The 'Ville - February 2024

February 2024 | Vol.7 | Issue 2

Northville’s News and Lifestyle Magazine

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LOCAL JOURNALISM MATTERS Please consider a donation to support The 'Ville. Since we began publishing more than five years ago, our goal has been to provide our readers with valuable information about the Northville community each and every month. Your support helps 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.

VOLUME 7

ISSUE 2

FEBRUARY 2024

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 20 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.

WENSDY VON BUSKIRK – Writer

Wensdy graduated with a degree in journalism from Wayne State University. Her first job was working as a reporter for The Northville Record. Now, as a freelance writer and editor, she works for a variety of magazines, and is excited to get back to her roots in The ‘Ville. -Photo by Kathleen Voss

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

We appreciate your support!

Bill Hopping Ronald Lynch

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.

JOHN C. HEIDER – Photographer

John is a 25-year veteran of the Northville Record and other Detroitarea newspapers. In addition to his photography, he's an amateur gardener, poet and fly-fisherman. He also claims to have invented the metric system.

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

Jake Moody keeps making his hometown proud If you weren’t too busy sulking about our Detroit Lions losing a heartbreaker in the NFC Championship game and you actually watched Super Bowl LVIII, you might have noticed that one of our own was on the field, playing a pivotal role in the game.

Jake Moody, the rookie kicker for the San Francisco 49ers, did his hometown proud on the biggest stage in sports. Not only did he become the first player from Northville High School to play in a Super Bowl, he also got into the record books, albeit briefly.

Early in the 2nd quarter, Moody nailed a 55-yard field goal, setting the new Super Bowl record for the longest FG – a record that had stood for 30 years. Unfortunately, the record didn’t last long, as Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, made a 57-yarder in the second half of the game.

Moody, who was a standout All-American at the University of Michigan, also kicked a 53-yard FG (a yard short of the old Super Bowl record) in the 4th quarter and a 22-yarder in overtime. In total, he accounted for 10 points for the 49ers. But it wasn’t enough, as they fell to the Chiefs by a score of 25-22 in overtime.

Yes, Moody did have a critical extra point blocked in the 4th quarter, but that is not why the team lost. They would never had made it to overtime if he didn’t knock down

Jake Moody with parents Chad and Lisa, and sister Jess in Las Vegas. Courtesy of Lisa Moody

Jake Moody kicks in the Super Bowl. Photo by Austin Ginn | 49ers

two difficult field goals, including the record breaker.

Moody was oh so close to reaching the pinnacle of a sport he has been playing since starring for Coach Matt Ladach and the Mustangs. Not bad for rookie.

Moody’s Northville roots run deep. He attended Winchester Elementary, Meads Mill Middle School and then Northville High School (Class of 2018).

Yes, he was a standout kicker on the NHS football team (he holds the school record for longest made field goal – a 57-yarder), but he was also an excellent student who made a great impression on his teachers and coaches, many of whom put together a video before the game honoring him. You can find it on the school district’s website (www. northvilleschools.org).

It goes without saying how proud they all are of him, as he performed so well in a game watched by more than 123 million people across the globe-- the most watched television program in history.

Although I’m sure he feels terrible about losing and coming oh so close to being an NFL champion, those who know him best are confident his career is just taking off.

There are plenty of big kicks in his future.

My request is that he just doesn’t make them against the Lions.

Congratulations on an unbelievable year, Jake. You make us all proud.

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

4 Your Voice: Letters to the Editor 16 Past Tense: Lights out at the Downs 24 Day of the Dude to descend upon Northville 28 Out & About: Community Calendar 30 Getting a head start in Young Fives program 34 Plymouth nixes Five Mile racetrack plan 36 Community Bulletin Board baker gets Fat Tuesday crash 40 Accidental course 42 Dishin’ with Denise

8

Traci Sincock Named Citizen of the Year

12

Last Race at the Downs

18

Glander Ushers Tipping Point Into Future

ON THE COVER: The last night of harness racing at Northville Downs was Feb. 3. This driver and his horse were some of the last to compete on a track that has been around for a century.

It was a bittersweet ending for the Downs, which will give way to development in the near future. Photo by Bryan Mitchell

Your Voice

Making bad a situation worse

Like most Northville residents, I have been closely following the development plans for Northville Downs in The ‘Ville. Each month seems to draw us closer to the inevitable. What I hope is not inevitable is the plan to use a roundabout to manage the greatly increased traffic anticipated at Seven Mile and Sheldon.

Roundabouts have their supporters and detractors, but most would agree that they are not designed to manage the traffic load that will be seen at that intersection. With a roundabout, a traffic problem in one direction of traffic quickly produces gridlock in all four directions – as the circle becomes filled with vehicles waiting for that one direction to clear. We have seen that painful gridlock evidenced locally at the roundabouts at North Territorial and US-23 when just one direction of US-23 was under construction.

Although not perfect, a better solution would be wider roads and properly-timed traffic lights. The new development and resulting traffic will certainly change the character of our town, but we have to hope that we can reduce the frustration of residents and drivers as best we can. A roundabout at Seven Mile and Sheldon threatens to make a bad situation even worse.

My sincere thanks for your comprehensive coverage of this issue and all the topics presented in your magazine.

Chris Rutkowski

Trees are important

Many changes are underway in Northville and as our community transforms and adapts, there is a new nonprofit 501c3 organization working to preserve and enhance the character of where we live. Northville Tree Champions promotes tree protection, appreciation and new plantings in the City of Northville and Northville Township.

Next time you’re outdoors, take a moment to look up and look around you.

Northville is home to majestic trees that have stood in our neighborhoods for decades, and some for more than a century. Flowering trees bring beauty to our surroundings, and the autumn colors are spectacular. Trees enhance our community and property values; their canopy provides a cooling effect in neighborhoods, parks and urban landscapes; and they are home to all kinds of wildlife.

We invite our neighbors in our communities to join us. To learn more about Northville Tree Champions visit our website at www.northvilletreechampions.org or check out our Facebook page. And enjoy our brief self-guided walking tour of some of the rare gems.

Tammy Sortor Northville Tree Champions

Stay in your lane

It’s unfortunate that your editorial in the January issue will no longer allow me to bring The ‘Ville magazine past the recycling bin in my garage. I always viewed this magazine as a nice hometown publication to catch-up on the ongoings of my community. At what point did you think it would be a good idea to interject your political views into it? I gather from your column this isn’t the first time, but it is the first time I have seen it. Have you learned nothing from Bud Light?

Stay in your lane. Stick to the product for the intent of which it's issued. If I wanted to learn more about your liberal views I would turn on CNN. I don’t need to read about it in my hometown magazine. So the point of your column was about staying away from divisiveness in the coming election? Pot meet kettle.

Kurt Borseth

SOUND OFF 4 The ‘Ville

California here we come

Regarding Kurt Kuban’s View From The ‘Ville in the January issue, he left no doubt where his sympathies lie in the upcoming election. Just be careful what you wish for as Michigan descends into a one-party state. California here we come.

Remember, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Chris Kuczynski

Nothing wrong with compromise

For your continued insightful, well-researched and informative articles. Thank you especially for your recent op-ed reminding all of us how important it is for everyone to get out there and vote in their local, state and federal elections this year.

It seems like the majority of Americans, if you believe polls, are tired of politics as usual and miss the days when bi-partisan compromise was the norm. As you stated so eloquently, let’s start supporting leaders who don’t tear us apart as we all want the same things in the end. We can’t effect change and get anything done of consequence if we don’t work together.

In this day and age, it’s so tempting to become cynical and fall into thinking that our vote doesn’t count anymore. Complacency, forfeiting our right to vote and not letting our collective voices be heard is one of the greatest threats to democracy.

Thank you for reminding us how important it is to show up and vote.

Anne Frank

Leave out nasty opinions

I’m very sorry to see that you have used The ‘Ville to voice your biased national political views. I know that you say we won’t all agree with you. Having said that, even if you have issues with Trump, regardless of who agrees or doesn’t, if you’re going to knock Trump then you need to at least be fair and talk about the mistrust that many people also have of Biden and why.

You could have totally left out those nasty opinions and your article would have been a great article to support the upcoming election and things to ponder.

