10/18/23 C & G Special Edition — Macomb/GP

NEWSPAPERS n o i t i d E l a i c e Sp

OCTOBER 18, 2023 candgnews.com

Grosse Pointe and Macomb County papers

TROOP 90 LIFE SCOUT BUILDS PERGOLA FOR LOCAL VETERANS

BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com

UTICA/STERLING HEIGHTS — Marcus Arambulo, of Boy Scout Troop No. 90, decided for his Eagle Scout project that he would help veterans by building a pergola at the American Legion Victor I. Rieck Post 351 in Utica.

The pergola is outside the front of the post on Cass Avenue and is made of wood. Its design provides full cover to those underneath it.

Arambulo was at the post Oct. 7 as the pergola’s construction entered its final phase.

Arambulo is a 17-year-old senior from Sterling Heights at the International Academy of Macomb.

John N. Myroniuk, the post commander, said the post had “sincere gratitude” for Arambulo.

“Selecting our Veterans organization for his Eagle Scout project is heartfelt. And we are impressed with this young man’s support of our Community and Veterans,” Myroniuk said via email.

Mandy Shugart, the committee chair for Troop 90 in Utica, said that in her short time as committee chair and in four years of building a relationship with Arambulo and his family, it is encouraging to know he is continuing the troop’s legacy of giving back.

She said that Arambulo stuck with the troop through the pandemic and through a family health issue.

“In July of this year, he drove 2 1/2 hours both ways to sit at sumSee PERGOLA on page 13A

ABOVE: Troop 90 Life Scout Marcus Arambulo stands with the pergola at American Legion Post 351 in Utica Oct. 7. Arambulo led the building of the pergola for his Eagle Scout project.

RIGHT: Arambulo cuts material for the pergola’s roof with help from Eagle Scout adviser Doug Gettleson.

Photos by Erin Sanchez

MCC and UDM partner to offer nursing completion program

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Macomb Community College is expanding its nursing program through a partnership with University of Detroit Mercy.

On Oct. 2, a ceremony was held on the Center Campus of Macomb Community College to announce the two schools are partnering to offer a Bachelor of Science in

Nursing, or BSN, program in Macomb County.

Macomb Community College President James Sawyer and Detroit Mercy President Donald Taylor both signed the partnership agreement at the ceremony, with several college faculty and local members of the medical field in attendance.

The new BSN program is designed to expand nursing education opportunities for recent Macomb graduates and practicing associate degree nurses. The program will

be headquartered at the Macomb University Center on the Center Campus of Macomb Community College.

“It’s going to create a real seamless pathway for our associate degree nursing graduates to earn a bachelor’s degree,” Sawyer said. “We listened to our partners in terms of just how important it is to get more BSN graduates out there in the work world. We’re pleased to be able to play a part in trying to do that.”

See NURSING on page 7A

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

2A

MACOMB’S MOST PROFESSIONAL AND PREFERRED HEATING AND COOLING COMPANY PROUDLY KEEPING MACOMB & SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN COMFORTABLE FOR OVER

35 Years!

CALL TODAY (586) 204-6620

Furnace Tune-up *One Per Household*

PROMO CODE: MIC&G 51327 Quadrate Dr, Macomb, MI 48042

With Your Purchase of any furnace & air conditioner package

PROMO CODE: MIC&G WWW.CALLRANDAZZO.COM

02234-2338

$69

Free Labor & Install Free Whole Home Air Purification System Up to 36 months no interest

SECOND FRONT PAGE

facebook.com/candgnews

instagram.com/candgnews @candgnews candgnews.com • (586) 498-8000

3A/ C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

SPORTS

UTICA UNICORNS CEMENT MAGICAL SEASON WITH CHAMPIONSHIP HARDWARE

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK

jzczepaniak@candgnews.com

UTICA — No matter where they finish or how well they do in the regular season, the Utica Unicorns always find a way to get the job done when it matters most.

The Unicorns finished third in the inaugural regular season of the United Shore Professional Baseball League before winning the championship, their first of five in the league’s eight seasons, and 2023 was another storybook season for Unicorns manager Jim Essian and his squad.

“I think there’s a lot of luck involved,” Essian said. “I really do. Yeah, we’re winning some championships, and we probably should’ve won in 2022, but I think a lot of it is luck and some of it is my experience of knowing how to put a ball team together. I’ve been around the block a few times. A lot of it is luck, but I attribute the success I’ve had to the players I’ve had.”

Finishing last in the league with a 17-26 record, the Unicorns sprinkled some magic onto the postseason, winning three straight playoff games including a 3-1 victory over the Westside Woolly Mammoths on Sept. 9 at Jimmy John’s Field to earn the team’s fourth championship in the past five seasons.

United Shore Professional Baseball League Pitcher of the Year Andrew Huffman took the mound for the Unicorns, tossing two innings and earning four strikeouts.

Huffman had thrown just two days prior, facing 20 batters, in the team’s See CHAMPS on page 6A

ABOVE: The Utica Unicorns make it rain after being crowned the 2023 United Shore Professional Baseball League Champions with a 3-1 victory over the Westside Woolly Mammoths on Sept. 9 at Jimmy John’s Field.

Photos by Erin Sanchez

LEFT: Matt Colucci, who was named Most Valuable Player in the championship game, throws a pitch during the Unicorns’ 3-1 win. ABOVE: The Utica Unicorns’ Patrick Baggett gets a hit during the championship game.

0090-2233

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

4A

Professor, students weigh in on SAG-AFTRA strike

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — With the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on strike, young future media professionals have had a lot to think about.

Students at Oakland University were generally supportive of the strike.

Brendan Kredell, an Oakland University professor and the director of the university’s film studies and production program, said the SAG-AFTRA strike was brought up on the first day of class in a course about the history of silent film.

“So you might think, we’re looking at a time period that took place a hundred-plus years ago and that seems (as) far from relevant as possible,” Kredell said.

He went on to say that when film was invented there was a lot that was unsettled and that many things needed to be invented so they could have the film and media industry they have today.

“A large part of that was trying to understand what the relationship between capital and labor was,” Kredell said. “And that was a long and sometimes very conflictdriven relationship.”

According to their website, SAG-AFTRA “represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voice over artists and other media professionals.”

“SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world,” their mission states.

According to their website, the strike was ordered by SAG-AFTRA on July 13 and started at 12:01 a.m. on July 14. At press time Oct. 5, they were still on strike. As of press time, negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were ongoing and were expected to proceed on Friday, Oct. 9.

According to the Writer’s Guild of America West, both the WGAW and the Writer’s Guild of America East went on strike at 12:01 a.m. on May 2 of this year.

That strike ended on Sept. 27.

Kredell said he thinks the film and media industry is facing a similar upheaval that the inventors of cinema were facing.

“Which is the challenges and the opportunities presented by generative AI,” Kre-

dell said. “And in the face of that, it should be hardly surprising that labor is responding the same that labor did during the silent era.

