14A BEHIND THE WHEEL
Ordinance amendment aims to revitalize vacant businesses
BY BRIAN WELLS bwells@candgnews.com
STERLING HEIGHTS — The Sterling Heights City Council has adopted an amendment to its zoning ordinance aimed at revitalizing buildings that have been left vacant by the closing of box stores.
At its May 20 meeting, the City Council introduced two ordinances amending the city’s zoning ordinance: one
to create new neighborhood and district nodes, replacing the former traditional mixed-use development nodes; and another ordinance to update the zoning map accordingly.
The changes, which are based on the 2025 master land use plan, aim to encourage walkable, mixed-use redevelopment at some intersections by expanding permitted and special approval land uses, such as childcare centers and restaurants.
The nodes are being referred to as “district nodes” and
“neighborhood nodes,” with neighborhood nodes being at smaller intersections and local hubs surrounded by singlefamily neighborhoods.
Specifically, the nodes will allow more zoning uses in strip malls at more than 20 shopping centers across the city. Additionally, the ordinance will allow more zoning uses at nine intersections in the city than were previously allowed. It also allows multifamily housing to be built at certain in-
World War II vet named grand marshal of Memorial Day parade
BY BRIAN WELLS bwells@candgnews.com
STERLING HEIGHTS — When Jack Jones graduated from high school in 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve in World War II. His wife, Vera Rhodes, worked as a riveter for Briggs Corp.
“She was a riveter for Briggs Corporation, which at that time made car bodies, but they switched during the war,” said his son, Alan Jones. “We always joked that her middle name was Rosie.”
He served for three and a half years and spent 18 months serving as a dental technician aboard the U.S.S. Meriwether at its commissioning.
See JONES on page 10A
Jack Jones, a 104-year-old Sterling Heights resident, poses for a portrait in his apartment Friday, May 23, 2025. Jones, a World War II veteran, was chosen to be the Grand Marshal in the city’s 2025 Memorial Day parade.
Photo by Brian Wells
‘It’s kind of a pride thing’
FATHER, SON TEAMS IN POLICE AND FIRE REFLECT ON CAREERS
BY BRIAN WELLS bwells@candgnews.com
STERLING HEIGHTS — When James Bryant Sr. was going to college for accounting, he realized he didn’t want to sit behind a desk all day.
A friend of his that worked at the same firm he was working at was a retired police officer. It sounded interesting, so he switched majors and got a job. He spent three years as a cadet in Troy, then worked for the Sterling Heights Police Department for 25 more.
Being that he’s a first-generation police officer, he was surprised when his son, James Bryant Jr., decided to become a police officer, too.
“I didn’t know if I ever thought (he’d) do it,” James Bryant Sr. said.
James Bryant Jr. said he wasn’t planning to follow in his father’s footsteps, and he hadn’t been wanting to become a police officer since he was a kid.
“There was really no following in his footsteps,” he said. “I didn’t want to do it since I was a kid and he never really talked about work at home, so I really had no understanding or really even a basis on what he did all day.”
James Bryant Jr. was selling insurance and looking for a steadier job when he saw a posting for a job as a dispatcher with the county. Like his father, he didn’t want to sit behind a desk all day, but he realized he liked the idea of what the officers on the roads were doing.
“(I) decided that I wanted to work towards being on the road instead of being in dispatch,” he said.
See FATHERS on page 9A
Polish festival returning to Sterling Heights for 43rd year
BY BRIAN WELLS bwells@candgnews.com
STERLING HEIGHTS — A celebration of Polish food and culture is returning to Sterling Heights later this month.
Now in its 43rd year, the American Polish Festival
will bring a mix of Polish bands, local music, folk dancers, arts and crafts, and Polish/American cuisine to the grounds of the American Polish Century Club June 2022.
“We’re very excited to be hosting our 43rd annual Polish festival,” Festival Chair Arnie Beller said in a statement. “We’ve had second- and third-generation families
coming every year for all of the music, fun, food and crafts.”
According to a press release, this year’s craft show will feature over 50 different crafters displaying their works. Additionally, each day will feature a number of performances from different artists as well as different
See FESTIVAL on page 18A
ABOVE: Sterling Heights Fire Inspector Mike White, left, poses for a portrait with his son, firefighter Nick White, on May 27 at the fire station.
LEFT: Sterling Heights code enforcement officer James Bryant Sr., right, poses for a portrait with his son, police officer James Bryant Jr., on May 28 at City Hall.
Photos by Brian Wells
HOMES
4A/JUNE 11, 2025
STERLING HEIGHTS SENTRY
Tom
NEUTRALS, LOW-MAINTENANCE
FEATURES LEAD 2025 PATIO TRENDS
BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Warm weather is finally here, meaning outdoor projects are likely well underway. To have a party-ready backyard by the Fourth of July, residents might be updating their patios.
Local experts share what trends they have been noticing this year in terms of patio design.
Colors
Roberto Guzman, co-owner of Leig’s
Landscape LLC, said that many of their customers are interested in neutral color schemes for their patios. Specifically, he said charcoal and champagne colors are popular.
“Almost every customer looks into dark charcoal bullnose bricks for the borders,” Guzman said.
He added that many customers have recently been ordering bricks in vintage colors and styles.
Tom Thelen, president at Thelen Landscape Inc., said he has seen light beiges and grays trending for patios, which may have
ABOVE:
Thelen, of Thelen Landscape Inc., said they have been installing many stone steps at residences.
LEFT: Patios with hidden lights are trending locally, according to Tom Thelen, of Thelen Landscape Inc. Photos provided by Tom Thelen
Trends
more reasoning to it than aesthetics.
“It used to be that patios were really dark; the problem is they get warm,” Thelen said.
Shelters
Thelen said more people are moving toward certain shelter options for their patios.
While some people consider moveable awnings, he said an increasing number of customers are asking for gazebos and pergolas. One option in particular that Thelen said people are showing interest in is a pergola with adjustable slats, also called a louvered pergola.
This option is particularly practical in Michigan due to the varied weather and precipitation that residents see each year.
“You can let the sun in during the wintertime and not pile a big bunch of snow on it,” Thelen said.
Pavers
Josh Vokal, of Natura Design and Build, said he has noticed more people wanting brick pavers over concrete or aggregate concrete. He said this is partially due to the new bricks that companies have been coming out with, which have a more modern look. He said brick pavers are customizable, which also draws customers.
