The Rock_05_2025

Contest urges residents to explore, appreciate nature

PLYMOUTH’S NEWS & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Local Journalism Matters

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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 .

Township gets some good news on Downs lawsuit front

The news about the former Northville Downs racetrack project that most Plymouth Township officials were expecting came a lot sooner than they expected.

U.S. District Court Judge Brandy McMillion essentially dismissed the federal portion of a lawsuit brought by the Carlo family (owners of the track) at the end of April on its merits alone, effectively ending the lawsuit—although there is a possibility that several portions of the lawsuit could be revisited in state court.

“This is a great day for Plymouth Township,” former supervisor Kurt Heise told the township board of trustees at their April 22 meeting. The news was only a few days old at that point. It was a great day for Plymouth Township, but not necessarily a surprising one. I do not, in any way, claim to be a legal expert, but I had a hard time believing the suit would be successful. Still, it was good to see it dismissed, and that portions of it were dismissed with prejudice, too.

It’s never a good sign or an ideal situation when any kind of developer has to sue their way into a community. Besides that, I didn’t think they would be able to show any financial loss: the property the Carlos purchased for $10 million is still located in a prime area, still ready for development and my guess is it won’t get any cheaper. Most likely, they’ll turn a profit when it sells.

The dismissal was certainly a victory for Heise and vindication of what he talked about all along -- that the township had been open and transparent, followed the rules and guidelines and negotiated in good faith. As Heise pointed out in the April meeting, he took a lot of heat for the lawsuit—many township officials did—but he was acting with the best interests of the community in mind.

The Community Benefits Agreement at the heart of the lawsuit had been agreed to, in principle, by all parties. He was just trying to get it in writing. The fact that the Carlos evidently balked at that—and tried to appeal to the board of trustees, instead—should have raised more red flags than anything else.

In other news, the township board has voted to proceed with a proposed sewer line connecting to the controversial Salem Springs development in Salem Township. The “high level” feasibility study commissioned by Salem Township showed that the proposed sewer line was, in fact, an effective alternative to the wastewater treatment plant that would have otherwise served that development.

Technically, the Plymouth Township board has not voted on the issue as I write this, but given that a majority approved the study a few months ago, I don’t see why they would reign it in now. I suppose this is good news for the township, too, but I don’t think it rises to the “great day” level. My guess is that we’re going to continue to see more flooding events in the western portion of Plymouth Township, Canton Township and more, so stock up on your sandbags and buckets.

My favorite story of the month, however, is not about those larger, long-term issues, but the tree hunt now under way in the township. (See our story on Page 19). It’s not a big story, but it’s a good example of what the community can do when some passionate volunteers, creative thinkers and good corporate partners get together to tackle an issue or simply show pride in their community. And let’s face it: if we want to protect and respect the environment we have, we’ll have to do it at the local level, with smart corporate partners and active volunteers. We won’t be getting any help from the feds any time soon.

So, I hope everyone takes part, or uses it as an opportunity to get out and enjoy the parks and the woods here in our community. I’ll be out, but not looking for large trees. I’ll be reminding all the smaller ones that they’re important, too. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.

As always, thanks for reading!

Photo by Bryan Mitchell

Don’t overlook seniors

I do think that Plymouth Township and the City of Plymouth should dedicate funding to the Plymouth Community Council on Aging (PCCA).

Seniors are vital to any community and should not be overlooked. Plymouth Township is at least letting the PCCA use the Friendship Station. I am a senior citizen and since moving to Plymouth Township in 2007, I have gone to events at the PCCA hundreds of times. It is extremely important for socialization and well-being for thousands of us.

Nancy Gullet

Dedicated funding needed

I’m writing in absolute support of Plymouth Township dedicating funding to the Plymouth Community Council on Aging

SOUND OFF:

to support programs and services for our older adult population. As our community continues to grow and age, it is essential that we invest in resources that promote the health, well-being, and dignity of our senior residents.

Investing in older adults is not just compassionate — it’s smart policy. It helps reduce long-term healthcare costs, strengthens intergenerational connections, and enriches the social fabric of our community.

Thank you for highlighting this important issue in The Rock

Marcie Johnson

Oh say, can you fly the flag properly?

I am continually disappointed that the schools in Plymouth do not know how to fly the United States flag properly. Phone calls and emails to the principals of the schools do not seem to work.

The flags were ordered to be flown half-mast the week of April 21 at all state and federal institutions. However, Bird Elementary and others did not follow the directive.

Someone should be responsible for flying the flag properly at all times, including the summer months. Students learn respect for our country from adults. The least the schools can do is demonstrate how important our national symbol of freedom is.

Joan Cummins

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.

Spring Break 2025

Kurt Kuban, publisher of The Rock, traveled with his family to the Dominican Republic over spring break. They stayed in Punta Cana at the Colonial Majestic resort, which was hosting a large number of families from Plymouth-Canton and Northville, who were there to celebrate members of the Class of 2025. Organized by HD Travel, the seniors were treated to beach parties, boat rides and some beautiful weather.

“We were able to get away from the resort one day to do some exploring at a park where we went off-roading, learned about a coffee plantation and swam in an incredible pool in a cave known as a cenote,” Kuban said. “Of course, the beaches were absolutely gorgeous. And it was great to see the Plymouth-Canton and Northville students having such a great time as they prepare to wrap up their high school careers. Congrats to them all!”

Kuban is pictured holding up a copy of The ‘Ville, which he also publishes, and his son Kameron is holding his copy of The Rock with the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

The next time you head out of town, take along a copy of The Rock, snap a photo, and let us know where your travels take you. Our readers would love to know! Please email the photos to kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com. We’ll feature the photos in an upcoming issue.

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“We’re really excited about it because the new studio space will really allow us to enhance our news coverage, expand our news coverage, provide more opportunities for students, and really position the radio station for much bigger success for the future,” Keith emphasized.

The renovation, which could begin as early as this summer, will be the first major upgrade at the 53-year-old station since the mid-1970s. Three new production studios and larger interview rooms will be key components, along with additional student workspace.

“We’ve been fortunate,” said Keith, about how the Dunning grant is adding to the momentum already gained from other contributions to the station’s campaign.

The adage that fortune favors the bold is spot on when it comes to WSDP –commonly known as 88.1 the Park – often viewed as one of the best and brightest high school radio stations in Michigan.

That’s because the Margaret Dunning Foundation recently donated $25,000 toward a major renovation of the acclaimed Plymouth-Canton Educational Park radio station.

With that influx of money, the station’s Amplification Capital Campaign will be much closer to having enough to enhance, expand and launch the next phase of how students – led by station manager Bill Keith – serve the Plymouth-Canton communities and beyond well into the future.

What Keith said the next generation of radio station members can look forward to is having studio space which would be “on par” with professional broadcasting facilities.

“Every bit of money that we

raise is important,” Keith said.

“But when you get a major donation like that, of $25,000, it’s a real kick start to the fundraising and really helps us get quite a bit of it covered.”

Student program director

Jonah Kibin, a senior at Canton High School, talked about how the Dunning donation will go a long way in helping future 88.1 staffers hone skills they can use not only for journalism, but for many other professions they might want to pursue.

