4A: GOLD COIN GETS DROPPED IN RED KETTLE ONE LAST TIME
Novi police officer’s wife, 35, spreading awareness of breast cancer after diagnosis
BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com
A Novi police officer and his wife are trying to spread awareness that breast cancer can happen at any age after she got diagnosed a week before her 35th birthday.
When officer Adam McGee and his wife, Katie, welcomed their third child, Penny, into the world on May 30, breast cancer was the furthest thing from their minds.
“Breast cancer wasn’t on my radar at all,” Katie said.”Like, it wasn’t. We don’t have a family history and I kind of did all the things to prevent it. I had a baby before I was 28 years old. I breastfed my other two sons, and I was breastfeeding Penny. So it just wasn’t on my radar at all.”
However, three months after Penny’s birth, a story a friend told Katie of a young woman developing breast cancer shortly after giving birth to her third child resonated heavily on Katie’s mind for a couple of weeks. So, one night, she decided to do a self-exam while nursing Penny and was shocked to find a lump.
“That story popped into my head and my hand went to it like a magnet and I felt the lump,” she said.
She said she went to her husband, who was a “calming presence” and suggested that it might be a clogged duct or something hormonal. However, she said she had a gut feeling and contacted her doctor the next morning and went for an exam. The doctor’s
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
The McGee family — Adam, a Novi police officer; Katie, who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer; Penny, 5 months; Theo, 7; and Cooper, 4, smile for a picture Nov. 7.
5A
Novi police say transparency with community results in rare arrest
BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com
Novi police transparency with the community regarding home invasions led to the rare arrest of an alleged member of an elusive transnational gang Dec. 2.
Novi police officers were called to a residence on Equestrian Trail, near Eight Mile and Beck roads, at 7:19 p.m. after the homeowner received an alert on his mobile phone that his security had been tripped. Upon checking his security cameras, the homeowner observed people attempting to break into his home and he immediately contacted police.
The gang members reportedly entered the residence and stole jewelry and a safe.
Police arrived at the residence within minutes, as they were already patrolling the area due to a surge of recent break-ins. Officers in the area noticed a suspicious white van with out-of-state plates leaving the area and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, according to a press release. The van fled from officers, and a short chase ensued.
The van eventually stopped on the side of the road and four suspects got out of the vehicle and fled on foot, according to police. An officer was able to apprehend one of them, but the other three
REMODELING
Sixth graders show their robotics knowledge at Capitol
BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com
Four Novi Meadows Elementary School sixth graders had the opportunity to demonstrate their robotics knowledge to legislators and business leaders in Lansing during the Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning Student Technology Showcase at the Michigan State Capitol Dec. 4.
According to the event website, the showcase provides the opportunity for lawmakers, business leaders and citizens to see how technology is used in classrooms across the state. Each team at the showcase had four students and one adult mentor.
Novi Meadows applied and was selected to be one of approximately 25 schools in the state to participate in the showcase, as Novi Meadows has a unique sixth grade
David Lewis, president of AT&T Michigan, watches as sixth grade students from Novi Meadows Elementary School show him how to work an industrial robot arm during the Student Technology Showcase at the Michigan State Capitol Dec. 4.
Photo provided by Novi Community School District
See ROBOTICS on page 10A
Gold coin gets dropped in red kettle one last time
BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Lots of coins get dropped in the Salvation Army’s red kettles, but for 12 years one donation has stood out. On Dec. 2, a mysterious deep-pocketed donor dropped off a final gold Krugerrand coin at a Kroger in St. Clair Shores.
This year’s coin came with a note: “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! I am sorry to say — this is my last (Krugerrand). Hoping there are others who have (Krugerrands) that can help keep up this tradition in the future to help so many in need during the holidays. God Bless!”
The donor’s identity has been kept secret throughout the years. The coin has been dropped at the Kroger near the intersection of Marter Road and Jefferson Avenue each year. According to Monex last week, the value of the coin is $2,642. Last year’s coin was valued at $2,031 when it was donated.
“(It was) very generous that someone was able to do that every year,” said Salvation Army Maj. Charlotte Hall, who oversees the organization’s Great Lakes Division.
