Happy holidays from C & G Newspapers
MACOMB TOWNSHIP SHINES BRIGHT
Winners selected in fall photo contest
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Two Macomb Township residents and their dog once again claim bragging rights — along with a suite of prizes — as winners of a township-wide contest.
Sisters Isabella and Rosemarie Licavoli, alongside their dog, Gus, snapped the winning photograph of the Macomb Township Fall 2024 Photo Contest.
“It’s so exciting,” Isabella said. “Not only are we happy to have won the gift cards, but also happy that Gus’ picture is going to be in the Town Hall and he’s
Brown resigns as Macomb County Board of Commissioners chair
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MOUNT CLEMENS — Don Brown, the chair of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, announced his resignation from the board at the end of its Dec. 12 meeting.
Brown, who has been on the board for 34 years and chaired it for the last four, will join Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller’s staff as the deputy public works commissioner, working alongside Chief Deputy Brian Baker.
“It is a natural fit for me given I’ve shared her passion for the environment
and water quality through my long tenure as commissioner,” Brown said in a press release. “We’ve worked together since the mid ’90s addressing water quality issues in the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair, starting with the Blue Ribbon Committee to Study Lake St. Clair. Though we’ve made
significant progress since then, there remains more work to do. I believe the relationships I have built along with the knowledge of issues confronting the public works will add value to the office. I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to pursue my passion with a single focus.”
Brown was first elected to office in 1988, joining the Washington Township
Brown
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
LEFT: Jace Evangelist, a first grader at Fox Elementary, helps Santa Claus turn on the lights at the Macomb Township Holiday Tree Lighting and Afterglow on Dec. 6. ABOVE: Families line up to visit Santa Claus at the old Macomb Township Hall during the township’s Holiday Tree Lighting and Afterglow on Dec. 6.
e holiday season is upon us, a busy time for us all. A time for re ection of the year gone by and a time for hope for the coming year. is past year has been a challenge for our country and in Michigan, a struggle for many. I want to thank all of my patients for the privilege of serv- ing you. e opportunity to make a positive di erence in the lives of others is a gift. Your loyalty, support and friendship allows me to follow my passion in dentistry. Please accept my very special holiday thank you from me and my devoted sta .
Yours for Better Dental Health, Dr. Berman
Around the world with Doug Hill
Macomb resident taking friends, family and love for sports worldwide
BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Growing up a sports fan really is the luck of the draw based on where you grow up.
If you’re near a lively downtown scene with multiple teams to its name, sports will likely be more involved in your life simply by proximity.
For Macomb Township resident and Eastern Michigan University graduate Doug Hill, growing up in Decatur, Indiana, for the first 11 years of his life, before moving to St. Clair Shores, meant the Indiana Pacers, the Indiana Hoosiers and the Purdue Boilermakers were the hometown teams.
Unfortunately, the Pacers weren’t necessarily anything to write home about, nor were any of the teams close in location.
“Growing up in a tiny town in Indiana, my window in the world was through the television and seeing these different events,” Hill said.
So when Hill, 57, retired from Rochester Community Schools — where he was a teacher and union president — in June of this year after 25 years, the freedom of retirement opened up the opportunity to make up for lost time in the sporting event world.
With a chance to start something new in his hands, Hill took inspiration from his days as a middle school English teacher by mirroring Jules Verne’s book “Around the World in Eighty Days,” but putting his own spin on it.
“As a sports fan my entire life and former sports fan in a previous career, for me it was always, ‘Well, maybe I can make something happen about seeing different sporting events,’” Hill said. “I kind of laid out this whole idea of basically spending an entire year going to all these marquee events.”
Sports has always been at the epicenter of Hill’s life whether it was his time as a sports journalist with the Ann Arbor News, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner in Alaska, The Oakland Press, and the Detroit Free Press, or countless times
Travel safely this holiday season with these tips
BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Holidays bring joy and laughter to many gatherings, but it’s important to arrive safely by reducing risky driving behaviors and planning ahead.
Michigan State Police Public Information Officer Section Commander Michael Shaw said during the holidays, troopers look for “risky driving behaviors.”
“Those are the same behaviors we see constantly when people are driving around metro Detroit,” Shaw said. “That’s excessive speed, following too closely, driving impaired and also driving while distracted.”
These behaviors and crashes are seen all throughout the year. Shaw said inclement weather conditions with snow or rain makes these behaviors stand out.
“There’s a lot of people going to parties and things like that so maybe they won’t have a plan in place to get themselves back home and end up driving impaired when they shouldn’t,” Shaw said.
Shaw recommends residents have a plan in place before going to a gathering. This could be designating a driver, using ride share services such as Uber or Lyft, or other things. Designated drivers should honor their duties and not consume alcohol during parties.
“Trying to figure something out like that after you’re already intoxicated is pretty tough,” Shaw said.
he and his wife, Carol, took their two children, now 27 and 23 years old, to Detroit Tigers games all over the country.
“We used to follow the Tigers,” said Carol Hill, Doug’s wife of nearly 30 years. “Wherever the Tigers played, we would go there. We would go to Toronto, Baltimore, Boston. The kids loved it, and they enjoyed the sport as well.”
See HILL on page 14A
Adrienne Woodland, public relations program consultant for AAA - The Auto Club Group, said the company is forecasting around 3.8 million Michigan residents are going to travel 50 miles or more away from home this holiday season.
“That’s actually a record and that’s about 98,000 more travelers than the previous record high which was set last year,” Woodland said.
She said it’s going to be busy on roadways, at airports and at other transit terminals.
AAA is also expecting a new air travel record this hol-
Photo provided by Doug Hill
Doug Hill and his wife, Carol Hill, stand together at The Open Championship in Scotland.
