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…
Villages of Lake Orion and Holly Considering Non-Discrimination Ordinances (Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 17, 2016) Holly, MI – At least two Oakland County municipalities are considering whether to adopt LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances, also known as human rights ordinances. The ordinances would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of things that cannot be…
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…
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…
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…
Orion Twp. Library Hosting Series of Conversations about Community 8/11, 9/10, 9/13 (Event Page) Lake Orion, MI – As a core community service provider in the Orion community, the Orion Township Public Library plays a role in bringing the community together and making it better. In August and September, the library will be hosting three…
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. “*”…
Photos from the 2016 Oakland County Fair (C. Proxmire, July 16, 2016) Davisburg, MI – The Oakland County Fair is not just a day of rides, shows and animals. It’s actually a 9 day fair with many people camping at the fair itself for the whole experience. Kids from all over Oakland County come to…
Lake Orion Couple Playing Pokemon Go Saves Royal Oak Home from Fire (City of Royal Oak, July 16, 2016) A couple playing Pokemon Go is credited with saving a Royal Oak home. Patrick Awdish, 24, of Lake Orion, and Katelyn Zack, 21, of Ray Township were in Royal Oak looking at wedding venues and —…
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…
2016 Candidate Interview Michelle Bryant for Oakland County Commission Dist. 1 (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 14, 2016) Lake Orion, MI – Democrat Michelle Bryant is the only Democratic candidate on the ballot for Oakland County’s District 1. She is running against incumbent Republican Michael Gingell on Nov. 8, 2016. Lake Orion, Orion Township, Auburn…
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…
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…