Birmingham/Bloomfield

CASADEI: METRO INTELLIGENCER 98 • GERAK: SOCIAL LIGHTS 102

B I R M I N G H A M

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B L O O M F I E L D

SEPTEMBER 2018

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OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP

EPA SLOWDOWN ON CHEMICAL REPORT NOVEMBER MARIJUANA ELECTION QUESTION ENDNOTE: ELECTION BALLOT SHORTAGE ECRWSS Postal Customer EDDM

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DOWNTOWN09.18

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The recreational marijuana ballot issue Voters will be deciding in the November election whether to allow recreational marijuana to be sold here, so Downtown takes a look at the proposal and what other states have experienced once they approved something similar.

LONGFORM

49

Slowdowns in the EPA under the current Trump administration appear to be holding up the most recent assessment of the health risks for humans from formaldehyde in our environment.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

16

There is a confluence of a variety of societal undertones at play this election year that have already surfaced with the increased number of voters who participated in the August election.

OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL

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The mud fight in the 8th congressional district starts; old DUI haunts Knollenberg; jumping the gun with Facebook victory; Bentivolio-Rocky match grinds on; Brooks’ dwindling impact; plus more.

CRIME LOCATOR

29

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

MUNICIPAL

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Minor problems at new firehall; lululemon temporary move; Bloomfield Township police report; search for new schools superintendent; RH Outlet at Telegraph/Maple; school board candidates; plus more.

THE COVER The newly revamped downtown Birmingham, now open after a four-month construction project that included replacing underground infastructure. Downtown photo: Laurie Tennent.

B rand New Summer Styles

exceptional talent

MELINDA ALLEN THERESE ABDOO LYNN BAKER GAYLE BARKER MARK BESS PATTY BLAIR JOAN BROWN MARK BROWN MARTY BROWN NANCY BUCK RON CLEM KATHY CANTOR COHN MEREDITH COLBURN JEAN COLBY KEVIN CONWAY SANDY DEMETRIOU KYLE DESMOND SEROUR DIGIOVANNI CHRISTINE DRINKWATER ANDREW EBERT GINNY FISHER JULIE FLYNN FRANK FLYNN MADELINE FOX DEBY GANNES HOLLY GEYER TIFFANY GLIME EVA GOREN PAM GRAY ESTER GREIG GAIL GROUT ANNA GULOYAN KRISTI HAMED KIM MINASIAN HAWES PETE HENSOLDT MARGIE HESSEN SUSAN HILL LIZ HSU SAL IMPASTATO JEFF JACOB CAROLINE JOHNSON CINDY OBRON KAHN SAM KAPLUNOV GILLIAN LAZAR WENDY LEONARD CHRISTINE LYNN ASHLEY MANN VICKIE MCASKIN JASON MCKEVITT DENESE MERRITT BARB MILLER KELLY MOODY PATTY MOORE JOHN NEWMAN GARY NEWVILLE ELLEN NEWVILLE KATE O’CONNELL MONA PARLOVE ANTONELA PARTALIS SHONDELL PATTERSON DOROTHY PERROTTA MICHAEL PERROTTA KELLY PINE NANCI RANDS CHERYL RIBACK RON RIBACK ELAINA RYDER HEATHER SALESIN JENNIFER SCHILP LYNDA SCHRENK SARAH SCHWARTZ DANA SHAGENA ALEXIS SHARRON SUE SIMON JULIE SOSIN CHAD SPELLER PAM STOLER MARCY SUCHER DAN TEAHAN CRYSTA TYUS ADAM WAECHTER JODY WACHLER MONA WEBSTER JESSICA WEISMAN JANNA WILSON DIANA WOLAK SCHMIDT DENNIS WOLF J BRADLEY WOLF D RYAN WOLF JULIA WOLF DEE WRIGHT CALEB ZANDSTRA AMY SUZANNE ZIMMER DENISE ZUCKERMAN

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Michelle Winowich

METRO INTELLIGENCER

98

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

102

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

ENDNOTE

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Civility and facts should govern public government meetings; county clerk needs to improve on future elections.

FACES

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Andrew Wu Terence Haynes Jr. Michelle Winowich Alex Fenkell/Jordan Katzman

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FROM THE PUBLISHER very election, including the recently concluded August 7 primary vote, provides a fix for political junkies.

Analyzing the results becomes a parlor game played by politicians, prognosticators of all stripes and political scientists, and the exercise starts the morning after as it did this year when the first calls started arriving as they always do.

E

County-wide in Oakland, as in other parts of the state, the turnout at the polls for a primary – always anemic when compared to a November general election – was a surprising 34 percent of registered voters, a considerable jump from the 20.61 percent of voters who cast ballots in the 2014 primary, also a year when no presidential race appeared on the ballot. Just over 33 percent of Republicans cast absentee ballots, while just over 35 percent of Democrats voted absentee.

Of equal interest is the fact there were more ballots cast by Democrats in the 2018 primary than Republicans, more evidence that Oakland County continues creeping toward the blue column with each passing election.

But my message this month won’t be tangled up in numbers. It’s more of an observation that somehow the populace woke up. Not sure I would call it a movement but there definitely is a confluence of a variety of societal undertones at play this election year that have already surfaced with the increased number of voters who participated in the August election.

In our part of Oakland County, there were a couple of open seats at the state and federal level that no doubt helped increase voter turnout at the polls. An open seat always draws considerable interest, especially when one or two of those stand a good chance of being flipped in terms of control, despite what the GOP has done in the past when creating safe districts for its followers.

We had Congressional District 11, which includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, the western portion of the county and part of western Wayne County.

With Republican David Trott retiring, a strong field of candidates filed in each party’s primary. This one could go to the Democrats in the fall, depending on turnout in both parties. Likewise, the retirement of Sandy Levin piqued some interest in Congressional District 9, which ‘leans Democrat’ thanks to the Macomb County portion that more than offsets the Bloomfield and south Oakland portion. And then there’s the 8th Congressional District, which includes Rochester and Rochester Hills, now held by Republican Mike Bishop, also rated as a possible flip come November given the skill and determination exhibited in the primary by Democrat Elissa Slotkin.

For state offices from the local area, we also had an open seat in the 12th Michigan Senate and the 40th House district – both hotly contested and both no longer safe Republican districts like in the past.

At first blush it would be simple to write off the surge in primary voter turnout to the Trump factor – certainly an issue in Michigan and all states this year. The old adage that all politics is local is being undermined as we will see when it comes to voting returns this November. Reaction to what is

happening on the national stage – unconventional, to put it mildly – will drive higher numbers of citizens off the couch to participate this year. A good thing.

Add to that the energized women who took to the streets after Trump got elected and the high number of women candidates who filed and won in the primary here and across the country. All the makings of a likely a “pink tide” rather than just a “blue wave” come November.

The reaction to the daily drama we see unfolding in Washington D.C. is not the only factor driving increased participation, however. One only has to look around the country for examples of a broader feeling of angst and, yes, anger in the general population.

The most vivid demonstration of the undercurrent is what took place in states like West Virginia this year when teachers went on strike for two weeks to force the state to increase pay for not only those in the classroom but also more money for state workers in general. The organized effort there was similar in other red states like Oklahoma and Arizona. No matter what your political party, from afar I bet many observers were rooting for those on strike.

No political party or group was behind the push for better pay. The effort was the result of a threatened middle class simply saying they have had enough. The message: stop with the tax cuts for the wealthy and businesses on the backs of the working class. Put simply, stop governing like you are now.

And we certainly cannot forget the pent up frustration and the focused energy of the students who have organized nation-wide on the issue of gun control and safety in the schools.

Add to the mix the generally held sentiment that big money controls our politics, which may help explain the growing number of candidates eschewing PAC money this election and being rewarded with small private donations and votes.

All of these elements to some degree or another came into play in our local primary races and across the country. Despite predictions to the contrary, this undercurrent will likely not dissipate before the November 6 election which is only about 10 weeks away.

VOTER GUIDE: We have received some pretty positive reviews about our effort to produce a Voter Guide for the August primary election. Our plans include producing another Voter Guide for the November general election.

It will be included in our October issue which comes out in late September, along with our endorsements on candidates and ballot issues. Our timing in coming out this early is to reach those voting by absentee ballots, which will be mailed out by local clerks in early October. Take the time now to phone your local municipal clerk’s office and request an application so that you can vote in the convenience of your home.

David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@DowntownPublications.com

N O . 21

N I L I L O TA N

MARNI

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FASHION IS THE COURAGE TO MAKE YOUR OWN STATEMENT

271 West Maple • Birmingham • 248.258.0212 • TenderBirmingham.com

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 Jean Lannen | 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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Magnificent 2001 built estate home on 1.4 acres. Expertly constructed with gorgeous finishes and quality throughout. 5 bedrooms, 5.2 baths.

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2000 custom built Quarton Lake Estates colonial. Excellent floor plan and lavishly upgraded throughout. 4 bedrooms, 4.2 baths.

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4920 Dryden - Bloomfield Hills - $2,799,900

Stunning 2016 home built by LaMarco Homes and decorated to perfection. 5 bedrooms, 4.2 baths. Almost 1.5 acres with Birmingham Schools.

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Wonderful Quarton Lake Estates colonial on a 120 foot wide lot. Spacious floor plan with beautiful remodeled kitchen & butlers pantry. 4 bedrooms, 3.1 baths.

1136 Pierce - Birmingham - $875,000

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In the heart of Quarton Lake Estates, 4 bedroom, 2.1 bath colonial. Remodeled kitchen opens to nook and family room. Spacious mudroom and great outdoor space.

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329 Pine Ridge - Bloomfield Hills - $1,499,900

Beautifully situated home on a cul-de-sac one acre lot in desirable Echo Ridge sub. Recently remodeled and updated throughout. 4 bedrooms, 4.2 baths.

3500 W Bradford - Bloomfield Hills - $799,900

765 Vaughan - Bloomfield Hills - $2,100,000

Incredible 2 acre property just blocks from Cranbrook. Expansive floor plan with spacious room sizes. 6 bedrooms, 6.2 baths.

30 Cabot Place - Bloomfield Hills - $999,900

Spacious 5 bedroom, 3.2 bath home with first floor master suite. Large 1.2 acre lot. Beautiful in-ground pool, decks and landscaping. Birmingham schools.

873 N Cranbrook - Bloomfield Village - $789,900

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411 S Old Woodward, #912 - Birmingham - $699,900

4 bedroom, 3.2 bath colonial in Quarton Lake Estates. Spacious kitchen with center island.

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590 Riverside - Birmingham - $449,900

Unique opportunity for land purchase in a secluded detached condo development. Tucked away site yet just blocks away from town.

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INCOMING Consider Rosemary Bayer I read you, faithfully, and I am very disappointed that you would so quickly dismiss Rosemary Bayer, Democrat candidate for District 12, State Senate in favor of (Republican) Michael McCready (Endnote/July).

Rosemary has been endorsed by hundreds of progressive, smart, savvy individual leaders in our community; as well as at least 25 leading organizations because she is who she is – a community activist, entrepreneur, engineer, leader, wife/mother who has never accepted the status quo, when the status quo is clearly not helping Michigan citizens.

You, on the other hand, are endorsing a candidate who has had plenty of time in Lansing to make a difference, and hasn't. Really? Perhaps it is time to rethink this?

Rosemary ran unopposed in the primary, but will be mounting a vigorous campaign for the general election. I would suggest you may want to re-think your position, based on her selfless track record and intelligence, vs. that of established politicians who had led little.

I am really disappointed in you, for the first time since I adopted Michigan, over three decades ago, and found you, quite a while ago.

Kathleen Norton-Schock Bloomfield Township (Publisher note: Downtown’s endorsements were for the primary election only. All candidates in the November election will be given equal consideration.)

Primary voter guide Thank you Downtown for all the good voting information (Voter Guide/July).

You are my number one source and I can’t tell you what a good feeling it is to have it all summarized.

Susan Post Birmingham

The right to endorse I commend Downtown for publishing candidates questionnaires.

It is just my opinion, but I feel your paper, and yours alone, earned the right to endorse.

The Detroit papers issuing questionnaires and then holding them tight to their chests, and endorsing, are really just exercising an editor power grab.

The Eccentric had an excellent downtownpublications.com

SPEAK OUT We welcome your opinion on issues facing the Birmingham/Bloomfield communities.

Although we do not have a fixed maximum length for letters sent to us, we recommend a maximum length of 175-200 words. We also reserve the right to edit letters for length if necessary.

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

questionnaire, but did not publish it.

Smacks of a profit-driven, non-local owner using the locals as a revenue source. The Oakland Press did not even send out a questionnaire, and it has become incredibly expensive.

I cannot say I am very confident – just too hard to get a message out.

The six strong (11th district congressional) candidates cover the spectrum of the party, and all could conceivably win even though there are probably some favorites.

Paul Secrest Bloomfield Hills (Editor’s note: Paul Secrest was a GOP primary candidate for the congressional seat now held by David Trott).

Foster care article Thanks for taking the time to write the article regarding foster care (Downtown/August).

I was a member of the Binsfeld Commission on Adoption which reviewed the foster care process.

As the committee was disbanding, I was pushing for a continuation on its work over the years, but it fell on deaf ears.

Thanks for bringing this issue up.

Don Marengere Bloomfield Township

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Elevating conversation George Saunders short story, My Flamboyant Grandson, adds a dimension or two to the futurism of 1984 (From The Publisher/August).

It adds love, I think, and seems to have found it in spaciousness, physical and emotional.

Stuart Filler Birmingham DOWNTOWN

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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.

PREPPING FOR 2020: Remember the 2010 DIA tax vote in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties and the suggestion that it was a one-time levy to allow time to build up the institute’s endowment to cover future operating costs?

Surprise – the DIA is doing advance footwork for what could be a retake on the 10-year, .2 mill tax (scheduled to be last collected in 2021), based on a recent phone survey someone is running on behalf of the DIA. The phone poll asks a laundry list of questions. Among them, would you support a renewal of the tax. Then, if you were told that the original levy was to be a one-time event but now you were asked to support it again, would your answer change?

Interestingly, polling personnel also asked who you think would be a good frontman for the DIA renewal – among the names tossed out, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. Stay tuned.

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LIAR LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE: Oakland County Republican and former 11th Congressional District candidate Rocky Raczkowski is on the hot seat in Oakland County Circuit Court in a defamation suit filed by political opponent and former Congressman Kerry Bentivolio.

“Rocky Raczkowski is a liar, and we are going to prove that he is a liar,” said Bentivolio, who is seeking $10 million in damages.

“We made a case that he has a history of lying and telling mistruths, and we have enough evidence to proceed with a jury trial.” Bentivolio claims Raczkowski damaged his reputation RACZKOWSKI when Rocky accused him of lying about his military career and awards. Bentivolio is an army veteran with a Vietnam Service Medal and two Bronze Service Stars; a Combat Infantryman Badge; an Army Commendation Award; a Meritorious Service Medal; an Iraq Campaign Medal; a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and other awards.

Raczkowski is a retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel who served two tours of duty overseas during the Global War on Terrorism, has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and claims Bentivolio lied about his record – claiming to have been awarded an additional Silver Star and three Purple Hearts. In late July, the circuit court denied Raczkowski’s motion for summary judgement, allowing BENTIVOLIO the case to proceed. “It’s a frivolous suit. We are going to move to dismiss it once we have a transcript of the tape where he talks about his alleged medals,” Raczkowski said. Both Bentivolio and Raczkowski lost their primary election bids for the 11th District seat to fellow Republican Lena Epstein, who has no previous political or military service experience, but was once photographed waving an American flag in the back of a pick-up for a campaign photo.

MUD FIGHT BEGINS: The dust had barely settled from the primary election in the 8th Congressional District and the general election battle started. Beleaguered GOP Congressman Mike Bishop took to the radio airways to slam Democrat Elissa Slotkin, accusing her of being a carpetbagger who moved here from Washington to run this race, even though she is the third generation of her family in the Holly area. Bishop’s radio bit also promotes his work on opioid legislation while in Congress and his sponsorship SLOTKIN of a bill regulating underground pipelines on the Great Lakes.

You can write this off either as strictly a smokescreen or we are witnessing a ‘Come to Jesus’ moment. Bishop’s history is marked by heavy donations from the drug companies. His voting record while in the Michigan Senate was prodrug industry. Then there’s the Slotkin-supplied list many weeks ago of antienvironmental votes by Bishop dating back to when he was top dog in the Senate (opposing efforts to ban drilling in the Great Lakes, for example) to his similar votes in Congress. Missing from her list – Bishop’s vote last year to roll back an Obama administration rule that prohibited coal mining operations from dumping waste into streams.

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FACE OFF: Primary nights can get a little crazy, especially when the results are tight. State Rep. Jim Tedder (R- Clarkston) may have jumped the gun a bit on August 7, when in the 12th state Senate race, against Republican DOWNTOWN

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opponents Rep. Mike McCready (R-Bloomfield), Terry Whitney and Vernon Molnar, he posted a live victory speech over his challengers on Facebook at 11 p.m. Problem was, all of the results weren’t in yet – notably from Bloomfield Township and Independence Township. McCready ended up pulling ahead of Tedder by a slim margin of 250 votes, and won the right to be the Republican candidate in November. Tedder pulled his Facebook post by 11:30 p.m. that night – but according to McCready, still MCCREADY hasn’t given McCready a call to congratulate him. He did hear from Whitney, though, who he thanked for likely pulling about 2,000 conservative votes from Tedder, leaving the path open for McCready to squeeze through. One Republican was surprised that McCready prevailed in the conservative-leaning district, which runs from Beverly Hills, Bingham Hills, Franklin, Bloomfield Township north to Clarkston, Orion Township, Independence, Addison and Oakland townships, but noted that BAYER “McCready and Tedder are both good guys. And they’re friends.”

Maybe not as friendly as they were before running against each other.

McCready faces Democrat Rosemary Bayer in November.

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STIRRED, NOT SHAKEN: State Senator Marty Knollenberg (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield, Rochester, Rochester Hills) said he’s not shaken by an apparent push-poll attack against him which he said is trying to stir up dirt from alcohol-related mistakes of his youth. Knollenberg said he didn’t personally hear the phone call – but said he received calls from supporters who received a “nasty phone call” that mentioned a pair of DUI charges he received in the past. “The people who called me were offended and wanted to let me know,” he said. Knollenberg received the DUIs in 1985 and 1986 in Birmingham and Beverly Hills. He said he was told by callers KNOLLENBERG that the phone call failed to mention that the incidents occurred more than 30 years ago. “Thirty years ago, I made a couple of serious mistakes. While in college, I received a DUI. Shortly after college, I received a second DUI,” he said in a statement. “I learned from the mistakes of my youth from 30 years ago, and these lessons have made me a better person. I have since worked hard to lead a life focused on serving my family and community.” Michelle Pallas, campaign strategy manager for Knollenberg’s Democratic challenger Mallory McMorrow, said they haven’t conducted any polls and weren’t aware of the phone calls until they were notified by a MCMORROW reporter. “We’ve been committed since day one to running a clean campaign, and we are out talking to voters every single day,” she said.

“The McMorrow campaign hasn’t conducted any polls. I’m not sure who got the poll. I didn’t even know he had a DUI, and I don’t know if he really does.”

NAME GAME: Once upon a time, back in the 1980s, ‘90s, and even the early 2000 period, a political endorsement by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson was heavily sought after and coveted. Today, maybe not so much.

Patterson – the man of many gaffes considered part of his shtick, and for many was funny and appealing. Less so lately, particularly his recent, “I’d rather join the Klan” than work with a group of top local executives for regional cooperation, which he quickly apologized for. Patterson’s endorsement certainly didn’t help state Sen. Mike Kowall (R-White Lake) in his bid for Congress in the 11th District, nor Birmingham’s Joe Zane for the 40th state House District. Fits the narrative of the growing school of thought that there is less value nowadays to party and party boss endorsements in terms of influencing voters.

