A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format, plus a reminder about an online interactive map with story details on public safety incidents.
Ronna (Romney) McDaniels hires an attorney; the John James fundraising machine; Hill Harper comes clean (finally); purging hard-right House caucus members from Oakland; Rogers and former prez now in lockstep; threat against county election official.
Library fines eliminated; feedback on senior/recreation center; DNR lake policy for township lakes; BSD Director interviews underway; Auto Europe looks to expand; the latest on Big Rock Italian Chophouse; too many seat at Bistro Joe’s; water and sewer rates going up; plus more.
Michigan for decades has been the garbage receptacle of the Midwest. That has left Michigan with about a quarter century of space left in its landfills which are regarded by environmental officials as “super emitters” of methane, a seldom mentioned greenhouse gas that is being approached by a new set of state laws that look to harness the gas for energy instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.
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An interactive version of the Crime Locator map –linking to stories about crime incidents –can be viewed online. Scan the QR code above or look for the crime map link on our home page at downtownpublications.com.
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These are the crimes reported under select categories by police officials in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills through April 18, 2024. Placement of codes is approximate.
Sexual assault Assault Murder/Homicide Robbery Breaking/entering Larceny Vehicle theft Larceny from vehicle Vandalism Drug offenses Arson
Map key
I was medically diagnosed in 2007 with ElectroMagnetic Sensitivity (ES) by a physician while living in Germany.
My physician, Dr. Horst Eger, has written many reports in Medical Journals and a study where he found cancer clusters around cell towers in Naila Germany. Being poisoned by cell towers (mobilefunk in Deutsch) left me very ill. The radiation readings from the cell towers, taken by the local German government agency, was 300 times the legal limit. The readings went to the German Court System and there were threats to those who took the readings and several employees were moved to different positions.
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To regain my health, I slept for six years in a faraday cage, and to get away from cell tower EMF, we moved six times in five years. We now live outside of Ann Arbor.
I wrote a book called "ALL EMF*d UP" and it does sell internationally. You can see some reviews on Amazon.
Thank you for the information in your article (Cell Tower Radiation Concerns/May Downtown) from so many experts. I, myself, have spoken to a couple of them, asking for their assistance when I wrote the book.
As a community activist and longtime supporter of The Community House (TCH), I share the concerns about the future of this wonderful facility expressed in the Incoming section in the April edition of Downtown Newsmagazine
For the past 40 years, I have been actively involved with TCH – my daughters took ballet lessons from the highly-regarded Rosemarie Gregor through the dance academy; I served on TCH Marketing Committee and was an enthusiastic volunteer; taught mah jongg classes to hundreds of interested students from 2006 through 2019; attended numerous meetings, luncheons and special events held at TCH.
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Your hard work is appreciated. We are all just trying to inform the public that what their ill health symptoms are or might be caused by a phone or wireless device that they can remedy by removal, and not have to take medication.
Radiation from wireless devices have also been linked (Dr. Toril Jelter) to autism in children.
Thank you again for your work
Anne MillsChelsea, Michigan
Thank you for your intrepid reporting on 5G (Cell Tower Radiation Concerns/May Downtown).
Just one correction. In the sentence on the last page that says “There have been no scientific or health studies on the potential studies of 5G exposure”–replace “no” with “many” and add “repressed” or “downplayed.” Name withheld Birmingham
Now, most of these activities no longer take place at TCH. The Senior Men’s and Women’s Clubs, as well as several community service organizations no longer meet there. The hubbub, conversations and laughter have stopped; the building is often quiet. Why is the big question.
I am hopeful that Bill Seklar, CEO, and TCH Board will pay attention to the fact that community members are watching what’s happening at TCH and will strive to fulfill one of the basic responsibilities of nonprofit leadership: to ensure that the organization is true to its mission and integrates it into all aspects of its operations. Hopefully, they will implement the changes and improvements necessary to once again make TCH the vibrant meeting/learning/recreational gathering spot that it was in the past.
Rackeline Hoff Birmingham
(Rackeline Hoff is a former longtime Birmingham City Commissioner.)
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Oakland Confidential is a periodic column of political gossip/news, gathered both on and off-the-record by staff members at Downtown Newsmagazine. We welcome possible items for this column which can be emailed to: OaklandConfidential@DowntownPublications.com. All sources are kept strictly confidential. The gossip column can be viewed at OaklandConfidential.com where you can sign up to receive updates via email.
NO NOOSE, NO JOKE: During a ballot recount on December 15 of the Royal Oak ballot proposal for ranked choice voting as part of the November 2023 election, Oakland County’s top election official, Joe Rozell, received a threat to his life – and Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald definitely didn’t think it was a joke. She has charged Andrew Hess with a felony offense for stating “hang Joe for treason” against Rozell, the director of elections in Oakland County. McDonald’s announcement cited a state law that bans anyone from making a terrorist threat or a false report of terrorism. The offense is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $20,000. She stated in a release that some individuals “seek to undermine the integrity of the election process by threatening and intimidating election workers and supervisors… I will do everything within my power to hold those who make such threats accountable.” Election officials locally and across the country have been under attack since the 2020 election, with some individuals questioning results.
SHE GOT THE HOOK: After seemingly all the network’s news stars pitched a fit, former RNC chair Ronna (don’t call me Romney) McDaniel of Oakland County got the hook from NBC, just five days after she was hired to provide a more conservative, Republican perspective going into this election cycle for the more left-leaning network. The reason for the uproar, according to the legions of talking heads, was not that McDaniel is a Republican, but that she was a MAGA election-denier, helping to challenge the results of Michigan’s 2020 presidential election. As Eric Lutz wrote in Vanity Fair, “The issue, of course, is not that McDaniel is a Republican. It’s that she was an active participant in Trump’s plot to overturn a democratic election in 2020, an apologist for the violent insurrection he inspired, and an enabler of his quest to return to power on an even more authoritarian agenda.” A Michigan colleague has called “foul” on that assessment, pointing out that of all the individuals Michigan Attorney General DanaNessel has filed lawsuits against (and there are a lot), McDaniel has never been one of them, for anything. “They (NBC) did a hatchet job on her – that’s her job as chair of the RNC. And NBC was one of three networks going after her. Who is Chuck Todd or Jen Psaki to tell NBC who to hire? As chair of the RNC, how does she go on TV and not support the guy?,” he said, noting that is a major reason she left the position in March, as she had the votes to stay, despite statements that she was forced out by former President Trump. “What they did to her was humiliating. She’ll get a lot of money from them,” the associate said, noting she has hired a “Fieger-type lawyer on steroids” from Los Angeles to represent her in a lawsuit against the network.
REDISTRICTING RESULTS:
After the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission was compelled to redraw state House maps in southeast Michigan in response to Black voters who challenged the existing maps, declaring Black voting power had been diluted in 2022, 14 metro Detroit state representatives will now face a different set of voters if they choose to run again. State Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley) currently represents the 5th District, which runs from northwest Detroit up to Birmingham and Bloomfield Township, and was one of the districts challenged as marginalized for Blacks and the city of Detroit, because it was only 58.9 percent Black. The new 5th district will now include parts of Detroit, Oak Park and Royal Oak Township and will be 81.1 percent Black. The 6th District, currently represented by state Rep. Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park), will lose
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Oak Park, but pick up all of Berkley, Huntington Woods, most of Royal Oak, and continue up the corridor to include most of Birmingham and a part of Bloomfield Township, Price said. “I will be running in the new 6th – and Regina will be be running in the new 5th, because she lives in the current 5th. No one will be moving, and no one will be primarying each other,” she said – although several other Democrats have filed in the 5th. Prior to the 2022 redistricting, former state Rep. Mari Manoogian (D) represented all of Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills – now there are five state representatives for the three carved up communities. “There are pros and cons to having multiple representatives,” Price said. “More representatives in a community allows for more voices and points of view and more people to advocate for the community, and allows for different people with different specialities to help with different things.” The filing deadline for the August primary election is Tuesday, April 23.
SECOND THOUGHTS: In our exuberance to tell a tale, it appears a recent bit about an attempt by MAGA activists to challenge voter rolls in battleground states, including Michigan, misclassified the purging by Waterford Clerk Kim Markee of 1,000 people from township roles as illegal when it fact it backed up to a 1954 state law (MCL168.512) that provides for the removal of persons from the list of those eligible to cast a ballot in an election. Trump-associated activists (calling themselves “investigators”) have been digging up obscure and some say questionable laws here and in other states to target voter rolls, often using lists from the post office of those who have asked their mail be forwarded (think “Snowbirds” and those in the military, for example) while still eligible to vote where they were registered. The 1954 Michigan law provides that if a local elector presents verifiable reasons to cancel someone’s voter registration, then a local clerk must by registered mail notify the voter who then has 30 days to respond to the claim or lose their right to vote – which is what Markee says she did late last year after seeking the advice of the township legal counsel. When Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office became aware of what had transpired, she told Markee to reinstate the voters, warning the state’s 1,600
local clerks this form of request for removal does not follow state and federal regulations. Evidently Benson’s office was unaware of the Waterford incident until contacted by The New York Times, according to an early March story in the newspaper. The fraudulent effort by MAGA election-denier acolytes is called Soles to the Rolls, which reportedly was endorsed earlier by state GOP officials caught up in the civil war of the state party. Even if not on shaky legal ground, the fraudulent purging effort by the “investigators” certainly doesn’t pass the smell test.
MEMORY LAPSE: Actor, author, coffee shop owner and Democratic Senate candidate Hill Harper seemingly forgot to include tens of millions of dollars in investment and real estate holdings, as well as income he made as an actor and paid speeches to banks, corporations and nonprofit groups when he filed a key mandatory disclosure form last fall about his personal finances – when he claimed no income, bank accounts or stocks or bonds. It seems Harper has continued to earn five-figure checks from speeches while running for Senate, as well as several investment and bank accounts, as well as seven mortgages for residential and commercial properties in Detroit, Malibu, California, Brooklyn, New York, Newark, New Jersey and Los Angeles. A revised form was filed in late March, where Harper said his goal was full transparency.
TILT-A-WHIRL: While Michigan Democrats are eager to flip Michigan’s 10th Congressional district blue, Congressman John James (RShelby Township), who ran for Senate twice before prevailing in for the House of Representatives in 2022, has a national reputation as a fundraising machine. According to Roll Call, a newspaper and website following the goings-on of Congress, noted James had $2.3 million cash-on-hand at the end of 2023. They are now rating the district as solidly ‘Lean Republican’ from a previous rating of ‘Tilt Republican.’ Democrat Carl Marlinga (former judge and county
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prosecutor) has once again filed to run for this seat, as have six other candidates, including AnilKumar, a member of the Wayne State University Board of Governors who in 2014 ran for another congressional district.
FREEDOM CAUCUS PURGE?: Republican sources could not or would not say whether it’s an organic or an orchestrated movement to target members of the Freedom Caucus within the GOP Caucus in the Michigan House of Representatives with primary challenges this August, but it has all the makings of an effort by more traditional (non-MAGA) party members to clean out hardright crazies who repeatedly bring shame on the state party itself. The small Freedom Caucus was formed in early 2015 by conservatives and Tea Party members but has drifted to the farther hard-right fringes of the political spectrum, making it irrelevant on most issues in Lansing. Among the targets will be first-term Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford), a headline grabbing Christian Nationalist who got more than his 15 minutes of fame after posting/reposting on social media items promoting the Great Replacement conspiracy theory that there is a Democratic effort to have non-White persons replace White and European descendants in this country through immigration and interracial marriages. That nonsense cost Schriver his office staff, committee assignments and office funding which were taken away by House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit). And it prompted the House to pass, with all but five Republicans in support, a resolution denouncing anyone with “racist, xenophobic, White supremacist, antisemitic and Islamophobic” attitudes. Word on the street just prior the filing deadline for the August primary was that Oxford resident Joe Kent was planning to take on Schriver this year. Kent in 2016 lost by 15 votes in his attempt for the state House and in 2020 the accountant/tax expert failed in his run for treasurer of Oakland County. Then there is Freedom Caucus member Matt (Mad Dog) Maddock (R-Milford) whose latest transgression was his online posting about busloads of supposed illegal non-White immigrant “invaders” at Metro Airport, who turned out to be the Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball team arriving here for the March Madness NCAA playoffs. Add that to the growing list of ignoble BS (think voter denial Great Lie) that has become the hallmark of Maddock, who in April of 2022 was blocked from attending GOP Caucus meetings for breaking confidentiality rules. The spouse of former state party co-chair Meshawn Maddock, who is facing legal charges for attempts to overturn the last presidential election, is reportedly the target of traditional party faithful, several sources told Oakland Confidential, although most were tight-lipped when it came to who the designated primary challenger will be. Just for the record, this primary fight could be a tough but doable one. Maddock took 59.44 percent of the general election vote in 2020 and 57.7 percent in 2022, so a primary route may be the only way to take him down. Said one of the party-faithful past overlords: “People like this don’t belong in the Republican Party and, frankly, I’m not sure they belong in this country.”
SOUND AND FURY: Most political swags are writing off the push by 25 Michigan elected RNC delegates to have Donald Trump withdraw his endorsement from U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers, who is reportedly redoing a house in White Lake Township after living in Florida (and maybe still does). The group sent a plea to the former prez which basically said Rogers represents the “worst of what the Republican Party stood for prior to the rise of Donald J. Trump” and would be a “backslide back toward the day of neoconservatism and globalism.” Rogers’ critics point to the candidates magical change from recent past comments by the one-time detractor of Trump, including a quote in the Washington Post that “Trump’s time has passed.”
Rogers, who until this year was considering his own run for president, is now squarely on the Trump train, ripping NATO members for not paying their fair share and moving in lockstep on other platform issues. Will the issue end with a bang or a whimper? Not to worry, according to one GOP insider, who said Rogers has “got 62 percent. Meijer’s got five percent. I think he’s fine.”
The investment landscape is undergoing a generational shift as young investors are redefining the industry with fresh perspective and digital savvy. Seaholm High School senior, Ian Weinberg, is part of the new wave of investors.
This past March, Weinberg and his father, David Weinberg, appeared as guests on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” program to discuss the younger Weinberg’s investing success and his self-published book, “Invest Early to Grow Your Wealth,” which is currently available on Amazon. The show was filmed in New York City.
Weinberg says, “I’m big on networking so I have been on LinkedIn as early as I could be. A producer from CNBC 'Power Lunch' found me there and reached out. It was pretty surreal.”
According to the author, his interest in finance and investing was piqued during the pandemic when he was bored at home and started reading a book on investing.
“I always knew what investing was – my dad reads The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s and watches CNBC, and he opened a portfolio for me when I was 13 years old. 'Blue Chip Kids' (a book he was reading) had great information, but it was written by an older adult and wasn’t really relatable to most young people.”
That investing book sparked Weinberg’s interest in becoming actively involved in managing his investments while tapping YouTube, CNBC, and other sources for information. It also inspired him to write his own investing book targeting a younger audience. Weinberg’s book launched over a year ago and has sold well, particularly in Michigan. It has experienced a recent sales bump nationally after his appearance on CNBC.
“My book was written for a younger audience, especially teenagers and their parents, but it really is for all ages – anyone who wants to learn to invest and grow their wealth,” Weinberg explained. “I’ve heard feedback from adults that have read my book and appreciated that it starts with the basics and is highly informative but easy to understand.”
The young investor has experienced remarkable success in the three to four years since becoming actively involved in managing his investments.
