TV's “Supernanny” may correct bad behavior, but only a nanny adds magical powers and flying with an umbrella to her repertoire.

The musical “Mary Poppins” opened yesterday at the Detroit Opera House and promises to delight children and adults alike through January 2nd.

Directed by producer Cameron Mackintosh, the Disney musical is based on the fantasy book series by PL Travers and the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

The popular childhood story follows a magical nanny who works for the hapless family of a cold banker and features popular songs such as “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Step in Time” and “Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious.”

New songs by Olivier Award winners George Stiles and Anthony Drewe also grace the stage production.

The show premiered in London's West End in 2004, with a Broadway counterpart premiering two years later.

It received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical and Best Set Design.

A national tour began in Chicago in March 2009.

Nicolas Dromard takes on the role of chimney sweep Bert after spending the last 1 1/2 years as Fiyero in the San Francisco production of “Wicked.”

His enthusiasm for the plum part was evident during a recent telephone interview at a tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa.

“It’s such an incredible show,” Dromard said. “Of all the shows I have done, this is my favorite. I love performing it every night.”

He believes the timeless message speaks to everyone and still resonates today.

“Kids connect with the Disney magic and adults connect because they remember the movie,” he said.

“The story about the father trying to reconnect with his children and the mother feeling like she's lost her purpose – that's very timely, even though it's set in the early 20th century.”

The national tour is not Dromard's first foray into the role.

He was part of the original Broadway cast and understudy Bert before taking over the role of Gavin Lee.

While he realizes his performance will inevitably draw comparisons to Van Dyke's iconic performance, he's not worried about whether he can keep up.

“How great to have such a role model,” he said of the star. “I don’t try to copy anything he does, but rather put my own spin on it while staying true to the character.”

Born in Ottawa, Dromard began dancing at the age of six after being inspired by a film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

He studied music at De La Salle High School, a performing arts school in Ottawa, and participated in community theater and dance competitions in Canada and the United States.

After high school, he planned to study music in college, but while in New York City to compete in a dance competition finals, he auditioned for and booked “The Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in Branson, Missouri.

From there, his theater opportunities grew – “West Side Story” at the Stratford Festival in Canada, the North American premiere of “Mamma Mia,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Boy From Oz” on Broadway, “Hairspray” in Toronto, the first national Tour of “Wicked” and “Mary Poppins” on Broadway.

Dromard puts his talents to work in the role of the lovable Cockney Bert, taking the lead role in several songs, acting as narrator and dancing up a storm in the peppy number “Step in Time.”

“That’s my favorite number,” he said. “I get to knock upside down – how could you not like that?”

According to Dromard, new melodies, including Mary's introductory piece “Practically Perfect”, fit perfectly with the original numbers and flesh out the stories of the main characters.

“It's a perfect mix of favorite songs from the film and Travers' book and new songs that fit together so perfectly you'd think the entire score was written at the same time,” he said.

Bob Crowley's bizarre stage design provides a much-vaunted backdrop for the stage action.

“The tour set is incredible,” Dromard said. “We have a house that is more like a dollhouse or a pop-up book.

“It starts closed, then at the end of the show I come out and do a little intro and it comes to life.

“It is visually beautiful and amazes the mind.”

The magical world of “Mary Poppins” unfolds at the Detroit Opera House through January 2nd.

Tickets, starting at $25, are available at the Fisher Box Office, Ticketmaster locations, www.broadwayindetroit.com and by calling 1-800-982-2787.

The post Basic musical “Mary Poppins” drops into Detroit Opera Home – The Information Herald appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

NLCS-Link:

Die Giants überholen die Cardinals in Spiel 7 der NLCS und rücken in die World Series vor: DJ Short, Hardball Talk

Schade, dass Spiel 7 in einem sintflutartigen Regenguss enden musste. Es waren die Baseball-Götter, die über die Eliminierung der Cardinals schluchzten. Die Giants stehen in den Ausscheidungsspielen nun 6:0. Der Streak endet in der World Series.

Spiel 7 der NLCS war kein großer Wettbewerb, da die Giants heute Abend im AT&T Park in San Francisco die Cardinals mit 9:0 besiegten, den Wimpel der National League gewannen und gegen die Tigers in die World Series einzogen.

Die Giants sind das siebte Team, das sich von einem 1:3-Rückstand erholt hat, seit die LCS 1985 von fünf auf sieben Spiele angewachsen ist. Die Mannschaft von Bruce Bochy hat sich in dieser Nachsaison daran gewöhnt, mit dem Rücken zur Wand zu spielen, und erholte sich auch von einer 2:1-Niederlage. 0-Serien-Defizit, um die Reds während der NLDS zu schlagen.

Links zu den Detroit Tigers:

Aufräumdienst: Grantland, Jonah Keri

Der faktische Rückstand der Tigers bekommt seine wohlverdienten 15 Minuten. Je mehr ich darüber erfahre Phil Coke, desto mehr mag ich ihn. Es hilft, dass er das lebende Klischee des exzentrischen, leicht aus dem Gleichgewicht geratenen Linkshänders verkörpert.

Doch als sich seine Aussichten verbesserten, wurde das Geld noch knapper. Die Yankees verbieten es Spielern, Jobs während der Saison anzunehmen, und zogen es vor, dass sie sich im Frühling und Sommer auf Baseball konzentrieren. Eines Tages ging ein Teammitarbeiter über den Parkplatz des Hotels, in dem die Trainer die Saison über wohnten, um etwas Müll in den Müllcontainer zu werfen. Er blieb stehen, als er jemanden entdeckte, den er erkannte. Es war einer seiner Pitcher, der sich von einigen Ellbogenproblemen erholte und alles tat, was er konnte, um die Rechnungen zu bezahlen, während er versuchte, wieder in Form zu kommen, um im High-A-Tampa zu pitchen. Er arbeitete als Hausmeister und trug einen Overall mit dem Namen des Hotels darauf. Es war Phil Coke.

