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March 17, 2011
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hometownlife
Locals react to proposed state cuts BY STACY JENKINS OBSERVER STAFF WRITER
Info packets
A packet containing background and details about agenda items being considered by the Farmington school board during its regular meetings and study sessions will now be made available on Monday afternoons on the district’s website www.farmington.k12.mi.us under the “Board of Education” page. The school board meets every other Tuesday evening at the Lewis Shulman Administration Office, on Raphael, between Power Road and Farmington Road and between 10 Mile and Shiawassee in Farmington.
Barnett
At The Civic
Farmington Public Schools are scheduled for half-days on Thursday and Friday, March 17-18. The Farmington Civic Theater will feature early movies on these days for an escape from a routine day. Show times for “Yogi Bear” begin at 1 p.m. with “The Green Hornet’s” first showing at 2 p.m. A complete list of show times is available at www.theFCT.com
Crafters wanted
The Crafters on the Corner will return to this year’s Downtown Farmington Founders Festival. Crafters and vendors will set up on the grounds of the Masonic Hall, near the corner of Grand River and Farmington Road. Applications are now being accepted. Interested crafters and vendors should contact the Farmington Masonic Hall at (248) 419-0371 or email FMHA_COTC@Hotmail.com.
Gregory
Debbi Frisch sat in the audience at the Council of Homeowners Associations meeting Tuesday and couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Frisch, along with about 20 other Farmington Hills residents who attended
COHA’s general meeting at the library, listened to an update from Lansing, from state Rep. Vicki Barnett, D-Farmington Hills, and state Sen. Vincent Gregory, D-Southfield, who also represents Farmington and Farmington Hills. Barnett and Gregory recapped Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposed budget cuts and outlined the state’s proposed tax changes. Barnett
‘Hello Dolly!’
At the Salvation Army The Salvation Army Farmington Hills Corps Community Center will open registration for its family Vacation Bible School program, “Minute To Win It: Family Edition” on April 4. Registration for the afterschool STRIVE hockey program began on Monday. The Corps is located at 27500 Shiawassee, at Inkster Road, in Farmington Hills. The Minute To Win It: Family Edition program will run April 18-22 from 5-7 p.m. and will include dinner, games and devotions. The program is free and open to families with children 16 and under. Child care will be provided for infants. Availability for the program is on a first-come, first-served basis and early registration is encouraged. The Salvation Army’s STRIVE floor hockey program season will begin March 31 and is open to students in grades two-nine. Parents must provide proof of grade. Cost is minimal; however, team spots are limited. To learn more about The Salvation Army of Farmington Hills’ after-school programs or to register, call Julie Dorony at (248) 477-1153, Ext. 106.
com
also spoke about the brand new law for emergency financial managers — a law she said chips away at the core of democracy in Michigan. The news was grim — and, several people in attendance had no idea how drastic some of the proposals in Lansing are, in the Please see CUTS, A6
Chris Cordle, as Horace Vandergelde, left, with teachers from Mercy High School who are known as “The Men of Mercy” rehearse for this weekend’s production of “Hello Dolly!”
PHOTOS BY JOHN STORMZAND | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Cast members during a dress rehearsal of “Hello Dolly!” to be performed at Mercy High School this weekend. Veronica Battersby, center, has the lead role performing as Dolly Levi.
Broadway classic hits Mercy High School stage this weekend An engaging matchmaker, a stingy store owner and two adventureseeking clerks make up the main characters in Mercy High School’s spring musical Hello, Dolly! This 1964 Broadway hit and winner of 10 Tony Awards is based on Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker. Set in 1890s New York, the show focuses on Dolly Levi, a matchmaker, who sets her sights on Horace Vandergelder, the richest and stingiest man in town.
The show boasts such hit numbers as Before the Parade Passes By, It Only Takes a Moment, and the show-stopping Hello, Dolly! The rapid-paced Waiters’ Gallop is one of the main highlights of the show. “Hello, Dolly! is the comedy that will lift everyone’s spirits with this larger-than-life character,” said director Kathy Sill. As an added attraction, 10 male members of Mercy’s staff will per-
form in a featured number It Takes a Woman. “These ‘Men of Mercy’ who portray the Men of Yonkers have given graciously of their time and talent and I know they will bring down the house with their song and dance number,” said Sill. Taking the stage in the role of Dolly Levi is junior Veronica Battersby of Farmington Hills. Vandergelder is played by Farmington High School sopho-
more Chris Cordle. The roles of the two clerks Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker are played by Catholic Central senior Scott Czinski and CC junior Jaret Grisamer, respectively. Other principal characters include senior Alyson McAdams, as Irene Molloy; sophomore Maggie Malaney, as Minnie Fay and senior Erin Burke, as Ermengarde — all of Farmington Hills, as well as Royal Oak High School junior Christian Lafata. Please see ‘DOLLY’, A2
Hills Mayor Ellis joins dads in reading night at Wood Creek For more, see Page A5 BY SUSAN STEINMUELLER OBSERVER STAFF WRITER
Farmington Hills Mayor Jerry Ellis has had lots of practice when it comes to reading to kids. He read to his own children, and now reads to his
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young grandchildren, he said. “He goes through our house and picks up books and brings them over to you to read,” he said of one young avid reader-in-the-making, his 19-month-old grandson. So Ellis was right at home as a guest reader at Wood Creek Elementary School’s first Dad’s Reading Night.
He read a couple of books, including one called Mr. Tanen’s Ties, by Maryann Cocca-Leff ler.
‘A GREAT NIGHT’
The Friday evening event was organized by the Farmington Hills school’s PTA, in conjunction with Please see WOOD CREEK, A5
JOHN STORMZAND | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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Farmington Hills Mayor Jerry Ellis shows the illustrations to the children he read to at Wood Creek Elementary on Friday.
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‘DOLLY’ FROM PAGE A1
Rounding out the principal characters are senior Emily Shimskey, playing Ernestina; and University of Detroit Jesuit senior JaVon Hansknecht, as Rudolph. The “Men of Mercy” include Larry Baker, Gary Bank, Joe Gerardi, Mike Gruber, Steve Morgan, Gary Morris, Isy Rodriguez, Tony Scalzi, Jim Skellett, and Tom Sklut. Other cast members include seniors Rachel Anctil, Dana Fouchia, Bridget Johnson, Mary Kay Knight, Julia O’Hara, Caroline Powers, Madeline Ross; juniors Jamie Anumba, Colette Berg, Annie Griff in, Diana Levandowski, Ellen Lezotte, Kaitlin Nelson, Shanyn Rapson, Julianne Williams; sophomores Annie Carroll, Chloe Constantakis, Claire Fitzsimons, Jaclyn Godwin, Haley Fox, Sarah Kmiecik, Monica Mackie, Sarah O’Donnell; and freshmen Megan Bowers, Dana DeFrain, Alexandra D’Abreu-Hines, Kelsey Ellis, Alicia Finnorn, Christina Gee, Lana Grasser, Amy Jenereaux, Eileen Pawlik, Katherine Rzepecki, Kate Soave, and Karrah Wanagat. The boys include U of D Jesuit Academy seventhgrader Teddy Berg; U of D Jesuit freshman Steven Hansknecht; Catholic Central High School senior Joe Billotto, and junior Jack Doyle. The show is set for Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 20, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and children — and are available at the school during school hours or at the box off ice the evening of the show. The box off ice and doors open 45 minutes before curtain. For further information, call the Drama Off ice at (248) 893-3533.
PHOTOS BY JOHN STORMZAND | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
From left, Christian Lafata, Veronica Battersby, Scott Czinski, Erin Burke and Jaret Grisamer. Cast members of Mercy High School’s upcoming production of “Hello Dolly!” rehearse their lines.
Cast members practice the songs during a recent rehearsal for “Hello Dolly!” to be performed this weekend at Mercy High School.
Parent forum on diversity is scheduled for March 21 Parents won’t want to miss “Dialogues in Diversity: Understanding and Overcoming Biases and Perceptions.” This free Parent Forum will be held on Monday, March 21 at 7 p.m. at Beechview Elementary School located at 26850 Westmeath Street, Farmington Hills. The forum is sponsored by the Farmington Area PTA Council and Farmington Public Schools and hosted by Beechview Elementary PTA. The presentation will be facilitated by Naomi Khalil, Director of Instructional Equity for Farmington Public Schools. Parents will explore the impact our personal background and experiences have
on our attitudes toward others and how these attitudes affect our children. This engaging, interactive presentation will provide parents with a deeper understanding of the value of diversity in our community. The forum will conclude with a discussion on Diversity Learning in Farmington schools. Farmington High School student, Ashna Khanna, will present the benefits of providing students Diversity Learning courses. Parent Forums are planned for all Farmington Public Schools’ parents and sponsored by the Farmington Area PTA Council. Contact School/Community Relations at (248) 489-3349 for more information.
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LOCAL NEWS
Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, March 17, 2011
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Do your homework, check out charities before opening wallet
T
Get A Clue Mystery Theatre of Farmington will host ‘Funeral For A Gangster,’ by Eileen Moushey at Page’s Food and Spirits on April 2 and April 3 at 2 p.m.
Join the ‘Funeral for a Gangster’ dinner theater show on April 2-3 It is on this most solemn of occasions that Get A Clue Mystery Theatre of Farmington requests everyone to pay their respects to the dearly departed mobster, Vito Marzetti. The local theater group will host Funeral For A Gangster, by Eileen Moushey at Page’s Food and Spirits on April 2 and April 3 at 2 p.m. Guests will step back in time to 1928, so “roaring 20’s” attire is suggested. Vito’s mob has been told not to harass mourners who don’t dress in period costumes, but a prize will go to the one who looks the snazziest. Dinner theater participants should be
ready for anything — even being called upon to deliver a eulogy for poor old Vito, who was gunned down in cold blood. All guests will be asked to take part in a clue hunt throughout dinner. Tickets, on sale now, include dinner, dessert and one of the funniest funerals you will ever attend. Tickets are $40 and can be reserved by calling Page’s at (248) 4770099. There will be no tickets sold at the door. For more information about Get A Clue Mystery Theatre call (248) 476-2099. Page’s Food and Spirits is on Farmington Road, just south of Grand River in downtown Farmington.
AVOID SCAMS
‘The King’s Speech’ coming to Farmington Civic Theater The Farmington Civic Theater will present four-time Academy Award winning film, The King’s Speech, beginning Friday, March 18. The movie recounts Prince Albert’s ascension to the British throne as King George VI and his life as a leader. A debilitating speech impediment kept the king in check through much of his life. The movie follows his struggles as he’s encouraged by his wife, Elizabeth, and helped by an eccentric speech therapist. His treatment culminates with a powerful radio address to his country and the world during World War II. The King’s Speech stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter. It won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. Show times for the film may be found at www. theFCT.com.
One trick used by many scam artists is to make their bogus charity appear very similar to a legitimate one. This, coupled with tear-jerking solicitations and professionally made websites, can cause people to let their guard down. Don’t let this happen to you. Before you give, do
Oscar-winning Colin Firth plays King George VI in “The King’s Speech.”
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he destruction that occurred in Japan last week reminds us of the power of Mother Nature and how, in a matter of minutes, our world can drastically change. The earthquake and tsunami will affect Japan for years and will have consequences here, and around the world. Obviously, the most important aspect of the disaster is the loss of human life and the pain and grief that so many in Japan will face. There are, however, Money Matters other consequences of the natural disaster that are important Rick Bloom to mention. Japan is the third largest economy in the world behind the United States and China. At this point, how the tragedy will affect the Japanese economy is unknown. Not surprisingly, when the Japanese stock market reopened for business, there was a substantial sell-off. Whether this is a one-day event and whether it will affect other markets is hard to say. However, the rebuilding of Japan will have an economic consequence not only to Japan, but to markets around the world. Another consequence of the tragedy is that once again Americans, who are by far the most generous people on earth, will be opening up their checkbooks to help. Unfortunately, what that also means — just as we have seen in other disasters — is lowlifes will attempt to take advantage of our good nature. One problems is that too many Americans do not spend the time to make sure the money they are donating is actually going to the cause they choose. After the Haitian disaster, hundreds of websites popped up seeking solicitations of money. Unfortunately, many of these websites were bogus and were attempting to steal money and/ or confidential information. Although it is in our DNA to help those less fortunate, always make sure to check out the charity and confirm the money will be going where it will be most beneficial and not in the scam artist’s pocket.
