Misplaced Pages

#192807

75-453: Founder Jack A. Robinson opened his first Perry Drug Store in 1957 on Perry Street in Pontiac, Michigan . In 1978, a prototype Perry store was opened, featuring an expanded sporting goods line, a home and automotive center, and live pets for sale. Auto Works, an automotive parts retail chain, was introduced in 1982. Twenty-six Cunningham Drug locations were spun off by the chain's owner into

150-504: A State of the City address . The Pontiac mayor also is responsible for appointing several positions in office including deputy mayor as well as overseeing the law, financial, police, and fire departments. Wallace E. Holland (1974–1986 and 1990–1994) was the first African American elected as Mayor of Pontiac, and the first directly elected Mayor following the adoption of the revised Pontiac City Charter in 1982. Deirdre Holloway Waterman ,

225-531: A Superior Court and Sheriff (as an officer of the court ), both located in a designated "shire town". Bennington County, Vermont has two shire towns; the court for "North Shire" is in the shire town Manchester , and the Sheriff for the county and court for "South Shire" are in the shire town Bennington. In 2024, Connecticut , which had not defined their counties for anything but statistical, historical and weather warning purposes since 1960, along with ending

300-523: A county or civil parish . The term is in use in five countries: Canada , China , Hungary , Romania , and the United States . An equivalent term, shire town , is used in the U.S. state of Vermont and in several other English-speaking jurisdictions, such as Venezuela . In Canada , the provinces of Ontario , Quebec , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , and Nova Scotia have counties as an administrative division of government below

375-410: A county seat may be an independent city surrounded by, but not part of, the county of which it is the administrative center; for example, Fairfax City is both the county seat of Fairfax County, Virginia and completely surrounded by Fairfax County, but the city is politically independent of the county. When the county seat is in the independent city, government offices such as the courthouse may be in

450-467: A drugstore chain based in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania , acquired twenty-five locations from Hook's Drug Stores in 1994, subsequently selling nine of the locations to Perry. One year later, Rite Aid acquired all 224 of Perry Drug Stores' locations, including the former Hook's Drugs locations. The acquisition of Perry Drug Stores in 1995 was the largest acquisition made by Rite Aid. It also brought Rite Aid to

525-1070: A letter of intent to acquire Indianapolis-based Fleenor's Inc. with its chain of 50 auto part stores in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. After the acquisition was finalized, the Fleenor Auto Supply stores were rebranded FAS Auto Works. In October 1984, Perry acquired Corvair Auto Parts with its chain of 46 auto part stores in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. By May 1985, all FAS Auto Works and Corvair Auto Works stores were rebrand to just Auto Works . Perry sold its Auto works division with its 252 stores in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Missouri and West Virginia to Northern Automotive in Northern Automotive for $ 51 million in February 1988. After five years of ownership, Northern Automotive failed to turn

600-719: A new chain called Apex Drug. By 1985, the Apex Drug locations and several other Cunningham locations were acquired by Perry, while the Cunningham locations in Florida remained in operation. In 1981, Perry Drug expanded into the Chicago, Illinois market for the first time. (The chain had previously tried to enter Chicago through a failed acquisition of DeKoven Drugs.) A year later, these stores were sold to businessmen Fred Barney and Bill Cartwright, two veteran businessmen who formed

675-538: Is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified residential and commercial mixed-use development: it will have 46 new urban rental lofts, a fresh food grocery store and café, and a fitness center. Construction was completed during 2012, and the lofts and market opened in December of that year. 10 West Lofts, another development in the area, will bring more residents to downtown Pontiac. According to

750-409: Is known as the seat of its county. Generally, the county legislature, county courthouse, sheriff's department headquarters, hall of records, jail and correctional facility are located in the county seat, though some functions (such as highway maintenance, which usually requires a large garage for vehicles, along with asphalt and salt storage facilities) may also be located or conducted in other parts of

