Westend: October 2015

J. MARCH: CENTRAL KITCHEN + BAR • ENDNOTE: OUR CANDIDATE CHOICES OCTOBER 2015

LAWMAKER FRANKING POLITICAL PROMO OR VALUABLE INFORMATION? WHAT THE LEGISLATORS SPENT MAILING VOTERS

THE INTERVIEW: DR. DRAGOVIC MEDICAL EXAMINER FOR OAKLAND COUNTY

A PRIMER ON THE DISTRICT COURTS THE BASIC JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND HOW IT'S MANAGED ECRWSS Postal Customer EDDM PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ROYAL OAK, MI 48068 PERMIT #792

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WESTEND10.15

24

Oakland Medical Examiner Dr. Ljubisa Dragovic Dr. Ljubisa Dragovic, who has been the Oakland County Medical Examiner for almost 25 years, talks to News Editor Lisa Brody about what it's really like in his county office.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

8

Michigan, already one of the more restrictive states when it comes to recalling elected officials, has tightened up the process even more for local residents, as the number of recalls in the state have markedly increased in the last ten years.

CRIME LOCATOR

15 Lawmaker's mailing costs State lawmakers use their franking privilege to communicate with constituents so we compiled how much Oakland reps and senators spent.

13

A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Commerce, Walled Lake, Wolverine Lake and the Union Lake area, presented in map format.

MUNICIPAL

43

Housing development in new Commerce downtown area; new planner interviews held again; update on Commerce library; design standards for Commerce Towne Place; plus more.

AT THE TABLE

55 37 District court primer The district court is probably the unit of the judiciary that most people will be more familiar based on the nature of cases that are handled there.

Reviewer J. March takes in the Central Kitchen + Bar in the heart of Detroit during the Jazz Festival and says it is worth a second look.

THE COVER A view down the fairway of the 18-hole, par 70, course at the 197-acre White Lake Oaks golf course on N. Williams Lake Road in White Lake. Westend photo.

ENDNOTE

58

Our choices for candidates running for office in Walled Lake on the November ballot and on the move by Commerce to finally create a command structure in the fire department.

FACES 22 Anuja Tolia 33 Briar Rabbit 40 Howard Lutz 48 Scott Wolchek

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425 Glengary Rd. Wolverine Lake, MI 48390 Ph: 248-624-1710 Fx: 248-624-3536

Villager

Village of Wolverine Lake

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www.wolverinelake.com

Fall 2015 Edition

Letter from the President – Fall 2015 Greetings to all of you in one of the best communities in Michigan.

I’m sure you already suspected that, of course. But to make it official, Wolverine Lake was placed in the top five on Niche.com’s list of the Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in Michigan. The list is based on many criteria, including school ratings, crime rates, community involvement, affordable housing, child care, and libraries. Our very high ranking is a direct reflection of the work that all of you – volunteers, board members, and village employees – have put into Wolverine Lake over the years. It’s great to see outside recognition of this community we have built.

For all that you have done to achieve this, the Council and I thank you.

And then … though much has been accomplished, there’s still much to do.

We continue to improve our pathways and parks. We purchased land on Amenia Street to build a new neighborhood park on the south side of the village.

Improvements continue for the Oak Island Park. The new exercise facility on the Vita Trail gets new users every day. And I’m sure tennis and pickleball players will happily greet out newly resurfaced courts this spring. On the pathway front this winter we will plow our pathways for the first time, a big step forward in pedestrian Shake your mail box As the sports saying goes, “the best safety. offense is a good defense”. Snow and ice coming off the plow at 25 The new exterior for our Village Hall is complete. The project took longer than expected because the damage beneath our crumbling faux-stucco exterior MPH in mass quantities packs a much bigger punch than any was worse than expected. We did well to address the issue now instead of waiting. We’ve installed durable cement siding more suited to our climate. Stop by, take snowball ever could! Before the ground freezes is a good time to a look, and let us know what you think. check your mailbox installation to be sure it can weather the Those of you boating in the Penny Lake arm noticed a lot of action under the water this summer. Our five-year lake aeration pilot project is reaching the end upcoming winter season by answering the following questions. of its first Winter full season.

We look forward to seeing the results of this first year and whether we’ve had an impact on the muck and phosphorous levels in our lake.

Lake Safety **Is the wood board your mailbox is setting upon in good condition?

We’ve learned a lot this year about operating the system as we continue to negotiate with the DNR to find ways to deploy it more effectively. **Are the nails to the board loose? **How about the wood post in the Finally, I’d like to note that the village stands on firm financial ground. Our long-term financial planning allows us to maintain a solid fund balance, to provide ground; is it split or starting to deteriorate? ** A simple check: If you essential services like police and plowing, and to support village improvement initiatives like those listed above without increasing the millage. We will continue on can physically jiggle your mailbox and it ‘gives’ a little, it will give out this successful path. * the snow removal season is here. **If your mailbox has been when All of this is thanks to all of you who have invested so much time and effort in our community. If you haven’t been involved in our village yet, but would like in place for any length of time, weather can compromise a good to be, please call the village office. There are plenty of opportunities to join with us in making Wolverine Lake one of the best places to live in all of Michigan.

Halloween

Trick or Treating hours are 6:00 to 8:30 pm Oct. 31st.

The Historical Team Needs You

The Historical Team desperately needs help with ledgering and sorting old photos. They meet the second Monday of every month for a short meeting and/or a work session from 9:30 a.m. to around 11:30/Noon. If you are interested please call Village Hall at 248-624-1710.

Sewer Connection Currently Village Staff is collecting

names for residents interested in connecting to sewer and developing a Special Assessment District in order to pay their most of theThey costsmeet overthe a 10 year Monday period ofoftime onmonth second every Village taxes. For more information contact Village Hall 48-624-1710.

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** A simple check: If you

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With grateful thanks, John Magee Wolverine Lake Village President

Support our Troops Donations now being accepted Residents from Wolverine Lake, in conjunction with Military Families Families, United of Michigan and K-9 Defender Fund, are hosting a packing party to send items to the military troops and working dogs serving on the battlefields.

Visit www.wolverinelake.com or Village Hall for a list of items to donate. Box packing will take place Saturday, October 17th from 9:30 a.m. to Noon at the Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church 2905 S. Commerce Rd. in Wolverine Lake.

Snacks With Santa Save the date:

for a short Dec. 5th Santa

will be visiting from 1 pm to 3 pm at the Richardson Center.

Pre-registration is required at the Village Hall.

27th Village Festival & Corn Roast

In the drizzle and colder temperatures, our Village residents were at the park on the September 12th enjoying the band, inflatables, great food and new this year the DIA Away Mobile Interactive Classroom. Many thanks go out to the sponsors and the wonderful raffle donations and of course our faithful volunteers; none of these events would be possible without you!!

or Village Hall for a list of items to donate.

16th Annual Fishing Contest was held at 6:00 am on August 29th . The weather was beautiful with over 100

contestants signed up. The biggest fish caught was a walleye at 4 lbs. and 8 oz. Congrats to all of the participants and many thanks go out to the sponsors and volunteers!

Keeping Informed: The Village of Wolverine Lake has an email information line available. This hot line keeps everyone up to date on news and events in the Village.

To join, simply visit the web-site www.wolverinelake.com

Village Offices Closed

29& 27, 2015 Thanksgiving – November 26 Christmas – December 24 & 25, 2015 New Year’s – December 31 & January 1, 2016 t

w

Village of Wolverine Parks and Recreation is on Facebook. Check them

out and like their page.

Fall Reminders

The Village of Wolverine Lake This hot line

Boat Removal October 1st begins lake draw down.

Time to start thinking about removing your docks/boats and make the necessary repairs to your shorelines and sea walls.

Vacation Time?

Getting away from the cold Michigan weather for a little while? Help protect your home and add extra security from your Wolverine Lake Police Department. Simply fill out a Vacation Request Form at Village Hall. This information will give our officers the details needed so they can monitor your home efficiently.

Request forms also available on the Village web-site.

This information will give our

Winter Parking is prohibited on Village Street November 1st through March 31st between 2 am and 6 am

Recycle your empty inkjet Request forms cartridge(s) and cell phones. Pick up a postage free envelope at Village Hall.

Winter Lake Safety Be extra cautious about ice thickness. Always check to make certain the ice is thick enough to support your weight; four inches is needed to reliably support an individual person. Ice thickness on lakes varies from place to place. Never go on the lake alone. Taking vehicles on the lake is never recommended. Should one fall through the ice, the owner is responsible for its prompt removal and related costs.

Shake your mail box

As the sports saying goes, “the best offense is a good defense”. Snow and ice coming off the plow at 25 MPH in mass quantities pack a much bigger punch than any snowball ever could! Before the ground freezes is a good time to check your mailbox installation to be sure it can weather the upcoming winter season by answering the following questions: **Is the wood board your mailbox is setting upon in good condition? **Are the B to the board loose? **How about the wood post in the ground; is it split or nails starting to deteriorate? ** A simple check: If you can physically jiggle your mailbox and it ‘gives’ a little, it will give out when the snow removal season is here. **If your mailbox has been in place for any length of time, weather can compromise a good installation.

Services Available to Village Residents

HAVEN Help-Against-Violent-Encounters-Now: The 24-hour crisis and support line As the sports saying goes, “the best offense is a is: 248-334-1274 Toll Free: 877-922-1274

Snow and ice coming off the plow at 25 MPH in mass quantities pack is

LAKES AREA YOUTH ASSISTANCE: Provides programs and counseling to Before the ground freezes strengthen families. Call 248-956-5070 TRANSPORTATION SERVICE: Available for Seniors and the Disabled.

Reservations required. Call 248-698-3994

*

**Are **How about the wood post in the ground; is it split ** A simple check: If you can physically jiggle your

Yard Waste: The last day for yard waste pick up by Republic Services is Tuesday, November 24th.

Community Wells: Last day to schedule a purge so that you avoid decreased water pressure levels through the winter is Wednesday, October 14th. Call today 248-624-1710.

Tink Claw—Leaf Collection: Please remember this is a bulk pick up service. Small piles should be placed into recycle bags or cans no larger than 32 gallons marked ‘compost’. The first round of leaf collection will begin when the leaves throughout the Village have fallen approximately 50%. Watch for the orange and white signs posted at the entrances of your subdivision. The Claw will visit a second time once most of the leaves are down. NOTE*** Leaves should be raked next to the street on a flat area, devoid of hazards, ONLY after your subdivision has been posted with signs. Do not mix grass, mulched leaves, debris, branches, etc. with the leaves. Please remember to do your part to help keep up with the residual debris following each pick up.

PUBLISHER David Hohendorf NEWS EDITOR Lisa Brody NEWS STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Allison Batdorff | Rachel Bechard | Hillary Brody Katie Deska | Kevin Elliott | Sally Gerak | Austen Hohendorf J. March | Kathleen Meisner | Bill Seklar PHOTOGRAPHY/CONTRIBUTORS Jean Lannen | Laurie Tennent Laurie Tennent Studio VIDEO PRODUCTION/CONTRIBUTOR Garrett Hohendorf Giant Slayer ADVERTISING MANAGER James Bishop 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 the Commerce, Wolverine Lake, Walled Lake and Union Lake area. Additional free copies distributed at high foot-traffic locations in west Oakland.

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 (westendmonthly.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 Commerce/Union Lake community. The traditional “letters to the editor” in Westend 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 westendmonthly.com

FACEBOOK facebook.com/westendmonthly TWITTER twitter.com/downtownpubs

Member of Downtown Publications DOWNTOWN | WESTEND | THE GUIDE

FROM THE PUBLISHER ne doesn't have to look to the national landscape to see what has given rise to the mavericks and political outsiders – on either side of the aisle – as the current presidential contest unfolds ahead of the official 2016 election.

O

The frustration of the electorate, regardless of class, that has propelled to the head of the polls the likes of Donald Trump, Ben Carson or Bernie Sanders started to rear its head in Michigan years ago just as the Great Recession was taking hold.

But leaders in the state could read the tea leaves as well as anyone else and moved several years ago to tamp down any uprising against the powers that be as they have done for several decades under a variety of gubernatorial and legislative leaders in some subtle and not so subtle ways.

The boldest move that has taken place occurred late in 2012, when lawmakers adopted and Gov. Snyder signed into law, the latest set of changes to the Michigan recall law in the state, a restriction of the rights of the electorate that has been going on for decades.

Let's look at a bit of history. Take yourself back to the late 1970's and early 1980's period when Michigan was facing a growing budget deficit that was projected to be nearly $1.7 billion, as former Michigan congressional Rep. James Blanchard, a Democrat from Oakland County, was elected governor of Michigan.

One of the first things he did as part of what many consider an innovative and still nationally heralded turnaround for the state – with Democrats controlling both chambers of the legislature – was to raise the state income tax, which in turn led to the recall, a first for Michigan, of Pontiac-based state Senator Phil Mastin, who voted for the tax increase.

The Mastin recall was part of a general tax reform and anti-government fever that had taken hold at the time and it included upheaval in more than one local government in the state and Oakland County. It was a period of political turmoil that gave us folks like tax reform advocate Robert Tisch, the Shiawassee County Drain Commissioner, and eventually the tax limitation amendment from Richard Headlee, the Farmington insurance executive. It was also a period marked by the start of a series of changes to the state's recall law to make it more difficult to remove elected officials from office during non-election years, as only those in power are capable and inclined to do as a matter of self preservation, much like today.

Our right to recall public officials was enshrined in the 1963 Michigan Constitution. As written, we could recall a local, county or state official and it was allowed that the grounds could be “political rather than a judicial question.” But as the threat of recall grew in the late 1970's and the recession of the 1980's, lawmakers saw fit over time to start changing the rules of the game to make it increasingly difficult to remove someone from office.

Now move forward to the last decade in which, according to a Citizens Research Council (CRC) study released in 2012, recalls across Michigan have been on the increase. In the 12-year period of 2000 through 2011, there have been 457 state and local recall attempts, 89 percent of which threatened local officials. Of that total, one-third of the recalls efforts were for alleged improper conduct and one-third focused on policy matters not considered financial in nature.

Although the CRC report hesitates to ascribe a clear connection to a downturn in the economy, certainly the 2008 market collapse seems to have helped increase the number of recall attempts in Michigan, which has long

been considered to be underperforming economically when stacked up against other states in the nation. And it's hard to argue that an economic downturn does not have an effect on the number of recalls when CRC figures show that since 2000, recall attempts in the state are increasing and 46 percent of attempts have been successful.

Let's examine the actions of state leaders – where once again one party holds the executive branch and both the House and Senate – which culminated with the adoption and enactment of Act 417 of 2012.

The latest changes to the recall law shortened – from 90 days to 60 days – the time allowed to circulate a petition to place a recall question on the ballot. The recall reforms also extended from six months to one year after taking office a protection period during which an elected official with a four-year term of office could not be recalled. Similarly, under previous law an official could not be recalled the last six months in office. Now, those with four-year terms cannot be recalled during the last year in office.

Recall elections will now only be allowed during two specific months of the year.

To further tighten down the screws, the new law has changed long-held verbiage that a petition has to be reviewed by county election officials to prove “sufficient clarity.” Now it will be reviewed and must be approved with reasons that are “factually and clearly” stated, just another hurdle for those seeking to remove someone from office.

But the toughest challenge to recall proponents is the change whereby you will no longer be voting on a simple recall question in the voting booth.

Under the 2012 changes, there will now be an opponent to the person being recalled on the ballot, much like a normal election, which many claim will only confuse voters who are accustomed to showing up at the polls to pull the lever for recalling a targeted official. Now, if you pull the lever for the official under threat of recall, you will actually be casting a ballot for them to stay in office.

Confusing? You bet. Exactly what state officials had hoped when they made the changes to state election laws governing recalls, no matter what anyone supporting this electorate suppression effort tells you otherwise.

What is the impact of the recall election law changes? Just look at Bloomfield Township, where some residents have raised questions about attempting to remove embattled township treasurer Dan Devine who seems to dig a deeper hole for himself each passing month with his performance in office, alleged failure to even show at the office, and his disruptive political shenanigans that have left the township in turmoil. Voters have been disenfranchised by the changes to the law governing a recall, which was virtually impossible to attempt in Devine's case given what is currently on the books.

Is it any wonder that an anti-government fervor is picking up steam and could propel into office someone considered an “outsider” to the political establishment as voters trudge to the polls next year? Officials from both political parties have brought this uprising on themselves.

David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@downtownpublications.com P.S. If you are a voter in Walled Lake, starting Wednesday, September 30, you will find on our website (westendmonthly.com) candidate answers to our questionnaires related to the November election.

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INCOMING

FRIENDS OF THE COMMERCE TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY LIBRARY

FALL USED BOOK

Sad day for Commerce This is such a sad day for the residents of Commerce Township that have lived here for 38 years and raised our children in the area of Dodge Park.

We have walked through the trails off South Commerce Road through the years, long before the soccer fields were there. Walked over the bridge to the Dodge Park where you could picnic, play basketball, swing on the structures, etc. Now you cannot even get across South Commerce or Commerce Road between 3 p.m. to 7 p.m to get to the park due to traffic without taking your life in your hands.

Now when the fall is here and all the leaves will be changing, we the taxpayers and residents are blocked out of Dodge Park because of construction trucks destroying the park to put up a library, which is already obsolete and very few people will use. Residents used to come there to take photographs after their weddings, graduations, etc. because of the beauty of the park and creek that runs through it.

Families used to come there to walk and play with their dogs and children.

Now the pine trees that have been there for many years are being destroyed and replaced by a library and parking lot, which most residents don’t even know is happening. Most of the Commerce Township residents you talk to ask what is going on and how did this happen when Mr. Dodge deeded this to Commerce Township on the condition it always be left as a nature park for the residents. I would like to have an answer to this myself.

It is a shame that the board in Commerce Township is only interested in selling off the parks and empty land to collect more taxes instead of realizing that people need parks like Dodge Park to enjoy the beauty of nature and where they can enjoy the wild life still existing for the time being in Commerce.

I would highly advise the people in Commerce Township to vote against any current board member for allowing this library and destruction of this park to happen.

Janice Oldford Fisk Commerce westendmonthly.com

SALE OCTOBER 22 - OCTOBER 25

Thursday, October 22nd, 10am-8pm Friday & Saturday, October 23rd & 24th, 10am-4.30pm Sunday, October 25th, 1pm-4pm SATURDAY SPECIAL: FILL-A-BAG FOR $5 (all day Saturday only)

SUNDAY SPECIAL: FILL-A-BAG FOR $2 (all day Sunday only) (Bags will be provided Saturday & Sunday)

DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!

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Further info: www.commercelibrary.info/friends or call 248.669.8108

Get the latest news online from the leading news organization for the Commerce, Walled Lake, Wolverine Lake and Union Lake areas.

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2015

Go to westendmonthly.com and register to receive our weekly and breaking news updates from the local area's best website.

A New Year Time for “A Fresh Start”

If you are receiving a Tax Refund for 2014 Tax Filings –

YOU HAVE 3 CHOICES...

1 Spend the Money Frivolously 2 Try and Pay-Off Credit Card Debt and Medical Bills 3 Use the Money to File Bankruptcy and for pennies on the dollar dump all of your “Debt”

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CRIME LOCATOR

NORTH

Map key

Sexual assault

Assault

Murder

Robbery

Breaking/entering

Larceny

Larceny from vehicle

Vehicle theft

Vandalism

Drug offenses

Arson

These are the crimes reported under select categories by police officials in Commerce Township, Walled Lake and Wolverine Lake Village through September 21, 2015.

