Birmingham/Bloomfield

INSIDE: SHOPPING BIRMINGHAM FOR HOLIDAYS CASADEI: METRO INTELLIGENCER 90 • GERAK: SOCIAL LIGHTS 95

B I R M I N G H A M

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B L O O M F I E L D

DECMBER 2018

STRUGGLING TO STAFF METRO RESTAURANTS COAL-BASED ENERGY PLANT THREATS TO AIR/WATER OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL POLITICAL GOSSIP ECRWSS Postal Customer EDDM

DOWNTOWNPUBLICATIONS.COM

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ROYAL OAK, MI 48068 PERMIT #792

3+ Acre Wallace Frost Estate City of Bloomfield Hills | $4,990,000

17,000 Sq. Ft. of Luxurious Living City of Bloomfield Hills | $3,900,000

Custom Designed, Steps from Downtown City of Birmingham | $3,479,000

New Build Overlooking Quarton Waterfalls City of Birmingham | $3,349,000

Upper Straits Lakefront City of Orchard Lake | $3,290,000

Unparalleled Amenities Ideal for Entertaining Franklin Village | $3,249,000

100 Ft Sandy Beach and Pool City of Orchard Lake | $2,699,000

Double Lot with 6+ Car Garage City of Orchard Lake | $2,299,999

Quarton Lake Estate on Prime Corner lot City of Birmingham | $1,279,000

Across from Cranbrook School Community City of Bloomfield Hills | $1,200,000

All Sports Lake & Dock Facilities City of Waterford | $1,170,000

Turn-Key Village Home with Designer Updates Bloomfield Township | $1,149,000

5 Acre Build Site in Prime Location City of Bloomfield Hills | $999,000

1.14 Acres Overlooking Gilbert Lake Bloomfield Township | $980,000

Build Site with All-Sports Lake Frontage City of Orchard Lake | $975,000

Fabulous Renovation in Private Setting City of Bloomfield Hills | $859,000

Seasonal Paradise on 9.25 Acres West Bloomfield Township | $799,000

100 Ft. Sandy Beach Build Suite City of West Bloomfield | $689,000

Detroit River Front in Gated Community City of Detroit | $649,000

3 Acre Build Site with Birmingham Schools Franklin Village | $599,000

Contemporary with Spacious Layout Bloomfield Township | $539,000

Bloomfield Hills Schools City of West Bloomfield | $529,000

Recently Updated 5 Bedroom Home Bloomfield Township | $497,000

Mid-Century with Natural Beauty & Great Location Bloomfield Township | $449,000

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KATHERINE SCHUERMAN Client Relations Manager

CANDICE RICH Fine Homes Specialist

DAN GUTFREUND Top Producer

JARED MALECKI Fine Homes Specialist

MICHELLE YURICH Fine Homes Specialist

HOMES THAT INSPIRE. A TEAM THAT DELIVERS. DAN GUTFREUND REALTY GROUP is setting a

new standard for luxury homes and real estate in the state of Michigan. With record-breaking sales, we have shown our unique ability to pair the right buyer with the right seller.

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LAKE FRONT

1500 LONG LAKE | BLOOMFIELD HILLS $3,499,000

4400 PONTIAC TRAIL | ORCHARD LAKE $5,600,000

1055 LARCHLEA DRIVE | BIRMINGHAM $1,799,000

241 NORCLIFF DRIVE | BLOOMFIELD TWP. $869,000

558 STANLEY | BIRMINGHAM $2,499,000

654 SHEPARDBUSH | BIRMINGHAM $1,499,000

NEW PRICE

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32501 ROMSEY | FRANKLIN $599,000

710 KENNEBEC | BLOOMFIELD HILLS $969,000

JUST LISTED

625 BROWN STREET | BIRMINGHAM STARTING FROM $1,999,000 LAKE FRONT

745 WALLACE | BIRMINGHAM $1,699,000 OR $9,800/MO. NEW PRICE

4173 NOBLE ROAD | OXFORD $3,999,999 SOLD

511 WALLACE | BIRMINGHAM $1,149,000

VISIT US AT

iSellMichigan.com

1127 LAKESIDE | BIRMINGHAM $2,249,000

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3151 SHORE DRIVE | ORCHARD LAKE $4,499,000 JUST LISTED

388 GREENWOOD | BIRMINGHAM $1,899,000

YOUR DREAM HOME AWAITS. 123 HILTON WAY | BIRMINGHAM $1,500,000

1481 W. LINCOLN | BIRMINGHAM $499,000 OR $3,200/MO.

204 S GLENGARRY | BLOOMFIELD TWP. $749,000

492 VINEWOOD | BIRMINGHAM $1,499,000

NEW PRICE

3197 CHESTNUT RUN DRIVE | BLOOMFIELD HILLS $1,099,000

608 STANLEY | BIRMINGHAM $2,499,000

3131 ERIE DRIVE | ORCHARD LAKE $1,440,000 JUST LISTED

955 S. BATES | BIRMINGHAM $1,499,000 NEW PRICE

3432 FOX WOODS COURT | WEST BLOOMFIELD $495,000

5350 BREWSTER | ROCHESTER $5,900,000

1845 FLAGSTONE CIRCLE | ROCHESTER $214,000 OR $1,600/MO.

LAKE FRONT

3181 BIG J DRIVE | WHITE LAKE $1,749,000

734 WELLINGTON CIRCLE | ROCHESTER HILLS $934,900

VISIT US AT

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The Westbrown Townhome Development

DAN@SIGNATURESOTHEBYS.COM 248.497.4646 415 S. OLD WOODWARD BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009

TOP PRODUCING AGENTS

DOWNTOWN12.18

36

Surge in new restaurants but not workers While Detroit and the neighboring suburbs are experiencing a burgeoning scene, restaurateurs – here and across the state and country – are finding it more difficult to fill all of the jobs that are critical for the functioning of a dining establishment.

LONGFORM

49

Energy providers talk about eliminating coal burning as a power source at plants, as officials work to relax restrictions while we still face threats to our quality of air and water.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

16

Acrimonious discourse and uncivil behavior have always been an undercurrent in the world of politics, but now we are witnessing an unbridled display thanks to the example set in Washington.

OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL

30

The race for state GOP chairperson; a sore loser in Oakland; potential James-Peters battle for Senate; what the winners hope for; now or never for Patterson; most expensive races; plus more.

CRIME LOCATOR

33

A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format.

MUNICIPAL

65

Township gets AAA rating again; increased assessment on office space in downtown; master plan group selected; government employee raises; safety path program; plus more.

THE COVER Downtown Birmingham prepped for the holidays.

Downtown photo: Laurie Tennent.

Vintage Jewelry Trunk Show From the Collection of World Renowned Collector Carole Tanenbaum Thursday November 29th Friday November 30th Saturday December 1st 10am-6pm

Follow us on Instagram @ TenderBham

271 W Maple Birmingham

Elaina Ryder REALTOR®

Cindy Kahn

CINDY OBRON KAHN

REALTOR®

An Extraordinary Agent Providing Extraordinary Results Year-to-Date/Under Contract Sales of $50+ Million 248.568.7309 | Cindy@CindyKahn.com | CindyKahn.com CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 860 Vaughan Road $5,999,000 Exquisite Mediterranean estate on 2+ acre hilltop setting with rolling hills and beautiful gardens.

Quality finishes throughout the 11,000 total square feet boasting an array of special features.

8,741 Square Feet 6 Bedrooms 7 Full, 1 Half Baths MLS# 217008912

ED T IS L ST U J

BIRMINGHAM 410 Townsend Street $1,850,000 Gorgeous in-town 4400+ total SF end-unit townhome with an abundance of custom details.

Gourmet kitchen accesses blue stone terrace. Finished lower level. Elevator to all three floors.

2,916 Square Feet 3 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths MLS# 218101400

ED T IS L ST U J

BLOOMFIELD 3897 Lakeland Lane $1,800,000 Skillfully designed Tobocman contemporary combines the best of light and space with lovely views of Island Lake. Grand yet intimate spaces are ideal for daily living and entertaining.

5,191 Square Feet 3 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths MLS# 218106650

442 S. Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, MI 48009 HallandHunter.com

EVERY PRICE POINT, SAME SUPERIOR SERVICE

CINDY OBRON KAHN 248.568.7309 | Cindy@CindyKahn.com | CindyKahn.com

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CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 1115 Country Club Road | $3,495,000

BLOOMFIELD 5015 Brookdale Road | $2,999,000

Impressive traditional Georgian colonial on 2.4 acres features significant remodeling by Christoper Longe. Award-winning kitchen & retreat master suite with fireplace, balcony & dual baths.

Over 12,000 SF of stunning living space and quality craftsmanship set on an expansive 3-acre property. First-floor master suite, amazing private in-law suite and indoor/outdoor pool.

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CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 725 Vaughan Road | $2,499,000

BIRMINGHAM 1298 N. Glenhurst Drive | $1,499,000

BLOOMFIELD 4720 W. Wickford | $998,000

Gracious estate nestled on 1.8 acres. Light-filled kitchen opens to outdoor seating. Sparkling pool set in serene, pastoral setting.

Classic elegance and modern design in this updated colonial with outstanding amenities & architectural details throughout.

Lovely estate home in gated Hills of Lone Pine. Natural wooded setting with serene waterfall. Walkout LL. Co-listed with Julie Sosin.

CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 55 Scenic Oaks Drive N | $949,000

BLOOMFIELD 3616 York Court | $799,000

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 5723 Wellwood Drive | $718,000

Rebuilt & redesigned home in secluded enclave feels like northern Michigan. First-floor master suite. Finished LL has 4th BR & full bath.

Light-filled condo in desirable Quarton Orchards. 1st floor master suite. Well-appointed kitchen. Large finished basement.

Beautiful Moceri-built Colonial on picturesque half+ acre in prestigious Hills of Oakland sub. Finished walkout LL. 3-car garage.

TOP AGENT 2012-2017

AREA TOP PRODUCER 2008-2017

TOP 1% OF REALTORS® NATIONALLY

58

Colie Ballard

METRO INTELLIGENCER

90

Writer/reporter Dana Casadei helps us bring back the popular feature – now called Metro Intelligencer – that provides quick takes on what is happening in the world of food and drink in the metro Detroit area.

SOCIAL LIGHTS

95

Society reporter Sally Gerak provides the latest news from the society and non-profit circuit as she covers recent major events.

ENDNOTE

102

Michigan needs to pursue improvements to state foster care program. City commissioners and the morale of an appointed study committee.

FACES

34 47 58 81 85

Emily Kahn George Khalife Colie Ballard Robert Aronson Ellen and Chris Lawson

Holiday shopping is about so much more than simply checking names off your list — it’s about reminding the ones we love just how much they truly mean to us.

From luxurious bath and body goods to exquisite candles and unforgettable fragrances, Mills is the perfect place to find gifts that will delight the people who bring you joy all year long. Start your holiday shopping today by browsing the curated gift guide available on our blog, or stop into our store and let our experts help you find gifts that will make this holiday one to remember.

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1744 W MAPLE RD ∙ BIRMINGHAM 48009 248.644.5060 | MILLSPHARMACY.COM

MON – FRI 9AM - 9PM SAT 9AM - 6PM ∙ SUN 10AM - 3PM

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A

nyone who had hoped that the November mid-term elections would bring to an end the deep cultural divide in our country has realized that nothing much has changed.

The flip of the U.S. House of Representatives to Democrats in the November election brings back memories of what took place during the Clinton years when, from 1993-95, the Democrats controlled both the Senate, House and Administration, then Republicans took control of the House. The result was basically a deadlocked situation which prevented the President from riding roughshod over the public agenda.

Hopefully, the expected gridlock will provide us with some sense of relief, although it will take much more than that to restore the sense of decorum and civility that has been lost during the Trump administration.

We all recognize there is an incendiary aura haunting the nation. While not all of it is the fault of President Trump, certainly his lack of refinement in general and his inclination toward dog-whistle public pronouncements have encouraged unbridled behavior that has only further divided the country.

But when it comes to politics, there has always been a vitriolic undertone that most people never experienced, that is until the last few years when on a national basis the rules of civil interaction were cast aside, giving an almost carte blanche to anyone and everyone to put on public display their inner most thoughts and biases – unfiltered – no matter how vile and offensive to others they may be.

That behavior has been much more pervasive in society than many of us realized until Trump set up shop in the White House.

The field of journalism has given me a front row seat to experience first hand the boiling undercurrent in the general population, starting in the late 1970's in an Oakland County community that was in the midst of transitioning into the modern era from its long-held position as a small town government where conflict of interest, or the appearance of conflict, seemed common place and self-dealing local officials had run things for decades. Those were the days – pre-mobile phones and the internet – when you communicated strictly by land line phones. When we began publishing stories about contracts for building a new fire station being handed out – without competitive bidding – to a relative of the local fire chief, some in the local community imploded and the uncivilized behavior came to the surface. The all night harassment phone calls forced me to go to an unlisted phone number at home.

While at first one might conjure up an image of a less-educated, torch-bearing mob, the unbridled and irrational sentiment is not relegated to any particular class or geography, I have learned after performing my role for the last four decades in this county, as evidenced by some encounters in recent years here in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area. Those incidents have included insulting emails, threatening phone messages and even threats to the very foundation of our business.

Most recently, during the primary election season this year, we had a few unhinged phone callers to the office who literally screamed of “fake news” when their favored candidate was not included in our primary Voter Guide – despite the fact that their cherished office-seeker failed to respond to requests to return our questionnaire, and the candidate's campaign manager response to our request for a face-to-face meeting was that “we can't be bothered.”

There were also a couple of people who complained as we put out our November issue prior to the general election that we only publish letters to the editor from liberal residents – despite assurances that, with few exceptions, we have always published all letters we receive, including those critical of Downtown newsmagazine. As to the November issue, it was simply a matter of no one from the conservative side had written to us for that particular issue.

We have also had some disturbing attempts by a couple of readers to influence the newsmagazine's advertisers, which is the basic underpinning of our

business that allows us to bring you Downtown newsmagazine.

A few of years ago (2015), a woman, whose identity we were able to later determine, took exception to a story we wrote about the changing demographics at area private schools – no longer a bastion for just wealthy Caucasians. She reportedly objected to the phrase “lily white” in a headline and decided to call advertisers in a failed attempt to launch a boycott of Downtown newsmagazine, her pitch to advertisers being that we were guilty of “reverse discrimination” by simple use of that phrasing.

The most dangerous show of ignorance is the attempt in recent weeks by a phone caller – once again a woman – to some of our advertisers, urging them to pull their paid ads because the publication – and yours truly – are too “liberal.” I label it as “ignorance” because our advertisers are part of a community considered one of the most educated geographical areas in the state of Michigan. They are more than capable of deciding what print publication the general public reads on a regular basis and, therefore, what works best for their business, political leanings aside.

Our current issue carries marketing messages from nearly 80 local businesses out of a universe of over 400 businesses that use Downtown on a periodic basis, so obviously the business community is more than willing to support a strong news product.

Just look around and make your own judgement, but we think we produce the best print publication in the area, with a mixture of unbiased hard news coverage of local government, longform features on topics that should be of critical interest to local residents, personality profiles (Faces), business news, dining information and reporting on the social events from the metro area non-profit world which, we often tell people, is mostly underwritten by the residents of our distribution area, who are generous with donations of their time and money.

We also offer opinion on our Endnote page at the back of each issue and in my personal column. We consider ourselves to be conservative on economic issues.

For example, we are not big fans of tax breaks to attract new businesses, or development sprawl at the expense of existing communities, and grandiose and poorly thought out millage requests. We are wonkish, if you will, when it comes to understanding how government should function because we have followed it for decades – a vantage point few other observers enjoy.

We are not hesitant to say we lean to the liberal side on social issues. Our mission, when it comes to social issues, is to fight to preserve and expand on the rights we have all enjoyed and to serve as the canary in the coal mine when it comes to quality of life issues, such as the environment, as one example. What we do is for the benefit of local residents, and the generations that follow us.

We think our advertisers appreciate the quality of the product we produce and our passionate effort. We know that the vast majority of local residents enjoy receiving Downtown newsmagazine each month because many of you have taken time to tell us so.

We make no apology for offering our opinions, which we consider an obligation of any legitimate publication. As to the attempt to intimidate our advertisers or harm us by doing so, we certainly won't be cowered or silenced by ill-informed or misguided callers who think they can impose their will or political agenda on the public.

SIDENOTE: My November column on the three state-wide ballot issues erred in referring to the recreational marijuana issue as a constitutional amendment, which it was not. The pot proposal was a legislative initiative that made the ballot through a petition drive. My thanks to a couple of observant readers who brought this to my attention.

David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@DowntownPublications.com

MATTHILDUR x MARK KELLER FLAGSHIP • 929 S. ETON • BIRMINGHAM • 586.202.0008 THURSDAY ● FRIDAY ● SATURDAY 11:00AM – 6:00PM OR BY APPOINTMENT WWW.MATTHILDUR.COM INSTAGRAM: @MATTHILDUR.OFFICIAL & FACEBOOK: MATTHILDUR.OFFICIAL

PUBLISHER David Hohendorf NEWS EDITOR Lisa Brody NEWS STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Hillary Brody Anchill | Dana Casadei Kevin Elliott | Sally Gerak | Austen Hohendorf Bill Seklar | Judith Harris Solomon | Julie Yolles PHOTOGRAPHY/CONTRIBUTORS Laurie Tennent | Chris Ward Laurie Tennent Studio VIDEO PRODUCTION/CONTRIBUTOR Garrett Hohendorf Giant Slayer ADVERTISING DIRECTOR David Hohendorf ADVERTISING SALES Mark Grablowski GRAPHICS/IT MANAGER Chris Grammer OFFICE 124 W. Maple Birmingham MI 48009 248.792.6464 DISTRIBUTION/SUBSCRIPTIONS Mailed monthly at no charge to most homes in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills. Additional free copies distributed at high foot-traffic locations in downtown Birmingham.

For those not receiving a free mail copy, paid subscriptions are available for a $12 annual charge. To secure a paid subscription, go to our website (downtownpublications.com) and click on “subscriptions” in the top index and place your order online or scan the QR Code here.

INCOMING/READER FEEDBACK We welcome feedback on both our publication and general issues of concern in the Birmingham/Bloomfield community. The traditional “letters to the editor” in Downtown are published in our Incoming section and can include written letters or electronic communication.

Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 W. Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009.

If you are using the mail option, you must include a phone number for verification purposes.

WEBSITE downtownpublications.com

FACEBOOK facebook.com/downtownpublications TWITTER twitter.com/downtownpubs OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL oaklandconfidential.com Member of Downtown Publications DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM/BLOOMFIELD DOWNTOWN ROCHESTER/ROCHESTER HILLS

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Selected by DAYSPA Magazine as one of the most beautiful places to relax, Rivage Day Spa is located in the heart of downtown Birmingham, and the perfect destination for your holiday gathering or corporate event. Hosting over 100 events annually, Rivage can accommodate any holiday gathering ranging from 10-65 guests.

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OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL 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: OaklndConfidential@DowntownPublications.com. All sources are kept strictly confidential. The gossip column can be viewed at OaklandConfidential.com.

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NOWHERE TO RUN: Poor, sad, lonely oil heiress Lena Epstein. First, she lost the Congressional campaign for the 11th District to Democrat Haley Stevens, turning the gerrymandered Republican seat, currently held by Republican Representative David Trott, blue. Then the Bloomfield Township Republican spent the day after the election calling GOP insiders to float her name as the next Michigan Republican Party chair – which word is, she has no chance at getting. A top Michigan Republican said, “She is the joke of the Republican Party. The party is not even considering her. I LEONARD wouldn’t vote for her for Girl Scout leader. Hey, the President didn’t even endorse her (in her race for the 11th),” Instead, the competition to replace current Michigan Republican Party chair Ron Weiser in February looked to be between current Speaker of the House, and failed Attorney General candidate Tom Leonard (R-Dewitt) and state Representative Laura Cox (R-Livonia), who didn’t win her state Senate bid. In a statement, Cox said the election “was disappointing, but 2020 is right around the corner and we need to start working to make sure we win Michigan for President Trump.” Leonard similarly said his top priority as chairman COX “would be the reelection of President Donald J. Trump.” On November 14, the Trump campaign endorsed Cox – “and you fall in line when the President picks their chair,” a politico noted. Sure enough, on November 15, Leonard announced he was no longer running for the position. No word on Epstein, but the deed is done.

NOWHERE TO HIDE: Former Republican Senate candidate John James is not looking in the rear view mirror, according to those who have spoken to him. James, who ran against Democrat U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow as she cruised to her fourth term, may not have won, but he came closer than any of her previous opponents, with a 52 percent to 46 percent loss, having narrowed an over 20-point gap in late October/early November in a charm attack.

JAMES James, who wasn’t recruited for the Senate campaign but encouraged by fellow leaders in YPO – which stands for Young Presidents Organization, a global leadership PETERS group of presidents and CEOs under 50 – and is motivated to go for another run, in 2020, against U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D), who beat Republican Terri Lynn Land in 2014. “His (James’) numbers were higher than (gubernatorial candidate Bill) Schuette’s, and he came in with nothing,” said one Republican fundraiser. “He’s not going to stop. He’s got the donors lined up.”

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY: The cost of running for office in Michigan reached an all-time high as 2018 was some of the most expensive races in the state’s history. More than $291 million was spent this year on election campaigns, including those for governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state house, supreme court and state senate. Craig Mauger with the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, who compiled totals prior to upcoming disclosure deadlines, said the total is expected to rise as more numbers become available. That total doesn’t include Michigan’s 8th Congressional District race that pitted incumbent Republican Mike Bishop (R-Rochester/Rochester Hills) against Democrat Congresswoman-elect Elissa Slotkin, and tallied about $26.7 million in spending. That race – the most expensive Congressional race in Michigan history – included about $16.6 million in spending by outside PACs and political organizations, as well as $10.1 million by the candidates. Oakland County also was the battleground for some of the most expensive state House and Senate races in the Michigan, including: $2.1 million spent in the 13th Senate District (Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, Rochester Hills) between current incumbent Republican Senator Marty Knollenberg and Democrat Senatorelect Mallory McMorrow; $1.72 million spent in the 12th Senate District (Bloomfield Township, north Oakland area) between Republican Mike McCready and Democrat Senator-elect Rosemary Bayer.

