5/16/24 Rochester Post

SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Township approves location for Garling barn at Cranberry Lake Park

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — A new barn may soon make its way to the Cranberry Lake Farm Historic District.

The Oakland Township Historic District Commission is working to relocate the historic Garling barn from Clarkston Road to the 16-acre historic district, located at 388 Predmore Road, which is joined to the 213-acre Cranberry Lake Park.

“Iit will be nice to save another barn in Oakland Township,” Township Historic Preservation Planner Barbara Barber said. “Cranberry Lake Farm did lose five barns, so this is an opportunity to bring one of them back.”

The 32-by-70-foot barn was donated to the township by Oaktown LLC, which owns the land it currently sits on.

The Oakland Township Board of Trustees recently unanimously approved the relocation of the Garling barn to just west of the Cranberry Lake Park parking lot, with the understanding that a Historic District Study Committee needs to be appointed to review the historic district boundary to include the barn into the Cranberry Lake Farm Historic District. The motion was also pending approval of the Parks and Recreation Commission, which had a meeting after press time.

See GARLING on page 4A

Mindy Milos Dale to retire after 25 years with township

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — After 25 years with Oakland Township, Parks and Recreation Director Mindy Milos Dale is retiring.

“I have enjoyed my 25 years working for Oakland Township, and I appreciate the numerous opportunities I’ve had to help our residents and park users,” she said.

Her last day will be May 31.

“Being able to spend more time with my family, with my husband, is really why I’m retiring. I have loved this job for 25 years. It has really been the perfect job for me, and I hope that we can find a replacement that will love it as much

as I have,” said Milos Dale.

Milos Dale was first hired as the township parks manager in 1999.

In 1999, when I was hired as the parks manager, I was thrilled to take on that challenge. It’s been an amazing journey, participating in the expansion of our park system, the protection of natural areas, the addition of recreation facilities and the increase in program offerings,” she said.

Milos Dale said some of her fondest memories include the approval of the land preservation and conser-

MILOS on page 12A

LEFT: Mindy Milos Dale talks with her staff at Lost Lake Nature Park, 846 Lost Lake Trail, in Oakland Township.

BELOW: Oakland Township Parks and Recreation Director Mindy Milos Dale, pictured with her staff, is retiring May 31.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

See

TOP LEFT: A teacher at Adams High School connects with a student during an AP class. RCS offers an AP Capstone Diploma, where students must successfully pass both AP Seminar and AP Research with a score of 3 or higher, as well as four other AP exams with a score of 3 or higher. TOP RIGHT: Stoney Creek High School students and their teacher collaborate during German class. LEFT: Rochester High School students work with the anatomy table in class as their teacher looks on. The unit is a teaching aid that has fully annotated human anatomy and the ability to read CT/MRI data, and create 3-D models.

RCS HIGH SCHOOLS NAMED AMONG STATE’S BEST

U.S.

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

ROCHESTER/ROCHESTER HILLS/OAKLAND

TOWNSHIP — Three high schools in the Rochester Community Schools district are ranked among the best public high schools in the state, according to U.S. News & World Report.

This year, U.S. News & World Report ranked nearly 17,600 schools at the national, state and local levels.

In Michigan, the report pit approximately 673 high schools in the state against each other.

The state’s top five are the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills at No. 1, the International Academy of Macomb in Clinton Township at No. 2, City Middle/ High School in Grand Rapids at No. 3, Washtenaw International High School in Ypsilanti at No. 4, and Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy at No. 5.

SCHOOLS LIST

In the Rochester Community Schools district, all three of the district’s conventional high schools ranked in the top 50 in the state. Rochester Adams High School came in at No. 8 in Michigan, Stoney Creek placed No. 11 and Rochester High was ranked No. 42 in the state.

Nationally, Adams ranked No. 391, Stoney Creek was No. 578 and Rochester High placed No. 1,387 out of over 25,000 high schools across the country.

RCS Interim Superintendent John Silveri said the district’s tradition of academic excellence continues.

