Collaboration Brings Arrest…

Collaboration Brings Arrest of Ferndale, Oak Park and Royal Oak Burglary Suspects (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 6, 2014) On March 6, 2014, at approximately 10:00 a.m., members of the Troy Police Department Special Investigations Unit (SIU) arrested two home invasion suspects in Ferndale, according to a press release from the Royal Oak Police Department. The…

Demonstrators Try to Stay Warm, While State’s Case Runs Cold

Demonstrators Try to Stay Warm, While State’s Case Runs Cold by Crystal A. Proxmire News spread quickly Sunday that over 100 Detroit-based pastors would be convening at the Federal Courthouse Monday to protest marriage equality.  Rumors put expected turnout as high as 600.  The Detroit Police stood ready with extra officers in the area and…

MEAP Scores Released, Improvement in Reading Celebrated

MEAP Scores Released, Improvement in Reading Celebrated (Michigan Dept. of Education Press Release, Feb. 28, 2014) Reading test scores for Michigan fourth graders improved for the fourth consecutive year, the Michigan Department of Education reported today. Results from the Fall 2013 Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) are reflective of what children had learned the previous…

Ferndale to Hire Parking System Management Company

Ferndale to Hire Parking System Management Company (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 23, 2014) Ferndale City Council is expected to approve a three-year contract with Republic Parking System to manage the city’s new multi-space parking meters.  Over the past year Ferndale launched a Park Plus system to replace quarter-operated machines.  This enabled them to increase parking…

Ferndale Schools Take Advocacy Trip to Lansing (video)

Ferndale Schools Take Advocacy Trip to Lansing (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 19, 2014) Dozens of concerned parents, teachers, students, administrators and Ferndale School Board Trustees gathered in front of Ferndale High School for an early morning rally and photo opportunity Wednesday, and to send a caravan off on an advocacy trip to Lansing. Armed…

$800,000 Bequest Left to Affirmations

$800,000 Bequest Left to Affirmations (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 19, 2014) Affirmations Community Center has been named the beneficiary of an anonymous bequest of nearly $800,000, reports Between the Lines. A press release by Affirmations did not disclose the amount, but did state that the gift was “transformational.”  Reports suggest that money will be used…

How Are Michigan Schools Funded… (video)

How Are Michigan Schools Funded: Kevin Deegan-Krause Explains (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 18, 2014) How Michigan schools are funded is a complicated subject, but one that Ferndale School Board Trustee Kevin Deegan-Krause hopes to help the public better understand.  Deegan-Krause, who is also a political science professor at Wayne State University, gave two presentations…

Ferndale Changes Council Meeting Start Times

Ferndale Changes Council Meeting Start Times (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 18, 2014) After weeks of surveying the community and discussion at council meetings, Ferndale City Council has voted to move council meeting start times to 7pm from their traditional 7:30pm. Councilperson Melanie Piana voted against the earlier start time, having stated in earlier discussions that…

Hazel Park Schools to Expand Great Start Program, Restructure K-5s

Hazel Park Schools to Expand Great Start Program, Restructure K-5s (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 17, 2014) Students at Webster Elementary in Hazel Park will be assigned to other schools in the fall so that the district can expand the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) which gives four-year-olds a pre-school learning and childcare experience. The decision…