Final OAA Boys Soccer Rankings

by Becky Andrus | Oct 7, 2025 | Uncategorized

Final OAA Boys Soccer Rankings.

Written Monday October 6th at 11:59 PM

Here are the final Boys Soccer rankings for the season by Anthony Taormina.

1. Clarkston- Wolves won the Red, will be battle tested going into districts.

2. Troy- Colts look strong going into a very tough district.

3. Seaholm- Despite not being the top seed, the Maples are the most dangerous and they host.

4. Troy Athens- Red Hawks should have no problem in their Macomb County District that they host.

5. Bloomfield Hills- Blackhawks won the White, big matchup with Seaholm looming.

6. Royal Oak- First round matchup with Berkley has the potential to be a classic.

7. Lake Orion- Possible rematches with Blue and Gold rivals could happen.

8. Berkley- First round matchup with Royal Oak has the potential to be a classic.

9. Oxford- Looking to avenge their league loss to their arch rival in districts.

10. Groves- Back to back matchups with the arch rival in store.

11. Stoney Creek- Cougars look to avenge their loss to Adams earlier in the season.

12. Rochester- Falcons host a rivalry district that features Rochesters, Romeos, and Uticas alike.

13. Adams- Highlanders able to gain a tie in their final Red game. Districts different animal.

14. West Bloomfield- Lakers staying consistent in the White.

15. North Farmington- Leaving the OAA winning the Blue.

16. Farmington- Leaving the OAA last in the White.

17. Pontiac- Phoenix and Waterford Mott has a potential to be a great OAA rivalry.

18. Ferndale- Eagles finished in the middle of the pack in the Blue.

19. Avondale- Yellow Jackets have a tough rematch in districts with St. Mary’s.

20. Oak Park- Knights have a very brutal district matchup with Divine Child.

21. Southfield Arts and Tech- Warriors have a tough matchup with Troy looming in districts.

22. Harper Woods- Pioneers finish the season not making districts.

MDHHS honors those in recovery from substance

by Becky Andrus | Sep 9, 2025 | Health and Wellness

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 9, 2025

CONTACT: Laina Stebbins, 517-241-2112, StebbinsL@michigan.gov

MDHHS honors those in recovery from
substance use disorder during Recovery Month

LANSING, Mich. – Each September, Recovery Month provides an opportunity to celebrate the courage of individuals living in recovery and to raise awareness that treatment works and recovery is possible. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is committed to building a framework of recovery-oriented care across the state, with investments in prevention, treatment, harm reduction and long-term supports to help more Michigan residents achieve and sustain recovery.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared September as Recovery Month in Michigan.

“Recovery Month is an opportunity to honor the strength of Michiganders in recovery and to recognize that substance use disorder is a treatable condition,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “With the right supports, recovery is possible for anyone. MDHHS is committed to ensuring residents have access to the resources they need to begin and sustain that journey.”

Michigan is making the following investments and policy changes to better support long-term recovery:

In partnership with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the state has provided $2.5 million in opioid settlement dollars through grants to agencies to expand recovery housing capacity.
Through the Michigan Recovery Friendly Workplace program, 32 employers across the state have completed the training process to become a recovery friendly workplace.
Supported transportation to critical services and supports for individuals in recovery through 28 treatment and recovery organizations, with more than 20,000 rides given in FY2024, and to date in FY2025 more than 25,000 rides supported.
Supported 22 recovery community organizations and recovery community centers, with approximately $3 million going toward better supporting individuals in recovery in their communities through peer recovery coaching, recovery events and substance-free activities.
Launched the Recovery Incentives Pilot for Medicaid eligible beneficiaries, with more than 100 individuals invested in improving their recovery outcomes through this evidence-based intervention that provides incentives to people with an opioid or stimulant use disorder for achieving treatment milestones.
Invested $28 million in harm reduction programs to provide naloxone, fentanyl and xylazine test strips. Nearly 1.5 million naloxone kits have been distributed with more than 34,000 uses reported.
Removed the prior authorization to prescribe medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD) for Medicaid beneficiaries, allowing for a 20% increase in the last five years for the number MOUDs prescribed by primary care physicians.
Launched three mobile medication units to reach individuals with an opioid use disorder who were otherwise unable to participate in treatment services.
Through a partnership with the Michigan Department of Corrections and MDHHS, more than 4,500 individuals on probation have received recovery supports through recovery coaches working within probation offices so far in FY2025.

