Northville’s News and Lifestyle Magazine
The
PRIDE of Northville Jake Moody kicks his way into U-M's record books
2018
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SUPPORT THE ‘VILLE I started The ‘Ville because I felt our community needed a publication focused on … our community.
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2018 16435 Franklin, Northville, MI 48168 • 734.716.0783 • TheVilleMagazine@gmail.com
Unlike traditional magazines, however, we do not charge a subscription fee. We mail directly to every household and business in Northville, because that model offers our advertisers the best bang for their buck. And advertising is ultimately what pays the bills. Building an advertising base takes time and persistence. So, in the meantime, your financial support will help us get over the hump, and insure local journalism is here to stay. Send us $5, $10, $20 or any amount you can, and we will list your name in an upcoming issue as being a supporter of The ‘Ville and local journalism. Because LOCAL matters. Please send checks, cash or lucky charms to: Journeyman Publishing 16435 Franklin Northville, MI 48168
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.
JOHN HEIDER – Photographer/Writer
John Heider, 53, was the The Northville Record and Novi News photographer from 1996 until 2017. He lives in Ann Arbor and enjoys fishing, hunting, gardening, cooking, feature writing, woodworking projects and the symphony. jch24water@yahoo.com
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.
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Maria has edited Michigan History and The Active Learner magazines and reported for The Northville Record, Novi News, and Farmington Observer and (currently) BNP Media. She lives in Farmington and, as a self-avowed history nerd, routinely risks her life by standing in the middle of Grand River to take photos of old buildings.
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.
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A View From The ‘Ville
One Year In W
ell, we pulled it off. You are holding in your hands the 12th issue of The ‘Ville, which means, of course, we’ve clawed our way through our first year of publishing. And we’ve done it at a time when the mantra seems to be that print media is dead. I knew a year ago, when I started this venture, however, there are a great many people out there just like me, who still like to read a good story in a form they can hold in their hands, thumb through the pages with their fingers, and not worry if the battery is charged. After a year of publishing The ‘Ville each month, I believe it even more. I can tell you definitively that people are not only reading our print product, they look forward to it and have started to even count on it to get their local news. I hope you are one of those people. Of course, I realize the main interest in our publication is because of its content. We haven’t recreated the wheel here. People
want to know about their town. That’s why our focus is squarely on Northville – and why it always will be. Fortunately, the print game has improved dramatically over the years, and we are now able to produce a high-quality magazine with limited funding. That’s not to say we don’t have some very talented people producing this magazine, because I think it’s clear we do. Our journalists, our designers, and our advertising reps all work hard to bring you this magazine each month. It’s also not a cheap endeavor to produce this magazine, and then mail it to every address in the Northville community. That’s why our advertisers are so important. They are paying the freight, so to speak. If you thumb through the magazine, you will notice they are all small business owners, who have chosen to invest in Northville. Many, if not most, even live here. Like you, they care about what is going on in this town.
They feel supporting this magazine helps people stay connected, while at the same time being able to get their brand into 21,000 homes and businesses. If you enjoy this magazine and getting hyper local news each month, I ask you to support them, because without them The ‘Ville would not exist. I can also personally vouch for just about every single one of these business owners – they are great at what they do. And they love Northville just as much as you and I. I also want to thank all of you who have sent donations to help us get through this year. I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate it. So do my wife and kids. Despite the presumptions that print is dead, I’m happy to report we’re still kicking,
and very much looking forward to see what our second year holds in store. So, on behalf of everyone here at The ‘Ville, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And I want to thank you for giving us a read. Kurt Kuban is the editor and publisher of The ‘Ville. He welcomes your comments at kurtkuban@gmail.com.
Your Voice: Letters 4 Main Street School stalemate 8 Northville Garden Club has Christmas touch 12 Slam Dunk: Harlem Wizards put on a show 14 Past Tense: Studebaker dealership gets facelift 16
Moody Getting His Kicks for U-M Dressing Up for the Holidays
6
18
Maybury Farm Director Ousted
22
Officers save overdose victim with new kits 24 Out & About 26 Major eyesore finally falls 30 It’s Your Business: Good Time Party Store 34
ON THE COVER: U-M freshman Jake Moody kicks off for the Wolverines earlier this season. Photo by University of Michigan Athletics.
The ‘Ville 3
Your Voice
I cannot tell you what a chuckle your article on Tammy the Turkey got out of me! I have been living in the area for two years now. The first time I came upon Tammy was when she was limping across Northville Road early one evening. The last time was four months ago when she was in the Highland Lakes condo complex dragging a bird carcass out of Silver Springs Road and over the curb. I haven’t seen her since. I say a little prayer whenever I drive down Northville Road that she is alive and well somewhere in the area. I really miss her. Thank you again. I am happy to know that other people appreciated this wonder of nature as much as I did. Renee Martin My daughter and I want to thank you for the warm-hearted column on Tammy the Turkey. We have been watching that little bird for months. However, like you intimated in your article, she doesn’t seem to be around much these days. It was uplifting to read about a mere bird
who, for sure, many of us Northvillers had been watching all summer. It was fun and cute and so “local.” Barbara Heemer Just read Kurt Kuban’s column about “Tammy the Turkey.” I know her, and have seen her many times. Her name is Shelia, however. Just thought you should know that’s what I named her. She often frequented my back yard as my house backs up to the woods of Ward Church near Haggerty (her or another loaner turkey who looked a lot like her). Great article! I hope she comes back. Jessica Durkin
Since March of 2017 the City of Northville has cooperated with the School District on the Main Street and Old Village School projects. We both recognized early on that there was a difference of opinion as to who had authority over what kind of work could be done on these buildings. The School District proposed that it would proceed by following the Historic District Commission (HDC) process while not admitting that the HDC had jurisdiction. This was the School District’s publicly stated position going back to March of 2017. For 17 months, both parties continued along this path. During this time, all of the School District’s requests of the HDC were granted; including a request for partial demolition of Old Village School. As a result, the School District completed a beautiful renovation of Old Village School. Suddenly, on Aug. 15th, the School District announced that they were changing their minds; that they would no longer follow the HDC process. At that point, the City had two options; choose to ignore the law, or act to defend the law. The City chose to intervene in the demolition, to see if the School District would reconsider and do what it had promised to do for so long. The City also chose to work toward finding another solution that would avoid protracted litigation. Rather than spending our time stoking fires on social media, the City has been working on solutions. Residents have a right to know what the City has offered: 1. The City offered to apply to the Attorney General for an opinion on the facts of our case. The City would agree to follow whatever decision was made, favorable to the City or not. This would quickly resolve the situation at very little cost. The School District rejected this. 2. The City offered to bring the matter to Circuit Court, and let a judge decide. Both sides would have to agree to follow the judge’s opinion, favorable or not, and not seek appeal. This was rejected by the School District. 3. The City offered to have a hearing in front of the HDC where the City would be the Petitioner instead of the School District. All that was needed was the School District’s consent to file a petition with the HDC. This was rejected by the School District. 4. The City offered to let the body which the School District claims has jurisdiction over this issue, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), make the decision. The City proposed holding an HDC hearing on the demolition of the building and presenting the findings to LARA--the very body which the School District says should be making the decision. The City would agree to whatever decision LARA made.
I cannot vouch for Tammy but there are four turkeys roaming the east shore of Phoenix Lake and my back yard. They are smart in that the week before Thanksgiving they were wearing camouflage. I believe in reincarnation and feel that the turkeys we see are past politicians who promised something for me and paid for by you. That said, there is redemption and this is the season. Brian Higgins
SOUND OFF 4 The ‘Ville
City had no choice
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.
