10/5/23 Macomb Township Chronicle

Butterfly habitat added to Pitchford Park

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — The plans for Pitchford Park keep growing.

At the Sept. 27 meeting, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees accepted a grant to build a butterfly habitat in the park.

Provided by Canadian National Railway through its EcoConnexions program and administered through Macomb County’s Department of Planning and Economic Development, milkweed seeds will be planted across about an acre of the park’s drain and wetland section.

Trump visits Clinton Township, criticizes push for electric vehicles

REPUBLICAN PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR AUTO WORKERS DURING EVENT AT DRAKE ENTERPRISES

BY JONATHAN OOSTING Bridge Michigan AND DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Michigan auto workers deserve “fair

wages and greater stability” but their jobs could soon collapse because of a government-backed shift to electric vehicles, former President Donald Trump warned in a speech Sept. 27 in Clinton Township.

“Your current negotiations don’t

mean as much as you think” because “in two to three years you will not have one job in this state,” Trump said in the speech at Drake Enterprises, near Gratiot Avenue and Hall Road. His remarks were aimed at strik-

“There’s been a number of studies showing the monarch butterflies in the eastern United States declining substantially over the last 20 years — in the last few years, even more substantially,” said Leon Drolet, township treasurer. “One of the challenges these butterflies are facing in the eastern part of the United States in particular is pesticides. In a lot of wetland areas, you’ve got phragmites, an invasive species, crowding out milkweed and other flowering plants that the butterflies need.”

Milkweed is particularly important for monarch butterflies, since it is the only flower they lay eggs on and the only flowers monarch caterpillars eat.

“We’ve already worked with the contractor who is building Pitchford Park to get the approved See BUTTERFLY on page 12A See TRUMP on page 8A

Bridge photo by Jonathan Oosting

Former President Donald Trump offered remarks before a crowd of supporters and auto workers at Drake Enterprises in Clinton Township on Sept. 27.

SECOND FRONT PAGE

3A/ MACOMB TOWNSHIP CHRONICLE • OCTOBER 5, 2023

The Chronicle is one of 21 bi-weekly publications produced by C & G Newspapers, a family-owned company serving residents in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties since 1981. We deliver our papers to more than 568,000 homes in 45 communities via direct mail.

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Memory cafe keeps seniors with dementia social

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — When your loved ones have dementia, it can be challenging finding safe and meaningful things to do with them. But for about a year now, the Clinton-Macomb Public Library has provided a safe place for

seniors with dementia and their caretakers to get out and socialize.

The CMPL’s Memory Cafe takes place every month, rotating between the main library on Romeo Plank Road and its southern branch on Gratiot Avenue.

“The Memory Cafe is a social opportunity

for people with memory loss and their caregivers,” said Meghan Mott, the Clinton-Macomb Public Library’s adult services outreach manager. “We try to have something fun to do, whether that’s a craft or a musical guest, something informative (or) something tactile. We’ve planted seeds, we’ve made music as well as listened to music.”

See MEMORY on page 18A

Blankets, stuffed animals keep child’s memory alive

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Erin

Terina Maria Patton lived for 16 days. Born on Sept. 18, 2001, Tammy and Cliff Patton’s fourth child and first daughter had a number of complications.

“When I was pregnant with her, they saw on the ultrasound that she had a heart condition, which was cushion canal defect,” Tammy said. “It’s a hole in the child’s heart, usually seen with Down syndrome children.”

As time went on, more problems were discovered. Erin had pulmonary atresia, an enlarged heart and severe valve leakage, leading her to be transferred from St. John Hospital to Children’s Hospital of Detroit for surgery. There was little chance of success, but her parents elected to go ahead with it anyway.

“Our only other option was to take her off of medication that was keeping the hole open to keep her alive,” Tammy said.

As Erin was taken to Children’s Hospital via the Panda Ambulance, Tammy was given a stuffed bear wearing an EMS unit shirt. Another bear was given as Erin was taken into surgery on Oct. 2, and more

See BLANKETS on page 17A

$1.00 OFF

Wyandot Middle School National Junior Honor Society students Edward Smith, left, Grady Dobner and Matthew Moran help make blankets for Team Patton Outreach on Sept. 16. The blankets will be donated to several hospitals and medical centers in memory of Erin Terina Maria Patton.

Photo by Erin Sanchez

Dr. Mark Berman and Associates You Have Our Word

‘This is everything for us’

Chippewa Valley edges rival Macomb Dakota 28-21 in MAC Red showdown

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — A beautiful yet fierce rivalry between two Macomb Area Conference Red rivals was put on hold momentarily when Clinton Township Chippewa Valley hosted Macomb Dakota on Sept. 22.

Chippewa Valley held their cancer awareness game with not only the players and student section sporting purple, but with a touching tribute. With the players lined up on the field, the announcer went player by player and named who they were playing for or in memory of.

