August 2020 | Vol.3 | Issue 8
Northville’s News and Lifestyle Magazine
Residential/Commercial Buying/Selling Call Cynthia at 248 278 0026 for all your real estate needs.
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Publisher Here is a list of people who contributed to local journalism last month. We appreciate your support! Elizabeth & Munther Ajlouni Michael & Sherry Bugar John & Marge Roebuck Henry & Cheryl Sullivan
VOLUME 3
ISSUE 8
AUGUST 2020
16435 Franklin, Northville, MI 48168 • 734.716.0783 • TheVilleMagazine@gmail.com
KURT KUBAN – Editor/Publisher
Kurt Kuban is an award-winning journalist, having served as a reporter and editor for several local newspapers and magazines, including The Northville Record, over the course of a career spanning more than two decades. Kurt lives in Northville with his wife, Cheryl, and their three children, who all attend Northville Public Schools.
CRAIG WHEELER – Creative Director
Craig has been in the creative industry for over 25 years. He has developed a diverse background in that time, but publication design has been his passion during the past 16 years. Craig enjoys cycling, running, wine tasting, his beloved Boston Terrier and an unhealthy addiction to movies.
MICHELE FECHT – Writer
Michele Fecht is a longtime journalist whose first post-college reporter position was at The Northville Record before moving on to The Detroit News. A 30-plus year resident of the City of Northville and historic (old) house owner, she is an author, researcher, local history enthusiast, and community activist/advocate.
BRAD EMONS - Writer
Over the course of his four decades with the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers, Brad established himself as one of the preeminent prep sports reporters in the state, winning many journalism awards along the way. His greatest joy is interviewing local athletes and coaches, and reporting on their efforts.
WENSDY VON BUSKIRK – Writer
Wensdy graduated with a degree in journalism from Wayne State University. Her first job was working as a reporter for The Northville Record. Now, as a freelance writer and editor, she works for a variety of magazines, and is excited to get back to her roots in The ‘Ville. -Photo by Kathleen Voss
LONNIE HUHMAN - Writer
Lonnie graduated from EMU with a degree in creative writing. He is a longtime newspaper reporter, including two stints with The Northville Record. He is now a freelance reporter for a number of publications, including The Sun Times News in Dexter, where he lives with his wife and two young children. He is glad to be back covering the Northville community.
BRYAN MITCHELL - Photographer
Bryan started working as a photographer more than 30 years ago, and was the Northville Record photographer in the 90's. He has freelanced for The Detroit News, The Guardian, Reuters, and other publications. His photography has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the globe. The Northville resident also coaches mountain biking at Northville High School.
JENNY PEARSALL – Graphic Designer
Jenny has been in the design and print industry for more than 20 years, holding various positions in graphic design, large format and trade show graphics, print buying, production and print management. One of her favorite memories is working for Colorquik Graphix in the historic Water Wheel building in downtown Northville.
The ‘Ville is a product of Journeyman Publishing, which assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information. Any form of reproduction of any content in this publication without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Comments are welcome at thevillemagazine@gmail.com.
A View From The ‘Ville
Should We Look at the Way We Do Elections? W
e just had a very interesting election in Northville Township. A few observations. The big news is the top three incumbents on the ballot – Supervisor Bob Nix, Clerk Margie Banner and Treasurer Fred Shadko -- were all knocked off by rivals by the slimmest of margins. Nix, who lost to Mark Abbo, and Banner, who lost to Roger Lundberg, both lost by less than 40 votes. Political newcomer Jason Rhines beat Shadko by a little wider margin of 284 votes. Oddly, the main issue that Abbo, Lundberg and Rhines (who all campaigned together) ran on was their opposition to the operating millage renewal, which had a half mill increase. They didn’t think the township should be raising taxes during the pandemic. Well, voters didn’t agree, and overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure by a nearly 2-to-1 margin. So, it almost doesn’t make
Voters Choose New Leaders
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sense that the challengers won. Until you realize only Republican voters were allowed to cast ballots for them. Of the 10,750 votes cast in the primary, less than half voted Republican, meaning the rest of the voters were essentially shut out of this partisan election. It seems to me a system where less than half the voters are determining who will lead the community is not very healthy. Many local communities, including the City of Northville, have non-partisan elections, meaning all the voters get to choose who they want. Pigeonholing people into voting either “red” or “blue” especially at the local level doesn’t make sense to me. Partisanship is tearing apart our country. Our two parties have forced their supporters to the extremes, leaving little room for consensus. We certainly are seeing this on the national and state levels.
A Downtown Renaissance
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Just look at our response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Other nations have figured this out and are returning to normalcy, but we are floundering – and our countrymen are dying at more than a thousand a day as I write this. Why do we want this on the local level? Is our allegiance to the parties or our community? A relatively unknown man named M. Aslam, the only Democrat running for a Board of Trustees position, received more votes (3,432) than anyone. Longtime Trustee Mindy Herrmann was the top vote getter among Republicans (3,123). Northville Township has traditionally been a very Republican community (hence why very few Democrats ever run). I wonder if this is a harbinger of things to come for November. We shall see. Lastly, absentee ballots have been a big topic in the news lately. President Trump says
Life In A Soccer Bubble
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ON THE COVER: Downtown Northville has become a destination this summer. Photo by Bryan Mitchell.
that people mailing in their ballots is a plot by Democrats to commit election fraud and steal the election, a claim that has gained traction with some of his supporters. Well, township voters clearly don’t agree with the president. Of the 10,750 ballots cast, 8,284 were absentee. That’s the highest total for Northville Township in an election ever. Kudos to the Clerk’s office, which did a great job getting all the results in a timely manner, and I haven’t heard anyone contesting the results. Lastly, I want to congratulate all the winners. Democracy only works if we have dedicated people who are willing to serve. Now, it’s on to November. Please vote, whether in person or via absentee ballot. It’s one of the most important things you can do as an American. Kurt Kuban is the Publisher and Editor of The ‘Ville.
Your Voice: Letters to the Editor 4 MaeMarie makes jewelry with meaning 8 Friday Night Lights put off until spring 10 Past Tense: Northville suffragists persisted 12 American Legion post celebrates 100 years 14 Schools finalize fall re-entry plans 16 Development remains steady despite pandemic 20 Swim sensation Emily Roden stays in fast lane 28 Community Bulletin Board 30 Dishin’ With Denise 36
Your Voice
Shut down Line 5
Line 5 to our peers and get them to take action with our email writing campaign to Governor Whitmer,” stated Rachel Hu. It is by informing the public and prompting them to take action in
writing to Governor Whitmer and other respective representatives that Ms. Hu hopes to finally prompt the shutdown of line 5 and protect our lakes. Alex Darga
Local frontline heroes High school students organized a “Shut Down Line 5” protest July 17 at Ford Field.
This summer marks the 10th anniversary of the Enbridge Kalamazoo River oil spill, an event in which 1.1 million gallons of oil were accidentally spilled into the Kalamazoo River following the bursting of an oil pipeline operated by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian oil and gas company. This event was one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history and cost the taxpayers of Michigan millions to clean up and counteract. On July 17, a group of western Wayne County high school students from the Michigan Youth Activism Society organized a” Shut Down Line 5 “protest event at Ford Field in Northville, for the purpose of informing the public of the risks of oil contamination that the Great Lakes face and the dangers thereof should the lakes be contaminated in such an event similar to the Enbridge spill in Kalamazoo. Today Line 5, a pipeline operated by Enbridge, poses such a risk to the Great Lakes. The “SHUT DOWN LINE 5” event at Ford Field in Northville was an informative wake up call for me. There has been over 33 breaks in the line already leaking over 1 million gallons of oil into our Great Lakes. During the event, Rachel Hu and Rishika Neole, the heads of the Michigan
Youth Activism Society and organizers of the protest gave presentations detailing extensive research on the threat Line 5’s continued operation poses to the lakes. Similarly, Dr. Aaron Payment, chairperson of the Sault Ste. Marie, Tribe of Chippewa Indians and president of the United Tribes of Michigan, wrote a letter on how Line 5 provides no value in the Upper Peninsula, while Representative Matt Koleszar spoke to the students about the pending deliberation in the Michigan House of Representatives, on the issue of the proposed tunneling of the pipeline and its dangers. Representative Koleszar also pointed out how the jobs being promised by Enbridge were minor and temporary when compared to the long lasting positions and good that clean energy alternatives offered. Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull also sent a letter expressing his support for the student’s efforts to bring public awareness to the hazards of the oil line. The students are demanding that the pipeline be shut down and that Governor Whitmer revoke the 1953 easement giving permission for Enbridge to operate in the Great Lakes. “We mainly wanted to spread awareness of the issue with Enbridge
SOUND OFF Please submit your letters by emailing Editor Kurt
Kuban at kurtkuban@gmail.com. Letters must be 150 words or less. We reserve the right to edit all letters.
