Whitmer Makes Appointments to the Michigan Supreme Court

Whitmer Makes Appointments to the Michigan Supreme Court

by | Apr 23, 2025 | Regional News

Governor Whitmer Header

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 23, 2025

Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer Makes Appointments to the Michigan Supreme Court, Michigan Court of Appeals

 

LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointments of Judge Noah Hood to the Michigan Supreme Court; Judge Mariam Bazzi to succeed Hood on the Michigan Court of Appeals, First District; Christopher Trebilcock to the Michigan Court of Appeals, Second District; and Daniel Korobkin to the Michigan Court of Appeals, Third District.

 

“Today, I’m announcing the appointment of a new member of the Michigan Supreme Court and three members of the Michigan Court of Appeals,” said Governor Whitmer. “These Michiganders all bring years of legal experience to their roles, and I am confident they will uphold the rule of law and serve the people admirably.”

 

Michigan Supreme Court

Noah Hood currently serves as a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals, First District. Hood was first appointed to the Third Circuit Court by Governor Whitmer in 2019 and again to the Court of Appeals in 2022. Prior to his appointments to the bench, Judge Hood served as an assistant United States attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan and the Northern District of Ohio. Hood has been a member of the Detroit Bar Association since 2011 and has served as a fellow of the association since 2023. Hood serves as a member of the Michigan Court of Appeals Rules Committee, Education Committee, and AI Working Group. Hood is also a member of the Wolverine Bar Association and of the Association of Black Judges of Michigan.

 

Judge Noah Hood earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Yale.

 

“I have had the distinct honor of serving the people of the state of Michigan for the past six years,” said Judge Hood.  “I am deeply grateful to our Governor for her decision to appoint me to serve on our Supreme Court.  I am also grateful for what it represents. For as long as I serve, the people will always be able to count on me for even-handed justice.”

 

This appointment will be made to fill a partial term following the resignation of Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement.

 

“I am honored to appoint Judge Hood to the Michigan Supreme Court,” said Governor Whitmer. “He has served the people of Michigan on the bench since 2019, when I was honored to appoint him first to the Circuit Court and later, to the Court of Appeals. A proud Detroiter, graduate of Harvard Law, and active member of the legal community with both trial and appellate court experience, he will bring important perspectives to the highest court in our state. I want to thank him for his many years of public service and look forward to many more on the Supreme Court.”

 

SC Nominee

 

Michigan Court of Appeals – First District

Mariam Bazzi currently serves as a Judge on the Third Circuit Court in Wayne County, where she has been re-elected twice since first being appointed by Governor Rick Snyder in 2017. Bazzi serves on the board of Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities and is also a member of multiple state and national legal associations including the Detroit Bar Association, the Michigan Judges Association, the National Association of Women Judges, the National Arab American Bar Association, and the National Association of Muslim Lawyers. Bazzi previously served as a member of the Michigan Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs and on the Dearborn Board of Education, where she also served as President. Bazzi is the first Arab American woman in Michigan’s history to be appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Judge Mariam Bazzi earned her Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School and holds a Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of Michigan – Dearborn.

 

“I am deeply honored and humbled to be appointed by Governor Whitmer to serve on the Michigan Court of Appeals,” said Judge Bazzi. “I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Governor and her dedicated selection team for their time, effort, and commitment throughout this process. It is a profound privilege to serve the people of this great state, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the fair and impartial administration of justice. I also extend my warmest congratulations to our new Supreme Court Justice and to my fellow appointees to the Court of Appeals.”

 

Judge Bazzi will be appointed to fill a partial term after the forthcoming resignation of Judge Noah Hood.

 

“Judge Bazzi is a trailblazer, community leader, and proud Michigander,” said Governor Whitmer. “She brings years of experience to the court of appeals, where she will be the first Arab American woman appellate judge in Michigan’s history. I’m grateful for her continued service to the people of Michigan in this new role.”

