Between the recession, rising fuel costs, and the trepidation over potential terrorism, the civil aviation industry has realized significant declines in takeoffs and landings over the last decade, and the Oakland County International Airport (OCIA) in Waterford Township is no exception. According to airport tower control statistics, takeoffs and landings at Oakland International began trending downward beginning in 2000 and fell abysmally in 2001, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Center [...]

The Oakland County Board of Road Commissioners has voted to implement the federal E-Verify Program that allows employers to verify that employees are eligible to work in the United States. The board approved the measure at its Dec. 16 meeting, in keeping with the Oakland County general government’s procurement policy. “The E-Verify Program is not mandatory,” said Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) Spokesperson Craig Bryson. “However, it came to the attention of RCOC board [...]

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) released a pair of reports last week week showing it’s making great strides toward freeing itself from the shackles of fossil fuels. The first report indicates that the state’s electric utilities are moving toward the goal of meeting a standard of 10 percent renewable energy use by 2015. “The state’s utilities are taking steps to build wind farms, promote solar energy and net metering and purchase renewable energy credits,” [...]

The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) has a new operating board for the coming year, but not everyone is happy about how the county’s newest road commissioner was appointed. At its Wednesday, Jan. 5 meeting, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners appointed Ronald Fowkes as the newest member of the Oakland County Board of Road Commissioners. Eric Wilson is serve as chairman of the road board, and Greg Jamian will serve as vice-chairman. Wilson [...]

In the first game back since the holiday break, Huron Valley Milford fell to Howell, 54-45, on Saturday, Jan. 8 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) West Division opener for both teams. Milford stumbled out of the gate and trailed 27-10 at halftime. “We had a slow start, turning the ball over 8 times in the first quarter and we had 15 turnovers by halftime,” said Milford Head [...]

Huron Valley Milford has the defense and the rebounding to win, but now the Mavericks just need to find ways to score. That was the message from Milford Head Coach Chip Lutz after his Mavericks fell to Howell, 47-34, on Saturday, Jan. 8 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) West Division opener for both teams. “Defensively, we played great and we rebounded well. I felt our kids played [...]

A careless smoker who didn’t ash correctly before falling asleep ended up scorching his Commerce Township home last week. According to Commerce Township Fire Chief Joe Schornack, just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 4, a resident of the 1000 block of West Oakley Park Road called the fire department for help controlling a fire. The resident apparently had fallen asleep while smoking and a bit of ash fell between a mattress and a wall. [...]

Milford police have assisted Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Highland Substation deputies in responding to a potential third-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC) case involving a 16-year-old girl. Authorities were called to a residence on River Oaks Drive on Dec. 31 after two 16-year-old girls were dropped off there. One of the girls’ parents stated the girls were in a highly-intoxicated state when they were dropped off. One of the girls is a Milford resident who allegedly [...]

Oakland County Sheriff’s Department deputies are looking for a man who robbed a woman at gunpoint near a bank ATM during the evening of Saturday, Jan. 8. According to an Oakland County Sheriff’s Department report, a woman was approached by a man who pulled a handgun and demanded she withdraw all of her money from an ATM at a Chase Bank branch located in the 2800 block of Union Lake Road. The woman gave the [...]

From Mark J. Smith, Waterford Township: Are you kidding me? The RCOC (Road Commission for Oakland County) is giving out salary increases in the midst of one of the biggest recessions in history? Every community, city, county and state is faced with huge decreases in tax income, and the RCOC agreed to wage increases? These people need to give up wages and be glad they even have a job. To me, this is typical of [...]