An artist rendering of the new medical center planned for completion in 2010.

We’ve written a lot on these pages about the development planned at the corner of Michigan and Schaefer. While we were sad to see the Montgomery Ward building destroyed, it’s now time to turn the page and make way for a new medical center that is set to open in 2010.

On Wednesday, April 29, officials from the City of Dearborn, Oakwood Healthcare, Midwest Health Clinic and Redico Development will join to take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Dearborn Town Center development — a $70 million mixed use development that will offer medical care, retail and, later down the road when the economy improves, senior living.

Among those scheduled to take part in the groundbreaking will be Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., Brian Connolly from Oakwood Healthcare, Dr. Mark Saffer from Midwest Health Clinic and Dale Watchowski from Redico Development Company. 

The event begins at 11 a.m. with speeches at the Arab American National Museum, just across the street from the development site. The group will then move across the street for the photo op at the actual site and future home of the Dearborn Town Center.

During these tough economic times, seeing such a development get underway in our city is a good thing. We wish it well.

The Rotary Club of Dearborn is inviting guests to attend a special luncheon program on Thursday, April 30, 2009, at Park Place, 23400 Park in Dearborn.

Juan Kunchikuy, a native of the Ecuadorian Amazon, who has spoken internationally about the need to save the rain forest, will be the Club’s featured speaker. His efforts have also been published in the New York Times.

Kunchikuy, who is fluent in English and several other languages, was raised in a remote area of the Amazon, where villagers speak an obscure tribal language and have hunted with darts tipped with home-made curare poison.

“We are delighted to have such a distinguished speaker present to our Club,” said Valerie Murphy-Goodrich, president of the Rotary Club of Dearborn. “Mr. Kunchiky’s story is one that we believe will fascinate many, so we are extending an invitation to others in the local community to join us at our regularly scheduled Club luncheon meeting.”

Murphy-Goodrich also extended her appreciation to Wendy Sample, art resource teacher for the Dearborn Public Schools and daughter of Dearborn Rotarian David Sample, for helping to make possible Mr. Kunchikuy’s presentation to the Club.

Sample met Juan Kunchikuy during her visit last summer to study Ecuador’s culture. Sample’s travels came about as the result of a Fulbright Scholarship she received from the International Studies Program at Michigan State University.

Kunchikuy was the tour guide for Sample’s study group that traveled to the Amazon’s Yachana Lodge, recognized by National Geographic and others for its ecotourism.

Kunchikuy is in the United States during the month of April to speak to a number of educational groups. Prior to visiting Michigan, he will speak at New York’s Cornell University in celebration of Earth Day. He has also been scheduled to speak to several schools within the Dearborn Public School District and to various groups at Michigan State University where he will have the opportunity to reunite with the group he guided and educated last summer.

The cost to attend the April 30t program is $25 each for non-members and includes a buffet luncheon which begins at 11:30 a.m. followed by the speaker’s presentation which is scheduled to conclude at 12:45 p.m.

The Dearborn Rotary Club will donate funds contributed over the cost of lunch to the Yachina Foundation, www.yachina.org , to further its environmental and educational efforts.

Because seating is limited, reservations for the luncheon program are requested by Tuesday, April 30, 2009 by calling 313-278-7233 or by emailing Dearborn Rotarian Amy Bazzy at ajbazzy@comcast.net .

Dearborn Rotary meets weekly at Park Place in Dearborn. For additional information about the Dearborn Rotary, visit www.dearbornrotary.org  or call 313-278-7233.

Who: Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter
What: 4th Annual Mutt Strut
When: Saturday, May 16th, 9 a.m. to 12:00 registration and activities, 12:00 noon ribbon cutting and Walk start
Where: Ford Field, Dearborn
Cost: Pledge-driven fundraising, $25 minimum for each dog registered, accompanying humans are n/c

Is your dog ready to be the next “Barking Idol”? Or, maybe he needs a doggie massage or “paw-dicure”? Many Fido-friendly activities will be happening during the Mutt Strut, including a Best Howler competition where you can see if your BFF can carry a tune while competing with other doggie howlers. Or, stroll through the Mutt Midway where your pooch can be pampered with a mini massage and pedicure.

All of this and more will take place during the Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter’s 4th annual Mutt Strut at Ford Field in Dearborn. Mutt Strut is a community-wide animal celebration day focusing on a pledge-driven dog walk along a 1.8 mile course through the West Dearborn business district. The walk will take place rain or shine since all weather is good dog-walking weather.

Mutt Strut, which is sponsored by Dearborn Family Pet Care, includes fun activities for the whole family. Some of the highlights include a Doggie Health Zone, Milt Wilcox’s Ultimate Air Dogs (dog dock diving that you have to see to believe), Dog Games and Contests, an all-day Adopted Dog Birthday Paw-ty, and much more. Further details are available at www.DearbornMuttStrut.com . The Web site also provides easy registration and on-line pledging capability, where you can create your own Web page to ask for donations.

