Birmingham – February 6, 2019

Birmingham – February 6, 2019

by | Feb 6, 2019 | Birmingham News

Safe in the City

The Birmingham police invite Birmingham residents to a free two-hour interactive women’s awareness and self-defense workshop. These popular workshops are filling up fast. There are limited seats remaining in the workshops on February 27, 10 to noon and March 1, noon to 2 pm. To learn more and register, contact Gwynn Duffey at gduffey@bhamgov.org.

 

Go Classical with the Music Explorers

Join the Music Explorers with the Baldwin Ensemble as they explore Franz Schubert’s Quartet No. 13 in A minor and Felix Mendelssohn’s Quartet Op 44. no 1. on Saturday, February 9, from 2 to 3:30 pm at the library. Learn more about their lives and place in musical history during the transition from the Classical to Romantic Periods. There is no charge, but registration is required.

Inside City Hall

Get the scoop on snow removal from Lauren Wood, Director of Public Services and meet Pam Reed, the friendly face behind the counter at the Treasurer’s office, in City Manager Joe Valentine’s Meet the Staff feature.

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Prom Dress Giveaway

Groves High School student Danielle Lutz is “collecting dresses today so girls can go to prom tomorrow.” She started a non-profit called reWEARable which collects new, gently used dresses, shoes and accessories for girls who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them for prom. Their mission is to boost confidence and make the dream of going to prom a reality.  She’s partnered with Detroit Public Schools for several 2019 Prom Dress Giveaways. reWEARable is looking for volunteers to help set up, clean up, arrange dresses, and style girls at a location to be determined in Detroit on the following dates:

Wednesday, March 13 | Thursday, March 14 | Wednesday, March 20 | Thursday, March 21

Contact Danielle at daniellelutz@rewearable.net if you can help out or donate. reWEARable accepts donations of new or gently used short or long dresses, shoes, costume jewelry, purses, and shawls. And little black dresses are always a hit.

College and High School Together

Oakland ACE – Accelerated College Experience, a program offered at Oakland Community College, allows students the opportunity to earn an associate degree, or up to 60 transferable college credits while still in high school.  Students must commit to an extra year of high school to participate in the program.  Students apply in the 10th grade and commit to a three-year program spanning grades 11 and 12, plus an additional year as a full-time student at Oakland Community College. Oakland ACE offers students facing potential challenges to college enrollment and success the opportunity for guidance and support through the process while still in high school at no cost.  For more information please visit oakland.k12.mi.us/education/accelerated-college-experience-ace.

In a study conducted by HomeSnacks, Birmingham ranked 3rd in a new study listing the top ten cities to live in Michigan. The study analyzed more than 170 places in Michigan, looking at factors such as home values, income, population density, unemployment rate, commute time, crime, education levels, health insurance coverage and poverty rates. HomeSnacks combines recent data from the Census, FBI, OpenStreetMaps, and dozens of other sources.

Road Work Ahead

Because of last week’s inclement weather, the 14 Mile Road water main project originally scheduled to start on Monday, February 4 is now anticipated to begin on Thursday, February 7. The south side of 14 Mile Road from Greenfield to Eton will be closed. Also, in the near future, the south side of 14 Mile Road will be closed intermittently at Coolidge for water main improvements. To help mitigate the traffic difficulty, two lanes of two-way traffic will be maintained on the stretch of 14 Mile Road between Greenfield and Eton. The project is anticipated to be completed by June. Learn more about the work planned for 14 Mile Road at romi.gov/1394/14-Mile-Road.

And starting on Tuesday, February 5, the right lane of Woodward Ave. was scheduled to be closed in both directions, just south of Lincoln Ave. A major water main crossing serving this area of the City is being cleaned and inspected. Following this, a liner will be installed. The liner will create a whole new pipe to extend the service life of this critical water main well into the future. This project should be done by Friday, February 21.

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Beth Robinson

Beth Robinson

City News Editor

To share your news, announcements, and events, please email citynewseditor@localbiznews.net
Clawson – February 6, 2019

Clawson – February 6, 2019

by | Feb 6, 2019 | Clawson News

Clawson’s Main Street

Main Street America was created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to help communities preserve the unique characters of their downtown areas. Downtowns have historically been the center of a community, where people gathered and got information. But, in the 1960s and 70s, the proliferation of shopping centers and malls began to pull people, energy and money out of downtown districts.

Main Street, says Joan Horton, Director of Clawson’s Downtown Development Authority, provides assistance and technical support for projects designed to restore, preserve and enhance downtown areas.

“If we identify the one big thing that we could use some help with, they help with paying a consultant to come in and help with that project,” says Horton. “They helped with a consultant for our downtown master plan, which we won an award for at the American Planning Association annual meeting – Exceptional Plan for A Small Town. That’s nationwide, so that’s pretty impactful.”

