Bill Joyner's FridayMusings 5.12.21

May 12, 2021 FridayMusings is your source for what we love about Livonia

The typewriter has dried off from Year 3 of the Good Old-Fashioned Neighborhood Corn Roast. Halfway through the clouds opened up and, well you can figure out the rest, Year 4 was ready to go when the pandemic hit and, well you can figure out the rest.

We are ready to rock and roll with Year 4 redeux and, well you can figure out the rest but let's share some of the plans underway,

(All of the people in the two pictures below wore masks prior to the picture, all have had their two vaccines, and lotion was made available after handshakes and immediately returned to six feet distancing.)

Livonia Parks and Recreation is on board to coordinate the activities at our historic Greenmead Village. A whole new setting. As Greenmead is in the process of setting up a master plan with Wade Trim on board to develop a plan the typewriter met up with Julie Allen, Livonia Kids and Family, Brandon McCullough, Honorary Chair of the Corn Roast, and Ted Davis, Superintendent of Livonia Parks and Recreation to present a $500 donation to Greenmead in appreciation of Livonia Parks & Recreation helping coordinate the Corn Roast at Greenmead.

This is a win-win all around. Over 1500 Livonia residents, many for the first time, will meet new neighbors, make new friends, learn about the non-profit and volunteer sectors. They will enjoy corn fresh from the field that morning prepared by the Lions, have a Kona treat compliments of Councilman Jim Jolly. And, well you guessed it. Take a look at our historic Greenmead Village and see this gateway entrance into our community.

With appreciation to the Hardies Family Trust, Livonia Kids & Families and Community Financial Credit Union, AlphaUSA, and F&PA/Dan MacIver for becoming sponsors and partners in making Year 4 happen.

The list of community groups is growing and it looks like 30 will be on hand showcasing who they are and how they play a significant role in building a hometown of which we can be proud.

Oh, did I mention that student volunteers from our hometown high schools will be on hand to shuck 1000 ears of corn? Corn, which it should be noted is provided by AlphaUSA from Westborn Market on Middlebelt. Students arrive at 9:00 and have at it.

So how will we get the corn to Greenmead? Councilman Rob Donovic says to count on him again to load up his truck at 7:30 and deliver it to Greenmead where Rob Drzewicki, who has volunteered again, will be waiting to help unload.

Julie Allen, Livonia Kids & Family, met up with Ted Davis, to thank Livonia Lion Matt Collins for being a part of the Corn preparation for the 4th year.

With the Livonia Lions on hand to make sure the corn distribution and preparation goes well I am sure that we have it all in hand. We are asking again for members of the Livonia City Council and School Board to serve as honorary corn roasters with many already signing up as they do every year.

The Livonia Civic Chorus has offered to provide some background music throughout the afternoon. Charlie Mahoney says that we can count on the Livonia Symphony Orchestra to be on hand. As will Virginia Bosak and the Visual Art Association of Livonia. And Liz jarvis along with the LPS Education Foundation. The complete list is being compiled and will be announced as we get closer to the Corn Roast.

I Will be doing my anti-rain dance, of which no photographs will be available, so am looking forward to Year 4 of the Good Old Fashioned Corn Roast and the opportunity to introduce new residents to historic Greenmead Village and meet up with community organizations.

Honorary Co-Chair

Councilman Brandon McCullough

Corn on the Cob prepared by

Livonia Lions

Kona Ice Truck Sponsored by

Councilman Jim Jolly

Honorary Corn Roasters

(in formation with more to come)

Senator Dayna Polehanki

Councilman Jim Jolly

Councilman Rob Donovic

Councilman Brandon McCullough

Clerk Susan Nash

Treasurer Lynda Scheel

School Trustee Colleen Burton

School Trustee Dan Centers

School Trustee Madeline Acosta

School Trustee Liz Jarvis

Keeping up with candidates

FridayMusings loves it when candidates for office express a creative look at issues affecting our hometown. The typewriter will try and share new and innovative ideas.

In this case, Carrie Budzinski has brought to our attention the Compost Now innovative recycling program. Just an idea--but that is what campaigns SHOULD be about.

