4 things to give up for Lent 2020

Lent | Stock photo by Gaston Perez/Pixabay

Lent is upon us. It begins with Ash Wednesday, which is the day after tomorrow.

I know that many Christians - myself included - sometime wonder what they should give up for Lent. Sweets are an old standby but I always feel like it should be something a little less generic. With that in mind, I spent a couple of hours over the weekend searching for advice on what one should give up for Lent.

With that in mind, I want to share five Lenten sacrificss that I feel are worthy of special consideration this year.

1 - Get rid of 40 things over the 40 days
It's always amazing how much random stuff one accumilates over the years. Lent can provide one with an opportunity to reflect on all of that stuff and ask if it is truly worthy of a place in your life. I'm confident that many people would be able to find 40 things in their life that are simply cluttering your life.

Many of these things may have a value to others. In which case, I would suggest that rather than tossing your Lenten clutter into the trash, donating them a charitable thrift store or selling them and donating the proceeds to a worthy charity. For those in the Warrendale neighborhoood, I recommend the Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center (8525 N. Telegraph Rd. in Dearborn Heights).

2 - Stop gossiping
Humans are social creatures. Sharing stories and information with our peers is a fundamental part of who we are. However, like most things, it can always be used in a destructive manner and that is something that one focus on during Lent.

3 - Say three nice things to your spouse and children daily
Family is the foundation of our society. Lent provides us with an opportunity to strengthen your family with a little extra positive energy. This idea, by the way, was inspired by YourModernFamily.com.

4 - Write 40 letters to people you've lost touch with
I saw this one on LifeTeen.com and love it. In the haste of modern life, it is all too easy to lose touch with people. Writing a letter to someone that you've lost touch with not only gives you a chance to re-establish those social connections but the fact that you do so in a letter forces you to put some extra thought into your words.

As a bonus, since letters have become so rare in the age of email and text messaging, an actual letter that shows up in the mail will stand out in mind of your recipient that much more.

There are, of course, many more things that one can give up or do as a Lenten sacrifice. I hope that these ideas spark some inspiration in your life.

These tips are brought to you by the Warrendale Detroit Blog as part of our Tip of the Week series. Please check back next week for more advice on your home, money, and life. The rest of the tips are are avilable here.

Please feel free to follow the author Frank Nemecek on Twitter and Instagram as @fnemecek for more great content.

Remembering the hoarder who came to Warrendale

Reflecting on Detroit - Photo by Garrett Lee Davis/Pixabay

Detroit is a city where every block is filled with memories; filled so thick at times that one doesn’t need to have ever lived or even visited here in order to sense their lingering presence. This now vacant lot on Artesian Street is one of those memories for me.

For several years, the house that was once on this lot only a few hundred feet north of the border between the cities of Dearborn and Detroit was an exceptional eyesore. The gentleman who lived there was both a squatter and a hoarder.

He clearly had mental health issues. The Warrendale Community Organization, the City of Detroit, and others all tried to get him some type of counselling.

Photo by DeeDee86/Pixabay

This individual, who I will call by the obvious pseudonym of Henry T. Hoarder, had no interest in any type of therapy. He simply wanted to be left alone with the trash that he collected.

The fact that his collection of scrap lumber, twisted metal, and odd pieces of plastic attracted rats and other vermin was of no concern to him. The rats, he figured, didn’t bother him or his treasured collection of trash. It seemed obvious to him, therefore, that he shouldn’t bother them.

The fact that he didn’t own this home in Detroit and wasn’t paying any property taxes was of even less concern to Henry still.

Every week that went by, more and more junk was accumulated around this Detroit property. It wasn’t long before one couldn’t even see Henry’s house from the street. All that was there was the mountains of trash that he collected.

Neighbors asked him to at least move everything inside the house that he was squatting in. He replied that he couldn’t do that. He had too much other stuff that he was hoarding that no more could fit inside.

Photo by Ania Klara

As the weeks dragged on, it was collectively decided by the powers that be that they would leave Henry alone for a little while. Winter was fast approaching and the thinking at the time was that, since this home had neither gas nor electricity, the cold would drive Henry from this property faster than the Detroit Police Department could and with less risk of anyone getting hurt in the process.