DOWNTOWN

12.18

Gift Certificates

WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO: Save for Representative Michael Webber (RRochester, Rochester Hills) of the 45th District, readers of Downtown will have all new state and congressional legislators come January. Webber will be Assistant Floor Leader in the new state House session, where Representative Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) has been named Speaker of the House. Incoming state Representative Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township), for the 40th District, said that she didn’t have her committee assignments yet, a week after the election. Her background is in the State Department.

Incoming state Senator Mallory McMorrow (D-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, Rochester Hills) said she is hoping for committee assignments in Michigan Competitiveness and Energy WEBBER and Technology. The new state Senator for the 13th District, who beat Republican Senator Marty Knollenberg, is excited that incoming Senator/Representative Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), elected as the Democratic caucus Floor Leader, asked her to be Assistant Floor Leader. Incoming Senator Rosemary Bayer, for the 12th District, said, “The things I heard throughout the campaign are that education is not working and school funding isn’t working; from Pontiac to Lake Orion to Bloomfield Township, people have environmental and water concerns; and they’re concerned about the costs of insurance – auto, health and prescriptions.” As a technocrat and a data specialist, she said she is looking to work with leadership to leverage her skills. In Washington, Haley Stevens, Democrat for the 11th Congressional district, is looking to sit on the Education and Workforce and Transportation and Infrastructure committees, as well as to join caucuses to help her work on issues related to manufacturing.

Incoming 8th District Representative Elissa Slotkin (D) is interested in serving on two committees, one relevant to her background, the House Armed Services Committee, and the other highly-focused on the district, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. We didn’t hear back from Democrat Andy Levin, elected to the 9th congressional seat, but can imagine Education and Workforce would be top of his list, as that has been top of his agenda, as is Energy and Technology.

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS: We’ve been hearing rumors for months – months! – that Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson was going to step down after this November’s general election, in order to appoint a successor who would be firmly in place for 2020, when the seat is up. Some we contacted are insiders who speculated it could be true, that they’ve never seen Brooks as frail or as tired as he is now, who was first elected to the post in 1992, as he was critically injured in a car accident in 2012 (when he was overwhelmingly reelected while in a coma), and recovery has been difficult.

Others scoff at the idea that Brooks, 79, would leave one second before midnight of his final term, which he has said of this, his seventh. Those who play the dice could speculate that the game changed on Tuesday, November 6 – when for the first time since 1976, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners flipped their majority from Republican to Democrat – and they’re the ones who appoint a new executive if there is an opening, meaning that if Brooks is going to step down, he better do it before January 1, when those new Democratic commissioners take office. Rumors are that Brooks, and the current county board, would want Sheriff Michael Bouchard to become the new county exec – but Democrats would definitely prefer a chief of a different stripe.

BEAUTIFUL LOSER: A “blue wave” on November 6 that washed over Oakland County apparently left Republican Oakland County Commissioner Tom Berman with a red face. Berman, who lost his re-election bid for the 5th District seat (Waterford, West Bloomfield, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake, Sylvan Lake) to Democratic challenger Kristen Nelson by less than 500 votes, took to Facebook on election night while processing the loss. “Regretfully, I got swept out by the ‘blue wave’ that decimated so many Republicans tonight. I did outperform most, but what’s so disappointing is that my loss is NELSON really an indictment of our extremely polarizing two-party system,” Berman wrote on Facebook. “I’d normally give my challenger credit, where credit is due, but my opponent was merely a nameless and faceless D on the ballot. She does not have anywhere close to the education, professional and governmental experience or credentials close to being as well qualified, capable and competent as not only me, but anyone that should be put in the position as a member of the Board of Commissioners.” The entire post was later taken down. Replacing it was a November 9 post thanking those who voted for him, with hopes that Nelson would serve the district well. downtownpublications.com

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FACES

Emily Kahn nce people hear that Emily Kahn works in the fashion industry they often assume a lot about her job. She’s the first to say most of it isn’t true.

“Everyone’s like, ‘Oh my god, that must be so cool. You must be meeting all these celebrities,’” she laughed. “And it’s not like that at all.

“People just think this kind of role, and fashion in general, is so glamorous,” she continued. “There’s definitely a lot of hard work that goes in to it. A lot of sleepless nights, a lot of prepping, a lot of behind the scenes work.”

Before you ask yes, the Bloomfield Township native does go to Europe a few times a year, including during Paris Fashion Week, but she isn’t sitting at runway shows next to the likes of Anna Wintour.

She and her co-workers can be found in their suite, showing clients the designers – up-and-coming and more established – they represent at High Alchemy Showroom, where Kahn has been an account manager for the last year.

Everyday is jam-packed, even when not in Europe. Take for example the week we did our interview. It was early November and Kahn was in the middle of doing a trunk show at Birmingham’s TENDER, where she showcased clothes by two of the designers she represents for High Alchemy.

TENDER is one of the hundreds – literally, hundreds – of stores Kahn checks in on throughout the year.

“I’m just here to help sell and bring people to the store,” said Kahn, who graduated from Andover High School and Indiana University. “It’s a great way to get customers in the door for an event.”

Kahn does a lot more than just help sell. She's a stylemaker, making sure the sales associates know the merchandise as well as she does, and that product is moving. If not, she helps figure out why that’s the case.

When she’s in the New York office it’s more checking in with stores and re-ordering merchandise, and meeting clients – by appointment only – at the showroom, which Kahn described as super-relaxed and homey.

“It’s kind of like a one-stop shop for stores that come in and buy 10 to 12 lines from us,” said Kahn, who described her own style as a little funky.

That may sound like an overwhelming amount of clothes lines, but Kahn has spent most of her life surrounded by them.

During her childhood, she could be found after school at her mom’s former Birmingham clothing store for children, Kiddlywinks, right across the street from TENDER. “I was the girl who showed everyone where the dressing room was,” she said. “I think that really influenced me in wanting to be in the industry.”

Said industry is where she hopes to spend the rest of her career, to work her way up to possibly vice president of sales at a company – nothing too corporate, though.

Kahn envisions herself working for one brand, probably someone up-and coming she can help grow, like she does now with some designers at High Alchemy. She doesn’t have one designer in particular picked out, but there is one thing she needs in a future employer.

“I want to make sure that I love the brand,” Kahn said. “I think it’s so important to love what you sell.”

And what you do – even if it isn’t as glamorous as everyone assumes.

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Story: Dana Casadei

Photo: Laurie Tennent

BATTLE OVER BURGEONING RESTAURANT SCENE INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF The resurgence and gentrification of the city of Detroit has been epitomized by a burgeoning and exciting dining scene that is echoed throughout the metropolitan area. Seemingly every day, a new restaurant is opened with a novel and innovative menu in a cool and creative atmosphere. Investors are hopping on the bandwagon, eager to sprinkle their fairy dust in a city seen rising from the ashes of bankruptcy, or in vibrant pockets of suburbia. After decades of fallow dining, we're now in the throes of creative feasting.

The only blip on this thriving horizon? An unemployment rate of four percent in Michigan – essentially full employment – leaving restaurateurs labor-challenged and increasingly short staffed.

It's not a problem unique to the restaurant industry.

Amazon chose to split the choice of its second headquarters – which Detroit had bid on, but was not chosen in the first round – between Long Island City, Queens, in New York, and Crystal City in Northern Virginia, near Washington DC, due to a concern about finding 50,000 employees in one city. There are still concerns about finding 25,000 qualified workers in each of those locations – cities that already attract the young and educated.

Foxconn Technology Group, which has a large plant under construction in Wisconsin, is considering

BY LISA

DINING OUT RUNS UP AGAINST REALITY: WORKERS FOR STAFFING bringing in personnel from China to help staff the facility, according to the Wall Street Journal, as it struggles to find engineers and other workers in this tight labor market.

“This is the biggest issue,” noted chef and restaurateur Zack Sklar, chef/owner of Peas & Carrots Hospitality Group, which currently has 11 restaurants in metro Detroit, including Social Kitchen, Mex and Beau's Grillery, as well as in Chicago and Grand Rapids.

“Everyone has a couple bucks in their pocket. There's all this development and everyone wants to put in a restaurant. Every hotel needs food service; every hospital needs a commissary; every new building wants a restaurant. There's not enough people to manage all this. It affects quality and turnover is extremely expensive.”

Bill Roberts, proprietor, Roberts Restaurant Group, which includes Beverly Hills Grill, Bill's, Streetside Seafood, Cafe ML, Roadside B&G and Town Tavern, said, “It's a different market for staff, period, in the metro area – and it's the same all over the country.

“Unemployment is lower,” Roberts continued, noting the difficulty in finding staff members all the way down the restaurant level, from managers to cooks, servers and dishwashers. “It makes you work harder to take care of your team, to keep your staff. You have to keep talking to your people.”

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DOWNTOWN

12.18

Metro Detroit foodies have been enjoying a cornucopia of new and previously unheard of dining options in the last few years, with adventurous and innovative chefs and owners taking the reins and venturing into what had previously been a “food desert” in Detroit, at the same time invigorating formerly desolate blocks and neighborhoods. Early pioneers like Andy Hollyday at Selden Standard and Greg Holm of the former Antietam restaurant paved the way for recent Detroit entrees Lady of the House, Prime & Proper, Besa, SheWolf, Grey Ghost, Marrow, and oh so many others, including ones that have come and gone, as well as many more on the horizon that are looking to open. he suburbs have seen an explosion of dining options at all ends of the economic and dining spectrum as well.

Just take a look at Big Beaver Road in Troy, with one chain restaurant after another, from Eddie V's Prime Seafood, from the owners of The Capital Grille, to Kona Grill, Shake Shack, Stoney River Steakhouse, Granite City Food & Brewery, Bonefish Grill, Sedona Taphouse, and soon, Yard House and Seasons 52. Independents such as Cantoro Italian Trattoria and Gran Castor have also opened recently in Troy.

While each and every one symbolizes another notch on the belt of the economic boom, every single one requires dozens of staffers – from those in the back of the house, such as sous chefs and line cooks to dishwashers, to the front of the house, where waitstaff, bartenders, bar backs, hostesses and management must be hired for every restaurant.

“The explosion started about seven, eight years ago with restaurants opening in Ferndale and Royal Oak – like Vinsetta Garage and Crispelli's. Then you had Ferndale. Then in the last five years, there's been the explosion in Detroit with all the restaurants. It's impacted the quality of everything,”said Joe Vicari, founder and CEO, Andiamo Restaurant Group.

“My perspective is – if you're an outsider looking to get in the restaurant business, it's going to be harder with the overabundance,” said Aaron Belen, principal, AFB Hospitality Group, owner of Bistro 82 and The Morrie in Royal Oak, and soon, in Birmingham. “That Big Beaver corridor has really been an explosion. Royal Oak is feeling it a little bit more because of Detroit; Birmingham is feeling it because of Troy.”

He noted quality is always an issue, and the labor shortage impacts that. “Our mantra is to leave the ego at home.”

Detroit and local suburbs are not the only restaurant market undergoing a transformation and a boom. From Grand Rapids to South Haven to Petoskey, gourmets are on the move.

Northern Michigan, long the home of “the planked whitefish,” is enjoying a surge of small and unique bistros and restaurants as tourists from all over the country have been visiting the last several years and real estate values have skyrocketed after the Great Recession. But what that has meant for restaurateurs there as well is a labor shortage.

“We're in a bubble,” said chef/owner Eric Patterson of The Cook's House in Traverse City, who believes the market there is oversaturated.

“It'll be interesting to see what happens. On the other hand, it's good because you can't serve mediocre food. If you're going to serve whitefish, you better make it damn good.”

He said the area is getting “good chefs who are coming up here to open restaurants, who are choosing to come up here because it's so good. As for labor, there is a worldwide shortage of qualified cooks – you can no longer find good cooks to man your lines. Even dishwashers are hard to find.”

There's a further ripple effect, and Roberts said it's simple Economics 101 – “It's supply and demand. The shortage of staff is causing salaries to increase. Every industry in metro Detroit is having to pay more for people than before.”

“Every time we open a restaurant, the pay scale increases,” Vicari concurs. “They won't work for minimum wage. You can't get them to

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work (often at all) – even dishwashers. High school kids don't want to be dishwashers. We're reaching out to different ethnic groups.

Bengalis, Indians – they seem to have a good work ethic – we use them at our downtown (Andiamo) restaurant and at Joe Muer's Seafood. They're busboys, bar backs and dishwashers. In the suburbs, it's tough. We use Mexicans and Hispanics. We try to go to high schools. We look for kids who play sports – they have a better work ethic. We'll go to the Brother Rice football coach and say, after the season – but between studying and training year-round and community service, we get a few, but not as many as we need.

“It's the biggest issue,” he commiserated.

If you're an employee, that's terrific. If you're an employer, it's impacting your bottom line. And that means, if you're a restaurant, prices are going up on menus, Roberts said.

“The chains drive up wages because they're opening a place and they'll do whatever it takes,” Roberts said, pointing out all the new chain restaurants on Big Beaver Road in Troy. “They take from competitors.”

“Now when someone comes to town, I'm a target,” said Peas & Carrots Sklar. “They say, 'well, he was a chef at Social.' So they'll offer him $20,000 more to someone, because they're developers or a chain restaurant, and they can spend the money. So now we're a target, and other restaurants like mine, and I can't keep up with that money.”

The National Restaurant Association, a restaurant industry business association representing more than 380,000 establishments across the United States, reported that in 2017, 37 percent of its members said that labor recruitment was its top challenge, up from 15 percent in 2015. In an industry with very low profit margins, leaving little room for restaurateurs to increase wages, as other businesses usually do in a tight labor market, restaurant owners are looking for all sorts of ways to incentivize their employees.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in data cited by U.S. Foods, reported that nearly two million new restaurant jobs are expected to be created by 2025 as the restaurant industry continues to expand.

“I'm not sure there is an industry that is more competitive or has a more fickle customer base than the restaurant industry,” noted Justin Winslow, president and CEO, Michigan Restaurant Association.

In Michigan, Winslow said that 62 percent of members said their number one concern is their ability to recruit and retain employees.

“It's really a challenge,” he said.

Winslow said owners reported that the concern has caused wages to increase. “In 2018, there has been a 6.7 percent increase in wages,” he said. “That is substantial – that is the direness of the situation,” noting the proliferation of restaurants is at a high.

“Southeast Michigan is feeling the benefits of the economy,” Winslow noted. “Detroit coming out of bankruptcy lowered the barriers for young entrepreneurs. Everyone felt they had the opportunity for investment.”

Winslow noted there has been benefits to the boom.

“A lot of very creative restaurants have been developed,” in the last few years, he said. “Southeast Michigan hasn't had this much opportunity or diversity in a very long time.” hile restaurateurs view the shortage of labor, and the subsequent increase in wages, as a significant business challenge, for workers in the field, it can be an opportunity, providing a chance for them to earn a living wage, hold down one job, rather than several, pay off student loans, and rise from a low-income worker to middle-income level.

Téofilo L. Reyes PhD, research director with Restaurant Opportunities Center United, as well as a visiting scholar at Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California Berkeley, said a labor shortage should lead to rise in wages.

“A labor shortage does lead to a greater turnover in staff,” Reyes

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pointed out, although “for those employers who do pay higher wages, it leads to reduced turnover and an increased investment in the success of the establishment.”

The swell in local dining options has altered the circumstances for many restaurant workers, he said – but it can also be a double-edge sword.

“Workers can leave an establishment and quickly find another employer,” Reyes said. “But they can just as easily be terminated.”

Local restaurateurs concurred that workers can – and are – easily finding work all over. They also expressed their concerns and hesitations about terminating staff – because of the difficulties in replacing and training them. Couple that with the millennial generation, those born between 1981 and 1997, and restaurateurs are finding themselves between the proverbial rock and a hard place. ccording to the Pew Research Organization, most millennials were between five and 20 when 9/11 took place, and grew up in the shadow of the Iraq and Afghan wars and came of age during the height of the Great Recession. Social media and technology are primary and immediate parts of their way of communicating. Because of the upheavals they societally experienced during their formative years, they are considered more “self-absorbed” than baby boomers, and more interested in experiences and immediacy.

“It's crazy. We've lost some servers and some managers – but mostly servers – without any notice,” said Andiamo's Vicari. “They just get up and go. They're all for themselves.”

Scott LePage, owner with his father and mother, Norman and Bonnie LePage of Big Rock Chophouse and Griffin Claw Brewing Company in Birmingham and the new Lumen restaurant in Beacon Park in Detroit, along with other restaurants, said, “You could literally walk out the door in Detroit and be hired at any establishment within a half-hour.”

That said, he loves being open in Detroit after decades in the suburbs, from Wolverine Lake to Birmingham to Rochester Hills.

“It's awesome down there. It's been incredible,” he said.

But, the business is as difficult as others have said, and those

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working in it, notably the millennial generation, are a different breed.

“The restaurant business is very competitive, and there's no unemployment,” LePage said, noting it has even effected his business at his breweries. “You pay through the nose (for labor) or you get the bottom of the barrel. And I want the best if I'm paying for it.

“This new generation, coming of age, is a new dynamic,” he continued. “The industry I grew up in – it was 'how many cuts do I have on my fingers and how many burns on my hands.' Not today.

Today, I'm holding their hands.”

LePage said that what is cool about the generation is “they know how to get things done more creatively. When I was coming up, I never saw daylight. Not these kids. Quality of life is a big part of the equation for them. It's huge. Our average hours when I was growing up for managers were 60 to 65 hours a week. Now, they are getting it done in 45 to 50 hours a week.”

On the converse, he is also seeing some lawyers, nurses, teachers, and other professionals deciding to chuck it all and return to the restaurant or brewery business rather than continue in a field they really don't enjoy.

“At the brewery (Griffin Claw), we have lawyers working there,” he said. “We're going to have a nurse coming over from Beaumont (Hospital) who decided nursing is too regimented. She has her pension, and she's coming over to us.

“It's amazing how many kids who put themselves through school working for us, and after getting their degrees in teaching or nursing, or something, and unemployment is zero – it's not as great as they thought. It's competitive. They have to move to Detroit or downriver, and they don't like it. They decide it's not worth it, and they come back and work for us again, as a manager.”

Zack Sklar, noting that while he is on the tail end of the millennial generation, he has been a chef for 18 years, and studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He opened his first business, Cutting Edge Cuisine, a catering business still operating, 10 years ago.

“My first job, I made $6.50 an hour. I was in high school, working 40 hours on top of going to school,” he recalled of his time working at Emily's in Northville with Chef Rick Halberg and Loving Spoonful in Farmington Hills with Chef Shawn Loving. “I remember for a while my mom would drive me to work. Then, when I got my own license, I was petrified to be late. I wanted to be a professional. I wanted to be a chef.

Money wasn't the driver. I understand you had to earn your stripes.

Restaurant training/education opportunities Every kid who likes to cook and who dreams of being a chef doesn't necessarily need to head to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, nor sharpen their knives in kitchens in Paris or Rome.

There are culinary arts programs locally that can provide excellent training and opportunities.

For front of the house options, Michigan State University's School of Hospitality Business offers management training programs that place students in numerous food and beverage jobs. And the Michigan Restaurant Association has developed Growth Start with OTech in Oakland County, where it is helping students learn culinary arts.

“We're working with students so they can be future leaders in their industry,” said Justin Winslow, president and CEO, Michigan Restaurant Association (MRA). “We're starting

on the ground floor where they can learn.”

Winslow said workforce development is a huge challenge. “This is a way of creating a workforce in Detroit,” he said. The MRA is also working with the non-profit Operation Able, which works to meet the employment and financial stability needs of mature individuals, and to assist employers to find a stable workforce, along with Mayor Duggan.

“We're training people and converting them into workers,” Winslow said.

He said they're also working with nonviolent offenders with the Department of Corrections to help alleviate labor shortages, as well as creating an apprenticeship development program with the U.S. Department of Labor.

“About 70 percent of our members said they're willing to hire non-violent offenders.

It's the ultimate rehabilitation,” he noted.

“Restaurants are open to this.”

In Livonia, Schoolcraft College offers a well-regarded culinary arts advanced associate's degree, which “provides the skills necessary to enter food service occupations at advanced levels.” The technical portion of the curriculum prepares students in quality food preparation, advanced food preparation, cost control, portion control, quantity baking, quantity pastry, advanced pastry, meat cutting, garde manger (French for “keeper of the food,”or how to choose, keep, preserve foods such as salads, cold soups, meats, and cheeses), dining room operations and classical cooking techniques.

In addition, students learn food purchasing and storage functions, menu formulation, terminology and decorative culinary skills, as well as culinary sanitation. Other courses include butchery, chemistry of food for

“Today, things have changed. The world is more fast-paced,” Sklar said. “Now kids are on Instagram. They're wearing Prada and Rolex and posting trips to Bali. They say, 'I can't earn $6.50 an hour.' But you can't come out of school and earn $80,000 a year.”

Sklar said that also, because it is an employees market, “if they show late, don't show up at all, call in sick, if you fire them, they don't care,” because, as LePage said, there's another job down the street that is available to them within the hour.

“Everyone is looking at it as a stepping stone,” noted Dan Sutter, general manager at Ann Arbor's Knight's Steakhouse. He acknowledged that when he started with the restaurant, “I never thought I'd be a manager. The mindset is that 'This isn't going to be my full-time job.'” Knight's has two locations, one downtown, and the original on the west side of the city, which has been there since 1952.

He said they have been able to retain people “a little longer than others because our owners treat people very well.”

Noting that the industry has a very high turnover, and “what you can afford to pay someone for a job may not be what they want to earn, so we give them a raise right away,” Sutter said. “Entry level jobs especially are hard to fill,” noting that nobody wants to wash dishes.

“It's said but true,” he said, of the difficulty of finding dishwashers, although he said they have more turnover in the front of the house, with servers and hostesses.

Traverse City's Eric Patterson said he and his restaurant values dishwashers as much – or more – than cooks and chefs.

“I would rather go a night without a cook than a night without a dishwasher,” Patterson said. “A dishwasher is essential – it's the most important position in the kitchen.”

Reyes, of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, believes they have the answer to the labor shortage, and it is definitely not one that is widely shared.

