Warren Sheetz plans move ahead
GAS STATIONS PLANNED FOR VICTORY INN, PAMPA LANES SITES
BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com
WARREN — The site of a new gas station and convenience store has a bit of history.
The Victory Inn, a bar and restaurant, is set to be demolished for a new Sheetz location. In 2026, the business on the corner of 12 Mile and Mound roads would’ve celebrated its 80th anniversary.
Victory Inn owner Barbra Suida offered “no comment” when asked about Sheetz coming to the location for this article. The new Sheetz will also replace Skip’s Auto Repair on the corner.
The Warren Planning Commission unanimously approved the Sheetz development last August. According to a previous Warren Weekly article, Suida said the Sheetz could not move in until 2027.
“I just want the record to reflect that an actual completed and closed sale of the Victory Inn property cannot happen any sooner
See SHEETZ on page 14A
BOWLING ALLEY LINKED TO MICHIGAN MUSIC HISTORY
ABOVE: Detroit rocker Bob Seger looks over his shoulder during a recording session at Pampa Studios in Warren. Photographer Tom Weschler said Seger was irritated by the camera noises during the recording session, causing him to look back for the photo. RIGHT: Seger sings into a microphone during a recording session at Pampa Studios in Warren.
PBY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com
ampa Lanes was once much more than a bowling alley. It used to feature Pampa Studios, a recording studio where Bob Seger laid down some of his early solo tracks.
Tom Weschler, a photographer and former Seger tour manager, said the studio was originally in Pampa’s basement.
“Every time a strike came, they had to re-record what they were doing,” Weschler said about the basement location.
In 1968, the studio was moved to a separate nearby building. This became known as Pampa Studios. Weschler said there were no bowling-related interruptions from this point on.
Jim Bruzzese was the chief engineer at Pampa and Gregg Miller was the studio’s manager. Bruzzese’s family owned the bowling alley, according to Weschler. The studio operated throughout the 1970s, closing sometime in the following decade.
Seger recorded his 1972 “Smokin’ O.P.’s” album at the studio. Weschler said that Seger only used two studios in Michigan between 1968 and 1972.
Photos provided by Tom Weschler
See PAMPA LANES on page 14A
Welcome to RON’S AUTO CARE. We are glad to be of service and appreciate the support and patronage that you have given our family. We have a new manager named Hass who brings 13 years of experience owning and managing mechanic shops. We look forward to serving you in the future with the same honest, trustworthy, and high quality work we have prided ourselves in.
We are proud to say that our business is American Family owned and operated with many years of experience in the automotive field.
SECOND FRONT PAGE
3A/ WARREN WEEKLY • FEBRUARY 19, 2025
Warren Mayor Lori Stone isn’t the first mayor to take on a downtown development project. Mark Steenbergh, who was the city’s mayor from 1995-2007, said proposed development for the area dates back to 1964. Both Steenbergh and former Warren Mayor Jim Fouts advocated for the project.
Warren downtown plans get renewed push
BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com
WARREN — Rumblings of a downtown development in Warren have started again.
Warren Mayor Lori Stone, who was elected in 2023, wants to succeed where other administrations have failed.
“One of the struggles in the process is overcoming the inertia of what came before,” Stone said.
New plans for the Town Center Devel-
opment will use parts of the 2017 plans by Gibbs Planning Group.
“I think there are changes that would be made but I think, to some degree, that’s our starting point,” City Council President Angela Rogensues said.
Stone referred to the project as a “reimagining” of the Gibbs’ plans. While it’s only a part of her greater vision for economic development in the city, Stone thought the development was “left in the air” and was something she felt she could tackle.
See DOWNTOWN on page 22A
‘She wants her day in court’ JUDGE TO DETERMINE A MOTION TO SEVER IN CASE AGAINST FITZGERALD ADMINISTRATORS
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
WARREN — The two Fitzgerald Public Schools administrators facing possession of marijuana on school grounds charges are scheduled to be back in 37th District Court March 6 for a motion hearing.
Superintendent Hollie Stange, 38, is charged with possession of marijuana on school grounds, a two-year felony; possession of a weapon in a weapon-free zone; and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, both of which are 93-day misdemeanors.
District Food Services Director Amanda Carroll, 39, is charged with possession of marijuana on school grounds; operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated second offense, a one-year misdemeanor; and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated with an occupant less than 16 years old, a one-year misdemeanor.
Both defendants stood in district court before Judge John Chmura Feb. 6 for a preliminary exam, which was adjourned at the request of Camilla Barkovic, Carroll’s attorney. Barkovic told Chmura that she was going to file a motion to sever, thus the request for the adjournment for both women.
Library Commission to reopen Busch Branch after school
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
WARREN — Plans are underway to reopen the Busch Branch of the Warren Public Library after school March 3.
The branch, located at 23333 Ryan Road, has been closed after school from
2:15-4 p.m. weekdays since late November.
The Warren Library Commission made the decision to close the branch during those hours because of fighting and loitering on library grounds among local students after the school day. Patrons and staff weren’t feeling safe. Most of the students reportedly attend Fitzgerald High School, which is located
across the street from the library at 23200 Ryan Road.
Officials from Warren Mayor Lori Stone’s office, the Warren Library Commission, Warren Police Department and Fitzgerald Public Schools have met regularly since the closing to come up with a solution and to reopen the library.
On Feb. 11, Warren City Treasurer Lorie Barnwell, also a member of the Library Commission, reported via email the plans to reopen the Busch Branch next month.
“I organized a very productive meeting with the school district leadership, library leadership, mayor, and police leadership. Ev-
Photo by Maria Allard
Attorney William Barnwell, far left, representing Hollie Stange, second from left; and Camilla Barkovic, second from right, representing Amanda Carroll, far right, listen to Judge John Chmura during a Feb. 6 preliminary exam, which was adjourned.
File photo by Brian Louwers
ABOVE: Jonathan Gillespie, left, was greeted by alumni and parents of the program, including Sandy and Steve Rinke. Their daughter Erin Rinke VanGemert, a graduate from 2000, went through the WCSPA program. LEFT: The talented cast gets ready for showtime.