Some players embraced the person they were playing for with a hug while others stood silent in memory.

Once the opening kickoff took place, it was all business for Chippewa Valley as they bested Dakota 28-21, earning their first win against Dakota since 2019. Chippewa Valley also snapped Dakota’s 17-game regular season win streak, which was two days away from hitting the two-year mark.

As the fourth quarter came to a close

and fans stormed the field, it was evident for Chippewa Valley how much this game meant for them.

“This is personal. This is everything for us,” senior Jordan Byers said. “We had no other option (than) to win. It’s been years, years and years. Coach (Scott) Merchant deserves it, and we had to give it to him.”

Byers, along with senior Cash Shaw, were the Dakota defense’s kryptonite throughout the game, especially Shaw.

With three minutes left in the fourth quarter and holding a 20-14 lead, Chippewa Valley attempted to drain the clock as they had done efficiently all game. Shaw had other plans as he ripped off a 54-yard touchdown run to give Chippewa Valley the 28-14 lead. Shaw finished with 12 carries for 101 yards on the night.

Dakota junior quarterback Jadon Ford would connect with senior wide receiver Keleb Pritchard, who tallied seven receptions for 96 yards in the loss, for a 14-yard touchdown catch to cut the lead to seven with a minute left, but Dakota was unsuccessful on the onside kick attempt.

Byers opened up the scoring for Chippewa Valley on a 17-yard touchdown run up the middle on third down to take an early 7-0 lead in the first. Byers said the offense liked what they saw from the Dakota defense on third down to execute the run play.

See FOOTBALL on page 6A

Mark D. Berman, D.D.S.

Jessica T. Phan, D.D.S.

Someone, somewhere, reading this right now is thinking you wrote this for me. And you’re right, we did. You’re the one who just can’t bring yourself to pick up the phone. It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman, a man, a black belt in karate, or 90 lbs. soaking wet. You’re scared, embarrassed and just overwhelmed. We can help, we’re positive we can. We know the pain you experienced wasn’t just “in your head.” We will not lecture you and most certainly won’t make your feel “bad” about whatever is going on. No blame, no lectures, just the rst step on getting back your smile and health.

AWARD WINNING DENTISTRY

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

Chippewa Valley senior Collin Sturgeon closes in on Macomb Dakota junior quarterback Jadon Ford during Chippewa Valley’s 28-21 win over Dakota on Sept. 22 at Chippewa Valley High School.

Football

“We thought we could run,” Byers said. “We’d been working on it, and we’d seen what we liked, and we ran it.”

Dakota junior running back Ethan Hamby put Dakota on the board with a 59-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Hamby finished with 74 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the ground in the loss.

While Chippewa Valley senior quarterback Andrew Schuster’s only touchdown on the night came on an 8-yard run, Schuster was getting it done with his arm when Chippewa Valley needed him most. Senior wideout Evan DiBucci and junior wideout DeShaun Lanier were finding space throughout the matchup, including Lanier on crucial first down catches throughout the game. Lanier finished with nine receptions for 93 yards in the win

Lanier said he credits their chemistry to their success on the field.

“Ever since freshman year when I got brought up from JV, we just been working together and building that chemistry between each other,” Lanier said. “We’re best friends. That’s my brother right there. We just go to war, and you already know we’re on the same page.”

The Chippewa Valley defense deserved some credit as they returned to form this week after allowing 43 points to New Baltimore Anchor Bay the week before.

Chippewa Valley senior defensive back Rayshaun Hester and junior linebacker Donny Diegel each recorded an interception in the win.

Chippewa Valley junior kicker Juliano Haddad drilled a pair of field goals as well.

Chippewa Valley has redeemed themselves since starting the season 1-2, and they carried the momentum of the win over Dakota into a 38-21 win over Sterling Heights Stevenson on Sept. 29 at Stevenson High School.

Schuster connected with Lanier for three passing touchdowns while Shaw ran for two in the win.

Dakota avenged the loss to Chippewa Valley to the tune of a 31-19 victory over Romeo on Sept. 29 at Dakota High School as Hamby ran for two touchdowns in the win.

There’s now a four-way tie for first in the MAC Red between Chippewa Valley, Dakota, Romeo, and Utica Eisenhower.

Dakota and Eisenhower will face each other on Oct. 6 at Swinehart Stadium while Chippewa Valley and Romeo will go head-to-head at Chippewa Valley High School.

Lanier said the team is just getting started but said he knows the kind of squad they can be.

“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” Lanier said. “It’s personal. We can’t be not finishing these games. We’re finishing this year and we’re going to win it all. We’re winning the MAC. We taking over. That’s the plan. It’s personal.”

Call Sports Writer Jonathan Szczepaniak at (586) 498-1090.