“The way to rectify it is we're supportive of a minimum wage and riddance of a sub-minimum wage,” Reyes said.

“We're big believers in a livable wage, especially for our core staff,” Patterson said.

The minimum wage Reyes and his organization is supportive of is $12 an hour.

The current tipped minimum wage in Michigan for restaurant servers and bartenders is $3.52 an hour, compared to the state's minimum hourly wage for other workers at $9.25. The reason behind the tipped minimum wage is that restaurant servers and bartenders

culinary arts, and charcuterie. Students who apply have to already have professional cooking skills and techniques.

The Schoolcraft culinary arts program is a two-year degree program which is certified by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF). “Accreditation assures that a program is meeting standards and competencies set for faculty, curriculum and student services,” the school said.

At their Orchard Ridge Campus in Farmington Hills, Oakland Community College has a Culinary Studies Institute which “has been preparing aspiring chefs for a career in the food and beverage industry for decades. Dining at your favorite restaurants, you may be currently enjoying one of our alums' cuisines.”

The school also offers two restaurants, Ridgewood Cafe, where menu items are made from scratch daily by students, and Reflections Restaurant, offering a prix fixe menu, on campus that are operated to provide their culinary students the opportunity to

are tipped on checks, making up at least that difference. Many servers earn many times that amount per hour, depending on the restaurant, the number of tables they have, if there is alcohol on the tab, their ability, and other factors.

There was an attempt to put the issue on the November ballot here in Michigan. ne Fair Wage was a campaign supported by Restaurant Opportunities Center, which is considered a progressive labor group, worked in Michigan, New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia to increase the minimum wages of servers and to eliminate the tipped minimum wage. The group ran a petition drive in 2018 to get the minimum wage increase on the ballot, which was challenged by the Michigan Restaurant Association, representing businesses and restaurant owners, who opposed the increase. It would have been on the November ballot as a voter-approved initiative, but on September 5, 2018, the Michigan legislature voted to gradually increase the state minimum wage from $9.25 in 2018 to $12 in 2022, and for tipped workers, to increase the minimum wage by 48 percent in 2019, 80 percent in 2022 – and 100 percent increase in 2024, at which point the tip credit would gradually be phased out.

Because it was done by the state legislature, and not voted on by the state's voters, there is always the possibility of it being killed through legislation, since changes in passed laws require only a majority vote. If it had been passed as a ballot initiative, it would have required a two-thirds vote of the state legislature to change. And the current lame duck session of the legislature – which has overwhelming Republican majorities in both houses, and a Republican governor – is currently discussing scaling back those minimum wage increases and the tip credit phase out.

“Adopting this proposal only to gut it in lame duck is a slap in the face to Michigan’s 1.3 million tipped workers,” said actress Jane Fonda said in a statement released by the One Fair Wage petition committee.

Fonda has been working with One Fair Wage across the country to increase the wages of tipped workers.

Bill Roberts said that for his six establishments, if the measure had

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train in a real world setting. In addition there is Ridgewood Bakery, featuring an assortment of breads, pies, Danish, cookies and other pastries make in-house by baking program students.

As at Schoolcraft, OCC's Culinary Arts program is accredited with the American Culinary Federation and offers an advanced associate's degree. “The design of the curriculum is to prepare the student for a career in culinary arts that may lead to executive chef with industry experience, should they seek it,” OCC said. “CSI faculty are experienced professionals dedicated to student learning and skill development in their classrooms, restaurants, and special events. In addition to hands-on cooking and baking course work, students learn guest services, cost analyses, menu development, wine and spirits, and event planning.”

Students also participate in food competitions and can be a part of their ice carving team.

Michigan State University has one of the

best hospitality schools in the country, part of the Eli Broad College of Business. Professor Allan Sherwin, who is also a longtime chef whose family has been involved in the restaurant and hospitality business on the East coast since the 1890s, said the school does not provide culinary training “but offers a four-year degree in the hospitality business.

It provides a management perspective in the food and beverage business. It gives academic and financial training, and has them do 800 hours of an internship at business which we have relationships with.”

He said most MSU graduates will go to work for Marriott, Hilton or another chain, “and many are ensconced in a family business or own franchises.”

Sherwin noted the restaurant and hospitality has changed over the years, “but all the fine restaurants need cooks.”

He advised aspiring chefs and cooks “to work in a really good place ‘til three in the morning and get the experience, then open your own place.”

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been allowed on the ballot and passed, it would have cost him approximately $1.5 million more a year – which he believed could have potentially been an insurmountable amount.

“There is a lot of pent up demand among low wage workers – to eat out, for retail. So if they are paid more, they will reinvest it back into the economy,” Reyes said. “Consumers might see a slight increase in menu prices. From polling consumers, they say they are more than willing to pay an increase in menu prices so workers can earn more.”

Winslow disagreed. “From a restaurant's bottom line, you can increase menu prices, but you can only do that for so long before it costs you sales. You can't expand to new locations if you can't staff it properly.”

“The consumer will not pay $25 for a hamburger,” Sklar said.

“Further, some of my wait staff make $70,000, $80,000 a year,” and they would not want to get rid of tips for a $12 minimum wage.

“As for expansion plans – what's holding us back is, we don't have the depth of people to move around to open new places,” Bill Roberts said, noting that previously, when he opened new establishments, he could transfer a trained manager, cook, wait staff to a new place without impacting his recognized locations. “I was just talking about this with Chef Patrick Roettele and Carl Volk (director of operations) – do we really want a new place when we can't staff the places we have?” ith 25 managers in place now, Roberts said they are constantly teaching, training, and chefs are always creating new menus and menu items.

“We're doing well now,” he said, “but every day is a challenge. The reason the Grill (Beverly Hills Grill) is 30 years old is because of consistency.”

“The margins in owning a restaurant is 10 percent – it's a thin margin,” said Andiamo's Joe Vicari. “When they took away parking in Royal Oak, and we were losing 15 percent – and in winter, we'll be down 30 to 40 percent – we're losing money. It wasn't worth staying there.”

Winslow explained that the success in defeating the $12 minimum wage and maintaining tipped wage has been crucial.

“There are plenty of staffers who are making six figure incomes,” he said. “Even (some) coney island workers are making $16 to $22 an hour,” because there are faster turns of the table, he said, of the allegations that some workers at less expensive establishments actually want the higher minimum wage.

Winslow said what will happen because of both the shortage of workers and the rise in salaries is twofold: there were be a simplification of menus, which many restaurateurs said is already occurring; and greater automation in restaurants.

In Minneapolis and San Francisco, two cities where $15 an hour minimum wage for servers was approved and no tip credit, the effect has been a significant increase in establishments that have reduced wait staff, putting in kiosks or iPads for patrons to order from, and then having servers run out the food to them, or having patrons pick up their food from counters, even at moderate price point establishments.

“There's a lot of concern about how automation will affect the industry,” Reyes acknowledged.

“If the minimum wage goes up to $12 an hour, you can't pass on the increase, so you have get rid of wait staff,” Sklar said, bearing in mind that patrons come to a restaurant for more than just food, but for the total experience. “Human capital is the most important ingredient in a restaurant.”

With the increase in the number of new restaurants in metro Detroit has come the debate as to “What is a chef?” and “When does someone go from being a sous chef to an executive chef?”

They're questions that are debated by chefs and restaurateurs as well as diners.

“Chefs. I've always thought people throw that term around loosely,”

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acknowledged Big Rock's Scott LePage. “In Detroit, there are too many people claiming they're chefs. You can usually tell the guys who don't have trained chefs, versus those who are cooks.”

LePage said he went to the Culinary Institute of America, “but I'm not a chef,” because he has not gone through the thorough steps to consider himself one.

“At Big Rock (Chophouse) and Lumen, we have chefs,” he said. “At our other places, we have cooks who follow our chefs' recipes and orders – but they're not chefs. At Griffin Claw and Clubhouse BFD (in Rochester Hills), we use kitchen managers (who take directions from chefs). I think it's important to have it that way.”

“Everybody's a chef – and everybody wants to be 'the chef,' which is irritating,” said Traverse City's Eric Patterson, explaining it is not an easy job to be “the chef.” “The chef is in charge of the kitchen, organizing and keeping it straight, training the rest of the cooks and staff. The line cook does the cooking. The sous chef still cooks but does some whip cracking in the kitchen, keeping everyone in line. The higher up the food chain you are, the less cooking you do.

“My problem with people wanting to be called chef – if you're a line cook, you haven't earned the right to be called chef. A 21-year-old kid hasn't earned the right,” Patterson said. “No, you're a line cook. I'll call someone a chef as an indication of respect. There's a lot more to running a kitchen than cooking, and unless you've done it before, you don't know how to control inventories, your costs, and manage staff.

“You have plenty of time to earn your white toque.”

Kieron Hales, executive chef and owner of Zingerman's Cornman Farms in Ann Arbor and a former head chef at Zingerman's Roadhouse, agreed.

“When I started at 13-years-old in London, I did a modern apprenticeship, of three months in school, then four months in the kitchen, then three months in school,” he said, and traveled the world working in various kitchens. “I left without debt and real world experience. It's a trade.”

He said the labor shortage extends into the kitchen – and it's only getting worse. “We have a 60 percent hole. We're filling it with underqualified chefs – people who have not done the work yet,” he said.

He too, believes it's a generational shift.

“Something about the art of our work – it is being speeded up without the foundation. There's not enough sous chefs, and it's harder and harder to manage people below in the kitchen,” Hales said. He said he wanted the experiences of cooking in Paris and other places.

“But today, the way the world has changed, people are chasing the paycheck.

“If you have a half-decent reputation, you can accelerate and run a kitchen, but the stress is huge because there aren't enough qualified people under you,” he pointed out. “That's what burns out a lot of people from the business. It's an exhausting process.

“At what point do you really earn being a chef?” he asked. “When another chef calls you one. Less than one percent of the industry is different from the top five percent in the world.”

Zack Sklar, who attended the Culinary Institute of America then worked in kitchens in New York and other places, said because of the rapid openings taking place and the need to staff them, “This guy who's coming out of culinary school – he'll have months of work rather than 10 years on the line, working for great French chefs or what have you.

“Because of the economy, no one is staying in a job too long because they don't have to.”

“I don't think there's enough kids coming out of culinary programs. I wish there were more of them, frankly. Some learn at other places, but the culinary world is a fascinating place. And the best way to learn is to move around to different places, different kitchens around the world.

Typically, someone would move around, graduate from culinary school, then go to Europe, Chicago, California,” Bill Roberts said. “It's a young and youthful business,” noting his company is looking for more mature individuals who have done that and are ready to settle down and be with a group “who will take care of them.”

“Today, especially in Detroit, the chefs write the ticket,” LePage said of the new restaurants opening in the metro market. “And that's why it's important to give them a piece of the action – and let them hang their hat.”

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George Khalife s a kid George Khalife often found himself in his dad’s jewelry store, Goldcorp Inc., and he’s the first to admit it wasn’t his favorite place to be.

Thankfully, that changed.

“Initially, when I was younger, I hated it but then I would say in my twenties I was like, oh wait, this is actually really incredible,” said Khalife, who is now widely known as “George the Jeweler.” “So I started working with my dad and making my own jewelry right away. I wanted to be wearing things no one else had.”

Now, the Bloomfield Hills native not only serves as Goldcorp Inc.’s junior vice president (which is in Oak Park), but has been producing his own work, creating pieces that include a famous clientele, with celebrities from Khloe Kardashian and Gigi Hadid to Giuliana Rancic wearing them. The personalized name plate necklaces he creates are often named after the client.

For Khalife – who thinks everyone should own a diamond tennis bracelet – jewelry can not only make or break an outfit, but complete it.

“It’s like the last thing you throw on that ties everything together,” he said. “I love that aspect of it...it’s the cherry on top.”

Khalife also loves to work with, and be inspired by, his clients. Take for example his collection House of Fine Gold, which launched late last year.

Khalife created the collection with one of his celebrity clients, singer, actress, and entrepreneur Christina Milian.

The duo began working together a few years ago when Khalife made some custom pieces for Milian. That working relationship grew into a fast friendship and led to them collaborating together. The collection has everything from sterling silver to 14K gold to custom name plates. They wanted to be able to hit

A

every demographic, even those who can’t afford the line’s more expensive pieces.

“It’s something that everyone can find a little something that they like,” he said.

So far, Khalife said they’ve been able to grow into a successful business, and are even adding new pieces each month, with plans to continue expanding.

No matter how big he and his jewelry collections get, though, the Cranbrook Kingswood School alumni doesn’t think of what he’s doing as branching away from the family business – where he still can often be found – but elevating them to the next level.

“You know what this generation can do better than the last?” he said. “The networking…I say that social media, like Instagram for example, is our digital business card.”

That presence on social media has had a huge influence on Khalife’s success. It’s how he met Milian and his first celebrity client, upcoming singer and Sirius XM host Symon. Khalife said Symon was the one who really opened the door for him. Soon after their introduction it skyrocketed into what it is now – and he is showing no signs of slowing down.

Currently, he has plans to begin doing some pop-up shops, is looking to do other collaborations with celebrities, and has been getting more involved in fundraising, like his recent work with the American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign. He also has hopes of a small shop in Los Angeles, where he travels to from Michigan every few months. Anything else?

“What else is next?” Khalife said. “Taking over the jewelry world.”

Story: Dana Casadei

COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS OFFICIALS ATTEMPT TO LOOSEN RESTRICTIONS IN THE FACE OF AIR, WATER QUALITY THREATS

BY KEVIN ELLIOTT

ichigan, like all other states, continues to face the environmental impact from coal burning energy plants, both in terms of air pollution and potential threats to water quality from coal waste produced in the process.

Inhibited by high costs and environmental challenges, energy providers in Michigan and other areas say coal-fired power plants are already on their way out, with a mix of natural gas and renewable energy sources set to take the place of coal. But with more than a decade until the transition will be final, state lawmakers and federal regulators continue to look for ways to relax the rules on the use of coal-fired power plants, particularly those pertaining to coal ash, the toxic remnants left over from the burning of coal.

M

This Holiday Season Give the Gift of Membership to Cranbrook Art Museum Now through December 31, purchase a membership to Cranbrook Art Museum at half price! It makes a perfect holiday gift for the art and design lover in your life or a wonderful gift for yourself this season.

Travis Lampe, Tear Drips – Garth, 2009.

Courtesy of Squibbles Ink + Rotofugi.

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"References to 'clean coal' have to do with carbon emissions and lower carbon emissions," said Charlotte Jameson, energy policy and legislative affairs director for the Michigan Environmental Council (MEC), who recently wrote a report for the MEC titled, "Impacts of Burning Coal on Michigan's Water Quality." "A lot of the discussion is because of the climate impacts. We have the technology and scrubbers that can limit air emissions, but at the end of the day, if you're burning coal, you're going to have carbon impacts and carbon emissions. And that doesn't get into the other sorts of toxins we talk about in this report. Burning coal also leaves a high amount of waste with mercury, arsenic and lead.

"As we have put more emphasis on air pollution controls, we have reduced the amount of toxins in the air, but they don't go away. Even more is retained in waste and ash, and we are seeing the toxicity of ash increased as we decrease emissions. It's an interesting interplay." he MEC's report follows a report by researchers at Duke University that reviewed 30 years of research, which found people living near coal-fired power plants have higher death rates and at earlier ages, along with increased risks of respiratory disease, lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. The health risks are associated both with air emissions and heavy metals and other waste found in coal ash.

To remove coal ash and other contaminants from scrubbers, boilers and other areas, plant operators use water as a rinse. That water, combined with the ash, creates ash sludge filled with various chemicals, such as arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium. Utility operators have traditionally dumped the ash sludge into giant waste ponds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; typically unlined pits that are open to the elements.

Leftover ash from burning coal contains mercury, lead, arsenic and other toxic heavy metals. For decades, utilities have dumped wet coal ash sludge into unlined ponds. The ponds, or what are often referred to as impoundments, average more than 50 acres in size and nearly 20-feet deep. About 37 such ponds exist in Michigan, including one located in a 100-year flood plain. With most ponds being unlined and located near a waterbody that can be utilized by the power plant, the ponds pose a serious threat to groundwater and many drinking water sources for years after the power plants are closed.

A key issue is that as the sludge leaks into the soil at the sites, it has a high potential to contaminate ground and surface water, typically located near the sites. Once in the groundwater, the contaminants may migrate and pollute drinking water sources.

Further, some utilities have discharged waste directly into nearby rivers, lakes and streams. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), toxic discharges from coal plants into lakes and rivers occur in close proximity to nearly 100 public drinking water intakes and more than 1,500 public wells across the nation. Across the country, about 2.7 million Americans live within three miles of a coal plant that discharges pollutants into a public waterway.

Coal ash disasters in Tennessee and North Carolina gained national attention after toxic coal ash ponds were flooded and led to ash spilling into local rivers, staining the landscape with toxic ash containing carcinogens, neurotoxins, arsenic, boron, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, lithium, mercury and other toxins.

In 2008, an ash dike ruptured at an 84-acre containment area at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tennessee, releasing about 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash slurry into the nearby Emory and Clinch rivers, tributaries to the Tennessee River.

Surveys after the release revealed the spill covered the surrounding land with up to six feet of sludge. In September of 2018, a Duke Energy plant in Wilmington, North Carolina, was inundated by Hurricane Florence flood waters from the Cape Fear River. The water overtook an earthen damn and Sutton Lake, pouring over a retaining wall between the lake and an unlined coal ash dump, sending the ash into a nearby river that supplies drinking water to much of the southeastern part of the state.

In 2016, Michigan's 13 largest coal plants generated about 1,440 thousand tons of coal ash waste, with DTE Energy's Monroe coal plant accounting for over half, according to the MEC. Nationally, there are at least 14 coal plants with on-site coal ash ponds located within FEMA 100-year flood plane zones, including one in St. Clair County, Michigan. The China Township Belle River Power Plant in St. Clair County produced about 181,000 tons of coal ash each year.

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According to Environment America, nine of the 14 plants were found to be in "poor" condition with seven considered "satisfactory" and 12 ponds representing a "significant" hazard. The St. Clair County facility was considered "satisfactory" by the EPA. "We don't necessarily have a natural disaster risk, but we do get flooding," said Nate Murphy, with Environment Michigan. "We are the Great Lakes State, so the ponds may lead into rivers and eventually the Great Lakes."

While no coal-fired power plants exist in Oakland County, five major plants reside in southeast Michigan, including the River Rouge Power Plant, the Trenton Channel Power Plant and the Monroe Power Plant, all along the shores of the Detroit River.

Andrew Sarpolis, with Sierra Club of Michigan, said other utilities have shifted direction, dropping coal plants as they become less economical. Still, he said, coal-fired power plants are a major contributor of pollution that can have impacts on wildlife.

"With coal ash, there are severe impacts on water quality in Michigan," he said. "It's a large source of pollution and things can bioaccumulate in our food chain."

Overall, there were 88 coal-fired power plants at 32 locations in Michigan in 2016 that generated about 12,891 megawatts, or about the nation's 10th largest state in terms of coal generation. By 2017, Consumer's Energy had retired seven smaller coal plants, reducing its net generation provided by coal-fired power plants to 37 percent. Meanwhile, about 65 percent of DTE's generation comes from coal. Plans are underway to take coal-fired power plants offline. However, power companies will still need to address the legacy costs of the plants, specifically, coal ash impoundments.

"The more we can speed up the transition away from coal, the better," MEC's Jameson said. "The secondary issue is to tackle the impoundments leading to contamination above drinking water standards."

About 77 percent of the impoundments in which the MEC was able to obtain monitoring data showed contamination, she said.

"Under the federal regulations, they would have to be closed or cleaned and then retrofitted with linters. If we stick to the federal rule, we see that happening. But, if we move to the state bill, we don't see that happening, and they would stay open longer and be able to contaminate groundwater moving forward," Jameson said.

Matt Paul, vice president of fossil generation for DTE Energy, said the move away from coal-fired plants is based on both economic and environmental concerns. "On the environment, we have committed to reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, and those cuts are in excess of those that would have been required under the proposed clean power plan.

"The average age of a coal plant is about 60 years old. The cost to maintain those old units, as well as the cost of some of the timing of other environmental regulations, just makes those units more and more expensive, and they don't make sense economically." aul said the closure of DTE's Harbor Beach and Marysville plants were completed in 2013, with the River Rouge Unit number 2 plant closing in 2016. Other plants scheduled for closure include the remaining unit at River Rouge (20202023); St. Clair (2020-2023); Trenton Channel (2020-2023); Belle River (2030) and Monroe (2040).

The future closures represent more than 6,600 MegaWatts (MW) of capacity, with the Monroe plant making up nearly half. The company produces about 2,800 MW from natural gas. DTE also will be constructing a 1,150 MW natural gas power plant expected to be online in 2022. In terms of wind and solar, DTE currently has about 1,000 MW in generation capacity.

Consumers Energy in July 2018 released official renewable energy goals, saying it would file its plan with the state about how the utility will go coal-free and be 43-percent renewable energy fueled by 2040. The plan calls for closing its Karn 1 and two units near Bay City in 2023, with two of three of its Campbell units scheduled for retirement in 2031, and the third Campbell unit closed in 2040 to be fitted with a state of the art air quality control system during its remaining operation.

With DTE's Monroe Power plant supplying a massive portion of energy to DTE's power grid, the plant remains a crucial part of supplying affordable and reliable energy, the company said.

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"Our planning is based on what we can do while keeping energy affordable and reliable for our customers, and how it aligns with recommendations from the scientific community," said DTE spokeswoman Renee McClelland. "We may adjust our timeline based on technological advances."

In terms of legacy cleanup, Paul said there haven't been any issues at any of DTE's clay-lined ash storage areas, but that cleanup would need to be done after closures were made.

"There will be cleanup work that we have to do," he said. "I may have to get the environmental team to point to specifics, but we would cap existing impoundments, or we would remove the material and take it to a certified landfill. We are working through those assessments now, and figuring out what the right thing to do is."

Meanwhile Paul said groundwater monitoring that is taking place hasn't shown any issues, and that he's "confident we are in good shape."

