Photo by Nate German

By CHRIS JACKETT
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – Animal rights activists were outside the Civic Center on Monday to protest a circus group’s treatment of large animals ranging from tigers to two African elephants.

Florida-based Circus Pages puts on 90-minute circus shows across the country throughout the year. The organization was in Wyandotte last month and at the Melvindale Civic Center, 4300 S. Dearborn St., on Monday.

However, wherever the group takes its show, different protestors and activists seem to follow. Three activists attempted to block the doorway at the Wyandotte show June 19 before moving and then fleeing before police arrived at the scene.

At the Melvindale show, a month-old nonprofit group called the Detroit Coalition for Animal Rights and Equality held its first protest outside the Civic Center based on the multiple U.S. Department of Agriculture citations Circus Pages has received from 1992 to 2007 for treatment of its animals and lack of proper veterinary records.

“It started two months ago, but took full effect a month ago when volunteers were first recruited and protests and boycotts were planned,” said lifelong activist and Detroit CARE founder Nate German, who uses the name N. Brant in his group’s business dealings. “The two main things are probably they don’t have proof of any veterinary records since 1994, and the Animal Welfare Act has accused them of not giving (their animals) enough room or feeding them enough food, or the right food.

“I just want you to know what they’ve been through, and maybe you’ll think about going again, because going again, because they come every year.”

German said his new organization had just six activists at the event from 3 to 8 p.m. to demonstrate outside the 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. shows, but more people were planning to come protest until a police presence forced the group to move across the street.

“Considering this was our first protest, not many people were there,” German said. “As soon as word hit the police were there, people decided they were not going to come. We just had to move across the street so we weren’t on the property.
The whole goal of the organization is positive activism, not (negative demonstrations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The ringmaster came out and started badmouthing us because he thought we were PETA.”

With about 25 members after one month of recruiting, German hopes Detroit CARE can grow to the point where it has paid employees. He has set up a blog (www.detroitcare.blogspot.com) for the group and is in the process of creating a Website.

He said he created the group because animal rights activists have been taking the wrong approach.

“My whole life, I’ve been an animal rights activist, and I’ve always believed they’ve done it the wrong way,” German said, citing extremists who throw paint on fur coats or lay naked in the street. “The best way to do it is literature and peaceful protests.”

Because it didn’t have a solicitor’s license, German said his group could only hand out informational pamphlets to people who asked. He said the event went “pretty smoothly.” Despite insults from some passers-by, he said others were genuinely interested in hearing the group’s message.

“It was a very simple protest. Some things were victories, others were embarrassing,” German said. “They had a Siberian tiger that was in a cage so small it couldn’t turn around.”

Circus manager Jorge Page acknowledged the protestors, but didn’t respond to multiple questions regarding his circus’s veterinary care, stating only that his paperwork was in order if authorities need it.

“I know they were there, but I just work in the back and do my thing,” he said.

Melvindale Senior/Recreation Coordinator Ryan Massolia said protestors at the circus are common whenever it comes to town, but didn’t see any problems with Circus Pages’ arrangement last week.

“They’re here usually every year and do a show; one day with two shows,” he said. “They’re very clean and organized and they do their setup in the morning and they’re gone the next day.

“It was really cool. They do a very nice show; nice people.”

For more information on Detroit CARE e-mail nbdcare@gmail.com.

Work began Wednesday on the new Melvindale Skate Park, south of the city pool at 3155 Oakwood Blvd.

City Administrator Paul LaManes said the project would take about a month to complete.

“Contractually, we have until Aug. 20. I’m guessing it’ll be shorter than that,” he said of the completion date.

The $68,000 project is funded entirely through grants and fundraisers. A $60,000 grant from a Wayne County Parks millage covered most of the bill, while a $5,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation paid for another large portion. Melvindale was one of 11 cities throughout the United States awarded with a grant from the well-known skateboarder’s foundation.

“In subsequent to receiving a check from the Tony Hawk Foundation, we got a note on our design from Tony Hawk himself,” LaManes said. “The other unique thing about our park is it’s concrete, not modular. It’s more permanent and more durable.”

