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By Mary Meldrum

THE LAST PERFORMANCE FOR THE LOCAL ALL-MOM ROCK BAND, the Mydols, was about seven or eight years ago at the Motor City Casino, when they opened for the B52s. The band dissolved, and since then, no moss has grown under the feet of one of the former lead singers, April Jones Boyle. In fact, Boyle was just igniting her rocket fuel and getting started.

A staggeringly prolific entrepreneur and a fireball of creativity, Boyle has disrupted, engaged, impacted, finessed and handcrafted a life and a career that is a textbook demonstration of how to be a force-multiplier on Planet Earth. It is difficult to know where to begin describing her spirit and her ascent.

I’ll try. Currently, April Jones Boyle is the founder and Executive Director of Build Institute (an organization that she conceived and grew out of the D:hive, where she was also a founding member). I almost need bullet points for the rest of the list. She was the co-creator of several ventures, including the Hootenanny Kids concert series; she is a co-owner in Gold Cash Gold restaurant; she is on the board of Kiva Detroit and also the advisory board for Ponyride. And that is not all.

She is the co-creator of Komodo Kitchen, an Indonesian pop-up supper club that in 2011 was one of the first pop-ups on the scene in the Detroit area, and hosted by the Pinwheel Bakery in Ferndale.

“My partner, Gina Onyx, is from Indonesia. We wanted to create a unique experience for diners,” Boyle says.

Concentrating solely on Build Institute now, Boyle fuels a network of grassroots programs to assist people in turning their project or business ideas into a reality. “Build Institute is focused on access and equity.”
And they have hit some amazing milestones. I give up. I’m using bullet points:

● Six years of small business activation and support, with participants from over 100 zip codes, and 70 per cent women and 60 per cent people of color.
● Ten years of “Open City” forums, with thousands of attendees.
● 1,400 program graduates, with over 350 businesses and 500 jobs created or retained.
● Winner of the Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award.
● $175,450 in funding to 30 entrepreneurs through Kiva Detroit.

“I think entrepreneurship is an art,” Boyle says. “You have to be open to opportunity, and try new things.”

AS A RESULT OF HER LACKLUSTER EXPERIENCE with an accelerator years ago, Boyle ended up becoming a founding member of D:hive in Detroit, and launched an eight-week business planning course for entrepreneurs. It was focused on small businesses that were aspiring to be brick-and-mortar – lifestyle, ma-and-pa, micro and social enterprise, passion businesses – all the stuff that didn’t neatly fit into the common tech and scale business sector.

“If you look at the demographics at the time [of D:hive], the economics of it was focused on technology and scale companies, and the demographics of that sector was mostly white male. And when you looked at the demographics of the city of Detroit, those two things did not match up,” Boyle explains. “I saw an opportunity, and a gap that showed we were leaving a bunch of talent on the table.”

April knew that if Detroit was going to make a full and sustainable recovery, and be a vibrant, inclusive, diverse city, then everyone needed to have an opportunity to build wealth, a business, a life and contribute in some way. Her passion was to make this vision of Detroit a reality.

“We launched private training classes because we saw a gap in needed education, resources and support for entrepreneurs who were women and people of color. The program grew exponentially, and I became the Director of Small Business Initiatives inside of D:hive,” Boyle says.

BUILD INSTITUTE EVENTUALLY SPUN OFF of D:hive, and continued under the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Recently, Build Institute left the DDP and became a 501.c.3 nonprofit organization.

Build Institute is now partnering with the City of Ferndale to provide a series of classes and activities to support aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs and small businesses. With the support from the City, classes are open to Ferndale residents or anyone looking to open a business in Ferndale. Registration is open for “Build Basics and GROW Peer Roundtables” to be held at the Rust Belt Market.

The core business and project planning class is designed for aspiring and established entrepreneurs. Classes cover all the basics of starting a business – from licensing to financial literacy, market research to cash flow and more. Participants leave with a completed business plan and the knowledge and confidence to take your idea to the next level. For more information and to register: http://buildinstitute.org/ferndale/.

