8/20/25 Eagle by C & G Newspapers

$36.6M senior center bond proposal dropped for November ballot

BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com

BIRMINGHAM — The Birmingham City Commission decided to not go forward with a $36,640,000 bond proposal for the Birmingham community and senior center at a meeting Aug. 11. The motion failed 5-2 — with Commissioner Anthony Long and Mayor Pro-Tem Clinton Baller in favor of putting it on the ballot for voters to consider.

The vote and discussion at the regular City Commission meeting followed a workshop session on the topic, which involved a public comment portion.

Background

The city had been in discussion about the property at 400 E. Lincoln for two years when the city and Next purchased it. At the time the purchase was made in 2023, the plan was for the building to be used by Next senior services. NEXT agreed to contribute $500,000 to the purchase, and the commission approved a three-year lease agreement of $1 per year allowing the YMCA to continue to provide its services after the city closes on the purchase. The idea was to provide a three-year transition period where the YMCA would continue to offer services and have some responsibility

Bloomfield Hills Schools improves athletic facilities with bond money

BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com

Among the many features of the new wellness center is cardio and strength equipment for student athletes to use for training.

ABOVE: The athletic improvements, including the wellness center, are paid for by a Bloomfield Hills Schools bond passed in 2020.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Bloomfield Hills Schools has upgraded its athletic facilities using 2020 bond money.

The improvements to the athletic facilities include a brandnew wellness center, team rooms, restrooms, a gateway ticket entrance, concessions and a resurfaced track.

Athletic Director Mike Cowdrey said the ideas for these

Arts, Beats & Eats announces legendary music lineup

BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com

ROYAL OAK — Michigan Lottery Arts, Beats & Eats presented by Flagstar Bank recently announced the musical lineup for the Aug. 29-Sept. 1 festival.

The Arts, Beats & Eats team also revealed the festival’s new logo, which they said pays tribute to the history and urban lifestyle of metro Detroit.

The artist, Nick Pizaña, said that the design, created with his signature cartoon style of vibrant colors, “har-

See FESTIVAL on page 20A

LEFT: “Man: First Reflection,” by Keven Bahoora, shows a man staring at his own reflection and is made of sand and dirt.

Artist uses natural materials to capture beauty

BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com

SOUTHFIELD/ TROY — Artist Keven Bahoora uses natural materials in his art, which is being displayed indefinitely at the Italcasa showroom in the Michigan Design Center, 1700 Stutz Drive, Suite 25, in Troy. Bahoora grew up in Southfield and now lives in Las Vegas.

One of the works of art at the showroom is a life-size

See BAHOORA on page 10A

Photos provided by Keven Bahoora

RIGHT: Bahoora’s “Red Rose” was made out of real rose petals.

Earlier this month, Event Producer Jon Witz announces the musical lineup for this year’s Arts, Beats & Eats festival.

Photo provided by Michigan Lottery Arts, Beats & Eats presented by Flagstar Bank

CRIME WATCH

Red Bull, soda stolen from Kroger

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — On Aug. 9, at approximately 3 p.m., the Bloomfield Township Police Department responded to the Kroger located at 4099 Telegraph Road for a retail fraud in progress.

Store employees observed a man load Red Bulls, Canada Dry, Sprite and other drinks into a cart and leave the store without paying. He was seen loading the merchandise into a white van and leaving the area. Officers located the van on the north side of the shopping plaza and observed the stolen merchandise inside.

Officers also located a suspect, a juvenile, and placed him under arrest. A second suspect, the driver of the van, fled the scene on foot, but was later apprehended by Bloomfield Township police.

The second subject was identified as a 27-year-old Inkster man. A total of $424.99 worth of merchandise was recovered and returned to Kroger. This case was sent to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, which issued a one-count warrant for retail fraud in the first degree. The suspect was arraigned in 52-1 District Court, where he was given a $15,000/10% bond. A petition request was sent to the Juvenile Circuit Court for the juvenile involved.

Merchandise stolen from Dick’s Sporting Goods

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — Police were dispatched to Dick’s Sporting Goods, located at 2105 Telegraph Road, at 1 p.m. Aug. 6 for a retail fraud that had just occurred.

Two male suspects had entered the store and grabbed multiple pieces of Nike merchandise. They went to the fitting room and left the store with the merchandise concealed. The suspects were seen leaving the area in a blue Chrysler minivan.

Officers located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The two suspects, identified as a 30-year-old Detroit man and a 28-year-old Detroit man, were arrested.

The stolen merchandise, totaling $369.99, was recovered from inside the vehicle and was returned to Dick’s Sporting Goods. A 5-inch folding knife was also recovered.

One suspect was charged with one count carrying a concealed weapon, one count of second-degree retail fraud and one count of driving on a suspended license. The second was charged with one count of second-degree retail fraud.

Both were arraigned in 48th District Court. One suspect was issued a $25,000 cash bond (no 10%) and the other a $10,000 cash bond (no 10%).

Suspects throw dog bowl at vehicle, spit at teen

BIRMINGHAM — At approximately 11 p.m. July 31, officers on patrol were dispatched to the 500 block of North Old Woodward for a possible fight in progress. The reporting party stated that she had heard yelling and what sounded like a possible fight nearby.

When police arrived and activated their emergency sirens, three juvenile suspects fled the area. Officers spoke with a 17-year-old from Rochester Hills, who reported that three unknown male suspects had thrown a dog bowl at his car, and one of them spat on his clothing. He said the suspects were upset about how he had turned onto Old Woodward. An investigation is ongoing.

Intoxicated man wields hammer

BIRMINGHAM — Officers on patrol received a description of a 46-year-old Royal Oak man who allegedly had been threatening people with a hammer near the 30000 block of Woodward Avenue around 10 p.m. Aug. 11 before driving away.

Officers located the suspect and observed signs of intoxication. The suspect stated that he felt threatened by individuals in another vehicle while driving, pulled into the gas station, and retrieved a hammer from his tool pouch when they followed him. Witnesses stated that the suspect exited his vehicle, dropped a bag and began threatening people with the hammer when approached for help. After failing field sobriety evaluations, the suspect was arrested and cited for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Investigation continues into larceny against 21-year-old

BIRMINGHAM — A 21-year-old woman told police Aug. 6 that the night before, while at a party in Detroit, a fight occurred between her friend and two former friends. She said she later received threatening text messages from the former friends and suspects, a 21-year-old woman and a 22-yearold woman from Detroit, demanding she come outside or they would damage her car.

Shortly after, she found her glovebox open and $600 missing, though her vehicle was locked and showed no signs of forced entry. Officers also located a third suspect, a 21-year-old Detroit woman.

All suspects denied involvement, but the victim continued receiving messages asking her to fight. The investigation is ongoing.

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NEWS & NOTES

KIRK IN THE HILLS TO HOST FREE JAZZ CONCERT

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Kirk in the Hills will host live music for Jazz at the Kirk, part of the church’s Renew & Resound Campaign, 6-8 p.m. Aug. 21. The community is invited to enjoy a free concert with acclaimed jazz pianist Wesley Reynoso and Friends.

“Our hope is to create a space where the community can come together to enjoy great music, share in fellowship, and support a cause that will enrich worship and music at the Kirk for generations to come,” Edwin Estevez, senior pastor, said in a press release.

Kirk in the Hills is located at 1340 W. Long Lake Road in Bloomfield Hills. While the event is free, donations are appreciated. Visit kirkinthehills.org for more information.

MEN’S CLUB TO HOST FOUR SPEAKERS IN SEPTEMBER

BIRMINGHAM/BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — The Senior Men’s Club of Birmingham is hosting a speaker each week of September at its Friday luncheon meetings — held at The Iroquois Club, 43248 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Township.