Harvest Salad

Steak & Sweet Potato Bowl

Chicken Queso Burrito

MONDAY: Chicken Pot Pie

TUESDAY: Italian Wedding

WEDNESDAY: Chicken Dumpling

THURSDAY: Stuffed Pepper

FRIDAY: Chicken Tortilla

SATURDAY: Loaded Baked Potato

SUNDAY: Tomato Basil

State Champs! W launches recruiting hub for female athletes

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

A dream scenario for a high school athlete is to play on the collegiate level and to continue playing the sport they fell in love with when they were a child.

Unfortunately for some sports, there’s just not enough eyes at each game or meet to help a student-athlete garner collegiate attention, and State Champs! Sports Network social media manager Danielle Seaman said she faced the same adversity when bowling at New Baltimore Anchor Bay High School.

“As a bowler, you don’t have many options to get recruited or be seen,” Seaman said. “There was one national tournament that I was lucky enough to go to and my family could afford to, so that’s how I got recruited. Some families can’t afford to go to this national tournament because it’s in a different location every year, and you have to qualify for it, which is more money to pay for other tournaments you have to go to qualify.”

Seaman went on to bowl collegiately at Monmouth University from 2018-2022. Now — nine months in at State Champs! W, a women-only branch of State Champs! Sports Network — Seaman and a team of all women have created the nation’s first recruiting hub, which launched Sept. 1, made for women by women.

Along with Seaman, Kara Liles, Elizabeth Coon, Amanda Mooradian, Madison Hool and Riley Spurgess, who all played sports in some capacity, helped build the recruiting platform for female athletes in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

State Champs! W, which started in 2021, will offer female athletes the opportunity to create an account on the recruiting platform, with multiple membership options available.

Recruitment can be difficult for any coach or athlete to handle, so Seaman said the team felt the platform was an essential tool for athletes.

“A lot of programs don’t have funding to go and travel around the country and see athletes, so this makes it easy for them,” Seaman said. “Some athletes just don’t have experience or their coaches don’t know how to get them recruited, so this is a place where they can go, make a profile and possibly get recruited.”

Membership packages range from $9.99-$49.99 a month, with the starter package allowing an athlete to make a profile, insert their stats and add contact information to their profile. Higher price points include the starter

items while also notifying athletes when a coach views their profile and allowing athletes the ability to add social media handles and highlight videos, an interview with the State Champs! W team and social media video posts to be sent to coaches’ emails directly. Coaches receive free registration to the recruiting platform.

High school athletics is at its peak with social media usage and allowing athletes to have the ability to brand themselves, and the recruiting platform is another step forward.

The recruiting platform is available for athletes in any sport, with fencing, volleyball, soccer, softball, bowling and others included.

State Champs! W is currently working on another avenue to enhance its website by allowing athletes the ability to see the coaches that have signed up, their team, their school and where the school is located, but it’s only in the developmental stages.

For more information on State Champs! W and the recruiting platform, visit https://statechampsw.com.

Call Sports Writer Jonathan Szczepaniak at (586) 4981090.

Finally, Full Body MRI Screenings Available Locally, Delivers Peace of Mind To Michigan Families A Glimpse Inside the State’s Premier Full Body MRI Screening Center

SOUTHFIELD- Full body MRI clinics have gained national attention lately, as TV personalities publicly share their personal full body scan experiences. One actress credits the scan for saving her life after doctors dismissed her unexplained pain for months. After various tests, including a CT scan, had “unremarkable” results, the pregnant actress became her own advocate, searched out a full body MRI clinic and discovered she had pancreatic cancer. Tanks to early detection the tumor was removed successfully.

As a general rule, when symptoms occur related to cancer, it usually has progressed to stage three or four. Even with annual physicals, there are limitations. Most screenings only cover about 29% of cancers with 71% occur-

ring outside of where doctors are able to screen. However, full body MRI scans can detect cancer in every organ from the top of the head through the genitals and can detect it very early.

For a long time, full body MRI scans were available only in select areas outside of Michigan, requiring expensive fights like in Vancouver or California. However, this changed when a clinic opened in Southfeld, making these scans available to Metro Detroit residents.

“Our advanced MRI screening can detect cancers very early when they are as small as a pencil eraser and are more easily treatable. If cancer goes undetected, however, it can grow into stage three or stage four with difcult treatments. We can also identify conditions

such as brain, abdominal, chest, and groin aneurysms,” stated the founder of the Southfeld clinic called Bionicc Body Screening.

Te primary focus of Bionicc Body Screening is to deliver peace of mind, ofering a comprehensive and detailed imaging of the body’s internal structures. Te ultimate hope is for excellent health. However, in the event that something is detected, the advanced screening aims to catch any potential issues at their earliest stages. Tis approach ofers the best opportunity for successful treatment outcomes, should the need arise.

Robert B., age 50, opted for a full body scan from Bionicc Body Screening and a very small tumor was detected. He said, “It saved my

life. Teir MRI found a kidney tumor that had been missed by a recent CT scan. I cannot recommend this service more.”