“They can always change a lot fairly easily compared to prior concrete, and bricks tend to be a little bit less maintenance as well over time,” Vokal said.
Thelen said they are seeing customers who want bricks that come with a coating on them. This can lessen the need for a sealant; therefore, it helps residents cut out a step in their project. However, he said that the patio would still need to be sealed eventually — a couple of years later.
This can also be convenient because, according to Thelen, patios are not supposed to be stained in the first year anyway due to efflorescence that needs to be washed out by rain and sun.
Other trends
As for lighting, Thelen said patios with hidden lights are popular. He said residents can have landscape lighting installed in a wall with the wires underneath the brick.
“You get to enjoy the view of the patio, even if you’re not sitting on it,” Thelen said.
Thelen said they have also been doing a lot of stairs lately — stone steps that go from the driveway and into the back patio area.
“Then they can walk down through landscaping instead of across their grass,” Thelen said.
NEWS & NOTES
SUMMER READING PROGRAM BEGINS JUNE 16
STERLING HEIGHTS — The 2025 Sterling Heights Public Library summer reading program will be held June 16 through July 30. Residents of all ages are encouraged to participate. The program encourages reading and gives residents a chance to win prizes.
This year’s theme is “Color Our World.” A kickoff party will be held from noon to 2 p.m. June 16 where there will be treats, a petting zoo, a dance party and an art project.
For more information, go to sterlingheights. gov/1619/Summer-Reading or call (586) 446-2665.
The library is located at 40255 Dodge Park Road.
Matthew Ball show June 16
STERLING HEIGHTS — Matthew Ball - The Boogie Woogie Kid will perform from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 16 at the Sterling Heights Public Library, 40255 Dodge Park Road. The show will be outdoors, so bring your lawn chair. The show will be indoors in the event of inclement weather.
Ball performs classic American songs with a boogie-woogie twist, including “In The Mood,” “It Had to be You,” “Dream a Little Dream of Me” and more.
For more information, call (586) 446-2665.
STERLING HEIGHTS RAISES PRIDE FLAG
STERLING HEIGHTS — City officials and community members gathered outside the Sterling Heights City Hall Thursday, June 5 to mark the beginning of Pride Month by raising the Pride flag.
“Sterling Heights is an inclusive community, and City Council proudly adopts resolutions throughout the year marking special days and months for many different groups of residents who live in our community, including Pride Month for our LGBTQ+ residents,” Mayor Michael Taylor said in a statement. “Each June we fly the Pride flag as a tangible demonstration of our commitment to a vision of inclusion, and to remind us that our community is strongest when every resident feels seen and valued.”
The flag will remain flying until the end of June.
New Executive Director of Special Education named in WCS
FARMERS MARKET IT FULL BLOOM
STERLING HEIGHTS — The Sterling Heights Farmers Market kicked off the season Thursday, June 5, in Dodge Park. Each week will feature a number of food and craft vendors, food trucks, musical performances and more. The market runs each week on Thursday until Sept. 25. For more information, call (586) 446-2692.
WARREN/STERLING HEIGHTS — Warren Mott High School Assistant Principal Christopher Shepard is leaving the high school for a new role. He recently was named as the Warren Consolidated Schools executive director of special education effective July 1.
Shepard has worked for the district for 16 years. He has served the district in numerous capacities including special education teacher, special education supervisor, teacher consultant, assistant principal, high school summer school principal, and interim principal for several buildings.
As executive director of special education, Shepard will lead all aspects of special education programs within the district, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, while ensuring students with disabilities receive appropriate support. Shepard, a graduate of Warren Mott, holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a master’s degree from Saginaw Valley State University.
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Photo by Brian Wells
Photos by Brian Wells
Sterling Heights announces Juneteenth lineup
BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI akozlowski@candgnews.com
STERLING HEIGHTS — The city of Sterling Heights will celebrate its fourth annual Juneteenth this year with a dance workshop, soul food sampling, live music and more.
The holiday commemorates the date in history — June 19, 1865 — when the last slaves in Galveston, Texas learned they were free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Organizers say the Juneteenth celebration is not only a memorable event, but a chance to meditate on the history of civil rights — and how more needs to be done.
This year’s lineup
The fun begins at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 19 with a dance workshop at the public library, in the municipal complex at Dodge Park and Utica roads.
Titled “Stand Up for Freedom: A Dance Workshop,” the program is presented by Detroit’s Abigail School of Dance and funded by the Friends of the Sterling Heights Library. It features a routine with choreography meant to evoke the resilience of slaves awaiting freedom.
Guests are invited to join and encouraged to wear non-slip socks and comfy clothing.
The workshop will feature soul food to sample, as well, including rib tips,
See JUNETEENTH on page 20A
Dylan Isrow
Sterling Heights Juneteenth events in 2022 and 2023 are shown here. This year’s celebration will be the city’s fourth one to date.
Photos provided by Melanie Davis
Fathers
from page 3A
When James Bryant Jr. joined the Sterling Heights Police Department, his father had already retired and moved on to work as the city’s code enforcement officer. While the two never worked together, James Bryant Sr. said he’s still proud of his son.
He said it has also helped him to understand the worry his parents had for him when he joined the force.
“I’m extremely proud,” he said. “Now I know what my parents went through. I never worried about myself, but I worry about him, so I know what my parents felt.”
Unlike the Bryant’s, Sterling Heights Fire Inspector Mike White came from a long line of firefighters.
“My dad was a part-paid in Eastpointe, and my grandfather on my mom’s side retired as a lieutenant from Detroit, so I grew up around it,” he said.
His son, Nick White, also grew up around it. He became a fourth-generation firefighter.
“From a young age, honestly, there was nothing else I wanted to do,” Nick White said. “I mean, other than playing sports,
professional sports, which would have been awesome.”
While Nick White was studying nursing and playing baseball at Rochester College, he decided he was ready to go into the fire academy.
While his dad now works on the administrative side of the Fire Department, there was about a six-to-eight-month period after Nick White was hired where the father and son team worked on the same crew.
“It was a great time,” Nick White said. “We went on a handful of fires together, dealt with everything — medicals, car accidents, fires — and that was cool to me. That was the goal I had, to try to get into working for a little bit before he decided to retire or go somewhere on the administrative level where I wasn’t going to be able to work with him on the front line. So it was cool. It was awesome.”
