January 22, 2020 Your source for All Livonia news. All the time. All ways positive.
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| Former City Councilman Fernon Feenstra Kiwanis Scholarship Packet now available |
 The Fernon Feenstra Scholarship Program provides a variable number of $1,000 scholarships each year to Livonia high school students  demonstrating a desire to better themselves through education and a passion to help others.
The late
Fernon Feenstra was one of the founding members of the Livonia Kiwanis Club, founded in 1981. Described by a former Livonia Mayor as "Mr. Sunshine", Fernon's positive attitude and philanthropic outlook will always be remembered. It is our honor to name this scholarship program after him and our hope that the award recipients will enrich the lives of others in their communities for decades to come.
For any questions regarding the scholarship program, please contact:
AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIP
Mr. Sunshine Scholarship
- This scholarship is available to all graduating high school seniors who meet the requirements below. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is recommended.
Schoolcraft College Technical Scholarship
- This scholarship is available to all graduating high school seniors who meet the requirements below, and who plan to enroll fulltime in a technical skills program at Schoolcraft College in the fall. Recipients of this award may also be eligible for a scholarship-matching program offered by the Schoolcraft College Foundation. A GPA of 2.5 or higher is recommended.
REQUIREMENTS AND DIRECTIONS FOR APPLICATION
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The applicant must meet at least one of the following residency requirements:
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Is enrolled in a Livonia or Clarenceville area high school.This requirement includes students whose primary residence is outside of Livonia or Clarenceville.
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Has a primary residence in Livonia or Clarenceville. This requirement includes students who are home schooled, or who attend public or private schools outside of Livonia.
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The applicant must plan to graduate from high school in the spring of 2020.
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The applicant must have been accepted by and plan to attend a university, community college, vocational training center, or other qualifying educational institution. Proof of fulltime enrollment for the fall 2020 semester must be available by July 2020.
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The applicant must submit two recommendation forms, one to be completed by a high school staff member and one to be completed by an adult in a community service program leadership position. The recommendations may not be provided by a relative of the applicant. The recommendations may be submitted with the application packet or separately, using one of the three methods stated below.
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All components of the scholarship application packet (application form, essay, and two recommendations) must be received by the Kiwanis Club of Livonia no later than
Friday April 17, 2020
. Packet information received after April 20 will not be considered. Applicants may submit packets in one of the following ways.
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Hand-deliver the packet to Dawnne Toppa at the Chamber of Commerce before the close of business on Friday April 17.
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Mail the packet to the address below no later than Friday April 10 to ensure timely delivery.
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Email the packet to
KiwanisofLivonia@gmail.com
by 11:59PM Friday April 17. For the email subject line, please state "Scholarship Application for [Applicant First and Last Name]".
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| Parks and Recreation says it is not too early to start filling your March calendar |
 SAVE THE DATE!
Livonia Parks and Recreation
is hosting their first-ever Mom 2 Mom and Used Sports Sale at the  Kirksey Recreation Center on Sunday, March 22. Browse tables of gently used children's clothing, toys, books, and sports equipment available at a fraction of the cost of buying them new.
Buyers: Come see what everyone has to offer! Early Bird admission is available from 8 - 9 a.m. for $2
per person. $1 admission after 9 a.m. and the sale ends at noon.
Sellers: Purchase table space to re-sell your child-related items and sports equipment. $30 for one table and a 10x10 selling space. Extra tables are available for $12 each. Contact Billy by email at wkeppen@ci.livonia.mi.us to register as a seller.
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| Cole, Newton & Duran ready to help area reservist and National Guard members |
Cole, Newton & Duran CPAs is offering complimentary tax preparation services to all area reservist and National Guard members currently called to active duty as well as regular military currently receiving combat pay. Contact Bryan Besco, chief marketing officer, at Cole, Newton & Duran CPAs at (734) 427-2030 or bbesco@cndcpa.com to schedule an appointment.