Contest
going to be famous.”
The Licavoli’s winning photo features Gus posed at Altermatt Farms, located at 25 Mile and Garfield Roads. Being seasoned veterans of posing Gus for photos and remembering a post that advertised the contest on the township’s Instagram page, Rosemarie saw the opportunity for the photo while shopping for vegetables at Altermatt.
“I always pose (Gus),” Rosemarie said. “Even when we went to Partridge Creek today, I was just trying to get really good pictures of him. I try to get every photo op of him, and I put him up at that really nice Altermatt Farms area with pumpkins in the background and kind of just took a picture of him.”
Isabella submitted the photo to the contest and, after being one of the top 10 favorite photos among the board of trustees’ members, was selected as the winner. Marie Krakosky’s photo of a young girl, Charlie, playing in the leaves took second place while Julie Martel’s
photo of her cat lounging on an old Ford tractor at her farmhouse took third. For their efforts, the top three won gift cards; the Licavoli sisters won $150 to Don Christo’s Tequila & Tacos and $50 to Emagine Theatres, Krakosky won $100 to Aspen Restaurant and $50 to Emagine and Martel won $50 to Emagine.
Gus, a gift for the Licavoli’s father while recovering from an injury in February 2023, is no stranger to contests. About one year ago, Gus was honored as the best dressed dog at the grand opening of the dog park at Pitchford Park.
The fall photo contest marks the second hosted by the township, its first being a winter contest held earlier this year. Capturing the essence of Macomb Township was the goal for both contests, and Township Supervisor Frank Viviano said he believes the podium finishers of the fall contest all have much to say about what Macomb Township is in the autumn months.
“You can see (Macomb Township culture) in the top three,” Viviano said. “You have one
from page 1A
Photo provided by Macomb Township Isabella and Rosemarie Licavoli’s winning photo in the Macomb Township Fall 2024 Photo Contest features their dog, Gus, at Altermatt Farms.
Contest
that was set on a farm with the cat on the tractor, you had one that was in somebody’s backyard — which was the picture of the little girl — and you had one at a local business. (Altermatt Farms) is well known. It’s been around for a long time. (The top three) covered a lot of what folks in Macomb Township think of as the community.”
Plans for another contest, likely to take place during the spring or summer of 2025, are currently being discussed.
“Getting a chance to view pieces of Macomb Township through someone else’s eyes and to get a glimpse into someone’s yard or someone’s business that you wouldn’t normally see on your regular routine is pretty neat,” Viviano said. “Just looking at the diverse images that were sent this time just shows how much we have to offer as a community.”
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
Photos provided by Macomb Township
ABOVE: Marie Krakosky’s photo of a young girl, Charlie, playing in the leaves took second place in the Macomb Township Fall 2024 Photo Contest. RIGHT: Julie Martel’s photo of her cat lounging on an old Ford tractor at her farmhouse took third place in the Macomb Township Fall 2024 Photo Contest
NEWS & NOTES
6A/ MACOMB TOWNSHIP CHRONICLE • DECEMBER 19, 2024
CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP — Anyone who would like to give a veteran a merrier Christmas is encouraged to participate in the Michigan Veteran Homes “Make a Veteran Smile Campaign.”
Record a video message of gratitude to a veteran, write a personalized letter or make a monetary donation to the MVH Charitable Support Fund that funds quality-of-life programming and initiatives.
Please share holiday messages by Dec. 23. Video messages can be shared on social media by tagging Michigan Veteran Homes at Chesterfield Township with the hashtag #MakeaVeteranSmile.
Letters from a group, team or individuals are welcome. Please use large writing, dark ink and do not include envelopes. Large format cards or banners that can be displayed work, too, as can standard food tray liners.
Letters, banners and tray liners can be addressed to ATTN: Make a Veteran Smile and can be either hand delivered or mailed to: Michigan Veteran Homes at Chesterfield Township, 47901 Sugarbush Road, Chesterfield Township, Michigan, 48047.
For more information about making a monetary donation contact Ryan Engle, director of development and strategic engagement for MVH, at engler3@michigan.gov.
DNR announces park upgrades
LANSING — On Dec. 10, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced 15 community recreation facilities projects recommended for a combined $8 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants. The projects recommended for funding are in Berrien, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gogebic, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Ottawa, Saginaw, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. That funding will support outdoor ice arena improvements, a township playscape, an Americans with Disabili-
ties Act accessible outdoor viewing platform, trails, splashpads and more.
Local projects include:
City of Eastpointe (Macomb County) Kennedy Park splash pad, $500,000
Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority (Macomb County) North Marin Bathhouse at Lake St. Clair Metropark, $500,000 City of Ferndale (Oakland County) Harding Park inline skating rink replacement, $100,000
A time to celebrate
WARREN — At press time, Macomb Community College staff and students were scheduled to celebrate the 111th commencement Dec.13 at the Sports and Expo Center on Macomb’s South Campus. Nearly 350 graduating students were expected to participate in the ceremony, receiving 1,220 certificate and degree credentials for spring/summer and fall semesters.
Three graduating students were asked to be guest speakers.
Kandace Costanza, 33, of St. Clair Shores, was insecure about starting college but overcame that with help from her professors and getting involved in student activities. Costanza graduated with an associate of applied science degree and plans to attend Wayne State University to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.
Silvia Donahue, 29, of Chesterfield, was adopted at a young age from Xela, Guatemala. Donahue graduated with three associate degrees, one in arts, another in business administration with a specialty in general business and a third degree in business administration with a specialty in marketing. She plans to attend WSU to complete a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing.
