We were hoping for the best but feared the worst and unfortunately the latter occurred.

Borders filed for bankruptcy and with that decision will close its Dearborn store as soon as this Saturday, according to some media reports. The store at Ford Road and Mercury is one of four in Michigan that will close, including stores in Utica, Grosse Pointe and the Arborland mall store in Ann Arbor. Its flagship store in Ann Arbor isn’t on the list.

This decision leaves Dearborn without a big name bookstore. But it could translate to more business for Dearborn Music at Michigan and Monroe and even my favorite used book store, Rodegher’s Used Books on Michigan, just west of east of Telegraph.

Here is The Detroit News story.

Travel along Chase Road in Dearborn will be slowed a bit because of new road construction between Ford Road and Warren that will last through July.

The City of Dearborn is urging motorists to find an alternate route. Traffic will be shifted to the east half of Chase Road and reduced to one lane in each direction.

The road project will result in a new water main, new curbs and the resurfacing of Chase Road.

Kudos to government officials in Grosse Pointe Woods who are cracking down on neon signs along Mack Avenue. Some business owners in that city aren’t happy but neon signs do nothing to enhance a downtown.

Cruise through Dearborn along Michigan Avenue, Telegraph or Warren and neon is everywhere. Neon lights frame grocery store windows, gas stations, party stores and the list goes on.  It simply makes our downtown look cheap. Combine that with the tasteless electronic LED billboards that adorn buildings across our city and you have a tacky cityscape.

One of many distracting electronic billboards along Michigan Avenue in Dearborn.

We’ve written on these pages once before about the need for Dearborn to pass an ordinance to have those flashing electronic billboards banned but such a request has fallen on deaf ears (Denver’s City Council recently banned all LED billboards). Does the strip bar that sits at Michigan and Oakman (the first thing visitors entering Dearborn at the east end of town see) really need to advertise beer and lap dance specials? It just makes our city seem dirty. The signs also are a major driver distraction.

In Grosse Pointe Woods, neon was first prohibited in 2002 as part of an extensive revision of the city’s sign ordinance. The business owners that are now complaining had eight, yes, eight years to remove the neon to become compliant.

We have nothing against those indoor “open” neon signs that sit in windows of some businesses. But they don’t need to flash or be larger than 12 inches across. Yes, you could argue that there are bigger things to focus on in Dearborn and its current budget issues, but making our downtown look more attractive and actually having some rules in place for what is tasteful doesn’t cost anything and can go a long way to improving the aesthetics of our city.

Ditch the neon and the jumbo electronic billboards. The last thing the streets of Dearborn need are high definition versions of a carnival barker screaming at you as you drive by.

Dearborn residents will soon be able to use Dearborn Heights’ libraries as part of a year-long pilot reciprocal borrowing program that begins March 1.

The reciprocal borrowing agreement will give Dearborn residents access to Dearborn Heights’ John F. Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy libraries and Dearborn Heights residents will have access to the Henry Ford Centennial Library, as well as the Snow, Bryant and Esper branch libraries.

It isn’t clear yet what, if any, type of financial savings might be realized by each city through such a program but residents will certainly benefit with greater choice.

The new system will give Dearborn residents access to 146,000 volumes from Dearborn Heights Public Library, and limited access to their network shared system, which contains even more resources.

It will also allow residents a greater geographic proximity to libraries, and access to 70 more public computers.

Extended library access also means additional library hours on nights and weekends, as well as in the summer. Dearborn residents will also be able to participate in library programs at both Dearborn Heights libraries.

Dearborn Heights residents will reap many rewards similar to those listed above as they will have access to all libraries in the Dearborn Public Library system. Benefits to Dearborn Heights residents include access to more than 290,000 items, including a large DVD collection and an International Cinema Collection, as well as 104 public computers with internet access and standard software programs. In addition, Dearborn Public offers a wide variety of online databases that include Mango Languages, Ancestry Library Edition, AllDataPro Automotive Repair and Biography Resource Center as well as access to downloadable audio books and e-books.

The reciprocal exchange applies to residents, property owners, or taxpayers in the City of Dearborn or the City of Dearborn Heights.

The League of Women Voters of Dearborn-Dearborn Heights, in conjunction with the Sierra Club, invites the public to a program about the future of our food and the sources it comes from.