Mike White said when his son first became a firefighter and was working with Waterford-Pontiac and was expected to cook for the department, he would test his meals out at home.
“In this arena, they can be pretty rough on you when you don’t put something decent on the table,” Mike White said. “You definitely don’t want to put a bad meal on
the table.”
Mike White said it was exciting to see his son become a firefighter and work at the same department.
“It’s kind of a pride thing,” he said. “It’s one of these things where, you always want your kids and family to be successful and
to see him get into a career that is going to have a good life … I was happy just when he wanted to be a fireman. He grew up around this department, so for him to want to come here, that was pretty exciting.”
Call Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637.
The first time he heard gunfire was while the ship was delivering troops to Okinawa. He also sailed into Pearl Harbor after the attack, and his ship delivered troops to Nagasaki after an atomic bomb was dropped there.
After the war, he returned to work at Burroughs in Detroit.
“I just went on back to work I guess,” he said.
Although he had aspirations of becoming a dentist, his wife was in a tuberculosis hospital in Detroit.
He continued working at Burroughs for 41 years, moving up through the ranks to eventually become management. The company sent Jack Jones and his wife to Guadalajara, Mexico, to open a new plant.
They would live there for two years.
“They had a maid down there, and I said to her, ‘How are my parents doing with learning Spanish?’” Alan Jones said. “She said, ‘Well, your mom knows a lot of words. Your dad knows the right words.’”
In 1970, Jack Jones moved back to
Amendment
from page 1A
tersections, though it would have to be approved by the city’s Planning Commission.
“The goal is to open up more uses for people who are having trouble filling some of the spots on these corners,” City Planner Jake Parcell said.
Changes in the amendment that will allow for businesses to find new tenants or develop underused parking lots are all linked to strategies in the city’s master land use plan that was adopted a few weeks ago, Parcell said, including things such as planting, landscaping, pedestrian amenities and walkability.
Parcell said the city has a low commercial vacancy rate, especially compared to other areas in the metro Detroit region, but the closing of box retailers has left some vacancies. The goal of the amendment is to help business owners fill those vacancies.
“We’re in a really good spot, but nationally, things like Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens, those mid-size box retailers, are going out of business, and even up to 30,000-square foot anchor tenants are going out of business because of changing shopping trends,” he said. “So we want to make sure that people have
Redford Township. After living there for 20 years, they would move again to Florida but would come back to live in Sterling Heights in 2013.
His wife died about six years ago.
Now, at 104 years old, he was asked to serve as the grand marshal in this year’s Memorial Day parade.
“It was a big surprise to me, and I feel very honored,” Jack Jones said.
Melanie Davis, community relations director for the city of Sterling Heights, said Jones was recommended by a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6250.
“I would say he was chosen because he is a resident of Sterling Heights who served proudly in World War II and is also a centenarian,” she said.
Jack Jones attributes his long life to two things, according to his son Alan Jones.
“One, he rambles on about eating healthy and exercising, yada yada yada,” Alan Jones said. “The other is, don’t die.”
This year’s parade included more than 60 parade entries, according to a press release from the city. There was also a flyover by historic Tuskegee Airmen World War II aircraft before the parade.
Call Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637.
opportunity and flexibility in filling those spots.”
The City Council voted unanimously to introduce the amendment at the May 20 meeting. At the June 3 meeting, it was adopted, again, unanimously.
At the June 3 meeting, Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Liz Sierawski voiced her appreciation for the Planning Department.
“I really want to commend the Planning Department for bringing this to us,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s something we would have thought of on our own. I just want to thank you for doing this … I hate to see empty buildings. Nobody wants to see it.”
Parcell said the city is already seeing some of the vacant buildings be revitalized.
“We have some people who want to kind of refresh the facades and do some work related to the master plan, and then we have some people who want to explore reducing some of their parking,” he said. “Already we’re starting to see it.”
Call Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637.
Students raise money for at-risk STARBASE program
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP —
In a dimly lit gymnasium inside Francis A. Higgins Elementary School on May 30, fifth grade students fueled by orange juice and sugar cookies celebrated the end of their school year in only the most exciting way possible: simulating the real estate market.
Equipped with slideshows and miniature homes of their own design, the students of Brooke Niskar’s class in the L’Anse Creuse Public Schools district are upselling their peers’ parents on the opportunity to take home their final elementary school project. Yet this is not some elaborate lesson in business studies or anything of the sort, but the final step in a months-long STEM education project turned fundraiser for one of Macomb County’s most notable educational institutions — STARBASE One, located on the premises of Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
“I really like it,” Kate Luplow, a fifth grade student in Niskar’s class, said of the auction fundraiser. “I was nervous for it, but it turned out really well.”
For those lucky enough to have attended it, STARBASE One is the field trip to end all field trips. The first-in-the-country nonprofit education center has combined science, technology, engineering and mathematics education with a hands-on, fun experience for grade schoolers since 1991.
As the name suggests, STARBASE One takes its theme after space exploration. Students get to explore a full-scale recreation of the International Space Station’s Destiny lab module, learn how to program robots by trying to get a rover across a simulated Martian landscape, dine under a re-creation of Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 capsule at the Milky Way Cafe and try their hand at technologies
like 3D printing and computer-aided design software.
A common highlight of a STARBASE One excursion is a chance to take a seat in the facility’s space shuttle nose simulator. Students and teachers alike rave about getting to experience a takeoff from the retired space plane’s cockpit, as well as getting a front-row view of docking with a space station and trying their luck at gliding the shuttle back down to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Even with all the space paraphernalia and simulators, STARBASE Director Rick Simms says it is the nonprofit’s team of educators that make the experience as unforgettable as it is.
“They are so dynamic, and they really engage the students,” Simms said. “They’re very attentive to the students because we have all different kinds of kids that come through here. Everybody learns at a different
level, and our teaching staff is very adaptable at working with all these different students. To me, that’s really what makes (STARBASE) memorable; that human connection that they’re having with our teaching staff.”
STARBASE funding at risk
Free for schools to visit so long as they provide transportation to and from Selfridge, Simms says a typical STARBASE One engagement takes place over 25 hours, spread across five weeks. But when Niskar’s class visited this winter, the Higgins Elementary fifth graders had their STARBASE adventure cut short after the fourth week.
STARBASE One lost its funding.
