Novi Library Proposal

I have decided to do my argumentative essay on the Novi Library Proposal. The proposal will expand the current library of 23,190 square feet to 60,000 square feet, with the option of expanding the library to 90,000 square feet in 2030. The current Novi library was built in 1976 when Novi's population was 22,525, however Novi's current population is over 53,000. Novi's population is estimated to reach 80,000 by 2030. The current library is old, outdated, and way to small. The size of the library is the biggest issue. There was a proposal in 2001 for the library to be expanded, but the people of Novi rejected it. The previous proposal asked for 20 million dollar bond, but the citizens of Novi would had to have paid an annual fee as long as they lived in the city. This year's proposal is asking for a bond between 14 and 16 million, and the citizens will only have to pay an annual fee for twenty years compared to the lifetime fee of before. If you have a house value between 175,000-220,000 then your annual fee is $29.83; 220,000-400,000 then your annual fee is $37.62; 4000,000 and above then your annual fee is $68.40. This is a close estimate as to what the costs will be, but the exact price will be determined in the the next month and a half.

I spoke with Robert Cutler, the Novi Library Board President, and he explained that they really can't just add on or expand the current library because it was not designed for this. The old library will have to be pretty much torn down and then rebuilt. If the proposal is approved at the polls the expanded library will be 10 percent of the old building library and 90 percent new. They will keep some of the old building but not much. The major concern for many citizens is what will they do when the library is under expansion. Cutler explained to me that they will hire a professional company to move all of the current library equipment and put it in a new building off site. The off site location will be five minutes away from the current library. This will allow for the citizens to still have a library while the expansion process is ongoing. The cost of moving off site will be close to a million dollars, but this is already included in the 14 to 16 million dollar estimate.

The current library was never meant to serve such a big population. It has served the community well for over 30 years, but it has way to many problems. As mentioned above, size is the biggest issue. The lack of space limits the number of library programs offered, the number of books they can order/store, and the addition of new computers. In addition, the library staff has terrible working conditions because their work area in the back is extremely small. These are just a few of reasons why the current library needs to be expanded, but their are plenty more. I will mention and explain more of the problems throughout the entire paper. If the people of Novi do not vote "yes" on this year's proposal they are making a huge mistake. If the library does not get redone soon, more and more problems are going to arise and become very evident. Each year the library expansion gets delayed the construction cost will rise 5 to 10 percent per year due to the increase in material costs. The time is now for the people of Novi to vote yes, and I am going to try to convince them of this.

Last Couple Weeks

These next four weeks of classes will be quite interesting. I already have a lot of work to do and I am sure that plenty more is on the way. Right now, I am starting to work again so that is taking up a good amount of my time. I know that I am lucky compared to other kids who have to work more hours than I do! It is hard to focus during this time of year because the weather is getting nice, and I do not want to be stuck inside writing papers, doing group projects, and studying for exams. Unfortunately that is what college demands of you. I am counting down the days to the end of the semester.

One bright spot this weekend was watching the NCAA tourney. My bracket is pretty much busted. I have three out of the four final four teams left, but so do a lot of other people. I picked the Georgetown Hoyas to win it all, so I am sticking with them. The last couple of games should be good. Let's Go Hoyas!

Photo Essay Revision

Yesterday I finished putting the final touches on my photo essay. I added two more pictures, which is not a lot, but I thought they were good enough to be in there. I got some good feedback last week from everyone. All the comments were very positive and I really appreciate what they had to say. I tried to take out some of the words in the captions-I hope it helps! These are the only major changes I made to the essay. I don't know what else I could do. If anyone has anysuggestions, please let me know!

Photo Essay Progress and March Madness

Well, I finished the photograph essay today. I think that I might want to add some things here and there, but overall, I am very pleased with how it turned out. I tried to take pictures that would be interesting and ones that would capture the theme I was going for. I definitely exceeded the one hundred word minimum. I didn't try to, but all the writing I put in the photograph essay was necessary. I wanted to make sure everyone had an understanding of each picture and its importance to the central theme of the essay. I think people will learn something new about Novi and come to understand Novi as a "Booming City."

