May 2021 | Vol.4 | Issue 5
Northville’s News and Lifestyle Magazine
Meet the Local Sales Reps in Your Community.
Vita Vizachero
John DesOrmeau
Vita has lived in the Northville / Novi community since 1989. Some of her local favorites are Table 5, Pooles, Rocky’s, and Cantoro’s on Haggerty.
John has lived in the Northville / Novi community since 1987. Some of his local favorites are Rocky’s, Custard Time, Guernsey’s and the Pizza Cutter.
vvizachero@billbrownford.com Office:(734) 524-2711
jdesormeau@billbrownford.com Office:(734) 524-2720
Explorer Leases Starting Below $400/month*
Escape Leases Starting Below $300/month*
(734) 421-7000 • billbrownford.com • 32222 Plymouth Rd., Livonia, MI *All prices include a/z plan with all factory/conquest/renewal/loyalty rebates to dealer. No plan, renewal or loyalty slightly more. plus tax, plates, title and doc fee. Residency restrictions apply. Call dealer for details.
Northrop-Sassaman Chapel
Service … a Family Tradition for 75 years
(248) 348-1233 19091 Northville Road · Northville, MI 48168 James R. Steen - Manager
SUPPORT THE ‘VILLE • If you enjoy getting The ‘Ville each and every month, please consider making a donation. • Your financial contribution will help us survive and grow. • Help insure local journalism is here to stay. Send us $10, $20 or any amount you can, and we will list your name in upcoming issues as being a supporter of The ‘Ville -- and local journalism.
LOCAL MATTERS!
Please send checks, cash or lucky charms to: Journeyman Publishing 16435 Franklin Northville, MI 48168 or via PayPal at kurtkuban@gmail.com Thank you!
VOLUME 4
ISSUE 5
MAY 2021
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 29 years. He has developed a diverse background in that time, but publication design has been his passion during the past 19 years. Craig enjoys chasing his young daughter and providing moral support to his lovely wife.
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
Publisher Here is a list of people who contributed to local journalism last month. We appreciate your support! John & Constance Conder
Nicholas & Janice Sharkey
Joyce & Joe Fennell
Paul, Lisa & Peter Tepatti
Donald & Joanne O’Rourke
Roger and Sandra Jenkins
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.
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.
TIM SMITH - Writer
ADVERTISE IN THE VILLE Our locally-owned publication is an affordable way to reach the Northville Market. We direct mail to all 21,000 addresses in the 48167 & 48168 zip codes.
To secure space in The Ville, contact Scott at (313) 399-5231 or scott@streetmktg.com.
Tim brings a penchant for telling powerful and personal stories that run the gamut from news to sports. During more than 35 years in journalism, he has earned numerous state and national awards. The Wayne State grad is a published author and rec ice hockey player.
ALAN LUNDBERG - Writer
Alex got his start in the journalism business in 1992 as a reporter for the Plymouth Community Crier newspaper. Since then he has worked a variety of beats, covering communities all around the Detroit area, from Grosse Ile to Lake Orion.
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
SCOTT BUIE - Advertising Director/VP of Sales
For more than 20 years Scott has worked with clients in Metro Detroit to create advertising campaigns to grow their business. After managing sales for radio station in the Detroit Market for 17 years he purchased Street Marketing where he works closely with a variety of businesses and events. Scott and his family have lived in the Plymouth and Northville Area for 23 over years.
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.
A View From The ‘Ville
The Rites of Passage in a Pandemic
M
y daughter received a letter in the mail today that was from… well, her actually. Let me explain. When she attended Meads Mill Middle School, her English teacher Jeff Balagna made all of his eighth grade students write a letter to themselves. Or more specifically, to their future selves as graduating seniors. Balagna, who mails the letters out to the students at the end of their senior year, should be commended. What a cool assignment. I’m not exactly sure what my daughter wrote to her future self, as it was a personal letter. I’m sure it included what her hopes and expectations were for her time at Northville High School. I can almost guarantee, however, there is nothing in that letter about having to deal with a global pandemic that would completely change her entire school experience for her junior and senior years. Last year at this time, I was writing about the “Unforgettable Class of 2020” – last year’s high school seniors who, because of the onset of COVID-19, had to miss out
on some of the rituals that seniors are supposed to experience. The rites of passage including prom, the last day of school and even walking across the stage during a graduation ceremony. Little did I know, a year later I would be writing a similar column about the Class of 2021, of which my daughter is a member. If you think about it, the Class of 2021 has had it worse. They’ve lost out on so much during their senior year, which is supposed to be one of the best of their lives. Instead, they’ve spent their entire senior year separated by Zoom class sessions or attending a semi-empty building. They missed out on class outings,
going to football and basketball games, Homecoming and so much more. Like just hanging out with each other and not worrying about getting each other or anyone else sick. Most of them are just trying to get through this episode, like the rest of us. Unfortunately for them it took place during their senior year. But you know what, they’ve also learned invaluable lessons about overcoming challenges and being resilient. They’ve learned new ways to do things that didn’t seem possible when I was in school – like holding class remotely. Yes, they’ve had a swift kick into the real world, but hopefully that will serve them well down the road as they begin to meet life’s challenges wherever their paths may lead. OK, I have to admit I did peak at my daughter’s letter to herself, as it was sitting out. My eyes went right to the conclusion of the letter, which reads: “No matter what high school was like or my future holds, remember that the sun will rise.” While she might be upset with me for including it, I think it’s good
advice for the Class of 2021. And a good reminder for the rest of us. SENIOR SHOUTOUTS Our June issue will be dedicated to the Class of 2021. We will be publishing the graduate lists of both Northville High and Catholic Central. We will also be running lots of great photos, and again will be offering parents an opportunity to showcase their seniors by placing a “Shout Out” in the issue. You can choose your favorite photo and include a short personal message. We’ll be donating 25% of the proceeds to the NHS Senior All Night Committee. For details on how you can have your senior highlighted see Page 5, or contact Scott Buie at (313) 399-5231 or scott@streetmktg.com. Advertisers who want to support this keepsake issue can also contact Scott. Let’s do our part to honor the Class of 2021. Kurt Kuban is the Publisher and Editor of The ‘Ville. He welcomes your comments at kurtkuban@ thevillemagazine.com.
Your Voice: Letters to the Editor 4 Development keeps rolling in downtown Northville 6 Spring Has Sprung: A photo essay 22 Linebacker-sized Halberg wins state swimming title 26 Mustangs tough it out in abbreviated season 30
Historic Roots
10
From Northville to Broadway
14
75 Years Strong
18
ON THE COVER: Berti and Bill Rice at their Northville Township home. They will celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on June 1 with a ceremony at Mill Race. Photo by Bill Bresler
Wines of the World coming back to Mill Race 36 Magnificent model railroad reaches end of the line 38 It’s Your Business: Miller Luxury Homes 40
Your Voice Genitti’s leads the way
Act like an adult
I wanted to thank Laura Laura, Toni and Andy Genitti Genitti for her caring and heartfelt concern for our essential workers and for our Northville community. Laura made it possible for the community to donate so that she and her staff could make and deliver their fabulous meals to local hospital staff and essential workers. She then sent a picture of the delivery and explained what location the meals were sent to. In addition, she and her staff have contributed to the warm and welcoming atmosphere of downtown Northville. This has been a challenging year for everyone, but her kindness speaks volumes as to the hope working together brings. Diane Allan
Correct the cows
Thank you for the heads up on all the coming construction this summer. I am wondering, and I’m sure a lot of other people are also wondering, when is there going to be left turn lights installed at 6 Mile and Northville Road and 6 Mile and Sheldon Road? I feel they are desperately needed in both locations especially with all the coming detours. Kareen Gomez
SOUND OFF 4 The ‘Ville
A gratifying experience Jerry Harris
As a longtime supporter of Guernsey Dairy Farms (since 1971), I have always considered the name derived from Guernsey cows. Guernsey cows are black and white, not all white as seen by the two that are currently on the front roof of the dairy. Let’s finish the nice new additions to the dairy and make the cows real Guernseys. I can see founder John McGuire up there painting them himself if he was still with us. God bless him. John Conder Kings Mill resident
Left turn lights needed
From the get-go we have been coached: wear a mask and social distance. I totally understand people’s frustration that for more than a year we are still battling a world-wide communicable disease with no clear end in sight. But can’t we all be grownups about this and do what we know we must do to keep this insidious virus at bay? The other day I went to Potbelly Sandwich Shop on Haggerty Road to buy lunch. A hastily handwritten note on the front door alerted customers that the restaurant had been unexpectedly forced to close. An employee driving past rolled down his window and apologized, explaining that a customer who was told to wear a mask reacted by going ballistic, dumping his water on the keyboard of the restaurant’s register, shorting it out, and effectively bringing the entire operation to a halt. Really? Sure, I was inconvenienced, but that’s not my beef. People who are ostensibly mature - when everything is going right - show their true colors when everything is not. Some of us need to grow up. Maybe acting like an adult and accepting and rolling with our present situation just might help turn it around. Ken Kilpatrick
Harris was wonderful person
I read last month’s The ‘Ville, as usual, and was impressed on all the Northville seniors/residents receiving their vaccines. Also, I was so surprised and moved by the article on Jerry Harris’s passing. I bowled at Novi Bowl for the past ten years in the Senior league. He was loved by all. He was a kind and generous person who always thought of others. People of all walks of life bowled there -- handicapped, young, families and us seniors. I hope the fundraiser for his family (Jerry Harris Memorial Golf Benefit on June 12 at Downing Farms) is successful. It’s a great tribute to a wonderful person. Renee J. Zalsuky
We want to thank Northville Township Supervisor Mark Abbo and let everyone know how much we appreciated the “Vaccinate Northville” program arranged with Schoolcraft College and Wayne County. We are 95 years old and have been frustrated trying to get COVID-19 vaccinations. We called the township’s hotline number, and within five minutes were registered and got an appointment to be vaccinated. On a chilly Friday morning, we bundled up and headed to Schoolcraft. We were a bit concerned to see about 100 people lined up outside and wondered if we would be able to handle it. But the attendant at the gate saw our handicap tab, noticed our ages and led us to a handicap parking spot just 20 feet from the door. He offered wheelchairs, but we told him we had walkers, so he unloaded our walkers and took us inside. He helped us fill out the forms and took us directly to the vaccination tables where we got our shots, before escorting us to the waiting area to make sure we didn’t have any reaction. In about 20 minutes another security man came and took us back to our car and loaded our walkers into the car and we left for home. All this in about 40 easy minutes. In our 95 years of experience we have never had a more satisfying or gratifying experience. We can’t find adequate words to thank the planners of this program and all the folks at Schoolcraft who are making sure that so many of our Northville neighbors are getting their much-needed vaccinations. So, we will just quote the Master, “Well done, good faithful servants.” Fred and Caroline Hendra
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.
