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By: Jeff Milo, Circulation Specialist

“A library card is the start of a lifelong adventure.” – Lilian Jackson Braun

THE FERNDALE AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY is a participant of The Library Network, a state-funded cooperative that serves 75 libraries in southeast Michigan. This collaboration means your card will be honored at other participating libraries in the region, like Royal Oak, Hazel Park, Oak Park, Huntington Woods, Berkley, and many more. If you want a book that isn’t in Ferndale’s collection but circulates elsewhere, you could visit another TLN library in person to check it out or you can request items belonging to other TLN libraries be sent to Ferndale for you, for free, using your card.

When you receive your card, you also get a small blue sticker reading: “MiLibrary Card.” Somewhat similar to TLN, this allows you access to libraries all around Michigan (a list is provided at our circulation desk). However, this convenience is only achieved when you are on site at these libraries, (eg., libraries in either Macomb, Wayne or Washtenaw county) to check out and it’s limited to print materials (books, essentially).

But wait, there’s more! You can use your card to access museums, State Parks, historic sites, forest campgrounds and hundreds of local recreational sites and cultural institutions for free (or a discounted rate) through the Michigan Activity Pass (online). You can use your library card to print up passes for entry into places like the Sea Life Michigan Aquarium, Michigan Science Center and more!

You can use your card to down load available eBooks onto your device (Kindles, Nooks, smartphones), or even onto your home computer, if you’re not mobile. You can access downloadable eBooks via the OVERDRIVE link on our website.

But what else? Is your wi-fi down? Do you need a computer to type something up? Do you have an important email you need printed off? Use your library card to login to our public access computers. Are your items due today but you’re stuck late at work? Call up the automated renewal line (888-672-8983) or call the circulation desk, and we can use your card’s barcode number to extend the due dates.

Would you like your child or teen to get their own card? Come to the library with your state ID or driver’s license and fill out an application (must be five years or older.) Maybe you live in Royal Oak or Hazel Park? Your child’s RO or HP card would still be usable at the Ferndale Library.

Even if you do not live in a city with a participating TLN library, your child may still attend a school in the Ferndale School District; proof of enrollment (through a school ID or a schedule) could still provide a library card for your child, valid exclusively at the Ferndale Library through that arrangement. Children may check out movies only with permission from a parent or legal guardian. Adults: if you do not live in Ferndale but are employed in Ferndale, you may also be able to attain a card (with proof via a recent paystub or a letter from your boss/employer.)

COMING UP:

• Childhood Fair, Feb 27 at 2:00 P.M.: For families with children under 5, this fair features local preschools, specialty music organizations and Oakland County Great Start, among others, offering information and answers to questions about how to set up your child for success.

• Ferndale Reads, 2016 features Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel: FADL begins its annual onebook/ one-community reading event in March. As in 2014, we are again participating in the Michigan Humanities Council’s program, The Great Michigan Read. Free copies of Station Eleven will be available along with a schedule of several various programs and engaging events centered around the themes/plot of the book. Go Comedy will adapt the story into a fun filled romp, Book Party will host a discussion of the book in May, and there will be many more exciting programs announced as it gets closer.

For all this and more, please visit ferndalepubliclibrary.org

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction switch on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Story and photos by Rebecca Hammond

THE OLDEST RECYCLED ITEMS in your home, if you’re lucky enough to have your original windows, are the clever and elegant solution to balky windows – the sash weights. This Old House claims that, with care, original windows will outlast replacements. We love ours, even their leakiness, indoor air being more polluted than outdoor air, but only one still works as designed. You can waltz up to that one and raise or lower it with a fingertip. The rest apparently exist to infuriate us.

The book, Garbology, by Pulitzer-Prize winner Edward Humes, states that our curbside bins, into which according to SOCCRA we should put anything that fits, are actually an old idea. First used in NYC when the waste problem there became so huge, a czar of sorts initiated a mocked-buteffective army of workers that marched in whiteclad units in the streets. Residents were required to sort their garbage, which had lots of tin cans, which were made into the sash weights that may be in your house. (You may not want to know what else was recycled, or into what.) Why we humans come up with good solutions to problems and then abandon them is beyond me. Garbology makes another interesting point in a section on shows like Hoarders: We all hoard stuff, it’s just that hoarders value it enough to want to keep it. The rest of us store it elsewhere, imagining it gone.

