Marian High School breaks ground on $7 million renovation
BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com
BLOOMFIELD HILLS — On April 14, Marian High School began the first phase of its Marian for the Generations Capital Campaign.
This $7 million transformation has two phases. The first one is to renovate the school’s science and visual arts facilities.
This is the first major renovation the school has undergone in over 10 years. The last project was for the purpose of improving the student dining area and kitchen.
The groundbreaking took place at the beginning of the school’s Easter break, April 14. The project is expected to conclude sometime in the early fall. In-school and after-school activities will not be affected by the construction.
“We had enough space in the building to maneuver around this to have as little impact as possible on the educational experience for the remainder of this school year and then for a little bit in the fall,” Marian Principal Stacey Cushman said.
One of the components of the project is renovating the hallways to have a modern
Local court runs late fee forgiveness program
BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com
OAKLAND COUNTY — The 48th District Court, located at 4280 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills, is holding a late fee forgiveness program. The program will begin May 1 and end on June 13. During this program, late fees, bench warrant fees and penalties for civil infractions issued within the jurisdictions of the 48th District Court will be forgiven.
In order to be eligible for this program, one must pay off the original fine, cost and Secretary of State clearance fee in full. The 48th District Court serves Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake and Sylvan Lake.
According to Patrick Dunn, the court administrator for the 48th District Court, the court has had the program off and on throughout the years, but since the pandemic, it has been more consistent.
According to the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, which can be viewed by visiting legislature.mi.gov, “Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), a person who fails to pay a penalty, fee, or costs in full within 56 days after that amount is due and owing is subject to a late penalty equal to 20% of the amount owed.”
Through the program, the public can be relieved of the late fees, bench warrant fees and penalties that have built up from not paying the fine in time.
“It is a great opportunity for them (the public) to clear up old tickets and pay what the original ticket was and avoid some of those late fees and penalties that were imposed,” Dunn said.
48th District Court Supervisor Heather Wrubel said, “It takes quite a bit of the fines and costs and brings them down
A rendering of a newly-renovated classroom at Marian High School. Images provided by Marian High School
TOP: A rendering of the ceramics room at Marian High School. ABOVE: A rendering of the new Marian High School
From May 1-June 13, the 48th District Court is holding a late fee forgiveness program.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
BREAKING BARRIERS WOMEN FORGE NEW PATHS IN THE TRADES
BY KATHRYN PENTIUK kpentiuk@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Monroe resident Traci Longenbarger has been breaking barriers for women in the trades for a decade now, working as a female carpenter.
Longenbarger is a business agent for the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, a union that represents 14,000 carpenters and millwrights across Michigan. She also serves as a part-time instructor for the International Code Council’s Contractor/Trades examination program, and is a career correction specialist, which grants her the opportunity to speak at career fairs and schools.
She is also a Sisters in the Brotherhood point of contact, which is a mentoring group for women in carpentry.
Having gone from Dundee, Michigan, to Hawaii right out of high school, to South Dakota and then back to Metro Detroit, Longenbarger worked a variety of jobs, from carpet cleaning to corrections in the sheriff’s department, to a 10-year career in security.
After she was let go from her security position, Longenbarger started over again at age 34.
“We had a shift in management. I got fired. So here I am, 30-something years old, 10 years I worked in that field. I was devastated,” she explained.
After a year of struggling to make ends meet, an encounter with her dad’s neighbor led her to find a new passion.
“I went and visited my parents back in Dundee. My dad does what old guys do, and they work out in their yard, and they talk to their neighbors,” Longenbarger said. “I went home that day and my dad’s like, ‘Hey, you should go talk to the neighbor.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know who your neighbors are anymore. I’m not going to go talk to some stranger. No.’ He’s like, ‘No, you’re going to go talk to this guy.’”
Longenbarger’s dad introduced her to his neighbor who was in the MRCC union, and the rest is history for her.
She explained that it was difficult when she first started out and that it was a hard field to break into because it was predominantly male.
“It was hard in the beginning. I would call places to try to get hired. They would
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say no because I’m a woman; I’m a liability. It was really hard to get my foot in the door back then,” Longenbarger said.
She said all it took was one “yes” amid all of the “noes” to build the confidence that she needed to break out as a woman in the trades.
This May, we’re merging two moments that matter — Mother’s Day and Memorial Day — to celebrate comfort, style, and the spaces where memories are made. Whether you’re shopping from the comfort of your home or visiting our beautiful showroom, our flooring experts are here to guide you to the perfect choice. Browse our stunning selection of carpet, hardwood, luxury vinyl, tile, and more!