It’s been a crazy year for our high school seniors. Unfortunately they’ve missed out on a lot of the traditional activities seniors normally get to enjoy. But we can still celebrate the unforgettable Class of 2021! In our June issue, we will be running a spotlight on our seniors. In addition to listing the entire Class of 2021, we are offering personalized messages for $100. If you have a graduating son or daughter (or grandson/granddaughter), consider having them featured in the issue with a photo and personalized message from you. Not only will it be a nice keepsake, it will be a great way to show off your pride to the entire community! Please submit your photo and message by June 1. For further details, please contact Scott Buie at scott@streetmktg.com or Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@thevillemagazine.com. 02 0 A SS O F 2 L C L O O SCH L E H IG H O R T H V IL
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A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Northville High School Senior All Night Party Committee, which is planning a celebration of the Class of 2021.
CL A SS O F 2 02 0
Keeping The Ball Rolling Despite pandemic, investment in Downtown Northville continues
Manager Aimy Young at Blackbird. And, yes, she is a fan of The Beatles. Photo by Bill Bresler
By Tim Smith
P
andemic, what pandemic? The once-in-a-century health crisis presented by COVID-19 is looking more like a victory lap for innovative, unwavering Northville business owners who refuse to go down for the count. Instead of bust, it could be boom for downtown Northville, as the number of construction projects is only matched by the business expansions going on since Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered a state lockdown some 14 months ago. The timing of that mandate in mid-March 2020 was unfortunate for the Dear Prudence women’s clothing boutique at 119 N. Center Street and spinoff gift shop Blackbird; the latter (next door at 111 N. Center Street) had its soft opening just two days before Whitmer’s mandate.
6 The ‘Ville
Aimy Young and Jalyn Marcicky arrange a display of popular T-shirts at Blackbird. Photo by Bill Bresler
Undeterred, manager and Northville resident Aimy Young found the way to keep business strong for both of owner Prudence Kauffman’s local stores. After just over a month of not being open to customers, both Dear Prudence and Blackbird re-opened in late April 2020 with renewed energy, fueled by returning or new customers who followed
social media posts about what was available or in the pipeline. “Being at home that whole time was just not easy for me,” Young said. “So I had to come up with different ideas to get the ball rolling, and with the community support we were able to sustain some pretty decent business through that time. When we were able to (physically) open people were
thrilled to see us.” While the circumstances surrounding the opening of Blackbird could have been better, the impetus behind the decision was sound, and when the neighboring space became available “it was just a natural thing to just jump on it.” “We’ve always talked about branching out into gift. We used to carry some gift in this (Dear Prudence) store and in our Grand Rapids location. And it always did really well here,” Young said. “It’s something I think Northville needed. It’s a little bit snarky, a little bit fun, but it goes from baby to later adult. We kind of hit every mark over there (Blackbird) and it’s actually been wildly successful.” Things have been so successful, the business is looking for a third location for a pre-teen clothing store called
Sgt. Peppers (yes, another Fab Four-inspired name -- all are named after Beatles songs). Young and her team (led by Dear Prudence/Blackbird instore manager Kelsey Grover) are looking for a third brickand-mortar location. If they find an appropriate spot, they intend to permanently open Sgt. Peppers, which recently had a trial run as a pop-up business inside Dear Prudence. “We would like it in downtown Northville, I think the stores all feed off each other,” Young noted. GAINING STEAM That attitude of not letting COVID-19 and its devastating economic impact take a bite out of downtown Northville is widespread among its businesses, residents and customers. It’s a key factor in how the city really hasn’t lost steam, as demonstrated by the winter’s “Heat in the Streets” program and its related street closures – hugely popular to keep restaurants and shops buzzing. “I think this community is strong,” Young noted. “When faced with the unknown everyone banded together and saw that the businesses down here really mean something to the community. When they kind of saw a flash of that going away, they really rallied.” Concurring was Northville Downtown Development Authority Director Lori Ward, stressing that various 2021 projects and reiterations show how fully vested business owners are in not permitting COVID-19 to slow commercial momentum. “The confidence they have shown by continuing to develop
projects or take new things on during the pandemic has given everybody more of a sense of security,” Ward said. “When you’ve got local people still investing in the community during this time period, we’re going to come out the other side okay.”
up to 49 patrons. (See our story on Page 10) • Another new eatery, Toria, is slated to open in June at 115 E. Main Street – the spot formerly occupied by Edwards Café and Catering. Toria owners Alicia and Ryan Racine also own two
An artist’s rendering of the new, mixed-use building planned at Center and Dunlap streets.
Other ventures that have recently opened or are in the works include: • The owner of Tuscan Café (William Hundley) moved from 150 N. Center Street to a twice-as-large location at 141 E. Main Street. The old location on Center Street near Dunlap will be undergoing a major change in the coming months, as plans are afoot to repurpose the building into a threestory mixed-use space that will feature a restaurant and residential units. • Poole’s Tavern (157 E. Main Street) is – as of early May – now the Exchange Bar & Grill, a nod to the historic early 20th century community gathering place that once thrived at the very site (when it was called The Exchange Hotel). Owner Grant Baidas is firming up a bid to add rooftop dining to the business, accommodating
Mark Sitto hangs a rendering of the future rooftop patio at the Exchange Bar and Grill, formerly Poole's. Photo by Bill Bresler
neighboring businesses: Adorn Fine Flowers (118 E. Main) and Sugar Lu’s (116 E. Main), the latter a candy store that also opened up since the onset of COVID-19. Toria will feature a Victorianera theme. “It will be a bistro with a liquor license, with outdoor seating and bar seating,” Ward said. “That’s a great example of a local person investing, opening two new businesses during a pandemic while juggling a third.”
FOUNDRY FLASK UNCORKED Perhaps the most exciting project on the horizon is a local business group’s preliminary plan to finally bring life back into the dormant Foundry Flask property (unused since owner Doug Brinkman retired in 2007) with a mix of commercial and residential uses. “We’re all long-time Northville residents, myself and my two partners,” said Jim Long, one of the partners in the group behind the project. “We’re not an out-of-town developer that’s going to come in, build something and then ride out of town.” Long, who owns nearby Long Mechanical and Long Plumbing, said his group has an offer in to purchase the land. If their plan moves forward, there would be eight commercial spaces located on the ground floor with a total of 80 apartments built on the top two floors. Architectural drawings, Ward noted, were presented at the April 21 Historic District Commission meeting by Ann Arbor-based OX Studio. “We have an arrangement with him (HDC Chair Jim Allen) that we have a period of time that we could do our due diligence on the property,” Long explained. “And if the due diligence goes in an acceptable manner, then we will purchase the property.” Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull said the Foundry Flask proposal is “percolating right now” with much yet to be sorted out. “It’s very promising and people are looking at the Foundry Flask and trying to get back to its origins when it was Rolling continued on page 8
The ‘Ville 7
Rolling continued from page 7
a warehouse-industrial area,” Turnbull said. “At one time, that was home to the Globe Furniture factory, the largest furniture factory in North America. Had 200 people on a shift.” But it might be six months or more before the project located at 546 E. Cady near Main Street on the banks of the Rouge River begins to take root. “I think it’s an outstanding opportunity for the city,” Maybor Turnbull said. “And for the growth, to bring different price ranges into the city, as we develop our downtown and the Social District. It’s all walkable, and it will be right on the river walk so you can bike or walk into town. It could be exciting someday.” Turnbull has been promoting the construction of a river walk along the banks of the Rouge River, which could run from the Water Wheel Centre through the Foundry Flask and Northville Downs properties as they are developed. Ward said the project could be a boon for that side of town, as the vacant Foundry Flask building is not very welcoming. “It would be great to have that entrance way from the east improved like that,” Northville Downtown Development Authority Director Lori Ward said. “Because right now it is kind of an eyesore.” The next important step is a May 19 Historic District Commission public hearing about demolishing existing structures on the Foundry Flask site. Paramount among dialog that evening will be whether or not to tear down the pink, cinderblock structure which dates back to the early 1900s.
