Tickets are still available for Dearborn’s “Smoke on the Grill” charity fundraiser on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 4-7 p.m. at Ford Field Park. Tickets can be purchased at the park.

The event, which includes dinner, drinks and entertainment, benefits Dearborn Public School students through the Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs) and the Dearborn Goodfellows.

Call Gary Kuhlmann at 274-4499 for tickets.

Dearborn mayoral candidate Michael J. Prus was a no-show Tuesday evening at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Dearborn/Dearborn Heights.

Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly Jr., was on hand to face his challenger in the City Council Chambers but without Mr. Prus the LWV decided to cancel the forum rather than hold a question and answer session with just Mayor O’Reilly.

It isn’t entirely clear why Mr. Prus — who ran unsuccessfully for Dearborn mayor in the 2007 special election (he had 63 votes to O’Reilly’s 16,060 in that election) — was unable to attend Tuesday’s forum.

Mr. Prus earlier sent a letter to Mayor O’Reilly inviting him to take part in a series of debates. Let’s hope the two can find another evening to discuss the many challenges our city faces.

Separately, the forum for the 14 city council candidates did take place in the City Council Chambers as scheduled.

The home of Dearborn City Councilman Robert Abraham suffered severe fire damage Saturday night in a blaze believe caused by an electrical failure.

No was home at the time of the fire, except the family’s pet dog, Dublin. The animal was killed in the blaze.

The fire did considerable damage and it will be at least six months to a year before the family can return to their home. Councilman Abraham said fire officials told him the blaze appears to have started in the basement ceiling and kitchen floor. The blaze was so severe by the time Dearborn Fire arrived at 8:54 p.m. that the entire kitchen essentially fell into the basement. An official determination by the Dearborn Fire Department on the exact cause of the fire should be known in a week or two.

Councilman Abraham said while the fire to the family’s home and the loss of their pet dog has been hard on he and his wife and their children, they are grateful no one was injured in the fire. He said the outreach from neighbors and people in the community offering their support to he and his family has been heartwarming and greatly appreciated.

“We have had overwhelming support from the community,” he said. “We are so very fortunate . . . Thank God no one was hurt or home at the time. We lost a lot but we will get through this.”

Abraham said many people have offered gifts of financial assistance to his family, as well.  While those offers are sincerely appreciated, he said the family invites anyone interested in making such a gesture to instead give a donation to the Dearborn Animal Shelter in Dublin’s memory.

Those interested in making a donation to the Dearborn Animal Shelter can do so online at www.dearborn-animals.com, by phone at 313.943.2697 or by mail to Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter, 2661 Greenfield, Dearborn, MI, 48120.

Our prayers and support go out to the Abraham family.

Less than five months after the Dearborn School Board of Education approved a budget that included $10.2 million in cuts, the district now could be forced to slash an additional $6 million this school year as a result of actions by our elected officials in Lansing.

And if that isn’t bad enough, for the 2010-2011 school year the state of Michigan could be eliminating as much as $500 per student.

In a recent letter to his staff, Dearborn School Supt. Brian J. Whiston outlined what the school district could face in the coming days. Below is a copy of the letter:

Greetings,

The State of Michigan has only a few days until the October 1 deadline to finalize the state budget and I’m sure that information coming out of Lansing has changed since this letter was drafted. However, despite the ever changing news, I would like to take a brief moment to try and recap where we are as a district regarding our budget and what the news from Lansing will mean to all of us here in the Dearborn Public Schools.

Where the District stood as of September 3 in regard to the 2009-10 Budget

Budget assumptions made to create the 2009-10 budget:

                       Original (6/30/2009)       Revised (9/3/2009)

Compensation      $5,000,000                               $5,000,000

State Aid Reduction($100/pp)  1,800,000                —-

State Aid Reduction($265/pp)      —-                     (4,800,000)

Stimulus Restoration($265/pp)    —-                      4,800,000

31-a At-Risk Reduction(25%)         —-                    1,500,000

Pension Increase(16.54% to 16.94% )1,000,000        400,000

Inflation(benefits, utilities, etc)  1,000,000               1,000,000             

Special Education (Act 18 deficit) 1,000,000            1,000,000

2009 Fund Balance      750,000                            750,000

 TOTAL Deficit     $10,550,000                           $9,650,000

Here is brief explanation of each item:

• $5 million in compensation – The district will spend $5 million more in 2009-10 than in 2008-09 to pay for the salaries of all employees.