ONLINE DAILY H METOWNlife.com
Another consequence of the tragedy is that once again Americans, who are by far the most generous people on earth, will be opening up their checkbooks to help. Unfortunately, what that also means — just as we have seen in other disasters — is lowlifes will attempt to take advantage of our good nature. some homework. A couple of trustworthy websites available to review charities are www.charitynavigator. org or www.give.org. Both are independent and have valuable information about particular charities. Not only can you check to make sure the charity is legitimate, you can also make sure that the charity you choose is not spending an inordinate amount of money on administrative and fundraising costs. After all, you want to make sure that the bulk of your money is truly going for a charitable purpose. When donating to charities, most givers typically write a check, or use a charge card.
GIVING STRATEGY
However, there is another option for people who are over 70½ and are required to take a minimum distribution this year. They can donate all or a portion of the minimum required distribution directly to a charity. This is a particularly good strategy for anyone who does not itemize deductions. The reason is that in the past, the income from distributions would have to be recognized but could not be deducted from contributions. However, directly transferring the charitable contribution to a charity, avoids having to pay income taxes on the distribution The key to this strategy is to make sure that the money is directly transferred from your IRA to the charity. The easiest way to accomplish this is to contact your IRA custodian for instructions. As Americans, it is our nature to help those in need. However, take a few minutes and check out the charity before giving your hard-earned money away. Good luck! Rick Bloom is a fee-only financial adviser. Observer & Eccentric readers can submit questions at moneymatters@hometownlife.com. For more information, visit his website at www.bloomassetmanagement.com.
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hometownlife
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Contact Editor Stacy Jenkins Voice Mail: (313) 222-2369 E-mail: sjenkins@hometownlife.com Comment online at hometownlife.com
com 7
FARMINGTON HILLS POLICE CALLS
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had two warrants out for his arrest. . A 35-year-old Farmington woman was ticketed on March 10 for embezzlement after store security suspected she had been stealing merchandise from Busch’s Market, where she worked. The woman reportedly admitted to taking pop, chips and soup over the past few months. . A woman, fearing for her life, ran out of her Hunters Ridge apartment and into a neighboring apartment during the night of March 12 and called police, saying that her husband had beaten her and had threatened her with an 8-inch kitchen knife. When police arrived, the man denied the charges. He was intoxicated and had small cuts on his hands. The 40-year-old man, who is on parole, was arrested for domestic violence, and felonious assault.
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FARMINGTON HILLS
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Inkster Rd.
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. An 18-year-old Livonia woman was arrested for allegedly stealing two T-shirts and a bra from the Kohl’s store on Grand River. Security saw her take the shirts into the changing room; she then went to a different changing room and reportedly concealed the shirts and the bra in her purse before walking out of the store. Security stopped her on the sidewalk outside. . Two men were ticketed for soliciting for Majic Windows in the area of York Ridge and Walnut on March 7 without a solicitor permit. According to the report, this company has been warned numerous times about soliciting without permits in the Farmington and Farmington Hills area. . A 49-year-old Redford Township man was arrested for embezzlement after security at the Kroger store on Middlebelt, where he worked, determined that he stole more than $2,950 from the cash registers over the past 90 days. Loss prevention investigated after the store had been losing “a substantial amount of money.” The suspect’s register was short on 38 shifts. A video shows the suspect taking a $100 bill from a u-scan register. Other video evidence was going to be turned over to police. . Management at Muirwood Apartments called police on March 8 after discovering a door to an apartment had been kicked in and the tenant had not been heard from since the end of January. The apartment was vacant, except for two broken TVs and some clothing. The tenant had reportedly told management that he was relocating and leaving the apartment, which he shared with his girlfriend. The management reportedly told the man he would have to buy out the remaining $2,000 on his lease. He did not comply. It’s believed that the man left, and his girlfriend may have broken in. . A 32-year-old Novi man was arrested for drunken driving, third offense, in the area of Grand River and Middlebelt at about 2:50 a.m. on March 10. The man was pulled over for driving without headlights. He reportedly told police that he had been playing darts at an establishment in the area of Grand River and Farmington Road and drank eight beers and four shots. He registered a .23 on a preliminary breath test. He was also driving on a suspended license and
Dates set for siren warning system
14 Mile Rd.
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. An employee at Party City was in a back room, working on a heating device when it caught fire on March 12. The employee used a fire extinguisher and the store’s sprinkler system was activated. Fire fighters arrived and fully extinguished the f lames, which were contained to the back room area. . A resident on the 23000 block of Middlebelt reported something quite suspicious when he came home on March 14. He noticed his closet doors were slightly opened, which was unusual. He then found the attic panel and insulation on the f loor of his closet. He crawled into the attic to investigate and saw footprints in the insulation, leading to the apartment next to his. He told police he was going to put extra security on the attic panel.
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The Oakland County Department of Emergency Response and Preparedness has released the dates for the testing of the outdoor warning system for 2011. When sirens are activated, a three-minute tone will alert residents of a test on the first Saturday of the month at 1 p.m. The one exception is on Wednesday, March 30 at 1 p.m., when sirens will be tested in recognition of Severe Weather Awareness Week. There will be no test in April. Any other activation outside of the times listed below indicates that a tornado has been sighted or strongly indicated on radar and/or a severe thunderstorm with 70 mile per hour winds or greater is in the area. Seek shelter immediately, and listen to a radio or television for additional emergency information. Each siren is capable of covering about a one mile radius from its location. The sirens are designated to alert citizens who are outside, but many citizens inside buildLt. Denny ings will hear the siren as well. Hughes Each year, many people are seriously injured or killed by tornadoes and/or high winds despite advance warning. Some people will not hear the siren, while others receive the warning, but fail to take appropriate actions. After you have received the warning, or observe threatening weather, you must make the decision to seek shelter before the storm arrives. It could be the most important decision you make for you and your family. The 2011 dates and times for siren testing are: • Wednesday, March 30 at 1 p.m. • Saturday, May 7 at 1 p.m. • Saturday, June 4 at 1 p.m. • Saturday, July 2 at 1 p.m. • Saturday, August 6 at 1 p.m. • Saturday, September 3 at 1 p.m. • Saturday, October 1 at 1 p.m. • Saturday, November 5 at 1 p.m. Please, do not call 911 when you hear the sirens on these dates/times. These are scheduled test dates only. Siren tests are not conducted during December, January and February due to winter weather. For more information, go to www.mcswa.com. Lieutenant Denny Hughes is a fire safety educator with the Farmington Hills Fire Department. He can be reached at dhughes@ fhgov.com or (248) 871-2820.
An easy way to do a triathlon...no timed intervals!
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28100 Farmington Rd.
Brookfield Academy is a private academy that has been using the Montessori Method to educate young children for over 47 years in Michigan. Depending on the campus location, you will find academic programs for infants through fifth grade taught by experienced, Montessori certified teachers. Our campuses are warm and nurturing environments where children are educated according to their ability, not their age and inspired to grow in knowledge, social skills and grace.
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COST: $35 per person or $70 per 3-person relay team. Proceeds benefit the YMCA’s “Strong Kids” program Includes free stuff: after race nutrition, hydration, and free great raffle items QUESTIONS: Visit YMCA front desk, call 248-553-4020 or email wpheeney@twmi.rr.com
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LOCAL NEWS
Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, March 17, 2011
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March is Reading Month Author adds to Kenbrook’s reading frenzy this month BY SUSAN STEINMUELLER OBSERVER STAFF WRITER
Denise Brennan-Nelson, a multi-award winning children’s book author and motivational speaker, visited Kenbrook Elementary last week for March is Reading Month. The Michigan author read from her first children’s book, Buzzy the Bumblebee, talked about the importance of reading and encouraged children to write down ideas and write stories. Sue Kalisky, Kenbrook librarian, said Brennan-Nelson’s books are already on the media center bookshelves at the Farmington Hills school and children enjoyed hearing from their author. “They all liked her a lot,” she said. “Her books are very much about empowering kids. Her biggest book is Buzzy the Bumblebee.” Brennan-Nelson wrote the story to inspire people to Student Jaiden Vista, a second-grader, cracks a smile. believe in their dreams after learning that aeronautically, bumblebees should not be able to fly. Her presentation included showing children journals she kept as a child and encouraging them to write as well as read. “She told them when you have a good dream or good idea, write it down,” said Kalisky.
During the presentation, first-grader Gabrielle Blau lost a tooth and placed it in the container she is holding.
Children’s author Denise Brennan-Nelson brought a stuffed toy bumblebee with her as she spoke about her inspirational book, “Buzzy the Bumblebee.” Some of her other books are displayed on the table behind her.
READING MONTH
Kalisky said that Kenbrook does a variety of activities each year for March is Reading Month. A live news show every morning asks a book-based trivia question, she said. “We have ‘stop, drop and read’, where everyone has to walk around with a book and everyone has to stop and read for five minutes or so,” when it’s announced, she said. On March 25, Kenbrook will have a Literature Extravaganza, in which classrooms are turned into activity centers with themes from books, she said. Also promoting reading at Kenbrook is principal Arnie Rubin and his therapy dog, Kramer, who will patiently listen to children read out loud to him. The various activities all add to students’ enthusiasm for reading, said Kalisky. ssteinmueller@hometownlife.com (313)222-2241
PHOTOS BY JOHN STORMZAND | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Second-graders Luke Schroder and Hayden Whisenhunt react with laughter during a humorous moment in the presentation.
Farmington Hills Mayor Jerry Ellis was a celebrity reader at Wood Creek Elementary’s Friday evening reading event.
WOOD CREEK
FROM PAGE A1
PHOTOS BY JOHN STORMZAND | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Nancy Walter holds daughter, Yvette, on her lap as they listen to a story.
March is Reading Month. Dads helped organize the evening. “Kids were very excited, it was a great night,” said Principal Kathy Smith. “Many dads commented on how much they enjoyed the evening,” said PTA president Tammy Luty, who estimated 100 students attended. “You know an event is successful when the evening happens and everyone is already talking about next year’s ‘dad’ event.” Students rotated between four classrooms, where dads took turns picking out books and reading them to their young
audiences. They also heard special guest reader state Rep. Vicki Barnett read a story. Books were supplied by the school. Pizza and pop were available in the cafeteria. Students and families could also shop at the evening’s Scholastic Book Fair, with some of the proceeds benefiting the school. Tia Coston, 9, a fourth-grader whose dad, Dorian, is PTA co-vice president, said she thought the reading night a great idea. “I think it’s really cool because we have reading buddies at school,” she said. “I read to the kindergartners. I think it’s fun for someone else to read to a story to everybody.”
ROLE MODELS
“I think they’ve got a great idea,” said Wood Creek parent Holly Shay-Rotter,
Piper Walter enjoys a sucker during the celebrity reading by Farmington Hills Mayor Jerry Ellis. whose husband, David, helped with the event, as she shopped for books in the book fair room. “I was just walking around with my two boys and I think the dads are doing a great job.” Their sons are Mitchell, 9, a fourth-grader, and Daniel, 10, a fifth-grader at Warner Upper Elementary. Smith said that having dads read is encouraging to students. “It’s important for children to see role models, both men and women, in terms of reading,” she said. “I think often we think of reading as more connected to women, but dads absolutely read to children, too, so to do it in this way is very valuable.” ssteinmueller@hometownlife.com | (313) 222-2241
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LOCAL NEWS
Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, March 17, 2011
CUTS
FROM PAGE A1
It’s tradition for cancer survivors to walk a lap together at the annual Relay for Life event. This year’s Farmington/ Farmington Hills Relay for Life event will be May 21-22 at Shiawassee Park in Farmington.
