April 27, 2020         Your News source for All Livonia. All the time. All ways positive. 
Musings masthead website

TOWN HALL RESCHEDULES MARCH 2020 LUNCHEON for SEPTEMBER 16, 2020
ST. MARY CULTURAL CENTER 18100 Merriman Road, Livonia 48152    10:30am - 1:30pm
The Livonia Town Hall, an inductee in the 1835 Livonia City Hall of Fame, brings outstanding speakers to Livonia each year. This September speaker is no exception.
 
Gioia Diliberto is a journalist, biographer, and novelist. She is the author of thebiographies Paris without End: The True Story of Hemingway's First WifeA Useful Woman: The Early Life of Jane Addams, and Debutante: The Story of Brenda Frazier and the novels I Am Madame X and The Collection

Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including the New York TimesLos Angeles Times, the Chicago TribuneSmithsonian, and Vanity Fair. 

She is a visiting lecturer in writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design and DePaul University. She lives in Chicago.
 
This Town Hall luncheon is for the 2019-2020 season ticket holders; it is not part of the 2020-2021 Season - however, individual tickets for this luncheon are available for $55 and can be purchased  by sending a check with a self-addressed and stamped business-size return envelope to: Livonia Town Hall 37637 Five Mile Road #135 Livonia, MI  48154 by September 1, 2020.
 
Livonia Town Hall 2020-2021 Season tickets can be purchased on  www.livoniatownhall.org 
So much to appreciate when you take the time to seek out a wonderful artist like Alan Brooks.
One of the stay at home benefits for this typewriter is that I get to explore the works of some creative folks like Alan Brooks who writes that he hopes "everyone enjoys the photographs I am posting. 2020 is not working out as I expected. I have several exhibits I was planning to enter this year as well as 4 solo exhibits. One right now is going on at the Livonia City Hall, unfortunately City Hall is closed so no one can see it. The others? Who knows. So I am giving my FB friends a chance to view my work on line. Plan B."

Thank you Alan Brooks for making my day on more than one afternoon. 












Yes, We Have No Bananas
The first person shopping experience of the bodyguard aka KV aka Kathy Ventittelli

Kids Songs | Yes, We Have No Bananas | Songs for Kids | Silly Songs | PBS Kids | Kidsongs TV Show
Kids Songs | Yes, We Have No Bananas | Songs for Kids | Silly Songs | PBS Kids | Kidsongs TV Show
If this stay-at-home lasts much longer it might find the bodyguard finally getting a hold of the concept of having someone else do the shopping for you. In her own words see if you can relate to what she is going through:

As we all know by now, getting groceries during a pandemic has been interesting, if not challenging. No more jumping in the car for the short drive to one of the numerous supermarkets, produce stores, independent grocers or bakeries so readily available here in Livonia.

If you are observing the "stay at home" order as we are, you have to plan to grocery shop at least a week ahead, which is about how long it takes to get a pickup or delivery date from most grocers or from one of the delivery services like Shipt or Instacart. (Remember in all those Westerns we watched as kids how settlers would make the big trip into town to load the wagon up with supplies?)

I've learned the hard way that many of the items on my list may not be available by the time my "shopper" starts my order.
 It's forced me to juggle orders at several stores at once, hoping to get items I normally wouldn't think twice about. Like bananas. In our household, it's standard practice to always have several fresh bananas on hand. By the time they were all eaten, all I had to do was go get more, no thought or planning required. But these days, it seems we have either an overabundance of bananas or no bananas for a number of days, until whenever chance has it that we get our next grocery delivery. There was one point where two of my "juggled" food orders were mistakenly delivered on the same day and we had about a dozen bananas at once!!! Needless to say, banana bread and banana cake soon followed. 

I think I have finally gotten the hang of this online shopping thing so that I can keep a reasonable number of bananas on the counter most of the time. In fact, it's the bananas that now determine when I place an order for groceries in general. I start the order with the bananas, and just keep adding other items as needed. 

But I am not complaining about this small part of our "new normal." My heart goes out to those who are truly suffering during this pandemic. It only reinforces how fortunate I feel to be safe and sound. There may be times when "Yes, we have no bananas," but it is a small price to pay.

City initiates employee furloughs as part of Workforce Protection Plan 

COVID-19 Status Update and Livonia Employee Furlough Message
COVID-19 Status Update and Livonia Employee Furlough Message
The City of Livonia is initiating a Workforce Protection Plan starting April 25, 2020, placing about 234 employees on full or partial furlough in order to safeguard City finances. That is about 37% of the City workforce.

The plan will save about $160,000 a week for the employees furloughed. This is in addition to the current savings total of $160,000 from temporary employees who have not been working.

"The decision to furlough a large portion of our team was one I did not take lightly," said Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan. "A great deal of thought has gone into, not only whether this was truly necessary, but how to put together a plan that would help us come back strong after the COVID-19 pandemic."

The Workforce Protection Plan was created with Department Heads and union leaders to ensure the City can:
  • Manage costs now with the expected significant loss of revenue to the City. 
  • Allow employees to take advantage of special federal unemployment benefits.
  • Bring the City staff back gradually, but as soon as feasibly possible.
Projected City revenue losses come from many sources. Decreases in funding are projected from state sales taxes and gasoline taxes, fees and unemployment-driven hits to real estate sales and property taxes.

Mayor Brosnan stressed that these are furloughs, not layoffs. Department Heads will maintain contact with furloughed employees, Mayor Brosnan noted, to ensure the Citywill be able to bring back an experienced workforce and not need to hire and train new employees.

