Lathrup Village, Southfield

January 4, 2012

2011: A look back

By Jennie Miller
C & G Staff Writer

SOUTHFIELD/LATHRUP VILLAGE — The last year has been a struggle for many municipalities as the country continues to weather an economic crisis and its ripple effects. But both Southfield and Lathrup Village were able to maintain city services while preparing for the future, with the hopes of positioning both communities for recovery and revitalization. The following is a snapshot of the ups and downs in 2011:

January

• Providence Hospital began a $5 million construction project to renovate its emergency department, including a 4,055-square-foot addition to the already 17,300 square feet of space.

• A proposed plan that would regulate medical marijuana dispensaries that wanted to operate in city limits was shot down by the Southfield City Council Jan. 18, with members citing a need for more research on the matter.

February

• After an uproar from local parents, the Southfield Board of Education moved to grandfather in high school students to a previous decision not to release funds to students wishing to attend a district with a closed enrollment policy.

• The Friends of the Southfield Public Library donated $10,000 to create a downloadable audio book collection.

• South Oakland Shelter, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the homeless, outgrew its home in Royal Oak and moved daytime offices to a 10,000-square-foot building in Lathrup Village.

• The Southfield Fire Department was awarded more than $2 million in federal funds through a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant for the hiring of 11 firefighters for two years. The matter proved controversial throughout the rest of the year, as the city did not accept the grant.

• Phyllis Macay, 59, a Southfield native, was killed by Somali pirates Feb. 22 after she and three other Americans were taken hostage during a sail around the world. Attempts by the U.S. military to negotiate had proved unsuccessful, but after the murders, the pirates were captured.

March

• Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence delivered the annual State of the City address March 7 at the Westin Southfield Detroit and highlighted a decade of accomplishments in the city during her tenure.

• An explosion that occurred in a chemistry classroom at Southfield-Lathrup High School March 8 left three students with minor injuries and the school closed for the remainder of the day. A supervised experiment in a chemistry lab had reportedly gone awry, causing a minor explosion and flash that burned ceiling tiles and cupboards.

• Southfield firefighter Curtis Nelson, 36, fell through the floor of a house fire moments after entering the residence to battle a blaze. He sustained minor injuries, was pulled to safety by his comrades, and was back on the job after being cleared from medical.

• Oakland County Parks green-lit the first phase of plans to improve Catalpa Oaks with $850,000 worth of renovations.

• Daphane Ramey, 28, of Southfield was murdered on the front porch of her home in the 27000 block of Marshall March 17, with her son and niece inside. The shooter, Michael Leonard Kitchens, 31, of Detroit, the victim’s ex-boyfriend, was found dead in his car in Royal Oak the next day of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

• James Randle and Kevin Huffman were found guilty of first-degree felony murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery in the June 17, 2010, murder of Venkata Cattamanchi, 35, of Troy. Two other defendants, Lynn Coggins and Jessica Ermatinger, each pleaded guilty to lesser charges of second-degree murder in exchange for their testimony.

• Data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that some 6,557 residents moved out of Southfield in the last decade, with the total population dropping to 71,739, an 8.4 percent decline. Lathrup Village’s population dropped 3.8 percent in the last 10 years, losing 161 residents and bringing its population to 4,075.

• Northland Center welcomed the presence of highly trained German shepherds patrolling
the mall to deter crime and help shoppers feel safe.

April

• The Michigan Department of Education released scores from the Michigan Educational Assessment Program for students in grades three through nine, and Southfield Public Schools showed mixed results. The data showed increases in all areas in the fifth grade, in math and social studies in the sixth grade, in math and science in the eighth grade, and in social studies in the ninth grade; but decreases in all areas of the third, fourth and seventh grades, as well as reading in sixth and eighth grades.

• The long-awaited Salvatore Scallopini opened its doors to the public April 4 in Lathrup Village, in what the city hoped would be the first piece of the puzzle of a redeveloped downtown district.

• Rakim Lane, 19, of Southfield was stabbed to death April 1 by Robert Tate, 24, of Southfield, a neighbor of Lane’s who said the act was in self defense. In November, an Oakland County jury found Tate not guilty of second-degree murder.

• Lathrup Village city officials began work on a Complete Streets ordinance, a program designed to provide safe and efficient roadways for all uses of travel.

• The American Heart Association held its annual National Start! Walking Day April 6, designed to get people moving in support of their health.