The only thing asked was that LARA be given all of the facts before issuing a final permit. The School District rejected this offer as well. If there is any waste of taxpayer money, it is because the School District changed its course at the last minute, and that they have refused all of our offers of compromise. The School District has the ability to end this stalemate. Keep the promise that was originally made or accept one of the City’s proposals. Let our community move forward together. Northville City Council
Drop the lawsuit
The Northville PTA does not support the City of Northville’s lawsuit against Northville Public Schools. We believe the city has no legitimate argument to sue the district because school districts work with the state. Additionally, voters approved a bond last year that included the demolition of Main Street School. Northville’s children and families do not have the luxury of an expensive power struggle over an unused building. Our School Board does an excellent job managing very tight finances to educate children that have a wide spectrum of needs. Our PTAs and other organizations do an excellent job of supporting their efforts through many volunteer hours, memberships and donations; which is why we find this lawsuit particularly offensive. We are asking the city of Northville to see that the object of real importance in this instance is not a building, but our people, especially the little ones. For them, we ask that they drop this lawsuit. Carin Meyer and Tanya Pitkin Northville PTA Advocacy co-chairs
Thanks for your vote
I want to thank the Northville community for your confidence in me to represent you as a Northville Board of Education Trustee. It is an honor and privilege that I take very seriously and I will serve you with the utmost integrity and commitment. During the course of the campaign, I had the pleasure of connecting with parents, teachers, and community members to hear your stories, your concerns, and your expectations for our community. I look forward to taking all that you have shared with me and all that I have learned to my seat on the Board. I am eager to get started and I am so grateful to be a part of this incredible community. Suzanne Lynn
The Mustang Way
I recently read Kurt Kuban’s article “The Mustang Way” (July issue), which I really liked. We’ve had three daughters go completely through the district, all of them in sports. There have been good and bad coaches, but there’s learning with both. Your article importantly reinforces the good expectations of coaches. Mark Ritchie
Wishing The ‘Ville success
As new residents of Northville, we appreciate and enjoy your magazine. Much success in the future! Bill and Marcia Collins
University of Michigan athletics
University of Michigan athletics
Ice in his Veins
Jake Moody kicks his way into U-M’s record book By Kurt Kuban
J
ake Moody must be pinching himself every day, because he’s definitely been living the dream lately. His dream. Moody, a 2018 Northville High School graduate, has blasted onto the national sports scene after kicking six field goals for the University of Michigan football team in an important late season game against Indiana. Not only did
the six field goals break the single game record in the team’s 139-year history, it was also the most any kicker has ever had in a Big Ten conference game. Not bad for a true freshman, especially one who hadn’t attempted a field goal all season before that 31-20 win over Indiana on Nov. 17 that earned the team a share of the Big Ten East Division title.
Jake Moody was also a record-breaking kicker last year for Northville High School.
6 The ‘Ville
In fact, Moody found out he would not only be handling the kickoff duties, as he had been all season, but Coach Jim Harbaugh informed him in the locker room before the game he would also be kicking field goals and extra points for the Wolverines. Quinn Nordin, the team’s veteran field goal kicker, had been in a bit of a funk, and wasn’t feeling well before the game. Harbaugh said he didn’t hesitate to call Moody’s number, and the kid’s powerful right leg didn’t let him down. He made all six of his attempts in the game, “His demeanor didn’t warrant anything, didn’t change at all,” Harbaugh said after the game. “So, I never thought he needed a pep talk or a Snickers bar or anything. Just get warmed up, go out there, and I didn’t hesitate to give him the chance to do it, and he just kept coming through.” Moody was surprised when Harbaugh approached him and
tapped him on the shoulder, but he felt he was prepared to succeed. “All I was thinking about was just doing what I know how to do, even though there were a couple more people in the stands,” he said of the more than 100,000 fans packed into Michigan Stadium.
WHERE IT STARTED
One person who isn’t a bit surprised by Moody’s success is NHS football Coach Matt Ladach, who had a front row seat as Moody blossomed into one of the best prep kickers in the state. Ladach brought Moody up to the varsity level when he was still a freshman. Moody started the year on the freshman team, but it became pretty apparent he was an exceptional talent. By mid-season he was helping the varsity team win games. Ladach knew fairly quick that Moody’s personality was perfect for being a kicker. “Jake doesn’t let the pressure
Ladach jokes that he didn’t teach Moody much about kicking at NHS. “I didn’t want to mess him up. I just always told him to kick the ball through the uprights. And he always did,” Ladach said. Moody said Ladach might not have taught him how to kick, but he certainly had a major impact on him. “Coach Ladach and the other coaches taught me you always have to stay humble. You’re never too good for a bad job. I’ve carried that with me. Whenever I’ve been told to do something, I never complain,” Moody said. Like many kickers nowadays, Moody first started playing soccer. But he had one problem. He could never score. “I always kicked it over the goal,” he said. It was around 6th grade he says when he began kicking footballs. He credits Victor Bodrie, a NHS kicker at the time, for giving him lessons and teaching him the correct technique that he’s carried with him to U-M. His advice Moody was all smiles after his record-breaking performance to young Nov. 17 against Indiana. kickers, or “Jake’s response was simple. any kicker really, is to “have a He didn’t complain. And later good mindset and confidence in the game he went out and that you will make every kicked the second longest field kick. Once you start doubting goal in Michigan high school yourself, you’re in trouble.” history,” Ladach said. University of Michigan athletics
get to him. There was never a moment that was too big for him. He’s always been extremely mature. He was a great leader for us, too” Ladach said. Ladach said Moody was always one of the hardest workers on the team, putting in the necessary work to maintain his accuracy as a kicker. But he said Moody was also extremely tough. And he points to a game against Grand Blanc during Moody’s senior season, when the opposing coaching staff instructed one of their players to take a cheap shot on him after a kick-off when he wasn’t looking. Moody picked himself up, and carried on.
BOWLBOUND AND BEYOND
Moody grew up a Michigan fan. His father, Chad, is a U-M alum, and the two of them went to many games during Jake’s childhood. After his senior season, when various colleges came to recruit him, including the Air Force Academy and Central Michigan University,
“It was crazy. I never knew how intense it was,” Moody said, noting the OSU fans were pretty nasty to the team as they traveled through Ohio. He said the loss is motivation for the future, and he is already looking forward to a rematch. Moody is now preparing to kick for the 7th-ranked
Moody was named to the Michigan All-State team in 2017. He’s pictured with Tony Versaci, chair of the Football All-State Committee.
Moody was holding out for Michigan. Coach Harbaugh said he could “grayshirt” – meaning he could walk on, and then be given a scholarship later. As it turned out, however, a lot of pieces fell into place and a short time after he arrived on campus, the team offered him a scholarship. Of course, his decision didn’t exactly please his mother, Lisa, who is a Michigan State alum. But she is starting to come around, Jake said. “I’ve even gotten her to wear some Michigan clothing,” he says with a laugh. Moody followed up his record-breaking day against Indiana with a 2-for-2 performance a week later in a bitter loss to rival Ohio State. But Moody got his first taste of the legendary U-M/OSU rivalry, both during the week of preparation, and then on the bus trip to Columbus.
Wolverines against the Florida Gators in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 29 in Atlanta. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN. Moody is eager for his first bowl game experience, and hopes it will be the first of several as he continues his career at U-M. He’s also got his sights set on playing in the NFL in the future, but there’s plenty of time – and kicks to make – before then. “There was a reason I came to the University of Michigan. I’m going to get a great education, so I have a back-up plan if I don’t make it to the NFL,” he said. Something tells me he will, though. Maybe it’s his work ethic, his humble attitude, or the fact he can walk into a stadium filled with 100,000 screaming fans and knock down every kick in front of him. Oh yeah, and that powerful right leg of his.
The ‘Ville 7
An artist's rendering of the single family homes planned for the Main Street School property after demolition takes place. Courtesy Mike Miller Building Company.
