TAYLOR SUMMER FESTIVAL: Buy in advance and get deals on premiere concert tickets, carnival rides

Buy in advance and get your concerts tickets for the Saturday, June 28, Taylor Summer Festival performance of Phil Vassar, Ty Stone and Joe Jaber and the Last Divide for just $10 each! At the door, those same tickets will cost $15.

Click here to go directly to the etix advance ticket website.

The June 28 concert will be held in the newly renovated, open-air Sheridan Center at Heritage Park. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the concerts begin at 6, building up to the headline event, which will be country icon Phil Vassar. Directly after Vassar is done with his performance, the Masco Fireworks Display will take place in the park. The fireworks display is free.

A Lynchburg, VA, native, Vassar has released eight albums during a storied career that has seen him claim ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, Billboard County Songwriter of the Year, countless hits as both a singer and songwriter and a load of awards that enabled him to launch his own Rodeowave Entertainment label.

He’s hit the Top 5 seven times including memorable songs like “Carlene,”  “Last Day of My Life,” and “American Children.” He topped the charts with “In A Real Love” and everyone’s favorite, “Just Another Day in Paradise.” 

In addition, Tim McGraw’s “My Next Thirty Years,” Alan Jackson’s “She’s Right On The Money” and Jo Dee Messina’s “Bye, Bye” and “I’m Alright” were written by Vassar. New artist David Nail’s hit, “The Sound of a Million Dreams,” also penned by Vassar, was named the No. 1 song in Billboard’s Top 10 Country Songs of 2012.

Taste of Country.com said last year that Vassar’s knack for finding irresistible hooks is as sharp today as it was a decade ago and offered that his new song, “Love Is Alive,” finds Vassar returning to a familiar formula for success.

Schedule outline:

Thursday, June 26:

• Carnival opens at 4 p.m. and runs until 11 (Elliott’s Amusements Carnival will be located in the parking lot in front of the Sheridan Center, along Pardee Road)

• Motor City Moonwalks open at 4 p.m. and run until 11 near the north end of the Petting Farm.

• Petting Farm is open from 4 p.m. until 11. Admission will be from the north end only.

• No other entertainment is scheduled June 26.

Friday, June 27:

• Carnival, Motor City Moonwalks and Petting Farm run from noon until 11 p.m.

• Concert in Sheridan Center includes The Rock Show (Journey Tribute Band) and Satisfaction (Rolling Stones Tribute Band). Gates open at 6 p.m. The Rock Show plays at 7 and Satisfaction plays at 9. Tickets ONLY at the door for $5.

Saturday, June 28:

• Carnival, Motor City Moonwalks and Petting Farm run from noon until 11 p.m.UPDATE: Flutterby Faces' Face Painting will be featuring "Fourth of July"-themed face painting for $8 per face on June 28 at the Petting Farm!

• Concert in Sheridan Center includes County Star Phil Vassar, Ty Stone and Joe Jaber and the Last Divide. Gates open at 5 p.m. Concerts begin at 6 p.m. Advance $10 and at-the-door $15 through www.etix.com and by phone at (800) 514-3849 beginning on May 16.

• Masco Taylor Summer Festival Fireworks Display at approximately 10 p.m. (free.)

Sunday, June 29:

• Carnival and Motor City Moonwalks run from 1 p.m.. until close.

• June 29 is also fireworks show rain date.

PARKING: Vehicle parking will be available both inside and outside of Heritage Park for $5. Official festival parking will be located at the southern end of the park (Northline Road entrance);  First Albanian "Teqe Bektashiane" field (Northline Road and Racho, just outside the south entrance); and at the Wayne County Community College-Taylor Campus (outside the eastern most end of the park). Other private paid parking will be available in the surrounding areas.

STREET PARKING RESTRICTIONS: The Taylor Police Department strongly recommends that if you are driving to the festival, that you use one of the parking lots inside or just outside Heritage Park and that you DO NOT park on adjacent streets. 