“We have amazing students who rise to the occasion when standards are set high,” Silveri said in a statement.

Officials from U.S. News said the top-ranked public schools in the 2024 Best HIgh Schools rankings are those whose students earned outstanding scores in math, reading and science state assessments; took and earned a qualifying score in an array of college-level exams; and graduated

See BEST on page 12A

State representative introduces bill to police excessive noise from modified cars

BY MIKE KOURY mkoury@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — A new bill introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives aims to curb excessive noise from vehicles.

The legislation, House Bill 5696, was introduced by state Rep. Natalie Price, D-Berkley, and would “crack down on vehicles intentionally modified to create excessive noise while being used,” a press release states.

Price said the legislation will update the vehicle code and allow local law enforcement to enforce the current prohibition on modifying a vehicle to cause it to make excessive noise.

“We’re well aware of the issue of modified vehicles and drag racing on our roads,” Birmingham Police Chief Scott Grewe said in a press release. “Existing law limits what we can do about it, and unfortunately, the current $100-peroffense civil infractions do not seem to deter this behavior. With higher penalties for those intentionally seeking to disturb the peace, this bill will hopefully disincentivize vehicle modification and offer us more tools to deal with those who continue doing so.”

According to the representative, one problem found in the code was that there was some language that was considered to be contradictory by the courts that needed to be revised.

“Even though in one point in the vehicle code it says that you can’t modify your vehicle and have it make excessive noise, there was another part where it said that modifications couldn’t be made above a certain decibel level,” she said. “That was interpreted that then you would need to have very specific devices to measure decibel levels, and out on Woodward with all the various vehicles, it was really impractical for our officers to be able to measure that.”

Price said the code didn’t get rid of decibel limits, because those are able to be measured in very controlled environments.

“It’s required that the manufacturers, the dealerships, they are doing those measurements, and we are not changing that path, but in terms of modifications to vehicles, we made it so that that language did not apply,” she said. “We’re just talking about modifications that create excessive noise are now going to be clearly illegal, as we believe that code was intended.”

Adam Bernard, president of the Detroit chapter of the Lambda Car Club, said the club doesn’t have an official position on the bill, but understands where the bill comes from.

Photos provided by Rochester Community Schools

Garling

from page 1A

“I like this new location. I think it’s clever and smart,” said Township Supervisor Robin Buxar.

Barber said the barn was originally scheduled to be relocated to an area behind the henhouse, but is now planned to be moved to just west of the parking lot.

“It’s easier for the construction site. It’s just more accessible, even for trucks to pull in,” said Barber.

The Historic District Commission had also talked about dismantling the barn, moving it, rebuilding it and then refinishing it, but is now hoping to try to keep it intact to save money.

“We found out we could save a substantial amount of money if we can move it intact by removing the roof,” Barber noted, stating that she thinks it may save upwards of $100,000. “We’re lifting it off the foundation and putting it on a new foundation, and then we put a new roof on — that is a big project savings.”

However, she is still working out the details to see if the township can avoid a complete dismantle — a call that will ultimately be made by the Road Commission for Oak-

land County.

The overall project will likely cost anywhere between $250,000 and $400,000, and Barber said officials are hoping to get the barn moved in late summer or early fall.

“We have to bid it out and get hard numbers,” she explained. “ Whatever we can get from private donations and grants, or

volunteers to help finish the interior space, we will also be looking for all that to help keep the cost down.”

The Cranberry Lake Farm Historic District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and township officials said it reflects the social history of agricultural farming operations transitioning into a

country retreat after World War I. The Garling family owned the property for close to 100 years.

The district currently has the 26-by34-foot Flumerfelt barn and a 25-by-80foot shed-roof henhouse. Just north of the henhouse was a barn lost in the late 1980s, which previously housed horses and chickens and may have been used for seed production.

“The Garling barn is double the size of the barn we currently have there — the Flumerfelt barn — and it doesn’t have any interior posts or beams, so it’s wide open … which is excellent to utilize the space (for events and programs). And, it’s part of the township’s history, going back to the Garling family, who farmed it for almost 100 years,” Barber said. “It will be nice to save another barn in Oakland Township. Cranberry Lake Farm did lose five barns, so this is an opportunity to bring one of them back.”

