The 'Ville - February 2022

February 2022 | Vol.5 | Issue 2

Northville’s News and Lifestyle Magazine

SNOWDAY! Northville’s A Winter Wonderland

Meet the Local Sales Reps in Your Community.

Vita Vizachero

John DesOrmeau

Vita has lived in the Northville / Novi community since 1989. Some of her local favorites are Table 5, Pooles, Rocky’s, and Cantoro’s on Haggerty.

John has lived in the Northville / Novi community since 1987. Some of his local favorites are Rocky’s, Custard Time, Guernsey’s and the Pizza Cutter.

vvizachero@billbrownford.com Office:(734) 524-2711

jdesormeau@billbrownford.com Office:(734) 524-2720

Explorer Leases Starting Below $400/month*

Escape Leases Starting Below $300/month*

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Northrop-Sassaman Chapel

Service … a Family Tradition for 75 years

(248) 348-1233 19091 Northville Road · Northville, MI 48168 James R. Steen - Manager

THE GIFT OF LOCAL JOURNALISM As you decide what is important in your life as we start a new year, please consider a donation to support The 'Ville. Since we began publishing four years ago, our goal has been to provide our readers with valuable information about the Northville community each and every month.

Your support will help that mission survive and grow. And while The 'Ville is sent to every address in Northville at no cost to readers, it is not free to produce.

LOCAL Matters! is the foundation of this magazine. If you find it of value, please consider supporting it. Every little bit helps!

Please send donations to: Journeyman Publishing 16435 Franklin Northville, MI 48168 You can also make donations via PayPal to kurtkuban@gmail.com.

Thank you in advance. We wish all our readers a Happy New Year and a healthy and prosperous 2022.

VOLUME 5

ISSUE 2

FEBRUARY 2022

16435 Franklin, Northville, MI 48168 • 734.716.0783 • TheVilleMagazine@gmail.com

KURT KUBAN – Editor/Publisher

Kurt Kuban is an award-winning journalist, having served as a reporter and editor for several local newspapers and magazines, including The Northville Record, over the course of a career spanning more than two decades. Kurt lives in Northville with his wife, Cheryl, and their three children, all products of Northville Public Schools.

CRAIG WHEELER – Creative Director

Craig has been in the creative industry for over 30 years. He has developed a diverse background in that time, but publication design has been his passion during the past 19 years. Craig enjoys chasing his young daughter and providing moral support to his lovely wife.

MICHELE FECHT – Writer

Michele Fecht is a longtime journalist whose first post-college reporter position was at The Northville Record before moving on to The Detroit News. A 30-plus year resident of the City of Northville and historic (old) house owner, she is an author, researcher, local history enthusiast, and community activist/advocate.

BRAD EMONS - Writer

Over the course of his four decades with the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers, Brad established himself as one of the preeminent prep sports reporters in the state, winning many journalism awards along the way. His greatest joy is interviewing local athletes and coaches, and reporting on their efforts.

Publisher Here is a list of people who contributed to local journalism last month.

We appreciate your support!

Daniel Biedzen John & Lesa Buckland Roy & Perla Forbes Patti & Phil Michaelson John & Margaret Roebuck

Clayton & Susan Scholz Alan & Judith Somershoe Barbara A. Ulbrich Amy Zubor

ADVERTISE IN THE VILLE Our locally-owned publication is an affordable way to reach the Northville Market. We direct mail to all 21,000 addresses in the 48167 & 48168 zip codes.

To secure space in The Ville, contact Scott at (313) 399-5231 or scott@streetmktg.com.

SCOTT BUIE - Advertising Director/VP of Sales

For more than 20 years Scott has worked with clients in Metro Detroit to create advertising campaigns to grow their business. After managing sales for radio stations in the Detroit Market for 17 years he purchased Street Marketing where he works closely with a variety of businesses and events. Scott and his family have lived in the Plymouth and Northville area for 25 years.

MARIA TAYLOR – Writer

Maria is managing editor at The ACHR NEWS, a B2B publication based in Troy. She has worked as a reporter for the Northville Record, Novi News and Plymouth Observer, and once had her photo on the cover of TIME. She lives in Farmington and, as a self-avowed history nerd, routinely risks her life by standing in the road to photograph old buildings.

TIM SMITH - Writer

Tim brings a penchant for telling powerful and personal stories that run the gamut from news to sports. During more than 35 years in journalism, he has earned numerous state and national awards. The Wayne State grad is a published author and rec ice hockey player.

LARRY O'CONNOR – Writer

Larry is a metro Detroit area journalist whose work has appeared in The Detroit News, Jackson Citizen Patriot and the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers. When he’s not meticulously chronicling people or events, he’s avidly rooting for his favorite soccer teams – Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic.

BILL BRESLER - Photographer

Bill lied his way onto his high school's yearbook staff in 1971 and has worked as a photographer ever since. He recently retired after 39 years with Hometown Life, a newspaper group that includes the Northville Record. He's won many journalism awards for his work, and taught photography at Madonna University. According to Bill's wife, he's too young to retire, so he's happy to be part of The 'Ville.

BRYAN MITCHELL - Photographer

Bryan started working as a photographer more than 30 years ago, and was the Northville Record photographer in the 90's. He has freelanced for The Detroit News, The Guardian, Reuters, and other publications. His photography has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the globe. The Northville resident also coaches mountain biking at Northville High School.

A View From The ‘Ville

Don’t expect a sprint if Downs plan gets to the finish line

N

orthville Downs has long been known for its trotters, who run much slower and at a steadier pace than their thoroughbred cousins.

Similarly, a developer’s plan to replace the track, which dates back to 1944, with a town-changing mixed-use development is not going to move forward like Seattle Slew sprinting around Churchill Downs. That has been evident since developer Hunter Pasteur Homes agreed to purchase the historic track two years ago, and first proposed their development ideas to city officials.

The first Planning Commission meeting held at Hillside Middle School in 2019 did not go well for Hunter Pasteur or its CEO Randy Wertheimer, who was met with plenty of resistance at the meeting. Wertheimer didn’t take it well, ultimately pulling the original plan.

Wertheimer went back to the drawing board, meeting with stakeholders to get their input.

He worked with city planners to come up with a new plan that

reduces density by about 100 residential units, daylights the Rouge River, and adds plenty of green space that will be open to the public.

Hunter Pasteur was back before the Planning Commission on Feb. 1 to formally present its new plan.

Wertheimer and his team made a very professional and comprehensive presentation, which they felt addressed many of the concerns city officials had with the first plan.

The point of the meeting was to simply move the plan forward to a public hearing where stakeholders and city planning officials could begin to discuss its merits. It turned a bit ugly at the end when the item was tabled until the following meeting because there were still people waiting to comment and the meeting had already gone long. Wertheimer was visibly upset with the decision to table, calling it “unacceptable” and publicly admonished the commissioners.

The plan was again picked up at the Feb. 15 meeting.

After several hours of public

comment, the Planning Commission voted unanimously that the plan was sufficient enough to move forward to the next phase of public comment.

The first public hearing will take place at 6 p.m. on March 15 at the Community Center.

If you are interested to see the details of the current plan, visit the city’s website at www. ci.northville.mi.us.

There’s still an organized group of locals who oppose the plan. They sent out a mailer to all city residents prior to the Feb. 15 meeting marshaling the forces to “take action” against the proposal. And many did speak in opposition.

The reality, however, is the current plan does meet the city’s new master plan, and city officials seem to be onboard.

Still, there are some legitimate concerns particularly when it comes to density and road access in and out of the development area. Hunter Pasteur also needs to better explain the details of daylighting the river. Wertheimer said it will cost about $15 million for the river improvements, which

they will try to pay with grants and funds captured through a brownfield agreement.

There is still a lot to figure out, including the parameters of a planned development (PUD) agreement between the city and developer. And the public is going to have plenty of opportunities to comment on the project. I suspect it will evolve as the process moves forward.

