Mount Clemens - Clinton - Harrison Journal

Published July 28, 2015

Michigan Senior Olympics kicks off summer games Aug. 7

ROCHESTER — The Michigan Senior Olympics is celebrating its 36th anniversary this year and invites the public to an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Aug. 7 in Rochester Municipal Park.

The free event will include a torch lighting ceremony at 6 p.m., free ice cream, face painters, balloon artists, music, mini-olympics for children and more.

“We want people to know that we are here in the Oakland County area, so we are just trying to spread the word and make it a fun event,” said MSO Executive Director Becky Ridkey.

Published July 28, 2015

Don’t lose sight of your driving view

“Keep your eyes on the road” is a maxim so common that it has become a cliché, but fewer things have been said about clearing away objects that can obstruct a driver’s vision of the road.

Gary Bubar, public affairs specialist from AAA Michigan, said state law forbids people from obstructing the windshield’s field of view.

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Published July 26, 2015

Mount Clemens library celebrates 150th birthday

MOUNT CLEMENS — Led by Professor Silas Wood, the Mount Clemens Public Library opened up to the public on the third floor of the old Union School in 1865.

That room, in a building that later became the Alexander Macomb Learning Center and is now the home of St. Mary Catholic School on Union Street, quickly became too small for the popular library. The inventory was relocated to the basement of the then courthouse, which is today the Old Macomb County Administration Building, and the very first librarian was hired.

Published July 25, 2015

Mount Clemens showcased during investment tour

MOUNT CLEMENS — Approximately 30 potential investors visited Mount Clemens on July 15 to get an idea of what can become of the once booming metropolis.

The Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development joined forces with city leaders and the Mount Clemens Downtown Development Authority to host this first-of-its-kind tour of more than two dozen properties available in the downtown.

Published July 24, 2015

Aquapalooza kicks off 4th year at Belle Maer

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The only local concert on the water is happening on Lake St. Clair this weekend.

Aquapalooza, now in its fourth year at Belle Maer Harbor in Harrison Township, will feature eight local and national bands who will perform for two days, July 25-26.

Belle Maer general manager Eric Foster said July 24 — the day of a private concert for marina members — that there has been much more “buzz” surrounding the event than ever before.

Published July 22, 2015

State eliminates February elections

METRO DETROIT — Gov. Rick Snyder signed six bills June 29 amending Michigan’s election law to eliminate February elections, which supporters say will save taxpayers money.

Prior to the amendment, elections could be held on four dates in a year, which included the fourth Tuesday in February.

Published July 22, 2015

Sheriffs remind boaters to practice safety while on the water

METRO DETROIT — Summer is officially in full swing, and local boaters from around southeast Michigan are hitting the “busiest freshwater lake in the world” and its myriad connecting rivers, canals and streams for some outdoor water fun.

But remember to stay safe and follow the rules — and laws — of the water.

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said his Marine Division conducts state-approved boater safety courses several months before the start of Michigan’s boating season in April.

Published July 22, 2015

There’s a fungus among us

METRO DETROIT — Things were going so well.

You started your seeds on time indoors or had luck finding gorgeous heirloom plants at the local greenhouse. Everything went into the ground on schedule, and the plants really took off when the weather turned from late spring to early summer.

But now the leaves of your once-lush cucumbers are yellow and brown. Your zucchini is turning to dust. Your cabbage and broccoli plants look like Swiss cheese.

Published July 22, 2015

Drink in summer memories

METRO DETROIT — It doesn’t take many ingredients to mix up a perfect summer evening: balmy air, a few friends and some refreshing drinks to sip on as the sun sets.

Published July 21, 2015

Birmingham native wins Miss Oakland County title

BIRMINGHAM — Seaholm High school alumna Kaitlyn Krizanic has competed in a whopping 15 pageants. She never took home a title until she entered the one contest that mattered to her the most.

“I’m Birmingham born and raised,” said the newly crowned Miss Oakland County. “This is where my heart lies.”

Published July 21, 2015

Remembering the ‘Capitol Crawl’

METRO DETROIT — This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990.

It might seem like common sense to ensure that people with disabilities have access to businesses, employment, transportation, government facilities and other everyday amenities. But making that common sense the law of the land was a long, uphill battle. Or, if you ask political advocate Elizabeth Bauer, who joined the fight for the ADA, it was more of an uphill crawl.

Published July 20, 2015

Concours d’Elegance celebrates over a century of rides

From hearses dating back to the 1890s to the luxury cars of today, a full sampling of vehicular history will be presented to the public at the upcoming 37th annual Concours d’Elegance of America on July 26.

The Concours d’Elegance, which used to be held at Meadow Brook Hall at Oakland University, is now located at the Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth.

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Published July 17, 2015

Hospice of Michigan to hold day camp for grieving children

METRO DETROIT — Grieving the loss of a loved one can be a lonely experience, but it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes connecting with others who have also experienced a loss can aid in the healing process.

That’s the idea behind Camp Good Grief, a free one-day camp for children who have lost someone near to them. Run by Hospice of Michigan, this year’s camp will be held Friday, Aug. 28, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at YMCA Camp Ohiyesa, 7300 Hickory Ridge Road in Holly. The camp is for kids ages 8-17.

Published July 16, 2015

Mount Clemens school board votes against renewing superintendent’s contract

MOUNT CLEMENS — In a 4-3 vote on July 6, the Mount Clemens Community Schools Board of Education did not renew Superintendent Deborah Wahlstrom’s contract.

The vote came following Wahlstrom’s 2 1/2 years of work in the district, work that resulted in a reduction in the district’s budget deficit from $4.8 million to $2 million.

Published July 15, 2015

S.S. Columbia Project seeks memories of Boblo boat

METRO DETROIT — Although the S.S. Columbia no longer calls River Rouge home, her legacy remains.

Built in 1902, the steamboat sits at a remarkable 216 feet long and 60 feet wide, and is powered by a 1,200-horsepower, triple-expansion steam engine.

She was designed to carry more than 3,000 passengers.

The S.S. Columbia transported hundreds of thousands of people from Detroit to Boblo Island from the time of her birth until the death of the amusement park in the early 1990s.

Published July 15, 2015

Put fun on your bucket list this summer with Oakland parks

A bucket list is typically defined as a list of experiences or goals one hopes to accomplish in their lifetime.

Oakland County Parks and Recreation is scaling that theme down a bit with its new bucket list: a number of activities that county residents should take advantage of outside at local parks before the warmth of summer falls away.

Published July 15, 2015

Mom-to-mom sales offer great deals— if you know what to look for

METRO DETROIT — No two parenting styles are alike. You’ve got your helicopter parents, your attachment parents, your free-range parents — the options are seemingly endless.

But one thing most moms and dads can agree on is that raising a kid ain’t cheap. Learning how to save a few bucks can become an important component of everyday life.

Published July 15, 2015

Senior Brigade warns about home repair scams

METRO DETROIT — ’Tis the season for summer and fall home repairs.

But as homeowners work rapidly to complete projects before the winter months, scam contractors might slip right under their noses.

Published July 15, 2015

Community GiveBack contest provides for others

METRO DETROIT — Leslie McMahon has always had a connection to law enforcement.

Her late father, Arthur Dickinson, was an associate member of the Fraternal Order of Police No. 130 in Ferndale, and her late grandfather, E. Parker Dickinson, was a reserve officer in downtown Detroit.

So it’s fitting that McMahon is the president of the Professional Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) Foundation, a nonprofit organization that donates equipment and training to law enforcement professionals, including K-9 officers.

Published July 13, 2015

Summer clearance season can serve up hot dealership deals

Following the course of the calendar, local dealerships’ summer clearance season typically marks the transition of “out with the old, in with the new” as far as vehicle models are concerned.

According to some local auto dealers, many dealerships start trying to move the current model year’s inventory in the summer in order to make room for the next year’s model. In this case, that means selling off the 2015 models in anticipation of the arrival of 2016 ones.

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