400 - hamtramck review | hamtramck, mi
TRANSCRIPT
3020 Caniff, Hamtramck, MI 48212 • (313) 874-2100Volume 8 No. 30
July 22, 2016
50¢
www.hamtramckreview.com • e-mail [email protected]
Like Us On:
Quick Hits
— HAMTRAMCK'S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD —
FRD PHARMACY9811 Conant • Hamtramck
(313) 871-1115Mon-Fri: 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-3pm
www.sav-mor.com
DRUG STORES
“Your Pharmacy Experts”
Make sure your heart ishappy AND
healthy.
Additional Savings on
OVER 5000Brand andGeneric
Medications
$400GENERICS30-DAY SUPPLY*
$999GENERICS90-DAY SUPPLY*Over 500 drugs available. See www.sav-mor.com for details.
Quote of the week …Who said this, and what is itabout? You can find thequote and the story it be-longs to somewhere in thepages of this issue.
“We want to see what’s out
there. …”
Here’s a good way tobeat the heat this Sun-day – and contribute to agood cause.Hamtramck Soup is
once again hosting apresentation of commu-nity projects on July 24.How this works is any-
one can join the dinnerfor a $5 admission andlisten to the presenters.After the presentationsare made those in atten-dance vote to pick thewinning project.The winner takes the
proceeds from the nightto help fund their proj-ect.It’s a great way to
meet fellow residentsand make new friends.The July 24 get-to-
gether is at PLAV Post10, 11824 Jos. Cam-pau. Doors open at 4:30p.m., dinner is servedup at 5 and presenta-tions are made at 6.
Quote of the week …
Continued on page 3
• School/Sport Physicals• X-Rays • EKGs• Vaccinations • Check-Up 3120 Carpenter
— Suite 103 —Inside Carpenter
Medical Plaza
Majority Insurances
AcceptedHOURS: Wed-Fri 12-5pm • Sat 11am-4pm
By Charles SercombeHere’s one financial
challenge the city won’thave to worry about –for a short while that is.Last week it was an-
nounced that Ham-tramck will receive $2.3million from a federalgrant to finance 12 po-sitions in the Fire De-partment for the nexttwo years.City officials had been
waiting – and waiting –for this announcementfor the past fewmonths.The grant will not
cover a $400,000shortfall in the Fire De-partment for last year's
fiscal budget, whichended on June 30. How-ever, the grant will noweliminate a deficit in the
current fiscal year.City Manager Katrina
Powell said in an emailthat she was doing
“cartwheels” – at leastfiguratively – after hear-ing the news. But she
After months of waiting, fire grantgives financial security – for a while
Continued on page 2
By Charles SercombeTime is running out for
those who want a seaton the HamtramckSchool Board.Candidates have until
July 26, 4 p.m., to file forthe upcoming Novemberelection. There are threeseats on the board tofill.One seat is to fill the
remaining term of for-mer Boardmember Mo-hammed Huda, whovacated the position be-cause he was found tonot actually be a resi-dent of the city. That po-sition has four yearsremaining in the term.Huda challenged the
board’s decision that hisposition was vacated inWayne Circuit Court butlost. He initially chargedthe district with violatinghis civil rights, but whenthat was rejected byWayne County CircuitCourt Judge RobertColombo, he tried to gethis position back with-out seeking financialdamages from the dis-trict.That, too, was rejected
by Judge Colombo.Boardmember Salah
Hadwan has been fillingthat seat for the pastfew months. He is ex-pected to seek electionto it.
By Mike MurphySpecial to The ReviewUnlike many health
care providers, the man-ager of an urgent healthcare facility new to Ham-tramck aims to providemuch needed and afford-able health care serv-ices for the community. Health Choice Urgent
Care Facility manager
Aziz Issa said Ham-tramck is an under-served area as far asone-stop emergencyhealth care services areconcerned, and his ur-gent care facility isneeded in the commu-nity. “We’re not here to get
rich, we’re here to help
Deadline forSchool Boardrace coming up
Urgent care centeroffers one-stophealth care
Continued on page 6
For the next two years financing for the Fire Department will be largely coveredby a federal grant. But city officials will have to use that time to come up with apermanent solution to funding the department.
Physician Assistant Kevin Campbell (left) demon-strates an X-ray machine at newly-opened HealthChoice Urgent Care on Carpenter while facility man-ager Aziz Issa looks on.
SAM’S MARKET2303 Commor at Fleming St. • Hamtramck
(313) 365-9693 Sale Dates: July 22-29
All VarietiesOur Family Milk
Gallon
$299
NewportCigarettes$632
+ tax
YellowOnions
$1993 lb. bag
Lemons
2/$1RedApples
$169lb.HeadLettuce
99¢ea.GreenOnions
2/$13 pk.
IdahoPotatoes
$1995 lb.Cucumbers
2/$1Oranges
2/$1
Lay’s Classic,Wavy, BBQ Chips
8 oz.
2/$5
80/20 Hamburger
$299
Sweet Potatoes
2/$1KingsfordCharcoal
$99918.6 lb.
Stroh’s Ice Cream
1.5 qt.
2/$7
FOOD STAMPS & WIC WelcomeHOURS: Open Daily 8am-8pm, Sun 9am-5pm
Corona Beer$1399
Milwaukee’s Best3/$5
12 pk + dep + taxWe Buy Gift Cards
or $3.99 ea.
Ramen Noodle Soup
4/$1
Bud or BudLight Beer$169924 pk. + tax + dep
BanquetTV Dinners2/$311.88 oz.
lb.
LBS.
Leg Quarters
$69910 lb.
40 oz + dep + tax
PorkChops
$249lb.Hot Dog
Beef Franks
2/$4
added that the city stillneeds to look for waysto permanently fund thedepartment.“Let the hard work
now begin over the nextyear in finding a dedi-cated funding source,”Powell said in a groupemail.Powell told The Review
that she is working withstate officials on a wayto fund the departmentwithout depending ongrants. This grant is of-ficially called a SAFERgrant, which stands forStaffing for AdequateFire & Emergency Re-sponse and comes fromthe federal agencyFEMA.Hamtramck has re-
ceived this grant for thepast few years.Although Hamtramck
was under the control ofa state-appointed emer-gency manager beforePowell took over as citymanager a year-and-a-half ago, permanentfunding for the depart-ment was not ad-
dressed.Neither was the city’s
other financial hurdle:supporting the risingcosts for pensions.Powell is also working
with state officials onthis financial challengeas well.The city has come
under the control of anemergency managertwice in the last 15years – all because of fi-nancial shortfalls be-yond the city’s control.Hamtramck has expe-
rienced what manyother municipalitieshave suffered from: ashrinking tax base andincreasing costs in pro-viding services.The city is still under
the control of the statevia a Transition AdvisoryBoard. That board hasfinal approval of finan-cial decisions by thecity.In other news regard-
ing the Fire Department,retired Eastpointe FireChief Danny Hagen willbe Hamtramck Interim
Fire Chief starting Aug.1. Powell said that a na-
tionwide search will beconducted to fill the po-sition permanently. Shesaid eligible Hamtramckfirefighters are also wel-comed to apply for the
job.The search is ex-
pected to take three tofour months, Powellsaid. In the meantimeHagen will be assessingthe needs of the depart-ment.
