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By Kevin Alan Lamb

OUR WORLD IS RETRACING roots and rediscovering a passion for trades our parents, and grandparents spent lifetimes mastering. Simultaneously, society is relearning to see an individual for the goodness in their heart, joy in their dreams, and the consistency of their contributions. We all have a purpose, but we must travel a personal journey dictated by our choices and commitments to discover the substance with which we will fill our souls.

Rachel Oliver navigated her journey with the help of the skills and life lessons she learned in her father’s shadow. In each of his children he instilled the understanding that gender was not an excuse or limitation on one’s ability to persevere.

Raised between Taylor and Carleton, Michigan, Oliver was recently launched into the limelight with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a participant on History Channel’s fourth season of ‘Forged in Fire.’ Critiqued by world-renowned bladesmiths, she competed against expert bladesmiths and blacksmiths, filming for 10-15 hours day on set where she won second place.

Can you walk our readers through your average day on set of “Forged in Fire?”
The day starts before the day on set. It starts with a ride through New York City, en route to the Brooklyn forge. Taking it all in was surreal, from cars driving in reverse on one-ways to peddlers on street corners selling food and wares.

Once you arrive at the set, you are in for a long, long haul, consisting of 12- to 15-hour days, and several interviews. There is lots of downtime, which is the coolest part. This is where you get to mingle with the competitors and talk shop, trade secrets, methods and history of many things. The judges are all there, the host is there, and they all come chat.

We didn’t forge until late after-noon. We came into the forge for the first time, it’s secretive until we enter the floor. We are not privy to any of the layout until it’s time to compete. When you walk into the forge, it’s like entering battle-grounds, a coliseum if you will.

When the host says “go,” it’s hammer time and that clock does not stop for anything. Bathroom breaks? Nope [laughter]. Luckily, floor hands take care of our hydration needs. Hydration is the word you hear more on set than anything else. We get so amped up we forget about our own well-being. The entire time you’re on the floor there are upwards of 50 people, the judges included, all over the place. You have camera guys following you around, big Hollywood lights, an OSHA guy is on set, I mean it’s a huge operation.

What are some key takeaways and moments you will never forget?
I was given the chance to work in an arena that blacksmiths I revere have also competed in. I got to work with three great guys: a youth minister, a blacksmith who’s been at it 28 years, and a blade smith with skills that blow my mind. The blade smith, Shawn, was kind enough to sip scotch with me after hours drawing up diagrams of how to make things easier, how he does things his own unique way. One of the best memories though was the cannon-ball run trips through New York City, racing to the studio every morning at speeds none of us expected. Our handler could drive like a pro.

How did you get selected for the show?
I was emailed by them, on a page I sell my wares. All in all, it was about an eight-month process from first email to air date.

Talk about the role your father played influencing your passion and work?
My dad is one of the most gifted, intelligent, creative multi-disciplined tradesman I have ever met. I was his shadow from the time I could walk, always following him around, asking him any questions I could to know more. He was never one to allow my three sisters or I to use “being female” as an excuse to not persevere. He raised warriors, not princesses, and we all have grown into badass, tough-as-nails women. For this, I couldn’t be more grateful.

What do you enjoy most about your art/craft?
My niché in bladesmithing is in the vein of repurposing and upcycling quality materials. To take something that served a noble purpose that has gone dull, broken, worn out, and to breathe new life into it with a new job and ability. I feel this is keeping our blue-collar roots alive. Many of the files and rasps I repurpose are a hundred or more years old. I even came across some files made right in Detroit, dating back to 1870! One of these will find its way back to its city of birth for a Corktown sous chef. To me, this is beauty, this is art, this is keeping our history alive.

What are the most challenging and rewarding facets of being a genderqueer lesbian in your field?
Being a genderqueer lesbian has some drawbacks, where men seem intimidated by my presence of being androgynous as well as a woman who can forge. I have heard plenty “get back in the kitchen” and a few homophobic remarks like “the dyke that looked like a man.”