Local Relay for Life event still needs 10 more teams
Walkers will go around the clock in the battle against cancer when the annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Farmington/Farmington Hills gets underway with teams of residents gathering at Shiawassee Park in Farmington from 10 a.m. on May 21 through 10 a.m. on May 22. Relay For Life events are held overnight as individuals and teams camp out at athletic track, park or other gathering areas, with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track or pathway at all times. Teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their camp sites during Relay. Relay is a fun event which brings together friends, families, businesses, hospitals, schools, faith-based groups — people from all walks of life — all aimed at furthering the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives by helping people stay well, by helping them get well, by finding cures and by fighting back. Farmington/Farmington Hills Relay for Life is looking for 10 more teams to sign up this year. New teams can register online at relayforlife.org/farmingtonmi or call (248) 663-3435 to learn more.
WHY RELAY?
“I Relay for many reasons but primarily for a world
where the word cancer is said only when preceded by the word cure,” said Pilar Hagey Volunteer Planning Committee chair. “I Relay so families don’t have to experience the loss I have. Relay for Life is truly a life changing event and being community based makes the event so powerful. I have been forever changed by the people I have met.” It’s also personal for Tania de Sostoa-McCue Volunteer Planning Committee vicechair. “I grew up with cancer. After losing my father, uncle and grandmother, I found myself searching for something, anything, positive that could come out of so much loss. What I ended up finding was Relay for Life; suddenly I had a new support group of people who had been where I had been, seen what I had seen, and had come together to fight for a cure, to fight for a world where no more children will have to grow up with cancer.”
RAISING FUNDS
Funds raised at Relay For Life of Farmington/ Farmington Hills are enabling the American Cancer Society to impact the lives of those touched by cancer within the community through programs like Road to Recovery which provides free transportation to and from treatment for cancer patients; Reach to Recovery, a program that
COUNTY OF OAKLAND, STATE OF MICHIGAN PUBLIC HEARING ON AMENDMENTS TO THE BROWNFIELD PLAN (11 PINES / SAN MARINO PROJECT) OF THE CITY OF FARMINGTON HILLS BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY PERSONS
IN
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Relay For Life’s Luminaria Ceremony takes place after sundown, honoring the community’s cancer survivors and remembering those lost to the disease. Participants will circle a track that is surrounded with glowing luminaria that bear the name of someone who has battled cancer. Luminaria may be purchased for $10 by calling (248) 663-3435 or by visiting relayforlife.org/farmingtonmi. Also a part of the Relay For Life of Farmington/ Farmington Hills is the “Fight Back” Ceremony, in which a community leader will inspire Relay participants with his or her own commitment and will challenge them to take a personal pledge of action (stop smoking, eat more healthily, exercise regularly, etc.) in fighting back. To get involved, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit RelayForLife.org.
Thousands have been staging rallies and protests in Lansing this week — and over the past few weeks since Snyder outlined his budget plan. They’re protesting pension taxes and they’re rallying against various bills that they consider anti-union. Gregory and Barnett said people need to make their voices heard. “There will be 3,500 to 4,000 people in Lansing tomorrow,” he said Tuesday evening. “The people are coming. Clearly, people are speaking up. We need to be heard.” Both welcome citizen input. To contact Gregory, e-mail senvgregory@senate.michigan. gov or call (517) 373-7888; to contact Barnett, e-mail vickibarnett@house.mi.gov or call (517) 373-1793.
‘DEMOCRACY DIED’
Barnett voiced her strong displeasure with the passing of a package of bills this week that provide unprecedented power to an emergency financial manager who is appointed when a municipality or school district is in financial crisis. The powers afforded that individual cross the line, said Barnett. Those include having the ability to cancel union contracts; remove elected officials and administrators; issue revenue bonds without a vote of the people; sell assets, including
PROPOSED CUTS
Barnett and Gregory outlined some of Snyder’s proposed budget cuts, including a $470 per pupil cut for school districts and the elimination or reduction in tax credits for families — the elimination of certain child tax credits; reduction in the homestead tax credits; elimination of all charitable donations tax credits and historic district tax credits; and the major cuts to film and technology tax credits. In addition, pensions would be taxed, except for Social Security and military pensions. Meanwhile, the Michigan Business Tax — which is considered to be cumbersome and complicated — would be replaced with a 6 percent business tax. The problem with this proposal, said Barnett, is that it would only apply to Michigan corporations, not those set up as
LLCs or others. The tax would only be placed on 5 percent of Michigan’s businesses, she said, noting that it’s not fair, for example, that Ford and General Motors corporations would pay the tax, but Chrysler would not, because it’s an LLC. “It shifts the tax burden away from businesses, and onto seniors, individuals and retirees,” said Barnett. And, the new business tax would be an income tax, which is volatile, she added. The proposed plan would leave a $1.5 billion hole in the budget because it would not generate the same revenue as the current MBT. Barnett proposes a 1.9 percent value added tax on all businesses, which would generate more revenue, be spread across a larger pool, and would eliminate the need to make the other drastic cuts in the budget. “With this assault on the working poor, I find the tax breaks for corporations almost obscene,” said Barnett. She said she’s ready to introduce value added tax proposal, but because she’s in the minority party in the House, it’s not likely that she’ll get to introduce it as a proposed bill. Gregory said he understands that the governor is trying to balance the budget, but he’s hopeful that citizens will be heard. “Obviously, there’s a lot of people who do not agree with some of the ways the governor is proposing to balance the budget,” he said. “If you have something you feel strongly about, contact your legislators.” sjenkins@hometownlife.com | (313) 222-2369
Out Town On The
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CITY OF FARMINGTON HILLS 31555 ELEVEN MILE ROAD FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48336-1165 (248) 871-2430 ADVERTISEMENT The City of Farmington Hills Purchasing Division will solicit sealed bids during the next ninety (90) days for the following products and/or services: -2011 Preserves at Meadowbrook Landscape Buffer Planting -2011 Citywide Tree & Landscape Planting Program
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battle to balance the deficit-ridden budget. “I was getting pains just hearing it,” said Frisch, noting that she is the most disturbed by Snyder’s proposal to tax pensions, and take away tax credits for low-income families who need them the most. She’s also concerned that Snyder’s proposed business tax overhaul would only apply to corporations — which is about 5 percent of Michigan’s businesses, according to Barnett. “Five percent of businesses being taxed — that’s disgraceful,” she said. She said she’s willing to pay a little more income tax to prevent the most drastic cuts that affect people who are struggling. Felice Shecter of Farmington Hills agreed, saying the government should not make cuts that hurt those who work hard to earn a living and earn a pension. “This is craziness,” she said. Shecter said more people need to know what’s going on in Lansing.
land and facilities, without a vote of the people; override the local charter and more. “The will of the people died today because it doesn’t fit the bottom line,” she said. A bill in the package requires union contracts to include language that allows an emergency financial manager to summarily dismiss all contracts if deemed necessary. “I really do mean, in a very real sense, that democracy died today,” said Barnett. “I don’t think you can vote away the right to live the American Dream. Right now, that’s what has happened.” The bills passed along party lines — 26-12 in the Senate and 63-47 in the House. Barnett and Gregory voted against it.
CITY
Specifications may be obtained at www.mitn.info. All bids must be submitted in accordance with the bid specifications. The City of Farmington Hills reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, either in part or in whole, to waive any formalities and to accept the bid which it believes to be in the best interest of the City. Publish: March 17, 2011
Kathryn A. Dornan, City Clerk
OF
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City Council of the City of Farmington Hills, Michigan, will hold a public hearing on Monday, the 11th day of April, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time, in the City Hall located at 31555 West Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan, to consider the adoption of a resolution approving of certain amendments to the Brownfield Plan (11 Pines / San Marino Project) for the City of Farmington Hills Brownfield Redevelopment Authority pursuant to Act 381 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1996, as amended. The property to which the proposed Brownfield Plan applies is the property located at the northeast and southwest corners of Eleven Mile and Halsted Roads, comprising the Farmington Hills Golf Club and certain adjacent properties in the City of Farmington Hills. Maps, plats and copies of the proposed amendments to the Brownfield Plan are on file at the office of the City Clerk for inspection during regular business hours. At the public hearing, all interested persons desiring to address the City Council shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard in regard to the approval of the Brownfield Plan, as proposed to be amended, for the City of Farmington Hills Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. All aspects of the Brownfield Plan, as proposed to be amended, will be open for discussion at the public hearing. FURTHER INFORMATION may be obtained from the City Clerk. This notice is given by order of the City Council of the City of Farmington Hills, Michigan. KATHRYN A. DORNAN, City Clerk Publish: March 17 & 20, 2011 OE08732210 – 2x6.5
REDUCE ! REUSE ! RECYCLE
OE08733139_2x3
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AMENDMENT CITY OF FARMINGTON HILLS COUNTY OF OAKLAND, MICHIGAN TO ALL INTERESTED FARMINGTON HILLS:
PERSONS
IN
THE
CITY
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PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City Council of the City of Farmington Hills, County of Oakland, Michigan, will hold a public hearing on Monday, the 11th day of April, 2011, at 7:30 o’clock, p.m., prevailing Eastern Standard Time in the Council Chambers, Farmington Hills City Hall, 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan, to consider the adoption of a resolution altering and amending the zone within which the City of Farmington Hills Brownfield Development Authority may exercise its powers, pursuant to Act 381, Public Acts of Michigan, 1996, as amended. At the public hearing, all citizens, taxpayers, officials from a taxing jurisdiction whose millage may be subject to capture under a brownfield plan and property owners of the City of Farmington Hills desiring to address the City Council shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard in regard to the proposed amendment. FURTHER INFORMATION may be obtained from Ms. Teri Arbenowske, Economic Development Director, City of Farmington Hills, at (248) 871-2506. This notice is given by order of the City Council of the City of Farmington Hills, Michigan. KATHRYN A. DORNAN City Clerk, City of Farmington Hills Publish: March 17 & 20, 2011
OE08732212 – 2x5.5
OE08733542
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HAVE A STORY IDEA?
hometownlife
Thursday, March 17, 2011
IT’S YOUR BUSINESS Q&A
CHAMBER CHAT
M
arch is a great month for the Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce because of so many great events. One of our goals for this year was to provide events of various formats, attendee size, pricing and timing. On Thursday, March 24 we are participating in the multi-chamber event, Breaking the Boundaries, at Burton Manor in Livonia. This is a great opportunity to meet and greet other businesses from over 12 chambers; with a high attendance and exhibitor tables available, this is a prime choice to showcase your business. The event is $10 for Mary Engelman Chamber members, but we also welcome non-members to attend for $15. Nonmembers, take advantage of this event to experience what the Chamber can provide for you. For more information or to sign up to attend, please call us today at (248) 919-6917 or visit us on the web at www.gfachamber.com. We are also proud to host the upcoming Governor’s Address on Friday, March 25. With over 640 attendees, this is an extremely successful Chamber event that we partnered with
the Livonia Chamber of Commerce to host. The event will be recorded by SWOCC Studios and will play throughout the months of March and April for everyone at home in Farmington, Farmington Hills and Novi. Finally, we have the final Thursday Forum, the fourth of an education series partnered with the Farmington Downtown Development Authority, coming up on Thursday, March 31. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn new and creative business techniques that could help improve and grow your business. The title of the Forum is Multi-Culture, Multi-Racial: The World is your Backyard. The event is only $5 to attend and dinner is provided. Please contact the Chamber today to register! Don’t put off joining the Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce any longer; contact the Chamber to start taking advantage of membership. This will ensure you have access to the benefits only offered to Chamber members. For information on any upcoming events please call us today. If interested in advertising opportunities on the Strictly Business section of the Farmington Observer, contact Carole Layne at (734) 5828363.