Take the frst step to learn more about full body scans by visiting www.BioniccBodyScreening.com and request a free, no obligation Information Kit or TEXT your full name and email to 734-415-6767. Request it today and you’re also guaranteed a copy of their FREE eBook, Catching Cancer Before It’s Too Late! (Tis is a limited time ofer.)

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MRI machines use magnets and emit no radiation.

Trump

from page 1A

ing members of the United Auto Workers union, who 13 days earlier began walking off jobs at Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Stellantis.

Drake Enterprises is a non-unionized auto supplier that specializes in gear shift levers and transmission components for heavy trucks.

In his return to Macomb County, Trump used his roughly hour-long speech to bash Democratic President Joe Biden’s push for electric vehicles and promised to stop what he called a “transition to hell” that will force automakers to close factories and move production overseas, repeating claims Bridge Michigan previously found to be inflated.

Trump’s visit to the township occurred without incident, according to township clerk Kim Meltzer

“I think our township did a great job coordinating with the safety of the community with the law enforcement and with the schools, because they were butting up to the school property,” Meltzer said, referring to various L’Anse Creuse Public Schools properties near Drake Enterprises. “We were a great host, and I think that’s what we should be no matter who the candidate is.”

Meltzer, who was not in attendance, said she was honored to have presidential candidates visit Clinton Township.

“I’m always honored to have any person who is wanting to serve our country to pick Clinton Township to come into and speak and let everybody know their platform … I think it’s a good thing for Clinton Township to have people of that stature coming into the community. If Biden came in, I would feel the same way.”

Clinton Township Supervisor Robert Cannon, who was also not in attendance, praised the township’s public safety departments and all attendees for being respectful with each other.

Candidates on both sides court autoworkers

With a potential 2024 rematch looming, Biden and Trump are already battling for the blue-collar vote in Michigan, which is the birthplace of the modern labor movement and remains one of the most unionized states in the country.

As of 2022, 14% of Michigan workers — about 589,000 — were members of a union, the 11th highest rate in the country and well above the national average of 10%, according to federal data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While striking UAW members are pushing for higher wages, cost-of-living increases and changes to a lower-tiered pay system for new hires, the union has also expressed concern about the industry’s ongoing industry shift to electric vehicles, which have fewer parts and therefore require fewer workers to produce, an anxiety Trump has hammered on again and again.

In his speech in Clinton Township, Trump laid out what he called a “vision for economic nationalism” focused on keeping American jobs at home.

The visit came the day after Biden made history as the first sitting president to join a picket line. Biden spoke to striking UAW members on Sept. 26 outside a General Motors facility in Belleville, where he backed the union’s call for a 40% wage bump, saying auto workers deserve a “hell of a lot more” than they are currently paid.

The Biden administration’s proposed fuel emissions standards, which are projected to require two-thirds of all new auto sales to be electric by 2032, amounts to a “government assassination of your jobs and your industry,” Trump argued.

“He’s selling you out to environmental extremists, the radical left, people who have no idea how bad this is going to be,” Trump said. “You can be loyal to American labor or you can be loyal to the environmental lunatics, but you can’t really be loyal to both.”

Biden has called for a “just” transition to EVs as part of his goal to make half of all

new car sales electric by 2030. That would be a dramatic increase in the U.S., where EVs accounted for about six percent of new car sales in 2022, which doubled the prior year.

To accelerate the shift, Biden has authorized billions of dollars in federal grants and loans to help traditional automakers retool existing facilities for EV production. Last year’s Inflation Reduction Act also expanded federal tax credits for EV customers.

Detroit automakers are already spending big to ramp up EV production and compete with other companies, most notably Tesla, the California-based company that uses cheaper nonunion labor to produce electric cars.

General Motors, which plans to spend $7 billion on EV and battery facilities in Michigan, has aims to end production of internal combustion engines by 2035.

Trump aggressively courted blue-collar workers in his winning 2016 campaign, attacking what he called unfair international trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he eventually scrapped and replaced as president.

Trump won Michigan that year by a razor-thin 10,714 votes, topping Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by fewer than threetenths of a percentage point. Biden won the state by about three percentage points in 2020, topping Trump by 154,188 votes.

St. Clair Shores City Councilman and UAW 412 member Chris Vitale attended the event, describing it to be as “crowded,” “raucous,” and “boisterous” as any other of the Trump events he’s attended. But for as brash as some of the former president’s comments may have been, Vitale said there was some truth to them.

“Trump says something like ‘Electric cars are going to spell the death of your industry,’” Vitale said. “Well, it might not spell the absolute death of things — I think that three years from now there will still be three major auto companies with a presence in the Detroit area. But I will say that potentially five to 10 years out, maybe we’re down to a smaller number (and) a smaller number of facilities, and eventually it will dwindle and

dry up. He may be a little exaggerated in his timeline, but he isn’t necessarily wrong.”

