3/6/24 Madison-Park News

Officials tout wage increases for Madison Heights employees

BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI akozlowski@candgnews.com

MADISON HEIGHTS — Earlier this year, the city of Madison Heights completed negotiations with its labor unions for an in-

crease in wages and benefits that officials say reflect a positive dialogue between the two sides.

Those involved were part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, representing 14

city supervisors and department heads; the Fraternal Order of Police, representing 48 patrol officers and 13 command officers; the Technical, Professional and Officeworkers Association of Michigan, representing 23 municipal employees, plus 20 employees

with the Department of Public Services; and the Madison Heights Fire Fighters Association, representing 31 firefighter-paramedics.

The result of the bargaining process was a contract extension through June 30, 2026,

GREEN CRAWL TO TOUR SPOTS IN MADISON HEIGHTS, HAZEL PARK

BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI akozlowski@candgnews.com

MADISON HEIGHTS/HAZEL PARK —

Nearly 20 restaurants, pubs and cafes will offer special deals as part of the annual Green Crawl, set for March 15, the Friday before St. Patrick’s Day.

The event, organized by the Madison Heights/ Hazel Park Chamber of Commerce and the Madison Heights Downtown Development Authority, is an economic driver for local businesses — many located in the John R corridor — bringing in new foot traffic that organizers hope will elevate the profile of each

establishment. Many of the venues will offer green eats and drinks for the occasion.

“COVID definitely changed people’s ways of doing things for a while. Not all of them reverted back to how they were prior, when they went out more (to restaurants and bars). So it’s good to have events like this where people remember the feeling of going out and having fun,” said Mike Wilds, owner of House of Shamrocks, a venue with a name especially fitting for the occasion. “It’s also about creating new clientele by showing them what it’s like here. The more exposure, the better.”

House of Shamrocks — a venue appropriately themed for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations — will be among the venues in the 2024 Green Crawl on March 15, with special deals at bars, restaurants, cafes and even hair salons across Hazel Park and Madison Heights.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

Hazel Park, DIA seek input on outdoor mural coming to library

SURVEY AVAILABLE AT HAZEL PARK DISTRICT LIBRARY THROUGH MARCH 15

BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI akozlowski@candgnews.com

HAZEL PARK — Over the years, the Detroit Institute of Arts has partnered with cities across the tricounty area to transform building exteriors into spectacular outdoor murals. Now, the DIA is looking to do the same in Hazel Park, and your feedback is needed.

The Hazel Park District Library, located at 123 E. Nine Mile Road, has a survey available through March 15. The questionnaire is simple, asking what ideas or themes should be incorporated into the artwork to best represent the community of Hazel Park.

“Public art is just a good thing for your community to have. It gives pedestrians and bicyclists a destination to go where they can see something cool and take selfies. It’s a landmark, something that is good for placemaking,” said Hazel Park City Councilman Andy LeCureaux.

“It’s an aesthetic improvement, and it helps the library be a place that attracts kids, too. It’s just another piece that will make the entire area more pleasing,” he said. “That area is already a gathering point and backdrop for our memorial services and pride flag ceremonies. So, it will be nice to see.”

Corrine Stocker, the library director, said the final

A selection of artwork by local talent is exhibited for sale at Madison Heights City Hall and the library next door, part of an initiative by the Arts Board to bring more art into the city. Each of the quality-oflife boards in the city have submitted their work plans for the year, outlining their goals.

Boards and commissions lay out plans for Madison Heights

BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI akozlowski@candgnews.com

MADISON HEIGHTS

— Last year, when the Madison Heights Arts Board told the City Council its plans for the year, it included a proposal to secure a bandshell for Civic Center Park in five years. As a result, city staff got involved and grants were found.

Now, the bandshell will be ready this year, opening either at the Festival in the Park in late June, or at Trail Tunes in late August. Once available, it will be used for musical performances, theater plays and more.

Mark Bliss, the mayor pro tem of Madison Heights, said it’s a powerful example of why the city likes to have its boards and commissions share their work plans each year. The boards in question are the Arts Board, Historical Commission, Crime Commission, Library Board, Human Relations and Equity Commission, and Environmental Citizens Committee.

The other boards in town, such as the Planning

This mural by artist Michael Polakowski, located at 2990 W. 12 Mile Road in Berkley, was funded by the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Partners in Public Art program. Other PIPA murals can be found in Rochester, Mount Clemens, New Haven and Wyandotte. The DIA is teaming up with the city of Hazel Park for a mural on the exterior wall of the Hazel Park District Library. Ideas are sought from the community as to what it should depict.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

from page 1A

that included an average 3% increase in wages, which is an increase averaging roughly $1/hour. The City Council unanimously approved the contracts in January, and the labor unions ratified their contracts shortly thereafter. The increases went into effect immediately.

“In my 10 years on council, I’ve yet to see a contentious union battle, and I credit that to our union leadership, city staff and labor counsel,” said Mark Bliss, the mayor pro tem. “Everyone at the council table understands the balancing act here: taking care of the people who take care of our residents on a daily basis, but also not running into a situation where there is not enough money to pay for services down the road.”

While the city is wary of increasing costs in an inflationary economy, Madison Heights City Manager Melissa Marsh said it was important to remain competitive in the current labor market, including with recruitment and retention.

