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By Jason Shubnell | Photos © 2014 Ed Abeska

BACK FOR ITS eighth year, the Ferndale GoodFellows dressed up and drank down in honor of the end to Prohibition.

Various Ferndale establishments tried to recreate the feel of the 1930s, hosting their own drink specials, while bar staffs and patrons were encouraged to wear period costumes (think Al Capone and The Great Gatsby). The event raised funds for Ferndale GoodFellows, who offer assistance to needy families during the holiday season. The event took place Saturday, December 6, starting around dinner time and running until the bars closed.

Lifelong Ferndale resident Larry Mills and his wife Monica are the brains behind the event. “Watching the History Channel, learning about December 1933, my husband suggested a fundraiser for Ferndale Goodfellows,” Monica said. “Any opportunity for Monica and Larry to get dressed up is cause for celebration in itself,” said Michael Hennes of Howe’s Bayou, which has been a participating venue in the event every year.

Donations are raised through sponsorships and passing the “moonshine jug” at participating venues. Last year, eight venues and more than a dozen volunteers raised over $3,500 for needy families. $22,500 has been raised over the event’s eight-year run. Volunteers stopped to pass the jug around all participating bars. Patrons were encouraged to put donations in the jug whenever they wanted to make a contribution. The moonshine jug will be left at Just 4 Us until after Christmas, so there’s still a chance to contribute.

“Off-duty police officers work with the fire department and other service organizations as part of Good Fellows to ensure each child is warm, sheltered, fed and hopefully has a toy for the holiday.”

Tito’s Vodka was a sponsor for the first time in 2014. “Ferndale is a big supporter of Tito’s and I thought that would be the least I could do,” said Sam Randazzo, state manager for Tito’s Vodka. “Everyone deserves a Merry Christmas.”

A history lesson.

PROTESTANTS AND PROGRESSIVES from both political parties, as part of the Anti-Saloon League, were the force behind Prohibition. After years of legal and political wrangling, the United States officially

became a dry country on January 17, 1920, when the 18th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was passed.

Michigan had actually been trying to ban alcohol as early as 1852, believing that “such a ban would reduce crime and improve both family life and employee productivity,” according to documents from Wayne State’s Walter P. Reuther Library. Citizens of Michigan actually approved a prohibition amendment to the state constitution in 1916. However, “bootlegging operations and smuggling networks formed within hours.”

The Michigan-Windsor lake border was a match made in bootlegging heaven. One of Detroit’s most famous mobs, the Purple Gang, were notorious bootleggers.

When the Great Depression hit in the late 1920s and tax revenues waned, a new source of revenue was needed. The Cullen-Harrison Act legalized the sale of beer with an alcohol content of 3.2 percent. Upon signing the act, President Franklin D. Roosevelt reportedly said, “I think this would be a good time for a beer.”

The 18th Amendment was repealed on December 5, 1933, with ratification of the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. As of 2012, the state of Michigan has at least 120 breweries.

“We’re not actually honoring the end of Prohibition,” said Hennes. “More like celebrating the end of the silly law that banned drink in the first place.”

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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By: Ann Heler

IT WAS SOME TIME THIS MONTH in 2007 that five members of Citizens for a Fair Ferndale sat around drinking coffee and be- gan talking about the idea of creating a free medical clinic. This was just the “looking around at each other and nodding yes” moment. Who would have thought that the clinic would be up and running, seeing patients and doing well, seven short years later. Many of you know the members of that first group: Dick and Joann Willcock, John Sterritt, Bob Babut and myself.

Next April, during our eighth anniversary month, I will list the members of our very first Board….the really “official” Board that dotted the “i”s and crossed the “t”s and made the dream a reality.

FOUR THINGS TO DO DAILY THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH!

  • Laugh out loud
  • Tell someone you are mighty glad they are in your world
  • Drink at least 3 glasses of water
  • Take a moment to be thankful and smile privately

Clinic Appointments and Information – 248-677-2273

We have NO waiting list. You will definitely have an appointment within the month. We can help you sign up for the Insurance Exchange or Healthy Michigan. The only criteria we require is that you have no health insurance and no primary care provider. CALL if you do not have health care!

Thank you everyone who got over to Leon & Lulu on November 2. The fund raiser went very well. Amanda Wahl once again chose wonderful fall red wines for the tasting and Dino’s provided the super good “noshes” to chew on while shopping. We are going to do it again next year. I will make sure the information gets into next September’s column.

John Sterritt, Steele Lindbloom, Judy Jones and Brian Wahl pitched in and assisted with this fund raiser…thank you all.