 

Judicial appointment

 

Michigan Court of Appeals – Second District

Christopher Trebilcock is a senior principal at Clark Hill, PLC working in the areas of employment litigation, administrative litigation, traditional labor law, and election law. Prior to joining Clark Hill in 2018, Trebilcock practiced law at Miller Canfield for over 10 years. Trebilcock is a member of the American Bar Association’s Developing Labor Law Committee and the Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee. Trebilcock is the first court of appeals appointee born and raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Trebilcock earned his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and business administration from Alma College.

 

“As a proud Yooper, I am deeply honored to accept this appointment. The values I learned from my upbringing and education—service, integrity, and critical thinking—have guided me throughout my career,” said Christopher Trebilcock. “I am humbled by this opportunity and the trust placed by Governor Whitmer in my ability to serve the people of Michigan. I also want to thank my colleagues at Clark Hill for their unwavering support, mentorship, and friendship. I look forward to getting to work and serving the state that raised me and shaped my values.”

 

This appointment will be made to fill a partial term following the resignation of Judge Mark Cavanagh.

 

“Chris is a skilled attorney who will serve the people admirably,” said Governor Whitmer. “He brings decades of experience in many areas of law to the bench and is making history as the first born-and-raised Yooper on the court of appeals.”

 

Judicial

 

Michigan Court of Appeals – Third District

Daniel Korobkin currently serves as legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, where he has worked since 2008. Korobkin also serves as a co-chair of the Michigan State Bar’s Access to Justice Policy Committee and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s representative assembly. Korobkin is also a member of the Detroit Bar Association, the Jewish Bar Association of Michigan, the American Constitution Society, and the National Lawyers Guild, among others, teaches part-time at the University of Michigan Law School, and volunteers as a judge for moot court competitions and first-year legal practice classes at the University of Michigan Law School and Wayne State University Law School.

Daniel Korobkin earned his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School, where he worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant through the law school’s Coker Fellowship. Korobkin also holds a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Swarthmore College.

 

“I am truly humbled and honored by this incredible opportunity for public service,” said Korobkin. “I am immensely grateful to Governor Whitmer for this appointment, and I look forward to serving the people of the State of Michigan on the Court of Appeals.”

 

This appointment will be made to fill a partial term following the resignation of Judge Jane Markey.

 

“Dan brings years of legal experience to the court of appeals,” said Governor Whitmer. “In addition to his leadership at the ACLU, he is an involved member of the community, serving in several organizations and associations. I am confident he will uphold the rule of law and serve the people of Michigan well.”

 

Judicial

 

###
Oakland County to Host VTM Michigan 2025 Global Forum

Oakland County to Host VTM Michigan 2025 Global Forum

by | Apr 23, 2025 | Regional News

Oakland County to Host VTM Michigan 2025 Global Forum on Mobility Innovation

Post Date:04/22/2025 2:31 PM

• VTM Michigan 2025, hosted by Oakland County in partnership with MEDC and advanced business events (abe), will bring global automotive and mobility leaders to Pontiac on April 23–24 for two days of B2B meetings, expert panels and exhibitions on future transportation technologies.
• Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter will open the event, highlighting the region’s leadership in mobility innovation, alongside a keynote from Michigan Chief Mobility Officer Justine Johnson and panels on electrification, hydrogen, AI, cybersecurity and more.
• With participation from international companies and organizations, VTM Michigan offers unparalleled networking and collaboration opportunities for startups, Tier 1 suppliers, OEMs and researchers shaping the future of mobility.

Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County, in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and international organizer advanced business events (abe), is set to welcome the world’s automotive and mobility leaders to the second edition of VTM Michigan, an international business-to-business (B2B) mobility technology forum taking place April 23 – 24 at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac.

This two-day event will bring together key decision-makers, engineers, innovators and visionaries from across the globe to collaborate on the technologies shaping the future of transportation – from electric and hydrogen propulsion to AI, autonomous systems, vehicle connectivity and mobility infrastructure.

“Oakland County and the State of Michigan are on the front lines of mobility innovation,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, who will open the event with welcome remarks. “VTM Michigan is a platform to showcase our deep automotive legacy and growing leadership in next-gen transportation technologies to a global audience.”

