Birmingham/Bloomfield

ENDNOTE: OUR CHOICES FOR THE AUGUST 2 PRIMARY ELECTION

AUGUST 2016

PLUS

OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP

OAKLAND GRAVEL MINING: REPURPOSING THE LANDSCAPE COUNTY 911 SYSTEM: PLAYING TECHNOLOGICAL CATCH UP RESETTLING REFUGEES: FINDING HOME IN METRO AREA CANDIDATES ON ISSUES: DOWNTOWNPUBLICATIONS.COM ECRWSS Postal Customer EDDM

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Upper Long Lake Lakefront in Heron Bay $2,650,000 or VL for $999,000

Sophisticated Living in West Bloomfield $2,599,000

Turtle Lake Lakefront $2,499,000 or VL for $699,000

Franklin Village Estate $2,475,000

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Bloomfield Hills Estate On Over 1 Acre $1,999,000

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Over 1.5 Acres Near Cranbrook $1,990,000 of VL for $899,000

Bloomfield Hills Gated Community $1,925,000 or $12,000/MO

New Construction in Bloomfield Hills $1,899,000or VL $699,000

Built by Moceri Designed by Dominick Tringali $1,349,000

Custom Built Home by Casadei $1,299,000

Stunning French Tudor in Bloomfield Hills $999,000

Birmingham Schools - 9,000 SQFT $999,900

Luxury Custom Built home in Bloomfield Hills $995,000 or $6,500/MO

City of Bloomfield Hills $899,000

Orange Lake Privileges $660,000 or $4,950/MO

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Walnut Lake Privileges $499,900

DOWNTOWN08.16

36

Seeking refuge and a new home in metro Detroit In the most recent 20-month period, metro Detroit took in 2,321 refugees fleeing their home countries out of concern for safety and there are several groups working to make sure that resettlement goes as smoothly as possible.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

18

Townships may be better off not having partisan elections, especially now that the age-old political party farm system may have outlived its usefulness thanks to term limitation and increased campaign money that has entered the picture.

OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL

29

Our political/government gossip columns details the latest, including what's new in the race for the county clerk's office; a new challenger for U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop; David Wolkinson's possible run for state attorney general; and more.

CRIME LOCATOR

33

A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format.

MUNICIPAL

75

Peabody's closing in Birmingham; The Varsity Shop building sold; Hogan's to make way for commercial building; Park Street rezoning denied again; part of Maple Road to remain three lanes; township response on election claims; plus more.

FRONT/BACK

112

Katie Deska gives us the the latest on what’s happening in the front and the back of the house in metro Detroit area restaurants with a series of short takes on the latest news and gossip for the industry.

THE COVER If it is August, then it must be time for the Woodward Dream Cruise, which takes place this year on Saturday, August 20.

Over 1 million people will turn out to see some 40,000 classic and specialty vehicles on parade through nine communities along a 16-mile stretch of Woodward Avenue.

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Stunning custom home set amongst majestic trees!

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BLOOMFIELD 1475 Lone Pine Road | $749,000

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Next generation of 911 Officials around the country and locally are trying to improve the 911 emergency call system to catch up with mobile and VoIP technology.

55 Excavation and reclamation Oakland County sits on one of the largest veins of gravel in the country, and mining success is tied to reclamation efforts after excavation.

34

John Cohen

FACES SOCIAL LIGHTS

118

Society reporter Sally Gerak provides the latest news from the society and non-profit circuit as she covers recent major events.

ENDNOTE

126

The August 2 primary election is next week, so we offer our opinion on what candidates offer the political parties their best hope, along with our thoughts on a few millage proposals.

34 44 73 107 115

John Cohen Justin Glanda Laura Bradshaw Tucker John Reddy Nathan Cykiert

PUBLISHER David Hohendorf NEWS EDITOR Lisa Brody NEWS STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Allison Batdorff | Rachel Bechard | Hillary Brody Katie Deska | Kevin Elliott | Sally Gerak Austen Hohendorf | Kathleen Meisner | Bill Seklar PHOTOGRAPHY/CONTRIBUTORS Jean Lannen | Laurie Tennent Laurie Tennent Studio VIDEO PRODUCTION/CONTRIBUTOR Garrett Hohendorf Giant Slayer ADVERTISING DIRECTOR David Hohendorf ADVERTISING SALES Mark Grablowski GRAPHICS/IT MANAGER Chris Grammer OFFICE 124 W. Maple Birmingham MI 48009 248.792.6464 DISTRIBUTION/SUBSCRIPTIONS Mailed monthly at no charge to most homes in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills. Additional free copies distributed at high foot-traffic locations in downtown Birmingham.

For those not receiving a free mail copy, paid subscriptions are available for a $12 annual charge. To secure a paid subscription, go to our website (downtownpublications.com) and click on “subscriptions” in the top index and place your order online or scan the QR Code here.

INCOMING/READER FEEDBACK We welcome feedback on both our publication and general issues of concern in the Birmingham/Bloomfield community. The traditional “letters to the editor” in Downtown are published in our Incoming section and can include written letters or electronic communication.

Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 W. Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009.

If you are using the mail option, you must include a phone number for verification purposes.

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FROM THE PUBLISHER s Downtown newsmagazine has reported on the political turmoil engulfing Bloomfield Township the past two years, my first reaction is that our current approach to relying on party affiliations at the local level is a concept that should be tossed in the dust bin.

A

I know the first response from party stalwarts on both sides of the aisle will be to posit that the future of government relies on a political party farm system based on, at least in theory, local township officials gaining valuable experience, then starting to move up the ladder through county-level elected office, perhaps progressing to the state level as a state Representative or Senator, and then a select few would some day move on to Congress. Years ago that might have been a good concept, but a couple of factors have changed the playing field and rendered the farm system approach increasingly obsolete.

First, term limits at the state House and Senate level have, as one of many negative impacts, created a situation where those who choose elected public office as a lifetime vocation, but are forced out of a position after a prescribed set of years, have been recycling themselves back down to lower level offices at the county level, thereby disrupting the farm system in which office holders are supposedly groomed for the future.

Then we have the untold and ever-increasing amounts of money being poured into even local campaigns long before the courts opened the floodgates with the U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United decision in January of 2010. Money has always talked, so whens it comes to grooming local officials to move up the proverbial ladder, forget about it. Raise enough funds, hire the right seasoned campaign strategist and you don't need to pay your dues. That became readily apparent when I witnessed a few races several decades ago – Democrat Doug Ross' run for the state Senate and Republican David Honigman's campaign for the Michigan House, just to name a couple of examples. Back then, it was shocking to realize that all of a sudden $250,000 in a campaign became the new norm, then $400,000 and you could successfully garner a place in the state legislature. A more recent example would be congressman David Trott, who came from the business community and now represents a broad district from Oakland County in Washington D.C. because he had the financial juice to run an effective campaign.

Now, even a full-time administrative office at the county level will cost you $500,000-$600,000, if not more, depending on the election year and what is taking place at the top of the ticket.

So much for the farm system everyone held out as the best training ground in years past.

A partisan system at the local township government level is certainly not the only reason that turmoil can consume a community like Bloomfield Township, but it certainly is a contributing factor.

Over the years, I have covered or followed from a distance the shake-up of a number of local townships dating back to the late 1970's, starting in Highland Township in the western Oakland area up to the present day, where turmoil still consumes a community like West Bloomfield.

Interestingly, communities like Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester and Rochester Hills – all cities – function just fine without having partisan labels attached to council positions, even though the leaders in each of those communities are all no doubt Republicans, Democrats, or Independents – closeted or not.

That's not to say moving to non-partisan elections at the township level will eliminate politics, which by its very textbook definition is defined as the art and science of winning and holding control over a government. But it may at least start to tone down political upheaval when it does start to develop.

And rest assured you will still have periodic upheaval in local communities; it's almost unavoidable over time, usually based on changing demographics in a community, or as less populated communities increase in density and development level.

But none of those factors really apply in Bloomfield Township, which has been in the throes of conflict since Republican treasurer Dan Devine felt jilted a few years back as then-trustee Leo Savoie was appointed supervisor. Figuratively speaking, Devine was left standing at the altar alone, rather than claiming a spot he thought was his birthright because he diligently worked the GOP chicken and pea circuit dating back prior to his tenure on the county board of commissioners before taking the treasurer post.

Put simply, Devine has made a raw power grab. In the process he has turned a local community on its head – disruptive behavior at board meetings; unfounded allegations that have made Bloomfield Township seem third world in its operations; and alienated a township workforce that has at times had to bear the brunt of the treasurer's misguided claims and criticism.

Devine has managed to assemble a clown car of candidates for all the offices in the August GOP primary election and has unleashed a local election campaign filled with half-truths and innuendos.

The only hope in this election is that Bloomfield Township voters will cast aside any past political party chits Devine has built up over the years and put an end to the local turmoil by rejecting his bid for another term, based on failed performance on the job.

Long-time involvement in a political party should not be the deciding factor when it comes to determining who runs the local government.

David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@downtownpublications.com

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860 Hidden Pine Rd ~ $675,000 Four Car Garage, Bloomfield Hills Schools

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At Oakland University, we take pride in the fact that our more than 20,000 students have access to many unique and diverse life experiences.

Whether close to campus or throughout the Southeast Michigan region, undergraduate and graduate students alike can engage in countless employment, cultural and entertainment activities.

Unfortunately, taking advantage of many of these opportunities requires the use of some form of transportation. Some of our students are without cars and, as a result, are disconnected from a majority of regional destinations. The disjointed regional transit network now in place simply does not serve them.

Southeast Michigan is an employment and cultural hotbed.

Business enterprises here range from Fortune 500 companies to family businesses to new and exciting startups. These organizations provide outstanding internship, coop and public service opportunities.

They are only beneficial, however, if our students can get to them.

Approximately 92 percent of jobs in the region cannot be reached within 60 minutes by utilizing regional public transit. Our students strive and sacrifice daily to pursue their career goals, and we cannot afford to allow a lack of public transit to be the reason they are unable to get an internship or secure employment.

As a regional community, we need to keep in mind that it is not only students who suffer, but also business and industry as a whole.

Student immobility means that employers are left with limited talent pools when looking to fill key positions.

Likewise, the region’s cultural, entertainment and hospitality industries suffer. For example, students, senior citizens, people with disabilities and others would love to go to a Tiger’s game, concert or park but lack transportation.

Opportunities like these are abundant, but many find themselves without the means to get there.

Hence, both the community and regional commerce suffer.

Young people want high-quality, reliable regional public transit. If we do not address existing system inadequacies, some in today’s generation that might one day lead Southeast Michigan will continue to move to Chicago, Cleveland, Seattle DOWNTOWN

or other cities that meet their transportation needs.

We have an opportunity to help reverse a talent drain and improve opportunities for our young people thanks to the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan’s Regional Master Transit Plan. This plan will allow us to improve regional economic vitality and quality of life by reconfiguring a disjointed regional public transit system that has stifled Southeast Michigan for far too long.

We cannot leave Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties disconnected. Our students and many others depend on regional public transit to take advantage of opportunities while attending school, pursuing careers and seeking experiences that contribute to a rich and rewarding lifestyle. High-quality regional public transit benefits everyone, and I encourage you to learn more about the plan at rtamichigan.org/masterplan/.

George W. Hynd President, Oakland University

Graying of Oakland I wanted you to know how much I enjoyed the Graying of Oakland County article (July/Downtown) – and not just because it included several strong quotes from our director.

The entire article was comprehensive and balanced while doing an excellent job making important statistics accessible to the reader.

Aging is a big issue and can be a complicated one; (Lisa Brody’s) writing brought to light all the critical issues arising now and looming in the near future.

Cheryl Deep, MA Media Relations & Publications Merrill Palmier Skillman institute & Institute of Gerontology Wayne State University

A hidden danger Thank you for a very well researched and written article (on phthalates) (June/Downtown).

William Smarsch Rochester Hills

Medicine in water Very good article (Pharmaceuticals in Water/July/Downtown).

Thanks for your effort.

Jim Nash Water Resources Commissioner Oakland County 08.16

Happy Anniversary

SPEAK OUT We welcome your opinion on issues facing the Birmingham/Bloomfield communities.

Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 West Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009.

Best township leaders Bloomfield Township, in spite of the recent ugliness instigated by one elected official, has a tradition of being well governed and is often seen as a model community by others in the state. As a former Bloomfield Township resident and employee, I feel so strongly about the outcome of the August 2 local primary that I must write this letter.

I was a township resident for 11 years and an employee of the township for 14 years before my retirement in 2013. My experiences taught me that Bloomfield Township’s solid reputation is well deserved – it is an exceptionally good place to live and to work. I was privileged to raise my children in a beautiful, safe and well-run community. Later, I was lucky enough to find a job in the administrative offices and I saw firsthand that the township is run by professionals who are committed to serving the residents by operating with highly efficient, fair and open practices.

To preserve this status, I strongly urge you to vote for Leo Savoie for supervisor. Leo, after a successful career in private business, entered the public sector for all the right reasons. He is a man of strong character and a sure sense of right and wrong. Leo holds high ethical standards. He expects things to be done well and he expects them to be done fairly. He works hard, every day, to make sure residents receive the best value for their tax dollars. On top of that, Leo is determined to stick to the high road, no matter what, and to treat people with respect.

Likewise, I strongly urge you to vote for Brian Kepes for treasurer. As I got to know Brian through his actions on the board of trustees, I downtownpublications.com

learned he is smart, well-prepared and trustworthy. He has been addressing the concerns of Bloomfield Township residents for almost 25 years, serving on the board of review and the zoning board of appeals before becoming a trustee.

Brian will make an excellent treasurer.

Jan Roncelli is one of the best clerks in the state. She pays attention to every detail, all the while keeping her eye on the big picture.

There is a reason that among her numerous awards, one of them is the Michigan Clerk of the Year Award.

The people of Bloomfield Township are exceptionally lucky to have her working for them.

Neal Barnett and Corinne Khederian deserve your votes for trustee. Over the years, they have proven themselves to be dedicated, knowledgeable and fair-minded.

They bring keen insight into the issues brought before them, ask the right questions, and work for effective solutions.

Bloomfield Township residents, you have a lot at stake. Please vote wisely.

Leslie Helwig Retired Director of Community Relations, Bloomfield Township

Police back Savoie Bloomfield Township ranks at the top of desirable communities in Michigan in which to live and raise a family. This is a testament to the leadership and foresight of those elected leaders that you entrust to keep Bloomfield Township safe and prosperous.

Leo Savoie has demonstrated throughout his tenure as a Bloomfield Township Trustee, and then as Bloomfield Township Supervisor, that he possesses the skills and knowledge to lead Bloomfield Township into the future.

We are confident that moving forward Mr. Savoie will continue putting the residents of Bloomfield Township first, ensuring that Bloomfield Township remains one of the most desirable communities in Michigan to live in.

Therefore, the Brothers and Sisters of the Bloomfield Township Police Department enthusiastically endorse Leo Savoie for the position of Bloomfield Township Supervisor.

Det. John Huizdos President Patrol Officers and Detectives Lt. Dan Edwards President Command Officers

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Support Shelley Taub I am writing in support of Shelley Taub for Oakland County Commissioner. I encourage others in Oakland County to do the same.

I am currently the President for Michigan Association of Counties and Shelley is my First VicePresident. I have been a director for the past six years and have known and worked closely with Shelley during this time. I find she has a genuine interest in the people and their needs.

Shelley has a keen eye on maintaining areas where growth has occurred and future economic development is on the horizon. She is a great liaison between her county and the state government. She works well with other elected officials who are working together to create and support Oakland County and the citizens that live there. You can't go wrong by voting for an experienced commissioner. Shelley is

a person of honesty and integrity.

I would not hesitate to cast my vote for her and encourage the citizens of Oakland County to support her as well.

Jerry Doucette President, Michigan Association of Counties Board of Commissioners Chair, Alger County

From our website… Military recruitment It appears that most teens from low socioeconomic areas are faced with only two choices in life (Military Recruitment/June Downtown). Join the military or possibly go to jail and/or die on the streets.

Perhaps the military is a viable alternative.

Bobbie Blynn-Ward Bloomfield Hills

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Stately Quarton Lake Estates colonial boasts light-filled grand foyer, open & flowing floor plan and wonderful upgrades throughout.

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Oakland Confidential is a periodic column of political/government news and gossip items, both on and off-the-record, compiled by staff members of Downtown.

Possible items for this column can be sent to OaklandConfidential@DowntownPublications.com.

FACT OR FICTION: It seems with every passing month there is new scuttlebutt in the primary race for the GOP nomination for Oakland County Clerk between former county clerk Bill Bullard and Rochester Hills Clerk Tina Barton, the latter conveniently ignored in a recent oversized postcard mailing by Bullard. Instead, Bullard directs all of his criticism at incumbent clerk Democrat Lisa Brown, taking the high road as if he is already the Republican standard bearer. But word has it that at least one, if not two, of the four photos with other political leaders in an array of what gives the appearance as endorsements have caused some ripples. Seems Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, who as a matter of policy does not endorse in party primary races, was not too pleased, we hear, to see her mug alongside Bullard’s in his recent mailing, giving the illusion that she is backing him. Then there’s the claim that he was instrumental in Johnson’s purge of “hundreds of thousands of non-citizens” from voter rolls. For that one he gets four (the max) Pinocchio’s – there were only 4,000 estimated statewide in 2012, Bill. And for those who are wondering, Bullard is no longer a state senator, despite some of the monster signs on major thoroughfares that call him a senator who is running for county clerk. He ended that taxpayer funded gig in 2002.

REPUBLICAN DELIGHT: Actress, and now former politician, Melissa Gilbert will still appear on the August 2 Democratic primary ballot for the 8th Congressional District, currently held by Republican Rep. Mike Bishop, which encompasses parts of Livingston County and northern Oakland County, including Rochester and Rochester Hills, although she announced in late May that she was dropping out of the race due to health reasons. Since it was past the official deadline to drop out, her name will appear on the ballot, and after the election she will formally request the Bureau of Elections to vacate her ballot in accordance with SHKRELI the law. At that point, Oakland and Livingston Democratic party leaders have announced they will appoint Suzanna Shkreli, a 29year-old assistant Macomb County prosecutor from Clarkston, a political neophyte who is the daughter of Albanian immigrants. An Oakland County Democrat recently praised Shkreli as an up-and-comer. However, Oakland County Republicans had a different response – on social media, they were positively gleeful, with postings on Facebook that held numerous exclamation marks and happy emoji faces. A new website for Shkreli, where she boasts she is a first-generation American, states she will “create good jobs, improve our schools, keep guns out of the hands of terrorists, care for our veterans, end the opioid addiction, and protect Social Security and Medicare.” Whew. We’re exhausted already.

PIE IN THE SKY?: Word among some local Republicans is that David Wolkinson, who came in second in the 2012 Republican primary for the state House 40th District to current Rep. Mike McCready (Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Birmingham), is eyeing a 2018 run for Michigan attorney general. The post is currently held by Republican Bill Schuette, who had his first moment on the national stage at this year’s Republican National Convention as he preps for a run for the 2018 WOLKINSON governor’s race. A Republican lawmaker said about Wolkinson, “He’s never won anything yet, but I like him. He has some big dreams. But where do you start? Snyder, Trott, didn’t have any downtownpublications.com

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political backgrounds, but they had successful business careers, and they self-funded. Wolkinson thinks he can raise a couple hundred thousand from connections in the Jewish community. More power to you.” A friend of Wolkinson’s confirmed it’s something he’s looking at, and that he does have connections to deep pockets in the Orthodox Jewish community.

Yet politicos believe it will take much, much more to compete on the state level, with county races requiring a half million or so this go round.

Wolkinson, who took 29.9 percent of the vote to McCready’s 32.1 percent in 2012, was former Congressman Kerry Bentivolio’s campaign manager in 2014, against current office holder David Trott. Wolkinson, an attorney by trade, currently is in real estate and works with the Michigan Republican Party, helping candidates with strategy.

BATTLE OF THE GAVEL: If Republicans keep control this fall of the state House of Representatives, it appears there will be a battle for Speaker of the House, and it will be a struggle between which faction of the Republican Party will prevail for the next two years. Current speaker Kevin Cotter (R-Mt. Pleasant) is term-limited, leaving the door open for either Rob VerHeulen (R-Walker) or Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt).

COTTER Respected lawmakers are putting their money – and working to raise funds this summer – on VerHeulen, who was general counsel for Meier for many years before retiring for public service. “He has no future political goals,” said one local representative. Leonard, who one lawmaker privately refers to as “the twit from DeWitt,” is 35, and was assistant state attorney general prior to running for the state rep. “He is beholden to western Michigan forces, notably the DeVos VERHEULEN family,” which donates heavily to influence causes they favor, a source said.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: You can dump a guy, but you can’t take away what, and who, he knows. Michigan political pundit Bill Ballenger, formerly the publisher/editor of Inside Michigan Politics, has started a new – and free – website called The Ballenger Report, to offer reports on national, state and local politics and elections, including judicial contests. The report, he said, won’t compete with his former subscription-based newsletter, which he sold three years ago and from which he was fired from in January of 2016.

“It’s a brand new venture that I started about three months ago,” said Ballenger, who is subject to conditions of a non-compete agreement with Inside Michigan Politics until this November. “We have a podcast every Friday on the web (at theballengerreport.com). I’m doing a lot of what I used to do, but it’s a little different,” with a greater emphasis on political history and perspective, he said.

BALLENGER Ballenger, who started Inside Michigan Politics in 1987 and sold the publication to Susan Demas in 2013, was fired by Demas in January following on-air statements he made to WJR’s Frank Beckmann about the Flint water crisis. During the January 19 radio show, Ballenger, a native of Flint who still resides there part-time, said the crisis had been “vastly overblown” by politicians, the news media and some entertainers.

Demas dismissed Ballenger the following day, calling the comments “indefensible.”

Ballenger, a long-time politico (state House/Senate, state administrative positions, President Gerald R. Ford administration), continues to be quoted frequently in print and radio, and appears to still be the go-to guy for reporters seeking intel on political matters. He said he may consider expanding the new report after his non-compete agreement expires in November. downtownpublications.com

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FACES

John Cohen nimated film producer John Cohen has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but it's a list of former teachers from his upbringing at Cranbrook Schools that he credits for helping him bring his imagination to life.

Since 2005, Cohen has worked as a studio executive on the hit films "Robots," "Ice Age: The Meltdown," "Alvin and the Chipmunks," "Horton Hears a Who!," "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," and "The Peanuts Movie," as well as producing "Despicable Me," "Hop," and several animated shorts. His latest project, "The Angry Birds Movie," which was produced and written by Cohen, has generated more than $337 million at the box office since being released in May. "When I was younger, I was always drawing. It was something that I loved to do," he said. "I had a couple of teachers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; many amazing teachers through the years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but a couple that really had a huge impact on my life."

One of those teachers, Cohen said, was former Brookside teacher Doug Cooper, who taught him how to make a flip book, where you create a short animation by flipping the pages of a pad of paper with progressive drawings. Cooper taught Cohen how to shoot the flip books with an 8-mm camera, which he then entered in a student film festival run by the Detroit Area Film Teachers, and another Cranbrook Schools teacher John Prusak.

"I was making these short films and I was lucky enough that a few did well in the student film festival," Cohen said. "One was shown on Channel 56 at that time. It was one of those things where it was unusual to be growing up in Michigan and being the kid who wanted to make movies. It was a little far-fetched, especially in a world before everyone had access to the internet and a platform to have your work be seen by people.

"In high school, Dr. Jeffrey Welch at Cranbrook was a big influence. They had such a huge impact on my life, without their support and encouragement, I wouldn't be doing what I'm lucky enough to be doing today. Their belief in my very far-fetched dreams still means the world to me, today."

Having his mind set on film school after finishing at Cranbrook, Cohen headed to New York University to study film.

"You get to New York, and it's such a big place. There are so many people that are really talented and have great drive. It's up to you to make something of it," he said. "As soon as I arrived in New York, I started looking for internships and PA (production assistant) jobs."

After film school, Cohen began working as an assistant to notoriously demanding producer Scott Rudin, which led to more opportunities. He later moved to Los Angeles and began working with producer Chris Meledandri. Today, Cohen focuses on the creative aspect of producing films, from casting to distribution.

With his latest project in the theaters, Cohen said he recently came back to the Detroit area to visit family and friends.

"I definitely had to have a coney," he said. "My favorite is Little Daddy's. And recently, I went to MEX, on Telegraph. It's really good."

A

Story: Kevin Elliott

Photo: Shane Sato

SEEKING REFUGE

FINDING A HOME IN METRO DETROIT WHEN YOUR HOMELAND IS NO LONGER AN OPTION

BY LISA BRODY ariq (not his real name) first stepped foot on American soil on January 21, 2016, after three long years spent as a refugee in limbo in Turkey.

Originally from Mosul, Iraq, he said, through an interpreter, he escaped his hometown and home country “due to the threat of terrorism and the violence of the groups in the area.” He was also working with American groups in Iraq, making him more of a target, he said.

