Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Go to www.ferndale115.com to read the stories listed below. It’s called the Ferndale “one-fifteen” because new issues are posted online on the
1st and 15th of each month. This is an independent news project managed
by Ferndale native Crystal Proxmire. Contact us at
August 15-31, 2009Thank you to our sponsors:
Through the Storm Green Cruise Carries OnElegance comes to Third ThursdaysI Promise AmericaDream Cruise Kick OffStorm Smashes Car Window at Hyland and DraytonDrug House UpdateJennifer Roosenberg: Out for Blood!Bike Friendly FerndaleRescued Duck Bids Farewell to DPWCitizens Speak Up at Council MeetingsTrans Pride in the ParkUniversity High School's Last Enrollment Open House - Aug 19thSpirit of Ferndale 3 Day Festival for Fern CareRain Garden Seminar Teaches New Ways of GrowingRegular Features:Police Report (including a car jacking!)Ferndale Views
You can sponsor The Ferndale 115 for just $20 per issue. ●Reach 600+ readers●2,000 fliers like this one delivered door to door and displayed in public places around Ferndale● Feel good supporting community newsGo to www.ferndale115.com/rates.html for more info!
Through the Storm: The Green Cruise Carries OnBy, Crystal A. Proxmire
“When you celebrate Mother Nature, you celebrate all of Mother Nature,” said Ferndale City Councilwoman Kate Baker as the rain poured down on her and the others in the Sierra Club Green Cruise parade on August 8, 2009.
Baker along with over 300 other green-conscious citizens came out to the fifth annual environmental celebration, which began with a parade down W. 9 Mile Road in the midst of a heavy summer storm. The sound of thunder occasionally over-shadowed the booming of the lead drummer, and some of the bike riders seemed frightened of the lightening. But all-in-all nearly everyone who showed up did so in the spirit of having a good time. It’s not often that adults can be seen playing out in the rain – let alone dozens of them together.
William Imackinnon of Rochester Hills picked out a costume that was unintentionally appropriate for the weather. He walked the entire parade route of W. 9 Mile from Woodward down to Livernois, through the
neighborhood up Withington and back to the Planavon parking lot – wearing giant floppy swim flippers, a cowboy hat, and a float tube around his waist.
“I’ve volunteered every year because I want to help the environment and bring attention to it, “ Imackinnon said. “They encouraged us to dress up to make it fun and memorable.”
The event began in 2005 as an alternative to the Woodward Dream Cruise, according to Green Cruise Planning Committee member Dave Cottrill. “It started in Royal Oak, then moved to Ferndale. Ferndale is much better. It’s grown and changed over the years and this set up worked out real nice for us. Except for the rain.” It was started by the Sierra Club to “celebrate green forms of transportation and provide information on what you can do to get greener,” according to their website www.sierraclub.org.
Green Cruise Director Douglas Christie said that the numbers were much lower than the thousands of people that had been expected to attend. “Even if one person enjoyed themselves or learned about how being ‘green’ is easy, fun and healthy then we feel like the Green Cruise is a success.”
Christie also says that media coverage of the event may be helping to inspire others to be more Earth-friendly. “Hopefully those that did not make it will pick the next nice day (or many days) to bicycle or walk into town instead of taking the car,” Christie says.
The day-long event also included bike rides through the city, kid’s activities, and a row of vendors in the Planavon Parking Lot, known for the day as “The Green Alley.” In the Green Alley Western Market had a beautiful display of plants and produce while John and Emily Murry introduced the world to No Pins Required, an environmentally-friendly and less expensive alternative to disposable diapers. (www.nopinsrequired.com). The Sierra Club also taught people about alternative forms of transportation like walking and biking. To find out more about the Green Cruise go to www.sierraclub.org/greencruise.
To purchase a CD containing a variety of pictures from the Green Cruise and other Ferndale events featured in the August 15th issue, please check out our merchandise page at www.cafepress.com/ferndale115.
The Ferndale 115 is proudly brought to you by:
The Twisted Shamrock276 W. 9 Mile Rd google mapFerndale, MI 48220Phone 248-544-4170Fax 248-544-4175
New! Hours of service (subject to change) are:Closed MondayTuesday – Thursday: 11 AM to 7 PMFriday: 11 AM to 9 PMSaturday: 10 AM - 6 PMSunday: Noon - 5 PM
"We are thrilled to announce the arrival of the new "Tara's Diary" line by ShanOre. Stop in to start your new Celtic beaded bracelet or add a Celtic touch to your existing collection."
About the Candle Wick Shoppe
The Candle wick Shoppe is a quaint little basement shop in Ferndale MI. We love being a part of the community and take part in many local charities and community events.
Jacki, Patty & Phoenix bought the Candle Wick shop in September 2009 to create a consistent outlet for Coventry Creations products and other candle lines that they enjoy representing. Our focus within the Candle Wick Shop and all of our other businesses is what we can bring to the community; employment, great working environment, personal enrichment, and a great product. We hope to see you stop in the shop next time you are in town. Come on in and take the sniff test to test your discerning nose. To contact us use the following information:www.candlewichshoppe.com 248-547-2987
195 W Nine Mile RdSuite B1Ferndale, MI 48220
The Ferndale 115 is proudly brought to you by:
ALLURE KOUTURE224 W 9 Mile Rd Ladies & Men's Shoes & Accessories "We have the Shoe Fit For You!" Also showcasing fine fashions.248-336-0700info@allurekouture.comwww.allurekouture.comSun/Mon: By Appt Tue/Wed:11am-7 Thur/Fri/Sat:11-9
Storm Smashes Car Window at Hyland and DraytonBy, Crystal A. Proxmire
Howling wind followed by a giant crash that crackled with the sound of shattering glass woke the Sarris family in the early hours of August 4, 2009. Around the corner from their Dayton Ave. home, Brittney Sarris’s car had been smashed by a giant fallen tree limb. The fully-leaved branch had taken out the rear window and was resting partially in the back seat, with its long main branch jutting up towards the sky from which it came.
