Arts, Beats & Eats raises more than $335,000 for local organizations
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — For its 27th year running, the Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats festival has raised a significant amount of funds for local charities and cultural organizations. Organizers of the event announced at an
Oct. 9 press conference in Troy that the festival raised $335,103.53 and attracted approximately 345,000 people to downtown Royal Oak. The number of people who attended made the 2024 event one of the top 10 mostattended Arts, Beats & Eats in the festival’s history.
“This year’s Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats &
Eats not only delivered an unforgettable experience with its blend of art, music, and food, but also made a lasting impact on the community,” Jon Witz, producer of Arts, Beats & Eats, said in a press release. “The support we have seen from attendees, partners, and volunteers has been incredible — raising significant
See ABE on page 4A
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — An array of complaints brought forth by the Sdao family have been circling the Oakview Cemetery mausoleum. John Sdao said that the mausoleum has insects, leakage, failed air conditioning and heating, and bad smells.
Oakview Cemetery, located at 1032 N. Main St., has had a few different owners over the years and is currently owned by Everstory.
Vice President of People Operations and Quality at Everstory, Michele Stone, said that these complaints are not as they seem and are currently being worked on and investigated further.
See MAUSOLEUM on page 2A
Photo provided by Arts, Beats & Eats
Organizers of Arts, Beats & Eats attend a press conference Oct. 9 at Flagstar Bank’s regional headquarters in Troy to announce the funds raised from the festival. From left are Jon Witz, producer of Arts, Beats & Eats; Kristin Shaoni, branch manager, Flagstar Bank; Raul Venegas, executive director of marketing, entertainment & sales from Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort; Dave Coulter, Oakland County executive; Dave Woodward, chairman of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners; Mike Fournier, Royal Oak mayor; and Mike DiLaura, COO and general counsel from House of Dank.
Mausoleum
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Everstory took over Oakview Cemetery at the end of 2023.
Since 1996, John Sdao has been visiting his family and loved ones at Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak, and he said that the conditions of the mausoleum are far from welcoming.
His mother, father, aunt, uncle, nephew and son have been laid to rest in the mausoleum, which he said was promised to be a well-maintained sanctuary for peace.
“We didn’t know a whole lot about mausoleums, but they (management) said that you could have an internal light always on, it would be climate controlled, and it would be heated in the winter and cooled in the summer,” Sdao said.
When Sdao’s son died in April of 2012, Sdao began to visit the site every day, and soon started noticing the problems.
Sewage backup was one of the first problems to occur, Sdao said. Being a plumber, he investigated it himself and suggested to the manager at that time in 2012 that they treat it once a month.
“It was being maintained properly, the place was really nice. After he (the manager)
retired they went through numerous people, and around four different owners,” he said. “They weren’t putting money into it, the chairs were all ripped, dry rotted, it was really bad.”
Sdao said he and his family have constantly complained, to no avail.
“My son is on ground level, and raw sewage is coming right in front of him,” he said. “My concern was if it ever got into his casket, and was it wrecked? (Management) said, ‘No, no, everything should be good.”
When it rains, according to Sdao, water seeps through the back of the wall where the caskets are located and onto the floor.
The temporary solution that management has put up is an industrial fan to dry the area. The carpet currently has visible water stains.
Stone said that the description of the leaking behind the wall is inaccurate, but there is a leaky hole in the ceiling of the mausoleum, and it does leak onto the floor.
“It (the roof) is currently in the hands of a project manager to resolve,” Stone said. “It is in the process of resolution. In the interim, we are providing temporary patching and taping when we can, but it does need some larger repairs that, like I said, are in process.”
Stone said that they are currently using
fans and moisture-pulling devices to dry the area, and that the timeline for when the roof will be completely repaired is unknown at the moment.
One of the recurrent problems comes from “sewer flies,” according to Sdao. He said the bugs “attack” anybody who walks through the mausoleum door, and they infest the bathroom.
See MAUSOLEUM on page 8A
Photo provided by Dawn Sdao
When it rains at Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak, water leaks into the mausoleum causing the carpet to get wet.
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SECOND FRONT PAGE
3A/ ROYAL OAK REVIEW • OCTOBER 16, 2024
‘Woman in Black’ premiering just in time for Halloween season
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — Stagecrafters is putting on a seriously spooky production of “The Woman in Black” Oct. 18-27 at the Baldwin Theatre, 415 S. Lafayette Ave.
“The Woman in Black” is sure to leave the audience with a shiver, and the two actors who are in the production are going to utilize their acting skills in these two very difficult roles.
The Woman in Black is a two-man show and is being directed by Jason Dilly. The two performers are Ryan Scott Lax as “Kipps” and Jude Purcell as “Actor.”
Both Lax and Purcell mentioned that everyone involved in the production has a lot on their plate.
“The Woman in Black” is a thriller show, about a man named Kipps who is “long haunted by the memory of his encounter with the woman in black, a frightening specter he cannot
See WOMAN on page 7A
Berkley, Clawson, Royal Oak high schools partner to hold Future
BY MIKE KOURY AND TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN mkoury@candgnews.com tchristensen@candgnews.com
BERKLEY/CLAWSON/ROYAL OAK — High schools in Berkley, Clawson and Royal Oak are co-hosting a fair to help students plan out their futures.