MILESTONES
Sal and Rosanna Iaconis own Strandz Salon in Farmington Hills.
Personal, professional service at Strandz Salon Observer: Tell us about your business, including the types of services and/or products you feature. Strandz: We have cosmetologists that cut, color, perm, highlight and straighten men and women’s hair. Our salon currently does the Brazilian Blowout, BKT, Caribbean Dream and uses Wella, Schwartzkopf and Redken Shades EQ hair colors. We also have manicurists available for manicures and pedicures. Observer: What makes your business unique? Strandz: It is small enough to have interactions on a personal level. To our clients, it’s more than just a service, some of them interact and make acquaintances and friends. Observer: How did you first decide to open your own business? Strandz: We have been working in this community for
com
Contact Editor Stacy Jenkins Voice Mail: (313) 222-2369 E-mail: sjenkins@hometownlife.com Comment online at hometownlife.com
25-plus years and we have had the opportunity to work with many people in the area, some who have been getting services for that long as well. Observer: How did you decide to locate in the Farmington/ Farmington Hills community? Strandz: We started out in West Bloomfield, and moved to Farmington Hills because we liked it and wanted to stay in this area to continue our profession. Observer: Do you have a funny tidbit or story to share with our readers about your experience so far as a small business owner? Strandz: A while ago, my husband had a client, who used to get so relaxed while getting a haircut, he would fall asleep. One time while sleeping, my husband got a very large red bow to stick in his hair. When the haircut was over, he turns to him in the mirror and asks, “How’s that look?” Client’s response: “Very funny!!!”
STRANDZ SALON Business name: Strandz Salon Business address: 31521 W. 13 Mile, Farmington Hills 48334 Your name and title: Sal and Rosanna Iaconis, cosmetologists Your hometown: New Hudson Business opened when? Since 1995; moved from West Bloomfield in 2005. Number of employees: 6 Your business specialty: Hair and nails Hours of operation: Tuesday by appointment; Wednesday though Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Earlybird and evenings by appointment. Business phone and/or website: (248) 788-3131 www. strandzsaloninc.com
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Grand Opening Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, batteries, accessories and maintenance items, opened its first store in Farmington Hills at 29563 Orchard Lake Road on March 14. Company officials said they chose this location for the store because it’s convenient to where their customers live and shop as well as the garages where they take their vehicles for repair. Tony Tuppins is the new general manager and works with 11 other team members there. The new store offers customers a wide range of parts and recognized national brands as well as several free services. Store team members will install windshield wipers for free, and also install batteries following a complimentary check of the vehicle’s electrical system and old battery. The store offers fast parts delivery to local commercial customers, such as professional mechanics and garages.
Customers also can drop off used motor oil and batteries for recycling – ensuring that these materials don’t end up in landfills where they could harm the environment. The company’s website, www. AdvanceAutoParts.com, offers articles, online videos and audio and video podcasts in the Web site’s “Advance KnowHow” section. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call the store at (248) 539- 5212 for more information. TV Japan In response to the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan, Bright House Networks has opened TV Japan to all viewers for the next week to allow families and friends in the United States to stay connected to news and information on the unfolding tragedy in Japan. TV Japan is normally a subscription channel located on Bright House Networks
channel 785. Bright House Networks digital customers can view TV Japan beginning now through next week. Expanding business Farmington Hills-based M. Jacob & Sons announced Leslie Connors has joined the company as the west coast account executive. M. Jacob & Sons, established in 1885, is the U.S.’s oldest family owned packaging leader and distributor. The company serves a variety of markets including nutraceutical, food, beverage, health, beauty, household, garden, automotive, industrial and pharmaceutical. Connors brings with her 23 years of experience in the packaging industry. Connors spent the last nine years of her career operating in the manufacturing arena of the business at Mayfair/ Consolidated Container and Matrix. “It is my plan to give M. Jacob & Sons a nice home here in Southern California,” said Connors. “We will be pursuing many opportunities in various industries and making M. Jacob & Sons a nation wide company.”
BUSINESS NEWSMAKERS Rick Wochoski
Rick Wochoski recently joined Farmington Hills-based J.R. Thompson Company as an associate creative director where he will be responsible for copywriting services and creative direction of some of the company’s leading clients. Wochoski brings over 25 years experience in the advertising communications industry to Thompson. He has worked at some of Detroit’s leading ad agencies, having spent the past 10 years at BBDO where he was associate creative director. Wochoski holds a bachelor of arts degree in advertising from Michigan State University. He resides in Troy with his wife and son. Founded in 1974, J.R. Thompson Company is a creative marketing services firm specializing in planning, publishing, communications, Web development and event marketing. For additional information, visit www.jrthompson.com.
Paul Millenbach
Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C. attorney Paul Millenbach, a shareholder in the Farmington Hills office, was re-elected to serve on the firm’s Executive Committee as vice president of the Farmington Hills and Detroit offices. He is a litigator and co-leader of Foster Swift’s General Litigation Practice Group. He has extensive experience in Michigan no-fault litigation, including medical provider reimbursement as well as first and third party defense. Foster Swift is a full service law firm founded in 1902. It employs more than 100 attorneys in six locations; Grand Rapids, Lansing, Detroit, Farmington Hills, Holland and Marquette. For more information visit www.fosterswift.com.
Diane Sasson
Burns & Wilcox has named Grace Cunningham director of the Burns & Wilcox Leisure and Recreation Center of Excellence. She is charged with expanding the scope of the Burns & Wilcox Leisure and Recreation presence as well as streamlining the underwriting and quoting process within her division. Cunningham joined the Burns & Wilcox team in 2009 as a managing underwriter. Cunningham has more than 30 years of underwriting experience in specialty lines and is an expert in underwriting and placing sports, entertainment, leisure, and recreation risks. The Kaufman Financial Group is the parent company of Burns & Wilcox, the largest independent wholesale broker and underwriting manager with 37 offices across the continent. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Farmington Hills, Burns & Wilcox is nationally recognized for its insurance brokerage and underwriting expertise in professional and commercial liability, property and personal lines. Visit www. burnsandwilcox.com and www. kaufmanfinancialgroup.com.
an elder care manager at Feinberg Consulting. “This is such an important area as our elderly population is growing in Michigan,” said Sasson, who has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in Health and Human Service Administration. “Clients need to be able to live safely and often need a support system, particularly if they have medical issues. We have the expertise to coordinate the care they need, assess their living situation and navigate the medical system to ensure they get the best care. This gives the clients and their families peace of mind.”
OE08703418
Feinberg Consulting, Inc., an elder care and catastrophic case management company in Farmington Hills, has hired Diane Sasson, a well-respected geriatric care manager. Sasson, of Bloomfield Hills, worked at Jewish Family Services of Metropolitan Detroit for over 10 years, developing their geriatric care management program. Now she will perform community outreach and act as
Grace Cunningham
online at hometownlife.com
LOCAL NEWS
Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, March 17, 2011
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A9
Hills DPW earns national award for snow, ice removal
Visitors of the Power Road Winter Farmers Market can find an assortment of fresh, organic produce and meats.
Winter Farmers Market has two more Saturdays to go
Fresh jams from Kopnick Orchards are available at the market. Cheese’s. Plenty of tasty samples. • Nature Time with Laurie — A spring related hands-on project for children. Two sessions — at 9:30 a.m. and again at 10:15 a.m. Parents can preregister online at ourmail@ thegardengatefarm.com or (810) 672-9905. Limit 10
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children per session. There will be take home handouts and a project. • George’s Knife Sharpening & Repairs will return. He also does serrated knives. Bring in all those garden pruners for sharpening, too. Prices are between $2 and $5 per item.
Farmington Youth Assistance has extended its deadline for its 26th Annual Youth Recognition Award nominations to March 25. The awards will be presented at the Youth Recognition Breakfast, which will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 21 at Glen Oaks County Club 30500 West 13 Mile, Farmington Hills. To be eligible for nomination, youth must: • Reside in Farmington or Farmington Hills or attend
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The dump trucks were loaded with salt and ready to go in advance of one of the biggest snow storms this season. intersections. “Our innovative snow and ice control program centers around maintaining the 58 miles of major streets and 243 miles of paved and unpaved local streets keeping them clear and safe for the public as efficiently as possible,” said Department of Public Works Superintendent Kevin McCarthy. “Farmington Hills has the ninth largest municipal street network in the state of Michigan, and the largest in Oakland County. Even in the face of recent budgetary constraints, staffing changes, and rise of cost of materials, DPW has been able to achieve and maintain a consistent level of high service that is expected from our residents. “The city continues to test new and different types of snow fighting equipment, materials, and procedures with emphases on Michigan made products.”
Youth Assistance is seeking outstanding youth nominations
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Nomination forms are available by contacting Farmington Youth Assistance at (248) 489-3434 or by stopping by the FYA offices at 32789 W. 10 Mile Road, Suite 10, Farmington, MI 48336 or by emailing Tom Hafey at tahafey@hotmail.com. Nominations must be submitted to the FYA office and received no later than March 25 to be eligible for the 2011 awards. Nominations may be e-mailed, mailed, or faxed to the FYA office.
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Farmington Public Schools • Attend grades 6 through 12 • Exhibit exemplary volunteer service through their community, church, or school The committee is looking for youth who deserve recognition for their service, but who may not normally receive it from the community at large. One of the goals of Farmington Youth Assistance is to encourage positive examples of youth volunteerism.
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There’s only two Saturdays left to visit the Power Road Winter Farmers Market in Farmington. The market is open this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Positive Attitude Dance Academy, 23020 Power Road, just north of Grand River; and on Saturday, April 2. This special farmers market has vendors selling fresh produce, apple cider, baked goods, lots of organic products, meats, organic popcorn, olive oils, free trade coffee, crafts, chocolates, bird feeders, photography, pottery, soaps and more. Featured this Saturday: • The Michigan Pug Rescue will be at the market with some adorable dogs who are looking for a home. • The Garden Gate Farm & Bell Wether Farm are teaming up for a tasting of GG’s awesome Summer Sausage & BW’s Raw Milk
If you thought the winter roads in Farmington Hills fare better than in surrounding communities, you’re right. The Farmington Hills Department of Public Works was named to receive one of three American Public Works Association national awards for the city’s innovative snow and ice removal program. APWA’s Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award will be presented at the 2011 APWA North American Snow & Pacific Northwest Snowfighters’ Conference in April, 2011 in Spokane, Wash. Farmington Hills pursues innovative ways to keep roads safe at the best economical value to its residents. The city has adopted a proactive anti-icing program in an effort to improve road conditions and reduce salt usage. It also manufactures and applies salt brine or a blend of salt brine in advance of snow or ice events, to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the road surface, provide better tire traction, more efficient plowing and more economical and environmental salting. Throughout the winter months, the DPW provides snow and ice control for its 300-centerline miles of road network. The roads fall into three categories: major roads, school bus routes, and subdivision streets. Major roads and school bus routes receive highest priority, and they are plowed and salted following any accumulation of snow or ice. Local residential streets are plowed following an accumulation of four inches or more of snow. If less than four inches, the streets are spotsalted with focus placed on hills, curves and
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OPINION
PAGE A10 (F)
THURSDAY, March 17, 2011
OUR VIEWS
What if cuts aren’t enough?
hometownlife
Our fundamental purposes are to enhance the lives of our readers, nurture the hometowns we serve and contribute to the business success of our customers.
com
OBSERVER FARMINGTON
Stacy Jenkins, Community Editor Susan Rosiek, Executive Editor Grace Perry, Director of Advertising
COMMUNITY VOICE Would you prefer to read a book or a Kindle (electronic reader)?
We asked this question at the Farmington Community Library, main branch.