For more information or to donate to the project, call Oakland Township Parks and Recreation at (248) 651-7810 or email bbarber@oaklandtownship.org.

13650 E.

Eleven Mile Rd. Warren, MI 48089

The Garling barn may soon have a new home at the Cranberry Lake Farm Historic District.

Photo by Frank Ferriolo

NEWS & NOTES

OUR NEXT EDITION WILL COME TO HOMES MAY 22

Starbucks with drive-thru, three new restaurants coming to The Village

ROCHESTER HILLS — Robert B. Aikens and Associates announced that a stand-alone Starbucks with a drive-thru will be built at The Village of Rochester Hills. The new coffeehouse will be ready to serve up coffee beverages and baked goods this fall.

The current Starbucks in The Village of Rochester Hills, which is currently next to the Gazebo in Festival Park, will remain open until Aug. 1.

The new building will be located in the Von Maur parking lot and will be approximately 2,100 square feet, making it 1,000 square feet larger than the current coffeehouse. The new location will include a drive-thru that will be accessed through Fashion Lane and will also include Wi-Fi and an outdoor patio.

The Village of Rochester Hills will also be welcoming three new dining options later this year. The Jackson, Two Hands Korean-styled Fresh Corn Dogs and Pokeworks.

The Village of Rochester Hills is located at 104 N. Adams Road, at the corner of Walton and Adams in Rochester Hills.

OAK in the Hills to be held May 18

ROCHESTER HILLS — Choose your adventure at the Outdoor Adventure Kickoff in the Hills at Spencer Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 18. The free event is put on by the city of Rochester Hills and the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission. Highlights will include rock climbing, zip lining, kayaking, fishing, hiking, biking, archery, pickleball, Nerf battles, puppy yoga, live animals, art and more. For more information, call (248) 656-4600.

Library presents ‘Sweet Beats’ with OPC Ukulele Ensemble May 19

ROCHESTER — Rochester Hills Public Library presents “Sweet Beats,” a concert with a ukulele group from the Older Person’s Commission, on May 19 at 3 p.m. Enjoy great music and fun vibes from this group. This event is open to library cardholders. Registration is required. To register, visit calendar.rhpl.org or call (248) 656-2900.

Ride 2 End Suicide

ROCHESTER — Common Ground is managing this year’s bicycle ride fundraiser for suicide awareness, prevention, education and support of survivors. The ninth annual Ride 2 End Suicide route is a paved path through Stony Creek Metropark and the Macomb Orchard Trail.

Ride 2 End Suicide will be held 8 a.m.-noon May 18. All levels of riders are welcome. The Ride 2 End Suicide is up to a 20-mile ride starting at the Capital Banquet Center, located on 31 Mile in Washington Township. Registration costs $40 per rider.

Common Ground provides services including a 988 suicide and crisis line, a 24/7 resource and crisis hub, a virtual behavioral health urgent care, victim assistance, support groups, and mobile responses units serving Oakland and Macomb counties.

For more information or to register, visit www.ride2endsuicide.com. All levels of riders are invited, and a virtual ride is an option.

Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Common Ground, a nonprofit crisis interven tion agency in Oakland County.

Rochester Community Chorus presents ‘Cabaret’ concert

ROCHESTER HILLS — The Rochester Community Chorus presents its “Cabaret” concert at 7 p.m. May 17 at St. Mary of the Hills Roman Catholic Church, 2675 John R. Road in Rochester Hills. The concert is being held in the church gym on the main floor. Tickets cost $15 and are available at the door.

The concert will feature fan favorites from Simon and Garfunkel, Motown stars, Josh Groban, Leonard Cohen and others. The audience can enjoy appetizers, soft drinks, beer and wine. The price of the ticket includes appetizers and two drink tickets. Additional drink tickets will be available for purchase.

Rochester Community Chorus is open to all who enjoy singing at any skill level. For more information, visit www. facebook.com/friendsofrochestercommunitychorus.