Scherzer, Anibal, Coke pitchen im zweiten Scrimmage: Jason Beck, DetroitTigers.com

Apropos Cola…

Phil Coke, der die letzten drei Spiele der American League Championship Series beendete, um die Yankees zu besiegen, kam ebenfalls in ein Inning und sorgte für etwas komische Erleichterung. Sogar in einem simulierten Spiel gelang ihm ein wahnsinniger Sprint aus dem Bullpen. Dann, nachdem er drei schnelle Outs erzielt hatte, verlangte er den Ball zurück, damit er noch ein paar Würfe für einen weiteren Out bekommen konnte.

Nach einem weiteren Groundout versuchte es Coke noch einmal, doch sein Antrag auf ein Five-Out-Inning wurde abgelehnt.

Die Pitcher der Tigers konzentrieren sich beim heutigen Training auf das Wimpeln: Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press

Wenn Sie sich gefragt haben, wann ein Artikel über das Schlagen der Pitcher der Tigers auftauchen würde, wundern Sie sich nicht mehr.

Die Detroit Tigers begannen heute ihr Training im Comerica Park mit Bunts.

Viele von ihnen.

Mit … anfangen Rick Porcelloübten die Pitcher der Tigers vor dem heutigen Schlagtraining das Schlagen von einer Pitching-Maschine und bereiteten sich darauf vor, am Mittwochabend in die Batter's Box zu treten.

Gedanken vor der World Series: Pitchers Bat zuzusehen ist dumm: Matt Snyder, Motor City Bengals

Wort. Verdammtes Wort.

Hier ist mein Denkprozess während des zweiten Innings des fünften Spiels der NLCS:

„Wow, die Cardinals haben Läufer auf den Plätzen zwei und drei, von denen nur einer ausfällt. Wenn sie diese Läufe schaffen, könnte diese Serie vorbei sein.“

„Warten Sie, die Giants lassen Pete Kozma absichtlich laufen, um die Bases im ZWEITEN INNING zu beladen? Oh, richtig, Lance Lynn ist an Deck. Er hatte die ganze Saison was… oh DREI HITS?“

„… und ja. Er landete in einem Double Play. Stellen Sie sich mal vor. Der Typ mit dem Schlagdurchschnitt von 0,060 konnte in den Runs nicht fahren.“

WS PREVIEW SPALTE: Also habe ich meinen Platz verloren. Machen wir immer noch das „Fire Leyland“-Ding? Aus dem linken Feld, Matthew B. Mowery – The Oakland Press

Mowery ist auf Twitter sehr aktiv und musste sich mit dem lächerlichen „FIRE LEYLAND!“ auseinandersetzen. Brigade an der Front der sozialen Medien, also weiß er, was er schreibt.

Hmm. Nun ja, er kann vor der World Series gefeuert werden, oder? Ich meine, es ist noch Zeit. Er führt im Alleingang ein Team von World-Series-Kaliber in die Knie (so wurde mir zumindest gesagt). Es ist unmöglich, dass er es in der World Series schafft. Ich meine, das wäre heuchlerisch.

Jim Leyland-Kostüme liegen in Detroit voll im Trend: Kevin Kaduk, Big League Stew

Trotz seiner aktuellen Beliebtheit wird es im Falle einer Niederlage der Tigers im ersten Spiel der World Series Sport-Talk-Radiosender geben, die Leylands Entlassung fordern. Du weißt es, ich weiß es. Das ist es, was die Leyland-Hasser tun: Sie lauern auf der Lauer und sind bereit anzurufen, sobald Leyland etwas tut, von dem sie glauben, dass es falsch ist. Dafür leben sie offenbar.

Während die Tigers auf ihren World Series-Termin warten, ist es interessant zu sehen, wie sich die Meinungsumfragen von Leyland völlig umkehren. Schließlich ist es noch gar nicht so lange her, dass wir gesehen haben, wie Leyland ein leistungsschwaches Team leitete, das Gefahr lief, die Nachsaison zu verpassen, da er auf negativen Anzeichen landete, die von seinem Spieler auf der besten Position konfisziert werden mussten.

Das Tiger Stadium lebt weiter und nährt alte Erinnerungen: The Detroit News, Neal Rubin

Dies ist nur der erste von vielen Kommentaren über das alte Gelände des Tiger Stadium in Corktown, während sich die Medien auf die Ankunft der World Series in Detroit vorbereiten.

Da Baseball in so vielen Köpfen steckt und eines der Tore des Baseballstadions auf der Seite der Michigan Avenue geöffnet war, war das Spielfeld in den letzten Wochen so etwas wie ein Ausflugsziel. Stunden zuvor stand im Regen ein junger Mann mit einem älteren Mann am Shortstop und machte den Weitwurf zum ersten Mal pantomimisch.

Werden Tigers-Fans Delmon Young jemals lieben? Dan Holmes, Detroit Athletic Co.

Nein. Nächste Frage.

Es war schon immer so, wie Young Dinge tut, die viele Tiger-Fans frustrieren. Young hat einen geradezu obsessiven Drang, beim ersten Pitch zu schwingen. Nichts irritiert Tiger Nation mehr. Ungeachtet der Tatsache, dass DY im Jahr 2012 in 97 First-Pitch-Swings .362 mit 10 Extra-Base-Hits erzielte, erinnern sie Sie lieber an die sechs Male, in denen er im ersten Pitch in einem Double Play landete. Young hat einen Bauch, der bei manchen Tigers-Fans Spott auf sich zieht, die sich gerne über seine Art, auf der Linie zu laufen, lustig machen. Brandon Inge hüpfte wie ein Kreisel auf dem Spielfeld und hatte Ohren, die ihn wie einen Siebenjährigen in der Little League aussehen ließen, aber die Tigers-Fans liebten ihn. Nicht so bei DY, der ein viel besserer Schlagmann ist als Inge es jemals war.

Anderswo im Baseball:

Hochgeschwindigkeitsvideoclips vom NLCS 2012: The Physics of Baseball, Alan M. Nathan – University of Illinois

Achtung: Das vollständige Laden dieser Seite dauert einige Zeit und zwingt einen langsamen PC in die Knie. Aber das Warten lohnt sich.

