Dearborn's popular Ciao Italian restaurant is expected to soon reopen on Michigan Avenue.

Two years after a fire closed the popular Ristorante Ciao in Dearborn, the chef from the popular Italian eatery is preparing to reopen the restaurant on Michigan Avenue in the building that once housed Kasey’s Salad Bar.

Hassan Aoun recently opened the iburger lounge in the West Village Commons, serving some fantastic burgers, gourmet pizzas (better than the ones Aoun served when he was chef at Ciao), soups and salads. It’s worth a visit if you haven’t done so already.

Aoun is now turning his attention to reopening Ciao. Many of you will recall the Salad Bar, which later was sold and became Parisian Bistro. Well, Ciao will move into that building in the coming weeks.

Hopefully, the second time around for Ciao will be even better than the first . . .

In other restaurant news, the new business moving into the former Little Cafe that we wrote about a couple months ago is now open for business. The restaurant is called “Good Times Caffe”. We haven’t had the opportunity to stop in yet but signs say it serves soup, subs and a host of other foods.

We plan to check out the place later this week and provide an update for all.

Dearborn's Public Service Days begin April 4 and continue each week through Dec. 2.

Dearborn’s Public Service Days – established as a way to keep our neighborhoods well-maintained – begin April 4 and will occur every week through Dec. 2, which means parked vehicles must be off streets between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during each neighborhood’s trash collection day.

Vehicles left on the street during Public Service Days will be ticketed. Vehicles in a driveway may be parked across the public sidewalk without penalty, but city officials say parking on the grass is always prohibited.

Public Service Days are the same day as trash collection day in a neighborhood. On these days, city crews provide neighborhoods with services like street-sweeping, loose leaf collection, tree trimming, and sewer maintenance.

Signs in every neighborhood alert drivers to the Public Service Days applicable on the surrounding blocks.

Check www.cityofdearborn.org or call 313.943.2886 for general information on Public Service Days.

For parking issues related to Public Service Days, call 313.943.2276.

The free 2011 City of Dearborn Calendar, which is available at the City’s libraries and City Hall, is also handy for additional information. Page 30 of the City Calendar has more details, as well as a map of Public Service Days/Trash Collection Days.

“An Evening of Romance,” featuring piano sensation Jim Brickman, will be the featured attraction Saturday, April 2, at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center’s Michael A. Guido Theater, beginning at 8 p.m.

Brickman, winner of two Grammy Awards, has revolutionized the sound of solo piano with his pop-style instrumentals and star-studded vocal collaborationists.

Since the release of his debut album, “No Words,” in 1994, Brickman’s romantic piano sound has made him the best selling solo piano artist of his time and brought him two platinum and six gold albums.

Brickman’s best-known compositions include “Valentine,” “The Gift,” “Love of My Life,” “Simple Things” and “Peace.”

Tickets, priced at $35-$49, are on sale at the theater box office, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets may also be purchased on-line at www.dearborntheater.com.

For further information, call 943-2354.

Nearly 20 table sponsors have already signed up to support the Rotary Club of Dearborn’s “Shares & Cares” breakfast fundraiser on Friday, April 1, 2011, at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the programs of Pro-Literacy Detroit, Michigan’s largest literacy agency which provides services to adult learners at no cost.

“We are delighted with the outstanding number of sponsorships we’ve received from community leaders, local businesses and organizations along with other Rotary clubs,” said Margaret Blohm, 2010-11 president of the Rotary Club of Dearborn.

Table sponsors include Rotary District 6400, Dearborn Rotary Foundation, the Rotary Clubs of Dearborn Heights, Detroit AM, Fairlane Sunrise, and Grosse Pointe Rotary along with the HFCC Federation of Teachers, Pro-Literacy Detroit, and Sanford Brown College.

Individual sponsors include Michigan Representative George Darany, Rick Goward, Kerrie Peterson, Sue Surducan, Jim Thorpe, Brian Whiston, Judge Richard Wygonik and Bob Ziolkowski.