Lisa Evans, an attorney with Earthjustice specializing in hazardous waste law and an expert on coal ash, said claims there are no issues with groundwater at any DTE sites may be misleading. She pointed to a recent groundwater assessment at the company's River Rouge plant on DTE's own webpage.

"There's going to be some revelations that will be available to the public in Michigan in the nature of coal ash. There's a requirement that

by November 17 all of the energy utility websites must have data posted that is accessible, so the public has an idea of groundwater contamination," Evans said. "They must post information whether landfills or coal ash ponds comply with local restrictions... It should be easy to see if they are in compliance, and if they aren't, they are required to close."

According to documents on DTE's website, the company established an assessment monitoring program at the River Rouge plant's bottom ash basin, which must be established if a pollutant is detected over background levels. A related letter indicates arsenic concentrations were detected above Michigan's drinking water and groundwater, and was being proactively managed. That management involves operating a groundwater extraction system to control the uncertainty around the potential migration path.

"I would be surprised if they found no problems," Evans said. "What we are finding across the board, nationwide, is that 95 percent (of the basins) are leaking into underlying groundwater at levels above the groundwater... at the River Rouge plant, they have established a monitoring program, which means they found a significant increase of levels over background levels."

As of press time, 22 of the 29 coal ash units in Michigan had released preliminary groundwater monitoring results for the first time. Of the 22 units, 17 (or 77 percent) showed levels of toxic chemicals in the groundwater which were above state and/or federal drinking water standards, according to the MEC. mong the highest levels were Consumers Energy's Karn bottom ash pond, with one monitoring well reading arsenic levels at 52 times the federal drinking water standard. A comparison between background wells and down gradient wells at Consumers' bottom ash pond units 1 and 2 revealed increases above background concentrations of boron, calcium, chloride, pH, sulfate and total dissolved solids in down-gradient wells, with three out of five down-gradient wells exceeding the EPA's maximum contaminant level for drinking water for arsenic by up to 4.5 times.

Additional assessments by the MEC found: • Monitoring at DTE's Belle River diversion basin registered lead well above the state's drinking water cleanup criteria, with one monitoring well having lead levels close to six times higher than the state's protective standard.

• DTE's River Rouge bottom ash basin also had increased levels of boron, fluoride, lead, thallium, radium 226-228 and radium 226 in the groundwater above federal and/or state drinking water standards.

• Monitoring and analysis at Holland Board of Public Works that started in 2011 at three bottom ash ponds at the James De Young coal plant identified that "certain metals" were present in the groundwater above the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act's maximum contaminant level, and concluded that the groundwater quality may have been affected by

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the historical use of coal ash detention. Monitoring data from 2017 revealed excessive amounts of boron, chloride, pH, sulfate, total dissolved solids, cobalt, lead, fluoride, lithium and thallium.

The information required to be released doesn't include inactive ponds at power plants which aren't producing energy.

In 2016, the majority of coal ash generated by Michigan utilities was disposed of in landfills or sold for reuse, according to the MEC. More than 1.1 million cubic yards of coal ash was disposed at landfills in 2016, with another 47,000 cubic yards generated outside of Michigan imported into the state. toring coal ash sludge in ponds, however, isn't the only way disposal method for coal ash.. A portion of coal ash is sold as "beneficial use" and reused in construction fill, concrete wallboard, cement and other products. Some coal ash has also been disposed of in landfills, including municipal solid waste landfills and landfills owned by utility companies.

John Ward, with the American Coal Ash Association, said beneficial uses of coal ash include use by 48 different states, including Michigan, in road construction, as well as many other items. Further, he said new technology is being used to dry out coal ash ponds and use the waste for safe products.

"The two biggest uses out there are for fly ash, and that's getting used in concrete and synthetic gypsum in wallboard," he said. "Fly ash and concrete are the most valuable applications, and are the most economically viable as well."

Fly ash is ash recaptured in coal smokestacks as opposed to bottom ash, which is usually mixed into concrete at about 40 to 70 percent, depending on its use. Bottom ash, which comes in heavier chunks, is used as a replacement for aggregate, while boiler slag is used in blasting grit and mineral filler for asphalt and flue glass is used in wallboard. All of the different ashes are considered coal ash.

Ward said these beneficial uses are safe for the environment.

"When you compare materials, the EPA actually came up with a risk evaluation methodology, and it compares the impacts to whatever you're replacing it with. This is actually slightly more pure," he said. "When you put it in concrete, it gets locked up. It's not the ash itself that's dangerous – it's the metal in trace quantities. The problem is when you pile up millions of tons by a riverbank."

While coal ash is one way that coal-fired power plants impact health and environment, emissions from coal-fired power plants have long been a source of contamination. Fine particles of smoke, dust, dirt, soot and other items produced during the combustion process enter the air and eventually fall to earth, contaminating soil or water many miles away from where they were produced.

Pollution from particulate matter is monitored throughout the year by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which determines if facilities may be failing to meet air quality standards mandated by the federal Clean Air Act. Jim Haywood, a meteorologist with the DEQ said particulate matter is worst in winter months. However, pollution related to coal power plants is often higher in the summer.

"Usually, that's sulfur dioxide in summer months as people ramp up their air conditioners. In the cooler weather, there's more of a byproduct of other combustion, like people having their heat cranked up with natural gas. Those are more nitrogen-based pollutants in the winter from fossil fuel, and more sulfur in the summer from coal," Haywood said. "Sulfur dioxide in that southeast area of Michigan that is in nonattainment areas, that's almost totally driven by the sulfur in coal."

Under federal regulations, counties and communities that fail to meet federal air quality regulations are considered "non-attainment" areas. In Oakland County, officials have worked to bring the county into attainment. With no coal-fired power plants in the county, the county has pointed to Wayne County and other areas as being responsible for poor quality air blowing in the area.

Haywood said two areas struggling with non-attainment issues are Detroit's downriver area and the St. Clair County area.

"The one we had been working on longest and seeing improvements in is the downriver area. You have the River Rouge area, Zug Island and down to the Monroe County line, and that covers a handful of power plants; a steel mill on Zug Island and a pet coke, and the Marathon

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refinery is all there within a two- or three-mile area," Haywood said. "Up in St. Clair County, that's driven by the Belle River and St. Clair power plants up there."

As particulates enter the air, northern and northwest winds typically blow the pollution into other areas, spreading the contaminants.

"Anytime you're getting north to northwest winds, that's going to clean you out. That guarantees you'll have a clean day," Haywood said.

"In southeast Michigan, with particulates and ozone, it tends to be the lighter winds. When it sits there and stagnates, then it doesn't go anywhere and you're adding to it.

"Wind patterns can play into that. A southernly wind can bring stuff up from Indiana and Ohio, and that sort of primes the pump, but a lot of what we see in the area is home grown." n the western side of the state, pollution from steel mills in Indiana and Chicago travel west over the lake until it reaches the Holland area, where there are nonattainment issues with ozone. In those situations, the law mandates that the county must address nonattainment issues, regardless if the pollution is coming directly from the county or not. However, when it comes to coal-related pollution, Haywood said winds don't typically carry particulate as far.

"Coal, that tends to be more localized," he said. "Our monitor north of Zug Island is in non-attainment, and that's driven by DTE and others. In that area, once that area becomes a pocket and blows downwind, it falls pretty quickly. It gets emitted as sulfur dioxide, and it's kind of like cigarette smoke. If you blow it in someone's face, it's harmful, but the further it dilutes it gets more spread out."

The ability for wind patterns carrying pollutants into Oakland County can be potentially evidenced by the number of fish consumption advisories in the county in relation to mercury. Environmental groups have long pointed to coal-fired power plants for widespread mercury pollution in lakes and other surface waters as biohazard markers. As aquatic organisms absorb the mercury, it bioaccumlates in fish tissues, making it potentially unsafe to eat for pregnant women, children and other at-risk populations.

To protect residents, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) oversees a fish monitoring program that warns when mercury levels are high among fish in a particular waterbody, which can spawn fish consumption advisories.

"The more sensitive health effects to mercury are with the nervous system in a fetus and developing children. There are potential health effects. The cardiovascular system and heart works with the nervous system tissues and functions, which deals with heartbeat and function that can be harmed in older adults" said Jennifer Gray, a toxicologist with the Michigan DHHS. "Those are the primary health effects we worry about. In fish, (mercury) is found in the filet of the fish, primarily in the muscle... that can bioaccumulate, so predator fish tend to have higher levels of mercury. There's not a way to cook that out. It's just choosing a fish with less mercury."

While economic trends are part of a push to close coal plants around the country, the EPA under the Trump administration is pushing back against recent regulation changes made by President Obama.

Rules passed in 2015 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set limitations on the disposal of coal ash, including a requirement that any coal ash storage facility within five feet of a groundwater aquifer be closed.

The 2015 EPA rules marked the first time that federal regulators oversaw water and air quality issues related to the power plants and its byproducts. Prior to creating that rule, coal ash was exempt from the federal law setting minimum standards for the solid waste, leaving states to create a patchwork of their own regulations and laws to govern coal ash ponds, and were largely unregulated.

The 2015 rules also required closure of impoundments that failed to meet structural safety standards, and calls for the immediate cleanup and closure of unlined impoundments that are contaminating groundwater. Utilities also are required to ensure impoundments are regularly inspected; take measures to limit windblown coal ash dust; use liner barriers for new impoundments; and close structures that are no longer receiving coal ash.

Some environmental groups challenged the federal rule, saying it

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didn't go far enough. The D.C. Court of Appeals agreed, and found the provisions weren't protective enough â&#x20AC;&#x201C; specifically a measure that allowed unlined coal ash ponds to receive ash until groundwater contamination was detected. The court also struck down provisions that allowed ponds to have a two-foot thick clay barrier, as well as an exemption for inactive ponds at plants no longer in operation. The ruling means the EPA must draft rules to address more than 100 legacy coal ash ponds, and address the closure of more than 600 unlined, or claylined, coal ash ponds.

Larissa Liebmann, with Waterkeeper Alliance, which participated in the lawsuit, said the ruling is good news, but there are new challenges.

"It's an exciting victory when the court found the original Obama-era regulations didn't go far enough. Now we have filed a couple weeks ago about rolling back the same rule that didn't go far enough," she said.

"Clearly, the Trump administration has an agenda, and they want to bolster the use of coal, taking away the regulations that were created to protect the public."

The 2015 rules also set limits on toxic metals and other pollutants that could be released into lakes and rivers from coal power plants to help protect drinking water supplies. Specifically, the 2015 Clean Water Act Effluent Limitation rule would have reduced the annual discharge of 1.4 billion pounds of toxic heavy metals and other pollutants, and reduced selenium, mercury and lead by 95 percent, according to the MEC. The rule change, which was previously updated in 1982, would save Americans an estimated $463 million a year through health benefits.

While the new limits would give coal plants until November 1, 2018 to comply with the new water protection rule, the Trump administration delayed the effective date until November 1, 2020.

In October, several environmental groups filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging the EPA rule.

In addition to delaying the closure and monitoring of some sites, the EPA under the Trump administration has indicated its intention to issue more changes in the future. Those changes could include allowing states to once again implement their own rules. ome Michigan lawmakers have already introduced legislation that would create new coal ash compliance regulations under state law. Representative Gary Howell (R-North Branch), who introduced the legislation, said the changes will allow the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to regulate the management of coal ash in Michigan on behalf of the EPA, specifically ash that is disposed of in landfills.

"Utility companies that operate coal ash landfills in Michigan are currently subject to inconsistent dual regulation form federal and state agencies," he said. "Eliminating this costly and duplicative effort will help streamline compliance requirements, enhance reporting and ultimately reduce costs to utility customers."

Part of the concern with Howell's bill is that it would be subject to a panel recently approved by the Environmental Rules Review Committee to oversee all rule making of the DEQ. The committee's voting members include a public health professional; two people representing the general public and one representative from the solid waste management industry; a statewide manufacturing organization; a statewide organization that represents small businesses; public utilities; a statewide environmental organization; the oil and gas industry; a statewide agricultural organization; local governments; and a statewide land conservancy organization. Under the new law, lobbyists could serve on the committee. The law passed in June with all Oakland County Republican lawmakers supporting it except Martin Howrylak (RTroy).

Jameson of the MEC said while such a measure makes sense in theory, there's a greater chance the bill could loosen regulations before they fully take effect.

"In reality, we shouldn't be able to get a state program if what we put in place is weaker than the federal standard, but the hope is that could allow for that under what Trump put in place," she said. "We have concerns with the bill, that it could be weaker in some respects. It's basically written by Consumers Energy, as well as DTE."

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FACES Colie Ballard olie Ballard isn’t creating music that’s simply a pretty harmony with some catchy lyrics.

It’s about telling her fans an honest story – more specifically her own – and at 21, she sure has a story to tell.

Her upcoming EP – which is shooting for a January release – tells part of it through its three original songs.

“The whole thing kind of captures a lot of pain, but growth from that pain,” she said from Nashville, where she’s attending Belmont University.

She described one song as a power ballad, another more rock, and the last is a tale of heartbreak. While many of what sound like love breakup songs are actually about her relationship with alcohol.

Ballard has been sober since she was 19, after battling alcohol for years and thinks she has a responsibility to break down the stereotype that comes with the word “alcoholic.” It isn’t always what people think it is – sometimes it's the confused teenager with a 4.0 GPA. “It’s vital for me to share my story with fans,” Ballard said. “I think being open and honest about that can maybe shed some hope. That’s the entire goal, to shed some hope that there is a way out. That it doesn’t have to be that way.”

For Ballard – who grew up in Bloomfield Hills and attended Cranbrook Schools from pre-K through high school graduation, where she gained support from professors that had a lasting impression – getting sober has led to a pretty miraculous journey with her music.

Even though she’d been songwriting since middle school, Ballard said after going through treatment she started writing full songs, from first verse to last chorus. That’s when she knew she had a story to tell and began getting more serious about her music.

“I knew I wanted them to be bigger,” she said regarding her songs.

“They weren’t whole yet.”

She took what she had to a few record producers, who tore them apart before putting them back together, adding a bunch of instruments to the tunes she had written on her piano.

After Ballard found herself recording with a full band, a first, and trying to figure out what exactly her sound is, she’s still struggling to put words to the songs.

“If I were to compare to other artists it would be a strange mix between Lorde, Florence + The Machine, The Cranberries, Lana Del Rey, Adele,” said Ballard, who lists her mom as her biggest inspiration.

Ballard – who knew she wanted to sing at a young age – did figure out a few things during the recording process, like she really loves making rock music, and getting energy from a band playing with her.

She’s even recently formed her own band.

While being in a city like Nashville is intimidating – Ballard said you can throw a rock and hit a musician – she’s turned that into motivation to make sure she doesn’t compare herself to others and do what she needs to do for her own music.

“It’s also a lot of fun,” she said.

In addition to her own work, Ballard has done vocals for a few hiphop artists as well, which all started when she lived in Minnesota for a year. Her most recent collaboration is “Who I Am” by Eon Zero and Austin Rudin.

Eventually, Ballard would love to start a label of her own and give people an outlet to share their music.

“I think one of the greatest things an artist has is a story to tell, and a way to tell it,” Ballard said.

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248-228-4805 2301 W. Big Beaver Rd. Suite 525 Troy, MI 48084

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248-644-1200 248-644-1201 (f) 36400 Woodward Ave, Suite 122 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304

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ACREAGE - IN-GROUND POOL - 5 CAR GARAGE

102 Endicott Road Bloomfield Hills - $1,699,999 Welcome to this grand colonial on 1.6 acres. The entire home is bright and cheerful with plenty of natural light. Greet your guests in the opulent foyer with fireplace and sweeping staircase and stunning chandeliers. Transition to the open great room and enormous kitchen w/fireplace, oversized island, 2 sinks, 2 buffet counters and adjacent 1st floor laundry.

Massive master suite w/fireplace, balcony, huge WIC closet and body spray shower. Loft area w/3 attached bedrooms and baths and rear staircase to kitchen. Plus! a 1st floor bedroom suite and separate office ideal for guests or a nanny.

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MUNICIPAL Office assessment increases approved

Zao Jun, new Asian restaurant, coming

By Lisa Brody

By Lisa Brody

After not increasing its assessment rates on first floor retail or second floor and above space for at least a decade, Birmingham city commissioners unanimously approved on Monday, October 29, a requested rate increase from the Birmingham Shopping District (BSD) for second floor space and above, while maintaining first floor retail space at its current rates.

“We're here to present you with a multi-year assessment,” said BSD board president Geoff Hockman. “The board has approved this.”

BSD Executive Director Ingrid Tighe explained the BSD was created after citizens lobbied in Lansing in 1991-1992 to get a Principal Shopping District (PSD), which was created by statute. Recently, it was rebranded as the “Birmingham Shopping District” due to its marketing emphasis. The mission of the board is to provide leadership in marketing, advertising and promotion of the downtown retail district, ensuring the entire shopping district serves as a center for business, service, social, cultural and community activities.

For the last 10 years, the rates, set every three years, have been kept constant, “But this year we're coming for a four-year assessment,” Tighe said, at District 1 (the central business district), first floor, at just under 50 cents a square foot;, second floor and above, $.196; for District 1A, areas beyond the central business district, first floor, $.247; second floor and above, $.96.

Tighe said the retail occupancy in the city's downtown is currently at 96 percent, and the office occupancy is at 89 percent.

“We looked at how assessments have been done for the last 25 years, and what we need for the next four years,” she explained, in terms of budget planning for marketing, events and upcoming construction.

During the recent road construction project in downtown Birmingham, the Pave the Way project “was a 100 percent success,” she said, with over $1 million in Birmingham Bucks spent and redeemed and 15,300 parking valet users.

“We want to do the same for the next two construction cycles (in 2020 and 2022).” downtownpublications.com

loomfield Township is getting ready to welcome a new southeast Asian restaurant with the entry of Zao Jun New Asian, to be located in the former Bagger Dave's location at Telegraph and Maple.

The new dining spot, which is coming before the Bloomfield Township planning board on Wednesday, November 7, for liquor license recommendation, is presented by the same ownership and management team as the new Adachi restaurant in downtown Birmingham.

“Inspired by a lifetime of culinary and culturally immersed travel throughout southeast Asia, our owners developed the Zao Jun concept to celebrate the beautiful fusion of intermingling cultures found on the Sunda Shelf, a landmass, today submerged under shallow seas, that was once surrounded by the many different countries and cultures we celebrate at Zao Jun today like Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, China and more,” a description said. “Our food curator and management partner Michael Schlow, foodies may recognize the restaurant mogul from TV programs such as Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and the Food Network. Schlow was also awarded ‘Best Chef in the Northeast’ by the James Beard Foundation. The extensive menu is a collaboration between Schlow and Executive Chef Lloyd Roberts, who is well-versed in French and Asian cuisine. He worked alongside JeanGeorges Vongerichten at the southeast Asian-style Vong in New York and perfected his technique at Nobu restaurants around the globe.”

Zao Jun, located at 6608 Telegraph Road, next to Rear Ends and just a couple storefronts away from the new Nino Salvaggio market, is proposing to be open for lunch Monday through Friday, for brunch Saturday and Sunday, and dinner daily.

B

In increasing only the second floor assessments, she said the board had two objectives. “We kept the first floor retail the same because they carried the burden during the construction.

The second floor and above benefit from our marketing efforts, events, flowers and snow removal.”

She said they want to keep a healthy fund balance in place to fund construction events through the next two cycles, in the neighborhood of about $500,000.

As to a question regarding whether residential space in the downtown could be assessed, she said they looked into it, and learned that state law prohibits it.

“Could the (district) zones be enlarged?” commissioner Pierre Boutros asked.

“That would take longer term planning,” Tighe responded. “Once you expand the assessment, you have to provide the services.”

“May I suggest you study that,” he said.

Commissioner Rackeline Hoff was concerned that the increases were 70 percent in zone one and 80 percent in zone two. City manager Joe Valentine explained that there had been no increases at all in the last 10 years,

and the business community had been notified. Assessments are given to building owners who typically pass them on in rent.

Commissioners approved the BSD assessments 7-0.

Holiday happenings in city of Birmingham It's beginning to look like the holidays in downtown Birmingham.

From twinkling lights adorning trees throughout the city, to carriage rides, the city's popular Winter Markt, the tree lighting and of course, the arrival of Santa, it's all available to visitors in downtown Birmingham.

“Downtown Birmingham is a place where people come from near and far to enjoy a picturesque and quaint atmosphere during a truly magical time of year,” said Ingrid Tighe, executive director, Birmingham Shopping District. “In addition to special holiday events ranging from an outdoor European-style market to horse-drawn carriage rides, the city offers a perfect location for shoppers and diners to enjoy a quiet walk through the illuminated tree-lined streets of Birmingham.”

Tighe said that crews have been

DOWNTOWN

hard at work installing white lights to nearly 400 trees all over downtown Birmingham. “This holiday season, visitors will enjoy nearly 800,000 lights throughout town,” she said. “In addition, the city's 35-foot blue spruce holiday tree boasts an additional 22,000 LED lights. The tree complements the glowing downtown area and creates the perfect scene for a holiday stroll and a festival backdrop for photos.”

The holiday season gets its official shopping start with Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 24.

Originally a shopping incentive to get shoppers to visit small, local stores created by American Express as an antidote to Black Friday, it's now a national business day. In Birmingham, those who shop local and support Birmingham during Small Business Saturday can earn Birmingham Bonus Bucks and find unique gifts for everyone on their list.

Also on Saturday, November 24, is the Birmingham Santa Walk at 9:30 a.m. New this year, Small Business Saturday will kick off with an inaugural Birmingham Santa Walk, where children of all ages are invited to welcome Santa to Birmingham during a celebration complete with ringing sleigh bells, stops at lots of stores with giveaways, all ending up at Santa's House in Shain Park.

On weekends throughout the holiday season, children are invited to visit Santa at the Santa House under the pavilion in Shain Park. Brand new this year, an illuminated archway will lead the way to Santa.

Visitors can also enjoy complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides throughout downtown Birmingham.

The Birmingham Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, November 30, at 6 p.m., to coincide with the opening night of Winter Markt. Winter Markt, in Birmingham's Shain Park, will be held Friday, November 30, through Sunday, December 2.

