The movie is based on Larry Beinhart's book of the same name.

Get ready for some celebrity watching in Dearborn.

Pierce Brosnan, Ed Harris, Jim Gaffigan, Jennifer Connelly and Greg Kinnear are among those starring in a new Mandalay Entertainment film called Salvation Boulevard that is expected to begin filming sometime in May in Dearborn and metro Detroit, sources tell Deepsaidwhat.com. The film is directed by George Ratliff.

We are told movie crews will be staying at the Ritz and the Hyatt in Dearborn for about a month once filming begins for the movie, which is expected to be out sometime in 2011.

The movie, adapted from Larry Beinhart’s novel of the same name, is about a private detective investigating the killing of a professor and it becomes a clash of faiths: The detective is a born-again Christian, the dead man an atheist, the accused killer an Islamic foreign student and the D.A. is Jewish.

Should be interesting.

Have you ever wondered what to do with that collectible figurine, crystal vase or piece of vintage jewelry that is just taking up space and does not appeal to your children or other heirs?

Have you ever watched an episode of “The Antiques Road Show” and wondered how much money is collecting dust in your china cabinet, jewelry box, attic, or basement?

If you answered “yes” to either question, you’ll want to take part in an April 30th fundraising event for the Dearborn Symphony that provides an easy way to donate what we call “Precious Collection” items without taking a road trip.

The “Precious Collection” event at the Fairlane Woods Clubhouse also gives those of you who want to keep your heirloom items a great opportunity to find out how much they are really worth, while helping the Dearborn Symphony.

Here is how it works:

1.)  If you have an item to donate that you believe is worth $50 or more, contact Margaret Schaefer at 313-565-2366 or e-mail her at: margaretsch@wowway.com by Monday, April 5, 2010. She will arrange to pick up your donation, which will be appraised, then sold at the Precious Collection Sale to be held on Friday April 30, 2010 from 3-8 pm at the Fairlane Woods Clubhouse, on Auto Club Drive, just south of Ford Rd. in Dearborn. A donation letter, suitable for IRS purposes, will be provided following the sale.

 2.) If you don’t have an item to donate, come to shop for “Precious Collection” items, bid on Silent Auction items, and enter hourly prize drawings—all while enjoying wine and cheese.

3.) Advance sale tickets are available for $15 each, payable by check made out to “WADOS.” Checks must be mailed or delivered before April 23rd to:

Patti Mack, 3501 Monroe, Dearborn, MI 48124

Tickets will be $20 at the door.

Admission price also includes verbal appraisal of up to two items you might bring along.

Best of all, proceeds go to support the Dearborn Symphony.

Dearborn singer-songwriter Jeff Karoub

Dearborn singer-songwriter Jeff Karoub is helping to kick off the second installment of the Guinness World Record-holding Assembly Line marathon concert.

The Assembly Line-Second Shift gets started at 5 p.m. March 19th at AJ’s Music Cafe, 240 W. Nine Mile, Ferndale. Karoub takes the stage at 7 p.m. for an hour set.

The singer, guitarist and violinist first found his way to AJ’s stage in December 2009, when he shared a bill with Maine’s finest folkie, Putnam Smith. Karoub signed up then and there for the Assembly Line sequel, and shortly thereafter heeded AJ’s call for an original song that best fits the theme of the concert designed to raise awareness for the U.S. auto worker and industry. His candidate was the direct and personal ‘Made by Motown,’ honoring the made-in-Detroit foundation built for him by his forebears.

Karoub, who got his musical start while growing up in Allen Park, also credits genetics for his musical passion: His father is a longtime local music teacher, Detroit Symphony Orchestra veteran and Motown session man sonically responsible for the killer French horn lick at the top of Marvin Gaye’s ‘I Heard it through the Grapevine.’ Karoub made sure that little history lesson made its way into ‘Made by Motown.’

Either solo or as part of the duo ‘jar’, he’s been writing songs and performing them for more than a decade throughout Michigan. Gigs of note have included the Flint Folk Festival, Baseline Folk Society, Manchester’s Gazebo Concert Series and Riverfolk Festival, as well as many of the region’s finer caffeinated establishments.

Karoub is a professional journalist by day who is proud to make both his living and life in Michigan. He lives in Dearborn with his wife, three daughters and dog.

To check out his songs, including ‘Made by Motown,’ and learn about upcoming gigs, go to www.reverbnation.com/jeffkaroubjar

For more on the Assembly Line concert, click on this link: www.assemblylineconcert.com

When: Sunday, March 7, 2010, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn MI 48126

Admission: $3.00 – Children 12 and under FREE and parking is free.