“And because I am a Christian, I felt more threatened,” he said. When his wife was threatened and intimidated when she was at the university, it became clear – they had to flee their homeland.

Tariq arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport with his wife and two young children, where he was met by a caseworker from Samaritas, formerly Lutheran Social Services, and volunteers who helped set them up in an apartment in Sterling Heights, where there is a large community of Iraqis, many who, like Tariq's family, are Chaldeans, or Iraqi Christians. They came with no family ties, knowing no one but each other.

Samaritas, along with Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and Jewish Family Service of Ann Arbor, are approved by the United States government to provide resettlement to refugees of all ages, from countries around the world that have been torn apart by war, persecution and strife. The difference between an immigrant and a refugee is that an immigrant is someone who chooses to move to another country, versus a refugee, who leaves their home country due to war or political unrest, and feels they cannot return due to fear of persecution because of their race, religion, ethnicity or political affiliations.

Leaving a country as a refugee is not a simple, or quick, process.

“The immigration process is lengthy and takes years,” said Kimberly Hassan, program coordinator for the Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC). “It's done through the United Nations and Department of Homeland Security, and it's a series of interviews and background checks. If the interviews aren't done, because of security issues in the region, they're put on hold. If government issues or safety and security are not safe for the interviewer, it's put on hold. There's no rushing any of the process. Someone from the UN goes out, into the refugee camps, or wherever, and interviews the clients, and if the area isn't safe, because they're not always in stable governmental areas, the process is on hold.

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“When numbers (of refugees) are slower, the State Department responds by saying the area where the refugees are isn't safe for the interviewers to go out and interview them,” Hassan said. “For refugees, on average, it's a years-long process. For some, they wait 10 years.”

Hassan said her agency, based on their staff's qualifications, primarily deals with Iraqi, Egyptian and some Syrian refugees, along with some from Muslim African countries. “Iraqi refugees are still the majority.” Most of the refugees who arrive here are families, with 35 to 40 percent children. “A majority are families because people want to find a safe place for their families,” Hassan explained.

Between October 2014 and May 2016, ACC welcomed 511 refugees to Oakland County, 75 percent of which were Iraqis, and the remainder were mostly Syrian. “In the last few months, there has been a steady increase in Syrian refugees,” she said. “You see the Syrians on the news, but it takes time for it to translate.”

“After Paris, some politicians stated there should be an ethnic or religious litmus test for anyone coming into this country. We believe that is antithetical to American values. We are a country that has historically welcomed refugees and immigrants from around the world,” noted Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council of Muslim-American Relations (CAIR). “We see the anti-Syrian refugee sentiment as part of a greater framework of Islamophobia, and that is why our organization has been vocal in fighting that sentiment.”

From October 2014 to May 2016, for Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb counties, ACC welcomed 2,321 refugees, which Hassan said was down from fiscal year 2013, when they had 3,200 refugees. In fiscal year 2014, they received 2,788 refugees. “The numbers are starting to go back up,” Hassan said. “One of the issues (for the decline) we were informed of was security.”

Steve Tobocman, executive director of Global Detroit and a former Democratic state representative for southwest Detroit (20022008), said that despite the political rhetoric, “metro Detroit is one of the leading areas of the country to embrace immigration. We've really helped create an understanding that immigration is a positive economic opportunity for the region.”

He noted that since 2009, when he began working on this initiative, there are now close to 20 Rust Belt cities embracing the model of immigration as an economic growth incentive, and it continues to be in metro Detroit's best interest to encourage immigrants to settle here.

“The state of Michigan has 6.5 percent foreign born (population), well below the national average of 13 percent. In southeastern Michigan, it's nine percent,” Tobocman said. He said of adult immigrants

over the age of 25, “40 percent are college educated, compared to 22 percent of native born Michiganders, and they're almost twice as likely to possess college degrees in coveted STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) areas.”

He pointed out that research from University of Berkley and Duke University have both indicated that 25 percent of high tech corporations founded between 1995 and 2005 had at least one immigrant founder or cofounder, and 52 percent of Silicon Valley high tech firms have an immigrant founder.

Michigan, surprisingly, is ranked third in the nation for an area that attracts highly educated, more entrepreneurial, successful immigrants, behind California and New Jersey. “And those are not communities threatened by declining populations,” Tobocman said.

New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul – Tobocman points out that they are all cities that over the last several decades found their resurgence largely

Some politicians stated there should be an ethnic or religious litmus test for anyone coming into this country.

We believe that is antithetical to American values.

due to strong immigration growth.

“These cities have embraced immigrants as a way of repopulating their cities,” he said.

“The only cities that have rebounded from population loss is to have strong immigration growth.”

He said that between 1960 and 1980, of the 50 largest American cities, 29 lost population, including Detroit. Fourteen of those cities grew their populations between 1980 and 2013, “and all 14 had strong immigration growth. Zero cities did it without immigration growth. You can't find a single city that grew without immigrants.

“We look at immigrants as a valuable part of resettling the area,” agreed Wojciech Zolnowsk, executive director of International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, first founded in 1919, to assist refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers in the metropolitan area.

“From a strictly economic perspective, the height of immigration balance was the '50s, '60s and '70s, when the ratio of working class

to seniors was 150 workers to 20 retirees. So we need to entice immigrants to come to help sustain the economic balance. We mainstream them to accelerate their customer power. Most refugees and immigrants are of working age, and many are highly educated and highly skilled. What we also know about immigrants is that most are very driven.”

Currently, the institute serves individuals from 46 nations, although most are Iraqis, Chaldeans, Mexicans, Indians and some Syrians.

“Mayor (Mike) Duggan has talked about repopulating the city as his number one goal – he has talked that he should be judged on that,” Tobocman said. “For the last 25 years, if that is any kind of indication, he won't get there without immigration.”

Tobocman says he believes that is possible, as immigration is growing in the city, with refugees from Yemen and Bangladesh, and Latino immigrants settling in underserved areas because of low costs to rent and own a house, as well as to start and own a business, although immigration is currently only at five percent in Detroit.

“We have had to work to have the communities learn to communicate and work together,” said Christine Sauvé, senior project coordinator for Welcoming Michigan, an immigrant integrator initiator, noting that in a southwestern Detroit neighborhood, where there were once African Americans and those from Appalachia, it is now populated with African Americans, Hispanics and Yemeni Arabs. “The community group worked with the youth, who were Hispanic and Arab, and the elders, who were African American. We've seen a lot of learning,” she said, notably where younger members learn some of the others' language. “We have to remember they're taxpayers and consumers as well as business owners.”

“There are about 400,000 immigrants in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, and only about 35,000 in the city of Detroit. The other 90 percent live in the suburbs,” Tobocman said. “I think it's for the same reasons so many others have left the city of Detroit,” noting many Iraqi refugees have family ties in Dearborn, Troy and Sterling Heights.

Over the 20 years Mihaela Mitrofan has been director of refugee resettlement for Samaritas in southeast Michigan, she has seen the refugee migration evolve from Vietnamese refugees to Bosnian, Albanian, Kosovan and Iraqis, and now Syrians. “Since the 1990s, Russians have been more constant.

After 9/11, it was Iraqis and others from the Middle East. Between 2007-2008, when there was a large influx of Iraqi refugees, and our numbers peaked in 2013, and have kept growing, with Iraqis and Chaldeans (Iraqi Christians). Right now, we have a diverse resettlement of Iraqi and Syrian refugees, along with Somalis, Sudanese, and Afghani refugees.”

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As of May 2016, for this fiscal year, Samaritas had resettled 1,446 refugees in Michigan, with 800 coming to Troy. In the last year, they resettled 21 Syrians to western Michigan and 62 in southeast Michigan.

Mitrofan noted it's still early on in the resettlement of Syrian refugees, and whether they come to Michigan over other places is often determined by where they may choose to come, based on family or other community ties. Some have no family ties, but choose to come here because of the large community of other Middle Eastern people. As Hassan noted, southeast Michigan has the largest population of Middle Eastern people outside of the Middle East, with California second, so many choose to come here because there are established communities. Currently, according to U.S. Census figures, there are about 500,000 Middle Eastern individuals in metro Detroit. “There are staffs of community organizations prepared to deal with them, cultural restaurants, cultural stores, churches, mosques, a support system is already there,” Hassan stated. “It's a lot easier to find someone to translate here than someplace else.”

“The Middle Eastern population in Detroit is open and willing to help Arabic-speaking refugees; we have a long history of that in metro Detroit,” concurred Lynne Golodner, spokesperson for Samaritas. “The Syrian American Rescue Network (SARN) is a formal volunteer group that Samaritas collaborates with, and they've been advocating for as many Syrians as we can possibly resettle to come to metro Detroit.”

Landing at Metro airport does not mean all of their worries and troubles are over – they may have escaped their troubled country, and then left behind refugee camps with all of their incumbent horrors, but now they are forced into a new life, a new world, a new home where nothing is familiar.

“When they first get here, the mind set is just survival, especially if they're coming from a war-torn country,” Hassan said. “Later, they can consider job skills. Some don't even want to talk about their previous life because of the stigma.”

“In the beginning, it was difficult,” Tariq said. “Everything – the language, the country, everything, the community. We don't have any relatives here, so we are all alone. Now we're getting adjusted and meeting people.”

Help and assistance can come from many corners. Resettlement groups like Samaritas, Catholic Charities, and U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants provide refugees with furnished apartments, basic household items, food, welcome them at the airport and take them to their new home. Volunteer groups often provide the emotional and practical assistance once the agencies leave.

“We are sponsoring a family from Syria, a mother, father, an 18-year old son, and a 17year old son, who is living in a member's home in Birmingham,” said Frank Driscoll,

chairperson of the Church's Society at Birmingham's First United Methodist Church.

The family, who arrived on June 3, first spent about a week in a hotel, he said, after which Samaritas referred them to the church group of volunteers. “We are providing the home rent-free for six months. The member built an in-law suite addition onto their home, and the member committed to allowing them to stay.”

Driscoll said their journey as volunteer hosts began last fall, when a church bishop wrote a letter stating how dismayed she was over the public conversation regarding not wanting immigrants, especially Syrian immigrants, to come to Michigan, or the U.S. “It was a powerful letter,” he said, and it motivated the pastor at their church to spur them to action.

The family that is staying with them in Birmingham, Driscoll said, first left Syria over five years ago, after they experienced a lot of firefighting around them, including an injury to one of the sons. “They went to Jordan, rented a home, applied for refugee status, and

They may have escaped their troubled country… left behind refugee camps with all of their incumbent horrors, but now they are forced into a…new world.

waited. Their life was on hold,” he said. The father, at age 63, is starting his life over, and they have no family in metro Detroit.

The family is beginning to take English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, and the two sons will be enrolling in school for the fall. In a few months, the father should hopefully get a job. About 70 volunteers from the church are taking turns providing them with all of their transportation needs, driving them shopping, to medical appointments and making sure they have check ups, helping them get groceries, providing them with clothing. Driscoll noted he has discovered an area in Sterling Heights with markets geared towards them, and enjoys taking them grocery shopping. “It has really been wonderful for us.

There's a lot of excitement in our church. A lot of people want to help them.”

Driscoll said that in addition, First United Methodist Church is planning on hosting weekly meetings for the family as well as other Syrian refugees in the area, “so they can

share with people of similar backgrounds what they have been going through.”

The church group is committed to the family for six months, providing transportation to each member to and from school, and once they get a job, back and forth to work, all appointments, and to cultural outings around metro Detroit. “We have them for six months, and when they leave us, we will provide them with an automobile and furnishings for their new place.”

Their generosity is matched by the family, Driscoll asserted. “When you visit them, they take hospitality to the next level. They want you to sit in the most comfortable chair, and they offer you and always want you to have something to eat or drink.”

Julie Huellmantel was motivated by the picture of the drowned young Syrian refugee boy washing up on the shore of a Turkish beach to similarly act. She spoke to her pastor at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, and the church decided to support a family. They were contacted in February about a refugee family from Iraq who had just arrived in Troy.

“They were set up in an apartment (by Samaritas), but while it was furnished, they really needed everything, from toothbrushes, toilet paper, furniture, light bulbs, bath mats – all of the little things you never think of,” Huellmantel said. “After we moved them in, I took the father to Meier and took him grocery shopping for food and staples, things for the kitchen. We had brought certain basics, but we wanted them to get the kind of food they would feel comfortable with.”

She said they have stayed in contact with them since the family has become more established in their community. “They're in a great community, the kids are enrolled in school, and they have a great support network,” she said. As a Christian Iraqi family, they are one of many relocated to the Troy/Sterling Heights area, with restaurants, schools and grocery stores around them. “It's all culturally familiar to them when they're in a new country.”

Huellmantel said that about once a month, the family comes over to the east side to Grosse Pointe Memorial Church. “He (the father) got a job, and he's employed. We got them a car from someone in our church who donated a car. They have been so, so, so grateful for our generosity.”

However, Huellmantel said that she and her fellow volunteers have been the fortunate ones. “Whenever you volunteer, you take home much more than you give,” she said.

“Every time we're with them, it's always been a great experience.” So much so, they have now welcomed a second family, a mother and two children from the Ivory Coast.

But families are not left on their own, with volunteers driving and helping them out.

Established organizations are trained to deal with immigrant issues and needs.

Once they take them to their apartments from the airport, “We provide them with a

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safety orientation,” Samaritas' Mitrofan said. “We want to educate them about personal safety – not to leave their apartment unlocked, not to venture outside in the streets, not let their kids go out alone. That happens immediately after arrival. Then we immediately educate them on U.S systems, laws, and the legal system. We talk about education in the United States, and the importance of enrolling them and their children in the U.S educational system, and we help enroll them in school,” especially in ESL classes.

They also receive all necessary inoculations and medical checks.

She said local schools are very welcoming to new immigrants. “We have been working with many schools, for them to obtain ESL and other language services. Many schools in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties are very welcoming, with resources to work with the incoming refugee population.”

Samaritas has a refugee school impact program which acts as a liaison between the refugee students and the districts to ease other cultural differences. “We help (immigrant) parents with parenting skills in the U.S.,” Mitrofan said. “We teach them about disciplining in the U.S., the different ways of acceptable disciplining, ways to engage with education, tutoring, how they can get direct assistance between school personnel, like teachers and parents, such as dealing with report cards and parent/teacher conferences, so they understand what they need to be doing.”

She said they also assist them with resume preparation, job prep and job searches, as well as job placement assistance, “and we follow up on them.” She said most refugees, especially those from Iraq and Syria, are typically placed in sustainable employment between three to six months of their arrival.

“It's one of our successes. We work very intensely when they arrive, going through their past employment, their education, mental and physical health, their English proficiency – they're all factors to how soon they can gain employment,” Mitrofan said.

She said they arrive with work permits, and they connect the refugees with Social Security numbers, and enroll them in driver's education, or if they already know how to drive, help them get their driver's license. They also help them get assistance through the Department of Health and Human Services, to get Bridge cards. “It's just a little help to get them on their feet,” she said.

Once they get on their feet and learn English, many come to the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, Zolnowsk said, where they enter into career development and job placement programs, and vocational programs for less skilled refugees and immigrants. Many learn carpentry, to be electricians, plumbers, and seamstresses and tailors.

“Thirty to forty percent of our participants come to us as refugees,” he noted. “There's a growing demand for professional sewing machinists.

This multi-level training program allows them to accelerate the process of becoming a self-employable individual,” which is especially important for many wives, who can then work producing sewn items from home.

“We have a very good return on investment that way, to have them stay employed. We check on them. We also want them to understand the culture and interact with people. We want them to go to a PTA meeting, or a city council meeting. We want them to be successful,” he said.

An important program he encourages them to participate in is a financial empowerment programs that helps build their credit history, which they do in collaboration with the United Way of Southeast Michigan. “We can enroll the immigrant in a twin account program to establish their credit, and we get it from zero to 680 FICO score in six to eight months,” Zolnowsk said. “We have an agency that loans them $200, and they have to repay it in increments of $20 to $50 a month, and they have to report it, and in that way they begin to earn credit.”

It is not only a way to earn credit, it becomes a gift. “It's not only a loan – it's a match,” he said. “Once it's paid off, it's given to them as a gift.”

Tariq, who has now been here for six months, said he and his family have felt welcomed by the Americans they have met here. “People have been very open and welcoming.”

While they are still settling in, acculturating, he said, “from a security and peace of mind, I feel much better here. We're safer and happier.”

“Immigrants are not better or smarter, but when they come to the U.S., they are willing to work harder, longer, to sacrifice for their children,” Zolnowsk said. “I look at them as the new pioneers.” downtownpublications.com

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Justin Glanda ’ve always enjoyed the race,” said swimmer Justin Glanda. “Your mind is totally committed to one thing. “It’s a rush of adrenaline, and that’s what’s always intriguing.”

Glanda, who as a young boy couldn’t swim the length of a pool has grown into a portrait of what hard work and dedication begets.

The recent University of Michigan graduate is a record-breaking freestyle swimmer who competed with U-M for five years and has more than one recent Olympic trial under his belt.

As a swimmer for Cranbrook Kingswood he set a state record in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard fly. Glanda said he always felt an affinity for U-M as he sought a balance between athletics and academics.

“Student athletes have been criticized for being solely focused on athletics,” said Glanda, who broke that mold by cramming for business classes between two-a-day practices. He earned recognition by the university for his academic achievement, was a recipient of the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar award, and earned a Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship, which allowed him to finish his master’s degree in accounting this spring.

As a junior studying business administration at the Ross School of Business, Glanda swam the third leg in a relay team that set a record at the 2014 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament. Held in U-M’s Canham Natatorium, Glanda said, “(The race) was basically the fastest 800-yard relay ever swam. At least in the U.S., because we’re the only one with ‘yards.’ It was technically the fastest ever done at the time.”

Reminiscing on how the four-man relay team visualized their win during their twenty hours of grueling practice each week, “We would line up next to each other and talk about the possibility of breaking that record. We knew it was in range, and to see that work and that accountability (pay off). It was a tremendous moment. To get a relay record, in my opinion, can be more difficult than getting an individual record, because it could be superstar talent, but for the relay, you need all four guys to pull the weight.”

That record-breaking race came one year after the team had a phenomenal performance at the NCAA in Indianapolis. “We won the whole thing that year. It was the highlight of my whole career, being on that team,” said Glanda, who served as a team captain.

Also during his junior year, acknowledging the importance of team cohesion and camaraderie, the scholar-athlete initiated the founding of Blue Connect, an informal team-run program that serves to keep competing swimmers in connection with their alumni counterparts. “It’s a cool program, to involve alumni back into the current team, and they come out to meets. It’s a way to bring some of the alumni back into the circle,” he said.

Having wrapped up his swimming career at U-M this spring, his final hoorah came this summer, at the Olympic trials, “a culmination point for a lot of swimmers,” he said. “It’s been a summer not of goodbyes, but of transitions. It’s fun to have these conversations with the team. We wouldn’t have had them as freshman or sophomores because we just think we’ll keep swimming forever.”

Glanda has lined up a job with a Detroit consulting firm. But first, he’ll be cheering on former teammates as they compete for an Olympic medal in Rio de Janeiro.

“We’ll probably have watch parties, and we’ll be cheering them on from here.”

I

Story: Katie Deska

Photo: Mark Bialek

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EMERGENCY SERVICE USHERING IN NEXT GENERATION OF 911

BY KEVIN ELLIOTT

ess than 50 cents.

That's the amount the typical phone customer in Oakland County is charged each month to fund emergency 911 services provided by the state and local public safety agencies. However, exactly what services and capabilities are available varies by the location of the call and the type of phone being used.

L

First used in the late 1960s, the creation of a universal emergency number was initially suggested in 1957 by the National Association of Fire Chiefs. Still, by 1987, only about half of the country had access to 911 call centers, leaving others to keep a list of local emergency numbers handy in the event of a life-threatening situation. In fact, it wasn't until 1999 that a federal mandate was approved making "911" the official emergency code that we use today.

W

hile at least 96 percent of the geographic United States now has access to 911 services, the vast majority of those systems run on telephone technology that is a half-century old. As a result, most 911 systems currently in use aren't able to provide precise locations of callers dialing in from mobile phones, despite a phone's capability to pinpoint its own coordinates. Likewise, newer VoIP telephones, or voice over internet protocol, which uses the internet to place and receive calls, relies on the user to regularly update their location when moved. Further, some multi-line phone systems used by school districts and large companies provide 911 operators with limited location data.

Ultimately, the majority of 911 systems in the country, including those used by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and local public safety agencies in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, and Rochester, were designed to work with traditional copper-based landlines.

"We are talking about 1964 technology that right now we are using to route 911 calls. It's insane," said Mel Maier, chief of emergency management operations for the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office receives more than a half-million calls to its operations center each year, with about half of those coming from people that dialed "9-1-1" on their phones. Countywide, 911 dispatch centers, or public safety answering points (PSAP) as they are referred to by those in the field, received 676,864 calls to 911 in 2014. Of those, 106,088 calls were made on traditional landlines, with 533,149 made from wireless phones and 37,627 from VoIP phones.

"About 86 percent of our calls are from cell phones," Maier said. "It's not like it used to be when everyone had a landline."

Emergency dispatchers have been able to track the location of 911 calls made from traditional landlines for decades through databases that list the address of individual telephone lines. But tracking mobile phones is less precise. While dispatchers are able to determine the location of the cellular tower a phone is using to make a call, as well as the general direction from the tower where the call is made, older 911 systems aren't able to determine latitude and longitude coordinates of a wireless phone.

Nor can the systems reveal the caller's elevation.

"It depends on the handset and where the person is. For instance, you could be in the eighth floor of a building, but your location might show up at an intersection," Maier said. "The biggest challenge we have in 911 today is location."

Other challenges older 911 systems face relate to their capabilities to utilize digital information. For instance, none of the current systems used by local public safety agencies are able to accept photos, videos and other information commonly sent and received by modern mobile smart phones. Nationally, only about 10 percent of 911 systems are able to receive text messages â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a capability that was implemented by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office in 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including dispatch centers operated by police departments in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills and Rochester.

Text messages sent to 911 in Oakland County are received by the sheriff's office operations center if a local community doesn't have the capability to receive text messages. The sheriff's office then notifies those departments when a message is received.

"In 2014, we looked around to do something different and developed a text-to-911 solution for the entire county," Maier said. "We had about 1,000 text-to-911 calls in the past year, and about 25 percent of those were emergent calls."

In addition to text capabilities, the sheriff's office is embarking on the implementation of a "Next Generation 911" system that will resolve the shortcomings of the current system. The system will link all 20 dispatch

centers in the county by a fiber-optic based, digital system with the ability to receive more descriptive locations and information. The system will also work with the county's Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information System (CLEMIS), allowing digital information to be shared with law enforcement officers on the street at light speed.

The new system comes with an estimated $20 million price tag, which includes the installation of a fiber-optic network, dual back-ups, and hardware and software for each of the 20 dispatch centers in the county. Of the estimated $20 million cost, about $2 million will be funded by local public safety agencies for the purchase of hardware, said Oakland County 911 Administrator Patricia Coates.

"It's a multi-part project. We have to run fiber for connectivity, and put in two different data centers, one on this side of the state and another on the west side of the state. We have two different fiber providers, so that if one of their systems goes down, the other stays up," she said. "The software needs to be upgraded, and the county's GIS (Geographic Information System) needs to be upgraded to feed into the system... Then the recording systems have to be upgraded, which for years was only used for voice, and now it will be video, photos and other data that they haven't had to deal with. And there will be a lot of training.

"A lot of it will be difficult, but it will be a very good system. As old as it is now, it's a very good system, but this will enhance it, and the public will benefit."

Coates said the system is expected to be up and running by the end of 2017. Funding for the new system is part of the 2017-2019 budget just unveiled by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.

The timeline to implement the new system coincides with federal requirements placed on wireless service providers by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Although the FCC doesn't regulate the nation's 911 systems directly, it does regulate commercial service providers the public uses to contact 911 operators.

"There is no entity that oversees all of the 911 systems. Our regulations apply to the commercial side, the originating side of the call," said Mark Wigfield, deputy director of the office of community relations for the FCC. "We have location accuracy rules that apply to carriers, specifically for wireless."

The rules, which were adopted in 2015 and will be required to go into effect over a series of years, require wireless service providers to meet specific location accuracy benchmarks. Under the rules, all providers must submit by February 3, 2017 their first reports on live 911 call location data to the FCC, the National Emergency Numbers Association, the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, and National Association of State 911 Administrators. Nationwide providers in February of 2017 must also provide initial plans for implementing indoor location accuracy requirements and progress reports, as well as a privacy and security plan for the National Emergency Address Database.

In 2014, the FCC required wireless service providers to meet certain texting capabilities. Earlier mandates also required wireless providers to transmit all 911 calls, regardless of whether the caller subscribed to the provider's service or not.