8 The ‘Ville
Artistic renderings of the proposed plan for the Foundry Flask site, include the commercial zone on Cady Street from the east looking west (top) and the view on Cady Street from the west looking east.
“It’s over a hundred years old, so there is some discussion amongst Historic District Commission members about what happens with that (cinderblock) structure,” Ward explained. “Are they (developers) going to require it to be retained and incorporated, are they going to be allowed to salvage parts and reuse them in the (new) building, or what’s going to be the solution of that?” Because the oldest structure on the property sits close to Cady Street, Long stressed that in order to build a sidewalk and streetscape it would have to be fully demolished – except for the most-historic portion of
cinderblock, the middle section, which could be reincorporated into the new structure. “We’re very sensitive to the history of this property,” Long emphasized. “We are going to take great pains to save what we can.” Ward said the current plan already has progressed furthest among recent development attempts for the site located south of the Village Workshop. “We’ve had a number of projects over the years that have surfaced, come to planning commission or Historic District Commission for a discussion, and haven’t really gone very far,” Ward said. “And the fact that these developers are local
people who know what the community is looking for and they know about the history of that site, I think this has gone further than any of the other projects has gone. “So that’s encouraging, that they might come to some consensus on this project and move forward.” The creation of a river walk near the Foundry Flask development is intriguing, but not a mandatory attachment to his group’s proposal, Long said. “Mayor Turnbull is very interested, as I am and many other people in the community, of a river walk,” Long continued. “Northville is blessed of having these rivers go through our town, and I have been contacted by some local people that have connections of getting grants. So we’re real interested in being able to contribute to the river walk.” Serious discussion about such a Rouge River makeover must wait until after what transpires at the May 19 public hearing. If the conditional demolition is approved, Long’s group would move on to the planning commission.
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PAST TENSE
Introducing the Exchange Bar & Grill Poole’s renovation includes new name honoring historic roots By Michele Fecht
S
ince it closed its doors the second week of January, the former Poole’s Tavern at 157 Main Street has undergone an extensive interior renovation . . . and a name change. A soft opening May 1 — just in time for the Kentucky Derby — offered patrons a first look at the Exchange Bar & Grill. The new name is a nod to the Exchange Hotel that occupied the site from 1900 to 1936. At first glance, the interior looks much the same with booths and tables positioned in the former layout. But there is a shine to the place — new
slip-resistant floors, more space at the bar with the service well repositioned at the end of the bar instead of in the middle, a spacious area around the hostess stand and expanded new restrooms (three cheers for that!). There also is a carry out window with a separate door at the back of the restaurant for easier, less congested pick-up. The whole place has a better flow for both staff and patrons. The most noticeable change is the elimination of the Bak Bar which now houses a new state-of-the-art, expanded kitchen complete with a walk-in
Owner Grant Baidas not only is renovating and expanding the former Poole’s Tavern, but he changed the name to harken back to its historic roots with the Exchange Bar & Grill. Photo by Bill Bresler
10 The ‘Ville
The Exchange Hotel in the early 20th century. Northville Historical Society
cooler (the former cooler was housed in the basement), a new dishwashing system, and a new cook line. The basement has also been completely gutted and upgraded. While there is clearly a new look to one of Northville’s favorite burger spots, the feel of the place remains the same. It has retained the casual, familyoriented vibe, something new owner Grant Baidas insisted on retaining. TAKING THE REINS Baidas, who took the reins from former owners John Lamerato, John Casey and his father, Rob Baidas, said keeping the “neighborhood feel” was critical. Baidas grew up in Northville and worked as a bar back at Poole’s in his late teens. “I love Northville and wanted to be a part of the community,” he said. The renovation has
been his full-time job since the restaurant closed in January. He credits a great crew with helping get the restaurant to the opening stage. He noted that seating capacity is the same both inside and on the outside patio. There are new TVs outside, as well as new landscaping. The menu is essentially the same — including retaining the most popular selections— but with fresher ingredients and an upgrade in choices. There also are plans for weekly specials and a kids’ menu. “My goal is to listen to customers and the community,” Baidas said. “We’ll adapt to give them what they want. We’re here for the customers.” He said he was able to retain some of the former staff members, but needed to add new staff to accommodate the retooled space. The interior renovation
The outside patio seating capacity is the same as the inside at the Exchange Bar & Grill. The patio area also has new TV’s and there will also be new landscaping. Photo by Bill Bresler
was the first phase of the restaurant’s overhaul. The next phase is the addition of a rooftop deck that still needs to work its way through city approvals. Baidas said construction of that project is expected to begin sometime in the fall with a target opening of spring 2022. UPHOLDING TRADITION Changing the name of any long-established business always comes with some risk. Poole’s was established in 1997; the previous owners retained the name when they purchased it in 2005. Prior to the Poole’s ownership, it was Getzie’s Pub and before that it was Little Joe’s Bar or as some called it Joe’s Little Bar or just Joe’s Bar. Records show that in 1944, it was Smith Tavern. Baidas credits Joe Koster and Cathy Blanck with helping provide the historic roots of the site. The Exchange takes its name from a hotel that once occupied the site. In 1899, George Rattenbury and his partner, Cal Stevens, purchased the two-story structure with the intent of turning the former cheese factory into a
hotel. Things got messy when Rattenbury approached the village council for a liquor license. He was denied on the grounds that the village council had earlier passed an ordinance against the sale of liquor in a saloon. Clearly, the temperance advocates had sway over village leaders on this issue. The story of Rattenbury’s struggle to get a liquor license — he did succeed — is framed inside the newly renovated Exchange Bar & Grill along with historic photos of the former hotel. The location at the corner of Main and Hutton (also known as Church Street, Atwater and Wheelbarrow) was a prime spot not only for the hotel but its adjacent barns. Rattenbury was an auctioneer and dealt in stock auctions of horses, cows, farm implements and more. Those traveling to an auction who needed overnight accommodations had to look no further than the Exchange Hotel right next door. Great marketing. The Exchange continued as a hotel for many years under numerous owners. Grocery and meat market owner Thomas B. Couch advertised in The
Northville Record in February 1918 when he took ownership of the hotel stating “you can always get a good meal at anytime at The Exchange Hotel for the small sum of a ¼ of a dollar.” Proprietor W. J. Cowell changed the name to the Cowell Hotel — it didn’t take — when he purchased the property in 1920 and advertised its “good meals, clean beds, and hot water heat.” In November 1922, the Federal Laundry Company opened a branch office in the building to “furnish all classes of laundry service.” And then there was Doc Dryer. In 1924, Dryer who took over management of the hotel
then owned by Milford and Ray Baker, was ordered to vacate the building and turn in his keys when it was discovered that he came to town with the intention of operating the hotel as a road house and started to “attract the attention and patronage to the booze drinking and gambling element.” The Record noted “Northville is to be congratulated upon his departure.” The former Exchange Hotel was demolished in 1936. Nevertheless, a bar, tavern or restaurant have continued operating at 157 Main Street. The new Exchange Bar & Grill is upholding that tradition.
Local craftsmen built the bar close to the original design at the Exchange Hotel according to owner Grant Baidas. Photo by Bill Bresler
The ‘Ville 11
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Joe Tracz’s projects have included the Broadway musicals The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (left) and Be More Chill (top center), and the Netflix series Dash & Lily (bottom center and right).