ABOVE: Traci Longenbarger poses at a site early in her carpentry career.
Photo provided byTraci Longenbarger
BELOW: Paige Sornig poses next to a pipe she constructed during a timed exercise in a mechanical class.
Photo provided by Paige Sornig
from page 6A
with me, teaching me music.”
Donaldson explained that his church — Church of Messiah in Detroit — started the “Silence the Violence” as a parade in 2007 to honor those whose lives were lost to violent crimes.
“The original parade (was) to honor those that died and lost their lives in violent crimes. That’s that’s what this is about. Well, we had people in our band, in our music community, that lost their lives as well,” he said. “That’s why we decided to branch that out into a battle of the bands, and it just showed different people from different areas, from different communities, coming together and standing against violence.”
F.I.R.E was founded by Donaldson in 2009 as a response to budget cuts in local school systems that led to cutting arts and music funding.
“Around 2006 or 2007 is when the city started closing down the arts programs, drama, (and) all the music programs. … And those kids started falling back into the gangs and the drugs and different things like that. So what I did was to keep their inter-
The late Dr. Ringold founded Bionicc Body Screening in 2022 after battling cancer twice. He believed MRI full body screenings could empower individuals to take control of their health.
Softball Size Tumors Silently Grew
Dr. Ringold discovered he had stage four cancer with tumors as large as softballs silently growing inside his body after experiencing shortness of breath. His treatment was brutal. He su ered cruel side e ects. After his cancer went into remission, it returned a year later as a brain tumor. Dr. Ringold believed there had to be a better way. He envisioned a future where individuals could take control of their
est going, I started a drumline,” Donaldson said.
Due to the expensive price of instruments, he couldn’t afford to buy new drums, so he decided to get creative and repurpose old drum kits found in trash heaps and donated drums that were taking up space in garages. Using contact paper, Donaldson covered them so the blemishes wouldn’t be visible.
The drumline consisted of around 14 participants in the early days of F.I.R.E. Donaldson reflected on how the nonprofit shifted into a mentorship program for the youth.
“It was a bonding moment — us putting the drums together, us practicing together,” he said. “Then we went further, to, well, ‘If you don’t keep your academics up, then your parents are not (going to) want to let you play if your academics are suffering.”
Donaldson shared that in 2015, someone named Al approached him with the idea of expanding into a full marching band with more instruments. Donaldson told the gentleman that the chances of getting more instruments was slim due to how expensive they were to purchase.
A week later, he got a call from Al, who told him that he had collected an assortment
of 20 instruments for the kids to play by asking around at church and his community. A few weeks later, he brought Donaldson more donated instruments for the kids to play.
“The first day of practice that we held, we had like 87 people,” Donaldson said.
Donaldson shared one of his aspirations.
“My goal is more than just a marching band,” he said. “My personal goal is to open up a community center, a family center, (where) I can help not only those young students and individual musicians, but I can
help the whole family (by) doing things like a community garden, doing etiquette classes, teaching them different skills.”
For more information on F.I.R.E, visit www.motorcityonfire.com or contact Donaldson at motorcityheat@gmail.com. The organization is currently running a fundraiser to take F.I.R.E musicians to Cedar Pointe this summer as a reward for their academic success.
To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.facebook.com/p/Forever-Illus trating-Real-Entertainment.
A Father’s Legacy, A Son’s Mission: Full Body MRI Scans Without a Doctor’s Referral
(South eld, MI) e late Dr. Warren Ringold knew rsthand the devastating impact of late-stage cancer diagnoses. As a respected family physician, he witnessed countless patients battling illnesses that could have been detected earlier. His own grueling battle with late-stage cancer ignited a passion, leading him to create Michigan’s rst MRI full body screening center called Bionicc Body Screening.
health and detect potential problems before they escalated. In his nal days, Dr. Ringold passionately advocated for MRI full body screenings, a proactive approach he believed could empower individuals to take control of their health.
Raising Awareness
Today, his son Ryan carries on this mission. ough not a medical professional himself, Ryan’s dedication to his father’s legacy drives him to raising awareness of this service for families of Michigan. “Every week I learn of another person who felt perfectly ne, only to wake up with an unexplained symptom and discover they have stage four cancer. Once symptoms manifest cancer is usually advanced,” says his son Ryan. “My father never wanted another family to su er the emotional and physical hardships that our family and he endured. He wanted to save lives.”
