In 1984, still a number of years from the end of the Cold War, the film Red Dawn hit theaters with the story of a group of kids fighting against the invading forces of the Soviets and Cubans. It starred a young Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, Lea Thompson, and C. Thomas Howell. Well, it's coming back... and it's in Pontiac. Except this time it's not the Cubans teaming up with the Soviets. It's the Chinese, and there's no Swayze.

Excerpt:

A southeastern Michigan community will be doing its best Spokane, Wash., impression next month.

That's when crews will be in Pontiac to shoot scenes for the upcoming remake of the classic 1980s film "Red Dawn." The city is about 20 miles north-northwest of Detroit.

Downtown Development Authority director Sandy McDonald tells The Oakland Press filmmakers will be in Pontiac for two weeks at the end of September and a few days in October.

Read the entire article here.

Child gardeners in Pontiac are cultivating not only land, but life skills as well. The program is part of the Cities of Promise that is aimed to curb poverty in blighted areas with decreasing population.

Excerpt:

The project began this spring after the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency and Lighthouse of Oakland County -- both based in Pontiac -- received a $10,000 grant from the Cities of Promise initiative.

Officials from both organizations also contributed a combined $6,000.

Employees of the human service agency supervise eight children taking care of a garden on North Johnson Street, and Lighthouse has 20 children maintaining a garden in the middle of the city's Unity Park neighborhood.

The children are receiving help from Michigan State University Extension volunteers to create 4-H clubs and business plans for how they will sell the produce. The children will use the proceeds to reinvest in their gardens.

Read the entire article here.

Michigan is in a bit of a transition, as you may have already noticed. But what better way to illustrate this than when Pontiac's new movie studio buys one of GM's Pontiac Centerpoint buildings for its new home. From one industry to another, right? Of course film won't replace autos, but it shows that there's something else... besides cars.

Excerpt:

The group of investors planning a $75 million movie production and training facility in Pontiac has closed on a land contract to purchase one of the Pontiac Centerpoint buildings from General Motors Corp.

It's a benchmark in a project that's been in the works for more than a year -- which started, oddly enough, when its driving force considered leaving Michigan.

Linden Nelson, an entrepreneur turned real estate developer, was ready to move out West, he said. What stopped him was a conversation with Alfred Taubman, founder of Bloomfield Hills-based Taubman Centers Inc.

"He said, 'You're not leaving Michigan,'" Nelson said. "He said 'Michigan's been good to you, you need to be a leader.'"

Read the entire article here.

Not everyone goes to Cancun for spring break. Some people don't go anywhere. And some other people stick around and volunteer their time to improving metro Detroit. It's called Alternative Spring Break. And instead of sunscreen and sand in the shorts these kids have a hammer and nails and toolbelts.

Excerpt:

Alternative Spring Break participants not only give up potential time in the sun relaxing, they also forego trips to volunteer in hurricane-damaged areas along the Gulf Coast. Instead, they perform service projects to help those in need elsewhere. Detroit is one of several non-disaster locations.

About 50 students are working in metro Detroit, building wheelchair ramps in Detroit and Warren and performing service projects at Vista Maria in Dearborn, the Lighthouse Path in Pontiac and Franklin Wright Settlements in Detroit.

The student volunteers are from several different states. Many were here last year for the inaugural program and are returning this year as project site leaders.

Read the entire article here.

A Pontiac resident just moved into the metro areas first "green" house. No, not where you grow tomatoes and tulips, that would be just too cold during the winter. Camisha Byrd now lives in a "green" built, eco-friendly, energy-efficient 1,200 sq.-ft. home.

Excerpt:

Earlier this year, Byrd and more than 200 volunteers built the single-story house, the first environmentally friendly home Habitat for Humanity has erected in southeastern Michigan.

With all the low-energy features, Byrd will cut her use of utilities 30 percent to 50 percent, saving her up to $1,000 a year.

"We are embracing greenness to the fullest of our capacity," said Sally LePla, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County. "We're demonstrating you can build attractive, affordable green homes."

With the help of the Clawson-based building and design firm Gontina, the 1,200-square-foot dwelling was constructed according to the strictest standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The building is awaiting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the federal agency.

Read the entire article here.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, through a new Neighborhood Stabilization Program, granted Oakland County more than $26 million in assistance.

Excerpt:

Oakland County and three Oakland County communities hit by a high rate of property foreclosure and delinquencies will receive more than $26 million in assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) new Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). The NSP will provide targeted emergency assistance to state and local governments to acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight within their communities.

“In a county hard hit by foreclosures, coupled with a terribly strained budget, these funds are a welcome addition,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said. “Hopefully, we will soon get our hardest pressed residents back in affordable homes.”

The City of Pontiac will receive $3.5 million, Southfield will receive $3.2 million, Waterford will receive more than $2 million and Oakland County will receive almost $17.4 million.

Find more Oakland County info here.

Blogin Café will be on site for festival goers to tell the festival what's up. At the same time you can make a buck, for real.

As they wont to do each year, the Metro Times has released its annual "Best of Detroit" awards.