Attendees will enjoy stations filled with European food and drinks, gift items, holiday greens, crafts, ice carving demonstrations, live reindeer, warming stations, the always popular Santa Haus, horse-drawn carriage rides, and live entertainment. Shoppers are encouraged to stop by the Kinder Haus children’s activity area where you’ll find complimentary crafts.

Topping off the excitement in Birmingham this holiday season, visitors will enjoy free two-hour valet 65

Proud to be the Birmingham Tree Lighting Ceremony Presenting Sponsor Our Great Lakes Market team is committed to working together for a brighter Birmingham.

We invite you to join us as we light up the holiday season, and kick-off the season of giving with a special gift for all children in attendance at the Birmingham Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Birmingham Tree Lighting Ceremony Friday, November 30 at 6 p.m.

Shain Park (located at Henrietta and Martin in downtown Birmingham)

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After two contentious city commission meetings debating the qualifications and suitability of two qualified groups which had submitted request for proposals (RFPs) to update the city's comprehensive master plan, Birmingham city commissioners on Monday, October 29, by a vote of 4-3, approved the contract of DPZ Partners, LLC, to provide professional services to prepare an update to the city's comprehensive master plan.

Commissioners had previously postponed making a decision on approving a contract for the city's master plan update at their meeting on September 17, for a group helmed

by DPZ of Miami, which created the city's 2016 Plan. The group led by DPZ, which includes the Birmingham-based Gibbs Planning Group and McKenna Associates, was recommended to the commission by the ad hoc master plan selection committee after interviewing and hearing formal presentations from DPZ, formerly known as Duany Plater-Zybeck, and MKSK of Columbus.

At the September meeting, some commissioners were concerned reading the materials provided by DPZ were overly focused on the city's retail area, and were not looking to incorporate the neighborhoods and other subplans, and requested the ability to question MKSK. Both groups came before commissioners at the October 8 meeting.

“I'd like to put a motion on the table right away to start to approve the contract with DPZ as recommended by the ad hoc master plan selection committee, with the caveat that staff work with DPZ on the retail concerns,” commissioner Stuart Sherman said at the October 29 meeting, noting the commission wanted to make sure that DPZ did

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not provide another analysis on the downtown, but a greater focus on the neighborhoods.

Commissioners Carroll DeWeese and Rackeline Hoff both said they would not support the motion, noting that Andres Duany “did himself a disservice,” as DeWeese said, preferring MKSK, but would support whichever group was chosen.

“I agree that both applicants are qualified,” said mayor Andy Harris, who said he watched the previous meeting, when he was absent. “I support DPZ. Its work and guidance to the 2016 Plan; its presentation; its near unanimous approval from the ad hoc committee; and because of their emphasis on inclusion of younger members of the committee,” formed his decision.

Commissioner Mark Nickita noted that both firms are nationally-known, and he's worked with both. “We're going to be well-served either way,” he noted. “I know there's some concerns about public engagement.

It's different approaches. They'll both cover what's needed. I see both teams as very credible and capable, but I'm leaning toward DPZ.” Commissioners approved the a contract with DPZ Partners in the amount of $298,000, by a vote of 4-3, with commissioners Boutros, Harris, Nickita and Sherman in support, and commissioners Bordman, DeWeese and Hoff opposed.

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parking from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at two locations: North Old Woodward at Hamilton, and South Old Woodward (in front of Vinotecca), plus two free hours in the parking decks.

A schedule for Santa House and carriage rides are available at AllInBirmingham.com/calendar. For information on Winter Markt, visit BirminghamWinterMarkt.org.

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Downtown retail review revamping Birmingham city commissioners on Monday, October 29, declined to award a $50,000 contract to Gibbs Planning Group for the city's downtown retail review after learning that 16 firms had downloaded the request for proposal (RFP), but Gibbs was the only team to submit, and commissioners instead decided to discard the RFP and requested staff to redo the document.

The downtown retail review RFP was created to look at Birmingham's redline retail area and see if the border lines were appropriate, and make it more consumer-oriented, planning director Jana Ecker said. She said that while only one firm returned a finished proposal, “This has been reviewed by the city attorney. Their term is $50,000 for the work.”

She noted that the Gibbs group had added conditions that were in conflict with the RFP, and it was brought to the DOWNTOWN

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attention of city attorney Tim Currier, who said that since they had signed a letter of agreement as well as the RFP, they agreed to the city's terms.

However, the Gibbs group presented a revised RFP to the planning board removing the conditions.

“The only concern we have from the pricing is we only received one bid, but they are willing to do everything we requested, and more so,” Ecker said.

“I'm becoming increasingly concerned – we're only receiving one bid in a lot of RFPs, so we can't compare pricing or work,” mayor pro tem Patty Bordman said. “I'm quite reluctant to award a job like this with only one response.”

“We had 16 who downloaded the RFP. We contacted, or tried to, for every firm,” Ecker said. “We got straight answers from six firms. They said either 'we're not a retail firm,' got 'we'd have to partner with someone,' or that they're overwhelmed with work right now.”

Gibbs Planning partnered with several other firms in their response to the RFP. “Even Gibbs is teaming up – this one is six different companies. Are we asking too much?” commissioner Rackeline Hoff asked.

“I think there's a clarity issue,” commissioner Mark Nickita said. “Jana, I don't think we're asking for retail marketing analysis. It's about the physical condition of the downtown, the ordinances – which is planning.

That is marketing future trends. We're not asking for a marketing analyst.

We’re asking for a redline retail analyst.”

“Based on that comment, I would like to discard the proposal, and send it back to staff and redo the RFP,” commissioner Stuart Sherman proposed.

Commissioners unanimously agreed, voting 7-0 to send it back to staff.

“Thank you Mr. Gibbs. We invite you to rebid, and we hope you do,” said Mayor Andy Harris.

Township wins Manor Road court appeal

By Lisa Brody

The federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court's ruling in favor of Bloomfield Township in a case involving a developer who wanted to subdivide three lots in the Bloomfield Manor subdivision near Big Beaver and Woodward in the township downtownpublications.com

but had been denied by a unanimous vote of the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees in December 2016, “We're delighted with the opinion and believe it has far-reaching impact for not only Bloomfield Township, but for other municipalities as well,” said Bloomfield Township Attorney Bill Hampton.

At the board of trustees meeting on December 12, 2016, Patti Voelker, planning, building and ordinance director, explained that developer Matt Shiffman of GMS Development Holding Company was seeking approval to demolish two existing homes and then subdivide the three parcels in order to get eight single family residential lots.

The 7.33-acre property fronts Big Beaver on the north, Manor Road to the south, Manor Park in the city of Birmingham to the east, and Bloomfield Manor subdivision to the west, whose residents were opposed to the division of the property. Manor Road weaves between Bloomfield Township and Birmingham. There are a total of 34 platted subdivision lots in the entire Bloomfield Manor subdivision.

Plans submitted showed a private cul-de-sac road with an entryway with a limestone sign reading “Manor Estates.” Each subdivided lot was proposed at an acre or under, while existing lot sizes are considerably larger, with some home sites sitting on several acres. “The parcels comply with township ordinances. The lot sizes meet the R-3 standards, and are accessible from a private road,” said Shiffman's attorney Rick Rattner at the time. “All of the lots are rectangular.

The design of the lots, the designs of the homes will be reflective of the people buying those homes, just like the eclectic homes that are there.”

Numerous residents, however, told trustees they objected to the lot split because they had bought and lived in the neighborhood precisely because of the wooded, rural topography and secluded nature close to downtown Birmingham. Many noted that lot splits were not permitted in Bloomfield Manor Association area by deed restriction.

Trustees rejected the lot split request, 7-0, and Shiffman sued the township.

U.S. District Judge George Steeh ruled in his summary judgement that “Plaintiff argues that because the Land Division Act leaves no discretion for a municipality to reject a proposed division that meets all of the Act's DOWNTOWN

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MUNICIPAL requirements, plaintiff has a constitutionally protected property interest. Plaintiff's interpretation of the Land Division Act is circuitous...The court finds that plaintiff does not have a constitutionally protected property interest in having its Lot Split Application approved. Defendant township was within its purview in making the determination under the terms of its ordinance that plaintiff’s Lot Split Application should be denied.

Therefore, the township did not arbitrarily and capriciously deny plaintiff’s property or substantive due process interests.”

He said for those reasons, Shiffman's motion for summary judgement was denied and the township's motion for summary judgement was granted.

In writing for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Raymond Kethledge said, “Here the township found that GMS' proposal would violate the ordinance because the smaller new lots would not be 'compatible' or 'harmonious' with the other, much larger lots in the neighborhood. Local governments make that sort of judgement every day, and nothing about the township's reasoning here allows us to deem its decision constitutionally arbitrary...The district's court judgement is affirmed.”

“Number one, this will have farreaching effects and implications on residential subdivision in the township,” Hampton said. “If this happens in other areas of the township, residents can rely on our ordinance to preclude similar situations where developers may try to do the same thing.”

Second, he said, was the last sentence of Kethledge's opinion: “This is simply a dispute about which the federal Constitution has nothing to do.”

“I think what he is saying is the federal government should not be interfering with local zoning,” Hampton stated. “That's a great thing.”

Hampton reassured residents, “Bloomfield Township has always enforced its ordinances in such a way as to preserve the residential character of its community.”

Birmingham bans pot dispensaries in city Just because voters approved recreational marijuana on November 6, don't think you can open up a marijuana dispensary in downtown Birmingham. downtownpublications.com

M

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Birmingham city commissioners voted 5-0, with commissioners Mark Nickita and Rackeline Hoff absent, to prohibit the marijuana establishments in Birmingham at their meeting on Monday, November 12.

City manager Joe Valentine said the city has been operating under the Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act, PA 281 of 2016, where each community has to decide if they're going to allow or prohibit statelicensed marijuana establishments.

“Since that was adopted, the city has chosen to not opt in,” Valentine said. “Since the recent ballot initiative, cities have to prohibit it. We have provided an ordinance that these establishments would be prohibited in the city.”

“I think this would keep the status quo until we can learn more about the law,” commissioner Stuart Sherman said.

M I C HA EL S B ROCCA R EA LT Y

Moped parking finds spots in Birmingham Those striped spots adjacent to parking spots on Old Woodward have found a new use, after city commissioners unanimously approved turning them into moped parking spaces at their meeting on Monday, November 12.

Planning director Jana Ecker informed commissioners that the city's multi-modal transportation board looked at the striped area “where you can't park a car,” in the newly-reconstructed area of Old Woodward between Oakland and Brown streets. She said there are three areas of three by six foot spaces, for a total of 27 spaces.

“They looked at charging for parking with meters, but the committee determined they weren't authorized to do that, so they suggested to go and stripe and put up signage for moped parking,” Ecker said.

She said if the commission authorized striping and signage for the 27 spots, the committee would report back in a year on how it worked.

“We charge at parking spots to get turnover. This is wasted space. This gets them off the sidewalk and not using parking spots. I'm very supportive,” said commissioner Carroll DeWeese.

To questions, Ecker said motorcycles would not fit because they're too big for the spots.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve, with Mark Nickita and Rackeline Hoff absent.

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Bloomfield Township gets AAA rating again Once again, Bloomfield Township has received a AAA-bond rating, this time from Standard & Poor's (S&P) Global Rating service.

S&P Global Ratings assigned its 'AAA' rating and stable outlook to Bloomfield Township's series 2018 special-assessment limited-tax general obligation (GO) bonds and affirmed its AAA rating, with a stable outlook, on the township's existing GO debt.

Bloomfield Township officials are issuing the series 2018 bonds in anticipation of collecting certain special assessments against lands in special-assessment districts. The township’s full-faith-credit-andresources pledge and agreement to levy property taxes are what secure the bonds. S&P said they rate the limited-tax GO debt at the same level as their view of the township's general creditworthiness “because the township collects taxes from the entire property tax base, coupled with a lack

downtownpublications.com

of limitations on the fungibility of resources available for debt service.

While officials use utility revenue and other special assessments to repay or secure some of the township’s debt, we base the rating on the township’s GO pledge.”

They also said they do not expect the township's cash reserves on hand, which they classified as “very strong,” to decrease.

S&P said the AAA rating reflects their opinion of the township's very strong economy and very strong management, with good financial policies and practices. They also praised the township's adequate budgetary performance, with an operating surplus in the general fund, but “an operating deficit at the total government-fund level in fiscal 2018.”

They did like the township's very strong budgetary flexibility and strong liquidity, “with total government available cash at 95.3 percent of total governmental-fund expenditures and five-times governmental debt service, access to external liquidity we consider strong.”

They also noted that Bloomfield Township's economy is very strong.

While they praised a lot about Bloomfield Township, S&P did criticize the township's debt-and-contingent liability profile as very weak.

“In our opinion, a credit weakness is Bloomfield's large pension and OPEB obligation. Bloomfield’s combined required pension and actual OPEB contribution totaled 8.7 percent of total governmental-fund expenditures in fiscal 2018: 100 percent represented required pay-asyou-go OPEB payments.”

While they noted they have no plans to change their rating during their two-year outlook period “because we believe management will likely maintain very strong reserves, coupled with, at least, adequate budgetary performance,” S&P did provide a final cautionary note: “If OPEB and pension costs were to pressure the budget, significantly weakening budgetary performance, we could lower the rating.”

“We've got issues on the horizon with defined benefits and OPEB that

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we will have to address with the community and we will be doing that within the next six to 12 months,” said township supervisor Leo Savoie.

Township safety path routes set for 2019 Three safety path routes were added to the existing paths in Bloomfield Township for 2019, along with a proposed crosswalk and a maintenance budget for 2019, and unanimously approved by the township board of trustees at their meeting on Monday, October 22.

Olivia Olsztyn-Budry, engineering and environmental services director, explained, “This is the time of the year we present our plans, because over the winter is when the designs happen so we can be ready in the spring.”

Three routes were recommended to be added to continue the township safety path program for 2019, as identified in the safety math Master plan, she said. The first proposed

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path is on the east side of Telegraph Road, from Lincoln to Maple, “because we completed Lincoln this year,” she said, for a cost of $946,000.

Also proposed is Cranbrook Road, from Middlebury Lane to Westbourne Drive, where it will connect two existing paths, for $148,000.

The east side of Woodward Avenue would receive a safety path, from Oak Street to Manor Road. “In 2017, the township extended safety path on the east side of Woodward from Big Beaver Road to Manor Road. Since then, the township has received several inquiries for continuing the safety path to the existing path at Oak Street. A difficulty of extending the safety path in a continuous manner on Woodward Avenue is that two of the commercial developments have parking in the Woodward Avenue right of way,” Olsztyn-Budry said. “At this time, the recommendation is to complete the safety path within the available right of way, between Oak Street and Maywood Road, and evaluate how to complete the safety path between Maywood Road and Manor Road.”

The cost to complete the safety path from Oak to Maywood is $213,000; to complete it from Maywood to Manor is another $220,000.

A request to put in a pedestrian cross walk at Big Beaver and Woodward, as a joint project with the city of Birmingham, would cost Bloomfield Township $60,000, for a total of 5,375 feet of paths and the cross walk, $1.32 million for 2019, which trustees approved.

In addition, Olsztyn-Budry said, “we also do repair and maintenance to existing paths. We are recommending doing heavy maintenance to retaining walls and existing safety paths,.”

A total of $215,000 for maintenance was approved.

Millage rate likely to increase next year Bloomfield Township Supervisor Leo Savoie presented a preliminary budget overview for the fiscal year 2019-2020 at the board of trustees meeting on Monday, November 12, where he pointed out that a 3.5 percent increase in taxable values would equate to a 2.5 percent increase in the millage rate for the next year, after Headlee rollbacks. downtownpublications.com

Uses for federal funds in 2019 okayed loomfield Township trustees unanimously approved $66,765 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars for low income seniors in the community who need assistance with home improvement loans and Meals on Wheels assistance.

Christine Tvaroha, senior services director, said the average age of seniors in the township is 84 years of age, who have owned their home for an average of 35 years.

In Bloomfield Township,Tvaroha said that CDBG began as Minor Home Repair services in 2009. Since 2014, the township has also participated in the Meals on Wheels programs. “We're actually recruiting,” she said. “It's a year-round program,” she said of the home repair program.

About 70 percent of CDBG funds go towards the Home Repair program, assisting about nine to 10 households a year, with a $5,000 annual maximum, and a $15,000 lifetime household maximum for those 60 years of age and older.

“The eligibility is set by HUD,” Tvaroha said. She noted that home improvements of long put off repairs also improve the value of the entire neighborhood.

Eligible repairs through the Minor Home Repairs program include to roofs, siding, chimneys, porches, sidewalks, stairways, plumbing, and electrical. Tvaroha encouraged residents to apply if they need assistance.

Funds from the township's CDBG program are provided to Oakland County and then funneled to the community based on an annual action plan, which identifies specific projects that meet federal program requirements. For 2019, $46,736 was recommended to be allocated to the home repair program, and $20,029 to the Meals on Wheels program.

The CDBG program is a federal program under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. First created in 1974 as a compilation of numerous existing federal programs during the Nixon administration, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at HUD. A woman representing Haven, a non-profit which helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, requested that next year they receive some of the CDBG money. Savoie asked her if any other municipalities give block grant money to Haven.

“Twenty-seven other municipalities do,” she responded.

Savoie said it was something they would take under advisement.

B

The 2018 millage rate was 19.391, inclusive of all school, county and special millages.

The current year's adopted budget, which ends March 31, 2019, is $45.4 million. The preliminary 2020 budget would rise to $45.9 million, with public safety fund expenditures at $32 million, general fund expenditures at $11.2 million, and road fund expenditures proposed at $5 million.

“Public safety increased $3.5 million – a little more than what we initially anticipated in 2010 when we did a special millage,” Savoie said.

He said they currently do not see any deficits in the general fund.

Anticipated property tax revenue is expected for the 2020 fiscal year at $34.2 million, up from $33.4 million in the current adopted budget.

State revenue sharing, currently at $3.57 million, is anticipated to rise to $3.665 million.

“This is just an initial review of the budget,” Savoie said. “We will have more changes before there are approvals in March.”

Management, staff get two percent raises Birmingham city commissioners unanimously approved a two percent raise for all department heads and non-union staff members at their meeting on Monday, October 29, along with one-time performancebased merit adjustments, and adjustments to benefit packages.

The compensation recommendations for salary table

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adjustments for full and part-time employees came from the city's human resources department.

City manager Joe Valentine explained it was an annual adjustment. He said there currently are 10 department heads and 23 other staff. The resolution allowed for merit adjustments based on performance. When asked if it was a bonus, he said no, but it could be interpreted as such, “as it is a one time lump sum based on performance.”

In addition, commissioners approved increasing the city contribution for 401(a) plans from nine percent to 9.5 percent, “to be a little more competitive,” Valentine said.

Additional employee health care cost sharing measures, effective January 1, 2019, were approved, making it the same as approved union employee cost sharing.

“This is a no-brain win,” said commissioner Carroll DeWeese.

Township engineering annual report issued Olivia Olsztyn-Budry, engineering and environmental services director in Bloomfield Township, presented the department's 2017 annual report at the board of trustees meeting on Monday, October 22, and it was unanimously accepted.

Olsztyn-Budry said the department provides assistance and support to many of Bloomfield Township's departments, as well as providing technical assistance to the department of public works and the water division through sewer management, sewer repairs, replacement and several emergency water main replacements.

In the last year or two, she said, “We had fewer sewer extensions to individual homes,” and they worked collaboratively with the Oakland County Water Resources Commission and Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority (SOCWA).

“The engineering office reviews engineering plans for homes and buildings to be constructed, and we also manage the popular safety path program,” Olsztyn-Budry said.

The department also manages the sanitary sewer program.

In 2017, the department either managed or provided assistance in 271 building, tree and fill permit 77

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reviews; 1.07 miles of new safety paths; 1.26 miles of water main replacements; 1.24 miles of new public water mains installed by private developments; 3,809 feet of new public sewers installed; 217 right of way permit reviews; and six engineering plan approvals for private development projects.

Since 2015, Bloomfield Township has been a participant in the Oakland County Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA), one of 19 communities, she explained. “The primary role CISMA plays for Bloomfield Township is making available educational and outreach programs, demonstration sites, and collaboration and funding from state and federal grant programs.”

“So, it's a pretty busy department.

It's been a pretty busy year,” she concluded.

Township opposing state telecom bills Bloomfield Township trustees unanimously passed a resolution opposing two state Senate bills which would severely limit municipal authority regarding the location, size, height, and approval and fees for poles, antennas and other equipment for wireless telecommunication and cable/video service facilities in public road rights-of-way, at their meeting on Monday, October 22.

Township supervisor Leo Savoie explained that two bills, Senate Bill (SB) 637 and SB 894, were passed in late May 2018, and have passed out of committee in the state House, to “give the telecom carriers carte blanche to operate in the rights of way without any approvals of municipalities. They want this to upgrade their DOS, their new 5G, systems. It would allow telephone poles that communicate every 400 to 500 feet.

“Once you allow one carrier on site, you have to allow all of the carriers,” he said.

According to the Michigan legislature, Senate Bill 637 would create the Small Wireless Communications Facilities Deployment Act, and Senate Bill 894 would amend the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act to subject zoning ordinances to the proposed new act.

Senate Bill 637 would allow “wireless services providers and wireless infrastructure providers access to the downtownpublications.com

public rights-of-way and the ability to attach to poles and structures in the public rights-of-way to enhance their networks and provide next generation services.” Further, it would prohibit an authority, such as a municipality, “from prohibiting, regulating, or charging for the collections of small cell wireless facilities.”

“That means all franchise agreements and fees will go away,” Savoie said. Communities receive franchise agreements, fees and public, educational and government (PEG) fees for providing channels for public, education, and / or government access.

The bill would also allow “an authority to require a permit to colocate a small cell wireless facility or install, modify, or replace a utility pole on which a small cell wireless facility would be co-located if the permit were of general applicability,” which Savoie said could be as large as a small refrigerator.

Bill 894 would amend the zoning ordinance for small wireless communications facilities.

The purpose of the bills, which are tie-barred, is to “increase investment in wireless networks that will benefit the citizens of the state by providing better access to emergency services, advanced technology, and information.”

“The telecom and cable companies have said they need to this to stay economically relevant,” Savoie said. “It's a smokescreen.

