Posted on Sunday, July 26, 2009 11:06:00 AM
An event touted by organizers as the longest-running Scottish festival in North America is returning to Livonia Thursday through Saturday.
The St. Andrew's Society of Detroit is celebrating the 160th anniversary of its annual Highland Games at Historic Greenmead Park, located at Newburgh and Eight Mile.
“There's a wee bit of something for everyone. The games are a family-oriented event bringing all things Scottish to metro Detroit,” said Scott David of Plymouth, president of St. Andrew's Society of Detroit. Children 12 and under are admitted free. “It's a great stay-cation,” David said.
This year's games feature a combination of Scottish history, pageantry, athleticism and Celtic entertainment.
Some of the many scheduled activities include a heavy athletics professional invitational, solo bagpipe and bagpipe band competitions, drum major and drumming competition and Highland dance competition. Other events include the Tug O'War competition featuring the reigning champions from the Livonia Fire Department, Wee Bairns Games for children ages 4-11, two entertainment tents, genealogy and clan tents and a display of animals native to Scotland.
The festival kicks off with Movie Night in the Park, a free admission event with a $5 parking fee from dusk to 11 p.m. The Waterhorse: Legend of the Deep will be shown outdoors.
Posted on Sunday, July 26, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Contractors continue to literally pound the pavement throughout the city to resurface and reconstruct roads and local streets.
“Everything is on schedule,” said Kevin Maillard, director of the city's Department of Public Works. Maillard and Todd Zilincik, city engineer, gave an update on some of the city's major road projects:
Newburgh Road between Schoolcraft and Five Mile is receiving an asphalt overlay and will be completed in the next 30 days.
Posted on Sunday, July 26, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Nearly 100 attendees donned period hats Tuesday while enjoying sandwiches and scones during the Mid-Summer's Night Tea at Greenmead Historical Park in Livonia.
Posted on Sunday, July 26, 2009 5:00:00 AM
A week-long festival, promoting the purchase of Michigan-made products and use of Michigan-based services, kicks off Monday in downtown Northville.
Posted on Sunday, July 26, 2009 5:00:00 AM
A week-long festival, promoting the purchase of Michigan-made products and use of Michigan-based services, kicks off Monday in downtown Northville.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 7:57:00 PM
New York -- The Dow Jones industrials are back above 9,000 for the first time since the beginning of January.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:57:00 PM
Washington -- Signaling a housing recovery is under way in much of the country, sales of previously occupied homes rose for the third month in a row in June.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 11:05:00 AM
The Motor City's glory days were rediscovered Sunday on the streets of Plymouth.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Acting on its “last best chance” to use state grant money to develop part of the old Cooper school site into something positive, the Livonia school board directed Supt. Randy Liepa on Monday to continue negotiations with a company that wants to lease the property for a $2.8 million soccer complex.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Music in the Park
Here's the remaining schedule for the weekly Music in the Park concert schedule, hosted by the Plymouth Community Arts Council:
July 29, Candy Band
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Poole's Tavern on East Main Street in Northville can now broaden its horizons, so to speak.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
By Kate Salvadore
INTERN
As Jessa Brocker of Brighton worked on raking dead leaves along the entry sidewalk of Old Village School last Thursday, a smile crept up on her face that seemed to be contagious. Her partner for the small task, Eva Gomes, smiled shortly after.
“It just feels good helping the community. Home Depot is founded on these principles and we believe in them, ” Brocker said.
“It's about helping your community,” Gomes, a volunteer from Owosso confirmed.
Brocker and Gomes were two of around 65 volunteers from the state that took part in the Team Depot project at Old Village School on July 9. The team's project included activities of all sorts to give the school an outdoor “facelift” with an updated landscaping makeover.
“We heard of this opportunity originally from Chuck Gaidica. He sent out e-mails about Team Depot and The Old Village School responded,” said Fuzzy Stott, the Team Depot captain for the Northville Home Depot store.
