Frederick A. Milton, Esquire former Pontiac Fireman, Attorney, Community Activist and Professor at Oakland Community College and U of D law School Dies at his home in Kalamazoo. See Obit and Commentary inside on Page 2 The July 21 – July 31, 2011 PSD New Superintendant Pontiac News Mr. Jon Brown A POSITIVE NEWS SOURCE WITH A LOCAL FLAVOR VOL. 2 ISSUE 10 Welcome Back ! Superintendent Thomas G. Maridada II, Ed.D. to Depart Pontiac School District Thomas G. Maridada II, Ed.D. recently announced to the Pontiac Board of Education his intention to transition out of his current position as Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Maridada, who was the Michigan Superintendent of the Year in 2008, has accepted a position to craft urban educa- tional policy in the nation’s capital. This comes in the wake of many extraordinary initiatives that have been developed by the Thomas G. Maridada II superintendent and his executive cabinet. Within the last two years, Maridada’s team has created an early college program which allows students to earn their Associate of Arts degree along with their high school diploma, developed a partnership with Cranbrook Institute of Science, created a gifted and talented school, developed two International Baccalaureate programs, formed a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academy, and created numerous partnerships with Rochester College, Oakland Community College, Oakland University, the Oakland Career and Technical Institute as well as the Society of Black Engineers. Within the last two years, Pontiac High made AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) for the first time in the district’s history, along with eight of the nine remaining schools in the district which also demon- strated academic growth and made AYP. Mr. Damon O. Dorkins, President of the Pontiac Board of Greater Pontiac Education, stated, “Dr. Maridada’s departure comes at a critical time Sesquicentennial for the district. He is an outstanding superintendent. We do not want him to leave, but we respect that this is an opportunity for him to Commission Host reach an even wider audience and impact more students. With the Symposium Building initiatives that Dr. Maridada has put in place, we believe that he is leaving the district in a much healthier place.” Pontiac through The district voted Monday to appoint Mr. Jon Brown as the Interim Superintendent. His appointment will be effective as of July Public, Private and 8, 2011. Maridada will transition with Brown over the next several Citizen Partnerships at months until his departure at the end of August. Brown is a cele- brated educational administrator who served for more than 30 years Baker College of in the Pontiac School District both as a principal, coach and Executive Director of Secondary Education at the central office level. Auburn Hills. Pontiac City Councilperson George Williams Pro Tem Patrice Waterman, President Lee Jones, Hubert Price Jr-Chair Pontiac See article on page 4. Sesq Committee, Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio Jay Williams and See Superintendent on page 6 Geoff Brieger Great Lakes Academy Pontiac’s Best Kept Secret For Enrollment Information at Great Lakes Academy for your Child call 248-334-6434 Page 2 The Pontiac News July 21 – July 31, 2011 Farewell to a Friend and Mentor By Frank Russell Publisher TPN at Oakland Community College for many Pierre, Timothy Leon, Sr., Joel Malcolm Inside young people from this community while (Kris), Frederick Andrew, Jr. (Amber), Editorial - Farewell to Fred Milton . .2 serving as an instructor in the 70’s and 80’s. Lewanna Elizabeth Irving (Rob), Matthew Pontiac School District . .3 He also paved the way for the African James, and Agnes Marie Nthusa (Leo). He American firefighter in the City of Pontiac. has 17 grandchildren, two great grandchil- Project Excel Fred and I worked together on several proj- dren, and a host of loving relatives and What’s Happening Pontiac . .4 ects that assisted hundreds of young people friends. Sesquentennial Schedule in the City of Pontiac achieve educational Frederick graduated from Pontiac Central and business opportunities throughout the High School in 1958. He worked as a What’s Happening OC . .5 world! But for….. Fred Milton there fireman and several other occupations to Brooks Patterson – Tim Griemel would be no Pontiac News! I want to thank support his family, and he graduated from Small Business his wife Pat and his children Tony, Tim, Joel, Wayne State University in 1968. Upon grad- Quincy Stewart Uncle Tom . .6 Fred Jr., Beth and Agnes and the rest of the uating, he entered Law School at the Milton and Moss family for allowing me to University of Detroit where he earned a law & Supt Departure spend quality time with Frederick A. – degree and began practicing as a Criminal 7 North Saginaw Art . .7 Farewell