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JANUARY 3, 2024 candgnews.com
Oakland County papers
Oakland Township’s historic big red logging wheels have been restored. Photo by Frank Ferriolo
One of the Road Commission’s 140 plow trucks is loaded with salt. Photo provided by Craig Bryson
‘When you put salt on the road, a lot of it flows right into the river’ NONPROFIT GROUP TESTS FOR ROAD SALT IN THE ROUGE
Oakland Township’s ‘big red logging wheels’ return after complete rebuild BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — The big red logging wheels that have been a fixture in front of the Paint Creek Cider Mill for decades have returned following a complete rebuild. The Oakland Township Historic District Commission, with support from the Oakland Town-
BY KATHRYN PENTIUK kpentiuk@candgnews.com
ship Historical Society, dedicated funds for the big wheels’ restoration. The historical society gave over $10,0000 — $5,000 in fundraising from donors, with a $5,000 historical society match — toward the restoration project, which cost around $30,000. The remainder of the funding came from the township’s Historic Preservation Millage Fund, which is overseen by the
METRO DETROIT — A local environmental group will be testing four different data collection methods to assess chloride contamination in the Rouge River this winter. Starting Jan. 20 at its stonefly search to assess river health, the Friends of the Rouge will also focus on chloride contamination in the Rouge River, thanks to a Rouge River Watershed Council grant of around $40,000 from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. “As an urban watershed, when you put salt on the road, a lot of it flows right into the river. So we’ve kind of known that this is a problem,” said Lauren Eaton, the monitoring manager for Friends of the Rouge. Eaton explained that the Friends of the Rouge has been monitoring road salt in the river since 2020 using free salt watch strips from the Izaak Walton League of America. These test strips have been used at the bug hunts and stonefly searches to collect data to determine how toxic the salt levels are to the aquatic life in the Rouge. EGLE has set water quality values to protect surface water from chlo-
See WHEELS on page 4A
See SALT on page 9A
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C & G NEWSPAPERS OAKLAND COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
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EXPL RE
C & G NEWSPAPERS FEATURE SERIES ABOUT NORTHERN MICHIGAN DESTINATIONS FOR READERS TO EXPLORE
COOL SKI SPOTS IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN BY GREG TASKER
TOP: The Highlands, located in Harbor Springs, is preparing for a momentous winter ski season. ABOVE: Boyne Mountain’s SkyBridge Michigan is outfited with a holiday light display. Photos provided by Boyne Highlands Resort
RIGHT: Nub’s Nob, outside Harbor Springs, is rolling out a new learn-to-ski program for the season called “A Ski Odyssey.”
NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Michigan skiers and riders — not to mention those of us more interested in apres-ski activities — have more to look forward to than snow this winter, especially in the northwestern corner of the lower peninsula. This corner of Michigan is home to more than a dozen downhill ski areas, including four-season resorts, day areas and city-owned recreation spots. Some have already been blasting slopes with manmade snow, taking advantage of colder temperatures. Several ski areas planned to open — at least partially — last week. These northwestern Michigan ski destinations range from Caberfae Peaks in Cadillac, one of the oldest ski destinations in the country, to the Boyne Resorts properties near Petoskey to municipal-owned slopes like Hickory Hills Recreation Area in Traverse City. Among the most exciting additions to Michigan’s slopes this season is the debut of the Camelot 6 at The Highlands at Harbor Springs. The sixperson, high-speed Doppelmayr D-Line bubble chairlift is a first in the Midwest. In a nutshell, the new chairlift provides a warmer, more comfortable lift to the top of the hill. Across Michigan, snow sports enthusiasts will find a range of upgrades, including new chairlifts, additional lighting, improved snow-making and grooming, quicker access to the slopes and new dining and other amenities. See SKI on page 5A
Photo provided by Nub’s Nob
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C & G NEWSPAPERS OAKLAND COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
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Wheels from page 1A
Oakland Township Historic District Commission. “Our HDC’s mission is to preserve our rich heritage in our township through preservation millage money,” Chair David Phillips explained. The wheels’ history dates back to 1875, when Silas C. Overpack, from Manistee, invented them at the request of local farmers to help transport timbers. “In about 1875, Silas and a local farmer came up with an idea to invent the logging wheels so that they could move the fallen logs out of the fields so that the farmers could plant crops,” Phillips said. Oakland Township Historic Preservation Planner Barbara Barber said the wheels were part of Michigan’s logging history until the late 1920s, when gas-powered heavy equipment took over. Locally, the logging wheels have served as an iconic symbol of Michigan’s great lumber era at the Paint Creek Cider Mill since the 1960s, after being rebuilt by Bud Shaar, of Lake Orion. Township officials believe Dale O. Miller Sr., who owned Rochester Gear, purchased the wheels from Shaar and moved them to the building off of Orion Road at that time. “They have become this iconic symbol for people in this area and for travelers who go by the cider mill building,” said Barber. After being exposed to Michigan’s elements over the years, the wheels had to be restored in 2006 by members of the historical society, but continued weather exposure led to wood rot patches, a broken tongue in 2019 and a rotten axel in 2021 that required repair.