When a coin is received by the organization, it is cashed in, and funds are distrib-
uted back to the unit that received the coin, according to Hall.
Hall said she has been stationed at Salvation Army locations throughout the country during her career and has seen gold Krugerrands donated.
“It’s amazing,” Hall said. “I was in Aurora, Illinois, and we had one donated while I was there.”
The donation came a day before Giving Tuesday, when all statewide donations to the Salvation Army Great Lakes Division, up to $25,000, were doubled. This match also comes from an anonymous donor, according to a press release.
The Krugerrand started being produced in South Africa in 1967. It’s named after Paul Kruger, who was the president of the South African Republic from 1883 to 1900.
According to a Los Angeles Times article, President Ronald Reagan banned imports of the currency in 1985 following pressure from Democrats to crack down on South Africa’s apartheid government. The article states that $600 million worth of Krugerrands were marketed in the United States in 1984. A Seattle Times article states that the ban on importing the coins into the U.S. was lifted in 1991.
How are people giving?
This year, the Salvation Army is pushing its “Tap to Give” option. This allows donations to be made with a cash app, credit card and debit card at locations throughout metro Detroit. When giving, donors will be prompted with different amounts they can contribute.
“You can use your phone or any of your chipped cards,” Hall said.
Donations are down nationwide 40%, according to Hall, though she said the Detroit area holds its own in comparison to the rest of the country.
“Detroiters are known for supporting the Army,” Hall said. “They always come through for us and we really appreciate that.”
Galina Roehl, who does public relations for the Salvation Army, said donations are up from last year. Though, she said, donations to the red kettles themselves are down.
“They’re getting more money from mail and social media,” Roehl said, who added that these alternative sources include the “Tap to Give” option.
Hall said volunteer hours have been down this year. The organization is looking for those who can help to meet its goal.
“It really just takes an army of volunteers to raise $7 million,” Hall said.
Those interested in volunteering can sign up at registertoring.com.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
From left, Warren Woods Christian School students Fisher McLeigh, 12, and Leo Duncan, 9, volunteer as bell ringers for the Salvation Army. The pair are joined by Leo’s mom, Suzi, to get donations at the Kroger near the intersection of 13 Mile and Schoenherr roads.
office reassured her that they didn’t think it was anything, but they wanted to verify it with a mammogram and an ultrasound, and then a biopsy, which revealed it was cancer. It was later identified as triple-negative breast cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer, which is defined by special receptors on the breast cancer cells, makes up only about 10%15% of all breast cancer cases, said Anna Lehrberg, a breast surgeon with Henry Ford Health System. According to Lehrberg, triple-negative breast cancer is a particularly aggressive form of cancer and has a poorer prognosis compared to other types of cancers. It is seen more frequently in women under age 40. She said that in the U.S. there is a higher incidence of triple-negative breast cancer cases among young Black women compared to other racial groups.
“I was floored,” Katie said of the diagnosis.
She said she knew right then and there that it was her new mission in life to promote awareness, and she credits hearing the friend’s story with her finding the lump.
“If I wouldn’t have heard that friend’s
story. I don’t know if I would have done an exam. Like, it wouldn’t have even been on my radar to check myself. Just that thought scared me so much. I don’t know how naive I was to think there was no chance that something like this would happen to me at this age and stage in my life.” she said.
She said that she did undergo an extensive genetic panel, but there were no genetic factors in her case.
“Whatever we’re calling it — luck, divine intervention — that fact that it did happen when it did is huge in terms of what her options were” Adam said. “It might have been totally different circumstances if, say, even six months had gone by.”
Breast cancer associated with pregnancy is defined as cancer that presents during pregnancy and one year postpartum, Lehrberg said. She said that it is the second most common malignancy in pregnancy, after cervical cancer. It affects 0.2%-3.8% of all pregnancies.
“There is a correlation between breast cancer and recent pregnancy. Recent childbirth is associated with increased risk of breast cancer in the first five to 10 years postpartum,” Lehrberg said. “This risk is particularly higher in patients who are over age 35 or older at time of their first birth and with family history of breast cancer.”