“(Negotiations) were not actively open, but several unions asked that the city look at wages. The recent settlements and increases given in other communities resulted in the city’s wages falling behind others,” Marsh said via email. “In order to remain competitive, and to retain our skilled and trained workforce, the city offered wage increases and a one-year extension through June 30, 2026.”

Calls and emails to each union were unreturned at press time.

Madison Heights Police Chief Brent LeMerise said he was pleased with the process.

“It was a collaborative effort between the city and the police officers’ union. The raise was intended to improve recruitment and retention of police officers. We have already seen a positive impact in the quality and quantity of our applicants,” LeMerise said via email. “The Police Department also extends a thank you to the City Council for approving the wage increase.”

Members of the City Council touted the ratification of the contracts as a success.

“There are still many people who aren’t in favor of giving raises to our first responders, but to provide a safer environment for

the entire community, we need to be able to pay them all a competitive wage that is comparable to cities around us. This is important for both retention of officers and their morale, as well as attracting new ones to replace those we’ve lost through attrition,” said City Councilmember Sean Fleming. “As a fellow union worker myself, I believe in the process of collective bargaining and working in good faith to make sure that our employees are paid a fair wage.”

In emails, Mayor Roslyn Grafstein and council members Emily Rohrbach and Quinn Wright said they felt encouraged by the results.

“I’m pleased to say that our city management is consistently working to maintain good relations with the civil servants who serve the residents of this city,” Rohrbach said. “Implementing raises in this contract is in line with continuing those good relationships, and ensuring our city staff are being fairly compensated — especially in this time of high inflation.”

Wright added, “Every step we take towards building a workplace where respect, fair compensation and mutual growth are the cornerstones of our collective progress, is a step forward for our city. I’m so glad the contracts were collaboratively agreed upon so quickly. It’s a true testament to all involved coming together for Madison Heights’ best interest.”

The mayor said that while the contracts were originally not set to expire until June 2025, inflation and the changing economy led to an early renegotiation.

“Considering the widespread effects of inflation that everyone, myself included, is currently experiencing, the renegotiations resulting in pay increases are timely and necessary,” Grafstein said. “Our dedicated employees, many of whom are our neighbors that live right here in our community, are not immune to increasing prices and other economic challenges.

“Our proactive approach to engage with the unions and discuss new contracts over a year ahead of schedule demonstrates our dedication to fair and competitive compensation,” she said. “This forward-thinking strategy aligns with our commitment to providing an environment where employees feel valued and appreciated.”

Call Staff Writer Andy Kozlowski at (586) 498-1046.

Waste management experts weigh in on the state of recycling

BY BRENDAN LOSINSKI blosinski@candgnews.com

OAKLAND COUNTY — The Southeastern Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority and other recyclingfocused groups are weighing the state of recycling in southeast Michigan.

Devan Dodge, the southeast Michigan recycling specialist for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, said that recycling rates have shown some improvement since COVID in the area.

“As far as 2022 numbers go, recycling is up since preCOVID,” she said. “We are at 19% in 2019, and we are now at 21%. … There’s definitely a few reasons. There is a huge push for curbside recycling. Cities are preparing for Part 115 recommendation, which requires each county to look at their capacity for landfills and recycling. We have more communities beginning to look at those standards and more services are often required. There’s definitely been a large push in recycling education. We’ve had the ‘Recycling Raccoons’ campaign since 2019, which tells people how to best recycle items. We started programs like Feet on the Street as well.”

She added that in addition to more people recycling, there also has been a noticeable increase in recycling knowledge.

“Aside from the increase, we aren’t seeing a lot of differences in how people are recycling. We are seeing more awareness among the public. People do seem to be better informed about what they can and can’t recycle,” said Dodge. “(The public should) make sure they are reading the information on their recycling bins so they aren’t throwing in items that aren’t accepted. The best way to reduce waste is to reduce consumption so there is less going into recycling and garbage bins in the first place.”

Among the recent programs some organizations have put on to promote recycling was the Feet on the Street program, piloted in Oak Park this winter. The coordinated effort between SOCRRA, EGLE and the Recycling Partnership had volunteers going through the community checking how residents were recycling and seeing where there needed to be improvement.

“In Oak Park, a community of more than 9,600 households, we flipped lids on everyone’s bins with the goal to look at as many bins before the recycling trucks caught up to us, and we left notes and tags if there were contaminants

Photo provided by SOCRRA

Recycling habits are showing minor improvements in southeast Michigan, according to experts, thanks to new programs to educate the public on proper recycling procedures.

SEARCH FOR GOLD

MADISON HEIGHTS — The Red Oaks Nature Center at Suarez Friendship Woods, located at 30300 Hales St. in Madison Heights, will host an interactive event called “X Marks the Spot” where guests will solve clues to find a pot of gold hidden by sneaky leprechauns. The cost is $5 per person. Preregistration with payment is required by calling (248) 858-0916 weekdays, or (248) 585-0100 during nature center hours.

AT THE LIBRARY:

MAKE AN EMBROIDERY DISH TOWEL

MADISON HEIGHTS — The Madison Heights Public Library will host a workshop in the Creative Techspace where guests will create their own embroidery dishcloth. The event is part of the Maker Monday series and will take place from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Monday, April 1. For more information, call the library at (248) 588-7763.