Weinberg explained, “The average stock market return is 10 percent [annually] and I am up 300-400 percent. I prefer to focus on tech stocks which can be more volatile, but since I’m young I can take more risks with my investments...I know the market will fluctuate day-to-day and I try to be careful not to make irrational decisions.”
Unsurprisingly, the lifelong Birmingham resident has enjoyed taking financerelated courses in high school, including classes focusing on personal finance and investing. Outside of school, he enjoys working out at Limitless Performance Gym (LPG) in Birmingham.
Weinberg also works part-time at his dad’s Birmingham-based affiliate marketing company, Cactus Media. "We connect brands and influencers and I help with outreach for the company. It’s an amazing, invaluable work experience,” he said.
In the fall, Weinberg plans to pursue a BBA degree at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. As for his future post-college, he said, “I plan to see where life takes me. I may start a business or join a private equity firm.”
For aspiring investors, Weinberg advised, “The most important thing you can do to build wealth is start investing early in life, but don’t just jump in and buy stocks. You need to pay attention to trends and research – there are tons of research tools available. I love the research part and can lose track of time...I like to buy companies I know and that’s why I end up focusing on investing in the tech industry.”
He added, “A lot of people my age think investing is for ‘old people’ – but it’s not.”
Story: Tracy Donohue Photo: Laurie Tennent
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ichigan for decades has been the garbage receptacle of the Midwest. That has left Michigan with about a quarter century of space left in its landfills which are regarded by environmental officials as “super emitters” of methane, a seldom mentioned greenhouse gas that is being approached by a new set of state laws that look to harness the gas for energy instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.
To kick out-of-state and Canadian garbage imports to the curb and bolster funding for enhancing recycling and brownfield cleanups, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, in her budget proposal for fiscal year 2025, is calling for an increase in garbage tipping fees from 36 cents to five dollars per ton. This steep hike could raise $80 million annually for cleanup and materials management and recycling to potentially extend the lifespan of Michigan's landfills.
With the sharp rate increase, Whitmer hopes to also reduce greenhouse gas emissions from solid waste and drive economic growth by increasing the tipping fee to competitive parity with neighboring states.
“This will help ensure corporations and out-of-state parties pay their fair share to use state landfills by bringing Michigan in line with other Midwest states,” read the proposal. “This equalization will also increase site readiness and reduce the amount of refuse debris coming into the state.”
cost to every household and business in the state as well as local governments, hospitals, public safety organizations, and school districts, to name a few.” This proposed increase in the state tipping fee will raise the cost of essential services provided to Michigan citizens and businesses.”
The MWRA argued that management of waste materials as it stands now is safe, efficient, affordable and essential to public health and safety, protection of our environment, and ensuring the infrastructure that enables business and economic growth.
“This increased tax is appropriately a passthrough fee, such that the additional expenses (direct and indirect from the fee increase) will ultimately be borne by the users of Michigan disposal facilities – i.e., Michigan citizens and businesses will be covering more than 75 percent of the $80 million budget proposal.”
hough Whitmer said the proposed FY 2025 budget wouldn't raise taxes, it would impose a 1,288 percent increase in trash fees on local taxpayers. This is raising the ire of organizations such as the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Waste and Recycling Association (MWRA). They fear the hike will place an undue burden on community institutions such as schools and hospitals and send businesses and industries packing for other states.
As landfill space in the nation shrinks, the cost to dump garbage is going up. More than 30 states already impose some type of fee on the disposal of solid waste. Waste hauling companies in turn can pass on these increases to businesses and residents, though the increase may be so insignificant that it may go unnoticed by residents.
Outside of Michigan, other states are also ruminating per tonnage garbage tipping fee increases. According to Statista.com, the average municipal solid waste landfill tipping fee in the United States increased 8.2 percent in 2022, to $58.47 per ton. Average landfill tipping fees were highest in the Northeast, at $75.92 per ton. Landfill sites are used for the disposal of waste materials such as paper, food and yard trimmings. U.S. landfill sites are regulated by each state’s environmental agency which, in turn, follows the guidelines set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to the 2022 report from the Environmental Research and Education Foundation comparing tipping fees across the nation from 348 landfills, the national average is $60.34 per ton. In the Midwest, it averages $70.81 per ton; the South Central region of the country has the cheapest per ton tipping fee average at $44.26 per ton; and the most expensive is in the Northeast at $85.41 per ton.
According to an analysis of state data from New York Focus, an independent nonprofit investigative news outlet, New York in late 2023 proposed raising municipal waste disposal rates from a range of .50 to $13 per ton.
Wisconsin has charged $13 per ton since 2009 and is regarded as one of the highest in the nation. Yet with this high fee, for the last 15 years, Wisconsin has seen the trash it sends to landfills decline by one-third.
Although the Michigan Waste and Recycling Association (MWRA) declined an offer for an interview with Downtown Newsmagazine, in a statement, the organization that represents the state’s businesses and municipalities that provide waste- and recycling-related services said the Whitmer rate hike is “very concerning and would negatively impact all Michiganders.”
The MWRA said Oakland County residents and businesses alone would see an increased cost of $4,928,000 that would have to be dedicated to what it describes as a tax, ultimately going to the state budget rather than staying in their community and will “increase the cost of living and doing business in Michigan.”
The statement read: “At a time when we are looking for ways to improve Michigan’s attractiveness, increasing the trash tax will add
The MWRA fears that such a steep increase in an essential service would force local governments, hospitals and schools to consider other budget cuts. It would jeopardize the jobs of essential workers like police officers, firefighters, nurses and teachers. This increased tipping fee also has the effect of increasing the potential of “illegal dumping” by making trash collection even more expensive for residents.
The MWRA stated that its members wish to continue to have the resources to provide the communities it works in with off-setting environmental impacts, such as planting micro forests, providing important habitats for native wildlife, and providing tours to local school and community groups to learn about the waste industry.
In early April, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce hosted a coalition to discuss opposition to the potential sharp increase. The chamber said the fee will act more like a burdensome tax that all Michigan residents would shoulder because waste disposal is an essential service used by all residents and businesses, and the reality is that Michigan is a hub of manufacturing. The chamber stated that this tipping fee hike would “disproportionately affect these large manufacturers and energy-intensive industries that have large volume waste disposal, increasing operation costs by thousands of dollars.”
“The proposal to increase the state tipping fee has been proposed for three years in a row now over the last several years, said Mike Alaimo, the chamber’s director of environmental and energy affairs.
laimo said the chamber opposes the hike for several reasons. Primarily, he said, the increased costs would disproportionately affect institutions in communities, like hospitals and schools, which Alaimo said, are already struggling with tightened budgets.
Secondly, he said, it would impact heavy industry and their operational budgets. These include steel and cement manufacturers and key third-party suppliers to the automotive industry. Alaimo said these industries cannot avoid creating high volume but low hazardous waste output that wind up in non-hazardous waste landfills.
“There's no ability to reduce the amount of waste that they're producing. And if it hits their operational costs, we are seeing companies predict it will cost them up to millions in extra costs. It can affect business decisions as in how much they want to invest in doing business in this state,” he said.
Alaimo said that the $80 million the hike will generate is still not enough to cover the expense of cleaning up the state’s brownfields.
“The irony of this proposal is that the $80 million is nowhere near
enough to cover brownfield cleanup, as those costs are in the billions, not the millions. All the while, we are making it even more expensive to clean up the contaminated sites because a lot of the work involved in cleaning up the sites is that contaminated soil and other waste needs to be put in a landfill.”
Michigan Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Director Philip Roos, in a February 13, 2024 appropriations subcommittee hearing for EGLE before the Michigan House of Representatives, made his case for the FY 2025 budget, including the tipping rate hike.
“Our budget prioritizes clean water, climate action, contaminated and brownfield site clean-ups and redevelopment, improved customer service, and new opportunities for communities,” he stated. “These investments will help protect public health, increase economic opportunity, safeguard drinking water, fight climate change, revitalize communities and reduce pollution across the state.”
Roos said raising the landfill tipping fee to $5 per ton would put Michigan closer to the national average and "remove the big incentive for folks in other states and Canadian provinces to dump their trash in our landfills."
"It's not like we're going out on a limb here," he said. "I don't think it's going to eliminate out-of-state waste, but it's just putting it on a level playing field here so there's not a disproportionate incentive for it to come to our state.”
Roos said revenue raised from the fee increase would be "the centerpiece" of the Whitmer administration’s efforts to clean up more than 24,000 contaminated sites across Michigan.
According to a 2019 EGLE study of the municipal waste sent to landfills in Michigan, 38 percent was organic, including food, yard waste, and compostable paper and packaging which could be diverted for composting; 26 percent was plastics, metals or glass that could have been recycled in a curbside program; and 20 percent was other recyclables like clothing, appliances, scrap metal, electronics, bulky plastics and plastic films.
Only 16 percent were things that truly belonged in a landfill.
ccording to the Report of Solid Waste Landfilled in Michigan for Fiscal Year 2023, waste from Michigan residents and businesses decreased by 1,882,581.37 tons in 2023. Imported waste decreased by 304,526.90 tons. The total imported solid waste was approximately 21 percent of all waste disposed in Michigan landfills in FY 2023. Canada, the largest out-of-state contributor to Michigan’s landfills, in 2023 contributed 14.88 percent of all waste dumped into the state.
In comparison, 4,519,425.54 tons of waste were hauled into Michigan from other states and Canada compared to 4,823,952.44 tons of waste in 2022.
The report listed that Oakland County in 2023 collected 1,582,416.57 tons of garbage. Of that, 160,109.16 tons went to the Oakland Heights landfill in Auburn Hills, which has two years of space left. The Eagle Valley Waste and Disposal in Lake Orion, with nine years of space left, buried 574,704.37 tons. Of these county numbers, 49.91 tons came from Ohio. Additionally, Oakland County hauled hundreds of thousands of tons of municipal waste to Washtenaw and Genesee counties.
In the report’s executive summary, EGLE Director Philip Roos stated that the numbers reflect the relatively low cost for disposal versus the cost of a more sustainable materials management approach that includes reducing, reusing and recycling materials before the ultimate disposal of any residuals.
The report said the price Michiganders will pay for higher disposal rates versus coming up with ways to manage materials for reuse and recycling have much higher and costlier consequences considering the amount of space left in the state’s remaining landfill space.
he 26-year estimate of remaining landfill space did not factor in projected increases or decreases in waste disposal rates, waste diversion programs or any imposed restrictions. The report’s executive summary said that even modest successes and improvements to the state’s recycling operations can grow landfill capacity beyond a quarter of a century. Margie Ring, state solid waste engineering coordinator for EGLE, pointed to the Waste Management report’s message in its executive summary that stated that elevated costs to create a more sustainable statewide landfills management program to enhance reduction, recycling and reuse operations in the long run will be worthwhile if it can stretch landfill capacity beyond the 26 years of space remaining.
Ring explained the changes have come in the last year with the December 2022 passing of Part 115 of the Solid Waste Management in the state's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994, PA 451, which went into effect at the end of March 2023.
Among the changes is how counties must plan and account for how and where they will send their garbage once their own landfills reach capacity limits.
“Counties have to report their waste acceptance to EGLE regularly because of the surcharge that they pay,” Ring explained. “In the old process, which we are phasing out, as a county phases out its landfill capacity, it works to identify landfills outside the county. Some of our largest landfills exist outside of Detroit as it is the biggest population center in Michigan. Then, the receiving county has to confirm that they have the capacity to take in the garbage from other counties.”
Ring said it is especially important for EGLE to communicate with municipalities during natural disasters, when large amounts of materials and furniture are put to the curb, and when materials that are hazardous need to be separated out for distinct landfills that take industrial and hazardous waste materials.
Ring then pointed to the details of Part 115 in regards to how counties will communicate to the state on their remaining landfill space.
The new law “requires all landfills in Michigan to annually submit a report to (EGLE) and the county and municipality in which the landfill is located that specifies the tonnage and type of solid waste received by the landfill during the year itemized, to the extent possible, by county, state or country of origin and the amount of remaining disposal capacity at the landfill.”
The law continues that the “remaining disposal capacity shall be calculated as the permitted capacity less waste in place for any area that has been constructed and is not yet closed plus the permitted capacity for each area that has a permit for construction under Part 115 but has not yet been constructed. The report shall be submitted within 45 days after the end of each state fiscal year.”
Ring said under Part 115, EGLE also strives to improve recycling rates in the state, which is why her department is being rebranded as materials, not waste management.
“One of the reasons that we revamped our solid waste management law was to promote more recycling,” Ring said. “We want to get recycling rates up in the state, which are now at 21
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percent. We are emphasizing the fact that so much of what we throw out can have another use and not be permanently discarded.”
power out on the electricity grid. The grid infrastructure and metering capabilities are already there to make this achievable.”
ing brought up the state’s recycling raccoons PSA campaign. “That campaign is aimed at current recyclers,” Ring said. “As dutiful as they are, they don't always put properly cleaned items out for recycling, and they don’t understand how recycling abilities vary from spot to spot depending on the machinery they have for separating recyclables. So, the key is that if we can get those dutiful people to be even more diligent, we can recycle more effectively and get these materials out to market more quickly.”
When a landfill reaches the end of its life, Ring said there is another set of regulations.
“We have strict requirements for how a landfill is capped,” she said. “There is a minimum of 30-year post-closure maintenance and monitoring requirements. Landfill managers must monitor for groundwater runoff and check the cap for erosion and methane leakage. Some less stable landfill mounds will be monitored for up to 50 years.”
With enough time and monitoring for safety, some landfills that closed in the 1980s have been reused for recreation, parks, ski slopes and athletic fields. Ring said former landfills with their open space make the ideal locations for solar energy arrays.
No matter how much a municipal waste tipping fee hike may slow garbage generation in Michigan, one problem will remain for decades – the plumes of methane which belch out of the garbage piles, fueled by rotting organic waste, especially food waste.
It is the hidden problem that has only received attention in the last few years from environmentalists who point to our garbage dumps as significant sources of greenhouse emitters.
Timothy Unseld has been an engineer with EGLE’s solid waste program since 1993, where he drafted proposed changes to Part 115 of the Michigan Solid Waste Management Act. Part of those changes were requirements for the landfill gas collection systems and performance standards for the systems enforced under EGLE’s Air Quality Division under a stipulation from the federal Clean Air Act.
With the enactment of Part 115, Unseld was appointed as EGLE’s landfill gas specialist to help coordinate statewide efforts to create, review and monitor methane capture systems for Michigan’s municipal solid waste landfills.
Unseld said as of March 29, 2024, Part 115 stipulates that all landfills in Michigan of a certain size must have a surface emission monitoring plan submitted to the state that will be reviewed and approved by EGLE. Sites that currently do not have an active vacuum-extracted gas collection system in place, such as smaller landfill sites with no gas collection, will be remedied with an active gas collection as well as any new sections of landfill going forward.
Unseld explained that methane is up to 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in its contribution to warming greenhouse gases if it is not burned and allowed to escape into the atmosphere. Burning it as fuel generates carbon dioxide and water vapor.
“Yes, you are still emitting carbon dioxide, so it is not perfect,” Unseld admitted. “However, you are emitting 25 times less greenhouse gasses. Because this methane can be used for electricity, it almost has a carbon-neutral result. If you are using it to generate electricity (instead of coal, for example), you are emitting 25 times less of greenhouse gasses.”
He said the other not-as-visible benefit to capturing methane for energy is economical.
