A tragedy unfolding in Ohio should serve as a cautionary tale to homeowners in Macomb County, Michigan. Federal prosecutors recently charged nine people with deceiving more than 200 people and 20 banks in a home-buying fraud that bilked millions from lenders and investors in Michigan and Ohio and has left unwary homeowners homeless.

"Their slice of the American dream was damaged," said U.S. Assistant Prosecutor Dan Brown of those defrauded.

They say love is blind, but it must be deaf too. You know the honeymoon is over when the soft snore you thought so endearing during courtship turns into a relentless buzz saw at night. Many Macomb County, Michigan couples are solving the problem by installing snoring rooms in their homes.

With a heat wave baking the Midwest and air conditioning pushing up electric prices, it's a good time to think about energy conservation. Macomb County, Michigan will sponsor two energy education seminars for low-income families:

• Thursday, August 9 from 6-8 p.m. at Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 58527 Delanie St., New Haven, MI
• Tuesday, August 14 from 6-8 p.m. at St. Mark Catholic Church, 4257 Bart Ave., Warren, MI

Here at the Macomb County Voice, we are a hub, now 80,000 strong, for the local Detroit Metro area people, as well as those from other areas. Be an EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD, give back to your community and become famous here on the Macomb County Voice! Share your knowledge of something you know about. There are folks out there that don't know what to do in certain areas of living, dying, family issues, health, hobbies, sports, vacationing and so much more! Let the Macomb County Voice be the just that: THE VOICE to the public and share advice and information.  I've been blogging here at the Macomb County Voice for over a year and the response to me, personally and for business, has been tremendous and rewarding. I've been drawn in paths, nationally, that I thought I would never achieve.

During tough times, as we are facing here in the Metro Detroit Area, we can learn from one another. Our country is based on pooling our resources when times get tough.  The Macomb County Voice is a tool for you to use. The Macomb County Voice has experts in many many areas, as well as many other interesting stories and articles.

Contact me, Jeannie Sample, and share your ideas with me if you are not sure how to do your expert advice on the Macomb County Voice. We have a load of categories here or we can make a category just for you here at the Macomb County Voice! I would be glad to help you! HomeCoach@hotmail.com #810-614-2120

There are new home buyers shopping to buy a vacant lot now and build later, when times get better. In today's Macomb County real estate, you can buy a lot from a builder or developer for a song. Generally, they wouldn't sell a parcel to you because it cuts into their profits of building a home for you. However, with times as tough as they are, builders and developers are happy to sell lots and even take a hit at the sales price. However, is this a good idea to do right now?

I know we all have a place here on this forum for our profile as we post, but the Macomb County Voice has requested that the contributors each write a bio with picture (or cartoon or something) and post it here at the Macomb County Voice. We have a fabulous group here from all fields of work, home and lifestyle in the Macomb County and Detroit Metro area that share their thoughts and words with us.

Macomb County real estate agent, talking about seniors: 

You're never too old, you know.  Take Nola Oaks from Hayes Kansas. She just graduated from college at 95 years old! It's only natural she majored in History. She was probably there for most of it. A big "atta girl" for Nola.

Who is the oldest league bowler in the United States? That would be Bill Hayword at 106 years old.  His bowling average is 93, but hey, that isn't bad for a guy who is legally blind. Keep on truckin' Bill!

From Jeannie Sample, the author of Happy in Horse Poop: The Entremanureal Journey

By Jeannie Sample-Author of "Happy in Horse Poop: The Entremanureal Journey"

Author, John Jeffire of Clinton Township in Macomb County, has been awarded a gold metal for the 2007 Independent Publisher Regional Book Awards. His novel, "Motown Burning" follows the journey of a local Macomb County young man, Aram Pehlivanian.  His experiences intertwine with many of the local culture and Detroit's historical past, such as the 1967 Detroit Riot. He survives the riot but is arrested and given an ultimatum: either go to prison or fight in Vietnam. He is forced to go to Vietnam and fight for his very life, if he wants to see his girl Karie again and his child.