The Melvindale Parks Project, a nonprofit that raised $8,000 through an April skateboard sale and other fundraisers, also collected the remaining $3,000 needed to build the park. The city also held a buy-a-brick fundraiser that earned donors sidewalk engraved bricks for $100 each. Excess funds will go toward adding benches and signage after the park is complete, LaManes said.

“None of it will come out of the general fund,” he said. He also thanked Wayne County Commissioner Gary Woronchak for helping secure the county grant that covers 88 percent of the cost.

Park hours aren’t set yet, but likely will be from dawn to dusk for in-line skaters and skateboarders, but is not for use by bicycle extremists. The skate park will be free of any fees or residency requirements.

Photos by Chris Jackett

A finished living room sits ready for this week’s filming of “Machine Gun Preacher.” The Melvindale-based trailer home will be Gerard Butler’s character’s home in the film.

‘The city’s not looking at this as a way to solve its fiscal problems. It’s a way of participating in Michigan’s film industry and we’re glad to do it.’
— City Administrator
Paul LaManes

By CHRIS JACKETT
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – The city is getting its first taste of Hollywood this month as filming for “Machine Gun Preacher” starts at a local mobile home park Monday.

The film, starring Gerard Butler (“300,” “P.S. I Love You”) as lead character Sam Childers, will be in town through July 28.

Set crews for the film already have been in town for two weeks, preparing the park that will serve as Childers’ home in the film. When filming begins there tomorrow, some of the set crew will move to a local bar to prepare it for other scenes in the film to be shot later this month.

City Administrator Paul LaManes serves as the film liason for the city and said officials have been working with Wayne County to offer locations for films looking to capture a small-town feel. In the case of “Machine Gun Preacher,” Melvindale will become a small Pennsylvania town.

“A representative of the production studio stopped in my office one day,” LaManes said of how the city secured its role in the film.

With staff from the film in town for nearly five weeks, three which will be spent filming, LaManes expects a small boost in the local economy.

“The city has the regular permitting, but general businesses are going to benefit the most; more foot traffic,” he said. “Just exposure, real participation in the burgeoning film industry (is the biggest benefit).

“The city’s not looking at this as a way to solve its fiscal problems. It’s a way of participating in Michigan’s film industry and we’re glad to do it.”

The film also brings a few jobs to southeastern Michigan residents.

“They were looking for a muralist two years ago for a movie, and I was a waitress,” said Dita Clouser, a scenic artist and Walled Lake resident. “My boss, Steve, asked if I knew someone who could do it, and I said I could.”

Clouser braved the 95-degree heat and sun Wednesday to paint rust onto the hinges of Childers’ garage door. Her role the past two weeks was to paint the park’s old trailers a new color and then paint them with textured paints to make them appear aged.

She has worked on creating the sets of films of several Michigan-made productions in the past two years, including “A Year in Mooring” starring Josh Lucas in Traverse City, “High School” starring Adrien Brody in Howell, “Highland Park” starring Billy Burke in Highland Park and both “Little Murder” starring Lucas and “The Irishman” starring Vincent D’Onofrio in Detroit before working with “Machine Gun Preacher” in Melvindale.

Although the nearby Allen Park Studio Center is bringing films to the Downriver area, LaManes said “Machine Gun Preacher” has no production-based connections to the center.

The film, which will be distributed nationally by Lionsgate (“Saw,” “Gamer”), will bring five semitrucks’ worth of equipment to town for the filming, LaManes said.

“Machine Gun Preacher” is the a biographical story of Childers, a drug-dealing biker who finds religion and dedicates his life to helping Sudanese children escape the Lord’s Resistance Army in Africa. Childers founded the Angels of East Africa, a Children’s Village in Southern Sudan, for the children he saves from the LRA.

(Contact Chris Jackett at cjackett@bewickpublications.com)

The district would have been short $1.46 million in federal revenue, from $2.97 million to $1.5 million, because of the loss of two stimulus grants and seeing the ARRA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and preschool funding drop from a combined $501,000 in fiscal 2009-10 to $289,000 in 2010-11.