The clinic will not close in the foreseeable future. Michigan has a long way to go before a significant number of people have health care they can count on. Also, even if the new programs are an unqualified success, there will still be people who do not qualify for either plan and there are a number of services that we will be able to provide to enhance health care programs. Call if you do not have healthcare.

MEDICATION/MEDICAL EQUIPMENT COLLECTION

Bring medications and medical equip- ment to the clinic on either the first or third Saturday of each month, anytime between 9:00 A.M. and 12:00 noon.

We take everything EXCEPT:

  • wooden crutches (can’t be sterilized),
  • oxygen tanks****,
  • hospital beds,
  • stretchers,
  • motorized wheelchairs.

Take controlled substances, psychotropic medications or muscle relaxants to the Royal Oak Police Station medication drop box at 221 E. 3rd St. in Royal Oak.

****Oxygen tanks have to be returned to the name on the tank. Tank distributors ONLY take tanks that they distributed.

Any very heavy equipment, such as hospital beds and motorized wheelchairs, for example, can be picked up at no cost to you by World Medical Relief. Call 313- 866-5333.

If some happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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by Jeannie Davis

AH, THE CHRISTMAS SEASON! Everything is a little bit shinier, more sparkly. The entire world is viewed through a gauzy lens, softening our perception of images of perfect families gathered with love to celebrate the season. Lights twinkle on the tree, all within the house is in order, and the dining room table is a feast for the eyes. Holiday turkey and all the trimmings are laid out with the best china, with a precision that would make a marine sergeant proud.

Family members gaze upon each other with love, and a spirit of giving is overwhelming. Well-behaved, well-groomed children open gifts of toys and pajama, and their little faces light up. Neighbors exchange cookies, and well wishes. Adults who haven’t seen each other since last year (unless somebody has died) hug and sit with cocktails to catch up. Grandpa is given the best chair, and pampered. Uncle Harry is the bartender, topping off everybody’s drinks. Aunts Muriel and Hortense sit quietly and share pictures of grandchildren. Mom’s face, shiny with perspiration, bustles about the kitchen puttering with the finishing touches. Christmas carols chime out from the radio.

Ah yes, a perfect holiday!

Seriously? Really? Please don’t tell me you think this is reality. Here is what really happens:

The house is in total chaos. The tree is leaning dangerously, the floor is strewn with wrappers and toys that the little urchins are already bored with. The lights are about to short out and set fire to the curtains. And….. the table…… Well, the china is made by Dixie, the gravy boat has spilled unto the plastic tablecloth, and Mom’s stuffing is from a package. The gravy is from a jar (Dan Martin says this is fine), the turkey is either underdone, or burnt.

Grandpa? He is given the best chair because that is the one with the plastic cover, and we all know why. Aunts Muriel and Hortense resume their running battle. Nobody can remember what their fight is about, but, hopefully it doesn’t get physical this year. Uncle Harry is the bartender for a reason. It keeps him close to the booze. Unfortunately, he gets very combative when he is in his cups. The entire family holds their breath, hoping the police aren’t involved this year. Hard rock blares from a teen’s player.

And Mom? Well, Mom is in the kitchen quietly crying and wondering why somebody else can’t host this darn free-for-all. The neighbors, contributing to the scene, have just directed their snow blower at the front steps, creating a four-foot tower of snow.

I will close on the happy scene before Muriel tells Hortense to shove Rudolph up her nose, and Grandpa swats the hell out of one of the urchins.

This was just a nudge not to take the holidays too seriously. Personally, I think Norman Rockwell was just a little too sweet, and I would never have trusted him around my kids.

What will be picture-perfect this year is the Historic Holiday Home Tour, put on by the Historic Commission. We have some great homes this year, including Keith Weber’s house, and the stone house, as well as some other beauties. The event starts at the Historic Museum on Livernois, and ends at Blumz, with a special surprise there, on Saturday, De- cember 13, from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Tickets are $15, and all proceeds go to support the Historic museum. You can enjoy the downtown ice festival, and follow it up with this event. Tickets are available either from me, or Garry Taylor at the museum.

Now, go enjoy a realistic holiday.

If something happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you have to look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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by Jeff Milo

No more clichés, no more cynicism. Rock’s not dead. Never was. The Beggars are here to save the day. Rock’s redeemers, Steven Tuthill, Jim Faulkner, Pookie Grech and Chris Krez, each understand that rock n’ roll can be more than just music, it can be something to live for…

And don’t you dare doubt their powers. Attendees of Beggars concerts are often quickly converted by their charms: a combination of the wild and the raucous with the wholesome and the nostalgic; it’s head-banging, fist-pumping, guitar-shredding, ballad-belting music, but it’s done with this charismatic grin and studded with a classy (if half-crazed) showmanship that conjures the most glorious of rock’s glory days.