According to Cindy Sarris, she and another neighbor came outside around four am to make sure that no one had been hurt and to see what the damage was. In addition to the smashed window, the falling limbs had knocked down electrical wires, and ripped apart a hornet’s nest that had been on a transformer box overhead. “Our neighbor who came out to help got stung,” Sarris said. “It’s just been a crazy day.”
The irony of the situation is that the crushed little Saturn was a new addition to the family. “My daughter got in an accident right here just a couple months ago and her last car got completely totaled. She just got this one,” the mother said.
Because of where the vehicle was parked on Hyland Street, the owners of 2426 will have to submit a claim to their homeowner’s insurance company to cover the damage. Consumers Energy was on the scene by 9 am to help remove the fallen branches and secure the area.
Special thanks to Ferndale citizen Erica Lynn for emailing in this tip and the photograph! You too can send in story ideas, breaking news, or opinion pieces to [email protected].
2103 Hilton Rd Ferndale, MI 48220 (248) 544-6313Inexpensive copying and printing services right here in Ferndale! Corner of Hilton and E. Cambourne.www.lennyscopycenter.comDrug House UpdateBy, Crystal A. Proxmire
The final numbers are in for one of Ferndale’s largest drug busts – an accidental discovery of marijuana grow house in December 2008 that ultimately brought the Police Department approximately $50,000 in confiscated profits. Police Chief Michael Kitchen told City Council on July 27, 2009 that the bust brought over $150,000 to area drug agencies. “Not bad for one day’s work,” he said.
According to Kitchen, officers responded to reports of a home alarm going off on Pearson Street near Central, and were surprised to find that the home was full of illegal marijuana plants, and dried pot bagged up in quantities to be sold.
Police confiscated 91 marijuana plants, 12 lbs of dried pot, and plant growing equipment. Authorities were also able to seize the profits from the illegal drug manufacture operation, including over $150,000 from cash at the house, bank accounts and a safe deposit box belonging to the homeowners. They also claimed ownership of the couple’s home in a forfeiture settlement in excess of $210,000 according to Chief Kitchen.
On June 17, 2009 Craig Gilmore, 55 and Belinda Gilmore, 57, appeared before Circuit Court Judge Sosnick. Each pled No Contest to charges of delivery and manufacture of marijuana and maintaining a drug house. Craig received 2 years probation, and Belinda has 18 months. Craig must also participate in an electronic monitoring program for the first 180 days of his probation. Neither defendant had a previous criminal record.
The Oakland County Narcotics Enforcement Team is a group of drug enforcement officers from several departments, organized by the Oakland County Sheriff’s department to arrest and prosecute drug
offenders. Ferndale police worked with NET in this case, and forfeiture funds are distributed to all agencies involved.
If you have an opinion on this or other cases, feel free to submit your thoughts to our Ferndale Views section. The Ferndale One-Fifteen is proudly brought to you by:
Hungry Howie's Pizza419 W. 9 Mile Road(248) 546-0643Mon-Thurs 11am-11pmFri-Sat 11am-1amSun 12pm-11pm
Hungry Howie’s is the Original Flavored Crust Pizza™. With 8 great Flavored Crust™ pizzas and a wide selection of toppings, we have a pizza to please almost anyone. In addition to our mouth watering Original Flavored Crust Pizza™, we have plenty of other menu items like Howie Bread, Howie Wings, Oven Baked Subs, Crisp & Cool Salads, and more. Call us today, We’ll make it FAST, We’ll make it FRESH, and We’ll make it just FOR YOU!
Out for BloodBy, Crystal A. Proxmire
I always thought Jennifer Roosenberg seemed like a nice lady. I got to interview her last spring when she took over the job of Executive Director of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce. And she was one of the first community leaders to take an interest in the new online paper, The Ferndale 115. But a few weeks ago… as the weather started getting warm and people started talking about the masses that would be gathering along Woodward Avenue for the annual Dream Cruise, Jennifer’s attitude started to change.
Jennifer Roosenberg was out for blood. And not even just blood… blood in the spirit of competition! She and her devoted intern Christine Cromartie began working tirelessly trying to recruit innocent Chamber members for the American Red Cross “Blood Along the Artery” competition. Her goal was to get more people to donate blood on behalf of the Ferndale Chamber than any of the other Chambers along Woodward Avenue in honor of the Dream Cruise.
She was aiming for 30 pints, and of the 40+ people that came in, 31 successfully donated. And apart from the fact that donating blood saves lives, several of those who took needles in their arms on August 10th did so simply out of pure terror.
“Jennifer made me do it,” said Brad Dahlhofer of B. Nektar Meadery at 1505 Jarvis in Ferndale. Brad had never given blood before, but said that Jennifer’s persistence only got him to “do something that I know I already should be doing. Giving blood is important and I’m glad she talked me into it.”
Thankfully Brad’s first time donating went well. He and Jennifer both donated at the same time, and neither one of them passed out or cried.
Ken Seawell of Seawell Business Solutions was another of Jennifer’s recruits. “I gave blood because (1) it’s the right thing to do and (2) Jennifer has a contest going on and we want her and the Chamber to win,” Ken said. State Farm Agent Marty O’Neil also showed up at Jennifer’s request – only to find the walk in list was so long that he’d have to come back later.
Unfortunately the Royal Oak/Berkley Chamber Team was able to collect two more pints of blood than Ferndale, and the Birmingham Team’s results are not yet in. But Jennifer staunchly refuses to admit defeat. “We may not have won the competition, but by inviting the other Chambers to compete with us, we saved a lot of additional lives!” she said. "We also brought in six new donors who had never given blood before.”
Tenacious, I tell ya.For more information on how you can give blood go to www.redcross.org. For more information
on The Ferndale Chamber of Commerce go to www.ferndalechamber.com.