Pregnancy-related breast cancer occurs in approximately 1 in 3,000 pregnancies, said Lehrberg. TNBC is more common in pregnancy-related breast cancer.
Katie has now been researching the topic and found that only about 20% of cancers are hereditary. She said she had the misunderstanding that if you don’t have a family history, that you have a reduced risk.
“You don’t,” she said.
However, according to Lehrberg, inherited genetic mutations can increase the risk of breast cancer.
“The cause of most cancer is likely multifactorial — meaning there are several things that can contribute to developing in cancer,” Lehrberg said.
She said that with pregnancy-related breast cancer, hormonal changes and immune alteration can increase risk for cancer and tumor growth.
Katie caught the cancer early and is in stage 1, as it had not spread to her lymph nodes, so her prognosis is good. She is undergoing chemotherapy, as TNBC, which is very fast growing, is very responsive to chemo. She will complete 20 weeks of chemo and then undergo a double mastectomy and immediate reconstructive surgery in March.
“For triple-negative, the hope is that you go into surgery cancer-free,” Katie
said.”That has been shown to prevent recurrence.”
Following the mastectomy, she will be on immunotherapy for a full year. Immunotherapy trains the body to fight its own cancer cells. She said that is something that is fairly new to the treatment protocol for TNBC, having been added within the last two to three years, Katie said.
“All of her treatment is geared towards treating whatever she has now and then doing whatever we can to prevent the recurrence of it coming back or a different form coming back,” Adam said. “That’s part of the reason why she is electing to have a mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy.”
Katie said her daughter has brought a great amount of joy among all the trials they are going through.
“She has definitely brought a delightful balance, despite all the hard stuff we are going through, and that’s been a big focus: reminding myself to enjoy her first year and not have it be just focused on what’s going on with the cancer and everything,” she said.
Along with Penny, now 6 months, the couple has two sons, Theo, 7, and Cooper, 4. Katie said it was a great concern for them as to how well she would be able to take care of the kids while undergoing the chemo, but
See MCGEE on page 9A
Arrest
remain at large, Novi police said, despite an extensive search involving multiple agencies.
“This is a great example of our police and citizens working together to combat these criminal elements that continue to operate throughout the United States,” said Erick Zinser, Novi director of public safety/ chief of police. “We will continue to investigate this crime working with our County, State and Federal partners. We continue to ask our community to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity in your neighborhoods.”
Officers were able to recover the stolen safe, but they were not able to recover the jewelry, Novi police said.
The suspect whom police apprehended reportedly provided false information regarding her identity at first. However, with the assistance of federal partners with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, she has now been identified as Vania Herrera Valdes, 21, a resident of Chile, who was in the country illegally.
According to Cmdr. Jason Meier, of the Novi Police Department, Valdes has a criminal record in another U.S. state related to theft.
Police said they were not able to formally question Valdes, as she asked for an attorney. As of Dec. 9, a public defender had yet to be assigned to the case.
Valdes was charged by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office with seconddegree home invasion, a 15-year felony; and resisting/obstructing, a two-year felony. She was arraigned in the 52-1 District Court in Novi by Magistrate Robert Morad and given a $100,000 bond. She is currently being held at the Oakland County Jail. According to her online record with the Oakland County Jail, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a hold on her for “immigration — illegal entry.”
Valdes is scheduled for a probable cause hearing at 9 a.m. Dec. 18 before Judge David Law and preliminary examination at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 26 before Judge Robert Bondy.
The Novi Police Department said it is actively investigating this latest home invasion and will continue to have a robust police presence in the areas affected. Meier said the three suspects who escaped were two males and a female, but further descriptions were limited because they were wearing masks and heavy clothing.
Transnational gangs, also known as South American Theft Groups, are groups of people from foreign countries that enter the
United States illegally to commit crime.
“There’s no head boss or anything, It’s just they work in groups and do their thing,” Meier said.
According to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, there are at least 100 of these gangs in the U.S. involving upward of 600 people. Transnational gangs typically operate in groups of four or six, he said. Bouchard said that the transnational gang members are primarily from Chile, Venezuela or Columbia.