On Sept. 5, David Silver, the founder and executive director of Detroit Horse Power, will present “Using the Power of Horses to Strengthen Detroit’s Future.”

On Sept. 12, Dr. Kenneth Kernen of the Michigan

Institute of Urology will present “Life-Saving New Technologies.”

On Sept. 19, Dr. Boris Pasche, the president and CEO of Karmanos Cancer Institute, will present “The Challenge of Cancer.”

Closing out the month, on Sept. 26, Chassica Kirschhoff, of the Detroit Institute of Arts, will present “Re-Awakening European Arms & Armor at the DIA.”

BIRMINGHAM LAUNCHES NEW BUS APP

BIRMINGHAM — Birmingham Public Schools will launch the Bus Zone app Aug. 21, providing parents and students with real-time updates about their school bus. On the district’s Facebook page, they recommend downloading the app before school starts. Bus routes will also be available on PowerSchool Aug. 21.

Summer event in Franklin provides fun for the family

FRANKLIN — On Aug. 20, downtown Franklin will hold “Main Street Franklin Summer Heat, Powered by DTE.”

The night will feature free family-friendly activities, food trucks and ice cream. Entertainment includes live music, arts and crafts, balloon animals, face painting, stilt walkers, giant yard games, and more.

The event will take place 5-8 p.m. on the Village Green in the village of Franklin, 32325 Franklin Road. More information for this Main Street Franklin event can be found at .MainStreetFranklinMi.com.

Photo provided by Kirk in the Hills

Photo provided by Main Street Franklin

Proposal

for the maintenance of the property. After that, senior programming was supposed to occupy 75% or more of the square footage of the YMCA building. The three years were intended to allow time for planning, financing and necessary renovations to occur.

On Nov. 7, 2023, voters approved a 0.33-mill senior tax to update the building for Next. The three-year levy passed 69% to 31%.

However, a change in leadership at the YMCA occurred and the YMCA decided that they wanted to continue as a fully operational branch.

At the city commission workshop on Aug. 11, prior to the city commission meeting, Parrish Underwood, president and CEO of YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit said, “I want to be clear, despite what anyone may feel, at no point has it been the YMCAs intention to be a disruptive force to Next’s plans or to diminish the critical work they do. Quite the opposite. From the beginning, we believe that a partnership between our two organizations could create something exceptional, combining the YMCA’s broad capacity and resources with Next’s deep expertise in serving older adults. Together, we envision a place where the entire community could thrive. At every point of challenge in this process, the YMCA has sought to offer solutions and not roadblocks.”

The city has since spent time working out how to provide Next and the YMCA the space and resources they need, in addition to including community space and facilities. After an assessment from NORR Architects, the city decided to build a new building that would provide space for each community need, rather than renovate the existing building.

However, when the cost was estimated to be approximately $36.1 million, the city tabled this discussion.

Commission discussion of options

During the Aug. 11 workshop and City Commission meeting, the commission and the public considered three options. However, no vote can be made at a workshop, and the only item that was up for a vote at the commission meeting to be put on the November ballot was Option 1: building a brand-new building that would house Next and YMCA operations.

Neumann Smith Architects created a schematic design for the city. The building would be 47,260 square feet and would have a pool, among many other amenities. How-

ever, financing for this option would be dependent on a bond vote, which the commission voted against putting on the November ballot.

Option two involves a remodel, designed by YMCA staff and national architect GRO.

This option also includes new construction space, but at a reduced cost. However, this option does not address all of the building’s current issues, such as fire suppression and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance of the pool. The YMCA estimates that the final cost would be $27,477,284 and would require a bond proposal.

Option 3 includes compliance with the MOU between the city and Next. This option includes updating the building to address ADA compliance and other issues to allow Next to move its operations to the building. This option involves closing the pool. The cost would be $3,500,000 and would be paid for by the already-passed 2023 senior millage.

At the City Commission meeting, Baller and Long both spoke on their opposition to option 3.

“I don’t think we should put a dime into that building. I still think we should tear it down,” Baller said.

“I think it’s a mistake, because I think it’s going to eat the city alive going forward, for the cost to keep that building going, based upon, not my opinion, based upon the studies that we’ve already had. So that’s my view,” Long said.

Baller suggests the city consider a fourth option that would ask for less money in a bond to be used to create a new home for Next. However, this option was not able to be pursued at the meeting due to the deadline for the bond proposal being the day after the meeting, Aug. 12. Additionally, the bond proposal language up for approval has to undergo a thorough review process.

In the meeting, members of the commission also shared their opposition to putting the proposal on the ballot.

Commissioner Brad Host said, “The proposed project is too much money. The unpredictable economic environment we have just does not warrant trying to get money from our citizens,” Host said.

Mayor Therese Longe said she doesn’t think they should put something on the ballot “that the commission does not uniformly and wholeheartedly believe is the optimal solution, and that is my concern. So even though I love this project, and I was one of the strongest advocates for it, I just can’t support putting it on the ballot to let it fail. I think that there’s political capital and opportunity cost to that,” Longe said.

Bahoora

piece made of sand. The subject is a “metaphorical Adam type figure,” depicted, “knowing what we know now,” he said.

Bahoora said he was inspired to do this after being hired to draw the Sistine Chapel ceiling, “Creation of Adam,” in the 1990s.

This piece, titled “man,” shows a Black man sitting in East Africa at the “junction between drought and storm,” Bahoora said.

While creating this project, he set constraints for himself to follow, including the involvement of light in the piece, and the use of sand and dirt.

Through the process of creating this 8-foot piece, Bahoora said, it was the first time he decided to “marry image with medium.”

This piece inspired him to begin the process of creating an Eve piece, depicting Eve in a bed of leaves — which will be made out of leaves — with her skin, hair and body made of rose petals. This piece is still in progress.

“When I was doing it, I got stuck. I could not figure out how to preserve color, particularly pinks and reds — and that was going to be part of this Eve piece I was doing,” Bahoora said. “So I stopped, and I said, ‘OK,

let’s learn how to preserve organic material in a way that we could retain its color and not have it change.’”

Bahoora said this process took 15 years, which eventually inspired him to make a rose out of rose petals — one of the pieces on display at the Italcasa showroom in the Michigan Design Center, “Red Rose.”

This 7-foot rose was made out of rose petals on wood. No paints or pigments were used. In addition to these two major pieces, several other pieces by Bahoora are at the Italcasa showroom.

Nair (Mike) Bahoora, of the Michigan Design Center, is Kevin Bahoora’s cousin and encouraged him to show his work in their Art Walk.

“He’s got it displayed throughout our store, and it complements our furniture perfectly.”

Bahoora’s artistic journey

Kevin Bahoora is a self-taught artist, and he said that when he was first learning how to draw, he was using charcoal to learn values, shades and shapes. He said this technique transferred easily to working with sand.

“I actually became a chiropractic physician so that I could be an artist. The rationale

lot of years and a lot of money to learn how to make it, because there’s going to be a lot of failures with preserving organic material,” Bahoora said.

Once he figured out how to preserve the color, he became a full-time artist.

While Bahoora was working on the rose piece, his wife became ill. He brought their bed into his studio so that he could take care of her.

“She is my reason for doing everything. All of this — she’s my inspiration for everything.”

The pieces are on display at the Italcasa showroom in the Michigan Design Center. For more information on the showroom, visit michigandesign.com. There are limited edition giclée prints available for all pieces and the artist does commissioned work.

Ask Rob Wilson, owner of Wilson Fine Violins in Birmingham, what he loves most about his business, and he doesn’t skip a beat: “Our goal is to foster a love for music throughout life,” Wilson said. “We focus on having customers for a lifetime.”

