The Dearborn Historical Museum is hosting a Victorian Christmas open house 1-6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Museum’s Commandant’s Quarters, 21950 Michigan Ave. (corner of Mason).

This is the first time this annual event has been on a Saturday. Rick Danes, president of the Museum Guild of Dearborn, said he wanted to make the open house easier to attend for busy families who work Monday through Friday.

“Our favorite traditions come from this time in our history,” said Jack Tate, curator of the Dearborn Historical Museum.

The free event features Christmas music, decorations and refreshments. Children’s activities, including crafts, a visit with Santa, and a Santa’s Helper game take place from 3-6 p.m.

“It will be like stepping inside a Christmas card,” promised Tate. “Elaborate garlands, the scent of warm spice, men and woman in period dress and holiday carols will help people to experience an old-fashioned Currier and Ives Christmas.”

Donations for the museum will be accepted on site. For more information on the Victorian Christmas Open House, call 313.565.3000.

Dearborn’s seasonal services are coming to an end for the year.

– Loose leaf collection ends the week of Dec. 2.-7

– Curbside yard waste collection ends the week of Dec. 9-13. It resumes again in March.

– Public Service Days for the year ends Nov. 30, which means residents can now keep vehicles parked in the street on trash collection days

While loose leaf collection is scheduled to end the week of Dec. 2-7, that doesn’t mean residents should rake leaves into the street. Weather permitting, crews will be out doing a final pickup of leaves raked into the street — but only in specific districts.

The final week of loose leaf pickup will be for neighborhoods that recycle on the “A” week schedule. Crews will be by on trash days.

Residents with the “B” week recycling schedule will have one final pickup the week of Nov. 25-Nov. 30. (Note this is Thanksgiving week, and neither leaves nor trash will not be picked up on the holiday.)

Dearborn officials remind residents that not every block in every district can be picked up on one day, and so some properties may have already had their last collection of loose leaves.

At this stage of the year, the best bet for residents is to bag leaves and put them out on the curb on their trash day.

This can be done through the week of Dec. 9-13, when curbside yard waste collection ends for the year. Seasonal collection will start again in March.

Public Service Days end for 2013 on Nov. 30. That means residents will no longer be required to remove their parked vehicles from the street on their trash day, but doing so will make the final weeks of loose leaf and curbside collection of yard waste safer and more efficient. Public Service Days will start again in April.

Residents are reminded that their trash and recycling carts should never be put in the street.

Since winter is coming, it is good to note that parked vehicles must be removed from the street when a snow emergency is declared or they could be ticketed and towed. Police do not issue warning.

Do you enjoy the Dearborn Farmer’s and Artisan Market throughout the spring, summer and fall?

Now you can extend that feeling throughout the winter, beginning on Sunday, Dec. 22 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.

The City of Dearborn, the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce and the Farmer’s Market are joining forces to present a Winter Market the third Sunday of each month during the off season.

The market will be open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. inside the Hubbard Ballroom. Admission and parking are both free at The Center.

Popular vendors from the summer version will be on hand for the Winter Market, include those selling edible goods, like gourmet chocolate, frozen pasties, hot sauce and kettle corn.

High-quality crafters will also be part of the Winter Market, with some new additions anticipated. It is expected the Winter Market will begin with at least 30 vendors.

The Winter Market in December will focus on ideas for holiday gift-giving, and then offer unique shopping experiences in January, February, March and April.

Dearborn voters approved the Dearborn Public Schools’ $76 million S.M.A.R.T. School bond by a wide margin, 11,525 to 5,239. That means homeowners will continue to pay 5.35 mills. The bond will be used to fund security, modifications, additions to buildings, renovations, technology and transportation in Dearborn Schools.

Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. cruised to an easy win.

The Dearborn City Council will have two new faces, including a new council president.

Susan Dabaja was the top vote getter, beating Tommy Tafelski, the current council president, by a slim margin. Dabaja spent a lot on her campaign and put a lot of effort in going door-to-door and her hard work paid off.

The other new face on the council will be Mike Sareini, the son of former councilwoman Suzanne Sareini, who did not run for office.