“They are targeting a particular kind of home and person,” Bouchard said. “Somebody that lives in a high-end home. Somebody that has the probability of a lot of high-value items in the home that are easily disposable, and preferably a home that has kind of a secluded approach from the back — either woods, a golf course, a lake or something like that. They like to come in from the back, do their deal and get out unobserved.”
He said that groups from Chile are the ones that have been hitting Oakland County the most. Bouchard described Chilean transnational gangs as being responsible for “very high-end home burglaries” but have also been caught doing armed robberies of jewelry stores.
According to Bouchard, the Columbian transnational gangs are “more opportunistic and more violent.” He said that a team of Columbians were caught in Oakland County doing armed robberies.
The transnational gangs from Venezuela have been the most violent across the country, according to Bouchard.
“We’ve had almost no evidence of them until this week,” Bouchard said. “We were able to confirm that we now have Venezuelan gangs in Oakland County.”
After having several break-ins that appeared to be the result of transnational gangs between Halloween and Nov. 15, the Novi Police Department put out a press release about the crimes.
“Catching these people was a result of us being really transparent with the community on the things to look out for and sharing that information with our officers and those that are on the road,” Meier said. “This really was the perfect example of that, because we had a homeowner who was very vigilant with his security systems and reached out to us right away. So, we are just asking people to continue to be vigilant and continue to report suspicious activity. It’s been a big help.”
According to Bouchard, there have only been a handful of arrests of transnational gang members. He said this is because they have no ties to the community and they are very transient, moving from one community to another.
Valdes
NEWS & NOTES
Brunch with Santa at Paradise Park
Paradise Park will host a brunch with Santa Claus from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 14. The event will include a full breakfast buffet with pancakes, sausage, eggs, doughnuts, juice, coffee and hot cocoa. The event also includes a game of laser tag, photos with Santa, crafts, coloring and “special deals on attractions. Tickets cost $22.95 for anyone 9 and older. Tickets for children 8 and under cost $19.95 each. Tickets can be purchased online at www. paradiseparknovi.com.
community welcomes Christmas season
large crowd. For more photos, visit candgnews.com/galleries.
Whoville 5k benefits Northville High School track and field
The annual Whoville 5K family fun run/walk took place at Northville High School Dec. 8. Approximately 160 people participated with some dressing up as various characters from Dr. Seuss’s classic books. The event featured an untimed 5K run/ walk, a kids quarter-mile fun run, post-run treats and more. All participants received a festive hat and medal. Proceeds from the event benefitted the Northville High School track and field team. The exact amount of funds raised had not been totaled as of press time, but in past years it has raised approximately $2,500 for the team.
Donations sought for splash pad Readbox
The Novi Public Library in partnership with Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for Key Women Educators, is collecting donations of new and gently used books for youth, tweens and teens through Jan. 31. The books will be used to fill a new Readbox at Jessica’s Splash Pad in the summer. Books can placed in a collection box in the library’s lobby.
Blood Drive to aid in medical research
Michigan Blood Collection, 46430 Peary Court in Novi, is holding a community blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 13. Blood donated to MBC is used to help scientists develop cures, treatments and diagnosis methods for various diseases and illnesses through medical research. Donors will be compensated for their time with a $50 gift card. Advanced registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Use the QR code to register.
Catholic Central students volunteer at NPL
Students from Detroit Catholic Central volunteered at the Novi Public Library in late November for the school’s Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge Service Day. The young men put up the library’s Christmas tree and helped dust and clean around the building.
Photo provided by Hope Brown
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
5A
she said she is managing it pretty well and is able to stay active.
“Aside from losing my hair and being a bit fatigued some days, we try to keep it business as usual,” Katie said.
She said her kids describe her new hairstyle as “Fierce and a little weird.”
She said she hopes to bring awareness to the disease. She is now encouraging all her friends to not wait to get tested, because of how fast it can spread.