Diese Seite enthält Clips von Hochgeschwindigkeitsvideos vom NLCS 2012. Fox Sports verwendet eine Kamera mit 5000 Bildern/Sek. Die Super-Slo-Mo-Aufnahmen der Bilder offenbaren oft eine interessante Physik, die für das bloße Auge unsichtbar ist. Schauen Sie sich einige der interessanten Clips an, die ich zusammen mit meiner physikalischen Erklärung der Vorgänge gefunden habe.

Drei Statistiken und Sie sind raus: Sports on Earth, Will Leitch

Eine schöne Auseinandersetzung mit Rundfunkveranstaltern, die glauben, Sabermetrics sei das rothaarige Stiefkind des Baseballs. Genauer gesagt, das rothaarige Stiefkind eines rothaarigen Stiefkindes.

Es ging ungefähr so: „Also …“ [audible snort] … Da sind all diese Leute mit ihren … [choked-off inhale, as if he had entered the Cardinals clubhouse bathroom right after Lance Lynn had left it] … Mathematik, versuchen zu verstehen … [grasping of the microphone as if it is the neck of Bill James] … das Spiel. Es ist … es ist nur …“ Ich habe das genaue Zitat nicht richtig verstanden, vor allem, weil es schwer war, Smoltz durch das Platzen der Blutgefäße und das Knirschen seiner Zähne zu hören. Wie der unsterbliche Twitter-Account @oldhossradbourn es kurz und bündig zusammenfasste: „‘Sabermetrics? Was kommt als nächstes? Ein Tier heiraten?' – J. Smoltz.

Padres errichten Mauern im Petco Park: Baseball Nation, Al Yellon

Lynn Henning nickt zustimmend, während er auf Comericas rechte Feld-Power-Allee blickt.

Insgesamt erzielten die Padres im Jahr 2012 121 Homeruns und belegten den 14. Platz in der National League; Sie erzielten 74 Homeruns auswärts und 47 zu Hause. Diese Änderungen werden den Schlagmännern von San Diego helfen.

Padres-Pitcher hingegen könnten einer anderen Meinung sein …

Dick Bosman spricht über Strasburg, Innings Limit und mehr: Seamheads, Ted Leavengood

Interessante Einstellung von Bosman, einem ehemaligen MLB-Pitcher und derzeitigen Mitglied des Front Office der Rays, der seine Karriere in den vom Pitching dominierten 60er Jahren begann. Bosman spricht über Pitcher-Entwicklung und Pitch-Counts, Stephan Strasburg und wie die Rays mit ihren jungen Mitarbeitern umgegangen sind.

Er behauptete, dass die maximale Pitch-Anzahl für einen sich entwickelnden Pitcher 110 bis 115 Pitches in einem Ballspiel betragen würde, „ab und zu wahrscheinlich auf AAA-Niveau“, sodass er bereit ist, auf Major-League-Niveau zu pitchen, wenn er dazu aufgefordert wird der Mutterorganisation. Über die Anzahl der Pitches und die Anzahl der Innings sagte Bosman: „Da sind wir ziemlich streng und haben die Spieler gegen Ende des Jahres geschlossen“, sagte Bosman. „Das haben wir mit Leuten wie Shields gemacht, Matt Moore und verschiedene andere Leute, wenn die Inning-Gesamtsummen etwas hoch werden. Manchmal wird man dabei ein wenig unter die Lupe genommen.“

Eine Sache noch:

Abschließend füge ich dieses Gedicht hinzu, das ich von einem langjährigen Tigers-Fan und Bless You Boys-Leser erhalten habe. Das sagte „Bob L in Arizona“:

Ich bin Tiger-Fan, seit ich denken kann. Als Zwölfjähriger im Jahr 1967 war ich am Boden zerstört, als die Tigers am letzten Wochenende der Saison aus dem Rennen schieden und Boston den Wimpel gewann. Aber das nächste Jahr war das beste. Ich erinnere mich noch daran, wie der Lehrer 1968 das alte Schwarz-Weiß ins Klassenzimmer rollte und uns die Spiele ansehen ließ. 1981 zog er nach Arizona und sah zu, wie die Tigers 1984 erneut gewannen, aber Seitdem war es ein harter Weg. Ich denke, das ist unser Jahr.

Ich entschuldige mich bei Clement Clarke Moore und habe ein paar Änderungen an seinem Gedicht vorgenommen, um es an dieses bevorstehende besondere Ereignis anzupassen.

Nur wenige Nächte vor der Serie

Es war nur wenige Nächte vor der Serie, als alle durch den Staat gingen
Der Gedanke war, die Amis zu schlagen, das Team, das wir so gerne hassen.
Die Rotation wurde von Leyland mit Sorgfalt festgelegt
In der Hoffnung, dass die Starter auf Hochtouren gehen würden

Die Fans kuschelten sich gemütlich in ihre Betten
Während Träume von einer Meisterschaft in ihren Köpfen tanzten
Mit der Frau in ihrem Tiger-Trikot und mir in meiner Mütze
Wir träumten von Homeruns und Hits in der Lücke

Als wir unten in Comerica waren, gab es solch einen Lärm
Wir gingen zum Baseballstadion, um zu sehen, was los war
Auf dem Weg nach Woodward fuhren wir ziemlich schnell
Und kam gerade rechtzeitig an, um die Geister der Vergangenheit zu sehen

Der Mond hatte Schatten in den großen Park geworfen
Aber wir wussten, wem sie gehörten, selbst im Dunkeln
Was sahen wir dann für unsere staunenden Augen?
Ein Typ namens Sparky und einige Größen aus der „D“

Als uns der alte Tiger-Manager einen Blick zuwarf
Wir wussten, dass er es war, der große Captain Hook
Mit ihm waren die Größten, die das Spiel gespielt haben
Und er pfiff und schrie und rief sie beim Namen:

Hey Cobb, hey Crawford, yo Greenberg und Kell
Und mit ihnen kamen Gehringer, Newhouser und Harwell
In die Batter's Box, lasst uns alle herumschlagen
Da sahen wir ihn, es war der Vogel auf dem Hügel

