Regional Transit May Not Make it to the Ballot (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 27, 2016) Pontiac, MI – Efforts towards a regional transit plan could be stopped in their tracks if representatives on the RTA Board from Oakland and Macomb Counties do not vote to put the 1.2 mil question on the ballot. Oakland County…
Farmington Council Considering Food Truck Limitations (Compiled, July 22, 2016) Farmington, MI – The Farmington Voice reports that the City of Farmington is considering changing the city’s ordinances in regards to food trucks. Councilperson Greg Cowley, who owns restaurant in the central business district, has been an “outspoken critic” of food trucks, according to the…
Federal Judge Blocks Michigan Ban on Straight-Ticket Voting (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 21, 2016) Detroit, MI – US District Court Judge Gershwin A. Drain placed four preliminary injunctions to prohibit Michigan from enforcing a new law that bans straight-ticket voting. According the The Detroit News, “the real question the court must answer, Drain wrote, is…
Patterson Presents Proposed Budget, Announces New 911 System (Office of Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, July 21, 2016) There is a major public safety enhancement in County Executive L. Brooks Patterson’s recommended three-year budget covering fiscal years 2017-2019. Oakland County provides for replacement of its 911 copper network which has reached the end of…
Renew for the Zoo Offering Free Animal Themed Signs to Promote Detroit Zoo Millage (Renew for the Zoo, July 20, 2016) ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Penguins, frogs and tigers are staking out their territory on lawns across Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties to encourage support of the Detroit Zoo millage renewal. The signs read, “Renew…
Community Mourns Loss of LGBT Rights Activist Jeff Montgomery (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 19, 2016) Detroit, MI – Jeff Montgomery, LGBT rights activist and longtime Executive Director for Triangle Foundation (now Equality Michigan) has died. Sean Kosofsky, Executive Director of The Tyler Clementi Foundation and former Policy Director for Triangle Foundation, shared the news Tuesday…
2016 Candidate Interviews & Ballot Issues (Frequently Updated) The oc115 believes in giving all political candidates a voice and a chance for readers to meet the people who want to represent them. So here is a series of video interviews. Not all races are listed, only those where we have an interview or story. “*”…
Guest Column: The Value of Street Trees (Robert J. Gibbs, AICP, ASLA, July 15, 2016) Trees are an indispensable component of good neighborhoods. When the right species are planted in the right place and cared for properly, many benefits are realized. Street trees soften hardscapes, buffer pedestrians from moving vehicles, and create “outdoor rooms” that…
Man Shoots Self at Heritage Park in Farmington Hills (Farmington Hills Police, July 9, 2016) Farmington Hills, MI – At approximately 11 a.m. July 8, Farmington Hills Police Officers responded to a report of a despondent man in a vehicle at Heritage Park. As a precautionary measure, all campers and visitors at Heritage Park…
FOIA Turns 50. Here is Why That Matters. (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 4, 2016) Washington DC – The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is the law that requires the Federal Government to operate with transparency and to disclose information that is requested by the public (including the media). There are exemptions to what information can…
Police Chief’s Recommendations for Avoiding Traffic (Auburn Hills Police Chief Doreen Olko, July 2, 2016) We are all looking forward to a fun holiday weekend, I know I am. One concern we share with you is about traffic. Last weekend we heard from folks who got caught up in traffic northbound on I-75 north of…
We Got This #3: Jess McClary, Owner of McClary Bros Drinking Vinegars in Farmington (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 1, 2016) Farmington, MI – Women from around the world gathered in Washington DC on June 14 for the United States of Women Summit. The event featured a series of speakers celebrating the successes of women while…
Self-Care Isn’t Selfish (Guest blog, Nkenge Burkhead, Prevention Education Specialist, HAVEN, July 1, 2016) People often ask, “How did you get involved in this work?” This is a question advocates working to end domestic and sexual violence have been asked countlessly. Their answers are often filled with personal experiences. Many advocates identify as both survivor…
Summer Food Program for Kids Locations (SE Michigan United Way, June 21, 2016) Meet Up and Eat Up – Summer Meet Up and Eat Up is a collaborative movement to ensure that every child has access to nutritious meals 3 times a day, 365 days a year. For kids who rely on free and reduced…
Communities Come Together to Celebrate Main Street Accreditations (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 15, 2016) Holly, MI – “This shows what we can do when we all pitch in and have a common goal,” said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson as he looked around at the thriving historic downtown of Holly. He sat at the…
2016 Candidate Interview Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 10, 2016) Huntington Woods, MI – Democratic Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner is seeking re-election on the Nov. 8, 2016 ballot. He was first elected to the position in 2012. Republican John P. McCulloch is running against him. Meisner talked about…
2016 Candidate Interview: Robert Buxbaum for Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 9, 2016) Oak Park, MI – In the County-wide race for Water Resources Commissioner (formerly titled Drain Commissioner), the Democratic Incumbent Jim Nash faces Republican challenger Robert Buxbaum on the Nov. 8, 2016 ballot. “I’m an engineer and I…
2016 Candidate Interview: Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 9, 2016) Farmington Hills, MI – In the County-wide race for Water Resources Commissioner (formerly titled Drain Commissioner), the Democratic Incumbent Jim Nash faces Republican challenger Robert Buxbaum on the Nov. 8, 2016 ballot. Nash was elected to the position…
Massive Annual Effort Keeps Rouge River Clean and Flowing Nicely (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 1, 2016) Southfield, MI – The Rouge River has come a long way since organized community cleanups began 46 years ago. Cyndi Ross was one of about 300 people who came out to the annual Friends of the Rouge clean up…
1.2 Mill Proposal to go on Nov. 8 Ballot for “Rapid, Reliable, Regional” Transit (Crystal A. Proxmire, June 1, 2016) Southfield, MI – The RTA unveiled their Regional Master Transit Plan on Tuesday, including information on a proposed 1.2 mill tax to fund it. Voters in Oakland, Macomb, Wayne and Washtenaw Counties will have their…