Photo by Daniel Heraty

The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce and Harper University Hospital hosted an event Feb. 2 at the Dearborn Inn supporting the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women campaign. Called “Love Yourself, Love Your Style,” the event included a discussion about heart health from Detroit Medical Center Cardiologist Joel Kahn and a fashion show featuring area residents, including Dearborn Chamber of Commerce Director of Membership Services Renee Aloe and LaFontaine Automotive Group Specialty Operations Manager Kelley LaFontaine. Above, WDIV Channel 4 Traffic Reporter Ashlee Baracy (left) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Vice President of Auto Accounts Rick Morrone model fashions from New York-based Carlisle Collection and Dearborn-based Manno Clothing & Tailoring.

The motion, heard by U.S. District Court, Eastern District Judges Martha Daughtrey, Karen Moore and Ransey Cole, upheld a December decision by U.S. District Court, Eastern District Judge David Lawson ordering Somers to pay the settlement against former 19th District Court Adminstrator Julie Pucci while he appealed the ruling.

Prior to the judges’ ruling, Somers filed a motion Jan. 23 requesting a stay pending appeal for a June 2011 decision that he pay Pucci damages and lawyer fees after he allegedly fired her due to her live-in relationship with 19th District Court Judge William Hultgren.

In an email, Pucci said she was happy with the judges’ ruling and said it would be nice for Somers to “feel some financial pain.”

“All of his actions to date, delays and appeals are because it’s someone else’s money,” she said. “Not anymore.”

Pucci’s Detroit-based attorney, Joel Sklar, said because the bond was not paid and the appeal denied, the settlement can be collected. According to published reports, a hold was placed on one of Somers’ paychecks Jan. 19 in the amount of $3,300 to secure the payments.

“Because (Somers) has chosen not to post a bond,” Sklar said, “the court said you can go and execute the judgement.”

Sklar and Somers’ attorney, state Assistant Attorney General Michael King, agreed in an email Jan. 11 that Somers’ funds would not be withheld until the settlement was paid by the city, which funds the court. The city announced Jan. 18 it would not pay the settlement, claiming Somers was sued as an individual, not a city employee.

Sklar added the court’s responsibility must be determined by an agreement between the city and the court or through litigation, which the ruling claims is the likely outcome.

“… Judge Somers suggests that a bond is unnecessary because the judgement must be satisfied by the Court and the City of Dearborn,” the denial states. “That determination has not been made … and the district court has indicated that it is likely to be litigated.”

Sklar said he hopes the city pays the settlement and ends the matter.

“That’s what the city’s leadership should be contemplating,” he said. “I hope they are.”

(Daniel Heraty can be reached at dheraty@bewickpublications.com)

George Saieg, founder of the Ministry to Muslims network, was prohibited from distributing material urging Muslims to convert to Christianity during the city’s 2009 Arab International Festival. During the festival, Saieg, along with about 120 members of his group, were allegedly told by Dearborn police officers they faced arrest if they passed out the material.

Saieg sued the city in 2009, claiming he was allowed to distribute leaflets during previous visits from 2004 until 2008. According to published reports, Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad enacted a leaflet ban in 2008, allegedly citing crowd control concerns.

U.S. District Court, Eastern District Magistrate Judge Steven Whalen ruled Jan. 27 the city allegedly violated Saieg’s free speech rights and must pay about $100,000 to Ann Arbor-based Thomas More Law Center, which represented Saieg at the time.

“I thought the judge made a decent ruling,” said Saieg’s attorney, Arizona-based Robert Muise, who represented Saieg prior to founding the American Freedom Law Center. “It was a good victory in a long, hard-fought battle.”

A panel of three U.S. District Court, Eastern District judges; Martha Daughtrey, Karen Moore and Eric Clay, ruled in May 2011 festival rules violated Saieg’s right to free speech and should not have prevented him from passing out material on public sidewalks kept open for non-festival-related activities, including pedestrian traffic.

The city has until Feb. 14 to appeal the ruling, which Muise said would be a waste of time.

“They would just be running up more attorney fees and costs,” he said. “Anything short of (the city) appealing, it’s over.”

Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. said because the festival, held annually on Warren Avenue, is open to the public and the street can’t be closed, the city may choose not to hold it at its current site.

“It’s a matter of location,” he said, “because that’s a commercial district and we have to keep it open for people not attending the festival.”

Haddad and Saieg did not return phone calls seeking comment on this story by press time.

Photo by Daniel Heraty

Crews put finishing touches on the Helping Youth Progress and Excel Athletics Center, scheduled for an April preview and a May grand opening. Construction on the 110,000-square-foot building, on the northwest corner of Warren Avenue and Ann Arbor Trail, began in November and was funded by a $7 million grant from the the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program and a $1 million grant from the Wayne County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. The facility is to feature a 10,000-square-foot swimming pool, a weight room and an indoor track, in addition to providing tutoring and literacy development. HYPE Athletics will share the building with non-profit organization Zaman International, which will contain a food bank and provide vocational training for abused women.

