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Story and Photos by Jeff Milo

When you’re shopping for “the perfect gift,” what you’re really hoping for is something that’s not boring. Maybe you want something with some humor, some edge, and maybe a dash of nostalgia. Stop searching and just go to The Rocket. “We’re really a toy and gift store for adults,” admits owner Eli Morrissey.

The Rocket, which opened last December on Woodward inside the new strip mall at the corner of Cambourne, specializes in novelties, toys, gifts and candy. “Kids like our candy selection, as well as our collectibles, like Adventure Time, Minecraft, and Nintendo and Atari themed merchandise,” Morrissey said. But, he admits, most Rocket shoppers are grown-ups.

“We set ourselves apart from other novelty shops because we sell to all age groups. Grandparents can get lost in a world of nostalgia, while their 5- year-old grandchild can look over our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles department all while Dad is looking at the Doctor Who coffee mug. And then Mom can buy a pair of Frida Kahlo socks. “

The Rocket’s first location, on Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti, opened in 2006. Morrissey said that area’s downtown was fairly empty back then, just an underwhelming mix of hair salons and tax-prep businesses. “Ypsilanti needed some type of business to bring locals and visitors into the downtown.” Co-owner Paul Balcom worked with Morrissey at another larger retailer through the early 2000’s but finally decided to go out on their own nine years ago.

Opening up a novelty brick and mortar store in a post-Internet era of smartphone and gadget-obsessed consumers seems bold and risky. Morrissey agrees. “20 years ago, opening a record shop to primarily sell vinyl would have been a crazy idea. Especially after we were able to download our music. But retail is constantly evolving and the one thing that will never change is the need of wanting to experience your purchase.”

Novelty toys, kites, books, lunch-boxes, coffee-mugs, vintage t-shirts, jewelry, magnets, key chains, pens, coasters, gift cards, calendars, stickers…wait, did we mention the t-shirts? Those bear repeating, particularly the “Love Michigan” section of the store, where you’ll find irresistible designs of pride-boosting swag featuring various tributes to the Mitten State and all its characteristic charms. Then there’s the candy: a substantial selection of wrapped and unwrapped bulk and individual candies, chocolates, jumbo peanut butter cups, malt balls, coated pretzels, chocolate covered cherries, some sugar-free choices and so much more.

“Our job is creating a memorable experience, while staying ahead of the big specialty chain stores,” said Morrissey. “They’re selling to the masses. They’re buying for hundreds, if not thousands of stores. But we’re buying for two. We can react faster to local needs while introducing novel products.”

Running a store like The Rocket, despite the implied frivolity of its toys, candy and quirks, is hard work. “It’s a combination of good sales reps traveling the country, checking out quirky shops and gift shows and getting ideas from employees and customers while being turned onto both pop-and sub-culture trends,” Morrissey said.

The Rocket crew are thankful that Ferndalians helped them kickstart their business here, last December. “Helping to make Ferndale a regional destination is our number one priority.”

Downtown shoppers wistful for the gasp-inducing treasures once found in a store like Naka should visit The Rocket; you’ll be just as delighted. “We were attracted to Ferndale’s mix of small businesses and its diversity. It was apparent that the businesses here were locally rooted and residents took pride in that.”

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The Rocket Ferndale is located at 23147 Woodward Avenue. Phone 248-556-5084. Check out their website at http://shoptherocket.com

If slightly 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 emasculation and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men 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 malfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include 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 curing passes into breast milk.

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By Jill Lorie Hurst | Photos by Jeff Lilly

(This is the first in a continuing series of profiles featuring the teachers, staff, and administra- tors of the Ferndale school dis- trict. If you know an exceptional educator you think we should feature, please contact Fern- dale Friends and let us know!)

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A joyful and committed teacher can change the lives of his or her students for the better. When I met Jan Whinham in her Ferndale High School classroom on a snowy Monday morning, I recognized a teacher with the same sense of commitment to her students.

She was hired in 1986, part time, to teach dance and special education. She earned her undergraduate degree at Western Michigan University and a Master’s in Learning Disabilities at Eastern. “I wanted to be a dance therapist”. Paus- es, considers, smiles. “I am one.” She was quick to give genuine praise to the school system – “Ferndale does really well in the fine arts.”

Her work is anything but part time now. She teaches high school, middle school, elementa- ry, and works with CASA (Center for Advanced Studies of the Arts). Classes include ballet, jazz, con- temporary, and some ballroom styles, including salsa and swing. The students also learn to choreograph, and shows sometimes include audience participation.

Jan, like many modern teachers, takes work home with her. She’s learned to choreograph new work at the kitchen table. She uses a little CD player and keeps the volume down so that her family doesn’t get sick of hearing the same song repeated. She is collaborative, looking to CASA alumni for help with choreography to make sure there is enough variety in the numbers performed.

When a show calls for tap, they tap. Preparing for 2013’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” required five-hour rehearsals every Sunday. Jan talked about digging up a ton of old tap shoes to try and fit everyone; budgets, after all, are limited. Pat at Lynch’s House of Sequins made the shoes performance worthy.

