BEEKEEPING BEGINS WITH LEARNING




BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com
The Novi Police Department is investigating a crash that killed two women early Tuesday morning, Sept. 23.
The Novi Police and Fire departments were dispatched to the scene of a two-vehicle crash on eastbound Interstate 96 near the Beck Road exit at approximately 2:08 a.m. Upon arrival, they found an Acura sedan and a Kia Soul engulfed in flames in the left lane.
“Preliminary investigation indicates the Acura was stopped in the left lane of eastbound I-96 due to a malfunction with the front driver-side tire,” Cmdr. Kristie Gruenwald, of the Novi Police Department, said in an email. “The Kia, also traveling eastbound, rear-ended the disabled Acura, resulting in a fire and fatal injuries to both drivers.”
See CRASH on page 8A
BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com
COMMERCE TOWNSHIP —
“The Witching Hour” is close at hand, as Glenlore Trails, 3860 Newton Road, in Commerce Township, opened the attraction for the 2025 season on Sept. 25.
The annual Halloween immersive light show is a product of the pandemic, started in 2020 by Scott and Chanel Schoeneberger, managing partners of Bluewater Technologies, which operates the trails. The annual Halloween trail has a new theme each year that provides guests with a fun, interactive and nostalgic way of getting into the holiday spirit for the whole family.
Chanel Schoeneberger said that they start brainstorming ideas for the theme in February and start installing the infrastructure in July. The theme this year is “The Witching Hour,” a concept they have never done before. She said her team fell in love with the idea.
“This one was entirely different, “The Witching Hour,” and we all just immediately loved it,” Chanel Schoeneberger said. “Being in the woods, I feel like there’s got to be that, like, you know, enchanted but yet a little bit of spooky, but not frightening, and we had yet to do something with, like, witches and the witching hour. We’ve done fairies and the haunted forest. This was a new one for us, and we all loved it.”
“The Witching Hour” experi-
See WITCHING on page 7A
Sapporo Hibachi Steakhouse and Sushi is probably best known for...its hibachi lunch and dinner meals of course. But customers know that Sapporo is much more than that, from its daily specials to its recently expanded menu.
e restaurant opened in 2017 and has been known for its great take outs ever since. Owner Jenny Wu has more than three decades of experience in running successful takeout restaurants and managing a catering business, regularly providing food for the meetings hosted by various departments at the University of Michigan, and worked closely with the Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels in providing food for the seniors in our community. Sapporo meals are full of avor from sushi to hibachi to salads and soups. Wu and her sta have added recently to their menu Ramen noodle soups and special sushi appetizers and rolls. For example,
Nabeyaki Udon is a Japanese noodle soup dish that includes a poached egg, chicken, Japanese vegetables, seaweed and 2 pieces of tempura shrimp. Like other noodle soup dishes, it can be ordered with Ramen instead, an authentic Japanese
creativity and a unique avor pro le. Hibachi o erings include numerous types of meat, seafood, tofu and vegetables. For those couples who are celebrating a special event, or are simply very hungry, may want to consider the Sapporo Extreme for Two people. It includes all of the meats, seafood with hibachi rice, noodles and vegetables, and even lobster and let and more.
graduation will also receive a free gift along with their meals. Guests without a speci c reason to celebrate can still save with an Early Bird Discount of 10 percent o . Seniors 65 and over and veterans can also save 10 percent o menu prices anytime.
One of Sapporo's most popular appetizers is the Crab Rangoon, which can be an appetizer or part of a light lunch or comes with the Teriyaki dinner meals. Sapporo's chefs have also created a new batch of special sushi rolls that o er
"We are best known for our steak, so that's our best seller but really we're known for our wide range of menu options." Wu said. "We like to o er new menu items so people can come in and enjoy something new even if they've been here before"
Everyday there can be a celebration at Sapporo Hibachi Steakhouse because guests celebrating an important event in their lives such as a birthday or a
Plus, patrons can enjoy unique happy hour specials weekdays from 2:305:30pm and lunch specials before then. Customers who haven't been to Sapporo in several months may also notice that the restaurant has undergone some interior remodeling work to lighten colors, increase space and provide a more relaxing atmosphere for all.
e restaurant is open seven days a week from noon to 9:30p.m. for dining in or takeout service. Wu promises that all takeout will be properly packed so that hot food stays hot and cold food remains cool.