Main Street School Stalemate City sues school district to take demo plan before HDC By Lonnie Huhman
A
debate over jurisdiction and authority has caused a collision between the City of Northville and Northville Schools. The two are now facing off over the fate of Main Street School near downtown. The city has filed a lawsuit against Northville Public Schools to halt demolition of the now vacant structure, and is seeking an injunction to stop the district from tearing down the building before it goes before the city’s Historic District Commission. The former school on West Main Street is within the city’s historic district boundaries, which has certain standards and regulations governing the structures within the district. Designed by architect Maynard Lyndon, Main Street School was built in 1939, and was then known as “the first modern public school in North America.” NPS officials tried to have the suit dismissed, but Wayne
8 The ‘Ville
County Circuit Court Judge David Allen denied the motion at a Dec. 7 hearing. He is expected to reconvene with both parties in mid-January in hopes of reaching a compromise. There are two sides, but there are various angles to this situation. From the neighbors of the building, to Mayor Ken Roth the taxpayers, to the potential developer of the site, to the officials involved, the Northville community is facing a dividing issue. CITY’S VIEW “It’s important, from the city’s positon, to recognize a couple of things here,” said Northville Mayor Ken Roth. “We do not want to be in this
position. We do not want to sue the school district.” Roth served on the Northville School Board for nearly 13 years. City Council member Marilyn Price also served previously on the school board. Roth simply wants the school district to apply to the city’s historic district commission for a demolition permit, which he said every other building owner in the historic district has to do, including the city. He said the city understands there is case law that exempts school districts from certain issues of local control, specifically in terms of site plan and having to get approval of site plans and going in front of
planning commissions. He feels this situation is different. “We recognize that and we accept that, and we’re not contesting it,” Roth said of legal precedent. “But what we have here is a completely different level, where we recognize that the school district doesn’t have to have their site plan approved by the planning commission, but there’s nothing in any of that that exempts a school district or any other governmental entity from having to apply to the HDC for a demolition of a building in the historic district." Roth said City officials believed the school district would go to the HDC and state why it needed a permit for demolition and present the proposal for the site. However, he said things changed over the summer when district officials said they would not come back to the HDC to seek a permit. “We were left in an impossible situation,” Roth said. Roth said the city could
either pretend not to see the issue or would need to take action to enforce the HDC’s requirements. He said it would be disingenuous of the city to carve out an exception for one party and not others, which he said could open a floodgate to others who think they might have an exception. “We were backed into this corner and Jim Mazurek forced to take action,” Roth said. City Manager Pat Sullivan said the city’s offers to the school district can still be utilized in order to resolve the issue. “The city is not taking a position on whether the building should stay or go,” Roth said. “The question is, whether the building should stay or go needs to be answered by the HDC, not the board of education.” DISTRICT’S VIEW Jim Mazurek, Northville’s school board president, called the current legal standoff a “lose-lose situation.” He served on the school board with Roth and Price. “It’s a sad situation that the city is suing the school district,” Mazurek said. “We basically have our public paying both sides of the bill, and every dollar that we spend is taking money away from what we would otherwise do for our kids.” Mazurek emphasized the school district has worked to be as open as possible with its
process, from seeking input, to working closely with the city on the planning and renovation of Old Village School to updating the city at each step. He said they had multiple meetings seeking input from the public and received over 200 letters sent in favor of selling the site to be developed for single family homes. Mazurek said “maintaining both the Old Village and Main Street facilities is cost prohibitive, not feasible or fiscally responsible.” He said the conflict seems to have begun where the city claims, “We went back on our word.” District officials point to prevailing Michigan case law (A.G. Opinion No. 6957 September 30, 1997) that is summarized on the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office website (Attorney General’s Opinions Regarding Local Preservation) as follows: “A LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A PERMIT UNDER THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS ACT BEFORE COMMENCING WORK AFFECTING THE EXTERIOR APPEARANCE OF A SCHOOL BUILDING LOCATED WITHIN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT. THE STATE, THROUGH ENACTMENT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ACT AND THE REVISED SCHOOL
CODE, HAS EXEMPTED “disheartened by the city of FROM LOCAL REGULATION Northville’s decision to seek THE CONSTRUCTION AND legal action against Northville REMODELING OF SCHOOL Public Schools, after the school BUILDINGS BY LOCAL district, in good faith, worked SCHOOL DISTRICTS.” to restore and repurpose School district officials said Old Village School, while delaying the demolition of Main engaging in an exhaustive and Street School is a deterrent to transparent decision-making a major improvement program process to arrive at an outcome that will be of substantial for the Main Street property benefit to the community and that has been widely embraced forcing the district to retain by our community.” the property will cause undue In addition, Mazurek said the financial timing of the hardship to whole thing it. All feasible is strange alternatives to him in We’ve been following this story for to eliminate looking back months, and the opinions are all the financial at how much over the place. Do you agree with the city’s position, or should the hardship, time passed school district be allowed to skirt including between city the HDC on its demolition plan? offering the decisions on How would you like to see the issue resource for the matter, resolved? Send your opinions to sale at its fair from waiting Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@ market value, over a month gmail.com. has been after August attempted to follow-up and exhausted by the district, with the school district about they say. Retaining this stating it should go to the HDC property is not in the best despite state law to waiting interest of the majority of the until after the general election community. to file the suit. Mazurek said the district He said he hopes cooler heads spent more than $10 million prevail in this situation, and on the Old Village School that the board will always be renovation project that saw that friendly with the city council, historical building updated to but they disagree on this. house early childhood students He said at the end of the day and school district staff offices. whatever would go on the site, In looking at the suit, after demolition, would need to the school district said it is, be reviewed by the HDC.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
The ‘Ville 9
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At left, Northville Garden Club members Julie Mantay, Karen Ross, Annie Nichols, Mimi Kibbey, Evelyn Harper, Patty Page, Marie Claire Kreher, and president Sue Marie Klimek at Allen Terrace. Center - Kibby and Klimek decorate Allen Terrace. At right, garden club members assemble the wreaths at Mill Race.
the
Christmas touch Northville Garden Club wreath sales fund scholarships Story and Photos by John Heider
E
ven though we’re well past the flower-growing season, the signs of the Northville Garden Club’s efforts are all over town. Each November for the past 43 years, the club has held what it calls its Greens Mart. It’s an effort to make and deliver to residents and local businesses Christmas wreaths and other holiday decorations. The club, which began in 1938 and has about 48 active members, gathers in early November at Mill Race Village’s Cady Inn for a day of making the large red bows that adorn the wreaths and to wire together pine cones that the members gather throughout the year in their backyards and on travels around the country. The subsequent Greens Mart (held this year on Nov. 17-18) is the only fundraiser for the club’s scholarship program. “It’s pretty amazing what a small group of women are able to do by volunteering their time,” said Julie Mantay, a past club president. The club’s gross sales this year were about $21,000 for a net profit of about $6,000.
12 The ‘Ville
Beginning in late October the club takes orders for wreaths of various sizes, cedar roping, swags, and bundled greens. “This started 43 years ago when the club was trying to find a way to bring affordable greens to the public - so 43 years later we’re still selling greens,” said Mantay. She continued: “Every dollar that we raise goes right back into the community in the form of scholarships and improvements.” Not to mention helping beautify the downtown’s landscaping. The club and its members see the impact of their efforts to bring Christmas greenery to the community. “The amazing part is when you look around at the holidays there’s no more beautiful place to look at than downtown Northville,” said Mantay, with the downtown area’s lamp posts sporting the red ribbons made by the club and installed by the Northville DPW. Going through hundreds of yards of wide, red ribbon material every year, Mantay noted: “We have a small committee that makes the bows each fall. They make over 750 bows, and this year they wired
together 3,396 pine cones.” The club sold more than 400 wreaths to residents and businesses this year. They split the proceeds of the Greens Mart sales into four $1,000 scholarships that are awarded to deserving Northville High and Schoolcraft College students. The remaining proceeds are donated to spruce up downtown’s landscaping or given to other local causes. When asked about the club’s Greens Mart, current president Sue Marie Klimek said: “The best part of it is working together with the club to get the bows and wreaths together, then walking through town and seeing those efforts displayed,” she said. “It’s a great group of ladies - I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many working together to make a difference.” Club members began taking orders back in October. The wreaths are then made on the day they’re delivered in early November by Britton’s Prielipp Farms, which pieces them together at Cady Inn. In addition to decorating downtown, the club also gathers in late November to spruce up
Allen Terrace’s fountain, which the club donated in 1978 and has decorated each year since with cedar roping and lights – something that is very much appreciated by the residents of the city-owned senior housing complex north of downtown. It’s just another service provided by the Northville Garden Club. “I hope the club continues to grow and that the residents understand the importance of giving back and can join something like the Garden Club that gives back to the community,” said Mantay. For more information about the Northville Garden Club, visit northvillegardenclub.com. Besides funding scholarships, the club also donates to Northville Township and city beautification projects, Northville Parks and Recreation Adopt-a-Park program, Northville Public Schools, the Northville District Library, Northville Historical Society, Allen Terrace and the Northville Arts Commission. For more information, email northvillegardenclub@gmail. com.