The mandates, which were created in conjunction with national organizations representing 911 systems, are part of an effort to upgrade 911 systems across the country to "Next Generation 911" or NG911 systems.

U

nder the rules, all wireless providers must achieve 50-meter horizontal accuracy or provide dispatchable locations for 40 percent of all wireless 911 calls by April 3, 2017. Accuracy requirements are to be further increased in 2018. The rules will also require service providers to provide vertical, or z-axis, accuracy over several years, which will ensure the ability of Next Generation 911 systems to determine from what floor of a building a call is made.

"Today, the core of the system is the ability to reach 911, before anything else," said Trey Forgety, director of governmental affairs for the National Emergency Numbers Association (NENA), based in Washington, D.C. "In the basic 911 sense, all calls go to a PSAP (answering center). That was a good state of affairs because it was better than what came before. You don't have to have a sticker on a telephone

with seven different numbers to dial. As telephone equipment became computerized, that led to 'enhanced 911,' which is the majority today."

Enhanced 911 systems are able to route 911 calls to the appropriate call centers for the caller's location. They also automatically provide operators with general location information of wireless calls and the caller's telephone number, so that an operator can call back if the call is dropped or disconnected.

In the near future, NG911 systems will better utilize location-based services already used in the commercial industry to better locate callers, to include GPS, WiFi access points and Bluetooth beacons, by 2021, as at least 80 percent of the wireless 911 calls are expected to use new technology to deliver locations to 911 systems. The next generation systems will also utilize text, image and video information.

"We may get the latitude and longitude, but it may be a couple football fields off, and that's only for 67 percent of the time. The others may be more off," Oakland County's Coates said. "The FCC hasn't required z-axis information from providers, yet, but that is very important for some places like Troy and Birmingham, which have taller buildings.

Often people can't speak or don't know where they are. All we have to go on is a guess, based on coordinates.

"It's sad because if you call and order a pizza, they know exactly where you are. Every delivery service in the world knows exactly where you are, but the 911 systems don't get that. That's the most important thing of going to Next Generation 911."

In addition to location services, NG911 systems will allow for the use of photos and videos. For instance, Coats said wireless callers in the future will be able to send 911 operators a photo or video of a scene, a missing person or suspect, which can then be sent to first responders prior to their arrival at the scene. Or, she said, the system may be able to link up with surveillance systems and provide incident footage in real time.

P

aying for the system is yet another hurdle that has to be resolved. Currently, the county receives funding through two surcharges placed on all phones registered in the county. Telephone customers using traditional landlines are charged 22 cents per month for 911 services, which is assessed and retained by their service providers.

All wireless customers in the state, with the exception of those using pre-paid phone plans, are assessed a surcharge of 19 cents per month by the state of Michigan. Under state law, a portion of those funds are returned to counties with a qualifying 911 plan in place and are used for 911 services.

Additionally, Oakland County assesses a 28-cent surcharge per month on telephone lines in the county. That fee, which will remain at 28 cents through June of 2017, can be raised to as high as 42 cents per month by a vote of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.

Coates said the county surcharge is collected by service providers and remitted back to the county to be used for anything directly related to the processing of 911 calls. In total, the county received $1.829 million in state surcharges in 2015, and $3.706 million in county surcharges from service providers. However, Coates said the amount of money received by the providers fluctuates each year, based on the number of customers.

"The providers aren't required to tell us how many customers they have, and they keep that secret because it's a very competitive business," she said. "Large providers like Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon have other providers that use their network, so to say who is using the network and how many there are is confusing. The amount carriers tell us is different every month. Plus, there are people who don't pay their bills, or who don't pay for months, then catch up. There isn't really anything we can do under the current statutes. We can see the history and trends in Oakland County because we have been collecting that for years, but for those counties just now collecting a local surcharge and trying to make a budget, it's impossible."

In addition to the money the county already receives from surcharges, a portion of the state's 19-cent surcharge is retained by the state to provide additional funds for reimbursement of public safety network costs.

The 19 other public safety agencies that will hook into the county's

911 system will be required to upgrade their hardware systems; however, the county will provide software systems to ensure uniformity in the system.

For the Birmingham Police Department, which also provides dispatch and 911 services for Beverly Hills, the cost to upgrade the operations center's current hardware is estimated to cost about $85,000, said Birmingham Police Chief Mark Clemence. The upgrades are to be paid for from the city's general fund as a capital outlay purchase, he said.

"We have three (computer) stations, and all three will have to be upgraded," he said. "It's been a pretty cooperative relationship with the county. They tell us the amounts we'll have to pay to be on board. The nice part is that we are on the same system and can train together. There are some advantages to it."

W

ith seven full-time and four part-time employees in the Birmingham department's dispatch operations center, training is a necessity that comes with a cost. However, public safety agencies are able to recover a portion of training costs from the state, which allows cities to apply for reimbursement. In 2014, the department received $10,031 from the state's training fund.

In 2015, the department received a total of 43,665 calls for service, including 7,142 calls from wireless phones for 911 service, and 2,338 calls from landlines specifically for 911 service.

Clemence and other local chiefs said dispatchers in the local operations centers do more than answering phones and radioing officers on the street. For instance, employees update internal databases, file criminal warrant information, conduct follow-up calls for officers and other duties beyond dispatching.

"I've been a police officer for 31 years, and the way technology is impacting our jobs, it's amazing to me," Clemence said. "It's all about keeping up with what the public expects from us, but also technology as a whole. It's a struggle."

The Bloomfield Township Police Department received $14,488 in state training funds for 911 services in 2014, according to state records. The department maintains a staff of 13 in the dispatch center, including one supervisor.

Bloomfield Township Police Chief Geof Gaudard said the department receives about 25,000 calls for service each year. He said maintaining its own dispatch center, rather than contracting services with the sheriff's office allows for more personalized services for residents while still utilizing other capabilities offered by the county.

"The advantage is that you have control and can therefore have a level of customer service and professionalism that your community expects.

Not to say that you can't have that with the sheriff's office, but we are comfortable having that in-house and having that assurance," Gaudard said. "The NG911, and the ability to get video and that kind of stuff, the sheriff is handling that for all the county, but in the future, we will handle our own. That is coming in the very near future."

Bloomfield Hills Public Safety Chief David Hendrickson said the department's communication center has three full-time employees and four part-time employees, who answered 8,382 calls in 2015.

The department in 2014 received $10,031 in state training funds.

"Right now, our dispatch center is working well for us, but you never know what the future may bring," Hendrickson said. "It's something we constantly look at. The service model we have may be different than other communities. We pay a lot of attention to our residents and visitors."

Rochester Police Chief Steven Schettenhelm said the department receives between 12,000 and 13,000 calls for service each year and employs five dispatchers. The department in 2014 received $5,573 in state training funds.

"Every year the technology gets better in terms of how its delivered, and we are getting better as time goes forward," he said.

Schettenhelm said by maintaining its own dispatch center, the department is able to offer 24-hour services to residents and visitors.

"We can keep the station open 24 hours, so we have a safe haven where people can come," he said. "It also allows us to staff our own lockup and house people here in the city. If we didn't have (dispatch)

here at the station, then we couldn't operate our lock-up without another arrangement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We've been very satisfied. The idea of having and providing our own level of service has been satisfactory, and there's no effort to stop it."

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egardless of whether or not a public safety agency in the county operates their own dispatch and 911 services, all of the departments will benefit from the county's NG911 system when it is implemented. However, the sheriff's office operations center is by far the largest provider of services.

"I'm very proud of our whole team over there," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "Because it's grown so much, we have upgraded it to a full division. It's about four-times the size of the average police department in America."

In total, the operations center employs more than 70 staff, dispatching for sheriff's deputies and 29 other county and local agencies and communities, including the Rochester Hills substation. In 2014, the office received $62,410 in state training reimbursements.

In terms of overall size, the Michigan State Police department's 911 system is the largest in the state, said Harriet Miller-Brown, state 911 administrator. In addition to operating the state's system, the office oversees training, notice and compliance of the state's 911 phone surcharge.

"Right now, we collect about $27 million each year for 911 fees," she said.

In terms of local surcharges, 68 of the state's 83 counties charge a surcharge, with Oakland County's currently being the lowest.

In addition to state and local surcharges, the state collected $769,206 in 2014 from pre-paid wireless sales, which aren't subject to a standard surcharge.

Under Michigan law, 82.5 percent of the surcharge fees collected by the state are returned back to counties in the state, or about $23 million. Of that, 40 percent is divided equally among counties, with 60 percent divided based on county population. Six percent of the funds collected are made available for training purposes, while 7.75 percent is made available for reimbursing local systems for costs related to wireless emergency service.

The remainder is used to operate the state's regional dispatch center and the Michigan State Police to maintain the office of the state 911 coordinator.

Statewide, there are a few 911 systems that have made the switch to NG911 systems. In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the entire 911 system has been built out and upgraded. A consortium of counties, including Midland, Bay, Huron, Tuscaloosa and Iosco counties have upgraded their systems, as well as Genesee County and a handful of other counties on the west side of the state.

Despite upgrading systems, there remain holes in state regulations that continue to hamper location services. For instance, efforts to require large multi-line systems to provide location data for each individual line have yet to be passed. As a result, calls to 911 from some school districts and large, interconnected office buildings may provide 911 systems with inaccurate or incomplete locations, such as an administration building. Public safety experts recommend people hooked into such large, multi-line systems meet first responders at the entrance when possible, in order to guide them to the correct location.

Likewise, some VoIP phone users should be aware that their phone's location may be registered in a different location than where it is physically located. While VoIP phones provided for home use by internet providers are typically accurate, VoIP phone users who often relocate their phone for convenience should be aware that the phone's location must be updated when its moved.

"We have gotten a call from someone who lives in Oakland County, but are in Maryland and in their hotel with a VoIP phone, and it comes back to Oakland County when the emergency is in Maryland," Oakland County's Coates said. "Voice over IP is a nice feature and affordable, but the citizen needs to think about that and make sure the programming is updated."

Meanwhile, for all the advances in technology, 911 officials say traditional landlines still provide the most accurate location to operators, for the time being.

"Copper landlines are still the most reliable. It's a fixed line at a fixed address, and there's a tabular line that tells us that," Coates said.

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EXCAVATING GRAVEL REPURPOSING THE MINED COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE

BY KATIE DESKA AND LISA BRODY

I

sland Lake of Novi is a master planned community built on 901 acres in the heart of the city of Novi, with its own 170-acre lake, five miles of shoreline, a marina, parks, miles of carefully curated walking trails, boat docks, pools, tennis courts, and numerous other amenities, along with 876 two-story semicustom homes. At first glance, it looks like it was designed around nature's best features.

In a way it was. Only it was planned to be that way, as part of a reclamation project following decades first as a gravel mine, belching forth gravel, aggregate and sand that was used in community roads, bridges, sewer pipes, for the foundations of buildings and homes, and other infrastructure uses.

Island Lake of Novi photo: Ken Cobb

“We mined it from the 1960s through the 1980s, and then Toll Brothers built 800-some homes in a master planned community,” said Steve Weiner, vice president of real estate and environmental, Edward C. Levy Company. “You just don't find pieces of property with 800 to 1,000 acres. Maybe you see that in Texas or Florida, but you don't in Michigan. We're blessed to have that much land. It's marvelous – it's the most successful master planned community in Oakland County.”

A community's natural resources are so valuable they can be worth their weight in gold. In Michigan, notably southeastern Michigan and Oakland County, we are sitting upon one of the world's largest veins of gravel, formed thousands and thousands of years ago.

The Pleistocene era, more commonly known as the Ice Age, came to a close about 11,000 years ago as glaciers, which had come down as far forward as Michigan and Indiana, melted away, and left veins of sand, gravel and clay in their wake deep underground.

As ice sheets melted and receded, they left behind deposits of peat and forest beds 15 feet thick, and rivers, lakes and streams, as well as the Great Lakes themselves. Beneath the surface, a thick cover of glacial drift protected layers of sediment, sand and gravel.

“That outwash material, the glacial till or sediment that’s been carried by melt water, can be very good for sand or gravel,” said Peter Rose, geologist with the Office of Minerals Management at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

A component of concrete, along with sand, water and cement, gravel is a central part of infrastructure, from roads to bridges, sewers and pipes, buildings to housing developments, and luckily for the the metro area, Oakland County and Livingston County rest upon one of the largest gravel deposits in the world. As it happens, northern Oakland County sits upon the second largest source of gravel mining in the United States.

The majority of the state was covered by glaciers, said Rose, noting that after the melt, “Oakland County is a mixture of moraines and outwash, whereas in the Thumb (of Michigan) you get more lake sediments, you can get more clay. But sand and gravel is common to moraines and outwash, so there are big sand and gravel operations in Oakland County.”

A moraine is a deposit at the base of a glacier and getting collected by the melted water, the sediment is transported in streams.

“These aren’t wide meandering streams, like you see today, these would be more braided streams, like what’s downstream from glaciers in Alaska and places today,” said Rose.

“They’re not necessarily uniformly good for gravel. There are pockets that would be ideal, so it requires explorations, drilling and test pits.”

“Mining has been the building blocks, the cornerstone of civilization for thousands of years,” Weiner noted. “Steel, iron, gold, silver, copper. We do it here in Michigan, and in every country in the world. The way to determine where to mine is to drill deep into the ground, because veins can be sandwiched deep into the ground, part of the glacial till. So you drill a bunch of holes in the ground, every three to five feet, to source it initially, and put that information into a computer to determine its viability, and determine the quality of the materials, because you have to meet certain specifications.”

Weiner noted veins of natural aggregate, made up of sand and gravel, can be made up of very fine sand all the way up to pea gravel or boulders. “We also measure the hardness and angularities. Angular stones will stay in one place.

“We also look for how clean the material is,” Weiner explained, noting that thousands and thousands of years of other organic materials, such as decayed trees, dead and decayed animals, and other items have been pushed away by melting glaciers. “We have to wash it all away, as well as clay, which is a binder. It all must be clean to use.”

Over the decades, gravel mines have been created all over the

state, from the northern coast of the mitt, along Lake Michigan and in the Upper Peninsula, to mines scattered around southeast Michigan and Oakland County, in Highland Township, Groveland Township, Brighton, Holly, Green Oak Township, S. Lyon, Hartland, Oxford, and Springfield Township. Throughout the state, some gravel mines have been dug on state land; others, on private property. In Oakland County, all of the active mines are privately owned and on private property.

The permitting process is different if a mine is on state land, versus on private land in a municipality. If a gravel mine is leased on land from the state, permitting for that mine goes through through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Office of Minerals Management. It requires a reclamation plan before the lease will be granted. The initial lease runs for seven years, and upon expiration, the lessee can apply for an extension. “When they’re done mining, and before the lease expires, they’re supposed to reclaim the pit. It’s up to us to monitor that and require that,” said Rose, geologist with the DNR. But all gravel mines in Michigan built and reclaimed on private property are permitted by local zoning ordinances.

“Mining for gravel in southeast Michigan is a very benign exercise.

It's not an environmental hazard in any way, because it's just taking a natural resource for construction,” Weiner asserted. “If something (natural) hasn't been grown, it's been mined. We do cut down trees, but we plant new ones. We're regulated to not threaten endangered species, for wetlands, for protected species. Our industry is regulated, and equipment is maintained.”

They even create new topography, by digging deep into the water table and tapping into aquifers, and new lakes arise. If a lake of a certain size will be created in the process of a gravel mining operation, or if there will be excavation in or near a wetland, the operator needs additional permits from the DEQ’s Water Resources Permits Division. Governed by the wetlands statute, “the first preference is not to disturb the wetland, but if that’s the only option for operation, they’ll need to do offsetting activities, preserve or protect (other) existing wetlands,” said Hal Fitch, chief of the Office of Oil, Gas, and Minerals at the DEQ. Fitch, noted that the office does not regulate gravel mining, as they do with iron, copper and other mining operations. “Gravel operations may need air quality permits; it has the potential for creating dust,” which is one reason why some communities fight against them.

Doug Needham, president of Michigan Aggregates Association, a non-profit organization, concurred, “There are no environmental issues (in mining). We are heavily regulated by the state and nationally, and we strive very hard to meet and comply with all regulations. There don't seem to be issues. Mines have to get air quality permits and water discharge permits from the DEQ, and the National Pollutants Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), covers national issues.” The NPDES, created in 1972 by the Clean Water Act, is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program authorizing state governments to permit and regulate point source groundwater.

Rick Rusz, chief of groundwater permits for DEQ, said, “Permits are issued every five years for gravel mines. They wash sand or gravel on the site. We do not consider it very problematic as they follow all the rules.”

Rusz said washwater is done without any additives, and is then put back into the mine. They must maintain a log displaying the amount of water they have discharged; and they are not permitted to discharge water on any other site. “In this way, they're using clean water and putting clean water back into the mine, and no groundwater is contaminated during gravel mining when these permitting procedures are followed.”

While southeast Michigan has “good quality aggregates left behind

OAKLAND SITS UPON ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST VEINS OF GRAVEL, FORMED OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.

by the glacial retreat, accessibility to it is difficult due to urban sprawl, with subdivisions, buildings and roadways built on top of it, making access to it very difficult,” Needham said. “Once it's covered, there's no way to get to it.”

A primary local use for gravel, once mined, is for road construction.

To pave one mile long four-lane roadway, it takes 85,000 tons of gravel – meaning literally tons of gravel are moved and used when are roads are reconstructed. Because there are gravel mines in Oakland County and southeastern Michigan, it helps to reduce the costs for road projects to local municipalities and the Road Commission of Oakland County (RCOC), as well as Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). MDOT purchases at least one million tons of gravel per year, and Jeff Cranston, MDOT director of communications, said its costs have increased 40 percent in the last 10 years.

“It's very costly to move it. It's highly transportable, and it's often more expensive to move it, so if it's local, it's easier to use,” said Weiner of the Edward C. Levy Company. “(Gravel) averages about $10 a ton, but we go through over 20,000 tons in a season,” used for patching and filling the shoulders of roads maintained by the county, said Shelly Foreman, purchasing agent for the Road Commission of Oakland County (RCOC). On top of the 20,000 tons, the county incurs an additional expense for gravel in order to reapply a layer to the county’s 800 miles of gravel roads. “A trucking company would come out and spread three to four inches of gravel over miles of road, and then there’s a road grader there to smooth it out,” said Jay Carter, RCOC maintenance operations engineer.

Currently, there are major road projects in Bloomfield Township on Big Beaver Road from Woodward to Adams, which is closed until November; Maple between Southfield and Cranbrook will soon be closed for repavement in Birmingham; numerous streets are being repaved in Rochester Hills and Bloomfield Hills; while the South Boulevard/ Rochester Road intersection is being rebuilt.

Although, relative to other mineral commodities, gravel is cheap, the cost adds up in the transport of the material. The rule of thumb is that for every 30 miles the gravel is hauled, the price doubles, said Fitch of the Office of Oil, Gas, and Minerals. As taxpayers who foot the bill for the road commission, Oakland County residents benefit financially from sitting on a plethora of gravel.

“If you have a project in Detroit proper, and have to go to a suburban area to find a gravel supply, (the price) multiplies up pretty quickly. Big modern buildings have a lot of concrete in them, and that takes a lot of sand and gravel, so the demand will remain,” Fitch said.

But “it’s getting more and more difficult to find sources close to the project. If some township wants to prevent sand and gravel mining, then the company will have to go that much further out, so it’s more cost for the infrastructure. It adds to our tax burden. And, it’s more trucking, and those (trucks) add the carbon load, you’re burning diesel and putting out carbon dioxide. And the impact to the roads themselves, the further you have to truck it, the more impact there’s going to be,” said Fitch.

Resident opposition is the biggest issue currently facing gravel mining. “The biggest challenge we have is communities' willingness to welcome mining into their communities,” Needham said. “The existing mines have a limited supply in their pits. Some of our existing mines are running out of reserves, and need to look for new mines.

Several of the communities that have the resources, they've made it difficult to gain access, or have put up road blocks to rezoning for the pits.”

Several communities are halting privately-owned enterprises from operating, listening to resident opposition characterized by the sentiment “not in my backyard,” often known by the acronym NIMBY.

Yet, these municipalities are in direct violation of a law passed by the state legislature, the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (Public Act 110), which precludes local municipalities from denying gravel mine operations as long as they follow local zoning ordinances. The act became effective in July of 2006, and states, “An ordinance shall not prevent the extraction, by mining, of valuable natural resources from any property unless very serious consequences would result from the extraction of those natural resources. Natural resources shall be considered valuable… if a person… can receive revenue and reasonably expect to operate a profit.” Public Act 113, passed in 2011, takes it a step further, stating, “A county or township shall not regulate or control the drilling, completion, or operation of oil or gas wells or other wells drilled for oil or gas exploration purposes and shall not have jurisdiction with reference to the issuance of permits for the location, drilling, completion, operation, or abandonment of such wells.”

Weiner of the Edward C. Levy Company said they will likely be the first company to test Public Act 113, probably later this year, for a proposed gravel mine in Metamora, on former Boy Scout camp grounds.

“We filed recently for a mine in Metamora, and the host community will fight it, and we'll have to go to court,” he said. “No one wants it in their community. They don't want the impact. The only impact we have are the trucks (when) we transport the gravel. But the roads they go on were built for that purpose. If the neighborhoods fight and say 'don't come near us,' and we have to go 10 miles out of our way, RCOC is going to have to pay more for roads, and builders will pay more to build homes.”

Metamora Township supervisor Dave Best did not respond to calls.

Highland Township also has a gravel mine, and requires a special use permit for the pit, which planning director Beth Corwin said places extra scrutiny on the project before approval was granted.

A public hearing was held on two occasions, once at the planning commission meeting and again at the township board meeting, and “in the case of the gravel mine we required hydrogeological studies, some marketing studies that showed the need for the product that they produce,” said Corwin, noting that proving a need in southeast Michigan for gravel isn’t a difficult task.

Before the mine, operated by American Aggregates of Michigan, Inc., a branch of Levy Indiana Slag Co., was permitted in the 1990s, Corwin said “they had to negotiate the haul routes, make sure the gravel trains – the big double trucks you see – are limited to Class A roads that can manage the weights. We looked at how they could mitigate impacts to the neighbors, like with big berms to contain noise and to screen the visual effects. We looked at the safety – how is it secured? A gravel mine is considered an attractive nuisance. Kids are drawn to the lakes that get created in mining, or they’re interested and curious about the equipment. People can get in trouble by trespassing.”

As mandated in the lease terms set out by the state, municipalities may require the company to submit a reclamation plan at the time of project approval. If mined appropriately, once the majority of valuable material has been collected, gravel pits can be transformed into subdivisions, parks, or other developments in place of what has became a deep hole in the earth.

Some local governments, like Highland Township, and the state when it leases mines, require a reclamation plan be prepared at the time the company is issued a permit to mine.

“They can’t just mine it out until it's not good for anything anymore,” said Corwin of Highland Township. “Brighton Township, in Livingston Township, has a lot of mines that were developed and in

MINING HAS BEEN THE BUILDING BLOCKS, THE CORNERSTONE OF CIVILIZATION FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

operation for decades, but they didn’t leave anything behind to work with. They’re just big holes in the ground. Whereas pits that are done with the idea that at the end you’ll have a residential use, they’re more careful about how they go about extracting the soil. If you take it all away and want to reuse the land, you have to bring something back, so the ones that start with the end in mind will approach it more carefully.”

Reclamation has been a key component to the success of Edward C. Levy Company's mining operations. “It's wonderful to have the second harvest – the adaptive uses, because when we go to the next community to get a permit you can show that you have created a tax-generating community,” Weiner explained. Island Lake of Novi is just one example, he said, where planning begins at early stages, for the adaptive reclamation.

“These projects often take 30, 40, 50 years. They take a lot of creative planning. You spend millions and millions of dollars to get these projects up and running, and look to service the market for a long time,” he said. “You mine, or dig, a lake, create for the after. We try to plan in 3-D, so we have a lake with a nice slope where we can have homes with walkout basements, and beautiful properties. We do creative earthmoving and grading, and often you leave a lot of natural resources behind.”

Rochester Hills has had numerous gravel mines.

"In the early ‘90s was the last gravel operation we had, that was Clear Creek – the area around Stoney Creek High School, those homes to east and north, it’s now a nice neighborhood of high value homes,” said Ed Anzek, Rochester Hills Planning Director. “(The mining) probably began in the ‘80s, and they started building homes in 1992.

Elro Corporation did the development. I think the people who did the mining were also developers and they knew they had surplus materials they could remove and still maintain land for development."

Anzek noted that city engineers are required to do an analysis of all gravel and mining removal, “make sure there would be no damage to the aquifer, and (evaluate) dust, noise control, hours of operations. Then they would do a report to council and council would approve it or not, but it’s been a long time since we’ve done one of those."

American Aggregates has been permitted to mine a roughly 830-acre Highland site through 2025. At that time, the deep hole is slated for redevelopment as a community of 672 homes, accented by two lakes, which are frequently created in gravel mining as a result of digging until they reach the water table, or aquifer.

