News Nearby: Fracking Opponents in Michigan Push for Ballot Initiative

Here is a list of the top five most interesting stories from around Washtenaw County during the past week.

1. A group that wants to ban horizontal hydraulic fracturing for gas and oil wells in Michigan is trying to revive an effort that potentially could result in a proposal on the November 2014 statewide ballot, according to MLive.com. The group needs to collect 258,088 valid voter signatures to move the proposal forward.

2. Reading and writing scores for middle school students at Mill Creek Middle School in Dexter dropped from the 2011-2012 school year according to the Michigan Educational Assessment Program.

3. Dexter Village residents say more traffic calming measures are needed to control speeding in local neighborhoods, according to Patch.com.

4. The Blockbuster Video store in Chelsea is closing as part of parent company Dish Network's decision to close 300 stores nationwide in 2013.

5. Chelsea Patch reported that Chelsea High School's 4-year graduation rate continues to rise. The district is one of several districts in Michigan with a 95 percent graduation rate.