825-534: The Clinton River as a power source. Abundant natural resources led to the establishment of several carriage manufacturing companies, all of which were thriving at the turn of the 20th century. One of the largest carriage manufacturing companies in Pontiac of that era was the O.J. Beaudette Wagon Works, which made bodies for carriages and then transitioned to manufacturing bodies for automobiles. At that time,

SECTION 10

#1732801012193

900-449: The Clinton River , Pontiac was Michigan's first inland settlement. Rivers were critical to settlements as transportation ways, in addition to providing water and, later, power. The village was incorporated by the legislature as a city in 1861. From the beginning, Pontiac's central location served it well. It attracted professional people, including doctors and lawyers, and soon became a center of industry. Woolen and grist mills made use of

975-714: The Pontiac Silverdome , the stadium that hosted the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1975 to 2001, when the team returned to Downtown Detroit at Ford Field . Super Bowl XVI was played at the Silverdome in 1982. After 2001, the stadium continued to be used for concerts and other events until it was demolished in 2018. It is now the site of an Amazon Fulfillment and Distribution facility. Present-day Pontiac, Michigan

1050-476: The U.S. state of Michigan . Located roughly 26 miles (41.8 km) northwest of downtown Detroit , Pontiac is part of the Detroit metropolitan area , and is variously described as a satellite city or suburb of Detroit. As of the 2020 census , the city had a population of 61,606. Founded in 1818, Pontiac was the second European-American organized settlement in Michigan near Detroit, after Dearborn . It

1125-533: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 20.29 square miles (52.55 km ), of which 19.97 square miles (51.72 km ) is land and 0.32 square miles (0.83 km ) (1.58%) is water. Pontiac is bounded by the city of Auburn Hills to the east and north, the city of Lake Angelus to the north, Waterford Township to the west, and Bloomfield Township to the south. The former Pontiac Township included what are now

1200-513: The 1970s on an urban renewal project known as the "Pontiac Plan". The initial phase of this plan included the Phoenix Center, three office buildings, a transportation center, and a high-rise residential complex. The remainder of the plan was never completed. The city has struggled with declining population since 1980, due to industrial restructuring and the loss of jobs, especially in the automotive industry. From 2009 through 2013, Pontiac

1275-677: The 80,000-seat stadium in 1972 and it opened in 1975 as the Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium. This was a part of Davidson's vision for Pontiac. Besides becoming the new home stadium of the NFL's Detroit Lions , NBA's Detroit Pistons and USFL's Michigan Panthers , the arena hosted such events as the 1979 NBA All-Star Game , the 1982 Super Bowl XVI game between the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals , and four matches of soccer's 1994 World Cup . In 1968 there

1350-585: The Chicago operations into Perry Drug Chicago. Several units in Michigan were acquired in 1990 from Revco . This acquisition made Perry the dominant drugstore chain in the Detroit area and expanded Perry's presence to the Upper Peninsula for the first time. Perry Drug Stores posted a brief period of sharp declines in sales in 1990, with locations in Indiana and Wisconsin being sold off. By 1993,

1425-548: The Detroit River in present-day Detroit. Early European expeditions into the land north of Detroit described the area as having "extreme sterility and barrenness". Developments and exploration were soon to prove that report false. The first European-American settlers arrived in what is now the city of Pontiac in 1818. They followed the Saginaw Trail north from Detroit and determined the settlement should be where

1500-496: The Detroit area that was started in 1983. A.L. Price had 16 stores at the beginning of 1990. In April 1990, Perry Drug Stores announced that it has plans to sell off fourteen of its sixteen A. L. Price locations for $ 14.8 million and convert the remaining two into Perry Drug stores, as part of a decision to focus entirely on the drugstore chain itself. In March 1993, the chain, under new management, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. At

1575-854: The Detroit area, where it previously had no stores. Perry Drug Stores, Inc. remained an active subsidiary of Rite Aid (owning stores held by the company at its closure), as shown in the company's October 2023 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings. In addition to the drugstore chain, Perry owned two other specialty chains: Auto Works and A.L. Price. Unlike other drug stores, Perry diversified by carry non-traditional items such as automotive parts like brakes, shocks, exhaust systems, and carburetors in their drug stores as early as 1975. By 1978, Perry would have 15 out of its 56 stores, all in lower Michigan, carrying auto parts. A few years later, Perry decided to open standalone auto part stores called Auto Works . By March 1983, three stores had been open in Michigan and Chicago with plans to open 20 more. In July 1983, Perry signed