Last month, the Ferndale quartet released their second full-length record, a self-titled album produced by a powerhouse team, Eddie Spaghetti (of Arizona garage rock legends The Supersuckers,) Andy Patalan (guitarist of Detroit-bred alt-rock group Sponge) and local producer Tony Maisano.

The album is their most definitive work to date, with the versatile Faulkner’s driving backbeats, the dynamics of Krez’s cascading riffs, and Grech’s subtle coiling bass licks. It’s a rock that has a lot of heart and gets a floor shaking, rattles windows and brings bodies to move, dance or jump, spurred on by Tuthill’s trilling baritone lead vocal.

“Genuine rock and roll,” Tuthill calls it; “…the Good-Time Rock.”

That means drums that get you moving, blurring guitars bellowing those electric growls and bass that sweetens with a soulful crest. Tuthill, meanwhile, a former football player and wrestler, is keen to throw his whole body into his performance and that’s key to the infectious energy of the Beggars, assuming a larger-than-life presence on stage, ready to back flip off of turnbuckles, if they could. When rock n’ roll can seem heroic, like its participants, the performers on the stage evidently appreciate that certain kind of caution-to- the-wind sacredness that rock deserves. That’s when you know you’re at a Beggars show.

“We’re normal guys, most of the time,” Tuthill says, as he digs a Frisbee out of the bed of his truck. “But, when you get on that stage,” he stops to set his coffee down at the foot of an oak tree, “then it’s no time to be normal. At that point it’s like…” he tosses the Frisbee over to me, “…like you’re from a different planet, ya’ know?”

He nods, his long curled hair blown back by the late autumn breeze. “Not a better planet! Just…a different planet. It is a lot of fun.”

Tuthill meets me on the last beautiful day of the season, strolling through Geary Park in Ferndale on a weekday morning. “I couldn’t find my football,” he admits. “That’s like a low point, for me. I have to use my Frisbee…”

The Beggars have been a Ferndale band for a long time now. Tuthill’s second show with the band was performed at Club Bart’s (where John D now operates.) “I always love bringing up Club Bart’s cuz I have such fond memories of that bar, so many great shows, particularly with Duende.”

Indeed, Tuthill, and the entire Beggars alumni go way back… The band was started in the early 00’s by Jonny Wilkins, Jim Hansard, Joe Senac, Jon Epstein and Keith Thompson. That’s right, the current line-up of the Beggars technically has no original members. To his credit, though, Tuthill, the longest-serving Beggar, joined the band ten years ago. The album’s liner notes give respectful shout-outs to all former members, including Johnny Miller, Jim Hansard, Jeremy Cybulski and Rod “Pool Party” Jones.

“Awesome dudes all across the board,” says Tuthill with his characteristically easygoing exuberance. “And everyone still gets along great. All classy dudes, from start to finish Everybody’s still a family, it’s good. And that’s rare (for bands).” I can see a glint of contented nostalgia in his eyes as he pauses, “Man,” he says, “it’s been nuts, all of the great venues we’ve played at through the years. The Majestic, The Magic Stick, The Magic Bag…aWoodwardDreamCruisePartybackin2002, aHomecomingDanceorona Pontoon boat, or the Pig & Whiskey and DIY…”

“We plan to rock from here to eternity,” Tuthill assures us.

The Beggars perform on New Year’s Eve at The Loving Touch with Broadzilla and White Shag. Doors 8pm – more info at: http://beggarsrock.com/ / http://thelovingtouchferndale.com/

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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By Robin Hawley Crumrine and Jeff Lilly; Painting by Pamela Hawley

IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT WE REPORT THE passing of Pamela Hawley; Ferndale resident, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, life partner, talented artist, and writer for Ferndale Friends back in the formative days of this paper, after a sudden illness while visiting a friend in Naples, Florida. She was 71.

She was born Pamela Irene Thompson, and grew up in Royal Oak with her mom, dad and sister, Megan Raphael. After spending time in Muskegon and later Oregon, she moved back to Michigan in 1987 with her high school sweetheart, Tim Butts, who grew up in Ferndale. They lived together in, and loved, Ferndale for 25 years.

Pam was a professional artist, specializing in acrylic painting, furniture art, jewelry, sculpture repair and refurbishing. She created fairy houses and taught all of the children in the northern woods how to build fairy rings. She loved to dance around the campfire with ferns in her hair. She was a small-framed person with a big heart, a big personality, a passion for life, strong convictions, infectious laughter, and a big smile for everyone.