MR. GILLESPIE, TAKE YOUR BOW
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
STERLING HEIGHTS — For yearly 25 years, Jonathan Gillespie brought his love for the theater to students enrolled in the Warren Consolidated Schools Performing Arts Program at Sterling Heights High School.
In honor of his years with WCSPA, school officials recently renamed the program’s “Little Theatre” to the Jonathan Gillespie Studio Theatre. A ceremony was held Jan. 31 with Gillespie and alumni in attendance.
“Jonathan Gillespie was the heartbeat of the WCSPA program,” Superintendent John Bernia said in a prepared statement. “Mr. Gillespie always put his students and the program first. He continuously shared his passion for education and the theater with all the students whose lives he touched throughout the years.”
In an email from current WCSPA Artistic Director Erik Hart, the newly named Jonathan Gillespie Studio Theatre will continue to be used as a training theater for
WCSPA students.
“It is primarily used as a full-time classroom to teach acting and design but is also used to present smaller scale shows to the public as well,” Hart said via email. “The theater seating was expanded in 2021 from 75 seats to 175 seats to accommodate the growth of the WCSPA program.”
According to a district press release, Gillespie graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in English and theater. In 1978 he became the artistic director of the Dillard School of Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he redeveloped the program, curriculum, and directed more than 50 productions.
In 1987, he returned to Michigan where he was educational outreach coordinator at the Boarshead Michigan Public Theatre. Gillespie became the WCSPA artistic director 1995. He retired in 2019. In 2008, Gillespie was inducted into the National Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame.
Following the renaming ceremony, WCSPA students presented Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” in the
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
Gillespie
from page 4A
high school’s Performing Arts Center, an auditorium that has a capacity of 775 people. A second performance was held Feb. 1.
All WCSPA classes are offered as part of the regular high school curriculum and are open to students from all three district high schools: Sterling Heights, Warren Mott and Cousino, and school of choice students.
The Performing Arts Center is a shared theater that is used for large performances by the WCSPA program in addition to many other district events including band performances, guest speakers, large meetings, and community gatherings. The PAC is also rented year-round to outside groups for various entertainment events.
Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.
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Retired WSCPA artistic director Jonathan Gillespie addresses the crowd that attended the ceremony Jan. 31 for the renaming of the Little Theatre to the Jonathan Gillespie Studio Theatre.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
FAULTY WATER METERS CAUSE REASSESSED RATES
BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com
CENTER LINE — A new water meter could mean a higher bill or, in some cases, a refund.
During the Center Line City Council’s Feb. 3 meeting, resident Kenneth Waller stepped up to the podium to explain how his new water meter led to an increased bill. Waller, who has lived in the city since 2008, said the new meter was installed last fall. He went to pay his bill three months later and was surprised to see he owed $1,700.
“I was blown away, I said, ‘That’s not my water bill,’” Waller said.
The new meter Waller had installed showed the city had been undercharging him for six years. He said he can’t afford the payment plan the city set up for him to pay off the amount.
“I just don’t think that’s fair at all. I can’t agree with that,” Waller said. “It was some faulty equipment and it’s not my fault the equipment was faulty.”
Mayor Bob Binson said the City Council would look into Waller’s situation.
“People want to pay it, it’s just people can’t take that big of a hit,” Binson said.
Center Line Treasurer Joseph Sobota explained that a faulty meter can still track information. When a meter dies, the city uses the last reading available, leading to the assessed charges residents face. The reassessment could also lead to a refund, according to Sobota.
“We had one this cycle that had close to a $1,000 refund,” he said.
Sobota explained the policy set by the council. Each typical bill a resident pays has a $100 increase, every other month, to pay off the previously owed amount. That increase will stay on the regular bill until the delinquent amount is paid off. If the adjusted payments aren’t made, a resident would have to pay off the amount in full and the resident will not have additional payment plans for the bill extended to them.
“We have to find a way to make it a little easier to handle that big chunk,” Binson said. “Maybe spread it out over more time? We need to get these water meters replaced.”
Following the meeting, City Manager Dennis Champine said the city has 500-600 meters in stock to replace meters in residential homes. He said the city has been in the process of changing out the old meters for the last four years.
“Those have been slowly but surely installed in homes where the meters have shut down due to the age of them,” Champine said.
Later in the meeting, the council unanimously approved the purchase of 122 commercial water meters from Ferguson Waterworks, located in Warren, not to exceed $79,269. According to Champine, the purchase addressed water bills that have not been estimated in recent months. He also said the purchase will establish an inventory for replacements in the future.
10 Mile construction to ramp up
Improvements on 10 Mile Road, between Ryan Road and Lorraine Avenue, are scheduled for this spring.
“We’re very excited about having 10 Mile Road redone because it’s so messed up right now,” Binson said, prior to the Feb. 3 meeting. “It’s in such bad shape, it’s almost back to being a dirt road.”
Champine gave an update of the project at the Feb. 3 meeting.
“We’ll be down to two lanes relatively quick throughout the entire portion of spring through fall, with an ending date sometime in November,” he said. “It’s a major project. It is the largest single road project in Macomb County for 2025.”
Champine said the price tag for the project is about $16 million. Of that total amount, $10 million will be spent on the chunk of 10 Mile within Center Line and the remaining $6 million will be on Warren’s end. Center Line is chipping in $2 million for the project. The water main replacements along the roads have been completed and are currently in the cleanup stage, according to Champine.
“We’ll have a small period where there’ll be nothing going on and then it’s just going to hit us like a rocket,” Champine said. “It’s going to be very inconvenient for drivers.”
Mopar site update
Champine provided details of Stellantis’ sale of its Mopar site in the city at the Feb. 3 meeting.
Ashley Capital bought the space from Stellantis. The company will continue operations at the site, leasing the space from Ashley Capital. Champine said the duration of this lease is approximately 2-3 years.
“It is expected that, right now, Ashley Capital intends to tear down all of the ex-
isting buildings on the property and construct about a million-square-foot facility,” Champine said.
Food and beverage distributor Capital Sales is slated to occupy 700,000 square feet of the new facility on the property, according to Champine. He said the goal is to consolidate the distributor’s four current locations in Michigan into the new facility.
Champine said the investment on the property totals about $300 million.
Nuisance ordinance passed
The council unanimously approved a new ordinance giving the city more teeth to address property nuisances. It aims to resolve issues with property structural maintenance, hoarding and collection of junk and debris.
