NORTHVILLIANS,

• Michigan’s MIOSHA filed COVID-19 emergency rules to align with Federal OSHA's Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS). The updated rules are set to expire Dec. 22, 2021.  The rules rescind the emergency edict issued on May 24, 2021 and focus on health care. For details on this rescission, please go to MIOSHA Emergency Rules - State of Michigan. (Michigan.gov)
• Gov. Whitmer called for the expansion of the “Futures for Frontliners” scholarship program to meet increased demand & popularity. The tuition-free scholarships would now include frontline workers who served between Nov. 1, 2020 & Jan. 31, 2021. “It would assist the selfless Michiganders who stepped up in unprecedented ways to keep our state moving… As we put Michigan back to work, this will help people get into good-paying, high-demand careers, which will boost our economic jumpstart even further,” said the Governor. (Michigan.gov)
• Additionally, Whitmer declared a state of emergency Saturday (6/26) for the massive flooding that has occurred in the State after more than 7 inches of rain hit this past weekend. The Governor is also seeking to qualify for federal assistance which would provide FEMA funds for “major disaster areas”.  While much of the water is now receding, the flooding left 37K people without power.  (WWJ950.com)

• The Northville Record reported on 4^th of July activities all the way back to 1895, remarking that over 5,000 visitors that year (almost the entire population of Northville) enjoyed festivities from dawn-to-dusk. This included a sunrise 21-gun salute, a huge parade and a Fireworks Finale. Folks from all over Detroit would come to Northville via trolleys & trains to catch the day’s events.
• In 1927, Northville celebrated its 100^th (Centennial) birthday by hosting the largest parade ever seen in Michigan up to that time, which was made possible with assistance from Henry Ford. (Ford spent a great deal of time in town & wanted to make this historic event special for the community.)
• Activities for the Centennial Celebration included A LOT:
  • Three days of Sports in the Street.
  • Concerts (historically in the “Crow’s Nest” band shell at Main St. & Center) along with bands setting up on the lawn of the American Legion.
  • Ford Field hosted games for the youth, a community softball match and an old timer’s baseball event.
  • Square dancing and barbecues took over the streets (where the social district is today).
  • The parade contained floats, marchers, vehicles and ships depicting early Northville History…"100 Years of Progress" was the theme.
  • Spectacular fireworks capped off the 100^th anniversary events.
• In the past, there were orators that spoke at that Crow’s Nest over the 4^th of July weekend.  Choral concerts and barbershop quartets also sang there. The NHS band was always an attraction in the parade and the band shell.  
• Additional Fourth activities included Horse Races (pacers, trotters, thoroughbreds, & Shetlands) and pony rides. Speed boat experiences on the Mill Pond, duck races and other festive happenings took place at the Mill Race Village.
• Street dancing on the weekends on Center St. kicked off on the July 4^th weekend and finished up on Labor Day.  Notably, cornmeal was spread on the streets for the dancers. It was mentioned in the Record that folks in town historically (especially for our Centennial) decorated their houses, factories & businesses in elaborate patriotic themes.
• Finally, back in the day, people would catch the trolley from Northville to head to Walled Lake (especially around the 4^th of July) to enjoy the amusement park & participate in speed boat rides on the big lake. They could walk across the street to the Casino at night to dance to big band sounds from Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller and even Louis Armstrong, among others who performed live & in-person. This Casino was destroyed in a fire and (sadly to say) the giant roller coaster was condemned when I was young.