Wasabi Novi family and sta has joined Sapporo under one management. Please call 734-266-0888 or visit sapporolivonia.com to learn more.
BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com
The Novi community will soon have the opportunity to travel aboard the Orient Express, as the Novi High School theater department will be presenting Agatha Christie’s classic, “Murder on the Orient Express,” Oct. 9-11.
Set in 1934, a cast of characters from various countries travel from Istanbul to various places in Europe via the Orient Express.
“It’s super cool. It has a very vintage vibe with being set in 1930s Europe and everything, and there’s a lot of plot twists, which are very interesting,” said lead actress and prop master Joanna Ambadipudi, 17.
The play will be performed in a black box, or a small room painted black, rather than the auditorium. According to Ambadipudi, this makes for a much more intimate setting for the production, which has a run time of approximately an hour and 45 minutes.
“It really allows the audience to kind of feel that they are a part of the show,” said student technical director Kai Chopra.
“Our cast is working really hard to give it that full train experience that you’re going to get throughout our entire show,” she said.
See ORIENT on page 16A
BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com
A small crowd gathered at Oakland Hills Memorial Gardens on Sept. 19 in front of the memorial dedicated to the memory of those who were taken as prisoners of war and those who are considered missing in action to pay tribute on National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
“Never forget. Never let your children forget how fortunate we are to have a force of men and women willing to safeguard our freedom,” said Debbie Pineau McClain, president of the POW Committee of Michigan. “Your attendance here today is a testament to the American public, grateful for the freedoms and liberties supplied through the heroics of men like the 84 on this wall. May we as loyal countrymen never abandon their memory or allow their sacrifices to slip from our national conscious.”
According to McClain, 1,566 families of soldiers who went missing during Vietnam are still wait to find out what happened to their loved ones. She said 48 of those families are from Michigan.
Jean Jacquin, a POW committee member and Farmington Hills resident, was a featured speaker during the ceremony. Her brother, U.S. Air Force Lt. James Arthur McEwen, has been missing since Oct. 22, 1965, when she was just 16 years old. According to Jacquin, at the time of his disappearance, McEwen was a navigator on a night reconnaissance mission in Vietnam. Jacquin got choked up as she spoke of the hardships her family has endured since they got that fateful knock on their door informing them that her brother was missing and how difficult it is to not know what happened to a loved one. She said her brother was declared killed in action six
who were prisoners of war and missing in action
National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony at Oakland Hills Memorial Gardens in Novi on Sept. 19. NEAR LEFT: Doug Pickel, a civilian craftsman and member of Rolling Thunder, speaks of the importance of families of missing service members knowing that others care.
months after he went missing and that they had a memorial service for him, but they have no idea what truly happened to him.
“None of my friends knew what to say to me. I felt alone,” Jacquin said.
She said her brother’s name was placed on a street sign in Washington, Pennsylvania, where they grew up, by a group of veterans.
“They just wanted to honor a missing man they didn’t even know,” she said.
Jacquin said the local POW/MIA com-
mittee has provided her with continued support and friendship.
“I appreciate the work done locally and nationally by the league. It represents families of missing and unaccounted service members.from past conflicts. The league tries to give closure to families,” she said.
Doug Pickel, a civilian craftsman and son of a World War II veteran, spoke of his involvement in Rolling Thunder Inc., an advocacy group for the POW/MIA community whose members ride motorcycles, and how he came to create plaques to honor families of POW/MIA service members.
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
Warren resident Paul “Pauly G” Gutkowski is not only a bona fide car buff, but he also has a soft spot for animals.
During the classic car cruise season, he organizes the weekly car shows from 5 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday at Sandbaggers Sports Bar and Grill in Center Line. Jerry and Fran Czapski built Sandbaggers, and son Dave Czapski is the current owner. Gutkowski, owner of a 1968 Mercury Cougar, also holds fundraisers at other car shows to raise money for the I Heart Dogs Rescue & Animal Haven in Warren. Gutkowski is a member of the Burnouts Detroit car group.