Which is to organize and to try to assert its own power against capital in an effort to try and ensure it can carve out a living.”

The students in the class, Kredell said, came to see the historical significance as well.

In his classes, the students have been generally supportive.

“I’m teaching today the students that will have those union jobs in a couple of years, ideally,” Kredell said. “And those are the very people who should be the most concerned whether or not the adoption of artificial intelligence and other various efficiency generating technologies is going to make it such that the total number of opportunities available in the media industries are lower in the future.”

In his film programming class, the students gave their opinions about the SAGAFTRA strikes. The students in the class were from all different fields of study.

Zach Andrew, an acting major, said he’s excited the strikes are happening now rather than when he’s entered the industry.

“I support them because if I talk to some people that don’t know as much and they take that these are millionaires complaining that they don’t get an extra five, ten million (dollars),” Andrew said. “But these are average people who are just like us, who are just trying to make a living doing what they love.”

Shane Strong, a film production major, said that he hopes the VFX artists go on strike next. He recalled later on a video essay that stated if the AI precedent set up by the higher ups at the studios goes through, the higher ups are next because there would be programs that know what movies to greenlight.

“I feel like if I was on a board and I’m paying millions, $20 million a year to some guy to greenlight movies and such, you know, I’m either going to get rid of him or pay less,” Strong said.

Falon Harris, a social work major, said she likes the fact that they are on strike. She said those that support the strike have to understand the confusion when it comes to people who might not understand that the actors on strike aren’t celebrities, and they feel strongly about the opposite.

“I like that they’re on strike,” Harris said. “But also, I do understand the conversation about why it’s interesting to have and See STRIKE on page 6A

STRONG OWNS HER

e r u t fu

Come see the Marian difference.

Marian offers a transformative four-year experience and is home to strong women of mind and heart.

Scholarships and tuition assistance up to 65% are available to qualifying students.

Open House SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5 1-4 3 PM

248-502-3033 | admission@marian-hs.org | www.marian-hs.org

0109-2341

NEWS & NOTES

5A/ C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION• OCTOBER 18, 2023

EXPLORE ARTWORK FROM THE DIA

STRIKE IMPACT SPREADS GASOLINE ALLEY CAR SHOW HELPS LOCAL BOY WITH CANCER UTICA — When organizers put together this year’s version of the annual Gasoline Alley car show, they added an extra component with a pledge to provide support to local child Beckett Fowler, 3, as he fights cancer at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis Tennessee.

Gasoline Alley took place Aug. 12, and Utica recently presented the Fowler family with checks totaling over $30,000 from the show’s fundraising efforts.

The money was raised by the Utica Lions Club and USA Tire during the show.

On Oct. 4, Ford Motor Co. announced it would be laying off workers at two of its Michigan plants due to work stoppages at its Chicago Assembly Plant.

Employees at the Chicago plant walked off the line Sept. 29 as part of the UAW’s targeted strike against Stellantis NV, General Motors Co. and Ford, according to a press release from state Sen. Michael Webber, whose district includes Sterling Heights. Webber “called once again for a fair and swift resolution” last week, the press release said.

UAW President Shawn Fain was expected to host another Facebook Live event at 2 p.m. Oct. 6, after press time.

In an Oct. 5 statement, Webber’s office said Ford planned to lay off workers at its Sterling Axle Plant.

“The real impact of this strike is being felt by families in Macomb and Oakland counties and across the state,” Webber said. “The UAW’s targeted plant strikes are leading to layoffs at other plants and many local businesses are reporting slowing sales as families that depend on the auto industry, whether directly or in-directly, are feeling the pressure of economic uncertainty.”

Webber, R-Rochester Hills, will also hold an office hour meeting and listening session on various topics with constituents 5-6:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Sterling Heights Public Library, 40255 Dodge Park Road. Learn more by calling (517) 3730994 or by sending email to SenMWebber@senate.michigan.gov.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Detroit Institute of Arts will host walking tours of its Inside|Out installations at the Macomb Community College Center Campus and Henry Ford Hospital Oct. 18.

DIA volunteer docents will lead the tours and teach participants about the works on display. The Inside|Out program brings high-quality reproductions of the DIA’s collection to outdoor venues throughout metro Detroit to increase engagement between the museum and community members in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.

The tour will begin at noon at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, where participants will view the Inside|Out installation on the Macomb Community College Center Campus, located at 44575 Garfield Road. After the first leg of the tour, participants will be shuttled to Henry Ford Macomb Hospital at 15855 19 Mile Road. The second portion of the tour will begin at 1 p.m. Participants are welcome to join one or both sections of the tour. The DIA will provide bus transportation from Macomb Community College to Henry Ford Hospital at no cost for those attending both tours. For more information, visit dia. org/insideout.

WANTED: LOCAL CHOIRS TO DRUM UP THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

0182-2341

0178-2341

METRO DETROIT — The live entertainment company 313 Presents is looking for local choirs and glee clubs to perform during select holiday shows at the Fox Theatre in Detroit.

Choirs will have the opportunity to perform acapella style atop the Fox Theatre’s grand staircase approximately one hour before showtime at one the following holiday shows: “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” Nov. 8-12; “Cirque Dreams Holidaze” Dec. 1-3; “NUTCRACKER! Magic of Christmas Ballet” Dec. 10; and “The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays” Dec. 21-23.

Members of all selected choirs will receive discounted tickets on the main floor and all choir members may invite their congregations, schools, families and friends. Local choir and club registration is due by Nov. 1.

To register or for more information, call 313 Presents Group Sales at (313) 471-3099.

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

6A

Champs

from page 3A

8-7 quarterfinals win over the Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers, but Huffman said he was ready to give his team everything he had.

“Going into the championship game, I wanted to give our team whatever I had left in the tank,” Huffman said. “It’s not ideal to have that amount of volume in a short period of time, but at this point in our careers, we don’t know how many championship games we have left to play. It felt like a no-brainer.”

A bright spot for the Unicorns all season was their pitching staff, and they showed up when the team needed them most as Conner Tomasic, Garrett Bonnett, Matt Colucci, and Ben Krizen all threw impressively in the championship game to lead the Unicorns.

Colucci was awarded Most Valuable Player for the championship game after throwing three hitless innings and fanning seven.

While the Unicorns offense was less than impressive all season, it came into the championship game red hot, averaging just over seven runs per game in its last four matchups.

The Unicorns scored out the gate early

Strike from page 4A

why people might not get the point because it is really hard to understand unless you (are), like, in it or you understand it.”

Kredell is worried about the strikes for a few different reasons. One of those worries has to do with “what this means for the long-term sustainability of the industry.” He also said it’s a different kind of worry than it has been in the past.

as Lucas Goodin, Phil Matulia, and Felix Aberouette all tallied RBI singles in the third inning to give the Unicorns an early 3-0 lead. Patrick Baggett scored the game’s first run for the Unicorns after hitting a triple earlier in the inning.

