Michigan, Pontiac | featured news

Like the movie she was named from, 10-year old Japanese Chin Ashley Wilks was truly "Gone with the Wind," this week. That is until members of Oakland University's administration found the dog near Meadow Brook Hall, likely looking for a more spoiled life, her owner Diane Wilks said. Wilks let out her two dogs on Wednesday, May 16 at her Rochester Hills home but when she heard scratching at the door, only one dog returned.

A teacher from the International Technology Academy in Pontiac has been honored with an Excellence in Education award from the Michigan Lottery. Sylvia Sturgis, sixth and seventh grade English language arts teacher, will be awarded a plaque, $1,500 cash prize and a $500 grant for her classroom.

The Wolverine Lake Police Department has issued a warning following recent crimes committed against its elderly residents. Several reports of fraud have been called into the department prompting officials to offer some tips on how to avoid being taken advantage of including: . The IRS will never call you over the phone for a settlement without prior contact by mail.

A Detroit woman wanted for felony drunken driving in Ferndale was arrested more than six months later when police got a 911 call saying she needed medical assistance.Danyell Garrett, 43, of Detroit, waived her right to preliminary hearing in Ferndale 43rd District Court on Thursday and was ordered to stand trial in Oakland County Circuit Court for third-time drunken driving.

The owner of a home health agency has pleaded guilty to his role in a fraud scheme tied to approximately $8 million in illegal kickbacks from Medicare.Zahir Shah, 48 or West Bloomfield, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks in connection with Medicare beneficiaries.

The Rochester Soccer Club has submitted a rezoning application to the city of Auburn Hills for its 29.4 acre property on Dutton Road, according to the city's development blog. The proposal requests the property be changed from a R-1A, one-family residential district to a technology and research district.

Open Dealer Exchange, a provider of digital solutions to the vehicle loan process, will expand into a new facility in Farmington Hills, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has announced.The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $3.9 million and create 50 jobs.

Beginning Friday at 9 p.m., you will not be able to travel westbound along I-696 between I-75 and Telegraph Road until Monday morning. This marks the first full weekend closure as part of a four-segment, $12 million resurfacing project along the freeway in Oakland County, which runs through November and coincides with a $78 million I-696 reconstruction project in Macomb County.

The 19th annual Rochester Garden Walk will showcase gardens in the greater Rochester area, offering participants access to five private gardens and one public garden. The event is set to run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 21. It is co-sponsored by the Rochester Garden Club and the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm.

Aside from power outages during weather storms, Royal Oak residents and officials have sought for years to learn why some areas in the city experience random outages.City Commissioners are again speaking out on the issue and asking city staff to get answers from DTE Energy."In the past and currently we still see unexplainable outages," said Mayor Michael Fournier, "specifically in certain parts of the community up near the Webster (DTE) substation.