The vote totals for the City Council look like this:

Susan A. Dabaja . . . . . . . . 9,398

Thomas Patrick Tafelski. . . . . . 9,366

Mike T. Sareini . . . . . . . . 8,723

Brian C. O’Donnell . . . . . . . 7,929

David W. Bazzy. . . . . . . . . 7,809

Robert Alex Abraham . . . . . . . 7,477

Mark C. Shooshanian . . . . . . . 7,407

Here are the rest of the results for the others who were unsuccessful in this year’s council race:

Patrick A Melton . . . . . . . . 7,021

Tarek M. Baydoun . . . . . . . . 6,280

Sharon Dulmage. . . . . . . . . 5,601

Kristyn Taylor. . . . . . . . . 5,315

Jane Ahern . . . . . . . . . . 5,225

Colette Richards . . . . . . . . 4,231

Stephen S. Dobkowski, Jr. . . . . . 3,551

There will be several important ballot questions voters will have to decide on today when they head out to vote.

One of the most important is the Dearborn Public Schools’ $76 million S.M.A.R.T. School Bond, which will NOT increase the millage rate taxpayers currently pay. Homeowners are currently paying 5.35 mills, and that is what will continue if the bond is passed again.

The bond will be used to fund security, modifications, additions to buildings, renovations, technology and transportation in Dearborn Schools.

Voter approval of the bond is sorely needed to fill gaps created by state funding cuts, and decreasing property values even as costs for the district have continued to climb.

Over the past five years, the district has experienced an 8.1% reduction in funding from the state and an increase in the demands placed on its buildings. The S.M.A.R.T. School Bond will provide the funding to address security, aging inventory of buildings, computers, and an aging bus fleet.

In addition, safety and security will be integrated into the very fabric of every school with upgraded surveillance cameras, auto-lock doors, and a buzzer access system.

The average age of Dearborn Public School’s facilities is 58 years, with 21 of those facilities over 50 years old. Modifications to facilities are necessary in such areas as roofs, site, windows, furniture and equipment, lockers and flooring. Dearborn school officials say that every facility will receive modifications to ensure “the safety, accessibility, health and suitability of all learning environments for students and maximize the useful life of buildings.”

Additions are necessary at several schools to accommodate student enrollment growth of 2,060 students since 2000 and to allow curriculum flexibility.

If Dearborn students are going to compete in a global environment, it is critical for them to have the up-to-date technology tools to facilitate learning. In addition, on-line testing requirements by the State, impact the school district’s goals and needs for technology in the future.

So please remember to look for the Dearborn Public Schools S.M.A.R.T School Bond on the ballot today and vote YES!

A new flyer has landed in the mailboxes of many Dearborn residents questioning Council President Tom Tafelski’s ethics.

With just a day to go before this year’s general election, a new flyer has landed in the mailboxes of many Dearborn residents questioning Council President Tom Tafelski’s ethics.

Like the unnamed people behind “Let’s Reclaim Dearborn”, a group that sent out emails saying Councilwoman Nancy Hubbard backed a slate of candidates (only later to remove her endorsement in later mailings because she did not), this latest mailing about Tafelski says it isn’t “authorized by any candidate.”

The mailing calls Tafelski “TaFALSEski” and urges recipients to Google Search Case Case No. 05-71547 and then to call Tafelski at 313-943-2405 (his council office phone) and “tell him not to talk about ethics.”

The mailing appears to be directed at Tafelski’s actions where he called into question the ethics of Dearborn’s legal department.

Tafelski has said he planned to file an ethics complaint against Dearborn City Attorney Debra Walling because he said she engaged in “political activity” while on the clock for the City of Dearborn, which is not permitted by the City Charter.

Just last month, two candidates running for Dearborn City Council accused each other of being ethically unfit to be a public official, pointing to what they say are past misdeeds

Candidate Steve Dobkowski Jr. cited police reports he obtained that show candidate Michael Sareini being involved in three assaults of women in his family, dating back 23 years. Sareini accused Dobkowski of a “political ploy to get attention.”

Clearly, the gloves have come off in this Dearborn election for city council. While it will be interesting to watch, Dearborn residents love their incumbents (and the names of certain families) so don’t look for much change in the council when the results are finally tallied.