NOVELS & NEIGHBORS

MADISON HEIGHTS — The Novels & Neighbors Book Club discusses stories highlighting diverse perspectives. The group will next examine the novel “The Little Liar” by Mitch Albom at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12 at the Madison Heights Public Library, 240 W. 13 Mile Road. Copies of the book are available to reserve by visiting the library or madison-heights.org/hrec. The club is organized by the city’s Human Relations and Equity Commission.

EGG HUNT IN MADISON HEIGHTS

Registration opens for 5k run/walk

MADISON HEIGHTS — The city of Madison Heights is inviting people to sign up and start training for its annual “Run for the Health of It” 5K run/walk, which will take place Saturday, April 20 at the Red Oaks Nature Center at Suarez Friendship Woods, 30300 Hales St. in Madison Heights.

The cost of admission prior to March 1 is $30. The cost the day of the race is $40, plus $5 for nonresidents.

To sign up, visit https://loom.ly/ IoTQ0KQ.

MADISON HEIGHTS — Madison Heights Recreation will host an egg hunt separated by age groups starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 30 and lasting until all eggs are gone. The hunt will take place around City Hall, 300 W. 13 Mile Road, and Civic Center Park, 360 W. 13 Mile Road. The age groups will include Group 1, for ages 3 and under; Group 2, for ages 4-6; Group 3, for ages 7-9; Group 4, for ages 10-13; and Group 5, for adaptive needs, ages 4-14. The cost is $5 per resident and $6 each for nonresidents. Preregistration is required. To sign up, email recreation@madison-heights.org.

BREWIN’ A TUNE

LEFT: Last month saw the completion of another successful Coffee Concert series in Madison Heights, with a different act each Wednesday at the new Active Adult Center at Civic Center Plaza. The show Feb. 21 featured musician Jimmy Allen.

BELOW: Audience members tapped and clapped to covers of hits spanning the decades, including “Sweet Caroline,” originally by Neil Diamond.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

Green Crawl

from page 1A

Attendees can travel to any of the venues in any order. Ace Transportation will be on call to assist people if they need a ride, with more information available by calling (248) 543-1300.

The concept for the Green Crawl came about in 2022 when the promotions subcommittee of the DDA was looking for ways to promote businesses in the district without added expense.

According to Roslyn Grafstein, the mayor of Madison Heights, the event was such a success that in 2023, the DDA partnered with the chamber and expanded south into Hazel Park.

“This year we are expanding again, venturing out of the downtown and going north along John R and out to Dequindre,” Grafstein said via email. “I am a big believer in working with our neighboring cities and businesses for our mutual benefit. Supporting the success of our neighboring businesses helps to stabilize and foster growth within our entire community.”

The Madison Heights DDA itself was set up in 1997. Shaped like a cross, the district runs along 11 Mile Road from Stephenson Highway to between John R and Dequindre roads, and along John R Road from 10 Mile Road to Gardenia Avenue. The mayor said the district is home to many

light manufacturing businesses that are not open to the public, but there are also many storefronts conducive to the goal of walkability that the DDA first envisioned more than 25 years ago.

Andy LeCureaux, a member of the Hazel Park City Council, said that events like the Green Crawl have a ripple effect across both communities.

“These crawls encourage people to experience a little bit of a whole bunch of businesses, and find something they didn’t know about before, but that they end up loving,” LeCureaux said.

Sean Fleming, a member of the Madison Heights City Council, said it’s imperative to support small businesses, which serve as the economic backbone of a community.

“Most of the businesses featured in this event are family-owned, or run by a single person — they’re typically not big box stores or chain restaurants. So they really depend on patrons to get by. And when we can promote them to new people and drive traffic their way, well, it contributes a lot to the downtown district and the city,” Fleming said. “Events like the Green Crawl and the Memorial Day Parade really raise awareness for what the city has to offer. And the more events we can hold here, the more it will entice other businesses to move in as well.”

Call Staff Writer Andy Kozlowski at (586) 498-1046.

Cadillac Straits Brewing Company, 27651

John R Road.

Celina’s Bar & Grill, 623 W. 11 Mile Road.

Mia’s Tasty Grill, 26085 John R Road.

John R Grill, 26623 John R Road.

Biggby Coffee, 222 W. 11 Mile Road.

Boodles Restaurant, 935 W. 11 Mile Road.

Woodpile BBQ, 630 E. 11 Mile Road.

Salty Dog, 26033 John R Road.

Amori’s Market, 26122 John R Road.

On The Rocks Bar & Grill, 28167 John R Road.

The Coach Grille, 26685 Dequindre Road.

Smoked Lotus BBQ, 21509 John R Road.

Eastern Palace Club, 21509 John R Road.

Hazel Perk Cafe, 21403 John R Road.

House of Shamrocks, 23420 John R Road.

We Juice, 906 E. Nine Mile Road.

There are also two hair salons offering St.

Patrick’s Day deals: Amore Beautiful You Salon, 27681 John R Road, and the Green House Hair Salon of Detroit, 26040 John R Road, Suite A.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

LEPRECHAUNS STRIKE GOLD WITH OFFSEASON REVAMP, JOIN PRESTIGIOUS LEAGUE

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

ROYAL OAK — By the luck of the draw, metro Detroit baseball fans hit the jackpot as the Royal Oak Leprechauns are going to be putting on a show like you’ve never seen from them before heading into the 2024 season.

