Start Your Career with a Summer Job at Oakland County

Start Your Career with a Summer Job at Oakland County

by | Feb 19, 2025 | Regional News

Start Your Career with a Summer Job at Oakland County

Post Date:02/19/2025 12:05 PM
  • Summer employment and internships with Oakland County enable students to begin developing professional networks.
  • Starting wages for summer employment at the county range $12.71-17.89 per hour.
  • Apply at oakgov.com/jobs. For more information, call 248-858-0530.

Pontiac, Mich. – With a summer job or internship at Oakland County, college and high school students can earn credit hours and paychecks while understanding how local government serves residents.

“Working for Oakland County helps young people explore different career paths and gain new skills, all while earning a decent wage,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “And it’s a great opportunity to make new friends.”

Young woman working in Groveland Oaks booth

Summer employment at Oakland County begins April 1 with wages ranging between $12.71 and 17.89 per hour depending on job classification. College internships are paid and eligible for credit hours for freshman through graduate students during all semesters. Additionally, employees and interns are enrolled in a retirement plan.

Oakland County is actively hiring for various positions across different departments and divisions, including:

Applications opened Tuesday, Feb. 18. Apply online at oakgov.com/jobs or in person at the Oakland County Human Resources Department in the Executive Office Building at 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford. For more information, call 248-858-0530.

Summer employment is generally limited to 13 weeks; however, some departments and positions may require a longer term of employment.

Applicants must be at least 16 years old and enrolled in high school or college. Job seekers younger than 18 who have not completed high school must obtain working papers at the time of appointment. They will also be required to provide written parental consent for the employment physical and a parent/guardian must be present for the TB skin test. For positions that require proof of college or university enrollment, applicants must upload a copy of their college transcripts.

Bloomfield Hills new Varsity Football Coach

Bloomfield Hills new Varsity Football Coach

by | Feb 19, 2025 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Bloomfield Hills has their new Varsity Football Coach.

Written Monday February 17th at 9:05 PM

Bloomfield Hills has their new varsity football coach.

The Blackhawks have named Scott Merchant as their new varsity football coach. He takes over for Dan Loria who stepped down this past offseason.

Two very accurate sources confirmed to me the news.

Merchant was at Chippewa Valley from 2007-2023 before going to Lawrence Tech for a season. Merchant stepped down on Monday from Lawrence Tech and returned to High School football accepting the Blackhawks job. What attracted Merchant to the job according to sources was that his son was in the Bloomfield Hills program and that he wanted to coach his son.

Merchant is a game changer for a program that is in need of a reboot. He brings a ton of proven experience to a program that needs it. The Blackhawks were 5-22 in their last three seasons with no postseason appearances.

Loria was at Bloomfield Hills Lahser before they merged with Bloomfield Hills Andover to become Bloomfield Hills in 2013. Loria went 42-67 with four postseason appearances in his 11 years with the program.

Merchant will have a ton of challenges ahead of him. He will have to build the program which starts with program strength. Bloomfield Hills has not fielded a freshman program on a consistent basis. With Merchant expect the Blackhawks to have three programs.

The Blackhawks are in the Blue and will be with Seaholm, North Farmington, Farmington, Oak Park, Troy Athens, and Troy this season. Bloomfield Hills could be a possible sleeper in the division with Merchant coaching the program.

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

Bloomfield Hills new Varsity Football Coach

OAA Basketball Top 23

by | Feb 19, 2025 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

OAA Basketball Top 23.

