The Oakwood Healthcare System today donated five portable 12-lead EKG units to the Dearborn Fire Department, furthering a commitment to reduce heart attack treatment times throughout the Detroit metro area.

The units, which represent an investment of $165,000 by the healthcare system, are capable of transmitting EKG information directly to the smart phones of attending physicians, dramatically reducing the treatment times for heart attack victims. It’s part of a commitment from Oakwood to provide the equipment and training to paramedics throughout the 500-square mile area serviced by Oakwood.

“This is a huge commitment, not only to the City of Dearborn, but to the entire region,” said Jeffrey Beutner, Battalion Chief, Emergency Medical Services for the City of Dearborn. “This is a wonderful thing the hospital has done.”

Healthcare systems rate the time between the arrival of heart attack patients at an emergency room and when they can receive an emergency catherization—it’s referred to as door-to-balloon time. The national average is about 90 minutes. Since the new technology has been implemented at the Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center (OHMC) in Dearborn, the average is about 53—and far less if patients are transported by the Dearborn Fire Department, rather than going to the hospital on their own.

“We’ve consistently seen 30 minutes or less when patients are transported by our agency,” said Beutner.

That’s because doctors can make the diagnosis as soon as the information is transmitted to their phones, said Joe Murray Ph.D., manager of the Critical Care transport Team at Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center.

“By the time the fire department gets to the hospital, our staff is ready to go,” said Murray.

Beutner said the units would find regular use in Dearborn. The four ambulance units in the city respond to about 10,000 calls every year. They go on at least three cardiac runs every day, he said.

Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly, along with other city officials and Oakwood executives were on hand for the presentation Wednesday afternoon at Oakwood.

Dearborn has been transmitting ECGs for about two years now, but their current cardiac monitors are older and rapidly approaching their expiration. The new Life-Pak units in Dearborn will replace five-year-old machines. Murray said Oakwood hopes to provide the equipment and training to departments throughout the healthcare system’s service area this year.

The first of six free outdoor jazz concerts in East Downtown Dearborn kicks off today at Dearborn City Hall Park beginning at 7 p.m.

The free concerts — presented by the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (EDDDA), V98.7 Smooth Jazz HD and WWJ Newsradio — will all be held Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and stake out a good spot for great music in the Park.

Tonight’s free concert features Alexander Zonjic & Friends.

Plenty of neighborhood restaurants will be open nearby too, so grab yourself some tasty carry-out and make it a picnic dinner before the show!

Here’s the schedule of the remainder of shows:

Wednesday July 20: Universal Xpression

Wednesday July 27: Lin Rountree

Wednesday August 10: Straight Ahead

Wednesday August 17: Urban Jazz Collection

Wednesday August 24: Alexander Zonjic All Star(s)…special guest(s) to be announced soon!

So will Dearborn taxpayers get left holding the bill for the more than $1.1 million in damages two former Dearborn district court employees were recently awarded by jurors?

It appears so.

Judge Mark Somers

In case you missed it, 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers who sits on the bench in Dearborn, had two separate juries in two different civil trials, award two former district count employees hundreds of thousands of dollars over claims they were fired in violation of Michigan law (one award was for $463,000, a second for $732,000).

A third trial for a third ex-employee, who has a whistle-blower lawsuit against Somers, is expected to begin next year.

In a column in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press, Brian Dickerson writes that a multitude of legal authorities and precedents say tax paying Dearborn residents will get hit with that tab, which likely will exceed $2 million with attorney fees and interest.

Dickerson writes that Dearborn city attorneys have taken the public position that the city, which was not a defendant, is not liable for any damages.

We will see how that position plays out in the coming months as “taxpayers and municipal insurers in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield and Southgate were left holding the bag when lawsuits against judges in their communities were settled in the plaintiffs’ favor,” Dickerson writes.

The Dickerson column is an interesting read because he points out that none of the judges in any of these lawsuits has “ever been removed from office, suspended or even publicly reprimanded by any disciplinary body.”

“Jurors have found the judges’ conduct — and their credibility as witnesses in their own defense — wanting.  But neither the Judicial Tenure Commission nor the Attorney Grievance Commission — the organizations responsible for policing the ethical conduct of judges and lawyers — concedes that those judges have done anything unethical.

“So much for holding the men and women who oversee Michigan’s courts to a higher standard,” Dickerson says.

For the complete Free Press column, click HERE.