Previously part of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, the baseball club followed the rainbow to greener pastures ahead of their upcoming campaign, joining the Northwoods League this season.

Northwoods is recognized as one of the largest organized baseball leagues in the world with more than 340 players advancing to the Major League Baseball level, including former Detroit Tigers Curtis Granderson and Max Scherzer. Royal Oak will be the fourth team in Michigan to compete in the Northwoods League with Traverse City, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo all sporting teams.

The jump from Great Lakes to Northwoods isn’t just one small leap, but a franchise-altering move, according to Leprechauns general manager Mark Sackett.

“The big thing is Northwoods is up to 26 teams, they cross three time zones, they’ve sent over 340 guys to the major leagues, their ESPN contract and their contracts with Rawlings and EvoShield,” Sackett said. “It’s just amazing. We’re not stepping up one level, we’re stepping up about five levels to be part of the Northwoods League.”

It’s difficult to begin to describe how this season will differ from past years, as everything about the Leprechauns approach from marketing and entertainment to fielding a team has shifted.

PLAY BALL!

Royal Oak Leprechauns players from the C & G Newspapers coverage area with their hometowns: Andrew Abler (Novi), Jack Boike (Bloomfield Hills), Jack Coulter (West Bloomfield), Gabe Jones (Sterling Heights), TJ McAllister (St. Clair Shores), Parker Picot (Rochester Hills), Jarren Purify (Grosse Pointe Woods), Stephen Ruhle (Royal Oak) and Ryan Tyranski (Birmingham).

Aside from competitive baseball, expect a show when you take your seats at Memorial Park.

Similar to something you’d see at Comerica Park for a Tigers game, each inning will have entertainment with the chance of an attendee winning a gift card to one of the many local businesses providing their support this season. Fans can also expect to see a field goal setup where fans can practice kicking field goals, a bounce house, and a guessyour-speed game where contestants will look to guess their velocity on their pitches as a radar gun tracks it.

The concessions will offer burgers, cheeseburgers and hot dogs along with a continued partnership with Tania’s Pizza and Ray’s Ice Cream. The Leprechauns will also have their liquor license as well, offering frozen alcoholic drinks.

“Going from ‘I’m going to a ball game,’ it’s so much more, and the league expects it to be so much more,” Sackett said.

The Leprechauns, a nonprofit organization, expect to have almost 10 games this

See LEPRECHAUNS on page 15A

www.armitagemi.com

ABOVE: Royal Oak Leprechauns fans take in a baseball game at the newly renovated Memorial Park.

LEFT: A Royal Oak Leprechauns player approaches the plate to hit.

Photos provided by the Royal Oak Leprechauns

Mural

from page 3A

piece will be a reflection of what patrons love about their community. Maybe it will be themed around the library that serves as the piece’s canvas. Or maybe it will evoke other elements of Hazel Park, such as its motto “The Friendly City,” or maybe the horse races that once took place there, or something else entirely.

“The recurring themes and images suggested by the majority of survey respondents will determine what themes and images are ultimately present in the mural,” Stocker said.

Just as the subject matter is still being decided, so, too, is the location of the mural.

“We’re not decided on the final position of the mural on the building at this time, but I would like it to be visible from both John R and Nine Mile roads, to break up the sea of beige with some much-needed color and inspirational images,” Stocker said. “There is an angled exterior wall that is the most likely space being discussed at this time, where our ground sign resides.”

She said the DIA is funding the entire mural. Any required maintenance in the

coming years will be the sole responsibility of the library.

Once the content of the mural is decided, the Hazel Park Arts Council will lead the search for an artist in Oakland County to actually render it, implementing ideas provided by community input.

The city, DIA and library will provide feedback, and the artist will adjust the design as needed. But the artist will still have latitude to express their own style.

“Because the library’s exterior is composed of brick, we are specifically looking for a spray paint artist,” Stocker said. “We hope to have the art and artist decided upon this spring, and to ultimately start on the mural in May.

“Some of my staff are hoping that the artist will do something that is interactive, where people can pose for pictures. But we’ll see,” she said. “It’s overwhelming, the number of responses we’ve been receiving. Many of the people responding want to see an infusion of color.”

The PIPA program started in 2018. According to Ani Garabedian, the DIA’s manager of community engagement programs, the focus has been public buildings such as libraries, town halls and fire stations. Murals have been painted across Southeast

Michigan in communities such as Berkley, Rochester, Mount Clemens, New Haven and Wyandotte.

Outdoor murals have also been a trend for neighboring Madison Heights. The Arts Board there has commissioned pieces spanning the walls of the shelter building at Civic Center Park, the concession stand at Rosie’s Park, the shelter building at Huffman Park and more.

Amy Beem, a librarian at the Hazel Park library, said she’s excited for the end result, and would personally like to see something with a 3D effect, so that people can have fun taking selfies.

“This project is so exciting,” Beem said via email. “It will make the wall pop!”

Call Staff Writer Andy Kozlowski at (586) 498-1046.

To

CRIME WATCH

Tools taken

MADISON HEIGHTS — An unknown suspect reportedly stole miscellaneous tools from an unlocked vehicle belonging to a 20-year-old man sometime between 8:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Feb. 20 in the 31000 block of John R Road. Police were investigating.