Though starting at Selfridge with a W. K. Kellogg Foundation grant and volunteer help from base personnel, STARBASE has since become a Department of Defensefunded program with over 80 programs located across the United States and the ter-
ritories of Puerto Rico and Guam. Despite its nationwide reach and a broad mission to teach more students about STEM-related subjects, Simms says the STARBASE program has fallen off the nonbinding presidential budget recommendations since the Obama administration and has required legislators, namely Michigan’s U.S. Senate delegation of Sen. Gary Peters and the retired Sen. Debbie Stabenow, to get STARBASE back onto the federal budget.
But as Higgins Elementary students were visiting STARBASE One in the early spring, Congress was failing to pass a budget. The budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year had been delayed since fall 2024 and while stopgap funding was made available through continuing resolutions, the nature of the resolutions means only so much funding is made available. STARBASE was seeking $60 million in the 2025 budget, but the
See STARBASE on page 22A
Photo provided by STARBASE
LEFT: Higgins Elementary fifth grade students Bryce Sampier, left, Christian Mortinger and Kate Luplow pose with their solar home project. The students’ class auctioned off their solar home projects to raise money for the Selfridge-based STARBASE STEM education program. ABOVE: A student at STARBASE has a turn at a flight simulator.
Photo by Dean Vaglia
BEHIND THE WHEEL
Contact Staff Writer Maria Allard at allard@candgnews.com or
TAKE IT EASY, RIDER
FATHER AND SON BUILD THEIR OWN ‘CAPTAIN AMERICAʻ
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — David Royce was a kid in 1969 when the movie “Easy Rider” was released.
His favorite part of the film was the custom-built Harley-Davidson Panhead chopper motorcycle, “Captain America,” that Peter Fonda’s character, Wyatt, rode across the country.
David owned a Schwinn Sting-Ray bicycle at the time. But whenever he gazed at promotional posters of “Easy Rider,” he wished for his own motorcycle with similar features.
Now he’s “racing with the wind” because David finally has his own replica of Fonda’s “Easy Rider” motorcycle. He and his son, Grant, custom built their own “Captain America” electric bicycle.
“It was a boyhood dream,” David said. “It’s a tribute to the chopper movement.”
It took the Rochester Hills duo about 2 1/2 years to make the electric vehicle from scratch. A lot of planning went into it. During the process and with various materials, the guys created a few prototypes before completing the final version of the electric bicycle.
The e-bike is equipped with many modern-day safety features, including front and rear hydraulic disc brakes.
David and Grant installed an electric motor in the rear hub to assist with the pedaling.
Each part of the bike serves a purpose. Two batteries help make the e-bike run. A larger battery is for propulsion, which David said is the pedal assist. A smaller battery operates the LED lighting system, which includes glow lights of different colors. The e-bike features fishtail exhaust pipes, and David even purchased a stars-and-stripes helmet like Fonda’s “Easy Rider” character. The license plate reads “Grant’s Garage.”
Grant, 17, is an avid bicyclist. He was a member of the Rochester United Mountain Bike Racing Team while in school. The Rochester High School senior graduated last month and will now be a coach for the team. David knows quite a bit about working with machinery. His first career was as an aircraft mechanic. He eventually went back to school and earned a mechanical engineering design degree.
Building their own “Captain America” e-bike chopper required the pair to enroll in several classes at Maker Works in Ann Arbor, where they became skilled in woodworking, welding and more.
“We both did a little bit of everything. We had to cut and weld and design each piece,” Grant said. “I think it was
TOP LEFT: David Royce, left, and his son, Grant, of Rochester Hills, spent about 2 1/2 years making the custom-built “Captain America” electric bicycle. BOTTOM LEFT: David Royce fashioned the e-bike after the Harley-Davidson Panhead chopper motorcycle “Captain America” that Peter Fonda’s character rode in the 1969 movie “Easy Rider.” Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
Bike
from page 14A
a really good interpretation of the concept my dad had. I think it turned out really well.”
While building the bike, the father and son frequented salvage yards to look for motorcycle and car parts, which Grant described as “very interesting.” The handlebars, for instance, are from an old Harley-Davidson they found.
“We had to make adapters to go inside the handlebars to accept these,” David said. “A really fun part of the project was adapting motorcycle stuff to a bicycle application and adapting old stuff to new technology. We traipsed over a lot of old motorcycles that were scrapped out.”
The e-bicycle can go as fast as 25 mph. The bike will travel about 20 miles after it is charged. It’s a single-seater, but aesthetically it’s made to look like a two-seater.
“The seat on the back is more just for looks,” Grant said.
The bike did have some professional work done.
“The paint job was done at a professional place,” David said. “There’s some purchased parts — the tires, the fenders. The batteries are purchased.”
David and Grant also have another ebicycle, so they often go riding together on both vehicles in good weather. David loves to cruise to downtown Rochester and one stop is always O’Connor’s Public House. He also rides “Captain America” to work, a 4-mile commute from home. The unique bike always starts a conversation. Many people initially think it’s a motorcycle.
“Everywhere we go, we get all kinds of compliments from people. It’s so much fun. Every day people yell, ‘What a cool bike,’” David said. “The prime one had to be I was riding to the gym and I had the glow lights on for the evening. The high school boys working at the burger place stuck their heads out of the drive-thru and yelled, ‘Dude, that thing is awesome.’”
David remembers his first cruise on the bike.
“It was wonderful. It was a great feeling,” he said. “First I rode it on pedals, and then I rode it with electric-motor assist. It was very smooth.”
David, an Air Force veteran, said “it was very special” to tackle the project with his son.
“He was very attentive. He was very patient in taking these classes while we meticulously went through every safety precaution. I do believe he learned a lot,” David said. “There are some skills you just can’t learn online, like when you’re operating the mill to cut away metal. You have to feel that with your
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TOP: The father and son went to local salvage yards to find parts for the e-bike.
MIDDLE: “Grant’s Garage” is a reminder of the work that went into building the electric bicycle.
Riding “Captain America” around town is a favorite pastime.
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
SPOTLIGHT ON PETS
Pet boarding offers safe, secure option for vacationgoers
BY BRIAN WELLS bwells@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Vacation season is here, and while you’re packing your bags, don’t forget about your pet’s plans.
Nearly all pet owners at some point are left wondering if they should board their pet, or ask a trusted friend or relative to take care of them?