Following the meeting, Champine said that the biggest change is allowing the city to go through 37th District Court instead of Macomb County Circuit Court for condemning a property. The ordinance does not allow the city to take the property over, it just allows for remediation of a property to bring it in line with the values of other prop-
erties in a neighborhood.
Champine said problem properties can be frustrating for property owners as well as city ordinance enforcement officers, building officials and public safety officers. He said problem properties can result in dilapidated structures, vagrancy and loitering.
Champine said that Hazel Park’s ordinance was used as a blueprint for Center Line’s.
Photo by Nick Powers
The Center Line City Council discussed a variety of issues at its Feb. 3 meeting.
WARREN RESIDENTS DRIVE INTO AUTORAMA
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
DETROIT — Car buffs, Barbie fans and wrestling enthusiasts, rev your engines for Autorama.
The 72nd annual car show — presented by O’Reilly — will feature more than 800 souped-up hotrods, classic automobiles, and custom motorcycles at Huntington Place Convention Center Feb. 28, and March 1-2. The hours are noon to 10 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
The Barbie Cadillac, as seen at Disney’s Epcot Center, is making its debut at Autorama, and appearances from Danny Koker and Kevin Mack of “Counting Cars,” and Brother Ray and De Von of the WWE Hall of Fame World Champions will help celebrate car culture.
Several Warren residents will display their classic cars as well. Stanley Kozlowski III will showcase his 2023 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Jailback, and in another spot guests can chat with Rocky Bennett about his 1989 gold Schwinn Lowrider bicycle.
At last year’s Autorama, Bennett won first place in his division. He purchased his Lowrider four years ago, giving her the moniker “Mrs. Unspoken.” He has already poured $3,000 into making it look supreme.
“It was plain at first. Now it’s all gold,” Bennett said. “It’s totally different from what it is now. I’ve always had a love for Lowrider bikes.”
And so do the kids in his Lincoln High School neighborhood. Bennett is always willing to talk to them about the bike and even lets them ride it. He’s a member of Rollerz Only, a group of car and bike enthusiasts that meet on a regular basis as part
See AUTORAMA on page 10A
ABOVE: Stanley Kozlowski III, of Warren, will showcase his 2023 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Jailback at the 72nd Autorama Feb. 28 through March 2.
Photo provided by Stanley Kozlowski III
LEFT: With his 1989 gold Schwinn Lowrider bicycle, Warren resident Rocky Bennett will be among this year’s Autorama participants. Photo provided by Rocky Bennett
NEWS & NOTES
9A/ WARREN WEEKLY • FEBRUARY 19, 2025
WARREN TREASURER APPOINTED TO STATE BOARD, OFFERS TAX PREP
WARREN — Warren Treasurer Lorie Barnwell was appointed to the State of Michigan Retirement Board. Her term runs from Feb. 10, 2025, and ends on Dec. 31, 2027. Barnwell took over for Phillip Thompson, whose term on the board expired.
“I’m sure she’s going to do a great job and do us proud here in Warren,” City Council Secretary Mindy Moore said at the council’s Feb. 11 meeting.
Barnwell, who founded Women of Warren, has been the city’s treasurer since 2015. She previously was a manager at Chase Bank. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan in Flint.
Warren’s treasurer is also offering free tax preparation through the city’s partnership with AARP. The service is geared toward seniors and lowincome residents with “simple returns,” according to a press release from the city. Residents can receive the service at City Hall from 8:30-11:30 a.m. on the following days: Feb. 19, Feb. 24, Feb. 26, March 3, March 4, March 10, March 12, March 17, March 19, March 31, April 2, April 7, and April 9.
City Council honors public servants
WARREN — The Warren City Council honored three public servants for their dedication to the city at the council’s Feb. 11 meeting.
The council recognized Chuck Anglin for his 42 years of service to the community with a resolution. The council detailed Anglin’s work on the Warren Consolidated Board of Education, as a licensed builder in the city, as president of Macomb Home Inspectors Inc. and his time on the city’s zoning board.
Council Secretary Mindy Moore announced the retirement of Fire Marshal Jim Kazanowski, whose last day at the post is Feb. 24.
“Over the course of your distinguished career you have exemplified the highest standards of courage, compassion and professionalism,” Moore said at the meeting.
The council also announced Police Department Lt. David Kriss, who retired Feb. 10 after 25 years on the force.
“Lieutenant Chris has been a leader, showed professionalism and compassionate service.” Moore said. “He’s left a lasting impact on our city from the most critical moments to the everyday acts of kindness that often go unnoticed.”
ECU 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.
CPC program showcase Feb. 27
STERLING HEIGHTS — Warren Consolidated Schools invites the public to the district’s Career Prep Center program showcase from 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 27.
The school is located at 12200 15 Mile Road.Those who attend will learn about the CPC’s programs, including pre-engineering, health sciences, graphic design, computer information systems and teacher cadets. For more information, visit cpc.wcskids.com.
No
horsing around CENTER LINE/FRASER — A Night at the Races fundraiser to help support the Center Line High School Class of 2025 senior all night party will be held April 5 at the Vintage House, 31816 Utica Road in Fraser.
The event begins at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $60 each and includes dinner, drinks, horse race betting and raffle prizes. Prerecorded horse races are narrated by an announcer. Cash, check, or Venmo accepted.
Sponsorship and donation opportunities are available. The deadline for tickets is March 25. Call or text Elissa Watson at (313) 717-1878.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS FACE OFF IN BATTLE OF THE BADGES
WARREN — The Warren Police Department will face off against the Chesterfield Township Police Department in a hockey game to assist one of its officers. The Battle of the Badges event takes place Feb. 22 at Big Boy Arena at 2 p.m. Tickets for the event are $10. Proceeds from the event will go to the Warren Police and Fire Benevolent Association, which will turn the funds over to Warren police officer Nick Kott’s family. According to a previous Warren Weekly article, Kott was hunting in Gladwin last November when he fell out of a tree stand and broke his neck. This injury left Kott with no feeling from the neck down. If you can’t make it to the game, you can support the Kott family by visiting gofundme.com/f/help-nick-holli-and-jack-with-nicks-recovery.