“There's a financial driver to collect that methane and use it as
Unseld said there are several locations in Michigan where methane is being deployed for electricity generation. In one application, methane from a nearby landfill fuels half the power needs for a General Motors assembly plant based in Lake Orion. The factory is ranked as the eighth largest user of green power generated onsite in the United States, according to the EPA. It is among the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership (GPP) partners, at the Orion assembly where GM’s Chevrolet Bolt EV is built, it saves $1 million a year by using renewable energy. The plant also is home to a 350-kilowatt solar array that sends energy back to the grid.
Another example of methane being channeled for electricity is the Granger Road Landfill in Lansing which sells methane to the Lansing Board of Light and Power as part of its green energy program. Consumer’s Energy also pulls methane from the South Kent Landfill in Byron Center, Michigan, for electricity.
According to the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog organization that advocates for effective enforcement of environmental laws, more than 1,100 municipal landfills emitted at least 3.7 million metric tons of methane in 2021, which had the climate-warming impact of 66 million gasoline-powered vehicles driving for a year – or the equivalent of 79 coal-fired power plants.
In May 2023, the EIP released its report, “Trashing the Climate: Methane from Municipal Landfills.” The report listed the nation’s top ten worst offending landfills containing the most waste over the last 10 years that produced the most methane. Included was the Waste Management of Michigan Incorporated landfill in Wayne County, which produced an estimated 6,693 metric tons of methane.
ethane from food waste, in particular, is a growing problem that needs to be addressed, according to EIP’s report. Americans throw out about 40 percent of their food and the volume of food waste produced in the U.S. increased by a staggering 70 percent between 1990 and 2017.
In June of 2023, on behalf of 12 environmental organizations and two individuals, the EIP filed a rulemaking petition against the EPA seeking a sped-up revision of their air pollution standards for municipal solid waste landfills under Section 111 of the US Clean Air Act, which was last updated in 2016.
“Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is required to update their rules (for air quality emissions) every eight years, and that deadline is coming up in August of 2024,” said Leah Kelly, EIP senior attorney and one of Trashing the Climate’s authors. “But one of the things that we laid out in the petition is that multiple states (California, Oregon, Maryland, and Washington) already have much stronger regulations on the books than the federal ones from the EPA regarding methane. Canada has also surpassed the EPA in terms of where they are in regulating emissions from landfills.”
Kelly continued: “Scientists for decades have been telling us we have to address climate change. We don’t have any more time. We need to make the most meaningful emissions reductions as quickly as possible. That's why a lot of folks are focused on sharply cutting methane.”
Kelly explained that the EPA established certain threshold sizes in order for a landfill to fall under federal regulations to capture methane. The EPA considers a critical mass of about 2.5 million tons with a collection capacity of 34 tons per year of creating a pollutant known as non-methane organic compounds. In plain speak, Kelly said
the EPA only requires the larger landfills to be outfitted with methane control systems.
“From there, a landfill has 30 months from when they hit those emissions thresholds, not from when a municipality builds a new landfill site, to trigger the requirement to install a methane emissions control system,” Kelly said. “So, a new landfill can be created and it can be a small landfill. It is not under obligation to fall under federal regulations (to install a methane capture system) until it reaches a size and emissions rate. However, from the experts we consult with, there should be a requirement for new landfills, or new sections of existing landfills, to incorporate methane capture systems from the earliest phases of a landfill design. Just as landfill designers create leachate capture systems from the onset of design, methane capture systems should also be considered from the very beginning.”
In addition to petitioning the EPA to consider requirements for methane capture control systems at the beginning of a landfill design phase, Kelly said the EIP is asking the EPA to mandate more efficient capture and monitoring systems to check for methane leaks – plumes of gas that are not siphoned into pipes and are either burned off or used as fuel. As it stands now, to monitor methane leak levels, a person must physically walk atop the terrain of a landfill pile with a monitoring wand, one basketball field-sized area at a time, to take measurements.
“There are much better technologies being used and developed to measure methane emissions for the oil and gas industry under the EPA’s new oil and gas industry regulations,” Kelly said. “Another thing we are petitioning the EPA is to divert more organic waste from our landfills, and that means more composting. It is such an important activity and it should be incentivized and encouraged as much as possible.”
The third element the EIP is asking of the EPA is to change its requirements on what materials are used to create covers for landfills. Separate from the Clean Air Act, language regarding landfill coverings is included in a federal statute for the disposal of solid waste called the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
The materials that cover a landfill is a critical part of controlling methane emissions,” Kelley explained. “Covers boost the efficiency of these gas control systems. Certain types of materials (like specific grades of soil or compost) contain methanotrophic bacteria that eat up the methane as it rises up to the cover level.”
Since submitting their petition to the EPA, Kelly said the agency has responded. “The EPA is in the very early stages of considering what a new regulation would look like,” Kelly said. “So, they are listening to the concerns that we presented in the petition. We don’t have a deadline in terms of when they may draft a regulatory action and put it into effect.”
As EIP’s Kelly explained, getting data readings for methane emission leaks as it stands now can be tedious and relatively primitive.
That’s where an organization called Carbon Mapper is attempting to step in and change up the game. The small nonprofit employs about 30 scientists and researchers through public and private partnerships on mapping projects with governments out west.
site, such as a landfill to record a significant gas output classified as a plume,” described Carbon Mapper Research Scientist Tia Scarpelli “We then aggregate data we get from one plume observed multiple times in a day, or from different plumes over different days, and that average admission rate is what we call a source data point.”
arbon Mapper deploys 21st Century techniques, like drones and small aircraft, outfitted with advanced imaging sensors that can fly over an area such as a landfill and take a moment-in-time data captures of a plume of methane to determine just how much is coming out of a certain landfill on a given hour of a certain day.
“Think of (methane mapping) like a camera taking a picture, an instantaneous snapshot of one instance in time when we fly over a
ccording to the organization’s website, a key goal with mapping, collecting and then creating visuals with all this data is the hope that it will spurn policy change by making the public understand that food waste, which becomes rotting organic matter, is one of the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet
In 2022, Carbon Mapper took several flyover observations in the Detroit metro area to monitor emissions in several landfills, including in Auburn Hills and Canton.
The flyover of the landfill in Auburn Hills captured methane emission rates of a single source through five separate observations over three days. It was detected that the source had an average emission rate of 251 kilograms of methane per hour.
In another 2022 flyover observation over the Woodlands Disposal and Recycling facility in Canton on June 30, July 21, and September 17, methane emissions over those three recorded days topped out at the average emissions were quantified at 3,600 kilograms of methane per hour. Scarpelli said she derived this average across the whole landfill by zooming in on the landfill and then clicking “summary statistics” in the organization’s data portal, which is free and available to the public.
According to Scarpelli, the EPA has set no maximum permissible limits for methane emissions from landfills.
“Action over the next 10 years will be critical in reigning in carbon dioxide and methane emissions,” Scarpelli said. “Landfill operators are challenged with taking manual measurements of methane with wand-like instruments they use as they walk across a landfill a few basketball-court sized areas at a time. This is a hard way to monitor the expanse of a landfill for methane leaks and uncaptured gasses.”
Katherine Blauvelt is the circular economy director of Industrious Labs, a nonprofit research organization that strives to encourage policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging production and consumption for the circular economy – one that stresses leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible.
“Unfortunately, Michigan ranks sixth in the nation in terms of methane emissions from landfills,” Blauvelt said. “Michigan is head and shoulders above other states in terms of the amount of trash it takes in. At Industrious Labs, we work collaboratively at the state level to take steps to decarbonize industries. Methane emissions are the emergency brake on global warming. It is simply the most effective and immediate step we can take as a society to slow down the global warming process. And landfills have the potential to emit methane for decades if it is not properly captured.”
Blauvelt said on a bright note that Michigan is on the right track with its changes in state policy, outlined in Part 115.
“Michigan lawmakers took positive action to address real-life problems at landfills,” Blauvelt said. “Now landfill managers will be required to look for methane leaks sooner than later. Because research has told us that food waste decays very rapidly within months of arriving in a landfill. So municipal waste managers really need to get on top of finding those methane plumes quickly. Now that (Part) 115 has gone into effect, it directs the landfill operators to start monitoring for leaks.”
Michael Kanaan
Artificial intelligence is more than just the current buzzword – it represents a technology that enhances military missions, can safeguard lives worldwide, and deliver clearer information, thus giving everyday individuals more time to think and act. That is how Major Michael Kanaan, former co-chair of artificial intelligence for the U.S. Air Force, and currently the Deputy Chief Information Officer at the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, describes the profound scientific technology.
Kanaan, a 2007 Birmingham Seaholm High School graduate, is also the author of T-Minus AI: Humanity's Countdown to Artificial Intelligence and the New Pursuit of Global Power. In March, he was invited back to his alma mater to speak at a conference on AI in Education.
“It's a topic that has so much ubiquity and I want to make it relatable,” he said. Kanaan, a former all-state football player at Seaholm, continued his athletic career at the U.S. Air Force Academy. After graduating from the academy, he was commissioned as a military intelligence officer, first managing a drone program in Afghanistan, where he developed intelligence analysis, “to make sure our personnel movements were safe,” he explained.
In 2011, with the advent of IBM’s Watson, AI was just burgeoning, and ImageNet was the first time a machine could identify an image better than a human could. “In the military, I looked at this technology, and the way we could leverage it to better missions and keep people safer. AI is essentially pattern recognition,” Kanaan said. “I took that advancement and thought it would save lives and later resulted in heading up target development in the mission against ISIS for Operation Inherent Resolve in 2015-2016. It was a difficult time.”
He was then reassigned to the Pentagon to work for the Air Force Director of Intelligence, where he was named the service’s first chairperson of AI and established its partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After 13 years in the Air Force and currently back at the Pentagon, Major Kanaan works in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He has traveled the world in his military service.
“While my primary role involves looking at AI across all military branches and the national ecosystem, the impact extends far beyond, influencing areas like monopolies, trusts, and the foundational elements of truth and trust. We all feel its effects. Ultimately, my greatest passion lies in ensuring that this technology not only flourishes but also upholds and aligns with democratic values and ideals,” he explained.
Those ideals and goals are what inspired Kanaan to write T-Minus AI, which is a popular science book with the goal for everyone to be able to understand and appreciate AI.
“Whatever you enjoy, AI has an impact,” he said, explaining AI can be as simple as the predictive words on text. “We live in a world dictated by algorithms, so we have to deal with it.”
Coming from Birmingham has provided the foundation for his whole future. “The further you get from Birmingham, the more you appreciate it,” Kanaan noted. “You don’t readily recognize the quality of education, the quality of people, the sheer number of opportunities until you look back and then realize that our community provided a foundation for the rest of your life. It would be a travesty not to take advantage of it.”
Kanaan’s fears of AI are that as a nation, “particularly within this year, everyone will grapple with discerning what is real, from deepfakes to generative AI. Without significant investment in education and bridging the digital divide, problems will arise. Because humans are storytellers – but what happens when we can’t believe the stories? We need to make the appropriate investments and humbly embrace the role as learners once again.”
Story: Lisa Brody
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If Patti Voelker, Bloomfield Township Director of Planning, Building & Ordinance, could have, she would have read every word of the planning department’s annual report – and shown its many illustrations – into the record at the Monday, April 8, meeting for the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting.
Although she was mostly joking about doing just that, the pride she had while discussing the work completed this past year by her department was apparent.
Voelker spoke about how all three divisions within the department had a consistent level of activity throughout 2023, and that there was a high level of activity occurring in the township either reflected through permits, applicants or enforcement activity during the year.
There was fluctuation in a few of the categories where there was a slight reduction in one area then an increase in another, such as a lower number of building permits for new residents but an increase of building additions.
While Voelker didn’t highlight every accomplishment of those three divisions, she didn’t have to, as the annual report does so for pages, splitting it up into each division –planning, building, and ordinance –and discussing the many accomplishments of each. Starting with the planning division –where the planning commission, zoning board of appeals, and design review board all fall under – there were accomplishments ranging from the sheer number of site/façade improvements made, which took up 33 percent of everything completed by the design review board, to the planning commission’s accomplishments, including multiple site plan review and special land uses, and public hearings on items like the Maplewood Office Park rooftop addition; and a variety of home improvement and addition requests made in front of the zoning board of appeals, for everything from new fences to sports courts.
The building division completed thousands of inspections for commercial and residential uses throughout the year, and per week averaged 118 buildings inspections; 105 electrical inspections; 104 mechanical inspections; and 54
The city of Birmingham is asking the public for its feedback regarding a future senior center/community recreation center, which will be located at 400 E. Lincoln Road, in the former YMCA building.
The new recreational facility will become the new home of Next, and provide recreational opportunities for all ages. Next is a 501(c)(3) organization that has provided the city and other community-based partners with senior services for more than 45 years. The community is invited to share ideas for the new recreational facility with a variety of public engagement opportunities, including an online or print survey and an in-person open house event.
One way to share community input is via the Senior/Recreation Center Community Survey, which may be completed online on Engage Birmingham at engage.bhamgov.org/senior-rec-center by Friday, April 26. Respondents can also complete the survey in print form at bhamgov.org/sccsurvey and mail it back to the city or drop it off at City Hall, the Baldwin Public Library, The Birmingham Museum or Next. Print copies of the survey are available at each of these locations.
In addition, the community is invited to attend a community open house at 400 E. Lincoln on Monday, April 29, from 6-8 p.m. Attendees will tour the facility, view interactive displays and hear from subject matter experts regarding plans for Birmingham’s future senior/recreation center.
“This project is aligned with our strategic goals and we are pleased to move forward with a facility that will benefit Birmingham and surrounding areas for many years to come,” said Birmingham City Manager Jana Ecker. “We hope the community will take advantage of public engagement opportunities and share their ideas and vision regarding what should be included at this new facility.”
The former YMCA building was purchased by the city of Birmingham last July, with the vision of turning it into a senior center/recreation center for collaborative use. The YMCA had planned to sell the building, which created a unique opportunity for the city, its surrounding communities and for Next, which had been seeking a permanent home for several years.
Residents approved a .33 mill levy in November 2023 to permit interim improvements to the building and to establish a sinking fund to contribute towards the cost of permanent improvements.
In an effort to engage the public as much as possible in the planning process, Birmingham hired a private architectural firm, NORR, to perform a building assessment and conceptual design for the location. The city has also formed an Ad Hoc Senior/Recreation Center Committee to assist with the project.
Learn more about NORR, the Ad Hoc Senior/Recreation Center Committee and the new facility at bhamgov.org/scc.
plumbing inspections. The building division also collected $2.6 million fees from a variety of permit types in 2023, and issued 40 new residential building permits, as well as 330 addition/alternation residential building permits, and 38 complete resident demolition building permits.
In total, the building department issued 6,721 permits, an increase from 6,541 in 2022. This division performs inspections for the city of Sylvan Lake as well, something the township done since the fall of 2011.
The ordinance division dealt with 66 properties in 2023, a huge increase from 54 in 2022 and 30 in 2021.
Trustee Stephanie Fakih, who is on the zoning board of appeals, and trustee Neal Barnett, a member of the planning commission, both highlighted that the department’s staff, in part, is what makes being on that board and commission so enjoyable.
Township supervisor Dani Walsh acknowledged how much preparation there is for each of those meetings. Their innovation to think outside the box was brought up too, with Walsh commending Voelker and her team for always looking for ways to make the township better.