Vitale recounted that much of the crowd were fellow union members and that being there was a show of support from Republican-aligned UAW members, who had to stand around for three hours in Drake Enterprises’ facility in order to attend the speech.

“The idea that the union people are not supportive of Trump is false,” Vitale said. “He has a lot of supporters in the union ranks. He would not win Macomb County if he didn’t.”

Vitale says he heard members present say they wished the speech was held in a union shop, but he believes it would not have been favorable for a union shop’s owner to do so.

“Union shops are typically much larger,” Vitale said. “They often sell to consumers and they have stockholders and they risk being boycotted and things like that, whereas nonunion shops are typically family-owned. One guy calls the shots and he gets to decide if Trump comes in there or not. They don’t sell to retail, so they don’t have to worry about being boycotted.”

Ahead of Trump’s remarks, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, released a statement addressing the Trump and Biden visits and a “major contrast” in presidential leadership.

She called Biden “a true champion for our workers and the industry that fuels Michigan’s economy.”

“He’s committed to a future where our workers get the pay and benefits that they deserve, instead of their jobs being shipped overseas or to the South,” Stabenow said.

In contrast, she said Trump “turned his back on our autoworkers.”

“He’s lined the pockets of the wealthy and shipped American manufacturing jobs overseas. When times were tough, he said that auto plants should move to lower-cost, nonunion states. He even said the auto companies should just go bankrupt,” Stabenow said. “This week, more than ever, it’s clear who stands with Michigan.”

Dr. Tina Marshall / Dr. Marisa Oleski

from page 1A

seeds that would be used in the planting areas,” Drolet said.

The monarch butterfly habitat is the most recent addition to Pitchford Park’s development. The most recent amenities addition was the purchase of die-cut art. Other park amenities will include play areas, pickleball and tennis courts, and a walking path.

Lucido River Park was another park to be discussed at the meeting with trustees authorizing a joint permit application for the park. Completion of the application and acceptance from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will allow the township to seek grant opportunities and construct amenities in the park.

“The intention here is, really, to have at the end of this process a park design and permits in hand, and those permits last four years,” said Township Supervisor Frank Viviano, who called into the meeting and was unable to vote on any items. “We’ll have four years of grant opportunities to start building the infrastructure we’d like to see there. And if we can’t get it done in four years, we’re confident we can extend that permit for another number of years and keep going after grant opportunities.”

The application will require a topographic survey, a hydraulic analysis and an endangered species review at a cost of $56,450.

Water infrastructure projects

Trustees also approved several projects to replace water infrastructure in the township.

First approved was a $2.74 million proj-

ect to replace sanitary sewer pump station No. 1, located at the northeast corner of Hall Road and Gratiot Avenue. The station has been active for over 25 years and plans to replace it began in 2018. According to Land Development Director James Van Tiflin, it will be the last metal-based pump station to be replaced and the concrete-based replacement station is expected to have a 40- to 50-year life.

Trustees then approved replacing the water main along Romeo Plank Road between 22 Mile and 23 Mile roads at a cost of $2.36 million. The new main will be larger at 16 inches, whereas the current main is 12 inches.

Romeo Plank Road itself is being in-

creased in size next year, and approving the main replacement now gives the township time to coordinate the project with the Macomb County Department of Roads. Van Tiflin said the new main will have a 30-year service life.

Finally, trustees approved beginning the design work on replacing 8-inch and 12inch water mains to the Plum Grove Village subdivision. Estimated to cost $16.5 million and take place over four years, township officials are seeking grant opportunities to help lower the cost of the full replacement.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.

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To learn more about Paws With A Cause and to find out how you help, just download this app and watch the story come to life!

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Photo by Dean Vaglia

As construction of Pitchford Park continues, approximately one acre of the park’s wetlands will be covered in milkweed to help monarch butterflies.

NEWS & NOTES

13A/ MACOMB TOWNSHIP CHRONICLE • OCTOBER 5, 2023

Scares, stories and anniversaries at the CMPL

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — As October gets into full swing, the Clinton-Macomb Public Library will host all sorts of events.

Students in grades 2-12 are invited to the South Branch on Saturday, Oct. 7, to learn about insects with the Huron-Clinton Metroparks Mobile Learning Center.

The CMPL will celebrate Halloween at the Main Branch on Wednesday, Oct. 25, with its annual Monsters and Mayhem event. The party starts at 5:30 p.m. and families are encouraged to turn out for treats, crafts, stories and more. Costumes are encouraged.

Festivities will keep rolling on at the Main Branch into Thursday, Oct. 26, as the library celebrates its 20th anniversary. Visitors to the library that day can receive a cookie (while supplies last) and activities for children begin at 11 a.m. Those looking to get some free library merchandise can go on the hunt for 20 pictures hidden around the Main Branch that document the building’s history, or they can register for a library card if not already signed up.