What’s next?
The next step? The next step is hoping for a redemption episode, one more crack at the Brooklyn forge. Until then, it’s hammer down. Expanding my knowledge, abilities, honing my craft, networking more and hoping to pitch an idea for a TV series, blade-related of course [laughing].

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By Jenn Goeddeke

MICHAEL SHEPPARD, OWNER OF NORTHERN TV & VACUUM in Madison Heights, has been repairing electronics since the tender age of seven. During the World Series of 1968, Sheppard’s father was having problems with his radio, “So I took the back off and saw a loose wire hanging. It seemed an obvious fix, but it got me started, and I have been hooked ever since!”

His strong work ethic, outgoing nature and enthusiasm for repairs has remained strong, and his store continues to thrive. His educational back-ground in applied science and electronics enables him to understand the complex nature of repairs. With seven specialized workstations set up in the store and a highly trained staff, Sheppard ensures that he keeps up with ever-changing technological advances and evolving customer needs.

The store has a vibrant history. It was founded in 1940 by Clay Walker, who worked in the 1930s for Jamison (Jam) Handy, a motion picture company in Detroit. Walker predicted that television was going to be much bigger than radio, which turned out to be accurate. The first Northern TV store was located in Detroit, and a second store opened shortly afterwards in Royal Oak. At the time, bar owners were the main clientele, purchasing TVs for their popular bar room daily broadcasts.

Despite the fact that during World War II all commercial production of television equipment was banned and TV broadcasting was limited, Clay opened a third store in Port Huron. He anticipated the big surge in TV sales post-wartime, which did occur (and is still occurring). Clay eventually bought out his two partners, and kept open only the Royal Oak location. In 1962, the lucrative company was sold to Ray Olson, Joe Boginski and Archie Bartley, and it continued to prosper and grow.

Meanwhile, Sheppard had set up his own service stores at the young age of 24: Sheppard Electronics, with locations in Troy and Warren. Unafraid of hard work, he supplemented his income in the early years with other jobs, including teaching both college and high-school level courses. “I still have the first dollar I ever made!” Sheppard told me with a smile.

In the late ‘80s, Sheppard began repairing camcorders and VCRs at Northern TV. By the early ‘90’s, Olson, Boginski and Bartley were preparing to retire, and on October 1, 1993 Sheppard bought the business. Between ’94 and ’95 he closed his other stores, and gathered everything under one roof. Then in 2012, the store moved to its present location in Madison Heights, starting year number 72 of business.

Northern TV is diverse. The staff can fix almost any electronic device, antique or newer, including any TV, radio, turntable, vacuum cleaner, etc. An impressive ar-ray of accessories are always kept in stock. In addition, other services are available, such as audio and video transfers from older media types (all formats) to modern digital storage. Reel-to-reel conversions are also in big demand, as the tape softens and deteriorates.

One popular service offered is the installation of a Blue-tooth system into vintage stereos or radios, turning it into a sort of soundbar speaker. Sheppard further ex-plained, “Even a cheap, antique model will outperform a regular soundbar!” Customers with some knowledge of electronics can also buy a kit and install it themselves.

Sheppard gives back to the community by staying involved with the Madison Heights DDA board. Additionally he plans on starting a program with schools in Madison Heights using radio kits. He aims to “create a spark and re-establish a connection” in younger age groups, as the skilled trades industry in general is having problems retaining young people.

I asked Sheppard for a most memorable customer moment. He immediately recalled the time where he was visited by Bobby Jr., the son of composer Robert Bateman, who helped write the hit song, “Please Mr. Post-man.” As it happened, the sound engineer who had worked on the hit (Ed Wolfram) was working in the store that day. Then in walked Lee Allen, a legendary broad-caster from the ‘50s and ‘60s, who had been the first DJ to play Bateman’s hit song on air. Naturally, all three had plenty to talk about, and Sheppard described it as a magical moment.

Certainly, Sheppard and his staff have created a business with great ambience and where customer satisfaction is the priority. Many more magical moments will no doubt follow!