As of Monday, April 1, Bloomfield Township Public Library has eliminated all overdue fines for books, DVDs and other materials that are returned after their due date.
Patron accounts with existing overdue fine balances will be waived as of April 1.
The library's administrative staff determined that this change will have a minimal impact on the library’s budget, as overdue fines have accounted for only .02 percent of revenues in recent years. Numerous libraries nationwide that have eliminated overdue fines have observed either a negligible or even positive impact on the rate of items being returned on time, with more patrons returning items promptly compared to when overdue fees were in place.
The ordinance division issued 29 tickets in 2023, with violations within the zoning ordinance or open storage being the most common.
“We are very very fortunate to have outstanding boards and commissions that serve the township…exceptional and highly dedicated to review of the documentation as submitted,” said Voelker, who has been with the department for 21 years. “One of the best in the state, I think.”
The trustees sang the praises of all the department has done over the last year, approving the annual report 7-0 with zero hesitation.
“Like many other libraries in the community, we have been discussing going fine-free for a while. Many libraries are transitioning to the finefree model to eliminate barriers that prevent patrons from utilizing the library’s offerings to their fullest potential,” said Tera Moon, library director. “Our goal is to foster an accessible, inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and is not worried, self-conscious, or frustrated because of overdue fines.”
Replacement fees for lost and/or damaged books and materials will continue in accordance with the library's existing policies. Items kept for a prolonged period beyond their due dates will be billed a replacement fee. Patrons with $15 or more in fees on their account will not be able to borrow any more items until overdue items are returned or the fees are paid.
The proposed 2024-2025 water and sewer rates were discussed at the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, March 25, with many board members content with the proposal, and approved on April 8, meaning a two percent increase for water rates, and four percent increase for sewer rates.
According to Noah Mehalski, director of public works, those increased rates were driven by a declining usage pattern across the industry, coupled with increasing regulations and raw material costs. Factors included were lead mitigation, emerging contaminant sampling and inflationary factors.
Mehalski said he gets asked all the time why Bloomfield Township members pay a different rate compared to others, all of which boils down to size, scale and scope, as well as taking a close look at how the community was developed compared to others in the area.
Since Bloomfield Township is such a spread out community there are fewer people on the system paying into each pipe. Fewer people paying into each pipe equals higher costs when comparing it to say a community like Birmingham, where 215 people pay into each mile of pipe versus the 113 people who pay into each mile of pipe in Bloomfield Township.
Bloomfield Township distributes water that is produced by the Great Lakes Water Authority through the South Oakland County Water Authority, and sewer service is provided by the Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner.
While the reason for the increase in cost was one of Mehalski’s four key rate considerations for the 2024-2025 proposal, he also discussed the meter replacement program, which the department will continue to focus on throughout the year.
This program was created to help replace the 52 percent of meters in the township that are over 15 years old, taking advantage of the technological updates to meters, and therefore giving the township the data to better accurately reflect the amount of water passing through the pipes.
This new data being collected will be used to improve customer service and drive future rate considerations, and be a critical component to the future water and sewer rates, including the much-discussed switch to a tiered rate system. For now, the meter equivalency unit (MEU) structure is being used, a hot button issue among residents and board members.
Multiple board members mentioned that they had voted for this structure because they knew it would only be temporary. Mehalski said that they are continuing to replace old meters and data is already being collected, a great start to a program many hope will be completed sooner rather than later.
The MEU structure allows for billing of fixed fees based on the potential draw of the system that is determined by meter size. Bloomfield Township has historically experienced a decline in water usage per customer account.
“I would not want anyone in charge of my sewer system except for director Mehalski,” said trustee Stephanie Fakih. “But I’m not sure I can approve a rate with MEU. It doesn’t seem fair or like an appropriate metric.”
Mehalski said the data being collected through the new meters is incredibly accurate and will help the township slowly get off of fixed fees.
Other items of note included the major projects being worked on by the department of public works, including the capital improvement program, and multiple construction projects across Bloomfield Township.
“The more you look, the more you’re going to find, the more you’re going to need to fix,” Mehalski said.
Along with the meter updates, the department is currently putting new technology into place to inspect sewers. Instead of using costly cameras to collect data, sound waves are being used to help locate a leakage or blockage. When the sound is blocked, they know something must be going on, he said.
As the water and sewer rates were approved at the April 8 board meeting, they take effect retroactively to April 1, and will be first applied to billing at the end of April.
A proposal for Primrose Day Care led to a heated decision at the board of trustees meeting on Monday, April 8, ultimately resulting in a vote of 5-2 for the approval of the day care’s site plan and special land use request.
“I’ve been pretty vocal about being against this project since the beginning,” said trustee Neal Barrnett. “However, based on the history and background, variances from the zoning board of appeals, and the fact that they have the approval essential for the outdoor area of the playground, and as far as the parking goes, they met our statute… with all that said, they met the criteria. I don’t like it; I don’t think it’s a great project; I think they could’ve done a better job. But as far as I’m concerned, based on the ZBA decision, and based on what they’ve presented to us, it’s legal.
“As much as I would like to vote no on this, I think if we turn it down it’s probably going to go to circuit court,” he continued. “And I don’t think we’re going to prevail. So, with that said, I would have to reluctantly support this project.”
Barnett was one of the five who did vote in approval of the site plan and special land use, which had already been reviewed by various departments, including the design review board.
The child care center is set to be one story over 13,525-square-feet at 6255 Telegraph Road, taking over the space that was previously occupied by St. Andrews Church before it was demolished. It will be open Monday through Friday for children ages six month to six-years-old.
There aren’t many changes coming to the parcel itself, except for the removal of the northerly curb cut to the site, a request from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).
Before the evening’s vote, Andrea Bibby, deputy director of the planning, building & ordinance department, and Bradford Egan, development manager for EIG14T, the property owner, discussed the changes that had been made to the site plan since they were last in front of the board of trustees in February. At that winter meeting a motion was made to table the approval after it was discovered that a township zoning ordinance in which each child is supposed to have 100-square-feet
of outdoor play area would not be fulfilled by the daycare’s 9,400square-feet of outdoor play area.
Given that Primrose Day Care could have as many as 202 prospective students and 27 staffers, they would actually need 20,000square-feet of outdoor play area to satisfy the ordinance. In February, it was trustee Chris Kolinski who did the math, discovering the failure to comply with the zoning ordinance.
Since that winter board of trustees meeting, EIG14T went before the zoning board of appeals in March, asking for a variance. They provided the ZBA with a play schedule for each age group, and stated that based on the rotation of play times per classes, at no given time would there be more than 44 children in the outside play area at once, therefore complying with the zoning ordinance.
The ZBA did grant that variance at the March 12 meeting after the information – which also included the policies and procedures for Primrose programming – was presented.
While this new playground schedule seemed to ease the minds of many board of trustee members, Kolinski was not one of them, stating that even with this variance it still does not follow the 100-square-feet within the ordinance.
The ZBA took the entire 9,400-square-feet into account when passing the variance, and not the individual play areas for each age group, which is once again below 100-square-feet per child. Kolinski noted that each child doesn’t have full access to that 9,400-square-feet area, but only their specific designated area of outdoor play.
But, as pointed out by township attorney Derk Beckerleg, as much as they may have wanted to, nothing could be done about the playground by the board of trustees because it had already been approved by the ZBA.
“We gave up that right because the ZBA decided this… the size of the playground is off the table for us,” said supervisor Dani Walsh after the size of the playground was brought up by multiple trustees.
Kolinski was not the only one with issues in regards to the site plan and special land use request. Trustee Valerie Murray also wished that the outdoor play area was bigger, noting that there’s extra space in the southern parcel of the property for more playground.
The southern parcel of the property was a point of contention at
the planning commission’s meeting on January 3, where it was discussed at length.
Originally, property owner EIG14T MI Bloomfield LLC, had plans to market that part of the parcel –located at 6255 Telegraph Road – for sale, but at this time, it is not being actively marketed, although Kolinski mentioned it was still up on multiple sites as for sale.
Any future proposals for the southern parcel would require it to go through the same requirements as Primrose, with a site plan application to be reviewed by the planning commission and eventually approval from the township board.
Another area of concern that was brought up during the board of trustees was the proposed parking plan for Primrose.
Only 46 parking spots are proposed in the lot, which meets the parking requirement, but Murray said that with the potential of 27 employees, half of those spots would already be taken by staff.
Primrose’s policy is that each child’s guardian must park then walk to the front of the building with the child that they’re dropping off, a tried and true method for the day care, and one that is run very successfully at other day cares with the same number of parking spots, according to Egan.
“What’s to prevent parents from double parking?” Murray asked. “It’s a safety issue…what’s to stop backing up on Telegraph Road?”
Trustee Stephanie Fakih – who ended up making the motion for the approval of the site plan and special land use – pointed out that Primrose didn’t need a parking variance, what they have in the plan is satisfactory with the ordinance.
“We’re just creating hypotheticals now that we don’t even know are going to happen,” Fakih said
In the end both Kolinski and Murray voted against the project, with the votes totaling 5-2 in approval of the site plan and special land use being granted.
dealership Auto Europe is proposing an extensive renovation of its existing dealership, located at 33816 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham, complete with a new two-story addition, and Birmingham’s planning
board approved the final site plan and design during their Wednesday, March 27, meeting, sending it on to the city commission.
As noted in the meeting packet, the dealership is planning significant upgrades to the interior and exterior of the building as well as an addition to the building. According to a representative of Auto Europe, this would be the second phase of a twophase project. The first phase included renovations to the south side of the building, a new sign and a new overhead door.
Planning intern Summer Aldred explained to the board that the proposed second phase will include updates to the facade and interior layout. The facade is proposed to consist of two-story windows lined with graphite and black aluminum composite. A new showroom will occupy the proposed 2,200 square foot addition to the building.
Aside from a couple of items, the project meets the departmental requirements, said Aldred.
The business is required to have a total of 17 parking spaces, but are short two spaces. Planning director Nick Dupuis noted that the dealership could try to obtain a variance for the two spaces or ask the city to grant them two spaces along Woodward Avenue to count towards their total.
While potential for light pollution from the building was brought up, most board members agreed that they felt it wasn’t a pertinent issue given the amount of space between the building and the closest residential units.
Several board members also said they would like to see improvements in the landscaping around the building in addition to the landscaping required in the parking lot.
Board members approved the final site plan and design review in a 5-0 vote. The approval included stipulations such as showing that the number of required parking spaces has been met, that Auto Europe landscapes the south end of the parking lot and looks at relandscaping two areas along the alley, and the dealership must show that lighting from the second story of the addition will not violate the lighting ordinance from the parking lot line.
Bert Koseck, Scott Clein, Robin Boyle and Jason Emerince were absent from the meeting. Alternate member Nasseem Ramin voted in their absence.
The former Birmingham railroad depot restaurant that is turning into an Italian steak house restaurant is getting a slight exterior makeover after city commissioners approved a 400-square foot addition to the building during the Monday, April 15, meeting.
Big Rock Italian Chophouse, to be located at 245 S. Eton, is set to be one of 46 restaurants owned and operated by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, LLC. Ocean Prime in Troy is part of CMR’s line of restaurants. Original plans for the new restaurant were approved by the city commission last August. The site previously was Big Rock Chophouse in Birmingham before closing its doors in 2019.
Planning director Nick Dupuis said there were no significant changes aside from the addition. He said the addition will be purely second floor space, which was stated during the city’s planning board review to be for
an exclusive club space. Both the historic district commission and the planning board recommended approval of the special land use permit amendment.
Dupuis also noted that the restaurant will be making some minor changes to the outdoor dining area and pergola that was originally proposed.
After very little discussion from the commission, a unanimous 7-0 vote was made to approve the special land use permit amendment.
During the third public hearing on the liquor license renewal for Bistro Joe’s on Monday, April 15, Birmingham city commissioners voted to add a memorandum of understanding to the special land use permit of the bistro which was found in violation of its permit prior to liquor license renewals this year.
The city held the annual liquor license renewal public hearing during
the February 12 meeting, during which multiple bistros were said to have some issue found during the city’s inspection. Bistro Joe’s, the eatery located inside Papa Joe’s on 34244 Woodward, was said to have issues with their parking lot, dumpster screening and excessive indoor seating.
Another public hearing was held during the March 18 meeting for commissioners to decide if they wanted to file an objection to these bistros’ license applications with the state liquor commission. Planning director Nick Dupuis stated during the March hearing that Bistro Joe’s dumpster and parking lot issues were being addressed, but he found evidence that the mezzanine intended for Papa Joe’s employees was being used by Bistro Joe’s customers.
Commissioners decided to not file an objection to the bistro’s liquor license application, but they voted to have Bistro Joe’s return to another commission meeting so they could decide if they felt the special land use permit had been violated. City staff was also instructed to create a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the owner of the bistro to sign, adding an extra layer that says Bistro Joe’s is going to do better in abiding by the rules, said city attorney Mary Kucharek.
Dupuis explained that in the time between meetings, he returned to Bistro Joe’s to meet with Tony Curtis, Papa Joe's and Bistro Joe's owner, and noted that when he returned, they met the seating requirement. He also said additional signage had been put up around the mezzanine explicitly telling customers that the seating area is not for Bistro Joe’s customers.
Most commissioners said they were comfortable moving forward with or without the memorandum given that the bistro had addressed the issues that had been brought up.
“At the last meeting, I was in support of the MOU because there seemed to have been a pattern to the use of the place that Mr. Dupuis noticed, and the initial response from the applicant was to imply that Mr. Dupuis was wrong and that was concerning to me,” said commissioner Therese Longe. “I think that the process of having the site
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visit and developing the MOU was useful and had its intended effect.”
Others stated they didn’t see the necessity in adding the MOU to the permit considering this was a firsttime violation, albeit a rather large violation. Commissioner Anthony Long said he felt the situation could be a slippery slope if the commission were to get in the habit of adding the memorandum for first time violations.
Commissioners voted 4-3 to add the memorandum to the bistro’s special land use permit, with commissioners Long, Katie Schafer and mayor Elaine McLain voting against the motion. All three stated during discussions that they didn’t feel the memorandum was necessary in this case.
At the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, April 8, there was extensive discussion about the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) local watercraft control findings and resolutions surrounding 10 lakes within the township.
While some aspects of the ruling went the way the board wanted –having each lake be a slow no-wake waterway, for instance – others did not, including the omission of the agency implementing an ordinance that required no internal combustion engines and limited-sized electric boats on the lakes.
There were adopted ordinances already in place in the township that has allowed waterways to be no motorboat environments since 1970, but it turns out that approval has never been obtained from the DNR, causing a variety of steps to be taken over the last few years.
The DNR provided an initial investigation in the spring of 2023, during which time the DNR implied that a local watercraft control was not warranted.
Since then, hundreds have shown up to public hearings – ranging from local residents who live on the lakes to local elected legislators, and there have been dozens of written comments and eventually the DNR’s decision provided to the township this past March did in fact allow for a slow-no wake ordinance and a basis for local watercraft control.
Clerk Martin Brook commented at the meeting that more than one time at the public meetings that the DNR
would say they can’t make everyone happy but, in fact, keeping the slowno wake ordinance and maintaining them as no motorboat environments, as well as no high-powered electric motors, would have made everyone happy.
It would have also kept the adopted ordinances and let things keep running as they had been.
Have these ordinances really been followed even though they weren’t even enforced by the DNR for all these years? Yes.