Specializing in the sale, lease, repair and restorations of violins, violas, cellos and basses, Wilson Fine Violins oﬀers full professional support - including lessons and a 100% trade-in policy - to customers ranging in age from under the age of two to 89. “Most of our customers are younger players, so it’s great to see them grow up in front of us,” Wilson said. “They come in small and then move from having their parents’ names on the account, to having their own names on the account, to

said he took to the business right away and eventually became a partner in the shop. The two men moved the business to Birmingham in 1998, and Wilson became the sole owner when his partner retired. Since then, Wilson and his staﬀ have built a business based on customer loyalty and exceptional service for each person who walks in the shop, regardless of their skill level.

“Unlike some other shops, Rob treats you the same whether you are a professional player or a young student,” said Ramon Garza, an instructor and professional musician. “He takes you aside and carefully explains things. I have always felt conﬁdent that he will take care of my students.”

Wilson Fine Violins Oﬀers A Lifelong Haven For Musicians

In addition to helping customers ﬁnd the right instrument, Wilson said that education is also a major component to his workindividual lessons are provided both onsite or oﬀ-site with highly recommended musical instructors.

“We believe in personalized care of our customers and try to understand the unique needs of each of them,” Wilson said. “We’re here to guide you and help facilitate the growth of our clients.”

Wilson Fine Violins is located in the Adams Square Mall at 725 S. Adams Road, Suite 115 in Birmingham. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 11-6, Thursday 11-8, Saturday 10-3, Closed Sundays.

For more information about Restoration, Repairs and Rentals, visit our website

At Wilson Fine Violins, we know that private lessons and personalized attention make all the diﬀerence in how quickly you learn to play your new instrument. We are pleased to oﬀer the convenience of a private lesson studio right in our building.

ABOVE: Tom Petzold and members of his family manage a portfolio of neighborhood shopping centers. The business manages the Tech Plaza at 12 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue in Warren as well as other centers in Detroit and Dearborn, among other locations.

LEFT: The Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce works with major retail centers in its area, including the Adams Square Shopping Center on South Adams Road, south of Maple Road and east of Woodward Avenue. The plaza features a combination of local retail stores, restaurants and chain stores.

Photos by Erin Sanchez

HUMAN ELEMENT CONSIDERED A BENEFIT AT LOCAL SHOPPING PLAZAS

BY SARAH WRIGHT swright@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — For those who have active roles in various business spaces in the metro Detroit area, shopping plazas can provide some benefits for in-person shopping as opposed to buying online.

A survey conducted by the International Council of Shopping Centers notes that there are around 115,000 shopping centers in the U.S. with nearly 90% being small, neighborhood and convenience store centers. Also, about 83% of Americans visit a shopping center at least once a week and 20% go to a shopping center more than 10 times a week.

According to statistics compiled by CapitalOne Shopping, American consumers spent $5.927 trillion in retail stores and $1.337 trillion online in 2024, though this value does not account for seasonal adjustments.

The Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce works with major retail centers around the Maple Road/Telegraph Road, Telegraph Road/Square Lake Road, and 13 Mile Road/Southfield Road intersections, around both east and west ends, as well as the Adams Square Shopping Center. The plazas feature a combination of local re-

See PLAZAS on page 19A

At Trinity Health Oakland Hospital, we see more than a condition – we see you. Whether it’s innovative heart, stroke or cancer care, personalized women’s health or minimally invasive surgery, our experts use the latest technology to help you get back to what you love. Conveniently located on Woodward Avenue in the heart of Oakland County, our hospital campus offers free, easy parking and a modern, welcoming environment.

Star Lincoln has proudly supported Southﬁeld’s Kids Kicking Cancer events since 2022. Today known as MATIO (Martial Arts Therapy. Inside & Out.) in turn has served children facing serious illness in Metro Detroit for over 25 years and has since expanded to multiple states across the country.

Star will celebrate this ongoing support by sponsoring the upcoming beneﬁt event on Monday, September 8 held at 4000 Clubgate Dr., Bloomﬁeld Hills, MI 48302. There is still time to register to golf, provide a gift of support or volunteer for the event. Visit: heroescircle. org/golf to learn more. The 9/8/25 event will feature 18 holes of golf, breakfast, lunch, networking, a strolling dinner and a live demonstration by participating students.

The generosity of the community helps MATIO bring power, peace and purpose, while also easing pain, reducing stress and restoring resilience in the most challenging moments of a critically-ill child’s life. Kristen Cometto-Russ, CEO of MATIO, explained the philosophy of the rewarding program.

• Courtesy Shuttle Available Star Lincoln teams with MATIO formerly Heroes Circle/Kids Kicking

Our Martial Arts Instructors are deployed throughout S.E. Michigan to hospitals and clinical settings.”, Cometto-Russ explained. “Additionally, we o er outpatient programming in our o ce, twice a week in the evenings to accommodate a child’s busy schedule.”

The core components of these visits are done bedside, in tandem, with medical professionals to supplement a child’s care plan. “MATIO o ers a non-pharmacological, evidence-based, therapeutic Method where we have our Martial Arts instructors work with clinically-ill children ranging from ages 3-20.”, Cometto- Russ continued. “Through martial arts’ teaching, visualization, breath work and safe-movement, we work together to build resilience, teach empowerment, achieve and provide a supportive, like-minded community.”

The professional sta at Star Lincoln ﬁnds supporting MATIO equally rewarding. Brendt Henry, General Manager, has spearheaded their support of this cause for the last 3 years.

“On behalf of the McInerney Family and my sta at Star Lincoln, we truly appreciate the opportunity to sponsor Kids Kicking Cancer events. It makes a huge, huge di erence for us and obviously for everybody involved” said Henry.

Tom Brown, General Sales Manager, echoes Henry’s enthusiasm with equal pride at being a major sponsor. “There are kids out there that are ﬁghting for their lives and can use all the help they can get. We are doing all we can to help get these kids healthy again.”

Patrick Leonhard, New Car Sales Manager, has also been instrumental in the Star tradition of serving others. “Its a great thing to give back to the community for sure, especially for children.” Leonhard concluded.

Ryan McInerney, Executive Manager, loves the way that MATIO aligns with Star’s focus on health and wellness. “Our community invests in us. This is our way of investing back. Collaboration fuels change. Let’s change together. See you Monday, 9/8/25.”, McInerney said.

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ONE HOT SUMMER …

Thursday, August 28, 2 p.m.

… NEEDS TO END WITH COOL, CHILL VIBES!

You’re invited to a fun-flled American House Village at Bloomfeld event as we celebrate the last hot days of summer. Enjoy live music, a variety of delicious ice creams and so much more. Tour our beautiful community and we’ll send you home with a complimentary S’mores Kit Box. We look forward to closing out the dog days of summer with you!

Please RSVP by August 24, to let us know if you’ll be attending.

(248) 213-8771

Accepting new patients. Prompt scheduling for same-day sick and well exams.

Susan

Christine

We are a vaccinating o ice. Please call our o ice for appointments and insurance questions.

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& Associates

From left to right, Ryan Forster M.D., Kaitlin Park D.O., Sonja Earles M.D., Carey Abele N.P., Misha Martinez M.D., Steven Antone M.D. Not pictured, Thomas Schnur M.D.,

Lagrou M.D.,

Knoublauch N.P. and Shauntelle Angle N.P.

Seeing Beyond Limits: How

Dr. John Jacobi Helps Patients Thrive With Low Vision

Low vision doesn’t mean the end of independence—and it certainly doesn’t mean the end of hope. At Beyond Low Vision in Novi, Dr. John Jacobi is transforming lives by helping patients with vision loss regain the ability to do the things they love.

Low vision is a condition that glasses, surgery, or standard medical treatments can’t fully correct. It can make reading, driving, watching television, or recognizing faces nearly impossible. For adults with macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or other serious eye diseases, it can feel like the world is slowly slipping away.

