Ribbon Cutting at 1 p.m. Wednesday Celebrates Grand Opening

One year and eight months after breaking ground, the new Midwest Medical Center at the Dearborn Town Center at Michigan and Schaefer will celebrate its official grand opening Wednesday.

During these tough economic times across our state, the dedication of this multi-million dollar development is nice to see. While we can argue whether a medical facility was the best use of this corner (former home of Montgomery Ward), having this piece of property sit vacant in our city until that “something better” came along simply wasn’t an option in these tough economic times.

But that is exactly the position Dearborn Council President Tom Tafelski and Councilman George Darany took when this project was voted on a couple of years ago. Both voted against having REDICO Development Company build a medical center. It will be interesting to see if the two show up for the building’s dedication this Wednesday at 1 p.m.

For those of you planning to join, the dedication will take place at 1 p.m. inside the Midwest Medical Center, 4700 Schaefer. There will be refreshments served and speeches will begin at 1:15 p.m. with remarks from:

• Brian Connolly, Oakwood Healthcare

• Dr. Mark Saffer, Midwest Health Clinic

• Mayor Jack O’Reilly, Jr., The City of Dearborn

• Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano

• Dale Watchowski, REDICO Development Company

The actual ribbon cutting will take place at 1:45 p.m. and building tours will then take place at 1:50 p.m.

The facility officially opens Jan. 3, 2011 providing healthcare services to Dearborn and southeastern Michigan.

Is it just us or does the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (EDDDA) seem to be more active than the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (WDDDA)?

Between EDDDA’s outdoor jazz concerts this year, the work being done with Artspace to try and bring affordable living and work space for artists to Dearborn and the work the EDDDA has done to promote businesses in its area such as taste “The World in a Mile,” it just feels more active than the WDDDA.

Now the EDDDA Board of Directors is inviting all to their Holiday Open House Wednesday, Dec. 15  from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  at the EDDDA office located at 13750 Michigan Ave., 2 blocks west of Schaefer.

Last year, more than 100 people visited their inaugural Holiday Open House. Among the many attendees were district merchants and residents, business partners, stakeholders and City of Dearborn officials.

EDDDA spokeswoman Melissa Kania says it’s a great opportunity for guests to connect with the EDDDA and learn what they do and what they can do to help support and promote their businesses and the East Dearborn downtown area.

Visitors  will enjoy tasting ‘the world in a mile’ with food from several of the diverse restaurants in the neighborhood, Kania says.

Dearborn residents who would like an official 2011 City of Dearborn calendar now have until the end of the day on Thursday, Dec. 16 to order one.

The deadline has been extended as a convenience to Dearborn residents.  It is one free calendar per household.  For those who order now, calendars will be delivered by Dec. 31.

The 2011 calendar is also posted online for review and can be printed in its entirety or by individual pages. View it at www.cityofdearborn.org

The preferred method to request a home-delivered calendar is to complete the online order form on the City’s website at www.cityofdearborn.org . Click on “Order a 2011 City Calendar” on the right side of the home page.

Residents who do not have access to a computer can request a calendar by calling 943-2285.

Residents who ordered a calendar by the original deadline of Nov. 10 should receive theirs in the mail by Monday, Dec. 13.

The City Calendar is a comprehensive resource for City programs and services, event dates and phone numbers. It also explains the City’s budget.

Suzanne Sareini

Dearborn Councilwoman Suzanne Sareini is speaking out, saying her involvement in the web and email campaign that was launched against Council President Tom Tafelski in the 2009 election is not true.

In a letter to the Dearborn Press & Guide, Sareini says the paper’s article about the situation “does not accurately portray my involvement and could mislead the reader to draw a conclusion that I was somehow involved in the email or web campaign that was launched against Tom Tafelski in the last council race; and that is simply not true.”

We wrote about the matter here a couple of weeks ago. You can click HERE for that story.

Below is the letter Sareini wrote to the Dearborn Press & Guide

To the Editor:

It is my opinion that your article titled “Report on campaign material form 2009 election could portend friction on “new” council”; dated Nov. 21 does not accurately portray my involvement and could mislead the reader to draw a conclusion that I was somehow involved in the email or web campaign that was launched against Tom Tafelski in the last council race; and that is simply not true.

This unfortunate twist of events regarding an email that I received and forwarded to 14 people that I normally forward things to, 6 of whom are my family, was re-forwarded to a member of the Council President’s family.