“When the windows are open, when the weather’s out, I can hear it all. I do appreciate the rumble of a nice V-8 or V-12, but yeah, there’s some stuff out there that is out of hand,” he said. “To be honest, I have the same issue. It’s great that people enjoy their music. I don’t need to hear it at 140 decibels coming out of the windows either. So, you know, I think people can enjoy their music inside their cars. But I certainly understand. … It’s not just even, you know, going down Woodward. I can sit outside Starbucks in Birmingham and hear people revving their engines just waiting at a stoplight. So, it’s something that’s not confined to a major thoroughfare. So, I can understand the interest in going after (the excessive noise).”

Bernard did state that some vehicles do come out of the factory already pretty loud, which he hopes law enforcement can be educated on.

“I know there are some engines out there that come pretty loud out of the factory. I’m not a sound engineer. So from that standpoint, it could be challenging,” he said. “If you have a Volkswagen Golf, for exam-

ple, those don’t come out of the factory very loud, but I know you can buy hardware that can make them sound really intimidating. So, I think part of it would be educating the police force. It’d be awful if somebody who bought a vehicle out of the factory got pulled over. Now of course, if you’re sitting at a stoplight and you’re revving it just to make noise, maybe that is a problem.”

Penalties for violating the code would be increased. The bill, if passed into law, would increase the penalty for a first-time offense from $100 to $500. Any subsequent offense would cost $1,000.

The bill, introduced at the end of April, has since been referred to the Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure Committee.

“We all know and love the Dream Cruise in our area. The Woodward Dream Cruise is a fantastic tradition, and we see coming out of that culture that people can cruise very responsibly and respectfully and in wonderful ways that our communities love,” Price said. “I think as a result of the Dream Cruise, that there is a level of showmanship that comes along with that. Some people choose to modify their vehicles in order to create excessive noise and maybe don’t realize what an impact that is having on the people who live around the area.

“We also see those impacts of the cruise not only during the designated week, cruise week, but spilling over throughout the summer. Even again as it’s warming up now, Woodward is a destination for folks to come in and show off their vehicles. So yes, I do believe that it is a problem out on Woodward and in our surrounding communities,

but I’m not gonna say it’s the only area in the state where that is a problem. I have colleagues from all over the state expressing support for this update because they know that this will help their local law enforcement as well,” she continued.

Call Staff Writer Mike Koury at (586) 498-1077.

(South eld, MI) e recent buzz around full-body MRI screenings has sparked a lot of debate. While some question this approach, the controversy itself signals an advance in how we think about proactive health. It means we’re not just waiting around for symptoms when it might be too late.

Full body screenings use MRI technology to scan from the top of the head through the pelvis looking for potential abnormalities and early signs of diseases like cancer.

Tyler, age 52, lost his grandfather to lymphoma, so when the results of his full body MRI highlighted enlarged lymph nodes in his chest it gave him concern. “I felt completely healthy, but I wanted to be proactive so I did the scan. My results were concerning, so I saw an oncologist who ordered additional testing.”

e controversy comes from MRI body scans producing false positives. ese ndings are eventually proven

to be benign. Critics claim that false positives create unnecessary worry for people and needless follow up tests.

Tyler says he would rather be safe than sorry. “I hear some doctors on TV saying not to do get full body screenings, but why wouldn’t you? It’s about taking control of your health and being proactive. I had some follow up tests to make sure I don’t have cancer – big deal. But what if it turned out to be cancer?

en it’s caught as early as possible, and without this scan I never would have known until it was too late!”

Proponents of MRI full body screenings say that false positives should not outweigh the bene ts, stating that early detection is key to easier treatments and better outcomes.

“Early detection saves lives,” says Ryan Ringold who leads the MRI full body screening center in South eld, called Bionicc Body Screening. His father, the late Dr. Ringold, founded the company after battling cancer – twice. “My father

e Whole-Body MRI Debate: Are Doctors Missing Something?

became short of breath one day and discovered he had stage four cancer with tumors as large as softballs inside of him. He endured brutal treatments and never wanted to see others su er because of late detection,” says Ryan.

