The Rock - April 2026 by JourneymanPub

Finders Keepers is stocked with vintage treasures

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KURT KUBAN – Publisher

Kurt is an award-winning journalist, having served as a reporter and editor for several local newspapers and magazines, including the Plymouth Observer He has been a journalist for over two decades. He founded Journeyman Publishing, which also publishes The ‘Ville, in 2017.

SCOTT SPIELMAN – Editor

Scott graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Journalism. He covered western Wayne County for more than 12 years at several publications before transitioning into corporate communications and media relations. A Canton resident, he has also finished his first novel and is hard at work on his next.

SCOTT BUIE – Advertising Director/Vice President of Sales

Scott has 20+ years creating advertising campaigns for clients in Metro Detroit. After managing sales for radio stations for 17 years he purchased Street Marketing, where he works closely with a variety of businesses and events. Scott and his family have lived in the Plymouth/Northville area for over 23 years.

JENNY PEARSALL – Creative Director

Jenny has been in the design and print industry for over twenty years, holding various positions in graphic design, print buying, production and print management. She also owns Bovia Design Group, a company specializing in publications and corporate branding.

BRAD EMONS – Writer

Over the course of his four decades with the Observer & Eccentric, Brad established himself as one of the preeminent prep sports reporters in the state, winning many journalism awards along the way. His greatest joy is interviewing local athletes and coaches, and reporting on their efforts.

TIM SMITH – Writer

Tim brings a penchant for telling personal stories that run the gamut from news to sports. During more than 35 years in journalism, mostly with the Observer & Eccentric, he has earned numerous state and national awards. The Wayne State grad is a published author and rec ice hockey player.

SUE VOYLES – Writer

Growing up, Sue always knew she wanted to be a writer. She has written for many publications over her long career in public relations and journalism, and taught English and journalism at Schoolcraft College. In 2022, she received the national Headliner Award from the Association for Women in Communications.

KEN VOYLES – Writer/Photographer

Ken is an award-winning writer, photographer and designer whose career has spanned nearly five decades in and around metro Detroit. He started his journalism career in Plymouth, working for the Community Crier. He is the author of two books on Detroit history, loves to travel and has finished his first novel.

BILL BRESLER – Photographer

Bill arrived in Plymouth in 1977 to work for the Community Crier. He also worked for the Plymouth Observer for many years. Bill, who taught photography at Madonna University, retired from what was left of the newspaper business in 2019 and now freelances. He’s happy to be back in the Plymouth community.

BRYAN MITCHELL – Photographer

Bryan started working as a photographer more than 30 years ago, and was a staff photographer for the Plymouth Observer in the 90s. He has freelanced for The Detroit News, The Guardian, Reuters, and other publications. His photography has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the globe.

SEAN POWER – Photographer

Sean is a freelance photographer who is originally from Chicago, where he spent many years in the world of broadcast television. He and his family moved from Chicago to Northville in 2021. He lives with his wife, Angelique (a 2025 Detroit News "Michiganian of the Year"), daughter Sadie, a cat, and an English black lab.

content in this publication without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Comments are welcome at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com .

Preparation is paying off in the City of Plymouth

I write this on April Fool’s Day, a day when even the most welcome (or shocking) of news should be taken with a grain of salt and perhaps a wink.

But there’s nothing all that shocking, or even unwelcome, about the news coming out of the City of Plymouth; it is just the result of long and careful planning—and adapting to changing circumstances.

True, it’s only (or already, depending on your frame of mind) April, but this is shaping up to be an exciting year in the greatest town in southeastern Michigan. If all goes according to the current schedule, work on Lion’s Park could begin by June to upgrade the dated play structures there and return it to the neighborhood jewel it was in its heyday.

The city is teaming up with the Lion’s Club to fund and do the work; the club has pledged more than $100,000 and the city will provide matching funds. Both sides are finalizing the agreement, which could come before the city commission for final approval this month (we’ll be at the press, possibly on the streets, before that happens).

After two parks and recreation millage requests failed in the city, leaders and activists pivoted to find other ways to fund the needed work, seeking out partnerships with service clubs and forming a Friends of Plymouth Parks and Recreation group to solicit donations and gather matching funds.

Lions Club Park will be the first to benefit from the arrangement, but not the last. The Rotary Club has pledged a similar amount for Rotary Park, and that process could get under way in May or June, as well. They will follow the same blueprint: meeting with neighbors, deciding what is best for the community based on that feedback and then working together to make it happen. It’s always a good thing to see.

Likewise, we will all get a glimpse of potential changes to the downtown area when the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) hosts a third public open house about the DTPForward project (see related story, page 15). Construction will not begin this year, but when it does it is almost guaranteed that city leaders, residents and business owners will all be on the same page with it due, in large part to the amount of public feedback solicited since the project was announced and how well everyone understood the assignment, as the kids say these days. When all is said and done, more than a thousand people weighed in with their thoughts, ideas and concerns. Kudos to all for making that effort and taking the project seriously. It will define the downtown for at least a decade, maybe more.

Like the potential pathway from Old Village to Hines Park that I wrote about last month, these things obviously take time to plan. I think the commission current and past, deserves a lot of credit for putting the pieces in place that are now coming to fruition. They not only developed the goals, short term and long term, they include them in every meeting agenda to keep them top of mind—and to let residents know what kind of progress they’re making.

In some ways, municipal government is like being in the army, with its “hurry up and wait” mentality. In both cases, you’re not just waiting: you’re planning or training so that when the time comes, you’ll be ready to act and more likely to be successful.

That’s certainly the case with the Hines Park connector, which is my personal favorite of all these projects. I always ride up Starkweather from Hines and have a hard time picturing the kind of engineering it will take to make a feasible connection on Wilcox, where it is planned. It’s a somewhat tough slope and there’s not a lot of room to work with—which is probably why the project will approach $1 million to accomplish, which, in turn, means that additional funding sources will be needed.

And again, it will be a year before anyone knows if those various funding sources will come together to make it happen, but it’s good to see the city have everything in place to put themselves in the best position possible to bring a long-sought after project to completion (no winks or grains of salt needed.)

Keep it light and local

Why was a Northville resident letter to the editor included in last month’s issue? Could you not put it in the Northville magazine where it belongs? Matt Wilk is always pushing his agenda.

Also, your column is often confusing, jumping from topic to topic. Do we really need one? Did you need to mention not getting along with Jerry Vorva? Keep it light. Neutral. The article on him was nice, but long. The article on Kirsten Simms was perfect.

Donna Broderick

Editor’s Note: The letter in question was co-signed by Plymouth resident Patty Pozios.

Stewart should resign

Thanks for calling out [Plymouth Township Trustee John] Stewart, an obnoxious person. He is the one who should resign!

Ben Jakubowski

Let the citizens decide

Thank you for the in-depth article regarding the clerk vacancy. It is refreshing to see detailed Township reporting in your publication. You asked for our opinions on the matter and I'm happy to provide one. Unfortunately, I believe the "deal is done" and my opinion, as well as other citizens' opinions are a moot point.

If you've attended or watched Township Board meetings, you quickly realize that Supervisor Curmi has already determined how this is going to be handled. He's dragged his feet on putting the resignation to a vote before the trustees. He's used a variety of specious reasons for wanting to delay or reject the resignation, but it comes down to him wanting to appoint the successor and ensure that person is in office for the next two and a half years.

The wishes of the citizens to have the opportunity to elect an individual to this critical position to oversee, in part, the next presidential election cycle, is not an important concern to the supervisor. What is important to him on this matter as well as nearly every township matter is that he will decide and control the outcome.

One exception is Sandy Groth and it is interesting that there is a proposal to appoint her to the Clerk position. While this could potentially give her a greater voice in holding others accountable, it would also likely mean an appointment of another hand-picked and controlled rubber stamp on the Board of Trustees.

For the record, I don't typically agree with many of the policy decisions of any of these officials: Vorva, Curmi, Groth, and Stewart (et al), but I am a firm believer in transparency and allowing citizens their opportunity to select their representative officials. I also believe that one person rule is not the best way to govern our township.

Mary Tavarozzi

repair, refinish and restore place.