Dr. Jacobi’s mission is to stop that slide— and restore more than just sight. With more than 35 years of optometric experience and advanced training in low vision rehabilitation, Dr. Jacobi is one of the only low vision specialists in Michigan who offers customized visual solutions using advanced optics like high-powered magnifers and miniature telescopes built into glasses.

“Most people with low vision have been told ‘nothing more can be done.’ That’s simply not true,” says Dr. Jacobi. “With the right tools and strategies, we can help patients read again, watch TV, see loved

ones’ faces, and even drive in some cases.”

As a Fellow of the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists, Dr. Jacobi provides detailed functional vision assessments to understand how each patient’s unique condition affects their daily life. Then, he designs personalized low vision systems— specialized devices and glasses tailored to help them meet real-world goals.

One of his most powerful tools is the miniature telescope lens system, which can be added to glasses to magnify and enhance central vision. For patients with macular degeneration or advanced glaucoma, it can make the difference between watching a grandchild perform in a school play—or just hearing about it later.

Beyond his work with older adults, Dr. Jacobi also helps younger patients living with congenital or acquired visual impairment. His practice is fully devoted to low vision, and he works closely with other eye doctors across the state to bring his services to more people in need.

“Every case is different,” says Dr. Jacobi. “I’ve helped a 12-year-old read her favorite books again, and I’ve helped a 99-yearold get back to doing crossword puzzles. That’s the power of low vision care.”

Appointments with Dr. Jacobi are available in Novi, and an east side location may open soon based on demand. He also offers phone consultations and is happy to speak with referring optometrists or ophthalmologists.

If you or someone you love is struggling with vision loss, don’t give up. Beyond Low Vision may be the answer.

“Low vision care is not about what you’ve lost,” Dr. Jacobi says. “It’s about what we can help you get back.”

Nowthere’shopefor hormonalhealthrecovery formenandwomen

Dr. Rona Wadle, D.O., doesn’t hold back when talking about the life-changing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy that she received - and now offers to others at RenewMyWellness in downtown Birmingham.

“After suffering through severe menopausal symptoms myself, this therapy has given me my life back,” Dr. Wadle said.

Dr. Rona Wadle, D.O., doesn’t hold back when talking about the life-changing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy that she received - and now ofers to others at Renew My Wellness located in Birmingham.

Since the 1930’s patients throughout Europe, Japan and the United States have successfully used bio-identical hormones. Many studies show that when prescribed and administered correctly, bio-identical hormone pellets can help a variety of conditions and symptoms. They don’t present the potential hazards that many synthetic medications do.

“Afer sufering through severe menopausal symptoms myself, this therapy has given me my life back,” Dr. Wadle said.

As a registered nurse who later went to medical school and became board certiﬁed in emergency medicine, Dr. Wadle owned and operated an urgent care center in Birmingham. Based on her own medical journey and personal experience with hormone depletion, she founded RenewMyWellness.

“After suffering through severe menopausal symptoms myself, this therapy has given me my life back,” Dr. Wadle said.

As a registered nurse who later went to medical school and became board certifed in emergency medicine, Dr. Wadle owned and operated an urgent care center in Birmingham. Based on her own medical journey and personal experience with hormone depletion, she founded Renew My Wellness.

For men and women dealing with fatigue, depression, apathy, anxiety, weight gain, decreased libido, decreased exercise endurance and muscle mass there is a bioidentical way to improve these symptoms. “What we’re offering is hormone replacement therapy in the form of testosterone and estradiol pellets for both women and men,” Dr. Wadle explains.“Pellets provide a delivery system that mimics the human body so that even improved physiologic levels can be achieved.”

For men and women dealing with fatigue, depression, apathy, anxiety, weight gain, decreased libido, decreased exercise endurance and muscle mass there is a bioidentical way to improve these symptoms. “What we’re ofering is hormone replacement therapy in the form of testosterone and estradiol pellets for both women and men,” Dr. Wadle explains. “Pellets provide a delivery system that mimics the human body so that even improved physiologic levels can be achieved.”

Since the 1930’s patients throughout Europe, Japan and

the United States have successfully used bio-identical hormones. Many studies show that when prescribed and administered correctly, bio-identical hormone pellets can help a variety of conditions and symptoms. They don’t present the potential hazards that many synthetic medications do.

RenewMyWellness also offers testosterone injections for men and a prescription weight loss program for both men and women that is monitored to ensure it is safe and effective. Dr. Wadle said she founded RenewMyWellness to promote wellness through a holistically-integrative approach to patient care that combines conventional and functional medicine. The results leave patients with improved conﬁdence and a whole-body sense of well-being.

Renew My Wellness also ofers testosterone injections for men and a prescription weight loss program for both men and women that is monitored to ensure it is safe and efective.

RenewMyWellness is located at 33466 Woodward Ave., in downtown Birmingham. To schedule a consultation or for more information, call 248-602-3177.

Scan to receive more information & monthly newsletters.

Dr. Wadle said she founded Renew My Wellness to promote wellness through a holistically-integrative approach to patient care that combines conventional and functional medicine. The results leave patients with improved confdence and a whole-body sense of well-being.

Scan to receive more information & monthly newsletters.

Renew My Wellness is located at 33466 Woodward Ave., in Birmingham.

To schedule a consultation or for more information, call 248602-3177. Or visit www.renewmywellness.com.

Dr. Rona Wadle, D.O.

John P. Jacobi, OD, FCOVD, FIALVS

Experience power washing the way it should be done, by ‘Honest Guys’

Whether it’s dirty from the elements or everyday wear and tear, your property’s exterior takes a beating. For your home or business, maintenance is the key to preserving your investment.

When it’s time to clean and freshen up the look of almost anything, Honest Guys Power Washing is the only call you need to make. Owner Dan Taylor and his “guys” handle expert power washing for everything: homes, decks, brick pavers, cement, gutters, siding, industrial buildings, and even construction vehicles.

Dan said decks and brick pavers are their specialty, where they o er a better quality of service than the competition, the materials they use leave a longer lasting ﬁnish and the scope of work goes beyond power washing.

“We’ll refinish decks, replacing boards and fixing structural issues,” Dan said. “We fix patios and pavers that are falling apart.

Not only do we li and level and repair the base, we get the moss out of the cracks and put polymeric sand in the joints that prohibits weed growth and prevents moisture penetration.”

The power washing season heats up in mid-April and runs through October, which means now is the perfect time to protect

your property by keeping it clean and performing optimally.

“It’s worth investing in maintenance,” Dan said. “It’s a lot cheaper to maintain something than it is to repair it or replace it.”

Honest Guys o ers competitive pricing with a quality of work that exceeds what the competition o ers. Dan and his team can also quote pricing for new brick installation, add-ons, retaining walls, rock and more.

“We’re the best,” Dan said. “We take care and pride in our work. We use only the best products and our employees are educated technicians with years of experience.”

Honest Guys Power Washing has a new o ce and showroom in Clarkston. For more information or to set up a consultation for a free estimate, visit honestguyspowerwash.com or call (248) 568-7152.

Plazas

tail stores, restaurants and chain stores.

Chamber President Joe Bauman says the personal service of in-person shopping may be more appealing than the convenience of online shopping.

“There is a much greater chance you are going to be satisfied with your purchase when you can see and feel it before you buy it,” Bauman said in an email. “And if a problem does occur, it is much more likely to be resolved if you have established a relationship with the local retailer.”

“There is no denying the level of competition being brought by these massive, online retailers. But there are still plenty of people who want to deal with another human rather than a computer screen,” Bauman added.

At Petzold Enterprises, Tom Petzold and members of his family manage a portfolio of neighborhood shopping centers. The business manages the Tech Plaza at 12 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue in Warren as well as other centers in Detroit and Dearborn, among other locations. His grandfather started the business in the 1960s.