Autorama
from page 8A
of the Friday Night Flex, Michigan meet-up.
“It’s really for families to look at bikes and cars,” Bennett said.
In December, Rollerz Only held its fourth annual Toy Drive and Holiday Bash to benefit Detroit Hispanic Development Corp. and the children’s wing at the Karmanos Cancer Institute.
Kozlowski purchased his Challenger in cash just four months ago. The color: plum crazy purple. In a way, the vehicle pays tribute to his parents, dad, Stanley Kozlowski II, who died in 1985; and mom, Mary Kozlowski, who died in 2001. He keeps both of their driver’s licenses on the dashboard in their memory. He credits them for instilling the value of hard work, even when he had a paper route as a child.
“They put their work ethic in me,” said the Fitzgerald High School graduate, who retired last year at age 57.
For Kozlowski, the 2023 Challenger reminds him of the 1970 model.
“It just caught my eye,” he said.
The car only has 300 miles on it. One stop Kozlowski makes every Sunday is at his local Tim Hortons for coffee.
“I just gaze at it through the window,” he said. “I get people all the time that want to take pictures of it. I try to just do things to enjoy the car.”
The first time Kozlowski participated in Autorama was 20 years ago to show his 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Super Sport, which earned first-place honors in its category. He has always been a fan of classic cars.
“The ’50s, ’60s, ’70s were the most famous for the classic cars,” he said. “It’s nostalgia. I don’t think it will ever leave.”
Other Autorama attractions will include the Megamorph Giant Transformer Robot Car, Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone, Farmtruck and AZN from television’s “Street Outlaws,” rockabilly bands and much more.
According to an Autorama press release, the following Warren residents are scheduled to display their cars. The roster of car owners and vehicles is subject to change.
Bill Amsdill: a yellow 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass.
Jacob Bayerski: an orange 1989 Ford Mustang LX.
Ken Burgess: his black and silver 1957 Chevy convertible.
Eastside Customs of Warren will have a 2015 Blue pearl Harley Davidson, a 2016 Harley Davidson Street Glide, a 1985 blue Oldsmobile Cutlass in blue, and a 1986 Buick Regal in tangerine and black.
Robert Hendrix: a red 1958 Chevrolet Impala and a black 1934 Chevrolet Standard Coach.
Ricky Lewis: a blue 2010 Chevrolet Camaro.
Mike Mazelis: a green 1972 Plymouth Scamp.
Timmy O’Dowd: a green 1979 Ford Mustang.
Charles Williams of Warren will have two bikes: an orange custom Predator Trike and a blue custom Predator Trike.
John Zawojskyj of Warren will have an orange and grey 1981 Ed Quey Dragster and Sofia Zawojskyj will have a red, white and blue 2004 Motivational Tubing Jr. Dragster.
Huntington Place Convention Center is located at 1 Washington Blvd., in downtown Detroit. For a complete list of events, visit autorama.com/attend/detroit.
Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.
ABOVE: The Barbie Pink Cadillac Convertible is one of the highlights at this year’s Autorama. RIGHT: The World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame World Champions Brother Ray and Devon will greet fans at this year’s Autorama. Photos provided by Autorama
Warren Mott Wrestlers
Makayla PerdueDaniels, left, and Megan Melnyk, right, pose after an event at
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Warren Mott girls wrestlers are growing with the sport
BY SCOTT BENTLEY sbentley@candgnews.com
WARREN — The Warren Mott High School girls wrestling team is a perfect microcosm of the girls wrestling landscape in Michigan and the country.
The program has seen incredible growth to its high school and youth program over the past four years and it’s noticeable at competitions and tournaments.
“Every year the competition gets tougher,” Warren Mott coach Jeff Pruitt said. “We’ve doubled in size every year since I started coaching girls.”
Warren Mott specifically has become a place to find top-end girls wrestling talent. The team had the state champion at 125 pounds in 2022 via Hannah Palise, and currently has two girls with their eyes on the same prize in seniors Makayla Perdue-Daniels and Megan Melnyk.
“We travel to find better competition and find people ranked above our girls. Both (Perdue-Daniels and Melnyk) are ranked,” Pruitt said. “Megan is ranked No. 5 and ‘Mak’... is ranked No. 4 because she knocked off somebody above her this weekend.”
At press time, Perdue-Daniels was 22-3
on the season and Melnyk was 21-2. Both have high aspirations for the season and both have established themselves as some of the best wrestlers in the state.
“I mean, I want to win states,” Melnyk said.
And states is on the table for both Warren Mott seniors as they begin preparing for a district tournament that didn’t exist just a year ago.
“Seeing these girls coming out for wrestling is just insane,” Perdue-Daniels said. “My goal is to just take it one match at a time.”
Both girls have seen a ton of growth within the sport just over their high school careers. Even the formatting of the tournaments and the postseason has changed due to increased participation.
“When I first started there were only three of us on the team,” Melnyk said. “I think it’s really cool that there’s a districts (tournament) this year. When we started there were barely eight people in a bracket at regionals… Now you have to go to districts, place at districts, and place at regionals to go to states.”
Girls wrestling went from four region-
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Birmingham Groves on Feb. 9.
Center Line coffee shop makes best places for remote work list
BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com
CENTER LINE — A 2025 survey from MarketBeat asked professionals what coffee shops “excel at remote work and business dealings.” Three Michigan shops made the list of 145: Gather + Grounds in Center Line came in at 49, Cafe Sous Terre in Detroit ranked 94 and Eden Cafe in Grand Rapids placed at 100.
Gather + Grounds, which started two years ago, is operated through the Rising Stars Foundation. RSA President Mark Prentiss said his shop tries to create a relaxing atmosphere to work in. The shop fosters remote work with farm tables for group activities, USB plugins and areas with comfy chairs for smaller meetings.
“It’s a very cool vibe, where everybody’s not overbearing like Starbucks where it’s really loud,” Prentiss said.
RSA provides job training for young adults 18-26 with special needs and provides them with a certificate upon completion. Gather + Grounds gives RSA students onsite training. The Center Line shop has sand-
wiches and baked goods, which are made by a bakery at the RSA headquarters. There’s also a second coffee shop in Richmond and one set to open in Ferndale, near the intersection of Nine Mile Road and Woodward Avenue this March.