Backpack, laptop stolen

MADISON HEIGHTS — An unknown suspect reportedly stole a backpack and a laptop from an unlocked vehicle belonging to a 35-year-old man sometime between 6 p.m. Feb. 19 and 7 a.m. Feb. 20 in the 300 block of Sonia Avenue.

An investigation was ongoing.

Vehicle break-ins

MADISON HEIGHTS — According to a police report, two unknown suspects broke into several vehicles parked in the 3000 block of Avondale Drive sometime between 5 a.m. and 5:10 a.m. Feb. 5.

Multiple personal items belonging to nearby residents were reportedly stolen.

A similar crime happened between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Feb. 5 in the 400 block of West Girard Avenue. The personal items stolen from the vehicle belonged to a 54-year-old resident.

Investigations were ongoing.

Breaking and entering

MADISON HEIGHTS — An unknown suspect reportedly broke into a garage in the 1200 block of Darlene Avenue between 9 p.m. Feb. 19 and 5:30 p.m. Feb. 20 and stole miscellaneous tools belonging to an 85-year-old resident.

Police were investigating.

If you know more about these crimes or others, call Madison Heights Police at (248) 585-2100.

Drunken driver crashes

HAZEL PARK — According to a police report, a 50-year-old Warren man drove a gray 2013 Chevy Traverse off the roadway at John R and Sonoma roads at 7:15 p.m. Feb. 27, striking a building.

The driver had a blood alcohol content level of 0.157. He was taken to a hospital and issued citations for operating while intoxicated.

The investigation was ongoing.

Liquor theft attempted

HAZEL PARK — According to a police report, a suspect described as a white man in his 20s tried to steal eight bottles of liquor at 6:13 p.m. Feb. 26 from the CVS store at 33 W. Nine Mile Road.

The suspect was confronted by staff and exited the store leaving the bottles behind, at which point it was discovered he had damaged the cabinet in the process of trying to take the liquor.

The suspect was further described as approximately 6 feet tall and 170 pounds. He was wearing a black jacket with a fur hood and torn blue jeans with Adidas tennis shoes.

Police were investigating.

If you know more about these crimes or others, call Hazel Park Police at (248) 542-6161.

— Andy Kozlowski

Hazel Park man in custody after father attacked

BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI akozlowski@candgnews.com

HAZEL PARK — A local man stands accused of attempted murder after reportedly slashing his father with a knife.

The suspect is Ronnel Best, 22, from Hazel Park. He has been charged with assault with intent to commit murder, a felony punishable by up to life in prison. He was arraigned Feb. 14 in Hazel Park’s 43rd District Court before Magistrate Erika Morgan, who jailed him on a $500,000 cash bond.

In the event he is released from jail pending future court hearings, he will be required to wear an electronic tether, per the bond conditions. Richard Glanda, Best’s attorney, declined to comment further at press time.

The incident occurred around 5 a.m. the day prior, Feb. 13, when police responded to an incident at the suspect’s home in the 400 block of West Maxlow Avenue. The father, 48, had fled to a neighbor’s home after he was reportedly stabbed in the head and the chest. The neighbor assisted with applying first aid and also made the call to police.

The police, in turn, called in paramedics from the Hazel Park Fire Department, who transported the victim to a hospital where he was treated. At press time, he was said to be in stable condition.

“He received multiple staples for the cuts to his head,” said Brian Buchholz, police chief of Hazel Park. “He also had to be treated for a chest wound where he suffered a collapsed lung.”

The suspect was located at a convenience store in the area of Eight Mile and John R roads, some eight blocks away. Best reportedly asked the clerk to call the police and then waited for them to arrive, at which point he did not resist arrest. Best reportedly admitted to the at-

tack on his father.

The incident allegedly followed an argument between the father and son. A butcher knife with a 6-inch blade appears to have been used and was retrieved by police at the scene.

Best, who had a clean criminal record prior to the incident, reportedly told investigators that he felt bullied by his father, and that he has experienced blackouts. In recent years, police have visited his home on other matters, including family disputes and mental health calls.

“Overall, there wasn’t much police contact there,” Buchholz said of past cases. “The son didn’t live there permanently — he was in and out of the home.”

He said he advises residents to seek help for loved ones who may be troubled or exhibiting violent or aggressive tendencies.

“I’m sure the family here didn’t expect this to happen, but if you have concerns about someone’s behavior, you can reach out to your local police department. And if you’re not comfortable with talking to us, you can always try hospitals and mental health facilities,” Buchholz said.

He added, “I commend the officers who worked this case, and not only our own — we did get assistance from others like Ferndale and Royal Oak. I commend them all for putting themselves in harm’s way, not knowing if this violent subject was going to act out towards them. It takes a lot of courage to respond, knowing that this individual just stabbed his own dad. No one knew what he might do to us. It takes a special kind of person to run towards harm, rather than run from it.”

Recycling

from page 6A

found inside the carts,” said Samantha Longshore of the Recycling Partnership. “We don’t have any results yet, but I can tell you that we are already using some of the data we’ve gathered to look at the next project in Oak Park. There is probably a good opportunity to get new people to recycle if they don’t have a recycling cart or have one and don’t use it. We are working with people in the Recycling Partnership’s Center for Sustainable Behavior and Impact to work with people recycling and how to do it through mailers.”