Written Saturday Februray 15th at 10:25 AM

Boys

1. Groves 15-5: Falcons locked into the two seed, on a collision course with Birmingham Brother Rice.

2. Avondale 14-7: Holding Clarkston to 33 points is impressive, always hard to beat a team three times.

3. Oxford 19-1: Wildcats are on a collision course with Grand Blanc.

4. Farmington 15-5: Falcons could see arch rival North Farmington in the future.

5. Clarkston 14-6: Wolves are in deep trouble heading into the postseason.

6. Lake Orion 13-7: Dragons got the best draw with the Waterford schools looming.

7. Rochester 16-5: Falcons have home court and locked into the top seed.

8. Royal Oak 12-7: Ravens look poised to take the top seed but beware of Berkley.

9. Troy 10-11: Colts looking at rematch with arch rival Troy Athens.

10. North Farmington 11-9: Raiders fortunate to get the two seed.

11. Ferndale 8-13: Eagles staring at Detroit Pershing before Warren Lincoln.

12. Adams 6-14: Could the Highlanders get the two seed with all the struggles they had.

13. Bloomfield Hills 11-9: Blackhawks/Maples rematch should be really interesting.

14. West Bloomfield 5-14: Lakers on a collision course with Walled Lake Central, if they win it’s Orchard Lake St. Marys.

15. Stoney Creek 9-10: Cougars are in a very delicate situation with the two seed in the balance.

16. Troy Athens 6-14: Red Hawks/Colts part three, neutral site could be really interesting.

17. Pontiac 11-8: Phoenix have to go through Birmingham Detroit Country Day and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at some point this postseason.

18. Ferndale University 9-10: Eagles looking at Hazel Park before Warren Lincoln looms.

19. Oak Park 5-9: Knights looking at Southfield Arts and Tech if they win Birmingham Brother Rice looms.

20. Southfield Arts and Tech 6-14: Warriors looking at Oak Park if they win Birmingham Brother Rice looms.

21. Seaholm 2-17: Maples could make amends in the postseason.

22. Berkley 4-15: Bears have a tough stretch looming.

23. Harper Woods 3-13: Pioneers looking at Eastpointe before seeing Center Line if they win.

 

Girls

1. Clarkston 13-6: Wolves depth being displayed as we speak.

2. Rochester 15-3: Alice Max has really carried the Falcons to the White crown.

3. Avondale 15-3: Amaria Daniel has been playing really good basketball lately.

4. Stoney Creek 12-5: Cougars need to put Clarkston loss behind them and move on.

5. West Bloomfield 11-7: Lakers bouncing back after a tough one to Stoney Creek.

6. Lake Orion 11-9: Dragons need a break after a rough week.

7. Oxford 6-13: Wildcats playing hard despite record.

8. Southfield Arts and Tech 11-7: Warriors have not been consistent lately.

9. Berkley 12-7: Bears looking forward to the postseason.

10. Ferndale 6-12: Eagles balance is the key if they want to make a run.

11. Seaholm 11-8: Maples are 2-6 since their loss to Rochester on January 23rd, not good.

12. Bloomfield Hills 7-9: Brianna Young has been playing well lately.

13. Groves 5-12: Harlem Simpson is the real deal enough said.

14. Royal Oak 8-9: Ravens are a Jekyll and Hyde right now.

15. Troy 6-11: Colts have been a Jekyll and Hyde lately.

16. Harper Woods 7-7: Pioneers starting to bounce back after rough start.

17. Adams 7-10: Highlanders injuries starting to catch up on them.

18. Troy Athens 7-11: Red Hawks have been competitive.

19. Farmington 7-11: Falcons well on their way to win the Gold.

20. North Farmington 5-12: 20 point win over Hazel Park is a start.

21. Pontiac 8-5: Phoenix getting ready for the postseason.

22. Ferndale University 7-7: It wasn’t a good week for the Eagles.

23. Oak Park 0-11: 18 points in two games is not a good sign.

Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund Now Accepting Applications

Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund Now Accepting Applications

by | Feb 18, 2025 | Agriculture

bob new header
For immediate release: February 18, 2025

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel, 517-290-1734

Program contact: Jeff Haarer, 517-896-2236

Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund Now Accepting Applications

Applications are due May 1, 2025

LANSING, Mich. – Youth exhibitors who are getting ready to graduate high school or are newly graduated are encouraged to apply to the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund (MYLSF) cycle for 2025, which was announced today.