"We are very proud and honored to support the brave men and women who fight for our freedom to keep us safe," said Arthur Cole, managing partner of Cole, Newton, and Duran CPAs. "We are happy to help these courageous men and women with the preparation of their taxes. We thank these heroes and are grateful for their patriotism."
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| The 2020 FIRST Robotics Competition is ready to roll. Check it out. And find out about the two teams our Livonia Public Schools field in this world wide competition. |
Erin Robinson is a student at Churchill High School. She has written an explanation of the 2020 robotics challenge and Musings is happy to share it with our readers:
The new FRC game for 2020 is Infinite Recharge. There are two alliances working to protect FIRST City from incoming asteroids. With only 2 minutes and 30 seconds until impact, the two alliances must charge their shield generator and protect the city. There are three ways to score points: scoring Power Cells into the Power Port, using the Control Panels to control the Shield Generator, and climbing onto the Generator Switch.
The field contains four scoring parts. The Shield Generator is angled across the middle of the field, with the Generator Switches (one for each alliance) hanging from either side. Each Control Panel is on the corner of the Shield Generator. Finally, the Power Port for each alliance is located on the opposing alliance wall. A Power Port has a low goal, a high goal, and an inner goal.
The game pieces this year are 7-inch foam balls, like dodge balls, called Power Cells.
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| 2020 FIRST Robotics Competition INFINITE RECHARGE Game Animation |
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Autonomous is back this year, for the first 15 seconds of the game the robots must run without drive team control or input. During the autonomous period, robots can earn points by crossing a line for 5 or scoring Power Cells in the lower, high or inner goal for 2, 4, or 6 points respectively. During tele-op, robots can earn 1, 2, or 3 points by shooting through the goals. After 29 balls are scored, the alliance must complete Rotation Control by rotating the Control Panel between 3 and 5 times in order to move to the next stage of the Shield Generator. After another 20 balls are scored, the alliance must complete Position Control by rotating the Control Panel to a color randomly determined by the field. Completing all stages of the Shield Generator earns the alliance 1 ranking point.
Robots may hang on the Generator Switch during endgame. Hanging is worth 25 points per robot and having a level Generator Switch is worth 15 extra points. If an alliance earns 65 or more climbing points, they also earn a ranking point.
Linked on the left is the official FIRST Infinite Recharge game video. If you want to learn more about the new game, check it out.
Claire Smith, also of Churchill High School explains just how busy the teams have been in the two weeks since the game parameters have been introduced:
During the past two weeks, the Warriors and Tyros have been working diligently on this season's robots. Both of the mechanical squads have built chassis and gearbox prototypes. The Warriors have also been working on two types of shooters. The two shooters are series, which uses four wheels on two axes moving in one direction to push out the balls, and parallel, which uses four wheels on two axes moving in opposite directions to push out the balls. Imagery squads for both teams, have started to collect robot name suggestions from the teams, talk about themes and pit award designs, and raise money for supplies at Donorschoose.com. What a great start to the season!
I
ntroducing the Livonia Warriors
Competition
Team:
Our Livonia Public School competition team is comprised of students from all three High Schools: Churchill High School, Franklin High School, and Stevenson High School.
The Warriors were formed in 2009 and are now in their 12th season of FIRST Robotics Competitions.
Since starting, the Livonia Warriors are proud to have qualified for the Michigan State Championships and the World Championship.
They appreciate the support of terrific mentors including parents and representatives from some outstanding sponsors, such as AISIN Technical Center of America, Inc. and DENSO International America, Inc. and the Ford Motor Company.
As a team, they are geared up and ready for the challenges and fun that are sure to come with this season's exciting competitions!
Introducing The Livonia Warriors Tyros Team
Why are they called the Livonia Tyros? The word tyros originates from the Latin word tiro meaning young soldier or new recruits. The Tyros are a rookie high school team. The team is made up of freshmen and sophomore students from Churchill, Franklin, and Stevenson. A majority of their members were formerly on a team during middle school. They say they are very lucky to be close to the Warriors, the veteran team, who has been kind enough to mentor them as they work on their robot. They say that half the time they have no idea what they are doing but by the time of the first competition they will prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.