“The wheels had fallen into disrepair and were rotten and spongy and could no longer support themselves,” Phillips explained. Barber said the continuous decay and wood rot would have eventually resulted in the community’s loss of the logging wheels if action had not been taken to completely rebuild them with white oak, which she said can better withstand Michigan weather. “White oak is the same wood used to make boats to sit in water because it’s a water-repellent wood. It’s a little more expensive, but we were going for longevity,” she said. “We want the wheels to last 50-100 years.” The HDC received two bids from professional wheelwrights in the United States, both having over 40 years’ experience. Hansen Wheel & Wagon, located in South Dakota, was selected, and the project took about 10 months to complete. Last month, the iconic wheels were returned to the Paint Creek Cider Mill building, and Phillips said they should last for another 100 years. Many organizations helped with the wheels’ travels across the country, including the Oakland Township Parks and Recreation Department, Lyon Gear Works for loading, and Byers Wrecker Service for unloading the over 1,500-pound wheels. “I’m just glad that the Board of Trustees and the Historic District Commission could get this thing fixed back up, because it’s been a fixture in front of the cider mill there,” Phillips said. The Paint Creek Cider Mill building is located at 4480 Orion Road in Oakland Township. Call Staff Writer Mary Beth Almond at (586) 498-1060.
Township officials celebrate during a ribbon-cutting ceremony welcoming the logging wheels home. Photos provided by Oakland Township
The logging wheels were completely rebuilt in white oak by Hansen Wheel & Wagon, in South Dakota.
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C & G NEWSPAPERS OAKLAND COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
Ski
from page 3A
“There is a lot of good news for snow lovers right now as demand for skiing continues to grow following the pandemic in 2020. What we are seeing is more investing in infrastructure, including snowmaking and chairlifts,” says Steve Kershner, chairman of the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association and director of snow sports for Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire. “Ultimately all of us who love to ski in Michigan are the benefactors of these investments.” The Camelot 6 at The Highlands, formerly Boyne Highlands, is expected to begin operating early this month. December The bubble lift features heated, extra wide, ergonomically designed seats with footrests. A tinted, weatherproof bubble keeps riders warm and protected while being whisked up the slopes at a fast speed. It also boasts advanced safety features. That addition is one of many improvements at the Boyne Resorts property, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The resort also has expanded night skiing and added new dining options, including a Waffle Cabin on the slopes, a pop-up chophouse restaurant at the Country Club of Boyne and a Mexican twist at the Zoo Bar. More outdoor bars are being added — to improve apres-ski options — along the base area. At nearby Boyne Mountain, two new lifts are opening up this season, replacing old ones. One is a four-person Doppelmayr fixed-grip chairlift that will haul skiers uphill in less than four minutes, half the time of the former ride. The other is a three-person Doppelmayr fixed grip chairlift that will provide skiers and riders with a quicker trip upward as well as improved loading and unloading. You might remember that Boyne Mountain is home to SkyBridge Michigan, a 1,200-foot-long pedestrian bridge that opened in the fall of 2022. For the holidays, the 118-foot-high bridge will be outfitted with a holiday light installation by Zoro’s Lights of Livonia. The display features more than 150,000 twinkling lights and will be illuminated through March 31. At Crystal Mountain, look for quicker access to the slopes, lessons to take home with you, and the ability to pay for lessons online in advance, saving time at check-in at the Mountain Adventure Zone. Like other ski areas, the Thompsonville resort is working to improve the learning experience for children and is introducing Flaik. Flaik uses a GPS tag that students wear during their lessons allowing instructors to
track their progress. It also allows instructors and parents to locate kids on the slopes. Student progress reports and satisfaction surveys will be included in the ‘Re-live Your Lesson’ follow-up messaging. “We’re excited about implementing Flaik for Crystal’s Snowsports school because it allows kids and their parents to ‘re-live the lesson’ even after the session is over,” said Chris Fisher, director of Snowsports. “Plus, it allows our instructors to know where the student left off and where to pick up in teaching when the student returns for another lesson.” Nub’s Nob, outside Harbor Springs, is rolling out a new learn-to-ski program for the season called “2024: A Ski Odyssey.” The program is aimed at prospective skiers ages 9 and above. The program includes two group lessons, equipment rental and lift tickets for just $50 a lesson. At the end of the second lesson, skiers can purchase a Bargain Pass for the remainder of the season for $100 and receive a $100 discount off a ski package. “All of us at Nub’s are stoked to see how this goes as it’s a real chance for us to bring new skiers into the sport,” said Ben Doornbos, general manager. Among the many improvements at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire is the expansion of operating hours for its open-air shuttle, the Skibra. Painted like a zebra, the Skibra makes it easier for skiers and riders to get around the 5,500-acre resort, which is home to four distinct villages. Like other resorts, Shanty Creek is moving toward all cashless transactions. This season guests will simply swipe or tap their cards or smart devices for resort-related transactions. Guests without non-cash forms of payment will find kiosks throughout the resort to convert to prepaid cards. The Treetops Resort in Gaylord is unveiling a state-of-the-art ski instruction program called Terrain Based Learning. That program is a process for teaching beginner skiers and snowboarders that uses purposebuilt snow features, helping novices learn the movements, sensations and body positioning needed for the sport. Treetops is the only ski area in Michigan offering the program. “We are so excited to offer this new way of learning to our guests. Our instructors are exclusively trained by the Snow Operating team who has trademarked the program. We can’t wait to see the smiles on the snow as kids and adults alike take their turn in the Terrain Based Learning adventure, allowing them to enjoy the sport sooner with no fear,” said Barry Owens, general manager. Greg Tasker is a Traverse City-based freelance writer.
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C & G NEWSPAPERS OAKLAND COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
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County to turn former Beech Woods Golf Course into nature preserve MULTIMILLIONDOLLAR INVESTMENT TO TRANSFORM PROPERTY INTO SOUTHFIELD OAKS COUNTY PARK BY KATHRYN PENTIUK kpentiuk@candgnews.com
SOUTHFIELD — On Nov. 16, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners approved a partnership between the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Department and the city of Southfield for park improvements. The Oakland County Parks and Recreation Department will redevelop 39 acres of the former Beech Woods Golf Course, which closed in 2019. The golf course will be transformed into a nature preserve public park called Southfield Oaks County Park, adjacent to Southfield’s Beech Woods Park. The project is a 20-year renewal partnership agreement that allows for collaboration and cost sharing between both the county and the city, allowing Southfield to retain ownership of the park while the county operates it and granting Southfield residents free access. A budget of $2 million has been allocated for this portion of the renovation of the former golf course. An investment of over $7 million will
be made at Beech Woods Park and Southfield Oaks County Park within three years to enhance recreational amenities and restore natural features with a combination of federal, county and city funding. The planned improvements include the construction of a new playscape, new all-season restrooms, new picnic shelters and improved walkways. Oakland County is to contribute $1.5 million towards these improvements. “Oakland County Parks continues to be a great partner to the city of Southfield as we work collectively together to expand recreational opportunities throughout Southfield and the county,” said Mayor Ken Siver. “This partnership and investment in Beech Woods Park will greatly improve the amenities, such as walking and hiking trails, as well as the park’s infrastructure and access improvements.” This partnership is through Oakland County’s Healthy Communities Park and Outdoor Recreation Investment Plan, which is a $20.2 million program to enhance parks and recreation in communities that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beech Woods Park will undergo a renovation of over $7 million. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
The Healthy Communities Park and Outdoor Recreation Investment Plan utilizes funds from the American Rescue Plan Act matched by the county, with a portion of the funds dedicated toward the expansion of the Oakland County park system through longterm agreements with local governments for the county to assume responsibility for managing multiple municipal parks, which were approved earlier this year and include
Pontiac Oaks in Pontiac, Oak Park Woods in Oak Park and the addition of Ambassador Park to Red Oaks County Park in Madison Heights. Oakland County Commissioner Yolanda Smith Charles emphasized the integral role that community feedback has played in the Healthy Communities Park and Outdoor Recreation Investment Plan from resiSee PRESERVE on page 10A
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C & G NEWSPAPERS OAKLAND COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
Michigan-MSU hockey to return to Little Caesars for ‘Duel in the D’ BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com
