Townhall Explores Possibility of Redistricting Reform (Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 15, 2015) “When I was in junior high, there was this famous editorial cartoon in the textbook about Gerrymandering, and it had this oddly chopped up district that was shaped like a monster or a dragon. It was like this big joke that back in…
Sierra Club Offers Solar Partnership for Homeowners (Art Myatt, Sierra Club of Michigan, Aug. 11, 2015) Have you been thinking about putting solar panels on your home? Are you feeling the pressure to act soon, because the 30% federal tax credit is expiring at the end of 2016? Are you a little lost about where…
Happy’s Pizza Founder and Co-Conspirators Sentenced to Prison (FBI Press Release, July 20, 2015) A Detroit-area businessman and other co-conspirators were sentenced to prison this week for income and employment tax fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice…
Patterson Presents County Budget Recommendations, Emphasis on Buildings and Workforce (Crystal A. Proxmire, July 15, 2015) With an emphasis on buildings and on building up the workforce, County Executive L. Brooks Patterson presented a three year budget that he hopes will be adopted by the Commission. The budget also includes a reduction in property taxes.…
Hazel Park Couple’s Big Win Means Marriage Equality Across the Country (C. Proxmire, June 26, 2015) The United States Supreme Court has ruled in favor of marriage equality. In a 5-4 decision it said same sex couples have a fundamental right to marry. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion “No union is more…
Oakland County 115 Publisher Featured in Detroit News Column (compiled, June 22, 2015) For those who may have missed page 3A of The Detroit News, we’re pleased to share that columnist Laura Berman did a fantastic write up about Oakland County 115 News Editor & Publisher Crystal A. Proxmire. “She practices her profession by walking…
Detroit’s Data Guru Explores: Top Baby Names for 2014 (Kurt Metzger, orig. detroitsdataguru, June 1, 2015) NOTE: Click on tables to expand. Shakespeare’s Juliet stated…”What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Marshall McLuhan said, a little less poetically, “The name of a man is…
$2 Million in Pothole Repairs Coming Thanks to County Commission Vote (Adapted from press release, May 25, 2015) Members of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to allocate a one-time appropriation of $2 million in Fiscal Year 2015 to assist the Road Commission of Oakland County (RCOC) in purchasing road equipment. This activity…
Memorial Day Parades and Events Through Oakland County (C. Proxmire, May 20, 2015) As Memorial Day approaches people through SE Michigan prepare to honor those who have done military service. Check out the parades and events in the area: Thursday, May 21, 2015 Hazel Park Memorial Festival https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/05/19/memorial-day-festival-and-events-in-hazel-park-may-21-25/ Friday, May 22, 2015 Southfield City Hall…
Stories, Resources and Sadness Shared at Suicide Prevention Forum (Crystal A. Proxmire, May 10, 2015) People cried. And quite possibly that was the point. Opening up about suicide – whether you have lost a loved one, someone who survived an attempt, someone who has thought about it, a teacher, a counselor, a healthcare provider or…
Sales Tax, Mixed Drinks, City Charter, Schools and More in May 5 Elections (Crystal A. Proxmire, May 3, 2015) Tuesday, May 5, 2015 is Election Day and there is a state-wide proposal on the ballot as well as a handful of local initiatives. STATEWIDE SALES TAX INCREASE State-wide voters will be asked to increase the…
Springtime Means Stop Pruning Oak Trees (compiled, May 2, 2015) The experts at MSU Extension are advising people to avoid the spread of Oak Wilt by not pruning their Oak trees now that it is springtime. According to Bert Cregg, Michigan State University Extension, Departments of Horticulture and Forest: “Oak wilt is an aggressive disease…
Oakland County Touts Tech248 Success (Oakland County Press Release, April 22, 2015) Tech248 meetups attracted more than 400 technology industry professionals and students, including the founder of an Oakland County-based company who was among 50 people nationwide recently invited to the White House to talk tech. The meetups are vital to Tech248’s mission of connecting…
Countdown to Mobile Mayhem – What Google Policy Change Means (Lisa Schmidt, Legal Linguist, April 21, 2015) You’ll be seeing some changes around here in the next couple weeks. That’s because starting April 21, 2015, Google will be promoting mobile friendly websites over any others. Here’s what to expect and how to prepare. Google’s New…
Countdown to Mobile Mayhem – What Google Policy Change Means (Lisa Schmidt, Legal Linguist, April 21, 2015) You’ll be seeing some changes around here in the next couple weeks. That’s because starting April 21, 2015, Google will be promoting mobile friendly websites over any others. Here’s what to expect and how to prepare. Google’s New…
Key to Regional Transit is Eliminating Excuses, RTA CEO Says (Crystal A. Proxmire, April 4, 2015) “I should take every excuse away from you for why you don’t use the service.” That’s the plan coming from the Regional Transit Authority’s CEO Michael Ford as he and his team explore transit options that will connect communities…
NCRC#2: “The Final Test of Everything,” HUD Secretary Speaks on Fair Housing Mission (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, April 2, 2015) This is part of our series of stories from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition Conference in Washington DC from March 25-28, 2015. Learn more at www.ncrc.org. As Julian Castro grows into his role as the…
NCRC#2: “The Final Test of Everything,” HUD Secretary Speaks on Fair Housing Mission (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, April 2, 2015) This is part of our series of stories from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition Conference in Washington DC from March 25-28, 2015. Learn more at www.ncrc.org. As Julian Castro grows into his role as the…
Couples Celebrate One Year Anniversary of First Same Sex Marriages in Michigan (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 22, 2015) The most commonly mentioned memory from one year ago today was that the Oakland County Courthouse was full of love. A one-day window of opportunity gave 322 couples in Michigan the chance to legally get marriage…
Guest View: Lack of Voting, Not Registration, is the Problem (Kurt Metzger, DetroitDataGuru.com, March 17, 2015) This week marks the beginning of a voter registration drive in Oakland County. Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Brown will hold five voter registration drives throughout March in the communities of Southfield, Auburn Hills, Royal Oak, Waterford, and Farmington Hills.…