Act now and save money when purchasing all-day wrist bands for the carnival at the 2011 Homecoming at Ford Field Park in Dearborn August 5-7.

Advanced sales of all-day wrist bands are $12, plus a $1 service fee, from now until 11:59 p.m. on August 4 at www.wadeshowsinc.com

The carnival is open 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5-7. Online purchasers print a receipt, and bring that, along with their I.D., to the carnival ticket booth onsite at the festival to exchange it for an all-day wrist band for that day.  Purchasers do not have to specify online which day they will be using the wrist band.

The online savings is significant. All-day wrists bands purchased onsite Aug. 5-7 are $18.

Half-day wristbands can be purchased onsite for $13 and cover ridership from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Companion tickets, meant for adults to accompany children on certain rides, have remained at $8. Other prices apply.

There are no refunds on any carnival tickets or on wristbands.

This year, the Ferris wheel returns, along with 25 other exciting rides.

Homecoming is a project of the City of Dearborn and the nonprofit Dearborn Community Fund. Oakwood Healthcare is the presenting sponsor. Sponsorships cover a significant amount of the cost of the festival.  DeepsaidWhat.com, for instance, is again sponsoring the hula-hoop contest.

More than 30 Dearborn-based nonprofit groups use the festival as their major fundraiser of the year, returning those dollars to the community through positive activities and scholarships.

The festival is known for its spectacular fireworks on Saturday and Sunday, which are sponsored by Westborn Chrysler Jeep, with additional support from Kenwal Steel Corp.

Headline entertainment is Frontiers/The Journey Tribute on Saturday and Hotel California “A Salute to the Eagles” on Sunday.

For more information, call 313-943-2285 or visit www.cityofdearborn.org

If you really want to test just how good of shape you’re in you’ll want to mark Aug. 20 on you calendar.

That’s the date the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) and the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center will hold a duathlon, which will be held at Dearborn’s Dunworth Pool beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Duathlons usually consist of biking and running legs. This race, however, will consist of a three mile run followed by a half-mile swim.

Registration is open to those 16 and older who are Dearborn residents and/or pass holders at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.

In the event of bad weather, the race will be held the following Saturday, Aug. 27.

Registration is $25 for Center pass holders and $35 for Dearborn residents. You can register in person at Ford Community and Performing Arts Center or online at www.dearbornfordcenter.com

Due to pool availability and lane size, registration is limited to the first 60 participants.

Awards will be given to first and second place for both male and female.

For more information, you can call Erica Hirsch, DMC fitness program coordinator, at 943-5479 or Andrea Gomez, aerobics coordinator, at 943-2135.

Child’s Hope, a Wayne County-based resource for child abuse prevention services will hold its annual fundraiser – Hopes and Dreams, a Girls’ Night Out – at The Henry Hotel in Dearborn on Sept. 22.

The event, presented by Child’s Hope and Neiman Marcus, brings together women from the tri-county area to support University of Michigan-Dearborn based Child’s Hope, an organization that provides child abuse prevention education and other services to communities in Wayne County.

Celebrating its seventh year, Hopes and Dreams will honor Dearborn resident Mary Kosch, who launched the event in 2005.

Kosch, a champion for at-risk children, believes deeply in the work of the Child’s Hope.

“The idea of assisting children with literacy, empowering them with their own voice and instilling them with a sense of self-worth inspires me,” Kosch says. “There’s a tremendous group of women in this community who care deeply about family and want to give back. All it took was a creative combination of shopping, dining, fashion, friendship and the right cause to inspire women to come together and raise money!”

With the help of Mary and her husband Don Kosch, owner of Dearborn Sausage Company, the organization’s roster of donors has grown to record levels in seven years. Kosch’s vision, to raise awareness and build momentum to support Child’s Hope, laid the groundwork for making this event the charity’s largest annual fundraiser. Each year, a committee of 30 local women, chaired by Linda L. Freitag, orchestrates every aspect of this special event.

“We solicit sponsors, collect donations and raffle items, sign and send invitations and even decorate the venue,” Freitag says. “It’s a lot of hard work but very rewarding to all of us.”

Child’s Hope Executive Director Annemarie Valdez says that in addition to raising nearly $70,000 for child abuse prevention programs each year, Hopes and Dreams also helps the community understand why it’s so important to look out for at-risk youth.