“We have graduated over 1,400 aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs from our various programs. We run the Kiva program locally – an international micro-lending platform – and we just acquired and took on the operations of Detroit Soup, which is a micro-granting dinner platform.”

Build Institute was just featured in the Stanford Social Innovation Review as an example of best practices in working with micro-enterprise. Boyle and the Build Institute continue to find more people considering entrepreneurship as a path-way out of poverty and into economic mobility and vitality.

Boyle says. “We believe that independent small business is the backbone of the community. They create jobs that will not be outsourced, they also hire local, they keep the money in the local economy, they help develop commercial corridors and neighborhoods, and more importantly, they keep the culture unique.”

Boyle believes that as big corporate and conglomerates come in, every community needs to give their local independent businesses the tools to deal with and compete with those entities.

BUILD INSTITUTE WILL BE MOVING THEIR HEADQUARTERS to the corner of Michigan and Trumbull, the old Tiger Stadium site. They are currently in lease negotiations with the property developers.

“We will be creating inclusive innovation, shared work space, pop-up retail and workshops, as well as classroom and event space for our community,” Boyle shares.
Having recently graduated the first Build Institute class in Ferndale, Boyle remains super-motivated for social justice, economic justice and also creativity and autonomy. Stand back – April Jones Boyle looks to empower and help each individual define success for themselves on their terms. And I am rock-solid sure she is going to make that happen.

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Story By Ingrid Sjostrand | Photo By Bernie Laframboise

WHEN WARMER WEATHER APPROACHES, also with it comes the many orange barrels and road closings of looming construction. One such project expected to cause some disruption this summer season is the resurfacing of Livernois St., and it has many business owners concerned.

The construction is currently slated for June 1st through November 10th and, while its main purpose is repairing and resurfacing road conditions, plans are also set to incorporate protected bike lanes, improve pedestrian crossings and move bike racks. Justin Lyons, planning manager for the City of Ferndale, explains:

“The overall project area includes Livernois from W. 9 Mile to 8 Mile Road. The intersection at W. 9 Mile and Livernois will be improved with a new mast arm traffic signal (similar to the signals at Pinecrest, Bermuda, etc.) and a public plaza,” Lyons says. “A small amount of striping work will also be completed on the Detroit side of the Livernois/Eight Mile intersection.”

The long length of the project is intended to avoid closing the entire stretch of road at once.

“Construction efforts will be staggered/phased so that only one section is being fully disrupted at any given time, which is why the construction period lasts until November,” he says. “There will always be a minimum of one lane open in each direction on Livernois.”

FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE “UP-AND-COMING” area of Ferndale, Livernois is a street with a variety of light industrial businesses and a growing retail and restaurant presence. Siouxsan Miller, co-owner of Green Daffodil located at 624 Livernois, has run her retail storefront since 2009 and knows the area well.

“We are windows on the world for what goes on there on a daily basis. For a long time we have been the only business with an actual open sign, so we talk with a lot of business owners and folks who live in the area,” Miller says. “We have lots of thoughts and concerns about the proposed street project and the time frame that it might occur.”

These concerns include available parking during construction, the length of the project and if these changes are even necessary. Many of these sentiments are mirrored by other business owners like Je Donna Dinges, who moved her women’s clothing store Margaux & Max to 561 Livernois in September of 2016, and Dan Riley of Axle Brewing, which opened at 567 Livernois in June 2017.

Riley is most concerned about the availability of parking since his brewery and biergarten can accommodate over 150 people and summer will be their busiest season.

“If all street parking on Livernois is impacted for the duration of the project, as opposed to in phases, it will definitely have a major impact on our business during our important summer season.” Riley says. “We are the only hospitality business on the street and one of a few open to customers relying on street parking.”

Dinges echoes these fears, and hopes the City will provide some solutions, “There are already parking issues on Livernois due to the limited number of parking spaces. How will the city ensure that customers can reasonably get to the businesses on Livernois?”

