Ferndale Adding STEM Program in Middle School (FPS Press Release, Jan. 9, 2015) The Ferndale Board of Education recently approved a new STEM program for 7th and 8th grade students at Ferndale Middle School (FMS) starting next school year.s STEM which stands for science, technology, engineering and math, is an interdisciplinary and applied approach…
Waterworks Gives Plumbing Tips for Winter (Guest Column by David Greylen of Waterwork Plumbing. Dec. 2, 2014,republished Jan. 5, 2015) NOTE: Waterworks Plumbing is a sponsor of The Oakland County 115 News Hub. This informative guest column is NOT paid advertising, but readers should be aware that the author does advertise with us. The plumbing…
Remembering Patricia Hill Burnett, 2012 Interview (video) (Cherie Wyatt Rolfe, Crystal Proxmire, Jan. 4, 2015) At the age of 94, the co-founder of Michigan National Organization for Women (NOW) and celebrated portrait artist Patricia Hill Burnett passed away last week. Burnett was a face for feminism spanning across socioeconomic and political lines. She was well-dressed,…
The stories of 2014 Part 2 of 4 – April through June (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 1, 2015) This has been an amazing year as the oc115 has ventured on the path of county-wide news coverage. From feel-good stories of neighbors helping each other to mass expressions of love, to the challenges of local governments,…
Community Foundation Awards $150,000 to Orgs. Across the Region to Benefit Youth (CFSEM Press Release, Dec. 27, 2014) The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan announced the distribution of $150,000 in grants to fund 18 projects through its YOUth Voice Social Justice grant program. Earlier in 2014, the Metropolitan Youth Policy Fellows, a diverse group of youth…
Kwanzaa Celebration in Royal Oak Twp Dec. 29 and 30 (compiled, Dec. 15, 2014 – republished Dec. 24) Friends of Royal Oak Township Inc. and Ujima Consortium International are hosting a Celebration of Kwanzaa on Dec. 29 and 30. The program features guest speaker Malik Yakini, Nanou Djapo, Afrikan Drum and Dance, and spoken word…
Pontiac Honors Those Who Make the City Shine (Pontiac DBA Press Release, Dec. 18, 2014) Every year the community of Pontiac, organized by the Pontiac Downtown Business Association (PDBA) honors volunteers and organizations that help make the community shine. Glen Konopaskie, President of the PDBA, honors each awardee along with a co-presenter Patrice Waterman,…
Novelty Lighters Could be Dangerous Holiday Choice Fire Marshall Says (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 15, 2014) Lighters are not toys. It seems like an obvious statement for adults, but for Ferndale Fire Marshal Brian Batten it is a lesson that cannot be stated enough. Even in the Ferndale area there are about six…
Southfield Skyscraper’s Demolition Felt Miles Away (video) (Crystal Proxmire, video by Amy Probst, Dec. 14, 2014) At 8:30am Sunday a rumble like thunder was felt at least five miles away from 9 Mile and Northwestern Highway, where a 17-story building was demolished by implosion. North Park Plaza was built 42years ago. Oakland Community College bought…
State Rep. Ellen Cogen Lipton Honors Sister and Public Education in Farewell Speech (video) (C. Proxmire, Dec. 7, 2014) (scroll to bottom for video) At the end of three terms in the House of Representatives, Ellen Cogen Lipton of Huntington Woods said farewell with a sentimental speech honoring her sister and touting the importance of…
Ellen Cogen Lipton’s Final Coffee Hour as State Rep Dec. 9 (Press Release, Dec. 2, 2014) State Representative Ellen Cogen Lipton (D-Huntington Woods) invites residents to attend her upcoming and final coffee hour to discuss state and community issues, including proposals to fund road repairs and other matters expected to come up in the Legislature…
Happy Thanksgiving from Grant School 2014 (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 27, 2014) At Grant School in Ferndale there is a Thanksgiving tradition of a shared meal and a performance by the little ones. The three and four year old preschoolers sang a turkey-themed song before joining their proud parents for a feast of turkey,…
Ferndale Sixth Graders Learn About Giving Through Food Pantry (C. Proxmire, Nov. 26, 2014) Last week the kids at JFK School learned something that many Ferndale area grown-ups may not even know about: a food pantry right in their own community! Sixth graders from Greg Williamson and Elaine Zold’s classes took a field…
Guest Column: Thanksgiving for the Goodness of Regional Philanthropy (Kurt Metzger, Mayor of Pleasant Ridge, Nov. 25, 2014) A November 11 Detroit News Editorial, entitled “Foundations think out of box to aid Detroit,” paid credit to the foundations who came forth to help fund the Grand Bargain and move the Detroit bankruptcy process to…
Transit Summit Connects Business, Faith, Education Communities and More (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 22, 2014) Who cares about public transportation? Judging from the diverse crowd at the Build Business Build Transit summit on Nov. 18 at Ford Field in Detroit, it’s pretty much everybody. The summit brought together people in the faith community,…
Happy’s Pizza Founder Convicted of Multi-Million Dollar Tax Fraud Scheme (US Department of Justice Press Release, Nov. 21, 2014) On November 19, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, a federal jury after deliberating 4.5 hours convicted the president and founder of Happy’s Pizza of conspiracy to defraud the United States…
Happy’s Pizza Founder Convicted of Multi-Million Dollar Tax Fraud Scheme (US Department of Justice Press Release, Nov. 21, 2014) On November 19, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, a federal jury after deliberating 4.5 hours convicted the president and founder of Happy’s Pizza of conspiracy to defraud the United States…
Republicans Seek to Change County Elections and Electoral College Vote Distribution (Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 17, 2014) Five Republican State Representatives from Oakland County have introduced legislation that would change the election date of the County Executive from Presidential Election Years to Midterm Election Years. HB 5953 was introduced Nov. 12 by Klint Klesto of…
Red Cross Blood Drives – Ongoing List of Opportunities to Save a Life (compiled, updated Nov. 16, 2014) Someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds. Eligible donors with all types are needed, especially those with O negative, A negative and B negative. To learn more about donating blood and to schedule an appointment,…
Medicare Changes: Hotline Help and Presentation Dates for General and LGBT Communities (AAA1-B Press Release, Nov. 7, 2014) The Area Agency on Aging 1-B’s (AAA1-B) Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) is partnering with Affirmations to offer LGBT Medicare beneficiaries free information and assistance on Medicare and Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage plans during open…