�
Recycled TreasuresRecycled TreasuresRecycled TreasuresRecycled Treasures ������������� ����� ��� ���������������������������������� �!���������� ��� �����"�
�
�
���������������� �������������������������������������������������� ���������
�!������"��#��Op&�n�
�
(n�������������)��*�����#���� ��+�)�����
������������������
������#��*����,p��-��n����#��*����,p���������#��*����,p��.����#��*����,p��
�������#�����O��/0�� ���!�#�$!����$!���$!���
��������������n&n�����
1�2��3��"�������4�5 �p���������������.(�06�
�7�2��3�8.���9�(������:�(������n�������������
�(��������:��n����
;�#�*������n��<������
����
2 Hamtramck Review Phone (313) 874-2100 Friday, July 22, 2016
This week at the library...
For more information about events at the library call (313) 365-7050, or visit our website at http://hamtramck.lib.mi.us where you
can also access our online catalog.
n¨vgUªvwgK nvDwms Kwgkb (GBP& GBP& Gm&) eY©, †MvÎ, ag© ,RvZxq Drm, wj½, weKjv½ ev cvwievwiK Ae¯’v‡bi wfwˇZKv‡iI AeÁv K‡ibv| ‡mKkvb 3 Gi †hvM¨Zvm¤úbœ AvMÖnx‡`i www.hud.gov- G wbeÜb Ki&‡Z Aby‡iva Kiv hv‡”Q|
• wnU I cvwb• Avjv`v ivbœvNi• Av‡qi Abymv‡i fvov• fe‡bi †fZ‡i WvK&• e¨vqvgvMvi
• 24 N›Uv wbivcËv cvnvov
• we‡bv`b †K›`ª• kxZZvc wbqwš¿Z• cvVvMvi
GBP BD wW-i GKwU D”Pgv‡bi cÖKí
‡mKkvb 3 ‡iwR÷vix †`Lyb-----• ‡iwR÷vi weR‡bm wm‡j± Kiyb • dig cyiY K‡i mve&wgU Kiæb• gy`ªb Kiæb Ges wbe܇bi cªgvb wnmv‡e mv‡_ ivLyb| • hw` Avcbvi †Kvb cÖkœ A_ev gZvgZ _v‡K n¨vgUªvwgK nvDwRsKwgk‡b 313 868 7445 b¤^‡i †hvMv‡hvM Ki‡Z cv‡ib|
n¨vgUªvwgK wmwbqi cøvRv 2620 njeªæK ÷ªxU, n¨vgUªvwgK • 313 873 7787
Citizenship Class – Tues-day, July 26, 5:30 p.m. Ham-tramck residents can gethelp in preparing for their cit-izenship exam. Classes arefree. Registration is re-quired.
Family Feud Family FunNight -- With HamtramckDrug Free Community Coali-tion, July 28, 5 p.m.
Meet the author -- “My Ev-idence Closet” Author visit &Book Signing with local au-thor Dorothy Payne Thursday,July 28, 5 p.m. Join the au-thor for a brief reading, aquestion and answer ses-sion, and book signing.“After what seemed to be
the longest storm of mybeing, God calm the watersand graced me with love andhappiness in abundance, butnot without vast trials andtribulations. My love for thelord has grown from all thetemporary suffering from theloss of my parents and sib-lings to my son being tem-porarily incarcerated and mydaughter’s mental illness. I
also adopted my daughter’sfive children all while holdingdown a full time job. Fromthose situations God show-ered me with love; help, con-soling and most of all victory.“The book will show how
God blessed and gave methe victory over each andevery situation. The journeyhas not been easy. Thru it allGod has shown me and myfamily how much he lovesus. He has also shown methat he can work out any sit-uation and turn it into a vic-tory. I have proof and it is allin My Evidence Closet.”
Starlab – Wednesday, Au-gust 3, 2 p.m., Explore thewonders of the galaxy, andobserve the beauty and sci-ence of the night sky by step-ping inside the Starlab!
DETROIT 1967: DO YOUREMEMBER? -- Do you havefond memories of living inthe metro Detroit Area? Didyou live in Detroit during the1960s? Would you like toshare your story? The DetroitHistorical Society is currently
embarking on an ambitiousproject to collect oral or writ-ten histories from our com-munity members who havecompelling accounts of thelife in or around Detroit be-fore, during, or after the July1967 civil unrest. No story istoo big or too small. Pleasecontact us today.
Cooking Matters forAdults -- Free cooking and nu-trition classes featuringhealthy cooking on a budget,smart shopping ideas, culi-nary secrets, free cookbookand free groceries. Classesmeet 2 hours each week andare 6 weeks long. (Commit-ment to all classes is manda-tory.) If interested please callthe Hamtramck Public Libraryat (313) 365-7050.
Michigan Activity Pass --The pass will enable Librarycard holders to obtain a one-time free entry into any Michi-gan State park or recreationarea, and free entry into over100 participating cultural in-stitutions. Ask at the circula-tion desk for more details.
Continued from front page
Continued on page 12
Characters Always
Welcome!
FREE WI-FI
Wednesday
FREE POOL
12002 Jos. Campau • (313) 892-9689
MondayDomestic
DOLLAR BEER
Get Out on the
Hamtown!
NEWS ADVISORY: From All-Faiths Festival and Care of the Soul and Companions' Counselling.
Contact 586-925-7617 for more, and reservations with group moderator and board certified professional counselor,
Rev. Dr. Lawrence M. Ventline, a Catholic pastor
"Respect for Sex, Guns, and the Golden Rule," a Clergy Roundtable Session in the Boulevard Grill, 27200 Crocker Blvd.,
Harrison Twp., Thursday, July 28th, 12 Noon - 1:15 PM.
"Veterans and Military Therapy," a growth group in a safe setting with Father Lawrence Ventline who experienced the loss of his own
brother, PFC Lukas Ventline, in Vietnam, and, has conducted veteran and grief support groups for four decades. Call or email
[email protected] for a seat, and venue for the 4 August Thursdays, 10:30 am and 5:00 pm sessions.