“This donation is not only an enormous gift to our station, but an investment into the future and strength of our community,” Kibin noted. “It represents the bold dreams of students who will be introduced to a whole new field of opportunities where they can grow to become the person they want to be in this world.”

Another member of the current staff, Salem High School senior Leo Popp, concurred about how the donation will help 88.1 students

connect even more with the public.

“The radio station has taught me how to use my voice to invest in the community,” Popp said. “But it’s the contributions from foundations like the Margaret Dunning Foundation that provides us with the infrastructure and support necessary to make that voice heard.”

The Dunning grant is combined with those from the Rotary Club of Plymouth, the Relentless Care Foundation at Community Financial Credit Union, and gifts from listeners, alumni and friends of the station. Tallied together, the station has raised more than half of its $200,000 goal.

According to Keith, the Amplification Capital Campaign will augment funds from the school district’s budget to remake an adjacent classroom at Salem into an energized space where many more local stories can be covered and where students can do state-of-the-art interviews about topics relevant to the community.

“Community Financial has their Relentless Care Foundation and they, last summer, donated $10,000. We’ve gotten a lot of alumni who have kicked in some pretty major donations. And friends of the station have, too. But it’s all allowed us to be at this point where we just need to raise another $100,000.”

Keith said the future is bright for 88.1 the Park, especially with the planned renovations. There are 37 students from Canton, Plymouth and Salem high schools on board at the station for 2024-25, and the hope is for as many as 60 students to be involved in the near future.

He stressed how much the improvements will enable staffers to essentially throw a blanket of modern, technology-driven coverage over topics and issues that matter to young people at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park.

“Right now, in our daily newscast we do two local stories, plus national news, world news, sports, weather and traffic,” Keith explained. “We’re hoping that through this expanded space and

“It is preparing somebody for a life’s work. They’re doing it at WSDP (88.1) and I’m an example of it. Scores of people graduated from WSDP and used that as a launching pad for life.”

Dave Snyder, a 1982 Plymouth Canton graduate and anchor for WCJB TV in Gainesville, Florida

by getting more students involved, we’ll be able to expand that to three local stories per newscast and really expand the coverage that we’re already able to do.

“We probably do 175-to-220

local news stories per year and we’ll be able to probably add another 80-to-100 (stories).”

The Dunning Foundation’s generosity is striking a positive chord with 88.1 alums such as Dave Snyder, a 1982 Plymouth Canton graduate and anchor for WCJB TV in Gainesville, Florida.

“It is preparing somebody for a life’s work,” Snyder said. “They’re doing it at WSDP (88.1) and I’m an example of it. Scores of people graduated from WSDP and used that as a launching pad for life.”

Plymouth Canton Community Schools Superintendent Monica Merritt added that the Dunning Foundation’s support “reinforces the value of 88.1 the Park to the community and the

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exponential power of the leaders and members of our community when we all come together.”

Margaret Dunning, who died in 2015 at age 104, was a successful businesswoman, philanthropist and civic booster and a major supporter of Plymouth nonprofits, including the Plymouth District Library and Plymouth Historical Society.

The Dunning foundation was founded in 1997 and continues to support her charitable interests and legacy to this day. For more information, visit margaretdunningfdn.org.

Protect & serve

City

of Plymouth honors officers for dedication to the community

Several police officers as well as civilian personnel from the city and the township of Plymouth received a Certificate of Merit for the part each played in the successful outcome of a three-hour standoff with a barricaded gunman recently. The gunman ultimately surrendered to the Western Wayne County Special Operations Team after more than two hours of negotiation with the Western Wayne County Crisis Negotiation Team.

We

awards to our

Sgt. Justin Bulmer received his 15 year Continuous Service Award.

Officer James Baber received his 10 year Continuous Service Award.

Sgt. David Edwards (left) and Officer Nicholas Tefend received a Department Commendation for the arrest of an alleged violent domestic abuser. Domestic disturbance cases can be very dangerous for all involved due to the emotionally-charged nature of the incidents.

presented

Police Officers of the Year for: 2022 - Officer Jon Hiemstra, 2023 - Officer Scott Hockenberry, 2024 - Officer Greg Dimaio

City Police Chief Alan Cox (left) presented an Academic Achievement Award to Sgt. David Edwards for completion of the nine-month Eastern Michigan University Center for Regional and National Security School of Police Staff and Command Executive Leadership Program.

When Mary Ann MacLaren was a child, one of her favorite things to do was sit with her back against a large tree and look out into the forest or meadows in front of her.

“I’ve always liked nature and trees. I just feel strongly about the environment,” said MacLaren, who is retired from

the IT field. It’s one of the reasons why she joined the Environment Leadership Commission in Plymouth Township and one of the reasons she hopes the commission’s latest activity — a hunt for the largest trees in the township — will resonate with residents.

“I’d like to get people or maybe families to go look at some of

to anyone—township residents or non-residents alike. The idea, according to Ben Kronk, secretary of the ELC, is to get young people involved in nature and the community. Also, Plymouth Township was designated as a Tree City by the Arbor Foundation in 2021. In order to keep that designation, the township must put on activities that support the foundation and its mission to plant and protect trees.

“We thought it would be something that would engage the community and find the nature out in the community,” he said.

The contest is separated into three age groups: 10 and younger, 11 to 15 and 16 and older. The trees must be located within Plymouth Township—trees in Miller Woods are not eligible for the contest—they must be living and accessible. The size of the tree is based on its circumference; that measurement should be taken about 4.5 feet from the ground.

There is an official entry form and more details on the township website. The contest runs through July 25.

“We’re really marketing this toward the schools in the township, but again, anybody can enter,” said Kronk. “The hope is to keep it local.”

these trees, where are they and how big they are,” said Maclaren, the chair of the ELC. “It’s just an interesting designation to find some of the biggest trees that are in the community. It just seemed like something a little different to get people out looking and to pay more attention to the trees.”

Launched on Arbor Day, the Big Tree Hunt contest is open

There are first and second place prizes in each age group: $125 for first place and $75 for second. If the same tree is identified more than once, the winner will be selected based on the date the entry was submitted. The prizes were donated by Adient, a car seat manufacturing company based in the township that emphasizes environmental sustainability.

“We’re really appreciative of them. They have done a lot to become a more sustainable corporation and sponsoring a contest like this really lines up with their organizational

ethos,” said Kronk. “Obviously as a manufacturer they’re going to have some kind of impact on the environment, but it’s clear to me that they’re making a really strong effort to be as responsible as they can in terms of their impact on the environment. They also want to be a good member of the community and a good community partner. They deserve a lot of credit; this contest doesn’t happen without them.”

Brooke Bowers, Executive Director of Sustainability at Adient, agreed.

any of our products or processes that we use,” she said. “Our goal is to make sure that we’re leaving the space in which we manufacture better than when it started. We don’t want to do any harm to the environment or the communities we manufacture in.”

She said the company was proud to sponsor the contest when Kronk reached out to her about it.

“It allows community members to get out and really see the environment around them,” Bowers said. “It promotes exercise, getting out and being

we just thought it was a really neat initiative that promoted sustainability, allowing people to see the nature in the community that the live in, but also be active in their community.”