Sarah Ignash, who owns All American Pet Resorts in Roseville, said one advantage of boarding your dog instead of having a friend or relative check in is that your dog will be with trained professionals who can prevent a dog from getting loose.
“I’ve actually had quite a few people where people who don’t normally take care of dogs, somebody comes to the front door, they just open it wide and the dog goes running out, or they drop the leash when they’re on a walk,” she said. “Boarding is secure.”
Before selecting a boarding facility, Jim Blau, with Mid-Michigan K9 Academy, said it’s important to know who you’re leaving your dog with.
“You want someone that’s going to make sure all the dogs there are vaccinated, including yours,” he said.
Ensuring the dogs are vaccinated can help to prevent health problems, Blau said. He also said owners should choose a facility that does regular health checks, and that allows dogs time to be out of their cages.
Blau stated that because a facility might cost less than others, it doesn’t mean that it might be better for the dog.
“You save 10 bucks a night or 20 bucks a night and went to a cheaper facility and they use bleach instead of the more expensive, pet-friendly cleaning agents, and so your dog comes back with rashes, or they don’t check all the immunizations,” he said.
Blau also urged pet owners to visit the facility and do a walkthrough before agreeing to board your pet there.
“(Owners) can use their own eyes, and they can use their own judgment,” he said. “Is this some place where they would want their dog to stay?”
Ignash also said pet owners should look for a boarding facility that is staffed 24 hours. Having staff overnight can help in case of an emergency, she said.
“Most places don’t tell you that they leave at maybe 8 p.m. and don’t come back until 6 a.m.,” she said.
Once a boarding facility has been selected, Ignash said many boarders will want to get to know your dog and its history, which can help the staff know how to keep it happy and relaxed.
“You didn’t tell your dog that you were going on vacation. Your dog has no idea why they’re there,” she said. “So we’re doing the best we can to keep your dog happy and calm and giving them lots of pets, lots of attention.”
Call Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637.
Dogs enjoy play time at All American Pet Resorts in Roseville.
Photos courtesy of Sarah Ignash
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
17A/ STERLING HEIGHTS SENTRY • JUNE 11, 2025
JUNE 16
Hear ‘Boogie Woogie Kid’: Pianist and singer Matthew Ball performs music from “Great American Songbook,” 6-7 p.m., held outdoor at Sterling Heights Public Library, 40255 Dodge Park Road, register at (586) 446-2665
JUNE 21
‘Five Years, One Night’: See original cast members from RWB Theatre Company reprise roles from favorite past shows, 7 p.m., Anita’s Elite Dance Studio, 37360 Van Dyke Ave. in Sterling Heights, onthestage.tickets/ rwb-theatre-company-llc
JUNE 26
Medicare 101 seminar: Presented by Medicare Learning Services, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Macomb Community Col-
lege - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, registration required, (586) 465-0588
ONGOING
Dodge Park Farmers Market: 3-8 p.m. Thursdays until Sept. 25, Dodge Park, 40620 Utica Road in Sterling Heights, find special events, live music lineup and more at sterlingheights.gov/1236/dodge-park-thursdays
Dodge Park Splash Pad: Noon-8 p.m. Mondays and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays until Sept. 1 (Labor Day), 40620 Utica Road in Sterling Heights, (586) 446-2711 (weather hotline), sterling-heights. net/1631/splash-pad
Sterling Heights Skate Park: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily through September, 40111 Dodge Park Road (between 41A District Court and Sterling Heights Public
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To view more Community Calendar and to submit your own, use the QR code or visit candgnews.com/calendar. To advertise an event, call (586) 498-8000.
Library), sterlingheights.gov/1607/skate-park
Upton House Museum tours: Visit 1860s Michigan Historical Landmark, 1-4 p.m. every Wednesday and second Sunday of month, 40433 Dodge Park Road in Sterling Heights, (586) 446-2495, sterlingheights. gov/789/upton-house-museum
Widowed Friends dancing: Doors at 6 p.m. and music from 7-10:30 p.m. Tuesdays, American Polish Century Club, 33204 Maple Lane in Sterling Heights, RSVP to Liz at (586) 801-4536, widowedfriends.com
Book clubs: Meetups for teens, early birds, those who want to snack and chat, others who want to discuss books they own, and new book and movie discussions, Sterling Heights Public Library, 40255 Dodge Park Road, (586) 446-2665, sterlingheights.gov/2136/library
Northern Toastmasters meetings: 6:30 p.m. every second and fourth Monday of month, Leo’s Coney Island, 33577 Van Dyke Ave. in Sterling Heights, (248) 828-7481, samcrowl@comcast.net
Wellness Wednesdays: Free fitness classes sponsored by Henry Ford Health, includes zumba through July 9 and yoga July 16-Aug. 27, 9-10 a.m., Center Court at The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Road in Clinton Township, shoppartridgecreek.com/events
United Shore Professional Baseball League: See Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers, Eastside Diamond Hoppers, Utica Unicorns and Westside Woolly Mammoths on select Thursdays-Sundays until Sept. 6, Jimmy John’s Field, 7171 Auburn Road in Utica, (248) 601-2400, uspbl.com
• Replacing lightbulbs, locks and faucets
• Installing window shades, storm
and weather stripping
• Cleaning appliances, carpets, windows and washing walls
• And much more!
Festival
from page 3A
activities, including traditional Polish dance performances throughout each day, a Pierogi eating contest and a Polka Mass at noon Sunday.
This year’s festival will also feature three Polish beers, including one that was brewed specifically for the festival, as well as domestic beers and Polish and premium spirits, according to the press release. There will also be American food available.
“Our trademarked Polish nacho and Polish egg rolls are the best anywhere, and this year we will have new comfort food items on the menu at the Kielbasa Kafe,” Beller said.
Leonard Palermino, general manager of Century Banquet Center, which hosts the event, said the festival is an important way for the Polish community to reminisce about its culture while also being able to share it with newer generations.
“We like to keep our newer generation informed, to share the upbringing that we had and the culture that we had by passing that to the next generation,” he said. “One way to pass that is to show, by example.”
For the American Polish Century Club, Palermino said the festival is a way for it to honor its commitment to its members and the community by promoting Polish heritage.
“It’s nice to know that we’re part of the succession of traditions and culture that we’re passing on,” he said.