“We try to focus on being in ... central(ly) located, convenient locations,” Petzold said.

“We are a small family business, and we have shopping centers that we lease out to a combination of tenants, some of whom are small family businesses like us and others are more corporate,” he added.

In terms of the comparison of in-person shopping versus online shopping, Petzold says the positivity of the staff and the environment are really important to the consumer experience.

“When you think about when you’re creating a shopping center, one thing I’ve learned is that one of the constituencies that you’re competing for is the staff that work inside the stores and when I say that I mean you want to make your shopping center attractive, safe, inviting and even a place that someone could be proud to go to work,” Petzold said. “Like, it’s clean and you attract better personnel that work in the stores when you build a better shopping center and that ultimately benefits the customer to have the best people in the stores.”

Scott Marcus owns two locations of a franchise called Restore Hyper Wellness, one of which is located in a strip area at 643 S. Adams Road in Birmingham. The other is

located in Northville. The business offers wellness services like intravenous fluids, cryotherapy, compression therapy, red light therapy and a hyperbaric chamber.

Marcus has had the locations for about four years. He says the Birmingham location is the busiest but that both spots are fairly busy.

“For us it feels like the parking is excellent, so that’s definitely great for us because people come in and out and want ease of access,” Marcus said. “So for us it’s a great spot.”

Because the business offers health services, there is not a huge concern about online business affecting them. The products have to be delivered in person.

“Because most of what we do is therapytype services, so not something you can do online,” Marcus said. “You know, if someone wants to do cryotherapy for instance, that’s a cold chamber for three minutes. They’re not going to be able to buy something on Amazon to do that.”

The Golden Fig Gallery of Fine Arts and Antiques is located in the Adams Square Shopping Plaza in Birmingham, at 725 S Adams Road, No. 170. It is an art gallery that offers a wide variety of artworks and antiquities that has been in business for over 30 years.

“I did shows for contemporary artists, but I didn’t find that was working as a business model for me, so I moved into just vintage art and pretty much everything in the gallery is old and most of the artists have passed away,” owner Ron Povlich said.

Povlich works with a wide variety of older and younger customers. He previously did online sales before but, due to the cost of shipping and other sales factors, he found that it was not profitable.

“This is a very funny market,” Povlich said. “You can’t tell online if something is real. I mean, it can look like a painting but in fact when you get it, it’s either a print, a very good lithograph print laid onto a canvas, embellished with clear paint strokes to make it look like a real painting, whereas people who come in here, they really want to put their hands on it and see it and know what they’re getting.”

Call Staff Writer Sarah Wright at (586) 498-1068.

NEW LISTING

Beautiful and elegant home on one of the most desirable streets in all of Birmingham! Large entertainer’s kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel Viking appliances. Four generously sized bedrooms, including master suite with a marble steam shower. Lower level is fully nished with a theater set up, sauna and walkout to a gorgeous new saltwater pool and deck. 10 minute walk to downtown Birmingham, adjacent to the Rouge River Trail. Private wooded views throughout! 7,692 Sq Ft, 4 Bdrm, 4 full and 1-1/2 bath, $3,390,000.

Schedule your showing today and don’t miss this special opportunity!

nesses the passion, creativity and community that merge together at Michigan Lottery Arts, Beats & Eats. Its vintage feel reminds us not only of this year’s coming event, but of the festival’s 28-year legacy and the memories and experiences it has created for Royal Oak and Southeast Michigan,” Pizaña said in a prepared statement.

Event Producer Jon Witz said that the music lineup for the weekend was chosen based on 600 submissions, and only the top 150 were picked to perform.

“I think we’ve got some great original bands that are headlining across many music genres. We are excited about the Neon Trees, Randy Howser, Sugar Ray and you know, I Love the 90s Tour,” Witz said. “We think it’s going to be an amazingly fun time to close the show on Monday with Vanilla Ice and many others.”

Joining Vanilla Ice with the I Love the 90s Tour to close the festival will be Rob Base, Young MC and C+C Music Factory.

Witz said that along with the headliners, audiences can expect to hear more mov-

ing performances from cover bands and tribute acts.

“I will say the tribute acts that we have, one or more each night, will be playing some of the best-sounding music of the weekend,” Witz said. “They really do the bands of the music they play justice.”

R&B singer turned rock star Terri Shü said that she is debuting her new sound of rock music with her band “Shü” at Arts, Beats & Eats. Shu’s grandfather was Motown great William Guest, of Gladys Knight and the Pips.

Shü’s career took off as an R&B singer, which was the music she previously performed at Arts Beats & Eats, but as of early 2024, she is now in a rock band.

“I usually didn’t do rock music back in the day with the circumstances of my grandfather being in a Motown group, Gladys Knight and the Pips, so they automatically categorized me in R&B for a while, and I recently branched back into alternative,” she said.

Shü said she started singing alternative music when she was in high school and wanted to get back to her alternative roots instead of continuing in the R&B genre.

“I guess the reason why I made that big

Village of Beverly Hills Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting

Notice is hereby given that the Village of Beverly Hills Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a meeting on Monday, September 8, 2025 at 7:00 pm at the Village of Beverly Hills Offce at 18500 W. 13 Mile Road, Beverly Hills, MI 48025. A public hearing will be held on the following case: Case #1438: In order to install 6-foot privacy screens in the front yard, the homeowner of 31533 Kennoway Court (24-03-452-010) is seeking a dimensional/non-use variance from Chapter 46 Zoning, Section 46173(2)(c).

Interested parties may comment on the above listed cases in-person at the scheduled meeting. Written comments may be submitted in-person or by mail to the Village of Beverly Hills, Zoning Board of Appeals, 18500 W. 13 Mile Road, Beverly Hills, MI 48025. Comments may also be submitted via email to sstec@villagebeverlyhills.com by 4:00 p.m. on the date of the hearing; please note the case in the subject line. The applications may be reviewed at the Village Hall between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Carissa Brown Village Clerk

switch, well, I guess it was a big switch to everybody else, is basically me getting back to my roots, rather than sticking with something that I wasn’t 100% in it in my heart,” she said. “Alternative is truly who I am.”

Through her band’s performance of covers and original music at Arts, Beats & Eats, Shü hopes her band can bring a carefree experience to the audience.

“I want to portray a carefree, I-don’tgive-a-heck environment, and that Black people can love rock too. I don’t like the stigma of Black people not listening to rock music, because a lot of us do,” she said. “I

want to portray the freedom of loving music, and being carefree. I want to make the audience know it’s OK to do things outside of the box, and be a little crazy sometimes.” Arts, Beats & Eats will be open 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, through Sunday, Aug. 31, and 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1. Tickets will be sold for $7 in advance. Admission is free before 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, and $12 after 5 p.m. Every other day, admission costs $10 before 3 p.m. and $12 after 3 p.m. Cash and credit card transactions will be accepted at gate entrances. For more information, visit artsbeatseats.com.

PHYSICIAN MORTGAGE PROGRAM:

•

• Special accommodations made for student loan debt

Senior

timsmith@frstmerchants.com

Published: Birmingham-Bloomfeld Eagle 08/20/2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

Village of Bingham Farms Planning Commission

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE

The Village of Bingham Farms Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Monday, September 8, 2025, beginning at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the agenda will permit. The hearing will be conducted at the Village of Bingham Farms offces, 24255 Thirteen Mile Road, Suite 190 Bingham Farms, MI 48025. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comments on proposed amendments to the Village of Bingham Farms Zoning Ordinance summarized below.