Pam wrote for Ferndale Friends from April 2006 to March 2008. Ferndale Friends publisher Stephanie Loveless said, “Pam was there for me at a particularly challenging time, and I am blessed and grateful to have known her.”

Jeff Fontana, of Jeff Fontana Designs in Royal Oak, for whom Pam worked for many years, remembers, “She was beautiful, inside and out. She just laughed. I’d come into work in a mood, and she’d say some- thing (silly) and wed just laugh for hours!”

A Memorial Service will be held in Michigan the weekend of January 17-18, 2015 at a time and location to be announced. In lieu of flowers, a donation in her name to the Grass River Natural Area will be appreciated.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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by David Wesley

On the night of July 29, 2006, Ferndale High School student David Michael Smith, 16, was tragically struck by a speeding train on the railroad tracks near Hilton and Saratoga. Ever since that horrific night, once every year, his parents Dianna and Lloyd Smith hold a fundraiser in their son’s honor to help benefit Ferndale Youth Assistance. They chose this local organization because it works with children who face challenges, and FYA hands out scholarships to those who just not only get straight As but who have also overcome great challenges in their lives. Hundreds of children attend the Ferndale Youth Assistance award ceremonies each spring.

In addition to the scholarship awards they fund, the Smiths also ask the children to stay off the railroad tracks. “The kids get to hear David’s story,” Dianna Smith said. “A lot of them really don’t realize the dangers.”

I recently had an opportunity to talk to Dianna Smith about their efforts to turn a great tragedy into an opportunity to help others.

Ferndale Friends: Dianna, I want to preface my questions with a quick back story of how I knew David. He was two years younger than me, and we were classmates in Mrs. Hysni’s history course and Ms. Matthew’s biology course. He was always the color of the classes. We talked often about hockey and magic, two mutual interests and passions. We respected each other and got along exceptionally well. He was seen as a remarkable person in everyone’s eyes. When he passed I was distraught like everyone else, and I am very glad to help proliferate his memory in my own way.

Dianna Smith: It’s always nice to hear from people that actually knew David and what a fun guy he was. His birthday is coming up on October 26. His favorite time of the year was Halloween.

FF: Were you and your husband involved in charity work prior to David’s accident, or was his passing the catalyst?

DS: No, we have always been involved in the community. Lloyd was a soccer, baseball and roller hockey coach, and assistant coach for ice hockey and manager. He was one of the original members for the Dream Field committee that turned into the Dream Cruise. I was on the bond committee and PTA for the schools back when we had Washington Elementary before it turned into the Kulick Center.

FF: How has the reception been from the Ferndale community regarding the annual memorial event in David’s honor?

DS: The reception has always been great. The Buffalo Wild Wings event is always a huge success. This event brings in people from Saint Clair Shores and surrounding areas where David played hockey, teachers and classmates from Ferndale, along with our many friends from work and the dog shows that Lloyd and I show our dogs at.

FF: Do you have any inspiring stories or people you would like to give credit to who you and your husband have helped through the memorial fund?

DS: This year the Memorial fund had presented its tenth $500 scholarship to two well-deserving Ferndale High School Senior graduates. We have helped out with funding for Anti bullying programs for the Elementary and High School levels. And we have helped support the FYA Camp programs, and other programs.

For more information on the David Michael Smith memorial event, you can contact Dianna Smith on Facebook.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. While most of the attention in Michigan is focused on the races for governor and senate, there are also a number of local elections deserving of our attention. One of the more important of these is the Ferndale School Board race.

This is your chance to help shape the policies and practices that will guide the education of the next generation of residents of Ferndale, of Michigan, of the planet Earth. If you‘re a parent of a child in the Ferndale school system, you already know how important this is. If you don’t have children yourself, you’re still an adult and raising children is a community responsibility. Let the benevolent auntie or uncle inside you come out, and make a statement for our students’ futures!

All four of the candidates for School Board were kind enough to provide us with a statement and a photo for this edition. As a service, Ferndale Friends is publishing these statements, without editing or comment, to allow you, the voter, to make the most informed choice possible.

Without further ado, Ferndale Friends is proud to present your 2014 candidates for the Ferndale School Board.

Nan Kerr-Mueller

I am proud to be a part of the Ferndale school district and to be a part of the positive, recent changes that are in line with our newly-adopted strategic plan. When I was first elected to the board, I believed accountability could be done with difficult questions asked at the table. I now see accountability as much more complex. It involves ongoing, two-way communication with our community members and developing multi-layered systems of evaluation. The current school board has done an outstanding job in the last year focusing on school administrator accountability and making sure we have the policies in place to ensure effective oversight. Institutionalizing these changes, as I’ve worked to do, will ensure that our district can keep our forward momentum no matter who is in the front office. Running with Jen and Karen is a pleasure. We each think in unique ways and yet can work together as a team, respectfully listening to opposing opinions. We share a high level of respect for each other.

