Clinton Township officials open inclusive playground
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP
— A long-term project to build a place for everyone to play has come to fruition.
On April 4, Clinton Township officials and community members ceremonially opened the township’s inclusive playground. Located on the municipal campus between the Robert J. Cannon Civic Center and the Clinton-Macomb Public Library’s main branch, the park features six playscape “pods” built on top of American with Disabilities Act-compliant soft surfaces.
Schools
BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
FRASER — At Fraser Public Schools, three teachers won the Teacher of the Year award, which came as a shock and a surprise for all three of them. The teachers are Kaitlin King at Fraser High School,
Teachers
Jacquelyn Carter at Richards Middle School and Kerry Engle at Disney Elementary School. All three schools asked teachers to nominate colleagues for the award. One teacher is chosen at each level, and each school holds separate celebrations for the winners. They will
King Carter Engle
Photo by Dean Vaglia Children play together at the Clinton Township inclusive playground on April 4. Various aspects of the playground are designed to
MACOMB SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CELEBRATES 50 YEARS
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — From a few strings in a side room to full concerts in a hall, a lot can change in 50 years.
For the Macomb Symphony Orchestra, a professional classical orchestra that performs at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts as well as at other locales throughout the county, 2025 marks its golden year.
According to Thomas Cook, orchestra director from the MSO’s founding in 1974-2021, the orchestra formed as an outgrowth of the Macomb Community College music program at the South Campus, though it did not take long for the orchestra to become its own nonprofit organization. Many of the orchestra’s early concerts took place in the multipurpose room.
“There’s some not-so-great acoustical locations there, but we soldered through there and performed there as well as at local high schools and some summer park concerts,” Cook said.
Much like today, the initial orchestra was made up of 15 professional musicians from around the region, though unpaid at that time.
After operating out of Warren for the better part of the 1970s, the orchestra made the move north to Clinton Township in 1983 as the Macomb Center was opened. Cook attributes much of the orchestra’s growth
Photo provided by Macomb Symphony Orchestra
The Macomb Symphony Orchestra rehearses in 2023. Now in its 50th year, the orchestra reflects on its past as it looks to the future.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES
RESUME POWERLINE TALKS
Information revealed countering transmission company’s claims
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Clinton Township Board of Trustees on March 31 resumed its discussion surrounding the proposed International Transmission Company powerline development to Henry Ford Macomb Hospital.
Initially brought to the board by ITC in November 2024, the resumed discussion came at the prompting of a letter from Trustee Dan Kress that advocated for immediate action on the project based on complaints and lawsuits from residents surrounding it. Kress also took issue with the township spending “almost $7,000” on a helicopter flight to analyze flight paths.
“My intent is to deny the special land use and site de-
velopment plan for the ITC Shrine Interconnection Project,” Kress said. “I don’t know why we haven’t denied it yet. I don’t think we’re giving ITC false hope. I think the mood of the board is to deny their plan to go down 19 Mile Road. There’s numerous other ways to get there. The supervisor and myself have talked about Dalcoma (Drive) and that seems to be the most obvious.”
Supervisor Paul Gieleghem, deferring to township attorney Jack Dolan and Deputy Supervisor Dan O’Leary, explained the township’s approach to handling the project. Dolan told trustees that it would be in the township’s best interests to inform ITC of any public discussion in order for them to present evidence, rather than make a spot decision on the project.
O’Leary said that new evidence gathered by the town-
This is a rendering of the electrical poles International Transmission Company expects to place along 19 Mile Road to route electricity to Henry Ford Macomb Hospital. While ITC claimed the poles could not be used on a route following Dalcoma Drive, township officials discovered the poles would not likely impact flights to the hospital helipad and that ITC used these poles in a 2021 rendering of a Dalcoma Drive power line route. Image provided
Record Store Day hits the right notes
BY MARIA ALLARD AND NICK POWERS allard@candgnews.com
• npowers@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Andrew Dore and Andy Colohan were ready to shop on Record Store Day April 12.
The Madison Heights residents stood in line outside Solo Records in Royal Oak with about 40 other music collectors before the store opened, hoping to find a few titles to be released only on Record Store Day.
“I’m looking for the Jerry Garcia Band re-release and the Prince record,” said Dore, 26. “They also put out non-Record-Store-Day records. It’s fun to see what gems they have. I lean toward jam bands. This is the record store I go to the most.”
Colohan, 26, was in search of Joey Valence & Brae. Even if he didn’t find
RECORD on
Photo by Nick Powers
Customers line up down Nine Mile Road in Ferndale to take part in Record Store Day at Found Sound before the store opens at 10 a.m.
NEWS & NOTES
CMPL closing temporarily, still hosting events
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Patrons of the Clinton-Macomb Public Library’s main branch will once again have to find a different place to go to as the location will close from Sunday, April 20 through Thursday, May 15 for roof work. All items taken out from the main branch have an extended deadline and if items must be returned, they may be returned to the North Branch in Macomb Township, the South Branch in Clinton Township, or the nearest Suburban Library Cooperative partner library.
The North Branch is hosting its Fan Art Show until April 30. North Branch visitors can look over the fanworks on display and vote for their favorites. Winners will be announced on Saturday, May 3 during Free Comic Book Day.
Children ages 2-5 are invited to play with and explore a variety of construction themed activities at the South Branch on Saturday, April 26 at 10:30 a.m. Teens in grades 6-12 are invited to the South Branch on Tuesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. to take on a variety of world records, such as stacking the most donuts or identifying the most Pokémon.
Those looking to use their green thumbs can visit the North Branch and join Brendan Nolan, a Detroit native and founder of Plants for Ecology, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7 to explore the world of native plant landscaping in southeast Michigan.
Visit cmpl.libnet.info/events for a full list of events or to register for an event listed above.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Face Addiction Now will host its 17th annual Run Drugs Out of Town 5K Run/ Walk fundraiser on Saturday, June 21 at 10:00 a.m.
Taking place at Macomb Community College’s Clinton Township campus, the 5K’s organizers are expecting 2,000 participants. The run will take place entirely on the MCC campus.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
METRO DETROIT — The Sparkle Network, a local nonprofit organization that includes several charitable programs, is accepting applications until April 26 for its Dream, Believe and Do scholarship awards.
Sparkle Network Founder Moe Lietz, a 1992 Romeo High School graduate, pictured, is seeking applicants who are in the high school Class of 2025 who reside in Oakland or Macomb counties and have completed a minimum of 40 hours of documented community service.
Students who apply must have a dream they fully believe in, and they must explain how and what they will do to make that dream happen. To apply, log on to sparklenetwork.org and scroll down to the Dream, Believe and Do link. For more information, call (248) 840-8136.
Henry Ford hosting free heart screenings on 26th
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Henry Ford Health is bringing its healthy heart screening event to Henry Ford Macomb Hospital from 7-11 a.m. on Saturday, April 26.
Originally held in 2005, the heart screening has been provided to over 10,000 people across metro Detroit. Participants receive a free whole heart checkup, including an electrocardiogram (EKG), all at no cost to them. Other free screenings include blood pressure, BMI and blood glucose. Patients will receive results that day and meet one-on-one with a doctor. There will also be a stroke assessment and information on weight loss, diet and nutrition.