MRI does not replace annual physicals nor routine screenings like a colonoscopy or mammogram. Although, it may be surprising to learn that routine screenings only cover 29% of cancers and 71% of cancers occur in other areas.

“ is is an additional tool to be proactive. MRI can reduce the enormous blind spot where cancer may be silently growing. ere are no routine screenings for areas like the pancreas, liver, brain, chest or abdomen,” says Ringold. “My father was oblivious to hundreds of tumors growing inside his body and his story is not unique. You rarely hear of someone getting diagnosed with stage one pancreatic cancer because nobody knows until they have symptoms. By that time, it’s almost always stage

four.”  In addition to tumors, MRI can detect hundreds of abnormalities like brain aneurysms, MS, fatty liver and spinal disc disease to name a few. “It’s quite remarkable,” Ringold adds. Robert B. credits his scan to saving his life. A full-body MRI caught the kidney tumor his CT scan missed. “I consider it a lifesaver,” he says. Stories like these highlight the power of MRI body screenings.

For a limited time, you can request a $200 o coupon when you visit their website at BioniccBodyScreening.com. Schedule today at 1-833-BIONICC.

0065-2420

The debate over full-body MRIs heats up as some doctors criticize the scans, while others quietly get them done.

Now Open in Ann Arbor!

SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN IN BUSINESS

FOR LOCAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS, CAR DEALERSHIPS ARE A FAMILY AFFAIR

BY KATHRYN PENTIUK kpentiuk@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — It’s all about family for Sherry Maxey, a second-generation owner of Bob Maxey Lincoln, 16901 Mack Ave. in Detroit.

Maxey and her two brothers, Bob and Michael, operate Bob Maxey dealerships in Fowlerville, Detroit and Howell.

“Something that my dad always instilled is that the three of us had to work together, that a first generation can start something, but it often falls apart in a second generation because they don’t work together.”

The late Bob Maxey got his start at a dealership on Gratiot in 1972, and in 1982, he moved to the Mack Avenue location. For Sherry Maxey, there was no question of whether she’d join her father and two older brothers in the dealership industry. From a young age, she recalls, dealership talk was common dinner table conversation. She remembers working at the dealership during the summers while finishing up her master of business administration degree at the University of Michigan.

“I think it was just a thing for all of us; this is where we were going to be. My brothers started out

cutting the grass and washing cars. And luckily, as a female, my dad was more old-fashioned. I didn’t do that. I got to sell. So that was the difference, but even when I was going to school at Michigan and there were interviews, I did a couple, but I always knew I was going to come back here.”

She worked as a sales manager until she got married and raised her children. It was when her father passed away that she was pulled back in.

“I felt like Al Pacino. ‘Just when I thought I was out, they’re pulling me back in.’”

It was a full circle moment for Maxey to return to the Mack Avenue location where it all began for her. She honors her late father’s memory in her office with the original chairs and his desk.

Maxey explained that the hope is for the dealership to pass into the hands of a third generation through her children and her nieces and nephews. She and her brothers tried to foster a close-knit environment for their children to have a sibling-like bond, since they are cousins.

“So what we’ve tried to do with our kids is, because there are 11 grandkids, we knew they all weren’t going to go in. But we started taking trips together.

See WOMEN on page 9A

Photo by Liz Carnegie

Sherry Maxey, a second-generation car dealership owner, poses in a black Aviator on the sales floor where it all began for her.

Women

Whether it was a cruise or whether we went to an all-inclusive, we made sure we did that with all 11 of them. So they are close.”

Maxey added that three of the grandkids are working at the dealerships. “We want them to feel that they have to work together and rely on each other in order for the business to grow.”

Liz Sellers is a third-generation dealership owner.

“From the very beginning, my grandfather instilled taking care of customers, taking care of employees, making common-sense decisions,” she said. “My father carried that on. He was a very benevolent, genuine human being that loved coming to work every day, loved interacting with customers and employees. I mean, he knew employees by name. So those were qualities that were bred into us, which is how we view it. Certainly, it’s a business, but the business’ success is because of our team members and our customers.”