Dann waren sie auf einmal blitzschnell verschwunden
Schluss mit Cochrane, Schoolboy Rowe und Stormin Norman Cash
Wir dachten an Al Kaline, Horton, Tram und Sweet Lou
Von Freehan und Lolich und der gesamten „68“-Crew

Die letzten Worte, die sie sprachen, bevor wir aus diesem Traum erwachten
War: „Holt euch die Jungs, ihr seid ein Meisterschaftsteam.“
Angeführt werden Sie von Leyland, Dombrowski und Mike Ilitch
Du bekommst den Wimpel, dann geht es weiter zum ersten Pitch der Serie.“

Die O’s und A’s hatten beide ein tolles Jahr
Aber jetzt waren sie weg und hatten nur noch die Amis zu fürchten
Also ging es nach New York, weiter an die Ostküste
Ein weiterer Wimpel für die Yankees, würden die Medien prahlen

Miggys Augen funkelten und Prince war ganz fröhlich
Wir hatten gerade die A's mit Garcia und Berry geschlagen
Ja, sie hatten CC, ARod, Cano und Derek Jeter
Aber wir hatten die Heizung von Big Boys und Justin

Die Yankees wurden zerstört und in vier Hälften weggefegt
Sie jammerten und weinten, als ihnen die Tür gezeigt wurde
Zu viel von unseren Vorspeisen und einem Mann namens Coke Zero
Zu viel von Peralta und Young, dem ALCS-Helden

Im Schlagkäfig könnte er pummelig oder rundlich aussehen
Aber er ist auf dem Weg zur Series, der größten Bühne des Baseballs
Mit einem Glanz in den Augen und einer Krone auf dem Kopf
Er ist der beste Schlagmann der Welt, Tiger-Fans haben nichts zu befürchten

Nein, es sind keine Lances, Blackjacks, Willys oder Kirks
Aber Ramon, Worth und Kelly werden bereit sein, zusammen mit Max und Dirks
Benoit und Valverde werden nicht allzu hoch geschätzt
Aber auch im Pferch sind Ricky P, Dotel, Al Al und ein Kind namens Smyly

Bald treten Fister, Sanchez und Omar gegen die NL-Champions an
Avila, Laird und Jackson werden unter dem Erntemond harken
Dann geht es zurück nach Motown, um den Kampf zu beenden
Wir nehmen es in fünf Minuten in Angriff und wünschen den Senioren eine gute Nacht.

The post Detroit Tigers hyperlinks: It is the Giants, Phil Coke was a chimney sweep and we’ll by no means love Delmon Younger appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Nicolas Dromard has some high-flying fun as Bert the chimney sweep in “Mary Poppins” the musical on stage through Jan. 2 at the Detroit Opera House. Photo by Joan Marcus

TV’s “Supernanny” may reform bad behavior, but only one nanny adds magical powers and flying via umbrella to her repertoire.

“Mary Poppins” the musical descended yesterday at the Detroit Opera House and promises to thrill children and adults alike through Jan. 2.

The Disney musical helmed by producer Cameron Mackintosh is based on P.L. Travers’s fantasy book series and the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

The beloved childhood tale follows a magical nanny who comes to work for a cold banker’s unhappy family and features beloved songs including, “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Step in Time” and “Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious.”

New songs from Olivier Award winners George Stiles and Anthony Drewe also grace the stage production.

The show opened in London’s West End in 2004, with a Broadway counterpart debuting two years later.

It received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, winning for Best Scenic Design.

A national tour launched in Chicago in March 2009.

Nicolas Dromard takes on the toe-tapping role of Bert, the chimney sweep, after spending the last 1 1/2 years as Fiyero in the San Francisco production of “Wicked.”

His excitement about the plum part was evident during a recent phone interview from a tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa.

“It’s such an incredible show,” Dromard said. “Of all the shows I’ve done, this is my favorite. I adore performing it every night.”

The timeless message appeals to everyone, he believes, and resonates even today.

“Kids connect with the Disney magic and adults because they remember the movie,” he said.

“The story about the father trying to reconnect with his children and the mother feeling she’s lost her purpose – that’s very current even though it’s set in the early 1900s.”

The national tour isn’t Dromard’s first foray into the role.

He was part of the original Broadway ensemble cast and understudied Bert before taking over for Gavin Lee.

While he realizes his performance inevitably draws comparisons to Van Dyke’s iconic turn, he isn’t worried about measuring up.

“How great to have a role model like that,” he said of the star. “I don’t try to copy anything he does, but put my little spin on it while being true to the character.”

Born in Ottawa, Dromard began dancing at age 6 after being inspired by a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie.

He studied music at De La Salle High School, a performing arts school in Ottawa, and did community theater as well as dance competitions across Canada and the United States.

After high school, he planned to study music in college, but while in New York City for a dance competition final, auditioned and booked “The Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in Branson, Mo.

His theater opportunities grew from there – “West Side Story” at the Stratford Festival in Canada, the North American premiere cast of “Mamma Mia,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Boy From Oz” on Broadway, “Hairspray” in Toronto, the first national tour of “Wicked,” and “Mary Poppins” on Broadway.

Dromard puts his talents to good use as the lovable cockney Bert, taking lead on several songs, acting as narrator and dancing up a storm in the tap-heavy number, “Step in Time.”

“That’s my favorite number,” he said. “I get to tap upside down – how could you not love that?”

New tunes, including Mary’s introduction piece, “Practically Perfect,” fit in flawlessly with the original numbers, according to Dromard, and flesh out the main characters’ stories.

“It’s a perfect blend of favorite songs from the movie and Travers’s book and new songs that fit in so perfectly you’d think the whole score was written at the same time,” he said.

Bob Crowley’s whimsical set provides a much-ballyhooed backdrop for the onstage action.

“The tour set is incredible,” Dromard said. “We have a house that’s more like a dollhouse or a pop-up book.

“It starts off closed, then at the top of the show, I come out and do a little intro and it pops into life.

“It’s visually beautiful and boggles the mind.”

The magical world of “Mary Poppins” unfolds at the Detroit Opera House through Jan. 2.

Tickets starting at $25 are on sale at the Fisher box office, Ticketmaster locations, www.broadwayindetroit.com and by phone at 1-800-982-2787.