Other Henry Ford hospitals taking part in the screenings include Grand Blanc, Rochester, Southfield, Warren and Wyandotte.
CHIPPING RESUMES
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Township branch chipping service begins Thursday, May 1 and runs through Tuesday, Sept. 30. Chipping services may take several weeks to get around to homes in the township.
Branches for chipping must be at least 4 feet long and stacked loosely by the curb with the ends cut together.
Branches may also be picked up by Priority Waste as part of weekly waste collection, as long as they are cut less than 4 feet, are tied in bundles lighter than 50 pounds or are placed in compost-marked 32-gallon bags by 7 a.m. and were not cut by contractors.
“Every year at Run Drugs Out of Town, I find myself overwhelmed — not just by the incredible turnout, but by the stories,” Linda Davis, FAN executive director, said via press release. “Families reuniting, healing, and creating memories with their children. Through the years, we’ve celebrated countless victories, but we’ve also lost people who were near and dear to our hearts. That’s why
this run matters. It’s our chance to come together, to remember, and to keep fighting and push for change.” The campus is located at 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township. To register as an individual or team for Run Drugs Out of Town, or to sponsor the event, go to faceaddictionnow.org/run-drugs-out-of-town, or call (586) 438-8500.
Dr. Bergeron has comprehensive education, training, and experience in hospital and clinic-based patient care. She excels in all areas of foot and ankle care with specific training and interest in wound care and foot and ankle surgery (including cutting-edge minimally invasive techniques designed to minimize surgical trauma and help patients recover faster).
Litz
Vacancy filled on L’Anse Creuse
Public Schools Board of Education
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — At its meeting on March 31, the L’Anse Creuse Public Schools Board of Education voted to appoint Jeffrey Cyprus to serve as a board trustee until Dec. 31, 2026.
Cyprus’ appointment fills a seat left by Andrew Parski’s resignation effective March 9. After having a window for applicants to apply, the board narrowed down a field of nine candidates to four at a March 19 special meeting. The four chosen from the board to move on were Cyprus, Mark Deldin, Dane Ramsden and Dale VanDeWater.
Cyprus is an 11-year resident of Harrison Township and has been an employee of robotics firm FANUC for just about as long, becoming a program manager in June 2024. He was in the Marines from October 2004 to May 2014, retiring at the rank of staff sergeant. He is married to a graduate of the district and has two children attending L’Anse Creuse Middle School-Central.
“I started (at FANUC) as a trainer (and) moved all the way up into what I am now, a program manager on the largest account that we have in the world,” Cyprus said in his opening remarks on March 19. “I’m not afraid of working with large sums of money. (I’m) not afraid of working in high-pressure situations; I pretty much deal with it every day.”
Cyprus’ term on the board is effective immediately. He previously served on the board following an appointment in 2022.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
CALENDAR
APRIL 16-19
Easter Bunny photos: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. April 16-18 and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. April 19, The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Road in Clinton Township, reservations recommended, shoppartridgecreek.com
APRIL 17
‘From High School 2 College - FAFSA Facts’: Students in grades 6-12 can learn about Free Application for Federal Student Aid, parents and caregivers also welcome, 6:30-8 p.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - South Branch, 35679 S. Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Township, (586) 226-5070, cmpl.libnet.info/events
APRIL 18
Fish fries: Also shrimp and steak, 5-7 p.m. April 18 and every second Friday of month, St. Clair Shores Moose Lodge #1837, 33877 Harper Ave. in Clinton Township, dine in and carryout, (586) 792-1908, lodge1837@mooseunits.org, facebook.com/ lodge1837
APRIL 23
Spaghetti dinner: 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. (or until gone), Lt. Wood-Cpl. Reid VFW Post #6691, 17075 Anita Ave. in Fraser, continues every fourth Wednesday of month, (586) 899-9883
APRIL 25
APRIL 25-27
‘The Wizard of Oz’: Performance by Macomb Ballet Company, 7 p.m. April 25, 1 and 7 p.m. April 26, and 2 p.m. April 27, also sensory-friendly performance at 10 a.m. April 25, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, macombcenter.com, macombballet.org
APRIL 26
Spring Into Wellness expo: Free information plus screenings and assessments regarding chiropractic, medical, physical therapy, fitness, nutrition and acupuncture, also chair massages and light refreshments, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Total Health Systems, 43740 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, (586) 228-0270, info@totalhealthsystems.com, facebook.com/total healthsystems
APRIL 29
Break A Record: Teens in grades 6-12 can attempt to set Guinness World Records, 7-8 p.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - South Branch, 35679 S. Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Township, registration required, (586) 226-5073, cmpl.libnet.info/events
APRIL 30
SCAMS presentation: Stopping Crimes Against Michigan Seniors, led by Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, 1 p.m., Fraser Woods Senior Apartments, 17195 Fraser Woods Drive, (586) 469-5642, heather.
SCAMS presentation: Stopping Crimes Against Michigan Seniors, led by Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, 10-11 a.m., Rose Senior Living Facility, 44003 Partridge Creek Blvd. in Clinton Township, (586) 469-5642, heather.esposito@macombgov.org, macombgov.org/departments/prosecutors-office/ senior-scams
See CALENDAR on page 11A
Teachers from page 1A
also be celebrated at a school board meeting in May and at a Macomb Intermediate School District banquet at the end of April.
Engle has been teaching in the Fraser district for 19 years and also taught at a private school previously. She said she’s had a good experience at Fraser so far and called it home.
Engle said that each year, a different elementary school is chosen to participate in the nominations. The award win for her was a complete surprise.
“Nobody talked to me about their nominations, and I didn’t really talk to anybody about their nominations,” Engle said.
She said the job is a calling though it can be challenging.
“It’s one thing to be nominated by somebody who doesn’t really know what you do, but to be nominated by people who, who are with you all of the time who watch you as an educator and watch you as a professional, that really made me feel just honored that they would think that I was doing such a good job that I could be thought of as Teacher of the Year,” Engle said.
She said she appreciates her colleagues for nominating her and suggested that the award could have been given to any of them.
Carter said at her school, a committee of previous award recipients chose the Teacher of the Year. She said she was very surprised to win. At her staff meeting, her husband and children came to the school to celebrate her award as well as her parents, in-laws and friends over a video call. She’s been teaching in Fraser for 13 years.
Her students were excited for her and the committee contacted them to get feedback.
“They all wrote testimonials of what Teacher of the Year meant to them and why they felt I was deserving of that title and then six students stayed after school and read their testimonials at our staff meeting in front of the staff and my family to share with me why they think I was deserving of Teacher of the Year,” Carter said.
She said she cried during the staff meeting.
“I was overcome with emotion,” Carter said. “I felt so much love from the students and for the students and from the staff and it was definitely one of the best days of my teaching career.”
Carter also was nominated for and was named the Macomb County Middle School Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Those who won Teacher of the Year move out onto another selection process and they have to fill out more information on a form. The form is sent to the MISD for review. She said the award wasn’t even on her radar.