'We, the People: Protection, the Public and Police - A Clergy Round-able Conversation,' Warren Civic Center Library Mark Twain Room, One
City Square, Van Dyke betw 12 & 13 Mile, Monday, Aug. 8th, 12 Noon - 1:15 PM
Vacation Bible School for Children, Parents and Grandparents, "The Golden Rule, and, Respect for Sex and Guns,"
Monday, Aug. 15, 1 - 2:30 pm, at the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Apartments Community Center, 595 Chene, Detroit.
Elmwood Park Community Praise, Family Fair Food Center, 750 Chene, Det., Sunday, Aug. 7, 12 Noon. High school bands,
children, parents, and grandparents join neighbors at the MLK, Jr. Apartments, more.
16th Annual Missing, Murdered Molly Bish Day, and,25th Anniversary of the All-Faiths Festival and Care of
the Soul and Companions' Counseling,Thursday, August 25, 7 PM,
Complimentary Meal by reservation, at Saint Lazarus SerbIan Orthodox Cathedral, 4575 E. Outer Drive at Van Dyke, Detroit.
For every $100 spent in locally ownedbusiness, $68 returns to the community
source: the350project.net
Free Home Delivery$4.00 • 30 DAY SUPPLY$9.99 • 90 DAY SUPPLY
Prescriptions filled in 10 minutes or lessMost insurance plan accepted.
M-F 9:30am-6:30pmSat 10am-4pm
Sun closed
9834 Conant • Hamtramck313-872-0021
MedicalClinic
On-Site
After months of waiting, fire grantgives financial security – for a while Continued from front page
Friday, July 22, 2016 Hamtramck Review Phone (313) 874-2100 3
Second Front PageIt’s Time to Pray,
Please Join UsWe are a Multicultural Parish Family
Sunday English Mass 9 a.m.Sunday School 10 a.m.
Everyone is Welcome to Worship with Us
Holy Cross Parish Polish National Catholic Church2311 Pulaski, Hamtramck • Very Rev. Jaroslaw Nowak, Pastor
313-365-5191 www.HolyCrossPNCC.com
We are an ActiveParish Serving the
Community
City Hall Insider …City Hall Insider …What is our City Council up to these days? We have the highlights of the latest council meeting.
Celebrating 93 Years of Traditional, Catholic,and Democratic Church
July 9 - Soup Kitchen, 2-4 p.m.August 13 - Soup Kitchen, 2-4 p.m.Sept. 3 - Soup Kitchen, 2-4 p.m.*
*Change of date for Sept. soup kitchen*Sept. 10 - Polish Dinner 4-7 p.m.
School Supply Drive for Hamtramck Public Schools
Get Yourself NOTICED!
Call (313) 874-2100
800.456.1500 | talmerbank.com /newhome EQUAL HOUSING
LENDER
A Home of Your Own. Apply for a Talmer loan today.
StJosephsHealthcare.comHamtramck • 313-874-4500
Leadersin Short-Term
Rehabilitation
Providing quick recovery and quality care through our comprehensive rehabilitation program.
Holbrook S
t.
Brombach
Florian St.
Just Across the Street fromSt. Florian Church!
Lumpkin St.
for the Weekly Dental Nutrition Blog
• Walk-in Emergencies Welcome
• We accept most insurances.
Office Hours:Monday - Thursday
10am-6pm Friday - Saturday
10am-2pm
• Beautiful smile reflecting healthyteeth
• NYU Graduate Dr. Sami Bilani welcomes you in many languages www.DentistSamiBilani.com
CALL NOW!313-875-1700OR Walk in at 2460 Florian St.
Florian Dental welcomes new patients with a big smile
and continuous offers!Call to check our offers at:
(313) 875-1700
Two other seats are fora full six-year term cur-rently filled by incum-bents Hedy Shulgon andJackie Starr.They are also expected
to seek re-election.So far, only one candi-
date has officially filed,Showkat Chowdhury.City Clerk August
Gitschlag said he ex-pects more candidatesto file this Friday, the dayafter The Review went topress. Gitschlag alsosaid he has informationenvelopes for anyonewho seeks to run forschool board. The infor-mation includes how to
properly seek voter sig-natures for nominatingpetitions and how toproperly handle absen-tee ballots, among otherissues.The handling of absen-
tee ballots has becomean issue in recent yearsas there have beensome candidates whohave violated state lawon their use of the bal-lots.There is one current
case pending in thestate Attorney General’sOffice regarding the mat-ter.There is no primary
election for the school
board.But there is a Primary
Election on Aug. 2 for anumber of non-city of-fices and two tax mill-ages.Hamtramck Coun-
cilmembers Anam Miahand Mohammed Hassanwill be on the primaryballot.Miah is seeking to un-
seat Wayne County Com-missioner Martha Scott,while Hassan is alsogoing after an incum-bent, State Rep. RoseMary Robinson.
Deadline for SchoolBoard race coming upContinued from front page
By Charles SercombeThe city council met on
July 12, and all coun-cilmembers were present.Before the regular coun-
cil meeting a work ses-sion was held. In a reviewof purchases, it wasnoted that the city paid$42,000 for a dump truckthat will haul road saltand plow the streets inwinter.“It should save some
wear and tear on oursmaller trucks,” said CityManager Katrina Powell.Powell noted that the
truck was purchasedthrough a bid process andit had been hoped the citywould buy it for far less,at $25,000.Also discussed was a
bid proposal to take overstreet repairs. Powell saidthe city will be ramping uprepairs “hot and heavy.”Retired Eastpointe Fire
Chief Danny Hagen wasintroduced as the interimHamtramck Fire Chief,and he is scheduled tobegin work on Aug. 1.Powell said that a na-
tionwide search will beconducted for a perma-nent chief.“We want to see what’s
out there. … This is a cru-cial time for the Fire De-partment as we try to finda reliable, dedicated fund-ing source,” she said.During the regular coun-
cil meeting, Councilmem-ber Anam Miah asked fora moment of silence forthose officers killed andwounded in the Dallas po-lice ambush.During public comment
a woman complainedabout her basementflooding during a recentheavy rain.She also complained
that the city is “dirty.”“It seems like the city is
not holding anyone ac-countable,” she said.A resident urged the
council to reconsider waiv-ing fees to residents whorequire emergency help inthe case of an accident.He said the city is cur-rently running a budgetdeficit.Later in the meeting the
council unanimouslyagreed to waive the fees.During a discussion to
accept the lowest bid in aroad repair contract,Councilmember AndreaKarpinski questionedwhether it is common to
award a three-year con-tract.The city’s engineer said
many cities OK multiple-year contracts. Plus, hesaid, this contract guaran-tees one price for cementfor three years.Councilmember Miah
asked where the contractwas for this bid. Aftersome more discussionCity Manager Powell saidthe council will be pre-sented with a contractlater for approval.She said the vote she is
asking for allows the cityto accept the bid receivedfrom a contractor.In light of the Dallas po-
lice shooting, Coun-cilmember Karpinskiurged residents to call po-lice if they see anythingeven “a little off, a littlesuspicious.”Mayor Karen Majewski
added that when resi-dents call police to docu-ment when they calledand who they talked to.She added that she hasheard of reports that acontractor is going door-to-door and causing con-cern whether it is a scam.In her report to council,
City Manager Powell cred-
ited Kathy Angerer, thecity’s Director of Commu-nity & Government AffairsDepartment, for organiz-ing a clean-up crew.She added that while
the city appears filthy, thecity is “working diligently”to educate residentsabout city codes.Councilmember Miah
asked if there is a city lawregulating medical mari-juana grow houses.City Attorney Travis Mi-
helick said although thecity has no ordinance onthe matter, people have tofollow the state law andbe licensed by the state.In another matter, Coun-
cilmember Miah said thecity should – at the veryleast – clean up city park-ing lots.City Manager Powell
said the city is doing land-scaping, and that it wouldcost hundreds of thou-sands of dollars to repairthe lots.She also said that there
will be an engineeringstudy to determine theconditions of city alleysand rank the order ofwhich should be repaired.“These alleys are horri-
ble,” she said.