NOW IT’S FEDERAL: The Flint water crisis remains in the news this week, having gone national. It occurs to me that the cheapest thing all along is to keep local water sources clean and drinkable. When Flint reconnected (at great enough expense requiring the charity of the Mott Foundation) to the Detroit system, I assumed that although the effects of having consumed lead would remain with anyone unlucky enough to have ingested it, the water now was again safe to drink. Not so. Pipes were damaged enough that lead is still a concern. It’s both heartening that charity groups rally to get truckloads of water to Flint and irksome that Lansing is not handling this, period. But when I hear from now on that regulations are too expensive, I’ll always remember Flint. Was this cheaper? Federal aid has been requested. The bill seems to go up by the day.

BACKYARD HABITAT NEWS: A screech owl sings from a neighbor’s big spruce most evenings. They have a sort of ventriloquist effect, making them hard to pinpoint with a flashlight. After maybe an hour of searching one night, I found the little songsmith near the trunk a bit above roof height. It was not a bit bothered by my search; in fact, it paid no attention to me until I made clicking noises, then stared me down, bold for something so small. It’s clumsy taking photos with a flashlight in one hand and a camera in the other; probably all I’d have needed is a hoop-twirling on one leg to be a vaudeville act, but I did get a few nice shots.

Notes from (slightly) Up North: Pleasant Ridge’s Environmental Committee are working with their city government on a sustain-ability plan, with SOCCRA on an electronics-and-metal collection site at the PR DPW, and on the following upcoming events, all nearby and open to the public. Thanks, Leslie Jones, for sharing this with us:

Monday, March 21 at 7:00 P.M. – The Effects of Pesticides on Health and the Environment, an educational seminar discussing why and how to avoid pesticides in the lawn and garden. Pesticides are linked to multiple human health concerns, as well as the decline of bees. Dr. Tom Kocarek, Researcher and Associate Professor at Wayne State University’s Institute of Environmental Health Sciences will outline the latest in scientific research involving the impacts of pesticides. Melissa Cooper Sargent, Environmental Health Educator at the Ecology Center, will provide tips to creating a lush and beautiful yard without pesticides. Community Center, 4 Ridge Road. The PR group will also be hosting a talk on Native Plants with Brendan Nolan on May 23 at 7 pm to be followed by a Native Plant Sale on June 4. Also at the Pleasant Ridge Community Center, free and open to the public. For further information and to RSVP, contact Leslie Jones at 248- 506-4754 or p.ridgeenvironmental@gmail.c om, and look for them on Facebook.

Claire Galed, co-manager of Huntington Woods DPW which works with their Environmental Advisory Committee, offered these New Years’ tips for a greener year:

• Start 2016 with a Pledge: landfill less and recycle more.

• For monthly information on recycling, sign up for the the SOCRRA e-newsletter at www.socrra.org.

• The New Year is a good time to ensure that recycling is easy and throwing things away is difficult. Have a container near your mail-sorting spot. Put recycling containers in your bedrooms and baths.

• Turn unused waste baskets into recycling containers (a great project for children and grandchildren). It is a good cold or rainy day activity, and can lead to increased awareness and more recycling. By making the container, there is ownership of the situation.

Rebecca Hammond prowls yards and the streets of Ferndale in search of owls. Their calls can be heard citywide, and by googling “owl calls.”

If some happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states united to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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Story by Sherrad Glosson
Photos by Bernie Laframboise

JOHN ANNESSER IS BEST KNOWN as a musician. A singer, writer, and producer in many (perhaps any) genre, he’s done – rock, blues, country, folk, punk, jazz, fusion, and rap. Looking at his home’s nondescript exterior, you wouldn’t believe that there’s more than one studio built on the inside. The main studio has various guitars, a complete drum set, keyboards, and other instruments. Another room, called the Organ Room, holds – you guessed it -–an antique organ, as well as a grand piano. There’s also a control room.

As impressive as his musical resumé is, when we sat down, it was a different subject I asked about that happened not too long ago, in which John had to play the role of crimefighter.