UNHAPPY IN D.C.: Michigan insiders say that GOP national leadership is not pleased that Attorney General Bill Schuette, who carried the Trump endorsement in the recent primary for governor, selected Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons as his lieutenant governor running mate. Lyons, a former member of the state House, was in the spotlight after her 2016 quote criticizing the behavior toward women of Donald Trump, saying he has “not earned my respect or my vote.” In the House, Lyons – daughter of former Lieutenant Governor Dick Posthumus – would occasionally break Republican ranks on some legislative items, like no-reason absentee voting (she supported it). The rumor mill also has it that at least one of those on the advance list of possible female running mates (state Representative Laura Cox (R-Livonia) never even received a call from Schuette before his final decision.

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FACES

Andrew Wu hether playing a musical composition on the violin or rolling molten glass to compose a new piece of art, Birmingham resident Andrew Wu sees overlaps in meaning and measure with both mediums.

"I found a lot of similarities between glass and music," Wu said.

"You're constantly rotating the (glass) pipe, so having a good concept of rhythm really helps. Muscle memory and fine motor skills helps in both, and having spacial awareness plays a big part in it."

Wu began his musical training as a child at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and went on to become concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra before attending the University of Michigan. It was in Ann Arbor that Wu decided he would pursue a career in music.

"I thought I was going to go into physics, then I decided to double major in music," Wu said. "Then I dropped the science degree. Finally, I left with two master's degrees, one in violin performance and one in chamber music."

Wu said it was a resident administrator in his dorm that suggested he join the student orchestra.

"I realized I love performing, so why not get a music degree. It wasn't until the second term of my junior year that I knew music is what inspired me and made me happy," he said. "I couldn't see myself doing something else."

Wu was already playing some shows with the Michigan Opera Theatre, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and others when he decided to start taking glassblowing lessons about 2001 at the Michigan Hot Glass Workshop, in Detroit's Russell Industrial Center. In 2003, he began teaching glassblowing classes.

"Every movement shows up on the surface of the material. And in music, you're always aware of what you're doing, as well as what all your colleagues are doing," he said.

"It's really very rewarding, not just personally, but you can effect other people as well."

Wu's work has been shown in exhibits at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and galleries in Birmingham, Chicago and Rochester. Today, he limits time in the glass studio to Mondays, when he teaches and works on consignment work for private clients. The majority of his time, however, is devoted to music.

"Next season at the Michigan Opera Theatre is going to be really interesting," he said. "We are looking at works of literature that were turned into opera."

In addition to his position with the Michigan Opera Theatre, Wu serves as the director of the Baldwin String Ensemble. He is also working with a small group on a new project named Orchestra Sono, of which he will serve as concertmaster.

"The BBSO (Birmingham Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra) went dormant a few years ago," he said. "We reconvened with a group and are starting with a new vision. Hopefully, we are able to find a location by the end of this year and make it ready to start in the spring of 2019."

With music, Wu said he hopes to be able to connect audiences with the music in a way that allows them to understand how music is created by the musicians, as well as what inspired the composers who created the compositions.

"That's really what we are hoping for with Orchestra Sono," he said.

"We are hoping to connect the audiences and our community in a positive way."

W

Story: Dana Casadei

Photo: Laurie Tennent

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ichigan voters in 2008 were presented with a ballot proposal to allow the compassionate use of medical marijuana for a variety of uses, from relief of the nausea from chemotherapy for cancer to glaucoma, Crohn's disease, ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, to severe and chronic pain, wasting syndrome, seizures, and severe and persistent muscle spasms. When voters went to the polls that November, throughout Michigan they approved the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act by an overwhelming 63 percent, including in Oakland County, where 62 percent of voters approved the measure.

At the time, then-Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Bill Schuette, who was also chairman of the opposition group Citizens Protecting Michigan's Kids, said he was disappointed with the outcome.

Schuette, currently Michigan's Attorney General and the 2018 Republican candidate for governor in November, is likely not happy with the latest ballot proposal, for Michigan voters will have the opportunity on November 6 to approve, or reject, a ballot initiative to legalize recreational

M

TO TOKE OR NOT TO TOKE THE BALLOT PROPOSAL TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

BY LISA BRODY

marijuana for adults over the age of 21.

Sponsored by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, the proposal seeks to end the prohibition of marijuana in Michigan and establish a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similar to alcohol.

The ballot proposal was approved in July to go on the November ballot after backers submitted over 350,000 signatures, well beyond the necessary 252,000 required by the state to be considered. If approved, it will be called the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, which would “allow under state law the personal possession and use of marihuana by persons 21 years of age or older to provide for the lawful cultivation and sale of marihuana and industrial hemp by persons 21 years of age or older; to permit the taxation of revenue derived from commercial marihuana facilities; to permit the promulgation of administrative rules; and to prescribe certain penalties for violations of this act.”

It would make Michigan the tenth state, and first in the midwest to “free the weed” if it passes. Backers term it “ending the prohibition on cannabis.”

Does that mean Michigan would just become a Reefer Madness playground?

Campaign organizers and legalization advocates are determined to make sure that Michigan does not become a free-

for-all state, and within the legislation are guidelines to provide for adequate law enforcement, taxation, local municipal control, and product quality control.

It would permit residents to possess up to 2.5 ounces of flower, which is the marijuana product that is smoked in joints, or 15 grams of concentrate, which is the resin from cannabis plants used in edibles, dabs, vaping and other products. A household could have up to 10 ounces of purchased marijuana. Marijuana could be used in the privacy of your own home, but not in public, nor on the grounds of a K-12 school, and would remain a felony on federal property, like a national park.

A household would be allowed to grow up to 12 plants in a secure and locked area that is not easily visible to the public. And marijuana could be gifted to another adult, as long as they are over the age of 21. But, you can't sell it to a friend unless you go through the complete licensing process, as well as pay taxes on it as a marijuana retailer, and go through the testing process to make sure it's pure and unadulterated. The provision provides for a seed-to-plant registry, as has been done with medical marijuana licensing, so that users know just what they are purchasing and consuming, much like what all states with legalized marijuana do.

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According to Josh Hovey, spokesperson for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, “We let the state set up the testing parameters once it's approved. Typically, they test for purity, so what they're buying is what they're getting. They're looking for harmful contaminants, like mold and mildew, and for pesticides that would be harmful and shouldn't be on the product.”

The proposed ballot language does not specify how much THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in cannabis and different products, leaving it up to the state to determine and regulate. Hovey said state regulators have determined a maximum of 300 milligrams of THC per package for medical marijuana edibles.

Hovey also said the state requires certain labeling and packaging of marijuana products, which they have established for medical marijuana. He noted that the state has very specific regulations and controls over medical marijuana edibles and infused products to control them as food safety products and make sure there are no allergens.

“We don't mandate amount – we direct the state to set these requirements,” Hovey said.

The initiative provides for three different tiers of business licenses for marijuana growers, mirroring the current Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act, while also allowing for marijuana microbusinseses, like microbreweries, which would allow for 150 plants, and could process, package and sell its crop to adults. This provision allows for small growers to participate in the business, as well as class A grower licenses, which allow for the cultivation of up to 100 plants.

Other license categories are Class B licenses, which allow for the cultivation of up to 500 plants; and Class C, where a grower can cultivate up to 2,000 plants. While a larger company can be a grower, processor and retailer, they cannot own a transportation company also – that must be owned by a separate licensee.

There are several restrictions in the proposal.

Municipalities can ban commercial pot operations in their communities, or place strong restrictions on marijuana businesses. Driving under the influence is forbidden. For underage drivers, it's a felony.

And employers can enforce their employee handbook as they see fit, and prohibit having high workers in the office or on a job site. Which means if they choose to drug test their employees, that's within their rights, and they can fire an employee for failing that drug test.

Business and safety rights trump individual freedoms in the workplace.

Just as landlords can forbid tenants from smoking cigarettes on their property, the proposal says they can also prohibit smoking of marijuana on their property. However, residents would be able to consume cannabis in other forms, such as edibles.

Yet, on the other end of the spectrum are equally fervent believers who assert that easier acquisition of marijuana will lead to a higher crime rate, greater drug abuse, further use – especially of edibles, cookies and candies – by teens and youths, and rather than a de-

The proposal addresses law enforcement, taxation and quality control of the product.

escalation of a black market, a larger black market as excess growth which has nowhere else to go gets sold unlawfully.

Which will it be? Will legalization of recreational marijuana lead to a mellow adult population, or one where drug use escalates among youth, and it leads to greater driving fatalities and worse drug abuse?

It all depends on who you talk to.

“Alcohol is more likely to cause reckless or violent behavior” than marijuana, said Matt Schweich, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), which played a leading role in drafting the proposal in Michigan, along with Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, ACLU of Michigan, Drug Policy Alliance, MILegalize, National Patient Rights, an advocacy group for medical marijuana patients, and MINorml. Schweich said MPP was also involved in crafting similar legislation approved in Colorado in 2012; Alaska in 2014; and Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts, all in 2016.

“We got a large group of stakeholders together to write an excellent piece of legislation.”

He said in drafting the legislation, similar to the process involved with the legalization effort in Massachusetts in 2016, they involved a large group of constituencies on both sides of the issue.

“It makes it difficult, but we want that challenge. That yields a wide-ranging public policy. This (Michigan's) was one of the broadest and most inclusive,” he said. The drafting of the legislation, he said, is governed by each state's rules, regulations and constraints, which have to be worked around.

Hovey, the spokesperson for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, said, “We first got together in late '16, early '17, with several stakeholders to see if there was the will to get this on the ballot. Our drafting committee took this around the state to various groups to anyone who would be impacted and involved, and we sought input. We wanted it to be the best worded legislation, to include the best practices, and include the medical marijuana legislation (from the Michigan state legislature) that was done in 2016, because when you have vaguely worded legislation you have gray areas.”

The 2008 Michigan Medical Marijuana Act was vaguely worded, leading to legislative, regulatory and enforcement gray areas, and confusion, for eight years, until the Michigan

state legislature, despite their reticence to take it on, finally clarified where dispensaries can go, who can have grow operations, where people can smoke, how and where law enforcement can apply the law and how to prosecute.

There are currently 289,205 individuals in the state with medical marijuana cards, licensed through the state for a variety of maladies. The 2008 act allows licensed caregivers to grow up to 12 plants each for five patients and themselves, for a total of no more than 72 plants. They must be grown indoors in a locked facility, but the law did not specify how they could be dispensed, where dispensaries could go, how municipalities could zone for them, if patients could be on their medication at work, or while driving. There were a lot of gray areas, to say the least.

In September 2016, three laws were passed, and Governor Rick Snyder signed them into law, that created a licensing and regulatory framework for medical marijuana. The regulatory framework was finally implemented, and applications were first taken by the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), on December 15, 2017. On August 9, 2018, at the state's Medical Marijuana Licensing Board meeting, 15 businesses came up for prequalification and 10 for licensing, including two that would be the first testing facilities to receive licenses, one of which is Iron Laboratories in Walled Lake – ten years after voters approved the initial medical marijuana act. Six dispensaries were approved in July, four in Detroit, one in Jackson and one in Burton, as well as a processing facility that is attached to a Chesaning business that received four large grow licenses.

Many of the current 230 dispensary operators will have to cease their operations by September 15, under the new laws.

“This means we have a complete system now, so the licensees can actually begin operating,” said Andrew Brisbo, director of the state’s Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation.

Today, municipalities can opt out of dispensaries and grow operations, and to have a grow operation, the license application must be accompanied by a non-refundable $6,000 fee.

Small grow licenses are capped by statute at $10,000. Larger grow licenses, where transporting and provisioning are involved, could have assessments for license fees as low as $10,000, or as high as $57,000, according to LARA. Needless to say, it's not designed for the small time producer in their locked garage with some grow lights.

If recreational marijuana were to pass, dispensaries, grow operations and the like will definitely be a big business in Michigan, if states like Colorado and California are any indication.

The drafters of the proposal are banking on that, by creating a taxing component in the legislation.

Hovey said there will a six percent sales tax at the retail level plus a 10 percent excise tax on top, for 16 percent overall. “The six percent sales tax, like all sales tax, goes to the School Aid Fund,” he said. “The 10 percent would be split three ways, 35 percent to roads, 35 percent to public schools, to the School Aid Fund, and 15 percent to municipalities where marijuana

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businesses are located, and 15 percent to counties where marijuana businesses are located, and those governments can use those funds however they want to.”

He pointed out the goal is to help local governments, public schools, and improve roads in the state as beneficiaries of a new legalization effort.

“We support the legalization of cannabis because it has been proven to be less dangerous and less addictive than either alcohol and tobacco, yet inexplicably, it stays illegal for adults 21 and older at the federal level,” Hovey said.

He acknowledged they cannot stop the state legislature from moving revenue around in the general fund, and not allocating as much to schools if there is a lot of money from legalized marijuana going to the School Aid Fund. “We can't legally restrict how the legislature does their job. The only thing we can do is determine where the tax revenue from the proposal would go. We're doing our job, and it's our hope the legislature would understand that their goal is to increase the money to roads and the School Aid Fund,” Hovey said.

Hovey said that in Colorado, where all of the tax revenue was specifically designated to go to schools, “it was almost too successful, and they had so much money for schools they decided to parse some revenue to other sources.”

Coloradans approved recreational use in 2012, with sales beginning January 1, 2014.

There have been 3,051 marijuana businesses licensed in the state, and more than 40,000 people certified to work in the industry, translating to approximately 20,000 full-time or full-time equivalent jobs working directly in marijuana businesses, and thousands more jobs supplying those businesses, according to state figures for the end of 2017.

Sales in 2014 were $683 million, and $1.5 billion in 2017.

Justin Dunaskiss of Dunaskiss Consulting, a government consulting agency working with many municipalities on medical marijuana, said they were not involved in the recreational marijuana legalization effort, although he stated, “We look on the policy side, and we think it's a pretty fair, well-written initiative, but like anything, it needs some tweaks to optimize it to set it up for the fabrics of Michigan municipalities.”

He noted that the tax is a little lower than other states, at 16 percent. In Colorado, recreational marijuana is taxed at 15 percent sales tax plus a 15 percent excise tax, for a 30 percent tax rate. In Washington state, users are taxed 37 percent. Oregon has a tax rate of 17 percent. Nevada has a sales tax of 10 percent and an excise tax of 15 percent, for 25 percent.

California has a 15 percent sales tax plus $9.25 an ounce for flowers and $2.75 an ounce for flowers or cultivation tax. Hawaii charges $50 an ounce. Massachusetts is lowest, with a sales tax of 10.75 percent.

“We don't put a charge, or an excise tax, at the production, growing, or refinement level, for either medical or the proposed recreational level,” Dunaskiss said. “There's only the 10 percent excise tax on a purchase. Other states and cities will put a five to 15 percent tax on top (of growing and production).

If approved by voters, three different tiers of business licenses for growers will be offered.

“If it's regulated properly, it's difficult for a small illicit operator to compete with someone operating a large scale operation,” he said. “It doesn't put the large scale operator at a disadvantage because like other states that have a 25 percent tax or higher, with a lower tax of 10 percent, users aren't being gouged at 10 percent taxes. They won't turn to the illicit market.”

Foes of legalization believe that low taxation rate will actually drive the illicit market, because it's not high enough for law enforcement to crack down on scofflaws.

“It's the lowest taxation rate of state. It's only 10 percent – so you wouldn't want to enforce the laws because it's too low of a rate of taxation,” said former state Sen. Randy Richardville (RMonroe), currently a spokesperson for the antilegalization group Healthy and Productive Michigan. “Law enforcement says, 'What about our cut (from taxation)?' There's not enough in it for them.”

But Oakland County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Paul Walton doesn't agree. He said they rarely see a possession of marijuana case currently.

“We've hardly had a possession case in years,” Walton said. “Police agencies are pushing away from prosecuting.”

He said the officers on the streets have the most say in the situation, not advocates or critics.

“I have seen countless car videos (from police cars), and I have spoken to many officers, where they do a stop for a rolling stop, or a broken taillight, and they see a joint in the car, and they're not writing it up,” Walton said. “For the most part, as long as it's not impairing their ability to operate, they just say, 'dump that out.'”

Matthew Abel, a Detroit attorney and founder of Cannabis Counsel who was on the committee which wrote the legislation, said, “People are ahead of the legislators. It will bring the law into compliance with societal norms. We've had medical marijuana for 10 years. The population is accustomed to this. The public's fear of cannabis is much reduced from where it was.

They sky hasn't fallen. In the last five years, we've gone from less than 50 percent support to more than 60 percent supporting adult use.”

Nationally, statistics bear that out. According to the Pew Center, in 1990 only 16 percent of the population approved of legalization. Today, more than 60 percent of Americans favor legalization.

What Walton would like is for there to be

legislation, both in Michigan and federally, that would tackle and clarify the law for those who possess and use marijuana, both medically and recreationally.

“We have this patchwork approach. It would be so helpful if the federal government would decriminalize or reclassify marijuana from a Schedule 1 narcotic to something more manageable,” he said. “Take that half-step, and take care of it.”

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Schedule 1 drugs, substances and chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and have a high potential for abuse. Included as Schedule 1 drugs are heroin, LSD, ectsasy, methaqualone, peyote, and marijuana.

The inclusion of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug of the Controlled Substance Act, the most tightly reserved category, occurred in 1972.

According to the DEA, “The abuse rate is a determinate factor in the scheduling of the drug; for example, Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and the potential to create severe psychological and/or physical dependence. As the drug schedule changes – Schedule II, Schedule III, etc., so does the abuse potential – Schedule V drugs represents the least potential for abuse.”

However, many experts do not believe marijuana should remain a Schedule 1 substance, noting that it has acknowledged medical benefits for many afflictions. The process of rescheduling a drug from a category requires petitioning of the DEA – which first occurred in 1972 in order to be legally prescribed by physicians. The petition was ultimately denied by the DEA after 22 years of court challenges, although a synthetic form of the cannabis's psychoactive ingredient, THC, which comes in pill form, was rescheduled in 1986 as a Schedule II to allow for prescriptions. In 1999, petitions further allowed the pill form to be rescheduled as a Schedule III to permit prescriptions.

But further petitions, to allow clinical studies, were denied by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001, 2002, 2011 and 2013.

Yet, in that time, 31 states, plus the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, have come further than the DEA, approving the use of legal cannabis for medical purposes – in essence, nullifying that Schedule I classification.

An August 2017 Quinnipiac poll found that national support of medical marijuana was at 94 percent.

Hovey said that while writing the ballot legislation, they did not meet with any individual sheriffs or police chiefs, but they did meet with the police and sheriffs' associations.

“None were happy with it, but they all said they know legalization is coming, and said, just make sure it's enforceable and the rules are clear. They also want to make sure no one is driving under the influence.”

Blaine Koops, executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs Association, said they are not taking an official position on the upcoming ballot proposal. “We've been in contact with both sides,” Koops said. “Our legislative advocate has really worked hard to understand

the issue, and we've been working on this for some time.”

He said the key is to be able to have, and to respond with, facts – “medical facts and societal facts.” It's so critical to him that on August 14, his organization co-sponsored an educational event in Lansing for law enforcement officers, prosecutors and educators, “to learn the pros and cons of recreational marijuana. Information, education, facts are the key,” he said. “We will do our communities a service by learning the facts.

“My generation, we're looking back to the '70s and '80s,” Koops said, noting there are lots of misconceptions out there, not just among the public, but among law enforcement. “The composition (of marijuana) is totally different than it was.” He said a cookie today could have the same concentration as several cookies decades ago.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard is “not a fan because I've talked to others in other states. It increased the drunk/intoxicated driving incidents and the proliferation to younger users,” he said.

Abel challenged whether the intoxicated drivers on marijuana were also under the influence of alcohol and/or other narcotics, as “more people may be driving with cannabis in their system across the board, but not causing traffic accidents, nor the traffic fatalities.