On Thursday, February 14, Clawson will be evaluated for continued national accreditation by Main Street America. Board members, community members, city employees and volunteers will be invited to meet with the evaluating team.

The goal of the program is to retain the things that make each community unique.

“They evaluate you every year to see if you’re following the guidelines of the program to take care of the businesses, the design of the place, to have an organization and community involvement and do promotion,” says Horton.

The emphasis is on continual efforts to follow the program’s principles. Some of the Clawson DDA’s efforts include annual events, social media, programs for businesses, business resources on their webpage and improvements to the downtown public spaces, such as street art and the alleyway renovation.

The program also includes façade grants to give design assistance for businesses to update.

“We’ve had several building renovations and several more coming on that are really going to make a difference to the look and feel of the downtown,” says Horton. “It’s so nice that the developers and the property owners want to make their places look like they belong to downtown Clawson. They want to fit the character and that’s very exciting. Main Street is a great program. We’re very happy to be part of it.”

In March a team from the DDA will go to the annual conference, meet people from around the country and see what they’re doing to get more ideas.

Their current goal is volunteer recruitment. They are looking for community members to contribute their skills to making Clawson an even more inviting place. They are asking people to join their database, so they know what you’re good at and much time you have available. To participate, go to downtownclawson.com and click on “Get Involved.”

New DDA Board Member

Sam Gill, owner of The Yarn Stop, has joined the Board of Directors of the Clawson Downtown Development Authority. The Yarn Stop is Clawson’s one-stop shop for all things knitting and crocheting and The Yarn Stop University.

Celebrate with Lunch at the Senior Center

There’s lots to celebrate in February. Whether it’s your birthday or Valentine’s Day, it’s a great chance to visit and enjoy a wonderful meal.

Come for February birthday lunch on Wednesday, February 13 at noon. The cost is $3. You can sit anywhere in the dining room, but only those who sign-up and attend will get a birthday card and free lunch coupon.

Or visit for Valentine Luncheon on Thursday, February 14 at noon. The cost is $4. Celebrate Valentine’s Day and all those you love with a delicious lunch. Please purchase your ticket in advance so they know how many to prepare for.

Call 248.583.6700 or visit cityofclawson.com.

Knights of Columbus Fish Fry

The Clawson Knights of Columbus will support the Autism Society of Oakland with proceeds from their family fish fry on Friday, February 8, from 4 to 7 pm. Cost: $10 Adults, $9 Seniors, $4 Children. Call 248.588.3547 for more information.

Rebecca Calappi

Rebecca Calappi

City News Editor

To share your news, announcements, and events, please email citynewseditor@localbiznews.net

Royal Oak – February 6, 2019

Royal Oak – February 6, 2019

by | Feb 6, 2019 | Royal Oak News

Teen Animanga Club

We may not know the difference. You may not know the difference, but apparently anime and manga are poppin, sick and smackin to your teen (that’s good, we think). At any rate, they’re invited to the library for a monthly celebration of all things anime and manga. They can watch movie clips, sketch, and review trivia. Activities change monthly. Themed snacks provided. The next meeting is Thursday, February 7, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Royal Oak Public Library. Registration is requested. For more information, call Jessica Remington at 248.246.3736 or email jess@ropl.org.

Celebrate Royal Oak

The Royal Oak Schools foundation provides funding to support special school initiatives. You can help by eating, drinking and making merry at Celebrate Royal Oak, an extravaganza of food, beer and wine, which will be at the Mirepoix cooking school above the Royal Oak Holiday Market on Friday, February 8, from 7 to 10 pm. The event features wine and beer selections from Holiday Market, a walking buffet of fine foods and desserts, and a charity raffle. Tickets are $75 each and can be purchased at royaloakschoolsfoundation.org.

Coffee House Fundraiser for Starr Warming Center

Hazzan Steve Klaper will lead an evening of music, food and fun on Saturday, February 9, from 7 to 10 pm to support the warming center at Starr Presbyterian Church. The coffee house will be at the Starr Presbyterian building on the SW corner of 13 Mile and Crooks. Klaper, one of the leaders of the Song and Spirit Institute for Peace is a Jewish troubadour, ordained cantor, and a maggid, which is a spiritual storyteller and preacher. He draws on his Orthodox Jewish roots and over 40 years as a professional musician, to share mystical chants and melodies, sacred tales and wisdom from a variety of traditions and to entertain folks of all backgrounds.