Northern TV and Vacuum is located at: 27633 John R Rd in Madison Heights in the Farnum Plaza; 248.545.1800, or check out their website: www.northerntv.net. M-F, 9am-6pm; Sat, 9am-Noon; Sun, Closed.

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The tower is up! And Ferndale is about to start tuning into our very own community radio station:100.7 FCR FM.

Dave Philips, secretary for FCR, said “We’re hopefully just a few weeks away. We’re trying to gather the money needed for insurance, materials and licenses. But right now we have an eclectic mix of college rock filling the airwaves on 100.7 FM, and we’re adding to that library just as fast as we can.”

The station is on the air now, with a couple of two-hour recorded loops. The station is expect-ed to go live in the weeks ahead with a full programming schedule by late November. Currently, they are building out the studio, painting, and preparing to install the final audio gear.

Philips told Ferndale Friends, “Ferndale Radio does not exist without the Rust Belt.” The Rust Belt Market owners have provided studio space rent-free, along with a place on their roof for the antenna and tower. “Chris Best and his crew have bent over backwards to welcome us, make us feel at home and help with the various steps necessary to turn a booth into a studio. We think it’s the perfect location. Every vendor here comes from a creative, artistic, DIY background. We feel the same way.”

FCR is a 100-watt LPFM (short for Low Power Frequency Modulation) station, with a projected broadcast range of two miles in any direction. The FCR signal is strong and static-free all over Ferndale. LPFM stations are required to make sure their signal does not interfere with existing, mega-watt commercial stations, including one on the same frequency in Canada.

They are looking to fill DJ and other station positions. Interested volunteers should contact ferndaleradio@gmail.com.

To contribute to Ferndale Community Radio, go to: www.chuffed.org/project/ferndale-radio Sponsors are also needed, contact ferndaleradio@gmail.com.

By David Wesley & stephanie loveless

SEVEN YEARS AFTER MICHELLE MIROWSKI LAID THE FOUNDATION for the Underwood V radio collective, and more than 20 years after free-speech activists all across the country began clamoring for access to the public airwaves…Ferndale is about to switch on the dial for our very own community radio station: 100.7 FCR FM.

The project is still in development, but as the ink dries on these pages volunteers are testing the equipment for the station. The station is expected to go live with a test signal and recorded information in the weeks ahead with a full programming schedule by Fall.

Ferndale Community Radio (FCR) is physically located inside of the Rust Belt Market at the northwest corner 9 Mile and Woodward. Owners Chris and Tiffany Best have generously offered rent-free space for the FCR broadcast studio, as well as a place on the Rust Belt roof for the essential tower and antenna.

FCR is a 100-watt LPFM (short for Low Power Frequency Modulation) station, with a projected broadcast range of perhaps two miles in any direction. We’re about to find out exactly how far FCR will reach, as soon as all the bugs get worked out. LPFM stations are required to make sure their signal does not interfere with existing, mega-watt commercial stations. Because of the congestion on the radio dial, FCR is likely to be the only LPFM station licensed in the Metro-Detroit area in the foreseeable future!

LPFM licenses are only available to community-oriented, educational, non-profit organizations. In this case, the non-profit behind FCR is Underwood V, a collective founded by Mirowski and friends. Board members include Mirowski, president; Dave Phillips, secretary/social media; Dave Kim, treasurer/promotions; Jeremy Olstyn, programming/training; and Keith Fraley, radio engineer. They are looking to fill DJ and other station positions. Interested volunteers should contact
ferndaleradio@gmail.com.

THE MISSION OF THE STATION is to provide a kind of “hyper-local programming” that is impossible to find anywhere else on the dial. Their mission statement speaks of “community engagement, promotion of community events, specialty broadcast, and more. Potential programming for the station includes: On-air book clubs, interviews with local news-makers, coverage of government and board meetings, sports coverage,” etc.