Rosemary Walton

Great place for a mural

While visiting my mother in Vero Beach, Florida, I came across a beautiful mural on the back of a service building in a park. I could visualize a similar size mural in Downtown Northville and I have a perfect place in mind. As you drive north into town along South Main Street past Griswold, look to the left and you find a blank canvas (currently black) that is the rear of the Starbuck’s coffee house.

I envision a contest to choose a mural subject and the muralist to complete the job. Perhaps it could reflect the Victorian history of the town (maybe the clock), or pay homage to Northville Downs racetrack, the nearby train tracks or the historic water wheel. Maybe it could highlight the Farmers Market? No matter the theme, the project would bring enthusiasm, joy and unity to a city that has been negatively impacted by the divide over the “open Northville” debate.

I would like to meet with the owner of the Starbuck’s building, Corriveau Law building and the city planners to initiate the project.

Jeff Moore

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

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

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The awards ceremony took place at the Marquis Theatre.

‘An Incredible, Incredible Honor’ Mayor Brian Turnbull reads a proclamation for an emotional Traci Sincock (right).

Traci Sincock named Citizen of the Year

By Kurt Kuban

T

raci Sincock had one heck of a busy week earlier this month.

On Feb. 2, she formally retired after spending the past seven years as supervisor of Maybury State Park. Five days later, she gathered with members of the Michigan State Parks community at Genitti’s for a retirement celebration in her honor.

The following evening, on Feb. 8, she was back at Genitti’s for the Northville Chamber of Commerce’s annual Northville Community Awards Dinner.

Later that evening, as the event shifted over to the Marquis Theatre, she was surprised to learn she was this year’s recipient of the John Genitti Citizen of the Year Award.

8 The ‘Ville

Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull and Northville Township Supervisor Mark Abbo, both of whom have worked with Sincock on multiple projects over the years, presented the award to Sincock.

Abbo said Sincock is one of the people “who have helped propel” the Northville community forward over the years.

“This one is well deserved,” Abbo said. “I know we call it the Citizen of the Year Award, but this is really a lifetime achievement award for Traci.”

Sincock’s service to the community began in 1985 when she was hired as a supervisor for the Northville Parks and Recreation Department, and she ultimately became the

director for the department, retiring in 2010. After retiring, she almost immediately began work with the Northville Chamber of Commerce. After more than five years on the job, she took the job at Maybury State Park.

Abbo called Sincock a pioneer in Northville’s parks and recreation history. When she started in 1985, there were only two community parks.

“Through Traci’s efforts and the people she helped guide that’s what created the culture and the amenities we have today,” said Abbo, noting how instrumental she was in creating Community Park,

Millennium Park and Legacy Park. “Traci is truly a pioneer in this community.”

A humbled Sincock called it an “incredible, incredible honor” to receive an award named after John Genitti, a longtime friend who she frequently had lunch with before his passing in 2014.

She recalled how the community really developed while she worked for the Parks and Recreation Department.

The community passed recreation millages, and formed partnerships with Wayne County Parks and Oakland County Parks. Mostly, though, the community was able to

Traci Sincock with Brian Turnbull (from left), Scott Frush, Roger Lundberg, Chris Roosen and Mark Abbo.

come together to support its recreation programs.

“At the end of the day it’s about collaboration. I’ve always felt that in my heart, and I’ve always been incredibly proud that Northville has this trifecta of partners – the school district, the city council and the township board. We’re all in this together to make Northville what it is. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” Sincock told the gathered crowd at the Marquis Theatre.

After she retired from the Northville Parks and Recreation Department, Sincock said she moved over to the Chamber and always tried to create partnerships with the business community.

In fact, it was her ability to form partnerships in the community that led to her being hired at Maybury State Park, which she called a “beautiful asset on the west side of the community.”

Sincock, who is a Plymouth resident, said her heart will always remain in Northville.

She joked that she isn’t going anywhere, but she doesn’t have any new jobs lined up.

“Northville is my adopted community. I will always have it in my heart,” she said.

In addition to the Citizen of the Year, the Chamber event also recognized a number of

volunteers in the community.

They included:

– Sharon Rauner, Northville District Library Volunteer of the Year: A volunteer at the library since 2013, Rauner has worked in a variety of capacities. In 2022, she undertook a massive project to label the spines of over 10,000 picture books in the library’s children’s collection. It took her almost a year, but she completed the project.

– DeAnna Gilbert, Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year:

According to Chamber Director Douglas Wallace, Gilbert, of Energizing Electrical Services, has volunteered hundreds of hours as a Chamber Ambassador and recently joined the Chamber Board of Directors. She has also donated time to the Westland and Plymouth communities.

– Greg Presley, City of Northville Volunteer of the Year: An architect, Presley has worked on 50-plus commercial and 200-plus residential projects in the community.

He has served for 28 years on the Northville DDA board.

His experience has helped the city deal with all kinds of developments over the years.

He was also named the Citizen of the Year 32 years ago for his volunteerism, including helping found the Victorian Festival back in 1988.

“This is crazy. There are so many volunteers who are worthy of this. It’s a real honor,” Presley said.

– Paul Slatin, Northville Township Volunteer of the Year: Slatin has served on the township’s Zoning Board of Appeals since 2001 and has been the board chair since 2009.

Abbo said Slatin is “always thorough in his reviews and courteous to applicants and meeting participants.” He also served on the township’s 2023 Master Plan subcommittee.

In addition, the Chamber honored its businesses of the year. The Small Business of the Year is Tuffy Northville, and the Large Business of the Year is Masco.

Chamber of Commerce Director Douglas Wallace said it was a successful evening, considering it is only the second year they’ve held the event. He said he’d like to make the event bigger than ever next year.

“I think this is a great start and we had a nice crowd. We were up 30-percent from last year in attendance,” he said.

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LAST NIGHT AT

By Kurt Kuban | Photos by Bryan Mitchell

THE DOWNS

Thousands show up to witness legendary racetrack ride off into history

T

he bright lights that have lit up the night in downtown Northville for generations came on for one last night at Northville Downs, which closed for good after the last race on Saturday, Feb. 3.

The last weekend of racing drew thousands of spectators who wanted to be part of

history and see the end of an era. The place had some of the biggest crowds it had in many years, according to those in attendance.

It seems like everyone in Northville popped in to get one last look of the Downs in action, especially on Saturday night.

Longtime Northville

resident Bill Demray, owner of Preservation Dental, was there Saturday night. He said it’s only the third time he’s ever actually been inside the Downs, but he knows how important the track is to Northville’s identity. He remembers when the parking lot was full on a regular basis like it was on that Saturday night.

12 The ‘Ville

“Half the town is out here tonight,” Demray said. “This place has made Northville a destination for a long time. So, in that regard, it’s sad to see it go.”

The iconic grandstand building that rises above the track, as well as all the barns and outbuildings on the 49-acre site, will soon be demolished.

Hunter Pasteur Homes purchased the property and is the lead developer of the site.

The plan calls for nearly 500 residential units, including homes and townhouses, and some commercial buildings.

There will also be some preserved green space, and the Rouge River, which currently runs through a pipe underneath the property, will be daylighted as part of a River Walk that will be constructed along River Street on the east side of the property.

Northville City Councilman John Carter was just one of the local elected officials to attend the last night of racing. He, like other members of Council, have worked extensively on the development plans for the Downs. He believes the project is going to be a positive for the community, but he still lamented the end of the track.

“This truly is the end of an era. It’s a special day – everyone coming together one last time for Northville,” Carter said.

“This has been a gathering spot for our community for a long time. So this is bittersweet.”

It wasn’t just local officials who felt that way.

Local builder Mike Miller, who lives in town, came out Saturday night to catch a couple races. He’s been to the Downs in the past for nights out, and said this was the most people he had seen at the track. While he acknowledged it was an exciting night, it also felt like the track was part of a bygone era and it was time to move on, he said.

“I’m not sad to see it go, but I’m sad to see it go – if that

makes sense,” he said.

The Downs truly was a regional landmark, and that was evident with lots of out of towners amongst the final weekend crowds.

Canton resident Scott Gocaj came out on Saturday night after hearing about the track’s demise on the news.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard it was closing,” said Gocaj, who was with his wife Rachel. “This is such a great atmosphere with everyone here. I guess everybody wants to be part of history – Northville history.”

Not all of those in attendance were curiosity seekers or nostalgia junkies looking to be part of history, however. There were plenty of regulars there trying to make one last bet before the track shut down.