Misha Safranski, 52, of Macomb, delayed her education after getting married and starting a family. Safranski was “terrified” when she came to school but conquered her fears to earn an Associate of Arts degree. She would like to continue her education at Oakland University to complete a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies.
Projects were scored and selected from a field of 16 grant applications from local units of government and two applications from the DNR totaling $9,145,200. All eligible proposed projects received a site visit from DNR grants management staff, and all applications were evaluated, scored and ranked.
Funds are available to states through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program for land acquisition and development of outdoor recreation facilities.
Dr. Bergeron has comprehensive education, training, and experience in hospital and clinic-based patient care. She excels in all areas of foot and ankle care with specific training and interest in wound care and foot and ankle surgery (including cutting-edge minimally invasive techniques designed to minimize surgical trauma and help patients recover faster).
L’Anse Creuse school wins makeover
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MACOMB COUNTY — Call it “Extreme Makeover: Preschool Edition.”
The Anna Mae Burdi Early Childhood Center, part of L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, is receiving a $50,000 makeover after winning a sweepstakes.
Teacher Fran Pigeon won the School Specialty $50,000 School Makeover Sweepstakes, which asked school employees across the United States to nominate their schools for the award. The winning teacher received a $500 School Specialty gift card as well. School Specialty is a vendor for schools and other educational institutions.
“Over the summer, one of my staff members saw a social media post (advertising the sweepstakes),” said Annemarie Miller, director of the Anna Mae Burdi Center. “She saw the social media post and shared it with all of our staff here at Anna Mae Burdi and we had a lot of staff enter.”
Pigeon approached the contest by making multiple submissions a day, securing the grand prize for the Chesterfield preschool.
“We were just shocked (upon winning),” Miller said. “I didn’t even know that my staff
were doing this. This was just something that they came up with and saw and they love their school so much they decided to enter.”
Pigeon will have the honor of deciding how the $500 will be spent on her classroom for 3-year-olds, while Miller has been working with School Specialty on how the wider remodeling will be handled.
“We are going to be remaking our before and after care classroom, which is basically an extension of their regular preschool,” Miller said. “This is for working families. The room opens at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m., so these are students that are here with us all day. We really want to make this room feel special. It’s kind of like their home away from home.”
While the before and after care classroom is receiving the bulk of the $50,000, the front lobby will receive the remainder of the funds with the installation of a sensory wall and a bubble tube.
Delivery of renovation items is expected on Dec. 20, with the “grand reveal” of the facility updates set for Jan. 6, 2025. Purchasing, delivery and installation costs are all covered by School Specialty.
“The Anna Mae Burdi Center is a wonderful space for the district’s youngest learners
See MAKEOVER on page 15A
MHSEL State Finals recap: Utica, Novi make school history while Bloomfield Hills repeats
BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com
It was a day of state title contenders continuing to add to the trophy room while newcomers are still looking for a place to build one, and it all went down at the Michigan High School Esports League playoffs.
On Dec. 7 at Michigan State University, hundreds of players, coaches, and spectators packed the STEM building for an electric day of esports as teams battled it out for a state championship trophy.
Teams went head-to-head with familiar faces in the finals while others were fighting deep into the playoffs for the first time in school history.
Below is a recap of how local teams in the C & G Newspapers coverage area finished:
Novi
The Wildcats are just one of those
teams you expect to see in the playoffs each year, and it really doesn’t matter for which game either.
Novi is nationally recognized and has been an esports powerhouse over the past few seasons, and it continued to show teams why it’s one of the top programs in the state.
Novi not only captured the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate state title by defeating Plymouth High School 3-2, but also added onto its trophy total by winning the MHSEL state championship in Overwatch 2 Dec. 12, which was held virtually. Novi’s Overwatch 2 team consisted of senior Matthew Bowles, senior Alvaro Hernandez, junior Brandon Salo, junior Noah Lee, junior Elbert Zhang, sophomore Devin Fecteau, and sophomore Srijan Kundu.
It’s the first time in school history the Wildcats have won multiple state titles in one season.
Novi’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team had key returners in senior veterans
HOLIDAY
eye candy collection
in Daniel Han and Brandon Mijal, both part of Novi’s state semifinals team last season, but also strengthened its squad with the additions of two JV players — Christopher Smith and Zac Apuada.
When it came to facing off against Brownstown Woodhaven in the semifinals this season, Novi head coach Christopher White said Apuada, whom White labels as “somewhat of a prodigy,” took charge and led Novi to a 3-0 win.
“Our team was worried about specifically beating this character in Smash called ‘Steve,’ and there was even a tiny bit of chat in the professional Smash community about banning the character because it seems stronger than the other characters,” White said.
“Our team was worried about playing against Steve because we knew Woodhaven had a good Steve player, and what Zac did is (he) just learned the character and made everyone play against it with him playing it.”
The Wildcats then had to face Plymouth High School in the finals, who held one of the better Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players in the state.
“They’re just amazing as a trio and as a squad,” White said. “They were the No. 1 seed all season long for a reason. Luke Meir was the captain of their team, and we won the finals 3-2 but both of the losses were to Luke. This kid, he is absolutely talented. Our team has the utmost respect for him.”
Novi had both its varsity and JV teams make the quarterfinals, but Utica High School eliminated both in back-to-back rounds, keeping the Wildcats from reaching the finals.
The Wildcats had faced Utica earlier in the season and won, but White said he was impressed by how Utica had progressed throughout the season.
“For us, that was a shocker because we beat Utica 2-1 in the regular season,”
CRIME WATCH
Fatal accident
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Dec.
9 at around 7:30 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the intersection of Hayes Road and Snowbird Drive for a multiple vehicle crash.