The Environmental Leadership Commission is one of several volunteer boards set up by former Supervisor Kurt Heise after he was elected in 2016. The commission hosts environmental speakers at their meetings and is also responsible for native plantings at township parks, including Lake Pointe, Township Park, Kiwanis Park and more. They are also planning native rain gardens at Gulf View Park later this month or in June.

MacLaren said she hopes the contest will spur interest in protecting the environment, as well as appreciation of the many majestic trees throughout the community.

For an official entry form or more details, visit www.plymouthtwp.org.

NOMINATE A TREE

Plymouth Township’s Environment Leadership Commission is seeking the public’s help in locating the biggest trees in the community. They are giving out prizes to those who find the most impressive. The contest is separated into three age groups: 10 and younger, 11 to 15 and 16 and older. There are first and second place prizes in each age group: $125 for first place and $75 for second.

“Being a manufacturer, it’s important that we have a focus on sustainability and we’re not impacting the environment with

active because with the tree hunt you have to walk around and observe to try to find where is that biggest tree in the community

“It’s more important now to pay attention to what we have and to educate people and try to preserve what we have and things we can do to improve the environment — and that’s a big word, environment. It’s a big thing,” MacLaren said. “It’s more than trees, it’s garbage, it’s trying to figure out how we can make less waste.”

The trees must be located within Plymouth Township—trees in Miller Woods are not eligible for the contest—they must be living and accessible. The size of the tree is based on its circumference; that measurement should be taken about 4.5 feet from the ground.

The contest runs through July 25. For an official entry form or more details, visit www.plymouthtwp.org

Rock

A

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

(Southfield, MI) The late Dr. Warren Ringold knew firsthand 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 first MRI full body screening center called Bionicc Body Screening.

SOFTBALL SIZE TUMORS SILENTLY GREW

Softball Size Tumors Silently Grew

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

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

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 suffered cruel side effects. 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 final days, Dr. Ringold passionately advocated for MRI full body screenings, a proactive approach he believed could empower individuals to take control of their health.

FULL BODY MRI SCANS WITHOUT A DOCTOR’S ORDER

(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.

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.

Raising Awareness

Full Body MRI Scans Without a Doctor’s Order

RAISING AWARENESS

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.

Today, his son Ryan carries on this mission. Though 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.”

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

“Every week I learn of another person who felt perfectly fine, 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 suffer the emotional and physical hardships that our family and he endured. He wanted to save lives.”

Bionicc Body Screening offers 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.

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.

A LIFE SAVED

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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 threefourths of his lung removed. He credits the scan for saving his life. Meanwhile, his brother’s results were clean.

Located in South eld

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

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

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.

over 100 matches in 2023 -- but eventually management changed in TNA and that was the spring of 2024. My contract was only for one year. My partner and I reached out to WWE and AEW to see if there was interest and there was from both companies.”

‘UNIQUE

PATH’

Martin had been offered deals by WWE in the past, but in July of 2024 the timing seemed to be right even though he was making good money at TNA.

With nearly 24 years in the business, Patrick Martin has certainly paid his dues in the sport of professional wrestling.

And even at the age of 42, the longtime Plymouth resident Martin has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in the squared circle where he continues to thrive with Motor City Machine Guns tag team partner Chris Sabin in the WWE, better known as World Wrestling Entertainment.

And it has been a whirlwind for Martin, known as Alex Shelley on the pro wrestling circuit, after recently signing a three-year contract with WWE.

Performing primarily on the WWE’s nationally-televised SmackDown brand on USA Network, Martin is a lesson

in perseverance after toiling through local independent and lesser-known national and international wrestling circuits starting out as an 18-year-old after graduating from Detroit Catholic Central High School.

“That’s the pinnacle,” said Martin, who also performs on the other WWE brands such as Raw and NXT. “It’s the biggest company in the world and it’s the most profitable. I had been in contact with them a few times over the years. They had offered me contracts more recently in 2020. I actually was probably going to sign with them in February of 2020, and then we all know what happened, right?”

COVID-19 temporarily threw a wrench into some of his career wrestling plans, but it didn’t derail him as he performed three years

following the pandemic with Sabin on the Impact Wrestling circuit. (That company was later renamed TNA, Total Nonstop Action.)

And it was during that time Martin was wearing more than a couple of hats, both inside and outside the ring.

“I had a really, really good two-year run there,” Martin said. “I worked 40 hours a week in physical therapy and did about 100 wrestling shows. And when you combine those two – with travel days – had about eight days off, so I was working my ass off. I knew that was not sustainable, but I did want to rebuild my career and I do like to work a lot.

“By the time that happened, I realized in 2023 I should probably sign a contract and TNA made a pretty good offer,” he continued.

“I was still busy that year -- I had

“Ultimately, I knew who was in charge of WWE at this point – (executive) Paul “Triple H” Levesque – and I had a good relationship, and had great conversations with him in the past,” Martin said. “I really had a good feeling about him. I trusted him and I respected him. I knew WWE had top-down management. It was very easy to figure out who you answered to, who was in charge and I liked that in sort of their structure. In the workforce and in physical therapy, it’s very easy to figure out who your boss was or like where the orders were coming from. I enjoyed that. Not all companies are like that, but WWE was, so all those things led to us negotiating with Paul and ultimately deciding to go with WWE.”

But it certainly wasn’t a straight path to the well-known wrestling company.

“I had come to grips that maybe I wouldn’t have a WWE contract because I had done so many things in my life. I’ve had such an interesting and unique path in terms of how I arrived at a WWE contract. But they had offered me deals going back to 2005—that was the first one ever mentioned to me in passing at that point. Multiple times after that, too. And it never felt like the right time for me because I have these other things I’ve done in life. I’ve got two bachelor’s degrees and I

worked in physical therapy and I’m a strength and conditioning coach.”

This year alone during his first four months on the 2025 WWE calendar, Martin has already done an eight-country European tour while booking 16 different international flights.

And despite having only one weekend off during that period, the agile and acrobatic 5-foot-9, 174-pound Martin is grateful he’s made it to the mountaintop of pro wrestling, despite all the bumps and bruises along the way.

and Eileen Martin. He has one brother (Bobby) and two sisters (Mary and Beverly).

He was exposed to pro wrestling at age 10 when Eileen, who at the time worked for Ford Motor’s environmental legal team, got tickets to a World Wrestling Federation (WWF) show at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Am Wrestling School.

“When I started out, if you were over 40 you were ancient,” Martin said. “But the way sports have gone is that you see athletes getting better and better later in life and a lot of that is due to sports science and you see all the progression we’ve made with recovery and what we know what to emphasize now. So, now you have quarterbacks who are setting records in their mid-40s whereas certainly 20-to-30 years ago that was unheard of. People would laugh at you.”