• $1.8 million state aid reduction ($100/per pupil) – At the time the 2009-10 budget was being put together (January – June of 09) the district was told by sources in Lansing to expect anywhere from a $75 to $125 cut in per pupil funding (called the Foundation Grant). We chose to use a $100 figure in building the budget. The actual reduction in per pupil funding is $265 per student. The state of Michigan will use federal stimulus money to “plug” that hole and make up the $265 cut to keep per pupil funding at the 2008-09 level. Please read the information below to understand how this has changed in the last few weeks.

• 31-a At-Risk reduction – Originally these funds were not going to be touched but, over the summer, 31-a funds became a target for reductions. The district was told that 25% of 31-a funding could be cut.

• Pension increase (16.54% to 16.94%) – This is the amount the district pays to the state that goes into the pension fund. Again, back in the spring of 2009, we were being told to expect a 1% increase. There is actually good news here as the increase is only going to be .4 %.

• Inflation (benefits, utilities, etc.) – This is a projected increase in expenses due to inflation.

• Special Education (Act 18 deficit) – The county provides Special Education services to students in all districts through a series of “Center Programs.” A few years ago voters in Wayne County approved a millage that covered the cost of these Center Programs. However, expenses will once again outpace revenue and the county will be asking each school district to “pay them back” for the use of the Center Program. The district projects that we will need to pay the county $2 million from the general budget in 2010-11. The plan is to take $1 million from the general budget this year and $1 million next year to cover the $2 million.

• 2009 fund balance – The district used $750,000 from the fund balance for the 2008-09 budget. If we don’t reduce the 2009-10 budget by $750,000, we will once again be short.

The original projected deficit for 2009-10 was $10.5 million. After revisions to the revenue and pension assumptions, the total deficit was reduced to $9.6 million. Since the number is based on estimates we chose to reduce $10.2 million and use that figure as the projected deficit amount.

What has happened since June?

Over the summer the House of Representatives passed a state budget for 2009-10 and then State Senators went to work on their version. A committee made up of both Senators and Representatives are working to finalize a budget to present to the Governor for her approval. The following shows how the current budget discussion in Lansing will impact Dearborn Public Schools. The budget discussions in Lansing are changing by the day and by the hour. The information below could look the same or very different before the October 1 budget deadline in Lansing. We will continue to keep you updated as information becomes available.

Where we are at on September 23 with the 2009-10 Budget

Current discussions in Lansing regarding reductions and their impact on our district:

             Possible Reduction, Option C

 31-a At-Risk      $1,500,000

$218 per pupil     $4,000,000

GSRP                $1,623,000

                       $7,123,000

Already budgeted  ($1,500,000)

                         $5,623,000

Carry over            $2,000,000

TOTAL Reduction  $7,623,000

Here is brief explanation of each item:

• 31-a At-Risk – The discussion in Lansing has once again turned to cutting part or all of the 31-a funding our district receives. This money is used to provide support and instruction to at-risk students across the district.

• $218 per pupil – In the first set of numbers the federal stimulus money was used to keep districts from losing per-pupil funding. However, even with federal stimulus dollars the state doesn’t have enough money to provide the current level of funding and therefore needs to reduce the Foundation Grant by $218.

• GSRP (Great Start Readiness Program) – The GSRP program is for children who are not yet in kindergarten but have been identified as being academically at-risk. This program is structured instruction taught by certified teachers that make sure children enter kindergarten at the same academic level as their peers. The proposed cut would eliminate the program.

• Already budgeted – In June, and again in September, the district made assumptions on state revenues. The September revision assumed a $1.5 million reduction in state funding. This amount was part of the $9.6 million deficit and expenses were already reduced to address the $1.5 million projected loss.

• Carry over – This amount is being carried over from the 2008-09 budget due to several reasons including a reduction in revenue late in the year, planned cuts that were not fully implemented, and unanticipated costs.

