One of the conversations that comes up over and over again in Farmington is whether the city should just merge with Farmington Hills. Instead of two city councils, one. Instead of two mayors, one. Instead of two city halls, one.  I know folks who think it's a great idea and folks who would fight it tooth-and-nail. My sense is that the political will for a merger does not exist in Farmington, where the process would have to start. But I wonder whether it might be happening right under our noses.  Consider the list of shared services enumerated in resolutions passed this month by Farmington and…

Because I mark the seasons based on activity, rather than the calendar, winter in my world starts today with the opening of the winter farmers market run by Jean Smith of The Garden Gate Farm.  I'm looking forward to seeing familiar faces among the vendors, along with friends who will certainly head over to the market's new location in the Old Winery building on Grand River, west of Orchard Lake Rd. But mostly, I am looking forward to spending time in that building, because of its interesting history. The brick-red behemoth is an iconic fixture, a landmark with a tall smokestack that tells me…

I can't always show up when people ask on short notice, but sometimes, the Calendar Stars align and a space opens up at just the right time. On Friday morning, State Rep. Vicki Barnett's district representative Laura Zander emailed to let me know Barnett (D-37th District) would be at Harrison High that afternoon to honor junior Michael Kach. Michael achieved the rank of Eagle Scout earlier this year, and Barnett planned to deliver a legislative tribute, right before he hit the field for marching band practice. As it happens, Barnett is a big fan of Scouting; she spent two years as Pack Master…

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone more involved in the community than Jan Dolan. She spent 14 years in Farmington Hills city government and served as this area's state representative for eight years, retiring in 1996. These days, Dolan is a member of local civic clubs, and chairs boards for Botsford Continuing Care, Area Agency on Aging 1B and the Oakland Community College Foundation. And now, she can add "skydiver" to the list. It's something she has always wanted to do. "I'll be flying some place on a plane and look out the window and think, 'I want to be out there flying'," said Dolan…

Editor's Note: This story is part of a new Patch initiative that chronicles the pursuit of the American dream in communities across the United States. Local service clubs in Farmington and Farmington Hills do some pretty cool things. I'm fortunate enough to get invited to them. Two weeks ago, an invitation from the Farmington Rotary Club led me to Orchard United Methodist Church in Farmington Hills, to hear a speaker who made me think pretty hard about the privilege of living in America. Before June 11, Dayana Delgado was living and working as a doctor in Cuba. She knew she would never go …

On Friday afternoon — coincidentally, my son's 32nd birthday — I took a little trip back through time at the Farmington Area Moms' Club Mom to Mom sale. Held at First United Methodist Church of Farmington, this twice-yearly event draws more than two dozen vendors to the church basement. The racks of children's and baby clothes, shoes, boots, outerwear, blankets and bedding, cribs, high chairs and more, brought back memories of those first awesome and terrifying days of parenthood. Back then, I pored over garage sale listings, looking for the magic words: "baby and children's clothes." Got up …

I remember exactly where I was on Sept. 11, 2001. Well, almost. As editor of the Farmington Observer, I was attending a community group meeting, although the location escapes me. We were just getting under way when cell phones started to ring. Someone said a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I headed for the door, remembering the words of former Observer Editor Joanne Maliszewski, who told me if a disaster happens anywhere in the world, chances are it will involve someone local. (Remember the diver who got left behind by a boat in Australia a few months ago? As soon as I heard …

At Friday's ribbon-cutting ceremony for Merle Norman's new wig studio and spa, an older, bespectacled woman at my elbow asked whether I worked for the city. I smiled and explained what I do for Farmington-Farmington Hills Patch. "I'm the original owner," she said softly, and with tremendous pride. When Helvi Koivunen opened Merle Norman in downtown Farmington 41 years ago, lipstick cost $1.25—and the store's business was limited to beauty products and makeovers. She told me her love for Merle Norman products got her into the business in 1970. "I had bad skin," she recalled, adding she tried …

A few weeks ago, I watched Alexander Steward, manager of Swinginfusion Farmington, stand in front of Farmington City Council members with a simple request. He wanted to hold a dance party for a few hundred people at the Walter E. Sundquist Farmington Pavilion. On Thursday night, that's what happened, as more than 250 people crowded into downtown Farmington for an evening of swing. I wasn't able to be there, but everyone I've heard from tells me the event was a sight to behold. (Take a look at Asif Rohela's photos — they're pretty cool.) It's not just the dancing, although swing dance is one …

Every now and again, a little something called "synchronicity" creeps into my work. It happened this week on Wednesday — at a Northville restaurant, with a few enthusiastic kids and a young woman with a Farmington Hills connection. I was invited to meet with a group of kids from the city of Farmington Hills' Summer Drop-In program at Piepers Pies, a restaurant at that opened at Haggerty and Eight Mile Road in November, around the same time we launched Farmington-Farmington Hills Patch. A Michigan company, Piepers (pronounced PIE-pers) Pies serves savory, hand-held pies in 13 flavors. City of …