One-side parking will be posted on the following city streets during the festival:

Brest

Clinton

W. Keyes

Moran

Klebba

Phyllis

Livingston

Ernst

Ran

Birch

Morley

Maplelawn

Goldenridge

Lincoln

McKinley

Beechwood

Katherine

Dudley

William

Baraga

Mortenview

Violators will be ticketed and towed.

In addition, Pardee Road will be CLOSED between Northline and Goddard at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 28 (fireworks night). All side streets feeding Pardee in that location will also be closed. Only residential traffic will be allowed, and you will have to provide ID to go through the barricades. 

After the fireworks display, Taylor Police will be exiting traffic north and south along Pardee and east and west along Goddard Road and Northline Road. All of those streets will be limited to OUTBOUND TRAFFIC only during that limited time frame (likely 11 p.m.-midnight). Residents returning home from other places should plan to work around that exiting traffic period.

TICKETS, BEER, BEVERAGE AND FOOD SALES: Tickets are required for all carnival rides. Only ticket holders will receive admission into the concerts in the Sheridan Center. Food vendors will be located in strategic positions in the park. Beer vendors will also be strategically located and proof of age will be required to enter those areas. Those attending the festival will not be able to bring in their own beer and/or coolers. Glass bottles will be strictly prohibited in Heritage Park and will be confiscated by police.

DEVELOPING INFORMATION: Check for updates on the Taylor Summer Festival on our Websites (www.cityoftaylor.com and www.taylorfestival.com) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/taylorsummerfestival). 

The Taylor Summer Festival is presented by the City of Taylor, Meridian Entertainment Group and CBS Radio, which includes 99.5 WYCD Detroit’s Country and 104.3 WOMC Detroit’s Greatest Hits. Joining Masco as a sponsor of the Taylor Summer Festival thus far are Michigan CAT, The News-Herald Newspapers, Taylor Ford, Fritz Enterprises, Area Towing, Wm. Molnar Roofing Inc., Eastown Distributors, Taylor Chevrolet, McKinley Properties, Vibra Hospitals of Southeastern Michigan, Shwedel Dental, DTE Energy, MI Custom Signs,  Trinity Transportation and Vic

HOOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL: MORE PHOTOS of the Principal's Pride has a great time in Louisville

HOOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL: Principal's Pride has a great time in Louisville

The “Principal's Pride” trip included 48 Hoover Middle School students this year.

They spent three days and two nights in Louisville, Kentucky, and visited Mammoth Cave, Churchill Downs, The Kentucky Down Under Zoo, Louisville Slugger Factory, Hard Rock Cafe and had lunch one day on a boat going down the Ohio River.  

It was a great time for all that attended!

HOLLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Big crowd says good-bye to a great administrator!

After 24 years of serving the community in the Taylor School District, Sue Massucci, the principal of Holland Elementary School is retiring.

Mrs. Massucci, who is a product of the Taylor School District, began her career in Taylor in 1990 as a special education IEPC substitute teacher.  She was hired full-time and taught at Treadwell Elementary School for four years, in grades 2, 3, 4 and 5.  

She moved to Holland Elementary, where she taught kindergarten for four years.  She truly enjoyed molding the minds of her "little guys" and made friendships that would last many years.  She was encouraged to pursue a role as an administrator by good friend Nancy Varblow, then principal of Holland, in 1999.  

Mrs. Massucci then began a wonderful journey as the principal of Johnson Elementary School.  Johnson saw many positive changes during her eight years as principal, raising MEAP scores, creating new programs and building school relationships.  This  came to a close as the district decided to convert Johnson into a pre-school building.  

Mrs. Massucci, followed by 10 of her teachers, moved to Holland Elementary, where her mentor had left because of illness.  It was bittersweet returning to Holland due to the sad circumstances.  Mrs. Massucci pulled the school community back together, provided the building with stability and began to create a cohesive school family between students, staff and parents.  

For the past seven years, Mrs. Massucci has spent time getting to know each and every student. She made it a point to know every child's name and to get to each family at the school.

She has mentored new administrators, served as the school district spelling bee chairperson for 10 years, been an advocate for children and encouraged and supported her staff.