Preschool and Child Care Directory

The Royal Oak Public Library is pleased to present the 20th annual Royal Oak Area Preschool and Child Care Directory. The 2019 Royal Oak Area Preschool and Child Care Directory provides information on over 40 area facilities which includes area preschools, child care programs, K-8, educational approaches, special needs programs and specialty programs. For useful information about how to choose a child care provider, go to michigan.gov/childcare and click on “Parent Resources.” For questions about this directory, call Amy Howes, Youth Services Librarian, Royal Oak Public Library at 248.246.3731 or email amy@ropl.org.

Everything you Ever Wanted to Know About Potholes

Where do potholes come from?

Potholes develop when snow or rain seep into the soil below the road surface.  When the temperature drops, the water freezes, expanding and pushing the pavement up.  When the weather changes and temperatures rise, the soil returns to normal levels, but the pavement often remains raised, creating a gap between the street and soil beneath.  When vehicles drive over those gaps, the pavement cracks and falls into the hollow space, creating another pothole.

Why hasn’t the pothole on your street gotten filled yet?

Rather than crisscrossing the city responding to individual complaints, Royal Oak’s Department of Public Service crews systematically work their way down streets filling every pothole. This approach is a more efficient use of staff and equipment.  However, if a pothole is very large or if the location is determined by the police department to require immediate attention, they may respond immediately.

How can you report a pothole?
The best way to report a pothole is to use the city’s online Report a Concern form. Reports are forwarded to the DPS, a work order is created, and barring any other weather events, the repair is made within 24 hours.

Beth Robinson

Beth Robinson

City News Editor

To share your news, announcements, and events, please email citynewseditor@localbiznews.net
Troy – February 6, 2019

Troy – February 6, 2019

by | Feb 6, 2019 | Troy News

An Evening with Author Annie Spence

Just in time for Valentine season, the Troy Public Library invites you to join Annie Spence, author of “Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian’s Love Letters and Break up Notes to the Books in Her Life,” for her funny, poignant takes on both classic and contemporary books.

If you love to read, you know that some books forever change the way you think about the world. And some books, on the other hand, disappoint you so much you want to throw them against the wall. Either way, it’s clear that a book can be your new soul mate or the bad relationship you need to end.

In Dear Fahrenheit 451, librarian Annie Spence has crafted love letters and breakup notes to the iconic and eclectic books she has encountered over the years. From breaking up with “The Giving Tree,” to her love letter to “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” Spence will make you think of old favorites in a new way. Filled with suggested reading lists, Spence’s take on classic and contemporary books is very much like the best of literature—sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes surprisingly poignant, and filled with universal truths.

The event will take place in rooms 304 and 305 of the Troy Community Center on Monday, February 11, from 7 to 9 pm. The event is free, but registration is requested. Register at troypl.org/calendar or by calling 248.524.3534.

MI Smart Factory


Automation Alley is a nonprofit manufacturing and technology business association and Michigan’s Industry 4.0 knowledge center. They connect industry, academia and government to fuel Michigan’s economy and accelerate innovation.

Their MI Smart Factory Tour program is designed to expose the future workforce to some of the most technologically advanced smart factories in the nation, allowing students to explore Industry 4.0 technologies and in-demand manufacturing jobs right here in Michigan. MI Smart Factory Tours get university students right on the factory floor to see Industry 4.0 technologies in action, including:

  • IIoT
  • Robotics
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Big Data
  • Cybersecurity
  • Cloud computing
  • Additive manufacturing and advanced materials
  • Modeling, simulation, visualization and immersion

Schools interested in taking the tour and Michigan manufacturing companies interested in participating as host sites should contact Automation Alley at info@automationalley.com or 800.427.5100.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

Are you or your child a budding ornithologist? Come out to the Stage Nature Center on Saturday, February 16, from 10 am to noon to help a naturalist identify and count the birds visiting the SNC feeders. And learn how you can do the same in your own backyard. Binoculars and field guides will be provided or bring your own. The program is for ages 12 and up. Children should be accompanied by a registered adult. Fee: $6, TNS Member: $4. Visit stagenaturecenter.org  to register or for more information or call 248.688.9703.

Just in Time for Tax Season

Warm up for tax season at The Troy Historic Village with their Constitution Café on Sunday, February 10 at 2 pm. The program will be a discussion about funding government, taxation and the 16th amendment, which allows Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states on the basis of population. Engage in a civil discussion to “create” a new Constitution. The Constitution Café is sponsored by the Oakland County Bar Foundation. No registration is required. Visit troyhistoricvillage.org  for more information or call 248.524.3570.