The 43rd annual American Polish Festi-
and Craft Show is being held June 20-22 at the American Polish Century Club, 33204 Maple Lane, in Sterling Heights. Admission costs $5 per person and anyone under 17 is free. Free parking and shuttles can be found at the Career Prep Center and Sterling Heights High School.
For a complete schedule of events, visit americanpolishfestival.com.
Call Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637.
Photo provided by Darryl P. Onderik
AND ABOVE: The 43rd
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Juneteenth
from page 8A
wings, yams, greens, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, black-eyed peas and peach cobbler.
There will also be a book giveaway, craft making that includes a beaded bracelet and Kente weaving mat, and a mobile learning center about the holiday, sponsored by Metroparks.
To register, visit shpl.net, scroll down to the calendar and click on the event listing.
From 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., a DJ will play music on the Juneteenth stage at the Patios ’n’ Pints beer garden next to the Upton House Museum, a historic building near the library.
City officials will speak at 5:30 p.m., and there will be a reading by local poet Raina Baker. The music continues with an R&B performance by the band ChoZen, and then the DJ returns to teach the Hustle, a form of line dance.
Finally, at 7 p.m., there will be a performance by The Prolifics, a Motown tribute band, which will also serve as the kickoff for the 50th season of the city’s “Music in the Park” program. Attendees can also peruse Black-owned businesses at the Dodge Park farmers market.
‘How do you ever catch up?’
Tracey Denson Scott is vice chair of the Sterling Heights African American Coalition — one of the groups involved in the Juneteenth celebration. She said the holiday is extra meaningful to her because of her own family history.
Her father was the son of a sharecropper who migrated from Alabama seeking opportunity. She said southern plantation owners would try to stop Black workers from leaving, even tearing up their train tickets or having them arrested at the station. But her father made it to Michigan, where he worked at Ford for 35 years before retiring.
“I remember asking why he didn’t go past sixth grade. There was no free lunch program, so he went to school hungry. And he shared clothes with my aunt, so they went on alternating days. The schools were still segregated, too, with more Black kids in one building than it could hold. So, they had to separate them, with some kids going in the morning, some in the afternoon.
“And my mom was in the first class in her school’s history where Black kids and white kids had prom and graduation together,” Denson Scott said. “So, when we think of the disparities in the education system and how some groups are so far ahead, think about those disruptions. Imagine you have
a relay race, and some groups were given a head start, and then you start on the same track and you’re free to run but they’re 10 laps ahead. How do you ever catch up? It’s hard.”
Denson Scott’s own children are firstgeneration college students, with her oldest son graduating from Emory University with degrees in neuroscience and behavioral biology, and her middle son graduating from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with a master’s degree in business management. Denson Scott and her youngest son run their own business in Madison Heights: Tracey Denson Scott Insurance Agency.
While great progress has been made, challenges remain for the Black community, she said. That’s where the SHAAC has a role to play.
The coalition
Diana Bledsoe is chair of the SHAAC. The coalition was created by the city to help officials connect with their 10,000-plus Black constituents.
The group is free to join and open to new members of all races and ethnicities. It meets the fourth Monday of each month
from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center near the library.
“Our vision is that Sterling Heights is a community where African Americans can thrive,” Bledsoe said.
She said the vision for the coalition is structured around three pillars: equity and inclusion, education, and economic empowerment.
“It’s not about special treatment — it’s just making sure that everyone has an opportunity,” Bledsoe said of equity and inclusion. “If I don’t have the qualifications for something, at least I had the opportunity to interview, and for you to evaluate me. Historically, many minority groups haven’t had that chance to be considered. So we’re trying to correct that.”
The coalition advises city leadership on crafting budgets and policies that promote fairness. The group also works to increase minority representation in city departments and at schools so that more perspectives are included in the decision-making process.
Earlier this year, at the Gene L. Klida Utica Academy for International Studies, the group shared a video about the Pullman porters — a group of mostly Black train workers who in 1925 formed the Brotherhood
of Sleeping Car Porters, the country’s first Black labor union. The porters played a key role in the civil rights movement and helped form the African American middle class.
Students were free to enter an art contest with pieces based on the subject. Their works were judged by members of the Sterling Heights Arts Commission for cash prizes.
The winners were also invited to a fundraiser dinner in February — Black History Month — focused on the Pullman porters. The sold-out event followed the national theme of Black labor, with a speech by Kelly Barnett, president of United Auto Workers, Local 6000. There was also dancing by the Wayne State University Freedom Performers, inspired by the porters’ story.
“Our intent is always to make sure people learn something,” Bledsoe said. “We also try to be a resource for the leaders in our city. I appreciate it when they reach out for our perspective.”
In addition, the group raises awareness for funding sources that can help with mortgages, financing cars and more. The group also works to promote Black-owned businesses.
See JUNETEENTH on page 21A
FRASER HIGH SCHOOL TO HOST MARINE CORPS SPORTS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY WRESTLING CAMP
BY SCOTT BENTLEY sbentley@candgnews.com
FRASER — Fraser High School will be hosting one of the largest high school wrestling camps in the state on June 14 with an impressive lineup of coaches and leaders running the event.
The camp is completely free to sign up for and will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a full day of learning from experts in the field.
The event will be run by the United States Marine Corps Sports Leadership Academy and will also teach life and leadership lessons to the participants, along with the day of wrestling.
Fraser High School wrestling coach Kyle Tucker will be in attendance, along with wrestling coaches from all over southeast Michigan. At press time, there were 25 coaches signed up to help run the camp.
SPORTS
Along with all the coaches, Olympic bronze medalist Myles Amine and threetime Southern Conference champion Taye Ghadiali will be present to guide the wrestlers. Amine went to Detroit Catholic Central High School before a great wrestling career at the University of Michigan, and Ghadiali graduated from Warren Fitzgerald before attending Campbell University. This year, Ghadiali will transfer to the University of Michigan and wrestle as a graduate transfer.
The camp was a success last year and is on track to have more participants this year. The camp is for high schoolers ages 14-19. To register for the free event, visit usmcsports.com/register.
Call Sports Writer Scott Bentley at (586) 498-1090.
Juneteenth
from page 20A
“We want to level the playing field by helping fill that void in knowledge,” Bledsoe said. “We advocate for financial literacy.”
Bledsoe said she hopes residents will reflect on the history of Juneteenth and how true equality is a work in progress.