Nineteenth District Court Judge Richard Wygonik announced Jan. 20 that Langen would return as deputy court administrator Feb. 1, a position she held from 1996 until 2006, when she was removed by 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers and replaced with former administrator Gary Dodge. Dodge’s last day was Jan. 31

According to published reports, Dodge was removed by Wygonik after Wygonik was named the court’s chief judge in November. Wygonik was not available for comment.

Langen said court employees are wishing her well.

“I’ve had a lot of reaction from quite a few (court) employees,” she said. “Everyone’s been giving me their support.”

Langen, who is involved in a lawsuit against Somers, said she looks forward to working with all three 19th District Court Judges: Somers, Wygonik and William Hultgren.

Calling the duties between clerk and court administrator interchangeable, Langen said she hasn’t noticed a difference in the jobs and described a typical day as dealing with personnel and budget issues, in addition to dealing with unhappy people.

“I’m not experiencing anything I haven’t experienced before,” she said.

In an email, former court administrator Julie Pucci — who is suing Somers alleging wrongful termination after Somers fired her, Langen and former probation officer Simone Calvas in 2006 — said Langen has the support of Wygonik and former 20th District Court Judge Leo Foran, who, as chief judge, promoted Langen in 2005.

Pucci added she expects a change in atmosphere with Langen’s appointment.

“The shortcomings of the former administration at the 19th District Court over the last five years are well-documented and have negatively affected morale,” she said.

(Daniel Heraty can be reached at dheraty@bewickpublications.com)

The card offers the same discounts as the district’s Golden Ager card with additions such as:

• Free admission to all school-sponsored activities, including concerts and athletic events, but excluding plays because of licensing fees.

• Discounts on select Community Education classes.

• Ten percent discount on merchandise sold at school stores.

• Participation in school lunch programs at reduced prices. The reduced price is 10 percent off the total purchase.

Cards can be obtained at any Dearborn public school or the Administrative Building, 18700 Audette. The first person to visit a school to obtain a card Feb. 14 will receive a Target gift card.

“We are proud that many residents in the over 60 crowd are alumni and we welcome them back to enjoy the events and activities that occur in our schools,” Supt. Brian Whiston said. “Our students have plenty to offer and community members will be proud of the accomplishments of the young people in their neighborhood. We hope that everyone over the age of 60 will pick up a Premier Citizen Discount Card and take advantage of the free admission and discounts.”

The district began offering senior citizens free admission to school events and other special discounts via the Golden Ager card almost 20 years ago.

Admission to the museum is free with membership or $17 for adults, $15 for seniors (62 and up) and $12.50 for youth (5-12). Children 4 and under are free. For more information, call (313) 982-6001 or go to www.thehenryford.org.

The Minds on Freedom show returns to tell the stories of civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, Gloria Rackley and Martin Luther King Jr. Through music, dramatic performance and audience participation, the 30-minute show explores the lives of the men and women who sparked a movement and inspired a nation to champion the cause for civil rights.

Before the performance, a film, “United in Freedom,” will be shown. The movie documents the June 20 to 21, 2011, round-the-clock display of the original Emancipation Proclamation at the museum. The film runs at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, with additional performances at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 18 and 19.

Visitors also are invited to learn about the breakthrough discoveries of trailblazers like George Washington Carver and Lewis Latimer during the African-American Innovator tours. Tours are free with admission and depart from museum plaza. Tours run daily at 10 and 11 a.m., and 1, 2 and 3 p.m.

Go to www.thehenryford.org for all program times.

The seven individuals and organizations have been selected for their achievements in the Dearborn community.

Award recipients are: Frank Padzieski, The Mayor’s Award; Isabelle Renaud, Artist/Performer Award; Kurt Doelle, Arts Educator Award; Leslie Greeneisen, DCAC Bravo Award; Cynthia Frabutt, Volunteer Award; University of Michigan-Dearborn, Patron Award; and Artists Society of Dearborn, Organization Award.

Admission is free; the public is welcome. A reception immediately following the ceremony will be in the Ford Center’s Studio A, and will also be open to the public.

No reservations are required. Any inquires can be directed to the DCAC office at 313-943-3095.

The Mayor’s Arts Awards were created by DCAC and late Mayor Michael Guido, to honor those members of our community who create, perform, educate and the support the fine and performing arts in the greater Dearborn area.

Master of ceremonies for this year’s event will be Brian Townsend of Dearborn. Among the groups slated to perform during the evening are the Prysm School of the Arts, the Dearborn High Thespians and a film montage of the DHS Film and Video program.

