A pair of road improvement projects in two Wixom subdivisions are slated to begin this summer using the remaining funds from a voter-approved 1995 road millage. The largest project, pegged at $1.2 million, will be reconstruction and curb replacement in the Indian Springs/Indian Wells subdivision located northwest of Pontiac Trail and Beck Road, across from Walled Lake Western High School. “It is necessary because the road is failing in addition to base failures,” said Wixom [...]

After months of discussion and public debate about plans that were foggy until last week, Gov. Rick Snyder has laid out in more detail his proposals for reforming Michigan, initiatives which would overhaul the statutory revenue sharing program as well as mandating a 20-percent health care contribution by new public employees and placing those new hires on a defined contribution plan capping annual employer — read: taxpayer — contributions at 10 percent of that employee’s [...]

Now that a slew of felony and misdemeanor charges have been filed in what many are dubbing a political conspiracy on the part of former Oakland County Democratic Party officials, Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson has announced two proposals she is backing to “allow all Michigan citizens to follow the money and see who is behind a new political party.” “We need to make sure the people and political parties we see on the [...]

Significant changes to Michigan’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program take effect today, Wednesday, March 30. Under the new law, teenage drivers with a Level 2 license must comply with new driving restrictions, including a new cap on nighttime driving hours and limits on the number of passengers transported in a vehicle. “We’re very much in support of this law,” said AAA of Michigan Spokesperson Nancy Cain. “We imposed graduated licensing laws in the 1990s and [...]

Oakland County’s successful, decades-long battle to reduce traffic fatalities was underscored at the Michigan Traffic Safety Summit on Friday, March 25. Officials from the Traffic Improvement Association (TIA) and Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) pointed out that the county currently has one of the lowest traffic fatality rates in the world for an area of its size and population. The statewide conference is a meeting of the minds for law enforcement, traffic engineers, government [...]

If you’re wondering if your water consumption habits are eco-friendly or how your daily actions can affect Michigan’s water quality and what you can do to improve it, you can now find out by visiting miwaterstewardship.org, a new interactive website aimed at encouraging Michigan residents to take voluntary, proactive steps to protect Michigan’s water quality. The site was launched earlier this month by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Eaton Conservation [...]

The Oakland County Board of Commissioners has given authority to Chairman Michael Gingell (R-Lake Orion) to appoint an ad hoc committee to study government online transparency and potentially come up with recommendations for the county board. Commissioner Tom Middleton (R-Waterford), Commissioner David Potts (R-Birmingham) and Commissioner Tim Greimel (D-Auburn Hills) are expected to serve on the committee. Middleton said yesterday, Tuesday, March 29 that people from County Executive L. Brooks Patterson’s office, as well as [...]

A West Bloomfield police officer has been placed on administrative leave after he was arraigned in 48th District Court Tuesday, March 29 on two felony counts for allegedly attempting to solicit money. According to West Bloomfield Police Chief Michael Patton, the officer was charged with a common law offense for misconduct in office and conspiracy. The officer, 38, remains on the force roster as part of due process. Patton said the officer, who has spent [...]

A man apparently drowned in a hot tub at a Walled Lake residence on Wednesday, March 23. Dana Rounds, a 50-year-old Farmington Hills resident, was discovered by his long-time friend who owns the home in the 170 block of Spring Park. According to police reports, Rounds’ friend stated the two of them hadn’t seen each other in 10 years and reconnected the night before the incident. They shared a bottle of Jim Beam and decided [...]

Waterford police have found two possible suspects in the Thursday, March 17 hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a 29-year-old Commerce Township man. Garrett Gresh was apparently walking on Cass Elizabeth Road near Iroquois Avenue around 10:30 p.m. when he was struck by what police now believe is a blue 2009 Saturn Aura they located on Friday, March 18 in a garage in the 5500 block of Ashby Court in Waterford Township. A person [...]