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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.
MICHELE FECHT – Writer
Michele is an award-winning journalist whose first post-college reporter position was at The Northville Record before moving on to The Detroit News She has been a City of Northville resident for nearly 40 years and is an author, researcher and local history enthusiast.
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.
WENSDY VON BUSKIRK – Writer
Wensdy graduated with a degree in journalism from Wayne State University. Her first job was working as a reporter for The Northville Record. Now, as a freelance writer and editor, she works for a variety of magazines, including The Rock. -Photo by Kathleen Voss
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.
are welcome at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com
Is talk about unity, collaboration on township board all wet?
Anyone wondering how the new administration is working out in Plymouth Township should watch the opening minutes of the Jan. 28 Board of Trustees meeting. After the first couple of presentations, the board moved on to what should have been a rudimentary procedure of approving the agenda.
Except this time, the board wanted to amend the agenda to bring up discussion on the spray scape at Plymouth Township Park—again, a theoretically rudimentary procedure. Because motions to approve the agenda must be unanimous (which is a bit odd, itself, I think), it failed. The reason why some trustees—and Clerk Jerry Vorva—wanted to bring it up for discussion is because they had learned—apparently through a facebook post— that the sprayscape was going to be closed for the 2025 season. Supervisor Chuck Curmi hadn’t informed them previously.
“He didn’t come to the board. He unilaterally did it, in contradiction to the rules,” Vorva said. “He did it himself, and posted it was going to be closed for the whole season.”
I can understand that concern. The conversation that followed was even more concerning, with Vorva implying there was a racial motivation for wanting to close the park—based on comments that Curmi had made in the past about non-residents using it, among others. At one point during the contentious conversation, Curmi also abruptly cut off Trustee Jen Buckley’s concerns, with a curt: “Duly scolded.”
What surprised me is that this became an issue in the first place. The township has known about the needed fix to the sprayscape for more than a year. They fought the ruling—which came from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy because of excessive chlorine in the runoff—and when they saw they weren’t going to win that appeal, investigated some solutions, picked one and budgeted for it. The solution was talked about when the budget was discussed in October; the budget was unanimously approved prior to former supervisor Kurt Heise leaving office.
Curmi, for his part, has apologized for the way the news was received by the board. He said he was trying to be respectful of the residents who wanted to reserve space at the park, so they would know the water park wouldn’t be available. Park reservations opened on Jan. 14. But even with a change in administration, there was still plenty of time to get things rolling between November and January.
There’s a temptation to write this off as a new administrator finding his way, but there are some things to remember here: first, Curmi talked about working closely with residents throughout his campaign, has noted how poorly people have been treated in the past and also talked about how important it is to get different perspectives—all things an elected official should say and do. He also talked about the importance of treating everyone with respect. He’s also not new. He has served in an elected capacity for nearly 30 years and should know how to treat his fellow trustees—and people, in general. His decision to shut down the sprayscape without letting the board know—or even brining it up for discussion—is directly contradictory to the promises he made. There was simply no reason to do it that way, no matter how much he tries to explain it or backtrack on it now.
This relatively small issue should have provided an example of solid government in action. Township officials have done such a commendable job of navigating the continually increasing water and sewer rates imposed on them that they have been able to mitigate those increases and still build up a fund balance healthy enough to handle a $300,000 expenditure to fix the sprayscape without batting an eye. That’s what they’re supposed to do.
It might have been difficult to get the improvements completed by Memorial Day, in any case, but if the board had acted in unison, they might have pulled it off. It’s highly unlikely now, and I don’t see the point of trying to reinvent the solution township engineers came up with when there are funds in place—and allocated—to fix it right the first time.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: at this level of governance, local officials are all just neighbors working with neighbors to make our little section of the world a better place. Nobody can do it alone. And nobody should try.
CHUCK CURMI PLOTS OUT FUTURE
DON SOENEN’S CHICANE OPENS IN OLD VILLAGE
GARAGE
SOUND OFF:
Please submit your letters by emailing Editor Scott Spielman at scottyspielman@ gmail.com. Letters should be no more than 150 words. We reserve the right to edit all letters.
Fight the landfill expansion
Thank you for bringing attention to the potential expansion of the Arbor Hills landfill. In addition to writing to the Washtenaw County Material Management Planning (MMP) members and our state legislators, it is also important for local residents to be physically present at MMP meetings which are expected to be the second Wednesday of every month. I look forward to seeing other local residents at these meetings and making sure the MMP understands the impact their decision will have on the Northville, Plymouth and Salem communities for generations to come.
Jen Blaharski
Rebuke the Cobra
We were in the first graduating class of Plymouth-Canton High School. A group of 14 people were assembled to discuss the Chief name. I was selected along with one of my classmates.
When it came to selecting our school mascot name, we voted in all of the homerooms and name Chiefs was picked. It sounded like the Kansas City Chiefs. For the fight song we had Ohio State. Since Salem and Canton were in school many years, Salem was blue and white and Canton was red and white. We graduated together on the football field the year before the Bicentennial, which showed us to be red, white and blue, which looked very patriotic.
The students want to be Chiefs. We have been Chiefs for 50 years. Our 50th Class Reunion is this year.
Considering the designer, Zane Birchler, he graduated in 2009. Our Class was from 1975 had 50 years of Alumni. His design is based on Carroll Shelby, who designed the Cobra for Ford. This could be a trade violation with Ford.
I taught 31 years in Plymouth Canton. One of my students is a priest. He wrote this:
“In the Garden of Eden, the snake was an actual physical representation of the devil. Ultimately, the snake is said to have let down Eve thus creating the downfall of man.” Theologically, the cobra while a very shy snake represents evil. It hides from other life until it doesn’t and releases its fury. Perhaps the cobra is symbolic of the downfall of the once esteemed PCEP.
All Christians should take offense to the nefarious mascot the institution now proclaims. A Chief represents peace. A cobra represents the devil which must be rebuked.
Jodi Overholt Ring
More support for the old logo
As a Canton High alumni who was able to vote on the original name, I side with the old logo. The cost to change all of the uniforms, in school logo areas, stadium logos, etc. far outweighs the few who decided it was offensive. I wasn't aware that any indigenous people were offended. Did anyone consult with the snakes before making the change?
Laurie Buchanan
Be proud of the brand
I can't help myself. I'm stuck in the past, where showing off your brand is without fear of cancellation by social justice warriors. The Washington Redskins, Uncle Ben's Rice, Aunt Jemima, boy, girl, mister and misses. Yes, I miss the days when common sense prevailed and the Canton Chiefs were on the war path.
Robert Cohen
Forever a Chief
I am a graduate from Canton High School. While I might not have been the best student, I was so proud to be a part of the first graduating class of Canton High School in 1975. Also, during a vote for the high school mascot, I was one of many who wanted to be a Canton Chief.
From 10th grade to my senior year, I was at every home football game. I had a lot of my friends that were a part of those teams. We were Chiefs, from the players, to the cheerleaders, the band and even the fans.
We as Chiefs became teachers, lawyers, business owners, engineers, salespeople and all sorts of other occupations that contributed to our community. We became Chiefs in what we became. To think that the future of the Canton Chiefs will become cobras... Where is the glory in becoming a cobra?
When I come back for my 50th reunion, I will come back with the red and white colors of the Canton Chiefs, wearing this threatening, offensive and disenfranchising logo of a Chief all around town. I believe our parents raised us to think for ourselves, make something of ourselves, be proud of ourselves and continue traditions.
I’ll always be proud to be a 1975 graduate as a Canton Chief.
Paul Major
Ignorance is not bliss
After reading Editor Scott Spielman’s column in the recent edition of The Rock , I commend you for speaking out about the dangers of social media.
I grew up in Plymouth. I became a schoolteacher for over 40 years, now retired and I am quite familiar with the influence of peer pressure and social media in getting kids to do things they should not be doing. I've seen it many times and agree that communication is the first line of defense.
Schoolteachers can be an example to students, but we have to be careful in how far we go in addressing this kind of thing without stepping on the toes of the parents. It begins at home as you say.