4 Hamtramck Review Phone (313) 874-2100 Friday, July 22, 2016
• We accept most insurance policies• Our prices are very competitive• We carry a large selection of natural
products, Polish medicines and cosmetics
Chet Kasprzak, Pharmacist
10300 Jos. Campau(Corner of Trowbridge)
A professional pharmacyserving your needs.
AL-WALI CHILD CARE CENTERWe’re Preparing the Minds of Tomorrow
12845 Conant, Detroit, MI 48212 (313) 731-7950www.alwalichildcarecenter.com
n Licensed and Certifiedn Loving and nurturing environment
n Qualified and experienced staffn Halal and healthy menu
n Open from 6:00 am - 11:59 pmn Accept State subsidiesn Free Early Head Start site (0-3)n After school and summer program (4-12)
ENROLL TODAY!
By Charles SercombeIf you notice the city
looking a little cleaner,you can thank a sum-mer work program nowunderway.The city was awarded
a little more than$42,000 which paid for16 teens and fouradults to act as supervi-sors during an eight-week program.The teens are paid $8
an hour and the supervi-sors $10 an hour.
The grant came fromthe Detroit Wayne Men-tal Health Authority, andthe jobs began on July11, Monday throughThursday.It is being called an in-
tern program, and thework focuses on clean-up and maintenanceprojects in city parks,beautification effortsthroughout the city andassisting with routinetasks in city hall.Once a week, a
Summer work program underway, and making a difference“Lunch and Learn” ses-sion focuses on civic en-gagement with subjectmatter talks to includehow to “Be A GoodNeighbor” and “Ways toMake a Difference inyour Neighborhood.” Mayor Karen Majewski
earleir called the pro-
gram a “win-win for ourcity. “Students will have a
chance to work togetherand learn valuable lifeskills and Hamtramckneighborhoods will ben-efit from having engagedresidents for years tocome.”
RAKOCZYL o t t i e
R a k o c z y( n e eBalda), 97,died July15, 2016.
Mrs. Rakoczy was thebeloved wife of the late Ig-natius. Mrs. Rakoczy issurvived by her children,Sister Susan IHM, Daniel,Nancy, Lawrence, Richard(Rebecca), and Janice;grandchildren, Rose,Leah, Alexsandra, Sean,Kate, Emily; siblings Eu-gene and Wanda Kroll.Lottie was active in the
Daughters of Isabella andthe Queen of Apostles
Seniors Club.Visitation is Thursday,
July 21, from 6-9 p.m.with Rosary at 6 at Ju-rkiewicz & Wilk FuneralHome, 2396 Caniff, Ham-tramck MI 48212. Mrs.Rakoczy will lie in stateFriday, July 22 at 9:30a.m. until time of funeralMass at 10 at Our LadyQueen of ApostlesCatholic Church, 11200Conant at Prescott, Ham-tramck MI 48212. Inter-ment will be atResurrection Cemetery,Clinton Township, MI. Me-morials may be made toIHM Sisters RetirementFund.
Scenes from a recent clean-up at the city parking loton Caniff at McDougall. The clean-up was performedby summer interns hired through a grant given to thecity. You will see more clean-ups like this throughoutthe city in the coming weeks. Photos by Dave Sweet
Friday, July 22, 2016 Hamtramck Review Phone (313) 874-2100 5
In Our Opinion
In just a little over aweek voters will beheading to the polls forthe Primary Election.Yes, there is an elec-
tion coming up, on Aug.2.It features two city
councilmembers vyingto unseat two incum-bents. CouncilmemberMohammad Hassanwants to kick out StateRep. Rose Mary Robin-son, who is seeking herthird and final term inthe state House.It’s unlikely he will
achieve that goal, buthe concedes that atleast it will position himto possibly win whenRobinson’s term endsin another two years.C o u n c i l m e m b e r
Anam Miah, who isMayor Pro Tem, is alsoup against a strong in-cumbent, WayneCounty Commissioner
Martha Scott. Miah re-cently received supportfrom the Detroit News,which endorsed him, al-though it mistakenlyidentified him as MayorPro Tem of HighlandPark.The Detroit News’
point of view is that theentire Commission de-serves to be turnedout.We agree that it is
time for new blood onthe Commission, andwe endorse ANAMMIAH over Scott.Scott has served in
several public officessince the 1980s, and itis time for her to stepdown and let a newgeneration serve.We think, however,
that State Rep. Robin-son is another matter.She has served her po-sition well and hasbeen a close friend of
Hamtramck, and ROSEMARY ROBINSON de-serves to finish out herthird term.Also seeking election
this year is interimWayne County Treas-urer, Eric Sabree. Hehas been finishing outthe term vacated by for-mer Treasurer Ray-mond Wojtowicz, whoretired.ERIC SABREE has
proven he is a capableleader and up to thetask of running one ofthe largest county de-partments. He de-serves your support.No matter what, be
sure to participate inthe August 2 Primary.There are a number ofother important racesand two millage ques-tions.Let your voice be
heard.
Our endorsements for theAugust 2 Primary Election
Review: Opinion Page
The Hamtramck ReviewPublished every Friday
3020 Caniff, Hamtramck, MI 48212 Phone: 313-874-2100 Fax: 313-874-2101
www.hamtramckreview.com • email [email protected]: John Ulaj • (248) 866-1110 • [email protected]: Charles Sercombe Office Manager: Jean IngenthronSales Manager: Dave Sweet Reporter/Copy Editor: Ian Perrotta
This newspaper is not responsible for mistakes in advertising beyond the cost of the space involved.