The road to Ferndale’s first and only community radio station began over 20 years ago, when LPFM stations didn’t even exist. Ferndale Friends publisher Stephanie Loveless helped lead a national movement of democracy activists who ultimately convinced Congress and the Federal Communications Commission in 2000 to create the LPFM service, so that ordinary Americans could actually use the airwaves we already own. However, the powerful broadcast industry was able to limit the new rules so that it was impossible for even one LPFM station to go on the air in all of Metro Detroit.

However, eleven years later, President Obama signed legislation which loosened those rules enough so that it finally became possible for Metro Detroit to have one LPFM station – and it had to be in Ferndale!

So, FCR is practically a miracle. Our miracle. But it only exists because Michelle and her friends stepped up and applied for a construction permit when the FCC opened up a licensing window three years ago.

That was the easy part.

Next, they had to find a physical location for the studio, antenna and tower. And there were innumerable issues involving the City of Ferndale which had to be overcome: Not too many people walk into City Hall hoping to launch a non-profit community radio station, after all. This was brand-new territory for everyone involved. They had to find an engineer and a properly-qualified team for the construction of the tower and antenna. Negotiations with the landlord, etc.

This project would also require a significant amount of money – in fact, a little over $15,000 just to get started. So, on top of everything else, our worthy Underwood V volunteers were now charged with hustling up the cash, via social media, fundraisers, and underwriting agreements with local businesses. These fundraising efforts continue, and if you are interested in contributing, go to www.ferndaleradio.com. And local businesses are encouraged to underwrite the station financially in return for generous on-air mentions.

MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, it looked as if the money would not be found, and the whole project would have to be scrapped. But FCR supporters refused to accept defeat, and in recent weeks the decision was made to start purchasing the necessary gear: FCR is GO!

With the help of The Rust Belt and tons of local donations and support, Michelle and her team are ready to make the fresh and impactful change in radio that will nourish local talent and influence Ferndale life through the years to come.

FCR will have an impact on the Rust Belt too. Shoppers will be able to hear the station inside while they shop and will be able to meet the FCR team. It will create a more unique shopping experience.

Ferndale Community Radio will give the Ferndale residents another tool to communicate with each other. FCR has given the city something extremely unique to look forward to as it’s extremely rare that a city has their own community station!

Once they are up-and-running, they plan to partner with lots of organizations in Ferndale. For example, the schools. This will also be a great forum for local musicians from all genres to have their music heard. This will be an avenue for the creative projects that make Ferndale so noteworthy. The station will be here soon – to enrich our already vibrant and talented community.

Initial Sponsors & Underwriters
Ferndale Friends
The Rust Belt Market
Jim Shaffer & Associates
Western Market
Stange Sports
Found Sound
Crane Optical
HiLo Guy
313 Brand Co.

By Sara E. Teller

MICHIGAN HAS the worst record in the nation for investing in local communities. Limiting funding at the state level greatly limits the ability of local governments to invest in the services needed to keep cities thriving. SaveMICity is an informational campaign of the Michigan Municipal League with the purpose of helping cities understand and reform municipal finance at the state level. The organization’s site boldly states, “The past is over, but we can create a new day, a new trajectory that will result in true economic growth.”

After years of working within the existing paradigms, Michigan Municipal League is undertaking a major legislative and policy push aimed at reforming the way finances are being handled with the direct purpose of encouraging renewed investment in communities. “The theme is that local units shouldn’t just be surviving, they should be thriving,” says Sheryl Stubblefield, Finance Director for the City of Ferndale. The League will be developing policy recommendations specifically around three themes: Cost Containment, Revenue Enhancement, and Structure of Government.

In partnership with the cities of Pleasant Ridge, Berkley, Ferndale, Oak Park, and Hazel Park, SaveMICity presentations are being conducted by the Michigan Municipal League throughout the month of August. Participants will find out why, as Michigan’s economy is recovering from the Great Recession, local communities continue to struggle financially. One of the major themes of the presentations is how Michigan has disinvested in local governments. “A major source of revenues for the local units is revenue-sharing from the state, and that continues to decline,” Stubblefield explains. Other themes include how the state is not appropriating funds to the local units, but diverting it to its own budget instead, and how the property tax system is broken. By using potential local funding for the statewide resources, local governments are left struggling.