The current track owners have said there will be racing at the Downs, which is the last live-racing horse venue in the state, through at least 2024. In the meantime, I imagine there will be plenty of twists and turns to this story.

In other words, there are many laps around the track still to complete before this plan comes to fruition. We’ll have to wait and see if it has the legs to get to the finish line.

Kurt Kuban is the Publisher and Editor of The ‘Ville. He welcomes your comments at kurtkuban@thevillemagazine. com.

Your Voice: Letters to the Editor 4

Snow Day!

East Main Revival

10

Roundabout plans are circling back around 6

16

Legendary Good Time met tragic end 14 Mixed reviews for new political districts 20

'A Broadening Experience

22

Siracusa, 69, still going strong on court 26 Community Bulletin Board 30 Dishin’ With Denise 32

ON THE COVER: Parker Krenz, 12, left, and her brother Cullen, 10, spent their “snow day” Feb. 3 selling hot chocolate to sledders on the hill behind Amerman Elementary. They are donating the money to the Amerman playground fundraiser. Photo by Bryan Mitchell.

Your Voice Find middle ground

This year is a dynamic time for Northville, with lots of exciting projects being debated. In today’s polarized society, I think we need to spend more time thinking about (and discussing) the “middle ground” of the project proposals.

As we consider re-opening some or all of the downtown streets at some point, let’s think about the middle ground. Since the pandemic started, I’ve spent far more time as a pedestrian, patron, and shopper in the closed Main Street area east of Center Street than I have on the closed portion of Center Street. If we had to open one street to vehicle traffic and keep one closed, it seems obvious that we would re-open Center Street and keep Main Street closed to vehicle traffic.

When it comes to widening Beck Road, we need to spend more time understanding the root causes of traffic and backups. When Oakland County reconstructed 3 of the 4 spokes of the Beck / 8 Mile intersection a few years ago, adding left and right turn lanes to the eastbound, westbound, and southbound directions, I was disappointed that Wayne County didn’t do the same for their northbound Beck Road jurisdiction simultaneously. Without having hard vehicle-speed and count data, I would argue that the 8 Mile intersection is the single biggest cause of northbound Beck Road traffic.

I would think the most effective “first step” would be to add extensive right turn lanes northbound at 8 Mile and 7 Mile roads, plus one southbound at 7 Mile. A third lane (center turn-lane) between 6 Mile and 7 Mile would also be reasonable in the near term. Only if these aren’t enough should we consider the massive undertaking of five lanes north of 6 Mile on Beck Road.

Jeff Beno

The common good

What an exciting “once in a lifetime” experience for Northville residents and visitors. I’ve read with interest, those who look to positive change, and those who want to revert back to what some call preserving the smalltown charm. A lot of what’s going on around us in the U.S. today seems to center on individual rights versus what some used to refer to as the greater common good.

I’ve travelled Europe extensively, whether it’s a large city or small quaint town, and they all share something special. A common area free of automobiles, offering a safe environment to walk the shops, taverns, and eateries with friends and family, with a neighborhood feel. It brings townspeople and visitors together in a vibrant atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. What could be better than supporting our local shop owners, and sharing our potentially unique Northville for the common good?

Thomas H. Madden

SOUND OFF 4 The ‘Ville

‘Out of sight’

We’ve been residents of Northville since 1973 and 1965 and always supported downtown.

Our town is now barricaded and not inviting. We find ourselves, family and friends supporting neighboring areas and enjoying new restaurants and businesses.

Gone are rides thru town to see shop windows and to see what was new. Gone are stops at Main and Center for Joshua to run out a gift from Orin Jewelers to my car. Gone are 2-3 times/week dinners in town with family and friends. Gone is accessible downtown shopping for our parents. Gone is the quick stop for a coffee. Gone is the classic character of downtown Northville and gone is the town we all moved here to live in.

While driving around the downtown every day to visit our parents we see old cars, dented heaters, empty shanties, streets and sidewalks, and what looks like table and chair storage areas for local businesses.

Nobody we talked to was surveyed about the downtown closure.

We supported closing the streets on weekends when COVID struck but not now.

Now we shop in Plymouth. It’s lively, full of people and a fun place to spend an evening. Sadly we aren’t connected to our city like we used to be. The old saying “out of sight, out of mind” applies to downtown Northville. The downtown is out of sight and is now out of mind.

Bryan and Nancy Riegner

Wake up call

Any resident who attended the Feb. 1 Planning Commission meeting with developer Hunter Pasteur Homes presenting their revised Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the Northville Downs property should be very concerned about the future of our city. While the plan did reduce the number of housing units, there still remains a total of 472, with largest portion being 174 apartments. Parking to accommodate those residences (not including commercial needs) total over 1,300 spaces.

Is the housing density proposed for the 48+ acre site double or even three times that of the average neighborhood within our city?

By any measure, this development will have a substantial impact on Northville’s “small town” charm that many cherish and want to preserve. It is the very reason others are so attracted to live here as well. Allowing such a project to be built as currently proposed will certainly result in more crowded streets, parking nightmares and commuter traffic grid-lock.

This is a wake-up call for all citizens to get involved, express their opinions (written or otherwise) and attend the various meetings where decisions will be made affecting our town’s way of life now and for future generations to come... Save Northville!

Carl Giroux

Please submit your letters by emailing Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@gmail.com.

Letters must be 150 words or less. We reserve the right to edit all letters.

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A roundabout is again being discussed for the intersection of Seven Mile and Center (Sheldon).

Circling Back Around Roundabouts are on the table again for Seven Mile

By Larry O’Connor

O

ne thing about traffic roundabouts: They tend to circle back into the conversation.

Just ask Northville residents who thought they heard the last of the orbital interchanges three years ago. That’s when developer Hunter Pasteur floated the idea of a roundabout at the heavily traveled Seven Mile and Sheldon (or Center Street) intersection for their highly anticipated project at the 49-acre Northville Downs site.

Among some, the proposed traffic remedy went over like a bouquet of daisies with a 14-day-old Mackerel embedded inside.

“There was a mixed bag,” Northville city manager Pat Sullivan said about the response.

Shift ahead to this year: A roundabout remains an option — not etched in stone — in the latest preliminary site plan for the harness race track’s redevelopment as submitted to the city planning commission for approval in early February.

Planners are not only looking at a circular junction as one way to ease congestion at Sheldon and Seven Mile roads, but as a potential fix for clogged intersections at Seven Mile and Hines Drive and Seven Mile

6 The ‘Ville

and River Street.

Roundabouts are being brainstormed amid a slew of ideas in what Mayor Brian Turnbull terms “thoughtful development” while Northville undergoes a complete transformation with The Downs and nearby Foundry Flask projects on deck.

The Downs proposes 472 residential units and retail on the 48-acre site of the race track. The three-story Foundry Flask site on Cady Street is expected to be redeveloped into 80 apartment units and retail.

TRAFFIC FLOW The first major hurdle is getting people and traffic in and out of those developments, the mayor said. Cady Street is expected to become a major thoroughfare.

Factor in the Riverwalk and Farmers’ Market, and the city’s heartbeat rests on the unimpeded circulation of vehicles and pedestrians throughout.

“All these options are being explored by many groups in town right now,” Turnbull said. “That will take as long as the whole development to do all the groundwork. It’s huge money.”

“You’re talking millions of dollars

sometimes for every one of those intersections.”

The city’s commissioned traffic impact and mobility network studies mentioned roundabouts as options.

Planning commissioners also heard from consultant Dan Burden, who was quite complimentary after sizing up the city’s mobility blueprint during a December video presentation.

The director of Walkable Communities is an ardent proponent of roundabouts.

“If you have a two-lane road, and you max it out, it can have 25,000 vehicles (a day),” Burden said. “You have to add all these extra lanes. Not only does it make it ugly, but it also makes it very uncomfortable for a pedestrian to try and manage that.

