First it was the peace of our homes that was disturbed by an invasion of unwanted commercial telephone calls by companies marketing their products and services. The same kind of intrusion soon targeted our cellular telephones. Then there were those bothersome, unsolicited e-mails that started peppering our accounts. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that now, quick on the heels of the emergence and prominence of text messaging in our daily lives, [...]

Over the years we’ve heard the call over and over again from various voices, most notably from those within the Republican Party: The state, particularly the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), owns enough land already and shouldn’t be spending any more money to buy additional parcels. We admit we’ve never been too keen on that idea. However, as outlined in a bill that’s already cleared the state Senate and is now before the Michigan House [...]

It seems we were in agreement with all but one member of the state House of Representatives when the lower chamber voted 106-1 to pass legislation that would designate Sept. 11 to Sept. 17 — Constitution Day — of every year as Patriot Week in the state of Michigan. And now that the state House has done its work on House Bill (HB) 4464, we urge the state Senate to put the measure sponsored by [...]

Last month, Oakland County officials — including Treasurer Andy Meisner and Corporation Counsel Judy Cunningham — announced that they had initiated a lawsuit against Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two of the mortgage giants that have taken significant criticism for their role in the cataclysmic downfall of the American housing market, which helped trigger the nation’s economic collapse. At issue are unpaid taxes amounting to an estimated $1.6 million, the county alleges, that the two [...]

Quake on the Lake, the annual hydroplane racing and family entertainment extravaganza held at Pontiac Lake in White Lake and Waterford townships, comes roaring back into town this Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17. The event is packed with attractions for young and old alike — everything from the boat races to musical entertainment; food vendors; new road vehicles and watercraft displays; classic cars and hot rods; and a Family Fun Zone. But the [...]

The eco-friendly folks living in and visiting the village of Milford in the coming months will be able to charge their electric vehicles at one of six new charging stations slated to be installed by the fall. Not only is the effort good for those already owning electric vehicles, but it could help prompt other communities to consider such a move and perhaps even spur area residents to weigh the purchase of such a vehicle [...]

When we caught wind of a new legislative package that would prevent local units of government from enacting minimum staffing requirements, we were ready to cue up the traditional anti-Lansing rant about letting local officials make important management decisions for themselves, and throw in some curses against state lawmakers for yet another unnecessary swipe at organized labor/collective bargaining. However, upon review and reflection, the recently introduced Senate bills would actually liberate local officials by ensuring [...]

Using a unique method that will allow students to learn directly from someone in China, the Huron Valley School District will begin offering a two-year Mandarin Chinese program as a foreign language option for students at Huron Valley Milford and Lakeland high schools. Because of the tectonic shifts that have occurred in the global economy in recent years — making China a critical actor in the international economic, business, and political arena — the district [...]

In a 1963 speech, the novelist Ralph Ellison once said, “Education is all a matter of building bridges, it seems to me.” It seems that way to us, too, as 13 Republicans and Democrats will work throughout the summer on possible education reforms that may be coming up for consideration as soon as this fall. In no small part because of the political — and far too often partisan — back-and-forth that has been germinated [...]

Kudos to the group of people who procured a 7-foot metal sculpture for public display in Walled Lake and paired it with a newly planted field of sunflowers in a green cultural initiative. The person who spearheaded the endeavor has a greater vision for an eco-friendly cultural effort. It’s an exciting project that we’re anxious to see evolve, and one we’d like to see imitated in other lakes area communities. Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Urban [...]