Clarkston : In the News

North and South Manitou Island, wilderness jewels in Lake Michigan and part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, are now part of the Classic Trails of Michigan map series by MichiganTrailMaps.com.

The Clarkston-based publisher, in cooperation with the National Park Service, has released two new trail maps to the Manitou islands that are both accessible by a ferry from Leland.

Unlike Mackinac and many other Great Lakes islands there are no stores, resorts, restaurants or other tourist amenities on the Manitou islands, making them true wilderness escapes.

South Manitou is a 5,260-acre island with 17 miles of trails and primitive roads that provide access to  three walk-in campgrounds and various historic sites and natural features, including a stand of old growth white cedars and some of the highest dunes in Michigan. The island attracts almost 7,000 day visitors and campers annually.

Just three miles to the north is North Manitou, a 14,753-acre island with 30 miles of trails that wind through impressive stands of maple and beech, across clearings that used to be farm fields and along bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan. North Manitou attracts almost 4,000 visitors a year as the premiere destination in the Lower Peninsula for backpackers.

The new maps measure 11 by 17 inches, are printed on durable card stock and are coated to be water resistant. They include all distance markers, contour lines, walk-in campgrounds, shipwrecks, historic buildings and ruins. Best of all, when folded they fit in a back pocket or the side pouch of a backpack.

The new maps will be available at Sleeping Bear Dunes visitor centers, outdoor stores throughout Michigan, the MichiganTrailMaps.com e-shop or from Manitou Island Transit (www.manitoutransit.com) , the ferry company that provides passage to the Manitou islands.

Launched in 2010, MichiganTrailMaps.com is one of the most extensive online resources for non-motorized trails in Michigan. The web site contains more than 165 trails with detailed trail maps that can be downloaded and printed, trail descriptions and directions to the trailheads. Visitors can search for a path by county, activity, region of the state or by park.

Forget the garage, we want a Human Hoist for the living room!

Excerpt:

"The newest episode of "Invention USA" will bring exposure to Clarkston cousins and their new invention — the Human Hoist.

Called "the ultimate power shop chair," Eric Brittingham and Kevin Ferguson devised the Human Hoist to improve efficiency and the health of anyone working in an automotive shop.

"For me, the Human Hoist really became a necessity" while working as a body shop technician, Brittingham said.

"Everybody who works on concrete is constantly crouching and bending over, kneeling or rolling on the ground," he said. "People are wearing out their knees and hips, so (the Human Hoist) is the office chair for the shop."

More on this lounger here.

On Tuesday, January 22, three Detroit eateries were featured on Destination America’s new TV show UNITED STATES OF BACON.

With Americans gobbling up more than 1.7 billion pounds of bacon each year, Destination America brings bacon buffs what they crave with an all-new series, UNITED STATES OF BACON. Each episode features hog-wild host, Chef Todd Fisher, as he road trips to cities across America in search of the most mouth-watering, stomach-growl-inducing, sensory-overloading bacon creations kitchens have to offer.

Stops in metro Detroit include:

• Union Woodshop, a BBQ joint that turned their love for pigs into an all-pork sandwich,
• Vinsetta Garage, the oldest garage east of the Mississippi, now restored as a restaurant with a bacon-obsessed chef who’s concocted the Macon Bacon Burger featuring four different types of bacon,
• Jacoby’s, a place that proves bacon obsession has no frontiers with their Beef and Bacon Rouladen, a special German combination of bacon and steak.

For Free Art Friday Clarkston, local artists place small and large paintings and other works of art in various places throughout downtown Clarkston -- in trees, on light poles, in planters, and really anywhere else. The artwork is free for anyone to take home. This whole endeavor is an exercise in artistic altruism; the artists donate their time, talent and supplies just to give the gift of art away for others to enjoy, all for fun (and for free).

Read more.

Oakland County Parks and Recreation and Riverbend Striders host the annual Hidden Forest Trail Run at Independence Oaks County Park on Sunday, October 14.

“We’ve been doing this run at Independence Oaks for 30 years. It’s a wonderful venue and one of the most beautiful parks in the Lower Peninsula,” Race Coordinator John Gault said.

Participants may select to run or walk a circuit of three varying lengths: a 2.5-mile circuit around Crooked Lake; a 5.5-mile circuit that laps twice around the Crooked Lake Trail and branches off onto Rock Ridge Trail; or an 8.5-mile challenging circuit that goes three laps around the Crooked Lake Trail and continues on to Spring Lake Trail. All races start at the same location at 9:30 a.m. Sign-in and packet pick-up begins at 8 a.m. at the Twin Chimneys picnic shelter.

Cost is $8/person, excluding an event T-shirt, and $17/person including an event T-shirt if registered by Oct. 7. Late registration after Oct. 7 is $10/person, excluding an event T-shirt, and $20 including an event T-shirt.