Amendments are proposed to Section 2.2 to add a defnition to the terms Formula Retail, Grocery Store Retail, and Small Box Retail Discount Store; to amend Section 3.8.C. to add Grocery Store Retail as a Special Land Use in the C-1 Commercial District; to add a new section of 4.13 to include standards to regulate the use of grocery store retail in the Village; and to amend Section 5.8. to establish off-street parking standards for Grocery Store Retail uses. Additionally, amendments are proposed to Section 6.2 pertaining to Special Land Use procedures, conditions, and amendments.

A draft copy of the proposed amendments is available for review at the Village of Bingham Farms offces during regular business hours 9:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Friday 9:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. Written comments may be submitted prior to the meeting at the Village of Bingham Farms offces or mailed to 24255 Thirteen Mile Road, Suite 190 Bingham Farms, MI 48025. Oral comments will be taken during the public hearing. This notice is published pursuant to the requirements of Michigan Public Act 110 of 2006, as amended.

Jamie Moore

Village Manager

Facilities

improvements began prior to the bond going out for a vote during the pandemic. He said they were asked to identify the needs of the athletic departments at the high school and middle schools in the district.

“Those were items that were identified early in the process, and things that we used to promote the bond,” Cowdrey said.

The community was involved in providing input through questionnaires.

“We do believe space matters here in Bloomfield Hills, and we have created some dynamic spaces for our athletes and our spectators,” Superintendent Rick West said. “We are excited about what this can do for

our culture and our community as we bring people together to watch kids do what they love to do.”

The wellness center

The design of the new wellness center prioritizes natural lighting, which Cowdrey said was “on par with the rest of the school.”

The process of developing the wellness center included careful consideration of the equipment and how it is laid out throughout the building.

“It’s going to be a state-of-the-art facility that our community and our athletes and our students will be very proud of and want to work out in,” Cowdrey said.

Team rooms

The new team rooms will be used by

every sport that will utilize the stadium, such as football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and others.

One way this neutral space will commonly be used by the teams is during halftime. It gives teams a private place to regroup and talk about the game. It also provides a safe shelter for teams on both sides to have their own space during games in inclement weather.

More improvements

Cowdrey said the old track had cracks and signs of wear that signaled that it needed to be redone.

While most things are the same about the new and old track, the major difference is that the track is now black. Previously, it had a red surface.

Additionally, the restrooms, concessions and gateway ticket entrance are intended to enhance the experience of visitors at games.

“All the renovations that are being made are significant upgrades to our athletic facility,” Cowdrey said.

Call Staff Writer Mary Genson at (586) 498-1095.

BRICK REPAIR

Rockin’ Robin

THREEWHEELER GETS LOTS OF ATTENTION ON LOCAL ROADS

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — If you made it out to the Woodward Dream Cruise Aug. 16 in Oakland County, you might have spotted Sami Abu-Soud in his 1997 Reliant Robin.

At press time, he planned to take it to the annual car cruise that brings together car buffs and spectators who spend the day reliving the golden age of the automobile.

Abu-Soud has owned the Reliant Robin for a few years and loves to take it to car shows and cruises. The British car has three wheels, one in the center front and two in the back. The car can fit two people in the front seat, two passengers in the back seat and there is a trunk where Abu-Soud keeps a spare tire and speakers that play his music of choice — electronic.

“The car is something else,” the Royal Oak resident said. “They haven’t changed the car style much since the ’70s and ’80s. This is the van model of it. It’s technically a motorcycle, so I have a motorcycle license.”

Abu-Soud, 38, purchased the three-wheeler directly from England. It traveled the Atlantic Ocean by ship, and all the parts for maintenance are ordered from across the pond. The Reliant has a stick shift, and because the car is British, the steering wheel is on the right side, unlike American cars in which the steering wheels are on the left side. Abu-Soud had no trouble adjusting to driving with the steering wheel on the opposite side.

“It’s actually pretty natural,” he said. “It keeps up with traffic for the most part.”

Abu-Soud has other cars, including a 1998 Dodge Viper, a 2001 Chevrolet Corvette and two Subaru WRXs. But the Reliant is his favorite vehicle to drive in the warmer months around town, visiting downtown Detroit or when running errands.

“I wanted something different. Anytime I don’t have to use the highway,

See RELIANT ROBIN on page 23A

Sami Abu-Soud, of Royal Oak, drives his 1997 Reliant Robin whenever possible during the warmer months. The 1997 Reliant Robin was featured this past year at the Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place. In honor of the Reliant Robin, Sami Abu-Soud keeps a tiny stuffed robin in the front seat of the car, pictured above.

Photos by Liz Carnegie

Reliant Robin

I try to drive it as much as possible. It gets a lot of looks. As I’m driving, people take pictures of me all the time,” Abu-Soud said. “Even non-car people stop me and ask me about it.”

Abu-Soud also lets friends and even strangers drive the car, usually in parking lots or around the block. They just have to know how to operate a stick shift.

“I bought it to have fun,” said AbuSoud, who always makes sure to go with guest drivers. “Everyone has been able to drive it, no problem.”

One of Abu-Soud’s neighbors who works in the automotive industry helped him tune up the Reliant Robin.

“It’s pretty solid otherwise,” he said. “I haven’t done too much to it.”

The ’97 model, which has more than 80,000 miles on it, does not have power steering or power brakes.

“Basically, no frills,” Abu-Soud said. “It’s all fiberglass, so it’s really light. The car weighs less than 1,000 pounds.”

The four-cylinder Reliant is equipped with an 850 cc engine that produces 40 horsepower. When looking at the rear license plate, it reads “Flipy,” because the cars have a reputation for flipping onto their sides. That has not happened to Abu-Soud, but he saw it on the British Broadcasting Corp. television show “Top Gear.”

The ’97 Reliant Robin owner has always been into cars. Abu-Soud, who now works in real estate, worked as a mechanical

engineer for 13 years.

“When I was a little kid, I started tinkering with cars,” he said. “I would fix cars. I try to do all the work myself on all my cars.”

There may be a reason why he is so comfortable driving the British car. AbuSoud was born in England, and his family moved to the U.S. when he was just 1 year old. He also has his own version of a mascot for the car: a tiny stuffed robin he keeps in the front seat. One highlight this past year was displaying the 1997 Reliant Robin at the Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place.

“It was pretty exciting,” Abu-Soud said.

According to reliant.website, which is the official website for the Reliant Motor Club, the Reliant Motor Co. was formed in 1935 when Tom Lawrence Williams built the first prototype vehicle in his garden in the U.K. along with E.S. Thompson. A number of different Reliant styles were built over the years, including the Scimitar GT, Rialto and Kitten.

According to the website, the Reliant Robin was introduced in November 1973 and replaced the Reliant Regal 3/30. The Robin had different variations: the Standard Robin, the Super Robin, the Robin Estate and the Robin Van.

The Reliant Robin had become one of the most famous three-wheelers in the U.K. until 1981, when it was replaced by the Reliant Rialto. But in 1989, Reliant brought back the Robin with a new look, including a new fiberglass body attached to a galvanized chassis and a single, central windscreen wiper.

The website states that the company’s last Reliant vehicle was built in February 2001.

from page 22A

Sami Abu-Soud, of Royal Oak, takes the 1997 Reliant Robin to local car shows and cruises, including the annual Woodward Dream Cruise in Oakland County.

Photo by Liz Carnegie

2025 OAA football season preview: The best conference in Michigan?

BY SCOTT BENTLEY sbentley@candgnews.com

OAKLAND COUNTY — Summer is coming to a close and that means that high school football teams across Michigan are preparing for the 2025 season.

In 2023, the Oakland Activities Association produced two state champions in Harper Woods at the Division 4 level and Southfield A&T at the Division 1 level. That season, Southfield A&T won the title by defeating a Belleville team at Ford Field that had five-star recruit, and now NIL-recordsetting quarterback, Bryce Underwood under center.

