The Food Truck Rally will return to Dearborn on Fridays, beginning May 17 at various locations in west downtown Dearborn. Other dates include June 7, July 12, Aug. 9, Sept. 20 and Oct. 11.

Mobile food trucks will roll into Dearborn for much of the outdoor recreation season at events hosted by the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority, as well as at Dearborn’s Homecoming festival.

Food trucks are mobile restaurants serving “street food”—ranging from hamburgers, hot dogs and tacos to gourmet sandwiches and specialty dishes.

Pending City Council approval expected May 14, the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority will host six Dearborn Food Truck Rallies in 2013.

The events will take place at various locations in west downtown Dearborn on the following Fridays from 5-9 p.m.: May 17, June 7, July 12, Aug. 9, Sept. 20 and Oct. 11.

The June 7 Food Truck Rally will be part of the West Dearborn Block Party. The block party, a celebration of local business and live music, will take place June 7-8.

The July 12 and Aug. 9 rallies will take place alongside concerts as part of the West Dearborn Concert Series, held behind the Bryant Library.

Additionally, the popular food trucks will be part of the offerings at the Dearborn Homecoming Festival this summer. For the first time, food truck vendors will pair with local nonprofits to join in efforts to raise funds for good causes, as well as to feed hungry festival goers.

The Homecoming Festival will take place Aug. 2-4 in Ford Field Park.

Watch for more information on the upcoming series of Dearborn Food Truck Rallies from the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority on their Facebook page.

Spring is in the air and with it comes the time for planting the many flower beds and planter boxes that occupy public spaces, grace various intersections and welcome all at the entrances to Dearborn.

This year the City of Dearborn, together with the Dearborn Community Fund (DCF), is offering the opportunity for residents and local businesses to become a “petal pusher” by sponsoring the planting of annual flowers. Donated funds will be used for the purchase of plants, bed preparation, upkeep and fall bed maintenance.

A variety of sponsor recognition levels are available and range from $50 to $5,000. Sponsors at every giving level will be recognized in a special resolution passed by the Dearborn City Council, through CDTV announcements, on the City of Dearborn website and a media release. Sponsors of $1,000 or more will be acknowledged with signage, if site appropriate, and on the DCF donor wall located in the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center lobby.

Plantings occur citywide and include landmark sites such as the Dearborn Historical Museum Commandants’ Quarters, Henry Ford Centennial Library, and Dearborn City Hall. Among the entrance sites are Telegraph at Ford Road, Michigan Avenue at Gulley, Michigan Avenue at Wyoming and more.

Donations for the “Petal Pusher” program are made payable to the Dearborn Community Fund, a 501c3 non-profit organization with the mission to support cultural and recreational programs in Dearborn. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law.

For more complete details on the “Petal Pusher” sponsorship opportunity and additional planting sites, contact the DCF at 313-943-5478.

An upcoming informational meeting will allow Dearborn residents to learn about a project that will help revitalize several Dearborn neighborhoods through the construction and sale of new homes.

The meeting will be 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9 at the Esper Branch Library, 12929 W. Warren Ave.

The City of Dearborn, Habitat for Humanity Detroit, Wayne County and ACCESS have partnered to build 12 new homes to sell in Dearborn.

Preference for sale of the homes will be given to working families that include veterans and victims of domestic abuse, and who live in Wayne County.

Construction on the first of six homes is expected to begin the week of April 16 on Neckel Street between Gould and Diversey.

Volunteers, families and sponsors will join Habitat for Humanity staff to build the homes on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Residents near the construction sites, as well as any interested community members, are invited to attend the informational meeting.

Attendees will be learn about Habitat for Humanity’s mission, as well as the process, timeline and goals of the City of Dearborn project.

Information will also be available on applying to volunteer, or to become a Habitat for Humanity homeowner.

Questions on the meeting or the project can be directed to Habitat for Humanity Detroit at 313-521-6691, ext 503.

Henry Ford’s Fair Lane – 150 Years will debut in the Rotunda Lobby of the Henry Ford Centennial Library on April 18. The exhibit runs through May 10.

An art exhibit opening in April will pay tribute to Dearborn’s most notable former resident, and his beloved home.

Henry Ford’s Fair Lane – 150 Years will debut in the Rotunda Lobby of the Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Avenue, on April 18.

The exhibit honors Henry Ford—who would have celebrated his 150th birthday on July 31, 2013—as well as his wife, Clara.

The showcase will feature works created by members of the Artists’ Society of Dearborn (ASD) and inspired by the Fair Lane Estate. The estate, a National Historic Landmark, was built in 1909.

According to ASD President and local photographer Teresa Lousias, the works were created at the request of former Estate Curator Susan McCabe, who approached the society in April of last year regarding a tribute to the Fords.

“The ASD accepted this challenge to create their own interpretation by visiting the inside of the estate,” Lousias said. “We were able to photograph and sketch the interior.”