The scholarship program provides funding awards for applicants that are residents of Michigan and are graduating seniors or graduated students that are continuing their education at an accredited institution in the year in which they are applying. The awards are given as either a general scholarship or a statewide scholarship. Applications for the scholarships are due on May 1, 2025.

Proceeds from the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-Abration auction, held annually in mid-July, as well as charitable donations help fund the scholarships. The fund is governed by an 11-member board comprised of volunteers from Michigan’s agricultural community, including representatives from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

Since its inception in 2000 at the Michigan State Fair, MYLSF has awarded $840,255 in scholarships and educational awards to outstanding youth who have exhibited at premier livestock events in the state of Michigan. In 2024, A total of $50,500 in scholarships awarded to 43 deserving students.

In 2025, a select number of applicants will be offered an opportunity to interview, prior to the Sale-Abration event for a larger scholarship with awards up to $5,000. The decision is made the discretion of the MYLSF Board.

For the general MYLSF scholarship, the applicant must have been a youth exhibitor at the Michigan Livestock Expo or the Michigan Dairy Expo for a minimum of three calendar years prior to the year of application. For the statewide scholarship, an applicant must have been a youth exhibitor at a local, county, or statewide exhibition for a minimum of three years prior to the year of application.

The 2024 MYLSF scholarship winners were:

  • $5,000 scholarship: Madalyn Laskowski of Bad Axe
  • $4,000 scholarship: Samual Jones of Reading
  • $3,000 scholarship: Olivia Black of Eagle; and Maddux Locke of Albion
  • $2,000 scholarship: Nastassia Benjamin of Webberville; Madyson Garza of Palms; Jena Bradley of Cassopolis; London Eldridge of Stanton; Brianna Stockwell of Dowagiac; and Drew George of Niles
  • $1,500 scholarship: Sydney Fowler of Montgomery; Joscelyn Layman of Reading; Meah Palmatier of Williamston; Jordyn Chant of DeWitt; Madyson Garza of Palms
  • $1,000 scholarship: Taylor Smith of Linwood; Talan Hiemstra of Marcellus; Cassidy Cashen of Muir; Jack Thielen of Reading; Aaron Ernst of New Lothrop; Ryder Greenman of Olivet; Cassidy Harris of Ovid; Natalie Bounds of St. Johns; Zoe van Rijn of Deford; Aden Hathaway of Coldwater; Travis Boeskool of Hamilton
  • $500 scholarship: Sophia Barnum of Leslie; Kate Stewart of Charlotte; Natasha Bickel of North Branch; Carragh Cashen of Muir; Tyler Landis of Homer; Willow Evans of St. Johns; Olivia Birchmeier of Durand; Lillian Merrill of Charlotte; Alivia Burlingame of Litchfield; Samantha Armstrong of Gregory; Joelle Boeskool of Hamilton; Jacob Reif of Allen; HallieAnn Holtz of Mendon; and Tally Laarman of Allegan
  • $1,000 statewide scholarship: Chloe Steiner of Mecosta
  • $500 statewide scholarship: Chloe Lawrason of Beaverton; Katlyn Cunningham of Corunna

Applications and qualification requirements for the MYLSF and the statewide scholarship are available at https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/program/MYLSF2025. Applications must be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 p.m. on May 1, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact Jeff Haarer, MDARD’s Commodity Section Manager at 517-896-2236 or [email protected], or Sheila Burkhardt, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, at 248-474-6672 or [email protected].
DNR News Digest – Week of Feb. 17, 2025

DNR News Digest – Week of Feb. 17, 2025

by | Feb 18, 2025 | Recreation
DNR banner

News Digest – Week of Feb. 17, 2025

Two men in winter jackets, hats and gloves ride fat-tired bikes down a plowed, snowy road. One man has two huskies leashed to his bike

Winter fun is waiting: Find your next outdoor adventure!
Here are a few of this week’s stories from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources:

See other news releases, Showcasing the DNR stories, photos and other resources at Michigan.gov/DNRPressRoom.

