NEWSPAPERS Special Edition
ROCHESTER HILLS LANDS IN
TOP 10 OF U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT’S BEST PLACES TO LIVE
BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com
ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Hills is one the best places to live in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“This recognition is a testament to the strong sense of community, outstanding quality of life, and commitment to excellence that define Rochester Hills,” Mayor Bryan Barnett said in an email. “We are incredibly proud to be honored as one of the preeminent places in the nation to live, work, and raise a family.”
This year, U.S. News & World Report evaluated more than 850 cities and published the top 250 places to live. Analysts asked 3,000 people across the country what mattered most to them when determining where to live, and they used those factors — value, desirability, job market and quality of life — to make the list. The data is weighted based on what people think is most important. The 2025-2026 rankings also include U.S. News & World Report’s Best States data on economy and infrastructure.
Erika Giovanetti, a consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report, said the expansion of the 2025-2026 Best Places to Live rankings gives consumers “a more detailed view into what it’s like to live somewhere at the community level, enabling them to consider more options for potential places to settle down.”
“While quality of life remains the top priority for many Americans — and has the heaviest weight in determining the Best Places to Live rankings — U.S. News slightly adjusted its weights to increase priority for a location’s job market amid heightened economic uncertainty,” Giovanetti said in a statement.
Overall, nine Michigan communities made the list, including two Oakland County commu-
Pediatric cancer patients get the Hollywood treatment
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — The Bottomless Toy Chest, a nonprofit organization, prepared a special night for pediatric cancer patients and their families at Emagine in Royal Oak.
The kids were treated like Hollywood royalty on June 21 while they walked down a red carpet, had photos taken of them, and received a special Oscar award along the way.
This is the 14th year that the Bottomless Toy Chest has hosted this event, with this year’s private screening being of the new movie “Elio.” Following the movie, the kids and their families were treated to a pizza party, crafts, face painting, photo booth, games and other exciting activities.
Mickey Guisewite, the founder and executive director of The Bottomless Toy Chest, said that there were around 60 people at the show with 25 being the patients who are going through treatment for cancer or serious blood disorders.
“The heart of everything we do is help cancer patients, young cancer patients, feel empowered and positive about themselves while they are going through cancer treatment, “ she said. “This is our 14th year doing this particular event, and many years ago one of our team members watched the Oscars one night and thought that some of the real superstars are patients that we serve, so why don’t we do an event that can honor
Rochester Hills was recently ranked as the ninth best place to live in the U.S.
Photo provided by the city of Rochester Hills
Marcel Wysinger, 8, picks out a few gifts to take home with help from Luli Montagano, left, and his mom, Shanon Armstrong, during The Bottomless Toy Chest’s red carpet movie night for pediatric cancer patients at Emagine Royal Oak June 21.
Photo by Liz Carnegie
BERKLEY COUNCIL MEMBER DEPLOYED FOR NEXT YEAR IN ARMY RESERVE
PLANS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE ON CITY COUNCIL
BY MIKE KOURY mkoury@candgnews.com
BERKLEY — One of Berkley’s City Council members has been deployed overseas for potentially the next year, but as of now will remain on the council.
Clarence Black, a member of the Army Reserve for 15 years, was deployed to the Middle East this month, where he will serve for between 10 months and a year. Black’s deployment comes 1 1/2 years into his first term on the Berkley City Council.
Speaking to the C & G Newspapers on June 11, one day before he was deployed, Black said the timing is rough as he has two daughters who will be seniors at Berkley High School, and he will miss about 80% of their senior year, as well as holidays and his birthday with his family.
The good news for him is that his children are old enough to understand why he’s leaving.
“We’re a military family,” he said. “I’m always honored to serve. There’s never such a thing as a right time. There is no right time. This is a horrible time because, obviously, I’m a sitting council member, I’ve got business stuff, I’ve got my kids’ personal stuff, I’ve got, again, two daughters that are going to be seniors, one daughter who starts Michigan in the fall who I don’t get to move into her dorm. So, you know, those things are tough.”
As of now, the plan is for Black to continue serving on the Berkley City Council virtually from the Middle East, which he hopes to make work.