The group, along with the Center Line Festival Foundation, held a charity car show
during the Center Line Beer Fest at the city’s Memorial Park Sept. 13, which raised $1,832 for the animal shelter. Money was raised through registration fees, charity raffles and 50/50s. At the Sept. 17 Sandbaggers car show, Gutkowski presented a check to Cindy Yankley, events director for the I Heart Dogs Rescue & Animal Haven.
“That can pay a lot of medical bills for our dogs,” Yankley said. “We’re so grateful to Paul because he’s been doing this event for us at the Center Line car show. He has made a really big difference in the lives of a lot of dogs. We’re so grateful to him and to everyone else.”
In addition to the $1,832, the nonprofit animal shelter had a table at the beer fest car show, which brought in $600 in donations, and one dog was adopted out. I Heart Dogs Rescue & Animal Haven will hold a dog and cat adoption event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct.
4 at its shelter located at 22415 Groesbeck Highway in Warren. For more information, go to iheartdogs.org or email bark@iheartdogs. org.
Every week at the Sandbaggers car show, Gutkowski and his wife, Michelle Gutkowski, set up a canopy where they sell miniature toy cars and Gutkowski serves as the unofficial disc jockey, playing classic rock music for the crowd.
“I want to thank everyone for coming out again tonight. This lets people know about events in the city,” Gutkowski said. “I grew up with Dave and Sandbaggers.”
Gary White, of Warren, brought his 1958 Chevrolet Impala to the event. White, 73, has owned the white Impala for almost five years. His son knew he wanted an Impala and found one through an online marketplace site.
“I immediately got in touch with the guy.
I went the next morning and bought it,” White said. “I drove it home. It was a rough drive home. It needed a lot.”
To give it a smoother ride, White and his son changed the engine, transmission, altered the brakes and more.
“It’s got air conditioning, power steering and power brakes. People see it and think it’s the ‘American Graffiti’ car. I had a blue one when I was about 19. I had it for about two years. All the old cars are fantastic. They’re all fun,” White said. “That’s back when you bought a car for $200. Cars were cheap back then — not anymore.”
Back in the day, White and his buddies cruised Eight Mile Road, stopping at the Big Boy in Hazel Park. Other times they’d hit Woodward Avenue and would meet up at another of their favorite Big Boy restaurants.
from page 1A
ence begins as guests walk under a large digital sign with an image of a clock and the haunting theme on it. They then begin the 1-mile walk along an enchanted forest trail filled with eerie delights, such as witches, skeletons, pumpkins, coffins and more.
Guests are treated not just to the spooky and fun decor, much of which is created just for the trails, but they can also partake in several interactive digital games along the way, enjoy a walk through a bubble tunnel, and even view their witchy side through a magic mirror. The mirror takes their picture and reveals their “true” self as a witch, warlock or sorcerer.
For added fun, guests can purchase magic wands, which allow them to create their own adventure as they go along the trail. The wands enable the user to choose the color, animal and sound that their spells will evoke when they cast them at various points marked with a “G” as they pass through the Witching Hour.
“I loved that the exhibits were interactive. Like, you could wave your wand on something, you could pick a color, you could pick an animal,” said Jen Hazel, of Novi. “If I picked a wolf, it would howl. If I picked a spider, it would (make a noise resembling the spider
walking on a surface). The wand did that. That was cool. Super different.”
Dave Brown has brought his family from Sterling Heights to Glenlore Trails for the last five years, and for the last couple of years, they have come in costumes.
“I’m here for the ambience, but they (his children) like the interactive stuff, I think,” he said.
“I just like the ambience with all the lights everywhere,” agreed Brown’s wife, Tammy. “The games are always fun for the boys. They like competing.”
“I like how I get to create my own (things by customizing the wand),” said Alex Brown, 9.
“I like the things you can take pictures with,” said Andy Brown, 6.
Schoeneberger said it “warms my heart” to hear of families such as the Browns who have made Glenlore a holiday family tradition, and that is what makes it all worthwhile.
“Honestly, what brings us back is just seeing this. Seeing the smile on people’s faces. It has become so many people’s family traditions. People look forward to it and that excites us and keeps us going for sure,” Schoeneberger said.