More information about Michigan’s efforts to address substance use disorder and available recovery supports is available at Michigan.gov/SUD.

End summer boating season with the DNR!

by Becky Andrus | Aug 27, 2025 | Recreation

Michigan Invasive Species Program banner

News Release

Aug. 27, 2025
Contact: Christina Baugher, 517-582-3245

End summer boating season with the DNR! Labor Day invasive species prevention outreach set for Black, Mullett, Burt lakes

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ mobile boat wash program is completing a busy summer season, visiting public access sites in 19 counties, engaging with more than 800 people and washing over 300 boats to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species. The two-person crew operates each year from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

A man uses a power washer to clean the hull of a trailered boat in a parking lot.

The crew’s last weekend will be spent in northern Michigan. If you’re traveling north this Thursday, Aug. 28, stop by and see them at the Clare Welcome Center on U.S. 127.

The crew will be at Black Lake Aug. 29, Mullett Lake Aug. 30 and Burt Lake Aug. 31, offering free and fast boat washes at boating access sites to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Even if you don’t have a boat, be sure to say hello and grab some aquatic invasive species swag and information at their booth.

“Plant fragments attached to boats or trailers can move invasive species to a new lake,” said Luc McPherson, DNR boat wash technician. “It’s easy to spend a few minutes to clean, drain and dry your equipment to protect your favorite fishing and boating lakes.”

Michigan law requires boaters to remove aquatic plants and debris before leaving an access site and to pull drain plugs and drain all water from bilges, ballast tanks and live wells. Unused bait should be disposed of in the trash, not the water.

Throughout the season, the crew also deploys a mobile CD3 station – a waterless kiosk equipped with tools to help boaters clean, drain, dry and dispose. Throughout the summer, the station is moved from lake to lake in southwest Michigan to help boaters comply with AIS prevention regulations and recommendations.

Why it matters

A man secures tie-down straps on a small trailer containing a kiosk of tools used to clean boats at launch sites.

Invasive plants like starry stonewort and Eurasian watermilfoil and animals like zebra and quagga mussels can foul equipment, change the habitat and choke out our native Michigan species.

“Most people don’t pay attention to invasive species, but they notice when their favorite places are suddenly covered in plants,” said Jesse Teunissen, DNR boat wash technician. “But luckily, to clean, drain and dry your boats, you don’t have to know how to identify invasives. If you remove all of it, nothing can hitchhike with you to the next location.”

The DNR’s mobile boat wash program is funded by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-administered grant from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal effort that accelerates protection and restoration across the Great Lakes basin.

Michigan’s Invasive Species Program is cooperatively implemented by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; the Department of Natural Resources; and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Note to editors: Accompanying photos are available below for download. Caption information follows.

Boat washing: DNR’s Jesse Teunissen uses the portable boat wash on a trailered boat to ensure no invasive species will travel with it to the next lake.
CD3: DNR’s Luc McPherson sets up the CD3 kiosk, which provides tools to help boaters clean, drain, dry and dispose after trailering their boats and before getting on the road.

Walters leaves Waterford Kettering for Regis University

by Becky Andrus | Aug 15, 2025 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Walters leaves Waterford Kettering for Regis University.

Updated Thursday August 14th at 8:00 AM

In a shocking turn of events, the Rex Walters era at Waterford Kettering lasted a summer.

Walters stepped down at Waterford Kettering on Wednesday which was shocking and stunning to the basketball community. He accepted the Men’s College Basketball coaching job at Regis University.

“I am sorry to say that I will not be coaching at Waterford Kettering High School. To the young men I got to work with, I just want to express how much I enjoyed the time spent with you, you are all good young men that worked extremely hard in the spring and summer. I know it was short and we had goals but I’m looking forward to following the team from afar. To the good people at Kettering HS and the Waterford School District you were nothing but great to me and I thank you for the opportunity” Walters wrote on X.

Regis University is a Division Two school in Denver, Colorado. Walters son Gunner who played at Adams is playing College Basketball in South Dakota.

Walters took over at Waterford Kettering in late March for Coach Steve Emert is back at Walled Lake Western coaching girls basketball.

Emert went 9-81 in his four years with the Captains which also went 2-44 in the last two years.