Thank you for putting this front and center in The Rock. Maybe someone might pay attention but as a schoolteacher who has dealt with parents over the years, I know that some are in denial, but in this case ignorance is not bliss. My generation had peer pressure, of course, but now it’s a different era.
As you say all parents need to have "the talk" with their kids. Thanks for the article, let’s hope it does some good.
Ronald Jones
George is a classic!
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed reading the article in The Rock by Ken Voyles, regarding our beloved George Harvell. George is simply a joy to everyone that he comes in contact with, and Plymouth is blessed to have such a treasure in our community.
I met George at Kroger in the 1990s, and have been his friend ever since. What a charmer he is! He always saves a dance for me when I attend the summer concerts at Kellogg Park, and George is a classic.
Thank you for publishing this wonderful article.
Valerie Lake
It’s Burnese, not Burmese
I enjoyed your article about Stella's Tavern. Thanks very much for that great magazine, The Rock. I just wanted to let you know that they are Bernese Mountain dogs, not Burmese. It was spelled with an M twice, so they are perhaps not typos. It's a breed from around Bern, Switzerland. Thanks for all that you do!
Donna Hamilton
Editor’s note: Thanks, Donna! My aging eyes defy me again.
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said. “They still can’t get over it. People are still beating up on me.
“I think, unfortunately, people underestimated how dissatisfied people were,” he added. “I think it was the horse track that did it, I think. The horse track really galvanized a lot of people.”
It’s unlikely that the township will receive any news on that front any time soon. The Carlo brothers, owners of the Northville Downs Racetrack, sued the township after an attempt to move the facility to the western portion of the township was ultimately rejected by the board of trustees.
The township filed an official motion to have the case dismissed last year, but the Carlos have since changed attorneys—perhaps because their previous attorney, Mike Cox, is rumored to be eying a run for governor. While the new counsel is getting up to speed, court action has been postponed.
“If it goes to trial, the trial is early 2026,” Curmi said. “It’s been substantially postponed.”
Meanwhile, the land the track would have been constructed on near Ridge and Five Mile roads remains on the market.
Chuck Curmi has served on the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees for nearly 30 years, but he’s in township hall a lot more frequently these days.
Curmi, 70, swapped his role as a part-time trustee with the fulltime responsibilities of township supervisor, defeating incumbent Kurt Heise in last August’s primary election. He took the oath in November and has helmed the township since then.
“It’s much different. It’s a lot more work and a lot more hours. It’s like juggling balls all day,” he said. “We are a lean organization, so a lot of things fall to me. Some
people don’t have the mindset to do that. We’re a skeleton crew here and everybody is working hard.”
An automotive engineer, Curmi retired about five years ago. He ran for full-time office because he said he wasn’t happy with the direction of development in the township and the way some residents were treated. Now, he said he wants to help the township move past the acrimony.
“That may have been the most expensive, meanest, nastiest election—definitely in Plymouth Township history—but it might have been for a township in general. It was really brutal, and people are still carrying on,” he
The township is also awaiting word on a permit for a waste water treatment plant proposed for Salem Township that would help usher in a major development, Salem Springs, on the western side of the township’s border.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) hosted a public hearing and sought feedback on the proposal last year, and their decision is imminent.
Attempts to contact the state about the permit have been unsuccessful.
The plant—and the Salem Springs project, in general—has been met with objections from western Wayne County residents and leaders alike because of the potential harm it would cause to the delicate waterways that ultimately feed into the Rouge River.
“The flooding is the biggest question mark. The rest, as far as containing water and treating it, it’s kind of like sewage treatment 101. They know how to do that,” Curmi said. “But the increased flow into that creek is, in my mind, the big question mark. How do you deal with that, especially in a large weather event?”
NEL HYDROGEN
The biggest economic news Plymouth Township received within the last two years may be up in the air as 2025 gets under way. Curmi said township planners have not heard anything from NEL Hydrogen, which agreed to bring a $500 million plant to the Michigan International Technology Center (MITC) corridor. Announced in 2023, there has been no movement on that project and meanwhile, the developers have begun looking for other uses for a portion of the land. NEL had originally asked for about 200 acres.
Even if the project moves forward, the township won’t see any activity for years. The facility would require between two and four gigawatts of electricity to run it, and the equipment to handle that level of power requires between 18-24 months to design and order, Curmi said.
“I don’t think they’re coming here real soon,” Curmi said. “I hope they come, but it doesn’t look encouraging—but I have
“There’s been no movement that I know of. Rumor is that the State of Michigan is ready to render their decision,” said Curmi. “They don’t want it, I think. They’d rather have it contained in a sophisticated, well-run facility like YCUA (Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority). It’s still in limbo.”
heard nothing official.”
Requests for an update from NEL Hydrogen have also been unsuccessful.
The changing nature of the MITC corridor, which is along Five Mile Road on both sides of the Northville Township and Plymouth Township border, will be a major focus of his administration, Curmi said.
“My objective is to get more technology in there. MITC has technology in the title, but it’s all retail, residential and warehouses,” said Curmi, who said he’d like it to emulate the industrial districts closer to Beck and Sheldon roads.
“We have a 40-year history of attracting that kind of business, but unfortunately it didn’t get attracted here. Maybe the market is changing, maybe we weren’t patient enough, but I’m patient.
“Building just for the sake of building doesn’t blow my hair back,” he added. “Let’s get something that works.”
AMBULANCE SERVICE
Curmi said he also wants to dedicate more time to studying the services provided by Huron Valley Ambulance in order for township officials to make the best decision on whether to continue working with them or have its own firefighter/paramedics assume full control of patient transport, too. At Curmi’s first meeting as supervisor—in December—the board extended the contract with HVA for another 18 months. It went into effect in January and expires on June 30, 2026.
“I wanted to buy us some time to rationally evaluate the situation,” he said. “But I think what’s happening is it’s being used as an opportunity to see if there’s an ability to quickly delete HVA. It isn’t that simple. It’s not flipping a switch, like people think. In my opinion, we might be less safe because when we have HVA— even if they don’t show up 100 percent of the time, even if they
only show up some of the time—it takes the load off our firefighters.”
He pointed to successful models in the cities of Plymouth and Northville, which rely heavily on HVA along with part-time paid-on-call firefighters. As part of the new contract with HVA, he said township officials would meet regularly with HVA to see if there are ways to improve service.
He said he’s also looking forward to initiating some smaller projects, too, like refurbishing
the wooden play structure in Plymouth Township Park. He said he hopes to get residents and service groups involved.
“It was built by parent volunteers; I want to get them back involved,” said Curmi. “We’ll get out there with some paint brushes and we’ll be sealing it. We’ve got to do some work on it. Some people want to tear it down. I don’t. Why put it in a landfill if it’s still good? And the kids love it.”
As the annual Plymouth Ice festival was approaching, things were looking a bit sketchy. Thursday afternoon brought a break in the freezing temperatures that had gripped the state for days and threatened the festival with forecasts of warming temps and rain.
“Maybe we should do a sand castle festival, instead,” joked Festival Director James Gietzen as he looked over Kellogg Park, with blocks of ice wrapped in plastic to protect them from the elements.
It wasn’t the best weather Friday or Sunday, and crowds were a bit down. But Saturday proved to be a perfect day, and
Scenes from the 2025 Plymouth Ice Festival
Photos by Bryan Mitchell
there were plenty of people downtown hanging out in Kellogg Park and visiting local businesses, especially the
restaurants and bars.
There were plenty of highlights, including more than 60 beautiful sculptures throughout the downtown area, an ice tubing run, vendors, entertainment and more.
A welcome return was the ice carving competitions in the park—the popular feature had been impacted by covid, as the culinary programs at local community colleges saw reduced enrollment. But the students were back competing, and putting on a show for the spectators.
The Ice Festival Bingo once again proved a hit with festivalgoers and merchants alike, drawing many new customers into downtown shops throughout festival weekend.
All in all, it was a great weekend to be in Plymouth!
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Museum’s escape room adventure offers engaging history lesson
By Tim Smith
Through the curtained travel portal to 1895 Main Street went the Franchina family, on an inquisitive quest to solve the new Time Escape Adventure at the Plymouth Historical Museum and – as a result – return to the present day.