“Instead, you build a roundabout, with a short and minimal delay for the pedestrian to get across in two very easy steps (with an island in between), the motorist almost always yields — if the roundabout is correctly designed.”

With current traffic volumes, Northville could build a single-lane roundabout, Burden said.

Seven Mile-Sheldon presents an onerous challenge with a steep downhill grade going north and a sharp curve, said David Hay, planning commissioner.

“It’s a very important gateway into the community,” Hay said. “It is also a potentially troubling, dangerous area because of the grade and the curvature, and I think if we’re going to prioritize different areas, that is one intersection that we’ll want to get right.”

An Olympia, Washington roundabout was built on a “pretty steep” 11% grade, which included a 90-degree turn into an iconic bridge, Burden said. “Roundabouts are pretty flexible in what they can do,” he added.

The consultant also addressed advocates for those wearing plaid shirts and Caterpillar ball caps. Seven Mile, Sheldon and Griswold are known truck arteries.

In Hamburg, New York, truck traffic moves at 19 mph on seven roundabouts along three rebuilt roads, Burden said.

“What truck drivers don’t like is having inch forward to a four-way stop, inch forward to a signal-control stop,” he said.

“It’s really hard on trucks and truck drivers.

“When they can flow steadily at slow speeds, to them it is a win.”

REDUCED CRASHES A roundabout’s main selling point is safety.

Since head-on and high-speed right-angle crashes are virtually eliminated, there is a 90% reduction in fatalities, a 76% drop in injuries, and a 35% decrease in crashes compared to four-way intersections, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.

Burden cited another roundabout, which occurred in La Jolla Boulevard, California where they replaced four traffic signals with seven roundabouts. About 23,000 vehicles move through the small community every day. Greenery and parking have been added, which increased property values, Burden said.

“It works, and it works very very well,” he added.

While Burden paints a rosy roundabout picture, a Northville resident and land-use planner has doubts when it comes to the practical use at Seven Mile and Sheldon.

Michelle Aniol favors a roundabout at Seven Mile and Hines Drive, though.

“I’m just not so sure yet an engineering traffic device, which is a designed to continue to move traffic is the best thing at

Consultant Dan Burden, director of Walkable Communities, conducted a mobility study for the city and is a proponent of roundabouts.

said Animesh Aggarwal, Wayne County Public Services director of engineering.

“It’s something that if someone wants a roundabout, they can submit an application for the permit process and then what we do is look at the feasibility of it.

“We do our traffic studies, our traffic counts. We also need to look at how much road right of way we have in that location.

“We do all these steps and if it all makes sense for us, we go forward with it. It is not something the county is against or the county prefers. We don’t have any biased opinion towards any of the options.”

an intersection where you want pedestrian CHANGING PERCEPTIONS activity because of the park right there and Three years ago, Northville officials and the trail system,” said Aniol, a Yerkes Street consultants met with county road folks, resident and city of Dexter community who were “on board” with the roundabout development manager. “And that is my concept for Seven Mile and Sheldon roads, biggest concern. I Sullivan said. am trying to keep an Since then, open mind.” county Public At the advice of several road planners, the City Roundabouts are Services of Northville is taking another look at a roundabout used in Oakland, Department for the Sheldon (Center Street)/Seven Mile Washtenaw, personnel has intersection, as well as others at Seven Mile/Hines Macomb and undergone and Seven Mile/River intersections. Do you think Monroe counties. turnover, partly they are needed? Send your opinions to Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@thevillemagazine.com.

Yet Wayne County due to retirements, doesn’t have any. said George Tsakoff, Sheldon and Seven Mile roads are owned OHM Advisors principal who is working

by Wayne County, which would have to sign with Northville on the project. off.

The county department is open-minded “The county is not against it or for it,” about all options, Aggarwal said. “We are data-driven,” he added.

Attitudes are evolving when it comes to roundabouts, OHM’s Tsakoff said.

“I think it is improving in terms of gaining a knowledge of the safety aspect of pedestrian movement,” said Tsakoff, whose firm has been involved in designing roundabouts for Washtenaw and Oakland counties.

“It would potentially improve (vehicle movement) considerably if a roundabout was installed, but I certainly think the public is being more educated and knowledgeable about the benefits to pedestrian movements.”

Burden won over at least one skeptic.

“I think Mr. Burden convinced me roundabouts can be OK,” said Randolph This plan shows roundabouts for the Seven Mile/Center and Seven Mile/Hines Drive intersections. Another is Street resident Lenore Lewandowski after proposed for the Seven Mile/River Street intersection. Courtesy of the City of Northville the consultant’s video presentation.

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PAST TENSE

East Main Revival

Engerer purchases historic diamond in the rough at 342 E. Main

By Michele Fecht

T

he eastern gateway to the city’s downtown is about to undergo a major facelift with the restoration of one of Main Street’s most notable historic structures.

After more than 40 years at 342 East Main Street, Ron Bodnar — who operated Copy-Boy Printing on the site for decades — has sold the building to Dennis Engerer, owner of Northville Physical Rehabilitation as well as numerous other downtown structures.

Dr. William H. Yarnall (Courtesy of Yarnall Estate Collection)

“Dennis came along at the right time,” Bodnar said. “He’s done a lot for this community, and he’s done it quietly.”

The purchase of Bodnar’s structure expands Engerer’s building portfolio most notably in the downtown’s east end.

Among the structures with his stamp on it are HANGAR on Cady Street (formerly The Village Workshop) and the Tuscan Café building on East Main, to name a few.

10 The ‘Ville

“I’ve been interested in this building for a long time,“ Engerer said. “I want to make it look like it did in the past.”

The 1873 structure, a contributing resource in the city’s historic district, is cited in the voluminous Historic District Survey Report completed in 2019 for its provenance, contribution to community development and healthcare as well as its Italianate-style architecture.

It is most noted for housing Dr. William Yarnall’s Gold Cure institute from 1897 to 1918. The institute served as a sanatorium for men struggling with alcohol and smoking addictions.

CLOSING DOORS The purchase brings a close to Bodnar’s 45 years in Northville.

“It’s a great community,“ he said, “but I think the Downs’ project is going to change that.”

A self-professed “coffee shop guy,” he is a regular fixture at the Tuscan Café, where he can be found with his pipe and often a newspaper. “Tuscan Café in its new location is what Northville has needed for years,” he exclaimed.

During his decades in Northville, Bodnar was involved in the Downtown Merchants’ Association, published The Broadsider newspaper for a few years, and ran for a Northville City Council seat in 1985. He lost to John Buckland. His print shop, first located on Center Street before he purchased the

Yarnall Gold Cure Institute (Northville Historical Society)

342 building, closed several years ago.

He said the last few years during COVID have been among his most difficult and were a deciding factor in selling his building.

If the adage “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” bears any truth, it can be found at Bodnar’s property. It is nearly impossible not to notice the mounds of “stuff” piled on the driveway – from tiki lights and patio furniture to a Playskool house and used appliances.

Bodnar said the items are donations for charitable organizations such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill.

Noting that many of the organizations stopped taking donations during COVID, he said it has been difficult to make a dent in the piles.

Subsequently, he has tangled with the city over fines for blight violations and was cited

in 2018 by the Historic District Commission for “Demolition

by Neglect.” He said he hopes to move out by the end of the month BUILT IN 1873 Working with Northville architect Greg Presley, Engerer said he plans to take the building back to its Yarnall Gold Cure years. The footprint of the building has remained pretty much the same save for the addition Bodnar added to the back of the structure for his print shop. Engerer said he plans to retain the addition as part of the renovation. What is noticeably absent from the original building is the covered porch which extended across the front of the house.