They will go to densely-populated communities where they can make a lot of money.

“I understand that the (state) House will vote on this (the two bills) two days after the election during lame duck, and it has enough votes to pass,” he continued, noting the importance of the board noting their objection in a resolution. Savoie said most of Oakland County communities have, or are, passing resolutions to oppose the bills.

“I commend you on your work on this Leo,” trustee Dave Buckley said.

“It's not just the money issue. It's the right-of-way issue.”

“If this passes, I recommend that the communities join together and hire an experienced attorney and go to federal court,” said township attorney Bill Hampton. “They're taking right-of-way property.”

Trustees voted 7-0 in support of the resolution.

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FACES Robert Aronson obert Aronson’s two passions couldn’t be more different. One consists of him being alone in a studio. The other has him surrounded by people, helping them build their lasting legacy.

Aronson wouldn’t give either up for anything.

“Those both speak to two different parts of me, and I don’t think they really relate to each other, but they are both parts of me that I need,” he said of his love for printmaking and philanthropy. “If I can do those two things, I’ll be a happy man.”

His love of printmaking was on display this summer at Galerie Camille in Detroit through his exhibition, “Landscape as Portrait.”

It was his first one-man show ever and displayed works from his entire career – spanning over five decades – and included his serigraphs, lithographs, collagraphs, monotypes, and intaglio prints. He describes his pieces as “landscapes of memory,” meaning he uses his own memory to create etchings of landscapes, often adding human elements to them.

“It was kind of an overwhelming experience to see a lot of my work going back to the time I was 16 through the age of 66 in one place,” he said.

It was a pretty amazing moment for Aronson, who has already been asked to do another show next year at the gallery.

As for his other love, philanthropy, he’s been doing that for decades as well, but now it’s his full-time job at the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit, where he serves as their chief development advisor, after 20 years as the CEO. Aronson views his work as giving people an opportunity to do a mitzvah, a very high accomplishment in the Jewish tradition meaning to do a good deed.

He does this in his hectic day, meeting with donors and potential donors.

“I really work with them on creating their own legacies for the community. What it is they want to leave behind or create in this community?” he said. “Whether it be for Jewish education, or children with special needs or the elderly, whatever it is they have a special interest in I help them kind of craft a legacy for the future.”

And getting to do it in Detroit is pretty special, as well. Aronson said it’s a very multi-generational Jewish community and is known for its special history of great leadership.

He noted that Detroit is the 26th largest Jewish community in America, but the fourth largest Jewish community in America in terms of fundraising. “That paints the picture of the kind of community Detroit is,” he said.

He’s also played a pretty large part in that and gotten to know many in the Detroit community. Now, he gets to see the legacies of those he’s advised continue.

Recently, he was at the opening of the Applebaum family office in Birmingham. There he got to watch Eugene Applebaum's daughter speak about the foundation she had created in honor of her late father. It was a pretty special moment for Aronson.

His work and art have taken Aronson all over the world. Much like his two passions though, he wouldn’t give up his current location of Bloomfield Hills – where he’s lived the last 18 years – for anything.

“I’ve lived in Manhattan, I’ve lived in Israel, I’ve lived in other places around the world and for me, it’s just home,” he said.

R

Story: Dana Casadei

Photo: Laurie Tennent

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BUSINESS MATTERS Good place for a laugh Comic City, the Detroit area’s comic and graphic novel headquarters, has opened an outpost in Bloomfield Township, at 2125 S. Telegraph Road right by Panera. Store owners Bob and Jill Smethers obviously have quite the funny bone, as the Bloomfield Comic City is their third location, along with Canton and West Bloomfield, which first opened in 1993, and has since become Michigan’s largest retailer of new comics and the state’s direct market leader in sales of graphic novels. “Comic characters are everywhere nowadays, and Comic City is the place to find all of your favorites, no matter what your age,” they said. “Bring the family in, we’ll help you find the perfect book.” The store carries comic books, graphic novels, action figures, toys, shirts, novelties, action figures, or as a salesman at the store said, “Anything nerds like.” They also have a large selection of collectible games “and are expanding our tabletop and family board games continuously.”

As salesman Andy said, “Why shop online when you can put your grubby hands on it?”

Barre Code moving Movement isn’t only their business – for The Barre Code Birmingham, 555 S. Old Woodward – it’s something they’re really doing, as in, they’re moving the location of The Barre Code from downtown Birmingham to the city’s Rail District. By the end of the year, the Birmingham location – one of three in metro Detroit, along with Rochester and Royal Oak – will have packed up their kettle balls and free weights and unpacked them in the Rail District, at 2010 Cole Street, where the local owners – Janelle Herbert and Lindsay Irrer – are very excited that the studio will be able to offer their clients free parking – a big reason they’re moving, Irrer said. “Home downtownpublications.com

isn’t a place, it’s a feeling,” Herbert and Irrer said. “And for us, our community isn’t just about what happens within the studio walls, but the connections and memories made within our hearts that can carry us wherever we go.” Besides free parking, they’re excited to offer upgraded features such as water bottle fillers and new studio mat flooring, and Irrer said, they are expanding their kids’ room space.

In home health care As the saying goes, help is on the way. Shareece Williams has launched a new, family-focused inhome care business, Home Helpers of Bloomfield Township, which specializes in comprehensive home care for seniors, new mothers and others who need recuperative and continuing assistance. Home Helpers also offers Direct Link, a proprietary line of medical alert systems that operate 24/7 and include a fall sensor with a GPS locator and an automated medication dispenser. “It’s important to me that every caregiver is focused on quality. It would be easy to hire whoever comes to the door, but I am personally screening each and every applicant to make sure that our company-wide vision of care and commitment to service is in the heart of every member of my team. That’s personally important to me and something I think will help set Home Helpers of Bloomfield Township apart from any other option in the area,” said Williams, who has been in the health care industry for 20 years and is a registered nurse.

Casual duds for guys Men who are looking for cool and casual clothes have a new store to shop at – Untied on Woodward, a men’s fashion collective, at 223 S. Old Woodward in downtown Birmingham. Owner Erik Miller said he had worked retail for years,

from Xpress to small retail locations to Carson’s, “When I just decided to take a leap of faith and go for it.” Untied specializes in all fair trade men’s clothes that are made in the U.S. “We have a big selection of jeans,” Miller said, noting they carry a cool brand called Raleigh Denim made in Raleigh, North Carolina. The store features button down casual shirts, T-shirts, and a big selection of men’s shoes. Among them are boots from Thursday Boot Company. “What’s cool is that GQ (Gentleman’s Quarterly) called them the best fall boots for under $200,” said Miller. Another brand walking out the door are shoes by Clae, which he said are “just great casual shoes.” Miller said “I’ve been really pleased,” with the store and having taken that leap, especially since, “I’m really lucky with my location – I’m right next to the Birmingham Theater.”

French clothing for kids Photos of Prince George and Princess Charlotte show two beautiful children dressed in wellpressed shorts and cable sweaters, and angelic dresses and hair bows.

Quite the antithesis of many American kids, wearing baggy ripped jeans, rhinestone-bedazzled leggings and sweatshirts emblazoned with adult sayings.

Enter Petite Cabane, a new children’s store of personallycurated children clothing with a timeless feel from France, England, Denmark, and other European countries. To be located in downtown Birmingham at 205 E. Maple Road in the former Barbara Boz Jewelry location (which has since moved right across the street), owners Carrie Martin and Samantha Foster of Birmingham are planning a March opening, just in time for parents to attire their little ones for spring and Easter. Martin said she used to live in Europe, and noted that parents there prefer a more classic

DOWNTOWN

style of dressing for their tots.

Petite Cabine, which means “little cabin” in French, will carry clothing, select items of children’s home décor and toys.

Stretch it out In its first expansion into the Michigan market, SLT Bloomfield Hills has opened at 3630 W. Maple Road at Lahser in the Kroger shopping center. SLT, which stands for “stretch, lengthen, tone,” was founded in 2011 in New York by Amanda Freeman, who describes herself as “a serial wellness entrepreneur.” She said SLT “was born from my desire for a workout that was all the things I was looking for in one...resultsoriented, challenging, effective and fun.” SLT is described by devotees as “if cardio, strength training and Pilates had a baby.”

They say their mission is to give clients full-body results in a smart, effective workout, and that they “believe in working hard and having fun while doing it.”

Recycle cell phones Looking for cash and don’t want to contribute to the earth’s pollution?

Here’s a solution – EcoATM, 685 E. Maple Road in Birmingham.

EcoATM is a responsible way to get rid of clutter in your home by exchanging old cell phones and tablets in exchange for instant cash. “The lifestyle end result is sustainable, simple, uncluttered and beneficially enhanced,” they said on their website. If you have a device you no longer use that can be recycled, bring it into EcoATM “and get rewarded for being green.” EcoATM accepts cell phones, MP3 players and tablets.

Business Matters for the Birmingham Bloomfield 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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FACES

Ellen and Chris Lawson he daughter of a veterinarian and a canine breeder, Ellen Lawson was raised to be a dog lover, but it was her husband's Pitbull mix puppy that inspired the Bloomfield Township couple in 2010 to launch Fluff & Tuff dog toys.

Raised in the Rochester area, Chris worked for Ross Roy Advertising for 18 years before retiring as CFO. The couple later moved to Georgia, where Fluff & Tuff was inspired.

"We had four dogs at the time, and one of them was Georgia," Ellen Lawson said, referring to the 65-pound dog she and Chris adopted from a small dog rescue outside Savannah, Georgia. "Georgia is hard on toys. The pet industry has come up in quality, but there were only a few that made high quality toys."

Working with one of Chris's friends in the children's plush toy business, Ellen came up with the first of dozens of dog toys designed to withstand the tearing, biting, pulling and tugging of the couple's pets. Today, Fluff & Tuff has about 60 different designs sold at nearly 1,000 retailers.

"We were lucky to get in with a manufacturer we knew for so many years," Ellen said. "It's a much thicker fabric – almost fur-like – and is a lot nicer and higher quality. They all have a mesh liner that is thick and stitched together.

Everything that goes into the toy is better quality to make it last longer. The seams are a little stronger to give it a little extra protection."

Research for the toys included attending American Kennel Club dog shows and learning about different materials. The initial idea and launch was restricted to designs of real animals, such as squirrels, bunnies and other critters a dog might chase in the backyard. Later designs expanded to include unicorns, candy canes and reindeer – the latter two of which are highly coveted during holiday time.

T

Starting with the "Georgia Gator" plush toy, named after the dog which inspired the company, Ellen works with their manufacturer to create five to eight new designs each year. Designs include small and large plush toys, including Tico Sloth, Monty Python, Violet Unicorn and Ruby Rainbow Trout.

While the toys are built to take abuse from their furry owners, Ellen said the designs aren't meant to be indestructible.

"I'm always trying to come up with toys with different shapes and styles so dogs with different play styles will like them," she said. "Even though we strongly believe in our product and quality, I always say it's not for every dog.

I almost undersell the durability because it's a plush toy, but it won't stand up to every dog.

"They have extended playability. We had a lot of luck with the fabric we use, which I didn't know about when we started – but dogs love it. Some dogs almost choose not to chew it up. We even have customers who buy them for their kids."

While Chris had launched other successful businesses after retiring as CFO from Ross Roy Advertising in 1996, including Atwater Block Brewery, the pet industry was uncharted territory for the couple.

"We didn't know what to expect. The pet industry has changed in the past 10 years, with the whole movement for higher quality food and everything owners give their pets, and that wasn't the case 15 or 20 years ago," Ellen said. "It wasn't a conscious decision of the pet industry being 'recession proof.' It almost started as fun."

Story: Kevin Elliott

Photo: Laurie Tennent

Dine

EAT. DRINK. BE MERRY. Celebrate the holidays in style at Big Rock Chophouse and The Reserve. Let us take care of all your holiday event planning needs so you can enjoy the holiday season.

We're now accepting reservations for holiday parties of all sizes. Call us today at 248.647.7774 to reserve your party.

Shop

HURRY AND BOOK NOW, SPACE IS LIMITED!

$30 PRICE FIXED HOLIDAY LUNCH MENU

Reserve Your Holiday Party Today

Monday - Friday November 26, 2018 through December 28, 2018 Starter (Choice of One) Cream of Mushroom Soup Herb Oil

Celebrate

~or~

Seafood Chowder Potato Cream, Thyme, Smoked Trout Rillettes ~or~

Caesar Salad Romaine Hearts, Crouton, Garlic Chutney ~or~

Winter Salad Mixed Greens, Cranberries, Apples, Candied Walnuts, Goat Cheese, Fig Balsamic Dressing Main Course (Choice of One) Filet Au Poivre Steamed Asparagus, Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Red Wine Sauce ~or~

Grilled Salmon Citrus Fennel Cabbage Slaw, Parm Herb Dutch Potatoes, Beurre Blanc

Price Fixed Holiday Lunch Menu Returns

~or~

GIFTS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST IN BIRMINGHAM

Roasted Airline Chicken Breast Steamed Haricot Vert, Mushroom Risotto, Chicken Demi Dessert (Choice of One) Eggnog Brulee Whipped Cream, Gingersnap Cookie ~or~ Chocolate Cake Devil's Food Cake, Peppermint Crema, Whipped Topping Enjoy a bottle of house wine with lunch for only $30: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon Available for any size party. Counts on each entrée will need to be provided for groups of 30 or more, 3 days prior to event. An automatic service charge of 20% and 6% sales tax will be added.

Beverages not included.

Executive Chef Eric Voigt

OUR GIFT TO YOU! RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY $20 GIFT CARD WITH PURCHASE OF A $100 CARD Have you been trying to find the perfect gift for someone special? Why not consider a gift certificate from Big Rock Chophouse? Available in any denomination, our gift certificates will leave a lasting impression!! *Some restrictions apply. Offer expires 12/28/18.

Limited supply while quantities last.

GI F GIF T T GIFT

Enjoy free 2 hour valet parking and 2 hours free in decks.

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wwwALLINBirmingham.com BIRMINGHAM SHOPPING DISTRICT

@BHAMSHOPPING

245 S. Eton St., Birmingham • 248.647.7774 • bigrockchophouse.com 86

DOWNTOWN

12.18

PLACES TO EAT 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.

Birmingham/Bloomfield 220: American. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 220 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.2220.

5th Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 2262 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302.

248.481.9607.

Adachi: Asian. Dinner daily. Liquor.

Reservations. 325 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham 48009. 248.540.5900.

Andiamo: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.865.9300.

Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Township, 48304.

248.499.6867.

Beau's: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 4108 W. Maple, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630.

Bella Piatti: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

167 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.494.7110.

Beverly Hills Grill: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. No reservations. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, 48025. 248.642.2355.

Beyond Juice: Contemporary. Breakfast & Lunch daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 270 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7078.

Big Rock Chophouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 245 South Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774.

Bill's: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Daily. Reservations, lunch only. Liquor.

39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.9000.

Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.8880.

Bistro Joe’s Kitchen: Global. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Sunday brunch. Liquor.

Reservations. 34244 Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.0984.

Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.645.6879.

Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6690.

Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily.

Liquor. Call ahead. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township. 248.642.4000.

Cameron’s Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.723.1700.

China Village: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 1655 Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.758.1221.

Churchill's Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555.

Cityscape Deli: Deli. Lunch & Dinner,

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2 FABULOUS HOLIDAY SPECIALS

Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Beer.

877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220.

Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.9766.

Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.1135.

Eddie Merlot's: Steak & seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 37000 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.712.4095.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.258.9939.

Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2420.

Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033.

Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134.

Forest: European. Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.9400.

Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Greek.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222.

Griffin Claw Brewing Company: American.

Dinner, Tuesday-Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday and Sunday. No Reservations.

Liquor. 575 S. Eton Street, Birmingham.

248.712.4050.

Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111.

Hunter House Hamburgers: American.

Breakfast, Monday-Saturday; Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.7121.

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.594.4369.

IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301.

248.333.7522.

Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner daily; Sunday brunch. Reservations.

Liquor. 39475 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.792.9609.

Kaku Sushi and Poke': Asian. Lunch & Dinner. Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations.

No Liquor. 869 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302.

248.480.4785, and 126 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.885.8631.

Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166.

La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.858.5800.

La Strada Dolci e Caffe: Italian. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 243 E. Merrill Street,

DOWNTOWN

Carryout Or Catering Orders of $69.95 or More Present this coupon when placing order.

Excludes all other specials and offers. Expires 1/5/19. DTN

Buy 1 Dozen at Regular Price and get 2nd Dozen 50% Off

Limit 1 Dozen 50% Off Present this coupon when placing order.

Excludes all other specials and offers.

Expires 1/5/19. DTN

6646 Telegraph at Maple Bloomfield Plaza

CALL DINE-IN/CARRY-OUT/CATERING

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www.stevesdeli.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

87

food with

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20

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your first online order *Carryout and delivery only

Discount can be used Sunday - Thursday dinner only. Dine in only.

Cannot be applied to the purchase of gift certificates, tax, alcohol or gratuity.

Must present original coupon. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offers.

Minimum purchase of $75. One coupon per table. Excludes Holidays.

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ristorantevolare.com or text VOLARE to 33733

248 960 7771 48992 PO N T IAC T RA IL, W IXO M, MI 48 3 9 3 ristorantevolare.com

Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0492.

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.

Little Daddy’s Parthenon: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.647.3400.

Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily; Late Night, 9 p.m.-closing. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.6051.

Mad Hatter Cafe: Tea Room. Brunch, Lunch & Dinner. No reservations. Liquor. 185 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.540.0000 Mandaloun Bistro: Lebanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, Daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 30100 Telegraph Rd., Suite 130, Bingham Farms, 48025. 248.723.7960.

Market North End: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations.

Liquor. 474 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.712.4953.

MEX Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.723.0800.

Nippon Sushi Bar: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2079 S. Telegraph, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9581.

Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.451.0500.

Original Pancake House: American.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.5775.

Panera Bread: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 100 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7966. Also 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.253.9877.

Phoenicia: Middle Eastern. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.3122.

Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 239 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.6999.

Qdoba: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 795 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.988.8941. Also 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304. 248.874.1876 Red Olive: Middle Eastern/American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42757 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48302.

248.481.7767.

Roadside B & G: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1727 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.858.7270.

Rojo Mexican Bistro: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.6200.

Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977.

Sidecar Slider Bar: Burgers. Lunch & Dinner,

downtownpublications.com

daily. No reservations. Liquor. 280 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham 48009.

248.220.4167.

Social Kitchen & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations, parties of 5 or more. Liquor. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200.

Stacked Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Delivery available. No reservations. 233 North Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.5300.

Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301.

248.932.0800.

Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily.

Reservations, Lunch only. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.9123.

Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887.

Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830.

Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American.

Dinner. Monday-Saturday. Sunday brunch.

Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066.

The Franklin Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 32760 Franklin Rd, Franklin, 48025. 248.865.6600.

The Gallery Restaurant: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.851.0313.

The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688.

The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999.

Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278.

Tomatoes Apizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner daily. Carryout. 34200 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.0500.

Touch of India: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7881.

Townhouse: American. Brunch, Saturday, Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241.

Triple Nickel Restaurant and Bar: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations.

555 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham 48009. 248.480.4951.

Vinotecca: European. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodard, Birmingham, 48009.

248.203.6600.

Village Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

653 S. Adams. Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.7964.

Whistle Stop Diner: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.566.3566.

Royal Oak/Ferndale Ale Mary's: American. Weekend Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 316 South Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1917.

Anita’s Kitchen: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 22651 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.548.0680.

Assaggi Bistro: Italian. Lunch, TuesdayFriday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday.

Reservations. Liquor. 330 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220. 248.584.3499.

Bigalora: Italian. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 711 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067.

Bistro 82: French. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 401 S. Lafayette Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.0082.

The Blue Nile: Ethiopian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 545 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.547.6699.

Cafe Muse: French. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.4749.

Cork Wine Pub: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 23810 Woodward Ave., Pleasant Ridge, 48069. 248.544.2675.

D’Amato’s: Italian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

222 Sherman Dr., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.584.7400.

Due Venti: Italian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

220 S. Main St., Clawson, 48017.

248.288.0220.

The Fly Trap: Diner. Breakfast & Lunch, daily.

Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 22950 Woodward Ave., 48220. 248.399.5150.

GreenSpace Cafe: Vegan. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 215. W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.206.7510.

Howe’s Bayou: Cajun. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 22949 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145.

Inyo Restaurant Lounge: Asian Fusion.

Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 22871 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.543.9500.

KouZina: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 121 N. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.629.6500.

Kruse & Muer on Woodward: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

28028 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.965.2101.

Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Weekend Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 410 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.591.5459.

Lockhart’s BBQ: Barbeque. Sunday Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 202 E. Third St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.584.4227.

Oak City Grille: American. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 212 W. 6th St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.556.0947.

One-Eyed Betty: American. Weekend Breakfast. Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 175 W. Troy St., Ferndale, 48220.

248.808.6633.

Pronto!: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

608 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.7900.

Public House: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 241 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.850.7420.

DOWNTOWN

Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 31542 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, 48073.

248.549.0300.

Ronin: Japanese. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 326 W. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.546.0888.

Royal Oak Brewery: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 215 E. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.544.1141.

Strada: Italian. Dinner, Wednesday - Sunday.

Liquor. No reservations. 376 N. Main Street. Royal Oak, 48067.

248.607.3127.

Toast, A Breakfast and Lunch Joint: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 23144 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.398.0444.

Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 318 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.541.1186.

Town Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.544.7300.

The Morrie: American. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 511 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.216.1112.

Trattoria Da Luigi: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 415 S, Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.542.4444.

Twisted Tavern: American. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22901 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.545,6750.

Vinsetta Garage: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 27799 Woodward Ave., Berkley, 48072.

248.548.7711.

Troy/Rochester Capital Grille: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2800 West Big Beaver Rd., Somerset Collection, Troy, 48084. 248.649.5300.

Cafe Sushi: Pan-Asian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1933 W. Maple Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.280.1831.

Cantoro Italian Trattoria: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1695 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy 48083.

248.817.2424.

CK Diggs: American & Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 2010 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.853.6600.

O’Connor’s Irish Public House: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 324 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307.

248.608.2537.

Kona Grille: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 30 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48083. 248.619.9060.

Kruse & Muer on Main: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 327 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.652.9400.