Each table provides seating for 10 guests to attend a free breakfast program emceed by WWJ Newsradio 950 personality and Dearborn resident Matt Roush with remarks by Pro-Literacy Detroit CEO Margaret Williamson, volunteers and adult learners.

Barnes & Noble of Fairlane Green in Allen Park is providing beautiful leather-bound book centerpieces for the event, and will in turn be donated to Pro-Literacy Detroit, www.proliteracydetroit.org. The bookstore will also hold a Bookfair on April 1 to benefit the agency.

It is estimated that 47 percent of metro Detroiters are unable to read and that 44 percent of Michigan adults are unable to read above the fourth grade level. During the past 25 years, Pro-Literacy Detroit has tutored more than 12,000 adult learners and trained over 8,000 tutors to help metro Detroiters over the age of 16 to read.

The “Shares & Cares” fundraising breakfast is one of several efforts to benefit literacy programs now underway throughout Rotary District 6400, which includes southeast Michigan and southwest Ontario, Canada.

“We are extremely grateful to Rotarians for their support, by volunteering as certified tutors and through their generous financial and book donations,” said Williamson.

The cost to become a table sponsor is only $100 which covers the cost of breakfast for the sponsor and nine guests. Breakfast fellowship will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the event will conclude by 9 a.m. on Friday, April 1.

“If you don’t know any of our table sponsors and would like to attend the event, please let us know,” added Blohm. “We’ll make sure you have an opportunity to participate.”

For more details about becoming a sponsor or attending the event, please email event chair Amy Bazzy at ajbazzy@comcast.net or call 313-433-0013.

In the event you missed the Census news this week, Dearborn recorded a population increase, climbing to 98,153 in 2010 compared to 97,775 in 2000.

Of the 18 cities that border Detroit, Dearborn was the only city that grew, albeit a mere 0.5 percent. Even so, it is better than going the other way, which is what many other communities did.

The news should be taken as a testament to the relative stability of the two communities one expert told the Dearborn Press & Guide this week.

“When you look at the surrounding Wayne County communities this is definitely a positive for Dearborn and Dearborn Heights,” Dale Thomson, an assistant professor of political science at University of Michigan-Dearborn told the Dearborn Press & Guide in Wednesday’s edition. “I think it’s a testament to the service mix they’re providing and the kind of communities that exist there.”

For a look at the full Census figures for the state of Michigan, you can click HERE.

Henry Ford Centennial Library

A major renovation project has begun at the Henry Ford Centennial Library, with the entire third floor mezzanine-level of the building closed to the public through June.

Nearly all library material is available on the second floor of the building, so access to the collections will not be impacted.

However, the study space, beverage machines, and some stored reference material will not be available until the project is complete and the third floor is re-opened.

The project is expected to be complete by the end of June.

The plans call for the conversion of existing space into three medium-sized study rooms; one large, quiet study room; and one large conference room, which will be available to organizations to book for group meetings.

Restrooms, and a kitchenette that will be available for groups booking the large conference room, will be added to the area to make the space more usable and comfortable.

Running Fit, Inc. will be conducting its 2011 Annual Martian Marathon for the fifth time in Dearborn on Saturday, April 2.

The Martian Marathon event’s mission is to promote an active, healthy lifestyle for adults and children, with the long-term goal of ending childhood obesity and diseases related to poor nutritional choices. Partial proceeds from the event go toward the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and certain youth track and cross-country programs.

Around 3,000 – 4,000 runners are expected to participate this year, along with added crowd support. There are six different races, each of which will begin and end at Dearborn’s Ford Field.

The runners will travel through the neighborhood of Brady Street, Morley Avenue, Military Street, and Golfview Drive, and to the Ford Road entrance to Hines Drive. A map of the course is on the Martian Marathon website HERE.

The Dearborn Police will be regulating the event, and neighborhood streets will be temporarily shut down as the runners pass through. The following will be closed from approximately 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the day of the event:

• Part of eastbound Ford Road, between Golfview Drive and the exit ramp to Evergreen Road

• The exit ramp from southbound Hines Drive to Ford Road and the exit ramp from eastbound Ford Road to Evergreen Road

• Part of westbound Michigan Avenue from the Greenways Trailhead at Andiamo to Brady Street.