Every fairy tale ending has a little bit of adversity before it, and the Unicorns stared down elimination early in the playoffs as they trailed the Beavers 7-1 in the fourth inning in the quarterfinals.

Aberouette started the comeback with a solo home run in the sixth, and the entire Unicorns offense followed suit as the team scored two in the seventh, one in the eight, and three in the ninth, as Goodin drove in the game-deciding RBI to win 8-7.

After allowing seven runs by the fourth inning, the Unicorns pitching staff allowed only two hits the remainder of the game as Tristan Harvin, Jace Baumann, Colucci and Krizen shut down the Beavers offense.

From there, the Unicorns felt unbeatable going into the semifinals.

“Honestly, after we pulled that one off, I thought there was no way we were losing now,” Unicorns outfielder Nick Pastore said.

“It was just kind of the mindset, like, ‘We won the first one, might as well just win it all now.’”

Pastore, who was up for USPBL Player of the Year, paced the offense in the Uni-

“What’s different today is that it’s not only Paramount and Warner’s (Warner Bros.) and Universal, but it’s also Apple and Amazon and Netflix,” Kredell said. “They weren’t even a part of this conversation really the last time that this happened.”

This creates further uncertainty about the outcome of the strikes.

“We don’t know, I think, what to expect because the business models of those companies are completely different than those of the mainline entertainment companies,” Kredell said.

C & G Newspapers publishes 21 papers in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties: Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle • Farmington Press • Fraser-Clinton Township Chronicle • Grosse Pointe Times • Macomb Township Chronicle Madison-Park News • Mount Clemens-Clinton-Harrison Township Journal • Novi Note • Rochester Post Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider Royal Oak Review • Shelby-Utica News • Southfield Sun • St. Clair Shores Sentinel • Sterling Heights Sentry Troy Times • Warren Weekly West Bloomfield Beacon • Woodward Talk • C & G Special Edition (Grosse Pointe/Macomb Co.) • C & G Special Edition (Oakland Co.)

Main Office: 13650 E. 11 Mile Road • Warren, MI 48089 • (586) 498-8000 candgnews.com

Editors: Brian Louwers | (586) 498-1089 | brianlouwers@candgnews.com Annie Bates | (586) 498-1071 | abates@candgnews.com David Wallace | (586) 498-1053 | dwallace@candgnews.com Sports: Jonathan Szczepaniak | (586) 498-1090 | jszczepaniak@candgnews.com Artroom: (586) 498-1036 | ads@candgnews.com Classifieds: For ad rates (586) 498-8100

@candgnews

facebook.com/candgnews

For retail ad rates: Karen Bozimowski | (586) 498-1034 | kboz@candgnews.com Legals and Obits: (586) 498-1099 Automotive Advertising: Louise Millar | (586) 498-1054 | lmillar@candgnews.com

corns’ 7-2 semifinals win over the Eastside Diamond Hoppers with a 4-for-4 day at the plate, driving in two RBIs. Aberouette tallied a hit and three RBIs while Goodin went 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Jacob Harsany fanned seven batters in four innings of work.

The Unicorns should extend a special thank-you to SUNY Brockport, the State University of New York-Brockport, for providing three key players in Colucci, Pastore and Huffman.

All three players played their 2023 Division III collegiate season at SUNY Brockport and missed the Unicorns’ season opener to finish their college baseball season.

“It was just a fortunate event that one of their coaches at the little university at SUNY in New York was a trustworthy contact for me,” Essian said. “He said, ‘I got

three guys here and they can play,’ and they could play.”

In their first season in the USPBL, there’s no doubt they made their marks in the league as newcomers.

As players head off to play for their respective college teams or pursue their careers in another league, the Unicorns will look to defend their championship title with some new names and faces in 2024.

As difficult as the Unicorns season got, the bond the team built together in a short time was something special, and the team will look to replicate that next season.

“That was the thing that kept us in it,” Huffman said. “Even when we were losing, we were still having a good time and enjoying our time out there with each other.

I think that helped a lot. We all liked each other, and we didn’t want to go home.”

Take Your Project to New Heights!

PROPANE REFILL STATION

We Have

Propane!

www.kilburnsequipment.com

Coupon must be presented to receive discount.

Cannot be combined with any other coupon.

DO-IT-YOURSELF CONCRETE

­

­

2 OFF

$

Rent the Right Tools for the Job!

We Sell

15% OFF Any Rental One Day Max

Coupon must be presented to receive discount.

Cannot be combined with any other coupon.

Expires 11-30-23

21325 Dequindre Rd.

Real Estate Advertising: Paula Kaspor | (586) 498-1055 | pkaspor@candgnews.com

Opinions expressed in this newspaper are the opinions of the individual sources and advertisers and do not necessarily reflect the views of C & G Publishing Inc., its ownership or management. Copyright © 2023 C & G Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.

HAZEL PARK

248-547-8327

0279-2341

7A

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

Nursing from page 1A

The program’s first cohort of students will begin in January 2024 and the second cohort in August 2024. College officials expect to include between 12-25 students per cohort. According to Sawyer, the first two cohorts will have their tuition and fees paid through a $2 million grant from the State of Michigan.

“It’s specifically designed to speed up or promote those pathways from associate degree nursing to Bachelor of Science in Nursing,” Sawyer said. “We’re very excited that the grant will pay for their cost of education.”

In-person classes will be held on campus at the University Center, and staff will be on-site to offer advising, career services, financial aid and mental health counseling.

For those who attend full-time, the program will provide ADNs with an accelerated pathway to earning a BSN in 12 months. The coursework will consist of seven-week classes in 15-week semesters, with classes in face-to-face, online and hybrid formats. According to Sawyer, students who attend part-time can finish the program in

two years.

“I’m really pleased at how collaborative it has been between administration, faculty staff and the two institutions that work together,” Taylor said. “As Jim said, the grant pays for the first two cohorts. After that, you can earn your bachelor’s degree here in nursing for $13,000. One year if you go full-time, and two years if you go part-time.

I think you’re going to have a lot of your alumni who are going to be interested in this program with ADNs coming back and getting their BSN.” The signing ceremony was held in one of the college’s current nursing classrooms that was designed to represent a hospital setting. On the main floor, there are mannequins in hospital beds that serve as patients.

There’s also a geriatric room and a pediatric room on the floor.

“It allows us to mimic (an) acute care facility with private hospital rooms as well as an ER set up. We have two control rooms in this particular setting where two very independent scenarios can run at the same time,” said Narine Mirijanian, the dean of health and public service at Macomb. “This space is primarily used for our nursing students, but it’s also for our respiratory care students, our (occupational therapy assistant), (physi-

During the Oct. 2 ceremony, Meri Robinson, grants program director for Macomb Community College, left, works through a demonstration of the simulation with ndrea Shaw, the college’s associate dean of health and human services.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

cal therapist assistant) students as well as our paramedic students.”