She is grateful, honored and humbled for the experience.
“It means so much to me that they value me, and they see what I’m doing every day and that they give me an opportunity to learn and grow with them,” Carter said. “I am just incredibly thankful.”
King said there was an after-school celebration to announce her award, something they do every year. She also said she knew she was nominated. This will be her 11th year teaching.
“Then my face went up on the giant screen,” King said. “And they had a student introduce and speak a little about me.”
She was very surprised.
“I did not expect to win,” King said.
King said she was very shocked, appreciative and grateful in the moment.
When she first started teaching, she said she wasn’t sure she was going to make it, but in the last few years her perspective changed.
“I could see myself teaching for a long time,” King said. “For now, I see myself staying as a classroom teacher. I enjoy it. I like my dayto-day with my classes and the difference I’m making there.”
King said her students were very excited for her and she thanked her colleagues for their nomination.
“I’m only as good as I am, you know, as me working with them,” King said. “So I definitely couldn’t do this job without them or in isolation. So they are part of why I am the teacher I am today and can continue to be.”
Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 4981103.
& G Newspapers publishes 21 papers in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties:
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SPOTLIGHT ON HOMES
ADVANCE PREP KEY TO AVOIDING PROBATE AT WORST POSSIBLE TIME
BY SCOTT BENTLEY sbentley@candgnews.com
The last thing that a family wants amidst the passing of a loved one is to wind up in court. Figuring out how to share an estate is expensive, time-consuming, and complicated for many and probate court can lead to drama within a family unless the right steps are taken.
The most important step anyone can take to avoid probate court is to simply be prepared. It may sound fairly obvious, but making sure you have a will, trust, or some form of legal document involving your assets can go a long way in avoiding family tension.
“I’ve been practicing law for over 40 years. The best way to avoid the probate court is to prepare,” attorney Randall Shepard of Colbert, Shepard & Sadowski
LLP said. “Talk to an attorney or talk to a specialist that can help you prepare your estate plan so that you don’t have to end up going through probate.”
There are several ways to organize assets in a way that prevents going to court. Trusts, ladybird deeds and wills can be simple ways to make sure your estate ends up in the right hands.
Probate also isn’t strictly used when someone passes away, as a lot of families find themselves in court for guardianship and conservatorship.
“Conservatorship is, of course, when the court oversees the management of somebody’s finances,” Shepard explained. “You really want to avoid that at all costs if you can. You’re better off having that set up ahead of time.”
In order to prepare in advance, one of the best things a person can do is have an expert in their corner.
There are so many possible outcomes in probate and having a specialist to help with documentation that “speaks the language” is sometimes all a client needs.
“My advice is to get someone to help you. Don’t try and do it yourself,” Shepard said. “It can be a nightmare… Try to have an attorney that helps you resolve your case, not make it worse.”
Arguably the most common reason for probate is housing. Real estate is something that many families end up going to court over and it is an area of law that can get very complicated very quickly.
“Especially in real estate, you can encounter some family situations where it can be contentious,” Re/Max First certified probate specialist Ray Nadolski said. “Do you want sons and
See PROBATE on page 10A
The advice that is most commonly told from people that work in probate is about how to avoid it. Shutterstock image
Playground
“This is really exciting, not just for me personally because of the work and years of effort that we had to put into this, but it’s just so exciting for the community,” said Township Supervisor Paul Gieleghem, a member of the Inclusive Playground Committee. “Our hope is to see this filled. It’s a great feeling.”
The park’s six pods contain a mix of play equipment for children of all ages and abilities. A total of three play structures dot the playground, along with two sets of swings, a zip line and numerous ground-level features to climb up, on and play around. Even older park guests can get their active minutes in with a circuit training workout area.
While the park’s surface and range of structures work to make the playground as inclusive as it can be, the details are where the inclusivity shines though. Slides on the play structures are metal, which Gieleghem says allows guests with cochlear implants — a surgically-implanted device that can help people with hearing loss perceive sounds — to slide carefree while a plastic-surfaced slide would create issues for them. Signs displaying the Macomb Intermediate School District’s storyboard system allow for nonverbal communication using a language familiar to Macomb County children. A section of the playground is dedicated to a “quiet area” where overstimulated park guests can stop and resituate themselves as needed.
“(The park is) built for everybody but designed to accommodate people who, I think, were previously excluded from being on a playground,” Gieleghem said. “What that brings us to is kids being able to play together and the socialization effect of that. For kids without disabilities, they get to learn and appreciate kids with (disabilities,) and the kids with disabilities get to play with everybody else.”
For AnnMarie Ottoy, chair of the Inclusive Playground Committee, her favorite part of the park are the swings because they are her son Zachary’s favorite part. The work and isolation of seeking out professionals, assistance and support for Zachary after his disabilities diagnosis led to Ottoy reaching out to the township and then-treasurer Gieleghem about constructing an inclusive playground.
“It was mentally and emotionally exhausting and left little time for something every child and their family deserves: fun,” Ottoy said. “A chance to be outside running, swinging, spinning, playing with friends or having the chance to make friends. For parents, family members and caregivers to
connect and understand they are not alone and that there is such a thing as community. These are the things that would have made a tremendous difference in the life of our family, helping us navigate the loneliness and solitude that often comes with raising a child with disabilities.”
Over the intervening years the committee worked to raise $1.4 million to fund the park’s construction, often finding help throughout the community to get there. The committee teamed up with nonprofit The Arc of Macomb to aid in the grant process, and local legislators lobbied for a $1 million allocation for the park in the 2024 state budget. A final major donation of $300,000 was made from the township at the insistence of Robert Cannon, then the township supervisor, to allow the project to meet its goals and make the inclusive playground a reality. Work on the park began in July 2024 and ended by November last year.
“I’m just really overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the help and the support from the community and everybody that helped make this happen,” Ottoy said. “This was really a dream and at one point we weren’t sure if it was going to be a reality just due to the sheer cost of it, but here we are and I couldn’t be happier.”
Along with building the inclusive playground, the committee’s goals also include recommending adaptive improvements and practices to be carried out in other parks. In fact, what the committee has learned has already made it into existing and future park improvements.
“The splashpad (at the Civic Center) was built; they now have wheelchair seats so kids that are not mobile can enjoy the splashpad,” Gieleghem said. “And then (there are) the grants that we got for George George Park to build an accessible universal kayak launch. This project really helped us sort of expand
that focus and do these types of things to make us more inclusionary and more accessible for everybody.”
The two Challenger Baseball fields at Neil Reid Park are another example of inclusive play design making its way into the township’s parks. The diamonds feature solid baserunning surfaces and were made to support the Clinton Valley Little League’s Challenger Division.
The completion and grand opening of the inclusive playground was a celebration, but also a crossroads for the committee behind it now that its tentpole project has been completed.
So where does the committee go from here?
“Well, we’re still looking at that,” Gieleghem said. “I think (the committee) provided some great guidance, but I would hate (for) the amount of effort and the amount of experience and the things we
learned along the way go away. So we need to sort of expand the direction (of the committee) and hope that folks stay with us.”