4 The ‘Ville
I saw recently in the magazine that you wanted names of Northville residents who have been working on the frontline of the pandemic. I am a resident of Northville Township and am a physician assistant. I Awdish Parikh work at a pediatrics clinic. It is not the “frontline” but everyday I am potentially exposed to children/parents/ guardians who could be sick with COVID-19. I would like you to recognize my Northville Township neighbors and friends who are on the frontline: • Dr. Dominic Misiak: a resident at Saint Mary’s • Sirjana Pumford: a nurse at Saint Mary’s • Dr. Reena Salgia: a liver specialist at Henry Ford • Dr. Sachin Parikh: a cardiologist at Henry Ford • Dr. Rana Awdish: a critical care physician at Henry Ford Åsa Jude-Vassallo
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Leah Cencer, 17, of Northville works the election at Precinct 5. The 2020 Northville Northville Township Supervisor Robert Nix waves to a voter outside Northville High School graduate answered a call for election workers before she heads to Grand Township Hall during the Primary Election. Valley State where she will study business.
A Real Nail Biter By narrow margins Republican voters choose new leadership for township Story by Lonnie Huhman | Photos by Bryan Mitchell
T
he primary election in Northville Township was a tight one with several incumbent candidates losing by razor-thin margins. Nearly all of the action was on the Republican side of the ballot. Former township supervisor Mark Abbo went head to head with Bob Nix, who has been supervisor for the past eight years, and came out the winner by less than 40 votes. Abbo took in a total count of 2,447 votes (50.38 percent) while Nix tallied 2,408 votes (49.58 percent). The clerk’s race was even closer. Incumbent candidate Marjorie Banner, who stepped into the role of clerk in 2019 after the retirement of Sue Hillebrand, fell short with 2,292 votes while her opponent Roger Lundberg slightly topped her with 2,326. Treasurer Fred Shadko also fell short to his opponent Jason Rhines, 2,093 votes to 2,377 votes.
6 The ‘Ville
There were no Democrats running for the three offices. The top four vote getters running as Republicans for the four trustee openings were Mindy Herrmann (3,123 votes), Chris Roosen (2,863 votes),
served several terms on the Northville Public Schools Board of Education, is a first-time candidate for a township office. The trustee candidate who received the most votes, however, was actually on the
Northville’s Joshua Hardy, 18, has his picture taken by his mom Karen Edison outside Northville Township Hall after voting for the first time in an election.
Cyndy Jankowski (2,719 votes) and Scott Frush (2,639 votes). Herrmann, Roosen and Frush are the incumbent candidates while Jankowski, who has
Democrat side of the ballot. M. Aslam is the only Democrat to have his name on the ballot for any of the Board of Trustees positions. He pulled in 3,432
votes on Aug. 4, and will now face off against the four top Republican candidates in November. Tanya Lundberg was a writein candidate as a Democrat, and did receive votes. She will most likely appear on the general election ballot, but is awaiting certification from Wayne County. Ironically, one of the main issues that Abbo, Lundberg and Rhines highlighted in their campaign – their opposition to the township operating millage renewal that had a half-mill increase – was overwhelmingly approved by voters 6,472 votes to 3,546 votes. In follow up with the supervisor candidates, Abbo said for him the returns were very gratifying. “I want to congratulate all the candidates on a hard fought campaign, and particularly Bob Nix,” Abbo said. “We might not all agree on the same vision,
TOWNSHIP PRIMARY
ELECTION RESULTS but there’s no doubting the commitment that Bob and in fact, all the candidates have to our community.” As far as Nix’s takeaways from the vote count, he said he was glad to see passing of the millage to fund the continuation of the current services of Police, EMS, Fire, Parks, Recreation, Senior and Youth Services along with administration.
During a time of revenue losses for various municipalities, Nix said this area will be a challenge for many communities. However, he said Northville Township has tried to stay on top of this. Although the outcome for his re-election wasn’t what he hoped for, Nix said he believes the township during his time has done a lot of good things
Mark Abbo greets a voter outside Northville High School during the election.
Nix said the police and firefighters do a fantastic job serving and protecting the community and that’s been especially evident during the COVID-19 crisis. He said they provide a response time second to none and deserve the continued support of the community. Nix said the current COVID-19 pandemic will impact the township and noted revenues coming in to fund township services will be one area. However, he said the conservative financial policies the township has put in place will help the township weather the storm. He said another area the township has worked hard to address is paying down almost all of its pension liabilities.
for the past eight years and he’s proud of his record. He said he’s been grateful for the community support and was honored to serve the township. Abbo, who served as township supervisor from 2000 to 2012,
said when the results become official, and then after the November general election, “we’ll turn our attention to the transition.” He said his platform during the campaign was very clear, and that’s where he’ll put his initial attention. “We’ll look to repeal the 1-percent tax collection administrative fee. We’ll take a fresh look at what can be done about the continuing problems at the Arbor Hills landfill, and particularly, how a lawsuit can be part of the approach,” he said. “We’ll refocus on fulfilling the commitments made to our residents on the 7 Mile property, including implementation of the master parks plan.” Abbo agreed they will have some challenges due to declining revenue because of the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, “but we’ll tackle those together, and make the right fiscal decisions for the township.” “I appreciate this opportunity to again serve my community and its residents, and I’m eager to get to work,” Abbo said. Looking over the election, outgoing clerk Marjorie Banner said outside of the normal
Caroline Geer, 17, of Northville works the election and prepares ballots for voters in Precinct 5. She is headed to St. Olaf College in Minnesota to study music.
TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR Bob Nix – 2,408 Mark Abbo – 2,447 CLERK Marjorie F. Banner – 2,292 Roger Lundberg – 2,326 TREASURER Fred Shadko – 2,093 Jason Rhines – 2,377 TRUSTEES (REPUBLICAN) Scott Frush – 2,639 Mindy Herrmann – 3,123 Cynthia L. Jankowski – 2,719 Kevin C. Johnston – 1,451 Steve McGuirk – 2,067 Chris Roosen – 2,863 TRUSTEES (DEMOCRAT) M. Aslam DEM – 3,432 MILLAGE RENEWAL/INCREASE Yes – 6,472 No – 3,546 election day ups and downs, the day went very well with a record number of absentee votes. “The official AV count was 8,284 out of more than 10,200 ballot applications that we received. It was the largest AV turnout ever for Northville Township. The election ran smoothly and we had our returns in timely,” Banner said. As far as any lesson learned from the election, Banner said of course every election/vote there are lessons, but every election is different. She said organization is key, so the township will plan and be prepared for even more absentee ballots in November. She said the community should know that absentee voting is safe, secure and reliable and the township has a 24/7 drop-off box where the ballot can be safely returned.
The ‘Ville 7
The next generation: Maria Ruggirello, Mina Plachta and Ava Ruggirello.
The MaeMarie Mantra Multi-generational Northville start-up makes jewelry with meaning By Wensdy Von Buskirk | Photos by Natalie Stroster
C
OVID-19 has been hard on everyone in different ways. For me, co-owning a fitness studio that’s been shut down for months has been a huge challenge. When my MaeMarie Wrap arrived, I knew what my intention would be: to give my all to the business during extremely challenging times.
8 The ‘Ville
MaeMarie Wraps are cool pieces of jewelry, but they’re more about purpose. The unbroken strands of beads are meant to be worn with a mantra. “Our jewelry is awesome, but our message is what we’re trying to sell,” says MaeMarie co-founder Angela Plachta. “Our desire is that while wrapping the beads you set a personal intention. It’s virtually weightless. You don’t even feel it. Days, weeks or months go by and you’re still wearing your wrap. You use it as a gentle reminder of what’s important to you and what you want to manifest in your life.”
THE MISFIT When I picked out my piece from the company’s slick website, I knew I wanted to go with the Signature Wrap that started it all, but what color? There was deep red Passion, vibrant blue Voyage, and Original Silver. Sugar (pale pink) and Pure (white) are popular with women, Plachta said, while men like Lush (emerald green), Fuel (black), and Stone (matte gray). It was so difficult to choose that I ended up going with The Misfit, a playful assortment of leftover beads in every color from the MaeMarie collection. It arrived in a slim black envelope with an inspirational card. When I opened it, I realized photos belie just how delicate MaeMarie wraps really
are — each bead is literally the size of a grain of sand. “The beads are very rare, the smallest bead made,” Platcha says. “They are from Europe, and some are vintage, going back to the 1800s. They’re really special.” As I wound the thin cord around my wrist eight times, I meditated on my intention. Over the next few weeks, the wrap worked like a charm. Every time I glanced at my bracelet my intention flashed through my mind, reminding me of my purpose. That’s just what the MaeMarie Girls intended. THE MAEMARIE GIRLS Plachta and her sister, Lisa Ruggirello, both longtime Northville residents, have
entrepreneurial blood in their veins. Their father, an Italian immigrant, operated several businesses, including restaurants and a salsa company. Plachta owned a salon called Proverb in downtown Northville for a time before working as a stay-at-home mom. Around Christmas of 2018, the sisters and their three daughters were brainstorming ventures they could launch together. “We were all throwing out ideas and came up with the idea to do jewelry. I had done jewelry years before and loved it, but we knew that it had to be something different,” Platcha said. “We had to create something that was not just a typical jewelry company, otherwise we’d all lose interest and be looking for what to do next.” Platcha and her daughter, Mina, 23; and Ruggirello, and her daughters Maria, 27 and Ava, 19, researched jewelry trends, explored precious metals, and trolled bead stores. They kept coming back to the simplest of designs — super tiny seed beads strung on a singular, very long loop without a clasp. On the wrist they formed an elegant stack. They could also be worn as necklaces. “We realized they were very meaningful to us,” Platcha explains. The sisters knew they were
The MaeMarie girls are (back row, from left) Maria Ruggirello, Lisa Ruggirello and Angela Plachta; and (front row, from left) Ava Ruggirello, Mina Plachta and Barbara Ledda.