The Fall Future Fair will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, in the Royal Oak High School cafeteria, 1500 Lexington Blvd.
The fair will feature approximately 100 representatives from universities, colleges, businesses and trade schools.
While Berkley, Clawson and Royal Oak have separately held fairs like this for their students, this will be the first time that the high schools have partnered together for an event like this.
“What I like about this fair compared to other fairs that are just four-year university-focused is that this really does present students and families with many options beyond just a four-year college
Fair
degree,” said Christina Belsky, college and career counselor at Berkley High School.
“In the several years that we’ve done this, we have gotten really good feedback from families just appreciating and acknowledging that there is more than just a four-year university and being able to have their students see and for them to learn about … other programs and career trainings and trades, being able to see that there are all of these wonderful paths to reaching success after high school,”
See FUTURE on page 14A
Photo provided by Bureau Detroit
From left, Ryan Scott Lax, who plays Kipps, and Jude Purcell, who plays Actor, take on the performance of “The Woman in Black,” a thriller on the Baldwin Theatre’s second stage Oct. 18-20 and Oct. 24-27.
Pedestrian fatally struck by Amtrak train in Royal Oak
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — A pedestrian was fatally struck by an Amtrak train in Royal Oak on the morning of Oct. 12.
Royal Oak police officers and paramedics responded to a 911 call of a pedestrian struck by a train and arrived at the scene at 9:17 a.m. in the area of Sixth and Center streets. Alcohol or drugs did not seem to be a factor in this incident as of Oct. 12.
The Royal Oak Police Department released information that a 44-year-old Pon-
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funds that will directly benefit dozens of local charities and organizations that will make a real difference in the lives of those in need.”
Including the 2024 funds, the festival has donated more than $7.7 million to charitable organizations since 1998, according to the press release.
The release stated that this year’s donations to Royal Oak-based charities reached $117,289.54, bringing the total generated since 2010 to more than $1.7 million for the city of Royal Oak.
Funds were generated through gate admission fees, beverage proceeds, festivalsponsored community initiatives and more, according to the press release.
The press release listed all the charities to receive funds from the event starting with the core charities, who shared donation funds totaling $79,075.
The core charities included Children’s Center of Wayne County, Children’s Miracle Network, COTS, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Dutton Farm, Forgotten Harvest, Lighthouse of Oakland County, Metro Detroit Youth Clubs, Soldiers’ Angels, Stagecrafters, The Rainbow Connection, and Volunteers of America.
Proceeds from beverage sales totaled $136,374.54 and went to 22 charitable and community groups.
An amount of $11,560 was donated to First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak, Royal Oak First United Methodist Church and St. Mary Catholic Church for parking lots.
Cultural entertainment organizations received $6,750, and donations to Open
tiac man had disregarded the crossing signals and attempted to hurry across the tracks as the train approached.
The man was transported to Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
An investigation led by the Royal Oak Police Department and the CN Railroad Police was ongoing at press time. Anyone with additional information should contact the Royal Oak Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division, at (248) 246-3456.
Call Staff Writer Taylor Christensen at (586) 498-1081.
Hands Pantry in Royal Oak totaled $4,000.
More than two dozen charitable organizations and community groups also received contributions totaling $97,343.99.
At the press conference Oct. 9, organizers of the event spoke on the impact that Arts, Beats & Eats has had on the organizations and the city of Royal Oak.
“It’s a collaboration with the county and with the city, but the way he (Jon Witz) brings the nonprofit community together to benefit from this is so important to me,” Oakland County Executive David Coulter said. “This is the largest and most exciting event that we do in Oakland County, which is why we (Oakland County) are proud to support it.”
Mayor Michael Fournier spoke at the event and expressed his gratitude to the nonprofits, the organizers of Arts, Beats & Eats, and the safety and security personnel who were on hand to protect the people at the event.
“Royal Oak continues to be a proud sponsor and host of Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats, and it has been a destination in Royal Oak for 13 years now. It’s an amazing run,” he said. “More than 300,000 people attended the event this year, and for the most part there were no major incidents, and that’s not designed by luck. That is really a testament to so many people working together, especially our (Department of Public Services) teams and our police and firefighters.”
Witz closed out the ceremony mentioning that he looks forward to next year to continue the tradition of Arts, Beats & Eats providing money for charities, and hosting an iconic event.
Call Staff Writer Taylor Christensen at (586) 498-1081.
RESTAURANTS HAVE ‘PINK OUT’ DRINKS
FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
ROYAL OAK — The month of October is breast cancer awareness month, and to show support, 19 restaurants in Royal Oak are creating pink drinks to help raise money for the cause.
Through the Pink Out Royal Oak initiative — a partnership between the Royal Oak Restaurant Association, the city of Royal Oak and Men Wear Pink of Oakland County — each restaurant will feature a “Pink Drinks” menu.
Two dollars from the price of every drink sold will be donated to the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer awareness initiative.
Both cocktail and mocktails will be available.
Celebrity venue hosts will include FOX 2 Detroit’s Robin Murdoch, retired teacher and breast cancer survivor Beth Cameron, Chadwick of Detroit Hustles Harder, the Motor City Roller Derby team, and more.
