LIBRARY THRIVES IN DIGITAL AGE
FEBRUARY 19, 2025 Vol. 45, No. 4
City Council reviews Jefferson Avenue sewer project
BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
The St. Clair Shores City Council viewed a presentation at their meeting on Feb. 3 about an upcoming sewer project on Jefferson Avenue between Nine Mile Road and 10 Mile Road.
The main goal for the sewer project is to stop combined sewer overflows from releasing into Lake St. Clair. Such events occur when combined sewer systems become overwhelmed with rainwater and sewage, and the untreated water flows into nearby lakes and rivers. As it stands, the part of Jefferson Avenue from Nine Mile to 10 Mile only has one pipe, whereas surrounding areas on Jefferson have two.
Around $20 million for the project comes from Macomb County’s American Rescue Plan Act money. About $5 million was garnered by state Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, and around $2 million was secured by U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township. The total cost of the project is approximately $30 million.
Mayor Kip Walby stated the pump station at Rio Vista has discharged about eight times a year over the last decade.
“I think Dec. 29 was the last one and about 46 million gallons came on that discharge,” Walby said. “You can see some are higher, some are lower, right? That’s very recent data.”
See SEWER on page 20A
At a town hall meeting on Feb. 13, the public viewed a presentation and was able to ask officials and project managers questions about the
sewer project along Jefferson Avenue.
Shores students come together to create Cinderella’s Closet
BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
Even on a tight budget, any student will be able to feel like a princess as they pick out
dresses from Cinderella’s Closet, hosted by Lakeview and Lake Shore students.
Emily Wilson, a substitute teacher at Lakeview High School, said the idea was created by Elizabeth Curd, a teacher at Lakev-
iew and the sponsor for Huskies with Heart.
The student group takes part in a big project each year.
“We’ve been collecting special occasion dresses for prom and homecoming and
jewelry and shoes and accessories and we’ve even started collecting some suits and ties and things like that,” Wilson said.
Students from Lakeview Public Schools,
See DRESSES on page 16A
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
looming
Our next edition will come to homes March 5. Stay
Chapaton Retention Basin project progressing well
LIBRARY THRIVES IN DIGITAL AGE
BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
The St. Clair Shores library is thriving with an increase in programming and items checked out each year.
St. Clair Shores Library Director Stephanie Fair said they had 236,454 items in circulation last year. They had 198,730 in 2023 and 197,308 in 2022. This includes all physical items as well as digital items such as audiobooks.
“We really have increased our checkouts,” Fair said. “Primarily physical items but also with our audio and e-books.”
The increase could be due to people coming back from their routines during the COVID-19 pandemic and more people enjoying the library.
BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
Progress continues on the Chapaton Retention Basin, with a possible ending date in early spring.
Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller said the project started a year ago in August. The project was originally slated to be completed by this August.
“But they’ve made excellent progress,” Miller said. “We’re hoping that maybe even the spring, summer anyway. It certainly won’t be behind schedule.”
There is no exact date for the Nine Mile Road boat launch opening, but Vince Astorino, operations manager of the Southeast Macomb Sanitary District, said spring is the goal.
“Realistically, it could be early summer for that,” Astorino said.
The main goal of the project is to reduce the number of combined sewer overflows they discharge into Lake St. Clair. CSOs occur when combined sewer systems become overwhelmed with rainwater and sewage, and the untreated water flows into nearby lakes and rivers.
The project for the Chapaton Retention Basin will expand the canal, giving it an extra 13 million gallons of storage.
Parade preparations in full swing
BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
Preparations for the St. Clair Shores Memorial Day Parade have already begun and the organizers are excited for the day to come.
The parade this year will be on Harper Avenue due to construction on Jefferson Avenue. It will take place on Sunday, May 25.
Pamela Mason, the chairperson of the St. Clair Shores Memorial Day Parade Committee, said they are a little bit ahead of schedule. She was treasurer of the committee last year and she said the chairperson has a lot more to juggle.
“A lot more irons in the fire, but that’s to be expected,” Mason said.
Everything has been smooth sailing so far, she said.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Progress on the Chapaton Retention Basin continues with a possible end date this spring or early summer.
Photo by Alyssa Ochss
The St. Clair Shores Public Library has seen continued
State set to send teens to Macomb juvenile center
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MOUNT CLEMENS — Teenagers incarcerated at a state juvenile center in Grayling are moving south in the coming months.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced on Jan. 24 that the 17 male youths lodged at the Shawono Center will be relocated to the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center.
“While the decision to relocate the services provided by the Shawono Center was difficult, transferring to Macomb County will allow us to serve more youths and help them become healthy and productive citizens,” MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said in a press release. “I appreciate the hard work and dedication of the staff at the Shawono Center, and we will work to find positions for all staff who would like to remain with MDHHS.”
The state’s inmates, who range from 12-21 years old, will move into the justice center’s west wing. The wing was previously occupied by Rite of Passage — a “national youth services provider” according to the MDHHS — with around $360,000 in renovations made for that program. The state intends to further renovate the wing for the purposes of housing the teens formerly lodged in Grayling, as well as renaming the wing the Michigan Youth Treatment Center.
“The state is looking to use about 40-60 beds,” Macomb County Deputy Executive Andy McKinnon said.
McKinnon said details about the move, such as how much money will be spent on further renovations and operations, remained in flux as of early February. Some services at the justice center like dining may be shared, though it is unlikely the state and county prisoners will mix together.
Housing prisoners from outside of the county is not new for the justice center. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said the center takes in convicted youths from neighboring counties.
“They (the state) reached out to us knowing we’re a regional facility, and I say that because we house juveniles from the thumb area,” Hackel said. “We have contractional relationships with them depending on their needs. St. Clair, Sanilac, Lapeer (counties) … A lot of these counties don’t really need their own facility. They don’t really have a lot of juveniles that they are sending to detention. But if they do, they notice that we have some space available to accommodate that on a per-bed, per-day price, so we do that.”