Other Voices: Guest Editorial
FUNERAL DIRECTORYWhen the need arises, these caring professionals are ready to help.
2687 Caniff, Hamtramck(313) 365-5240
Continuously owned and operated by the Krot Family since 1935Alexandra Krot, Manager
David A. Krot, Public Relations
Jurkiewicz & Wilk Funeral HomeMICHAEL A. WILK, DIRECTOR ROBERT A. WILK, DIRECTOR
2396 Caniff at Brombach | 313-365-9600
$895
Prohibition in Hamtramck: Gangsters, Gunfights & GetawaysNow Available! $21.99
Available at Hamtramck Historic
MuseumHours: Sat. 11am-4pm,
Sun. 11am-4pm
313-893-50279525 Jos. Campau— Hamtramck —
www.HamtramckHistory.org
By Bill WiitalaThe Hamtramck Recy-
cling Program has beenin operation since 2009and in these past sevenyears we have seen par-ticipation steadily grow. We have also received
positive feedback fromcommunity memberswho appreciate the con-venience of recycling lo-cally. However, we are facing
challenges that arethreatening the viabilityof the program. Mostimportantly, we are indesperate need of moreadult volunteers to helpduring the drop-off day. We have a strong core
of seven adult volun-teers but this is simplynot enough. If our pro-gram is to continue, weneed an additional 10-15 volunteers who wouldserve on a rotatingbasis, perhaps everyother month. A typicalvolunteer shift should befor two hours, but atpresent some of us aredoing three, four, five oreven six-hour shifts, be-cause if we didn’t, therewould be no one to dothe work.Being a volunteer
means assisting for aone to two-hour shift be-tween 9a.m. and 3 p.m.at the Second Saturday
drop-off bin.We invite you to volun-
teer. We urge you to vol-unteer. Helping at thebin is a great way tomeet others in our cityand build new friend-ships with the other vol-unteers and our“customers."If you are passionate
about recycling and havebeen an active partici-pate in our program, wekindly ask that you giveback in order to see thisvaluable service con-tinue. Please contactBill at [email protected] to scheduleyour volunteer shift.
Volunteers are needed for cityrecycling program or it will fail
To register students forHamtramck PublicSchools, applicationpackets are available at3201 Roosevelt, Mon-day-Friday from 7:15a.m.-2:45 p.m. Please bring the follow-
ing information with youto register: original birthcertificate, up to date im-munization record, cur-rent transcripts/reportcard from previousschool, parent ID (cur-rent Michigan's Driver'sLicense or MichiganState I.D.), two currentproofs of residency (past30 days) are required:e.g. utility bill, mortgage,rent receipt, etc. Also, Hamtramck Pub-
lic School District is ac-cepting non-Hamtramck
residents for the 2016-2017 school year.Please be advised of thefollowing School ofChoice application dead-lines: 1st-8th grades ac-cepted through August25, 9th grade throughAugust 5, 10th-12thgrades through August12. Horizon High School of
Choice applications arebeing accepted throughAugust 12. Kinder-garten School of Choiceapplications are beingaccepted through Sep-tember 9. No lateSchool of Choice appli-cations will be acceptedafter these due dates.
Recreation DepartmentNewsSpend the weekend
with the HamtramckRecreation Department.Join us Saturday, July 30for "It’s A Blast in Ham-tramck" fireworks eventat Keyworth Stadiumfrom 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. This year we’ll have a
mobile zipline, humanhamster ball race, eurobungees, and muchmore. Then come along on
Sunday, July 31 to honorand dedicate the pavilionat Pulaski Park to thebeloved Titus RudolphWalters, former Ham-tramck Public SchoolBoard President and CityCouncilmember. Thededication ceremony willbegin at 3 p.m.
Compiled by Janice Gandelman
Reward… A housebreak-in here in Ham-tramck has been makingthe media rounds re-cently.Why?This was no ordinary
break-in – not that evenan ordinary one is accept-able. But in this case, theburglar, or burglars, wastruly depraved. Whoeverbroke into this particularhouse, they encounteredthe resident’s pet dog,and beat it and then alsodoused it with Drano.Some of that chemical
got into the eyes of thepoor pooch. The dog hassurvived but needsaround-the-clock medicalcare.There is now a $5,000
reward being offered bythe animal rights group,PETA. The money will beawarded to the personwho provides informationon the identity of those re-sponsible which results intheir conviction.Have a tip? If so, call
Hamtramck police at(313) 876-7827.
Celebration… The goodfolks at Grace BaptistChurch, located on Caniff,recently held a communitycookout at Veterans Me-morial Park where thechurch also hosted visit-
ing groups from out ofstate and sponsored aclean-up of the park.Hamtramck could cer-
tainly use more peoplelike the parishioners ofGrace Church.
Donation… Ham-tramck’s FriendshipHouse received a timely
boost, thanks to theMoose Lodge here inHamtramck.The group handed over
a check to the organiza-tion for $700 — proceedsfrom their popular Taco
Night.Friendship House
serves hundreds of needyresidents and providesfood and other items.Moose members previ-
ously donated $300 tothe organization, againproceeds from their Fridaynight dinners.
Members of Grace Baptist Church recently hosted acleanup and cookout at Veterans Memorial Park.
6 Hamtramck Review Phone (313) 874-2100 Friday, July 22, 2016
31800 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 200Farmington Hills, MI 48334
248-866-1110HUD Certified
John Ulaj Commercial Broker/Owner
A HUD Certified Agent
Looking to buy single & multi-family dwellings - CASH!
Search For all Homes at www.danrojek.com
Dan Rojek, Realtor®
7345 Woodbine, Worth Township MI1,265 square ft. ranch located 4 ½ miles southof Lexington in the BlueWater Beach Subdivision.3 Bedrooms, 1 ½ Baths, 2 ½ Car Garage. Also in-cludes an extra woodedlot. Private beach, park
and boat launch.
$109,900
Certified Residential SpecialistGet Out on the Hamtown!
FMICFood Ministries In Collaboration
Apostle Connie and Bro. Bill can be heardevery Thursday at 11:00 am-11:15 am.
Visit HarpofGodMinistry.org
� �
PRICE REDUCED!
Wayne County Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)for Hamtramck Residents
Bring proof of income, and picture ID
8625 Jos. Campau11am-12pm
Every 2nd Monday of the Month
Call Dave at (313) 874-2100 to Place Your Ad!
9399 Mitchell,Hamtramck
3 Bedrooms, LivingRoom, Dining Room,Kitchen, ½ Basement.Newer Furnace and
Water Heater.Needs some repairs
and priced accordingly.
$31,000
Call Dan Today!