Cities need a ‘Plan B’ that includes consolidation It’s time to bring back the community dialogue on consolidation. A report by Plante Moran from February 2008 outlined many of the details that surround the topic of consolidating services, up to and including a full merger of the cities of Farmington and Farmington Hills. Is the report being viewed today? Or is it sitting a shelf? We say it’s time to dust it off, review it again and revive the discussion. Gov. Rick Snyder has made it very clear that local governments need to get serious about sharing services. Yes, the cities of Farmington and Farmington Hills already share many services — a library, a district court, senior services, youth programs, cultural arts programs and parks and recreation. The scenario described in the 2008 report holds true today — shrinking population; decreasing state shared revenue coming to cities; public sector employees retiring; public sector workforce shrinking while services still need to be delivered; and declining property values. All of these things are the same, if not worse in 2011. Making the future of public services and education even more questionable is Gov. Snyder’s intended budget cuts, some of which are so severe, municipalities will be forced to slash services. We recognize that Farmington and Farmington Hills have always worked well together in sharing services, but the major services are the most costly ones. Those include police, fire, public works and general government. It should be noted that the cities of Farmington and Farmington Hills were deemed to be operationally efficient, in the report, about 10-15 percent below average cost per capita for these services in comparable municipalities. The study indicates that about $40 per year would be saved by Farmington Hills residents if a full merger were to occur, while Farmington residents would realize a savings of $250 to $400 per year. Farmington residents, during previous public meetings held on this topic, indicated they would rather pay the higher tax rate to remain the City of Farmington. They’d rather pay more to have the local, small town feel of a walk-up window at the Public Safety Department. They said they don’t mind paying extra for services such as leaf pickup. Do they still feel the same today? Things have changed. The local millage rate in Farmington is higher than it was then. We wonder if residents of both cities realize the stakes today. The new law passed in Lansing, for example, would give an emergency financial manager the power to decimate the local elected government, cancel union contracts and issue revenue bonds, for example. We’re not saying that either city is at risk of bringing in an emergency financial manager, but we also have not seen a finalized state budget, just yet. We also have not seen the bottom of the property value free fall. Each city is trying its very best to cut expenses and raise revenue wherever possible to reach budget projections that seem almost insurmountable. What if that’s not enough? A Plan B needs to be in the works now. That plan should include discussions of combining those major services or merging the cities. It cannot hurt to have a backup plan if the bottom completely falls out under the state’s new leadership.
Don’t drink and drive
St. Patrick’s Day has become a popular night out to celebrate with friends and family. The statistics are sobering. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37 percent of the drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or greater on St. Patrick’s Day 2009. Additionally, there were 103 crash fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day 2009 and out of that number, 47 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or more. And you don’t have to be “falling down drunk” to be too impaired to drive safely. Even a few drinks can impair driving, and a buzzed driving crash has the same consequences as a drunken driving crash. Driving a vehicle or riding a motorcycle while impaired is not worth the risk. The consequences are serious and real. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be significant. Drunken driving violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and lost wages due to time off from work. Make sure you have a game plan that includes getting home safely. The folks at www.stopimpaireddriving.org recommend that if you plan on drinking alcohol, don’t drive. Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin or designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.
“I’m not into the Kindles yet. I do like the feel of a book. I would say the book, still.”
“A book. I like the feeling of turning a page.”
Mackenzie Short, 18
“Probably a book. I just prefer it.”
Farmington Hills
Shawn Gill, 17 Novi
“Neither. I really don’t like to read at all. I would rather look at things on a computer.”
Mark Aisuss
Helen Johnson
Southfield
Works at the library
LETTERS Cut officials’ benefits
Why is it the Republican governors and tea partiers talk about cutting “government,” yet they are really talking about cutting the workers who really service the people? They want to cut pay of teachers who educate our children, the police who protect us, the firefighters who protect our property, the EMTs who rescue us and the snow plow drivers who clear our streets. Why don’t they cut the number of school board members? Why not cut the size of city councils or those county commissioners who find more ways to waste money than the federal government. How about cutting their salaries by 10 percent or telling them to contribute to their pension or pay for their health care. Wouldn’t it be fiscally responsible if they drove their cars to work, like the rest of us. No, that would be asking them to really turn into a government by the people, of the people and for the people. Skip Wehrle Garden City
School Aid for colleges, too
I wanted to take the time to clear up a couple of misconceptions that certain individuals may have regarding the School Aid Fund and any allocation of its surplus to “other” areas. When Proposal A passed, it was clear by the overwhelming support behind it that voters wanted to have a steady source of revenue that could be dedicated to education. There has been nothing that has occurred in the past fiscal year that would be contrary to that desire and the governor’s current proposed budget does not appear to contradict that either. The first misconception that people have is that the School Aid Fund is only limited to K-12. There was no language in the ballot proposal or currently in the State Constitution that would indicate this to be the case. The language refers to “school districts” and “higher education.” Community colleges should be included in the definition of “higher education.” For example, if the governor’s proposed budget states that he is going to use a certain amount of money from the School Aid Fund to help community colleges, this would not contradict the State Constitution. Any argument that would exclude community colleges would be quite contradictory to the general purpose of any education funding, that being the necessary education of our young people. To exclude community colleges, which tend to serve a different part of the population than do four-year educational institutions, would greatly restrict access to a public benefit of which the community greatly supports. The second misconception is that money was directed to “other” areas in FY 2010. During that fiscal year, the School Aid Fund had a $208 million surplus. The Legislature, with support from the governor, approved a measure to direct those funds toward community colleges. To think those funds went anywhere but education is completely false. As someone who has greatly benefited from a community college, I struggle to understand why certain individuals would express support for all public educational institutions except community colleges. Those institutions are allowed access to the School Aid Fund just like every other public school. Alexander Steward Livonia
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Palin is plenty competent
All evidence of leadership has vanished from Washington, so the pretenders are around once more, and liberal minions stepped up a barrage of attacks on Sarah Palin hoping to destroy her. I like and trust Palin much more than many wishy-washy phonies in politics. An outstanding governor, she sought fresh air by offering no courtesy to politicians in jailing members of her own party to set a marker for good governance. The election of 2010 rejected the lame assumption — if our country is crippled, broke and impotent the world will like America. Now potential to restart national growth will never happen in creating economic stagnation and expanding more and new collars of entitlement. American progress is linked to fixing all starters on all engines of private interest to stir American resourcefulness and jobs. Still hopeful, left-leaning hucksters hang over scripted megaphones passing out Monopoly money waiting and waiting for their elected mystical and mythical savior to awaken. Despite outstanding character, too many women would reveal a more positive view of Palin if she were frumpy. Carried over from Victorian era, most women defensively yield to men for top jobs and harshly measure other females. Liberals too have been successful in promoting their big fraud of being always more charitable in declaring feelings more important than function, like a cute car with no engine. Credit Palin, as well, for bringing America’s attention to some wholesome American women and to discovering Alaska. The collectivist seeks to build a society first of dilution, and finally the deletion of the spirit of individualism that would activate competition and innovation. A collectivist wedge of power also relies upon developing an aristocracy of control over information, public services and especially distribution of public funds. His anthem cry is for social justice and greater access to free lunches. All can observe his managed media soaking up liberal governance with sympathetic varnish to suppress evidence of terrible performance. Always attempting to justify an inexcusable debt multiplied by strategic political waste. Tea Party warriors are assembling soon to retire the wasteful spending left and dump the wimps. America’s best replacement must be an honest communicator unafraid of the whining over any effort to save the nation, one with a winning bearing to gain lost respect and unleash free competition to ignite growth and to restore the belief in our Constitution.
Very impressive governors with visible backbones have risen who may heed the serious call to save our nation’s children and also retrieve the esteem and confidence of a desperate nation. Jim Nowka Northville
Stand up
The new Taxed Enough Already Party members of the Congress and fellow Republican conservatives, in the guise of balancing the budget, are harming the middle class, attacking Planned Parenthood, planning to cut social services, vilifying public education and National Public Radio. A new part of the agenda involves using illegal and unethical methods to destroy unions. Conservative Republicans know most working class people in unions support the Democratic Party and its policies. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens’ United case these Republicans want the wealthy and corporations to continue to finance their party. The main goal of the agenda: make President Obama a oneterm president. They fear and dislike the content of our president’s mind and the color of his skin. Note the recent disgusting and desperate insinuations/comments from Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee. People of all political persuasions must be motivated to combat these assaults on democracy. Grass roots activism is powerful. Follow the lead of Wisconsin! Recall these words: “Democracies are most commonly corrupted by the insolence of demagogues.” Aristotle 384-352 B.C. Hannah Provence Donigan Commerce Township
Budget no bargain
Picture yourself a few years ago buying a new car. You bought a midsize sedan, complete with air-conditioning, audio system with CD player, and power seats and windows. Five years later, you are shopping for a new car, expecting to pay about a few dollars more for the same size and equipped auto. This time, that amount of money might get you a compact model, no air-conditioning, no audio system with CD player, manual windows (remember those window cranks in your 1997 model?) and the cheap upholstery. That’s what Michigan taxpayers can expect, if the state legislature supports the basic elements of Gov. Snyder’s proposed budget. Individuals will be paying the same level of state taxes but will have a much smaller state system of support for K-12 schools, universities and local revenue sharing which pays a chunk of the cost of your local police and fire departments. At the same time, retirees are being asked for the first time to pay income taxes on their private and public pensions. Doesn’t sound like buying a stripped-down econobox for about the same price you paid for a midsize sedan just a few years ago or paying more for a new black-and-white TV (do they make them anymore?) than for the color TV set with all the bells and whistles you priced a year? It is clear that the governor’s proposed budget is no bargain — for retirees, for parents of school children, for college students or for local public employees. The bottom line is that we may be paying more for the state budget and getting less — far less. Leonard Poger Westland
online at hometownlife.com
LOCAL NEWS
Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, March 17, 2011
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Families invited to spring picnic performance at library Celebrate spring with Janet Marie & M’Archibald, as this dynamic duo of Imagination Theatre present “Imagine That” at the Main Library, Farmington Community Library. They will perform songs and skits for our Spring Picnic Theater Program which has been popular for many years. Families are invited to bring a blanket and picnic dinner to eat on the f loor of the Auditorium at the Main Library on Wednesday, March 23 beginning at 6:30 p.m.; the library will provide dessert. At 7 p.m. she show begins and will include original compositions including It Might As Well Be Spring, They’ll Be Hoppin’ ‘round the Garden, I Love Broccoli, Four Little Sheep, and more. There will be many opportunities for audience members to participate, too. This family program is geared for ages four and up; siblings are welcome. Registration is required; to register online, visit www.farmlib.org and select Programs/ Calendar or call (248) 848-4315. This free event will be in the Main Library Auditorium, 32737 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334. This program is generously sponsored by the Farmington Friends of the Library.
Fallen Chair 2 by Stephen Deeb.
City Gallery features ‘Expressive Moments’ The Farmington Hills City Gallery is featuring a selection of works by Stephen Deeb, through April 8. Deeb is currently head of the Art Department at North Farmington High School. He received his master’s of fine arts degree from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2000, and also studied at the Royal College of Art in London, England, and Scola di Lorenzo De Medici in Florence, Italy. Deeb’s work has been shown throughout the Metro Detroit area. His pieces now grace private collections in the US, Mexico, Germany, and Australia. He has also been awarded commissions from both RollsRoyce and DM B & B of Troy. His chair sculpture, currently on display at the Farmington Hills City Hall as part of the city’s new Public Art Program, is an extremely popular piece, drawing continuous commentary from staff and visitors to the newly renovated City Hall. “My artwork is about communication visually documenting the process of thought,” said Deeb. “I strive to push myself to question the barriers created by my own viewpoint. I cannot accept traditional subject matter, materials or questions.” Deeb’s work is a continuum of fragments
This piece by Stephen Deeb is called Harvard.
of shapes and colors, with “dreamlike snapshots morphing details” which combine to make unique, abstract statements. The Costick Center is located at 28600 W. 11 Mile in Farmington Hills. The City Gallery is open during regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and during special events. For more information, call the Cultural Arts Division at (248) 473-1856.
Tammy Dafoe, of Farmington Hills, was honored with the Mary Martin Service Award for her volunteer contributions to downtown Farmington.