“That’s part of our mission, is to teach our kids how to be gainfully employed and they have to have great guest services skills because they have to socialize with people,” Prentiss said.
MarketBeat’s survey asked 3,013 professionals to weigh in on their favorite shops.
The top ten from the survey included:
1. Bad Bunnies Coffee in Charleston, South Carolina
2. 787 Coffee in New York City
3. Big Island Coffee Roasters in Hilo, Hawaii
4. Mercantile & Mash in North Charleston, South Carolina
5. Talk Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii
6. DI Coffee Bar in Tampa Florida
7. All People Coffee & Beverage Hall in Nashville, Tennessee
8. Novela Cafe Social in Miami, Florida
10.
Gather + Grounds in Center Line ranked 49 on a 2025 list by MarketBeat of the 145 best coffee shops for remote work and business meetings in the United States.
Photo by Nick Powers
9. HiCO Kailua-Kona in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Dark Horse Coffee Co in Anchor-
Sheetz
from page 1A
than Aug. 1, 2027,” Suida said at the meeting.
“The Victory Inn is not closing and will continue to be open and operating as usual,” Suida added.
Sheetz, through an email from its public relations firm Planit, stated the location is set to open sometime in 2026.
Another Sheetz on the horizon
Whenever it does in fact open, it won’t be the only Sheetz coming to Warren.
Another Sheetz will open at the former Pampa Lanes location on the corner of Van Dyke and Murthum avenues. The bowling alley had been vacant before it caught fire in 2019. The current Pampa structure was built in 1963. It originally opened on the site in 1960 before it was destroyed by fire in 1962.
Approval of that new Sheetz was announced in a Feb. 5 press release by the company. The company also announced three other approved stores in the area including 45075 North Gratiot Ave. in Macomb Township, 29455 Grand River Ave. in Farmington Hills and 39471 West 12 Mile Road in Novi.
Sheetz has been making inroads in Michigan since last year. Its first location in Romulus broke ground March 14, 2024. According to a Sheetz press release, the chain is set to open 50-60 locations in southeastern Michigan in the next 5-6 years. Thirteen locations will begin construction in 202526. The chain was founded in 1952 by Bob
Pampa Lanes
from page 1A
The other was GM Studios in Eastpointe. Seger would also record out of state in Oklahoma and Alabama. Even as he got more famous, he still utilized Pampa, laying down tracks like “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” for his six-times-platinum-selling 1976 album “Night Moves.”
Wescheler remembers The Rockets and Aretha Franklin using the studio at the time.
“It was a well-known studio,” Weschler said. “Bruzzese used to tell us, ‘There’s only two people allowed to smoke in the studio: Aretha Franklin and Bob.’”
Other artists that had work done at Pampa, according to discogs.com, include Jimmy Ruffin, Nasty Black, Whiz Kids, Howard Lemon Singers, Olive Brown and Her Blues Chasers, and Gallery.
Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.
Sheetz and has expanded across the country with over 600 locations.
David Bruckelmeyer, the representative for Sheetz at the August Warren Planning Commission meeting, praised the food, security and work environment the company provides.
“Something that sets us apart is Sheetz
has an incredible culture and that’s spoken to by Sheetz being named to Fortune’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ nine years running,” Bruckelmeyer said. “Along with that, we’ve grown to offer 30 to 35 positions per location.
Those include preferably full-time positions that offer benefits, paid time off,
401(k), the entire package, so it’s really a premium offering to our employees.”
Bruckelmeyer did not respond for comment on this story at press time.
At the August meeting, Sharkey Haddad from the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce outlined concerns that the
See SHEETZ on page 16A
Wrestlers
from page 12A
als with over 25 girls in each bracket, to needing eight district tournaments this year to feed into regionals because of the growth. It’s not just in Michigan, either. Girls wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports at the collegiate level, too, according to Pruitt.
“The state is putting in the work, too. It’s a full-blown recognized sport,” Pruitt said. “At the NCAA level it’s exploding as well… D1 wrestling for girls is now a recognized sport… That helps add to us being able to pitch it to kids. That it is a college level sport for girls.”
The next step for Warren Mott girls wrestling? Have enough girls to field a full team. Currently, the program falls just barely short of a full roster with representation in each weight class, but with more and more girls joining the youth program, that day is almost here.
“That’s my goal, actually. I would really like to get a full squad,” Pruitt said. “It’s getting there. We’re closer now than we’ve ever been… To grow it to that level, to where we’re competing as a team and individuals just like the boys team’s do… I want a full
Photos by Liz Carnegie
squad of girls with 15 or 16 girls on a team.”
The program is taking the right steps to accomplish that goal. There’s a large increase in youth participation and now the team travels to local middle schools to talk about how fun it is to be a part of a growing sport.
“When we go and recruit for middle schoolers and we tell them that we’re wrestling, they look at us with a surprised face,” Perdue-Daniels said. “And telling adults, ‘Hey, yeah, I wrestle,’ I feel like it’s a flex to say.”
Girls wrestling is taking off and Warren Mott is right in the middle of that growth. It’s been a challenging yet rewarding journey for Pruitt and company but there’s more still to come.
At the end of the day, the girls are what have made this sport amazing.
“When you get somebody that doesn’t know what they’re doing coming in the door and you coach them up, then next thing you know they start winning matches,” Pruitt said. “That’s the fun of it.”
The individual regional tournament for girls was set for Feb. 16th, after press time, and the individual state finals are scheduled to be held Feb. 28 to March 1st at Ford Field in Detroit.
Call Staff Writer Scott Bentley at (586) 498-1090.
ABOVE: Makayla Perdue-Daniels wrestling in a match at Birmingham Groves on Feb. 9.
LEFT: Megan Melnyk wrestling in a match at Birmingham Groves on Feb. 9.
Sheetz
from page 14A
chamber had with the development. Bruckelmeyer said, at the meeting, that the company was working with the chamber to address the issues.
The chamber provided an update in a Feb. 10 statement. Lingering issues after the meeting include getting a report about potential increased crime from the 24-hour development; conflicts with the city’s master plan; transparency about a possible third location at 12 Mile Road and Dequindre Road in Warren; and ignoring citizen opposition to another 24-hour gas station.