Also included in this exhibit will be some past works by the society focusing on the Model T, the estate, and its grounds and gardens.

An opening reception will be 6-8 p.m. on April 18 in the HFCL Rotunda Lobby, and is free and open to the public.

Attendees will be able to view a video history of the Fair Lane Estate, as well as Henry and Clara Ford.

A program will begin at 7 p.m. Speakers will include Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr.; Edsel and Eleanor Ford House Vice President of Collections and Visitor Experience Mark Heppner; Artists’ Society of Dearborn President Teresa Lousias; Dearborn Public Library Director Maryanne Bartles; and Edsel and Eleanor Ford House President Kathleen Mullins.

Refreshments will be provided by the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House.

The exhibit will continue through May 10.

Artworks at the show, created by the society’s 40 members, will include photographs, drawings, paintings and three-dimensional pieces. All works will be for sale.

“It is our pleasure to create an exhibit for Henry Ford—one of the most prominent citizens of the City of Dearborn,” Lousias said.

The Artists’ Society of Dearborn is a 40-member group that works toward promoting the arts and local artists in the city. Formed in 1949, members include painters, pen and ink artists, photographers, wood carvers, sculptors, fabric designers, quilt makers, and jewelry and tile makers.

Updates on conceptual plans for development of the area surrounding Dearborn’s new train station is set for April 8.

An informational session on April 8 will give the Dearborn community updates on conceptual plans for development of the area surrounding the City’s new train station, as well as a chance to provide feedback on the final design recommendations.

The event will be in Studio A of the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center from 7-9 p.m. and is open to residents, business owners, commuters who work in Dearborn, college and university students and other Dearborn stakeholders.

The meeting is part of the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) initiative that seeks to capitalize on the new train station’s ability to draw more visitors, businesses and residents to Dearborn’s west downtown. The train station is scheduled to open in early 2014.

Through a grant awarded the city from MIPlace Partnership, planners from Michigan State University and experts from the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority are assisting city staff and stakeholders with creating a vision for the neighborhoods, parkland and business area near the train station.

Although the conceptual designs are not binding, the exercise will help to focus the City’s efforts when considering future development.

Public sessions held in December and January and led by the design team allowed residents and other stakeholders to generate ideas about how they would like the area to be developed. Suggestions focused on creating green space, fostering community involvement and honoring Dearborn’s rich heritage.

At the April 8 meeting, the team will return to give community members the opportunity to view and comment on the TOD design recommendations created based on those earlier design sessions.

The team will walk participants through various depictions of how the area could be developed, as well as give a summary of their final report on the design concepts.

The event will include the next steps in the process and details about the final TOD community celebration.

For more information, please call Liz Hendley in the City Plan Office at 313-943-2171.

Dearborn’s outdoor pool season is just around the corner, and residents can prepare by purchasing swim tags and registering for swimming lessons at the service desk of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, beginning April 1.

Seven types of swim tags, good for admittance to Dearborn’s six outdoor pools this summer, are available.

Infants (under age two) are free.

Preschool, $15. Parents must present a copy of the child’s birth certificate and proof of residency.

Youth (ages 17 and under), $35. Must present school-issued ID card.

Adult (ages 18-59), $45. Must present proof of residency.

Senior (ages 60 and over), $35. Must present proof of residency.

Family (both parents and all children under the age of 18), $100. Proof of residency for parents and birth certificate(s) for children are required.

Non-Resident, $80

Pool tags must be sewn on swim suits prior to admittance.

Swim lessons, conducted Monday through Thursday in two-week sessions, feature instruction at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels and run for 30 minutes. Make-up lessons, if necessary, are held on Fridays.

Sessions offered at Dunworth Pool run June 17-27, July 1-11 (lessons July 5, but not July 4), July 15-25 and July 29-August 8.

Sessions offered at the city’s other five outdoor pools run June 17-27, July 1-11 (lessons July 5, but not July 4) and July 15-25.

Cost: $50 for Dearborn residents and $60 for non-residents. Non-resident registration begins June 3. All participants must also purchase a swim tag.

The service desk is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For further information, call 943-2350.

Investing in the City’s roads, water mains and sewers is an important undertaking to preserve Dearborn’s infrastructure, but can cause temporary inconvenience.

For timely updates and more information about construction projects, visit the Construction Updates page at www.cityofdearborn.org or www.dearbornconstruction.wordpress.com

The following are ongoing or scheduled projects in 2013:

• Dearborn Hills neighborhood, east of Telegraph, south of Cherry Hill. Sewer separation, CSO 4, Phase 1. Now through December 2013.

• Highland neighborhood, east of Telegraph, north of Cherry Hill. Sewer separation, CSO 4, Phase 2. Continuing through 2014.

• Diversey, Kentucky, Hubbard, Indiana, Morross, Queen, Vassar and Wisconsin streets. Asphalt street resurfacing and water main replacement. Now – July 2013.