I still don’t know how Henry did it but he made it through the winter. I know that he didn’t burn any of the trash he was hoarding. This trash was, after all, much too important for him to burn even if the alternative was freezing.

As warm weather returned to Detroit, Henry’s collection continued to get larger and larger. He promised repeatedly that he would do something to contain it but he never did. Instead, Henry’s hoard of trash would soon begin to spill over into the adjacent lots of his neighbors.

The weather continued to get hotter that summer and so did tempers at the southern end of the Warrendale neighborhood. Henry’s hoarding was only getting worse and this expanding raft of refuse was causing ever increasing problems. Neighbors no longer had to worry about the hoarder’s trash being an eyesore next door. It was a problem that had spilled, rats and all, into their own yards.

Henry T. Hoarder was eventually evicted from the house on Artesian Street that he was squatting in. I shudder to think, though, how many truckloads of trash the City of Detroit must have hauled away from that house.

Once Henry and his collection were removed, the house returned to its vacant state - a condition that it would remain in for another year or two as the city of Detroit continued to work its way forward after bankruptcy.

Eventually, the neglect reach a point where it was determined that this once sturdy house had become structurally unsound. It was demolished a couple of weeks ago. All that remains of Henry T. Hoarder’s life in Warrendale is a vacant plot of land and some memories.

The lot where the hoarding house one stood - Photo by Frank Nemecek

Anyone want a free boat?

Abandoned boat in Warrendale - Photo by Frank Nemecek

If anyone would like a free boat, there is an abandoned one available on Warwick, just north of W. Warren Ave. It even comes with a trailer.

The boat obviously needs some work. However, it's free and its trailer is in very good condition.

The Detroit Police Department tagged this boat for removal almost a month ago. However, as of this afternoon, it's still there.

Abandoned vehicle notice on the boat - Photo by Frank Nemecek

If you can get to this boat before the Detroit Police Department does, I don't think anyone will complain as you haul it away.

Happy sailing, Detroit.

Volunteers needed for Rouge Park clean up this Saturday

Volunteers are needed to clean up Rouge Park this Saturday - File photo

Rouge Park Appreciation Day, which is the largest local park clean up of the year, will happen this Saturday, May 18. This volunteer event is organized by the nonprofit Friends of Rouge Park as well as each of the other groups who utilize the park on a regular basis.

During this daylong event, volunteers will undertake multiple projects to maintain the largest park in Detroit and a valuable resource for the Warrendale neighborhood. This will include invasive species removal, picking up trash, planting, painting, and more.

All volunteers are appreciated, even if you are only able to help out for an hour or two. Anyone with questions about this event is asked to email RougePark@gmail.com. Volunteers can sign up to help by filling out this Google Form here.

On a personal note, I want to thank everyone in advance who is able to help out at this event. Your efforts truly make a huge difference in the Warrendale neighborhood as well as surrounding parts of Detroit.

What is next for Detroit's incinerator?

Earlier this afternoon, Mayor Mike Duggan announced that the City of Detroit would close incinerator, which has been controversial throughout its 33-year history. According to published news reports, today will be its last day of operation. The City is expected to transfer its solid waste contract to another vendor.

Mayor Duggan stated that this will not result in any additional costs to the taxpayers of Detroit.

Multiple news outlets have reported on this announcement that Detroit is closing its controversial incinerator. One can read this story here, here, and in dozens of other media outlets.

The one thing that has not been made clear as of yet is the burning question: what will happen to this site next?

(And yes, I did just drop a quip about a burning question into a blog post about an incinerator.)

The short answer is that we do not know at this time exactly what will happen at this site. Mayor Duggan stated in a post on Twitter, "As far as future use of this site, it is my strong preference that this site never again be used as a waste incinerator." The mayor went on to add that the City of Detroit, "will be pursuing our legal options to make sure this remains the case."

Since there doesn't seem to be a clear plan as to what should be done with this land after today, I would like to offer an idea for everyone to consider.