Currently, only the City's critical services are still in operation. Many of those critical employees are police or firefighters, while the majority of others are working from home.
At the same time, the City is announcing that City Hall and other buildings will remain close through May 15, in accordance with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's latest Executive Order. The only building that remains open to the public is the lobby of the Livonia Police Station.

However, the three City of Livonia golf courses - Idyl Wyld, Fox Creek and Whispering Willows - will be reopening April 25, under strict guidelines  outlined by the Governor's order and numerous safety guidelines approved by Livonia's Director of Emergency Management. Visit www.golflivonia.com for details.
Musings follows the 2020 elections
Vote
None have been certified by Board of Canvassers


Donald J. Trump (I) (R)
Democratic Candidate has yet to be determined
 

United States Senate
Gary Peters (D-I)

Bob Carr (R)

John James (R)

United States House of Representatives
Haley Stevens (D-I)
Endorsed by:
Michigan Education Association

Frank Acosta

Kerry Bentivolio (R)


Whitney Williams (R)
Endorsed by:

Eric Esshaki (R)

Michigan House of Representatives
Laurie Pohutsky (D-I)
Endorsed by:
Sierra Club
SEIU
 Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan
Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters & Millwrights
Congresswoman Haley Stevens


Martha Ptashnik (R)
Endorsed by:
City Council President Kathleen McIntyre

Wayne County Commissioner
Terry Marecki (R-I)
Schoolcraft College Trustee
Brian Broderick (I)
Joan Gebhardt (I)
Terry Gilligan (I)
Livonia Board of Education
FridayMusings has endorsed the following four:
Dan Centers (I)
Karen Bradford (I)
Tammy Bonifield (I)
Crystal Frank (I)
Clarenceville Board of Education
Matt Boettcher (I)
Brenda Uren (I)
Shari Krazel (I) 
Jeffrey Bunker (I)
Musings follows Our 
Livonia City Council
Livonia City Council Regular Meeting - April 15, 2020
Livonia City Council Regular Meeting - April 15, 2020

Livonia City Council Study Meeting - April 15, 2020
Livonia City Council Study Meeting - April 15, 2020

Musings follows Livonia Happenings
April in Livonia
April is cancelled. Go directly to May
Every night M-F @ 7:00 check him out 
Every Tuesday @ 12:00 - 12:00

May in Livonia
Tentatively cancelled.
If things change look for the events here
June in Livonia
July in Livonia
July 25 @ 9:00 -- 2:00
Touch-a-Truck sponsored by Rotary AM Club
 
August in Livonia
August 16 @ 3:00

September in Livonia
Bob Bennett Memorial Golf Outing
Date to be determined

September 13 @ 12:00

October in Livonia
October 1 @ 7:00
Hall of Fame 2013
Presenting Sponsor:
Dan MacIver
Financial & Portfolio Advisors

YOU GOTTA LOVE LIVONIA.
Communication and update from Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan 
For daily updates check out the City of Livonia  Covid-19 page

Just a reminder that the City continues to seek contributions of  personal protective equipment and other supplies for first responders  and medical personnel. Donations can be dropped off weekdays at the 
Kirksey Recreation Center from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.




Dan MacIver offers up a slice of Livonia History. Musical history.


The city asked and our faith community responded.
Your help is needed.
Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church, Livonia, MI is assembling blessing bags for the staff at St. Mary Mercy Hospital and they need your help!

They are looking  for donations of headbands that have buttons sewn on them (can be handmade or store-bought fabric headbands with buttons added), lip balm/Chapstick, hard candy mints, rolls of Life Savers, pocket-size tissue, 1 oz. boxes of raisins and bottles of Gatorade.

Donations can be dropped off at Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church, 9601 Hubbard. 

There is a labeled tub outside the church parking lot entrance door #6 where items can be placed. The tub will be out Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon - 5 p.m. and Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday from noon - 7 p.m. from now until April 30

The church hopes to make 2,000 blessing bags, one for each staff member at the hospital. They need your help to meet their goal!

Proud sponsor of the Detroit Red Wings v Livonia All-stars coming to town Aug 16, 3:00.
Love Livonia and
Love Livonia neighbors sharing their thoughts


Lori Kleismit Fracassa:   Great Restaurant, Great Food, Great Family...��we had our Wedding Reception there in 1984...♥️

Catherine PhillipsBoth of our families frequented the restaurant. We never left hungry. Same with their pizza,the most cheese and the best toppings.My dad always said,Those delivery guys are part of the Mafia no one messes with them

DanandVeronica MacIver: Such a great supporter of the Livonia community and Clarenceville school district too!!!

Tamara Oliverio: I worked there when I was 15 and have had most all of our family's wedding/baby showers and funerals there. ❤️ Corsi's

Wendy Walton-Merschman: My Mom still lives in the neighborhood across 7 Mile and loves to have dinner there.

Dreams can come true. For Andie Klisz she likes to dream big

Sherry Klisz: Thank you for Andie's story. It means a lot! Proud Grandparents!

Linda Brus: Another example of You're either part of the problem or part of the solution. Innovation, focus and positive outreach...this is our way forward!!!

Our Livonia robotics teams have had their 3D printers running non-stop 

Angela Wojtyniak: That is awesome!!! Thank you all for doing this!!!

Terry Godfroid-MareckiThank you for alerting us to this Musings! My office will be sending congratulatory certificates to these great kids! Great work.