In one corner, a former middle school science teacher is using one of the shop’s electric saws to cut out wooden hearts for a local nursing home project. It makes a terrible racket. He loves doing these wood cutouts and Gallagher lets him work, even suggesting a shamrock for St. Patrick’s Day.

Gallagher lovingly looks around his shop of over 30 years and talks about this and that in a rambling, but coherent manner. Another friend is in a corner painting a small mini-bike frame sky blue.

Gallagher’s longtime worker Jim Frank listens but mostly works quietly on what looks like a scrolled piece from a bed frame or one of the endless chairs that come into the shop.

“We love chairs,” the owner says rather sarcastically looking over at his colleague. “We want to declare January no chair month.”

The Restoration Station is a place everyone who loves Plymouth should visit at least once. Do it soon, but get ready - it’s not quite what you expect when you go through the front door.

There’s no talk of “spring cleaning” here or modern IKEA boxed up kits. Just well-made furniture, old wood and plenty of history—all in a jumbled up place chock full of local lore.

The hidden hub of Plymouth history is owned by Pat Gallagher, by now one of the community’s legendary small town businessmen, though if you called him that he’d probably look at you funny and maybe say you’re a bit crazy.

Inside the Restoration Station, a wonderous hideaway located along Ann Arbor Trail, east of downtown, you’ll find plenty of middle-age men, furniture “groupies” and other community old-timers who like to come and just hang out for a bit of conversation, a laugh or two while remembering the past with the

place’s rather unassuming owner.

It’s a haven for old furniture restoration ostensibly, but more like a cool old garage your grandpa might have owned, loaded with all kinds of fascinating and vintage stuff.

You’ll find the artifacts of a career and a life lived in Plymouth.

Dressed in a red flannel shirt protected by a work apron, a thick stock of grayish silver hair helps frame his face, it’s Gallagher’s mischievous smile that stands out as he gives a tour of this “garage” cum furniture store.

“It’s not a furniture store,” says Gallagher. “It’s a shop, more a garage, I’d say. It’s kind of got a little of everything. This is a hub, and I want that. I like that. Like an old hardware store. People come in, we solve problems.”

Gallagher and his laid back team of workers – as well as random friends – do a little bit of everything when it comes to wood. That means cleaning, fixing, repairing, refinishing, painting, staining, restoring, and curating all kinds of furniture.

“We strip and repair and refinish,” says the 61-year-old.

“For a lot of these guys it’s like a hobby, a place to hang out. For me, well, it’s a career now, I guess. Sometimes I love it, sometimes I don’t.”

Though he does nothing to advertise, the shop is a community gem for locals who know that behind the small round sign out front, is a kind of sanctuary. It’s loud inside—this is, after all, a

In truth the shop handles around 500 chairs annually. Over the span of 30 years, that’s a lot of chairs. Gallagher smiles, noting that if you laid end-to-end all the chairs he’s done over the years they might circle the Earth.

Speaking of chairs, on a nearby table two simple-looking green or black wood chairs become the center of attention. Gallagher asks what should be done with them. Maybe restore them, somebody says. He looks aghast.

“These are treasures, maybe 250 years old, from the revolution,” Gallagher says. “We don’t restore that, we curate them. They’re museum quality and we’re going to carefully handle them. Clean them up a little, repair a dog chew area, not much more.”

Besides the endless furniture in various stages of repair, there’s a few old Schwinn banana seat bikes, mini-bikes, an old piano, lots of radios from the 1930s, photos of local legends like Judge Dunbar Davis, a mounted deer head, and a few wood models (like one of the PT-109 boat captained by J.F. Kennedy).

A number of signs stand out, many in wood but some metal or ceramic, and just about all of them screaming Plymouth, truly representing a piece of local history.

“Every one has a story to me and they remind me of my

an old Plymouth Township Park sign. There are signs from Saxton’s garden shop, Hines Park, Little Professor Books on the Park, Jerry’s Bicycles, Plymouth Glass, Bunyea Farms, and many more.

Some of the signs Gallagher found in trash bins, or tossed in the woods (the Plymouth Township Park sign), while others were given to him. One he stole before it was going to be destroyed anyway. The signs fill all the walls in front of rows of furniture and endless cabinets, shelves, tool bins, and wood chests full of tools of the trade. Many of the pieces were made by Gallagher himself but they often take up less space than a line of chairs.

life growing up in Plymouth,” Gallagher says.

There’s an original Mayflower Hotel sign and one from the beloved Cloverdale Dairy ice cream shop on Forest Avenue. There’s one side of the giant round Daly’s restaurant sign (Gallagher donated the other to the Plymouth Historical Museum). You can see a long, narrow sign for Minerva’s-Dunning’s, a popular clothing shop on Penniman; a hand-painted Farmer Jack sign from Main Street; the original Tommy’s hardware sign; signs for Forest Laundry, Beyers Drugs, and

If the signs say Plymouth in every way, Gallagher is the same, from head to toe.

“Plymouth has been the backdrop of my life,” he says with pride. “I’m third generation. I grew up around the corner from here. I’ve lived most of my life within a five-mile radius.”

A resident of Plymouth Township raising two children, Gallagher has had many fascinating experiences in picking up work or delivering completed projects to homes around town.

“I’ve been in more homes around here than I can count,” he says. “We’ve had our ups and downs and it’s been a rollercoaster at times, but what else am I going to do? I’ve been doing this so long.”

Though his father was “all thumbs,” Gallagher’s mom was an “artisan.” As a youth he loved model airplanes and ships and working with wood. He spent years after high school working for local hardware stores before opening his own shop.

“I couldn’t have done all this without the good people around me my whole life and my community,” says Gallagher. “I love my community. I can’t say enough about Plymouth.”

Gallagher was inspired by a school shop teacher (Larry Dennison) and others, including his friend George Smith who he still calls “Mr. Smith.”

“I love seeing my former students succeed,” says Smith. “He cares. I like that he gives back too.”

Gallagher grew up messing around Hines Park, having fun

(and helping) at Fall Festival when it was all about small town groups. He remembers other local hardware stores, the second movie house on Penniman, the Thunderbird Inn and McAllister’s party shop across the road from each other near Phoenix Lake and on to Cass Benton in Northville.

Mostly he remembers people like Dennison, his teachers, friends, poker partners, guys at the Knights of Columbus on Lilley and even a neighbor busybody who sometimes challenged Gallagher and his friends. At times he sees what he’s doing as a kind of mission, not just to sustain his business, but also to care for his collection of memorabilia.

“It’s small town here, it really is,” he says. “We’re a handshake deal kind of place. We’re straight up with people. We don’t advertise, people seek us out. If the lights are on, we’re open.”

If you need a Plymouth history fix and you don’t want to walk through a quiet museum where you can’t touch anything, stop by some time. It’s not far from town, tucked close to the road just past Haggerty Road (there’s a sign of that in the shop as well).

And if you share the raw, simple energy of wood, old furniture or fixing things, Gallagher may let you look around, touch things, and even ask dumb questions. Then he’ll just smile at you, all while working on yet another chair, perhaps even a masterpiece of early Americana.

The 2026 Plymouth Chamber of Commerce

Business Awards drew more than 150 to honor a wide mix of thriving local businesses dedicated to the community.

Small, mid-sized and large, the companies recognized included a restaurant, an insurance company, a credit union, an entertainment group and a clothing boutique.

The honorees were: Sean O’Callaghan’s restaurant (mid-size business), along with small businesses of the year JAG Entertainment, Laginess Insurance Agency, Maggie & Me Boutique, and Energizing Electrical Services, LLC.

Also honored were legacy winners Ernie Hughes and Frank Ruggirello, while orsa credit union received a special recognition and the Penn Theater was given a community contribution award. Laurel Manor was honored as a large business.

Story and photos by Ken Voyles

This is the story of two families connected across nearly 160 years. One family, dating around 1868, was of German descent. The second came to America 20 years ago from Albania. What connects them is a historic building on Main Street that once housed a hotel (and bar) and today remains a visible reminder of Plymouth’s past.

The name of the first family belongs to a married couple we know as E.G. (Gottlieb) and Mary Bode. Not much more is known about them except where they are buried (Plymouth’s Riverside Cemetery) and what

they built next to the railroad tracks across from the Daisy Air Rifle Co.