Correlation is not causation. It's an independent factor. It's very rare to find a traffic fatality with cannabis without alcohol involved.”

The initiative by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol firmly positions itself as an “adoption of smart adult-use marijuana laws by allowing adults 21 and older to possess and grow certain amounts of marijuana. Persons under 21 years of age are prohibited from possessing, cultivating, processing, purchasing, and/or selling marijuana products. This initiative does not allow marijuana to be used openly and publicly, so it will remain entirely illegal to consume marijuana on the street, on a sidewalk, or in a public park. Driving under the influence will also remain illegal. This initiative expressly prohibits people from operating a vehicle, motorboat, aircraft, ORV, or snowmobile while under the influence of marijuana.”

“It's the same as not driving under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs,” said Hovey.

The difference, for law enforcement, is that, as the Prosecutor's Office's Walton pointed out, “Drunk driving nationally is .08. With this stuff, it's, oh my goodness. Colorado it's 5 nanograms (one billionth of a gram) or more. We don't have anything in place.”

In Colorado, it's illegal to use marijuana in cars, and all marijuana product must be in a sealed container if it's in a vehicle. A person can't drive if he or she has 5 nanograms or more of THC, the ingredient that makes them high, in their system, or they risk being charged with driving under the influence of drugs. It is tested and verified by a blood draw.

“Will the (state) legislature be willing to tackle the attendant laws if it passes?” Walton asked.

Hovey, spokesperson for The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, acknowledged the active ingredient in cannabis, THC, can be

Research elsewhere shows an initial spike in marijuana usage by underage users, and then a dip.

detected in the system for several weeks, versus an active high, which may last several hours.

“There still needs to be more research done,” he acknowledged. “The Michigan State Police is piloting a mouth swab test, not just for marijuana, but for a whole host of things, including opioids. As a campaign, we really hope that works out. We hope science continues their research.”

Los Angeles labor and employment attorney Michelle Lee Flores has been advising clients in California since January when legalization took effect.

“I've been helping clients manage the misconceptions. It's still illegal federally. Are you impaired in the workplace? Alcohol, pot, it's the same. Are you posing a safety threat to you or your co-workers? Because employers are tasked with providing a safe workplace,” Flores noted.

“It's not a 'get out of jail free' card. Do employers make accommodations for medical, or are they zero tolerance? An employer can still enforce a zero tolerance policy because it's illegal federally, and there's certain safety issues. It's like alcohol – this is not a free for all. For employers, educate yourself – what is impairment?”

Anti-recreational marijuana backer Richardson with Healthy and Productive Michigan said for him, “The biggest problem to me is the access to underage citizens. It's a problem as it is. This makes access easier than it is. This risk is significantly higher.”

Research in states where legalization has occurred show an initial spike in marijuana usage by underage users, and then a dip. A more significant increase in use has been seen among aging baby boomers, aged 55 and up.

Justin Dunaskiss pointed out that is the indication internationally. “I truly feel we would see an initial spike in underage use, but based on national and international data, such as in the Netherlands in how they've used cannabis, alcohol and other drugs, once you take away the forbidden fruit, the underage use dies down. We have decades of research on alcohol and on cannabis in the Netherlands and some in other states, that verifies this.”

According to the Pueblo Institute of Cannabis Impact Study of Colorado marijuana users, completed in November 2016, “legalization of recreational cannabis use and dispensaries has not greatly affected high school use and perceptions.”

To Oakland County's Sheriff Bouchard, abuse of the drug, along with black market crime, are overriding concerns for him.

“How many lives will be impacted negatively and we'll have to deal with the societal costs because of it, because of addictive personalities?

On any behavior, there's eight to 13 percent of the population that will have addictive behavior,” he said. “Then, they don't work, so they'll seek benefits, which leads to criminality.

“I see it with alcohol,” Bouchard continued.

“I'm not saying we need to go back and prohibit alcohol, but I have to say that there will be similar societal costs as alcohol when you deal with legalization.”

But isn't there already the scourge of drug abuse?

California attorney Flores said that marijuana legalization can actually help with the opioid addiction crisis, because it can provide pain relief similar to prescription drugs without the addictive qualities.

As for Bouchard, Richardville, and other opponents of legalization of a growing black market, Hovey said with legalization of cannabis, “The only one we're hoping to drive out of business is the criminal element. We want legitimate businesses to thrive, be part of communities, to pay their taxes and not waste the time and money of law enforcement, prosecutors and the courts.”

“If (legalization) is regulated properly, it will be difficult for a small, illicit operator to compete with someone operating a large scale legal operation,” Dunaskiss said.

Bouchard disagrees.

“There's a huge amount of excess out there already, and there will be way more. We're already an exporter of excess because of the very loose restrictions with the requirements for excesses of medical marijuana,” Bouchard said.

“It's an illegal activity, and it will increase the activity for law enforcement. It brings in cartels and drug dealers from other places to undercut the taxed product. There's always overages – and that's illegal if it's transmitted not in compliance with law enforcement.”

Another worry he has is that they are seeing adulterated marijuana with fentanyl, and he's concerned there will be more of it – “unless it's sealed and stamped from a regulated and approved dispensary,” Bouchard said.

Advocates emphasize that is the importance of repealing prohibition – to get rid of the toxic black market, to provide safe, unadulterated product for over-21 adults who choose to enjoy cannabis, no different than the repeal of prohibition of alcohol. Today, rather than dying from rotgut because of bad alcohol, imbibers can choose from craft cocktails, beer from microbreweries, and wine cultivated from around the world.

“A licensed business has a lot at stake.

They're not going to sell to minors. Your average drug dealer has no rules,” said MPP's executive director Schweich. “We've seen a steep decline in drug trafficking cases in states with legalization, which suggests that legalization displaces the unregulated market.”

Voters will be the ultimate arbiters, at the voting booth on Tuesday, November 6, when the vote yay or nay.

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EK LAKE | 100 BLOOMFIELD N CENTER ST | ROYAL OAK HILLS 100 4154 WABEEKN LAKE | CENTER BLOOMFIELD HILLS ST 100 N CENTER ST | ROYAL OAK 4154 WABEEK LAKE | BLOOMFIELD HILLS s | 2,750 2 Beds | 2Sq. BathroomsFt. | 1,600 2Sq. Beds |Ft. $369,900 | $435,000 | 2 Bathrooms 3 Beds | 2.1 Bathrooms | 2,750 Sq. Ft. | | $369,900 1,600 Sq. Ft. 5420 Lauren Court | Bloomfield Twp | 4 Bedrooms | 3.1 Baths | 4000 SF | 1 Acre | $1,375,000

Urban lifestyle modern luxury in Urban this sleek loft style condo lifestyle in downtown community Royal Oak. Completely meets modern luxur y in this sleek loft styl nium in the sought after Private entry with end unit condominium magnificent in the sought after community with magnificent 2renovated, Beds | 2meets Bathrooms | 1,600 Sq.Wabeek Ft. | set $435,000 3 Beds | 2.1 | 2,750 Sq. |Wabeek $369,900 Nantucket style estate home indesign the heart ofrenovated, Bloomfield Hills on nearly an acre of treed landscape.

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48009 210 S. Old Woodward | 248.310.1414 | Suite 200 | Birmingham, MI | 48009 | 248.310.1414 210 S. Old Woodward | Suite 200 & | Birmingham, | 48009 | 248.310.1414 independently owned operated.

Each officeMI is independently owned & operated.

Each office is independently owned & operated.

248.259.3544 mobile 248.590.0800 office erin@erinkdewald.com erinkdewald.com

3955 Lahser Road | Bloomfield Hills Presenting a stately colonial estate overlooking prestigious Bloomfield Hills Country Club's Golf Course. This stunning home has been completely renovated and designed to perfection. This home features a custom gourmet kitchen. First floor master suite with luxurious master spa inspired bathroom. His/her walk in closets. Family room with custom builts/moldings/trim/ fireplace overlooking pool, wrap around deck, patio and golf course. Elegant spacious dinning room. First floor laundry. All bedrooms are suites.

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725 Tottenham | Birmingham

A charming Poppleton Park beauty nestled on and oversized lot with all the updated amenties! Beautiful entry with large living room and fireplace. Updated kitchen with granite counters overlooking family room and views of expansive yard and patio. A luxurious master suite with updated/modern bathroom. A perfect neighborhood to lease. Birmingham Schools.

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FACES Terrence Haynes Jr. fter playing football most of his life, Terrence Haynes Jr. began at North Carolina A&T with the intention of continuing to play.

Things turned out a little differently than planned.

“One day I decided that I wasn’t going to go to the level that I wanted to go, and I just didn’t want to play anymore,” he said.

While the story of a former football player not getting to the level they hoped is a familiar one, where Haynes Jr.’s story goes from there is anything but typical.

The Detroit native – who grew up in Bloomfield, graduated from Lahser High School, and joked he was one of the most stylish people there – continued studying towards his entrepreneurship degree but then began designing his own clothes.

“That’s kind of where the line took off. I’ve always been into fashion and style but I was never really making clothes,” he said.

“It just kind of evolved from t-shirts to hoodies and went to cutand-sew pieces. I learned to sew when I was in college and that, kind of, is what took me to the next level.”

During his time at North Carolina A&T, Haynes Jr. got an internship in Los Angeles working as a stylist. From there he worked in New York at Mr. Porter.

Now, he not only lives in LA working full-time as a fashion stylist for Amazon but is getting ready to release his second collection under his brand T + H (pronounced T plus H, his initials). This collection, titled “Volume Two,” will come out in September and feature 11 pieces, including a denim jacket with matching pants in two colors, a fur coat, a dress suit, hoodie, and a suit in two colors, among other pieces.

Haynes Jr. said his first collection, called T.E.A.M. – for time, energy, and money – felt more athletic than what he usually designs. His second collection is more pieces he would wear and he said felt more like home, more Michigan, than his previous collection. His pieces often have Michigan nods, like incorporating the Detroit Tigers’ colors into his first collection. There were also some actual tigers on pieces.

“It’s just little subtle things I try and do to not make it so clear that it’s Michigan but that anybody from Michigan could tell where the inspiration is from.”

Growing up in the mitten had a huge influence on Haynes Jr.’ sense of style in general. With family all over Michigan, he often found himself picking up on how everyone dressed and the different styles they had. That played a huge role in his fashion line, which he describes as clean, contemporary streetwear that’s more refined. Now though, the only part that’s really streetwear is his use of graphics and logos.

Haynes Jr. said he takes the clean look from Bloomfield and combines it with the grunge of Detroit or Pontiac for his clothes.

Looking in to his own closet also plays a part in what he designs.

“I see what I don’t have and I create that,” he laughed.

Since he primarily works alone he can create whatever he wants. Working alone actually inspired his first line, which he said spoke about how you need to rely on yourself. His second collection evolved from that and showed him sometimes its better to work with a team. He’s already working on building a team, including someone to help with Volume Two’s release and his social media in hopes of gaining more traction.

Haynes Jr. might not play football anymore but it seems that team mentality is still there.

A

Story: Dana Casadei

Photo: Daniel T. Jester

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SLOWDOWN AT EPA HOLDING UP REPORT ON ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF CHEMICAL

BY KEVIN ELLIOTT There is a skirmish taking place in Washington over a draft report on the acceptable levels of formaldehyde that critics say illustrates how the Trump administration, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is bending longestablished review procedures to benefit industry.

Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong smelling chemical. While best known for its use in embalming fluid and most widely used in industrial resins, it's commonly used as a precursor to other chemical compounds.

Formaldehyde is used in pressed-wood products, such as particleboard, plywood and fiberboard; glues and adhesives; permanent press fabrics; paper product coatings; and certain insulation materials.

Additionally, it's commonly used as an industrial fungicide, germicide and disinfectant.

The chemical's unique and versatile properties also give it broad roles in the economy, supporting about 963,000 jobs and $433 billion in sales in the United States, according to the American Chemistry Council. Formaldehyde's use in housing applications and the automotive industry make it particularly valuable to Michigan's economy. Dow Chemical, a producer of formaldehyde, is located in Midland, Michigan.

A 1997 report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found formaldehyde is normally present in both indoor and outdoor air at low levels, usually less than .03 parts per million of air.

However, materials containing formaldehyde can release formaldehyde gas or vapor into the air.

Formaldehyde is also a byproduct in combustion, including automobiles.

Industrial workers who produce formaldehyde or formaldehyde-containing products, laboratory technicians, certain health professions and mortuary employees may be exposed to higher levels of formaldehyde than the general public. Exposure occurs primarily by inhaling formaldehyde gas or vapor from the air or by absorbing liquids through the skin.

The American Chemistry Council, the industry's largest lobbying and trade organization, is taking

issue with the most recent assessment of the dangers of formaldehyde, claiming “the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2010 draft Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment proposed risk value would set an acceptable air concentration that is thousands of times below levels that naturally occur in the environment."

The assessment, which was conducted by the EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) and released in 2010, concluded formaldehyde causes respiratory cancers, leukemia and other health problems, including asthma.

"The truth is, formaldehyde is a natural part of our world and the illogical findings of IRIS are not," the 2018 publication goes on to state. "Formaldehyde is found in every living system – from plants to animals to humans – produced as part of our normal metabolic process. If a person inhales formaldehyde, the body breaks it down rapidly, just like when it is naturally produced in our bodies."

Health assessment conducted by the EPA's IRIS program are used to determine "acceptable levels" of exposure to specific chemicals. The assessments are simply findings, and don't serve as regulations themselves however, the assessments influence the EPA and other regulators to determine regulations.

But, according to some health and environmental groups, the response from the American Chemistry Council is more hot air in an effort to suppress the EPA's findings that could lead to tighter regulations on formaldehyde and open the industry up to expensive lawsuits.

Jennifer Sass, senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the EPA's draft assessment, which was released in 2010 and has since been re-assessed a second time, has already been reviewed a second time by the independent National Academy of Sciences but is being held up by the EPA due to industry pressure.

"Nancy Beck is holding it up," she said, referring to the EPA's deputy assistant administrator in the agency's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "She's a political appointee that didn't go

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through a confirmation hearing, and she was a former lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council. She went right from there as a lobbyist to heading up the toxics process at the EPA. She had been working on these issues and TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act), and her office is overseeing the process."

A request from Downtown Publications to the EPA for comment or interview with Beck was not granted.

An EPA spokesperson said the agency's Office of Research and Development is currently "Developing a new approach of soliciting program input on current and future IRIS assessments to ensure IRIS assessments are focused on the highest priority needs." The EPA said the formaldehyde assessment will be included in that activity.

Kimberly White, an environmental toxicologist and senior director at the American Chemistry Council said, "Separately, it's produced for industrial uses. It's a basic building block in a lot of chemistry in automobile products, it's used as a resin and you hear about it a lot in composite materials. That's a high level picture."

A 2017 one-page publication by the council notes humans produce about 1.5 ounces of formaldehyde each day and that it's a "natural byproduct" from all combustion processes. The cartoonish infographic depicts everyday people exposed to formaldehyde. For instance, there is 3.95 mg/kg in coffee; 6 mg/kg in an apple; .0001 ppm in human breath; 11 mg/kg in fish; 10 ppm in car exhaust and other sources.

"Low levels of formaldehyde occur naturally in a variety of fruits and vegetables, including apples, carrots and bananas," the sheet states. "It does not accumulate in the environment or within plants and animals.�

"If you look at the EPA's 2010 draft, their value was set at .001part-per billion (ppb). If your body produces 1 (ppb), you're already three orders

assessment. Among the NAS's criticisms was that the assessment failed to support its conclusions.

"Overall, the committee found that the EPA's draft assessment wasn't prepared in a logically consistent fashion, lacks clear links to underlying conceptual framework and doesn't sufficiently document methods and criteria used to identify evidence for selecting and evaluating studies."

While the NAS review said the initial assessment didn't support the findings linking formaldehyde to leukemia and some other health problems, it did support the findings that link it to nasal cancers. Still, the IRIS program withdrew its initial assessment. A second draft assessment has been completed, but has not yet been made available to the public, making the current assessment within the EPA nearly 40 years old.

Sass said part of the problem with the initial review was that it failed to focus on science used to reach its conclusions, instead adding hundreds of pages to address industry criticisms.

"The NAS didn't challenge their conclusion, but they did hit the IRIS staff hard on their science communication," she said. "They basically said the staff failed to justify the science used in the assessment... they basically said 'you need a prewritten rational or framework, and it can't be a rebutting and selecting process.'"

The EPA's IRIS program is located in the agency's National Center for Environmental Assessment in the Office of Research and Development.

The placement of the program ensures IRIS can develop impartial toxicity information independent of its use by the EPA's program and regional offices to set national standards and clean up hazardous sites.

The criticism of the IRIS program applied not only to the

WITH THE UBIQUITOUS PRESENCE OF FORMALDEHYDE, ONE MIGHT BE LED TO BELIEVE THAT FORMALDEHYDE POSES NO THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH. BUT JUST BECAUSE A CHEMICAL CAN BE NATURALLY OCCURRING OR METABOLIZED

BY THE BODY IN LOW AMOUNTS DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T BE THREAT. above that magnitude just by exhaling. That's not really reasonable," she said. "As a state regulator, say in Michigan, how do they adjust to levels that you find in the background every day.

"That's one of the things, that we want the agency to do, is do a reality check. If you're setting values that aren't realistic or make sense, then you need to re-evaluate the process for setting those values."

With the ubiquitous presence of formaldehyde everywhere we turn, one might be led to believe that formaldehyde poses no threat to human health at all. But just because a chemical can be naturally occurring or metabolized by the body in low amounts doesn't mean it can't be a threat. For instance, apple seeds contain a cyanide and sugar compound that degrades into hydrogen cyanide when metabolized. In World War II, hydrogen cyanide was used in gas chambers and called Zyklon B. "Nobody is arguing whether it's a carcinogen. They are arguing on what kind of cancer," Sass said. "They are saying it wouldn't cause blood cancer because it doesn't get into blood. ... The industry argument is theoretical, but that fact is, you have half a dozen studies showing formaldehyde is linked to leukemia."

In reference to formaldehyde, White said the American Chemistry Council doesn't suggest that high levels of the chemical aren't harmful.

"Formaldehyde is considered a nasal carcinogen at very high doses," she said. "Those would be levels that you wouldn't find in the environment or in environmental exposures. At very high levels of exposure, scientific data supports that it is a nasal carcinogen."

An initial draft of the IRIS assessment on formaldehyde was released in 2010. The following year, the non-governmental, non-profit National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reviewed the initial assessment and severely criticized the 1,000-plus page draft

formaldehyde assessment, but with what was viewed as longstanding problems in the program.

An EPA spokesperson said the agency has been responding to comments about the IRIS from the NAS and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) over the past year and a half. Changes include increased transparency and implementing review changes to create a clearer evaluation of underlying science. The EPA said those changes were deemed "substantial progress" by the NAS, and that the GAO noted significant improvements in their high-risk criteria ratings.

Sass, with the NRDC, said the issues have since been addressed, with the program being praised by the NAS in a 2014 assessment.

"That was a favorable review and the NAS said they were on the right track," Sass said.

While a second IRIS assessment of formaldehyde has apparently been completed, it has yet to be released for public review. Although the assessment hasn't been made public, the delay in its release suggests to some that the reassessment supports the findings of others in the scientific community that high exposure to formaldehyde may be linked to additional cancers.

"The reason industry cares about cancer classifications is because of liability of any litigation," Sass said. "If your workers have cancer associated with a specific site, it could lead to legal liability."

In August, U.S. Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) asked Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler about the release of IRIS assessment on formaldehyde and wasn't given a clear answer. "(Former) Administrator Pruitt committed to release the EPA's scientific report on the carcinogen formaldehyde but never did so. Will you commit to releasing this report?" Markey asked.