The six family members, all Livonia residents, needed to successfully complete a Jeopardyworthy scavenger hunt in 60 minutes or less. With the clock running, they were tasked with collaborating, brainstorming, attempting to make sense of various puzzles and clues to solve the elaborate mystery.
For museum members Jerry and Livia Franchina, their sons Anthony and Paul and daughtersin-law Erica and Martha, the solution finally came, albeit a minute or two after the clock hit zeros – automatically vaporizing them and preventing them from returning to 2025 (thankfully,
only in the make-believe game world).
“I thought it was fun,” Jerry Franchina said. “It really showed how we interacted – and didn’t interact.”
He chuckled slightly about the latter, adding “I think it was a matter of trust in some cases, like ‘Wait, you’re going in the wrong direction.’”
BEHIND THE CURTAIN
The family started their quest by walking up a flight of stairs through a time warp of sorts, actually just a curtain with the image of a fully stocked bookshelf emblazoned on it. Waiting on the other side of the curtain was their Time Escape Adventure tour guide, 2025 museum docent John Wilson, who was nattily attired in late 1800s garb.
To kick off the proceedings, Wilson handed out a 1895-era Plymouth “newspaper” with blurbs and mini-stories, loaded
their sleuthing efforts to the test, initially determining if point A led to point B, and to other potential items of discovery and interest.
Without giving away the adventure blueprint, there was a chess board to navigate. Books needed to be re-arranged on a shelf, while time travelers encountered an endless stream of “fuel cell” cylinders and a mini recreation of Plymouth’s historic train depot from the 1920s.
There was a Morse code connection between the cylinders and train depot which needed to be deciphered.
At the depot, members of the Franchina team toiled feverishly to figure out the dots and dashes – in hopes of finding out if answers got them any closer to reaching the Time Escape room and solving the exquisite puzzle before time ran out.
with apparent hints. Those printcovered sheets were like treasure maps, to be carried and referred to throughout the search for answers.
He also gave the Franchinas business cards which doubled as puzzle pieces themselves, with various symbols on the flip side. The family then started putting
They were allotted three questions to ask Wilson in order to gain strategic footing, should they truly start to slip up on a clue – but they only used one. That unwillingness to ask for help, plus spending too much time on specific problems, likely led to their demise.
“There were a couple times when we probably could have been a little bit more effective,
a little more efficient,” Jerry Franchina said. “We spent a lot of time on the Morse code. I think we, as Anthony said, I think we overthought some of this.”
Afterward, Erica Franchina chimed in on what stopped them from making a successful exit.
“I feel like everybody had their strengths, everybody worked pretty well together,” Erica said. “But we also were collectively getting stuck on the same things, so that was tough. It was hard to know when to use (the questions) when we were getting stuck.”
Anthony Franchina described the scavenger hunt as “definitely harder than I expected it to be, but it was a good challenge. I would recommend it, it’s a cool way to use this space, for sure.”
Livia Franchina, meanwhile, enjoyed the way artifacts and tidbits about Plymouth history were woven into the overall quest and would urge anybody to check out the Time Escape Adventure.
“I would recommend it to my friends, because it’s a good way to just work together, to find a way to help one another,” Livia said. “Collaborate, figure things out. If I did it again I think I’d be more mindful and hopefully aware to communicate with everybody that we need to not spend too much time on one thing.”
Learning about Plymouth in the process was a major plus, she added.
“There are things I really didn’t know about (Plymouth history) that were in some of the paperwork we were given,” Livia continued. “So I thought it was very effective, it was very good and interesting.”
Concurring was Martha Franchina, who, like Erica, had navigated so-called “escape rooms” elsewhere in the past several years.
“I’ve never been here before, so it was cool to come in here and do a scavenger hunt and learn
about the history of Plymouth,” said Martha, adding that she’d definitely like coming back for a second crack at solving Plymouth Historical Museum’s elaborate puzzle.
YEARS IN THE MAKING
The Time Escape Adventure took more than five years to progress from its formative concept, the brainchild of former museum marketing director Mike Woloszyk.
According to Elizabeth Kerstens, Plymouth Historical Museum executive director, the escape adventure was waylaid by the Covid pandemic, but Woloszyk persevered and it finally opened in October 2024.
“It took a while to come up with the puzzles that would work, but also, it’s not just the puzzles,” Kerstens said. “There’s mechanisms, like the books over there have to be in a certain order so that the magnet will open the door. And, like the one in the (final) room, some of those were
when upcoming sessions are available. Sessions are set for March 14 and March 21.
Escape rooms are growing in popularity for families like the
very tricky for him (Woloszyk). It took a while to get that right.”
Kerstens said the museum currently is hosting one group of four-to-eight people ($30 per person) at 6 p.m. on Fridays. Go to plymouthhistory.org and click on the events button to find out
Franchinas who are looking to experience a unique connection and also for businesses interested in fostering team building exercises.
What makes Plymouth’s version unique is that it is “opposite of a normal escape room,” Kerstens
explained. “This is built as a museum, not an escape room.”
Yes, there is a final room where contestants attempt to enter for the chance to solve the final piece of the puzzle. But in every step leading in that direction are artifacts and reminders of what Main Street in 1895 Plymouth probably looked like.
“Actually, that’s our mission statement, to teach Plymouth history,” Kerstens said. “So this is another part of teaching Plymouth history, but in a different, engaging way.”
The Franchinas reached consensus on how much they enjoyed that historical element of the Time Escape Adventure.
“I think this is a great venue to do this, with the train station over there making all that noise,” Jerry Franchina said. “It kind of added ambience to the whole situation.”
For more information about the Plymouth Historical Museum and its Escape Room adventure, visit www.plymouthhistory.org or call (734) 455-8940.
Likely you’ve never heard of Le Mans, a 24-hour endurance auto race held in France every June. At the end of the famous road course is a “chicane,” a deliberate s-curve that forces drivers coming out of a straightaway at speeds of 200 mph, to slow down before heading into the startfinish line and the next lap.
Like a lot of race courses, Le Mans’ chicane challenges the best of drivers with twists and turns that can make or break success.
It’s an adept analogy for Don Soenen and his team, who have worked for three-plus years to open Chicane, Plymouth’s newest restaurant, all while facing numerous curves, hurdles, and challenges as they sought a fresh vision for Old Village dining.
A well-respected Plymouth business leader and community philanthropist, Soenen knows a lot about racing metaphors, having competed in hundreds of auto races over nearly three decades. Nothing has daunted his vision, but he’s faced plenty of twists and turns.
Chicane may take its name from a racing term, but don’t expect racing kitsch on the walls or in menu and cocktail names. Instead you’ll discover a modern restaurant, friendly and warm, vibrant and elegant yet relaxing. It’s designed to be more than just a restaurant or neighborhood bar,
offering a sizeable special events venue for weddings or business meetings and lots of live music.
Located next to the railroad tracks that cross Starkweather Street, Chicane’s style is an ode to a time when places called “supper clubs” dotted the landscape. These were social venues where people dressed up for a night on the town, enjoyed a great meal and experienced live music in an intimate setting.
The 10,000-square foot building houses a dining room with seating for 150, in a space where people can “celebrate at every turn,” enjoy live music on its “centerstage” and an array of great food and cocktails.
Soenen describes his vision as “a fine dining restaurant with elegant banquet facilities,” and featuring live music.
“We want this to be a friendly place where people are comfortable and casual as well,” he adds. “It’s about letting people enjoy themselves. That’s why we say the night is yours at Chicane.”
This may be Soenen’s first foray into dining but back in the late 1970s and early 80s he built and operated CenterStage, a concert venue on Ford Road in Canton. Over the years it gained a large local following and even a national reputation showcasing artists like Tina Turner, Dire Straits, the Police and Rodney Dangerfield.
After purchasing the property, longtime home to the Station 885, Soenen set his sights on doing something in Old Village, a place he calls Plymouth’s “future.”
