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Friday, May 24, 2013

Safety Tips for Birmingham Residents Hitting the Water on Memorial Day Weekend

Officials with the Birmingham-based Goldfish Swim Schools issue these five water-safety reminders for residents taking advantage of the holiday weekend.

  Though weather forecasts suggest a cooler Memorial Day Weekend temperature wise, many backyard and neighborhood pools, and even some beaches, will officially open this weekend. And that can mean danger for many children and adults not used to the water, or those that could use a refresher on safety, according to Goldfish Swim Schools co-Founder Chris McCuiston. “A dip in the pool, enjoying a boat ride or hitting the beach makes for great summer memories. But being around water means always being vigilant about safety," said McCuiston, who started the Birmingham-based school with his wife, Jenny, in 2006.  Here are the top-five tips he offers parents for keeping kids safe around the water. "Following common-sense rules and taking extra …

'Old Woodward and Many Others are Good for Walking'

Birmingham Readers discuss walking through Birmingham

Great conversations happen everyday on Patch. We love to promote community conversation on topics that are important to you. Each Friday we will share some of the best comments and conversations from the week. This week Patch posted  Walking Through Birmingham with Complete Streets in Mind. Pat Olson commented, "No, I don't support trimming Woodward by a lane. I drive down or up Woodward at least four times a week. A lane is trimmed now while repairs or construction is taking place and significant disruption has occurred-if temporarily. Old Woodward and many others are good for walking. Retail stores are there and need public support. Woodward Avenue is a commercial road designed for transporting cars and people in them quickly to places …

Who's Hiring in Oakland County This Week

Are you looking for a job and don't mind traveling a bit from home? We've found a dozen jobs available from around Oakland County.

Job hunting? You're in luck. We've compiled a list of recent job openings from around Oakland County, as posted on Oakland County Patch sites this week. Make sure to check out the link for more details and more jobs from Rochester, Novi and more. Job listings courtesy of careerbuilder.com and indeed.com. ROCHESTER HILLS: Sr. Robotic Instructor NOVI: Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) FARMINGTON HILLS: Software Developer IV (Agile) ROYAL OAK: Account Executive 3, Enterprise Direct Sales TROY: Beauty Specialist LAKE ORION: Restaurant Manager BLOOMFIELD HILLS: Health Care Coordinator | RN BIRMINGHAM: Dining Room Manager CLAWSON: Salon Manager BERKLEY: Teller FERNDALE: Day Camp Counselor NORTHVILLE: Studio Sales Associate Editor’s note: Patch …

Open Houses in Birmingham This Weekend

Check out these local homes being shown this weekend.

Are you interested in buying a home in Birmingham? Or maybe you just want to know what's out there? Here's a look at this weekend's open houses. 1362 Emmons Avenue, Birmingham Information courtesy of Zillow.com and MoveInMichigan.com.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Local Veterans Face Long Waits for VA Benefits

As our armed forces come home from the Middle East, the Detroit Veterans Affairs benefits office is being stretched.

Our veterans are now facing a new enemy at home--long wait times for their disability claims. The waiting times started increasing in 2010 when U.S. troops were withdrawn from Iraq causing a dramatic uptick in first-time filers, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting. The data found that in most regional VA offices, not only did waiting times increase, but they vary dramatically with location: about a year and five months in Baltimore compared to four months in Fargo, ND. The national average now stands at about a year and one month, which is dramatically higher than in 2009 when it was four months. In Detroit, the current average wait time is 377 days, compared with 119 days in 2010. The backlog has also partly been blamed on…

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Mootown Voice

10:12 am on Friday, May 24, 2013

It may seem like I am joking but call the Bernstein Law Office. My father, a Vietnam Veteran, has received full disability after years upon years of waiting. I have nothing but great things to say about their office.   more ›

Detroit Country Day Students Meet Donald Trump

Nearly two-dozen members of the Lower School's second grade took the stage with the real estate-mogul and television star Donald Trump at the 2013 Oakland County GOP Lincoln Dinner.

Students in Christina M. Del Pizzo's second grade class at Detroit Country Day School on the outskirts of Birmingham shared the stage with Donald Trump on stage during the 2013 Oakland County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner Tuesday in Novi and were recognized for their writing about leadership. The crowd of roughly 2,300 — who each received a copy of the book of essays the students wrote — cheered as the students were introduced with the developer of major skyscrapers and star of the'Apprentice' television show. Del Pizzo said the 22 students wrote the essays in the September as part of Patriot Week, and were invited to share them at the dinner, which is the largest, and longest-running annual fundraiser for the county party. One of the students …

fiftyfour54

1:53 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013

No fair! I went to DCDS and I never got to meet Trump!   more ›

Manresa Jesuit Retreat House Hosting Annual Family Picnic

Event will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 2.

Motor City Comic Con Had Minimal Problems, Maximum Fun

A Patch blogger made the hourslong trip from Chicago to Novi to attend the comic book convention.

The drive might have taken a few hours, but two friends said they couldn't have enjoyed their recent trip to Michigan any better. John Wroblewski and Cuzz Gekas traveled to Novi from Chicago last weekend for Motor City Comic Con, Michigan’s original comic convention held at Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. "(We) spent the weekend enjoying celebrities, comics and other pop culture fun," Wroblewski wrote on his blog. "I have read criticism concerning various aspects of the convention. Perhaps we were just very lucky, but the problems we encountered were minimal and the fun we had was maximum." Wroblewski, who runs JohngysBeat.com, met sports and TV celebrities, in addition to other pop culture icons during the weekend trip. To watch …

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Todd

2:47 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013

Nerds are smart. Set it up so the old "lets get out of here" line work easier...   more ›

Memorial Day BBQ? 8 Money-Saving Tricks (Sponsored)

Who’s NOT planning a BBQ this weekend? If the weather holds and you’ve got propane or charcoal, chances are, you’re grilling something with your friends and family. Here, new ideas for keeping your costs down. Sponsored by Home Depot.

Here at Patch, we like to be thrifty, so we talked to two barbeque experts and uncovered some really good ideas to help you save money on your next outdoor party.   1. Start with a good marinade. This means planning ahead -- say, Friday. But it’s worth it, says Rick Browne, host of Barbeque America on PBS, because you can pass up that well-marbled ribeye steak and buy a less tender and less expensive choice to grill like a flank steak or chuck steak. Just marinate it or brine for one or two days and then cook long and slow on the barbeque grill to break down tissues but maintain moisture. “You need to include an acid in the marinade, perhaps juice, vinegar or soy sauce, but avoid cola which is so acidic it can turn meat into a soggy mess…

New Homes For Sale in Birmingham This Week

Find homes for sale in Birmingham on this page every week, from our partners at Zillow.

More Birmingham Real Estate Listings >>

Billy

6:51 am on Thursday, May 2, 2013

Currently the market has shifted from having a 7 month supply of homes for sale 6 months ago to a 2 month supply today. This has dramatically shifted the housing market from a Buyer's Market to a Seller's Market, meaning Sellers are in command of the pricing. Homes are coming on the market, and if priced correctly, are having dozens of showings and multiple offers in days. To be a Buyer in …   more ›

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