Sellers said she understands the importance of legacy and working together with family. Like Maxey, she also works with two brothers, Dean and Blair, at their family dealership, Dean Sellers Ford, located at 2600 W. Maple Road in Troy. Sellers explained that her grandfather, Dean Sellers, opened the dealership in January 1948 in Detroit.

“He was born in Ohio but moved to Detroit in search of the automobile industry. He started working for Chevrolet at General Motors at the corporation. He then moved over to Ford Motor Co. He was a general sales manager for Ford and then headed up the Ford-Ferguson tractor division. He had told Henry Ford II that what he really wanted to do was own a car dealership.”

When her grandfather retired, her father took over the business in the 1970s and made the decision to relocate to the Troy Motor Mall in June 1980. Sellers added that the rest is history: Her brothers have been at

Liz Sellers is pictured with brother Dean Sellers, son Scott Caspersen, nephew Christopher Seller, nephew Adam Sellers and a golden retriever statue, which is one of the many golden retriever artworks featured around the dealership.

the dealership for around 36 years, and she has worked there for about 31 years. Though Sellers knew she wanted to be in the business profession, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted it to be her family business. “I did not have a desire to go into the business. I had two older brothers, it was my dad and my grandfather. It was very male-oriented, which didn’t matter, but I just didn’t have a desire. I wanted to kind of go my own path. So I went to the University of Michigan, and through the career search while I was at school, I was down to several choices, and my heart told me to go with working for Ford Motor Co.”

Sellers accepted a job at Ford in the Philadelphia region. She worked there for around five years before returning back home to her roots.

“Through my experience with the corporation and also interacting with dealers, I realized that my passion would be back at the dealership level, still representing Ford, but at a more micro level. So I started at the dealership in 1993,” Sellers said. She added that she’s always had a desire to learn the whole operation, from the financial analysis to the personnel and management side of things. While back at the dealership, Sellers obtained her master’s in management from Walsh College.

Decades later, her spark for the family business is still burning. She and her family maintain a close connection through Sunday get-togethers with the entire family, including her 92-year-old mother. With the greatgrandchildren of Dean Sellers dipping their toes in the family business through summer jobs and part-time work, Sellers explained that no fourth generation has come on fulltime yet, but there is interest. “My parents made decisions and sacrifices. My dad didn’t sell the business so that we could continue it on. And our goal is to do the same for the next generation.”

For more information on Bob Maxey Lincoln, visit BobMaxeyLincoln.com. For more information on Dean Sellers Ford, visit SellersFord.com.

Photo provided by Liz Sellers

from page 8A

CRIME WATCH

Gym locker broken into, car, wallet, laptop stolen

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies were dispatched to Lifetime Fitness for a report of a stolen vehicle at 6:13 p.m. April 18.

A 51-year-old man from Rochester Hills said that his locker at Lifetime Fitness was broken into, and that his wallet and vehicle key fob were taken.

His vehicle was then stolen from the parking lot. It was found by deputies a short distance away, at Rochester University.

A credit card from the man’s wallet was used and a laptop was stolen from the trunk of the vehicle. Video surveillance from Lifetime Fitness identified the suspect as a male. An investigation is ongoing.

Shot fired at condo as man cleans rifle

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies responded to 1600 block of Oneil Circle on a report of a shot fired from a condo at 6:49 p.m. April 19.

The round went through the ceiling of another condo unit. Deputies contacted the occupants of both units. The upstairs resident, a 54-year-old man, said he had been cleaning his rifle and moving it from the kitchen to a bedroom when the rifle went off.

The round went through the floor and ceiling and then fragmented, causing no further damage. No injuries were reported at the time of the investigation. The man was interviewed and released pending further investigation. The rifle was recovered and transported to the police property room. The investigation continues.

Deputies arrest woman in stolen car

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies responded to an alert about a suspect wanted for domestic violence in Waterford Township at 4:45 p.m. April 20.