THE MOST RESOUNDING FRUSTRATION was the lack of information available and communicated with businesses. Dinges didn’t even hear of the project until talking to other businesses and never heard back after reaching out to City officials.

“That was two weeks ago, and I have not heard one word,” she says. “The City needs to communicate with the businesses impacted by this construction every step of the way.”

“We really don’t want overkill done to our area, but we do want things done that make sense to the area’s real needs and would like to have a voice,” Miller says. “We are all small, professional business owners who need to know what type of construction might go on this year. We need the ability to plan and make changes to our business models to be able to weather construction pains.”

Lyons says the City has presented plans for the project at City Council meetings. He hopes to remedy much of the concern through an information and question-and-answer session scheduled for Thursday April 26th at the Gerry Kulick Community Center, and they have already started brainstorming solutions to many of the problems, including parking.

“More information will be provided at the April meeting, but the City is exploring options to help provide temporary parking solutions, including providing off-street spaces at the Kulick Community Center, wayfinding signage, and rideshare promotions.”

Lyons says many factors went into the timing of this project including the City’s Master Plan and the recently passed Road Improvement Bond, but the main reason is due to Federal funding that expires at the end of 2018.

“Construction is never easy for small businesses and homeowners, but the end result will make Livernois a greatly improved street for all users. Livernois is a key corridor for the entire city, and already has a number of great small businesses, artists, and long-time residents that has grown and changed over the years.” Lyons says. “This investment by the City (with federal funds) demonstrates a commitment to the corridor with a street design that encourages people to visit Livernois by multiple modes of transportation and continue to be a walkable district.”

More information and updates about the Livernois resurfacing project can be found at ferndalemoves.com/project/livernois-street.

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Story & Photos By: Jon Szerlag

WITH A DESIRE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, and the State of Michigan, one local resident has taken her passion for mysteries and puzzles to try to give unidentified remains in Michigan their name back, and possibly bring closure for their family.

Leslie Merritt recently started a group that meets in person to go online and perform research of unidentified remains in Michigan, and try to match them with missing persons in the state. “I want to give peace to families,” said Merritt. “I want them to not have to think every day of their lives if their (family member) is alive and out there.”

Merritt started by going to the web site www.NamUs.gov which lists missing people and information regarding unidentified remains. There are thousands of missing people and unidentified people throughout the United States, and Merritt focuses on only ones that are missing in Michigan, and in the Metro area if possible. She also likes to look at older cases.

The family and friends of those missing are never contacted while poring over the databases and doing other research. But if Merritt believes that she has a good case for a match, she will reach out to the detectives working the case and provide the information to see if they believe it should be followed up or not.

OE OF THE FIRST CASES MERRITT WORKED ON was the remains of an unidentified woman from the late 1980s. She went through all the minute details of the information provided and thought she had a good match. She also reached out to a forum, WebSleuths.com, to have them look over her investigation.

The detective working the case told Merritt that they checked the dental records of the woman she thought was a match, but they were not the same person. But it was going through these cases and having discussions on associated forums that made Merritt want to start a group.

“Whenever I would do a case, I would post on Web Sleuth so other people could take a look at it before I would send it to the police,” said Merritt. “That is why I thought a group would be a good idea, to have a lot of eyes looking at it.”

Merritt asked people on her personal Facebook if anyone would be interested. She did not get a response, so she decided to try Ferndale Forum. The response was much more than she was expecting.

“I was thinking it would only be a few people, but a ton of people were interested,” said Merritt, whose Facebook group has 85 members already. “It is really amazing with all the people who are here and their replies. They were really excited about it.”

NOW THE GROUP MEETS IN PERSON to go over cases and bounce ideas off one another. Merritt also has her own method, which involves a spreadsheet she created to help find similarities between the missing and unidentified persons.

“The whole point is to exclude the missing from the unidentified,” said Merritt. “If there is anything that is big that excludes the person, then you are done and have to go on to the next.”