The Bodes might be surprised to know today that their “house” is owned by a unique family, working hard to keep their name (and its tradition of food) alive and well. That family is led by the brothers Daniel and Mario Beshiri, who bought the building last year and can be found doing 12-hour shifts every day cooking and managing Plymouth’s famous corned beef house.

“We are deeply rooted in our upbringing. Sharing a meal was more than just eating,” says Daniel, who at 40 is the big brother (and

also taller). “It’s conversation, connection. We want to bring that spirit here, be a place where families and friends can enjoy themselves over great food.”

It’s that kind of historic connection that makes up Plymouth’s past and vibrant present. And with Bode’s, you get to see it live every time you drive by or stop in.

Here’s a bit more from the past before we tell the Beshiri story, and how they want to keep alive a tradition that dates to just after the Civil War, when E.G. Bode opened his hotel in anticipation of the new rail line being completed.

According to some, Bode’s has since also served as a home, a place of worship, and a boarding house, before opening around 1959 as a corned beef “house.”

A 1952 Plymouth Mail article – that was Plymouth’s original newspaper – written by Charles H. Bennett, who was president of the famous Daisy Air Rifle company, confirms Bode’s role in the building and seems to date it from about 1871 (Bennett’s info suggests eight years or so after his own birth in 1863).

Let Bennett pick up the story: “…this building was then used as a hotel and was known for years as the Bode house. Mr. Bode had a small bar on the first floor of his hotel. It was at this bar where he dispensed beer only by the schooner. He had several regular customers, due in part to the fact that (he) had the idea that a schooner should be a real schooner and that when he served a real schooner of beer it should be a schooner filled to overflowing.”

With stories like that, the Bode name is a lively reminder of Plymouth history—even with the new Beshiri name on the menu, or at least behind the counter.

One March morning, customers inside Bode’s were thrilled to enjoy the newly renovated restaurant, excited about the food and how well the place looks with the recent renovation. That redo was the first thing on the brothers’ list once they took over (they plan an exterior rehab this summer).

“We saw history here, yes, and memories and a legacy to preserve,” says the 38-yearold Mario. “The building is old and needs renovation, but it reminded me of our family traditions with our grandparents and being together sharing meals.”

Mario lives in Canton and remembers well coming to the United States when he was

just 18. His brother has lived in Plymouth for many years. They both have children and love the community.

“They were born in Albania where resilience, family and tradition shaped them,” says Dorela Molla, the Beshiri’s sister-in-law, a Livonia resident who helps them with social media. “At a young age, they lost their father. It changed everything. Still underage, they took on many responsibilities working to provide for their mother Doli.”

Looking for a new future, they worked their way across Europe before reaching the U.S. In this country they worked in restaurant kitchens, cooking, cleaning—doing whatever they could—and seeking to learn the business.

They then followed another path focused on improving their finances and to create a bigger vision – their own eatery. So they

started a trucking company, building up capital to allow them to eventually purchase their own place. By this time they were living in Plymouth and had families.

“It was in this community they envisioned opening not just a restaurant, but a place where people could truly come together,” says Molla. “Understanding how much the community valued this place, they worked carefully to renovate and restore the space, ensuring a strong connection between the people and their restaurant.”

All and in all, the journey sounds like a classic tale of immigrants reaching the American dream, one that can resonate with many.

“Our journey has been one of perseverance, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to our family,” both brothers say. “We want to build more than a restaurant, a place where tradition lives on with connections made.”

They said the simple act of eating together builds those bonds. And both brothers have their own item on the menu. Daniel’s “Special Pita” features grilled chicken, while Mario’s “SuperClub” includes avocado.

But it’s the corned beef that remains the star attraction as servers buzz around the room under the giant mural of an old steampowered Pere Marquette train. Breakfast dominates, as does the corned beef, which comes from Wigley’s and Grobbel’s, two of Detroit’s renowned purveyors of the meat.

There have been plenty of challenges for the brothers and their families, but they love what they do so much they want to hear from their patrons, and are always open to suggestions. They say they will consider everything to ensure Bode’s is a deeply personal experience for anyone who comes in.

Like Bode’s old-time beer “schooners,” they are proud of preserving the “tanker” sandwiches, piled-high with corned beef and more.

“The response has been good so far,” says Mario.

Molla adds, “It’s been great. People love it. Everything is fresh and they’re great cooks. We get five-star reviews all the time.”

Over the summer the family hopes to fix up the parking lot, renovate the building’s exterior and improve the outside patio area. No records seem to show whether the present building was ever fully replaced, and though it doesn’t look that old, historically it appears mostly the original one dating back 160 years; a bricked portion in the back is an obvious addition.

Like so much, though, it’s not the building that makes Bode’s special, it’s Plymouth’s deep connection to it, it’s the history and it’s the people who have been on the journey all along – from one family to the next and on and on.

“We want to be inviting for everyone, for families. They can gather together and enjoy the atmosphere here and in Plymouth,” says Daniel, slicing a huge pile of corned beef.

Plymouth Pulse May 2026: City Highlights Edition

Stay on track with these highlights of upcoming deadlines, registrations, meetings, and community updates.

Expanded news coverage is available in the full digital Plymouth Pulse edition at plymouthmi.gov.

Created & paid for by the City of Plymouth | 201 S. Main Street, Plymouth, MI 48170 | plymouthmi.gov

Block Party Applications

Plymouth encourages neighborhood block parties as part of its 5-year strategic plan to build a vibrant, connected community.

To apply:

Get majority neighbor approval, submit an online application at least two weeks in advance (tinyurl.com/BlockPartyApplication). Once approved, City departments are notified and DMS provides barricades.

Block parties are typically limited to one nonthrough street and conclude by 10 p.m.

City Offices Closed: May 25

All City Offices are closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.

Offices will reopen on Tuesday, May 26 at 8 a.m.

Drop box in the Church Street vestibule can be used for all payments and correspondence.

As a reminder, Trash & Recycling Collection will be delayed by one day.

Upcoming Spring Clean-up Service Dates

May 2 - South of Ann Arbor Trail

May 9 - North of Ann Arbor Trail

Service details can be found at: tinyurl.com/CityofPlymouthSpringCleanUp

Passport Service Available

The City of Plymouth offers passport services by appointment for new applications only. For routine renewals, visit U.S. Department of State at Travel.state.gov to complete the process online.

Services are available at City Hall from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Schedule your appointment here: tinyurl.com/CityofPlymouthPassportServices

Upcoming Board & Commission Meetings

All meetings start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

May 4: City Commission Regular Meeting

May 6: Historic District Commission Meeting

May 7: Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting

May 13: Planning Commission Meeting

May 18: Historic District Commission Meeting

May 20: Housing Commission Meeting - 6 p.m.

May 11: Downtown Development Authority Meeting

Find meeting agenda’s at: plymouthmi.gov/agenda_center

& News

Programs & News

City

City of Plymouth Recreation

Back by Popular Demand! Grand Experience -

Mackinac Island

Back by Popular Demand! Grand Experience - Mackinac Island

Dates:October 18 - 21, 2026 (3 nights, 4

Dates:October 18 - 21, 2026 (3 nights, 4 days)

Location: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island

Trip is intended for travelers aged 50+ (those under 50 may accompany a 50+ relative/friend)

Go to tinyurl.com/TheGrandExperience for more info!

Over 60 & Over 70 Hockey Leagues

League season: September - March

Wednesdays at 9 a.m. Over 70 League League season: September - March

Tuesdays at 9 a.m. Over 60 League

Wednesdays at 9 a.m. Over 70 League

Drop-in opportunity for League players on Monday & Friday mornings

Open Skate Schedule

Mondays and Thursdays 12 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.

Skate Fee: Adults $5, Under 16 & Over

Skate Fee: Adults $5, Under 16 & Over 55 $4.

Arena equipment is first come, Limited skate sizes & quantities. Skate rental $2. Drop-in opportunity for League players on Monday & Friday mornings

If interested, email rbaase@plymouthmi.gov

Check tinyurl.com/CityofPlymouthRecreation prior to arrival.

Schedule subject to change.