Hills woman receives the Mary Martin Service Award The Farmington Downtown Development Authority announced the winner of its 2010 Mary Martin Service Award on March 8 – Farmington Hills resident and volunteer of three years, Tammy Dafoe. The award is given annually to a volunteer in the Main Street Program who has exhibited exemplary service to downtown Farmington. The sixth annual volunteer celebration was held at Page’s Food & Spirits in downtown Farmington. Over 60 volunteers attended.
Dafoe was driven to volunteer when quitting her job in 2008 – to pursue her master’s degree. She was left with some extra time. “I wanted to use that time to help the community and its local businesses,” she said. She now volunteers and holds two part-time jobs. “I enjoy the people I meet volunteering. Farmington is a great community,” she said. Anyone who wants to see evidence of Dafoe’s hard work can log onto www. DowntownFarmington.org. For more than a year, Dafoe
led the website redesign committee for the DDA. She also finds time to volunteer at all of Farmington’s events. Also nominated for the award were Melissa Andrade, Pete Hubbard and Mark Knowles. The Farmington DDA has grown its volunteer database to include more than 200 volunteers, but is still in search of helpful people. To kick off the 2011 calendar of events, a volunteer pep rally is tentatively slated for May 17. Anyone interested in volunteer opportunities is welcome.
Janet Marie & M’Archibald, of Imagination Theatre present “Imagine That” at the Main Library, Farmington Community Library on March 23.
Learn how to be a weather spotter at training program The Farmington Hills/ Farmington Emergency Preparedness Commission will present a free SKYWARN training program on Thursday, April 21 from 7-9 p.m. at the Costick Center, located at 28600 11 Mile, 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 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
• Identifying potential severe weather features • What information to report • How to report information • Basic severe weather safety The SKYWARN training program will be hosted by 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) 4731800.
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COUNTY NEWS
Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, March 17, 2011
online at hometownlife.com
Report potholes directly to the road commission As spring pothole season approaches in Michigan, the Road Commission for Oakland County asks residents and motorists to contact the agency directly to report potholes and other road safety issues. “Several websites now encourage motorists to post road safety concerns,” said RCOC Managing Director Brent Bair. “However, these sites do not share these complaints directly with the road commission.” If pothole complaints are called or e-mailed directly to
the Road Commission, they are addressed as expediently as possible. Residents can contact RCOC’s Department of Customer Service directly via phone (toll free) at 877-8584804 or through the Road Commission’s website, www. rcocweb.org (click on the “contact us” button). The Department of Customer Services is staffed weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The best way to report a non-emergency problem after hours is to file a
report at the RCOC Website. For emergencies during nonbusiness hours, contact the RCOC dispatch office at (248) 858-4895. “We take the safety of motorists seriously,” Bair said. “The best way to have a concern addressed on the county road and bridge network is by directly contacting the Road Commission. When using alternate methods to report potholes, there is often an unnecessary delay leading to additional frustration and potential damage to vehicles.”
Potholes are abundant at this time of the year, so the Road Commission for Oakland County wants you to report them.
Zoo teams with Salvation Army on clothing, household goods drive The Detroit Zoological Society and The Salvation Army will conduct a drive to collect used clothing and household goods during the last two weekends in March at the Detroit Zoo. Donors can drop off used but usable clothing and household goods at The Salvation Army truck in the Zoo’s front parking lot beneath the landmark water tower March 19-20 and March 26-27, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Regular admission and parking fees apply for those visiting the Detroit Zoo; however, contributions to the drive can be made without entering the Zoo. A tax receipt will be available upon request at the time of donation. Donations to The Salvation Army’s Thrift Stores generate total funding for the organization’s Southeast Michigan Adult Rehabilitation Center’s 180-day residential rehabilitation program for adults. The program provides food, shelter, education and counseling services to those re-establishing their lives free from alcohol and chemical
Livonia Franklin
dependencies. For more information, visit www. SalArmyThrift.com or call (866) GIVE-TOO. Celebrating its 100th year, the Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of 10 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak. The Detroit Zoo is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through Labor Day (with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August), 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day after Labor Day through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March. Admission is $12 for adults 15 to 61, $10 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $8 for children ages 2 to 14 (children under 2 are free). The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round; admission is free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo. org.
Seminar on Probate Court’s role in wills, estates, trusts and more
The Citizen’s Alliance of the Oakland County Probate and Circuit Courts will conduct a free seminar for senior citizens and their families from 1-3:30 p.m., March 28, at the Novi Senior Center in Novi. The seminar will explain the Probate Court’s role in wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. Entitled “Removing The Mysteries of Probate Court,” the seminar will provide attendees with information on the advantages and disadvantages of “avoiding probate,” when and how to use a will, trust and/or Power of Attorney, how to begin probate proceedings, and when to consider use of guardianships and conservatorships. Panelists will include Probate Register Jill Koney Daly from the
Oakland County Probate Court; Trust Officer/Vice President Sally DaleVaughn from Fifth Third Bank; and private practice attorney Thomas Trainer from Kemp Klein Law Firm. Materials will be available on trusts, estates, and the legal rights of senior citizens. Adequate time will be available for questions. To register, contact the Novi Senior Center at (248) 347-0414. Removing the Mysteries has been offered by the Oakland County Probate Court for 20 years, with thousands of citizens participating. Plans are under way for the fall series. For information regarding upcoming “Removing the Mysteries” locations, or to request consideration as a site for this seminar, contact Marcia Travis at (248) 858-0296.
Annual
SHOW S H OW Saturday, March 19th 10 am- 4 pm All Kinds of Crafts! ART • PET ITEMS • JEWELRY HOME DECOR • CLOTHING and much more!
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MADONNA ENDS SPRING TRIP WITH SPLIT, B2 (F)
hometownlife
THURSDAY, March 17, 2011
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INSIDE
FEATURES
RELIGION, B4
BARBERSHOP CHORUS TACKLES FOLK, ROCK MUSIC, B5
FOOD, B7
Six gymnasts earn all-state honors McKelvey leads the way with top-10 finish in every event BY DAN O’MEARA OBSERVER STAFF WRITER
PHOTOS BY BOB JOHNSON
Senior Kristen McKelvey was fourth in the Division 1 all-around and all-state in all four events.
Farmington United and Harrison produced six allstate gymnasts in the individual competition Saturday at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills High School, including four all-arounders. Seniors Kristen McKelvey and Kyoko Yamamoto placed fourth and 10th in the Division 1 all-around, respectively. Junior Amanda Lumley and Harrison senior Stephanie Sanders also were fourth and 10th in Division 2, respectively. Junior Alyssa Bresso is allstate on Division 1 bars, and freshman Meredith Jonik earned a medal in Division 2 beam. KRISTEN MCKELVEY: McKelvey is all-state in all four individual events. She placed fourth on vault (9.4) and floor (9.55), fifth on bars (9.25) and seventh on beam (9.325). McKelvey is all-state in the all-around for the second year in a row after compiling a 37.525 total score Saturday. “She didn’t have a bad meet all year,” coach Jeff Dwyer said. “She’s been our strongest all-arounder. When we needed a high score to compensate for a lower score, she got it. She saved us in a couple meets with her mental toughness and natural ability. “She was in a zone those last two days at state. Her scores, like they have all season, helped carry the team. She had her highest vault score of the year. She
Senior Kyoko Yamamoto competed in the Division 1 all-around, finishing in 10th place, and is allstate on bars, too. had never thrown a pike Yuerchenko, and she did that both days.” KYOKO YAMAMOTO: She competed all season in Division 2, but she had the option and chose to compete at the Division 1 level in the postseason meets. Please see ALL-STATE, B3
Gymnasts lose close, 3-way battle for 2nd place at state BY DAN O’MEARA OBSERVER STAFF WRITER
BOB JOHNSON
Coach Jeff Dw yer is pleased to have the fourth-best gymnastics team in the state, but he acknowledged the Farmington United girls had slightly higher expectations. His gymnasts had hoped to push Grand Ledge for the championship or at least be the runner-up Friday at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills High School. In a close competition, Farmington United had to settle for fourth place behind Canton and Troy AthensAuburn Hills Avondale. “It’s great to have high expectations every year,”
‘It’s great to have high expectations every year. You work toward those expectations, but it doesn’t always work out that way. That was a tough few moments right after the meet and, I’m sure, on through the night for the girls.’
COACH JEFF DWYER
Dw yer said. “You work toward those expectations, but it doesn’t always work out that way. That was a tough few moments right after the meet and, I’m sure, on through the night for the girls.”
Grand Ledge won its fourth consecutive state title with a 149.675 score. Less than half a point separated Canton (146.5), Athens (146.475) and Farmington (146.125). “That could have been a missed trick on any event,” Dw yer said, adding Farmington did f loor exercise in the last rotation with a chance to move ahead of Canton and Athens. “It just didn’t work out. “Little things were missed here and there, and little things add up to 10ths. I don’t want to blame it on f loor. You can look at beam, bars or vault and f ind four 10ths any where.” Please see UNITED, B3
Farmington-Harrison’s Neill earns all-state swim honor
FarmingtonHarrison sophomore Steven Neill is Division 1 all-state in the 500-yard freestyle.
BY DAN O’MEARA OBSERVER STAFF WRITER
JOHN STORMZAND | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Farmington High School sophomore Steven Neill earned all-state recognition in the 500yard freestyle Saturday in the Division 1 boys swimming and diving championship meet. Neill finished eighth in the final heat at Oakland University with a time of 4:45.96. He set a school record Friday in the prelims when he swam 4:44.03, shattering Alec Campbell’s 27-year-old standard of 4:46-plus. Neill, competing for the unified Farmington-Harrison Phoenix team, was sixth in the
Women’sgolf
University of Detroit Mercy senior Alainna Stefan (Mercy High School) finished in the top 10 and the Titans tied for eighth place Saturday at the Sunshine Spring Classic in Mims, Fla. Detroit finished the two-round event with a 676 (329-347) at the Walkabout Golf and Country Club. The Titans were one stroke out of seventh and seven away from placing in the top five. Stefan led Detroit again Saturday, carding an 84 to claim a share of seventh place with a 162 (78-84). Her four birdies in the event tied her for the third most on the weekend. Lehigh won the inaugural tournament with a 658 (321-337).
Men’slacrosse
Farmington United 4th in team meet
Junior Amanda Lumley finished second in D-2 floor exercise. She was fourth in the all-around and also all-state on bars.
SIDELINES
prelims, locking up a top-eight finish and certain all-state accolades. “We were all quite excited about it,” coach Ross Bandy said of Neill’s finish and record. “Steven is an outstanding worker, and he put a great deal of effort in this year. “That was his goal (all-state) and it was great to have him accomplish that, especially as a sophomore. I think the world of him and a few other gentlemen on the team that I’m proud of, but definitely him. “He didn’t have any other (state) cuts. He didn’t have the Please see SWIM, B2
Junior Tim Lehto of Farmington Hills (North Farmington) posted a hat trick and four points with three goals and an assist Saturday as Robert Morris edged host University of Detroit Mercy in men’s lacrosse, 14-13. It was the first overtime game in the history of the UDM program. The three goals and four points matched Lehto’s career best in both categories. The Titans (1-7) begin the MAAC portion of their schedule at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 19, when VMI visits Titan Field.
Men’sseniorgolf
Senior men golfers (age 55 and older) in the Farmington, Farmington Hills and Livonia area are invited to play in the Fox Creek Senior Men’s Golf League. Play will be at the Fox Creek Golf Course on Seven Mile Road every Friday morning, starting the first week in May. Two-man teams and flights will be organized on the basis of team handicaps, or players can elect to play with a friend. For more information and an application to join, call Myron Dudek at (248) 477-3078 or Mike Gyokeres at (248) 661-2114.