onto something, and gave MaeMarie its moniker by merging their middle names. They began sourcing strong cord and high-quality findings, but tracking down their beads in large quantities proved harder than expected. The beads are so precious, some MaeMarie colors — like Blossom and Pixie — will never be made again. In addition to its Signature Wraps ($60-$78), MaeMarie
offers a Bit Bigger wrap ($60) that uses ever so slightly larger seed beads; a Luxe Wrap ($68) with a stripe of gold; and Mini Wraps ($38-$47), a shorter strand that lends itself to mixing and matching. MaeMarie has also ventured into Finger Wraps ($14), and next month will launch a Create Your Own Wrap, allowing customers to choose up to three favorite bead colors for a meaningful wrap of their own. The girls string the beads themselves in Mina’s former bedroom, finishing each piece with a sterling silver or vermeil gold plated MaeMarie branding bead. GOOD INTENTIONS The MaeMarie team decided to focus their business strictly online. They don’t do shows or wholesale, instead relying on social media influencers and
digital marketing. Mina Plachta, who graduated from Northville High School in 2015, majored in creative advertising at Michigan State University. She plays a large role in getting the word out, while the entire family models MaeMarie in online campaigns. Mina says the wraps resonate because they become very personal based on everyone’s unique intention. One wearer reported using her wrap for motivation during a job search. Another, to get to class every day. “You really can set an intention for literally anything,” Mina says. “It could be something small or something huge. It’s up to you, whatever you need in your life at that moment.” MaeMarie faces its own challenges during COVID-19. After its official launch in December, 2019, the startup was live for just a few months before the pandemic hit, throwing the economy into a tailspin and derailing a trunk show at Nordstrom that MaeMarie was counting on to increase exposure. Still, they’ve sold to customers in 16 states and their intention is set: give their all to the business during these challenging times. It’s a mantra worth repeating, much like my own. For more information about MaeMarie, visit https:// maemariewraps.com or send an email to maemariewraps@ gmail.com. Wensdy Von Buskirk is a freelance writer whose family has deep roots in Northville. She co-owns Pure Barre West Bloomfield
The ‘Ville 9
No Friday Night Lights This Fall While other fall sports are moving forward, football pushed to spring By Kurt Kuban | Photo by Vanessa Mandell
T
he Northville High School football team gathered for practice on the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 14. Instead of heading out to the field where they normally run drills and prepare for the upcoming season, coaches told the players to gather inside the school’s gymnasium. It was there Head Coach Matt Ladach informed the team what everyone in the room had been dreading for months. Their football season was on hold. The Michigan High School Athletic Association made the decision to move football to the spring, citing the sport’s unique risk factor for spreading the COVID-19 virus. The good news is, as of this writing, all other fall sports – volleyball, girls swimming, girls golf, boys tennis, boys soccer and cross country – were moving ahead as planned, although decisions still have to be made regarding boys soccer, and especially girls swimming and volleyball that are played indoors. “At the end of the day, we did everything we could to find a path forward for football this fall,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “But while continuing to connect with the Governor’s office, state health department officials, our
10 The ‘Ville
At the end of the day, we did everything we could to find a path forward for football this fall.. There is just too much uncertainty and too many unknowns to play football this fall. Mark Uyl MHSAA Executive Director
member schools’ personnel and the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, there is just too much uncertainty and too many unknowns to play football this fall. “No one is willing to take the risk of COVID being passed on because of a high-risk sport. Decisions have to be made on our other sports as well, but none of those carry the same close, consistent, and face-toface contact as football,” Uyl continued. The decision impacts more than 30,000 student athletes at about 600 schools statewide who were anticipating (and hoping) to play in the fall. That was certainly the case at Northville, where the team has been in camps for more than a month, and was just completing a very successful first full week of practice, albeit with no pads.
So, when NHS Athletic Director Brian Samulski informed Ladach of the MHSAA decision, the coach admits he got pretty emotional as he addressed the team. At the end of the day, Ladach wasn’t exactly surprised, though. “To be honest, it was something I was kind of anticipating,” he said. Ladach is encouraged, however, because he said Samulski and other athletic directors are determined to make it work in the late winter/ early spring in a way that won’t impact winter or spring sports, which is important because some of the players also participate in basketball, baseball and lacrosse, among others. “The MHSAA has assured us that they are committed to providing any fall sport that is unable to play this season with
a (potentially modified) season that does not cause studentathletes to pick and choose between the sports they love,” Ladach told parents in an email. “As many of our multi-sport athletes are already accustomed to, there will likely be some overlap between the end and beginning of sport seasons, but that is all speculation at this point. The positive news is that there is a plan in place for us to play football without forcing players to pick and choose.” Samulski said the details are still being figured out, but there is hope not only to have the football season but also allow for spectators. Had the sport been played this fall, only players, officials, coaches, and game officials would have been allowed in the stadiums, meaning there wouldn’t have been fans, cheerleaders, pom or band. Athletic directors are working with the MHSAA to develop concepts for the spring football season such as dates, format and playoffs. We’ll keep you posted. “While this is tremendously disappointing, we will do everything possible to provide the best possible experience in the spring while adding football into the calendar,” Uyl said.
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PAST TENSE
She Persisted
Northville suffragists joined the fight for women’s voting rights By Michele Fecht
I
n an election year shaping up to be unlike any other, it is notable that a century ago the nation also faced an unprecedented election brought about by a groundswell of new voters who would forever change the political landscape. Women. The election of 1920 marked the first time since ratification of the 19th Amendment in August of that year that American women were eligible to vote in a national election. Though some states, including Michigan, won earlier voting rights through state referendums, the amendment to the U.S. Constitution enfranchised 27 million American women. It was a watershed moment in the more than seven-decade battle to gain suffrage for women in a movement that began in 1848 at a two-day convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The five women who put together the convention and its suffrage resolution included Quaker minister and abolitionist Lucretia Coffin Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Though she is often cited as a participant at the Seneca Falls’ convention, Susan B. Anthony was not at the meeting. She didn’t join the suffrage cause until 1851 when she met Stanton. Ironically, the 19th Amendment is named the Anthony Amendment. Though
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Methodist minister and ardent abolitionist, the Rev. Luther Lee, Dr. J.M. Swift and his wife, Emily, Township Supervisor Winfield Scott, Lucy Stout (who would later establish the Northville Dr. Mary Lapham was an early Northville suffragist. Woman’s she would work tirelessly for Club), May Wheeler and Alice suffrage, Anthony did not frame Beal. Others would join the the original resolution; that cause including Mary Lapham, credit belongs to Stanton. president of the Ladies Library Association and treasurer of the NORTHVILLE JOINS THE Northville school board. CAUSE Michigan women were In 1869, Stanton and Anthony actively petitioning for the right established the National to vote in the years following the Woman Suffrage Association Civil War. The Michigan State (NWSA) that pushed for Woman Suffrage Association a federal amendment was formed in January 1870 enfranchising women. By 1890, (Northville was among the local the organization would become chapters), and in March 1874 the National American Woman the organization convinced the Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Michigan Legislature to put the Stanton and Anthony along question of an equal suffrage with other suffrage notables amendment on the November were sought after speakers for ballot. Supporters had just the cause. On May 23, 1874, seven months to persuade Stanton delivered an address voters — men — of its merit. The in Detroit attended by several proposal was soundly defeated Northville suffrage supporters with 135,579 against and 40,077 who organized the Northville in support. (See accompanying Woman Suffrage Association. timeline of Michigan suffrage Members of the Northville highlights.) organization included In the last decades of the
19th century, suffrage gained traction in 11 Western states where state referendums granted women the right to vote. Nevertheless, the rest of the country remained in a stalemate with the movement losing momentum. Between 1896 and 1910, not a single state referendum for suffrage was won. NEW CENTURY, NEW LEADERSHIP The advent of the 20th century found the NAWSA headed by Carrie Chapman Catt, a protégé of Susan B. Anthony and a decades-long fighter for the cause. By 1912, a splinter group of the organization — the National Woman’s Party — emerged with firebrand Alice Paul as its leader. An advocate for more militant tactics mirroring those used by British suffragists, Paul contrasted with Catt’s more traditional style. Both women would prove invaluable to the cause . . . and ultimately its success. Paul followed the British suffrage mantra of “Deeds, not Words” and believed that parades and protests were an effective way of drawing attention to the cause. The Washington Suffrage Parade in Washington, D.C. on May 3, 1913 — strategically scheduled the day before president-elect Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration (he was not a supporter of the suffrage cause) – included
between 5,000 and 8,000 suffragists marching down Pennsylvania Avenue. Unable to secure President Wilson’s support for suffrage, Paul opted for protest rather than a parade following his second inaugural. On January 10, 1917, Paul and a group of 12 NWP members began picketing in front of the White House. They stood silently — they were coined the Silent Sentinels — holding banners demanding an amendment. In that year, more than 2,000 women from around the country would take their turn on the picket line. WOMEN GO TO WAR On April 6, 1917, President Wilson went before Congress to request a declaration of war against Germany. In support of the war effort women went to work in munitions factories, organized Red Cross and war bond drives, and headed overseas as nurses, doctors and ambulance drivers. Among those answering the call was Northville native and suffragist Dr. Mary Lapham, who set up a dispensary and refugee hospital in France before being appointed director of medical services for the Red Cross in Prague.