Carrie says that "CompostNow offers curbside compost collection (like the Simple Recycling program we use in the city now) and if 500 Livonians express interest they'll look at expanding to our area. This is an easy, effective way to be green and keep waste from landfills.

"Check out their website and, if you like it, join the interest list: https://compostnow.org/coming/mi/livonia "

Endorsements for City Council candidates

Endorsements announced to date:

Carrie Budzinski

Former US Senator Carl Levin

State Representative Laurie Pohutski

Dan Centers

State Senator Dayna Polehanki

State Representative Laurie Pohutsky

County Commissioner David Knezek

Livonia Professional Firefighters Local #1164

Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2

Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan

Councilman Brandon McCullough

Former Councilman Dale Jurcisin

Former Councilman Joe Laura

Former Councilman Dale Jurcisin

School Trustee Mark Johnson

School Trustee Colleen Burton

School Trustee Karen Bradford

School Trustee Liz Jarvis

School Trustee Tammy Bonifield

Former School Trustee Randy Roulier

Former School Trustee Dianne Laura

Schoolcraft College Joan Gebhardt

Schoolcraft Trustee Brett Gierak

Schoolcraft Trustee Terry Gilligan

Human Rights Haitham Fakhouri

Board of Review Pat Crandell

Zoning Board of AppealsTim Klisz

Zoning Board of Appeals Lisa Fraske

Human Relations Wafa Dinaro

Human Relations Rachel Zuckerman

Civil Service Jim Wenson

Library CommissionMadison Bjertness

Library Commission Kacie McCullough

Robert Donovic

Jim Jolly

County Commissioner Terry Marecki

County Commissioner David Knezek

Livonia Professional Firefighters

Livonia Police Officers Association

Livonia Command Officers Association

Michigan Building and Construction Trades

Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2

Pipefitters Local 636

Mayor Maureen Brosnan

Councilwoman Laura Toy

Councilman Brandon McCullough

Former City Councilman Brandon Kritzman

Former City Councilman James McCann

Former Councilman Brian Meakin

School Board Trustee Karen Bradford

Schoolcraft College Joan Gebhardt

Schoolcraft Trustee Brett Gierak

Schoolcraft Trustee Terry Gilligan

Board of Review, Pat Crandall

Human Relations Comm. Haitham Fakouri

Planning Commissioner Sam Caramagno

Zoning Commissioner Tim Klisz

Zoning Commissioner Michael Testa

Zoning Commissioner Jim Baringhaus

Library Commissioner Kacie McCullough

Scott Morgan

Ken Overwater

Laura Toy

The 2021 Virtual Michigan Jazz Festival

SUNDAY, JULY 18

In 1991 two big band leaders, John Trudell and Emil Moro felt that many jazz festival organizers believed that only nationally-celebrated artists should be invited to play. They went to the Elkhart Jazz Festival in Indiana and met with bandleader Tom Saunders, who had some experience producing a festival. The Michigan Jazz Festival was about to become a reality and the first one was held at Freedom Hill in 1995. Attendance was sparse, but they dreamed on.

They knew that too many of Detroit’s jazz musicians had to leave Detroit to be recognized for their talents. The late Detroit drummer J.C. Heard once said, “Local? What does that mean? Everybody has to live somewhere.”

The concept of the Michigan Jazz Festival would be to showcase local talent and offer it at no charge, exposing young musicians to the music and taking it into the schools whenever possible. Musicians who were devoted to the furtherance of jazz and who were willing to play for union scale would be featured in this annual all-day event.

Jazz promoter Midge Ellis and Eileene Standley were asked to bring their organizational skills to the event and the festival moved to historic Botsford Inn and was a growing annual event from 1996 to 1998 until the Inn was sold to Botsford Hospital. Schoolcraft College was approached about its music department becoming a co-sponsor and moving the Festival there.

Dr. Conway Jeffress, then Vice President for Instruction, thought it was a wonderful idea and the Festival moved to its present site. It has been presented there since 1999 with growing success and acclaim.