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In Focus with Martha Michalak
The Mustang Madness team poses with the Wizards and many of the youngsters who came out.
A Real
Gerald “Sky Walker” Warrick III proved good on his nickname as he dunks.
Slam Dunk!
This youngster stole the show – and the ball – from Dwayne “Swoop” Simpson.
Harlem Wizards charity game raises money for NHS athletics Photos by Martha Michalak
T
Hillsides Jennifer Lawson was fabulous.
James “Road Runner” Tyndall III of the Wizards had the best seat in the house.
14 The ‘Ville
he Harlem Wizards blew into town on Nov. 27, making an appearance at the Northville High School gym where they squared off on the hardwood against a team of Northville educators and athletic supporters calling themselves the Mustang Madness. It was all in good fun, though, as the event was a fundraiser for the Northville Mustang Boosters Club. The game drew nearly 900 spectators, and raised more than $8,000 for NHS athletic programs. There were plenty of oohs and aahs coming from the nearcapacity crowd, as the Wizards performed their brand of humor, while also showing off incredible basketball entertainment. Not only did they involve the teachers in their gags, but also interacted with the crowd throughout the night, often bringing people onto the court with them. There was a scoreboard, but nobody seemed to care about the score. Everyone was a winner on this night. The Wizards are a traveling show that raises money for schools and nonprofits. The Mustang Madness team was coached by Nancy Smith, Kelly DeWitt and Chris Cronin, all from Northville High School. Players included Darrel Adkins (NHS), Hadley Brill (Hillside), Elissa Brode (Hillside), Jason Brooks (Hillside), Sarah Debien (Meads Mill), Shaun Dicken (NHS), Keith Dutkiewicz (Northville Parks and Rec), Jim Gordon (NHS), Julie Hardy (Hillside), Bill Jones (Hillside), NHS Principal Tony Koski, Will Lamdin (Hillside), Jennifer Lawson (Hillside), Janice Loomis (NHS), Marco Marando (Amerman), Diana Patterson (NHS), Angie Phillips (Silver Springs), Nancy Robbert (Ridge Wood), Joe Rohrhoff (Meads Mill), Jeff Schade (Hillside) and Sean Turner (NHS). Local NHS fan Andy Genitti also played on the team, and even scored a couple buckets. NHS coaches Matt Ladach, John Kostrzewa and Tim Dalton were dressed as referees but they didn’t exactly give their whistles a workout. All in all, it was a slam dunk of an evening for NHS athletics.
Meads Mill’s volleyball coach Angie Phillips makes peace with Gerald “Sky Walker” Warrick III.
Wizards team manager Dwayne “Swoop” Simpson holds court with some young fans.
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PAST TENSE
The Studebaker Building Former auto dealership undergoes historic facelift By Michele Fecht
A
t the bend of South Main Street, on the edge of Northville’s once burgeoning manufacturing district, restoration work is nearing completion of one of Northville’s early automotive dealerships. The building at 200 S. Main, which has long housed Northville Stitching Post and will soon add another tenant with the addition of interior design firm Bailey & Shamoun, was once the location of the Petz Brothers Studebaker dealership. The newly restored structure pays homage to its automotive roots as the Studebaker Building. Under the ownership of partners Rick Cox and Gregory Donofrio, the building’s extensive renovation has revealed some intriguing local history and uncovered the structure’s hidden architectural gems — most notably the original 1940s’ old-growth pine garage bay doors discovered when the drop ceilings were opened. Cox, who with his wife Diane, purchased Northville’s historic Ford Valve Plant in 1994 and spearheaded the restoration of the Albert Kahn-designed building into the Water Wheel Centre commercial complex, knows a thing or two about the redevelopment of historic structures. That the 200 Main Street building also once housed
16 The ‘Ville
an automotive dealership was an additional lure for the former Ford engineer and car enthusiast. The most noticeable exterior upgrade is the new brickwork on the building’s façade. The Belden brick used on the structure is identical to the brick used on the Water Wheel Centre. In a case of pure Northville serendipity, Cox shared that brick mason Eric Frid visited the Studebaker dealership as a kid when his
original frames and hardware, all salvageable, though the glass panes were replaced. The copper stripping that flanks the top of the Water Wheel Centre also will be added to the Studebaker Building. The rear of the building was enlarged to accommodate a sizeable third space for an additional tenant. The addition allowed for correcting some of the building’s structural issues, and also required pouring a new floor. It was work on the
Photo of the Petz Brothers Studebaker dealership, 1954
father decided to buy a new car. The new garage bay doors — the original pine doors are being saved by Donofrio for his use — retain the original building’s architectural integrity and are one of its most striking features. The boarded windows also have been uncovered to reveal the
building’s foundation that provided a glimpse into the building’s deeper history. The owners found that the angles of the foundation’s concrete matched those of the former Globe furniture factory outlined on early fire insurance maps.
MANUFACTURING ROOTS AND SCOURGE OF FIRE A Sanborn Fire Insurance map from 1893 reveals that the building sits on the site of the former Hanrahan Refrigerator Company, part of the Globe Furniture and Manufacturing complex that made Northville one of Wayne County’s leading manufacturing areas in the late 19th century. The original building on the site was the Granville Wood Pipe Organ Company constructed in 1884. The devastation from the 1899 fire that destroyed the main Globe furniture and manufacturing structure eventually forced the once dominant manufacturer into receivership with three new companies formed to take over the remaining land and ancillary buildings. Among the new companies was the reorganized Globe Furniture Company that took over the former refrigerator factory, an ancillary building that continued to produce furniture. Nevertheless, by 1931 the Globe Furniture Company ceased operation, and Frank D. Marchano, president of Michigan Wood Products Company, purchased the 200 South Main site and a three-story building for his furniture manufacturing plant specializing in dinette sets. On July 1, 1938, a raging fire destroyed Marchano’s furniture factory, knocking out electricity
An artist's rendering of the renovated Studebaker Building at 200 South Main.
