Advance Screening of "McFarland, USA" at Troy's MJR Digital Cinemas

Last week, the head coach for the Troy Athens High School Cross County team invited his runners and their families to attend an advance screening of McFarland, USA at the MJR Troy Grand Digital Cinema 16. Alex, Mary Ellyn, and I attended the sneak preview of the movie and we enjoyed it. It may not win an Academy Award but I liked it because it was all about running, family, and the value of community.

Before I go on to give additional info on this motion picture, let me add that we are fortunate here in Troy to have a brand new MJR Digital Cinemas theater at the corner of Maple and Livernois. Click here to see a recent City video that describes the process of how this venue came to be developed at the old K-Mart store location on Maple Road.

OK, now back to McFarland, USA. Here's a description of the movie on Disney's website...

Inspired by the 1987 true story, “McFarland, USA” follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. Coach White and the McFarland students have a lot to learn about each other but when White starts to realize the boys’ exceptional running ability, things begin to change. Soon something beyond their physical gifts becomes apparent—the power of family relationships, their unwavering commitment to one another and their incredible work ethic. With grit and determination, the unlikely band of runners eventually overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well. Along the way, Coach White realizes that his family finally found a place to call home and both he and his team achieve their own kind of American dream.

By all means, see McFarland, USA when it's released in theaters on February 20, 2015.

Below are some links to background stories on Coach Jim White and the McFarland High School Cross Country team as well as a trailer for the motion picture...

McFarland cross-country team toils for 6th straight title...

Successful McFarland X-Country team loses state title after 24 years...

McFarland High: Running for their coach, their families, their town...

The faith behind Disney's McFarland, USA...

Troy's 60 Years in 365 Days

Image via Troy Historic Village

One of my avocations is history. If I could re-live my life, I would probably become a history teacher. Thus, I was pleased to learn that the Troy Historic Village is presenting 365 Troy stories throughout the year to celebrate Troy's 60th Anniversary! It's called The 365 Project.

The Troy Historic Village's goal is to "publish a different story each day in 2015 that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 that helped shape our lives and our community."

Each day's story will also be posted on their Facebook page.

I'll be looking forward to reading the daily posts. Maybe I 'll even think up something to write about from some of the controversies that swirled around Troy during my six years on the City Council.

1/29/15 UPDATE: Click here for information from the City of Troy on Troy's 60th Anniversary.

Move Across Troy - January 2015 Update

Image via City of Troy

Here's the latest update on Move Across Troy.

As I previously posted, the City of Troy kicked off Move Across Troy by hosting the Big Beaver Pedestrian Symposium last fall. The symposium was a "focused effort to discuss pedestrian mobility barriers that exist on Big Beaver, between Adams and Dequindre Road, and explore future solutions." I attended the late afternoon session on October 1st.

On 1/12/15, the Troy City Council held a special study meeting for an update on the project.

Click here and here to read/print the documents that were presented at this special study meeting.

According to the draft meeting minutes, "Mayor Slater summarized that the directive from City Council is to keep moving forward with the proposed meetings and seeking funding." This is great news and I'm hopeful that this project will continue to move forward.

As an added bonus, City staff has posted the video recording of the 1/12/15 Troy City Council special study meeting to YouTube. At the bottom of this post is the video. (The meeting actually starts shortly after the 2 minute mark of the video.)