The Silent Sentinels continued their vigil but their banners became more provocative. Many viewed the picketers as unpatriotic to protest in wartime, and those on the picket lines endured intense hostility and ultimately arrest. Northville Record Editor Frank Neal offered this rebuke of the protests in the June 29, 1917 issue of the paper: “The truism that ‘a man’s worst foes are those of his own household’ is particularly applicable to the suffrage situation just now. That cause has been set back farther by the recent picketing and bannering at the national capital than by any scheme its worst enemies could have devised.” Ouch! FIGHT TO THE FINISH As the decade neared its end — with a global pandemic and war raging — government officials had a difficult time denying women the vote when so many females were contributing to the war effort. In January 1918, Wilson endorsed the 19th Amendment. In his address to Congress, he stated, “We have made partners of women in this war . . . Shall we admit them only
Women suffragists wearing their college banners picket in front of the White House. Library of Congress Photo
to partnership of suffering and sacrifice and toil, and not to a partnership of privilege and right?” The federal woman suffrage amendment was introduced to Congress on May 21, 1919 during a special session called by Wilson. It passed the House of Representatives and two weeks later passed the Senate, becoming the Nineteenth Amendment. Following constitutional law, it then needed to be ratified by threefourths, or 36 states of the then 48 states. Michigan became the second state to ratify the amendment on November 5, 1918. Record Editor Neal in a front-page endorsement stated “Northville voters should not neglect to vote ‘Yes” next Tuesday on the Equal Suffrage question . . . the time has come when the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of America shall be legally recognized . . .” Northville voters overwhelmingly approved the woman’s suffrage question by a vote of 280 to 98. It would take until August 18, 1920 for the last of the 36 states to ratify the amendment. In a nail biting session of the Tennessee legislature, the final tally came down to a single vote, passing 50 to 49. The 72-year suffrage battle ended with ratification of the 19th Amendment stating “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Postscript: In reporting local results of the 1920 Presidential election, The Northville Record noted that “the women turned out well for the first time and they made no more mistakes in marking or folding their ballots
than the men.” Of Northville’s early suffragists, only Dr. Mary Lapham lived to witness passage of the 19th Amendment. She died in 1936.
Highlights of Michigan’s Suffrage Movement 1867: Women taxpayers given the right to vote in school elections. 1870: Michigan State Woman Suffrage Association organized. 1874: Equal suffrage amendment soundly defeated. 1881: Rights of women to vote in school elections extended to mothers of school children. 1893: Michigan legislature passes bill giving women the right to vote in municipal elections. 1893: Michigan Supreme Court strikes down the municipal suffrage law. 1912: Michigan suffrage bill passes both the House and Senate but is defeated by voters. 1913: Michigan suffrage amendment is resubmitted but suffers landslide voter defeat. 1917: Through passage of the Damon-Flower Act, Michigan women are granted voting rights in U.S. Presidential elections. It does not require a state amendment because it is a federal office. 1918: A new constitutional referendum on full suffrage for Michigan women wins voter support. 1920: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified.
The ‘Ville 13
Northville’s American Legion post after it was renovated post WWII.
Service & Patriotism Northville’s American Legion marks 100-year milestone
By Michele Fecht
I
f not for a global pandemic, the celebration of Northville’s Lloyd H. Green Post 147 centenary would likely be under way. Instead the local American Legion post is hoping to mark the milestone with an event in September, according to post commander Daron Underwood. In addition to the local post’s 100th anniversary, this month also marks the 75th anniversary of V-J Day (Victory over Japan) signaling the end of World War II. To add to the list, 2020-21 also marks the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Post’s headquarters —named Veteran’s Memorial Hall — at the corner of Dunlap and North
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Center. The building partially opened in July 1945 with final completion the following year. THE LEGION TODAY The Northville American Legion named its post after Lloyd H. Green, an 18-year-old courier in Company C of the 120th Machine Gun Battalion. He was killed in France on October 2, 1918, the only Northville casualty of World War I. The post was formed to support servicemen returning from the Great War, and has continued that mission for all veterans and military members since its inception. The American Legion Auxiliary
was established in 1925 to help veterans, military and their families. The post also supports the Sons of the Legion and the Legion Riders. The post today has about 230 members. Finance Officer Jasper Catanzaro said the post welcomes members of all ages —both men and women — who have served Federal active duty in the United States Armed Forces since December 7, 1941 and have been honorably discharged or are still serving. You do not have to be a war veteran to join the American Legion. Though COVID has altered the post’s programming and events such as its Wednesday
Slider Nights, it is still renting out space in the headquarters building. Anyone interested in membership in the American Legion or renting space in the facility can contact the post at (248) 349-1060. VETERAN’S MEMORIAL HALL Having spent the first decade of its existence occupying a variety of Northville buildings for its meetings, the American Legion settled into new headquarters in 1932 at 341 East Main Street. Owned by Ford Motor Company, the company offered the American Legion use of the building for its headquarters. The building continued to house the Legion’s headquarters — as well as a Red Cross chapter — until the property was sold in 1943. The Legion found itself in the middle of a world war without a home base. The necessity for a permanent headquarters was
never more pressing. Legion leadership took the first step by buying the home of former Northville Record editor Frank Neal at the corner of North Center and Dunlap. Architectural plans detailed a three-story renovation including a basement with a kitchen, dining and recreation room; a first floor reception, lounge and meeting room; and a second floor to incorporate an Auxiliary meeting room and temporary barracks for returning soldiers. Legion members turned to the community to help raise funds for the building’s restoration. Community leaders quickly went to work organizing a pledge drive to raise the $20,000 needed. More than 400 individuals, clubs and businesses answered the call by pledging $26,146 for the cause. Ray Casterline and his son Fred deeded the lot south of the Neal home to the Legion to expand the property. Despite the goodwill, completion was elusive. On the front page of the August 17, 1945 Northville Record — only days after the Japanese surrender ending World War II — an appeal for help was issued to fund the unfinished Veteran’s Memorial Hall before the deluge of
servicemen returned home. Unpaid pledges and increased costs left the structure partially finished. The Legion eventually took out a $5,000 mortgage to complete the work. It was dedicated on V-J Day 1946; the organization held a mortgage burning ceremony on Armistice Day (now Veteran’s Day) in 1948. V-J DAY While V-E Day (Victory in Europe) was celebrated in Northville with “thoughtful silence,” the surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945 was best described by the Northville Record’s multiple headlines on its August 17th front page: “Northville Celebrates the End of the War: Community Goes Wild as End of War is Proclaimed by President Truman. Shrieking Sirens, Bells and Bedlam Breaks Loose, Celebration Continued Well After Midnight, Many Attend Church, Legion Parades Colors and Salutes Honor Roll Board, One Tavern Mars Record of Community.” In conclusion, the Record article stated, “all in all it was great, grand and glorious. The war is over . . . the lights are on again all over the world. Universal peace after 14 years.”
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As a parent, I felt like the district took a very thorough approach to this whole process.
