Rochester Hills Educator Announces City Council Candidacy

Bill Soule, a Rochester Hills resident and educator has announced his intention to run for one of two at-large seats on city council this fall. Also in the race are current Rochester Hills City Council members Dale Hetrick and Mark Tisdel. Currently, Soule is a professor of media and communication arts and an adjunct instructor of business law at Macomb Community College. Read the full story on The Oakland Press.   … [Read more...]

Founder of Rochester Earth Day Festival Urges Participation in Holiday, Green Movement

This past Wednesday, Earth Day marked its 45th anniversary, all thanks to dedicated activists who brought environmental issues to the public conscience in the 1970s. According to Rochester resident and MI Earth Day Fest founder John Batdorf, legislation like the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act are two prime examples of what the movement was able to add for the greater benefit of society. He went on to say that Earth Day is something everyone should celebrate. Read the full … [Read more...]

Rochester Council Approves Restrictions on Oil and Natural Gas Drilling

By Paul Kampe, The Oakland Press In a unanimous vote at Monday’s meeting, Rochester City Council passed thorough regulations regarding oil and natural gas drilling in the city after more than six months of deliberation. Leaders in neighboring Rochester Hills are also fine-tuning similar regulations and both cities have enacted moratoriums on the activity. Despite the difference in area – Rochester Hills has more than 70,000 residents in nearly 33 square miles to Rochester’s … [Read more...]

Rochester Hills mayor’s open reply to Madonna’s hometown jibes goes viral

By Kayla Varicalli From writing a letter to Madonna in his bed to landing a five-minute interview on CNN, Rochester Hills mayor Bryan Barnett quickly found himself--and his letter--in the public eye. Shortly after the letter went viral, he visited OU's ethics in the media class on Thursday, March 26. Students took the opportunity to ask Barnett his motives and effects of his come-back letter to Madonna. Madonna bashed her hometown of Rochester Hills over an interview with Howard … [Read more...]

Candidate questions Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett’s letter to Madonna

By Paul Kampe, paul.kampe@oakpress.com After his response to entertainer Madonna’s assertions that Rochester Hills is full of narrow-minded people, Rochester Hills Mayor Brian Barnett’s likely opponent in this fall’s election has questioned Barnett’s dedication to protecting all of the city’s residents from unfair treatment. Barnett penned an opinion piece Monday, March 16 which ran in many news outlets, including The Oakland Press, where he boasted of the city’s positive characteristics … [Read more...]

Barnett Brothers Foster Cooperation Between Rochester Hills and Orion Township

You have to wonder if their mother ever saw this coming: a day when her two sons, Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan K. Barnett and Orion Township Supervisor Chris Barnett would shake hands on an agreement that will be beneficial to both their cities. On Monday, the Rochester Hills City Council unanimously passed a measure that will allow Rochester Hills and Orion Township to share public works such as water, sewer, roadway, pathway, and traffic-related issues. in the coming years. Chris Barnett … [Read more...]

Rochester Hills Teen Loses Brave Battle with Cancer

When used properly, social media can be a wonderful tool for spreading news quickly and affecting change as was evidenced over the past few days with the story about a courageous Rochester High School senior named Gage Garmo who was battling bone cancer. Rochester Media first heard about Gage's story on Facebook. How he was told his time was short and how his friends and the community were rallying to support him like the former football player had always done for them. As of Monday, … [Read more...]

Rochester Hills seeks oil, gas advice from Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

The Rochester Hills Planning Commission has called a special meeting next month to hear from members of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, as city leaders continue to craft an ordinance to regulate oil and gas exploration in the city. The city of more than 70,000 residents is currently under a moratorium on the activity and the ordinance is expected to be in place early next year. Representatives from the MDEQ, which regulates oil and gas drilling in the state, will be on … [Read more...]

Rochester Hills Buys Itself a Little Something ‘Green’ for Christmas

Earlier this week, Rochester Hills City Council unanimously approved the single-largest purchase of green space property in the city’s history. The city will be spending just over $1 million for a more than 48-acre parcel on the north side of Riverbend Park, near Hamlin Road, on the city’s south side. The deal was approved Dec. 15 after negotiations. “This purchase is the crown jewel of open spaces in Rochester Hills,” Parks and Forestry director Mike Hartner said in a statement. “Many … [Read more...]

TTi Global Gives Back to the Community this Christmas

Rochester Hills-based TTi Global, a staffing and research firm, is again participating in the DMC Children’s Hospital’s Adopt-A-Family program. The program connects families in need with generous people and organizations in the community, providing food and gifts they would otherwise go without. The families are identified by the hospital’s social workers throughout the year, according to a press release from TTi Global. “Supporting DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Adopt-a-Family … [Read more...]