SECTION 20

#1732801012193

1650-483: The Michigan Department of Treasury's Office of Financial Responsibility. In July 2012, Mayor Leon Jukowski and Emergency Financial Manager Louis Schimmel announced plans to demolish the Phoenix Center. Its vacancy rates were high, and the city did not want to continue the high maintenance costs. New thinking about downtown was to re-emphasize the street grid; the city wanted to reconnect Saginaw Street to

1725-752: The Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA). MEGA estimates the development could generate $ 20.4 million in new investment and create up to 107 permanent full-time jobs in downtown. The development was to be supported by a state tax break. On January 26, 2012, West Construction Services began the renovation and restoration of the former Sears building for the Lafayette Place Lofts, the largest construction investment in Downtown Pontiac in approximately 30 years. The 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m ) project

1800-497: The Oakland County Government Complex off Telegraph Road . The mayor of Pontiac is Tim Greimel . The city of Pontiac operates under a strong mayor system . The mayor serves as the chief executive of the city while holding all responsibilities of the city's executive branch. These responsibilities include proposing a city budget, ensuring that all laws are followed accordingly, as well as delivering

1875-543: The Perry Drug Chicago locations were re-acquired and liquidated. After its out-of-state operations were sold, Perry continued to expand its presence within Michigan . Many locations were remodeled to the chain's "store of the '90s" format; in addition, an online computer system called PerryLink was implemented at all stores, allowing for customers to have their prescriptions filled at any location. Rite Aid ,

1950-475: The Pontiac Motor Division. In the city's heyday, it was the site of the primary automobile assembly plant for the production of the famed Pontiac cars, a brand that was named after the city. The Pontiac brand itself was discontinued in 2010 by General Motors. The City of Pontiac also was home to Oakland Motor Car Company , which was acquired by General Motors in 1909. In 1975, the city built

2025-762: The Pontiac library board consists of Rosie Richardson (chairperson), Yvette Brinker Marion (vice chairperson), Mattie Mckinney Hatchett (treasurer), Angela Allen (secretary), and H. Bill Maxey (trustee). The East Campus of the Oakland County Service Center is located in Pontiac. It includes the county courthouse and jail for adults. Residents are zoned to the School District of the City of Pontiac . The district runs one main high school, Pontiac High School. There were once two high schools, Pontiac Northern and Pontiac Central , but by December 2008 administrators were making plans to consolidate

2100-947: The United States, followed by Towson , the county seat of Baltimore County, Maryland . Likewise, some county seats may not be incorporated in their own right, but are located within incorporated municipalities. For example, Cape May Court House, New Jersey , though unincorporated, is a section of Middle Township , an incorporated municipality. In some states, often those that were among the original Thirteen Colonies , county seats include or formerly included "Court House" as part of their name, such as Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia . Most counties have only one county seat. However, some counties in Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Iowa , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Mississippi , Missouri , New Hampshire , New York , and Vermont have two or more county seats, usually located on opposite sides of

2175-425: The age of 18 living with them, 26.4% were married couples living together, 27.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.28. The median age in

2250-592: The ailing chain around and subsequently sold Auto Works with its 159 retail stores in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and West Virginia to Hahn Automotive Warehouse in November 1993 for $ 13 million in cash. Hahn finally closed Auto Works with its 53 stores in August 1997 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. A.L. Price was a deep-discount health and beauty aids retailer with sixteen locations in

2325-632: The chance to vote and escape the oppression of Jim Crow in the South. As the small "horseless carriage" manufacturers became consolidated under the mantle of the General Motors Corporation, Pontiac grew as the industry grew. It also suffered the same setbacks as other cities during the Great Depression years of the 1930s. The buildup of the defense industry and conversion of the automotive industry to war demands increased