Jennifer Creighton Parent and member of the NPS Task Force
Sisters Ellen and Katherine Gifford work on schoolwork earlier this year. It will be a familiar scene for Northville students in September. Photo by Bryan Mitchell
Schools Finalize Re-Entry Plans Amid COVID concerns students will have to make adjustments for learning By Lonnie Huhman
T
aking the lessons from the last couple months of the past school year and putting in a lot of time and effort over this summer to create a plan for all students come September 8, Northville Public Schools officials have now set a starting point for the 2020-2021 school year. With an ever-changing landscape in consideration due to the COVID pandemic, NPS issued its plans on Aug. 10 for students starting the new school year. THE PLAN The 2020-2021 Northville Public School year will begin with virtual learning for September followed by transitions throughout the
16 The ‘Ville
month of September into inperson learning designed by grade level. There will be two educational options for students: Option 1: Virtual start through September, followed by a full in-person return for elementary and Cooke School students and a hybrid instruction return for middle and high school students. Option 2: A full semester Virtual option where students will receive all instruction through the district’s Learning Management System, Schoology, supported by NPS teachers. In a communication to parents, the district said the inperson scenario for elementary and Cooke School students
includes the option to attend full time, Monday through Friday; while the Middle and High School in-person scenario is a 50-50 Hybrid, with students rotating between in-person and virtual learning every other day. “The in-person scenarios approved at each level allow for implementation of each of the required safety protocols for Phase 4 of Michigan’s roadmap, along with maximizing implementation of the highly recommended safety protocols to the greatest extent possible in a school setting,” according to the district’s communication to district stakeholders. NEW LEARNING PLATFORM One helpful place for students and families to start in understanding what’s ahead is to explore Schoology. Knowing that virtual learning will most likely be something that all students will experience, it was key for NPS to put in place an online system that is user friendly and helpful. “The September Virtual Start will allow students and staff to develop competence around the new and robust Learning Management System (Schoology) that allows for smooth transitions between
virtual and in-person learning in the event that intermittent school closures become necessary or our region moves into different phases of Michigan’s Road Map,” NPS’s announcement said. Aaron Baughman, NPS’s Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, said Schoology is intended to be drastically different from the situation in spring when multiple virtual learning platforms were being used with situations where one family might have two or three different platforms to access and use. Baughman said Schoology is NPS’s online classroom. All students and parents will access this platform. He described it as an all in one place tool, where such things as Zoom meeting links will reside. It will “make things a lot easier,” Baughman said, noting it will streamline the virtual learning process. According to the parent’s guide issued by NPS, teachers will use Schoology to post their classroom materials online; provide a safe forum for students to discuss their ideas and collaborate on projects; and to assign and collect homework electronically. “It helps students stay organized and it keeps the class connected,” Baughman said. For parents, a Schoology account, which can be used through any device that has Internet access, gives them access to the classes their child is enrolled in, their child’s upcoming assignments as well as school and class announcements. Getting feedback and input from parents, families and the community has been essential
for NPS as it has worked through forming the plan for fall. Parent Jennifer Creighton was part of the district task force that helped develop the plan with input and feedback. “As a parent, I felt like the district took a very thorough approach to this whole process,” Creighton said. She said the various feedback opportunities have been important. From the surveys to coffee chats with Superintendent Mary Kay Gallagher and the ability to communicate during school board meetings and through such things as email, Creighton said these opportunities have all informed the district’s planning. “Allowing so many perspectives” was good to see, she said. One of the big differences from the spring to now, she said is evident in the time and dedication put in by NPS staff to help create the back to school plan, which she expects to be much more robust. MOVING AHEAD Looking forward at both options, Baughman said the delivery may be different, but the education will not be. Virtual will utilize the same materials that would and will be used in-person. Superintendent Gallagher said the first month or so will be a time of easing back into school in a safe manner with different opportunities to learn about the new process/system. “This community is full of incredible people,” Gallagher said, noting so many have worked together in providing the best education for Northville kids. She said these partnerships
will remain key as they work together with students, staff, families and community to promote the learning, safety, health and well-being of all. A DIFFERENT MODEL For some Northville kids, the back to school plan is taking place down the road at Detroit Catholic Central High School in Novi, which began its new school year on Aug. 17.
mid-August there were about 50 families registered for it. According to the virtual plan, families are required to commit to a full quarter, at minimum and then at the end of the first quarter, families will have the ability to opt back into the building should they wish to do so. The plan also states families may also choose to switch to the LEAD program at the start of the following quarter.
Don't expect the halls of Northville High School to look like this anytime soon. Photo by Maggie Kuban
For CC, the school year is beginning with Option #1, which is in adherence to the Michigan Safe Start plan Phase 4-6. Classes will be live MondayFriday for the entire student body. For the first two weeks, there is a hybrid schedule where 50% of the student body will attend class in-person, and the other 50% will live stream the class using Google Meet and new classroom technology. Students will alternate inperson and distance days. The school has implemented a host of new health and safety procedures and policies. The plan is to return to full inperson school on Aug. 31, unless the state moves into phases 1-3. There is also an all-virtual option called the Shamrock LEAD-Live Education at Distance. CC officials said as of
CC’s online option will match the regular daily schedule for all other students. Students who become sick throughout the school year will be asked to quarantine, and will be unable to return to the classroom for other reasons will be able to use the Shamrock LEAD setup to transition between in-person and online learning throughout the year. Jeff Baker, a longtime biology teacher at CC, serves on the CC Health and Safety Committee. He said the school’s plan was developed with lots of hard work and did not come together overnight. “The C4 (Catholic Central COVID Committee) started working in the spring,” he said. “From C4, other committees were spawned, such as the Technology, and Health and
Safety Committees. Surveys were sent out to stakeholders so they could express their concerns. Faculty members were asked to fill out at least two different surveys. Our plan is the fruition of coordinated expression of ideas from our stakeholders, which required incredible amounts of work from our various committees and collaboration with colleagues. “The primary goal was to find a way to safely return to campus, but we are also addressing the likelihood of being forced to a fully remote setup and have come up with some exciting improvements to our system that we think will allow us to offer a truly exceptional experience for students should that occur,” Baker continued. According to Baker, the focus of the return to school plan is the safety and health of the students and staff. “We began with the goal of finding a way to return to campus in as safe a manner as possible,” he said. “We are relying on the most up to date information from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and the CDC as we look to safeguard our community. The result is the mask requirement, an upgraded HVAC system to hospital grade air filtration, temperature screening, increased sanitization stations throughout the building, plexiglass partitions, the rearrangement of classrooms, adjustment of student body flow through the building, and many more efforts to minimize the likelihood of transmission.” He said CC will remain vigilant and adjust any procedure if a better solution becomes apparent.
The ‘Ville 17
Street closures have helped turn Northville into a destination Story by Kurt Kuban | Photos by Bryan Mitchell
I
n the early days of the pandemic, when panic was gripping the nation and quarantining became the norm, many small business owners were wondering how they would be able to stay open. The City of Northville decided on a bold strategy – close down Center and Main streets to traffic through the fall so business owners could utilize street space for seating and displays. While the city had shutdown the streets for shortterm events in the past, nobody was quite sure how it would go on a long-term basis. Months into the experiment, most downtown business owners couldn’t be happier. The move has been a boon for both restaurants and retailers. Take Center Street Grille, for example. The popular restaurant located on N.
18 The ‘Ville
“The overwhelming response to this has been positive,” said Ward. “We figured this would be great for the restaurants, but we weren’t sure how it would impact non-restaurant businesses. I’ve heard from so many that this has been a great move for them as well.”
Live acoustic music on Friday and Saturday evenings has been a big hit.
Center increased its seating, which was important because state physical restriction requirements for indoor spaces. “Without the outdoor seating I don’t know if I would have stayed open,” said Center Street Grille owner Landon Garrett. “Under the current requirements, we only have
space for 40 people inside. That wouldn’t have paid the bills. The outside space got us back to normal capacity. I truly believe this has saved my business.” That’s the kind of story Northville DDA Director Lori Ward has been hearing from many of the downtown business owners.
A DESTINATION It’s not just the absence of traffic that is bringing people to town, it’s the ambiance the businesses and DDA have created on the sidewalks and streets. There are colorful flower pots, mood-setting lights and lots of umbrellas and tables. It’s like one big street café. And on Friday and Saturday evenings the DDA has even brought in either solo or duos to perform live music on the streets.
According to Alicia Racine, owner of Adorn Fine Flowers on Main Street, it’s a great atmosphere to do business. She has been able to utilize the sidewalk and street space for plant and flower displays, which gives her more visibility and is attracting customers. “We have so many customers come in now and browse around. That’s because we have such a nice presence outside,” Racine said. “Our sales have been a lot better for sure.” Landon Garrett agrees. He also owns businesses in downtown Plymouth and in West Bloomfield, and he feels Northville’s approach has been the best and should be emulated by others. “It’s been amazing. People just love it,” he said. “Northville has never been known for its nightlife, but we have that now. I’ve got people waiting for a table for an hour and a half to two hours. That’s because it’s just cool to hang out down here now. To have a city support local businesses the way Northville has is really encouraging.” Garrett said he’s been so busy that he has been cooking three or four days a week himself because he can’t find enough staff to keep up. Alicia Racine is so encouraged by the atmosphere downtown she has opened a second store – right next door to Adorn. It’s a new candy store called Sugar Lu’s. It offers a variety of candy, and is aimed at younger customers, primarily middle schoolers. They had a soft opening on Aug. 12. “It’s not like you can do a grand opening in the middle of a pandemic,” she joked. Another business expanding is Orin Jewelers. They are closing their Garden City
retailers will benefit with people strolling around.”
Alicia and Ryan Racine opened a new business – Sugar Lu’s – next to their Adorn flower shop on Aug. 12. Photo by Kurt Kuban
store, and moving all of their operations to their Northville location, and expanding into the space that was once the Spice Merchants, which has moved to 134 E. Main (the former Rock and Main location). Antoinette Kramar, part of the family that owns the jewelry store and a Northville resident, agrees that Northville has become more of a destination. “We really love what the city has done. We haven’t really been able to take advantage of the outside space because it doesn’t necessarily lend itself to what we sell, but we know it’s been great for downtown,” said Kramar, who noted Orin will be doubling its space once everything is moved to Northville. According to Lori Ward, there are other businesses interested in opening downtown, as well, which she said is incredible considering we are in a middle of a pandemic. “The encouraging thing to me is there are still plenty of people who think Northville is a good place to do business,” Ward said.
