Clawson resident bringing truck to Autorama 6A
Royal Oak Planning Commission approves Sheetz proposal
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — On Feb. 11, the Planning Commission approved a site plan in a 6-1 vote to build a Sheetz convenience store at 3200 W. 14 Mile Road.
During the public hearing, residents of Royal Oak voiced their concerns about the project, and a few community members were in support.
“I guarantee and assure you the relevant comments made by the citizens who spoke were heard and considered,” Gary Quesada, chairperson of the Planning Commission, said via email. “The duty of the planning commissioners is to confirm the criteria for a change in zoning as set forth by the ordinance at (section) 770-129. We performed our duty.”
EXPLORE, FIND ANSWERS AND CONNECT DURING FIRST ROYAL OAK RESOURCE FAIR
LEFT: Ted Page promotes the Royal Oak Community Resource Fair & Food Truck Rally. The event will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Royal Oak Farmers Market, 316 E. 11 Mile Road.
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — Royal Oak will be having its first Royal Oak Community Resource Fair & Food Truck Rally from 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Royal Oak Farmers Market, 316 E. 11 Mile Road.
The community engagement advisory
board in conjunction with the Inter-Club Council created this event where residents can explore interests, find answers and make connections, according to romi.gov.
The event will feature food trucks, music, a kids zone, crafts and giveaways. The main attraction is the opportunity to learn about and interact with different community resources and local organizations.
RESOURCE on page 19A
Photo by Liz Carnegie
Attendees of the Feb. 11 Planning Commission meeting wave their hands in the air in support for speakers against the Sheetz site plan proposal.
Photo provided by Judy Davids
SECOND FRONT PAGE
Our next edition will come to homes March 5. Stay current by visiting candgnews.com.
Historians shed light on freedom seekers in Royal Oak
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — During a panel discussion at 7 p.m. Feb. 28, three historians will be sharing the stories of those involved with the Underground Railroad.
The panel discussion, “Hidden Histories: Stories of the Underground Railroad connections with Ontario, Canada,” will take place at the Royal Oak Middle School auditorium, 709 N. Washington Ave. in Royal Oak.
Sponsored by the Royal Oak Historical
Society as part of its speaker series, there will be no charge for the event.
Irene Moore Davis, Leslie S. Edwards and Leslie Pielack are the spotlight speakers for this discussion, and they are each talking about a different topic related to the Underground Railroad.
Habatat Galleries shines the light on women artists
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — Habatat Galleries is shining a light on women artists in the Matriarchs of Mastery: Women Shaping the Future of Glass Art exhibit that opened Feb. 14.
Twenty women who have “pushed the boundaries” of glass art will have their work on display for one month at Habatat Galleries, 4400 Fernlee Ave. in Royal Oak, according to a press release sent by Habatat Galleries.
The pieces on display feature the innovation and vision of women artists redefining contemporary glass, according to Aaron
See ART on page 16A
The panel discussion will be moderated by Karen Marrero, a historian and history professor at Wayne State University. Each speaker will spend 10 minutes making a PowerPoint presentation. The discussion will be representing six stories of
See HISTORY on page 19A
Photos by Donna Dalziel Clockwise from near right, “Circumsteller Primavera,” by Claire Kelly, “Ecco to the Bridesmaid,” by Amber Cowan, and “Traveling Man,”by Lucy Lyon, will be on display until March 15 during the Matriarchs of Mastery: Women Shaping the Future of Glass Art exhibit at Habatat Galleries, 4400 Fernlee Ave. in Royal Oak.
Clawson honors Alex Verner
The Clawson community gathers at Clawson City Park Feb. 13 to honor and remember Alexandria Verner on the second anniversary of her death. A tree was planted in her honor by Clawson High School’s class of 1983, the graduating class of Verner’s father, Ted.
ABOVE: Ted Verner, Buck Myre and Nancy Verner embrace as Ted Verner speaks to the crowd.
LEFT: Nancy Verner spreads some of her daughter’s ashes during what the family has said will be the last public memorial for Alex Verner.
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
Compiled by Taylor Christensen
ROHS African American Read-In
ROYAL OAK — Royal Oak High School will be hosting the 2025 African American Read-In, a nationwide event celebrating Black authors and literature.
This year, award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson will make a presentation via Zoom from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb 27 at the Royal Oak Schools Offices Main Conference Room at 800 DeVillen Ave. in Royal Oak.
Woodson is known for her vast collection of critically acclaimed books for children, young adults and adults, according to the Royal Oak Schools website, royaloakschools.org.
The books Woodson has published highlight the themes of identity, history and social justice.
The first 500 Oakland County households who register for the read-in will receive a free copy of one of Woodson’s books. To register, visit bit.ly/read-in-2025.
For more information on the National African American Read-In, visit ncte.org/getinvolved/african-american-read-in.
DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE MAKES A COMEBACK
CLAWSON — The city of Clawson welcomed back its Daddy Daughter Dance on Feb. 8 with what it said was a great turnout.
The dance returned for the first time since COVID-19 and was a “heartwarming success,” according to Lisa Ball, assistant director of Clawson Recreation and Senior Services.
The event had a DJ with dancing,
and a photo booth for the
and daughters to remember the night forever.
During the dance, the Clawson Chamber of Commerce sponsored sweet treats to be handed out to the attendees.
“It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter, joy, and community spirit — one that created lasting memories for all who attended,” Ball said.
SNOW REMOVAL LINKED TO HIGHER CASES OF CARDIAC EMERGENCY
ROYAL OAK — Shoveling snow is a daunting task that Michiganders face each winter, but it is important to remember the risks attached to it.
According to a new published analysis by Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, shoveling snow for 10 minutes involves lifting and throwing nearly 1 ton of frozen precipitation.
The combination of exposure to cold air and physical exertion significantly increases the heart rate and blood pressure while simultaneously reducing blood flow to the heart.
The risk of a cardiac event while shoveling snow is higher in people who are mostly sedentary throughout the day.
For safer snow removal, Corewell Health and other authors of the study are recommending to avoid snow removal if you are habitually sedentary; use a snow thrower instead of a shovel whenever possible; push snow rather than lift and throw it; take frequent breaks; wear a breathing mask or a scarf to warm the air you are inhaling; avoid heavy meals, alcohol and tobacco before and after shoveling; dress in several light layers; wear a hat; and stop shoveling if you experience chest discomfort, unusual shortness of breath, lightheadedness or nausea.
For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.
Tom Benaglio and his two daughters, Eleanor and Olivia, take pictures in the photo booth.
Photos provided by Lisa Ball
Sean Degnore and his daughter, Elianah, attend the Feb. 8 city of Clawson Daddy Daughter Dance. and
snacks,
dads
Hundreds of classic cars ready to gather for Detroit Autorama
BY MIKE KOURY mkoury@candgnews.com
BERKLEY/CLAWSON — The Motor City will hear the sound of revving engines as Detroit Autorama quickly approaches at the end of the month.
The 72nd annual Meguiar’s Detroit Autorama will take place Feb. 28 to March 2 at Huntington Place, 1 Washington Blvd. It will feature more than 800 hot rods and custom cars packed into the Detroit convention center.
Highlights of the big show will be the debut of the Barbie Cadillac and the Megamorph transforming car.
“There will be so much going on for the whole family at this year’s Detroit Autorama, that we can hardly wait to unveil it to the public,” Peter Toundas, president and owner of Championship Auto Shows Inc., stated in a news release. Championship Auto Shows produces Autorama. “All of the attractions at this year’s Autorama will astound showgoers but of course, at the heart of Autorama is the completely amazing 800 dazzling hot rods and customs with many competing for top awards including The Ridler.”
Thousands of people are expected to attend Autorama, including many local car owners who will be bringing their classic vehicles to the show.
