candgnews.com FEBRUARY 22, 2023 Vol. 36, No. 4
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CHIPPEWA VALLEY UNITED HOCKEY FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
Harrison Township trustees move on spillway bridge project HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The Harrison Township Board of Trustees took the first step toward making a Clinton River Spillway pedestrian bridge a reality at its Feb. 13 meeting. Trustees voted to apply for a Southeast
Michigan Council of Governments Transportation Alternatives Program grant to help build the combination pedestrian bridge and fishing pier, and they want to seek out other funding sources for the project. “This is a long time coming,” Trustee Brian Batkins said. “I close my eyes every time I see someone walking across (the existing) bridge. It’s a scary situation.”
The TAP grant is expected to cover $1,108,325 of the project costs, about 46% of the estimated total of $2,411,231. The township has also pledged $400,000 for the project with an expected match from the Macomb County Department of Roads. The township’s portion would be covered with American Rescue Plan Act and Downtown Development Authority funds.
Township Supervisor Ken Verkest speculated that a donation of $502,906 from the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation will come to help move the project along. “We’re getting positive feedback from Ralph C. Wilson Foundation, but (there are) a lot of moving parts so hopefully they all fall into place,” Verkest said. “But a big step of See BRIDGE on page 4A
WARM WEEKEND DOESN’T STOP ANNUAL MOUNT CLEMENS ICE SHOW BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candnews.com
MOUNT CLEMENS — The sun was high and bright over the weekend of Feb. 10-11, but shining rays and warm temperatures did little to stop the annual tradition of the Mount Clemens Ice Carving Show on Super Bowl weekend. Originally held nearly two decades ago, the ice show and associated chili cookoff were meant to give incoming sports fans a reason to visit Mount Clemens during the weekend of 2006’s Super Bowl XL. “We were chosen to be a ‘Super City.’ We had to come up with events and activities for the guests to come (see) that were staying in Detroit or the suburbs,” said Michelle Weiss, Mount Clemens Downtown Development Authority DDA marketing and events coordinator. Out of this need for events came the Fire and Ice Chili Cook-off and the ice See ICE SHOW on page 8A
Ray Lucier, a carver for Finesse Ice, works on an ice sculpture of a bear at the 2023 Mount Clemens Ice Carving Show. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
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BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com