“There are still implicit biases (against minorities) that people may not realize they have,” Bledsoe said. “Some people may want to do better, and others may not. But if they’re not aware, they can’t change. We’re trying to raise that awareness.”
Call Staff Writer Andy Kozlowski at (586) 498-1046.
STARBASE
from page 12A
Senate was only willing to give the program $20 million, and the Department of Defense comptroller ran with the $20 million budget number.
“What that meant was, as they kept extending the continuing resolution, for our sites here in Michigan, funding ran out on Feb. 7,” Simms said.
Michigan’s three STARBASE programs ran out of federal funds on Feb. 7, leading to educational staff being furloughed and the indefinite closure of the programs — the first-ever such closure in STARBASE One’s 34 years.
The closing and the loss of the STARBASE One trip struck Niskar’s students hard, but not just because they lost out on their year-defining field trip.
“STARBASE was a great experience for us, and we wanted other kids to have that same experience,” Luplow said. “We really just wanted the future fifth graders to have the same experiences.”
As Niskar recalls, the progression of some curriculum items was not going as quickly as she expected, which meant the big project of building a solar-powered home was at risk of being dropped due to time constraints. However, the 27-year veteran teacher made the decision to adjust the lesson plans to bring the home project, which was originally part of the math curriculum, in as a catch-all STEM project to close out the school year.
“I knew we weren’t going to get to (the solar home math unit) because the end of the school year was coming up, but it looked and sounded so cool that I didn’t want to pass it up,” Niskar said. “I decided to squeeze it in … it really did capture all of the science, technology, engineering, mathematics. My boyfriend actually is an engineer, and I had to ask him for some help at some points.”
The project, which was “extremely involved” in Niskar’s words, saw students group up and try building a scale-sized home that
would retain the most energy when exposed to sunlight. Work for the project included testing the heat-absorption of different materials and paints, becoming adept at reading thermometers, developing different kinds of solar collectors, trying out different insulation materials and performing other experiments in order to build the toastiest home possible. Size of the homes mattered as the area of windows was tied to how big the homes were.
“We actually did the measurements of the windows,” fifth grader Sam Sherrill said. “The total dimensions of the windows had to be exactly 1/8th of our house’s total dimensions.”
Students were given leeway in how they chose to design and build their homes. Sherrill said his group built a sunroof into their design.
Niskar planned to have the students present the homes to their fellow students at the end of the year, but then students in the class had an idea. Luplow presented the idea of auctioning the projects off to parents like they were real homes, while peer Noah Kodra jumped in with the idea of donating the raised funds to STARBASE One. The ideas won the support of the students, and Niskar got the word out to parents that an “open house” was scheduled for Friday, May 30. Before the day would arrive, students would also write letters to legislators asking them to support restoring funding to the STARBASE program.
“It was attempting to free STARBASE and try to get other children to experience it,” Kodra said.
And by the time the homes were sold, the parents came through by raising $1,170 for STARBASE.
Along with anticipating how excited the students would be once they found out the final raised amount, Niskar was proud to know the students had taken the initiative to develop and put on the fundraiser.
“For me, that’s more important than anything else,” Niskar said. “I teach the kids the curriculum, but for me it’s more important that they leave my classroom as good
Newspapers publishes 21 papers in
and
Main Office: 13650 E. 11 Mile Road Warren, MI 48089 (586) 498-8000 facebook.com/sterlingheightssentry @candgnews candgnews.com
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Sports: Scott Bentley | (586) 498-1090 | sports@candgnews.com
Artroom: (586) 498-1036 | ads@candgnews.com
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human beings. They came in as good human beings, but they got even better with their empathy and their kindness, so for me that was the most important (thing) of all, that they could help others.”
Niskar believes the students’ experiences visiting and fundraising for STARBASE will follow them throughout their educational careers.
“I think that they’re going to remember this more than anything else, quite honestly,” Niskar said. “I think it already has inspired kids to possibly one day become involved with a STEM profession of some sort.”
By the time the fundraiser was held, STARBASE One was already back in operation. Funding for the program was restored in April after Congress passed another continuing resolution, leading to students across the region once again making memories at the Selfridge-based nonprofit.
But Simms has not ceased finding funds to support STARBASE’s survival.
Simms says the goal of STARBASE is to operate as though it is going to continue forever — the program is already booked full for the 2025-26 school year.
“We always look ahead that we’re going to be in full operation, because we do not want to make an assumption … and not schedule people right now,” Simms said. “We want to hit the ground running come the start of the school year and get the classes out here first thing in September.”
Along with running as though there’s no end in sight, Simms and the STARBASE team are working to add more funding streams. A fundraiser at a Buffalo Wild Wings was held in Chesterfield, a golf outing is planned to take place this summer on the SANGB golf course, and the program is working with a grant writer to apply for funding. Several state legislators toured STARBASE One earlier in the year, and Simms said the program is in conversation with state and federal legislators about future support.
“This is a community asset that has been here for 34 years,” Simms said. “To lose that I think would be a shame because all of the knowledge that we have guarded over these years and the delivery of a very high-quality STEM program would go away, and that wouldn’t be something that’s available to the community anymore.”
STERLING HEIGHTS PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2025
Meeting to be held at Sterling Heights City Hall 40555 Utica Road
7:00 p.m.
AGENDA ITEMS:
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
5. CONSIDERATIONS
A.PPCM-1356 – Mangiabevi Urban Italian
Request for a special approval land use for a restaurant in a C-1 Local Convenience Business District and Neighborhood and District Node Overlay District.
Property Address: 35219 Dodge Park Road
Location: West side of Dodge Park Road, north of Fifteen Mile Road
Current Zoning: C-1 Local Convenience Business District and Neighborhood and District Node Overlay District
B.PPUD25-0002 – Red Run Self Storage
Request for a planned unit development which if granted would allow for an outdoor self-storage facility.
Property Address: 12339 and 12555 Fourteen Mile Road
Location: North side of Fourteen Mile Road, east of Maple Lane Drive
Current Zoning: O-2 Planned Of ce District
C.PZ25-0004 – Solar Ordinance
Proposed text amendment to amend Section 26.02 of Article 26 of Zoning Ordinance No. 278 of the City of Sterling Heights to add site plan review requirements and procedures for solar energy systems, to amend Section 28.00 of Article 28 of the Zoning Ordinance to add paragraph J which allows and regulates solar energy systems on buildings and structures as accessory structures located in all zoning districts, and to amend Section 31 of the Zoning Ordinance to add de nitions of certain terms relating to solar energy systems. The ordinance can be viewed at the Of ce of Planning or in the upcoming meeting packet to be posted at the Agenda Center.