Black said he had thoughts about resigning and was 50/50 on
MIRACLE LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON KICKS OFF
BY SCOTT BENTLEY sbentley@candgnews.com
SOUTHFIELD — Easterseals MORC’s Miracle League celebrated opening day for its 2025 baseball season June 7 at the Southfield Civic Center’s Miracle Field.
Over 550 individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities are signed up to play baseball this summer as part of the Miracle League, and opening week showed what makes the organization so impactful.
“We’re off to an awesome start,” said Nick Lionas, the Miracle League’s director of adaptive recreation. “The amount of love that is exuded just from being in this environment … it’s all positive all the time.”
Games are played on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer and every group plays at least once a week. The players are joined by volunteer “buddies” on the Miracle League adaptive field, which is custom-designed with synthetic surfaces to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
“Michigan started in 2004 with this field in Southfield. … Now I think there’s eight or nine fields in Michigan,” Lionas said. “There’s rare spaces in this world that are truly all inclusive.”
Opening day got everyone involved and excited for the rest of the summer. At Southfield’s opening day, former Detroit Lions quarterback and current mental health advocacy partner with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Eric Hipple threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the season — with a football. Hipple also spoke about the importance of mental health and signed copies of his book, “Real Men Do Cry.”
The day also highlighted the growth of inclusive sports and ac-
Clarence Black
ABOVE LEFT: Amy Clegg heads to first base after getting a hit on opening day in a matchup between the Brewers and the Cardinals on June 7 in Southfield. ABOVE RIGHT: John Eberhardt smiles as he prepares to hit on Easterseals MORC Miracle League opening day.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Michael Rogers gets a high five from the first base coach after hitting and getting to first.
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
Detroit Country Day girls lacrosse wins state title with overtime win
BY SCOTT BENTLEY sbentley@candgnews.com
BEVERLY HILLS — The Detroit Country Day girls lacrosse team won the 2025 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division II state championship by a score of 10-9 June 7 at University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium in Ann Arbor.
The final was a rematch from the 2024 title match, when Grand Rapids Catholic Central defeated Detroit Country Day by a score of … 10-9.
“I think the season started last year the day after we lost to DRCC,” Country Day head coach Liz Nussbaum said. “By the time March rolled around… I feel like the team was already really gelling.”
This year, the title game went into overtime, and the girls did enough to avenge the loss from a year ago.
“For us seniors and for the players that we had last year it really meant a lot to us,” Detroit Country Day senior Georgia Pavlou said. “It’s not revenge … but I wanted to be back on top, and it motivated me every single day.”
The team shared those thoughts, and everyone in and around the program has emphasized how hard the team worked in 2025.
“You have to earn it, too. Detroit Country Day is a hard school on and off the field. It’s hard work,” Detroit Country Day senior Mary Pavlou said. “But we can do hard things. The toughness and the grit is something we really bond over. … The team culture and the school culture is really special.”
The team won by double digits in the regional final and the state semifinal See LACROSSE on page 6A
ABOVE: Georgia Pavlou runs up field mid game with Brooke Winowich looking on.
RIGHT: From the left, Georgia Pavlou, Jackie Calso and Adriana Zuk hug uring a stoppage in play.
Photos provided by Detroit Country Day students Coco Lowman and Riley Raznick
Toy Chest
from page 1A
those patients. So, that’s sort of the thinking behind the red-carpet movie event.”
Guisewite said that each year she sees the kids light up with excitement for this special opportunity.
“Last year, a little boy, when we gave him his Oscar award, he went, ‘Oh, I never thought I could get an award for having cancer,’ and I think about that a lot,” she said. “I think about how special it made him feel, and we are grateful to be able to do that and to provide that sort of experience for patients.”
Karson Mayne, 6, has been to three of the past movie days with the Bottomless Toy Chest. His favorite part is the food, according to his mom, Stephanie.
“The most important part of this event is being able to be safe,” Stephanie Mayne said. “When Karson was going through treatment, it was hard to go anywhere.”
Stephanie Mayne said that participating in events like this provides a sense of normalcy for the kids.
“His friends get to do things, and there are certain things he is not allowed to do because of what he is going through, so it just makes it seem like he’s normal, that he doesn’t have to miss things when his friends get to do events that aren’t catered to children like Karson,” she said.