DETROIT — The “Iron D” Trophy is making its way back to Hockeytown as the University of Michigan (8-7-3) and Michigan State University (12-4-2) hockey are slated to face off at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at Little Caesars Arena in their annual “Duel in the D” matchup. Michigan, which was ranked No. 14 at press time according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, has brought home the trophy in the last six meetings between the two teams. Michigan State’s last win in the “Duel in the D” came in 2016. This year’s “Duel in the D” will be the 346th all-time meeting between the two programs with Michigan holding the advantage 179-139-24. The “Duel in the D” will be the fourth and final matchup between the two teams on the schedule this season, as MSU will host on Jan. 19 and Michigan will host on Jan. 20 and Feb. 9. While the historic matchups between the programs go back decades upon decades, the “Iron D” Trophy is a relatively new feature of the rivalry. Michigan State, currently ranked No. 7, won the coveted trophy the first year it was up for grabs in 2016, but the Spartans have been unable to retrieve it since. Despite who might come out on top in the matchup, both coaches said the impact that the game makes for both programs is immeasurable. “Having an opportunity to play in the greatest rivalry in college hockey in an NHL building is exciting for our program,” Michi-
Photos provided by Dave Reginek/Getty Images
ABOVE: Michigan has claimed the “Iron D” Trophy in six straight matchups after Michigan State won during the trophy’s inaugural season in 2016. LEFT: University of Michigan forward Kienan Draper holds the “Iron D” Trophy after a 4-3 win over Michigan State University on Feb. 11 at Little Caesars Arena. gan State head coach Adam Nightingale said in a press release. “Michigan State-Michigan brings out the best in both programs, and playing the game in front of 19,000 fans creates an atmosphere that is unmatched. I have great memories of the games we played at Joe Louis Arena when I was a player, and we are appreciative that Little Caesars Arena and Ilitch Sports + Entertainment continues
to give us this platform to showcase college hockey in the city of Detroit.” “There’s nothing quite like the environment at Little Caesars Arena when Michigan and Michigan State play for the ‘Iron D’ trophy,” Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato said in a press release. “It marks not only an important game for the players and the league but for every sports fan in the state.
Our program takes great pride in our Michigan roots, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who makes this game possible. We can’t wait to once again provide an unforgettable experience for everyone.” Tickets are currently on sale at 313Presents.com or Ticketmaster.com starting at $25. For more information, visit 313Pres ents.com.
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C & G NEWSPAPERS OAKLAND COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
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POLICE WARN OF CYBER ATTACKS
‘THERE ARE SO MANY RIGHT NOW THAT ARE GOING ON THAT IT’S UNBELIEVABLE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE FALLING FOR IT’ BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com
ROCHESTER HILLS — Protecting against cyber threats has never been more important, especially as people head online to purchase holiday gifts. In the U.S., Michigan ranked eighth among states with the most reported victims of cybercrimes — totaling 13,566 reports, according to the FBI’s 2022 internet crime report. Last year, the FBI estimated Michiganders lost $181 million to cybercrimes. Captain Russ Yeiser, of the Oakland County Sheriff ’s Office Rochester Hills division, said computer-based fraud is prevalent in Rochester Hills. “We’re having a ton of cyberfraud in Rochester Hills,” he said. Common scams involve antivirus software, where the victim has a pop-up with a message saying the computer has been infected with a virus; social media relationships, where the victim is contacted by a scammer
via social media who says they are interested in starting a relationship; lottery winnings, where the victim is contacted about winning the lottery and is asked to pay a fee to collect the money; tax collection, where the scammer impersonates an IRS agent and attempts to get bank information from the victim; and many more. “You’ve seen the box that pops up on your computer saying, ‘Your computer has a virus, click here,’ and then they get you to remote in, and once you remote in, they can get access to your computer and they can get access to your bank account,” Yeiser said. Yeiser said residents are reporting scammers impersonating major companies like Amazon, UPS and more. “There are so many right now that are going on that it’s unbelievable how many people are falling for it,” he said. “We just had one the other day where a lady gave scammers $30,000. Obviously, they take advantage of the elderly a lot. They are even getting smarter, because they are doing it through text messages now and emails.