New Arrivals!Nice Collective • Wrath Arcane • Ben ShermanCheap Monday • 7 Diamonds • BB Dakota Nixon Watches • Gift Certificates and much more... Hours:Monday - Wednesday 11 to 7pmThursday & Friday 11 to 8pm Saturday 11 to 7pmSunday Noon to 5pm 210 W. 9 Mile Rd 248.414.9170
Bike Friendly FerndaleBy, Crystal A. Proxmire A reader recommended that we write an expose on how Ferndale is such a bike-friendly place, and at first I wondered “Well, who doesn’t know that?” I mean, don’t we all notice the bike lanes down Hilton or the clusters of kids in the sidestreets on their bikes who refuse to move for cars? Don’t we all see the bikes chained up and down the downtown stretch of W. 9 Mile, or in front of the Library and other municipal buildings along E. 9 Mile? Don’t we all periodically come across the young man with the pimped-out purple bike rolling low to the ground with the chrome wheels and the radio pumping out rap music as if he were in a car?
There certainly are enough of them for auto drivers to notice. But it wasn’t until my own car died – about two issues into this whole Ferndale 115 venture – that I realized just how different Ferndale really is about the whole biking thing. There are actually people around here that ride their bikes to work each day – by choice! Not just poor folks like me who can’t afford a car, but honest, hard-working people who simply enjoy the health benefits of moving their bodies each day, and who feel good about minimizing their harm on the environment.
Even the Mayor likes to pedal about town. “I ride my bicycle pretty much every day in the months from May thru September. I use it to go to the bank, the post office and at night when I go out for meals or for some cold draft beer. I also ride it to some meetings in town if they are near by and casual. I rarely ride it outside of Ferndale because Woodward, 696 and 8 Mile are very bike unfriendly and somewhat dangerous,” he says. “Bikes not only relieve congestion from traffic, but they burn calories and build muscle, which most Americans can stand to increase.”
Douglas Christie is the organizer of the Sierra Club’s Annual Green Cruise. This event attracts bikers and others who use green-conscious forms of transportation to downtown Ferndale for bike rides, a green parade and a “green alley” of vendors. Christie told The Ferndale 115, “One of the many reasons I moved to Ferndale was because of how bike-friendly the city is. Not just because of the bike lanes or bike racks, but because of the downtown area. I can ride my bike to the natural food markets, out for dinner and drinks, the bank, to rent or return a dvd, or hit a concert or film. Plus there are so many other people out enjoying the downtown area on their bikes that it really helps bring the community together. It makes for a great day when strangers wave and say hello as you ride by on your little adventure exploring the community. This simply does not happen when you are in a car.”
I agree. Personally loosing my car – and the traveling secret-shopper job that went along with it- was one of the best things that happened to me when starting this new newspaper. Not having the convenience of hopping in a car and driving to impulsively buy mass-produced items from big corporate chain has really led me to appreciate shopping locally. And though I may spend slightly more for the things I need, overall I spend less because I just don’t buy as much junk and I don’t have to pay to get there. I feel absolutely wonderful, and being “grounded” simply means more time to really get to know the community that I am living and working in.
And it’s continuously getting better. Cristina Sheppard-Decius of the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) is excited about the 25 new bike racks that are expected to be installed in September throughout the downtown area. The DDA is also working with other organizations to investigate the potential for bike lanes down Woodward Avenue. “This would take a massive change of mindset from MDOT, but I think we can do it with help from WA3 [Woodward Avenue Action Association].”
Other city departments work hard to make Ferndale bike friendly as well. Ferndale Police are currently pulling over kids wearing bike helmets – not to give them tickets, but to reward them with a coupon for a free treat at McDonalds for being safe. They work hard to enforce traffic laws, making our streets safer for bikers. The police also work with members of the Recreation Department to host an annual Bike Rodeo where kids can have their bikes inspected for safety and get free bike helmets and licenses.
Businesses are also working to make Ferndale the place to pedal to. The Hilton Road Cafe at 3150 Hilton, has recently installed a bike rack along with several other improvements to the property. Because of this they won the City's July Beautification Award. Sakana Sushi at 22914 W. 9 Mile has gotten in on the biking fun with their Bicycle Valet DJ Night.
It might be a little tricky months from now to pull this off, but I think for now I'm going to continue going car-less. And encouraging others to try it for themselves. Thank you Ferndale for being a place where I can actually do that.
The Ferndale One-Fifteen is proudly brought to you by:
AquaX artisan waterCALL Independent DistributorJosh Urban (248)688-4391
Amazing healthy water perfected with a scientific new process. You will taste the difference! Call for the lowest possible prices, or for more info. on starting your own AquaX Distributorship.
Drinking Aqua X regularly will help detoxify the cells in your body, and promote a balanced body pH in your system!
You can try AquaX water for yourself. Stop into The Apple Fritter at the corner of 9 Mile and Hilton and buy a bottle today.
Rescued Duck Bids Farewell to DPWBy, Crystal A. Proxmire
For just under a month the crew at the Department of Public Works yard at 521 E. Cambourne have had a special guest – a wild female mallard duck with a broken wing named Sophie. According to Sophie’s temporary new caretaker, Parks and Forestry Supervisor Shawm Slocum, the injured bird had been living under a stack of road barricades along the side of a storage building on the city yard. “When she opens her wings to fly you can see that her left wing is completely different and bent up from where it should be,” Slocum said. Rather than leaving the vulnerable bird, Slocum decided that she deserved a better habitat to live in while she recovered. He brought in some pool liner from home, fashioned into a little pond which he secured with cinder blocks and filled with water. He made her a bed out of straw and a shelter out of a construction sign And he and the others in the department brought in bread and helped look after her. The convalescent duck gave the workers a good distraction from their days of filling potholes, replacing street signs and making the city look beautiful. But she was also a lot of hassle. “Once people found out about Sophie there were plenty of visitors. People stop in all the time. We’ve had all the different news channels out. Sophie’s been on TV a lot,” Slocum said. “But it’s not good for her. And it’s hard to get work done with so many people coming by.”
Slocum also said that safety was an issue. “She can’t fly,” he said. “I come in every morning hoping that a cat or a raccoon or some other critter hasn’t gotten her. She has no way to defend herself.” Fortunately a woman in South Lyon heard about Sophie and came to the rescue. “The woman keeps ducks on her property. She has a pond and cages where she can lock them in at night to be safe,” Slocum said. Sophie went to her new home on August 12, 2009. “She’ll be happier there,” he said.