“When a child gets cancer in the family, or anybody gets cancer in the family, it impacts the entire family. The entire family has cancer,” Guisewite said. “This is a way for families to put that aside and say, ‘You know what, we might be going through something difficult, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t get out and have a great time together.’ A day on the red carpet movie event is just one special moment while you are going through that journey that can help empower the child, help empower the families, help everybody feel good during a difficult time.”
For more information on The Bottomless Toy Chest, visit bottomlesstoychest.org.
Gabrielle Mitchell, 7, Aubrey Pritchard, Kyle Schimmel and Ava Pritchard enjoy the art table at the red carpet event.
Photo by Liz Carnegie
Baseball
tivities in Michigan. On opening day, the Miracle League celebrated its new adaptive field in Flint, giving those in Genesee County an opportunity to play baseball. The Miracle League of Greater Flint built the field and has partnered with the Miracle League Michigan, which now has fields in Flint, Orion Township and Southfield.
“This is their inaugural season. They’re super excited,” Lionas said. “We had a goal of getting 40 participants for the very first year and we got 63. … It’s really great to see the growth throughout the state of Michigan.”
The impact that the Miracle League has had on adults and children with disabilities all over the world can’t be overstated, but the impact that these events have on volunteers and ‘buddies’ is just as moving.
“About 14 years ago my daughter had been out and volunteered with her friend and she came home and said mom you got to go (volunteer) you’re going to love it,” Susie Glasgow, who now runs the Orion Township field, said. “So I went with her and we buddied for one game. We were back the next game and the next game. And I have not left.”
Glasgow then began coaching teams and got involved any way she could. Her story is not a unique one in the Miracle League. A lot of people that work for the organization started as volunteers, and a lot of the volunteers tried it once and now are staples on game days.
“The nice thing about the Miracle League is once you’re a part of the Mira-
cle League family, you are always a part,” Glasgow said. “My dear friend … always used to tell me, ‘You know, Susie, when I walk on this field I feel like somebody dropped a happy bomb on me,’ and that’s something that sticks with me.”
The Miracle League gives the community a safe space for anyone who wants to play organized baseball, and once a participant starts, they won’t ever be told to stop.
“A lot of the players in Southfield have been there for almost 22 years. So that is part of the reason we have now started to break up our groups into divisions by age,” Glasgow said. “We didn’t want any of our players to age out of our program. We wanted a place for them to stay. … They will always have a place to play. We have an age for you from when you’re 4 until you’re 102.”
The importance of events like this for the families is significant as well.
“I’ve talked to some parents who are like, ‘We go to a restaurant and my child is having a hard time’... but when they’re at the field they can be themselves,” Lionas said. “Everyone is there to cheer on each other.”
The Miracle League is making a difference every day and the work that is done will not only leave a lasting mark on the players, but on anyone involved.
“Come out and change a life,” Lionas said. “It’s probably going to be yours.”
This organization was Michigan’s first adaptive baseball program over 21 years ago and has been vital in offering children and adults, regardless of their ability, a chance to play organized baseball.
To learn more about the Miracle League of Michigan, visit michiganmiracle. org.
Lacrosse
from page 4A
before the close title match. The team’s versatility and adaptability was proven time and time again all year.
“We’re so adaptable and can just adjust to anything,” Georgia Palvou said. “If the other team is doing a backer defense or just a man-to-man defense or they’re throwing a lot of checks … we can just adjust to it. We come together as one and support each other.”
Another key reason for the program’s success is a culture of never settling. Country Day won by wide margins all year, but was still able to pull off a close victory in the final game of 2025.
“There’s always a new limit to reach. Yes, it’s nice to beat teams by a lot, but what’s new limits that we can set for ourselves and that we can chase?” Mary Pavlou said. “Playing high-quality, high-level that would contest not just in Michigan but in the Midwest, and one day, hopefully, nationwide.”
Detroit Country Day ended the season with a 17-1 record in 2025 and went undefeated against teams in Michigan. The team’s only loss was an 18-11 final March 29 against Carmel High School in Indiana. Country Day went to Chicago to face Loyola Academy and New Trier High School. New Trier ended up winning its state title game as well.