and telephone service in Bealtown and other areas in that vicinity. The Northville Record reported that the fire raged from 9:30 that evening until the following morning. The Record noted that Henry Ford stopped in the village the next morning and visited the ruins of the factory where embers were still smoldering. In January 1940, the Petz brothers — Wilbert and William Jr. — purchased the former factory site for their service station and auto parts store, which also served as a sales office for Studebaker. In yet another bit of Northville serendipity, the 1938 Michigan Wood factory fire was called in by William Petz from the brothers’ former gas station, Petz’ Corner, at 470 East Main, now the location of the Northville City Car Wash. On January 29, 1941 — just a year after the Petz brothers purchased the 200 South Main site and built their station/ store, a fire broke out in the attic of the building at 11:55 p.m. Workers on the night shift at the Ford Valve Plant were the first to see the flames and called in the alarm to the fire department. Though the building survived the blaze, the intense heat from burning tires destroyed
machinery, radios — and three Studebakers. Insurance covered the losses and the Petz brothers forged ahead, eventually expanding their dealership. By November 1947 the Petz’ unveiled a new salesroom and “parts bar” showcasing the “new 1948 Studebakers.” REPURPOSING THE AUTO DEALERSHIP The dealership, which would eventually become a Studebaker-Mercedes Benz agency, remained under the Petz’ ownership until 1959 when Wilbert Petz turned over the keys to Detroit auto dealer Gib Bergstrom. Robert Webber eventually purchased the building and opened the Northville Camera Shop and Webber Photographic Studio on the site. Building tenants have included a saddlery, office supply store, accounting office and yoga studio. The mainstay on the site has been Northville Stitching Post. Owner Rebecca Weber, who has been supplying high school varsity jackets, spiritwear, patches, corporate embroidery and other custom work to clients for more than 30 years, is pleased with the building renovation. “It’s great,” she notes. “What’s not to like?” As one of
the building’s longest-tenured tenants, Weber says Northville Stitching Post plans to stay for years to come. The building can accommodate three tenants with the middle space occupied by interior designers Kathryn Bailey and Basma ShamounMiscovich. Bailey notes that the firm, Bailey & Shamoun, opened its first design studio in 2002 in a garage on Doheny Drive (in the Davis Auto Care complex) before moving to its current CadyCentre location. “We’re now moving to our second garage,” says Bailey, adding that the interior designers are excited about the additional space that includes twice as much workroom area, a client conference room in a dining room setting, a small kitchen, and an open showroom. “One of the things I love about the Studebaker Building is bringing the old together with the new,” Bailey notes. Bailey & Shamoun hopes to be open by the end of January. The third space, toward the rear of the building, has not yet been leased but will offer additional outdoor space with a patio facing the Rouge River. Cox mentioned that in addition to parking lot resurfacing and landscaping, there will be some
riverbank clean up and a new retaining wall. Construction on the Studebaker Building is expected to wrap up in the next month . . . just in time for Cox and Donofrio to focus their attention on their newest project, the renovation of the
New owner Rick Cox
former Phoenix Mill plant on Northville Road just south of Northville. The partners are expecting to close on the 5.2 acre property sometime this month. The project plan includes conversion of the first-floor space to a restaurant operated by John and Mishelle Lussier (owners of Table 5 and Lucy & The Wolf ) and a groundlevel banquet/venue space under the direction of Andy Genitti. Stay tuned. We’ll revisit the Phoenix Mill project in an upcoming issue of The ‘Ville.
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Dressing Up for theHolidays Christmas in The 'Ville is the greatest season of all
Here in Northville, there isn’t any season quite like the Holidays. It’s when our town seems to shine the brightest. So it makes sense that the season unofficially kicked off on Nov. 16 with the Holiday Lighted Parade, a beloved downtown Northville tradition. Dozens of local groups and businesses dressed the part, with their clothing, vehicles and floats illuminated with Christmas lights as they
18 The ‘Ville
marched through the streets of downtown Northville. Santa and Mrs. Claus made a guest appearance on a night that also included the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Town Square featuring Mayor Ken Roth and Citizen of the Year Chuck Murdock. The Northville Educational Foundation also announced the winner of their Cash for College contest. Amy Williams, a Northville
Parade photos by Steve Fecht, all others by John Heider
Public Schools parent, won the $17,100 jackpot. The shop owners should get a lot of the credit for transforming Northville into a winter wonderland. They’ve dressed up their display windows and facades, helping make our downtown a great destination for the holidays. And let’s not forget the city’s DPW workers, who also did their part, putting up holiday wreaths and lighting in advance of the parade. Another great holiday event is the Children’s Christmas Workshop, which took place Dec. 1 at Mill Race Village. Carol and Bill Stockhausen have been organizing the event for 39 years. It always draws a big group. Participating children made seven old-fashioned, hand-made gifts for the special people on their Christmas list. And those were just a couple of the great events that have been taking place around town, getting people ready for the Holidays. It’s safe to say the Christmas spirit runs deep here in Northville.
The ‘Ville 19
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Maybury Farm Director Ousted Despite major growth, NCF board moves on from Cindy Kern
Former Maybury Farm Director Cindy Kern with one of the farm’s residents.
By Maria Taylor
W
hen Maybury Farm opens for the 2019 season, kids will be able to see the cows, the chickens and the horses. They’ll be able to watch the bees make honey. One familiar face they won’t see is Cindy Kern, the farm director who was terminated on Halloween day. The Northville Community Foundation (NCF) board, which oversees Maybury Farm, claims she resigned. Kern says she was fired. Earlier this year, the NCF decided to focus more on the farm, divesting of events like the Fourth of July parade and shifting their grants and scholarships to be more farm based. But the former farm director and some volunteers have complained of a dysfunctional board with
22 The ‘Ville
no real stake in the farm, and they fear that Kern’s abrupt termination will undo the momentum the farm has gained in recent years. “They are repeating history,” said Kern, referencing a situation in 2007 when John Beemer, the farmer who ran Maybury for almost 30 years, was fired with little public explanation. “It was under a veil of secrecy. This is the same type of thing.” Matt Kosmowski, NCF board chair, rejected the idea that Kern’s departure would impact the farm’s future. MAJOR GROWTH “We’ve always had the farm as a priority. We’re still on our same path that we’ve always been,” he said. “I wouldn’t call this a shakeup. I’d call it
progress.” Kern joined NCF as a board member in 2016. At the time, there were two part-time employees working at the barn. Kern convinced the board to hire her at the farm and started in May 2016, working 10-15 hours/week. She describes the farm conditions when she started as “appalling.” “There was no feeding schedule, no water heaters, a lot of basic equipment lacking or not working,” she said. “We had to break ice on the water troughs in the winter for the animals to drink, and the joke was, ‘they can eat snow.’” Kern became farm manager in late 2016, reporting to NCF’s then-director Jessica Striegle, and worked on shaping Maybury into a center for farm-
based education. Under Kern’s watch, farm tours, admissions, and volunteerism all went up. In 2015, the Great Pumpkin Fest had about a thousand visitors; this year, it had an estimated 5,500 over two days, Kern reported. “Revenue went through the roof, and we started to attract some incredible people as far as staff and volunteers,” she said. “People were coming out of the woodwork to be part of it.” With that growth came challenges, Kern said. Four months into her job, she said she could already sense a “huge disconnect” between the NCF board and the farm. Kern said she constantly ran into pushback about spending money on the farm, something she said was due to board
members’ lack of volunteering there regularly. “It kind of makes me wonder if they felt threatened by her progress,” said Joe Slowins, who has volunteered at Maybury Farm for six years. “Initially it sounded like they were all for it, then all of a sudden, the wind changed directions. They obviously just wanted to get her out.” So Kern and her husband, Richard, proposed an alternative, forming a separate nonprofit to run the farm. NCF
be forthright though that if the Board wants to retain the current structure with no material changes, we do not plan to continue our involvement at the Farm.” At the meeting, she told board members this was not a resignation. “There needed to be change for us to continue our involvement with the farm. It was not a threat, nor a resignation, just an honest presentation of our position,” Richard wrote in an open letter
to take the farm over,” he said. “Obviously, the state wanted to keep the farm in the hands of the community; that’s why they asked the Northville Community Foundation to take it over. We’ve had the farm roughly since 2003; we raised over a million dollars to bring the current farm into its current location, take it over, develop it, grow it, and maintain it.” THE FARM’S FUTURE Going forward, Kosmowski said NCF is working with a
season. We don’t seem to have had any glitch at all with the transition.” Slowins would disagree; he said that after sticking up for Kern via social media, he has no longer been receiving communication about volunteer meetings. “I suspect they’ve wiped me from their list,” he said. “I’m not surprised. It could be maybe I was too close to the truth, maybe they don’t like to be challenged. Any of these things that were brought up, the
We’ve always had the farm as a priority. We’re still on our same path that we’ve always been. I wouldn’t call this a shakeup. I’d call it progress.” Matt Kosmowski NCF board chair
leases Maybury Farm from the state of Michigan, and subletting is allowable, with written permission. In the proposal, she and Richard offered to donate $100,000 of their own funds as capital reserve for the farm, and asked NCF to contribute $100,000 “to acknowledge the need for delayed repairs.” “I really thought they’d seen how much work this is, and as they seemed not overly enthusiastic about being involved [at the farm], I thought it would be a relief,” she said. Evidently, it was not. The morning after the board reviewed the proposal, Kern was summoned to the farm and told that the board had rejected the proposal and had decided to accept her resignation. Kern’s proposal, which she had presented via email, stated that “we do want to
to NCF, posted on Facebook on Nov. 2, which sparked outrage from dozens of commenters. “We have too much respect for the Farm, its Staff, the volunteers, the animals under our care, and the community to leave that way.” Kern said she was told that NCF’s attorney said her emailed comments constituted a resignation. “There was no discussion of why I was being removed, because I had ‘resigned,’” she said. “They said I needed to pack up my things and leave today... One board member wanted to watch to make sure we didn’t take anything, which I found very insulting.” Kosmowski declined to comment on Kern’s termination, due to workplace privacy law, and referenced only the farm nonprofit proposal. “She and her husband wanted
strategic planning company -- something that’s been in the works since this spring -- and is hiring two new staff members for the farm: one to oversee agriculture and animals, and one to run events. “They will work hand in hand, but it’s two separate positions,” Kosmowski said. “We’re obviously putting personnel in place in terms of what’s best for the agricultural program, the educational program, and the animals, and obviously the guests who come through.” In the meantime, board member Diana Wallace is serving as interim farm director. “The animals, the farm are all well taken care of,” she said. “I’m onsite at the farm throughout the week. We’re there all the time with the employees, the volunteers... we are moving forward. We are already planning for next
board just brushed them off... There’d be lots of comments on Facebook after field trips, about how nice it was and how Cindy the farm manager was so interested in kids learning about the farm. Now that spirit will be gone.” Kosmowski said that NCF’s emphasis on the farm is unwavering. “I was at the farm every Sunday, as a regular volunteer. I’m third generation on that farm: the best interest of the farm’s at my heart. Our holiday home tour was the greatest tour ever, and a lot of the donations from the tour will help support the farm, the animals, and the grants we do in the community,” he said. “By having a strategic plan for the next three to five years, and by being involved in the farm, I think we’re going to come out stronger,” Wallace said.
