WONder Women Recognized for Changing the World (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, May 1, 2014) One of Women Officials Network WONder Women Award winners carries little silver acorns around with her to give to strangers who cross her path. “When we reach out to other people…it does evoke the metaphor of the acorn. Everything that an…
Be Part of the Seeds of Support Campaign Sign up now to get your own custom ad! Conditions are growing worse in the corporate news landscape. Cutbacks in journalism jobs including the shutdown of traditional publications and the de-staffing of AOL’s Patch chain have left news deserts, places where citizens are thirsty for a local,…
SEMCOG Releases Traffic Crash and Fatality Report, Urges Safety (SEMCOG Press Release, April 29,2014) The number of traffic crashes in Southeast Michigan increased by more than four percent in 2013 compared with the previous year, according to an analysis of traffic crash data by SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. Traffic Crashes, 2009-2013 The…
Commission to Vote Wednesday on SMART Funding (Sherry A. Wells and Crystal Proxmire, April 29, 2014) Tomorrow morning, Wednesday, April 30 at 9:30 AM, the Oakland County Commission votes on whether to join Wayne and Macomb County Commissions for a vote to keep the SMART bus system running in the midst of vastly reduced property…
Democrats Pack Cobo for Fmr. President Bill Clinton Speech (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, April 27, 2014) Raising over $500,000 for the Michigan Democratic Party, the 2014 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at Cobo Hall featuring Former President Bill Clinton was considered “a rousing success” by Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson. Johnson and others took time to share their…
Be Part of the Seeds of Support Campaign Sign up now to get your own custom ad! Conditions are growing worse in the corporate news landscape. Cutbacks in journalism jobs including the shutdown of traditional publications and the de-staffing of AOL’s Patch chain have left news deserts, places where citizens are thirsty for a local,…
President Obama Visits Ann Arbor to Promote Minimum Wage Increase (Crystal A. Proxmire, April 2, 2014) The move is on in Michigan and across the country to raise the minimum wage, and to help promote the effort President Barack Obama came to Ann Arbor for a speech at the University of Michigan. Stepping off Air…
Lt. Governor Calley Talks to College Republicans (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 8, 2014) Lt. Governor Brian Calley visited Oakland University Friday to meet with the College Republicans and talk about issues important to him in his past three years of working in the executive branch with Governor Rick Snyder. Calley is hoping to be…
OU Ranks 4th in Country for Percentage of Women in Engineering (Oakland University Press Release, March 4, 2014) Oakland University is ranked fourth in the country for the percentage of women tenured/tenure-track faculty in engineering. According to recent data from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Oakland University is among national leaders in categories…
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…
Oakland University, MSU & U of M get new Fundraising License Plates (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 14, 2014) Grizzly fans, as well as folks who like the Spartans and the Wolverines, can now get newly designed license plates from the Secretary of State. SOS has an entire line of special fundraising plates depicting each of…
Oakland University Freshman Died in Ferndale Home (Oakland University Press Release, Feb. 12, 2014) The Oakland University community is mourning the loss of an 18-year-old freshman, who passed away at his home in Ferndale on Monday, Feb. 10, as a result of cardiac arrest. DeMal Coleman was a resident in Hamlin Hall and a participant…
Bridge Magazine Ranks Michigan School Districts (Crystal Proxmire, Feb. 9, 2014) Bridge Magazine looked at public school districts and public charters and compared them based on performance weighted by economics to determine how schools are performing compared to expectations. The publication used three years’ worth of data and ranked the schools. A score of 100…
Auburn Hills City Manager Pete Auger to Lead MLGMA (MLGMA Press Release, Feb. 6, 2014) Auburn Hills City Manager Pete Auger is the new leader of a statewide association representing Michigan’s municipal managers. Auger was named the 2014 president of the Michigan Local Government Management Association (MLGMA) during the organization’s annual Winter Institute Jan. 28-Jan.…
Mode Shift’s Road Map To Understanding SEMCOG (David Sands, Mode Shift, Feb. 2, 2014, orig. wearemodeshift.org/mode-shifts-road-map-understanding-semcog) It was a noteworthy 2013 for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. The organization not only helped jumpstart the new Regional Transit Authority, but it’s been busy developing a regional non-motorized transportation plan and conducting an analysis of rapid transit…
Cold Prompts School Closings for Tuesday (C. Proxmire, Jan. 27, 2014) School administrators across SE Michigan have declared Tuesday a “snow day” due to temperatures and wind chills below zero. Classes and events will be cancelled in many districts, including Berkley, Birmingham, Clawson, Farmington, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Madison Public Schools, Pontiac, Rochester Schools, Royal Oak,…
40 Under 40 Announced, Public to Pick Top Winner (Oakland County Press Release, Jan. 27, 2014) Starting Jan. 27 the public can cast an online vote to choose the winner of the Oakland County Executive’s Elite 40 under 40 Class of 2014. More than 500 applications and nominations were reviewed by a panel of judges,…
Oakland Chamber Network Learns From National Trends (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 27, 2014) Collaborating to improve the environment for business success is the core strength of Chambers of Commerce in general, and the Oakland Chamber Network doubles up on that principle by bringing 27 local Chambers together. At their annual meeting on Jan. 22, OCN…
Group Seeks Ballot Measure to Increase Minimum Wage (Mothering Justice Press Release, Jan. 27, 2014) Community organizing, social justice and labor groups today formed a committee to explore a ballot campaign to raise the minimum wage in Michigan. The minimum wage in Michigan –currently $7.40 an hour – hasn’t been raised since 2008, leaving many…
The Return on Investment from Michigan Passenger Rail (Dan Sommerville, Michigan Environmental Council, Jan. 26, 2014, orig. Michigan by Rail Blog) Passenger rail has been booming nationwide and in Michigan. Record-breaking ridership was recorded in 10 of the last 11 years (1) (2), and there has been a whopping 78% growth in Michigan ridership since…