A Chevrolet Equinox was reported stolen after the same wanted suspect failed to return it. Deputies located the stolen vehicle traveling northbound on South Adams Road, near Technology. They checked the area for the suspect vehicle, located it northbound, passing Hamlin Road, and initiated a felony traffic stop in the parking lot of Trader Joe’s.

The car had four occupants: two males,

one female and one infant child. The driver, a 27-year-old woman from Waterford, was identified and turned over to Waterford police. The recovered stolen vehicle was returned to the owner.

The passengers were released at the scene.

Deputies recover stolen four-wheeler

ROCHESTER HILLS — Detectives working in conjunction with Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Team developed a suspect in a series of storage unit break-ins and larcenies and executed search warrants for four storage units and a residence in Rochester Hills at 4 p.m. April 23.

The stolen property recovered included a four-wheeler. The investigation led to the suspect’s possible involvement with narcotics manufacturing and distribution, which will be handled by Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Team.

The suspect, a 48-year-old man from Rochester Hills, was arrested.

Student reportedly threatens to hit another student ‘over the head with gun’

ROCHESTER HILLS — The dean of students at Avondale Middle School told the school resource officer that a student threatened to hit another student over the head with a gun at 3:18 p.m. April 23.

The dean said the suspect, a 12-yearold male from Auburn Hills, was an emotionally impaired student. The victim, a 13-year-old male from Rochester Hills, stated he had been in the cafeteria talking with some friends when the suspect approached him and reportedly said, “I am going to hit you over the head with a gun.”

The victim told police he has never interacted with the suspect.

The responsible student was interviewed by the assistant principal and denied the allegations. He said his biological father lives in another town and owns several firearms.

The mother of the suspect was contacted. From prior incidents involving the suspect, the school resource officer previously checked with the mother, who does not have firearms. A records check also revealed that the father owns no firearms. The school resource officer had a deputy respond to the biological father’s residence for a weapons check, but he was not home. The school resource officers received a phone call from him later that day stating that he did not own firearms, but he would not allow a

search of his residence.

The student was disciplined for violating the code of conduct. Deputies said a threat assessment and a home visit will be conducted.

Driver with suspended license caught running red light

ROCHESTER — An officer on patrol in the area of Main and Romeo saw a white SUV run a red light, continuing southbound, at 3:35 p.m. May 1. The officer conducted a traffic stop and determined that the driver’s license was suspended.

The driver was arrested and transported to the Police Department for processing, and was released with a citation pending a later court date.

Man shocked with Taser after resisting and obstructing officer

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies were dispatched to Ascension Providence Hospital for a report of a welfare check on a man trying to flag down people in the parking lot at 1:32 p.m. April 19.

The man appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and was stum-

bling and not able to walk straight.

The 32-year-old man from Detroit was attempting to get in his vehicle to drive away and was not complying with verbal commands. A deputy grabbed the individual’s arm, and the individual pulled away, saying, “Don’t touch me.”

The deputy pulled out his Taser, advised the man that he was going to be shocked with the device if he did not comply, and was ordered to put his hands on the car.

The man pulled away again and walked towards the driver’s side door of his vehicle to possibly drive away, according to reports. After several verbal commands were ignored, the man was shocked with the stun gun, fell to the ground, physically resisted placing his hands behind his back and was shocked a second time.

A Rochester police officer assisted with the arrest. The man was taken into custody, but he resisted getting into the back seat of the patrol vehicle. After a short struggle, he was secured in the rear of the patrol vehicle and was taken to the hospital. He was cleared medically and was lodged at the Oakland County Jail pending charges.

— Mary Beth Almond

OP. ED. - PARALYSIS OF LEADERSHIP

The critical issue of our time is the paralysis in leadership that can be seen at all levels of government. Perhaps due to its lack of proximity to the voters, nowhere is this paralysis more evident than in our state legislature. In the senate, one of the ways it reveals itself is in the funding of pet projects.