SOCIAL DISTRICT On Aug. 3, the city made another bold move that should benefit businesses. The City Council approved creating a Social District for downtown Northville, which will essentially be in the same area now cordoned off to traffic. This will allow restaurants that choose to participate to serve alcohol to patrons who can then openly carry the beverages throughout the designated district. There are nine restaurant/ bars that are eligible to apply. The city is taking advantage of a new Michigan law passed earlier this year creating social districts to help cities and businesses survive the pandemic. Similar districts have been successful in other states. “We are uniquely set up to have a common area,” Ward said. “The intent is to let people reserve a table at one of the establishments in town, and walk around with a drink as they wait for the table. We think this will really benefit the restaurants, and even the
WINTER IS COMING While there has been plenty of downtown success stories, the pandemic was the straw that broke the back for a number of businesses, which have closed, including Brick’s restaurant, My Michigan Connection and Van Dam’s Boutique, a longtime downtown destination. And, of course, nobody’s quite sure what’s going to happen as the Michigan weather turns colder. A cold, blustery January evening doesn’t exactly scream outside dining. “It keeps me up at night thinking about what is going to happen this winter, especially considering nobody knows what’s going to happen with the virus. Heck, we don’t know from week to week if we will have restaurants shut down because of COVID,” Ward said. The DDA has discussed bringing in outside heaters and even igloos, like you’ve seen at Deadwood Bar and Grill, for some of the restaurants that are interested. Those details are still being worked out. As for the future, the new Social District permit runs through December of 2024, and closing the downtown in 2021 and beyond is definitely something the city is contemplating, according to Ward. One thing is for sure, it would be welcomed by many of the downtown business owners. “I’d definitely be in favor of doing this in the future. No question about it. Northville has become a destination because of it,” said Landon Garrett, owner of Center Street Grille.
The ‘Ville 19
An artist’s rendering of the 150-156 N. Center Street project at the southeast corner of the N. Center and Dunlap.
There is a plan in place for the historic building at 341 E. Main Street.
Development Keeps Rolling Despite pandemic, city and township approving plenty of projects By Lonnie Huhman
T
here’s no lack of new and planned development in the Northville community. Here’s a breakdown of some of the projects already taking place or planned in the coming months in both the city and township. Starting in the township, there are some new commercial development and plans for residential. Northville Township Planner Jennifer Frey highlighted some of the projects the community might be interested in: • Chick-Fil-A (Haggerty, south of 8 Mile – in front of Kohls) – Construction is supposed to begin this summer. • Premier Academy – 40724 7 Mile (7 Mile at Fry) • New office building – next to Premier Academy (7 Mile at Smock) • First Watch – 15311 Beck Road (5 Mile & Beck @ Village at Northville) • Hotel 2 Suites – 47450 5 Mile (5 Mile & Beck @ Village at Northville)
20 The ‘Ville
• New office building – 41200 5 Mile (east of Winchester) • Willow Pines – 130 Senior Independent Living (on Ward Church property, north of the church) • Ball fields at Ward Church – Two new fields that will be available for public use • Dekah Lash - 15424 Sheldon (northeast corner of 5 Mile and Sheldon) “We are steady,” said Frey. Other township projects in the review/approval process are: • Northville Glades – Haggerty, north of 5 Mile (between Church & Woodside Villager) 48 Townhomes • Westridge – northwest corner of 6 Mile and Ridge – 5 unit detached condominiums • Multi-tenant Industrial building (expansion of an existing building – Metro Auto Leasing) – 50595 6 Mile (east of Napier) In the City of Northville, two of the bigger developments are proposed to be constructed on
North Center and East Main Street. At the southeast corner of the N. Center and Dunlap intersection is a proposed development called the 150-156 N. Center Street project, which is now going through the city’s review/approval process. According to the city, the applicant is proposing to demolish the existing one-story building at 156 N. Center Street, as well as an addition on the rear of the adjacent building to the south of Tuscan Café (150 N. Center Street). “They are proposing to construct a new three-story building at the corner, and build a three-story addition onto the rear of the Tuscan Café building. They are also proposing to build a third floor on top of the existing Tuscan Café building,” city planning consultant, Carlisle Wortman Associates, said in their report. “Both addresses will have interior access to one another. The new building will be
occupied by a restaurant on the first floor, and four residential units on the upper floors. The Tuscan Café building will continue to be occupied by the restaurant on the first floor, and have three residential units on the upper floors.” The project at 341 E. Main Street, at the northwest corner of E. Cady Street and Griswold Street, had its final site plan approved at the Planning Commission’s June 16 meeting. Guidobono, a Northvillebased developer, had petitioned to demolish the 2,400-squarefoot building, but will now restore and re-purpose the existing historic structure, which dates back to the 1800s. The developer’s next step is to prepare plans and submit for a building permit, city planning consultant Sally Elmiger said. Guidobono is proposing to shift an existing historic structure to the east and south, and re-use the vacant building as an office. This proposal is considered a “change in use.” “The existing parking lot will be slightly expanded to accommodate parking for the new use, and the existing paver driveway will be replaced with a new driveway,” the planning consultant report said. “The building shift and the slightly
expanded parking lot will create is still in the building phase is more room for the required moving forward, according to number of parking spaces.” the city. Northville Building In other city development Official Brent Strong said this • news, Elmiger said the project is making progress • Historic District Commission’s now and theEcity S is regularly MON inspections O HORconducting approval for the Delano as they N(106 S IC T IO E. Cady Street) project was ANTmove forward. IB NO extended. This project was last A couple other items to approved in June 2019. Elmiger report. The pandemic has put said the developer is working on the brakes on North Center plans to submit for a building Brewing Company’s move over permit. to The Hangar (formerly the While not a development, Village Workshop), according Elmiger said the city’s Planning to owner Kevin DeGrood, who Commission did approve a is now hoping to expand at his process to review proposals for current location if possible. existing businesses impacted Brick’s, the restaurant located in by COVID-19 occupancy Northville Square, has closed its restrictions. She said the doors for good. The space won’t process reviews proposals to be empty for long. La Shish, locate dining in some of their the popular Mediterranean own parking spaces. restaurant, will be moving into And finally, the condominium the site. project on North Center that
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Mallory Weber (second from left in left photo and far right above) with her Utah Royals teammates. Photos provided by Utah Royals
Bubble By Brad Emons
Mollory Weber resumes pro soccer career amid pandemic
I
f you want to know what life is like in the COVID-19 bubble, then professional women’s soccer player Mallory Weber can shed plenty of light. During the National Women’s Soccer League Challenge Cup, which was launched June 30, the 26-yearold Weber had been holed up in an apartment complex with her teammates, coaches and Utah Royals staff in Herriman, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The NWSL became the first American team sport to resume play. “I never felt more trapped or isolated, but it’s totally worth it because the tournament
24 The ‘Ville
has been able to be played, so I’ll take it,” said the former Northville High and Penn State standout. Not breaking the bubble rules can be as challenging as the games themselves as eight NWSL teams (excluding Orlando which dropped out) tried to navigate the monthlong tourney in July. “I've actually been really impressed with how the league has put it together and all the amenities,” Weber said. “They’ve got some really good sponsors that have just made it really easy to kind of go through it. To see what the MLS is doing -- the same kind of bubble -and having multiple teams sent
home with multiple positive tests . . . since our team has been in the bubble we haven’t had a single positive. It’s kind of cool to see that the players in this league are so committed to the game. They are following the rules.” According to Weber, the players are tested up to two or three times a week to go along with other strict restrictions and social distancing. “You have to be tested three days before each game,” she said. “We can only drive in these 15-passenger vans that we have, to and from our apartments, to training, and the apartments to the game. All of our meals either are
delivered to the apartment or to the stadium, before or after training. We can’t even go through a drive through to get coffee, or anything like that.” After sitting out the NWSL Challenge Cup opener with an injury, Weber returned to the lineup and showed off her versatility. She earned starts both on the backline and up front, but her normal position is midfield. “Last year we played a more traditional 4-4-2 formation, but now we’re in a 3-5-2 so I’m more of what they call a wing back,” Weber said. “So it allows me to get more into the attack and not have to worry defending as much. It gives me more flexibility with a bit more running. I’d say I’m usually the attacking player and then last year I had to step into the left back and it’s kind of given me a little more of a two-sided game.”
AUSTRALIA COMES CALLING
Playing both forward and outside back, Weber recorded one assist in 18 matches with the Royals in 2019 after being
claimed off waivers by the Portland Thorns. Weber played primarily a reserve role during her time in Portland (2016-18) where she made a total of 43 appearances as the Thorns captured the 2017 NWSL championship and won the NWSL Shield in 2016 (posting the league’s best regular season record). While Weber has made Portland her offseason home, she cashed in on another opportunity to play this past winter in the Australia W-League for Adelaide United F.C. where she scored four goals in 11 appearances. “It was an amazing experience,” said Weber, who was put on loan by Utah. “Got over there and the country is just beautiful. The soccer wasn’t as good as the NWSL, but it was kind of what I expected for a four-month season.” When Weber returned to the U.S., she encountered a long layoff as the NWSL had to rearrange its schedule due to COVID-19, but she was not deterred. “I would say I felt more fit in that period because we were
pretty isolated and individualized in our training,” she said, “so there’s not a whole lot of soccer, game-like stuff you can do with one person, so it was a lot of running and technical stuff. I actually really felt good coming into the tournament.”