“The way the Headlee Override and Proposal A have been set up, they are not working together,” Stubblefield claims, “The system was designed to cap tax growth, with no consideration for declines in tax revenues. There is no fix in the system for when property values dip as low as they have in the past ten years. Taxable values can only grow at the rate of inflation, as will the expenditures. There is no tool to get the taxes collected to where they were pre-recession. Local communities will never be able to catch up.”

SaveMICity presenters argue that current policies aimed at cutting costs and lowering services provided simply isn’t the answer. “As we systematically disinvest in our local communities, we are making our communities less attractive for people. If people don’t move to our communities, or as has been happening, move out of our communities and out of our state, we begin this downward spiral, that will be nearly impossible to recover from,” Stubblefield explains. Basically, the less communities are able to offer residents and those visiting, the less likely they are to remain populated, and the less revenue the cities generate in the long run. It’s a vicious cycle.

“We should be investing in our cities, providing communities with amenities that taxpayers are willing to support and utilize so we can create thriving communities. Increasing the tax base which will increase the tax revenues,” Stubblefield adds. If the appropriate services are provided and cities are kept desirable to live in, this will attract more residents and increase revenue. It’s a win-win.

Presenters also detail the need for tax reform at the state level. “We need informed legislators who understand the issues facing local governments and have the ability to give the local units more tools to increase investment in local communities,” says Stubblefield. The League says the answer is increasing revenues, not lowering expenditures, since local units are already operating effectively on very limited budgets. Communities need assistance from the state to continue providing desirable areas for residents to live and work. “More residents equals a higher tax base which translates to more revenues,” Stubblefield adds.

SaveMICity.com provides Michigan residents with a wealth of information regarding their local communities and the issues at hand. Inquiring minds are able to see just how much the state has taken from their specific locales via a revenue-sharing database. Sharing this information online and spreading the news to family and friends will help get the word out. “Information is power. The more people understand the process, the more involved they can become. The more legislators understand the challenges at the local level, hopefully the more involved they can become, helping foster the changes at the state level that are needed,” Stubblefield explains.

On the organization’s site, SaveMICity supporters encourage residents to “ask your legislator to rethink budget priorities and stay engaged on the broader issue of reforming our system.” The more support is garnered for initiatives designed to invest in communities for sustainable change, the more likely these changes will be made. SaveMICity is also looking for community members to help host future events. “We are taking this approach to break away from the historically limiting tactic of incremental change within the context of where we are today. We need new ideas, innovative approaches, and bold action to create a new future for communities around Michigan,” the site explains.

Sheryl says the message will be a “a continuous conversation until local units can get some relief by way of tax reform.” “By employing community-based placemaking strategies, we strengthen both our economic and social future.”

Story By: Jason Shubnell

Ferndale residents have been wondering about the “Fab Cab” trolley system for months now.

“Have been waiting. Is this happening or what?” wrote one Facebook user.

“We’ve been waiting for this all summer. What’s holding it up? Parking in Ferndale is tight, and Royal Oak is getting to be nearly impossible,” echoed another.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to keep waiting. The City told Ferndale Friends that there is no update at this time and to check back in during the Fall.

What Is A Fab Cab?
For those who may not know, the cities of Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak and Detroit are discussing plans to partner on a proposed trolley system that would make stops along Woodward Avenue. The pilot program would be a circular system modeled after the K-Line route in the Grosse Pointes and the trolley in Troy.

“We have this concept we call Fab Cab,” Jordan Twardy, Ferndale’s economic development director told the Detroit Free Press in March. The trolley “would link key destinations with free ridership on a rubber-tired trolley car, augmented if demand is strong by SMART’s small connector buses that seat 12 to 15 people. The new service would roll from 10 A.M. until Midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.”