"I've not been briefed specifically on the IRIS formaldehyde report, but

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I have sat down with our IRIS staff, and what I'm trying to do is provide more certainty to that process to make sure we know how the different assessments will be used in the regulatory programs, and it's my understanding that we still have a number of steps to complete on the formaldehyde assessment," Wheeler answered.

When pressed on when the assessment will be released, Wheeler didn't answer.

"The question I have put to our IRIS staff is 'what is the purpose of the assessment at this point, and whether or not that data they have used in the assessment is still current.' I know they started that before 2010," Wheeler said. "We will release it, but I need to make sure the science in the report is still accurate.

"What I've asked is for, not just that report, but everything we are doing on the IRIS program is to make sure we know the purpose of the assessment because we have a lot of chemicals that we should and could be assessing under the IRIS program, and I want to make sure that they are being used in our regulatory process because we have other chemicals that need to be assessed, as well. That is one of the questions that I've asked our program staff."

"Pruitt committed to releasing it, and I hope that you put it at the top of your list," Markey responded. "I expect you to, and to get it released so that the public can understand what those dangers are."

Markey followed up the exchange with a tweet on August 1: "EPA Admin Andrew Wheeler gave me an unacceptable answer today when I asked him if he would release the long-overdue study on the impacts of toxic #formaldehyde. The EPA should not continue to silence science that would protect public health and immediately release this report."

throat cancer, as well as respiratory problems. However, newer research suggests that it may be linked to leukemia.

A study by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is an arm of the National Institutes of Health, suggested professionals who are exposed to formaldehyde in their work, such as anatomists and embalmers, may have an increased risk of leukemia and brain cancer compared to the general population.

One study looked at funeral industry workers who died between 1960 and 1986, with researching comparing those who died from hematopoietic and lymphatic cancers and brain tumors with those who died from other causes. (Hematopoietic or hematologic cancers such as leukemia develop in the blood or bone marrow. Lymphatic cancers develop in tissues and organs that produce, store and carry white blood cells that fight infections and other diseases, according to the NCI.) The NCI analysis showed that those who performed the most embalming and those with the highest estimated formaldehyde exposure had the greatest risk of myeloid leukemia. There were no association with other cancers of the hematopoietic and lymphatic systems or with brain cancer.

Information provided by the NCI included another study that looked at 25,619 workers in industries with the potential for occupational formaldehyde exposure and estimated each worker's exposure to the chemical while at work. The results showed an increased risk of death due to leukemia, particularly myeloid leukemia, among workers exposed to formaldehyde.

The risk was associated with increasing peak and average levels of exposure, as well as with the duration of exposure, but it was not associated with cumulative exposure, according to the NCI.

IT APPEARS THE AGENCY MAY BE SUCCUMBING TO PRESSURE FROM INDUSTRY IN ITS ATTEMPT TO DELAY OR BLOCK PUBLICATION OF THE FORMALDEHYDE HEALTH ASSESSMENT. THIS IS EXCEPTIONALLY DISTURBING, AND LENDS FURTHER CREDENCE TO THE BELIEF‌THAT THE EPA HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY INDUSTRY. In May, Markey and senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) sent a letter to the EPA asking for the formaldehyde assessment to be released. The letter followed a statement by former administrator Pruitt in January in which he indicated the report was ready to be released.

"Unfortunately, it appears that the agency may be succumbing to the pressure from industry in its attempt to delay or block the publication of the formaldehyde health assessment," the senators said in the letter.

"This is exceptionally disturbing, and lends further credence to the belief, already widely held, that the EPA has been captured by industry.

We urge you to ensure there are not further efforts to delay or block the publication of this assessment that has serious implications for public health."

Nicholas Schroeck, director of clinical programs and associate law professor at University of Detroit Law School, and former director of the Transnational Law Clinic at Wayne State University Law School, said because formaldehyde is used for various industrial applications and is found in our air, water, foods, land and various consumer products, the EPA regulates it through the National Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act. "If the EPA found that exposure at certain levels causes leukemia or nose and throat cancers, that's big," Schroeck said. "That would mean every state would potentially have to go back and look at all of their permitting, all the way down to manufacturing, and potentially homes and businesses that are off-gassing."

Schroeck said there's also likely to be litigation stemming from the assessment if it opens new classifications of cancer linked to formaldehyde, a move that has already been made by other agencies.

Research spanning decades has linked formaldehyde to nose and

An additional 10-years of data on the same workers were used in a follow-up study published in 2009. That analysis continued to show a possible link between formaldehyde exposure and cancers of the hematopoietic and lymphatic systems, particularly myeloid leukemia.

As in the initial study, the NCI said the risk was highest earlier in the follow-up period. Risks declined steadily over time, such the cumulative excess risk of myeloid leukemia was no longer statistically significant at the end of the follow-up period. The researchers noted that similar patterns of risk over time had been seen for other agents known to cause leukemia.

A study of 11,039 textile workers conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found an association between the duration of exposure to formaldehyde and leukemia deaths.

However, the evidence remains mixed, as a similar study of 14,014 British industry workers found no association between formaldehyde exposure and leukemia deaths, the NCI said.

According to the National Institutes of Health, formaldehyde undergoes rapid chemical changes immediately after absorption.

Therefore, some scientist think that form is unlikely to have effects at sites other than the respiratory tract. However, some laboratory studies suggest that formaldehyde may affect the lymphatic and hematopoietic systems.

"Based on both the epidemiological data from cohort and case-control studies, and the experimental data from laboratory research, NCI investigators have concluded that exposure to formaldehyde may cause leukemia, particularly myeloid leukemia, in humans," the NCI said.

In 2011, the National Toxicology Program Report on Carcinogens changed the listing status of formaldehyde from "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" to "known to be a human carcinogen."

The current EPA IRIS assessment of formaldehyde was completed in 1990. That assessment identified formaldehyde as "a probable human carcinogen," based on incidences of nasal squamous cell carcinomas.

As the EPA continues to contemplate its own assessment of formaldehyde risks, several protective measures are already in place.

In 1987, OSHA established a federal standard that reduced the amount of formaldehyde workers can be exposed to over an eight-hour workday, from 3 ppm to 1 ppm. That standard was reduced to .75 ppm in 1992.

Some private companies have also taken measures to reduce formaldehyde products for sale. For instance, in 2017, CVS Health announced it would phase the removal of the most prevalent formaldehyde-containing products from its CVS Health, Beauty 360, Essence of Beauty and Blade product lines. The phase out, which includes more than 600 products and will be complete by the end of 2019, also includes products containing parabens and phthalates.

Most recently, federal legislation was passed in 2010 and went into effect this year that regulates use of formaldehyde in hardwood plywood, particle board, fiberboard and other wood products. The Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act limits amount of formaldehyde emissions in those products.

Restrictions from the finalized rule of the act went into effect earlier this year, following a lawsuit against the EPA that claimed it had illegally delayed the rule. Under the finalized rule in 2016, wood products had to comply with the limits by December of 2017. However, the EPA had set out to extend the compliance deadline until December of 2018.

New Orleans-based A Community Voice, The Sierra Club and Earth

The lack of a federal legal limit of formaldehyde in wood products then led federal lawmakers to create the new act.

"There were some really weak limits before Katrina," she said.

"There's a lot of controversy over formaldehyde. But it's an air irritant and causes a lot of cancers, and as a contributor to asthma, it has been documented more recently."

The new standard as it relates to wood products, she said, is among the strongest in the world.

Goldman said the new limits are based on those already in place in California. She said the tactic to delay compliance deadlines isn't new to the Trump administration.

The first time it happened was when Reagan came in," she said. "His chief of staff did a memo that said to the Federal Registry that if a law wasn't in effect, then freeze it and you have to review it. That's happened with every administration change, particularly when you have a different political party coming in.

"What was different this time was that it went a lot further. Bush had done some without a comment period and it was invalidated. Trump almost uniformly was extending deadlines and kept extending. Then they got caught on that. It was almost a cottage industry to keep the rules from going into effect."

White, with the American Chemistry Council, said the council is supportive of the new rules regarding wood products.

"They basically mirror what has been in place in California for a number of years," she said. "The ACC is a proponent of getting those standards nationalized, and realistically, here in the United States, those standards have ben the de-facto standards."

White said the lack of quality assurances when FEMA trailers were

IF THE EPA FOUND THAT EXPOSURE AT CERTAIN LEVELS CAUSES LEUKEMIA OR NOSE AND THROAT CANCERS, THAT'S BIG. THAT WOULD MEAN EVERY STATE WOULD POTENTIALLY HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT ALL OF THEIR PERMITTING, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO MANUFACTURING, AND POTENTIALLY HOMES AND BUSINESSES‌ Justice filed suit against the EPA, challenging the delay in US District Court in Oakland, California. In February, the federal court ruled the delay was beyond the scope of the EPA's authority and not in accordance with the act.

"They are in effect, as of June 1," said Patti Goldman, managing attorney for Earth Justice. "They were adopted, and the Trump administration was delaying the compliance deadline. That's the pattern they use: delay, then try to change it and keep them from going into effect."

The new limits change how much formaldehyde can off-gas from wood products. Goldman said the act stems from off-gassing products used in trailers constructed for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following Hurricane Katrina.

"People were housed in trailers and were sickened from formaldehyde," she said. "They were built so quickly, some described them as 'oozing' formaldehyde."

Following the Hurricane Katrina disaster, FEMA provided thousands of manufactured homes for displaced residents, both for hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Soon after victims took residence, complaints of headaches, nosebleeds and difficulty breathing were made in relation to formaldehyde resins used in the homes.

According to FEMA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2008 tested FEMA supplied trailers and mobile homes in Louisiana and Mississippi. The CDC found potentially hazardous levels of formaldehyde, with an average of .077 ppm, which the CDC said could be linked to increased risk of cancer for longterm exposure. The minimal risk level is .008, as prescribed by the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry, a division of the CDC. Levels in FEMA trailers tested ranged from .003ppm to .59 ppm.

constructed led to the changes, as formaldehyde is a nasal carcinogen at high doses. She said it's with new classifications of cancer that the ACC doesn't believe science supports changes.

She said there are new "systematic review" changes to how the EPA conducts assessments for chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which don't immediately apply to the formaldehyde assessment, and are a positive step forward for the EPA. Those proposed changes in August were still out for public comment under the Federal Registry. However, the comment period was scheduled to be closed prior to publication of this article. White said the ACC was planning to submit comments before the deadline.

Meanwhile, Sass, with the NRDC, said the new review rules for TSCA chemicals are another effort to limit scientific evidence that can be considered in chemical reviews at the EPA. Specifically, she said the changes call for giving extra weight to good laboratory practices," or GLP standards, which she labels a code for industry-sponsored studies. At the same time, she said the proposed changes would solidify efforts to discount certain epidemioglocial studies, playing on an unformalized "Scientific Transparency Rule" that sought to limit certain studies from being included in reviews.

Reviews conducted under TSCA are chemical reviews used specifically by the EPA to regulate a variety of chemicals, including pesticides, PFAS and other toxic compounds.

"Beck has come up with her own systematic review, and it hasn't gone through any peer review. It's at odds with the updated IRIS systematic review process, but it has been praised," Sass said. "Every chemical under TSCA will go through the new process, if she gets her way. We will fight it.

"This is a systematic review that nobody has written about. It's really under the wire."

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Lake Angelus Frontage - Lake Angelus - $1,499,990 Fabulous totally updated Lake Angelus Shores setting overlooks the Island. This home was designed for the amazing views. 218047230 Presented by Lee Embrey

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Cass Lake Frontage - Orchard Lake - $1,490,000 Rebuilt in 2007, this European styled custom home is meticulously designed and perfect for entertaining. 218071693 Presented by Michelle Yurich & Dan Gutfreund

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Sugden Lake Frontage - White Lake Township - $1,399,000 This luxury custom home sits on 4 acres of peaceful beautiful grounds with lake living at its finest! 218072657 Presented by Tania Marougi

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Dryden Township - $1,350,000 Enjoy the equestrian life at picturesque 30 acre Blue Moon Farms in Metamora Hunt Country. 218047466 Presented by John & Bridget Apap

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Bingham Farms Village - $1,095,000 Captivating Country Estate offers casual elegance, charm and character, boasts many new renovations. Situated on 2.45 acres of mature, indigenous landscape. 218054913 Presented by John & Bridget Apap

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Michelle Winowich hey say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but Bloomfield Hills resident Michelle Winowich is showing pet owners around the country how to teach their four-legged companions how to speak in a brand new way.

"People are already talking for their pets in photo captions and in person. We are just taking it a step further," Winowich said about the collar-size speakers designed to give pets a voice of your own.

Named the G.O.A.T. Pet Speaker (G.O.A.T. standing for Greatest of All Time), the small Bluetooth speakers attach to a pet's collar and connect with their owner's phone through a Bluetooth connection. The G.O.A.T. app then allows the owner to type or record phrases that can be saved and played back through the pet's speaker.

"Some guys think it's a great way to pick up chicks," Winowich joked about the various scenarios in which the G.O.A.T. Pet Speaker can be used. "We use it at home, and our kids use it all the time. It also can be more practical, like if someone has a service dog and uses it to remind people not to pet them. With the voice, it can be like putting a tutu on a pitbull with the voice. We even know a stroke victim who uses it to communicate with her family."

In addition to giving pets a voice, the speaker can stream music from the user's phone, allowing them to listen to music on walks without wearing earphones that block out sound.

The speakers, which are intended to be used as another way to play with your pet, and interact with the pet when you're not home, have been a hit since Winowich launched G.O.A.T. Pet Products in 2016. She recently completed an exclusive contract with PetSmart.

In January, the company got another boost when Winowich had a successful appearance on ABC's reality show Shark Tank. The show allows first- and second-stage entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to celebrity business owners who they are asking to invest in their businesses. Celebrities include Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner and others.

"Basically, you get seven-and-a-half minutes to pitch in front of eight million people," Winowich said, who accepted an investment offer on the show from businessman and investor Robert Herjavec for $499,999 for a one-third stake in the business. "It could be the worst commercial of your life, or it could be the best. The sharks can be a little rough. They got rough with me too, but thankfully I was able to overcome it."

While Winowich has an extensive background in pet product marketing, she knew landing a spot on the show would depend on her ability to help drive ratings. Also knowing the show's connection with Sony Studios and Disney, she decided to dress as Snow White on the show and give her canine companion a "magical" ability to talk by using the G.O.A.T. speaker.

The blend of serious business skills and humor showed through even in her application to the show, in which she listed one of her skills as "docking a ship during a storm while hooking a great white shark."

"I was standing there as a 42-year-old princess and had a service dog with me, and I have a talking dog product," she said, laughing about the appearance. "It's all about entertainment. I would have dressed as a clown if I had to... it's up to you as to how you stand out."

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MUNICIPAL Squirrel, S. Boulevard corner plan approved

By Lisa Brody

After another contentious Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting, the southwest corner of South Boulevard and Squirrel Road received approvals for rezoning and site plan approval for a mixed use development on Monday, August 13.

At the beginning of the meeting, Treasurer Brian Kepes recused himself, as he has an ownership interest in the properties, an issue that was repeatedly brought up by a few members of the public, as well as trustees Dave Buckley and Dani Walsh. However, supervisor Leo Savoie pointed out, “Brian Kepes has owned that property since 2004, long before he became a Bloomfield Township treasurer, and long before he became a trustee.”

Patti Voelker, township planning building and ordinance director noted in her introduction of the site that the corner was “formerly known as the Burlington Shopping Center.” A credit union is on an adjacent parcel, with a vacant piece behind it.

“Manchester Squirrel, LLC and Auto City Properties, LLC are proposing a joint development and rezoning request as part of the site plan proposal for construction of a multiple family residential community and a corner commercial development,” she wrote in a presentation memo.

She explained that Manchester of Bloomfield's mixed use development site plan shows the parcels reconfigured through a lot split request to add the 2.13 acres of vacant property behind the credit union to a proposed 7.67 acres that would be multi-family rental residential, for a total of 9.8 acres of multi-family residential. The lot split would also create a new 2.3 acre commercial parcel at the southwest corner.

The entire parcel had been zoned commercial.

She said the residential site plan proposed 12 buildings with seven to nine units in each building, to be called the Manors of Bloomfield.

Trustees adopted a master plan amendment of an area plan for South Boulevard and Squirrel Road at their meeting on July 24, 2018, which permitted zoning and use changes on downtownpublications.com

Candidates file for school boards everal people filed to run in the November general election for both the Birmingham Public Schools Board of Education and Bloomfield Hills Schools Board of Education by the filing deadline on Tuesday, July 24.

On the Birmingham school board, seven people have filed to run for three open seats, all of which are for six-year terms. Incumbents whose terms are ending, including board President Steve Scheidt, Vice President Jessica Thomas, and Secretary Jessica Thomas, are not running for re-election. Filing to fill their place are Lory Dolan of Beverly Hills, Amy Hochkammer of Birmingham, Mike Lewis of Birmingham, Nicole McKinney of Lathrup Village, Jennifer Rass of Beverly Hills and Bab Saad of Birmingham.

Four open seats are available on the Bloomfield Hills school board, with three of four incumbents, Howard Baron, Paul Kolin and Jason Paulateer, filing for another four-year term. In addition, Jennifer Cook of West Bloomfield, Lisa Efros of Bloomfield Hills and Anjali Prasad of Royal Oak have filed to fill one of the four seats on the board.

It is not known if Prasad will be able to remain a candidate, however, as district spokesperson Shira Good noted the Bloomfield Hills district does not include Royal Oak. School board elections are on November 6, 2018.

S

the property, allowing it to be transitional next to a residential neighborhood. The property is governed by a consent judgement.

The developers, represented by attorney Alan Greene, said, “The property is really a transitional area.

The zoning has all been for business uses. All that property that had been developed had been a shopping center that we tore down.”

Part of the requested rezoning would allow restaurants, he said, “And we really think a restaurant would be a great use here,which is why we'd like to change the use.”

Trustee Dani Walsh asserted they were going against the township's master plan, and Greene explained that they weren't – “You've voted on your master plan, and you changed it.”

A few members of the public became rude and vitriolic when speaking out against the development, castigating Kepes for his ownership interest despite his recusal at each meeting where it was discussed, as did Walsh and trustee Dave Buckley. At one point, resident Bill McMaster was particularly chastised by supervisor Leo Savoie for calling Kepes “Brian Creeps.”

“It's absolutely unacceptable behavior,” Savoie said.

The small group of dissidents demanded all residential on the property, not multifamily, despite its zoning as all commercial.

Savoie pointed out that the township was going to get “20 to 25 percent commercial is a good compromise with residential, compared to all commercial,” he said.

“Do the right thing with this development. This is a quality proposal for a property that has been vacant for 20 years after we had to go through a condemnation procedure.”

“Some people want 100 percent commercial; some people want 100 residential. This is what was presented,” said trustee Neal Barnett.

“Developers buy properties; developers sell properties. It's business. To suggest something unseemly is going on – it's nothing different than goes on in other communities. A board member can own property as long as they recuse themselves. So to make it something unseemly, is disgusting.”

Trustees voted 4-2 in approving all aspects of the lot split, rezoning and site plan, with Walsh and Buckley voting against. In voting, Buckley said, “I wish you luck. It's great, but I'm voting no.”

Industrial waste charges approved Bloomfield Township trustees unanimously approved the adoption of an industrial waste control charge that is a complete pass through charge from the Great Lakes Water

DOWNTOWN

Authority, at their meeting on Monday, July 23.

Katie Fotherby, township public works manager, said the industrial waste control charge is assessed to all industrial and commercial business in the township that send wastewater to the Great Lakes Water Authority wastewater treatment plant, of which there are about 400 accounts. Payment is made to the Oakland County Water Resources Commission.

“The IWC charges are to offset the costs incurred in administering regulatory activities under the Sewer Use Ordinance/Industrial Waste Control Ordinance as required in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Program and the Clean Water Act (CWA),” Fotherby explained.