• A gun owned by controversial Pastor Terry Jones of Gainesville, Fla., accidentally was discharged in a parking lot in Southfield April 21. He was in town for a planned protest at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn and in Southfield for an on-air interview at FOX2. No one was injured.

• Southfield firefighters rescued a dog that had fallen into the Rouge River and was found clinging to a logjam and howling for help April 27.

May

• Voters overwhelmingly supported a public safety millage May 3, with 83 percent of ballots cast in favor of a 4.9183-mill increase. Eleven million dollars will go toward police, fire and EMS services, and $2 million will go toward the Southfield Public Library, the Parks and Recreation Department and neighborhood streets maintenance.

• Southfield Police Chief Joe Thomas announced that he accepted a position with the U.S. Department of State heading up police officer training in Baghdad. His last day with the city was May 13. Four officers within the department were named acting chief in a shared capacity until a permanent replacement is found.

• The Southfield Freeway was closed May 16 to allow for the reconstruction of three miles of the freeway along with the repair and replacement of 24 overpasses. The freeway reopened the first week of October, three weeks earlier than scheduled.

• The city of Lathrup Village opened its first farmers market May 11, operating on Wednesdays through October.

• The ‘field Zone youth center in Southfield was recognized by the Michigan Municipal League with a Community Excellence Award.

• The Miracle League of Michigan baseball field in Southfield was hit by vandals, causing an estimated $60,000 in damage. Two juveniles were arrested in September in connection with the crime.

• Lawrence Technological University received an $11 million gift from retail pioneer Alfred Taubman for the construction of a new building on its campus as part of the engineering, architecture and life sciences complex named after the donor.

• The Southfield Material Recovery Facility announced plans for a $4 million renovation to increase efficiency and recycling volume. The facility provides recycling services to Southfield, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Walled Lake, Novi, South Lyon and Wixom.

June

• Southfield Public Schools handed out 800 diplomas to graduating seniors June 5 at Chene Park in downtown Detroit.

• The sixth annual Chaldean Festival was held June 10-12 on the front lawn of the Southfield Civic Center, complete with a full carnival.

• Marc Rosenthal, 59, of Novi was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole June 13 in the brutal murder of his sister, Ilene Moore, 63, of Southfield, whose body was found at Kensington Metropark Dec. 9, 2010. Rosenthal pleaded guilty to the crime.

• Members of the Southfield City Council, the Lathrup Village City Council and the Southfield Public Schools Board of Education sat down June 6 to discuss ways of weathering the economic storm together.

• The Southfield Regional Academic Campus was named the state’s top alternative education high school by the Michigan Alternative Education Organization.

• A Southfield woman was treated after being bitten by a rabid groundhog in the state’s first-ever reported case of such, Oakland County Health Division officials said.

• University High School Academy ranked 21st out of the top 25 schools to perform on the ACT college entrance exam portion of the Michigan Merit Exam, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

• The Simmons House at the Burgh Historical Park in Southfield underwent renovations funded by a federal grant, which also allowed for the creation of the Thomas N. Frommeyer Gardens at the park.

July

• Southfield Fire Chief Peter Healy retired for the second time from the city of Southfield after a 37-year career. Four individuals from within the department were named acting chief in a shared capacity until a permanent replacement is found.

• Following the retirement of Southfield Chamber of Commerce Director Ed Powers, a new leader emerged in Dean LaDouceur. His tenure lasted just a few months, however, and Tanya Markos-Vanno was appointed director in November. Chamber board members would not comment on the matter with LaDouceur.

• The American Heart Association recognized the city of Southfield as its 2011 Gold Level Fit Friendly Company for its efforts in promoting healthy lifestyles and spreading awareness about the importance of staying active.

• The city of Southfield kicked off the grant-funded Feral Cat Trap, Neuter and Return Program as a pilot community selected to control the feral cat colonies, a widespread problem in Oakland County.

• Theatre Bizarre founder and Lathrup Village resident John Dunivant was named a 2011 Kresge Artist Fellow by Kresge Arts in Detroit.

August

• Police arrested Bruce Harland Butler, 48, of Southfield in the hit-style murder of Mike Khmoro Aug. 5 after a 10-month investigation. The murder occurred Oct. 6, 2010, in the parking lot of Cronin’s Liquor Store in the 29000 block of Northwestern Highway. Butler is set for trial in Oakland County Circuit Court Jan. 23 before Judge Rae Lee Chabot.