First, bulldoze the entire complex. I'm normally one for saving and reusing buildings in Detroit. The incinerator, however, is a memory that I believe Detroit would be better without.

Once the land is properly cleared, I believe that strip clubs across the city should be incentivized to close in the neighborhoods, convert their current location into a sports bar or something, and move the adult entertainment to where the incinerator sits now.

For more than 30 years, I have heard one elected official in Detroit talk about how they would love to pick up all of the strip clubs in our neighborhoods and move them to a separate area away from everything. With the closing of the incinerator, I believe that Detroiters finally have a chance to do precisely this thing.

Screen grab of the area immediately around the incinerator - Google Maps

While the stench from the incinerator has traveled to residential areas miles away, there aren't any homes currently around the site itself. This coupled with its proximity to the expressways makes this land a perfect location to move strip clubs in Detroit to.

Visual and other barriers can be erected rather easily to isolate these strip clubs from the rest of Detroit. They can do their thing and it won't bother anyone in the surrounding neighborhoods.

There are, of course, many details to work out on this one. What kind of incentive should we use to encourage the strip clubs to relocate, is the most obvious detail. However, I don't think any of these challenges are insurmountable.

And it would be nice to see an idea that has been kicked around for decades finally happen.

How to report a problem to the city government

Reporting | Stock photo from Pixabay

It happens - a Detroiter sees a problem that isn't an emergency but still requires the attention of city hall. Maybe the storm drain in front of their house is clogged. Perhaps someone has dumped a pile of trash in a vacant lot. It might be that a fire hydrant on their block needs repairs. Whatever the issue is, you need to get the city involved and navigating through the City of Detroit's every changing but always a bit more complicated than it needs to be bureaucracy can be a daunting task.

The City of Detroit has a simple yet effective way of reporting non-emergency problems. Residents with a smartphone should download the Improve Detroit app from either the iTunes or Google Play Store. This app enables Detroiters to report non-emergency issues to the City. It also enables them to track the City's response to it; even to communicate directly with the employee tasked with handling it and/or his or her supervisor.

Residents who don't have a smartphone can also report non-emergency issues. Instead of using an app to report it, though, they should instead file their report here on the City of Detroit's website.

I posted about the Improve Detroit app and website when it first came out a few years ago. Regardless, after talking with a few of my fellow Warrendale residents, it was clear that a reminder was needed.

The Improve Detroit app and website are your Tip of the Week for the week of March 18,2019.

These tips are brought to you by the Warrendale (Detroit) Blog as part of our semi-regular Tip of the Week feature. Please check back every Monday for more advice on your home, money, and life.

Also, be sure to follow the author, Frank Nemecek, on Twitter and Instagram as @fnemecek for more great information.

Keeping contaminants out of Detroit's recycling

To increase recycling rates, the City of Detroit created a single-stream recycling system a few years ago. They thought it would be easy. However, over the last five years, the value of recovered waste has plummeted while the effort to extract it has risen. One of the major challenges in single-stream recycling is contamination.

Contaminants - or those dirty, rotten scoundrels - are what happens when non-recyclable items are mixed with recyclables. Innocent papers smeared with food or grease, paper towels, paper plates, napkins, the dreaded Styrofoam - these are some of the reasons that tons of recyclables are rejected from Detroit's recycling system each year.

There’s a general rule of thumb we use to help those who are not sure if something is recyclable or not recyclable: When in Doubt, Throw it Out.

Contaminants pickup by season too. In the spring there will be garden hoses and plant containers. During the holidays, there will be broken Christmas lights and foil wrapping paper. So let’s take a look at the top three most common contaminants found in recycling today. Keep in mind that every community is different and some accept things curbside where others do not so check with your municipality for a current list of what can be recycled. For the most part, here are the top three things that material recovery facilities do not like:

Plastic Grocery Bags.  Number one thing facilities pull out during hand sorting. These bags can muck up the machinery and close it down. Grocery Bags can be taken back to your local grocer to be disposed of properly.