The 2018-2019 charges took effect July 1, 2018, with a 37 percent decrease from 2017.

In addition, there is a pollutant surcharge for businesses that utilize excessive pollutants. Fotherby said the charges are used to offset the higher chemical and treatment costs for these excess pollutants in the wastewater. For this year, there is an eight percent decrease in that charge.

Currently, there is only one account in Bloomfield Township that is charged the pollutant surcharge, she said.

Lululemon moving to new temporary spot No, Birmingham shoppers, lululemon isn't going anywhere. It's just making a temporary move down the street to the former Backcountry North location, while it completes a renovation of its store at 101 S. Old Woodward.

Lululemon, which makes technical athletic clothes for yoga, running, working out and living, has become a staple at the corner of Old Woodward and Maple since it opened in fall 2012. There is also a location at Somerset Collection South, which recently expanded and did an extensive remodel, which is similar to the format the Birmingham store will follow.

Jim Esshaki, landlord for 284 W. Maple Road, where Backcountry North was, at the corner of Bates, said lululemon will move there soon and be there until December. Store 75

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windows are papered with lululemon signage.

Inquiries to the corporate office of lululemon were not answered, and local store managers were not permitted to comment on the record.

Savings on pension plan with Prudential

By Lisa Brody

Bloomfield Township Treasurer Brian Kepes reported to the board of trustees that the township had negotiated an amended agreement and settlement with Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, which holds the township's defined benefit pension plan, and trustees unanimously approved it.

Kepes explained that the township has had a contract with Prudential since 1961. “The township has about $215 million in assets,” he said. “Prudential has about $150 million in a guaranteed deposit account yielding 2.5 percent.

The rest, about $65 million, is with And Co., yielding 18 percent, invested in equities.”

In December 2014, trustees became aware the township's Prudential Retirement defined benefit pension plan was drastically underperforming, and had been since at least 2004-2005, forcing the township to contribute millions to the fund annually out of township operating funds to keep it fullyfunded and available to retirees.

From 2010 until 2014, Bloomfield Township was budgeting $10.3 million each year to add to the Prudential plan; they then took the opportunity to issue an $80 million pension obligation bond, which they invested in equities which provided a higher rate of return. The township had been paying Prudential from the equity account to maintain the defined benefit account at its necessary level, lowering its level to $65 million in four years.

Kepes said that last year the township deferred paying its $5 million in fees to Prudential, and it grew to about $15 million. Another problem the township had, he said, “the township has never been able to verify Prudential's investments.”

He said after working on it over the last year, including with trustee Neal Barnett as a mediator and outside attorney Scott Lites from downtownpublications.com

Plunkett Cooney, they decreased the fees from $15 million to $6 million.

“We found a way to verify the interest rate cushion independently,” Kepes reported.

Further, they entered into mediation with Prudential earlier this year, with Barnett, an attorney, acting as the mediator for the township, and “ultimately this increased the defined benefit plan by about $10 million,” Kepes said.

“We really strengthened the where-with-all of the plan and got it confirmed in writing,” Lites said. “A lot of the money we have to pay is deferred without any interest payments. It really worked out – it's a great deal for the township.”

Brookside Village development hearing A public hearing for a new clustered 10-lot residential development on the site of Bloomfield Hills School's Doyle Center, to be called Brookside Village, received unanimous approval by the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees at their meeting on Monday, August 13, to set a public hearing for Wednesday, September 12, to consider a lot split proposal and site plan approval.

Patti Voelker, Bloomfield Township planning, building and ordinance director, explained in the introduction for the lot split and site plan application that the property is known as the Doyle or Booth Center, located at 7273 Wing Lake Road, at Maple. The developer, Terry Nosan, had been denied a request for a preliminary plat for five residential units at 3355 Franklin Road, adjacent to E.L Johnson Nature Center, in 2016, which led to a consent judgement granting Nosan the authority to make a site plan application under the township's Open Space Preservation provisions on the Doyle Center site in exchange for Bloomfield Hills School District acquiring the Franklin Road property following site plan approval of Brookside Village.

Voelker said the plan proposes to split off 7.25 acres from the Doyle Center property to allow for the new development, leaving the school parcel at 10.45 acres, and thereby complying with the 10-acre minimum required for schools. The school parking lot would be modified, creating a shared access

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drive off Wing Lake Road to serve both the school and Brookside Village.

“It would revise the school property for circulation as needed and create 10 lots and 50 percent open space under the Open Space Preservation plan,” she said.

The Brookside Village site plan preserves 2.72 acres of undeveloped land and an additional 2 acres of land on the school site that would stay undeveloped in perpetuity.

According to Bloomfield Hills Schools, the Doyle Center will remain an administrative services center. They use the property for ball fields.

ID theft, fraud up in township for 2017 Bloomfield Township Police Chief Scott McCanham presented the 2017 police department annual report at the board of trustees meeting on Monday, August 13, noting that while felonies saw a slight downturn last year, identity theft and fraud soared, as it did nationwide.

McCanham pointed out the department experienced wide changes in the previous year with the retirement of former Chief Geof Gaudard and McCanham's elevation to chief. “He was a mentor to me and I am proud to call him a friend and colleague,” McCanham wrote at the beginning of the report. Since, they have put a new command leadership structure in place. “These new command officers bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm to an already forward thinking command structure.”

In highlighting the data from 2017, McCanham said they saw a slight dip in felonies in 2017 from 2016, “with just over 1,000 part one crimes.” Broken down, there were two incidents of criminal sexual conduct one and three in 2017; there were three in 2016. There was one incident of criminal sexual conduct two and four, while there were four cases in 2016. There was one kidnapping in 2016, and none in 2017.

In 2017, there was one robbery, while there were three in 2016.

There were 59 assaults and 10 incidents of aggravated assault in 2017; in 2016, there were 62 assaults and eight aggravated assaults. There were 48 calls in 2017 of downtownpublications.com

intimidation/stalking versus 64 calls in 2016. In 2017, there were 48 home invasions while in 2016, there were 67.

There were 42 larcenies from building in 2017 versus 35 in 2016, while there were 62 larcenies from automobile in 2017 and 94 in 2016.

McCanham pointed out the township saw a significant rise in fraud and identity theft in the last two years, 394 incidents in 2017 and 71 incidents of retail fraud. There were 406 reports of fraud and identity theft in 2016 and 55 calls of retail fraud.

“That matches the nationwide trend for identity theft,” he said.

The number of drug violations were steady, 91 in 2017, and 90 in 2016. There were 10 weapons violations in 2017, while there were 18 in 2016.

“We are the fourth safest place in Michigan,” McCanham reported.

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Those driving by the new Chesterfield Fire Station in Birmingham are wondering why it hasn't reopened after a reconstruction which appears to be complete, but Chief John Connaughton said “minor” problems with construction trades has led to delays, and the new station should be open and operational within about two months.

Approvals for the new station, at the corner of Chesterfield and Maple roads, were given in May 2016, by the Birmingham City Commission, for a new station that would be 9,800 square feet. The new station will house two engines, two rescue vehicles, four firefighters, a Hazmat truck, a utility truck, one technical response vehicle, and have living and sleeping accommodations for at least four firefighters. They will also have a small boat to be able to respond to drownings or other emergencies at Quarton Lake.

EMS will continue to operate out the Adams station, but a reserve ambulance will be housed at Chesterfield.

Connaughton said at the time that the former station had been built in 1955 on slab, and was 5,100 square feet. Because of innovations of trucks and machinery, the DOWNTOWN

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OAKLANDCONFIDENTIAL POLITICAL NEWS/GOSSIP FROM DOWNTOWN NEWSMAGAZINE WRITERS

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DOWNTOWN

09.18

MUNICIPAL

Parking, retail proposals back to planners

By Lisa Brody

building had become obsolete. For example, in 1955, the truck bay was 10 feet; today it needs to be at least 15 feet to accommodate larger trucks.

In May 2016, the city commission, based on recommendations and a presentation from Connaughton, chose the architectural firm Sidock Group, Inc. of Novi, which he said had designed 50 other fire stations, and understood the needs of the department, “which was to design and develop a fire station that is very iconic, very functional, and works for the city of Birmingham.”

On Thursday, August 9, Connaughton said they had run into “some problems with trades who were hired to do the work, some who had been unaccessible. There was nothing that was structural. For example, the flooring that was laid down – it didn't look nice. You wouldn't accept it in your home.” He said it had to be replaced.

While the landscaping appears to be complete, in actuality there have been problems with the landscaping, Connaughton said, including issues with ponding. Roofing contractors also left refuse on the roof. “We made them go back in and sweep it up so it would look new. But there was nothing like leaks,” he said.

“There are no structural problems now.”

A more significant problem, one the department is trying to downplay, is a sensor issue with the garage doors on the truck bays in the front of the building. The two bay doors have bifold garage doors.

“They're the coolest doors I've ever seen,” Connaughton said, however, they could close on an individual or piece of machinery – creating a significant safety issue.

“We wanted sensors if someone was standing there, or if a piece of equipment should be there,” he said.

“Initially it's not something anyone thought of.”

He said contractors and architects pointed out that there are sensors on the inside, but the fire department does not believe that is sufficient, and all interested parties are currently working to rectify that.

Connaughton said he believes all issues will be taken care of sufficiently within the next two months, and they will receive a certificate of occupancy “within two months at the most,” and “when we open, we'll have events where the

public will be able to come in and visit.”

RH Outlet opening in former book store RH Outlet, part of Restoration Hardware, is opening at the corner of Telegraph and Maple in Bloomfield Township in the former Barnes & Noble location, selling discounted furniture.

According to Andrea Bibby, development coordinator planner for Bloomfield Township, the new store, at 6575 Telegraph Road, is about 15,000 square feet, and is designed as a permanent store, not a pop-up location.

Restoration Hardware is an American home furnishings company headquartered in Corte Madera, California. They have a high-end location at Somerset Collection which specializes in the “exceptionally well merchandised world of high quality textiles, furniture, lighting, bathware, hardware and amusements. These are products of lasting value, classic design and imbued all with a brand that speaks to superb taste and a free spirited individuality,” according to their website.

This RH Outlet, of which there are about 30 around the country, is the first in Michigan, and will sell Restoration Hardware furniture at a 20 to 60 percent discount.

Merchandise available at other RH Outlets include sofas, sectionals, beds, nightstands, dining room tables and chairs, accent tables, outdoor seating, and bathroom vanities, but not art and accessories.

Some may be damaged or discontinued items.

After a presentation by architect Victor Saroki of Saroki Architects in Birmingham at the township's design review board on Wednesday, August 1, Bibby said shoppers will be able to buy what's on the floor and either carry it out with them or get the furniture delivered, but will not be able to have orders placed.

In addition, an outside space just south of the store will sell seasonal merchandise, such as outdoor tables and chairs.

“It's a good use for the space,” Bibby said, noting the store is not expected to take up a lot of parking in the lot.

Barnes & Noble closed in 2006.

t their meeting on Monday, August 13, Birmingham city commissioners unanimously sent back two separate request for proposals (RFPs), one for planning, zoning and parking consulting services to look at revising the downtown Birmingham parking standards; and the other to review the downtown retail redline district, as they did not feel either addressed the specific issues the planning board and staff had been directed to identify in the RFPs. Noting Birmingham has been experiencing a stress on its parking system, city planning director Jana Ecker said she was presenting a parking RFP “to eliminate the residential parking standards,” in the downtown area. A desire to reduce or eliminate parking standards for all residential units has been raised in order to reduce the cost of development, thus reducing the amount charged for the sale or lease of residential units. The directive for the planning board to look at this had first come up at the joint city commission/planning board workshop in June, Ecker said. She noted that they discussed hiring a consultant to review the city's residential requirements and make recommendations, and she recommended the city's current parking consultant, Nelson Nygaard, along with the city's traffic consultant.

Currently, she said, parking is required to be provided for residential uses on all properties, whether or not they are located within a parking assessment district. In the central business district, there is no requirement to provide parking for office or retail uses.

“The planning said, 'we're not going to look at it citywide – we're not going to eliminate parking in neighborhoods,'” Ecker said. “We just want to have it looked at in the downtown area, the Triangle District and Rail District, and look at a few other cases.”

In a memo, Ecker noted that over the last 10 years, there had been some precedent, with a removal of the parking requirement for senior living facilities and for outdoor dining areas.

City manager Joe Valentine said Nelson Nygaard is studying the city's operational uses in parking, as well as land use issues.

Commissioner Patty Bordman complained that one of the biggest problems “is the number of office workers per square foot in Birmingham, and the increases in office buildlings. These office worker want to park in Birmingham, and use our parking structures all day long. The second problem is what we're looking for with residential dwellings. We're looking to lower the cost of residential dwellings.”

Commissioner Mark Nickita disagreed. “This can't be just about residential, but about the hyper-demand for office in the downtown.

We're looking at a handful of buildings in the downtown that are approve that are office buildings. The office component is actually more important than the residential component. We have some serious issues to study here that don't really come through.”

That led to a discussion of the the RFP for a retail review of the downtown, which Ecker said “Would look at a more global view of retail, what we want in the downtown area as a result of the joint meeting. The planning board felt there seemed to be a willingness to hire a consultant to help them with boundaries, tiers within boundaries and different uses in different boundaries. We're looking for a professional with retail management experience – it's not a land use issue.”

She said they would like to review the downtown overlay district, parcel by parcel in the current redline district, to provide a roadmap of where to go.

“This is not what I thought we need at this time,” Nickita said. “This is quite broad and does not match the directive we had at the joint meeting, and previous directives. It needs to be rethought.”

“I would send this all back. Let's bring it back to our intentions. Try again and start with the minutes,” directed commissioner Stuart Sherman.

Ecker said the intention was not to throw away the redline retail district.

“It's to make that redline district the strongest it can be – to support it. We need to create an ordinance to do just that,” Nickita said.

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LYNN BAKER, ASSOCIATE BROKER DEBY GANNES, REALTOR Lynn c. +1 248 379 3000 | lbaker@hallandhunter.com Deby c. +1 248 379 3003| dgannes@hallandhunter.com

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1772 HERON RIDGE, BLOOMFIELD HILLS | 4BR/4.2BA | 7,385 SF Located in private, gated enclave on ravine setting with serene views.

Finished walkout lower level with possible 5th bedroom. Lower brick paver terraces & expansive decks off main floor, 4 fireplaces, 4-car garage & much more. Move-in Perfection.

3960 OAK POINTE COURT, ROCHESTER HILLS | 6BR/4.2BA | 6,062 SF Tringali designed home. Library with judges paneling. Bright and airy gourmet Kitchen. Oversized master suite with two walk-in closets, newly remodeled luxurious bathroom. Walk-out lower level. Expansive, treed, fenced yard. Heated 3 car garage.

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555 PARKLAND HILLS DRIVE, OAKLAND TWP. | 4BR/4.1BA | 6,081 SF Prepare to be “wowed.” One of a kind home with chef’s kitchen, spacious first floor master suite. Amazing finished lower level walk out with exercise area, office, billiard area and more. Spectacular deck and private, treed yard with extensive gardens.

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5769 STONEHAVEN BOULEVARD, OAKLAND TWP. | 4BR/4.1BA | 5,030 SF Custom built with the finest workmanship, attention to every detail and amenity. .76 acre wooded wonderland private retreat. Extensive mature landscaping, multi level wrap around deck, terrace, pergola, gazebo with hot tub and backing to secluded area.

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Search firm to find new superintendent The Birmingham Schools Board of Education on Tuesday, July 24, selected Hazard Young Attea Associates to provide the services necessary to conduct a search for its next superintendent, following the retirement of superintendent Dr. Daniel Nerad.

Nerad retired June 30, after six years with the district. A native of Wisconsin, he announced he would move back to his home state, where he still has family.

At the June 5 board meeting, the school board named John Silveri as interim superintendent. Silveri, who retired in 2015 as superintendent of the Waterford School District, has been with Birmingham Public Schools since, as both interim assistant superintendent for human resources and interim deputy superintendent for school administration. Silveri said he is not a candidate for the permanent position.

“We believe that as an experienced educational leader and someone who knows our community and culture, Mr. Silveri will provide a seamless leadership transition for our district in the year ahead,” the board announced on June 5.

Hazard Young Attea is a national search firm that recruits, develops and retains leaders in order to improve student outcomes.

“Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), takes a researchbased approach to matching the right leader with the goals and priorities of the school system and its community. Our disciplined and inclusive approach to community engagement ensures all stakeholders have the opportunity to be part of the search process,” they state on their website.

Anne Cron, interim director of communications and family engagement for the district, said the timeline for the search has not yet been determined. More information may be provided at the next board meeting, on August 21.

“There will be outreach to the school community around the beginning of the school year, which begins the Tuesday after Labor Day,” Cron said. downtownpublications.com

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THROUGH OCTOBER 28 660 NORTH OLD WOODWARD MICHIGAN-GROWN PRODUCE CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCE KIDS ZONE / FRESH PREPARED FOODS GARDEN PLANTS & FLOWERS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT HARVEST FESTIVAL / SEPTEMBER 16

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FACES

Alex Fenkell and Jordan Katzman or some, smiling is a little more difficult than others. These are the people Alex Fenkell and Jordan Katzman are happiest helping with SmileDirectClub, the Nashville-based company they first conceived of in 2013 and launched in 2014 with seed money from Jordan's dad, David Katzman of Camelot Venture Group.

“SmileDirectClub is the pioneer and industry leader of the dentistdirected at-home invisible liner market,” Fenkell said of the business which he said is 50 to 60 percent less than other similar teeth straightening businesses.

The idea for the business first came to Fenkell and Katzman when they were 13-year-olds at northern Michigan's Camp Tanuga with a mouth full of braces. “We had the typical mouths of metal, which were such a pain, and miserable experiences,” Fenkell, 29, of Bloomfield and a Cranbrook Kingswood graduate said. His longtime friend Katzman gew up in Franklin and graduated from Birmingham Groves High School. Both return to the area each weekend from Nashville.

The two first had a bunch of other business ideas they launched before SmileDirectClub, beginning with a car detailing business they started together at the age of 16. “We did it for friends and family and people in the community,” Fenkell recalled.

After college, they started a payment application program, similar in concept to Venmo, which Fenkell acknowledges was probably a little ahead of its time. “We'd collect money from friends,” he said. “It had peer-to-peer Venmo capabilities. It was successful, but it didn't go as far.”

If timing in life is everything, the time was right for SmileDirectClub, which uses custom-made clear BPA-free plastic aligners which gradually shift teeth into their desired position, with follow-up retainers to keep teeth in perfect formation. Shoppers can choose two options to achieve

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their results, either by ordering a kit online and sending an impression of their teeth back, where a licensed dentist or orthodontist will create the invisible liners and send them back, or at one of their 121 SmileShops in 34 states. They currently work with more than 225 state-licensed affiliated dentists and orthodontists.

These walk in stores allow shoppers to have a scan of their smile and then a state-licensed dentist or orthodontist develops the invisible liner which is shipped to their home. Currently there are SmileShops in Rochester Hills and Farmington Hills, Fenkell said.

“By the end of the year, we'll have 150 shops in 40 states,” he said.

While typical orthodontic treatment can cost thousands of dollars, SmileDirect is a more affordable option, with the kit costing just $79, plus $80 a month over two years of treatment. Follow up retainers are about $100.

Fenkell and Katzman are very excited that, as of this summer, the kits are available at Macy's, CVS and Bed, Bath and Beyond, providing availability to a greater reach of potential clients.

“The most rewarding thing for me are the customer results. That you can offer someone a life-changing product for an affordable option, that's what it's about,” said Fenkell, whose focus is on the retail shops while Katzman is very hands-on with research and development and IT – although they make it clear they're involved with all aspects of the company.

What's next for the two young entrepreneurs?

“We've treated 250,000 people so far. The U.S. market is about 100,000 million, so we have our hands filled with this. We really are having lots of fun – it has been an incredible journey so far.”