The most pressing issue for our school board members will be to continue to implement the district’s Strategic Plan with fidelity. With your vote I will continue my efforts to ensure that the plan is implemented with the voices of our community at the table, and I will ensure that scorecard and stepped assessments are done to make certain plans are completed on time and with transparency. These plans confirm our commitment to our children by establishing high expectations for student achievement, guarantee equitable education for all of our students, and secure our district’s future by making connections with parents to promote our district and keep Ferndale district students in the Ferndale Public Schools. Throughout this process, we will ensure that the superintendent’s evaluation is closely aligned to the strategic plan, as will our own evaluation. Our community recognizes this district is on the rise and I will be mindful and work hard to keep it on the right path.

As a former educator, I am focused on how my actions are impacting the classroom. I also have three sons attending different schools within the district, Pre-school, Coolidge and Ferndale Middle School. Having the parent perspective helps me to remember to ask at meetings, “How will this impact our students”? If what we are doing does not have a positive effect we need to stop and reassess our plans.

Spending time volunteering is important to me. I am a co-director of the Coolidge talent show (as well as a backstage volunteer at the JFK show each year). I volunteer at camps and work the Reality Store at the High School every year. I enjoy my volunteer time at June Fair and the Fall Festival. From selling T-shirts at football games to book conferencing at the middle school, I love being a part of this community.

For more information: http://nan4schoolboard.com

Jennifer LaTosch

I have lived in the Ferndale Public School district for 20 years and have two amazing third- graders in our schools. When our children came into our lives, my (now) wife and I wanted to live in a place that ensured two things: 1) that our community would be a place where our kids could proudly say, “I have two moms;” and 2) that our local schools would provide them with the best education possible. Ferndale is clearly that community, and the positive momentum that I and my fellow board members have created this past year will ensure that Ferndale Public Schools provide that education.

My volunteerism in the schools and my involvement on the Strategic Planning Committee and now on the School Board make me well poised to understand our challenges, emphasize our unique strengths, and focus on our shared vision for moving Ferndale Schools forward. As an attorney focusing on family and probate law, I have an understanding of diverging view points and emotionally charged situations yet can effectively advocate for our children, all the while maintaining a clear vision of our new Strategic Plan. This Plan was developed over a one year span and involved the entire community. We will be successful in fulfilling the goals and objectives contained in our Strategic Plan by holding close to three primary priorities.

My first priority is achievement. We must work together to ensure that each student, from those with special needs through advanced skills, achieves not only academically, but in extracurricular activities and on their journeys to becoming thriving global citizens.

Priority two is equity. Our community is among the most diverse in Michigan; we have an exceptional mix of individuals with varying backgrounds and experiences: race, income, sexual orientation and so much more. As a leader in the lesbian and gay community, I take pride in our district’s diversity and take personal responsibility for fostering an inclusive and respectful culture for all. Along with our diversity comes a responsibility: that of treating every student, parent, staff and community member with dignity and respect. As a board member, I will continue to hold myself and all school leadership accountable for effectively and honestly working within our community’s diversity. Expanding and supporting a culture of dignity and equity will not only serve to foster extraordinary student achievement, it will also provide the requisite ground work to focus on other essential matters such as governance, financial sustainability and advocacy.

Finally, advocacy: we must advocate for the equitable and successful achievement of our students, teachers, staff and administrators. Public education in Michigan has been subjected to repeated attacks by state and federal regulation and under-funding. I will continue to work towards legislative change while supporting and seeking out creative solutions for securing grants and partnerships to ensure our schools and students receive optimal resources. I have worked hard to create this positive, forward momentum and I now respectfully ask for your vote on November 4, 2014. Thank you.

http://jen4schoolboard.com

Karen Twomey

I bring a solid record of success as an educator, mom, neighbor and as an experienced policy maker and advocate on the Ferndale Board of Education. I hold a Masters degree in Educational Leadership and Administration, and work professionally as a world language teacher in Bloomfield Hills. The MASB (Michigan Association of School Boards) honored me with a Distinguished Achievement Award in recognition of my extensive training and advocacy on behalf of our public schools at the local, state and federal level. I chaired Ferndale’s recent Strategic Planning Committee, and as chair of the External Relations Committee, provided the leadership for an advocacy trip to Lansing that helped return over $500,000 to our district. This election I’m running for the same reason I ran six years ago: I have three kids in the district and I can see the positive results of proactive, policy-driven leadership. This amazing community has put together an effective team of board members with deep and diverse talents, and I want to keep this successful team together. We now have in place a dynamic strategic vision and an amazingly talented superintendent. I want to continue using my experience on the board to keep building the positive momentum of the Ferndale Public Schools.