“It’s significant, but we’ve budgeted for that,” said Sandey Gutenschwager, the district’s new director of business and finance, of the ARRA losses.

However, state revenue increased $157,000, from $17.14 million to $17.3 million, despite foundation and special education foundation allowances decreasing $293,000 from $16.64 million to $16.35 million. That decrease is offset by a $450,000 increase from the state At Risk Grant now set at $952,000.

“(We) were able to use that At Risk money to offset (losses),” Gutenschwager said.

Local revenue also decreased $622,000 from $5.1 million to $4.48 million, causing total revenue to drop by $1.93 million from $25.28 million to $23.35 million.

The total fund balance is down nearly $810,000 from $3.15 million to $2.34 million; although the version posted on the district Website reads $1.38 million because it did not account for the amended 2009-10-budget revenue of nearly $1 million more.

“(Officials) must’ve thought the expenditures would’ve been higher than they were,” Gutenschwager said of the online budget.

Due to declining revenue from expiring ARRA grants, district officials had to make a few cuts to balance annual expenses. Staff benefits were modified to cover 10 months instead of 12, helping the district avoid summer layoffs and major program cuts or eliminations.

“We’re trying to keep expenses in check,” Gutenschwager said. “What 2010-11 holds, we’ll see. We just have to be cautious with all our expenses from the top down.”

Total appropriated expenditures will drop $1.66 million from $25.63 million to $23.98 million. Funding for pupil services is the only area seeing a small increase, from $1.52 million to $1.53 million, while all other areas saw decreases.

Basic programs, which use nearly 50 percent of the appropriated funding, decreased $321,000 from $12.26 million to $11.94 million.

(Contact Chris Jackett at cjackett@bewickpublications.com)

The man was driving his silver Chevrolet Venture north on Prospect about 5 p.m. June 22 when an officer saw him run a stop sign at Caryn, then drive up over the curb while turning east onto Greenfield Road.

After stopping the van and beginning to approach it, the officer realized it was in reverse. He asked the man to shift it into park, but received a blank stare and no response. The officer then reached in, put the van in park, took the keys out of the ignition and put them on the roof.

When asked where he was coming from, the man’s response was slow and slurred, and he could not answer the question.

Police said a bottle containing 30 pills of Soma, a muscle relaxant, was visible in the vehicle. The prescription had been filled earlier in the day for 90 pills.

The man told the officer he had had nothing to drink, but that he did take one of the prescription pills about eight hours earlier for back pain.

A second officer noticed the man’s slurred speech and slow movements. He asked the man to step out of the van and take some field sobriety tests, but, while being patted.

He could not follow the tip of the officer’s fingers with his eyes or lift his leg six inches off the ground, nearly falling over when asked to keep his leg pointed outward while counting to 30.

A preliminary breath test detected no alcohol present in his blood, but the man then was arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs and the van was towed.

Two vials of his blood were drawn about 8 p.m. at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center.

Photo by Sue Suchyta

By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – Hazel Hawthorne has seen a lot of changes in her 100 years, but one of the first still ranks among the biggest.

When she was just 7 years old, her father moved the family from the modern city of Detroit, where she was born, to a rural 35-acre farm without electricity or indoor plumbing. That farm was on Ford Road in what is now Dearborn.

“I know that doesn’t sound like a great distance, but you will have to imagine what it looked like in 1917,” said Hawthorne, who celebrated her century mark May 28. “There were all dirt roads, and the area was basically farmland.”

She walked a mile and a half to a one-room schoolhouse that served about 35 students in first through eighth grades. Hawthorne loved school and was disappointed when her father wouldn’t pay the $60 a year for her to go to high school.

“It seems like education is taken for granted today, but from my experience, it’s a gift that can only enrich your life,” she said.

Work has enhanced hers, including a job in her teen years in the Inkster post office and at different department stores, including Landsberg Dry Goods. Hawthorne sought out every opportunity to learn something new at each job.

“Intuitively, I believe I always understood how important it was to have an education even back then,” she said. “The desire to learn has always been a constant in my life, and continues to this very day.”