Among them was Dan McNamara, who was once the director of food and beverage at the Hazel Park Raceway, another harness racetrack that closed in 2018. He said he’s been a regular at the Downs since 2006, and still gets a thrill

Continued on Page 14

This truly is the end of an era. It’s a special day – everyone coming together one last time for Northville. This has been a gathering spot for our community for a long time. So, this is bittersweet.”

John Carter, Northville City Councilman on the last night of racing at Northville Downs

The ‘Ville 13

Continued from Page 13 placing bets on the races.

He said part of the reason the Michigan horse racing industry is on life support is because Michigan is one of

the only states that doesn’t allow “racinos” – casino-type gambling at the facilities.

Standing along the railing at the finish line, he held a worked over racing program in his hand that was marked up with his

Dan McNamara, a Northville Downs regular, looks over his racing program.

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handwriting. He explained the nuances of betting the races, using just the race program, knowledge he’s gained from countless hours at the track. He joked about finding a new hobby with the closing of the Downs, the last active horse racetrack in Michigan.

With a deep breath, he took a long look at the throngs of people standing along the rail and packing the grandstands up above.

“It’s bittersweet that the industry is dying. It’s too bad they didn’t have crowds like this more often,” he said. “You are seeing the end of an industry here tonight. And it’s really sad.”

The last race of the night was won by Fred’s Nightmare and driver Marc St. Louis, Jr. Not long after, the crowds filed out of the Downs. The lights were turned off for the last time, and the storied track went dark.

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Past Tense

Lights Out

A final farewell to an iconic slice of Northville history

By Michele M. Fecht

I

t is the quiet that seems most unsettling. After 80 years, the familiar sounds of race nights at the southeast corner of Center and Seven Mile roads ceased earlier this month as Northville Downs’ storied history came to an end.

As the last remaining parimutuel harness racing track in Michigan, the Downs’ closure marks the end of an era.

Its beginnings were less than auspicious. The swampy terrain was originally a nine-hole private golf course. It would be purchased in the early 1900s by a group of investors who raised $1,000 to create the half-mile racetrack. The Northville Record noted that “the group spent weeks and weeks filling in the land, hauling huge boulders from every spot within distance of a horse and wagon and then fill dirt by the ton to form the base of the present track.”

Picnic tables were brought in for families with standardbreds to watch matinee races on Sunday afternoons. By 1916, the site had morphed into the Northville-Wayne County Fair attracting thousands of visitors over the six-day event. Its half-mile track was considered among the best in Michigan.

A wooden grandstand would eventually be built but burned down in the early 1920s. In 1926, the original group of investors held a stock sale — 300 shares for $10 — to build a new grandstand with capacity

16 The ‘Ville

Night racing made its debut on Sept. 1, 1944 at Northville Downs. Photo courtesy of Northville Historical Society

for more than 3,000. The stockholders were members of the Northville Driving Club, which owned the grounds and grandstand.

The fair drew its share of celebrities. In preparation for his world championship match against Bob Pastor in 1939, boxer Joe Louis, the “Brown Bomber,” used the Downs as a training site. A special boxing ring was constructed for Louis to practice.

The individual who had perhaps the greatest influence on the development and success of the Downs and pari-mutuel betting was Dr. Linwood “Doc” Snow, a colorful and respected Northville leader who served as manager of the Michigan State Fair in the 1930s. He would resign the post to take over as president of the Northville Driving Club and management of the Northville-Wayne County Fair in 1940.

The popularity of state fairs waned during the World War II years. Nevertheless, in 1944,

a bold proposal was offered to the Northville Driving Club that would change the trajectory of the horse racing industry.

It was under Snow’s leadership and the suggestion of a group of New York business leaders — among them future Downs’ executive manager John Carlo — that night racing was proposed to the Driving Club. Much skepticism ensued.

Who would come to watch horses race at night? Where would you get horses to race under lights?

Ultimately, the Driving Club directors agreed to give night racing a shot. After procuring steel to reinforce the grandstand’s steel girders and securing lights, poles and electric lines, as well as 24 horses to take the field, lights lit up the track on September 1, 1944. It was the first racetrack in Michigan to offer night racing and ultimately the first to offer pari-mutuel betting.

The anticipation for the new venture in night horse racing

was palpable. The September 1 issue of The Northville Record stated, “The lighting system at the track, one of the finest ever installed at any racetrack in the country, is ready for the electrician to turn on the juice this evening.”

The Record predicted that “new track records for trotters and pacers are expected” and “an attendance record for Northville racing should be established” on opening night and throughout the Labor Day weekend. Attendance records topped 5,000 that opening Labor Day weekend. Night racing was off and running.

In the following decades new barns were constructed, the track was widened 10 feet to allow 10 horses to race abreast, the grandstand was expanded and modernized, a tote board was added, and in 1969 ground was broken for a $1.5 million clubhouse.

Once the only venue to bet legally in the United States, harness and thoroughbred racetracks remained popular through the 1950s and 60s but lost out to other forms of gambling such as state lotteries, casinos, and the like in later decades.

Having outlasted all other Michigan racetracks, Northville Downs’ closure on February 3 marks the end of a once vibrant horse racing industry. Though the lights have gone out, the memories will long remain.

Meet

Tipping Point Theatre Artistic Director Julia Glander. Photo by Bryan Mitchell

Julia Glander Ushering Tipping Point Theatre into the Future

By Wensdy Von Buskirk

A

s Producing Artistic Director for Tipping Point Theatre, Julia Glander has her hands in virtually every aspect of running the theater. Glander was appointed to her post in July 2022 after acting in several productions, including her award-winning role as Ann Landers in the one-woman show The Lady with All the Answers.

As Tipping Point continues its 16th season, we catch up with Julia about her career, upcoming shows, and what’s in the future for one of the few thriving professional theaters in Michigan.

18 The ‘Ville

The ‘Ville: Tell us what your job at Tipping Point entails.

Julia Glander: I am responsible for the artistic vision and the direction of the company.

I produce the shows and oversee all productions. I hire all of the actors, directors, designers, staff, and crew. I make sure that I always have the mission, vision and values of Tipping Point Theatre somewhere in mind at all times.

I do a bit of everything if you want to know the truth, but I don't do this alone. I've got a great team, Company Manager Brian Sage, Resident

Stage Manager Tracy Spada, Ticketing Manager Savanah Wright with Elise Pannemann as house manager. We also have two consultants that help us with development and marketing, and then a tremendous group of volunteers, some of whom have been here almost as long as we've been around.

The ‘Ville: What is your background and how did it morph into working here?

Glander: I have been an actor for 40-plus years. I received my MFA in acting at the University of Iowa and then moved to New York. I was there for 10 years and did a lot of off Broadway and regional theatre. Then, I made the move to Los Angeles. My career at that point was in voice overs, commercials, and even some Associate Producing for ABC-TV. When our daughter was six, my husband and I moved back to Michigan to be near family. My sister told me a new theater had just opened in Northville, so I auditioned for it, and got my first theater gig in Michigan. I went on to do several other shows at Tipping Point, both acting and

Julia Glander (background at right) is not only the artistic director at Tipping Point. She is also an actress, including in the production of Steel Magnolias with Taylor Congdon, Jan Cartwright, Sara Kmiec and Sonja Marquis. Photo courtesy of Tipping Point

directing, as well as at Meadow Brook, Williamston and others.

I was also an adjunct lecturer at Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College. When this position came up, it was sort of a natural segue for me.

The ‘Ville: What makes Tipping Point special?

Glander: Even though we are continuing to grow, we are known as an intimate theater.

We operate as a SPT (small professional theatre) under the Actors’ Equity Association. We pay all of our actors, designers, and staff. It’s pretty special to have a professional theater in Northville. I see Tipping Point as a cultural hub, a place where people can plan an evening or afternoon with family and friends, see the show, go out to a restaurant afterward, and talk about it. Theater is an in-person, live, shared event. We’re also planning special programming, such as summer theater camps for kids and hope to get this information out soon. Tipping Point Theatre is important to our community for its vibrant, diverse, thought-provoking, live entertainment.

The ‘Ville: How do you choose the eclectic mix of shows that you do?