Schedule subject to change. Arena equipment is first come, first serve. Limited skate sizes & quantities. Skate rental $2.

Pickleball 2v2 League

Matches start at 6:30 p.m. Teams are guaranteed 5 matches per night.

Registration: April 1 - May 13, 2026

Location: Plymouth Cultural Center Ice Arena

Go to tinyurl.com/PicklebalLeague for more information!

Alliance of Rouge Communities wants to hear from you!

Take the survey on Water Quality Changes in the Rouge River to help direct our future activities! Once your survey is complete you will be entered in a drawing for a $100 Visa gift card to be distributed in June 2026.

City of Plymouth plymouthmi.gov

Scan & Take the survey!

countries and I also like midcentury modern. I like the 80s, I like the 90s. Our store is so much more of a mix than other stores might be, because a lot of people are very specialized in this field.”

You can often find Jason Bowes flipping through the record section at Finders Keepers Vintage & Vinyl on North Mill Street in Plymouth.

Bowes, who works nearby, stops in at the shop every week to check out the ever-changing collection of vinyl records, older clothing, collectibles and assorted knickknacks that owners Matt and Kamie Mai offer for sale at their shop in Old Village.

“You can usually find something. They keep the vinyl stocked up pretty well and [Matt] usually puts out good, quality vinyl,” Bowes said. “I don’t have to worry about it being scratched or being in bad condition. It’s just the vibe of the place. You walk in and

you think: woah, it’s just so cool.”

The vibe and the eclectic nature of the goods they scour the country to find are a source of pride for both Matt and Kamie Mai, who have been married and in business together for nearly 21 years now.

“I am really eclectic as a vintage store owner,” said Kamie. “I like things from the Victorian period, I like ethnic things from different

Matt, 57, who has held 37 different jobs in his life, was a limo driver when he met Kamie, a hair stylist at the time. Originally a client, he and Kamie got to know each other. They were married and opened a business together within about 18 months.

The shop originally started as a hair salon with a few vintage items for sale. Kamie, who went to beauty school when she was younger and earned a business degree in college, had a growing list of clients but also always wanted to expand the vintage market portion of the business.

“I grew up in the business,” she

said. “I visited flea markets with my grandparents when I was a kid. My dad was really big into that stuff.”

The salon was on the corner of Liberty and Starkweather. It was a small space, and Kamie had long wanted to expand. When their neighboring tenants moved out, they took on that space, too, and expanded the vintage sales portion of their operation. Even so, Kamie knew they would need a bigger location.

that happened,” Matt said with a chuckle. “I was sitting In the building next door and it sounded like two semis colliding. Nobody got hurt; all those bricks just fell down. We were like: ‘Okay, maybe that’s a sign’.”

Their current location, once Kearns Brothers, became available at around the same time. It proved to be a perfect fit. They moved in three years ago. The building has plenty of space: there was about 2,000 square feet for the retail operation— nearly three times the size of the previous spot—as well as 3,000 square feet for the salon and 1,600 square feet for storage.

The added space allowed Matt to focus more on rock and roll memorabilia and vinyl records, a unique collection that takes up the back half of the shop. The inventory is always changing. Visitors will find—unless they’ve since been sold—items like a WLLZ sign that once hung outside of the studio, scrolling which song was coming up next, or a metal guitar that once hung on the wall at Pine Knob, before it was sold to DTE.

“I look for the one-of-a-kind stuff,” Matt said. “I love rock and roll art. All my posters, concert flyers—everything in here is old and original. I don’t do ‘repop’ rock art. If you’re buying a Beatles poster from me, it’s probably

from the 80s or before. I never got into the reprints or something. I like the history of it. You can take a picture and print out anything, but when you have the actual thing that existed in 1960 or 1970, that’s something special.”

That ‘something special’ is also what Kamie and Matt look for as they travel to regional swap meets, flea markets, estate sales and garage sales. That,

and cleaning and preparing the items they find for sale, takes up most of their time. They’re only in the shop on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, although it is open every day other than Mondays.

“The vintage store was really ready to bust at the seams. It was small and I never really got to display things like I can in [the current location].”

Fortune possibly played a role in that. As they were pondering whether to move from the Starkweather location and expand, the front façade of the building fell down.

“We were looking for a sign: ‘God, are we supposed to be here, or get out of here? Then

As the vintage part of the store expanded, Kamie cut back on her salon clients. That was a difficult decision, she said, but all part of the plan. She still cuts hair for some of her long-standing clients, but isn’t taking new ones and is concentrating more on the retail aspect of the business.

Karen Kelley is one of those lucky, long-standing clients. She’s been with Kamie since the beginning and said she enjoys the unique atmosphere in the store when she comes in for her regular visits.

Continued on page 16

“There’s something for every age group,” said Kelly, who is in her 80s. “When I come in here, I walk around and I see things from my childhood and it’s fun. It’s fun to see.”

Visitors will have to come and see, too. Finders Keepers has no online presence other than their Instagram account, where they post photos of current inventory. That’s by design.

“We’ve always prided ourselves that we’re not really online at all. We really want people to focus on brick and mortar,” Kamie said. “It’s another world. It has its own life force.”

Matt said he enjoys seeing the look on peoples’ faces when they find exactly what they were looking for. Once, he saw a man find a record his girlfriend was looking for. He noticed the look on his face. He told his girlfriend about it and slipped a note inside. When she arrived to find and pick up the letter, she opened it and read the note: “Will you marry me?”

“She’s been looking for that record forever,” Matt said. “That’s the joy people get in finding something, when she could’ve just picked up the phone or hit ebay or whatever, but she wanted to find it.

“That made me so happy just to see his face,” he added. “A lot of record people want to find it in the wild. You can order anything online—but they want to see it in person. They want to remember the day they found it.”

“I think a lot of us that are in this business are like this,” Kamie said. “It’s kind of like our drug. We just really love that hunt, that find, and preserving things. This business is one of the best ways to keep our history alive, to have things carry on and appreciate them.”

Matt agreed, and said he appreciated finally finding an occupation that both suits and fulfills him.

“Yeah, I went to flea markets and garage sales with my family, but I never assumed it would be my job,” he said. I’ve had 36 jobs, but never a career. I have a degree

in math, but I’ve never taught. We’ll never be rich off of this, but we do it anyway. We have no complaints at all. We love what we do.”

Finders Keepers Vintage & Vinyl is located at 900 N. Mill Street. It is open from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

On Target

Officials eye end of first phase of DTPForward project

After nearly eight months of public feedback, visits to other communities and refining goals, officials in the City of Plymouth say the future of the downtown district is beginning to take shape.

A third public open house for the DTPForward project is scheduled for next month, providing residents, business owners and city visitors alike a glimpse at what’s happened so far—and what may come to be.

“We’ll have some preliminary designs to show, which we can refine and move on from there,” said Sam Plymale, director of the Plymouth Downtown Development Authority.

The DTPForward project was launched last year, but it was identified as a major priority when the DDA adopted its fiveyear master plan in 2024. The idea started as a general question of what, if anything, should be done to update the streetscape that originated in 1995 and was last refreshed in 2010.

When the SmithGroup design firm was hired to oversee the project last year, they launched a massive public engagement effort that included two separate surveys, pop-up informational and engagement booths at

downtown events and two previous open houses. About 900 people responded to the first survey, more than 300 filled out the second. Both surveys also had space for open-ended ideas, too.

“As far as community engagement goes, this is far and away more than we’ve ever done,” Plymale said. “That was by design; we wanted to get as much public input as possible.”

Feedback showed that pedestrian safety, comfort and accessibility were among the most important aspects of any new streetscape design. People also wanted to maintain the strong businesses mix downtown as well as the historic atmosphere, while strengthening connectability to neighborhoods—including Old Village and, through it, Hines Park—and improving the lighting and wayfinding.

“We heard over and over during this engagement period the desire to make downtown even more walkable, or make it even easier to walk to downtown,” said Oliver Kiley, principal architect with SmithGroup.

Potential projects have yet to be finalized, and won’t be until after the May 20 open house. They could range in scope from something as small as updated planters, to major construction

like reconfiguring streets, creating raised crosswalks, reducing curb cuts and making some streets— particularly those around Kellogg Park, completely curbless.