Story: Lisa Brody

248-421-2670 nancykarasrealty@gmail.com 4130 telegraph Road / Bloomfield hills / Mi 48302 / www.nancykaras.maxbroock.com

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4,986 SF plus 1,746 in finished walkout, perfect for in-law suite with kitchenette & full bath. architect Willoughby & templeton Built with dramatic vaulted ceilings, stone and exotic hardwood floors, 3 terraces, chef’s Kitchen, adt Smart home, custom features throughout. high-end everything. extra tall and deep garage could accommodate up to 5 cars. Bloomfield hills schools.

toBocMaN BUt BetteR - 2012 ReBUiLd oN a peNNiNSULa! Large 1.07 acre lot, approx 640' of water frontage! entry level master suite, 3.1 baths, 4 beds, 4 car garage. extensive glass, gleaming hardwood floors, grand ceiling heights, clean lines, open concept, access to all sports lake! entry level laundry room, two way fireplace, 2 large decks,large granite kitchen, high-end appliances: double refrigerator with 4 freezer drawers, professional gas range, floor-to-ceiling wine cooler, separate built-ins include: oven, steamer, microwave & coffee/capucino maker. Bloomfield hills schools!

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haRd to FiNd RaNch With WaLKoUt LoWeR LeVeL on 1 acre with 180' of sandy lake frontage with unbelievable views! approximately 1,942 SF on the main level and 850 SF in lower. 3 Bedrooms, 2.1 Baths, 2 fireplaces. gorgeous views from the home, large yard and in ground pool! access to 3 lakes, including aLL SpoRtS Upper Long Lake and Forest Lake. home is set off a circular drive from a cul-de-sac for ultimate privacy! Bloomfield hills Schools.

MagNiFiceNt LaKe VieWS and access to Forest Lake and all-Sports Upper Long Lake.

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2835 ORCHARD PLACE, ORCHARD LAKE | 5BR/4BA | 4,689 SF Initially the Pelletier farmhouse; this one-of-a-kind renovated home is resplendent with vintage charm and updated elegance. On almost an acre with lake privileges and docking opportunity on Orchard Lake. Private, wooded setting. Circular drive. 2835OrchardPlace.epropertysites.com

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1770 EASON ROAD, WATERFORD TWP. | 4BR/3.1BA | 3,104 SF New construction on private all-sports Watkins Lake. 100 ft. of lake front. Picturesque water sunrise views from almost every room. Open floor plan, indoor/outdoor entertainment space opens to expansive paver patio & lake. Street with peninsula setting. 1770Eason.epropertysites.com

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At the end of a private, winding road, where sunset turns Lake Charlevoix into a sheet of sparkling rose-gold, is a five bedroom house on 680’ of matchless frontage. This North Shore beauty has a wall of windows capturing every view. Inside authentic beadboard enriches the walls and ceilings, complementing extensive Craftsman-style custom woodwork throughout.

Luxe matte-finished wood flooring covers much of the home. The large kitchen has new high-end appliances and the Great Room has a massive natural stone wood-burning fireplace. A full guest suite is off the back entry. The master suite accesses a private screened porch, and has a magnificent fieldstone wood-burning fireplace, and sumptuous bath.

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09.18

ELECTION

County clerk taking heat for ballot shortages

By Lisa Brody

Results from the August 7 primary

By Lisa Brody and Kevin Elliott

Primary election day 2018 is in the books, with a huge turnout of voters across Oakland County renewing a public transportation (SMART) millage, choosing party candidates to run for governor, congress and Oakland County and state House and Senate offices in November, and passing a Bloomfield Township safety path millage proposal.

Voter turnout was higher than expected throughout the county, with Oakland County reporting a 32.74 percent turnout, much higher than the 20.61 percent countywide of registered voters in the 2014 primary election. The turnout left numerous precincts short on ballots – and clerks scrambling to find sample or absentee ballots to avoid leaving voters without the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.

According to Bloomfield Township officials, precincts in Bloomfield Township, Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills, Ferndale and Pontiac – and possibly others – were left without a sufficient number of ballots for primary voters.

According to sources, Oakland County Clerk Director of Elections Joe Rozelle did not supply local clerks with the number of ballots each had requested. Local clerks said they have no control over how many ballots they are given.

In the hotly-contested 11th Congressional District to replace retiring Rep. David Trott (R-Birmingham), Republican Lena Epstein is the winner out of a pool of five Republican candidates. The sprawling district runs from the southwestern edge of Rochester Hills, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Troy, Clawson, West Bloomfield, the Oakland County lakes area and into western Wayne County. With Oakland County numbers in, and Wayne County's website down, Epstein received 28.92 percent of the vote, with challengers former state Rep. Rocky Raczkowski receiving 22.54 percent and state Sen. Mike Kowall receiving 22.30 percent, state Rep. Klint Kesto, 16.47 percent, and former Rep. Kerry Bentivolio, 9.67 percent of Oakland County votes.

Calls to Epstein's campaign were not returned Tuesday night for comment.

Facing Epstein in November will be Democrat Haley Stevens, who beat out four other Democrats for the nomination.

With a majority of precincts in Oakland County reporting and having won Plymouth in Wayne County before the Wayne County website crashed, Stevens campaign was feeling good about the inclusive, districtwide campaign she had

run in the primary. Stevens received 27.05 percent of the Oakland County vote, setting up a battle of the women in November.

“It’s clear that Haley’s record as chief of staff to President Obama’s Auto Rescue resonated with voters looking for someone who understands the Motor City economy. She stood up in a time of crisis and helped save 200,000 Michigan jobs and will step up again in Congress to help lower healthcare costs and grow our economy,” said Jake Strassberger, spokesperson for the Haley Stevens campaign.

In the Democrat primary, Auburn Hills-based state Rep. Tim Greimel brought in 24.13 percent of Oakland County's tally, while Suneel Gupta received 20.87 percent. Fayrouz Saad had 17.23 percent, and Nancy Skinner, just 10.56 percent.

Congressman Mike Bishop of Rochester cruised back to the Republican nomination in the 8th Congressional District, fending off challenger Lokesh Kumar by a landslide, receiving 92 percent of the vote. “I am honored by the support of my fellow Michiganders. I look forward to discussing my record of helping families earn higher wages, protecting children, safeguarding the Great Lakes, and working to find common sense solutions to the challenges Michigan families face every day," said Bishop.

Bishop will face Democrat Elissa Slotkin of Holly in November. Slotkin, a former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and intelligence officer who served three tours of duty in Iraq, prevailed over fellow Democrat Chris Smith, a Michigan State University professor, 71.8 percent to 28.2 percent.

“I’m proud to have earned the votes of so many people today, and thankful to the amazing volunteers who came out to knock doors and make calls. Over the last year, I’ve heard one, clear message from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents across the district: Folks want new voices and a new generation in Washington who will be accountable to voters, not special interests,” Slotkin said. “I will bring my mission-focused approach that I learned serving my country in the intelligence community and at the Pentagon to Congress, and I will fight for the issues that matter to people here. I’m a firm believer that you can’t change Congress without changing who you send to Washington.”

Bloomfield Township Democrat Andy Levin is one step closer to filling his father Sandy Levin’s shoes in Congress, after winning the Democratic primary for the 9th District. Levin prevailed over Ellen Lipton of Huntington Woods and Martin Brook of Bloomfield Hills.

Lipton narrowly prevailed in Oakland

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group of Oakland County municipal clerks issued a statement of apology on Thursday, August 9, for the difficulty many voters experienced on Tuesday, August 7, in the primary election due to a shortage of ballots in several precincts, while making it clear that the office of Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown was completely at fault.

Their statement, in part, read: “We, the city and township clerks of Oakland County, extend our sincerest apologies to all the voters in our municipalities who experienced difficulties in voting due to ballot shortages on August 7th… We could tell weeks before the election that our ballot orders would not be sufficient, however, we were not allowed to increase ballot quantities due to the fact that county clerks control ballot ordering for elections such as the August Primary. When the county did increase ballot quantities the week before the election, it was by a very small percentage and still not sufficient for most of our communities.”

Municipal clerks signing the letter included Bloomfield Township Clerk Jan Roncelli; Bloomfield Township Deputy Clerk Deena Mondock; Birmingham Clerk Cherilynn Mynsberge; Bloomfield Hills Clerk Amy Burton; Rochester Hills Clerk Tina Burton; Rochester Hills Deputy Clerk Leanne Scott, who is president of Oakland County Clerks Association; Rochester Clerk Lee Ann O'Connor; as well as Troy Clerk Aileen Dickson; West Bloomfield Clerk Debbie Binder; Pam Smith, clerk of Farmington Hills; and Cortney Hanson, clerk of Novi; plus several others.

On election evening, a number of municipalities reported ballot shortages at precincts in Bloomfield Township, Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills, Ferndale and Pontiac, among other communities. David Wolkinson, Republican candidate in the 40th state House District, an eventual winner, said that Derby Middle School in Birmingham had well over an hour-and-a-half line when the polls closed at 8 p.m. because they had run out of ballots. While many people stayed to vote, he saw some people leave, stating they couldn't wait.

According to sources, Oakland County Clerk Director of Elections Joe Rozell provided each county municipality with considerably less of ballots than requested. Local clerks said they have no control over how many ballots they are given.

Rochester Hills Clerk Tina Barton told Downtown on election night the city had multiple precincts that had run out of ballots, many within a half hour of polls scheduled to close. Despite the lack of ballots, she said, "No voter in Oakland County will be turned away," as they were able to vote using ADA machines, although that added to the time it took to vote.

"Multiple large municipalities have been texting me," she said. "There are numerous (municipalities) in Oakland County where there's not enough."

Barton said they were also able to copy ballots if they didn't have enough, but with the city being 36 square miles, it was difficult to get them all out in time.

"I have had four people out for three hours taking out additional ballots," she said.

“I have no control over how many ballots I'm given,” Bloomfield Township Clerk Jan Roncelli said. “The county allocated the ballots.

However, this will never happen again.”

Barton said the number of ballots provided to each municipality was determined by the Oakland County Clerk's Office, and that requests for additional ballots prior to the election were denied, a request echoed by another local clerk. She stressed her frustration with the situation and noted that the shortage is not the fault of any local municipal clerks.

"I feel like none of this was necessary," she said. "If the Oakland County Clerk's Office would have ordered the number we requested, we wouldn't be in this situation."

County Clerk Lisa Brown and Rozell responded that they are equally as upset about the ballot shortages, and Brown said she is doing an internal investigation, including looking at emails Rozell received from clerks.

“We did do a supplemental order of ballots on July 31,” Brown said.

“Some of the local clerks did contact our office saying they needed more.”

She said the clerk's office does not need an independent investigation from the Secretary of State, “because we didn't do anything wrong. We

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County – winning 47.91 percent, or 18,639 votes, to Levin's 47.06 percent, for 18,309 votes. But Levin had a huge night in Macomb County, winning 56.1 percent, or 46,677, of the votes, to prevail over Lipton, who received 38.6 percent (19,506) of Macomb's vote. Brook received just 5 percent of the vote, or 4,637 votes.

“I'm really happy. I'm excited and humbled to be chosen by the Democrats to be their candidate for Congress,” Levin said. “I think our message of raising the standard of living of working people of the district really resonated with voters. We were really able to connect with voters.”

Looking at results across the Democratic spectrum Tuesday night, Levin said he doesn't want to just win elections for himself, but to build coalitions to help Democrats win across the board.

He will face Republican Candius Stearns in November, who ran unopposed in the primary. The district is gerrymandered to favor Democrats, but Levin said he will “campaign like we're down 10 points in November.”

Bloomfield Hills Republican Mike McCready pulled out a narrow victory in the race for the Republican candidate for the 12th District State Senate Seat, winning by a 1.04 percent margin.

McCready, who took a total of 12,512 votes on Tuesday, faced fellow Republicans Jim Tedder (12,224 votes), Terry Whitney (2,071 votes) and Vern Molnar (766 votes). McCready will advance to the November general election to face Democrat Rosemary Bayer, who ran unopposed in the primary.

"I'm ecstatic. Absolutely ecstatic," McCready said on Tuesday night. "We knew it was going to be tight. We knew it was going to be razor thin. I'm really thankful for the people that supported me. It's just unbelievable."

Both McCready and Tedder are currently serving their third, and final, terms, in the Michigan House of Representatives. McCready is consider a more moderate conservative compared to Tedder. McCready's win was also likely due in part to Whitney, a far-right conservative and also a resident of Clarkston, which assuredly syphoned off some 2,000 votes that would have gone to Tedder.

"It did help having the third candidate," McCready said, in reference to Whitney. "We worked really hard. It was just outstanding."

Birmingham Democrat Mari Manoogian will face off against fellow Birmingham resident and Republican candidate David Wolkinson in the November general election for the state's 40th House District seat held by outgoing Rep. Mike McCready (RBirmingham), who is term-limited.

Manoogian took 52.97 percent (8,877

votes) of the ballots cast, compared to Birmingham Democrat Nicole Bedi's 46.88 percent (7,856).

"I'm so thrilled about the way our team performed over the past few weeks," Manoogian said. "We turned up door knocking to reach all the voters in our district. We knocked on over 16,500 doors and reached thousands of voters.

I'm so incredibly proud. It's an honor to be the Democratic nominee."

Democratic tickets cast in the race totaled 16,759, compared to 11,713 for all Republican candidates in the race, suggesting a strong possibility the seat is ripe to flip to the Democratic column.

Wolkinson, who took the most Republican votes in the race with 3,359 (28.68 percent), was unavailable for comment on Tuesday night.

Wolkinson's total was followed by Joe Zane with 2,345 votes (20.02 percent); Mike Banerian with 1,874 votes (16 percent); Malissa Bossardet with 1,826 votes (15.59 percent); Paul Taros with 1,175 votes (10.03 percent); and Paul Secrest with 1,108 votes (9.46 percent).

In the 45th state House District, 9,144 votes were cast in the Democratic primary, with Kyle Cooper, a bartender and student, prevailing over retired physician Ted Golden. Cooper received 56.31 percent of the vote, with 5,149 votes, versus Golden's 43.3 percent and 3,959 votes. Cooper will now face current state Rep. Michael Webber (R) in the November general election.

“We realize we have a lot of work ahead of us,” Cooper said Tuesday evening. “Rochester and Rochester Hills haven't been blue in a long time, but a lot of people want to help teachers and students.

“Over 9,000 people voted in this election,” Cooper continued. “If turnout stays this high in the general election, we have a good chance. We're heading back to work, talking to people and having real conversation, tomorrow.”

In the only contested primary campaign for county commissioner in Downtown's coverage area, Thomas E. Kuhn won the Republican nomination for the 11th District over Glenn Clark. Kuhn received 62.24 percent of the vote compared to Clark's 37.29 percent. Kuhn will face Ann Erickson Gault in the general election.

Oakland County voters, by a wide margin, approved the public transportation (SMART) millage renewal, 77.28 percent voting for the tax with just 22.72 percent of voters not approving the renewal. Birmingham and Bloomfield Township are participating communities.

In Bloomfield Township, voters overwhelmingly approved a Safety Path Millage Renewal, with 71.09 percent approval, which will continue building and maintaining the safety path program in the township.

have a lot of laws which we have to follow in primaries. We went above and beyond.”

Rozell said the law told them to look at 2014 for a guide for turnout, and they went back to 2010, which previously had the highest primary turnout.

“We shattered records in Oakland County by seven points,” Rozell said.

“There were individual precincts that shattered it by 70 percent. Some had three times their normal turnout for a normal primary. They had general election (level) turnouts.”

“We don't have a crystal ball. We ordered more than our statutory requirement,” Brown said. She did say in many precincts there was a much higher than expected amount of spoiled ballots, which may indicate poor voter instruction.

In their letter, the clerks responded to Brown attempting to direct part of the blame on local clerks..

“The County Clerk’s statement that local clerks could have solved the ballot shortages by sending larger paper to the precincts is not accurate.

The machines attached to the printers have an important and specific purpose: to allow voters who request or require assistance to vote with necessary accommodations. These machines are not intended for mass production and the process of voting on the system takes five to eight minutes per ballot. That proposed solution would have only slightly lessened the impact. The only effective solution would have been a sufficient number of ballots.

“Additionally, the County Clerk’s assertion that local clerks were withholding ballots from precincts while crowds of voters demanded to vote is both disheartening and untrue. We want to assure all our voters that we did everything within our authority to make ballots available to all the precincts in our jurisdictions.”

Roncelli noted that, “There was heavy, heavy voting. The county never anticipated this kind of turnout.”

Municipal clerks had anticipated a heavier volume of voting based on an increase in requests for absentee ballots, and a higher than normal return of absentee ballots, both Roncelli and Barton said.

Voter turnout for the primary election was 34 percent in Oakland County. In 2014, the midterm primary election turnout was 20.61 percent countywide of registered voters; in 2016, the turnout countywide for the presidential primary was 19.96 percent of registered voters. For 2016, In Bloomfield Township, turnout was 31.87 percent; Birmingham 17.81 percent; Bloomfield Hills, 20.74 percent; Rochester Hills, 18.44 percent; and Rochester, 13.13 percent.

“Whether the solution is a change in law or a financial agreement with the county, we will make sure that we have the final say on ballot quantities for future elections. Please know that we will not rest until we know that the shortages that occurred on August 7th will not happen again,” the clerks stated.

Brown and Rozell said they are committed to ensuring it never happens again, as well.

“There's hurt on both sides, but I know that every clerk in this county is dedicated to running fair elections, don't want to disenfranchise any voter,” Brown said. “We have excellent municipal clerks. I am committed to working together with local clerks.”

As for November's general election?

“We are required to print a ballot for every registered voter, for 100 percent,” Brown said.

Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mike Gingell has launched a bipartisan investigation looking into what occurred, and how it can be rectified before the November general election. Commissioners Marcia Gershenson (D-Bloomfield Township) and Adam Kochenderfer (RRochester Hills) are joining chairs Tom J. Berman (R-Keego Harbor) and Nancy Quarles (D-Southfield) to examine election infrastructure, seek public input and make recommendations for improvements.

“I am pleased to have been appointed to serve as co-chair of this ad hoc committee, which represents a bi-partisan effort to study Oakland County’s election system infrastructure,” said Berman. “The poor execution and challenges voters faced at the polls on Tuesday are inexcusable. I’m determined to thoroughly investigate the issues that arose, and to identify and implement solutions to ensure this ballot debacle never happens again.”

BUSINESS MATTERS Celebrating 70 years Long before there was the Michigan Design Center in Troy, there was Ash Showroom in Bloomfield Township. Now celebrating its 70th anniversary, Ash Showroom, offering creative interior design services, furniture and wall coverings to both the trade and retail clients, is still here and going strong. Originally located near the Avenue of Fashion at Six Mile and Livernois in Detroit, Ash Showroom was started by Leo and Harold Ash in 1948. According to present owner Daniel J. Stevens, who purchased the business in 1992, after starting as a designer for the Ash brothers in 1983, the business moved out to its current location at 2374 Franklin Road, just north of Square Lake Road and west of Telegraph, in the early ‘70s. “There was nothing here with us except swamps,” Stevens said. Times have changed, and now the area is thriving. Stevens said he has kept the format of the original business, which originally focused on wallpaper, and expanded on it. “It’s become a furniture, fabric and wall covering showroom,” Stevens said.

“Because of the customer service, the knowledge and service we provide our clients, that’s what’s kept us in business for 70 years.”