“I think that there’s a lot of awareness for breast cancer in general. I mean, people see the pink ribbons and stuff, but people forget just the age requirements. You’re not even supposed to get a mammogram until you’re 40,” Adam said. “But now she has been connected with so many other women who are under 40 who have had breast cancer. It’s just kind of, like, baffling. It’s like, ‘Why aren’t we doing this (mamograms) earlier if we are seeing this?’ It is happening younger and younger. It just seems to be an afterthought. I mean, especially in her case, I don’t want to even think about the scenario had she waited until 40 to get a mammogram”
Lehrberg said that the current standard of care is to screen “average risk women” with a mammogram starting at age 40 based on the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force. However, earlier screening may be indicated for women who are at “higher-than-average risk,” which is based on their personal history of prior breast biopsy as well as family history, she said.
Katie said that her mammogram was only covered by her insurance because cancer was suspected. Otherwise insurance companies don’t pay for them for women under 40.
Lehrberg said that risk assessment for breast cancer should be done for all women starting at age 25 as well as an annual breast exam with a clinician. She said that for pregnant patients, a breast exam should be done by their obstetrician in the beginning of the pregnancy. According to Lehrberg, the most recent American College of Radiology guidelines indicate that screening for breast cancer should not be delayed until after delivery. She said patients who are considered high risk for breast cancer and qualify for screening under 40 can safely have a mammogram during pregnancy.
“Due to pregnancy or lactation breast changes, it may be difficult to detect abnormalities in the breast and patients are en-
See MCGEE on page 12A
Robotics
robotics program. Novi Meadows sixth graders all rotate through a nine-week robotics course as a special class similar to art, music and physical education.
“We took these particular students to show off the investment that the community of Novi has made in the robotics program in Novi Schools, and also to show off the talent of these particular students,” said Tom Michalski, sixth grade robotics teacher at Novi Meadows.
He said he chose the four students to attend the event on their ability and level of precision in programming.
Michalski said the students did two things during the event. They presented their program that they made during their robotics class, and “even cooler,” they were teaching people at the showcase how to program the robot.
“So they taught everyone from other students how to program, all the way to some big shot from AT&T,” he said.
“The kids were teaching him how to use the robot. They have no idea who he is. They didn’t really care. He was just another person to teach how to program the robot too.”
That person was the state president of AT&T Michigan, David Lewis. Lewis gave the opening speech and spoke with the various teams.
“We showed him how to make a program. We also showed him our final program, Robot Dance Party. We wanted to make it in sync (to dance). We would time the waypoints … to time it just right” to move with the music,” said Derek Shi, one of the four sixth grade students from Meadows.
The various teams representing grades K-12 demonstrated things related to technology including robotics and block coding. Sixth grader Quentin Gedeon said he thought it was cool to see how one team used micro:bits to make a robot that drives around.
Unlike most robotics programs at the
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sixth grade level, Novi Meadows kids learn to operate a true industrial robot, not just Legos. According to Michalski, Novi Meadows is the only non-high school or college team to be using these types of robots in the country. He said the target age range for the robots is age 16-22. He said this made his students the “stars of the show by far.”
“People can’t believe that 11-year-olds are operating these things, but it just speaks of the quality of students and the quality of families that we have here in the Novi community that our students can not only operate these (robots), but learn so many of the technical skills that go along with it,” Michalski said.
The students learn to operate and program a Universal Robots UR3D. Essentially the robot is a robotic arm, which is outfitted with a gripper at the end. Universal Robots is a Danish company with an office in Novi, which is very supportive of the school program, according to Michalski.
In Lansing, the students showed their final exam piece titled “Dance Party 2.0.” The students selected a song and programmed the robot to sync up with the song. They demonstrated various things they learned during the class.
“Essentially it was a robot dancing, but also picking up a block and then throwing it into a bucket, which doesn’t sound that impressive, but if you saw the program actually do it, the robot picking up this block and throwing it into this small bucket, every single time people saw them throwing the little block into the bucket, people’s jaws would drop,” Michalski said. “No matter who it was, young or old, they would all have the same reaction. Like, ‘Woah. I can’t believe it just did that.’ So, yeah, a dancing, block-throwing program — that doesn’t do it justice, I’m telling you.”
Quentin said that he has always liked coding and has been doing Sqratch, a programming language and website, for years.