Heather Harness, of Bay City, said she heard of the trails via Facebook and thought it would be something fun to do with her son, Ethan, who has autism.
See WITCHING on page 8A
The Michigan Department of Transportation has placed temporary electronic signs at metered ramps along the Interstate 96 Flex Route to remind drivers to pull all the way up to the white line when the signal is red. Doing so ensures that the sensors at the meters are activated appropriately, according to a press release.
The ramp metering signals are located at eight entrance ramps along the I-96 Flex Route, which goes from Novi to Milford roads in Oakland County. The meters can be found at the entrance ramps from:
• Southbound Milford Road to eastbound I-96.
• Southbound Milford Road to westbound I-96.
• Northbound Milford Road to eastbound I-96.
• Wixom Road to westbound I-96.
• Southbound Novi Road to eastbound I-96.
• Southbound Novi Road to westbound I-96.
• Northbound Novi Road to eastbound I-96.
• Northbound Novi Road to westbound I-96.
The city of Novi will be holding a festival on Oct. 16 to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu celebration of light. The festival is being marketed as “a celebration of light, culture, and community,” according to event flyers. The event is to be held at the Novi Civic Center, 45175 W. 10 Mile Road in Novi, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Diwali
Fest will feature music, dance, food and Hindu cultural traditions. For more information, visit cityofnovi.org.
The Novi Educational Foundation and the Northville Educational Foundation will once again hold a friendly competition to see who can raise the most money before the big football game between the two schools on Oct. 17.
The Baseline Blitz 5K Run/Walk is scheduled to take place at 9 a.m. Oct. 12. and kick off rivalry week. Participants can create their own team, join their school’s team or run independently.
Then the rival foundations will hold a tailgate party outside Wildcat Stadium at Novi High School from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 17 before Novi takes on Northville. There is no charge to attend that tailgate. The event will feature food trucks, face painting and yard games.
To make a donation or register for the Baseline Blitz 5K Run/Walk, go to runsignup.com/Race/Donate/MI/Novi/BaselineBlitz5K.
As of press time on Sept. 30, the Northville Education Foundation had a huge lead over the Novi Educational Foundation, having raised $2,685 to Novi’s $565.
The annual Novi Pet Expo presented by Pet Supplies Plus will be held at the Suburban Collection Showplace Oct. 1012. The event will feature animal entertainment for the whole family and adoptable pets from local animal rescue agencies. Admission costs $14 for adults and $10 for children ages 4-11. There is no charge for children 3 and younger and pets. Parking costs $10. For more information, visit www.suburbancollectionshowplace.com.
— Charity Meier
from page 7A
“He is on the spectrum. I think it was very sensory-friendly. It was really cool,” said Harness. “It was, like, sensory inclusive and worth the price point, very interactive.”
Harness said it is sensory-friendly because there are no “jump scares” and everything is approachable by the child, and that they can choose whether or not to engage in the experience, as nothing is pushed on them.
Ethan Harness, 10, said the trails were “fun” and his favorite part was the skeletons.
Schoeneberger said that she was glad to hear people consider it sensory-friendly and that they are considering doing a special sensory-friendly night in the future.
“I loved it. I just think this was absolutely awesome,” Hazel said.“I didn’t know anything like this existed. It was so interac-
from page 1A
The Acura was driven by Neena Wang, 30, of California, and the Kia was driven by Sylvette Campbell, 57, of Westland. No passengers were involved in the crash.
According to Gruenwald, identification of the victims was confirmed based on initial findings. However, she said that official autopsy and toxicology reports are pending and are expected to take more than 12 weeks to complete. Gruenwald said the results will determine the official cause and manner of death for both victims.
Both Wang and Campbell were declared dead at the scene.
Police believe that Wang exited her vehicle to address a “tire malfunction” and then returned to her vehicle, as she was in the driver’s seat of the Acura at the time of the crash, according to Gruenwald. She said the tire appeared to malfunction due to wear and tear.
tive and fun. I would totally do it again.”
Hazel said that she had just found out about it when her friend asked her to go, and she is now going to make plans to bring her other friends to Glenlore Trails.