Placement of codes is approximate.

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BY KEVIN ELLIOTT hould public schools require students to be vaccinated as a condition of attendance? Do you support legalizing marijuana? Should churches be required to perform same-sex marriages?

These are just some of the questions state Senator Marty Knollenberg (R) has asked in the three mailings he sent this year to constituents in the state's 13th Senate District (Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Troy, Berkley, Clawson) at a cost of $14,818 for printing and postage. The mailings, which are ultimately funded by taxpayers, are often thinly veiled promotional materials that come in the form of "legislative updates" or "resource guides" with detachable surveys that may be sent back.

Legislators who utilize the state's version of the congressional franking privilege say bulk mailings are a good way to keep in touch with constituents, while others suggest the privilege is simply a form of free promotion.

"We do mailings about two or three times

S

a year," said state Rep. Mike McCready (R), who represents the state's 40th District (Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield). "We did one on Proposition 1. That was an informational brochure where we tried to show both sides. We have a spring/summer mailer that went to households of people 50 and older. It showed all the different festivals in the state. A lot of people really liked that."

The mailer, entitled "Michigan Family Fun and Festival Guide 2015," includes a two-page spread of various festivals throughout the state through October. If you like pumpkins, you're in luck. There are four official pumpkin festivals this October, but only one chili cook off.

"We are working on another. We will probably do one before the end of the year," said McCready, who spent $6,768 on postage for the mailer. "It comes out of our office budget – $102,000 – which pays for our two office staff, phones and supplies.

Those (mailings) have to be non-political and information based."

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Unlike congressional franking privileges, which allows individual legislators to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funds on bulk mailings, the amount Michigan legislators may spend on bulk mailings is limited by their individual office allotments. That's about $102,000 for Republican House members and $99,000 for Democrats (majority members and officers receive more). That allotment is used to pay for staff, travel, phone, publications, printing, postage and other expenses. ailings from House members are requested through the House Business Office, while senators utilize the Senate Business Office. Each office also is tasked with reviewing mailings to ensure content meets the requirements set forth by each respective chamber. Once requests are approved, they are printed and shipped by the Legislative Services Bureau.

"House guidelines are approved by the Speaker and administered by the House Business Office," said Tim Bowlin, director of the House Business Office. "The guidelines are available to members and staff on our internal website. As you will see in the policy, the House Business Office reviews all printed newsletters and electronic items for mass distribution prior to release. The policy also outlines the annual deadlines for the legislative term."

All printing orders go through the Legislative Services Bureau (LSB).

Printing requests can be made through either the House or Senate Business Office or directly to the LSB. The House policy includes extensive rules and regulations on the types of materials that may be sent, while Senate members must meet the same policy regulations. And while there are rules outlining how close to an election materials may be mailed, both policies serve a basic purpose to ensure that mailings aren't overly political or partisan.

"It has changed over the years because of social media, but there have always been standards," said Bill Ballenger, former state representative and founder of Inside Michigan Politics. "They can't go and say and send out whatever they want. Over the years there has been controversy about whether it’s too political or campaign literature."

Ballenger said there was much written about franking prior to the electronic information age, but it seems to have become less of an area of concern, perhaps because of the spread of technology. However, it could be a real area of concern that has simply become lost in the shuffle of information.

"In the meantime, social media has taken over," he said. "There are electronic press releases and other ways that legislators can get in contact with their constituents. You are the first call in years on the subject. People have gone to sleep, but it's worth looking at, and not just when there's a scandal developing. Some (legislators) seem to spend their max quota, while others are not spending. There's an interesting story there." egislators from Oakland County spent more than $126,000 in postage from September 2014 through August 2015. That includes routine and bulk mail postage, according to figures provided by the House and Senate business offices, with 14 House districts and five Senate districts in the county. Bulk mailings through August 2015 range from zero for some legislators, and as much as $22,295 by state Senator Jim Marleau (R-Bloomfield Township), who in August led the amount spent on bulk mailings in Oakland County.

State Senator Mike Kowall (R-White Lake, Walled Lake, West Bloomfield, Commerce Township, Wixom, Novi), who spent $41,459 on bulk mailings from October 2013 to September 2014, said he uses a portion of his allotted office budget for mailings in order to keep constituents informed. However, Kowall has spent zero on bulk mailings during the current fiscal year, as of August 2015.

"It all depends on the issue," Kowall said. "Last cycle, we had two ballot proposals, and people were really confused. We got calls in the office, so we spent some of the allotment on that as an informative thing."

Kowall's assessment of his bulk mailings fit one of two views on legislative franking: it's simply another tool used to communicate with constituents or it's a polical promotion tool to keep lawmakers' names in front of voters.

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Dan Opsomner, legislative director for Democratic Rep. Jim Townsend (D-Royal Oak, Madison Heights), said Townsend's office always communicates with constituents by mail, which adds to the total postage cost.

"On the bulk end, we spend about $9,000 to $10,000 on newsletters in the spring and fall," he said.

In addition, Townsend typically sends reminders about coffee hours and town hall-style meetings where he updates constituents on legislation he is working to get passed.

"We do e-newsletters as well. If people aren't signing up for those, then they aren't getting the information. We also do an e-mail before coffee hours to remind residents," he said. "In terms of reaching people, especially older residents, direct mail is still preferable to them, so I think they appreciate that."

Oakland University Professor David Dulio, who serves as chairman of the university's political science department, said franking has benefits for both politicians and voters.

"It builds name recognition," Dulio said. "It's a longstanding truth that most Americans cannot recall their House member's name, but they can recognize it if they are presented with a list of names. And when are they presented with a list of names? On the ballot."

The value of bulk mailings is clear in some of the more competitive legislative districts in Oakland County, such as the 39th House District (Commerce Township, Wixom, part of West Bloomfield Township), and the 41st District (Troy, Clawson).

Rep. McCready, who spent $16,376 on postage in 2014, an election year, said his 40th District, which includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills and part of West Bloomfield, is slightly less competitive than some of the other districts in the county. McCready said party and candidate support in a district can also determine how much is spent on mailings. "(Rep. Klint) Kesto's district is a difficult district, so he'll spend a lot more," McCready said. esto (R), who is serving his second term in the 39th District, spent a total of $36,918 on postage and printing in 2014 – the same year in which he narrowly beat Democratic challenger Sandy Colvin in the general election, as well as two Republican challengers in the 2014 August primary. By comparison, Kesto spent $18,934 on postage and printing in 2013, his first year in office.

In the 41st District, Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) – who took Knollenberg's seat after he moved on to the Senate – spent $31,314 on postage and $6,002 on printing in 2014. That year Howrylak, also in his second term in the House, beat former Troy councilwoman Mary Kerwin in a hard-fought general election.

"It can have a great impact on re-election rates. I think that's a key perk of office," Dulio said regarding franking privileges. "It helps explain why we see, in the U.S. House and Senate, re-election rates of over 90 percent every two years. It also allows members to communicate with their constituents and brag about how good of a job they are doing, which translates to free advertising for them."

Howrylak said while he isn't sure if mailings help with name recognition, he said they are an effective way to communicate with constituents. However, he also said he is surprised by how many requests for information, particularly printed materials, his office receives.

"We have one bucket, and anything that needs to be spent comes out of that budget," he said about the amount spent on mailings. "We have been on the lower end on staff salaries, which has afforded us with the opportunity to print more.

"It is effective. We have to use every channel available to us to communicate, whether that's mail or e-mail. Despite all of this, we still have people that don't know what's going on... My hope is that people talk about the issues we put in there. We do find people engaging us on the issues."

Wayne State University Professor Timothy Bledsoe, who also served in the state 1st House District (Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe and part of Detroit), agreed that bulk mailings may serve as a method of self promotion. He said the effectiveness of mailings is harder to determine.

K

Individual legislators' cost of franking

By Kevin Elliott

T

he following is a breakdown of mailing and printing fees incurred by each legislator serving Oakland County in 2013, 2014 and 2015:

State House members’ spending Rep. Jim Townsend (D) - 26th House District (Madison Heights and Royal Oak): Townsend spent $5,635 in postage and $1,528 on printing from January to August 2015. The largest postage bill was on March 9 for $4,979, with $626 in printing costs on March 31. Townsend spent a total of $18,195 on mailings in 2014. Postage and printing dates include $5,930 for postage on December 4; $1,383 in printing billed on December 31; a $6,124 postage bill on April 1; and $2,892 in postage on February 26. Townsend spent $15,972 on postage and $2,824 on printing in 2013, including $3,992 in postage on October 14; $2,476 in postage on September 27; $4,291 in postage on May 15; and $2,953 on postage on May 10.

Robert Wittenberg (D) - 27th House District (Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak Township and Southfield): Elected in 2014, Wittenberg spent $3,317 in postage and $1,862 in printing in 2015, including $2,174.14 in postage on March 19 and $1,126 in postage on March 13.

Former 27th District Rep. Ellen Cogen Lipton (D) spent $6,108 in postage and $2,502 in printing in 2014. Only three of her mailings were more than $1,000 and may not be considered bulk mailings. Lipton spent $2,241 on postage and $3,160 on mailings in 2013.

Tim Greimel (D) - 29th House District (Auburn Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, Pontiac and Sylvan Lake): From January to August of 2015, Greimel spent $3,539 on postage and $1,375 on printing, including an August 21 mailing that cost $3,487 in postage. In 2014, Greimel spent $12,927 on postage and $2,758 on printing, including a December 18 mailing that cost $7,771 in postage, and three mailings in September totaling $5,112 in postage. Greimel spent $11,955 on postage and $3,707 on printing in 2013. Again, the largest mailing ($7,636) was sent on December 17, with a $4,277 postage bill on December 2. Printing on December 31 totaled $1,796, in connection with the mailings.

Jeremy Moss (D) — 35th House District (Southfield, Lathrup Village, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms and Franklin): No bulk mailings in 2015.

Former 35th District Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D): Hobbs spent $13,085 in postage and $2,884 in printing in 2014. The three largest mailings include a $6,179 postage bill on December 19; a $4,121 postage bill on July 1; and $2,748 in postage on April 22. Hobbs spent $6,717 in postage and $2,740 on printing in 2013; with one mailing totaling $6,413 in postage on December 11; and $1,498 in associated printing costs.

Christine Greig (D) - 37th House District (Farmington and Farmington Hills): Greig spent $1,413 in postage and $2,392 on printing in 2015.

Former 37th District Rep. Vicki Barnett (D) spent just $183 in postage in 2014 and $77 in 2013.

Kathy Crawford (R) - 38th House District (Walled Lake, Northville, Lyon, South Lyon and Novi): Crawford has sent no bulk mailings since being elected in 2014.

Former 38th District Rep Hugh Crawford (R) also had no bulk mailings in 2014 and 2013, with postage totaling $243 and $251, respectively.

Klint Kesto (R) - 39th House District (Commerce Township, Wixom, West Bloomfield): Kesto spent $13,892 in postage and $3,646 in printing from January to August 2015. The largest mailings were sent on February 18 ($3,826 on postage); May 19 ($6,529 on postage), and June 2 ($2,737 on

postage). Kesto led spending on mailing in 2014, with $32,585 spent on postage and $4,333 on printing. Postage in 2013 totaled $15,733 and $3,201 for printing fees.

Mike McCready (R) - 40th District (Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield): McCready spent $6,930 on postage and $849 on printing in 2015. The only bulk mailing for 2015 was mailed on June 4, which cost $6,768 in postage and $742 in printing. McCready, in 2014, spent $16,376 in postage and $2,134 in printing. Bulk mailings that year were sent on November 26 ($7,124 in postage); September 15 ($3,154 in postage); and May 29, ($5,886 in postage.) In 2013, McCready spent $5,879 on postage and $1,030 for printing, including $2,232 on December 9; and $3,270 on September 11 for postage.

Martin Howrylak (R) - 41st District (Troy, Clawson): Howrylak in 2015 spent $11,466 on postage and $3,265 on printing costs. The largest mailings were July 30 ($5,286 on postage); $1,358 on printing on June 30; and $2,134 in postage on May 21. Other postage fees in 2015 include $1,079 on June 11; and $1,484 on June 2. Howrylak in 2014 spent $31,314 on postage and $6,002 on printing. Mailings with postage of more than $1,000 include December 2 ($5,165); September 29 ($7,007); September 22 ($3,161); September 15 ($1,004); June 30 ($4,782); June 18 ($1,720); June 16 ($1,023); March 31 ($2,150) and February 6 ($1,360). Howrylak in 2013 spent $23,409 on postage and $4,680 on printing. Mailings with postage totaling more than $1,000 were sent on December 19 ($5,118); November 27 ($3,248); November 5, ($6,990); October 10 ($2,606); August 2 ($2,540); and June 18 ($1,544).

Jim Tedder (R) - 43rd House District (Clarkston, Independence Township, part of Waterford Township and Lake Angelus): Tedder in 2015 spent $5,905 on postage and $1,979 on printing. He spent $2,231 on postage on July 7; $3,559 on July 1.

Former 43rd District Rep. Gail Haines (R ) had no bulk mailings in 2014 or 2013.

Jim Runestad (R) - 44th House District (White Lake, Milford, Highland, Springfield and part of Waterford): Runestad this year has spent $6,199 on postage, including a $3,950 mailing on July 10.

Former Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) - 44th District: in 2014 spent $5,777 on postage, with mailings on September 29 ($2,120), and June 23 ($2,356). Kowall’s total postage in 2013 totaled $1,862, with no mailings costing more than $1,000.

Michael Webber (R) - 45th District (Oakland Township, Rochester and Rochester Hills): Webber, who was elected in 2014, spent $13,776 on postage and $1,857 on printing from January to August. Those mailings include a $4,624 postage bill on August 26; a $1,159 printing bill on May 31; and two postage bills, $2,146 and $6,333, that same month.

Former House Rep. Tom McMillin (R) - 45th District: in 2014 spent $16,540 on postage and $3,282 on printing. Mailings included postage fees of $1,752 on June 20; $2,565 on June 3; $8,352 on May 22; $1,133 on May 21; $1,218 on February 28 and $2,023 on January 24. McMillin in 2013 spent $17,292 on postage and $3,746 on printing, including postage fees of $2,552 on December 23; $8,081 on November 26; $2,275 on November 20; and $2,584 on September 27.

Bradford Jacobsen (R) - 46th District (Addison, Brandon, part of Oakland, Orion and Oxford): Jacobsen spent $9,360 in postage and $1,775 on printing from January through August 2015. The two largest mailings were sent on July 16 ($5,315) and June 4 ($3,308). Jacobsen in 2014 spent $16,113 on postage and $2,233 on printing. Mailings that year included a November 25 postage fee of $6,523; a September 29 postage fee of $3,344; a June 24 postage fee of $4,077; a June 11 postage fee of $1,436; and a May 28 postage fee of $1,436. Postage totaled $7,927 in 2013, with a December 20 postage fee of $6,648 accounting for the majority of postage fees that year.

Joseph Graves (R) - 51st District (Fenton, Groveland Township, Holly Township and Rose Township): Graves spent $8,135 on postage and $1,457

on printing through August 2015. The largest mailings were sent on July 8 ($3,821 on postage); May 18 ($2,692 on postage); and March 2 ($1,314 on postage). In 2014, Graves spent $20,500 on postage and $5,580 on printing. Fees included $3,574 in printing on December 31; $6,434 on postage on December 1; $2,309 in postage on Sept. 29; $1,138 on September 22; $2,943 on June 25; $4,083 on June 19; and $1,450 on May 7. In 2013, postage totaled $11,245 and printing totaled $3,789. Fees totaling more than $1,000 that year included $1,156 in printing costs on December 31; $1,995 for postage on November 22; $1,392 for postage on October 4; $2,348 for postage on August 29; $2,001 for postage on May 29 and $2,807 for postage on February 12.

State Senate members’ spending The Senate’s budget runs on a fiscal year of October to September.

Senate districts are also larger in size, accounting for some added costs in bulk mailing fees. The following data was provided by the Senate Business Office: Vincent Gregory (D) - 11th Senate District (Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak Township and Southfield): Gregory has spent nothing on bulk mailings in 2015.

During the 2014 fiscal year, Gregory spent $12,398 to fund two mailings, one in June totaling $7,802 and another in July totaling $4,596. In 2013, Gregory spent $6,853 on one mass mailing in August.

Jim Marleau (R) -12th Senate District (Addison, Auburn Hills, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Bloomfield Township, Franklin, Independence, Keego Harbor, Oakland Township, Orion, Oxford, Pontiac, Southfield Township, Sylvan Lake and Clarkston): In 2015, Marleau spent $22,295 on bulk mailings, including $6,585 and $10,725 in June for two mailings, as well as $4,985 in July. In fiscal year 2014, Marleau spent $25,005 on eight bulk mailings, including $1,574 in November; $3,492 in April; $8,425 in May; $3,499 in May; $4,841 in June; $841 in July; $1,494 in September; and $836 in printing for a mailing sent the following fiscal year. In 2013, Marleau spent $23,172 on bulk mailings, including $2,263 in May; $6,204 in July; $4,309 in August; and three in September at $1,830; $6,542; and $2,020.

Marty Knollenberg (R) - 13th Senate District (Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Rochester Hills, Rochester, Royal Oak and Troy): Since January, Knollenberg has spent $14,818 in bulk mailings, including $5,246 in March and two mailings in May costing $2,590 and $6,683.

Former 13th District Sen. John Pappageorge (R) sent no bulk mailings in either 2014 or 2013.

Dave Robertson (R) - 14th Senate District (Brandon, Fenton, Groveland, Highland, Holly, Lake Angelus, Rose Township, Springfield Township and part of Waterford): In 2015, Robertson has yet to send any bulk mailings. In fiscal year 2014, Robertson spent $15,301 on bulk mailings, including $2,226 in October; $744 in January; $5,715 in February; $4,591 in April; and $2,023 in July. Robertson, in FY 2013, spent $28,090, including $7,731 in March; $4,594 in April; $7,089 in July; $6,087 in August; and $2,587 in September.

Mike Kowall (R) - 15th Senate District (Commerce Township, Lyon Township, Milford Township, Northville, Novi, Novi Township, Orchard Lake, S. Lyon, Walled Lake, West Bloomfield, White Lake Township, Wixom): Kowall has sent no bulk mailings in the 2015 fiscal year.

However, Kowall topped all Oakland County legislators in the 2014 fiscal year, spending $41,459 on five bulk mailings. Those include $702 in January 2014; $16,514 in February; $2,997; in April; and $16,715 in July. Kowall spent $28,595 on bulk mailings in 2013, including $5,047 in May; $5,256 in August; $16,143 in September; and $2,149 in September.

"There's no good way to measure it," he said of bulk mailings. "It's a way of getting your name out there, and maybe some stories that you want to tell to your community. There are many different ways to do mailings."

The most expensive method of sending bulk mailings is to have something mailed to every home in a representative's district.

However, legislators are able to target specific voters.

"It could be districtwide, or it could be anyone with a hunting or fishing license," he said as an example. "A lot of people do standard mailings that the caucus media people prepare for them, which have a common theme or look. Some of us did our own thing."

Bledsoe said he typically did one large mailing a year.

Additionally, he would send an e-newsletter every two weeks.

"In the fall, as we looked at the end of the year, my staff would say, if we had it in the budget, but basically it was what was left over after paying salaries," he said. "If you're spending 30 percent of your budget on it, it's clearly something that you are calculating into your budget."

Because franking is a political tool that can be used on the taxpayer's dime, rather than money from a legislator's own campaign accounts, there are very specific rules on the content of franking materials and when they can be mailed. Both members of the Senate and House are required to follow the same guidelines.