The ‘Ville 23
LOCAL HEROES
Northville Township Police Officers Tony Dang and Justin Norlock show off a Narcan kit, which they used to save a man from a heroin overdose on Nov. 9.
‘Just Doing Our Job’ Officers act quick to save man from heroin overdose By Lonnie Huhman
A
s he left the Northville Township police station early last month, Officer Tony Dang told himself to grab his Narcan kit. It was a fortunate decision. While out on patrol he was called upon to use it for the first time on a 44-year-old Plymouth man, who overdosed on heroin. Dang used the kit to save the man’s life, and said his training was an important factor. “I just reacted to the situation,” said Dang, who was sworn in with the department only 18 days prior to the day of the incident, Nov. 9, when he first took out the kit on patrol with his training officer, Justin Norlock. Narcan nasal spray kits are used for the treatment of an opioid emergency or a possible opioid overdose with signs of breathing problems, severe sleepiness or unresponsiveness. The kits were first issued to the township’s officers the day before on
24 The ‘Ville
Nov. 8. Dang and Norlock were dispatched to the scene at the Mobil Gas Station at Six Mile and Haggerty roads for a man possibly in cardiac arrest. Dang said the man was in a parked car and unresponsive. He and Norlock described the man as looking blue and having no pulse, so they went to work, knowing seconds mattered in this situation. Norlock performed CPR while Dang administered the first dose of the nasal spray Narcan to the man. The man’s pulse returned and he began breathing, but it was rough and he fell back into an overdose state. So Dang again gave him the Narcan, and he regained consciousness, telling the officers he had snorted heroin. Both officers said upon arrival and seeing the man’s condition, they knew they had to react quickly.
“Being a police officer is a passion of mine and this came down to just doing our job,” Dang said. Norlock said addiction issues are everywhere now and having the Narcan on hand gives them an important tool as first responders to many situations, including medical calls. “It’s everywhere now,” Norlock said of addiction. “Being prepared is key.” As for the man who overdosed, he was transported to St Mary’s Hospital, not before thanking the officers for saving his life. The Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority and Growth Works also thanked Northville Township for training its police officers in administering Narcan and for supplying the lifesaving drug. “We were able to save a life,” Norlock said. “That’s always good to see.”
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out & about YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NORTHVILLE THIS MONTH Santa in Town Square Dec. 22-23 There is still time to visit Santa in Town Square for a few days in December. Kids of all ages can visit him in the Santa House from 1-5 p.m. Dec. 22-23. There is no charge to visit Santa and photos are welcome, so remember to bring your cameras. Don’t forget your letters to Santa, too. The Northville DDA will deliver the letters to Macy’s who will donate $1 for every Santa letter that is put in the Downtown Northville Santa Box, to the Make a Wish Foundation.
First Day Hike Jan. 1 Start 2019 on a great fitness note by heading over to Maybury State Park from 10 a.m.-noon, while joining park staff, Gazelle Sports and the Friends of Maybury on a 3-mile walk, run, hike or ski (weather permitting). Meet at the Trailhead Shelter at the Eight Mile Road entrance. The event is free and appropriate for all ages. Pets are welcome, but must be on a 6-foot leash. Recreation Passports are required for all vehicles entering the park and can be purchased at each park entrance.
Lustron Homes with John Heider Jan. 03 John Heider, photographer for The ‘Ville, bought a unique home in Ann Arbor five years ago. The home, an all-metal Lustron, was built in 1948
26 The ‘Ville
ON THE ROAD with The Ville Northville’s Marge Wisniewski took her copy of The ‘Ville with her on a recent trip to Washington D.C. She was visiting over Thanksgiving weekend. Here she is with the Washington Monument in the background. The next time you head out of town, take along The ‘Ville, snap a photo, and let us know where your travels take you. Our readers would love to know! Please email the photos to kurtkuban@gmail.com. We’ll feature the photos every month. by the company that was based in Columbus, Ohio. About 2,500 Lustrons were built around the country soon after WWII and John will tell about the company’s history, its effort in developing these unique porcelain-enamel coated homes, and their unfortunate early demise in the post-war market. Takes place 7-9 p.m. in the Northville District Library’s Carlo Meeting Room. For more information, visit https:// northvillelibrary.org or call (248) 349-3020.
Downtown First Friday Jan. 4 Celebrate the First Friday of the month with the retailers and restaurants of Downtown Northville.
This popular event provides guests a unique evening filled with art, shopping and dining. Hosted by the locally-owned galleries and shops, the First Friday Experience runs from 5-9 p.m. with many of the establishments along the walk offering complimentary hors d’ oeuvres and beverages for their guests as they browse or shop. For more information, visit www. downtownnorthville.com.
Frank Lloyd Wright Presentation Jan. 7 Dr. Dale Gyure, Professor of Architecture at Lawrence Tech University, will discuss Frank Lloyd Wright Homes of Southeast Michigan. Wright is arguably the most famous American architect of all time. Presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the Northville District Library’s Carlo Meeting Room. For more information, visit https://northvillelibrary.org or call (248) 349-3020.
Social Media Class Jan. 10 Come to the Northville District Library and learn about popular social media and how it works. This class, which runs from 7-9 p.m., will cover some of the most popular social media including Google+ Snapchat and Facebook Messenger. A tablet or smart phone is required for the class. In addition, you must have a Google (gmail) and Facebook account to attend the class. For more
information, visit northvillelibrary.org or call (248) 349-3020.
American Girl Party Jan. 11 This Northville Parks and Recreation event will take place from 6-8 p.m. at the Northville Community Center. For children aged 4-10. Come dressed in your favorite pajamas and take part in all the fun with your American Girl Doll (or your favorite doll). Pizza, snacks and drinks will be provided. The cost is $12/person. The registration deadline is Jan. 9. For more information, visit www. northvilleparksandrec.org.