Glenlore Trails also has several food and drink trucks positioned at the beginning, middle and end of the route. The trucks will vary depending on the day, but the food offerings will be updated on the trails website.
Live bands will also be performing on select nights. The trails will be offering some special events, including an adult night for ages 21 and older on Oct. 10 and a trick or treat on Oct. 26. Glenlore Trails the Witching Hour will be open Thursday to Sunday nights through Nov. 2. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for children ages 12 and younger. They can be purchased online at glenloretrails.com or at the gate.
Call Staff Writer Charity Meier at (586) 498-1092.
“We don’t know why the driver didn’t pull over to the shoulder of the road, but we suspect it was because she was not able to because of her tire issue,” Gruenwald said. If a vehicle stalls on the freeway, the driver should pull onto the shoulder of the road if possible, activate the vehicle’s hazard lights, and call for service or assistance, Gruenwald said. If a driver cannot pull over to the shoulder, the driver should call 911 for assistance.
Eastbound I-96 was temporarily shut down for the investigation from Beck to Novi roads from approximately 2:31 a.m. until 8:56 a.m. Sept. 23, according to the Nixle alerts that were sent out to residents
The Michigan State Police accident investigation team is assisting NPD with the case.
“The Novi Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of both drivers,” Gruenwald said.
Call Staff Writer Charity Meier at (586) 498-1092.
“It was fun,” White said. “We were out looking for girls.”
Doug Thompson, of Royal Oak, brought his red 1978 Ford F-700 Hahn pumper fire truck to Sandbaggers. He’s never been a firefighter, but he enjoys driving the vehicle to restaurants and cruise and car shows. It’s always a conversation piece with strangers.
“I’ve taken it all over the place. It’s just a good riding truck,” Thompson, 72, said. “It’s just like a big red truck with lots of shiny stuff.
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I have so much fun with it. People are drawn to it. They ask so many questions.”
Thompson often runs into retired and current firefighters.
“The old firefighters, they look at it and it brings back memories,” he said.
That includes viewing the manual controls once used to fight fires.
“The older firefighters taught me how to use them,” Thompson said. “They give me hints. I learn from their experience.”
Thompson purchased the fire truck from Sedan, Kansas, which he said is known as “Tornado Alley.” He even hung a sign on the side of the truck that reads “Tornado Alley 1978 Ford F700 Hahn Pumper Sedan, KS.”
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LEFT: Beekeepers examine a frame from a box
Students in the Southeastern Michigan Beekeepers Association basic beekeeping class will compare hives with each other to see how their bees are doing in relation to the rest of the class.
Photos by Brian Louwers
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
Despite how it may look in videos and pictures, beekeeping is no simple task.
What appears at first to be pulling racks out of boxes while wearing bulky clothes belies a complex field of animal husbandry where climates are watched, pesticides are precautioned and the wrong move may see a whole hive die off.
“There’s a fad that’s been going on (called) ‘garden hives,’” said Randy List, an instructor of classes with the Southeastern Michigan Beekeepers Association. “They put the box with hive stands in their garden and put some bees in there, and they do nothing to them and bees die and next
year they put more in there. That’s not what proper beekeeping is. (Beekeeping is) husbandry; you have to monitor what’s going on and deal with what’s going on.
The weather and climate is a big deal … so you have to be aware of what to expect, understand what you’re seeing and deal with it.”
For those who find themselves interested in beekeeping and want to learn how to get into it, List recommends first reaching out to local beekeeping clubs and speaking with active keepers. If what they have to say sounds good, interested parties are encouraged to take a course like SEMBA’s basic beekeeping classes. Running from February to October with monthly classes at Michigan State
NOVEMBER 2
Pre-register online
University’s Tollgate Farm and Education Center in Novi and the Bowers School Farm in Bloomfield Hills, the SEMBA basic beekeeping course teaches students how to get into responsible beekeeping.
“It starts out as bookwork and classroom work … and then the students get bees,” List said. “The students all have bees and they learn from each other’s bees, because they’ll have a hive right next to each other and they’ll be doing something totally different. The whole point of that is I look at your hive, you look at my hive and everybody else’s hive as a group and we learn what’s going on. (Around fall) they take the hives back to wherever they’re going to take
care of them and then (October) is a wrapup meeting.”