Overall, any part of each member's annual budgeted office allotment may be used throughout the course of a year. However, mailings are restricted to locations inside a member's district.

Further, there are several types of prohibited types of content. In general, any printing of personal or partisan material of any nature for a legislator is strictly prohibited. xamples of prohibited material include political cartoons depicting recognizable political personalities and/or parties; personal reports on the family or family life of a legislator; articles by a legislator's spouse or legislative staff; holiday greetings, except a one line holiday greeting in the same type style and size as the text of the publication; references to past or future campaigns or elections; a thank you message regarding election to office; comments critical of an individual legislator or other individuals; solicitations of political support; position papers or articles by private organizations or people; local ballot issue explanations, except the exact wording of the proposal; newspaper clippings, posters or pictures that are personal or political; notifications or endorsements of products or services, except within booklets of a public service nature; campaign logos, slogans, websites, phone numbers and e-mails; printings in foreign languages; printing or mailing in combination with another legislator.

Additional sorts of prohibited materials include bumper stickers, magnets, buttons and other similar items; information on or notification of events in which the legislator will participate that will occur on a future date beyond the legislator's current term; statewide nominating and ballot proposal petitions; references to names of or how to contact persons if the purpose is to urge those individuals to take action on an issue; birthday greetings and messages; social media websites that don't relate to the work of the legislature.

Further restrictions are placed on the materials of the mailings.

For instance, specific paper stock and ink colors are approved for its use, as well as the types of photos or graphics in a mailing.

Restrictions are also placed on when mailings can be utilized.

For instance, in the 2016 election year, between July 2 and August 2, 2016, and between October 8 and November 8, 2016, a maximum of $500 postage will be available in the member's account. This is to provide a sufficient amount to accommodate routine mail, but ensure informative materials aren't used as direct campaigning.

Additionally, from March 22, 2016 (one month prior to the last date for filing nominating petitions for election) through November 8, 2016, the only photos that can be used in the pieces being printed by any print shops are photos of the member pictured alone for whom the printing is being completed, approved stock photos

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provided to the caucus coordinator or photos that have no people in them. ecause of the strict deadlines and prohibitions on certain promotional materials, savvy legislators tend to send bulk mailings late enough for them to increase name recognition, but within the guideline's deadlines. For instance, in the 39th District, Kesto's largest bulk mailings in 2014 were made on June 23 ($6,328 on postage) and June 30 ($6,669 for postage); with additional mailings in May and September. In the 41st District, Howrylak's largest mailing ($7,007 in postage) was sent on September 29, with additional mailings on Sept. 30 and Sept. 22.

And, despite the apparent value of franking materials to those in office, such mailings are often just as helpful to voters.

"I think it does have some value," Dulio said. "Take it with a grain of salt because it has great benefits for folks come re-election time, but it does provide information on what that individual is doing, in part. I'm sure they talk about the issues they have been championing in relation to the district. Sometimes they provide ways to provide feedback, so it does provide some information and a connection between the Rep and the constituent. Regardless of any political help, that's a good thing. It's helping the Representative be responsive to their constituents."

Still, there are several Oakland County legislators that don't invest in bulk mailings, perhaps opting to spend their budgets in other areas and connect with legislators through electronic means.

Former Democratic Rep. Vicki Barnett, who left the House's 37th District (Farmington, Farmington Hills) in 2014 due to term limits, spent just $77.47 on postage in 2013, and $183.06 in 2014.

"I didn't want to spend taxpayer money where I didn't think it was necessary. Most of my budget did go to staff," she said. "I didn't use as much of my office budget to save money. I always spent my money very carefully. I would hand deliver some booklets, where other (representatives) would mail them."

B

While Barnett's concern for appropriate spending may have factored into how much she spent on bulk mailings while in office, she also said the small size of her district also contributed to the amount she had to spend on postage.

"I also had a very compact district. I'm driving within a six squaremile area," she said. "When you get into the more rural areas, they are very large because they are based on population, not square footage, so they will have larger expenses."

Kowall also pointed out that senators will inherently spend more on postage because they serve a larger number of constituents. And while he said he uses mailings to try to keep constituents informed of happenings, there does appear to be value in sending tangible material to constituents.

"Some of the things we mail out go on a clipboard or somewhere," he said. "There's nothing worse than having people confused. We try to avoid that at all costs."

Whether the old fashioned snail mail system of bulk mailing is more effective than electronic means to keep voters informed, or boost name recognition, remains to be seen. However, there is no doubt that such mailings are a tool that can be used to inform and boost name recognition.

"The state House and Senate (members) have a tougher time garnering attention from the news media for a number of reasons," Oakland University's Dulio said. "Anytime they can put their name and accomplishments in front of the voters and constituents, it's a benefit to them."

Barnett, who ran for state Senator Vincent Gregory's 11th District seat in 2014, pointed to his mailings during the campaign year, which totaled $12,398. Gregory's bulk mailings the previous year totaled only $6,853, with none spent in 2015.

"Some people say I should have spent more because I was running for Senate," Barnett said, "but I don't use state money for campaigning."

House of Reps. (Total Postage/Total Printing) NAME Barnett, Vicki Cogen Lipton, Ellen Crawford, Hugh Crawford, Kathy Graves, Joseph Greig, Christeine Greimel, Tim Haines, Gail Hobbs, Rudy Howrylak, Martin Jacobsen, Bradford Kesto, Klint Kowall, Eileen McCready, Michael McMillin, Tom Moss, Jeremy Runestad, Jim Tedder, Jim Townsend, Jim Webber, Michael Wittenberg, Robert

Year 2015 — — — $117/$5 $8,135/$1,457 $1,413/$2,392 $3,539/$1,375 — — $11,466/$3,265 $9,360/$1,775 $13,892/$3,646 — $6,930/$849 — $117/$516 $6,199/$2,700 $5,905/$1,979 $5,635/$1,528 $13,776/$1,857 $3,317/$1,862

Year 2014 $183/$303 $6,108/$2,502 $243/$168 — $20,500/$5,580 — $12,927/$2,758 $278/$275 $13,085/$2,884 $31,314/$6,002 $16,113/$2,233 $32,585/$4,333 $5,777/$781 $16,376/$2,134 $16,540/$3,282 — — — $18,195/$2,951 — —

Year 2013 $77/$251 $2,241/$3,160 $251/$1,254 — $11,245/$3,789 — $11,955/$3,707 $509/$474 $6,717,$2,740 $23,409/$4,680 $7,927/$1,439 $15,733/$3,201 $1,862/$1,455 $5,879/$1,030 $17,292/$3,746 — — — $15,972/$2,824 — —

Senate (Postage/Printing on Bulk Mailings Only) Gregory, Vincent Knollenberg, Marty Kowall, Mike Marleau, Jim Pappageorge, John Robertson, David

$0/$0 $13,145/$1,672 $0/$0 $27,885/$1,721 — $0/$0

$11,473/782 — $38,248/$2,911 $21,518/$3,237 $2,412/218 $13,694/$1,475

$6,002/$631 — $25,837/$2,537 $20,961/$2,151 $0/$0 $25,146/$2,771

FACES

Anuja Tolia n 2008, jewelry designer and former fashion designer Anuja Tolia, 34, was at a creative crossroads. When the economy took a plunge, Tolia was laid off from her position as an associate fashion designer at Liz Claiborne, and she seized the opportunity to consider what she really wanted to do.

Two years later, the Anuja Tolia line was launched, featuring her first collection of handmade jewelry. Early in the business, Tolia stepped back from handcrafting to focus on the design aspect of her art.

“I still hand sketch,” she said. “If I see something that’s inspirational, I sketch out an idea, and if I see something in a magazine that I really like the structure of, I can send it to the manufacturer, to the point person I communicate with.”

At this time, she works mostly with manufacturers in Thailand and Hong Kong. “The collection,” she said, “is designed for you to be able to stack and wear with other things you already have, or other pieces of mine, things that can transition from day to night, everyday wearable pieces. Many people mistake real from fake, that’s kind of the theme.”

The year before she launched her line, Tolia studied jewelry in studio art at Students Art Center International, in Florence, Italy.

Focusing on jewelry, Tolia said, “I learned mostly handcrafting there. How to sketch, how to scale to size, create a mold, everything,” and, most of all, “I realized that if I wasn’t going to do it now, then I wasn’t going to do it.” Today, she is CEO of her company and has a sales team in New York, where she lived for 10 years before returning to West Bloomfield.

Working from home, Tolia designs “about four or five collections a year,” she said, with 30 new designs per collection, plus ongoing styles.” In September 2012, Tolia’s Elliptical Ring was featured in InStyle Magazine. “It was awesome. I didn’t know what to expect at all,” she said. “‘How many rings should we stock up on?’ It took a little bit of forecasting. It was a learning curve.”

Looking back, as a young girl growing up in West Bloomfield and attending Detroit Country Day Schools, Tolia said, “I always cared about what I was wearing, how I dressed. Going to a school where people had a lot of wealth, everyone would shop at these outstanding places. I just didn’t do that.”

Instead, Tolia considered, “How do I look the part for less money or with a budget? I always liked to put things together,” and make her style “comparable, but at a different price point.”

One of her signature collections is the zodiac – “Each pendant is shown the way it’s supposed to be in the sky. Every place where the stars connect is a Swarovski crystal,” Tolia said.

Her jewelry, she said, is now “pretty much all I wear, all the time, except for my wedding ring. I feel like it’s awkward wearing someone else’s stuff, unless its something real, like real gold or real diamonds.”

Tolia’s jewelry comes in variations of silver, gold and rose gold, and is sold in a number of states, as well as Canada and Japan.

Though not currently available in any local retailers, it can be found online.

I

Story: Katie Deska

Photo: Jean Lannen

OAKLAND COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER

DR.

LJUBISA DRAGOVIC

D

r. Ljubisa Dragovic has been the Oakland County Medical Examiner for almost 25 years, performing, along with his office of five forensic pathologists, about 1,100 autopsies a year. He graduated from medical school in 1975 in Belgrave, Yugoslavia, his native country. He and his wife, Dr. Jdranka Dragovic, a radiation oncologist in charge of the cancer center at Henry Ford Medical Center - Cottage Hospital, reside in Grosse Pointe and have raised seven children, just recently becoming empty nesters.

The state of Michigan established the County Medical Examiners Act in 1953 to investigate, in certain instances, the cause of death due to violence, negligence, or other act or omission of a criminal nature or to protect public health. Its goal was also to abolish the office of the coroner and to create the office of a county medical examiner in certain counties, imbuing them with prescribed powers and duties. As Dragovic explains to Westend News Editor Lisa Brody, being a medical examiner and chief pathologist for a large county such as Oakland is much more complicated than TV shows portray.

GOVERNMENT IS NOT HIGHLY COMPETITIVE FOR HIGHLY EDUCATED PEOPLE, WITH TRIPLE SPECIALTIES

You are the Oakland County Medical Examiner. What exactly is the medical examiner? What do you do as the medical examiner?

How long have you been the medical examiner?

Medical examiner is the independent agent within each county’s government in the state. The functioning is defined by the state’s Constitution – it’s called the State’s Medical Examiner’s Act and it addresses the scope of activities of any medical examiner in the 83 counties in this great state. Not all the counties are served to the extent or with the qualifications, but each and every county has to have a medical examiner. There may be a medical examiner in adjoining counties if they so agree.

Basically, the medical examiner is called upon to investigate or start or initiate the investigation of any suspicious death, sudden or unexplained or covertly violent death that occurs on the territory in that particular jurisdiction. It’s something that evolved from the traditional coroner’s system that came with the colonial forces to North America from the United Kingdom and some states that are not so enlightened, there’s still coroners functioning as independent law enforcement agencies. The difference is the coroner can be someone who runs for election in those states where that function is still there; a medical examiner is a medically trained professional. By law, he has to be either an M.D. or D.O. licensed in the state. The law does not specify all that he or she must determine, so there is some ambiguity in some jurisdictions. There are medical examiners, like in this office, that are specially-trained in a capacity as forensic pathologists to carry out those duties. Some jurisdictions that are less populous cannot afford that, have just local physicians carry out those functions, with the hope that they can consult with other counties’ medical examiners for their expertise. If you take a quick look at a map of Michigan, there are about 25 or 26 practicing forensic pathologists in the state of Michigan, and they are concentrated in the southeast Michigan area, and then there are a couple of them in the western part of the state, and a couple of them in the Kalamazoo area, and a few for the Lansing area. Everywhere else, it is a situation of, let me call someone, or if there are further complications, this becomes a never-ending story, or a mysterious crime that needs to be resolved.

The reality is one of discrepancy.

Oftentimes, people call and say, ‘I want to be a medical examiner like I see on TV. What kinds of courses do you need to take?’ When you tell them you have to finish high school, finish pre-med education and be successfully admitted to medical school, then finish medical school, and then undergo training in general pathology for a minimum of four to five years, in order to qualify for a fellowship in forensic pathology which is at least another year or so, and then take all the specialty exams, which cost thousands of dollars, just to be qualified to be considered as a candidate – then they say, ‘Oh, I thought it was something quicker than that!’ It’s about 12, 13 year of expensive training to get to do what you want to do. I don’t know how particularly enticing it is for someone. The responsibility is immense and you’re constantly under scrutiny of the public, and you have to

THAT I HAVE. IT'S A LUXURY IN MY CASE BECAUSE I HAVE OTHER SOURCES OF SURVIVAL...

respond to the public. Since some segments of the public do not sleep when other segments of the public sleep, you have to be awake and alert all the time, and be ready to move all the time. You have to be kept abreast anytime something happens that needs immediate attention. There are four other forensic pathologists working here with me, makes us a complement of five, but if there are decisions to be made, on any given case, and I may be on the other end of the globe and my phone rings. Whether it rings at 1:00 in the morning that time, or 5:00 in the afternoon, it doesn’t matter. You have to be connected to maintain that adequate integration of the support system, because that’s why we’re here, on behalf of Oakland County taxpayers.

We bring in about 1,100 bodies a year, give or take. There is no physical way five doctors could cover all of the scenes because there is work to be done here. This is why we have trained investigators.

The investigators are our trained arms, ears and eyes.

When we opened this building in 1998, we tried here to maintain that tradition of quality and functioning. (I have been) medical examiner 25 years the beginning of January.

If you had to write your job description, what would it be?

It wouldn’t be any different from what it is. It’s the oversight of a busy, independent law enforcement agency within Oakland County government. Job description is: there are no fixed working hours.

You’re not eligible for overtime, because there is no one who can pay for what you do. Government is not highly competitive for highly educated people, with triple specialties that I have. It’s a luxury in my case because I have other sources of survival; my wife is a clinical specialist doctor and she brings bread to the table. It’s also been a reality putting seven children through school. Now that the seventh one has graduated from college, it’s a change and we can spend my wife’s earnings on good things.

What is the difference between a pathologist and a medical examiner? What made you want to go into pathology, and what led you to become a medical examiner?

In larger jurisdictions, the medical examiner is a forensic pathologist so there is a difference between a forensic pathologist and a pathologist. Medical examiner in some jurisdictions might be a family practitioner or any other kind of doctor. We’re not comparing pathologists and medical examiners because it would be like comparing mangoes and papayas. We’re comparing pathologists in hospital settings with primary diagnostic function to support the treatment in a given hospital, providing diagnosis from tissue removed through various medical procedures and for the purpose of teaching.

A forensic pathologist is a public pathologist. The word pathologist comes from the word for a place of public gathering. Forensic means public. When you get older, and you get known, you get called all over the place. You get situations where you’re asked to review coast to coast. I’ve never been asked to testify in Alaska or Maine, but virtually every other place. I’ve testified by phone or case review, written

opinions or gone to court. The county gets paid for that time. I get a salary.

The county board of commissioners set up a fee schedule back in 1997. This is the only jurisdiction that I am aware of that we have set up boundaries, when you are on the taxpayers time and you are not in your office to address your immediate functioning, that someone else pays the county. The county bills them $250 per hour that you’re out, door to door.

In my case, when you get out of medical school, you’re very young, you believe the best way to help people is to solve their problems ad hoc. The surgical disciplines are the key thing to that. If you think that way, you’re generally leaning towards surgical training. After leaning to general medicine with my wife, I got a position with Queens University in Kingston, Canada, in the department of pathology, thinking that if I take a couple of years of pathology that would be a good base to go into surgery. As I spent more time in pathology I realized that I was the one that had to provide all of the answers to all those friendly surgeons, and they don’t need to think too much. So I stayed in pathology and I was lured into neuropathology, and it was a path to become an academic neuropathologist. I trained my senior year of my fellowship at the University of Toronto. In the meantime, Henry Ford Hospital System recruited my wife, because by that time she was already gaining some clinical insight into head and neck tumors, and they made an offer she couldn’t refuse. We had to come over from Canada – this was over 30 years ago – we all came over under her raincoat, with the dog, and at that time we only had four kids – we added three kids here in Michigan.

That changed things for me. I started doing some research down at the Wayne State (University) labs and the now non-existent Lafayette Clinic, and somehow they recognized me for contributions to scientific research and gave me an award. It took me to Baltimore, Maryland, where I began working for the office of the medical examiner, integrating my neuropathology background with forensic indoctrination, organizing research with National Institutes of Health, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland. That office has been one of the leading offices in the country for forensic concepts and training.

Then I got an offer to come to Detroit and started working for Wayne County, and started teaching at Wayne State. After about three and a half years, I got a call from then (Oakland) county executive Dan Murphy, and I couldn’t refuse that one. He said, ‘Doc, I can’t even pronounce your name properly, but I’ve heard so many good things about you. I think it was a good move for me professionally. This government environment is blessed by common sense. Common sense is not such a common commodity.

What is your annual budget? Has it fluctuated over the last several years? Approximately how many cases/autopsies do you perform each year? $4.6 million, 1,100 bodies. It’s pretty much it, unless there are some

YOU'RE DOING CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN THEM AND THAT YOU ARE MAKING A

special issues. There are some equipment that sometimes needs to be updated, replaced. There is the usual process that everyone follows.

When you look around here, you are dealing with common sense.

When you look around the five counties, I don’t mind telling you, you are looking at different worlds, even though you think it is the same people. In general terms, it’s a different world, because of the different behaviors that are peculiar to the people, their governments, to their ways of life, that is noticeable. There is no question who is at the forefront of all the necessary qualities at Oakland County – even though I don’t live myself in Oakland County. I live in Grosse Pointe.

We’ve lived there from early on, and I travel every day. People care how hard they earn their money, how hard they build their lives.

You’re doing certain things because you believe in them and that you are making a difference, and by doing so and seeing the feedback and the appreciation, it doesn’t have to be all in renumeration.

We’re facing a new situation now, pretty soon a new transition because we’re all becoming of age and we need to be looking at the recruitment of the new cadre to make a new, seamless transition at some point in time. Our area needs motivation of every person, from top to bottom. It is very important that their attitudes come with the professional qualifications, because if we have people that are callous and rough at the counter, we are here to serve people at their toughest moment, when they have lost a loved ones, and they need to be met with understanding and with care.

What is entailed in performing an autopsy? What can an autopsy reveal in both the cause of death, and if a crime was, or was not, committed? When does an autopsy need to be performed? Does every death have to have an autopsy? Can family members choose to opt out of an autopsy? What kinds of exemptions are permitted for an autopsy? When can someone choose a religious or other exemptions from an autopsy? How does an autopsy differentiate between a criminal, negligent, natural, or a death by hereditary cause?

