Advertiser Times

Published May 5, 2015

Michigan roads are a disaster. That’s no surprise, as residents in C & G Newspapers’ coverage area have voiced their concerns about the dilapidated roads and growing potholes.

Voters were asked to decide on a proposal to amend the Michigan Constitution, increasing the sales/use tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. And on May 5, 80 percent of voters turned down Proposal 1, 1,405,716 votes to 349,813 votes, according to the state of Michigan’s unofficial election results.

Published May 5, 2015

Detroit Jazz Festival strikes the right chord with famed guitarist Pat Metheny

DETROIT — The Detroit Jazz Festival has been attracting some of the top jazz players in the world for years, but the 36th annual festival scored a particular coup this year with artist-in-residence Pat Metheny.

The jazz guitarist and composer, who has won 20 Grammy Awards and has sold more than 20 million records, will be performing with a number of other jazz greats — including Kenny Garrett, Ron Carter and the Gary Burton Quartet — during the festival, which takes place over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-7, in downtown Detroit.

Published May 4, 2015

Stamping out hunger

MACOMB COUNTY —
Last year’s magic number was 300,000.

That was approximately how many pounds of food Macomb County residents donated during the National Association of Letter Carriers and U.S. Postal Service “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive held in 2014.

Macomb Food Program coordinator Linda Azar said the donations fed more than 140,000 Macomb County residents and that without the Postal Service’s food drive, “I don’t know what we would do.”

Published May 4, 2015

Intruder dies in shootout on Liberal Avenue

An armed suspect was fatally shot after midnight May 4 during a gunfight with the owner of a home in the 14900 block of Liberal Avenue.

Published May 4, 2015

Motorcycles require extra attention in traffic

Warmer weather means it’s more likely for bikers to take their prized possessions for a ride on Michigan’s roads. And that means everyone on the road needs to be cautious, whether on two wheels or four.

AAA Michigan Public Affairs Director Susan Hiltz said drivers should never tailgate a motorcycle or abruptly change lanes in front of one.

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Published April 30, 2015

Legislature considers changing no-fault system

Michigan’s no-fault insurance law, which has existed for around four decades, could face significant changes if the state Legislature and Gov. Rick Snyder pass through pending legislation, according to activists on both side of the debate.

Senate Bill 248 passed the Senate April 16, and a state House version passed in a House committee April 23. A full House vote is expected to take place soon.

Published April 30, 2015

U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on marriage equality

The eyes of the nation were on the U.S. Supreme Court on April 28 as it heard arguments for and against same-sex marriage. The cases were brought forth by Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.

The first issue, directly involving Michigan, is whether it’s constitutional to deny same-sex couples the right to marry. The other issue is whether all states must recognize same-sex marriages conducted in other states.

Published April 29, 2015

When it comes to decorative art, the writing is on the wall

Walking into a home without wall art would be almost as jarring as stepping inside an observatory and seeing no telescopes, or eating at a Mexican restaurant and not being served chips and salsa.

People sense the ambiance when standing inside a building. And no matter what the setting is or what is taking place in that particular environment, people often expect to see aesthetically pleasing and visually stimulating art.

Published April 29, 2015

From the heart: Grad gifts mean more when they have a personal touch

It’s so easy to honor a new graduate’s accomplishment with a gift card, a fancy tech device or even just some cash tucked into an envelope.

But there are other gifts you can give that student starting a new chapter in his or her life that involve a bit more thought and creativity. Those gifts, of course, mean so much more than their monetary value.

Published April 29, 2015

Local defense industry recalls ‘Arsenal of Democracy’

METRO DETROIT — As artillery and troops traveled overseas to fight in World War II, metro Detroiters who remained at home stayed productive by making the equipment needed to defeat the Axis powers.

Ron Lamparter, who owns the Defense Corridor Center for Collaboration and Synergy in Sterling Heights, said dozens of books and tens of thousands of pages have been written about Detroit’s role as the “Arsenal of Democracy” in World War II.