The building and site had seen better days by the time he started creating Chicane and much of it had to be removed. Still there are some reminders of 885’s glory days – rafters loaded with new lighting from the original building, a stone sign embedded over a door and windows
facing the railroad tracks and Starkweather.
During the construction, Soenen put in place a team of managers, chefs and hospitality experts to create the heart of the restaurant and events center. These include leaders from the private club industry, restaurants in Detroit, a local executive chef with fine dining experience and partner on the project, Mia Odeh.
“When I decided to do this I thought as much as anything
We spent a lot of time talking about our identity. Who we were, what we were all about. We want people to appreciate the name and what it means, how it reflects on our lives, but we didn’t want to go overboard. That took time and energy to get right, as much as construction challenges at times.”
—
Chicane owner Don Soenen
about making a significant contribution to the community and Old Village,” says Soenen. “I knew if I walked away from the site that might not happen. I was driven by that.”
The 78-year-old laughs thinking about the decision to try a new and challenging venture. He’s
(Plymouth’s historic symphony) and helped save Central Middle School and created PARC (Plymouth Arts and Recreation Center) that houses nonprofit organizations and more.
“You’d think I would know better,” he laughs about launching the project over three years ago. “You think by my age I would have learned enough lessons than to take on another major project. Guess I’m a slow learner.”
Soenen loves Old Village and hopes his multi-million dollar investment is a reminder of his passion for the area, a place he says is a unique neighborhood, but one that he felt would embrace a high-end dining and entertainment experience.
“I’ve got a good feeling about Old Village,” he says. “We’ve had a lot of interesting things happen lately with businesses. The future in Plymouth is right here in Old Village.”
He’s also proud of being a
owned a dozen tech companies over his career, been in hundreds of races, helped save the Penn Theater, led the transformation of the Michigan Philharmonic
family-owned operation, of the expansion of parking on the property (over 100 spaces), and the care put into the look and feel of the building and landscaping. But
most of all, his desire to work with fellow Old Village business owners and the Old Village Association.
“The people around Old Village and the community are our customers,” he says. “I know we’re fine dining, but I want people to come by more than just for an anniversary.”
Large windows and hundreds of lights hanging from every part of the ceiling, along with a marble bar facing the railroad tracks and a sound-proof stage, blend together with the dozens of cozy dining tables. That includes a special one in the corner at the junction of the railroad tracks and Starkweather.
But what really sets Chicane apart, according to Soenen, is its devotion to traditional cuisine, centered around uniquely woodgrilled steaks, chops and seafood as well as homemade pasta and fresh ingredients. The massive grill is the heart (and heat) of the kitchen. It is fired daily with aged wood trucked in monthly from a farm near Dexter.
It is currently openly solely for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with live music taking the stage after 7 p.m. The restaurant is open from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The special events and banquet space includes what’s known as the Apex Room, which can host about 120. It’s a bright, elegant space with dramatic windows and plenty of space for any style event, whether it’s a business event, an intimate birthday party or an elegant wedding reception.
An outside patio for 40 called the Circuit features a massive fireplace and special windows that allows it to be used throughout
the year. Both Circuit and Apex can be combined for an event.
As a leader in Plymouth for over 55 years, Soenen is a family man who resides in Plymouth Township and is dedicated to helping maintain the community’s cultural treasures. He knows plenty about the twists and turns of life. But that’s for another story.
For now he’s just happy navigating the winding road to building a successful dining and events business.
“We spent a lot of time talking about our identity,” he says. “Who we were, what we were all about. We want people to appreciate the name and what it means, how it reflects on our lives, but we didn’t want to go overboard. That took time and energy to get right, as much as construction challenges at times.”
In the end, Chicane is perhaps a place to leave behind the chicanes of life, and enjoy a special night out.
CHICANE
OWNER: Don Soenen
ADDRESS: 885 Starkweather St, Plymouth
PHONE: (734) 228-6888
HOURS: 4-10 p.m. Tues-Thurs; 4-11 p.m. Fri & Sat
GENERAL INQUIRIES: team@chicane.com
PRIVATE EVENT INQUIRIES: celebrate@chicane.com
WEBSITE: www.chicane.com
Water ‘Parked’
Popular township sprayscape most likely will not open in 2025
By Scott Spielman | Editor
Residents will not be able to enjoy the sprayscape at Plymouth Township Park this year due to state concerns about chlorine levels found in the runoff to nearby Tonquish Creek.
Township residents—and the majority of the board of trustees—learned of the closure through Facebook posts when the notification was posted on the Plymouth Township Website in the middle of January.
The announced closure came as a surprise to board members, who had talked about the issue during the budget process last year. During that discussion, then-supervisor Kurt Heise explained the situation and two potential remedies that could have had the park open by Memorial Day. The funds for one of those fixes was approved in the 2025 budget.
life. They told township officials they had to fix the issue or close the park down.
“What baffles me is that the water we’re using is tap water. It’s what you’re drinking,” said Heise. “It’s safe to drink, but it’s not safe for fish—that’s the logic of the State of Michigan.
“We fought the state on this,” Heise added. “We fought the mandate. But in the end, it’s their mandate. It’s their data.”
Township engineers developed two potential fixes: one, a detention pond that would retain the runoff for 24 hours and mitigate its impact on the creek. The other, a relatively small sewer pipe that would connect to the stormwater system and alleviate the problem all together. The pond idea was prohibitively expensive and would also require a filtering system as well as frequent maintenance to swap out the filters. The new pipe would cost about $300,000, but be a one-time cost, Heise said.
and Mark Clinton, along with Treasurer Bob Doroshewitz voted to amend it to discuss the project.
Curmi said he didn’t want to close the park, but instead wanted the find the most cost-effective solution, such as a suggestion from a township resident that water from the creek be pumped into the discharge line to dilute it.
“If it works, it’ll have a much lower cost. We want to have time to pick the alternative,” Curmi said. “I want to optimize this so we get the best solution at the best price.”
Any work initiated now would most likely be completed closer to Labor Day than Memorial Day. Curmi said he had the notice posted in the middle of January because park reservations open on Jan. 14 and he wanted residents to be aware of it.
Clerk Jerry Vorva took issue with the way the process was handled by current Supervisor Chuck Curmi, saying he should have consulted the board and that the closure ultimately wasn’t necessary.
“It’s clear that he knew what the problem was. He knew what the fix was. It was in the budget,” said Vorva. “It could’ve been done effectively by Memorial Day and we have an ordinance that says it will be open by Memorial Day. He did this unilaterally and he can’t do it unilaterally—it’s a board action.”
The issue stems from the runoff at the park, which is off Ann Arbor Trail, west of Sheldon Road. Officials from the Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes and Environment (EGLE), tested the waters in the nearby creek and found chlorine levels were too high for aquatic
Both were talked about during a budget study session on Oct. 8, 2024, where funds for the new pipe connector were approved. Heise said then that there was nearly $20 million in the water/ sewer fund balance to cover the expense.
All of that makes the decision to close the park more concerning, according to Vorva.
“It’s very troubling. We’ve been talking about this for over a year,” Vorva said. “We’ve talked about this a couple times at the board of trustees. He (Curmi) sat on this from October to the middle of January when he posted this. We had two good options that we were talking about.”
Vorva attempted to bring the matter up for discussion at the Jan. 28 Board of Trustees meeting, but the motion to amend the agenda failed because it was not unanimous. Curmi, along with trustees Sandy Groth and John Stewart voted against it, while Vorva, trustees Jen Buckley
He also said he would make a better effort to communicate with the board, and dismissed concerns that he wanted to shut the park down—as well as Vorva’s accusations that his decision was racially-motivated.
“We’ve got this under control. We’re not closing it permanently. That’s never been the case,” he said. “We want to do it in a logical fashion. It’s not some plot to close it permanently. It’s a plot to do it right the first time.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
According to Plymouth Township Supervisor Chuck Curmi, the state of Michigan has notified the township that the sprayscape at Plymouth Township Park needs to be fixed or shut down because chlorine levels found in the runoff to nearby Tonquish Creek. Would you like to see it fixed or shut down? Why? Please email your opinions to Editor Scott Spielman at scottyspielman@gmail.com.