Martin grew up in Redford. He is one of four children of Bill

“This was what we’d call a house show, a non-televised event,” Martin recalled. “And she said, ‘Hey, do you and any of your friends want to go to this?’ So, I had a couple of friends who were into wrestling in fourth grade. I wasn’t massively into it, but I knew they were, so I said, ‘Ok, this is cool, we’ll have fun.’ And after seeing it in person, that was when I really captivated by it. In fact, I’d seen it previously on TV, but I thought what everybody thinks. It’s not real, it’s not a real sport. Seeing it in person, though, and seeing the wrestlers I saw, definitely shifted me away from that and I was captivated by it.”

As a freshman at Catholic Central on Breakfast Drive in Redford, Martin went out for the high school wrestling team, but switched gears after one year to concentrate on a high-level art program.

“I didn’t have enough time for both, so I ended up not following through on wrestling and putting all my energy into art,” he said. “But on top of that I ended up playing in punk rock bands, still lifting weights and still wrestling around with my buddies . . . skateboarded, so I did have these other hobbies outside of sports, which is what CC liked.”

BECOMING ALEX SHELLEY

Besides singing and playing the guitar, Martin decided he wanted to give pro wrestling a shot and found a local wrestling school where he started training at Border City Wrestling’s Can-

“When I started out in 2001, I had just turned 18, there weren’t that many around but there was one out in Port Huron,” Martin said. “You went and checked it out and then paid X-amount of dollars. I think I paid $1,000 at the time. It was my graduation present from my parents. And trained X-amount of times a week.”

And that is where he debuted under the ring name Alex Shelley, a name he adopted by combining the forename of Alex, the protagonist in the 1962 novel “A Clockwork Orange,” while using the surname of Pete Shelley, lead singer of the 1970s punk band “The Buzzcocks.”

On call, his first professional match was March 2, 2002.

“Eventually, after a period of time, your trainer would say, ‘Are you ready to have a match?,’” Martin said. “And then you go and work these smaller shows. And everybody is connected in this local community. A lot of times people would have students show up at shows, set up the ring, set up chairs, take the jackets to the back, take tickets, all of that…and that’s considered paying your dues. But I was really good about that.

“I would go to these shows. I would just offer to help out, ‘What can I do for you, sir? I’m here, I have my gear,’ and invariably somebody will not show up at these shows. And if you are there and you’ve been doing things these people will ask you to do, it’s being there at the right place at the right time,

so they’ll say, ‘We’ll give you a chance.’ That’s kind of how you get your foot in the door.”

Meanwhile. Martin got his inspiration from Brett Hart and Shawn Michaels, two generational and well-known pro wrestlers on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) circuit.

“I liked both quite a bit,” Martin said. “Shawn Michaels was the first guy I saw that really made it look athletic and that’s what drew me in. Because previously my exposure to

wrestling had been big, lumbering body builder types, not saying he wasn’t in phenomenal shape, he obviously was, but he was the first

Continued on page 16

one who really had this high level of athleticism and really moved in dynamic ways. He’d jump out of the ring, the back-flip and do these flying kicks. That to me was what looked like fun. And as an athlete growing up – which me and all my siblings were and my parents were into their 40s -- that’s what had grabbed me, was the athleticism of it all, and the sportiness of it as it was.”

OVERCOMING INJURIES

Early on in his career, Martin was hospitalized with a shattered jaw when he slipped on a wet ring and hit the unpadded ring apron. Shelley had steel plates inserted into his jaw as a result.

“I’m doing pretty good for 42, but I have had a lot of injuries,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate that the injuries I’ve had are the type where you might be out for two-to-three months, but

punch wood, I haven’t had any of the required major surgeries. And I’ve been really lucky that way. I attribute a lot of that to taking care of myself and having the knowledge with exercise, nutrition, rehab under my belt.”

Sabin, Martin’s tag team partner who hails from Pinckney, has had three ACL repairs alone,

covering both knees.

“I loved wrestling and what really made me go all in on it, more recently, was working in physical therapy,” Martin said.

“I graduated from my program in 2018 as a physical therapist’s assistant – that’s a four-year degree now. In doing my clinical rotations and then working in an outpatient clinic, I started to see these people who were very successful with what they did. These are CEOs, these are lawyers, these are doctors… these are people who have some expertise in other fields. And they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They fell on ice, they got rear-ended, they fell off a ladder, and their entire lives were changed just from one of them. And they would give everything they had, monetarily or any material possessions, to be able to just move again and be able to just move pain-free. And to be able to participate in a sport, ‘Oh, man’ because they had these hobbies and they couldn’t do them any more.”

Martin has a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration on Human Resources from Ashford University (Ia.), along with a P.T. Assistant’s degree from Baker College. He also has taken masters courses at Wayne State.

VARIOUS CIRCUITS

In addition to his studies and in between circuits, Martin returned to the ring for three years in Japan with stints on two different circuits, including Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). He also had stints domestically in the IWA Mid-South promotion and worked in the IWA for six months before joining the Philadelphia-based Combat Zone Wrestling.

Needless to say, Martin has plenty of stories about his time on all the various circuits.

aerial stunts and crashes. It’s called paying your dues.

“There’s really no way to prepare for those,” Martin said. “If anything, you have to be more creative and you have to think outside the box because that’s just not a normal occurrence. That’s not even what I got into pro wrestling to do. Those matches didn’t exist. Nobody had ever done those matches when I got into the business. So that one is a bit of an anomaly. That one’s a bit of an X-factor. You definitely have to be creative.”

“Unorthodox things happen all the time,” said Martin, who still performs in a punk rock cover band. “I can honestly say and I think everybody is pretty aware that wrestling is choreographed and planned. I have never had a match go according to plan. I’ve never had one go 100% according to plan, so things happen all the time.

“Oh, gosh. I’ve been attacked by fans. I had to fight back against fans. This is years ago, but it doesn’t happen anymore for the most part. But fans will jump the rail and try and get at you. That’s happened to me a couple of times. It’s always nerve-wracking.”

“We did the Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in late January,” he said. “That was the biggest. Before that it was the Tokyo Dome, which I think holds north of 70,000. I wrestled there in front of tens of thousands, but I had never wrestled in front of a sold-out Tokyo Dome crowd. The difference between that and Lucas Oil, which holds north of 70,000 as well, is every seat was filled in Lucas Oil and that was just absolutely surreal. You look out and people will ask me quite frequently, ‘What was that like?’ It’s like looking into an oil painting. It’s like looking into the sea and trying to decipher all the details. You just can’t comprehend everything.” Continued from page 15

“I think that really opened up my eyes because I was in-between contracts,” Martin said. “I wasn’t wrestling when I started working in physical therapy. And after seeing enough of that, it really made me appreciate that I’ve got this ability to do something that a lot of people wish they could do. And I’m not utilizing it right now and maybe I should take a look at my life and the decisions I’ve made are great. And I’ve learned a lot, but pro wrestling had a finite amount of time. You can only do it for so long.”

Most recently at a SmackDown card in Fort Worth, Texas, Martin and Sabin were involved in a dangerous triple threat tag team TLC (tables, ladders and chairs) match which featured high-flying

Although Martin wasn’t on the most recent Wrestlemania card in Las Vegas, he has performed before massive crowds.