The Ferndale One-Fifteen is proudly brought to you by:
Modern Tax & Accounting Services
Robert B. Babut - Accountant/Owner
445 W. Woodruff Avenue
Hazel Park, MI 48030-3226
Phone - (248) 544-2002
Fax - (248) 399-7827
email - info@
moderntaxservice
.com
Our MissionTo provide personalized:
Income tax preparation (individuals, sole proprietorships, partnerships, S-Corporations, Limited Liability Companies and others),
Business Tax Return Preparation (sales/use, employment, unemployment etc.) and others.
Payroll service - we can prepare your payroll and file all of your necessary tax returns.
Forming a new business? We can do it all. Ask us how to incorporate, form an LLC or other form. We can file all the paperwork for you. Our fees are reasonable and our service is legendary.
Citizens Speak Up at Council MeetingsBy, Crystal A. Proxmire
Perhaps the most interesting thing that happens at City Council meetings is that residents have a half-hour period during which they can address council, and all their Ferndale neighbors, about issues that concern them. Each resident is given three minutes to speak. They stand at a podium before the council and the cameras which record the public meeting for broadcast public access television. Behind them the room is often full of other people who are interested in what is going on with local government. After they speak, council members often respond to what has been said.
The past couple of meetings have been particularly full of citizen involvement. Several issues affecting the city are discussed at these meetings, including the proposed South Oakland Shelter offices, downtown parking, permits, the use of labor unions on city projects, and new construction projects in general.
SOS
There has been debate for some time about First Baptist Church at 1841 Pincrest allowing South Oakland Shelter (SOS) to move their offices to an unused educational building on their property. City officials maintain that the requests have all been legitimate and that the offices would be an accessory use on the property, which is a religious institution located in a residential neighborhood. The Zoning Commission agreed to grant the permit requests to allow SOS to operate out of the building, provided that they meet certain requirements, including repairs to the building, limiting the number of clients served on the property, and mandating that business hours be limited with no one staying on the property through the night.
Council voted to uphold the Board of Zoning Appeals decision to issue the permit, although that decision is currently under appeal in Oakland County Circuit Court. But before coming to their 4-1 decision, Council heard from several residents as well as representatives from SOS and First Baptist who were eager to share their opinions about the move.
Some resident formed a group called ZIP (Zoning Integrity Protection Association of Ferndale) to formerly protest the shelter offices’ move to First Baptist. Members of the group and other citizens spoke about concerns over drug addicts, crime, loitering in the neighborhoods and vagrancy. City Council candidate Tom Gagne passionately opposed the permit out of fear that once SOS moved into the building they would want to expand and start putting in bunkers and attracting more and more homeless to the quiet area. “I would love to encourage city council to treat them as a business and have them open in a place where they are zoned,” he said.
City officials and attorneys for SOS attempted to dispel public fears by clarifying that the “shelter” is an office where homeless people will go to get counseling and other services – not to stay overnight. The list of limitation placed on the permit include limiting the number of clients on the premises to 30 at a time. “There will be no overnight shelter at the church – period,” said David Antonelle, attorney for SOS.
All members of council voted in favor of issuing the permit, except for Councilman Mike Lennon, who said that he supports the mission of First Baptist and SOS, but that he felt compelled to vote no. “One of the reasons I’m voting no is due to the extremely large amounts of emails from citizens. They’re the ones who put me in this chair. I gotta listen to them.”
PARKING
Another issue that was on the residents’ minds at the August 10, 2009 meeting was parking along Troy Street. Several residents from W. Troy Street came in to speak to council about the increased congestion on their street since Rosie O’Gradys opened up several weeks ago.
“Nothing against Rosie O’Gradys, but it’s created a parking situation where there is no parking for visitors,” said the owner of 430 W. Troy.
“Our way of life is really getting ruined,” said the person from 477 W. Troy.
One man spoke of an elderly grandmother having to walk three blocks because there is never any parking. Another man told council that his wife must park far away and walk among the drunk people leaving the bar because she gets home from work late at night. “I don’t think its safe,” the man said.
City Council listened to each resident share their concerns, and Mayor Covey and City Manager Bob Bruner told the public that they would look into the situation and that Bruner would have an update for council in two weeks to let the public know what resolutions can be made.
PERMITS
Sometimes a speech before council is easier to resolve. Cheryl Pattison of W. Troy street came before council complaining about the cost of a block sale permit. “Ferndale is supposed to be big into diversity and I think its really uncool of you to charge $20 for something to get people together and doing stuff with their neighbors.”
Many people don’t realize that there is a cost to the city for allowing a block to have a block sale. Because the woman came to council with her concern, the Mayor was able to address it. He explained that the $20 fee is nominal compared to the cost of having the Department of Public Works come out and close off the street. Or the cost of extra police if re-routing traffic is an issue. Understanding the costs behind such things can make the fees a little easier to bear.
UNIONS
At the July 27, 2009 City Council Meeting a handful of union workers came to speak. They wanted to know what the City was doing in order to ensure that local workers are being used on municipal construction projects, like the library and the upcoming Court, City Hall and Police Station renovations if they are approved.
Their concerns, especially in this economy, were heard by council and City Manager Bob Bruner was able to find numbers to help show the workers just how the labor was being divided up. Bruner noted that the Library Board is the group responsible for contracting out the work, but that they have been favoring local union contracts. There are 17 contracts involved with the project, which totals $2.4 million. “Nine of the
15 are union labor, three are not, and there are three more to be awarded. Two will likely go to union firms,” Bruner said.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Another concern with construction are the ongoing plans to renovate the 43rd District Court Building, City Hall and The Police Department. Also the potential for a city-owned parking structure on E. 9 Mile. These projects are still in the planning stages, and have brought out many people to debate on how much the city should be investing in building infrastructure during a time of economic instability. Some think that the city should take advantage of low labor and building material costs, while other worry about creating more debt.