Which can be hard, when dealing with missing people and after getting personally invested in the case. “It can be hard to give up because it definitely becomes personal,” said Merritt. “When you are really focused on a case, you really get to know the missing or unidentified person. I really felt like I was the voice for that girl (her first case), and I feel like I let her down. And there are no other leads in that case.”

Merritt remembered her first case where she thought she found a match, and how she started to wonder how no one could be looking for this person, or if the missing person was from another state or even Canada.

“I just want to bring peace to people, and I want to be the one who helps do that and solve that mystery,” said Merritt. “There are a ton of people that are identified, and it is hard to make sense of it because there are all of these missing people, as well. There have to be matches.”

The Facebook group is currently called The Ferndale Cold Case Group, and people can visit www.NamUs.gov to view cases of missing and unidentified people.

Nineteen people showed up for the first group meeting in Ferndale to look over a case involving the remains of an African American man found in the Detroit River in Ecorse, Michigan in 2014.

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AS YOUNG PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT GROWING OLD, we all had things we feared about the transition. Losing our health, our agility, our looks, having to live on less money, being alone. These all looked so scary when we were in our 40s, and 50s.

But, in reality, as we reach and pass our 70s, we have encountered bad health and survived, learned to live on less money, we know our looks have faded, and accept our loss of agility.

Here is the secret: Losing our independence. That is it. That is at the base of all our fears. When we hear of one of our group moving into assisted, it is like hearing that that person has died. We all get somber, and quiet. That person is no longer independent. She cannot come and go as she pleases, she has to eat when and what someone else gives her, she lives under supervision. It doesn’t matter that our friend is 90-plus-years old or that she says that she loves it there. She has lost her right to make decisions, and that is so final.

Because of this, many of us tend to go to outrageous lengths to avoid asking for help. We don’t want to bother anyone. We struggle with heavy packages, climb on furniture to reach stuff, shovel snow, and in general tackle things we shouldn’t, just so we appear independent.

Virginia had a computer problem. The tech told her to bring it in. Problem? The computer was on her second floor. Not a problem for Virginia. She loaded it into her laundry basket, placed it by the stairs, scooted to the stairs, and nudged it down backwards, step by step. Clever? Yes, dangerous? Hell yes! But, she simply refused to ask anyone for help, although probably a half dozen would have. And I completely agree with her.

ONE DAY LAST WINTER, the garbage man left my cans on top of the snow banks. Totally inaccessible for me. Virginia made a suggestion, and it worked. I went out with a broom and banged the cans into the street, then went and collected them. I knew that I would only have to text my tenant, and he would have gotten them for me. But ask for help? Nope, not me.

Joyce goes out with a special shovel and gets the snow off her roof. Now, that takes strength.

I see my fellow seniors shoveling the free compost into small buckets in the back of their cars. They make several trips, taking three times as long as the job should take. I know why. They can’t lift and carry more than that bucket.

Sometimes we have to bite the bullet and ask, and I do. My son knows that if I am asking I have tried every-thing I can think. We are afraid of not being self sufficient, so we over-do.

Where am I leading with all this? I have no clue. It’s just the way it is.

So, the next time you see a little old lady doing something in a really odd manner, go ahead and laugh. We do.

Jeannie Davis, 248 541 5888

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By: Jeff Milo

JAMIE D’ANGELO MARKED THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF RUNNING FERNDALE’S NEW WAY BAR BY MAKING A SIMPLE, YET BOLD MOVE. Starting in January, there would no longer be admission fees on nights featuring live local music. “That door charge was just bothering me,” D’Angelo said. “It just didn’t suit me well.”

It might be expected that a handful of folks would opt to go find another bar if they find out there’s a cover charge for their intended destination, but for D’Angelo even just seeing one person turn away was one person too many.