Giving the eye Two best friends, each with a specialized talent, have opened Eyedolize, a lash and brow salon, in Birmingham’s 555 Building, Suite 23L, in the lower level. Tanya Yono and her BFF Kristina Juhas opened the specialty salon in mid-July after owning it in their homes “until we had it perfected,” Yono said. Juhas, a Birmingham resident, “is amazing with brows and is training with microblading,” Yono said, while she specializes in lashes. “It feels so good when I do someone new,” she enthused. “I have clients who never thought they’d ever have full dark lashes.” Besides supporting cosmetic customers, she said she really loves helping chemotherapy patients after their treatments. “After chemo, when their lashes are starting to grow back in, I put a light lash back in. It gives them back confidence,” Yono said. “If you can help someone feel great about themselves, and enhance their natural beauty, why not?” She and 94

Juhas are meticulous in explaining to each customer how to care for themselves. “We want to make sure our customers feel as comfortable as possible. We want your natural lashes to still be healthy. Your brows shape your face and your lashes are like the curtain of your soul,” she explained. “It’s an investment in your beauty.”

Comfy shoes Kybun Joya Shoes, which will be opening in October at 286 W. Maple Road in downtown Birmingham, is actually two different shoe companies from Switzerland, Kybun and Joya, “run by the same family, father and son,” said local owner David Joh. He said that both Kybun and Joya are high-end, therapeutic, comfort-oriented shoes for men and women, made in Switzerland.

“There are many stores in the U.S., and many more in Europe, and across the world, that sell Kybun and Joya shoes, but this store will be the first to focus on and sell exclusively Kybun and Joya shoes. It will be somewhat of a ‘flagship’ store, combining elements of both companies and will be the first of its kind,” Joh said. Shoes by Joya typically retail in the $200 to $250 range, while Kybun shoes sell in the $350 to $400 range. “Kybun also has a line of therapeutic mats that we will be selling called ‘kybounder,’ that are often used with standing desks and even athletic training,” Joh said. “Many companies, schools and soccer clubs in Europe use kybounder mats.”

Cleaning up Another prominent business is celebrating 70 years of service in the community. Wesch Cleaners, a subsidiary of The Huntington Company, is celebrating its 70th anniversary of being part of the Birmingham community by renovating its 7,200 square foot location at 33633 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham. The recently updated dry cleaners is now modernized, featuring environmentally-safe equipment, facilities and packaging at all three of its locations, which in addition to Birmingham include 4883 W. Maple in Bloomfield and 2055 Walnut Lake Road in West Bloomfield. The newlyrenovated Birmingham store features glass walls, an open lobby

design with flat screen TVs, complementary “Wesch Fresh” bottled water and Starbucks coffee.

“We are eager to reveal the newly remodeled Wesch Cleaners Birmingham to our loyal customers and to the public,” stated Wayne Wudyka, president of Wesch Cleaners. “The new all-glass modern look allows customers to view the innovative technology and hands-on professional care involved in the cleaning process. What has not changed is our commitment to quality and unequalled personalized service, all while maintaining the rich history and tradition of 70 years of service.” Wesch now offers couture cleaning as well as expanded tailoring and alterations, as well as drapery and blind cleaning. Wesch Cleaners has long been a dedicated supporter of Birmingham Little League and Birmingham Youth Hockey program as well as other charities.

Depression help NeuroStar TMS, a pulse magnetic therapy treatment that is FDAapproved for depression, is now available from Dr. Anthony Michaels, a Birmingham psychiatrist affiliated with Providence-Providence Park Hospitals. Dr. Michaels, located at 189 Townsend Street, uses “the safe, effective high-powered magnets that pulse over the left prefrontal cortex of the brain where depression would be,” he said. NeuroStar has been FDA-approved for almost 10 years for patients 18 and up, with trials for adolescents currently underway.

Michaels said there are encouraging signs for younger patients, and many have been helped. NeuroStar is covered by Medicare and Blue Cross for those over 18 for treatment that runs five times a week for six weeks, a half hour at a time. Some may need a booster later, and “lots of patients have their medication dosages reduced” after treatment.

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dOWNTOWN

09.18

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.

Andiamo: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

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

248.865.9300.

Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6608 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.792.3579.

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, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Beer.

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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.

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, 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

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95

A lecture series featuring the women shaping Michigan’s cultural and societal landscape

Thursday, September 27

Wednesday, October 3

Monday, October 8

Thursday, October 18

JENENNE WHITFIELD, President and CEO of The Heidelberg Project

ANGELA ROGENSUES, Executive Director of Playworks Michigan

TERRY BARCLAY, President and CEO of Inforum

ORA HIRSCH PESCOVITZ, President of Oakland University

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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.º 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, 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,

downtownpublications.com

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.

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.

Inn Season Cafe: Vegetarian. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

No reservations. 500 E. Fourth St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.547.7916.

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.

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 &

DOWNTOWN

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.

Lakes: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 5500 Crooks Rd., Troy, 48098. 248.646.7900.

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, MondayFriday. 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, Monday-

97

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.

Trending tacos Detroit Taco Company – located at 304 N. Main Street, Royal Oak – is about to expand to a second location, four-and-a-half miles up the road in Troy.

Owner Jeffrey Omtvedt said they are hoping for a soft opening in September, with a grand opening the following month at the Troy location, 2199 Crooks Road, between Maple and Big Beaver. While the new space is much smaller than the Royal Oak one – about 1,800-square-feet – the menu and what they strive for will be the same. “The whole point of Detroit Taco is to change the community one taco at a time,” Omtvedt said. “I believe the role of a small business is to take less of a percentage of profits and donate more of it back to the community that supports you.” They will continue to do this through their charity initiatives, like their Meaningful Monday Dining for Dollars initiative, which selects a charity each week, which receives a portion of the day’s proceeds. Within the next year, Omtvedt said they also have plans to open locations in Shelby Township and downtown Detroit.

New unique sushi Sushi may be an ancient delicacy, but business partners Bruce Cobb and Steve Campbell are hoping to make it a little more fun at Blu Bar Sushi, 31225 Southfield Road in Beverly Hills, slated to open in September. While they will offer more traditional rolls, their sushi doughnut – yes, sushi doughnut, an already popular item in Japan and California – will be one of their more unique menu items. Cobb said they will mold rice into the doughnut shape, stuff it with a protein, then cover it with multiple toppings, like cucumbers and yum yum sauce. “You can pick it up with your hands and eat it versus having to use chopsticks…you can get your hands dirty with it and just jump right in,” Cobb said. The 900-square-foot restaurant will also have a bar and liquor license. But back to the food. Not only will they have sushi doughnuts, but plan on them offering sushi doughnut holes, sold by the half dozen and dozen, as well as a sushi slider. In addition, they are also going to host classes on topics ranging from how to make sushi to the world of sake.

Saturday. 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.

Dessert and coffee

West Bloomfield/Southfield

Some things are serendipitous, like the opening of Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters’s Royal Oak location, following their popular Rochester and Detroit spots. They had originally planned on adding a third location further down the line but then they saw the space at 115 S. Main Street, and couldn’t say no when it became available. “We were thrilled to find it...we fell in love with it,” said Nathan Hamood, president/director of coffee. This space will actually be the company’s largest at almost 3,800-square-feet. As of press time, they planned to begin services August 7 and stay open until midnight most days of the week. The menu will be similar to their Detroit store, full of desserts and pastries. With multiple coffee shops already in the area, Hamood thinks they will bring something unique to the block, especially with their focus on sourcing coffee from small, quality driven farms around the world, and their overall business model, comparing their shop to those of the ‘60s.

“We do like to be able to have larger cafes where people can come in and sit and enjoy their coffee and dessert, and listen to live music,” he said. “I think Royal Oak will work really well for that.”

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

Moving on Brandon Zarb’s day-to-day is about to look a lot different. The former executive chef of Public House and Imperial in Ferndale started his new job at Rising Stars Academy in Centerline in August, leaving behind the kitchens he had spent the last three years in. “I was kind of looking for a change of pace,” Zarb said. “I really love the restaurants, and I’ve really enjoyed working with them, but I knew at some point I was going to want to get involved with something different.” After going on a tour of the academy, Zarb fell in love and wanted to be a part of it. “It’s hard to put into words but if you see it you’ll understand why,” he said. “I’ll put it this way, everyone I’ve ever taken there, or I’ve known that’s gone there, before you leave you’re already asking, ‘Ok, how can I get involved?’” Zarb’s involvement will be in

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.

Santorini Estiatorio: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 501 Monroe Ave, Detroit, 48226.

313.962.9366.

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.

the academy’s restaurant and lunch service, as well as classroom demonstrations ranging from knife to sanitation skills. As far as his association with the forthcoming restaurant Antihero, another restaurant being planned by Working Class Outlaws, the restaurant group behind Public House and Imperial, also on Nine Mile, Zarb said his understanding is that they’ve already begun the hiring process to replace him.

Not your typical beer When Lea and Kyle Hunt leased the entire building at 1454 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, they knew they would eventually do something with the second floor.

Now that the restaurant on the first floor, Gather, is up and running, they are turning what they had been using as an Airbnb into a craft beer bar called Cøllect (the “øl” is Danish for beer) with the hopes of a late September opening. Kyle said the beers on their 14 taps will change based on the season, and while they love places like Bell’s and Founder’s, they plan on picking breweries not everyone has heard of. “There’s a lot of small, momand-pop interesting breweries from New York to California to Michigan,” he said. “We want to highlight some of those breweries.” The duo hope to create relationships with breweries and make collaboration beers. The latter they are already working with is Ferndale’s Urbanrest Brewing Company, which will have a beer at Cøllect that will only be available there.

Finally going vegan There’s been much anticipation and Chili Mustard Onions – Detroit’s first vegan coney island – has finally opened. Located at 3411 Brush Street, the restaurant opened August 1, according to their Facebook page and they have been kept busy. During their first two days of service, they had to close earlier than anticipated because they ran out of food. Seems the owners, Pete and Shellee LaCombe and their daughter Darla, aren’t the only ones who were craving vegan coney dogs. Not only does the 30-seat restaurant offer coney island classics, like coney dogs and chili cheese fries, but they add their twist to items like their “beetball” sub and “Big Mock.” Plus, there are a variety of fries and desserts also on the menu. They didn’t forget those going the gluten-free route either, as they offer gluten-free hot dog and burger buns.

Same faces, new roles Big Rock Chophouse of Birmingham owners Norman and Bonnie LePage recently announced Eric Voigt would be taking over as executive chef and Bill Morales will be their new executive sous chef. Both chefs have worked at the restaurant – located at 245 S. Eton Street – for years. Voigt joined the staff at Big Rock Chophouse in 2011, when he began as their executive pastry chef, while Morales joined in 2015 as a line cook before quickly making his way up the ladder. Bonnie LePage said in the press release that they were happy to promote both chefs and are excited to see what they do going forward with the menu.

Don’t get FOMO After purchasing the Como’s space at 22812 Woodward Avenue at Nine Mile Road in Ferndale, its new owners, the Peas and Carrots Hospitality Group, knew it would be a long time before they would be able to open the restaurant again. So they decided to start FOMO, a patio bar pop-up which began August 3. “We thought this would be a good opportunity to inject a little energy in to it, keep people talking about us, and also introduce ourselves to the community,” said Michael Gray, Peas & Carrots’ regional manager and Ferndale resident. The FOMO (slang for “fear of missing out”) events will take place Thursday-Saturday from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. and have live music, outdoor games, and different non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Gray said they won’t be serving food and hope to continue this through the end of September.

Bites Legendary Detroit bar, Anchor Bar at 450 W. Fort Street was sold to Zaid Elia, who owns Birmingham’s 220 and Parc in Detroit, with a deal expected to close in late September. And another legendary Detroit bar, Cobo Joe’s at 422 W. Congress Sreet, closed permanently, serving its last drinks in July.

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THE COMMUNITY HOUSE “If you give a man a fish, he will be hungry tomorrow.

If you teach a man to fish, he will be richer forever.”

– Maimonides Throughout our 95-year history, The Community House has clearly demonstrated an unwavering commitment to Birmingham, and to the region. Not only does the venerable Community House meet its mission each year to “impact lives through exceptional educational, social and outreach experiences,” but TCH also offers a “home” to fourteen other non-profit or supported groups; providing bricks and mortar, discounted food and services, a platform from which they too can conduct their important business and deliver on their missions.

Over the years, The Community House has been taught “to fish.” Our enduring legacy has been, and remains still today, to utilize the gifts entrusted to us by others to seek self-sufficiency. It remains a work in progress. The demands for our programs, services, and yes too, our charity – exceeds our precious resources. Yet we persevere.

While not blessed by municipal support, tax dollars or any form of long-term, sustained, outside funding – The Community House has had to learn “to fish.” To take the kind and generous support entrusted to us by others – and learn to become self-sufficient. Each day we strive to be the best stewards of what has been given to us by maximizing our returns and by creating critical fundraising initiatives to fill in the gaps.

Bill Seklar

A successful fall event season can make all the difference. Please join us at one or more of our signature fundraising events of the year. “If you give a man a fish, he will be hungry tomorrow. If you teach a man to fish, he will be richer forever.”

Birmingham House Tour 2018 The Community House Foundation will host the 31st annual Birmingham House Tour, presented exclusively by Hall & Hunter Realtors from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 13th. This year’s tour offers seven spectacular private residential homes, featuring a diversity of extraordinary architecture and interior design. Super co-chairs for this year’s event are Rose and Brian Bolyard. Sponsors to date include Hall & Hunter Realtors, Gorman’s Furniture, Ethan Allen, Bolyard Lumber, Mercantile Bank, Sterling Development, Prime Lending, Birmingham Bloomfield Credit Union and Detroit Home Magazine. Tickets are $40 in advance or $45 the day of the tour. For ticket information, contact 248-644-5832 or purchase tickets online at communityhouse.com.

Movie Marathon 2018 The Community House Foundation and the new Birmingham Teen Council are thrilled to present the first annual TCH 18-hour Movie Marathon, beginning Friday, September 14.

Join us for 18-hours of non-stop movie watching at the Emagine Palladium Theatre in downtown Birmingham, featuring unlimited soda and popcorn, dinner, a midnight snack and a continental breakfast the next morning. Movie Marathon begins at 1 p.m. on Friday, September 14, and ends at 6 a.m. on Saturday, September 15. Registrants will create their own personal fundraising page and ask family and friends to help to raise a minimum of $100 to participate. Sponsors of this year’s event include Emagine Entertainment, V2Soft, Inc., Papa Romano’s, Chipotle, Target, Costco and The Community House. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For details on how to register and create your own fundraising page, visit communityhouse.com.

SIP Food & Wine Classic 2018 The third annual SIP Food & Wine Classic, a unique event celebrating exceptional pairings of extraordinary cuisine and fine wines, kicks off on Friday, September 21st. SIP engages the Michigan restaurant and wine community where exceptional area chefs and sommeliers team up to provide food and wine perfection. Participating restaurants include Joe Muer Seafood - Bloomfield Hills, Cameron’s Steakhouse Birmingham, Eddie Merlot’s - Bloomfield Hills, Hazel, Ravines & Downtown - Birmingham (new!), Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse Birmingham, Vinotecca Wine Bar and Restaurant- Birmingham and The Community House Birmingham. Honorary Wine Director for SIP 2018 is Vinotecca Wine Bar and Restaurant.

This event serves as a signature fundraiser for The Community House Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization under the umbrella of The Community House. In addition to delicious food and wine small plates stations, a wine-centric silent and live auction will give SIP attendees an opportunity to bid on exciting experiences, wine lots, baskets and more. This year’s supporting sponsors are Emerson-Prew Insurance, Birmingham Shopping District, Tiffany Florist and In-House Valet. Patron Tickets $295, General Tickets $195, and Young Adult Tickets $95 (21 to 30 years of age).

CREATING CHEMISTRY ONE HOME AT A TIME. Whether you’re planning to buy or build a new home, or refinance your current mortgage, let Michigan’s No.1 Mortgage Loan Originator of 2017, Tim Smith, and Chemical Bank help you find the right loan option to meet your needs!

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For more information about these events or other experiences at The Community House, call 248.644.5832 or visit us online at communityhouse.com .

William D. Seklar, President & CEO, The Community House and The Community House Foundation. downtownpublications.com

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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.

Child Safe Legends of Tomorrow Gala

Sally Gerak

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Child Safe Legends of Tomorrow Gala Board chair Keith Pomeroy called Child Safe’s affiliation with Judson Center “a perfect union” when he welcomed the 320 supporters ($300 & $500 tickets) to the annual gala at the Townsend Hotel. The evening was chaired by Susu Sosnick and Christine and David Colman whom he also praised for planning “amazing parties.” Amazing is also what this reporter thought about Judson’s foster care navigator Melissa Covell. And not just for the insight she shared about the children she places in loving homes “...to give them back their childhood.” But amazing because she has personally fostered 23 children. Her remarks earned a standing ovation and inspired very generous bidding in the live auction ($70,050) and dedicated giving ($77,000) conducted by Christopher Aslanian. Thanks also to a raffle ($10,400) won by Gerry Miserendino and sponsors , the annual soiree raised $480,000, which greatly please executive director Ashley Hudson, who gave birth to a healthy baby girl 11 days later.

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The Garden Party More than 600 fashionable folks ($150 ticket) gathered at Meadow Brook Hall for the 10th annual Garden Party. Their path through the historic manse to the tent was lined with a nice touch – posters featuring 10 beneficiaries of previous party funds. At the first stop on the terrace, a volunteer poured sparkling dry white wine from L. Mawby Winery as Olivia Millerschin and her band made music. Twenty-two more wine stations were located throughout the tent offering more than 100 outstanding pours.

Twenty-five food purveyors, including the Oakland Community College Culinary Studies Institute, served small plates ranging from oysters to lobster-stuffed beef tenderloin to burgers. New-this-year picnic tables on the lawn adjacent to the vintage car display seemed to be always occupied as “first couple” Elizabeth and Syd Ross managed to greet personally most of the guests. The exceptional event raised $185,000 for scholarship assistance at Oakland Community College. This brings the 10-year total to approximately $1 million.

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3 1. Charlie (left) & Cathy Sosnick Schwartz and Bob Levenson & SuSu Sosnick of Birmingham. 2. Christine & David Colman of Birmingham. 3. Sonia Pomeroy (left) of Birmingham, Dr. Robert & Anabelle DiPilla of Bloomfield. 4. Keith Pomeroy and Brian Manoogian of Birmingham. 5. Katie (left) & Sam Valenti and Ashley Hudson of Bloomfield.

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The Garden Party

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Rose Hill Foundation Golf Fundraiser Eight of the 115 golfers who played in the 27th annual Rose Hill Golf Tournament provided great cocktail hour entertainment when they participated in the $1-million Shootout. Four were chosen for being closest to a hole during the day’s play. Four more were randomly drawn from a raffle pool. From the terrace overlooking the par-three, ninth hole, guests cheered the golfers as each tried for a hole-in-one and the million dollars. No one holed his tee shot but Chris Allen won $2,500 for coming the closest. The highlight of the dinner program was a Q & A with two residents of the psychiatric treatment center and CEO / President Ben Robinson. Event chair Greg Schwartz thanked the sponsors and presented trophies to the top three teams. RH founder Dan Kelly noted that the past golf events have raised $1.5 million and the 2018 event added $108,00 for financial assistance at the center in Holly. All guests took home a rose plant grown by Rose Hill residents.

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1. Syd (left) & Elizabeth Ross of Bloomfield, Peter Provenzano of Macomb. 2. Nicole (left) & Norman Yatooma of Bloomfield and Doug & Jaime Turnbull of Grosse Pointe. 3. Jackie Ong of Bloomfield. 4. Jeremy & Melissa Garrett of Oakland. 5. Nicole & Adam Wirick of Bloomfield.

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JVS Strictly Business More than 600 supporters ($150 & up tickets) of JVS’s employment services gathered at the MGM Grand for the annual fundraising luncheon. Devin Scillian emceed the program which had many highlights beginning with a moving video featuring the three Employee of the Year awardees – Blanca Fauble, Gabby 09.18

Gibson and Mark Linear. Both the Business Leadership and the Rising Entrepreneur awardees (Broder & Sachse Real Estate and Fuse 45’s Samantha Friedman) had JVS connections. B&S employs JVS workers and Fuse45 conducts 17 fitness classes for JVS clients with disabilities.