McKinnon estimated the existing youth detainees at Grayling would all be moved down by the end of spring.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
Photo by Dean Vaglia
State-level juvenile inmates are expected to be relocated to a wing of the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center by the end of spring 2025.
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — 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.
“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,
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.
Shutterstock image
MACY’S TO CLOSE AT LAKESIDE MALL
DROPPED ANCHOR NOT SLOWING REDEVELOPMENT PLANS
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
STERLING HEIGHTS — It takes a long time for stars to burn out, but they all will eventually. With its own trademark red star, Macy’s at Lakeside Mall now marches toward its own final end.
On Jan. 9, the New York City-based retail titan Macy’s Inc. announced its intention to close 66 locations across the county including the anchor store at the now-dead Lakeside. The retailer expects it and the 65 other stores to be shuttered by the end of the first quarter 2025.
“Closing any store is never easy, but as part of our Bold New Chapter strategy, we are closing underproductive Macy’s stores to allow us to focus our resources and prioritize investments in our go-forward stores, where customers are already responding positively to better product offerings and elevated service,” Tony Spring, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc., said in a press release.
Macy’s closure came as no shock to Out
of the Box Ventures — the mall’s owner since 2019 — and the city of Sterling Heights.
“It was anticipated,” said Luke Bonner, CEO of the Bonner Advisory Group and a senior economic development adviser for the city of Sterling Heights. “We saw a lot of the national headlines last summer and last fall that Macy’s was closing hundreds of stores across the county. We hadn’t been notified of it yet, but we were assuming it was going to happen.”
Bonner says Out of the Box Ventures acquired the mall’s northern Macy’s property in late 2024 in anticipation of the retailer moving out. Out of the Box already owned the southern Macy’s anchor and leased it to the retailer. News of the north Macy’s closure means Out of the Box is tasked with incorporating the land into its plans for the Lakeside site.
“The Macy’s will likely be demolished with the rest of the mall,” Bonner said.
From the rubble of Lakeside Mall are the plans for the Lakeside City Center, a mixed-use project aiming to turn the con-
by
crete oval into 2,359 multifamily residential units, over 700,000 square feet of retail space, 70,000 square feet of offices, a 20,000-square-foot community center and a hotel with 80-100 rooms.
Progress on the site’s future continues with Out of the Box focusing on planning
and engineering work, as well as preparing tax incentive documents to be submitted to the state.
Bonner expects demolition to begin in the fall.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
Home Care One Cares For Those In Need
Home Care One Owner Perry Calisi believes in honesty, integrity, and compassion -- and has offered such quality care through his home care business for the past ffteen years in Grosse Pointe, St. Clair Shores, and Macomb Township in southeastern Michigan.
as everything becomes more expensive,” he said. “In my experience, more people have done better living in their home rather than facilities; just by familiarity and independence.”
Perry said he entered the business by hearing that someone needed help.
Home Care One provides assistance for seniors and patients in their homes, and helps with alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, hospital and nursing home sitting, interim care during hospice, physical and mental disability assistance for children and adults, and people recovering from surgery. Services also include full or part-time and 24hour care services, and daily living activities such as meal preparation, running errands, assistance with bathing, house cleaning, doctor visits and more.
Perry wants to increase community awareness about how his company offers these personalized services to keep your loved ones living independently at home. Perry added that he and his staff go further than the next by helping clients stay as independent as possible.
“The public should look at home care as a way of staying independent, and in one’s own home --
“I just set up my own business model for what I would want for my own mother,” he said. “I would want someone honest and compassionate in the house.” Perry said he tries to match his roughly 18 employees’ personality types with patients. “It assures that there is going to be an assimilation of getting along,” he said. Betty, a client, said she is “really lucky” to have caregivers take really good care of her. “I get all that pampering,” she said smiling. “They’ve been with me ever since. I haven’t been let down for anything.”
Betty’s caregiver, Theresa, said Perry cares about his clients and he cares about his employees as well. “He is good about matching an employee with a client, which is nice,” she said. “We all work together. He cares all the way around... that is him in general.”
For more information call 313-409-0120 or go to http://www.homecareone.net/.
Owner, Perry
Photo
Dean Vaglia
As the sun sets on the Macy’s at Lakeside Mall, demolition and redevelopment plans for the site continue to be advertised and worked on.
CRIME WATCH
Fraud on Colonial Court
At 7:29 p.m. on Feb. 3, a case of fraud was reported in the 23000 block of Colonial Court.
The victim, a 60-year-old man, stated he received an email that he thought was from the U.S. Marshals Service. The man stated it made him believe one of his accounts was being used for suspicious activity and that they needed $2,500 to make it go away. The man bought $2,000 in Sephora gift cards and $500 in Bitcoin and gave the information to the alleged scammers.
An officer advised the man a report would be made, but that the chances of arrest are slim because some scammers live in different countries. The officer also advised him to contact the Federal Trade Commission and ask local law enforcement in the future before sending anyone large amounts of money.
Forgery on Little Mack Avenue
At 9:42 a.m. on Feb. 7, an act of forgery was reported in the 24000 block of Little Mack Avenue.
An officer was at a local credit union
when the assistant branch manager stated there was recently a case of fraud. A 40-yearold woman wrote a check for $162.52 to the credit union and placed it in her mailbox. When she checked it later, the check was cashed for $762.52.
A 24-year-old man, the suspect, arrived at a location on foot and cashed the check. He presented his driver’s license to the credit union. He allegedly had washed the check, writing in his name and amount from the woman’s account. The woman filed a report with the Chesterfield Township Police Department.
Identity theft attempt on Saint Gertrude
At 6:05 p.m. on Feb. 12, a case of attempted identity theft was reported in the 21000 block of Saint Gertrude Street.
The victim, a 72-year-old man, came into the station and asked about identity theft. He was advised someone tried to take money from one of his accounts. The unknown man had an ID with the victim’s name but a picture of the suspect. The teller, recognizing it was not the victim, refused to allow the withdrawal. The man made a scene when the teller tried to keep the ID, so it was given back, and he left.