Multi-Family Homes2429 Faber - $74,900 - NEW!9347 Mitchell - $84,900 - NEW!3036 Roosevelt - $84,900 - NEW!Single Family Homes2644 Pulaski - $67,500 5225 Belmont - $59,900 - PRICE REDUCED!2394 Zinow - $59,900 - PRICE REDUCED!Armada22675 McPhall - $289,900 - SOLD!Dryden Twp.3867 Pleasant St. - $149,900 - PENDING!Romeo297 W. St. Clair - $135,000
Office (810) 375-2500 • Cell (586) 214-4663
Richfield Twp.6146 Thomas - $69,900 - PRICE REDUCED!Imlay City105 Grove - $69,900 - PRICE REDUCED!Vacant Land6801 Holland Rd., Clay Twp - 13 acres - $128,000 - REDUCED!Chalet Rd., Dryden T wp - 10 acres - $124,900 - NEW!2210 Bristol Rd., Imlay Twp - 2.5 acres - $39,900 - NEW!13891 Fifteen Mile Rd, Sterling Heights - 17.75 acres $299,900 - NEW!Atlas Twp.9410 Washburn - $154,900 - NEW!
Land Contracts Available on Many of my properties!
DiamondRealty and Associates
Leanne Zaliwski-CongerHamtramck Native/Specialist
Associate Broker • Multi-Million Dollar ProducerShort Sale/REO Specialist
3036 RooseveltMulti family home
$84,900
OPEN HOUSEFriday, July 15, 12-5pm
Coming eventsSATURDAY, August 13, 9-3 p.m. – Ham-
tramck’s Recycle Center is open at Caniff andMcDougall. Drop off your recyclables for free.
SATURDAY, August 6, 3-8 p.m. – The Ham-tramck 6th Annual Community Reunion Picnicwill be held at Pulaski Par (located on Lump-kin, between Edwin and Norwalk). All past,present and future Hamtramck residents areinvited. There is no charge, but donations willbe welcomed to purchase school supplies forlocal children and defray costs for the picnic.All children must be accompanied by an adult.No smoking or alcoholic beverage are allowedin the park. Entertainment by DJ Bush and DJLemuel and special DJ guest from Ohio. Formore information, call Michael (Boss Man)Wimbush at (313) 310-8129 or (313) 883-4889.
and give real healthcare,” Issa said. “Hospi-tals are very busy.”Health Choice Urgent
Care Facility, located inthe Carpenter MedicalCenter at 3120 Carpen-ter, has a lot going for it,according to Issa.“We accept most in-
surances, includingMedicare and Medicaid,and a visit to the clinicfor someone without anyinsurance at all costs$70 for everything.”Clinic employees also
speak multiple lan-guages, including Arabic,Bengali and English.Issa said the clinic’s
supervising doctor, Dr.Farid Zayed, and physi-cian’s assistant, KevinCampbell, can provide x-rays, vaccinations, phys-icals and EKGs for thosein the need.“We provide the whole
nine yards,” Issa said.“Everything short of sur-gery.” Zayed is a cardio doc-
tor and general practi-tioner with 15-years’experience, and whilethe clinic is now openfrom noon to 5 p.m. onWednesdays, Thursdaysand Fridays, and from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. on Satur-days, Issa said he plansto expand the clinic’sstaff as well as itshours.“In the next month or
so, we will be open sixdays a week,” Issa said.The clinic manager
added that even now, pa-tients can expect a shortwaiting period beforethey are seen by theclinic’s medical staff.“Wait times are less
than 30 minutes now,”Issa said.
Urgent care centeroffers one-stophealth careContinued from front page
9404 JOSEPH CAMPAU STREET,HAMTRAMCK $1,800 for leaseover 3000 square feet, great op-portunity on high traffic street,minimum 1 year lease only.
9701 VAN DYKESTREET, DETROIT$299,000 Good oppor-tunity business and realestate, gas station doingabout 30,000 gallons amonth/ c store $50,000 amonth sales a month, nogas contract, must see,please don't approachemployees or call.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY to own thisclean 3 unit income, 1st floor has 2bedrooms living room,dining room,2nd floor has (2) one bedroomunits. New carpet, large basement.
2255 HOLBROOK STREET, HAM-TRAMCK $59,000 great starterhome, 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms,available for rent Section 8 approved.
2441 HOLBROOK STREET,HAMTRAMCK $119,000, 4Units. Good Investment!!!
12041 CHAREST STREET, HAM-TRAMCK $110,000 Nice 4 bed-room brick move-in ready, 1 cargarage, full basement, new car-pet.
8416 CONANT, HAMTRAMCK$8,000 commercial lot forsale or lease.
9406 MITCHELL STREET, HAM-TRAMCK $89,000, two familyhome, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, livingroom, kitchen in each unit.
9398 MITCHELL STREET, HAM-TRAMCK $59,000 great investmentopportunity! Two family home, 2bedrooms, 1 bath, living room,kitchen in each unit. You do not wantto miss this!
Ben BawazirRealtor
313-424-996213530 Michigan Ave.,Dearborn, Ste. 3312709 Holbrook St.,
Hamtramck
For All Your RealEstate Needs!
6492 EVERGREEN AVENUE, DETROIT$50,000 Beautiful updated 3 bedrooms,Move in ready furnished. Finished Base-ment, Central air, security camera sys-tem, First time Home buyers dreamhome, all information is estimated andshould be verified by BA. Please allow24 hours notice for showing.
2500 GOODSON STREET, HAM-TRAMCK $119,000 Great oppor-tunity 4 unit apartment greatreturn $2200 a month, do not letthis pass invest in city of ham-tramck, please do not approachtenants. www.BenBawazir.com
Friday, July 22, 2016 Hamtramck Review Phone (313) 874-2100 7
By Charles SercombeThis week’s Crime Log
covers July 12-18.
Tuesday, July 12• At 3:30 a.m. Michi-
gan State Police droppedoff a Detroit resident atthe Hamtramck PoliceStation. The man waswanted on a local felonywarrant. • At about 12:30 a.m.
officers took a reportfrom a man in a local hos-pital who said he cut him-self when he grabbed aknife by the blade. Hospi-tal officials thought hehad been stabbed.• A Detroit resident was
arrested after a trafficstop for driving without alicense.• A Detroit resident
said someone stole herdebit card at work andwithdrew $750 from heraccount.
Wednesday, July 13• The Hamtramck Spe-
cial Response Team con-ducted a search warrantthat resulted in four ar-rests.• A Warren resident
was arrested after a traf-fic stop for driving withouta license. The driver hasseven previous convic-tions for this offense. Hewas also wanted on aHamtramck warrant.• At 3 a.m. a resident
was arrested for domes-tic violence after assault-ing two people in the2600 block of Edwin.• A resident reported
the front passenger win-dow of his Toyota wasbroken out while it wasparked in the 9500 blockof Charest.• A resident reported
she was assaulted by aco-worker at a businesson Jos. Campau.• A Detroit resident was
arrested for obstructionafter she interfered withofficers involved in an un-related traffic stop. Thewoman was later commit-ted to Detroit ReceivingHospital after acting irra-tionally.