Students interested in participating in the BSN program need to apply for admission to Detroit Mercy and meet the university’s requirements. Those include having a

2.5 GPA, an ADN and an unencumbered nursing license from the state of Michigan.

For more information or to apply to the BSN program, contact Donna Gormely, Detroit Mercy admission counselor, at gormel dm@udmercy.edu.

Leave a legacy of learning.

Give your grandchildren the peace of mind of a debt-free start to their higher education with a MET 529 prepaid tuition savings program. n A safe, secure and trusted way to pay today’s prices for future education. n Age-based pricing structure — the sooner you start, the more you save. n Use MET funds at any qualified college or trade school in the U.S.

Give the gift of education today at SETwithMET.com.

0062-2341

n Get back what you put in if your grandchild chooses a different path.

EXTRA

8A/ OCTOBER 18, 2023

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION

Activist Jodee Blanco shares her story with the community at Brother Rice High School Photo provided by Brother Rice High School

HANDLING BULLIES AT SCHOOL AS A PARENT ‘THE WEAPONRY TO PERPETRATE BULLYING CUTS A WIDER AND DEEPER SWATH’

BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — When parents find out that their kid is being bullied, or that their kid is the bully, it can be a shock.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in five high schoolers have reported being bullied at school.

There are signs victims may show that parents should look out for, as well as strategies to help rebuild their self-confidence.

Jodee Blanco is a survivor-turned activist and the author of the New York Times bestseller “Please stop laughing at me: One woman’s inspirational story.” She recently spoke at Brother Rice High School, and while she was there, she observed the challenging yet nurturing culture that the school has achieved.

“It was one of the most powerful experiences at a school I’ve ever had,” she said.

Blanco shared that while bullying has not changed since she was in school, bullies now have new ways to carry out this behavior against their victims. With social media, kids no longer have to spread rumors in person. Now, they can do the damage hiding behind a screen.

“The weaponry to perpetrate bullying cuts a wider and deeper swath, but the impulse of what creates that kind of cruelty remains the same,” Blanco said.

Parenting a victim

Lisa Khoury is a school psychologist in the Grosse Pointe Public School System and

is in private practice at Associated Psychologists in St. Clair Shores.

Khoury said that sometimes the first sign parents may notice in their child who is being bullied is social isolation. Changes in friends or social activity may be due to a child wanting to avoid the bullies, or it could be because they were not invited.

Blanco said that it is important to understand that sometimes the more subtle kind of bullying can be the most hurtful.

“Bullying isn’t just the mean things we do. It’s all the kinds of things we never do,” Blanco said.

She explains that bullies can attack in more ways than physical.

“The moment a child starts asking themselves what’s wrong with me is the moment that potential long-term damage from bullying has taken root,” Blanco said. “If you are a parent, you have to be aware that, if your child is lonely or feeling isolated or left out, the potential damage of that can be severe.”

Blanco said the first thing a parent should do to help their child is help them find a brand-new social outlet separate from school. She suggests looking into programs offered by park districts, museums, camps and libraries.

“While you want to work with the school institutionally on the bullying itself, the first thing you need is to perform triage on your lonely child and give them hope that if they are not fitting in at school, there are still other places where they will fit in and can make friends,” Blanco said.

Khoury said a parent should sit down with their child and talk to them about what

Jodee Blanco and Brother Rice High School Principal Ed Okuniewski participated in a seminar on bullying.

Photo provided

by Brother Rice High School

is happening. She suggested parents ask their child how they think they can solve this problem, helping them along the way.

“The concept behind that is to empower the students to take charge of the situation,” Khoury said.

Blanco added that working in partnership with the school is essential. She said one of the most common mistakes people tend to make is focusing solely on punishing the bully.

Punishing the bully

When parents find out their child is a bully, Khoury said, they should treat it like a “teachable moment” and practice “restorative justice approaches.” For example, she suggests asking a child who is a bully to write an apology letter to the student they are bullying.

“The most effective way to diminish bullying in a school is to treat the bullies

with compassion and engage in restorative practices when it comes to discipline and to help their target to become more socially confident and also to deepen their ability to forgive,” Blanco said.

Blanco said that parents should engage in compassionate forms of discipline if they find out their child is the bully. For example, a bully may benefit from doing random acts of kindness for a different person each day and recording how that person responded to that act and how that response made them feel.

“If you have a kid who’s mean at school, your child is crying out for help,” Blanco said. “Do everything you can to find out what’s causing this hunger and what is causing this cry for help, and work backward from there.”

For more information on Blanco’s story and insights, visit her website at jodeeblanco. com.

9A

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

BLOOD DONORS NEEDED AS SHORTAGE CONTINUES AMERICAN RED CROSS OFFERS INCENTIVES TO RECRUIT DONORS

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — On Oct. 4, the American Red Cross issued a news release stating there is a national blood shortage, and donors are urgently needed.

According to Red Cross officials, in order for the blood supply to recover, the nonprofit organization must collect 10,000 additional blood products each week over the next month to meet the needs of hospitals and patients in Michigan and across the country.

Barry Siegfried, M.D., medical director of the Red Cross Michigan Region, said donors of all blood types are urgently needed, especially platelet donors and Type O blood donors.

“When blood and platelet supplies drop to critical levels, it makes hospitals and their patients vulnerable, especially if there is a major accident or an emergency medical procedure that requires large quantities of blood,” Siegfried said in a prepared statement. “We’re asking donors across Michigan to help us keep hospital shelves stocked with blood products and help ensure patients have access to the timely care they deserve.”

To encourage members of the public to donate blood, incentives are being offered. Those who donate by Oct. 20 will receive a $15 Amazon. com gift card by email. Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.

See BLOOD on page 13A

Heart by Heart Nov. 4, 2023

GET YOUR TICKETS

Photo provided by the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is offering incentives to recruit donors to combat the current national blood shortage.

Assisted Living: The Musical® The Home… for the holidays Nov. 26, 2023

Rumours The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show Jan. 12, 2024

Jan. 13, 2024

MacombCenter.com | 586.286.2222 Macomb Community College | Center Campus

0254-2341

TODAY!

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

To view more Community Calendar and to submit your own, use the QR code or visit candgnews.com/calendar. To advertise an event, call (586) 498-8000.