Historical Society Lecture Jan. 30 The Northville Historical Society Lecture Series picks back up with “The Legacy of Rita and Bruce Turnbull” from 7-8 p.m. at the Village Church in Mill Race Historical Village. The Turnbulls were longtime Northville residents, volunteers and historians. For more information, visit www.millracenorthville.org.
NHS Production of ‘Clue’ Jan. 31-Feb. 2 A Northville High School Drama Club will perform its production of “Clue” at 7 p.m., Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, and at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Feb. 2. The performances will take place in the NHS Auditorium. For more information, including ticket information, visit www.nhstheatre. com.
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SHARE IT The Community Bulletin Board Page is just what it says. If you have events, photos or accomplishments you’d like to share with the community, please email Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@gmail.com.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
Tap Dance World Champions
Two Northville dancers earned gold medals Dec. 1 at the IDO World Tap Dance Championships in Riesa, Germany, which is the largest tap competition in the world and considered the “Olympics of Dance.” Alisa Zhavoronkova, 15, Northville High School sophomore, and Olivia Steele, 13, Meads Mill Middle School 8th grader, each earned a gold medal as part of a group performance, “Apocalyptic”, in the junior large formation category. They are members of the American Tap Company and were selected for the 2018 United States National Tap Dance Team (Alisa’s second year on the team). “This is a massive accomplishment,” said Katya Zhavoronkova, Alisa’s mother. “It is a huge honor just to be in the finals and share the stage with multiple world champion dancers from around the world. The intensity is unbelievable-insane talent and creativity. The girls handled it like pros. We couldn’t be prouder, watching our daughters on the biggest stage of their lives and living their dream.” Both Alisa and Olivia dance at Center Stage Dance Company in Northville.
Inspiring Sacks The Silver Springs Elementary community came together last month to help feed the homeless. The school’s Student Lighthouse team organized a multi-grade level community service project, which included assembling about 475 snack bags. The students, including Viviana Morales-Rios (pictured), decorated them with well wishes and inspirational messages. All the snacks were donated to PBJ Outreach and delivered to the homeless in the Detroit area. “The feeling around the building that day was incredible. It feels amazing to pay it forward,” said Silver Springs Principal Katie Booth.
A New Generation William “Duke” Fitzgerald, 4, gets an assist from his grandfather, Rick Ambler, in cutting the ribbon at the Nov. 11 community open house of the renovated Old Village School. Duke, who attends the school district’s Early Childhood Center, represented the eighth generation of Amblers, among Northville’s earliest settlers. His late great-grandparents, Jean and Dick Ambler, attended the former high school building as members of the NHS Class of ‘39. The open house celebrated the $10 million renovation of the 1917 building which now houses the Early Childhood Center and the district’s administrative offices. (Photo by Steve Fecht) 28 The ‘Ville
An ‘Amazing’ Night More than 150 people attended Main Street League’s Amazing Grapes event Nov. 15 at Northville Downs. The event included live music and attendees were asked to bring bottles of wine for raffles. After all expenses, MSL raised more than $14,000 for the non-profit Blessings in A Backpack, as well as for emergency relief for local residents. Pictured are supporters Derek Blair and Melissa Shiffman. For more information about Main Street League, visit www.mainstreetleague.com.
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Rubble is all that’s left of the former nine-story hospital. Photo by Fred Shadko
It’s Finally Gone! Northville Psychiatric Hospital comes down
N
orthville’s biggest eyesore “I’m extremely pleased is no more. After a yearlong we were able to fulfill a effort, Buildings A and B of the promise to our residents, former Northville Psychiatric eliminating a major eyesore Hospital, including the nineand environmental hazards,” story main hospital building, he said. have been brought to the With the elimination of the ground. two largest buildings on the Northville Township, which complex, which the state closed purchased the former hospital in 2003, the township will begin property from the state in 2009 focusing on the remaining 17 for $23.5 million, hired the buildings on the property. Nix Detroit-based Adamo Group said he hopes to have four more to demolish the main hospital removed by the end of 2019. He building and an adjacent twosaid the township will also start story building, which were the looking at how they can begin largest remaining structures on implementing the recreation the property. plan that was approved nearly a The cost of the demolition decade ago. was initially projected at $5.88 The ‘Ville will continue to million, but ballooned to $9 follow the story. million due to unanticipated asbestos removal. Still, Northville Township Supervisor Robert Nix said the demolition of the main buildings was a longtime coming and “a home Demolition crews with the Adamo Group were busy on run” for the Nov. 27. Photo by John Heider community.
30 The ‘Ville
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A ‘Front Porch’ for the Displaced NHS grad’s foundation helps fire victims recover By Heather Korth
G
rowing up in Northville, I benefitted from living in a tight-knit community. I was safe, surrounded by people who cared, and ignorant of the greater world around me. I think the most difficult thing I experienced as a child was my family’s big move from the City of Northville to Northville Township when I was 8 years old. About this same time, the Northville Township Fire Department brought their smoke house to Amerman Elementary for a demonstration. They ushered a handful of us children into the house and had us get comfortable. Smoke filled up the house and panic set in. Our visibility was greatly reduced as we realized that we had no idea how to get out. Even though I knew this was a simulation, I remember having a sense of fear and panic like I had never experienced. After what seemed like hours, the air cleared and the firefighters explained to us the importance of being prepared for a real-life house fire. That experience has helped shape my life. Today, I work with families that have been displaced from house fires in Denver, Colorado. I’ve co-founded an organization
32 The ‘Ville
called Our Front Porch, which provides casework, therapeutic services, and assistance finding housing for these displaced families. According to our partners at the American Red Cross, home fires affect more people than all other disasters combined. Coincidentally, this is the time of year when home fires typically occur, the two most common days being
Our Front Porch founders Heather Korth and Maggie Babyak
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. At Our Front Porch, we understand that a family’s recovery from a home fire is no different than that of a hurricane, though they don’t have access to the same resources. Unfortunately, for most of our clients, the tightknit community that I grew
up with doesn’t exist and most families are forced to go it alone. Prior to starting Our Front Porch, I’d been searching for a way to make a more positive impact on society by using my skills as a licensed architect in the field of disaster recovery. I took a job as a Hazard Mitigation Specialist for FEMA, traveling to different disasters and helping local governments identify ways to mitigate their damaged infrastructure. At that time, I was also volunteering with the Red Cross and I realized that I didn’t have to wait for large-scale disasters in order for me to make an impact. I learned that the metro-Denver area averages two home fires per day, resulting in over 700 families being displaced from their homes every year. I wondered why our community wasn’t doing something about this issue when it’s in our own back yard. My work helped me better understand the nuts and bolts of disaster recovery. I also learned that the trauma and anxiety that people experience after a disaster is almost impossible to mitigate, especially when they aren’t surrounded by a community of people who have experienced the exact same thing. In an effort to help the families in my community,
I joined forces with Maggie Babyak, who I met at a disaster recovery training. She’s also a licensed clinical social worker who brings the human and emotional side of the equation to Our Front Porch. In our work over the last four years, we’ve provided support and services to over 250 people who otherwise would have gone it alone. We’ve realized that families who have been displaced from home fires need a place where they can stay, receive the necessary therapeutic services, and get help finding their forever home. That is what Our Front Porch is doing next – building emergency housing specifically for people displaced by home fires. Most importantly, this will be their tight-knit community, made up of people who have all experienced the same lifechanging event so they don’t have to go it alone. Our goal is to build facilities in all 50 states, including right here in Michigan. My experience in the smoke house clearly left a lasting impression. It also bolstered my understanding of the importance of being surrounded by a strong community, especially during a difficult time. With the holidays being right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to look out for our neighbors and celebrate our community. Heather Korth, a 1995 Northville High School graduate, is co-founder and COO of Our Front Porch. For more information, visit https://ourfrontporchco.org.