“[Curbless streets] provide a lot of flexibility to support events and street closures,” Kiley said. “From an accessibility standpoint, people don’t have to navigate curbs and ramps. For people with mobility issues, it’s a lot easier to get around. It helps support commercial activity all the time, too.

“It also changes the whole feel of the roadway. It makes it feel like more of a pedestrian space,” he added. “It starts to feel like a plaza that cars drive through as opposed to a road that pedestrians have to stay out of. Everyone still has their designated space they have to stay in, but there’s a lot more flexibility and it changes the entire tempo of the entire street.”

Foliage will continue to be an important part of downtown, but some existing trees will need to be replaced.

“A lot of research shows that trees are a key component of making thriving business districts,” Kiley said. “Having shade improves comfort. It encourages people to stay and wander in downtown areas, to walk around. Tree cover is shown

Other potential changes include narrowing streets to widen sidewalks, possibly eliminating lanes on North Main Street and creating a wide, multi-use pathway that would eventually connect to Old Village and additional bike lanes.

Although the May 20 meeting marks the end of the initial public input phase, there is still plenty of planning that needs to take place before any work is started in 2027. First the projects have to be fully identified and refined. Then they have to be prioritized, both financially and in scope of work.

“As we do this, we have to break this into chunks that are manageable so that we can manage the workload and manage the financing as well,” said Mayor Pro Tem Joe Elliott. “All of that remains to be seen.”

City officials said they like what they’ve seen of the process so far, and have appreciated everyone that voiced an opinion, threw out an idea or provided feedback.

“I really like the level of engagement. I’m a true believer that diverse thinking and working together in a large group gets the best solution,” said City Commissioner Karen Sisolak.

“There’s going to be lots of decisions to make, there will be trade-offs. I think we’ll come up

to correlate to people spending more time and more money in downtown business districts. The question is: how do we do it in the right way?”

with the best solution if we work together as a community.”

The open house is scheduled for 5:30-8:30 p.m. May 20 at the Plymouth Cultural Center.

PAM CRIPE INTERIORS It's Your Business Where Listening Comes First

Pam Cripe Interiors puts clients at the center of every design

Ask Pam Cripe what the secret to success is, and you won’t get a complicated answer. The longtime owner of Pam Cripe Interiors believes it starts with something simple: listening. It’s a philosophy she’s relied on for more than 40 years—and one that continues to guide her work today.

“I really listen to my clients and make their homes reflect their personality. When I visit them in their home and talk with them, it becomes personal,” says the owner the Superior Township business. “You get a real feel for what they would enjoy.”

Cripe believes her passion for listening makes her business much different from other companies – even competitors.

“I have had clients tell me that they felt other designers did not listen to what they said they wanted,” she explains. “Those designers came back with

people have focused on making their home a sanctuary for everything from relaxation to wellness, comfort, remote work, schooling and even working out.

That is where the services of Pam Cripe Interiors can make a difference. Partnering with Marc, her husband of 50-plus years, they offer clients window treatments of all kinds, bedding, pillows, upholstery, furniture, closet systems, wall coverings and every variety of flooring, including carpet, wood, vinyl and tile.

“Window treatments are my favorite thing,” says Cripe, who has been a Hunter Douglas dealer since 1980. “They complete the home and make it cozy, warm, and of course, provide privacy. It’s really the finishing touch.”

born and raised in Ann Arbor.

Her straightforward formula for success is reflected in how she does business, too.

designs that were not a fit. So, they hired us.”

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Since the pandemic, there’s been an explosion of people working from home and going to school online. That meant spending a lot more time in our living spaces. Consequently,

Marc handles many installations, along with a team of installers and tradespeople that Cripe has worked with for years. All the draperies are made by an experienced seamstress in Cripe’s workroom, allowing her to oversee the quality and workmanship.

“Draperies are not inexpensive and they need to be made correctly so the pleats are straight,” says Cripe, who was

“I like to keep things simple. I will visit your home and look at everything. I talk with you and ask how you want the space to feel – modern or traditional, for example. I ask about your expectations,” explains Cripe. “If you’re looking for window treatments, I often have fabrics with me that we can look at. Otherwise, I will go to my workroom, bring what I need to your home and then we get started.”

Fabrics, styles, colors and other details are selected together with the client, considering the home’s lighting and layout.

After more than four decades in the interior design business, the process still works, as demonstrated by some recent projects.

One is a recent job in Plymouth, where Cripe used Amish craftsmen to create modern banquette seating in a kitchen. Another project focused on new furniture, rug, a wall unit (also made by the Amish) and installing a gas fireplace.

“That job was especially unique because I did some things I haven’t done before,” says Cripe.

A DIFFERENT PLAN

No doubt Cripe’s ability to pay attention and listen is in part due to growing up in the business.

all of Southeast Michigan, including Plymouth, Ann Arbor, Howell and Brighton.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Cripe’s thoughtful approach to her profession comes through not only in her business, but her everyday life.

“My parents had a drycleaning business which eventually became an interior design company. I used to go on jobs with my mom when I was a kid,” she says.

Cripe and her husband had a different plan when they first started out, though, moving to Florida so he could attend pilot school. When the economy changed significantly, they decided to become business owners, opening an interior design shop in Vero Beach.

“It really took off and we ran the shop for about 20 years,” says Cripe, adding that they came back to Michigan several years ago. They currently serve

She adds some sage advice to her email signature line, which includes, among other wise sayings, “Laugh when you can…Apologize when you should…And let go of what you can't change…Life is too short to be anything but happy.”

“I saw something that was similar and I rewrote it,” she says when asked about it. “It’s kind of how I think.”

Whether you’re an empty nester or a new homeowner seeking to make your vision of your home come to life, Pam Cripe Interiors stands ready to listen and use their experience, skills and resources to ensure you will love the final result.

PAM CRIPE INTERIORS

OWNERS: Pam and Marc Cripe

PHONE: (734) 249-3444

EMAIL: pam@ pamcripeinteriors.com

WEBSITE: https:// pamcripeinteriors.com/

Our expert consultants respect your time – No high-pressure sales • We offer fair, honest pricing with multiple payment options

• Expect responsive, clear communication

• Consistently provide the very best professional installation

For Plymouth native Jim Szilagyi, being around the golf business has been part of his DNA for over three generations.

A multi-sport athlete at Salem High who played football, basketball, baseball in the early 1970s, Szilagyi learned the trade from his grandfather Joseph, who owned Brookwood Golf Club in Davison followed by his father Bob, a longtime PGA of America member who managed Godwin Glen in Farmington Hills and then nearby Salem Hills Golf Club.

Szilagyi, who played defensive back and special teams on Central Michigan University’s 1974 NCAA Division II national championship team after being a quarterback/ running back for the Rocks in high school under coach Tom Moshimer, got a relatively late start in the golf course business.

But come full circle and making up for lost time, Szilagyi realized a lifelong passion in 2013 when he acquired the Lynx Golf Club, a beautiful property off M-89 between Allegan and Otsego in the shadow of Bittersweet Ski Resort overlooking the Kalamazoo River.

Dating back from 1935, the Szilagyi family has been heavily invested in golf and, for Jim, it started at Salem Hills, located off Six Mile Road just west of Currie Road in Northville.

“When I was 18 years-old I told my dad I was looking for a summer job and I said, ‘Dad, I want to work in the pro shop,’” Jim recalled. “He said, ‘Jim, I don’t think so.’ He said, ‘You are going to go out and work with the grounds crew and learn how to learn the business end of a shovel.’ It was best thing that he did for me and teaching me for being a golf course owner.”

The first time Golf Digest announced its top 50 public courses from around the country, Salem Hills made the coveted list thanks largely in part of Bob Szilagyi and his efforts.

“In those days there were a lot of things that went into that award,” Jim said. “My dad was a great golf operator. That’s one thing I hope to measure up to him and my grandfather (Joseph) as golf operators. Those guys did a great job, both of them in their respective careers.”

After a shoulder injury curtailed his CMU football career after three seasons playing for head coach Roy Kramer, a College Football Hall of Famer who later became commissioner of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Szilagyi had the distinction of transitioning over to the Chippewas’ varsity golf team where he lettered as a senior – a rare feat in itself.