Phil Hatzos will be participating in his first Autorama and will bring his 1978 Chevrolet Chevette, a car he’s owned for 14 years.
Hatzos, a Berkley resident, drove a
1976 Chevette back in high school, and when he came across this one on Craigslist, he jumped at the chance to buy it.
“It’s a street and strip car,” he said. “I drive her everywhere. I drive it back to Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio … she runs really big, really strong and I drive her everywhere. She’s dependable.”
“It was my first car that I owned on my own, and I always wanted to build it,” Hatzos continued. “It’s unique in the way that they made almost 3 million of them, and then you don’t see them anymore.”
Hatzos said his Chevette typically gets a lot of looks when he takes it out, and he hears all kinds of stories from people about the vehicle.
“I get people coming up now, ‘Yeah, my mom and dad had one of these and I sat in the back seat in the car seat.’ I hear all kinds of stories from people and … they never built a V-6 Chevette or V-8 Chevette. They only had the four cylinders. So that’s the first thing people see, is the engine sticking out through the hood.”
Thomas Dorr, of Clawson, will be bringing his 1935 Chevrolet pickup truck. It will be his second time bringing his pickup to Autorama and third time overall at the event.
“You cannot hardly see it in one day,” he said. “There’s so many cars.”
Dorr has owned the pickup for around five years after he found it advertised at a nearby marketplace. He described it as a city service gas station pickup truck.
Photo provided by Thomas Dorr
Clawson resident Thomas Dorr will be showing his 1935 Chevrolet pickup truck at Detroit Autorama.
Cold water in Clawson
ABOVE: Cait O’Meara-Eby and Kenzie McMillan participate in the Clawson Cool School Polar Plunge Feb. 14 at Clawson High School.
RIGHT: Clawson teacher Christine Ash takes the cold plunge. Photos by Donna Dalziel
ABOVE: Clawson middle school student Nolan Marhle gets an award for raising the
Olympics.
LEFT: Stella Pachesnik, 11, and Kinsley Nock, 11, take the plunge in their costumes.
M1 Griffins hockey shining in OAA as regionals loom
BY SCOTT BENTLEY sbentley@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — The M1 Griffins Unified varsity hockey team is heading into the end of the regular season as the Oakland Activities Association Red Division leader and has its eyes on ending a three-year regional final losing streak.
“We started off rocky … and then found our stride,” M1 Griffins head coach Alex Gregorich said. “The boys are really working hard. … We’re prepared for regionals.”
The M1 Griffins play home games in Royal Oak and have a team that consists of players from Royal Oak, Berkley, Clawson and Ferndale. The growth of the program has been noticeable, with an improved record in each of the past three seasons and a regional finals appearance streak of three years.
“We brought in a few guys to a big core,” Gregorich said. “We had players buying into the system. … We have 10 seniors and they’re really leading the way.”
This season, with all the seniors and talent on the roster, the team is looking to not only win the OAA, but also a regional championship.
“The big goal has been regional finals,” junior goalie Todd Butler said. “We’ve been (in the finals) the last three years and have just never been able to get that final win. … It’s been what we’ve been looking forward to for the past couple of years, actually sealing that regional championship.”
Butler has been vital to the team’s success this season and will certainly be a huge factor in the Griffins’ aspirations going forward. The goaltender has put up an impressive save percentage of .923 and a goals against average of 2.95 as he’s been in net for
all but one of the team’s wins this year.
“He’s our backbone,” Gregorich said. “We rely on him to steal games for us.”
Along with Butler, the team is held together by senior Charlie Price. Price is a four-year player and a three-year captain for the Griffins who is leading the team in goals (20), assists (22), and points (42).
“(Price) is in the running for Mr. Hockey right now,” Gregorich said. “On top of him being a huge character and leader in the locker room … he really establishes what being a Griffin is and what Griffin standards are.”
The senior-heavy Griffins sit atop the OAA Red as the regular season comes to an See HOCKEY on page 9A
ABOVE: The M1 Griffins Unified Hockey team bench watches the action on the ice during an outdoor game at Clark Park in Detroit Feb. 11.
LEFT: M1 Griffins senior Charlie Price and junior goaltender Todd Butler track a puck.
Photos by Erin Sanchez
COMMUNITY BRIEFS
I Love Royal Oak drawing contest call for
entries
ROYAL OAK — The “I Love Royal Oak” drawing contest will be accepting entries until noon Feb. 28.
The contest is for any K-12 student who is enrolled in the Royal Oak School District, and they are being asked to create a two-dimensional piece of artwork that shows what they love about Royal Oak.
Students will be competing in groups consisting of grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Each student has the chance to win a monetary prize.
Students in grades 9-12 will be competing for the first-place prize of $750, second-place prize of $500 and third-place prize of $250.
Students in grades 6-8 will compete for the first-place prize of $500, second-place prize of $250 and third-place prize of $100.
Grades K-5 will compete to potentially win the first-place prize of $250, second-place prize of $150 and third-place prize of $100.
Artwork must be submitted to one of the following locations within the time frame for entries: Royal Oak City Hall, 203 S. Troy St.; Royal Oak Public Library Youth Services, 222 E. 11 Mile Road; or The Caboose, Sidetrack Books for Kids, 220 W. Fourth St.
Artwork also can be submitted virtually using a form provided at romi.gov/1827/I-Love-RoyalOak-Drawing-Contest.
For contest guidelines and more information on the contest, visit romi.gov/1827/I-Love-RoyalOak-Drawing-Contest. All entries must complete an entrance form and artist statement sheet while submitting. The form can also be found at the link.
Ice Festival to take place Feb. 22, 23
ROYAL OAK — The Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce is bringing back the Ice Festival for two days.
The Ice Festival will take place 2-7 p.m. Feb. 22 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at 30955 Woodward Ave. in Royal Oak.
On Feb. 22, guests can view the ice sculptures and enjoy rare beers, hot chocolate, hot coffee and hot cider.
On day two there will be a brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 23. Kids can eat free with the purchase of an adult entree.
After brunch, attendees can look at the ice sculptures and play Marvel-themed trivia starting at 2 p.m..
From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., “Spidey Hero” will be at the festival and join in the bingo game that starts at 6 p.m.
Admission to the Ice Festival is free. For more information, visit royaloakchamber.com.
— Taylor Christensen
Hockey
from page 8A
end, which marks the first time in four years the program has won the Red Division.
“It’s always a competitive game. It doesn’t matter if (the opponent) is at the top or the bottom of the OAA,” Price said. “It’s always a tough battle.”
One of the highlights of the Griffins’ season was the honor of participating in an outdoor game at Clark Park in Detroit on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
“It was my first outdoor game, so I thought it was really fun,” Price said. “I think every high school team should try and do it because it was a oncein-a-lifetime experience.”
The Griffins lost the game 7-4 to Novi, but being chosen to play in an outdoor game at the high school level will stick with the players and the program for a long time.
“It just creates a different atmosphere,” Butler said. “It brings you back to just playing pond hockey with your fellas. It reminds you of the (NHL) Winter Classic a little bit too. You just feel sweet out there.”
Now, all eyes shift to regional playoffs. The Griffins will be the three seed in Division 1 Region 8 with Plymouth and Salem taking the top two seeds, respectively. With the top two teams getting a first-round bye, M1 may have to beat both Plymouth and Salem to finally bring home the regional title.
“Getting there still won’t be easy,” Butler said. “Salem and Plymouth will still both be two strong teams. Hopefully, we win and then we can keep going from there.”
The M-1 Griffins kicked off the regional tournament with a home game against New Boston Unified at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18, after press time. The regional final will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 at John Lindell Ice Arena in Royal Oak.
Call Sports Writer Scott Bentley at (586) 498-1090.