The structure was built in 1873 by Lewis H. Hutton, who came to Northville in 1854 and was known locally for the manufacture of buggies,

wagons, cutters and sleighs. His wagon and blacksmith shop stood at the corner of Atwater (now Hutton) and Main streets.

For nearly a decade, Hutton also owned and managed Northville Mills, located on the site now occupied by Mill Race Historical Village.

In honor of Lewis Hutton’s 81st birthday, the Northville Village Council on February 1, 1909, extended him a birthday gift by officially changing the name of Atwater Street to Hutton. Early in the community’s history, the street was named Wheelbarrow. It was Hutton who originally granted the right-of-way for the street. It was on this road that he owned his carriage and manufacturing business for more than 30 years.

Dennis Engerer at 342 East Main Street. Photo by Bryan Mitchell

‘LIQUOR-CURSED MEN’ In 1897, Hutton sold his home for $3,000 to Dr. William Yarnall, who had been operating his Yarnall Gold Cure Institute since 1892 at 404 West Main Street, the former home of Northville pioneer William Pitt Hungerford. The institute offered treatment for alcoholism and other addictions using a formula of Yarnall’s making delivered by injection.

The formula was a well-kept secret.

The institute was a boon to Northville’s bucolic village.

Touted as a “rational treatment and radical cure of the alcohol, opium, cocaine, tobacco and cigarette habits,” the institute drew dignitaries from across the region and state. Northville Record editor Frank S. Neal was effusive in his praise for Yarnell noting that in the 15 months since the institute’s opening, 281 patients had been cured. “Northville has perhaps less men addicted to drink than any other village its size in America,” he exclaimed.

The institute’s success forced Yarnall to seek larger quarters. After purchasing Hutton’s home, he began interior cosmetic renovations — primarily wallpaper, paint and wainscoting in every room. The renovations were completed in January 1899.

Yarnall died in 1910. The Institute continued to operate under the supervision of Dr. T.S. Ball until February 1918 when it permanently closed.

The house was a private residence under various owners until it was purchased by Bodnar. At one time, the first floor of the structure housed several retail businesses

including Handcrafters Unlimited, which opened in 1983, and Sherwood Picture Framing in 1989.

Engerer said he plans to use the building as executive office space specifically for the law office of his oldest son, Joseph.

While there is considerable work to be done to return the structure to its historic roots, Engerer — who is no stranger to historic building renovation — said he is excited about starting the project — particularly this building with its storied history.

Stay tuned.

The ‘Ville featured the Yarnall Gold Cure Institute in its March 2018 issue which can be found at https://issuu. com/journeymanpub/docs/jptheville-mar2018-hr.

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The ‘Ville 11

Q: ARE ALL BOTOX CREATED EQUAL? When we think about softening the harsh appearance of the wrinkles on our face, there is something called botulinum toxin or “botox” that can help. Botox was first FDA approved in 2002 for cosmetic use and has since been reformulated under several different brands.

Dermatologists are trained to use botox molecules safely to prevent or slow down the progression of lines especially on the forehead, eyebrows, lips, chin, and around the eyes. Cosmetic botox can also used to balance facial asymmetry, and soften the appearance of enlarged muscles around the jawline, neck, upper back, calves, and accentuate jawline contour.

But are ALL brands of botox created equal? No, the molecular structure of each brand of botox is slightly different and each is owned by a different pharmaceutical company. Are all different brands of cosmetic botox in the US as effective in softening wrinkle lines? Yes! Each of the brands can safely be used to achieve similar outcomes. There are exceptions: we can develop resistance to certain botox brands in special circumstances. Please make sure you have a well-trained injector that understands these nuances and can astutely guide you to the best choice.

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LEGENDS OF THE DOWNS

Good Time Party Store owner Jim Roth has always catered to Northville Downs customers and still sells horse racing programs. By Larry O’Connor

What’s In A Name Good Time Party Store named after

legendary racehorse that met tragic end

By Larry O’Connor

W

hile harness racing legendary performer Good Time’s lore lives on in an eponymously named Northville convenience store, the famed trotter’s demise is likely to draw guffaws of amazement, if not carry a whiff of urban legend.

“What a way to go,” said Jim Roth, owner of Good Time Party Store, which sits little more than a stone’s throw from the 49-acre Northville Downs site, which is being proposed for residential redevelopment.

Roth shares the unvarnished tale of Good Time’s 1977 death, which he heard second-hand from former Northville Downs executive secretary Margaret Zayti.

The story has it that the retired stallion was sent out to stud, but in throes of excitement about the tantalizing mare that stood before him, staggered before tripping over his front hoofs and breaking a leg.

14 The ‘Ville

“They had to shoot him, which is what they do to horses,” said Roth, putting a not-too-fine-point on Good Time’s eventual fate.

At the time, Good Time was 31, which is ancient by horse standards.

The trotter’s prolific existence on and off the track only fuels harness racing’s rich narrative that is quickly fading in the backstretch of time.

Roth, who pays tribute to Good Time with photos and a plaque of the legendary horse on store walls and still sells the Daily Racing Form, is doing his part to keep the sport’s romance alive — minus an aroma of stale cigar smoke and confetti of losing tickets underfoot.

Good Time only stood 14 hands, making him quite small by harness standards. His diminutive stature belied a nose for the finish line that was often preceded with jet propulsion of speed, leading to being twice

named Horse of the Year in 1949 and 1952.

The bay son of Hal Dal and Volomite mare, On Time, the trotter retired as a 6-year-old with $318,793 in earnings. He was the richest Standardbred at the time.

Good Time’s productive career in the breeding stall matched his accomplishments on the track. He sired 83 2:00-minute performers at the time of his death.

GOOD TIME’S DEMISE A detailed obituary in The Harness Horse magazine made no mention of the Hall of Fame horse’s cause of death.

When told of the curious circumstances of Good Time’s demise, a Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame librarian suggested they didn’t add up.

For one, there was a two-year gap between the 1977 death and Good Time’s last reported sires, suggesting the horse had been retired from public stud service.

Oddly, though, Good Time did sire one foal, Good Night Story, who was born in 1978 and raced in 1981 before fading into obscurity.

A 1984 article by noted harness racing writer Dean Hoffman stated Good Time passed “expectedly” as the stallion was in deteriorating health, the librarian said.

Nonetheless, the librarian, who asked not to be identified, said he would delve deeper. A few days later, he received an email from a “very, very reliable source.”

Though Good Time was retired from public stud service, the elderly stallion was still being bred to select Castleton Farms mares, the source revealed.

The email’s writer provided an eyewitness account for what unfolded during the foiled mating encounter.

“He was brought into the stud farm and was still a very good breeder and slipped on the asphalt flooring, and he broke something,” said librarian, reading the email. “I don’t remember exactly what. He was immediately put down.”

Concluded the harness museum’s librarian: “I guess the story is true.”

Frank Ervin guides Good Time during the glory years.

A GLORIOUS REIGN What also cannot be disputed is Good Time’s glorious reign in harness racing circles.

During a five-year run, the stallion registered an astonishing 78 first-place finishes in 110 starts. The stallion came in runner-up 15 times and third on 10 occasions, meaning he was money in all but eight races.

Of Good Time, Jim Harrison wrote in a January 1953 Hoof Beats piece: “Sometimes they beat him; but always he battled them. And much more often than not, the little guy was the big chief at the end.”

Good Time’s best outings in Michigan were at Wolverine Harness Raceway, which later became known as Detroit Race Course at Middlebelt and I-96.

On Oct. 12, 1951, Good Time handily won both dashes of the $10,000 Wolverine free-for-all

Grand Circuit stake — with Frank Ervin at the helm — in searing times of 2:02 and 2:012/5.