March Madness, what else do I need to say. It is by far my favorite time of the sport year. There is so much excitement to each game, and you are always on the edge of your seat. I love filling out my different brackets, even though I end up losing money. I wish the first weekend of the tournament wasn't over, but I look forward to the rest of it. Let's Go Hoyas!

Flickr Pictures

I choose this picture because little kids might walk past this and wonder what this words means. No young kids should have to be subjects to this kind of language at such age. I can only see problems from this kind of language.

I really don't think that this type of graffiti is necessary. I don't see any good that can come from this. Who cares that KING BNE was here. It serves no purpose and it makes the wall and the city look dirty. It does not make the city better by any means. This person probably had nothing better to do, so they decided to do something like this.

The person who did this obvioulsy has some talent, but yet again I do not see the need for it. To me, graffiti like this one just takes up space on a wall. I see this as destruction of property and people who do this should be be punished.

Overall, I am not a fan of graffiti. I wish that people would stop writing on walls and buildings that do not belong to them.

Graffiti

In reading this article, it is quite clear that Kriegel opposed the idea of graffiti. I personally do not like graffiti . The thing that stuck out the most to me was the fact that Kriegel still remembers the hate words written on the walls of the tunnel. After all these years, the discriminating words are the ones burned into his memory. I feel bad for kids like Kriegel, who were subject to learning the meaning of these words this way. No kid should have to learn/experience these words at the age of eight. They are to young, and they can be influenced to accept these words as if they are true. Kriegel obviously did not accept them, but other kids might. In my opinion, graffiti usually has more negative things to say rather than positive. I do not see graffiti a lot, but the times I have seen it, it has something derogatory to say. I don't see the need for gaffiti.

What I liked in this article was how Kriegel would say something, then say what his opposers would say, and then explain why he thinks their wrong. In a sense, you have both sides of athestory. One side in favor of graffiti, the other one not. I thought it made the article more interesting and added some credibility to it.

This is a picture from FadedDetroit. I really can't make out what some of the words say or represent. There were some more explicit pictures, but I decided to go with one instead.

Novi as a "Booming City"-Final Draft

I have lived in Novi for six years now and since I moved here, I have seen the city develop, grow, and expand. New buildings, restaurants, houses, etc. are constantly being built in Novi. The Southwest Michigan Council of Governments reports that Novi is the fastest growing municipality in Oakland County. In 2005 Novi had a population of 53,115, but in the year 2030 the population is estimated to increase to 79,264. For this reason, Novi must continue to expand and develop, and that is exactly what Novi is doing! These pictures will help you to see how Novi has become this "Booming City" and how it continues to grow before our very eyes!


The St. John's Providence Hospital, located at Grand River and Beck Road, is building a brand new, 200 bed, state of the art hospital. The new hospital will be 500,000 square feet. In addition, the hospital is building a new hotel with 108 rooms. Novi wants people from all over the country, not just Michigan, to have a hospital where families can stay in a nice suite hotel, while their loved one is receiving the best possible care. The hospital should be completed in the Spring of 2008. Unfortunately, as of right now, there is no set date for the hotel completion.

This picture and the one above are pictures of the hospital being built....

The tent and the surrounded area is where the new hotel will be located....Construction workers just broke ground about six weeks ago...

Almost everyone is familar with Twelve Oaks Mall. I thought that this mall couldn't get any bigger, but I was wrong. A new Nordstrom department store will be built (165,000 square feet), which will add 20-30 new stores. The expansion does not just stop here. Macy's, which use to be Marshall Field's, will also add 60,000 square feet. The entire mall expansion will bring over 800 permanent jobs and 1,100 construction and design-oriented jobs to Oakland County.

The Novi area is recognized for having a great school system. Novi added its already superb school record with the addition of Detroit Catholic Central High School. The school opened in August 2005 and it is located on Wixom Road. This is an unbelievable school, with everything at the students disposal. It has five computer labs, a wonderful science laboratory, art and music studios, two gymnasiums, and great sports fields and stadiums. This school has over 1,100 students and it will surely attract many students and families to the Novi area.



These are two pictures of Catholic Central....The land for the school was donated by Mr. Pelleritio, and the money to build the school was provided by former alumni and raised through various fundraisers...It is a huge school....A great addition to the city and the school system......