It was Saturday, December 5, 2015. Motives of Existence, John’s band, was having a rehearsal. John, his wife Nancy, bass player John Hayes, drummer Dave Beck and a few other bandmates were getting some extra practice in at John’s father’s house, which also has an inhouse studio. After a while, they headed back to John’s place to finish up, and continued enjoying each others’ company on what seemed to be a normal Saturday evening. One of the bandmates decided to leave shortly after and, as he opened the door, the nightmare began.

Two young men came bursting through the door. One was armed with a handgun and the other with a shotgun. “It happened so fast” said John. “I knew that I couldn’t reach for anything because that gives the gunman a green light to do something drastic.” But John wasn’t giving up. Seeing an opening, he rushed for the gunman with the handgun and knocked it out of his hand.

He hurried to the second guy, who appeared a little apprehensive about what he was doing. The only laundry basket, and he managed to push Mr. Shotgun out the door and immediately locked it.

Meanwhile, in the front room, the first gunman was fighting for the gun, when John heard bassist Hayes yell, “I got the clip!” John started tussling with the gunman to prevent him from getting his weapon back. With the gunman on top of John and the gun pointed at him, he used every bit of strength to turn the barrel around and away from his face. Luckily, though the trigger on the gun was pushed all the way back, it didn’t fire.

Still, the fight wasn’t over. The gunman started pistol-whipping John, who absorbed a few blows to the head and more, shattering his forearm when he raised it for protection. John’s wife worked to distract the intruder, and John got loose. Then Hayes ended up with the gun, ordering the man out. The gunman fled out the back door and John called the police.

John says, “I suffered post-traumatic stress for a little while after it, but I have to continue to move forward and put it behind me.” The bad guys got away, but didn’t get the money they were after. The investigation continues.

You can check out Motives of Existence at their website: www.motivesofexistence.com

If slightly happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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Story by Jeff Milo
Photos by Dzendzel & StudioStead Photographic

THERE IS A DISTINCTIVE RELATIONSHIP between artist and audience, bands and listeners. There is an opportunity to instill inspiration, to offer escape, to alter preconceptions. That power and that connection are the biggest reasons local singer/key boardist/producer Matthew Parmenter has continued to write, record and publish music for almost 30 years, now, as both a solo artist and, notably, as the frontman for the symphonic-prog band Discipline. “Any musical offering is an act of faith,” said Parmenter. “It is always rewarding to hear fellow humans say they found something palliative or profound in the work.”

Back before the World Wide Web dominated the distribution, consumption, and business mode of recorded musical art, Discipline formed in 1987 in a Royal Oak high school. The band features Jon Preston Bouda on guitar, Matthew Kennedy on bass, Paul Dzendzel on drums and Parmenter on vocals and keyboards.

“We dabbled a bit with punk while in high school,” recalls Parmenter, “but it didn’t take.” They excavated treasures from Sam’s Jams (formerly where Rosie’s now operates) and Flipside (up in Clawson,) including seminal prog-rock records that the late 80’s mainstream radio stations were ignoring, like Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, and more. “Doing ‘art-rock’ in Detroit made us feel a bit like a lone-wolf around town,” recalls Parmenter. But they kept at it, developing a mailing list, with actual snailmail and allying with comparable prog-stylists in the region like Hope Orchestra and Granfalloon. In fact, it was another local group, Tiles, who showed Discipline a lot of support over the years. Tiles’ guitarist Chris Herin eventually took the spot of Jon Preston Bouda on guitar.

Discipline have evolved over the decades, through several records released through their own label Strung Out Records, a beautiful blend of operaticpop, post-punk theatre and a baroque-tinged electronic ambiance, primarily experimenting with a genre known as progressive-rock (or prog-rock). Some of their compositions spanned 15 minutes or longer, particularly on their dazzling 1997 odyssey Unfolded Like Staircase. “As a songwriter,” Parmenter said, “I have become less inclined to embark on epics. I rarely write songs running more than 15 minutes anymore, and 25 minutes is right out. I am still drawn to create a narrative space that exposes some particular observed tension and which, ideally, reaches an emotional summit.”

On stage, Discipline embody this captivating, Morpheus- ian grace in blending psychedelic performance art with elements of classical, jazz and Brit-pop. Parmenter points to The Beatles, David Bowie and Peter Gabriel as influences for the more rock and pop sides of Discipline, while also including jazz and classical icons like Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartok. The experimental rock of Van der Graaf Generator was a notable influential touchstone.