From Northville to Broadway (and Netflix) Joe Tracz reflects on his roots and work for the stage and screen By Emily Doran
I
f you’re a fan of young adult fiction and modern musicals, chances are you’ve seen — and enjoyed — Joe Tracz’s work. The Northville native and graduate of both Kalamazoo College and New York University, who now lives in the Big Apple, has a knack for adapting YA novels for the stage and screen. He’s written the scripts for two Broadway plays — Be More Chill (2019) and The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (2019) and worked on scripts for Netflix’s Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017). He is also the showrunner and creator of the romantic comedy series Dash & Lily, which premiered on Netflix last year. Using Zoom, The ’Ville caught up with Tracz on his projects, how he’s kept busy during the pandemic and which theater
14 The ‘Ville
Joe Tracz
productions he’d love to see his alma mater Northville High School perform. The ‘Ville: Does anybody in your family do anything similar to what you’re doing professionally, or did you go off on a way different path? Tracz: I don’t have anyone in my family who’s a writer, but my parents always really encouraged reading and
creativity. So when I was a kid, I did summer camps at the Marquis Theatre, which I think probably was my first time actually being on stage. My family would take my sister and I to see the musicals at the Fox Theatre and the Fisher Theatre in Detroit, so there was always a love of theater that ran through my childhood. But it wasn’t until after high school when I started to really think that that was maybe something you could actually do for a living. The ‘Ville: Did you develop an interest in writing, though, before college? Tracz: When I was at Northville High School, I did theater and choir there, so I was always performing. And then, because I also loved writing, I would write musicals in my lunch hours and recruit friends to perform them. So I was
always interested in that. The ‘Ville: You’ve lived in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. What was it like to transition from a small town to some of the most bustling cities in the U.S.? Tracz: I think I settled in pretty quickly, but it’s always nice to go back. … You feel like you’re coming home. The ‘Ville: Are there any spots you like to visit when you’re back in Northville? Tracz: We always go to Rebecca’s Restaurant for breakfast — that’s always the tradition — and walk around Main Street. It’s such a beautiful area. The ‘Ville: Was there an “I made it” moment you had where you realized you had hit the big time? Tracz: I did some writing on an animated film called Epic
(2013), and my name was in the credits. So when it premiered, I flew to Northville, and my family and relatives and all of our friends and neighbors in Northville all went to the AMC 20 and saw it and then waited through the credits while everyone else was leaving the theater to see my name. I actually worked at the AMC when I was in high school — I was an usher selling popcorn there — so it was really fun to go back to this theater that I worked in and to see my name on the screen there and to be surrounded by so many people that I grew up with. The ’Ville: A lot of your work is based on YA material. How do you make that appeal to a broader audience? Tracz: I’m always writing for myself, and whenever I’ve
adapted a book, it’s been a book I’ve loved, so I’m coming to it from the perspective of me loving it and not being a teenager. I’m writing something that I think honors it and shows why I think it’s special. So, for Percy Jackson, even though the books are middle-grade books — they didn’t come out when I was a kid; I read them when I was an adult — I love the idea of what if your parents really were the Greek gods? We all feel like our parents are these sort of big, mythic figures; what if they actually were? There are those thematic cores that speak to you no matter your age, and so it’s always about trying to find that. I never think about, oh, will a kid get this? Or would an adult like this line? I just try to write stories that feel interesting and exciting and trust that
audiences will come meet me there. The ’Ville: Are there any playwrights, screenwriters or other creatives who have influenced you? Tracz: I feel very lucky to have been able to work with a lot of people who were my heroes. Daniel Handler, the real name of Lemony Snicket — I loved his work so much, his Lemony books and his other books, and then I got to write the Series of Unfortunate Events TV series literally in his dining room in San Francisco. The ‘Ville: About Be More Chill, you had some fans on the internet who kind of resurrected it and helped push it to Broadway. Tracz: It really was a crazy thing. We made this musical in New Jersey in 2015 and sort
of assumed that that would be its life. But we released a cast album, and a few years later, I started getting tagged in a lot of Instagram posts and getting a lot of messages about the show. I assumed that maybe somewhere some college had found it and it was all just one group of people writing, but as I talked to other people who had been in the cast and friends in it, they all said, “Oh, yeah, people (keep) writing me about it.” And we realized that people had just discovered the cast album online and found this show that had this life years ago and were championing it. And that’s what let us bring it to off-Broadway and then Broadway. The irony is the musical is actually about
Tracz continued on page 16
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical played on Broadway and included actors (from left) Kristin Stokes, Chris McCarrell, and Jorrel Javier. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
The ‘Ville 15
Joe Tracz wrote the script for the Broadway musical Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (2019), which starred actors Chris McCarrell (left) and James Hayden Rodriguez. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
Tracz continued from page 15
the dangers of technology, so it’s so funny that technology is the reason that musical has the life it has. The ’Ville: You’ve done a lot of work as a writer on these different projects, but then with Dash & Lily this past winter, you were the showrunner. Tracz: Yeah, that was my first chance to really create a show from the ground up. It was another adaptation of a young adult book by these two great authors, and we shot in New York. It was before COVID, so the city was still an open playground. We filmed all over the city in Christmas of 2019. The ‘Ville: What was it like to be in that position of helming the project? Tracz: When you do theater, the writer is the person calling the shots. So, it was really more
16 The ‘Ville
similar to doing theater, where you’re making decisions about costumes and what the sets look like and hiring people to plan the lighting and to run the show behind the scenes. It’s a fun way to sort of have your hand in every single part of the creative process, which lets you really feel like you have an ownership in everything you’re creating. The ‘Ville: So when you’re working on a project for either stage or screen, are you very hands-on in everything that’s happening? Tracz: The reason I love TV and theater, especially, is because they’re really collaborative. Part of it is you surround yourself with people who are really amazing at what they do — whether that’s the actors or the directors or the production designers — and they’re going to do things way better than you could have
done yourself, and so everyone benefits from everyone’s collective brainpower. Writing a novel feels like a very lonely thing to do because you’re just at your computer, but when you do TV or theater, you’re part of a group of people who are all making something together. The ‘Ville: Is there anything else you want to share about any current projects you’re working on? Tracz: We’re hopefully going to make a movie of Be More Chill, so my pandemic project has been writing a screenplay version of it, which is fun because I’m usually adapting other people’s books, and now it’s the first time where I’m adapting myself and taking a musical I wrote and turning it into a screenplay. The ‘Ville: Looking ahead, what do you see on the horizon with other projects?
Joe Tracz says he writes stories that "feel interesting and exciting and trust that audiences will come meet me there."
Tracz: I’d love to see Northville High School do Be More Chill or The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical because it would be really fun to get to come back and see something I wrote being done by the high school I went to.
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Love Story
By Maria Taylor | Photos by Bill Bresler
Childhood sweethearts ready to celebrate 75th anniversary
M
ore than eight decades later, Northville residents Bill and Berti Rice still remember the day they met. As is often the case with the best of stories, things couldn’t have started out less promising. Berti had just gotten out of the hospital after an auto accident and was finally allowed to walk around outdoors for some exercise. Bill was playing baseball with other boys in the neighborhood. She was 11. He was 12, and at that age, winning the game trumped winning the girl. “That was the first time I ever saw her — but because she interrupted the game, I didn’t want to have anything to do with her,” Bill laughed. Not for long, though. Once Bill got “old enough to appreciate her,” as he put it, the two started going out. On June 1, the couple will
18 The ‘Ville
Bill and Berti Rice were married on June 1, 1946.
celebrate 75 years of marriage, which is something they never really think a whole lot about — mostly because they’re too happy living their lives to bother dwelling on their age.
“Except the birthdays; celebrate them,” Berti added. Berti is 93, and Bill is 94. The two remember growing up together in Dearborn Heights, back when it was mostly rural. There was no school bus, so they drove to high school with their friends in a rickety old Model A decorated with fringe. “We were childhood sweethearts,” said Bill. “We were still young enough that the only date we would go on was a Saturday afternoon matinee movie — and sit up in the balcony, of course, like all the other young couples.” NOT TO BE DETERRED That was during WWII, and Bill didn’t want to be drafted for the Army. So when he was 17, he quit high school and enlisted in the Naval Air Force. They sent him to aviation
mechanic school, then made him an instructor. Then a higher-up officer was going through his records and saw that he had experience in art, so he got transferred to the Navy Art Department to illustrate training books on how to repair aviation engines. Bill was stationed in Tennessee, near Memphis. One day he called Berti’s dad from the Naval base. “I used to call her father, Charlie, ‘Ace Man Charlie.’ So I call them one day and I said, ‘Hey, Charlie, how would it be if I started to support your daughter?’ That’s how I got permission from her parents to marry her.” Berti’s parents liked Bill and trusted him, and the two were set to get married the next time Bill came home on leave. Then, his leave was canceled last
minute. Berti was undeterred. “My girlfriends and myself, we just packed up and took the train down, and we were married down there,” she said, “because we were not going to change the date.” They were just 18 years old, and their parents had to sign for them in order for them to get married. Since Bill was part of a Navy program called the minority cruise, he was eligible for discharge the day before his 21st birthday. Back in Michigan, he attended Cass Tech and was hired in the art department at GM and then Ford, where he worked for 36 years, retiring as principal design engineer. “Even though I quit high school when I was young, we did all right,” he said. Their first home in Michigan was a tiny Farmington Hills bungalow that they got with a $300 loan. Over the years, they moved around the area, raising their kids in Redford. They’ve lived in their home in Northville for about 30 years. “When we first moved here, it was a lot more quaint than it is now, but there’s a lot of things going on downtown,” Bill said. “We like the history part of it, too.” MAKING MARRIAGE LAST Berti and Bill had two children and now have grandkids and great-grandkids all across the country. With the pandemic shutting them in the house for the past year, the two have spent time gardening, doing genealogy, woodworking (that’s Bill’s hobby), and reminiscing about the 75 years they have spent together.
Photographer Bill Bresler shot Bill and Berti Rice at their home with Kodak Duaflex film camera made in 1946, the same year the couple was married.
I say to make a marriage last, there are five words you have to remember. The first three are ‘I love you.’ And the last two are ‘Yes, dear.’ Bill Rice
anniversary. Jen Luikart, who works at Mill Race, helped coordinate Bill and Berti’s 70th anniversary party, also held on site. “As I reminded them, they were married longer than Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip,” she said. “They have a great sense of humor and are very open and kind.” Everywhere they go, people want to be part of Bill and Berti’s love story. For their 70th anniversary, they went to Mackinac Island with other couples from the senior center. “They tell you it’s luck of the draw which room you’ll get,” she said. “When we signed up, they said, ‘Is there anything special?’ and I said, ‘Well, it’s our 70th year of marriage,’ and they kind of made a little note.” When they checked in at the Grand Hotel, Berti and Bill were handed the keys to the Presidential Suite. Bill said he and Berti try to set an example for the younger people that it’s not terrible to get older. After all, they remember being that age, too. “I remember when we were planning to get married and maybe even a few years after, people would say, ‘You’re married so young — it’s not going to last,’” Bill recalled. Berti said they beat the odds by never taking each other for granted, even after all these years. “We appreciate each other,” she said. “We still say ‘thank you.’” “Every time I get a haircut, she says, ‘You’re so handsome,’” Bill said. “As he is,” Berti replied. “And we’re still in love as much as we were the day we were married.”