PHOTOS: Larger, higher-res versions of some of the images used in this email (fat-tire biking, black-capped chickadee, cardinal, snowshoeing, ORV and kayaker) are available in the DNR’s public image gallery.

Meet some of Michigan’s mighty winter birds

a black-capped chickadee, with black head, buff-colored body and black and silver wings, perches on an ice-covered branch on a gray dayBrrr … it’s cold outside! But for many of our feathered friends, winter in Michigan is just another season. Get to know a few of our small and resourceful winter birds and the clever survival tactics they use to stay warm and find food throughout the winter.

The black-capped chickadee is an expert at staying cozy in cold temperatures – shivering and contracting opposite muscle groups to stay warm, and even lowering its body temperature at night and entering regulated hypothermia to conserve energy. These birds are frequent visitors to backyard bird feeders, carrying sunflower seeds to store in tree bark for later, when food is scarce.

How to ID: This small and lively bird has a black cap and bib, gray back and buff (yellowish-brown) wash on its sides.

The downy woodpecker uses its small size to its advantage, feeding on weed stalks and drilling into trees to create roosts to keep warm during cold winter nights.

How to ID: This is the smallest woodpecker in North America, between the size of a robin and sparrow. It has a white back, a black-and-white striped face, and a very short, stubby bill. Male “downys” also have a red spot on the nape (back of the neck).
a male cardinal, with bright red body, black face and short orange beak, stands on snowy ground amid dry, pale grassesAnother familiar sight is the northern cardinal. These brilliant red birds puff out their feathers into a round shape to trap heat, making them look even more striking against a snowy backdrop. Their diet is highly variable, which gives them a greater chance of finding food in the winter. Cardinals begin their courtship this season – look for pairs sweetly feeding seeds and berries to one another.

How to ID: The male cardinal is unmistakable and is our only red bird with a crest. The female isn’t as bright in color, but shares the crest, massive pink-orange bill and long tail of the male.

Want to learn more about these and other winter birds and where to find them? Read the full story brought to you by MI Birds, an outreach and education program presented by the DNR and Audubon Great Lakes. Happy winter birding!

Questions? Contact Nicole Minadeo at 419-308-4846.

A note about bird health: While the birds mentioned above are not as susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza as scavenging wild birds (e.g., eagles, hawks and owls), do keep an eye out for any dead birds and report die-offs of six or more birds through the DNR’s Eyes in the Field app. HPAI is a highly contagious respiratory virus suspected in recent waterfowl die-offs in Lower Michigan. Learn more at the DNR’s HPAI webpage.

Happy Little (Virtual) 5K: Get outdoors, support trees

a green and white web graphic with a Bob Ross image and reading Run for the Trees, Happy Little 5K and listing 13 participating statesRun, walk or roll to support tree planting and forest protection efforts in state parks. Registration is open for this spring’s Run for the Trees: Happy Little (Virtual) 5k – the popular event that has expanded to 13 states, thanks to Maryland, Tennesssee and Virginia joining the effort.

“What started six years ago in Michigan as a small but meaningful way to bring people together through running and art has now grown into something truly special,” said Michelle O’Kelly, fund developer for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division.

“Expanding the Happy Little Trees 5K to 13 states is a testament to the power of community, nature and the lasting inspiration of beloved artist and TV host Bob Ross,” O’Kelly said. “Seeing this program flourish fills me with pride, and I can’t wait for even more people to experience the joy it brings. Join us in celebrating this milestone; lace up, hit the trails and be part of something bigger.”

When registering (recommended by April 1), you can pick your state to represent, creating a sense of pride and friendly competition as states rally together for the cause. Selecting your state is easy; just choose it from the dropdown menu. (Be sure to mention this to your out-of-state family and friends so they can sign up, too!)

Register today and get ready to create happy little moments on the trail or road. As a participant in this virtual event, you pick the pace and place. Do your 5K anytime April 19-27 (the week of Earth Day and Arbor Day).