Proceeds Benefit Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan

Special Events on Stage include:

11:30 a.m. – MetLife speaker: “Financial Independence and Security, for Every Stage of a Woman’s Life”

12:30 p.m. – Zumba Fitness by Elements of Exercise

1:30 p.m. – Bridal and Prom show by One Stop Wedding Shop, hair and makeup by Hair Designs North

2:30 p.m. – Fashion Show by Shining Diamond Accessories

For more information and a discount admission coupon, click HERE.

 The 2009 Arab Film Festival, at Dearborn’s Arab American National Museum on Michigan Avenue, opens Thursday Dec. 3 and runs through Dec. 5.

The AANM’s popular annual event presents short and feature-length films made by Arab American and Arab World filmmakers on topics of interest to all movie fans.

One documentary being shown at the museum is a semi-finalist for an Academy Award in the category of Best Documentary Feature. Called Garbage Dreams the film is about the tale of three boys who make their living in Cairo’s garbage trade and their confrontation with a waste conglomerate. The film is one of 15 from a field of 89 entries to be named an Academy Award semi-finalist. Five finalists from this category will be chosen on Feb. 2, 2010 for a chance to win an Academy Award on March 7.

The screening of Garbage Dreams is Dec. 5 at 8:25 p.m.

Garbage Dreams closes out the AANM’s 2009 Arab Film Festival with a screening at 8:25 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The complete December 3-5 festival schedule, advance tickets and weekend passes are available online at www.arabamericanmuseum.org; tickets and passes also available at the door. All screenings take place in the 156-seat auditorium on the AANM’s lower level. The museum is located at 13624 Michigan Ave., just west of Schaefer Road, in Dearborn. Call 313-582-2266 for more information.

Free, lighted parking is available in the municipal lot behind the museum. For driving directions, click here or call the museum.

We all can use a little laughter after a day’s work.  You’ll get a good dose of smiles simply by stopping by the Fordson High School auditorium tonight at 7 p.m. for the Dearborn Rotarians Lip Sync fundraiser.

The event has the makings of a fun night with both city and school officials taking part in lip syncing their favorite song all in the name of raising money to benefit the nearly 20 scholarships that the Rotary Club awards each year to graduating seniors from private and public schools in Dearborn.

Scheduled acts include Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., Dearborn City Councilman and Rotarian George Darany, Dearborn Councilmen Bob Abraham and Mark Shooshanian (the new Beetles?), Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, Debbie Dingell, City, Dearborn Public Schools Supt. Brian Whiston and members of his cabinet (is that the Blues Brothers up there?) along with Joe Shannon of Fordson High School, Dan Blessing and Barbara McAuliff of Edsel Ford High School, Oussama Baydoun and Martha Burch of Dearborn High School, and Librarian Serge Danielson-Francois of Divine Child. Renault Arseneau, neighborhood services coordinator with the City of Dearborn, is expected to reveal his theatrical talents along with Dearborn residents Jacqui Rivait, Sharon Dulmage (we heard a Dolly Parton song from the former school board member and council candidate) and Dearborn Lawyer Morris Goodman.

“Captain” Dennis Neubacher, a Dearborn native and pilot of the WXYZ-TV’s News Chopper 7, has volunteered to emcee the fundraiser.

“We have an outstanding line-up of performers who are giving it their all to be hilariously entertaining,” said Amy Bazzy, event chair and “lip sync” performer. “Only the audience reaction will affirm whether any of us should plan to give up our day jobs and become professional entertainers.”

Tickets to attend the anticipated sell-out event are $10 each for adults and $7 for seniors and students. Tickets will be available for purchase at the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce, Massage Green, Fishers Flowers, Spectrum Signs and the law offices of Dagher Goodman Dagher in Dearborn.

For more information, please email Amy Bazzy at ajbazzy@comcast.net

Dearborn's Automotive Hall of Fame, which opened in 1997, is stuggling to keep its doors open

Dearborn’s Automotive Hall of Fame is struggling to keep its doors open because of a massive budget shortfall that severely jeopardizes its future, according to a leading automotive trade publication.

Southfield-based Ward’s Automotive reports that the Dearborn museum, which opened in 1997 next door to the Henry Ford museum, is struggling because of what is happening to  the automotive industry today. The museum gets most of its funding from auto makers and suppliers.

“We’re a microcosm of what’s happened in the industry,” said Jeffrey Leestma, president of the Automotive Hall of Fame, tells Ward’s. “As the industry goes, so we go.”

Here are some excerpts of what the Ward’s article is reporting:

“Budget reductions have become a way of life at the museum, where some staff cuts have been made and positions eliminated. There are only three paid employees, including Leestma, and a half-dozen volunteers to keep the building open seven days a week through summer and five days a week the rest of the year.

Leestma says his organization is seeking new revenue streams, such as affordable family memberships, and making the building available for private events. But the Hall of Fame can count on only a handful of those a year.

Attendance also is down. Some 20,000 people have visited the hall annually since 1997, but this year Leestma expects about 15,000.

Leestma shudders when asked if the Hall of Fame is at risk of closing its doors.