In his first appearance of the year at Wolverine, “the pony pacer was the complete master here tonight,” according to the race report. “He captured the crowd, as usual, with his lazy stroll in the post parade. He looked lethargic, as usual, in his scoring. And he showed his blazing speed, as usual when the six-field was sent away to an excellent start by Dave Hoyer. Dr. Stanton took the lead for Lindy Fraser, but Good Time was hustled up on the backstretch by Ervin and passed Dr. Stanton shortly after the first quarter-mile, which was paced in :29⅖.

“From that point on, it was all Good Time …”

RACING LIVES ON Zayti, who died in 2007, supplied Roth with photos of Good Time, one of which is prominently featured on a plague displayed in the party store.

In 1970, Roth joined fatherin-law David Harris in taking ownership of the store at 567 Seven Mile Road, near Northville Road, from Charles Altman whose family owned the business for 37 years.

The Altmans outgrew four locations on Center Street before settling on the Seven Mile spot where Good Time now sits.

Roth was no stranger to the convenience store game, having owned D&J Party Hut at Joy and Inkster roads, in Westland. The Westland store sold the Daily Racing Form and

other horsewagering publications.

With a harness track lurking in the shadows, Good Time Party Store was named after the legendary the savvy horse, and a photo still hangs on the wall at the store. shopkeeper brought those into Good Time campus-style commons area Party Store. among other amenities.

“People still buy them like “With the proposals of what’s crazy,” Roth said. “I think they going in there and the beauty do it online or whatever. I don’t of what will be the Rouge River know how you do that, I’m not daylighted, and the park that a gambler. We have people will be in there, I think it’s going who buy forms daily from us, to be a very nice enhancement though.” to Northville,” Roth said. “As The 52-year Northville far as the number of homes, convenience store proprietor apartments and condos is betting on the harness track earmarked for it, I don’t know if site’s future. the infrastructure can handle it.

The Downs, a proposed “But it’s certainly more residential development for the beneficial to us here. It’s more 49 acres includes a park with people in the area … more of enormous horse statues and a everything.”

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The ‘Ville In Focus - By Bryan Mitchell

Snow Day! L

et’s be honest. Most of us are stating to think spring, and ready to put this winter business behind us. And while this winter hasn’t exactly been a doozy, particularly when it comes to snowfall, we’ve had a few rounds, especially the big storm on Feb. 2.

No, we didn’t get the record snowfall that was predicted by some, but we still got about a half foot or so, which was enough to close schools for several days, snarl roadways and turned our little hamlet into a winter wonderland.

Nobody enjoyed it as much as the kiddos. After the “Fairy Godmother” (otherwise known as Northville Schools Superintendent Mary Kay Gallagher) appeared on social media, waving her wand and announcing not one, not two, but three snow days, the kids had their freedom. Many took advantage of Northville’s abundance of sledding hills, especially at Cass Benton in Hines Park and next to Amerman Elementary. They raced down at record speed – or at least it seemed that way to them. The lucky ones met their moms at the bottom of the hill, waiting for them with cups of warm hot chocolate.

Will Brukoff, 14, gets some air on the Amerman sledding hill.

Of course, the snow event wasn’t as much fun for drivers, many of whom found themselves in ditches and stuck in snow banks. It kept the tow truck drivers busy, just like the snow plow drivers who did their best to keep the roads safe for motorists.

Our photographer, Northville’s own Bryan Mitchell, was able to get out and capture some of the fun, and not so much fun. He was also able to get out to some of his secret spots around town, where he found a little bit of winter magic.

Looking at these photos, it makes us wonder, is there anything better than a snow day?

A couple hikers make their way through the snow in Maybury State Park.

16 The ‘Ville

Workers help a motorist who slid off the road near Hines and Seven Mile.

The pine tree in Bennett Arboretum (part of Hines Park) collected plenty of snow as seen from Hines Drive.

During their first snow day, local kids headed over to Amerman for some sledding (above, left and top right), while Northville’s school buses were idled for the day.

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P

olitical candidates and election officials might feel as though figuring out Michigan’s newly drawn state and congressional boundary maps is a bit like rummaging through the dark to assemble a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Different state and congressional reps. Precincts split into sections. Changing places and faces which will require time for adjustment.

It was the first such reshuffling of districts in state history handled by an independent commission of citizens in order to curb gerrymandering.

In early February, the Michigan Supreme Court dismissed the first of several pending lawsuits against the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission because it ruled that no federal protections were hindered for minority voters.

“The Voters Not Politicians petition that passed in 2018, passed overwhelmingly,” said 20th state house district Rep. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth), who will run for the new 22nd district this year that includes most of Northville and Plymouth, and sections of Livonia and Redford Township.

“I respect that commission. And I think this is our first chance to see what this process looks like.

“At the end of the day it does turn away from the old way of having one party in a legislature draw up the maps. I think when you have more of a non-partisan approach you’re going to inevitably get results that better resemble the population of the state of Michigan in terms of partisan fairness, which is what we all want to see.”

Congressional and state district

NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS

20 The ‘Ville

Blurred Lines

Reactions mixed with newly drawn political districts

By Tim Smith boundaries are redrawn after the U.S. Census every 10 years to reflect population changes.

The Northville-Plymouth vicinity’s U.S. congressional representative is about to change. The area has been served by Haley Stevens (D-Rochester Hills) since 2018. The 11th District itself is taking on a new shape, moving to the north and east and bumping out the Northvilles and Plymouths.

That region now is part of the newly minted 6th District. Veteran U.S. Rep Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) is expected to move to Ann Arbor and run for that political spot. Candidates in all races must file by April 19 in order to be on the ballot for the Aug. 2 primary; they will continue serving their pre-redistricting constituents with an eye on where they will serve beginning in

January 2023.

“For the first time since the Roosevelt or Coolidge administration a Dingell won’t be representing Dearborn,” said Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull.

“The lines for the federal level were really not surprising to me,” said Kurt Heise, Plymouth Township supervisor. “I had pretty much assumed that they were going to be put us in with this Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County district. And that Debbie Dingell would be, more than likely, moving out here to run for Congress.”

CHANGING THINGS UP The state election picture is much muddier, however, according to Heise. The new 13th District now includes Plymouth and Northville in Wayne County, and

NEW STATE SENATE DISTRICTS

NEW STATE HOUSE DISTRICTS

portions of Novi, Walled Lake, Farmington Hills, West Bloomfield, Commerce Township all the way northeast to the Sylvan Lake/Pontiac border.

“Moving on to the state senate districts, that to me was a big disappointment,” Heise continued. “(It’s) more of a PlymouthNorthville-Canton and eastern Washtenaw, maybe up into Novi.

“But the district that exists (with the new map) is just not acceptable. It goes deep into Oakland County, all the way towards Pontiac, … West Bloomfield. There’s no community of interest there. We’re two different counties that are very different.”

The new State House 22nd District cuts out portions of Northville, Northville Township and Plymouth Township, and includes western Livonia. The western portions of both Northville Township and Plymouth Township are part of the 23rd District. And a small portion of the City of Northville (north of Eight Mile) is in the new 21st District, an area currently represented by Kelly Breen.

Heise said the new-look maps potentially weaken an alliance of western Wayne County communities where many issues and constituencies are often interchangeable.

“Plymouth and Northville have been united as a state rep district for as long as I can remember,” Heise said. “You may have to go back to the 1970s since the last time they have been separated.

“We’re very similar in our demographics, in our education, income. Same thing is true with western Livonia. We have all the same issues, such as economic development, roads, 1-275, health care. These are things that unify our communities. Not to mention the history behind it as well. To bust all that up is very disappointing and very frustrating.”

Turnbull isn’t as frustrated as Heise about the new map, which the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission approved late in 2021 only to immediately face lawsuits such as the one dismissed in early February by the Michigan Supreme Court.

Two other lawsuits are pending.

“I’m very pleased with the state representatives,” Turnbull said. “We still will have Breen and (Matt) Koleszar on

At the end of the day it does turn away from the old way of having one party in a legislature draw up the maps. I think when you have more of a non-partisan approach you’re going to inevitably get results that better resemble the population of the state of Michigan in terms of partisan fairness, which is what we all want to see.