The funding provided to the American Cancer Society will go toward funding for 160 grants worth $78.2 million focused on breast cancer research and programs providing screenings for uninsured and insured women alike.
For the list of participating restaurants and more information, visit dineroyaloak.org/pink-out.
show support for breast cancer
19 restaurants in
Royal Oak are creating pink drinks to help raise money for the cause. Two dollars from the price of every pink drink purchased will be donated to the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer awareness initiative.
RUCK 22 MARCH TAKING PLACE NOV. 9
ROYAL OAK — The Royal Oak Veterans Events Committee is hosting the annual Ruck 22 March at 10 a.m. Nov. 9 at Centennial Commons at 221 E. Third St.
Participants are encouraged to bring nonperishable food or personal items that will be donated to the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 154 food pantry.
The Veterans of America Chapter 154 food pantry provides support to veterans in need. There is also a way to donate financially to the John Dingell VA Medical Center to support mental health programs for local veterans.
The Ruck March involves walking at a fast pace while carrying a weighted backpack, or a “ruck.” This simulates the load that the members of the armed forces have to carry around, which is around 45 pounds of gear.
Participants will be walking a 2.2 mile course carrying 22 pounds or bringing 22 food or personal items to donate.
The number 22 is important and symbolizes the U.S. veterans who take their lives each day.
For more information, contact Judy Davids, at (248) 763-3036.
APPLE HARVEST IN 2024 YIELDS GOOD RESULTS
LANSING — October is officially Apple Month in Michigan after being proclaimed so by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. It is stated in a Michigan Apple Committee press release that apples are the largest and the most valuable fruit crop in Michigan, which is home to 850 family-run apple farms with over 17.6 million apple trees, covering 38,000 acres of Michigan.
This year the crop has been harvested early, and the crop estimated for 2024 is at 30.5 million bushels, which comes out to 1.28 billion pounds. The annual crop size for Michigan is approximately 25 million bushels, according to the press release.
Find new ways to celebrate Michigan Apple Month this year, including recipes, tips, flavor profiles and information about orchards, cider mills and farmers markets by visiting MichiganApples.com.
SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH
CLEARING THE AIR ON VAPING RISKS
BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — While vaping was originally marketed to replace cigarettes and some teens say it helps them with stress, health officials say the opposite is true.
Alliance for Coalitions for Community Health Prevention Outreach Specialist Justen Daniels said a lot of health complications come with vaping, including damage to the lungs, heart problems, gastrointestinal issues and more.
He said vape cartridges are filled with hundreds of cancer-causing chemicals.
“The majority of vape pens or vape products are going to contain nicotine, and they’re going to contain a lot of it — a lot of potency,” Daniels said.
He said Stanford’s Reach Lab shared a study that one type of vape pen, which has around 5,000 puffs, has the nicotine equivalent of around 590 cigarettes.
“I don’t think folks are realizing how much nicotine is in there and how addictive that nicotine is,” Daniels said.
Youth are more susceptible to nicotine or THC — a cannabinoid found in marijuana — dependence because their bodies and brains are still developing, Daniels said. The youngest he’s seen or heard of a person having a vape pen is around 8-years-old.
He said that though he doesn’t have a definitive answer of whether cigarettes or vape pens are more harmful, they are both very addictive.
Megan Phillips, Oakland Community Health Network’s director of substance use and disorder services, gathered information about the dangers of vaping.
A document from the organization states that nicotine addiction can cause harm to a person’s mental health, but more research is needed to understand the connection between vaping and mental health. It also states that studies show those who quit smoking experience lower anxiety, stress and depression, and experience a better mood and quality of life.
Michigan’s
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forget,” according to stagecrafters.org.
“I spent several months, once I learned that we were going to do that play, assembling the finest craftspeople to design the best sets, lights, sound and props,” Dilly said. “I’ve really assembled an all-star team, and I couldn’t have been more proud of the work that they’ve put forth. It has blown my own expectations out of the water.”
Lax said that this is the hardest play he has ever had to act in, but he is grateful to be a part of it.
“When I finally got the part I was over the moon, and then I got the script and I looked at the script and I said, ‘What have I done?’” Lax said.
The character Kipps is the younger adaptation of Actor. The Actor is the older version of Kipps who hires an actor — Kipps — to help him retell the troubling events and “exorcise” himself by making a public reading of it, according to Dilly.
“It’s funny, this is confusing even when you read the play, so we are doing our best on stage to make it obvious,” Dilly said. “It is more obvious when you see it played out live.”
Lax said that he has been an actor for most of his life, and he has never been so nervous for a performance, which is in a way a good experience for him.
Dilly said that the author of “The Woman in Black,” Stephen Mallatratt, was very particular in the way he wrote the story, and said the reason he calls the Kipps character ‘Kipps’ is because it is supposed to be a play within a play.
“I have never done anything like this. One of the really cool things about this experience is that it’s sort of like Everest, in the sense that you think, ‘If I can do this, the next five things I do are going to be the easiest things in the world,’” Lax said. “So that is very, very gratifying. I am so fortunate to be in this show.”
Purcell mentioned that the idea of playing seven different characters throughout the duration of the two-hour production is “horrifying.”