According to a statement from the sheriff’s office, cameras from around the crash scene depict a white Dodge Ram driven by a 17-year-old juvenile male going south on Hayes, veering left, crossing the center turn lane and striking a white Mazda driven by a 45-year-old Shelby Township woman. The vehicles collided head-on. The Mazda was sent rolling and stopped on its roof in the grass beside the northbound lane of Hayes.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The 17-year-old was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor and an investigation is ongoing.
Bitcoin scam message
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Dec. 2 at around 1 p.m., a 68-year-old Macomb Township Man received a message claiming his computer was hacked. When the man called a phone number provided with the message, a person on the other end of the line said the man was being investigated by the FBI for child pornography and that he needed to transfer $12,000 in bitcoin. The man complied and sent over the funds.
On Dec. 4, the provided number called the man again and requested an additional $4,500 in bitcoin to clear his wife of similar accusations.
Corny corrections call
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Dec. 4 at around 1:20 p.m., a 62-year-old Macomb Township man reported a fraud incident to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.
After his son was incarcerated in the Oakland County Jail, the man was contacted by a “Sergeant Franklin” asking him to post bail for his son with $125 in bitcoin.
The man complied with the caller and sent them bitcoin, after which he called the Oakland County Jail for information about his son’s status, only to discover his son was still behind bars.
Brotherly theft
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On the evening of Dec. 1, a 27-year-old Macomb Township man got into an argument with his 34-year-old roommate brother, leading to the brother deciding to leave.
After the argument, the 27-year-old checked his belongings and noticed a PlayStation 5 gaming console and two controllers were missing. He reported the theft to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 2 wishing to press charges against his brother.
Fire department fraud
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On the morning of Dec. 1, an 82-year-old Macomb Township woman received a call from the “Macomb County Fire Department” asking for a donation. She provided her credit card information to the caller to make a $50 donation.
When she was later unable to verify the $50 charge was made, she contacted the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office and was told the donation was likely a scam.
Fleeing the scene
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Nov. 29 at around 5:30 p.m., loss prevention staff at the Target on Hall Road called the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office about a thief on the loose.
A 34-year-old Clinton Township woman was stopped by loss prevention personnel after trying to exit and failing to scan two $35 tumblers. After being brought into the loss prevention office and informed by staff a police report would have to be made, the woman got up and left the property in a Cadillac SUV.
— Dean Vaglia
Brown
page 1A
Board of Trustees at 25 years old. He was then elected to the Macomb County Board of Commissioners in 1990. Brown worked for Miller while she was Michigan Secretary of State and while she was in Congress.
“Him and I share a passion for clean water and environmental issues, underground infrastructure, sort of everything that is Macomb County Public Works,” Miller said. “I think it’s a good move for my department and then, therefore, the county, and I think a good move for Don as well.”
Brown’s tasks as Miller’s deputy will come on an “as assigned basis,” with Miller touting his experience and connections in
politics as key benefits he brings to the department.
“Not only that he have contacts, but people respect him,” Miller said. “He’s well respected around the region for many issues he’s been involved with. But like I say, he’s also very interested in the issues that our department deals with … We have a similar outlook on a number of issues and that’s important. I need everybody on my team rowing in the same direction, and I think Don is going to be a strong part of our team.”
Brown was scheduled to begin working at the Public Works Office on Monday, Dec. 16. He could not be reached for further comment at press time.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
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iday season as well. Woodland said they’re expecting nationally 7.9 million Americans to take at least one domestic flight. She said those planning to fly should plan ahead by checking in online and confirming the flight’s status.
“You want to arrive to the airport a minimum of two to three hours before your scheduled departure time and we also suggest (to) those that are flying that you pack your medications and an extra change of clothes in your carry-on bag just in case your flight is canceled or delayed,” Woodland said.
Around 3.4 million Michigan residents will take a road trip this holiday
See TRAVEL on page 13A
Esports
White said. “They really improved a lot since the last time we played them and they caught us off guard a little bit. Congratulations to them for really improving as a team and playing well against us.”
Sophomore Sarthak Tayal and junior Shashank Cheedella were the lone returners from last season’s state championshipwinning squad, but White noted that Tayal improved to a whole other level this season as Novi leaned on him more.
Novi’s varsity Valorant team also consisted of senior Josh Kashima, junior Satsimer Singh, sophomore Jiyul Lee, and sophomore Mohammed Al Jomaia. The JV Valorant team consisted of senior Theodore Stroup, junior Ayush Lachhireddygari, sophomore Gaurang Valecha, sophomore Christopher Lam, sophomore Jennifer Janigian, sophomore Jackson Kilgore, and freshman Sawyer Osborne.
White said Novi’s Valorant squad also had some help from a past Player of the Year and state champion who joined the coaching staff.
“We had some continuity with both Sarthak (Tayal) and Shashank (Cheedella), but I think the other thing is that we have a student, who’s currently at Michigan State named Ravit Chandra, who won Player of the Year last year and graduated,” White said.
“He’s been helping us out in an assistant coaching kind of capacity with our team and our practices. He’s still close with some of the members on the team, and he’s part of Michigan State Esports as well.”
But if there’s any positive for Novi’s varsity Valorant squad, it’s that the squad will return everyone in efforts to get back to the top.
“This is a newer squad, so it’s nice to have as much success as we’ve had,” White said. “If anything, it’s probably a good thing that they have something to motivate them going forward because they don’t have a single senior on the roster right now.”
Novi also finished state runner-up in Splatoon 3 while putting on a show in the PlayVS Eastern Regional Playoffs, a league consisting of teams on EST, winning Chess and finishing runner-up in League of Legends.