State Rep. Matt Koleszar, on the redistricting process

our Oakland County side and our Wayne County side (respectively). It didn’t affect the city of Northville as much. They have different geographies but we kept both of them.”

Northville High School alum Breen, like Koleszar, is among political players area residents already know very well. But under the new map, she would represent the 21st district instead of the 38th (her current slot).

“Right now my entire district is in Oakland County,” Breen said. “But the way the (redistricting commission) did things is, they didn’t seem to really care about municipal or township or even county boundaries.

“And what is making things even more difficult for people is they didn’t look at the (map) layers. When they did their congressional maps, for example, they didn’t look to see if they were keeping whole or in parts state house districts in there.”

If Breen is reelected, she will lose three Novi precincts, Walled Lake, South Lyon

and a portion of Lyon Township. But she is glad to still serve the Oakland County portion of Northville.

“I love Northville, I’m just so happy I’m able to keep that part,” Breen said. “I’m invested in so many ways. All I want to do is represent the people that live here and make it a bit better, a bit easier for our kids.”

Koleszar has already filed to be on the ballot. He will retain nine of 12 precincts.

“It definitely is an adjustment, whereas only 56 percent of my current district is in this new district,” Koleszar said. “But at the same time, I’m very much looking forward to when the weather breaks and I can start meeting the residents of Livonia. I can’t wait to knock their doors, meet them and find out what issues are the most important to them.”

His “L-shaped” portion of Livonia will stretch along the western boundary which abuts Northville and Plymouth townships, and extend east to Merriman Road.

EDUCATING CONSTITUENTS Should various lawsuits not force another look at the new map lines, there still will be the task of educating the masses on where to vote, in August and ultimately November, let alone which slate of candidates to choose from.

“We’re going to have to educate people now, especially if this state rep district stays the way it is,” Plymouth Township’s Heise said. “We’re going to have to educate voters on where they are, what precinct they’re in, who they’re voting for.

“That’s going to be a challenge but it’s not insurmountable.”

Meanwhile, Koleszar underscored the importance of new candidates and current representatives knowing exactly where and who they’ll be serving once the new maps take effect – and helping citizens also understand those changes.

“Whether you are a first-time candidate or somebody who is running for re-election, it really is an important responsibility incumbent upon you to make sure residents know who their (voting) options are,” Koleszar stressed. “I get it, because in the past we saw lines very commonly drawn along municipal boundaries. And we’re not seeing that as much this time.”

The ‘Ville 21

German exchange student Charlotte Schreck (second from left) with members of the Boyd family (Brendon, Libby and Eliana) during a boating trip in Traverse City while she lived with the family in 2014.

‘A Broadening Experience’ Rotary Youth Exchange is cultural bridge for students, host families

By Larry O’Connor

T

he Boyd household’s welcome mat is a bit threadbare having hosted seven exchange students over the years, but the Northville family’s worldview is richer for the experience.

D.J. and Shannon Boyd opened their home through the Rotary Youth Exchange, which the Northville club is active in.

The Rotary Club of Northville is in the midst of recommencing

Spanish exchange student Joan Mata (middle) shows off his Mustang colors, and is met by his siblings at the airport after returning to Barcelona.

22 The ‘Ville

those exchanges, which have been shut down due to the pandemic.

Organizers are alerting potential students ages 15-19 who might want to go abroad in the 2022-23 school year to apply as well as families in Northville who may be interested in hosting.

Of the youth exchange’s engaging latter component, the Boyds’ revolving-door residence has served as an exemplary model, lodging students from Spain, Finland, South Korea, Poland and Brazil from 200318. The couple also hosted a girl from Mexico in 1994 while living in Hancock.

“I think having exchange students in your life helps remind us that there are a lot of different perspectives,” said D.J. Boyd, who is a financial advisor with Edward Jones.

“Frequently, these cultural items are not right, they are not

wrong — they are just different.

“Another thing is we have more things in common.

Everybody loves their family, everybody is fond of their homeland. It is a real broadening experience.”

The international service organization sponsors the youth exchange program in 100 countries, providing ways to promote language immersion, garner leadership skills and to become one with the world.

LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS

Northville has been a wellknown cultural interface.

The Rotary Club of Northville has taken part in youth exchanges for nearly 40 years, said Traci Sincock, who is district governor elect while husband, Paul Sincock, is district youth exchange vice chairman. Traci is supervisor at Maybury State Park, while Paul is city manager of Plymouth.

The Sincocks have opened their home to numerous exchange students, which has led to several lifelong friendships.

This year, the couple planned to host the son of Fábio Nielsen, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil who stayed in Northville as an exchange student in the early 1980s, but those plans were scuttled due to the pandemic.

A big misconception is host families have to be Rotarians or have a Brady Bunch-full of kids themselves, Traci Sincock said.

“All you really need to do is have a wonderful space for a student to thrive in your own home,” she said.

After seven youth exchange guests, the Boyds mastered the student exchange.

All arrived with varying degrees of English proficiency, the couple said.

Students from abroad were always well-behaved and easily made friends at Northville High.

Ilkka Marja-aho, who was from Finland, wanted to play on the school’s soccer team but arrived too late. However, he ended up serving as the place kicker on the football team in 2003.

Brazilian exchange student, Nicole Nagib, who billeted with the Boyds in 2018, served as a manager on the Northville High girls’ soccer team.

“Nobody made us pull out our hair,” Shannon Boyd said. “They all had different personalities.”

Added D.J. Boyd: “They were all perfect kids.”

The Boyds visited Charlotte Schreck — their exchange student who visited in 2014 — and her family in Zerbst, Germany, and traveled to Turku, Finland for Marja-aho,’s wedding in June 2015.

Return visits frequently are a corresponding trend of youth exchange.

The Sincocks have been to Brazil three times after striking up a friendship with Fábio Nielsen and his family. Fábio’s son, Thiago, was the couple’s first exchange student in 200607 when he attended Northville High. Twins, Gui and Leo, would have continued the Nielsen legacy at Northville if not for the pandemic.

The Boyds added another dimension to their youth exchange odyssey when daughter Mary spent a year (2013-14) in Bremerhaven, Germany, which is an hour and a half outside Hamburg.

She eschewed the usual homecoming and prom rituals of senior year to indulge in schnitzel, if not grasp a little Schopenhauer.

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

Mary Boyd concedes her command of German was cursory at best. Host mom Petra implemented some Teutonic tough love.

“After my first couple weeks, she sat me down and she was like, ‘OK Mary, I’m not speaking English anymore. You just got to learn it. You got to figure it out,’” said Mary, recalling how the matriarch also festooned her home with German words on Post-it Notes as a learning aid. “And so they stopped speaking English and, eventually yeah, the brain is a crazy thing, it picks up on the language.”

Mary acclimated to her learning environment, being placed in the German equivalent of a junior year. Her classmates were laser-focused on getting into university and taking prep exams.

“Everything was like long answer and

Brazilian exchange student Nicole Nagib, who attended Northville High School in 2018, with “Grandma” Maureen Boyd.

essay,” she said. “So, any exam would have a question and the whole thing was like a handwritten essay. They definitely did not have multiple choice or true-false or anything like that.”

Another revealing tell came in English class where German students were hunkered down over bound copies of Shakespeare, “which would be like us reading (Johann Wolfgang von) Goethe in a U.S. high school,” Mary said, “which would not happen.”

Mary concedes she didn’t take academics “super seriously” while overseas, but the

rigorous language instruction bore fruit when she returned.

At the University of Michigan, she earned an honors degree from the German Department, writing a thesis. She majored in political science and German at U-M. Beyond a streak of independence, though, Mary believes the year abroad helped her in a broader sense. She serves as a supervisor to 116 mentors and tutors working in AmeriCorps’ City Year program through Detroit Public Schools.