From the moment the lights went down Friday afternoon at the Farmington Players Barn, it was clear this would be no ordinary show. The 26 students at Glee Camp who spent the week learning how to sing and dance like the characters on the hit Fox television show Glee took to the stage with a rousing rendition of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing," one of the show's signature tunes. I wish I could show you their 45-minute performance, but I can't, because frankly, we can't afford to pay for the rights to that many Lady Gaga songs. What I can do is give you a taste of the camp through the eyes of …

While it's only a hint of what might happen in November, the number of people interested in running for office this fall is nothing short of encouraging. Only one candidate has filed petitions for mayor in Farmington Hills; Barry Brickner is coming off the City Council to seek the office. But 11 people have pulled petitions to run for three City Council seats, currently held by Brickner, Ken Massey and Randy Bruce. Five people are interested in a six-year seat on the Farmington school board; two people are running for four-year terms, one candidate each for a full term and the partial term to…

On Wednesday night, I served as a judge for the Miss Farmington pageant at the Farmington Civic Theater in downtown Farmington. If anybody tells you pageant judging is a piece of cake, have them come talk to me. When the results were announced, I really had no idea Elise Newcomer would be our new Miss Farmington. All seven candidates impressed the heck out of me, and my score sheet was pretty tight. As I walked to the afterglow event at Page's Food & Spirits, I spotted one of the unsuccessful contestants being consoled by a group of her friends. These events mean a lot to the girls who enter …

A few months ago, Greater Farmington Area Chamber Director Mary Engelman talked with Lamar English from Southwestern Oakland Cable Commission (SWOCC) about an idea English had for a new cable show. The result of their brainstorming conversation is a five-minute feature called Chowin' with the Chamber. The show will go deep inside the kitchens of Farmington and Farmington Hills restaurants, talking with owners and customers to give you an idea what you can expect when you go out to eat. "The whole show is not scripted at all," Engelman said. "We thought it would be a great thing to get out …

If you've read my Patch bio, you know that I consider myself a "spiritual seeker." I like that Patch encourages editors to share our political and religious beliefs. I think it provides perspectives for stories like my interview with Farmington Hills resident Elaine Grohman. Grohman grew up in this area; she played in Heritage Park when the property was still owned by the Spicer family. She met and married her husband here, raised her family here. She's a hometown girl, raised in the Catholic faith.  I first heard her speak at a book-signing event at the Farmington Civic Theater two years ago…

You've probably guessed that I love downtown Farmington. The city's central business district is also my home. I've lived for eight years just a short block off Grand River, on Oakland Street. Before that, I worked in a downtown office. For almost a dozen years, I've watched downtown businesses close. I wrote about Harmony House closing its doors in the Downtown Farmington Center. I watched when Tuesday Morning and Shoe Carnival and Office Depot closed, when Anna's Baskets couldn't make a go of a coffee shop/gift store on Farmington Road. Perhaps because I've seen so many of those, the …

Farmington Hills parent Julie Devine stood in front of a room filled with about 30 8th grade girls at Dunckel Middle School Friday afternoon, talking about something most women don't. As part of Girls Only Leadership Development (GOLD), more than 90 girls spent Friday afternoon and evening doing team-building exercises, talking about what high school's going to be like, finding out how to be safe online and learning that every woman has body image issues. Every. Last. One of us. This year, four moms organized the event – Devine, Marilyn Rollinger, Lillian Wright and Ruth Dunning. Devine …

No matter how how old you are, seeing almost every level of government, from U.S. Congress to city council, represented in one room is impressive. I stumbled upon this amazing sight the morning of May 20 at the Costick Activities Center in Farmington Hills. After Gov. Rick Snyder and Republican leaders in the Legislature announced an agreement on the state budget, I was looking to get a comment from State Sen. Vincent Gregory (D-Southfield). I knew he planned to be at the Costick Center for a meeting with residents, so off I went. But when I walked into the Conway room, it was U.S. …

Flip-flops. Nothing says "summer" more than those ubiquitous, squishy rubber summer casual sandals. I haven't worn flip-flops in years, but I remember buying a new pair every season. Sometimes two, depending on how long they lasted. A few weeks ago, I received an email from a faithful Farmington-Farmington Hills Patch reader who forwarded a note about a flip-flop recycling program at Old Navy. I had no idea a person could recycle flip-flops, so I paid a visit to the Farmington Hills store, which is located in Hunters Square shopping center at 14 Mile and Orchard Lake Roads. I should have …

Kristina Barauskas remembers being a shy student during the four years she took ceramics from Bloomfield Hills teacher John Hartom. Now an art teacher herself, Barauskas is bringing a hunger awareness event launched in 1990 by Hartom and his students to Beechview Elementary School on Thursday. Empty Bowls is now a nationwide program through which students create bowls for a dinner fundraiser at which soup and bread are served. The students then take the bowls home as a reminder that many people go to bed hungry each night. Beechview's Empty Bowls event will be a little different, as Barauskas…