‘UNBRIDLED DETERMINATION’
Weber has always been a self-starter dating back to her days as a youth. She played multiple sports growing up and was a two-time MVP for the Northville girls basketball team. Her former Northville High girls soccer coach Eric Brucker recalls Weber’s “unbridled
Over the winter Webber played in the Australia W-League for Adelaide United F.C. where she scored four goals in 11 appearances. Photo by Ken Carter/Adelaide United FC
determination” as she earned All-State honors twice (201011). “There was never an ‘I can’t,’” said Brucker, who coached Weber for four years. “If she didn’t know how to do something, she’d work until she could. And that was the biggest thing. It was her compassion and self-discipline to make herself better. It was just her internal drive unmatched in most people I’ve ever met.” Mallory got a lot of that drive from her late mother Lisa Anne Christenson, who was tragically shot and killed by her estranged husband Gunar Donald Christenson in a murder-suicide at their Novi home during the summer of 2013 following Mallory’s freshman season at Penn State. Lisa worked for the Northville Department of Parks & Recreation and also coached. “She was an amazing swimmer and she ran track,” Mallory said. “Growing up we played all kinds of sports as kids, and just her enthusiasm and passion for it, I think, Mallory Webber starred in several sports at Northville High School.
just rubbed off on me and my brother (Mitch) . . . well maybe not as much (laughing).” Mallory described her mother as “a jock” who was always up for a challenge. “I think it was my freshman year (in high school) and she had told me she was faster than me in the 100, and I was like, ‘Oh, no way,’ and that’s kind of when I ran track in middle school,” Mallory recalled. “And she absolutely smoked me and she was 42 years-old.”
BIG TEN STANDOUT
After a prolific high school career and club stint with the Michigan Hawks, Weber became a coveted NCAA Division I soccer recruit where she landed in State College, Pa. As a freshman at Penn State in 2012, she scored 13 goals, including five gamewinners, while earning All-Big Ten Freshman team honors as the Nittany Lions made it all the way to the NCAA Championship final. During her sophomore year she started all 23 games and made first-team All-Big Ten. As a junior she scored eight goals for the second straight year. As a senior she was named the team’s co-captain as Penn Bubble continued on page 26
The ‘Ville 25
Bubble continued from page 25
State made a magical run to the 2015 NCAA College Cup final where Weber assisted on the game-winning goal to give the 22-3-2 Nittany Lions their first national title in school history in a 1-0 triumph over Duke. As a senior, Weber was named first-team All-Big Ten, Academic All-Big Ten honors and was a finalist for the Soccer News Net College Boot award as the Nittany Lions also captured the Big Ten Conference crown. During her four years at Penn State, Weber collected 36 goals and 100 career points in 100 appearances. Internationally, she also played for the U.S. Youth National Team, the U.S. U-23 squad (2016) and was in the
U.S. U-20 player pool (2013-14). She was also a member of the U-20 Women’s National Team that won the 2014 CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship. Following her career at Penn State, Weber was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NWSL College Draft by the Western New York Flash, but was traded shortly after to Portland where she plans to make it her permanent home. “I love Portland,” Weber said. “After being there for 3½ seasons and just being there year-round, I just love the area and just love the city.” Utah’s run in the NWSL Challenge Cup ended prematurely in the quarterfinals on July 18 losing to the Houston Dash on penalty kicks, 3-2, after a scoreless deadlock. The Royals finished
1-3-1 (four points) during the tournament. Following the Challenge Cup, the NWSL was trying to evaluate how to resume the regular season without all nine teams being quarantined following the Utah bubble phase. “We have a new commissioner (Lisa Baird) and her first main priority was to try and keep the sponsors on board and to get the TV deal,” Weber said. “She wanted to make sure that no matter what, we would still be getting our paycheck.” Meanwhile, Mallory’s biggest supporter is her grandmother Jeanne Bowman, who visited Utah last season and was there for all of Weber’s home openers for three years in Portland. She also attended a couple of games
The NWSL was the first American team sport to resume play in June with no fans.
in nearby Chicago. Mallory continues to feel her late mother’s presence. Lisa Ann is always there in spirit. “I think she’d absolutely love it,” Weber said. “She’d would be flying out for every single game with my grandma. Kind of cool for her (Bowman) to carry it on.”
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Northville’s Emily Roden earned All-State Division 1 honors in two individual and two relay events.
restrictions in place. “My practices where cut a little bit shorter, we had to go into two groups, rotate between dry land and actual swimming,” she said.
Staying In The Fast Lane Despite COVID break, future remains bright for swim star Roden Words by Brad Emons | Photos by Katya Zhavoronkova
A
fter being out of the pool for nearly three months because of the COVID-19 restrictions, Emily Roden was just thankful to return for her first club team practice with the Novi Sturgeons. And surprisingly the incoming Northville High sophomore didn’t feel like a fish out of water for that initial early June swim at the Novi Sports Club. “It was good, our coaches started us out pretty light, just ease back into things because we were off for so long,” said the reigning MHSAA Division 1 champ in the 100-yard butterfly. “But it was good to be back with everyone. We had to stay apart. There’s no two or three people in a lane, so it’s not exactly the same. But it’s good to be back.” The 5-foot-8 Roden is coming off a stellar high school
28 The ‘Ville
freshman season with the Mustangs where she earned All-State (top eight) honors in four different events at the Holland Aquatics Center including a victory in the 100 butterfly (55.43) and a third in the 200 freestyle (1:51.68). She also was a part of Northville’s fourth-place 400 freestyle relay with Laurel Wasiniak, Lulu Mans and Lauren Heaven (3:33.02), was well as a sixth-place finish in the 200 medley relay joining ranks with Malayna Mancinelli, Emily Lowman and Mans (1:46.86). Her last official meet came during the offseason on Feb. 7-9 at Oakland University in the Michigan Open. Representing the Sturgeons, Roden took runner-up honors in the 200-meter butterfly (2:19.74), a seventh in the 100 butterfly (1:05.12) and an eighth
in the 200 individual medley (personal best 2:26.72). For her efforts, Roden was recognized last month as an AllAmerican in the 100 butterfly, and – along with Wasinak, Mans and Heaven – the 400 free relay. Besides finishing up her ninth-grade classes, Roden discovered some other things during her swimming hiatus. She went on lots of bike rides and started doing puzzles. “It was pretty crazy, it was hard,” Roden said. “I tried to work out as much as possible, but it was hard to get motivated because I have nothing to train for right now except for keeping up.” Once she returned to her club team under the direction of coaches Bob Jenroe and Mark Winter, Roden began to feel more at home, but with some new protocols and
A SEASON TO REMEMBER With the girls swim team scheduled to start swimming Aug. 10 pending concerns of COVID-19, Roden will be following up an incredible ninth-grade season. Roden was among eight girls swim nominees statewide for the Detroit Free Press Sports Awards, which was held online on June 18. The nominees and winner were introduced via live stream by Olympic legend Michael Phelps. “Emily is very humble and modest, friendly, always smiling,” Northville coach Brian McNeff said. “She was pretty quiet during the year being a freshman with a lot of seniors on the team. She didn’t
Emily Roden stood atop the podium during most of her high school meets as a freshman.
try to take anyone’s spot as far as personality. You could tell she had a lot of fun, a lot of laughing, a lot of smiling coming from her, so that was good.” And when the chips were on the line, Roden seemed to excel as the Mustangs earned an eighth-place team finish at the D1 finals. She gave an indication of her talents earlier that fall when she was the individual champion in the 100 butterfly (54.97) and 200 freestyle (1:51.60) at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association meet. She was also champion in both events at the Wayne County meet. “Her work ethic obviously is great, she’s a really hard worker,” McNeff said. “When it came to the big meets, she really stepped up. We saw where she really upped her game and wanted to win. There was a lot more determination there . . . to be a state champion.” During her inaugural D1 championship appearance, Roden put it all together. “Going into the state meet we
were talking about times and what she was thinking about,” McNeff said. “She was close to the All-American time and she said, ‘So, will this get me top 16 at the state meet?’ We told her, ‘Emily, we want you to win.’ Then she said, ‘Oh, O.K.’ That was kind of cool that she was just happy to be there and didn’t quite realize how good she was going into that meet. That was kind of refreshing to see that. She wants to win and wants to do well, but she wants to be a good teammate and have fun with her friends and all that stuff, too.” Swimming for her high school team was rewarding in more ways than one. “It’s one of the best things that I’ve ever done,” Roden said. “I had a lot of expectations, but it’s not the same when you’re actually living it with your best friends every day. It was so much fun. Being on relays – and winning – it was so much fun.” WINNING RACES Roden began as a competitive swimmer at age seven with the Sturgeons, but she tried all
Emily Roden thoroughly enjoyed her inaugural high school season.