Plymouth City Commission Candidate Forum Tuesday, June 17, 2025 7:00 p.m., Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Plymouth District Library

Join us for this engaging, informative and nonpartisan event which will foster a dialogue on pressing local issues that matter to you. In this event open to the public, Plymouth City Commission candidates will share their visions and answer questions so be part of the conversation and help shape the future of our community. All candidates have been invited. We look forward to seeing you there!

Districts brace for loss of federal funding

By Tim Smith

As the PlymouthCanton Community School district gets its annual budget process under way, officials do so with caution in a time of uncertainty. The threatened dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education by President Donald Trump is worrisome for educators in the Plymouth-Canton and Northville school districts alike.

But so long as money continues to flow in from the state of Michigan as well as from regional and local sources, programs –although financially hampered – would not necessarily be kneecapped to the point of no longer effectively serving families and students, officials say.

When and if that happens, district officials said they’ll prepare for it. In the mean time, it’s essentially keep calm and carry on.

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and advocate for the resources our students and

families depend on,” said Monica Merritt, superintendent of the Plymouth-Canton Community School District.

One of the major areas where loss of federal funding would be a difficult challenge is special education – bolstered and buoyed by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

“The things I’ve heard parents ask me is ‘Will we even have services at all? Is IDEA money going away?”

said Elizabeth Santer, executive director of special services for Northville Public Schools.

“A lot of these things that are being threatened—even the Department of Education—it can’t go away unless there’s an act of Congress. So the chances that IDEA funds are going away, I would reassure them (parents) that the chances…are low.”

Santer said that all efforts will be made at the local level to maintain the quality of services

for special education students, whether those are residents of Northville or of 11 other districts served by the Cooke School center program. About 35 students from the Plymouth-Canton district currently attend Cooke.

“I would reassure them that IDEA funding would be very difficult to go away completely,” Santer added. “And that in Northville Public Schools, we are committed to serving our students and making sure that our students with special education protections continue to be served in the best way we can.

“But obviously, there’s a lot of moving parts in this. It isn’t just special education and it isn’t just funding.”

Santer reiterated that “they’re not talking about losing it (federal funding), they’re talking about shifting it. It’s just that in that shift, we’re not confident it’s going to all be there.”

THE LOSS WOULD BE FELT

Northville Superintendent RJ Webber said it remains to be seen how well the states can fill any funding void left by the loss of a federal education department.

In Northville, about $2 million out of an estimated $100 million annual budget is from the federal government, and that “would be money that would be hard to make up.”

In Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, approximately $10.5 million in federal money was received for 2024-25. The total budget is an estimated $225 million.

“While there is still uncertainty surrounding next year’s federal funding and the future of the U.S. Department of Education,” Merritt said, “any reduction in support from the federal government would significantly impact the programs and services we are able to provide to our students.”

Webber noted that districts

receive federal dollars through programs including Title 1 (to help the economically disadvantaged), Title 2 (for professional development) and Title 3 (to help multi-language learners).

According to Merritt, federal funding also helps support “a range of vital programs,” including adult education, food service, career and technical education.

And then there’s special education funding, money which is essential to “support students with disabilities and those who rely on additional resources to ensure they have access to a highquality education,” Merritt added.

P-CCS special education programs and services include those for students (between ages 0-26) with cognitive impairments and Autism Spectrum Disorder, which rely on help from federal dollars.

The potential impact on special education is something Northville’s Webber also is sharply aware of.

are to help students meet those developmental goals and a timeframe for the process.

MANY QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Yet, for as long as the Trump administration threatens a departmental shutdown (an executive order was signed in late March), a cloud of uncertainty will hover above all public educators and families.

theoretically could make up a chunk of that money, handing off the financial baton might be more ham-fisted than desired.

“While the administration, in Washington, suggest that that funding responsibility could be transferred (to states), those transitions may not be seamless,” Santer explained. “So that’s going to lead to those delays and reductions in funding. Because when our bills come, they come.”

Added to the mix is uncertainty with legal challenges.

“What I’m hearing from parents is, parents who have students with IEPs (Individualized Educational Program) are really concerned about that,” Webber said. “And you look at something like our Cooke School program, where the level of need is so high. There are students there at Cooke, we put in over $100,000 a year to serve.

“Those parents and kids did not ask to be put in that life situation that they are and one of the things that makes me proudest of being a public educator is that we attend to those students and their families.”

The Individualized Educational Program helps special education educators and families gauge a student’s performance level, document annual goals for development and map out how to achieve those goals. Crucial to IEPs is a written statement detailing which specific services

According to Santer, “inconsistencies and disparities” between what districts can offer special education students would probably be prompted by the elimination of the Department of Education.

“The elimination of the department would basically disrupt oversight, guidance and enforcement mechanisms that are really important for maintaining consistent and equitable special education services across the state,” Santer said. “If you leave it to individual states, you very well could not have consistency across states. But even in Michigan, you might have more inconsistency (between districts).”

Without a federal education department, it would be difficult to shore up compliance with the IDEA.

“It mandates all students with disabilities receive appropriate educational services,” she said. “If you don’t have a department, there would be a void in that federal oversight.”

About 15 percent of special education budgets (for Michigan public districts) are generated from federal dollars. Even though states, regional education programs and local agencies

“People are joining coalitions, suing to prevent the department’s closure,” Santer said. “That adds challenges faced by us, educators and administrators, because we have to plan and deliver consistent services. And we can’t do that in a day.

“We need to know that that money will be there, and who’s going to be issuing that money and what bucket is that going to be in when we’re planning for next year.”

It’s a little difficult these days to navigate the living room at the Wilcox’s home in the City of Plymouth.

One side of the room is taken up by a steadily growing wall of boxes emblazoned with the Gleaner’s Community Food Bank name—each one filled with various types of breakfast cereals.

“This is what our house looks like for a couple of months,” said Brooke Wilcox, who, along with her daughter Harper, have collected the breakfast food to donate for nearly 10 years now.

The annual donation drive, now called Harper’s Hunger Heroes, grew out of an idea that Brooke had while working as a nurse at Children’s Hospital in Detroit.

“We always did a cereal drive to bridge the hunger gap for kids in the summer,” Brooke said.

“Her (Harper) birthday was right around that time. She has so

many things and we have so many awesome people in her life, we decided it was a good opportunity to give back. We thought: this perfectly lines up. Let’s just ask for cereal donations.”

Beginning with her first birthday, and every May since,

“Let’s keep doing it!” exclaimed Harper, who just turned 10.

A fourth grader at Smith Elementary and student in the Talented and Gifted (TAG) program at Gallimore Elementary, Harper asks for donations from her classmates as well as her fellow

“Kindness is easy to share.”

Harper Wilcox, who is leading a food drive for less fortunate kids

the family solicited cereal donations in lieu of presents for their daughter. After three years, when Harper was old enough to realize the significance of birthday parties and their annual donation, Brooke asked her if she wanted to keep it up.

Her response?

students at Midwest Tae Kwan Do.

“It’s kind of fun, actually. It helps kids in need,” said Harper, who added that the cereal helps children who would benefit from the free breakfast and lunch programs at the schools. “In the summer, they don’t get that anymore because they’re not in

school. I donate cereal because it's easy for kids to make. If parents aren’t there, they can still eat.”