Speaking of plastic grocery bags: do not put recyclables in them and then into your cart. These would be automatically pulled and sent to a landfill. Workers should never open plastic bags to sort through recycling due to safety reasons.

Pizza Boxes. Some municipalities will allow these to be picked up curbside if you take the insert out and throw it away, but the truth of the matter is that a pizza box can ruin an entire batch of slurry. The delicious cheese that we love on our pizzas is greasy. That grease permeates the cardboard. Cardboard is mixed with water and squeeze-pressed to make new paper and that grease will cause holes in paper.

It’s really that simple. Oil and water do not mix and the facility will generally pull pizza boxes out during hand sorting.

Styrofoam. Expanded polystyrene, more commonly known as Styrofoam, is problematic to recycle. The problem is the weight. The exact reason that makes Styrofoam so attractive to be used in packaging is the same reason it is difficult to recycle.

Profits from recycling are calculated per pound. With material so lightweight, it takes more money to cover the cost of transportation, handling, and processing. To process it so that it is cost efficient requires costly equipment. While it can be recycled, it isn’t accepted curbside because it is not cost effective to do so. Your best bet is to avoid Styrofoam when possible.

Other contaminants include food, trash, hardcover books, light bulbs, electronics, cookware (ceramics, plates, cups), window/mirror glass and construction debris.

These tips are brought to you by the Warrendale (Detroit) Blog as part of our Tip of the Week feature. Please check back next week for more advice for your home, money, and life.

Recycling expands in Detroit

Recycling container - Photo by Frank Nemecek

The City of Detroit offered free containers for the curbside pick-up of recyclables to all who attended a recycling workshop last month. Those containers are beginning to appear at local homes, including mine.

All of this, of course, is part of the City's on-going effort to expand curbside recycling in Detroit.

The next recycling workshop will be on Monday, April 11 at Ss. Peter and Paul Church (7685 Grandville). Full details for this workshop are available here.

As with the previous one, all residents who attend the upcoming recycling workshop will receive their own free containers.

Recycling workshop comes to Warrendale

I previously posted about a recycling workshop that will happen at Don Bosco Hall this Friday from 1 - 2 p.m. Since many people cannot attend due to work obligations, a second one has been added for Monday, April 11 from 6 - 7 p.m. in the Activities Building of Ss. Peter & Paul Church.

Eligible residents who attend either workshop will receive a free recycling bin. This will enable them to participate in the City of Detroit's curbside recycling program.

A flyer for this workshop is located above. Please share it with your neighbors.

Demolishing homes isn't the same as eliminating blight

Frank Nemecek of Warrendale - Photo by Jessica J. Trevino/Detroit Free Press

Mayor Mike Duggan and Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr unveiled a plan this past week to spend $520 million battling blight in Detroit's neighborhoods over the next five years. The Detroit Free Press was kind enough to let me share my thoughts on the matter in the last section of their article about it, which is available here.

There haven't been a lot of details regarding this plan released yet, beyond its price tag. However, one of the things that I hope happens is that we shift our focus from demolition to deconstruction. Doing so would create thousands of new jobs for Detroiters as well as divert thousands of tons of debris away from landfills.

I would also like to remind everyone that demolished a building that has become an eyesore isn't always the same as eliminating blight. If there isn't a plan for what to do with the land once the building is removed, or if that plan isn't executed properly, then it will soon become a vacant parcel of land with waist-high grass and weeds; likely overflowing with trash. In doing so, we are simply trading one form of blight for another.

The way for us to avoid that, I submit, is to have a plan as to what to do with that land once the building is removed. The Detroit Works Project has a framework plan for doing this sort of thing. I simply hope that efforts to remove vacant buildings is fully integrated into that.

Tip of the Week: DIY uses for scrap tires

There are more than a few scrap tires littered through the neighborhoods of Detroit; a fact that I have documented again, again, and again. I was pleased then when I found this idea for reusing an old tire online.

If one were to add legs to it, the result could serve as a coffee table. Without legs added, it would work as a footstool.