The Splatoon 3 team consisted of senior Nimona McKone, senior JoJo Curtiss, senior Evan Marshall, junior Susana Durón, and junior Andrew Van Nortwick. League of Legends had an all-senior team of Ethan Kim, Matthew Bailo, Khang Truong, Ryan Morris, Christopher Smith, Jordan Xie, Minhee Lee, and Hiro Koyama.
cluding the other Saline Valorant team in the semifinals.
As newcomers to high school esports, competing for the first time ever in the 2024 spring season, the Chieftains are still trying to find their footing as a program.
Utica’s Valorant squad was strong enough to make playoffs in the spring but was unable to qualify because it didn’t have enough matches.
“I think they thought about it a lot,” Utica head coach Robert Peltier said. “I think the fact that we missed out on the playoffs, they came back with five kids ready to go and spent the time away from school (practicing).”
That lit a fire under the team, and it showed in the MHSEL playoffs as Utica took over the Valorant bracket, defeating Saline 2-1 to win the school its first esports state championship in school history.
Utica’s Valorant squad consisted of Owen Post, Omar Yousef, Marwan Hassan, Joseph Zhong, Aidan Garrison, and Will Bennett.
Novi, the defending state champions in Valorant, had gotten the better end of Utica earlier in the regular season, but Peltier said his team was confident heading into the second matchup against the Wildcats.
“I think they weren’t exactly sure what they were doing,” Peltier said. “I don’t think they had their comfortable comps down and what their strategies and maps were going to be. Fortunately, they played them early.”
“I think if we hadn’t played Novi and just met them in the semifinals, who knows how it goes. They definitely had a goal after getting schooled by them.”
The Chieftains then turned their attention to Saline, who was making quick work of just about every team in the bracket, in-
It was back and forth all match between the two schools with neither team letting up down the stretch.
“It was pretty close,” Peltier said. “It was up and down and it was a give and go. It really could’ve gone either way. I think we got up in the third set, and they came back and we just fought down to the end.”
Utica’s Overwatch 2 squad, ranked No. 2 heading into the playoffs, reached the quarterfinals before being eliminated.
The Overwatch 2 squad consisted of Collins Harris, Logan Spillane, Joseph Zhong, Brendan Silver, Marwan Hassan, Charles Dobson, Yousif Hammadi, Carter Dobson, and Aidan Garrison.
Utica’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team also put up a strong fight this season, which was represented by Trent Jones, Gavin Isrow, Brendan Fecteau, Jack Kadrioski, and Glenn Fecteau.
Utica will have to invest in some trophy room space because the Valorant team’s success should only be a foreshadow for what the Utica esports program plans to bring over the next couple seasons.
Bloomfield Hills
The Black Hawks were ecstatic to reach the Splatoon 3 state finals Dec. 12, but even more so because they knew exactly whom they were going up against.
This past spring season, Bloomfield Hills defeated Novi High School in the Splatoon 3 state finals to become champions, and the Wildcats were looking for a rematch.
Fortunately for Bloomfield Hills, its Splatoon 3 team had a core of returning players in senior Patrick Fritz, senior Jake Desmon, and
junior Derek Johnston, who were all part of the state championship team and knew exactly how Novi operated.
“From playing them in the past, we learned very well the general setup that they run,” head coach Aaron Strager said. “Every year, Splatoon gets a little bit of an update, so Novi tends to change up here and there. Overall, their game plan tends to stay the same.
“They’re extremely strong and extremely coordinated, but what we tend to take advantage of the most is infiltrating around the sides or behind. Once one or two go down, the pack scatters.”
Bloomfield Hills, the No. 2 seed in the bracket, would successfully defend its Splatoon 3 title in a 3-1 win over Novi.
The Black Hawks were loaded with talent in Splatoon 3, especially when it comes to leadership and experience, but Strager said Fritz really came into his own this year as a leader.
“He’s absolutely taken on more of a leadership role in the team,” Stranger said. “He’s been the one who’s been primarily coaching our new students on the team, working with them constantly in practice, giving them notes, and reviewing with them. He’s been a guiding hand for the new members of the team.”
Bloomfield Hills also reached the quarterfinals in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe before being eliminated by Richmond High School in a 2-0 loss.
The Black Hawks are only a season removed from reaching the state finals in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, so Strager said he expects his squad to make some noise in the spring season.
“We’ve now adjusted to the new players,” Strager said. “We’ve had some new strategies we’ve had to implement, but now that we’ve had that adjustment period I think we’re going to have a very promising season in the spring.”
Utica
Photo by Brian Wells
Students from high schools across Michigan face off in the Valorant semifinals at the Michigan High School Esports League Fall 2024 Esports Championships Dec. 7 at Michigan State University.
Travel
season, Woodland said. Nationally, they’re expecting that around 107 million Americans will be driving to their destinations. Woodland recommends drivers follow the posted speed limits and drive only when alert.
“Driving only on four to five hours of sleep is as dangerous as driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08,” Woodland said.
She went on to say it is best to drive at times when normally awake, avoiding overnight drives and any intoxicants, and that drivers should take breaks every two hours.
“And you want to use these breaks to maybe switch drivers if possible or park at a safe location and maybe nap for about 20 to 30 minutes to recharge,” Woodland said.
Shaw recommends drivers stop every hour to stretch, grab a coffee, use the restroom and other things.
“Just to kind of keep your mind focused on the road for the rest of your trip,” Shaw said.
The last tip Woodland would give drivers is to slow down and move over
for roadside workers and others stopped on the side of the road. Woodland said a roadside worker is killed every other week in the United States.
“When you see an emergency responder on the side of the road assisting a stranded driver, you want to reduce your speed. If possible, you want to change lanes to give those crews more room to do their job safely,” Woodland said.