Following the success of its 2023 debut, which attracted 320 attendees from more than 10 countries, VTM Michigan 2025 promises an even more robust experience with:
• Expert-led technical presentations
• Targeted B2B matchmaking
• Exhibitions of cutting-edge mobility solutions
• Global participants representing Austria, Germany, South Korea, Sweden, the UK, the U.S. and more

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with startups, Tier 1 suppliers, major OEMs, academic experts and government leaders on the most pressing challenges and exciting innovations in the mobility space.

Agenda highlights include welcome remarks by County Executive Coulter, a keynote from Michigan Chief Mobility Officer Justine Johnson, and panel discussions on Building a Robust Regional Mobility Ecosystem, Vehicle Electrification Market Outlook, IoT & Vehicle Connectivity, AI in Intelligent Mobility, Cybersecurity in Automotive Innovation and the Future of Automotive Jobs & Skills featuring representatives from GM, UAW and Oakland County Michigan Works!

“VTM Michigan provides an unmatched opportunity to collaborate, explore solutions and drive real change,” said Dom Holmes, director of Oakland County Economic Development. “The road to the future of mobility begins in Oakland County.”

Communities win national Election Commission awards

Communities win national Election Commission awards

by | Apr 21, 2025 | Regional News

Secretary Benson banner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2025Contact: Cheri Hardmon

[email protected]

Five Michigan communities win national Election Assistance Commission awards for outstanding work in election administration

LANSING, Mich – Today, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson congratulated five Michigan election administrators and jurisdictions selected as winners of U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Clearinghouse Awards. The “Clearie” Awards are presented annually across the nation for best practices in election administration.

“The 2024 elections were historic both for record-breaking voter turnout and as the very first statewide elections with in-person early voting,” Secretary Benson said. “Congratulations to these five county and local election administrators for their outstanding work and this well-deserved national honor. I’m so grateful to work with dedicated election officials across the state who go above and beyond to make sure every election is secure and that every eligible citizen can make their voice heard.”

Michigan winners of the 2024 EAC Clearinghouse Awards:

  • City of Monroe Clerk – Treasurer’s Office received an award in the category of Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives for its “Ready, Set, Vote” media strategy to increase election communication and voter engagement.
  • Ottawa County Clerk/Register Of Deeds received an award in the category of Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives for its  “Not a Podcast” – Ballots & Banter video series. Election staff filmed episodes touching on topics that include ballot box security, early voting, election fraud and more.
  • Harrison Township Clerk, Michigan - Boat Town I Voted Sticker received an award in the category of “I Voted” Stickers: Creative and Original “I Voted” Stickers. Drawing on its Boat Town USA nickname, the township selected the tagline “Boat Town, Vote Town” to promote elections in the community.
Boat Town Vote Town

The EAC Clearie awards received a record 258 entries for programs implemented in the 2024 presidential election year. Submissions were judged on innovation, sustainability, outreach, cost-effectiveness, replicability, and the generation of positive results. The full list of winners is available online at the EAC website.

The EAC was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration.
Football Storylines Around the League to watch this summer

Football Storylines Around the League to watch this summer

by | Apr 21, 2025 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Football Storylines Around the League to watch this summer.

Written Sunday April 20th at 12:03 PM

Happy Easter OAA Nation. Here are several OAA Football storylines heading into this fall.

Any takers to Ford Field???

There should be plenty of OAA representation that are serious contenders to get back to Ford Field. Adams in Division One when healthy is a very dangerous team especially with the system they run in the veer offense and with Ryland Waters coming back at quarterback which should allow Nolan Farris to move back to wide receiver. The Highlanders could be a team when healthy could make another deep postseason run. Harper Woods is the other serious contender in Division Four, the Pioneers are loaded with proven experience on both sides of the football and wants to get back after a really tough loss to Goodrich in the State Semifinals last season. Other teams that could get to Ford Field include Stoney Creek, Clarkston, West Bloomfield, and Lake Orion in Division One while Groves, Oak Park, North Farmington, Farmington, and Seaholm are possible teams to watch in Division Two.