• Eric Ostdiek, 43, of Troy, the varsity boys golf coach at Southfield High School, died in a golf cart accident at Copper Hills Golf & Country Club in Oxford.

• Seven Southfield Public Schools were identified as in need of improvement by the Michigan Department of Education, which released its Adequate Yearly Progress reports in August.

• Ken Siver, deputy superintendent of Southfield Public Schools and a member of the Southfield City Council, retired from the district Aug. 31 after a 50-year career in education.

September

• The 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was recognized.

• The Southfield City Council gave the go-ahead for the Police Department to renovate its shooting range using $56,000 in drug forfeiture funds.

• Rahim Lockridge, 38, was arrested after reportedly killing his wife, Kenyatta, 32, in front of their children Sept. 19 at their home on Potomac. The case is set for trial April 10 before Judge Nanci Grant in Oakland County Circuit Court.

• The Southfield City Council gave the go-ahead to Lawrence Technological University to build a 51,614-square-foot, two-story student housing facility at Circle Drive and 10 Mile.

October

• The annual International Festival was held Oct. 21-23 at the Southfield Pavilion, produced by the city of Southfield and the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit.

• The Southfield Public Library began offering downloadable books for Kindles, iPads, Nooks and smartphones.

• Southfield K-9 officer Aski, a 10-year-old German shepherd, retired from the force as Chase, a 22-month-old Dutch shepherd, took over the reins with handler Jeff Medici. The folks at Regal Towers donated the funds for another dog to replace a second retiring K-9 officer.

• Then-presidential hopeful Herman Cain made a campaign stop at Shield’s Pizza in Southfield Oct. 21.

• Five people suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene of a head-on crash on the Lodge Freeway near Telegraph at 4:15 a.m. Oct. 23. Police believe a 23-year-old Novi man was driving the wrong way on the freeway, causing the crash.

• Lathrup Village was touted as a model community that has positioned itself for revitalization during the annual conference of the Michigan Association of Planning in Grand Rapids Oct. 19-21.

• Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder made a special appearance at Lawrence Technological University Oct. 26, calling for funding to improve the state’s deteriorating infrastructure.

November

• Football legend Barry Sanders visited MacArthur K-8 University Academy Nov. 6, accompanying fourth-grader Andrean Akins, whose mother won a Verizon Wireless Show and Tell Contest.

• Voters elected incumbents Sidney Lantz and Myron Frasier to the Southfield City Council, as well as newcomer Jeremy Moss and former Councilwoman Sylvia Jordan. In Lathrup Village, Allen Weaks and Bruce Copus were reelected to council, along with newcomer MyKale Garrett-Johnson.

• Former Southfield Police Chief Joseph Thomas was named Southfield’s Citizen of the Year Nov. 10.

• Vice President Joe Biden was the keynote speaker at the annual fundraising dinner for Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, a Jewish day school with campuses in Southfield and Oak Park, at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center Nov. 13.

• A body found in the back seat of a burning car in Highland Park was identified as Helen Gale, 81, of Southfield, a longtime employee with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. Police said a search of Gale’s home showed signs of a struggle. No arrests have been made in the murder.

• Five people were arrested Nov. 30 in a sting operation involving multiple units of law enforcement leading to charges of prostitution and human trafficking that used Southfield hotels for their operations. A preliminary examination is expected to begin Feb. 2 before Judge Shelia Johnson in Southfield’s 46th District Court.

December

• The proposed Carpenter Lake Nature Interpretive Center was put on hold after members of the Southfield City Council failed to override a veto by Mayor Brenda Lawrence of the project’s Nov. 14 approval. Council is still hopeful the project will eventually come to fruition, and is seeking to raise money for the $2.2 million project.

• Dominica Harris, 40, of Southfield and her four kids were treated to an early Christmas surprise Dec. 11 when the Yatooma Foundation for the Kids gifted them with clothes, toys, food, bedroom furniture and a check covering their mortgage, utilities and groceries for the entire winter. Dominica’s husband, Andrew McClellan, died in 2008 at the age of 43 after complications from abdominal surgery.

• Southfield police officers took 10 local youths on a holiday shopping spree, each one receiving a $100 gift card for use at Target at Northland Center Dec. 15 in the national Shop With a Cop program.

• Matt Prentice announced his plans to open Gastronomy: A Modern American Bistro, at One Town Square in a business park off the Northwestern Highway service drive. The restaurant was expected to open in spring 2012.
 

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Jennie Miller at jmiller@candgnews.com or at (586)279-1108.