Shaw said the MSP responds to around 10 to 20 crashes a day on Michigan roads.
“If you add weather to it and people don’t heed our advice about those risky driving behaviors, that will naturally cause an uptick in crashes,” Shaw said.
Shaw said getting snow tires wouldn’t hurt and that tire performance depends on the manufacturer.
“A lot of vehicles have all weather tires on them now, so it’s often good to just take a look at your owner’s manual and see what they suggest,” Shaw said.
Fines for driving under the influence or crashing a vehicle are up to the courts, Shaw said.
“Know that along with those fines if you have to hire an attorney, (it’s) at least $10,000 just for the attorney costs,” Shaw said.
Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.
What marquee events made the list, you ask? Hill is well aware there could be some bar conversations about why some events made it and some didn’t, but the list includes a MLB World Series game, the World Baseball Classic, an NBA Finals game, Army vs. Navy and Ohio State vs. Michigan in college football, the NHL Winter Classic, and many more.
The goal? Complete all 80 events in three years, when Hill turns 60, and end it with one final event in mind.
“Even though I’ve been in Detroit for the majority of my life and the (Red) Wings have certainly been successful in my lifetime, I’ve never been at an arena to see the (Stanley) Cup presented,” Hill said. “In ’27, I want to be there from whatever games forward to see it presented. I’m hoping for something not like last year where it was Florida and Edmonton in seven games because that would be a lot of back-and-forth from Edmonton to Miami. I’m secretly pulling for a Red Wings and (Chicago) Blackhawks series that I could just drive back and forth for.”
After working with his financial adviser and tweaking things here and there to make the plan logistically and financially ideal, all
systems were a go.
The start of a journey
The birth of Hill’s sports fandom first took place when he went to his first-ever event — a Chicago Cubs baseball game.
It was only right the journey was kickstarted alongside the same person who brought him to his very first game, his father, Jerry Hill.
“The weekend after I retired, I was on my way to my dad’s place in Indiana,” Doug Hill said. “I picked him up and we went to Pinehurst for the U.S. Open this year. That was the first of the 10 I’ve been to so far.”
As Hill mentioned, he’s already knocked 10 off the list with the Little League World Series, the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma football, a Permian High School football game in Texas, a Dallas Cowboys game, Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State football, Auburn vs. Alabama football, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Solheim Cup, and the NASCAR Cup semifinals all checked off the list.
A few out-of-country events have already made an appearance as well with The Open Championship in Scotland and the President’s Cup in Montreal, but many more are still to follow.
Hill’s father has been on a few of the trips, but none more special than when Doug Hill was able to take his father, a huge Cubs fan,
back to Wrigley Field for the first time since the 1970s.
“They have lights now, and they have a new scoreboard,” Jerry Hill said. “When you go into Wrigley, they have what they call, ‘Gallagher Way,’ which has a bunch of statues of all the great Cubs. There were quite a few changes, yes. Back the last time we went, the bullpens were in the field of play. If a guy hit one down the line and bounced into the bullpen, the bullpen guys would have to scatter.”
The award for best atmosphere so far goes to Permian High School in Texas, which faced off against Odessa High School Oct. 11 in a 50-26 win in favor of Permian.
“The game wasn’t much to watch because it got out of hand rather rapidly, but I think it was going to see Permian High School in Odessa, Texas, where ‘Friday Night Lights’ was based out of, and seeing them play their crosstown rival Odessa High with close to 19,000 seats for a regular season high school game,” Hill said.
For Jerry Hill, stopping at the Flight 93 National Memorial, which honors the passengers of a United Airlines flight that was hijacked during 9/11, in Pennsylvania, was a memory he’ll never forget.
“I enjoyed everything else, but that really jumps out,” Jerry Hill said. “You talk about heroes, those people on that plane that com-
mandeered those hijackers were heroes.”
Where it’s going and how far it’s come
As a sportswriter for so long, Hill admits that there becomes somewhat of a disconnect when it comes to simply being a fan of sports.
It became a job, and while he loved his job, it’s viewed differently than just someone attending a game purely as a fan.
This list has brought many things to the forefront for Hill, but for starters it rejuvenated his love for sports and brought him back into the world of fandom.
“It’s been great to be able to reconnect at a fan level because for so many years I was a sportswriter and kind of got away and hadn’t allowed myself to just be a fan,” Hill said. “Even after that, it kind of changes and skews your whole perspective of the events when you work in the business. Just to be able to get back and go and be a fan has been a lot of fun.”
Being able to travel with his wife, whom Hill calls his “biggest supporter,” and father has made it all the more special, but Hill has also been able to reconnect with old friends along the way.
“An old childhood neighbor, he and his family live in Frederick, Maryland, so on the way back from the Solheim Cup my dad and I had lunch with him,” Hill said. “Longtime
See HILL on page 15A
from page 14A
family friends live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, so we were able to meet him for a meal when we were down in Pinehurst. Both of his boys actually went to the University of Alabama, so I just saw him again last weekend at the tailgate in Tuscaloosa. That’s been part of the enjoyment in (that) this is reconnecting with some of those individuals.”
Hill and his wife have also been able to add a new traveling bucket list to their already existing “50 states in 50 years” plan.
When Hill and his wife, both St. Clair Shores Lakeview High School graduates, first got married, they made a plan to visit one state a year and finish their final state on their 50th anniversary in the same state they honeymooned in — Massachusetts.
Hill’s sporting event journey has been a nice addition to their state journey as Wyoming will be making an appearance next year for the both of them when they go to the rodeo at Cheyenne Frontier Days.
