2022 Ferndale/PR City Guide

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E

that have disappeared and

looking with suspicion at change, or heaven forbid, “progress.”

I am a little protective and curmudgeony about Ferndale these days, baffled by the new parking structure and the plan for even more parking. Mixed-use space? I’m all about collaboration, but what’s it going to do to individual businesses? And all those dispensaries. They’re fine, but geez. Do we need so many?

Maybe I’m still recovering from the roller-coaster of emotion I experienced when the Green Buddha opened on Hilton. I thought it was a new Chinese restaurant, something I’d been hoping for since sweet little China Ruby closed. I was certain the carryout order I’d been carrying around for years was about to become a delicious reality. My dreams were crushed when my husband informed me that there was no vegetable chow fun to be found at Green Buddha.

W By

Jill Hurst Photo By

David McNair

HEN ASKED TO SHARE MY FEELINGS ABOUT FERNDALE 2022, I decided to hit the sidewalks and catch up on what’s happened while we were in the house, binging and Zooming and venting our frustration about pretty much everything on whatever local forum we belong to. I took three separate walks around town with the goal of rediscovering this town we live in.

A lot of what I saw was very heartening. The front yards are flowering. The dog parade is still the best entertainment in town. I peeked into Fine Art Printing on Hilton and end up getting a tour from the owner. The Ringwald Theater might not occupy the NE corner of Nine and Woodward anymore, but the theater company has found a new home with Affirmations, just down the street.

Java Hutt is still a great place to meet friends, write your screenplay and order coffee without being judged! The restaurants are welcoming; I experienced wonderful servers every time I’ve gone out to eat. The hospitality business had to reinvent itself in so many ways during the pandemic and the servers who stuck with the business seem to love it. Of course we’ll always miss the places that are gone (does anyone know how to make those chips Dino used to serve with the burgers?) but now there’s Mexican, lobster rolls, Pho as well as many of our tried-and-true favorites that took care of us during lockdown.

F

ERNDALE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS ARE STILL BRAVE AND UNAFRAID to share their political beliefs and humanitarian concerns with signs in their windows and front lawns.

The Library is open. Our two bookstores and Found Sound are also open for business. The Ferndale Community Concert Band is still alive and well. We drove past an outdoor front lawn performance of the FCCB last Fall. It was magical. And now there’s the M-1 Jazz Collective. As our old pal Friedrich Nietzsche would say, “Without music, life would be a mistake.”

While we're talking music, fingers crossed we’ll be hearing the piped-in music again on 9 Mile. It’s part of the Ferndale soundtrack, along with the ice cream truck and the train whistle. Yep, the train. Still there. It’s still going to chug through town and make you late for something. But that’s part of living in fierce, frustrating, friendly fabulous Ferndale.

I found my Ferndale this week. Get out there and find yours. n

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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HE FERNDALE PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN HOUSED AT THE GERRY KULICK COMMUNITY CENTER SINCE 2001. It was originally located, in 1922, on the site of Washington Elementary School up until it was re-purposed as a community center. The center’s namesake, Gerry Kulick, served on the Ferndale City Council from 1998 to 2000.

“As an active member of the community and president of several of Ferndale’s boards and organizations, Kulick was a major proponent [of community togetherness], bringing the Center to fruition,” explained current Director LaReina Wheeler who added, “Ferndale’s Parks & Recreation Department regularly champions this vision and mission to create community through people, parks, and programs. We are

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By

Sara Teller

2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

dedicated to improving the quality of life of residents by providing a wide variety of activities that encourage health, fitness, and cultural enrichment.”

Keeping this vision in mind, “We’ve also made great strides in implementing long overdue improvements to our parks that include renewed amenities (pavilions, park benches, etc.), ADAaccessible walking paths, outdoor fitness equipment, a state-of-the-art skate park, and a bioswale,” she explained. “Many more improvements are on the way, including the city’s first splash pad (now installed) at Martin Road Park.”

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OVID-19 HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE WAY THE P&R TEAM develops programming. However, it brought with it some positive changes.

“If the pandemic has revealed anything,” said Wheeler, “it’s that Parks & Recreation is the heart of the city. Our Department continues to be flexible to meet the current, future, and emergency needs of our residents. At the start of the pandemic, we closed our building due to

safety concerns. “Those concerns have been reduced [over time]. However, our building remains closed due to facility safety issues.” In lieu of a physical building, the Department has turned to the parks system as one of its best assets in safely implementing and expanding in-person programming.

Wheeler added, “During the early stages, the team focused on reaching out to our local Ferndale seniors providing wellness checks and resources to help them manage through the pandemic. We have also provided free grocery and food giveaways, free sports equipment giveaways, virtual programming, and outdoor recreational programming.

The Department created a ‘You’ve Been BOOed’ program to connect families to each other while social distancing during the 2020 Halloween season and worked within social distancing guidelines in organizing scavenger hunts and a road rally.”

They continue to offer senior programming and social events in a safe manner utilizing the Martin Road Activity Center (the Detroit Curl-

ing Club) during the spring and summer months and working with partnerships with other communities to house senior meetings. In Spring 2021, the community saw the return of youth and adult sports with participation steadily returning to its robust pre-COVID levels. Residents are now using park and pavilion rentals again, too, hosting outdoor gatherings.

“As part of the Master Plan update, we developed concept design plans for the Wilson Park improvements that will take place in 2023 and proposed improvements to Martin Road Park.

Since 2017, Ferndale has made it a priority to activate our parks and make them more accessible.”

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HEELER EXPLAINED, “WE WORK OUTSIDE of what is considered typical parks-and-recreation functions and strive to meet a variety of the needs of all our residents.

“We provide active and passive activities for all ages and demographics; we support and implement health and wellness initiatives; we subsidize and accommodate programs for our low-income participants; we act as a warming/cooling center and provide accommodations for medical needs including COVID testing, wellness checks, etc.; we train and empower our youth; we work tirelessly to secure grant funding to make park improvements and offer free programming; we provide free sports equipment, service our seniors; we work with legislatures as it relates to outdoor recreation policy throughout the pandemic, and we help support neighboring cities and businesses as well as build partnerships locally.”

Geary Park and Wanda Park have undergone important renovations as of late with the P&R Department making much needed improvements and upgrades. At Geary, alongside its award-winning skatepark built in 2019, ADAaccessible walking paths, outdoor fitness equipment, drinking fountains, and other amenities were installed, including benches, trash and recycling bins and bike racks. At Wanda Park, similar improvements were made with the Department installing ADA-accessible walking paths, a pavilion, new play equipment, drinking fountains, and other amenities.

“W

E’VE ALSO RECENTLY UPDATED OUR FIVE-YEAR Parks & Recreation Master Plan that was adopted by City Council in 2022,” said Wheeler. “This document enables us to get valuable feedback from our residents, youth, and stakeholders on our offerings throughout the pandemic and how we should plan to adapt for the future.

sports, and games are available. Group projects are also offered.

• MOVIES IN THE PARK, hosted by Ferndale P&R and DDA, take place at several of Ferndale’s parks every other Thursday from 8:30 P.M. to 10:30 P.M. In addition to viewings at dusk, lawn games, food vendors, and small activities will be offered.

Movie-goers should bring blankets and lawns chairs.

The remaining schedule is: August 4 at Schiffer Park and August 18 at Harding Park.

“The Kids Zone hosts a rock-climbing wall and guided sports activities,” Wheeler added, and the Fall Festival will take place on October 1, 2022, from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. at Martin Road Park.

Community members are urged to participate in, and volunteer for, Parks & Recreation events.

Some of the upcoming activities include youth and adult recreation leagues, sponsored food giveaways, and senior programming. Events include: • FERNDALE SENIOR GROUP meetings, which take place the second and fourth Wednesday every month at 11:00 A.M. at the Hazel Park Community Center.

• TUESDAY AFTERNOON CRAFTING (CRAFTERNOON), which launched in May and takes place weekly. Seniors can enjoy crafting together at the Detroit Curling Club near Martin Road Park from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M. • SUMMER DAY CAMP, licensed by the State of Michigan and hosted by Ferndale Parks & Rec., offers nine weekly themes to schoolaged children ages 5 to 12. Activities like swimming, arts and crafts, music, nature,

“We also encourage our residents to attend our Parks & Recreation Commission meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30 P.M.,” she said. “Meetings will be held at the Detroit Curling Club through-out the summer. This is your opportunity to be the first to know about upcoming events and park improvements and other matters, as well as a platform for you to provide valuable feedback. In addition, we are currently looking for volunteers to be park stewards.

Stewards will play an important role in our parks, helping the Department beautify them while finding ways in which we can improve activities.” All stewards will have an opportunity to adopt a garden in one of city’s parks.

F

ERNDALE’S P&R HAS BEEN DILIGENTLY APPLYING FOR GRANTS to fund local park revitalization projects. It has recently received several to fund the Wilson Park improvement project, which is set to begin in Spring 2023.

These grants include a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, an Oakland County Parks grant, and the America in Bloom grant.

P&R also received funding for the Martin Road Park improvement project from Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant and America in Bloom grant. n For more information, visit Ferndale P&R’s Facebook page at facebook.com/FerndaleParksandRec or the City of Ferndale website, ferndalemi.gov/departments/parks-recreation.

2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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WELL-KNOWN MURAL ARTIST, PAINTING BOTH THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR WALLS

of many Ferndale hotspots, Mike Ross studied art and anthropology at Oakland University, graduating in 2003.

A creative at heart, he originally focused on music. However, over time, he shifted this focus primarily towards painting and has been hard at work inside 333 Midland Studios in Highland Park for nearly a decade.

“I went nearly ten years where I focused mainly on music and only dabbled in visual art occasionally,” Ross said, adding, “I got heavily back into painting about ten years ago now.”

O

NCE A WAY TO SIMPLY “DEAL WITH STRESS,” visual artistry became an important part of his life. “The more I painted, the more I wanted to keep painting. And the ideas really just never stopped flowing,” he explained. “I started focusing on painting exclusively full-time about five years ago and painted my first mural in 2018.”

In addition to bringing the walls of local businesses to life during the summer months, Ross said, “I always work on studio art as well, abstract and figurative oil paintings mostly. Now my work feels sort of seasonally divided: In the studio all winter, out painting murals all summer.”

And that’s the way he likes it. His divided endeavors “inform each other.” Ross

By Sara Teller

explained. “Working in the studio I’ll often land on ideas that might be better suited for a mural so I’ll kind of sketch it out and put a pin in it and refer back when mural opportunities arise.

And vice versa.”

He lives by the motto ‘go big or go home,’ saying, “I have always enjoyed working large when I paint, and in 2018 I was really wanting to get into murals.

“T

hat’s when, out-of-the-blue, Dustin Leslie of the WAB reached out to me and mentioned they were looking for someone to paint a wall at their new back patio bar, PORT. I knew Dustin from back in the band days. I jumped on it, of course, and in the end I painted four of their walls, inside and out.”

good friend Ismael Duran, who passed away earlier this year. A couple years before, I went with him to Cuba where we did another arts and music presentation.

I had worked with Ismael for the previous six years, teaching art and skateboard building to kids in Southwest Detroit at a cultural center called Garage Cultural. It was a fantastic experience, and I learned a whole lot there – not necessarily about art but about people and life in general. I miss that guy.”

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OSS HAS LIVED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF FERNDALE for more

FROM MUSICIAN TO ARTIST

This proved to be a valuable turning point in his career.

Ross said, “I learned a lot from those murals.

From there things snowballed for me in terms of murals both in Ferndale and beyond.

I’ve now painted…all over the area [including in] Detroit, Hamtramck, Lansing, up in Lexington, and all the way down in Santiago, Chile.” He already has more opportunities in the books for this summer.

“I just feel so fortunate to be able to do what I love to do every day,” Ross stated. “Traveling down to Chile to paint a mural – luckily, just before the pandemic hit – was a pretty special experience. I owe that one to my

than two decades. He mentioned the work of the Ferndale Arts & Cultural Committee, saying the organization “does great work connecting mural-seeking businesses with artists. I have them to thank for getting me involved in the large mural project at the DOT parking garage, which has really been one of my favorite projects. It was super fun, and everybody involved was a dream to work with.” He has also participated in Ferndale’s DIY Fest and the Backyard Art Fair, which he’ll be taking part of again this year.

Of the Ferndale area, specifically, Ross said, “While it’s changed a lot in that time, one consistent aspect is that it’s always been a community full of people with great, far-out ideas and the wherewithal to enact on them. I think it’s a very freeing state of mind, living here. The people I’ve met here and played music with or talked art with, or whatever, one commonality is that they’re all doers. And I think that way of thinking is contagious.”

Visit www.mrossart.com to see more or request a rendering of Ross’ work. n

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O COMEDY IMPROV THEATER WAS FOUNDED IN 2008 BY GERALD KNIGHT, CHRIS DIANGELO, TOMMY LEROY, AND PJ JACOKES. When Second City Detroit moved to Novi, where it would later close, there were a lot of talented improvisers and comedians who suddenly had no home. The four owners came together, hoping they could fill that gap.

The theater currently offers weekly improv opportunities showcasing short-form, game-style skits such as as well as long-form, improvised scene work. It also hosts a variety of entertainment venues open to the public.

“In addition, we offer improv and sketch-writing classes designed to help working professionals get better at public speaking and thinking on their feet,” said manager Jess Krrzyczkowski, adding that the theater trains “the next generation of improvisers to keep pushing the art form forward. We also have our corporate improv and workshops division, Go Corp, which offers

corporate-training, team-building, and entertainment for basically any event you can imagine.”

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O COMEDY’S INTRO PROGRAM INCLUDES CLASSES OPEN TO ANYONE, from any background, with any level of talent. Newcomers always start at Intro I and learn to use longpracticed improv tools to improve their communication skills. Those who just want to meet new people in the area or improve their public speaking skills are welcome, as are business professionals and budding artists.

The theater’s Advanced Improv is for anyone who has completed the Intro Program and is looking to build upon these skills. The workshops focus primarily on scene work and longform montages, which are more complicated than what participants are introduced to at the Intro level. The program challenges members who are looking to move beyond basic skillbuilding.

Go Comedy’s Sketch-Writing Program focuses on various types of sketches, fundamentals, and writing exercises over the course of an entire term, allowing students to hone their craft as they develop a show which will run before an audience.