My top three issues are achievement, transparency, and sustainability:

Improving student achievement is the board’s main focus. I will use the newly adopted strategic plan as a framework for advancing the quality and equity of our academic programs. Strong schools depend on community confidence that the district’s programs promote high educational growth and achievement.

Transparency is about the timeliness, relevance, and methods by which we invite the community to connect with district information and decision-making processes. I started my board service by advocating for stricter adherence to the Open Meetings Act and posting board packets online for easier access. We are now working to formalize the changes I’ve championed by creating a committee structure that will enhance access to the planning processes.

Financial sustainability is an ongoing challenge for our district. In order to have excellent programs, we need adequate funding. One thing that has slowed the forward momentum of our new superintendent is all the time being spent catching and tightening prior inefficiencies. As a teacher, I know that offering quality educational opportunities is what keeps and builds the confidence and enrollment of our district families. Given that Michigan’s k-12 education funding has dropped substantially, we must be strategic with district resources. We are a community of generous parents and businesses, but we can’t hold enough bake sales to make up the decreases in state funding. I will continue work to tighten policies and processes, advocate for more state and federal funding, seek new revenue sources, and grow district enrollment.

I would welcome and appreciate the opportunity to discuss our district’s forward momentum with you at an upcoming event, while I’m door knocking, or feel free to contact me through my website at: http://karen4schoolboard.com.

Keith Warnick

“You think you know me; you don’t. But you can, just ask!”

Why do I say this? In today’s society, we live on sound bites; the immediacy of digital ‘media.’ “I heard this”, and “she said that” and so on….. So, thank you, Ferndale Friends, for asking!

Background; Married 39 years to a former Ferndale Public Schools employee, Jan; two daughters, graduated FHS, 2000 and 2002. Got involved in district volunteerism 27 years ago with Mrs. Richardson’s kindergarten classroom at Jackson Elementary School. You can see all of my volunteer experience on my web site, along with all of my extensive school board training. More training than the three challengers combined. www.keithwarnick.com

So why am I running, after being on the board from 2004 thru 2012? Well, I’ve been asked! Parents, citizens and employees that have seen me at district and civic events throughout 2013 and early 2014 stopped me and said, “…wish you were still on the board. We need your leadership skills.” So after talking it over with my wife and others, I put my paperwork in and met with several district employees to find out what is going well and what is not.
You’ll hear about transparency and accountability from the challengers. Transparency: Change to Consent Agenda that includes automatic approval of Bills & Accounts with no discussion of the millions we are paying out. Public admission of Open Meetings Act violation by pre-announcement of 7-0 vote of district staffing recommendations! Transparency? NO!

Accountability: Ex: Reducing Schools of Choice students in 2013 to around 40 from 80. Political pressure forced this choice! (To be more like Berkley and allow our families to stay here. Well, Berkley allowed 145 students!) Cost FPS $260,000 in revenue! Ex: Stating confidence in enrollment assumptions then a few months later stating they had no idea about the numbers being proposed! Ex: Choosing a new member from the same district magnet school to fulfill political promises, not a parent with children in 3 district schools! Accountability? NO!

You’ll hear about empowering teachers, staff and superintendent! That’s what boards do every day! It’s their job! Nothing new!

What you haven’t heard are ideas going forward to fit our Strategic Plan. How are we to configure the HS/MS, Elementary schools, DLC and UHS! I have many researched ideas and ready partners; too numerous to post here but these will be presented on my website and at my Meet-n-Greets in October!

What will I bring back to the board? Well, you should know that one board member only has one vote. But my vote, as all of my votes in the past, will be made based first and foremost “Does this benefit the education experience of our children?” I thoroughly research the issue, ask questions of those that propose the need and make my decision intelligently. Institutional knowledge of the district! I have never been told to vote one way or another! And if someone tried, I’d ignore them! No partisan politics! Knowledge & common sense!

If something happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Ferndale resident Alan Posner loves to play games. His bride-to-be, Michelle, does too. “We have game nights.” he explained to me, over tea at Java Hutt recently. “We both love board games and play a lot of them.”

The band director for Berkley Middle and High Schools, Posner moved to Ferndale in 2011, renting at first, finally purchasing a home with his thengirlfriend Michelle. “We got something close to Downtown, so it was easy to walk to,” he recalls.