Northville Lumber moves centuries-old business to new site in MITC
By Michele M. Fecht | Photos by Bryan Mitchell
Stewart Oldford has had his work cut out for him in the last two years. As owner of a multicentury, family-owned business in downtown Northville, his decision to build an expanded facility in the Michigan International Technology Center was, to say the least, a leap of faith.
Northville Lumber opened the doors of its new headquarters at Five Mile and Napier roads, which is part of the MITC, a joint real estate development initiative between Northville and Plymouth townships.
The 72,000-square-foot facility occupies 25 acres on the north side of Five Mile. “We’re about 100 times bigger than where we were,” Oldford said of the former 615 Baseline Road location, adding that the new facility is operating on a little more than half the site so there is room for expansion. Approximately 32,000 square feet of the facility is used for store and office space with the warehouse occupying an additional 40,000 square feet.
The “soft” opening in early January — a prelude to a grand opening sometime in April — was the culmination of 17 months of non-stop construction.
“I realized in 2019 that we were out of space,” Oldford said
of Northville Lumber’s longtime location on Baseline Road. “We were operating out of four different facilities. It was just so tight.”
Oldford, who joined the family business in 1988 and has been president of the company since 2006, said the challenge of finding suitable property in the Northville area seemed daunting until he was made aware of the MITC initiative in 2019. “There were no utilities on the site,” he said of the new location. “No water, no sewer, but the site offered the acreage we needed. My goal was to bring organization and efficiency to our model which we just couldn’t do at our former location.”
The years between the time Oldford first looked at the Five Mile property to when the first shovel went in the ground would prove to be among the most challenging for the construction industry — a double whammy for Oldford as a supplier of construction materials while at the same time considering construction of a new facility for Northville Lumber.
“It took a couple of years to get started due to unprecedented issues in the construction field,” he noted. “There were inefficiencies in the supply chain, product shortages and
unprecedented spikes in lumber costs.” In May 2021, lumber reached a record all-time high of $1,711.20 per thousand board feet. By comparison, current lumber prices are in the $540 per thousand board feet range depending on the type of wood.
“Usually, the construction industry leads the country in an economic downturn,” he said. “Except when there is a pandemic.”
Despite the challenges, Oldford said they made the decision to push ahead with their plan to build, hiring Schafer Construction of Brighton with F.A.studio of Southfield heading the design. Patrons will recognize Northville Lumber’s logo on the building’s façade. Its branding hasn’t change.
Aside from the staff at Northville Lumber’s Novi Home Design Center on Novi Road, the new facility will house the company’s 80-some employees under one roof. Oldford said the Design Center, which opened in 2016, will remain at its current site continuing to showcase products such as windows, doors, molding and hardware. Oldford said he has not decided what he will do with the Baseline site.
The store area of the new facility offers more space for
showcasing products with design stations centrally located. Oldford said artwork on the walls will bring a Northville feel to the space along with shadowboxes housed under the counters that will showcase antique tools and other artifacts.
The most impressive space in the new facility is the 40,000 square foot warehouse with its towers of ©auto-stak bins for storing hardwood, plywood, Trex and other materials. Oldford said the automated loading system provides efficiency and ease that wasn’t possible at the former lumber yard.
“I’ve learned a few things in my 35 years in this business,” he noted, adding that the new site offered the opportunity to “bring organization and efficiency to our model.” Another example of that efficiency can be found with the elongated parking spaces for trucks and trailers in the expansive parking lot.
The site also has a multipurpose event space that can be closed for interior events or opened to an outdoor space. Oldford said the space could be available for use by community groups.
For more information about Northville Lumber, visit www. northvillelumber.com.
With quite a history, the purpose of Salem High’s Wall of Champions program is to honor the Rocks’ top student-athletes, coaches, administrators and teams that have made a positive impact on the local community.
It also acknowledges the success earned on and off the field for the past 64 years.
The newest class of inductees, featuring nine athletes, two coaches and four championship teams, were recognized on Feb. 4 during halftime of the home basketball game between Salem and Northville.
An awards dinner honoring the newest Wall of Champions class followed on Feb. 5 at the Meeting House Grand Ballroom in Plymouth.
Here is a look at the latest group of inductees for the Class of 2025.
SCOTT BEAMON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Bill Nelson (tennis coach): For nearly 40 years, the late Nelson guided the Rocks’ boys and girls tennis programs where he mentored and shared his knowledge while taking numerous teams to the MHSAA finals.
As a coach, Nelson was always on time, brought a smile and was always upbeat while making practices both challenging and fun. This resulted in teams that regularly exceeded 50 players.
“Bill did not focus on wins, losses, trophies and medals,” said former longtime PCEP coach Tom Kimball. “The lessons he taught us included sportsmanship, perseverance, and camaraderie. These are ideals that transcend the sport of tennis and impact our lives in more ways than we realize.”
“Through countless hours on the court and unwavering passion for the game, Bill motivated his players not only to be better athletes but also better human beings. To always do the right thing. He knew that his teams could compete at the highest level in the MHSAA and he encouraged them to embrace new challenges with courage, determination and with unwavering sportsmanship.”
STUDENT-ATHLETES
Doug Agnew (football/ basketball/track): The 1978 grad lettered three times in football, twice in basketball and two times in track and field.
In football, he was team captain in 1977 and led the team in tackles while making All-League for the Suburban Eight champions. In basketball he played on back-toback league championship teams, along with a district title, as Salem
went 37-8 in those two seasons. Agnew played three seasons of football at the University of Michigan (1978-80).
Scott Jurek (football/ basketball/golf): The 1984 grad was a three-time varsity letter winner in football, where he earned second-team All-State and All-Division as a junior and firstteam All-State and All-League as a senior while also serving as team captain.
The Rocks finished 16-2 in football during his final two seasons.
In basketball, Jurek helped the Rocks to back-to-back district titles while lettering twice. He also lettered twice in golf.
The linebacker went on to play football at Eastern Michigan University, lettering four times. He was a top-five tackler in all four seasons and helped the Hurons to the 1987 Mid-American Conference and California Bowl championships.
Jon Little (cross country/ track): The 1999 grad earned a total of eight letters – four each in cross country and track.
In cross country, Little was team captain four seasons, earning: All-State (1997), All-Region (1997, 1998) and All-Conference (1997, 1998). He was also a USATF AllAmerican (1997, 1998).
Little served as team captain in track for three seasons and went on to run two years each at Indiana and Rutgers universities.
He competed professionally for Brooks (2003-10) and participated in both the U.S. and Canadian Olympic Marathon Trials (2008). He took 23rd overall in the 2006 Boston Marathon and currently serves in a legal practice dedicated to the rights of athletes.
Paul Makara (football/ basketball/baseball): The 1986 grad earned three letters in football, serving as team captain during his senior year while earning All-League and All-Area honors as a running back. As a junior defensive back, he earned All-League honors (1984).
He also was selected to play in the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association All-Star Game.
In basketball, Makara earned two letters and was team captain in 1986, while also earning two varsity baseball letters. He was voted 1986 Observer & Eccentric Athlete of the Year and Salem’s Male Athlete of the Year.
Makara received offers to play collegiate football at EMU, Air Force, Dartmouth and Grand Valley State, while also getting basketball invites from Alma and Adrian colleges.
Craig Morton (football/ basketball/track): The 1985 grad was voted Observer Athlete of the Year (1985) after lettering twice in football, once in basketball
and three times in track and field.
In football, Morton made AllLeague (1984) and was selected to the East-West All-Star game (1985). In basketball, he won a varsity letter (1984-85 season). He was team captain and made All-League in track (1985).
Collegiately, Morton was an All-Ivy League selection three times and was an All-American at Dartmouth College (1988). He participated in the NFL Combine (1989) and played one year professionally for the Frankfort Galaxy of the World League of American Football (1991).
Mark Nagel (hockey): The 2003 grad was a four-year letter winner,
two-time captain and three-year team MVP for the Rocks.
In 102 career games, Nagel tallied 114 goals and 121 assists for a total of 235 points while earning All-Conference, All-State and Detroit News All-Metro twice both as a junior and senior, along with All-Division as a freshman and sophomore (2000, 2001).