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Musings follows our City Council
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Livonia City Council Study and Regular Meeting -
January 15, 2020
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Livonia City Council Study Meeting -
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| Livonia City Council Regular Meeting - |
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Musings reader survey results
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Mass Transit Survey
68.4% Yes
26.3% No
5.2% Undecided
Detroit Institute of Arts Survey
62.5 % Yes
29.1 % No
8.3 % Undecided
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January in Livonia
Dickerson Art Gallery will be presenting recent works from the following artists at the Bennett Civic Center Library during the month of January:
Durwood Coffey, Barb Gibson,
Mark Krecic, Jon Lange, Vic Leo,
Kay Masini,
Marcia Polenberg,
Ted Ramsay, Mireille Ripley,
Gwen Roth,Tim Tonachella,
Paul Zenian, and guest artist,
Danny Rebb
January 23
Senior Center Book Club: Failures of Presidents
A Project of AlphaUSA
Moderated by Chuck Dardas and the typewriter
February in Livonia
February 1 @ 2:00 - 4:00 or 6:00 - 8:00
Daddy-Daughter Dance
Elk's Lodge 31117 Plymouth Road
For more information, call (734) 466-2900.
Co-sponsored by Livonia Elk's Lodge and
Livonia Parks & Recreation
February 1 @ 6:30 -- 9:30
Soup, Chili, Bread, Pierogies
Livonia Democratic Club
UAW Local 182
February 2 @ 2:00 - 3:00
Coffee Hour with Representative Laurie Pohutsky
Coffee + Cream
February 4 @ 6:30
Livonia Garden Club
Civic Park Senior Center
Tips for preparing for a flower show
February 7, 8, 9
Friends of the Livonia Library Used Book Sale
February 11
Nonviolence: The Way to Peace/ Colleen Mills
Livonia Citizens for Peace
Livonia Senior Center
February 12
Livonia GOP Lincoln Day Dinner
February 16 @ 3:00
Livonia Community Theatre
St. Paul's Persbyterian Church
February 16 @ 1:00
Cardboard Boat Races
Jack Kirksey Recreation Center
Registration begins on Monday, Jan. 6
February 22 @ 4:00
PASSPORT TO SCANDINAVIA
Livonia Symphony Orchestra
Clarenceville's Historic Louis Schmidt Auditorium
February 23 @ 2:00
Friends of the Livonia Library
"A Meeting Between Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth" performed by Madelyn Porter, Story Teller. Livonia Bennett Civic Center Library auditorium
February 23 @ 4:30 - 8:30
The Ian Clemens 4th Annual Trivia Night
Hosted by The Ian Clemens Foundation
St. Mary's Cultural Center
February 29
The Arc of Northwest Wayne County
Laurel Manor
Ball for All Leap Year Fundraiser
March in Livonia
March 3 @ 6:30
Livonia Garden Club
Civic Park Senior Center
Four seasons of garden interest
March 10 @ 7:00 am -- 8:00 pm
Presidential Primary
March 14
33rd Annual Bowling for Braille Books
Novi Bowl Family Fun Center
March 15 @ 2:00
Friends of the Livonia Library
"Through Her Eyes Women Artists in the Detroit Institute of Arts."
Livonia Bennett Civic Center Library auditorium.