Local women in business offer insight into success and struggles
BY SARAH WRIGHT swright@candgnews.com
According to a report from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy citing business ownership statistics for 2024, more than 12 million small businesses in the U.S. are owned by women, with a total of $2.1 trillion in sales.
The metro Detroit area is home to a wide variety of womenowned businesses offering a diverse array of merchandise and services.
At the request of C & G Newspapers, a group of owners recently reflected on their achievements and stresses and also provided insight for other potential entrepreneurs.
Follow the dream
Terri Cooper owns the Village Boutique at 6457 Inkster Road, which was recently moved from its previous location in
See WOMEN on page 13A
Terri Cooper owns the Village Boutique which was recently moved from its previous location in Franklin to Bloomfield Hills. “I walked into a little shop in Franklin to return something my sister had bought me, and I looked around and I thought, ‘Oh, I’d love to have this,’ and I somehow got around to asking the nice ladies who owned it if they were interested in selling, and they were, eventually,” Cooper said.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Corewell Health doctors urge public to ‘match your symptoms to the setting’
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
STATEWIDE — Illnesses are spreading and wait times are lengthening. Doctors at Corewell Health are spreading the word on what exactly warrants a trip to the hospital.
“We are seeing quite a bit of patients coming in, in waves throughout our system, and it’s not just Corewell, it’s our community partners too,” Charles Gibson, M.D., chief medical officer at Corewell Health in West Michigan, said during a press conference held online Feb. 6. “It’s the usual run-of-the-mill things that people are coming in with. … But we are also seeing quite an influx of patients related to the respiratory viruses that are in season right now.”
Respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus have been wreaking havoc throughout Michigan and the country, according to Gibson, resulting in higher wait times at the hospital.
Matthew Sims, M.D., director of infectious diseases research, Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan, said that influenza has been on the rise and is up 25% to 30% in positivity right now.
“Out of every 10 people who are getting tested, two or three are testing positive, and that includes both in and outpatients,” Sims
said. “But as previously stated, we are seeing a lot of this in our emergency rooms.”
Sims said that around 10% of cases in the emergency room have been influenza patients, and almost 20% of those are getting admitted, with a number of them ending up in the intensive care unit.
COVID-19 has remained consistent with a 5% positivity case rate of all those tested, while RSV peaked in late December at around 10%, according to Sims. RSV is now at 3% to 4% positivity rate but varies across Michigan and is around 10% on the west side of the state.
“The problem becomes when people are sort of using the ER as their primary care or as an urgent care instead of as an emergency room,” Sims said. “There is a difference in who should be coming to the ER versus who should be going to their regular doctor or primary care or urgent care.”
When trying to decide where to get treatment, Gibson said to check if your “symptoms match the setting.”
Only severe and life-threatening symptoms should be seen in the emergency room, while others can be seen by urgent care, primary care doctors or in a virtual appointment.
Some symptoms that would warrant an emergency care visit include severe abdomi-
nal pain; asthma attacks; severe broken bones or exposed bones; cuts and wounds that are deep or won’t stop bleeding; a fever over 104 degrees as an adult; heart attack symptoms; seizures; severe body or head trauma; shortness of breath; stroke symptoms; or severe vomiting and throwing up blood, according to Corewell Health’s symptom guide on corewellhealth.org.
“The best thing is to try and make sure your symptoms match your setting, so that you can go to the right place,” Gibson said. “It would be better to check with your primary care physician or an urgent care physician before you consider it (going to the ER).”
Sims mentioned that the doctors and nurses want to take care of those who need lifesaving treatments, but sometimes because of the influx of patients who may not need treatment, it is hard to attend to those who do.
“There are medications we can give in the hospital that we can’t give elsewhere; there are levels of support we can give with oxygen ventilators if needed, and even more advanced technologies if needed,” Sims said. “But to be able to use those effectively and to have everybody get what they need, we really have to make sure that we are keeping the patients that need to be there and discharging the patients who are ready to go home, and
not admitting the patients that don’t need to be there.”
Getting vaccinated is one strategy to prevent a visit to the doctor’s office. According to Sims, a vaccination such as a flu shot can be the determining factor in how sick a person will get from the flu.
“It is absolutely not too late to get vaccinated,” Sims said. “You may get the flu even if you got vaccinated. But, you probably won’t get very sick, you’re probably not going to need to be in the hospital, probably not going to need to be on a ventilator. It protects people, and that has been shown season after season.”
Gibson said that Corewell Health is trying to spread the word on the influx of patients and how to prevent a trip to the ER.
“I always say the same sort of things, get vaccinated, stay home when you are sick, seek medical care as appropriate, have good hand hygiene,” he said. “There are all sorts of things to help prevent the spread and prevent the overload.”
Corewell Health also provides wait times for urgent cares on its website at clockwisemd. com/groups/143, and a symptom guide at corewellhealth.org/care-and-specialties/sameday-care/symptoms-guide.
For more information on Corewell Health, visit corewellhealth.org.
HOMES
MANY FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
Most of us have been there.
Snuggled in bed under a favorite blanket, yet unable to fall asleep. When counting sheep doesn’t work, we lie awake all night long. Then it’s morning. Exhaustion sets in, and you wonder how you’ll make it through the day.
For some people, a sleepless night happens on occasion. However, for others, chronic insomnia, sleep apnea and other disorders make it impossible to ever have sweet dreams.
Brenna Wyffels, a family medicine physician assistant, certified, for McLaren Macomb — Sterling Heights Pediatrics & Family Medicine, has helped many patients with sleep disorders.
“Sleep is the first priority,” Wyffels said. “If not, everything else is going to suffer.”
Sleep apnea, which causes snoring and people to sometimes wake in the middle of the night gasping for air, is the main culprit for wakefulness.
“When you have pauses in breathing and impaired breathing, the brain isn’t getting enough oxygen,” Wyffels said. “People wake up with fatigue even after eight hours of sleep.”
For patients having sleeping issues, Wyffels recommends they make an appointment with a sleep clinic “to be tested and monitored and to see what treatment would be the best.” Sleep studies also can be done at home. CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines are often recommended for sleep apnea. The machine contains a motor and a filter that turns room air into pressurized air and delivers it through a mask to help the nose and mouth keep the airway open.
“They get a bad rap as loud machines with giant hoses that (will) keep (your) partner awake,” Wyffels said, adding that the machines are now easier to handle. “Technology has come very far.”
Wyffels has witnessed patients with CPAP machines overcome their sleep issues.
“They have better mental clarity, can focus and feel rested,” she said.
Along with sleep disorders, people are always on the go and don’t give themselves a chance to wind down to transition from the stress of the day.
See SLEEP on page 15A
ABOVE: Having a nighttime routine, turning off electronics, settling into bed with a book and staying away from caffeine in the later part of the day can help you get a good night’s sleep. LEFT: “Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury,” Dr. Nader Mina, medical director, Sleep Center, Corewell Health, said. “Chronic sleep disorders cause problems long term. It has consequences on the heart, increases risks of asthma and is strongly linked to iron deficiency.”
Franklin to Bloomfield Hills. Cooper took over ownership of the business in June 2015
“I walked into a little shop in Franklin to return something my sister had bought me, and I looked around and I thought, ‘Oh, I’d love to have this,’ and I somehow got around to asking the nice ladies who owned it if they were interested in selling and they were eventually,” Cooper said.
The boutique sells different contemporary fashions, accessories and gifts for shoppers of all ages.
“When we first got it, it was in Franklin,” Cooper said. “It was maybe geared toward a slightly older crowd, much more conservative crowd, and we slowly started changing things so that it could appeal to a broader mass of people.”
“We switched it all around. It’s nothing like when the ladies had it, and they’ve been in support of our changes, too,” she added.