The other special part of it is that Carol Hill probably never would’ve imagined going to a PGA event, but a trip to Scotland for The Open Championship showed her a different side of golf.
“What was truly interesting was how in love they were with their golfer,” Carol Hill said. “Rory McIlroy had this huge following, and the people in the stands next to us were cheering him on as if he were their own son. It was quite wonderful to be around the people that were there just to hear them rally around their golfer like it was their own kid.”
There are a couple of personal ones on the list for Hill, including a trip to South Bend for a USC vs. Notre Dame football game. Hill grew up a Notre Dame fan enamored by Ara Parseghian and the Fighting Irish.
One of the more important ones will be a trip to Pasadena, California, for the NCAA’s Rose Bowl game.
“That was always our New Year’s Day whether I was in Decatur or St. Clair Shores,” Hill said. “You live in Michigan, so you know what it’s like in January. It tends to be gray and cold and kind of damp but turning on the television and seeing both the parade and the game that day was like you were whisked away to a far-off land.”
Hill also plans to take in the Rose Bowl parade as well, which is personal in itself for him following the passing of his mother.
“I lost my mother a couple of years ago, and she was a big fan of the parade,”
Hill said. “Not the game necessarily, but the parade. Going to the parade is my cap tip and honor to her because we would typically call after the parade and discuss the bands and the floats.”
Each trip is accompanied with photos and a blog summarizing the trip, and you can follow along with Hill’s journey and see a full list of events he plans to attend at thesports fanproject.com. Hill also has a podcast titled “Conversations with Sports Fans” on his website.
Call Staff Writer Jonathan Szczepaniak at (586) 498-1090.
Makeover
from page 7A
to learn and grow, and winning this grand prize highlights all the great things our staff does to provide for L’Anse Creuse preschool students,” Tony Sedick, interim director for elementary education, said via email. “It has been very exciting to work with School Specialty in providing this redesign for the classroom, and we look forward to seeing the final product in January.”
More information about the Anna Mae Burdi Center can be found at lc-ps.org/schools/ district/burdi.
Peace on Earth, god will towards all
The Wujek and Calcaterra families wish you a peaceful new year flled with happiness and surrounded by loved ones. Thank you to the wonderful families in this community who have chosen us to serve them. We are humbled by your trust, and will continue to care for all families with the same compassion we would want for our own.
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Police mediate refill dispute at convenience store
STERLING HEIGHTS – Police were sent to a convenience store in the 11000 block of 15 Mile Road upon hearing that a man wasn’t leaving the store because he couldn’t get a refund.
Police said they spoke to the man, who reportedly said he bought a bag of chips and a fountain drink, but the latter accidentally spilled after he bought it. He said he sought a refill but was told it would cost $1.50.
An officer offered to pay $1.50 for the refill, and after the store accepted it, no further police action was taken.
Man cited for urinating in public
STERLING HEIGHTS — Police said a complainant alerted them to a man who allegedly urinated outdoors Nov. 22 in the area of Robinnest Drive, located north of 16 1/2 Mile Road and west of Dodge Park Road. The complainant reportedly recorded the incident on his phone and was “adamant about pressing charges and following through,” police said.
Police said the suspect was “very apologetic and remorseful for his actions” and reportedly had gone into a wooded area to relieve himself. Police said they cited the suspect for urinating in public.
Police investigate Walmart skip-scanning incidents
STERLING HEIGHTS — Police went to Walmart, 33201 Van Dyke Ave., Nov. 22 after hearing that a woman was allegedly skipping some items while at a checkout scanner. Store staff reportedly detained her at the grocery doors. Police said the suspect paid for $190.44 worth of items but didn’t pay for $85.35 worth of items, which reportedly included clothes, groceries and household goods. Police said the woman was cited for third-degree retail fraud.
In a separate incident on Nov. 22, police heard that staff at the same Walmart reportedly saw a man failing to scan all his items at checkout before going to the pharmacy doors. According to the report, some of the stolen items included electronics, toothbrush items, clothes and car items. Police said the suspect paid for $198.46 worth of merchandise but stole $520.99 worth of items. Police later said a warrant was authorized for second-degree retail fraud.
Humbugs at large
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — At around 1 p.m. on Nov. 13, Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a home in the 24000 block of Orchard Street for a property damage report. The resident, a 50-year-old woman, had been
On Nov. 11, she noticed that several bulbs had been removed and wires were cut. No possible suspect information was relayed to deputies at the time.
Ditch DUI
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — On Nov. 13 at around 10:45 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a single-car property damage incident near the corner of Hazel Street and South River Road.
Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the driver, a 35-year-old Harrison Township woman. She was driving home when, after a wrong turn, she tried making a three-point turn before ending up in a ditch.
Deputies smelled the odor of intoxicants on the woman and asked her to complete field sobriety tests. She completed the tests but when asked to take a breath test, she refused and was arrested. A test performed later registered a 0.300 blood alcohol content level.
Threats report leads to police arresting man for drunken driving
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 12:43 a.m. Nov. 17, officers from the Shelby Township Police Department were called to do a welfare check on a man who allegedly was making threatening statements to damage property. Officers responded to the area of Cherry Tree Lane and Tamarack Drive, which is east of Van Dyke Avenue and south of 23 Mile Road. As officers were approaching the area, the suspect exited the house and left the area in his vehicle.
Officers had reports that prior to making threatening statements, the suspect had been consuming alcohol. The vehicle was stopped, and the man was asked to conduct field sobriety tests. The man reportedly refused any test and was then placed under arrest for operating while intoxicated. A blood draw was completed by the Shelby Township Fire Department. The man was lodged at the Shelby Township Police Department until he was sober.