“It’s a very daunting task, playing seven different characters, and somehow making them
See WOMAN on page 9A
Mausoleum
“They are all over the place; they’re in your hair, up your nose, in your ear,” he said. “I have been fighting them (management), and fighting them, and fighting them, and the sewer flies are just everywhere.”
Sdao said that he believes management does not clean the mausoleum.
Stone provided a quote attributed to Matt Petrocy, area vice president at Oakview, that addressed the speculation of the mausoleum not being cleaned.
“The mausoleum is cleaned weekly and picked up after each service. If the customer complained to the staff, then yes, they would have cleaned,” Petrocy stated.
Stone said that the “sewer flies” in question are not sewer flies, but phorid flies. Phorid flies are a type of fly that is commonly found in mausoleums.
A journal article called “Phorid Flies” written by Steve Jacobs, senior. extension associate at Penn State University, is published on the Penn State Extension website at extension.psu.edu/phorid-flies. Jacobs is currently an urban entomologist, which is a branch of zoology that is concerned with the study of insects.
“The flies are most disconcerting when seen flying about mausoleums or in churches that have crypts. In either of these cases it is important to contact a professional in the management of structural pests for advice,” Jacobs wrote.
Stone said she is certain that the bugs found in the Oakview mausoleum are phorid flies and that the management is taking every action to get rid of the bugs.
“They’re not sewer flies, and we have
a plan in place to correct any issues with them,” she said. “I understand that by creating a kind of negative and positive air flow with fans in the ceiling, that those phorid flies can be controlled.”
Stone said that when the complaint about the flies was first heard, the management team checked the fans in the mausoleum to make sure that they were working.
“I actually think this was a recent discovery; we found that a few of the belts that are in the roof for those fans to keep those kinds of phorid flies under control were slipping, so we have replaced them,” she said.
There are currently five of the six rooftop fans operating, and one of the two motors. The motors run the fans to create circulation in the mausoleum to prevent the phorid flies, according to Stone.
The building also has three wall-sconcestyle bug lights that help with the mitigation and control of the bugs, Stone said.
“I fully understand that any amount of bugs would be very upsetting to people who come into the mausoleum,” Stone said. “I think the explanation for why they are a little bit worse now is because of the repairs we need to take care of.”
The promised heating and cooling of the facility has caused some serious issues, according to Sdao, who said every summer the air conditioning breaks, and each winter the furnace stops working.
“That’s not what we paid for, right?” he said. “If it gets cold enough, the pipes are going to burst, and when they burst, we are going to have one big mess here.”
He said the failed air conditioning each summer results in a foul smell.
“Summertime comes and the air conditioner breaks every time, it gets so hot in there that, I hate saying this, but you have
dead bodies in there in the heat. It smells really bad,” he said.
Stone said that there are no records of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system not working properly.
Sdao said he and his wife have also purchased a plot there, right next to their son. He wishes he could just pull the whole family out of there and move them somewhere with more maintenance.
“We have our loved ones in there, and now we have to fight the office, management, owners — we should not be doing that,” he said. “They need to maintain their building like it said in the contract.”
Stone commented on what she would
say to the families affected by these issues.
“We want to be a good community partner. We want our customers and our families to come to our spaces, whether it be the cemetery, the mausoleum. (...) We want them to come there and be proud of where they’ve laid their family members to rest,” she said. “We want people to feel comfortable coming to us with issues that they see, concerns that they have and understand that they will be heard and we will listen to them and address concerns.”
Moving forward, Sdao said he is considering a lawsuit.
Call Staff Writer Taylor Christensen at (586) 498-1081.
ROYAL OAK’S MOST TRUSTED REALTOR
Photo provided by Michele Stone
Bug light sconces have been put up in the mausoleum to help address the bug problem.
Woman
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all distinct, and you know, different from each other, is terrifying,” Purcell said. “I had to break it down into pieces and not try to do too much at once. So, I had to take different scenes and analyze the different characters so I can make them their own individuals.”
Purcell said juggling different character personalities was one of the most difficult aspects of this role.
“The most difficult part early on was if you’re using a different accent for a different character, it is being able to switch on a dime and just become that character,” Purcell said. “That was extremely challenging, you know, and it’s still something I have to work on and warm up to.”
Dilly said that he has wanted to direct this play since he saw it on stage in the West End of London 30 years ago.
“I saw it and I could not shake it. Thirty years later and here we are, still being haunted by it,” he said. “It’s a labor of love for the macabre.”
Dilly left some questions unanswered, saying that the only way to find out is to watch the production.
“People have asked about who is playing the woman, and I will give you my response is, ‘What woman?’” he said. “The mystery will continue. I don’t want to say too much beyond that. I will say, technically, this is a two-person play; any other appearances would certainly be ghostly in nature.”
“The Woman in Black” will be showing Oct. 18-20, and Oct. 24-27. Tickets go for $25 plus a $3 per ticket fee. For more information on “The Woman in Black” production, and tickets, visit stagecrafters.org.
Call Staff Writer Taylor Christensen at (586) 498-1081.
Royal Oak Concert Band kicks off season with ‘Color Your World’
ROYAL OAK — The Royal Oak Concert Band is going to be performing its first concert of the 2024-2025 season at 3 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Royal Oak Middle School Auditorium, 709 N. Washington Ave.
The concert will kick off the band’s 61st season. The band is directed by Kevin R. Czarnik.