Students work with beekeeper instructors, like List or fellow instructor Luke Altomore, to learn information important for the first year of maintaining a honeybee hive. Subjects taught include the biology of the honeybee, how bees operate alongside other pollinators, how to maintain hives, how to maintain the health of honeybees, learning about different types of pests, mites and other threats, the tools of beekeeping and more.
It costs around $500 to take the class, including the textbook and a box hive. Taking the SEMBA course gives students a preliminary set of information to begin beekeeping while also building relationships with emerging and experienced beekeepers in the area.
“My team’s support to the students
doesn’t end in October,” List said. “They’ve got our numbers and our emails and that continues on. In fact, I still get calls from people from several years back. We also have a Facebook page for alumni, and some people participate in it and others don’t, just asking questions and what’s what. When it comes to extracting the honey, that’s another expense so a lot of people will get together and chip in instead of paying $300 for just (their own) equipment and sharing it. You’re gaining friends and you’re gaining contacts.”
On top of the $500 class and possibly some share of the burden for extraction equipment, beekeeping is a fairly significant investment up front. Altomore says the cost can be $1,000 or more when including protective equipment, hives and honeybees, but there’s also plenty of money to be made once the hives start producing honey.
“The interesting thing I found out was, after a couple years of beekeeping, I was making enough money selling my honey to pay for all of my equipment — and had some left over, too,” Altomore said. “There’s that to keep in mind, that if you do keep up with the hobby, you’ll have enough honey sales to pay for everything that you need to start with.”
Altomore says honey runs for about $15 per pound and $1 per ounce with bottling and labels being a minimal monetary expense.
Along with the honey and whatever joys and profits come from that, beekeeping is more than just the practice of raising bees and managing their hives. Both List and Altomore waxed poetic about the scent of a hive, as well as the relaxing feeling of simply being with and watching the bees.
See BEEKEEPING on page 15A
For more than 80 years, Riemer Floors has been a trusted name in flooring for metro Detroit homeowners. Now, after an extensive remodel, the company has unveiled its newly refreshed Bloomfield Hills showroom — an elevated destination designed to inspire.
The showroom highlights stunning displays of luxurious carpet and rugs, elegant hardwood flooring, and durable luxury vinyl plank, all carefully curated to help homeowners find the perfect fit for their style and lifestyle. From classic designs to the latest trends, the new space makes it easier than ever to see, touch, and compare a wide range of flooring options.
“Our goal was to create a space where homeowners, interior designers, and trade professionals feel welcome, comfortable, and inspired,” said owner Bryan Tolles. “When you walk through our remodeled showroom, you’ll experience more than just flooring — you’ll discover possibilities for transforming your home.”
The remodel was designed with Bloomfield
Hills and surrounding communities in mind, offering the kind of sophisticated selection that appeals to homeowners who value both beauty and performance. With an extensive variety of materials and styles on display, the showroom allows customers to explore different looks and design possibilities, helping them envision the right fit for their own homes.
Riemer Floors’ experienced team provides personalized guidance to help clients navigate their many options, from selecting materials to ensuring expert installation. Combined with the inspiring new showroom, that support helps turn the often-overwhelming flooring decision into an enjoyable experience.
Homeowners are invited to visit the newly remodeled Bloomfield Hills showroom and explore a flooring destination designed with them in mind.
Riemer Floors is located at 1865 S. Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Hills. Go to riemerfloors.com for more information.
from page 4A
“The lessons taught were the greater thing. See, because as a civilian, I have no idea what our servicemen and women went through. My father was silent, though; his service in WWII he never spoke. Whatever Dad experienced, he took it to his grave with him. So, I had to find that piece to my heart. Knowing that my whole life has been being wrong in everything I do, and there’s a lot of law enforcement that can tell you about my wrongs, but you see, God puts us all on this earth for a reason, and with purpose, you find your journey. No matter what it is, God gave us all a talent for a reason. I didn’t know it, but God gave me a talent of working with wood.”
Pickel has 27 pieces memorializing people at museums across the country.