Woman reports online ticket purchase rip-off
ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 3:55 p.m. on Nov. 20, allegations of larceny and fraud were reported in the 22000 block of Bayview Drive.
The victim, a 57-year-old woman, made contact with the police over the phone and stated she was scammed out of Detroit Lions tickets. She contacted an old high school classmate, who posted about the tickets on their high school Facebook page. In messages, the person stated they would sell the tickets for $1,500.
Apple Pay account and sent $500 to the account since that was the maximum. The woman grew suspicious when she received a separate phone number and account to send another $500. She reached out to the person with the other phone number and found out the Facebook account had been hacked. The woman said she planned to contact her bank to report the transaction.
Another Detroit Lions ticket scam reported
ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 1:01 p.m. on Nov. 25, a case of fraud was reported in the 21000 block of Pleasant Street.
The victim, a 27-year-old woman, stated at the police station that she messaged an acquaintance, a 26-year-old woman, on Facebook. The victim inquired about Detroit Lions tickets the other woman had made a post about. Both women agreed on a price of $1,000 for six tickets to the Dec. 15 game against the Buffalo Bills. The victim sent one payment totaling $800 and another payment totaling $200. The woman then advised the victim to send money to two separate cousins. When the payments went through, the woman blocked the victim, and the victim was disputing the claims with Venmo.
An officer called the woman and left a voice mail. On a returned call, the woman stated her Facebook account was hacked approximately two months ago. She reported the incident to Facebook and thought the account had been taken down. She advised other family and friends who told her about the potential scams to report and block the account.
Porch pirates nabbed
GROSSE POINTE WOODS/CITY — Two male suspects were arrested after police said the pair stole packages delivered to homes in Grosse Pointe City and Grosse Pointe Woods.
In the first incident, the Grosse Pointe City Public Safety Department said that one of the suspects stole an iPhone Max Pro worth $1,200 at 12:50 p.m. Nov. 20, shortly after it had been delivered to the front porch of a home in the 500 block of Washington Road. That suspect was seen leaving the area in a Chevy Blazer.
At around 9 a.m. Nov. 27, a pair of suspects in a Chevy Blazer — who police said matched the description of the driver and passenger in the City incident — are said by the Grosse Pointe Woods Public Safety Department to have stolen a package containing $68 worth of goods from the front porch of a home in the 1100 block of Vernier Road. The same day, a Woods officer spotted the suspects’ vehicle at a
surveillance footage of the porch piracy suspects and were arrested, police said. They’re expected to face charges in the City and Woods.
Packages stolen GROSSE POINTE FARMS — An unknown suspect is said to have stolen two packages from the front porch of a home in the 300 block of Touraine Road sometime around the afternoon of Dec. 3. The packages
Children’s clothing stolen GROSSE POINTE
Museum hosts candlelight walking tours Dec. 19
ROCHESTER HILLS — The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm is hosting hourlong candlelight walking tours from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 19. Spread across the museum grounds, guests will visit historical vignettes, observe historic campfire cooking, listen to a cappella Christmas carols, and explore the decorated 1840s Van Hoosen Farmhouse. Dress for the weather, as stations are both inside and outside. Tickets cost $8 for museum members and $10 for nonmembers. To register, visit rochesterhills.org/musprograms. The Rochester Hills Museum is located at 1005 Van Hoosen Road, off Tienken Road between Rochester and Dequindre roads.
CRANBROOK WELCOMES NEW FELLOWS
BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Cranbrook Academy of Art recently announced the third and fourth classes of the Gilbert Fellows program. Each year, selected students receive full-tu-
and long-term commitment to support artists, architects, and designers of color,” Interim Academy Director Chris Whittey said in a press release.
“Now in its fourth year, this program has increased the diverse makeup of the student body on campus, and the fellows have brought engaging perspectives into each departmental studio. Their voices are critically important as we navigate the future cultural landscape, and we look forward to watching them make a profound and lasting impact on culture.” Prospective candidates for the Cranbrook Academy of Art Gilbert Fellows program can apply now for the 2025-2026 academic year at cranbrookart.edu/admissions/howto-apply.
Biographies of the fellows and more information on the program can be found at cranbrookart.edu/admissions/financial-aid/scholar ships-fellowships/gilbert-fellows.
Student scores perfectly on M-STEP
“It
work in the classroom.
“M-STEP is a very difficult assessment and Andrian is always willing to stretch his brain to the highest heights,” Gorski said. “I believe that this outstanding achievement is only one of many to come for him.”
Judson Center gala raises more than $500,000
FARMINGTON HILLS — The Judson Center, a human services agency based in Farmington Hills, raised more than $500,000 at its “A Night to Embrace” centennial gala on Nov. 1 at The Henry hotel in Dearborn, according to a press release.
The funds benefit the human service agency’s programs in autism, behavioral and primary healthcare, disability services, foster care, adoption, and mentoring, the release states.
“This was a
centennial awareness campaign were presented at the event. Elizabeth Hertel, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, received the agency’s Art of Care Award in recognition of her longtime efforts to improve the health and lives of Michigan residents. Judson Center Board Chair Kevin Johns was presented with the agency’s Art of Service Award, and former Judson Center CEO Mounir “Monty” Sharobeem received the Art of Compassion Award.
for the
Photo provided by Cranbrook Academy of Art
Ali, an anchor for CBS News Detroit, and Huel Perkins, a former anchor for FOX 2 Detroit, were the
emcees
evening. Judson Center’s Centennial Gala was presented by PNC Bank and chaired by Michael Bickers, who is the executive vice president and regional president for PNC Bank in Detroit and southeast Michigan. For more information about the Judson Center, visit judsoncenter.org.
Photo provided by Utica Community Schools
