Bill Joyner's FridayMusings 11.18.20

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November 18,2020 Your Source for Livonia Cultural Happenings

Our hometown health care workers have met this year's extraordinary challenges with strength and determination.

When Livonia Masks up we become like super heroes

Yes, Santa Claus Is Still Coming to Laurel Park Place!

Break out those stockings, Christmas trees, and red or green masks – it’s time to enjoy a fun, festive, and socially distanced holiday season at Laurel Park Place!

From Nov. 27 - Dec. 24, you’ll find Santa and his team of elves at the Food Court. Visits will be contactless, with families sitting six feet away to ensure proper social distancing. But don’t worry about those Christmas lists! Santa Claus can’t wait to hear what’s on your list and will still be available to talk with his little elves-in-training.

Santa will be available for photos during the following times: Monday – Saturday, 11am to 8pm, Sunday, 12pm to 6pm. Schedule your visit by clicking here.

Today's Smile

THANK YOU CORSI'S

for using your dining area for patrons to drop off donations in support of You Are Loved project for homeless.

Just look at some of the love given up by Corsi's patrons. So much was donated You Are Loved had to make two trips. This picture is just a small part of the total amount donated.

And thank you Livonia for making a difference.

What's Happening Livonia and

What to look forward to !!

The Civic Park Senior Center will have its traditional “Mitten Tree” up in the lobby during the month of November. Help Livonia decorate the tree with new mittens and scarves

The Goodfellows are collecting new, unwrapped toys for children from birth to 8 years along with non-perishable food is being collected Saturdays and Sundays through December 5th from 9 am to 12 pm (Sat.) and 12 pm to 3 pm (Sunday) at Dickinson Center, 18000 Newburgh Road.

Santa Claus will see children on the porch of the Alexander Blue House at Greenmead from 5-8 p.m. on Saturdays, Dec. 5, 12, and 19, and Sundays, Dec. 13 and 20. Santa will be surrounded by an impressive display of lights on the house and trees and other displays.

Santa will also greet children at the Merry and Bright Reverse Holiday Parade at the Livonia Civic Center Campus from 4-5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6. This event will replace the traditional holiday parade. Instead, families will parade through the Civic

Virtual Presentation by the Livonia Civic Chorus. A Christmas Concert with holiday music for your listening pleasure. Ready for your viewing and listening pleasure in time for the Christmas season. Release date soon.

Detroit Red Wing Alumni versus Livonia All Stars coming this winter with date to be announced but keep this in your tickle file as proceeds will benefit Livonia Kids and Families and Greenmead. Plans are underway and the date will be announced shortly.

Tour de Livonia. A 25 mile bicycle tour of Livonia starting at Bicentennial Park. Originally scheduled for July 2020 now is on the tentative drawing board for July 2021. Stay tuned for this exciting new event unique to Livonia and Paris.

Good Old Fashioned Neighborhood Corn Roast set for renewal in September. Tentative September 19, 12:00 - 4:00. Another one for your tickle file and something to look forward to.

Reader feedback:

The response to the commentary by Steve Johnson on the dogs running without leases and owners not picking up dog waste on school property hit a nerve with several readers of Musings. With some school property posting signs there clearly is a need for consistency by the schools and common sense by dog owners. Here is a sample of the responses received:

Steve Johnson: Thanks Bill for casting a light on the loose dog problem. The Principal of Coolidge Elementary School, which sits right next to this vacant property where the loose dogs are run has responded positively to my warning by keeping the gates to the playground closed during the school day.

As I understand from the Animal Control Officer, they have called on the city council in the past to strengthen the leash law, but failed. The difference now is that Livonia has a dog park so there is no longer a good excuse why dogs need to be run off leash anywhere except the dog park. We will continue to call on the city leaders to take action on this important Public Safety matter.

Kathy Bilger: I will second Steve Johnson's concern about loose dogs. My son and other vets are reporting huge increases in dog on dog attacks as more people are out walking dogs due to covid. All it takes is a dog being startled, for it to attack another dog. So a car backfiring, firecracker, a drone flying close, a child screaming, lots of scenarios can cause a good dog to lose its cool.

Bill Craig: I have used the LPS site on Merriman a few times. I keep my dogs on leash. Too many loose dogs NOT walking close with their owners. When dogs roam far away it is not likely their waste will be found/collected. The city park (I use) is posted to have dogs on leash and waste must be picked up. A trash can is provided. I will no longer use the Merriman Road property. Thank you for spreading the news on this topic.

Ray DePerro: I can understand why (Steve Johnson) is upset. I watched both videos. I will not take my dog to a park because he is a small eight pound chihuahua. If another dog attacked him he would not stand a chance to survive. As far as the dog pooping and the owner not picking it up I'm appalled. I hope that Mr Johnson doesn't think that these two videos are representative of all the pet owners in Livonia. They should not be allowed to have animals if you can't or don't want to clean up after them. It's called being a responsible dog owner.