— Alyssa Ochss
NEWS & NOTES
LAKE SHORE CLASS OF 1985 TO HOLD REUNION
ST. CLAIR SHORES — According to a Facebook post, the Lake Shore High School Class of 1985 will be hosting its 40-year reunion on Oct. 4, 2025, at the Watermark Bar & Grille.
More details to come.
SHORES RESIDENT ROLLS INTO AUTORAMA
ST. CLAIR SHORES — St. Clair Shores resident Diamond Huso will be among those showing vehicles at Autorama this year.
Huso will display his white 1966 Chevy Nova. Other vehicles on display this year will include a pink Barbie convertible and much more.
Autorama runs Feb. 28 to March 2 at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit.
‘COWABUNGA’
WARREN — The Great Lakes Comic-Con is coming to the Macomb Community College Expo Center from 5-9 p.m. Feb. 21; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 23. The Expo Center is located at South Campus, 14500 E. 12 Mile Road. The event is designed for comic lovers, toy collectors, and cosplay enthusiasts. There will be gaming, attractions and guest appearances from Sam J. Jones, known as Flash Gordon, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman. For ticket information and a list of events, visit greatlakescomicconvention.com.
LIBRARY TO HOST STATE CAPITOL HISTORIAN
ST. CLAIR SHORES — The St. Clair Shores Public Library is hosting State Capitol Historian Valerie Marvin for a presentation about Detroit’s William Wright Co.
According to a press release, the company furnished the interiors of buildings and boats including the state Capitol building. This event will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 27 in the meeting room of the library located at 22500 11 Mile Road.
The program is open to patrons 12 and older. Registration is required and began on Feb. 13. Patrons can register in person at the library, over the phone by calling (586) 771-9020 or online by visiting scslibrary.org.
EXTRA CREDIT UNION KEEPS OTHERS WARM
MACOMB COUNTY — A large number of Macomb County students the Macomb Intermediate School District identified as homeless are staying warmer this winter thanks to the members and employees of Extra Credit Union.
ECU, headquartered in Warren, held a drive recently in which members and employees donated hats, coats, gloves and money for students in need. ECU also collected personal hygiene products and school supplies. The donations totaled $1,967 in monetary contributions and a total of 537 in items.
“We have seen a significant increase in requests for basic needs items such as food and hygiene items,” MISD Student Health Education and Homeless Consultant Sara Orris said in a prepared statement. “The appreciation of support from Extra Credit Union cannot be overstated. The donations help students experiencing homelessness the opportunity to attend school feeling prepared to learn without worry about basic needs or school supplies. We appreciate the continued support.”
Orris said the funds from Extra Credit Union’s donation will be used to purchase hats, gloves, socks, and hygiene items. All the tangible items will be sent immediately to homeless students in need. Anyone interested in learning more about the project or supporting its efforts can visit misd.net/Homeless.
Photo provided by Autorama
pounds to 78.3 pounds.
BLACK LAKE STURGEON SEASON LASTS 17 MINUTES
LANSING — Nearly 800 anglers descended upon Black Lake in Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties on Feb. 1. After 17 minutes of hooks and spears plunging beneath the lake ice, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources gave the word to 790 anglers to go home empty-handed.
A lucky seven anglers secured their place in history.
The Black Lake sturgeon season is a highly regulated annual harvest limited to six fish every year between Feb. 1-5, as agreed to by the state and tribal governments; seven fish are allowed if simultaneous harvests occur.
The hard limits on the Black Lake sturgeon angling season support the rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in the Cheboygan River watershed by the DNR with the support of the Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon For Tomorrow, Michigan State University, Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership, the Bay Mills Indian Community, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
Anglers on the lake were notified of the season’s quick end by text messages and shanty visits by DNR officials, getting the word out within minutes that the season’s quota was reached.
WANTED: BLOOD DONORS
DETROIT — The American Red Cross is urging donors to give blood or platelets in February to help build up the blood supply after thousands of donations went uncollected last month due to severe winter weather, the California wildfires and seasonal illnesses. All blood types are needed — especially type O negative blood — and donors are encouraged to make and keep their donation appointments so hospitals can continue to ensure critical care for patients this winter. To book a time to give blood or platelets, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). As a thank you, all who come to give by Feb. 28 will receive a $15 electronic gift card to a merchant of their choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Flurry for details.
LOCAL PANEL WILL DISCUSS MACOMB’S ECONOMIC FORECAST
WARREN — The 2025 Macomb Economic Forecast will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the South Campus of Macomb Community College, 14500 E. 12 Mile Road. The event will be in room 301 of the K Building.
Pictured left to right: Vicky Rowinski, director of Macomb County’s Department of Planning & Economic Development; Brian Parthum, an economist with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments; and Thomas Alongi, a partner with UHY, will be among the panelists. Also scheduled to speak is Quentin L. Messer Jr., of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. Michigan Strategic Fund.
The cost to attend is $45 for EastpointeRoseville Chamber of Commerce members and $55 for nonmembers. Email events@erchamber. com or call (586) 776-5520 to attend.
Photo provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources This season’s harvested Black Lake sturgeons ranged in size from 43.5 inches to 64 inches long and weighed 18.2
File photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Sleep
from page 5A
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.”
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 con-
“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.”
sideration. 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 18-60 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
See SLEEP on page 15A
Dr. Plomaritis is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with advanced fellowship training, including experience treating complex shoulder, knee and sports-related injuries. His orthopedic Surgical experience began as an associate Professor with the orthopedic department at Wayne State University and the unique opportunity to care for several professional and collegiate athletic organizations. Dr. Plomaritis has served as the orthopedic surgeon for Wayne State University for over a decade and has also treated the Detroit Red Wings, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario hockey league. In addition, he has also served as the orthopedic surgeon and consultant for the U.S. figure skating Association and the U.S. National Strong man competitors.
Knee Pain
The most common cause of knee pain in the adult population is osteoarthritis or more commonly referred to as degenerative arthritis.
Degenerative arthritis is the result of wear and tear or breakdown of the articular cartilage which is the glide surface within the knee.