If you have an opinion about any of these topics – or anything else for that matter – please send it to [email protected] to be included in our Ferndale Views section.
Wireless World Stores LLC753 W 9 Mile Road(248) 399-0800
Open 11am - 7pm Monday-Saturday
Unlimited $50/monthIncludes unlimited nationwide talk, text, web and walkie-talkie!
No long-term contracts.
Trans Pride in the Park Coming August 22 to FerndaleBy, Crystal A. Proxmire
When Rachel Crandal and Susan Crocker started Transgender Michigan in 1997, they began with a vision of a world where transpeople could be themselves while feeling completely safe, welcome and not alone. Last year, for one afternoon, 93 people lived that dream at the Trans Pride in the Park picnic. This year Crandall hopes for more.
The largest gathering of transpeople in the state of Michigan takes place August 22, 2009 with Transgender Michigan’s Trans Pride in the Park. The free annual picnic will be in Geary Park in Ferndale from noon until 5 pm. There will be food, vendor tables, public speakers and plenty of time to make new friends.
Transgender Michigan President Crandal says that this is a unique event because it is rare to get such a large numbers of transpeople together. “Most trans events have a cost,” Crandal says. “And it can be hard for people to travel when they don’t have much money. For many people, this is the one event they make it out to each year. People come from all over Michigan, some from Ohio and Indiana.”
Crandal started the Transgender Pride Picnic as an informal gathering of transgender and gender-variant people at the annual Michigan Pride event in Lansing. Over the years the picnic has moved east - first to Ann Arbor, then to Ferndale. “We were getting requests for people to have it in Ann Arbor because Lansing was too far. But then there were so many transgender people in Ferndale that couldn’t make it out, so we moved it here. This is our third year in Ferndale,” she says.
The event not only demonstrates that transpeople are a growing and organized group, but that they want to have fun and make friends just like everybody else. “People who are trans may sometimes feel lonely or isolated,” says Crandal. “But they come here and feel good seeing other trans people. I wanted Picnic in the Park to give a good feeling so people are free to enjoy getting to know each other. It’s really fun, but it’s also really touching.”
MTFs (Male-to-Female), FTMs(Female-to-Male), other gender variant people, and allies are welcome at the picnic. Alcohol and negative attitudes are not. According to Crandal, in the entire history of the event there have been no unpleasant incidents. “The worst thing that happens is we all feel bad when it’s over and people don’t want to go home,” she says.
Transgender Michigan is a state-wide organization that provides support, information, advocacy and fun to over 1,500 people involved with the group, mainly by connecting online. They support the trans community with a 24-hour help line, a website with information on events, doctor referrals, and printable brochures about a variety of trans-related subjects. There are also ways for members to connect such as a Yahoo group and TransNet, which is a referral service to offer support to people no matter which Michigan County they live in.
The leaders of Transgender Michigan are also advocates who have lobbied for the cause of transgender rights. They have a speaker’s bureau program, and were the founders of Transgender Awareness Day, which has been celebrated in places across the country. More information on Trans Pride in the Park and Transgender Michigan can be found at www.transgendermichigan.org.
The Ferndale One-Fifteen brought to you by:
The Aff Cafe - On the menu now are inexpensive lunch items such as hot dogs, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, spicy burritos and ham and cheese. There’s also soda, bottled water, chips, other snacks and specialty drinks like coffees, teas, Italian soda and French soda. Aff Café staff can also provide coffee and snack service to those who rent Affirmations meeting rooms for their events.
290 W. 9 Mile - Inside Affirmations Community Center
University High School’s Last Enrollment Open House Set for Aug. 19th
By, Crystal A. Proxmire
University High School is an innovative college-prep high school that is based in Ferndale Public Schools, but accepts students from all over Oakland County and its adjacent counties through the Schools of Choice Program. Here students are given an alternative education geared towards a professional career choice, and many benefits from being affiliated with Lawrence Tech. University.
Enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year is coming to a close. The final open house to register for 9th or 10th grade takes place on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 6:30 pm on the campus of Lawrence
Technological University. The campus is located at 21000 W. Ten Mile Road in Southfield.
Students who enroll in University High School enjoy a small campus that is limited to 500 students. According to their website, students work closely “with their teachers, professors and students from Lawrence Technological University, and with business partners. UHS students have a first-hand look into their future professions and graduate with sound preparation for success.”
Programs include engineering, design, planning, manufacturing, purchasing, logistics, marketing, sales and service. Students learn as much as they can in their area of interest before going on to college, which teachers hope will give them an advantage in their field. And because University High School works closely with Lawrence Tech, qualified UHS students have guaranteed admission to the college.
According to Director of Pupil Services and Community Relations Stephanie Hall, of the 102 seniors who graduated in 2009, 101 of them have been accepted into a college or university. The other graduate has chosen the Navy instead. They had a graduation rate of 99% for the year.
“Two special professional staff members help students select the best college choices for them, submit college applications, financial aid and scholarship applications, and then provide them with 24/7 support once they enter college to make sure they have access to tutoring, financial and moral support if needed,” Hall says.
University High School is located at 1244 Paxton in Ferndale. For more information go to www.ferndaleschools.org.
Spirit of Ferndale 3 Day Festival for Fern Care – Aug 21-23By, Crystal A. Proxmire
The International Federation of Chaplains (IFOC) is hosting a three day event at Martin Road Park to help celebrate the “Spirit of Ferndale” and to raise money for Fern Care, the community’s upcoming free health clinic for uninsured residents.
According to Fern Care founder Ann Heler, The IFOC has volunteered to staff a spiritual health desk at the Fern Care clinic any time that it is open. This will be a separately managed part of the clinic, and completely optional for clinic patients. “Many people believe that spiritual health is a part of their physical health. Research is available that indicates that positive attitude, ‘I am not alone’ support and a spiritual connection (and that is whatever a person believes it to be, not necessarily only ‘traditional’ church connections) helps immeasurably with maintaining or gaining back a good quality of health,” says Heler.