Ironically, he played golf at Salem as a sophomore, but when the Michigan High School Athletic Association switched the boys golf season from the spring to the fall prior to his junior year, it conflicted with fall football, so he had to pivot over to baseball for the Rocks as a spring sport his senior year.

After graduating from CMU, Szilagyi started his career in parks and recreation where he spent seven years before joining CBS Radio as a National Sales Manager, which helped springboard his career.

During his 13 years at WWJ-950, he sold sports advertising– Lions, Pistons and U-M – and remained in sales after his stint with CBS Radio, transitioning from publishing to selling golf navigation systems.

Along the way, Szilagyi was a stalwart in the Michigan Publinx Golf Association tourney circuit and served as its president. He was a match-play qualifier in the Michigan Amateur at age 40 and played in Fuller Cup matches (between the Michigan PGA pros versus amateurs).

“Back in the day I played quite a bit of amateur golf,” Szilagyi said. “Had I chosen the opportunity to turn professional, I probably could have done that. I had kind of a mentor of mine who asked me, ‘Why don’t you become

a (teaching) pro?’ I said, ‘I don’t want to be a pro, I want to be the owner.’ That’s when I was 25 years old. I had that dream since I was 25…I can check that box – mission accomplished.”

In the early 1990s, Bob and Jim, along with his brother Paul, looked into buying a course in the Detroit area.

“My dad retired a young man, 62 or 63, due to health issues,” Jim said. “My dad kind of took a turn for the worse and he was going to be the brains of the operation. My brother was going to be the financial whiz and I was going to be the brawn operating the golf course.

“He got sick and he basically suggested I not buy a golf course because there’s too many golf courses being built. He recognized the golf industry was overbuilt, especially in Michigan. And he was concerned if you buy the wrong golf course it can cost you.”

Bob Szilagyi passed away in 1995, but Jim eventually pulled the trigger on the course in western Michigan – originally designed by Charlie and Jon Scott -- which was only 15 years old at the time.

“He (Bob) was right on all accounts, so I waited until kind of the market crash in 2008,” Jim said. “I didn’t pursue it, and then I did pursue it because the price of golf courses was dropping. And I was able to afford purchasing a golf course.”

And during his 13 years of owning The Lynx, Szilagyi has been able to put his own stamp on what he learned from his father and grandfather.

He currently has a staff of 45 full- or part-

time employees. It's a full-service facility featuring a full-service kitchen.

The Lynx can host a variety of events including corporate and family outings, along with weddings, rehearsals and bereavements.

“We have a plethora,” Szilagyi said. “We have monthly comedy shows, it sells out and a dinner theater. That’s my parks and rec background kicking in because if you got a facility, you fill it and have people enjoy it. It really helps our brand.”

There’s also a color tour in the fall when the trees are turning.

“Not everybody loves golf, but everybody loves to drive a golf cart on a golf course for sure,” Szilagyi said. “We have a warming station by the Kalamazoo River, wine and cheese samples, beer, pumpkins, corn stalks, campfire, marshmallows, the whole nine yards. It’s really an enjoyable feature of our golf course.”

Along with having clean kitchens and clean bathrooms, Jim received plenty of wisdom from Joseph.

“When he was in his 80s, I said, ‘Grandpa, what’s it going to take to have a good golf course?’” Jim recalled. “He said, ‘Good greens and good tees.’ Those two pieces of advice guide me today.”

Jim doesn’t play competitive golf anymore, but does get in a minimum nine holes in his Tuesday night league.

“My golf game got pretty good in late August, I was back shooting par,” he said. “That was satisfying, I guess. I still have the urge to compete but don’t have the time.’

Along the way, Jim and his wife Pam raised three children – two daughters (Jaclyn and Lauren), along with a son (Brian).

“My health is good,” said Szilagyi, now 70. “I plan on doing this. My son worked for me this summer, worked inside and outside, did some marketing.”

Jim’s mother Betty was a teacher at Plymouth’s West Middle School and his time growing up in Plymouth has proven to be invaluable.

“Our family touched a lot of people,” he said. “It was a great place to grow up and still is. I was very grateful for that time.”

Szilagyi strives to make the Lynx Golf Club an enjoyable experience first and foremost.

“We kind of do everything with a kind of simple philosophy – be curb appeal,” he said. “When you drive up that lane, we want them to say, ‘This looks nice.’ And then when you get in the golf cart, ‘Is it a clean golf cart? How was your sandwich? How was the golf course and was it in good condition?’ Everything in place kind of thing.

“You take care of the customer from the minute they drive in and the minute they drive out. We hope when they drive off the driveway, they had great experience, and good enough…number one, tell their friends, and number two, come back and see us again. And that’s really the measure of success. The real measure of success is getting them to come back. That’s what we strive for every day.”

The Lynx Golf Club, which opened for the season on March 21, is located at 900 Lincoln Road in Otsego, MI. For more information, visit lynxgc.com.

junior guard Landen Stone made All-Conference. Sophomore guard Ezekiel Chinyadza earned honorable mention.

Plymouth (9-14, 6-8 KLAA West) was led by senior guard Zerry Rue, who made the AllKLAA Select team. Junior Chase Calvin was selected honorable mention.

Plymouth (15-8, 9-5) fell to rival Salem in the district opener, 39-24, as senior guard Mackenzie Dicken and senior forward Annie Flavin earned All-KLAA West Select team honors.

Senior guard Evelyn Stiglish made All-Conference, while senior Emma Johnson made honorable mention for the Wildcats.

Salem (15-10, 8-6 KLAA West) reached the D1-District 16 final before falling to top-ranked and defending state champion Belleville, 60-44. The Rocks reached the finals with victories over Ypsilanti (65-20) and Plymouth (39-24).

Sophomore guard Lainey Claramunt made All-KLAA Select, while sophomore guard Stella Stotz made All-Conference. Junior guard Julia Steinhebel was honorable mention.

Canton (9-13, 4-10 KLAA West) defeated Ypsilanti Lincoln, 44-26, before falling to Belleville in the District 16 semifinals, 60-18.

The winter sports season certainly had its highs and lows for the three PCEP high schools –Canton, Plymouth and Salem –all part of the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.

And here is one last look at the 2025-26 winter sports campaign through the lens of 11 different sports, 10 of which are part of the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

Canton (16-9, 8-6 KLAA West), under the direction of first-year coach Jordan Nobles, earned its first district championship since 2013 with a 61-47 win over Ypsilanti Lincoln following a 55-40 semifinal triumph over host Belleville.

The Cobras captured their Regional 4 opener over Hartland, 41-33, before falling to Ann Arbor Pioneer, 63-48.

Senior guard Jaylen Tramble earned KLAA West Division AllSelect team honors, while senior guard Noah Tarquinto and junior forward Liam Wilson made AllConference. Senior Drew Putnam was named honorable mention.

Salem (16-8, 7-7 KLAA West) captured its District 16 opener over Plymouth, 52-50, before falling to Lincoln, 67-56. Junior forward Mitch Paspal made the All-KLAA Select team, while

Junior forward McKinsey Berlin made All-Conference for the Cobras, while junior Devyn Reiger was picked honorable mention.

Led by the All-State (top eight) performance of senior Wilfrido Murillo in the 1-meter diving, Canton scored 39 points in the MHSAA Division 1 finals to place 17th in the team standings

on March 13-14 at Oakland University.

Murillo scored 373.35 points to finish eighth, while other Canton point-getters included junior Ethan Stombaugh, 15th, 200-yard individual medley (1:58.46); senior Andrew Stamatakos, 16th, diving (317.85); sophomore Kyle Gurgel, 16th, 100 freestyle (48.32).

The Cobras’ 200 freestyle relay team of senior Ethan Snapper, junior Micah Styles, senior Kaden Delaney and Gurgel added a 10th (1:26.40).

Plymouth scored 32 points to take 21st in the team standings, led senior Anthony Chen, who placed eighth in the 500 freestyle (4:47.49) to earn All-State.