“It’s fun seeing our robot move and dance to the beat,” Quentin said.
“I just find it fun, seeing the robot move and knowing the actual code that did that,” he said.
Quentin said that it took them months
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to learn how to create a program, but once they learned it, they were able to make the specific program that they showed off at the event in the course of a week.
Quentin and Derek both said they enjoyed the experience, especially explaining to others how to program the robot. Quentin said that he thought it was really cool and that he believes the adults enjoyed it as well.
“What it really comes down to is, beyond the fancy technology, it’s so cool to see an 11-year-old stop, take a breath and actually think for a second about what comes next, ‘What do I need to do next,’” Michalski said.
“Block coding or any other type of coding is really sequential thinking. ‘What do I need to do next? OK, that didn’t work, let’s try this, and let’s try it again.’ So those are really the skills that when you strip away the fancy technology, that’s what robotics is all about,
is teaching those durable skills that we don’t know what those jobs in the future are going to look like, but that type of thinking, that logical, sequential, problem-solving, persistent thinking, that’s what’s really cool about the robotics program at Novi Meadows.”
Michalski said he is in his first year of teaching robotics at the school, but he has taught math and science in the district for 23 years. He said it is so much fun to teach robotics, because the kids “just absolutely love it” and want to stay longer to learn more.
The kids said that Michalski is funny and makes learning fun. They said they like that he lets them choose their own seats and they didn’t expect to be teaching robots to dance and flying drones.
“We’re either playing with robots or flying drones. Basically we’re playing with toys all day. So it’s fun,” Michalski said.
Spotlight on business...
Novi’s
nature
enthusiasts flock to Wild
Birds Unlimited
Wild Birds Unlimited is dedicated to elevating customers’ bird-watching experience with superior products, expert guidance and community events that attract bird lovers of all skill levels. Last year, Ben Ihde and his wife took ownership of the Novi location, marking their second venture into the franchise.
“As avid nature lovers, we were already fans and customers of the Strongsville, Ohio, location,” Ben said. “We enjoyed it so much that three years ago we decided to get into the franchise and purchased our first location in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. After two years, when the Novi location became available, we saw it as a perfect opportunity to expand. It’s close enough to manage, being only a few hours from our home. We’re thrilled to be part of Novi’s vibrant community and we appreciate the local chamber of commerce and the opportunity to meet new people.”
The Ihdes see the Novi location as more than a store. It’s a community hub for nature enthusiasts.
“We’re a boutique brick-and-mortar retail store that
offers a high-energy, customer-intensive experience,” Ben emphasized. “Everyone who works here is a certified bird feeding expert and many are lifelong birders and animal advocates as well. We provide topquality, fresh bird food similar to premium pet food because birds need proper nutrition as much as pets do.” Unlike big-box stores, their products are expertly curated and frequently restocked to ensure freshness. The store also differentiates itself with its focus on education, including in-store presentations and get-togethers in local parks where bird enthusiasts can learn about native plants and soil and water conservation.
“At least once a month, we hold bird walks where our customers can go out with a bird expert and a pair of binoculars to learn about native birds,” he said. “It’s about enriching our customers’ experience with nature. Our experts also offer practical solutions to common challenges, like stopping squirrels from eating bird food—just come in and we’ll help you tackle the problem.”
Regular promotions, updates and the shopping cart website can be found via the store’s main website: novi.wbu.com. “Our website is an all-in-one stop for everything from learning about birds to discovering the latest store activities and events,” Ben explained. Wild Birds Unlimited is located at located at 47760 Grand River Ave. in Novi. For more information, call (248) 374-4000. Find “Wild Birds Unlimited (Novi, MI)” on Facebook and follow @wbunovi on Instagram.
CRIME WATCH
Women quarrel outside Police Department
Two women got into a physical confrontation outside the Novi Police Department after they both came to bail out the same man at 11:45 p.m. Nov. 21. According to a police report, a cadet notified two police officers of the situation and the women were separated when officers came outside. One officer spoke with one of the women inside the Police Department lobby while the
Arrest
from page 6A
“They’ll hammer a community and then they’re gone,” Bouchard said. “So, that’s the challenge.”