E

VEN THOUGH THE PANDEMIC has taken a hit on the theater since its inception, the staff is looking forward to becoming active in the community once again and will be involved in several upcoming events and activities, including the Detroit Improv Festival (August

2022, detroitimprovfestival.org). In June, Go Comedy hosted Run for Laughs, a charity run/walk event meant to continue the theater’s mission to foster community, inspire movement, and promote mental health in an inclusive, supportive, and humorous environment.

Krrzyczkowski explained, “The theater is obviously slow to return post-pandemic. We had to shut our doors from March 2020 to September 2021, and rebuilding has been slow.

We’re still operating at a reduced capacity, and requiring masks and proof of COVID vaccine, because keeping our casts and staff safe is priority number one. I think more than ever before, people are looking for escape from the heaviness of life in these unprecedented times, and if we can provide that freedom and levity, we’re happy to do that.”

She encourages all residents to get involved, saying, “Improv comedy has been a historically white and cis-male space, and we’re doing our best to shift that and create better, more inclusive entertainment. Our audiences have always been diverse, and we want to offer shows that cater to a variety of people and progressive viewpoints. We offer a diversity scholarship for interested students and have a proven commitment to putting forth shows that feature diverse casts.”

Go Comedy Improv Theater is located at 261 E. 9 Mile Rd. For more information, please visit gocomedy.net or call 248.327.0575 n

By Sara Teller

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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I

N MAY 2019, JUST BEFORE THE ANNUAL

sues. “With the flags were invitations to join FHOAG’s Facebook group.”

FERNDALE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE,

It worked. Drawing the attention of many, the social media platform now consists of more than 300 members and, as a united voice, FHOAG has declared its mission to be representing the homeowner in a way that every resident “can lead a healthy and happy quality of life in the city they've chosen as home, Ferndale.” They regularly communicate changes in city leadership and announces upcoming board and planning commission meetings.

residents of W. Saratoga, located behind The DOT Garage in the downtown area,

decided to band together and start the Ferndale Home Owners Advocacy Group (FHOAG).

Many of the members had already attended The DOT informational planning meetings to voice their concerns about the mixed-use parking, retail, and office development. They took issue with its design, an anticipated increase in noise, the need for a parking deck, and the potential for pollu-

S

INCE THE INCEPTION OF FHOAG, members have gotten actively involved in upcoming affairs that often not only affect the city as a whole, but their own well-being. They attend meetings and ask the tough questions, publish meeting minutes in the Ferndale Forum Facebook group, speak directly to agenda items, and contribute to the Plan Ferndale discussion boards. FHOAG members have also applied for open seats.

By Sara Teller

Cottrill said, “At first, citizens were only permitted to speak during the Call to Audience portion of the Council meetings. We were not permitted to talk, question or comment after the developer or city staff presentations.

We figured the only way to speak on these items was to deeply understand the council agenda packet [ahead of time] and then ask questions during the Call to Audience that would be better asked after the presentation rather than beforehand.

We got our strictly enforced three-minute time limit per person.”

On applying for seats on the city’s board or planning commission, he added, “Getting appointed can be difficult because we make our views known. We ask such questions such as ‘Why are you allowing a new development to use a gravel alley for regress?’ or ‘Although the majority of property owners contacted by the developer say the project is fine, the homeowners who live next door didn’t sign the developer’s petition.’” Asking these types of questions routinely means members are met with an unfavorable response from Ferndale’s leadership. However, those involved in FHOAG continue to be passionate about getting involved and haven’t let this deter them.

GIVING FERNDALE’S HOMEOWNERS A VOICE tion and vandalism. They were also worried that Ferndale’s restaurants and bars are drawing in more traffic than the city can handle and were looking for a space to discuss this.

After the group’s initial formation, American and Gay Pride miniature flags were planted in many lawns in Ferndale that parade weekend to draw awareness.

“I still see some of them in the lawns and gardens during my walks,” said resident and group member Dave Cottrill who regularly attends City Council meetings regarding planning issues and new developments requiring variances from the zoning regulations. He also reads through Council and Commission agenda packets and alerts citizens about upcoming Planning Commission is-

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

“Being an involved citizen in Ferndale is a full-time activity,” Cottrill explained. “Some citizens directly affected by developments have attempted to get appointments with the Downtown Development Authority but were denied.” However, he said, “We at FHOAG look for the long-term enjoyment of Ferndale, our Good Neighbor City” regardless of the time commitment.

When asked to comment about FHOAG and the group’s mission, City Council’s Director of Communications Kara Sokol responded, “City Council does not have a formal opinion on social media groups. Rather, [we] are focused on the issues that matter to all residents—owners and renters— including ethical government management, delivering quality city services, managing the regional and national impacts that impact the cost of living, thoughtful sustainability of infrastructure, public safety, diversity of housing stock, and more.” n For more information on FHOAG or to get involved, please join the Ferndale Home Owners Advocacy Group on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/4105429529480623.

F

ERNDALE’S CITY COUNCIL, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (MDOT), is planning to

implement what they’re calling a ‘Woodward

plans. I have heard from residents who dislike the separated travel lane or lane reduction. I disagree with them.”

The statement continues, “Work for Woodward Moves is scheduled to take place in two phases, starting as early as mid- to late September of 2022, with the majority of the work taking place between April 2023 and September 2023. The Ferndale DDA is now working to provide business owners with the information, resources, and support they need to keep their businesses thriving throughout the project.”

Kuzmanovich stated that the City will receive federal funding for the Diet and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is also kicking in some money. However, he noted, “At the end of the day, Ferndale’s budget will still be impacted,” and added, “Taxpaying drivers have rights. I have a right to get from Point A to Point B. If you’re going to eliminate lanes, there’s going to be major issues.”

Ave Road Diet.’

The project, formally named WOODWARD MOVES will eliminate a lane on each side of Woodward Ave from 8 Mile to I-696. Like the Coolidge Hwy Diet, bike lanes and parallel parking will be added instead. While some welcome the idea, not everyone is thrilled about the upcoming project.

T

HERE ARE ROUGHLY 45,000 VEHICLES TRAVELING ALONG WOODWARD AVE on any given day, and that’s without the ongoing construction along I-75, which has caused more drivers to detour through downtown. Kuzmanovich believes lane reduction will increase traffic jams and lead to unmanageable congestion.

In fact, the Facebook group Say No to the Woodward Ave Road Diet currently has more than 250 members who oppose the Council’s plans, and organizer Steve Kuzmanovich, who lives near the heart of the city, is especially passionate about putting a stop to it.

He said of the group he started, “We’re not formal or anything. We have no president or a board of directors. We’re just a bunch of citizens who are unhappy. And there are more people who are opposed to this than the Council would like to admit.”

While their numbers on social media are strong, City Council has so far turned a blind eye to any opposition to this deal, and “there have been no real formal town hall meetings or dialogue” concerning this point-of-view, Kuzmanovich said. He and fellow members have attended Council meet-

He speaks from his own experience both as a resident of Ferndale for 22 years and as a firefighter for more than three decades when he says, “Consider the street fairs when 9 Mile is totally closed down.” Drivers will do some dangerous maneuvering, including cutting through on side streets.

The ‘Say No…’ group wrote a letter to MDOT but, again, felt like their efforts got them nowhere. “We appealed to MDOT but they turned a deaf ear to us,” said Kuzmanovich. He cited in his correspondence that one of the reasons the Mayor wants to move forward with the Diet is that it will reduce speeds throughout the city.

“There are other ways to slow down traffic, including adding crosswalks or changing the timing on traffic lights,” he argued.

PROPOSED WOODWARD AVE ROAD DIET MEETS WITH STRONG OPPOSITION Sara Teller By

ings but continue to feel as if they’re being ignored.

“I attended a meeting and it’s like they don’t even want to talk about it,” said Vardell Haio who runs Rainbow Liquor (along Woodward Ave between Woodland and Maplehurst) with this brother, Levander. The store has been family owned-and-operated for 22 years and they are concerned that the construction alone will make them close their doors.

“P

ARKING IS ALREADY A MESS,” Levander said. “How am I going to get my trucks through? We’re afraid to order anything because we don’t know when it’s going to start or how long it’ll take. We’re the only convenience store between 8 and 10 Mile. This will ruin a lot of businesses.” reached out to City Council and Mayor Melanie Piana responded in a written statement, “My goal in serving residents is to support solutions to problems. Over the last three years, the City Council has heard from hundreds of residents about the Woodward safety improvements needed with many ways to engage and give feedback on the

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

A

T THE SAME TIME, KUZMANOVICH WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR that he and his group are not opposed to bicycling around town and making it easier to do so. “Cycling is great,” he said. “And I like the bike lanes we already have. I have two bicycles in my garage and a Harley Davison. We’re not anti-bike lanes.”

At one point, Kuzmanovich and a cohort fronted money to buy for yard signs meant to draw awareness around the issue. They told members they’d drop off the signs to whoever wanted one. In doing so, they were reimbursed for their efforts, but still have extras on hand. Now, Kuzmanovich is busy collecting signatures from businessowners who wish to stop the project. He said they “have many.”

For the Haio brothers, the prospect of having to close their store is so much more than vacating the space. “This is our childhood, our whole life,” said Levander. “We don’t have a father anymore to mentor us. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Although the ‘Say No…’ group has experienced some setbacks, its members aren’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. “We’re going down swinging,” Kuzmanovich said. n

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By Lisa Howard

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OMIC BOOKS HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE SUPERMAN first flew into the American consciousness in 1938; nowadays, graphic novels and mangas are flying off the shelves, and a large swath of comics are available in digital formats.

And while the Big Two (DC and Marvel) still publish books galore, many creators are taking the independent route. “I decided to just do it,” says Evan Derian, creator of “I

THE EVERLASTING JOY OF COMIC BOOKS wanted to write and draw and do what’s fun about comics, not wait for someone to give me that opportunity.”

much dialogue would be in each panel.” Not only that, but the process of world-building chewed up too much page space.

As a kid, he was an avid collector, and that love of comics never went away, not during his college years when he was studying graphic design and not during his years of designing mostly corporate projects.

Hence he decided to center his next title on wellestablished figures rather than all-original ones.

Enter Lincoln and JFK as the protagonists of “In the world of comic books, everything is possible, so I decided to clone the two most popular presidents in pop culture and write about them,” Evan explains. “Once I did that, then I was off-and-running. The books just about write themselves because there’s so much to mine when I drop Lincoln and JFK into various situations in modern America.”

He still does that kind of work (and ongoing graphic design side gigs) in addition to creating his own comics. Initially, he tried to break into the commercial comic industry as an illustrator, but he quickly found himself trapped in a byzantine world of insider connections and inscrutable editorial decisions.

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ATHER THAN CONTINUING TO SWIM UPSTREAM, EVAN STARTED CONCEIVING the idea for his first story back in 1999. It turned into a 150-page graphic novel called He self-published it and started taking it to comic book conventions (known by geeks as “Cons”). Ultimately, though, the Con scene was a wash; the cost of having a table and how much he made in sales were pretty much even. He decided to move on to the next project.

“That was a learning process,” he says of his first year’s foray into creating comics. “I found out that it was harder to put together pages and layouts in certain ways, plus I realized that I needed to write more detailed scripts so that I’d know how

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NLIKE THE WAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF COMICS ARE PRODUCED, Evan does himself: he’s the writer, penciller, inker, colcover artist, and orist, letterer, interior marketer. Creating a book entirely on his own is such a labor-intensive process that sometimes it takes him a year to get a title out.

He loves being his own kit-and-caboodle production team though, and being able to embrace his own cinematically influenced style of art. His books are more realistic and darker than mainstream superhero titles. He says he draws far more inspiration from films than from other comics, with a style that’s reminiscent of colliding with a Coen Brothers movie.

While breaking into comics is the polar opposite of easy, Evan loves it. Yes, marketing is a challenge, he admits. It would be nice if a PR professional handled that part. But, at the end of the day, he has a passion for telling stories.

“I love the idea that I can write and draw stories and share them with people,” he says. “I love it when someone picks up my book and wants to read more. That’s when you know your story is working.” n

MiserableAmericans.com | EvanDerian.com

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EORGE MONTRELLE IS A LOCAL MUSICIAN WHOSE SOULFUL SONGWRITING ENCOMPASSES a broad array of influences, from Allen

Stone to Fall Out Boy, and more in between. released on May 20th, 2022, Montrelle is With an EP named expressing his “passion for music and who I am today. It ties everything together!” The EP comprises five songs that were independently recorded and produced. It marks a significant milestone in his musical career, which he describes as “a long journey – but I’m moving at a good pace!”

Montrelle began songwriting around 16 years of age. He comes from a creative, loving, and resourceful single-parent household. Often, he would listen to his siblings' music collections, including soul, R&B, hip-hop, and gospel music.

Since those early days, he has played some unique gigs and has formed a clear vision of his musical path.

Prior gigs have included the Willis Show Bar in Midtown Detroit; Otus Supply in Ferndale (‘Singers in the Round’); and the Axis Lounge within the MGM Grand in downtown Detroit.

Montrelle graduated from the Detroit Institute of Music Education (DIME) in 2020 and was awarded a Bachelor's in Commercial Songwriting. There, he learned a lot about all aspects of the music industry, including the business culture and networking. He told me, “It felt good to finish the program. I wouldn’t trade it for the world!” He also auditioned for American Idol.

Please tell me more about LOVE UNFOLDING. LOVE UNFOLDING is the first group of songs I’ve ever released that is self-recorded and self-produced. It represents the adoration and development of my path, my partner, my passion, and myself. It also symbolizes growth, joy, humility, challenges overcome, and the pursuits of my deepest desires in life.

Any collaborations or core influences?

Briefly, Allen Stone, Hiatus Kaiyote, the ‘90s, and 2000s hip-hop, older R&B, oldies, and 2000s alternative rock are some of my influences for LOVE UNFOLDING. I also like Sam Smith and Bruno Mars.

Which of your gigs stand out, and for what reasons?

Willis Show Bar in Midtown was amazing, pre-Covid. Loved the stage and the music we got to play. More recently, MGM Grand has been a great time. Loved being able to perform classics and modern tunes to an appreciative crowd!

Do you have a favorite song?

Allen Stone’s “Brown Eyed Lover” was a long-time favorite for me. Sam Smith’s “Omen” and “Diamonds” are the other latest ones.

Any “shoutouts” to family, friends, or people in the music industry?