• Total Reduction- Depending on what budget proposal lawmakers in Lansing finally agree to, the district could face $7.6 million in reductions. This is above and beyond the $10.2 million that was already cut from the 2009-10 budget when it was approved back in June. It’s important to remember that state law sets our budget year starting July 1 while the state’s budget year begins October 1. The state provides us with the money to operate but has not determined how much they are going to give us until we are one quarter into our fiscal year.

What are we doing now?

The district administration, including all principals, has been working since late August to identify additional areas to reduce the budget. Even if all funding is restored we still have a structural problem that will continue to impact our budget year after year until it is addressed. In addition, any federal money that was used to make up shortfalls in the 2008-09 budget and the 2009-10 budget will not be around for the 2010-11 budget. It is very likely that the 2010-11 school year will be hit with a big reduction in per student funding, possibly as much as $500 per student.

Although we face some difficult decisions, I am confident that the recommendations from our staff, principals and administrators will continue to focus on improving instruction and providing a quality education to the students in our district. How we run our district and how our students attend school may look different, but please know that the work of our district, educating children, will always drive our budget decisions.

Regards,

Brian J. Whiston

Superintendent

One of our city’s many gems is the Players Guild of Dearborn Theatre, located at 21730 Madison in Dearborn, southwest of the intersection of Monroe and Outer Drive.

Year in and year out, The Players Guild of Dearborn delivers high quality entertainment at an affordable price. The Guild opened its 82nd season on Sept. 18 with the show “Inspecting Carol,” a farce by Daniel Sullivan and the Seattle Repertory Company.

Jeff Ostrowski, president of the Players Guild of Dearborn, dropped us a note the other day reminding us that the show will run for another weekend, Oct. 2 to Oct. 4. Like this weekend’s performance, next Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m., with a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee.

Tickets are just $15. Student discounts of $2 (with valid I.D.) and group discounts are available. For more information, you can call the Guild ticket line at (313) 561-TKTS, or visit their web site by clicking HERE.

Here is what the show “Inspecting Carol” is about:

With their National Endowment for the Arts eligibility to be reviewed by an inspector, the Soapbox Playhouse is desperate to raise money and decides to mount yet another production of “A Christmas Carol.” An unknown, wannabe actor asks to audition for the company and is mistaken for the inspector. Desperate to stay afloat, the troupe caters to this bewildered actor, believing he is the NEA inspector. As hilarity piles upon hilarity, the theatre group finds themselves in a state of chaos, resulting in a thoroughly unprepared performance.

Dearborn’s own Brian Townsend is directing the show, with assistant direction by Mike Moseley (Allen Park). Sydnee Dombrowski (Dearborn) is the show’s producer.

A scene from 'Inspecting Carol' by The Players Guild of Dearborn. Tickets are still available for Oct. 2-4 performances.

The cast includes: Debbie Pletzer (Canton) as Zorah; Patrick Denyer (Dearborn) as Sidney; Tiffany Mullins (Westland) as Dorothy; Lindel Salow (Dearborn) as Larry; Alan Ellias (Farmington Hills) as Phil; Kenyada Davis (Detroit) as Walter; Nathan Booth (Dearborn) as Luther; Nick Graham ( Belleville) as Kevin; Margaret Winowiecki (Dearborn) as M.J.; Stan Guarnelo (Dearborn Heights) as Bart; Alex Gojkov (Redford) as Wayne; and Kori Bielaniec (Livonia) as Betty.

First it was cats, than dogs, than more cats. Now, it is chickens. Yes, chickens in Dearborn.

Dearborn officials found 10 chickens in the garage of an east side home.

Fresh from cleaning up a home where hundreds of Chihuahuas lived and died in squalor, Dearborn officials now tell Deepsaidwhat.com that they are working with a homeowner to have her remove 10 chickens from the garage of her east side home.

City officials found out about the chickens after a neighbor complained about the smell. Dearborn officials went to the home and found 10 chickens in the garage. The owner of the home told officials that she kept the chickens as pets for her young children.

While that might be okay for families who live on a farm, the reality is that in a city such as Dearborn with more than 100,000 residents keeping chickens as pets is against the law.