Recently, a group of my neighbors in Troy banded together to resolve an issue that affected them directly. They successfully lobbied state senator Mike Webber to allocate $10 million dollars for two additional sound walls along I-75 to help mitigate noise pollution. I am ecstatic for my neighbors, and they deserve all the peace and quiet that we can provide. Yet, it is absolutely astonishing that Mike Webber’s idea of sound policy is to spend $10 million dollars on a couple of concrete walls along I-75 as opposed to addressing the myriad issues facing our community.

The quality of our roads and infrastructure is at critically poor levels. The services we provide to our community are dwindling and poor at best. The amenities allocated to the public trust such as schools, libraries and the like are obsolete and in need of immediate reinvestment. Our police, firefighters and DPW operate on diminishing budgets while our taxes have reached historically high levels. These are the issues we need addressed for our community.

Mike Webber’s ultimate fear and critical priority is exclusively the outcome of his reelection. This fear manifests itself in the simplistic belief that his obligations to our community are achieved by appeasing the loudest voices as opposed to being a senator for all. Predictably, this has turned the senator into someone that recoils from making sound decisions seeking comfort instead in selfish outcomes.

We deserve better.

REN NUSHAJ, Attorney / Prosecutor

vation easement ballot proposals that have protected important natural areas.

“We asked our residents if they would support an additional millage to specifically preserve important natural areas, to buy them and steward them and protect them. And they did, overwhelmingly, so that, in combination with our parks millage, has funded a lot of good work here, and it’s really the support of our residents and working with them on preserving these important natural areas that has probably been the most important thing that I feel I’ve done,” she said.

She was also proud to see voters pass a proposal allowing the township to put easements on Cranberry Lake Park, Blue Heron Environmental Area, and Bear Creek Nature Park, to name a few.

“That is also a very unique thing within park systems, to have additional protection over important environmental areas, and that’s what conservation easements provide,” she said. “I’m really proud of those. It’s our partnership with our residents that has made all the difference in our success in this park system, as well as the excellent staff we have here.”

The Oakland Township Board of Trust-

Best

from page 3A

in high proportions. State rankings, according to officials, are calculated based on the proportion of each state’s schools in the top 25% of the 2024 Best High Schools rankings.

“The 2024 Best High Schools rankings offer a starting point for parents to understand a school’s academic performance,

ees recognized Milos Dale for her service during a recent board meeting.

Township Supervisor Robin Buxar said 25 years of service with Oakland Township is “significant.”

“In her 25 years of tireless service in our community, Mindy led the department in transforming the open spaces into the gems that are our parks dotted across the township,” Buxar said.

Her work for the township parks earned her several awards — including Oakland County’s Trail, Water and Land Alliance Award for over 40 years of preserving and protecting its woodlands, wetlands, slopes, streams and open spaces; and the Keep Michigan Beautiful Michigan Plaque award for the preservation of the scenic lake, wetlands and woodlands at Lost Lake Nature Park and the opening of the nature center, to name just a few.

Milos Dale also contributed to the placement of historical markers at the Mill Race Trail, 4400 Orion Road, and the Axford-Coffin farm estate, near 384 W. Predmore Road, and attained millions of dollars for township park improvements and recreation programs.

“Mindy’s unwavering dedication, her passion for her work and her commitment to the values of community service have set a standard of excellence that inspires us all,”

Buxar said.

Buxar thanked Milos Dale for her 25 years of “dedicated service,” her “tireless effort” to enhance the quality of life for residents, and her “unwavering commitment” to making Oakland Township a better place for all, adding that her years of “success, growth and shared accomplishments will leave a legacy for the community to enjoy for years to come.”

Call Staff Writer Mary Beth Almond at (586) 498-1060.

whether it’s a prospective school or one that their child is already attending,” LaMont Jones, the managing editor of education at U.S. News, said in a statement. “Accessible data on our high schools can empower families across the country as they navigate today’s educational environment and plan for the future.”

For the full rankings, visit www.usnews. com/education/best-high-schools.

Call Staff Writer Mary Beth Almond at (586) 498-1060.

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