Waterford Kettering will have their third coach in five months this season. The Captains will have an experienced team in Jordan Jarrell, Gustas Garbenis, Haiden Bigelow, Braycen Harrington, Dylan Hamel, Josh Wagner, Jessie Redick, Brycen Land, Jack Buczek and Katim Jallow coming back.

Waterford Kettering will be coming back into the OAA from the Lakes Valley Conference this winter. They will be in the Gold with Oak Park, Harper Woods, Berkley, Ferndale University, and Southfield Arts and Tech and a very difficult district which has Clarkston, Lake Orion, Avondale, and arch rival Waterford Mott.

There is going to be a lot of questions about why Walters took the Waterford Kettering job only to exit stage right three months before the season starts and not even coach a game. It just doesn’t seem right.

Hopefully for the students and administration at Waterford Kettering they can find the right person who will be at Waterford Kettering for the long term and build their program.

It will be really interesting to see what happens with the Captains.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.

Here is the post on X confirming the move

https://x.com/CoachRexWalters/status/1955624475438756167

Press Release- Regis Rangers.

https://regisrangers.com/news/2025/8/13/rangers-hire-rex-walters-as-head-mens-basketball-

Whitmer declares August as Breastfeeding Month

by Becky Andrus | Aug 4, 2025 | Uncategorized

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 5, 2025

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov

Governor Whitmer declares August as Breastfeeding Month
Aug. 1-7 – World Breastfeeding Week
Aug. 8-14 – Indigenous Milk Medicine Week
Aug. 15-21 – Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week
Aug. 25-31 – Black Breastfeeding Week
Sept. 1-7 – Workplace Lactation Week
Sept. 2-8 – Latina/x Breastfeeding Week (Semana de La Lactancia Latina)

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan is committed to encouraging a strong foundation for life by supporting breastfeeding as not only a lifestyle choice, but an essential public health priority. As part of this effort, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared August 2025 as Breastfeeding Month.

“Breastfeeding can be beneficial to both babies and parents and protect babies against allergies, sickness and many diseases,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “We recognize that not all parents are able to breastfeed, and in those cases we offer resources to ensure that the nutritional needs of infants are met, and that parents feel supported. Michigan is committed to helping breastfeeding parents reach their goals through community-based support including doulas, lactation consultants and peer counselors.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding up to age 2 years and beyond. Breastmilk provides countless benefits to the infant, including a decrease in the risk of respiratory and ear infections, gastrointestinal tract infections, necrotizing enterocolitis, sudden infant death syndrome, asthma, atopic dermatitis, eczema, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and leukemia. It also reduces the incidence of breast and ovarian cancers, postpartum depression and cardiovascular disease for the breastfeeding parent; conditions that disproportionately impact Black, Brown and Indigenous people.

According to the World Health Organization, optimal breastfeeding is so critical that it could save the lives of more than 820,000 children under the age of five each year. Although 90% of Michigan families start breastfeeding, the difference between white non-Hispanic initiation (91.3%) and Black, non-Hispanic initiation (81.6%) highlights the barriers that impact families of color. Lack of support both in and out of the health care system, lack of access to high quality, affordable childcare and insufficient paid work leave negatively impact the number of people that start and continue feeding breast milk to their infants.

Michigan is taking action to remove barriers and increase support through several initiatives:

Educating health care providers on the benefits of breastfeeding and the history of lactation for Black parents.
Increasing access to breastfeeding support including online resources for families and doula-led breastfeeding training at the bedside.
Partnering with and funding local/regional breastfeeding providers.
Increasing childcare access by increasing compensation of childcare providers and the number of providers.
Requiring implicit bias training for clinicians.
Offering breastfeeding training opportunities to clinicians and community-based organizations.

Michigan’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is celebrating National Breastfeeding Month with the theme, “WIC Supports Superheroes.” WIC assists breastfeeding families in the following ways:

Free, unlimited access to lactation consultants and breastfeeding peer counselors including telehealth, phone call or in-person appointment.
All WIC staff receive lactation training so families can be assured that everyone they interact with can support their infant feeding goals.
Breastfeeding clients get more WIC foods, including canned fish, and can stay on the program longer.
At 6 months, breastfed babies receive infant meats and more fruits and vegetables.
WIC offers a breastfeeding warmline available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 833-MIWICBF (833-649-4223).

For more information on events and happenings in Michigan for National Breastfeeding Month, visit the Michigan Breastfeeding Network.

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