10A/ C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

OCT. 19

Harvest Treat: Trick-or-treating, professional photos, meet characters, face painting and free pumpkins, 5-7 p.m., Warren Community Center, 5460 Arden Ave. in Warren, facebook.com/warrenparks

OCT. 20

Friday Night Movie: Free viewing of “Hotel Transylvania,” 8-10 p.m., Fraser Public Library’s temporary location, 15240 15 Mile Road, fraserpubliclibrary.org Halloween Hoopla: Costume carnival and more, 6-8:30 p.m., Macomb Township Recreation Center, 20699 Macomb St., RSVP to (586) 992-2900 Trunk or treat: 6-8 p.m., Lake Shore Presbyterian Church, 27801 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, also pumpkins for sale until Oct. 31, (586) 777-8533

OCT. 20-21

Halloween Tour: Self-guided tour through 20 decorated houses in St. Clair Shores, 6-9 p.m. both days, addresses provided by Halloween Tour board, facebook.com/scshalloween

OCT. 21

Halloween Bash 2023: Fundraiser for Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs includes food stations and open bar, DJ, raffle and 50-50, 7 p.m.-midnight, Premier Events Center, 20400 S. Nunneley Road in Clinton Township, www.halloweenparty2023.com

straw maze, cider and doughnuts, candy, inflatables, rides and more, for ages 12 and younger, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Dodge Park, 40620 Utica Road in Sterling Heights, facebook.com/myshpr

tion by Grosse Pointe Theatre before creating own look, supplies provided, contest and pizza afterward, 6:30-8 p.m., St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, register at scslibrary.org

Halloween Spooktacular: Trick-or-treating at city businesses, haunted hallway and more, Macomb Place in downtown Mount Clemens, noon-3 p.m.

OCT. 25

Trunk or treat: 4-5:30 p.m., Christ Lutheran Church, 32300 Schoenherr Road in Warren, (586) 453-3281

OCT. 21-22

Macomb County Harvest Fest: Trick-or-treat stations, hayrides, reptile and birds of prey shows, pumpkin patch, professional pumpkin carvers and more, costumes encouraged, noon-5 p.m. both days, Freedom Hill County Park, 14900 Metro Parkway in Sterling Heights, macombcountyharvestfest.com

OCT. 22

Trunk or treat: For ages 12 and younger, 1-4 p.m., Veterans Memorial Park, 32400 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, wristbands to participate must be purchased at parks and recreation office inside St. Clair Shores Civic Ice Arena, 20000 Stephens Road

OCT. 24

Teen Halloween Makerspace: 3:30-5 p.m., Roseville Public Library, 29777 Gratiot Ave., free but registration required, (586) 445-5407

Sterling Frights Halloween: Live music, hay rides,

Teen Monster Makeup Contest: Watch demonstra-

OCT. 19

p.m. and performance at 3 p.m., Grosse Pointe War Memorial, 32 Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms, gpsymphony.org

Sterling Heights/Warren Senior Expo: Free health screenings, refreshments and admission, connect with experts, win prizes and more, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Century Banquet Center, 33204 Maple Lane in Sterling Heights, seniorexpousa.com

OCT. 20

Comedy and Cocktails: Benefit from 5:30-10 p.m., local comedian Dan Turco and headliner Kevin Nealon at 8 p.m., Macomb Center for the Perfoming Arts on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, macombcenter.com

OCT. 22

Chic & Unique Vintage Market: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Packard Proving Grounds, 49965 Van Dyke Ave. in Shelby Township, chicanduniquemi.com Grosse Pointe Symphony Orchestra: Talk at 2:15

Monsters and Mayhem: Treats, crafts, stories and more, costumes encouraged, 5:30 p.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - Main Branch, 40900 Romeo Plank Road in Clinton Township, cmpl.org

OCT. 26

Haunted Michigan: Traveler shares experiences about places around state, 6-7 p.m., Roseville Public Library, 29777 Gratiot Ave., (586) 445-5407

OCT. 27

Meet Blue Puppy: 5-6 p.m., East Court at Macomb Mall, Gratiot Avenue and Masonic Boulevard in Roseville, shopmacombmall.com

OCT. 28

Downtown Social District: Live music, food trucks, street games, vendors, dancing and more, 5 p.m.midnight, along Greater Mack Avenue between Nine MACOMB MALL

Gratiot Ave. & Mason ic Blvd. www.shopmacomb in Roseville all.com

• Also games, 3-5 p.m., Utica United Methodist Church, 8650 Canal Road in Sterling Heights, (586) 731-7667 • 7 p.m., Fraser Public Library’s temporary location, 15260 15 Mile Road, (586) 293-2055 Pumpkin decorating party: 1 p.m., The Nest, 66 Macomb Place in Mount Clemens, (586) 243-0690 A Night at the Museum: Dress as historical character during 21-and-older Halloween party, 7-10 p.m., Provencal-Weir House, 376 Kercheval Ave. in Grosse Pointe Farms, gphistorical.org, (313) 884-7010

A RARE Nightmare: Variety/magic show, dance, pumpkin patch and decorating, games and crafts, and indoor scavenger hunt, 6-8 p.m., Recreation Authority of Roseville & Eastpointe, 18185 Sycamore St. in Roseville, register by Oct. 22, (586) 445-5480, rare-mi.org

OCT. 29

Halloween Spooktacular concert: Music by cruise ship entertainer Paul Ritchie, 50/50 and refreshments, serves as fundraiser for new church roof, costumes optional, 6:30 p.m., Unity East of Clinton Township, 23057 N. Nunneley Road, (586) 783-1546

Trunk or treat: Also music, games and cider and doughnuts, noon-1:30 p.m., Live Rite Structured Recovery Corp., 27700 Gratiot Ave. in Roseville, (586) 217-5899

OCT. 28

Trunk or treats: 5-7 p.m., Michigan Military Techni-

Mile Road and Nine Mack/Cavalier drives in St. Clair Shores, scsmi.net/social-district Fall Spectacular Craft Show: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sports & Expo Center, Building P on Macomb Community College - South Campus, 14500 E. 12 Mile Road in Warren, smetankacraftshows.com Comic and toy show: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (early bird 9 a.m.), VFW Bruce Post #1146, 28404 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, dawnofcollectors@gmail.com

OCT. 25

cal & Historical Society Museum, 16600 Stephens Road in Eastpointe, mimths.org

Drop Off/Open House Baby Shower: Benefits local pregnancy help centers, noon-3 p.m., event also includes refreshments and drawings for gift baskets, Right to Life of Michigan Macomb Educational Resource Center, 27417 Harper Ave. in St. Clair Shores, (586) 774-6050, MacombRLM@rtl.org

NOV, 4-5

Brickworld Detroit: LEGO event, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Fall Fun Fair: Trunk or treat, games/prizes and refreshments, costumes encouraged, free and intended for kids in sixth grade and younger, 4-5:30 p.m., Metropolitan Church of the Nazarene, 18945 Frazho Road in Roseville, (586) 778-5010

Spook-tacular Halloween Bash: DJ and live music, magician, costume contest, raffle, trunk-or-treating and more, 2-6 p.m., Galaxy Elite Cheer, 33066 Garfield Road in Fraser, (586) 876-6668

Nov. 4 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 5, Sports & Expo Center, Building P on Macomb Community College - South Campus, 14500 E. 12 Mile Road in Warren, www.brickworld.com/brickworld-detroit

NOV. 6

Grosse Pointe Senior Expo: Free health screenings, refreshments and admission, connect with experts, win prizes and more, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., The War Memorial, 32 Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms, seniorexpousa.com

ONGOING

Art exhibit: Black and White’ hosted by Grosse Pointe Artists Association, on display until Nov. 9, The War Memorial, 32 Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms, grossepointe artcenter.org Mount Clemens Farmers Market: 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

Saturdays until Nov. 18, City Park & Ride Lot, 141 N. River Road, (586) 493-7600, www.mountclemens farmersmarket.com

11A

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

‘MAKING THE PARANORMAL MORE NORMAL’

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

ST. CLAIR SHORES — A lot goes into a paranormal investigation, including capturing evidence and listening to recordings. For Jessica Krutell, founder and lead investigator of Mystic Mitten Paranormal, it’s all about “making the paranormal more normal.”