“We do everything together. We appreciate each other. And Bill has a famous thing that he likes to say about our marriage,” Berti said. “I say to make a marriage last, there are five words you have to remember,” Bill said. “The first three are ‘I love you.’ And the last two are ‘Yes, dear.’” Berti and Bill are planning a 75th anniversary party in June, to be held outdoors at Mill Race Historical Village. As a surprise and congrats, Mill Race waived the rental fees for the Rices and for any other couples who’ve reached their 75th
The ‘Ville 19
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The ‘Ville In Focus - with Bryan Mitchell
Spring Has Sprung in The Ville C
an’t you just smell it? Everywhere you look around town, the flowers are in bloom. They, along with warmer temperatures, are a sure sign of spring, as we shake of the shackles of winter. Our photographer and Northville resident Bryan Mitchell got out recently and found some of his favorite signs of spring. From the wildflowers making their annual appearance at Maybury State Park to the trees blossoming downtown, he found plenty of images to brighten up your day. We know how busy life can be, but as Bryan’s photos show, sometimes you just have to stop for a few moments and acknowledge nature’s beauty. And don’t forget to smell the flowers.
New leaves on a tree reflect in the pond at Maybury State Park.
Flowers in town and at Ford Field.
22 The ‘Ville
Mayapple grows in patches at Maybury.
Cutleaf Toothwort can be found growing in bunches at Maybury.
A lone trillium flower breaks through the forest flower at Maybury.
You know it’s spring, when the fountain is turned back on near Town Square.
March Marigold grows along a stream at Maybury.
The ‘Ville 23
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Northville senior Conner Halberg earned All-State status in two individual events and two relays at this year’s MHSAA Division 1 meet on March 26-27 in Hudsonville. Photo by Jerry Teng
Making A Big Impression Linebacker-sized Halberg wins state swimming title By Brad Emons
I
n and out of the water, Conner Halberg looms large in more ways than one. Standing 6 feet, 4 inches and weighing just over 200 pounds, the Northville High senior and newly crowned MHSAA Division 1 champion in the 500-yard freestyle can’t be missed. “A lot of times swimmers are on the small side, but he’s a big fella,” longtime Northville boys coach Rich Bennetts said. “We’ve got a lot of tall boys, but he’s tall and thick. He looks like a linebacker when he walks on the pool deck.” After missing out at a chance to compete in the 2020 MHSAA D1 meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic as a junior where he was seeded in the top four in two individual events, Halberg made the most of the delayed start of his COVID-19 senior season by winning the 500 freestyle (4:31.31) on March 27 in Hudsonsville. He also placed runner-up in the 200 freestyle (1:38.87) where he was narrowly edged out by Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Matthew Segal (1:38.24.)
26 The ‘Ville
Northville’s state champion Conner Halberg will take his swim talents next fall to NCAA Division III Hope College. Photo by Stackwood Studios | Kara Adkins
Halberg also anchored the Mustangs to a pair of fourths in the 200 freestyle (1:25.36) and 400 freestyle (3:09.25) relay events. All told, Halberg exited the D1 meet with four All-State performances, including a
pair of individual school records while just falling short of Northville records in the two freestyle relays. But Halberg left feeling somewhat personally unfulfilled as only 24.5 points separated the fifth-place Mustangs from moving ahead of three other schools and all the way up to second place in the final team standings. “We wanted to finish in the top four and bring back a trophy, but we couldn’t quite get that done and it was kind of disappointing knowing how close we were and not being able finish the job,” he said. Last March, Halberg was seeded second in the 200 freestyle (1:41.96) and fourth in the 500 freestyle (4:44.16) before the MHSAA D1 finals were canceled due to the pandemic. In 2019 as a sophomore, Halberg began to show glimpses of his talent where he was a D1 qualifier in the 200 freestyle (1:45.87). “He’s been a lot of fun to coach, a hard worker,” Bennetts said. “He came in his freshman year and he had trouble breaking 6 minutes in the 500 free. He just kept working hard. He latched onto a club team that helped him a little bit, too, got him to swim a little bit more. Along with Chris Keady (Cornell University), he’s one of the best kids we’ve ever had. He broke his 500 record (4:33.37) and Brad Farris (Penn), who was another good one I had in the 200 (1:41.72).”
Halberg grew up in the Philadelphia area before his family moved to Novi when he was 8. His parents, Phil and Kathy, both played soccer at Houghton College (N.Y.). He has a younger brother Ryan, who is a sophomore on the Northville swim team. Conner played soccer until the seventh grade, but his first love was baseball where he played on the freshman team at Northville. He was also a catcher and first baseman through his sophomore year for the Total Sports travel team.
would. But it was nice to be able to train in some capacity while the season was delayed.” At the KLAA meet, Halberg swept the 100 and 200 freestyle events with times of 46.59 and 1:40.94, respectively, as the Mustangs scored 1,005 points to run away with the team title. “He definitely ranks right up there with the best we’ve had at Northville,” Bennetts said. “I’m just real proud of how hard he’s worked and with the challenges we’ve had the last year-and-a half, he’s really been
“His high school times put him right there with a top-notch D3 swimmer,” Bennetts said. “He’s the best kid Hope is going to have, that’s for sure. He’ll be able to contribute from day one out there and he’ll be a central figure in what Hope is trying to do in their program.” Right now, with USA Swimming meets up in the air because of the ongoing pandemic, Halberg’s summer schedule is tentative other than working again as a lifeguard. “We’ve don’t really have any set plans,” Halberg said. “We’re not really sure when
He definitely ranks right up there with the best we’ve had at Northville. I’m just real proud of how hard he’s worked and with the challenges we’ve had the last year-and-a half, he’s really been able to rise above it and focused on what he wanted to do to get it done. Rich Bennetts, NHS swim coach
“I did it (baseball) for a while, but when I was able to start swimming again, I was able to use that to not miss it as much as I thought I would,” Halberg said. “It was definitely a lot of fun when I was able to play it.” Halberg got his club start with South Lyon Aquatics, but began training in early September under coach Bob Jenrow with the Novi Sturgeons where his times continued to drop. “Honestly, it was just being able to train more and that I stopped playing baseball after my sophomore year,” Halberg said. “That really allowed me to focus on swimming and come into the season in much better shape than I had been before.” Despite another state-mandated COVID-19 pause, which postponed the start of the MHSAA boys swim season to Feb. 8, Halberg continued to find pool time and train at the Novi Sports Club. “It was kind of similar of how we were having it at our high school practice,” he said. “There would be two or three people to a lane . . . we’d be able to get in some training, but not as much as we normally
able to rise above it and focused on what he wanted to do to get it done.” It eventually led to a state title. “He’s talented, but he works hard,” the Northville coach said. “I don’t know if his talent level is what the other guys were, but he’s one of those kids that when he sets his mind to do something, he just will not take no for an answer. He just kept at it and he did it.” Halberg, who carries a 3.75 grade-point average, plans to continue his swimming career next fall at Hope College. Despite getting interest from Lake Forest College (Ill.) and Valparaiso University (Ind.), he committed early to Hope where he plans to study business. “I liked the coach (Jake Taber) a lot. I think he was the first coach that had ever expressed interest in me coming to a school to swim. So obviously that helped,” Halberg said. “I just felt I bonded with all of the guys I met really easily. The atmosphere of the school–I just felt it was the right place for me to be for the next four years.” Bennetts believes Halbert will thrive at the NCAA Division III school in Holland.
or if there will be any meets with the cases going back up. But I’m sure I’ll be going to some kind of competition at some point in the summer. I don’t know when or where yet.” Halberg, however, remains an ardent baseball follower. His favorite team is the Phillies (with Chase Utley as his favorite player), while the Tigers are his second choice. “I like watching a lot of baseball games,” Halberg said. “It’s crazy, but in the summer, I’ll just turn the game on and watch the whole thing and my mom thinks I’m crazy.” Even though Halberg would have loomed large on any ball diamond, Bennetts is glad the Michael Phelps-sized Halberg decided to concentrate on swimming. “Everybody on the team likes him,” the Northville coach said. “He’s been a great leader for us. He was one of our captains this year. He’s a goal-oriented guy. He anchored both of our freestyle relays where we’re under consideration for All-American in both those relays. We just missed the team record in both those relays. He’s just a really good kid.”
The ‘Ville 27
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Junior Jack Gattoni was a state qualifier at 125 pounds.
Senior guard Avery Tolstyka was named All-KLAA West.