The question of what the committee will look like going forward remains open for Ottoy, but the accomplishment in Clinton Township is unlikely to be the end of her own efforts. Ottoy serves as the communications director for Dutton Farm, an organization that supports adults with disabilities, and she expects to continue working for disability advocacy causes.
“My sincere desire is for families to come together here in this space (the inclusive playground) and to connect with one another, to better understand one another and to form those real, lasting friendships and bonds that can last a lifetime,” Ottoy said.
The inclusive playground is located at 40700 Romeo Plank Road.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
AnnMarie
Photo by Dean Vaglia
it, “I’m just here to have fun,” the hip-hop and jazz music fan said. “Coming out early is always fun to get the exclusives and all the new Record Store Day picks.”
Record Store Day, launched internationally in 2007, gives employees and customers a day to celebrate the culture of the independent record store. Artists, even bands no longer together, release new music or re-release material previously not available. Many record shops in metro Detroit participated and some held give-a-ways and discounts. Post Malone was this year’s ambassador.
Record Store Day wasn’t on Mark Iacobelli’s radar, but his 19-year-old daughter Emilina, at college in Grand Rapids, asked if he could get a copy of Kelsea Ballerini’s “The First Time: 10 Year Anniversary Edition.” She struck out when she tried to find the country’s singer album, one of the most in-demand releases on Record Store Day. Iacobell, 50, of Macomb Township, said that if he couldn’t find it, he’d pick up something from Taylor Swift.
Solo Records owner Heath Craig welcomed customers at 9:30 a.m.
“It’s the busiest day of the year and it’s the most fun,” Craig said. “We’re happy to share in our love of music.”
The line for Record Store Day at Ferndale’s Found Sound stretched down Nine Mile Road, ending near Pops for Italian restaurant just before the record store opened at 10 a.m.
“It’s not as big as it’s been and it’s not as small as it’s been,” said Ray Hayosh, manager of Found Sound. “It’s somewhere in between.”
He predicted the “Wicked” soundtrack, Charli XCX’s “Guess” single with Billie Eilish and Post Malone’s tribute to Nirvana would sell well.
“Those are definitely the ones we’ve got the most calls about,” Hayosh said. “Usually, there’s one in particular that everybody seems to want and that’s not the case this year.”
Davion Jackson, who hails from Detroit’s westside, was first in line. In order to get the spot, he’d camped out around midnight. Jackson came for Lil Uzi Vert’s threerecord set, the Thompson Twins’ “Into the Gap: Live!” and the “Wicked” soundtrack. Jackson has over 200 records.
“I’ve been doing it for over two years now,” Jackson said. “Last year, I went to Dearborn Music in Farmington. This is my first year here.”
Lynae Peres, of Ferndale, who’s taken
part in the event for three or four years, camped out with folding chairs and blankets around 7 a.m. Peres was waiting to add Swift’s “Fortnight” single and Gracie Abram’s “Live from Radio City Music Hall” to a collection that numbers at least 100.
Ken Bernard, from Royal Oak, who got in line just before 10 a.m., came for Joni Mitchell’s “Live 1976” and George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass.” This is his fifth year attending the event. He’s been collecting records since he was 11 years old and his first was a Jackson 5 record. The following year, he rode his bike to the now-defunct Korvette’s to pick up Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” He currently has about 400 records and CDs in his collection.
“The line is really long today. It’s huge!” Bernard said. “I think I’ve gotten in line earlier in previous years. I was sitting at Java Hut, just relaxing and thinking, ‘Oh, I should really get in line.’ I think it might’ve doubled while I was sitting there.”
‘Both Joe and I love music’
Some music fans went to great lengths to track down the music they love, including a crowd that camped out overnight outside Village Vinyl in Sterling Heights. When the store opened Saturday morning, at least 200 people were lined up around the strip mall.
“Everybody was super cool. Everybody was bonding and making new friends,” Village Vinyl owner John Lehl said. “It’s kind of cool to see people sitting together.”
Lehl said pop star Swift was the top seller of the day. Other popular female artists were Abrams, Eilish and Charli XCX. Many customers also bought Post Malone’s “Tribute to Nirvana,” Wallows, Oasis and the “Wicked” soundtrack, which had a “very limited” release.
As music from Gladys Knight, Marvin Gaye, Club Nouveau and Billy Paul played through the speakers, the store remained busy throughout the day. Macomb Township resident Rick Paulus, 57, stopped in to pick up Mark Morton’s “Without the Pain.”
“He’s the guitar player from Lamb of God, and this is a country album he did,” Paulus said. “I’ve heard a little bit of it, and it sounds good.”
Paulus himself plays guitar in a local band called the Violators, set to play May 3 at Roger’s Roost in Sterling Heights. He likes the idea of Record Store Day, although that’s not the only time he picks up music at Village Vinyl. About a month ago he traded in some of his collection to help pay for the first Badlands album, featuring guitarist Jake E. Lee.
Over at Blast in the Past, owners Jacquie and Joe Pellegrino welcomed a steady stream of music fans and even set up a sidewalk sale in front of the store.
“The first 10-12 girls were looking for Taylor Swift. They were happy,” Jacquie said. “We had Post Malone. That was a pretty popular one.”
“We sold almost all of the Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks today,” Joe said. “We have people coming in for Dolly Parton.”
“Both Joe and I love music. That’s been our passion for years. We’ve made a lot of friends through the years. We like all types of music, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz,” Jacquie said. “Joe has built up a very good, strong clientele. The Beatles go very well for us. Pink Floyd is a good seller, the Rolling Stones. We sell a lot of jazz and blues.”
Joe began doing record shows on and off in the 1970s.
“When I lost my job in ’87, I took my hobby and turned it into a business,” Joe said.
In the early 1990s, when vinyl was be-
ing phased out, Joe bought a lot of those records from the now-closed Harmony House Records and Tapes chain “for less than a dime apiece.” They sold well at record shows.
“People want to have something they can relate to,” he said of vinyl. “When you pick up an album, you read about all the people and the producers.”
This was the second year Blast in the Past participated in Record Store Day. Not only does the Roseville business have vinyl, CDs, laser discs and 8-tracks, its shelves are filled with all kinds of memorabilia, including dolls, lunch boxes and Funko Pops. Blast in the Past will celebrate 30 years in business next February.
Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.
Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.
Photo by Nick Powers
From left, Megan and Lynae Peres came to Record Store Day prepared. The two started waiting at 7 a.m. for Found Sound in Ferndale to open three hours later.
Decorations help gardeners to express themselves
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Believe it or not, there is more to gardens than planting flowers.
Landscapes, patios, gardens and all sorts of curated outdoor environments are more than places where flowers go — they are places to express yourself.
“To me, gardens are just a great opportunity to create or decorate an outdoor space or room that allows the place to invite nature and wildlife in, and it also gives you a relaxing break from challenging lives,” Sue Keehn, chair of the Harrison Township Beautification Committee, said. “It’s really art in itself and an outlet for everybody to create a spot in their life that’s a place for reflection and peace. … The things that you choose for your garden are a reflection of you.”
Decorating a garden is a personal project that can be approached in different ways, but Keehn recommends taking a few steps when planning out the garden before setting a decoration down.