“In live performance, we have learned to allow, and even to foster, a sort of intentional imperfection,” said Parmenter. “Not to say that we ever played perfectly. Rather, in the early days accuracy and being precise seemed more important. Later on, rough edges and spontaneity came to matter more. Then the performances started to breathe, get human, have soul. Too much polish… can become boring.”

Go online and you’ll find various zines, blogs and sites devoted to “prog” music sending some substantial love towards Detroit’s Discipline. There is truly a galaxy-full of bands edging their own nuanced composites of this genre, with acknowledged pioneers such as Yes, King Crimson and Genesis. “If progressive rock were an iceberg, most people would recognize it only by the tip they can see sticking out of the water.“

Discipline are finishing up a new album, while Parmenter celebrates the release of his third solo album, All Our Yesterdays (via U.K.-based Bad Elephant Records) on March 1.

www.strungoutrecords.com and facebook.com/DisciplineBand
Listen at: disciplineband.bandcamp.com/releases
And find news on Parmenters solo work at: www.badelephant.co.uk/

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states united to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Story by Jeff Milo
Photo courtesy of Blue Black Hours

The first weekend of March brings us the third annual Hamtramck Music Festival, a four-day celebration of local music with several unique venues and bars hosting lineups of live performances, featuring more than 150 bands. (www.hamtramckmusicfestival.com)

There can be a lot to choose from, but Ferndale Friends picked power trio Blue Black Hours for their potent and enthralling live presentation, creating atmosphere around the vibe of their signature rock sound with optimized lighting effects, haunting fog and trippy video projections.

Blue Black Hours defy concrete categorization, blending the wavy haze of psychedelia to the muscular thrum of proto-metal and the sludgier, swirlier and sometimes supernatural sensibilities of ‘70s rock. Not pop. Not garage. Very much their own thing.

Blue Black Hours features John “Spurzo” Spurrier on vocals/bass, Scott Lyon on guitar, and Ken Blaznek on drums. Lyon and Spurrier have been playing music together for more than 20 years, pairing with various drummers as the band has evolved. Ken Blaznek joined the band earlier in 2015. Blue Black Hours officially formed in 2005.

“Though we have many varied musical influences,” Spurrier noted, “we never set out to play any particular style or genre. Instead, we would play a lot of improvisational jams and structure our sound around what comes naturally from there. When it comes to writing, we prefer to be in the moment, letting the inspiration flow and acting as conduits for how the song would want to be created. With the music, lyrics and overall vibe, we always had a vision of connecting or reconnecting with an “otherworldly” realm.”

Now, the band has dropped a few names online through their Facebook and Bandcamp pages just to give listeners a reference point: Hawkind, The Doors, Black Sabbath. But it’s better to infer that BBH are conjuring the spirit or the energies of those bands, affecting an ethereal sense of escape or transcendence through a delicate storm of reverb and distortion, often surging or swelling their collective sounds into some kind of aural vortex (the fog is quite evocatively apt for this mad metaphor I’m cooking,) to where the music, the tones, timbres and tight percussion, start to seem as though they’re enveloping the audience (or listener.)

Perhaps you could just picture those blue, black hours, a time of evening darker and more foreboding than twilight and yet also something as spurring or enticing as that gossamer glimmer of pre-dawn light, sparking some sense of the celestial right here on earth, optimally past sunset, now…that…is part of the essence of BBH’s brew of rock. (Telling song titles include Darkness To Light and Sunlight and Dust.)

“That prog or psych genre label seems to tie in with an ‘otherworldly’ vibe, which we are naturally drawn to,” Spurrier said. “Most prog or psych tends to be ‘above the belt’ music, whereas most straight-up rock ‘n’ roll tends to be ‘below the belt.’ We’re fans of both sides of the proverbial ‘rock belt,’ therefore, we play rock ‘n’ roll that covers the whole body. We have the dark, gritty sound of the oil and graveled streets of the city in our music, but with the serene nature of the woods and rivers of the Upper Peninsula in there, too.”