A global perspective enables her to connect across the boundaries of class and race.

“There is a general respect for other people and understanding that we are all coming from different places that is definitely strengthened by going on (youth) exchange with meeting so many different people,” Mary said.

ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE The program is open to students between the ages of 15-19 in more than 100 countries. Local host families are also needed for the 2022-2023 academic year. Most of the costs are covered by Rotary. For more information, send an email to youthexchange6400@gmail.com. You can also visit www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/youth-exchanges/details.

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The Gift of Tennis Siracusa, 69, still competes to honor the NYC firefighter who taught him

By Brad Emons

H

e’s not a Peanuts cartoon character created by writer Charles Schulz, but in real life Northville boasts its own version of “You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown.”

Substitute the name to 69-yearold Charlie Siracusa, a highly active senior athlete who will Charlie Kasper participate this May in the men’s singles draw for ages 70-74 at the National Senior Games Association tournament in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Siracusa, a 4.0 level player who has won a couple of Michigan Senior Olympic Games tennis titles, last participated at the NSGA event in 2011 in Houston, Tex.

26 The ‘Ville

It was back then when he dedicated that tournament to his late friend Charlie Kasper, a Battalion Commander for the New York City Fire Department who tragically died at age 54 while leading a 425-person division during the Sept. 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks.

Ironically, it was Kasper who introduced Siracusa to the sport of tennis at the Walker Park courts in Staten Island while Siracusa was living in New York.

“It was the 10-year anniversary of 9-11 and I said I was going to dedicate it to my friend that taught me tennis in 1985,” Siracusa said. “The relationship is for life. It never

goes away because every time I step on the court now – I’m playing three days a week at Novi (Athletic Club) – I can’t help but think about him. I squeeze my Saint Christopher medal and I say, ‘Charlie, thank you.’ It’s always with me. I’m still fine tuning my skills all these years later and always looking to improve.”

When the two originally met, Kasper was the Walker Park men’s singles champion and Siracusa was a three-time New York City Marathon participant (1978, 1980-81) who was cross training and trying to rehabilitate an injured hip that he suffered while training for his fourth marathon.

Kasper, sitting on a bench nearby, witnessed Siracusa laboring on the court. Siracusa described his game at the time as “terrible, and I mean terrible,” but Kasper reached out and a friendship began.

“What I remember most about Charlie was his patience with me being so many levels above me and giving me kind of the fundamentals whatever he could,” Siracusa said. “And I would see him periodically down at the courts and then that led me to going to Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy, Harry Hopman’s Tennis Academy . . . all because I had a guy that I saw and knew, but he took the time to help me.”

Months after Kasper’s life was tragically taken, Siracusa summoned the courage and reached out to his widow Laureen asking: “What can I do for you?”

Laureen simply said, “Find somebody in Michigan who is as terrible as you are and teach him tennis.”

And that following Saturday in Farmington Hills in February of 2002, Siracusa met Chris Tait, “who I still play with to this day, and I’ve given him the mentorship that Charlie gave me,” Siracusa said. “And it’s something I’ve been able to pay forward years later.

“Twenty years later he’s gotten up to a level equal to or better than me. And I passed along Charlie’s gift directly to Chris, but I’ve also passed along my knowledge to several people who I interact with in tennis.”

Siracusa was always an athlete growing up. He was a track sprinter in high school and in college at City University of New York. He got into marathons by accident and started giving $5 jogging lessons in 1978 where he led as many as 33 students.

In 2011, Siracusa took a brief hiatus from tennis and discovered the joy of triathlons where he joined a Lifetime Fitness Ironman team. For two years he trained six days a week and plunged into the 2012 Rev3 in Sandusky, Ohio.

“It got a DNF (did not finish) because I didn’t meet the (time) cut-off,” Siracusa said. “I was way off course on the swim, took a little bit of a crash on the bike, but finished it.”

Siracusa, who has lived in Northville for the past 20 years, first taught special education in Harlem before getting into a longtime sales career with J. Reisbaum/Sky Knit, Carhartt, Timberland, TYR Sport and most recently with Shinola Bedrock.

“I’ve had a blessed career for sure,” he said.

After getting back into tennis following his triathlon stint, Siracusa made his way back to the qualifying for the 2021

Whatever you know in athletics, pay it forward, find somebody, spread the kindness. We have to do more of that out in the community. . . and what better community to do it in than Northville.”

Charlie Siracusa

NSGA tournament by winning a gold medal in 2019 where outlasted a draw of 22 players.

“Ten years later to have another blessing of competing, winning and now being invited to a national event where I get to practice and really make his teaching come full circle in life . . . how can I not – number one -- do it?” he said.

The NSGA tournament, however, was postponed in 2021

by COVID-19, but Siracusa is ramping up for his return in 2022.

“I found a great group out of Novi and a pro who played No. 1 doubles (Roberta Risdon) at U-M,” he said. “And my ultimate goal is to be a serve and volleyer,

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because what happens it’s tough to find people my age who want to play singles number one, so I don’t, so I’m usually playing with the 30-to-45-year-olds, who were ex-college players.

“My stamina can hold me but the points are too long, and I need to end them a lot quicker so she’s helping me with serve and volleying, so I’m feeling really good about my game. I’m a student of it to the ump-teeth degree. I have a balance board in the basement, have my little trampoline in the basement.

Have my ball machine in my garage. I’m all in. I will be ready, for sure. I’m going down potentially sometime in the March time frame to

play on the courts in Florida (Fort Lauderdale) where the tournament will be to acclimate myself to the clay.”

Meanwhile, Siracusa will be dedicating this tourney once again to his late friend Kasper, a 28-year veteran of the F.D.N.Y. who was last seen directing fire operations in the North Tower in 2001.

“It was a great event (in 2011) and I’m sure this one will be even better,” Siracusa said. “I’ve had these divine intersections all my life. It’s all of the golden threads that I’ve had in my life that have been amazing.”

And most importantly, Charlie Siracusa will take the Charlie Brown approach.

“Whatever you know in athletics, pay it forward, find somebody, spread the kindness,” he said. “We have to do more of that out in the community. . . and what better community to do it in than Northville.”

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Mexico Mission A Success St. Paul Lutheran Church sent a team of 15 people on a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico back in November. The team, sponsored by Ann Arbor-based MOST (Mission Opportunities Short Term), built a house for a family in Anapra, a poor suburb of Juarez. Additionally, team members were engaged in delivering water filtration buckets and offering training on their use, as many local residents don’t have access to piped water or indoor plumbing.

Team members also taught health and hygiene classes to adults and children.

Construction of the two-room home took four days to complete. “A family of five moved into the home, and they were very excited to finally have their own small space to call home. Many extended families live in more primitive circumstances in these neighborhoods,” said Claudia Williamson of St. Paul.

The team is pictured here with the family that now calls the new structure home.

Domine To Lead Public Works The City of Northville has named Mike Domine the new director of the Public Works Department, effective Feb. 7. He had been serving as the interim director since July after Loyd Cureton retired.

“Over the past six months, Mike has demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge of our infrastructure (particularly our water system) and has established that he can lead the DPW,” said City Manager Pat Sullivan. “I look forward to working with him, department heads and council as we continue to rebuild our street, water and sewer systems and prepare for new development.”

A graduate of South Lyon High School, Domine, who leads a crew of seven, takes on the new role as the city undergoes major infrastructure changes. While roads and water mains have been replaced in recent years, there’s an annual cycle for repair and replacement of roads, water mains, sanitary sewer lines and sidewalks.

Plus, development of the Foundry Flask apartments/commercial building and Downs planned unit development (PUD) project will involve a coordinated effort by the city (including DPW), contractors and developers to remediate the brownfield sections and build new infrastructure.

