Water Rates Jump Durant a 'Rebel with a Cause'

Spott'fored by SUBSCRIBE NOW Grosse Pointe 'Mlb Amu to I Yacht Club GREAT LAKES (313)343-5578 New boats ali sizes/Vmtage Cars, $14.50 OFF THE NEWSSTAND PRICE BOATING FESTIVAL Boats, & Motorcycles/Displays by the Ford House and the M ay 18-20, 2012 Dossin Museum (see page 6 for details) Space Donated by n ? m i l Open In fhe MOTOR ViilAGe G rosse Pointe New s VO L 73, NO. 20,38 PAGES MAY 17,2012 ONE DOLLAR (DELIVERY 7 U) One of America's great community newspapers since 1940 GROSSE POINTE, MICHIGAN Complete news coverage of all the Pointes SAVE with the Grosse Pointe News! Water rates jump By Brad Lindberg StaffW riter W eek ahead GROSSE POINTE FARMS — Water conservation is the main 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 cause of a 19 percent water rate increase. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 “There’s several factors that came into play,” said John Lamerato, Grosse Pointe Farms THURSDAY, MAY 17 finance director. ♦ The Friends of Grosse The main one is decreased Pointe Pubiic library hold consumption. a book sale from noon to Farms water customers are us 8 p.m. at the Woods HI give ing less water. Consumption is 20 branch, 20680 Mack. percent less since the mid*1990s. ♦ Grosse Pointe Woods “That is a significant drop in and Mack Avenue you a flower the sale of water,” said Business Association hold Councilman Louis Theros, chair sidewalk sales during The 38th annual Beautification man of the finance committee. business hours. Advisory Commission Flower Sale in The overall decrease this year Grosse Pointe Woods brought out is projected to exceed 2.5 per FRIDAY, MAY 18 flower lovers to buy blossoms In con cent, from 68.6- to 66.75-million ♦ Grosse Pointe Theatre tainers, flats and hanging baskets. cubic feet, according to presents the musical Above, Olivia Leehr of Grosse Pointe Lamerato. “Hairspray” at 8 p.m. at Woods sits on a tricycle turned into a Even that’s optimistic. Grosse Pointe War flower planter while her sister, Abby, “Actual usage is 63 million cu Memorial, 32 Lakeshore, smells the flowers. At right, Eric bic feet,” Lamerato said. Grosse Pointe Farms. To Reiter, vice chairman of the Woods* Decreased usage saves water. order tickets, that cost Beautification Commission, waters Yet, buyers remain on the hook $24, call (313) 881-4004 or flower flats under a sunny sky. for the cost of maintaining the visit gptorg. entire water system, from intake ♦ A free seminar on “The PHOTOS BY RENEE LANDUYT to filtration plant to sewage Impact of Incivility and pumping station and miles o f Bullying in the Workplace Philomena Sexton of pipes in between. and Community” is from Grosse Pointe Woods Fixed costs of the system stay 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the loads up hanging baskets the same no matter how much Assumption Cultural in her cat The two-day water is sold. Center, 21800 Marter, St. sale was held in partner “Fixed costs remained con Clair Shores, and includes ship with the commission stant for the last five or six years,” six speakers. and the Grosse Pointe said Shane Reeside, city manag ♦ The Friends of Grosse North Parents’ Club. er. “If you divide those costs by a Pointe Public Library hold lower number, because con a book sale from 10 a.m. sumption is down, unit cost goes to 4 p.m. at the Woods up as a result” branch, 20680 Mack. Also contributing to the rate in ♦ Grosse Pointe South crease are higher post-retirement High School’s band and municipal employee health care orchestra present a spring costs, $165,000 interest pay concert and senior show ments on bonds to upgrade the case at 7 p.m. in the Kerby Road Pumping Station, general water system improve- See WEEK AHEAD, page 7A SeeWATER,page 10A Durant a ‘rebel with a cause’ By Joe Warner Democrat Debbie Editor Stabenow in November. Durant submitted his A sleepy Monday morn nominating petitions ing on Detroit’s east side Monday, May 14, after a Opinion ....... .8A awoke to bright sunshine send-off rally at Midwest S ch ools......... 1 A II and the rumble of Harley- Steel in Detroit. Several Obituaries .... 3 A II Davidsons. bikers led the way to Real Estate . 9a h It was a gang on a mis Lansing - with a couple A u tos............. J0AH sion, led by Clark Durant, stops along the way - and H ealth ........... .. .3B the “rebel with a cause” the caravan included Entertainment . .4B who will vie for the many who helped gather Classified ads . .. .6C Republican nod for U.S. the 24,274 signatures Senate. Durant, of Grosse from all of Michigan’s 83 Pointe Farms, w ill face counties. At left, Clark Durant ad several in the primary Flanked by his support dresses the crowd at challenge, most notably ers, employees of Midwest Steel. Above, former gubernatorial can Midwest Steel and the Durant’s wife, Susan, didate Pete Hoekstra. The proudly shows her sup winner challenges See REBEL , page 11A port at the May 14 rally. 