The concert is called “Color Your World” and will explore many different themes of music featuring many hues of the concert band, according to a press release.
To do this, the band will be playing a variety of musical styles and composers, from Gustav Holst to Henry Mancini, Frank Ticheli, Prince and the rock group Chicago.
The concert will also include a jazz set by the Woodward Avenue Jazz Orchestra, directed by James Cann.
CRIME WATCH
Apple tree cut from yard
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that between 9:45 and 10:30 a.m. Oct. 4, an unknown person cut down the apple tree in the complainant’s front yard on West LaSalle Avenue near North Main Street.
Truck stolen
Admission costs $12 for adults and $10 for seniors. Children 12 and younger will be admitted for free. Tickets are available at the door or at royaloakconcertband.org.
— Taylor Christensen
Concert Band during a concert in 2023.
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that between 10:40 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Oct. 9, an unknown person stole the complainant’s pickup truck from the street near Austin Avenue and North Main Street.
Phone stolen from car
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9, an unknown person stole an iPhone from the complainant’s unlocked car on Torquay Avenue near Leafdale Boulevard.
Package stolen from porch
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that at 10:50 a.m. Oct. 7, an unknown person stole a package from the complainant’s front porch on Normandy Road, east of Coolidge Highway.
Watch stolen from showcase
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that at 12:25 p.m. Oct. 4, an unknown person stole a watch from a showcase at Metals in Time Jewelers at 301 S. Main St..
— Taylor Christensen
Kevin Czarnik directs the Royal Oak
File photo by Donna Dalziel
Vaping
“Oakland Community Health Network, alongside our prevention partners, The Alliance, and Oakland County Health Division, work tirelessly to educate community members on the dangers of vaping,” Phillips said in email.
Vaping products can affect brain development, memory, attention, learning, mood and mental health, the Health Division states.
“Additionally, vaping devices may produce vapor containing lead, which can cause brain damage,” the Health Division states.
The age to purchase vape products is 21 years old in both Michigan and nationally, though kids still manage to get these products by employees not age checking IDs, connections with older friends and sharing or by fake IDs Daniels said.
“Because technology has gotten so sophisticated, so a lot of times it’s easy to pick up on a fake ID, so a lot of times they will take an older sibling’s ID,” Daniels said.
“The most common reason middle and high school students give for currently using e-cigarettes is, ‘I am feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed,’” the document from OCHN said.
The document went on to say, though, that vaping can actually increase these feelings.
Daniels said that if an underage person looks enough like their older sibling, a quick glance will not give away that they are underage. These IDs will not trip the scanners because they are legal IDs.
Underage people who are caught with vaping can face consequences.
Daniels said in the worst case scenario
underage people could face a misdemeanor. They can also face detention, suspension and expulsion at school.
“We are seeing so many of our schools take an interest in restorative programming and alternatives to suspension programming,” Daniels said.
He went on to say that if a child is kicked out of school for vaping, they are going to go home and vape.
“It defeats the purpose,” Daniels said. “And so we have a lot of folks who are doing friends of the court programs.”
Vaping products like Juul became popular around the late 2010s, and Daniels said he still considers it very new.
“Especially within the grand scheme of, you know, how long it took the cigarette and everything to come out,” Daneils said. “It took around 100 years for a lot of that information about cigarettes and some of its potential impacts, some of its potential harmful health implications to come out.”
Vape products were originally marketed as a product to help adults stop smoking tobacco, and they were marketed for adults. Daniels said now it’s really hard to identify vape products due to their evolution and how they are made to blend in as electronic cigarettes. Daniels said there are vapes that look like smart watches, key fobs, straws and more.
Parents should educate themselves through education programs and presentations so they can recognize vape products.
“Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know,” Daniels said. “And that’s one of the good things about our organizations with the alliance.”
He went on to say they have programs to educate parents and community members about what vapes look like, the health implications and much more.
BEHIND THE WHEEL
HEARSE COLLECTION ADDS MEANING FOR FAMILIES AS IT SERVES THE DEPARTED
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
As a licensed funeral director, Jeff Mandziuk’s intent is to always treat the departed with the utmost respect and dignity.
It is one of the many aspects he learned from his father, Eugene Mandziuk, who in 1956 built his first funeral home, which became Mandziuk & Son Funeral Directors Inc. Currently, there are two locations: one in Sterling Heights and a second funeral home in Warren.
Eugene Mandziuk, who died in 2017 at age 91, not only passed down the business to the younger Mandziuk, but also his love for antique automobiles, particularly the Packard. Over the years, the father and son purchased seven antique Packards, most of them hearses.
The fleet includes a 1921 Henney hearse; hearses from 1939, ’40, ’42 and ’48; an 1851 horse-drawn carriage hearse and a 1949 Packard limousine. The first hearse Eugene Mandziuk owned was the horse-drawn model, which he purchased at an auction in Texas.
“A funeral home donated a hearse to a Catholic church to auction off to remodel the church,” Mandziuk said.
Eugene Mandziuk, a military veteran who lost part of his hearing during World War II, misheard the highest bid of $1,000. When he mistook it for $2,000, he bid $2,100 to outbid the highest bidder. He got the horse-drawn hearse, and grew his classic car collection from there. Some of the best times Mandziuk and his dad had were taking vacations to the East Coast. They’d attend car shows or hunt through junkyards “looking for other hearses to restore.”