“We feel none of these areas has been adequately addressed, if at all, as we remain adamant that competition is fine as long as there is a level playing field, not ‘mom and pops’ taking on a multi-billion-dollar company,” the statement reads.
The controversy at the Warren site is not unique.
A Sheetz location in downtown Fraser drew widespread criticism from the community. Fraser’s City Council’s 2024 conditional rezoning for Sheetz set in motion the demolition of the State Bank of Fraser building. The bank building, at its final location, had roots in the community stretching back to 1930. The new Sheetz will be the third gas station at the corner of Utica and 14 Mile roads.
The Madison Heights City Council blocked the business from coming to the city following public outcry last year.
The Eastpointe City Council approved, in a 3-1 vote, a special land use permit to move a Sheetz location ahead at a meeting on Aug. 20, 2024, but, according to a C & G Newspapers article about the meeting, the project was met with scrutiny by both council members and the public.
The proliferation of Sheetz in metro
Detroit is not without its fans.
One impassioned supporter from the Fraser debate was resident Donald Olszewski. In the case of the former bank building in Fraser, he urged residents to move past nostalgia.
“Sheetz are clean, spacious, new and well-maintained,” Olszewski said at an April 25 open house hosted by Sheetz in Fraser. “I have nothing bad to say about them.”
Sheetz also makes overtures to the communities it operates in. Its charity, Sheetz for the Kidz, works to provide Christmas presents for kids in need. The company also supports the Special Olympics. According to its website, it has raised $2.5 million for the organization since 1991.
At the August Warren Planning Commission meeting, resident Michael Brzoska raised concerns about discriminatory hiring practices at the company. This stems from a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging discriminatory hiring practices against Sheetz last April. The lawsuit was initiated by the EEOC’s Baltimore Field Office.
The EEOC, in a statement at the time, claimed Sheetz screened applicants for records of criminal conviction along racial lines. The EEOC claims this disproportionately impacted Black, Native American and multiracial applicants in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“We take these allegations seriously. We have attempted to work with the EEOC for nearly eight years to find common ground and resolve this dispute. We will address the claims in Court when the time comes,” Nick Ruffner, public relations manager for Sheetz, said in a statement at the time.
13650 E. Eleven Mile Rd. Warren, MI 48089
Arctic weather, snow and road conditions prompt school closures this winter
BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com
LINE/WARREN/STERLING HEIGHTS — Most kids are happy when there’s a snow day, but do they have to make up the time?
Well, that depends. Michigan public schools are allowed six “forgiven days,” also known as snow days or emergency closures, without penalty. District officials can close school for a number of reasons, including snow, ice, frigid temperatures, sickness outbreaks and infrastructure problems.
If a district exceeds the six-day limit, school officials can ask Michigan State School Superintendent Michael Rice for additional hours on an emergency basis. If additional days are not approved, they must be made up at the end of the school year or by altering the calendar to meet state-mandated instructional time requirements.
School officials don’t take the issue of declaring snow days lightly and have had four snow days thus far at press time: Jan. 21-22, and Feb. 6 and 13. The Warren Weekly emailed local school administrators for an update on the status of their emer-
gency closures this school year.
Center Line Public Schools
Four snow days so far: Jan. 21-22 and Feb. 6 and 13. Student safety is the number one reason to shut down school. The district usually uses 20 degrees below zero with wind chill as the benchmark to consider closing schools.
“If road and sidewalk conditions are bad (snow or ice) and we believe students, parents, or our buses could be put in danger walking or driving to school, we will consider closing school for the day,” Superintendent Joseph Haynes said.
“There is no set amount of snow or ice that initiates a cancellation of school. It is an individual look at all the factors impacting the travel to and from school. We have canceled school in the past with minimal snow and ice, but high winds, blowing snow and limited visibility impacted our ability to safely transport students,” Haynes said. “We have a large number of walkers and students who wait at bus stops and skin exposure at that temperature for a short amount of time could cause health issues.
“We understand how difficult it is for
families to arrange childcare and work schedules because of a school cancellation. We try to give our families as much notification as we can regarding school closings,” Haynes said. “Several Macomb County superintendents conference and discuss the possibility of closing schools. Each superintendent is responsible for their district.”
Some people feel snow days are unnecessary and that students should be in school.
“Everyone has their own opinion on what warrants safe and unsafe conditions,” Haynes said. “We believe we look at all factors when determining the necessity to cancel school and only cancel school when it is warranted.”
To make up the lost time, Haynes said teachers and students “are extremely good at adjusting to circumstances that are out of their control.” Teachers may abbreviate a lesson or combine two lessons into one.
Fitzgerald Public Schools
District officials recently supplied families with their snow day procedures. Officials close school for inclement weather when conditions are unsafe to travel to or from school. Weather reports, road conditions,
and student travel methods are considered. Officials also can cancel school when there is a building issue. This is determined when there is an issue preventing the building from having students in attendance. See CLOSURES on page 21A
Photo provided by Piper Bognar
When there is a snow day in Van Dyke Public Schools, Superintendent Piper Bognar’s rescue dog, Harry the Snow Day Dog, helps announce the school closure on the district’s website.
City of Center Line
Ordinance Chapter 8
NUISANCES
Article I. In General
Sec. 8-1 Defnitions.
As used in this chapter:
1. ”Nuisance” means any act or acts or omissions to act on the part of any person which creates or permits the existence of a situation which annoys, injures or endangers the peace, welfare, order, health or safety of the public and their persons or property. As defned herein, a nuisance includes, but is not limited to, conditions which render persons insecure in life or in the use and enjoyment of their property, such as effects and emanations from noise, glare, lights,vibration, dust, smoke, odor, gas, steam, fy ash, soot, acids, chemicals,fumes, cinders, worms, insects, rodents, fies, decaying matter, whether such effects and emanations are natural or a result from human or mechanical alteration or manipulation of materials. A nuisance also includes residues or leaching from deposits of matter which seep into water on the surface or in the ground thereby making it unft or unpalatable for human consumption, or for use by domestic animals. A nuisance includes a condition which is indecent,obnoxious or offensive to the senses.
2. ”Persons” or “person” means a natural person and also includes corporations,partnerships and associations and their offcers and offcials existing under or authorized to exist under the laws of the state of Michigan or of any other state or foreign country.