March 16 @ 2:00
Livonia Historical Society presents Joe Oldenberg discussing "The First Native Tribes of Michigan." Alexander Blue House, Greenmead Historical Park
March 21
@ 9:00 - 3:00
April in Livonia
April 7 @ 6:30
Livonia Garden Club
Civic Park Senior Center
Sustainable Food System
April 14
Today's Africa Through American Eyes
Dr. Peggi J. Tabor, PhD
Livonia Citizens for Peace
Livonia Senior Center
May in Livonia
May 5 @ 6:30
Livonia Garden Club
Civic Park Senior Center
Plant Legends and Stories
May 16 @ 9:00 - 10:00
Livonia Garden Club Plant Sharing Event
Greenmead Historical Park
Rain or Shine
Everyone is encouraged to come and take plants whether or not they have plants to share
May 17 @ 3:00
Red Wing Alumni v Livonia All Stars
Eddie Edgar Arena
June in Livonia
June 7 @ 3:00
Livonia Civic Chorus Spring Concert
Churchill High School Performing Arts Center
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Musings follows the 2020 elections
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Joe Biden D
Michael Bloomberg D
Cory Booker D
Pete Buttigieg D
Julian Castro D
John Delaney D
Tulsi Gabbard D
Amy Klobuchar D
Bernie Sanders D
Joe Sestak D
Tom Steyer D
Elizabeth Warren D
Marianne Williamson D
Andrew Yang D
United States Senate
Gary Peters (D-I)
John James (R)
United States House of Representatives
Haley Stevens (D-I)
Whitney Williams (R)
Eric Esshaki (R)
Michigan House of Representatives
Laurie Pohutsky (D-I)
Martha Ptashnik (R)
Wayne County Commissioner
Terry Marecki (R-I)
Livonia Board of Education
Dan Centers
Karen Bradford
Tammy Bonifield
Crystal Frank
Clarenceville Board of Education
Matt Boettcher
Brenda Uren
Shari Krazel
Jeffrey Bunker
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Click on this image for all movie times at the Phoenix
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It's time to register to bowl with Seedlings and
celebrity bowler Justice Richard Bernstein of the
Michigan Supreme Court
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Come bowl with Seedlings and celebrity bowler Justice Richard Bernstein ofthe Michigan Supreme Court to help bring the gift of literacy to blind children locally and all around the world! Join in our bowl-a-thon, auctions and prize raffles to help raise $60,000 for 6,000 braille books for children with vision loss. Click "Donate" to make a donation or "Join Now" to register to bowl at
https://www.firstgiving.com/event/seedlingsbraille/33rd-Annual-Bowling-for-Braille-Books
Thank you to the Headline Bowling sponsors!
Alpha USA, Bill Brown Ford, Canton Lions Club,
Community Financial Credit Union, Financial & Portfolio Advisors, Ltd., Kennedy Industries,
Livonia Builders, Masco, Plymouth Lions Club, SkyOak Wealth and Valassis.
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| Space for readers of Musings to offer up their thoughts |
Eric, Liz and the UPS Store Staff, Five and Newburgh: At the end of the day it's not about who won or did the most in sales, it's about how much you actually raised for a great cause.
Our UPS Store on Five Mile and Newburgh in Livonia was the #1 store in the country out of over 5,000 stores for donations towards the Toys for Tots Literacy Program.
We would like to thank all of our staff, customers, friends, family, fellow business owners, the city of Livonia, and anyone else who made this happen.
All the money will be donated to Seedlings Braille Books for Children, a non-profit Livonia organization which produces Braille books for blind and visually-impaired children. 100% of the donations go towards producing the books.
Once again, thank you to anyone and everyone that donated. It doesn't matter how big or how small. A small donation can go a long way.
 Lyn Bankes, former Livonia State Representative, 1835 Livonia City Hall of Fame Inductee: We need regional transportation. I cannot tell you how many times I have driven people I see walking in a way that lets me know they are trying to get to COSTCO to catch a bus. When it's raining, I give them an umbrella before I let them out. These people have no say In where or how far they need to go for a bus.
When I was in the legislature and we were getting ready to vote that women had to work to get social service benefits, I held a meeting in a DSS Office in Redford Township at the social services building. We talked about transportation.
One woman lived in the Dearborn Heights and it took hours to get from Ford road to Grand River near Beach rd. There was no direct north and south transportation. She had to change busses several times to get to the DSS office.
 I campaigned for and voted for a regional transportation system. I don't believe in making laws that the poor cannot comply with. Gas tax hike is a tax against the poor.