Upon realizing the political games that were taking place, I immediately spoke to Tom and explained what had happened to ensure that matters were not taken out of context, and I apologized to him and his family for forwarding the email I received.

I believe that Tom understands the situation and realizes that I was not the drafter or originator of any negative emails or web campaign against him. I maintain that my intentions were not malicious; however I cannot speak to the motive of the person who re-forwarded the email.

I have personally experienced the pain that is caused to a candidate and their family by others who choose to twist words and tell half-truths.

This can all be avoided if we as an electorate choose to focus on the issues; the candidate’s record and vision for the future rather than negative and misleading ads.

As Council President Pro-Tem, I will continue to focus my energies on what is best for Dearborn and its residents.

Dearborn firefighter Ryan Darnell

For Ryan Darnell, service above self is a way of life. Even if that means his life is in constant motion.

He is both a Dearborn firefighter and a member of the elite U.S. Air Force Pararescue team, with previous assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Having just come home in September, he is returning to Afghanistan in late December for his third deployment in a zone of conflict.

His two lives parallel each other for drama, strength and heroism, and he keeps a positive outlook about the good he is able to do because of both of his life-saving professions.

“The two jobs I do marry up beautifully. There’s a lot of commonality. I hope my experience will encourage other young people to serve their community and country,” he said.

Darnell is one of several dedicated Dearborn employees who serve both their community and their country. Also on active duty and serving in Afghanistan is Fire Lt. Alex Zawinsky. In addition, on military reserve duty is Lt. Paul McKeever and firefighters Mark Gosbeth and Brian Keith.

Darnell, an eight-year veteran of the Dearborn Fire Department and a 13-year veteran of the Air Force, found out in mid-November he is returning to Afghanistan after just three months being home and back on assignment with the city.

He’s been active duty, reserve and National Guard and is currently assigned to the Air National Guard out of Louisville, Kentucky.

He served a three-month tour in Iraq as a firefighter before becoming a Pararescue Jumper. He then served a four-month tour in Afghanistan as a Pararescue Jumper.

Dearborn Fire Chief Richard Miller says, “The motto of Air Force Pararesecue is ‘That others may live.’ It is a fitting place for a very dedicated and motivated husband, father and firefighter.”

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Last Pickup for Leaves Raked in Street is Friday, Dec. 3

The City of Dearborn is reminding residents that curbside yard collection will take place on trash days until Friday, Dec. 17, weather permitting. That means residents can place yard waste, including leaves, in proper containers on scheduled trash days through the week of Dec. 13-17.

Yard waste pickup continues through Dec. 17, weather permitting.

The 2010 City of Dearborn calendar states that the curbside collection of yard waste will end on Friday, Dec. 3, but that information is outdated.

The City extended the curbside yard waste collection season when it chose a new trash, recycling and yard waste collection contractor in the summer. The extended season is part of the City’s expanded curbside service made possible by the new contract.

Residents are reminded that yard waste must be properly bundled. It also must be in a properly marked 32-gallon container or paper landscape bag. Yard waste in plastic bags will not be picked up.

The City’s loose leaf collection of leaves raked into the street is scheduled to end Friday, Dec. 3.

However, residents may still bag leaves and place them in proper containers on their trash day the week of Dec. 13-17 as part of the curbside collection service.

Restorations are underway at Dearborn's St. Alphonsus church.

What does the future hold for Dearborn’s St. Alphonsus Church?

With just 500 parishioners, it is hard to say but this architectural jewel at 7469 Calhoun is undergoing a substantial restoration project.

Traverse City artist Christopher Moran has the delicate job of transforming St. Alphonsus’ 35-foot altar piece, including 12 statues.

You can see the restoration project (courtesy of WDIV Channel 4) and the artist by clicking HERE.

 Santa is coming to the Dearborn Fire Department’s Fire Safety House on Dec. 3 and 4.

Children can see Santa arrive on ladder truck at 6 p.m. both nights. He will stay until 8 p.m.

The Fire Safety House is next to Fire Station No. 2 at 19750 Outer Drive, just down the street from Dearborn High School.

After seeing Santa and the display, children can visit the Fire Safety House for balloons, cookies, and hot chocolate.

All proceed will benefit the Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive and help firefighters purchase toys for children in the hospital.