Thursday, July 14• At 3 a.m. a Ham-
tramck resident and aWarren resident were ar-rested for reckless drivingand obstruction.• At 3:15 a.m. a St.
Clair Shores resident wasassaulted by two womenwhile she was in the9500 block of Charest.• At 9 a.m. a Charest
resident was arrested forassaulting his wife.• A St. Aubin resident
reported someone brokeout his car window andstole his radio.• A Farmington Hills
resident reported some-one stole her purse while
she was at a business onConant.• Two residents were
ticketed for not being re-sponsible parents aftertheir children stole a bicy-cle.• A Gallagher resident
reported a break-in.
Friday, July 15• At a little after mid-
night a person in the11300 block of Gallagherreported being stalked.• A person turned in a
driver’s license and vari-ous gift cards that werefound.• A man was arrested
for domestic assault afterassaulting his girlfriend.• A resident reported
someone may have en-tered her mother’s houseby fraudulent means. Itwas not known if anythingwas stolen.
Saturday, July 16• A resident in the
2000 block of Evaline re-ported a break-in and thetheft of a number ofitems.• A resident in the
3000 block of Rooseveltreported someone stolemail out of her mailbox.• Police in Atlanta,
Georgia recovered a carthat was reported stolenfrom Hamtramck.• Officers responded to
www.HeaneyPlumbing.comProudly Serving Hamtramck
Since 1965.• Licensed & Insured • Residential & Commercial
10% OFFLabor on Any Plumbing,Heating, Air Conditioningor Sewer Cleaning Job In-
stallation or RepairNot to be combined with any other offer.
We specialize in all phases of Air Conditioning, Freon Charge,
Plumbing, Heating, Sewer Cleaning & Excavation.
ServiceInstallation Repairs
Fast Same Day Service Radio Dispatched
BROTHERS ROOFING& HOME REPAIRALL HOME REPAIRS Interior • ExteriorTOP QUALITY WORK AT LOW PRICES
• Shingle & Flat Roofs • Sidings & Gutters • Chimney Work • Porches
Serving our community for over 100 years since 1904.
* Senior Rates available *
BISAGA PLUMBING & HEATING (313) 365-8630
1/2
9/1
6
We Repair & Install • Furnaces • Boilers
• Air Conditioners
• Licensed & InsuredFinancing Available
Ask for Details
HEATING &COOLING
Family Owned & OperatedSince 1964
11647 Jos. Campau
892-2122
ROOFINGPLUMBING
6/3
0/1
3
Ask for Frank or JerryFamily Owned & Operated and Located in Hamtramck
313-365-4913FREE ESTIMATES
Senior Discount Available! Call for Details
HEATING & COOLING
Service Directory
CALL TODAY:248-542-8022586-298-2380
FULLY STOCKED TRUCKS TO SERVE ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS
MASTER PLUMBERLICENSED & INSURED
AVAILABLE 24/7EXPERT SEWER & DRAIN
CLEANINGCERTIFIED BACKFLOW TESTING
$20 OFFNew clients only. Not to be
combined with any other offers.
www.waterworkplumbing.com
PLUMBING? SEWER? DRAIN PROBLEMS? WE CAN HELP!
Curtis GibbsOwner
248-835-3352
POWDER COATING
Deadline for classifiedsfor next week is Thursday at Noon
$20 for one week • $25 for two weeks $40 for four weeks
(313) 874-2100
12/30/16
12875 St. Louis, 2 br.upper and 2 br. lower, liv-ing, dining, bath, largeunits, full basement withlower unit, call Palo or Di-anne, 248-659-2278,248-659-2325.
2 br., stove/fridge,washer/dryer, newly re-modeled, bet. Belmont &Gallagher, call for ap-pointment, 586-604-0553. 7/22
By owner, 2 family house,3056-58 Jacob St., 2 br.and living rm. on each floor,completely remodeled, newpaint, carpeting, porch,ready to move in, asking$65,000, or rent preferablySection 8, land contractpossible, pls. call after 12 pm, 586-497-8810. 7/8
Hamtramck, 2424 Neibel,2 family, new roof, new fur-nace, 2 br. upper, 2 br.lower, finished basement,finished attic, 313-603-7747, 313-775-5129. 7/29
Little Caesars Plaza, 600sq. ft., suitable for medicalor doctor’s office,$850/mo. + first and lastmonth security deposit re-quired, 313-304-7400. 7/29
2001 Dodge, $2,500service/work truck,78,000 miles, call Bis-aga Plumbing and Heat-ing, $2,100 or best offer,Frank, 313-365-8630.7/29
Experienced barmaidswanted, Carbon Lounge,11474 Joseph Campau,ask for George, 586-625-3869. 7/29
APARTMENTS & FLATS FOR RENT
MEDICAL OFFICE
HOUSE FOR RENT
Continued on page 8
PAINTING
TRUCKFOR SALE
Let Our Service Directory Do the
Work For You!
Care of the Soul FamilyCounseling with Spiritual Solutions to Clinical Issues.
Communications/Addictions/ Anger/ Identity
Rev. Dr. Lawrence Ventline, D.Min., P.HD.
586-925-7617All-Faiths Festival Center for
Inter-Religious Dialog and Catholic ought
HOUSE FOR SALE HELP WANTED
Powerwashing
Advertisers should check their ad fol-lowing first publication. The newspa-per shall not be liable for failure topublish an ad, for a typographic erroror errors in publication except to theextent of the cost of the ad for the firstday’s insertion. Adjustments for er-rors is limited to the cost of that por-tion of the ad wherein the erroroccurred. We reserve the right toclassify, revise or reject any classi-fied advertisement.
8/5
Help Wanted
Sherwood Prototype, Inc.
a Highland Park, MIbased company, isseeking a PrototypePress Operator with atleast 2 yrs experience,mechanically inclined,hard working, eager tolearn with troubleshoot-ing and good communi-cation skills.
Qualifications:Die set-up (2, 3 and 4pc.), try-outs, deep drawexperience, must haveown tools, ability towork safely.
Wage based on experi-ence, insurance after90 days, must be ableto work overtime andweekends.
To apply, please submit
resume/applicationin person at
124 Victor St., Highland Park, MI
48203-3130.
HELP WANTED
a shooting in the area ofOklahoma and Circle Dr.A person who had beenshot was later found byDetroit police and treatedat a local hospital.• A resident reported
her wallet was stolenfrom her car while it wasparked in the 9500 blockof Conant.