Before an investigation, Krutell chats with the residents or business owners to get background information about what’s going on there.

“Sometimes, there’s natural causes and explanations as to why they might be feeling or experiencing certain things, too,” Krutell said.

“So we try to get all of that sorted out first before actually doing the investigation.”

As soon as she and the others get to the house, they turn on the recorder to capture “electronic voice phenomenon.” Krutell later explained in an email that EVPs are any voices that are captured with an electronic device.

“Electronic voice phenomenons, or EVPS, are something that do happen somewhat often, not like constantly. But the second that we get into a place, we want to have something recording at all times,” Krutell said.

A device Krutell also talked about is the KII meter that detects electromagnetic fields, which is an important part of the process. She said her brother’s aquarium was emitting high amounts of electromagnetic fields at one point.

“If you’re around that constantly, it can cause paranoia. It can cause you to feel uncomfortable and, in some extreme cases, can cause hallucinations,” Krutell said.

Once they arrive, the investigators get to See PARANORMAL on page 12A

‘It left me wondering when I can do this again’ REPORTER GOES ON ASSIGNMENT WITH MYSTIC MITTEN PARANORMAL

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

TOP: Employees speak about their paranormal experiences at Dragon’s Landing while Jessica Krutell, center, and Michael Miller, to the right of Krutell, listen in.

ABOVE: Michael Miller watches the cameras during a paranormal investigation at Dragon’s Landing.

ST. CLAIR SHORES — I’ve always believed in the paranormal. Living in a state like Michigan where the lakes are treacherous and ships go missing in the night, it’s hard not to. Ghost stories were passed around by volunteers at lighthouses, sprinkled in with the long history of the guiding lights.

Some of them chilled me to the bone and some of them stick Ochss with me today.

Going into this investigation, I was nervous and a little bit scared. Questions skated around in my mind about what we would actually see and hear that night. What if something comes through that we don’t want to meet? What if something personal comes through speaking to me?

It’s also interesting going into an investigation as a person who doesn’t have any connection to the location and who doesn’t have the knowledge a paranormal investigator would have. I wasn’t someone who experienced paranormal activity daily nor did I have the expertise to tell someone why they were experiencing these phenomena. I was just an observer.

The air in Dragon’s Landing brew pub was hot as I walked in the back door of the kitchen and into the main dining room area. Employees as well as See ASSIGNMENT on page 14A

Photos by Erin Sanchez

0249-2340

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

12A

from page 11A

tour locations and find any hot spots. The amount of activity experienced varies from house to house, Krutell said. Sometimes, activity starts as soon as they start the investigation; other times, nothing happens.

“I would like to think that the spirits just don’t know us, you know what I mean?

They’re not familiar,” Krutell said. “It would be like somebody just walks into your house and starts asking you all sorts of questions.

You don’t know who they are. You’re not going to want to talk to that person.”

She added she’s a firm believer in being approachable and friendly during investigations instead of yelling orders.

“I wouldn’t listen or respect that,” Krutell said about being aggressive. “But if I see people that are having fun and it’s a good conversation and people are enjoying themselves on that experience, and it’s comfortable and it’s an inviting environment, I would want to be a part of it.”

Michael Miller is a Mystic Mitten Paranormal investigator and technician. He is also Krutell’s husband.

Miller said you can’t say for certain whether a haunting is residual or intelligent.

He said residual hauntings tend to have spirits who don’t respond when asked and the people who live and work in a space have repetitive experiences with the paranormal.

“Where you can go to a place and there’s reports of someone walking down a hallway,” Miller said. “You go down there (and ask), ‘Can you walk down this hallway for us?’

And it never happens. But then, they call us a week later and they go, ‘Yeah, it happened again and it’s the same exact thing every single time.’ That could be a sign of a residual

haunting.”

Miller has been accompanying Krutell on investigations for approximately a year.

He said he got into the paranormal by watching paranormal shows and because of Krutell.

“It was something I didn’t plan on but the more you’re around it, the more you think about it, the more you learn and experience and talk to people who have experiences,” Miller said. “It’s definitely an interesting thing to follow.”

Krutell offers her services for free and a lot of times the residents or business owners join her on an investigation. She said she thinks it works better that way because the spirits are more comfortable with the people Krutell helps. People can also feel more comfortable in their own space by participating in the investigation as well.

“My slogan is ‘making the paranormal more normal’ because I want people to feel comfortable with these spirits and kind of live side by side with them rather than just assuming that it’s something maleficent and evil, dark and scary. Because usually, like 9.99 times out of 10, it’s not scary,” Krutell said.

Krutell tries not to research any history about a location before going into an investigation. If they get any paranormal activity, they start to find the history tied to the location.

“I try to do the research after the fact just because I don’t want to go in anticipating to hear from ‘Sandra, Sally’ or whoever,” Krutell said.

Miller said he and Krutell have never had any experiences that made them feel they were in danger.

“Never been in danger,” Miller said.

“Never felt like I was in danger.”

Krutell said a person doesn’t have to be of a certain religion to be a paranormal investigator. Sometimes, people involved in the

paranormal field are religious and use various religious practices and tools to bless the house or pray over the area they are investigating.

Krutell said she doesn’t associate with any religion and doesn’t see anything wrong with it either way.

“I don’t think that you have to have, you know, some sort of belief in a higher power to understand that energy is still energy,” Krutell said. “There’s definitely science behind it all.”

She went on to explain that people have their physical forms, and they also have personalities, opinions and other things that are a part of the spirit and soul.

“Your spirit and your soul is the energy behind our body which is just a vessel,” Krutell said. “So when our bodies pass, our bodies just, you know, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Our bodies are just empty vessels at that point, but energy never dies. It just transfers.”

When it comes to TV shows, Krutell said for the investigators to get enough material to fill a full run time, it would take multiple nights of investigating.

“A lot of times, (on) the TV shows, they’re actually going to be wearing the same clothes and they’re going to be pretending like it’s the same day when it actually isn’t,” Krutell said.