Loccino Italian Grill and Bar: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor.

Reservations. 5600 Crooks Road, Troy, 48098. 248.813.0700.

McCormick & Schmick’s: Steak & Seafood.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

Somerset Collection, 2850 Coolidge Hwy., Troy, 48084. 248.637.6400.

The Meeting House: American. Weekend Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 301 S. Main St, Rochester, 48307. 248.759.4825.

Miguel’s Cantina: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-

89

METRO INTELLIGENCER 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 Dana Casadei who can be reached at DanaCasadei@DowntownPublications.com with news items or tips, on or off the record.

HRD opens market, dining Birmingham’s newest restaurant locale – Hazel, Ravines and Downtown – owned by Beth Hussey and Executive Chef Emmele Herrold at 34977 Woodward Avenue, Suite 100, is in full swing with their unique three-concept approach. Everything from the food to their beer, wine, and cocktails (organized in very colorful and clear menus) all fall under one of three categories: familiar, international, and trendy, the latter of which Herrold envisions changing six to eight times a year. “The minute I get inspiration with something I’m going to change it,” Herrold said. HRD, as they figure it will be known as, also has a raw bar, and a Jim Beam highball machine behind the bar, the only one of its kind in Michigan. Before guests enter the restaurant, though – where they’ll find dishes like Herrold’s take on cheesy potatoes, a fried fish sandwich, and Peruvian chicken – there’s a grab-and-go market for those looking for a quick bite. A unique touch is a filtered water tap – which Hussey encourages people to bring their own water bottle and fill, saving on plastic bottles. While the duo have opened restaurants before, it’s still exciting, especially since it’s being fully funded by themselves and a bank loan. “For it to be all mine this time...It’s unbelievable,” Hussey said. “I pinch myself every morning when I wake up.”

Modern eclectic cuisine “The location to us felt perfect,” said BESA Detroit managing partner Gerti Begaj about being in the Vinton Building at 600 Woodward Avenue. “It felt like the right way of representing Detroit and being in Detroit.” Begaj is one of multiple owners, along with Edi and Etrit Demaj, and Mario Camaj, owner of Birmingham’s Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro. The modern finedining restaurant opened in late October with Chef Kyle Schutte, who previously worked in California, leading the kitchen. Schutte describes the menu of the 135-seat restaurant as modern, eclectic, inventive, and influenced by his own culinary journey. So far, popular dishes include their pastrami spice agnolotto with rendered bone marrow and Michigan ribeye.

There’s one menu item Schutte gets giddy about making – a dessert, Object Orange, inspired by the Detroit art project of the same name. As for the name, BESA, it has an Albanian connection (as do many of the owners) and literally means “a pledge of honor.” Begaj said the hospitality behind the word was very big for them. While dinner is the main focus now, they plan on rolling out lunch and brunch early next year.

Dazzling as diamonds Endorsements don’t get much better than from the city’s mayor where you’re about to open a restaurant. “Diamonds Steak & Seafood will bring a fresh and exciting dining experience to our bustling downtown,” said Mike Fournier, Royal Oak mayor. “Adam Merkel, and his team, are true experts in delivering an exceptional culinary experience with the highest levels of hospitality.” Located at 100 S. Main Street, the restaurant quietly opened November 6, a week ahead of its original opening date, and has a menu designed by Merkel and culinary director, Chef Craig Myrand. Dishes include favorites from the original Howell establishment, like their signature steak salad and carrot cake, and new items, such as blackened ahi tuna and wagyu beef carpaccio. On weekends there will also be a brunch buffet.

Lucky be a coffee bar Adding a coffee bar to a barber shop may seem outlandish – but not to Detroit Barbers’ owners Chad and Jami Buchanan. “A lot of barber shop concepts outside of Michigan have either a bar/coffee shop or something else attached to their look and feel and vibe,” Chad said. On October 22 they joined the club, opening Lucky Detroit, a coffee bar now located on the second floor of their space at 2000 Michigan Avenue in Detroit. While some, including Chad, assumed Lucky Detroit would primarily be for customers of the barber shop, it’s been the exact opposite, with most of their wide demographic just wanting to enjoy a cup of coffee in the speakeasy-styled place. Lucky Detroit is trying to use as many Michigan-sourced and made products as they can, like their coffee, made with beans from Bay City-based

Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

870 S. Rochester Rd, Rochester Hills, 48307. 248.453.5371.

Mon Jin Lau: Asian. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Rd, Troy, 48083. 248.689.2332.

Morton’s, The Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 888 W. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.404.9845.

NM Café: American. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2705 W. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48084.

248.816.3424.

Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200.

Ocean Prime: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 2915 Coolidge Hwy., Troy, 48084.

248.458.0500.

Orchid Café: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. 3303 Rochester Rd., Troy, 48085.

248.524.1944.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.816.8000.

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.

Rochester Chop House: Steak & Seafood.

Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 306 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.651.2266.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 755 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.269.8424.

Silver Spoon: Italian. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6830 N. Rochester Rd., Rochester, 48306.

248.652.4500.

Steelhouse Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1129 E. Long Lake Rd., Troy, 48085.

248.817.2980.

Too Ra Loo: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 139 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.453.5291.

West Bloomfield/Southfield Bacco: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 29410 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.356.6600.

Beans and Cornbread: Southern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 29508 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034.

248.208.1680.

Bigalora: Italian. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield, 48034.

Maria’s Restaurant: Italian. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2080 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323.

248.851.2500.

The Bombay Grille: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 29200 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills, 48334.

248.626.2982.

The Fiddler: Russian. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 6676 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.851.8782.

Mene Sushi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 6239 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.538.7081.

Meriwether’s: Seafood. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 25485 Telegraph Rd, Southfield, 48034. 248.358.1310.

Pickles & Rye: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6724 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.737.3890.

Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6545 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.7463.

Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor.

6745 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.865.0500.

Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. Orchard Mall Shopping Center, 6407 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.626.8585.

Sposita’s Ristorante: Italian. Friday Lunch.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 33210 W. Fourteen Mile Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248. 538.8954.

Stage Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.855.6622.

Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, 48322.

248.737.8282.

West Oakland Gravity Bar & Grill: Mediterranean. Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday, Dinner.

Reservations. Liquor. 340 N. Main Street, Milford, 48381. 248.684.4223.

It's A Matter of Taste: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2323 Union Lake Road, Commerce, 48390.

248.360.4150.

The Root Restaurant & Bar: American.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday - Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 340 Town Center Blvd., White Lake, 48390. 248.698.2400.

Volare Ristorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 48992 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.960.7771.

North Oakland Clarkston Union: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 54 S. Main St., Clarkston, 48346. 248.620.6100.

Holly Hotel: American. Afternoon Tea, Monday – Saturday, Brunch, Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 110 Battle Alley, Holly, 48442. 248.634.5208.

Kruse's Deer Lake Inn: Seafood. Lunch & dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7504 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346.

248.795.2077.

The Fed: American. Lunch and Dinner daily, Brunch, Saturday and Sunday. Liquor.

15 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346.

248.297.5833 Via Bologna: Italian. Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 7071 Dixie Highway, Clarkston. 48346. 248.620.8500.

Union Woodshop: BBQ. Dinner, Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday – Sunday.

No reservations. Liquor. 18 S. Main St.,

Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.5660

Detroit Bucharest Grill: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2684 E. Jefferson, Detroit, 48207.

313.965.3111.

Cliff Bell’s: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 2030 Park Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.961.2543.

Craft Work: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 8047 Agnes St., Detroit, 48214.

313.469.0976.

Cuisine: French. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 670 Lothrop Rd., Detroit, 48202. 313.872.5110.

The Detroit Seafood Market: Seafood.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

1435 Randolph St., Detroit, 48226.

313.962.4180.

El Barzon: Mexican. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 3710 Junction St., Detroit, 48210.

313.894.2070.

Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café: Cajun.

Breakfast, daily. Sunday Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 400 Monroe Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.965.4600.

Giovanni’s Ristorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 330 S. Oakwood Blvd., Detroit, 48217. 313.841.0122.

Green Dot Stables: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2200 W. Lafayette, Detroit, 48216.

313.962.5588.

Jefferson House: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd., Detroit, 48226. 313.782.4318.

Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday- Friday, Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.6837.

Johnny Noodle King: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2601 W. Fort St., Detroit, 48216.

313.309.7946.

Mario’s: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 4222 2nd Ave., Detroit, 48201.

313.832.1616.

Midtown Shangri-la: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 4710 Cass Ave., Detroit, 48201.

313.974.7669.

Motor City Brewing Works: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 470 W. Canfield St., Detroit, 48201. 313.832.2700.

1917 American Bistro: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 19416 Livernois Ave., Detroit, 48221. 313.863.1917.

Prism: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 E. Lafayette St, Detroit, 48226.

313.309.2499.

Red Smoke Barbeque: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

Trappers Alley Shopping Center, 573 Monroe Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.962.2100.

Russell Street Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 2465 Russell St, Detroit, 48207.

313.567.2900.

Selden Standard: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 3921 Second Ave., Detroit, 48201. 313.438.5055.

SheWolf Pastifico & Bar: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 438 Selden St, Detroit 48201.

313.315.3992.

Sinbad’s: Seafood. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 St Clair St., Detroit, 48214. 313.822.8000.

Slows Bar BQ: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2138 Michigan Ave, Detroit, 48216.

313.962.9828.

Small Plates Detroit: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 1521 Broadway St., Detroit, 48226. 313.963.0702.

St. CeCe’s Pub: American. Sunday Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1426 Bagley Ave., Detroit, 48216. 313.962.2121.

Tap at MGM Grand: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 1777 Third Street, Detroit, 48226.

313.465.1234.

Taqueria Nuestra Familia: Mexican.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 7620 Vernor Hwy., Detroit, 48209. 313.842.5668.

The Block: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

3919 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201.

313.832.0892.

Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday. Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 519 East Jefferson Ave., Detroit, 48226. 313.964.4010.

Traffic Jam & Snug: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 511 W. Canfield, Detroit, 48201.

313.831.9470.

24grille: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, 1114 Washington Blvd, Detroit, 48226.

313.964.3821.

Union Street: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4145 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201.

313.831.3965.

Vince’s: Italian. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 1341 Springwells St., Detroit, 48209. 313.842.4857.

Vivio’s Food & Spirits: American. Saturday Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2460 Market St., Detroit, 48207. 313.393.1711.

The Whitney: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & High Tea, Monday-Friday. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201.

313.832.5700.

Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina: Italian.

Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 1777 Third St, Detroit, 48226.

313.465.1646.

Wolfgang Puck Steak: Steak & Seafood.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third St, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1411.

Wright & Co.: American. Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1500 Woodward Ave Second Floor, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.7711.

Populace Coffee, and their tea from Dearborn-based Retea. Even their pastries are all Michigan-made and come from Rising Stars Academy in Center Line.

Brewery Faisan Out of all the styles of beer to focus a brewery around husband-and-wife duo Rachel and Paul Szlaga decided theirs would be Belgian-style. But why?

“Because it’s (Belgium) really where we fell in love with the flavors,” she said.

In the late spring, locals will be able to fall in love with them too when Brewery Faisan (French for “pheasant”) opens at 1087 Beaufait Street, Detroit.

Currently the two homebrewers, who have been creating their own beer for the last eight years, are testing out recipes to put on tap in their 9,000-square-foot space, which won’t have a kitchen – although they plan on offering snacks and inviting food trucks to the space. Rachel said they will have at least eight beers, with the hope to always be adding to the list. “We’re opening to be a small, local business, and we want to have a lot of fun options,” she said. Right now, they plan to have a Belgian Witbier recipe and are working on recipes for a Belgian-style saison, as well as a few lighter beers.

Gotta go Gold Get your hot dogs here! Gold Bar – located on the lower level of The Fed, a modern American eatery and bar in downtown Clarkston, owned by Sarah and James Schneider – has a menu full of organic wagyu gourmet hot dogs and sides, like chips and dip. “Luckily, we were able to get these beautiful hot dogs. We knew we had this amazing product that we could do something cool and different with,” Sarah said. Opened since late October, some menu highlights include Sarah’s favorite, the Fuego, topped with chipotle mayo, cheddar cheese, cowboy candy, and takis, and the Cali, which has hot sauce, crème fraiche, pickled onions, and micros. Executive chef Jakobi Voorheis said he’s never done a menu like this before but things came together pretty organically. “A lot of the things that make it on the menu are things we like to eat,” Voorheis said. Gold Bar also has some unique features, like the bar itself, made from a vintage Airstream Travel Trailer, and a speakeasy area for private dining. Live music is offered multiple nights a week.

It’s yummy Opening up a permanent space at 6500 Woodward, Detroit – where Atomic Chicken was — is a full circle moment for YumVillage owner Godwin Ihentuge. “It’s kind of funny to me that I’m making that same type of food down the street from where we used to get it,” said the Detroit native about his new 4,000-square-foot space. When they open early next year, YumVillage will be able to offer more West African-Caribbean cuisine than they currently do on their current food truck, with items like soup, salads, fried meats and more seafood gracing the menu of the fast-casual restaurant. (The fryer on the truck is kept strictly vegetarian.) Ihentuge said they currently have a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for cosmetic changes and a few larger goals, like a culinary incubator for his staff. The food truck and catering business will continue, and there are plans for their own delivery service.

YumVillage will also be the second African restaurant on the block. East African cafe Baobab Fare is opening before the year ends. “I think it’s going to be really sweet to have both on the same block,” he said.

Spanish wine bar and mercado From the opening of Detroit’s Spanish tapas restaurant, La Feria – 4130 Cass Avenue – owners Pilar Baron Hidalgo, Elias Khalil, and Naomi Khalil had always envisioned expanding. In early December they will with the addition of Cata Vino Mercado and Wine Bar, a wine bar and retail shop located in the space adjacent to the restaurant. “We’re really showcasing what Spain has to offer, and that’s a unique offering not only in the region but in the state,” said Elias, who noted this will be Midtown’s first Spanish mercado and wine bar. On the retail side, they will offer wines from Spain and around the world, and items found in a traditional European gourmet market, like olive oil, canned mussels and octopus, and international cheeses, among others. Elias said the food inside the wine bar will showcase items offered in the mercado as well as a variety of Spanish wines. Playing off La Feria’s name – a reference to a festival in Seville, Spain – Cata Vino refers to the glass used to sip manzanilla sherry during the festival. Broken down into “cata” and “vino” it means “to taste wine,” which couldn’t be more fitting.

THE COMMUNITY HOUSE The Season of Gratitude As we enter the sacred season of gratitude and reflection, I cannot help but give thanks and reflect on 2018 – this our 95th Anniversary celebration year.

What a year it was!

We started 2018 by unveiling The Community House’s new entity: The Community House Foundation. The Community House Foundation was created to secure philanthropic funds that are critical in our ability to keep that promise to our families. Robust philanthropy also helps support a wide range of programs, projects and services, today and in the future, that benefit the community, while helping to raise funds for the protection and preservation of The Community House and its historic building.

In 2018, our award-winning Early Childhood Center and the Hackett Infant & Toddler Center achieved yet again its coveted and well-earned 5Bill Seklar star rating as a HighScope and Great Start To Quality Program and Curriculum.

The Community House’s Hospitality Department once again took home the 1st Place – People’s Choice Award in the Mac ‘n Cheese cookoff event at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. Second year in a row!

Over 200,000 guests and visitors entered the doors of The Community House in 2018. And we survived the Old Woodward Avenue (Downtown Birmingham) road construction, sewer replacement and beautification project of 2018.

Projects to protect, renovate and preserve our historic property occurred in 2018 including the exterior Van Dusen Terrace fencing, lighting and pillar project. All projects were made possible through the kindness and generosity of others.

Iconic gatherings such as the Our Town Art Sale and Show, Dr. Martin Luther King and Diversity Champions Breakfasts, 90 & Beyond, Student Our Town and House Tour were held in 2018, and newcomer gatherings like the Bates Street Society Dinner, CultureTalks, Birmingham Downs (Kentucky Derby), SIP Wine & Food Classic and Women of Influence took place – all were highly attended and acclaimed.

The Community House was able to open its doors and open its hearts to a number of other non-profit or supported groups, including Race Relations & Diversity Task Force, the Birmingham Bloomfield Newcomer’s Club, The Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber, The Birmingham Optimist Club, Rotary, The Birmingham Lion’s Club, The Birmingham Shopping District, the Story Teller’s Guild, The Women’s Club, The Senior Men’s Club of Birmingham, The Birmingham Teen Council and the President’s Advisory (Young Professionals) Council.

Milestone moments were had, friendships were made, and sometimes sad farewells were bid. Yet throughout our special anniversary year – our past was celebrated, our mission strengthened, our resolve solidified, and our future made brighter. And, every step of the way, our gratitude deepened.

We were reminded that “Gratitude is a virtue every man should cultivate.

Yet gratitude means nothing if you haven’t mastered the art of expressing it.”

As our “community” heads into the sacred season of counting our blessings, and as we wind down our special 95th anniversary year celebrations, all of us at The Community House: our leadership, stakeholders, staff and beneficiaries – continue to faithfully and humbly count our blessings.

For without all our cherished supporters, our donors, corporate sponsors, class takers, child-care families, event guests, community partners, young performers and dedicated corp of volunteers – our work would not be made possible.

We also wish to give special thanks to the fine city of Birmingham, to its hardworking staff, to the Birmingham Shopping District, to the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber, The Baldwin Public Library, to the surrounding businesses, restaurants and merchants, academic institutions, wouses of Worship and those visiting our extraordinary city, the county and beyond.

Happy 95th Anniversary venerable Community House – and Happy Holidays and many, many thanks to each and every one of YOU!

CREATING CHEMISTRY ONE HOME AT A TIME. Whether you’re planning to buy or build a new home, or refinance your current mortgage, let experienced professional Lynn Wiand and Chemical Bank help you find the right loan option to meet your needs.

Contact Lynn today to get started!

Lynn Wiand NMLS #394920 Lynn.Wiand@ChemicalBank.com 248.228.4805 Apply Online: ChemicalBank.com/LynnWiand

William D. Seklar is President & CEO of The Community House and The Community House Foundation in Birmingham. downtownpublications.com

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by J. Lyle Ltd. 235 Willits Alley Birmingham, MI

$

20 Blow Outs

tuesday through friday

248:: 540:: 0046

SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Here is the update on the recent social scene. Many more photos from each event appear online each week at downtownpublications.com where readers can sign up for an e-mail notice when the latest social scene column is posted. Past columns and photos are also archived at the website for Downtown.

American Cancer Society Cattle Baron’s Ball

Sally Gerak

American Cancer Society Cattle Baron’s Ball The annual Detroit version of the American Cancer Society’s western-themed fundraiser attracted more than 750 cancer fighters to the Suburban Collection Showplace where they were greeted by volunteers on horseback. Foot-stomping music provided atmosphere while they bid more than $60,000 in the silent auction, sipped and supped. The program emceed by WDIV’s Kimberly Gill had highlights, including a tip of the hat to Cowger Leadership Awardee Janelle Tischer, the live auction ($82,450) and moving personal stories by Cheri Ott and Jessica Wright. Following Wright’s saga of being a caregiver for her fiancé, auctioneer Scott Swenson generated more than $80,000 in Mission Moment pledges. Some of that was from the offer of a great prize to the last person to pledge. The 16th annual Detroit ball was presented by Toyota and led by the company’s Bob Young and Original Equipment Suppliers Association’s Julie Fream. They smiled broadly when the event proceeds were announced as $885,829.

Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber Vine & Dine Although it moves around, wherever the BB Chamber holds its fall fundraiser lots of people turn out. This year, 350 ($85 & $95ticket) flocked to Brad Oleshansky’s M1 Concourse to sample spirits and snack at stations deliciously provisioned by 16 restaurants. Some of the guests were invited to stop at the VIP tent where presenting sponsor Mi Bank in Organization’s Rob Farr was schmoozing prospective customers. Sixty fast car fans took thrill rides with the pro drivers around the track. Axis Music Academy talents Ali McManus, Zachary Hooper, Chelsea Grey and Alison Buckman performed in the big party tent where volunteers from Gleaners Community Food Bank were selling tickets for the five, chance auction packages. (Guests bought enough to provide 10,000 meals for those in need.) Event proceeds support the chamber’s mission to create a prosperous business climate through relationships.

RANH 50th Anniversary The Rochester Area Neighborhood House celebrated 50 years of neighbors helping neighbors move from crisis to selfsufficiency with a free, classic car show on the streets of Canterbury Village, followed by a benefit birthday bash and auction. The former enabled volunteers like Maria Trahan and Mary Howarth to educate people about the “community jewel’s” aid programs. The latter attracted 120 ($115 ticket) and generated enough profit to provide emergency shelter to an additional 25 families this year. It also provided a platform for Executive Director Kathy Losinski to introduce the legacy fund that will generate support for the next 50 years.

Northwood University Distinguished Women Award Gala For the 49th year, Northwood University has identified a select group of accomplished women as Distinguished and honored them at a gala. The event not only provides role models for the students, but also real-world experience by working on the event committee and by introducing the honorees. This year, the gala attracted 150 to the Midland Country Club where new DW included Motor City Lyric Opera founder Mary Callaghan Lynch, Shinkle Fine Art founder / general counsel / artist Linda Schinkel Rodney and Cass Tech High School principal Lisa Phillips. Proceeds from the event will support scholarships at the downtownpublications.com

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1. Rob Lawrence (left) & Julie Fream of Birmingham, Ron Young of Ann Arbor. 2. Blythe Moran of Bloomfield, Janelle Tischler of Rochester Hills, Barb McAllister of Ferndale. 3. Sandee Rellinger (left) of Rochester Hills and Stacy Hale of Pinckney. 4. Amanda Bosherz (left) of Rochester and Melissa Bunker of Grosse Pointe. 5. Rita Hoekstra (left) of Northville, Lynn Liddle of Birmingham.

Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber Vine & Dine

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4 1. Cheryl (left) & Ron Riback of Bloomfield, Rob Farr of Beverly Hills, Joe Bauman of Livonia. 2. Don Lee (left) of Rochester, Vince Gotko of W. Bloomfield. 3. John Henke left) & Leslie Craigie of Birmingham, Jessica & Conrad Lundberg of Royal Oak. 4. Julie and Ali McManus of Bloomfield.

