When I play in the band I often tell stories about growing up in the Detroit area. I mention Edgewater Park, Bob-lo Island, Swinging Time TV show, CKLW's Top 20 record charts, even Boston Coolers and Vernors Floats. All happy memories of growing up in the area.

 

So when I heard Livonia's Awrey Bakeries had been sold to out-of-state investment companies for $25 million it kind of got my attention. Current Awrey's President Tom Awrey, is a fourth generation of the company founded by Fletcher Awrey in 1910, will remain with the company through the transition, but has not been offered a position with he new owners.

We have to hope the new owners keep the Awrey name and traditions alive. Products like the famous Long John Jr. coffee cakes and Corn Tostums. The Awrey bakeries have also been producing Saunders' Bumpy Cakes and Bill Knapp's Celebration Cakes.

 

Interestingly Saunders Candy and Desert Shops are alive and expanding. The prototype store opened last fall in Livonia's Laurel Park Place shopping center and has been well. Well enough for the company to open two more stores one in Grosse Pointe and another coming soon to the Ferndale-Royal Oak area. The Laurel Park Sanders shop is open seven days a week. For more information you can see www.sanderscandy.com. 

 

In the soap opera world of music, I have heard rummers that the Cracker Jack Band will soon no longer perform. Long time band leader Bobby Lewis recently retired. Piano player Willie is now performing at the Sports Men's Den, downriver. Robby the drummer is said to be moving on and the rest of the band which includes new guitarist Reme, a former member of Steve King and Dittlies, will perform under the name 50 Amp Fuse.

 

Very sad to hear of the violent death of Jennifer Holliman. Young Jennifer had been having trouble with her husband. In fact he was in jail on a domestic abuse charge. When he was released he allegedly beat and stabbed this poor little girl over 30 times, in front of three little babies age four, three and one years old. The dead mother and babies were left in the house for close to 24 hours before being discovered by a friend. At this point the father is in jail. The kids are alive and staying with the maternal grandmother in Farmington. These kids have nothing. A father in jail, a dead mother, no clothes, no dippers, no toys. A fund for the kids has been set up, you can donate at any Standard Federal Bank in care of the Jennifer Holliman Trust.