The post Basic musical “Mary Poppins” drops into Detroit Opera Home – The Information Herald appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

San Francisco has been having a tough decade so far. As of a year ago (the most recent numbers available from the Census Bureau), its estimated population was down 7.5% from April 2020, the sharpest drop of any US city over that period. Downtown activity, as measured from mobile phone use, was 68% below pre-pandemic levels as of this spring, again the biggest decline among American cities. Downtown commercial real estate values have fallen by as much as 80%, with owners of several big properties simply walking away rather than continuing with loan payments.

With the city — or at least some areas near downtown — also becoming a byword for crime and disorder, it’s probably inevitable that some have begun labeling San Francisco the next Detroit. Detroit is the great case study in American urban decline, losing population every decade since 1950 and going from the country’s most affluent large city in 1949 to one of the poorest. San Francisco is now the country’s most affluent large city, or at least was a couple of years ago. Its population has started to fall. Could history be about to repeat itself?

The post San Francisco Isn’t Destined to Be the Subsequent Detroit appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Shutterstock

Downtown Detroit has changed in the past decade.

It’s been wild seeing Detroit’s image in the national imagination go from “Murder City” to “Comeback City” — and the same thing happen to San Francisco in reverse. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the city has earned a reputation for its perceived decline, as the tech industry’s pivot to working from home led to record office vacancies, empty streets, a rise in crime, and lay bare the city’s problem with homelessness.

An Oct. 16 article in The New Yorker discusses the decline of San Francisco in the last few years, and says that now, some officials are researching cities like Detroit for ideas on how to turn things around.

According to The New Yorker, Sarah Dennis Phillips, San Francisco’s executive director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, has studied “communities that turned their stories around — formerly depressed cities like Nashville and Detroit that had shown an aptitude for ‘constructing that narrative that makes people want to come.’”

“If downtowns aren’t a place you have to be, then they have to become places you want to be,” she said.

Ever since billionaire Dan Gilbert started going on a building buying spree more than a decade ago, Detroit’s downtown has become built up with a new arena, a new streetcar, and Gilbert’s big under-construction Hudson’s site skyscraper, all funded with generous tax incentives, and all of which created an image of a rejuvenated city that likely helped Mayor Mike Duggan cruise to a third term. But Detroit still has plenty of problems; census data showed a continued population drop this year, with Black Detroiters leaving the city at a high rate.

The New Yorker states that initially, San Francisco took on this widespread task of “urban renewal” better than most U.S. big cities, growing rich with “lush, landscaped parks, tree-lined boulevards, and world-class museums where there had been none.” But the article also compared San Francisco to being a company town like Detroit, and the risk that comes with that.

“If industry fled greater San Francisco, as car-making left Detroit in the fifties, a vortex could begin,” the article states. “And if tax revenue were so depleted that it required stripping services, the city could spin out.”

As the article also makes clear, San Francisco is still a bustling city, and a city’s “decline” or “rebirth” is much a matter of perception.

Subscribe to Metro Times newsletters.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

The post San Francisco is seeking to Detroit for concepts on how one can rehab its picture | Metro Detroit Information | Detroit appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Granddaughter continues the legacy of the family-owned and operated business

DETROIT, Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — C & C Heating & Air Conditioning, a leading Detroit-area heating and cooling company with more than seven decades of experience, will spend August honoring its employees and its heritage by celebrating the company’s 75th anniversary.

The original C & C Heating & Air Conditioning sign showcases the HVAC company’s services. C & C is celebrating 75 years of operation this month.

“It’s been a privilege to serve the citizens in the greater Detroit area for this long,” said Dayna Hottle, general manager of C & C Heating & Air Conditioning. “When my grandfather started this business 75 years ago, it was his goal to offer the best HVAC services in the area and do it for a reasonable price. Our longevity is proof that his goals were reached.”

Hottle’s grandfather, Joe Corrion, and his brother, Roger Corrion, whose family had immigrated from Belgium, were raised on their family’s farm in Fraser, Michigan. After years of back-breaking agricultural work, the brothers decided that farming was not the lifestyle either of them wanted. So, they began to learn the heating and cooling trade as a way to support themselves and their families.

In August 1948, the brothers opened C & C, and the heating and cooling company quickly became a staple in the community. The business enabled Joe Corrion to put his son, Jim Corrion – Hottle’s father – through college. While Jim Corrion didn’t work in the family business at the time, he did remain in the trades after graduating from college.

But, in 1977, tragedy struck when Hottle’s grandfather passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Both his sons and their families decided it was time to come back home to C & C and took over the business.

Hottle also put her time into C & C as a child by answering phones and performing light office work.

“C & C has always been a part of my life,” she said. “I can’t remember a time when my family wasn’t pitching in to help in customer service or working to make the business successful.”

Story continues

Hottle worked part time while she was in school, and worked during holidays and breaks while she attended Albion College in Albion, Michigan. After graduating with an economics degree, she began working as C & C’s operations manager in 2005.

The family worked together as the business continued to grow, and they added new employees. But, in 2016, Hottle’s uncle passed away. The family rallied again in the wake of his passing to make sure C & C stayed open and continued to serve its customers.

By 2022, Hottle was ready to become the third generation of Corrions to take on the role of managing the family business. She took the reins as the company’s general manger in January of that year and has vowed to keep the company family-owned and operated.

“It’s been a great ride, and it’s one we plan to continue for as long as we can,” she said. “Our customers are our lifeblood. Without them, we wouldn’t have made it 75 years. We hope we can serve them for another 75 years or more.”

The company that started with three employees now boasts 80 workers and a fleet of more than 50 trucks.

“I’m sure we’ve made Grandad proud,” Hottle said.