He also was selected to play for Team Michigan in 2003.
Nagel also served as an assistant coach for the Kensington Valley Renegades (2007-10) and Gaylord Wolfpack (2015-17).
Jeff Powers (football/ wrestling): The 1980 grad earned three varsity letters in wrestling, making All-State as a senior where he was a district and regional champion while recording a school record 29 pins (56 in his career). He also made All-League as a senior.
In football, Powers earned two varsity letters for the Rocks making All-League twice (1978, 1979), while serving as team captain his senior year. He also made All-Observer (1979).
At Bowling Green State University, Powers earned two varsity letters in wrestling, he was named Outstanding Wrestler at the Ohio State Invitational (1981). He also was the Michigan AAU State champion (1982) and represented the U.S. vs. Sweden in the Greco-Roman international competition (1982).
Powers also earned two varsity letters in football at BGSU and served as an assistant coach at Canton H.S. (2002-07) and for the Plymouth-Canton Junior Steelers (1999-2001).
Steve Robb (football/ basketball/baseball): The 1973 grad, a three-sport athlete, earned two letters in football, two in basketball and three in baseball while earning Salem Male Athlete of the Year honors as a senior.
In football, Robb was the Rocks quarterback and captain as a senior earning Team MVP,
second-team All-League and second-team All-Area honors, along being an honorable mention All-Stater.
In basketball, Robb was team captain in 1972-73 and earned second team All-League and honorable mention All-Area.
In baseball, he made secondteam All-League (1973) and second-team All-Area (1973), while as a junior honorable mention All-Suburban Six. He also recorded the school-record for most hits in a season as a senior.
Robb went on to play football and basketball at Albion College, earning first-team All-MIAA (1976) and team MVP for the undefeated 9-0 Britons. He also was MIAA baseball MVP (1976).
He spent 45 years coaching football, including 27 years as the head coach at Milan. He was also the head coach at Dearborn Divine Child and an assistant at Canton. He was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Donnie Warner (cross country/track): The 2001 grad earned a total of eight letters, four each in cross country and track while being selected Salem Athlete of the Year (2001).
In cross country, Warner was captain for two seasons earning All-State (2000), All-Conference, All-Region and All-Observer (1999, 2000). He was also individual conference champ and Free Press All-Area (2000).
In track, the two-time captain was conference champion in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs (2000), along with being All-Conference and All-Region (1999, 2000).
Warner went on to earn four varsity letters in cross country, indoor and outdoor track at DePaul University where he was two-time team captain in track and twice in cross country. He was All-Conference three times in cross country, indoor track (5K) and outdoor track (10K).
He was the Free Press HalfMarathon champion (2008) and Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon runner-up (2014), while also placing sixth in the Columbus and Indianapolis marathons in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Fred Locke, Eric Seidelman, Dave Bracht, Joe Ervin, 200yard freestyle relay (boys swimming): The foursome captured 1994 Class A 200-yard freestyle relay title (1:26.47) by .01 over Birmingham Brother Rice while leading the Rocks to a sixth-place team finish.
Salem also captured Division and League titles that season under coach Chuck Olson.
Locke was also the individual state champion in the 50 freestyle (21.18) and inducted into the Salem Wall of Champions as an individual in 2017.
COACHES
Kathie Hahn (bowling): Serving as the boys and girls coach from 2008-2022, Hahn guided the Rocks to three MHSAA Division 1 titles (2021, 2017, 2013), along with a runnerup finish in 2020.
She also guided Salem to 10 division and two conference titles while also earning Michigan High School Coaches Association and National Federation of State High School coach of the year honors in 2021. She was also
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recipient of the Mary Beth Carroll Extra Miller Award (2022).
TEAMS
Girls gymnastics (1992-93):
Coached by Johanna Anderson and Kathy McBride, the Rocks captured the Open Class state championship with a score 146.75 to cap a perfect 16-0 season, which also included division, league and regional championships.
The Rocks were led by AllStaters (placing top 10 individually)
Courtney Gonyea, Kim Miller, Melissa Hopson and Alysia Sofios.
Girls gymnastics (1991-92):
Coached by Becky Martin and Anderson, the Rocks finished as state runner-up with a score of 142.20 points.
Salem finished with a 15-1 record while capturing the division, league and regional.
The Rocks had four All-Staters (top 10) including Gonyea, Hopson, Kristen Atkinson and Stephanie Skeppstro.
Boys bowling (2016-17): Coach Kathie Hahn guided the
DEDICATED TO THE JOY OF HOME
Rocks to the MHSAA Division 1 title with a 1,285-1,232 victory over Hudsonville in the finals after stopping Grand Haven in the match play semifinals and St. Clair Shores Lakeview in the quarterfinals.
State team finals members included Alex Mattson, Mitchell Rusinek, Shane Rusinek, Ryan Gonyea and Joshua Hall.
Salem also captured division, conference and regional championships as well.
Boys bowling (2012-13): Guided by Kathie Hahn, the
Rocks captured the state title with a 1,388-1,258 win over Saginaw Heritage in the MHSAA Division 1 match play tourney after ousting Jackson in the semifinals and Roseville in the quarters.
Salem’s state finals team consisted of Steven Caldwell, Kevin Williams, Tyler Snyder, Brandon Allison, Jimmy Bowling and Nolan Rudis.
The Rocks also earned division, conference and regional titles that season.
Peek Inside Your Health: Full Body MRI Screenings Unveil Silent Issues Before Symptoms Arise
(SOUTHFIELD, MI) Full body MRI clinics have gained national attention lately, as TV personalities publicly share their personal full body scan experiences. One actress credits the scan for saving her life after doctors dismissed her unexplained pain for months. After various tests, including a CT scan, had “unremarkable” results, the pregnant actress became her own advocate, searched out a full body MRI clinic and discovered she had pancreatic cancer. Thanks to early detection the tumor was removed successfully.
As a general rule, when symptoms occur related to cancer, it usually has progressed to stage three or four. Even with annual physicals, there are limitations. Most screenings only cover about 29% of cancers with 71%
occurring outside of where doctors are able to screen. However, full body MRI scans can detect cancer in every organ from the top of the head through the genitals and can detect it very early.
For a long time, full body MRI scans were available only in select areas outside of Michigan, requiring expensive flights like in Vancouver or California. However, this changed when a clinic opened in Southfield, making these scans available to Metro Detroit residents.
“Our advanced MRI screening can detect cancers very early when they are as small as a pencil eraser and are more easily treatable. If cancer goes undetected, however, it can grow into stage three or stage four with difficult treatments. We can also identify conditions such as brain, abdominal, chest,
and groin aneurysms,” stated the founder of the Southfield clinic called Bionicc Body Screening.
The primary focus of Bionicc Body Screening is to deliver peace of mind, offering a comprehensive and detailed imaging of the body’s internal structures. The ultimate hope is for excellent health. However, in the event that something is detected, the advanced screening aims to catch any potential issues at their earliest stages. This approach offers the best opportunity for successful treatment outcomes, should the need arise.
Robert B., age 50, opted for a full body scan from Bionicc Body Screening and a very small tumor was detected. He said, “It saved my life. Their MRI found a
kidney tumor that had been missed by a recent CT scan. I cannot recommend this service more.”
Take the first step to learn more about full body scans by visiting www.BioniccBodyScreening. com and request a free, no obligation Information Kit. Request it today and you’re also guaranteed a copy of their FREE eBook, Catching Cancer Before It’s Too Late! (This is a limited time offer.) Schedule today at 1-833-BIONICC
teams (2015 and 2016) and made two appearances in the SEC Championship Game for the Gators. He was also All-SEC Honorable Mention and was a member of Florida’s Outback Bowl champion team.
At UNC, Dillard served as captain and was the 2017 Rimington Trophy semifinalist for the nation’s best center. He also was on the Pro Football Focus National Team and participated in two NFL training camps with the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons.
Hal Heard (Basketball): After transferring from Westland John Glenn following his freshman year, the 1992 grad led Canton to back-to-back WLAA West Division, Conference and District championships in 1990-91 and 1991-92.