Because of declining eyesight, Hawthorne listens to books on tape and especially enjoys biographies. She also likes to listen to political talk shows on television.

John F. Kennedy was her favorite president, and Woodrow Wilson is the first president she can remember. Hawthorne hopes to someday see a woman become president and was disappointed when Hillary Clinton didn’t receive the Democratic nomination in 2008.

Hawthorne has, however, seen many other advances in society and technology, citing central air conditioning as one of the modern conveniences she appreciates most.

On her family’s first television in 1949 — an oval Muntz — she would watch Bob Hope, old movies and soap operas. She had listened to “Just Plain Bill” and “The Guiding Light” on the radio, and watched the latter when it moved to television until it went off the air last year.

Hawthorne’s first car was a 1936 or 1937 Ford Model A. Because her father worked at Ford Motor Co., she always drove the company’s products, a tradition dating as far back as 1918, when her Uncle Fred had one.

She continued to drive even after breaking a hip in 1989, when she was hit by a car. But when she broke the other hip in 1992 slipping on pavement, Hawthorne decided it was time to stop driving.

Early on, her traditional farm existence was mixed in with exposure to the modern marvels of the then-new century. Hawthorne’s appendix was removed just before it burst in a hospital when she was 7.

And though it may sound strange to today’s women, she recalls wearing pants — known as “knickers” at the time — while working on the farm. Such work sometimes consisted of an early form of multitasking: watching cows to keep them out of the road she while embroidering blouses for pay or reading.

At 15 she took her first airplane ride when a small plane stopped in a farmer’s field and offered rides for $3 per passenger. She had her own money by then, and paid for her ride.

Hawthorne married her husband, John, at age 27 in 1938, and remained happily married for 45 years until his death. They raised three daughters: Donna, born in 1941, Linda, whom she lives with, born in 1947, and Rhonda, born in 1950.

They often traveled in their Nash when their daughters were young, camping or staying in motels, going as far as California and Florida. Her husband initially worked in a Pennsylvania steel mill before moving the in 1947. He then worked for Ford at the Rotunda, and later for Ford Glass.

The couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary with a family party at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn.

All three daughters are still alive, and between them have produced seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Fortunately for her and for them, longevity runs in the family. Hawthorne’s Aunt Emma lived to 103, and her Aunt Gusty was nearly 100. Her father lived to age 90, and her mother lived 83 years.

The best advice Hawthorne can give others is to pick friends who are “clean living, with no smoking or drugging.”
She enjoys life and likes to be around other people. Hawthorne enjoys seeing baby pictures of her latest great-grandchild on Linda’s Facebook page.

Hawthorne’s family was of German ancestry, and she was raised in the Lutheran Church and formerly attended St. Paul’s, an American Lutheran Church in Dearborn.

She now follows the Lawsonian religion, which believes in natural law and teaches people to be kind to each other.

“I know there is a place you go to after you die,” Hawthorne said. “What you do in this life gives you a better chance of coming back in another. I want to come back as a better person.

“The most important thing is how you treat others and how they treat you. When it’s time for me to go, I hope the Lord lets me go peacefully in my sleep.

“I hope he pats me on the back and says, ‘Good job, Hazel.’”

Photo by Chris Jackett

By CHRIS JACKETT
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – Local children are benefiting the most from drug forfeiture funds the Police Department received from a $1.2 million July 2009 semitrailer bust.

The department was awarded $1.08 million by Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office in November and already is working to create programs that build better relations between officers and area young people while spreading an anti-drug message.

Four uses of the forfeiture funds are in place, the most noticeable of which will be Melvindale High School’s new stadium scoreboard.

“Just a scoreboard with an anti-drug message and our logo,” Police Chief Rick Cadez said. “We’re hoping that it’s (up) before the football season.”

The new scoreboard will be similar to the current one, but a little bigger. It will feature the Police Department’s logo in the lower left corner, along with a message expected to read “Say yes to life, say no to drugs” printed along the bottom.

The new scoreboard will take a few weeks to install; the cost of nearly $13,000 will come from forfeiture funds.

Also expected to be constructed this summer is a new $50,000 four-lane gun range below the police station to replace the current four-lane range in the same location.