Don’t wait to sign up — race packets start shipping March 1. Registration is $36 and includes your keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, finisher’s medal, commemorative bib number and shipping. Get more race information and register today.

Questions? Contact Michelle O’Kelly at 517-899-5211.

Sign up for weekly Pure Michigan Snow Report

A small group of men and women snowshoe single-file up a snowy path through the forest, with bright sunlight filtering through treesIf you’re a fan of the Pure Michigan Fall Color Update, you know the value of having up-to-date information about when and where those red, orange and yellow hues are set to peak around the state. For snow-goers, too, Pure Michigan has you covered!

Whether you’re planning to hit the slopes, tackle the trails or simply soak up some snow time in the great outdoors, sign up now for the Pure Michigan Snow Report to receive weekly updates that will include snowfall predictions, recreation opportunities, seasonal events and weatherproof fun throughout both peninsulas.

Love trails? Apply for open advisory workgroup spots

three black off-road vehicles ride single-file down a tree-lined, dirt trail in the Manistee National ForestIf you’re as passionate about trails as we are, and you’d like to help shape state-designated routes and pathways throughout Michigan, apply for one of several volunteer positions now open for two of the DNR’s advisory workgroups.

“The DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division, which oversees our statewide trails system, relies on input and guidance from residents to help us maintain, improve and grow the thousands of miles of motorized and nonmotorized trails in communities around the state,” said Tim Novak, state trails coordinator. “We’re excited to share these workgroup openings and continue the work of providing outdoor spaces for everyone to enjoy and explore, efforts that help elevate Michigan’s reputation as the Trails State.”

Positions are available on both the Nonmotorized Advisory Workgroup, or NAW, and the Off-Road Vehicle Advisory Workgroup, also known as ORVAW. Both groups are subcommittees of the Michigan Trails Advisory Council, assisting with the council’s duties and responsibilities and providing the DNR advice related to the creation, development, operation and maintenance of the state’s designated trails system.

Details on vacancies

a young man in sunglasses and yellow life jacket paddles an orange kayak at Lime Island Recreation Area in Chippewa CountyNAW: This workgroup, which meets quarterly, is seeking to fill two positions with a focus on water trails. Successful candidates should have an interest in paddling sports, the Great Lakes and our inland lakes and rivers. These positions are two-year terms. Fill out this application to apply for NAW positions.

ORVAW: Four new positions are available for this workgroup following passage of new bylaws that expanded the committee from seven to 11 members. These four-year-term positions include one ORV safety instructor representative, one full-size vehicle user representative and two at-large representatives. ORVAW also meets on a quarterly basis. Fill out this application to apply for ORVAW positions.

Applications will be accepted through March 15.

Questions? Contact Tim Novak at 517-388-8347.

Photo ambassador snapshot: Lake Michigan majesty

view from Hog Island Point State Forest Campground of snow-covered rocks, icy Lake Michigan shoreline and brilliant blue winter skySee more pictures by Michigan state parks photo ambassadors at Instagram.com/MiStateParks. For more on the program, call Stephanie Yancer at 989-274-6182. (This photo is by Brandon Johnson, for the Michigan DNR, at Hog Island Point State Forest Campground in Mackinac County.)

THINGS TO DO

Up for some cold play? Check out our winter fun webpage for info and resources on ice fishing, stargazing, snowshoeing, fat-tire biking and other ways to embrace the outdoors and turn “Brrr!” moments into breathtaking ones!

BUY & APPLY

Turkey hunting, walleye and steelhead fishing, equestrian trails and camping – these immersive, expert-led, hands-on learning opportunities from the DNR’s Outdoor Skills Academy are coming up in March and April. Book your spot now.

GET INVOLVED

Follow the journey of recruits in Conservation Officer Training Academy No. 13, underway in Lansing. Hear weekly from the recruits who write blog entries describing what happens in the classroom, in the tank and in the field.