She also said it depends on the show how dramatized it is for TV. Krutell has met some TV investigators in person and she said it’s easy to tell whether they’re an honest person or not just by talking with them.

“I would say there’s a good portion that’s dramatized,” Krutell said. “Sometimes, they just have to make it entertaining. Sometimes, they just have to capture the audience.”

The network running the TV show often has full say, Krutell said.

“The network has control and sometimes that leads to a lot of disruptions in paranormal TV because it goes against what

that paranormal investigator feels is right,” Krutell said.

It’s important to go into an investigation with a good, clean headspace, Krutell said. She added that if you’re negative, it’s going to be easier for something to latch onto you.

“You attract more flies with honey if you’re sweeter and you’re kinder,” Krutell said. “And if you have, you know, a better head on your shoulders, I think you’re going to be safer going into those investigations.”

Miller said it’s important for those who are afraid of their residence or business being haunted to remember that whatever else is there is probably also afraid.

“Sometimes it’s just best to speak to it with an open mind and be welcoming and sometimes you might feel a change and a change in that environment,” Miller said.

For those wishing to venture into the paranormal field, Miller said to find a professional and get information and advice from them on how to start.

“Every single person in this field wants nothing more than to have other people have a better understanding of it and acceptance of it,” Miller said. “It doesn’t matter who it is. If you ask them for help into understanding how to go about doing things and how to get started, every paranormal investigator will always be 100% (supportive) in helping that person understand and get started.”

Miller said you don’t need anything special but a cellphone and a free voice recording app.

“You just need to have the willingness to go out and be open to what you’re feeling, hearing and seeing and to experience it and know that whatever you’re experiencing is true to whatever you feel,” Miller said. “Not to whatever anyone says you might have seen or heard or felt.”

40% OFF

Entire Order On Qualified Products With This Ad. Through November 3, 2023 New Orders Only. One Coupon. Per Customer

36280 Woodward Avenue Bloomfield Hills, MI • (248) 644-0100

DISTINCTIVE

Door & Cabinet Hardware Plumbing Fixtures, Lighting & Surfaces ~ Since 1910 ~

www.russellhardware.com

0233-2340

Paranormal

13A

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

Photo by Erin Sanchez

Pergola from page 1A

mer camp with us to complete his project planning presentation for his Eagle Scout Project,” Shugart said.

She said he never lost dedication to the troop and his end goal.

Doug Gettleson, the former Scoutmaster and current Eagle Scout adviser for Troop 90, has

known Arambulo for a number of years.

“I can honestly say he is one of the most hard working and self-motivated Scouts I had the pleasure of working with. He always has a positive disposition and is willing to assist younger scouts when needed. Marcus is and has always been a great asset to Troop 90 and I am extremely proud that he has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout since he truly is the definition of what an Eagle Scout should be,” he said in an email.

Joshua’s e r S vice e e r T Tree Removal • Mulching Tree Trimming • Shrub Removal Stump Grinding • Lot Clearing

God is Our Provider

Blood from page 9A

Donors who give blood between Oct. 21 and Nov. 9 will receive a $10 e-gift card to a restaurant merchant of their choice. They also will be entered to win a $5,000 gift card in which three winners will be chosen. For more information, visit RedCrossBlood.org/lunch.

The Red Cross offers three ways to make an appointment to donate.

Donors can download the Red Cross blood donor app on their cellphones, apply at RedCrossBlood.org, or call 800-RED CROSS, which in numeral form is 800-733-2767.

According to the news release, the Red Cross national blood supply dropped by approximately 25% “on the heels of one of the busiest travel seasons and the beginning of back-to-school activities.”

Another challenge for the Red Cross is that since many employees continue to work from home or in a hybrid capacity since the COVID-19 pandemic, that reduces the number of opportunities to give blood at businesssponsored blood drives.

“These factors, coupled with an active disaster season, are creating a perfect ‘storm’ and challenging the organization’s ability to collect a sufficient amount of blood products to meet the needs of hospitals and patients,” the news release states.

There are eligibility requirements to donate blood. Donors must be at least 16 years old in most states, must be in good health and feeling well, and must weigh at least 110 pounds. Blood can be donated every 56 days.

The donated blood is used in a variety of ways, including for accident and burn victims, and for trauma, heart surgery, organ transplant and cancer patients. Patients with chronic diseases also receive blood when needed.

Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.

Fully Insured For Your Protection

24 Hour EMERGENCY Storm Damage

Free Estimates Senior Discounts

Call Today for Fast Quality Service!

248-528-1312

0270-2242

Marcus Arambulo, with his dad, Mario Arambulo, and Eagle Scout adviser Doug Gettleson, works on measurements for the pergola roof.

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

Assignment from page 11A

the owner greeted me, welcoming me to the place where they work every day.

Jessica Krutell, founder and lead investigator of Mystic Mitten Paranormal, and Mystic Mitten Paranormal investigator and technician Michael Miller arrived shortly afterward. The investigation and the interviews officially started when she placed her recorder in the center of a chair in the middle of our circle.

The owner, Spencer Channel, told a little bit about the history of the building and how it used to be an old social club. A lot of people died here, he said.

Maybe the folks that used to enjoy the building back when it was a social club still enjoy it to this day?

The employees shared their experiences, with some overall similar experiences between those that were there and others that seemed specific to a couple of people. One of the shared experiences was seeing a tall, dark, shadowy figure somewhere near the back storage rooms.

When I first got a look at the storage room, it felt a little eerie, but I didn’t know whether it was because my nerves were kicking in or if it really was as creepy as it sounded.

The most shocking thing was when a bartender and manager, Gary Elson, said he and another employee heard Elson’s name called in the restaurant. He dubbed the spirit that he thinks follows him from job to job “Frank.”

I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be in a mostly empty building and hear my name called by someone who was not there. What would I do? Words would come out of my mouth not suitable for publication, that’s for sure.

I have had haunted experiences before and all I did was give the area I saw something in a blank stare and stand there frozen to my spot; a deer in the headlights, if you will. I would definitely die first in a horror film.

Cortez Sealie, a cook, said he’s been dealing with the paranormal throughout his whole life. He said he can see the spirits and hear the disembodied voices. He also said he knew there was the presence of a little girl and a woman in the building.

Multiple employees said they’ve never tried to call out the spirits or have conversations with them for fear of opening “Pandora’s Box.” That’s what we were going to do that night.

The first part of the investigation was held at the bar using a device called a KII

meter. This device detects electromagnetic fields, according to an email by Krutell.

It lights up whenever it detects a change in fields. The recorder was still going and Krutell asked multiple questions as we went.

Long periods of silence passed after each question to allow any spirits to speak if they wanted to. With every passing moment, I was getting more comfortable in the space we were in. I stopped breathing so hard, and I felt more relaxed than I did when we started.