5. John Roberts (center) of Birmingham, Bob Pliska (left) and Bill Seklar of Bloomfield.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK University, known for developing future business leaders of a global society.

RANH 50th Anniversary

100+ Millennials Who Care Launch Seventy charity-minded Millennials convened at the Royal Oak Emagine Theatre for the first meeting of the organization founded by Michelle Denno to harness the power of collective giving. They had each committed to giving $100 per quarter to a charity to be determined by the group.

They heard three five-minute, Shark Tank-esque pitches for non-profits. A Q and A followed each presentation before the voting. Fleece & Thank You, which creates blankets for hospitalized children and delivers them with a video message from the maker, was the winner and received $7,000 plus $1,000 from corporate partner UHY, LLP. The program also included sage advice and encouragement from Amy Whipple, a co- founder of 100+ Women Who Care of Greater Rochester. Denno, who is joined on the steering committee by Joey Bastian, David Ehrlich, Emilie Fitch, Joseph Kulwicki, Jess Nestrovski, Casey Schario, Ryan Schario, John Shiha and Ramy Sulaiman, was encouraged by the palpable energy in the room.

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1. Al Michalec of Rochester Hills. 2. Kathy and Brendon Losinski of Rochester Hills. 3. Gary & Leanna Kavanagh of Oakland Township. 4. Gary and Cheryl Bida of Rochester Hills.

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Northwood University Distinguished Women Award Gala

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1. Linda Schinkel Rodney (center) of Bloomfield, Theodore M. Shinkle (left) of Detroit and N. Douglas Shinkle of Birmingham. 2. Mary Callaghan Lynch & Patrick Lynch of Bloomfield.

3. Susanne Forbes Dicker (left) of Troy, Kevin Nelson of Garden City, Nicole Fleming of Frankenmuth, Elaine Swenson of Bloomfield. 4. Lisa Phillips (left) of Detroit, Pam Good of Bloomfield.

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Variety Feeds Kids

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1. Steve Pemberton (center) of Chicago, Connie Beckett (left) of Troy and Kelly Shuert of Bloomfield. 2. Henry Baskin (left) of Bloomfield, Alan Barry of Commerce, Doug Meijer of Grand Rapids. 3. Matt Shuert (left) of Bloomfield, Jeffrey King of Birmingham. 4. Kim Smith (left) and Jennie Cascio of Bloomfield. 5. Rhonda & Paul Sabatini of Bloomfield.

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Variety Feeds Kids Connie Beckett and Kelly Shuert chaired the sold-out luncheon benefiting the weekend food program they co-founded. It serves 1,200 children in the Pontiac Public School District with hands on distribution help

by Oakland County Sheriff Department officers, some of whom were in the audience of 285 at Pine Lake Country Club. Table centerpieces and a display in the dining room lobby spoke to the food focus of the event, but not with as much impact as guest speaker Steve Pemberton did. The successful business executive and author, whose innate perspicacity and love of reading enabled him to survive years with a cruel foster family, told about having to sneak breakfast cereal silently into a bowl to avoid detection by his evil parents. His inspiring biography, “A Chance in the World,” is now a movie that will be shown at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 28 at the Maple Theatre. Ticket sales will benefit Variety, The Children’s Charity, as did the luncheon ($215,000) and board president Lois Shaevsky’s milestone birthday a few days later ($5,000).

Thanks also to sponsors, Variety Feeds Kids can supply weekend food to an atrisk child for a whole year for $100.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Michigan Opera Theatre Gala

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Michigan Opera Theatre Gala Eleven days after beloved Michigan Opera Theatre founder David DiChiera died of pancreatic cancer, 318 guests ($750 & up tickets) were gathered at the MOT 2018 Gala.

“For the first time in 48 years, David is not here. But his spirit is,” noted board chair Rick Williams. “…(and) with you, his vision, the show will go on for many, many years,” he added. The dinner followed a cocktail reception and a glorious concert by incomparable soprano Renée Fleming and two Joffrey Ballet dancers. In the audience of 2,084 were 98 Young Professionals ($125 ticket) who partied in the Barbara Frankel & Herman Frankel Donor Lounge with DJ music or on the roof top Sky Deck before joining the dinner guests in the Afterglow tent for desserts, late-night delicacies, dancing and music by Nicole New. Thanks to a silent auction ($11,000) and sponsors, the Gala raised $355,000. It also provided David a final gift-to-his-fans opportunity. Before passing, he autographed each poster in his entire collection to be Gala souvenirs.

Whatta guy!

3 1. Joanne Danto (left) of Birmingham, Renée Fleming of NYC. 2. Karen & Rick Williams of Bloomfield. 3. Dr. Meredith Kornfielder (left) & Benjamin Meeker of Birmingham, Beverly Meeker of Ocracoke, N.C. 4. Karen Vanderkloot DiChiera, Frederick Steiner and Sandy & Raina Hansell of Bloomfield. 5. Lisa DiChiera and Aidan Kane of Chicago.

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Bridge for Angels

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1 1. Julie Beals (left) of Troy and Gwen North of Bloomfield. 2. Candace Seizert (left), Nancy Strickland and Shelly Smith of Bloomfield. 3. Debbie Oben (left) of Birmingham, Mary Ann Schott and Connie Salloum of Bloomfield. 4. Cheryl Loveday (left) of Livonia, Lynn Root of Birmingham.

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Habitat for Humanity More than 320 ($35 ticket) gathered at Habitat for Humanity’s Farmington Hills ReStore shop for the second annual Design Challenge.

They sipped, supped and voted for their favorite vignette designed by 21 professionals and 17 student designers from Baker College, Lawrence Tech, Michigan State and Wayne State using at least two anchor pieces from ReStore. The guest judges made designer Holly Hartter’s assemblage their favorite professional vignette and the WSU team’s their top student vignette. The event, chaired

by Elizabeth Wyss and Barbara Burnham, netted $20,000 to split between Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County and the Scholarship Fund of the Professional Women in Building Council of the Home Builders Association of Southeastern Michigan.

Bridge for Angels Julie Beals and Gwen North chaired a bridge luncheon benefiting Angels Place. It brought 60 women ($100 each) to Oakland Hills Country Club. Most played duplicate, others opted for party format. Midway through the action as the ladies savored their buffet luncheon, Angels Place director Cheryl Loveday told them about AP’s mission to provide lifetime care for people with 12.18

developmental disabilities and about the annual dinner Nov. 29 which will feature Kirk Gibson as keynote speaker. At the end of play, Lynn Root announced the winners: Julie Beals, Tara Clavenna, Linda Ebert and Valerie Leebove. The inaugural event netted $5,000.

Wine & Dine in the D Because Sid Moss was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2009, he founded the non-profit Cure Multiple Myeloma Corporation (CMMC). Its mission is to educate myeloma patients and caregivers in the metro Detroit area, provide a community of support and help fund treatments.

And because he likes good food and wine, eight years ago he and his wife Sharon started hosting an event offering both to raise funds for CMMC and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. This year, another myeloma patient-in-remission Bill Baer and his wife Darrene were the honorary chairs at the event that attracted 400 ($175 & $275 tickets) to the Westin Book Cadillac. About 100 of them came early for the roundtable discussion with physicians and researchers who discussed new treatments for the still incurable blood cancer. Great restaurants (25), wineries (16) and two breweries served up small plates and spirits while jazz singer Ursula Walker and the Buddy Budson Quintet made music. Thanks also to a silent auction, a wine pull and sponsors, the eighth annual Wine & Dine in the D raised approximately $160,000 for the CMMC and the MMRF. Bloomfield Hills Garden Club Every other year the Bloomfield Hills Garden Club stages a benefit for its outreach programs. This year it was a luncheon that attracted 100 women ($100 & up tickets) to Bloomfield Hills Country Club. The first thing they saw was a huge floral arrangement. It was created by the club’s house florist, Alexandra Zikakis of Morningview Gardens, and duplicated the one on the cover of “Fresh,” the latest book by the talented guest speaker Sybil Brooke Sylvester. (Event chair Julie Beals thanked member Stephanie Kemp for getting her friend from Birmingham, AL to come to Bloomfield Hills.) With a charming Southern accent, the event designer / author / instructor demonstrated flower arranging “… (with what) God has put out there.”

She completed three natural arrangements that Sis Fisher, Christa Schwartz and Jeanne downtownpublications.com

Wine & Dine in the D

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2 1. Sharon (left) & Sid Moss of Bloomfield, Mark & Helaine Keller of Birmingham. 2. Sharon & Marvin Walkon of Bloomfield. 3. Phyllis (left) & George Whitehead of Birmingham, Darrene & Bill Baer of Grosse Pointe. 4. Daniele Dell’Acqua (left) and Rito Lisi of Rochester Hills. 5. Nadine (left) & Brian Jennings of Bloomfield, Barbara & Howard Belkin of Birmingham.

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1. Sybil Brooke Sylvester (center) of Birmingham, AL, Maureen D’Avanzo (left) of Bloomfield, Julie Beals of Troy. 2. Jane James (left) and Stephanie Kemp of Bloomfield. 3. Elise Hayes (left) and Judy Anderson of Bloomfield. 4. Char Terry (left), Sis Fisher and Joanne Brodie of Bloomfield.

Birmingham Bloomfield Cultural Council

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3 1. James Tocco of Cincinnati, OH, Julie Dawson of Birmingham. 2. Marcy Fisher (left) and Laurie Tennent of Bloomfield and Anita DeMarco Goor of Troy. 3. Diane Bert (left) of Bloomfield, Annie VanGelderen of Commerce. 4. Marianne Ganiard (left) of Bloomfield, John Hoeffler of Birmingham and Ellen Stukenberg of Columbus, OH.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Pink Fund Dancing with the Survivors

Kellihar won as door prizes. Thanks also to generous local florists who created the centerpieces that were sold in a silent auction and the sale of 64 copies of “Fresh,” the biennial event raised $20,000 for the club’s community horticultural projects.

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Birmingham Bloomfield Cultural Council It was standing room only at the BBAC when the Birmingham Bloomfield Cultural Council made its 23rd annual awards – the Lifetime Achievement Award to world famous pianist James Tocco and the Arts Award to artist / author / philanthropist Julie Dawson.

Although Tocco lives in Cincinnati, OH, 25 years ago he founded the Great Lakes Chamber Musical Festival which annually brings renowned musicians to perform at Temple Beth El, Kirk in the Hills and St. Hugo of the Hills. Dawson made her acceptance remarks in a creative and humorous poem. The program also included comments by BBCC president Laurie Tennent, awards cochairs Marcy Heller Fisher and Anita DeMarco Goor, and representatives of the award sponsors The Community House, the BBAC and the Eccentric Newspaper.

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1. Evan Mountain of Bloomfield, Molly MacDonald of Beverly Hills. 2. Barb Biess (left) of Bloomfield, LeaAnn Pugh of Warren, Stephanie McKire of Detroit, Cindy Lutz of Birmingham, Sara Erzen of Holt. 3. Laura Segal (left) of Franklin, Donald Westphal of Auburn Hills, Carol Segal Ziecik of Bloomfield. 4. Laurie Tennent & Gordon Cox and Melissa Parks of Bloomfield. 5. Christina and Judy Vindici of Birmingham.

Belle Isle Conservancy Polish the Jewel Luncheon

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1. Sarah Earley (left) of Bloomfield, Michele Hodges of Grosse Pointe, Nedra Degraffenreid of Lathrup Village. 2. Pat Nickol (left) of Birmingham, Rosemary Bannon of Beverly Hills, Eleanor Gabrys and Lidija Grahovic of Bloomfield. 3. Kate Beebe (left) of Birmingham, Dawn Rassel and Nancy Liebler of Bloomfield. 4. Lilly George (left) of Rochester Hills, Rose Sarafa, Bonnie Larson and board member Judy Jonna of Bloomfield. 5. Linda Urbas (left) and Sandi Pape of Bloomfield.

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Yatooma Foundation Anniversary Gala As Norman Yatooma told the 284 guests gathered in the party tent at M1 Concourse, the silver lining to losing his father 25 years ago was the birth of the foundation in his memory.

It has helped turn tragedy into triumph for more than 2,000 kids who have lost a parent. This year’s twopart benefit event – golf and a gala chaired by Barbara & James Rossmann that featured thrill rides along the track, cocktails and a strolling dinner – raised $261,371 for Yatooma Foundation for the Kids programs.

Pink Fund Dancing with the Survivors He wasn’t one of the six dancers, but sponsor Advomas’ W. Bruce Knight was honored at the dancing event because his was the first Pink Fund donation ($3,000 12 years ago) to help a breast cancer patient with nonmedical bills. It has since grown to more than $3 million. Thanks to fundraisers like the dance exhibition which brought 340 people ($150ticket) to the Shriners Center. The dancing happens thanks to other good guys – Evan Mountain, owner of the Fred Astaire Bloomfield Hills Dance Studio and his teachers, who spend weeks practicing ballroom moves with the survivors. (“I tell the 12.18

teachers to get to know their partner’s story…It‘s always inspirational,” he noted.) Indeed, those poignant video stories each evoked warm applause before the featured dancer took the stage. One survivor, Sara Erzen, was also joined by her three daughters, one of whom, now 3, was 21 weeks in utero when chemotherapy started. Before people settled in for the show, they had sipped, supped, bought raffle tickets ($7,190), checked out the silent auction ($10,000) and vendor stations. The high energy, happy evening raised more than $145,500 for Molly MacDonald’s Pink Fund to pay non-medical bills for breast cancer patients in treatment.

Belle Isle Conservancy Polish the Jewel Luncheon Nearly 400 people ($150-ticket, $300 & upbenefactor) convened at the Detroit Yacht Club, many in gorgeous hats, to sip mimosas, socialize and bid $17,000 in the large silent auction before sitting for lunch. Lila Lazarus emceed the program that featured event chair Sarah Earley and Belle Island Conservancy president Michele Hodges. They thanked everybody, including the William Davidson Foundation whose gift will help restore the Belle Isle Aquarium. Foundation president Darin McKeever called Belle Isle “…a north star for me;” adding “…caretaking jewels requires polishing.” Three weeks earlier, Sarah Earley hosted the Benefactor Party for 60 at artist / metalsmith Carlos Neilbock’s CAN Art Handworks foundry in Eastern Market. Art and industry met in the whimsical space that includes more upcycled windmills like the one Neilblock created for the nearby DTE Energy Foundation Plaza.

Thanks also to DTE and other sponsors, the 14th annual Polish the Jewel Legacy Luncheon grossed nearly $200,000 to help fund a fully-accessible Belle Isle beachfront splash park and picnic area.

Beaumont Red Tie Ball

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1. David (left) & Lauren Claeys with Dr. Samuel & Suzanne Flanders of Bloomfield. 2. Mark Bohen & Jill Willens of Bloomfield.

3. Amy & Dr. David P. Wood of Birmingham. 4. Bill Dow of Birmingham, Janice Crawford of Waterford. 5. Event chair Patrick Rugiero, committee member Laurie Tannous.

SHE Celebration / Cancer Center Benefit

Beaumont Red Tie Ball Red ties were de rigueur for men at the gala benefiting the Beaumont’s Center for Exceptional Families. Patrick Rugiero chaired the 13th annual event that brought 450 ($275 ticket) to the Motor City Casino. During the program emceed by Fox-2’s Monica Gayle, CEF patients and their families were championed for overcoming obstacles and serving as inspiration for a number of accomplishments. These included Gabriel Arnold, Taryn Boller, Alyssa Patrias and Luay Alsiadi. The live and silent auctions accounted for nearly $57,000 of the event’s $432,000 earmarked for the CEF. SHE Celebration / Cancer Center Benefit Sharon Eisenshtadt celebrated the 10th anniversary of her SHE boutique and the grand opening of its new home with an evening party followed by two days of charity shopping. (A percentage of the proceeds were donated to the Breast Oncology Program for the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center.) The new digs next door to Citizen Yoga at 6400 Telegraph Road (just north of Maple) offer 4,000 square feet, high ceilings and lots of light to showcase expanded contemporary and designer clothing, athleisure, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, jewelry and gifts.

Send ideas for this column to Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane, Bloomfield Hills, 48304; email samgerak@aol.com or call 248.646.6390. downtownpublications.com

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1. Howard & Sharon Eisenshtadt of Bloomfield. 2. Leslie Ruby (left) and Sonia Gonte of Bloomfield. 3. Alyssa Tushman (left) of Franklin; Nicole Eisenberg of Bloomfield. 4. Joanee Hurwitz (left) and Alexandra Weitz of Bloomfield. 5. Stacey Goodman (left) and Aimie Rosner of W. Bloomfield; Jessica Kwartowitz, Huntington Woods; Marlo Scott, Birmingham.

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ENDNOTE

Lessons for healing state foster care system awmakers returning to Lansing or heading to the Capital for the first time will have a full plate of issues to deal with, but mustn't forget the most vulnerable of the state's population who are supposed to be protected by the state's broken foster care system.

In a past edition we highlighted longstanding issues within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and its Child Protective Services division, which is currently under federal oversight for failing to adequately protect and serve children it's required to by law. For those who don't recall or aren't aware of the situation, we offer a recap.

Starting with the good work, Michigan has lowered the number of children in the foster care system from more than 20,000 in 2006 to under 14,000 in the spring of 2018, including the number of children waiting to be adopted from more than 7,000 to under 3,000. The state also implemented a centralized intake system for all reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation, which has helped result in better consistency and efficiency. Further, the department has stepped up training for foster parents and given child safety goals highest priority.

Additional improvements in the system also are in the works, which lawmakers should familiarize themselves with and ensure that funding for foster care programs and protective services don't get held up.

The bad news for legislators and those involved in the system is that problems aren't

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new, and continue to fester despite federal court oversight, resulting in outcomes that can accurately be described as both ugly and evil.

As we noted, problems in the foster care system were noted by state auditors as far back as 15 years ago, following the killings of at least two four-year-old children who were beaten to death at the hands of their foster parents. The deaths followed a 2002 assessment in which recommendations by state auditors failed to be implemented.

A follow-up audit in 2005, after the deaths, again noted that documented visits by caseworkers weren't being adequately done. The department's failure to act was so gross, in fact, that auditors repeated their previous recommendation – this time in all capital letters for emphasis. Despite the recommendations and warnings, that year another child died at the hands of his foster parents. Later investigations revealed the boy was denied food, tied to his bed, lead around on a leash, locked in a basement and beaten with a hammer for years prior to his death; but the state failed to properly investigate despite allegations of abuse being made.

While some state officials in our article said they were encouraged by changes being made to address problems, a state audit released two months after the story was published showed outside concerns were valid, with more than a dozen serious issues highlighted.

Among the most recent findings, auditors discovered: MDHHS didn't appropriately

commence 17 percent of reviewed investigations within its own timeframe; the department couldn't support that investigators conducted clearances in over 70 percent of investigations reviewed; investigators failed to conduct criminal history checks for 50 percent of cases reviewed; the state couldn't show it supported a child protective services review for family and household members of foster children in 40 percent of investigations reviewed; investigators failed to conducted face-to-face contact with victims within the required time frame in 11 percent of cases reviewed, and failed to document interviews of children in seven percent of reviewed investigations. Additional issues included a failure to refer investigations to prosecutors in half of the cases reviewed by auditors; failure to assess the risk for future harm in over 35 percent of cases reviewed by auditors; and other issues.

Many of the issues stem from a lack of staffing, meaning caseworkers have been severely overloaded. The state has also failed to implement all the changes and technological improvements designed to address the issue.

Meanwhile, the department continues to work toward ending its federal oversight.

With the number of competing priorities facing state lawmakers, it would be easy for them to forget children who are more easily hidden away from sight. We encourage legislators that protecting our state's children is a top priority.

Doing so isn't just a legal obligation, but should be a moral imperative for lawmakers.

Respecting process, committee volunteers t took three city commission meetings, but Birmingham commissioners finally approved a contract for the next citywide master plan process, choosing, by a slim margin of 4-3, a group helmed by DPZ of Miami, which created the city's 2016 Plan.

The group led by DPZ was recommended to the commission by the ad hoc master plan selection committee after interviewing and hearing formal presentations from DPZ, formerly known as Duany Plater-Zybeck, and MKSK of Columbus.

As is customary in Birmingham, when it was determined that it was time for an allencompassing master plan review, in May 2018, city commissioners established an ad hoc master plan selection committee, populated by two members of the city's planning board, a member of the multi-modal transportation board, a member of the advisory parking committee, a member of the parks and recreation board, a member of the design review board/historic review committee, a member of the architectural review committee, and two residents, one of whom was a former city commissioner. All were serving as community volunteers, reviewing

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submissions after staff prepared a RFP (request for proposal) for groups to submit for a new Birmingham master plan, to the plans. They held open meetings and discussions, heard presentations from the two firms, and developed a recommendation of which firm or group of firms they felt would be the best to work with the city through charrettes, which is a type of participatory planning process that assembles an interdisciplinary team of planners, citizens, city officials, architects, landscape architects, transportation engineers, parks and recreation officials, and other stakeholders, to create a design and implementation plan for a specific project in a compressed period of time.

Ultimately, the ad hoc master plan selection committee recommended DPZ to the city commission. Yet a few of the commissioners vocally disparaged the recommendation – to the point of insulting noted urban planner Andres Duany, principal of DPZ and architect of Birmingham's 2016 Plan, at the October 8 city commission meeting, when one commissioner chastised him personally for what she perceived as a retail bias over a neighborhood viewpoint,

stating, “You may be a big deal, or think you are, but here you are not,” when both DPZ and MKSK were called back to give “mini-presentations” to the commission.

This city commission is thorough and methodically scrutinizes all plans and ordinances which come before it – which they should. But second guessing committees and boards they have tasked with responsibilities can be demoralizing to those who have volunteered their time and expertise. Committee meetings are open for commissioners, or anyone in the public, to attend.

Commissioners who want to be more involved on the details of certain plans, whether the master plan or others, should have gone to committee meetings where they could ask questions, drill down into details, and debate who is best to represent Birmingham – rather than compelling firms from out of state return to Birmingham to duke it out before the commission.

To continue on the current path is to risk not having good people willing to serve on committees and boards, or firms and companies not amenable to submitting RFPs to the city of Birmingham.

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