“We worked really hard to try to build relationships with schools from other states and bring Michigan lacrosse to that front stage,” Nussbaum explained. “This is the first year we were able to actually have a team come play us as a top-ranked, out-of-state team.”
Country Day lacrosse has established itself as one of the consistent producers in the state. Year in and year out the team is competitive on the field and thriving off the field.
“I feel like Country Day lacrosse is a consistent in these girls’ lives,” Nussbaum said. “We have such a strong network of girls that once you’re part of the lacrosse community, it’s like you never forget. I think that’s what brings us strength.”
This marks the fourth consecutive season that Detroit Country Day’s girls lacrosse team has played in Division 2 and is the team’s second championship in program history, also winning in 2023.
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from page 1A
nities that were ranked among the 10 best.
Rochester Hills was ranked as the ninth best place to live in the U.S., outperforming in quality of life factors.
According to the rankings, “Rochester Hills outperforms in quality of life, led by its position as the No. 22 city for college readiness. Rochester Hills is the fifth-safest city in our rankings, per our crime index, which is paramount to its high spot on our rankings.”
Around 75,425 people live in Rochester Hills, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Of that population, 23% are under age 20, 11% are 25-34 years old, 14% are 35-44, 26% are 45-65, and about 20% are over age 65.
According to the report, Rochester Hills “offers a better value than similarly sized cities when you compare housing costs to median household income.” The median home value in Rochester Hills is $377,213, compared to the national average of $370,489, while the median household income in Rochester Hills is $116,432, compared with the national average of $79,466. The job market in Rochester Hills is better than the national average, while unemployment in
Rochester Hills is lower than the national average of 4.5%.
Barnett said the city plans to celebrate this accomplishment throughout the year and at a variety of community events.
Other ranked Michigan cities include: Troy at No. 10; Midland at No. 32; Novi at No. 34; Livonia at No. 88; Sterling Heights at No. 196; Wyoming at No. 197; and Traverse City at No. 250.
Others in the top 10 include: Johns Creek, Georgia, at No. 1; Carmel, Indiana, at No. 2; Pearland, Texas, at No. 3; Fishers, Indiana, at No. 4; Cary, North Carolina, at No. 5; League City, Texas, at No. 6; Apex, North Carolina, No. 7; and Leander, Texas, at No. 8.
The 859 cities analyzed for the 20252026 reveal were then ranked within statespecific rankings.
At the statewide level, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rochester Hills as the best place to live in Michigan.
“This year’s release celebrates the top 250 places that meet consumer needs best, but also offers the ability to view top-ranked cities in states of their choice,” Giovanetti said in a statement.
For more information about the U.S. News & World Report rankings, visit www. usnews.com.
HOMES
Residents build gardens and make their lawns more attractive to pollinators
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — For many years, people around the U.S. have been working together to provide safe ecosystems for bugs, birds and other pollinators right in their backyards, and they continue to encourage others to do the same.
Whether it is dedicating one’s whole lawn to the movement or creating a pollinator garden in one part of the yard, the process can be fulfilling and doable for everyone.
Royal Oak beekeeper and honey business owner Anne Marie Nadolski said to let go of the marketing of perfect lawns.
“Let’s change the narrative, let’s change the framework and how we look at grass,” Nadolski said.
Nadolski recalled a time when dandelions, Dutch clovers, and other native plants were more plentiful.
“I think we have to dial it back to when, when I was a kid, everybody had some Dutch clover in their lawn, they had dandelions, those little violets. We were all the same up and down the blocks,” she said. “Roly pollies were plentiful. Ladybugs, lighting bugs, butterflies. All of the food for our pollinators, the stuff that we are walking on and eradicating, is taking away their food source.”
There are a few options when it comes to creating a more eco-friendly lawn to help pollinators thrive. Nadolski, for example, doesn’t completely abandon keeping her lawn neat; she instead seeds her grass with Dutch clover.
“When I was a new homeowner in my 20s, I worked hard to eradicate Dutch clover. I bought all of the chemicals, I tried my best to get it out of my yard,” she said. “Now I crack myself up because not only do I have clover, I paid money to buy clover and reintroduce it.”
Having clover in the lawn means she can mow when she likes to, but the clovers
ABOVE: Anne Marie Nadolski has a pollinator-friendly lawn that includes her Royal Bee Honey business sign.