Sec. 8-2 Penalty.
Any person who creates, causes, allows, suffers or permits the existence of a nuisance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Each day that such nuisance is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate misdemeanor. Any person who is convicted of such a misdemeanor shall be punishable by imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days, or a fne of not more than fve hundred dollars ($500.00) or both.
Sec. 8-3 Abatement.
It is the duty of the person who creates, causes, allows, suffers or permits the existence of a nuisance, to abate the same. The term “abate” or “abatement” shall include demolition, removal, repair, maintenance, construction, reconstruction, replacement and reconditioning of structures, appliances, appurtenance or equipment; and it shall also include removal, transportation, buying, disposal and treatment of refuse, manure or other substance or media capable of causing obnoxious odors or retracting or brooding fies, an application of chemicals, insecticides or other substances or the use of mechanical means to control, eradicate and eliminate the nuisance conditions, including screen belts of trees and fences.
Sec. 8-4 Enforcement of provisions.
The city manager, upon notice to city council, is hereby authorized to enforce the provisions this Article, and he or she may delegate the enforcement to any administrative offcial of the city. The city may seek abatement of a nuisance and such other relief as may be obtained by civil proceedings in court. This is in addition to and not in derogation of prosecutions for violations of said sections as set forth under Section 8-2.
Sec. 8-5 Nuisances per se.
It is unlawful for any owner, lessee, or agent thereof to keep or maintain any building or structure or part thereof which is a dangerous building. A “dangerous building” means a building or structure that has one or more of the following defects or is in one or more of the following conditions:
A. A door, aisle, passageway, stairway or other means of exit does not conform to the approved fre code of the city;
B. A portion of the building or structure is damaged by fre, wind, food,deterioration, neglect, abandonment, vandalism or other cause so that the structural strength or stability of the building or structure is appreciably less than it was before the damage and does not meet the minimum requirements of this act or a building code of the city for a new building or structure, purpose or location;
C. A part of the building or structure is likely to fall, become detached or dislodged, or collapse and injure persons or damage property;
D. A portion of the building or structure has settled to such an extent that walls or other structural portions of the building or structure have materially less resistance to wind than is required in the case of new construction by the city building code;
E. The building or structure, or part of the building or structure, because of dilapidation, deterioration, decay, faulty construction, or the removal or movement of some portion of the ground necessary for the support, or for other reason, is likely to partially or completely collapse, or some portion of the foundation or underpinning of the building or structure is likely to fall or give way;
F. The building, structure or a part of the building or structure is manifestly unsafe for the purpose for which it is used;
G. The building or structure is damaged by fre, wind or food, or is dilapidated or deteriorated and becomes an attractive nuisance to children who might play in the building or structure to their danger, or becomes a harbor for vagrants, criminals or immoral persons, or enables persons to resort to the building or structure for committing a nuisance or an unlawful or immoral act;
H. A building or structure used or intended to be used for dwelling purposes,including the adjoining grounds, because of the dilapidation, decay, damage,faulty construction or arrangement, accumulation of refuse, or otherwise, is unsanitary or unft for human habitation, is in a condition that the health offcer determines is likely to cause sickness or disease, or is likely to injure the health, safety or general welfare of people living in the dwelling;
I. A building or structure is vacant, dilapidated, and open at door or window,leaving the interior of the building exposed to the elements or accessible to entrance by trespassers;
J. A building or structure remains unoccupied for a period of one hundred eighty(180)consecutive days or longer, and is not listed as being available for sale,lease, or rent with a licensed real estate broker, unless, the owner or agent notifes the Center Line Department of Public Safety that the building or structure will remain unoccupied for a period of one hundred eighty (180)consecutive days, which notice shall be given to the Department of Public Safety not more than thirty (30) days after the building or structure becomes unoccupied; and the owner or agent maintains the exterior of the building or structure and adjoining grounds in accordance with the Center Line building code or the building or structure is a secondary dwelling that is regularly unoccupied for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days or longer each year,and the owner or agent notifes the Department of Public Safety that the dwelling will remain unoccupied for a period of one hundred eighty (180)consecutive days or more each year. An owner who has given the notice heretofore prescribed should notify the Department of Public Safety not more than thirty (30) days after the dwelling no longer qualifes for this exception.
Sec. 8-6 Notice.
If a building or structure is found to be a dangerous building, the enforcement offcer shall issue a notice that the building or structure is a dangerous building. The notice shall be served on the owner, agent, or lessee of the building or structure registered with the City of Center Line. If an owner, agent, or lessee is not registered with the City of Center Line, the notice shall be served on each owner of or party in interest in the building or structure and whose name the property appears on the last local tax assessment records. The notice shall specify the time and place of a hearing on whether the building or structure is a dangerous building. The clerk shall fle a copy of the notice that the building or structure is a dangerous building with the hearing offcer. The notice shall be in writing and shall be served upon the person to whom the notice is directed either personally or by certifed mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the owner or party in interest at the address shown on the tax records. If a notice is served on a person by certifed mail, a copy of the notice shall also be posted upon a conspicuous part of the building or structure. The notice shall be served upon the owner or party in interest at least ten days before the date of hearing included in the notice. The person to whom the notice is directed shall have the opportunity to show cause at the hearing why the hearing offcer should not order the building or structure to be demolished, otherwise made safe, or properly maintained.
Sec. 8-7 Hearing.
The City Manager/City Clerk shall serve as the hearing offcer. At the hearing, the hearing offcer shall take testimony of the enforcement offcer, the owner of the property, and any interested party. Not more than fve days after the completion of the hearing, the hearing offcer shall render a decision either closing the proceedings or ordering the building or structure demolished, otherwise made safe, or properly maintained. If the hearing offcer determines that a building or structure should be demolished, otherwise made safe, or properly maintained, the hearing offcer shall so order, and fx a time in the order for the owner, agent, or lessee to comply with the order.
If the owner, agent, or lessee fails to appear and neglects or refuses to comply with the order issued, the hearing offcer shall fle a report of the fndings and a copy of the order with the city council, not more than fve days after noncompliance by the owner and request that necessary action be taken to enforce the order. A copy of the fndings and order of the hearing offcer shall be served on the owner, agent, or lessee in the manner prescribed in Section 8-6.