Who Will Participate?
Pleasant Ridge officials voted to allocate $10,000 for the first year of the service. The Detroit Zoo is being asked to allocate $30,000. Detroit was pegged at $50,000.

Pleasant Ridge’s James Breuckman said, “We are ready to go, but we are a small partner. Ferndale is contributing much more to the project, so they have some larger issues to work out before the system is a go. There’s also the fact that this is a regional partnership with the Zoo and multiple Cities, so there are a number of governance, oversight, and funding issues that need to be resolved before the service can start. The last time I spoke with Ferndale about it, they were working through those issues.”

Royal Oak was asked to contribute $50,000 for the first year, but City elected officials want to see more details before putting up any money. Todd Fenton, Royal Oak’s economic development manager, said the Downtown Development Authority is taking a wait-and-see approach.

“They basically said come back in a year,” Fenton told the Daily Tribune in March. We checked back in with Todd in late July, and nothing has changed.

“There is no update from the City of Royal Oak with regard to the proposal,” Fenton told Ferndale Friends. “It is my understanding that Ferndale is continuing to work out the logistics and provide more detail for the plan. Once it has finished its diligence, we will meet again to discuss.”

Community Response
Fenton said it’s too early to say how this trolley system has been received by Royal Oak residents.

“I think it’s been overshadowed by a lot of other developments in the city.  Your question was the first I have received since April about ‘Fab Cab,’” he said.

The Free Press reported that “Grosse Pointe Park City Manager Dale Krajniak [said] the trolley pays off in hard dollars. As Grosse Pointe Park’s Kercheval dining and microbrewery district became a hot destination in the last several years, the City saved “a significant capital expense” by adding the trolley service instead of building parking lots, Krajniak said.”

Parking issues, huh? That’s one thing Ferndale could use some help with.

According to documents submitted to Royal Oak officials, the Free Press reported “dollars from local governments — including Detroit — would support the free rides, but after that the hope is for commercial sponsors and advertising on the buses to pick up the tab for Fab Cab.”

One Facebook user said, “I’m all for it. Getting picked up near my house and riding to Ferndale and back, bar-hopping, shopping, zoo trips, etc. This would be awesome. I’ve been waiting to see this start. The Livernois corridor would also be very worthy stops on the route. Fingers crossed!”

Looks like his fingers will be crossed a little while longer…

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By Sara E. Teller & stephanie loveless

KAT BRUNER JAMES IS THE KIND OF PERSON that turns a neighborhood into a community. Elks Citizen of the Year in 2015, she brings a civic commitment to Ferndale which everyone admires.

She moved to Ferndale in 2002, and joined Citizens for a Fair Ferndale in 2005 and eventually became Chairperson for the group. Her brother Bob Bruner served as City Manager of Ferndale from 2007 to 2011. She married jazz musician Joshua James in 2006, and graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy with a law degree in 2007. Her most recent contribution and gift to Ferndale came last December, when she gave birth to daughter Magnolia Bruner James.

Bruner James was also one of the four core members of the group that put Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) on the ballot here in Ferndale in 2004. “I can’t remember exactly how our little team first began our efforts, but eventually I became the treasurer and volunteer coordinator of our ballot question commit-tee,” she explains. That campaign succeeded, with more than 70 per cent of Ferndale coming out in favor of using Instant Runoff Voting for future mayoral and council races.

Instant Runoff Voting, also known as ranked choice voting, allows the voter to rank their choice of candidates, from first to last. The process ensures that no candidate can be elected with less than 50 per cent support of the voters.

Bruner-James jumped at the idea to reform the traditional voting system in those days. “On the heels of the 2000 presidential ‘selection’ it was obvious that our electoral system was badly broken in several fundamental ways,” she recalls. “Even though a majority of Americans voted for a more progressive candidate – either Al Gore or Ralph Nader – the rules of our system allowed a conservative candidate to be the plurality winner. IRV emerged as a viable reform that, if enacted, would lead to a more democratic result.”