After an interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Canton High recently revived its Hall of Fame weekend honoring a pair of teams, one coach and nine student-athletes.
Canton’s first-year athletic director Tiffany Roberts helped re-organize the event, which started with the inaugural class in 2018.
Celebrating 53 years of rich Canton athletic history, the Hall of Fame was organized originally as a means of recognizing, preserving and promoting the heritage of interscholastic sports since the school’s inception in 1972.
The event started with a pre-game reception and recognition ceremony during the halftime of the Canton-Salem boys basketball game on Jan. 31, followed by the induction ceremony the next day at the Italian American Banquet center in Livonia.
Here is a look at the latest class of Canton Hall of Fame inductees for 2025:
STUDENT-ATHLETES
Lou Baechler (Football/
Baseball): The 2018 grad was a four-year football letter-winner as a linebacker-fullback, earning All-State Dream Team and team MVP honors as a senior.
Playing for his father Tim, the Chiefs’ head coach, Lou was
Cameron Dillard (Football):
The 2013 grad earned back-toback Division 1 and All-State Dream team honors as an offensive lineman. He was backto-back Detroit News and Free Press All-Metro and All-West in
a two-year captain and was a three-time All-KLAA and twotime All-Metro West honoree as well, while also making Division 1 All-State as a junior.
Baechler went on to play at Hope College, where he was a three-year starter who earned All-MIAA honors in 2021 and served as team captain in 2022.
2011 and 2012 and was a four-star recruit (No. 259 in the nation) as a senior.
The Canton team captain went on to play four seasons at the University of Florida and one at North Carolina where he started 29 career games.
He was a member of a pair of Florida’s SEC East championship
As a senior, the team captain earned third-team All-State honors as well as first-team All-Observer, All-Suburban, AllMetro and team MVP honors. Heard was also the recipient of the Academic Honor Key for Outstanding Canton athlete as a senior.
Heard, who averaged a doubledouble as a senior, still holds the No. 4 position for single-season points all-time at Canton.
He went on to earn a basketball scholarship at Division I Mississippi Valley State University before returning home to become building principal at his alma mater. He currently is the Executive Director of the three high schools for the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.
Alec Pantaleo (Wrestling):
The 2014 grad was most accomplished grappler in school history, carving a 177-9 overall high school record which included one Division 1 championship (2012) at 135 pounds and a runner-up finish at 145 (2014).
Pantaleo went on to earn AllAmerican honors three times at the University of Michigan where he placed third, fifth and
sixth in the NCAA Division I championships. He was also Big Ten champion once.
Still active in the sport and training for the 2028 Olympic Summer Games, Pataleo competes internationally in freestyle where he has won the U.S. Open as well as being a two-time Pan American Continental champion, USA
seasons, earning All-Area and All-Conference honors three times. She also made BCAM Class A All-State twice (2010, 2011) and was honorable mention (2009).
She was part of three division, two conference, two conference tournament and two Association championship teams, as well as
World Cup champion and multiple U.S. World Team member. He has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the world at 70 kilograms.
Markus Sanders (Football): The 2017 grad was a standout running back who owns school records for career rushing yards (6,197), which is 12th all-time in MHSAA history; single season rushing yards (2,495), single game rushing yards (365), rushing yards per game (191) and career touchdowns (70).
Sanders, a three-time All-Stater, earned Free Press Dream Team honors as a senior. He played on two KLAA South Division championship teams, two district and one regional championship team, while making a Final Four appearance for Canton in 2015.
Sanders went on to play football at NCAA Division II Northwood University.
Kari Schmitt (Basketball/ Swimming): The 2011 grad was a standout in two sports including basketball, where she helped Canton to a 68-8 record in three
three district and two regional championships, along with two Final Four appearances.
Schmitt ranks top five in program history in career field goal percentage, points, assists, rebounds and steals.
In swimming, Schmitt was a four-time state qualifier and twotime individual state qualifier as well as earning All-State in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 2007.
Schmitt went on to play four years of hockey (2011-15) as a defenseman at Ohio State where she scored 23 goals and added 58 assists during her career. She earned second-team All-WCHA honors in 2014.
Laura Stewart (Softball): The 1999 grad earned All-Observer, All-Conference and All-District honors as a senior with a 15-6 record with 309 strikeouts in 189 innings as Canton won its district and reached the regional final. She also batted .329 that season as the team’s clean-up hitter.
Stewart went on to walk-on at Western Michigan where
she pitched the Broncos to the 2003 Mid-American Conference tournament title while earning MAC All-Tourney honors and an NCAA regional appearance. She was a two-time All-MAC selection while boasting earned run averages of 1.77 and 1.79 as a junior and senior, respectively. She was inducted into the WMU Hall of Fame in 2017.
Stewart still holds Bronco single season records for innings pitched (250), complete games (29), wins (23). She also ranks third in single season shutouts (11) and fourth single season in strikeouts (236). She also had a no-hitter to her credit.
She was an NFCA AllAmerican Scholar-Athlete and is currently an elementary school teacher in Charlotte, N.C.
COACH
Dave Van Wagoner (Boys Basketball): Van Wagoner spent 17 seasons in the Canton boys program, including 10 as head coach where he guided the Chiefs to five WLAA Western Division (1984, 1991, 1922, 1993, 1994), three WLAA (1984, 1992, 1994)
West Coach of the Year (1992) and Detroit News Metro West Coach of the Year (1984).
Twenty of Van Wagoner’s players went on to play college basketball.
Van Wagoner, who also coached boys and girls basketball for 20 years at Discovery Middle School, was also recognized by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) in 2021 after surpassing the 400-win mark for sub-varsity games.
TEAM
Boys Basketball (1990-91):
Coached by Van Wagoner, Canton finished 19-4 overall while reaching the Class A regional final before falling to Belleville.
Canton also finished undefeated in WLAA Western Division play and finished as league and district champion (including a victory over rival and top-10 ranked Salem).
Five of those Canton team members went on to play collegiate basketball.
Football (2006): Returning eight starters off the 2005 state runner-up team from the year
and two Class A district (1991, 1992) titles.
Two of his teams reached the Sweet 16 with back-to-back regional final appearances.
Van Wagoner was a three-time Observerland and two-time Ann Arbor News Coach of the Year, as well as Detroit Free Press Metro
before, the Chiefs finished 12-1 overall while averaging 35 points and allowing just 13 per game.
Coached by Tim Baechler, Canton captured the WLAA Western Division, WLAA, district and regional titles before falling to Rockford in the Division 1 state semifinals.
Finding Her Voice
Plymouth woman authors book about being adopted and afraid
By Scott Spielman
By the time Janice Jones started kindergarten, she had already traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and had experiences far beyond those of her classmates.
Adopted when she was only four months old, Jones spent her childhood in Ohio with her new parents—her father, Ralph a doctor and respected surgeon and her mother, Lou, who could be quite stern. One would think being adopted into a prominent family would be any child’s dream, but as Jones began to write her memoir—titled Dr. Beare's Daughter: Growing Up Adopted, Adored, and Afraid
The book starts when Jones is beside her father on his deathbed, then goes back to recount her earliest memories, beginning at age 4. Her voice throughout reflects the age she was as she grew, evolving as she learned and experienced more. Surprisingly, writing as a fouryear-old came easily to her when she was in her 70s.
she writes in candid, sometimes stark, prose that plunges readers into her world,” Booklife Prize critics wrote.
An avid reader, Jones taught herself to write and has since taught creative writing in schools, authored writing books aimed toward young writers, and been traditionally published, too. Her young adult novel, Secrets of a Summer Spy, which she wrote while she was in her thirties, was even optioned by Hollywood, but her publisher, McMillon, turned it down. She also had a contract to write two books a year at one time, but didn’t think she’d be able to devote the time to doing it.
she realized that wasn’t always the case.
“I set out to write a story about growing up in Ohio, privileged and isolated, for my children because they know me well, but they don’t know what it was like for me growing up,” said Jones, 77, a longtime Plymouth resident. “I said ‘I’m going to tell all the things that I experienced growing up.’ As I wrote it, I remembered it really wasn’t this great happy story. When the memories started coming back, it wasn’t always this serendipitous, happy tale. The truth was good and the truth was bad and life is like that, too.”