 

Beth Robinson

Beth Robinson

City News Editor

To share your news, announcements, and events, please email citynewseditor@localbiznews.net
Super Car Wash: Keeping Metro Detroit Cars Sparkling Since 1977

Super Car Wash: Keeping Metro Detroit Cars Sparkling Since 1977

by | Feb 6, 2019 | LBN Community Series, Royal Oak, Super Car Wash

Super Car Wash:
Keeping Metro Detroit Cars Sparkling Since 1977
06
FEBRUARY 2019
BY BRAD KADRICH
LBN Community Series
Royal Oak

With apologies to William Shakespeare, if you prick Ryan Gesund, he might not bleed.

After more than two decades in the family car wash business, he may simply leak cleaning solvents.

Gesund, with his father and brother, is part of a family owned operation – Super Car Wash – that has run car washes around the metro Detroit area since 1977.

RYAN GESUND

CO-OWNER/VICE PRESIDENT, SUPER CAR WASH
After spending a year after graduating with a degree in political science from Eastern Michigan University trying out other avenues, Ryan joined his dad and brother in the family business.

It’s a decision he hasn’t regretted.

“It was natural that we’d go into business with our father,” Ryan said. “I love the car wash business. It’s part of our blood. We’ve got wax and salt running through our veins.”

It’s been that way since 1977, when George Gesund went looking for another investment opportunity when he lost his previous business, Lucky Strike Lanes in Detroit, to a fire. According to Ryan, George had some friends in the car wash business and “he got started that way, with one car wash.”

That car was was at 11 Mile Road and Dequindre in Madison Heights. The business is still there, but the Gesunds sold it”in 1983 or 1984,” according to Ryan.

Since then, the family has bought and sold various car wash businesses, peaking out when they owned 10 at one time. Now, the Gesunds have nine Super Car Wash locations, including two in Commerce, two in Walled Lake and individual stores in Royal Oak, Eastpointe, Farmington Hills, Warren and Southfield.

CEO George Gesund is the “big picture” branch of the ownership tree. It was George’s idea, according to Ryan, to add the newest feature at the car wash: free self-serve vacuums at every location.

The other addition to the business – a $12 per month “unlimited club” that allows customers to purchase two washes a day for every day of a month – has become one of the biggest of its kind in the state, according to Ryan Gesund.

“It’s great … They take special care of you here. Unlike some places that are automatic where you get a mirror hit or some damage, these guys take great care of you.”
It’s similar to the company’s corporate/fleet service, a savings program for any business owner with a fleet of cars, trucks, or vans. Ryan sad the fleet program counts for some 20 percent of Super Car Wash’s business.

Todd Gesund, who serves as the company’s president, handles the operations aspect of the business. Todd came into the business about a year after earning a degree in finance from Grand Valley State University.

It was Todd, according to Ryan, who doubled the car washes in the business from two to four shortly after he joined his dad.

The fourth owner is Heath Stack, who handles the company’s east-side operations.

The addition of the brothers in the mid-1990s was no surprise.

“It was something my brother and I were always interested in,” Ryan said. “We worked up, as kids, every position in the car wash up until ownership. We learned it front-to-back and back-to-front.”

Ryan said he finds the daily challenges – from dealing with employee scheduling to handling individual customer issues – exciting.

“There’s always something for both of us,” Ryan said. “It’s fast-paced. We love our customers and we just love the business. We worked every position at the car wash, and now we’re owners.”

Unlike the Gesund brothers, the car wash hasn’t been a lifelong career for Phillip Officer. Now the manager of the Royal Oak location, Officer is a couple of years retired from General Motors.

He’s been at what he calls his “retirement job” for about 18 months now. And he’s having a good time.

“I like it,” said Officer. “My granddad told me, ‘You always have to keep moving.’ He always said ‘hard work never killed anybody.'”

 

After last week’s first big storm of the year, Officer and the owners are presiding over one of Super Car Wash’s busiest seasons. Winters, Ryan Gesund said, usually have drivers bringing their cars for cleaning at a brisk pace.

According to Ryan, the car wash sees anywhere from 300 to 1,400 cars in a typical winter day, particularly after a storm.

The business’ dependence on the weather, he said, can be a frustrating thing.

“That’s the one thing I don’t like about the business,” Ryan said with a smile. “It depends on something you can’t really depend on (the weather).”

Customers feel like they can depend on Super Car Wash though. Bloomfield resident Bob Storen said he’s a frequent customer because the staff does the one thing he counts on.

“It’s great … They take special care of you here,” Stored said. “Unlike some places that are automatic where you get a mirror hit or some damage, these guys take great care of you.”

Twenty-two years after deciding to come into the family business, Ryan Gesund – who handles the accounting and is the business’ in-house legal mind – has no regrets.

“I eventually decided this was in my blood,” Ryan said. “I found an area of the business I love and that I’m good at. I love it.”

Super Car Wash
31295 Woodward
Royal Oak, Michigan

supercarwash.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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