Degenerative arthritis frequently presents as joint pain as well as swelling, restricted motion, contractures and at times deformity.
The tenets of an accurate diagnosis include a comprehensive physical examination coupled with detailed image studies, i.e. Xrays, Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and MRI. An accurate diagnosis serves as the foundation for selecting the most appropriate patient specific treatment.
Treatment Options include subspecialty Rehabilitation-educate and train patients how to minimize symptoms and maximize function.
Joint injections-including Biogenic and lubricants to help restore joint surface function.
Minimally invasive procedures such as knee arthroscopy which is frequently coupled with biogenic treatments (blood products), designed to repair injured or over stressed degenerative cartilage and bone.
Reconstructive procedures- This procedure is designed to unload degenerative joint surfaces with realignment of the extremity and resurfacing.
The clinic accepts most insurance plans and o er private pay options, including cases related to automobile accidents and workers’ compensation.
Dr. Steven T. Plomaritis
SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN IN BUSINESS
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 women-owned 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 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.
See WOMEN on page 21A
“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,” said Shivani Sharma, owner of Right Food Choice in Troy. “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.”
Samantha Stewart knows how healing massage can be. After the birth of her third child, she developed debilitating migraines. After seeking help from a doctor and chiropractor, she fnally found relief from massage.
“It’s been life-changing,” Stewart said.
Her experience is one of the reasons she became a licensed massage therapist. Her company, Apotheosis Mobile Massage, brings the healing power of massage to people in their home or ofce.
“We try to deliver the very best in massage,” Stewart said.
Stewart specializes in shoulder, upper back, prenatal and headache massages. A licensed, insured mobile massage therapist, she also provides a range of other treatments, including cupping, sports massage, lymphatic massage, deep tissue massage, stretching, mud wraps and full body exfoliation.
Massage can improve outcomes for those with arthritis as well. Stewart has a number of senior clients, some of whom had never tried massage therapy. Because she comes to her clients, she can easily work with those who can’t drive.
“A lot of people don’t understand how integral physical contact is to your overall health,” Stewart said. “And elderly people tend to be the most touch-starved populations. Tat can make a really big diference in health outcomes.”
Young stay-at-home parents or parents who work from home also appreciate Stewart’s business. For some clients, she visits during a baby’s nap time.
Stewart’s hours refect the busy lives of her clients. She ofers appointments Mondays through Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
“You can order a massage right before bed,” Stewart said. “It can really prime the body for sleep.”
Stewart also ofers corporate massage and party packages, great ways to extend the benefts of massage to employees, friends or family. She said massage increases oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin — a.k.a. the happiness hormones — while decreasing stress hormones.
To schedule an appointment or for more information, call (843) 212-0661, visit www.apotheosismassage. com or see Apotheosis Mobile Massage’s pages on Facebook and Instagram.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
COMMUNITY BRIEFS
2025 Auto Show has estimated $370 million impact
DETROIT — After an 11-day run in January, organizers of the Detroit Auto Show announced on Feb. 5 the show drew in 275,000 visitors with an estimated $370 million financial impact on the region.
“The impact the Detroit Auto Show has had on our remarkable region cannot be overstated — with hundreds of thousands of Detroiters and visitors experiencing the best
we have to offer, supporting our economy and dining in our amazing restaurants,”
Claude Molinari, President and CEO of Visit Detroit, said via press release. “Every year the Detroit Auto Show is one of the most important and influential mobility events in the world, shining a light on the city and creating experiential opportunities with the brands and technologies that define us as the Motor City.”
The show’s black-tie Charity Preview drew 7,000 attendees and raised $1.7 million for six children’s charities in the region, while bringing the total funds generated since 1976 to over $125 million.
— Dean
Vaglia
Photo by Dean Vaglia
Pictured at the Detroit Auto Show is the Ferrari from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
14A/ ST. CLAIR SHORES SENTINEL • FEBRUARY 19, 2025
FEB. 22
Open mic: 6 p.m. (5:30 sign-up), VFW Bruce Post 1146, 28404 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, wayfarer92@yahoo.com, facebook.com/vfw1146bruce post
FEB. 24
Learn about African American artists: Hear about their contributions from 19th century to present, also examine issues of race, gender, politics and culture, presentation by Detroit Institute of Arts, 6:30 p.m., St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, registration required, (586) 771-9020, scslibrary.org
FEB. 26
Learn about President Abraham Lincoln Assassination: Presented virtually by educator from Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., 2 p.m., watch via Zoom or in person at St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, registration required, (586) 771-9020, scslibrary.org
FEB. 27
Learn about William Wright Company: Detroit firm furnished interiors of government buildings, theaters, hotels, churches, banks, private clubs and more, presentation by Michigan State Capitol historian Valerie Marvin at 6 p.m., St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, registration required, (586) 771-9020, scslibrary.org
MARCH 1
Book sale and meet local authors: Half-off deals during regular hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m., free author showcase at 1:30 p.m., St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, (586) 771-9020, scslibrary.org
MARCH 2
Comic and toy show: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (early bird at 9 a.m.), VFW Bruce Post 1146, 28404 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, also held May 18, June 8, Aug. 3, Sept. 21 and Oct. 5, keywellcollectables.com, facebook.com/dawnofthecollectors
MARCH 10
Yardeners of St. Clair Shores: Presentation about community science, 7 p.m., St. Clair Shores City Hall, 27600 Jefferson Ave., garden group also meets April 14, June 6, Aug. 2, Sept. 20 and Oct. 13, (586) 2124179, scsyardeners@gmail.com
ONGOING
Fish fries: 4-8 p.m. Fridays March 7-April 18, VFW Bruce Post 1146, 28404 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, dine in and carry-out, cash only (ATM on site), facebook.com/vfw1146brucepost
St. Clair Shores Community Chorus: Open rehearsals for ages 14 and older at 7:30 p.m. every Monday, Triumphant Cross Lutheran Church, 22360 13 Mile
To view more Community Calendar and to submit your own, use the QR code or visit candgnews.com/calendar. To advertise an event, call (586) 498-8000.