“I’m not ready to raise the white flag yet,” he says. “The Automotive Hall of Fame is worth saving. The industry is down on its luck, and everyone is feeling it. But this is a great repository of great stories and great people, and it’s worth keeping. If it were to go away, it would go away forever.”

For the complete story from Ward’s, click HERE.

One of our city’s many gems is the Players Guild of Dearborn Theatre, located at 21730 Madison in Dearborn, southwest of the intersection of Monroe and Outer Drive.

Year in and year out, The Players Guild of Dearborn delivers high quality entertainment at an affordable price. The Guild opened its 82nd season on Sept. 18 with the show “Inspecting Carol,” a farce by Daniel Sullivan and the Seattle Repertory Company.

Jeff Ostrowski, president of the Players Guild of Dearborn, dropped us a note the other day reminding us that the show will run for another weekend, Oct. 2 to Oct. 4. Like this weekend’s performance, next Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m., with a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee.

Tickets are just $15. Student discounts of $2 (with valid I.D.) and group discounts are available. For more information, you can call the Guild ticket line at (313) 561-TKTS, or visit their web site by clicking HERE.

Here is what the show “Inspecting Carol” is about:

With their National Endowment for the Arts eligibility to be reviewed by an inspector, the Soapbox Playhouse is desperate to raise money and decides to mount yet another production of “A Christmas Carol.” An unknown, wannabe actor asks to audition for the company and is mistaken for the inspector. Desperate to stay afloat, the troupe caters to this bewildered actor, believing he is the NEA inspector. As hilarity piles upon hilarity, the theatre group finds themselves in a state of chaos, resulting in a thoroughly unprepared performance.

Dearborn’s own Brian Townsend is directing the show, with assistant direction by Mike Moseley (Allen Park). Sydnee Dombrowski (Dearborn) is the show’s producer.

A scene from 'Inspecting Carol' by The Players Guild of Dearborn. Tickets are still available for Oct. 2-4 performances.

The cast includes: Debbie Pletzer (Canton) as Zorah; Patrick Denyer (Dearborn) as Sidney; Tiffany Mullins (Westland) as Dorothy; Lindel Salow (Dearborn) as Larry; Alan Ellias (Farmington Hills) as Phil; Kenyada Davis (Detroit) as Walter; Nathan Booth (Dearborn) as Luther; Nick Graham ( Belleville) as Kevin; Margaret Winowiecki (Dearborn) as M.J.; Stan Guarnelo (Dearborn Heights) as Bart; Alex Gojkov (Redford) as Wayne; and Kori Bielaniec (Livonia) as Betty.

Mark your calendar for Sept. 15 that is when the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and Music Director Leonard Slatkin present a free concert in Dearborn at 8 p.m. in the Michael A. Guido Theater at Dearborn’s Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.

Tickets are free but reservations are required. To reserve tickets for the Sept. 15 performance, call The Center’s box office at 313.943.2354. Parking at The Center is free.

The DSO also is performing for free on Monday., Sept. 14 at 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m. at Seligman Performing Arts Center located at 22305 W. 13 mile, Beverly Hills; Thursday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center located at 1627 W. Fort St., Detroit and Friday, Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Detroit School of Arts located at 123 Selden St., right behind the Max M. Fisher Music Center, Detroit.

These concerts will culminate with a sixth free concert held at 3:00 p.m. during the DSO Open House running from 1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Max M. Fisher Music Center on Sept. 20.

“In these difficult times, bringing music to a larger public is more important than ever,” said DSO Music Director Leonard Slatkin. “The DSO is committed to expanding its audience and it is my hope that as we reach out to different constituencies, they in turn will come to visit us as well.”

Dearborn’s Arab American National Museum (AANM) has the chance to earn up to $200,000 in matching funds on Tuesday but only if you are prepared to take action exactly at 10 a.m. Tuesday, August 18, 2009 (Eastern Standard Time).

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan’s Challenge Arts & Culture, is providing up to $1 million to match gifts to arts and cultural organizations like the AANM, one of 75 institutions eligible for this program. There is fierce competition for these funds and thousands of art supporters throughout southeast Michigan, including The Henry Ford in Dearborn, are urging their supporters to be online Tuesday to donate. 

The AANM has the opportunity to receive a 50 percent match on every contribution made online. To make a donation, use the pull-down menu to select the AANM at www.cfsem.org . The key thing here is to be online at 10 a.m. today. Gifts must be made by credit card or e-check; minimum $25, maximum $10,000 per contributor.

It is expected that this match money will be exhausted just a few hours after the challenge begins. The early-bird supporters of each institution, along with the family, friends and coworkers they recruit, will be the ones to generate the most match money.

The funds are crucial to maintain the quality of the museum’s educational and public programs.  There can be power in numbers.  The challenge begins at  www.cfsem.org.