Under D’Angelo’s management, the New Way’s standing in the local music scene has certainly elevated; it’s now among the regular hotspots of weekend nightlife activity, where you’re likely to find a variety of contemporary artists like the band Remnose. “I’ve met a lot of fellow local musicians through the New Way, for open mic nights formerly hosted by [now-deceased] Brian Miller,” said Remnose singer/songwriter Marlon Morton.

D’ANGELO IS A LIFELONG MUSIC LOVER who does have some experience in the food service
industry — but his main gig used to be construction. “I was a builder,” as he puts it… But with New Way, he’s been able to build some-thing beyond bricks and mortar, and instead with heart and soul. New Way sprang from his own vision of making it into a traditional neighborhood bar for Ferndale, with the blue-collar intimacy and easygoing-ambiance of a classic “dive bar.”

It’s also a bar going out of its way to build a home for musicians. “We’re their host,” he said. “We want (local bands) to feel welcome. Without them, I’d barely have a business. And without them it certainly wouldn’t be anywhere near as much fun!”

Morton recalls when D’Angelo brought up the idea of free shows. “I’m sure he brought it up to many other of his regulars,” said Morton. “But as a musician, it’s a win-win. Bands are compensated for the music they provide and the people they bring to their shows, while the no-cover policy can help bring in more people who might otherwise never have heard your music.”

“You’d have no way of knowing that (D’Angelo) owns the place the way he’s just out amongst the crowd,” Morton continued. “(He’s) just enjoying watching everybody do their thing. (D’Angelo) likes to consult with the locals and regulars about any changes he wants to make; he genuinely wants to know what they think.”

Now, five years in to running the New Way, D’Angelo is definitely in a groove, with a solid staff, an upgraded PA system, updated lighting, and new monitors for the stage. Then there’s the satisfying result of improving the menu, beers on tap and liquor selection.

D’Angelo has a starting rate that Morton appraised as quite amenable to regional artists. Before the switch, his motto was to always give bands 100 per cent of the cover charge, but now there will be a rate that can fluctuate depending on the bill and number of bands. The sound engineer is also compensated in this new “no cover” era. “So far I’ve kept (prices) the same,” said D’Angelo. “I might have to raise (some items) by a quarter here or there, but so far everything is the same. I’ll look at things after a few months.”

Along with regular weekly concerts, The New Way has a strong following for its weekly stand-up comedy nights (on Mondays) and open mic nights (on Wednesdays). Singer/songwriter Ryan Dillaha (leader of the band The Miracle Men) took over as host of the Wednesday open mic nights after the untimely passing of Brian Miller. Dillaha deemed D’Angelo’s decision to be “a positive one.”

THE OPEN MIC NIGHTS DILLAHA OVERSEES became one of New Way’s surest ways of nurturing a sense of community between performers and music lovers. “They have a crowd and following at that bar, but I have noticed how they were sometimes deterred at the door by being asked to pay for a band they didn’t know. I think it’s a good move for musicians to have folks hear them who normally wouldn’t, and for the bar to get the bands’ fans in there too.”

“People who love music but aren’t familiar with the incredible scene in Detroit need an ‘in…,’” said Lisa Joan, a Ferndale resident and ardent music fan often found deeply embedded in the audiences of several venues on a weekly basis. “And if they don’t have a friend in it or a connection to the scene, then I don’t even know how they could dip a toe into it. Free shows are a way…, and I hope it works out for the (New Way) and for the bands.”

D’Angelo said it came down to a simple platitude: “Treat people nice!” That went for his customers, his staff, and the bands he wants to host on a regular basis. “I have a passion for this; I really love what I do. I’m glad to be there every day…I’m lucky to be there every day.”

One of D’Angelo’s favorite events of the year is Record Store Day, when local quartet Duende performs a matinee rock show. This annual vinyl-celebrating holiday was on April 21, and if you visited New Way during the afternoon, you were treated to a free show from Duende. Then again, you can walk in any weekend, this year, free of charge.
A five-dollar fee will no longer be a barrier to someone discovering their new favorite band. In fact, you’d be surprised how many of your new favorite bands might be living just down the street from you. You’ll find them at the New Way.