By the mid-1980s, the Mandziuks began offering to drive the vintage hearses during funeral processions. However, families weren’t interested and usually declined the offer.
“When we had the hearse, nobody wanted to use it,” Mandziuk said. “Everyone wanted a modern-day car.”
That all changed in the mid-1990s when the Woodward Dream Cruise in Oakland County started. Soon, people became nostalgic for classic cars. Grieving families saying goodbye to their loved ones began asking if the an-
ABOVE: Mandziuk & Son Funeral Directors Inc. uses vintage Packard hearses during funeral processions as one way to provide comfort to grieving families.
Photo by John Cicotte
LEFT: Jeff Mandziuk, owner of Mandziuk & Son Funeral Directors Inc., left, and his son, Mitchell, have continued taking care of the Packard hearse collection that Eugene Mandziuk started in the 1980s.
Photo by Julian Orlikowski
Hearse
from page 12A
tique Packards could be utilized during funeral processions. The vintage models provided some comfort, reminding them of their moms and dads.
“It just took off from there. I credit everything to the Woodward Cruise for starting it. All of a sudden people wanted to use the old cars,” Mandziuk said. “They are not just a hobby, but a labor of love to provide extra meaning for families. Sometimes the Packard hearse will go on two, three runs in one day. People have come in making arrangements. They’ll see the old hearse out there and say, ‘Is that just for show or do you actually use it?’”
From Mandziuk’s viewpoint, the Packards were built to last.
“I use them year-round. If it’s raining outside, it don’t bother me. They were built back in those days for that type of service. They never get stuck in the snow,” Mandziuk said.
Whether it’s rebuilding the engine or conducting maintenance, Mandziuk doesn’t shy away from working on the cars when needed. He learned by watching his dad.
“He would always talk about the class the hearse used to have,” Mandziuk said. “As the years went by, they just got boxy looking.”
During an interment, the Packards can be en route to a number of cemeteries, including Guardian Angel in Rochester, Resurrection in
Clinton Township and White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy. Veterans buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly are often transported by a Mandziuk hearse. Since funeral assistant Larry Pokrywka is the only member on staff who knows how to maneuver a stickshift, he drives the hearses during processions.
Keeping it in the family, Mandziuk’s niece, Ashley J. Cicotte, wrote a history on the hearses. One recollection that stands out was when a local family laid their son to rest. He loved the color purple, so the family went to several funeral homes “searching for the perfect element for the service,” according to Cicotte’s essay. When they came upon a black hearse with purple interior in the Mandziuks’ fleet, they made the proper arrangements with the funeral home to honor their son.
Another highlight was the time a 102-year-old World War II veteran went to his final resting place in a Packard. When his daughter found out, she “was driven to the point of grateful tears” during her time of grief, Cicotte wrote, because her dad had once owned a Packard.
There also was the time in which Mandziuk got himself in a bit of trouble with the Packards. He “bought” his first 1941 Packard Sedan in exchange for one family’s funeral expenses. Dad wasn’t too happy with the method of payment, but eventually got over it. Mandziuk still has that Packard and drives it around at times.
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Future
she said. “So, just showing options that this isn’t just for one type of student — it’s for all students — I think that’s been really meaningful.”
Cristina Karaszewski, career development and testing coordinator at Royal Oak High School and Royal Oak Middle School, said this is her first time working on one of the Future Fair events.
Karaszewski said this is a great opportunity to bring the community together and show students the path to a promising future.
“This is the first year we are bringing other schools together,” Karaszewski said. “It’s going to be Berkley, Clawson and Royal Oak High School. In the past we have all kind of hosted our own (future fair), and now we are bringing it together as more of a community event.”
Karaszewski said that the goal of the Future Fair is to focus on all potential pathways that students can explore following high school.
“College isn’t necessarily for everybody, so we have trade schools there, communitybased organizations that provide scholarships and volunteer opportunities, along with military and then your traditional colleges,” she said. “I would say it is a vast range of opportunities for students, that no matter what their plan is after high school, we just want them to have a plan, so it is important to give them exposure to different options.”
Clawson High School counselor Rebecca Rice believes that a lot of kids just need exposure at an event like this to find their paths, and she’s seen from past experiences how effective the event can be for the students.
In terms of bringing the schools together for the fair, Rice said the bigger event allows them to invite more schools and
businesses to attend, because they won’t be stretched thin.
“You’re able to learn so much more from other counselors and the way they do things and the things we’ve done in the past,” Rice said. “I know that both of the Christinas have said things that I didn’t even think of, and hopefully vice versa, and just bring some ideas and things that our kids didn’t have access to before.”
Rice also advised that any student can come to the fair, not just seniors on the verge of graduating.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or a senior, it’s a great opportunity to learn about things and kind of prepare for what your future might look like,” she said. “Even if you do think you know what you want to do in the future, it’s always good to kind of have
other people to talk to and look at options.”
Students looking to register for the fair can do so by signing up at app.strivescan.
Berkley, Clawson and Royal Oak high schools are partnering to host a fair to help students chart their futures.
