Dear Crabby, Are Retirement Communities Really That Great?

Dear Crabby, As spring (finally) starts blooming, I start thinking of all the yard work that will take up my precious weekends. Sometimes, I think I should just sell my house, downsize, and move to one of those swanky retirement communities I see popping up everywhere. What do you think? Would you ever move to one of those places? Thanks!Lee Zure Dear Lee Zure, Retirement can be a tricky thing. A lot of people, wives especially, worry that they’ll have to keep their husbands … [Read more...]

Dear Crabby, How Can I Entertain My Kids This Summer?

Dear Crabby, Every summer I brace for the chorus of “We’re bored!” from my children. But since they’ve been home the last three months with online schooling, I feel extra pressure this year. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Serenity Now Dear Serenity Now, I have been waiting for someone to ask me this question. It seems like I get a frazzled parent such as yourself every two years or so wondering what can be done to keep the kids from becoming one with the sofa. In the past, … [Read more...]

Dear Crabby, Where Are the Community Gardens?

Dear Crabby, Does Rochester Hills have any community gardens? It seems like with what is happening in the world right now, they sure would come in handy as the victory gardens did during the World Wars. Thanks! George Greenthumbs Dear Mr. Greenthumbs, I remember victory gardens! Let me tell you, it was quite the sight to see all these mini gardens sprout up all over the urban landscape of Detroit. Up until then, the only ‘gardens’ I’d seen where when we traveled to Oakland county … [Read more...]

Dear Crabby, Can a City Have Too Much Growth?

Dear Crabby, By far my favorite season is fall! The crisp air, cozy fires, and the annual trip to the cider mill. But what I especially love is looking at the color on the trees. But lately, as I’ve driven around Rochester and Rochester Hills, I’ve noticed a lot of have been cut down for development projects. And I’m wondering, do you think there can be too much growth in a city? Thanks! Fran Foliage Dear Fran Foliage, I agree with you about the fall. Too many people these days are … [Read more...]

How Ludlow Street Got its Name

Street and building names in a town often memorialize the people who helped to create them, but as time goes on and memories fade, the stories behind those names can become lost. Take, for example, Rochester’s Ludlow Street. Do you know for what or whom it is named?  The story of Ludlow Street starts with the Chapman family. William Clark Chapman and his brother, Charles Sherwin Chapman, grew up in and around Ludlow, Vermont. When William was 16 years old, the Chapman family moved from … [Read more...]

The Strand Theatre in Downtown Pontiac Hosted L. Brooks Patterson’s 2018 State of the County

Highlights and Rochester Area Mentions Oakland County’s economic strength was front and center in L. Brooks Patterson’s 2018 State of the County speech Wednesday night at the Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts in downtown Pontiac. Patterson began the speech announcing record investment in the county this past year. "Well, let’s talk about a record number, $1.2 billion – that’s "B" as in Brooks. That’s the amount 62 companies invested in Oakland County in 2017, setting a … [Read more...]

Main Street Oakland County Gets New Program Coordinator

Indiana Native with Passion for Historic Preservation and Downtowns Named Main Street Oakland County Program Coordinator John Bry, whose 20-year professional career has been spent on the development and revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods across the country, is the new program coordinator for Main Street Oakland County. Bry becomes the main contact between Oakland County and the 22 communities that comprise Main Street Oakland County – the only full-service, county-level Main … [Read more...]

2017 NoHaz Poster Contest, Collection Events, and VIDEO

Oakland County NoHaz Collections Could Top 5 Million Pounds as Grade School Poster Contest Kicks Off for 2017 North Oakland County’s NoHaz communities will likely top 5 million pounds of household hazardous waste amassed and properly disposed of since 2003 after completing their first collection date in April 2017. The NoHaz program has collected more than 4.9 million pounds of items commonly found around the house such as latex and oil-based paints, motor oil, pesticides and outdated … [Read more...]

Huntington Ford Presents Full-Tuition Scholarship to OU-Bound Avondale Grad

For the fifth straight year, Huntington Ford of Rochester Hills has awarded a full-tuition, renewable scholarship to an Oakland University-bound student from the Greater Rochester area. Dealership owners Pat and Christie Scoggin recently presented this year’s award to Rachel Swink, a 2016 graduate of Avondale High School. While at Avondale, Swink excelled academically and devoted herself to several extracurricular activities, including varsity soccer and raising awareness of food allergies. … [Read more...]

Outdoor Fun and Fitness in the Rochester Area

The Great Outdoors  Summer is officially here so grab your gear and head outdoors for a great workout. Exercising outside can increase your motivation and make your workouts more interesting. Research shows spending time outdoors reduces stress and the fresh air releases serotonin in the brain which can put you in a fantastic mood. The scenery can help exercisers from getting bored and outdoor workouts offer more of a full-body workout that can burn more calories. The Rochester area has lots … [Read more...]