I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
In an interview yesterday state Treasurer Andy Dillon dismissed the idea that Pontiac will face bankruptcy unless it is absorbed by Oakland County.
Last week Pontiac’s Emergency Manager Michael Stampfler sent Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson a
letter detailing the city’s worsening budget situation.
“ … I will shortly be making recommendation concerning how this situation may be most effectively addressed including bankruptcy. However, I would like to have an early discussion with you to discuss the possibilities of merger of Pontiac into/with Oakland County.
I realize this is perhaps a radical concept but I hope the positive consequences associated with such an initiative may be carefully weighed against the negatives of continuing the present situation.”
In an interview with WJR-AM 760 radio host Frank Beckmann yesterday Dillon said that Stampfler’s discussion of bankruptcy took him by surprise.
“There’s options for Pontiac,” he said, adding, “bankruptcy is not on the horizon.”
Dillon said that merging Pontiac with Oakland County is not a radical idea and pointed out that a portion of the city — police services — has already been consolidated with the county.
Last week Stampfler finalized the elimination of the Pontiac Police Dept. by voiding the city’s labor contract with the police dispatchers.
A merger between Pontiac and Oakland County would require consent from both parties, Dillon said.
“We don’t have a merger happening here in the next three months or so,” he said.
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