However, 2024 was a different story for the conference. The OAA didn’t have a team in any of the eight state title games last fall, and its two reigning champs took steps back with Harper Woods finishing 9-4 and Southfield A&T going 2-7 with an 0-4 record against OAA White teams.

This season, there is a lot of excitement surrounding what the OAA could be and the amount of talent that is prevalent from top to bottom. Looking at each division, there

OAA-White preseason coaches poll (1st place votes)

1. Harper Woods: 9-4 last season (2).

2. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek: 5-5.

3. Birmingham Groves: 12-1.

4. Rochester: 4-5.

5. Southfield A&T: 2-7.

Harper Woods made the Division 4 state semifinals last year before losing to eventual state champion Goodrich by a score of 28-14. The team will return a whopping 37 players with some sort of varsity playing experience, including a rare four-year starting quarterback in Nate Rocheleau. Harper Woods will also boast one of the best wide receiver rooms in the state with star wideout Dakota Guerrant returning as a junior this year and Deandre Bidden entering his sophomore season. Both already listed as four-star recruits, Guerrant is ranked as the top high school player in the state for the 2027 recruiting class, while Bidden is ranked as the top player in Michigan for the 2028 recruiting class.

there is a lot of potential in Rochester Hills. Not only is last year’s 5-5 team returning 12 total starters, but the reinforcements coming to fill holes in the roster will come from a junior varsity team that went 9-0 last season and an 8-1 freshman team. Jack Fredenberg and Jake Lantzy will be key players on both sides of the ball, and quarterback Brandon Gergics returns as well.

Last year, Birmingham Groves recorded an undefeated regular season and made the Division 2 state semifinal. The Falcons lost the game in overtime by a score of 28-27 against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, and OLSM went on to win the state title by 16 points. Groves is set to have 10 returners starting from last year’s squad (five on each side of the ball) and yet the coaches predict a step back for the team in Brendan Flaherty’s 25th season on the sidelines. Four-star offensive lineman Avery Gach is among the notable losses, as the former top-five recruit in the state is a freshman at the University of Michigan this season.

are plenty of storylines to watch heading into opening night.

This will be year two of Rick Powell leading Stoney Creek’s football team, and

Erik Vernon enters year 17 as Rochester High School football’s head coach, and the See FOOTBALL on page 26A

File photo by Donna Dalziel

Jim DeWald shows emotion during a playoff game in 2023.

from page 24A

team is optimistic about this season. Bigname senior Marcus Aidem will be a fixture in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and running back Devin Grabke will look to build on his impressive 2024. Matt Dyki returns at quarterback as a sophomore.

After a state title in 2023, head coach Aaron Marshall was hired away from A&T by Brother Rice, spelling a new era for Southfield A&T football. Year two for head coach Keith McKenzie will likely be an uphill battle, but there’s still talent on the roster. The defense will return an athletic secondary with players like Kenny Brooks, Mark Reid, Aden Dyer and Taurean Davis, while the offense that struggled last season will look to take a step forward behind quarterback Jeremy Porter.

OAA - Red preseason coaches poll (1st place votes)

1. Clarkston: 7-4 last season (4).

2. Lake Orion: 6-4.

3. West Bloomfield: 5-6.

4. Rochester Adams: 10-3.

5. Oxford: 7-4.

Despite a third-place finish a year ago, Clarkston received the most first-place votes out of any team in the OAA heading into 2025. After a 7-4 finish last year, Clarkston returns 11 starters, including four of the team’s six offensive lineman from last season. Griffin and Lukas Boman will be impact players on both sides of the ball, and quarterback Alex Waszczenko will return as well.

Lake Orion sports a 15-4 combined record over the last two seasons; however, it has lost to Clarkston in the district playoffs in each of those years. This year, the team will look to get over the hump thanks to size and athleticism up front. The group of returning starters is led by senior three-star tight end and Western Michigan commit Ryan Rocheleau.

West Bloomfield had one of the most talented teams in the state in 2023 and made the semifinal before losing to eventual champion Southfield A&T. Last year, the program took a step back after losing a lot of the team’s best players to college, but this year looks to rebound. Three-star recruit seniors Travis Robertson (committed to Bowling Green) and Jeremiah Benson (Committed to Minnesota) are both set to be impact players for a team on the rise. The team will start five players who are three-year starters.

Adams lost in the state semifinal to Hudsonville a year ago and also lost a very

talented senior class, including Saginaw Valley State University commit Liam Kania (edge). The team will bring back nine starters total, including playmaker Nolan Farris, but will need the program’s talented youth to step up in 2025.

Oxford finds itself in last in the coaches poll despite its 3-1 OAA Red record leading the team to a division title last year. The team is returning some size up front and impressive three-year starting quarterback Jack Hendrix, which should help the offense stay competitive. The concerns lie in the fact that only three starters on offense and defense from 2024 are set to start in 2025, and right now the team is planning on replacing a whopping 16 starting positions.

OAA - Blue preseason coaches poll (1st place votes)

1. North Farmington: 6-4 last season (3).

2. Birmingham Seaholm: 7-4.

3. Farmington: 7-4.

4. Oak Park: 3-6.

5. Troy Athens: 3-6.

6. Bloomfield Hills: 1-8.

7. Troy: 4-5.

North Farmington won the OAA Blue a year ago despite going winless out of conference, thanks to a 6-0 OAA Blue record. The team will be relatively young and inexperienced, but it still brings back key contributors such as Terrance Jones, Owen Vara, Noah Kornspan and Gabe Jankowski. Head coach Jim DeWald will enter year 14 at Seaholm with a young but hungry team. The program will bring back senior quarterback Patrick Hughes as well as slotback seniors Conrad Swanson and Casey Goetz. Outside of that, Birmingham only returns two other starters from last year, so a lot of inexperienced players will fill starting roles.

Farmington went from a 2-7 team to a 7-4 team in just one season and will look to keep that momentum going this year. The team returns 13 starters from a team that won a first round playoff game last year before losing to eventual state champion Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

Since the program’s magical postseason run in 2020, Oak Park has not returned to postseason play. This year, the hope is to change that behind a group of 15 returning starters, highlighted by William Reed, Jaedan Randolph and Cardelle Carrington.

A 3-6 record may not jump off the page, but Athens started the season 1-5 and ended on a high note. The team looks to carry that over this year behind 10 returning starters. Some of the notable players are Grayson Conrad, Andrew Dunlap, Cainan Hanbury and Nathan Piggott.

One of the biggest storylines in the entire state of Michigan will be how new head coach Scott Merchant will do in year one. Merchant is a Chippewa Valley legend, going 103-53 with a state title over the span of 15 years. He also coached at Lawrence Tech University a year ago, and will now look to take a rebuilding Bloomfield Hills team back to the top. The team is 2-16 combined over the last two seasons, and according to Merchant, the team is “starting from scratch” with all positions on the field up for grabs.

Troy went 3-3 against OAA Blue competition last year and barely missed a postseason appearance. The uphill battle for the program this season is that it only has six returning starters from last year’s team, and it is filling those holes via a JV team that went 0-9 a year ago. Senior offensive linemen Mike Helinski and Connor Gillespie will look to lead an inexperienced group.

OAA - Gold preseason coaches poll (1st place votes)

1. Ferndale: 6-4 last season (3).

2. Auburn Hills Avondale: 7-4.

3. Berkley: 2-7.

4. Royal Oak: 3-6.

5. Pontiac: 1-8.

Ferndale finished last year second in the OAA Gold and played a playoff game after a 6-3 regular season. The big question at Ferndale will be how the team handles the transition to a new head coach, as Ferndale alum Donovan Jackson will take over this year.