“Those ordinances have been adhered to because it’s the desire of the local residents,” Brook noted. “We’ve really had a strong uniform voice from all the lakes, supporting to maintain a no-motorboat environment and expanding it to high-powered electric motors so we can maintain safe and quiet enjoyment of the lakes.”
While township attorney Derk Beckerleg did not agree with the DNR’s decision, he also didn’t mince words about the likelihood of filing an appeal against DNR’s decision. He said if that was the way the board decided to go, he didn’t have high hopes for the outcome, noting it's chances were “futile.”
He had multiple reasons for this, with the largest being that the appeal would be going directly to the director of the DNR, who is the director of the group of people who already said no to the motorboat ordinance.
Beckerleg noted that in his legal opinion there are some major risks in appealing, with a small likelihood of prevailing.
“I think we’re kidding ourselves if you think we’re likely to see a different result,” he said. “Is that the best way to spend taxpayers money?”
In spite of the DNR’s ruling, Beckerleg pointed out they had still achieved a major victory in protecting lakes safety through their ruling to support “that on each of the 10 lakes it shall be unlawful for an operator of a vessel to exceed a slow-no wake speed.”
The DNR’s ruling was the same for all 10 of Bloomfield Township's lakes.
Many trustees agreed with Beckerleg, noting it may not be worth the risk, with the ultimate decision being to adopt all 10 ordinances as presented, then consider whether or not they want to appeal any of the ordinances at their meeting on Wednesday, April 24.
The motion was made to present the motion and bring it back for adoption at the next meeting passed 7-0.
Brook said he would have a list of lakes that he thinks would make the strongest case to appeal at the next meeting.
A new state-of-the-art filmmaking, digital, podcasting creative center will allow Detroit Country Day students to unleash their creativity thanks to the generous $2 million gift from Danialle and Peter Karmanos, Jr.
The news of this new filmmaking center arrived at the same time as Detroit Country Day students premiered the first full-length feature film in the school’s history on Friday, April 12, at the Emagine Theater in Novi. Learning Curve, a film written, created and produced by DCDS students and directed by Andrew Weir, ’24, was scheduled to have additional showtimes later in April.
Next school year, many of these students, along with lots of others, will
have the chance to learn inside a new state-of-the art center with the same tools professional filmmakers and creators use – and much more. Among the unique advantages to the center are a professional curved stagecraf t led wall that can create virtual scenes and transport actors anywhere in the world, which is the same equipment used to shoot the Star Wars Mandalorian series, according to the school.
The center will also have an immersive, master podcast studio where students will be able to tell stories of history, literature and science, bringing them to life. A cutting-edge video and multimedia creation space will allow students to master the tools of the digital age in a hands-on, real-world studio. As part of the education space, it will be a worldclass innovation center, DCD said, so that the power of creation and STEAM will blend seamlessly.
The new center will be housed in the DCDS Upper School but is intended to be used by students and faculty from preschool through 12th grade. The final design is being developed now, with renovation and construction to begin this summer to allow it to be ready for use in the fall of 2024.
In a unanimous vote of approval, Berry Dunn was awarded the strategic planning project at the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, March 25.
According to township supervisor Dani Walsh, the last time the township did a strategic plan was in 2009 and it expired in 2014, and a lot has happened since then.
Walsh said that the strategic planning selection committee – which consisted of Walsh, trustee Stephanie Fakih, Noah Mehalski, director for the department of public works, Jason Theis, accounting director, and Sue Bowlin, administrative assistant to the township supervisor – had hoped for a few bidders for the project, and were pleasantly surprised when they ended up with seven.
The seven bidders had costs that varied from the lowest at $52,600 from LeaderGov, all the way to Wilcox Consulting LLC’s staggering proposed budget of $322,787.50.
Out of the seven bidders, the committee immediately eliminated four: Crowe LLP, Government Leadership Solutions, LeaderGov and Wilcox Consulting LLC, each of which had noticeable absences of both a statistically relevant survey and an online portal for stakeholder engagement in their proposal.
Walsh said that while the costs of some of those bidders were lower than others, not having that statistically relevant survey as a line item in the proposal could later cost the township an additional $15-20,000.
After the initial round of interviews, the two finalists – Berry Dunn and Future IQ – were given another questionnaire asking them to highlight what sets them apart regarding statistically relevant data and community engagement, with the strategic planning committee ultimately selecting the former.
Berry Dunn’s extensive community engagement plan included an interactive portal, statistically valid community survey and in-person meetings, all of which played to what the committee was looking for when selecting a vendor for this type of project.
“I don’t think we can go wrong using them,” said Fakih, who also mentioned how great it was to serve on the committee.
Although Berry Dunn is based in Maine, they have two employees on their support staff who are Michigan natives, and their proposal included multiple team members being in Bloomfield Township, who will collect data from residents everywhere from libraries and local basketball games to those who work on the township’s campus.
They told the committee they would keep engaging with people until the statistically relevant survey was done.
Other key factors in the committee’s decision to suggest Berry Dunn to the board of trustees included their promise of having multiple team members dedicated to being in Michigan; the statistically relevant survey as a line item in their proposal; and their lead facilitator has 30 years of experience in strategic planning, as well as prior government experience, serving on a board similar to that of the board of trustees.
The project is being paid for from the township’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and will not exceed $97,300. With this recommendation’s approval, it will also allow the township supervisor to authorize to approve an additional 10 percent should there be a documented and significant deviation from the project’s current scope of work or time proposal. This would also be paid from the ARPA funds.
A strategic plan such as this will be a coordinated effort between trustees, department heads, employees, residents and other key stallholders in the community. Berry Dunn will develop a strategic plan tailored to the township’s requirements, and provide a blueprint for success by providing the tools needed to navigate through any anticipated difficulties.
Properties with rear yard driveway access to a road being converted from unimproved to improved streets will now be assessed for the construction after Birmingham city commissioners voted to adopt a new policy during the Monday, April 15, meeting.
The move comes after the road reconstruction and improvements on Shirley Road and Arlington Street were approved by the commission earlier this year. A unique situation of seven properties raised the question on how the city should move forward if properties have a rear yard that abuts a street being assessed.
According to city engineer Melissa Coatta, multiple properties on Linden Road have rear properties that back up to Shirley. Only one of the houses, however, actually has direct ingress and egress to the street, since the driveway is at the rear of the house.
Coatta stated that there is no record of previous projects having a scenario where the rear yard of a property abutted a street being improved. There are instances, and a policy already in place, for properties that have frontage and side yards that abut a street being assessed for an improvement project.
Currently, the city pays 15 percent of the cost for updating an unimproved road to an improved road while properties fronting the improvement are assessed for 85 percent of the cost. If the longer side of a single family residential property faces the street being constructed, said Coatta, the city pays two-thirds of the cost and the property owners pay the remaining third.
In cases where the short side of a corner property faces the street being improved, the property owner is assessed for 100 percent of the cost.
While the properties and Linden Road served as an example for the commission to review, city manager Jana Ecker emphasized that commissioners are determining the policy for rear yard assessments going forward, and they should not focus on the Shirley and Arlington project specifically.
Several commissioners said they were concerned about the equity of assessing properties for both the front and back of the properties, but were conflicted if the property had driveway access, such as the house on Linden.
Others said that they don’t see a difference between assessing the rear
yard versus the side yard. “I’m certainly not in favor of doing nothing, but …these aren’t really different other than that it’s the back of the house rather than the front of the house,” said commissioner Anthony Long.
Before coming to a consensus, a motion exempting all properties from a rear yard assessment failed and a motion establishing a policy that said property owners should be assessed 25 percent for the rear yard never came to life.
Ultimately, the commission voted 5-2 to establish a policy for residential properties with a year yard located on a road being converted to an improved street to be exempt from assessment only if they do not have allowed ingress and egress at the time of the assessment.
Commissioners Clinton Baller and Andrew Haig voted against the policy.
In-person interviews of some candidates for the now-vacant position of Birmingham Shopping District (BSD) Executive Director began the week of April 8, as part of a projected plan that include further interviews the following week and then presentation of two finalists to the governing board of the BSD at its May 2 public meeting.
Thirty-four candidates applied by the Friday, March 29 application deadline for the post that has been vacant since early February after what is being termed a “separation of employment” for Cristina SheppardDecius, who had held the position since she was approved by the BSD board on September 1 of 2022. City officials and BSD governing board members have not offered reasons for the separation, although unconfirmed reports suggest that there were conflicts with Sheppard-Decius and both city and BSD officials.
There have been three different BSD directors in recent years.
The city’s human resources department handled the initial vetting of the candidate field and members of the BSD board have reportedly also volunteered to be part of the review process as the field was trimmed to five finalists for the position.
Although the Thursday, April 4, BSD board meeting agenda packet indicated the five applicants would be interviewed the week of April 8, Birmingham Assistant City Manager
Melissa Fairbairn, who is serving an interim director of the BSD, told the board that only four would now be interviewed because one applicant had basically withdrawn because the applicant was looking for more of a “hybrid” director position, working remotely and in the office.
Birmingham City Manager Jana Ecker, in attendance at the BSD meeting, said that the plan was for the two finalists for the position to be interviewed by the BSD governing board at a public meeting and that there may be “privacy” issues preventing the semi-finalists from being interviewed in an open meeting, likely having to do with current employment of those seeking the director post.
The BSD is funded through a special assessment on all commercial, non-residential property in areas of downtown and other business districts of Birmingham. The executive director works with merchants, business owners, retailers, landlords, and commercial real estate brokers.
The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) requirement for a drug and alcohol policy specifically for the Bloomfield Township Senior Services Department at their meeting on Monday, April 8.
Christine Tvaroha, director of the senior services department, said that this new policy will only affect their department and not others within the township, and is an adoption of what the department already follows.
The amended drug and alcohol policy will now match the Federal Transit Administration format, and will cover any employee who drives a SMART-funded vehicle for senior center transportation services and day trips put on by the senior services department.
Positions covered under this policy are bus driver, transportation coordinator, senior center assistant with chauffeur’s license, and subs for drivers.
Motor pool employees are covered under the township’s department of public works’ policy and testing protocols.
Bloomfield Township’s substance abuse policy is also still in effect for employees of the senior services department.
Following a previous budget study session, the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved their 2024-2025 fiscal year budget, which includes $30 million in general fund revenues, up from $26 million in fiscal year 2023-2024.
The fiscal year budget runs from July 1 to June 30, with the budget required to be approved by March 31 of each year.
In a presentation to the board, Jason Theis, township finance director, focused on the township’s digital budget box, a website-based budget book that allows residents to access and view the budget and the budget process transparently.
“We spent a significant amount of time at the study session going through the details so I’m going to use this time instead to bring back our the Digital Budget Book, and make sure everyone is aware of what information is out there,” Theis said. “One thing I wanted to point out is the updated Funds Structure, which lists all the budgeted funds and the types. If you wanted to dive in to the line-by-line that’s where the departments (tab) comes in.”
This year's budget includes $10.2 million in property taxes in the general fund budget, while the public safety fund budget will see $31 million in property tax revenues, and the road fund will receive $3.2 million from property taxes. The general fund is expected to receive $5 million in state revenue sharing, and $3.5 million in earned interest.
Expenditures include $7 million in salaries and wages for public safety, and $6.5 million in salary and wages for the fire department. Defined benefit contributions to retirement plans for public safety and fire are $6.4 million, and transfers out for OPEB for retirees are $2.7 million, while transfers out for OPEB for active employees are $1.2 million.
“This is the eighth budget I’ve had a chance to vote on and it’ll be the eighth time I voted for it, and I’m very proud to do that this time. I think we took a balanced approach to capital investment, spending on public services, paying down debt, and putting aside money for a rainy day. I’d like to commend the board and department heads for that, working together to come up with that result,” said treasurer Michael Schostak.
The board voted unanimously to approve the 2024-25 budget as presented. A full digital copy of the budget is available at charter_township-bloomfield-mibudget-book.cleargov.com.
Bloomfield Hills-based Tony Targan seems to have found his calling as a writer, actor and director later in life. “I was always interested in theater and did a couple of plays in high school, but I pursued being a lawyer, a father and a soccer coach when my kids were young,” he said. “I jumped back into the creative side within the past 10 to 12 years.”
Writing has been an ongoing interest for the now retired attorney, who is married with two grown daughters and two grandchildren, and another on the way.
While Targan has only written short plays, he is collaborating on a full-length play with another writer. “They are mostly comedic, but sometimes a little of both. Dramas usually take a little more time to develop,” said Targan, whose shows have been produced around the country as well as closer to home at local venues like Rosedale Community Players and Farmington Players.
One called “Turbulence” won some awards at the Michigan AACTFest. As a final wish for a charity auction, the play features a character named after the winner’s sister-in-law, Georgia Graham, who was terminally ill.
“That led to some great Georgia jokes,” said Targan. “She was able to hear the play before she passed and her loved ones came to see it.”
Targan lets his writing lead the way.
“It’s about being open to the process of creating interesting characters and letting them talk instead of forcing the action,” he said. “It’s better to let it come to you than having a certain defined agenda.”
You also have to be ruthless with revisions, said Targan, who reads his work to a playwrighting group. “Part of the process is to get some feedback,” he explained. His plays feature relatable topics, like “A Near Life Experience,” that came to him when he held his granddaughter for the first time. “It was like a near death experience, but it was a near life experience that changed my whole perspective on things,” Targan described. The story features a woman who gives birth in a cab, which transforms the driver who delivers the baby.
Other catchy titles include, “I’m Not Wearing Any Pants,” that highlights a blind date with a twist. As Targan knows, “You gotta have a good title.”
Performing is another passion. “As an actor, there is nothing like getting the immediate gratification of an audience laughing at your character,” he said. “It’s even more impactful to make people cry in a drama when all goes silent and you can feel the energy of the audience hanging on every word and feel that connection.”
Targan will perform in “Something Rotten,” with the Farmington Players from April 26 – May 18.
He also enjoys audio plays that became prominent during COVID, when Targan wrote two episodes for a series called “He Shed, She Shed” for the Farmington Players. “It gave us a creative outlet during the pandemic,” he said.
In addition, Targan does voice acting for short audio plays. “They let you use your own imagination,” he explained. “It’s really a fun outlet and I get to play older and younger characters.”
Running is another outlet for him. “It is an essential part of my life,” said Targan, who has participated in 18 marathons and other races.
Targan has also directed five community theater productions.
“To me, directing ties together all aspects of theater,” he said. “I can take the words on the page and help actors bring them to life. By acting and directing, it makes me a better director.”
Story: Jeanine Matlow Photo: Laurie Tennent
One of the oldest businesses in Birmingham, The Barber Pole, 164 S. Old Woodward, is celebrating its 75th anniversary – all in the same location. Owner Stephen Trachsel said the barbers are very excited about the anniversary. They call The Barber Pole “The best little barber shop in Birmingham,” while noting they stay on the cutting edge of the industry. The barber shop was first opened in 1949 by Max and Marie Ege, who owned and operated it until their son Keith later joined them. Max retired in 1959; Keith worked at The Barber Pole until he passed in 1997. His wife Helen, and daughter Sue, took over and ran the shop until Trachsel, who started as a barber at the shop in 2001, bought it in 2007. “I started as a barber in 2001, the same week I got married to my bride,” Trachsel reminisced. “I was 23.” Now, his oldest son will be leaving for college. He notes The Barber Pole still has a classic, retro, old-school barber shop feel, with the ‘50s barber chairs, but they have given the shop a facelift. “We painted, put in new lighting, and gave it a modern update, including adding a big flat screen TV, with a nostalgic, classic feel.” He said they have felt all the economic ups-and-downs as any other business, “but we’ve stuck with it. I have a huge passion for barbering. I’m an owner-operator. We went through COVID, when a lot of our barbers went to customers’ homes.” The biggest change, he noted, since they reopened was they have gone from a primarily walk-in operation to an appointment-based system. “I like to have enough barbers on staff to still accommodate walk-ins, too,” he said. The Barber Pole continues to cater to boys and men of all ages. “We do babies’ first hair cut,”Trachsel said. “I say, ‘from cradle to grave.’”