Soccershowcase
The ninth annual Lakes Area Showcase Carrie Saxton-Woods Soccer Invitational will be played March 18-19 at seven turf fields in Oakland County. Games start at 3 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. The last games begin at 8 and 6:30 p.m., respectively. Forty-two high school girls varsity teams, 39 JV teams and two freshman teams will participate in 102 pre-season scrimmage games involving more than 1,600 athletes. The game sites are located in the Lakes Area less than 10 minutes from each other. North Farmington is the host school. Games also will be played at Walled Lake Northern and Central, West Bloomfield, Lakeland, Andover and Lahser high schools. Each facility will have free parking, concessions, inside restrooms and changing areas. Walled Lake Northern and Central soccer boosters will have pancake breakfasts in their schools from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. There is no admission charge for spectators.
Bowhuntersevent
Southeast Michigan Bowhunters Chapter of Safari Club International will have its 20th anniversary fund-raiser March 25-26 at Laurel Manor in Livonia. Since its beginning in 1991, the chapter has held a fund-raiser with raffles and auctions, for hunts throughout the world to local fishing trips. The event is a place to see hunting and art exhibits from all over the world and to celebrate and enjoy America’s hunting heritage. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Richard DeLisle at (248) 345-1986 or visit scibowhunters.com.
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Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, March 17, 2011
online at hometownlife.com
LOCAL SPORTS
MU ends spring trip with split After only mustering five hits in a doubleheader opener, the No. 11-ranked Madonna University baseball team closed its 2011 spring trip Saturday by winning the nightcap, 7-3, over Dickinson State (N.D.) University. The Crusaders fell to Dickinson State in the opener, 11-2, at the Snedigar Complex in Chandler, Ariz. The split leaves MU 10-7 on the year as the squad returned home for a scheduled game Tuesday in Mount Pleasant against Central Michigan University. MU used a three-run sixth inning to salvage a split in the nightcap. Senior Jeff Bultinck paced the Crusaders with three hits and three RBI. Sophomore Steve Pelletier (Farmington Harrison) went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, and junior left-hander Tom Hansen earned the win with an inning of work out of the bullpen. Dickinson State scored single runs in the first and third innings to claim a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third.
Freshman Victor Barron started the inning with a single to right and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Alex Charles (Farmington Hills/Brother Rice) before coming home on a double from Bultinck to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. Junior catcher Drew Adamiec singled and scored on a double by Pelletier to tie the game at 2-all. MU took the lead in the fourth as senior Matt Kay (Canton) led off with a single. Kay moved to second and third on back-to-back Dickinson State errors and came home on a ground ball off the bat of Spencer Sarel to put the Crusaders in front 3-2. Dickinson State evened the score in the fifth and the game stayed 3-3 until the bottom of the sixth when Brad Lineberry (Plymouth) reached on a oneout triple to center field. Pinch hitter Billy Hardin III (Livonia/Catholic Central) singled up the middle to score Lineberry and put MU back on top, 4-3. Bultinck then doubled down the line in left to score both
Charles (whom Hardin III hit for) and Barron to make it a 6-3 game. Sophomore Jeremy Gooding (Livonia/Divine Child) came in for the seventh and worked out of a two-out jam with runners at first and second by getting the final batter of the game to ground out and give MU the victory. In the first game, MU took a 1-0 lead after half an inning only to see the Blue Hawks respond with nine runs over the next two innings en route to the 11-2 win. The Crusader offense never got in sync in the day’s opener and sophomore lefty Erik Wright (Canton) was saddled with his second loss, giving up seven runs in 1.2 innings of work. Sarel and Tim Duffy made their debuts on the mound with Duffy striking out a batter in his two innings of work. Travis Setere led the Blue Hawks (1-6) with two hits and five RBI. Pitcher Roberto Gonzalez went all seven innings, allowing just one walk and striking out four, to earn the victory.
Madonna misses chance at CMU
Madonna University had a 1-0 lead over NCAA Division I member Central Michigan University through 5.1 innings of baseball Tuesday, but three unanswered runs in the sixth gave the host Chippewas a 3-1 win. “We had every opportunity to execute and win a baseball game today,” MU coach Greg Haeger said. “If we had gotten some timely hitting, it could have made the difference.” Sophomore Steve Pelletier (Farmington Harrison) and freshman Victor Barron led MU (10-8) with a pair of hits each in the loss. Brendan Emmett was the only Chippewa with two hits.
MU stranded eight runners on base; CMU (8-9) left six on base in both teams’ first games in Michigan this season. The Crusaders tallied a run in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of a pair of Chippewa errors to gain the early lead. Junior Drew Adamiec reached on a one-out CMU infield error and moved all the way to third when the single by Pelletier was misplayed in the outfield to put runners at second and third with just one out. MU capitalized on the CMU miscues when sophomore Brad Lineberry (Plymouth) drove in Adamiec from third for a 1-0
lead after half an inning. CMU scored on a wild pitch and an error. Central also got an RBI single by William Arnold to increase its lead to 3-1 after six innings. Junior lefty Tom Hansen (22) was saddled with the loss as he was charged with all three runs that scored in the sixth. MU sophomore starter Jeremy Gooding (Livonia/ Divine Child) threw the first five, allowing just two hits while striking out eight. Reliever Jon Weaver earned the win for CMU, throwing two innings while giving up a pair of hits. Matt Faiman worked around a walk in the ninth for the save.
Division champions
Coach Mike Harfoot (front, center) and members of the North Farmington swim team celebrate their victory in the OAA White Division meet Feb. 25 at West Bloomfield High School. The Raiders were undefeated in division dual meets and won the overall championship. North also finished 14th in the Division 2 state meet Saturday.
SWIM
FROM PAGE B1 opportunity to swim earlier to make sure he was ready. He had to sit for more than half the meet and just wait for that event.” Bandy added Neill’s time for the first 200 yards would have qualified him for the 200 freestyle. “That was his lifetime best 200 freestyle on the way out,” Bandy said. “That was a lot of fun, too. “I was a little animated on the deck and excited for him. When it comes to something like that, you get a little excited.” Bandy added freshman Grant Borregard swam a lifetime best (56.42) in the backstroke prelims. Junior Eric Gensheimer swam the 100 freestyle (49.98). The Phoenix competed in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, but didn’t qualify for the finals. They were 28th in the 400 (3:24.58) and 33rd in the 200 (1:32.49).
“Everybody came back (Saturday) to cheer on Steven,” Bandy said. “The school and all the coaches are very proud of him.” Farmington-Harrison will return its entire team next season with the exception of senior Brent Gensheimer. “We’re hoping this leads to bigger and better things for the whole team next year,” Bandy said. “Steven is like a spark. We have a young team; we only graduate one senior. “With the hard work and effort Steven has had made, hopefully, it rubs off on the rest of the team and they realize that’s where we need to be as a team.”
RAIDERS SCORE RELAYS
North achieved its team goal of scoring all three relays in the Division 2 boys swimming and diving state meet Saturday at Eastern Michigan University. Senior Cameron Wasko, freshman Nick Leshok and juniors Ian Landau and Calvin Kopitz are all-state in the medley relay, finishing eighth in the final (1:39.44).
They went 1:38.98 and were fifth in the prelim swim. Wasko, Kopitz, freshman Jake Wasko and Leshok were 12th in the 400 freestyle (3:18.57), and Kopitz, junior Ethan Gell, Jake Wasko and Landau finished 16th in the 200 freestyle (1:31.73). Cameron Wasko and Leshok also scored in two individual events while swimming in the consolation heats. Wasko was 11th in the butterf ly (53.30) and 12th in the 50 freestyle (22.35). Leshok was 13th in the individual medley (2:01.5) and the breaststroke (1:01.96). Leshok was 16th in the prelims in the latter, but he moved up in the final race to tie Auburn Hills Avondale’s Tom Nowinski. In non-scoring swims, Landau swam the butterf ly (55.49), Kopitz the 50 freestyle (22.58) and freshman Danny McNeece the IM (2:07.16) and butterfly (55.75). The Raiders were 14th in the team standings with 52.5 points. The Phoenix had 11 team points for 28th place.
BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING OAA BOYS WHITE DIVISION SWIMMING & DIVING RESULTS Feb. 25 at West Bloomfield HS TEAM RESULTS: 1. North Farmington, 545.5; 2. Bloomfield Hills Lahser, 503; 3. Harrison-Farmington, 41.5; 4. West Bloomfield, 412; 5. Rochester, 390; 6. Rochester Adams, 312. 200-YARD MEDLEY RELAY: 1. North Farmington (Cameron Wasko, Nick Leshok, Danny McNeece, Ian Landau), 1:42.68; 2. Adams, 1:44.14; 3. West Bloomfield, 1:44.89; 4. Rochester, 1:45.97; 5. Lahser, 1:47.95; 6. Harrison-Farmington, 1:49.14. 200 YARD FREESTYLE: 1. Jai Singh (Rochester), 1:48.31; 2. Cody Wolfrom (Lahser), 1:48.58; 3. Steven Neill (H-F), 1:51.14; 4. Jake Wasko (North Farmington), 1:53.62; 5. Andrew Fedurek (North Farmington), 1:54.15; 6. Brent Gensheimer (H-F), 1:54.32. 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY: 1. Nick Leshok (North Farmington), 2:03.27; 2. Jacob Carl (Rochester), 2:04.06; 3. Grant Borregard (H-F), 2:05.11; 4. Joe Finn (Lahser), 2:05.12; 5. Brad Hassberger (Adams), 2:06.10; 6. Danny McNeece (North Farmington), 2:08.32. 50 FREESTYLE: 1. Eric Gensheimer (H-F), 22.87; 2. Calvin Kopitz (North Farmington), 23.00; 3. Alex Nault (Lahser), 23.15; 4. Andrew Jacob (West Bloomfield), 23.20; 5. John Yurich (West Bloomfield), 23.30; 6. Grant Yarber (West Bloomfield), 23.60. ONE-METER DIVING: 1. Shameek Mohile (West Bloomfield), 336.15; 2. Ray Renaud (Rochester), 312.00; 3. Kevin Smith (West Bloomfield), 311.10; 4. Bobby Mrozinski (Adams), 297.45; 5. Lucas Hartman (West Bloomfield), 290.70; 6. Nick Nader (North Farmington), 276.60. 100 BUTTERFLY: 1. Cameron Wasko (North Farmington), 55.12;
2. Jai Singh (Rochester), 55.80; 3. Ian Landau (North Farmington), 56.08; 4. Danny McNeece (North Farmington), 56.51; 5. Brad Hassberger (Adams), 56.54; 6. Jake Wasko (North Farmington), 58.17. 100 FREESTYLE: 1. Cody Wolfrom (Lahser), 49.75; 2. Eric Gensheimer (H-F), 49.89; 3. Calvin Kopitz (North Farmington), 50.33; 4. Andrew Jacob (West Bloomfield), 50.75; 5. Alex Nault (Lahser), 51.31; 6. Brent Gensheimer (H-F), 51.78. 500 FREESTYLE: 1. Jacob Carl (Rochester), 4:47.24; 2. Steven Neill (H-F), 4:51.00; 3. Brien Moffitt (Rochester), 4:57.29; 4. Joe Finn (Lahser), 5:03.52; 5. Andrew Fedurek (North Farmington), 5:05.28; 6. Austin Kilpatrick (Rochester), 5:09.33. 200 FREESTYLE RELAY: 1. North Farmington (Jake Wasko, Ian Landau, Ethan Gell, Calvin Kopitz), 1:31.68; 2. Lahser, 1:31.81; 3. West Bloomfield, 1:32.79; 4. Harrison-Farmington, 1:32.93; 5. Adams, 1:33.50; 6. Rochester, 1:34.54. 100 BACKSTROKE: 1. Grant Borregard (H-F), 57.07; 2. Cameron Wasko (North Farmington), 57.75; 3. Cameron Clark (Adams), 58.38; 4. John Yurich (West Bloomfield), 58.60; 5. Joe Bujold (Lahser), 59.46; 6. Chase Hamburg (Lahser), 1:01.34. 100 BREASTSTROKE: 1. Nick Leshok (North Farmington), 1:03.50; 2. John Schihl (Lahser), 1:03.54; 3. Alex Robichaud (West Bloomfield), 1:05.72; 4. Albert Lee (Rochester), 1:06.14; 5. Colin Berta (Rochester), 1:06.74; 6. Bardia Nadim (West Bloomfield), 1:08.45. 400 FREESTYLE RELAY: 1. Harrison-Farmington (Eric Gensheimer, Jackson Balk, David Olson, Grant Borregard), 3:22.37; 2. North Farmington, 3:22.64; 3. Lahser, 3:23.76; 4. Adams, 3:33.26; 5. West Bloomfield, 3:35.04; 6. Rochester, 3:40.85.