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Story by Jill Lorie Hurst
Photos by David McNair

NEW IN TOWN? TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR FERNDALE? STEP INTO CANDLE WICK SHOPPE. Friendly and mysterious, with a welcoming staff and a fascinating collection of wares for sale, Candle Wick is a lot like the town it lives in. I recently spoke with manager Patrick Vincent, a lifelong Ferndalian who owns and resides in the house he grew up in, and employee Emma Walter, who refers to Candle Wick as the best job ever and hopes to move to Ferndale soon.

We took some time to look at merchandise, both the classics – like the wonderful collection of candles produced by Coventry Creations – and newer items, including products made by Detroit-based companies like Twisted Willow. They are adding new products and building their online business these days. Vincent points to a few “giftier” additions like mugs and greeting cards, but they are still very much in keeping with the feel of the store, with a sense of spirituality and sly humor, fun and intriguing.

Candle Wick co-owner Jacki Smith started her candle-making in the early ‘90s. She bought her first supplies at a store in Ferndale! She and sister Patty Shaw opened Coventry Creations, a thriving business.

They have candles for everything you can imagine. Vincent says the biggest sellers are the “tension candles” but there is something for everyone. “Everything here has a spiritual niche,” says the manager. Reiki, spiritual counseling and tarot readings are also available in a quiet back area. Their Reiki Healing Center opened in 2014. Patrick mentions Eric Swanson, who counsels and reads cards for anyone, but focuses on the LGBTQ community.

THE SHOP ALSO TAKES PART IN A NUMBER OF community events. Vincent shared the news that Candle Wick is the naming sponsor of 2018 Ferndale Pride. What a great way to celebrate ten years! He also spoke proudly of the shop’s staff, their diversity and shared affection for the store. When asked about customers, he replied that many are regulars who know what they want when they come in the door. Candles, herbs, incense, crystals, books. And they welcome newcomers. “If you’re just looking around, I know you’re going to be back.” A nice, refreshing attitude for those of us who like to browse but are slow-shoppers!

Candle Wick’s Mission: “We have a remedy for what ails your soul. We are here to stimulate your senses and relieve your stresses.” Their core values? Extraordinary experience, joyful interaction, authentic purpose and rewarding effort.

This store can’t be explained in an article, or even a conversation. It requires a visit. Well, probably more than one visit. I was back a few days after my chat with Vincent and Walter to buy a card, two “Emotional Balance” candles, four spell candles and a small silver bell that has Molly (my cat) totally entranced. Speaking of cats, as I paid I saw a bowl full of dollar bills on the counter and a sign that told me the charity of the month is the Catfe Lounge on Livernois. Perfect! Cats seem like the right mascot for this store. “It’s a safe place. Everybody’s welcome,” says Vincent with a smile. Welcoming and mysterious. Once you step inside, you’ll see for yourself.

Candle Wick Shoppe is located at 175 W. Nine Mile Road. You can shop online as well, at www.candlewickshoppe.com. And you can find them on Facebook.

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By Jennifer Goeddeke

RELAY FOR LIFE IS A NONPROFIT, WORLDWIDE ORGANIZATION set up to benefit the American Cancer Society (ACS). This event is a celebration of the lives of people battling cancer, and also a remembrance of lost loved ones. It began in 1985 with Dr. Gordy Klatt, a surgeon from WA who walked and ran around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the ACS.

Since that time, the event has grown into the world’s largest movement to end this prevalent and relentless disease. The Relay for Life mission statement is to “Celebrate those who have won the battle against cancer, remember those we have lost, and fight back through research and early detection.”

Every year, teams of people literally camp out at local schools, fairgrounds or parks, and the participants take turns in walking or running around a path/track. The atmosphere is family-friendly and upbeat. Be-cause “cancer does not sleep,” these events always run overnight.

Founders of the Ferndale area event, in 2007, were Jackie Koivu, and Beth Collins from ACS. Then in 2008, Michele Sibula – a lifelong Ferndalian – was asked to help, and she accepted the challenge.