Sunday, July 17• At almost 11 p.m. a
man reported that whilesitting with friends in aparking lot at Fleming andCommor he was as-saulted by a group of 10-12 suspects, one ofwhom was armed with agun. The victim said one
of the suspects broke abottle over his head,causing a cut.• At 2 a.m. a man re-
ported someone brokeinto his semi-truck whileparked on Denton nearLumpkin. • A person said that
while walking in the areaof Caniff and Jos. Cam-pau a male on a bikeforcefully stole a bag car-ried by the victim.• A Prescott resident
reported a break-in.• An agent from Metro-
politan Bakery on Lump-kin reported the theft ofpropane tanks from anarea outside of the busi-ness.
• A resident reportedhe was given counterfeitbills during a Craigslisttransaction in the 9300block of Jos. Campau.• A Casmere resident
reported a friend of hisneighbor stole his televi-sion.
Monday, July 18• At a little after 2 a.m.
a resident was arrestedin the 11400 block ofGrand Haven for being in-toxicated, obstructionand driving without a li-cense.• At a little after 6 a.m.
officers chased a driversuspected in the thefts ofcatalytic convertors. The
8 Hamtramck Review Phone (313) 874-2100 Friday, July 22, 2016
WE MOVEDACROSS THE
STREET!From inside Glory
Supermarket
9118 Jos Campau— Hamtramck —Open Mon-Fri 9am-8pm
Sat 9am-7pmSun 10am-5pm
FREE SMARTWATCHwith new activation $60 Plan
The lore of Hamtramck …
— Dr. Kabra —9811 Conant • Suite 2
ComprehensiveCleaning
$69$190 Value!
New patients. Restrictions apply. Call for Details.
Walk-Ins Welcomed. Open Saturday & Sunday too!Exceeding Your Expectations
ConsultationExam & X-Ray
$29$75 Value!
New patients. Restrictions apply. Call for Details.
We perform all areas of Dentistry with specialty in:
• Cosmetic Dentistry• Endodontics• Dental Implants • Oral Surgery• Restoration & Whitening • Crown & BridgesEnhancing your smile, health & life.
ProudSupporter
of:
Continued from page 7
— Dr. Myron Lederman —• Heel Pain • Corns, Calluses • Hammer Toes
• Bunions • Ingrown Nails • Foot and Ankle Injuries
Senior and Diabetic Foot CareOver 30 Years Experience
9731 Jos. Campau • Hamtramck
(313) 872-4076
M-T-Th-F 9am-4pm • W - Sun closed Sat - 9am-2pm
Please call for appointment
In AreaHouseCalls
MedicareCovered DiabeticShoes
suspect was appre-hended.• A resident in the
12000 block of GrandHaven reported the theftof their 2009 Chevy Mal-ibu.• Caniff Liberty Acad-
emy reported damage toits sliding gate.• A Nagel resident re-
ported a domestic vio-lence incident thathappened in her resi-dence.• A person reported
being robbed of herpurse while at Carpenterand Gallagher by a malewith a beard and wearinga black and red shirt anda hat.• An Andrus resident
reported her neighborpulled a gun on her andher family during a dis-pute about a swimmingpool.
By Greg KowalskiThe story is in the num-
bers, and they didn’t addup. Or rather, they were
adding up too fast. What-ever. Something wasn’tright. The tax records ofthe utilities serving Ham-tramck were way out ofline, showing that theywere being used by some18,000 people.But the census of Ham-
tramck taken a mere fiveyears earlier showed thatonly 3,500 people livedin the 2-square-miletown.And that’s what
prompted the HamtramckVillage Council to seek tohave the Federal govern-ment do a special censusof Hamtramck in May of1915.Granted, even in that
short span of time thingshad changed dramaticallyin Hamtramck. In June of1910, John and HoraceDodge bought a patch ofground on the south sideof the village, and by No-vember of that year theyalready had the begin-nings of the factory inplace and were producingparts for Henry Fordthere.Some other factories
had opened as well, andthe lure of jobs they allprovided had proven tobe a powerful magnet,drawing people to workand live in Hamtramck.But nearly 15,000 peo-
ple in just five years?That seemed a bit much.Hardly. What no one
seemed to realize at thetime was that Hamtramckwas in the midst of an ex-plosive growth unlike any-where else in the country– except neighboringHighland Park, which alsowas in a population explo-sion. But even it didn’tadd up to what was hap-pening in Hamtramck.People were pouring
into Hamtramck. Houseswere being built at a furi-ous rate as fields werebeing converted intoblocks of homes almostovernight. The Federalgovernment took note aswell, and on June 17,1915, “The President,
through the Secretary ofCommerce, acting underthe authority conferred bysection 8 of the organicact of the department,approved February 14,1903 instructed the Di-rector of the Census tomake an enumeration ofthe inhabitants of Ham-tramck, Mich.” At least that’s how the
action was noted in the“Special Census of thePopulation of Ham-tramck, Mich.,” publishedin 1915. The city authorized an
expenditure of $800 tocover the costs of thecensus, including payingthe hotel bill, street carfares and whatever forthe census director and$1 paid to each enumer-ator.What they produced
was a gold mine of stag-gering numbers. “The special enumera-
tion of Hamtramck, madeas of June 25, 1915,shows a population of21,520 on that date,compared with 3,559 onApril 15, 1910. The in-crease was 17,961, or504.7 percent,” the cen-sus report noted. “Thepopulation of Hamtramckhas been growing about50 times as rapidly asthat of the United Statesas a whole,” it went on.The numbers were bro-
ken down by sex, age andrace. For example, therewere 1,881 men in Ham-tramck in 1910; therewere 11,902 in 1915.There were 1,678 womenin 1910 compared with
9,558 women in 1915.The population of chil-dren exploded as well. In1910 there were 638children age 5 and underin Hamtramck. In 1915there were 5,264.Racially, there were 39
black people in Ham-tramck in 1910 com-pared with 278 in 1915. And this was just the
beginning. In another fiveyears Hamtramck’s popu-lation would more thandouble again, finallyreaching 56,000 peoplein 1930. It was predictedthen that Hamtramckwould have more than90,000 residents, al-though where they wouldhave fit was not speci-fied.In fact, Hamtramck be-
came too crowded, andultimately the numberswent down substantially,to about 18,000 in1990.But the story is far from
over. Since 2000 Ham-tramck’s population hasbeen consistent at about24,000. It’s nothing likethe growth spurt of theearly 20th century, but itis fairly steady. However,it looks like we will havemany more numbers tocount in the next census.You can learn more
about Hamtramck’s fasci-nating past at the Ham-tramck HistoricalMuseum, 9525 Jos.Campau. Hours are 11a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdayand Sunday and by ap-pointment. Call (313)574-9758.
Hamtramck’s amazing numbers