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candgnews.com MAY 28, 2025 Vol. 18, No. 11
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Help urgently needed as situation in Haiti worsens BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI akozlowski@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — A mission group to Haiti that includes churches in Sterling Heights, Southfield and more is sounding the alarm on the plight of the country — the poorest in the Western Hemisphere — as gangs have captured the town of Mirebalais, once a safe haven. A letter by Kesner Gracia, an Episcopalian priest in Haiti, described the scene in April. “Haiti has become a veritable human slaughterhouse,” he wrote. “In Mirebalais, the streets are littered with corpses. … Unspeakable scenes of terror unfold before our very eyes.” Haiti Outreach Mission, a Troy-based nonprofit, has been wiring funds to partners in Haiti since it’s no longer safe to travel there. Projects include medical and dental clinics, a lab and pharmacy, water purifiers, and funding for food, shelter and supplies. People can help by donating to HOM, which also urges churches to help.
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Communities protest Oakland County rate spike for assessing services INCREASES AVERAGE 75% THE FIRST YEAR, 92% THE THIRD YEAR BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI AND GENA JOHNSON akozlowski@candgnews.com, gjohnson@candgnews.com
ORCHARD LAKE — Communities that contract with Oakland County for assessing services are raising concerns — and in some cases, changing vendors — after a narrowly divided Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted to raise rates. There are 19 cities and 13 townships that contract with the Oakland County Equalization Division for assessing services, which determine taxable values. The county charges communities on a per-parcel basis. The contracts are for a three-year period, beginning July 1. The increase affects each community, averaging an increase of 75% the first year and nearly 92% the third year. An optional “smoothing method” raises the rates more gradually, averaging 26% the first year and 140% the third year. In Farmington, the increase without smoothing is 52% the first year, and more than 66% the third year. Farmington City Manager David Murphy shared his thoughts about the increase. “Certainly, I’m disappointed,” he said. “We’ve always had a great working relationship. They (Oakland County Equalization Division) do a fantastic job for us, and I just
See HAITI on page 4A Photo by Valerie McNeece
Dr. Dominque Monde-Matthews, founder of Haiti Outreach Mission, treats a young patient during a trip to the country in 2012. Many families have been displaced following recent events there.
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