Heler has worked hard to create the Fern Care Clinic, a concept that she sees coming into reality over the next few months. “We have to make sure that we have enough money to operate the clinic for a year on hand. We will continue raising money once we’re open, but we need to have some padding because we don’t want to open and then have to close again,” she said at a recent fundraiser.
According to their website www.ferncare.org, “The clinic will treat persons from 18 through 64 years of age. It will provide maintenance care of chronic illness, do checkups, diagnose and treat acute day-to-day illness, dispense generic medications, and make specialist referrals including dental care. STDs will be referred to the county health department. The pharmacy will not stock any controlled or psychotropic drugs or narcotics of any sort. Ob/gyn care will be referred.”
The Spirit of Ferndale event is three days of fun and fundraising for the free clinic cause. On Friday, August 21, 2009 from 6-10 pm there will be karaoke, bingo and concessions.
On Saturday from 10 am – 10pm there will be an all day talent show, a Titanic slide for the kids, bingo, face painting, a cheerleading clinic, and a visit from Dora the Explorer.
On Sunday the event goes from 10 am – 6 pm. There will be a talent show featuring local charities, a series of acted-out dramas, and a dog show.
For more information on the Spirit of Ferndale and other Fern Care events, go to www.ferncare.org.
Rain Garden Seminar Teaches New Way of Growing
By, Crystal A. Proxmire
As part of their Green Tuesdays Program, The Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission held a seminar on Rain Gardens at the Kulick Community Center on August 11, 2009. The Kulick Center is home to Ferndale’s first rain garden, which is unique because it is watered from runoff from the center’s room. Rain gardens are also designed to soak up much more rainwater than traditional yards or gardens do, which helps keep the local water treatment system at healthy levels and reduces the chance of sewage overflow.
In addition the gardens look attractive and attract butterflies and birds to the area.
Lillian Dean of the Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority(SOCWA) gave the seminar to about a dozen interested potential gardeners, and taught them many ways they can benefit from using captured rainwater to make their gardens and lawns beautiful.
She first talked about rain barrels, which are giant containers used to capture rainwater from the gutters and store it for gardening purposes. Michelle and Robert Prudi’homme, who live on Leroy Street in Ferndale, have been using a homemade rain barrel for over a year now. “It cost about $35 to make,” Michelle said. “We made it out of a recycled 50 gallon Pepsi jug.” Other rain barrels cost about $100 or more, according to Dean, who provided attendees with a list of resources for finding one. “I use the water on my garden and the plants in my yard. That way I don’t have to pay for it.” The Prudi’homme’s also use it for their pond, however that isn’t recommended for people who have fish because there may be some chemicals from the roof that the fish can’t handle.
Then seminar attendees were then taken on a slide-show tour of area rain gardens. The gardens were as simple as patches of wild grass planted in ditches to help soak up standing water; and as complex as entire yards that rely on water from the rain.
Dean also talked about the appropriate types of plants for rain gardens, and the importance of compost in garden planning. She heralded the research of Don Carpenter, Ph.D. who is studying the effects of soil on drainage at Lawrence Tech. University. Dr. Carpenter found that a mixture that was 100% compost was able to retain 132% of its weight in moisture. This is a sharp contrast to sand, which only retains 16% of water. Carpenter tested various combinations of soil, compost and sand to try and find an ideal balance – and to determine how much of a range in quality there was between mixtures.
For example, a mixture of 80% compost and 20% sand held 76% of its weight in water. And a mix of 35% compost, 35% sand and 30% topsoil only held 27%. These results those from similar tests will help ecologists figure out how to make the most of the plants and landscaping we choose for our personal habitats.
The SOCWA website at www.socwa.org gives many tips for starting a rain garden, using a rain barrel, planting indigenous plants, and much more. They also give seminars throughout the area on various yard-care and water-related topics. On August 26th there will be a free Healthy Lawn Care Workshop in Clawson, and on August 29th there will be a free bus tour showing green sites throughout Oakland County. E mail Lillian Dean at [email protected] for more information and to register.
The Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission’s Green Tuesday seminars are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month to provide the community with the information they need to become even better stewards of the environment. The seminars are free and open to the public. The Woodward Avenue Brewers help support Green Tuesdays by offering a free pint of beer and a discount on food to people who attend the seminars and get a valid coupon. For more information on Green Tuesdays, contact Lynna Kaucheck at [email protected].
The Ferndale 115 is proudly brought to you by:
Boston Tea Room
Psychic Readings.Intuitive Counseling.Spirit Communication.Classes and Workshops.Home Parties.Unique Jewelry and Gifts.
195 W. 9 Mile RoadFerndale, MI 48220
(248) 547-2987
Call today for an appointment
Police Report
July 27, 2009 – At the July 27th City Council meeting Police Chief Michael Kitchen gave the following updates:
1. Mid-year crime statistics show crime down 10% across the board from last year. There have been 16 robberies so far this year.2. A marijuana grow house bust netted authorities over $150,000 for one day’s worth of work. (a follow up article can be found on The Ferndale 115 here (www.ferndale115.com/Aug15thp7DrugHouse.html)3. The Ferndale Police Department has teamed up with Crime Stoppers to hand out fliers promoting the program which gives out rewards for information on certain crimes. Police are asking that residents call 1-800-SPEAK-UP or go to www.1800speakup.org for more information.4. The Ferndale Police Department is currently stopping children on bikes who are wearing helmets – not to give them a ticket, but to give them a McDonald’s coupon as a reward for being safe. (For The Ferndale 115’s story on Ferndale being a bike-friendly community please go to www.ferndale115.com/Aug15thp9Bike.html)
August 3, 2009 – From Chief Kitchen:
It was a very busy night Crystal, but there were no incidents attributable to the pub crawl………..Chief K
August 12, 2009 – Press release from the Ferndale Police Department:
PRESS RELEASE
CARJACKING OCCURRED EIGHT MILE/ LIVERNOIS 08/12/09On 08/12/09 at approximately 1406 hrs, I (Ofc. Archer) was dispatched to 1100 W. Eight Mile (Shell Gas Station) regarding a UDDA which had just occurred. Upon arrival I spoke to the victim, who stated that a white male in his twenties got out of a late model black Mercury Cougar and approached her as she was pumping gas. The white male, who was holding a silver revolver in his right hand, told her to give him the keys to the white Dodge Charger that she was driving. After the victim gave the male the keys he got into the driver seat of the Charger and drove west bound on Eight Mile followed by the Cougar. The victim was not injured.The victim stated that on 08/12/09 at approximately 1340 hrs she was driving west on Eight Mile, after turning from northbound Woodward. As she was driving she observed a black vehicle driving next to her on her passenger side. She turned into the Shell Gas Station (1100 W. Eight Mile) and parked at pump #5 to get gas. The black vehicle that she had observed driving next to her on Eight Mile followed her into the gas station and parked at pump #4. The driver (black male, in his 20's, 509 tall and 120 lbs, short black hair, clean shaven, wearing blue jeans and no shirt) got out of the vehicle and began to look at the tires on his vehicle, a late model black Mercury Cougar. The victim began to pump gas into her vehicle as she talked to her cousin on her cell phone. As The victim was speaking on the phone a white male (in his 20's, 505 tall and 170 lbs, medium brown curly hair, clean shaven, wearing blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt, with a chip in his top left front tooth) got out of front passenger seat of the Cougar and walked toward her.
