Deadlock remains on city commission vacancy
For the second consecutive meeting, Birmingham City Commissioners were deadlocked in their selection of a new commissioner to fill the vacancy left by former mayor pro tem Anthony Long, with a tie between candidates Mary Jaye and Debra Horner during the Monday, April 27, meeting, mirroring the circumstances of the meeting two weeks prior.
Shooting brings short-term rental moratorium
After a shooting took place at a Birmingham home on E. Lincoln being rented out, city commissioners took up discussions during the Monday, April 27, meeting regarding moratorium on short-term rentals (STR) and what the city could do to further regulate the use.
Township police space needs talks continue
The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees met with James Gallagher, Bloomfield Township Police Chief, for the third time to discuss the police department’s space needs at their meeting on Monday, April 28.
Birmingham community survey questions set
A portion of Birmingham’s residents will soon be getting a community survey in the mail after city commissioners approved the final draft of the survey questions during the Monday, April 27, meeting.
Water and sewer rates approved for 2026-2027
A 3.5 percent increase to both Bloomfield Township water and sewer rates for 2026-2027 was approved by the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees at their meeting on Monday, April 27.
$146 million budget planned for new fiscal year
Following a budget hearing on Saturday, April 25, the city of Birmingham is looking at a $146.6 million budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, a 3.1 percent increase from the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget.
Antisemitic display at multicultural school event
The Birmingham school district was forced to deal with an antisemitic incident at an event at an elementary school that was intended to bring together the community to appreciate the varied cultures represented in the area.
Township man arrested for accosting child
A Bloomfield Township man has recently been arrested and arraigned for accosting a child for immoral purposes and use of a computer for a crime in a case dating back to late summer of 2025.
Man slaps bar bouncer, assaults police officer
A Dearborn man was accused of slapping the bouncer of a Birmingham bar around 1 a.m. the morning of Sunday, April 19, as well as assaulting a police officer.
Microplastics invading the inland lakes
Leo Hendrick Baekeland innocently invented plastic in 1907. The easily shaped, durable, and inexpensive material became a staple in homes and businesses, with thousands of beneficial uses. Other scientists would come along and build upon the invention, but few probably foresaw the global problems they were creating in their labs.
Running for office is an expensive endeavor and candidates are forced to seek funding from all sorts of backers. But some fundraising is just plain wrong in today’s climate, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have rounded up, deported and even killed immigrants and protesters. According to The Detroit News, three of the four candidates for the open U.S. Senate seat – Republican Mike Rogers and Democrats Mallory McMorrow and Haley Stevens –received campaign contributions from federal contractors arming or equipping ICE agents.