Glander: I like to look for one classic, something that maybe has name recognition like Steel Magnolias and Driving Miss

Daisy. Next season we’re doing a new adaptation of Little Women - something for the whole family.

I like to make sure that we have a comedy, something that will cheer people up and make them feel good. I especially want to explore something that takes us somewhere new, that gives us an opportunity to experience a diverse point of view. We're doing that with our next play, The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh (see sidebar). Then I like to do an “artistic director's pick” — something unusual that has grabbed me for some reason.

Our wildcard this year is the last show of the season — The Squirrels, by Robert Askins.

Yes, all the actors play squirrels, but it is not a children’s play, however. It is a dark comedy — fast-paced, wild and squirrelly, with mature content.

The ‘Ville: What kind of

support do you get from the community?

Glander: The word-of-mouth reviews for our last two shows, Driving Miss Daisy and A Very Northville Christmas, sold a lot of tickets for us. I want to continue with that momentum.

Last year was tough for us financially. We were not alone.

The pandemic hit theaters across the state and the country pretty hard. We have changes we’ve had to make to adapt, but we have some great support from our longtime patrons as well as new patrons who have recently discovered the theater and want to come back. The rally from the Northville community is terrific, as well as with the broader Michigan theater community.

We help each other out.

We are also creating new collaborations in the community which I'm excited about. We recently started a partnership with the Living and Learning Enrichment Center, and have become a training site for their vocational hub. For our holiday show, Mod Market set up a pop-up store. I hope to do more of that. We're thriving in the art, and I want to thrive in the nonprofit business as well.

The ‘Ville: How can people contribute to ensure Tipping

Tipping Point’s latest production, The Chinese Lady, runs through March 3, and features Don Castro and Josie Mi. Photo by Wallace Bridges

Point stays in Northville?

Glander: First and foremost, purchase tickets and come see what we have to offer. Consider being a show sponsor or donor.

I've started the Tipping Point Theatre Guild for volunteers. We always need an extra hand. And of course — word of mouth. When you enjoy a show, tell everyone you know. Put it out there on social media. It really does make a dramatic difference.

Tipping Point Theatre Upcoming Shows THE CHINESE LADY Feb. 7-March 3 A compelling, profound, and sharply funny play inspired by the true story of Afong Moy, who was 14 when she allegedly became the first Chinese woman in the U.S. in 1834. Moy is put on display and performs for curious Americans, showing them how she eats, what she wears, and the highlight of the event: how she walks with bound feet. As the decades wear on, her celebrated sideshow comes to define and challenge her very sense of identity.

THE SQUIRRELS April 10-May 5 A fast-paced, dark comedy about Sciurus, the patriarch of a family of gray squirrels, who has collected enough nuts to last 10 winters.

When a group of starving fox squirrels begs him to share his hoard, animosity erupts into war.

The Squirrels is an experience like no other; a wild ride about a family of squirrels (yes, squirrels) as they face the challenges of climate change and changes amongst their scurry – no creature comes out unscathed! Mature Content. This production will be directed by Julia Glander.

— Compiled by Wensdy Von Buskirk

The ‘Ville 19

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Just One More Service

L.J. Griffin’s offerings now include catering and banquet room

S

ince opening its first funeral home in the 1950s, L.J. Griffin has grown into one of the largest and most respected family-owned funeral firms in the state of Michigan. The driving force behind that growth has been the fact they’ve been able to meet the needs of their clients in an ever-changing world.

A big part of that, according to owner David Griffin, is “our integrity and dedication to excellence.” And that’s a big deal when you are in the business of helping families cope with the loss of a loved one.

That also means keeping up with the times. The firm now has funeral homes in Brighton, Canton, Livonia, Northville and Westland. Each offers unique services, including personalized funeral and memorial services, burial and cremation options, personalized family arrangements, veterans services, formal chapels and grief support.

You can now add catering services to that menu of options. L.J. Griffin works with licensed and professional caterers to offer full catering services at each of its five locations. They offer light fare packages that can serve anywhere between 25 and 100 persons.

And at L.J. Griffin’s Northrop - Sassaman Chapel, located at 19091 Northville Road in Northville, they just opened what they’re calling their Memorial Reception Room, an elegant dining and banquet space where families can break bread and reminisce about their departed loved ones. The room seats nearly 100 people, and offers full catering services beyond what is offered at the other locations. There is light fare, including deli meat and cheese trays, and also a full fare menu that includes entrees and side dishes – again provided by licensed and professional caterers.

David Griffin, a Northville resident who is the second generation owner, said the point is to make the funeral

Beth Larabee, David Griffin and Alex Griffin of L.J. Griffin Funeral Home

process easier for families. Instead of having to break up and go to another location for a luncheon after the funeral service, families will be able to stay together at the same location and have the meal at L.J. Griffin.

“This is unique to the Northville community,” Griffin said. “I know through experience that families want to make sure after the service ends, they don’t want to lose people when they head to the luncheon. This will make it seamless for them. It’s a very nice space and it will be professionally catered.

“It’s just one more extension of the services we have to offer our families,” he continued.

The catering and Memorial Reception Room is something L.J. Griffin has wanted to do for a while, because they felt it was a need. Unfortunately, they were delayed by larger circumstances.

“We were going to do this pre-COVID, but that put the brakes on things,” said Beth Larabee, a director for L.J. Griffin.

“Once we got post pandemic, though, we felt it was time. People need to be together in trying times, and this is a way we can help make it easier for them to stay together.”

Griffin’s parents, Geraldine and the late L.J. Griffin, founded the company in 1954 David Griffin in the new Memorial Reception Room at the L.J. Griffin’s Northrop - Sassaman Chapel in when they opened their Northville.

first funeral home in Detroit. Along with their mother, David and his brother Larry have continued the firm’s tradition of serving area families dealing with the loss of a loved one.

David’s daughter, Alex, is now the third generation involved with the business. She, along with Larabee, has been instrumental in getting the catering services and Memorial Reception Room off the ground. Having grown up around the business, she said she is very proud of her family’s legacy of helping people get through extremely difficult times.

“This is a different kind of business. It was built on family and intimacy,” she said. “I really look up to my dad and my grandparents. I’ve watched how they have treated people in some very emotional times. And that has led to their success in this business. It just goes to show how important the human connection is.”

For a full description of the services, including catering, provided by L.J. Griffin Funeral Home, visit their website at www.griffinfuneralhome.com.

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Manfred Schon with his surf board featuring The Dude.

T

DAY OF THE DUDE

‘The Big Lebowski’ inspired event to descend upon Downtown Northville

By Kevin Brown | Photos by Bill Bresler

The Big Lebowski actors Jeff Bridges, Steve Buscemi and John Goodman. Photo courtesy of Polygram Filmed Entertainment/ Working Title Films

24 The ‘Ville

he Dude, the main character from the cult film classic The Big Lebowski, is just so darn likeable.

He’s full of wisdom and adult fun. He likes to bowl. So do his friends. But who stole his rug?

Manfred Schon heads the Northville-based company Up2Go. He loves the film so much that he’s held annual inhouse celebrations of The Big Lebowski since 2009.

celebration: Take it easy.

The Garage Grill & Fuel Bar will continuously play the movie in their back room.

Watching is free, as Up2Go has acquired an official license to show it, Schon said.

Genitti’s Hole-In-The-Wall will host the Tiny Island Blues Band performing songs from the movie’s soundtrack by bands including Creedence

Manfred Schon almost blends in with the organic, low chemical, completely recyclable carpet in Up2Go’s office, resembling the rug from The Big Lebowski.

From 4-10 p.m. on March 6, Schon’s private celebration Dude Day goes public, at Dudefriendly downtown Northville restaurants and businesses.

The event coincides with the film’s release date in 1998.

It stars Jeff Bridges as The Dude. He’s an intense yet laidback guy who likes cowl-neck sweaters and white Russian cocktails. He gets caught up in a zany Raymond Chandler-like kidnap caper. Co-stars include John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi and Tara Reid. In honoring the film’s 25th anniversary last year, Esquire Magazine called it “the first cult movie of the internet era.”

Inspired by The Dude’s approach to living, Schon offers Goal No. 1 for the 4-10 p.m.

Clearwater Revival, and other songs that fit the day.

Goal No. 2 is to raise money toward renovation and construction work of the playground at Ford Field.