Prizes awarded to the top three finishers in each age division.

Participants may pre-register for the event online at www.riverbendstriders.com. Call 810-238-5981 for more information.

Independence Oaks County Park is located at 9501 Sashabaw Road in Clarkston. A daily pass or 2012 annual vehicle permit is required for park entry. Visit DestinationOakland.com for details on this and other events or find Oakland County Parks and Recreation on Facebook.

This fall, the Clarkston Community Schools will host nearly 1,000 educators from around the globe as they engage in a Harvard Project Zero Conference, November 1-3, including visits to classrooms. The site of this conference is Clarkston High School. The practice-based conference is for educators and parents interested in preparing students for the future.

Project Zero is a research, professional learning, and think tank entity of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Founded over 40 years ago by preeminent scholars, Howard Gardner and David Perkins, it now reaches around the globe offering profound insights into learning and teaching.

This is a tremendous honor for Clarkson as this is the very first time in the history of Project Zero that the entity has offered a conference at a public school. In the past, Project Zero has held conferences on Harvard’s Cambridge, MA campus and at private, international schools in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Washington DC, New York City, Australia, and elsewhere in Europe. This honor will bring both worldwide recognition and amazing opportunities to Clarkston and Oakland County.

Project Zero researchers presenting at the Clarkston conference include Gardner, Perkins, Ron Ritchhart, Shari Tishman, Tina Blythe, Daniel Wilson, and Veronica Boix Mansilla. Local, regional, state, national, and international educators will also present sessions during the conference. The Clarkston Community Schools are pleased to bring this international conference our region.

Please find registration information at http://casieonline.org/events/pz 

Homeowners, contractors and builders are invited to attend a free workshop on February 4 to learn how to repair wood windows. The workshop is scheduled from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm at 5331 Maybee Road in Clarkston, the original, historic building for the Sashabaw Plains Presbyterian Church. 
 
Participants will receive hands-on training for the removal, repair and maintenance of wood windows, and be instructed on specific techniques to improve the efficiency of older windows.  Tools and all supplies will be provided for use during the workshop.
 
“A well-maintained 100-year-old wood window with a wood framed storm can often out-perform a new replacement window that has double-pane glazing,” said Jim Turner, the workshop instructor.
 
Recent studies in side by side testing of restored wood windows and new replacements found the wood windows were equal to or outperformed the newer ones in 13 out of 15 windows test conducted, according to Ron Campbell,a preservation architect with Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services .  Additionally, Campbell notes that repairing rather than replacing is much more cost effective for the owner.  “Typically repairing is ½ to ¾ less than replacing not to mention the green aspect of reuse rather taking them to a landfill,” says Campbell.
 
This project is being sponsored by the Clarkston Community Historical Society, Clarkston Historic District Commission, Daughters of the American Revolution Sashabaw Plains Chapter, Michigan Historic Preservation Network, Oakland County Historical Commission, Sashabaw Presbyterian Church and Oakland County Economic Development & Community Affairs.
 
For more information about the workshop or the project, please contact Ron Campbell, AIA, at campbellr@oakgov.com.

Strap on snowshoes and follow an experienced naturalist to discover tracks and other evidence of active winter animals on Saturday, Jan. 14 at the Wint Nature Center in Independence Oaks County Park. The Snowshoe Trek & Campfire program runs from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. and includes a guided hike, treat by the campfire and T-shirt printing. Participants should bring a light-colored T-shirt to decorate. Cost is $5/person. Snowshoeing is for ages 5 and older. For details and to pre-register, call 248.625.6473.
 
New Wint hours for a new year
Beginning Jan. 4, 2012, the Wint Nature Center will be open for walk-in visitation Wednesday - Sunday, from 1 - 5 p.m. The nature center will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.  Advance reservations programs including group programs, field trips, birthday parties, etc. are available Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday noon – 5 p.m.
The new hours are part of the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission’s efforts to streamline operations and reduce costs while continuing to provide high quality service to residents and guests.

In its 26^th year of operation, the Wint Nature Center was named one of the Top 10 Nature Centers in Southeast Michigan by Metro Parent Magazine. It offers interactive exhibits, field trips and outreach programs. Professional naturalists facilitate interpretive programs, including the national award-winning Tuning Your Tot into Nature, offered each season for children ages 3 - 6. 

For more Wint Nature Center information and events, visit DestinationOakland.com or find us on Facebook.

At 10 p.m. Dec. 12, tune into the Food Network to see a Clarkston establishment on an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." Union Woodshop was filmed for a segment in August; the film crew also went to Clarkston Union and the Michigan Brewery in Webberville, where Kid Rock's American Badass Beer is made.