You can wind up tumbling down an Internet rabbit-hole, through message boards and blogs, when it comes to debates or postulations over where a certain band fits, genre-wise. For BBH, it’s more about forging a composite vibe utilizing several of rock’s more sublime elements to hone an optimally transportive experience. BBH co-produced their self-titled full length with Jesse Wozniak in 2012 and began gaining more momentum, locally, since then. It wasn’t until 2014 that they properly released Blue Black Hours. At that same time, they put out a sensational EP titled Sunlight and Dust. Both are currently only available on BBH’s bandcamp: https://blueblackhours.bandcamp.com/

The band said that they are planning to get back into the studio to record the third album soon. Also in the near future, Blue Black Hours and Sunlight and Dust will be available on CD (again) as well as cassette. The two recordings have started bending a few ears toward their direction, some locally, but some internationally. “We plan on doing some touring soon and hopefully hit Europe, where it seems we’re getting some good recognition.”

Meanwhile, close to home, “We are excited to play the Hamtramck Music Festival,” said Spurrier. “We’re glad this is going back to the tradition of what was once known as ‘The Blowout!’ This will also be our first show back with our new drummer, Ken Blaznek, at Paychecks Lounge, on March 5 (a Saturday).”

You can find official set times and the full lineup here: http://hamtramckmusicfestival.com Highlight Paycheck’s Lounge, however, as that’s where you can hear (and see) BBH.

After ten years, Spurrier looks back on he and Lyon’s adventures as “…a series of very interesting inspirations and synchronicities. Honestly, this musical journey would make for a very interesting biography, someday… Really, we were brought together by what would seem to be a sort of divine intervention.

More info:
https://blueblackhours.bandcamp.com/
http://facebook.com/blueblackhours
http://hamtramckmusicfestival.com

If some happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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Story by Sherrad Glosson | Photos by Ed Abeska

OUR LITTLE BIG WORLD IS A FUN, exciting and welcoming play gallery that offers a plethora of activities for children from ages 3 to 11. The basic idea is an indoor park, but that hardly does justice to the wonders inside. There’s a huge jungle gym and seven club houses, each representing a different continent, and you can play, learn, and have fun without having to worry about rain, snow, or extreme temperatures.

ff11659_Page_1_Image_0001I spoke to owner Kandice El about her creation. “It was a dream come true. I signed the lease on this place January 15 of last year, and here I am, a year later.” Our Little Big World has been open for business for the past two months. “One of my initial goals for this place was to show diversity.” Kandice explains. “That’s why we have the club houses with the continents. We want the kids to learn about culture, language and to see the purest (essence) of a person instead of race.” The long-range goal of ‘Our Little Big World’ is creating a learning institute where kids can come after school, do their homework, learn different languages, and play in unity with one another.

ff11659_Page_1_Image_0003As I was looking around, two women came through the door with their little ones. I sat in the corner and observed while Kandice’s five-year old daughter greeted them, and then they all went off to play. It was interesting and heartwarming to witness a young girl be so receptive to new company so fast. I had the opportunity to speak to the moms that brought their children (first-timers, as it turns out) about their reasons for choosing Our Little Big World.

“The first thing I noticed was the art on the window. I have a five-year-old and a one-year-old and I’m always looking for stuff for them to do during the winter. I love how bright and colorful it is in here! It feels like home,” said Beth, who mirrored my own thoughts and feelings. I noticed a gentlemen mopping and vacuuming the floors, and I stopped to talk to him for a minute. He happened to be Bruce El, Kandice’s husband, and he had few words to say himself. “My wife had a dream and I had to get behind her and support her vision. People don’t do that nowadays,” he said. “If your dream isn’t working, then you have to get behind your partner’s dream.”

ff11659_Page_1_Image_0004Kandice is trying to build an organization in hopes of branching out to Atlanta and Midtown Detroit, and she’s is constant pursuit of investors for her projects. She hopes that her clear vison of how she wants this program to function is attractive to investors, and she’s not afraid to step out on a limb and take a leap of faith to get the job done.

For more information on Our Little Big World you can visit them at www.OurLittleBigWorld.com or write to info@ourlittlebigworld.com.

If some happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states united to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction switch on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Story And photos by Jeff Lilly

Ferndale Foods, a long-time staple of the community, is in for some big changes. They recently changed ownership and management, and new ideas are afoot. But, promises General Manager Sal (“Just call me Sal,”) a ten-plus-year veteran of the grocery trade, big changes don’t mean a loss of identity.

ff11656_Page_1_Image_0005“We’re your neighborhood store.” Sal says emphatically, sitting up in his office overlooking the pleasant, brightly-lit sales floor. He doesn’t spend much time up here, though, as he’s always running around, busy with the hundreds of tasks necessary for running a modern grocery business. “We’re planning on carrying some specialty items, but we’ll always have all of the regular stuff, too.”