MUSTANGS TOUGH IT OUT By Brad Emons
Boys swimming, gymnastics shine during abbreviated winter season
D
espite an abbreviated and shortened 2020-21 winter sports season, there were plenty of highlights for Northville High athletics. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan High School Athletic Association finally launched the winter sports campaign – albeit in early February. It was a battle to say the least as teams tried to adhere and follow state mandated COVID-19 protocols, but they made it to the finish line for the most part. Leading the way was the Northville boys swimming and diving team, which placed fifth in the MHSAA Division 1 finals with 225 points on March 26-27 at Hudsonville. The Mustangs, coached by
30 The ‘Ville
Rich Bennetts, were led by senior Conner Halberg (see related story on Page 26), who captured the Division 1 title in the 500-yard freestyle (4:31.31) and added a runnerup finish in the 200 freestyle (1:38.87) after being touched out by Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Matthew Segal’s (1:38.24). Halberg was also part of two All-State (top eight) fourthplace relay quartets teaming up with juniors Leonardo Simoncini, Evan Scotto-DiVetta and Nathan Obrigkeit in the 200 freestyle relay (1:25.36), along with Simoncini, ScottoDiVetta and senior Josh Seidelman in the 400 freestyle relay (3:09.25). Other individual All-State performances came from sophomore Alex Sobotich, third,
The boys swimming and diving team placed fifth in the MHSAA Division 1 finals.
100 butterfly (50.85); freshman Phillip Zhavoronkov, sixth, 500 freestyle (4:43.57); sophomore Jacob Mowers, 500 freestyle (4:45.79); Simoncini, seventh, 100 freestyle (47.33). The Mustangs also took seventh in the 200 medley relay led by junior Kyle McCullough, junior William Teng, Subotich and Obrigkeit (1:36.19). Other state meet scorers included Seidelman, ninth, 500
Noah Eckenroth, 20th, 500 freestyle (4:53.87); McCullough, 20th, 100 butterfly (52.93); junior Austin Waller, tied for 22th, 100 backstroke (54.87); and sophomore Nathan Xiao, 28th, 100 butterfly (54.17). Northville repeated as Kensington Lakes Activities Association champions by scoring 1,005 points after finishing 7-0 in the West Division.
West Division under coach Todd Sander. All-KLAA West honorees included senior forward Brett Rudolph, who averaged 14 points, five rebounds and shot 80 percent from the foul line; senior center Jack Huddy, who averaged 10 points, four rebounds and shot 60 percent from the field; and senior guard Jake Willerer, who averaged nine points and three assists. Senior guard George Fox was named honorable mention. Northville also made the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan All-State Academic Team with a 3.34 cumulative grade-point average.
GIRLS BAKSETBALL
Coach Todd Gudith’s squad posted a 7-11 overall record, including a 4-10 mark and sixth place finish in the KLAA West. Senior guard Avery Tolstyka, who averaged 8.6 points per game and shot 40 percent from three-point range, was named All-KLAA West. Sophomore guard Lauren Talcott earned honorable mention honors.
BOYS HOCKEY
Coach Gordie Brown’s team dealt with a COVID-19 interruption and finished the year with a 6-7 record, including a 3-5 mark in the KLAA. The Mustangs were eliminated in the D1 regional semifinals by state quarterfinalist Salem, 1-0. Earning All-KLAA honors were senior forward Will Dreiman and junior goalie Dylan Eliason.
GIRLS HOCKEY
The Lady Mustangs finished 5-4 overall losing in the quarterfinal round of the Michigan Girls High School Hockey League playoffs to Farmington Hills Mercy after defeating Bloomfield, 6-3. The team’s final six regular season games were cancelled or postponed. Kalliopi Vrahnos was the team’s leading scorer, while Emma Gniewek was in goal for the Mustangs.
Recap continued on page 32
Senior forward Brett Rudolph averaged 14 points and 5 rebounds.
freestyle (4:46.10); Obrigkeit, 14th, 50 freestyle (21.90); Teng, 14th, 100 breaststroke (54.93); Scotto-DiVetta, 15th, 50 freestyle (21.94); Seidelman, 15th, 200 freestyle (1:44.99); Zhavoronokov, 16th, 200 individual medley (1:59.13); and McCullough, 16th, 100 backstroke (53.91). Other individual state qualifiers included Subotich, 17th, 50 freestyle (21.99); junior
At the KLAA meet, Halberg swept the 100 and 200 yard freestyles in 46.59 and 1:40.94, respectively. Other KLAA champions included Simoncini (50 freeestyle) and Zhavoronokov (500 freestyle), along with the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
BOYS BASKETBALL
The Mustangs finished 12-6 overall and 8-5 in the KLAA’s
Coach Todd Gudith talks to his team, which posted a 7-11 overall record.
The ‘Ville 31
Recap continued from page 31
395-363, in the quarterfinals. The previous week, Leavitt placed fourth at the Super Bowl regional in Canton with a fourgame total of 809. During the regular season, Leavitt average 209.37 for 27 games and was third overall in the KLAA. As a team, Northville took 10th in the regional and seventh in the KLAA West (4-10).
WRESTLING
Coach Dylan McLeod sent five grapplers to the MHSAA Division 1 individual finals on April 2-3 at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo led by sophomore All-Stater Joshua Drake, who took fourth at 103 pounds and finished with a 27-3 overall record. Drake was also the district and regional champion. Other state qualifiers included senior Alex Laskowski (189), 16-7; senior Sean Fawaz (215), 18-10; junior Jack Gattoni (125), 19-5; and junior Jonah Koipillai (103), 22-4. Freshman Zephan Catalina (119), who finished 18-10, and junior Noah Myung (135), who went 13-11, were both regional qualifiers.
GYMNASTICS
A fourth-place finish at the White Lake Lakeland regional (140.800) sent the Mustangs, coached by Victoria Clay, to
Brandon Leavitt (from left), Clare Baker, Maddie Coe, and Krista Kmeid led the bowling teams.
the MHSAA finals March 26-27 at Rockford where they placed 10th overall in the team standings (138.375). Individually, Katelyn O’Brien led the way in Division 1 with All-State performances (top 10) with a fourth on the uneven bars (9.325) and an eighth on vault (9.25). She was 11th in the all-around (37.075). In Division 2, Lauren Wegienka earned All-State honors with a tie for fourth on balance beam (9.2) and tied for fifth on floor exercise (9.1). She also tied for ninth in the all-
around (35.175). Meanwhile, Elle O’Brien added a seventh on floor (9.075) to earn All-State.
BOYS BOWLING
Junior Brandon Leavitt had a banner season for the Mustangs qualifying for the MHSAA Division 1 finals March 27 at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park. Leavitt was runner-up in the singles qualifying block with high games of 278-279. He fell to Livonia Franklin’s Ian Cain, the eventual state runner-up,
GIRLS BOWLING
Coach Elizabeth Bacigal’s squad placed fourth in the D1 regional after a third-place finish in the KLAA West (10-4). Individually, the Mustangs boasted three Division 1 individual singles qualifiers including junior Maddie Coe, who took seventh at the regional; senior Clare Baker, eighth; and senior Krista Kmeid, ninth. Kmeid finished 48th overall in the state finals qualifying block with a 946 with a 176 high game. She averaged 156.38 during the KLAA season. Baker was 51st overall with a 938 with a 192 high game. She averaged a team-best 162.57 during the regular season, while Coe was 53rd overall with a 173 high game. She averaged 141.89 during the season.
SKIING
The gymnastics team placed 10th overall at the MHSAA finals March 26-27 at Rockford.
32 The ‘Ville
Coached by Kyle Moir, the Northville boys (324.5 points) and girls (304.5 points) both earned 10th place finishes at the MHSAA Division 1 regionals held in mid-February at Alpine Valley. Top boys individual regional finishers for Northville included Nathan Moriarty (27th, giant slalom) and Joe Sepanik (31st, slalom), while the girls were led by Katrina Cox (31st, slalom) and Lily Wang (34th, giant slalom).
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Wines of the World at Mill Race will benefit two great organizations By Maria Taylor
T
he pandemic has had so many people tired of being cooped up and ready to travel. In June, Northvillians have the opportunity to get out and “taste” their way around the world — and help a local icon at the same time — without even having to hop a plane. On Friday, June 4, Mill Race Village at sunset will become the backdrop to Wines of the World, a fundraiser partnership to benefit the Northville Historical Society and the Miracle League of Plymouth. “It’s called Wines of the World because we literally get wines from all over the world. It’s amazing,” said Martha Michalak, board president at the Northville Historical Society, which runs and maintains Mill Race Village. “We’ll have wines from the
36 The ‘Ville
obvious places like Italy and France, but also South America, Australia — everywhere you can think of and probably some places you wouldn’t think of. We’ll have Michigan wines, California wines, literally from everywhere.” The event will be the first big in-person fundraiser for Mill Race Village in more than a
year. Michalak is anticipating 150-200 people — and Mill Race has plenty of space for them, even with social distancing, she said. “Ninety-five percent of it will be outside,” she explained. “Obviously, we’re going to be requiring masks and social distancing, as much as is feasible with an event like this.