Novi's population continues to grow and grow. People keep on moving to Novi, so new houses and subdivisions must be built for people to live in. It is amazing to me how many new houses are constantly being built in the city. Everywhere you turn, you see construction and signs for new homes. As you can tell, these are not your average starting homes.


This is a picture of a house that is under construction...The subdivision is called Cheltenham Estates located on Beck Road before Ten Mile Road.

And this is what a finish house looks like in Cheltenham Estates...pretty nice...

This house is part of a new subdivision called Mirabella Estates...This subdivision, which has ten houses, has been built in only a year and a half....Works still needs to be done, but the houses are almost finished...This subdivision is located on Meadowbrook Road between Eight and Nine Mile Road...

This house is also part of Mirabella Estates...This is a picture from behind the house...As you can tell the house is pretty much complete, but there is work to be done in landscaping department


This house is part of the Mission Pines subdivision....It has just been completed...This subdivision is just past Mirabella Estates on Meadowbrook Road....Mission Pines took about two years to complete and it contains eight brand new houses...


Look at this...More plans and construction for 13 new luxurious homes...All of this space is for the new homes...The subdivision is called Normandy Hills...

This is another picture of the area that will be used for the new subdivision...Normandy Hills is located on 8 Mile Road just past Meadowbrook Road...

These last three subdivisions (Mirabella Esates, Mission Pines, and Nomandy Ells) are all located within 200 yards of each other... You can find new homes/subdivisions being built all over the city...The city truly is expanding and adjusting to the population increase...

With more people visiting and moving to Novi, the city has to have more restaurants and stores for people to enjoy. Novi is handling this problem pretty well.

Uno Chicago Grill is an excellent restaurant to enjoy with family and friends. It was built just over a year ago...

Melting Pot is a new addition to the city's already wonderful restaurant selection...

However, the building of new restaurants never ends in Novi...

This might not look like much now, but a new TGIF restuarant and Panera Bread are coming to Novi soon...This is located on 8 Mile Road and Haggerty...

In addition, Novi has also built little shopping/strips malls like these two....

With the population expected to reach 79,264 in the year 2030, Novi is building and preparing its future today.

While the rest of Novi keeps on developing and expanding, one building stays the same-the Novi public library. This library was built in 1976, when Novi's population was one third of what it is today. There will be a proposal this November on the ballot for the citizens of Novi to determine whether or not they want to expand the existing library. I plan on doing my argumentative essay on this issue, arguing for why the people of Novi need to vote "yes." The people of Novi rejected a proposal in 2001 because the proposal was poorly thought out and there was no clear idea as to what the new library would look like. This time, it is very different. I spoke with both the Library Board President, Robert Cutler, and the Mayor of Novi, David Landry, and both agree on the fact that the current library is inadequate. With the growing population, the current library cannot meet the citizens' needs/demands. The proposal will expand the library from 23,190 square feet to 60,000 square feet, with the option of expanding it to 90,000 square feet in 2030.

The city of Novi has become a "Booming City" because it has kept growing and adjusting. Now is the time for the citizens of Novi to step up and to make sure that the library expansion is approved at the polls. Everything has changed in Novi, and the library needs to change with the growing population. Here are some pictures of the current library.....

This is one of only two rooms set aside for kids/adults who need to study or do research....They are not very comfortable or spacious...In talking with several librarians they need at least two or three more rooms like this one....

There are four tables (A,B,C, and D) with six computers at each table...This is not nearly enough...Good luck trying to get one of these after school from 3-5 or on the weekends...They probably need double this amount...

This room in the library is designated for the kids' program. Novi library has the biggest and most popular kids' program in the state. However, as you can tell, this room is not big at all, so kids, and the adults leading the program must squeeze into the room. Also, many parents would like to stay and watch what their kids' are learning, but due to the size of the room, they must leave.

This is part of the adult section of the library...There is not much room between each isle, which makes it difficult for everyone to move around, especially handicap people...Also, many people struggle with getting books from the top and bottom shelves...

This part of the library is the children section for kids in the 8th grade or younger....