An autopsy is a diagnostic tool. We’re not here to do autopsies primarily. We’re here to investigate deaths. If there is a need for further investigation of someone’s death, then autopsy is standard. Every death does not need an autopsy. If we are to autopsy 25,000 deaths in Oakland County every year, there’ll be no end to it. We obviously could not do it with the existing professional and support personnel.

A person dying of disease in a hospital is a totally different situation. Deaths are reported to us. We get thousands of deaths reported, and we filter them. This is why we have the ‘on call crew.’

Calls are from 2 in the afternoon until 2 in the afternoon the next day.

Investigators are trained to gather information from hospitals, from primary care physicians, from a specialist who was taking care at the time, or from police, or whoever under the circumstances. It’s not necessary to conduct the examination in every case that is even brought here.

We also try to avoid unnecessary issues and confrontations with

DIFFERENCE, AND BY DOING SO...IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ALL IN RENUMERATION.

WE ARE HERE TO SERVE PEOPLE AT THEIR TOUGHEST MOMENT, WHEN THEY HAVE LOST

religious groups. We certainly do not force or pressure anyone into the situation that if there is not a defined good reason, a well-based suspicion that it was someone’s wrongdoing, a suspicion of a crime, that we are focused on – under those circumstances you have to show evidence of a crime. Whenever there is a suspicion of a crime, you have to work with the other forces of law enforcement to define what evidence may or may not be needed. It’s only if you can answer all the questions adequately then you can say ‘we don’t need to examine this body.’

It becomes evidence in the case because you have documented it.

That’s what you do. During the autopsy, there’s an examination of the outside of the body, documentation of any departures from normal; there is the opening of the body’s cavity and the examination of the organs, then the organs are removed and examined further, then the tissues are sampled, if needed. Generally, it is needed. Five years down the road, for example, you don’t want a question that came out of the blue.

When a family objects strongly to an autopsy, and there is no merit to it, there is no reason to perform an autopsy. We don’t do it out of curiosity. We do it because we are searching for the answers in conjunction with other legal and medical concerns.

The public is fascinated by crime shows and how crime scene investigations and medical investigations tie in together – the CSI effect. How true to life is that?

DRAGOVIC: It’s nice to watch an episode. I don’t because I don’t have time to watch television. It’s something you see on television – 45 minutes and everything is taken care of. The crime is committed, the crime is investigated, the case is adjudicated, all within 45 minutes, with or without commercial breaks. In reality, it’s investigative and it’s a long process of careful evaluations, various findings, and there are ancillary studies to support those that go on a couple of months or a couple of weeks, or just several days. Every case is different. There are no two identical cases.

When it comes to criminal cases, there are no two crimes that are identical, so you can’t just pigeon hole them. A criminal case does not allow for a predetermined approach by the medical examiner.

A forensic pathologist is forced to think and to connect the cause with consequences, and define the mechanism. And in our environment, to defend it in front of the full professional complement.

You have to justify and substantiate with facts the thinking process.

Has there ever been a time when you have disagreed with the findings of law enforcement or the prosecutor’s office – either you have determined a homicide was committed, and they declined to press charges, or you did not find that negligence or a criminal act was committed, and they were convinced a crime had been committed?

Since we work together, and before they even write the charges, the prosecutor’s office, they have their warrants division. Whenever there

LOVED ONES, AND THEY NEED TO BE MET WITH UNDERSTANDING AND WITH CARE.

is a case that is presented to them that is involved, one or several of their junior people, or even the head of the division will be on the phone asking specific questions, or they would even show up here, to understand the details of the case. This is not how it is done anywhere else.

(Elsewhere) there is a complete disconnect. If you have a complete disconnect, then you have surprises or you have situations where, long into the case, there are conflicting positions because of the discoveries of the facts and evidence. The facts are facts. Their business is to define the charges. They decide, based on their own professional thresholds and concepts, who, how and what to charge. That’s what they do. Our business is to present the findings, preserve the findings, and interpret the evidence so that they have the insight.

I cannot remember a case where they were absolutely dismayed.

Sometimes they’re surprised, because they’re heard something from police agencies, or the impressions or the witness statements gathered and presented, and they look at those, and then they get the report from here, and they go, ‘what, how is this?’ You go through step-by-step explanation.

The critical solution to everything is adequate communication. If there is no communication, if they’re not at liberty to call here at anytime, day or night, then they’re deprived of adequate information.

That applies to police, that applies to prosecutor’s office. We are here to provide answers, and if we can’t provide answers, we say, ‘hey, we don’t have the answers.’ Their work up of the case will be based on that defined lack of evidence for certain things, because no one said we’ll have all the answers. We provide the best scientifically we can.

We are an independent agency.

We find they take a friendly environment, but we’re not locked into sharing with them. Any attorney, any criminal attorney, is welcome here. They can make an appointment to go over a case, get the information, because the informed attorney is the empowered attorney. An uninformed attorney is just an attorney quarreling out there, arguing with people without facts and evidence.

The critical part is communication. They know well, because through all these administrations that change based on the democratic process, that regardless of whatever political orientation, they can come in here and count on facts and evidence. We cannot pull a rabbit out of a hat. But we’re a tool and an asset. That’s what the purpose of this office is and should be. Egos are the worst enemy to adequate investigation and the greatest obstacle in any investigation. It helps in our teaching of law enforcement personnel.

Ego diminishes with the amount of knowledge one has. The devil is always in the details, and the details always makes or breaks the case. One always has a reason to ask ‘Why?’ We have processed some very complex cases, and we have encouraged the interested parties to come up and, we have processed some very sensitive investigations, we would always ask the prosecutor’s office to provide a senior advisor on legality of the process. You don’t want to work the case up, send investigators up,

procure some information or send police if it is not grounded in the existing laws. The whole case can fall down.

You frequently testify in court to back up your findings. Explain why you do that, and what that process is about.

Not to back up my findings...to explain my findings. You establish a certain body of evidence through examination, documentation, photographic documentation, description, series of correlation. Now, when you’re called to court, it’s the jurors who are carefully listening to what’s being said. They need adequate explanation of every single aspect. And it’s only through that process when you start with some introduction and you start laying the approach to some injury pattern, for example, which is critical. Then, what could conform in a particular environment to that injury pattern. There are some clear cut patterns, like the head of the hammer; there are other patterns that reflective of a 2 X 4, or the type of the knife in a stabbing. The particular residue of gunpowder on the body resulting from the discharge of a firearm. All these things have to be gradually brought in so that it is presented in a logical pattern and sequence so that everyone understands. Without everyone understanding, we’re not doing our job right. It’s a continuation of our jobs. It’s based on facts, and all the truths are simple. There’s no such thing as complicated truth. It’s the cover ups and nonsense that is complicated to understand. But what you can see with your eyes and all other senses that is presented there can be integrated there very easily and then the jury in our judicial system is the decision maker. It’s their responsibility to make the decision. But if they’re not informed adequately – the worst thing is if they’re misled. And then to send someone to prison for a crime they didn’t commit. That’s a terrible thing.

Often times medical examiners are called in as experts in cases outside of their immediate area of jurisdiction – assuming that is the case with you, what would be one of the more famous cases you have been called on to testify?

They are running on television, on the Discovery Channel, or True Crime, or whatever. There were quite a few actually. One case is real weird. It was a situation where the prosecutors’ attorneys association or district attorneys association has a network and there was a case down in Georgia and they contacted me through some people here.

There was a telephone conference. This particular case, there was a young girl that was found dead and they doused her with gasoline and wrapped her in a carpet piece and tried to burn her. She was found by the side of the road, completely burned. It takes a lot to burn a body. The forensic pathologist there examined the body, says it’s a homicide, she’s found nude, with accelerant on her body and on the carpet she was wrapped in. It was burning, so clearly someone died.

But she didn’t die of those particular damages because they occurred after her death. So he described it; he found something there. There was a big bruise between the shoulder blades on the back, and didn’t

THE CRIME IS COMMITTED, THE CRIME IS INVESTIGATED, THE CASE IS ADJUDICATED, ALL WITHIN 45

make much of it. I documented everything. There was also a DNA study done from samples because there was evidence of sexual intercourse. The key thing was given all these things is, what happened, why did she die?

They sent the pictures, we had a couple conferences, we talked to the guy. I suggested to him that she died of position compression asphyxia, because force was applied to the back of her body and she was in that position, forced perhaps by a bedspread or something, or soft soil, whatever.

He said, ‘I don’t know, I’m not sure.’ Apparently, that was it.

It took him about six months of thinking about this because, you have to understand, sometimes there are issues that are bugging you, that create the opportunity for you to sort out everything step-by-step.

You can’t take the mechanism right off the bat. He said, ‘It was asphyxia.’

They went to court. They charged the perpetrator, whose DNA was compared to the seminal fluid that was recovered, who was that person, and his accomplice. They asked him, ‘Doctor, wait a second, at the time, you issued a report, cause of death unknown. Homicide.

Then six months later, you change your mind to asphyxia?’

‘Oh, well, we had this consultation with this guy in Michigan and he told me that’s it, and I wasn’t sure at the time, but the more I thought about it, the more logical it became.’

I didn’t know anything about that. I have my cell phone in my pocket. I’m walking down Boulevard Montparnasse in Paris, with my wife, happily trying to go to dinner, and the phone rings. My wife always thinks it’s one of the kids. ‘Hey Doc, this is so-and-so, remember me. I’m the District Attorney in Cherokee County in Georgia. We had this discussion last year. Are you in your office?’ I say no, I’m in Paris. ‘Well, you said this, and now defense wants to cross examine you.’ I said, don’t try to produce me tomorrow! He said we’ll set the time.

When I came back, I went, and the prosecutor said, ‘How can you connect all these things?’

I said, there are some things in evidence and some things in exclusion. Any other injury in the body, asphyxia is a diagnosis of exclusion. But I can demonstrate the mechanism. The defense attorney jumps up and says, ‘I would like to see this!’ I said, ‘Sir, would you like to volunteer?’

I positioned him on the floor, and I jumped on his back. By the time he was turning blue, and the jurors jumped up from their seats and they all started shaking. I brought him back, and that was the end of it.

The case in Troy a few years ago, where the gentleman smothered while intoxicated, and his second wife and her nephew who was a transgender, and he needed some money for the continuation of the operation. That was a particularly quirky situation, and it was only a scrape on the left side of the nose and the left nostril, and the eyebrow and the bottom of the eye and lid, because of the pressure exerted there. They thought, it’s only that. We have to have something else.

MINUTES. IN REALITY, IT'S INVESTIGATIVE AND IT'S A LONG PROCESS OF CAREFUL EVALUATIONS.

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30

WESTEND

10.15

THEY PAY THE COUNTY, WE DO THE WORK. OCCASIONALLY, THEY SEND SOMETHING FROM

When they put on the nephew, who was actually acting as a niece, and dating the local jeweler, it was a saucy story. This person on the stand explained how it all happened because he was trying to tell them, hey, I didn’t want to kill him.’ They came back from the casino and the wife wasted, I think, $140,000 at the casino. And they were well-to-do people. But she was afraid of breaking the news. So, when they saw him sitting there, drunk in the chair, they danced around him, he got more drunk.

I told them right from the beginning from looking at the photographs – because I never saw the body because the body was cremated – that something like a cushion was used. I asked them if they found the cushion at the scene. They didn’t look for it because nobody thought it was a murder at the time. The niece/nephew on the stand said, ‘we came in, the old man was drunk, I jumped in his lap, he played with my boobs, we gave him more vodka, and then he zonked out, and Billie Jean said, now’s the time. I said, time for what?

She said, time to finish him off. I said, I don’t want any part of it. Billie Jean said, Yeah, but I have a $140,000 loss at the casino, and you have to pay for that operation from the waist down, $75,000. I said, OK, let’s finish him off. And then Billie Jean grabbed a cushion.’

When I heard that!

That has to be very gratifying.

It is. But you have to have good people on every case. There are some great defense attorneys which we have to appreciate because they are working hard, too. It’s not the experts prevailing, it’s the evidence that prevails. You can do all kinds of tricks and mumbo jumbo and smokescreens – it just doesn’t work. It’s the mere evidence that you show and you demonstrate and people can see with their eyes and connect with everything else. Then they go, ‘hey, there is logic.’ When there is no logic, it is a guessing game. And you don’t want the jury to guess.

For a number of years, we believe, Genesee County paid Oakland County to conduct autopsies, but they have now created their own department. Has that cost Oakland County a good deal of revenue? Does Oakland County handle autopsies for any other counties now?

No, in the sense that we did generate revenues, in the past we also had Livingston County for several years. The problem is (of) a different nature. We would have continued for quite a long time because there are entities that were very happy with us. But there were entities that were not (within Genesee County government). Without getting into details, for example, every prosecutor’s office that has ever dealt with us was happy and wanted to have us at their side because my people and I can provide the things. You cannot generate the facts from nothing. And that went down. It’s certain cases that came close to home, that touched the nerves of some people, where they could not modify our position.

We never, ever experienced that from anyone across the street here.

People know their boundaries. I think they were brought up that way.

There is a tradition in Oakland County, I’ve noticed over the years, that everybody does what they are supposed to do. They do not try to

OUT OF STATE. WE'VE HAD CASES FROM CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, FLORIDA. SECOND AUTOPSIES.

infringe with their concepts, regardless of what type of government.

Yet, out there, that’s exactly what happened. In Livingston, they didn’t like the baby found in the garbage can was determined to be a homicide, because it put them in the position of having to do the investigation, possibly having to charge someone that was close to someone. One the other hand, in Genesee County, a clearly accidental death of a child, change it to a homicide because someone was suing law enforcement, someone who was rough with them. In the preliminary examination, they determined somehow it was suspicious and it should come out like this and there was a lawsuit. They wanted to change the evidence. They went so far as to hire some convincing expert. They dragged this lady from Ann Arbor Mott’s Children Hospital. We were showing her photos of the child in the auditorium, because they wanted to show the child was a victim of sexual abuse.

It did not exist. I’m telling her in front of all my doctors, investigators, their representatives, please show me where the evidence is so we can accept it for consideration. The lady pulls out the manual of child abuse from her purse, and says, ‘It’s here.’ Oh really?

Does Oakland County handle autopsies for any other counties now?

We handle requests. We handle Jackson County, their requests for complex situations and decomposed bodies because they don’t have the facilities. Some of my people are, after hours, consultants for Jackson County. We perform autopsies for third party requests, like attorneys, families wanting to have a private autopsy. They pay the county, we do the work. Occasionally, they send something from out of state. We’ve had cases from California, Nevada, Florida. Second autopsies. Question of this, question of that. We have done death penalty case from Ohio a few years ago. It’s not the big time revenue source. Certainly, Genesee County was, for four, five years, bringing solid revenues – it was probably making one-third of the budget at the time. It’s a lot of work, and their homicide rates have been traditionally higher in those years. I don’t know how they are now. We gave them a break on court fees. We were running to court without charging them for traditional court fees. It was included in the package. It was a lot more work for us. At the time, they could’t reach an agreement with the medical examiner at Hurley Hospital, so they were stuck. They came to us and said, ‘Can you help us?’ And we starting helping. The county then looked into an inter-county agreement. We still have occasional cases where we run out there. But they read the message – they could not control an Oakland County agency.

Here, any police officer who has a question, from any township or city, is free to walk in or call and discuss it. Here we are. Questions arise every day. Same with the prosecutor’s office. Sheriff’s department. If they don’t feel that they can access us at any given time, Scan for audio there’s something wrong. It’s a partnership Dr. Ljubisa Dragovic interview. based on equal participation, mutual respect, and trust.

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Briar Rabbit hillip-Michael Scales has written and performed music since he was a child, but it wasn't until after graduating from The Roeper School and the Berklee College of Music in Boston that Briar Rabbit was officially born.

"I started making records in high school," Rabbit said. "The last day of 8th grade, we put on a concert in my best friend's backyard. I had a few projects, and my first tour was the summer before my senior year. I had two shows in Chicago, and shows in Ohio and Indiana. I moved to Chicago in 2009, and started Briar Rabbit in 2010."

As Scales, Rabbit was influenced by music from an early age – he is, after all, the nephew of late blues legend BB King. However, rather than being content with imitating his uncle, Rabbit worked and studied for years to develop his own style. At 29, he has successfully forged a unique blend of soul and folk, which he presents with the comfort and style of a veteran performer.

"I didn't disclose that fact until about two summers ago," he said of the relation to King. "It was funny, when I had the conversation with him, he said 'You can let people know, but I want to make sure I don't overshadow you.'"

"It influenced me in who he was. The blues was going to be in my house no matter what, but I wanted to have my own style and approach to music and what I do. But it was watching his shows – he was one of the first performers I saw – to see his approach was what influenced me the most. So, my stage show is very open and personal."

Raised in West Bloomfield and a 2005 graduate of The Roeper

P

School, Rabbit's early influences included pop and indy rock, but matured into his own style as he grew into a songwriter.

"I like the heavy, heartfelt lyrics," he said. "Like, 'Don't make me guess, don't make me figure it out. I hate when the truth is in your face and not in your mouth.' That's more my style, compared to the 'baby, baby, baby.'"

From there he studied the music business at Berklee, and moved to Chicago in 2009, just before creating the Briar Rabbit persona. He has gained a following by opening for acts such as Crystal Bowersox, Tyler Hilton, Jon McLaughlin, Kate Voegele, and others. In addition to national tours and playing out of the country, Rabbit has picked up a local following at places like The Ark, The Blind Pig, Rustbelt and other metro Detroit and Ann Arbor locations.

In August, Rabbit hit the road again, this time taking his skills to Los Angeles, where he is working on making a name for himself, and paying his dues playing music and, of course, waiting a few tables.

"I play a little here and there, and there are these private gigs that have come to me," he said of his first few weeks in Los Angeles. "It's been paying bills, so there's that. I've done this many times and changed cities, so it's good to take some time to learn the market, and then kind of come out.

"I think the whole career pays dividends," he said. "To stay sane, you have to look at is as planning fees."

Story: Kevin Elliott

Photo: Benjamin Weatherson

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A PRIMER: DISTRICT COURTS

BY KATIE DESKA

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ut of the various courts in our judicial system, it’s within district courts that citizens will most likely have the most contact.

As a basic primer: The district court is where most traffic violations are resolved; it has exclusive jurisdiction over all civil cases with claims of up to $25,000, such as landlordtenant, land contract forfeitures, garnishments, evictions and other related proceedings. It’s where all misdemeanor criminal cases, punishable by up to not more than one year in jail, are adjudicated, including offenses such as drunk driving, domestic violence, retail fraud, trespassing, and disorderly assault and battery. Additionally, the district court sets and accepts bail and conducts the preliminary examinations for all felony cases, which are defined as crimes punishable by more than one year in state prison.

Chief Judge Julie Nicholson of the 52nd district court, with four divisions in Oakland County, said, “The preliminary examination is like a mini court trial. Then the district judge decides if there’s enough evidence to move (the case) forward. Then we bind it over to Oakland County Circuit Court. They have the case from there.” istrict courts were established by the Michigan Legislature in 1968 by Public Act 154. At that time, districts were placed in one of three classes, determined primarily by population density and potential revenue. A district’s class determines the court’s source of funding, known as the funding unit. Many of northern Michigan’s districts are first class, meaning they span multiple counties, each of which contributes to funding. Second class districts are funded by the county and comprise municipalities within a single county that are not within the bounds of a third class district. Third class districts are funded by the cities, townships, or villages within the district.