Road, spring concert featuring music from movies at 3 p.m. May 4, Lake Shore High School, 22980 13 Mile Road, scscommunitychorus.org
Activities for seniors: Crafting, movies, knitting and crocheting, dominoes, euchre, pickleball, and many more games, St. Clair Shores Senior Center for Active Adults, 20100 Stephens Road, (586) 445-0996
St. Gertrude Senior’s Club: Meets 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays, St. Margaret of Scotland, 21201 E. 13 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores, (586) 293-2240
Silent Book Group: Bring own book, for ages 18 and older, socializing at 6:30 p.m. and silent reading at 8 p.m. every third Wednesday of month, St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, (586) 771-9020, scslibrary.org
‘Sky & Space’: Features works by Lakeside Palette Club of St. Clair Shores and other local art groups, exhibit on display 10 a.m.-5 p.m. until Feb. 22, Anton Art Center, 125 Macomb Place in Mount Clemens, theartcenter.org
Lakeside Palette Club of St. Clair Shores: Open studio events from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, St. Clair Shores Adult Education Center inside North Lake High School, 23340 Elmira St., (586) 944-8253, lpcofscs@ gmail.com, lakesidepaletteclub.org
FEB. 28-MARCH 2
Detroit Autorama: 72nd annual event includes more than 800 customs, trucks and motorcycles, Megamorph Transforming Robot Car, Barbie Pink Cadillac Convertible, appearances by Danny Koker and Kevin Mack from “Counting Cars,” Miss Autorama Pinup Girl contest, and more, noon-10 p.m. Feb. 28, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. March 1 and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. March 2, Huntington Place, 1 Washington Blvd. in Detroit, autorama.com, read about local gearheads at candgnews.com/news/auto
Strummers: Jam sessions for all levels from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Lakeshore Presbyterian Church, 27801 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, (586) 321-9535
Storytime: 1:30 p.m. every second Wednesday of month, near Dick’s Sporting Goods at Macomb Mall, 32233 Gratiot Ave. in Roseville, shopmacombmall. com
See more Community Calendar on page 18A
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.
Dresses
from page 1A
Lake Shore Public Schools and surrounding districts will be able to come to the Lakeview cafeteria and pick out dresses for $20, shoes for $10 and accessories for $5. The closet will be open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on March 14 for just Lakeview and Lake Shore students, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 15 for everyone.
“We’ll have dressing rooms available, and we have backdrops for selfies, stuff like that,” Wilson said.
Wilson said their counselors are getting in touch with counselors from surrounding districts. There will be two sets of dressing rooms and students will work the event.
“We have it all in our heads as a successful event,” Wilson said. “Hopefully we’re able to pull it off the way we have envisioned it to be.”
The dresses are for any event, school dances such as formals and prom, as well as for special events like weddings. A wide variety of dresses will be available for purchase from ball gowns to short dresses and more.
“It’s pretty fun going through because you get to see all the different dresses and remember back to when I was in high school and loved to dress up for those things,” Wilson said.
The money will help cover different things such as dry cleaning for the dresses.
Wilson’s son, Nathan Wilson, is the president of the group. Curd currently teaches four subjects.
“I’m on campus every day and she’s involved so I’ve just took it on because I had more time than she did,” Wilson said about Curd. “Just want to make her brainchild come to life.”
The dresses are donated from the surrounding community. Wilson
See DRESSES on page 19A
Photo provided by Emily Wilson
Nathan Wilson, the president of Lakeview High School’s Huskies with Heart, Carrington Barnes, a member of the Lake Shore High School Black Student Union, and Isabella Rexroad, Huskies with Heart secretary, stand in front of racks of dresses.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Continued from page 14A
Young Modelers Club: For ages 8-16, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays until April 19, Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society Museum, 16600 Stephens Road in Eastpointe, contact Jim at (248) 574-3487, (248) 399-2386 or jimandkatie17@att.net
Ice skating: Noon-8 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays, and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays until March 2, The Rink at Campus Martius Park, 800 Woodward Ave. in Detroit, downtowndetroit.org/ experience-downtown/things-to-do/the-rink
‘Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family’: See skeleton casts, fossils and life-size displays, also multiple interactive elements, exhibit extended until May, Michigan Science Center, 5020 John R St. in Detroit, mi-sci.org
Health workshops: Hosted by Corewell Health, free and virtual, corewellhealth.org/classes-events/ southeast-michigan
Lupus support groups: 10 a.m. every second Tuesday of month and 7 p.m. every last Wednesday of month, Zoom, (248) 901-7299, milupus.org/support-groups
Library
from page 3A
“We’re trying to increase our programs and stuff,” Fair said. “So as we’re increasing those, people are coming in and then they’re utilizing the library for other services like checking out items.”
Fair said she’s happy with the increase in activity and checkouts. She said she also follows statistics from other local libraries and believes the St. Clair Shores library is similar to those communities.
Over the last fiscal year, they had 138,388 visits to the library.
“That was a good turnout for our patronage, and we just feel like it keeps increasing. We can see those trends where we’re getting busier on certain days,” Fair said.
St. Clair Shore City Councilman Ronald Frederick said the library has been booming and they’ve seen increases in every department. Frederick also said the increase in activity is one of the reasons they decided to redo the footprint of what’s important to residents.
A federally earmarked grant in the amount of $1.5 million and separate private donations help to pay for the scheduled renovations.
“Our basic design development right now is somewhere in the neighborhood of about $2 million, so we’re a little bit short yet,” Frederick said.
He went on to say they are going through plans to see what the library needs to fit the budget.
The library will be open during the summer and renovations are expected to start in September. Renovations will include a new makerspace, new children’s areas including one for younger chil-
dren and one for teens, redoing the circulation desk, a genealogy area and more.
Everyone is pretty excited for the renovations. Frederick said the library does a lot for the community.
“We’re trying to sort out how to keep the library exciting during the renovation,” Frederick said. “Because we’ll be closed.”
He said they’re thinking of popping up at different places throughout the community. Online services will still be available.