Lissa Pietrykowski owns Peak Physique Fitness Training at 1071 E. Long Lake Road in Troy with her husband Nick. They currently have around 140 clients.
“My husband bought Peak Physique Fitness in 2008 and then I came on board in 2014, and in June of this year I started kind
of a sister business called Peak Women,” Pietrykowski said. “We’re a personal training studio only.”
The studios provide a wide range of personal training services online and in their studio space that can be open for one-on-one and shared training sessions. This includes prenatal and postpartum training, sport-specific training, corporate training, and senior training among other services with personal trainers.
“I think that women suffer from mental health (issues) as men do. However, I think sometimes women are a little bit more intimidated to go to a gym, and exercise is good for mental health in so many different ways,” Pietrykowski said. “Just getting out of the house, releasing endorphins or just accomplishing something, all those different things. But sometimes I think that when you’re in that state or even for other reasons, you just feel intimidated going to the gym.”
“Our gym is very welcoming and loving. If you were there, you would never feel (intimidated) that way. However, just getting some people to walk through the door is the first step. So I wanted to open up an opportunity for people to benefit from exercise that wouldn’t normally do something like that,” Pietrykowski added.
On top of being a nutritionist, a registered dietitian and certified Lifestyle Eating
and in June of this year I started kind of a sister business called Peak
and Performance therapist, Shivani Sharma is the owner of Right Food Choice at 1380
Coolidge Hwy. in Troy.
Right Food Choice provides patients with one-on-one nutrition consultation, group coaching and nutrition-related courses.
“I had been practicing dietetics for over two decades now,” Sharma said. “I studied here in Wayne State and then I moved to Texas for some time and that’s where I started the company Right Food Choice.”
“Right Food Choice is nutrition and See WOMEN on page 16A
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Lissa Pietrykowski owns Peak Physique Fitness Training in Troy with her husband, Nick. They currently have around 140 clients. “My husband bought Peak Physique Fitness in 2008, and then I came on board in 2014,
Women,” Pietrykowski said.
RIGHT: Gary Quesada, Planning Commission chair, listens to citizens express their concerns for the Sheetz site plan proposal.
ABOVE: The Sheetz would be built at 3200 W. 14 Mile Road if it is approved by the City Commission in a future meeting.
Photos by Liz Carnegie
Rose battled and beat stage 3 lobular breast cancer the past two years. After chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and lymph node surgery, including reconstructive surgery finishing with radiation, she was all clear and was tackling PT with flying colors. However, she suddenly wasn’t feeling well. Her oncologist immediately ordered a CAT scan, and the result is nothing we expected, and we were all in shock. She’s had a biopsy done of one of seven masses in her brain. It actually turned into brain surgery. They were able to remove one of the masses that was very near the skull’s surface. Rose finished her Gamma-knife radiation which targets the cancer masses without damaging or radiating other parts of the brain that don’t need fixing and other organs is the hope. It keeps radiating for a few weeks. She’s battled a lot discomfort and inflammation in her face, feet and mouth. She’s able to eat and drink but it’s really uncomfortable for her. The team of doctors are keeping in close touch and have been wonderful. The gifts of food and your donations have been a blessing to her. It’s dificult to manage meals and appointments so thank you so much!
Your continued help is appreciated. If you can take the time to share her gofundme page to your friend, families and coworkers that would be amazing!!
Sincerely, The Chila’s
from page 1A
Commissioner Brian Cooper voted no on the proposal.
Meeting attendees raised their voices, amplifying their desire to stop this project from moving forward, claiming that the addition of a Sheetz would bring crime, more traffic problems and pollution, and they said that the site is not the place to build this kind of establishment.
“My question is, ‘Why is our fate in your hands, and why isn’t this a special vote for the people in that area, the residents in that area?’ Why can’t they vote on this? Why are you making the decision for us?” Royal Oak resident Alice Churukian said. “It’s not going to affect your lives. … This is ridiculous and preposterous that we are even having this conversation or this discussion at all; you sicken me.”
Petitioner and owner Broder Sachse Real Estate is working with Krieger Klatt Architects to divide the site at 3200 W. 14 Mile Road into three parcels, rezoning two of those parcels from general industrial to general business and leaving the third parcel as general industrial.
The Sheetz site plan includes a drive-
thru restaurant; eight double-sided automobile filling stations; a convenience store with sales of packaged alcohol; outdoor sales and displays; and an outdoor cafe. The site plan also includes an automatic car wash on the second rezoned parcel, and an addition to the existing maintenance building with outdoor storage on the third parcel that would remain zoned general industrial. Clover Hill Park Cemetery, immediately west of the site, would use the maintenance building.
The current site was most recently occupied by a metal fabrication facility. The proposed site plan would require the rezoning to general business in order to allow all the uses proposed by the petitioner, according to the proposal.
Included in the proposal is a traffic study prepared by Fleis & Vandenbrink dated Dec. 31, 2024, which concluded that the traffic at the intersection of Coolidge Highway and West 14 Mile Road would operate at an acceptable level. The city staff report to the Planning Commission states that the city’s engineering division is “concerned” about the intersection’s crash history and how traffic signal timings might cause issues along the 14 Mile Road corridor.
“It’s just not going to work. A development this size does not belong in this neigh-
See SHEETZ on page 18A
0224-2508
“Unplug at the end of the day,” Wyffels said. “Have some sort of routine. Settle into bed with a book or podcast. Sleepytime tea, magnesium supplements and calming diffusers can get them ready for bed. People also tend to sleep better if it’s cool out.”
Therefore, turning down the thermostat could help. White noise, blackout curtains and weighted blankets in the bedroom can be used as sleep aids, too. The right pillow and mattress that support you also might make a difference between tossing and turning all night or sleeping soundly.
“Some pillows and mattresses are better for side sleepers, back sleepers or stomach sleepers,” Wyffels said.
Scandia Home, located in Birmingham, carries a large selection of fine linens, comforters, pillows, duvet sets and mattress pads that provide a cozy environment for a good night’s sleep.
“We specialize in European bedding from various European linen companies,” Danielle Schindler said of the family-owned business. “I help people solve their bedroom quandaries and do it in a way that makes the home beautiful.”
ROOM AVAILABLE
Staff at Scandia Home, which also sells specialty gifts, is always available to help customers looking for bedding that is not only stylish, but comfortable.
“We help you figure out your stature, what sleep position you prefer and if you want a firmer mattress to keep the spine straight,” Schindler said. “Comforters and pillows are really important to get a good night’s sleep. Get the right pillow that provides support. Nice linens will last a very long time, up to 25 years.”
Clients also may opt for a mattress with temperature control that can automatically adjust how cold or hot it feels.
“That’s very important for sleeping,” Schindler said. “It keeps you at a comfortable heat.”
Fibers also should be taken into consideration. Cotton percale bedsheets, for instance, are cool to the touch due to the lightweight, breathable weave that provides good airflow. Cotton sateen material is warmer.
‘Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury’
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults ages 1860 get at least seven hours of sleep per night; adults 61–64 get seven to nine hours of sleep; adults 65 and older get seven to eight hours of sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends more sleep for children from infancy to age 18 depending on the age. Yet many people aren’t getting enough shut-eye.
According to Dr. Nader Mina, medical director, Sleep Center, Corewell Health, sleep deprivation can increase the risks of cardiovascular diseases, strokes and diabetes. Lack of sleep affects mental health, job performance, academics and can lower your immune system. Sleep deficiency also can contribute to car crashes because of driver fatigue.
“Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. Sleep apnea is the most common sleep disorder. When your breathing is closed and narrowed, there’s a drop in the oxygen level,” Mina said. “Chronic sleep disorders cause problems long term. It has consequences on the heart, increases risks of asthma and is strongly linked to iron deficiency.”
