Now that summer is quickly winding to a close, it is time for Macomb County residents to prepare for another fun school year for the kiddies. Preparing involves more than buying bookbags, supplies and lunchboxes.

Parents who have children entering Kindergarten for the 2008-2009 school year are encouraged to call the Macomb County Health Department office, which is located in Mt. Clemens, to receive their free vision and hearing tests for their children.  Keep in mind that these tests are required for all children that are entering school for the first time.  It is important to identify any problems that your child may have with vision or hearing at an early age so that they can have every educational advantage available at their fingertips.

Macomb County Health Department will also be willing to test any child from the ages of 3 – 18 when parents or guardians have concerns about their vision and hearing issues.  Testing is simple and painless.

All exams must be scheduled in advance by calling (586) 412-5945.  All vision and hearing tests are conducted at the Mount Clemens Health Department office only.  The address is:  4325 Elizabeth Road in Mount Clemens.

Each year about this time we are treated to lots of fireworks shows. Some are to celebrate the Fourth of July, others are just because it is summer.

The first documented fireworks displays took place in China in the 12th century. At this time it was thought that fireworks could scare evil spirits. They were also used as a sort of prayer for good fortune. In ancient China, people who were skilled with fireworks commanded great respect.

Fireworks should really be handled by experts and you need to check with your jurisdiction for rules regarding fireworks in your area.

Here are some rules for being safe while using fireworks:

Fireworks should be handled by adults only.
Only buy fireworks from reputable establishments.
Only use fireworks outside.
Don't carry fireworks in your pockets.
Read the label and follow the instructions.
Don't aim fireworks at other people.
Keep pets at a safe distance from fireworks.

Whether you take in fireworks outside or watch them at home on television, stay safe this Fourth of July.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, Macomb County!

In times past, members of a community (mostly women) would gather to make quilts, engaging in a social event while at the same time doing some very practical work. These days there are fewer quilting bees, but that doesn’t mean that people still aren’t making quilts.

In fact, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in not losing this craft. There has also been a new view: quilts as art. Instead of being solely used to keep people warm in their beds, quilts are now also being put on display in exhibitions all over the country.

This Friday, May 16, 2008 the Macomb County Quilt Guild will present Quilts from the Attic 2008. The event will take place at the Roseville Recreation Center on May 16 from 12 pm to 8 pm. And don’t worry if you miss it because there will be an encore on Saturday, May 17 from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission to the exhibit is $5. You can e-mail santok@wowway.com or call 586-294-0423 to get additional information.

Roseville Recreation Center
18185 Sycamore Street

Can drinking wine help save a life? In this case it may help save the life of the drinker and the lives of countless others. Though the medical establishment has never exactly narrowed down all the benefits of drinking wine, we know that a little wine can be beneficial. So if you attend the Relay for Life Wine Tasting, you will definitely be helping yourself. And since the proceeds from the event will be put towards cancer research, you are, without a doubt helping someone else as well.

If that isn’t enough, you will get to feast on appetizers and enjoy the scintillating company of your fellow Macomb County wine drinkers and friends.

The Relay for Life Wine Tasting Event will take place on May 13, 2008 from 5 to 9 pm at the Red Hat Micro Winery, 24601 Jefferson Avenue, St. Clair Shore, MI.. They are asking for a $10 donation and as was mentioned 100% of the donations goes to cancer research. The actual Relay for Life event takes place May 30-31.

Visit the Red Hat Micro Winery website or call 313-549-0072 for more information.

The Equilibrium Pilates Studio is having an event to celebrate women-owned businesses in our area that will also serve as a benefit for Camp Casey. Camp Casey is a horse camp for kids with cancer. You know that this will be time (and money) well spent.

You’ll be able to eat, shop and take advantage of spa and meditative services in a calming atmosphere. There will also be a raffle and winners will get fantastic gifts from shops from our neck of the woods and from all over the state.

Don’t worry about having to get someone to watch your kids, this event is for kids and for the family as a whole. You may be able to finish some of that Mother’s Day shopping that you tend to put off until the last minute. Or, if you bring your mom with you, you can treat her to spa services as a pre-Mother’s Day gift.

The Equilibrium Pilates Studio is located at 6405 Telegraph in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. You can go to their website to learn more about what they offer.

“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”
Sometimes this is how it feels to fall victim to one of the road’s most trecherous traps—potholes. It is sad to say, but Macomb County has more that its fair share of craters. Once I had just gotten my tires aligned at was driving along familiar roads and out of nowhere my car and I fell prey to an unfamiliar pothole. Needless to say, I quickly lost that newly-aligned feeling.

Macomb County Commission Peter Lund can commiserate. He knows the sinking feeling of landing in a pothole. And he wants to hear all about your troubles. His contest to find the worst potholes in Macomb County was supposed to end last week, but the deadline has been extended to next Wednesday.

So take a picture of the worst pothole you can find, submit it at www.petelund.com, and you’ll be in the running for some fabulous prizes. The first place winner gets a new set of tires and the second place winner will be awarded a front-end alignment.

Earlier this week, The Blue Water Area Transportation Commission began transporting passengers between Port Huron and Macomb County. This additional service was paid for using a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Job Access and Reverse Commute Program. The cost of the funding was split in half by the federal government and the state government.

Riders have given the new, expanded transportation program a thumbs up. I don't need to tell those of you who drive that gas costs more than ever. Some riders are surely glad to save on gas, while other don't mind spending on gas, but want to reduce driving out of concern for the environment. People who had to drive to work in Detroit will now have other options. Still others do not have their own vehicles, so any increase in the number of areas served by public transportation is great when you don't drive.

In addition to the funds provided by to fund the additional service, SMARTBus transfers will not cost extra. A rider will pay just 75 cents to ride from Port Huron to Detroit.

To get to the counties of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb, passengers can choose one of the two routes that will connect them to the SMARTBus system. They can transfer by waiting in Chesterfield Township.

Do you feel the need for speed? On Sunday, September 9, the 25th annual Battle of the Brits car and motorcycle show will roar into Freedom Hill County Park in Macomb County, Michigan. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. speed aficionados can feast their eyes on more than 400 British cars and 200 British motorcycles of all makes and types. The annual show is sponsored by the Detroit Triumph Sports Car Club and the Metro Triumph Riders. Freedom Hill County Park is located at 15000 Metro Parkway in Sterling Heights, Michigan. For more information, call 248-426-0124 or visit the Triumph Sports Car Club website or the  Metro Triumph Riders website.

If you're a sports car or bike junkie, this is the place to be. In addition to a dazzling display of British sports cars and motorcycles, you'll find rows of vendors and suppliers offering new and used parts, accessories and memorabilia. Food vendors will be on hand to fuel your body or you can bring a picnic lunch. There is an $8 parking fee for non-participants.

The annual Battle of the Brits is the largest all-British car and motorcycle show in Michigan and the largest show of its kind in the Midwest. Best of Show will be awarded in 37 judged classes and People's Choice awards will be presented in 11 classes. People's Choice voting ends at 1 p.m. to allow time to tally the votes. The awards ceremony starts at 3:30 p.m. If you are a British vehicle enthusiast, this is a must see event.

County's  population  rising  as  state's  stays  put

By Stephen Bitsoli