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It’s Your Business Good Time Party Store & Deli
Owner Jim Roth and manager Kyle Banter.
Good Time Party Store in 1973.
He Never Stops Good Time owner working on 50 years of service
I
f you had to pick a local businessman who could be best described as “old school” an easy choice would be Jim Roth, owner of the Good Time Party Store located at 567 Seven Mile. Roth has been running the store pretty much the same way since 1970, when he purchased it from Chuck Altman. While the store has undergone expansions and renovations under his ownership, Roth has approached the job the same way. He works hard, treats his employees and customers like family, and always tries to provide the best products at the best prices. Those traits may be oldfashioned in today’s world, but for Roth it’s just the way he’s always done it.
34 The ‘Ville
In fact, you can trace that work ethic all the way back to when he was a 12-year-old Detroit kid selling newspapers on the corner of Seven Mile and Greenfield. He jokes that he moved his operation west on Seven Mile when he bought the store from Altman. Good Time Party Store has an interesting history, in itself, predating Roth’s ownership. Its roots go back to 1933 when the store, originally called the Center Street Grocery, was located on Center Street. The original owner (Chuck Altman’s father) received one of the first 1,000 liquor licenses issued by the state of Michigan after the repeal of Prohibition, according to Roth. Altman moved the store to the current location in 1949, when it
Good Time carries a large selection of wine, beer and liquor, including many high-end bourbons, tequilas, and wines.
became known in some quarters as Altman’s Beer Store. The name was changed to Good Time Party Store, but not for the reason you might think. “It was actually named after a horse named Good Time that ran over at Northville Downs. The legend is it was a trotter with crazy legs,” Roth said. Roth has expanded the operation and the actual building several times over the years. He opened the popular Custard Time, which is next door to the store, in 1976, and then in 1986 expanded the rest of the building. It now houses four other tenants: Animal Haus Inn Doggy Day Care, Northville Barbers, Animal Haus Pet Salon, and Hungry Howie’s. The total complex, Roth
said, is about 10,000 square feet. Custard Time, which is open March through September, is a summertime favorite around these parts. Roth operates this ice cream stand, which sells frozen custard, hard ice cream and lots of other treats. He takes pride in the fact he employs 27 people during the summer, including many teens who get jobs for the first time. Dozens have gone onto college, and most, he said, have stayed in touch. “Some girls work here during high school or their college years when they come back home for the summer, before moving on with the rest of their lives,” Roth said. “I get invited to graduation parties and weddings all the time. They send me pictures of their kids. I love it.”
Roth says he carries Northville’s because family is so important to largest selection of wine, beer and him. He’s a great guy to work for,” liquor, including many high-end Schoendorf said. “Plus, it’s a fun bourbons, tequilas, and wines. They atmosphere to work in. It’s clean. also have a full-service deli that has There is pride in the place not only attracted a loyal lunch crowd. from Jim, but all of us who work And speaking of loyalty, Roth here.” has both given to and earned it It’s not surprising then that from his employees over the years. the store has earned many Many have been there for decades, beautification awards over the years including for the store’s Jackie appearance Schoendorf, both on the who has worked inside and OWNER: Jim Roth at Good Time outside, ADDRESS: 567 Seven Mile Road, for 42 years. something Roth Northville She says said his wife PHONE: (248) 349-1477 the reason Carolyn and HOURS: employees “Jackie’s green 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, stay on so thumb” should noon-6 p.m. Sunday long is easy: get the credit Roth treats his for. employees like family members. Over the years, Roth has also “I raised three kids since working sponsored many little league here, and I never missed a play or a teams and community initiatives, game. Jim has always been flexible, especially those connected to
GOOD TIME PARTY
STORE & DELI
the schools. Supporting the community is something he’s always believed in, he said. Above all else, though, Roth believes in good customer service. He knows the majority of his customers by Jackie Schoendorf and Terry Leonard are longtime name, as do deli employees. most of his 14 employees. said. “I believe that’s why we have Kyle Banter, despite being just 33 such loyal customers.” years old, has been employed at the Despite being a year away from store 17 years. He has risen up from his 50th anniversary running the stock boy to now managing the store store, Roth still works 40-50 hours a for Roth. He said the biggest lesson week. He still loves coming to work he has learned from Roth is the and mingling with his customers importance of customer service. and employees. “Jim makes sure we always go the “He never stops,” said 25-year extra mile for the customer,” Banter employee Terry Leonard.
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Dishin’ With Denise
Denise Jenkins serves on the board of directors for the Northville Chamber of Commerce and Tipping Point Theatre. An avid writer and proponent of the arts, she is also plugged into what’s happening in Northville. Contact her at denisemjenkins@aol.com.
Tick, Tock: Where did 2018 go?
D
on’t look now, but 2018 is winding down. It seems to me this past year flew right by. My concern is that I am consciously trying to slow down – and yet time still gets away from me. I find almost everyone I come in contact with shares this dilemma. And apparently it has been a problem throughout history. Even Dr. Seuss begs the question: “How did it get so late so soon?’ In a panic about last minute gift ideas? Don’t be. You’ve missed Black Friday, CyberMonday and Small Business Saturday. But Northville is pretty lucky to have a great “small business” downtown shopping area. I love the personal service I bargain for in my own backyard. Instead of oodles of catalogs I find in my mailbox (many I toss out, just more recycling), I prefer to receive the thank you note from Orin Jewelers for a recent purchase. Special thanks to Pear-Aphernalia for dressing up the lobby at Tipping Point Theatre for the holiday season. It looks great! A great place to get a “personalized” gift is the Northville Stitching Post, which has been serving our community for 30 years. They are located at 200 S. Main Street –across from the Chamber of Commerce. The building is currently being renovated, but they are open for business during the re-mod and looking forward to the dust settling soon. Owner Rebecca Weber took over the reins from her aunt and uncle 10 years ago. The art of silk screening,
36 The ‘Ville
Best Holiday Spirit at the Holiday Lighted Parade
embroidery and customization has changed over the years. The options of what you can and can’t do have really expanded. Of course I wanted to know about some of the funnier things they’ve customized over the years. Imagine a groom bringing in the headrests of his car to be monogrammed Mr. and Mrs.! My favorite story Rebecca shared with me was how whole families come in to order one varsity jacket. How sweet is that? Speaking of sweet…four young people from Northville were chosen to place the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery during the week of Veteran’s Day. I had the pleasure of attending the ceremony. I forgot how moving the changing of the guard service is, and the sense of pride you feel on those hallowed grounds. In a recent TV interview a veteran urged folks to say “never forget” as an alternative to “thank you for your service.” I didn’t really understand, until I stood there watching my grandson and
Top-Mayor’s Choice at the Holiday Lighted Parade. Lower Left-(L to R) Parker Kara, Ella Sinawi, Lauren Mullen, Eve Martin. Lower Right-Santa and Mrs. Claus with local children, Riley and Cayden.
three other 8th graders from Our Lady of Victory humbly present the wreath. I will do my best to “never forget” anyone who has served our country. One final thought about this adventure. The Corporate Travel office here in Northville did an outstanding job moving the group through an itinerary that did not skip a beat. Kudos! If you missed the Holiday Lighted Parade you missed a great night. It’s always the Friday before Thanksgiving. The Brownies and Girl Scouts were the big winners this year. The young ladies won the Mayor’s Choice, the Best Holiday Spirit and the Best Parade Theme. Of course the stars of the show were Santa
and Mrs. Claus. After the parade, they received the key to the city from Mayor Ken Roth before posing for photos with local children. I am sorry for a mistake in my October “dish” – It was not the Northville Garden Club that issued a list of Beautification Awards. It is the City of Northville and Northville Township Beautification Commissions that tackle the task. My apologies. Take time to cherish the memories made in 2018. It’s always incredible to think back on what a difference one year can make. As we celebrate this month, this year, the future…I wish you peace.
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