Other individual scorers for the Wildcats included senior Adam Frisch, 13th, 100 freestyle (47.59); 200 freestyle (1:43.71); sophomore Anthony Belleza, 14th, 100 backstroke (52.71); and Chen, 16th, 100 backstroke (57.07); freshman Daniel Zhekebayrov, 16th, 200 IM (1:59.57).

Plymouth’ 200 freestyle relay team of Frisch, junior Jack Thomas, Zhekebatyrov and senior Conlan Voss added a 15th (1:28.85), while the 400 freestyle relay quartet of Frisch, Belleza, Zhekebatyrov and senior Michael Deschaw placed 15th (3:16.42).

Salem wound up 30th with seven points thanks to freshman Sam Erom’s 10th in the 500 freestyle (4:42.35).

In the KLAA meet Feb. 26-28 at Novi, Northville repeated as champion with 1,056.5 points followed by Plymouth, second (621.5), Canton, fourth (583); and Salem, seventh (335).

Frisch captured the individual 200 freestyle (1:43.52), while the Cobras 200 freestyle relay team of Style, Gurgel, Delaney and Stombaugh also emerged victorious (1:27.38).

Plymouth, coached by Rob Seale, turned in a strong performance with a fourth-place finish (142.325) in the MHSAA team finals held March 6 at Milford High School.

Hartland captured the team title with 146.50 followed by Farmington United (145.45) and Rockford (143.825).

In the individual finals held the following day at Milford, Plymouth’s Evie Lee, a junior, earned Division 1 All-State (top 10) with a third on the balance beam (9.4) and tie for third in the uneven parallel bars (9.15).

Ava Gurung, a sophomore, was runner-up on the uneven bars (9.375) while sophomore Lilly Olson placed seventh (8.825) in the same D1 event.

In Division 2, Plymouth’s Isabel Galindo, a senior, was sixth in the all-around (35.60) thanks to a third on balance beam (9.15) and a tie for ninth on vault (8.975). Teammate Mia Funelas, a sophomore, was eighth on the uneven bars (8.65).

Other state team members for the Wildcats included junior Abby Tiplady, sophomore Avery Carcone and freshman Claire Pritula.

The Wildcats advanced to the team final with a runner-up finish in the Regional 3 meet held Feb. 28 at Canton. Northville captured the team title with 141.575 to edge the Wildcats (141.35).

Salem was eighth overall (129.30), while Canton took 10th (124.075).

Gurung captured the D1 uneven bars (9.25), while Galindo was the all-around D2 winner (35.20), which also included a first on vault (9.175). Funelas added a first on uneven bars (8.55).

Continued on page 26

Continued from page 25

Two area wrestlers earned All-State (top eight) honors at the MHSAA Division 1 individual finals held March 5-6 at Detroit’s Ford Field.

On the girls side, Plymouth senior Nanda Kibi (145 pounds) captured four of five matches to place third overall and finish 29-4 overall. She was runner-up at the District 8 tourney and third at the regional. She was a 2025 state champion with over 100 career wins.

District 5 and fourth in Regional 3 to earn a trip to the state finals, where he lost his first and second round matches to finish 39-13 overall.

In the KLAA boys tourney, Canton’s Nick Mastroionni (175) and Ethan Curry (126) finished fifth and sixth, respectively. The Cobras’ Emma Edwards (125) and Samaara Khan (130) were both runners-up on the girls side.

In the District 120 team tourney, Northville defeated Plymouth, 66-16, to advance to the regional. Plymouth posted a 47-28 semifinal win over Canton, while Northville ousted Salem,73-6, in the other semifinal.

Salem junior Andrew Fsadni enjoyed quite a run in the MHSAA Division 1 singles tourney held March 1 at Thunderbowl Lanes.

Fsadni was state runner-up, reaching the final before falling to Grandville’s Ethan Brown, 419-384. He gained a spot in the finals with victories over Skyler Bosch (Muskegon Mona Shores), 489-383; Noah Magolan (Troy Athens), 427-390; and Lucas Knowles (Grand Blanc), 405-388.

In the qualifying block, Fsadni was second overall with a sixgame total of 1,360 highlighted by a 275 game.

On the boys side, Salem senior Gavin Holcombe (138 pounds) took fifth overall by winning four of six matches while finishing with a 47-5 record. He was also Regional 3 and District 5 champion, as well as runner-up in the KLAA tournament. He finished with more than 150 wins in his career.

Plymouth senior Chase McGhee (150) took third in

Salem senior Nathan Bolt finished 39th in the qualifying block with a 1,134 (205 high), while Canton senior Landin Watkins was 52nd with a 1,075 (199 high).

In the D1 team finals, Salem placed 11th overall with a 3,398 total, including a 256 Baker and a 990 high game.

Salem advanced to the state finals by finishing second in the Regional 7 tourney at Canton’s Super Bowl Lanes. Dearborn (3,634) and Salem (3,517) placed one-two to advance, while

the D1-Regional 8 championship game before falling to eventual state runner-up Northville, 7-0. The Wildcats made it to the final after defeating Canton, 4-3, and Salem, 5-4.

Junior goalie Liam Villalobos and junior defenseman Luke Wonsul both earned All-KLAA honors for Plymouth.

Canton (14-14-1) opened postseason play with a 9-1 win over Southgate Anderson before falling to Plymouth.

Senior forward John Nickel and junior forward Will Schley both earned All-KLAA honors for the Cobras.

Plymouth took eighth (3,117) and Canton 10th (3,046).

Fsadni was runner-up individually with a six-game total of 1,383. Watkins placed third (1,344) and Bolt fifth (1,273).

In the D1-Regional 7 tourney Feb. 20 at Super Bowl, Livonia Churchill (3,110) and Westland John Glenn (2,916) earned the state finals qualifying spots.

Plymouth missed the cut in third with a 2,756, while Salem placed fourth (2,739) and Canton eighth (2,368).

Salem sophomore Lauren Way was 12th individually with a 976, while Canton senior Alanna Ahamd placed 15th with a 939.

Plymouth (13-16-1) reached

Salem (9-19), a first-round playoff victim to Plymouth, put junior defenseman Beau Fraley and junior forward Alex Ley on the All-KLAA squad.

Plymouth-Canton-Salem finished 2-15-1 overall, including a 2-6-1 record (fourth place) in Division 3 of the Michigan Girls High School Hockey League. Defenseman Sabrina Drucker was P-C-S’s leading scorer with six goals and four assists in 18 games, while Ellie Hanson played all 18 games in goal.

In the District 5 competition on Feb. 21 at Brighton, the host Bulldogs (794.0), Hartland (788.14), South Lyon East (777.94) and Novi (757.10) all earned regional berths.

Plymouth finished 10th with a 661.48 total.

Michigan Doctor Diagnosed with Late-Stage Cancer After Experiencing Just One Symptom

It’s

the call no one wants to get. But for one local doctor, it became a mission to save others from the “Blind Spot” in modern medicine.

Softball Size Tumors Silently Grew

(Southfield, MI)

A

You feel fine. You have no aches. You pass your annual physical with flying colors. You think you’re safe. But what if something sinister is silently growing inside you right now, waiting to strike? That is the terrifying reality Dr. Warren Ringold faced. As a respected family physician for 40 years, he knew the rules of medicine better than anyone. He felt perfectly fine until a sudden onset of shortness of breath sent him to the ER. The diagnosis was a shockwave: Stage 4 cancer.

Father’s Legacy, A Son’s Mission: Full Body MRI Scans Without a Doctor’s Referral

your insides. Unlike CT scans or X-rays, this machine emits NO radiation and is completely non-invasive.

(South eld, MI) e late Dr. Warren Ringold knew rsthand the devastating impact of late-stage cancer diagnoses. As a respected family physician, he witnessed countless patients battling illnesses that could have been detected earlier. His own grueling battle with late-stage cancer ignited a passion, leading him to create Michigan’s rst MRI full body screening center called Bionicc Body Screening.

Raising Awareness

endured brutal treatments and cruel side effects. Tragically, the cancer later returned as a brain tumor. But before he passed, Dr. Ringold left behind a legacy—and a warning—for the rest of us.

Full Body MRI Scans Without a Doctor’s Order

The “Dirty Little Secret” of modern medicine: Here is the hard truth your insurance company won’t tell you: The current healthcare system is reactive, not proactive.