Read more here.

Pro Martial Arts now calls Lake Orion it's home and, thanks to the anti-bullying mandate from Lake Orion area schools, the studio offers more than just self defense training; there is also a focus on character building, behavior training, and physical fitness.

Ron Stencel, co-owner said that "physical fitness has always been important to me. While karate is definitely a great way to become physically active, we really want to emphasize the character education, the lifestyles and the non-karate part of the program. It's a great youth development program that uses martial arts as a tool for the skill set kids need growing up."

Read more.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson honored three individuals for making Oakland County a better place to live, work, play and raise a family at the 19th Annual Quality People, Quality County (Q2) breakfast at the Centerpoint Marriot in Pontiac on Sept. 14.

Receiving accolades this year were Marye Miller, executive director of the Older Persons' Commission (OPC) in Rochester; Forrest Milzow, philanthropist and owner of the Deer Lake Athletic Club in Clarkston; and Joseph Welch, president and CEO of ITC Holdings in Novi.

"All three honorees are enhancing the quality of life in Oakland County through their efforts to help others," Patterson said.  "They truly deserve this year's Q2 award."

Miller is improving the quality of life for Oakland County's senior population. She ensures older residents of all ages have access to programs and services that promote active and healthy lifestyles. OPC offers excellent adult day services; home delivered meals to seniors; a branch of the Rochester Public Library catering to the interests of older residents; senior advocacy services; and nutrition and transportation services. The OPC also offers a plethora of activities for active seniors who want to be involved in health and wellness, leisure travel, performing arts, and so much more.

Milzow's Q2 Award is as much about him as it is his late wife, Dr. Jacqueline Milzow, who passed away seven years ago this month. Jacqueline retired from Pontiac Schools after 30 years of caring for and educating Pontiac students with special needs. To honor his wife posthumously, Forrest established the Jacqui Milzow Memorial Scholarship Fund. It supports the Clarkston SCAMP Program, the Promise Zone of Pontiac, and Pontiac students who want to further their education in college. Milzow also opens the doors of the Deer Lake Athletic Club twice a year to children in the Abused and Neglected Unit at Children's Village. In addition, Milzow oversaw the construction of a mortgage-free home for the Shrauger family, who lost their home to financial difficulties caused by traveling back and forth to Texas to see their son who was wounded in Iraq.

When Patterson established his Emerging Sectors initiative in 2004, his vision was to have high-tech companies providing sustainable, high-paying jobs for decades to come. Welch, as president and CEO of ITC Holdings in Novi, is achieving that vision. Under Joe's leadership, ITC has been focused on investing in the high-voltage transmission system that provides best-in-class service to customers and transmission infrastructure improvements that increase reliability and lower energy costs. Joe, however, is more than a high tech job provider. He is a generous supporter of The Brooksie Way Half Marathon & 5k Race and the Dennis Toffolo Endowed Scholarship at Oakland Community College (OCC). Joe also dedicates countless hours as co-chair of the Oakland County Business Roundtable.

Past recipients of the Q2 Award since 1993 when Patterson first started the program include:  Late Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster Ernie Harwell, legendary Free Press sports writer Joe Falls, radio personality Dick Purtan, Flagstar Bank, and T&C Federal Credit Union to name just a few.

Keep up with more Oakland County news and information here.

A Space 2 Dream (AS2D), a Clarkston-based nonprofit that benefits local children and teens has redesigned the bedroom shared by a 13-year-old girl and her younger sisters. The girls' room received a pop star-themed makeover after AS2D learned of Brianna's post-traumatic depression.

Tricia Delude, founder of AS2D, said that upon hearing Brianna's story, she knew the organization had found their next deserving recipient. In the past, the all-volunteer group has surprised other kids with specially decorated rooms ranging in themes from sports to jungle to haute couture.

AS2D accepts nominations through its website, www.aspace2dream.org. After a nominee is accepted, a meeting is scheduled with parents or guardians to help the group understand each unique story behind the child and bedroom in need of a loving surprise. The organization surveys the space to learn about the child's or teen's interests and aspirations before setting out to create the perfect space to dream, create, be inspired or just to feel special. To date, AS2D has revealed four surprise room makeovers to Michigan families and with each room,

Delude explains that "in addition to décor, we'll also provide essentials like beds and mattresses to ensure safety, comfort and a good night's sleep." AS2D accepts individual or corporate donations of time, money and used furniture to help fulfill its mission. The organization holds numerous fundraisers throughout the year, including an upcoming back-to-school children's fashion show and dessert event aptly titled, "Fashionably Sweet." Set to take place August 24th at 6:30pm in Clarkston, the show will feature some of its previous room recipients as models. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit www.aspace2dream.org.