One reason for sleeplessness could be what Mina described as “bad routine habits we do every night.” That includes being on cellphones and other electronic devices, or watching television just before bed.
Exposure to blue light in those devices disrupts sleep patterns because it impacts when bodies create melatonin. Mina recommends shutting down electronic devices 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. Also, if something is bothering you that could be keeping you up, journaling before bedtime could solve that issue.
“Once you engage your mind, it becomes very difficult for our brains to shut down and go to sleep,” Mina said. “It’s very essential to relax before going to bed. Our brains are not able to fall asleep very quickly.”
He also advised to stop drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages six hours before bedtime. Another tip: make sure the bedroom is quiet, dark and cool. Taking certain medicines at nighttime also could be the reason for sleeplessness. Mina encourages people to speak to their physicians about possibly taking their medications during the daytime rather than in the evening.
“This is very important to discuss with a health care provider,” Mina said.
Daylight saving time also can be an issue for some, and might take two to three weeks before the body adjusts. Mina also treats patients who sleep excessively, including those with narcolepsy.
“There are certain disorders we look for in the brain,” Mina said.
Mina and staff devise an individualized plan for each patient with pretesting and analysis to get them on a better sleep pattern.
“It’s a gradual process,” he said. “It’s going to take some time, but there is always hope.”
Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.
from page 3A
Schey, owner of Habatat Galleries Detroit.
“In order to be a successful artist, you have to have a unique style,” Schey said. “You are going to see many styles that people know about, but the artists featured have taken it and made it their own.”
This is the first time Habatat Galleries has had a show celebrating women artists, according to Schey, who said that he has wanted to do something like this for a long time.
“I have always wanted to do a show with more of an important topic,” he said. “We wanted to showcase these women who are pushing the boundaries because there are a lot more women working with glass today than there were 30 years ago.”
The show features female artists from around the world. Schey said he and his team found them from the 2025 Habatat Glass Coast Weekend hosted in Sarasota, Florida, that took place Jan. 9-12.
“Many of these artists participated in that show, and we invited a few others from our Habatat family to put the show together and really focus on an important concept,” he said. “To not only show beautiful things, but also to inspire others.”
Amber Cowan, a glass artist from Philadelphia, is showing her work at the Matriarchs of Mastery show.
Cowan creates sculptural glasswork using recycled, upcycled and second-life American pressed glass, according to her website, ambercowan.com.
“I love the material of glass,” Cowan said. “I am telling a story based on old glass mixed with new.”
Cowan’s pieces are created using the process of flameworking, hot-sculpting and glassblowing to create large-scale sculptures.
“Her pieces reference memories, domesticity, and the loss of an industry through the
Women
wellness consulting for kids and adults where we provide nutritional counseling or medical nutrition therapy for diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, high cholesterol,” Sharma said. “So we serve wherever the nutritional need is, and we are a team of three dietitians right now.”
re-use of common items from the aesthetic dustbin of American design,” according to her website.
The complexity of glass art is what keeps Cowan motivated to continue her craft.
“Glass is an endlessly challenging material,” she said. “No matter how long you’ve been working with glass, it’s still a constant source of inspiration for me, and also a constant challenge.”
Cowan said she continues to be fascinated by the moldability of glass and its ability to go from a liquid to a solid state.
“You can make such intricate detail with simple tools. My main tool is a pair of bonsai shears,” she said. “So most of the cuts, the shapes that I make in my glass, are just with a pair of bonsai shears. Cutting glass is really one of the most fun things to do, and I kind of built my career around that.”
Schey said that women artists cannot be put into one category, as each artist is unique.
“A lot of women care about the earth and how we treat it, about family, home, children. There are a lot of male artists that also do the same kind of things, but there is a feminine touch that separates the men’s work from the women’s work,” Schey said. “A lot of the time it has more of that feeling of sensitivity in nature and sensitivity in topics of what they are discussing.”
Everything in the show will be up for purchase, but Schey encourages anybody to come through and enjoy the many different pieces on display.
The Matriarchs of Mastery: Women Shaping the Future of Glass Art exhibit will be available to look at until March 15. The exhibit is free of charge, and there is no ticket required for entry. Habatat is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
For more information on the show and the artists participating, visit habatat.com.
Call Staff Writer Taylor Christensen at (586) 498-1081.
for female-related health concerns, and meal and diet plans are among the services offered.
CALENDAR
FEB. 22
Royal Oak Whiskey Fest: Includes 10 cocktail/ beverage samples, commemorative glass, keepsake photo and music by Cosmic Groove, event produced by K9 Charities, 7 p.m. (VIP with extras at 6 p.m.), Royal Oak Farmers Market, 316 E. 11 Mile Road, www.royaloakwhiskeyfest.com
Getting Creative with Scraps: Bring machines and other supplies to sewing event, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Blair Memorial Library, 416 N. Main St. in Clawson, (248) 588-5500
Winter seed sowing workshop: Presented by Royal Oak Garden Club, bring 1-gallon translucent jugs and seeds, noon-3 p.m., Mahany/Meininger Senior Community Center, 3500 Marais Ave. in Royal Oak, registration required, royaloakgardenclub@gmail. com, royaloakgardenclubmi.org
FEB. 25-27
Auditions for steampunk-style ‘Macbeth’: Presented by Shakespeare Royal Oak, 5-minute time slots available 5-8 p.m., Mahany/Meininger Senior Community Center, 3500 Marais Ave., callback dates TBD, play scheduled for July 24-Aug. 3, Starr Jaycee Park, 1321 W. 13 Mile Road, sign up at shakespeareroyaloak.com
FEB. 26
Medicare educational seminar: Presented by licensed insurance counselor, free but seating limited, 6-7 p.m., Blair Memorial Library, 416 N. Main St. in Clawson, (248) 588-5500
MARCH 1
Mother-son sports night: 6-8 p.m., gym at Hunter Community Center, 509 Fisher Court in Clawson, (248) 589-0334, recreation.cityofclawson.com
Royal Oak Woman’s Club meeting: Social time at 9:30 a.m., general meeting at 10 a.m., program about fraud prevention with Royal Oak Police Department at 10:30 a.m. and Q&A about other public safety issues to follow, light snacks and refreshments served, 404 S. Pleasant St. in Royal Oak, rowc.org/events
ONGOING
Fish fries: Also chicken tender dinners and live music, 4:30-7 p.m. Feb. 21, March 7 and 21, and April 4, Royal Oak First United Methodist Church, 320 W. Seventh St., (248) 541-4100, rofum.org
‘Sherlock Holmes’: Stagecrafters Youth Theatre production about Holmes and Watson in deadly struggle with arch-enemy Moriarty, 7 p.m. Feb. 27-28, 2 and 7 p.m. March 1, and 2 p.m. March 2, Baldwin Theatre, 415 S. Lafayette Ave. in Royal Oak, (248) 541-6430, stagecrafters.org
Weight management, gut health treatment, food allergies and gluten free options, metabolic disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, sports nutrition, nutritional options
“We have a weight loss program running right now which is a 12-week transformation program,” Sharma said.
She said the program focuses on “improving gut health, reducing inflammation and feeding your gut microbiome good bacteria really while balancing your blood sugar, balancing your hormones, focusing on how to improve your stress and sleep and how to conquer your sugar cravings, and how to have a total behavior modification.”
“We provide ongoing coaching calls for
from page 13A See WOMEN on page 17A
Women
from page 16A
medication, exercise, and behavior modification,” Sharma said.
Living the dream
All three women discussed their personal and professional struggles as business owners.
“I’m one of those people who prefer to work 24 hours a day and when you have your own business that’s exactly what you do,” Cooper said. “This is not my first business. I owned a cheerleading camp for 20 years and I was a teacher and a coach and a counsellor before this, so I knew what I was in for, and I make the sacrifices really happily.”
