Dave's is more than a barbershop;
it's a Grosse Pointe clearing house

Dave Brown wakes up every day at 5 a.m. at his home in New Baltimore. He checks the weather first, to see if it’s a good day for golf, then gives his a wife a kiss and drives about 30 minutes to his barber shop in Grosse Pointe City. 

“Everyday’s a new day,” said Brown, owner of Dave’s Haircutting & Styling shop. read more...

Study group suggests ways to cut
$340,000 from City's spending

The Grosse Pointe City Council heard from the Ad Hoc Citizens Budget Committee at its meeting Monday night (Feb. 22), suggesting numerous cost savings and expenditure reductions.

Speaking for the committee, Gary Bresnehan noted the significant decline in property tax and other revenues, and laid out a multi-pronged approach to bringing city costs and revenues in balance over the long term. read more...

Beaumont plants new time capsule
for Bon Secours' next century

Although the sale of the old Bon Secours Hospital to the Beaumont chain is more than two years old, a transition this past fall marked a clearer line between the facility's old life and its new one: With the passing of its original time capsule to the Sisters of Bon Secours in October 2009, it was time to plant a new one. Rick Swaine, senior vice president and hospital director, and Dr. Donna Hoban, senior vice president and medical director, presided over the planting of a new one in a support column. Containing the usual ephemera of 2010, it also included a letter from Hoban and Swaine that read in part,  "As a side note, as this picture was taken, we were all very concerned about how we looked–wondering what the fashion statement would be when this time capsule was finally opened." We'll leave that assessment to the fashion critics of the future, but they look fine to us. read more...

Racing for Kids cuts check to Beaumont

Last fall's Racing for Kids event on the Hill raised $10,000 to benefit the Shery L. and David B. Cotton, M.D. Family Birth Center at Beaumont Hospital in the City. And you know what happens next? Everybody involved gets their picture taken with a very big check. Above, from left to right: Mary Wells, president, The Hill Association; Sean Cotton, vice president and general counsel, Health Plan of read more...

That's a wrap, for shoppers who
buy their gifts in the Village

The City of Grosse Pointe, in collaboration with the Grosse Pointe Art Center and the Grosse Pointe Village Association, will offer complimentary holiday gift-wrap services for gifts purchased at any store in the Village shopping district of Grosse Pointe. 
 
The Grosse Pointe Village Association merchant members will market the gift-wrap service during their holiday campaign with advertising in Village stores.
 
To take advantage of this complimentary service, purchase a gift item in the Village, bring your receipt to the Grosse Pointe Art Center, 16900 Kercheval Avenue, Thursday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The Grosse Pointe Art Center staff and volunteers will wrap your gift with festive paper and ribbon through December 19.   
   read more...

Santa Claus Parade starts the season

One thing you have to credit the Pointes with–we don't rush the season here (too much). Christmas starts when it's supposed to, the day after Thanksgiving, in chilly weather, with a parade that ends in a shopping district. No Black Friday here, it's all red cheeks and pink and green clowns, sleigh bells and cash registers and a whole lot of hot coffee going out the door, to the cadence of a passing drumline (the Eastside Fury, in this case). The holidays are here, folks. Here's hoping yours are merry and bright. read more...

City looks to residents’ expertise
to help survive coming budget crisis

Grosse Pointe City Manager Peter Dame and members of the city council hope they have a lot of smart people living between Fisher and Cadieux Roads. They're asking city residents who have financial expertise to help them deal with an impending budget shortfall.

“We have to take a substantial view of what we are doing and look to our community for guidance,” Dame said at this week’s city council meeting. “We need to put together a citizens committee to make recommendations, maybe four or five people with backgrounds in finance.” read more...

Beaumont cuts sever nine positions
from its Cadieux Road hospital

The scythe of layoffs in Beaumont Hospitals did not spare its Grosse Pointe location.

Last week, the hospital chain announced it was shedding 353 jobs throughout the system, which includes hospitals in Royal Oak, Troy and here, as well as other medical facilities. This is the third layoff of the year.

Nine positions were cut at the Cadieux Road facility. In a statement released by the hospital's communication department, Rick Swaine, senior vice president and hospital director, said:  read more...

City recognizes homes, businesses
for beautification, improvement efforts

Thirteen Grosse Pointe home and business owners were rewarded at this week’s City Council meeting for improving and tending their properties.

Each took home a 2009 city Beautification Award that included a custom-made Pewabic tile and a certificate and photograph of their house or business. read more...

Grosse Pointe City candidates
running unopposed in Nov. 3 election

Lifelong Grosse Pointe City resident Chris Boettcher will run uncontested for the city council spot vacated by Kris Pfaehler, who is not seeking re-election because of a job commitment out of state.

Incumbent council members Jean Weipert and Chris Walsh and Mayor Dale Scrace are also unopposed. Monday was the deadline to file a petition to run in the Nov. 3 election.

City Manager Peter Dame said Pfaehler’s job does not allow him to attend most council meetings. Pfaehler was not available for comment. read more...