November 6, 2019            Your source for All Livonia news. All the time. All ways positive.  
Musings masthead website


Seedlings' online auction: 
a win-win for bidders, blind kids.
383 items available for you to bid on. 8 days left.
The big bidding event has arrived.  Look over the 383 items available for you to bid on: 


Great items including dining, travel, sports events, gift cards  and yes, unique experiences like lunch with Senator Dayna Polehanki or lunch with the typewriter.


The real winner of your bidding will be the visually impaired children who will hav e access to an additional 2,100 books if Seedlings Braille Books for Children reach their goal of raising $21,000.

Let's get started. The bidding is from November 1st through November 14th. 
Mitchell's Bravo Cucina Flemings Steakhouse
Veterans event of the week
November 8, 9, 10




SEEDLINGS BRAILLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN


Click on this image to instantly be transported to the Seedlings Braille Books for Children bid site. 

   BIDDING  IS OPEN NOW.

Send your calendar notices to  [email protected]
 
November in Livonia
November 7
Painting with a Twist
benefiting the Ian Clemens Foundation
November 8 @8:00, 9 @8:00, 10 @2:00
Barefoot Productions
November 8 @ 7:30
November 9 @ 7:30
November 10 @ 2:00
Women in War
Livonia Community Theatre
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church

November 9 @ 9:30
Rick Austin Memorial 5 K Run/Walk

November 10 @ 10:30

November 16 @ 10:00 - 4:00
Clarenceville's Craft Show

November 16 @ 10:00 - 3:00
Rotary Club invites you to Be a Cancer Kicker
@ Burn Fitness - Livonia

November 23 @ 2:00 - 4:00
Blessings in a Backpack Bowling Outing

November 23 @ 9:00 - 3:00
Historic Greenmead Treasures from Grandma's Attic

November 25 @ 2:30 - 6:00
Livonia Blanket Making Event
Stevenson High School

December in Livonia
December 7
Trumbell Film Forum
Monroe Phoenix Theatre

December 7
Livonia Symphony Orchestra
Magical Fantasies
Clarenceville High School
Louis Schmidt Auditorium
December 8 @ 4:00
City of Livonia Christmas Parade
December 15 @ 3:00
 
Cinematic Art expands in Livonia with the introduction of Fathom Events 
at the Phoenix Theatre
Click on this image for all movie times

All winners in the city of Livonia election.
It is just how you look at it
Congratulations to the winners of our 2019 City of Livonia municipal election.

These five candidates deserve our heartfelt appreciation for being a part of an election cycle that brought people to the polls and raised levels of consciousness about the issues facing our hometown.

These five candidates helped prove that our electoral system works, that by filing to run for office they give voters a choice of candidates and of ideas. Coppola and Duggan took the 7th and 8th position with Davis finishing 6th and McDonnell narrowly losing to Donovic resulting in her 5th place finish. 

Karen Smith and Maureen Brosnan These five candidates, although having received the largest share of the votes, have won nothing except to have an opportunity to put their ideas to work, understand the legislative process and to develop a sense of team while moving Livonia forward.

Kathleen McIntyre will serve as Council President with Scott Bahr taking second chair. Newcomers Brandon McCullough and Rob Donovic received respectively the third and fourth highest vote total. Donovic will serve two years with the other three serving four years.

I suggest that you withhold congratulations until a year has passed to see what it is they accomplish.For now I acknowledge that they understand politics and how to receive the largest number of votes. The work is yet to be done and the residents of Livonia are looking for that promise of engagement, not just during an election but rather between elections. 
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In Tuesday's night's general election in the city of Livonia, Maureen Miller Brosnan was elected as the first female mayor in the city's nearly 70-year history. Brosnan edged out Laura Toy, with 12,230 votes. Toy fell just short with 12,066 votes. 164 votes was the difference but a victory nonetheless.

The Brosnan campaign released the following statement attributable to Ms. Brosnan:
 
"I want to thank all of my supporters, our campaign team, and the volunteers who made this historic victory possible. Across this campaign, we have connected with thousands of Livonia residents about the future of our city, and they agree that Livonia is an exceptional city, with a bright future. Our campaign has laid the groundwork for a clear agenda for Livonia's future, and I am
 honored to be chosen to lead the city as we enact that vision.
 
"Livonia enters its seventieth year as a city next year, and for the first time will be led by a female mayor. This is not  a milestone I take lightly, but I also recognize that Livonia residents chose me because there's work to do to make Livonia a city our children come home to. I look forward to continuing that work and hitting the ground running in service to my neighbors and community."

With a crowd approaching 200 cheers filled the room when the final result was announced. On hand was Eileen McDonnell who finished 5th narrowly losing to 4th place finisher Rob Donovic.

Brandon McCullough and his wife Kacie entered with broad smiles that lit up the room. Joining them was councilman Jim Jolly and Brandon Kritzman, both of whom endorsed him.

With strong support from the police and fire unions it was no surprise that a large delegation was on hand including police union president Scott Morgan and fire union president Nathan Lee. State Senator Dayna Polehanki arrived early and stated late to savor this momentous occasion. The first woman Mayor for Livonia.  
 
ABOUT MAUREEN MILLER BROSNAN
Maureen most recently served as the interim CEO of Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan and the chairperson of the board of directors of St. Mary Mercy Hospital. She is a former president of the Livonia City Council where she was elected to serve for 17 years, including serving as Council President from 2014-2015. She previously served as the executive director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association. She has called Livonia home for 55 years and resides in Livonia's Old Rosedale Gardens neighborhood.  
Livonia among best places in U.S. for retirees
The City of Livonia ranks among the top communities in the United States in which to retire, according to a list of rankings released recently by ChamberofCommerce.org.