More questions? Call (313) 943-2697.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter, supporting Shelter operations and community-and animal-related programs. The Friends is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. For more information about the organization, visit www.Dearborn-Animals.com

Remember, the 1st week in May is Be Kind to Animals Week.

FFDAS Contact:
Elaine Greene
DASGreene@aol.com
Friends Executive Director
313-943-2697
Visit us at www.dearborn-animals.com

One of our favorite events of the year strolls into Dearborn May 16 when the Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter holds their 4th Annual Mutt Strut beginning at Ford Field Park at 9 a.m.

What’s nice about this walk is that the actual 1.8 mile strut talks place through the West Dearborn business district. This means that for a day our downtown is actually bustling with foot traffic. And if you own a business you might be able to leverage a few sales from passersby walking with their dogs.

It is the type of event our downtown Dearborn needs to see more of. Take a look at what downtown Plymouth does on a regular basis. That city’s entire spring/summer if filled with outdoor events that get people downtown. Tell us that doesn’t help business? I am puzzled why the Chamber and City do not do more of this here. But we digress.

In addition to the walk, the Mutt Strut will have a number of dog contests, including a “Barking Idol” contest, a Best Howler competition, where you can see if your BFF can carry a tune while competing with other doggie howlers. There also will be doggie massages or “paw-dicures”, err, pedicures.

The Mutt Strut will be held rain or shine since all weather is good dog-walking weather. What all of us can do to take part is to make a pledge to a dog taking part in the walk.

You can do that by visiting www.DearbornMuttStrut.com . The Web site also provides easy registration and on-line pledging capability, where you can create your own Web page to ask for donations.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter, supporting Shelter operations and community-and animal-related programs. The Friends is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. For more information about the organization, visit www.Dearborn-Animals.com

The Mutt Strut is sponsored by Dearborn Family Pet Care and there will be a number of fun activities for the whole family at the Ford Field Park. Some of the highlights include a Doggie Health Zone, Milt Wilcox’s Ultimate Air Dogs (dog dock diving that you have to see to believe), Dog Games and Contests, an all-day Adopted Dog Birthday Paw-ty, and much more.

If you have additional questions, please call 313-943-2697.

The Well is a hit in Detroit.

Dearbornites will have a new watering hole to visit this summer when a new bar called The Well opens in the West Village Commons development on Michigan Avenue.

The Well’s co-Owner Ross Varacalli, a Dearborn resident, said the new bar (next to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the West Village Commons) should be open by July or at least by Dearborn’s Homecoming celebration in August. If The Well in Dearborn is anything like the one Varacalli and his partners operate in Detroit, it should be a hit in Dearborn.

The Detroit location of The Well, 1228 Randolph St., has a traditional British pub feel and has a laid-back atmosphere. It opened in 1997 and Varacalli and his team have owned it for the last four years. With its wood-paneled walls and dartboard, The Well in Detroit draws a student-heavy clientele from Wayne State University and the University of Detroit. Varacalli said the feel and look of The Well in Detroit will be carried over to the Dearborn location.

If student housing ever comes to Dearborn between the two parking decks, as is seriously being discussed by city officials and the University of Michigan-Dearborn, The Well would benefit, as would other businesses in the area.

Why Dearborn for The Well?

“We chose Dearborn because of my ties to Dearborn,” said Varacalli, a former bartender at the Double Olive bar in Dearborn. “I think there still is a market for a bar here. People want a fresh place to go in Dearborn and we can offer it. We have a good reputation with our bar in Detroit and we plan to continue that here in Dearborn.”

Separately, cigar aficionados could soon have a new place to buy and smoke cigars. A vacant building along Michigan Avenue could soon be replaced with a new cigar bar. Plans still are preliminary but the cigar bar could occupy one of the vacant buildings located between Monroe and Mason along Michigan Avenue. We will have more on this as plans materialize.

Thirteen more Dearborn residents have pulled petitions to run for Dearborn City Council, bringing the number to date to 26.

When we last wrote about this race on March 4, just 13 had pulled petitions. For that story, click HERE

It isn’t yet clear whether all will run but if the field stays larger than 14, and it appears that will indeed happen, Dearborn will have to hold a primary election for city council in August. The filing deadline for those interested in running for council is May 12.

We will be the first to say that Dearborn residents like their incumbents, which means it could be more of the same. However, if the unhappy mood today from residents about their city government and the state of their city carries into the voting booth in November, we could see a lot of fresh faces on city council.

All of the current council members have pulled petitions to seek reelection, except Tom Tafelski. Odds are he too will seek reelection, although some around town keep dropping hints to us that he is considering a run for mayor.

