Lincoln Day Dinner Comes to Rochester

Lincoln Day Dinner The Royal Park Hotel in Downtown Rochester hosted the 125th Lincoln Day Dinner. The event was started by a group of Republicans on January 6, 1888 in the Club room of the Oakland Gazette in Pontiac, to take steps in forming an Oakland County Republican Club. The first banquet was held in 1890 at the Opera House in Pontiac. The Oakland County Lincoln Day Dinner is the oldest in the country and this was the first time it came to the Royal Park Hotel. Hundreds of … [Read more...]

McMillin campaign statement after Mayor Barnett’s withdrawal from the 8th congressional race

Rochester Media received the following press release from Representative Tom McMillin's campaign team: A Clear Choice in the 8th After today's decision by Mayor Bryan Barnett to drop out of the 8th District Congressional race, McMillin spokesman David Forsmark said, "This makes the choice very clear to Republican voters in the 8th. Do they want Mr. Bishop who, when taxpayers needed him to stand firm against Gov. Granholm and her plan to increase taxes, cut a deal with her and gave to … [Read more...]

Rochester Hills Celebrates 30 years

30 years of Awesomeness The 2014 State of the City address celebrated the 30-year milestone for the city of Rochester Hills, which became a city in 1984. Held at the Emagine Theater of Rochester Hills, 80’s music and video clips warmed up the large theater on a chilly Wednesday evening. Dr. Rubel Shelly of Rochester College was the Master of Ceremonies. Rochester College was mentioned several times throughout the evening as one of two universities in Rochester Hills. Jason Sewell, the … [Read more...]

Paint the Plow and the New Rochester Hills City Council

The New City Council Members The new Rochester Hills City Council met for the first time on Monday. While four members are continuing their term, the three newly elected members were at their first city council meeting as council members. Kevin Brown (At-Large), Stephanie Morita (District 1) and Thomas Wiggins (District 4) were sworn in on November 18, 2013 at the Oath of Office. City Council President Greg Hooper welcomed them and said, “I have the utmost confidence in all our new … [Read more...]

New $929,165.00 Building To Store Salt

Op-Ed by Scot Beaton City Council Regular Meeting Meeting date/time: 4/22/2013 7:00 PM Meeting location: 1000 Rochester Hills Drive Our Mayor is requesting our City Council to grant him the authority to spend up to $929,165.00 on a new building at our DPS facility to store Salt. Wow... that's a lot on money for a building to house salt... don't you think? Let me try to explain... first we a going to tear down about 1/2 of the old DPS building and turn the remaining 1/2 into a cold … [Read more...]

Mayor joins President Obama in congratulating Rochester Hills-native NASCAR champ Brad Keselowski

Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett applauded the town’s own Brad Keselowski at the White House on Tuesday for being the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series defending driver’s champion. President Obama held a special ceremony honoring last year’s champion on the South lawn of the White House as the 2013 NASCAR chase for the Sprint Cup rounds the curve. “I’ve been to the White House several times but it’s always a very cool experience,” Barnett said of Tuesday’s event. With about 50 people … [Read more...]

Mayor shares local innovation with Rochester Hills residents in State of City Address

Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett welcomed his town to a crowded Emagine theatre as he delivered his seventh State of the City Address centered on innovation Wednesday night. “I’m incredibly excited about the news tonight because we have a really great story to tell,” Barnett said prior to the event. And that story is one of low city unemployment rates—5 percent compared to Michigan’s 8.9 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, second lowest in the state—as well as high … [Read more...]

The Passing of Mayor Pat Somerville

Pat Somerville, former Mayor of Rochester Hills, dies at age 80 Pat Somerville raised show dogs and ran a dog grooming business before getting into politics. She and her late husband Ken moved from Detroit to Rochester Hills in the late 1960s. Local neighborhood issues led Somerville to attend city council meetings, become a council member and eventually became the Mayor of Rochester Hills. She “cared about the people and the city” said her daughter, Autumn VanHollebeke, on Monday from the … [Read more...]

Rochester Hills Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

Local news sources report: A local man has been killed fighting for his country in Afghanistan. Spc. Kyle B. McClain, 25, died Wednesday in Salim Aka, Afghanistan, the Department of Defense announced Thursday night. McClain was assigned to 1433rd Engineer Company, 507th Engineer Battalion, 177th Military Police Brigade, Kalamazoo, Mich. McClain is a 2005 graduate of Rochester High School. His mother, Geraldine McClain, told the Detroit Free Press that her son had been in Afghanistan … [Read more...]

Hills awarded grant to rehab Velodrome

The International Velodrome at Bloomer Park  in Rochester Hills is about to get a much-needed facelift, thanks to a $45,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to resurface the aging track surface. The velodrome was funded entirely by donations and built by volunteers in 2001. It was designed by Olympic track designer Dale Hughes, a lifelong Rochester Hills resident. “After 13  years the wood panels began to decompose, causing a rough ride for cyclists,” Hughes … [Read more...]