Given the number of shows she oversees every year – three for the middle school class- es, two for high school and two (plus a showcase) for CASA, it’s a good thing she’s a saver. There are bins and boxes in a corner of the classroom filled with costumes from shows past. Jan pulls from the “archives” to get most of what she needs for each show – she al- ters, adjusts, and fixes so that each student will have the appropriate costume for the current production. “Luckily, I have a wash machine here”. And an assistant, I ask? Her eyes twinkle. “No. I wash the costumes.”

Jan believes dance helps students dig deeper, and be well rounded. Memorizing patterns might help with alge- bra. They choreograph dances to poems — no music, just the connection between the movement and the words. Dance can also help with social skills. “Kids have to get along in dance class. They can’t block each other out.” There’s a sense of something “beyond myself, for the good of the group.”

Just then, the group starts to file in. Jan shifts focus to the people who matter most, her students. They are safe in this class, safe to make mistakes, fall on their faces, create something wonderful. I envy them their time with Jan Whinham.

“Good morning.” says Jan to the kids. “It’s going to be a good day.”

If slightly 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 disfunction. 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 disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction 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 physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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by David Wesley

Blitzing through Ferndale and being blasted by the autumnal breeze, I slowly meld with groups of costumed drinkers all en route to the Twisted Tavern. Away from the early arctic elements and inside the pedestrian club/pub roves a gang of 300 synthetic ghouls (all latex, nylon, and polyester merged with dummy skin, hair and blood) chugging pints, swigging tumblers, tipping shots or still in line with me purchasing a ticket for first ever Zombie Pub Crawl. The Social Connection sponsored the Crawl, setting up a colorful seven-hour celebration for zombie-spirited drinkers, helping Ferndale businesses thrive and expand.

Pinballing myself around the massing tavern, I mingle with Ferndale’s finest zombies and find to my delight a good portion of these undead citizens have lurched to Ferndale from all over the Metro area. Stirring in the chaos, I met college wrestling ace Arn Anderson and his three brothers from Ann Arbor who heard about the event from word of mouth and made the trek. Other memorable undead out-of- towners were Ray Trailer and his other off duty police co- workers from Battle Creek and the scarlet-stained duo of George Gray and his husband Kenneth Johnson from Bay City

After three pints (beer, not blood,) I joined the swarming ticket holders as they moved to the next bar (SoHo), this next pub (Danny’s Irish Pub), that club (Orchid), those next restaurants (Como’s, Treat Dreams,) and on. The businesses participating enjoyed hours of fiendish patrons swelling their lines and bloating their commerce.

I later chatted with one of the event organizers, the president and CEO of the Social Connection, Regina Stocco, and she gave her thoughts on the event.

Q. What was your reaction to the first ever Zombie Pub Crawl?

A. We were thrilled with the turnout. Approximately 600 Zombies took to the streets of Ferndale and we raised money for a great cause, Michigan AIDS Coalition.

Q. What initially made you want to host the event?

A. We have been considering some kind of “venue-to- venue” event here in Ferndale, and this seemed like a good year to try something new here. We look forward to doing more events in Ferndale that are a good tie-in for all of our neighboring businesses. The bars were happy with the turnout and the (resulting) foot traffic and bar sales.

Q. How has having the event take place in Ferndale change your view of the city and its Residents?

A. This was our first year hosting the event. The Social Connection office has been here for over ten years and I moved to Ferndale in 1999 so I’m a big fan of the community and we were happy to have the inaugural event here in our own home town.

At the end of the biting night, this kind creep was tripping up the sidewalks with the last lagging dregs of the alcoholic marathon. The Zombie Crawl was a huge hit with locals and other Michiganders. And by socializing through the lengthy procession it was evident the event was a major success for all of Ferndale. The zombies have spoken, they have shown their support!

Now we wait in our crypts to rise again, after a restful year to combat the hangover, for next year’s
Zombie Pub Crawl.

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Q: I was stopped for having expired plates on my car. The police ordered me to get out and asked for my driver’s license. It was from another state and had expired. They started to rifle through my car and I said “Sir, I do not give you permission to search my car” and the officer said “I’m going to impound it so your permission doesn’t matter.” Can he do that?

The short answer is “yes.” If your plates are expired, you can be charged with a crime. Likewise, if your license is also expired, you do not have the proper legal authority to drive the car. Since you couldn’t drive it, the police were within their right to impound it.

Once the police decide to impound your car, they have a right to do an “inventory search.” They do not need your permission and they do not have to obtain a warrant.

The police don’t always use the same terms. They may refer to impounding your car as “seizure,” “forfeiture,” “nuisance abatement” or some other term. This tactic is common in drunk driving, drug cases and prostitution cases. Whatever they call it, if they decide to keep the car, they are entitled to look through it without first getting a search warrant. If they locate contraband, you could get charged with additional criminal offenses based on what they find.

Not having up-to-date Michigan plates or tags on your car gives the police the right to pull you over. They have “probable cause.” This is because it is probable that someone (likely the owner or driver) failed to renew the plates. All they need to conduct a stop is a “suspicion” of criminal activity that they can describe or “articulate.” If they have more than a suspicion, like here, then they can not only stop you, they can also search and detain you.