Inspired by a reference in the film, currency of the day will be Clams. Ten dollars can be exchanged for 10 Clams, and the Exchange Bar & Grill is the currency exchange site. Schon says Up2Go will donate 10-15 percent of the Clam proceeds to the playground work. “To the City Manager, George Lahanas, we have guaranteed $25,000 (not Clams) as a minimum donation,” he said.

One might expect to hear the film’s catch phrase “The Dude Abides” during the celebration.

The phrase is held near and

of workdays,” Schon said. dear by Lebowski fans. Even “Throughout the movie, he if they’re still not sure what it also seeks accountability for means. the harm “To me, done to him, that simple like when he word abide WHEN: 4-10 p.m., Wednesday, says, ‘This is the most March 6 aggression fascinating

THE DAY OF THE DUDE

will not piece of the WHERE: Participating businesses in Downtown Northville stand,’ and story,” Schon ‘All the Dude said. “It is CURRENCY EXCHANGE SITE: Get ever wanted often described your Clams at Exchange Bar & Grill was to have as enduring or MORE INFO: dudeism.com his rug back.’ living within He does it in a mostly kind the rules or expectations, which and friendly manner, but he would be abiding by something occasionally is pretty direct. I external. But the Dude doesn’t think the Dude abides by his always do that. inner expectations versus the “One of my favorite lines expectations the world has of in the movie is when he says, him.”

‘Is this; what day is this?’

Schon first saw the film three displaying complete disregard years after its release. He said for basic expectations or rules the rental was coincidental; he related to our current world

was curious. Upon watching, he was struck by the quirky humor.

“I liked it, but didn’t get it, so to say.” Since, Schon’s has seen the film roughly 30 times; 15 alone through the annual celebration of Dude Day at Up2Go. He said a fan of the film who watches it years later can come away with new insights, as their own life experience evolves.

After more than 20 years working in the auto industry, Schon founded Up2Go in 2009 with Doug Fiorani.

Headquartered in downtown Northville, it also has offices in Europe. The firm provides cloud-based enterprise applications mainly for global Tier-1 automotive suppliers.

Schon believes in creating a sustainable future by using tech to reduce our carbon footprint

The White Russian and bowling are some of The Dude’s passions.

as much as possible.

Asked why he thinks there has been no sequel to The Big Lebowski, Schon seems to echo the Dude: “Because it is complete.”

For more information about Day of The Dude, visit dudeism. com – “Your Answer for Everything.”

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out & about YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NORTHVILLE THIS MONTH SEND IT IN To get your items listed in Out & About, email editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@gmail.com.

Snow Moon Hike Feb. 24 Take a guided hike from 7-8 p.m. on the trails of Maybury State Park under a full “snow moon”, so called because heaps of snow are often on the ground during this month in most countries in the northern hemisphere. Guided hike appropriate for all ages. No registration required.

Meet at the Trailhead Building at p.m. Dress appropriately for the weather and moderate exercise. Pets are welcome (must be on a 6-foot leash at all times). The program is free. For more information, visit www. friendsofmaybury.org.

History of Kit Houses Feb. 28 New School Church in Mill Race Village will host a program about the history of kit houses beginning at 7 p.m. Andrew and Wendy Mutch will discuss how, in the early 20th century, kit houses were the ultimate “Do It Yourself” project for tens of thousands of homeowners. Andrew and Wendy are Sears house owners and kit house researchers. Learn how these houses were ordered, financed and built, often by their future owners. They’ll also take a photo tour of kit houses that were built in the Northville area. To register or for more information, visit www.millracenorthville.org.

Maple Syrup Tours March 2-30 Maybury Farm will once again host its Maple Syrup Tours on weekends throughout the month of March.

Tours begin with a wagon ride to the forested area of Maybury Farm. There you will walk into the sugar bush to learn how sugar maple trees produce sap, why sap flows, and how to tap and collect sap from the tree. The wagon then heads to the Sugar Shack

28 The ‘Ville

Northville Community Center. Intended for girls between ages of 5-13.

Event will include dancing and food.

Price per couple is $38 for Northville residents and $48 for non-residents.

Registration deadline is March 1. For more information or to register, visit northvilleparksandrec.com.

Young Artists Juried Art Fair

It’s Firefighters Ball Time

The Northville Township Firefighters Charity Fund, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, will be hosting the big social event of the winter with their 19th Northville Firefighters Ball, scheduled for Saturday, March 16 at Laurel Manor in Livonia. The event sold out last year and raised more than $60,000 for various causes. The semi-formal event will feature dinner, an open bar and live entertainment by The Crasherz.

There will also be plenty of raffle gift baskets and a silent auction (featuring signed sports memorabilia, concert tickets and more). All the items are donated from generous individuals and businesses. Last year, Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson (pictured with some of the firefighters) donated a signed helmet and jersey. Tickets are $150 and are limited. To purchase yours, visit www.ntffcharityfund.com/2024fb. You can also email admin@ntffcharityfund. com or call (734) 219-3961.

where the sap is turned into maple syrup. The cost is $11 per person (children 2 and under are free). Tickets are available in the General Store the day of the tour, or in advance online by visiting www.mayburyfarm.org.

Winter Night Hike March 4 The Friends of Maybury State Park will host this guided hike from 7-8 p.m. at Maybury.

Enjoy the park at twilight — listening for the sounds of the park’s nocturnal residents. All ages are welcome for a guided hike. Headlamps/flashlights are suggested. Meet at the Trailhead Building at 7 p.m. and dress for the weather. Pets are welcome but must be on a 6-foot leash at all times. No

registration is required. This program is free. For more information, visit www.friendsofmaybury.org.

Day of the Dude March 6 Up2Go, the Exchange Bar & Grill, The Garage, Genitti’s and other downtown Northville businesses will be celebrating the film The Big Lebowski with a variety of entertainment and specials. The event runs 4-10 p.m. For more information, visit dudeism.com or send an email to the.dudes@up2go. com.

Daddy Daughter Dance March 8 This Northville Parks and Recreation annual event runs from 6-8 p.m. at the

March 16 The Northville Arts Commission will host this event from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church (200 E. Main Street). The event will showcase the talents of over 30 young artists ages 7–18. Visitors can stroll through the venue shopping for unique art and gifts, chatting with the young artists, and enjoying the music of local student groups. The young artists, who learn about presenting, pricing, and selling their artwork to the public at the Northville Art House, keep 100% of their profits. Admission is a $5 donation (12 and under are free) -proceeds benefit next year’s program.

For more information, visit www. northvillearthouse.org.

History of Eloise March 27 Local historian Joe Oldenburg will present Eloise: Poorhouse, Asylum, TB Sanitorium beginning at 7 p.m. at Mill Race Village. The program is sponsored by the Northville Historical Society. Eloise began as the Wayne County Poorhouse in Detroit in the 1830s to care for the needy and indigent. By the mid-1850s it also began housing the insane and moved to Nankin Township. As the 20th century began the tuberculosis hospitals in Detroit were overflowing so Eloise began caring for TB patients. To RSVP for the event or for more information, visit www. millracenorthville.org.

Amerman Elementary teacher Lauren Borchard with her kindergarten class. Photos courtesy of Northville Public Schools

Getting A Head Start

By Tim Smith

Young 5’s program a bridge between preschool and kindergarten

P

arents who might not be ready to enroll their children into Northville Public Schools’ traditional kindergarten program – because their kids were born in the second half of the year – have a new opportunity to help with that decision.

A brand-new tuition-free program, Young 5’s, will begin in September for children to essentially get an extra year to experience everything kindergartners do and get better prepared for what will await them the following school year.

“The biggest piece was giving access to families who had kids in the age that were caught between kindergarten and preschool and they didn’t know the right decision,” said Sandra Brock, Northville schools Director of Instructional Programs and Services and co-

30 The ‘Ville

chair of the Young 5’s planning committee. “Because it’s a really big decision. Do we send them?

Or do we keep them in preschool?

“And so by offering a Young 5’s program, all of these students who were trying to figure out which one was a good

fit, this gives them the perfect fit.”

Children born between July 1, 2019 and Dec. 1, 2019 are eligible to enroll in the first year of Young 5’s, where youngsters will attend five, full days of school each week. Enrollment began in January and will

Kindergartner Austin Doyle with teacher Lauren Borchard at Amerman, doing typical Young 5s activities.

continue until August.