The white male told her to give him the keys to the white 2008 Dodge Charger that she was driving. The male told her several times not to scream. As the male was speaking the victim saw that he was holding a silver short barreled revolver with a black handle in his right hand. He was attempting to conceal the revolver by holding his left hand over it. The male held the revolver at waist level with the barrel pointed toward the ground.When the victim gave the white male the keys to the Charger he told her to get inside. As she was walking around the front of the vehicle to the front passenger side door the male driver drove the vehicle west bound on Eight mile and out of sight. The Cougar followed the Charger from the gas station west bound on Eight Mile. The victim observed that there was an additional dark complected black male sitting behind the front passenger seat of the Cougar. She was not able to provide any additional description of the second black male.
Stolen VehicleSTOLEN white four door 2008 Dodge Charger belonging to the victim’s father. Approximate value $12,000. Vehicle entered into LEIN as stolen. The vehicle has since been recovered by the Detroit Police Department in the area of Ohio and the Lodge Freeway and processed for fingerprints.
RESPONSIBLE VEHICLE:
The responsible vehicle was a black Mercury Cougar (mid 70's to mid 80's) with 18 inch low profile tires and chrome rims. There was a chrome strip, several inches in height, which ran along the bottom border of the vehicle.
Anyone with information regarding this suspect please contact the Ferndale Police Department at 248-541-3650
Please find attached a copy of the suspect sketch.
Ferndale Views:
Please note that the following submission was much longer than the requested 500 words. But in the absence of other letters we’re running it. This paper is for everyone. Even YOU. So please take a moment and let us know what you think about any topic. And try to aim for under 500 words! Send to: [email protected]
Ferndale council acts predictably--and that's no compliment Monday night's hearing on South Oakland Shelters' (SOS) request to move their administrative offices to unused space at The First Baptist Church (FBC) in a north-west Ferndale neighborhood brought few surprises. After going through the mechanics a hearing requires the council voted as expected; four-to-one in favor of letting the FBC rent to SOS. After the vote, two council-persons did surprise me, in a disappointed-surprise kind-of-way.
Freshmen councilwomen Kate Baker demonstrated how personal bias can muddle a person's ability to understand what people say. Ms. Baker sounded exasperated as she defended the commitment and professionalism of the many volunteers that serve on the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals, and lamented how she was unprepared to defend them against accusations to the contrary.
I never said the volunteers (who serve without pay and too little gratitude) weren't dedicated or professional. What I
said was that on the issue of allowing SOS to move into the church neither body supported their decisions by publishing their findings of fact or communicating to the community (and especially ZIP) their interpretation of how SOS' business is an accessory use. But I can see how a personal bias for SOS and FBC, a weak interpretation of the zoning ordinance, and the knowledge of having dismissed the concerns of nearby residents would make the councilwoman a little touchy.
If someone is going to vote on a matter that affects my family, neighbors, and community I believe residents and businesses deserve as unambiguous an explanation as those voting members are able to provide--especially an issue as controversial as the FBC/SOS zoning ruling became.
Councilman Mike Lennon also surprised me, but his lone "no" vote wasn't the surprise. Mike Lennon often casts the only dissenting vote against the majority. Also not surprising was Mr. Lennon's not advocating the sentiments of the myriad of phone calls and emails from residents he claimed were the reason for his vote.
What was disappointing was his blasting ZIP for being disorganized and redundant, and wasting the city manager's time countering their false claims.
Where to begin?
First, why was our city manager handling SOS' public relations (PR) in the first place? If they had enough money to hire two attorneys they surely didn't need Bob Bruner to volunteer his (city-paid) time to act as their press secretary.
And when did council defer to the city manager permission to speak for the city or give him permission advocate for-or-against political issues that may come before the council? I thought "speaking for the city" was the Mayor's job, and Mayor Covey is more than up to the challenge.
Maybe council hasn't given the city manager carte blanche but is complacent letting him practice his politics on the city's dime rather than making sure FBC is following ordinances already on the books--or even the lower standard councilwoman Baker suggested at a commission meeting: that FBC would only need to be, "close to compliance."
Nice.
SOS' attorney asked that SOS be treated just like any other business. I bet every Ferndale business wishes they only needed to be "close to compliance."
But disorganized and redundant? I'm uncertain what standard councilman Lennon is comparing ZIP against, but I'm confident that if ZIP were given the same considerations the applicant was given they could have been more organized and less redundant.
Because ZIP wasn't the applicant for the zoning ruling they were not allowed to sit with the grown-ups. ZIP's concerns had to be posited in three-minute monologues--even during hearings. Being excluded from conversations, having questions ignored or repeated in patronizing tones does not inspire feelings of fair representation.