Beyond finding out the dimensions of the space, composition of the soil, what the natural
light and shade coverage of the area is, and how much time and effort maintaining the desired living elements will take, a key consideration is how the landscape will affect the people within it.
“It needs to be a place of reminiscing, a place of conversation … someplace that’s contemplative,” Keehn said. “That would come up first, and then certainly how the particular artifact(s) or sculpture(s) … might affect the people that would view them. Art is meant to cause stimulation and conversation.”
Traci Schwartz, store manager at Piechnik’s Garden Gate in Oakland Township, said decorations can be a way of adding interesting elements to a garden where the environment or plants might not always be the most aesthetically spectacular.
“Let’s say (a garden) has some hardscapes, so it’s more stone or even evergreen,” Schwartz said. “It’s a beautiful look, it’s usually a more tailored look, and the color doesn’t change. Putting some garden art of some sort can bring color or interest to those areas. … A lot of our perennial gardens are seasonal, so adding some
See GARDENS on page 13A
Probate
from page 7A
daughters to become enemies after you die? That’s the message I would send to people.”
A joint tenant, a trust or a will can help make the process easier for everyone involved. The best way to accomplish this is by working with someone in real estate that specializes in probate. In some cases, even with documentation, families find themselves in court because there are errors or missing statements from those involved.
“Some of the longest, most contentious and expensive probate battles come from unforeseen mistakes made by a person seeking to avoid probate,” Nadolski said. “I see a lot of issues in real estate… Do this just in case so it’s not all hearsay.”
Nadolski is now an expert in probate and has been working with former Macomb County Probate Court Judge Carl Marlinga to help make the transition of assets easier for families. Nadolski and Marlinga provided C & G Newspapers with a document that highlights important background information about probate and what advice they have after many years in the field.
The advice that is most commonly told from people that work in probate is
about how to avoid it. As Nadolski and Marlinga explained, even a will that has been witnessed and notarized can still be subject to the jurisdiction of probate court. People will argue that the deceased may have been acting “under duress” or “undue influence.” Finding a lawyer that specializes in probate is the best court of action. In the long run, planning ahead is also far cheaper than the alternative of probate court.
“The money you spend now would be less expensive than what your estate would have to spend if you don’t,” Shepard said. “It goes back to the theme of avoiding these problems.”
Perhaps the most important reason to get assets aligned and avoid probate is simply because it’s fair. The management of finances, housing or anything else should be decided by the owner of those assets while the person is still able.
“You’re better off spending the money now while the person is able to make the decisions of where they want their property to go,” Shepard said. “If you don’t have anything planned, then a judge makes the decision.”
Call Staff Writer Scott Bentley at (586) 498-1090.
from page 5A
esposito@macombgov.org, www.macombgov.org/ departments/prosecutors-office/senior-scams
MAY 2
The American ELO: Multimedia concert by 12-person tribute band Evil Woman, 7:30 p.m., Macomb Center for the Performing Arts on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, (586) 286-2222, macombcenter.com
MAY 3
Halfway to Halloween: Free event features raffles and giveaways, costume contest, spooky face painting and balloon animals, photos with cosplayers, and meet-and-greet with Bill Moseley, William Forsythe, Michael Berryman and Lew Temple to celebrate 20th anniversary of “The Devil’s Rejects,” also food trucks and sidewalk sale, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Screamers Costumes, 35431 Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Township, screamerscostumes.com
ONGOING
Macomb County Quilt Guild meetings: Fellowship at 6 p.m. and meetings at 7 p.m. every first Monday of month September-June (second Monday if holiday), Trinity Lutheran Church, 38900 Harper Ave. in Clinton Township, macombcountyquiltguild.org
Baumgartner House Museum open houses: Also sales most first Sundays of month, 18577 Masonic
Blvd. in Fraser, see times and dates at facebook.com/ baumgartnerhouse, see story about 150th anniversary at candgnews.com
Book clubs: Find meetups about historic American figures (Presidential Book Club), solving cases (Mysteries & Munchies), quiet reading for adults and kids (Silent Book Club and Silent Book Club Jr), and recipes and sharing dishes (Cookbook Club), Fraser Public Library, 15260 15 Mile Road, (586) 293-2055, fraserpubliclibrary.org
‘Leading Ladies of Michigan’s Past’: Exhibit on display from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays until April 26, also presentations about “What She Left Behind: Uncovering the Stories of Rochester Women” (1 p.m. April 23), “Conquering Heroines: How Women Fought Sex Bias at U of M and Paved the Way for Title IX” (11 a.m. April 25) and “Elly Peterson: Mother of the Moderates” (1 p.m. April 25), Lorenzo Cultural Center on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, lorenzoculturalcenter.com
Widowed Friends breakfasts: 10:30 a.m. every second Monday of month, Big Boy, 16880 Hall Road in Clinton Township, RSVP to Gerry at (586) 556-9471, widowedfriends.com
Farmers market: Also food trucks, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every second Saturday through October, John F. Kennedy Knights of Columbus Council #5460, 33320 Kelly Road in Clinton Township, jfk5460.ladies@gmail.com
See more events at candgnews.com/calendar
TOP RIGHT: The prewar 1931 MG D-Type Midget is parked in front of the
TOP LEFT: Ken and Melody Klemmer, along with their dog, Cocoa Puff, love to drive their prewar 1931 MG D-Type Midget. Directly behind them is their 1930 MG M-Type.
RIGHT: The passenger compartment and frame sets off the cerulean blue prewar 1930 “Wiggy” MG M-Type that the Klemmers own.
COUPLE GEAR UP FOR THE BRITISH INVASION
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
Ken and Melody Klemmer “are preservationists at heart.”
They live in a historic home built in 1925, and a favorite pastime is driving their antique cars. The Klemmers buy and sell different vintage models every few years.
“I’ve had American cars, Model Ts and involvement with the Franklins,” said Ken, who has also owned Austin-Healey, Lotus and Mini Cooper cars. “We don’t tend to keep them for very long. There are so many cool ones out there that we want them all. We buy them and we fix them up. We drive them for a year or two and then we sell them and buy something else.”
The newest collection includes a cerulean blue prewar 1930 “Wiggy” MG MType they bought in 2022, and a maroonish/black prewar 1931 “Edwin” MG D-Type they’ve owned since 2023. Neither car is its original color although the M-Types were available in blue. According to Ken, most early D-Types were black, and then green and red were available often in two-tones.
The Farmington Hills residents belong to several MG car clubs, including the
historic Farmington Hills home of Ken and Melody Klemmer.
Photos by Liz Carnegie
Symphony
from page 2A
in the decades since to the Macomb Center’s opening and using it as a venue.
“We got a lot more visibility,” Cook said. “(The Macomb Center is) really the only first-class acoustically sound facility in Macomb County, I would think. There are some other places that are fine, too, but everybody knows if they live in Macomb County or even adjoining areas what the Macomb Center is and what they present.”