Personally, when I saw this, the idea that came to mind was to three or four of these scrap tires on top of one another to give it extra height without having to add legs. Once could then affix an acrylic sheet to act as the top. Although, I think it would also be cool to use some of the wood from discarded box springs as top instead.

One way or another, I think it's a cool idea to do something useful with all of the trash that gets illegally dumped in Warrendale and the other neighborhoods of Detroit.

Mike Duggan releases 10-point plan to rebuild neighborhoods

Mike Detroit - Photo by Detroit Free Press

Mayoral candidate Mike Duggan released a 10-point plan Tuesday evening that outlines his proposed strategy for rebuilding neighborhoods in Detroit. Quite frankly, I like his plan. There is only one thing about it that I would change about it.

Before I discuss the one change that I would make, though, here are the 10-points to Mike Duggan's plan to rebuild the neighborhoods in Detroit.

1. Establish a single Department of Neighborhoods;
2. Base the Department of Neighborhoods in seven neighborhood district offices to create true partnerships with neighborhood groups and block clubs;
3. Seize abandoned houses and drug houses through a nuisance abatement program, similar to the one Mike Duggan started when he served as Prosecutor for Wayne County;
4. Create positive incentives to move families from sparsely-populated areas into to stronger neighborhoods. This, presumably, would include most of Warrendale as one of the stronger neighborhoods;
5. In order to rebuild neighborhood business districts, he would seize abandoned storefronts and move in entrepreneurs;
6. Streamline demolition process and strategically target neighborhoods;
7. Create much tougher code enforcement;
8. Require banks to participate in neighborhood redevelopment;
9. Clean up vacant lots; and
10. Reform the Detroit Land Bank so we can re-use vacant land.

Mike Duggan's plan for a Department of Neighborhoods sounds a lot like the Neighborhood City Halls that used to exist in Detroit until Mayor Dave Bing eliminated them as part of his budget cuts. Regardless of what one calls them, though, I believe that having such an office in each of the districts is a good idea.

The one thing that I would change about Mike Duggan's plan to rebuild neighborhoods would be to substitute a vigorous deconstruction program instead of streamlined demolition process. In neighborhoods throughout Detroit, there are lots of blighted buildings that I need to removed and Warrendale is no exception to that, as I have pointed out before.

The tragic fact is that Detroit has far more blighted properties than it has resources to deal with them adequately and that, in turn, means that we need to be more innovated in how we respond to blight in our neighborhoods. Moving from a conventional demolition process to a deconstruction model is, in my opinion, a huge part of that innovation.

With a conventional building demolition, a couple of workers and some heavy equipment come to a location, and smash everything. They will then haul what used to be a building away to an ordinary landfill.

In contrast, under a deconstruction model, a half dozen to a dozen workers are on site for a week or more. They take the building down piece by piece, salvaging everything that can be salvaged, and then recycling what is left. The only things that ever go into a landfill are pieces of hazardous waste (e.g., asbestos or lead paint) and those things will go to a special landfill that is designed to accept hazardous materials properly.

Even in places like Detroit, and even after scrappers have already attacked a vacant home numerous times, a deconstruction crew can still salvage thousands of dollars worth of materials from it. Because of that, it is almost always cheaper in the end to deconstruct a blighted property than the $12,000 - $14,000 that the City of Detroit currently pays to have one demolished.

Moreover, because it's ultimately cheaper to deconstruct a blighted property than to demolish it, the City of Detroit would be able to remove more of these dangerous buildings from our neighborhoods through a deconstruction model than it currently can under its old model. I argue that anything that enables us to remove more of these dangerous buildings from our neighborhoods is a good thing and a change worth making.

In addition to that, because deconstruction relies on people more than it does heavy equipment, switching to a deconstruction model for removing dangerous buildings would also mean the creation of thousands of new jobs. This is important in a city like Detroit where so many adults are without jobs and have been without them for quite some time.

Finally, because almost nothing from a deconstructed building goes into a landfill, it is also much better for the environment.

Mike Duggan's plan doesn't specifically call for the use of conventional demolition instead of deconstruction. However, I believe his plan would be much better if it did specifically call for deconstruction.