Her extended family also chips in: Brooke and her husband Brandon solicit donations at work. Brooke’s parents put out boxes in businesses in downtown Milford. They kicked off the cereal drive in April. It extends through May and the beginning of June, when they transport all their donations to a Kroger store in Royal Oak where local radio celebrity Jay Towers hosts an annual food drive.

Last year, the Wilcox family collected enough cereal to provide 21,000 servings to children in need. This year, Harper says she wants to collect and donate 30,000 servings. They are well under way. The boxes are filled with anything from Cheerios to Cap’n Crunch—Harper’s favorite— as well as a growing tower of Quaker’s Oatmeal.

Brooke said that one goal, in addition to doing their part to fight food insecurity, is to teach their children to look out for others who may not be as fortunate as they are.

“You don’t realize how close [food insecurity] is to your community,” said Brooke, now a director of clinical services. Brandon is a CRNA at a hospital in Ohio. “That’s one of the things we wanted to instill with Harper -- to just be kind and aware of the fact that not everybody has what we have.”

Besides, as Harper says: “Kindness is easy to share.”

Brooke said she’s willing to help out others who want to donate, too. Anyone can get involved by scanning the QR code they created to support the event. She said she can also pick up donations or drop off Gleaner’s boxes—just email her at brookerachelle14@gmail.com.

“We’re hoping to knock it out of the park this year,” she said.

“Whatever works best, we can make it happen.”

May is designated as both Skin Cancer Awareness Month and Melanoma Awareness Month to raise awareness about the dangers of skin cancer, particularly melanoma. About 8,000 people die of melanoma each year. In 2024, one of those was Meghan Burke, a Northville native.

Her father, Gerry Burke, wants people to hear her story. It’s a precautionary tale.

In fall 2022, Meghan, a 2007 graduate of Northville High School, noticed a mole on her arm that hadn’t been there before. At the time she had a career in the non-profit fundraising world, and lived in Grand Rapids with her husband, Ian, and son, Gary. Her

last job was at Meijer Gardens.

“It was just basically a circle on her arm, and then it got darker, and then it got raised,” Gerry said. It got to be about the size of a pencil eraser. “At that point, we said, ‘Hey, we better have somebody take a look at that.’”

Meghan couldn’t get in to see a dermatologist until the following spring. The spot was removed, along with two lymph nodes under that same arm, and she got 23 stitches on the outside of her bicep.

That mole turned out to be stage 4 melanoma — and then, she found out it had jumped to her spine and liver.

“In June ’23, she was diagnosed,” Gerry said. “It was that quick.”

By the Fourth of July, Meghan

everybody's got two umbrellas. It’s not like we were sitting on the sun all day or going to tanning booths.”

Part of the problem, Meghan’s parents say, is the lack of dermatologists and the long wait times to get an appointment.

“As soon as we saw it raised, we said, ‘OK, something's sideways on this. You’ve got to go take a look.’ But then you can't get in,” he said. “And that's what we're really trying to push, because it goes fast.”

Some families have fundraisers in honor of children gone too soon. Meghan’s parents have dedicated themselves to spreading awareness of the disease, encouraging everyone they know to make an annual dermatologist appointment.

“If we can save the next person, or the next three people, it’s worth it,” Gerry said.

They started off with a Facebook post that got shared and reshared.

couldn’t get out of bed. She started on steroids, and the family kept hoping for a miracle — and hoping it wouldn’t get worse, because melanoma usually attacks the brain first, and her CT scan came back fine. But the cancer continued to spread elsewhere in her body and did not respond to treatment. After an 8-month battle with melanoma, Meghan passed away on February 5, 2024. She was just 34.

“It was crazy — that a little mole just turned into this,” Gerry said. “I've had things cut off on my neck and my chest, and never thought anything of it. We love the beach, but, you know, we’re Irish. We’ve got a 50-gallon drum of sunblock next to us, and

“People have let us know that because of Meghan, they went to see a dermatologist for the first time,” Gerry said. “It gives us comfort knowing Meghan is still having an impact on people’s

lives, as she always did.”

Her dad knows of at least two people who have taken action as a direct result of her story — and found out they had early-stage melanoma themselves.

One of those was Meghan’s cousin, Lauren Sexton, from Grosse Pointe Woods. The two overlapped at MSU and spent a lot of time together in college.

Last year, following Meghan’s death, Sexton did her first-ever full body skin check. It came back clear. A year later, this February, she went in for her second annual check — “which, again, only happens because of Meghan,” she said — and ended

up getting a spot removed on her upper arm. It just so happened to be the anniversary of Meghan’s funeral.

A couple weeks later, the dermatologist called her with an update that the spot had been mild dysplastic atypia. This type of spot, the doctor explained, has minor, low-grade changes and is hard to recognize, but it can develop into melanoma.

Sexton had them email her a picture they’d taken before it was removed, and studied the circled dot in the photo.

“It looks like a completely normal spot — it's not irregularly shaped,” she said. “It looks

PREVENTING SKIN CANCER

You can reduce your risk of melanoma and other types of skin cancer if you:

• Avoid tanning lamps and beds. Tanning lamps and beds give off ultraviolet light, also called UV light. Exposure to this kind of light can increase your risk of skin cancer.

• Avoid the sun during the middle of the day. For many people in North America, the sun's rays are strongest between about 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy.

• Become familiar with your skin so that you'll notice changes. Check your skin often for new skin growths. Look for changes in existing moles, freckles, bumps and birthmarks. With the help of mirrors, check your face, neck, ears and scalp. Look at your chest and trunk and the tops and undersides of your arms and hands. Check both the front and back of your legs and your feet, including the

like a sunspot. I never would have recognized this spot, and who knows what it could have developed into. You need a professional eye on all of your skin to make sure that you can be ahead of it.”

Linda Deskins, who lives in Farmington and is good friends with Meghan’s aunt, Lisa Barton, has a similar story.

“She was telling us about her niece, which was very so tragic, and I'm a senior, and I'm thinking, ‘You know what? I never had a full scan,’ so she inspired me to get a checkup with a dermatologist,” Deskins said.

Sure enough, they found skin cancer.

SIGNS OF MELANOMA

soles and the spaces between your toes. Also check your genital area and between your buttocks.

• Wear protective clothing. When you go outside during the day, wear clothes that help protect your skin from the sun's rays. Cover your skin with dark, tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs. Wear a broad-brimmed hat, which provides more protection than does a baseball cap or visor. Some companies also sell protective clothing. A dermatologist can recommend an appropriate brand.

Don't forget sunglasses. Look for those that block both types of UV light that come from the sun, called UVA and UVB.

• Wear sunscreen year-round. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days. Apply sunscreen generously. Reapply every two hours, or more often if you're swimming or sweating.

“It was just a little freckle next to my nose — it just appeared out of nowhere,” she said. “Of course, when I was younger, I did the baby oil, all the things we used to do when we were teenagers to suntan and not take good care of my skin.”

Deskins got it removed right away, while it was still in very early stages. Her dermatologist told her that once you’ve had melanoma once, there’s a 50% chance you're going to get it again, so she is determined to get checked every six months.