While the company is still mining the site in the area west of Fish Lake Road, the environment on the east side of the road, where mining operations have already been shut down, has been reclaimed, said Corwin.

“They’re done with mining, and it’s filled in with topsoil. Grass is growing; the lake is beautiful. Now we’re just waiting (for development). I’m sure the (surrounding) neighbors don’t care. They look out and see a lake and a field, and a nice piece of property.

(American Aggregates) had a plan, and left what will be roads, so there will be a stable base. They didn’t go and try to get each last bucket of gravel out,” Corwin said.

A timeline for the housing development, which also includes a water system, currently remains unknown, but a likely first step is for American Aggregates to sell the land to a developer, as the company did with a previous 350-acre Milford site.

“They want to sell gravel – they don’t want to sell houses,” Corwin noted.

The Lakes of Milford, a residential development in the northwest corner of Milford, previously was a gravel mine also operated by

American Aggregates, which was shut down in 1998 after its supply was exhausted. After Real Estate Investment Group designed the property, it was sold to Holtzman & Silverman Construction, then to national home builder Toll Brothers, and finally to single family owners of the newly-constructed houses.

“It’s a beautiful subdivision with four or five lakes,” said Don Green, township supervisor, of the site, which has been reclaimed and is generating revenue in property taxes, illustrating the best use of an abandoned mine.

Yet, in other instances, municipalities struggle with mine owners to come to an agreement that residents and officials can be satisfied with. A Milford mine that stopped operations in 2004, about a year or two before its permit expired, has remained a vacant hole ever since, said Green, noting that the last action involving the township took place a year-and-a-half ago.

“I’m not sure when they will break ground. We had a plan approved in front of us, and (the developer, Robertson Brothers Homes) had three items to satisfy before they could start construction. They have not satisfied the three issues,” Green said.

Robertson Brothers could not be reached for comment.

“Many of these pits – we will have one operator, and they will stop using the pit, and then we’ll have someone else come in and continue mining, so it gets complicated on who is responsible for what reclamation. It’s something I don’t know if we’ve ever really sorted out, who’s liable, basically, for the earlier reclamation,” said the DNR's Rose. “You can’t make the company who didn’t do the earlier mining reclaim areas that a previous company did.

There haven’t been any cases like that recently, but some of our legacy pits that are much older, that weren’t properly reclaimed, you can’t go back and try to track down a lessee from 20 years ago, or at least it’s difficult to do. It’s something I’ve struggled with since I arrived here, is how to tackle that situation.”

Currently, in Oakland County, there aren’t any active gravel mines under the supervision of the state, though there have been. The 71-site campground at Seven Lakes State Park, in Holly, is a former gravel mine.

Like the mine in Milford, half of the mine, within the 1,400-acre Seven Lakes State Park, was reclaimed before mining operations were completed. “It was interesting, back in the ‘90s, the campground was established and operating while the mining was still going on,” said Andrew Cole, park supervisor with the DNR. “People didn’t seem to mind, it was like that every weekend. We were full, just like we are now.

That’s a spring fed lake that’s down there in the campground, and that lake was established when they made the gravel pit area. The original plan was (the campground) was going to be above the gravel pit, and then someone decided it was going to go in the gravel pit,” adjacent to the lakeshore. Cole said that sometime around 2002, the last of the gravel piles were removed, grass was planted on the hillsides, and engineers let the lake flood to about twice the size.

“The inevitable concern when you talk about a mining operation is that you are permanently removing a natural resource from below the surface of the ground. Sand, gravel, copper, oil, gas, and coal, it isn’t that different. You’re permanently removing something from below the surface for immediate use,” said Dr. Barry Rabe, a professor of Public Policy with the University of Michigan, and recipient of the 2006 Climate Protection Award from the EPA. “The global demand for gas and oil is different than the demand for gravel, but we’re talking about the removal of an asset base, of property, from the community, and what are the long-term environmental consequences of that?”

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS COMMUNITIES' WILLINGNESS TO WELCOME MINING INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

Susan Hill, ABR Realtor, ABR, CNE, PSA

248.225.1399 SHill@HallandHunter.com

I am selling and listing homes in your neighborhood...

Let me help you buy or sell your next home!

SOLD

SOLD

FOR SALE

BLOOMFIELD HILLS 917 Mitchell Court | $1,580,000

BIRMINGHAM 715 Pilgrim Avenue | $1,250,000

BINGHAM FARMS 32475 Bingham Road | $499,000

Phenomenal 2005 brick and stone stunner on a private landscaped site with salt water pool Buyer’s agent

Wonderful 1926 home on 100’ wide lot in the middle of a great street in Quarton Lake Estates Buyer’s agent

Great home on 2.86 wooded acres ready for renovation or new construction. Surrounded by million $ homes.

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

WEST BLOOMFIELD 4681 Cove Road | $749,000

BLOOMFIELD VILLAGE 2258 Pine Street | $499,000

BEVERLY HILLS VILLAGE 31700 W. Bell Vine Trail | $390,000

Gorgeous California classic-style home on 1 1/4 secluded acres with Walnut Lake deeded path access Buyer’s agent

Charming 1929 “yellow moose house” designed by renowned architect Wallace Frost

Beautifully updated Ranch on expansive 1.14 acre site. Birmingham schools.

Buyer’s agent

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

BERKLEY 2079 Harvard Road | $254,900

BIRMINGHAM 2460 Buckingham | $249,000

BERKLEY 1428 Oxford Road | $199,900

Stunning remodeled home with open floor plan and spacious master with private bath

Updated brick Ranch in desirable Pembroke Park area.

Full basement and charming details throughout.

Pottery Barn perfect updated Bungalow in desirable “Colleges” area. Lovely master with sitting area.

For more information, visit HallandHunter.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

Lynn Baker & Deby Gannes

WEST BLOOMFIELD 4711 Cove Road | $1,899,000 5 Bedrooms 6 Full, 1 Half Baths 8,294 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216034276

Gated 2.3 acres with 226' on all-sports Walnut Lake.

1st floor master. Walkout LL. Land contract terms. Reduced $100K. Bloomfield Hills schools.

BIRMINGHAM 387 George Street | $605,000 3 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 1,929 Square Feet MLS# 216051696

Stunning updated home seconds from Barnum Park & downtown. Kevin Hart remodel. Spacious master.

Bonus room above garage.

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 357 Oakbridge | $435,000 4 Bedrooms 3 Full Baths 3,300 Square Feet MLS# 216070257

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 3777 S. Century Oak Circle | $679,999 6 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths 4,886 Square Feet MLS# 216066516

Better than new in great 4 Bedrooms Century Oaks sub! Oversized 4 Full Baths kitchen/nook overlooking FR. 2,493 Square Feet th Possible 6 BR/bonus room nd on 2 floor. Ready-to-finish LL. MLS# 216065865

FRANKLIN VILLAGE 25301 Franklin Park Drive | $499,900 4 Bedrooms 3 Full Baths 3,814 Square Feet MLS# 216055944

Amazing updated bungalow on great lot! New Italian porcelain kitchen floor.

Spacious 2nd floor master suite. Finished basement.

Custom-built home close to town with rare 1st floor BR with full bath. Study/5th bedroom in finished LL. Private fenced yard, large deck & electric gate.

BIRMINGHAM 2467 Polo Place | $449,400

Estate section on private, 3 Bedrooms wooded 1.33 acres surrounded 2 Full, 1 Half Baths by multimillion dollar homes.

2,541 Square Feet Panoramic views of nature.

Upper level balcony. Greenhouse. MLS# 216062729

BEVERLY HILLS VILLAGE 17138 Kirkshire Avenue | $389,900

Upgraded, sophisticated home.

3 Bedrooms Oversized eat-in kitchen flows 2 Full Baths to great room. Finished LL with 1,729 Square Feet game space and family room.

Pristine yard with in-ground pool. MLS# 216063410

BIRMINGHAM 1875 Stanley Boulevard | $678,900

Tucked-away contemporary on approx. 1/2 acre wooded lot.

Eat-in kitchen overlooks garden.

Partially finished LL. Walk to Lincoln Hills and Seaholm HS.

OXFORD TOWNSHIP 1850 Barr Road | $352,900 4 Bedrooms 4 Full Baths 3,827 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216044802

For more information, visit LynnandDeby.com

Spacious, completely renovated home set on 10 acres of forest, rolling hills & meadows. Great room opens to deck. Granite/ stainless kitchen. Walkout LL.

Lynn Baker & Deby Gannes 248.379.3000 lbaker@hallandhunter.com

248.379.3003 dgannes@hallandhunter.com

cottages to castles – no home too small, F rom no home too large, we DO sell them all!

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 2411 Pond Vallee | $2,299,900

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 4640 Wind Ridge Court | $1,650,000

Spectacular brick & limestone estate situated on 2.34 acres in premier gated community. Meticulously maintained grounds includes a water feature, extensive mature landscaping & perennial gardens. Exceptional 1st floor master suite with private sitting room, fireplace, morning kitchen & covered terrace. Finished lower level with theatre, storage galore and room to create your own space.

5 Bedrooms | 4 Full, 2 Half Baths | 7,615 Square Feet | MLS# 216058053

Signature home on prestigious cul-de-sac in the Goodison Place Sub. Elegant foyer with grand dual staircases and 2-story foyer. Living room and library lead to private covered patio with limestone fireplace and slate floors. Finished walkout has family room, kitchen, theater, bath and wine cellar with tasting room. Multiple slate and paver patios. Garages with space for 8 cars. No detail missed!

4 Bedrooms | 5 Full, 2 Half Baths | 9,122 Total Sq. Ft. | MLS# 216046005

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 2312 Pond Vallee | $1,595,000

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 2660 Fairway Court | $1,399,000

Elegant Georgian Colonial on spacious 2.41 acre site in a luxurious gated residential community with superior beauty & rolling landscape. Master suite with sitting room, double fireplace, dressing room and large bath. Finished daylight LL has theater, double wine cellar, exercise and massage room, billiard area, second family room, craft room/bedroom, full bath and kitchen/bar. Dual garages (6-7 cars).

5 Bedrooms | 4 Full, 2 Half Baths | 7,442 Square Feet | MLS# 216023510

Custom-built home backing to the Westwynd Golf Course – and sitting on the 1st, 16th and 18th holes – offers incredible all-season views from two Trex® decks, each 40' x 20'. Open floor plan with 12' ceilings. 1st floor master suite with luxury bath and library with cherry coffered ceiling. Finished lower level offers exercise room, wet bar, double tiered bar and wine rack, family room and plenty of storage.

4 Bedrooms | 3 Full, 2 Half Baths | 5,155 Square Feet | MLS# 216063901

Like Us on Facebook at Lynn and Deby - Hall & Hunter Realtors 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

Adam Waechter Associate Broker

313.801.8018 akwhallandhunter@gmail.com

NEW LISTING

BIRMINGHAM 291 E. Southlawn Boulevard | $799,000 3 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,918 Square Feet MLS# 216058948

BLOOMFIELD 3211 Greentree Road | $479,000

Impressive custom build with cedar accents and neutral decor. Open and spacious living room flows to the dining room. Floating staircase. Kitchen with quartz counters & stainless appliances. Large master with amazing bath. 3rd floor loft-style room. Finished LL.

3 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,410 Square Feet MLS# 216071010

Meticulously maintained 1930 Art Deco gem with beautiful arches, curbed plaster walls and moldings.

Light-filled living room. Spacious granite/stainless kitchen opens to breakfast room. Master with balcony and marble bath. Finished LL. Bloomfield Hills Schools.

FOR LEASE

BEVERLY HILLS VILLAGE 32630 Old Post Road | $449,900 4 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,949 Square Feet MLS# 216059677

BIRMINGHAM 411 S. Old Woodward, #504 | $420,000

Charming Colonial in prime 2 Bedrooms neighborhood south of Lincoln 2 Full Baths Hills golf course. Large master 995 Square Feet suite. Family room with door MLS# 216061380 wall to private wood deck.

BLOOMFIELD 2445 Sanders Place | $2100/month

Renovated luxury condo in the 3 Bedrooms heart of downtown. Spacious, 2 Full, 1 Half Baths open living spaces. Balcony 1,820 Square Feet with beautiful views. Full-service MLS# 216036807 building + secured parking.

Contact me for your private showing

Outstanding ranch home with fresh paint & new carpet. 1st floor laundry. Beautiful/private yard, with rear deck on almost .35 acre. 2+ car heated garage.

| AdamWaechter.com

442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

Ashley Mann Realtor

248.721.0987 AshleyMann@HallandHunter.com

BEVERLY HILLS 16045 Kinross Avenue | $349,900 This spacious Ranch is calling your name! Enjoy a formal living room offering large bayed window with plantation shutters, natural fireplace, coved ceiling and built-ins. A nice-sized formal dining room also features custom built-ins with leaded glass doors. Kitchen with granite breakfast bar leads to big, bright vaulted ceiling family room with floor-to-ceiling windows, plantation shutters and door to deck.

Large updated main bathroom with neutral colors, separate shower and tub. Hardwood flooring throughout most of the main floor. Finished basement with huge laundry room and gorgeous newer full bathroom. Immaculate landscaping and 2-car garage.

UN DE RC ON TR AC T in

UN DE RC ON TR AC T in

1D AY !

3D AY S!

3 Bedrooms 2 Full Baths 1,659 Square Feet MLS# 216065935

ROYAL OAK 1702 N. Maple Avenue | $269,900 3 Bedrooms 1 Full, 1 Half Baths 1,228 Square Feet MLS# 216068375

Rare Colonial within walking distance to downtown offers updates galore! The spacious living room with tall ceilings & newer hardwood flooring adjoins the open dining room with access to deck. Updated bright white kitchen. Master suite with updated bath. Lower level prepped to finish.

ROYAL OAK 1029 Mohawk Avenue | $198,000 3 Bedrooms 1 Full Bath 1,047 Square Feet MLS# 216071021

Walk to town from this updated Bungalow featuring a bright living room with large newer bayed window, coved ceiling, hardwood flooring & fresh paint. The dining room - with access to deck & yard - opens to both kitchen & living room. Partially finished basement.

For more information, visit AshleyMannRealEstate.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

Hall & Hunter Realtors is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the 29th Annual

BIRMINGHAM HOUSE TOUR

Thursday, September 22, 2016 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Tour seven spectacular private residential homes, showcasing a diversity of extraordinary architecture and interior design styles, from traditional to modern.

$40 for tour in advance $45 day of tour Optional lunch buffet 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ($15 additional charge)

For more information, please call 248.594.6409 or email jackiem@tchserves.org.

All proceeds will benefit The Community Houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Outreach Impact Programs for children and families in need.

Cheryl Riback Associate Broker, ABR, SRES

248.808.3112 CRiback@HallandHunter.com

LAKEFRONT

BLOOMFIELD HILLS 1430 Inwoods Circle | $4,950,000 5 Bedrooms 5 Full, 3 Half Baths 13,884 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216055097

Prestigious Kirk in the Hills with panoramic views of lower Long Lake from all rooms. This stunning custom home is on the highest point of land on the lake. 1st floor master with incredible marble bath. Spectacular finished walkout lower level. Too many details to list!

BLOOMFIELD 1485 Sodon Lake | $624,000 4 Bedrooms 3 Full, 2 Half Baths 3,524 Square Feet MLS# 216003179

Updated home with mid-century flair on almost half acre in Sodon Lake area. Spacious and meticulously maintained. Fantastic master suite with incredible walk-in closet, bath & sauna Jacuzzi. Granite kitchen.

Finished LL. Two garages. Bloomfield Hills schools.

LAKEFRONT

ORCHARD LAKE 3795 Indian Trail | $1,299,000 4 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths 3,742 Square Feet MLS# 216060035

Lakefront home on almost an acre with views of Orchard Lake from every room! 100’ dock system with 10’ x 8’ platform. Expansive open & bright floor plan. Master suite with separate makeup area and cedar closet. 2 garages for 4 cars. Gorgeous lot!

BLOOMFIELD 1888 Pine Ridge Lane | $399,900 3 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths 3,867 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216059140

Multilevel walkout lower level condo in prestigious Wabeek Pines. Granite eat-in kitchen, 1st floor laundry and terrific master suite. Access to 3 decks on all levels. LL includes games area, exercise and spa area, 2nd kitchen and large storage area.

For more information, visit HallandHunter.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

Ginny Fisher Realtor

248.593.0518 GFisher@HallandHunter.com

BIRMINGHAM | 1970 Northlawn Boulevard | $799,000

BIRMINGHAM | 887 Wimbleton | $880,000

Gorgeous setting with panoramic views of Birmingham Country Club golf course!

Beautifully renovated home on elevated site has updated chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen and master suite with heated marble floors in bath. Spectacular finished LL. Newer deck and fenced yard.

4 Bedrooms | 2 Full, 3 Half Baths | 3,084 Square Feet | MLS# 216066840

Elegantly updated landmark Tudor in charming Poppleton Park offers stylish details throughout. Beautiful family room addition and lovely formal living room with marble fireplace. Spacious master suite with renovated bath. Impeccable!

BLOOMFIELD HILLS | 1772 Heron Ridge | $1,599,000

CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS | 245 Chestnut Circle | $725,000

Pristine executive retreat in private gated enclave on ravine setting Renovated Millennium cherry kitchen opens to family room. Beautifully finished walkout LL with possible 5th bedroom. Lower paver terraces and expansive decks. 4-car garage.

Classic Tudor on 3/4-acre elevated site in prestigious Chestnut Hills. Paneled library with fireplace and built-in bookcases. Expansive great room leads to back gardens.

Island kitchen with dual cook tops. Spacious master suite. Lovely setting!

4 Bedrooms | 4 Full, 2 Half Baths | 7,385 Total Sq. Ft. | MLS# 216023366

4 Bedrooms | 4 Full, 2 Half Baths | 7,385 Total Sq. Ft. | MLS# 216023366

NEW LISTING

4 Bedrooms | 2 Full, 1 Half Baths | 2,984 Square Feet | MLS# 216047532

SALE PENDING

WEST BLOOMFIELD 5928 Naneva Court | $399,000 5 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths 3,071 Square Feet MLS# 216062770

Spacious, open 5 BR home on private cul-de-sac setting. Eatin island kitchen. Great family room opens to paver patio. LL with 2 BRs. Birmingham schools.

FOR LEASE

AUBURN HILLS 238 Jotham Avenue | $172,000 2 Bedrooms 2 Full Baths 1,685 Square Feet MLS# 216056108

Light-filled upper level condo with open floor plan and great views. In-unit washer & dryer.

Mostly newer wood blinds.

Clubhouse, pool & fitness center.

BLOOMFIELD 2307 Lost Tree Way | $3000/month 4 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,278 Square Feet MLS# 216033376

Updated executive long-term rental is move-in ready! Lovely eat-in granite kitchen opens to spacious family room. Expansive master suite. Finished lower level.

For more information, visit GinnyFisherHomes.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

Holly Geyer Realtor

248.506.7345 HGeyer@HallandHunter.com

NEW PRICE

BIRMINGHAM 790 Lakeside Drive | $2,975,000 4 Bedrooms 5 Full, 2 Half Baths 4,454 Square Feet MLS# 216060604

BLOOMFIELD TWP. 3847 Oakland Drive | $1,599,000

Custom-built residence with sweeping views of Quarton Lake, just a short stroll to downtown. Bella Cucina kitchen, 5â&#x20AC;? plank walnut floors and luxurious finishes throughout. Master retreat features marble bath and private balcony. Amazing lower level!

5 Bedrooms 5 Full, 3 Half Baths 5,064 Square Feet MLS# 216029382

Spectacular home overlooking Oakland Hills Country Club! Spacious 1st floor master suite with bath spa.

Beautiful chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen opens to deck and family room. Formal dining room with terrace looks out on the south golf course. Fabulous walkout lower level.

NEW PRICE

BLOOMFIELD TWP. 2896 Meadowood Lane | $899,900 5 Bedrooms 5 Full, 2 Half Baths 4,543 Square Feet MLS# 216043755

ROYAL OAK 7100 W. 5th Street, #509 | $369,000

Chestnut Run North gem!

2 Bedrooms Family room leads to covered 2 Full Baths patio with private pool.

Finished daylight LL with full 1,201 Square Feet bath. Oversized 3-car garage. MLS# 216048491

TROY 1465 Raleigh Place | $294,900

Highly upgraded upscale 2 Bedrooms condo in heart of downtown. 2 Full, 1 Half Baths Granite/stainless kitchen and 2,030 Square Feet floor-to-ceiling windows.

MLS# 216057287 Spacious master with balcony.

Fabulous Midtown Square townhouse condo with Birmingham schools. Kitchen opens to living room with balcony.

Private elevator. Great location!

For more information, visit HallandHunter.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

Pam Stoler, CRS, GRI Associate Broker

248.840.0044 PStoler@HallandHunter.com

BIRMINGHAM 111 Willits Street, Unit #406 | $1,100,000 3 Bedrooms 3 Full Baths 2,158 Square Feet MLS# 216065886

Located in the heart of town, a rare 3 BR/3 full baths & library in The Willits! Spacious foyer & chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen with marble floors. French glass doors open to library/ den. All ensuite bedrooms. Underground heated garage with 2 spaces. In-unit washer/dryer. 24-hour concierge.

BLOOMFIELD 533 Brownley Court | $675,000 5 Bedrooms 4 Full, 2 Half Baths 4,036 Square Feet MLS# 216033142

Gracious brick Colonial on wooded private lot features sunlit foyer opening to dining/living rooms.

Fabulous great room with 3 large skylights. Dual staircases. Huge master suite. Finished LL with 5th bedroom/bath, media & workout room. 3-car garage.

BLOOMFIELD VILLAGE 652 Hupp Cross Road | $879,000 Extensively renovated Tudor with gorgeous details offers gourmet kitchen adjoining sunlit family room with patio access. Stunning master suite with private screened in porch. Finished LL with bar area and full bathroom with sauna. Extra deep 2-car heated garage.

4 Bedrooms 4 Full, 1 Half Baths 3,720 Square Feet MLS# 216038674

BIRMINGHAM 710 Willits Street | $649,900 3 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 1,948 Square Feet MLS# 216056696

Charming in-town home steps from Quarton Lake, dining and shopping. Inviting living room has full brick fireplace that sides to the open dining room.

Renovated master and hall baths. Hardwood floors.

First floor laundry. Cedar shake roof. Prime location!

For more information, visit PamStoler.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

442 South Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, Michigan 48009

248.644.3500 D. Ryan Wolf

Lynda Schrenk

Realtor

Realtor

248.891.2221

248.760.6026

RWolf@HallandHunter.com

LSchrenk@HallandHunter.com

NEW NEWTO MARKET LISTING

NEW TO MARKET

B

reathtaking Mid-Century Modern Home with an Idyllic Setting

BLOOMFIELD 1475 Lone Pine Road | $749,000 2 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 4,660 Total Sq. Feet MLS# 216070468

Architectural gem designed by Harold Turner nestled into the landscape of a private, 2+ acre wooded site.

Artfully blended interior/exterior spaces and walls of glass. Heated greenhouse-style sunroom. Finished walkout LL. Chalmers Lake privileges. Stunning!

BIRMINGHAM 366 W. Brown Street, Unit #2 | $899,000 3 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,033 Square Feet MLS# 216067008

Completely renovated downtown condo boasts open floor plan & sophisticated urban flair. Gourmet kitchen. Espresso wood floors & recessed lighting.

Master bath with Carrera marble. Finished basement with wine room. New courtyard patio. 2-car garage.

Co-listed with Meredith Colburn

For more information, visit HallandHunter.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

442 South Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, Michigan 48009

248.644.3500 Amy Zimmer & Tiffany Glime

Mona Webster Realtor

248.469.6430

248.408.5357

AZimmer@HallandHunter.com

248.930.5656

MWebster@HallandHunter.com

TGlime@HallandHunter.com

NEW TO MARKET

NEW PRICE

BEVERLY HILLS | $485,000 30077 Fox Run Drive | 30077FoxRun.epropertysites.com 4 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,750 Square Feet MLS# 216071672

Stylishly updated Georgetown Green hilltop colonial in wooded setting. Stunning octagonal 4-season solarium. Renovated kitchen and informal dining area (2014) with granite peninsula & breakfast bar. Master with remodeled travertine tile bath. 1st floor laundry.

NEW PRICE

TROY 2054 Haverford | $599,000 4 Bedrooms 3 Full, Half Baths 2,849 Square Feet MLS# 216034698

Fabulous hard-to-find ranch in Beach Forest. Lower level completely redone to studs in 2016 for 2700 sq. ft. of additional space! Bright main level & granite eat-in kitchen. Exceptional curb appeal, paver walks & circular patio. 3-car heated garage. Amazing value!