Combining his love for games, puzzles, and codes with his love for the cool and funky businesses that inhabit Ferndale’s downtown, he came up with a brilliant plan.

“Michelle was hinting at marriage.” He laughs. “Her birthday was approaching. I wanted to do something exciting, different.”
Since they both enjoyed games, he thought of a scavenger hunt involving local businesses. He recruited business owners, friends, and relatives to help his idea take flight.

“We started at the library, where she was given a mystery book with a cryptogram to solve.” Page 40, line five, word three, and so on, spelling a message. This led her to Imperial, an important place for both, for it was there they’d had their first date. There, over tacos, Michelle solved a puzzle that led her to Public House for drinks and conundrums.

Cracking a riddle there led to 9 Lives Tattoo, where a temporary cupcake tattoo was applied (Posner doesn’t tell us where.) That was a sign to head over to Cupcake Station, where chocolatedipped strawberries awaited. One final brain-bender led her to Geary Park, where Alan was waiting with a ring and a proposal (possibly given in the form of an anagram?) The tale ended happily, and the wedding is scheduled for summer of 2015.

I asked Posner if this event is a normal sort of thing for them. I imagined a household where car keys were hidden and cryptic clues scattered about to lead to them.

“No,” Posner laughs, “nothing like that.” Apparently, game nights are enough.

If slightly happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you have to look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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Gavin is a happy, seven-year-old boy filled with love and laughter. He loves being outdoors and fishing along with spending time playing with his nine-year-old sister, Mackenzie. His other passion is photography. “He has an Etsy page where he features photos that you can purchase,” his grandmother Donna says.

Gavin also tires quickly and spends almost all of his time outdoors in a wheelchair. He suffers from mitochondrial disease, known as Mito for short. “Gavin has to work twice as hard as healthy children and adults do to accomplish everyday tasks. If he plays or does too much, his body goes into ‘crash’ mode, which makes him lethargic, weak and makes even the smallest of tasks seem impossible.” Donna explains. The “crash” also causes his body to respond with Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Dyskinesia, known as PDK, which is a “rare neurological condition that causes various types of involuntary and uncontrollable movements.”

According to the “Mighty Mito Superhero” Facebook page, Gavin has a whole host of symptoms.” However, Gavin isn’t alone in his fight. Big sister Mackenzie is on a mission to raise awareness. “She has been journal-writing since first grade,” Donna says. More recently, Mackenzie has written something more substantial: a book, featuring her brother as a superhero called “Mighty Mito Superhero.” The book has been a family project, from writing and editing to illustrations and the development of Gavin’s superhero look.

Mackenzie’s mission is to save Gavin’s life by raising $1 million for Mito awareness and to help find a cure. The front page of the book packs a powerful message from Mackenzie: “I love my little brother Gavin because he is so brave. He goes through more tests than most adults do and he doesn’t even cry. He is my hero. My wish is that he could be better and live like normal kids do. Seeing him sick all the time makes me sad.”

The book goes into details of everyday life for Gavin, including his fur-ever companion, a seizure alert dog named Hershey, who is a “black toy poodle with a funny white beard.” The book has been for sale on Amazon.com for only a few months, but the response has been enormous. There has been coverage from Perez Hilton, private blogs, and newspapers from all over the country. The book can also be found in public and university libraries.

Gavin and Mackenzie, along with their parents, Brandi (a Ferndale High graduate) and Jeff were recently interviewed on ABC News. The book is selling from here to Florida, where the family lives. The book has also gained international attention. “A film crew came in from Germany and followed the family for a day. They turned it into a documentary that played in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland,” Donna says.

By telling their story, Mackenzie hopes the fight for her brother’s life will bring about a change and help other families affected by Mito. To date, the book sales raised over $50,000, donated to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.

For more information, visit Gavin’s webpage: www.hope4mito.com

You can also check out Gavin’s images: www.etsy.com/shop/momlawrey

If something happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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Close your eyes while listening to local trio Voyag3r’s new album; you’ll literally be transported. You’ll feel the fireballs blazing behind you as you make that one last jump off the hanger bay, or you’ll sense sensational jetstreams surrounding you as you accelerate on your motorbike through the laser-stormed tunnel gauntlet, evading the bad guys. That’s the whole idea.

“Remember all those horror movies and sci-fi and action movies that you probably watched as a kid in the late ‘70s and all throughout the ‘80s?” Whenever Voyag3r keyboardist Steve Greene has to describe the sound of the group, he just offers that question and, assuredly, their nostalgia chords are poignantly plucked to the point where they know exactly what to expect.