kinds of sports. Her parents, Mike and Jodie, did not swim, although her younger brother David, heading into the eighth grade, does summer club swimming, but also has a strong interest in music and theater, according to Emily. “I really loved softball, but I stopped for swimming,” Roden said. “I did gymnastics for a while, but I kept getting hurt, so my mom said, ‘Let’s not because it’s going to ruin your swimming.’ I tried golf, but that was very boring. And I did basketball and volleyball.” For Roden, being a competitive swimmer became a process and it had to become an acquired taste. “When I was younger, I didn’t love it as much and my
As a freshman, Northville’s Emily Roden was the MHSAA Division 1 champ in the 100-yard butterfly.
mom would make me go to practices, but I loved going to meets and I loved racing,” Roden said. “My mother said, ‘Emily, you have to keep going if you want to get better and win your races.’ It took time and I think I started improving when I was 10, so it took a little while to get into the groove.” Roden’s all-time favorite swimmer “is of course, Michael Phelps.” And from a distance, she also admired the Olympic gold medal career of Missy Franklin, who has since retired. As far as the future, Roden hopes to become a high-level collegiate swimmer, but she is still three years away from graduating. But for now, it’s just baby steps with the hopes of keeping a fall high school sports season intact despite all the uncertainty. Roden is keeping her fingers crossed that she’ll get to defend her individual state title in 2020 and won’t be swimming upstream. “I sure hope so,” said Roden, who could go down as one of Northville’s all-time swim greats. “I’m pretty sure there will be. I was talking to the athletic director at Northville (Brian Samulski) that there probably will be a season, but there will be a lot of change and a lot of rules. We don’t know if we can do relays and stuff, but let’s hope that we can.”
The ‘Ville 29
BULLETIN BOARD C
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Garden Club Scholarship Winners Distinguished Young Woman The Northville Garden Club has awarded its annual scholarships to Rohith Kesamneni and Lucy Zhang, who are both planning to attend the University of Michigan. “Both students have outstanding academic records, performed countless hours of community service and participated in many student activities. They will better the world, whatever they do,” said club member Julie Mantay. This year, the club also awarded the Kathleen Mitchell Memorial Scholarship to two students, Nitya Nakirekanti and Alexander Hawthorne. Mitchell was a member of the Northville Garden Club for almost 30 years, who overcame physical impairments. Nitya was very active in her school and community in Texas, participating in her local Earth Club, Computing, and Math National Honor Society, piano, dance, and figure skating. She volunteered in beautification programs in her community. After the tragic death of her parents, she moved to her uncle’s home in Northville during her junior year. She plans to pursue a degree in computer science at the University of Michigan. Alex, a NHS grad, was a leader with marching band, pit orchestra and the Jazz Ensemble. He has faced numerous challenges in his personal life, including acting as a caregiver for a sick family member, while still remaining dedicated to his participation and performances in the community. He will be the first in his family to attend college. He plans to attend Schoolcraft College, and study computer science.
Lace Museum on the Move The Lace Museum Detroit in Northville Square will be closing its doors at the end of September with plans to open a small gallery-style museum as soon as space is available. Owner and curator Mary Salmon, who opened the museum five years ago, is hoping to move to smaller space on the upper level of Northville Square. “It’s an opportunity to curate the collection for a smaller space similar to what they have in Mary Salmon Europe,” Salmon said. She is planning a sale at the current location the last two weeks of September. She also is continuing online sales and will take appointments. A Northville city resident, Salmon said she welcomes inquiries and is looking forward to displaying lace at events/venues throughout the community post-COVID. In the meantime, Salmon will continue to collect, restore, research and plan for a new location. She can be reached at (937) 681-7219 or by email at marysalmon781@hotmail.com or www.thelacemuseumllc. com.
30 The ‘Ville
The 63rd Annual Distinguished Young Women of Michigan State Scholarship Program was digitally held on Saturday, July 18. Northville’s Anjali Petrucci, the Distinguished Young Woman of Northville, was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Michigan 2021. Participants were evaluated in areas of scholastics, physical fitness, performing arts talent, private interview, and self-expression Anjali Petrucci question. Anjali will represent Michigan at the Distinguished Young Women National Scholarship Program in Mobile, Alabama next June where she will compete for additional college scholarships. She is also eligible for many college granted scholarships at various colleges around the country through the national scholarship program. Anjali is entering her senior year at Northville High School and is the daughter of Nipa and Brian Petrucci. She is the co-president of the National Honors Society, captain of the Northville High School Dance Team, officer of the Rotary Interact Club, member of Student Congress and dancer at Noretta Dunworth School of Dance.
Get Your NHS Masks The Northville High School SPIE (Students Promoting Indigenous Education) Club is selling face masks with the NHS logo until the end of August. The masks, which cost $6 each, are double layered and have an embroidered NHS logo. They can be adjusted with the strings in the back for extra comfort. According to club member Marcela Guzman, the money raised will be used to repair a school in Mexico that was damaged by a recent earthquake. Valeria Guzman- Barrientos “Every year my sister and I would take gently used clothes to Mexico and donate them. One year, we found a children’s shelter in the town my mom is from and saw how much they were in need of, so we organized a clothes drive with some of our friends to be able to get each child there at least one complete new outfit,” Guzman said. “Seeing a little extra effort could make such a big impact on these kids’ lives, we were inspired to start SPIE Club. Since then, we have focused primarily on fundraising in order to buy anything from school supplies and sports equipment to printers and washing machines.” Free, no contact delivery offered. To order your mask or for more information, contact Guzman via text at (248) 841-6200.
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August Authors: For the Love of Words “… Change the world into words.” -William H. Gass – American novelist
I
love words. This month my words of choice are humble, kind, trust, blessed and alive. During the past few months my apple cart was tipped upside down. Editor Kurt Kuban offered kind words last month in my absence as I buried my husband. I will miss him dearly and my life is forever changed, but through the process I didn’t watch TV, or read the news and I survived, surrounded by the caring and compassionate people of Northville. It was humbling and an amazing awakening. I now trust we are going to be okay. Here are a just a few of our hometown heroes: - Northville Township Police and Fire – who responded to an emergency call, and with great respect, honored our wishes while guaranteeing complete safety and ensuring well-being in a time of panic. - I wanted a traditional funeral and the LJ Griffin Funeral Home NorthropSassaman Chapel made it happen. We followed Larry Griffin (left), David Griffin and the rules mom Gerry wore masks, practiced social distancing, and celebrated the life and times of Walt Jenkins. Friends, family and members of the
36 The ‘Ville
community, including Mayor Turnbull, were respectful, but it was the Griffin family and staff that set a fine example. - There are not words, only prayers for Fr. Denis, Deacon Fred, Kathy Sanderson and the entire OLV community for their support. I am truly blessed. - Rural Hill Cemetery is Northville’s hidden gem. My children and I walked through the unique graveyard to find a final resting place and saw the whole history of Northville on tombstones. This is a great town! - And finally, still following the rules, we had a luncheon at home in a backyard tent, tables and chairs for 64 with food from Rocky’s served by Rocky and his staff – so there was no handling of serving utensils, etc. I practice yoga and try hard not to judge, but simply observe. I could have buried my head in the sand at this difficult time – personally and worldwide. I chose to keep my little piece of the world safe, but alive. I’m glad I did. I hope others will do the same. It could catch on. Just observing… Enough about me. This summer we missed parades, festivals, sports – but we do have winners to announce in the 8th Edition of Short on Word literary contest, which I organize every year. In the Adult Author competition first place was awarded to Paul Snyder for his short story
“Eminent Domain” inspired by the photo Trees (also all the Karen Wang Judge’s Choice!); second place went to Northville’s Karen Wang for her story “The Mission” inspired by Fog; the third place winner was Terri Schleuder’s short story “Jack”, the Window Washer; Honorable Mentions to Fred Karr and Joan Runkel. In the Young Author competition first place was awarded to “Freedom In The Sky” a poem by Jordan Rouseau inspired by the photo Bird; second place went to Northville’s Violet Culp for her poem “Silent” inspired by Trees; there was a third place Violet Culp tie – Elena Zarlenga’s “If The Walls Could Talk” and Vaishnavi Katta’s “Many Stories To Be Told”; Honorable Mentions went to Northville’s Maggie Kuban (also Judge’s Choice award) and Jackie Zielinski. I tried to figure out a way to have a reception to honor all the authors. It’s just not in the cards this year. The good news is the competition raised more than $300 in donations
for Northville’s Art House. As always, there were some outstanding entries – and more perfect scores of 100 than ever before. Since I was missing in action for a month, I do have a couple updates to share. The Stockhausen garage sale was on again, but is now off again. Stay tuned for next year – I’m not sure how, but I’m betting it will be bigger and better than ever. Chris Van Dam is retiring after 42 years in the boutique business, 20 years in downtown Northville – and for a very good reason! She’s got a new granddaughter to dress up in ribbons and bows. If you don’t know Van Dam’s is next door to Edward’s Catering – but they share more than a wall. The Van Dam son Avera Christine (Alex) is married to the Edward’s daughter (Alli). May 20, 2020 (great date!) marked a new beginning for both families with the birth of Avera Christine, a real sweetie pie. Congratulations to all – my very best wishes to both Grandma Christines. When it comes to words, there are two I can’t forget to include this month. To all, for all your kindness, “thank you.”
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