An event on Monday, Oct. 30, will be dedicated to the macabre and mysterious. Researcher Amberrose Hammond will present a program on Mysterious Michigan at the Main Branch at 7 p.m. Topics include the Nain Rouge monster, Minnie Quay’s ghost and other supernatural subjects from around the Great Lakes state.

For more events and registration, visit cmpl.libnet.info/events.

VERY FUNNY, KEVIN NEALON

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Macomb Community College Foundation will present its annual “Comedy and Cocktails” benefit Oct. 20 at the Lorenzo Cultural Center and Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, located on the college’s Center Campus at 44575 Garfield Road.

The event, which supports the college’s arts and cultural programs, will feature actor and “Saturday Night Live” alum Kevin Nealon.

Presented by First State Bank, the event begins in the Lorenzo Cultural Center at 5:30 p.m. with music by the Kroon Trio, gourmet appetizers, strolling dinner stations, a silent auction with mobile bidding and raffle prizes.

At 8 p.m., the party moves over to the Macomb Center where Michigan-based comedian Dan Turco will open the show, followed by Nealon, who will serve up laughs.

Tickets are $175 each and include premiere theater seating for Nealon. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit macomb.edu/comedy or call the Macomb Community College Foundation at (586) 4457302.

DNR SAYS TO CRUSH INVASIVE BUG

STATEWIDE — The Michigan Department of Natural resources is asking Michiganders to do their part in the fight against the invasive spotted lanternfly.

According to a statement from the DNR, the spotted lanternfly tends to be sighted in the late summer and early fall. Adult lanternflies have brownish-gray wings with black spots with a yellow and black abdomen and red hind wings. Younger lanternflies have black bodies with white spots and occasionally have red patches.

“If you see a spotted lanternfly, yes, we really do want you to squish it if you can,” Rob Miller, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development invasive species prevention and response specialist, said in a release. “Then, take a photo or two and report it to us through the online Eyes in the Field reporting system. It’s important to get to know what the spotted lanternfly looks like, though, because we don’t want to target harmless native insects with pretty wings.”

Drivers returning to Michigan from out of state are especially urged to check their vehicles for lanternflies.

OCT. 5

Senior Expo 2023: Free luncheon, exhibits, seminars, health screenings, interactive experiences, resources, giveaways and more, also keynote speech and musical performance by WDIV’s Devin Scillian, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Assumption Cultural Center, 21800 Marter Road in St. Clair Shores/Grosse Pointe Woods, (586) 779-6111

OCT. 8

Fire department open house: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 47711 North Ave. in Macomb Township, facebook.com/macombtownshipfiredepartment

OCT. 14

Trunk or treat: Also bounce houses, food and music, 1-4 p.m., Stahls Automotive Collection, 56516 North Bay Drive in Chesterfield Township, stahlsauto. com

OCT. 20

Halloween Hoopla: Costume carnival and more, 6-8:30 p.m., Macomb Township Recreation Center, 20699 Macomb St., RSVP to (586) 992-2900

ONGOING

Macomb Motivators Toastmasters Club: Meets 6:30-8 p.m. every second and fourth Thursday of month, virtual and in person, St. Isidore Church, 18201 23 Mile Road in Macomb Township, www.6104644.toastmastersclubs.org

Lupus support groups: 10 a.m. every second Tuesday of month and 7 p.m. every last Wednesday of month, Zoom, milupus.org/support-groups, (248) 901-7299

Health workshops: For chronic pain, high blood pressure and more, hosted by Corewell Health, free and virtual, beaumonthealth.digitalsignup.com

Bereaved Parents of Macomb Support Group: Meets 7-9 p.m. every first Thursday of month, Washington Senior Center, 57880 Van Dyke Ave. in Washington Township, neilflyer@yahoo.com, (248) 425-2999

WIDOWED FRIENDS EVENTS

Movie: Oct. 10, MJR Chesterfield Cinema 16, 50675 Gratiot Ave. in Chesterfield Township, movie and time TBD, RSVP to Marion at (586) 703-1427

Book club: 10:30 a.m. every second Friday of month, Danny’s Family Dining, 47250 Hayes in Macomb Township, inquire about selections and RSVP to Elaine at (586) 291-2471

Breakfasts: 10 a.m. every fourth Monday of month, Amore’s Grill, 53100 Gratiot Ave. in Chesterfield Township, RSVP to Loree at (810) 335-2096

Photo provided by MDNR

EXTRA NATURE-BASED LEARNING ON THE RISE IN MICHIGAN

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

Constantly inundated by technology, today’s kids are spending much of their free time hunched over a screen inside instead of playing outdoors.

Parents, on the other hand, are busy looking for experiences that will allow their children to unplug and get active, sparking the demand for nature-based schools and programs across the nation.