She added, “I have one son, and he is graduated from school and is off to Chicago, so I don’t have those responsibilities like I once did. I have five animals at home, so that’s the only thing, and my husband’s really helpful. So it’s a balance but it’s a really fun balance and I’m in the age group I can do this.”
Pietrykowski said running a business, and a household, is both rewarding and a lot of work.
“I think that if you don’t own a business or work for yourself that sometimes people
don’t understand we work every day,” Pietrykowski said. “I train during the day. I’ve got four kids as well and then I get home, pick everybody up and make dinner, and then usually sit down and work for another couple hours. Then I take one day on the weekend, work for a couple hours but I love it. It’s not necessarily a hard thing to do but it does require some sacrifice.”
Sharma said she never worked full time until she started her own business.
“This is the first time that I am like all in right now,” Sharma said. “I have two kids. I have one son who is working, and I have a daughter who will be going to college this year. So right now, I feel now is the right time for me to go full in because I personally never worked full time before for the last 20 years.”
She said the biggest struggle she has encountered professionally is the lack of dietician credentialing in Michigan.
“Michigan is one of the only states that does not credential dieticians,” Sharma said. “So it is very hard for me to accept insurance in Michigan and because you have to pay for the service out of pocket. I think sometimes it becomes less reachable for people who just want to go through their insurance, who don’t want to pay up front.”
She said that Right Food Choice does accept Medicare, which covers nutrition
counseling for diabetes and chronic kidney disease but not for weight loss.
Growing the dream
All of these local business owners are considering their goals as their work continues.
“We’re always looking to grow it,” Cooper said. “It was hard to grow it in such a little village like Franklin where a lot wasn’t going on, so we’re just looking to grow it as much as we can, and I think our customers are hoping to help us in that process.”
“Our goal right now is to make Peak Women have its own space near Peak Physique and have that running separately,” Pietrykowski said. “We also are hoping, long-term, to be able to start our own certification process and train trainers to do our type of training.”
“I think what I see as a practice, because now we have three dietitians, I really want to be able to see more and more people who we can help change their life with food, especially diabetes and chronic kidney disease and high cholesterol because those are the things that can be easily fixed by a diet,” Sharma said. “Also (to) see if we can reach more kids and moms who are stressed out if the child cannot have gluten for some reason, if (the child) cannot have dairy, or what if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, if you need help with a high protein diet. So we would like to cater to a big area of (the) population
with nutrition and the best thing is we are in house as much as we are virtual.”
Advice for other entrepreneurs
Cooper, Pietrykowski and Sharma also shared a few tips for potential entrepreneurs looking to pursue their own endeavors
“My first thing is I don’t consider myself a woman business owner. I’m just a business owner,” Cooper said. “I don’t take stock in any of that stuff. I want to be successful as anyone could be in this business and I would say if you are willing to think about it and work for it 24/7, then it’s for you. If that doesn’t appeal to you, being an entrepreneur probably isn’t your thing.
“I would say just do it, I mean absolutely give it a shot,” Pietrykowski said. “I had this idea for a while but kind of went back and forth about even bringing it up because I was scared, I didn’t want it not to work and then it got to the point where the worst thing that can happen is that it doesn’t work and if it doesn’t work, that’s okay.”
“I think it’s very important to have that work/family life balance but at the same time I would tell all women entrepreneurs to just don’t give up,” Sharma said. “Start wherever you can and if it requires you to work only part time, don’t give up hope, don’t give up on your dreams.”
Call Staff Writer Sarah Wright at (586) 498-1068.
borhood,” Kate Thomas, 35-year resident of Royal Oak, said. “Nobody wants to live near this kind of development.”
Trish Oliver said that she hoped to see the Planning Commission “follow in the footsteps” of surrounding cities that had recently denied the approval of a Sheetz to be built, such as Rochester Hills, Madison Heights, Farmington Hills and more.
“The proposed intersection already suffers from traffic flow backups,” Oliver said. “I recently spoke to a nurse who works at Beaumont who lives near this intersection; she says she can hear the crashes from her home and then she takes care of the victims at Beaumont, so we ask you to not add any more burden to this already troubled intersection.”
The location of the site was a big topic of discussion, being in a 245,562-squarefoot triangular area neighboring Clover Hill Park Cemetery.
“That plot size is not big enough for what you want to do. I’ve been in a Sheetz, it’s cool, but not in this neighborhood,” Patricia Maslowsky, from Berkley, said. “The traffic alone is intolerable, but there’s a cem-
Autorama
from page 6A
etery to the west, people are trying to put their loved ones to rest and they are going to be putting up with noise and lights. There is no peace and quiet.”
A few residents also brought up the possibility of higher crime rates.
“In January of 2024, the VP of Sheetz even admitted needing help from Congress in streamlining reporting of crime,” Nancy Proposki said. “Knowing that Sheetz is plagued with crime, why would you want it in your residential area, and not by itself off the freeway?”
Mayor Mike Fournier said that Royal Oak is one of the safest cities in Michigan, and he has not been aware of any uptick in crime related to establishments open for 24 hours.
“I’ll just say, I have not received any feedback from our Police Department about the 24/7 establishments we have,” Fournier said. “We have a number of 24/7 stores and gas stations already in the city, and we have a good working relationship with the PD. … I am not saying it doesn’t exist, but it hasn’t come across my table in overall public safety discussions related to 24-hour, seven-daya-week establishments that exist in the city today.”
Steve Robinson, vice president of acquisitions and development for Broder
He noted that the truck does get a fair amount of attention.
“Whether I go to Costco, I go into Berkley to the pool store over there, anywhere I go, and it was embarrassing at first. I’ve got a ’37 Chevy street rod, which I drive too, and I’ve had that for about 10 years, and it was really embarrassing. But I’m getting used to it. It’s kind of fun. … I just like driving them
The hours for Autorama are noon to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 1; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 2. General admission tickets cost $28 and admission for children ages 6-12 costs $10. Children younger than 5 will be admitted for free.
For more information on Autorama weekend, visit autorama.com/attend/detroit. Call Staff Writer Mike Koury at (586) 498-1077.
Sachse Real Estate, responded to the public comments and questions from the commissioners.
Robinson addressed a concern that was mentioned multiple times, whether the site will be a truck stop with parking for trucks and gas for trucks, which he said was untrue.
“We are completely empathetic to the concern (of traffic),” Robinson said. “We would be more than happy to have the community do a peer review of our traffic consultant; we’re quite comfortable with our consultant that works in a lot of communities.”
“We understand the anxiety that can create and we want to be respectful to the comments that we’ve heard tonight, especially as it relates to traffic, and we want to make sure that we work with this community to incorporate whatever is appropriate to make this the most safest location that it can be,” Robinson said.
Commissioner Sharlan Douglas asked Robinson to speak on the issue of crime associated with Sheetz.
“I think most of the crime conversation has been based on something that somebody read in another community,” Robinson said. “I think it’s also based on the issue of 24 hours, I think in our current economy, especially given this location in proximity to
the industrial district of Troy and Royal Oak, people that work late shifts deserve to be able to get gas, they deserve to get food, they’re not criminals, they’re people that work night shifts instead of day shifts.”
Robinson also stated he would be “happy” to consult with the Royal Oak Police Department on its experience with 24-hour establishments within the community and crime.
Since the plan was approved in a 6-1 vote on Feb. 11, the next step will be for the developer to pay for a peer review of the submitted traffic study. The peer review must be completed before the development proposal at 3200 W. 14 Mile Road will be submitted to the City Commission for consideration, according to the Planning Division.
Quesada said that he welcomes even the most spirited or passionate speakers when it comes to public hearings, but he hopes that future meetings can be a little bit more calm.