Bouchard said that transnational gang members are typically caught when a homeowner or neighbor sees something unusual or an alarm goes off, as was the case in Novi.
“Novi has been hit pretty hard lately, and they’ve done some great work and they were able to catch one, but that’s a challenge,” he said.
According to Bouchard, there have been several transnational gang members/ teams charged recently, but that number is small compared to the number of gangs in the country. He said there was a group of Columbians who were charged this year in Troy. Two Chilean teams have been caught and charged in Oakland county, one for armed robbery and one for home invasions. He said that is probably 12-16 people, a very small number.
“We probably had 10 crimes in the last 10 days in Oakland County that are attributable to transnational gangs, and one person was caught,” Bouchard said Dec. 6.
“I was pretty happy (with the arrest). Like I said, there haven’t been a lot of arrests nationwide for these types of crimes. So, we were very fortunate,” said Meier.
Bouchard said that at one point, nearly a year ago, transnational gangs were responsible for almost $1 million worth of theft a week in Oakland County.
Earlier this year, Bouchard started a tri-county task force on transnational gangs between Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, along with federal and state agencies. He said they work together to share information on the movement of the gangs. According to Bouchard, transnational gang activity has been seen recently in Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Rochester Hills and Oakland Township.
other officer spoke with a woman by her car. Following the interviews, police said, both women were arrested for assault and battery and later released with a citation.
Stolen package
A man contacted police after a package was stolen from his residence on Bramblewood Drive, near 10 Mile and Beck roads, at 7:10 p.m. Nov. 30. According to the police report, the package contained an ice breaker valued at $15 to $20. The man told police that he just wanted to have the incident documented.
— Charity Meier
Bouchard advises residents to watch out for each other and be aware of situations and surroundings. He said that if you see something strange, contact police.
“Don’t be afraid to call,” he said.
Bouchard said that if residents have an alarm system, they should make sure to keep it activated. He said that many of the homes that have been hit did not have their security systems on. He advises residents, if they are able to upgrade their security systems, to be as redundant as possible: have multiple ways to communicate out, such as landline, cellular and radio communication.
“The Chileans are jamming wireless communications and wireless alarm components,” Bouchard said.
“It is highly encouraged to at least have a few components that are hardwired in a redundant recording system,” Bouchard said. “That at least gives you a chance of having the alarm communicate that there is something in progress.”
He said that recently a Rochester Hills homeowner noticed that his Wi-Fi cameras were offline, and when he got home, he had been burglarized. He said the gangs had jammed the man’s security cameras.
People should focus on where they store their valuables, Bouchard said. He said that people often store them in the master bedroom, and in particular, the master bedroom closet. He said that is where the gangs go first to look. He said to make sure that if you have a safe, that it is either bolted so well that it cannot be pried out, or that it is too heavy to lift, as the gangs will steal the entire safe and open it later.
“We’ve seen them move 600-pound safes out of the house,” Bouchard said.
Novi police are asking residents to report any suspicious activity or vehicles in their neighborhoods immediately. Anyone with information on this latest incident should contact Novi police at (248) 3487100.
Call Staff Writer Charity Meier at (586) 498-1092.
from page 9A
couraged to have self-awareness and to report any persistent abnormalities to their doctor,” Lehrberg said.
Adam continues to work full time as a patrol officer in Novi but has been able to switch to the day shift. He is also a sniper for the Southwest Oakland Special Response Team, but he plans to take a prolonged leave when his wife has surgery. However, he did stop teaching an emergency vehicle operations class at Schoolcraft Community College and has forfeited a lot of overtime in order to be home with Katie. Katie continues her duties as a full-time stay-at-home parent and wife. Adam said Katie has always been his biggest career supporter.
“In spite of everything, she still cheers me on,” he said
The family has been blessed with help from family, neighbors and Adam’s fellow officers. Katie’s parents have been assisting with watching the kids during her chemo days and providing transportation to and from school. As a result of the cancer, Katie had to stop breastfeeding immediately, but fortunately three of her neighbors had also recently had children and are donating their breastmilk for Penny.