ZIP was certainly no more redundant than the FBC's or SOS' supporters were during the long parades of three-minute comments. Perhaps if citizens living near FBC (or any church) thought anyone on the council held their interests before FBC's they wouldn't have felt the need to line up for their three-minutes of if-a-resident-speaks-in-the-middle-of-the-forest time.
Perhaps if one of the councilpersons hadn't delivered a "true Christian" sermon during a council meeting, or if another of the councilpersons didn't suggest lower standards of compliance for the applicants or state (and restate--redundantly) what long-time SOS supporters their family has been, ZIP wouldn't have felt the need to organize.
Perhaps if the city manager hadn't acted contemptuously in meetings and press interviews ZIP may not have thought the entirety of the city's administration was against them, and wouldn't have had to publish their own literature.
But maybe I'm being redundant (perhaps), so I'll try something different.
In the motion read by Councilman Galloway, five criteria were identified that the Planning Commission supposedly used to grant SOS' request. One of them was that the commission didn't feel SOS' operating their business at the Church would negatively impact the immediate area's economic value (or words similar to that). For the sake of argument let's suppose it doesn't. We could ask, "does SOS's operating their business at the church improve the area's economic value?"
I can think of multiple, better-suited and properly-zoned areas in Ferndale where SOS' arrival would improve the economic prospects of the immediate area, the economic prospects of the property owner, and the economic prospects to the city as the property owner would be better able to pay his property taxes, participate in city events, or sponsor a softball-team or scrap booking club.
I don't have statistics or numbers handy, so I'll make some up and tell a story that can't be verified (which seems to suffice for some councilpersons' pet causes--like the PSD tax).
When you purchased your home or looked for a neighborhood to move to was its proximity to an SOS administrative office on your list of desirable neighborhood traits?
When cities work to increase property value do they focus on schools, recreation, police, fire, and other essential services or does SEMCOG, the Michigan Municipal League, or the Michigan Suburbs Alliance recommend deferring to churches' need to offset lower collections to really bring-in the house hunters?
I sincerely hope SOS is successful in all they do, just as I do that churches thrive. Their missions are important. But I am as sincere in my belief that zoning laws protect neighborhoods as much as they do churches and businesses. In this case, at least, there was no need for the three to be in conflict. There is space enough in Ferndale for all three without all three being in the same space.
Thomas GagneFerndale City Council Candidate
Dream Cruise Kick OffBy, Crystal A. Proxmire
The Annual Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise kicked off at 5:00 pm at the corner of 9 Mile and Woodward Avenue in Ferndale on Friday, August 14, 2009. Mayor Pro Tem Scott Galloway led the ribbon-cutting ceremony by welcoming the masses to Ferndale.
Please enjoy the videos and pictures that we will be posting to this page over the next couple of day
A promise he can keepAJ O'Neil won't give up on his I Promise America campaign - as long as Michigan doesn't give up on the Big ThreeBy Jessica Carreras
AJ O’Neil wants Michigan to make him a promise. Better yet, he wants all Michiganders to make a promise to their country: to buy cars from American companies.
"Even with Cash for Clunkers, over half of the cars that are sold in that are non-domestically produced cars," says the owner of AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale, commenting on the state of American-made car sales. "I think that’s just a sad commentary and a lack of awareness on people’s part that we’re not fully engaged when we’re making our purchases and we’re not aware of the ramifications of what it means to buy something that’s not built by Ford, GM or Chrysler.
"It has a huge impact on the economy."
But O'Neil was not willing to sit idly by and watch the lifeblood of the Michigan economy go under. So he created the I Promise America campaign.
The campaign asks people to promise that their next automobile purchase will be a vehicle made by one of the Big Three. The pledge reads, simply, "I promise America that, on my honor, when I buy a new vehicle, it will be a Detroit-born, Big Three (Ford, GM or Chrysler) automobile."
Started in December, O'Neil claims that he didn't exactly choose to create I Promise America, but the need to do something to help the Big Three and the people who work for them found him.
It all began when a customer at his cafe came in distraught over the possible loss of his job working for one of the automakers. Though unsure of how to help at first, O'Neil was quick to think of a way to do his part - and to give others a chance to do theirs, too."I at first thought, ‘There’s not much I can do, I’m just a café operator,'" he recalls. "But then I thought I might have an idea - but it’s ... the citizens who really take an idea that I have and take it to the level of making it accomplishable. Somebody came in and asked if I could lend my voice to this and I did and it’s mushroomed."
O'Neil has already gathered around 3,000 signatures from online and in-person pledges. He says that though the momentum slowed down for a while during his busy summer months at the cafe, it has picked up speed once again - partially because of this weekend's Woodward Dream Cruise, and partially because of social networking.
"It’s kind of tailed off a little bit but it’s because I’m at the café and it’s hard to
spread myself much thinner, but I decided to do a Facebook I Promise and that has kind of rekindled the fire," O'Neil explains. "That’s been a help because I’m able to spend a few minutes every day on that."The signatures continue to roll in, and they're not just from Michigan. "The beautiful part is that (the signatures) come from all over the country," O'Neil says excitedly. "I know there’s some from Washington, Washington, D.C., California, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Wisconsin, France – it’s worldwide, but more important, it’s nationwide and even global that people understand, that really care to take the time to become aware.
"They realize the ramifications that how well the Big Three does directly affects them on every level."
Next up to tackle? O'Neil hopes to send the work and pledges of the I Promise America campaign to President Barack Obama. It's a lofty goal, but one O'Neil thinks is possible - and absolutely necessary.
"We’ve got some people who have agreed to help us in Washington on that regard as soon as it becomes something that the president can take a look at on his plate," he explains. "He’s got some other more pressing issues right now I think, but at the same time, I don’t know what’s more pressing than the Detroit automotive industry."But luckily for the Big Three, there are people like O'Neil doing everything in their power to help them out.
Thank you for reading The Ferndale One-Fifteen.New issues come out on the 1st and 15th of each month at www.ferndale115.com.Published independently by Crystal A. ProxmirePO Box 71311Madison Heights, MI 48071