While some district courts serve just one municipality, such as Pontiac’s 50th, many district courts have jurisdiction over multiple municipalities, such as the 48th, which serves seven communities, including Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, and Bloomfield Hills, along with West Bloomfield, Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake, and Orchard Lake. The 52nd district spans the largest geographical area within Oakland County’s nine district courts, and serves 34 municipalities within four divisions, overseen by one chief judge. Other courts, such as the 43rd district, have multiple courthouses in different municipalities but function as one court and do not have divisions. There, one judge presides over each of its locations in Madison Heights, Ferndale and Hazel Park, though the court functions as one.

Referring to the case assignment processes, Esther Davis, management assistant for Region 1 of Michigan’s trial courts, said, “Each court has a local administrative order indicating what their case assignment is.” At district courts 48 and 52, judges are assigned cases by blind draw. “Once the court receives what’s called the complaint and warrant from the prosecutors office – they’re the one who’s authorizing the charges – then they submit it to the court and then the defendant is arraigned by whoever the arraigning magistrate or judge is,” Nicholson said.

“The case is then submitted into the blind draw system and assigned to the judge.”

At the 44th district, which serves Royal

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Oak and Berkley, “the first case goes to one judge, then the next to the second judge,” said court administrator Gary Dodge. “The files have a W or M,” indicating Judge Meinecke or Judge Wittenberg. “The files are stacked up. We take them in order off the top of the stack when we open a new file, so this one goes that way; the other goes the other way.” At the 43rd district, it depends on case type as to where the case ends up being heard. Sharon Arseneault, court administrator for the 43rd, explained, “For any civil filings – general civil, landlord tenant, small claims – when those cases come in they’re blind drawn for which judge they’ll be assigned to. But for our district court, because we're in different facilities, we each handle our own criminal and traffic cases. If it happens in Madison Heights, it stays in Madison Heights, and same for Ferndale and Hazel Park.”

When Michigan’s district courts were established in the late 1960s, municipalities within what is now the 52nd district court were largely rural. Areas such as Troy, Rochester and Clarkston, among other communities, were considered municipalities unable to fund their own courts. Deeming the local population and revenue insufficient, the 52nd court was designated a second class court, meaning the county funded it. Today, the county remains the funding unit for the 52nd district, which, according to Nicholson, now serves an estimated 300,000 people. All other district courts in Oakland County are third class and receive no funding from the county.

Deborah Green, administrator for Region 1, explained, “Back when the laws were written you only got a city-funded court if (the municipality) was large enough to fund a city court. Today it would be different, but that’s why it exists.” As to why legislation hasn’t been passed to reorient the 52nd into a third class district like the rest of Oakland County district courts, Green said, “That question does come up from time to time.

Ask (Oakland County Executive L.) Brooks Patterson that question. The answer is that the county doesn’t want to.”

Green said it’s not uncommon for third class, locally funded courts to put money back into the communities they serve. As mandated by the state legislature, revenue generated from the fines and fees incurred by defendants is distributed to various local or state funds, depending on which ordinance or statute was violated.

When a Michigan state statute is violated, a portion of the fines paid go to the appropriate county treasurer to support libraries. For a non-commercial vehicle, onethird of the fine incurred from a municipality’s ordinance violation is paid to

the municipality, and the remaining twothirds is paid to the county. Businesses and freeways that have a big draw can impact the community in which they’re located. Jill Palulian, court administrator for division four of the 52nd district (52-4) located in Troy, said, “The majority of tickets we receive here are non-residents. We have a lot of people coming over from Ontario who shop at Somerset Mall, and a multitude of strip malls. I-75 is a major thoroughfare.”

The revenue poured into a community from law-breakers makes an even bigger impact when court costs are factored in.

The maximum court cost fee for traffic civil infractions is $100, and for state and municipal civil infractions the court cost fee can reach up to $500. Additional fines the defendant may be required to pay include costs of prosecution, probation or restitution. The state has a Crime Victim’s Rights Fund to which the guilty party is required to pay for select misdemeanors and felonies.

Although the 48th is a third class court, only the four largest of the seven municipalities served are the funding units.

The remaining three, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village and Sylvan Lake, are billed based on their caseload and usage of the court. “There’s a calculation that goes into what they get billed back for,” said Nicole D’Orea, finance director for the 48th district court. “It's called their charge back.”

James Harkins, court administrator for the 48th said, “We’re funded by Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham and West Bloomfield based on a 1985 agreement (between all seven communities served). Basically in a nutshell, expenses and revenues are predicated on caseloads from those various jurisdictions.” ccording to data provided

by D’Orea, Bloomfield Township generated the highest percentage of the funding units’ total caseload, at 38.10 percent in 2013, and 40.19 percent in 2014.

Birmingham followed, generating 27.02 percent in 2013, and 28.17 percent in 2014.

West Bloomfield cases made up 26.95 percent in 2013, and 24.26 percent in 2014.

Bloomfield Hills, which made up a significantly smaller portion the funding units’ total caseload, contributed between seven and eight percent for both years.

The number of judges per court is mandated by the state legislature, and varies depending upon the court’s caseload.

In July of this year, the SCAO published the Judicial Resources Recommendations (JRR), as they do every odd-number year, which outlines recommendations to the state for

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the number of judgeships in Michigan’s trial, circuit, and probate courts based on statistical findings from the previous three years, which in the 2015 report is 2012 2014. The analysis conducted by the SCAO initiates changes in judgeships, but ultimately the state legislature determines the number of judges in a given district, all of whom are elected by citizens of the district for six-year terms.

“It (the report) reflects the most recent data, but then there is trend data that shows how the data has changed over the last decade,” said John Nevin, public communications director for the Michigan Supreme Court. ennifer Thom, court administrator for the 51st District Court in Waterford, said, “The judicial resources report evaluates all courts in Michigan, and looks at caseload. They evaluate all the data, they do a preliminary evaluation and the SCAO reviews additional factors. They’re looking into whether there are other variables that need to be considered, such as, some courts in the U.P. have judges who travel to multiple districts. Then a recommendation is made based on judicial caseload and workload.”

The 2015 executive summary of the JRR states, “Case filings are weighted to reflect the amount of judicial time necessary to handle each case type. For example, a medical malpractice case requires much more judicial involvement than a civil infraction, so the medical malpractice case weight is much greater.” Nicholson, who oversees the 10 judges of 52nd, said, “District court judges don’t agree with the weighting of cases. The work we’re doing isn’t just in court. We do a lot of research, legal research done behind the scenes, reviewing of files, reviewing cases before sentencing.”

The shifting trend in caseload numbers can be, to an extent, attributed to changes in the economy. Palulian of 52-4 said, “When you have a downturn in the economy, we also have a downturn in caseloads. Law enforcement cutbacks, police officer cutbacks; slowly that’s returning. They’ve been able to add one or two people back in. It’s cyclical with the economy. We could have a downturn in certain kinds of cases. Less traffic cases because there’s less officers at that time, but then an increase in filings of civil cases because people aren’t paying their bills. The caseload remains static, but the caseload make up differs in economic times.” For example, civil cases such as landlord-tenant disputes may increase in a bad economy

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because people may not have the money to pay their rent. This sentiment was echoed by administrators from other districts.

“Certainly we saw our share of foreclosures, probably 2008 to a good portion of 2011.”

Palulian noted. “That’s an increase in a caseload area. We don’t see as many of them now.”

As to the caseload in Waterford, Thom said, “We’ve seen the biggest impact on (decreasing) civil infraction filings. In 2010, several officers retired through attrition and they (Waterford) laid off 10 officers on October 1, 2010 because of budgetary reasons and have never replenished the force. That’s what we attribute a lot of our decrease to. When there’s less officers on the road, you have to triage in terms of importance. They have to focus on the higher priority of crime. The court is here to receive filings.”

Westend Newsmagazine compiled data gathered from the 2000, 2013 and 2014 annual reports published by the Michigan Supreme Court. The reports, which provide caseload figures, are categorized into three types: traffic, non-traffic and civil. Traffic cases include misdemeanor and civil trafficrelated charges as well as Operating Under the Influence of Liquor (OUIL) and Operating While Intoxicated (OWI). In the non-traffic category are felony, misdemeanor and civil infractions, such as a noise violations and other offenses that incur a fine due to a municipal code violation, unrelated to traffic violations. The civil category includes small claims cases (up to $5,500 in claims, no attorney present), civil cases (claims over $5,500 and under $25,000, with an attorney), and summary proceedings involving, for example, landlord-tenant cases, and land contract forfeitures.

According to the state-published data, in 2000 the total caseload (parking violations omitted) for all four divisions of district 52 was 253,988; yet by 2014, that figure dropped to 140,690. The division with the steepest drop was 52-1, which had 103,453 cases in 2000 and 47,584 in 2014. Court 523 followed, dropping from 83,786 in 2000 to 45,167 in 2014. Comparing years 2000 with 2014, the total caseload for 52-1 fell 54 percent. The majority of the drop, 64.33 percent, occurred in non-traffic cases, followed by traffic, which had a 59.45 percent drop. Civil cases fell only 1.08 percent.

The July 2015 recommendation from SCAO as a result of their statistical analysis, published in the JRR, is to reduce one judgeship, through attrition, from the 52nd district, and to add one judgeship to the 6th circuit court. It calculated the workload per judge at 52nd district court as

88 percent, while the 6th Circuit Court and probate court analysis were calculated as 108 percent workload per judge.

“The 52nd District Court can operate with 8.19 judges and has a judicial excess of 1.81. The 6th Circuit Court and Oakland County Probate Court need 25.91 judges and have a judicial need of 1.91,” the JRR wrote.

“We (the judges at 52nd) don’t agree with the recommendation,” Judge Nicholson said. “While there has been a reduction of caseload over the years, it’s going back up.

As of right now, the first six months of this year, we’ve experienced an increase of caseloads in all four divisions (civil, criminal, traffic and probation).” Palulian echoed Nicholson. “We’re all disagreeing with it (the recommendation) because our caseload is up. This year we’re up 15.77 percent in overall caseload from January to July of this year compared to last year. We have a 40 percent increase in ordinance misdemeanor cases, like shoplifting and non-traffic misdemeanor cases.”

In 2011, the SCAO recommended a reduction of one judgeship for 52-4, which serves Troy and Clawson. House Bill 5105 was drafted by the Michigan Legislature, and upon approval, mandated the reduction by attrition to reflect SCAO’s recommendation.

“Since 2011, there’ve been recommendations by attrition of 40 judges (throughout the Michigan’s trial courts) that were approved by the legislature,” said Nevin. “Of those 40, over the last four years, we’ve seen 25 actually eliminated already.

Since Chief Justice Robert P. Young has been the chief, there’s been a very strong push from the Supreme Court urging the legislature to act on these recommendations.” he reduction at 52-4 took effect at the end of 2012, when Judge Dennis Drury’s term expired, and the 52-4 decreased from three to two judges. Nicholson expressed her concern, noting, “We already eliminated one (in 2011), now they want to eliminate another one. I think it’s a dangerous proposition. Once you take something away, it’s hard to get it back. What happens if they take a judge away in three years, then we are lambasted?”

“There are other district courts in Oakland County that have lower caseloads than we do, and there wasn’t a recommendation to reduce their judicial resources,” she continued. “Because they (SCAO) made a recommendation to add a circuit court judge in Oakland County, they thought, ‘Why not remove a judge from a

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district, from one of the 52nds, because Oakland County is the funding unity for 52nd.'”

In 2003, the jurisdiction for district 52 was changed, affecting divisions one and two. Sharon Rupe, court administrator for 52-2, said, “Through legislation, we got a second judgeship. White Lake and Rose Township used to be under 52-1 until 2003.

Legislation was passed and they were passed to 52-2.”

“We (the 51st district court) currently have two judges. I believe we’ve always been a two-judge court,” said Thom. “Our caseload is down, but we were not one of the courts recommended for a reduction.”

According to the JRR, the workload per judge at the 51st district of Waterford was calculated as 50 percent, indicating an excess of .99 judgeships.

The 44th district’s workload per judge was calculated at 160 percent, indicating a need of .6 judgeships. The 44th district court of Royal Oak recently underwent a change in jurisdiction as the 45th district, serving Berkley, was absorbed into the Royal Oak court, which now has two judges. The merger was initially set to take effect in 2020, but when Judge Terrence Brennan of Royal Oak abruptly retired on December 31, 2014, prompted by allegations of an affair with a co-worker, the consolidation occurred five years early.

“The two judges I’ve got (at the 44th district court) have a tremendous amount of energy. They’re real workers, they’re cranking out so many cases, but it’s more difficult for my staff to keep up with them,” Dodge said. “Something a judge does on the bench in five minutes can take hours of work after. The staff, as a result of their energetic approach, are getting almost too much to handle.” et, the 2015 JRR states, “As of June 1, 2015, the 44th District Court has two judges but this court is scheduled to lose one judgeship by attrition.”

Regarding this, Nevin said, “It’s already been enacted based on a previous recommendation, most likely from the 2013 report,” before the merger occurred. “It doesn’t mean that the decision couldn’t be changed at some point. But as far as I’m aware, they rarely change.”

The 2015 JRR report also stated that “As of June 1, 2015” the 48th district court is “scheduled to lose one (of its three) judgeship by attrition.” The outside date of the judgeship removal is 2033, which Nevin said, “would be if every judge that could possibly be affected by this action stayed to the end of the term until they turned 70,

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and could not run again.” It’s uncertain what that outcome will be. According to the JRR, the 48th is at 93 percent of what’s deemed proper workload, and has a calculated excess of .13 judges.

In 2000, the total caseload at the 48th was 48,445, and dropped 15.39 percent in 2014, to a total caseload of 40,989. In 2013 and 2014, Bloomfield Township generated the highest number of cases. In 2013, 38.1 percent of cases came from Bloomfield Township and in 2014, the township generated 40.19 percent of cases. The 2015 JRR states, “As of June 1, 2015, the 48th District Court has three judges, but this court is scheduled to lose one judgeship by attrition.”

“We’ve had three judges since 1969, since the court was created,” Harkins said.

A judge cannot be fired, so the only way for a reduction of a judgeship to occur is when a judge retires, “ages out” (a judge cannot be reelected after age 70), passes away, or is removed after an investigation by the Judicial Tenure Commission. “The reason they (the removals) are by attrition,” said Nevin, “is so there’s a smooth transition, so there’s no gap or slowdown in the administration of justice.”

Unlike many districts, which do their budgets on an annual basis, the 52nd district court, funded by Oakland County, operates on a three-year budget, along with the rest of the county. Brian Henderson, who joined 52-3 in April as the court administrator, said, “This is the first time that I’ve been part of a public or private business that uses more than a oneyear budget. In speaking with the other administrators, it is good for us to have that three-year projection.” Henderson said the budget was reduced during the recession, but that the court hasn’t requested an increase.

Due to budget restrictions mandated by the county in 2009, court 52-4 reduced its staff by two. “Each department in the county had a budget task, so everyone had to take a look where they could meet dollars being requested,” Palulian said, noting they eliminated one full-time probation officer and one-full time court clerk.

Thom, of the 51st district said, “Fortunately, we were able to constrict based on attrition. We didn’t have to lay anyone off.

We used to be at over 30 staff positions. In 2009 we had 31 full-time staff; in 2015, we have 22 or 21 full-time staff. Our staff has decreased by well over 30 percent over the past several years. We’ve cross-trained and done more with the people we have in the building, fulfilling multiple roles.”

To assist with caseload, a district can use visiting judges, who are retired judges. “You can use a visiting judge if they’re (district judge) out of town for a mandatory conference, or when someone is ill, or any number of different reasons,” Dodge said.

“You can use a visiting judge if you have a

horrendous case load.” There’s a visiting judge list that can be referenced in times of need by a district.

In several district courts, magistrates handle cases that don’t require a judge.

Unlike district court judges who are elected, magistrates are appointed by the judges, hired by the court, and restricted to hearing certain types of cases. Magistrates hear traffic cases, small claims, and arraignments, as well as conduct weddings.

At the first division of the 52nd court (521), located in Novi and serving 11 municipalities, including, Commerce Township, Walled Lake and Wolverine Lake, court administrator Alexandra Black said, “We have one full-time position split between three or four part-time magistrates.

They split the week. Magistrates do some overflow - weddings, civil infractions because there is so many of them. They can do arraignments and a lot of times their docket isn’t set. What they do is, on a Monday morning, with all the weekend arrests, people will be in jail, and now because of our video technology, they don’t have to physically bring the prisoner here.

We do video arraignments everyday.” ideo arraignments are one of the ways courts have streamlined proceedings.

Black said video arraignments “save a lot of manpower” because “they’re not taking an officer off the road” to transport the defendant. “They basically put them in front of a camera and the officer can go back on the road.”

Yet, as a judge, Nicholson had a different opinion. “We’ve been doing video arraignments for over 19 years since I became a judge. I don’t think it streamlines much. It helps the sheriff’s department. We (the judges) do the arraignments whether they’re standing here or on video; it doesn’t take less time.”

This technology, and others such as Polycom, which enables people to give their testimonies over the phone, saves on taxpayer dollars if not on judges' time. As Black described, if a witness is out of state, the prosecutor’s office doesn’t have to pay to have them brought in, as well as paying for sheriff deputies to accompany them.

She said, “Polycom allows the testimony to go throughout the court recorders equipment so it's recorded. If they (the prosecutor’s office) want to prosecute someone, you can save a lot on cost because you don’t just pay someone for their time on the stand. You pay for their time in court. So because they’re not sitting in court, you’re basically paying them for their testimonial.”

V

FACES Howard Lutz or Howard Lutz, it may have appeared as the beginning of the end in 2009. His family's long-time newspaper distribution business was in the midst of shutting down following the pullout of several major national publications.

"I was fairly down over the loss of a family business. I turned 50 in 2009, and everything came to a head," Lutz said. "All I knew was that I wasn't going to race into something that was against the grain of my own soul, so to speak. In 2011, I didn't have any indication or knowledge of the medical marijuana situation. It wasn't on my radar, and I didn't have an active interest."

That changed when longtime friend Rob Teitel, who worked in the mortgage industry for years, contacted Lutz about a potential business opportunity. The idea was to open a medical marijuana testing laboratory.

"I said, 'let me know if you need any investors.' The next day he called and we talked at length," Lutz said. "I decided that in order for me to do it and fund it, I needed to run it, day-to-day. So, I took all my pent up skills from Lutz News Company, and turned them over to running a lab. To me, business is business.

"What I wanted to do was bring a different face to this business. If this was going to be taken seriously, if medical marijuana was going to be a viable option and be embraced as a form of commerce, it needs people that know both sides of the fence."

Iron Laboratories opened in Walled Lake in 2011 as a comprehensive laboratory testing medical cannabis products.

While Lutz focuses on the day-to-day business aspects of the lab, the facility is ISO certified, with professional lab technicians.

"We look for infestations, like mites and mold. We detect moisture, and we look at the chemical compound to analyze the various potency levels of the cannabinoid and product itself," he said of the testing process. "It's about a gram-and-a-half sample size. We aren't a warehouse of massive amounts of medicine."

Navigating real politics and business politics, while working with law enforcement agencies and others, Lutz said he has found great rewards in the challenges of the new business.

"It was a little challenging. I wasn't sure what to expect, to be honest," Lutz said. "It brought me a lot of satisfaction in the first couple of years. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer at the time, and I was out cultivating business myself."

Today, the lab has more than 1,300 clients, and maintains a strong online presence with a new website that was rolled out in June. The lab's success has spurred a second location in Eugene, Oregon that is planned to open this fall.

