Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Marketplace Fairness Act was approved this week in the U.S. Senate, and is headed to the Republican-controlled U.S. House for consideration. Both Michigan's senators voted for the bill, which would require merchants to collect state taxes on internet
Michigan's U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both Democrats, voted in support of a bill that requires merchants to collect state sales taxes for online purchases. The Marketplace Fairness Act passed the U.S. Senate 69-27 on Monday. Next up, the legislation goes to the GOP-led House. President Barack Obama has previously said he supports the bill. Supporters say the bill would level the paying field for traditional local retailers and collect much needed tax revenue for state. Opponents, including anti-tax activists and retailers, say it will be overly burdensome on small businesses and would effectively result in a tax increase. Neither Levin nor Stabenow issued public statements after Monday's vote explaining their support of the…
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Scott Welborn, a Troy resident, was one of six candidates running for one partial term as mayor in the Tuesday, May 7, special election.
Ferndale High School social studies teacher Scott Welborn was defeated Tuesday in his bid to be the next mayor Troy. Troy Patch reported that with 19 of 19 precincts reporting unofficial results Tuesday night, Dane Slater won the race. The vote tally was as follows, according to Troy Patch. Welborn, who began teaching in 1993 and joined Ferndale High School in 2001, told the League of Women Voters Troy Area in April that his education experience could help him unify a city as diverse as Troy. "I teach in a very diverse school at Ferndale High School," the married Troy father of two said. "I know what it’s like to be poor. I’ve seen a destitute situation and realized that education was a good way to get out of that situation."
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Scott Welborn, a Troy resident, is one of six candidates running for one partial term as mayor in the Tuesday, May 7, special election.
Ferndale High School social studies teacher Scott Welborn will be on the ballot Tuesday when voters in Troy select a new mayor. Welborn, a Troy resident, is one of six candidates running for one partial term in the May 7 special election. Incumbent Mayor Dane Slater, who was appointed Nov. 26 following the Nov. 7 ouster of former Mayor Janice Daniels, is among the candidates vying to serve the term that expires Nov. 9, 2015. The other candidates include former state Rep. Marty Knollenberg, David Elsas, Jon Desjardins and Faris Alami. Welborn, who began teaching in 1993 and joined Ferndale High School in 2001, told the League of Women Voters Troy Area in April that his education experience could help him unify a city as diverse as Troy. "I …
Monday, May 6, 2013
Work will begin Monday, May 6, to remove all public street lights between Livernois and Pinecrest as part of the reconstruction project along West Nine Mile Road in Ferndale.
The Ferndale Downtown Development Authority will hold a community open house Monday, May 6, for people who want to find out more about the "How the West was One" reconstruction project along West Nine Mile Road. [Read: 6 Facts About West Nine Mile Road Reconstruction] The open house will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Ferndale DDA office located at 149 W. Nine Mile Road. Work also will begin Monday to remove all public street lights between Livernois and Pinecrest. "Learn how you can help make your business, home and community walkways glow in the dark during construction!" the DDA website says of the open house. Visit downtownferndale.com for more information.
Find out what you need to know to survive "How the West was One" and remember: All businesses will remain open during the project.
Here are some tips from the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority on the nearly $1.9 million "How the West was One" reconstruction project along West Nine Mile Road. [Do you have a question about the project? Leave a comment!] Visit downtownferndale.com for more information.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
A ceremonial groundbreaking was held Wednesday evening; major work on West Nine Mile Road is not scheduled to begin until May 13.
The mood was ebullient Wednesday as Ferndale officially broke ground on the nearly $1.9 million "How the West was One" reconstruction project along West Nine Mile Road. [Click here to learn more about "How the West was One!"] Wild West-style music played in the background as dozens of community members, government officials – some sporting requisite hard hats – and business owners gathered at 918 W. Nine Mile Road to sign in and mingle before strolling to Livernois for the ceremonial groundbreaking. Major construction work is not scheduled to begin until May 13; the project will last for approximately seven months. Upon check-in Wednesday, business owners received a "Gold Rush Survival Kit" with tips from the Downtown Development Authority…
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The 14th District Congressman says voices 'from every corner of Michigan' encouraged him to run for retiring Sen. Carl Levin's seat.
With a nod to retiring U.S. Senator Carl Levin, 14th District Congressman Gary Peters announced in a Wednesday morning email to supporters that he will run for Levin's seat. Praising Levin as "the best of what it means to be a true public servant," Peters said that supporters around the state asked him to consider running for the senior Senator's seat. "Following Carl’s decision, I have been humbled by the voices from every corner of Michigan who have enthusiastically encouraged me to run for the U.S. Senate," he wrote. "This is a critical time for Michigan, and our main streets and middle class need an independent voice fighting for them." He said his independent approach "is exactly what Michigan needs in the Senate right now." …
The public is invited to attend a "How the West was One" groundbreaking ceremony and community roundup from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 1.
The public is invited to attend a groundbreaking ceremony and community roundup Wednesday, May 1, for the reconstruction of West Nine Mile Road in downtown Ferndale. [Do you have questions about the project? Leave a comment!] The event kicks off the $1.8 million project dubbed "How the West was One" that will bring the following improvements to the stretch of roadway between Livernois and Pinecrest. "Completed, the west end of West Nine Mile Road will parallel the streetscape east to Woodward in look, feel and economic viability," a Ferndale Downtown Development Authority press release says. "Multiple sources will fund the project led by the City of Ferndale’s match to (a Michigan Department of Transportation) Traffic Enhancement (TE) …
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
"I'm very optimistic about our future, and there's a lot of things I want to continue working on," he says Tuesday.
Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter announced Tuesday on Facebook that he plans to seek re-election in November. Coulter was appointed mayor in January 2011 after former mayor Craig Covey was elected to represent the 25th District on the Oakland County Commission, a seat Coulter had held. Coulter won the November mayoral election that year with nearly 85 percent of the vote. Readers on the Ferndale Patch Facebook page expressed enthusiasm about Coulter's re-election bid Tuesday. "I'm very optimistic about our future, and there's a lot of things I want to continue working on," Coulter said Tuesday. "Our parks need upgrades, Livernois needs attention, and there's more to do to attract businesses and job. And of course the budget isn't getting any …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
However, representatives from Amtrak and CN say neither company has changed its practices recently and that the Federal Railroad Administration regulates when and how long engineers sound whistles at crossings.
Some Ferndale residents report train whistles have become longer and more frequent recently, but representatives from Amtrak and CN, whose trains run through the city, said neither company has changed its signal practices. A query about the length and frequency of train whistles in Ferndale on the Ferndale Patch Facebook page garnered nearly 45 comments, including the following. "I live right around Woodward Heights and Bermuda, and for the last few months the freight train engineers blast their horn as they go across Woodward Heights," Colleen McCurry Huston wrote. "My husband & I use to enjoy the train and it wouldn't bother us. But, now with them blasting their horn for as long as 25-30 seconds (I counted once), it's becoming a BIG …
Norm Platt
7:35 pm on Thursday, May 16, 2013
(Speaking on a totally different subject here). For about the 4th year in a row there has been a great deal of effort and expense expended on mounting a huge "Farmers Market sign with hours & days of operation flown over 14 mile rd in Clawson. This is a very good idea (!BUT!) the dates can't be read because of the wind/sail effect problem!! Maybe " Clawson Patch could run a free public service … more ›