The program is being held on Tuesday, Feb. 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Henry Ford Community College, SME Building (north end of campus).

Keynote speaker, Lourdes Lore, MS, Professor of Nutrition at Henry Ford Community College, will discuss chemical contaminants in food and water, with special focus on pesticides, BPA and GMOs. The program is a continuation of “Environmental Crisis on Your Plate!” which covered factory farms, or CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations).

Following Lore’s presentation, Lynna Kauchek, Food and Water Watch, Ferndale Environmental Commission, will speak about the Alfalfa GMO (genetically modified organism) approval by the USDA. In addition, she will discuss what Ferndale is doing to become more sustainable.

Discussion and questions will follow each presentation.

The HFCC, SME Building is located on the first driveway south of Ford Road, west side of Evergreen.

Light refreshments will be available. Please RSVP to Mary Ann Baier, Dearborncoolcities@gmail.com. For further information, contact Mary Ann Baier or Jenni Dunn, LWVDDH@gmail.com, 313.278.6476.

In an effort to reduce overtime costs, the Dearborn City Clerk’s Office is closing a half hour earlier each day, providing customer service now between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. City Hall, at least for now, will remain open until 5 p.m.

City Clerk Kathleen Buda says the change is due to staff cutbacks and an attempt to avoid employee overtime. Buda says customer service is still a top priority and the change will allow the Clerk’s Office to complete individual requests by the time City Hall closes at 5 p.m.

The City Clerk’s Office provides birth and death certificates and registration; City Council agendas, minutes, and records; business licensing; voter registration; and notary services. It also administers city, school, county, state and federal elections; and maintains local ordinances.

The City Clerk’s general information number is 313-943-2010.

Dearborn continues to push forward with eliminating waste and promoting energy efficiency and made significant strides in 2010.

Some of the city’s sustainability initiatives included a variety of new green and environmentally-conscious programs, including the following “green” highlights from Dave Norwood, the City’s sustainability coordinator.

• Introduced its enhanced residential curbside recycling program: After a test program of 700 homes showed that providing large trash carts doubled residents’ recycling habits, the City decided to provide residents with 96-gallon recycling carts, which in turn have taken recycling efforts to a 30 percent increase since July 1.

• Included significant green elements in the City-owned parking structure at the Dearborn Town Center: The parking structure has LED lights on the roof, outdoor solar panels, indoor “smart lighting”, and eight electric vehicle charging stations, which were installed at the mayor’s direction and with the help of partners involved in green initiatives.

• Carried out a Waste-to-Energy Feasibility Study: The City hired Resource Recycling Systems to analyze waste streams and look at technologies for capturing the energy from Dearborn’s wastes and using it to create power. It is looking at plans to implement a waste-to-energy facility that will possibly be used by Ford Motor Company and SeverStal Steel Company. The current site being considered for this is the former powerhouse site on Miller Road.

• Received a State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Pollution Prevention (P2) Grant: The grant has allowed the City to create a climate action plan. The plan proposes a communitywide greenhouse gas emission inventory, municipal facilities greenhouse gas facility, “bike-ability” and “walk-ability” surveys of the City, and the creation of the Mayor’s Environmental Commission to advise on sustainability issues, which would review and recommend changes to development processes of the City to encourage lasting practices.

• Received a private grant as a member of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network: A $20,000 grant was issued for the City of Dearborn to partner with Ann Arbor for the Michigan Network of Sustainability Staffs to encourage the best practices and share performance strategies, while discussing successes and failures.

• Applied for a Fordson Island Land Acquisition Grant: If accepted, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment will provide $400,000 for the City to purchase several lots on Fordson Island and restore them to their natural habitat. In the long term, the island will be made a publicly-accessible part of the Rouge River system. Notification as to whether the grant application has been accepted will be available in mid-spring.

• Applied for the National Clean Diesel Grant: This will retrofit 30 trucks by putting new exhaust systems on them to reduce diesel emissions and install new motors in a semi-truck. The City hopes to find out in mid-April if the funds will come in order to carry this out.

• Joined the Department of Energy’s Municipal Solid-Street Lighting Consortium: The group of cities in this consortium receives data and information on LED lighting testing and training on LED street lights.