Lutz said he sees Iron Laboratories as providing some answers in a industry that is currently surrounded by many questions. The lab offers services to caregivers and others who want to ensure the product they are buying or selling is free from contaminants. It also provides them with a way of labeling a product the same way the federal Food and Drug Administration requires.

"We have our labels on our clients' products, down to milligrams, dosages, weight, percentage of THC, and other cannabinoids," Lutz said. "These are things that will distinguish the difference between what is regulated and what isn't regulated. It will be our science.�

F

Story: Kevin Elliott

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MUNICIPAL DDA apartments receive approval

By Kevin Elliott

A site plan for a 299-unit apartment complex slated for construction in the Commerce Township Downtown Development Authority (DDA) project area was approved on Wednesday, September 16, by the township's planning commission.

The planning commission approved the site plan with some conditional requirements related to some minor changes needed to comply with engineering and landscape architecture, the latter which is still being determined by landscape architecture firm Grissim Metz Andriese Associates.

The approval marks a significant move forward for the project, which has been named Barrington by Farmington Hills developer M. Shapiro Development Company.

"I'm very excited to see it move forward," said DDA Director Mark Stacey. "The next step is closing on the property. After (site plan) approval, there are deadlines. We are hoping to close by the end of October."

In 2013, Shapiro signed a $5.15 million purchase agreement with the DDA for about 60 acres of land to build 399 high-end apartment units, along with a commercial business development northwest of Martin Parkway and Pontiac Trail and just west of the current Commerce Township Library. The project was stalled while the developer worked to secure permits for the project from the Road Commission for Oakland County and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. A site plan for the residential portion of the property was submitted to the township for review in June, following approval in the permitting process.

A revised plan for the project changed the number of apartments from 399 to 299, which includes a mix of multi-family units and "stacked" ranch homes.

Amy Neary, planning consultant for the township, said the units include twocar garages and range in size from 1,476 to 1,597 square-feet for the multi-family apartments, and about 1,500 square feet for the ranch units. The development will be comprised of about 21 buildings that will have a combination of three or four attached units for ranches, and 18 multifamily buildings.

With the addition of nearly 300 homes in the area, Stacey said the planning commission was also presented with data from a traffic study

by Michael Labadie of Fleis & westendmonthly.com

Builders leery of home design standards

By Kevin Elliott

n effort to increase the variety of homes built in Commerce Township by requiring developers to adhere to new design standards has received opposition from home builders working in the township.

The design standards would basically require builders to have variations in newly constructed homes so that the same model couldn't be built within three adjacent homes on a street. The requirement on Wednesday, September 16, was presented to the township planning commission for review. However, builders attending the meeting said the standards would be difficult to support.

Jim Galbraith, president of Lautrec, who is working on multiple developments in the township with M. Shapiro Development, said he would have a hard time getting behind the design standards as proposed. Galbraith was joined by Randy Wertheimer of Hunter Pasteur Homes, as well as a representative of Pinnacle Homes in voicing their concerns about the proposed standards.

The proposed standards were developed with the assistance of McKenna Associates planner Amy Neary at the request of the township board. Trustee Rob Long in June asked if such a standard could be developed in order to eliminate "cookie cutter" designs from proliferating in the township.

Neary said in June that some communities have developed similar standards, which require having a certain number of housing models or styles per development, but that "developers don't usually like that."

Galbraith said there are ways to address variety in a development, but he and other developers want to be able to provide input on how best to do that, and to be able to do it in a realistic way. In general, developers at the meeting indicated the standards would be impossible to enforce as written, and financially onerous.

Planning commission president Larry Haber agreed that all stakeholders should have input on the standards, including developers in the township. The board tabled reviewing the standards to allow input from additional stakeholders.

A

Vandenbrink. That study, which was contracted by the DDA board in November 2013 for $20,000, has yet to be presented to the board. However, Stacey said data presented to the planning commission indicates the Barrington development shouldn't significantly impact traffic in the area.

"There will be no left turn into the Shapiro project from Welch, so there shouldn't be a significant problem," Stacey said.

DIA's Inside Out program in village Seven high-quality art reproductions from the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) will be on display throughout the end of October in Wolverine Lake Village as part of the institute's Inside Out program.

Now in its sixth year, the DIA's Inside Out program brings about 90 reproductions of art masterpieces from the DIA's collection to the streets and parks of metro Detroit.

The art is displayed outside in about

10 communities each spring and summer. In Wolverine Lake, artwork will be on display through Saturday, October 31.

Art and locations in Wolverine Lake include: Coastal Scene with a Man-of-War and Other Vessels, by Ludolf Backhuysen at The Benstein Bridge/Walkway, on Benstein Road between Delmonte Street and McCoy Street; Winter Landscape in Moonlight, by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, at the Dairy Twist, 2660 Benstein Road; Portrait of Sophie, Princess of Palatine, by Gerrit van Honthorst, at the Vita Trail Fitness area, 851 Glengary Road; Head of a Woman, by unknown Egyptian artist, at Wolverine Lake Village Hall, 425 Glengary Road; Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket, James Abbot McNeil Whistler, at the DNR Public Access Site, 425 Glengary Road; Bank of the Oise at Auvers, by Vincent van Gogh, Village Dam Site, Glengary Road between Oakview Drive and Tampa Drive; The Lily Pond, by Charles Harry Eaton, at C.A.Y.A., 1403 S. Commerce Road.

WESTEND

Dodge Park library plan moves forward

By Kevin Elliott

Efforts to construct a $7 million library inside Dodge Park 5 at S. Commerce and Commerce Roads are moving forward as planned, said Commerce Township Supervisor Tom Zoner at a special meeting Tuesday, September 22.

"The library is a done deal. It's going where it's going to go," Zoner said, dispelling any rumors of using an alternate site for the township's future public library. "There was some discussion as to why (board members) weren't having the opportunity to look at the former Hiller's as a secondary location.

The bottom line is, the board approved a motion to put it at Dodge Park."

The township board of trustees in October 2014 voted to build a 35,000 square-foot library at the park property, which is owned by the township. The facility will replace the township's current library, at 2869 N. Pontiac Trail. However, Zoner said trustee Bob Berkheiser had questioned whether the township could utilize a shuttered Hiller's grocery location on Union Lake Road to build the library.

That proposal wasn't formally introduced to the board.

Zoner said the township has already spent about a half-million dollars on planning and design services to construct the library at Dodge Park 5.

"We have some trees to clear so they can get the equipment in there and start placing the foundation for the library," he said.

Zoner said crews will cut some trees at the park, then move a pavilion to a new location in the park. Crews should then be able to begin placing the foundation for the building and clear the area where the parking lot will go, before beginning actual construction this winter.

"We are looking at completion in 2018 sometime," Zoner said. "We are about eight months behind. If we would have started on a regular schedule, in April, it would probably be functioning in 2017, but we had a lot of delays."

Village councilman questioned in report

By Kevin Elliott

Wolverine Lake Village Councilman Ed Sienkiewicz was blasted on Wednesday, September 16,

by FOX 2 news reporter Rob Wolchek as a "grouch" who is trying to keep 43

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people from accessing the lake through property next to his home, but Sienkiewicz said the following day that the reporter seemed to have overlooked the facts, notably that fishing is not permitted at the outlot.

Wolchek, who is known for his "Hall of Shame" segments, in his report called Sienkiewicz a "big shot" and "grouch," who allegedly chases people off of a road end that allows access by the public to the site on Wolverine Lake. The site, which is at the end of Marchar Drive at Oakview Drive, is adjacent to Sienkiewicz's property.

Sienkiewicz, reached while on vacation, said he hadn't yet seen the news report, but received several phone calls about it.

"They thought it was an ambush, chicken-s--- thing they did," Sienkiewicz said. "He pops up and starts throwing questions at me, and I was trying to answer them. I asked him if he had been to the village to get the rules, and he said he didn't need to, and that 'the neighbors told me everything I need to know.'

"He was very rude, and kept calling me a grumpy, gray-haired old man, and his crew was walking all over my property."

In his report, Wolchek spoke to neighbors who claimed Sienkiewicz has taken measures to obstruct the access site by placing rocks and plants in the water to obstruct the site.

Wolchek also sent two teenagers to the site with a kayak to test whether Sienkiewicz would instruct them to stay away. Finally, Wolchek went to the site himself with a fishing pole and was told by Sienkiewicz he wasn't allowed to fish at the site.

In the video, Sienkiewicz can be heard on the video telling the boys "that's not your property," and admonished the teens for damaging the cattails that are thriving at the site, claiming the vegetation was planted there. Sienkiewicz was also heard on the video telling Wolchek that fishing wasn't allowed at the site.

"I'm not going to make a complaint, I'm not going to make a stink, I just want to tell you, like I told the last guys that came down here and ran a boat through there and knocked down all that growth there that they have been trying to put up," Sienkiewicz tells Wolchek.

He later told him the vegetation grew naturally, as an act of Mother Nature.

"Ed and Rob discuss what's law and what isn't," Wolchek wrote in his report. "The law actually doesn't say westendmonthly.com

Chairman Gotts hospitalized after stroke ong-time Commerce Township volunteer and current Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Chairman Jim Gotts was hospitalized in late August following a serious medical condition.

Commerce Township Supervisor Tom Zoner on Thursday, Septembers 3, confirmed that Gotts was hospitalized on Tuesday, August 25, after suffering an apparent stroke. Zoner said he believed Gotts' condition to be critical, but stable.

Members of the DDA on September 22 voted to appoint member Tim Hoy as temporary chair of the board, pending Gotts’ recovery.

Hoy, who is a personal friend of Gotts, said on September 22 that Gotts had been in a coma for three weeks, but has been improving.

"He opened his eyes about three or four days ago, and he threw a few 'F-bombs' out, and we knew he was back," Hoy said. "He can move his arms and legs, but he has a long road to go yet."

Gotts, who has served on the DDA board since 2006, was flown to Detroit Receiving Hospital on August 25, where he was being monitored after being admitted into a special Neurological Intensive Care Unit.

Gotts previously served as a former chair of the township's planning commission. He is also active in civic pursuits and has contributed to the Walled Lake Schools district as a grant director and football coach.

Gotts, who holds an MBA from Michigan State University, also attended the University of California where he earned a Rose Bowl championship ring while playing football for USC. Gotts spent 30 years as the CEO and founder of Lakeland Underwriters Corporation. He is currently the director of risk management for the Ralph C. Wilson Agency.

L

anything about fishing, which Rob is licensed to do."

Sienkiewicz eventually called the police about the matter, who spoke to both him and the news crew before they each went on their way.

"In the end, Ed lands where all the big fish do: in the Hall of Shame!" the segment concluded.

Wolverine Lake Acting Police Chief Capt. John Ellsworth said the site is a public road ending, which may be used by the public to access the lake. However, he said the small site can't be used for fishing, swimming, sunbathing, or other activities. The site, he said, can be used for launching carry-on watercraft, such as canoes and kayaks.

"It's for going in and out of the water," Ellsworth said. "There isn't any signage, so people think it's their access site, but it's not deeded for access like a park for their subdivision. Some lots have those.

Like the one on Tampa Drive, that's is a deeded outlet for the people who live in that subdivision."

Outlots, such as the one on Tampa Drive, Ellsworth said, is owned by the residents of that particular subdivision, and is intended to be used as a lakefront lot by the residents.

However, he said, public access on road endings can only be used to

access the water, not for recreational activities on the land.

Ellsworth said the village maintains the road easement, which he said has a particularly low ingress and egress to and from the lake that brings with it a considerable amount of stormwater runoff from the road.

It's that runoff, Sienkiewicz said, that resulted in the vegetation growing at the site. However, he did say that plants and rocks had been placed by neighbors at the site in the past in order to act as a filter for the runoff entering the lake.

Sienkiewicz said there were issues at the site in the past, as some people were taking advantage of the site and doing things that weren't allowed, such as installing temporary docks, which were removed at the DNR's direction. Others, he said, had abused the site, leaving trash behind or damaging the lawn with their vehicles. Further, he said, the DNR's access site is about 150 feet from the site in question, which permits access without damaging the natural elements of the lake.

As for the complaints from neighbors, Sienkiewicz said he hasn't heard any in nearly a decade, but that it's possible realtors have mislead newer homeowners into believing the site could be used the same as a privately-owned outlot.

"It seemed like such a petty thing

WESTEND

to make a big deal out of. I thought it had been settled," he said. "If you're going to use it, you don't have to tear up the cattails or tear up the lawn with your car. Just leave it the way you found it."

No decision made on planner in Commerce

By Kevin Elliott

The Commerce Township Board of Trustees is expected on October 6, to decide whether to hire a full-time planning director for the first time in more than a decade or continue contracting planning services from an outside party.

The board on Tuesday, September 22, met for a special meeting to discuss planning services for the township, an issue members have continued to struggle with since May, when former planning consultant Kathleen Jackson left her position. At issue is whether the township will hire a full-time, in-house planner to work directly for the township, or hire an outside consulting firm to head up planning on a part-time basis.

"We need to decide if we need a fulltime planner or a part-time planner, which is what we had," trustee Bob Berkheiser said at the September 22, meeting. "If we need a full-time planner, then I think we should be hiring someone. If we decide we don't need a full-time planner and continue what we are doing, then it would be a contracted position. I don't think we can move much further."

The township has been contracting with McKenna Associates for planning services since May. The board in April approved contracting part-time planning services with McKenna until a search for a full-time planner could be conducted and a planning director is hired. A total of 17 people applied for the position, with the board ultimately interviewing seven applicants. Three finalists were selected for a second round of interviews on September 15.

Applicants interviewed on September 15 included former Sterling Heights planner Barry Hicks; Hartland planning director David Campbell; and Kristen Gundersen, who has worked as a planner in Michigan and Illinois. Each applicant was asked more than 20 questions, including questions related to outside planning consultants.

While the board has worked to narrow the list of applicants for the full-time position, it is at the same time considering a part-time planning consultant instead of an in-house staff member. The township received 45

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KEEP IT proposals from four businesses for part-time planning services. Those businesses include McKenna Associates; Wade Trim; Clearzoning; and Carlisle Wortman Associates.

Township supervisor Tom Zoner said in August that he would prefer to continue working with McKenna Associates on a part-time basis.

However, board members have been struggling to determine the needs of the planning department, as well as the pros and cons of having a parttime or full-time planner.

The cost of a full-time planner working directly for the township is estimated to be about $112,000 annually, which includes salary and benefits. Zoner estimated the cost of a part-time planner to be about $142,000. However, the estimate for contracted services doesn't include additional fees for attending meetings of the planning commission, zoning board of appeals and other special services.

"What I'm not clear on is what it would really cost us in a full calendar year for contracting services," trustee Rick Sovel said. "We already know with a full-time person that it's a flat fee. I

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would like to see accurate numbers."

The board will meet on October 6 to discuss the issue, and is expected at that time to make a final decision on the matter.

Haggerty, Richardson roads now open Nearly five months of roadwork was completed earlier in September as the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) re-opened Haggerty Road between Pontiac Trail and Richardson in Commerce and West Bloomfield townships.

While Haggerty is now open, the RCOC had temporarily closed Richardson Road to through traffic just east of Haggerty Road for continued construction. The RCOC said on September 23 that Richardson opened ahead of schedule.

Construction along Haggerty started in April, with Dan's Excavating heading up the work, including resurfacing with asphalt, concrete curbs and gutters, drainage, sidewalks/crosswalk ramps and signal improvements.

WESTEND

Westend.

The only publication of its kind in the west Oakland lakes area.

Quality editorial environment produced by professionals with years of experience covering the communities of Commerce, Walled Lake, Wolverine Lake.

Reaching over 24,000 homes by direct mail.

Join with the local leaders (over 60 ad supporters to date) in our November issue.

Ad deadline Wednesfay, October 21.

Contact Mark Grablowski (O) 248.792.6464 or (C) 586.549.4424 MarkGrablowski@downtownpublications.com

LOCAL

47

FACES

Scott Wolchek s a wide-eyed youngster, Scott Wolchek scampered around his dad’s TV studio. Now the young reporter who has a familial flare for investigating is paving his way in broadcast journalism.

“I am a traffic reporter for Total Traffic & Weather Networks and I’m a traffic producer (for Sirius XM),” he said. “I also worked at the CW50 Street Team.”

The son of esteemed Detroit reporter Rob Wolchek of WJBK-TV FOX 2 News made his television debut as a boy on a “Fame or Shame” segment. “I did ‘Fame or Shame’ for my dad on Chia Pets when I was little,” he said.

Wolchek, a Commerce native, graduated from Lakeland High School, where he took advantage of any video courses they offered. “I was always focused on video class,” he said. “In late middle school and early high school, I realized I wanted to be a reporter.”

Wolchek competed and won several awards for his video work against other local high schoolers and gained some confidence.

“Freshman year (at Oakland University), I took news writing with Holly Gilbert,” said the communications major. “I applied for editor in chief (of the campus newspaper) and I got it. That was huge for me. I think it was a really great experience. Holly (Gilbert) always said that, at the college paper, you get your battle scars.”

During his tenure, he covered the deaths of four Oakland University students. He also reported on the resignation of both the college president and the president’s wife, who happened to be the women’s basketball coach for Oakland University. The complicated and delicate

A

news stories offered Wolchek some very legitimate newsroom experience.

“Holly was my guide,” he said. “I couldn’t have done anything without Holly.”

Interning at FOX 2 News gave him some exposure to broadcast news before he conquered his first on-air assignment with CW50 at the Howell Balloon Festival.

“I honestly did not expect to be on camera my first day,” he said. “I’m not afraid to be on camera, but I didn’t really know what to expect.”

As a reporter for CW50, Wolchek covered local events like Milford Memories, the Renaissance Festival, the Ann Arbor Art Fair, and the Winter Blast in downtown Detroit.

Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Wolchek can be heard on Sirius XM traffic news for Detroit. “I monitor the cameras for accidents,” he said. “I call the police and update the accidents in Ohio as well.”

Currently, Wolchek is looking forward to settling in with a news station. “The markets I’m really looking at are Flint and Lansing,” he said. “My end goal is to be a reporter at FOX 2 News or (channels) 4 or 7. I want to stay in Michigan. I feel like I have what it takes and I want to show them I have what it takes.”

Serendipity provided Wolchek the perfect professional tour guide.

“My dad pretty much has an answer for anything I’m struggling with and he has a lot of faith in me.”

Story: Katey Meisner

Photo: Laurie Tennent

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PLACES TO EAT The Places To Eat for Westend is a quick reference source to establishments offering a place for dining, either breakfast, lunch or dinner. The listings contain many dining establishments with seating in the west Oakland lakes area and then select restaurants outside the immediate area served by Westend. From outside the area, we have attempted to compile more noted eating establishments.

West Oakland Alex's Pizzeria and Bar: American. Lunch, Monday - Friday; Dinner, daily. Liquor.

Reservations. 49000 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.926.1700.

Anaam’s Palate: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2534 Union Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.242.6326.

Applebees Neighborhood Grill: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 9100 Highland Road, White Lake, 48386. 248.698.0901.

Backyard Coney Island: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 49378 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.926.9508.

Bayside Sports Grille: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 142 E. Walled Lake Drive, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.669.3322.

Benstein Grille: American. Weekend Brunch & Lunch. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2435 Benstein Road, Commerce, 48390.

248.624.4100.

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

3050 Union Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.366.7400.

Big Boy Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Beer & Wine. 5834 Highland Road, Waterford, 48328. 248.674.4631.

Big Boy Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

800 N. Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.624.2323.

Big Boy Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Beer & Wine. 7726 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford, 48327. 248.363.1573.

