Woodward Talk

Published June 1, 2011

Combine talented artisans, good food, live entertainment and a little sunshine, and you have the makings of a great summer festival.

Beginning in June, such events are plentiful in metro Detroit. Here’s a sampling of just a few popular festivals that residents won’t want to miss this summer.

June 11-12
Clay, Glass and Metal Festival — downtown Royal Oak
In Royal Oak, one of the first big events of the season is the Clay, Glass and Metal Festival June 11-12.

Published May 18, 2011

Pride swells during ‘Michigan Week’

Yes, Michigan.

This week is for celebrating, for embracing all the state has to offer. It’s Michigan Week, held annually since 1954. So raise your hand, point to your favorite spots in the state, and reflect. Whether it’s taking a fall color tour, hitting the links, lounging on the beach, crossing the Mackinac Bridge or heading downtown to catch a Red Wings game, there’s much to love about Michigan.

For many, it’s the lakes that cause residents to swell with pride.

Published May 11, 2011

Seniors defy stereotypes

Picture a typical senior residence and images of bingo, arts and crafts, and green Jell-O might come to mind.

Walk into a modern retirement community, though, and you may be more likely to see seniors playing video games, heading out with a travel group or performing a sun salutation in yoga class.

Today’s senior living communities are not the stale, dreary places stereotypes make them out to be.

Published March 9, 2011

Bookworms building bonds

Sticking your nose in a book doesn’t have to be a solitary activity, as more and more avid readers are banding together to share in their common interest.

Book clubs are ever present in today’s society, with readers young and old joining groups offered in their communities and forming their own tight-knit circles.

Published March 9, 2011

Dogs thrill at annual Cobo shows

DETROIT — A 209-pound Newfoundland rolled onto his back in the middle of an aisle at the Detroit Kennel Club Dog Shows, held at Cobo Center March 5-6. He milked every pat he got from passers-by charmed by his gentle demeanor and fluffy brown coat.

He was among thousands of dogs of countless breeds that were also doing their very best to woo the public — in between competitions, that is.

Published March 2, 2011

Film festival celebrates Michigan-made movies

BIRMINGHAM — Celebrities, local actors and movie buffs will come together during the first annual Uptown Film Festival to celebrate an event organizers say will showcase the best films made in Michigan over the past year.

Established this year by leaders in the Michigan film industry, the Uptown Film Festival is a two-night celebration of productions created entirely or in part in the state to recognize the Michigan film industry.

Published February 23, 2011

Help for a furry friend

Although spring is nearly a month away, “kitten season” is gearing up this month, meaning that local shelters may soon be filled to the brim with fuzzy faces needing good homes?.

But until they can find their forever family, help is needed to nurture the babies in their first few weeks, making sure they get the care they need to become good pets.

Published February 22, 2011

Ferndale woman to showcase trademark Cadillac at Autorama

FERNDALE — Pearl Watts was grieving the loss of her father in 1996 when she first laid eyes on the car that would become her signature among the legions of classic vehicle owners in metro Detroit.

At that time, the 1955 Cadillac Coupe DeVille was not exactly a beauty in the typical sense, but Watts could see the potential just waiting to emerge from underneath a body covered in rust damage and bullet holes.

Published February 16, 2011

Putting the ‘heart’ in community theater

It’s a special group, the Heart of the Hills Players. There is one major qualification for taking part: You’ve got to love making people smile.

You also have to be over the age of 50. The organization is the largest community theater group in the region comprised solely of seniors.

Melanie Lee of Warren, who said she’s a “very vigorous 78-year-old,” feels that joining the group over a decade ago was one of the best decisions she’s ever made.

Published February 9, 2011

New Parks and Rec plan has big goals; funding remains the key

BERKLEY — The city is moving forward with a strategy to improve and maintain its Parks and Recreation facilities over the next five years despite the financial difficulties that Berkley is currently facing.

On Jan. 24, the City Council voted unanimously to adopt the Parks and Recreation Department’s new master plan for the years 2011 to 2015. The plan is a loose guide designed to assist the city in meeting the recreation needs of the community and making improvements to Berkley’s parks, as well as the Community Center and Ice Arena.

Published February 1, 2011

Love and learn

Asked to reveal words of wisdom after 50 years of marriage, Ed Lewandowski was quick to reply in exactly the way his wife, Sharon, predicted.

“I don’t have any wisdom,” he quipped. “I’m married.”

But contrary to his claims, the St. Clair Shores resident and his wife, along with other local couples, recently shared some of what they’ve learned along the way as they’ve faced life’s challenges —together.

Published February 1, 2011

Good buy … or money pit?

The right neighborhood. The right price. The right layout, lot and size. It’s the perfect home — or not.

There are a number of major issues that could be lurking under the cosmetically pleasing surface of a home, many of which can be very costly.

That — and liability issues on the seller’s end — is why getting a home inspection has become an essential part of the home-buying process since the late 1970s nationally and the early ‘80s in Michigan, according to Jon Ormiston, president of All Points Inspection in Rochester.

Published January 26, 2011

‘It’s one of our crown jewels'

HUNTINGTON WOODS — With the Huntington Woods Public Library reaching its 50-year milestone this month, Toni Brandt was reminded of the importance of not becoming complacent.

“For me, this means that we need to keep getting better and keep growing,” said Brandt, who has been the president of the Friends of the Huntington Woods Library since 1993. “We need to embrace new technology and also work to keep print reading alive.”

Published January 19, 2011

Michigan hotspots provide cold-weather fun

Hibernating is for the bears.

Winter weather doesn’t have to force us to stay indoors and under the covers, counting the minutes until spring. As the flakes fall, Michigan offers healthy opportunities statewide to get out and enjoy the season, with activities from cross-country skiing and snowmobiling to ice fishing.

Published January 5, 2011

Housing market trending toward recovery

“Tough” is an understatement when describing the local housing market since 2005.

The ripple effect that unemployment and the ensuing foreclosure crisis has left — and is expected to continue leaving — an unprecedented number of homes on the market, crippling home values and sales across the state.