• More blighted properties removed from the neighborhoods of Detroit;
• Thousands of new jobs created for Detroit residents; and
• Better for the environment with less trash going into a landfill.

It's hard to argue with something that can deliver results like that. I hope Mike Duggan incorporates deconstruction in plans for Detroit.

Detroit Scales Back Collection of Yard Waste

Yard Waste Awaiting Pick Up - Photo by Frank Nemecek

The City of Detroit Department of Public Works announced in a press release last Friday afternoon that they are changing how they collect yard waste, such as grass clippings, leaves, and small twigs. Effective immediately, they will only collect yard waste twice a month, even though they are still charge residents the same fee for trash collection.

The schedule for yard waste collection will vary throughout the city. Residents in the Warrendale neighborhood and most of the west side will have yard waste collection on the second and fourth weeks of each month. Yard waste will be collected during the first and third weeks of the month on the east side and in southwest Detroit. The bi-monthly collections will occur now through the first week in December.

Residents can place yard waste in biodegradable paper bags or personal containers on the same day their weekly refuse is collected. For specific yard waste information, residents may visit www.detroitmi.gov/dpw.

In addition, DPW has switched to spring/summer hours of 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. at four drop-off locations. A fifth location, J. Fons Transfer Station at 6451 E. McNichols is open weekdays from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Residents with proper identification may use the drop-off locations to discard bulk items, yard waste, and recyclable items. 

Blocking Bulk Trash Pick Up

I have to admit that I am more than a little annoyed with this guy on Ashton who left his car parked in front of trash pile on bulk pick up day. In doing so, he prevented the City from picking it up. This, of course, means that it will sit there for 3 more months unless someone hauls it to the DPW Service Yard (12255 Southfield Rd.).

Idiot Block Bulk Trash Pick Up - Photo by Frank Nemecek

Detroit Celebrates Recycling

The City of Detroit is still a long ways from the citywide curbside recycling that our neighboring communities have enjoyed for more than a decade. However, they are at least making baby steps in the right direction. They will promote recycling during the week of November 12 - 17, in conjunction with America Recycles Day on November 15. 

Recycling - Image by Jay Lopez

The City of Detroit, along with its recycling partners, will participate in this effort as part of its ongoing Keep Detroit Beautiful campaign.

The Department of Public Works recently expanded its curbside recycling program to include 34,000 households.  By year’s end, that number will grow to a little less than 40,000 as other residents eagerly await the opportunity to conveniently recycle. Last year, the City collected and processed more than 1.3 million pounds of recyclable materials. 

Additionally, the City continues to provide free drop-off for Detroit residents at five locations. The Recycle Here facility at 1331 Holden is accessible to both Detroit and non-Detroit residents.

In recognition of America Recycles Day, some area recycling convenience centers will have extended hours for individuals to drop off recyclable items. This will include Recycle Here, which is funded by the City of Detroit, is open Monday (November 12 only) and Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.

On November 17, Rosedale Recycle will mark its 272nd month as a recycling drop-off location.  Area residents can drop off their recycling from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Christ the King Church, 20800 Grand River Avenue, which is near McNichols (enter from Pierson Street). This, of course, is the closest facility to the Warrendale neighborhood.

Detroit residents only can discard poisons, solvents, paint, heavy metals, and other toxic products at the Household Hazardous Waste Receiving Facility at 2000 E. Ferry Street, which is near the I-75 and I-94 freeways. The facility is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and will have extended hours from 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 14.

In addition, a number of organizations are working with the City of Detroit to promote recycling during this week and throughout the year. The Zero Waste Alliance went go door-to-door on Saturday, November 10 on Detroit’s east side to distribute recycling information to residents and emphasize the importance of recycling. The Clean Energy Coalition developed recycling educational brochures and an outreach program that resulted in high rates of participation in the most recently expanded areas for curbside collection.

Information about the recycling program and promotional videos are available on the City’s Web site at www.detroitrecycles.com.

