Grosse Pointe Friends get details
on Ford lives

Hundreds of photos of the lives of Eleanor and Edsel Ford were featured in a presentation to the Friends of the Grosse Pointe Library at the group’s annual meeting Tuesday (May 15). It was held, appropriately, at the Ford House on Lakeshore in the Shores. read more...


Bird houses and book signing
at Grosse Pointe Historical Society

Grosse Pointe Woods City Council stays
on track for a fall vote on tax increases

A city-wide vote to increase property taxes in Grosse Pointe Woods became more likely after Monday’s (May 14) meeting of the City Council, where its committee of the whole recommended two measures. read more...


Public Safety Report:
sports equipment vanishes

How do police do it? I often wonder. How do you pull over a woman driving like an idiot in the small hours of the morning, reeking of booze, and when you ask her how much she's been drinking, she replies, "Who, me? Nothing."

I mean, do you take that home with you? "Son, did you do your homework?" "Yes, dad." "LIAR!"

Some do, I hear. It makes a strong case for keeping one's sense of humor, because all you can really do, in a situation like that, is laugh. In this case the inebriated woman blew nothing short of .25 on the breathalyzer, well into the extra super-drunk charge-sweetener the law saves just for their special sort of drunkenness.

But I guess that's why they call it wasted.

Other than that, not a whole lot going on. In the woods, two thefts of specialized sports equipment from the Lochmoor and Hunt Clubs -- pin flags from the golf course, starting blocks from the Hunt Club pool -- is the start of what looks to be...well, what do you think? I'm thinking it's a new, underground country club in which all the equipment is stolen from other clubs. If I get an invite, I'll let you know. read more...


The Grosse Pointe FOP presented Grosse Pointe/Harper Woods Community Special Olympics with a check for $2,500.

Grosse Pointe police and Detroit Lions
team up for charity basketball game

Two local charities were the big winners of a basketball game, attended by more than 900 people, Tuesday (May 8). Playing against a Detroit Lions team, the Grosse Pointe Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 102 raised $5,000 in the game at South High School that ended with a hail Mary football pass and a slam dunk.
 
Joe Adams, lodge president and event organizer, presented the Grosse Pointe/Harper Woods Community Special Olympics and Services for Older Citizens each with a check for $2,500.
 read more...


Grosse Pointe Woods City Council
looks at alternatives to millage boost

Monday night’s (May 7) City Council meetings in Grosse Pointe Woods – held before a larger-than-usual audience – demonstrated the power of pushback at the grass-roots level. read more...


Comments

Grosse Pointe Woods Headlee override

It's a real stretch to call a 1.9 mill tax increase to pay for for $10 million in road construction bonds, plus an additional 1.85 mills for a Headlee Override that goes straight to the general fund, "alternatives to a millage boost."  Those two total 3.75 mills - which will put the Grosse Pointe Woods taxpayers well over the Headlee cap, no matter how you tally it up.  We do need money for roads, and $10 million in road construction bonds may be acceptable. But the Woods council never would have "bifurcated" (love that word) their proposal if we three veteran former council members (Joe Sucher, Lisa Pinkos Howle and me) hadn't put the screws to them publicly, demanding it. And they still want a Headlee override of 1.85 mills, which will raise Woods' residents' taxes an extra $185 for every $100,000 of their property's taxable value? So tell me again: How's a 3.75 mill tax increase an acceptable "alternative" to the proposed original 3.60 "millage boost." Incidentally, I learned something long ago about sunset provisions: Local tax levies are like the old British Empire. The sun never sets on them.

Junior League of Detroit Show House
opens doors in Grosse Pointe Shores

 

The Junior League of Detroit's Designer Show House is open through May 20. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 3 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays noon to 5 p.m.  Tickets are $20 at the door.

 

 


Grosse Pointe Woods Community Center
has a full slate of events for May

Grosse Pointe Woods residents have several special events to look forward to in the coming weeks at the Community Center. read more...


Comments

GPWoods seniors May events

On the subject of May activities, Grosse Pointe Woods' seniors also would be wise to attend their city's council meetings Monday, May 7, and Monday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. where the Woods' upcoming new budget will be discussed at length. There's no admission, except for the thousands of dollars in real estate taxes and fees you already pay each year. Seniors living on fixed incomes should be especially interested in how the 2012-2013 city budget, which likely will be more than $32 million, is to be implemented by more than $1.2 million a year of their tax money if Mayor Robert Novitke and his six council cronies succeed in placing a Headlee override blank check proposal on the November presidential ballot. Seniors should be sure to ask for instructions on how to obtain absentee ballots so their votes can be counted.

Rep. Peters to introduce himself in
new district, including Pointes, April 30

Democratic U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, left, who is running for his next term in the newly redrawn 14th District -- which includes the Grosse Pointes -- will meet with the public today (April 30) at Windmill Pointe Park in Grosse Pointe Park. 

The community forum is open to all, and will be held at Tomkins Community Center, from 6:30-8 p.m. Participants may ask questions and bring up issues of interest. For further information, or to find other community-forum opportunities, call 313-926-8841 or visit the campaign websiteread more...


Grosse Pointe Park recognizes artists,
approves Harvard Grill liquor license

Parents, teachers, friends and family were in attendance to recognize student recipients of the annual Grosse Pointe Park Beautification Contest awards, made Monday night (April 23) at the Park City Council meeting. More than 160 elementary students submitted posters for Arbor Week, an annual event that is honored through the Beautification Commission.

“The quality it seems every year just increases,” said Bob Ramsey, chairperson of the event. “And we’re just immensely pleased that the teachers take it so seriously.” read more...


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