My fiance, and partner of nine years, first and foremost. My entire family and friend groups for their support too. You all are amazing. Lastly, the DIME faculty and student body, as a whole, I have to thank. The network and education have been a gift that has kept on giving.

What DIME experiences stood out the most?

By Jenn Goeddeke

DIME was a lot of different things. Albeit, it was a Bachelor’s degree program; it was also networking, experiencing, performing, writing music, collaborating, and being immersed in a very musical environment. I’m glad I saw what I did there. Probably being in the same environment with so much talent and opportunity stood out the most to me.

•••••••••••••••••••••••• On a parting note, Montrelle added, “Trust in yourself, as you never know who you might impact. Trust your instincts and intuition, and truly be who you are.”

Visit George Montrelle's website for more information: www.georgemontrelle.com.

Montrelle's songs can be found on all streaming sources, including Bandcamp and Spotify. n

WRITING SONGS WITH HEART & SOUL

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HIS ISN’T INKJET OR LASER PRINTING. IT ISN’T EVEN PICKING UP FULLCOLOR PHOTOS FROM CVS. This is meticulously rendered, high-end digital printing, the kind coveted by visual artists who want to fully showcase their work.

“Printing digital media is a high art,” says Karen Sanders. “It’s a combination of science and art, and it’s not easy to find a good printer anymore—somebody who truly knows what they’re doing is very rare. Larry is that person.”

The Larry she’s talking about is Larry Melkus of Fine Art Printing. He attended the Center for Creative Studies back when it was still called the Detroit Society of Arts & Crafts, studying photography with a focus on art.

Upon graduating, he went on to open his own photography studio and worked with commercial advertising clients, creating prints for trade shows, automotive companies, and other commercial entities. But, after about 30 years of commercial work, Larry decided to shift his

specialty to the art world; nowadays, he works almost exclusively with visual artists.

“I can digitally scan anything I can get through the door and create a high-definition, color-corrected digital reproduction of that art and then make a print of it, whether the artwork is a sculpture or a 6’x10’ canvas,” says Larry.

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E CAN MAKE PRINTS OF DRAWINGS, PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES, collages, sketches – you name it. He can even transform relatively low-quality digital files into striking images, which is why he encourages anyone with beloved digital photos to let him work with those files. “As far as how the image can be presented and how big it can get, the limitations are more about the skills of the person making the prints rather than the size of the digital file itself,” he says, pointing out that today’s advanced digital tools allow him to capitalize on an image’s best features.

“Making prints sometimes seems to be of a thing of a past, yet it isn’t. When people see a completed print from a digital file, they get pretty excited about it,” Karen adds. She’s also a grad of CCS, although she eventually moved away from Michigan to Texas, where she taught digital media at the University of Texas for 15 years. About six years ago, she moved back to Detroit and reconnected with the art community here.

Then in November of 2021, she heard that Larry was looking for an assistant. As a one-man shop with a sterling reputation among artists, he was slammed with work. She applied for the job and landed her dream opportunity.

“I’ve had more engagement with the artist community in six months of working here than I had during the entire six years I’d been back in Detroit,” she says. “That’s because Larry takes the time to talk to people individually and helps them understand the process of making their art into a print. He educates people about what’s possible.”

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hat desire to help artists and the art-interested realize the potential of digital media attracts both local talent and artists from other states—Larry regularly works with clients from New York, Boston, and Texas as well as Metro Detroit artists. The materials he uses are durable, heavyweight canvases and art paper, the kind of archival material you see in galleries and museums. But whether he’s collaborating with a painter looking to document their work in the form of a book or a casual photographer who wants to make a cherished photo into a print, his goal remains the same: To create a compelling work of art. n 732 Hilton Road, Ferndale | 248.571.0111 www.facebook.com/Fine.Art.Printing.MI

Lisa Howard

By 2022 F

ERNDALE

/ PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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On March 10th, 2020, voters approved a $125 million bond to make a significant investment in our educational system. Due to rising property values and expiring debt, this bond was made possible at no tax rate increase to our community.

To learn more about all of the bond projects that will be completed over the next decade visit www.ferndaleforward.com. You can also visit our Ferndale Schools web page where we update the community on all of our bond projects as they are completed: www.ferndaleschools.org/district/operations/bondprojects.

While the bond will ensure every classroom in the District is updated, the most significant investment is the construction of a brand-new, state-ofthe-art, Ferndale Lower Elementary School.

While we are still more than a year away from its opening, in April of 2022 Ferndale Schools hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at the schools future location within Jackson Park.

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HE NEW FERNDALE LOWER ELEMENTARY IS 50 PERCENT LARGER than the current building and will expand classroom sizes while integrating new scientific insights from learning environment research. Highefficiency heating, cooling, and infrastructure will accompany advanced classroom technology for every student.

Construction will continue until 2023, but you can take a virtual “fly through” of the building and outdoor spaces right now at www.FerndaleSchools.org/bond. While small modifications may be made during construction, this video will give you a great look at what to expect from the new Ferndale Lower Elementary.

To all of our neighbors, thank you for your steadfast commitment to ensuring our students have the optimal learning environment. Your investment in their future will be the bedrock of our lifelong-learning community for generations to come. n

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REVOR JOHNSON, THE FOUNDER OF NEW DAWN GARDENSCAPES LLC., is an energetic fellow with a genuine passion for plants and our planet, and a true educator at heart!

His green industry education and experience is impressive and diverse, including: • Student Teacher and Farmer at MSU’s Student Organic Farm 2003-2007

• Owner/Operator of New Dawn Gardenscapes LLC since 2006 • Awarded a Permaculture Design Certificate in 2006 • Earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Horticulture from Michigan State University in 2007 • Resident Farmer and Manager at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital since 2014 • Oakland County Food Policy Council Member since 2014 • Earning a Masters of Public Health Degree from Oakland University in 2022 What is permaculture? The word comed from combining “permanent” and “agriculture.” It is credited to Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, two educators who observed how the unsustainable methods employed by modern industrialized humans were destroying our planet.

They became inspired by studying how our indigenous ancestors lived in better harmony with the earth and climate around them, so they published their ground-breaking book, in 1978. According to Mr. Mollison; The philosophy describes an approach of creating better designs for us to manage our land and resources, designs based on mimicking the successful ecosystems currently existing in nature. It starts with observing and understanding what makes nature succeed and then uses this knowledge as a template to implement a better way for humans to co-exist with the earth.

Permaculture doesn’t focus only on how human actions affect local air, water soil, animals and plants. Rather, it includes the effects our actions will have on ecosystems far away.

Practitioners of permaculture call this “whole system thinking.”

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ike all great ideas, permaculture has evolved and expanded drastically in the last 44 years, far beyond its rural roots to now including urban areas. It is urban areas that

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Trevor is focused on, using permacuture as his guide to improve the overall public health in local communities. Trevor embraces the importance of re-attaching the lost connections between people and plants, and the positive effect this has on human health.

We know that modern mega-farms waste precious non-renewable resources such as soil, water, minerals and nutrients. The short-term pain of the current high food prices and food shortages highlights this fact, but this is small potatoes compared to the long-term damage these negative practices are doing to the planet.

We can all help to restore our ecosystems, producing sustainable, self-reliant communities.

Doing this will give future generations a better

world, one that values and preserves its resources. The great Chief Seattle summed it up best long ago, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

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T’S NOT TOO LATE FOR A “NEW DAWN” AND A FRESH START FOR OUR PLANET. Sure, our local governments can help, but what are you going to do?

While you ponder that, keep in mind what Albert Einstein once said; “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything!”

To learn more about how permaculture can make a difference in your community, check out www.newdawngardens.org. n

A New Dawn For Permaculture in SE Michigan

By Kerry

Lark

B

EING FASHIONABLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN VOGUE. But with the advent of fast fashion, being fashionable unfortunately also sometimes means being unfriendly to the environment.

Jess Minnick and Dy-man Johnson, cofounders of Not Sorry Goods, aim to change that.

“We have a big emphasis on using recycled materials,” says Jess. “We remix them and put our own twist on them. Sometimes we use an item for parts or sometimes we make something completely new with those materials.

Creating zero-waste fashion really forces us to be creative and push ourselves in different ways to make different things.”

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ESS AND DY-MAN SELL SUSTAINABLE APPAREL, ACCESSORIES, HOME GOODS, and gift items in their retail shop. Some of it they make themselves; some is made by small-batch brands and artists across the U.S. and in Metro Detroit. All of the creators, however, identify as social enterprise brands and are ecologicallyminded.

And none sell on Amazon, because their items are one-of-a-kind. Don’t be surprised when an item is listed on the store’s website as being one of only one available. That uniqueness is a big part of the appeal for many customers.

So is the upcycled aspect of the items at Not Sorry Goods. Upcycling goes beyond recycling – it means enhancing what’s leftover and creating something new with it. Maybe a turtleneck gets turned into a halter top (with the scraps being made into pet toys), or maybe several scarves become a skirt. No matter the result, it’s wearable art!

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LTHOUGH NOT SORRY GOODS JUST OPENED ITS RETAIL LOCATION LAST AUGUST, Jess and Dy-man have been crafting their goods since 2016, when they first snagged a space at the Rust Belt Market. Having a mini store there gave the duo a chance to test their product, develop their customer base and learn more about visual merchandising.

“You want proof of concept before you go to being brick-and-mortar,” Jess explains. “Plus it’s a cool way to be a part of the community.”

Once the two women had a solid following, it made sense to open a full-service retail shop. It was clear that their shared passions for thrifting and fashion had turned them into ideal business partners.

And, besides, they’d become close friends ever since meeting in a fateful kickboxing class back in 2015. At the time, they both had a Group-on to use and were feeling a bit adrift after having entered the post-college phase of their lives. One kick and punch led to another…and then to realizing how much they

had in common. Including, as Jess puts it, a “crazy energy” that keeps them happy and inspired.

“I

’M REALLY HAPPY WITH HOW WE GOT HERE. IT’S BEEN VERY ORGANIC,” Jess says.

Not only that, but she and Dy-man have found the community to be incredibly helpful and sweet, with everyone wanting to see each other be successful. While Dy-man is originally from Michigan, Jess is a Florida transplant who now considers herself a Michigander, in no small part because of how supportive the community has been.

“It’s a community through-and-through, professionally and personally,” she says, adding that she’s blown away by how many talented people live in the area. Although she and her husband had originally considered moving to other locations before they came here, she’s thrilled they wound up in Ferndale. She’d always wanted to open her own creative business, and this was the perfect place to do that.

“Making funky stuff with art scraps never gets old,” Jess says. “I feel so very lucky and blessed to get to do this as my full-time job.” n

STYLISH AND SUSTAINABLE

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By Lisa Howard

22963 Woodward Ave, Ferndale notsorrygoods@gmail.com https://notsorrygoods.com

2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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By Lisa Howard

M

ANY PEOPLE DREAM ABOUT MAKING A LIVING AS AN ARTIST, but Michelle Ouellette and Chad exactly what Thompson it’s like. They created their animation studio, Yeah Haus, back in 2013 and have been artist-ing ever since.

into creating it. And it work, even when it’s driven by passion and even when you can be choosy about who you work with. “I think a lot of being a creative comes down to how to talk yourself out of continuing,” Chad says.

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ORTUNATELY, HE AND MICHELLE HAVE ESTABLISHED A SOLID ROSTER of clients

draw! That’s all I want to do,” Michelle says. “If I can’t ever draw for myself, then what’s the point?” Chad agrees — every artist, he says, has “backburner stuff,” the kind of projects that keep the fires of creativity burning bright. That’s why they purposely leave some space in their schedules to accommodate their filmmaking.

AN ANIMATED LIFE

“We thought, ‘We’ll just do this until we run out of jobs.’ And we still have jobs,” says Michelle.

She and Chad were both working at ad agencies but wanted to forge their own path that would allow them to earn income as creatives pursue their own artistic projects. “I’m most proud of our short films because you can watch them years later and they hold up,” Chad says.

“They aren’t based on trends the way commercial work is.” Besides, purely personal projects are a chance to go outside of their usual lanes and learn something new.

Of course, building a successful small business – especially a creative studio – takes time and determination. As Michelle and Chad point out, it’s easy to look at a finished product like a film or a book and not see all of the work that went

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and also a go-to list of partners they can call whenever they need to work with a collaborator. In many cases, those clients and collaborators go back years. Likewise, Michelle and Chad are not only business partners but have been married for ten years, with two kids under the age of six. They know the nuances of how to best balance their personal and professional lives.

Michelle is the illustrator; in her previous life at the ad agency, she worked as a designer and 3D artist. Chad is the creative director. In BYH times (Before Yeah Haus), he worked in postproduction doing motion graphics and editing.

Together, they’ve created mixed media projects, 2D and 3D animations, a swath of commercial works, and their own short films. “I love to

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NE OF THEIR SHORTS MADE IT INTO A FILM FESTIVAL IN CANNES! (Yes, they were able to see it screened live.) They count that along with their work for Adult Swim, Disney, and various LA film festivals as some of the highlights of their joint career.

Their tidy studio includes an audio room with all the tools Chad needs to do his sound design and editing while Michelle is busily sketching and illustrating in the adjoining room. They also tackle soundtracks – not only is Chad a musician, his brother was a touring musician and joins in the musicmaking.

Living in an inherently creative community like Ferndale also helps. “It’s easy to find a wizard guitarist on the other side of Woodward who’ll come over to record,” Chad says. But at the end of the day, what they treasure most is being able to collaborate and create with friendly, talented, and reciprocal partners. “It’s important to us that when we finish something, people are happy,” Michelle says. “We’ve found our little niche and we’re not stopping.” n https://yeahhaus.com | 248.835.0153 | hello@yeahhaus.com

By Lisa Howard

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By

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Jill Hurst

OOKING FOR LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT? DRAG QUEEN BINGO? A EUCHRE TOURNAMENT?

Maybe it’s Tuesday and you want to hear great local jazz. Well, you can find all that and more at the Ferndale Elks Lodge on Woodward. I met with Elk Josh Gartner, who took me on a tour, chatting about the Elks past, present and future.

The Elks are a private social club. Lodge #1588 has existed in Ferndale since 1931. Want to join up? You must be 21 to apply for membership, and sponsored by an Elk in good standing. Once you’re voted in, your membership card opens the door seven days a week. The Ferndale Lodge currently has over 700 members, the second highest membership in the district. They have the youngest median age for members in the country. About half the members are women. As a dues paying/rule abiding member, you can stop by for a drink and a snack.