Detroit Public Works Department Changes Hours for Drop-Off Locations

Yard Waste Waiting for Collection - Photo by Frank Nemecek

The Detroit Department of Public Works will continue to collect yard waste placed in biodegradable paper bags or personal containers through early December (weather permitting). However, due to the high volume of bags of yard waste, DPW crews may not collect yard waste on the specified day or week that bags are placed at curbside. Residents should leave their bags at the curb until collected and will not be ticketed.

Residents are reminded that yard waste placed in plastic bags will not be collected. Citizens should place properly contained yard waste at the curb on their weekly collection day.

If yard waste must be disposed of immediately, residents are encouraged to take their yard waste to any of the 5 free DPW drop-off locations. Also, as of this past Monday, DPW has switched to their fall/winter hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at its four drop-off locations. A fifth location, J. Fons Transfer Station, is open weekdays from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Residents can use the drop-off locations to discard bulk items, yard waste, tires (limit of 4), and recyclable items.  These hours are in effect from now through the end of March.

• Southfield Yard at 12255 Southfield Service Drive is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.;
• Davison Yard at 8221 W. Davison is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.;
• State Fair Yard at 19715 John R is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.;
• 5840 Anthon is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.;
• J. Fons Transfer Station at 6451 E. McNichols is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

All locations, except J. Fons, are closed from noon – 1 p.m.  These drop-off locations are open to Detroit residents only with proper identification. There is a limit of 1,000 pounds or one cubic yard per household per day. The City will not accept demolition, construction, or remodeling debris (including shingles), household or commercial garbage, or tree stumps.

For more information, go to the City’s Web site at www.detroitmi.gov/dpw.

Tip of the Week: Compost

Stock Photo of Compost Bins by Colin Brough

The City of Detroit has announced that it will not collect any yard waste, such as grass clippings or leaves, for at least one more week. There is, of course, a chance that it will be even longer before they resume collecting them.

This is a good time for homeowners in the Warrendale neighborhood and throughout Detroit to think carefully about the idea of composting. This is the process of naturally converting yard and kitchen waste into an ideal fertilizer for gardens.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a series of tips for indoor and backyard composting available here. Using these tips not only keeps the yard waste that isn't being collected from being an eyesore, it recycles it into something that you'll be able to use next spring.

Composting is your Warrendale Tip of the Week.

Cool Idea for Dealing with Scrap Tires

Source: inspirebohemia.com via Studioklinicseven on Pinterest

We have more than our fair share of scrap tires littering the Warrendale neighborhood. I found the photo above on Pinterest. Can you imagine doing something like this in the alleyways or in the vacant lots of the Warrendale neighborhood?

I think it would be seriously cool.

Clean Up on Westwood

The Westwood Street Block Club will have a clean up this coming Saturday, August 27. Everyone who is willing to help is asked to meet at the vacant lot that's about halfway between W. Warren Ave. and Sawyer Street at 10 a.m. (Google Maps says that its approximate address is 7540 Westwood, but that could be off.)

I have to be at work in Ypsilanti at 11 a.m. this Saturday. Otherwise, I'd join them.

Regardless, I hope lots of other people turn out for this.

Matthew Naimi for City Council

Matthew Naimi is one of the tireless community activists who work daily to make Detroit a better place. He is also someone that I am proud to endorse for the Detroit City Council.

Matthew Naimi has a proven track record of success as a community activist. He spent the past four years developing the Recycle Here! program for the City of Detroit. Along the way, he worked with non-profits, block clubs, schools, and City Government to create the first comprehensive recycling program in the history of Detroit.

To date, more than 2,500,000 pounds of trash has been recycled because of Matthew Naimi's efforts. He has also launched pilot programs with Detroit's Department of Public Works as well as eductional programs with the Detroit Public Schools.

Because of his experience, Matthew Naimi will make illegal dumping, recycling and urban agriculture a priority on the City Council. His voice and experience, in my opinion, will make for a valuable addition to the City Council.

Matthew Naimi lives in the Midtown area with his wife, Kristen. He previously served as president of the West Canfield Historic District from 2005 - 2007. More information on Mr. Naimi is available on his campaign web site.