Full Body MRI Scans Without
a Doctor’s Order
Bionicc Body Screening o ers elective, full-body MRI screenings that provide a comprehensive picture of your internal health, going beyond what traditional checkups often reveal. State-of-the-art technology can detect tumors as small as a pea, aneurysms, risk of stroke and a multitude of other conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed. Screenings include scans of the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, hips, shoulders and spine.
A Life Saved
Mark B. and his younger brother decided to visit Bionicc Body Screening last spring for a proactive screening because cancer ran in their family. Mark was skeptical until his results returned a 3-centimeter mass on his lung, which tested positive for cancer. He had three-fourths of his lung removed. He credits the scan for saving his life. Meanwhile, his brother’s results were clean.
Scans are safe, non-invasive, emit no radiation and are available without a doctor’s referral.
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Located in South eld
Advertorial
Fire safety
from page 1A
Just seconds afterwards, when only a small flame was visible, the smoke alarm sounded.
It was just a matter of seconds before the room was engulfed in flames and black plumes of smoke filled the area. Those watching stepped back.
“One minute and 40 seconds is all it took,” said Farmington Hills Fire Department Lt. Brian Pankow, who is also the city’s emergency manager.
That amount of time encompasses the start of the fire to when the room was totally engulfed in flames.
According to the Farmington Hills Fire Department and the American Red Cross, a working smoke alarm reduces the risk of being injured or dying in a fire in half.
Fires can start off very small, according to Pankow. It can be a spark from an outlet, a flame from a burning candle, or a space heater next to a flammable object.
According to Pankow, these demonstrations are not to scare people, but rather to prepare them.
“Fires today are burning hotter and faster than they ever have,” Pankow said. “This is due to the synthetic materials that
go into your furnishings. They’re in your laminate floors, hardwood floors, couches, (and) they’re even in our clothes.”
Having an escape plan is also an important part of being prepared.
“We want to make sure you understand how important it is to make quick and smart choices, react appropriately, and get out and stay out.” Pankow said.
The lieutenant shared multiple fire safety tips, including having working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide — or CO — alarms.
The smoke detectors should be installed on every floor and in every bedroom and tested monthly to make sure they are working properly.
Individuals using a 9-volt, batteryoperated smoke alarm should test it twice a month and change the battery every six months.
The Fire Department recommends using 10-year, lithium-ion battery-operated smoke alarms and CO alarms. At the end of the life cycle, the alarms should be replaced.
Although the event focused on smoke alarms, Pankow addressed the concerns of carbon monoxide.
“It is known as the silent killer. It is odorless, colorless, (and) it is very, very deadly,” he said. “Close before you doze”.
In the event of a fire starting while sleeping, closing the door slows the heat and smoke from getting into the bedroom. This gives “extra precious minutes” to get out of the home, according to Pankow.
In the event of a fire, residents are advised to get out and stay out of a burning home, not grab anything on the way out, and to not go back in.
Given that homeowners may not smell smoke while they are sleeping or when in a different room from the smoke, Pankow shared a potentially life-saving advantage of having working alarms.
“These alarms are working 24 hours a day, 365 for you,” Pankow said.
A family escape plan should be practiced at least twice a year, with occupants knowing two ways out of a room, one of which may include a window.
Escape plans should be practiced in the morning and at night and include pets. Having a designated meeting area should also be part of the plan.
Preparation plans should also include teaching children to call 911 and making sure that they know their home address.
Farmington Hills residents that do not have a smoke alarm can contact the Farmington Hills Fire Department Prevention Division at (248) 871-2800.
JUNK REMOVAL
The American Red Cross responds to house fires every day, according to Latoysa Rooks, who is a regional disaster officer for the Red Cross.
So far this year the Red Cross has responded to nearly 550 fires and provided services to 2,000 individuals, with services including emergency sheltering and disaster health services, according to Rooks.
“We are able to do this because of the kind donations of others,” Rooks said.
The Red Cross installs traditional smoke alarms that emit a high-pitch sound, as well as those with flashing lights for the hearing impaired. The alarms are provided and installed at no charge.
The mission of the Red Cross is to alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies, according to Carnel Richardson, who is a disaster program manager for the American Red Cross of Southeast Michigan.
“When you see a Red Cross vehicle in your community, you can take comfort in knowing that we are here to be a beacon of hope and to be the best thing that happens to someone on the worst day of their life,” Richardson said.