Meghan’s story may just have saved her life.

“I had always heard that you should get the scan, and I just never got around to it. And I thought, you know, this is my sign,” she said. “I will forever be thankful to her.”

May is designated as both Skin Cancer Awareness Month and Melanoma Awareness Month to raise awareness about the dangers of skin cancer, particularly melanoma. This month encourages people to get screened for skin cancer, learn about risk factors, and practice sun safety. According to the Mayo Clinic, some moles have certain characteristics that indicate melanomas or other skin cancers. Characteristics may include:

• A symmetrical shape. Look for moles with unusual shapes, such as two very differentlooking halves.

• Changes in color. Look for growths that have many colors or unusual color patterns.

• Changes in size. Look for new growth in a mole larger than 1/4 inch.

• Changes in symptoms. Look for changes in symptoms, such as itchiness or bleeding.

• Unusual border. Look for moles with unusual, notched or scalloped borders. Moles that become cancers can all look very different. Some may show all of the changes listed above, while others may have only one or two unusual characteristics.

Township gets positive updates on racetrack lawsuit, Salem pipeline & sprayscape fix

By Scott Spielman

Plymouth Township officials received good news in batches last month, with positive resolutions to several recent issues.

In short, the lawsuit filed by the Carlo brothers—owners of the former Northville Downs racetrack—was dismissed in late April by federal judge Brandy McMillion, the proposed sewer pipeline that would service the Salem Springs development in Salem Township looks like it will be feasible, after all, and construction to fix the sprayscape at Plymouth Township Park will be complete when this issue hits the streets.

‘WITH PREJUDICE’

In a 23-page decision dated April 21, U.S. District Court Judge McMillion sided with the township against Northville Downs, stating that the township followed the law in rejecting the proposed racetrack back in 2023. Several aspects of the case were dismissed with prejudice, while McMillion noted that others fell under the jurisdiction of state court, not federal court.

Former Township Supervisor Kurt Heise thanked the board for their efforts on the issue, which started while he was in office.

“I know we all took a lot of heat for that case, but I’m happy to say that a federal judge dismissed the case with prejudice, which means you cannot bring it back to federal court under any circumstances,” he told the board in April. “I think it shows that we, as a township, did the right thing. We complied with the law. We listened to our township attorney. We listened to our planner. We authorized the township attorney and I to negotiate in good faith and unfortunately those negotiations stalled for a variety of reasons. I think the important thing is that we succeeded in a motion to dismissed.”

The Carlos purchased a 128-acre plot of land at the southwest corner of Ridge and Five Mile roads for $10 million, with the thought of relocating the track there to make way for development in the City of Northville. Negotiations ultimately broke down over the proposed community benefits agreement, which spelled out amenities like soccer fields, pickleball courts, a walking trail and a defined portion of the breakage fees—a form of revenue from the bets placed there—in exchange for the zoning approval. The land, zoned for industrial use, would have required new zoning.

The board ultimately rejected the proposal and the Carlos filed suit in February 2024, alleging, among other things, that the

township's demands violated the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, the Michigan Constitution, and the United States Constitution.

McMillion’s decision makes it clear that the township acted within its authority.

Township Trustee John Stewart pointed out, however, that the ruling allowed for the Carlos to take up the matter in state court, if they wish. He also called out Heise for taking credit for the resolution.

“I was appalled at the gall of the former supervisor (Heise) who had the gall to say he got it dismissed,” Stewart said. “No, no, no. It was a procedural dismissal.”

Heise acknowledged the potential for the lawsuit to be revived in state court, but said he didn’t think it would receive a different outcome.

“The state claims are even worse than the claims that were brought in federal court,” he said. “I’m sure Wayne County is not going to be very interested in hearing a case that’s already thoroughly rejected at the federal level.”

The Carlos have until May 21 to appeal the federal decision, as well.

“It’s not over yet,” said Township Supervisor Chuck Curmi. “There’s more that could happen—but hopefully it won’t.”

‘OPTIMUM SOLUTION’

The township board was set to discuss the next step in a proposed Salem Springs pipeline on May 13, but the outcome of that vote wasn’t known when The Rock went to press.

The decision is a follow-up to a study approved earlier this year that would provide an alternative to a wastewater sewer plant proposed on the township’s western border to service a large-scale development, Salem Springs, that will be constructed there.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy held a public hearing on the proposed plant last year, attended by hundreds of Plymouth, Northville and Canton residents who opposed it. They also suggested an alternative: a dedicated sewer pipeline that would run for about 1.5 mils east on Ann Arbor/Joy roads to Ridge Road, then 2.5 miles south on Ridge Road to Saltz Road in Canton Township, and ultimately to the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) station. A previous proposed pipeline, through Superior Township, was blocked by Superior Township officials and held up in court.

“If this alternative is not supported by

each township, EGLE is prepared to issue the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES),” Phillip Roos, director of EGLE, wrote to Salem Supervisor Gary Whittaker earlier this year.

The feasibility report indicates the second pipeline is viable. The board was scheduled to vote on whether to allow them to build in the Wayne County easement.

“The question is, what is the right answer? I think, in the back of many peoples’ minds, they don’t want that development in Salem Township. About 700 people told us over a year ago that they don’t want a sewage treatment plant,” Curmi said.

The outcome of the vote wasn’t known at press time, but Curmi said he wasn’t in favor of a treatment plant, either. The pipeline made more sense.

“It’s better environmentally, it’s better for quality of life because it might not have odors, it’s better for property values typically, when people see a treatment plant, they don’t want to live near it,” he said. “It’s not a done deal. There are still some things that could go on. We’re trying to find the optimum solution for Plymouth Township and the region.”

CHEAPER SPRAYSCAPE FIX

The sprayscape at Plymouth Township park will be open in time for Memorial Day, after all. The township announced its closure earlier this year, just as the popular park opened for reservations for the year. After routine water tests in the nearby creek last year, officials from EGLE found that chlorine levels were too high for aquatic life. They told the township they had to fix the issue or close the park down.

Township engineers developed two potential fixes: one, a detention pond that would retain the runoff for 24 hours and mitigate its impact on the stream. The other, a relatively small $300,000 sewer pipe that would connect to the stormwater system and alleviate the problem all together.

Curmi instead investigated a more costeffective solution, tying into the existing sewer line and essentially redirecting the flow into it during the months the sprayscape was in operation. A local contractor completed the work—which involved putting in two manholes and the required valves—in three days at a cost of about $50,000, saving the township $250,000.

“It’s a beautiful solution,” he said. “It really can’t break; it’s all manual. You don’t have to worry about motors, you don’t worry about control systems. You just turn the valve the weekend before Memorial Day and, the weekend before Labor Day, you turn the other valve. When you have fewer moving parts and things are simpler, things are more reliable.

“It worked out. We made it work.”

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As the president of the Michigan Society Children of the American Revolution (CAR), Claire Kostun knows she has some pretty big shoes to fill. Or, in her case, ears.

Kostun, a Plymouth Township resident and eighth grader at the Ivywood Classical Academy in the township, recently started a fundraiser to bring an auditory history program to the Michigan Flight Museum, formerly known as the Yankee Air Museum.