ROYAL OAK $182,500 1226 Cloverdale Drive

BIRMINGHAM $85,000 1705 E. Fourteen Mile Road

1226Cloverdale.epropertysites.com 1705FourteenMile.epropertysites.com Vinsetta Park ranch-style charmer Enjoy city living in the suburbs filled with original style and updated in an artistic 1st floor Manors of for modern living. Open floor plan.

Birmingham condo with pool view.

2 BR | 1.1 Baths | 963 SF 1 BR | 1 Bath | 581 SF MLS# 216040728 MLS# 216057392

For more information, visit HallandHunter.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009

FACES

Laura Bradshaw Tucker co-producer for the One Act Festival, the annual three-day community theater event in Birmingham, Laura Bradshaw Tucker has contributed a “light comedy” to the lineup of short works to be performed.

Held on the last weekend in July, the festival was put on by Playwrights @ Work, a writing group that meets at Birmingham Village Players, which Bradshaw Tucker has been a part of for years.

Each play runs about a half-hour, and are followed by a discussion amongst the audience and writers. Bradshaw Tucker has been contributing to the festival for the last four or five years, and last fall her play sparked an animated response.

“It was about a woman receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer, and the discussion would have gone on for 20 minutes.” Those in attendance shared their experiences about treatment, and posed the question of why people would choose to see a play about breast cancer.

Bradshaw Tucker has a knack for writing comedies, although many of her scripts explore serious social issues.

“Comedy they say is hard, but comedy to me is a little easier than drama, because when doing drama, you don’t want to hit people over the head with it. You want to sort of ease into something that’s upsetting, and there’s this tendency to be too blunt, or teachy, or preachy. But actually, I have several depressing plays that I’m working

A

on,” she said with a slight laugh. “One’s dealing with the inadequacies of health care, mental illness, that sort of thing – you know happy plays.”

Her propensity for curiosity has taken Bradshaw Tucker down a varied road, peppered with writing. “I have a nice, dysfunctional schizophrenic career path,” she conceded.

While she briefly studied theater at Central Michigan University, Bradshaw Tucker enjoyed her role as an actress. “When I was in college, we did a whole bunch of episodes of a TV show, a children’s TV show, and I started playing Veradie, a blind girl.”

Later in life, she worked as a reporter in Mount Pleasant, which motivated her to earn her law degree from the University of Michigan.

Now, busy practicing at a law firm, she’s also been a copy editor with a New York news organization, and, in addition to playwriting, has penned other creative pieces.

“I have my wonderful unpublished novel. I think plays are nice because they’re short. Generally, a length I can handle, and I get the joy of getting feedback when they’re performed. A novel, in this case, is sitting on a flash drive and every time I go and look at it, I edit it. It’s easier to get the play out there – but I’d like to finish my novel. A lot of the joy for me is in the writing.”

Story: Katie Deska

Photo: Laurie Tennent

JazzRocks On The

HOT JAZZ & COOL COCKTAILS Every Thursday in August from 6 to 8:30 pm on the Miller Tribute Terrace at

Jazz On The Rocks brings jazz fans together with swingin’ tunes and signature cocktails to raise funds for the children’s programs at The Community House.

Each session is $49 per person or $180 per person for the entire four-part series.

August 4 August 11

Johnny Trudell Quartet

August 18 August 25

Carl Cafagna Group

Jerry McKenzie and Just Jazz featuring Lori Lefevre Ron Kischuk and Masters of Music 6HVVLRQ VSHFL¿F VLJQDWXUH FRFNWDLOV sponsored by Rémy Cointreau •

Cocktail introduction and instruction during intermission •

Passed and table-set hors d’oeuvres •

Bistro seating available under the covered terrace •

Summer casual attire encouraged

Reservations: 248.644.5832 tchserves.org

MUNICIPAL Campaign mistruths dispelled at meeting

By Lisa Brody

Bloomfield Township Attorney Bill Hampton and Finance Director Jason Theis presented legal and financial updates at the board of trustees meeting on Monday, July 11, on what they referred to as mistruths and misinformation that residents have been receiving from political candidates in the camp of embattled township treasurer Dan Devine, which has prompted calls to township offices for clarification during this political season.

The primary for all elected township offices is Tuesday, August 2, although no Democrats have filed for any township board offices so the party primary election will decide the future of the board.

Hampton, who noted he has been attorney for Bloomfield Township for over 35 years, as well as for other municipalities, said, “At the (trustee) meeting on June 15, I made a report, primarily on the lawsuit challenging our water rate methodology. Since, I assume many of you have been receiving information in the mail, which is inaccurate.

“First, it is not a class action lawsuit, yet. There is only one person on the suit. If they attempt to make it a class action, we will fight that.

Second, what this lawsuit is all about...whether depreciation is an important or legal component.

Depreciation is required on standard accounting procedure. In Bloomfield Township, there is no double dipping.

Birmingham's lawsuit was totally different, because they have a combined water and sewer system, and we don't.

“Another issue is who is responsible for the water in the fire hydrants.

These are issues for standard rate paying – and it's a national issue. Here is a law firm that has singled out Oakland County municipalities. What these people who are putting out these mailers don't say is Royal Oak won their case – it was thrown out on appeal. This lawsuit does not have anything to do with mismanagement, or for putting money in the wrong account. There are figures that the lawsuit is for $11 million, or for $7 million. That's complete fantasy. I've been doing this work for more than 50 years, so I say to everyone involved, be careful what you say, because what you say really hurts the township.” downtownpublications.com

Varsity Shop building sold to developer he iconic Varsity Shop building located at the corner of Pierce Street and Merrill in downtown Birmingham is being sold to the Kojaian Management Company of Bloomfield Hills, Varsity Shop owner Marc Secontine confirmed.

“We have come to an agreement, but nothing is signed,” Secontine said. “They are proceeding with the process (in Birmingham) to move it along.”

Secontine was forced to close the downtown Birmingham location of the Varsity shop a little over two years ago after a boiler pipe burst and flooded the building on May 19, 2014, causing $300,000 worth of damage to merchandise and to the building itself. In April 2015, Secontine reopened the store at the Adams Square shopping center, at 623 S. Adams Road.

In April of this year, Secontine and his family decided to put the building out for bid. “It was a family decision, after much consideration,” he said at the time of the decision between himself, his sister and his brother. “We're doing some due diligence as to what the fair market value is of the building. We signed with Signature Associates for 30 days to take offers to find out the fair market price. We don't have a price in mind.”

Michael Kojaian of Kojaian Management Company is confirmed as the purchaser of the property. “Nothing is signed, sealed and delivered. We have a gentleman's agreement,” said Secontine.

Secontine reiterated that the building is in “pretty bad shape from water damage, and isn't worth fixing. The existing building doesn't have any historic value, it's all sentimental, and it's chopped up inside. So, the game plan is to knock it down. They would need to go up to maximize value.”

According to Birmingham ordinances, in the central business district, a new building can be built to a maximum of five stories, of mixed-use, with retail on the first floor, and a combination of office and residential on the other four floors.

Michael Kojaian and Tony Antone, vice president of development for Kojaian Management, were not available for comment.

Secontine said they are scheduled to go before the Birmingham Historic District Committee before the building is torn down, “not because it is a historic building, but because it is in the historic district.”

T

He continued, “There are also statements that 30 to 40 police and firemen will be laid off. That's completely false. The Birmingham suit was settled for several million dollars, and no one was laid off. I expect to win this case. We don't even exchange witness lists until at least January 2017, or go to trial until May. It's a long way off.”

Theis then spoke to the board.

“There are some other things circulating that relate to the finance department, so as a member of that department I feel it is my responsibility to clarify. One is that the township has made an 80 percent return on investment – when we haven't even made a one percent return in three years. Simple math would say that if we had made an 80 percent return, we would have made $24 million. I would have thrown a party. Our balance has increased 80

percent, if you include the infusion of equity account.

“The second is that (township supervisor) Leo (Savoie) took over the finance department,” he continued.

“Wrong. The clerk continues to oversee the finance department. I was here in 2011, when Leo took over, and there has been no change. Another is we are spending 50 percent more than West Bloomfield. As the person who developed the (state) guidelines, I cautioned between comparing municipalities...There are a number of expenditures that need to be excluded, and then there is no story to be told.

And I think most people would agree, we are not like other townships, but more like a city.

“The fourth claim is that we have close to $1 million in unbudgeted overages in four different projects, and the supposed overruns are all engineering. If you do a true apples to

DOWNTOWN

apples comparison, you would see that we actually came in two percent under budget.”

Theis also clarified the misnomer that the township does not have policies regulating bidding and purchasing. “That is not true. We have an average of over 700 purchase orders received a year, and orders under $35,000 need three bids.

Anything over $35,000 comes before the board. Professional services are not required by law to be bid, but that does not mean we don't review them regularly.”

He also clarified water and sewer fees, noting that “someone has really twisted something for their benefit.”

He pointed out that the township only began charging what is referred to an annual “ready to serve fee” in 2011.

When he finished, trustee Dave Buckley, a member of treasurer Devine's camp, asked Theis who had asked him to put his report together.

“No one. You see the reports, I keep getting phone calls, and as the representative of the finance department, I felt it was important to clarify these,” Theis said.

“Both Mr. Jason and Mr. Hampton report to (township supervisor) Leo (Savoie), for a half-hour infomercial,” asserted treasurer Dan Devine, the main candidate this political season who has been making the discounted allegations. Devine is being challenged in the August 2 primary by township trustee Brian Kepes.

“I do not report to Leo Savoie. I report to this board. I am honored to represent this board for 35 years. I represent the entire board of trustees,” Hampton responded.

Portion of W. Maple to stay three lanes

By Lisa Brody

After a lengthy process of discussion and a test of driving conditions, on Monday, July 11, the Birmingham City Commission unanimously voted to keep W. Maple between Southfield and Cranbrook roads three lanes.

W. Maple Road has begun a twomonth process of repavement, where it will then be striped as a three-lane roadway, with one lane of traffic in each direction and a center turn lane.

Previously, the road was a four-lane road with two lanes of traffic going in each direction. The three lane configuration was recommended as part of a “road diet” for the street, to 75

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reduce speeds, decrease accidents as well as the level of severity of the crashes, prevent as much cut through traffic, and allow residents to more easily turn left out of their streets onto Maple.

Birmingham Police Chief Mark Clemence stated to the commission, “This has been a long process, going back to January of 2015, with the city's multi-modal transportation committee that studied it, and held several meetings.” He noted there were several public meetings, with a lot of input from residents, businesses, staff and other stakeholders.

A final recommendation from the multi-modal transportation committee was presented to the city commission in May 2015, recommending a temporary threelane road diet, and the commission approved a six-month trial in June of 2015, which began in early October.

Birmingham voters in March of this year turned down a citizen initiative to change the city charter and force the commission to leave this section of W. Maple as a fourlane road.

“We collected all of the data while it was still four lanes,” Clemence said, in order to be able to compare it to the three lane trial. Data was then collected in January and April, he said.

“The key findings were that all crash types were reduced by an overall average of 38 percent, and there was a decrease in total accidents,” Clemence reported. “The volume of traffic was unchanged, but the average speed decreased, and it now more closely corresponds to the posted 35 mph, with an average 37 mph going eastbound, and an average 38 mph westbound.”

He said cut through traffic significantly decreased, other than at two streets, Lake Park and Pleasant, which he said, “We think is due to the closing of Big Beaver Road.”

Mike Labadie of Fleis & Vanderbrink, the city's traffic engineer, concluded, “We think the corridor improved in safety and speeds decreased, and we recommend the road be changed to a three lane road.”

Commissioner Stuart Sherman brought up a concern regarding the lengthy merge lane on eastbound Maple past Cranbrook, stating he felt it is too long. Labadie responded, “There's a well-researched thing that

DOWNTOWN

says a merge lane has to be so long.

We don't want to move it left, because it will increase your rear end accidents. We have to leave it where it is. We have to sign it better. It's accepted practice.”

“I would say more are in favor of the three lanes. There are some against, but most are favorable,” said mayor Rackeline Hoff of resident feedback.

“This is the final report, but it is not outside the norm of what we have been receiving with interim reports, and what we have all been observing for the last six months. It's very consistent,” said commissioner Mark Nickita. “I've studied everything and I've read everything and I am convinced we're going in the right direction.”

“It is a tremendous improvement over what we had seen. It seems to be working with a few glitches,” said commissioner Patti Bordman.

Strip center approved for Hogan's site

By Lisa Brody

A final site plan presentation for a new commercial building for the former Hogan's restaurant location on Telegraph was approved at the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, June 27, with the new owner planning to build a small strip center in the restaurant's place.

Patti Voelker, township planning, building and ordinance director, explained to trustees that the new owner, Duane Barbat of White Lake, was seeking approval to demolish Hogan's, located at 6450 Telegraph Road, and construct a multi-tenant commercial building consisting of a bank with a drive through, a casual restaurant and two retail users.

“No liquor license is being sought for the restaurant, and each user plans to be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.,” she said, which are the approved hours of operation in Bloomfield Township.

“The intent is to demolish the current structure, and maintain egress and ingress on Telegraph and Maple, with safety paths incorporated,” Voelker said. She said the site plan indicated outdoor seating for the restaurant on the northerly location, and the southern tenant is planned to be a bank with a drive through, with two drive through 77

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lanes, and a third pass through lane.

Voelker said the township's traffic consultant, Mike Labadie, had reviewed the plan, and noted two potential areas for future cross access to abutting properties, at the Mobil gas station at the corner, which Barbat and his brother also own, and at Goldsmith Jewelers at 4104 W. Maple. She said the parking lots provide cross access and mutual driveway access for better circulation.

“What I'm concerned about is that in our master plan it says that 'Bloomfield Township will be a premier residential community' and this is a strip center...for businesses crammed together, and these will fail, and we'll get a McDonald's,” said treasurer Dan Devine. “I want to point out that our master plan says our commercial shall serve our neighborhoods, not the other way around. I think you should go back to the drawing board and come back with a restaurant that befits the community.”

Devine then stated that he believed the proposed bank drive through, along with the Starbucks

drive through under construction, was dangerous.

Barbat's attorney said that the township's police and fire departments both said they feel comfortable with the drive throughs.

“They have complied with all of the township's requirements,” supervisor Leo Savoie said. Trustees then voted to approve the commercial building, 5-1, with Devine dissenting and Corinne Khederian not in attendance.

The Pearl to fill in Birmingham 'hole'

By Lisa Brody

Birmingham's notorious “hole in the ground” on N. Old Woodward just south of Oak is turning into a gem, as Bloomfield Township developer Frank Simon has received final approvals to redevelop the site as a four-story building with below ground parking, which he intends to name The Pearl.

Simon received final site plan approval for the development proposal for the 856 N. Old Woodward

development project from the Birmingham planning board on Wednesday, July 13, after receiving variances for an extra floor for the building from the city's zoning board of appeals on June 14, with the fourth floor designed to recede back, and not be a full floor. The site is located in the city's D-2 overlay district, which only permits three stories.

The location, just south of Douglas Cleaners, has been vacant and a hole in the ground since 1989, according to Simon's attorney, Rick Rattner. Decades ago it was the location of the former Carrie Lee Chinese restaurant.

Simon said the first floor of the building will include approximately 4,500 square feet of retail space, with street parking. “We're not sure yet what will go in there. We have nothing set up yet.”

The other three floors will be comprised of one-, two- and threebedroom units, which will likely be rentals, Simon said, for a total of 26 apartment units. “They will be on the luxury end.”

Architect John Marusich of Detroit designed the building, with many of

the units incorporating views of the Rouge River, which runs behind the site.

A lower level will be able to offer about 70 parking spots, “so we will have self-parking for everyone in the building,” Simon said. “There will be exclusive garage parking for residents, with a very exclusive, private entrance for them.” The paved, but vacant, parking lot at the corner of Woodward and Oak, which Simon also owns, will be accessed via a drive to the building to provide extra parking for residents and the retail.

He said he anticipates breaking ground in about three months, entering the market in 2017.

Peabody's serving last meals July 30 Peabody's Restaurant on Woodward in Birmingham will serve its last meal on Saturday, July 30, having sold the venerable building to the Alden Development Group, which is planning to develop and build a five-story mixed use building.

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Susan Peabody, one of three sisters who own and operate Peabody's, confirmed the restaurant's closing date.

The restaurant, located at 34965 Woodward Avenue, was initially the site of Park Smith's grist mill. Peabody's began as a local fruit market in 1946,

by Stan and Louise Peabody, grandparents of the current owners, sisters Susan, Nancy, and Barbara Peabody. In 1975, Jim Peabody, Stan and Louise's son and Susan, Barbara and Nancy's father, converted the barn structure that housed the fruit market into a fine restaurant, offering modern American fare and spirits.

Peabody's is nestled between the Greenleaf Trust Building at the corner of Woodward and Maple, and the new Balmoral Building, which recently opened on Woodward and Brown.

As to comments she had made last spring about potentially reopening the restaurant in a smaller space in the future, Susan Peabody said she had no comment at this point. “It's so busy here. We're just trying to get this closed up.”

Matthew Shiffman of Alden Development in Southfield said he had closed on the deal to purchase the Peabody property, and is planning on

building a mixed use five-story building. “We're currently contemplating a minimum of one-anda-half stories to two stories of residential, first floor retail, and about two floors of office,” Shiffman said.

Shiffman is the son of Gary Shiffman, executive chairman of Sun Communities and Bingham Financial Services.

The plans, being designed by Birmingham architect Chris Longe, include two floors of parking below grade, but Shiffman said that could increase, depending upon the needs of the building’s tenants. “Our goal is to self-park the entire building, especially with the parking situation in Birmingham,” he said.

Shiffman said he does not need any zoning changes, but still needs to go through the site plan approval process with the city, and hopes to begin the process of moving forward with the property by fall 2016.

Longe said that he is designing a building where “the real front door is on Peabody, orienting it into downtown, but there will still be a door on Woodward. You'll be able to see through the building. We're also hoping to plant a little green space around it.”

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“We want to bring an iconic building to Birmingham,” Shiffman said, adding that stone and glass will definitely play a role in the process.

“We are going for a beautiful street presence that is in line with the neighborhood and complements the Birmingham streetscape.”

Birmingham's valet program to change Downtown Birmingham began offering valet parking to shoppers and visitors this spring during the Hamilton Road construction, which was completed on Friday, July 1, but due to its success, the city and Birmingham Shopping District (BSD) have decided to continue offering valet service – but with a significant increase in cost.

As of Monday, July 11, drivers who pulled up on Old Woodward in front of Panera and Comerica Bank had to pay $8 for four hours of valet parking – a steep jump from the complementary two hours drivers have been enjoying, and utilizing – since the program began in late March. After two hours, the valet service continues to be $5 an hour.

“The program was set up to accommodate the Hamilton Road construction, and Hamilton Road has reopened,” said Birmingham City Manager Joe Valentine. “We determined we wanted to continue it for the rest of the year. The BSD was subsidizing it during construction, and they are no longer able to do so.”

The idea behind offering valet parking began when Hamilton Road closed for a complete reconstruction project on March 28. In order to make shopping, dining, and visiting the establishments on Hamilton and around N. Old Woodward in the downtown area a little easier, the BSD decided to offer free customer valet parking Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on N. Old Woodward at the corner of Hamilton, in front of Comerica Bank.

The first two hours of valet had been free, with subsequent hours charged at $5 an hour.

“We will continue to evaluate the valet parking in order to make it viable and financially feasible,” he said. “This may change again. We are looking at valet parking as a long -term service in downtown Birmingham, and will continue to evaluate ways to make it viable.”

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Birmingham $339,500 Perfect, sought-after Pembroke Park location. Beautifully landscaped corner lot with expansive multi-level deck and fully fenced yard. 216065318 Presented by Brandon Curry

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Clarkston $324,900

Completely re-done, updated and expanded tri-level home. Fenced yard with large in-ground pool, custom built Club House with electricity & shed for storage. 216070462 Presented by Ann Greenberg

Welcome to The Parks at Stonewood! Adorable Cape Cod exudes the warmth of quiet Southern charm while its location offers all the conveniences of an ever growing city. 216063433 Presented by Beth Watson

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Springfield Township $283,200 Move right into this hidden gem! Beautiful updated Colonial on 3/4 of an acre lot with professional mature landscaping. 216070455 Presented by Debbie Weiss

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Sterling Heights $214,900

Waterford Township $178,000

A rare opportunity to purchase a Ranch style Condo in The Village at The Vineyards!

Private deck off of family room with nice rear yard. 216064708 Presented by Donna Barlow

This lovely mid century modern has an easy flowing floor plan which resonates simplicity and the clean look. Lake privileges to Pleasant Lake. 216059392 Presented by Wendi Miller

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28815 Hidden Trail - Farmington Hills $385,000 Gorgeous detached condo in desirable Copper Creek tucked deep in sub overlooking the 6th fairway. Open floor plan boasts a spacious master suite with cathedral ceiling, walk-in closet, jetted tub and separate shower. Gracious 2 story foyer welcomes you with a bridge overlooking large great room with skylights and gas fireplace. Door walls walk out to a large deck and panoramic views of golf course. Great for entertaining. Recessed lighting throughout. Very large basement/high ceilings, glass block windows and tons of storage. Side entry garage with new epoxy floor. Updates include high efficiency furnace and air conditioning, sump pump and roof. Three bedrooms with 2.1 baths.

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248.444.4547 415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009

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Luxurious Country Setting in Bloomfield Township $769,900 Quoted from Michael Angelo, "I just chip away what doesn't belong there", this home is a near perfect renovation with over 3300 square feet plus another 3000 square feet of living space in the finished walk out lower level. The spacious kitchen with huge center island and stunning olive tone granite counters opens to a cozy family room with natural fireplace and vaulted exposed wood ceiling and a Vivaldi settee room with tons of light overlooking the expansive rear yard. Best of all, this home truly offers country living in the city hidden within a serene wooded setting right behind the maple and telegraph intersection. Walk to all major conveniences and come home to this relaxing atmosphere in minutes.

Quarton Lake Estates Custom French Colonial $1,295,000 Custom designed and renovated in 2010, this rich French Colonial in Quarton Lake Estates can be your next dream home. With a large expansive back yard, double patios and lush mature landscaping the grounds are fabulous. The chef's kitchen complete with high end appliances and leathered granite opens to the soaring ceiling great room flanked by three custom medieval style glass doors with access to the rear yard. The first floor master is a nice luxury with a stunning glamour bath and large dressing/walk-in closet area as well. Rich hardwood floors combined with a custom staircase to 3 additional bedrooms and a gorgeous loft area plus a finished basement makes this home everything you could possibly want in a premium Birmingham location.

Custom Build To Suit Along Rouge River In Franklin $1,690,000 Custom build the home of your dreams on this 3 acre walk-out site on a wonderful street in Franklin right across from two multi million dollar properties. This masterfully designed new construction estate by Hemphill Custom Builders offers luxurious living in a country setting yet only one mile away from downtown Franklin. Every detail of this 5000 sq ft residence will be expertly designed and crafted using the highest quality materials of your choice. The home featured here is just one of many you can choose from and of course any feature can be customized to your taste. Drive by and walk this property at your leisure and contact the listing agent for more information including the extensive list of items offered with this new construction. Amazing opportunity and an optimal time to build! Topographical survey available too! Land can be sold separately $619,000.

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415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009

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Quarton Lake Frontage $4,995,000

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Imagine owning your very own private, new const, luxury resort, nestled on only remaining lot in Quarton Lake with views of the waterfall, lake, park and river. This world class landmark home cannot be replicated... once in a lifetime opportunity awaits the most discriminating buyer. 5300 Sq Ft, 4 BR, 5.3 BA, 3 Car Attached Garage.

This artistic gem perched on stunning wooded ravine brings luxury living to Rochester Hills. This Frank Lloyd Wright inspired masterpiece designed by Young & Young & meticulously crafted & constructed by Joseph P. Craig seamlessly incorporates inside & out. 3700 Sq Ft, 4 BR, 4.2 BA, 3 Car Attached Garage.

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Royal Oak $189,000 897 Sq Ft, 3 BR, 2 BA, 1 Car Detached Garage

Marketing a home requires unique skills, knowledge and resources that Signature Sotheby's International Realty offers its clients. I would welcome the opportunity to offer you a confidential marketing analysis.

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MUNICIPAL

Park land rezoning turned down again

By Lisa Brody

A request to consider rezoning the 404 Park Street property at Park, Oakland and Woodward in Birmingham from R-2 single family residential to TZ-1 transitional, met with the same fate it has met with for the last several years, a refusal on the part of the city commission to change the zoning on what the considered was a spot zoning request.

Birmingham planning director Jana Ecker began the public hearing on Monday, June 27, by noting, “We have discussed this property many, many times over the last six years or so. There have been many rezoning attempts, numerous postponements, and meetings with residents. In September 2015, the city commission denied the rezoning with prejudice, sending it back to the planning board, where they have re-examined it.”

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She said the planning board hired LSL Planning to do a study, which noted that 404 Park is an unusual site, and said it is part of the adjacent Little San Francisco neighborhood, as well as looking at it as a buffering area. She said the planning board in April 2016 recommended approval of the TZ-1 rezoning, and to permit four single family attached units on the site.