For the 35th year in a row, Hagopian family members, College for Creative Studies staff,
and idustrial designer John Kaloustian met to choose the winning designs of the the 35th annual Hagopian World of Rugs / College for Creative Studies
Student Rug Design Competition. The theme of this year’s competition was for students to design an area rug inspired by American art from the 1960’s through the 1980’s. The competition is a collaboration between the College for Creative Studies and Hagopian World of Rugs, 850 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, giving students the chance to submit their designs based on specific criteria and compete for scholarship moneys funded by Hagopian, who also makes an annual donation to the school. This year’s winners are Rachel Barker, MA, design and materials; second place, Milena Pukalo. product design; third place, Hoda Solati, MFA UXD; and three Honorable Mentions – Samantha Mantua, communication design; Morgan Newby, interior design; and Kyleigh Kotulis, interior design. The competition was originally conceived by the late Edgar Hagopian to mentor students and encourage interest in the textile arts and continues under the direction of third generation owners, Suzanne Hagopian, Edmond Hagopian and Angela Hagopian Snow.
Boyd moves in Birmingham
Boyd Beauty, a downtown Birmingham mainstay for those looking to beautify and refresh, has moved from its longtime location on East Maple to 175 W. Merrill Street. Boyd Beauty is a facial, plastic, surgery and medical spa owned and run by Dr. Charles M. Boyd, a graduate of Harvard Medical School and University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Boardcertified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Boyd is also a diplomat of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery as well as a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, as well as board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Boyd specializes in all aspects of surgical and nonsurgical facial rejuvenation including facelifts, brow lifts, eye lifts, rhinoplasty and neck lifts. He is also a specialist in cosmetic dermatology and laser surgery. Boyd Beauty has other locations in Ann Arbor and Detroit.
Savills opens downtown
A 160-year-old United Kingdom real estate company, Savills, has opened in downtown Birmingham in the Palladium Building, 213 Hamilton Row. A global advisory firm, they are an integrated real estate advisory firm with more than 700 worldwide locations, with Daniel T. Jacobs the managing director of Birmingham’s office. “Whether you’re a corporation looking to expand or an investor seeking to sustainably optimize your portfolio, or a family trying to find a new home, we bring a truly personal approach to every project, delivering best-in-class insights and advice to help you make better property decisions,” Savills’ states on their website. “Making a positive impact is at the heart of our partnerships. From the way we advise you to the work we do directly, we’re committed to adding value while always honoring our responsibility to protect the environment, support local communities and foster an inclusive culture.” They pride themselves on world class research, leading by example, vision and strategy, community work, building inclusivity and diversity, and group structure.
Business Matters for the BirminghamBloomfield area are reported by Lisa Brody. Send items for consideration to LisaBrody@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.
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With the increasing amount of research, especially post-Covid, you've likely come across the finding that isolation can profoundly affect us mentally and physically.
While Next offers numerous ways to stay connected through our extensive programming, one often overlooked avenue for engagement is volunteering, which brings a host of benefits. This is particularly true for older individuals who may have retired and seek a meaningful way to contribute and stay sharp, or learn new skills.
At Next, our vibrant community thrives thanks to the dedication of our volunteers. Regardless of your schedule, interests, or expertise, we provide the support and opportunities to find the perfect fit for your passions.
a sense of purpose that may have waned as children grow, we retire, or some activities we once performed with ease, become a little more challenging. Regaining that feeling of purpose through volunteering can help us feel recharged and be a motivating factor to try other new activities.
Bridging the generation gap is another reason to volunteer. Next hosts several intergenerational opportunities that gives a glimpse into the younger generation where sharing ideas can offer a better understanding of challenges and highlights facing other age groups.
Maybe you have an old hobby that has slipped to the wayside? It could be a good time to revisit it and Next might just be the place to explore and develop that hobby once again. Volunteer activities at Next can align with almost any interest, including art, gardening, cooking, business, and exercise.
We're fortunate to attract volunteers with a diverse range of skills, from helping to deliver meals to area residents or working in our front office greeting members, some volunteer just four hours a month, others four hours a week. Other opportunities can really hone in on a special skill like teaching computer lessons or a card game, facilitating a discussion group or assisting in planning big events like Birmingham’s Big Night Out. If you are thinking of volunteering, Next has no shortage of opportunities.
Beyond the social aspect and the joy of contributing, volunteering offers practical advantages. It keeps your mind active, fostering a positive outlook and staving off health related issues. It also helps combat feelings of isolation and can rediscover a sense of purpose, especially as life transitions occur.
Along with helping to prevent feelings of isolation, volunteering helps regain
For many, one of the most rewarding aspects of volunteering is the opportunity to forge new friendships. In a world where making connections can be challenging, volunteering brings together like-minded individuals and fosters meaningful relationships.
Recently as part of a marketing initiative, when members were asked what surprises them most about Next, many responded with comments like, “it surprises me just how friendly people are, which makes me more friendly,” and “Next is a place where I feel like I belong, whether I am delivering meals or teaching a computer lesson, I feel like I am making a difference.”
Getting involved in your community has many rewards but ultimately, volunteering not only strengthens communities but also enhances health, relationships and skills. Explore the benefits at Next – you might be pleasantly surprised!
Cris Braun is Executive Director of Birmingham Next
John McLaughlin: Paper Trail
April 26 May 30, 2024
Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center
Gallery Hours:
Monday-Thursday 9am 5pm
Friday-Saturday 9am 4pm
Mixed media collage on canvas
IMAGE: Silk and Nylon by John McLaughlin
Owed $207,000.00 –Settled for $7,352.00
Owed $374,416.00 –Settled for $19,181.00
Owed $1,039,938.00 –Settled for $85,824.00
As a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit charitable organization, it is our duty and our obligation to remain ever mindful that good stewardship is an essential part of the fundraising cycle. It covers the entire relationship between donor and organization. Likewise, we must continually celebrate and honor the importance of selfless service and volunteerism. For without either, the work and missions of noble organizations such as The Community House (TCH) would not be possible.
Normally held in February, The Community House created the Bates Street Society Dinner –at which annual Pillars of Vibrancy –Education, Health & Wellness, Culture, Philanthropy and Business are celebrated and honored. The purpose is to publicly recognize extraordinary individuals who have demonstrated selfless service and philanthropy toward others while helping to “Create More Vibrant Lives” in the community –selfless service offered and provided out of a genuine and deep desire to help and be of service to others.
Over the last nine years, 90 pillars in our community have been recognized and inducted into The Community House’s Pillars of Vibrancy.
This November our annual signature event, The Bates Street Society Dinner & Awards Ceremony, officially moves up from the winter month of February to the autumn month of November. So please save the new date. Reservations (ticketless event) are on sale now. Don’t delay, this is a sold out gathering each year.
In preparation for our exciting new seasonal and date change, The Community House Association (TCHA) and The Community House Foundation (TCHF) are busy planning some new and exciting changes to our time-honored gathering.
At this time, TCHA & TCHF are also delighted to announce its amazing November 2, 2024 newest corps of Bates Street Society Dinner Pillars of Vibrancy Nominees. They include:
Ms. Terry Barclay, Ms. Laurie Cunnington, Ms. Lisa Daniels-Goldman, Ms. Debra Ernst, Mr. Max Ernst, Ms. Shari Finsilver, Mr. Stanley Finsilver, Ms. Denise Ilitch, Ms. Anne Mervenne, Ms. Amy Nederlander and Mr. Ben Wallace.
As many of you are already aware, the Bates Street Society was established in 2015 to publicly recognize and induct members who have made significant charitable contributions to support the work and mission of The Community House in Birmingham. New member-inductees are acknowledged annually at its Bates Street Society Dinner, a semi-formal event hosted by The Community House and The Community House Foundation’s Officers and Boards of Directors.
In an effort to recognize those that have given extraordinary treasure; $25,000 or more cumulatively, or donors who make an irrevocable legacy gift of $25,000 or more to The Community House, Community House Association and Foundation leadership decided to combine and recognize key stakeholders:, major donors, foundations and corporate partners –together –with the annual Pillars of Vibrancy –at the annual Bates Street Society Dinner, under one philanthropic umbrella event.
As such, the ninth annual Bates Street Society Dinner & Awards Ceremony has been moved to Saturday, November 2, 2024. The three-course sit-down dinner is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. sharp in the Wallace Ballroom of The Community House. In addition to the extraordinary culinary creations and libations prepared and served throughout the evening by The Community House’s own award-winning culinary and hospitality teams, live entertainment and a recognition and inspirational awards ceremony will close out the evening.
To help lead this extraordinary evening of recognition, celebration and inspiration, Mr. Huel Perkins, award-winning news anchor, producer, writer, inspirational speaker, and past Bates Street Society Pillar Broadcast Journalist, and iconic American news anchor, will return in the role of master of ceremonies.
William
This important gathering/dinner will offer guests a wonderful opportunity to publicly show enthusiastic support for the 2024 TCH Pillars of Vibrancy inductees, and to the scores of individuals, foundations, and corporations whose contributions and kindness makes The Community House’s work and mission possible. Reservations (no tickets issued) are $250/person for general admission; $350/person for patron admission; $550/person for benefactor admission; and $3,750 for a sponsorship table of 10 guests (which includes special benefits). Corporate sponsorship opportunities and program book ad placements are welcome and available as well.
Finally, we wish to thank returning “founding” sponsors; PNC Bank and Corewell Health (Beaumont), for without these two community-oriented organizations, and their dedicated leadership and employees supporting us, this annual gathering would not be made possible. Thanks a million.
For reservations, tickets or to become a sponsor of the November 2, 2024, Bates Street Society Dinner & Awards Ceremony, please go to communityhousefoundation.org or call 248.644.5832.
The joys of everlasting friendships and unforgettable summer experiences start right here at The Community House. Our summer camps liven up your child’s summer break and give them an opportunity to develop their passions while having fun, building friendships and fostering independence.
We offer camps for many interests, including music, science, and art and theatre. Several of the community-favorite camps are returning this year – Mad Science Detroit, Amazing Athletes, Snapology, TumbleBunnies, and Project Runway Fashion Camp, just to name a few.
These week-long camps held on-site at The Community House are designed for children ages 5-16 and are open to both residents and non-residents. Camps begin the week of June 17 and run throughout the summer. Join us this summer for unforgettable summer camp experiences. Registration for 2024 camps is open now.
For more information or to register your child for Summer Camp 2024 at TCH, please go to communityhouse.com or call 248.644.5832
The Community House’s Early Childhood Center is excited to announce we have a rare, limited number of spots available for our preschool program. With the use of the nationally recognized High-Scope curriculum our amazing teachers are ready to set the foundation of your child’s academic success. Our curriculum uses a whole-child approach to learning, where the child is encouraged to create and execute their plan through hands on classroom exploration. Our program encourages independence, decision-making, and conflict resolution and students graduate from The Community House ECC ready for kindergarten with confidence and the ability to creatively problem solve.
With the end of the school year fast approaching, coupled with the graduation of our Pre-K and Junior K+ students, we are now accepting Fall 2024 openings in our award-winning, High-Scope Early Childhood Center. Registration is now open. We are accepting applications for ages 0-4. Please contact our Senior Director/Head of School, Ms. Sarah Schuster, at sschuster@communityhouse.com or call (248) 594-6411 to learn more about our program, to arrange a tour, or to secure your child’s spot.
For reservations, sponsorships or more information about booking gathering and meeting space for 2024 and beyond, please go to communityhouse.org or call 248.644.5832.
The historic Community House is a solely independent nonprofit 501 (c) 3 charitable organization. TCH is not and never has been supported by tax dollars or millages.
Until our world returns to a kinder and gentler place, “let us practice reckless optimism together.” Stay safe, be well.
The Places To Eat for Downtown is a quick reference source to establishments offering a place for dining, either breakfast, lunch or dinner. The listings include nearly all dining establishments with seating in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area, and then some select restaurants outside the immediate area served by Downtown.
220: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 220 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.2220. 220restaurant.com
5th Tavern: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2262 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9607. 5thtavern.com
Adachi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner daily. Liquor. Reservations. 325 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.540.5900. adachirestaurant.com
Andiamo: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.865.9300. andiamoitalia.com
Beau’s: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4108 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630. beausbloomfield.com
Bella Piatti: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 167 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.494.7110. bellapiattirestaurant.com
Beverly Hills Grill: American. Breakfast & Lunch, Wednesday-Sunday, Lunch, Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations Liquor. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, 48025. 248.642.2355. beverlyhillsgrill.com
Beyond Juicery + Eatery: Contemporary. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 270 W. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009; 221 Cole Street, Birmingham, 48009; 3645 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301; 4065 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301; 1987 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. beyondjuiceryeatery.com
Bill’s: American. Breakfast, weekends, Lunch, Wednesday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.9000. billsbloomfieldhills.com
Birmingham Pub: American. Brunch, Sunday, Lunch, Tuesday-Friday, Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham. thebirminghampub.com
Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.8880. birminghamsushi.com
Bistro Joe’s Kitchen: Global. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 34244 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.0984. bistrojoeskitchen.com
Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.645.6879. bloomfielddeli.com
Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6690. thebrooklynpizza.com
Café Dax: American. Breakfast, daily, Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 298 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.283.4200. daxtonhotel.com
Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield, 48301. 248.642.4000. cafeml.com
Casa Pernoi: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 310 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.940.0000. casapernoi.com
Churchill’s Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555. churchillscigarbar.com
Cityscape Deli: Deli. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Beer. 877 W. Long
Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220. cityscapedeli.com
Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.9766. gocommonwealth.com
Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135. dickodowspub.com
Eddie Merlot’s: Steak & seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 37000 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.712.4095. eddiemerlots.com
Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.258.9939. einsteinbros.com
Elie’s Mediterranean Grill/Bar: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2420. eliesgrill.com
EM: Mexican. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 470 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 947.234.0819. embirmingham.com
Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday. Dinner, TuesdayFriday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033. embersdeli1.com
Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134. flemingssteakhouse.com
Forest: European. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.9400. forestbirmingham.com
Greek Islands Coney Restaurant: Greek. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222. greekislandsconey.com
Griffin Claw Brewing Company: American. Lunch, Thursday-Sunday, Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No Reservations. Liquor. 575 S. Eton Street, Birmingham. 248.712.4050. griffinclawbrewingcompany.com
Hazel’s: Seafood. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1 Peabody Street, Birmingham. 248.671.1714. eatathazels.com
Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111. honeytreegrille.com
Hunter House Hamburgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.7121. hunterhousehamburgers.com
Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4369. hydeparkrestaurants.com
IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. 248.333.7522. Ihop.com
Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 39475 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.792.9609. joemuer.com
Kaku Sushi and Poke’: Asian. Lunch, MondayFriday & Dinner daily. No reservations. 869 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.480.4785, and 126 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.885.8631. kakusushipoke.com
Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166. kerbyskoneyisland.com
La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.5800. lamarsacuisine.com
La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 243 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0492. lastradaitaliankitchen.com
The Birmingham/Bloomfield area is filled with discriminating diners and an array of dining establishments. Make sure the message for your restaurant reaches the right market in the right publication—Downtown.