The city of Dearborn is seeking sponsors for the installation of 200 high-efficiency lights in two downtown west Dearborn parking decks.

Dearborn has already installed solar panels and electric vehicle chargers in its new east downtown parking garage and high-efficiency LED streetlights on Oakwood, south of Michigan.

This latest plan to expand the city’s use of green technologies is part of an overall initiative forwarded by the National Adopt-A-Watt Program to encourage the installation of energy efficient lights in communities and to promote the conservation of energy.

Adopt-A-Watt, based on the successful Adopt-A-Highway program, gives sponsors community recognition for funding of clean energy, alternative fuel and energy-efficiency projects.

Individuals, companies, foundations and non-profits can learn more about the National Adopt-A-Watt Program and sponsoring opportunities in Dearborn by visiting the NAAWP website by clicking HERE.

“Dearborn is committed to green initiatives, but we must be conscious of our financial challenges,” said Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. “The Adopt-A-Watt program is a way for Dearborn to boost our energy efficiency measures and install green technology without impacting our general fund. It is also a great example of how important partnerships are to the success of green initiatives.”

The Adopt-A-Watt program will arrange and coordinate all sponsorship, financing, installation and ongoing maintenance of the 200 high efficiency lights. (more…)

WDIV, local news station channel 4, has nominated seven Dearborn establishments for its Vote 4 the Best contest’s Winter Guide edition.

Sponsored by Local 4 and www.ClickonDetroit.com, the contest has become a very popular hook in recent years. This year’s winter edition has more than 300 businesses nominated in 23 categories, six of which contain Dearborn businesses.

Up for “Best Ice Skating Rink” is the Dearborn Ice Skating Center (DISC) on Ford Road. It is competing against 18 other skating rinks, including Detroit’s popular Campus Martius Park.

The Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, with its leisure and lap pools, fitness area, and climbing wall, is nominated for “Best Indoor Activity Center,” along with 20 other places.

Dearborn’s Ford Field Park on Cherry Hill competes against nine others in the “Best Tobogganing/Sledding” category. Keeping in stride with the theme, Nichols Ski & Patio on Michigan Avenue is nominated for “Best Ski/Snowboard Shop”, along with seven other businesses.

Keeping residents warm this winter, Desert in Alaska on Tireman Ave and Reckinger Heating and Cooling on Monroe are up against each other and 19 others in the “Best Heating Service” category.

Also there to keep residents warm in a different way is Mati’s Deli on Monroe, nominated for “Best Chili”, along with 15 other restaurants, some of which have been featured on The Food Network.

Voting opens on January 17 and runs through February 18. It is free and open to all.

To help support Dearborn’s localities and vote, go to

http://wdiv-winter.cityvoter.com/ and search “Dearborn”, or type in http://www.clickondetroit.com/contests/ and go to the “Vote 4 Best Winter Guide” page.

Two weeks after we first posted a story about the La Shish name reappearing in Dearborn, the Detroit Free Press finally got around to writing its version, done by Associated Press reporter and Dearborn resident Jeff Karoub.

We didn’t have the name of the new owner when we first published our story but the AP story says the new owner of the La Shish is Restaurateur Carmel Halloun. Halloun told the AP he has acquired the rights to use the La Shish name and plans to open a restaurant in March in the former chain’s first location in Dearborn.

Halloun, 40, said he employs people from the former chain at his Taboon restaurants in Flint Township and Sterling Heights and uses La Shish recipes.

Halloun told the AP he is not connected to former owner Talal Chahine, who fled the U.S. in 2005 and was charged with multiple counts of tax evasion and citizenship fraud. Federal investigators, who allege Chahine skimmed $20 million in cash from his business, say they believe he’s in Lebanon.

The La Shish chain closed in 2008 after nearly 20 years in business.

Several former La Shish restaurants and its Dearborn headquarters have been acquired by a chain called the Palm Palace, including the La Shish in west Dearborn on Michigan Avenue, between Monroe and Mason. That building was purchased in a government auction last year for about $250,000. It is not clear when or if that restaurant will reopen.

Halloun’s landlord, Bilal Haidar, filed articles of incorporation for La Shish Inc. last July, after the corporation registered to Chahine dissolved, according to the Michigan Department of Labor, Energy and Economic Growth, AP says.