The TZ-1 transitional zoning classification is a residential classification that would permit higher density in transitional areas between neighborhoods and commercial areas.

At the September 2015 city commission meeting, Ecker noted the property, at the corner of Park, Oakland Avenue and Woodward, had been vacant since 1988, and a developer, Burton-Katzman, has been seeking to put up a four-unit apartment building, which the TZ1 reclassification would have permitted. Neighborhood residents in

attendance at both meetings wore “No spot zoning” signs and spoke in opposition to the development and to having rental property at the site.

During the public hearing on June 27, numerous residents, many who said they have attended every neighborhood, planning and commission meeting held over the years, once again stated their opposition to the rezoning of the property.

“When we last looked at this in September of last year, we looked at parcels across the city to see if they should be rezoned. I don't see any difference from then to now,” stated commissioner Stuart Sherman. “This was a consultant looking at what could be done, not what should be done. If you look at Oakland at N. Old Woodward, it's commercial, then there's residential, then there's this, which they want as transitional. You would have sandwich zoning. Doing this makes no sense. If you're going to have transitional zoning, it should

DOWNTOWN

be congruent. Just because the developer wants it to be something else, doesn't mean we have to do it.

It's not about the development or the developer. We look at development overall, not parcel by parcel.”

“I don't see how you could override every resident,” said commissioner Carroll DeWeese. “Maybe we can take this up after the master plan has reviewed the entire area. For now, let it rest. I would not give direction to the planning board.”

“I'm having a hard time finding a community benefit,” agreed commissioner Andy Harris.

Commissioner Patricia Bordman said that residents needed to be aware that the property owner was entitled to bring back a zoning request in exactly one year.

After denying the zoning request, the commission unanimously directed staff and the planning board to come up with the best way to utilize Oakland Avenue between Ferndale and Woodward.

08.16

BUSINESS MATTERS Fast casual Mid-Eastern A new taste of the Mideast will come to downtown Birmingham when 2941 Street Food, 176 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, opens this September. The fast-casual restaurant, which takes its name from the geographic coordinates of the area from where its cuisine originates, specializes in a modern version of Mediterranean and Mideast fare. Located in the former Einstein Bagels location, the restaurant is the second of its kind from owner Jacques Von Standen and restauranteur Joe Vicari, head of Joe Vicari Restaurant Group, which includes Andiamo, Joe Muer Seafood and others. Von Standen, who opened the first 2941 Street Food location last year in Rochester Hills, said the restaurant was inspired by a former Lebanese boss in the Washington D.C. area, where he cooked for 17 years. The menu, which includes several build-yourown meals, pulls flavors from Lebanon, Greece, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Cyprus and other foods cooked on the streets of the region.

Juice production and store Popular juicery and restaurant Beyond Juice, 270 W. Maple Road, Birmingham, has opened a new production facility and storefront in the city’s Rail District, at 2221 Cole Street. Elliott Disner, creative director for Beyond Juice, said the 2,800 square-foot location opened to the public in early July. “This is where we do all of our juice manufacturing and all of our sauces, dressings, and baked goods,” Disner said. “It’s open to the public, so they can view our processes and place orders.” The production and storefront facility offers the full menu available at their other storefront locations, with the exception of sandwich bread – just wraps. The facility produces all of the pre-made items offered at Beyond Juice’s locations in downtown Birmingham, Somerset Mall in Troy, and Southfield on Evergreen Road. The production facility will also produce items for the business’ Eastern Market location on Russell Street, in Detroit, which is expected to open in August.

A fifth location will be coming to the Beaumont Hospital lobby in Royal Oak. Disner said initial plans to house production operations in Eastern Market were scrapped when the Cole Street location became available, which is more centrally downtownpublications.com

located to existing storefronts. The new location also replaces the previous production location in Warren.

Fashionable women’s shoes A long-standing and popular women’s shoe store in West Bloomfield will be opening its second location this August in downtown Birmingham. Rob Wolk, owner of Sundance Shoes, 6915 Orchard Lake Road, in West Bloomfield said the Birmingham location, 239 S. Old Woodward, is expected to open during the first week in August. Wolk, who has run the West Bloomfield location for more than 30 years, will run the new location with his daughter, Katie Ray Johnston. Wolk’s son – James Wolk, known for portraying the character Bob Benson on the TV show “Mad Men” and currently starring on the show “Zoo” – is also a partner in the business. The new 2,200-squarefoot location is being completely renovated and will feature merchandise from Free People, Ugg, Timberland, Sorel, Jeffrey Campbell, Eileen Fisher, Doc Martin, Kenneth Cole, Donald J. Pliner, Steve Madden, Vic Camuto, BCBG, Tom’s, Converse, Frye Boots, and other lines. The store is known for its fashionable and moderately-priced shoes and purses. Wolk said the store planned to participate in Birmingham’s Day On The Town event on July 23, and plans to open the following week.

“It will be a little different, but mostly the same,” Wolk said about the new store. “We have great merchandise and a great crew with my daughter and her crew running it. There will be more accessories. It’s going to be a fun place where people want to go and shop.”

Gemology changes Master gemologist James R. Krol, owner of Birmingham Gemological Services, 251 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, closed his downtown location nearly a year ago, but has since come out of retirement and reopened at 3001 W. Big Beaver Road, Suite 112, in Troy, across from the Somerset Collection. Krol has more than 40 years experience as a retail jeweler, diamond merchant and loose colored stone salesman, including 37 years as the owner of the Birmingham business.

Floral shop expands Detroit-area florists Norman Silk and Dale Morgan, owners of Blossoms, 33866 Woodward Ave., in Birmingham, this August will open a longanticipated Midtown location at 4152

Third Street in Detroit. The new location, which was initially announced more than a year ago, will host an open house on Sunday, August 7. The new location marks a return to the city that housed the owners’ first store, Silk and Morgan, which first opened in 1977 in the Millender Center. That store was followed by locations in Birmingham and Grosse Pointe Farms. The new store is located at Third and Willis in the original workroom/design center that was once home to a topless shoeshine parlor in the early 1970s, Silk said. The new location will also house an art space, Blossoming Artists, which will showcase emerging Detroit artists.

Blow-out bar A new blow-out salon is expected to be open this August in Birmingham with the addition of Blo Blow Dry Bar, 555 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, in the city’s downtown area. The new storefront is one of more than 70 Blo locations in the United States and Canada. The salons offers nail, makeup, waxing and hair services, including washes and blow-outs, sans cuts and colors. The Birmingham location will offer a sleek look with white chairs, stainless steel and pink accents.

Credit union opens Birmingham/Bloomfield area residents used to doing their banking with DFCU Financial in Dearborn may now do their banking closer to home with the opening of a full-service DFCU Financial, 2483 W. Maple, in Birmingham. Peggy Richard, public relations director for the credit union, said many members who live in the Birmingham area have been banking in Dearborn, where the credit union is headquartered. The new location, which is just outside of downtown, at the corner of W. Maple and Cranbrook, marks the fourth full-service location in Oakland County and the first in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area.

Originally started by Ford Motor Company engineers in the 1950s, DFCU is now open to anyone who lives, works or worships in Michigan.

With 28-full service locations in the state and several ATM locations, DFCU is one of the largest credit unions in the state, with more than $3.7 billion in assets.

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P U B L I C A T I O N S 124 WeST MAPLe ROAd BIRMINghAM 48009

Business Matters for the Birmingham Bloomfield area are reported by Kevin Elliott. Send items for consideration to KevinElliott@downtownpublications.com.

Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.

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105

Experience…Extraordinary…Marketing Mike Cotter and Paula Law, Associate Real Estate Brokers representing Michigan families for over 45 years.

445 Arlington Street Birmingham | $2,650,000 On over an acre lot on one of Birmingham’s most sought after streets, you’ll find this gorgeous, completely renovated classic home. Additions masterfully integrated with the utmost attention to detail and sensitivity to the architectural integrity.

This home displays the highest quality throughout, impeccable décor and is extremely detailed from the "Art Deco" library in Maples to the glorious handpainted foyer with circular staircase. One of the most spectacular, private and artfully designed lots in all of Birmingham.

5 BEDS | 4.2 BATHS | 4900 SQ FT

685 Hillcrest Bloomfield Hills | $1,699,000 Located in the prime location, on Vaughan, in the City of Bloomfield Hills this spectacular 2 acre estate offers privacy and serenity while still being minutes from everything. This transitional style home has all the latest amenities and highly sought after first floor master. The master bedroom retreat has vaulted cove ceilings, 2-way fireplace, elegant tile bath with jetted tub, oversized shower, heated floors, his and hers sinks and vanities, and 12x22 walk-in-closet. The artfully landscaped grounds feature a gorgeous custom rock pool with built-in spa and waterfall.

5 BEDS | 3.2 BATHS | 4616 SQ FT

1800 Tiverton Road Bloomfield Hills | $1,895,000 Beautifully tucked away in the City of Bloomfield Hills on a private lane, "Villa Bell’umbra" is situated on 2 beautifully manicured and secluded acres with stream, waterfall and mature trees, offering an exceptionally tranquil and peaceful setting. This exquisite Alexander Bogaerts Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie architectural design has it all for your entertaining delight and a highly sought after first floor master suite! Over 8,000 sq. ft. of luxurious spaces including the finished walkout.

5 BEDS | 5.3 BATHS | 5025 SQ FT

M. Michael Cotter, CRS Associate Broker 248.310.1974 • mcotter@maxbroock.com

Paula Kania Law, CRS, SFR Associate Broker 248.535.4700 • paulalaw@maxbroock.com 275 S. Old Woodward Ave. Birmingham, MI 48009

www.luxuryhomesofmichigan.com

FACES

John Reddy ormer Navy man, carpenter, taxi driver and newspaper editor John Reddy taps into his life experiences as an impassioned playwright with Birmingham Village Players, the community theater he and his wife have been a member of since 1977.

“I didn’t go to college until I was out of the Navy, and guys talk about things. And you live, or learn vicariously, through other people’s experiences. Not to suggest (the plays) are personal,” said Reddy, “but, they’re situations and circumstances that I think produce conflict, a test of personal values.”

Reddy recalled his script for “Collectables,” a play he said resonated with older members of the audience. He tells a comedic tale of a widow and widower who find themselves ready to downsize from individual homes and move in together.

“Each would bring their own furnishings, and the woman would like to see her grand piano in the living room, but the widower, he had a sportsoriented background and said, ‘That would be a great place for my trophies…’ So you can see the kind of conflict that would ensue,” said Reddy, with a chuckle.

When a special agent is hired to help the two navigate their differences, they discover a shared problem: what to do with the boxes and boxes of stuff left behind by their grown children.

“The special agent takes a sip of her wine,” said Reddy, “and says to both of them, in a dramatic gesture, ‘Well, here’s how you handle that, you box everything up and mail it to them C.O.D. (cash on delivery).” So

F

that one got a big laugh in the audience. Many people have had that experience.”

But, to be sure, Reddy’s wife, Joan, points out that a retelling of the plot doesn’t compare with seeing the play firsthand.

“My wife just gave me a note. She said, ‘You’re talking too much and it’s not as good as the plays,’” he reads aloud, laughing. “That’s what you get for 57 years of marriage – but anyway.”

As if from a scripted romance, Reddy met Joan on a blind date at Chicago’s Navy Pier and the two were wed eight months later. He went on to secure a job with the Chicago Sun-Times, and in 1968, relocated to metro Detroit, when he was hired as the managing editor of the Birmingham Eccentric.

“There were fewer options to rewrite in journalism,” said Reddy, who was attracted to the dialogue that typifies theater and playwriting.

“In reading fiction, I would read quote to quote. I found myself reading less carefully the author’s utterances because I always felt the quotes were more revealing. That’s how I got into playwriting.”

During his tenure with Village Players, Reddy has been involved on all aspects of theater, from transporting sets and holding stage parts to producing and directing plays. Since his Navy days in the ‘50s, he’s remained “enamored with the theater,” and maintains that his favorite place is in the audience.

Story: Katie Deska

Photo: Laurie Tennent

PLACES TO EAT The Places To Eat for Downtown is a quick reference source to establishments offering a place for dining, either breakfast, lunch or dinner. The listings include nearly all dining establishments with seating in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area, and then some select restaurants outside the immediate area served by Downtown. The complete Places To Eat is available at downtownpublications.com and in an optimized format for your smart phone (downtownpublications.com/mobile), where you can actually map out locations and automatically dial a restaurant from our Places To Eat.

Birmingham/Bloomfield 220: American. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 220 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.2220.

5th Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 2262 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9607.

Andiamo: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.865.9300.

Arthur Avenue: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 260 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009.

248.480.0768.

Au Cochon: French. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 260 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham 48009.

248.792.7795.

Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6608 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.792.3579.

Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Township, 48304.

248.499.6867.

Beau's: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 4108 W. Maple, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630.

Bella Piatti: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

167 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.494.7110.

Beverly Hills Grill: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. No reservations. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, 48025. 248.642.2355.

Beyond Juice: Contemporary. Breakfast & Lunch daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

No reservations. 270 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7078.

Big Rock Chophouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 245 South Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774.

Bill's: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Daily. Reservations, lunch only.

Liquor. 39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.646.9000.

Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.8880.

Bistro Joe’s Kitchen: Global. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Sunday brunch. Liquor.

Reservations. 34244 Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.0984.

Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.645.6879.

Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6690.

Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily.

downtownpublications.com

Liquor. Call ahead. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township.

248.642.4000.

Cafe Via: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.8800.

Cameron’s Steakhouse: American.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.723.1700.

China Village: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 1655 Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.758.1221.

Churchill's Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555.

Cityscape Deli: Deli. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Beer.

877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220.

Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.9766.

Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.1135.

Eddie Merlot's: Steak & seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 37000 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.712.4095.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.258.9939.

Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2420.

Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033.

Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134.

Forest: European. Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.9400 Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Greek.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222.

Griffin Claw Brewing Company: American.

Dinner, Tuesday-Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday and Sunday. No Reservations.

Liquor. 575 S. Eton Street, Birmingham.

248.712.4050.

Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111.

Hunter House Hamburgers: American.

Breakfast, Monday-Saturday; Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.7121.

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.594.4369.

IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. 248.333.7522.

Ironwood Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations, 6 or more. Liquor.

290 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.385.0506.

Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield

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Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166.

La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.5800.

La Strada Dolci e Caffe: Italian. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 243 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0492.

Leo’s Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.9707.

Also 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.646.8568.

Little Daddy’s Parthenon: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.647.3400.

Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily; Late Night, 9 p.m.-closing. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.6051.

Mad Hatter Cafe: Tea Room. Brunch, Lunch & Dinner. No reservations. Liquor.

185 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.540.0000 Mandaloun Bistro: Lebanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, Daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 30100 Telegraph Rd., Suite 130, Bingham Farms, 48025.

248.723.7960.

Market North End: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations.

Liquor. 474 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.712.4953.

MEX Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.723.0800.

Mitchell’s Fish Market: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.3663.

Mountain King: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 469 South Old

•

Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.2913.

New Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday; Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. No reservations. 183 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2181.

Nippon Sushi Bar: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2079 S. Telegraph, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9581.

Nosh & Rye: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily.

No reservations. 39495 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.646.7923.

Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.451.0500.

Original Pancake House: American.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.5775.

Panera Bread: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 100 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7966.

Also 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.253.9877.

Phoenicia: Middle Eastern. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.3122.

Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 239 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.6999.

Qdoba: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 795 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.988.8941.

Also 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304.

248.874.1876 Roadside B & G: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

1727 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills,

48302. 248.858.7270.

Rojo Mexican Bistro: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.6200.

Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977.

Sanders: American. Lunch, daily. No reservations. 167 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.3215.

Sidecar Slider Bar: Burgers. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 280 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham 48009.

248.220.4167.

Social Kitchen & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations, parties of 5 or more. Liquor. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200.

Stacked Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Delivery available. No reservations. 233 North Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.5300.

Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301.

248.932.0800.

Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily.

Reservations, Lunch only. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.9123.

Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887.

Sweet Tree Family Restaurant: Middle Eastern/American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42757 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.7767.

Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830.

Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American.

Dinner. Monday-Saturday. Sunday brunch.

Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066.

The Corner Bar: American. Dinner.

Wednesday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2958.

The Bird & The Bread: Brasserie. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodard, Birmingham, 48009.

248.203.6600.

The Franklin Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 32760 Franklin Rd, Franklin, 48025. 248.865.6600.

The Gallery Restaurant: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.851.0313.

The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688.

The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999.

The Stand: Euro-American. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 34977 Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.220.4237.

Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278.

Touch of India: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.7881.

Townhouse: American. Brunch, Saturday, Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241.

Triple Nickel Restaurant and Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor.

Reservations. 555 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham 48009. 248.480.4951.

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110

The Community House, 380 South Bates, Birmingham, MI 48009 248.594.6415 • www.tchserves.org DOWNTOWN

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Village Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

653 S. Adams. Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.7964.

Whistle Stop Diner: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.566.3566.

Royal Oak/Ferndale Ale Mary's: American. Weekend Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 316 South Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1917.

Anita’s Kitchen: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 22651 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.548.0680.

Andiamo Restaurants: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 129 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.582.0999.

Assaggi Bistro: Italian. Lunch, TuesdayFriday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday.

Reservations. Liquor. 330 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220. 248.584.3499.

Bigalora: Italian. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 711 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067.

Bistro 82: French. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 401 S. Lafayette Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.0082.

The Blue Nile: Ethiopian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 545 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.547.6699.

Bspot Burgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 310 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.268.1621.

Cafe Muse: French. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.4749.

Cork Wine Pub: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 23810 Woodward Ave., Pleasant Ridge, 48069. 248.544.2675.

D’Amato’s: Italian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

222 Sherman Dr., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.584.7400.

Due Venti: Italian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

220 S. Main St., Clawson, 48017.

248.288.0220.

The Fly Trap: Diner. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 22950 Woodward Ave., 48220. 248.399.5150.

GreenSpace Cafe: Vegan. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 215. W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.206.7510.

Howe’s Bayou: Cajun. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 22949 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145.

Inn Season Cafe: Vegetarian. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. 500 E. Fourth St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.547.7916.

Inyo Restaurant Lounge: Asian Fusion.

Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 22871 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.543.9500.

KouZina: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 121 N. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.629.6500.

Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Weekend Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 410 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.591.5459.

Local Kitchen and Bar: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 344 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.291.5650.

Lockhart’s BBQ: Barbeque. Sunday Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 202 E. Third St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.584.4227.

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Oak City Grille: American. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 212 W. 6th St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.556.0947.

One-Eyed Betty: American. Weekend Breakfast. Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 175 W. Troy St., Ferndale, 48220.

248.808.6633.

Pronto!: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

608 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.7900.

Public House: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 241 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.850.7420.

Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 31542 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, 48073.

248.549.0300.

Ronin: Japanese. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 326 W. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.546.0888.

Royal Oak Brewery: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 215 E. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.544.1141.

Strada: Italian. Dinner, Wednesday Sunday. Liquor. No reservations. 376 N. Main Street. Royal Oak, 48067.

248.607.3127.

Toast, A Breakfast and Lunch Joint: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 23144 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.398.0444.

Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 318 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.541.1186.

Town Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.544.7300.

Trattoria Da Luigi: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 415 S, Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.542.4444.

Twisted Tavern: American. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22901 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.545,6750.

Vinsetta Garage: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

27799 Woodward Ave., Berkley, 48072.

248.548.7711.

Not to b bee explained. exp explained . To be be exp experienced.

B

Troy/Rochester Bspot Burgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 176 N. Adams Rd, Rochester Hills, 48309.

248.218.6001.

Capital Grille: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2800 West Big Beaver Rd., Somerset Collection, Troy, 48084. 248.649.5300.

Cafe Sushi: Pan-Asian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1933 W. Maple Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.280.1831.

Chapman House: French-American. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations recommended. Liquor. 311 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 48307. 248.759.4406.

Ganbei Chinese Restaurant and Bar: Chinese. Lunch, Monday-Saturday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 227 S. Main St, Rochester, 48307.

248.266.6687.

O’Connor’s Irish Public House: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 324 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307.

248.608.2537.

Kona Grille: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 30 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48083. 248.619.9060.

Kruse & Muer on Main: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 327 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.652.9400.

Lakes: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 5500 Crooks Rd., Troy, 48098. 248.646.7900.

McCormick & Schmick’s: Steak & Seafood.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. Somerset Collection, 2850

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FRONT/BACK Front/Back is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening in both the front of the house and back of the house in the restaurants in the metro Detroit area.

French patisserie Marais owners David and Monica Gilbert recently launched Marais Café, a patisserie within the Grosse Pointe restaurant, at 17051 Kercheval Avenue. Open Tuesday through Sunday, from 7 a.m. to noon, the six-day-aweek menu replaces the restaurant’s Sunday brunch, which will be discontinued as of August. The café concept capitalizes on the former brunch favorites – freshly baked pastries served in an elegant setting. The café menu includes hand-rolled croissants; macarons; crepes made on equipment imported from France; quiches; yogurt parfait; and other sweet, light fare, including fresh squeezed orange juice. Additionally, as of midJuly, Marias now has a presence in Plymouth, within the walls of Westborn Market, 860 Penniman Avenue. Described by David as a made-to-order concept, he said he spent a year consulting with representatives of Westborn and that “the premise is to enhance their program. They’re doing wonderful small plates that are made to order, and we supply a lot of pastries to them.”

Local chef changes Since Jared Bobkin’s earlier departure, “We have two exciting young guys running the kitchen,” said Ric Jewell, general manager of Local Kitchen and Bar, 344 W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale. Helmed by executive chef Joe Van Wagner and executive pastry chef Ben Robinson, the duo have taken creative liberties with the menu while maintaining the focus on “well crafted comfort food,” said Jewell. “It’s more of a question of platings, how it looks and how the food feels as a whole. We want you to look at the menu and see that it all makes sense together.” Owned by Brian Siegel, Geoff Kretchmer and Rick Halburg, chefs Van Wagner and Robinson came to Local after working together at Bacco Ristorante in Southfield. “(Robinson) and Joe wanted to do a quasi pop up dinner, and we were really impressed with what they did,” said Jewell. “We thought it would fascinating to see what they’d do with the menu.” To be certain, The Local Burger, Mac and Cheese, and Fried Green Tomatoes remain as beloved Local staples.

New craft options Craft Work owner Hubert Yaro and executive chef Aaron Solley are ushering in a new wave of offerings at the West Village restaurant, 8047 Agnes Street in Detroit. A raw bar has recently been built in the spacious dining room, which will feature dishes “focused on more seafood options, some vegetarian options and some sushi-related options,” said Yaro. While Craft Work is “not interested in fusion food,” Solley is developing a menu that includes ceviche, crudo, and beef tatake, signature dishes that are popular in Spain, Italy and Japan, respectively. As for the pop-ups, Shinya Hirakawa, sous chef of Ronin Sushi, brings sushi to Craft Work every Thursday from 5 to 10:30 p.m. in the raw bar. Additionally, Solley is preparing to host a weekly pop-up featuring a fixed-price tasting menu tailored to diners’ preferences.

Roadhouse opening Expected to open by the end of August, The Morrie is the latest project from Aaron Belen, owner of AFB Hospitality, and executive chef Derek Watson, who’s been with Belen since the launch of his restaurant Bistro 82. With Sabrage in the same building as Bistro 82, at 401 S. Lafayette, The Morrie will be Belen’s third Royal Oak restaurant, filling a 7,500-square-foot space at 511 S. Main Street. “There’s a live music component, but food is first and foremost,” said Belen, who described the menu as “roadhouse cuisine, or in layman’s terms, great bar food.” In addition to an assorted line-up of musicians, The Morrie’s resident band is Your Generation, formerly known as 50 Amp Fuse. “They’re one of the biggest bands in the state of Michigan,” said Belen, and will take the stage regularly, “playing cover songs and rock ‘n roll.” The Morrie’s on-site free parking provides an added perk.

24-hour chow With its classic cars and retro signs, Woodward Avenue has a way of inspiring nostalgia for a bygone era. Seeing the opportunity to bring a bit of history back to life, restaurateur Joe Bongiovanni, owner of Birmingham’s Market North End, recently transformed the former Onion Roll Deli into

Coolidge Hwy, Troy, 48084.

248.637.6400.

The Meeting House: American. Weekend Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 301 S. Main St, Rochester, 48307. 248.759.4825.

Miguel’s Cantina: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 870 S. Rochester Rd, Rochester Hills, 48307.

248.453.5371.

Mon Jin Lau: Asian. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Rd, Troy, 48083.

248.689.2332.

Morton’s, The Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 888 W. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.404.9845.

NM Café: American. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2705 W. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48084.

248.816.3424.

Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200.

Ocean Prime: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2915 Coolidge Hwy., Troy, 48084. 248.458.0500.

Orchid Café: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. 3303 Rochester Rd., Troy, 48085.

248.524.1944.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084.

248.816.8000.

Rochester Chop House: Steak & Seafood.

Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 306 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.651.2266.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 755 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.269.8424.

Silver Spoon: Italian. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6830 N. Rochester Rd., Rochester, 48306.

248.652.4500.

Steelhouse Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1129 E. Long Lake Rd., Troy, 48085.

248.817.2980.

Tre Monti Ristorante: Italian. Lunch, Thursdays. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday.

Reservations. Liquor. 1695 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.680.1100.

West Bloomfield/Southfield Bacco: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 29410 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.356.6600.

Beans and Cornbread: Southern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

29508 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.208.1680.

Bigalora: Italian. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield, 48034.

Maria’s Restaurant: Italian. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2080 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323.

248.851.2500.

The Bombay Grille: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 29200 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills, 48334. 248.626.2982.

The Fiddler: Russian. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 6676 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.851.8782.

The Lark: American. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6430 Farmington Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.661.4466.

Mene Sushi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine.

6239 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.538.7081.

Meriwether’s: Seafood. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 25485 Telegraph Rd, Southfield, 48034. 248.358.1310.

Pickles & Rye: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6724 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.737.3890.

Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6545 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.7463.

Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 6745 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.865.0500.

Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Orchard Mall Shopping Center, 6407 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.626.8585.

Sposita’s Ristorante: Italian. Friday Lunch. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 33210 W. Fourteen Mile Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.

538.8954.

Stage Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.855.6622.

Sweet Lorraine’s Café & Bar: American.

Weekend Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 29101 Greenfield Rd., Southfield, 48076.

248.559.5985.

Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, 48322.

248.737.8282.

West Oakland Gravity Bar & Grill: Mediterranean.

Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday, Dinner. Reservations. Liquor.

340 N. Main Street, Milford, 48381.

248.684.4223.

It's A Matter of Taste: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2323 Union Lake Road, Commerce, 48390.

248.360.4150.

The Root Restaurant & Bar: American.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday - Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 340 Town Center Blvd., White Lake, 48390.

248.698.2400.

Volare Ristorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 48992 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393.

248.960.7771.

North Oakland Clarkston Union: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 54 S. Main St., Clarkston, 48346.

248.620.6100.

Holly Hotel: American. Afternoon Tea, Monday – Saturday, Brunch, Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 110 Battle Alley, Holly, 48442.

248.634.5208.

Kruse's Deer Lake Inn: Seafood. Lunch & dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7504 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346.

248.795.2077.

Via Bologna: Italian. Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 7071 Dixie Highway, Clarkston. 48346. 248.620.8500.

Union Woodshop: BBQ. Dinner, Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday – Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 18 S. Main St., Clarkston, 48346.

248.625.5660

Detroit Angelina Italian Bistro: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor.

1565 Broadway St., Detroit, 48226.

313.962.1355.

Antietam: French. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

1428 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, 48207.

313.782.4378.

Bucharest Grill: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2040 Park Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.965.3111.

Cliff Bell’s: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 2030 Park Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.961.2543.

Coach Insignia: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

100 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243.

313.567.2622.

Craft Work: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 8047 Agnes St., Detroit, 48214.

313.469.0976.

Cuisine: French. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 670 Lothrop Rd., Detroit, 48202. 313.872.5110.

The Detroit Seafood Market: Seafood.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 1435 Randolph St., Detroit, 48226. 313.962.4180.

El Barzon: Mexican. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 3710 Junction St., Detroit, 48210. 313.894.2070.

Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café: Cajun.

Breakfast, daily. Sunday Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 400 Monroe Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.965.4600.

Giovanni’s Ristorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 330 S. Oakwood Blvd., Detroit, 48217. 313.841.0122.

Green Dot Stables: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2200 W. Lafayette, Detroit, 48216.

313.962.5588.

Jefferson House: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd., Detroit, 48226. 313.782.4318.

Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday- Friday, Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.6837.

Johnny Noodle King: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2601 W. Fort St., Detroit, 48216.

313.309.7946.

Maccabees at Midtown: American.

Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

5057 Woodward Ave., Detroit, 48202.

313.831.9311.

Mario’s: Italian. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 4222 2nd Ave., Detroit, 48201. 313.832.1616.

Midtown Shangri-la: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 4710 Cass Ave., Detroit, 48201.

313.974.7669.

Motor City Brewing Works: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Beer & Wine. 470 W. Canfield St., Detroit, 48201. 313.832.2700.

1917 American Bistro: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 19416 Livernois Ave., Detroit, 48221.

313.863.1917.

Prism: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 E. Lafayette St, Detroit, 48226.

313.309.2499.

Red Smoke Barbeque: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

Trappers Alley Shopping Center, 573 Monroe Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.962.2100.

Roma Café: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

3401 Riopelle St., Detroit, 48207.

313.831.5940.

Russell Street Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 2465 Russell St, Detroit,

48207. 313.567.2900.

Santorini Estiatorio: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 501 Monroe Ave, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.9366.

Selden Standard: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 3921 Second Ave., Detroit, 48201.

313.438.5055.

Sinbad’s: Seafood. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

100 St Clair St., Detroit, 48214.

313.822.8000.

Slows Bar BQ: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2138 Michigan Ave, Detroit, 48216.

313.962.9828.

Small Plates Detroit: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 1521 Broadway St., Detroit, 48226. 313.963.0702.

St. CeCe’s Pub: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1426 Bagley Ave., Detroit, 48216.

313.962.2121.

Tap at MGM Grand: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 1777 Third Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1234.

Taqueria Nuestra Familia: Mexican.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 7620 Vernor Hwy., Detroit, 48209. 313.842.5668.

The Block: American. Sunday Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 3919 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.0892.

Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 519 East Jefferson Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.964.4010.

Top of the Pontch: American. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservation. Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd, Detroit, 48226.

313.782.4313.

Traffic Jam & Snug: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

511 W. Canfield, Detroit, 48201.

313.831.9470.

24grille: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, 1114 Washington Blvd, Detroit, 48226.

313.964.3821.

Union Street: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4145 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201.

313.831.3965.

Vince’s: Italian. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 1341 Springwells St., Detroit, 48209. 313.842.4857.

Vivio’s Food & Spirits: American.

Saturday Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2460 Market St., Detroit, 48207.

313.393.1711.

The Whitney: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & High Tea, Monday-Friday. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, daily. Liquor.

Reservations. 4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.5700.

Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina: Italian. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday.

Reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third St, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1646.

Wolfgang Puck Steak: Steak & Seafood.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third St, Detroit, 48226.

313.465.1411.

Wright & Co.: American. Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1500 Woodward Ave Second Floor, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.7711.

O.W.L., a 24-hour “Mexican American hamburger stand,” as he put it. The 14-seat, quick-bite spot slings “hamburgers, chicken wings, and a whole side of it that is a small Mexican element that we think is important. We have a breakfast sandwich component, an egg component that’s prevalent, breakfast served 24 hours,” said Bongiovanni, who runs the restaurant with his wife Kristin Bongiovanni and brother Larry Bongiovanni. Painted black with a white angled roof, the original structure remains, as has the iconic sign, now accented with an owl and the letters O.W.L., an acronym that Bongiovanni said he leaves up to the customers to define.

Vegetarian lunch added The plant-based GreenSpace Cafe, 215 W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale, recently expanded its hours and is now open for the lunchtime rush. Owned

by Dr. Joel Kahn, a cardiologist, the lunch menu includes smaller portions of dinnertime favorites, as well as a handful of new dishes. GreenSpace provides light options such as Tomatillo Gazpacho and Masoor Dahl soup; signature salads; and a variety of animal-free entrees such as the faro lentil burger and vegetable/quinoa/noodle bowls. Keeping in mind the dietary restrictions and health concerns of their customers, the vegan restaurant, which opened for dinner last December, has gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oil-free options available. The sleek café, with its high ceilings and wood furniture, serves wine, beer, cocktails and raw juice.

Food truck transformation Norma G’s, a food truck that’s been dishing up Caribbean cuisine in the Detroit area for the last two years, is working on plans to open a brick and mortar restaurant, at 14628 E. Jefferson in Detroit. A participant in Mayor Mike Duggan’s MotorCity Match program, chef-owner Lester Gouvia said Norma G’s is in the final running for a hefty grant to help him set up shop in the east Jefferson corridor. Gouvia’s signature Curry Chicken is a hit with the public. Prepared with a West Indian-style curry, “it’s a combo of vegetables, Yukon gold potatoes, green beans, chick peas, with chicken in a Trinidad yellow curry. It’s not made with coconut milk, just a combination of those things, with all the flavors, and obviously a little spice to it,” he said.

Jefferson East, Inc., a Detroit community organization, is also a key a component behind the restaurant project, said Gouvia, noting humbly, “I’m a part of this, not the ‘it’ itself.”

Sushi hits Detroit Maru Sushi & Grill, a small Michigan chain with four locations, is set to open this fall in Detroit at the Federal Reserve Building, 160 Fort Street. To be managed by Thomas Rossana, currently the manager of the Midland location, the restaurant is characterized as casual fine dining, and offers a “balanced menu that can be lighter wallet,” said Rossana. “If you’re looking for an upscale experience, we have that as well. We have signature specialty rolls, and a pretty in-depth omakase section, which is a term for ‘trusting your chef.’” A crowd favorite is the Crouching Tiger, which Rossana said is made with “panko-fried shrimp, crab and cream cheese, avocado and ebi, a type of blanched shrimp.” Maru also serves dishes from the hibachi grill, and to accompany the meal, carries a full bar, including a variety of sake.

Launched in 2009 by owner Robert Song, Maru Sushi & Grill can be found in East Lansing, Okemos, and Grand Rapids, with another one slated for Kalamazoo.

End of the road A loss for the area’s many dedicated followers, Peabody’s Restaurant at 34965 Woodward in Birmingham, served its final meals on Saturday, July 30, closing the door on a 40-year-old family owned and operated business.

Peabody’s began as a local fruit market in 1947, opened by Stan and Louise Peabody, grandparents of the current owners, sisters Susan, Nancy, and Barbara Peabody. In 1975, Jim Peabody, Stan and Louise’s son and Susan, Barbara and Nancy’s father, converted the barn structure that housed the fruit market into the popular local restaurant, offering modern American fare and spirits. Susan Peabody had originally stated last spring that the sisters were considering reopening the restaurant in a smaller space in the future, but she said in July she had no comment at this point. “It’s so busy here.

We’re just trying to get this closed up.”

Front/Back is reported each month by Katie Deska. KatieDeska@DowntownPublications.com. We welcome news items or tips, on or off the record, about what's happening in the front or back of the house at metro area restaurants.

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FACES

Nathan Cykiert electing a birthday gift for a teenager can seem nearly impossible, but a young Nathan Cykiert, then 13, lucked out when he was given a Sony Camcorder in celebration of his bat mitzvah.

Now 24, the Andover High School graduate finds himself living in New York City, working at Mic as the video producer for Mic Check, a show that airs Monday through Friday on Facebook, YouTube, Vine and other digital media sites.

“It’s a three minute daily video where we tackle a topic in a comedic way,” said Cykiert, who works with two others to develop the show, which recently aired its 100th episode.

Mic Check’s director and editor came from Slate and New York Magazine, and Cykiert met writer/host, Sage Boggs, when the two were interning for hit late-night comedy shows.

“We definitely have taken inspiration from (Stephen) Colbert and (John) Stewart and (Jimmy) Fallon and Samantha Bee and John Oliver. We’re not planning on reinventing the wheel, but we want our own original voice that’s on par with these shows, but that’s a three-minute video,” Cykiert said. “We want people to start tuning in every day to see what our take is going to be.”

Looking back, Cykiert points to high school as a catalyst for his chosen career. “When I was at Andover, you could take classes at Lahser (High School) for video, because they had a TV studio there.

Once I got started in that, it was the only class I really cared about.

I took to it right away. Suddenly, I had this ability to create whatever I wanted. I had the freedom to create.”

Around for the state’s former film incentives, Cykiert's first production jobs were in Michigan, and provided him with on-set experience as a production assistant. After a year at Michigan State University, it was clear to Cykiert that his next step was to enroll in film school. In 2010, he transferred to the School of Visual Arts in New York, where he got in touch with high-tech equipment, and possibilities for further artistic exploration.

“I’ve been lucky to come into the industry as digital media took off, and you didn’t have to just work for a network or a big TV show to make content that goes to millions of people. I have the ability to make something with Mic right now, and we put it on YouTube or Facebook, and can reach the same amount of people.”

Happy with his New York location, Cykiert said, “I don’t need to move across the country to try something else, or if I wanted to move into more narrative work in the future,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going to come next, because when I was in school six years ago I never would have thought I’d be working in news. But I worked for Jimmy Fallon and realized how much I loved the workflow of writing, shooting, editing, and doing the whole show that day.”

Occasionally returning to the Detroit area to visit family and friends, the Bloomfield Hills native noted the city’s appeal – “There’s the show ‘Detroiters,’ one of the SNL (Saturday Night Live) writers created, and some people from New York are behind it, and LA, but they’re filming in Detroit.”

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Story: Katie Deska

Photo: Thomas Houston

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THE COMMUNITY HOUSE

THE LAST FARMERS IN OAKLAND

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth”

WHO'S IN THE PULPITS • RESTAURANT

– Muhammad Ali

INSPECTIONS • OAKLAND ILLEGAL

I read recently that “non-profit organizations are entities that serve needs; needs that no one else would otherwise be willing, capable, or even interested in solving. Health, poverty, domestic violence, the environment, animal cruelty, hunger, and homelessness are just some of the many worthy causes that need to be addressed.”

It is often difficult to measure the “economic value that non-profits add to our society, simply because the end product of our organizational processes are not tangible products or services, but rather intangible outcomes such as behavioral changes, reduced rates, or improved results of some sort. However, there is true economic value that we add to our society, and, to mankind.”

So too, The Community House is home to those seeking continuity between personal, professional, philanthropic and recreational. In addition to our own mission, The Community House also remains “home” to 14 other nonprofit and supported groups in our area. Noble and important organizations that are generously subsidized

by The Community House.

In 2015, The Community House subsidized and provided critical support to these 14 organizations at a cost of over $700,000. Funds that The Community House covered via its revenue generating opportunities, and supplemented by generous donors via our annual fundraising initiatives. It is right. We are willing. It is what our founders called us to do. All utilized free space, most free or discounted services, others free or discounted food. All extraordinary organizations raising awareness and bringing much needed support, visibility and funding; time, talent and treasure to worthwhile causes operating within our region, across the state, and around the world.

LOCAL

IMMIGRANTS • CABLE TV CHANGES ILLEGAL DISCHARGES INTO LOCAL WATERS • CRISIS HOTLINES • SCHOOL Downtown.

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Produced by local residents TRACKING YOU CHALDEAN MIGRATION from offices in downtown Birmingham.

HISTORY • LOBBYISTS SHAPING THE

Bill Seklar

Quality editorial product.

DEBATE Leadership • DOWNSIDE OF SEXTING on issues important to residents.

INNOCENCE PROJECT • ONLINE

Should you be interested in supporting or volunteering for any or all of these great causes, lending your time, talent or treasure to them or to The Community House – know that you are needed, wanted and welcome.

Those groups who also call The Community House home include: Birmingham Bloomfield Newcomers Club: This organization makes it possible for women who are new to the area to meet, make wonderful friendships and to participate in countless activities and events.

Friends of the Garden: The mission is to keep the gardens and grounds of The Community House beautifully planted and maintained and to provide continuing education on gardening.

International Culture and Cuisine: The ICC offers a warm and friendly environment where members gather to learn more about the cultures of the world by exploring the many experiences the metro Detroit area has to offer and by sharing information about their own backgrounds.

President's Advisory Council (PAC): The mission is to advise and give counsel to the TCH President on a wide range of issues with special emphasis on “fostering philanthropy in the next generations; generating funds and support for TCH youth programs and services; and helping to inspire and promote modern leadership and community opportunities.”

Race Relations & Diversity Task Force: To actively promote and embrace an appreciation for diversity and to advocate for inclusivity, equality, and justice in the region.

Senior Men's Club: An organization of active senior men devoted to the promotion of fellowship, cultural interests and the rendering of community service.

Storytellers Guild: To enrich the lives of children through the art and love of storytelling.

TCH Women's Club: The purpose is to provide fellowship, programs, and activities for the membership.

Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber: To serve our six communities as their leading resource for advancing business interests and building relationships.

Birmingham Lions Club: Service To Others - Lions Clubs are recognized for their service to the blind and visually impaired.

Birmingham Optimist Club: To develop optimism as a philosophy of life; to promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs; inspire respect for the law; to promote patriotism and work for international accord and friendship among all people.

Birmingham Shopping District: We strive to provide leadership in marketing, advertising and promotion of the Birmingham Shopping District.

Rotary Club: Encourages and fosters the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service, and high ethical standards in business and professions.

Track record of supporting EDUCATION • CONTROLLING local business as part of ourHOUSE effort to help maintain PARTIES • THE SHERIFF BOUCHARD strong communities.

INTERVIEW • KLU KLUX KLAN • SCHOOL Join local business leaders,

POLICE PERSONAL 400 of whomPROTECTION use DowntownORDERS regular basis, WATER in CHEMICALSonINa MUNICIPAL • THE our September issue.

IMMUNIZATION DEBATE • PLAN B Ad deadline Friday, August 12.

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Contact Mark Grablowski.

Office:CARD 248.792.6464 601 REPORT ON AIRext.

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SCAMMING THE VULNERABLE

MATTERS SECRET TRAIN CARGO

CAMPAIGN CASH • TESTING THE SWIMMING BEACHES •

CULTIVATING • YOUNG DONORS • THE

William D. Seklar is President & CEO of The Community House in Birmingham. downtownpublications.com

DOWNTOWN

STATE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLEANING UP TOXIC SITES 117

SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Here is the update on the recent social scene.

Many more photos from each event appear online each week at downtownpublications.com where readers can sign up for an e-mail notice when the latest social scene column is posted.

Past columns and photos are also archived at the website for Downtown.

Sunset at the Zoo Benefactor Bash

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Sunset at the Zoo Benefactor Bash Cynthia and Edsel Ford, who hosted the first party for Sunset at the Zoo benefactors in 2005, opened their doors again for the 2016 benefactors Sally Gerak ($750 ticket) and some 100 of them attended.

Socializing centered on the back porch and in the gardens – both with traditional sensibilities and a splendiferous view of Lake St. Clair.

Conversation paused for zoo director Ron Kagan to thank everybody, especially new Polk Penguin Conservation Center lead donors Stephen and Bobbi Polk and the hosts, who were presented with a penguin-shaped topiary. All guests left with a plush penguin souvenir. Three weeks later a record-setting crowd of more than 2,500 flocked to the zoo for the main event – Penguin Palooza. They savored drinks and comestibles from more than 50 generous establishments, spent $20,000-plus for Sunset keys to open prize cages, and bid more than $30,000 in the silent auction. The live auction for such offerings as dinner parties in the penguin center and the Cotton Family Wolf Wilderness added another $50,000-plus. Many guests rounded out the evening by dancing under the stars to Simon Vitale’s music. Thanks also to generous sponsors, the event netted more than $500,000.

ORT/ART and the City Nicole Eisenberg, Cathy Forbes and Jessica Kwartowitz, who chaired ORT’s latest fundraiser, chose Eastern Market as the venue. Nearly 400 supporters ($55 & up tickets) of ORT’s education programs flocked there to sip, sup on food truck fare and, most especially, to view and bid on Somerset Collection store merchandise that had been artistically enhanced by College for Creative Studies students. Music by Jared Sykes accented all the activity, which generated more than $100,000 for ORT. Andrew Luckoff, Jason Fisher and Josh Fisher are chairing Rub-A-Dub, the next ORT benefit, Wednesday, Aug. 17 at Franklin Hills Country Club.

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1. Joe & Melissa Campanelli of Bloomfield. 2. Cathy & Jim Rosenthal of Bloomfield. 3. Keith Crain (left) of Grosse Pointe, Jim Hayes and Denise Abrash of Bloomfield. 4. June Everett (left) of Bloomfield, Martha Ottolini of Livonia. 5. Diane Platt (left) of Grosse Pointe, Stephen & Bobbi Polk of Bloomfield. 6. Marvin (left) & Lauren Daitch and Sue Kauffman of Bloomfield.

7. Eleanor (left) & Dick Gabrys of Bloomfield, Marina & Scott Houghton of Grosse Pointe. 8. Suzy Farbman (left) of Franklin, Rick Carmody of Berkley, Bonnie Larson of Bloomfield. 9. Zoo director Ron Kagan (center) of Royal Oak with event hosts Edsel & Cynthia Ford of Grosse Pointe. 10. Mert Segal (left) and Glynda Beeman of Bloomfield, Ira Jaffe of Farmington Hills.

SKY Foundation Women’s Event More than 100 people ($55 & up ticket) gathered at the Townsend Hotel to socialize, dine and hear from researchers about the latest developments in fighting pancreatic cancer. Guests included widows of pancreatic victims, people with pancreatic cancer and pancreatic cancer survivors like SKY Foundation founder Sheila Sky Kasselman. Good news updates included word of a new class of drugs that gets rid of bad cells and the establishment of a national consortium to work on studies co-operatively. The event netted more than $26,000 for research.

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ORT/ART and the City

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1. Emily Camiener of Birmingham, Nicole Eisenberg of Bloomfield and Jessica Kwartowitz of Huntington Woods. 2. Jody Colman (left) and Stephanie Brigstock of Bloomfield. 3. Lacey Jacobson (left) and Samantha & Mikey Foon of Birmingham, Carley Sanfield of W. Bloomfield.

4. Howard & Sharon Eisenshtadt of Bloomfield. 5. Marc Schwartz (left) and Sarah Winkler & Simmon Leopold of Birmingham. 6. Brenda & Howard Rosenberg of Bloomfield. 7. Erik & Andrea Morganroth of Birmingham.

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Fashion Group International Detroit Recollections ruled when 60 people gathered at the Heathers club to honor two Detroit fashion legends – Rosemary Bannon and Linda Dresner. Detroit style guru Chuck Bennett, addressing what he called “…a room full of my special ladies,” saluted Bannon for encouraging him when he was just a WSU student, and Dresner for putting him on the map in NYC during the 25 years she had a store there. Estee Lauder regional VP Theresa Selvaggio remembered 38 years ago when Bannon, her boss at Himelhoch’s, advised her to accept an offer from Estee Lauder. (Good advice. Himelhoch’s closed soon thereafter.) Bannon noted that “…Linda has surpassed every single person who opened her own (women’s apparel) store,” which she first did in 1978.

Dresner’s success is likely due to her belief that women “…should not care what others say…find your inner essence, love yourself and exercise freedom of choice in fashion.” Sponsored by the local chapter of a fashion and design industry non-profit organization, the luncheon proceeds were earmarked for the Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Eisenhower Dance 25th Anniversary In 25 years Eisenhower Dance went from its first performance on a Detroit

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sidewalk to the stage of the Detroit Opera House, with tours across the US and to Russia along the way.

“Sometimes I wonder how we did it,” confessed Laurie Eisenhower, founder of Michigan’s premiere contemporary dance company. She addressed the 170 enthusiastic loyalists ($175 ticket) gathered at the Westin Book Cadillac to celebrate the milestone anniversary. The evening was chaired by Dodie David, Amy Jidov and Kathy Ryan but all were anxious to put the spotlight on others. Like 12-year board chair Debra Bernstein-Siegel, past executive director Maury Okun and donors like Maggie Allesee, Carol Halsted and the Lee Barthels. The pre-dinner program featured two dance performances which drew standing ovations, as did Eisenhower herself. She was quick to credit Stephanie Pizzo for her 25 years of loyalty, talent and passion for ED. Small silent and live auctions, a wine pull and dedicated giving accounted for more than $30,600 of the $61,580 the event raised. Information about the company’s performance and audition schedules and classes at both the Rochester and Birmingham centers are available at eisenhowerdance.org/.

Variety’s A Star is Born The Michigan Celebrity Hall of Fame at Emagine Entertainment’s Royal Oak home has its first corporate star – the Shinola Company. The induction occurred at Variety, the Children’s Charity’s sixth annual A Star is Born fundraiser which drew 300 supporters ($150 & up tickets) to Emagine’s Star Lanes and Grille. Lois Shaevsky and Felicia Palazzolo-Shaw chaired the gala evening which featured scrumptious food from new executive chef/Birmingham native Andy Begole’s crew. From a stage erected on the Star (bowling) Lanes singers from FAR Therapeutic conservancy kicked off the program which last year’s co-honoree Paul W. Smith emceed. Honorary co-chair Ana Sanchez spoke for her absent husband, who was pitching for the Tigers, and credited their interior designer/Variety past president Michael Coyne for introducing the couple to Variety. Shinola president Jacques Panis emphasized that the honor “…is not about me. It’s about the 540 people who work at Shinola.”

