CommunityNEXT

Gateway to Detroit?

HuffPostDetroit — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:19:25 +0000

Gateway to Detroit?

HuffPostDetroit — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:15:07 +0000

Someone must’ve decided the third week of May would be good for ceremonial shoveling: Following the Whole Foods groundbreaking Monday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing will join developers and officials in Detroit Thursday to throw some dirt at the site of the planned Gateway Marketplace, future home to a Meijer Superstore.

The 350,000 square foot shopping center on the southeastern corner of 8 Mile Rd. and Woodward Avenue will be anchored by the Meijer and a Marshalls clothing store. Other tenants of Gateway, set to open in spring 2013, include K&G Fashion Superstore, Dots, McDonald’s and PNC Bank.

The development, headed by Southfield-based REDICO, is expected to create 900 new jobs.

June Torah On Tap!

communitynext — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:22:54 +0000

Join Rabbi Leiby Burnham for a night of Torah and shmuzing at Torah on Tap – June 2012.

The drinks are on us, the Torah is on us, all you need to do is show up!

We’ll be at Dick O’ Dow’s (160 W. Maple Road, Birmingham, MI), chillin’ in the back room, as usual. Please click “Join” to show you’ll be attending, and then invite some friends!

-Torah on Tap co-chairs,

Josh Goldberg
Rabbi Leiby Burnham

CNXT Networking Night

communitynext — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:03:46 +0000

NEW BLOGS! Gabe, Ian, Jason and Live Detroit Fund

communitynext — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:50:36 +0000

Farm Bill 101

iansherman — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:39:48 +0000

The Farm Bill is one of the biggest and most influential pieces of legislation in our government today. It covers our entire agriculture and food system. The bill includes 15 major sections covering everything from government support of crops, livestock, nutrition, trade, agriculture research to food assistance programs such as SNAP and the school lunch program. The Farm Bill is reassessed and reauthorized every five years. It is always politically charged. This year the debate is especially important because it is an election year.

Why is this important to us? Well, 80% of the farm bill budget goes to SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program) formally known as food stamps. In the most recent weeks it has been proposed to cut the farm bill budget by 23 billion, most of which comes from SNAP. 1 in 7 Americans are on SNAP. Cutting SNAP would not only hurt those on it would also be detrimental to our economy. These cuts could reduce the numbers by over 1.5 million, which would also increase the poverty numbers in America. In fact cutting SNAP would make our poverty numbers also rise.

If you are not on SNAP why should you care about this? It’s simple – if the government cuts any amount from SNAP those individuals will lose their money to buy food, therefore any extra income they could use to add to our economy is lost.

In a way the farm bill should be called the food bill. We must help our legislators see what is obvious – We NEED A FAIR FARM BILL, because it affects all of us. As a community we must help in any way we can.

For more information please visit these websites.

http://frac.org/leg-act-center/farm-bill-2012/

http://feedingamerica.org/how-we-fight-hunger/programs-and-services/public-assistance-programs/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program.aspx

Mother’s Day Again… Already

Gabe Narrett — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:32:47 +0000

Mother’s Day is always tough for me. I have a very difficult time remembering what Mother’s Days with my own mother were like. I know that we always had a barbecue at my aunt and uncle’s house and that, for most of those celebrations, I took way too much food and only ate a fraction of it. When my mouth was entirely filled with a mish-mash of hamburger, coleslaw and potato salad, making it impossible to chew, I would look at my mother helplessly. She in turn would grab a napkin, and as discreetly as possible, hold it for me while I spit food enough for a small village into it.

The evolution of my mom’s looks are also clearly visible to me. Her dark-brown hair was longer and relatively straight when I was young, shorter when I was in middle school and then long and extremely wavy, with some gray, after her first two chemotherapy regimens when I encouraged her to grow out her flow. It was unimportant how she wore her hair, though, because she always exuded the same warmth and light-hearted spirit whether she was feeling 100 percent or gritting her teeth and just hanging on.

Eventually her wavy hair was gone, replaced by colorful scarves, but she was still the same mom. This is now the seventh Mother’s Day without my mom and they haven’t gotten any easier. However, instead of simply being down-in-the-dumps I try to focus on how much my mom meant to me, every happy moment we shared and every obstacle we overcame together.

Whether you’re still lucky enough to have your mom or have to just think about happy memories, enjoy your Mother’s Day and remember/appreciate your mom and everything you shared.

Walkable Downtown

LiveDetroitFund — Sat, 12 May 2012 06:24:11 +0000

Possibly my favorite part of living downtown Detroit is the walkability. When we’re hungry, we walk to a restaurant. When we go out, we walk to the bar. When we’re bored, we walk to the Tigers game, or to a park, or to listen to live music. My roommate Ryan even walks to work everyday!

Today, I came home from work, changed into shorts and walked over to Bookies, a nearby sports bar/grill, to enjoy the weather with friends on the roof. Tonight I walked to Cliff Bell’s to listen to some live jazz then walked to Hot Taco to eat some crazy-delicious fish tacos on my way home.

Still skeptical? Come check it out for yourself at our next LDF event, D-Crawl: A Detroit Bar Crawl Experience, on Saturday 5/26, where we’ll showcase Detroit’s walkable bar scene. Yes, there will be official D-Crawl t-shirts. Contact me at jacobsmith88@gmail.com if you want to come.

Jacob

Live Detroit Fund: D-Crawl

communitynext — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:11:56 +0000

A Detroit Bar Crawl Experience w/ Jacob & Ryan!

https://www.facebook.com/events/235946986506653/?notif_t=plan_user_invited

The Event:
It’s time. The moment you’ve all been waiting for: Round 3. First we tantalized your taste buds with delicious MI beer. Then we danced the night away, Detroit-style, with the ‘Sprang Thang.’ Now get ready for the hypest event Ryan and Jacob have ever created: THE D-CRAWL.

The Schedule:
07:00-08:00 PM: Centaur Bar
08:00-09:30 PM: Cliff Bell’s
09:30-11:00 PM: Grand Trunk Pub
11:00-12:30 AM: Old Shillelagh
12:30-02:00 AM: Delux Bar & Lounge
02:00-02:30AM: Lafayette Coney Island
02:30-07:00AM: Our Apartment (DCA, Rm 2509)

The Walking Plan:
http://g.co/maps/9b48p

The T-Shirt:
Please RSVP by May 14th by writing your t-shirt size on the event wall. Cost is $10. Please bring $10 cash to the Centaur to claim your shirt.

Live Detroit Fund: Ruth Ellis Center Tour & Motor City Pride Flash Mob Dance Practice

communitynext — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:07:34 +0000

The Ruth Ellis Center is one of four organizations in the U.S. that serve the needs of homeless LGBTQ youth. Nationally and in Detroit, 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. Join us for a half-hour private tour of the drop-in center with the Ruth Ellis Program Supervisor. After the tour we will join the practice for the Flash Mob dance which is planned for Motor City Pride on June 2! This event is a really wonderful opportunity, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Contact Live Detroit Fund Recipient, Mallory with any questions! mallory.tomaro@gmail.com