It all starts with the product. Sal has made great efforts to source great food at great prices. “We’ve changed our meat supplier, and our produce supplier three times.” He says. Ferndale Foods wants to carry good produce, “but you’re not going to find any $5 apples here.”

So what are some of the big changes? “We’re adding a pharmacy.” Sal says. “We’re going to renovate the lobby,” get new signs, and do a lot of general repairs to the store. The meat section will be adding in-house specialties, like fresh-made sausages and marinades. The deli will be expanding as well, adding a variety of new cold and hot food options, in addition to the new deli sandwiches and subs that have already appeared. “We have the best fried chicken in town.” Sal adds and, at only $5.99 for an eight-piece bucket, the price is right, too. Ferndale Foods already has what Sal calls the best wine selection in Ferndale, and a beer collection that’s everexpanding.

ff11656_Page_1_Image_0002Still, value will always be the bottom line. “All of our sales items in our flyer are real sales,” Sal says. “We lose money, but the customers appreciate us.” The savings club card gives one per cent cash back on purchases, too.

The most important thing for Sal, though, is customer service. “I’m BIG on customer service,” he says, rubbing his hands together. “I’m working on our methods of customer service, training the staff, hiring the right people. Without the customers, we’re nothing.”

How long for all of the changes? Sal says to be patient. He’s aiming at a six month to one year plan, doing one section at a time.

“We’re all in the neighborhood together.” Sal says with a smile. He hopes you’ll come down and see the changes as they happen, and make Ferndale Foods your go-to neighborhood store.

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http://ferndalefoods.biz

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Story by Jeff Lilly
Photos by Jeff Lilly and
courtesy of Puzzle Piece Theatre

On an unseasonably warm January morning, I found myself at 460 Hilton Road, in one of the tiny industrial buildings between 8 and 9 Mile, standing on what was once a factory floor. There, I watched actors Steven Davenport, Anna Marck, and Casey Hibbert stand in a triangle, facing each other, and do a slow series of stretches and motions, perfectly mimicking each other.

ff11654_Page_1_Image_0002D.B. Schroeder, Producing Artistic Director of the Puzzle Piece Theatre, stood nearby, watching this exercise designed to get everyone in synch. In just a few weeks, the three actors will become robots in a modern, steampunk-inspired staging of a 96-year old groundbreaking science fiction play by Czech writer Karel Capek; Rossum’s Universal Robots, or R.U.R. for short. How groundbreaking? Among other things, this is the very work that gave the word robot to the world’s lexicon. Rossum’s Universal Robots is Puzzle Piece’s largest and most ambitious production to date, featuring ten actors. Schroeder calls it a “cautionary tale” that examines many of the same themes of overreliance on technology, dehumanization, and the human cost of progress that its film contemporary, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, explored.

One wonders if Mr. Capek himself would marvel at the juxtaposition of time, place, and style, the future he imagined versus the future we have, with human concerns remaining timeless. Provoking these conversations and expanding the boundaries of theater are what Puzzle Piece is all about.

“We incorporated in 2011.” Schroeder says. “Our first production was a shared storytelling experience on Belle Isle. We spent about a year getting it together.” Launched with a Kiva microloan, the experience was a success, and money left over was rolled over into the next project.

ff11654_Page_1_Image_0003Puzzle Piece was on its way, but they remained nomadic for the first few years. Based in Mt. Clemens for the first season (two shows,) then the Abreact in Detroit for the following season, both of these early venues closed, forcing them to keep moving. But then, “Bailey Boudreau (Artistic Director of the Slipstream Theatre Initiative) approached us when they found this venue in Ferndale, and asked if we’d like to be in residence here.” During Slipstream’s down time, Puzzle Piece rents the venue and puts on their plays. “I think it’s a great match, because they focus on reimagining the classics, and we skew more contemporary.”