Today, his son Ryan carries on this mission. ough not a medical professional himself, Ryan’s dedication to his father’s legacy drives him to raising awareness of this service for families of Michigan.

“Every week I learn of another person who felt perfectly ne, only to wake up with an unexplained symptom and discover they have stage four cancer. Once symptoms manifest cancer is usually advanced,” says his son Ryan. “My father never wanted another family to su er the emotional and physical hardships that our family and he endured. He wanted to save lives.”

Dr. Ringold discovered he had stage four cancer with tumors as large as softballs silently growing inside his body after experiencing shortness of breath. His treatment was brutal. He su ered cruel side e ects. After his cancer went into remission, it returned a year later as a brain tumor. Dr. Ringold believed there had to be a better way. He envisioned a future where individuals could take control of their health and detect potential problems before they escalated. In his nal days, Dr. Ringold passionately advocated for MRI full body screenings, a proactive approach he believed could empower individuals to take control of their health.

Bionicc Body Screening o ers elective, full-body MRI screenings that provide a comprehensive picture of your internal health, going beyond what traditional checkups often reveal. State-of-the-art technology can detect tumors as small as a pea, aneurysms, risk of stroke and a multitude of other conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed. Screenings include scans of the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, hips, shoulders and spine.

A Life Saved

It scans the brain, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and spine, looking for tumors as small as a pencil eraser. It can also detect silent killers like aneurysms and stroke risks before they become life-threatening emergencies.

Scans are safe, non-invasive, emit no radiation and are available without a doctor’s referral.

Scans are safe, non-invasive, emit no radiation and are available without a doctor’s referral. Scans can detect tumors, aneurysms, stroke risk and other conditions.

While he felt healthy on the outside, tumors the size of softballs had been silently growing on the inside. He

Standard medical screenings (like mammograms and colonoscopies) only catch 29% of cancers. That means 71% of tumors grow undetected in areas doctors aren’t even looking at. By the time you feel a lump or pain, it is often Stage 3 or 4. As Dr. Ringold warned, “Once you have symptoms, cancer is usually advanced.”

Take Control: No Doctor’s Order Required The traditional medical system makes you jump through hoops. At Bionicc Body Screening, there is no red tape.

Mark B. and his younger brother decided to visit Bionicc Body Screening last spring for a proactive screening because cancer ran in their family. Mark was skeptical until his results returned a 3-centimeter mass on his lung, which tested positive for cancer. He had three-fourths of his lung removed. He credits the scan for saving his life. Meanwhile, his brother’s results were clean.

The Technology That Sees What Doctors Miss: Determined to stop this tragedy from happening to other families, Dr. Ringold founded Bionicc Body Screening in Southfield, Michigan’s first MRI full-body screening center. Using advanced MRI technology, Bionicc provides a “high-definition movie” of

• No Doctor’s Referral Needed: You are in charge of your own health.

• No Insurance Hassles: This is an out of pocket, elective service for those who prioritize peace of mind and proactive care.

• Immediate Answers: Don’t wait for a crisis to find out what’s going on inside your body.

Do not wait until you feel a symptom. A small tumor today could be a major problem tomorrow. The only difference between a tragedy and a survival story is early detection.

Michigan’s first MRI Full Body Screening Center –Located in Southfield

DOUBLE SMASH SLIDER

The late Dr. Ringold founded Bionicc Body Screening in 2022 after battling cancer twice. He believed MRI full body screenings could empower individuals to take control of their health.

Got breakfast?

Plymouth elementary student kicks off annual cereal drive

The boxes have not yet started to line the living room in the Wilcox’s Plymouth home, but the intent is there: Harper’s Hunger Heroes will be back for another year.

Harper Wilcox, a fifth grader at Smith Elementary School, has solicited cereal donations in lieu of birthday presents during her birthday month of May. Originally her mother, Brooke’s, idea, Harper enthusiastically voted to continue it, once her parents asked her to. The cereal drive is in its 11th year now.

“We’re ramping up!” Brooke Wilcox said.

Last year, she said she and Harper hoped to ‘hit it out of the park,’

and they accomplished that goal, gathering 28,036 servings of cereal, enough to provide breakfast for more than 300 kids throughout the summer. That was a jump from about 21,000 servings gathered in 2024.

Harper’s Hunger Heroes officially gets under way in May. Like last year, Gallimore Elementary will be involved; so will Smith Elementary, Midwest Tae Kwan Do, ACE Hardware and possibly more. Brooke said she’s trying to arrange more drop off locations where people can donate boxes of dry cereal or oatmeal. The scheduled drop off at Gleaner’s is June 4.

“I’d love to get more people involved,” Brooke said. “We’re trying to get creative.”

A “Buddy” for all veterans American Legion gets ready for annual poppy sale

Alittle flower can do a lot of good these days.

The American Legion is getting ready for their annual ‘Buddy Poppy’ sale, which raises funds to help support other veterans in need. Veterans and volunteers will be stationed in front of the Kroger’s on Ann Arbor Road, Busch’s supermarkets and at ACE Hardware at Ann Arbor and Sheldon roads during the last weekend of April and May.

The sale supports the Fisher House in Ann Arbor and Detroit. The Fisher House operates like a Ronald McDonald House, except it provides a place for family members of seriously ill veterans to stay as well as other services.

“Our mission is to help veterans,” said Bob McCaffrey, who has been a member of the American Legion for 53 years. He first joined the 226 Chapter in New Jersey and has been

involved in the Plymouth chapter since he moved here in 1981.

“We have funds that are donated to us for other situations that we use when one particular veteran has a problem and we can help out,” he added. “With the poppy sale, every dime we get goes to Fisher House.”

Last year, that came to about $10,000, he said. Post commander Joe Lockwood, 88, said the Plymouth American Legion has donated about $30,000 to Fisher House in the past five years, as well as supporting other causes in the community.

“We’re not just silent. We get the money and we put it to good use,” Lockwood said.

The Poppy Sale will take place in front of Kroger from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 24, 25, and 26. They’ll be at Bush’s locations in Plymouth and Canton May 29-31.

Help us help you!

One of the great things about the Plymouth community is its active, engaged and supportive residents.

From members of service clubs, to city advocates, volunteer gardeners, informal neighborhood groups and more, philanthropicminded individuals and organizations pitch in nearly every day to improve our corner of the world, asking for little in return.

So is Harper, who will graduate from Smith Elementary this year.

“If we could get to 28,000 again, that would be great,” Harper said. “I want to get to 30,000.”

Anyone interested in helping out can email Brooke Wilcox at brookerachelle14@gmail.com or visit the Harper’s Hunger Heroes Facebook page.

The American Legion, which celebrated its 107th anniversary nationally in February, is always looking for new members, too. The Plymouth chapter meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at the Knights of Columbus Hall on N. Lilley Road. Any veteran is welcome to attend.

“Our problem now is that Vietnam veterans are all over 80, almost,” said McCaffrey, who is 85. Lockwood is 88. “We need more of the Gulf War people and those kinds of guys, but they’re out there trying to make a living.”

With that in mind, we’re launching a ‘Doing Good in the Neighborhood’ page with this issue. Hopefully, this will be a recurring page that will connect people with volunteer opportunities as well as celebrate the unsung heroes that give their time and energy to make Plymouth a better place to live, work and play.

We’ll need a little help, and that’s where you come in. We’re looking for stories and volunteer opportunities that we can include as often as possible. These stories can be about almost anything: people you know who are helping out in their neighborhood, long-time members of clubs, businesses that are doing good things in the community—anything or anyone that inspires others to get out and do something positive.

We’re looking for stories, big and small, as well as events that might otherwise fall through the cracks.

If you know of a group, issue, event, or person who you think deserves some recognition for what they’re doing—or help in what they’re trying to do—send a quick note to editor Scott Spielman at scottyspielman@gmail.com or send us a message on our Facebook page. Include a contact name and number or email and we’ll take it from there!

We always like sharing positive stories and events with the greater community because it not only validates our opinion that Plymouth is the greatest community in southeastern Michigan, it also inspires others to get out and pitch in. Let’s do some more good in the neighborhood!