Contact Mark Grablowski for advertising rate information.
O: 248.792.6464 Ext. 601
MarkGrablowski@downtownpublications.com
Leo’s Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.9707. Also 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.646.8568. leosconeyisland.com
Little Daddy’s: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.647.3400. littledaddys.com
Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.6051. luxebarandgrill.com
Madam: American. Brunch, weekends. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 298 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.283.4200. daxtonhotel.com
Mare Mediterranean: Seafood. Brunch, weekends. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham 48009. 248.940.5525. maremediterranean.com
Market North End: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 474 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.712.4953. marketnorthend.com
MEX Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar: Mexican. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.723.0800. mexbloomfield.com
Middle Eats: Mediterranean. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield, 48093. 248.274.328. middleeats.com
Nippon Sushi Bar: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2079 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9581. nipponsushibar.com
Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500. olgas.com
Original Pancake House: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5775. oph-mi.com
Phoenicia: Lebanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 588 S. Old Woodward Birmingham, 48009. phoeniciabirmingham.com
Planthropie: Vegan. Dessert and Cheese. Tuesday-Sunday. 135 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.839.5640. planthropie.com
Roadside B & G: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1727 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48302. 248.858.7270. roadsidebandg.com
Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977. salsbirmingham.com
Shift Kitchen & Cocktails: Small plates. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.2380. shiftbirmingham.com
Sidecar: American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.2380. sidecarsliderbar.com
Slice Pizza Kitchen: Pizza. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.3475. slicepizzakitchen.com
Social Kitchen & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200. socialkitchenandbar.com
Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Breakfast and Lunch, Sunday. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301. 248.932.0800. stevesdeli.com
Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Thursday & Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123. streetsideseafood.com
Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 42656 Woodward
Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887. sushihanabloomfield.com
Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, Monday and Wednesday-Sunday. No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830. sythaibirmingham.com
Sylvan Table: American. (remove Brunch) Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1819 Inverness Street, Sylvan Lake, 48320. 248.369.3360. sylvantable.com
Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066. tallulahwine.com
Thai Street Kitchen: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304. 248.499.6867. thaistreetkitchen.com
The French Lady: French. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. 768 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0571. zefrenchlady.com
The Gallery Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.851.0313. galleryrestaurant2.com
The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688. moosepreserve.com
The Morrie: American. Dinner, Friday & Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 260 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.940.3260. themorrie.com
The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999. rugbygrille.com
Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Reservations. Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278. eatattoast.com
Tomatoes Apizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner daily. Carryout. 34200 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.0500. tomatoesapizza.com
Touch of India: Indian. Lunch, ThursdayWednesday; Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7881. thetouchofindia.com
Townhouse: American. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241. eatattownhouse.com
Whistle Stop Diner: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Liquor. No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.566.3566. whistlestopdiners.com
ZANA: Modern American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.800.6568. zanabham.com
Zao Jun: Asian. Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6608 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.949.9999. zaojunnewasian.com
Ale Mary’s: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 316 South Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1917. alemarysbeer.com
Anita’s Kitchen: Middle Eastern. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 22651 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.548.0680. anitaskitchen.com
Bandit Tavern & Hideaway: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 419 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.6250. bandittavern.com
Beppé: New American. Lunch, Saturday and Sunday. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.703 N. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.607.7030. eatbeppe.com
Bigalora: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 711 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.2442 bigalora.com
Cafe Muse: French. Breakfast & Lunch,
Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.4749. cafemuseroyaloak.com
Coeur: New American Small Plates. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 330 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 48220. 248.466.3010. coeurferndale.com
Como’s: Pizza. Brunch, weekends. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 22812 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.677.4439. comosrestaurant.com
Crispelli’s Bakery and Pizzeria: Italian. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 28939 Woodward Avenue, Berkley, 48072. 248.591.3300. crispellis.com
The Fly Trap: Diner. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. No reservations. 22950 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale 48220. 248.399.5150. theflytrapferndale.com
Grand River Brewery: American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1 E. 14 Mile Road, Clawson, 48017. 248.607-3631. grandriverbrewer
HopCat: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 430 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.744.2544. HopCat.com
Howe’s Bayou: Cajun. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 22949 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145. howesbayouferndale.net
Imperial: Mexican. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22848 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145. imperialferndale.com
Inyo Restaurant Lounge: Asian Fusion. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 22871 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.543.9500. inyorestaurant.com
Kacha Thai Market: Thai. Lunch and Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. 205 S Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.942-4246.
KouZina: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 121 N. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.629.6500. gokouzina.com
Kruse & Muer on Woodward: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 28028 Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.965.2101. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 410 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.591.5459. lilysseafood.com
Lockhart’s BBQ: Barbeque. Brunch, Sunday, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 202 E. Third Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.584.4227. lockhartsbbq.com
Masala: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 106 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.850.8284. food.orders.co/royaloakmasala
Mezcal: Mexican. Bruch, Sunday. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 201 E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 248.268.3915. mezcalferndale.com
Pastaio: Italian. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 208 W. 5th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.565.8722. eatpastaio.com
Oak City Grille: American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 212 W. 6th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.556.0947. oakcitygrille.com
Oak Parker: American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 13621 W Eleven Mile Road, Oak Park,48327 oakparkerbar.com. One-Eyed Betty’s: American. Breakfast, weekends, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 175 W. Troy Street, Ferndale, 48220. 248.808.6633. oneeyedbettys.com
Pop’s for Italian: Italian. Brunch and Lunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. 280 W. 9 Mile Road, Ferndale,48220. 248.268.4806. popsforitalian.com
Public House: American. Lunch & Brunch, weekends, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 241 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 48220. 248.850.7420. publichouseferndale.com
Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 31542 Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, 48073. 248.549.0300. redcoat-tavern.com
Ronin: Japanese. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 326 W. 4th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.546.0888. roninsushi.com
Royal Oak Brewery: American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 215 E. 4th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.1141. royaloakbrewery.com
Sozai: Japanese.Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. 449 West 14 Mile Road, Clawson,48017. 248.677-3232. sozairestaurant.com
The Morrie: American. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 511 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.216.1112. themorrie.com
Three Cats Cafe: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday. Dinner, Wednesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 116 W 14 Mile Road, Clawson, 48017. 248.900.2287. threecatscafe.com
Tigerlily: Japanese. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 231 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 48220. 248.733.4905. tigerlilyferndale.com
Toast, A Breakfast and Lunch Joint: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 23144 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.398.0444. eatattoast.com
Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 318 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.541.1186. tomsoysterbar.com
Trattoria Da Luigi: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 415 S, Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.4444. trattoriadaluigi.business.site.com
Vinsetta Garage: American. Lunch, TuesdaySaturday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7799 Woodward Avenue, Berkley, 48072. 248.548.7711. vinsettagarage.com
Voyager: Seafood. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 600 Vester Street, Ferndale, 48220. 248.658.4999. voyagerferndale.com
Cafe Sushi: Pan-Asian. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1933 W. Maple Road, Troy, 48084. 248.280.1831. cafesushimi.com
Capital Grill: Steak & Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2800 W. Big Beaver Road, Somerset Collection, Troy, 48084. 248.649.5300.
CK Diggs: American & Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2010 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.853.6600. ckdiggs.com
Firebird Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4845 Rochester Road, 48085. 248.289.9650. firebirdtaverntroy.com
Grand Castor: Latin American. Lunch, Thursday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2950 Rochester Road, Troy, 48083. 248.278.7777. grancastor.com
Kona Grille: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 30 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.619.9060. konagrill.com
Kruse & Muer on Main: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 327 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.652.9400.
kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Loccino Italian Grill and Bar: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 5600 Crooks Road, Troy, 48098. 248.813.0700. loccino.com
The Meeting House: American. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 301 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.759.4825. themeetinghouserochester.com
Mon Jin Lau: Nu Asian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Road, Troy, 48083. 248.689.2332. monjinlau.com
Registration for 2024 camps is OPEN NOW!
With camps available for children ages 5-16, there’s an option for everyone!
Several of the community-favorite camps are returning this year – Mad Science Detroit, Amazing Athletes, Snapology, TumbleBunnies, and Project Runway Fashion Camp just to name a few!
Metro Intelligencer is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening on the restaurant scene in the metro Detroit area. Metro Intelligencer is reported/created each month by Gigi Nichols who can be reached at GigiNichols@DowntownPublications.com with news items or tips, on or off the record.
The Hudson Café has opened in Troy, joining a plethora of eateries that have opened along Big Beaver Road. It’s the third location for the restaurant –joining the original Hudson Cafe in downtown Detroit and the Northville Township location which opened in 2023. The café is famous for its over-thetop breakfast offerings such as the S’More French Toast, which is coated with graham crackers and stuffed with marshmallow and Nutella, and topped with chocolate chips and chocolate glaze, and the Oreo Pancakes topped with cream cheese frosting. There are plenty of healthy options to choose from for breakfast as well, like the smashed avocado toast on multigrain bread topped with guacamole and served with fruit and a choice of eggs. For lunch, there’s the classic Hudson Salad, a nod to the eatery’s namesake, featuring smoked ham & turkey, romaine hearts, gherkin pickles, green olives, and Swiss cheese tossed with Hudson’s signature dressing. For this project, Hudson Café owner Tom Teknos partnered Cortney Bogorad and Elyse Elwood. Teknos said the location in Troy made good business sense since they often ask customers where they are from, and Troy was a central location. Inside, the restaurant seats 70 people. The construction was handled by Birmingham-based Windy City Construction and the interior, which seats about 70, was designed by Olon Creative in St. Clair Shores. Hudson Café is open daily for breakfast and lunch. Reservations are available at all Hudson Café locations on Open Table.700 W Big Beaver Road, Troy hudson-cafe.com
Bloomfield Hills-based Cicero Hospitality Group has opened, Adelina, a collaboration between renowned celebrity chef Fabio Viviani and two celebrated local chefs, Gabriel Botezan and Marco Dalla Fontana, promising a vibrant fusion of Italian-Mediterranean flavors. Since moving to the U.S. in 2005, Viviani, a chef, restaurateur, TV host and best-selling cookbook author, has opened more than three dozen restaurants, bars and event venues, and his hospitality group serves over 10 million meals each year across all his award-winning concepts. “I, along with the entire Fabio Viviani Hospitality team, could not be more excited about the opening of Adelina,” said Viviani. “This menu is truly special: a perfect blend of signature Italian dishes rooted in tradition and modern Mediterranean fare. There is nothing else like this in Downtown Detroit, and I can’t wait for people to experience it.” Designed in collaboration with NORR Architecture, Adelina’s 4,000-square-foot space accommodates 88 seats in the main dining room, 22 at the bar and 20 in the lounge. Design features include a glass mosaic bar, featuring Mediterranean-style polished glass mosaic tiles. An outdoor patio will be added this spring, which will accommodate an additional 40 guests. “This project represents the culmination of our team’s vision to bring a unique experience to Detroit,” said Randy Dickow, managing partner and food and beverage director for Cicero Hospitality Group. “Downtown Detroit is now firmly established as a vibrant culinary hub, and we are proud to debut Adelina.” 1040 Woodward Avenue, Detroit adelinadetroit.com
Col’s Place was a favorite in Madison Heights for over 20 years. The eatery closed in October of 2023, but now the owners have announced that they will open a new venture, Fourth Street Café, in the former home of Inn Season’s Café in Royal Oak. A grand opening is planned for August 2024. The restaurant announced their plans on Facebook in a letter to their followers which reads: “Introducing the Fourth Street Restaurant! We’re making a strong comeback, preserving the beloved past with our morning brunch and transforming into an evening bistro with a slightly tweaked menu to cater to everyone’s taste palate. And for those not feeling hungry, worry not – we’ve got a fantastic bar for you to hang out! We’ve kept this under wraps as the journey from designs to plans to menu naming has been a meticulous process. But here we are, making significant progress. Mark your calendars because we’re aiming to welcome our first clients by mid-August 2024. Stay tuned for soft open testing dates where you can be among the first to experience the magic!” 550 E. Fourth Street, Royal Oak
Morton’s, The Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 888 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.404.9845. mortons.com
NM Café: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2705 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.816.3424. neimanmarcus.com/restaurants
Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Boulevard, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200. oceaniainnrochesterhills.com
Ocean Prime: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2915 Coolidge Highway, Troy, 48084. 248.458.0500. ocean-prime.com
O’Connor’s Irish Public House: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 324 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.608.2537. oconnorsrochester.com
Orchid Café: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. 3303 Rochester Road., Troy, 48085. 248.524.1944. orchid-cafe.com
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.816.8000. pfchangs.com
Recipes: American/Brunch. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 134 W. University Drive, Rochester, 48037. 248.659.8267. Also 2919 Crooks Road, Troy, 48084. 248.614.5390. recipesinc.com
RH House: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch and Dinner, daily. 2630 Crooks Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. No reservations. Liquor. 2630 Crooks Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.586.1000. rh.house.com
RH Social: Pizza/Sports Bar. Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6870 N. Rochester Road, Rochester Hills, 48306.248.759.4858. rochesterhillssocial.com
Rochester Chop House: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 306 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.651.2266. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 755 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.269.8424. ruthschris.com
Sedona Taphouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 198 Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.422.6167. sedonataphouse.co
Silver Spoon: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6830 N. Rochester Road, Rochester, 48306. 248.652.4500. silverspoonristorante.com
Too Ra Loo: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 139 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.453.5291. tooraloorochester.com
West Bloomfield/Southfield
Aurora Italiana: Italian. Dinner, WednesdayMonday. Reservations. Liquor. 6199 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.782.3000. auroraitaliana.com
Cornbread Restaurant & Bar: Southern. Lunch & Dinner, Thursday-Tuesday. Reservations. Liquor. 29508 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.208.1680. cornbreadsoulfood.com
Bigalora: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield, 48034. 248.544.2442. bigalora.com
The Fiddler: Russian. Brunch, Sunday, Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.851.8782. fiddlerrestaurant.com
Mene Sushi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 6239 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.538.7081. menesususi.com
Nonna Maria’s: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2080 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323. 248.851.2500. nonamariasbistro.com
Pickles & Rye: Deli. Lunch, & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. 6724 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.737.3890. picklesandryedeli.com
Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 6545 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.7463. prime29steakhouse.com
Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 6745 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.865.0500. redcoattavern.com
Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. Orchard Mall Shopping Center, 6407 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.626.8585. dineshangrila.com
Stage Deli: Deli. Lunch, & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.855.6622. stagedeli.com
Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.8282. yotsuba-restaurant.com
West Oakland
Volare Ristorante: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 48992 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.960.7771. ristorantevolare.com
North Oakland
Clarkston Union: American. Breakfast, Sunday, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 54 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346 248.620.6100. clarkstonunion.com
Kruse's Deer Lake Inn: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7504 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346. 248.795.2077. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
The Fed: American. Brunch, Sunday, Lunch, Saturday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 15 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346. 248.297.5833. thefedcommunity.com
Via Bologna: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 7071 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346. 248.620.8500. joebologna.com
Union Woodshop: BBQ. Lunch, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 18 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.5660. unionwoodshop.com
Alpino: Alpine cuisine. Brunch, Sunday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1426 Bagley Street, Detroit, 48216. 313.524.0888 alpinodetroit.com
Ash-Bar: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1509 Broadway Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.277.4736. ash.world/hotels/the-siren.com
Bar Pigalle: French. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2915 John R Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.497.9200. barpigalle.com
Barda: Argentinian. Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4842 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, 48208. 313.952.5182. bardadetroit.com
Basan: Asian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2703 Park Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.481.2703. basandetroit.com
Bucharest Grill: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2684 E. Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, 48207. 313.965.3111. bucharestgrill.com
Cash Only Supper Club: American. Dinner, Friday & Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 1145 Griswold Street, Detroit, 48226. 248.636.2300. cashonlydetroit.com
Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails: Seasonal American. Lunch, Thursday & Friday. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 5 E. Kirby Street, Detroit, 48202. 313.818.3915. chartreusekc.com
Cliff Bell’s: American. Dinner, WednesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 2030 Park
Avenue, Detroit, 48226. 313.961.2543. cliffbells.com
Coriander Kitchen and Farm: Farm to table. Lunch and Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 14601 Riverside Boulevard, Detroit, 48215. 313.338-9466. corianderkitchenandfarm.com
Cuisine: French. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 670 Lothrop Road, Detroit, 48202. 313.872.5110. cuisinerestaurantdetroit.com
The Eagle: The Eagle: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 3461 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.334.4530. eaglerestaurant.com
El Barzon: Mexican. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 3710 Junction Street, Detroit, 48210. 313.894.2070. elbarzonrestaurant.com
Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café: Cajun. Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 400 Monroe Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.965.4600. fishbonesusa.com
Freya: Price fixed. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations, Liquor. 2929 E. Grand Boulevard, Detroit, 48202. 313.351.5544. freyadetroit.com
Giovanni’s Ristorante: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 330 S. Oakwood Boulevard, Detroit, 48217. 313.841.0122. giovannisrestaurante.com
Green Dot Stables: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2200 W. Lafayette, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.5588. greendotstables.com
HIROKI-SAN: Japanese. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 1265 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, 48226. 313.597.8344. hirokisandetroit.com
Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.6837. joemuer.com
Johnny Noodle King: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2601 W. Fort Street, Detroit, 48216. 313.309.7946. johnnynoodleking.com
Leila: Lebanese. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1245 Griswold Street, Detroit, 48226. 313. 816.8100. leiladetroit.com
Le Supreme: French. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1265 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, 48226. 313.597.7734. lesupremedetroit.com
Mad Nice: Coastal Italian/American. Lunch, Wednesday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4120 2nd Avenue, Detroit, 48201.313.558.8000. madnicedetroit.com
Mario’s: Italian. Lunch, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4222 2nd Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.1616. mariosdetroit.com
Mezcal: Mexican. Brunch, Weekends, Lunch and Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 51 W Forest Avenue, Detroit, 48202. 313.974.7441. mezcaldetroit.com
Midtown Shangri-la: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 4710 Cass Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.974.7669. midtownshangril-la.com
Motor City Brewing Works: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 470 W. Canfield Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.2700. motorcitybeer.com
Oak & Reel: Italian Seafood. Dinner, ThursdayMonday. Reservations. Liquor. 2921 E. Grand Boulevard, Detroit, 48202. 313.270.9600. oakandreel.com
PAO Detroit: Asian Fusion/Pan Asian. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 114 W Adams Avenue, Suite 200, Detroit, 48226. 313.816.0000. paodetroit.com
Parc: New American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 800 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48226. 313.922.7272. parcdetroit.com
Prime + Proper: Steak House. Brunch, Weekends. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1145 Griswold St, Detroit, 48226. 313.636.3100. primeandproperdetroit.com
Prism: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, WednesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 E. Lafayette Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.309.2499. hollywoodgreektown.com
Red Smoke Barbeque: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Trappers Alley Shopping Center, 573 Monroe Ave., Detroit, 48226. 313.962.2100.