But since we have such a huge area to work with, 150 people is well within the limits.” Once attendees check in, they will be given a wine glass to carry around with them for samples. More than 100 wines, provided by the Detroit Wine Organization, will be on hand to taste. Food samplings will be provided by local restaurants and caterers for a strolling dinner. “Everything from barbecue to pizza to steak, and all kinds of different desserts,” Michalak said. “We’re going to have somewhere between 10-15 stations set up that will have a variety of wines, and probably 6-8 stations with food, plus dessert, set up all over the Village. We’re going to have a jazz ensemble. We’re really hoping for a gorgeous day.” Other activities will include a wine wall and silent auction. In case of rain, the event will carry on with tents and umbrellas, as it did in 2019. June’s event will be the second Wines of the World wine tasting at Mill Race. The first, held in 2019, raised $22,000. Michalak predicts this year’s event will top it. “I think what people are mostly looking forward to is just getting out and mingling with friends and being with other people,” she said. “We’re hoping
downtown Plymouth, which “Most of the buildings need a was named after Northville’s coat of paint, and some of them Bob and Shari Bilkie, who have structural issues that need are board members and to be dealt with,” she continued. major contributors to the “So the money will be gone organization. pretty Tickets quickly.” for the wine The tasting are Miracle WHAT: Fundraiser for Northville $125/person League of Historical Society and Miracle or $225/ Plymouth is League of Plymouth pair and are a non-profit WHEN: 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 4 available now organization WHERE: Mill Race Historical Village through June dedicated in Northville 4, including to providing TICKETS: $125/person or $225/ the day of children pair (available through June 4) at the event, at with physical millracenorthville.org and mental disabilities an millracenorthville.org. The opportunity to play organized event will run 6-9 p.m. and will baseball. This league is nonbe held in full compliance with competitive, with all players CDC and Michigan Department getting to bat and circle the of Health guidelines. bases each inning. The kids play at Bilkie Family Field in
WINES OF THE WORLD
it’ll be very popular because everybody’s been stuck inside for a long time.” The Northville Historical Society will use funds raised at this year’s event to support renovation projects at Mill Race. “One of them is paving the
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lane, because right now it’s dirt and gravel,” Michalak said. “It might stay gravel, and then we’ll put a sidewalk in next to it. But something needs to be done there. We have weddings, and it’s very difficult for a bride, especially if it’s been raining, to walk down a muddy path.
‘ENDotLINE' Tom Hess spent a lifetime perfecting his magnificent model railroad By Michele Fecht
I
t was no surprise that Tom Hess found a lifelong passion in model trains. From his boyhood home in Dearborn, Hess could hear the thunderous roar of the locomotives on the Chesapeake & Ohio track that dead-ended his street. The train’s shrill whistle and immense power was spellbinding. By the age of seven, he knew he had to have a model train. But not just any model train. An American Flyer. Though Lionel was the more popular brand, American Flyer had a more realistic two-rail track system vs. Lionel’s three-rail system. From the first small, inexpensive set gifted to him by his uncle, Hess would eventually acquire 141 train sets — all American Flyers — and earn his place as a nationally recognized model railroader.
38 The ‘Ville
memories of Detroit including the historic Michigan Central Station, a Boblo boat, a Vernor’s truck and a Detroit & Cleveland freighter. He even duplicated the C&O passenger train that went by his boyhood home. Hess was a member of the Southeastern Michigan S Gaugers (SMSG), a club
of modelers, collectors and manufacturers. Noting that he didn’t want to leave his wife, Janet, “with the burden of getting rid” of his train collection and prized layout, he had two members of the modeling club photograph the layout. It was then disassembled and trucked to an auction house in eastern Pennsylvania. “Hopefully a large portion of it will end up in the hands of modelers who will appreciate it,” he said. Hess’ passion for model railroading never waned in his 76 years of life. “By the time I got into high school, model railroading had been replaced as a hobby by slot cars and Sputnik,” he said. Not so for Hess. After graduating from Michigan State University in 1966, Hess enlisted in the U.S. Army and attended Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Bragg. He completed training to become a Green Beret and served as a First Lieutenant. While in training, he was “seeing a girl” from Levittown, Pennsylvania. The town’s local hardware store was clearing out its model train sets. “They had a train set in there that I always loved as a boy,” he shared. The
Tom Hess
In an interview weeks before his April 22 death after a valiant battle with cancer, the 25-year Northville resident shared his passion for model railroading and the heartbreak of dismantling his 40-foot by 10-foot train layout that took up half the basement of his Rayson Street home. “It took me nine years to build the layout,” Hess explained, noting that much of the design was built around
Hess’ model railroad included detailed cityscapes. Train photos copyright 2021 Mark Charles
owner told Hess that since he was serving his country, he would allow the first lieutenant to make an offer. For $20 Hess took the train set back to Fort Bragg and set it up in the living room where he and his fellow first lieutenant housemates “sat on the floor and played with trains.” After the Army, Hess returned to Detroit and headed to Wayne State University Law School. He graduated in 1972 and became a member of both the Michigan Bar and Florida Bar. He moved to Florida, where in addition to practicing law he was also co-owner of several car dealerships and sponsored a team with NASCAR. In 1990, he moved back to Michigan and the following year married his wife, Janet. They would have celebrated their 30th anniversary on November 2. The couple’s Victorian-style home on Rayson Street was designed to “fit the character of the neighborhood” but with contemporary features including a full basement that could accommodate an extensive model railroad display. That the couple chose Rayson Street to build their home is somewhat serendipitous. Hess’ father was named Raymond,
which Hess shared as his middle name. Hess then named his son Raymond. And the name of the model train layout? The Raysonhouse Railroad. Hess began One of the features of the Raysonhouse Railroad was a coal mine that took 60 hours to construct. building his railroad riding the rails. Two years ago In addition to the train layout shortly after he and they took the Empire Builder to layout, Hess displayed his Janet moved into their home Glacier National Park. impressive collection of train in 1996. “It took me nine years Hess’ vivid recall through sets throughout the basement. to build the layout section by the images and stories of his He generously shared his section,” Hess noted. Among lifelong passion was a poignant train collection and layout the 12 sections was a cityscape, reminder that he would not live with neighbors and friends, rural area, coal mine, small to see his prized collection go and hosted meetings of the town, bridges, trestles, tunnels up for auction. “It’s kind of the SMSG club. He was active in and more. Hess also painted all end of the line for Raysonhouse the National Model Railroad the backdrops and added the Railroad,” he said with a catch Association and his layout was miniscule, detailed touches in his throat. featured in several national that made the layout unique. One can only hope that one model railroad publications. The painted advertisements of the auctioned train sets With his house overlooking on skyscrapers in the cityscape will be purchased for a seventhe Mill Pond and located a include the names Hess, year-old who shares the same stone’s throw from Northville’s American Flyer, S Gaugers, and wonder and awe that Tom Hess central business district, Hess River Raisin Models — all nods had for the sound of the train engaged in much of community to the builder and the model whistle as a locomotive roared life. He was a longtime member trains he loved. down the tracks. of the Northville Democratic Creativity, engineering, an Club and played volleyball with eye for detail, and extreme Editor’s Note: Memorial the City of Northville Parks and patience are requisite visitation for Tom Hess will be Recreation Over 50 Volleyball characteristics in building a held from 2-8 p.m. Friday, May Group. model railroad layout. It took 14, at Casterline Funeral Home, While his hobby was model Hess 60 hours just to build the 122 West Dunlap in Northville. railroads, he and Janet enjoyed coal mine.
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It’s Your Business Cynthia Miller Luxury Real Estate
Thinking Outside the Box
Cynthia Miller gets creative to simplify clients’ real estate needs
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on’t let the name fool you. Yes, real estate agent Cynthia Miller helps clients buy and sell premium homes, as her company’s name – Cynthia Miller Luxury Real Estate – suggests. But she is just as Cynthia Miller in downtown Northville. satisfied helping clients with less expensive homes. “I sell homes anywhere from $100,000 to Plymouth and Northville, and it would into the millions,” Miller said. “I don’t want trigger thoughts of what could be built people to overlook me just because they see there. She envisioned different homes for luxury home in my business name. I can and the lots, depending on the characteristics do sell everything.” of each. What she does “I always loved stress, however, is the lots with trees every client gets and in a little more OWNERS: Cynthia Miller the same attention natural state. I had ADDRESS: 116 West Main Street, Northville from her – all of it. a knack of figuring PHONE: (248) 278-0026 “I’m not into high out what kind of volume. I’m more house would fit EMAIL: cmiller@nationalrealtycenters.com concerned about perfectly with the WEBSITE: www.cynthiamiller.com high quality,” she lot and how you said. “When I have could turn that into a client, I’m with them every step of the way making money,” said Miller, whose first job and through every aspect of the transaction. was delivering newspapers. They get 100-percent of my time and She was also interested in architecture, attention through the closing process.” and has always been drawn to historical Miller said it was destiny that she got into buildings. At one point she toyed with the the real estate field, even though her path idea of studying architecture, but instead was not exactly a straight line. decided on getting an education degree Her interest dates back to her childhood from Eastern Michigan University, before in the 1970s when she would drive past moving onto Grand Valley’s master’s an empty lot with a for sale sign on trips program.
CYNTHIA MILLER LUXURY REAL ESTATE
40 The ‘Ville
Her teaching career spanned more than 15 years, and she has taught in a number of local school districts. While she loves teaching, her lifelong curiosity of real estate finally led her to tip her toe into the field. She quickly figured out it was the right move for her. “I said to myself, ‘I need to do this.’ I really, really love the rush of the real estate business,” Miller said. “I love the opportunity to think quick on my feet and outside of the box. That’s what drives me. I’m always thinking of ways to simplify a deal to meet the needs of my clients.” Miller sees a lot of similarities between her time as a teacher and now as a real estate agent. “The one thing I most enjoyed about teaching was connecting with and helping families. When you’re helping children grow and bringing out the best in them, you know you are helping families,” she said. “When you help someone buy a house, you get that same sense you are helping a family find their home. It’s very gratifying.” Miller works out of the National Realty Centers office in downtown Northville on Main Street (they also have offices in Birmingham and Ann Arbor). Most of her focus has been on the Northville market, which makes sense because she not only works here, but lives and raises her own family here as well. Her two children both attend Moraine Elementary. She has also been active in other Metro Detroit communities, especially Plymouth. More recently, she has been helping her clients find second homes in northern Michigan. Miller said she utilizes all the marketing tools available, including advertising on traditional and digital platforms, and even knocking on doors if that’s what it takes. In 2020, she made the Hour Magazine Real Estate All-Star Team as well as being named to the Real Producers Magazine Top 5% in the Metro Detroit Area list. Perhaps the best testimonials come from her clients, though, like Danielle Young who Miller helped both buy and sell a home. “She has a creative way of thinking that is effective as well as intriguing, and she gets the job done with poise and confidence,” Young said, of Miller.