We moved into the main dining room, being careful not to trip over any of the wiring set up for the cameras. Krutell moved the KII meter and another device, a REM pod, closer to us. A REM pod, Krutell said in an email, was invented for paranormal investigations. The device emits an energy field and will alert if anything enters that space. It also detects temperature changes.

Again, Krutell asked questions and we waited patiently for responses. Then Krutell brought out a device called a spirit box. This device sweeps rapidly through multiple different radio stations, Krutell said in an email, and it’s believed spirits can control these devices to put together audible responses.

Words came through the spirit box, including some names like “Dylan.” But the one we held onto and the one that seemed to garner the most responses from the spirits was “Emily.” I didn’t know if Emily was a person who partook in the social club or from somewhere else. Was the little girl spoken about earlier Emily?

Krutell then asked Emily to speak to us through the recorder and to touch the areas around the KII meter and REM pod.

Something did happen to the KII meter where it lit up, but I had my head turned when it happened, and I couldn’t quite find the device in the darkness. The gasps from the rest of those with me alerted me to what was going on and I finally found where the device was.

The green light on the device was slowly blinking and Krutell asked the spirit to activate the red light on it with little to no response.

One of the funnier responses we thought we heard from the spirit box was “pound it.” Was there something residual at the restaurant of previous patrons and guests drinking merrily with each other? It was interesting and felt like we were getting a small glimpse of a conversation from decades ago.

Before we left the area, Krutell told the spirits multiple times that we were leaving.

They seemed to encourage us to move to another area by saying “go for it” through the spirit box.

We then moved to the back storage rooms. It was as creepy as some of the em-

ployees said, especially in the dark. A red light in one of the rooms gave it an eerie vibe and the pitch blackness made things such as a blinking soap dispenser seem creepier.

Krutell set the REM pod down in the back room where Elson and Sealie stood in the far back in the darkness. The rest of us stood in the conjoining hallway in front of another one of the storage rooms. There was one thing I was certain of: It was hot in that back area.

Multiple times, the REM pod went off, indicating temperature fluctuations. Krutell used a thermometer to read the temperatures in real time. The people in that small hallway could see as it went from 82 degrees Fahrenheit to 79 degrees and back up again. It was amazing and kind of thrilling to see the evidence right before my eyes.

Some of the employees standing around me as well as myself felt small cold spots around us and rushes of cold air pass by as if someone was walking in and out of the area.

A couple employees sat in a chair in the far back room, saying it felt heavier while sitting in that chair. In this area, I remembered that the building might have been an old German club, so I suggested we speak to the spirits in German.

After a while, we left the area to go back

• • • • • • •

Drunk Driving Divorce, Custody Support & Parenting Time Bankruptcy Drivers License Restoration Personal Injury Criminal Wills, Estates, Trusts & Lady Bird Deeds

to the front by the bar.

So far, I thought the investigation was going well and my nerves had completely left my body. I was enjoying seeing all the evidence we were documenting. In the bar area, one of the employees poured a beer to see if that would encourage the spirits to speak to us or move something.

The last investigation device Krutell pulled out were dowsing rods. In her email, she said these items have a deep-rooted history where people would use a Y shaped tree branch to search for water.

Modern day dowsing rods are made of copper and often have free-floating handles so they can’t be controlled unconsciously by the user, the email said. The person holding them also has to stay as still as possible and really concentrate. Krutell said in the email these are best used for yes and no questions.

Three different people used the dowsing rods and each time the rods moved in response to questions or commands issued by the user or Krutell.

At the end of the investigation, we filed into the dining room to talk about our findings.

I went home tired and very hungry, but also excited for more. It left me wondering when I can do this again.

Pl

an Pay s A me va nt ila bl e

CHOOSE THE RIGHT ATTORNEY WALTER A. BOZIMOWSKI Over 40 Years Experience

42657 GARFIELD, STE. 211 | CLINTON TOWNSHIP | walboz@gmail.com

0025-2310

14A

586.263.9422

0025-2310.indd 1

2/13/23 2:10 PM

15A

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

Introducing the NEW Speak with an agent at your local Meijer to get personal support and enroll in a Blue Cross plan that meets your needs.

October 15-December 7 Meijer Shelby Township

Meijer Commerce

15055 Hall Road, Utica, MI 48315

1703 Haggerty Road, Commerce Township, MI 48390

Every Monday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Wednesday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Every Monday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Tuesday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Wednesday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Meijer Warren

Meijer Westland

29505 Mound Road, Warren, MI 48092

37201 Warren Road, Westland, MI 48185

Every Monday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Thursday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Every Thursday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

$

Exclusive Plan Benefits

The same great benefits you expect from a Blue Cross plan, including $0 premium, $0 deductible, $0 primary care copay and $0 Rx copay for generic drugs.

More Affordable Essentials

$660 annual over-the-counter allowance for things like bandages, aspirin and — for those who qualify — even healthy foods*, combined with the money-saving power of Meijer mPerks rewards.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

Maximize Your Savings With Meijer

Earn mPerks points from Meijer for every dollar you spend in-store and online.**

Get your FREE Medicare guide today!

Learn about your available coverage options and other exclusive benefits for Blue Cross members.

For more information about Blue Cross Medicare plans, visit bcbsmoptions.com/meijerplan To speak with a Blue Cross licensed Medicare expert, call 855-735-1015 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., 7 days a week, October 1-March 31. TTY users, call 711.

Blue Cross is ready to help with affordable Medicare Advantage plans. *Members with a qualifying chronic condition are eligible to use the OTC benefit toward healthy food. **Some restrictions apply. See site for complete terms and conditions.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is a PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan depends on contract renewal. CMS enrollment, contract, and eligibility data, as of Sept. 2023. Meijer is an independent company that contracts with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to provide OTC benefits to Medicare Advantage customers.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is a nonprofit corporation and independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

H9572_MeijerAgtEvtNewsP_M CMS Accepted 10032023

BCB_C&GNewspapers_4Event_9_5x10_F3.indd 1

0063-2341

ANNUAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD: OCTOBER 15–DECEMBER 7

10/2/23 1:53 PM

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • OCTOBER 18, 2023

16A

FREE ESTIMATES for Basement Flood Protection System

FINANCING as low as $75.00 per month

TANKLESS COMBINATION BOILER AND WATER HEATER

PIPING REPAIRS

COUPON

$500 OFF Any Complete Heating

COUPON

COUPON

$35 OFF $200 OFF

Package includes Furnace and A/C with UV Air Purifier or Hi-Efficiency Air Cleaner

ANY PLUMBING OR HVAC SERVICES

TANKLESS WATER HEATER

LIMITED TIME OFFER

WITH THIS COUPON EXCLUDES ALL OTHER OFFERS

LIMITED TIME OFFER

WITH THIS COUPON EXCLUDES ALL OTHER OFFERS

& Cooling Package WITH THIS COUPON EXCLUDES ALL OTHER OFFERS

LIMITED TIME OFFER

0194-2340