Novi has become a desirable city to live and visit. Hopefully, now you have an understanding and appreciation for what is going on in Novi and why I like to think of it as a "Booming City." Now, the city and people of Novi need to focus their attention on expanding the library.

Our Fortified Ghettos

I thought this article to be very intesting. Atythe same time, I found it to be very depressing. I feel blessed that I live in a neighborhood where I do not constantly feel threatened. It truly is sad when people have to build houses with bars on the windows, spikes on the roof, and multiple locks on a door. I take for granted what I have, and I don't think twice-pretty lucky. The thing that really caught my attention was how thirteen kids died in a "fortified" Detroit house. It is a shame that innocent children died and suffered because their house had to be "fortifed." If their house had not been "fortified" they could have lived. We will never know now.

The second to last paragraph about the consequences of "fortication" also grabbed my attention. I feel that "trust" is a major problem. When people have to constantly look over their shoulder, I understand why it is difficult for them to trust others! People who have to "forify" their houses, do not know what it means to relax and feel safe. They must always be alert, wondering/guessing what could happen next. They can't trust people, which is sad! They must live their lives in fear, something that no one should have to do.

Photos

Well, as I said on my last blog, I am doing my photograph essay on the idea of Novi as a "Booming City." I took some pictures already, but I have to take more. I want to show the construction of new buildings, houses, and restaurants. The point behind these pictures is to show how Novi continues to grow and develop as a city. I think it is important to show people, who don't get to seee Novi on a regular basis, what exactly is going on! Everyone will learn something new, which is what I want to happen.

In my photo essay, I am going to put a picture or two of the Novi library in there. The reason I am doing this is because the Novi library needs to expand like the rest of the city. It seems like everything else is, so why not the library. There is a proposal on this year's ballot for a new one. I am going to do my argumentative essay on why the citizens of Novi should vote "yes" on the proposal. Hopefully, I will be able to get some good information on this issue soon. I plan on talking with someone from the library board. It should be interesting!

News Coverage II

1.) The local issue that I feel is getting the most attention involves Comerica Bank's decision to move its headquarters from Detroit to Houston. It has caused many people to become upset because they realize that this has several consequences. Consequences include: people losing their jobs, Michigan and Detroit receiving bad publicity across the country, and people from other states see what is happening, which stops them from thinking about or considering to work in the Metro area.

-The second local issue that is getting the most coverage is the Tara Grant murder case. It seems like new things are developing each day. To me, I am interested in the case, but it is getting more and more difficult with each day to hear/learn more disturbing news.

2.) The thing that stands out the most to me about the coverage on FREEP.com is the fact that the two top/most popular stories are very sad. Both the Comerica Bank and the Tara Grant story involve sad developments and I wish that there could be more positive news.

-The human factor in both of these stories is very evident. There is no denying the fact that these two top stories are having an impact on many citizens. They are taking a toll both finacially and mentally on many people. Many people are losing their jobs due to Comerica's decision, which affects not only the people losing the jobs, but their families. Michigan's economy is not in good shape right now, so this just adds insult to injury. It is tough having to watch people losing their jobs for essentially no reason. In the Tara Grant murder case, everyone in the state feels so sad and sorry for both Tara and her family. While watching the coverage on TV, it is hard not to get feel the pain suffered by both Tara and her family.

-I really do not feel any drama in the Comerica story because it is a very serious issue. In my opinion, the news is not exaggerating this story. People and family will go through tough times because of this decision. I can on the other hand see why people would think the News is adding drama to the Tara Grant story. At times, it seems like the news may push/go to far.

3.) I was looking for things in FREEP.com about my own neighborhood (Novi) and I really didn't find anything too interesting. There were not any real big storylines or anything like that. There were a couple of stories, but nothing that really stood out to me.

4.) I having been thinking about what I want to do my research about and I think I have found an idea for my photograph essay. I want to show everyone in class how the city of Novi continues to grow and develop with the city's increasing population. Within the past one or two years I have seen Novi grow dramatically with new schools, new hospital hotel, new subdivisions, many new restaurants, and possibly a new library. Because Novi is growing at such a rapid rate, the city has to keep developing and it surely has. When I interviewed the Mayor of Novi for my profile essay, he harped to me about how much Novi is developing. I think that the photograph essay would be a perfect opportunity to show my classmates pictures of Novi's new buildings and developments. I do not think I could right an argumentative essay on how Novi continues to develop, but I could right an essay about the issue of whether or not the city of Novi needs a new library. In November 2001, the citizens of Novi rejected the proposal for a new library, but the issue will again be on this year's ballot. I will argue that Novi's population has grown so much within the past six to seven years and that the current Novi library will is not adequate enough. I think that the people of Novi need to vote "yes" on this year's proposal.