Despite success at the polls, as you probably know – Ferndale still does not use IRV. Why? For years, the excuse given was that Michigan’s voting machines were not capable of the simple calculations necessary to determine the winner. New machines recently certified by the State of Michigan are IRV-capable. However, now the State and County are presenting new roadblocks.

Following the IRV campaign, Bruner-James focused on priorities which have helped position herself as a community advocate. “I went to law school in the Fall of 2004 and graduated in 2007. Since then, I’ve been a civil rights litigator, primarily representing victims of police misconduct.” However, her feelings regarding IRV have not changed. “Using IRV on a local level is the starting point to seeing IRV – or other major reforms –enacted on a national level,” she says, adding that these efforts are especially needed following the most recent presidential election. “For the second time in my adult life, a third-party candidate is being blamed for ‘spoiling’ a presidential election. And rather than working to make our political system function in a way that reflects the will of the people, progressives are distracted by blaming each other. IRV would reduce the ability for electoral manipulation and result in a true majority winner.”

“However, there are very practical challenges to getting it implemented,” she explains. “The first hurdle is a combination of technology and political will. IRV implementation ideally requires certain software that can properly read and calculate IRV votes, which naturally work a bit differently than your standard vote tally – not to mention, ballots them-selves need to be adjusted.” And, everyone needs to be on the same page to effectively roll out the new system.

Those who manage the voting machines, such as clerks and legislators, will need to be willing to invest in the appropriate software. And, “when implementation becomes imminent, a public education campaign will be critical,” Kat explains. “Having worked with the City Clerk’s office recently on a committee, I believe that they have the energy and the desire to handle this very well when the time comes.”

www.firv.org
www.fairvote.org/rcv#rcvbenefits
www.rankedchoicevoting.org

Photo and story by Kevin Alan Lamb

MATTHEW BALL IS ON THE BALLOT FOR CLAWSON CITY COUNCIL this November, helps run a toddler play-center in downtown Ferndale called Nature’s Playhouse with his wife, and averages 35,000 views per month on YouTube since breaking out as the “Boogie Woogie Kid.”

With over 3.7 million views on YouTube, Ball is the attorney-turned-pianist-and-singer who tours nationally playing favorites from the Swing era and more. Here’s my conversation with the man who has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition as well as Michigan Public Radio’s Ann Delisi’s and Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Programs.

Walk us through your performance at the Arches Stage in Cincinnati that helped launch your career…
The Arches Piano Stage is part of the larger three-stage Cincy Blues Festival. It is special because it is the only major festival that hosts an all-day stage dedicated to boogie-woogie piano-driven music, and welcomes boogie-woogie performers from around the world. It was my first major festival appearance before a large audience. Significant to me, I headlined alongside some the same names and personalities that had first inspired me to play boogie-woogie and blues piano back when I was just a fan and onlooker in the audience.

Who first coined the nickname, “Boogie Woogie Kid?”
The “Boogie Woogie Kid” I derived from a viral comic Youtube video about the high price of Starbuck’s coffee that was around at the time in which I was deciding upon an online avatar. The video was from an old guy who goes by “The Kid From Brooklyn” online.

Can you describe the work you do with children and its significance to you?
The work with children grew out of my becoming a father six years ago really, and my wife buying into a toddler play-center in downtown Ferndale called Nature’s Playhouse. There, we developed a boogie-woogie nursery rhyme program for tots that we performed every Tuesday, and that I’ve even performed for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra organization since departing from Nature’s Playhouse.

What was your first YouTube hit to break out?
I get on average about 1100-1200 views a day, or approximately 35,000 view per month steadily. I think the most-viewed video is an older one, wherein I play a piece I actually don’t even perform anymore called ‘Hot Boogie-Woogie.’

Who had the greatest influence on your development as a musician?
My musical development was most influenced by the wonderful pianist teachers I’ve had as a young man. First, Flavio Varani, with whom I trained while at Oakland University and who himself graduated from the Paris Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music.