Photo provided by Clawson Public Schools
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to random assault
TROY — Officers were dispatched to Crooks Road for a report of an assault that just occurred at 11:01 a.m. Sept. 27.
Upon arrival, officers spoke to a man who said he was walking his dog when an unknown male suspect came up to him, yelled in his face, punched the top of his head, and ripped his shirt.
Officers located the suspect in the area of Crooks and Wattles, and he was taken into custody. The suspect stated he had just quit his job and had gotten into an argument with his family, so he walked up to the first person he saw and assaulted them.
The suspect, a 27-year-old man from Troy, was arrested and was issued a citation for assault and battery and a petition for a mental health evaluation.
Break-in occurs at cleaners
TROY — Officers were dispatched to Golden Gate Cleaners, at 2997 E. Big Beaver Road, for a possible break-in Sept. 23.
Upon arrival, officers saw heavy damage to the front of the business caused by a vehicle driving through the front entry to gain access. Officers contacted the business owner, who said the only thing stolen was the cash register.
Child left in vehicle
HAZEL PARK — According to a police report, Hazel Park police officers were dispatched to the 22000 block of South Chrysler Drive on Sept. 19 to investigate a report about a child left unattended in a vehicle.
Officers found a 3-year-old child in the back of a gold Buick. The windows were rolled down and the vehicle was left running. The temperature exceeded 81 degrees.
Officers located the child’s father inside the business. He allegedly admitted he had been in the business for 10 minutes in order to purchase marijuana.
The father reportedly stated that the car’s air conditioner did not work, and he believed it was a safe area to leave the child in the car alone.
The child’s grandmother was contacted, and she was given custody of the child. The father was issued a violation: abandonment of children — failure to supervise, a 90-day misdemeanor.
Child Protective Services was also notified.
Police arrest cellphone theft suspect
FARMINGTON — On Sept. 24 at approximately 5 a.m., Farmington Public Safety officers were dispatched to the area of Grand River and Drake for a man in his mid 20s who stole a cellphone from a convenience
they saw the man walking on Drake Road. The subject ran from the officers but was ultimately apprehended and taken into custody. The case was presented to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for warrant consideration.
Woman loses more than $9K to scammer
FARMINGTON — A 74-year-old woman told police Sept. 20 that she had been contacted by a suspect who claimed to work for her bank. The suspect was able to convince the woman to withdraw $9,500 from her bank account and place it onto a credit card provided by the suspect. The woman was working with her bank, and the case was forwarded to the detective bureau for investigation.
Cash register taken from cleaners
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that between 5:30 and 6 p.m. Sept. 19, an unknown person stole a cash register from the Best Cleaners at 32974 Woodward Ave.
Bar fight suspect arrested after fleeing
BIRMINGHAM — On Sept. 28 at approximately 11 p.m., officers were dispatched to a bar near the 200 block of South Old Woodward Avenue for a report of assault. The bar’s security staff stated that multiple individuals involved in the incident had fled the scene on foot.
Officers were able to identify one of the suspects, a 25-year-old Washington Township man. While fleeing, the suspect repeatedly ignored the officer’s request to stop, and upon being caught he was placed under arrest for obstruction of police.
A 32-year-old Clarkston man and a 33-year-old Birmingham man stated that while at the bar, they got into a physical altercation with the suspect and that they were both punched multiple times in the face by the suspect. An investigation was ongoing.
Former family friend attempts to light empty gasoline cans on porch
BIRMINGHAM — At approximately 7 p.m. Sept. 25, officers were dispatched to Oak Street after a 56-year-old woman and a 57-year-old man reported that a man was attempting to light two gasoline cans on fire on their porch. Shortly after, it was discovered that the gasoline cans were empty and that the suspect, a 27-year-old Troy man, is a former family friend. Charges against the suspect were being sought. An investigation was ongoing.
Speeding motorcyclist arrested BERKLEY — A 20-year-old Waterford man was
11:29 p.m. Sept. 21 near Woodward and West Lincoln avenues. According to the report, police observed two motorcycles, one red and one black, moving at speeds of around 100 miles per hour on Woodward. Police attempted a traffic stop, but both bikes sped off, leaving the officer to terminate the pursuit. Police did keep following the motorcyclists at a safe distance.
An officer was able to follow the black motorcycle, overtake the driver and position the patrol car to force the motorcyclist to slow down.
Police were able to get the driver to stop and handcuffed him.
Wanted man arrested by police
ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies responded to the area of Adams Road and Auburn Road for a Flock camera hit that identified a gray Ford Edge wanted by the Fraser Police Department for fleeing and eluding at 6:23 a.m. Sept. 3.
The vehicle was in the Walmart parking lot and was unoccupied. Deputies established a perimeter, and the man was observed loading items into the vehicle. Deputies conducted a felony stop, and the vehicle and the suspect, a 43-year-old man from Lexington, was taken into custody without incident. The man had several felony warrants from Macomb County.
During the inventory search of the vehicle, a Glock 19 BB gun and drug paraphernalia were located inside the vehicle.
The man was transported and lodged at the Oakland County Jail, to be picked up by Macomb County on the outstanding warrants. While at the jail, possible drugs were located on him during a search.