“We’re tearing the old one out and putting the new one in,” Cadez said.

The first purchase with the drug forfeiture funds was a Ford Mustang patrol vehicle in March, Cadez said. The Mustang is used primarily to help the department’s community patrol office connect with children in Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Public Schools.

“Get the kids comfortable with the police, that’s our goal,” Cadez said.

One of the most visible uses of the drug forfeiture funds this summer is the community pool between the station and the high school, which typically costs $2 per day to use.

The fund will support a program this summer that will open the pool for free to all public school-aged children, including nonresidents, from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays.

An officer also will give drug education lectures from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the pool to support the “Jump into the pool, not into drugs” program.

“Just trying to connect with the kids,” Cadez said.

Once the city’s new skate park opens near the pool at the end of this month or in early August, department officials expect to use the forfeiture funds for a sign there as well, Cadez said.

(Contact Chris Jackett at cjackett@bewickpublications.com)

Registration forms are available at City Hall.

Class sessions will be held in the morning and afternoon Aug. 2 through 13 at the fire station, 3160 Oakwood Blvd. Sessions run from 9 to 11 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m.

A $20 fee is requested from Melvindale and Allen Park residents, $30 from nonresidents. However, scholarships are available if needed.

The interactive program teaches preschool children safety principles and how to prevent accidents while they have fun learning.

For more information call Sue Herman at (313) 382-5360.

Photo courtesy of the city of Melvindale

By CHRIS JACKETT
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – Summer weather is out in full force, and that can mean only one thing: It’s time for Melvindale Days.

The four-day event, which has been a staple in the community for decades, is adding something new this year while returning another event that was new last year.

“This year, doing the food in the hall is new. The car show is new,” Melvindale executive secretary Yvonne Kollmorgen said.

Providing attendees with several tasty treats will be themed dinners from 4 to 8 p.m. June 11 through 13, at the Community Center Banquet Hall. Friday is Mexican dinners, Saturday is barbecue dinners and Sunday is Polish dinners.

Returning for a second year is the Classic Car Show, which will showcase 30 to 40 classic vehicles from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 12. Registration occurs 5 to 8 p.m. June 10, at White Castle, 17431 Dix Road. All car show participants will receive a goodie bag.

“Last year was free, so this year they’re doing it as a fundraiser,” Kollmorgen said.

All proceeds from the car show will go to the Angel Tree Project, which consists of National Honor Society students from Melvindale High School taking about 150 underprivileged children on a shopping trip to Wal-Mart and lunch at Old Country Buffet in Taylor later in the year.

In addition to the usual amusement rides and midway that will be available 4 to 10 p.m. June 10 and 11 and noon to 11 p.m. June 12 and 13, the Masons of Michigan is sponsoring a free child identification program at the Community Center. Parents will be able to have contact ID cards created for their children in case they get lost or have an emergency.

Another child-focused event is the Little Miss Pageant for girls ages 5 to 12, which takes place from noon to 1 p.m. June 12 before crowning a Little Miss and Junior Little Miss noon-1 p.m. June 13 at the tent stage.

“It’s really cute,” Kollmorgen said. “They go up on stage and do a little speech and get judged.

While friends and families enjoy the festivities on South Dearborn Street, near Allen and Greenfield roads, there also will be several bands performing throughout the weekend. Most are cover bands, playing the top hits from the past 40 years.

Slated to perform 7 to 11 p.m. June 11 is Knock-Out, with Undecided and Waco performing in respective 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 11 p.m. slots June 12. The final day of festivities will feature three bands before a firework display lights up the sky at dusk. The Taylor Band will perform 2 to 3:30 p.m., Blues Brothers Review at 5 p.m. and The Killin Time from 6:15 to 10:15 p.m.

The entire Melvindale Days event is supported by donations from sponsors such as Marathon Petroleum; MichCon & DTE Foundation; Darling International; Pentiuk, Couvreur & Kobiljak, P.C.; and more. No taxpayer dollars were used in the funding, organizers say.

(Contact Chris Jackett at cjackett@bewickpublications.com)