The other influence was Bob Seeley, who was an internationally known boogie-woogie, stride, and traditional jazz pianist. He was also a personal friend of one of boogie-woogie’s celebrity stars, Meade Lux Lewis, one of the pianists who launched boogie-woogie into a popular 1940s craze.

https://www.boogiewoogiekid.com/

 

Story by Jeff Milo
Photos by Bernie LaFramboise

SHELBY HOLTZMAN GOT HOOKED BY A DRILL. THE FERNDALE RESIDENT WASN’T RAISED TO BE A WOODSMITH OR A CARPENTER, AND YET SHE IS NOW BUILDING CREATIVE AND STYLISH HARDWOOD FURNITURE FROM HER NEW SHOP/SHOWROOM ON LIVERNOIS. You see, she fatefully needed to borrow a power tool one day several years ago and it began mounting an appreciation for creating something by hand, particularly with a flume of sawdust.

“My dad was always a fixer, and a very crafty guy,” said Holtzman. “He got me into the idea of being able to make really beautiful things even if you didn’t necessarily have the background in it. But I laugh, cuz my high school didn’t even have a shop class; I wonder how sooner I would have gotten into this had I been exposed to it more.”

Holtzman co-founded Long White Beard in 2014 with fellow creator Daniel Erickson, starting out with a studio space inside the Russell Industrial Center in Detroit. Holtzman graduated college with a degree in anthropology, and was even getting knee-deep into some archaeological works just before she and Erickson got started. But, as she said, “the hobby (woodworking) started turning into a full time gig!”

Long White Beard’s new physical Ferndale space opened in late July; a retail/workshop space distinguished by artist Erin Brott’s dazzling mural of thick white whiskers flowing across the side, adorned with small verdant green ferns, trees and friendly woodland creatures. The showroom features their various home-enhancing creations, like coffee tables, dining tables, custom designed shelving, wooden housing for entertainment centers, and, one of their most popular items, custom hardwood cutting boards.

Holtzman and Erickson saw Long White Beard’s popularity steadily build over time, from their first spot in the Russell, to where they began filling more and more orders, not just locally and across the state , but nationwide over e-commerce site Etsy.com.

Both of them approached it as something that would just grow little by little. “Yeah, we didn’t do it start-up style,” Holtzman said. “We never went to the bank to ask for a loan, or anything. I hate to say ‘grassroots,’ but really, that’s how every single thing has been done, just getting to one point, or making and selling one thing, and then getting to the next. Dan calls it ‘the ratchet!’ We’ve always been trying to grow responsibly.”

Holtzman said she loves the craft, she thrives in the creation process, but that Erickson can handle the grittier business aspects, like accounting and what-not. She knew, from the start, that this company wasn’t going to be called any variation of “Shelby Holtzman Woodworks.” In fact, she admits a lifelong uneasiness with self-promotion of any kind, because she’s always just preferred the work, the focus she finds in creating something or learning how something works. That’s why she’s always been at home either in a lab (for anthropology research) or, now, in her shop (with their three busy/loud/industrial-grade lumber saws).

Holtzman, Erickson, and their “metal shop guy” Tim Umlah, are now settled in their new spot and already filling more orders for various furniture items and home-goods cut, sanded and treated from all locally-sourced lumber. The bigger shop space allows them to start working on more hardwood; that is, substantial blocks of hardwood lumber, from oak, sycamore and ash; and it allows them to invite their customers in and see the work, rather than clicking jpegs over etsy.

he name suggests a timeless wisdom of craftiness that gets passed down over ages. “The techniques and finishings are the same; lots of the tools are the same, just with new models. The ideas behind (woodworking) are the same. But if you come in the shop, you won’t see anyone with a long white beard.”
Glowing reviews poured in from Etsy customers over their first two years, and that attention and acclaim has only built after moving to Ferndale’s veritable second-downtown strip on Livernois. Pieces can be customized to fit your needs. If you’d like to customize something for your home’s dimensions, find Long White Beard online at:

etsy.com/shop/LongWhiteBeard
OPEN Wednesday – Saturday 12-6
860 Livernois, Ferndale, MI 48220