to my Friend and Mentor – You will Defense Attorney in 1971. Frederick moved Center Grande Reopening certainly be missed by all of those that you his family and law office to Kalamazoo, touched! Michigan in 1975 where he continued to POH Cruise . .8 TPN would also like to offer condolences practice until retiring after 36 years in 2007. Naazir Weds African Bride . .9 to the Marshall family and the Trinity church First and foremost, Frederick was not an Educational Matters . .10 family on the passing of Rev. Dr. Drew attorney—he was a Christian. He was a Marshall. May God be please with his member of Allen Chapel AME in It’s Broke, So Fix It service to humanity and this community! Kalamazoo, Michigan. Throughout his Community Voices . .11 professional career, Frederick was a member Ask Elaine Mr. Frederick Andrew Milton, Sr. was of the American Bar Association and State Malkia Maisha Newman On Saturday July 9th 2011, Frederick born January 28, 1940 in McComb, Bar of Michigan. He was a professor at Milton passed away at his home in Mississippi to the late Louis Albert Milton, Oakland Community College after gradu- Tips for College Women & Girls . .12 Kalamazoo. On Monday July 18, 2011 over Sr. and Mrs. Lue Vean (Anderson) Milton. ating from law school, and he was Adjunct to Hair & Barber Ball Ad 200 family and friends attended his funeral at He was the fifth of ten children. After the University of Detroit School of Law. Financial & Family Security . .13 Allen Chapel in Kalamazoo. The services moving to Pontiac, Michigan at an early age, Mr. Frederick A. Milton, Sr. was called was officiated by Pastor Neal Smith of his family helped found Liberty Baptist home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Disaster Prepare – Ant Like Pontiac a childhood friend. Fred will be Church where he received Christ at an early Christ on July 9, 2011 at his home in Faith Based Initiatives . 14 remembered by me as a friend and mentor age. Kalamazoo, Michigan. He will forever be TPN Pastors Meeting - Ascape Ad who helped me make the transition from a Frederick married Mrs. Lewanna Patricia remembered as a loving son, husband, father, young athlete to manhood. Fred was instru- (Moss) Milton May 3, 1958, and together and devoted friend. Community Calendar . .15 mental in creating educational opportunities they parented seven (7) children: Anthony Palace DTE Schedule City of Pontiac Proposals . .16 1500 University Dr. Get a great job Auburn Hills, MI 48326 you’ll feel great about. www.baker.edu Register on our website today! (248) 340-0600 (888) 429-0410 Located in Historic Downtown Pontiac 48 N. Saginaw An Equal Opportunity 248.253.1594 Affirmative Action Institution Y6151-AH www.smashhitkickboxing.com A POSITIVE NEWS SOURCE WITH A LOCAL FLAVOR July 21 – July 31, 2011 The Pontiac News Page 3 A POSITIVE NEWS SOURCE WITH A LOCAL FLAVOR Page 4 The Pontiac News July 21 – July 31, 2011 What’s Happening In Pontiac Pontiac Sesquicentennial Year By Hubert Price Jr. precipice for many years PA 47 does not August 2009 issue, Entrepreneur Magazine “buy-in” from all sectors of the community. appear to be as onerous as Michigan’s Public listed the City of Youngstown among the 10 Pittsburgh and Youngstown are similar to The City of Pontiac is celebrating its Act 72 or certainly not as draconian as the best cities in the United States to start a busi- Pontiac in that they were witness to the disin- 150th year as a city having been incorporated newly enacted P.A. 4. While Pennsylvania’s ness. tegration of the one industry on which they as a city by the Michigan Legislature March PA 47 provides for an oversight board of Mayor William’s keynote address had relied for decades. These two communi- 15, 1861. The Greater Pontiac Pittsburgh’s finances it does require an indi- stressed the importance of developing a ties, however, have taken steps to reinvent Sesquicentennial Commission officially vidual with powers comparable to Pontiac’s vision and then developing a plan to achieve themselves. The goal of the symposium was began 150th year activities with a kick-off Emergency Manager. the vision. He urged the Pontiac residents in to learn and hopefully apply some of their March 15, 2011 at the historic Crofoot in Ms. Fitzgibbons also presented on the attendance to quickly develop a vision that methods here in Pontiac. downtown Pontiac. After honoring Zev “Elm Street Community” and “Mainstreets recognizes the present and build a plan with Chafets, Alfred Taubman, Alvin Bessent, Pittsburgh” programs. The Mainstreets Valarie Graves, Richard Long, and Campy Pittsburgh program focused on the reinvigo- SAVE THE DATE: Russell as Pontiac achievers, the ration of ten Pittsburgh neighborhoods from Saturday, October 1, 2011 - 2:00pm – 7:00pm Sesquicentennial Commission has initiated a 2002-2009 and resulted in 90 million dollars New Pontiac, Inc.