“We try to take storytelling and find new pathways for audiences to approach the work,” Schroeder continues. “I like playing with framing devices. We like to surprise the audience. Often I’ll have the space active, with actors doing things as the audience enters.” Puzzle Piece’s productions are intimate and immediate; for the upcoming staging of R.U.R., there are only 30 seats.

Asked about the process of choosing material, Schroeder explains, “We like doing work that you can’t find other places, work that has topical social themes.” That includes choosing works that stretch boundaries and comfort zones. Last year’s White People explored racism and perceptions of minorities from the perspective of three whites from different places and socioeconomic backgrounds. “It was a controversial show, and we knew that going in.” Schroeder says. Past productions had been criticized, and “Our version was kind of skewered in the Metro Times.” They praised the production, but had issues with the content. For Schroeder, that’s a risk worth taking. “Theater can ask questions that aren’t being asked, or reframe the debate.” He explains. With Detroit seeing a new influx of young whites moving back to a predominantly African-American city, Schroeder points out, it’s also topical.

ff11654_Page_1_Image_0004Puzzle Piece has also performed such diverse works as Matthew Osman’s The Boy Who Cried, a meditation on mental illness and depression presented as the interrogation and trial of a boy accused of being a werewolf; Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, exploring the reactions of those left behind when people flee an area, and Lanford Wilson’s Talley’s Folly, about two outsiders finding their shared value together.

How does a small theater group stay afloat financially? “Our budget is less than $15,000 a year.” Schroeder says. They pay the actors a stipend, which Schroeder wistfully admits is too low for the amount of work the actors put in. Schroeder and Associate Artistic Director Laura Heikkinen, however, volunteer their time to the productions.

A big key is smart use of limited resources. “One of our reviews praised our ‘ingenuity,’ which is a good way to describe us.” Schroeder says. They also have a small but growing core of supporters that provide a good chunk of operating budget. They’ve been successful enough to expand to three shows this season. Puzzle Piece is also starting to sell program space to advertisers, and is actively looking for corporate sponsorship. Puzzle Piece Theatre is a 501c3 charity, so they can offer tax deductions to donors.

Ticket sales, though, are still the most important source of revenue. Letting people know they exist is the biggest problem. With their limited resources best used for production instead of advertising, word-of-mouth and social media are being used to inexpensively build a following. After getting coverage on WDET, Schroeder says, “People have heard of us now. But raising awareness and getting the word out… that’s the key (to growth.)”

Having worked in various theatrical markets across the country (Schroeder is from St. Louis, and worked in Chicago before relocating the the Detroit area,) he is “Very excited by the different type work being done here in Detroit. There really is a place here for different types of work. Audiences here are realy willing to embrace new things.”

Rossum’s Universal Robots runs from February 12 through 28 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 P.M. and Sundays at 2:00 P.M. at the Slipstream Theater, located at 460 Hilton in Ferndale. Tickets are $20 and are only available online. To purchase tickets or for more information on Puzzle Piece Theatre, visit their website at www.puzzlestage.org. Check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PuzzlePieceTheatre.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Story by Rebecca Hammond
Photos by Jeff Lilly

For a year and a half, Rust Belt Market has housed Ori Kami Organics, a collection of teas, creams, clothing, and baby accessories made and mixed by hand from quality ingredients by local resident Christina Cosio.

A self-taught seamstress, Cosio is also a self-taught designer. Having used her mom’s sewing machine in her teen years to make her own accessories, she now sits in Rust Belt with her sewing machine and serger, making clothes for newborns and kids up to six years of age. Mostly made from organic fabrics, Cosio also has seasonal wear crafted from soft, funky fleece. The prints are adorable, and just the thing if you do not want a run-of-the mill baby gift. There are even fleece ponchos designed to make getting your baby in and out of car seats easier.

“Everyone loves the leggings. They fit well over cloth diapers. Moms get lots of compliments on them. I get lots of customers looking for baby shower gifts. I put together gift baskets and boxes. I often hear back from customers that their gift was the talk of the shower. Working with textiles like organic cotton and bamboo terry cloth keep babies safe, clean and eco-friendly.”

Cosio also makes and sells unusual accessories. Necklaces with beads of hospitalgrade silicone are bright and just the right length and size for baby to hold and play with while nursing. The beads are soft but firm, great for (and safe for) teething. Interspersed with the silicone are all-natural maple beads, babies sometimes wanting something harder to gnaw. Amber beads are another option.