The program, described on the district website as “a bridge between pre-school and typical kindergarten” was approved by the board of education following enthusiastic reception from the public.

“At the December (2023) board meeting we presented to the board what Young 5s would look like,” Brock noted. “We had a lot of voice from, not only parents but also our teachers, who are really the experts.

Families are excited to have the choice.”

Young 5’s in Northville – which follows existing programs in districts such as Livonia, Walled Lake and South Lyon – will provide a blending of kindergarten and pre-school.

“It’s a lot more play-based, giving kids the gift of time,” Brock said. “Just serving our families.”

Concurring was Amerman Elementary School principal and Young 5’s committee cochair Devon Caudill, who said the new program will be “good for kids.”

“Look at those particular kiddos, that fall in that midto-late summer to early fall birthdays (July 1 to Dec. 1),” Caudill explained. “Those kids, they can go either way.

“They can be perfect candidates for kindergarten and they can be perfect candidates for a Young 5’s program.”

The first year of Young 5’s will have classroom space available at Ridge Wood, Silver Springs and Winchester elementaries.

With a projected maximum of 20 pupils per class, additional buildings could be added to the mix.

“If a parent enrolls their student in Young 5’s, we want to provide the space,” Brock added. “We hope to have multiple classrooms where teachers can collaborate and kids can work with one another.”

For Young 5’s students who might have to go to a school other than their neighborhood school, the district will provide transportation.

Meanwhile, those who are enrolled into Young 5’s will experience virtually everything their kindergarten counterparts do.

“They’re going to go down to the cafeteria and eat lunch just like their kindergarten peers,” Brock said.

But the educators maintain youngsters will be having so much fun – learning various subjects, leadership and communication skills and figuring out how to work together and build friendships – that they won’t worry so

At Amerman playing with blocks are kindergartners Haru Meiga and Jack Fendelet (purple shirt).

Because of the way teachers will be presenting the information, they’re just going to think they’re having a great time. They’re going to love being there. And learning will happen in that process. The idea of how to do school, or how to do turns. Yes, we’re going to talk about the purpose of the lesson.

But they’re just going to love the fact that they’re having fun.”

Devon Caudill Young 5’s committee co-chair

much about getting to do lunch or recess (although both are provided).

“Because of the way teachers will be presenting the information, they’re just going to think they’re having a great time,” Caudill explained.

“They’re going to love being there. And learning will happen in that process. The idea of how to do school, or how to do turns.

“Yes, we’re going to talk about the purpose of the lesson. But they’re just going to love the fact that they’re having fun. This is good for kids. All of those other things aside, this program is good for kids.”

Young 5 participants must stay in that program for the entire school year. The pathway moving forward is automatic – a Young 5’s student next year would go to kindergarten in 2025-26.

“We have had some questions (from parents) about, after Young 5’s, can they go into first grade and the answer is no,” Brock said. “Young 5’s is going to cover a lot of kindergarten standards, but not all kindergarten standards.

The expectation is they will go (from Young 5’s) into regular kindergarten.”

Caudill said some of the basics of the program will teach teamwork, communication skills and task solving.

“Our students as young as kindergarten age are goal setting, thinking about how to make a plan,” said Caudill.

“They’ll do humanities, art, music, physical education, lunch, STEAM (aka Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Music), library, recess.”

STEAM activities in Young 5’s, she continued, could be

something like working with Legos or other materials to “figure things out on their own” through trial and error – but always with having fun being an essential component.

“An example of a (STEAM) lesson might be, ‘Here are 15 cups, make the tallest tower that can support these two magnets,’” Caudill emphasized.

“First you make a plan, and they’ll work as a small group.

Trial and error.”

At Amerman, which does not have room for Young 5’s in 2024-25 (largely because it houses Northville schools’ Talented and Gifted program and is at 103-percent capacity), fifth grade students currently are collaborating with kindergartners in a STEAM project.

“They’re making a 3-D printed object to give to their adult at home for Valentine’s Day,” Caudill said.

And because the STEAM program is a staple of K-5 education in Northville, preparing students for the Project Lead The Way initiative in middle school and high school, the district’s youngest students are able to begin getting comfortable with that style of immersive, integrative learning.

“STEAM K-5 gets them ready for Project Lead The Way, which in high school is like biomed engineering,” Brock said. “So it’s a building block and they love it. Kids love it. STEAM is most students’ favorite class.”

For more information about the new Young 5’s program, including how to enroll students, visit the Northville Public Schools website at northvilleschools.org.

The ‘Ville 31

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An artistic rendering of the proposed Northville Downs at Plymouth racetrack for Five Mile near Ridge Road. Image courtesy of Plymouth Township

‘Where Do We Go From Here?’

Plymouth officials nix deal for proposed racetrack on Five Mile

By Scott Spielman

T

he relocation of Northville Downs to the outskirts of Plymouth Township will not—as far as township officials are concerned—happen.

The board of trustees unanimously voted last month to rescind a resolution authorizing negotiations on a Planned Unit Development (PUD) that would have allowed the racetrack to be constructed near Ridge and Five Mile roads, effectively scuttling the controversial project.

Township officials and the Carlo family, who own Northville Downs and had purchased the Plymouth property last year, had been fine-tuning details of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) for nearly a year. With the expiration of the PUD plan at the end of February, the question remains: now what?

“They’ve got to make a business decision now on where they want to go from here,” said Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise. “Where do we go from here, what kind of revenue do they hope to receive in the future and what does their investment future look like?

Are they going to be able to attract investors that are going to want to continue in the state

34 The ‘Ville

of Michigan—no matter where they locate. The hazards that the state puts in the way are always going to be there.”

The CBA has been one of the stumbling blocks for the proposed project, which included a 35,500-square-foot horse barn, a 23,000-squarefoot racing structure, and a 3,200-square-foot maintenance building on the 128-acre site on the south side of Five Mile near Ridge. The proposal also included eight pickleball courts for the community, as well as revenue sharing in the form of “breakage fees.” Winning bets are rounded down so tellers will not have to count out change for patrons, those fees are then given to the host community as a form of revenue sharing. Heise said the township had asked for a guaranteed $3 million over the course of 10 years, based on estimated that the City of Northville received about $220,000 annually.

Ultimately, what the township considered “bad faith negotiation” tactics that moved the board to reject the deal. Mike Cox, attorney for the developers, had sent a letter to each of the trustees—and the media—urging them to vote in favor of it prior to the vote.

WHAT’S NEXT? The bigger hurdle for the racetrack moving forward, Heise said, is the environment in the state of Michigan.

“The state has essentially killed off the horse racing industry in Michigan,” he said.

“The State of Michigan has not been kind to the horse racing industry. Other states allow for racinos or hotels or entertainment venues and that was never the plan here. In Michigan it is in our constitution it is virtually impossible to build another casino that is not on Native American property.”

Although the project was largely unpopular within the community, opposition was not universal.

“It’s too bad that the parties couldn’t come together. I hear a lot about gambling, but it’s an entertainment venue, too,” said township resident Jim VanBoven.

“Unfortunately I don’t think the general public will ever know the specific details or understand how the negotiations on the community benefit agreement actually broke down. Be careful what you wish for,” Marilyn Bertera told the township board. “The 128-acre parcel, which could

have been a revenue-producing entertainment facility for Plymouth Township—my sincere hope is that it remains an empty brownfield for the next 30 years like it has for the past 30 years.”

VALUABLE SITE That’s unlikely. The Carlos are still the legal owners of the property, which is in the Michigan International Technical Center (MITC) corridor, and the land is ripe for development.

“We’re hopeful that land can be sold and repurposed,” Heise said. “It’s very valuable land.

It’s already got a road, it’s got water and sewer. It’s beyond shovel ready—it’s developable land right now. I don’t think they’ll have a problem moving it, especially with the renewed interest people have in the Five Mile corridor.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Plymouth Township officials voted in February to kill the proposed relocation of Northville Downs to a site at Five Mile near Ridge. Do you think that was the right move, or would you like to see the racetrack built in at that location? Email your opinions to Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@thevillemagazine.com.

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BULLETIN BOARD Senior All Night Party Supporters Sought Meads Student Wins Statewide Poster Contest On Sunday, June 2, Northville High School will honor the 2024 senior class with its traditional all-night post-graduation party.