The program is funded by a grant from the state of Michigan and is scheduled to expand to Troy and Berkley this spring.

“We are still looking at expanding this to Troy and Berkley. We don’t know when, specifically, it will start, but we are aiming for the spring,” said Longshore. “We won’t necessarily do anything different in those two communities, but we are curious if we will see similar areas for improvement in them as we did in Oak Park. … SOCRRA is looking at other communities to expand it to, but these three communities are the three they got grant funding for. We won’t know what its future will be until we see how it goes in all three.”

She said that the best way to contribute to better recycling habits is to start at home and read up on how to live responsibly when disposing of items.

“Our state of recycling shows that about 76% of residential recyclables are being lost at the household level,” said Longshore. “We are coming in and looking at people’s recycling habits so we can target areas of improvement.”

A major change for southeast Michigan

residents has been that SOCRRA, which manages recycling in several local communities, has reduced drop-off times for materials to appointment-only.

“The stuff at our drop-off center is not included in our rates, so it’s not reflected in our rates. What we weigh is what comes in from the curbside programs. We get a lot of appointments. We have a capacity of 159 a day, and most days are full,” said Jeff McKeen, the general manager of SOCRRA.“It sounds like it might be difficult to get an appointment, but you can usually get it the next day. … For the month of January, we had 3,423 appointments, so services are very heavily used by residents. We consistently have more than 3,000 appointments a month.”

He said that while feedback has been mixed, it has improved the recycling process for SOCRRA.

“We didn’t have appointments prior to the pandemic, so we don’t have data. My estimates are that we see a little less than before, when there were unrestricted drop-offs, but it’s still quite busy,” he said. “You hear different things from different people. Some really like it because it’s not as crowded, and others don’t like that they have to make an appointment now.”

The changes were initially made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We implemented these changes during the pandemic in 2020, when we closed for a couple of months along with the rest of the world,” McKeen said. “Our primary focus now, but especially during the pandemic, was focusing on getting all the recycling off the streets. Our trucks were so busy they couldn’t get in and out of our facility, so we weren’t getting curbside pickup collected. It remained a good policy after COVID, and we don’t have the traffic delays we once had.”

He believes the changes have led to bet-

ter service overall.

“We think these changes are working out quite well,” said McKeen. “We are still seeing a lot of service use, but it’s not getting in the way of our central task, which is making sure the curbside pickup is getting

picked up. Since residents pay for these services through taxes; they don’t pay for these services directly, but they pay us through their municipalities, which is why we restricted our services to residents of communities that pay into SOCRRA only.”

Plans

from page 3A

Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, already communicate frequently with the city since they are deeply involved in day-today operations. That’s why the council likes to hear from the less represented quality-oflife boards.

“Staff and council can allocate resources accordingly, and the things our volunteers care about and are championing on these boards turn into things like grants we get at City Hall. Without that level of awareness and communication, we wouldn’t have things like the bandshell,” Bliss said.

Bliss is the council rep for both the Arts Board and Historical Commission. He said this year, along with the installation of the bandshell, the Arts Board will continue to expand events such as the Arts Gala fundraiser, the Trail of Treats — previously called the Pumpkin Walk — and Trail Tunes. New programming is also being planned, including outreach to local theater groups in the hopes of lining up regular performances at the bandshell next year.

As for the Historical Commission, its plans include digitizing physical relics such as old newspaper clippings and video cassettes — part of an effort to create an online archive detailing the city’s past — and to conduct video interviews with longtime residents, business owners and officials.

The Historical Commission also plans to honor more community members by renaming public spaces after them, and to relaunch the Heritage Rooms — the city’s

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historical museum in the lower level of City Hall. New programming is also in the works, such as a presentation on the history of music in Madison Heights — specifically, how there once were dueling manufacturers in town that made cassette tapes and eighttrack tapes.

“We want to draw in residents with our programs and museum, so that we can educate them on the history of the city,” Bliss said.

Sean Fleming is the council rep for the Crime Commission. He said the group plans to foster community engagement with guest speakers on topics such as human trafficking, and events such as the Bike Rodeo at the Madison Heights Police Department in June, and a K-9 unit demonstration sometime in the fall.

“We also want to educate the community on how we’ll utilize the new co-responder program we’re going to roll out later this year, and how it can help people with mental health calls,” he said. “We’re also talking to the districts about resource officers. The Lamphere Schools have one now, and we’re waiting on the Madison Schools to make a decision there. We want to make sure parents understand the benefits of those officers. It’s not just about security — it’s also about having someone that the kids can go to for help, someone to mentor and role model for them.”

Fleming also said the Crime Commission is interested in working with the Madison Heights Community Coalition to raise awareness for keeping kids safe online.

The council representative for the Library Board is David Soltis. He said the

board is planning a series of guest speakers at the library, as well as expanded programming for tweens — including more activities for students in grades 5-8 — and more educational events for the community in general.

“The city is really proud of our library increasing services with the renovated library structure, and the kids’ playroom is a great addition,” Soltis said. “I appreciate all of the hard work that they’ve been doing. We have a first-rate library among surrounding vicinities.”

Quinn Wright, the council rep for the Human Relations and Equity Commission, described a wide range of plans. He said the HREC wants to support Juneteenth celebrations in the community, and to share resources, stories and perspectives that highlight the Black experience. The HREC will help promote Black-owned businesses, and also invite people to get educated and involved in the fight against racism and social injustice.