Perry Drug Stores - Misplaced Pages Continue

2400-407: The cities of Pontiac, Lake Angelus, and Auburn Hills. The last remaining portion of the township incorporated as the city of Auburn Hills in 1983. Although the township no longer exists as a civil entity, it is still used as a survey township for land use purposes. As of the census of 2010, there were 59,515 people, 22,220 households, and 13,365 families residing in the city. The population density

2475-469: The city in the second wave of the Great Migration, but the city changed as suburbs were developed and people commuted by car to work. The more established residents moved out to buy newer housing being built in the suburbs, draining off business and resulting in vacancies downtown. Racist policies and racial animus toward the growing African American population was also an important factor, and until

2550-596: The city of Pontiac adopted the Pontiac Plan as the official plan for rebuilding the vacant area of the downtown district. In 1965, Davidson overheard news that the Detroit Lions were seeking a new football stadium in Southeast Michigan. Professor Davidson and city leaders made a push to develop a new multi-purpose stadium, which was built and became known as the Silverdome . Construction began on

2625-461: The city was $ 15,842. About 18.0% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over. Regionally, the city was known for the Arts, Beats and Eats Festival, a widely attended summer festival featuring an art show, musical concert venues, and a sampling of food from numerous regional restaurants. In 2010, the festival

2700-478: The city was 33.4 years. 27.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.2% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 9.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female. As of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $ 31,207, and the median income for a family was $ 36,391. Males had a median income of $ 31,961 versus $ 24,765 for females. The per capita income for

2775-404: The city. In late 1966, Pontiac-born real estate developer A. Alfred Taubman tried to build a large-scale shopping mall on vacant downtown land (where the Phoenix Center now stands). It was unsuccessful. Pontiac resident C. Don Davidson and his University of Detroit architectural class created a more comprehensive plan for development to benefit the city and the entire region around it. In 1969,

2850-526: The counties after his unification, there were about 1,000. Under the Eastern Han dynasty , the number of counties increased to above 1,000. About 1400 existed when the Sui dynasty abolished the commandery level (郡 jùn), which was the level just above counties, and demoted some commanderies to counties. In Imperial China, the county was a significant administrative unit because it marked the lowest level of

2925-418: The county, especially if it is geographically large. A county seat is usually an incorporated municipality . The exceptions include the county seats of counties that have no incorporated municipalities within their borders, such as Arlington County, Virginia , where the county seat is the entire county. Ellicott City , the county seat of Howard County, Maryland , is the largest unincorporated county seat in

3000-420: The county. Examples include Harrison County, Mississippi , which has both Biloxi and Gulfport as county seats, and Hinds County, Mississippi , which has both Raymond and the state capital of Jackson . The practice of multiple county seat towns dates from the days when travel was difficult. There have been few efforts to eliminate the two-seat arrangement, since a county seat is a source of civic pride for

3075-502: The deed at the request of the Sibleys, conveying 48.5 acres to Elizabeth Denison. She is believed to be the first black woman to purchase land in the new territory of Michigan. In 1837 Pontiac became a village, the same year that Michigan gained statehood. The town had been named after the noted Ottawa Indian war chief who had his headquarters in the area decades before, during the resistance to European-American encroachment. Founded on

Perry Drug Stores - Misplaced Pages Continue

3150-499: The downtown area. Owners of the connecting Ottawa Towers filed an injunction, claiming the demolition would devalue their property and result in lost parking. In December 2012, a judge granted an injunction for the Ottawa Towers on an "expedited calendar", which prevented the demolition of the Phoenix Center for the time being. In 2010, city leaders and business owners had launched "The Rise of The Phoenix" initiative. This plan

3225-501: The first landowners in Pontiac. Sibley, along with Stephen Mack and Shubael Conant, Pontiac Company members, also formed the partnership Mack, Conant & Sibley to develop a town. Solomon and his wife Sarah Sibley largely financed construction of the first buildings. While Solomon was the first chair of the Pontiac Company, for two years Sarah Sibley was the most active as the go-between with settlers at Pontiac. Solomon Sibley