Published April 29, 2015

The women who won the war

METRO DETROIT — Not every American who fought for victory during World War II wore a uniform on foreign shores.

You won’t find their tales often in history books, but rather in journals and family photo albums.

The work done and sacrifices made by women during the war are heroic in their own right, though those ladies aren’t always given the full credit they’re due.

Published April 28, 2015

The end and the beginning

METRO DETROIT — The most destructive war ever fought in Europe ended on May 8, 1945. That point in time will forever be known to history as V-E Day.

For those who lived through the war, it was both the end and the beginning.

Gone forever were millions of lives. Millions more were left grieving, homeless and hungry, struggling to pick up the pieces of their shattered world. Towns that had stood for centuries were obliterated. It was a cataclysm never before seen, the end result of maniacal nationalism and industrialized war.

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Published April 27, 2015

Detroit Zoo crowdfunds to harness energy from poop

ROYAL OAK — The Detroit Zoological Society is seeking $55,000 through online donations to construct a “biodigester,” a device that would collect the methane from animal waste and turn it into electricity.

The money is part of the final effort needed to construct the digester, Detroit Zoo Chief Operating Officer Gerry Van Acker said. The zoo already has raised $900,000.

Published April 27, 2015

List of intersection accident data released

Several of Michigan’s traffic intersections with the most total accidents or related injuries or deaths in 2014 were found in Oakland and Macomb counties, according to top 10 lists recently compiled by a law firm.

Using data from the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit, the Michigan Auto Law firm’s website posted in March that the Michigan intersection with the most accidents last year was South State Road at West Ellsworth Road in Ann Arbor, with 170 accidents.

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Published April 22, 2015

Michigan International Women’s Show celebrates 20 years

NOVI — Men, you might as well look away now.

There will be a lot to see and do during the 20th annual Michigan International Women’s Show from April 30-May 3 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

“It has definitely grown,” Beth Anderson, executive show manager of Southern Shows, said. “It has changed, and we hope that everyone enjoys it as much today as they did 20 years ago when it first started at the Novi Expo Center.”

Published April 21, 2015

Jazz pros, students to celebrate music of past and present at April 30 concert

DETROIT — Local leading jazz musicians will be sharing a famous stage with some aspiring jazz greats of tomorrow when the University Liggett School Jazz Band opens for the Scott Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra on April 30 at the Music Hall Jazz Café.

Published April 20, 2015

Don’t be behind the curve on roundabouts

With the right frame of mind, drivers navigating a roundabout in metro Detroit can turn going in circles into a positive experience, according to road and driving safety representatives.

Construction recently began on an upcoming roundabout at 14 Mile Road at Orchard Lake Road at the border of West Bloomfield and Farmington Hills, according to Craig Bryson, spokesman for the Road Commission for Oakland County. The RCOC expects the project to be finished this autumn.

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Published April 17, 2015

C & G Newspapers staff writer wins prestigious fellowship

C & G Newspapers Staff Writer Kevin Bunch is one of 10 journalists nationwide selected for the University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting’s 17th annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists. Bunch writes about Eastpointe and Roseville for the Eastsider, and he has carved out a niche as C & G Newspapers’ science writer.

Published April 17, 2015

C & G Newspapers staff wins seven awards

Five members of the C & G Newspapers team took home awards at the Society of Professional Journalists Detroit Chapter’s annual Excellence in Journalism competition at the San Marino Club in Troy on April 15. The awards recognized work from 2014.

Published April 15, 2015

As Earth Day nears, experts discuss new trends in camping technology and conservation

METRO DETROIT — Ain’t progress grand? Our phones rarely keep us tethered to the wall anymore. Thanks to email, our messages are as fast as lightning and don’t require a stamp. With MP3 players, we don’t have to wait for the radio disc jockey to play our favorite tune.

With so many changes in our everyday lives, it only makes sense that other activities we’re used to — like camping — would evolve with the times, too.