Police investigate incident at school
ROCHESTER HILLS — A female student at Avondale Middle School reportedly had a previous incident involving a male student texting her late at night. The school resource officer spoke to the male student during a follow-up interview and advised him not to have contact with her. Both students were in the same class Sept. 10, and she said he kept looking at her.
She told her mother about the incident, and her mother later filed a complaint with the school. The female student wrote out a statement and mentioned a text message that was concerning, which was a previous text that he’d sent late at night. He reportedly stated he thinks about killing people. The male student’s parents were requested to come to the school for an interview along with their child. The father advised there is a firearm in the home due to his occupation, adding that it’s locked in a safe when he returns home. Both parents were aware of their son’s
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
OCT. 18
‘Phantasmagorical’ fall concert: Performance by Royal Oak Symphony Orchestra, 8-9:30 p.m., Royal Oak Middle School, 709 N. Washington Ave., royaloakorchestra.org
OCT. 19
Clawson Comic Book and Toy Show: Also meet horror artist Steve Bejma, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Knights of Columbus Father Lynch Council 4188, 870 N. Main St.
OCT. 20
Trick or Treat Trail: Also cider and doughnuts, 6-7:30 p.m., Clawson City Park, 1080 N. Custer Ave., (248) 435-4500
Spooktacular: Trick-or-treating, face painting, costume contest and parade, food truck, magic show and more, 1-5 p.m., downtown Royal Oak and Centennial Commons (204 S. Troy St.), see schedule at royaloakchamber. com/events/calendar
OCT. 22
Royal Oak/Ferndale Senior Expo: Connect with dozens of organizations specializing in assistance and care, also free health screenings, prizes, giveaways and refreshments, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Royal Oak Farmers Market, 316 E. 11 Mile Road, seniorexpousa.com
OCT. 24
Spooky Spaghetti Dinner: Hosted by Royal Oak Woman’s Club with proceeds supporting scholarships for local students, Halloween-themed event includes all-you-can-eat pasta, plus salad, garlic bread, drinks and dessert, 4:30-7 p.m., 404 S. Pleasant St. in Royal Oak, rowc.org/events
OCT. 25
Trunk or treat: 6-8 p.m., Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital Research Institute, 3811 W. 13 Mile Road in Royal Oak, (248) 898-5000
OCT. 26
Trick or Treasure: Allergen friendly trick-or-treating, noon-2
Clawson, (248) 435-4500
OCT. 27
‘Color Your World’: First performance of 2024-2025 season by Royal Oak Concert Band, 3 p.m., Royal Oak Middle School, 709 N. Washington Ave., royaloakconcertband.org
ONGOING
‘The Woman in Black’: Performance by Stagecrafters, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays Oct. 18-27, Baldwin Theatre, 415 S. Lafayette in Royal Oak, stagecrafters.org
‘The Grown-Ups’: 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays and 3 p.m. Sundays until Nov. 4, Ringwald Theatre at Affirmations LGBTQIA+ Community Center, 290 W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale, theringwald.com
‘Puffs’: 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays Oct. 18-20 and 25-26, St. Dunstan’s Theatre, 400 Lone Pine Road in Bloomfield Hills, www. stdunstanstheatre.com
‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’: 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays Oct. 25-Nov. 9, also 2 p.m. Nov. 9, Rosedale Community Players inside Peace Lutheran Church, 17029 W. 13 Mile Road in Southfield, see showtimes at rosedalecommunityplayers.com
Fall Fest at Detroit Zoo: Includes Zoo Boo (treat stations, 5-9 p.m. Fridays and 2-9 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays Oct. 18-20) and Jack O’Lantern Journey (illuminated pumpkin displays, live entertainment and more, 5-10 p.m. Oct. 25-27), 8450 W. 10 Mile Road in Royal Oak, detroitzoo.org Car shows: 4-8 p.m. Mondays through October, Old Port Family Restaurant, 278 E. 14 Mile Road in Clawson, (248) 588-2660
Farmers markets: 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, also antiques and collectibles 8
and Finish.” Events should appear online within 2 hours, and will appear in print as space permits. There’s no limit as to how many you can submit.
school threat assessment was completed.
Business footage catches package thief
SOUTHFIELD — At 3:30 p.m. Sept. 16, a
Fall color walks: 2 p.m. Oct. 20 and Nov. 3 (Cummingston Park, park and meet at intersection of Torquay and Leafdale), and Oct. 27 and Nov. 10 (Tenhave Woods, park at Marais/Lexington lot and meet at Lexington entrance), also mushroom walk at 10 a.m. Oct. 26 (Tenhave Woods), all in Royal Oak, romi.gov/411/Nature-Walks
Harmony United Chorus: Open rehearsals for men’s Barbershop-style group, 7-9 p.m. every Tuesday, choir room at Royal Oak Middle School, 709 N. Washington Ave., greaterdetroit.org
Monthly groups: Find book clubs for horror fans, kids, LGBTQIA+ and more, Royal Oak Public Library, 222 E. 11 Mile Road, (248) 246-3700, romi. gov/1532/library
• STEM and electronics hobbyists meet 6-7:30 p.m. every first Wednesday, book club meets 1-2 p.m. every third Wednesday, and writing group meets 6-7:30 p.m. every fourth Wednesday, Blair Memorial Library, 416 N. Main St. in Clawson, clawson.lib.mi.us
Bingo:
