C&G Newspapers

Tiffany Esshaki

C&G Staff Reporter – Birmingham Bloomfield Eagle

Staff Writer Tiffany Esshaki covers Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield Township as well as Oakland County Parks and Recreation and Oakland County Animal Control and Pet Adoption Center. Esshaki has worked for C & G Newspapers since 2011 and attended the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Oakland Community College. She’s the recipient of several awards from the Michigan Press Association and the Detroit chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Published January 10, 2012

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Crime stats in Birmingham see slight increase

BIRMINGHAM — Just short of the release of the annual crime report for 2011, the Birmingham Police Department says that crime has increased in the city — but just barely.

According to Cmdr. Terry Kiernan, as of Dec. 1, 2011, Part A crimes had increased 1.737 percent from 2010. Part A crimes are described as robberies, burglaries, larcenies, fraud, computer crimes, vandalism and damage to property, and retail fraud. Those incidents went up from 748 in 2010 to 761 as of late 2011.

Published January 4, 2012

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Birmingham Public Schools district earns high honors

BIRMINGHAM — The Birmingham Public Schools district as a whole can now boast an impressive new accreditation, in addition to the individual honors the schools have previously earned.

AdvancED, the world’s largest educational community and accreditation organization, sent a team of eight educators to Birmingham Dec. 11-14 for a Quality Assurance Review, and the team recommended the district for full accreditation status. This is the first time the district has sought such an evaluation for the entire district.

Published January 4, 2012

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

City, police reach agreement for new contract

BIRMINGHAM — December brought much more than the holiday season for the city of Birmingham and its police officers. Early in the month, the Police Officers Association arrived at a new collective bargaining agreement that will last through June of 2013.

Assistant City Manager Joseph Valentine said the arbitration, which was settled within one day, is a win-win for the city and the union.

“I think it’s a victory for both parties. As much as it helps the city in controlling city costs, it helps the police officers going forward.”

Published January 4, 2012

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Shoppers make season bright for retailers

BIRMINGHAM — Those weren’t just jingle bells you heard last month. According to many retailers in Birmingham, that ringing was the sound of cash registers in the midst of a bountiful holiday shopping season.

John Heiney, executive director of the Principal Shopping District, said several merchants he’s spoken with over the past few weeks have reported good holiday sales. In fact, most told Heiney that they expect to exceed last year’s totals.

Published December 30, 2011

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Shoppers make season bright for local retailers

Those weren’t just jingle bells you heard last month. According to many retailers in Birmingham, that ringing was the sound of cash registers in the midst of a bountiful holiday shopping season.

Frank Caruso, owner of Caruso Caruso, said he was one of the fortunate ones who saw an increase in sales this season.

Published December 23, 2011

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

New science exhibit draws crowds to Cranbrook

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — If you’re looking to get the kids off the couch while they’re home from school this holiday break, head over to Cranbrook Institute of Science. The museum is hosting a new exhibit called “Life on Earth!” featuring “Explore Evolution,” where visitors can learn about biodiversity through the ages.

The purpose behind the exhibit, according to geologist and paleontologist John Zawiskie, is to show people the beauty of diversity in nature and how the impact of human activity could be putting that beauty at risk.

Published December 23, 2011

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Fitness classes provide alternative to treadmill, weights

With the new year on the horizon, local gyms and fitness centers will undoubtedly see an increase in use as people try to achieve New Year’s resolutions of varying weight loss and fitness goals.

An increasing number of fitness alternatives are combining cardio and toning aspects, and many fitness centers are offering a variety of group fitness classes ranging from Zumba and spinning to kickboxing and water aerobics.

Published December 22, 2011

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Grinches steal signs of the season

Sarah Donovan is in the Christmas spirit. She decorated the outside of her home for the holiday. She even put a 3-foot-tall plastic Santa Claus on her front porch. Unfortunately, the Grinch has been trolling the neighborhood.

“I got home from a Christmas party around 10 p.m. and I went to the neighbor’s house to check on their dog. Santa was there when I left, and when I came back he was gone,” said Donovan.

Published December 20, 2011

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Birmingham bank robbed

The Flagstar Bank at 35238 Woodward Ave. was robbed the morning of Dec. 20, according to Birmingham police.

The suspect entered the bank at about 9:35 a.m. without a visible weapon.

The suspect, who fled the scene on foot, is described as a white man, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 160 pounds, and wearing a dark-colored jacket, blue jeans and a brown baseball cap. Police believe he may be connected with other bank robberies in Birmingham, Ferndale and Clinton Township.

Birmingham police are working with the FBI on the investigation.