Village of Lake Orion Moves Forward with Human Rights Ordinance (Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 22, 2016) Lake Orion, MI – “It’s really time for the village to make another kind of decision – that discrimination is not okay and diversity is welcome in our community.” Attorney Ken Mogill’s words summed up the discussion that preceded…
How to Spot Signs of Domestic Abuse (Guest blog by Beth Morrison, HAVEN, orig. Feb. 27, 2015, republished Aug. 21, 2016) Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive behavior including emotional, verbal and physical abuse, used by an abuser to gain and maintain power and control over a current or former spouse, intimate partner or…
2016 Election: Candidate Interviews and Issues (ongoing main coverage page) Oakland County, MI – Now that the primaries are over, it’s time to think about the 2016 Presidential Election. There are many local races happening as well, plus ballot issues. The official list is not ready from the County Clerk yet, however we’ve been doing…
Troy Community Coalition Gives Safety Tips for Pokemon, Applauds Benefits (Troy Community Coalition, Aug. 10, 2016) Troy, MI – Pokemon GO has taken the world by storm and it’s likely that your children, regardless of their age, are playing it. The mobile phone app has caused a lot of positive effects in communities around the…
2016 Candidate Interview Vicki Barnett for Oakland County Executive (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 31, 2016) Farmington Hills, MI – The race for County Executive is now down to two people. Democrat Vicki Barnett of Farmington Hills is challenging incumbent L. Brooks Patterson for the position. Barnett is the former Mayor of Farmington Hills and…
50 Officials Send Letter to Executive to Encourage Vote on Transit (Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 4, 2016) Pontiac, MI – Last week members of the Regional Transit Authority Board from Oakland and Macomb Counties voted no to putting a regional transit plan on the ballot for voters to decide upon. The plan would add many…
2016 Primary Election Results and oc115 Readers’ “I Voted” Sticker Selfies (Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 2, 2016) Pontiac, MI – The results are in from the Aug. 2 Primary Election. Scroll beyond the “I voted” sticker selfie photos to check out how the voting went. In Oakland County, 97,506 people cast ballots in the Republican…
2016 Candidate Interview County Commissioner Helaine Zack 18th District (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 31, 2016) Huntington Woods, MI – County Commissioner Helaine Zack is running for re-election in the 18th District, which includes Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Oak Park and Royal Oak Township. She is unopposed in the Democratic Primary and on Nov.…
Regional Transit Plan Blocked from Going on Ballot (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 28, 2016) Detroit, MI – Plans for a $4.6 billion regional transit system were expected to go to the ballot for a vote of the people in November, but board members from Oakland and Macomb Counties have blocked the measure at the request…
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…
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…
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…
Cissell Gets Jail Time for Marijuana Charges (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 11, 2016) Pontiac, MI – In a courtroom surrounded by friends, family and supporters Andrew Cissell was sentenced by Judge Hala Jarbou on Monday to 90 days in Oakland County Jail for two felony marijuana possession charges. Cissell was given credit for 10 days…
Hazel Park Growers and Makers Market, Sundays Through Sept 4 (Leigh McLaughlin, July 10, 2016) Hazel Park, MI – About a year ago Hazel Park resident Jennifer Jackson got a bunch of folks together who wanted to build a Farmers Market for Hazel Park. Working with city manager Ed Klobucher and assistant city manager Jeffrey…
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…
Hazel Park’s Wilfred Webb Dies at Age 95 (C. Proxmire, July 3, 2016) Hazel Park, MI – A beloved member of the Hazel Park community, Dr. Wilfred D. Webb passed away on July 2 at the age of 95. Webb was a State Representative and an educator and Superintendent of Hazel Park Schools. Webb’s name…
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…