For smoke alarms or assistance after a fire or other disasters, call the Red Cross at 1-800-Red Cross.
Food drive
from page 1A
“Our national partners have gone above and beyond to have a bag printed with postage so that it can be mailed separately and delivered by letter carriers,” said Kevin “Ohio” Walker, the Walled Lake post office food drive coordinator. “So we are actually reaching out twice to give our customers reminders that this food drive is here. The first one (postcard) is to say, ‘Hey, this is happening.’ The second one (the bag) is to say, ‘Hey, this is how you can donate food without leaving the house.’”
The sponsorships for the bags were acquired by Gleaners Community Food Bank. Gleaners is one of the primary recipients of the food items, along with several other local pantries that they partner with across the state, such as the Salvation Army and St. James Catholic Church in Novi.
“It was a big ask, and Gleaners was able to pull that off for us,” Hunter said.
Hunter, who has been involved with the food drive since it was created, said he is excited to see if the postcard and bag delivered on consecutive weeks increases the food donations they receive this year. According to Hunter, studies have shown that by providing a bag, it increases the donations by 30%.
“I guess it’s just the convenience of the bag,” he said.”Maybe because this year the bag is sponsored, maybe people feel like, ‘Wow, they really took the time to get this bag to us, now maybe I should put a couple cans in there.’”
“I have always been a proponent that it
is a great touchpoint for the postal customer,” Walker said. “The card is nice because it is a piece of information, the bag itself is the action piece, because it says. ‘Hey fill this. Leave it at your mailbox and your letter carrier will pick it up on Saturday, May 10.’”
Hunter said that the pantries are in dire need this year.
“They’re really scraping. So, this is going to be a big one this year. We’re going to really try to get our numbers up,” he said.
According to Walker, in the Walled Lake Branch, which delivers to Novi residents living in ZIP codes 48377 and 48374, the need has “absolutely” continued to increase.
“Unfortunately, the resources that the pantries are getting have been dropping. So they’re getting hit both ways,” Walker said. “Their number of clients have been increasing, I think, two maybe almost threefold, while the stuff that is brought in through grants and maybe the stuff that they can get in through Gleaners does reduce.”
He said that he lives near Pontiac, and the line for the food pantry distribution when he drives by is at least 50 cars deep every week.
“We have benefitted in past years from the Postal Service’s Stamp Out Hunger program and that helped our food pantry to reach out to more people in need. It is a commendable program which is very important and encouraged to continue, in order to assist the local food pantries (to) provide for those in need,” Sister Clare Emeruom, pastoral associate and evangelical charity director at St. James Catholic Church, said in an email.
The goal for the Walled Lake post of-
fice is 36,000 pounds of food for the area it serves.
“Stamp Out Hunger is a very important source of food for our region; in the past three years, the drive has brought in over 2.3 million pounds of food. Last year, however, Gleaners saw a drop in donations,
finishing at just under 565,000 pounds,” Gleaners said in a letter to postal carriers. “On May 10th, you have the rare opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of over 600,000 individuals dealing with food insecurity in Southeast Michigan.”
May 1, 2025 - NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FERNDALE AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY
County of Oakland, Michigan
ON THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET FOR THE JULY 1, 2025-JUNE 30, 2026 FISCAL YEAR AND 2025 PROPERTY TAX LEVY
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS IN THE LIBRARY DISTRICT OF THE FERNDALE AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Ferndale Area District Library, County of Oakland, State of Michigan, will hold a public hearing on Thursday, the 22nd day of May 2024, at 6:00 pm in the Program Room of the Ferndale Area District Library, 222 East Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, Michigan 48220, to consider the approval and adoption of the operating budget of the Ferndale Area District Library for the July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 fiscal year.
Copies of the proposed budget will be available for examination at the library during regular hours of operation, and on the library website www.fadl.org, no later than May 20, 2024. At the public hearing, all citizens, taxpayers, and property owners of the Ferndale Area District Library district, County of Oakland, Michigan, shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard in regard to the approval of the budget.
THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE PROPOSED TO BE LEVIED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL BE A SUBJECT OF THIS HEARING.
The taxing unit publishing this notice, and identified below, has complete authority to establish the number of mills to be levied from within its authorized millage rate.
This notice is given by order of the Board of Directors of the Ferndale Area District Library, County of Oakland, Michigan.
Any citizen requesting accommodation to attend this meeting, please contact Drew Macaulay, Library Director, at 248-547-6000.
Published: Oakland Special Edition 05/07/2025
0001-2519