You don’t have to do anything more, but most members find themselves drawn to the many volunteering opportunities. The Ferndale Lodge is especially known for its generosity and commitment to our community, giving thousands to veterans organizations, awarding scholarships to local and state students, and sponsoring annual events like the Dream Cruise and Pride.

There is plenty of work to go around. The only people on staff at the Lodge are the four bartenders. The rest is done by volunteers. Josh says while it’s great to belong to a social club where everyone knows everyone, it’s the charity work that’s addictive. He says, laughing “We refer to ourselves as a bunch of drinkers with a volunteering problem.”

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HE ELKS HAD JUST FINISHED RENOVATING when the pandemic shut them down. Nightly Zoom meetings kept members connected. One of the bartenders made cocktails in mason jars and did home delivery!

Then, in 2020, the Ferndale T-Rex Walking Club was born to bring smiles to the community, especially the local children. Members clad in costumes that included a pink unicorn, a giraffe and a gray shark, took surprise walks through Ferndale neighborhoods!

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What could have turned into a huge event was reconfigured as a kind of secret club so as not to put people’s health in danger. The fun took work, but the Elks are good at that and seeing the kids happy faces made everyone feel better.

COVID restrictions lifted. The Lodge opened. Slowly. Local events like the Memorial Day Parade, Pride and the Dream Cruise are on the schedule again. It’s nice to get back to the old routine. And as always, the Elks are open to new things that improve the well-being of the membership.

Lodge President Oscar Renautt created a wellness program that includes weekly yoga, T’ai Chi and a bike program!

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HILE THE ELKS ARE COMMITTED TO LOOKING FORWARD and changing with the times to stay in touch with their communities, they value tradition. Like the “Hour of Eleven” toast. Music and conversation stop, the members stand and there is a toast made to all of the Elks who have come and gone. It’s important to take a moment every day to think about those who have left us. Then go forward, in their honor and do some good in the world.

Check out the Elks Lodge next time they open their doors to the community for a good cause. It might be a nice place to visit, or your new home away from home. Lodge #1588 is located at 22856 Woodward, one block north of Nine Mile. n 248-542-2626 www.elks1588.com

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OLY ASHKENAZI IMMIGRATED TO THE U.S. IN THE EARLY 2000s WHILE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL. Always ambitious at heart, he

immediately secured a job at a family diner, eventually working his way up to running two of Ferndale’s well-known businesses.

“I started waiting tables while attending high school,” Ashkenazi said.

“The work was fairly straightforward, and I quickly realized that the pay was based on quality of service. I learned a lot at that job, and it motivated

By

Sara Teller

me to try working in other areas of customer service. I stayed at that same diner for a few years, until I got out of high school and heard that a nearby nightclub called Q was looking for a bar-back.”

He had no idea at the time that it would be his ‘big break.’ There, he met Tom Pearlman, of Pearlman Premier Properties, and the rest is history.

“I started working for Tom as a bar-back at Q in 2003,” he explained.

“About a year later, Tom started building SOHO and I had the opportunity to work on the construction team. Afterwards, I was offered a position bartending at the newly built SOHO. As time passed, and I got more experience at various aspects of the business, Tom provided me opportunities for advancement and professional development as a leader.”

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SHKENAZI EVENTUALLY BECAME PEARLMAN’S PARTNER, and now he runs SOHO and the 215 West.

“Tom has been an incredible mentor and leader of the organization and I am truly grateful for his partnership,” Ashkenazi said. “He has shown me how to be a successful bar operator and given me a chance to build a career in this industry.”

The feelings are mutual. Pearlman said, “In 35 years in the bar and nightclub business I had never previously brought in a partner. Toly has earned my confidence and trust by his hard work, business sense and integrity.”

Ashkenazi called SOHO “a place where anyone can be themselves, a place of openness, connection and diversity. While the challenges of a busy bar setting can sometimes be overwhelming, it’s still a labor of love and a very fun place to work.”

Of 215 West, he said it would become a support structure for SOHO during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic with more space for social distancing indoors and out. Since that time, it has grown into a flexible community gathering space which, occasionally, hosts parties.

Ashkenazi said, “This wasn’t what we set out to do with 215 West in the beginning, but I am happy with the changes and its current trajectory.”

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E IS ALSO A DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (DDA) BOARD MEMBER and active with the Ferndale Community Foundation, saying, “The Ferndale community has been amazing. They have been supporting us for years, and especially during the pandemic. They come to our special events, parties, fundraisers, and often stop by just to chat at the bar. I can’t thank the Ferndale community enough for everything they do for all of us here.”

Pearlman said “I was a DDA board member for 12 years and a founding board member of the Ferndale Community Foundation. Toly brings common sense, fiscal responsibility and concern for the community to these organizations. At SOHO and now 215 West we have always felt the responsibility to make every effort to host and sponsor community events and fundraisers.”

Ashkenazi loves getting involved with local events and activities, explaining, “I have been working in Ferndale for close to 20 years. I love the city and sense of community. Serving on these boards gives me the chance to do my part to support the city and the people who live here.”

And, for this, Pearlman can’t thank Ashkenazi enough. He said, “Toly is much more attuned to the needs and requirements of our new generation of patrons and employees. He makes me proud every day to call him a friend and associate.”

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For more information about Ashkenazi, SOHO and 215 West, visit @SohoFerndale and @215WestFerndale on Facebook or Instagram or Ferndalesoho.com and 215westferndale.com. n

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F BRET SCOTT HAD BEEN TOLD AS

shares his passion for collectible autos with other enthusiasts through his membership in Lambda, Alpha-Romeo, Lancia, and DeSoto car clubs.

A CHILD that his destiny was to

Whether by car or on foot, Scott visits local parks for recreation. It is his enjoyment of them that set the stage for becoming a community activist. In 2013, during an exploration of Gainsboro Park in Pleasant Ridge, he observed that it had fallen into a state of neglect. “The barbecues were in such rough shape that no one would possibly use them for grilling,” recalls Scott, who within days approached the city manager about what could be done to remedy the situation.

become a mayor, he would probably have shrugged it off.

He wasn’t interested in standing at a podium and giving long speeches, nor did he care to sit at a desk and go through stacks of papers. Precocious and energetic, he liked figuring out the mechanical aspect of things.

Accordingly, his free time was spent playing with LEGOs, model or miniature cars, and other objects with which he could build something or conduct an experiment.

Scott’s mom typically supported his creative endeavors, but some of his undertakings caused her eyebrows to raise with concern. Despite the passing of so many years, Scott says his mom hasn’t forgotten his nervewrecking experiments: “She loves to tell the story of how I would put fuses into light sockets just to see what would happen.”

Naturally, she was relieved when his interests graduated to safer ways of figuring out machines or other electrical devices. While still in elementary school, he became skilled at operating computers. He learned how to write programs on a Commodore VIC-20 and a TI 99/4A, two early home computer systems.

Two of his favorite computer games that he was able to reprogram were Pong and Super Breakout. Around the same time, he built a box and installed it on his family’s TV set to get special viewing services before there was cable.

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IS YEARS OF EXPLORING THE WORKINGS OF COMPUTERS and other devices paved the way toward his future career aspirations. As a young adult, he attended GMI (General Motors Institute), and then transferred to Lawrence Tech, where he secured a bachelor’s in electrical engineering and eventually an MBA. His education helped him land jobs at GM, Volkswagen, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

While most of his positions relied heavily on his analytical skills, his appointment at GM to its Diversity Team meant he had to handle issues that were less cut-and-ddried. Looking back, he feels pride in what he accomplished while being part of the special group. “The team put a face to some of the concerns that GM’s LGBTQ employees had to deal with,” says Scott. “Like how does a gay couple (traveling for the company) get a room for two when they can’t get married? As Scott wrote and enacted new policies with other team members that increased fairness among the staff, he discovered his achievements benefited him on a personal level: “Chairing GM’s LGBTQ employee resource group helped me feel much more comfortable about being out in my daily life.”

2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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UELED BY HIS COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, Scott then directed his focus toward becoming the Mayor of Pleasant Ridge. In 2021, he ran unopposed and became the first openly gay and the first African American mayor in the town’s history. He quickly went to work tackling local issues for the residents. Because of the pandemic, “people are home more and naturally see more,” says Scott. “Living in a small community means that I’m more available to discuss what’s on their minds.” One pressing concern has been the location of marijuana dispensaries in the area. Scott and the city commissioners have responded to residents’ concerns by clarifying through zoning ordinances that these types of facilities should not be opened near homes or schools.

By Ryan Ennis

PLEASANT RIDGE MAYOR

BRET SCOTT

After spending time away from Michigan to live in California and Virginia, Scott returned to Metro Detroit in 2011. He bought a house in Pleasant Ridge, close to Woodward Ave., so that he wouldn’t have to go far to participate in the Dream Cruise and other classic car gatherings. His love for tinkering with and fixing vintage cars was inspired by watching his dad repair collectible vehicles in the shop he once owned. Presently, Scott

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While the former city manager was open to discuss it, Scott’s concerns were ultimately not addressed. So, he presented them to members of the Pleasant Ridge Community Council, who recognized he could be a strong advocate for change and encouraged him to run for office as a city commissioner. He ended up winning elections twice, in 2013 and 2017, for seats as a city commissioner. During his consecutive terms, he worked with colleagues to revitalize Gainsboro Park with new play equipment and more eye-pleasing landscaping, along with a new communal fireplace and barbecue pit covered by a pavilion. He also worked with the former city manager to update the city’s Human Rights Ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Another worry for residents has been deciding on appropriate and equitable funding sources for improving the city. One detail that Scott has been working on is helping property owners understand how money for water infrastructure is obtained. Scott says that he and the City Commission “formed a Citizens Advisory Committee to study the topic, and they determined that reasonable infrastructure funding could be guaranteed through a property tax millage rate, a flat ready-to-serve charge, and a charge based on the length of home frontage. This recommendation will go to City Commission vote in June and will fund the city-wide replacement of the 100year-old water supply system.”

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ITH HIS PRESENT FULL-TIME JOB AS VICE PRESIDENT of Partnerships at Wejo, a company that helps businesses and governments benefit from connected vehicle data, and his involvement in numerous car clubs, it is easy to imagine that the added pressures of being a mayor would make Scott regret winning the position. “On the contrary,” says Scott. “I’m just blown away that I a mayor. I would like to thank the Pleasant Ridge community for giving me this opportunity.”

Naturally, Scott experiences stress from time to time from juggling so many obligations. When he doesn’t have free time to unwind in his garage and tinker with classic cars, he finds music to be just as soothing. As proof of this: “I’ve sang more in the shower during the last two years than I have in the past fifty-three.” n

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T THE FERNDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY, ED BURNS BECAME MUCH MORE THAN A COMMON FIGURE CIRCULATING AMONG THE BOOKSHELVES AND COMPUTER

STATIONS. To its many visitors, he was viewed as an . Even when his arms were laden

with books, DVDs, and other media items, patrons didn’t hesitate approaching him. They knew he would readily put the materials aside to answer reference questions, provide film recommendations, and offer technology support.

lining, the start of curbside delivery created a sense of comradery among the staff from different departments who had to work together to gather and package the materials for the patrons to pick up.

According to Burns, the library programs presented via Zoom have been well-attended. Although some patrons have requested that the programs return to being in-person, others still prefer the Zoom format. Burns sees a hybrid of the two as pointing the way to the future. The combining of the two, he feels, will help librarians reach the largest possible audience.

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ESPITE SO MANY SUCCESSES, BURNS DECIDED LAST AUGUST THAT HE WAS READY TO RETIRE. “I quietly told Director Jenny Marr first,” he says, “and gradually let the word get out.” He set his retirement date for the spring of 2022. To honor his many years of dedication, his colleagues put on a soiree for him. “A lot of people came,” continues Burns, “And I was glad, because we had a lot of cake. It’s quite something to spend a couple of hours hearing people say kind things about you.”

What some residents may not have learned about Burn is that his ties to Ferndale began long before he stepped into his role as an adult services librarian, almost 15 years ago. His connection to the city actually started in 1987, when he found an affordable apartment. “The Downtown was a ghost town back then,” he says. “Ferndale has changed so much (during the time) I’ve lived here. I credit the many civic-minded citizens who have worked to improve the quality of life here.”

Reflecting on the past decade and a half, Burns realizes he will miss serving the community. It delighted him when patrons would stop by the reference desk to express their gratitude. They appreciated landing a job after Burns showed them how to upload a résumé to a recruiter’s website, or receiving a good grade on an assignment based on the resources Burns had collected for them. “Helping people,” says Burns, “is by far the most rewarding part of the job,” no matter how big or small their needs are.

After establishing himself in the IT field, he further tightened his local ties by purchasing a home on the east end of town in the mid-’90s. While his IT work often led to long hours, he managed to find time to volunteer at the library. Before long, he “got involved with the Friends of the Ferndale Library, and eventually became president of the group,” believing he had found his niche.

Presently, he is celebrating his retirement by spending the summer in Ocean City, New Jersey. “I haven’t been in over 30 years,” Burns says, “and there has been a hole in my heart. I do hope to get a part-time job up on the boardwalk, selling fudge or making T-shirts. Just something so that I’m out there and being part of the summer-at-the-shore scene.”

FERNDALE LIBRARIAN CELEBRATES HIS CAREER

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T AGE 50, BURNS EMBARKED ON A NEW VOCATIONAL DIRECTION. Taking a risk, he resigned from his IT job, and increased his library and information science coursework at Wayne State University. Around the same period, his status at the library changed from volunteer to parttime and then to full-time, much to the delight of those with whom he professionally interacted. “I brought a level of technology support to both staff and the public that had been absent,” he says.

When Burns comes home after Labor Day, his plans are less certain. Yet, he acknowledges, “You just might occasionally find me back on the reference desk at the Ferndale Library.” n

ED BURNS

Since then, he has held several titles and positions: Adult Services Librarian; Interim Director (twice); and, lastly, Head of Reference and Adult Services. When asked about the high points of his library career, he states: “Anybody who knows me knows how proud I am of our foreign language film collection, which was non-existent before I came on the scene.” Another achievement, as well as a testament to his interpersonal skills, is that “when I was interim director, I didn’t tick off any of my staff enough so that we couldn’t go back to working side-by-side when my tenure was over.”