Selden Standard: American. Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 3921 2nd Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.438.5055. seldenstandard.com
SheWolf Pastifico & Bar: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 438 Selden Street, Detroit 48201. 313.315.3992. shewolfdetroit.com
Sinbad’s: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 St. Clair Street, Detroit, 48214. 313.822.8000. sindbads.com
Slows Bar BQ: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2138 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.9828. slowsbarbq.com/locations/corktown
Sullivan’s Steakhouse: Steakhouse. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1128 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226. 313.591.2495. sullivanssteakhouse.com
Supergeil: Berlin Doner. Lunch, Friday-Sunday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 2442 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.462.4133. supergeildetroit.com
Symposia: Mediterranean. Dinner, WednesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor.1000 Brush Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.9366. atheneumsuites.com/symposia
Tap at MGM Grand: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1234. mgmgranddetroit.com
The Apparatus Room: New American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 250 W. Larned Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.800.5600 detroitfoundationhotel.com
The Block: American. Brunch, Weekends, Lunch & Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 3919 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.0892. theblockdet.com
The Dime Store: American. Breakfast & Lunch, Thursday-Tuesday. No reservations. Liquor. 719 Griswold Street #180, Detroit, 48226.313. 962.9106. eatdimestore.com
The Peterboro: Chinese American. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 420 Peterboro Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.462.8106. thepeterboro.com
The Statler: French. Brunch, Sunday. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 313 Park Avenue, Detroit, 48226. 313.463.7111. statlerdetroit.com
Townhouse Detroit: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 500 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 48226. 313.723.1000. townhousedetroit.com
Vertical Detroit: Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 1538 Center Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.732.WINE. verticaldetroit.com
Vigilante Kitchen + Bar: Asian/French influenced cuisine. Dinner, WednesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 644 Selden St, Detroit, 48201. 313.638.1695. vigilantekitchen.com
Vivio’s Food & Spirits: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2460 Market Street, Detroit, 48207. 313.393.1711. viviosdetroit.net
The Whitney: American. Brunch, Friday-Sunday, Tea Service, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor.4421 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.5700. thewhitney.com
Wright & Co.: American. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1500 Woodward Avenue, Second Floor, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.7711. wrightdetroit.com
Zuzu: Asian Fusion. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 511 Woodward Ave suite 100, Detroit, 48226. 313.464.7777. experiencezuzu.com
Just off Woodward Avenue is an unadorned alleyway that will soon lead to Saksey’s, which owners are claiming as “Detroit’s most intimate room.” This new cocktail lounge is named after the Detroit bar owned and operated by Dan Gilbert’s father in the 1970’s. Saksey’s will be in the lower level of Gilly’s Clubhouse & Rooftop, the sports bar that was the vision of Nick Gilbert, who passed away from neurofibromatosis in May 2023. Saksey’s is the vision of Josh Lang’s 7OH2 Hospitality. The cozy, contemporary room boasts nostalgic reference points as guests are transported back in time through a bespoke alleyway entrance. The interior is designed by Jennifer Gilbert’s Detroit-based POPHOUSE and features lacquered woods, adventurous patterns and refined lighting. The exclusive dining area and bar have only eight tables and 55 seats, creating an intimate environment.
“Saksey’s is designed to provide an experience that connects people,” Lang said. “I want guests to come in, try a little of everything on the menu, sit back and spend time with the people they love. Intimacy is a product of those you share it with. This room is built for intimate moments.” The cocktail menu is created by Eric Hobbie, who was named Las Vegas’s Most Intriguing Mixologist in 2019, and has won multiple national cocktail competitions. The food menu features sharable plates conceived by 7OH2 Executive Chef Adrian Estrada. Saksey’s is slated to open to the public in Spring 2024. 1550 Woodward Avenue, Detroit sakseysdetroit.com
Sexy Steak, Detroit’s newest Italian steakhouse, is now open on the first and second floors of the historic Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Building, with a new private event space, Castle Hall, also opening on the third and fourth floors of the building. The restaurant is the latest concept from Prime Concepts Detroit, which also operates Aurora Italiana, NARA Sushi & Hibachi Lounge, Prime29 Steakhouse, PAO Detroit, and Tribu Mediterranean at the Wabeek Club in Bloomfield Hills. Sexy Steak features a traditional Italian steakhouse menu with modern influences as well as an oyster bar, all created by the Prime Concepts Detroit culinary team, with fresh pasta, veal and seafood dishes that include lobster scampi, dover sole and, of course, USDA prime steaks. A highlight of the dining room is a Himalayan salt-lined case that showcases premium cuts of beef, which guests can peruse and then personally select their cut. In addition to a 4,000-square-foot main floor dining room that seats 120 guests, the restaurant offers a second floor, 3,000square-foot dining and lounge space, The Centurion Room, with seating for up to 100 guests, with an additional 12-seat bar. “Guests will have their senses ignited from the moment they walk in – from the sculptures they see, the music they hear, the aromas they smell, and the flavors they taste,” said Stolion Liti, managing partner and director of operations for Prime Concepts Detroit. “We look forward to sharing many memorable evenings with metroDetroiters for years to come.” Designed in partnership with Royal Oak-based Art Harrison Interiors and the Barbat Holdings development team, much of the building’s rich historical elements were maintained, such as all of the original windows, staircase details and tile flooring at the entrance, while also restoring all wood flooring and exposing original brick walls in the event spaces. 1942 Grand River Avenue, Detroit sexysteakdetroit.com
In January, The James Beard Foundation’s committee announced its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists. The 2024 Restaurant and Chef semifinalists are recognized across 22 categories. The Foundation’s committee named the following finalists from the state of Michigan: Outstanding Restaurateur – Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere of Baobab Fare, Detroit; Outstanding Restaurant – Selden Standard, Detroit; Emerging Chef – Rocky Coronado of Nepantla, Detroit; Best New Restaurant – Alpino, Detroit; Outstanding Bakery – Shatila Bakery, Dearborn; Outstanding Hospitality – AlTayeb Restaurant, Dearborn; Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages – Folk, Detroit and Ann Arbor; Best Chef, Great Lakes includes five area semifinalists including: Doug Hewitt,Freya, Detroit; Ji Hye Kim, Miss Kim, Ann Arbor; Dan Klenotic, Bellflower, Ypsilanti; Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson; and John Yelinek, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Detroit. In early April, the list was honed down to just two finalists from Michigan: Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere of Baobab Fare, for Outstanding Restaurateur and Hajime Sato of Sozai, for Best Chef, Great Lakes. The winners will be celebrated at an award ceremony on Monday, June 10, 2024, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. jamesbeard.org
Bloomfield Township has been blessed by Mother Nature with 10 beautiful lakes of varying sizes and homeowners who share similar standards of how they wish to maintain life on their waterway. A majority of those homeowners have agreed to preserve their way of life by sustaining no motorized boat regulations on their lakes, and whether by law or common edict, they have been able to continue the quiet on their waterfronts.
In the last year, Bloomfield Township petitioned the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with the goal to maintain no motors of any kind on certain township lakes, and to have the DNR create an enforceable regulation. As township clerk Martin Brook explained at a recent township board of trustees meeting, they wanted to preserve the way it had been, with no motor boats of any kind on the lakes, with an added prohibition of high electric motorization to include other kinds of water transport because of the way technology is changing.
As part of the process required by statute with the DNR, a number of public hearings were held, with over 170 local residents, local elected state legislators, county and township officials attending, all supporting – insisting –on maintaining local control on each of the
lakes, to allow each lake board the ability to make the decisions for their waterway.
During the public hearing process, Bloomfield Township and its residents learned that what they believed was a no motorized law on their lakes was actually not an enforceable ordinance. What had been adopted ordinances in place in the township that had allowed waterways to be no motorboat environments since 1970 – turned out to never have the approval from the DNR.
In a split-the-baby-in-the-bathwater decision, the DNR came back with a ruling on March 28, which determined that local implementation was not warranted. The lakes are permitted to be slow no-wake waterways, but the agency determined that an ordinance that required no internal combustion engines and limited-sized electric boats on the lakes was not required.
Slow no-wake boat speed means a very slow speed on a lake whereby the wake or wash created by the boat would be minimal. To be an enforceable ordinance, a lake board would have to put up signs around the lake.
The choices before Bloomfield Township are to adopt the DNR's ordinance, reject it or to appeal it.
While residents and some trustees do not
want to adopt the ordinance, or if they do, want to immediately appeal it, we agree with township attorney Derk Beckerleg, who flatly said an appeal would be “futile.”
He noted, for one, that noise is an “aesthetic,” meaning it's different for each person. One's loud clamor may be someone else's minor din. A slow no-wake ordinance is a win for Bloomfield Township, as it eliminates a safety issue that can arise with fast motor boats, and generally creates little noise issues. Beckerleg wisely urged trustees to approve and adopt the slow no-wake ordinance for all of the township's lakes now, in time for boating season, for this summer, in order for it to be enforceable. If not adopted at all, it could be a free for all on the lakes, with any kind of motorized watercraft permitted – the exact opposite of what residents want.
Further, an appeal, which could take over a year, could force the director of the DNR, the only individual who can and will hear the appeal of the agency, to pull the slow no-wake ruling in its entirety – again, the reverse of peaceful lake living for township residents.
Accept the win Bloomfield Township. Going slow on a lake means living good.
Over the 17 years since Birmingham developed and implemented its bistro liquor license ordinance, it has become a not only a runaway success in the city, creating small yet diverse dining establishments which have succeeded its primary intention –activating the city's streets in order to generate foot traffic in areas where they are, driving people to the local retailers and merchants. In fact, the ordinance is such a success, it is the model of other similar local ordinances that have been developed in the years since Birmingham started this, with other municipalities around the country replicating it.
Bistros haven't been around forever. In 2007, Birmingham created a bistro liquor ordinance with the goal of invigorating Birmingham's streets.
The current ordinance permits unique restaurants to obtain a liquor license if they have no more than 65 seats, including 10 at the bar, and low key entertainment only, for a small fraction of the cost of a traditional Class C liquor license. The bistro regulations adopted also included requirements for storefront glazing, seating along the storefront windows, and a
requirement that mandates a certain size of outdoor dining. The city commission approves the concept for each bistro license to be given out, with no more than two bistro licenses approved each year, with the exception of two additional licenses for establishments which have been in business for at least five years in the city in their same location.
Since its inception, the bistro ordinance has been a huge success, doing just what it was intended – it has revitalized the downtown retail area of Birmingham, and the outdoor dining patios have become a destination for the metro area. Pedestrian foot traffic increased exponentially following the opening of bistros such as Toast, Townhouse, Luxe, Bella Piatti and numerous others.
Every February, the city commission reviews all of the city's liquor licenses for renewal; as part of the process, city employees review issues regarding the establishments, which can include outstanding taxes and bills, as well as infractions such as too many seats at bistros –which has been a repeat issue at several of the bistros. For some of the restaurants, such as Toast, Bistro Joe's and Market, it has been a
bone of contention quite a few times.
We are referring to bistros having more than their permitted number of seats – 55 in the restaurant and 10 at the bar, as well as a certain formula for outdoor dining. While it may seem petty to some diners or even to the restaurateurs, it is a major concern because of demands on the establishment's infrastructure, from the kitchen, staff and restrooms, to concerns over mobility on the sidewalks and the city's infrastructure.
Bistros, while they appear as full restaurants, have paid $20,000 for their liquor license, versus over $500,000 or more for a full Class C liquor license, which puts no restrictions on seating and hours. If it appears there is an imbalance, there is – and it is a costly one to the Class C liquor license holders. Hence the regulations that accompany issuance of liquor permits to bistros.
We praise the city's enforcement unit during renewal time. It's easy for restaurateurs to get careless with seating and other issues. But monitoring of compliance with the rules must be a year-around effort, not just at license renewal times.