56525 10011 6 PHOTOS BY JOE WARNER PHONE: (313) 882-6900 ♦ FAX: (313) 882-1585 ♦ MAIL: 96 Kercheval 48236 ♦ ON THE WEB: grossepointenews.com ♦ E-MAIL: [email protected] &3T ‘ For Mom, living at home GRATIOT STORE is the only way to live.” ■ .v v 586-791-0560 .= ' VU: 35950 GRATIOT: AVE; •CLINTON TWP. 89% of older adults prefer tx> live at home* Our carvgivcrs make that possible. W e provide help w ith transportation and ft MACOMB TOWNSHIP cri'siuk companionship, personal carcN meal preparation, • 586-226-2266 m edication rem inders and m ore. Bonded, insured snd rigopously^rccncd, ivc'H help y<>ur parent (and you} keep . /. 20201 HALL ROAD die freedom and lifestyle you both deserve. Appliance & Video tr■■;; 8 C^rtfMy". '■■■ ■Quality Products::. Discount Prices ROCHESTER STORE Call for a FREE consultation! I; j SALES>:PART$.. 248-652-9700 313-343-6444 vvww.sargentappliance.com : 528MAiN ST. * ROCHESTER. .-. Serving the Grosse Pointe Communities 2 A GROSSE POINTE NEWS, MAY 17, 2012 * * W ORKING TO HELP OUR CUSTOM ERS AVOID FORECLOSURE IN MICHIGAN We understand that foreclosures affect the communities where our customers live. That’s why Bank of America is working to help customers in those areas who are struggling to make their mortgage payments. For some, we’re able to modify their loans. For others, a short sale may be the best option. And to determine the range of solutions that may be available for each customer, we’ve expanded our local outreach in Michigan and across the country. We're meeting face-to-face and over the phone with customers to help them understand their situation and explain the available options. Through our outreach efforts, we helped over 3,300 customers in Michigan in 2011, and gave over one million customers nationwide the chance to avoid foreclosure through loan modifications, short sales and deeds in lieu of foreclosure since 2008. To learn more about options available, or to find an event or Customer Assistance Center in your area, please visit bankofamerSca.com/iiomeloanhefp © 2012 Bank of America Corporation. Member FDfC. ARS2N4N2 GROSSE POINTE NEWS, MAY 17, 2012 NEWS 3A Action Project gains Auction council approval By Brad Lindberg accompany the planting StaffWriter of additional trees, ac cording to builder GROSSE POINTE Edward Russell m of the FARMS — Forthcoming Russell Development Mrs. Klimczuk’s 5th grade class fashioned a construction on lower Company, based in the mosaic tree o f wisdom on a bistro table for Lakeshore above the Farms. the auction. Grosse Pointe War “(The owners) are Memorial will yield two bringing in large trees so large, lakeside houses, it looks like it was done The Grosse Pointe side-by-side on neigh 100 years ago,” Russell Academy Action boring lots behind a said. Auction took place May shared, 6-foot brick wall. The wall meets the 9 and 12. At left, from Pillars bracing three “scale and proportion” of left, Michael and gates will be taller and the 12,000-square-foot Alison Arkison and support carriage lights. houses, Russell told the Jennifer and Michael The properly owners council Bojarczyk. Alison and received site plan ap “I don’t think we’ve Jennifer served as this proval this week from seen two homes similar year’s co-chairs for the the Grosse Pointe Farms in size built like this in auction. dty council to build the over 20 years in the wail higher than the Farms,” Russell said. standard 4-foot limit. Lakeshore is a four- Council members also lane county road with granted an exception significant traffic, includ that walls and fences be ing commercial vehicles. of partially open design* "A 6-foot wall will dra not solid and opaque. matically cut down the Conditions of ap noise level for this prop proval require the a sec erty and give (residents) tion of wall to be sup the security and privacy ported above ground. they desire,” Russell The purpose is to pre said. vent weight on roots of a Connie Boris, a resi large American beach dent on nearby tree, a valued element of McKinley Place, object the landscape. ed to such a tall, solid Similar sections of wall. brick fence exist on “It will resemble a Moran between compound, something Lakeshore and Grosse you’d find in Pakistan,” Pointe Boulevard across she said. from the Grosse Pointe Construction starts Academy. this fall, Russell said. The wall will sit about “They’re significant 14 feet off of 50 and 60 homes,” he said.

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