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Debut Performance Second in Command The first string orchestra class of Northville Public School makes its debut performance at 7 p.m. on May 25 with a live-streamed concert on the orchestra’s website at www.northvilleorchestra.org. These middle school students achieved the basic skills required to play violin, viola, cello and bass while navigating the complexities of virtual instruction over the last year. Director Johanne RayHepp (pictured) supplemented curricular Zoom lessons with guest professionals, sectionals, individual instruction after school, and on Saturdays, via Zoom, as well as in person. Opportunities for advanced students and collaboration with the high school string club as well as other local professionals, such as Cristina Muresan, DSO guest violinist, and Lynda Fulgenzi, local professional violist and Northville Strings conductor, are also included in this performance vision. Much preparation was needed for this premiere performance. “I am so proud of the kids, and all they’ve accomplished in a very challenging learning environment. This situation has allowed us to see music education as essential in student development,” said Ray-Hepp. “They have learned to be so much more than instrument players. They have become musicians. This performance allows us the opportunity to show how the arts build resilience and that beauty will prevail--even in a pandemic.”
Northville Township’s Mike Jaafar has been promoted to Undersheriff of Wayne County, making him second in command at the Wayne County Sheriff Department, under current Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Ray Washington. Jaafar was previously appointed to chief of operations in 2016, following his previous position as deputy chief. Jaafar, 43, has a long history in law enforcement, dating back to 1994 when he became an officer with the Detroit Police Department. Jaafar spent 15 years at the Detroit Police Department before moving to the county sheriff’s office. He also graduated from the FBI’s National Academy in 2018. Jaafar learned much from the late Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon, who lost his battle with COVID-19 in December at the age of 65. “I am a student of Sheriff Benny Napoleon,” Jaafar said in 2016. “He has a line that he taught his young officers… ‘You take care of your people and they’ll take care of you.’” Previous Undersheriff Daniel Pfanees took over the department after Napoleon’s death in the interim, after which Washington was appointed following candidate interviews conducted by Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett, Prosecutor Kym Worthy and Chief Probate Judge Freddie Burton. Jaafar is married to Angela Jaafar, a member of the Northville Schools Board of Education. They have five children. Washington swore in Jaafar at a ceremony on May 4 (pictured).
Krenz Joins City Council At an April 22 special meeting, the Northville City Council selected Andrew Krenz from among five candidates to replace Sam Ekong, who resigned in March. Krenz served on the Planning Commission and also on the 15-member Farmer’s Market Task Force. As a member of the Planning Commission, Krenz supported the FAR ordinance and was a leading voice to get the front porch incentive passed as part of the ordinance. The other candidates for the position were James C. Allen, Joseph Corriveau, Philip Goodman and Ryan McKindles. Each of the candidates was given five minutes to explain their interest in the open position and why they were qualified to fill the role. After first voting 2-2 (Krenz and Jim Allen), council members voted 3-1 for Krenz. Krenz said the issues he’s committed to are sustainability, history and walkability, and he plans to help advance efforts on those issues. He noted that Northville is aging rapidly and he would like to see more families with children move into the city. 35th District Judge James Plakas swore in Krenz on April 27 (pictured). He will serve out Ekong’s term, which ends in November. Krenz, an engineer, works at GM as a team leader in the development of battery-powered vehicles. He has Master’s degrees in Business Administration and International Business, and in Engineering, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Material Science Engineering. 42 The ‘Ville
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It’s Kickball Time!
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Main Street League, a non-profit made up of women dedicated to helping local families in need, will host its 8th annual kickball tournament from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, June 6 at Ford Field in Northville. The tournament, which is MSL’s biggest fundraiser of the year, will feature teams of between 10-12 female players. It is a double elimination tournament, and games will be three innings each. The family-oriented event will also feature facepainting, a DJ and music, lemonade stand and ice cream cart. Each team will have its own sponsor ($250, plus T-shirts for the team), and each player is required to raise $125. If you would like to play, sponsor a team, or coordinate a team, contact MSL at mainstreetleague@gmail.com or call (248) 982-2564. Pictured are MSL members Lauren Romeo, Elizabeth Stevens, Stephanie Smith and Rachel Chandler.
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Out Of This World Learning
Amerman Elementary third graders in teacher Markus Harnett’s class are participating in a cutting-edge engineering project that allows them to solve intergalactic problems on an imaginary planet colonized by humans. Through the City X Project, they use engineering and design techniques to solve problems. Students are tasked with development, testing, prototyping and the reinvention of solutions for problems such as not enough sunlight to grow food, nowhere to put the trash, and no clean water. They develop, test and share their inventions, brought to life by a 3D printer. “This is a project that needs to make its way into elementary classrooms. Design thinking is a skill that every 21st century learner needs,” said Hartnett, who previously taught the City X project in Illinois. A Northville Educational Foundation (NEF) Innovative Grant provided the funds to purchase the 3D printer and materials to print. In the last year, the NEF distributed $35,000 to fund 30 projects across the district.
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Dishin’ With Denise
Denise Jenkins is a member of 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.
Moms, Mums, Main Street and Memorial Day W
hen I turn the calendar page to May I smile and think of my Mom, my Grammy and my Mother-inLaw. I am one of those lucky people who had a sweet, kind mother-in-law who loved unconditionally. The core of what motherhood is all about.
The Flower Sale is back.
April showers brought May flowers – and they will be on sale at the annual Flower Sale. The sale takes place Friday, May 28 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Saturday, May 29 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. There is free onsite parking in the lot on the corner of 7 Mile and Center Street, across from Northville Downs. You can plan your garden before you arrive or stroll through the beautiful flowers, plants, herbs and more from local growers and greenhouses, many of whom are vendors at the Northville Farmer’s Market. Covid-19 protocols will be in place, including the requirement to wear a mask. The Flower Sale supports the Northville Chamber of Commerce. Have you strolled down Main Street in downtown Northville lately? Well, there have been a lot of changes! There’s Spice & Tea Merchant’s,
44 The ‘Ville
cheddar on rye was still my favorite…until I tried the lemon cream puff. The famous quote “Life is short…Eat dessert first” applies.
William Hundley at Tuscan Café
The military banners are up.
Sugar Lu’s and Toria is coming soon. Poole’s is now Exchange Bar & Grill. Pear-Aphernalia moved across the road and down the street into the former VanDam’s location. Tuscan Café has moved around the block and is smack dab in the center of town. What a great place for a sandwich. It’s hard to find good deli on this side of town. I worked in Southfield for many years and there was one great deli after another. It’s one thing I’ve missed living and working in our hidden hamlet. It is true that Tuscan has been here for 25 years – believe it or not. But it was it’s own hidden hamlet. Until now. Owner William Hundley made the move from a cozy corner to be a part of the heart of downtown. But it wasn’t an easy decision. “I realized there was an expanded market. I knew we could serve more people, welcome more customers but I didn’t want to lose the charm or the history,” Hundley said. In my humble opinion they’ve succeeded. The cleverly named sandwiches are still on the menu and still true deli. Hundley told me “Good deli is adaptable.” It is. The buildyour-own grilled turkey with
I continue to find it amazing and awesome. I hope I never lose the goose bumps. I’m afraid there will not be a Memorial Day parade through town this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take your own journey up and down the streets of Northville honoring the men and women who have served our country.
Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars
Kudos to the Robertson Family of Northville. The Red Wings played the Dallas Stars at the end of April. It was a Saturday and I had the game on in the background. The Wings were ahead one-to-nothing. In the last few minutes I caught Northville’s own-now rookie forward Dallas Star Jason Robertson assist the goal that tied the score. Dallas went on to win in O/T. Ouch, but pretty cool for our hometown boy who has a pretty impressive record so far for a 21 year old in the NHL. Hockey fans, check him out. The ‘Ville readers know if it’s May, I’m going to gush over the Memorial Day banners hanging up in town. This is year four and the program has expanded year after year. The day the banners were going up I saw a couple (my age) pushing their grandchild in a stroller down Main Street. They stopped the crew and asked what it was all about. I could see the emotional response swell up in their eyes.
Edith Mrakitsch at the Kentucky Derby (A couple Navy Seals asked her advice on picking the winners.)
May 1st I honored and celebrated my beautiful Mom by placing a bet on horse #6 for the Kentucky Derby at our very own Northville Downs, another traditional event in May. Edith (my Mom) was a fan of the Derby and it was my pleasure to take her to Churchill Downs for the “most exciting two minutes in sports” before she died. It was a trip of a lifetime for her, and for me. To all the beautiful Moms out there…celebrate all May-long.
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