“That requires taking turns speaking and being quiet when it’s not your turn to speak,” he said. “I am confident as we move forward, we can continue to make the Planning Commission meetings more like a court hearing than a football game.”
Call Staff Writer Taylor Christensen at (586) 498-1081.
CRIME WATCH
Cigarettes stolen from Walgreens
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that at 11:46 p.m. Feb. 5, an unknown person broke the entrance door glass to the Walgreens at 30852 Woodward Ave. and stole cigarettes.
Purse stolen at restaurant
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that between 11:30 p.m. Jan. 31 and 1:15 p.m. Feb. 1, an unknown person stole her purse after she left it unattended at Bohemia Nightclub, 100 S. Main St.
Phone stolen at pizza shop
ROYAL OAK — A complainant re-
Resource
from page 1A
The Inter-Club Council consists of multiple clubs, nonprofits and groups in Royal Oak, according to Amy Murphy, president of the council.
“It’s a real collaborating type of meeting once a month,” Murphy said.
Murphy said that the idea for the resource fair came about when the club’s brand-new board was tasked with finding out what exactly the club’s members wanted to gain from the Inter-Club Council.
To find this out, the new board members took a survey.
“We got the survey results back and one of the things they really wanted was collaboration with the city,” she said. “We wanted to do a community fair, a way that people could find out about all the groups that are available, because they felt like people didn’t know they existed.”
Judy Davids, community engagement specialist for the city of Royal Oak, heard the club’s opinions and began the process of starting up the resource fair.
“It’s going to be like a one-stop shop for people that live in Royal Oak to walk through and find out what kind of service clubs are available to them,” Murphy said. “They can find out what volunteer opportunities that exist and directly benefit our community.”
Some examples of clubs or organizations that will be in attendance include the Royal Oak Historical Society, the Police and
ported that at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 4, an unknown person stole the complainant’s cellphone, which had been left unattended at Tania’s Pizza, 3204 Crooks Road.
Window screens to home damaged
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that between 8 and 10 p.m. Jan. 28, an unknown person damaged multiple window screens to the complainant’s residence near North Campbell Road and 12 Mile Road.
Damaged tires
ROYAL OAK — A complainant reported that between 5 p.m. Jan. 24 and 3 p.m. Jan 25, an unknown person damaged two of the complainant’s vehicle tires near McLean Avenue and 10 Mile Road.
— Taylor Christensen
History
from page 3A
African Americans who were involved in the Underground Railroad in Detroit, and Canada, so each presenter will be showcasing two individuals.
“We are really excited to have Irene Moore Davis join us,” said Edwards, who volunteers with the historical society. “She is a renowned historian in Canada who has won many awards and is a direct descendant of formerly enslaved ancestors who crossed the Detroit River to freedom.”
Edwards said her part of the presentation is focused on two African Americans who lived in Royal Oak in the 19th century.
“I was asked to do research on one person, and that grew and mushroomed into many people and a community that most people don’t know existed in Royal Oak at that time,” she said. “My part in this is to talk about two individuals who purchased land in Royal Oak in the late 1840s.”
lic historian and community advocate, according to a press release sent out by the Royal Oak Historical Society. She is also a sixth generation Underground Railroad descendent and daughter of an Afro Caribbean immigrant.
Edwards is an archivist and historian who uses primary source documents and is particularly interested in uncovering the lesser-known stories of marginalized individuals. She volunteers at the Royal Oak Historical Society as an archivist and historian.
Pielack is a historian, director of the Birmingham Museum and project director of the award-winning, multi-community public history research project documenting the Underground Railroad in Oakland County.
“It’s Black History Month, so it’s a great time to have these discussions,” Edwards said. “It’s new information that people, certainly in Oakland County, don’t know about. We are hoping to even get people far and wide, even international people coming, because of Irene’s connection.”
Fire departments, the Royal Oak Woman’s Club, and more.
Ted Page, chairperson of the community engagement board and president of the Royal Oak Beverly Hills Improvement Association, said that he is excited to put on this event and spread the word on different organizations available to the community.
“From my standpoint, I am promoting more neighborhoods to get organized,” Page said.
Murphy is also the communications specialist for Royal Oak Schools and said that she is hoping Royal Oak Schools families are going to be attending the event.
Although she is not doing this project representing Royal Oak Schools, there will be a booth set up at the event for Royal Oak Schools.
“The school district is super excited to be there,” Murphy said. “We are really excited to have our families find out about all of the support that’s available to them.”
Murphy also said that there are a good number of Inter-Club Council members signing up, ready to share their missions with the community.
“Getting involved in the community is a rewarding way to meet like-minded people and strengthen community connections,” Murphy said. “We would love to see you there!”
For more information on the Royal Oak Community Resource Fair & Food Truck Rally, visit romi.gov/calendar.
Call Staff Writer Taylor Christensen at (586) 498-1081.
Edwards will be telling the stories of one Black man who was born enslaved and self-emancipated. He became a conductor for the Underground Railroad and then purchased land in Royal Oak in 1847 with the intent to encourage Black people in Detroit to become land owners, she said.
The other person she is highlighting was a free Black man born in Virginia to formerly enslaved parents; he ended up moving his family to Detroit in the mid1840s and also bought land in Royal Oak.
“Did the other man bring him here? Did he know him? Probably. But is there proof, no, and that’s the whole thing about the Underground Railroad,” she said. “It was underground for a reason. Finding these documents is a challenge.”
Johanna Schurrer, curator of the Royal Oak Historical Society Museum, said that the three speakers have a distinguished background in history.
Davids is a Canadian educator, pub-
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The Royal Oak Historical Society is also sponsoring two related exhibits during Black History Month, including “A Tangled Web: Stories of African Americans in 19th Century Royal Oak” and “The Underground Railroad in Oakland County,” a traveling exhibit.
“This speaker program is important with the exhibit that we have at the museum; we want to continue to do research on the people (involved in the Underground Railroad) we have found in Royal Oak,” Schurrer said.
After the speakers give their 10-minute presentations, the floor will open up for a Q&A session from the audience.
The panel discussion is free of charge. To register, go to royaloakhistoricalsociety. com/shop and click on “Museum Presentations.” Donations are being accepted to help future exhibits and events.
Call Staff Writer Taylor Christensen at (586) 498-1081.
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metal water bottle
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — On Jan. 26, police took a report of an assault and battery at a fitness business in the 4000 block of West Maple Road after two men reportedly got into a verbal altercation in the parking lot over a parking space. The argument escalated and one of the men struck the other in the head with a metal Yeti water bottle, according to reports. Police were investigating.
$3,350 in items stolen from locker room
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — Police took a report of larceny from a fitness facility in the 4000 block of Telegraph Road Jan. 25. The victim reported that he left his black/gray Louis Vuitton duffel bag, containing No Bull Shoes and Apple AirPods, on a locker room bench while he showered. When the victim returned to his bag, he discovered that it was stolen. The items stolen are valued at $3,350.
Resident reports scam
TROY — Sometime between Sept. 1, 2024, and Jan. 10, 2025, a resident from Ardmore Drive reported that he made a series of investments with three separate apps that he believed were legitimate.
When he inquired about withdrawing his funds, he was advised he would have to pay an exorbitant fee to recover his money.
He then realized that it was a scam.
Scammer attempts to impersonate pizza owner
TROY — At 8:57 p.m. Jan. 15, an employee at a pizzeria located on John R Road reported having a phone conversation with someone that she believed was the store owner.
The unknown male told the employee to call him from her cellphone for privacy and was then instructed to take $170 from the business and go to the nearest retail store to put the money on a MoneyPak card.
The employee followed the instruction and provided photos of the MoneyPak card and receipt to the suspect.
However, the employee became suspicious when he asked for a code.
The employee contacted her boss and was advised that she was not speaking to the owner.