Groves is the most interesting to keep an eye on.

The Falcons had Ford Field in their grasp but very questionable play calling and coaching decisions cost them in their stunning 28-27 overtime loss to Orchard Lake St. Marys in the Division Two State Semifinals last season. Groves lost a ton of proven talent from last season. They will have a new quarterback in LaVelle Shannon taking over and proven lines on both sides of the football. The White will be much improved with Stoney Creek and Harper Woods looking to be the top teams with Rochester not too far behind while Southfield Arts and Tech should be improved. Coach Brendan Flaherty will have some big challenges ahead of him.

New Coaches:

The OAA has several new coaches coming into the league this fall. Scott Merchant (Bloomfield Hills,) James Carlisle (Avondale,) Donovan Jackson (Ferndale,) and Trevor Potts (Oxford) are the new coaches in the league. Merchant comes to Bloomfield Hills from Lawrence Tech (College Football) and was at Chippewa Valley for a long time and his son is in the program. Carlisle comes to Auburn Hills from the thumb area (Vassar) and was at Imlay City. Jackson was on the staff at Detroit Cass Tech and played at Ferndale so he’s really familiar with the city. Potts was the defensive coordinator under Coach Zach Line at Oxford. He was also an assistant at Adams under Coach Tony Patritto. Every coach is going to have different challenges to adjust to this season.

Weaknesses:

Every team in the OAA has glaring weaknesses heading into the season that they will need to address. It should be really interesting to see how each team addresses their weaknesses this summer before each team heads into their week one matchups. My goal this summer is to talk to every coach including the Waterford Schools and see how everyone is doing heading into the season on my podcast.

Waterford Schools lurking:

Waterford Kettering and Waterford Mott will join the OAA this winter while North Farmington and Farmington will depart the OAA joining the Lakes Valley Conference next season. The Waterford schools will have one more fall in the Lakes Valley Conference before coming into the league. Waterford Mott will have a new football coach in Tra’Jan Seay taking over the program for Chris Fahr who is the defensive coordinator at Davison. Seay was an assistant at Orchard Lake St. Marys last season so he brings that to Waterford. He will have an transition period which has to happen during the season. The Corsairs did not make the postseason going 3-5 and has a ton of questions in the Lakes Valley Conference this season. Waterford Kettering went 3-6 but was one win away from making the postseason for first year coach Brian Barnes. Barnes has done a really good job with the Captains in his second season with the program. The postseason is within reach for Waterford Kettering but getting there will be the challenge especially in Division Three.

Divisions:

Here are the divisions heading into this season in the league, not in any particular order.

Red: Lake Orion, Clarkston, Oxford, Adams, West Bloomfield.

White: Stoney Creek, Harper Woods, Groves, Rochester, Southfield Arts and Tech.

Blue: Bloomfield Hills, Oak Park, Seaholm, North Farmington, Farmington, Troy, Troy Athens.

Gold: Pontiac, Ferndale, Avondale, Berkley, Royal Oak.

Football Storylines Around the League to watch this summer

Basketball Top Storylines Around the League this offseason

by | Apr 21, 2025 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Basketball Top Storylines Around the League this offseason.

Written Sunday April 20th at 11:08 AM

Happy Easter OAA Nation. We are officially in the offseason for girls and boys basketball and AAU season is underway. Here are the top storylines heading into next season for both girls and boys basketball.

Will the OAA be represented at Breslin next season???

This question could be answered in June when the MHSAA releases the basketball districts. The league in girls has a ton of solid teams heading into next season but it comes down to proximity that could create the best path if anyone has a shot at getting to the Breslin Center next season. In the boys there really isn’t a dominant team and it was really disastrous for the league with only three teams getting out of the districts last season. Could this be Ferndale’s best chance to make it back to East Lansing after two dominating years by Warren Lincoln??? They fell to Detroit Pershing in the district semifinals but the Eagles might have the league’s best chance to get back to Breslin. As mentioned the question could be answered when the MHSAA releases the districts in June.

