The stories of 2014 Part 2 of 4 – April through June (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 1, 2015) This has been an amazing year as the oc115 has ventured on the path of county-wide news coverage. From feel-good stories of neighbors helping each other to mass expressions of love, to the challenges of local governments,…
Sheriffs Surprise 300 Residents with Ham in Operation Pig Out (video) (C. Proxmire, Dec. 26, 2014) With big hearts and a strong sense of humor, deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department hit the streets of communities they serve with surprise hams for residents. “Operation Pig Out” was made possible by Dr. Frank Patino who…
Oakland Co. Employee Casual Day Funds Go to 15 Charities (Oakland County Press Release, Dec. 24, 2014) Last week, Oakland County Executive, L. Brooks Patterson, awarded fifteen charities and a veteran with $29,000 dollars in funds that were raised by Oakland County employees through their Casual Day Funds Program. The program allows employees in participating departments and…
New Data: Oakland County has 13 of the top 15 richest zip codes in Michigan (Kurt Metzger, Mayor of Pleasant Ridge and Founder of Data Driven Detroit, Dec. 4, 2014) The Census Bureau released the latest file from the American Community Survey today, December 4. This file covers the period 2009-2013 and allows for the…
Guest Column: Thanksgiving for the Goodness of Regional Philanthropy (Kurt Metzger, Mayor of Pleasant Ridge, Nov. 25, 2014) A November 11 Detroit News Editorial, entitled “Foundations think out of box to aid Detroit,” paid credit to the foundations who came forth to help fund the Grand Bargain and move the Detroit bankruptcy process to…
Transit Summit Connects Business, Faith, Education Communities and More (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 22, 2014) Who cares about public transportation? Judging from the diverse crowd at the Build Business Build Transit summit on Nov. 18 at Ford Field in Detroit, it’s pretty much everybody. The summit brought together people in the faith community,…
Happy’s Pizza Founder Convicted of Multi-Million Dollar Tax Fraud Scheme (US Department of Justice Press Release, Nov. 21, 2014) On November 19, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, a federal jury after deliberating 4.5 hours convicted the president and founder of Happy’s Pizza of conspiracy to defraud the United States…
Happy’s Pizza Founder Convicted of Multi-Million Dollar Tax Fraud Scheme (US Department of Justice Press Release, Nov. 21, 2014) On November 19, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, a federal jury after deliberating 4.5 hours convicted the president and founder of Happy’s Pizza of conspiracy to defraud the United States…
Rochester Hometown Christmas Parade Dec. 7 (Compiled, Nov. 21, 2014) Name: Rochester Hometown Christmas Parade Date: December 7, 2014 Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST Website: http://www.rrc-mi.com Location: Main Street Rochester, MI 48307 Event Description: Join us for a Sunday afternoon at the 63rd Annual Rochester Hometown Christmas Parade on Main Street in Downtown…
Republicans Seek to Change County Elections and Electoral College Vote Distribution (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 17, 2014) Five Republican State Representatives from Oakland County have introduced legislation that would change the election date of the County Executive from Presidential Election Years to Midterm Election Years. HB 5953 was introduced Nov. 12 by Klint Klesto of…
Red Cross Blood Drives – Ongoing List of Opportunities to Save a Life (compiled, updated Nov. 16, 2014) Someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds. Eligible donors with all types are needed, especially those with O negative, A negative and B negative. To learn more about donating blood and to schedule an appointment,…
Teens Released, One Adult Charged in Home & Vehicle Larcenies in Rochester Hills (Oakland County Sheriff’s Dept. Press Release, Nov. 14, 2014) INCIDENT: 17:23 hrs. – City of Rochester Hills – Traffic Stop / Home Invasion and Larceny Investigation – # 14-179582 SUMMARY: Deputies received information regarding a vehicle with a stolen license plate that…
Medicare Changes: Hotline Help and Presentation Dates for General and LGBT Communities (AAA1-B Press Release, Nov. 7, 2014) The Area Agency on Aging 1-B’s (AAA1-B) Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) is partnering with Affirmations to offer LGBT Medicare beneficiaries free information and assistance on Medicare and Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage plans during open…
Election Stories and Resources for Nov. 4, 2014 (Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 30, 2014) Nov. 4 is Election Day and there are many resources available to help people make informed decisions. The Oakland County Clerk’s Office provides a wealth of information on their website at http://www.oakgov.com/clerkrod/elections/Pages/default.aspx, including: How to Vote: Find out if you’re registered…
Donate Candy to Treats for Troops – Several Locations – Through Nov. 5 (Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, Nov. 2, 2014) For parents looking for an alternative to their children consuming excessive amounts of candy at Halloween while engaging in a service project with their children, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is accepting Halloween candy as…
Prosecutor Speaks on Dangers of Sexting, Bullying and other Crimes (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 31, 2014) Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper does not like seeing kids on a professional basis, whether it’s because they have gotten in trouble or because they are a victim. The internet and cell phones make it easy for young…
Prosecutor Speaks on Dangers of Sexting, Bullying and other Crimes (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 31, 2014) Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper does not like seeing kids on a professional basis, whether it’s because they have gotten in trouble or because they are a victim. The internet and cell phones make it easy for young…
A Look at Low Voter Turn Out Rates in the Aug. 5 Primary (Guest Column by Kurt Metzger, Mayor of Pleasant Ridge, orig. Aug. 26, 2014, republished Oct.29 ) Access to more detailed, geographically focused data sets, combined with the developed of more sophisticated mapping (GIS) systems, have made the Redistricting (gerrymandering) process more sophisticated.…
Seaholm Students Meet 11th District Congressional Candidates, Except Trott (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 25, 2014) There is a saying in some social circles that you better show up or people will talk about you anyway. That certainly held true Monday when Congressional Candidate Dave Trott failed to come to a candidate forum specifically for…
Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce Announces Winners of the 8th Annual Sunrise Pinnacle Awards (RRCC Press Release, Oct. 25, 2014) The Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the winners of the 8th Annual Sunrise Pinnacle Awards ceremony. The event took place on October 24th at the Royal Park Hotel in downtown Rochester. An…