“With more and more cases of abuse being reported daily, it’s crucial for us to educate the public about what to look for and how to report to protect young children,” Valdez says. “Reaching children early and encouraging them to come forward is key to making a change for abused and neglected children.”

For more information about this event, to become a sponsor, buy a ticket, or to make a donation, call Child’s Hope at 313-583-6401 or go to www.childshope.org

The city of Dearborn is making it easier for residents to remember what day to bring that big green recycling trash bin to the curb with a new calendar.

While most of us now have the routine down, every other week on trash day, it can be easy to forget.

So here is where you can download and print a new curbside recycling calendar www.cityofdearborn.org

The recycling calendar runs from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 and replaces the one that came with each recycling cart and expired June 30, 2011. The new calendar was also in the last edition of the printed city newsletter, The Back Fence, which was mailed to every household in April.

Dearborn Police Enforce ‘Zero Tolerance’ Policy on Illegal Fireworks

Fans of Camp Dearborn’s annual Beach Bash will have to find a new place to view fireworks.

Fireworks go off over the lake at last year's Camp Dearborn Beach Bash.

Dearborn’s budget situation has forced cancellation of the fireworks show at Camp Dearborn, originally scheduled for July 2.

“Unfortunately, the Beach Bash was cancelled because of the budget situation,” a spokeswoman for the city said. “We will save about $24,500 by not holding the event this year.”

Separately, Dearborn Police are reminding residents that they will be enforcing the city’s “zero tolerance” policy regarding the illegal and unsafe sale and use of fireworks.

“Each year, we see cases of personal injury and damage to property when people use illegal fireworks,” said Police Chief Ron Haddad. “City ordinances prohibit the sale and use of illegal fireworks, or the unsafe use of legal fireworks.”

Police officers will respond to fireworks complaints. Adults found to be violating the city’s fireworks ordinances will be ticketed.

Officers will not issue warnings for fireworks use.

Parents whose children are found to be violating fireworks ordinance may also be ticketed under the city’s parental responsibility ordinance.

Both cases are misdemeanor offenses, carrying a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.

In all cases, illegal fireworks will be confiscated.

To report fireworks in your neighborhood, call the Police at 943-2201.

Dearborn’s 32nd Homecoming festival, Aug. 5-7, will feature the band Frontiers – The Journey Tribute on the Main Stage at Ford Field Park on Aug. 6 at 8:30 p.m.

Touring all across the United States and performing at venues such as The House of Blues, the group is known as the national full-time touring tribute to Journey.

Featuring vocalist Jeremey Hunsicker, the group caught the attention of Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain and founding member and guitarist Neal Schon.

The band, which became a full-time endeavor in 2008, also features guitarist Stephen Chesney, bass player Greg Eanes, and drummer Chris Castelda.

For more information on Frontiers, visit their website at www.journeytributeband.com

Sunday night will feature another performance by a nationally acclaimed cover band, “Hotel California—A Salute to the Eagles,” who will take the Main Stage at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 7.

The quintet features members Dicky, Scott, Wade, Steve, and Kenny, who share vocals and musical skills. The members have opened separately for groups such as Boston, The Little River Band and Van Halen.

For more information on Hotel California, visit www.hotelcal.com

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After months of discussion, a plan to bring student housing to downtown Dearborn to serve the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus is expected to soon become a reality.

The existing building (foreground) will be connected via corridor to a new 4-story building (background).

The apartments will be located directly across from the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus at 760 and 780 Town Center Drive, the road that circles the Fairlane Mall. These two buildings formerly housed Ford engine engineers.

In addition to the two existing buildings, construction on an all-new four-story building is expected to begin this year at the same location. Corridors will also be constructed to connect the new building with the two existing structures. In all, there will be 506 beds consisting of studio and three- and four bedroom apartments, according to Bowers and Associates, the architect for the project.

One of the buildings also would serve as a student union hall where students could gather and purchase food.

In this rendering, all three buildings for University of Michigan-Dearborn student housing can be seen.

 A fourth building could be build at this same location if demand exceeds apartment availability.

The apartments, which will be privately owned rather than managed by the U-M Dearborn, are targeted to open in August 2012, according to the architect for the project.

Just how many of the current 8,700 students at the University of Michigan-Dearborn will utilize the apartments isn’t known but being able to offer student housing is expected to help the university reach its target of growing to 12,000 students by 2012.

This project has been a long-time coming and could go a long way towards helping the Fairlane Town Center, as well as downtown West Dearborn.