The poor want a job. But if Goverment puts up barriers that prevent compliance, then looks down on them and calls them lazy; where is Christian charity?
Laurie Pohutsky, State Representative:
Good food, good people and a good cause! I had a great time judging the Livonia PTSA's Chili Cookoff. Congratulations to Holmes Middle School and thank you to all who participated!
Anonymous posting on DIA Survey: During the past 8 years, the DIA has fulfilled its basic commitment to the tori-county citizens. Free admission, enhanced public programs, increased access of field trips by students and by residents have proven beneficial. The inability to complete full funding of the DIA endowment is due, I believe, primarily to the effort required to help subsidize the City of Detroit bankruptcy. Requesting approval of a millage in advance of its expiration is an example of intelligent planning
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| Ian Clemens Foundation offers a Trivia Night this February 23 |
State Representative Laurie Pohutsky:
Hosting Town Hall on Independent Redistricting Commission |
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Only 4 months, May 17, until the hometown favorites
Livonia All-stars take on the Detroit Red Wings Alumni
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FridayMusings says mark your calendar for May 17 at 3:00, at the Eddie Edgar Ice Arena for the Red Wings Alumni versus Livonia All Stars captained by City Councilman
Brandon McCullough
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Sponsoring the event is AlphaUSA,
Arthur R Cole
@ Cole Newton Duran,
Dan MacIver
@ Financial & Portfolio Advisors in partnership with City Councilman Brandon McCullough.
Proceeds of the hockey game will be divided with Livonia Kids @ Family and Friends of Greenmead.
One of the skaters will be Andrew Palushaj, who played on the Stevenson High School Hockey team and is still skates on a local team, shown here with AlphaUSA's Veronica Cruz presenting a sponsorship check to McCullough.
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Proud sponsor of the Detroit Red Wings v Livonia All-stars coming to town May 17, 3:00.
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How will you vote on the Detroit Institute of Arts millage
on the 2020 Presidential Primary Ballot? |
The
Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) will seek another tri-county millage on the 2020 Presidential Primary ballot.
Voters in Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties passed a 10-year millage in 2012, which added around $23 million a year in funding to the museum. At the time, the DIA said it would not seek a renewal, but instead set up an endowment that could fund 60 percent of its $38 million annual operating budget.
The current 0.2-mill, 10-year property tax won't lapse until 2022, but the museum has decided to act during a presidential primary, rather than wait for an off-year ballot when its prospects might be dimmer.
The DIA says the new millage will allow the museum to continue to offer many of its services, educational opportunities, and admissions free of charge.
The endowment promised in 2012 has reached $230 million, however in 2014 it had to raise $100 million to prevent DIA artworks being sold during Detroit's bankruptcy.
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| Time to register for Livonia baseball and softball |
LJAL (Livonia Junior Athletic League), an inductee into the 1835 Livonia City Hall of Fame, has been around since 1957 to provide children 8 to 17 who reside in Livonia & Clarenceville school districts the opportunity to play organized sports. They offer baseball, softball, basketball, football, cheerleading & lacrosse.
LJAL House Baseball & Softball registration for Spring 2020 season is open through March 22, 2020.
Please follow this
link, click
here
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Regina Gargus candidate for republican nomination for
State Representative set to hold discussion on Elder Abuse |
 Coffee & Conversation with a Candidate regarding Elder Abuse, and financial Exploitation via our trusted Probate Court/ Family court system.
Not only make yourselves aware of this ever evolving scam, learn how to prevent yourselves or loved ones from ever becoming victims.
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 2 PM - 4 PM at Sam's, Five Mile and Farmington.
We will have guest speakers & families who were "forever changed" by this pro-bait scam.
Learn how to protect yourselves and loved ones.
Please contact Tina @734-377-9361 to RSVP or for more information.
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| February is nearly here and so are more theatre opportunities |
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Tickets are now on sale and they have added a matinee on Saturday.
This is in the Black Box theatre and only 100 seats are available!
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