Challenging times loomed ahead for Burns when the pandemic struck in the late winter of 2020. He found it discouraging that the forced closure of the library meant patrons lost access to its materials and technology. When the Library was finally able to offer services via Zoom (an online video platform), he felt grateful that patrons living and/or working in isolation could have their boredom eased and their needs met. As a silver

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T. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH “SEEKS TO FOSTER A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS who

embrace the inclusiveness of Jesus’ love for all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status, social class or age.”

No matter what changes within the congregation throughout the years or in Ferndale-at large, the church remains steadfast in this mission.

Originally founded by three families – the Martins, Shaders and McIntyres – St. Luke’s was formed as a mission church and approved as such by the the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. At first, the congregation met in the

By

Sara Teller

basement of the former Board of Education building on 9 Mile. Then, as interest grew, construction of the current building commenced and, after its completion, serving those in need became a primary focus.

“U

NDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE REVEREND JIM MAXWELL, we helped found South Oakland Shelter, a year-round rotating emergency shelter for individuals and families struggling with homelessness,” said current Reverend Clare Hickman. Over the past 14 years, under her direction, St. Luke’s became a beacon of full affirmation of LGBTQ+ people, welcoming those who have been rejected by other churches, and attracting others seeking a loving theology in which to live and raise their children.

A WELCOME WITHOUT BONDS TO A GOD WITHOUT LIMITS

Hickman explained, “We can be seen every year at Pride Fest, trying to undo some of the damage the church has done to LGBTQ+ people over the centuries by embodying the good news of God’s love for everyone. We believe in a God who is far larger than we could possibly imagine and seek to create a community that reflects this expansiveness.”

St. Luke’s offers a space for all Ferndalians to gather, worship, ask questions and grow spiritually. Hickman said, “Our life and worship are rooted in ancient liturgy, while also providing space to question and struggle with all the big questions (and lots of small ones too). The Anglican tradition has always had a kind of generous humility, admitting that we cannot know the whole of God, so we should refrain from offering too many absolutes. Because of these things, we are a

community of true welcome and healing for those who come through our doors. Through us, God binds up the broken-hearted and gives shelter to those who are lost – and aren’t we all lost, in some way or another?”

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N 2016, ST. LUKE’S PARTNERED WITH OAKRIDGE MANOR SENIOR LIVING CENTER to begin offering a weekly service of music and healing prayers as well as a letterwriting ministry. Each year, the church has a big collection of school supplies to help ease the burden on parents and teachers at local schools. It also hosts multiple recovery groups each week and serves as a meeting space for families and groups.

“Just before pandemic, a number of activities were on the calendar, including a board meeting, a graduation party, a concert, and a neighborhood talent show,” Hickman said. “Sadly, they all had to be cancelled. But we are hoping that the barbecue we’ll be throwing on the lawn in August will remind the community that we are here.”

The neighborhood BBQ will be open to the public and held on Saturday, August 20. Other upcoming events include a CROP Walk for World Hunger on Sunday, September 18, and an animal blessing on the lawn, Sunday, September 25 (all are invited!).

Of St. Luke’s overall culture, Hickman said, “We are relaxed and irreverent. We are unruffled by chaos. And we are a bit peculiar.”

To learn more about how the church is serving Ferndale and surrounding communities, attend a weekly service held each Sunday at 10:30 A.M. in-person or via Zoom, visit stlukesferndale.org or call 248.677.1804. n

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HEN IT COMES TO OPTIMIZING YOUR FURNACE, keep it simple and make sure you change the filter. “Your furnace is no different than your car – if you don’t maintain it, things will go wrong,” says Ari Beyer, owner of Beyer Heating & Cooling.

“When your furnace isn’t producing as much heat as it should be, that’s because you didn’t change the filter.” Aside from that, he warns against doing anything else, pointing out that furnaces aren’t made to be tinkered with by non-professionals. There’s a reason why the filter is on the exterior of the furnace and not nestled into its innards!

In a similar vein, if you have air conditioning, don’t start unscrewing panels and don’t spray it down – you could cause damage to its electrical components. Either sweep debris off of your outdoor unit or call a professional to make sure you’ll be cool and comfortable during the summer months.

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AVING WORKED IN THE HVAC FIELD FOR 26 YEARS, Ari has plenty of climate-control experience under his belt. He initially went to college and got a degree in construction management, but it didn’t take him long to decide to give up working for a builder and join the family business instead. He’s been installing, upgrading, and advising about heating and cooling needs ever since.

HVAC Wisdom We Can All Use “I’m passionate about everything I do in life. I only have one gear, and that’s fifth gear, pedalto-the-metal. And I like helping people and always being on the go.” He cannot possibly imagine sitting behind a desk, he says. He has 12 employees, some of whom have worked for him for over 20 years, and he loves the fact that no two days are the same.

One of Ari’s other big tips is to replace outdated and under-performing furnaces. If you have a 60-year-old furnace and you’re thinking, “Well, it’s not broken so I won’t fix it,’ know that the math doesn’t work in your favor – if you’re paying $400/month and running your heat for half the year, that’s $2,400 each year. If you spent $4,000 on a new furnace and then had a $100 bill each month, the new furnace would pay for itself in fewer than three years.

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LSO, STEP BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR OVERALL HOUSEHOLD SETUP, particularly the trifecta of heat, windows, and insulation. If you can feel gusts of cold air coming in around the edges of your windows, then buying a new furnace isn’t going to do much. If your insulation is ancient (or nonexistent), again, your heating bills will take up a bigger and bigger chunk of your budget.

Now for the good news: The Oakland County Home Improvement Program offers qualified homeowners interest-free loans of up to $18,000 to make needed home repairs, including energy-saving upgrades. Eligible improvements include new windows (and roofs), heating systems, and insulation. www.oakgov.com/advanta geoakland/communities/ Pages/HomeImprovementProgram-and-ContractorOpportunities-.aspx.

For his part, Ari offers various financing and payment options to help people afford their new furnaces.

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HEN IT COMES TO REPLACING YOUR FURNACE, Ari has two more words of wisdom: Do it. While some people are holding off making that purchase because they think prices will eventually drop back to pre-pandemic levels, that’s not going to happen, Ari says.

Also, know that if you’re shooting for the ‘Mercedes’ of furnaces, it might take a while to arrive. “The Mercedes-end of furnaces are hitand-miss because they’ve been most affected by pandemic shortages,” he points out. “On the plus side, the ‘Cadillacs’ and ‘Ford Escapes’ are readily available.”

And remember: no matter what kind of furnace n you have, 1880 E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale www.beyerheating.com 248.398.4015

By Lisa Howard Photos by 72

2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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OM KATOULA IS THE OUTGOING AND AMBITIOUS OWNER OF

PAPA ROMANO'S IN FERNDALE SINCE 2004.

By

Jenn Goeddeke

The business has been in operation since 1995, but after taking over Katoula has been determined to keep improving its popularity.

Katoula lived in Denmark for ten years and worked as a chef in his own restaurant. He certainly has the experience to run a successful pizzeria. Katoula is a familyoriented man, with all his family living in the USA. Katoula moved to Michigan in 1999.

As with many local businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic created some challenges. Katoula lost five of his long-term employees during the early phase of the pandemic and has had to bridge that gap.

Fortunately, many members of his family stepped in to help. For example, his nephew Kyle helps him manage the store, and his son Marcelo works there part-time. Additionally, some of his friends’ kids work for him also.

Katoula commented, “I make them all feel like family – it's not all about business!”

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MPRESSIVELY, KATOULA NOT ONLY STAYED IN BUSINESS, he also came close to doubling his business from early 2020! Katoula appreciates his staff for their part in the continued success of the Ferndale store. “My family cares about the business and they give the best service to customers.” Being professional at all times is key. Recently, Katoula’s daughter Marci and two nieces, Chanel and Chantel ran the store by themselves on a Sunday. With a smile, Katoula added, “they’re even better than me!”

Katoula loves to excel with fresh ingredients, including all the salads. “They are not the cheapest price, but they are the best quality, and we get great feedback from our customers.” Currently, the number-one seller on the a combination of a menu is large pizza and Bambino breadsticks. They also offer a full Mr. Pita menu too, and delivery is available to a wide radius.

A large part of Katoula’s business is catering, with favorites being mostaccioli and chicken wings. With his reliable staff and store capacity, he can cater to any group size.

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O GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, KATOULA HELPS OUT various local organizations, schools, city staff, and charities with donations of food. He mentioned how much he enjoys working in Ferndale because of the “great mix” of people! n 740 W Nine Mile Rd in Ferndale | 248.399.0011 M-Th 10:00 AM-10:00 PM; Fr-Sat 10:00 AM-1:00 PM; Sun Noon-9:00 PM. WWW.PAPAROMANOS.COM

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tunity to snag a new space popped up, she seized it. Now she has ample accommodations for her hair services. retail items, classes “We’re always growing and expanding,” Luna says. “New people come in with fresh ideas. We keep up with trends, and do continuing ed for our staff.”

Extensions have gotten really popular, she adds — that’s her personal specialty — and that’s a service her salon has long offered. Dreadlocks and creative color are two more of their top niches. Luna has been providing the latter for almost 30 years, dating back to when she co-owned the Dungeon Hair Studio in Clawson.

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ITH A 20TH ANNIVERSARY COMING UP IN THE FALL and a recent grand opening, Luna Calley is one busy lady.

“I need ten of me,” she says. That’s no exaggeration: Luna runs Thru Luna’s Eyes Salon & Healing Arts on top of providing hairdressing services and teaching classes ranging from reiki to meditation. She changed the salon’s name to include Healing Arts two years ago after she had ramped up her class offerings.

And she just opened Luna’s Lemuria in Birmingham, where she sells everything from hair jewelry and wigs to crystals and gemstones. She sells those items in the salon, too, but when the oppor-

FROM FAIRY

HAIR TO CLASSIC BOBS

HE TOOK A YEAR OFF BETWEEN RUNNING THE DUNGEON and opening Thru Luna’s Eyes and re-immersing herself in the world of hair.

Since then, she’s done several hair balls (winning a Best Of award in the process) and worked with designers at various venues to put on her own hair shows.

“The city has grown so much since I first opened!” she says. “There were only a few hair salons back then, and now there are what – 20? But I don’t mind, because we have a different kind of niche.

Besides, one of the reasons people come to Fernhave so many salons.” dale now is because we Although many of her clients are fellow Ferndalians, some come from other states. The reverse also happens — one of Luna’s staff was recently flown out to do dreadlocks. And, perhaps not surprisingly given the salon’s artistic bent, back when the film industry was hard at work in Michigan, her staff was in demand on sets. One actually went with the industry when it decamped and headed back west.

Most of her staff have come and gone throughout the years, Luna says, but her staff has always consisted of people who have created a fun, energetic environment for themselves and their clients.

That atmosphere is one of the highlights of Luna’s multi-decade career.

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NOTHER IS SOCIETY’S GROWING ACCEPTANCE OF CREATIVE HAIR. “When I started doing those styles, sometimes certain cuts or colors would cause people to lose their jobs; sometimes schools wouldn’t let students have pink hair or attend prom with certain hair colors. Now, though, society has really embraced the more creative side of hair.”

She points out that even workplaces are more accepting, especially retail establishments and bars and restaurants. That said, she caters to everybody from all walks of life — her slogan is “conservative to alternative.” She caters to Ren Fest goers, too, offering fairy hair and mermaid braids.

That kind of hair art will be showcased during Luna’s 20 anniversary party on September 3rd. Fall will also see her offering crystal and gemstone classes in addition to her movement, meditation and mantra programs. While Luna will still be styling hair, she’s planning on moving more into teaching. Life is too short to pursue passions!

Even if there’s only one of her instead of ten. n

By Lisa Howard

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513 W. Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale | 248.545.5413 www.facebook.com/Thru-Lunas-Eyes-Hair-Salon-HealingArts-141238102619245

2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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ETS AREN’T JUST ANIMALS — THEY’RE FAMILY MEMBERS. And family deserves the best!

When Janet Platt first brought home a shih tzu named Maestro, she quickly realized that commercial dog treats were far from the best. Most weren’t even good. It didn’t take her long to start making Maestro treats from scratch, using fresh and mostly meat ingredients.

Other people wanted to feed their furry family members better too, so she opened her first store in Bloomfield Hills in 2012 and called it Maestro’s Dog Haus. Four years later, she opened a second location in Ferndale.

“We have people who stop in almost every day,” says Drew McLenon, the manager at the Ferndale store. “Especially people with puppies. They’ll be out for a walk and come in to

get the puppies more socialized and used to being in stores. We love to see them!”

Four-legged visitors are offered treats, while their two-legged companions can browse the day’s freshly made offerings. The chicken chips are the most popular — they’re 100 percent chicken breast that has been dehydrated and baked, resulting in a potato-chip-like texture.

For those picky eaters who may shun chicken, exotic choices like emu jerky and dehydrated ostrich necks are available. Drew says those are also excellent picks for pets with allergies or sensitive stomachs since emu and ostrich are hypoallergenic meats.

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NE INGREDIENT THAT YOU WON’T SEE in Maestro’s handcrafted treats are grains. The Maestro bakers do make a handful of items with veggies like sweet potatoes and lentils, but the vast majority of their products are 100 percent meats that have been alternatively baked, dehydrated and/or freezedried.

Their freeze-dried salmon bites are another customer fave, and the bakers also make cupcakes that are also salmon-flavored. Chews and grain-free bones (including peanut, beef, and chicken varieties) are toothsome treats, while the cupcakes and freeze-dried options are soft.

Maestro’s also offers four- and five-star commercial kibbles and wet foods.

Along with their edible treats, Maestro’s is stocked with pet toys for dogs and cats. Drew says that aside from getting to meet so many friendly faces (furry and otherwise), finding fun new toys is her favorite part of the job. She has a cat at home, so she’s well aware of how valuable intriguing toys can be.

She knows the cross appeal of Maestro’s treats, too – Kiki, her brown tabby, loves the chicken chips as much as her barking brethren do.

And Kiki also gets to enjoy the filler-free cat food that Maestro’s has in the store.

Commercial cat food tends to have even more fillers than commercial dog foods, which is all the more puzzling (and distressing) given that cats are obligate carnivores.