I recently took the opportunity to talk with Sibula, who has been successfully running the Relay for Life events in the Ferndale ar-ea for almost a decade. During that time-span, over $460,000 has been raised for the ACS! Sibula’s personal mission is “to have a world where no one dies from cancer.”

Sadly, Sibula explained, the total donations are down this year, so the main Relay for Life event is not running. (The organization will be changing its name soon to: “Ferndale Area Fights Cancer.”) Sibula added, “it’s important for us to evolve with the times and to stick with what works.”

Meanwhile, the current team of volunteers is led by Sibula, and she is assisted primarily by Tammy Dengate and Sonia Ross. They continue to work hard on smaller fundraising events to benefit the ACS. They just raised $3,000 through a drag queen bingo event at the Royal Oak’s Elk Club in March. Previous popular events have included a “Pizza Palooza” at Ferndale High School, and a bus trip to the Dark Horse Brewery & Firekeepers Casino.

Promotion is through social media/regular media, flyers, and general word of mouth. More volunteers are needed, because lots of work is always involved! Sibula mentioned that their team has a great Community Support Manager from ACS: Chris Rettich. He is effectively guiding their team into the next chapter. Additionally, the Ferndale Upper Elementary School still does fundraisers for them, and the whole Ferndale community has been very supportive. Sibula wishes to express her total gratitude for everyone’s amazing support over the years!

MANY PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS HOW THE ACS FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED. A good portion goes to research, both nationally and locally (as in Wayne State University; the ACS is second only to the U.S. government in providing money for cancer research.)

Resources through the ACS are plentiful too, for both patients and their families. For example the 1-800-227-345 line is staffed by specialists 24/7/365. Anyone can call with any questions , even if it is regarding a friend or loved one. Sibula mentioned that, “it is great someone is there all the time…even if it’s just to talk!”

Patients can also receive a free ‘personal manager’ from the ACS, to stay organized during treatment. Lodging is provided for patients who must travel a distance to receive their treatment. Via the ‘Road to Recovery’ program, volunteers provide rides to much-needed treatment locales. Sibula emphasized that, “having a

support network is crucial for patients, as it is a strong indicator of rate of success in recovery from cancer. It is frightening how many people cannot get to treatment without this volunteer service…they just do not have that kind of support in their lives.”

Naturally, we hope the team keeps up their hard work to raise funds, as almost all of us have been affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly. It is inspiring to see what a huge difference just a small team can make in the battle against cancer. Sibula hopes more local individuals will get involved in the ACS volunteer work, after reading this article!

Visit the Ferndale Area’s Relay for Life website at: www.relayforlife.org/ferndalemi.

Chris Rettich of the ACS can be emailed at: chris.rettich@cancer.org or called to answer any questions: 586.216.9471. The ACS 24/7 helpline# is: 1-800-227-2345.

For all updates and for more information, visit the Ferndale area Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/relayferndale/

The team office is located at: 22742 Woodward Ave, Ferndale 48220

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Ferndale Library

By: Jeff Milo, Circulation Specialist

ACCESS UPDATES
The Library is getting some new technology for circulation services after April 6, making your next visit here quick, convenient and efficient. With updates to our Envisionware software, a new self-checkout station that will be simpler to use (than the previous equipment). Plus, we’re adding a second print-release station for folks working on our public computers, to expedite individual access to documents. We’re also excited to activate new Mobile Printing software, eliminating an extra step of having to log-on to a desktop to retrieve documents that are on your personal laptop or smartphone. With Mo-bile Printing, patrons won’t even have to physically be in the library. A downloadable app will let you link up to our print station ahead of time and you can pick them up later that day. And finally, we’ll have a new Document Station for faxing and scanning. Call us if you have any questions, and rest assured that staff can walk you through the intuitive operation of each of these new features.