About C & C Heating & Air Conditioning

C & C Heating & Air Conditioning is a Detroit-area heating and cooling company with more than seven decades of expertise installing and servicing all makes and models of heating and cooling equipment. Their technicians are highly trained and qualified and undergo annual background checks, random drug testing, extensive technical and customer service training and are North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certified. Services include HVAC maintenance and repair, duct cleaning, whole-home air filtration systems, indoor air quality systems and comprehensive maintenance agreements. For more information, call C & C Heating & Air Conditioning at (586) 439-3319 or visit their website at https://candcheat.com/

MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Ripley
Ripley PR
865-977-1973
hripley@ripleypr.com

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/c–c-heating–air-conditioning-celebrates-75-years-as-a-leading-detroit-area-hvac-company-301900484.html

SOURCE C & C Heating & Air Conditioning

The post C & C Heating & Air Conditioning celebrates 75 years as a number one Detroit space HVAC firm appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The South Siders are looking to claim victory after yesterday’s wild finish

• From
  
  Hannah LaMotta
  

• on June 4, 2023 12:48 p.m

Have a beautiful Sunday! It’s been a beautiful weekend for baseball with some nice (or not so nice) wins and the Chicago White Sox will be looking to defeat the Detroit Tigers with Michael Kopech on the mound this afternoon.

The team meets left-handed Matthew Boyd, a veteran Tigers pitcher whom they’ve hit hard in the past. He played most of his career in Detroit until he signed with the San Francisco Giants last season but never played due to surgery and then switched to the Seattle Mariners. He made a direct return to the Tigers in the offseason and is now 3-4 with a 5.96 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. His last game was against the Texas Rangers, where he had five hits, five runs, four walks and five strikeouts. He relies on five throws and uses his fastball most often at 38.6%. He follows with his slider (28.9%), changeup (18%), curveball (8.2%) and sinker (6.3%).

Michael Kopech is back on the mound after a great month of May, but he’s still trying to clean up his stats as he sits at 3-5 with a 4.52 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He had a string of great games, but his most recent appearance against the Los Angeles Angels wasn’t the best, as he only went 4 1⁄3 innings with five hits, four runs, two walks and ten strikeouts. Definitely an interesting stat line. There’s no doubt that it has what it takes, as we can tell by the number of strikeouts, but his main concern now seems to be his control, which leads to walks and a high number of pitches, as well as home runs that are usually on his Fastball straight down pass the middle. Hopefully he can learn from his last outing today and get back on track.

Tim Anderson (enjoying Boyd) will take the lead, followed by Jake Burger as DH and Luis Robert Jr. back in midfield. Eloy Jiménez is on the right, Andrew Vaughn is first and Yasmani Grandal catches. Clint Frazier is in left field while Romy González is in second place and Elvis Andrus slips to third. It seems like Sunday was a new day off or something set by Andrew Benintendi and Yoán Moncada has that day off too.

Game time is at 1:10 p.m. CT on NBCSCHI and you can listen on ESPN 1000.

Continue reading

The post Gamethread: Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

According to the World Health Organization, the pandemic officially ended on May 5.

And in a way, the pandemic is just a bad memory. Crowds have returned to professional sporting events in Detroit. They clog the city’s Corktown and theater districts. They line up at popular restaurants in the evenings and fill the seats at school events.

But downtown revitalization is uneven in Michigan and across the country. Office rents are falling as employers are still reluctant to require their employees to work on-site. In some areas, restaurants, particularly those associated with the office lunch trade, remain closed, while others function largely as take-away restaurants. Some downtown businesses are permanently closed. San Francisco was in the spotlight as a downtown area, especially during the crisis.

The hangover of the pandemic has urban planners and executives holding their breath. In downtown Detroit, restaurants that have survived the pandemic can get crowded on typical weekdays, though many office towers remain largely empty. The brain drain from Detroit has spread to more daytime business for suburban restaurants, city planners said in some cities including Royal Oak, where a week of public meetings to plan the city’s future begins Monday.

In Pontiac, a mayor ending his first year in office says people always want to gather in groups, whether for work or play. This aligns with many scientists who have said that a century-old trend will continue to see rural areas shrink in population while cities around the world continue to grow. On Friday, Pontiac broke ground on a skate park, replacing an aging skateboard park nearby. It’s part of a citywide plan to improve youth facilities, delivering on a campaign promise made by Mayor Tim Greimel. “The kids will get together, so let’s provide them with good activities,” Greimel said.

“There will always be an interest in face-to-face interactions, both in our downtown area and in our parks,” Greimel said after lifting a clod of earth for the groundbreaking ceremony. Across from the park, Pontiac plans to convert a 1920s elementary school into a youth activity center, he said.

“I think some doomsayers are premature to announce the deathblow in inner cities. People going out to be with other people is still the future,” Greimel said. Indeed, it took extensive networking, sometimes face-to-face, to elicit support for the skate park from Pontiac City Council, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, and a group of small but important individuals and organizations attract corporate donors. The new skate park is slated to open in late summer in Pontiac’s historic Oakland Park, which is surrounded by homes built by GM in the 1920’s to house workers who built GM’s then newest and hugely popular model – the Pontiac .

A week full of charrettes begins for Royal Oak on Monday. That’s the fancy word for group meetings aimed at gathering public and expert opinion on how a city should see its future in a new master plan. The process is required by state law every five years and will also take place in Birmingham this spring. Downtown Royal Oak is well positioned to benefit if many of its residents choose to continue working from home rather than commute to downtown Detroit, city planner Joe Murphy said.

As the weather warms, remote workers will find comfortable spots to land their laptops in Royal Oak’s new downtown park, Murphy said. This puts coffee and bagel shops, upscale restaurants or takeaways, and even the library’s squeaky-clean restrooms within easy walking distance with a keyboard punch.

“I think we’re still a small, traditional inner-city community, and I think we’re going to hear people love that,” Murphy said.

More:Detroit will spend $80 million a year to replace 10,000 leading service lines

More:Free Press Flashback: Coleman Young’s first mayoral campaign began 50 years ago

“But will our downtown area be as busy as it used to be?” he said, referring to recent concerns that “downtown San Francisco is becoming emptier.” He added, “While we don’t want to admit it, we are in competition with other communities.” (See www.planroyaloak.com for the schedule of Royal Oak’s master plan meetings.)