Many of Maestro’s customers come into the store looking for foods that don’t contain fillers, byproducts or added colors, either because their dog or cat is experiencing chronic health issues like skin disorders or because they just want to improve their pet’s overall health and energy levels.

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N HER FIVE YEARS AT THE FERNDALE STORE, DREW HAS SEEN more and more pet owners come in to make the switch to betterquality foods. Being on West Nine Mile just off Woodward, Maestro’s gets tons of foot traffic in their small but well-provisioned shop. (The Bloomfield Hills location is where the bakery is located; it’s more of a stock-up-here store.)

The three-person staff has their hands full, especially during the summertime months when their ever-popular frozen yogurt reappears. Made with raw goat’s milk and offered in an array of pet-favorite flavors like strawberry, beef bone broth, and peanut butter, Maestro’s is an essential stop for any dog and their human! n

By Lisa Howard

Maestro’s Dog Haus | 310 W. Nine Mile, Ferndale 248.632.1199 | https://maestrosdoghaus.com

Five-Star Treats for our Four-Legged Friends 84

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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C

arey Gustafson has been a strong, ongoing creative energy behind several main, local grassroots productions since the early 2000s.

She is fundamentally an artist, musician, teacher, and mommy to Lucy (age 12). Her interests and activities have had a broad range, including curating art shows at The Majestic Cafe in Detroit, becoming VP of Defying The Law Bicycle Club, musical director for the DIY Street Fair in Ferndale (2008-2010), and even hosting some Zombie Dance Parties!

Gustafson was raised in the Clawson school system and currently resides in Oak Park. In between, she lived in Ferndale for 25 years. As a young child, Gustafson began collecting random items to create art and discovered the huge power of her imagination.

Immediately following high school, she completed courses in stained glass art and trained in fabrication plus large-scale projects. Gustafson's involvement in this form of art has spanned over 30 years, and has evolved into an impressive home studio named Glass Action. The studio is her main current focus as she runs several workshops each week, for beginners to “get their feet wet, and then leave with their treasures!” Her promotional style has been essentially word of mouth, and she has been building social media contacts for over ten years, person by person.

INITIALLY ENTERED INTO A “HUGE CREATIVE GUSTAFSON STRIDE” with local bands and the music scene in 2001. Then,

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By Jenn Goeddeke

after co-founding the company Handmade Detroit with four other ladies in 2005 came the formation of the Detroit Urban Craft Fair. This is the longest-running indie craft fair in Michigan, involving over 100 crafters/makers, and thousands of customers. It is hosted at the Masonic Temple in Detroit (which is the largest in the world). Gustafson explained, “It started as a telephone promotion game and then others came forward.”

Another impressive collaboration has been the Backyard Art Fair in Ferndale, which was arranged by Gustafson and one of her friends, Kelly Kaatz. This event began with creating a “safe space” to meet up with Kaatz and two other friends in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Everything was changing quickly and events were getting “shuttered up.” So, they formed this outdoor event where people could

split up and rotate around the neighborhood. Two versions were created: Spring and Fall, and the fair became very popular. For Spring 2022, Gustafson mentioned that the plans got “tweaked and downsized, so the audience could reach all homes involved.”

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EGARDING HER STAINED GLASS ART CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS, Gustafson mentioned that “the reaction has been immediate!” She booked up quickly for March, April, and May, with several workshops held each week and an average of six people in each. These workshops include some important steps in the creation of stained glass, such as grinding, cutting the glass, and final assembly. The techniques taught include the use of adhesives and soldering. Gustafson keeps informed of current teaching trends which she believes are important.

She also makes her own designs, and portraits, which are often inspired by pop-culture themes.

Certain crafts go through cycles of popularity and then make a comeback. For this reason, Gustafson often hears the phrase, “my grandma used to do this!” Some of her students were previously afraid to try out stained glass art, or they couldn’t figure it out completely. Frequently, this is a brand-new craft for a student and then leads to some finesse. Gustafson keeps it all affordable, with an average cost of $80 for a three-hour workshop, which includes all materials and instruction.

She added that she would be keeping a set teaching schedule into September, and then adjusting classes for the busy season, leading into Christmas and the New Year.

Gustafson loves to keep her classes interesting. Every month can reveal a new project, and she is building a repertoire with few repeats. The age range is currently 17+, and a safety speech is always part of the class intro, as some chemicals are used. Gustafson added, “there’s lots of ventilation in the studio, and this is an in-depth dive into the art of stained glass.”

With a smile, she concluded, “It’s not exactly a class for a bachelorette crawl as it requires great focus. I have done a few craft pop-ups at school, for my daughter Lucy, where fifty 2nd graders are staring at me, waiting for instructions. If I can handle that, then I can handle any group of adults!

I found the dream- of making a living at what I love to do.” n Instagram: @glass_action | glass_action@yahoo.com Etsy.com/shop/GlassAction

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HEN MICHIGAN-NATIVE MADONNA SANG ABOUT LIVING IN A MATERIAL WORLD, she

could have just as easily been singing about living in a concrete world.

The ubiquitous building material is everywhere – driveways, porches, patios, foundations, roads, et cetera. “Concrete is really good ground covering here given our Michigan weather,” says Aaron Davis, owner of Cement Lab Studio. “If it’s laid properly, it can withstand freeze-thaw cycles and heavy winters without moving or shifting.”

It’s also affordable and surprisingly reusable – Aaron points out that when his crew rips out driveways, they take the concrete to a cement-crusher where it’s crushed back into aggregate that’s used again. (Quick vocab lesson: although people tend to use “cement” and “concrete” interchangeably, cement is an ingredient of concrete.

Cement plus aggregate plus water equals concrete.)

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ARON HAS BEEN WORKING WITH CEMENT AND TILE EVER SINCE HE APPRENTICED to a tile expert at the tender age of 17. Even though he attended college and eventually emerged with an MBA (which came after majoring in music), he decided to pursue a hands-on career instead. Not only does it feel good to do physical labor, he says, it’s rewarding to see the finished projects. Initially, he focused more on redoing kitchens and bathrooms – he has another company called the TileLab – but when Covid-19 hit, outdoor work got a lot more appealing and he started laying more patios and driveways.

CEMENT LAB

Another in-demand concrete job is fixing porches. “I’d need three or four lifetimes to get to all the porches that need repair in Ferndale,” Aaron admits. Part of why porches are a perennial problem for many residents in the area is because houses in Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, and the east side of Ferndale were often built with root cellars that extend beyond the basement and underneath the porch. When that’s the case, extra skill is needed during a repair/rebuild to prevent the underside of the porch from caving into the basement proper.

Along with having the engineering savvy needed for handling finicky jobs, Aaron prides himself on having enough skilled workers on his crews to lay driveways in a single day. “We don’t leave you with a torn-out driveway that you can’t park on for a week. We come with enough manpower to do it in one day flat. Our crew of eight or nine guys shows up at 8:00 A.M. to tear out the old driveway, and then we’re pouring a new one by 11:00 A.M.” This quick turnaround, he says, is what customers tell him they most appreciate about his work.

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NOTHER SERVICE HE LIKES TO OFFER IS PERSONALIZING DRIVEWAYS and patios and whatever else people might want to imprint with their unique signature, whether that’s a handprint or a child’s name. Or a pet’s pawprint – even cats can be persuaded to meander across not-quite-set concrete to create indelible kitty tracks.

By Lisa Howard

Summertime is high season for driveways, but that season vanishes once Michigan’s frost laws come into play in November, a legal aspect of cement work that’s not well known by the public. Frost laws govern seasonal load weight – the restrictions prevent roads already tenderized by frost from becoming more damaged. That means Aaron and his crews can’t haul the amount of cement or stone they’d need to lay a driveway in a single truckload. Translation: have your patio installed between November and April. Smaller jobs aren’t impacted by frost laws, plus lawns become a lot sturdier and it’s easier to get machinery around to the back of a home.

Turns out there

something to be said for Michigan winters! n www.tilelabstudio.com/cementlab-studio | 248.595.6555 tilelabstudio@gmail.com

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JIMMY DOWDLE

Jenn Goeddeke

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E WISH TO EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO ALL FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND LOVED ONES OF JIMMY DOWDLE who died from a sudden cardiac

event at his home on April 12th.

Dowdle resided in Detroit and was formerly of Battle Creek. He was much loved by his family and a great number of friends. Dowdle's career in the food, bar and entertainment industry began at the Gaslight Restaurant in Battle Creek. He later moved to Detroit and worked for the Riverfront restaurant, before becoming co-owner of Menjo’s (Detroit). For the past 16 years, he helped manage Danny's Irish Pub in Ferndale, alongside Dan Reedy (owner). The staff and patrons of Danny's were all extremely close with him.

Dowdle was outgoing and friendly with a great sense of humor, and a quick wit, plus a talent for lighting up a room with his smile/laughter. He was also very generous and thoughtful towards others. Some of his interests included watching sports; he was a huge U of M football and also Tigers baseball fan. (One of his last outings was the Tigers' opening day on April 8th, with a group of his close friends). Dowdle also cheered for the Pistons, Red Wings, and Lions teams. He had a diverse taste in music and listened to many bands such as Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, and Roxy Music. Fortunately, he had the opportunity to see one of his favorite bands, the Rolling Stones, at Ford Field last November, with one of his longtime best friends, Gary Wagner.

Dowdle loved animals and was a proud pet dad to a rescue dog named Willow. The memorial service was held on April 21st at the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care in Battle Creek. Further celebrations of Dowdle's life have been organized

by Dan Reedy of Danny's Irish Pub. (Details can be found at: www.facebook.com/DannysIrish-Pub). Memorial contributions can be made to any local animal shelter, and condolence messages may be sent to: www.farleyestesdowdle.com. n

TIM IDZIKOWSKI

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IM IDZIKOWSKI, 36, CO-OWNER OF THE POPULAR DETROIT BBQ COMPANY food truck died in his sleep on April 14th, 2022.

We offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Tim Idzikowski who died unexpectedly at his home on Thursday April 14th. No cause of death has been given. Idzikowski was originally from Fair Haven but resided in Royal Oak. He established the Detroit BBQ Company around 15 years ago, with his brother Zac Idzikowski, and worked full-time as a food truck chef for over a decade. He was also helping his good friend, Kevin Heaney, launch a brand of hot sauce called Man’s Best Friend Sauce Co. His family stated that he loved cooking even as a child and closely followed The Food Network on TV. His favorite chef was Anthony Bourdain. His food truck was hugely popular at various local outdoor events, including the Pig & Whiskey annual event in Ferndale. Reportedly, this is also where he first met his wife, Tracey Kane, and she was immediately impressed with him. According to all sources, Idzikowski was extremely loyal, kind, and generous to everyone. Kane mentioned that he was also a big animal lover and was an outstanding pet dad to their two dogs, Ruthie and Mo Mo.

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

A celebration of his life was held on April 20th by his close friend Stephen Roginson, owner of the Batch Brewing Company in Corktown. The family has asked that any donations in his memory be made to Focus Hope or the Detroit Dog Rescue in Detroit, and condolence messages may be sent to www.farleyestesdowdle.com. n

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AWARD-WINNING PIZZA SINCE 1977!!

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“AWARD WINNING” PIZZA

Small Large Cheese Bread……………..…………….. 12.00 19.05 Cheese & Tomato Sauce……………….. 12.00 19.05 Cheese & Pepperoni …………………… 12.80 20.10 Cheese, Pepperoni & Mushrooms……… 13.10 21.15 Cheese, Pepperoni, Mushrooms & Onions 13.30 21.50 Cheese, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Onions, & Green Peppers……………………… 13.60 22.55 Cheese, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Onions, Green Peppers & Ham……………….. 14.35 23.60 Cheese, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Onions, Green Peppers, Ham & Anchovies……. 14.65 24.15 Hawaiian (Cheese, Ham & Pineapple)…. 14.15 22.80 Meat Lovers (Cheese, Pepperoni, Ham Sausage, Ground Beef, Bacon)………… 15.00 27.00 BBQ Chicken……………….…………. 15.00 27.00 EXTRA MEAT (per item) Pepperoni, Ham, Sausage, Ground Beef, Bacon….. 1.75 2.25 EXTRA CHEESE (or Feta Cheese)…….. 2.00 2.50 EXTRA ITEMS (per item) Jalapenos, Mushrooms, Onions Green Peppers, Green Olives, Anchovies, Sliced Tomatoes Black Olives, Mild Pepper Rings, Pineapple.. 1.25 1.50

ITALIAN SPECIALTIES

Small Spaghetti with Meatballs in Delicious Meat Sauce………………….. 8.55 Spaghetti with Meat Sauce……………… 8.00 Spaghetti with Meat Sauce & Mushrooms 8.80 Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Mushrooms & Meatballs…………………………….. 9.85 Ravioli (Meat or Cheese)………………… 8.55 Lasagna……………………………………

Mostaccioli………………………………. 8.55 Baked Cappelletti (Meat Stuffed Noodles covered with Cheese)………………….. 10.60 Meatballs or Mushrooms………………. 1.25 Baked With Cheese…………………….. 1.75

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Fri NOON - 9:30 PM Sat NOON - 9:30 PM Sun NOON - 9:30 PM

HAMBURGER STEAK Plain………… 9.35 W/Onions…… 10.60

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W/Mushrooms…………. 11.40 W/Mushrooms & Onions 12.50

SANDWICHES

SALADS

LOUI’S SPECIAL

Grilled Ham & Cheese……………………………… 6.10 Hamburger………………………………………….. 4.80 Hamburger Deluxe with Salad………….………….. 6.95 Cheeseburger……………………………………….. 5.05 Cheeseburger Deluxe with Salad…………………… 7.15 Ham & Cheese……………………………………… 5.85 Grilled Cheese……………………………………… 5.05 Grilled Ham…………………………………………. 5.35 Ham…………………………………………………. 5.05 Salami………………………………………………. 5.05 Meatball…………………………………………….. 6.95 Hot Meatball…….………………………………….. 8.75 Baked Meatball…………………………………….. 10.15 Pizza Burger.……………………………………….. 5.05 Mushroom Burger………………………………….. 5.35 Side of Mushrooms in Gravy………… Sm. 4.00 Lg. 5.75

Ind. Antipasto or Greek…………… 7.50 Med. Antipasto or Greek………….. 11.50 Lg. Antipasto or Greek…………….