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
Exemplifying the collaborative relationship between our role as a District Library with Ferndale Schools, Head Youth Services Librarian Ashley Lehman played an integral role in reestablishing Battle of the Books. This competition culminated on March 28, a two-month literacy-boosting initiative designed to spark students’ enthusiasm for reading with a tournament of trivia pertaining to six diverse and enriching novels for upper elementary grade levels. On top of that, our Youth Services Librarians continually partner with the schools throughout outreach programming throughout the year.

SUMMER READING & OTHER PROGRAMS
Just a reminder to always stay tuned to our Face-book page, where you’ll get updates on all of the interesting programs and fun events happening at your library. In mid-April, we capped off an innovative fusion of four libraries (including Berkley, Huntington Woods and Oak Park) for a quad-city book club series of presentations and discussions with participants reading and experiencing one book together. Stay tuned, because our Summer Reading 2018 program is coming up in June—the theme is “Libraries Rock!” Summer Reading pro-grams will be kicking off in late June with a series of enlightening events and fun activities for kids, as well as a Bingo-style reading challenge for adults.

BOOK DRIVE
As part of Clean the Ferndale Up on Saturday, May 19, we’ll be having a book drive from 9 AM-11:45 AM, that day. Bring any and all books that you want to get rid of. We’ll take what we can use. We’ll give the rest to SOCCRA, who will be in our parking lot that day. Bring your books to the back of the parking lot on the east side of the Library.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
This will be no “First-Stop-Friday” concert event until October. Our monthly local music showcase goes on hiatus to make room for a separate Summer Concert Series. The Ferndale Library’s Summer Concert Series has always strived to expose library visitors to music that is new and exciting in a setting that is both lively and thoughtful. FADL’s biggest music event features three free, family-friendly concerts spread across the season. Stay tuned for a lineup announcement for Summer Concert Series 2018.

More info: ferndalepubliclibrary.org or facebook.com/ferndalepubliclibrary.

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Judge Rudy Serra

By Rudy Serra

Q: I WAS ACCUSED OF A CRIME I DID NOT COMMIT. I have been told that if I plead guilty I will get probation, but if I get convicted at a trial I will get the maximum jail sentence. Can the judge do that?

Answer: No. An accused per-son has a right to a trial. You cannot punish someone for exercising a “right.” To do so is to violate that very right.

This has been a recurring problem in Michigan. The same issue arose in 1997, 2002 and 2007. The court said the same thing each time. A court can-not base its sentence on a defendant’s refusal to admit guilt. Doing so violates the right against self-incrimination. “It is a violation of due process to punish a person for asserting a protected statutory or constitutional right.”

“Courts, including the United States Supreme Court, have sometimes struggled to articulate the precise line between rewarding a defendant for pleading guilty, which is routine in plea bargains, and punishing a defendant for asserting his constitutional right to trial.” It’s okay to be lenient be-cause a person admits guilt, takes responsibility and expresses remorse. It is not okay to punish someone for insisting that they are not guilty.

More than one judge has attempted to enact a “policy” whereby you get the maximum possible sentence if you get convicted at trial. Such policies are always wrong and always unconstitutional.

Part of the job of a judge is to exercise judgment. This is just as true at sentencing as it is at any other phase of legal proceedings. The law requires that sentences be individualized. The crime, the person, the consequences, and all other facts are supposed to be weighed. Sentencing cannot be used to punish a person for choosing a jury trial over a bench trial, or for rejecting a plea bargain, or refusing to admit guilt.

All judges are accountable for knowing and obeying the law of sentencing. In Michigan we have a Judicial Tenure Commission located at 3044 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. Complaints about unethical or improper conduct by judges can be re-ported there. In some cases, lawyers and judges have a duty to report misconduct that they learn about.

JUDGE RUDY REPORTS is a regular feature in Ferndale Friends. We welcome questions from readers. If you have a legal question or concern, send your question by email to rudy.serra@sbcglobal.net. Advice about specific cases cannot be provided but general legal questions and topics are welcome.

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