First Stop Friday Recap from FPL

Once again, the talent around town astounds me. This past friday, Electric Lion Soundwave Experiment and Robin Goodfellow blew the doors off the library’s community room. Electric Lions were loud in every good way and Robin Goodfellow was poppy and so danceable, I thought I might realize my dream of a dance party in this joint. To top it all off, everyone in both bands was lovely. There are lots of good people in Detroit bands, and don’t let anyone tell you differently.

Recycle Electronics and Help Children’s Charity

An opportunity has come up to recycle stuff for free, and not only that, the recycling company is offering an amazing 65% of the proceeds to the partnered charity, the Pediatric Speech and Language Disorders Scholarship Fund at Beaumont Children’s Hospital.

Simply bring your electronic junk to the C! Tech Solutions office at 2550 Hilton Road in Ferndale from 11AM to 7PM on Wednesday, May 11th. A full list of the acceptable electronic items can be found here.

Valentine Vodka Celebrates Grand Opening

The long-anticipated Grand Opening of Valentine Vodka, at 161 Vester Street, has arrived. On Friday, May 20, the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce will host a public ceremony and ribbon cutting at 4:30pm for the Valentine Vodka Martini Bar and Metro Detroit’s only micro-distillery. Afterward, guests are invited to imbibe on a selection of specialty cocktails and infusions throughout the evening.

Ferndale Area Artists Right at Home in Rust Belt Market

…Oxford couple Chris and Tiffani Best have transformed the space into a year-round venue for local artists, which is now open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-7pm. There are now artsy murals on the walls, sculptured architectural features, fascinating tree-branch lights hanging from extra high ceilings, and a stage in the center of the building and live music that adds to the ambiance….

FERNDALE VIEW: Law Day

In 1961 Congress designated May 1 as Law Day to remind us of our commitment to the rule of law. This year, the chosen theme is, “The Legacy of John Adams, From Boston to Guantanamo.” Of course, John Adams, the first lawyer president, defended the British soldiers involved in the “Boston Massacre” in 1770 because of his belief in the rule of law, particularly when representing unpopular clients.

Cupcake Station’s Sweet Opening

On Thursday, April 21, 2011 The Cupcake Station opened at 301 W. 9 Mile. The Cupcake Station offers a large variety of specialty cupcakes made fresh each day from scratch. As part of their Grand Opening Celebration they gave away 500 free cupcakes. Thank you to Stacey Jamison and Jason Dutra for sending in pictures of Ferndalians welcoming in one of Downtown Ferndale’s newest businesses.

Beyond Ferndale: Mitten Movie Project

Mitten Movie Project is a host of a celebration for independently made trailers, animations, shorts, and videos- the vast majority being based in the metro Detroit area. Perhaps my favorite thing to see, other than my stunning performance as goofy-real estate agent in “The Mystery Word”, was spotting a glimpse of Ferndale’s DIY festival used as the back drop for the cleverly named “Ménage-Detroit.”

VIEW: The CFF Good Neighbor Awards

And now, nearly two years later, I’m proud to say that The Ferndale 115 News has over 5,000 unique readers each month and a strong reputation in the community for fairness. And getting a CFF Good Neighbor Award on April 19 was a huge honor. Not just to be recognized, but also to be among so many others who embrace the same ideals and live their lives with positive energy and intent.