Madonna softball team goes 14-1 Almost perfect. That was how the Madonna University women’s softball team finished its Arizona spring trip last week. The Crusaders closed their trip to the Tucson Invitational Games with a 3-1 victory over the University of Great Falls (Mont.) as part of a tripleheader Friday at the Reitan Complex. Garden City’s Hallie Minch earned the win, throwing five innings and allowing just one run, while Jess Irwin picked up her second save of the year as MU raised its season record to 14-1 overall. Sophomore Arielle Cox led MU at the plate with a pair of hits. MU got on the board in the bottom of the third, plating a single run as Cox led off with
a double to right center and came home three batters later on a single through the right side by Minch for a 1-0 advantage. The Madonna lead grew to 3-0 in the fourth when Erica Landess connected on her third homer of the season, a 2-run blast to left center to extend the MU cushion. The Argos scored in the fifth when Lindsay Cline belted a homer of her own to trim the deficit to 3-1. Irwin then came in for the sixth and seventh, slamming the door and walking just one. Earlier in the day, MU fell to Robert Morris (Ill.), 4-3, for its first setback of the season as Irwin suffered her first loss when the Eagles rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh. Ashley Shay (Garden City/
Dearborn Divine Child) led the MU offense with three hits, while Landess and Jackie Barley added two each. Jennifer Burns scattered 10 hits, walked two and struck out seven in going the distance for the Eagles (9-7). In a battle of nationally-ranked NAIA teams, Madonna bounced back with a 2-1 victory in eight innings over Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) in Game Two, as Irwin (7-1) struck out 12, walked two and allowed just six hits. Shay went 3-for-3 in the win, while Landess knocked in both runs. The loss dropped the Tigers to 14-3 overall. MU returns to action Thursday when it travels to Indiana University-Southeast for a doubleheader.
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Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, March 17, 2011
B3
Whalers’ Brown perseveres, lands NHL pact BY TIM SMITH OBSERVER STAFF WRITER
On a wall inside the Plymouth Whalers locker room are rows and rows of framed photos — all of players who graduated from the Peter Karmanos-owned OHL team to a spot in “The Show.” And now, there is a pretty good chance more room will have to be made for several current Whalers with ties to National Hockey League clubs. The latest is forward Tyler Brown, who recently signed a three-year entry level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. “It’s a dream come true,” said Brown, following a recent game against Windsor. “My buddy said it’s no longer a dream. It’s a goal now, to make it to the next level. “I’m going to work all summer and try to prepare for next season and hopefully crack the lineup there.” Whalers head coach and
general manager Mike Vellucci was thrilled that the hard-working, fast-skating Brown finally hooked on with a NHL team. “It’s awesome, he deserves it, he worked hard, he persevered,” Vellucci said. “He was a late draft for us and he’s playing overage this year. He deserves it, so all the power to him.” Brown did not get drafted when he became eligible in 2010. But he hoped to get a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who invited him to a rookie training camp last fall.
MAKING STRIDES
But when the Penguins did not pursue the Ontario native after the season started, he got down to honing his offensive skills. From the start of the Whalers season, it looked obvious that the time with the Penguins indeed helped his development as a scorer and playmaker.
Last season, he tallied 14 goals in 66 games. This season, through 62 games, Brown’s ledger is pretty impressive — 25 goals and 32 assists. “I had a couple teams looking at me at the start of the season, but I guess they just didn’t follow through,” noted Brown, hosted by a Canton billet family the past two years. “But during the season I’ve been playing for the points and stuff and Philly came out of nowhere and the deal I couldn’t pass up. “So I took it and I couldn’t be any happier.” The fourth-year Whaler, who just turned 21, smiled when asked what he thought about joining the traditionrich Flyers. “They’ve got a great history, (the) Broad Street Bullies back in the day,” Brown said. “They’ve been a great organization. ... I’m looking forward to getting there and meeting everyone and having a good career.”
Brown joins other Plymouth players with NHL connections: goalie Scott Wedgewood (New Jersey), defenseman and Farmington Hills product Austin Levi (Carolina), forward Jamie Devane (Toronto) and center Robbie Czarnik (Los Angeles).
WHO’S NEXT?
Another overage player who Vellucci would like to see follow Brown’s lead is winger James Livingston. “I think it’s a great message (to other players),” said Vellucci, about how hard work earned Brown a belated reward. “And I think a guy like Livingston deserves one too. “He’s been phenomenal the last two months and if he keeps working like that he’ll get one too.” Livingston, who has 21 goals and 29 assists in 57 games, said Brown’s contract indeed gives him some hope. “I’m nothing but proud for
FROM PAGE B1
UNITED
ALL-STATE
Farmington had the best bars score (36.85) of any team, but it was fourth in the other three. Farmington was a fraction of a point behind Canton and Athens on beam and f loor, and Canton was a little more than a point better on vault. “The only thing I told the girls was ‘We’re in for a good f ight here,’” Dw yer said. “They had the right attitude. No one quit. I guess it’s like missing a three-pointer when you need it. “That’s the nature of sports. We’ve been on the upside of that, too, when we won by a 10th or two. So we moved on and the next day they did (to have f ive all-staters in the individual competition).” Junior all-arounder Alyssa Bresso, who missed a large part of the season with an ankle injury, competed Friday despite not being fully recovered. She was unable to do her full f loor routine to the maximum diff iculty because of the injury, however. “That’s not her fault,” Dw yer said. “She gave 100 percent on a bad ankle; she did the best she could do. I think we scored higher on f loor because we had her going.” Farmington United has become a perennial qualif ier for the state meet and contender for the team title. Besides winning three straight times (2004-06), it has two runner-up f inishes, two third places and one seventh in the last eight years. “Some of the newer parents said: ‘Oh, my gosh, fourth place is awesome,’” Dw yer said. “We’ve had such high expectations; that’s a good thing. We didn’t get what we wanted, but we’re still one of the top teams in the state.
Yamamoto took third place on bars (9.3) for an all-state position, and she was close to being all-state on floor (11th) and beam (13th). The top 10 in each event are considered all-state. Her total score (36.275) was high enough to put her in that elite class. “To a pure gymnast, the all-around is what it’s all about,” Dwyer said. “I look at it as the true sign of a complete gymnast. To do that at state in Division 1, when she’s been out of club for three years, I think it surprised her but, hopefully, makes her realize how good a gymnast she is. “Bars is her favorite event. She did her typical warmups that made you wonder what was going to happen. The running joke is, when she has crummy warmups, she’s going to hit. That was true to the end.” ALYSSA BRESSO: Bresso returned from an ankle injury, though still not 100 percent, to compete in the team event Friday and in two individual events Saturday. She was ninth on bars (9.1). “Her greatest feat was she worked allaround for the first time Friday,” Dwyer said. “She was finally able to come back. She vaulted; she tumbled. She was in pain, but she pushed it. She kept us in the meet. “She hurt the ankle on vault, and she went into Saturday pretty beat up. She had a watered-down beam routine, so she really didn’t have a chance of making all-state. But she did her typical routine on bars. I’m glad she was able to walk away from a tough season with a medal.” AMANDA LUMLEY: Lumley was the defending champion on floor exercise, but she was the runner-up this year to Grand Ledge’s Christine Wilson in a close finish. Wilson scored 9.6, Lumley 9.575. Lumley also is all-state on bars (seventh, 9.025) and just missed on vault (11th, 9.05). She placed fourth in the all-around with a 36.50 total score. “She’s worked all-around, but vault and floor have always been her best events,” Dwyer said. “She has really worked on her bars, and her beam has gotten better. Her best medal this weekend was the all-around, because it shows what a complete gymnast she is. “Friday was a good meet for her but not a great meet. I think she was hard on herself. We talked about and I said: ‘You have to get it out of your head.’ She bounced back. I told the girls, ‘Come on, now; we’ve got one more day. We’ve worked too hard.’ All the
WALT DMOCH
Tyler Brown of the Plymouth Whalers (No. 12) gets the jump on Windsor defenseman Ryan Ellis (No. 6) during a recent game at Compuware Arena. him, I couldn’t be happier for the guy,” Livingston said. “He works his tail off every game and hopefully if someone sees me, that could be
my fate as well. So we’ll see what happens.” They might have to find a second wall for those photos if this keeps up.
FROM PAGE B1
PHOTO BY BOB JOHNSON
Junior Alyssa Bresso competed in the team event despite an ankle injury and earned all-state on bars. “I had to remind the girls there were teams there for the very f irst time. It was a respectable f inish, although we were a little short of what we wanted. “We had one loss this season in dual meets and were regional champions. Overall, it was a very successful season.”
Farmington United freshman Meredith Jonik claimed an all-state honor on Division 2 beam with a 10th-place finish. gymnasts responded, and I was really happy about that.” STEPHANIE SANDERS: Sanders earned allstate recognition in two Division 2 events besides the all-around. She was third on vault (9.35) and sixth on beam (9.125). Sanders was 10th overall (35.70). “I was so happy for her,” Dwyer said. “She had a rough year at the regional last year. She should have been at state. This was what I expected of her. She had the right attitude. You could tell in her eyes she had been there — not at the state level but enough tough meets — and she could handle it. “She had to count a fall on bars, which was a five-10ths deduction. Bars is one of her best events, and she still placed in the all-around. That tells you how strong her other events were.” MEREDITH JONIK: In her first state meet, Jonik scored 9.0 on beam, claimed 10th place and earned all-state. She competed in all the other events, too, and was 15th in the all-around with a 35.40. “She was the surprise of the year, and I think you’re going to hear her name more and more,” Dwyer said. “She’s a skinny, timid-looking girl. Underneath those eyes, she’s a tough kid and she started showing it toward the end of the year. “(Assistant coach) Kim (Mandrelle) and I were going, ‘Wow, she has some competitiveness in her.’ It was an exciting year for her and, now that she has realized, ‘Hey, I can do what those other gymnasts are doing,’ I can count on her next year. To be all-state in her freshman year is a great feat for Meredith.”
PHOTOS BY BOB JOHNSON
Harrison senior Stephanie Sanders was 10th in the Division 2 all-around. She’s all-state on vault and beam, too.
Harrison’s softball team will have clinic Saturday The Harrison High School softball program will have its third annual Spring Swing Softball Clinic on Saturday, March 19. The clinic, for children in grades 1-8 and between the ages of 6 and 14, will take place in the school gymnasium from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $40 and includes a T-shirt and an all-you-caneat pancake breakfast (pancakes, sausage, coffee, juice) which begins with on-site registration at 8:45 a.m. The clinic will include indoor stations for instruction in hitting, fielding, base running, pitching, catching and position work. Varsity coach Kristen Zabalavicius, her coaching staff and members of the
Harrison varsity team will provide the clinic instruction. Participants must bring tennis shoes to wear in the gym. Parents and family members are invited to join the softball team and clinic participants for the pancake breakfast. The cost of breakfast is $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and $3 for children age 12 and under. All proceeds from the clinic and pancake breakfast will benefit the Harrison softball program. Walk-in registrations will be accepted at the door. All children ages 6-8 must be accompanied by an adult. To download a registration and waiver form (necessary) for the clinic, go to the team web site at harrisonsoftball.org.
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