The drive to offer kids hands-on learning experiences outdoors — commonly referred to as the forest school or nature school movement — is a trend that’s gaining momentum nationwide, including in Michigan. In these schools and programs, children spend most — or all — of their time outside.

Last year, the Farmington Hills Nature Center at Heritage Park opened a Nature Preschool for children ages 3-5.

“We use the outdoors as our classroom, so we’re really building skills in a real-world learning environment. Skills like resilience, social skills, building a classroom community, and building a respect and curiosity for nature,” said Nature Center Supervisor Ashlie Smith.

Students at the Heritage Park Nature Preschool — a state licensed child care center with preschool teachers who are Forest School Certified — learn outside every day for the entire half-day class period they sign up for. If severe weather occurs, class activities are moved into a licensed classroom at the Nature Center.

See LEARNING on page 16A

Ford House O ers Educational Programs For All Ages

e kids are back in school, but they aren’t the only ones learning something new this fall.

e Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores is o ering programs for adults and youths that promise to be enlightening, engaging and educational.

“We really focus on all learners,” Ford House Director of Education Jason Dake said. “We want to provide educational programs for everyone.”

Edsel and Eleanor Ford were known for their impeccable sense of style along with their e orts to protect their estate’s natural environment, so a sustainability talk about fashion at 7 p.m. Nov. 2 in the Visitor Center is an ideal t. Fashion designer, stylist and consultant Paulina Petkoski — who worked with designers including Calvin Klein, Isaac Mizrahi, Diane Von Furstenberg and Marc Jacobs — will discuss how the fashion industry is addressing this issue and why it’s so important.

Make a beautiful plate or candleholder using the fused glass technique during a Maker Studio workshop at 1 p.m. Nov. 18 in the Visitor Center. Artist and educator Helen Agius-Andreae will lead participants as they design their piece, which will be fused and slumped in a kiln and ready for pickup from

the Ford House two weeks later. All materials are supplied — just bring your imagination. No experience is necessary.

See spaces inside the house not normally open to visitors during the “Nooks & Crannies” guided tours on various dates Oct. 6 through Dec. 31. Participants will traverse private stairways, the attic, the basement, the in rmary and the underground tunnel to the Powerhouse. Each “Nooks & Crannies” tour is only open to eight people because it takes participants into some small spaces. Because it involves climbing multiple ights of stairs, it’s not wheelchair accessible.

Dake said this is “one of our more popular house tours.” It’s usually only o ered during the fall and winter.

Advance registration for all programs is strongly recommended as space is limited. To register or for more information, visit www.fordhouse.org/events/.

Firefly Forest School

Director Bailey Lininger uses a trail sign to engage students outdoors.

Photo by Lindsey Billings, provided by Firefly Forest School

‘IT REALLY BUILDS RESILIENCE, AND KIDDOS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM’

HOW

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We teach math in a way that makes sense to students, so they understand it, master it, and enjoy it. Either in-center or online.

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Learning

from page 14A

“It’s meant to be very immersive, where children are learning throughout multiple seasons. … They’re here every day, all winter and on rainy days too … so it really builds resilience, and kiddos understand that they are part of the world around them,” said Smith.

To some, it may look like children at the Heritage Park Nature Preschool are simply playing outside for hours each day, but Smith said their time outdoors helps develop valuable skills and fosters traits like resilience, leadership, problem-solving and perseverance.

“Instead of having a classroom that is set up for them with everything perfectly arranged, they are learning that things are dynamic, things change and the seasons change. The classroom is different every time they come in, which really builds their ability to become self-sufficient and empowers them in their learning,” she explained.

In 2019, Bailey Lininger opened Firefly Forest School to better connect students with the natural world.

“Both parents and educators want kids to experience an unplugged childhood as

much as they can — one where they can dig for worms, balance on fallen tree trunks and splash in puddles,” said Lininger, the director of Firefly Forest School.

Firefly Forest School provides southeast Michigan children ages 3-10 with immersive, nature-based learning through enrichment programming from nature preserves in the metro Detroit area.

“We love being able to complement a more traditional experience at a more traditional school with some time to just run and be free and play and climb and build and dig and do all the things that are a really important part of being a kid,” Lininger said.

Every class is held entirely outdoors every day, rain or shine, even in the chilly winter temperatures.

“We’re not just going outside for 20 minutes to play at recess or only when it’s nice and sunny and 75 degrees. We really work with our families and our kids to embrace all weather,” Lininger said.

Armed with the proper attire and outdoor gear, students are taught how to embrace the world around them as it is and use it as their classroom.

“The more time for unstructured play that you give kids in the natural world, the more creative they are, the more they learn, the more they deepen their growth and fine

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motor skills, the more they are able to explore and learn independently instead of just being guided, and the more opportunities they are given to be creative problem solvers, to think critically about things, to learn to be adaptable and flexible,” added Lininger.

Students are free to run, jump, splash and explore and, in the process, they are constantly learning and growing.