Coaching vacancies.

There has been several vacancies to watch this offseason. The changeover surrounding Stoney Creek has been really fascinating. The Cougars recently let go boys basketball coach Jeff Olind which who takes over the job will be their third coach in four years. There is talent and proven experience but whoever takes the job is going to have a daunting task ahead of them and behind the scenes has been a complete mess. Coaches Joe Sermo and Terrance Porter has stepped down at their respective schools (Berkley, Southfield Arts and Tech.) Both schools are really appeasing when it comes to talent and program strength. In the girls, the Ferndale girls basketball job is open but whoever takes that job will have a huge challenge ahead of them when it comes to building program strength.

Coming and Going.

Waterford Kettering and Waterford Mott are reentering into the league for the first time since 2008 this winter. Waterford Kettering has a new coach in Rex Walters with an very experienced team coming back and could be the early favorite in the Gold this season. Waterford Mott made it to the regional finals under Coach Jeff Jayson but they will have to replace several players from last season’s team. Waterford in the girls will be really interesting to keep an eye on led by returning guard Savannah Sartorius for Coach Andrew Wellman. On the flip side it will be the Farmington schools (North Farmington and Farmington) final year in the OAA as they will depart for the Lakes Valley Conference in 2026-2027. Farmington and North Farmington are loaded with proven talent and experience in the boys and they are in the Red. In the girls Farmington and North Farmington should be much improved after having rough seasons.

Divisions for 2025-2026 season.

Here are the divisions for the 2025-2026 season, not in any particular order.

Boys:

Red: Clarkston, Avondale, Groves, North Farmington, Farmington, Ferndale, West Bloomfield.

White: Lake Orion, Oxford, Adams, Rochester, Stoney Creek, Waterford Mott.

Blue: Troy, Troy Athens, Seaholm, Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Pontiac.

Gold: Berkley, Southfield Arts and Tech, Oak Park, Harper Woods, Ferndale University, Waterford Kettering.

 

Girls:

Red: Lake Orion, Clarkston, Oxford, Stoney Creek, West Bloomfield, Rochester.

White: Groves, Seaholm, Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Avondale, Berkley.

Blue: Troy, Troy Athens, Adams, Southfield Arts and Tech, Harper Woods, Ferndale.

Gold: Oak Park, Ferndale University, Farmington, North Farmington, Pontiac, Waterford.

Stay tuned to the blog and OAA Now for updates

Football Storylines Around the League to watch this summer

Olind let go at Stoney Creek

by | Apr 21, 2025 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Olind let go at Stoney Creek.

Written Friday April 18th at 9:22 AM

Stoney Creek will have a new boys basketball coach next season.

The Cougars let Coach Jeff Olind go after three years with the program.

The BCAM site (Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan) page confirmed there was an opening and another accurate source confirmed the news. The D-Zone basketball page also confirmed on X and posted the link on it’s page.

Olind went 19-47 in his three years at Stoney Creek. He came to Stoney Creek from Warren Mott in 2022 taking over for Steve Norgrove. Norgrove was really successful with the Cougars leading them to a regional final is coaching at Fraser and has done a really good job with the Ramblers.

Olind’s system just did not mesh with Stoney Creek. Program transition was a huge problem within the program.

Olind had some big wins in his tenure over Adams, Berkley, and Royal Oak but the losses hurt especially falling to Ferndale University and Southfield Arts and Tech both at home this past season.

Stoney Creek went 10-12 under Olind this season falling to Adams 48-46 in the district semifinals.

Whoever takes over the job at Stoney Creek will be the Cougars third coach in four years. There has been a lot of changeover in the last four years at the school from football, girls basketball, and boys basketball.

I will have more on the changeover at Stoney Creek on Tuesday’s podcast.

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

 

The D-Zone tweet.

https://x.com/TheDZoneBBall/status/1912942822954610783