Fair agrees that it’s important to keep libraries in a community.
“Libraries are a vital resource for any age really,” Fair said.
She added that they hope to get children involved in the library when they’re younger and hopefully they continue to visit as they grow.
“Everyone utilizes the library a little differently,” Fair said. “Mainly just being that community hub that people can come to and use it for whatever their needs are.”
Frederick estimated that residents save around $3.5 million by using the library. Databases such as Hoopla and others were used around 53,000 times during the previous year.
“That’s pretty impressive,” Frederick said.
The library is preparing for its summer reading program. Fair said she thinks the renovations will make a big difference in the community.
The St. Clair Shores Public Library is a part of the Suburban Library Collective, a conglomeration of more than 27 libraries in and around Macomb County.
“Some people think the library is just books,” Frederick said. “It’s way more than books.”
For more information about upcoming programs or library services, visit the library’s website at scslibrary.org.
Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.
City Council Meeting Monday, March 3, 2025 Monday, March 17, 2025
7:00 p.m. City Hall, Council Chambers 27600 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores Scan QR code or visit www.scsmi.net/councilagendas to view agendas online. Agendas are posted, by the end of business day, two Fridays before each meeting.
Dresses
from page 16A
has posted on social media, and they’ve hosted three donation days where people can drop them off at Lakeview High School. The final donation day is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 22 in the Lakeview Auditorium.
At press time, approximately 300 dresses had been donated.
Lake Shore High School’s Black Student Union also takes part in this drive.
“When we originally put (it) out there, I was contacted by Lake Shore and they were thinking about putting one on, so we decided to come together,” Wilson said.
Annette Kominiarek, Lake Shore Black Student Union advisor and a Lake Shore teacher, said the club was looking for something for community involvement.
“And it was just one of those fluke things that I had just thought about,” Kominiarek said.
She said she later checked a website and saw Wilson’s post and thought it’d be great to have a bigger event instead of two separate events.
This is the first year the Black Student Union has been a club at Lake Shore High School. Kominiarek said they’ve already participated in a number of volunteer projects and hosted a number of events. They have a core group of around 15 students.
Kominiarek said the students liked the idea of the event.
“I think they’ll be more excited when it comes to event day,” Kominiarek said.
As event day grows closer, the students get more and more excited. Planning for the event started in the fall and Kominiarek also said that was also when their first donation days started.
Wilson said that though the two schools are rivals in football, they’re not really rivals when it comes to stuff like this.
“We’re coming together when it counts,” Wilson said.
The hope, Wilson said, is to continue it on and perhaps host it at Lake Shore if Lakeview can’t.
“And then we’ll help with their school and flip flop back and forth,” Wilson said.
Wilson said she is not opposed to getting South Lake Schools involved as well.
“I think it would be amazing to have all the St. Clair Shores schools work together to do it,” Wilson said. “It just didn’t go in that direction this year.”
Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.
Photo provided by Emily Wilson
Members of Lakeview High School’s Huskies with Heart and Lake Shore’s Black Student Union are hosting Cinderella’s Closet. They’ve been collecting dresses for the event.
He went on to say that the goal is to reduce discharges by around 50%, which he said is millions of gallons.
This project will take 24-30 months to complete, and it will be completed in nine phases along Jefferson Avenue.
In a previous article in the Sentinel, it stated that the project will be complete in five phases. That schedule was later updated by Jenn Chehab, assistant project manager at Anderson, Eckstein, & Westrick, Inc., who presented at the meeting along with Gino D’Agostini, vice president of Ric-Man Construction.
“It’ll kind of expand and contract as they move,” Chehab said. “So as they move north they’re going to finish all the work behind them and then they’ll start taking it down behind them as they complete the work.”
Chehab explained that the owner of the project is the Southeast Macomb Sanitary District with Macomb County, St. Clair Shores, Roseville and Eastpointe as stakeholders because of their involvement in SEMSD.
Chehab said they will use microdrilling to minimize disturbance to drains and other infrastructure and to minimize the time it takes to add the pipe. Councilman Dave Rubello later asked about the boring process and Chehab said they have launching and receiving pits. Jefferson is on a curve whereas the machine can only go in a straight line.
Business owners were able to ask questions at three previous meetings.
At a town hall meeting on Feb. 13, the public viewed the same presentation the council saw and was able to ask officials and project managers questions.
Richard Widgren, the Tax Increment Finance Authority chair, said he thinks it’s a necessary project and sees the need for clean lakes. However, he did say his biggest concern is how residents adapt to the inconvenience and the impact on the businesses.
“We’re in the process of looking at every angle to make sure that we can make this as pain free as possible for the businesses,” Widgren said.
He was at one of the meetings with the businesses and said the business owners are concerned. He said they may expect more damage than there might be.
“Not to say that there’s not going to be an impact, it’s just that it’s not going to be as catastrophic as I think they’re concerned about and we were all concerned about when we first heard the project,” Widgren said.
Dante Hargis is a St. Clair Shores resident who has a tenant who lives in the affected areas. He said he thinks it’s a great project for the lake and what it is going to accomplish.
“I think it’s a project that hopefully with due time that they can figure, you know, work on all the kinks over time and figure out how they can get traffic flow to not affect the businesses as much and property owners, for myself, a tenant of mine, so that they can continue to be accessible,” Hargis said.
Dean Jankauskas, the Rio Vista Home Owners Association president, called the project a necessary evil.
“It’s got to be done because we want a clean lake and I live right at the end of Rio Vista, so I see it all the time,” Jankauskas said.
Walby said the crews were ready to mobilize and get to work on Feb. 17.
Signage for all the businesses along Jefferson is still being finalized. Walby added that the Tax Increment Finance Authority is going to try to assist in marketing.
Conversations are also ongoing about possibly moving a couple events down to Blossom Heath Park.
“So don’t neglect the Nautical Mile,” Councilman Ronald Frederick said. “They’ll be wide open and raring to go.”
Councilman John Caron said they started working on this project around two years ago at the SEMSD.