For 60 years, senior class parents have organized this special event as a fun and safe alternative to individual celebrations. The SANP (Senior All Night Party) committee seeks contributions to support this memorable event for the students to gather one final time together as a class before embarking on their next adventures.

All sponsors will be recognized on social media, the group’s website, and with a banner, while higher level sponsors will be included in a full-page ad in the June publication of The ‘Ville. If you can support this event by making a monetary or in-kind donation to celebrate the largest class in NHS history, visit www.northvillesanpcom/sponsors or scan the QR code.

36 The ‘Ville

Congratulations to Meads Mill 6th grade student Aarush Kulkarni, winner of the Lions Club Peace Poster Contest. His poster won at the local, district and state levels. The poster will now be entered into the international competition. Aarush was one of many local middle schoolers who entered the local Northville Lion’s Peace Poster Contest. Each entry was supposed to meet the contest’s theme of “Dare to Dream.”

Aarush was honored at a Jan. 31st ceremony at the Northville District Library, where a copy of his poster will be displayed.

Chaeyi Yoon’s entry took first place for Hillside students, followed by second place finisher Sienna Bemer. Bryson Harper finished in second place at Meads Mill.

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On the Road With Strolling Through Savannah

Northville’s Laura Harrington met her sister Wendy, from Arizona, in Savannah, Georgia for a short vacation in November. One attraction they visited was the Old Pink House for dinner. They are pictured with their copy of The ‘Ville in front of the former mansion built in 1771. They also enjoyed walking the quaint historic streets and indulging in southern cuisine.

Mussels In London

Northville Township’s Bill, Sharon and Liz Rossow took their copy of The ‘Ville to Paris and London during the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here Liz is pictured enjoying mussels at the Borough Market in London.

Marco Island Sunshine

Over the Christmas holiday, Northville’s Ammar Senawi left Michigan behind for the warmth and beaches of South Florida. He and his family visited their Marco Island condo. Here he is pictured on the balcony of the condo overlooking the beach and the Gulf of Mexico.

Tuscany Wine Tour

A group of six Northvillians took a trip to Italy back in October, where they visited multiple places, including Cinque Terre, Vernazza, Tuscany, Florence and Rome. The group of good friends included Karl Freydl, Laura Yauck, Chris Seflic, Maria Marlow, and Frank and Deb Williams. Here they are pictured with their driver Fabrizio, of the Tuscan Organic Wine Tours, the owner of Fattoria Montemorli Winery, and their copy of The ‘Ville featuring on the cover the Northville Winery, one of their favorite places.

38 The ‘Ville

Girls Trip to Europe

Brooklane Ridge neighbors René Gozdor, Sue Meacham and Claudia Killeen, adventured together for a 12-day “girls trip” through Europe.

Their first stop was London, where they visited Buckingham/ Westminster Palaces, the musical “SIX” and the London Eye overlooking Westminster Abby and Big Ben. Two train rides later, they landed in Reims, France, to tour the champagne cellars of Veuve Clicquot. Their last stop was Paris where they took a French cooking class and visited all of incredible sites like Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral and lastly, the Eiffel Tower. The ‘Ville tagged along through all of it. Here they are pictured in front of the Eiffel Tower.

High Above the Adriatic

Northville residents Tom and Kim LeGault took The ‘Ville along on their Croatian adventure last summer. Here they are pictured during a visit to the Lady of Loretto Statue high above the city of Primosten, Croatia on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. They also visited Krka National Falls and a few other sites in Croatia during the trip.

The next time you head out of town, take along a copy of The ‘Ville, snap a photo, and let us know where your travels take you. Our readers would love to know! Please email the photos to kurtkuban@thevillemagazine. com. We’ll feature the photos in an upcoming issue.

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Inside Heritage Bakery on a busy Paczki Day. It took an army of employees to meet the demand.

Fat Tuesday Crash Course New ‘accidental baker’ earns his chops on busy Paczki Day

By Tim Smith | Photos by John Heider

J

ohn Goci figured he’d be in for quite an experience when he saw the long line of customers outside his Heritage Bakery the day before Fat Tuesday.

“It was a constant line,” Goci said.

It was an introduction of what to expect the following day as customers began lining up in the early morning hours to get their prized paczki from the bakery located at 37458 Five Mile Road ( just west of Newburgh).

Goci, a Northville resident, stepped onto the sidewalk to meet them. The new Heritage Bakery owner was smiling and relaxed despite he and his staff working non-stop for more than

40 The ‘Ville

24 hours prior.

“It’s a big deal, it’s a fun time for a lot of people,” Goci said.

“It’s a fun time in Michigan and it’s almost like a national holiday here, or at least a state holiday.”

Customers who helped preorder some 200 dozen paczki (priced at $30 per dozen) were rolling in during the early morning hours, some happily carrying a stack of boxes out of the front door.

For them, the experience of getting to Heritage Bakery at the crack of dawn – or hours before – to get their hands on doughy mounds filled to the brim with jellies and creams is as rich and rewarding as it ever was. And to be clear: single

pieces of the fattening pastry are called paczek (poonchek); more than one are simply paczki (poonch-key) and not “paczkis.”

“We buy them every year for the team,” said Lois Pichler of Plymouth, picking up five dozen to take to an automotive supplier. “It’s traditionally Polish, it’s in Livonia, which is traditionally Polish. And we think they’re great, that’s why we come here. I’m getting chocolate, apple, apricot, blueberry and raspberry.”

A Pinckney woman, Sharon Eldridge, also was at Heritage Bakery around 5:45 a.m. to pick up five dozen to bring to Forest Health Medical Center in Ypsilanti.

“I used to live out here so I know (about Heritage Bakery),” said Eldridge with an anticipatory smile, adding that making the trip there made sense because it’s closer than traveling to Hamtramck.

SERVING UP HAPPINESS

This year’s “Fat Tuesday” business onslaught was the first for Goci, who took over the bakery in late 2023. He has owned a number of businesses over the decades but never anything resembling the sweet shop.

“Baking is a love,” Goci said.

“I’m an accidental baker who loves the baking business because the customer base is amazing. I’ve been in the food service industry for 40 years and I rarely ever get an unhappy person in here.”

Not all could be there in person to get their paczki on Fat Tuesday, also known as “Paczki Day” in Michigan,

FAMILY AFFAIR

Heritage Bakery owner and Northville resident John Goci with a tray of glazed paczki on Fat Tuesday.

where there is a significant Polish and Christian population celebrating one final act of self-indulgence leading into six weeks of Lent.

Northville’s Jane Caruana placed a pre-order for a half dozen, which she will personally escort to her brother in Florida.

“She’s flying to Florida to visit her brother and he asked her to bring some with her,” Goci said.

Livonia residents Brandie Pletcher and Marie Komiensky were among the first customers on Tuesday morning. Pletcher was picking some up to take to her job at Amazon while Komiensky simply came in to buy a dozen for her family.

“Ever since I’ve been married,” said Komiensky, with a chuckle, about how long she’s took part in the paczki-buying tradition. “My husband’s made me get them for like 15 years.

He’s very Polish.”

Goci’s path to wearing baker’s whites and being covered in flour and Paczki Day glory was not a linear one. He and veteran master chef Carl Wenzel had teamed up to take over the longtime bakery which Vic and Lidija Vangelov opened in 1983. But then Wenzel, now 83,

became too ill to continue.

“He came here from North Carolina to buy the bakery because he got tired of sitting at home watching TV and he wanted to teach his craft,” said Goci, about Wenzel. “He came in to buy the bakery and he had health issues, so I ended up getting involved to help him out and basically ended up taking over the place.”

He got quite a crash course for Fat Tuesday, with the paczki in such high demand.

“The previous owners have been in there working with me, showing me how to make the paczkis,” Goci said. “They’re telling me that no matter what I think it’s going to be like (on Fat Tuesday) it’s going to be twice as busy.”

Talk about an understatement. He and his able staff had been baking almost around the clock during the week leading up to the big day just to fill countless preorders.

“There’s a lot of contractors and businesses that order large quantities and they pass them out to their clients on (Fat Tuesday),” Goci noted.

Heritage Bakery employees started cranking out nothing but paczki on Sunday, Feb. 11 and kept on going right on through the big day.