15.50Lettuce & Tomato Sm. 3.50 Med. 5.55 Lg. 8.50

Large Grilled Cheese Steak with our Special Sauce…………… 11.50

2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

ORIGINAL STEAK HOAGIE Steak………………………………. 7.70 Steak & Cheese……………………. 7.95 Steak, Cheese & Onions…………… 8.25 Steak, Cheese, Onions & Green Peppers…8.50 Steak & Mushrooms………………. 9.05 Steak, Cheese & Mushrooms… …… 9.05 Steak & Everything……………….. 9.55

ITALIAN SAUSAGE w/Meat Sauce Italian Sausage Sandwich…………..

Italian Sausage with Green Peppers..

Italian Sausage with Onions………..

Italian Sausage with Green Peppers & Onions…………………………..

6.70 7.15 7.15 8.20

CAPPELETTI SOUP Soup Bowl $4.25 To-Go Pint 6.00 To-Go Quart 9.00

SPAGHETTI SAUCE To-Go Pint 6.00

To-Go Quart 9.00

HOUSE DRESSING To-Go Pint 6.00

To-Go Quart 29.50

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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Beautiful Transformations

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URING HER 25 YEARS REHABBING PROPERTIES, Timika Keathley has transformed a lot of ugly ducklings into swans.

“The before-and-after is what drives me,” Timika says. “When I walk into a place that’s unattractive, in my mind, I can picture what I’m going to do with it — I can see what it will look like when my work is done.” Her passion for décorating and seeing possibilities has led her to rehab over 100 homes in Detroit, Southfield, and Inkster, and now she’s added a commercial property in Ferndale to that list. The Ivy Salon opened in October of last year and the elegant space offers a full menu of hairstyling, lash and makeup services.

Timika first got into real estate after a conversation with a broker who was the parent of one of her daughter’s schoolmates. The other parent suggested Timika get into real estate, telling her she thought she’d have a knack for it.

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HE RAN WITH THAT IDEA AND BOUGHT SIX HOUSES SIGHT UNSEEN but found they were in horrible shape. “I thought, ‘Okay, let me make them beautiful,” she says. “I believe that any property you buy, you should rehab it to the point where you’d want to live there yourself.”

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By Lisa Howard

Her commitment to highlevel renova-ting led to an award from the Land Bank in Rosedale Park about four years ago, for increasing home values in Rosedale Park with her flips.

Last summer, she was only halfway through an intense rehab of a completely gutted home when a realtor insisted on showing the home to a prospective buyer. The realtor was so impressed with Timika’s vision for the house that she bought it for herself.

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HAT KIND OF POSITIVE FORESIGHT IS WHAT PROMPTED TIMIKA to acquire the Ferndale property that she turned into The Ivy Salon. Timika used to frequent as a customer, when it had a different owner. Whenever she was having her hair done, she’d think, “Wow, this place could really use a makeover!”

Then opportunity knocked in March 2020. She threw herself into the role of designing and

decorating, alongside her husband, Michael Green. Green has his own construction company and has done quite a bit of the remodeling for Timika’s projects. Together, they made the salon more state-of-the-art and updated it for the new generation.

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S IVY NEARS ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY, Timika continues to grow the salon’s services and staff organically, approaching local cosmetology and esthetician schools to recruit licensed hair stylists, estheticians, makeup artists, and massage therapists. Although some stylists are looking for individual suites, Timika hopes her well-appointed, bright space will attract beauty industry professionals who prefer to work in a collegial atmosphere. In June, the salon hosted a pop-up shop featuring a smorgasbord of beauty and haircare products, with more events to come in the future.

Timika would also like to expand her overall presence in Ferndale, both in terms of residential and commercial properties. “I want to make our state more beautiful,” she says. “It’s already a beautiful place, so why not take places that need some extra care and rehab them to make them even more beautiful locations where people can gather and visit?” n The Ivy Salon | 22446 Woodward Ave, Ferndale https://theivysalon.business.site

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F YOU THINK THE FERNDALE SENIORS DON’T GET OUT MUCH, YOU’VE GOT ANOTHER THINK COMING. “When I took over, we were a sleepy little group that played bingo and knitted. One of my goals was to make us more visible to the community, so among other things, now we participate in the Dream Cruise and the DIY Street Fair, we volunteer for the Chamber of Commerce gala, and we march in the Memorial Day Parade,” says Jeannie Davis, president of the Ferndale Seniors.

She’s held that role for over 13 years and says she’s still busy all the time – she attends umpteen community and city events and is forever advocating on behalf of Ferndale’s seniors, schmoozing her way through meetings, soirées and fundraisers.

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NE OF THE GROUP’S MOST POPULAR GATHERINGS IS THEIR POTLUCKS, which tends to bring otherwise-absent members out of the woodwork. The Ferndale Seniors provide the meat portion and members each bring a side dish to share (or chip in five dollars). Each

By Lisa Howard

FERNDALE SENIORS HAVE ALL THE FUN! potluck has a different theme that’s often seasonally-driven. Regular group meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 11 A.M. and anyone is welcome to join – you don’t have to be a Ferndale resident to become a member of the Ferndale Seniors.

Currently, members gather at the Hazel Park Community Center on Woodward Heights but, as soon as Ferndale’s community center is ready to be re-occupied, the Ferndale Seniors will be back. “That’s home for us,” Jeannie says. In the meantime, she’s exploring the idea of inviting the Hazel Park senior groups to work in tandem with Ferndale Seniors.

She’s also talking to the Ferndale Library about starting a book club and trying to get a card group up and running.

At the meetings, members explore a plethora of topics, ranging from works of art at the DIA to the fine point details of reverse mortgages and absentee voting.

As Jeannie puts it, “You can’t be always feeding people – you gotta’ give them time to digest.” She attributes that nugget of wisdom to her grandmother and carries it over into the mix of fun and serious events she books for her members.

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OMETIMES THE GROUP GOES ON EXCURSIONS, like when members tour the Pewabic Pottery studios in Detroit or spend the day on the RiverWalk, strolling along its expanse and enjoying lunch amidst binational skylines.

Although the Ferndale Seniors get a modest budget from the City to help defray the costs of running the organization and the yearly membership dues of $15 pay for its events, Jeannie is always on the lookout for grant money and fundraising opportunities. The latter is why members are often found at city festivals and community events selling cookies

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they’ve baked. As a former real estate appraiser for 20 years – and also a veteran of successful campaigns for municipal leaders – Jeannie is always conscious of making sure the group has enough funds to not just stay afloat but to thrive.

And she’s also always aware of how important the social aspects of the Ferndale Seniors gatherings are for her members and herself.

“When I first started volunteering 20 years ago after I retired, I very rapidly became aware that I was socializing with the best people in the city,” Jeannie says. “The best people are the ones out there volunteering, not sitting at ” Because why home watching settle for a fictional crew when you can join the Ferndale Seniors and have an IRL crew to call your own? n Ferndale Seniors Group on Facebook www.ferndalemi.gov/resources/senior-programs Ferndale Parks & Recreation 248-544-6767, ext. 503 jeannie1111@comcast.net

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Take a tour with our managers on site 6 days a week or visit us at www.ezmini.com to see our great promotions and locations near you.

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A

VER SIGN COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN 1998

BY THE ULCH FAMILY: Terry Sr., Diane, and

their two sons: Terry Jr., and Vance.

They started with a great idea by Terry Jr., an older truck, and lots of hard work. Now in their 24th year of success, they humbly describe themselves as a “work in progress, with a lot of team effort – where we have learned to handle each situation as it comes up!”

Currently, they own a fleet of 20 trucks and manage 26 employees. They purchased the building at 359 Livernois (which they originally rented) 20 years ago. Additionally, they own another site across Hilton (at 1280 Wordsworth) which is about the same size, but with more yard space for storing signs.

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ANY OF THE COMMERCIAL SIGNS THEY MANUFACTURE CAN BE TECHNICALLY COMPLEX; for example, the Toledo Mud Hen's scoreboard, or a high-rise building sign, like Citizens Bank in Southfield.

“Everything is certified. It is imperative to get permits, and then there aren't any problems. We have key people around us and we think of them all as family. These people are vital and they’re the reason we are still here," said Terry.

Some signs, especially for corporate clients, are pre-manufactured, and then Aver Sign handles

the details. Signs weigh up to 700-800 lbs, and often enormous machinery is needed. Sometimes, substantial holes are dug – 24 feet or even deeper!

The biggest challenges they have faced have been financial. For example, newer trucks cost around $150k each. “We started from dirt! Every dollar we made was reinvested for quite a while because it takes three four years to get established for financing. The years 2008-2010 were particularly hard-going.

Banks kept a tight cap on funds, and we had many fixed costs to pay. It was a tough two years.”

Overall, the business has brought huge rewards for the Ulchs and their loyal staff: “The upside to our business is growing from a tiny thought process and entity into a beautiful organization, with a great group of people! We frequently see our signs as we are driving in Michigan or Ohio, and story-telling within our social gatherings is always entertaining.”

Diane and Terry Ulch are also in the fitness industry together. They own the award-winning gym 359 Fit above Aver Sign. They have competed together in 11 bodybuilding shows for 11 years in a row! Terry’s last show was in Las Vegas at age 71. Their boys were introduced to the gym at 12years-old and both keep active in their home gyms.

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USINESS HAS FORTUNATELY FLOWED THEIR WAY since those difficult times. “We have since bought out three other smaller sign companies, and we have steadily grown. We have been blessed.”

“Our two sons are workhorses!” Terry emphasized. “There are no Saturdays and Sundays with them. For example, they have just been to Grand Rapids for a trade show. They had to prepare, set up, tear down and stay the night. The next day, they were right back to their regular work. We were very strict in raising the boys and it seems to have paid off!”

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ASKED THE ULCHS FOR ANY SECRETS TO THEIR SUCCESS STORY. Firstly, Terry stated, is to treat others with respect. “I usually reflect on what I’m getting and I set firm boundaries. Overall, I emphasize politeness.”

Secondly, Diane mentioned joining forces with a good accountant and lawyer, as there can be some tough lessons to learn and a few growing pains along the way. n 359 Livernois St, Ferndale | 248.542.0678 www.aversign.com | info@aversign.com www.facebook.com/AverSignCompany.

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24 YEARS CREATING EPIC SIGNS 106

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Jenn Goeddeke

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By Jeff Milosevich

T

HERE ARE SO MANY EVENTS COMING UP AT THE FERNDALE LIBRARY this Summer I’m not sure it can be contained in one column!

FERNDALE AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY

But let’s start with some music!

Our ever-popular Summer Concert Series is coming back: These free musical performances for all ages are hosted outdoors in our courtyard, made possible by the Friends of the Ferndale Library. This year’s lineup brings a mix of jazz and world music sweetened by an array of eclectic instrumentation.

CONCERT SERIES

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UR SUMMER CONCERTS ARE SCHEDULED ON TUESDAY EVENINGS, each performance beginning at 6:30 P.M. Klezundheit (August 9) is a 10 piece ensemble group performing traditional and modern klezmer, gypsy, Balkan, and jazz music, featuring a mix of accordion, trombone, tuba, flute, and soprano saxophone.

SUMMER READING

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HIS YEAR’S THEME FOR OUR SUMMER READso ING CHALLENGE is you can anticipate a range of water-themed events (and prizes) for all ages. When you sign up for Summer Reading, you (and your family) can create an

account with the Beanstack app to track your reading throughout the season. Starting as early as June 11 and continuing until August 31, adults will be challenged to read four books, teens will be challenged to read three books, and kids will be challenged to read for five full hours. As you read, you can earn digital badges and raffle tickets through Beanstack: the more tickets you earn, the more you can submit for our range of prizes.

LIBRARY OF THINGS & OTHER UPDATES

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HILE WE’RE HIGHLY ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO TAKE our summer reading challenge, you can certainly use your library card for more than just reading. We were particularly excited, at the start of spring, to unveil our “Library of Things.” This special collection features tools, gadgets, instruments, and more, anything from a thermal leak detector to a sewing machine or even a

ukulele. Ferndale Library cardholders can check out items from the collection of “Things” for up to two weeks. For a full list of these unique items, visit: www.fadl.org/things.

The Library of Things is just one facet of some of our recent updates. You might have already noticed our new signage facing along the north, west, and south-facing sides of our building, but there are a few updates inside that you should check out!

We’ve added an accessible laptop bar that stretches across the windows of our atrium, along with several new (and rather comfy) chairs along the windows and near our quiet reading room. Parents and caregivers will also find new furniture, new carpeting, and many new shelves inside our Kids Corner. We’ve also added new resources and materials, including a restocked seed library, an Adobe Suite computer station, and a set of telescopes available in our Kids Corner.

IN OTHER NEWS: • Our Youth Librarians hosts walk-in/drop-in sessions for Reading With Dogs (ages 4-17), continuing every Monday evening from 5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Meanwhile, there are plans for a hosted monthly on the last Wednesday of each month. There is no registration available for the kids’ drop-in sessions, but you can sign-up for our adult sessions online: fadl.org/dogs (space is limited!)

• Local artist Loralee Grace will be showing some of her amazing artwork here throughout the summer, with dazzling paintings celebrating our rich environmental and cultural diversity. Check our website for information on a Reception and Artist Talk (set for June 30).

Finally: don’t forget to try out our online resources!

We have databases, craft tutorials, streaming movies, and an odyssey of eBooks and audiobooks, all of which you can access with your Ferndale Library card. n Visit www.fadl.org for more information

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Center Of Enlightenment A place for your Spiritual Upliftment Sunday Services • Events Classes • Groups 2724 Goodrich Ave Ferndale MI 48220 www.coechurch.com 2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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Jaye S

of Mejishi M

Grand M

Motor City P

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Spiro

Martial Arts

Marshal

Pride 2022

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EXPIRES 9/30/22

EXPIRES 9/30/22

PARTY WITH MAMA! Large Pizza with up to 3 Toppings

FLUTTER

Large, One-Topping Pizza, 2-Liter Soda, Medium Italian Salad & Full Order of Bambino Bread

29

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15

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Limited delivery area, stores independently owned and operated. Prices may vary. Valid at participating locations for a limited time.

EXPIRES 1/31/22

EXPIRES 9/30/22

Limited delivery area, stores independently owned and operated. Prices may vary. Valid at participating locations for a limited time.