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“One of the things that we really focus on in our program is instilling a sense of selfefficacy and capability in our kids. We’re really focused on giving our kids the chance to feel competent and capable — that’s something that we see a ton of growth in,” Lininger said. “We see a lot of confidence too.”

Call Staff Writer Mary Beth Almond at (586) 498-1060.

CD

Farmington Hills Nature Center’s Heritage Park Nature Preschool lead teacher Sharon Detter reads a story to students.

Photo provided by Farmington Hills Nature Center’s Heritage Park Nature Preschool

Blankets

from page 3A

stuffed animals and blankets were given as time went on. Tammy learned these animals were donated to the hospital.

“We were touched by it,” Tammy said. “We kept her stuffed animals. One of the blankets we buried with her, the other ones we kept. We know how much it means to us and our children, so we wanted to give back.”

Erin died on Oct. 4, 2001. To memorialize Erin’s life, Tammy and Cliff founded the organization Team Patton Outreach and have held a stuffed animal drive. Toys are collected between August and October and are donated to Children’s Hospital of Detroit, Ascension St. John Hospital and the Stilson Specialty Center.

Tammy and Cliff usually celebrate Erin’s birthday with a party, complete with a balloon release and cake between friends and family. But for 2023, Team Patton Outreach decided to honor Erin’s memory in a different way by making blankets. With $1,000 in fleece, Tammy and Cliff rented a space at the Clinton-Macomb Public Library on Sept. 16 and got to work.

“It went better than what we expected,” Cliff said. “We were able to make 111 blankets that day inside of a six-hour period.”

Tammy and Cliff were not alone in the endeavor. Calls for help were put out and the two parents were joined by volunteers from Wyandot Middle School and Chippewa Valley High School’s National Honor Society. About 60 volunteers came out to help from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Refreshments were donated by Little Caesars at 18 Mile and Hayes roads. Being a birthday celebration, volunteers were also treated to cake and sang “Happy Birthday.”

“It was an incredible day,” Tammy said. “It was a very good day.”

Erin is also memorized through the Erin T.M. Patton Endowed Memorial Scholarship at Wayne State University, which helps students enrolled in the School of Medicine that have a financial need. Cardiology students are the preferred recipients of the fund.

Team Patton Outreach does other activities in the Clinton Township area, such as providing lock boxes for seniors and taking kids to Detroit Pistons basketball games.

For more information visit www.team pattonoutreach.com.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.

Memory

Memory Cafe events tend to begin with staff introductions, the making of nametags and the headlining event. Once the main event or activity is completed, attendees are given time to talk with each other over coffee and refreshments.

For seniors, this means socializing and playing games together.

“We do something called TimeSlips where we make up stories with some of the seniors,” said Chris Wisswell, an adult services outreach librarian at the Clinton-Macomb Public Library. “Instead of remembering things from the past, we create stories based on what they’re thinking now — and some get pretty hysterical.”

The events give caretakers a chance to socialize with each other and see the seniors in their care like they once were.

“I think the caretakers really appreciate the opportunity to come out,” Mott said. “I’ve had people write down, ‘Thank you for talking to my dad. Dementia has stolen his life.’ I think (that) is what she said. … For the caregivers, it’s that source of connection and the opportunity to see their loved ones as a person again who can enjoy things in-

stead of being limited by the things they can no longer do.”

The CMPL is not the first library to put together a program for seniors with dementia. Mott picked up the idea from a conference in 2021 where similar programs in other states were highlighted.

“It was a combination of hearing about it from other libraries, seeing what is available — or not (available) — in this area and then we also did some training with the Alzheimer’s Association to get us oriented to this population and how interacting with them and caregivers might (go),” Mott said. “I wouldn’t say (the program) requires specialized knowledge, but it’s a little different

than running a program for the general public.”

Mott says the program is the only one of its kind in Macomb County, and that the Rochester Hills Public Library runs a program in Oakland County.

As the program nears its one-year anniversary in January 2024, Mott expects the program will continue in the future. The Memory Cafe may expand north into the CMPL’s Macomb Township branch, but that all depends on if enough people from the township attend the current programs. Though registration is not required for Memory Cafe events, attendees are asked to take surveys which could let library staff

know where they are coming from.

“We know that this area has an aging population,” Mott said. “It is not like this problem is going to go away. People with a dementia diagnosis don’t get better; you can slow the disease, but we can’t fix it yet. We just want to be ready to meet people where they are.”

The CMPL Memory Cafe meets on the first Thursday of each month from 10 a.m. until noon. The Oct. 5 event will be at the South Branch meeting room, while the Nov. 2 event will be at the main library’s Brennan Meeting Room. For more information, visit cmpl.libnet.info/events.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.

Photo provided by the Clinton-Macomb Public Library

The Clinton-Macomb Public Library’s Memory Cafe lets seniors with dementia and their caretakers socialize every month.

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