So the list looks like this: Council members, Robert Abraham, George Darany, Nancy Hubbard, Suzanne Sareini, Mark Shooshanian and Doug Thomas are all in.

Those hoping to unseat this group include:

1. David W. Bazzy (former Charter Commission member)
2. Michael Berry (ran a solid but unsuccessful campaign for council in 2005)
3. Khalil Dakhlallah
4. Mark J. Dawdy
5. Stephen S. Dobkowski Jr. (former Charter Commissioner later removed from office because of unpaid property taxes)
6. Sharon Dulmage (former school board member)
7. Andrew Giordano
8. Bradley Hajec
9. Rabih Hammoud
10. George Hart (a former state senator who long ago retired from politics. He turns 82 in May)
11. Trinette L. Jordan
12. Vincent Laing
13. Scott J. Marquette
14. Maureen A. McIlrad-Noland
15. Brian C. O’Donnell
16. Mark. A Otlewski
17. Ali Sayed (runs Hype Athletics in conjunction with Dearborn Rec. Dept.)
18. Kristyn Taylor
19. Raymond T. Trudeau (former Charter Commissioner)
20. Adrenne M. Wygonik (wife of 19th District Judge Richard Wygonick)

The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce’s Business Recognition Award Luncheon & Expo is being held May 15 at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

If you would like to be a sponsor, purchase individual tickets, or advertise in the Program Book call Peggy Richard at 313-584-9818 or visit www.dearbornchamber.org.

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS – $50 (Chamber Members)
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS – $65 (Non-Members)

When was the last time you picked up and read a comic book? Well, on May 2nd you can get reacquainted with your favorite comic book for free.

It is all part of Free Comic Book Day, when more than 2 million comic books will be given away by participating stores, as a way to introduce as many people as possible to the wonders of comic books.

Dearborn’s Green Brain Comics on Michigan Avenue will be one of thousands of comic book shops around the world celebrating the comic book art form on Saturday, May 2nd.

“The wide array of comic books being published today ensures that readers of all ages — children, teens and adults — can find something appropriate that will stir their imaginations,” said Dan Merritt, co-owner of Green Brain Comics.

Now in its eighth year, Free Comic Book Day has proven to be a big success, spreading the word, Merritt says, that comics can be good reading.

“We at Green Brain Comics want to spread the word that comics are perfect for today’s times,” Merritt said. “Comic books and graphic novels are considered hip, hot and smart.”

Comic Books have propelled to the front ranks of pop culture, many being adapted into movies. Wolverine hits the big screen on May 1st, the day before Free Comic Book Day. So the first weekend of May is going to be a big day in the comic book world.

Regular updates, information about comic books, and a list of participating publishers and their free comics are all online at  www.FreeComicBookDay.com

Free Comic Book Day kicks off at 10 am on May 2nd and runs until 8 pm at Green Brain Comics, 13210 Michigan Ave.  For more information call 313-582-9444 for more information.

The Council of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) will once again bring its popular annual culture showcase, “Splendor of the East 2009,” to the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 1.

The Splendor of the East variety show gives the audience the opportunity to experience the song and dance of the Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean cultures.

This year’s theme for the show is “Coming to America – a Cultural Collage”, and will present Asian-Pacific heritages as well as American cultural influences on immigrants.

The show is said to be a choreographic masterpiece- entertaining and educational event for all ages. Tickets are available at the CAPA website www.capa-mi.org , under the “Splendor of the East” link.

For ticket information by phone, please contact Mai Xiong at 586-722-4527.

For more information on the event, please contact Angela Wang at 248-885-0968.

CAPA strives to unite Asian Pacific Americans and the community at large through culture, education, and community service. May has been the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month since 1999.

Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., helps celebrate the grand opening of Deliziosa To Go. Pictured here are (from left): Marlene Lemire from the Dearborn Chamber, Council members George Darany and Nancy Hubbard; owner Hassane Awada; Mayor O’Reilly and the Dearborn Chamber's Peggy Richard, Renee Aloe, Jennifer Giering and Larry Stock.

Among the restaurants that make our short list of favorites in Dearborn is Deliziosa, which consistently serves up some of the best food in town and always with great service.

Now you can get that same Mediterranean and Italian food delivered, thanks to the addition of a second restaurant, Deliziosa to Go, 13241 Warren, which just last week had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony with Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr.

The original Deliziosa at 22439 Michigan Ave., just west of Military, opened back in 2005.

But for those who don’t have time for a sit down meal or are looking for fast delivery (if you’re in the delivery range, that is) late at night, there now is Deliziosa to Go, on Warren between Jonathon and Schaefer.

Think of it as gourmet-food to go, courtesy of owner Hassane Awada, who studied culinary arts in Lebanon and then combined his love of Mediterranean food with Italian favorites to create his fantastic menu.

For more information about Deliziosa to Go, call 584-8554. For the original Deliziosa, call 277-4990.