• Bailey Street. Sanitary sewer replacement. Now – July 2013.

• Schlaff between Michigan Avenue and Chase. Asphalt street resurfacing and water main replacement. Now – June 2013.

• Chase between Michigan Avenue and Ford Road. Asphalt street resurfacing. Now – June 2013.

• Wyoming Avenue pavement reconstruction and water main replacement at Conrail railroad crossing. April – June 2013.

• Cherry Hill from Gulley to Telegraph. Asphalt street resurfacing and water main replacement. June – September 2013.

Report safety issues in construction areas

Residents are encouraged to report any safety issues in construction areas to the Engineering Division at 943-2145 during business hours. After hours, please call the Police Department’s non-emergency number at 943-2241.

If any situation appears to be putting drivers or homeowners in imminent danger, please call 911.

Other information

Please drive carefully through construction areas or seek alternate routes as crews work to improve roads in Dearborn.

Additional construction projects may be undertaken by Wayne County or the State of Michigan and affect Dearborn traffic or neighborhoods.

A March 31 deadline is approaching for Dearborn residents to register for a program that could reduce energy bills and potentially save them hundreds of dollars.

The potential cost-savings process begins when residents register for a $100 home energy audit through BetterBuildings for Michigan and the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office.

Participants in the BetterBuildings for Michigan program save an average of $230 per year on energy bills and can also access up to $5,000 in incentives if they choose to make energy saving home improvements, from adding insulation to replacing a furnace. Dearborn residents can register at www.MiHomeEnergy.org or by calling 313-566-4801 by March 31.

The $100 energy audit identifies ways to save energy and money at home. It also includes installation of CFL lightbulbs, a low-flow shower head and a programmable thermostat.

The Energy Office is a coalition of nonprofits and communities that work to help local governments reduce their energy use and save money for their citizens through energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

Giving residents access to energy funding through BetterBuildings for Michigan was a key reason for the City of Dearborn’s interest in the Energy Office.

“This is a good opportunity for people to reduce their bills and invest in their homes,” said Mayor O’Reilly.

“We are also interested in seeing what opportunities are available for our city buildings,” he added, referring to grant seeking services for municipal energy projects that the Regional Energy Office also provides.

Avoid tickets when Public Service Days start again the week of April 1, 2013. Keep your parked vehicle off the street on your trash day, which is also your Public Service Day. Parked cars must be off the street 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Public Service Days in Dearborn will start again the week of April 1, 2013 and last through Nov. 30, 2013.

During Public Service Days, Dearborn provides critical services, such as street sweeping, tree-trimming, and sewer maintenance in your neighborhood on your trash day.

To ensure these services are provided in a safe, effective manner, do not park on the street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on your trash day.

Vehicles parked on the street 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be ticketed.

Residents are reminded that you cannot park your vehicle across the sidewalk or on your easement or lawn.

You must also keep your trash and recycle carts and yard waste containers off the street on your Public Service Days/trash days.

For parking issues related to Public Service Days, call 943-2276.

Dearborn does offer parking exemption applications. They are available HERE  

Exemption applications also can also be picked up at the front desk of the Police Station, 16099 Michigan Ave.

The Dearborn Area Theatre Association has formed a new and exciting collaborative partnership with the City of Dearborn and the Dearborn Community Fund for the 2013-14 theater season.

This alliance, called RANDOM ACTS OF THEATRE, will allow DATA to produce a full evening of entertainment in Studio A at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, at 8 p.m. on Sept. 6 and 7, 2013.

The collaborative evening of performance provides an opportunity for the many talented people in the Dearborn and Dearborn Heights area to work together to showcase the accomplished and skilled artisans in the Dearborn and Dearborn Heights community.

Designed as a way to engage as many talented directors, actors and production staff as possible, RANDOM ACTS OF THEATRE will feature a variety of one-act plays and Reader’s Theatre in a two-hour time frame.

First up is a call for interested directors.

DATA is asking that any adult from the Dearborn / Dearborn Heights area who would like direct a 10- to 15-minute performance for the show, to log on to the DATA website at dearbornareatheatre.org, review production rules, download an application and submit it to the production committee by April 15, 2013. Directors must have a script in mind when submitting an application. Director interviews will take place in May.

DATA also is seeking candidates to fill technical theater positions. Candidates should submit their letter of interest, along with a brief resume copy, to pritchardkj@gmail.com by May 1, 2013. Production staff should have availability in late July and August.

Actors, ages 18 and up, are encouraged to attend open auditions in June. The audition date will be announced and posted in May, along with role descriptions and parts available, on the DATA website. All actors will be asked to fill in an audition form, which will include a brief resume. Actors and production staff must be available during the summer to rehearse and prepare for the performance.

For more information about RANDOM ACTS OF THEATRE, visit dearbornareatheatre.org or call the Dearborn Community Fund at 313-943-5478.