The unfortunate part about any person seeking public office is that politics is ugly business. We saw it this year in Dearborn in the State House race between council members George Darany and Suzanne Sarini.

Tom Tafelski

It was also ugly during last year’s general election. In the city council race, Dearborn Council President Tom Tafelski became the target of an anonymous attack/smear campaign both on the Internet and in the mail.

We approached Tafelski when the mailings began, providing him the opportunity to set the record straight last November but he declined. Instead, he said he would speak openly to us when this investigation was done.

True to his word, Tafelski took time out to discuss the results of the investigation, which are now public. There are many tails to the origins of the Tafelski attacks.

While it isn’t yet crystal clear who actually penned the mailing or email, an investigation did reveal that the email was forwarded by a Dearborn councilwoman. The investigation also turned up evidence that one of the mailings was stamped from the company of a Dearborn councilman to-be, Tafelski tells DeepsaidWhat. And, a Wayne County commissioner apologized to Tafelski for forwarding the email once.

Worth noting is that Tafelski had this information ahead of the November election. But he decided against releasing it because he said he didn’t want to stoop to the negative campaigning he so despises, which was a good call on his part.

While it is unlikely anyone will be charged for any of this, Tafeslki tells DeepsaidWhat he is going to refer the information to the city’s ethics board, along with the county and state election commission. He also said he is evaluating filing civil lawsuits. So this has the potential to live on and get a littly messy.

“What they all did was unconscionable. The fact remains it hurt my family because they wanted to get ahead in politics. And shame on them. Now they are scurrying behind the scenes. When you start talking to attorneys and possible charges . . . people dime out people pretty quick,” Tafelski said.

But first a recap from last November.

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Switch is Official: Panera Cares in Dearborn Opens Today, Nov. 21

Eat what you want, pay what you can at Dearborn's Panera Cares, located at Michigan and Howard.

Dearborn’s Panera Bread officially switches to Panera Cares today, a non-profit restaurant where customers pay what they wish for their order.

We wrote about this switch earlier in the week (see that story HERE.). Dearborn becomes the second store that we know of to go to this new business model. The first opened in Clayton, Mo., earlier this year.

Readers of this site seem to be tracking neutral to negative with this change, questioning the wisdom, the people it may attract and what it will do to other businesses who can’t afford to give away their product for discount prices or even free.

Interesting that our Dearborn store is sandwiched between a Panera Bread in Dearborn Heights on Ford Road and another in Allen Park atop of landfill mountain. Kind of feels like the Panera corporate folks are hedging bets with this experiment in Dearborn.

Two employees of the Dearborn store say the same experience Panera Bread offered patrons will continue with the switch to Panera Cares.

Here is what an employee by the name of April Kersey and Rachel Sleger posted in our comments section (the typos and misspelled words are not ours):

April Kersey says:

Okay, I work at the panera cares in Dearborn Mi. We open tomarrow and we are on fire for the switch. This switch means nothing but great things for the community! The fereshly baked yesterday goods are only in the bakery section and taste exactly the same, dont belive us, let us give you a sample. We want you to taste our product before you donate for it. Our store is still held to the same standards. We only give product to our customers what is quality! The bread that your sandwhichs are on is freash baked daily and the food is all the same. We enocurage those with the means to pay at least suggested donation level, to do so and if you cant, well thats okay too. thats what we are here for. its not a hand out its a hand up. We open tomarrow – Sunday. Come see us. We’ll show you what were all about.

Rachel Sleger says:

I am also a worker at the Panera Cares in Dearborn, MI. This is something that is great and exciting! Everyone should be happy for this change because that’s exactly what we are doing…we are making a change. We are helping others who are in need and also still here for those regular customers that come in every morning to order their bagel with cream cheese and coffee before work. Panera is all about warmth. We want everyone to feel welcome. As April stated above, if you are at all concerned about the quality of our bakery items or cafe items everyone in the bakery cafe is more than willing to open their arms and answer any questions or hand out samples to ensure our product tastes no different. Our sandwiches are made on baked fresh daily bread along with the baguettes we serve as a side with any entree. The product is to the same standards as before. Our bakery section is baked fresh yesterday items. Our grand reopening is tomorrow Sunday, November 21! We encourage everyone to stop in to learn a bit more of what we are about and support our non-profit community cafe.

The two employees make a valid point. Before anyone writes off the switch, we should at least drop in once and try it.