In the keynote speech, Honorary Chair GM’s Mark Reuss called the JVS video “unbelievable,” adding that GM and he shared the JVS education priority.

Citing GM’s re-entry program for older workers, Reuss concluded, “Like JVS, we are all in this together.” Thanks also to

Rose Hill Foundation Golf Fundraiser

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1. Ben Robinson (center) of Rochester Hills, Dan & Rosemary Kelly of Bloomfield. 2. Greg Schwartz, Jr, of Bloomfield, Gayle Flannigan of Rochester. 3. Mike Vojinov (left) of Birmingham, Mike Hansen of Lake Orion, John Tomas of Rochester. 4. Susan & Tim Lucken of Birmingham.

5. Mary Ann Cromwell (left) of Bloomfield, Chris Allen of Birmingham.

generous sponsors, the 21st annual event raised $325,000 for programs to help people realize life’s potential.

French American Chamber of Commerce When the 170 Francophiles ($170, $200 tickets) arrived at Orchard Lake Country Club, they saw three Cars with Wings displayed near the entrance. It was a salute to the honoree, Air FranceKLM USA’s Stéphane Ormand and his company’s role in connecting Detroit to the world. During the dinner program FACC president Cedric Ballerin remarked on France’s importance to Detroit’s future. The dinner followed champagne on the terrace and a silent wine and art auction benefiting ($10,000) Doctors Without Borders. The international non-profit was founded in 1971 by French physicians and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 for its life saving medical care worldwide and the attention it brings to problems in countries where it serves. The organization’s Gilles de Gilles said it depends on individual donors for 90percent of its funding.

Franklin Garden Walk Most of the 798 ticket holders ($12, $15 tickets) toured the five exceptional gardens open for the 33rd annual Garden Walk lovingly presented by the Franklin garden club. The generous, talented gardeners included Jean Hansen, Anne Murray, Nancy Farber, Isabelle Ribando and Frank Venegas. Margaret Bancroft and Cynthia Amann chaired the event which also included a market offering garden-related products like sculptures, birdhouses and baskets.

Three days after the walk, Sharon Wolf hosted the wrap-up luncheon for club members at which Jane Davis and Ann Houston passed the copresidency to Peggy Default and Bancroft. Other luncheon business included news that the walk raised $8,000 for the club’s philanthropies and that Cindy Juliano and Kathy Lorencz are the 2019 Walk chairs. downtownpublications.com

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JVS Strictly Business

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1. Bob Canvasser (left) and Beth Gotthelf of Birmingham, Rich Broder of Bloomfield. 2. Karen Kelman (left) of W. Bloomfield, Samantha Friedman of Birmingham. 3. Ed (left) & Blanca Fauble of Bloomfield, Sherri James of Farmington Hills. 4. Jennifer Orcutt (left) of Birmingham and Natasha Ursuy of Oakland. 5. Andi Wolfe (left) of Bloomfield, Linda Kovan of W. Bloomfield, Keith Pomeroy of Birmingham.

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French American Chamber of Commerce

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2 1. Jon Block (left) and Robin & Greg Ornazian of Rochester. 2. Jennifer & Cedric Ballarin of Bloomfield, Stéphane Ormand of NYC. 3. Stephanie (left) & Peter Schwartz of Bloomfield, Arnaud & Katie Mangin of Birmingham. 4. Paul & Jan Hoge of Bloomfield. 5. Rami (left) & Carmen Fakhoury of Bloomfield, Alain Jablonowski of Ann Arbor, Xavier Mosquet of Birmingham, Felicia Molnar of Franklin.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Shimmer on the River Six kilted pipers heralded the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy program honoring Matt and Karen Cullen and saluted the honoree’s ethnic heritage.

The rousing opening was roundly applauded by the 650 VIPs ($250) gathered on the Rivard Plaza. They also applauded the deluge of tributes by speakers like Roger Penske, Terry Rhadigan, Mariam Noland, Faye Alexander Nelson and Carl Levin.

Without exception, all referenced the honorees’ exceptional leadership, vision and support for a first class walkway along the Detroit River. Emcee Will Smith (DRC CFO) even noted that Matt was the man who, 12 years ago, changed a too long, International Freedom Festival into the shorter GM River Days Festival, necessitating a really big change. “The man moved the fireworks,” he declared. Matt paid tribute to all the partners, like the late Bob Larson and David Page. Karen said the Riverfront is like their fourth child. DRC president Mark Wallace recognized Matt and Karen’s ongoing commitment, including a recent gift of $4 million, by unveiling a name change for the plaza. Waiters passed champagne and all toasted the Cullen Plaza. (It is home to a café, a large sand box, a playscape, the Cullen Family Carousel, a glass map of the St. Lawrence Seaway, reflecting water features, colorful landscaping and the Diamond Jack Boat Tours dock.)

Another 350 ($150) arrived for food truck cuisine, carnival rides, games and music by BeatleMania Live! Thanks also to generous sponsors, the evening raised $277,000 for the Conservancy. It also kicked off the 12th annual, two-day GM River Days that attracted 140,000.

Lighthouse Salute America Lighthouse of Oakland County’s 15th annual patriotic-themed fundraiser attracted 150 people ($150, $250 tickets) to Pontiac’s Lafayette Grande. The former Masonic Temple, built in 1923, was a great venue for the 1930s and 1940s-theme party which inspired some fashion choices. Both the honoree, Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner, and LOC CEO Rick David noted the building’s revival symbolizes Pontiac’s comeback. Emcee CBS 50’s Karen Carter introduced former Lighthouse client Shannon Smith, now a PATH staff member. The single mother got a standing ovation when her survival saga ended with an MA in Social Work. Silent and live auctions ($20,000), paddle raise pledging ($6,000) and generous sponsors combined to raise $70,000 for the comprehensive social service 104

Franklin Garden Walk

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1. Sue Leich (left) and Cynthia Amann of Bloomfield. 2. Shelley Farkas (left) of Bloomfield, Sue Ruby of Beverly Hills, Marge Johnston of Novi. 3. Pat Ciagne (left), Lynn Choudhury, Dorothy Nagy and Kae Gaskin of Bloomfield. 4. Diane Bert of Bloomfield.

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Shimmer on the River

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1. Kathy & Roger Penske of Birmingham.

2. Mitch Mondry (center) of Birmingham, Faye Nelson (left) of Grosse Pointe and Sarah McClure of Bloomfield. 3. Lori Wingerter (left) of Oakland Twp. and Terry Rhadigan of Novi. 4. Chip McClure (left) and Rusty & Larry Raymond of Bloomfield.

5. Richard Astrein (left) of Huntington Woods, Bob DeLaura of Birmingham, Tom DeLaura of Detroit.

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Lighthouse Salute America

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2 1. Jeannine (left) & Jim Lambrecht of Rochester and Pat & Rick David of Pontiac, Andy & Sara Meisner of Huntington Woods. 2. Laura & Harve Light of Rochester Hills. 3. Eileen & John Ball of Bloomfield. 4. Patty Ghesquiere (left) of Bloomfield, Noelle Schiffer of Birmingham, Anne Necha of Ferndale, Alyce Robelli of Birmingham. 5. Daniela Hamameh (left) of Rochester Hills, Tim Travis of Waterford, Stephanie Hubbs of Pontiac.

DOWNTOWN

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agency that David described as “...a pillar that helps to guide people home.”

The swing music of the Rhythm Society Orchestra kept the dance floor crowded with folks burning the comfort food calories.

DSO Heroes Gala The eighth annual stellar symphony fundraiser was a bit like a love-in for philanthropists Penny and Harold Blumenstein and Leonard Slatkin, who is leaving the DSO after 10 years.

The 900 concert goers in Orchestra Hall enthusiastically applauded the warm and glowing tributes by cellist Wei Yu, DSO president Anne Parsons, board chair Mark Davidoff, and conductor Teddy Abrahams. They also gave standing ovations to: the orchestra; the Blumensteins, Slatkin, who quipped “...my heart attacked me seven weeks ago”; Slatkin’s son Daniel who wrote and conducted “In Fields” as a surprise tribute to his father; Slatkin’s wife/composer Cindy McTee; vocalist Storm Large’s exceptional Cole Porter renditions; and the Youth Orchestra musicians on stage. Slatkin’s encore – Carmen’s ‘Hoedown” – energized the 250 fans of the heroes ($1,000 & up tickets) for the splendid Gala dinner in the Cummings Cube. The extraordinary soiree raised nearly $1.2-million for the DSO’s commitment to transform the lives of area youth through music education.

A House Party at Cranbrook Six years ago, Cranbrook Educational Community organized the archives and tours of its historically significant resources into one entity – the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research. And its very first fundraiser would have made HGTV envious. The event spotlighted remarkable residential architecture and attracted 190 guests ($375 & up tickets). Many of them first toured the 1920’s iconic Art Deco Saarinen House and the recently donated 1950 Frank Lloyd Wright Smith House before gathering at Cranbrook House – the 1908 Arts and Crafts home of Cranbrook founders George and Ellen Scripps Booth. Cocktail hour diversions on the tented North Terrace overlooking the extraordinary gardens included signature drinks and retro hors d’oeuvres. The program included remarks and expressions of gratitude by CEC CEO Dom DiMarco (who credited George and Ellen’s granddaughter Ginny Fox for convincing trustees that the center was essential), CCCR Director Greg Wittkopp, event chair Beth Willoughby, CCCR Subcommittee chair Sandi Smith and Anne Fuchs Smith Towbes, whose great uncle Albert Kahn downtownpublications.com

DSO Heroes Gala

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1. Cindy McTee (left) & Leonard Slatkin of Bloomfield, Daniel Slatkin & Bridget Laifman of Los Angeles, CA. 2. Harold & Penny Blumenstein of Bloomfield. 3. Avern & Lois Cohn of Birmingham. 4. Anne Parsons (left) of Detroit, Mort Harris and Sandy Morrison of Bloomfield. 5. Missy & Tom Mark of Birmingham.

A House Party at Cranbrook

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1. Bruce Peterson (left) of Detroit, Beth Willoughby and Bonnie Larson of Bloomfield. 2. Tom Booth (left) of Birmingham, Emily Booth O’Toole of Traverse City, Kimberly Booth Jarzeml of Northville, Lois Booth of Birmingham. 3. Ginny Fox and Erin DiMarco of Bloomfield. 4. Greg Wittkopp (left) of Pleasant Ridge, Sandy Smith and Dom DiMarco of Bloomfield. 5. Katie Valenti (left) of Bloomfield, Suzy Farbman of Franklin, Anne Smith Towbes of Santa Barbara, CA.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK designed Cranbrook House. The latter’s two late husbands, Bob Smith and Michael Towbes, both shared her dream for the Smith House “...to be (part of) Cranbrook.”

Her family’s commitment earned a standing ovation and generated passion for the nine-item live auction conducted by Gregory Bator that raised nearly $75,000. After relishing a four-course, seated dinner set throughout Cranbrook House, guests returned to the terrace to dance. Here’s betting that George and Ellen Scripps Booth would be pleased the inaugural CCCR benefit raised $232,663 to preserve their legacy.

St. Hugo’s Altar Guild Garden Party

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1. Jack Krasula, and Sandie Knollenberg (left) and Diane Roelant of Bloomfield. 2. Dave (left) & Lisa Wilson and Maryann Cromwell of Bloomfield.

3. Cece Lipsky and John Roelant of Bloomfield. 4. Tony (left) & Suzanne Rea and Marilyn & Ken Way of Bloomfield. 5. Robert Wilson and Pam Good of Bloomfield.

Meadow Brook Theatre

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1. John & Anita Savior of Rochester Hills. 2. Peggy Gamble (left) of Rochester Hills, Lynn Oates of Rochester. 3. Maryann Foxlee (left) of Shelby Twp., Judy Dery of Detroit. 4. Chris & Peter DeSteiger of Rochester Hills. 5. Kathy Leonard (left) of Rochester Hills, Cheryl Marshall of Clarkston, Lucy Kollin of Troy.

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St. Hugo’s Altar Guild Garden Party When most women’s primary work was home-centered, the St. Hugo of the Hills Altar Guild’s annual charity luncheon was a sold-out affair and raised lots of money for the group’s community service projects. To accommodate working women, in recent years that luncheon evolved into a ladies-night-out at a country club with modest success. This year, thanks to the largess of philanthropist Jack Krasula whose Bloomfield Hills garden is legendary, the chairs – Joann Gordon, Sandie Knollenberg and Diane Roelant – staged a Garden Party there. On a Saturday evening. In mid-July. When many people, including one of the chairs, are Up North. They still welcomed 50 guests ($200 ticket), many of whom were intrigued by the hosts’ sports memorabilia collection and art, as well as the magnificent, park-like garden. The warm hospitality, wining, dining and conversation were all splendid. Proceeds will support the guild’s service projects.

Meadow Brook Theatre The fourth annual Meadow Brook Theatre summer fundraiser’s beach party theme attracted 500 fans to the Oakland University home of Michigan’s largest producing professional theatre.

They perused a silent auction and sipped and supped on the stroll before convening in the auditorium for a concert by The Drifters and a mini live auction energetically conducted by MBT Artistic Director Travis Walter. The group, whose origins stretch back to the ‘50s, also played hits like “Stand By Me,” “On Broadway” and “Up on the Roof” – musical memories for a generation that came of age with them. The lighthearted evening raised more than $30,000 to benefit the non-profit theatre.

Send ideas for this column to Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane, Bloomfield Hills, 48304; email samgerak@aol.com or call 248.646.6390.

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ENDNOTE

County clerk must accept responsibility pair of investigations into the shortage of precinct ballots available to Oakland County voters in the final hours of the Tuesday, August 7, primary election should tell us what we already know: the Oakland County Clerk's Office was responsible for the lack of adequate ballot numbers.

More than 27 local municipal clerks in Oakland County signed a statement apologizing to voters who experienced difficulties voting during the election, including clerks from Bloomfield Township, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester Hills and Rochester. The statement places the blame at the feet of Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown.

Reports of ballot shortages in several Oakland County communities started circulating hours before polls were closed at 8 p.m. on election day, with clerks telling Downtown newsmagazine that precincts had come close to running out or had completely run out of ballots.

Those who experienced problems had to use altered test ballots, request additional ballots from the county or have voters use machines intended for ADA voting and print their own ballots.

Brown said her office has launched an internal investigation. However, in responses to the claims against her and her office, she said the office "went above and beyond" what is required by law, while blaming higher than expected voter turnout, ballots spoiled by improper voting, and an unfounded claim that some clerks were withholding ballots while crowds demanded to vote.

However, it was voter turnout – more than 34 percent across Oakland County – that was higher than expected for the county clerk's office.

Rochester Hills Clerk Tina Barton said that city saw over 36 percent turnout. Some precincts

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had nearly 45 percent, with an overall increase of 14 percent from the last gubernatorial primary and five percent higher than that of eight years earlier. The countywide turnout for the nonpresidential year primary in 2014 was 20.61 percent of registered voters.

"We don't have a crystal ball," Brown said. "We ordered more than the our statutory requirement.”

While the county may not have a crystal ball, they have something more realistic and accurate: absentee ballots. With a 60 percent increase in absentee ballots cast prior to primary day, local clerks saw an early indicator that additional ballots were needed, and requested more from the clerk's office.

Barton said she sent her first email to the county on May 31 informing the clerk's office that their formula for issuing ballots wasn't going to be accurate. By mid-July, the city began witnessing a shortage of absentee ballots, forcing them to issue precinct ballots for absentee voting.

"We knew we were seeing incredible numbers," she said.

Yet requests from Barton, Bloomfield Township's Jan Roncelli and other clerks throughout the county for additional ballots weren't granted.

"When the county did increase ballot quantities the week before the election, it was by a very small percentage and still not sufficient for most of our communities," local clerks said in their statement. Brown confirmed her office did receive some requests for additional ballots.

Brown said her internal investigation will include looking into emails received by Oakland County Clerk Director of Elections Joe Rozell from municipal clerks.

The Oakland Board of Commissioners also

launched a bi-partisan investigation looking into what occurred.

While the investigations may help to show specifics of where mistakes were made in preparing for the primary, we are swayed by the statement of nearly 30 local clerks who say the county miscalculated on the number of ballots needed – and requests from clerks were dismissed.

We also find Brown's arguments for the shortages ,and fixes she claims local clerks should have used, to be unacceptable – and a dodge of accountability.

Brown suggested clerks could have solved the ballot shortages by using ADA-compliant machines to allow voters to print ballots. While each precinct location is required to have such a machine, many precincts share one location, meaning several thousand voters would have needed to share one such machine, which is slower than regular machines. This is an inappropriate response from the clerk responsible for ensuring all registered voters have a chance to cast a ballot.

Further, we find it hard to swallow Brown's claims that local clerks would have turned away voters while still holding ballots at the precincts.

Rather, clerks Downtown spoke with while polling was still open indicated that voters wouldn't be turned away, ensuring all who showed up by 8 p.m. would be permitted to vote.

This was not an effort at voter disenfranchisement, but poor planning.

Fortunately this unfortunate situation won’t be repeated in the November general election – state election law requires the county to print ballots to cover all registered voters.

But we recommend the county clerk's office, and Brown in particular, use her energy to ensure proper voting, rather than blame shifting, in preparation for future elections.

Facts, civility must rule at public meetings ore and more, we live in a society where facts are disregarded and manners are optional. It's not a good look for any of us at any time, but at city commission and township board meetings, it's downright unacceptable.

In recent months, Bloomfield Township Treasurer Brian Kepes has been on the receiving end of a tremendous amount of vitriol and misinformation by a small group peddling half truths regarding a piece of real estate he has owned since 2004 – long before he was a member of the board of trustees. The property is finally being redeveloped, along with others, after 20 years as a site of blight. The site, at the corner of Squirrel Road and South Boulevard, was once a typical strip shopping center which

M

held a Kroger, long since closed. After years of decay, the location went into foreclosure and the township forced the owners to demolish it.

Kepes has been a businessman and real estate developer for years – as others in the community are – and there is no prohibition in Bloomfield or any community against elected officials holding an outside job or interests.

When there is an appearance or actual conflict of interest, public officials should just recuse themselves from voting on anything in which they have an interest.

Kepes has done an excellent job of recusing himself every time anything to do with the property at Squirrel and South Boulevard is on the agenda. Yet, there is a group of alarmists, one that would rather deal in deception than

facts and resort to noxious name calling at meetings, that continues to show their lack of understanding that Kepes, supervisor Leo Savoie, clerk Jan Roncelli and trustees Neal Barnett and Michael Schostak are consistently taking the long view, looking out for all of the residents of the township, not just a select few from a special interest group.

We are disappointed that long-time trustee Dave Buckley has found himself entwined with this disruptive group, members of which have had to be removed from meetings by police. This is not a positive force for the community.

Questioning people who hold public office is part of the process, but facts and civility must drive the conversation.

TOTAL SALES VOLUME ALL RESIDENTIAL AND CONDO SALES

PRICE: $2,000,000+ 150

140

130

120

38.4% 110

100

$ in Millions

90

80

70

60

50 Mkt 13.5%

40 Mkt 10.6%

30

20

Mkt 5.8%

10

Mkt 3.1% Mkt 2.3%

Mkt 2.2%

Mkt 1.8%

Mkt 1.7%

Mkt 1.5%

RE/MAX New Trend

Bailey Schmidt Inc

Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Hwwb

0 Signature Sotheby’s International Realty

Max Broock Realtors® Birmingham

Keller Williams Domain Birmingham

Hall & Hunter Birmingham

Max Broock Realtors® Bloomfield Hills

Shain Park Realtors®

Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel Birmingham

This statistical information has been obtained from Realcomp II Ltd and actual sales. These statistics are derived from data believed to be reliable. This information is not to be reproduced, redistributed, or combined with data from other sources without expressed permission from Realcomp. Date: 1/17/18

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