Two Great Events | One Great Evening in Detroit

There are a number of really great things happening around town tomorrow, Friday, November 20.

Detroit's official holiday tree lighting is at 6 p.m. in Campus Martius Park downtown (1 Campus Martius).  This is always a great family event.  There are also a number of other events at various bars around downtown after the tree lighting.

Later in the evening, Cardif Giant takes the stage at the Magic Bag in Ferndale (22920 Woodward).  For those who aren't familiar with Cardif Giant, they are a really great indie rock band.  I mention them on the Warrendale (Detroit) Blog since at least two members of this band are from the Warrendale neighborhood.  You can hear their music on their MySpace page.

New Sculpture in Rouge Park

A new sculpture by artist Larry Halbert was unveiled earlier this week in Rouge Park.  The piece is entitled Growing Together.  It is permanently installed at Rouge Park Dr. and Spinoza.

Several students from Cody High School (18445 Cathedral St.) assisted him with this project.  They were present for the unveiling.  Wayne County Commissioner Alisha Bell presented the group with a certificate of appreciation after the unveiling.

Video from the event is available below, courtesy of Paul Stark of the Friends of Rouge Park.

Pondering Retail

Dollar Bills (20055 Ann Arbor Trail in Dearborn Heights) recently opened in the former City National Bank building, at Ann Arbor Trail and Evergreen. They offer low priced food and sundries.

I have to confess that I have mixed feeling about this.  On one hand, it does mean one less vacant storefront.  It also means a handful of new jobs in the area, which is always a good thing.  However, there is also the fact that almost everything that they sell is made in China.

It's nice that there is yet another dollar store nearby.  (I mean, we only have six dollar stores in the Warrendale area besides this place.)  I just can't help but feel that there is a better way.

In many other neighborhoods in Detroit, we are starting to a trend towards stores that sell locally sourced food as well as locally produced goods.  Unfortunately, this trend hasn't established much of a foothold in Warrendale as of yet.  I hope this changes soon.

In the meantime, I want to call attention to two locally owned businesses over in Midtown that sell a considerable amount of locally produced goods:  Bureau of Urban Living and their next door neighbor City Bird (460 W. Canfield).  I invite folks to stop by either place, just to see what retail can be like - although I should disclose that both places are owned by friends of mine.

If that's not enough retail inspiration, there's also the fact that Detroit Synergy's monthly Third Thursday - Community Connect is this Thursday from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Pewabic Pottery (10125 E. Jefferson Ave.). Besides the usual socializing that happens at each of these events, this one also provides a great chance to kick start one's holiday shopping with locally made crafts.  Beer and wine will be served.

In addition, 15% from all purchases made that evening will be donated to the Greening of Detroit.

Photo credit: David L. Malhalab MNS Photo / News Service

Detroit to Put 150 Police Officers on the Streets

The Detroit News is reporting that the Detroit Police Department will put another 150 police officers onto streets in neighborhoods around the city. 100 of this comes from police officers being reassigned from desk jobs, with the balance coming from the addition of new police officers thanks to a federal grant.

The first wave of officers is expected to be seen within the next few weeks.  There is no indication, as of yet, as to whether or not the Warrendale neighborhood specifically will receive an increase in police protection as a result of these announcement. Regardless, this is very good news, in my opinion.

Detroit to put 150 police officers on the streets | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Reflections On An Assault

For the benefit of anyone who hasn't already heard, I was assaulted last Monday afternoon.  I was at the corner of W. Warren Ave. and Westwood when two black teenagers came up from behind me. Without saying a word, one of them punch me in the face as the other one watched.  Both of them promptly ran away before I could do anything else.

Apparently, from what I've learned talking with people who work in the criminal justice system, this was a gang initiation.  One person runs up from behind and punches a random person to prove that he is tough enough to be allowed into the gang while a current gang member watches to verify that he did it.

My nose has long since stopped bleeding and my swollen lip has returned to normal.  Emotionally, however, it's been a rough couple of days.

The thing that has made all of the difference in the world has been all of the other Detroiters.  The staff at the Dog House Coney Island (19344 W. Warren) were quick to give me the napkins that I needed to stop my bloody nose and let me use their mens room so I could clean myself up.

More importantly, as word of this spread around town, more than 100 people have reached out to me over the past week offering friendly support.  From messages on my Facebook page to emails to phone calls to those who simply stopped me when I was at one event another around town, their outpouring of support was tremendous.  It's the support of those 100+ people, as well as the knowledge that there are many more like them who I simply haven't met yet, that keeps me going when I otherwise would have quit.

To everyone of them, I simply say "thank you".

As for the two individuals who assaulted me last week, I'm not worried about them.  I filed a report with the Detroit Police Department (DPD Complaint Number 0911090417).  Maybe something will happen as a result.  Maybe it won't.

The one thing that I can be confident of is that, with gang life being what it is, those two individuals will likely be dead or in jail within 5 years regardless.  It's revenge on auto-pilot.

This means that I can simply concentrate on the more than 100 Detroiters who are determined to make this town a better place and who I am proud to call friends.

Rouge Park Meeting This Wednesday

The Friends of Rouge Park will hold their next general membership meeting this Wednesday, November 18, at 6 p.m. at the Don Bosco Center (19321 W. Chicago St.), which is located in the former St. Suzanne School.

More information about the Friends of Rouge Park is available at http://www.rougepark.org.

First Meeting of the Charter Commission

The newly elected Charter Commission will be sworn in and have its first meeting next Tuesday, November 17, at 6 p.m.  This meeting will take place on the 13th floor of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center (2 Woodward Ave.).  Everyone in Detroit is invited to attend this and every other meeting of the Charter Commission.

The Charter Commission is charged with revising Detroit's city charter, which is its main governing document.