Billy’s Tip N Inn: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

6707 Highland Road, White Lake Township, 48383. 248.889.7885.

Blu Nectar: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday - Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

1050 Benstein Road, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.859.5506.

Boon Kai Restaurant: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 1257 S. Commerce Road, Commerce, 48390.

248.624.5353.

Buffalo Wild Wings: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

5223 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.674.9464.

Carino’s Italian Restaurant: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 500 Loop Road, Commerce Township, 48390. 248.926.5300.

Carrie Lee’s of Waterford: Chinese.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 7890 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327. 248.666.9045.

Casey’s Sports Pub & Grill: Deli. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1003 E. West Maple Road, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.669.5200.

CAYA Smokehouse Grille: Barbeque.

Dinner, Tuesday - Sunday. No

westendmonthly.com

reservations. Liquor. 1403 S. Commerce Road, Wolverine Lake, 48390.

248.438.6741.

China Garden: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. 49414 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.960.8877.

China House: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 901 Nordic Drive, White Lake Township, 48386.

248.889.2880.

China King: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 4785 Carroll Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48390.

248.363.9966.

CJ’s Brewing Company: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

8115 Richardson Road, Commerce Township, 48390. 248.366.7979.

Coffee Time Café: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

1001 Welch Road, Commerce Township, 48390. 248.624.0097.

Coyote Grille: American. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 1990 Hiller Road, West Bloomfield, 48324.

248.681.6195.

Dairy Queen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 10531 Highland Road, White Lake, 48386.

248.698.2899.

Daniel’s Pizza Bistro: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2510 Union Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.363.7000.

Dave and Amy’s: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

9595 Highland Road, White Lake, 48386. 248.698.2010.

Dave’s Coney Island: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No Reservations. 901 Nordick Drive, White Lake, 48383. 248.889.3600.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Barbecue. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 4825 Carroll Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.360.4055.

Dobski’s: American, Polish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6565 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.363.6565.

Eddie’s Coney Island: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 1749 Haggerty Road, Commerce Township, 48390.

248.960.1430.

El Nibble Nook: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations for 6 or more. Liquor.

2750 Haggerty Road, West Bloomfield, 48323. 248.669.3344.

El Patio Mexican Restaurant: Mexican.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

7622 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.666.5231.

Five Guys Burgers & Fries: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

5134 Highland Road, 48327.

248.673.5557.

Gest Omelets: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily until 4 p.m. No reservations.

39560 W. 14 Mile Road, Commerce Township, 48390. 248.926.0717.

Golden Chop Sticks: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 47516 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393.

248.960.3888.

Grand Azteca: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6041 Haggerty Road, West Bloomfield, 48322.

248.669.7555.

Gravity Bar & Grill: Mediterranean.

Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner,

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Brunch: Sat and Sun starting at 10 a.m.

248.438.6741 • www.cayagrill.com 1403 S. Commerce Rd., Wolverine Lake

WESTEND

The west Oakland area is filled with discriminating diners and an array of dining establishments. Make sure the message for your restaurant reaches the right market in the right publication—Westend.

Contact Mark Grablowski for advertising rate information.

O: 248.792.6464 Ext. 601 C: 586.549.4424 MarkGrablowski@downtownpublications.com

51

FRONT/BACK Front/Back is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening in both the front of the house and back of the house in the restaurants in the metro Detroit area.

Chefs join forces Co-owner David Gilbert and chef Garrett Lipar, the former executive chef of now-shuttered Torino, have come together to open a reimagined Marais, 17051 Kercheval in Grosse Pointe Park. Lipar said, “It’s my style of food, very indigenous, close to home, Michigan-centric. We live in a state, second to California in bioagricultural diversity.” The menu, he said, “is incredibly seasonal, 100 percent year-round. Except basics like oil and salt, the ingredients will come from the Great Lakes region.

Nobody is really cooking like that every day, everything on their menu.

We are very vegetable-centric, but not a vegetarian restaurant. It’s smart, sustainable.” Lipar described the “Shallot Course,” based entirely on a shallot. “We cook the shallots in the soil, in the earth that they’re grown in. We clean them, scoop out the heart and make a custard out of that,” creating a “very concentrated shallot sweetness flavor, served in the shallot’s shell. This is how we look at every course and every ingredient.” Marais is working with a number of farmers, some of whom grow a single crop. “They obviously love what they’re doing on the producer level,” Lipar said, and Marais is continuing that “emotional aspect of the food…to show people what a beautiful place to call home.”

Gilbert opened Marais with his wife, general manager Monica Gilbert, in 2013.

Spanish tapas joint Andrea Holoschutz, manager of the newly-opened La Dulce in Royal Oak, said “We’re small plates authentic Spanish tapas. We have a lot of Galician dishes, seafood dishes, specialties of Galicia.”

Located in Royal Oak at 115 S. Main Street, La Dulce is co-owned by brothers Luis and Juan Carlos Negrete, and offers specialties of Extremadura and other regions of Spain. “We have white anchovies, called boquerones,” Holoschutz said, “and a special ham known as pata negra. The pig farmers only feed them acorns for the last six months of their life.” The churros, desserts made of unleavened dough

and deep-fried, are prepared with the recipe of the chef’s grandmother, who had a churro shop in Madrid. They’re tossed in sugar and served with cajaeta, which Holoschutz described as caramelized goat’s milk.

Vinotecca expands Vinotecca Wine Bar and Restaurant, 417 S. Main Street in Royal Oak, neighbor to Bastone Brewery, has updated and expanded its menu, developed by Executive Chef Robert Young.

Small plates, sharable dishes, and larger salads and entrees are all available, as well as new pizzas that have a distinct flavor from those of Bastone. Although diners can continue to order off the brewery’s menu, Vinotecca deliberately offers food that’s intended to pair well with wine, from the hearty Pan Seared Duck Breast to the regional samplers of cheeses, vegetables, fruits and meats.

Third Detroit restaurant Jacques Driscoll and Les Molnar, who opened Green Dot Stables in 2012 and Johnny Noodle King last year, are launching a third Detroit restaurant together, The Huron Room, 2547 Bagley Street, by midOctober. “It’s going to be a Michigan-centric restaurant. All Michigan-made beer, wines, liquors, and heavy on lake fish – perch, trout, walleye, smelt,” said Driscoll, who met Molnar through a mutual friend.

“We’ll have line-caught specials, and you can get your fish three different ways, fish and chips, po’ boy, or fish taco form.” In addition to other meat and veggie entrees, The Huron Room will have skewers, $2 to $4 each, to complement the meal. Driscoll rattled off a few of the ingredients, “frog legs, venison, mushrooms, and quail eggs – well, we haven’t tried that one yet - made like Scotch eggs, hardboiled and wrapped in sausage.”

As at the other two restaurants, Molnar is the executive chef, and Green Dot bartender Carlos Cabrera is The Huron Room’s bar manager.

“He’s wanted to expand his horizons, and get into craft cocktails, so it will be fun for him,” Driscoll said. The general manager, Chris Harrie, who manages Johnny Noodle King and previously managed Slows Bar B Q, was introduced to Driscoll through family.

La Rondinella opening Dave Mancini, chef and owner of Supino Pizzeria in Eastern Market, is close to opening the long-awaited Italian restaurant, La Rondinella, 2453 Russell Street, next door to the pizzeria. Lashonda Rogers, manager of Supino’s, confirmed that the restaurant is in open-ready shape, but said, “He’s been sick, and that set him back a little bit.”

Mancini will helm the kitchen, serving dishes such as, gnocchi, Parmesan chicken, meatballs, and vegan pies, smaller than pizza, with various toppings. At the beginning, La Rondinella, which has a liquor license, will likely be open three days a week, offering lunch and dinner.

The Lark to close After nearly 35 years of business, The Lark, 6430 Farmington Road in West Bloomfield Township, will close on December 23. Adrian Lark, manager and daughter of owners Jim and Mary Lark, said, “My dad turns 85 this year and my mom is 77. My parents are aging and they want to enjoy retirement. They opened the restaurant as a hobby 35 years ago, and they never expected it to last 35 years. They’ve been successful. My parents didn’t have any restaurant experience before they opened, but both were very good home cooks and traveled, so they knew about food and dining.”

The Larks intend to sell the restaurant, said Adrian. “A few people have already contacted us with interest. My parents want to make sure that whoever they sell it to will keep up the standards of excellence that we’ve upheld for 35 years.” The Lark is famous for their old English holiday feast, held every December, and that’s what they’ll be serving their last few days, December 21, 22 and 23. “We serve a standard English Christmas dinner. Prime rib and roast goose for the main course, but it also includes Dover sole, lobster bisque and oysters in champagne sauce,” said Adrian. “And, you can’t forget the Yule log for desert.”

Asian-fusion dining The Peterboro, an Asian-fusion restaurant, will open in late October or early November at 420 Peterboro in Detroit, said Chuck Inchaustegui, who’s been in the restaurant/bar business for 20 years and is currently

at The Sugar House. “It’s Asianfusion with some traditional items as well,” said Inchaustegui. “There’s nothing like that in the city proper.

Your choices are very limited, so we thought it would be a good idea to do that,” adding, “We like to keep it (the menu) under wraps to make the anticipation that much more.”

Partners in the venture are Marc Djozlija, of Wright & Company, and Dave Kwiatkowski, of Wright & Company and The Sugar House.

Djozlija and Kwiatkowski also opened Café 78, located in the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.

From truck to bricks Partners Courtney Henriette and Brad Greenhill anticipate a fall opening of Thai-inspired Katoi, at 2520 Michigan Avenue in Detroit. In a written statement, Henriette said, “We have some dishes that have become favorites – khao soi, Thai fried chicken, Chickpea Tofu, som tam Thai – but let’s get away from the word ‘hits.’ We make food that is authentic to us…If Chef Brad wanted to serve only pizza and Thai tea for two, we would still be Katoi.

And it would be awesome.” Katoi began in 2014 as a Detroit-based food truck, and, as of this summer, has been operating from a brick and mortar space in Ann Arbor.

Royal Park offerings Park 600 Bar + Kitchen, which replaced the Brookshire restaurant, is now open at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, 600 E. University Drive. Unlike the white table cloth Brookshire, Park 600 is “more approachable and more welcoming,” said Matthew Prost, director of restaurants for the hotel.

“It’s a more open feeling, feels more like an urban-style restaurant.

Leather booths, wood floors, Edison lights.” Chef Colin Brown, who’s been there for eight years, prepares the weekly Chef’s Creation from the pizza oven, and for diners who want to get close to the flames, take a seat at the chef’s counter and watch the cheese bubble. The dishes, which have simple names such as Halibut, Duck, Steak for Two, Oink, and Cake, are made more complex with ingredients such as, prosciutto, brandy cherry demi glaze, goat cheese potato, turnips, and beer mustard cheese.

New talent at Townsend Andrew Alcid, previously of the Townsend Hotel’s Rugby Grille, has been named Chef de Cuisine at Iridescence, in Detroit’s MotorCity Casino Hotel, 2901 Grand River Avenue. Alcid teams up with Executive Chef Scott Stromer, who has been with the restaurant since 2014. The new Chef de Cuisine at The Townsend Hotel’s Rugby Grille is Damian Yopek, a Michigan-native. Yopek returns to the state after working as Executive Chef at Matchbox Food Group in Washington D.C. Prior to that, he was master cook at Washington D.C.’s Adour Restaurant, part of the Alain Ducasse Group. Yopek will be working with the Grille’s Executive Chef, Drew Sayes.

Bistro, coming soon to 5517 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, next to El Barzon.

Second BBQ spot Owner Drew Ciora of Lockhart’s BBQ, 202 E. 3rd Street in Royal Oak, is opening a second location in Lake Orion, expected to this November.

Zenith close in Fisher Restaurant owners Melissa and Robert Jasper closed The Zenith, which was housed on the first floor of the Fisher Building at 3011 W. Grand Boulevard in Detroit. The Jaspers also closed The Wrecktory, a heavy metal karaoke bar they operated on the basement floor.

POP UP INTEL

Beverly Hills Grill changes Beverly Hills Grill, which has been a mainstay for 28 years, recently received a facelift.

Referring to the bar, artwork, lights, tables and chairs, exterior of building, and even the shirts and ties of wait staff, owner Bill Roberts, of Roberts Restaurant Group (RRG), said, “All materials were adjusted, changed, or have been improved or refurbished.

We’re the same upscale-casual that we’ve always been; it’s an updating of the Grill.” And now that autumn has arrived, updates have been made to the menu, as well. “The short rib is coming back on, there’s a vegetarian pot pie, several changes. We’ve always been known for the crab cake, and Chef Pat (Patrick Roettele, corporate chef at RRG), has decided to put it on the menu as an entrée, as well as an appetizer.”

Ryan Zagor is the executive chef of the Grill, which is managed by Cara Heller, who recently moved from Roadside Bar & Grill, another of the six restaurants comprising RRG.

Eid readies Forest Grill Forest Grill, at 735 Forest Avenue in Birmingham, will re-open late this month under the management of Samy Eid, of Phoenicia.

La Noria Bistro on its way El Barzon owner and chef Norberto Garita is bringing a new restaurant to the scene, La Noria

Yemans Street, 2995 Yemans Street in Hamtramck: Emju, of the Detroit Zen Center, October 2.

Graham Schave, owner and executive chef of Your Gourmet, October 9. Mark Camaj, of Downtown Louie’s Lounge, October 16. John Summerville, executive chef at The Lark, October 22. Chris Johnson, executive chef and co-owner of The Meeting House, October 23.

Eric Voigt, pastry chef at Big Rock Chophouse, October 25. Rick Halberg, long time chef and coowner of Local Kitchen and Bar, October 28. yemansstreet.com The Menagerie Kitchen, 31 N. Saginaw Street in Pontiac: Eric Sanderson, of Top of The Ponch, October 3. Meiko Krishok, caterer of Detroit Guerrilla Food and collaborator in the food truck Pink Flamingo, October 10. Matt Tulpa, of Salt & Saffron, October 20 for Menagerie’s “Industry Pop Up.” Saturday, October 24, Menagerie will throw a Halloween Party Pop Up, hosted by an as-ofyet unannounced chef. menageriekitchen.com Front/Back is reported each month by Katie Deska. KatieDeska@DowntownPublications.com. We welcome news items or tips, on or off the record, about what's happening in the front or back of the house at metro area restaurants.

Saturday, Dinner. Reservations. Liquor.

340 N. Main Street, Milford, 48381.

248.684.4223.

Greek Jalapeno: Greek, Mexican.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6636 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford, 48327. 248.363.3322.

Green Apple Restaurant: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 7156 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford, 48327. 248.366.9100.

Haang's Bistro: Chinese/Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 225 E. Walled Lake Drive, Walled Lake, 48390.

248.926.1100.

Highland Grille: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 7265 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.666.8830.

Highland House: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2630 E. Highland Road, Highland, 48356.

248.887.4161.

Highland House Café: American, Pizza.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

10719 Highland Road, White Lake, 48386. 248.698.4100.

Hong Kong Express: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 5158 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.673.7200.

It’s a Matter of Taste: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2323 Union Lake Road, Commerce, 48390.

248.360.4150.

Jennifer’s Café: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 4052 Haggerty Road, Commerce Township, 48390. 248.360.0190.

Jenni’s Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

1186 E. West Maple Road, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.669.8240.

Jeff's Kitchen: Asian. Lunch & Dinner daily.

Reservations. 1130 E. West Maple Road, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.669.8896.

Kennedy’s Irish Pub: Irish/American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 1055 W. Huron Street, Waterford, 48328. 248.681.1050.

L George’s: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 1203 S. Commerce Road, Walled Lake, 48390.

248.960.5700.

Leo’s Coney Island: American/Greek.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6845 Highland Road, White Lake, 484386. 248.889.5361.

Leo’s Coney Island: American/Greek.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 4895 Carroll Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382.

248.366.8360.

Leon’s Food & Spirits: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 29710 S. Wixom Road, Wixom, 48393. 248.926.5880.

Lion’s Den: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4444 Highland Road, Waterford, 48328.

248.674.2251.

Lulu’s Coney Island: Greek. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

1001 Welch Road, Walled Lake, 48390.

248.669.1937.

Mexico Lindo: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6225 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.666.3460.

Mezza Mediterranean Grille: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 1001 Welch Road, Commerce Township, 48390.

248.926.2190.

Moonlight Mediterranean Cuisine: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 1123 E. West Maple Road, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.859.5352.

Nick & Toney’s: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday;

Sunday until 3 p.m. No reservations.

9260 Cooley Lake Road, White Lake, 48386. 248.363.1162.

North Szechuan Empire: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39450 W. 14 Mile Road, Commerce Township, 48390. 248.960.7666.

On The Waterfront: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 8635 Cooley Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.363.9469.

Panera Bread: Bakery, Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

5175 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.618.0617.

Pepino’s Restaurant & Lounge: Italian.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations.

Liquor. 118 W. Walled Lake Drive, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.624.1033.

Red Lobster: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 479 N. Telegraph Road, Waterford, 48328.

248.682.5146.

Red Robin: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 3003 Commerce Crossing, Commerce Township, 48390. 248.926.2990.

Rudy’s Waffle House: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 674 N. Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.669.7550.

Samuri Steakhouse: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7390 Haggerty Road, West Bloomfield, 48322.

248.661.8898.

Shark Club: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6665 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.666.4161.

SIAM Fushion: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6845 Highland Road, White Lake Township, 48386. 248.887.1300.

Siegel’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3426 E. West Maple Road, Commerce Township, 48390. 248.926.9555.

Sizzl in Subs & Salads: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2051 N. Wixom Road, Wixom, 48393.

248.960.0009.

Social House: American. Lunch, FridaySunday, & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 6139 Haggerty Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.669.0777.

Swasdee Thai Restaurant: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6175 Haggerty Road, West Bloomfield, 48322.

248.926.1012.

Sweet Water Bar & Grille: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 7760 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford, 48327. 248.363.0400.

Taqueria La Casita: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 49070 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393.

248.926.1980.

Thai Kitchen: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 7108 Highland Road, Waterford, 48327. 248.886.0397.

The Lake’s Bar & Grill: American. Lunch, Tuesday - Sunday; Dinner daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2528 Union Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382.

248.366.3311.

The Library Pub: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

6363 Haggerty Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.896.0333.

The Root Restaurant & Bar: American.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday - Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 340 Town Center Blvd., White Lake, 48390.

248.698.2400.

TJ’s Sushi & Chinese Restaurant: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 8143 Commerce Road, Commerce Township, 48382.

248.363.3388.

Uptown Grill: American. Breakfast, Lunch

& Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

3100 W. Maple Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.960.3344.

Village Bar and Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Main Street, Milford, 48381.

248.529.3859.

Village Grill: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

1243 N. Commerce Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.366.3290.

Volare Risorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 48992 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393.

248.960.7771.

VR Famous Fried Chicken: American, Cajun. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 47520 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.926.6620.

White Palace: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6123 Haggerty Restaurant, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.313.9656.

Wilson’s Pub n Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2256 Union Lake Road, Commerce Township, 48382. 248.363.1849.

Wixom Station Food and Drink: American Contemporary. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 49115 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.859.2882.

Wonton Palace: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 5562 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford, 48327.

248.683.5073.

Woody’s Café: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

235 N. Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake, 48390. 248.624.4379.

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.

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

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

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

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

Beans and Cornbread: Southern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

29508 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.208.1680.

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

Maria’s Restaurant: Italian. Dinner, daily.

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

248.851.2500.

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.

54

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

Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood.

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

Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 6745 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.865.0500.

Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Orchard Mall Shopping Center, 6407 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.626.8585.

