press Release, Feb. 9, 2014) Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM 5:30-7:00 Meet the Board | 7:00 Address (Free and open to the public) Local Kitchen and Bar, 344 W. Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale The Reception will feature an opportunity to…
Ferndale Schools State of the District Address Feb. 12 (Ferndale Schools Press Release, Feb. 9, 2014) Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM 5:30-7:00 Meet the Board | 7:00 Address (Free and open to the public) Local Kitchen and Bar, 344 W. Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale The Reception will feature an opportunity to…
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…
Education Advocacy Trip to Lansing Planned for Feb.19 (Ferndale Schools, Jan. 31. 2014) Join the Ferndale Board of Education, administration, union leaders, municipal leaders, PTA and your neighbors and travel to Lansing to advocate for the fair funding of our schools. Although legislator schedules are tentative, this schedule is being designed to allow participants maximum…
Jazz Bands Play at Treat Dreams for Blues Fest (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 31, 2014) As part of the annual Ferndale Blues and Music Festival, Jazz Bands from Ferndale Middle School and Ferndale High School played a special concert at Treat Dreams. Parents and supporters enjoyed the student performances, as well as the custom…
Jazz Bands Play at Treat Dreams for Blues Fest (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 31, 2014) As part of the annual Ferndale Blues and Music Festival, Jazz Bands from Ferndale Middle School and Ferndale High School played a special concert at Treat Dreams. Parents and supporters enjoyed the student performances, as well as the custom…
Jazz Bands Play at Treat Dreams for Blues Fest (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 31, 2014) As part of the annual Ferndale Blues and Music Festival, Jazz Bands from Ferndale Middle School and Ferndale High School played a special concert at Treat Dreams. Parents and supporters enjoyed the student performances, as well as the custom…
Three Ferndale Firemen Jobs Temporarily Safe as Merger Talks Continue (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 29, 2014) Talks of a fire department merger between Ferndale and Hazel Park have been going on for years, but the hopefulness continues this week as Ferndale City Council voted to delay three firefighter layoffs in anticipation of the merger moving…
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…
Package Theft Suspect Arrested in Ferndale (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 24, 2014) An Oak Park man was arrested Tuesday after a Ferndale resident reported him taking a package off a neighbor’s porch, according to a report by Mike McConnell in The Daily Tribune. The suspect – Adeus Turner, 29, of Oak Park – was stopped…