Livonia was recognized as 8 th Best City in the Nation for retirees, based on numerous factors. The report called Livonia "the quintessential Michigan suburb," noting the great neighborhoods, abundant recreational opportunities geared toward older residents, high number of seniors, and reasonable monthly housing cost.

" With nearly a quarter of Livonia's population being 65 or older, retirees in the city never feel out of place," said the Chamber of Commerce report. 

Among the other factors measured for this study were overall poverty rate, percentage of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher, low rate of violent crime, and the high number of physicians and police officers per 100,000 residents. For more on this report, visit: https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/best-cities-to-retire-in-the-us .

Livonia has been recognized with numerous additional accolades in recent years, including: 
  • Among the 25 Safest U.S. Cities (2019, Reviews.com)
  • Home to one of the Hottest Real Estate Markets in the Nation for millennial homebuyers (48154 Zip Code for both 2018 and 2019, Realtor.com)
  • In the Top 100 Best Cities in the country in which to Raise Kids (2017, National Council for Home Safety and Security)
The Arc of Northwest Wayne County partners with
Flemings Prime Steakhouse for a successful and fun fundraiser

What a great night!

Thank you everyone for coming to the first Arc of Northwest Wayne County Sip & Support at Flemings.

Kathy Pfuhler, The Arc's Board President, worked with   Fleming's Prime Steakhouse-Livonia and Kristi Teefey to put this fundraiser together. 

Other great donors included  Plum Market West Bloomfield Brengman Brothers Winery , and  Clif Family Winery .

Also the Arc of Northwest Wayne County sends a shout out to the   Redford ConnectionFriday Musings, and  Redford Chamber of Commerce for getting the word out.
Livonia Community Theatre Announces
"A Season of Service: Honoring Women in Wars"

Livonia Community Theatre's 2019-2020 season will honor and explore the historical experience of women in wartime, beginning Veteran's Day weekend with a production of Women and War , a one-act play by Jack Hilton Cunningham.  The show runs November 8 and 9, 2019 at 7:30 p.m., and November 10, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.

The play, told in the style of readers-theater, is a collection of letters and monologues based on historical fact. They tell the stories of generations of women who have been impacted by their experience in wartime, from The Great War to the War in Afghanistan.

"The characters in Women and War are based on real life people and their circumstances, says Laurie Smalis, Director. "For those lucky enough to never have had their lives touched by war or conflict, I hope this provocative one-act play will help you sympathize with those who have, and help you learn more about the ways women have had to deal with war over the years and in modern times." 

All performances are held at Livonia Community Theatre's performance home in St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, 27475 Five Mile Road, Livonia. Tickets are available at the door, $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for students 18 and under. 

Continuing in the season honoring women in service, the group has scheduled the play A Piece of My Hear t, by Shirley Lauro, a true drama that follows six women who serve in the Vietnam War. This show runs April 26-20, 2020 and May 1-2, 2020. 

For more information visit the group's website at livoniacommunitytheatre.org, or contact them at [email protected]
Cole, Newton & Duran's Lauretta Lloyd Appointed to
Friends of Community Living Services Board of Directors

Lauretta Lloyd, senior accountant, of Cole, Newton & Duran CPAs, has been appointed to the Friends of Community Living Services board of directors. 

"This is a great honor being appointed to the Friends of Community Living Services board of directors", said Lauretta Lloyd. "I'm proud to be associated with an organization that provides support and service for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I'm dedicated to supporting this important organization to help find employment and volunteer opportunities and work toward a future of independence and freedom for individuals with disabilities."
 
Friends of Community Living Services is a separate, nonprofit organization that raises funds for people served by Community Living Services (CLS). The money raised at fundraising events held throughout the year is granted to people supported by CLS for opportunities such as community connections, starting or furthering their education, start-up funds for small businesses and much more. The money donated to Friends of Community Living Services allows people supported by CLS to fund different things in their lives that Medicaid dollars do not cover.
 
Lauretta joined Cole, Newton & Duran CPAs in October 2018 and has more than 31 years of accounting and tax experience. Specializes in accounting and tax preparation, and performing reviews for various entities including individuals, partnerships, trusts, not-for-profits, businesses, and employee benefits. She also has experience preparing and reviewing financial statements and consulting with clients on accounting and tax issues. 
 
About Cole, Newton & Duran CPAs (cndcpa.com)
Cole, Newton & Duran CPAs (CND) has been providing quality, personalized financial guidance to local individuals and businesses for more than 50 years. Our expertise ranges from basic tax management and accounting services to more in-depth services such as audits, financial statements, and financial planning. CND is one of the leading firms in and throughout the area. By combining our expertise, experience, and the team mentality of our staff, we assure that every client receives the close analysis and attention they deserve.
COMING SOON........
THE MADONNA UNIVERSITY 
LYRIC THEATRE PRODUCTION of
The 1940's Kaleidoscope Radio Hour

Featuring performers from Madonna University's Performing Arts Ensembles:
     LYRIC THEATRE, JAZZ ENSEMBLE, MADONNA CHORALE, GOSPEL CHOIR, REPERTORY THEATRE and MUse DANCE ENSEMBLE.
Written and compiled by Barbara Wiltsie

Enter our world of a 1948 radio hour show as it faces competition 
with the growing television station industry

Sample acts include "Sentimental Journey", Abbott & Costello's "Who's on first", 
Commercial Jingles, Operatic Arias, 
5-minute Mystery Stories with Foley Artist, "Ac-cen-tu-ate the Positive", STOP THE MUSIC!, 
"Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho", Songs popularized by
the original Inkspots, "Take the A-Train", Tap dance to "Too Darn Hot", and much more.

Tickets sold only at the door  --  $5.00  --  open seating