If the police did not have probable cause, then they could not impound your car. The impoundment is completely separate from any criminal charges. The state calls it “nuisance abatement.” This is a “civil infraction.” It is not a crime, so you do not have a right to an appointed lawyer and other rights you would otherwise have. The idea is that your car is creating a nuisance because you are using it to engage in criminal acts. To abate the nuisance, they take the car even if the driver was not the owner. While you could rent a car and return to your nuisance activity, the law entertains the legal fiction that the car caused the nuisance and not the driver.

In order to get your car back, most places charge hundreds of dollars. This includes the towing company with the contract to tow your car. They can charge you for “storage” on a daily basis, so the longer you take to decide what to do or to get the money, the more it costs.

“JUDGE RUDY REPORTS” is a regular feature in Ferndale Friends. This “ask the lawyer” format column welcomes questions from readers. If you have a legal question or concern, send your question by email to rudy.serra@sbcglobal.net. Advice about specific cases or individuals cannot be provided but general legal questions and topics are welcome.

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 emasculation and other states united to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential 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 heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction switch on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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By: Blake Prewitt, Superintendent, Ferndale Public Schools

BEGINNING IN THE FALL OF 2015, Ferndale Schools is excited to offer several new pro- grams for our students. You will be hearing all about these wonderful new educational opportunities within our District in the coming weeks.

One of these new opportunities will be a pilot Montessori program for students ages six through nine (grades 1 to 3.) This new program, to be housed at Roosevelt Primary School, will enable students with Montessori experience to continue their education in a Montessori classroom while building relationships with their local community school district. Beginning with students with Montessori early childhood experience, our goal is to grow this lower Montessori classroom to include additional students without a Montessori background who are interested in exploring this unique way of learning.

The Montessori Method of education was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, over 100 years ago in Italy. The value of a Montessori education is how the program is set up to allow children of all learning styles to excel: students are free to learn at their own pace, each advancing through their individualized curriculum as they are ready.

The goal of Ferndale Schools is to provide all students with an exceptional education that prepares them for college, careers and success in a diverse society. Opening a lower Montessori classroom is an exciting option for all Ferndale families, especially those students with Montessori experience.

For more information on the Ferndale Public Schools Montessori Program, and other new educational initiatives within Ferndale Schools, please visit www.ferndaleschools.org.

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 coupled to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk 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 health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. 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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By: Ann Heler

IT WAS SOME TIME THIS MONTH in 2007 that five members of Citizens for a Fair Ferndale sat around drinking coffee and be- gan talking about the idea of creating a free medical clinic. This was just the “looking around at each other and nodding yes” moment. Who would have thought that the clinic would be up and running, seeing patients and doing well, seven short years later. Many of you know the members of that first group: Dick and Joann Willcock, John Sterritt, Bob Babut and myself.

Next April, during our eighth anniversary month, I will list the members of our very first Board….the really “official” Board that dotted the “i”s and crossed the “t”s and made the dream a reality.

FOUR THINGS TO DO DAILY THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH!

  • Laugh out loud
  • Tell someone you are mighty glad they are in your world
  • Drink at least 3 glasses of water
  • Take a moment to be thankful and smile privately

Clinic Appointments and Information – 248-677-2273

We have NO waiting list. You will definitely have an appointment within the month. We can help you sign up for the Insurance Exchange or Healthy Michigan. The only criteria we require is that you have no health insurance and no primary care provider. CALL if you do not have health care!

Thank you everyone who got over to Leon & Lulu on November 2. The fund raiser went very well. Amanda Wahl once again chose wonderful fall red wines for the tasting and Dino’s provided the super good “noshes” to chew on while shopping. We are going to do it again next year. I will make sure the information gets into next September’s column.

John Sterritt, Steele Lindbloom, Judy Jones and Brian Wahl pitched in and assisted with this fund raiser…thank you all.

The clinic will not close in the foreseeable future. Michigan has a long way to go before a significant number of people have health care they can count on. Also, even if the new programs are an unqualified success, there will still be people who do not qualify for either plan and there are a number of services that we will be able to provide to enhance health care programs. Call if you do not have healthcare.

MEDICATION/MEDICAL EQUIPMENT COLLECTION

Bring medications and medical equip- ment to the clinic on either the first or third Saturday of each month, anytime between 9:00 A.M. and 12:00 noon.

We take everything EXCEPT:

  • wooden crutches (can’t be sterilized),
  • oxygen tanks****,
  • hospital beds,
  • stretchers,
  • motorized wheelchairs.

Take controlled substances, psychotropic medications or muscle relaxants to the Royal Oak Police Station medication drop box at 221 E. 3rd St. in Royal Oak.

****Oxygen tanks have to be returned to the name on the tank. Tank distributors ONLY take tanks that they distributed.

Any very heavy equipment, such as hospital beds and motorized wheelchairs, for example, can be picked up at no cost to you by World Medical Relief. Call 313- 866-5333.

If some happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states coupled 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 disfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include 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 treatment passes into breast milk.

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