“It’s been a long time coming to get the project started,” Caron said.
For more information about this project, go to candgnews.com for the article published on Jan. 18 or visit the St. Clair Shores website at scsmi.net for the full presentation slides and the meeting video.
Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.
Women
“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 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 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.”
Weight management, gut health treatment, food allergies and gluten free options, metabolic disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, sports nutrition, nutritional options for female-related health concerns, and meal and diet plans are among the services offered.
“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 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, longterm, 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
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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.
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“I’ve got a great team and everybody’s very eager to jump in and take on a task without even asking or without even being asked,” Mason said. “Everybody is just, just ready to go and it’s awesome.”
Dave Ellis, the previous parade chairperson, is not the lead anymore because, Mason said, he doesn’t want to occupy the chair. Ellis, however, is still a part of the committee handling logistics such as the parade lineup and more.
“With such a strong committee everybody on the committee is capable of it,” Mason said. “We all support one another.”
Mason said donations have just started coming in and the parade itself costs around $40,000 to $50,000 a year.
“So these donations are, they’re crucial,” Mason said.
The parade’s $100 donation board is already available for people to donate and to add their name to.
The annual fundraiser dinner will be held on May 1 at the VFW’s Bruce Post on Jefferson Avenue. Tickets will go on sale on April 1 and will be $20.
The veteran of the year and the grand
marshal have not yet been chosen, but the committee has a few people in mind. Special guests are not being announced yet, but Mason said they also have a couple possibilities.
“Again, we do have to cut back a little bit more this year,” Mason said. “Fundraising was a little difficult last year. But we’re doing the best we can with the funds we have.”
Mason said she’s beyond excited for parade day to roll around.
“I love that day,” Mason said.
Councilman Dave Rubello said they’re on the way to another beautiful parade. The committee has had several meetings going over the logistics, Rubello said.
“We’re trying to figure out better ways to line people up,” Rubello said. “The entries before the parade. We think that will help a lot.”
He said with the number of entries and people they have there’s always difficulties.
“We all work together and send that parade down the road, but it’s not without its faults or difficulties, that’s for sure,” Rubello said.
Entry forms were being sent out at press time.
Rubello said the parade is one of the highlights of his year.
“I’ve been going to the parade my entire life,” Rubello said. “The people of St. Clair
Shores always come out and have a great time. Always excited.”
The committee is looking for volunteers. Maria Galla is the volunteer coordinator and can be contacted at (586) 293-0100.
“We’re looking for volunteers not only for parade day, but the fundraiser dinner,” Mason said.
Mason said they’re also hoping to find restaurants in the local area that would be willing to sponsor the committee for a night. The restaurant would donate a portion of proceeds to the parade for a set number of
hours on a set day.
“We would take that opportunity to advertise, let the community know that this location is supporting us and please come out and support your parade,” Mason said. “If you’re going to go out to eat, please try going here. You know, it works out for the restaurant. It benefits us as the committee.”
To donate, contact Rubello by email at rubellod@scsmi.net or by phone at (586) 489-8117.
Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.
Chapaton
from page 3A
Other parts of the project include replacing the sluice gates, separating sanitary sewage from storm water in a 14-acre area, replacing an old pipe and adding a trash collector at the end of the pipe.
The project costs around $27 million. According to a press release, $25 million comes from the American Rescue Plan Act funds from the state and $2 million was allocated by the state last year.
A $16 million project is going to upgrade the 55-year-old electrical equipment in and around the pump station. They are also going to add three new custom-made 2-megawatt generators.
“We have made enormous progress here at this retention basin, this wastewater plant, to greatly reduce the amount of CSOs that we discharge into the lake after a heavy rain event,” Miller said.
She went on to say a lot of the infrastructure was old and antiquated.
“Something is happening to the weather patterns where we’re getting a lot more rain and the intensity of the rain events is more than anyone, any of the older infrastructure can handle anyway,” Miller said.
They’ve completed their in-system storage project, Miller said.
“Which is sort of the rubberized bladder, the weir, within the pipe that runs down here from Eastpointe, down to this pump station,” Miller said.
Miller said this has been online for a couple of months and it is estimated to reduce the county’s CSOs by 10-15%. The Chapaton Retention Basin project is estimated to reduce CSOs by 40%. This project and the Jefferson sewer project combined will reduce the amount of CSOs discharged into the lake by around 80%.
Astorino said Z Contractors has been a great contractor and construction has gone smoothly.
“It’s (a) real team effort between us and Z’s,” Astorino said.
Astorino said weather events have not held up the construction that much.
Miller said she also thinks the residents of Macomb County have been supportive of the projects.
“We all live here, we live on the lake,” Miller said. “I think everybody understands the importance of it.”
The lake has many different uses including recreation and a source of drinking water.
Miller said they’ve been open about the progress and of the project in general. She
said on social media, comments posted by residents have been “overwhelmingly supportive.” She also said local, county and state leaders have also been supportive of the project and even viewed it before.
Miller said they’ve worked with neighbors on either side of the retention basin and acknowledged how noisy it can be. In combination with a couple neighbors, they added a new wall and planted trees.
“We recognize the inconvenience of it for them,” Miller said. “But it’s been a shortterm thing. Long term, actually as I say generationally, that’s what we’re focused on.”
Miller said they’d like to see Oakland County do something similar. According to her office, Oakland County discharges its CSOs directly into Macomb County waters.
“It’s a festering wound, quite frankly, that Oakland County won’t do anything to reduce their CSOs,” Miller said.
She also recognizes the project costs a lot of money.
“You have to have the political will to focus to want to do these kinds of things,” Miller said.
Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.
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“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
Free skating event offered
TROY — A Troy resident and Lawrence Technological University student is offering a free skating event for individuals of any age with physical and intellectual disabilities from 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Feb. 22 at the Troy Sports Center/ Buffalo Wild Wings Arena, located at 1819 E. Big Beaver Road. The event is part of the Hockey Mentors program, which was founded by Wyatt Lucas. Hockey Mentors provides hockey and ice skating programming for individuals with cognitive, physical, or emotional special needs and their family and caregivers. Annually, Lucas offers an afternoon of free hockey and ice skating. Lucas is offering the free lessons with the help of a grant from the Troy Community Foundation. Skates will be provided, with attendees encouraged to bring their own helmet. Advanced registration is required. To register, visit hockeymentors.net. For more information, call (248) 686-6740.