3300-485: The first self-propelled vehicles were introduced. Pontiac quickly became a capital of the new automotive industry. Throughout the 1910s and 1920s, Pontiac had tremendous growth in its population and size as tens of thousands of prospective autoworkers moved here from the South to work in its GM auto assembly plants at Pontiac Assembly . African Americans came in the Great Migration , seeking work, education, and

3375-424: The imperial bureaucratic structure; in other words, it was the lowest level that the government reached. Government below the county level was often undertaken through informal non-bureaucratic means, varying between dynasties. The head of a county was the magistrate , who oversaw both the day-to-day operations of the county as well as civil and criminal cases. The current number of counties mostly resembled that of

3450-585: The increase of Han Chinese population in Taiwan, the number of counties also grew by time. By the end of Qing era, there were 11 counties in Taiwan. Protestant missionaries in China first romanized the term as hien . When Taiwan became a Japanese colony in 1895, the hierarchy of divisions also incorporated into the Japanese system in the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. By September 1945, Taiwan

3525-625: The independent city under an agreement, such as in Albemarle , or may in be enclaves of the county surrounded by the independent city, such as in Fairfax . Others, such as Prince William , have the courthouse in an enclave surrounded by the independent city and have the county government, the Board of Supervisors, in a different part of the county, far from the county seat. The following counties have their county seat in an independent city: Bedford

3600-420: The inventory of the second store into an nearby existing Perry store, and no announced plans for the remaining store. The remaining three stores were finally closed by the end of 1994 with plans of converting two of the stores into drive-through pharmacies. Pontiac, Michigan Pontiac ( / ˈ p ɒ n ( t ) i æ k / PON -(t)ee-ak ) is a city in and the county seat of Oakland County in

3675-758: The later years of the Qing dynasty . Changes of location and names of counties in Chinese history have been a major field of research in Chinese historical geography, especially from the 1960s to the 1980s. There are 1,355 counties in Mainland China out of a total of 2,851 county-level divisions. In Taiwan , the first counties were first established in 1661 by the Kingdom of Tungning . The later ruler Qing empire inherited this type of administrative divisions. With

3750-480: The mid-1960s with the enactment of Fair Housing ordinances, most of the properties in Pontiac neighborhoods contained racially restrictive covenants in the deeds. In order to prevent flooding, Pontiac confined the Clinton River in concrete through the downtown in 1963. Changing ideas about urban living in the early 21st century prompted the city to study uncovering the river to create a waterfront community in

3825-483: The need for labor. Pontiac was a pivotal concentration of wartime production for the United States in World War II. Among many other vehicles and weapons, Pontiac facilities produced thousands of GMC trucks, Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns, naval torpedoes, tank axles, amphibious vehicles, and munitions. The first postwar years after World War II were a time of prosperity, and continued migration of African Americans to

SECTION 50

#1732801012193

3900-775: The provincial level, and thus county seats. In the provinces of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia the term "shire town" is used in place of county seat. County seats in China are the administrative centers of the counties in the People's Republic of China . Xian have existed since the Warring States period and were set up nationwide by the Qin dynasty . The number of counties in China proper gradually increased from dynasty to dynasty. As Qin Shi Huang reorganized

3975-477: The schools. Four charter schools operate in Pontiac; they are Pontiac Academy for Excellence (K-12), Arts and Technology Academy, Walton Charter, and Great Lakes Academy. Pontiac is also home to Notre Dame Preparatory High School , a private Catholic school located in the North East area of the city. County seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government , or capital city of

4050-777: The state's area, has no borough government or borough seat. One borough, the Lake and Peninsula Borough , has its borough seat located in another borough, namely King Salmon in Bristol Bay Borough . In Louisiana , which is divided into parishes rather than counties, county seats are referred to as "parish seats". In New England , counties have served mainly as dividing lines for the states' judicial systems. Rhode Island has no county level of government and thus no county seats, and Massachusetts has dissolved many but not all of its county governments. In Vermont , Massachusetts , and Maine county government consists only of

