Thursday, April 4, 2013 at Costick Center

The Farmington Hills/Farmington Emergency Preparedness Commission (EPC) will present a free SKYWARN training program on Thursday, April 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Costick Center, located at 28600 Eleven Mile Road between Middlebelt and Inkster.

SKYWARN is a volunteer program developed in the early 1970s as a cooperative effort between the National Weather Service and local emergency management representatives.  There are now nearly 290,000 trained weather spotters across the country who provide reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service (NWS) and help keep their communities safe.

The main responsibility of a SKYWARN spotter is to identify and describe severe local storms.  Information provided by SKYWARN spotters has enabled the NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods.  Participants at the training session will learn:

• Basics of thunderstorm development
• Fundamentals of storm structure
• How to identify potential severe weather features
• What information to report
• How to report information
• Basic severe weather safety

The SKYWARN training program will be hosted by the EPC, Oakland County, and Warning Coordination Meteorologist Richard Pollman of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Detroit Weather Forecast Office in White Lake, Michigan.  Advance registration is required.  For more information or to register, call the Costick Center at 248-473-1800.

Governor Rick Snyder and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson have declared the week of April 7 through April 13, 2013 as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Michigan.

Oakland County’s Homeland Security Division will be engaged in various public education efforts during Severe Weather Awareness Week in an effort to help minimize the loss of life and destruction of property that can result from severe weather.

As part of this initiative, a special test of the Early Weather Warning System will be conducted.  The Outdoor Warning System sirens will be activated on Wednesday, April 10 at 1 p.m.

The purpose of the test is to raise the level of severe weather safety awareness and to offer schools and businesses an opportunity to review and test their internal disaster plans.  Residents are asked to publicize the date and time of the test in order to help stop calls to 9-1-1 or to local Police and Fire Departments.

• 6:30–8:30 pm
• Bloomfield Twp. Public Library, 1099 Lone Pine Rd. (@Telegraph)

As part of the 2013 Severe Weather Awareness Week, a special test of the Early Weather Warning System will be conducted.  The Outdoor Warning System sirens will be activated on Wednesday, April 10 at 1 p.m.

Please do not contact police or fire departments to report or inquire about this.

Bookstock Used Book & Media Sale

Used Book & Media Sale
April 21 – 28, 2013
at Laurel Park Place in Livonia, MI.

Gently used books, records, CDs, DVDs, and audiobooks.

All books and media at the sale have been donated. Receipts are given and donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

Honorary Co-chairs: Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press Columnist and Neal Rubin, Detroit News Columnist

Bookstock, Used Book & Media Sale, is a community service project through which donations of books and media continue to provide enjoyment and knowledge. Proceeds from the sale support education and literacy projects in the Detroit metropolitan area and beyond.

The entire process of collecting and sorting gently used books and media, organizing and staffing the sale is 100% volunteer driven. This approach to recycling used books and media in order to raise money for education and literacy is what makes Bookstock a win-win endeavor for the community. All leftover books from Bookstock are donated to non-profits and charities in our community.

Jewish Community Center, D. Dan and Betty Kahn Building, West Bloomfield
6600 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI
Telephone: 248-661-1000

Colossal Collections Drive-Thru and Drop-Off:

• 11 am – 1 pm
• @ the Loading Dock near the Nursery School Entrance
  (North side of building)
• Sunday, March 17, 2013

Collection Wednesdays:

• 10 am – 2 pm
• Main Entrance
• Wednesdays, through April 3, 2013

ARBORFEST….WITH COMPOST!

OPEN HOUSE AT THE SOCWA GARDENS

SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013 –  From 9:30 am to Noon – Drop in any time

3910 W. Webster Rd., Royal Oak between Coolidge Ave. & Greenfield Rd.,

OUTDOOR OPEN HOUSE WITH TENT – RAIN OR SHINE

REGISTRATION: LFDean@aol.com

Demonstrations throughout the morning:

ReLeaf Michigan bareroot trees and shrubs (ReleafMichigan.blogspot.com)

• Tree mulching demonstrations – Tree mulch available for pickup, courtesy of Paul’s Tree Service
• Tour the Native Landscape Education Site – Native shrubs for biodiversity….why not a biohedge?
• Composting demos by Master Composters; compost bin choices
• Using compost for a pest-free garden…and more!
• Core aeration for the lawn…with compost demonstration by Total Lawn Care Inc.,

Endorsed by the Michigan Green Industry Association through the Healthy Lawn Care Program for Watershed Protection
Sponsored by SOCWA, The Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority  (www.socwa.org)
Activities presented by SOCWA Master Composter Volunteers

ArborFest-2013-flyer

Tree Mulching Guidelines for Southeast Michigan