Retail experts say malls were dying decades before the pandemic. The question now is whether, despite the simplicity of online shopping, it will be possible to lure shoppers back to brick-and-mortar retail in the city centre. No one can be sure, but one staunch optimist is Cristina Sheppard-Decius, former head of Dearborn’s Downtown Merchants Group and now chief executive of the Birmingham Shopping District, which includes promoting the city’s restaurants and services.

A business with the right mix of merchandise backed by friendly staff and a slick website can thrive in the right location, said Sheppard-Decius, chairman of the Michigan Downtown Association. Sheppard-Decius said downtown commerce in the Detroit suburbs is returning to normal, albeit with some changes.

Alfresco dining has become a staple ahead of many restaurants, she said. As for working from home, she said she knows a lot of people who are “longing to go back to the office.” Still, countless Michigan residents seem happy to work from home, especially if they can avoid paying a city income tax like those incurred when working in Detroit, Pontiac, or any of the two dozen or so Michigan cities that levy income taxes, which is a shift could promote, “she could.” “Stay with us for a long time,” she said.

Despite this chilling incentive, both psychologists and economists say there are reasons why, despite pandemic-related disruptions, people of all kinds either want or should be around others to look their best. This can even include copying each other’s skateboarding moves while modeling purple hair and fake tattoos like those sported by Marijayne Renny of the Pontiac Skateboard Project — dubbed by her mayor as the key networker and fundraiser behind Pontiac’s under-construction skateboard park .

As Renny told the groundbreaking crowd of about 50 people, including a group of young people with skateboards, “People will be watching this project across the country to see how hard everyone has worked to make this happen.”

Contact Bill Laytner: blaitner@freepress.com

The post Will Detroit go the way in which of San Francisco, with a downtown emptied out? appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

An open secret

The condition of the DHC buildings is no secret. HUD inspections are conducted annually and before move-ins and are required for all but the highest performing properties. The results of these inspections are sent to the DHC Board and to HUD.

The DHC consistently performed poorly in the 2019 inspections. Six developments received a rating of “fail” and five others were “almost failed” with scores between 60 and 71.

Henriquez is confident that this year’s results will improve.

“I think the results will be better in 2023,” she said. “We are educating and educating people and making them more accountable and we will see the difference in both improved productivity and the work done.”

Between February and April of this year, Outlier Media visited and interviewed residents of the Diggs Homes, Brewster Homes, the Villages at Parkside and dozens of single-family homes. Some were in good or fairly good condition. Others weren’t. As residents showed us their homes, reporters saw many dilapidated exteriors, boarded-up units, and even worse conditions inside the units.

There are around 3,300 public housing associations in the country. Because these agencies fund, manage and count the properties in their portfolios differently, it is difficult to come up with an “average” value against which to compare inspection results.

Still, based on descriptions provided by Outlier, conditions at DHC properties were a cause for concern for national expert Susan Popkin, director of the Urban Institute’s Housing Opportunities and Services Together initiative.

“What’s happening at the DHC sounds like poor property management,” Popkin said. “They are supposed to fix health and safety issues in a timely manner – like any other landlord.”

Popkin added that oversight is critical to an effective housing authority.

“They are enormously complex organisations. There are some very good housing managers and others who are not so good,” she said. “But if no one is keeping an eye on them, there can be problems.”

Henriquez has been at the helm of the DHC since 2019. The Board of Commissioners oversees their work and that of the Agency. Richard Hosey, Aaron Seybert, Penny Bailer, Achsah Williams and Keona Cowan are the current board members appointed by the mayor. Hosey, a developer who chairs the board, also serves on the boards of the Detroit Land Bank Authority and the Downtown Development Authority.

The board was presented with the latest inspection results from 2021, which showed that 13 out of 15 properties were defective. A memo on the board pack, compiled by DHC staff and acknowledging the poor performance, said: “The results were substandard.”

In its email response to Outlier, the board blamed many of the DHC’s problems on funding and understaffing, but not on its CEO.

“The board has full confidence in Sandra’s leadership,” it said.

HUD also has the power to intervene when public housing authorities are underperforming and may consider the authority “concerned”. They can then conclude a cooperation agreement with the municipality to improve real estate conditions.

In 2005, HUD placed DHC in receivership for nearly a decade due to poor ownership and mismanagement of funds.

HUD said it “takes its oversight responsibilities seriously” and is more engaged with local authorities in cases of “poor performance”.

“DHC failed to meet that criterion,” Michael Polsinelli, director of HUD’s Detroit field office, said via email to a spokesman.

is there a plan

The widespread acknowledgment of poor conditions on all DHC properties does not appear to provide incentives for further action by the city government.

“Lack of inspections is a concern,” Donald Rencher, the city’s group leader for housing, planning and development, said via email. “I believe DHC has been working on a capital plan for its public housing that will address many of the issues.”

Henriquez said the lack of money limited her ability to do much more than plug holes. The DHC is currently conducting a capital requirements analysis to determine exactly how much money it would need to refurbish its properties. However, she estimated the funding required would run into “hundreds of millions of dollars.”

DHC only has about $12 million a year available for capital improvements, Henriquez said.

Social housing agencies across the country are facing funding constraints as HUD cuts the amount of money it allocates to support public housing. But DHC has not taken advantage of HUD programs, which could fill funding gaps and improve conditions in its buildings.

HUD encourages public housing authorities to convert properties into a so-called “Rental Assistance Demonstration” (RAD). The tool allows public housing authorities to access various forms of financing such as loans or funds from partnerships with private investors, rather than relying solely on HUD grants, which can mean more money for property renovations. For example, the San Francisco Housing Authority has converted 29 projects with nearly 3,500 housing units to RAD.

RAD could play a big role in filling DHC’s funding gaps, but has yet to complete a single conversion. It will likely be years before the Commission completes the refurbishment of its weakest performing buildings.

Henriquez said that when she joined DHC, no action had been taken against RAD, although it had been an option for seven years. After the DHC was set back a year by COVID-19, Henriquez says it gives its approval to convert 308 Gardenview Estates public units it doesn’t own for such a project.

“We’re trying to make up for lost time,” she said.

Despite poor performance on RAD inspections and conversions, Mayor Mike Duggan has made the DHC an integral part of his affordable housing plan. The city plans to sell 12 multi-family homes to the DHC, which will spend $20 million on redevelopment for low-income residents.