Sposita’s Ristorante: Italian. Friday Lunch. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 33210 W. Fourteen Mile Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.

538.8954.

Stage Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.855.6622.

Sweet Lorraine’s Café & Bar: American.

Weekend Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 29101 Greenfield Rd., Southfield, 48076.

248.559.5985.

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.

The Lark: American. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6430 Farmington Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.661.4466.

Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, 48322.

248.737.8282.

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

248.646.2220.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily.

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

248.642.4000.

Cafe Via: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.8800.

Cameron’s Steakhouse: American.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.723.1700.

Churchill's Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555.

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

Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations.

Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2420.

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

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

Griffin Claw Brewing Company: American.

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

Liquor. 575 S. Eton Street, Birmingham.

248.712.4050.

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American.

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

248.594.4369.

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.

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

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

248.723.7960.

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

248.723.0800.

Mitchell’s Fish Market: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.3663.

Peabody’s: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 34965 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.5222.

Phoenicia: Middle Eastern. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.3122.

Roadside B & G: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

1727 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7270.

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

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

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

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

248.645.9123.

Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American.

Dinner. Monday-Saturday. Sunday brunch. Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.731.7066.

The Bird & The Bread: Brasserie. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodard, Birmingham, 48009.

248.203.6600.

The Franklin Grill: American. Lunch &

WESTEND

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

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

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

Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999.

The Stand: Euro-American. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

34977 Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.220.4237.

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

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

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.

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.

Andiamo Restaurants: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 129 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.582.0999.

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.

Bspot Burgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 310 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.268.1621.

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.

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

Inyo Restaurant Lounge: Asian Fusion.

Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

10.15

AT THE TABLE Central Kitchen + Bar worth a second visit when less busy

By J. March

aybe I'm not as in the know as I would like to think. Thankfully my editor is or else I would have never heard about Central Kitchen + Bar that lies in the heart of downtown Detroit. Dennis Archer Jr. and partners Ken Karem and Christopher Brochert took over what once was a bank in the First Federal building and turned it into one of the coolest, most contemporary open restaurants on Woodward. Ron & Roman once again are the design firm behind the neo-classical design which includes soft shades of grey and off white, artwork that features Old Detroit in the form of pictures, frames and industrial lights, and a mix of hard and soft between the concrete floors and wicker furniture on the patio. The interior design flows easily and prettily into the lobby and clearly pays homage to the Albert Kahn-inspired building.

Executive Chef Christina Stanco (formerly of the Bill Roberts' Cafe ML) is the name behind a menu that was described as "classic yet contemporary".

Though it seemed vague, I was not only grateful that neither of the words “farm” nor “table” were used, but also that the menu really does read as exactly just that. Ideal in size and choices, it's comfortable yet not boring. Think Nicholas Sparks meets M. Night Shyamalan...happy places with a smattering of surprise. However, much like the aforementioned, some of it makes no sense. Great story line, but the actors and cinematography need a little work.

Before I go too critical of my experience, let me disclose that my visit came smack dab in the middle of the Jazz Festival. When I called my dining partners to confirm place and time, they reminded me that Detroit was in the thick of it. What I did not realize was that Central Kitchen + Bar was literally in the thick of it. Once I found a parking spot, I realized that the main stage was a kale’s throw away from our table. Despite this, we did not wait too long for a small, yet comfortable table that was virtually al fresco in view of the huge open front wall and the sweet sounds of a bubbling city and sweet jazz.

We started with truffle parmesan chicken wings.

They were hot and crispy, but outside of a hint of parmesan, had little to no flavor and nary a trace of truffle. PEI mussels came next. Lemon, garlic, Spanish chorizo, tomato, and arugula made a beautiful broth which we used to dip the delicious baguette in, but only because the mussels were pushed aside due to displeasing texture and flavor. I cannot speak as to why they tasted off, but I can say that bad shellfish is not worth the investigation.

We moved onto a duck rillette that was mostly flavorless due to lack of seasoning and duck that was reminiscent of liverwurst in the way that to describe its texture all I could come up with was gamey mush. However, the berry mostardo was bright and sweet and delicious, as were the perfectly salty cornichons that came with it.

Salad choices were similar to most of what you see everywhere, remiss (thankfully) of the "Michigan dried cherry, toasted walnut blah blah blah". The baby kale salad with roasted red peppers,

M

Flat Bread: Duck Confit frisee, stoneground mustard, roasted grapes, fried egg. Westend photo: Laurie Tennent

farro, gruyere and prosciutto was overdressed and heavy. Things that could be forgivable had the prosciutto not been only all fat, but so pink and raw we wondered if they skipped the cure and just threw some raw pork on the plate.

We also opted for the Ahi Tuna as its appearance on menus has slowly been dwindling. The edamame was great, as were the crispy noodles, cashews and peppers. Unfortunately, the tuna was room temperature as where the avocados. I'm all about the Lady GaGa style of tuna (raw raw...raw raw raw) but the texture should be firm and taste fresh. This was more the Roberta Flack version.

Killing me softly.

Progressively, we moved onto the Flatbread choices. In full disclosure, I do not eat goat cheese nor do I modify the dishes that include it as they most likely have goat cheese listed for a reason.

That being said, the fig flatbread sounded amazing.

However, we chose the goat cheese free duck confit pizza as the only other choice listed prosciutto. To the restaurant's credit, on a crazy busy night, it came out in less then eight minutes. To its discredit, it was obviously prepped hours before ordered in anticipation of a huge rush. The flatbread was dry.

Not baked and crispy...dry. The duck was dry. Not oven roasted...dry. The frisee was brown and flat and the fried egg was either pre-cooked or forgotten about as the entire white looked like a brown lace glove. The idea of this flatbread is promising and the roasted grapes were other-worldly, but on this night, what was produced was less than impressive.

The Cuban we ordered made its way to the table and was flavorless and overcooked with yet more raw prosciutto on it. I can only guess that the same pork on the sandwich made its way onto our Carnitas Taco. When the flour tortilla has more flavor then the pork, slaw, crema or salsa, I would venture to say theres some "splainin” to do.

From the "Plates" section we opted for the

Chicken Paillard. The result was a perfectly pounded, cooked and seasoned chicken breast with a creamy, cool and bright feta yogurt. The tomato, cucumber salad had peppery arugula that, despite being a tad overly salty, was ideal for this clean, simple dish. It was easily the best of the night and worth returning for.

Despite the crowd, our service was good. It was clear that our server was overwhelmed yet remained pleasant in the face of more tables then she could handle. Several people ran food and helped clear. Huge props to the guy who had to climb a ladder every ten minutes to wipe the condensation dripping off the exposed ceiling as a result of the open windows and air conditioning.

Knowing both sides of this coin, it's hard to speak of the quality of Central Kitchen + Bar. I would venture to say that most restaurants of this size and age would have crashed and burned completely given the volume of this particular weekend.

However, once again I wonder at what cost does volume come? Do you compromise the quality to turn tables and make money, or do you stick to your guns and make half the revenue and turn people away who may not get the idea that quality is not compromised for volume? Hard to say, but I think that it's worth a second glance once Central Kitchen + Bar is not Grand Central Station.

Central Kitchen + Bar, 660 Woodward Avenue, Detroit 48226. Reservations can be made by calling 313.963.9000. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – midnight; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (bar open later on all nights). Handicap accessible. Street, garage or lot parking.

J. March has 25 years experience in the restaurant industry in southeast Michigan, including certification as a sommelier.

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.

Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 410 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.591.5459.

Local Kitchen and Bar: American.

Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 344 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.291.5650.

Lockhart’s BBQ: Barbeque. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. 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 & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

215 E. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.544.1141.

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

248.542.4444.

Vinsetta Garage: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

27799 Woodward Ave., Berkley, 48072.

248.548.7711.

Troy/Rochester Bspot Burgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 176 N. Adams Rd, Rochester Hills, 48309.

248.218.6001.

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.

Ganbei Chinese Restaurant and Bar: Chinese. Lunch, Monday-Saturday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 227 S. Main St, Rochester, 48307.

248.266.6687.

O’Connor’s Irish Public House: Irish.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

56

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.

Miguel’s Cantina: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 870 S. Rochester Rd, Rochester Hills, 48307.

248.453.5371.

Mon Jin Lau: Asian. Lunch, MondayFriday. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Rd, Troy, 48083.

248.689.2332.

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

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

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

248.816.3424.

Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200.

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

Reservations. Liquor. 2915 Coolidge Hwy., Troy, 48084. 248.458.0500.

Orchid Café: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. 3303 Rochester Rd., Troy, 48085. 248.524.1944.

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

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

248.816.8000.

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.

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

Tre Monti Ristorante: Italian. Lunch, Thursdays. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday.

Reservations. Liquor. 1695 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.680.1100.

Detroit Angelina Italian Bistro: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor.

1565 Broadway St., Detroit, 48226.

313.962.1355.

Antietam: French. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

1428 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, 48207.

313.782.4378.

Bucharest Grill: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2040 Park Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.965.3111.

Cliff Bell’s: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 2030 Park Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.961.2543.

Coach Insignia: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

100 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.2622.

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.

El Barzon: Mexican. Lunch, TuesdayFriday. 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.

The Grille Midtown: Steak & Seafood.

Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 3919 Woodward Ave., Detroit, 48201. 313.832.0892.

Jefferson House: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd., Detroit, 48226. 313.782.4318.

Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Sunday Brunch. 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.

Maccabees at Midtown: American.

Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

5057 Woodward Ave., Detroit, 48202.

313.831.9311.

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, MondaySaturday. 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.

Roma Café: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

3401 Riopelle St., Detroit, 48207.

313.831.5940.

Russell Street Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. No

WESTEND

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.

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, MondaySaturday. 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 Detroit Seafood Market: Seafood.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 1435 Randolph St., Detroit, 48226. 313.962.4180.

Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 519 East Jefferson Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.964.4010.

Top of the Pontch: American. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservation. Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd, Detroit, 48226.

313.782.4313.

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.

10.15

ENDNOTE

Our candidate choices for November vote esidents in Walled Lake are being asked to choose among five candidates to fill seats on thei city commission during this year's general election on November 3. A total of five candidates, two of which are incumbents, are running for three open seats on council.

Westend newsmagazine invited all five candidates to address issues, via a questionnaire, which our editorial staff felt were important and relevant to the job of city councilperson. We have posted all of the questions and candidate responses on our website (westendmonthly.com) so residents can read and review as they make their determinations at the polls and via absentee ballots that will be issued soon.

We offer our endorsements on this page after careful deliberation on returned questionnaires and editorial research.

Councilman William Sturgeon is currently serving his second term on the Walled Lake City Council, but won't be seeking a third term. In addition to serving on council, Sturgeon served on the Walled Lake Downtown Development Authority (DDA), and headed up public works departments for three different municipalities before his retirement. He has lived in Walled Lake for 20 years.

Of the five candidates running for city council, we felt both of the two incumbents, one of whom was appointed last year, have served the city well. We therefore feel confident in recommending voters

R

support CASEY AMBROSE and TAMRA LOCH this November.

Ambrose currently serves as the chair of the city's DDA, and is a member of the Walled Lake Improvement Board. He's a longtime resident of the city and owner of Casey's Sports Pub, also in Walled Lake. He has served on the city council for nearly eight years. We feel his experience and knowledge of the city will be beneficial to city council. Ambrose also has a clear understanding of the issues currently facing the city, as well as a solid grasp on the city's fiscal outlook and quality of life issues.

Loch was appointed to city council in January of 2014 to fill a vacant seat left by the election of mayor Linda Ackley. She was one of three people who applied to fill the vacancy.

While Loch is relatively new to the council compared to the majority of the long-serving members on the board, we feel she has done a good job of understanding issues before council. She has also been straightforward in bringing matters to council that she feels need to be addressed. Loch earlier this year was the first council member to offer a resolution rejecting the construction of a multi-unit residential development across from Mercer Beach – a motion that all candidates indicated they support.

We feel Loch has served well and deserves a full term on council.

As to possible new council members, while we feel all three new candidates gave appropriate

responses to our questionnaires, we believe BENNETT LUBLIN is the strongest candidate outside of the incumbents.

Lublin has been a member of the city's DDA for nearly 15 years, and had also applied for the open council position given to Loch in 2014. He was also previously the library treasurer for five years. Lublin brings with him experience as a certified public accountant and a licensed builder involved in the real estate development, construction and property management business.

In addition to Lublin's experience, we feel he brings a considerable institutional knowledge with him and a solid grasp of the most important issues facing the city, of which fiscal matters are of great concern. It is here that we feel Lublin's understanding of the issues and experience may be most beneficial to the city.

It's worth noting that Walled Lake in recent years has struggled with budget issues, so much so that city administration said last year that it would consider eliminating independent fire or police services without the approval of a public safety millage. While voters approved the millage, ultimately placing the city on a path to economic recovery, we feel it's important for voters to elect candidates who understand the city's current situation, as well as how it got to where it is now.

It's for these reasons we recommend voters choose Ambrose, Loch and Lublin.

Firefighter command structure a good move he creation of a new command structure at the Commerce Township Fire Department approved by the township board of trustees in recent months, will improve operations and morale at the department. It's also long overdue.

Until recently, firefighters at the department worked without a ranking system for staff. That means the 17 full-time firefighters and 20 to 30 paidon-call firefighters have been unable to rise in the ranks to positions such as lieutenant or captain.

That system, which union firefighters have requested for years to be changed, impacts not only morale, but actual operations in the department. In July 2014, the firefighters union formally requested that the board consider establishing a command structure to address those issues.

In terms of operation, we acknowledge the new structure – which calls for one captain and one lieutenant for each of the department's three shifts – will improve both operations and safety.

Firefighters said prior to the approval of the command structure that it was sometimes unclear who was in charge at a particular emergency scene.

Since there was no clear chain of command, with

T

exception of the fire chief, somehow their standard operating procedure allowed for the first person who arrived at an emergency scene to be the commander of that scene. That might mean a firefighter with the least amount of experience and knowledge could potentially have been in charge, directing those with far more experience. Such a practice, we believe, not only had the potential to hamper efficiencies, but safety as well.

Secondly, the lack of a command structure fails to provide incentives for some firefighters who may have felt that there have been no opportunity to advance within the department. While firefighters with seniority are likely to stay at the department, retaining new firefighters can be difficult without a command structure in place.

Additionally, as pointed out by trustee Rick Sovel, who worked with the firefighters' union on the agreement over the course of a year, there is virtually no department matching Commerce's size that doesn't have some kind of command structure.

Sovel also supported the union's claims that the department has lost younger firefighters because of its lack of opportunity.

The board in July voted 5-1 to approve the command structure, with township supervisor Tom Zoner opposing the measure, because said he was concerned that such a structure could lead to large budget increases. We disagree. Annual stipends for the new ranks total $13,500 for all six positions, a small price for the added benefits of a proper ranking system and command structure. Further, training is expensive; it's far more expensive to allow trained hires to leave because there has been little opportunity for growth and have to hire and train anew. It's a penny-wise, dollar-foolish mentality.

While we certainly understand the need for the township to be conscious of budget limitations, we fail to see how $13,500 will place a serious financial restraint on a department the size and scope of Commerce Township's. Further, the new system includes an agreement on the firefighters' union contract, which includes that the union won't renegotiate the ranks or pay for the next five years.

Denying these important operational improvements at such a minimal cost would not only have been a mistake in terms of fire operation, but a shortcoming on the part of the township's leadership.

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CUSTOM BUILT HOME -FLORIDA ROOM, DECK & HOT TUB OVERLOOK PRIVATE (4.31 ACRE) WOODED LOT

MODERNCRAFT NEW CONSTRUCTION-HILLS OF BOGIE LAKE-CLUBHOUSE, POOL, PLAYGROUND

2014 CUSTOM BUILT RANCH-WALK-OUT BASEMENT GORGEOUS VERANDA - VIEWS OF WOODS & POND

#215084343 EXT. 197

#215088340 EXT. 167

#215097553 EXT. 193

#215099481 EXT. 118

#215086970 EXT. 158

•4,200 SF, 4Bed, 2.5Bath, Formal Dining, French Dr Library •Great Rm-Fireplace, Isle Kitchen-Quartz-SS-Hardwood •Huge Master-Luxury Bath, Bonus Rm, Daylight Bsmnt

E LAK ITE WH

•5600+ Living SF, 4Bed, 3.5Bath, Fin Walk-out, Sun Room •Living, Dining, Kitchen/Nook- Granite-SS Appl-Hardwood •Huge Master-Fireplace-2 W.I.C-Jet Tub Bath, 3 Car Garage

$424,900

BEAUTIFULLY UPDATED LAKEFRONT RANCH WITH FINISHED WALK-OUT ON TULL LAKE

LARGE COLONIAL IN WINDRIDGE PLACE OF NOVI FINISHED BASEMENT AND PAVER PATIO

#215069249 EXT. 124

#215070318 EXT. 190

•2241+1260 SF, 3Bed, 3.5Bath, Decks, Patio, 3Fireplaces •Living Rm, Kitchen/Nook-Granite, SS Appl, Hardwood •Family Rm, Rec Rm, Master Suite- Bath & 2 W.I.Cs

EQUAL HOUSING

OPPORTUNITY

•2,289SF, 4Bed, 2.2Bath, Formal Living & Dining Rooms •Kitchen & Nook-Granite, SS Appliances, Hardwood Floor •Family Room-Fireplace, Master Suite -Jet Tub Bath

All Star

•2,850 SF, 4Bed, 3.2BA, 9’ Walk-out Basement, 3 Car Garage •Hardwood in Foyer, 2 Story Great Rm-Fireplace & Dining Rm •Kitchen/Nook-Granite & Hardwood, 1st Flr Master-Jet Tub Bath

E LAK ITE WH

E ERC MM CO

VI NO

$449,900

•4348 LSF, 4Bed, 3.5Bath, 1st Floor Master Ste-Jet Tub Bath •Vaulted Great Rm-Fireplace, Dining Rm, Isle Kitchen-Appliances •Fin Basement-Huge Rec Room, Sauna & Bath, 3 Car Garage

$425,000

•2,050 SF, 3Bed, 2.5Bath, 12’ Ceilings, Rich Crown/Base Molding •Granite Kitchen/Nook-SS Appl, Great Rm-Fireplace-Hardwood •Master Suite-Bath & Deck, 1st Floor Laundry, 3 Car Garage

E LAK ITE WH

$399,900

$379,900

METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED HOME BACKS TO PROTECTED PRESERVE

FABULOUS TWO STORY- FINISHED DAYLIGHT BASEMENT - PRIVATE YARD - DECK & PAVER PATIO

1+ ACRE WOODED LOT- WATERFALL -POND COVERED DECKS, FINISHED WALK-OUT

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#215094961 EXT. 141

#215086014 EXT. 177

•3,053SF, 4Bed, 3.5Bath, Deck, Formal Living & Dining •Island Kitchen/Nook- Granite, SS Appliances, Hardwood •Master Ste-2 WI.C. & Bath, Family Rm-Fireplace, Rec Rm

•3,102 + 1,500 SF, 4Bed, 3.5Bath, Formal Living & Dining Rms •Library, Granite Isle Kitchen/Nook-SS Appliances-Hardwood •Cathedral Master- 2 W.I.C.s & Jet Tub, Rec Room, 3 Car Garage

TheStocktonTeam.com

•4,033 Living SF, 5Bed, 3.5Bath, Great Rm-Fireplace •Dining Rm, Library, Isle Kitchen/Nook-Appliances •Master-Fireplace-Deck-Jet Tub, Rec Room-Wet Bar

MOBILE

2014

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