During the board’s regular meeting Jan. 23, Dearborn Public Schools spokesman David Mustonen asked the board to consider permitting advertising in school buildings and athletic facilities to generate revenue, potentially up to $100,000 per year. The advertising would be placed on football fields, gymnasium walls and the district’s website.

“The question that we have here is to ad or not to ad,” Mustonen said. “It’s an important question, a philosophical one, that the board is gong to have to address.”

Mustonen said he believes the measure will pass, but the board must monitor the ads for inappropriate sponsors or messages.

“I think that they will move forward, but they want to be very cautious,” he said. “They want to look at all the possibilities on how to generate revenue, but not cross the line and overdo it.”

The district has policies in place that allow advertising. Developed in 2005, they also provide guidelines that determine how ads are used, including prohibiting ads that interfere with students’ education. Mustonen said the policies may be reviewed by a committee of parents and school staff to determine if they meet the district’s needs.

“The bulk (of the guidelines) may be fine,” he said, “But there may be things that may need to be tweaked.”

No timetable is set for a decision, but the Board Policy Committee, comprised of Trustees Pamela Adams, Hussein Berry and James Schoolmaster, who review all district policies and bring the findings to the board, will meet throughout the school year and review the guidelines.

Trustee Aimee Blackburn said advertising is a positive method of community outeach. She said in addition to the committee, she would like to see local small businesses pay less than larger businesses.

“I would like to see us move forward on this,” she said, “because it’s happening (nationwide) whether we move forward or not.”

Trustee Mary Lane was against advertising, calling it “wasted money.”

“I have a lot of qualms … when a student comes home with a textbook that says ‘Geography brought to you by XYZ Corporation…’” she said.

(Daniel Heraty can be reached at dheraty@bewickpublications.com)

Photo by Sue Suchyta

By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
DEARBORN – While the motto “If you believe it you can achieve it” has inspired 14-year-old Hannah Newell of Dearborn to qualify for the 2012 World Irish Dance Championships in Belfast, an upcoming fundraiser will help pay her way there.

Newell, who has danced at the O’Hare School of Irish Dance in Plymouth since she was 5, credits her success to owner Tim O’Hare and dance teachers Megan Paulowicz and Breda McGowan.

“All of the these teachers have put in so much hard work and effort to make all of the dancers the best they can be,” Newell said. “They have surely helped me to be my best.”

To achieve that goal, she attends classes every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, and will add additional practice days to her schedule as a competition approaches.

Newell performs three solo competition dances: a soft shoe reel and a hard shoe hornpipe, which feature percussive steps, and a set dance, which is a fast-paced folk dance. She also does a ceili dance, an eight-hand reel with other dancers, which will not be entered in the world competition.

Newell said she gets nervous before major competitions because she has such high expectations for herself, and realizes that her competitors are also highly motivated.

“Once you get on stage, the adrenaline kicks in and I always end up having a blast,” Newell said. “It is hard work in the beginning but in the end it all pays off.

Her hard work has taken her to Ireland twice before for competitions, as well as to Glasgow, Scotland.

“I love going (to Ireland) because I always have new cousins to meet!” Newell said, adding that her paternal grandmother immigrated to the United States from Ireland when she was in her twenties.

“I come from a very Irish Catholic family and I am so thankful to have such a big family to help and support me in everything I do, especially in Irish dance,” she said said.

In additional to providing emotional support, her family funds her dancing, purchasing hand-made dance dresses from Ireland, which can cost from $1,000 to $3,000, and $100 to $400 for school dresses.

“Some people only get a few months out of their dress because of random growth spurts,” Newell said. “The dress I have right now I have gotten about a year and a half out of it and it is getting a little tight now.”

In addition to costumes, she wears a soft black shoe with crisscrossed laces for light shoe dances and a hard black shoe that resembles a tap shoe but is louder.

Her dance shoes have accompanied her to competitions throughout the United States as well as local community performances, which peak around St. Patrick’s Day and the group’s annual March recital, scheduled for March 4 at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills.

She said that the hard work and focus pays off in the end.

“When I qualified for (The) World (Irish Dancing Championships) the first time… when they called my name I was so shocked and happy,” Newell said. “I ran up on stage with tears and could not control myself because I was so excited… those moments make all the hard work pay off.”

Newell added that she has made friendships through Irish dance that will last a lifetime.

“I love Irish dance so much because of the wonderful school, teachers and friends that I have met because of this amazing sport,” Newell said. “I am so grateful that I have participated in this sport … and will hopefully pass it down to my children some day.”

Newell, along with nine other soloist qualifiers from the O’Hare School of Irish Dance, will perform at a fundraiser dinner at 7 p.m. Friday, at Genitti’s Hole-in-the-Wall Italian Restaurant at 108 E. Main St. in Northville.

Tickets are $40, and are available from Jenny Newell, at (313) 268-1121 or snewell1@sbcglobal.net, or Maureen Oatman at (248) 214-8647 or mcoatman@earthlink.net