Recently, the staff and families honored Mrs. Massucci with a farewell party.  She was presented with a special tribute  from Gov. Rick Snyder, State Sen. Hoon Yung Hopgood and State Rep. Doug Geiss (by Mrs. Erica Geiss).  

She was also given letters of congratulations from Mayor Rick Sollars, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin,  U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow and U.S. Rep. John Dingell.  

Many former students, parents, staff members and friends from the community joined in wishing Mrs. Massucci well as she begins this new chapter in her life.   It was a wonderful send off and although everyone is sad to see her go, but they know she will always be a part of Holland Elementary School.

Mrs. Massucci's daughter, Abby, sang a special song, "Spotlight" for her.  The song tells everyone to be a star and shine bright, things Mrs. Massucci encourages everyone to do!

BLAIR MOODY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Students have a great camp

Blair Moody Elementary School fifth-graders had a great time at camp recently. They had the opportunity to learn teamwork while having a blast. A big thank you to all of the chaperones that were brave enough to stay the week.

TOMMIE SAYLOR: Thanks for all of your efforts

“It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit.”

-- J.R.R. Tolkien

By Tommie Saylor

Kennedy High School Principal

This will be my final update for the 2013-14 school year, and as such, I can’t help but to reflect upon this past year’s events.

Some decisions I got right, and some I got wrong.  At times I “shot off at the mouth” when I should have been quiet, and remained silent when action was needed.  I “tilted at windmills” when I should have withdrawn, and retired when I should have pressed the advantage.  There were times when I failed to recognize another’s achievement, failed to take care of an issue when it was small only to be forced later to address the “explosion.” At times I even let down staff members who were counting on me to make things right.  

Simply, I know that I was not perfect, and though I try to forgive myself and move on, my failures haunt me.

There were times this year where I was plumb worn out, I just could not make another decision, face another issue.  Times where images of students and teachers bounced around in my head with haunting persistence, costing me sleep at night. Times where the weight of some issues hung on my shoulders with such magnitude that I was certain that they would crush me. This year I experienced fear, regret, remorse, disappointment, and sorrow. I expect excellence, and often it was not there.

But through it all, I had you.  I had assistant principals who knew just how to cover me when I “lost my mind.” Instructors who were patient with my inadequacies. Secretaries that treated me as if I were one of their kids and prodded me into the right direction. Counselors that knew how to make me laugh when I really needed the emotional relief.  

You allowed me to “lean on you when I was not strong”, and in turn, I hoped that I was able to do the same for you.

I would like to close by telling you the same thing I said at the

beginning of the year. The field of education is about teachers teaching and students learning; it is not what was presented that is important, it is what was learned that is important.  

My role is to make your job possible, to supply you, support you, defend you, to essentially have your back. I am in an educational leadership support role.  You are a professional, and I will treat you like a professional and trust you to do your job as a professional until such time as you prove to me

different.  

I respect you and your time, your efforts, and your abilities. And don’t ever, ever, ever forget that your students desperately need you.

Remember, their future is in our hands. Making Kennedy the school of choice. Excellence by design.

KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL: Madeline Porter earns Downriver Arts and Crafts Guild scholarship

A big congratulations from the Taylor School District staff to Kennedy High School’s Madeline Porter for earning a $500 scholarship from the Downriver Arts and Crafts Guild.  

Madeline will use the scholarship towards a degree in art education at Eastern Michigan University, where she will begin this fall.

Photos include: Madeline Porter between Bailey Bain and Kayla Hood and Madeline’s artwork submission.

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Little ones graduate to the first grade

The class of 2026 …  students from  three classes, Mrs. Brindle, Mrs. MacVeigh and Ms. Saucier and Mrs. Ambrosia stepped up on risers in front of parents, grandparents and special friends as kindergartners  and stepped off as first graders recently.

Each class performed songs and poems and were presented with a “diploma” to share with family and to have as a memory of their very special day.

The  Taylor Parks Elementary School family is proud of each and every one of our new first-grade students!

COUGAR CONNECTION: Principal proud of first year at the helm ... and of school's rank among magazine's best