EXPIRES 9/30/22

W A N T E D

PIZZA & SALAD Large 2-Topping Pizzas

Large 1-Topping Pizza & Medium Italian Salad

118 0

$$

99 99

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26

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• Delivery • Carry-Out • Catering 740 W. Nine Mile Ferndale

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By Jenn Goeddeke HIEF TERESA ROBINSON HAS WORKED FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMS FOR 26 YEARS. She has filled numerous roles, including firefighter, paramedic, fire instructor, training chief, and Assistant Fire Chief. Impressively she is also the first female to hold a leadership role in Ferndale Fire Department History.

C

Station #1 (1635 Livernois) teams up with Station #2 (1070 E. 9 Mile Rd) to handle fire and EMS response calls for Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, and Royal Oak Township. The Ferndale firefighters respond to many different types of emergencies: fires and more! This requires frequent, often daily, hands-on training. Because there is such variety in the emergencies dealt with, the firefighters rotate the training drills. For example, one day might see firefighting drills in the training tower and another might involve cutting up a car.

Robinson mentioned the team is extremely selfmotivated and shares a dedicated vision of being the best at what they do.

Robinson's enthusiasm for her position as Chief and her staff truly shines through. She describes her department as “Phenomenal! One of the best I have seen. This is our home away from home, and we are all close, as brothers and sisters.”

Regarding outdoor fires, an open burn permit is available for a minimal fee from the City. As an annual permit, this allows the Department to check that a fire will be in a safe locale, with precautions in place. Fireworks are equally hazardous and the Ferndale web site should be checked before hosting a

W

E TALKED ABOUT FIRE PREVENTION IN HOMES. Robinson stated, “The biggest single factor is the correct installation of smoke detectors throughout the home. A safety survey is still available: A firefighter visits your home for about 45 minutes, and checks for hidden hazards, smoke detector placement, escape routes, and other aspects of fire prevention. Cooking is another area where fires often originate. An individualized plan for your home is created so that you can feel confident you are protecting yourself against any potential fire hazards.”

Ferndale Fire Dept.

Combining Responsibility, Dedication & Skill With Great Rewards

firework display. Additionally, downed wires can be very treacherous. Please be sure to call 911 if you see a downed wire.

And be extremely cautious within the area as surrounding conductive objects (such as a metal fence) can be hazardous too.

As Robinson suggested, "We need these conversations with our residents because we don’t always know what we don’t know!"

(See below website link for more information and annual burn permit application details).

As the responsibility of firefighting is serious and often stressful, there can be some pranks and lighthearted fun around the Fire Station to break the tension, such as dumping water on fellow firefighters’ heads from up above, or just jumping out from behind a corner! Silly, harmless jokes can go a long way in lightening the mood on any given day. Robinson often brings in her pitbull, Diamond, for a station visit. She is both beautiful (white with black spots) and friendly to all. Plus she brings a therapeutic effect to the staff each time she visits.

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is EGARDING SPECIAL EVENTS, the organized annually through the American Lung Association.

The fundraiser began following the September 11th, 2001 World Trade Center attack. This year the Ferndale firefighters raised over $2000. And one of their crew, Mona Markabani, achieved the top time from a total of 31 participating women! program is coming this A Summer, so keep your eyes open for a red pop-up tent where one will find CPR mannequins on which to practice skills, plus free gifts.

The Ferndale Fire Department is recruiting firefighting candidates.

It’s a great profession with full benefits, where you can be proud of what you do, so be sure to apply if you believe you have what it takes! Check the web site link below for more details. n Fire Station #1: 1635 Livernois | Fire Station #2: 1070 E. Nine Mile Rd. Emergency: 911 | Non-emergency: 248-546-2510 www.ferndalemi.gov/departments/fire-department Burn permit application: www.ferndalemi.gov/resources/open-burning-in-ferndale

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DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS & VETERANS

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WINDOW CLEANING Thomas A. Micoli 313-656-9402

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T

HE LAST YEAR HASN'T BEEN EASY FOR ANYONE, including our public servants at the Ferndale Police Department.

Moving out of the strict Covid-19 restrictions has been a welcome relief.

Chief Dennis Emmi explained, “It has been a matter of adjusting and prioritizing. Most of my staff chose to receive vaccinations and boosters, but we did not mandate these measures. We work on finding balance and doing the best we can. Building trust is always very important.”

Recruiting qualified candidates has been an issue at the forefront of operations. Out of a total staff of 55 people, there have been 13 new hires within the past year. This is a significant turnover. Emmi emphasized that he is hugely proud of the administration and officer training staff, who have been working unusually long hours. Plus, a big shout-out to Captain David Spellman and HR staff for filling the gaps and making the necessary recruiting trips. Because of the high standards retained for officers, it can take several months to fill a single position. So, recruitment efforts need to be continually prioritized.

In closing out the fiscal year 2021, staff training was cut back due to the pandemic issues and safety protocols. Since then, training schedules have fully resumed. Emmi believes it is very important for officers to get perspective beyond their department, following National Best Practices guidelines.

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EGARDING HIS OWN ONGOING TRAINING, Emmi is greatly looking forward to the 2022 IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police) Annual Conference & Exposition. This is the biggest and most comprehensive law enforcement event of the year. Over 16,000 public safety professionals gather to learn new techniques, advance their knowledge, and return with enhanced skills to help prepare their department for continued success. As Emmi explained, “this is a huge resource with the best instructors from around the world and many panel discussions. Global-level learning topics – such as mental health or technology – are scalable to a county or a specific PD.” Making progress is important to Emmi, and cooperation with other departments is a crucial component of this forward momentum. For example, in response to certain situations within the homeless population, the Ferndale PD may work alongside and share information with the Harm Reduction Unit. In this way, they can offer suitable support, including resources for substance abuse help.

One staff member “making it happen” is Jill Mahlmeister, the Community Engagement Officer. She consistently finds key resources to team up with, such as Lighthouse, Common Ground, and Oakland County Mental Health organizations. Emmi mentioned a county-level program where at least ten mental health workers would be available for dispatch to respond in crises would be a valuable asset. However, this may prove to be challenging to implement, partially due to budgetary constraints. Approximately 50 percent of all officers have special training in crisis intervention.

T

HERE HAVE BEEN OTHER OUTREACH PROGRAMS DEVELOPED, such as and its partner, .

(FAN) is yet another great free resource, helping thousands of residents deal with difficult situations relating to substance abuse.

A further form of information available is the This is a very comprehensive reference to the Ferndale PD’s statistics and deby mographics, organized by year and cateJenn gory. The public can Goeddeke access the dashboard from the City Page web site. Emmi stated “The Transparency Dashboard we have exceeds most standards, and nationally is second to none. The information is populated monthly, and it demonstrates that careful recording and reporting are taking place. There is an emphasis on providing context to the statistics.”

By Jenn

Goeddeke

One particularly reassuring statistic is that the Ferndale PD average response time to an incident is only one to two minutes or less (less than 30 seconds in some cases!) Within Ferndale’s 3.8 sq/miles, at least four patrol cars are on shift at all times, and that number increases to as many as eight officers on Friday and Saturday nights, and even more during festivals and special events.

To learn more about the inner workings of the PD, you may want to consider enrolling in the Citizens’ Academy. See the website below for further information.

S

EVERAL LARGE DEVELOPMENTS have come to town, which naturally is exciting for Ferndale’s growth. Of course, there is a cost associated with hiring more police officers. Emmi added that “we are partnering with the DDA to co-fund the creation of a new police officer position. The Downtown Resource Officer (DRO) will be implemented at the beginning of the new fiscal year, July 1, 2022. This officer will coordinate services with the DDA, for example with issues like crime prevention, special events, parking problems, and so on.”

He also wants to remind all residents to be mindful of protecting themselves against crime, “along with showing compassion and empathy to each other, caution is also needed. No community is immune from crime.

In Ferndale we see our share of petty thefts. We call them ‘crimes of opportunity.’ Keep your cars and homes locked!” With the continuous rise in cyber crime and ID theft, Emmi advises you to change your passwords frequently and create ones that will be difficult to guess.

Finally, Emmi declared with a smile, “Don’t ever get too comfortable, because change is on its way!”

n

Ferndale Police Department, 310 E. Nine Mile Rd. Emergency: 911 | Non-emergency: 248-541-3650 https://ferndalemi.gov/departments/police For more information on FAN or Hope Not Handcuffs/The Comeback programs, email: fan@familiesagainstnarcotics.org, visit www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org or call 586.438.8500

Ferndale Police Dept.

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2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

532 E Nine Mile Rd Hazel Park

(248) 571-2064

• Soft Serve Treats • Foot Long Coneys & More!

www.accessible-properties.com 2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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ROYAL REFLEXOLOGY H O L I S T I C

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NOW OPEN FRIDAYS 2-7 PM

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IN MICHIGAN SINCE 1987

3140 Hilton Rd, Ferndale Call (248)

for Current Schedule

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TABERNACLE

BAPTIST CHURCH • Sunday School: 9:30 A.M.

Children & Teen Ministries on Sundays & Wednesdays

• Sunday services: 10:45 A.M. / 6:00 P.M. On Facebook Live

Arabic language services Wednesdays at 7:00 P.M. & Sundays at 10:45 A.M.

• Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 7:00 P.M.

Coffee Shop Bible Studies for Millennials

Pastor Richard A. Yokel tbchp@wowway.com www.tbchp.org (248) 541-8070 FAX: (248) 541-5765 Find us on Facebook!

22323 S Chrysler Dr, Hazel Park MI 48030

FULL

SERVICE

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FUNERAL

HOME

Wessels & Wilk F U N E R A L

H O M E

• Funeral Services • Obituaries • Planning • Grief Support • Honoring Veterans

Serving with Compassion

John E. Wilk & Steven Wilk, Directors 23690 Woodward Ave. Pleasant Ridge, MI 48069 Phone: (248) 543-0100 Fax: (248) 543-0102

IRENITA SHIMOURA GOEDERT

REALTOR® Cell: (248) 421-0824 | Office: (248) 545-7800 Fax: (248) 928-1292 | Email: irenitagoedert@gmail.com www.OpenRedDoor.com | www.facebook.com/RedDoorISGoedert

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Come To Kitty’s For Any Occasion!

Like us on Facebook & Instagram

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imes

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248-545-7295 681 E 8 MILE RD, FERNDALE MI 48220 NEW COVID HOURS: WED.-SAT 11A-7P | SUNDAY CLOSED

248.336.2253

Doughnut Shop 741 E 9 Mile • NW corner of Hilton

Open T-F 5a-4:30p | Sat 5a-2p | Sun 6a-2p

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Glass Block Windows

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6775 E 10 Mile Rd, Centerline

248.617-8217

9 Mile

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8 Mile

We can accommodate for long term, or short term, month to month agreements.

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www.amandasframing.com Inside The RustBelt Market

Licensed & Insured Granite • Quartz Laminate Tops Flooring • Appliances

Kitchen & Bath Cabinets at Wholesale Prices Professional Installation

Visit Our Showroom • 22110 Woodward, Ferndale

248.336.6000 www.kitchenconceptinc.com 2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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Harvey Lefkowitz, D.P.M. P.C. * Tara Stock, D.P.M.* Alicia Ward, D.P.M.* Alex Dandashly, D.P.M. Serving the Ferndale area since 1982

• Diabetes • Sports Injuries • Fractures • Skin Growths • Ingrown Nails

BOARD CERTIFIED* FOOT & ANKLE SURGEONS • Reconstructive Surgery •

Fungus Nails • Bunions • Neuromas • Hammertoes • Orthotics • & more!

641 W 9 Mile Rd., Ferndale MI 48220 Visit us on the web: www.michiganfootandankle.com

PATRICK J. CURTIN (1931-2021) • KEVIN B. CURTIN (1960-2007) STEVEN J. KISH, MANAGER

www.spauldingcurtin.com

500 W 9 Mile Rd | Ferndale MI 48220 248 544-0500

A Family Commitment of Funeral Service to the Community Since 1927 2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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Licensed with the State of MI

Covid-19 preparedness plan in place

COMPETITIVE RATES | CPR/FIRST AID CERTIFIED MEALS INCLUDED | CHRISTIAN-BASED STATE-CERTIFIED TEACHERS | DHS ACCEPTED

Extracurricular Activities: Martial Arts, Dance & Music Immersive Learning Experience | Class Dojo app W 9 Mile Rd, Oak Park 248-809-6025 10440 Mon-Fri 7:00 AM–6:00 PM

info@sunnysideec.com

NOW HIRING!

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ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR Wills | Trusts

Probates | Estates

Life Planning For All People 13691 W 11 MILE RD, STE 104, OAK PARK MI 48237 248.399.6985 PH | 248.268.4581 FAX

ATTORNEY – COUNSELOR – FORMER JUDGE

RUDY SERRA SERRA SERVICES PLLC

Call 313 331 RUDY [7839] www.rudyserra.com 2022 FERNDALE / PLEASANT RIDGE CITY GUIDE

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DESIGNER HANDBAGS & CONSIGNMENT WANTED THURS: LADIES NIGHT Call For Details

IG:sassy.sheek

Sylvia Moncrief, Owner

247 W. Nine Mile Rd • Ferndale, MI 48220 248-895-5787 • mejishimartialarts@att.net

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skin~makeup~brows~lashes Over 20 years experience.

Passionate about helping people love their skin! east wall collective, 1149 hilton, ste. 106, ferndale fb/ig: @cdraesthetics

313.706.4104

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Are You Ready To Collect On The Value Of Your Business?

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F YOU’RE READY TO MOVE ON FROM YOUR BUSINESS but worry about the challenges in stepping away from your operations, we can help.

We partner with you to put in place systems and people that allow the business to operate independently so you can walk away and collect on your business value.

The result? You’re free to do all the other things you’ve been wanting to do with your life while creating a profitable exit from your business.

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’M GIA CILENTO AND I CAN HELP YOU GET THERE. As a protege’ and mentee of the legendary Jay Abraham, I will guide you through the process to set up the systems and get the right people in place.

Just leave your name, the name of your business, web site, your best phone number, and a brief description of the current state of your business. I will return your call within one business day. We will discuss your situation and determine if this is the right time for you to prepare your business for independence and your profitable exit.

I’m on a mission to help small business owners move on from their businesses with pride, dignity, and profit.

I partner with you to create specific systems and processes and align your people so your business can operate without you. Then you’re free to move on and collect on all those years of hard work.

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