Door shattered at pizza shop
TROY — At 7:21 a.m. Jan. 17, the owner of the Little Caesars Pizza shop at 4973 Livernois Road
shattered with a large rock.
Running vehicle stolen
SOUTHFIELD — Between 6:10 a.m. and 6:19
a.m. Jan. 24, a resident started her vehicle and left it unoccupied in the 25000 block of Greenfield Road while it was running.
Upon return, she noticed that her 2010 Toyota Corolla was gone.
Patrol car struck by stolen vehicle
SOUTHFIELD — At 7:52 p.m. Jan. 25, Southfield
Police Department officers located a stolen vehicle, a 2021 BMW X3, near Paul Revere Street & Virginia Street.
The officers apprehended the driver after the vehicle struck a patrol vehicle.
A handgun was recovered from the vehicle.
Resident discovers stolen electricity
NOVI — A Howell woman allegedly opened an account with an electric company in the name of a Novi resident. That resident found out about it and contacted police on Jan. 23. The Howell woman allegedly had racked up a bill of about $300 before the Novi resident noticed. Charges had yet to be filed against the Howell woman.
Woman arrested for shoplifting
NOVI — The loss prevention department at Walmart in Novi apprehended a woman after she allegedly tried to walk out without paying for toilet paper and paper plates Jan. 24. The items totaled $22.96. The woman was arrested and charged with shoplifting.
Vehicle stolen from Washington Blvd.
BIRMINGHAM — At approximately 7 a.m. Jan. 23, officers were dispatched to a home in the 1400 block of Washington Boulevard for a reported stolen vehicle.
The residents, a 28-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, said their vehicle was taken from their driveway overnight. In it were belongings valued at more than $1,800 and $1,100 in cash. An investigation was ongoing.
Taxi driver chases down
fraudulent customer
BIRMINGHAM — At approximately 12:30 p.m. Jan. 21, officers were dispatched to a business in the 34500 block of Woodward Avenue for a reported fight. They found a 63-year-old Center Line man who is a taxi driver holding another man, a 25-year-old Detroit resident, up against a building.
driver’s vehicle without paying his $38 fare. The driver chased and caught the passenger and asked someone inside the building to call the police. Officers arrested the passenger for fraud and discovered a warrant for his arrest out of Detroit. The suspect was transferred to the Wayne County Jail.
Footprints in snow lead to broken-into vehicles
BIRMINGHAM — At approximately 3:30 a.m. Jan. 23, officers were dispatched to the 1400 block of Cedar Street, where a resident reported seeing a vehicle slowly driving northbound on Cedar as people got out and ran into multiple driveways and backyards.
Officers canvassed the area and found footprints in the snow leading to 15 vehicles parked outside 13 homes on Cedar, Lincoln, Henrietta and Pierce. Three of those vehicles had unlocked doors, with consoles that were open with contents in disarray. An investigation was ongoing.
Money and miscellaneous items taken from vehicles
WEST BLOOMFIELD — Items from the glove compartments and $320 were taken from a gray Lincoln Navigator and black Chevrolet Tahoe around 1:50 a.m. Jan. 13.
The vehicles were parked and unlocked in the owner’s driveway in the 6600 block of Crest Top Drive.
According to the Ring doorbell video, the suspect was dressed in a brown Carhartt jacket, dark jeans and carrying a black bag, in which he put the contents from the vehicles. The suspect used a flashlight while in the vehicles.
Wallet reportedly stolen WEST BLOOMFIELD — A resident in the 7100 block of Orchard Lake Road reported that his wallet was stolen after patronizing a bar in Ferndale Jan. 12.
The wallet contained several credit cards and other items. The West Bloomfield resident was alerted about fraudulent purchases from Best Buy and a Marathon gas station on one of his credit cards. Officers advised the victim to report the incident to the Ferndale Police Department.
Delivery driver robbed
WEST BLOOMFIELD — A resident in the 5800 block of Cherry Crest Drive called West Bloomfield police around 2:24 p.m. Jan. 10 when a man in his 20s “forcefully” took the package out of the hands of a delivery driver.
Reportedly, the package had several iPhones and was intended for the Cherry Crest resident. The
vehicle where a driver was waiting. The vehicle was described as a black, newer model Jeep Grand Cherokee with tinted windows.
Items stolen from vehicle
MADISON HEIGHTS — According to a police report, an unknown suspect entered a 2013 Lincoln belonging to a 26-year-old Madison Heights resident while the vehicle was parked in the 31000 block of Concord Drive between 4 p.m. Jan. 17 and 10:15 a.m. Jan. 18, and stole photography equipment. There was no damage to the vehicle. Investigations were ongoing.
Telephone fraud
MADISON HEIGHTS — According to a police report, a 38-year-old resident in the 27000 block of Brush Street received a telephone call from an unknown suspect sometime between Jan. 16 and Jan. 17, in which the caller represented themselves as a bank representative and convinced the victim to send them money via bitcoin. Police were investigating.
Truck and trailer disappear
MADISON HEIGHTS — According to
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — Bloomfield Township Public Library
shares The Distracted Librarians podcast with library and booklovers everywhere. The podcast premiered March 1, 2024, and over 20 episodes are already available.
“We use the ‘distracted’ moniker pretty liberally to allow us to bounce around to whatever topics interest us, as long as there’s a tie to storytelling, books, or other forms of media,” Adult and Teen Services Librarian and co-host Drew Heuser said in a statement. “We’ve had fun covering things like guilty pleasures, reading slumps, and adaptations of books and stories, as well as telling a few stories of our own, and we’re looking forward to seeing where being easily distractible will take us next.”
The podcast is hosted by librarians from adult and teen services as well as youth services. The librarians partner with Bloomfield Community Television to use their recording space and sound editing expertise, as well as another avenue to share episodes.
Podcast episodes are released on the first and 15th day of each month and can be found on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast content outlets. Episodes are also available on the library website and the Bloomfield Community Television YouTube channel.
The Distracted Librarians can be reached at distracted@btpl.org or btpl.org/the-distracted-librarians.
Local group celebrates its birthday DETROIT/GROSSE POINTE FARMS — More than 80 members were on hand at the Country Club of Detroit in Grosse Pointe Farms Jan. 18 to mark the 132nd birthday of the Louisa St. Clair Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The Louisa St. Clair Chapter, which is based in the Grosse Pointes, presents scholarships to local high school seniors, offers essay and art contests on American history topics, supports veterans and active duty servicemembers and works with the Grosse Pointe Historical Society. A posthumous American History Medal was awarded to Mary Upshaw Evans McClendon for her efforts to improve wages and conditions for domestic workers in metro Detroit. McClendon’s granddaughter, Esteralita Evans, was present to accept the award. University Liggett School student Da’Mya Johnson, whose research brought McClendon’s story to the attention of DAR members, was on hand as well when Louisa St. Clair Past Regent Peggy King Scully presented Evans with the medal in honor of McClendon’s
skating event offered
contributions.
Marianne Langolis and Stephanie Wilkins.
RCU presents: ‘Broadway & Beyond: An Evening with Blake Whyte and Friends’ Blake Whyte ROCHESTER HILLS – Rochester Christian University presents Broadway & Beyond: An Evening with Blake Whyte and Friends, a world premiere of original songs from Broadway star Blake Whyte. Star of Broadway’s Wicked and Mamma Mia!, Whyte is bringing his talent to the RCU stage with this brand new show about his journey, told throughstorytelling and original soulful music, according to organizers. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21-22, with a matinee at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in the theater on the campus of Rochester Christian University, 800 W. Avon Road in Rochester Hills. Tickets are $5 for students and $18 for adults, with $16 tickets available for seniors and veterans. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door an hour before each performance. To purchase tickets online or for more information, visit www.rcu.edu/rcu-theatre-music.