Michael Testa: Thanks for covering this story. LPS’s stance seems strange and inconsisten. There is clear signage regarding Pets and their waste at other LPS vacant properties such as Old Webster and Hull. Signage at Niji-Iro notes “Dogs Running at large Prohibited”. Holmes has a sign that says, “Dog Walking not allowed on School Property”. Emerson has a sign that covers Pet waste and use of a Leash. Most of these signs note a City Code of Ordinance – so the City would be responsible to enforce. (Note from the typewriter: the two pictures were provided by Testa)

Steve Johnson: Mr. Francis from LPS, in a letter to me wrote in part "Erecting signs with restrictions on District properties (re: dogs, drones, model airplanes etc..) that cannot be practicably enforced across all of our district sites is not in the best interest of the public or the District." When I spoke with Mr. Francis well over a year ago he claimed there used to be signage at the "Old Bryant Property", and that he would have new signage ordered and installed. So, his comments now are somewhat confusing. Livonia Animal Control has said they would enforce if signs were erected, so there would be practical enforcement. The residents and indeed the school children in this area should be afforded the same level of safety that the rest of Livonia's residents have. By the non action of Livonia Schools and by the church who owns part of the property, this area has become an unlicensed, unregulated, and unsafe dog park. Councilman McCullough has been apprised of this latest update and will be following up. The first time I met him he said he would be an advocate for change, after viewing the area himself. I still believe he is an advocate and have the utmost confidence in his ability as a city leader to bring about positive results.

Kelli Miller: I wish Livonia had a leash law. It would make it very cut and dry as to what was acceptable and what wasn’t. The phrase “under your vocal control” or whatever they use here is ambiguous. I’ve been charged at by “nice” dogs and had to protect my children

Kelly Keith: I have also witnessed loose dogs on open/current school grounds, during non school hours. The playgrounds are attractive places to frequent for all. However, loose dogs running around playgrounds urinating and defecating near play structures is unacceptable

Alycia Barrett: I used to live by Coolidge Elementary along the treeline to St. Mary's and SO MANY people would bring their dogs to the baseball field off the leash and then they'd end up running the fence line with my pup.

Livonia Citizens Caring about Black Lives Annual Celebrating Diversity Toy Drive

Feeling generous? Donate! You can choose a gift from their Amazon.com wish list which is is quick and easy. You can also shop local!

Need a little help this holiday season? Apply! And tell a friend!

Amazon Wish List:

https://bit.ly/LCCABLAmazonList

Family Registration Form: https://bit.ly/Livoniatoydrive2020

Sweet Dreamzzz goes big

Michael Smith, Former President of the Livonia based Sweet Dreamzzz Board of Governors, Member, Pajama Program Board of Directors sent this note to FridayMusings to share the good news about Livonia based Sweet Dreamzzz:

Providing our innovative sleep health education programs to children and families throughout the nation has been a long-standing goal. Research shows that our early childhood programing for preschoolers, parents, and teachers brought 30 additional minutes of weeknight sleep to participating children. A good night’s sleep is critical to children’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development, and a sleep increase of this size is believed sufficient by sleep experts to improve alertness, memory, and behavior.

Wouldn’t it be amazing – in fact, life-changing – to deliver this critical programming to millions of children and families, all across the United States?

Well, once in a blue moon, the perfect opportunity to grow presents itself...

We are thrilled to share that Sweet Dreamzzz has joined national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Pajama Program! for children and caregivers everywhere, bedtime just got better.

Founded nearly 20 years ago in New York City, Pajama Program’s vision is to deliver Good Nights for Good Days to all children. Through a national network of dedicated volunteers, donors, and over 4,000 community-based organizations across the United States, Pajama Program has provided over 7 million new pajamas and storybooks to children facing adversity and has fostered caring connections for children through local programming in New York City and Atlanta. Pajama Program’s mission is to promote and support a comforting bedtime routine and healthy sleep for all children to help them thrive.

Today, Pajama Program and Sweet Dreamzzz officially announced that Pajama Program assumed the Sweet Dreamzzz staff and integrated Sweet Dreamzzz's evidence-based sleep health education programs into its offerings.

As one united organization, Pajama Program is positioned to scale for growth and enhance national impact, empowering more children with the information, tools, and support they need for comforting bedtime routines and a good night’s sleep.

What does this change mean for Sweet Dreamzzz supporters and the children and families in our reach?

Pajama Program will continue to offer the proven sleep health education programs that students, parents, educators, donors, and volunteers have come to know and trust from Sweet Dreamzzz. Programming will flourish in Michigan and well beyond!

While Sweet Dreamzzz, Inc. will no longer exist as a separate entity, Pajama Program is maintaining the office in Livonia, Michigan, and the Sweet Dreamzzz staff members – Ann Raftery, Louise Derry, and Diane Seitz – are now part of Pajama Program’s staff. Four members of the Sweet Dreamzzz Board of Governors are also joining the Pajama Program team: Eileen McCarthy, Lisa Tan, and I are members of Pajama Program’s Board of Directors; and Dr. Ronald Chervin is a member of Pajama Program’s Good Night Advisory Council of sleep experts.

We are so very grateful for your generosity, friendship, and your continuing support as we embark on this new phase of providing Good Nights for Good Days to all children, everywhere.

Together, we will help children get the sleep they need to thrive.

(A note from the typewriter: From Livonia. From Southeast Michigan. To the United States. You gotta think big and act big. Congratulations Sweet Dreamzzz and Pajama Program.)