“I have honored some of the most painful stories. Some of them have put me in therapy for a little time,” he said. “I couldn’t fathom how losing somebody and not knowing where they were would be like.”
He said that he was able to get that education through people he encountered through the organization.
“Today is a sacred day; it was set aside
See a list of unaccounted for Michigan personnel in the online version of this story
for us to honor our POWs and MIAs who haven’t come home yet. We as a society must fulfill that obligation,” Pickel said.
He recalled asking people years ago if they knew the significance of the third Friday in September, but nobody knew. He said his father had once told him that you can’t fault someone for not knowing something they weren’t told about, and how he stressed the importance of education. He said he is proud to work with Rolling Thunder to educate people on POWs and MIAs. Pickel stressed how important it is for the families to just know that people care.
“Whether you served or whether you’re civilians, God gave us talents. Use those talents to become a big random act of kindness for families who, in my eyes, have been forgotten,” Pickel said. “We as a country owe it to our POW/MIA families across this country to take this initiative and really get everybody brought home. It’s the least we can do.”
The ceremony concluded with the presentation and laying of wreaths, a benediction, the reciting of the names of all Michigan POW/MIAs, followed by a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps.
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“When you find apiaries, which is a bee yard, you will usually find a folding chair or a stool or a bench for people to go out and sit,” List said. “We work with the city of Livonia parks and rec; we have an apiary there and whenever we’re there, there’s always somebody walking by and waiting to come in and sit and watch and listen.
“When we have lectures and observation hives, with the bees behind glass, it’s fun watching the kids but it’s also fun watching the adults watching the bees, getting mesmerized just by looking at it. It is mesmerizing if you let it happen to you,” List added.
While some may try to get into bee-
keeping as a way of “saving the bees,” SEMBA’s website discourages this and recommend those interested in that to “plant and encourage pollinator friendly farms and gardens, to join the movement to eradicate lethal pesticides, or to participate in citizen science projects that support endangered pollinators.” But for those with a passion and drive for the work, science and art of bee husbandry, Altomore has a dire warning for anyone following the road to beekeeping.
“Beekeeping is addictive,” Altomore said. “You think you’re going to have one or two hives, and before you know it your bees are multiplying, you’re splitting your hives, and very quickly you can have up to 10 or 12 hives.”
To learn more, go to sembabees.org.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
Student co-director Lilly Balino, 16, said that although they stick with the classic Agatha Christie plot, she thinks many high school students are not familiar with the story and will be surprised by the ending.
“There’s so much hidden humor in all the layers of the story. It just makes it so enjoyable. It makes the dramatic parts stand out more, too,” Balino said.
The show provided students with an opportunity to learn how to perform characters with various accents. Ambadipudi said that the 12 cast members had to learn how to speak with either a French, Hungarian, Russian, Swedish or Scottish accent. To do so, the students were given a two-hour session with graduate theater students from Michigan State University, who were familiar with performing characters with accents.
She said the biggest challenge is being able to convey the accent well while making sure the audience can still understand what they are saying.
For additional help with her French accent, she said she watched French films to get into the headspace of what the accent and phrasing sounds like and practiced it frequently with her castmates.
Chopra, 16, said that she found her biggest challenge with the play has been coordinating everything between costumes, lights and the set in order to tie in small clues throughout the play.
“It’s kind of just little Easter eggs of things that they will start to realize when everything is revealed at the end,” Chopra said. “It doesn’t really help them solve the mystery, but it’s cool at the end of the show for them to realize at the end of the show, ‘Oh, that’s why there’s this on the dress’ or something like that.”
Ambadipudi said the students can learn a lot of skills through theater.
“I think theater teaches you a lot, both through the performance as well as the tech side. Over the past couple of years, I have learned immense, like, problem-solving skills as well as time management skills, taking on sort of different roles through the many shows that I have done. As far as the performance side, I think it makes you a better speaker. You are able to articulate your thoughts well,” Ambadipudi said.
Balino stressed that the play is open for anyone in the community to attend, regardless of their age, affiliation with the school, or lack thereof.
“All of our shows are open to everyone,” Balino said.
The show will be performed at 7 p.m.
each day. Tickets cost $12 and are available online or at the door. To get to the theater, enter the high school through the doors off
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