TOP RIGHT: A bee lands on a white Dutch clover in Nadolski’s yard.
MIDDLE RIGHT: A bee pollinates a crabapple tree.
BOTTOM RIGHT: A monarch butterfly pollinates a milkweed plant in Nadolski’s yard in Royal Oak.
Photos provided by Anne Marie Nadolski
FERNDALE HOSTS
LEFT: Arturo Chency, 22, of Oak Park, hits a trick during Ferndale’s Skate Jam at Geary Park. BELOW: Sydney Sarotte, 22, of Beverly Hills, participates in Ferndale’s Skate Jam at Geary Park June 7. RIGHT: Ferndale resident Maya Meltzer, 20, skates at Geary Park during Skate Jam.
Photos by Erin Sanchez
Pollinators
from page 8A
will continue to grow back and feed the pollinators.
“I don’t care to have a putting green for a lawn, and actually, my lawn looks pretty good,” she said. “But I let that Dutch clover there for the bees and the butterflies, because that’s a great source of nectar and pollen. If you want to look at a perfect lawn, go golfing. A perfect lawn to me is one that provides food, pollen and nectar.”
There is also an option to completely change your current lawn and plant “Fleur de Lawn,” a lawn that features perennial pink and white English daisies and strawberry and Dutch white clover. The clovers naturally feed the lawn with nitrogen, eliminating the need for fertilizer.
Nadolski said that alternatives like clovers or Fleur de Lawn can also help save a few dollars on water and gas, because these types of lawns do not need to be watered or mowed as often.
Another suggestion would be to pick out a space in the yard specifically for pollinators, called a pollinator garden. Pollinator gardens are designed to attract and support pollinators. It is usually planted with a variety of wildflowers, trees and shrubs that provide pollen and nectar.
“It’s important to have plants and shrubs and trees that are native to our local ecosystem,” Royal Oak resident Ann Bueche said. “So, there is a lot of confusion, or this has been a tradition in the gardening industry for 100 years or so, where you have or-
Black
from page 3A
whether to do so, but he decided to remain on council for now.
“Being the first African American to serve the city, I didn’t want to resign,” he said. “I thought about resigning because I also know that this is going to be an intense deployment that’s going to need my full attention, but as I kind of prayed and talked to people, they said if you can be a part and you can navigate it, then try to do it because, you know, I don’t want to resign. I don’t want to give that up when I worked so hard to get it and be the first. I love serving the city and I know we’re coming into an election. We have three council members that are up for reelection, so I just want to try and maintain that stability if I can.”
Mayor Bridget Dean expressed in a
namental plants that go by temperature and location and by zones, but the vast majority of what’s sold commercially is either from Asia or Europe. And so little by little, our pollinator-friendly areas have been chipped away over the decades.”
Finding native plants to Michigan is a part of this process. Some native plants include: purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, wild bergamot, swamp milkweed and wild lupine.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, online at fws.gov, suggests choosing a sunny location for a pollinator garden and checking the soil to see what kind of plants will thrive there.
Bueche said she is in no way a master gardener, but she learned through research, community resources, and trial and error while she was creating her pollinator garden.
“I’m a curious gardener, and a continual practitioner,” she said. “The first tip I would give to a new pollinator gardener is to decrease or discontinue using chemicals; if you are not willing to do that, you are not going to have any success with pollinators. The second thing would be to find a good source for native plants, either through wild ones or a local nursery that specializes in native plants and native genotypes, not just what they sell to commercial garden centers, and then start small and go from there so you can learn more about native plants.”
For more information on how to build a pollinator garden, visit fws.org, homegrownnationalpark.org or pollinator.org.
statement her deepest gratitude to Black for his service to the country and to Berkley.
“He is, and will continue to be, a valued member of council,” she stated. “I know the whole Berkley community wishes him safety in his deployment and, while he will still be participating in council meetings via Zoom, we look forward to having him back in person soon.”
Black said if he feels like he’s not adequately performing the job well or can’t give it his full attention, then he will revisit his decision on whether to resign or not.
“If I don’t feel like I can do the job or if something happens to me that takes me out of the position, then that’s a conversation I’ll have to have with the mayor and city manager,” he said.
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