Gaidica is a weatherman on TV and radio in the Detroit area and is active in the Northville community.
Stott coordinates different projects for the Northville store on 7 Mile and Haggerty Road.
He works with Mike Stuber, director of operations for the store, on quarterly projects around the community.
Both men were getting their hands dirty on Thursday.
“We certainly had a nice day for it. We've worked in the rain before!” Stuber said, a little sweaty.
There are seven Home Depot stores and communities that make up the Team Depot area district: Northville, Novi, Brighton, Howell, Owosso, Fenton and Okemos. All seven stores were represented by volunteers at Old Village School.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
50 years for St. Mary Mercy
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Once a popular location for entertainment in the metro Detroit area, a portion of property on the northeast corner of South Lake Drive and Old Novi Road has been vacant for several years.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
The Michigan Jazz Festival marked its 15th anniversary with Sunday's performances at Schoolcraft College in Livonia.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Plymouth Township officials are not looking at the public safety model for delivering police, firefighting and emergency medical services, according to Treasurer Ron Edwards.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Web surfers and magazine readers around the country are learning a fact of life already clear to Plymouth Township residents:
This is a great place to live.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Farmington has ensured that a small parcel along the River Rouge will stay “green.”
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
It appears a burning discarded cigarette could be the cause of a devastating fire at Windemere Apartments in Farmington Hills.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson is taking her show on the road with a new Mobile Office that will provide clerk services - including access to millions of birth, marriage and death certificates, court records and property documents - in an effort to reach out to all of Oakland County communities.
The pilot project kicks off 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28 when the Mobile Clerk's Office stops at the Novi Civic Center, 45175 W. 10 Mile.
“Our office in Pontiac can be a long way for people, especially with gas prices today,” said Johnson. “We've put most of our services on our Web site, but we realize that there are people without Internet access or those who may be more comfortable with personal service. Our Mobile Office pilot project will offer convenient one-day stops in each of the western, eastern, northern and southern portions of the county.”
Mobile Office employees will have computer access and printers so they can provide customers with on-the-spot copies of birth certificates, death certificates or other public records. Normal copy fees will apply. The pilot project, modeled after a successful program in Macomb County, will offer many services, including:
Certified copies of birth, death and marriage records
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
With foreclosures continuing to plague Redford, township officials are working on a plan to provide more direct help to residents in danger of losing their homes.
Specifically, the township is working on a partnership with a mortgage modification company that would set up shop in Redford to work more directly with residents — at little or no cost to homeowners.
Some major components of the plan are yet to fall into place, Supervisor Tracy Schultz Kobylarz said. “But some families are in bad shape,” she said, “and they need help.”
Before Redford's plan can become functional, the township board must approve a proposed partnership between Redford and the mortgage modification company — HHAF (Helping Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure) Systems, LLC, in Novi.
Furthermore, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority must also approve the plan that would enable the township to channel federal funds to pay up to $600 for each family that successfully averts foreclosure through the company's efforts.
The township has been looking for a way to help distressed homeowners for some time, Kobylarz said.
“Everywhere I go, somebody is either close to foreclosure, or they know a friend or relative who is losing their home,” she said. “The problem is serious and will probably get worse before getting better.”
The township called several companies advertising loan modification, Kobylarz said: “Some didn't call back, and one referred us to an office out west.”
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Music in the Park
Here's the remaining schedule for the weekly Music in the Park concert schedule, hosted by the Plymouth Community Arts Council:
July 29, Candy Band
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
The works of sculptor Sergio De Giusti will be featured at the Redford Township Interactive Art Festival this weekend at the Marquee behind the Town Hall.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
The Lyon Township Public Library will be shutting its doors on July 30. But it's only temporary, as the facility will be undergoing a $140,000 facelift that will make it much more user-friendly and inviting to the public. It is scheduled to reopen on Sept. 14.
Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 5:00:00 AM
Organizers of Saturday's third annual Injured Soldier Lyon Ride and Picnic in the Park say it will be bigger and better than it has been the past two years.