The Macomb Center became a focal point for a number of events in the county, serving both traveling acts stopping by the Detroit suburbs and local acts looking to perform within the community. The Macomb Symphony Orchestra used the Macomb Center’s presence to establish itself as, in Cook’s words, the “voice of classical music in Macomb County.” The move allowed the orchestra to expand to up to as many as 70 musicians per concert and even begin paying all of its musicians as of the 1990s.
“We wanted to tackle different pieces, more challenging pieces, and we didn’t have the bodies in the student body to accommodate that,” Cook said. “Gradually we picked up more community players and those who came from a great distance — some from
Ann Arbor and Windsor and what have you — we had to compensate them for their time and their gas, so it gradually grew from that.”
Cook stepped down from directing the orchestra in 2021 with Andrew Neer taking on the role. Having grown up in Sterling Heights, Neer found out about the orchestra around 2019 and has worked to make the organization more visible.
“I’m a little bit more involved in (the business and marketing side) than maybe your average music director would be,” Neer said. “I take a big hand in helping to navigate the social media presence, design the website, all those types of forward-facing community outreach types of things, in addition to going to different events in the community to try connecting with businesses and people in the area so they know we exist, and we can continue to grow and develop our support base.”
Having conducted orchestras across metro Detroit and guest conducted in Europe, Neer’s experience at the stand is without doubt. But the management of the business aspects of the orchestra has become very important since taking on the role, especially as the orchestra came out of the COVID-19 pandemic financial situation and into a continually uncertain economic situation.
“Coming out of COVID and the challenges that it faced, the orchestra has been
struggling to bring in the same amount of money than it did (before),” Neer said. “And their expenses have expanded because of the pay changes and some of that stuff … But the board (of directors) came to make some adjustments so we can continue into the future, and we can continue to keep this alive and vibrant in the county.”
Should the orchestra navigate its financial situation, Neer believes it has a bright future. Neer would like to increase the orchestra’s involvement with Macomb County student musicians.
“To work with this organization, this group of people, the board, the legacy that Tom started, I just want it to go on in perpetuity so that we can have the continual development of our art and the curation of art right here in Macomb County,” Neer said. “My biggest hope for the organization is that we could continue to grow and continue to develop in a way that would be lasting and have an impact on the community for the good.”
The Macomb Symphony Orchestra’s 2025 schedule currently includes a concert with a “Star Wars” theme on Sunday, May 4 at the Macomb Center and a park concert as part of Shelby Township’s Summerfest on the evening of June 21. For more information visit macombsymphony.org.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
Gardens
from page 10A
elements of true garden art is going to give interest to that space when those plants are not in bloom.”
A garden’s theme, if a specific theme is chosen, can also influence how one selects the decorations to go within it.
“There’s so many garden themes,” Keehn said. “Herb gardens, Asian, shade gardens, cottage, something of a specific color. Even moon gardens; there are some folks who come home at night and that’s the only time they can view their garden. There are plants that will be bright enough to show up at night — those are your whites and pastels — and there are some plants that open their blooms only at night. … If you’re going to go in with those, go the whole hog. Make the theme a reality.”
Items for gardens can be found in many places. Schwartz said garden stores like Piechnik’s can provide a wide variety of decorations — art ranging from globes, cement and metal elements like statues, benches, and more — that fit into gardens and landscapes. One particular class of item Schwartz is interested in is solar-powered lighting elements.
See GARDENS on page 14A
Our Lord has writen the promise of resurrection in every leaf of springtime.
The Wujek and Calcaterra families wish you a blessed Easter season flled with hope and surrounded by the ones you love. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful families in this community who have chosen us to serve them. We are humbled by your trust.
Gardens
“Sometimes I feel (solar items) can extend the beauty of your garden from a daytime space to a nighttime space,” Schwartz said. “Maybe during the daytime the flowers or your perennial garden or your landscape gets the attention, but once the sun starts to set, some of these other elements can then take center stage.”
Solar lighting can range from straightforward stakes to globes and sculptures that charge during the day and come to life at night.
“I think in Michigan we actually have a very short window to enjoy the outdoors, even into the evening hours,” Schwartz said. “Even having a string of party lights by a sitting area brings off some ambient light, but you can also do that with solar-powered lighting as well.”
Keehn finds decorations for her gardens in a variety of places. She promotes reusing found items and finding uses for items that may run against their originally intended use.
“I do a lot of estate sales and looking at different containers you wouldn’t consider, things that have some age to them that you could, perhaps, grow some moss on and make them look even more a part of the garden,” Keehn said. “Things that are simple that you could do are a birdbath. … You can use either water or a small fountain in them, which is great for that tricking water effect and also attracts wildlife. Or you could plant them with, perhaps, succulents on two layers. They look beautiful that way and they are low maintenance.”
Garden decorations do not have to only be aesthetic. Many items that can decorate gardens also serve different purposes, including bringing certain animals and insects to an area. Bright items can bring hummingbirds and orioles, while other elements can provide homes for pollinators.
“When we’re thinking about gardens these days, it’s very important to consider pollinators,” Keehn said.
Playing to the senses is also something to keep in mind. Plants can provide scents, while decorations can be a source of complimentary sounds, such as the trickling of a fountain or the ringing of wind chimes.
While there are different approaches, philosophies, themes and ideas as to how and why to decorate gardens, most important is that you find satisfaction from the garden you create.
“I think people should be really free to express themselves, no different from how they express themselves and decorate the inside,” Schwartz said. “I am a big believer that anything goes. … It really has to be something that speaks to you, something that you’re going to enjoy seeing there in your garden.”
Powerline
from page 3A
ship refutes claims made by ITC about the inability to change its proposed route. ITC claimed that Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy would not allow for a wetland mitigation plan along the Dalcoma Drive route, which was proven false when township officials met with EGLE.
“When the 19 Mile route was presented to (EGLE) they said, ‘Hey we have no problem with the route.’ That simply means they have no wetlands to govern on that route,” O’Leary said. “It was never presented to them that there was an alternate route and that there were problems with the 19 Mile route that the township had legitimate concerns with … (EGLE) said, when looking at the Dalcoma route, (they) certainly would consider an application that talked about wetland mitigation and we would be very reasonable with that.”
According to O’Leary, EGLE representatives joined him and other township officials in visiting the Dalcoma Drive area and “weren’t totally convinced that there (were) wetlands in the particular path that we were looking at.”
The helicopter flight also worked to counter ITC’s claim that the powerlines would interfere with the flight path to the hospital, a claim which O’Leary said was a “red herring.”
“It was a throw anything at the wall to make it stick (claim) by that point because when we were pushing back, they were looking for ways to undo what we were saying,” O’Leary said. “Legal counsel advised us to take a strong look at this, do some research, talk to people who understand the rules and he arranged the flight, and the reason for (the flight) was that we had to prove to ourselves that we had a strong case.”
Having a strong case matters not only for the township to be certain in its decision, but for making arguments against the plan should ITC attempt to get it approved through the Michigan Public Service Commission.
“You can’t just walk away and say no and everybody will be happy — you will lose because you are not prepared,” O’Leary said. “We understand now
that the obstacles they think … would be there as a result of this are actually less of an obstacle than what’s already there.”