For more information, visit the Martian Marathon website or call the Department of Recreation at 313.943.2350.

The Dearborn High School Marching Band appeared on “Ireland AM” today (Wednesday)  at about 7 am. You can watch the band by clicking HERE. 

Some of you will recall that we wrote about the Dearborn High School band and Orchestra last September when they were invited to march in the 2011 Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Members, parents and supporters held numerous fundraisers so that some 119 people could travel to Ireland, including 18 chaperons.

Not just any high school band gets invited to perform in Dublin. You have to be good. And under the supervision of Dearborn High’s Music Director Jeff Oshnock, the Pioneers are outstanding. One proud parent tells us that Dearborn High School’s musicians score top rankings at solo/ensemble competitions and band reviews.

In 2008, the Dearborn High School Marching Band participated in the Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC. It was that performance that helped the band secure a position to perform in the 2011 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin.

The Dublin Parade will be streamed live over the Internet.  To watch, click HERE.You will have to get up at 6 am to view it live.

Official Festival Site is HERE.

The Dearborn High School band was featured on Local 4 News, WDIV and you can view that HERE.

Mark you calendar for March 26 to attend a fundraiser for video students at Dearborn High School.

The event takes place at 7 pm the Dearborn Elks Club, 25000 Michigan Ave. Proceeds from the event will go to students making the video Saints Cove.

Door open at 7 p.m. and tickets are just $8 for a night with the Joint Chiefs of Detroit and special guest Rusted Blue.

For more information, please contact 313-827-1635.

One for our readers sent along a notice about the following upcoming event.

The 7th Annual Relay For Life of Dearborn Spaghetti Dinner brings people together to enjoy good food and good company for a great cause.

The Relay For Life of Dearborn Spaghetti Dinner brings people together to enjoy good food and good company for a great cause.

In anticipation of the April 30th Relay For Life, the Dearborn planning committee, working with representatives from Fr. Patrick O’Kelley Knights of Columbus Hall, is hosting an all you can eat dinner buffet benefiting the American Cancer Society on Sunday, March 27th from noon to 6 p.m. The fundraiser is well attended and open during times to accommodate both lunch and dinner patrons.

The success of the spaghetti dinner is due to the support of dozens of teams volunteering to bake goods for the dessert bake sale, solicit and donate silent auction items, sell tickets and volunteer to work shifts throughout the day. The Dearborn community is encouraged to bring their families to spend some time with 2011 teams and meet cancer survivors and caregivers. Tickets are available now or can be purchased at the door.

“Through events like the Spaghetti Dinner, we’re able to reach out to people in the community, talk about cancer and give hope to patients currently battling the disease – all in a relaxed, fun environment,” says Vice-Chair Alysia Schuler.

The Relay For Life of Dearborn supports the Society’s mission to save lives by helping people stay well, get well and by finding cures and fighting back. This inspiring overnight event unites the entire Dearborn community in the common goal of creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

Planning for the Relay For Life of Dearborn has become a year round effort organized by a dedicated group of volunteers who focus on increasing cancer awareness in the Dearborn community while raising funds for the American Cancer Society. The Society reports 142 people in Michigan are diagnosed with cancer everyday, 30 of whom are from Wayne County. Participating in the Relay For Life of Dearborn is one way to help those people get well, bringing them closer to programs and services offered by the American Cancer Society.

The Relay For Life of Dearborn will take place on April 30 – May1, 10 am-10 am at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center. Visit www.relayforlife.org/dearbornmi for more information or contact event chairperson Denise Abdullah at deniseabdullah@hotmail.com, 313.522.8785.

Event: Relay For Life of Dearborn 7th Annual Spaghetti Dinner

When: Sunday, March 27th, 12 – 6pm

Where: Fr. Patrick O’Kelley Knights of Columbus Hall, 23663 Park, Dearborn, MI 48124

Cost: $10.00 per person ($5 for ages 4-10)

Details: All you can eat spaghetti, plus salad, rolls, coffee and pop. Music, bake sale dessert and silent auction items will also be available.

All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society through the Relay For Life of Dearborn!