Helping Goci get through his “Fat Tuesday” debut as a baker, he was assisted by his wife, Dee Dee, and their four children – daughters Vanessa, 26; Violet, 23; Vlora, 21; and son Valin, 18.

And helping him immensely are business associates Angel and Lynda Haska, bakery partners he described as a “godsend” who have helped keep the paczkis and other fattening treats such as cookies, cakes and good-old regular donuts rolling from ovens to display cases to string-tied white boxes carried out by customers.

“The hardest thing about a bakery is the labor,” Goci continued. “It’s never ending.

Whatever gets put out today is gone by tomorrow.”

He is leaning on the tradition built up for decades by the Vangelovs, to help best serve the loyal customer base which

includes Livonia, neighboring Plymouth, Northville and beyond.

This year’s Fat Tuesday featured all the old favorites, including raspberry, Bavarian cream, apricot, prune, lemon and very popular strawberry.

There were 12 varieties on sale at $3 per paczek. And Goci introduced a “deluxe” paczki ($4) this time around. Each one packs a punch of 1,000 calories and weigh as much as a hockey puck.

“A lot of people like fillings,” he noted. “When you fill a traditional paczki with extra filling it will pop. And it doesn’t look very nice. So what we’ve decided to do is cut it in half like a sandwich and then we handpipe it. So that every bite you get a nice portion of filling.”

Heritage Bakery, which is located at 37458 Five Mile Road west of Newburgh, is open seven days a week: MondaySaturday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit heritagebakery.com or call (734) 4641855.

Heritage Bakery employee Rita Vyka adds some powdered sugar to a tray of paczki.

The ‘Ville 41

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.

Milestones And Memories In The ‘Ville Y

ou just gotta love Northville, the city and the township – the history, the charm and the people who make it incredibly special.

Happy birthday to a lady I’ve known and admired for several years. Billodean – her friends call her Billie - Owens, who turned 100 last month. She has way more energy than many 60-somethings I know. When asked the secret to her longevity, her response is always: “Lots of sugar Young Billie and salt… and clean living. Take good care of your body, it’s the only one you’ve got.” I got a glimpse of the younger version (see photo) – wow – what a cutie. She still is!

Congrats to my dear friend Traci Sincock – on receiving the John Genitti Citizen of the Year Award.

Well-earned and deserved. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Traci when she was with Parks and Rec, the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary. She’s that person you can always count on. I’ll always remember her tireless efforts at Ford Field and getting soaked on a Saturday in October for Streets of Treats. Although she recently retired (as supervisor of Maybury State Park), I trust we haven’t seen the last of her – I think it’s only the beginning of her next chapter.

Several others were recognized at the Northville Chamber of Commerce Community Awards

42 The ‘Ville

Traci Sincock with fellow members of Northville Rotary.

Dinner: Small Business of the Year – Tuffy; Large Business of the Year – Masco; Volunteer of the Year for the Chamber of Commerce – Deanna Gilbert; Volunteer of the Year for the Library – Sharon Rauner; Volunteer for the City – Greg Presley; Volunteer of the Year for the Township – Paul Slatin.

A round of applause for all!

Amy and Kevin Jordan (from Northville)

The first Saturday in February everyone who’s anyone was at Northville Downs enjoying the final night of live racing. It was a celebration of emotion.

You might call it bittersweet.

Everyone is talking and writing about it – but – there’s so much to say. I ran into one friendly face after another…the Varleys, the Culps, the Naidas, the Kibbeys to name just a few.

I also met new people, like Amy and Kevin Jordan from

Northville – who happily posed for a photo. Afterward Amy said only, “So sad.” It made me stop and think. And I remembered…

When I lived in Novi and went to Holy Family Church we had an annual dinner event at the racetrack – I’m pretty sure it was always a sell-out. Tipping Point Theatre held a fundraiser on the field inside the track. I wrote a short, sappy mystery that guests placed bets on while enjoying dinner and drinks.

Year after year Mike Carlo held a table for me on Kentucky Derby Day, where family and friends gathered in honor of my mom – who LOVED horseracing. As a matter of fact, she spent her last days in the former assisted living facility on Main Street, owned by Dennis Engerer – and she could see the horses running from the second story window.

How did it all end? Well, just before race 11 the track announcer, Ken Terpenning, gave a personal thanks to the Carlo family and all the race fans. He then read a brief thank you statement to all the people throughout the years who were involved in track activity while there was a ceremonial ride around the track by outrider

Nicole Stroup. In my humble opinion, it was a fitting farewell.

Then the final race – an exciting photo finish (true story) and horse number 5 Panther Time was on deck for the final photos.

As they all started to walk away, I was on the rails behind the winner’s circle. I’m pretty sure I saw a tear or two.

Final finish…Panther Time

Milestones and memories all mixed up with hearts and history. Things do change. And that’s okay. We welcome new families, new faces to find their way to our businesses and the pages of this local magazine. I simply hope they come wanting what we have and cherishing it as much as we do. Historic buildings on the corner of Griswold and Main, down the street Ford Field and Mill Race – Cobbler’s Corner, Thayer’s Corner, Maybury Farm, the flag on the Marquis Theatre building – multi-generational families that have and still do work and/ or live in Northville – Stockhausens, Corriveaus, Rosselles, Longs, Casterlines, Mazzonis and the places that teach our next generation the rules and rewards of working hard – the Cider Mill, Genitti’s, Custard Time…there’s so much more… good than bad…and we are blessed.

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248 348 0496 | www.kellykellylaw.com 248 348 0496 | www.kellykellylaw.com 422 East Main Street, Northville, MI 48167 422 East Main Street, Northville, MI 48167

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248.348.7200

2023 Northville Residential & Condo Sales By Neighborhood SUBDIVISION

# OF SALES

AVERAGE SALE PRICE

AVG DAYS TO SELL

Abbey Knoll

4

$656,667

4

Ambrose Estates

5

$362,436

Brooklane Ridge

5

Brookstone Village

SUBDIVISION

# OF SALES

AVERAGE SALE PRICE

AVG DAYS TO SELL

The Enclave

4

$699,800

9

15

Northville Ridge

5

$568,400

17

$779,333

10

Windridge

3

$704,333

7

6

$780,200

11

Woodlands (N&S)

11

$852,591

8

Crestwood Manor

6

$698,333

29

Woodside Village

4

$748,725

15

Downtown

26

$538,154

53

Blue Heron Pointe

8

$623,375

27

East N’ville Hills GC

3

$1,311,667

5

Country Club Village

23

$424,098

36

Hickory Creek

3

$581,500

31

Highland Lakes Condo

32

$233,750

11

Highland Lakes

3

$443,000

7

Lexington Condo Homes

3

$309,500

10

Hillcrest Manor

3

$623,333

59

Mill Ridge

7

$703,528

13

Lakes of Northville

9

$530,556

9

North Lexington

6

$315,583

35

Lexington Commons

6

$574,417

5

Northridge Farms

5

$178,200

4

Meadowbrook Hills

6

$480,167

31

Northridge Manor

5

$174,480

8

Meadowbrook Woods

4

$547,500

4

Northridge Villas

4

$424,333

5

Meadowhills Estates

4

$478,250

33

Northville Glades

22

$497,039

100

North Beacon Woods

3

$613,333

7

Northville Oaks

3

$206,667

26

Northville Colony

11

$484,017

8

Saint Lawrence

3

$503,333

6

Northville Commons

7

$495,143

14

Springwater Park

17

$297,826

30

Northville Estates

3

$508,667

5

The Coves At N’ville Ridge

3

$443,167

5

Northville Heights

6

$394,000

6

The Links Of NHGC

11

$454,727

26

Northville Hills GC

17

$962,306

12

The Terraces At N’ville Ridge

22

$254,491

46

Oakwood Sub

5

$567,000

46

The Villas At Arcadia Ridge

5

$530,300

5

Parkside

4

$662,000

85

Townhomes of The Village

4

$459,000

27

Ravines of Northville

4

$855,750

40

Villas At Northville Hills

7

$555,629

7

Steeplechase

8

$1,063,125

13

Woodlands South

12

$529,750

20

Stonewater

11

$1,198,409

33

Woods Of Northville

3

$390,000

19

Source: Realcomp MLS (Neighborhoods With 3 or More Sales Included)

For Top Dollar, Quick Results, Great Service And A FREE Market Analysis Call Jamey 248-348-7200

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