There are so many ways to get scammed.” Hackers attack computers every 39 seconds, according to new research by the University of Maryland, so it’s important to stay protected whenever and however you connect. Experts advise making sure any website address you visit starts with “https,” since
the “s” stands for secure; looking for the padlock icon at the bottom of your browser, which indicates that the site uses encryption; and typing new website URLs directly into the address bar instead of clicking on links or cutting and pasting from an email. To protect against hackers, security See CYBER on page 10A
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C & G NEWSPAPERS OAKLAND COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
Salt
from page 1A
ride based on parts per million concentrations. These are 150 ppm and above, which causes long-term effects to aquatic life called “chronic” effects, and 320 ppm and above, which causes acute effects to aquatic life, called “toxic” effects. According to the 2022 Fall Bug Hunt Report, seven sites had toxic levels of chloride. “This is particularly concerning as one would expect road salt applied last winter to be washed out of the system by October,” the report states. “EGLE has already listed Bishop Creek (Novi) as ‘impaired’ due to high salt levels. Tonquish Creek (Plymouth) , Bell Creek (Livonia) and Evans Creek (Southfield) also need further examination due to elevated concentrations.” Eaton stated that the four different testing methods that will be used are the salt tabs, two different sensor readings, and then a physical “water grab,” which is a cup of water taken from the river that will be taken to an EGLE-approved laboratory that will analyze that water.
“The end goal is to kind of test these different methods, but then also to provide our data to EGLE at the end of it so that they can dial in and pinpoint source of chloride to the river, and then go in and assess further and potentially remediate the problem,” Eaton said. Eaton said it’s a delicate balance when it comes to adding just the right amount of salt to the roads to ensure that drivers are safe and that watersheds aren’t contaminated. According to Jocelyn Garza, a communications specialist for the Michigan Department of Transportation, Michigan spends $100 million statewide on winter road maintenance. Garza explained that the only salt alternative currently in use is a deicing agent called calcium magnesium acetate, or CMA, which is only used on the Zilwaukee Bridge in Saginaw County. “CMA is a low corrosive deicer, but it is only used on the Z Bridge,” Garza stated. “While it does work as a deicing agent, it’s difficult to determine if it is more effective than salt or works faster than salt.” CMA is more expensive than regular road salt, with road salt costing $50-$60 per ton and CMA costing $2,000 per ton and not sold in bulk
supply. Garza added that CMA requires a different application process, so the truck used to treat the Zilwaukee Bridge is specially outfitted. “There are other measures the department has taken to improve salt application, thereby reducing the amount of salt we use, but these are not alternatives to salt. There seems to be a misconception that different products can replace salt. To date, we have not found one that does, but when using an agricultural bi-product as a boosting agent, it can improve the productivity of salt by lowering the freezing point and staying in place long enough for salt to do its job.” Garza said. MDOT said it has reduced salt usage by adjusting its practices for more than 20 years by prewetting the salt and lowering the speed of a salt truck. MDOT is in year one of a five-year pilot to review liquid-only treatments, which are widely used in Wisconsin. The pilot is being completed in three locations across Michigan and uses a salt brine to treat the roads. If it is found to be effective, the state’s salt trucks will be reworked to include a liquid tank and sprayers. MDOT facilities would also need large storage tanks to hold the solutions, and “immense changes
would have to be made statewide in all our facilities if this method is found to be more effective than our current methods,” Garza said. According to the Road Commission for Oakland County’s winter road maintenance document, the Road Commission maintains Michigan’s largest county road system, with only the state highway system being larger. The Road Commission oversees 2,700 miles of county roads, including 750-plus miles of gravel roads, 116 bridges, 1,500 traffic signals, 150,000 traffic signs and more than 230 miles of state highway. The Road Commission spends about $12 million annually, depending on the winter, on winter maintenance, with $4 million or more on road salt alone. Craig Bryson, the senior communications manager of the Road Commission, said that applying just the right amount of salt to the roads without harming people or the environment is a constant challenge. “There’s a lot that goes into this,” he said. “And it’s a very challenging thing for our supervision staff who have to make those calls. The danger is, you say, ‘OK, I want to conserve salt. I’m not gonna salt. This snowSee SALT on page 10A
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C & G NEWSPAPERS OAKLAND COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
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Salt
from page 9A
fall isn’t going to accumulate too much.’ And if you’re wrong on that, and the roads ice up, and people die, that’s horrific.” Bryson explained that the Road Commission has been working for decades to address this issue. Its regulations now call for about 400 pounds of salt per mile, which is half the amount that used to be applied.