Rencher said it’s important that DHC continue to make neighborhoods more affordable.

“DHC must have two strategies in developing and managing affordable housing,” Rencher said. “One for improving the stock of affordable housing and another for creating opportunities for new affordable housing units. DHC must do both to meet the needs of Detroit residents.”

Henriquez believes the company will be able to handle the additional management responsibilities.

“I agree that we haven’t learned to crawl yet. So why would you try to run it and add more to the portfolio?” she said. “I think by the time those units come on board and we’ve got all of that sorted out, we’ll be at a point where our property management skills will have improved significantly. It will make sense to add these to our portfolio.”

At her DHC-managed home on the west side of the city, Starreatha James thinks it’s possible the Commission is now beginning to tackle some of its long-standing problems. After Outlier provided the DHC with a list of issues and questions about James’ house, she said maintenance had been in touch and would be in soon to investigate and possibly fix the issues.

It might be too late. James’ family has reached the limit of what they are willing to endure. She says they are looking for a new place to live, even though it’s harder to afford a house on the open market.

“I don’t want to deal with the DHC anymore,” she said.

The post Detroit Housing Fee properties preserve failing inspections • Outlier Media appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

All-Star Mechanical is more than your average HVAC company. Aside from promoting its heating and cooling services, the Lansing-based company’s social media presence is also dedicated to promoting civil rights, social justice, and dismantling systemic racism. The company recently went viral on Twitter when someone posted a picture of an ad they published in a local paper.

“I can’t pretend like everything is ok,” the ad reads. “Gun fetishes are being prioritized, women are no longer in control of their own bodies. The earth is heating up. Black and Brown people are still being killed, brutalized, or otherwise harassed. Honestly, at this point, who gives a SH*T about HVAC. But if you’re hot, give us a call.”

All Star Mechanical more like No Fucks Mechanical pic.twitter.com/aIHY23IzMF

— Biblically Accurate Hard Seltzer (@VernorsHerzog) June 30, 2022

Metro Times caught up with owner Larry Kirchoff, who explains how All-Star Mechanical became a “company with a conscience.” Kirchoff says he went into business in 2007 with no other intentions other than providing homeowners with care. In 2012 though, that all changed.

“I lived without having any real knowledge of what privilege was, up until Trayvon Martin was [shot],” he tells Metro Times. “It wasn’t even necessarily that he was killed. It was more the reaction when he was killed, and how they labeled him as a thug or labeled him as, you know, some sort of — it just was a stereotype. And then the people that sort of lifted George Zimmerman up as some sort of vigilante hero — so that was the first point at which I ever thought, ‘This isn’t right.’”

From that moment, Kirchoff says he dedicated himself to learning more about systemic racism, civil rights, and social justice, using his business’s social media pages as a catalyst for discussion, and educating others.

When NFL player Colin Kapernick was criticized for kneeling to protest police brutality, Kirchoff was inspired to go to a Black Lives Matter rally. “That was the moment at which I said to myself, ‘I’ve got to do something,'” he says. “I can’t sit here in silence and watch people grieve, and you know, the next person and the next hashtag.”

Kirchoff’s world expanded as he studied the nuances of politics and the systems in place used to oppress marginalized communities.

In 2020, when the pandemic was changing the fabric of society, not only because of the deadly virus but also the BLM protests sweeping the nation, Kirchoff took to the streets of Lansing and offered aid to those who needed repairs done on their home. Kirchoff was working for free, and asking that clients donate to a cause they felt was making a positive impact.

It was not only through acts of service that Kirchoff worked to unify his community. Starting in 2021, he anonymously took out full-page ads to advertise his business and make social commentary on the current political and national climate, signing the ads with “BMF” — Bad MotherFucker. The ads would read something like “Black Lives Matter.” Kirchoff would change them weekly throughout the year, and as time went on, Kirchoff decided that he would create these ads with All-Star fully backing the messages.

This change caused Kirchoff’s business to gain more attention, as readers began to share and post the ads, gaining traction over the internet during the Fourth of July weekend.

Throughout his journey, Kirchoff cites Kaepernick as the force that has inspired him the most.

“I have the number seven on all of my trucks. I have the number seven on my work attire,” he says, a reference to Kaepernick’s jersey number. “Colin Kaepernick is the single most influential person in my path. He knew what was going to happen if he took a knee, and he did it anyway. And I really, I can’t think of another person living in my lifetime that has made such a huge impact, and is still largely criticized.”

The most important work Kirchoff says he did was investigating his internal biases, and learning how to address them. This process literally changed his mindset to be more aware of the ideas taught to the youth, and the stereotypes and rumors that continue to spread.

Kirchoff hopes what others take away from his messages is that education is the pillar of the motivation for change and growth.

“We have to get critical race theory into schools and into young children,” he says. “I mean, children are resilient, and they will see what is the truth, unless we deny them that. And that’s what we’ve done, we’ve really just denied the truth to generations of children in this country. I’m one of them. I mean, what I know now, if I had known then, I probably would have spoken out much sooner. If [more people] knew then what I know now, maybe we wouldn’t be in this position. Maybe Colin Kaepernick wouldn’t have had to take a knee. I mean, he’s not saying anything different than Muhammad Ali said. My hope is that there’ll be some policy change, so that we can make these corrections at the root of the problem, and then people will come together, I’m sure of it. But the other part of that is for people now who see what’s happening, but don’t say anything. I think the silence is deafening.”

Kirchoff is determined to help give a voice to those who are often spoken over and ignored, and want to see people grow and learn how to address their behaviors and strive to create equality across the board. However, along with his activism, he’s still promoting his HVAC business. Currently, All-Star Mechanic only serves the Lansing area, but you can follow their social media platforms, where Kirchoff continues to create important discourse around social issues. You can follow their Facebook page where Kirchoff posts regularly.

Stay connected with Detroit Metro Times. Subscribe to our newsletters, and follow us on Google News, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, or TikTok.

The post We interviewed the man behind the viral ‘woke’ HVAC advert from Lansing | Michigan Information | Detroit appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.