Their debut album was released on local label Bellyache Records last month. Properly pronounced as “Voyager 3,” the trio (with Aaron Greene on bass and Greg Mastin on drums) deploy fantastic melodies and propulsive rhythms over a stirring and sinister-toned atmospheric soundscape. But these songs, albeit truly cinematic in their vibe and aesthetic, are, above all, an awesome and interstellar-stung summation of each musician’s unique styles and sensibilities.

“Greg definitely has his roots in metal,” assures Steve. “He loves all forms of metal music but he had his very first start, in terms of inspiration to play drums, from KISS. He’s influenced by many things, of course, but if you had to pick an avatar for him, it’d be a metal dude.” Steve chuckles at his assertion with a warm familiarity indicative of their long friendship and a rewarding collaboration that’s spanned decades.

Aaron, meanwhile, is Steve’s cousin; so they’ve been playing music together for as long as each can remember. “Aaron comes from rock and metal, too. He’s really into comic books and films, like me, though. But, he loves to read; he’s reading two books at a time, usually. But, with the comics, like Wolverine, Batman, stuff like that, he has a great sense of that world. He’s a fan of guitar-heavy harmonies and metal riffs, so we sprinkle that into Voyag3r music.”

“It has a base in horror, sci-fi and action film scores, definitely,” admits Steve of the group’s instrumental space-rock compositions. “But, it’s a unique blend. We have acoustic drums and electric guitar, with synthesizers, and it makes it its own thing. So, it’s not just soundtrack stuff.”

So, about that long friendship: Aaron and Steve performed as a metal-tinged electro-rock duo called Forge from the mid-‘90s until 2004, and their first “live” drummer wound up being Greg. The cousins met Greg during one of their assiduous runs putting up flyers throughout the metro Detroit area, (the oldfashioned format for notifying folks about your upcoming concert).

Throughout the late ‘90s, Greg was the drummer for a local thrash/prog outfit called World Of Hurt and he crossed paths with Aaron and Steve down the vinylstuffed aisles of a (since-closed) music store called Repeat The Beat. The two cousins, grasping a stack of Kinko-copied cut-and-pasted Xerox flyers with a tape-gun in their back pocket, told Greg how much they appreciated his work in World Of Hurt and he, in turn, told them of his familiarity with Forge and the conversation lead to Greg declaring: “Well…ya know…I might wanna’ jam with you, here’s my number.”

“We just struck up that conversation,” recalls Steve, “ya’ know, as you would, back in the day, with like-minded people, talking about records and music; it was part of this cool culture of record store hang-outs…” When Steve recalls this, there’s a tenderness to his voice that elucidates the charm of Voyag3r –that being an evocation of a nostalgia for a pre-internet world where a much purer excitement could be elicited from movies, shows, and, yes, even comics and video games.

Their excellent space-rock harkens back to when audiences weren’t as numbed by blue screens storms and Marvel action scene overkills, to when slasher films were actually scary and action films packed some actual punches. Potent punches! “And we’ve been playing with Greg ever since,” says Steve. “Through different bands and different eras.

We’ve become such great friends since then, too. We’ve been through all kinds of adventures together.” He chuckles again, warmly. “Forge lasted for ten years, with three albums and we toured the East Coast and West Coast and everywhere in between. We did a bunch of crazy stuff in our van, which took on many miles. We even had a Sega set up in there with a VCR. We had (touring) down to a science.”

After Forge, the trio started playing together in a bluesy hard-rock-leaning group called Decibilt (think voluminous decibels with the toughness of Peterbilt trucks).
Around 2012, however, Steve, who has always had a penchant for film and film scores, decided it was finally time to embrace a longtime yearning to experiment with a form of rock music that could be the soundtrack of his favorite sci-fi/action films from the past. “I love to hit all these different emotions. We’re not limited to where a standard rock band might typically have to go, as far as verse-chorusverse structures.”

Steve is the one bringing “the weirder aspects” to the compositional table, allowing his influences of spacey, strange synthrock and experimental jazz crash nicely into the metal and rock influences of his bassist and drummer).

They recorded their debut full length, Doom Fortress at Rustbelt Studios in Ferndale. They specifically recorded with an analog tape machine. “We wanted to approach it as though this was the soundtrack of a movie called Doom Fortress, sounding like it came out in 1981 or something; using these different vintage analog synths put through Rustbelt’s excellent preamps and this 1977 Harrison Console that could color the sound and give it a warm, old school feeling.”

“So, it sounds like if it were an old film or a reissued soundtrack that you found an old copy of, somewhere in a record store. We hope that it captures that feel and spirit.”

The band will continue promoting Doom Fortress this season with a smattering of local shows and are always open to the possibility of scoring music for an actual film or TV project in the future.

For more info: http://voyag3r.com

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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