Revising Essay

Reading the restaurant reviews yesterday in class was quite interesting/fun. It was a nice chnage in pace from the other formal papers earlier this semester. I enjoyed reading my classmates essay's and I had a good time writing mine. Going to a restaurant and writing was different. Usually I go to a restaurant, stuff my face, and then leave. However, this time, I tried to take everything in. I tried to be critical of the restaurant (Cinco de Mayo), but I really couldn't find anything wrong with it!

Today, I looked over my peer-viewers comments and got to work! I really appreciate what they had to say, and hopefully I can make the necessary changes. They both said that I had a great start and I just need to add/correct some miner things. I look forward to getting my review back tomorrow to see what else needs to be done. I hope that there won't be to much to fix-wishful thinking! I also think that I have a good idea for my photograph essay. I am going to show with various pictures, how the city of Novi contiunes to develop, grow, and adjust to the city's increasing population. I have blogged about how Novi continues to grow, and now it is time to show it! I think that everyone will enjoy it and most importantly, everyone will learn something about Novi that they never knew before.

Reading the News

The first headline on the Free Press's website jumped out at me. It said that the verdict of the Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial will read today at noon. This interested me because I like to follow politics and the National news, so a major story like this engages me.

The second thing that jumped out at me was reading the articles on the Tara Grant murder case. Everything that I read I already knew about, but I can't help to read it again because I find it to be very interesting.

I tried to look for interesting stories in the Novi area but I nothing struck me. Hopefully, I will find something soon.

The last thing that I read was about how Congress plans on giving our troops better care when they return from Iraq. This has to be improved because it is a shame that men and women are risking their lives for us and they are not even given the proper treatment. They deserve the best and we should do everything we can!

Tara Grant

If you have been watching the news over the past few weeks, you probably have been following the Tara Grant murder case. It truly is a very sad story, and it is hard to imagine how much this innocent lady had to suffer. It makes me sick to even think about it. Tara Grant lived life to the fullest each day. She loved her kids more than life itself and she loved to be around others. It is a shame that her life was cut short. I wish the best to her family and kids during this difficult time.

As far as her husband, Stephen Grant, I think that this man should never see the light of day again. After what he did, I have no mercy/compassion for him. This was such a disturbing and malicious act, and it warrants the worst punishment possible. How can you murder your wife? This is the person you are suppose to cherish, love, protect, and care for, not destroy. Why don't you just get a divorce instead of killing her? I wish that this poor woman never had to go throuhgt this. May God Bless her soul.

It's Over

Well, it's hard to imagine that Spring Break is already over. It seems like yesterday the week long break had just begun. Now, it's time to go back to work (school). I enjoyed the break, just sitting around and relaxing with my friends. I know that this doesn't sound to exciting, but I think that this was just what I needed. Although, going somewhere warm and sunny would not have been bad either. This break gave me the chance to catch up on some sleep and do some work around the house. The way I look at it, there is only seven more weeks left of classes, which is not too bad! You have to stay positive.

Over break, I also had to write the restaurant review. I choose Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican restaurant located in Redford. I really enjoyed this paper because it was fun to be a critic. I am pretty much done writing the first draft and so far I am well pleased with how it has turned out. To be quite honest, I absolutely loved the restaurant I choose. I had never been there before, and after leaving there, I really don't have anything to criticize the restaurant for. Out of the five things we needed to critique, the bathroom (cleanliness) was the only potential issue. There were a couple of paper towels on the floor, but that's all! Everything from the food, atmosphere, prices, service, and cleanliness was excellent. I really worked hard to keep this review interesting and engaging throughout. After reading it, I think readers will have a good idea of what Cinco de Mayo is all about. I look forward to reading everyone else's.