Last year’s OAA Gold winners come in as the projected runner-up from the coaches this year. Avondale won a playoff game before losing to Walled Lake Western. The program is also under new coaching as Jim Carlisle will take over on the sidelines this year. This may be a rebuilding season, thanks to an astonishing zero starters from last year returning this season. A new era of Avondale football begins.

Berkley returns a solid number of seniors from last year’s team and will also add more from a solid 4-5 JV squad a year ago. The depth that the team showcases should help across the board. Key returners include Lucas Schwenn, Eli Khoury, Collin Richardson and Jack Rittenberry.

Royal Oak won two of its last three games to end 2024 and looks to carry that over to 2025. While returners Liam Flemming, Gage Orzel, Caden Scott and Javien Johnson look to impact both sides of the ball again this year, the team does lack size and will have to address that to compete in a difficult OAA.

Pontiac High School has only won more than one game in a season once since the team’s 6-4 2011 season, and that was a 3-6 year in 2023. Last year, the program went back to a 1-8 record and wants to make sure that doesn’t become a trend again. Pontiac will return 10 starters including Deandre Johnson, Bryce Brown and Dionte Jones, but questions surrounding depth will remain.

For more OAA and high school football previews, visit candgnews.com/news/sports.

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Suspect steals license plate from Secretary of State

TROY — Branch employees at the Secretary of State office at 1111 E. Long Lake Road reported that a man came into the office for a new license plate at around 3:30 p.m. July 22.

The suspect, a 58-year-old from Royal Oak, reportedly became upset about the wait time and cost of the new plate. Before the license plate was entered into the system, the man took the plate and fled the location without paying.

The next day, officers located the man at his residence and took him into custody. He was charged with larceny in a building.

Victim scammed over phone call

TROY — A 64-year-old woman from Basswood Drive told police July 25 that she received a phone call from a person claiming to represent a tether company, and the caller claimed that she needed to pay for a tether for her son, who is currently incarcerated.

The victim was told that her son would be released on a tether as soon as the fee was paid. The suspect instructed her to transfer the money via Zelle.

The victim found this suspicious, but the suspect sent her an email that included details from the case, convincing the victim of the caller’s credentials. The victim transferred the money before realizing it was a scam.

Firearm found on suspect during traffic stop

TROY — Officers initiated a traffic stop on the driver of a 2016 Ford Escape near Todd and West Big Beaver roads at around 7:15 p.m. July 23.

The Escape was a suspect vehicle involved in a retail fraud that had recently occurred. Officers spoke with the driver, a 17-year-old from Detroit, and observed several clothing items on the front passenger seat. The items were identified as stolen.

During a search of his vehicle, officers also reportedly located a firearm under the carpet of the front passenger seat.

The teen was arrested and lodged at Children’s Village. A petition was authorized for charges of carrying a concealed weapon and receiving and concealing stolen property.

Drunken driver arrested at police station

TROY — At around 6:10 p.m. July 23,

was in lockup.

While speaking with him, officers noted he was unsteady on his feet and reeked of alcohol. Officers found that he drove to the Police Department.

The man was asked to perform several sobriety tests, which he did, but the officers noted he performed poorly. He submitted to a preliminary breath test with a result of 0.162% blood alcohol content.

The driver, a 43-year-old man from Troy, was arrested at the station. He later agreed to take a chemical breath test, with results of 0.175% and 0.177%. He was issued a citation for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Con artist poses as bank representative

TROY — An 18-year-old man from Northfield Parkway told police that at approximately 7 p.m. on July 16, he received an email from a sender posing as a representative for Flagstar Bank. The email claimed there had been a fraud alert on his checking account.

He then began receiving phone calls from another correspondent who also claimed to represent Flagstar Bank. The correspondent advised the victim that his account had been hacked, and that they needed him to verify his information, including his Social Security number.

The victim was then instructed to transfer $4,800 from his checking account to an Apple Cash account to protect his money.

The victim transferred the money but then became suspicious of the call and hung up. When he checked his accounts, he realized that the money had been transferred to two vendors located in Pakistan.

Police investigate domestic abuse allegation

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies were dispatched to a domestic assault report at 9:59 p.m. July 19. The caller reported an uncle, 34, of Rochester Hills, was drunk and fighting everyone in the house.

Deputies arrived and found multiple people leaving the residence. Deputies located two victims with visible injuries, an 18-year-old male from Rochester Hills and a 17-year-old female from Rochester Hills, who reported their uncle had assaulted them.

It was also alleged that the man had assaulted his wife, who had left the house before deputies arrived. Victims were evaluated by paramedics from the Rochester Hills Fire Department and were cleared at the scene.

The uncle received injuries from victims and witnesses who attempted to subdue him. He was

was medically cleared for incarceration. He was transported to the Oakland County Jail, where he was lodged, pending prosecutor review.

Stolen car recovered

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies were advised of a license plate reader activation on a Flock camera near Adams and Technology roads for a stolen Chrysler 200 from Illinois at 10:18 a.m. July 13.

A deputy located the vehicle parked at Walmart on Adams Road. The driver, a 26-year-old man from Alabama, started the vehicle and started driving through the parking lot, at which time a deputy conducted a traffic stop and took the driver into custody. The driver acknowledged the vehicle was a Turo rental overdue to be returned. The vehicle was confirmed stolen. The driver was arrested and lodged at the Oakland County Jail, pending issuance of warrant. The vehicle was impounded, and the law enforcement agency in Illinois was advised that the vehicle had been recovered.

Home invasion reported

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies were dispatched to the 70 block of Meadow Wood Drive regarding a possible home invasion at 1:56 a.m. July 17. The caller reported she had been on the phone with her daughter, who was staying at the location, when she heard screaming. Deputies arrived and spoke with a female at the scene, who reported she had been in the house with her 1-year-old daughter when she heard a noise. The woman, 22, from Rochester Hills, found her ex-boyfriend, 22, of Detroit, and an unknown male, had gained entry and were coming up the stairs. She confronted the subjects with a knife, at which time they fled the residence on foot westbound. It was determined that the incident occurred approximately 30 minutes before the call to deputies.

Deputies found the screen on the front door had been cut. A drone unit and a K-9 unit both responded to assist. An evidence technician responded to process the scene. The investigation was ongoing. Man arrested for disorderly conduct, resisting and obstructing, and assault and battery on a police officer

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies responded to the Meadow Brook Amphitheater to assist Meadow Brook security with a disorderly person within the venue at 10:41 p.m. July 19. Security said a 48-year-old man from Macomb was being disruptive with other patrons and staff, using profanities, and refusing to comply with the venue rules. The man was located, and staff requested that

became disorderly, refusing to comply with deputies’ requests, and was escorted off the premises. The subject, according to police, then pulled away aggressively and started to actively resist. The subject struck a deputy in the chest, was escorted to the ground and was taken into custody. He was escorted off the premises and was transported to the Oakland County Jail.

Police investigate hit-and-run

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies responded to the 500 block of West Auburn Road for a personal injury accident that had just occurred at 12:56 a.m. July 20.

Dispatchers were told a person had been run over by a vehicle in the parking lot and suffered a broken leg.

The suspect vehicle fled the scene before a deputy arrived. Using Flock security cameras and the license plate readers placed throughout the city, deputies located the suspect vehicle, a 2018 gray BMW X5, and obtained a license plate number.

Deputies responded to the suspect’s residence and located the suspect, a 29-year-old woman from Bruce Township, and the damaged suspect vehicle. Rochester Hills Fire Department transported the victim, a 38-year-old man from Windsor, Ontario, to the hospital for additional treatment. The investigation was ongoing.

Vehicle in flooded area catches fire

FARMINGTON — Officers from the Farmington Public Safety Department were dispatched to the area of Power and 10 Mile roads at 3:48 a.m. July 16 for a vehicle fire.