The township even uncovered, via a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by Clinton Township Clerk Kim Meltzer, a 2021 plan by ITC and the hospital to get Macomb Community College’s consent to run power lines on a route along Dalcoma Drive. The rendering even used electrical poles similar to the ones proposed for the 19 Mile Road route, which ITC told the township could not be used due to the flight path.
Since discovering this information, the township has shared the information with ITC and ITC has requested a meeting with the township.
The board ultimately did not go with Kress’ suggestion, instead passing a motion to inform ITC, the hospital and the college via letter that the issue would be officially reopened at the April 14 Clinton Township Board of Trustees meeting. Kress cast the lone vote against the motion.
Opioid settlement allocations
Trustees also voted to allocate over $1.5 million in funds gained through opioid lawsuit settlements to a variety of organizations and departments within the township over the next three years.
The 41-B district court will receive $343,500 to cover non-treatment court probationer testing, certified peer recovery coaching, pro-social events promoting clean relationships and transportation costs to recovery appointments.
CARE of Southeastern Michigan will receive $774,312 to pay for recovery coaches, strengthening the Clintondale Coalition and outreach promoting substance abuse treatment and counseling services.
Face Addiction Now will receive $100,000 to support counseling families through substance addiction.
An additional police liaison for Chippewa Valley Schools’ middle and elementary schools is expected to cost the township $276,000 over three years, covering half of the officer’s expenses. The school district will cover the other half of the officer’s costs.
The remaining $84,900 is to be split between the Clinton Township police and fire departments.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
How you place items in a garden — and which items you choose — is a means of expressing yourself.
Photo provided by Traci Schwartz
Windsor-Detroit MG Club; the North American MMM Register, which stands for Midget, Magna and Magnette; and Melody is president of the Michigan Chapter of the New England MG T Register, and Ken is the vice president.
The couple attend many local British car shows or drive through country roads with other MG enthusiasts, stopping for ice cream, at cider mills or museums for friendship and camaraderie. The annual Old Car Festival at Greenfield Village in Dearborn is a favorite spot. The national Gathering of the Faithful is another regular haunt. There are a few different locations, and the Klemmers frequent the central show in the Midwest.
Ken has studied the history of the MGs extensively.
“This M-Type we have, they built 3,000 of those cars. Quite a few survived, I would say close to 500 worldwide, which is shocking for a car like that,” Ken said. “It was just a cheap sports car. It’s got a wood body. It rotted and rusted and it went through World War II. They were loved so much. People hung onto them and didn’t junk them when they got old.
“The D-Type is the rarest road car MG made. They only made 250 in total. There’s about 40 in the original condition still left. The guys at the MG factory would be shocked to know that we’re still driving these 100 years later,” Ken said. “MG was super prolific in the early years. They built a lot of different models. They were very innovative. There were some really interesting things with chassis and suspension.”
There are different groups of MGs, depending on the year the model was built. Because they are English cars, the steering wheel is on the right side.
“The Triple-M cars are the cars we like to specialize in. Those were built from 1929 through 1935, 1936,” Ken said. “The Triple-M cars had innovative suspension systems. Very quick steering, very nimble cars, very lightweight.”
The style also had small, high-RPM engines with overhead cams.
“The overhead cam was kind of unusual for that time. It made for a very high revving engine,” Ken said. “These cars were all raced in amateur and professional racing. The racing scene in the 1930s in England was big, and then a lot of those cars would go over to Europe to race there as well.”
The Klemmers take out their cars often, several times a week, even in less-than-favorable weather. That includes trips to the grocery store, meetings and out to dinner. There are times they feel like they are in a time warp and even dress in 1930s clothing and wear race jackets. A third passenger sometimes is their dog, Cocoa Puff.
“You’re on the wheel on the other side, so there is already a difference there,” Ken said. “It looks intimidating, but it’s easy.”
It’s guaranteed they’ll meet people who want to know all about the MGs.
“The looks on the kids’ faces,” said Melody, who always lets people sit in the cars. “We let them in. We take pictures with them.”
“People come up to you and talk to you about them,” Ken said, who challenges teens to try to figure out how to start the MGs. “The most prevalent question is, ‘Did GM build these?’ because they see the MG and they reverse the letters.”
Melody said many want to know if the 1930 “Wiggy” MG M-Type is a boat.
The Klemmers attribute the MG’s popularity to different factors.
“It’s a passion,” Melody said.
“Cars were bought by young people and they traded around a lot,” Ken said. “Also, the war and the Depression helped because Britain was in such austerity by the time the war started. After that, people couldn’t afford to buy new cars so they kept old cars running for a long time. They patched them up and they made them work and they stayed on the road. That’s why we have a pretty high survival rate for British cars.”
Ken discovered MGs when he was a preteen after reading the book, “The Red Car,” by Don Stanford.
“That really had a formidable allure to me,” Ken said.
His father also made an impact.
“My dad was a designer for Chrysler, and I had been around cars all my life,” Ken said. “But my dad always bought really boring cars, and the MGs sounded so exotic. But he told me about MGs. The MGs sounded exciting.”
full-time Office Clerk II position, $42,147
$51,779 (40 Hours per week) includes benefit package. 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 and substance abuse testing 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, Monday, April 28, 2025. The Charter Township of Clinton is 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 visit to www.clintontownship.com click on employment, job application.
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Intoxicated driver hits light pole
GROSSE POINTE PARK — A 41-year-old Warren resident was arrested after reportedly driving over a curb and hitting a light pole in the 15000 block of Charlevoix Avenue at around 10:07 p.m. March 22. Police said they located the driver inside a nearby bar.
Vehicle theft reported
GROSSE POINTE PARK — An unknown person is said to have stolen a 2021 Kia Sportage from a driveway in the 1200 block of Grayton Street between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. March 26. The victim had the only key to the vehicle.
Crooks target Ram vehicles
GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Three incidents involving larcenies from vehicles took place in Grosse Pointe Woods over a matter of a few days, all of them involving Ram trucks.
In the first incident, a 2025 Ram was broken into at around 8:55 a.m. March 27 while it was parked in the Henry Ford St. John Hospital parking lot and the suspect removed the infotainment console. According to a police report, surveillance footage shows the suspect walking through the parking lot. The suspect was seen breaking a window on the vehicle, removing the infotainment system and leaving.
In a second incident, which occurred sometime between the hours of 8 p.m. March 28 and 7:40 a.m. March 29, someone broke a window on a 2024 Ram and stole a loaded handgun and the vehicle’s infotainment console. The vehicle was parked in the 1200 block of Roslyn Road at the time.
A third incident took place in the 100 block of Hampton Road at around 8:30 a.m. March 29. A neighbor alerted the victim, who was out of town at the time. The vehicle was backed into a driveway and locked when the unknown suspect smashed out the back window and removed the infotainment system from a 2023 Ram.
Vehicle, hockey equipment taken
GROSSE POINTE WOODS — A resident in the 19000 block of East Ida Lane contacted police the morning of March 23 after an unknown person stole the resident’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, which had been parked in front of the resident’s house. A police report states that the key fob to the vehicle had been left inside it. The suspect also got away with hockey equipment that had been in the vehicle.