Dancing to Ben Sharkey’s music, dessert, gaming, bowling and movies rounded out the evening. All guests downtownpublications.com

SKY Foundation Women’s Event

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1. Sheila Kasselman (left) of W. Bloomfield, Bluma Schechter of Bloomfield, Dr. Diane Simeone of Ann Arbor. 2. Sally Mezey (left) of Birmingham, Nancy Smith of Bloomfield. 3. Becky Walton (left), Marsha Wester and Jan Bird of Birmingham. 4. Debbie Fellberg and Janice Steinhardt of Birmingham. 5. Irfana Muqbil (left) of Canton, Laura Zubeck of Royal Oak , Dr. Philip A. Philip of Farmington Hills, Linda Remington of Bloomfield.

6. Judy Anderson (left) and Wendy Powers of Bloomfield, Mary Jane Vogt of Berkley. 7. Roberta Madorsky (left) of Bloomfield, Sandy Schwartz of Franklin, Cis Kellman of Southfield.

Fashion Group International Detroit

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1. Linda Dresner of Birmingham and Rosemary Bannon of Beverly Hills. 2. Cynthia LaMaide (left) of Rochester, Suzy Farbman of Franklin, Brenda Rosenberg of Bloomfield, Contessa Bannon of Beverly Hills. 3. Cheryl Hall Lindsay (left) of W. Bloomfield, Marie Brigstock and Harriett Fuller of Bloomfield. 4. Peggy Brown (left), Caro Lee Markley and Lorraine Schultz of Bloomfield. 5. Linda Buchzeiger and Carol Minowitz of W. Bloomfield.

Eisenhower Dance 25th Anniversary

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1. Stephanie Pizzo (left) of Rochester Hills, Marty Testasecca of Northviile, Laurie Eisenhower of Rochester. 2. Debra Bernstein-Siegel (left) of Bloomfield, Dodie David of Oxford, Amy Jidov of Milford and Kathy Ryan of Troy. 3. Maury Okun (center) of Northville, Maggie Allesee (left) and Carol Halsted of Bloomfield. 4. Carolyn Demps (left) and Celeste Demps-Simons of Birmingham, Pat Demps of Oklahoma City, OK. 5. Bridget & Michael Morin of Bloomfield. 6. Sandra Moers (center) and Jeff Davison (left) & Anthony Marsalese of Bloomfield 7. Debra Bernstein-Siegel (left) and Olivia & Massoud Batmanghelichi of Bloomfield.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK took home handy packages of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory treats.

Thanks also to generous sponsors, the sixth annual soiree netted $150,000 for the children served by Variety.

Variety’s A Star is Born

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1. Lois Shaevsky (left) of Bloomfield, Jacques Panis of Detroit, Felicia Palazzolo-Shaw (left) of Birmingham. Photo: Doug Ashley. 2. Paul W. Smith (center) and Bob with Maggie Allesee of Bloomfield.

3. Ana Sanchez of Birmingham, Michael Coyne of Bloomfield. 4. Matt Shuert (left) and Jennie Cascio of Bloomfield, Paul Glantz of Lake Angelus.

5. Lauren (left) & Jon Goldstein of Bloomfield and Alan & Karen Barry of Commerce. 6 Mert Segal and Glynda Beeman of Bloomfield. 7. Len & Pamela Dillon and Michael Coyne of Bloomfield. 8. Jeffrey & David King of Birmingham. 9. Sophie (left) and Kim Smith of Bloomfield, Natalie and Jamie Guisinger of Troy. 10. Judy McBride (left) and Cindy Oliver of Bloomfield.

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Frame Your Face: Art of Giving

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1. Karen Buscemi of Rochester Hills, Tom Maniac of Birmingham. 2. Tina (left) & Walt Polleiner and Christine Betz of Rochester.

3. Shannon & Zoran Lazovski of Rochester.

4. Matt Maniac (left) of Bloomfield, Whitney Davis, Gene Nelson and Rex Curtis of Birmingham. 5. Linda Luchi of Commerce, Jeff Abood of Bloomfield. 6. Laura Light (left) of Rochester Hills, Lisa Zvonek of Grand Blanc.

7. Roger & Jean Steed of Birmingham.

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Frame Your Face: Art of Giving Since they were introduced in 2004 at one of the late John Bloom’s Fanclub Foundation for the Arts fundraiser, artist Tom Maniaci’s signature Paint-By-Number celebrity images have been a fun focus at charity events. His own seventh annual Art of Giving charity event held at The Stand in Birmingham was no exception. Some 300 trendies ($75 & $100-patron tickets) gathered there to support this year’s charity – Karen Buscemi’s Detroit Garment Group – a fashion community education and development nonprofit.

However, there was competition for the David Bowie portrait. Like chow from The Stand kitchen, Zim’s cocktails, Alex Maniaci’s DJ music, a boffo silent auction of 40-plus packages, the David Bowie t-shirt station and Matthew Richmond’s couture creations made of up-cycled materials being modeled by RGA models. More than 50 patrons concluded the evening at the After Party. Thanks to those who each paid $20 to paint by number, the auction ($8,000) and generous sponsors, the seventh annual Art of Giving raised an estimated $10,000 for the DGG.

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Belle Isle PwC Grand Prixmiere For the third year, to benefit the Belle Isle Conservancy, Chevrolet presented the PwC Grand Prixmiere on Belle Isle the night before the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix race weekend on the island. To reach the huge party tent, nearly 550 guests ($600 ticket) actually experienced the race course by traveling a fairly lengthy section of the track. The evening, chaired by Robin and GM’s Dan Nicholson, included serious cocktail hour socializing around a moving, mini race track presentation of hors d’oeuvres by caterer Andiamo.

Detroit Grand Prix founder Roger Penske’s preference for a “no tie” dress code was universally embraced by the guys. The dinner program, emceed by WJR’s Paul W. Smith, featured a video in which French driver/Penske Team member Simon Pagenaud was shown enjoying such Belle Isle highlights as the Conservatory and the giant water 08.16

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Recent extensive landscape updates as well as the addition of a locker system to the garage entry, newer furnace, A/C and driveway.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK slide. Following a stellar dinner, the live auction of six items generated extremely generous bids and raised more than $200,000. This was followed by pledges totaling more than $27,000 for constructing a walking and biking trail around Belle Isle’s perimeter. Thanks also to generous sponsors, the annual race weekend kick-off soiree raised more than $545,000 to help the Belle Isle Conservancy restore and maintain the unique island park. For more information, visit belleisleconservancy.org.

Belle Isle PwC Grand Prixmiere

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1. Kathy (left) & Roger Penske of Birmingham, Rick & Jorja Hanna of Northville. 2. Bud (left) & Melissa Denker of Bloomfield and Doug Seneshen of The Blue Mountains, Ontario. 3. Jim Campbell of Birmingham, Michele Hodges of Grosse Pointe. 4. Peggy Daitch (left) & Peter Remington of Birmingham, Tonya Allen of Troy. 5. Patricia Mooradian (left) and Dan Quick of Bloomfield, Suzanne and Tom Lewand of Royal Oak. 7. Mike (left) & Lisa Brennan of Birmingham, Sonna Johns of Clinton, Bob Kaiser of Grosse Pointe. 8. Julie & Rocky Gust of Bloomfield. 9. Joy (left) & Allan Nachman and Nancy & Larry Bluth of Bloomfield. 10. Jim & Diane Charles of Orchard Lake.

Hackett Family Center Celebration

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1. Bill Seklar (left) of Bloomfield and Dave & Amy Hackett Palmer of Birmingham. 2. Joe Bauman (left) of Livonia, Rev. Bill Danaher of Bloomfield, Rob Farr of Beverly Hills. 3. Kathy Skubic (left) of Rochester Hills, Amy Hackett Palmer of Birmingham, Barb Hertzler of Birmingham. 4. Suzanne Upward (left) and Dave Rosenberger of Bloomfield, Gloria Krass of Clarkston. 5. Bryan Frank (left) of Beverly Hills, Dave Palmer and Chris McLogan of Birmingham, John Mucha of W. Bloomfield.

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Hackett Family Center Celebration The late, beloved Jeanne and Bob Hackett’s original gift to The Community House in 1993 funded a new, 1,234-square foot meeting room following a major renovation. But a large wait list for the Early Childhood Center prompted TCH CEO Bill Seklar to ask the Hackett heirs to approve changing the room’s function. And thus, about 100 Hackett family and friends including fellow Rotarians gathered for the Ribbon Cutting and Rededication Ceremony of the new Hackett Family Infant & Toddler Center. “I was overwhelmed when I saw the (invitation wording),” confided Amy Hackett Palmer, adding that approving the new use was “a no brainer.” The event was also a farewell for Amy and Dave Palmer.

The next day they left Birmingham for their new home in Austin, Texas.

However, the generosity of the longtime TCH friends remains. It will enable the five-star-rated ECC to expand its enrollment from 42 to 72 students ages 6 weeks to 6 years.

South Oakland Shelter Rent Party Bloomfield native Paddy Lynch hosted a sold out Rent Party for 300 South Oakland Shelter supporters ($100 ticket) in his 10,000-square-foot manse in Detroit’s Arden Park-East Boston Edison Historic District.

Ninety benefactors and sponsors arrived early for a tour of the house, once home to Stanley Kresge. The party theme was based on a 1920s solution for raising money to pay the landlord by passing the hat at a party where jazz was center stage. Michael Jellick Quartet and Ralphe Armstrong and I.D. Quartet took turns in the living room while RJ Spangler’s Planet D Nonet with vocalist Thornetta Davis gave a classy meaning to “garage band”. An open bar featuring Atwater Brewery, Two James Spirits, and wine 08.16

complements of Kakos Market and passed comestibles from Green Dot Stables, The Huron Room, and Johnny Noodle King provided sustenance. The party flowed onto the terrace and the congenial host and 30 volunteers hustled to accommodate protection from a summer rain. The fun, lively event raised more than $50,000 to help SOS, which last year moved 80 percent of the 581 homeless people it served into permanent housing. For more information, go to southoaklandshelter.org JARC – SpringElation More than 1,800 JARC supporters ($25 ticket) gathered at the Detroit Zoo for the agency’s 18th annual family friendly fundraiser chaired by board member Joshua Jacobs. As in the past, they relished a picnic dinner, lots of activities (face painting, flower planting and hair braiding) and entertainment by TRAX. But this year the big attraction was the new 33,000square-foot Polk Penguin Conservation Center. The rains came but did not dampen any spirits.

Thanks to generous sponsors like Quicken Loans, the evening raised more than $200,000 for JARC’s residences and programs that serve nearly 200 people with disabilities.

Child Safe Detroit Legends Ball With music by Jordan Broder and his NUCLASSICA musicians in the air, the 2016 Child Safe legends - Al Kaline, Mickey Redmond, Rick Mahorn, Geoffrey Fieger and David DiChiera – all chatted comfortably during the VIP reception preceding the gala. They also spoke sincerely and briefly during their moment in the program spotlight. But the crowd of 330 gathered in the Townsend Hotel ballroom reserved their most vigorous applause for Karen Homer who started, “I’m not famous. I’m a single mother who works full time.” She then shared some of the horrific stories that caused her foster kids night terrors and thanked Child Safe for its mentoring programs. Her poignant stories inspired munificent live auction bidding ($65,200) and dedicated giving pledges ($40,800). Thanks also to generous sponsors, the party raised $410,000 to support Child Safe’s foster care, adoption and mentoring programs.

Ladies of Charity Spring Benefit The dining room at Bloomfield Open Hunt was happily crowded as downtownpublications.com

South Oakland Shelter Rent Party

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7 1. Mary Callaghan Lynch (left) of Bloomfield, Paddy Lynch of Detroit, Meg Holt of Troy. 2. Mary Jo & Chip Dawson of Bloomfield. 3. Deb (left) & Dennis Paruch of Birmingham, Ryan Herz of Huntington Woods. 4. Ed & Pam Boutrous of Bloomfield.

5. Bill & Jennie Cook of Birmingham, Patrick Lynch of Bloomfield. 6. Mike (left) & Patty Moran of Bloomfield and Jamie & Lorie Moran of Troy. 7. Kathy Spencer (left) of Rochester, Katie Marinelli of Royal Oak. 8. Jennie (left) & Bill Cook of Birmingham, Pastor John & Sandy Harvey of Clinton Twp.

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JARC – SpringElation

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1. Arlene & Chuck Beerman of Bloomfield. 2. Phil (left), Sha and Bree Goldsmith of Birmingham. 3. Avery and David Gach of Bloomfield. 4. Jason (left), Elan & Gillian Tamaroff of Birmingham. 5. Tracie (left) and Maddy Fienman of Bloomfield. 6. Carol (left) and Rachel Berg of Bloomfield.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK 170 ladies ($50, $100 tickets) worked their way around it to view the 22 designer tables all set for the Chari-Tea chaired by Marianne McBrearty and Denise Dinan Panico. Some also bought raffle tickets for the handmade, cream-colored quilt donated for the cause and for Kathleen McInerney’s painting that was also the event invitation art. A champagne toast to the Ladies of Charity’s service to the poor was followed by brief descriptions of their work by the four program chairs. “I have a sign-up sheet,” quipped Lynn Martin, when she concluded her pitch for the LoC food and clothes pantry, which last year served 20,000 needy Oakland County residents. When all had served themselves at the bountiful tea buffet, artist Julie Dawson regaled them with tales of her travels, collections and writings.

Child Safe Detroit Legends Ball

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1. Elizabeth Brazilian (center) of Birmingham, Louise & Al Kaline of Franklin. 2. Sonia & Keith Pomeroy of Birmingham. 3. Keenie (left), Geoffrey, Aidan and Julian Fieger of Bloomfield. 4. Bobby Levenson (left), Susu Sosnick and Christine & David Colman of Birmingham.

5. Amanda Fisher (left) & Ben Hubert with Hannah & Adam Kessler of Birmingham. 6. Brian Manoogian (left) of Birmingham, Joseph Saker of Bloomfield. 7. Duane (right) & Lenora Hardy-Foster of Rochester Hills.

8. Rick Mahorn (left) of Rochester Hills, Katie & Sam Valenti of Bloomfield. 9. Allie Sherman (center) of Bloomfield, Katie Kantor and Kelsey Ross of Birmingham. 10. Marty & Ruthie Seltzer of Birmingham.

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Ladies of Charity Spring Benefit

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1. Marianne McBrearty (left) of Bloomfield, Denny Dinan-Panico of Troy. 2. Mary Ottmey (left) and Avonelle Jones of Beverly Hills, Julie Dawson of Birmingham. 3. Liz Okoniewski (left) of Oxford, Kathi Tauscher of Troy, Mary Eichenberg of Bloomfield. 4. Artist Kathleen McInerney of Birmingham with her invitation art. 5. Kay Browne (left) of Bloomfield, Mary Jo Johnston of Birmingham. 6. Barbara Balow (left) and Carolyn Levin of Bloomfield.

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Starfish Family Services Great Hearts Gala

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1. Eric (left) & Lisa Widner of Birmingham and Ella Patrona and Thomas Widner. 2. Lauren Fisher (left) of Bloomfield, Mariam Noland of Grosse Pointe, Debbie Dingell of Dearborn. 3. Eric Jirgens & Allan Gilmour of Birmingham. 4. Rebecca Boylan & Thomas Sidlik of Ann Arbor, Ron Sollish of Huntington Woods.

5. Mariam Noland (left) of Grosse Pointe, Ann Kalass (left) of Northville.

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Starfish Family Services Great Hearts Gala Lauren and Phillip Fisher, Allan Gilmour and Eric Jirgens and Lois and Gail Warden were the honorary chairs of Starfish Family Services' fifth annual benefit gala. Lisa Widner chaired the planning committee of the event that attracted more than 350 guests to Eastern Market to socialize, dine, dance and celebrate families During the cocktail hour, some people added their touch to a commemorative art mosaic. When complete, the artwork will be installed at the Detroit office of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

During the dinner program, the foundation and its longtime President Mariam C. Noland received Starfish’s 2016 Great Hearts Award. Since its founding in 1984, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan has distributed more than $800 million to more than 190 non-profit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair, and Livingston counties. Since 1991, Starfish has received more than $3.6 million from various CFSEM funds. The program also featured the debut of a moving video depicting a family’s triumph over struggles commonly faced by Starfish’ families. The gala evening raised $540,000 to help fund programs like Starfish University – an initiative designed to empower parents to serve as their child’s best teacher, role model and advocate.

Send ideas for this column to Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane, Bloomfield Hills, 48304; email samgerak@aol.com or call 248.646.6390.

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ENDNOTE

Our endorsements for August primary

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s part of the August 2 primary election, a number of political party standard bearers will be chosen for a few local and county offices, along with determining the fate of some local millages and a tax renewal for the Detroit Zoo. In the case of Bloomfield Township, with no Democrats having filed for any local posts, the offices of supervisor, clerk, treasurer and the entire board of trustees will effectively be determined with the August vote.

As a voter – either absentee or at the polls – you will be selecting who best can represent your party in the November general election.

Downtown newsmagazine sent questionnaires to candidates in contested primary races, the answers to which can be found on our website – DowntownPublications.com.

Below you will find our recommendations – based on both answers from candidates and our institutional knowledge of candidates and issues.

OAKLAND COUNTY County Executive/Democrat/Four-year term Two Democrats are running in the primary to oppose Republican L. Brooks Patterson in November, and we are impressed with VICKI BARNETT, who brings a wealth of experience to the table, first as a member of Farmington Hills’ city council from 1995-2003, as well as the city’s mayor, and then as a state representative, from 20042009. Barnett has a thorough understanding of government and particularly how Oakland County works.

We think she could, as the Democratic standard bearer, raise some legitimate questions about the future of Oakland County.

County Clerk/Democrat/Four-year term On the Democratic side, we endorse current Oakland County Clerk LISA BROWN in this primary race. She has done an admirable job in the position, and has an overall understanding of government, having served in the state House for two terms before becoming county clerk in 2012.

County Clerk/Republican/Four-year term There are two qualified individuals running to be the Republican standard bearer – Bill Bullard, with decades of political experience, and Tina Barton, city clerk in Rochester Hills. Bullard, who has been Highland Township supervisor, both state representative and state senator, and was appointed county clerk in 2011, has been in one political office or another for the last 38 years. Barton, who holds both master municipal clerk and Michigan municipal clerk certifications, and was recently named 2016 city clerk of the year, has held clerk positions for about 10 years, as deputy clerk in Bloomfield Township and clerk in Rochester Hills. Either would do well as the county clerk. However, this election is about who would be the best Republican to go against Brown in November – and using that criteria, we are backing TINA BARTON. Bullard has had two unsuccessful county elections – against Brown in 2012, and in 2000, for drain commissioner. We believe at this juncture, Barton, as a woman, will be the stronger candidate to represent the GOP. County Commission/12th/Republican/Two-year term In the 12th District, which includes Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham, incumbent commissioner SHELLEY GOODMAN TAUB is a long-time elected official (former state rep, multiple-term county commissioner) who has a wealth of institutional knowledge, and understands all of the issues facing Birmingham/Bloomfield residents. She has chaired, or is currently chairing, numerous committees, and in September, will become the chair of Michigan Association of Counties. In 2016, she was chosen one of the top 25 women leaders in local and state government – the first Michigan woman to be so honored.

Her opponent in this race has his own experience at the state House and county level. Frankly, other than one

deceptive campaign claim, relative to past wage increases to commissioners, we have yet to hear why Taub shouldn’t be reelected. Her opponent is clearly a politician in search of an office.

County Commission/13th/Republican/Two-year term MAX ROHTBART, an Oakland University history and political science student and Republican Party delegate, was the only one to return our questionnaire, so by default we endorse him to go against Democrat incumbent Marcia Gershenson in November for this district which represents a portion of Bloomfield Township.

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP Bloomfield Township has experienced a tumultuous few years because one full-time official, the treasurer, has not been able to separate politics and his political aspirations from his responsibilities, leading to a very contentious and disruptive situation, which voters can rectify in this election. We are advocating for change and we’re calling for the removal of two incumbents – the treasurer, Dan Devine, and his acolyte or sidekick, trustee David Buckley, who often appears unprepared at township board meetings. No Democrats have filed for any township posts, so the future of the community will be decided in this primary election.

Supervisor/Republican/Four-year term Supervisor LEO SAVOIE, appointed in 2011 and reelected in 2012 after having been a trustee since 2004, provides a strong voice of leadership and should be reelected once again. The last several years have been spent trying to clean up financial disarray related to retirement legacy costs and water and sewer upgrades, in order to provide long-term infrastructure improvements.

He has a keen sense of budgeting, with the ability to balance wants and needs on one side with what can actually be afforded. He understands a primary part of the job is accessibility. His opponent in this race has been more than willing to accept the half-truths put out by the township treasurer and has shown himself to be part of the fringe group of malcontents who either do not seek the truth or do not understand it, and has run a campaign on deceptive, bogus charges.

Clerk/Republican/Four-year term Bloomfield Township is fortunate to have clerk JAN RONCELLI. As township clerk for 12 years, and trustee for eight prior years, she is the longest serving board member, and is well-known both locally and statewide as a premier municipal clerk. She serves as the Michigan representative on the national election standards board, and has won numerous awards for her work. She has a thorough understanding of the job and its duties, which are numerous, and performs them to the highest standards. To her credit, in the midst of all the township turmoil, Roncelli is not given to hyperbole. She takes a no nonsense approach to questions, such as the financial issues roiling the treasurer’s office. She was the pivotal voice in moving ahead the concept of oversight of that office in the form of the financial sustainability committee and has proven her worth as a member of the township board. Her opponent pales on all counts and the township can ill afford her as a decision-maker.

Treasurer/Republican/Four-year term Frankly, we made our decision a year ago when we called for the resignation of treasurer Dan Devine, who we believe has done a poor job on a number of fronts. We called for his resignation because not only has he not performed well, there are legitimate questions whether he really works at the job anywhere approximating full-time; he is continuing to sue the township and the supervisor, despite his case being thrown out of court; he was censured by the board after he suggested to police that supervisor Leo Savoie had kidnapped his daughter. He has been a rogue member of the board, causing problems for everyone else, including an exemplary cast of professional

employees in the township. He has a tendency to operate with less than accurate information, which raises legitimate questions about whether after all these years he even understands how the township functions. Yes, he has built up a cult following amongst a small group of residents more than willing to drink the kool-aid, so to speak, but grandstanding and being vocally disruptive at board meetings is not an indication of knowledge.

Fortunately for the township, one of the stronger trustees, BRIAN KEPES, has decided to run for treasurer, and we urge voters to choose him. He understands the failings of Devine, and comprehends what needs to be done financially to secure the township for years to come.

Kepes has a proven record of service to the township going back 25 years, as a trustee since 2009, former chairman of both the board of review, zoning board of appeals and other boards, dating back to 1994. He brings with him degrees in accounting, as a CPA, and experience in business as a developer and property manager. Because Kepes has lived through the turmoil, he understands how necessary it is to restore stability. He is eminently qualified to right the ship and take the township into the future.

Trustee/Republican/Four-year term Incumbent NEAL BARNETT bring years of experience, financial insight and stability to the township, having been a trustee for 12 years. He also sits on the planning board, and his background as a psychologist and attorney provides tons of knowledge to the board. Incumbent CORINNE KHEDERIAN also brings a wealth of experience, not only as a trustee, but from eight years on the zoning board of appeals and her long history of community involvement. She constantly digs to unearth the truth. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the elephant in the room – Khederian has been absent from some meetings this year due to a seriously ill family member, but we believe it will be rectified soon, or she will know when to step aside. But right now, her voice is one that township residents need as an advocate.

Political newcomer MICHAEL SCHOSTAK, a professor of finance and a former contractor with the defense department, brings an understanding of finance that is refreshing, and is necessary on the board of trustees. In his answers, he has fresh ideas, which may not all be implemented, but which show he has given a great deal of thought to the inner workings of the departmental offices of the township. Another newcomer, GEOFF HOCKMAN, we believe deserves residents’ votes. He has been involved with the Bloomfield Village Fire Department, a volunteer force, since 2008, and is currently its chief, and understands the critical importance of public safety. He is also a local small business owner.

MILLAGES All Oakland Country residents will be asked to approve a renewal of a .1 mill for the Oakland County Detroit Zoological Authority, for a period of 10 years, to run 2018 through 2027. The millage would replace the previous millage, set to expire with the 2017 tax levy, which was a worthwhile investment the first time around, and we encourage voters to vote YES on the renewal. The zoo is being managed well by the Zoological Society now that it is governed by the regional authority.

Bloomfield Township residents are being asked to approve two millage renewals, one, a road maintenance millage for up to .7115 mills beginning with the December 2017 tax levy, was first levied in 1966 for ten years. This millage is the only one for the township which provides funds for road maintenance, and voters must say YES to provide the most basic repairs for township roads.

Bloomfield Township’s police and fire departments are exemplary, underwritten by four public safety millages. This renewal, to approve up to 1.9935 mills for ten years to finance police, fire and public safety protection, replaces one expiring in 2016, is critical to maintain the excellent services residents expect and deserve. Vote YES.

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