“It wasn’t that hard, because I was always very conscious and aware that I was different, that I wasn’t in step with my adopted family,” said Jones, whose red hair and freckles made her stand out amongst the Beares—and their hometown of Celina, Ohio. “I wasn’t in step with the kids at school largely because of my father—he made me so different.”
The book is self-published and has received positive reviews through Kirkus, Booklife and the Booklife Prize Critic's report, after she submitted it for consideration to the Booklife Prize.
“Jones is able to evoke sympathy in readers for herself as a young child who, adopted as an infant, always felt like she didn't measure up. Her isolation and insecurity are palpable, and
She self-published Dr. Beare’s Daughter, she said, because she wanted to keep all the rights to it. She’s also updating Secrets of a Summer Spy —a fictionalized account of her exploits with two friends— for a modern audience. She’s also working on a sequel to Dr. Beare’s Daughter, which will be out late next year. That book, she said, is about her search for her birth parents— both the good and the bad.
“I have always been a searcher for the truth. I want the truth. If it’s painful, it hurts, if it's good, bad or ugly—whatever it is, I would rather have the truth than some shiny substitute,” said Jones. “I want to get to the bottom of it and deal with it. I’m always out there, scanning the horizon because if there’s trouble coming, I want to see it coming so I can figure out how best to make it miss me. A lot of people don’t want to see it.”
You can find Dr. Beare's Daughter: Growing Up Adopted, Adored, and Afraid on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers’ websites.
A Perfect Blend
Plymouth man offers cuts and coffee inside historic auto garage
Story and photos by Ken Voyles
Let’s try a quick guessing game. Your choices include: a tasty coffee shop that has a 3-chair barbershop in the corner; an old-school barbershop that serves up delicious coffee brews; or a restored automotive garage offering both haircuts and piping hot java blends.
Whichever one you choose, though, would be right, because the Garage Cuts and Coffee, located along Ann Arbor Trail near I-275, is really all three concepts mashed together, artfully combined through playful design and surprisingly comfortable. Together they are the creation of a single ambitious man. You could even call it the perfect blend.
John Sabbagh, who grew up in Livonia not far from where his young business is located, has become a Plymouth resident and business owner through and through. His painstaking effort to preserve a little bit of local auto history, while offering a way to enjoy a cup of java and a quality haircut, is taking hold thanks to a faithful clientele who appreciate the concept in all its three forms.
“It’s a permanent old-school
barbershop and a permanent coffee house blended together,” says the 44-year-old Sabbagh, who resides in Plymouth Township. “It’s in a building I didn’t want to see go away. It means a lot to me and I’m passionate about this, and the time it gives me with my family.”
The one-story structure dates to the mid-1940s, says Sabbagh, when it became the first Mobil gas station in the area. Even though Ann Arbor Trail was a dirt road back then and there were no houses nearby, the owner at the time wanted his station to be located halfway between Detroit and Ann Arbor.
Sabbagh’s grandfather John Sabbagh, who was an auto mechanic his whole life, went to work at the garage in the 1960s and was there as the building transformed into one autorelated business after another including a prominent two-bay repair facility. The elder
spent a lot of time with my grandfather around tools and cars and stuff.”
Surrounding Sabbagh as he talks is a bewildering array of that stuff, history and present combined, much like his business. Things of all shapes and sizes fill every wall, hang from the ceiling, and even occupy the floor. There’s barbershop equipment, including the three classic style barber chairs. There’s more car stuff than you can count, with tools, old auto parts, gas and
Sabbagh bought it in the 1970s and ran it as Plymouth Auto Repair until he retired. After that it was rented out for a few years. Sabbagh eventually purchased it from his grandfather.
“My grandfather is my hero,” says Sabbagh. “I want this building to be part of keeping his legacy alive. This whole project has meant a lot to me because of that.”
Sabbagh has another affinity to the building, having spent time when he was younger working around his grandfather’s place, cutting the grass and cleaning.
“I’ve been coming here since I was a child,” he explains over a cup of coffee one day, “and I
oil cans, flashing signs, vintage license plates, and historic auto signs, including a giant Mobil gas station sign.
Dedicated to restoring the space, Sabbagh personally sought after pieces to decorate his business. A lot of the things you see around you were here when he bought the place, he explains, others he searched for – like the classic Mobil sign.
“I wanted to keep it as much as I remembered and provide the best service,” he adds.
Today the Garage includes six barbers, who mostly work by appointment, as well as two baristas serving coffee. Sabbagh lets his team take care of business and exudes a relaxed approach to running his shop.
In front of one of the bay doors is a small sitting area with comfortable couches and chairs for clients to relax, sip coffee or just
wait for their turn in the chair.
A restored motorcycle takes centerstage and everywhere one looks there is something else to marvel at, including old photographs of the building.
“I took something old and made it new. You don’t usually do something like that to these kind of buildings,” says Sabbagh.
As one enters the front door the small coffee shop is on your left, where coffee brewed from locally roasted beans are served
up in steaming cups. Outside tables are set up to enjoy coffee during the warmer months.
So how did all of place come to be? It’s simple, really. Sabbagh, who bought the building from
grandfather and the garage, Sabbagh attended Loyola College studying hospitality. He spent the next 20 years working for Marriott at hotels across different states. At times he even helped organize new coffee cafes in the hotels, letting him explore ways to maybe connect offering a morning beverage with finding a way to give guests something in the afternoon as well.
When the pandemic hit and the hotel he was at shut down, Sabbagh walked away from his corporate job, “shedding his suit,” as he says, to try and find a new beginning.
“I’ve always loved coffee and was thinking about maybe creating a place where you could just hang out,” he says.
“I remembered a coffee shop in South Carolina that served as a bar in the evening. I thought back to barbershops I remembered and came up with the concept.
“Now I get to hang out here,” he adds.
The idea of hanging out was one thing, but first Sabbagh had to bring his dream to life. Between 2020 and 2022 he redeveloped the property and the inside space, one renovation project at a time. Though it was a solid building, everything inside had to be redone, from wiring
his grandfather in 2019, and the support of his family and friends.
After growing up in Livonia and spending time around his
and plumbing to air conditioning (it didn’t have any) and heating.
“It was therapeutic,” he says. “I made it my job, working every
day, all day. I knew we had coffee shops in the area and some barbershops, I just wanted to bring them together in one place. It’s worked out I think, people have really accepted it so far.”
The Garage opened in 2022, the same year Sabbagh’s grandfather died. Today it specializes in plenty of haircuts and a brewing lot coffee, just no car parts or repairs.
For Sabbagh, though, it’s also a place that allows him to relax more than he ever did in the corporate world, and gives him the chance to spend more time with his family. Married to Caitlin for nearly 20 years, they have two sons and a daughter.
“We love this community,” he says. “Our neighbors and our neighborhood are great. We spend the bulk of our time in Plymouth. I’ve lived in seven different states and always wanted to get back here. I was always refreshed to be home.”
Now and then a few community “old-timers” will stop by, says Sabbagh, and look around at what he’s done to the place, even remembering when they got their car fixed or filled up on gas. That makes it all worth the effort, he explains.
“When I renovated the place it was pretty much a dump,” says Sabbagh, his motorhead nature clearly on display. “Now look around. It’s my blood, sweat and tears. I had help with great local contractors, but it still took me two years. It was worth it.”
In the end the Garage is an ode
to the past, but more than that. You can smell coffee brewing in one corner, you can hear the steady snip-snip of scissors in another, you can touch and see
history come alive all around you. Best of all, you can get a quality haircut, where hot towels and straight razors are not out of place and a dark roast soothes your palette on a cold winter day. Call it the perfect blend after all.
THE GARAGE: CUTS & COFFEE
OWNER: John Sabbagh
ADDRESS: 40600 E. Ann Arbor Trail, Plymouth
PHONE: (734) 404-5441
WEBSITE: www.thegaragecc.com
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