4125-420: The time of the filing, A.L. Price had 12 stores. As one of the creditors, Perry initially announced that it plans to buy all 12 stores back for $ 2 million plus inventory, but latter change the number to 11 and increase the purchase price to $ 10.8 million By May 1994, Perry closed all of the re-purchased A.L. Price stores, except for three. Perry had plans of converting one of the stores into a Perry store, merging

4200-416: The towns involved, along with providing employment opportunities. There are 33 counties with multiple county seats in 11 states: Alaska is divided into boroughs rather than counties; the county seat in these case is referred to as the "borough seat"; this includes six consolidated city-borough governments (one of which is styled as a "municipality"). The Unorganized Borough, Alaska , which covers 49% of

4275-531: The trail and the river crossed. Two years later the fledgling settlement was designated as the county seat for Oakland County, due in part to the Michigan Territorial Governor Lewis Cass being receptive to the lobbying of The Pontiac Company's members that their recently acquired property was ideal for the county seat location. The Pontiac Company, consisting of 15 members and chaired by Solomon Sibley of Detroit , comprised

4350-544: The use of county seats in particular, will fully transition with the permission of the United States Census Bureau to a system of councils of government for the purposes of boundary definition and as county equivalents. Two counties in South Dakota , Oglala Lakota and Todd , have their county seat and government services centered in a neighboring county. Their county-level services are provided by Fall River County and Tripp County , respectively. In Virginia ,

4425-562: The world record from 2005 to 2009 for "Largest Haunted House"; it is 4 stories high. Pontiac was an early location of movie making, with the Raleigh Michigan Studios, renamed as the Motown Motion Picture Studios . Scenes of the 2012 remake of the film Red Dawn were filmed in Pontiac and other Michigan locations, recreating Spokane, Washington . Additionally, downtown Pontiac in August 2012

4500-460: Was 2,980.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,150.7/km ). There were 27,084 housing units at an average density of 1,356.2 per square mile (523.6/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 34.4% White , 52.1% African American , 0.6% Native American , 2.3% Asian , 6.2% from other races , and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 16.5% of the population. There were 22,220 households, of which 35.7% had children under

4575-816: Was Louis Schimmel, who was appointed by Governor Rick Snyder . In order to balance the budget, state-appointed emergency managers drastically revised labor union contracts with the city, sold off city assets such as parking meters, and privatized most public services. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office handles all police (saving $ 2 million a year) and nearby Waterford township has responsibility for fire protection (saving $ 3 million). Pontiac sold its water treatment plant for $ 55 million, and outsources garbage collection, animal control, vital records and street maintenance. Many people working in City Hall are employed by contractors. The city payroll has declined from 600 to 50 employees. The Silverdome Stadium, once valued at $ 22 million,

SECTION 60

#1732801012193

4650-507: Was an ophthalmologist who was elected as Pontiac's first female mayor by more than 68% of the vote on November 5, 2013. She was re-elected in 2017 with 57% of the vote. Her late husband, William Waterman, was a prominent attorney in the community who was appointed in 1988 by Michigan Governor James Blanchard to the District Court in Pontiac and elected multiple times to continue serving; he died in office in 2003. The District Courthouse

4725-475: Was an outbreak of a flu -like disease called Pontiac fever . After the discovery of the bacterium Legionella pneumophila in 1976 in Philadelphia , blood specimens from 1968 were re-examined and the same bacterium was found. On August 30, 1971, ten school buses were destroyed in a bombing during white resistance to a federal court order to desegregate the city's public schools. Construction began in

4800-400: Was constantly traveling as a Territorial Congressman and later a Territorial Supreme Court judge. The Sibley-Hoyt house , thought to be one of the first structures in Pontiac, is preserved by its private owner. In the 1820s Elizabeth Denison, an unmarried, free black woman, worked for the Sibleys. They helped her buy land in Pontiac in 1825. Stephen Mack, agent for the Pontiac Company, signed

4875-573: Was divided into 8 prefectures ( 州 and 廳 ), which remained after the Republic of China took over. There are 13 county seats in Taiwan, which function as county-administered cities , urban townships , or rural townships . In most of the United States , a county is an administrative or political subdivision of a state that consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The city, town, or populated place that houses county government