Vehicle stolen
GROSSE POINTE FARMS — Sometime between the evening of March 17 and 8:30 a.m. March 18, an unknown suspect is said to have stolen a white 2017
home in the first block of Warner Road. The victim said the keys might have been left inside the vehicle. Police said they didn’t find any broken glass where the vehicle had been parked.
Vehicle theft attempted
GROSSE POINTE FARMS — An unknown person is believed to have tried to steal a silver 2024 Kia Forte from the first block of Muir Road between the hours of 5:30 p.m. March 25 and 6:30 a.m. March 26. The victim told police he found the right rear door window smashed out when he headed to his vehicle in the morning. A police report states that the windshield wiper lever was popped out as if the suspect was trying to pop the ignition. The victim said the interior of the vehicle hadn’t been rummaged through, nor did anything appear to be missing, so the suspect likely wasn’t trying to commit a larceny from auto. A neighbor told the victim she saw the lights on the Kia go on at around 2 a.m. March 26, but she didn’t see anyone inside the vehicle.
Unruly youths sought
GROSSE POINTE CITY — Two unknown female suspects are being sought by police after they allegedly became angry when The Village CVS store refused to sell them cough syrup and the store made an announcement that minors needed to be accompanied by adults at 10 p.m. March 26. According to a police report, one of the suspects knocked over a magazine rack as the pair exited the store.
Damaged car
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — On March 13 at around 10 a.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 39000 block of Canterbury Drive for a property damage report.
Deputies spoke with a 62-year-old man who said his Buick LaCrosse was damaged. The front driver’s side window was shattered while both passenger-side tires were slashed. The man believed his son’s ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend was the culprit based on a “pushing match” the two got into once. No cameras were present to document any vandalism.
Bail payment scam
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — On March 11 at around 3:10 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies spoke with an 82-year-old woman about a fraud scheme that targeted her.
The woman said she received a call claiming her daughter was involved in a fatal car accident and was in jail with a $15,000 bond. The caller told her to withdraw the money from the bank and call her back upon returning home. While at the bank, the woman called her
was no accident, and she was not in jail. No money was taken from the bank.
Fast food freak-out
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On March 14 at around 4:15 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the Tim Hortons at the corner of Hall Road and Groesbeck Highway/North Avenue to stop a disorderly person.
Deputies were dispatched to the restaurant on the report of a customer throwing coffee at staff. The first deputy to reach the scene found a 40-year-old Clinton Township man behind the counter, yelling at workers and bleeding from the mouth. The deputy led the Clinton Township man out of the restaurant under threat of TASER and detained him.
Multiple witnesses told deputies the Clinton Township man came in and began harassing staff. He was told to leave the store but refused to go, demanding to be served. He threw a cup at the staff and went behind the counter, where a fight broke out between him and the staff. Along with the accounts of witnesses, the incident was documented on security cameras.
The man was taken to the Macomb County Jail after his arrest.
Unknown loan
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On March 13 at around 11 a.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies spoke with a 37-year-old Macomb Township woman about a loan fraudulently opened in her name.
The woman recently received an alert from her bank noting a 30-point drop in her credit score after a $1,584 Department of Education loan was taken out in her name.
She was working with the department and the loan servicer to remove a hard inquiry from her record.
Burglary reported on Nine Mile Road
ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 3:30 p.m. March 17, a report was made of a burglary that occurred March 13 in the 22000 block of Nine Mile Road.
The officer spoke to the victims, a 53-year-old woman and a 58-year-old man. The woman said she left the apartment to take out the trash, leaving the door ajar. On the way back, she found an item wrapped in athletic tape just outside the apartment door, which she picked up and took inside with her. When the man returned later that day, he saw that the item contained a diamond of his, leading him to panic. He asked the woman why it was out, and she said she found it by the door but did not know what it was. The man checked his safe and found that all of the jewelry secured in there was gone.
and makers selling their handcrafted goods, wares, and other specialty items. Artisan vendors, makers, and handmade crafters are welcome to purchase a booth space at the market. Vendor spaces are $150 for a 10x10 space and $250 for a 10x20 space, or $200 for food trucks. Registration forms can be found online on downtownrochestermi.com. Vendors will know if they have been selected by April 23. The Makers’ Market is a juried show and acceptance is based on the quality of design, workmanship, originality, and booth display as depicted in vendor’s photo submissions. To stay in the know of all downtown Rochester happenings, text “JOIN” to (866) 603- 4005 or visit downtownrochestermi.com.
not in disarray. The man told officers the safe was locked but that he became careless and left one of the spare keys in the lock.
Police: Weed thief nabbed after chase WARREN — A Detroit man was apprehended by Warren police following a pursuit on March 22. Warren police responded to a call around 1:55 a.m. about a burglary at a marijuana facility on Dequindre Road near 14 Mile Road, according to a press release from the department. Police had previously gathered intel on a pickup truck involved in similar burglaries. The business owner met officers on scene, informing them a large amount of marijuana had been stolen. Police searched the area and found a truck matching the description. They attempted a traffic stop, but the driver kept going. The chase went into Detroit where the driver lost control, crashing into an unoccupied house near the intersection of Livernois Road and the Davison Freeway. The release states a large amount of marijuana was found in the truck. The driver was identified as 29-yearold Dijon Tyree. He faces counts of delivery/manufacture 45 kilograms of marijuana, a 15-year felony; conspiracy to deliver/manufacture 45 kilograms of marijuana, a 15-year felony; breaking and entering a building with intent, a 10-year felony; conspiracy to commit breaking
Tyree was
DE MAYO FESTIVAL TO RETURN
PET SHOP FIXTURE HONORED
GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Franky the Sulcata tortoise, a beloved fixture at Lou’s Pet Shop in Grosse Pointe Woods, was recently honored with a tribute by state Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores.
Hatched in May 1990 in Florida, he grew to become a 40-pound pet — larger than his owners had anticipated. When he burrowed through a wall in his family’s home, they realized they needed to relocate him. He was donated to Lou’s Pet Shop in August 2007. The shop initially planned on sending Franky to a Florida animal rescue facility, but his personality won everyone over and he became an ambassador for good pet ownership, visiting schools across metro Detroit, greeting store visitors and earning international notoriety for his livestreams, filmed via a camera on his shell.
Franky had tortoise scoliosis, which caused his death in October 2023. Hertel presented the tribute to Lou’s Pet Shop owner Donnie Cook on Jan. 31, 2025, in honor of the one-year anniversary of Franky’s death.
“When I was sworn in to the Senate, I never thought I’d be presenting a tribute in recognition of a tortoise, but Franky was so much more than a simple pet,” Hertel said in a press release. “Here in our community, and through the beloved ‘Franky-Cam,’ he captured hearts and brought smiles to people of all ages. He also served as an ambassador for responsible pet keeping, teaching local kids the importance of compassion and proper care for animals. While Franky is no longer with us, may his memory continue to live on in our hearts and minds.”
On hand for the presentation were, pictured from left, Grosse Pointe Woods City Administrator Frank Schulte, Hertel, Cook, Woods Mayor Arthur Bryant and Assistant City Administrator Susan Como.