“I started my company after I had my son. I’ve always taken the ‘crunchy path’, so for our baby shower we received a lot of products like Burt’s Bees and all the ‘natural’ alternatives. We soon found out that they weren’t what they claimed to be. My son broke out to almost every lotion, wipe, diaper and cream that we got. I started making these products to offer truly organic and yuck-free goodies that the entire family can enjoy.”

Moms need pampering, too. Ori Kami carries hand-blended creams, oils, and teas. The Mother’s Milk Tea is described as useful for supply issues, such as right after baby is born, or later, perhaps if a mom is heading back to work and will be pumping milk to store. There’s even a post-partum bath tea, safe for baby, healing for mom after birth. All moms understand the need for products like Belly Oil and Nipple Cream, also available.

Cosio also provides room in her Rust-Belt shop at times for what she calls “other momtrepreuners,” so you’ll find more than just mother/baby items at Ori Kami Organics.

Check out Ori Kami at the Rust Belt Market, open Friday and Saturday from 11:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. and Sunday 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Story by David Stone
Photos by Jeff Lilly
Design by Lindsy Carman

Dr. Joel Kahn, cardiologist and vegan, has a radical view of what medicine should be. He wants to see smaller hospitals that treat only infectious diseases. He feels that chronic illnesses like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease should be treated through “lifestyle management,” a big part of which he believes is eating a diet that is primarily plant-based.

ff11650_Page_1_Image_0004That’s why he and his son, Daniel, recently opened GreenSpace Cafe, Ferndale’s newest vegan restaurant. Besides the owners, and General Manager Amber Poupore, I spoke to George Vutetakis.

All of these individuals have been eating plant-based diets for many years. In fact, if you combine their collective experience and study, you are looking at over 100 years of accumulated knowledge in the area of plant-based diets and nutrition.

So, lets meet the experts.

Amber Poupore has worked at Inn Season, and, later opened Cacao Tree in Royal Oak. She is very familiar with the nutritive and healing value of plant-based foods. In fact, she healed herself of a number of ailments using this method. Amber can tailor a dinner or a diet plan to your specific needs.

ff11650_Page_1_Image_0002Dr. Joel Kahn has been eating a plant-based diet since 1977, and has been a vegan since 1990.

Born in Oak Park, MI, he graduated from Southfield-Lathrup High School. He then went to the University of Michigan Medical School, where he graduated first in his class in 1983. As an aside, Dr. Kahn also likes to point out that it was during his Residency in Dallas that he developed an appreciation for cowboy boots, which he wears regularly. Four or five years ago, Dr. Kahn decided to pursue “prevention as a discipline.” He refers to himself as a “preventative cardiologist” and sees GreenSpace Cafe as an extension of his practice where he uses a fork and knife instead of a scalpel. His place is upscale, yet unpretentious. A place where, on any given day, you can sample plant-based dishes inspired by the great cuisines of the world, or have a tempeh burger and beer. George Vutetakis, of Inn Season fame, likes to think of himself as a “facilitator,” or a person who seeks to “help a group of people understand their common objectives and assist them to plan how to achieve these objectives.”

ff11650_Page_1_Image_0003Chef Vutetakis enjoys working with local vendors and with vendors as far away as Peru.He also pointed out that many house-made elements go into the dishes. GreenSpace Cafe makes its own yogurt, sweet potato gnocchi, and nut cheeses such as cashew cheese and almond parmesan. They also make their own kimchi, crackers, and breads. He also pointed out that the bartenders make their own elixers. Vutetakis then went on to discuss the science of food. He pointed out that most of the flavor and texture in foods come from plants and if you remove the carbon and fat from a meal, only the plants remain. So GreenSpace Cafe can produce very satisfying dishes, which are rich in flavor, using plant-based ingredients alone.

So come and try out GreenSpace Cafe, where the food isn’t just mighty tasty, but may even improve your health!

GreenSpace Cafe is located at 215 West 9 Mile in Ferndale. They are open Tuesday thru Thursday from 5:00 P.M until 10:00 P.M. and Friday and Saturday from 5:00 P.M. until midnight. They are closed Sunday and Monday. They can be reached at (248)206-7510, on the web at www.greenspacecafe.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greenspacecafe.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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