The owner of the home now has seven days to get rid of the chickens or could face misdemeanor charges and fines. The fact the homeowner has already gone to Mayor John B. O’Reilly Jr.’s office to save her chickens, telling officials that her children are “attached” to the birds, suggests that this matter will not be quickly resolved.

We aren’t sure what is going on in Dearborn but this chicken case now brings to five the number of homes found with an excessive number of “pets.”

1. In July, the city quietly removed some 50 cats from a home on the west side of Dearborn
2. In August, hundreds of Chihuahuas lived and died in squalor in an east side home. Cleanup costs, along with city police, fire and other city officials could drive the cleanup bill to nearly $100,000
3. In late August, some 20 cats were found in an abandoned home
4. In September, an elderly woman on the east side called city officials to have some 25 cats removed from her home. All of the cats were healthy but the woman became unable to manage having all of them in her home, city officials say.
5. Finally, in September 10 chickens were found in an east side home.

We’ve had a lot of discussion on these pages about the quality of education in our state and many of our communities. Now a new survey says that public assessment of schools has fallen to its lowest level in nearly three decades.

According to a recently released Education Next poll put out by the Hoover Institution, public assessment of schools has fallen to the lowest level recorded since Americans were first asked to grade schools in 1981. Just 18 percent of those surveyed gave schools a grade of an A or a B, down from 30 percent reported by a Gallup poll as recently as 2005.

No less than 25 percent of those polled by Education Next gave the schools either an F or a D. (In 2005, only 20 percent gave schools such low marks.)

For the full story, click HERE.

More Sleep Equals Better Grades, Healthier Students

What is the best time to start school for a high school student? Opinions vary but early school start times are a medically proven detriment to health and education.

Dearborn school leaders appear to have finally come to that realization and are now asking parents and students to take part in an online survey to determine the merits of changing the high school start time from the current 7:20 a.m. to something later. A time change could be implemented as soon as the 2010/2011 school year.

Now we all know changing school start times can be very challenging for school districts because of busing schedules, kids missing more classes because of early release for sports activities and to parents. Some students also are concerned that being in school later would cut into after-school jobs and extra-curricular activities.

Later start times might also impact teachers, who as adults do not need more sleep to function better. Will these longer days mean less efficient teachers at the end of the day simply because of fatigue?

While difficult to determine, there are many studies that have been done over the past decade that show pushing back start times to allow teenagers to get the sleep they need yields positive results. In no particular order, studies have shown these advantages to students who get more sleep:

• Better grades;

• Less likelihood of experiencing depressed moods;

• Reduced likelihood for tardiness;

• Reduced absenteeism;

• Reduced risk of fall asleep car crashes; and

• Reduced risk of metabolic and nutritional deficits associated with insufficient sleep, including obesity.

We don’t have the exact number of schools or districts that have pushed back there start times over the past five years but the figure is in the hundreds. Clearly, those school districts have deemed it a positive priority to add sleep to the school curriculum at all grade levels.

As there are advantages and some disadvantages to starting later, the online survey by the Dearborn school district is a good way to get input from the community to attempt to tailor a solution that can work for all.

To take part in the survey, which ends Sept. 30, click HERE.

Appraisers from Detroit’s Dumouchelles, Fine Arts Auctioneers and Appraisers since 1927, will be on hand to examine and appraise your family heirloom. The fee is $10 for a single appraisal and $15 to appraise two items.

Appointments are required, call Barbara Logan at 313-624-0205 to schedule.

The Well, Dearborn's newest bar is now open for business.

Dearborn’s newest pub is now open for business. Located in the West Village Commons on Michigan Avenue, the new bar called The Well is now serving your favorite brew, along with some nice atmosphere.

The Well’s co-Owner Ross Varacalli, a Dearborn resident, had planned to have his new bar (next to the now closed Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the West Village Commons) open by July or at least by Dearborn’s Homecoming celebration in August, but getting the needed paperwork done and liquor license hurdles cleared took a bit more time than anticipated.

If The Well in Dearborn is anything like the one Varacalli and his partners operate in Detroit, it should be a hit in Dearborn.

Good luck and welcome to the neighborhood. For the earlier story, please click HERE.