“That was probably the most traumatic part (stopping breastfeeding) of all of it,” Katie said.
However, she said the neighbors donating their breastmilk for her daughter has helped to heal the wounds she had from not being able to supply her daughter with breastmilk.
“Our little street here has really stepped up to help and it’s just been incredible.”
Several police officers have been doing meal trains and
purchased a cleaning service for them so that Katie only has to worry about maintaining her health and taking care of her children.
“To not have to stress about that has been huge,” Katie said. “It’s taken a lot off of my plate.
However, even though the McGees have health insurance, medical bills are piling up and there are some other treatments that Katie is looking into that are not covered by insurance, such as acupuncture, supplements and nutritional support services.
“In my mind there’s no harm in trying anything,” Adam said.
Because of this, Sgt. Jon Jacob, of the Fraternal Order of Police, has created a GoFundMe page for the McGee family. Jacob, a Novi resident, works for the West Bloomfield Police Department and is in charge of the Southwest Oakland Special Response Team. Jacob said he knew Adam as a kid, when they played hockey together, and they reconnected later as officers.
“It’s just what we do. When one thing happens to one of us, we take care of each other,” Jacob said.
As of Dec. 10, the GoFundMe has raised $18,575 of a $25,000 goal. However, Jacob said that he did receive some donations from people who just didn’t feel comfortable donating online. Donations can be made online at Gofundme. com/f/support-katie-mcgees-fight-against-cancer. Cash and checks can be brought to the Novi and West Bloomfield police departments or mailed to: FOP 128, P.O. Box 311, Walled Lake, MI 48390.
For more information on breast cancer, Lehrberg recommends going to the following websites:
• American Society of Breast Surgeons Foundate: Breast360.org.
• American Cancer Society: cancer.org.
• National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute: cancer.gov. Call Staff Writer Charity Meier at (586) 498-1092.
Photo provided by the Novi Police Department Officer Adam McGee poses with his Novi police cruiser Nov. 14.
AUCTION
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21. *Tiny Tim creator
23. Tibetan ox
24. Khrushchev’s domain
25. *Goo on real Christmas tree
28. Sketch
30. *Poinsettia’s motherland
35. “____ ____Good Men”, movie
37. Brussels’ org.
39. Plant fungus
40. Reluctant
41. Klutzy
43. *”It’s beginning to look ____ ____ like...”
44. Domains
46. Bog down
47. Oxen connector
48. Under epidermis
50. Mums’ mums
52. Over, poetically
53. Alleviate
55. ____ Mahal
57. *Tanne in “O Tannenbaum” (2 words)
61. *It is feliz to Feliciano
65. Radioshow host: “Hello, you’re ____ ____”
66. Knot-tying vow (2 words)
68. Dispatch boat
69. Carthage’s ancient neighbor
70. *Egg___
71. Oil lamp dweller
72. Fishing poles
73. Bigheadedness
74. Painter Degas
DOWN
1. Lore people
2. Mideast ruler
3. Hindu princess
4. Jittery
5. Farthest from point of origin
6. Ground beef description
7. Like Lemmon and Matthau together
8. Merchandise
9. Swim’s alternative
10. Dwyane, once of Miami Heat
11. Any day now, to Shakespeare
12. Swerves
15. King’s order
20. Increasing 22. Philosophy ending 24. Undo, as in strings
25. Green side
26. Before, in the olden days
27. J.M. Barrie’s Pan
29. “Howdy, ____!”
31. Internal picture
32. Meltable home
33. Singer Sam of “Twistin’ the Night Away” fame
34. Weasel’s aquatic cousin
36. *”Last Christmas” band, with !
38. Edible pod
42. Busybody, in Yiddish
45. Mountain range
49. Certain fraternity
house letters
51. Cruel
54. Œle de la CitÈ river
56. Tripped the light fantastic
57. *Number of ghosts in “A Christmas Carol”
58. *”He’s Just Not That ____ You”, movie
59. Police’s surprise
60. Habitual twitches
61. Not happening (2 words)
62. Minor bumper damage
63. “Heat of the Moment” band
64. Opposite of talker?
67. *The Grinch’s Max