30 The ‘Ville

Great Showing At Nationals Congratulations to the Northville High School Varsity Dance team, which had a great showing at the 2022 National Dance Team Championships Feb. 4-6 at the Walt Disney World Resort. The team made it to the finals and earned a 4th place in the jazz category. For more information about the team, visit NHSCompetitiveDanceTeam. com.

Library Installs ‘Core Boards’ In an effort to make the Northville District Library more accessible to children and adults with severe speech or language impairments and who are not able to talk, library staff has put up core vocabulary boards, featuring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

Core Boards present specific core vocabulary for a given activity, depending on the location, situation and outcomes intended.

This means they feature a small collection of words that make up the majority of what is communicated daily in that particular setting.

This project is the brainchild of Catherine Trautman (left), one of NDL’s Youth Services Librarians, who has a nonverbal niece. This inspired her to collaborate with two local speech pathologists, Susan Oleson and Lia Gargaro (both pictured with Trautman), to develop the boards.

“This is a way to take part in normalizing different modes of communication while being a proactive and positive influence; we hope that the Core Boards inspire curiosity and conversation for teachable moments, in addition to being a helpful tool,” Trautman said.

Friends of the Northville District Library and Community Financial Credit Union helped finance the boards.

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Dishin’ With Denise

Denise Jenkins is a member of the Northville Chamber of Commerce and Tipping Point Theatre. An avid writer and proponent of the arts, she is also plugged into what’s happening in Northville. Contact her at denisemjenkins@aol.com.

The Heart of the Matter I

f it’s not food, it’s books I love to talk about. Since February is Heart Awareness Month I thought I might mention one of my favorites – “The Art of Hearing Heart Beats” by JanPhilipp Sender. A young woman is conflicted by her father’s sudden “walk away” from life until she finds a love letter he had written to a woman in Burma. It is a beautiful love story that takes place from the 1950s until now, which is my lifetime and it definitely inspires conversation - my favorite pastime. I was intrigued by the fact the author is a man. I’m not sure why. Maybe because last month I promised this month would be about boys.

Short On Words photo by “Doc” Demray.

Calling all authors! Writing is my passion and photography is one of Dr. William (“Doc”) Demray’s hobbies. Ten years ago Northville Art House approached Preservation Dental about a sponsorship for the annual Arts and Acts Festival. We agreed to do our part with Short On Words - the literature arm of the event. It has been a great project. Writers are invited to write a story or poem (1,500 words or less)

32 The ‘Ville

Short On Words photo by “Doc” Demray.

about one of Doc’s photographs.

This year the festival is June 17-19. The call for entries begins now.

You can find details and entry information on Preservation Dental’s Facebook and Instagram pages and the website preservationdental.com - or at northvillearthouse.org.

This year there are 10 photos to choose from. There are two age categories: Young Authors (17 years and under) and Adult Authors (18 years and over). There are cash prizes for all winners.

The deadline for entries is April 22nd.

Artists are also invited to sign up now (through April 17) for the 34th Annual Art in the Sun Juried Art Fair, which is also part of the Arts and Acts Festival.

The Northville community lost one of our local businessmen, Dr. Robert Paulen, last month. Dr. Bob is the son of Priscilla (nee Williard) and John Paulen.

He graduated from Garden City East High School and the Illinois School of Optometry.

He began his career as an talked about how Dr. Bob had optometrist in 1991 and opened the same kind of wit and humor his practice in Northville in Andy’s dad John Genitti always 2006. He was known as a hard delivered. John would have worker dedicated to helping been proud - and Dr. Bob would others keep their eyes healthy. have been truly honored by I have a fond memory of him Andy’s eulogy. helping my 95-year-old mom The VFW has been the before she passed away. She nation’s leading veterans was losing her eyesight but still service organization since wanted to 1899. The membership works do word to better the lives of all those search who have served in the U.S. puzzles. military. There are more He sat than one million members with her nationwide. Northville Post for almost 4012 works hard to grow an hour membership numbers locally. trying one But they are more than just a Dr. Robert Paulen machine membership group. Did you then another. Finally he asked know they rent the hall out for her to sit like she was doing events? On Wednesday nights her puzzles. He moved a bright they sponsor AA meetings light behind her head over her and they are a proud member shoulder. She lit up. The big of the Northville Chamber of print word puzzle was easy to Commerce. I recently spoke see. He told her the problem with Steve Frazer, who is the was I didn’t buy her the right new commander of the Post. light. He winked, I smiled, “This is your VFW,” he said. bought the light - problem The Post, located at 438 S. Main solved.

Street, opens daily at 4 pm. For Bob’s memorial at Casterline more information call (248) was very nice - with a little help 348-1490. from many - a close friend Mary So boys, how did I do? Did I cleverly placed eye glasses here win your heart? and there. Dr. Bob’s right hand Tabitha graciously accepted visitors, and a guy who certainly epitomizes ‘the apple doesn’t fall far Members of Northville VFW Post 4012 during a Veteran’s from the tree’ Day ceremony.

Andy Genitti

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2021 NORTHVILLE HOME SALES BY NEIGHBORHOOD SUBDIVISION

# OF SALES

AVERAGE SALE PRICE

AVG DAYS TO SELL

Abbey Knoll

5

$593,400

16

Ambrose Estates

2

$330,000

Brooklane Ridge

9

Brookstone Village

SUBDIVISION

# OF SALES

AVERAGE SALE PRICE

AVG DAYS TO SELL

Oaks Of Northville

3

$1,099,667

11

3

Oakwood Sub

5

$609,480

48

$647,778

16

Orchard Heights

5

$848,200

25

2

$537,500

38

Paramount Estates

2

$564,425

32

Crestwood Manor

10

$687,400

11

Parkside

19

$585,419

73

Downtown

13

$585,069

81

Pheasant Hills

9

$756,556

13

East N’ville Hills GC

8

$879,875

11

Plymouth Gardens

2

$395,950

54

Edenderry Hills

6

$544,233

22

Quail Ridge

5

$587,780

26

Forest Edge

5

$725,948

108

Ravines Of Northville

5

$753,280

17

Verona Park

2

$1,955,000

45

Scotts Cloverdale

3

$752,500

21

Fox Hollow

3

$903,333

20

Snow Acres

2

$1,647,500

21

Glen Meadows

2

$380,050

34

Steeplechase

12

$812,750

14

Grand View Acres

2

$337,500

5

Stonewater

20

$1,041,895

19

Highland Lakes

5

$395,802

20

Cascades Of Northville

2

$612,500

32

Knapp Sub

5

$410,720

23

The Enclave

4

$564,000

15

Lakes of Northville

14

$480,107

17

Estates Of Arcadia Ridge

7

$673,833

7

Lexington Commons S

4

$550,000

17

The Meadows At Northville Ridge

16

$549,519

16

Maple Hill

5

$474,000

8

The Reserve At Northville Ridge

12

$492,083

29

Montcaret

2

$1,331,700

43

Waterstone Estates

2

$672,500

46

North Beacon Woods

7

$570,071

4

Whisper Wood

6

$423,554

4

Northville Colony

26

$416,552

19

Windridge

4

$468,750

29

Northville Commons

16

$450,057

18

Woodlands North

12

$714,000

17

Northville Estates

9

$440,389

14

Woodlands South

2

$731,500

166

Northville Heights

6

$357,517.00

18

Woods Of Edenderry

5

$880,690.00

30

Northville Hills GC

22

$790,059.00

23

Woodside Village

4

$561,750.00

26

Northville Hills Sub

2

$895,000.00

73

Yerkes Estates

10

$395,280.00

13

Northville Trails

2

$531,500.00

13

All Data As Reported On MLS. Neighborhoods With 2 or More Sales Included.

For Top Dollar, Quick Results, Great Service And A FREE Market Analysis Call Northville’s Voted Best Realtor Jamey Kramer 248-348-7200