A book club, Novels & Neighbors, will foster discussions each month about stories that share different viewpoints. The HREC is also planning Motorama & Smoke — a two-in-one car show and barbecue cook-off — as well as a community cookbook featur-

ing recipes from residents, the idea being that food connects people.

“I’m really excited for the addition of a car show and also the community cookbook,” he said in an email. “Both will be great additions for creating community and inclusion.”

Emily Rohrbach, the council rep for the Environmental Citizens Committee, said that the ECC will continue efforts such as tree plantings and native gardens, and that the board is also working on a grant-funded environmental sustainability plan that may include a “Green Leaders” program and other educational initiatives.

The ECC will also continue to hold native plant sales that help fund native garden grants for residents and organizations in the city. A native garden expert will help find locations in the city where those gardens can benefit more people. She said the city has already planted nearly 600 new trees in recent years, and the ECC wants to plant even more.

“Environmental sustainability is not a singular achievement, but an ongoing process,” Rohrbach said in an email. “We can always find ways to improve and engage the city, residents and business community.”

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Leprechauns

from page 10A

season on ESPN+ with four cameras surrounding the park — in the outfield, along the right and left field lines, and behind the plate.

With potential national media comes field renovations to Memorial Park, which continue to be a topic of conversation.

The additions of the brand new turf infield, dugouts, scoreboard and media deck were just the beginning stages of a continued partnership between the Leprechauns, the city of Royal Oak, and team president and New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu, a Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice graduate.

Sackett said the team has spoken with the Royal Oak City Commission about additions of hospitality suites down the right and left field lines, outfield hospitality suites in left field, a production and media broadcast booth, and potentially a new backstop for more efficient viewing behind the plate.

Sackett said the city and LeMahieu have been more than gracious with their support for the team.

“He’s (LeMahieu) the one that’s really lent us the money to do this, and it is a loan

because he doesn’t want to put his money into something and let it go to waste. He’s put about $350,000 into the field, and we’ve put in about $200,000 into it, and we want to put another $100,000 into it.”

From a talent standpoint, manager Jonathan Vance, entering his second season as manager, will have no issue fielding a competitive club with a plethora of hometown talent gracing the roster.

Packed with Division 1 collegiate baseball players, Vance said the roster reflects the type of competition that fans can expect from other Northwoods teams.

it’s going to challenge you in some way. You have to learn how to prepare your body to play every day.”

“I know a handful of people on the Leprechauns, and they’re all great guys. I’m really excited to spend the summer with them.”

— Andrew Abler, Novi native and right-handed pitcher

Eligible players must have college eligibility, be a senior in high school committed to play college baseball, or be a recently graduated pitcher with plans on playing at the next level. Players can sign on to play the first or second half of the season, or can commit to playing the full year. For local players, it’s the perfect setup to not only play in front of a hometown crowd, but hone in on their craft in the meantime.

Division 1 State Championship last year.

The Leprechauns also added another MHSAA state champion in Clemson University freshman and shortstop Jarren Purify, a 2021 state champion with Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett who recently made his collegiate debut for Clemson.

The excitement will kick off before the season even begins, as the Leprechauns will be the sponsoring partners for the Royal Oak St. Patrick’s Day parade, which hasn’t taken place since 2020.

With the new league and added entertainment, expect Memorial Park to be rocking this summer.

“It’s more so guys in the Great Lakes are trying to get their feet wet and learn what college baseball is all about and what it takes to compete at that level, whereas guys in Northwoods have established they can compete at the college level and are trying to learn what it takes to be more of a professionaltype player,” Vance said. “With 72 games in 76 days or whatever the exact math is,

“I’m really excited,” Novi native and right-handed pitcher Andrew Abler said. “I’m also just excited to play in the summer where it’s warm and you’re with your boys. I know a handful of people on the Leprechauns, and they’re all great guys. I’m really excited to spend the summer with them.”

Abler, a freshman pitcher at Harvard University, led Novi High School to a Michigan High School Athletic Association

“We know about the excitement we have, and then we’re seeing the excitement in our community partners,” Sackett said. “We also see the city is supporting us, so we see a very, very high ceiling. We just got so much we want to do at that park, and it’s going to positively affect the Royal Oak community and the baseball community in Royal Oak, Beverly Hills, Birmingham and Clawson. That’s what we’re excited about.”

The Leprechauns will open the season with a home game on May 27 as the season stretches from May to August.

For more information on the Leprechauns, visit northwoodsleague.com/royaloak-leprechauns.

Seasonal general laborer positions, $15.00 - $16.00 hourly, no benefits. Successful completion of Civil Service Examination is required, and applicants must meet all requirements set forth in the Employees Civil Service Ordinance. Pre-employment background investigation is required. Interested, applicants must submit application to the Clinton Township Employees Civil Service Commission, 40700 Romeo Plank Rd., Clinton Township, MI 48038 on or before the close of business, Friday, April 12, 2024. The Charter Township of Clinton is an Equal Opportunity Employer, applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, or disability. For further information pertaining to this position or to download employment application please refer to www.clintontownship. com, click on employment.

