“I’ll speak to you, and you to me, together, in praise.” from the poem “Goodbye, Tuscaloosa,” by Eliot Khalil Wilson and Paul Guest I was going to write a blog about President Obama’s release of his so-called “long form” birth certificate today – I’m still not quite sure what differentiates that from what was released in 2008, particularly since both prove that he was born in the United States and is, therefore, eligible for the [...]

Almost one year after a statewide ban on smoking in public places officially took effect, the prohibition has shown to have affected restaurants and bars across the lakes area in different manners. Under the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke Free Air Act, smoking and the use of all other tobacco products — including non-cigarette tobacco and smokeless tobacco — is prohibited in all public places and food service establishments throughout the state. Besides protecting patrons from [...]

A recall petition targeting West Bloomfield Township Trustee Larry Brown has been dismissed by the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Office after no signatures were turned into the office by the Monday, April 25 deadline. Recall petition language was submitted by township resident Ray Jarjis Kasmikha last June and approved by county officials last October. After that approval, Kasmikha was given a deadline of 180 days to circulate recall petitions and gather 7,251 registered voter [...]

The Commerce Township Fire Department is looking to residents to bolster the ranks of paid-on-call firefighters before summer training sessions. Fire Chief Joe Schornack said he is beginning a recruitment process for residents interested in one of the positions, which requires a self-motivated individual able to dedicate time to training with the department. It’s not a job for a lot of people, Schornack said, because of the time commitment required during a probationary period.   “The [...]

Plans are in the works for the city of Wixom to lease the Gibson House, a historic landmark, to an entrepreneur who plans to turn it into a venue for weddings and similar events. The farmhouse is located on the south side of Pontiac Trail, west of Old Wixom Road. Kim Russo, owner of The Gathering Place Milford Banquet Center, and who also leases St. Mary’s Old Stone Church in Milford for similar functions, bridged [...]

The Wolverine Lake Village Council has opted to put lake patrol duties back into the hands of the village’s own police department. Last year, the village contracted with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Marine Division, mainly due to an estimated $10,000 cost the village would have had to pony up for a new engine for its marine patrol boat. Since that time, however, the projected cost to repair the village’s patrol boat has decreased. The [...]

After a public hearing held on Monday, April 25, the Waterford Township Board of Trustees approved the township’s 2011-12 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations via resolution. The CDBG program, administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides funds to benefit low- and moderate-income residents to renovate older housing, revitalize neighborhoods, provide human services, and rebuild community infrastructure. No more than 20 percent of a community’s given program year allocation can [...]

Walled Lake City Councilman and former Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Board Chairman Casey Ambrose will be resuming a role on the DDA board. “I’ve only missed a handful of meetings since I left the board, but have been included in discussions,” Ambrose said. “It’s nice to be back among my comrades to move the business environment forward along with the city.” Former DDA Board Chairman Bill Sturgeon recently stepped down from that position after he [...]

Carolyn Belaen, Robert Hoffman, and Brian Howe will face off in a Tuesday, May 3 special Republican primary election scheduled to fill former 2nd District Commissioner Bill Bullard, Jr.’s county board seat. Bullard’s seat was vacated when he was appointed to serve as the county’s clerk/register of deeds following Ruth Johnson’s election as Michigan secretary of state in November 2010. The winner of the May 3 GOP primary race will face Democrat Mark Venie in [...]

In a move expected to save hundreds of thousands of dollars, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners has approved the sale of the West Oakland Office Building located at 1010 E. West Maple Road in Walled Lake to McDonald’s Corporation in a 15-10 party-line vote. The 17,000-square-foot, single-story building, for which McDonald’s Corporation is paying $675,000, is situated on 1.64 acres of land and has been owned by Oakland County since 1980. The county expects [...]