ROMAN GASKEY Roman Gaskey of Lake Orion has degrees from U of M in mathematics of finance and risk management and data science. He is employed as a strategy and product analyst with Altumatim. He is involved with a couple of local community groups plus is a committee member with the Oxford DDA. Government transparency Michiganders deserve more transparency when it comes to lobbyist and special-interest contacts with lawmakers and the governor, budget negotiations, earmarks,

Andrew Lyon was hired by the East Lansing Police Department as an officer in 2024. By the time he resigned in April 2026, he was the subject of four internal department investigations. According to local reporting from WLNS-TV, in just two years on the job, Lyon was under investigation for speeding through red lights during a pursuit without lights and sirens, running red lights, and speeding in a personal vehicle. He had also ignored direct commands from his superiors not to

Like many residents, I was surprised and concerned to learn that the Birmingham City Commission authorized the expenditure of $5 million in taxpayer funds to purchase The Community House and its property without meaningful input or agreement from voting residents. This action raises several important questions. It is not clear that operating such a facility aligns with the core responsibilities of city government, particularly given that the property has historically hosted p

My family’s business operated in Birmingham for more than sixty years, and although I no longer live in the city, I still care deeply about its future. The Community House has always been one of Birmingham’s most important gathering places, a space where people of all ages and backgrounds could come together. That purpose matters now more than ever. The current conflict surrounding The Community House is troubling, not only because of the legal and financial issues, but beca

Stacy Gittleman's recent piece (June/Downtown) on the digital curriculum in Oakland County schools named something many of us have been watching with growing alarm, and something we are no longer content to simply watch. I am a VP of Product at a technology company. I build the platforms, design the engagement systems, and understand the mechanics of how digital products capture and hold attention. I say this to make one thing clear: my concern about how technology is being u

Birmingham City Clerk Alexandria Bingham recently received the recognition of Oakland County Executive’s Oakland Together 40 Under 40 program, spotlighting top leaders in business and the community under 40 years of age. She was selected from 300 local applicants. “I am delighted to be recognized,” said 35-year-old Bingham. “Public service is a huge part of my family. My grandpa was a Milford police officer and my mom introduced me to municipal work in Commerce Township by en

Bloomfield Hills resident Ryan Walker was motivated to create the Pine Lake Ultraman, a local 320-mile endurance event not only for the extreme physical and emotional athletic challenge but also for deeply personal reasons. Growing up outside of Pittsburgh as the oldest child of teen parents, Walker admitted, “I had a complicated childhood. While my parents tried to make it work and do their best…I ended up having various parental figures through the years.” His maternal gra

Award-winning artist Lauren Levato Coyne was an exceptionally curious child who began creating when she was just six-years-old. “I was curious to the point of annoying everyone around me,” she joked. “And I’m still a very curious person. The very first thing I remember making was text and image-based. I did a drawing of a newspaper. I drew a picture of what the lead story was, which was the dust bunnies taking over the bedroom. I was interested in the arts from day one. At th

Founded by Richard Grinstein, Grinstein Jewelry & Design, of Birmingham is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Born and raised in Detroit, Grinstein studied metalsmithing at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Since launching his career, he has been creating distinctive jewelry designs for his store while also crafting one-of-a-kind custom pieces for clients. He founded his business in Royal Oak in 1976 before relocating to Birmingham, first at 280 North Woodward and later to i

OPTIK Birmingham, located at 247 W. Maple Road, is celebrating an important milestone: 25 years of serving the greater Birmingham community. Owned and operated by Dr. Joe Ales, OD, the practice combines comprehensive eye health care and vision correction services with an impressive collection of exclusive contemporary eyewear. Over the past quarter century, OPTIK Birmingham has flourished, growing fivefold since its founding and establishing itself as a destination for both e