The Department of Natural Resources recently released the 2013 Michigan Fishing Guide, which includes rules and some major regulation changes effective from April 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014. This year’s guide is a reflection of an effort by the DNR to make improvements to this annual publication. The 2013 guide is printed on higher-quality paper, has a smaller physical size (better able to fit in a tackle box), and has an easier-to-read font size. [...]

Hi everyone! My name is Lisa LaGrou and I’m the founder of OaklandCountyMoms.com, a top online resource for families in the Oakland County area. A major component of OaklandCountyMoms.com is to provide families with the latest happenings in the area and that is what I’ll be doing here each month.   Last month, Olympia Entertainment held a Harry Potter parody show, “Potted Potter,” at the City Theatre. My kids and I attended the opening night [...]

As cold winter weather gives way to rain, rain and more rain, check out a few of these boredom busters recommended below as a way to pass the time until you can finally relax lakeside. Book  “The Lady in the Lake” by Raymond Chandler Mystery and detective novels have long been a guilty pleasure of mine, and few writers have defined the genre better than the esteemed master, Raymond Chandler. His fourth novel, “The Lady [...]

A message from Lake Orion Farmers’ Market: Welcome to the kick-off of the farmers’ market season in Michigan! While it still may seem early, we have been busy preparing for our 5th season at the Lake Orion Farmers’ Market, conveniently located in downtown Lake Orion.  We have a good core of quality vendors here, and as Market Manager I couldn’t be more proud of the hard-working people who are committed to growing our food and sharing their [...]

Sitting out by a lake on your very own private dock can be one of the great joys of lakeside living. Whether you’re looking to launch a boat, relax and cast a fishing line or jump off into the lake’s deep end, keep a few of these basic tips in mind when building and installing your brand-new dock. 1.)    Permanent vs. Seasonal It may, at first, seem like less of hassle to install a permanent, [...]

The desire to have a pristine, well-manicured landscape leads many homeowners to toil outdoors for hours every weekend. Hiring a professional landscaping company can free up homeowners’ time and help them ensure that their yards are beautiful extensions of their homes. “The most important decision a homeowner can make when investing in their property is partnering with a professional,” said John Hodgkin, an owner of XTier, Inc. “The process and procedures, proper construction techniques, permitting [...]

Lake Orion Farmers’ Market’s featured vendor this month is Raub-Rae Farm out of Brown City, Michigan. Their motto is, “Healthy soil, healthy food . . . healthy people.” Their farm is a Michigan Centennial Farm, owned and operated by the same family for over 100 years. They have been certified organic since 1991, including produce, eggs, beef and free-range poultry. This year, Raub-Rae Farm is branching out to include a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) offering, [...]

A federal review of the state’s water protection measures has spurred several proposed changes in how wetlands are regulated in the state under the guidance of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The proposed changes — which include revamping some of the rules regarding wetland protection and permitting processes under Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act — are necessary for the state to retain its ability to oversee wetland permitting under the federal [...]

Common sense would tell you that if the lawn is long, it’s time to cut it, so it should follow that tall aquatic weeds need to be removed. Why then is Oxford Township resident Gary Ohlgart asking neighbors on Squaw Lake to stop pulling water weeds from their property? “Just because you own property on the lake, it doesn’t mean your property stops right there,” Ohlgart said, gesturing to the lake from his beach on [...]

Bad blood had already been brewing for about a year between Independence Township residents Darwin Moore and his next-door neighbor, Larry Osentoski, when a dispute about a dock took a long walk to Oakland County’s 52-2 District Court. “They wrote me a ticket,” Moore said of the Independence Township ordinance officer who cited him for a civil infraction for installing a dock at his house on Whipple Lake without first obtaining the proper permits from [...]