Cyber from page 8A
experts advise choosing longer, more difficult passwords with combinations of upper- and lowercase letters. Passwords should be changed regularly, should not be based on users’ biographies, should mix letters and numerals, and should be hard to guess. When it comes to social media, experts advise limiting the amount of personal information you post online and using privacy settings to avoid sharing information widely. Bloomfield Township Director of IT Wil Babinchak urges everyone to stop and think before they click, to delete emails with links they are unsure about, and to download the Michigan Secure app — a free security app for Michigan residents that can be downloaded via Google Play and the Apple
Preserve from page 6A
dents who care deeply about the future of the parks. “The community members speak out loud and boldly on these parks,” she said. “All of these parks had residents who were highly vocal on how they wanted to see this move forward and how they definitely did not want to see it move forward. So, I feel like the county did a great job to allow the municipality to do the legwork on what the residents wanted. And then we were able to negotiate with the leadership of each of those municipalities to come up with something that was going to work for both parties.” The city of Southfield and the county encouraged residents to submit their input on the future of Beech Woods Park through an online survey or in person at the city’s tree lighting ceremony. Simon Rivers, the associate planner at the county parks depart-
They have shifted away from using gravityreliant salt trucks that tilt for application because there is less control over how much salt comes out. “What we do now is we actually spray the salt with liquid brine, which is naturally occurring saltwater. As it’s coming out of the truck, there are little jets on either side that spray the brine right onto the salt. That means the salt is activating from the moment it leaves the spreader till it hits the road. It’s already becoming active when it
actually hits the pavement. That’s allowed us also to reduce the amount of salt we use because the salt is more efficient.” In addition to this method, the Road Commission also measures pavement temperature gauges across Oakland County. Bryon explained that this has been a critical factor, because sometimes the air is colder than the pavement, which helps determine whether to salt immediately or wait. There are six garages located around Oakland County with around 140 snow plows/salt
trucks. For those interested in testing the Rouge for chloride, the Friends of the Rouge encourages people to register for the stonefly search. The deadline to register is Jan. 6. Registration can be completed at therouge.org/bug-hunts/. For more information on the Road Commission, visit www.rcocweb.org. For more information on MDOT, visit www. michigan.gov/mdot.
Store. The application states that it will protect devices from unsecured WiFi networks, phishing emails, unsafe apps and more. If a threat is detected, the user will be sent a notification. “We do encourage people to stay off of public Wi-Fi that is unsecure. The Michigan Secure app will alert you of that as well. There may be people doing banking or something like that on a public Wi-Fi, if they are sitting at their doctor’s office or a coffee shop or something like that. That should always be avoided,” Babinchak said. The weakest link in the chain is the human reaction, he said, so be very cautious about everything when it comes to emails. “When you get emails that have links, always be suspicious of them. If you have any questions about them, the best thing to do is delete them. If somebody really needs to get a hold of you or needs some information, they will find a different way,” said
Babinchak. When information seems too good to be true, there’s a good chance that it is, experts say. “Don’t trust anything you see or hear
unless you initiate contact with a company. That’s the unfortunate reality,” Yeiser said. If you believe you are the victim of cybercrime, contact your local police agency.
ment and a Southfield resident, said that he received feedback from around 40 residents at the tree lighting, and when asked to rank their top three highest priorities, residents said that they wanted walking paths, all-season restrooms and restoration of the Rouge River. As a Southfield resident and county parks employee, Rivers offered a unique perspective to the project. “We’ve seen how important parks and outdoor recreation have been ever since the pandemic, and I’m really excited that my job is collaborating within my city to improve our parks and our natural resources, because I started walking during the pandemic to get outside and reflect on life,” he said. “It’s really great for both your physical and your mental health, so I’m excited that we have some new stuff coming to Southfield and some new, exciting opportunities for parks and recreation.” For more information, visit www.oak gov.com/community/oakland-county-parks and select “get involved” and “planning.”
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