4950-537: Was elected Mayor in the general election. He won with 61.66% of votes, while his general election opponent Alexandra T. Riley received 37.50% of the vote. Riley, a frequent candidate for office in Pontiac, previously served as a city employee under Mayor Deirdre Waterman and more recent worked for the Genesee County Land Bank Authority. The city levies an income tax of 1 percent on residents and 0.5 percent on nonresidents. As of 2024 ,

5025-483: Was intended to attract businesses interested in downtown retail space. The applicants selected would be given free rent in exchange for multi-year leases (two years or more) as well as one year of free parking in city lots. Some 52 new businesses were recruited to locate in downtown Pontiac, bringing new life to the city. Plans for the development of mixed-use and loft flats in downtown were announced in September 2011 by

5100-505: Was moved to nearby Royal Oak . The First Annual Scheme Cruise was held September 6, 2015, an event sponsored by the Scheme Street Battle League. The event combined rap battles, basketball competitions, and a car show. Pontiac officials are considering relocating the event to the downtown area of the city. The city is at the north end of the famous Woodward Avenue , which extends as a major boulevard into Detroit. It

5175-537: Was named after Pontiac , a war chief of the Ottawa Tribe , who occupied the area before the European settlers. The city was best known for its General Motors automobile manufacturing plants of the 20th century, which were the basis of its economy and contributed to the wealth of the region. These included Fisher Body , Pontiac East Assembly (a.k.a. Truck & Coach/Bus), which manufactured GMC products, and

5250-548: Was originally lined with mansions and prestigious businesses. In the 1950s and 1960s it was popular with young people who would "cruise" and drag-race their hot-rods in the area. Pontiac participates in the annual Woodward Dream Cruise , an event celebrating Woodward's hot-rod history, with a parade of cars stretching from Detroit to Pontiac. The city hosts two nationally renowned haunted houses : The Realm of Darkness and Erebus . The Realm of Darkness has in previous years been chosen as America's Best Haunted House. Erebus held

5325-511: Was renamed in his honor, the William J. Waterman Hall of Justice. Then-incumbent Mayor Deirdre Waterman was removed from the August primary ballot due to unresolved campaign finance violations, but continued as a write-in candidate in the primary election. She was not successful in that effort. In November 2021, Tim Greimel , who previously served as a Michigan State Representative and Oakland County Commissioner in districts that included Pontiac,

5400-526: Was sold for $ 583,000 (it would end up being demolished in December 2017). The emergency managers reduced the city's annual spending to $ 36 million from $ 57 million, and erased almost all of its long-term debt. In August 2013, Schimmel resigned as Emergency Financial Manager. Schimmel now serves as part of the four-member Transition Advisory Board for the city. Other members of the board include Deputy Oakland County Executive Bob Daddow, Rochester Hills Finance Director Keith Sawdon, and Ed Karyzno, administrator of

5475-599: Was the filming site for the tornado-themed disaster movie Into the Storm . The 2013 fantasy adventure film Oz the Great and Powerful was filmed at Motown Motion Picture Studios. Transformers: Age of Extinction is the latest movie to be filmed within the studio, with the bulk of filming taking place in Pontiac. Pontiac is home to the Michigan Fallen Heroes Memorial. It is located within

5550-530: Was traversed for thousands of years by indigenous peoples due to the confluence of the Saginaw Trail and the Nottawassippi River; the river's indigenous name was replaced with the Clinton River name by settlers coming from New York State where DeWitt Clinton served as Governor. The Saginaw Trail was an important land trail route for indigenous peoples that ran from the Saginaw Bay in Michigan to

5625-412: Was under the oversight of an Emergency Financial Manager appointed by the state government. The Emergency Manager was authorized to make day-to-day executive and financial municipal decisions. The position was not subject to the usual checks and balances, nor to election. The first and second managers, Fred Leeb and Michael Stampfler, were appointed by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm . The third manager

#192807