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Reckless road rage investigated
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Jan. 20, a 24-year-old New Baltimore woman was driving west on 22 Mile Road when she said she noticed a white BMW X5 tailgating her. As she attempted to turn onto Fairchild Road, the BMW reportedly crossed into oncoming lanes to pass her and drove at a slow pace.
The woman followed the BMW to track the license plate number until it stopped in a turning lane at the 21 Mile Road and North Avenue intersection. The BMW driver, a 54-year-old Macomb Township man, reportedly exited the X5 and approached the woman’s car screaming. He allegedly kicked her door, smashed a window and fled when the woman said she was calling the police.
When Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the man’s house in the 22000 block of Case Court, he admitted to everything and was arrested.
Deposits scam
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Jan. 10, a 77-yearold Macomb Township man received an email about a charge on his PayPal account. He called a phone number included in the email that reportedly connected him with someone named “Dominic” who said he would send $90 to verify the man’s account. “Dominic” allegedly claimed he accidentally sent $9,000. Without checking his PayPal account, the Macomb Township man spent the next few days sending “Dominic” $12,890 under the impression the money had yet to be returned to “Dominic” before banks flagged the activity as fraudulent.
Man bought stolen Jeep
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Jan. 17, Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the home of a 28-year-old Macomb Township man to investigate his Jeep Cherokee.
The man purchased the Jeep in November 2024 through an online auction out of the Chicago area. When he attempted registering the Jeep with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, he was told the car was reported stolen in Illinois. Macomb County deputies ran the Jeep’s vehicle identification number and found it was indeed registered as stolen, and the Chicago Police Department confirmed the vehicle’s status.
The Jeep was towed away from the Macomb Township home.
Gift card scammer
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Jan. 13 at around
7:20 p.m., the Hall Road Jimmy John’s sandwich shop received a call from someone claiming to be from the FBI demanding around $800 in gift cards.
to purchase the cards and read their codes to the caller over the phone.
Buzzed and confused
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — On Jan. 21 at around 10:40 p.m., Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to westbound Interstate 94 near North River Road to investigate a damaged Honda Accord on the right shoulder.
Upon reaching the driver, deputies learned the 26-year-old Warren man was confused about where he was and the situation he was in. He denied being under the influence, though deputies noted signs of intoxication and asked him to perform field sobriety tests.
After stepping out of the car, the driver told deputies he had cocaine in his pants pocket. His breath test registered a 0.239 blood alcohol content, and deputies took the man to a hospital for a blood test before finally placing him in the Macomb County Jail.
Stoop swindler
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — On Jan. 15, a package containing $265 of Verizon Wireless equipment was delivered to a home in the 39000 block of Whitewater Drive.
At around 12:15 p.m., a gray Toyota Camry pulled into the driveway and, after sitting around for a few minutes, a man reportedly exited the car and took the package.
Wrong number
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — On Jan. 15, Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were sent to an apartment complex in the 26000 block of South River Road after a 911 caller disconnected.
Deputies located the caller, a 51-year-old Cheboygan man, who denied calling 911 and sent the deputies away. Deputies then learned the man had an outstanding narcotics warrant and arrested him, discovering a bag of what appeared to be meth while searching him.
Fraudulent investing
MOUNT CLEMENS — On Jan. 15, a 69-year-old
Mount Clemens man deposited $100 into a cryptocurrency investment account after an ad on Facebook promised high returns in a short amount of time.
The ad connected him with an “investment agent” who helped him set up and manage the account via Facebook Messenger.
Several days passed and he noticed around
$4,500 in the account. He attempted to withdraw the funds but was told by the agent he needed to
rected to another site where he was required to pay an additional $700 to withdraw the funds.
He finally realized the scam and reported it to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.
Stolen car
MOUNT CLEMENS — At around noon on Jan. 19, Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a home in the 50 block of Englewood Street for a stolen vehicle report.
The resident, a 40-year-old man, parked his Kia Optima outside his home the prior afternoon and last saw it before going to bed. When he went outside on the morning of Jan. 19, the Kia was nowhere to be seen.
The man had both keys to the Kia but did not remember if the car was locked that night.
Resident reports fraud
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 6:24 p.m. Jan. 6, a complainant came into the Shelby Township Police Department to make a fraud report. The complainant stated that she had received emails from Venmo asking to verify the account. The complainant advised that she did not verify the account and knew it was a fraudulent attempt to access the account. The complainant did the right thing and did not verify the account, meaning she was not out any money. The case was turned over to the department’s detective bureau for follow-up.
Keys stolen
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Police officers from Shelby Township responded to the 7000 block of 26 Mile Road for a larceny complaint at 12:33 p.m. Jan. 7. When officers arrived, they were met by a male victim who advised that his vehicle keys had been stolen while he was working out. The gym was able to find a possible suspect using its camera system. All information was turned over to the Police Department’s detective bureau. The victim advised that his vehicle was still in the parking lot and it did not appear anything was missing from it.
Money stolen
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 4:12 a.m. Jan. 12, a man came into the Police Department to report that $1,000 in cash had been taken from his home. The victim advised the police officer that around the time he noticed his money was missing, he had a family member over. Shelby Township police attempted to make contact with the family member, but the family member did not answer the phone. This case was to be turned over to the detective bureau.
Larceny reported on Little Mack Avenue ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 8:32 p.m. on Jan. 26, an act of larceny was reported at a store in the 25000 block of Little Mack Avenue. The clerk, a 27-year-old woman, stated the suspect entered the store and requested scratch-off lottery tickets. As she was fulfilling the request, the man took six $50 lottery tickets while she wasn’t looking. He attempted to pay but his card was declined. He said he’d come back with the money, but he never did. Surveillance