“We’ve been going there so long. It’s been a tradition for us to go to the airshow every year. We’ve always loved going there and supporting them,” she said. “Being able to help them out with this project, I felt it meant a lot to me and it would mean a lot to them because this project is something they’ve been wanting to do. They just couldn’t get the funds for it.”

The fundraiser, which she

named Hear Their History, would provide for a QR-code led history of the attractions at the museum in Belleville. Attendees would be able to scan a code near the aircrafts and hear the story behind them. She’s hoping to raise between $10,000 and $13,000 for the project before her term as state president expires next April.

“It can be for something for someone who is hard of hearing, they’ll be able to have it in different language options, or it can be just for anybody who wants to do it. It gives them a little more information about what they’re looking at,” she said. “It’ll help with their budget, too. By not having to rely so much on docent-led tours, they can

rely on this more. They’ll still have volunteers, but they won’t have to have them as often or ask as much of them.”

The Michigan Flight Museum is part of the Smithsonian Institute, but relies heavily on private funds for its ongoing operations and maintenance. The classic aircraft housed there require about $250,000 in annual maintenance to keep them up and running safely, and most donations go toward those projects. For an additional fee, the museum offers “Adventure Flights” on a B-25 bomber, a C-47 transport, a Huey helicopter and, soon, a Ford Tri-Motor, more commonly known as the Tin Goose.

a plane or build a plane or keep a plane in the air,” Kostun said. “We decided this money, instead of just going toward a fraction of that, would be much better going toward something they could complete the entirety of and that would benefit of them.”

The project would help the museum in other ways, too. It would allow them more ownership over their own material, and make updating the auditory history that much easier. Any funds left over would go toward purchasing updated technology at the museum and funding Adventure Flights for veterans.

“Whenever they get donations, people mostly say ‘I want this to go toward helping to fix

To raise funds, Claire Kostun is selling water bottle stickers, label pins and challenge coins, according to her mother, Erin. The stickers sell for $3, the pins $10, and the coins $20.

FAMILY HISTORY

To participate in a Daughters of the American Revolution,

the Children of the American Revolution or any of their related organizations, members must have a family connection to someone who fought in the Revolutionary War. In Kostun’s case, it was Christoher Fort, a private who fought for Maryland in one of George Washington’s “Flying Camps,” the 18th century equivalent of a modern mobile rapid reserve force that was formed in the latter half of 1776. Fort is Erin’s great-great-great-great grandfather; he lived to be 106 years old and fathered children while he was in his 80s. One of his sons lived to be 109.

Installed as state president just a couple weeks ago, Claire has already been very active. She’s been to Washington D.C.

twice in recent weeks — once through a school trip and once for a national gathering of C.A.R. members. In addition to the lectures and seminars and being officially sworn in, she and her family visited Washington landmarks like the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, the White House, Lincoln’s Memorial and more. She’s also already had several speaking engagements and has more scheduled every month.

“It’s a pretty cool experience,” said Erin, who is the Senior President of the Lexington Alarm Society chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a group that dates back nearly a hundred years. “She’s going to be speaking to a lot of groups, but she’s also going to be

representing the organization at a lot of different events, as well.”

One of those will be in downtown Plymouth at the end of May. Claire will be reciting the Gettysburg Address during the Memorial Day celebration at the veteran’s memorial park across from City Hall and the Plymouth Historical Museum. She’s not nervous about that, however—she has the entire address memorized and, as a regular theater actor, she already has more than 20 productions to her credit.

“This has been a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to this year,” Claire said. “I have some big shoes to fill.”

To help Claire meet her goals for this project, either scan the QR code, or send an email to erinkostun@ gmail.com.

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OUT& ABOUT

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERTS

May 23

The Music in the Air series returns to Kellogg Park on Friday, May 23. The free weekly concerts take place from 7 p.m. to about 10 p.m. The Chris Canas Band kicks things off on May 23. The Shawn Riley Band is scheduled for May 30 and The Ones and Twos will take the stage on June 6. Bands will perform on a new, $246,000 stage this year, thanks in part to a $200,000 grant from the State of Michigan. The new stage is larger, more flexible to set up and offers better acoustics, too.

PARK CLEANUP

June 3

The Keep Plymouth Leafy organization will be hosting a park clean up at Garden Park from 6-7 p.m. The group will host monthly “park blitzes” throughout the summer at various parks around the community. They are requesting volunteers to help with the efforts.

The City of Plymouth provides the mulch and tools, and volunteers provide the manpower to mulch around the base of the trees. This protects them from drought, lawnmowers and critters for months to come. Upcoming blitzes, which all run from 6-7 p.m., include:

- July 1: Rotary Park

- Aug. 5: Kiwanis Park

- Sept. 2: Knights of Columbus Park (Old Village Firehouse)

- Oct. 7: Hough Park

For more info, send an email to KeepPlymouthLeafy@gmail.com

Other scheduled performers include:

- DTour band, June 13 (First Responders’ Night)

- Power Play Detroit, June 20 (Superhero Night)

- Motor City Soul, June 27 (Carnival Night)

- Ava James, July 4 (Independence Day)

For more info, visit the Plymouth Downtown Development Authority website, www.downtownplymouth.org.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

May 26

Plymouth’s annual Memorial Day Parade begins at 9 a.m. Monday, May 26. The parade will start at Wing Street and travel along Main Street to Plymouth’s Veterans Memorial Park (at the intersection of Main Street and Church Street, in front of the Plymouth Arts and Recreation Complex (PARC). There will be a ceremony at about 9:30 a.m. that honors those who gave their lives so we can live in a country under freedom and liberty. For more information, visit www.plymouthmi.gov.

FARMER’S MARKET

The Plymouth Community Farmer’s Market takes place from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 25 in The Gathering in downtown Plymouth across from Kellogg Park. The market features fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, jams, meats and cheeses, along with candles, soaps, skin care products wood crafts and more. For more information, visit www.plymouthmich.org

PLYMOUTH COMMUNITY BAND CONCERTS

May 29

The Plymouth Community Band performs free summer concerts in Kellogg Park at 7 p.m. from May 29 through July 31 (Art in the Park week excluded). For more information about the shows and the PCB, visit www. plymouthcommunityband.org.

WILCOX WEDNESDAYS

June 18

The Plymouth Community Arts Council hosts free music in Kellogg Park at noon every Wednesday, beginning on June 18. For more info, including a list of performers, visit www.plymoutharts.com.

GARDEN WALK

June 24

The Trailwood Garden Club will host its 27th Annual Garden Walk from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24. The event -- dubbed this year “Flowers are Forever” – features garden tours, plant/treasure sale, and master gardeners on site. Tickets, which can be purchased online at trailwoodgardenclub.com, are $12 ($5 for 12 years old and younger). They can also be purchased at Sideways (505 Forest Avenue) and Specialty Pet Supplies (1449 W. Ann Arbor Road). On the day of the walk, tickets will be $15.

The proceeds from the garden walk support local and national environmental and garden-related programs. For more information, visit trailwoodgardenclub.com.

SEND IT IN to get your items listed in OUT & ABOUT, email Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com

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