6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
NEXT MEETING DATE: August 13, 2025
Jake Parcell, PhD
City Planner and City Development Manager
THE CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS WILL PROVIDE NECESSARY REASONABLE AUXILIARY AIDS AND SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AT THE MEETING UPON SEVEN DAYS NOTICE TO THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE AT 586-446-2470.
0407-2524
Published: Sterling Heights Sentry 06/11/2025
Geoffrey P. Gariepy, Chairperson Ed Kopp Gerald Rowe, Vice Chairperson Nicole McGill Brandy Wright, Secretary Parmpreet Sarau Nathan Inks Pashko Ujkic
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Clinton Township man sentenced to 40 years for sex crimes
DETROIT — On May 16, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced Stephen Gentry, of Clinton Township, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for creating images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children.
Gentry, already a registered sex offender, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children on Feb. 12. His recent crimes came to light after the FBI learned that he was distributing images of child sexually abusive material that he created. An FBI search of Gentry’s home found evidence supporting the alleged offenses.
United States District Court Judge Terrence Berg’s sentence for Gentry includes a lifetime of supervised release upon leaving prison. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Alsaden, Tara Hindelang and Christopher Rawsthorne.
Scheming mail
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On May 13 at around 5 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies spoke to a 32-year-old Macomb Township woman about a suspicious person in her neighborhood.
The witness reportedly saw a woman placing envelopes in mailboxes in the 16000 block of Via Montella. Inside the envelopes were a “$500 gift card” and a QR code that linked to the website of a known pyramid scheme.
Deputies recommended that the woman contact the Federal Trade Commission.
Retail fraud
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On May 13 at around 3 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to Meijer at 24 Mile Road and Hayes Road for a retail fraud report.
The store’s loss prevention staff and management informed deputies that a 33-year-old Detroit man left the store without paying for over $360 worth of alcohol and other items.
A records search of the man showed he had three prior retail fraud convictions.
A state warrant authorization for retail fraud was completed and the store representatives indicated they wished to press charges.
Drunk driver in denial
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On May 11 at around 4:40 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the intersection of Wellington Valley and 24 Mile Road for a car crash.
wide turn at the intersection and T-boned another car.
Deputies noted the odor of intoxicants on the man and that he appeared to have trouble with his motor functions. The man told deputies he was returning from a golf outing and denied drinking any alcohol. He refused to take field sobriety tests and, before taking a breath test, told deputies he “knew he was going to fail.”
The man reportedly registered a 0.36 blood alcohol content level and was taken to jail.
Stolen motorcycle
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — On May 6 at around 3:10 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were sent to the 37000 block of Willowood Court for a stolen vehicle report.
Deputies spoke with a 25-year-old Harrison Township man who said his KTM motorcycle was stolen. He first noticed the motorcycle was gone when he returned from work.
The man did not have any suspects in mind and no cameras were in the area to document the theft.
Cycle swiper
MOUNT CLEMENS — On May 4 at around 4:17
a.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to an apartment in the 20 block of Dickinson Avenue to speak with a 28-year-old Mount Clemens man about his stolen bike.
The man rode his bike to Fast Eddie’s Bar & Grill on Crocker Boulevard the night before, placing it by the rear door with a fake lock before going inside. He saw the bike from the bar during the night, but discovered it was missing around 2 a.m.
He did not see anyone steal the bike and had no suspects in mind.
Parking lot arrest
MOUNT CLEMENS — On May 2 at around 4:10 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 300 block of Cass Avenue for a report of property damage in the parking lot.
At the scene, deputies discovered a 65-year-old Macomb Township man had struck four cars while attempting to leave the lot. The Macomb Township man was observed to be uneasy on his feet. He reportedly agreed to take field sobriety tests.
Following the tests, the man reportedly submitted a breath test with a 0.153 blood alcohol content result. The man was arrested.
Pepper spray assault
MOUNT CLEMENS — On May 2 at around 12:40 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were
Deputies spoke with a 42-year-old Warren man, who said he was pepper sprayed by a 46-year-old Mount Clemens man in the park after telling him to shut up.
Deputies located the Mount Clemens man behind 170 Northbound Gratiot Ave., where he admitted to pepper spraying the man because he believed the man was going to assault a woman he was with.
Deputies arrested the Mount Clemens man.
Welfare check
MOUNT CLEMENS — On May 1 at around 4:30 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to Park Place Towers for a welfare check on a resident.
A neighbor told deputies that the resident in question, an 85-year-old woman, had not been answering her door. Deputies entered the apartment and discovered the woman on the floor in her kitchen, next to a chair she appeared to fall out of.
The woman was transported to a hospital by Medstar.
Man defrauded of $101
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 8:10 p.m. May 7, a police officer from Shelby Township was dispatched to the lobby of the Police Department regarding a fraud report. The victim stated that he had been attempting to contact Amazon in an attempt to return some purchased items. The victim stated he searched online for the number for Amazon and thought he was speaking to a representative. The representative advised the victim to download an app on his phone that gave the representative full access to his phone. Once the representative had access to the phone, he asked the victim to send him pictures of his credit card and driver’s license. At the time of the police report, the victim was out $101. The victim later found out that the number he had was not the correct number that went to Amazon. The case was turned over to the detective bureau for follow-up.
Property damage reported on Pleasant Street
ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 10:03 a.m. on May 16, a report was made about property damage in the 22000 block of Pleasant Street. The victim, a 59-year-old woman, stated she got home at around 2 p.m. on May 15 and didn’t see any damage to her vehicle. When she went out the next morning, she noticed damage to her vehicle as well as a broken cinderblock on her lawn. The residence next to her had a brick wall divider between the plaza and the victim’s residence and it was possible the
found in the area.
Retail fraud reported on Harper Avenue
ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 11:09 a.m. on May 17, a report was made about a case of retail fraud that occurred in the 22000 block of Harper Avenue. The officer spoke to the manager of a business, a 49-year-old woman, who stated two women paid for some items, but not all of the items in their overflowing cart. Among the items stolen were ribeye steaks and bags of shrimp. What they did pay for totaled out to $19.49. The vehicle the women drove was found in Harper Woods.
Larceny