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Midwest Fly Fishing Expo: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. March 9 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 3, Sports & Expo Center, Building P on Macomb Community College - South Campus, 14500 E. 12 Mile Road in Warren, midwestflyfishingexpo.com

MARCH 11 & 12

‘Twelfth Night’ auditions: Hosted by Shakespeare Royal Oak, virtual or in-person auditions at St John’s Episcopal Church, 26998 Woodward Ave., request time and date at shakespeareroyaloak.com, outdoor production scheduled for July 25-Aug. 4 at Starr Jaycee Park

MARCH 12

Make a Clown, Meet a Clown: Make a clown puppet and visit with Rosco the Clown, 6-7 p.m., Madison Heights Public Library, 240 W. 13 Mile Road, madison-heights.org/library

MARCH 21

Reading with Cosmo: Kids tell stories to therapy dog, 5:30-7 p.m., Madison Heights Public Library, 240 W. 13 Mile Road, (248) 5887763

MARCH 29

The Great Marshmallow Drop: Low-flying helicopter to drop 15,000 marshmallows for collection and prize exchange, 10 a.m., Catalpa Oaks County Park, 27705 Greenfield Road in Southfield, facebook. com/ocparks

APRIL 20

Run for the Health of it: 5K race/walk, 8 a.m. (check-in at 7:15 a.m.), Red Oaks Nature Center, 30300 Hales St. in Madison Heights, loom.ly/IoTQ0KQ

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Oaks Nature Center, 30300 Hales St. in Madison Heights, registration required, (248) 858-0916

Family Fun Night: Crafts and games, plus St. Patrick’s Day theme March 12 and egg hunt March 26, Hazel Park District Library,

Park, 620 W. Woodward Heights Blvd. in Hazel Park, hazel-park.lib.mi.us

Homeschool Series: Includes “Nature Invented It First” (March 14) and “Geocaching Adventure” (April 11), 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Red

File photo by Donna Agusti

The suspect allegedly tried to use a Social Security number, address, phone number and email for a name that was not his own. The man was arrested for identity theft, identity fraud, and resisting and obstructing police.

Drunken driver blames police car’s lights for swerving

NOVI — A Novi police officer on patrol pulled over a driver after his Honda Accord was swerving on Nine Mile Road, near Mill Road, at 12:37 a.m. Feb. 2.

The officer pulled over the vehicle on Haggerty Road, near 10 Mile Road. As the officer was attempting to stop the car, it swerved several more times, according to the report. When the officer asked the driver why he was swerving, the driver said that the lights of the patrol car were so bright that he was swerving to attempt to get the lights off his mirrors.

restaurant staff, who agreed to give the customer a refund. However, they did not want the customer to return to the restaurant. The customer was advised that she could not return to the restaurant or she would be arrested for trespassing. She agreed and left the scene.

Drunken driver hits parked car

HAZEL PARK — According to a police report, on Feb. 14 at 3:30 a.m., a 25-year-old man from Hazel Park drove his vehicle into a parked car in the area of East Harry and Merrill avenues. The driver reportedly failed field sobriety tests and had a blood alcohol content of 0.198. Police said he also had a gun.

The man was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a high blood alcohol content and carrying a concealed weapon while intoxicated. Police were investigating.

Police arrest man for allegedly trying to open fraudulent account

BERKLEY — A 22-year-old Detroit man was arrested for fraud at 2:20 p.m. Feb. 15 on Coolidge Highway. According to the police report, Berkley public safety officers were dispatched to the MSU Federal Credit Union for a report of a man attempting to open an account using fraudulent identification. An employee met with police to give them a license that was thin and smooth, unlike a valid driver’s license, and there was no watermark. The suspect exited the business while police were speaking to the employee. An officer asked to speak to the man, who then fled the scene, according to the report. The man was able to get away on foot, police said, but with assistance from Huntington Woods and Oak Park police, he was found and apprehended.

The officer said he noticed the driver swerving prior to initiating the stop and engaging the emergency lights. The driver said that the headlights from the patrol vehicle were what caused him to swerve.

Police noted a strong smell of intoxicants on the driver’s breath and wrote in the police report that he had glassy eyes, and slow and lethargic movements, as well as slurred speech. The driver claimed to have had two beers, the last one an hour prior to taking the wheel.

During field sobriety tests, the driver was asked to rank his level of intoxication from zero to 10, with zero being sober and 10 being thoroughly intoxicated. The driver reportedly gave himself a four. The man was arrested and taken to the Novi Police Department, where he was given an Intoxilyzer test that measured his blood alcohol content at 0.122%. He was held until he was sober and then released with a court date, according to police.

Woman swindled out of $53,500

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies were dispatched to the 1200 block of Morley Avenue for a reported fraud at 7:05 p.m. Jan. 24.

A 74-year-old woman from Rochester Hills reported that she had received a pop-up on her computer indicating that her computer was being hacked. The pop-up provided a phone number to call for her to fix the problem. She called the number and was instructed to enter different IP addresses, and the scammers convinced her that her computer was being used in Russia to buy and sell pornography.

She then received a phone call stating the caller was from the “FDC task force” and that she needed to remove money from her bank and convert it to bitcoin to protect the money. The victim ultimately converted $53,500 to bitcoin.

The money that was converted to bitcoin was ultimately transferred to a different bitcoin exchange and is unrecoverable. Police were investigating.