The dedication for a new playscape for Morningside Park in southeast Dearborn was attended by  Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., Severstal’s Vice President Bruce Black and assistant Judy Young; Dearborn Community Fund chair Karen Nigosian and Exec. Dir. EmmaJean Woodyard; Dearborn Recreation Commission Chair Johanna Seidel and Commissioner Louie Moussa; Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns member Gary Filiak; and City of Dearborn Department of Recreation & Parks Director Gregory Orner and Deputy Directory Eric Peterson.

Children who play at Dearborn’s Morningside Park are enjoying a new playscape thanks to employees of Dearborn-based Severstal North America who pitched in with their employer and collaborated with the non-profit Dearborn Community Fund to purchase new playground equipment.

The $15,000 donation to purchase the playscape, complete with slides and a mini climbing wall, included $8,450 that employees raised through raffle ticket sales at Severstal’s open house last fall. The company contributed an additional $6,550 to fund the purchase of the playground equipment which is compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

Morningside Park is nestled in a residential community on Morningside Ave. near Wyoming St. in southeast Dearborn. Every day, dozens of children and their families visit the park which is maintained by the City of Dearborn’s Department of Recreation and Parks.

Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., joined Severstal Dearborn’s Vice President and General Manager, Bruce Black, Dearborn Community Fund Board Chair Karen Nigosian, Morningstar neighborhood residents, and members of the City’s Recreation Commission, on September 17 to dedicate the new playscape. At the ceremony, Mayor O’Reilly thanked Severstal and its employees for their continued support of the Dearborn community.

Severstal worked with the Dearborn Community Fund (DCF) to organize their fundraising raffle, determine how the funds they raised could be used to benefit the community, and order the playground equipment.

Working closely with other organizations and the City of Dearborn, the DCF raises funds and organizes volunteer support for arts, cultural and recreational programs that enhance the quality of life in Dearborn.

For more information about the Dearborn Community Fund, click HERE or call Executive Director EmmaJean Woodyard at 313-943-5478.

Plans fall apart for Dearborn’s Hyatt Hotel to become the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center.

The former Hyatt Regency hotel in Dearborn is once again on the ropes.

Just two weeks after the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group said it would take over management of the 772-room hotel in Dearborn, the deal has been cancelled for unknown reasons.

“Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and Royal Realties LLC have agreed to terminate the previously announced management agreement for the hotel currently known as the Hyatt Regency Dearborn,” Carlson Rezidor said in a statement.

The hotel was set to open as a Radisson at the end of October, the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, based in Minneapolisand Brussels, Belgium, said just two weeks ago.

This is the second time that Royal Realties LLC, which bought the 14-story hotel in May 2011, has failed to close a deal with a hotel management company. When Royal Realties bought the hotel, the Hyatt Hotels Corp. had agreed to manage the hotel. That never materialized.

What this means for the hotel, which has served as the site of hundreds of weddings, conventions and other special events, is unknown. Let’s hope that Royal Realties can find an upper, middle market hotel chain to manage this property . . . and soon.

Miller’s Bar in Dearborn has purchased the adjoining building and will soon add a new private dining room.

Miller’s Bar patrons will soon have a new reason to love one of Dearborn’s best burger places — the owners of the bar will soon be adding a new dining room for private parties.

If you’ve driven by Miller’s Bar on Michigan Avenue recently, you will have noticed that the adjoining building is now painted the same red oak color of the famous burger bar. That’s because the Miller family, which has owned the business since 1941, recently purchased the adjoining building, including the upstairs apartment units.

A new private dining room will be a great addition to one of Dearborn’s gems.

We wish the Miller family the best of luck with their new purchase.

Jan Scruggs, decorated veteran and the driving force behind the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will be the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony for The Wall That Heals, at 10 a.m. on October 25 on the grounds of Ford Motor Company World Headquarters.

The traveling half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall will be available for viewing by the public around the clock from 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 25 till 8 a.m. on Monday, October 29. It is free.

“The Wall That Heals transcends the Vietnam War to help our great nation renew its relationship with veterans of all wars,” said Scruggs, founder and president of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF). “It helps veterans from all of America’s conflicts to find healing and a powerful connection through their common military experiences.”

Scruggs was a wounded and decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, having served in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Army.

In 1979, Scruggs conceived the idea to build a tribute to those who served during the Vietnam War.

He launched the effort with $2,800 of his own money, gained support from other veterans, and together persuaded Congress to provide a location on federal government property. The story of that effort is told in the book and movie To Heal a Nation.

Scruggs continues today as president of the VVMF, the nonprofit organization created to build and maintain the Memorial, now in its 30th year.

Scruggs will see the groundbreaking in November for a companion Education Center to be located near the Vietnam memorial.

A big part of bringing awareness of the men and women who were lost in the war is the display of the replica Wall coming to Dearborn.

 Oct. 25 Opening Ceremony in Dearborn

Tributes, including music, will be provided at the October 25 opening ceremony at Ford World Headquarters.

Also offering remarks will Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. and Mike Bannister, chairman and chief executive officer for Ford Motor Credit Company and executive vice president of Ford. Bannister is an Army veteran and executive champion for the Ford Veterans Network.

The Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council (DAWVC), with new Commander Phil Smith, will lead the service.

Organizers are encouraging representatives from nearby communities to attend and lay a wreath in honor of their residents who never came home from Vietnam.

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The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 6 presidential election is Tuesday, Oct. 9.

If you are a Dearborn resident and unsure if you are registered, or to find out your precinct, please call the Dearborn City Clerk’s Office at 943-2032.

You may register to vote at the Clerk’s Office during business hours 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. through Tuesday.

Residents who are registered may pick up an absentee ballot application at the City Clerk’s office during those same business hours.

The Clerk’s Office will accept absentee ballot applications until Saturday, Nov. 3. The Clerk’s office will be open that day from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov 6.

Government issued photo ID is required at the precinct in order to vote.

The West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority is sponsoring the first annual West Dearborn “Oktoberfest” event today, Oct. 5 from 5-11 p.m. The event includes children’s activities, food trucks, vendors, beer, live music, a Vegas Tent, and more.

The “Oktoberfest” is just one in a series of events the West Dearborn DDA and local businesses are partnering with to put on to generate business in downtown West Dearborn.

The West Dearborn DDA says the idea for “Oktoberfest” originated out of collaboration with the West Dearborn DDA and the Parking Advisory Commission.

The participants of the committee were: West Dearborn DDA, Dearborn Chamber of Commerce, Dearborn Exchange Club, Double Olive, Moose’s Martini Pub, The Well, Merchant’s Fine Wine, Reborn Magazine.

The event is also being sponsored by many of our West Dearborn sponsors who will participate as vendors at the event advertising their businesses by selling food, products, etc. These sponsors are:

• Double Olive
• The Well
• Moose’s Martini Pub
• Detroit Dogs
• Pizza Kitchen
• Catering by Ed
• Le Cigar
• Edible Arrangements
• Dearborn Animal Shelter
• La Pita
• Salon West of Dearborn
• Reborn Magazine
• Powerhouse Gym
• East Town

Also two food trucks: Green Zebra and Treat Dreams. The Dearborn Exchange Club is also hosting the “Vegas Tent.”

An antique appraisal clinic will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Dearborn Historical Museum’s McFadden-Ross House, 915 Brady Street.

The antique appraisal clinic is open to the public and is sponsored by the Museum Guild of Dearborn. All proceeds will be used to support the Museum.

The clinic will operate on a first-come, first-served basis. You must register at the event in order to participate, and you must register by 3:30 p.m.

Robert Du Mouchelle from Du Mouchelle Art Galleries will evaluate your antiques and collectibles. The cost for appraisal is $10 per item and there is a limit of five hand-carried items per person. No musical instruments, furniture or weapons will be appraised.

For additional information about the antique appraisal clinic, call 313.565.3000.

Mark your calendars for this Tuesday to learn more about the candidates running for Dearborn School Board.

The League of Women Voters of Dearborn – Dearborn Heights is hosting the forum at Dearborn City Hall in the Council Chambers. The forum begins at 7 p.m. on Oct. 2.

There are three candidates running for two open seats. Incumbents Aimee Blackburn (first elected in 2000 and serving her third term) and Mary Lane (serving her third term) are working to keep their positions, while Mary K. Petlichkoff is throwing her hat back in the race after being defeated in 2011.

Pumpkin decorating contestants in 2010 show off their creations during Camp Dearborn’s Halloween Weekends.

Dearborn’s Recreation and Parks Department has added a third Halloween Weekend at Camp Dearborn as a way to meet demand for this popular family-friendly event now in its fifth year.

This October the weekends of 12 – 14; 19 – 21 and 26 – 28 are reserved for the themed camping weekends.

Halloween Weekends offer families an opportunity to expand on the fun and excitement of Halloween by booking a tent, cabin or RV site for a weekend filled with activities in a safe environment. New this year are the popular resort cabins with full bathroom facilities.

Campers will receive one pumpkin at check-in Friday afternoon to carve and enter in a contest. Additional pumpkins will be available for purchase and campsites will be allowed multiple entries in the contest.

Campers are invited to take part in all scheduled activities at no additional cost. Campsite decorating is strongly encouraged to set the mood and will be judged for prizes.

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If you have a tablet, laptop, e-reader, digital camera or any other electronic gadget driving you crazy because it just won’t work right then Dearborn’s free Tech Time technology assistance program at the Henry Ford Centennial Library may be the solution for you.

Bring any device to the workshop of your choice and the experienced staff of the Dearborn Public Library will answer questions and provide hands-on assistance.

Registration is required, but the workshops are offered free of charge. The Tech Time workshops are being offered:

• Tuesday, October 9, 6-8 p.m. (registration begins October 2)

• Tuesday, October 23, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (registration begins October 16)

To register, please call the Adult Reference Desk at 313-943-2330. All workshops will be in the first floor training room at Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn.

Be sure to bring the USB and/or power cables for your device. If you have an e-reader, a valid Dearborn Public Library card is required. If your e-reader is a Kindle, you must also have an Amazon.com account.