Sec. 8-8 Enforcement of decision made at hearing.
The city council shall fx a date not less than thirty (30) days after the hearing prescribed in Section 8-7 for a hearing on the fndings and order of the hearing offcer and shall give notice to the owner, agent, or lessee, in the manner prescribed in Section 8-6 of the time and place of the hearing. At the hearing, the owner, agent or lessee shall be given an opportunity to show cause why the order should not be enforced. The city council shall either approve, disapprove or modify the order. If the city council approves or modifes the order, the city council shall take all necessary action to enforce the order. If the order is approved or modifed the owner, agent or lessee shall comply with the order within sixty (60) days after the date of the hearing under this section. For an order of demolition, if the city council determines that the building or structure has been substantially destroyed by fre, wind, food, deterioration, neglect, abandonment,vandalism, accumulation of refuse, or other cause, and the cost of repair of the building or structure will be greater than the state equalized value of the building or structure, the owner, agent or lessee shall comply with the order of demolition within twenty-one (21)days after the date of the hearing.
If the estimated cost of repair exceeds the state equalized value of the building or structure to be repaired, a rebuttable presumption that the building or structure requires immediate demolition exists.
Sec. 8-9 Costs—Remedy.
The cost of demolition includes, but is not limited to, fees paid to hearing offcers, costs of title searches or commitments used to determine the parties in interest, recording fees for notices and liens fled with the county register of deeds, demolition and dumping charges, court reporter attendance fees and costs of the collection charges authorized under this chapter. The costs of demolition, of making the building safe, or of maintaining the exterior of the building or structure or grounds adjoining the building or structure incurred by the city to bring the property into conformance with this act shall be reimbursed to the city by the owner or party in interest in whose name the property appears.
The owner or party in interest in whose name the property appears upon the last local tax assessment records shall be notifed by the assessor of the amount of the cost of the demolition, of making the building safe, or of maintaining the exterior of the building or structure or grounds adjoining the building or structure by frst class mail at the address shown on the records. If the owner or party in interest fails to pay the cost within thirty (30) days after mailing by the assessor of the notice of the amount of the costs, the city shall have a lien for the cost incurred by the city to bring the property into conformance. The lien shall not take effect until notice of the lien has been fled or recorded. The lien for the cost shall be collected and treated in the same manner as provided for property tax liens under the General Property Tax Act, Act 206 of the Public Acts of 1993, being Sections 211.1 to 211.157 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
In addition to other remedies, the city may bring an action against the owner of the building or structure for the full cost of the demolition, of making the building safe, or of maintaining the exterior of the building or structure or grounds adjoining the building or structure. The city shall have a lien on the property for the amount of the judgment obtained pursuant hereto.
Sec. 8-10 Violation of Sections 8-1 through 8-5 —Penalty.
Should abatement as proposed by Section 8-3 be an impractical or impossible remedy, any person, frm or corporation violating any provision of Sections 8-1 through 8-5 after having been given notice of such violation, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be fned not less than $25.00 nor more than $500.00for each conviction, or shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not to exceed 90days for each offense, or by both such fne and imprisonment in the discretion of the court, together with the costs of such prosecution.
Sec. 8-11 Violation of Section 8-8—Penalty.
A person who fails or refuses to comply with an order approved or modifed by the city council within the time prescribed by Section 8-8 is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days, or a fne of not more than fve hundred dollars ($500.00) or both.
Sec. 8-12 Appeals.
An owner aggrieved by any fnal decision or order of the city council may appeal the decision or order to the circuit court by fling a petition for an order of superintending control within twenty (20) days from the date of the decision.
Adopted 02.03.2025
Published 02.19.2025
Effective 03.01.2025
Published in Warren Weekly 02/19/2025
Dennis Champine City Manager/Clerk
Busch
from page 3A
eryone is on the same page,” Barnwell said. “Behavior of students after school in the community has already improved greatly. This is due to the schools working hard in communication of behavior expectations and consequences with students and parents.”
According to the email, once the library reopens after school, district leaders will be on site at the library for a while after school to communicate with students.
“This will put staff and other residents at ease. It will also allow the school to identify the few kids causing issues so the other
kids and residents can enjoy the library,” Barnwell said. “Communication lines are wide open with all of us. I’m proud of the superintendent and every other leader in this situation who has worked to ensure we can open again safely.”
Laurie Fournier is currently serving as interim superintendent in the Fitzgerald district.
When contacted about the library issue, Fitzgerald Director of Communication & Culture Jessica Percy confirmed the district “has been diligently working with (library officials) in order to come to a plan for reopening the library.”
Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE - CODE OF ORDINANCES
CITY OF CENTER LINE
ARTICLE VII – TEMPORARY MARIHUANA EVENTS
Sec. 18-424. Defnitions.
As used in this article:
(1) Any term defned by the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act 333.27951, et seq. (“MRTMA”), shall have the defnition given in the MRTMA, and any amendments thereto.
(2) Any term defned by the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, MCL 333.26421, et seq. (“MMMA”), shall have the defnition given in the MMMA, and any amendments thereto.
(3) Any term defned by the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, MCL 333.27101, et seq. (“MMFLA”), shall have the defnition given in the MMFLA, and any amendments thereto.
(4) Any term defned by the Marihuana Tracking Act, MCL 333.27901, et seq. (“MTA”), shall have the defnition given in the MTA, and any amendments thereto.
In the event of a confict between the defnition of any term under the MRTMA and any other act referenced in this section, or between the defnition of any term in this article and the defnition of the term under the MRMTA, the defnition under the MRMTA, and any amendments thereto, shall be applied.
City means the City of Center Line.
Marihuana means that term as defned in section 7106 of the Public Health Code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7106.
State rules means the Final Rules promulgated by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency.
Temporary marihuana event means an event where the onsite sale or consumption of marihuana products, or both, are authorized at the location and on the dates indicated on the temporary marihuana event permit issued by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency.
Sec. 18-425. Purpose and intent.
Nothing in this article, or in any companion regulatory provision adopted in any other provision of this Code, is intended to grant, nor shall they be construed as granting, immunity from criminal prosecution for growing, sale, consumption, use, distribution, or possession of marihuana not in strict compliance with Michigan law.
Also, since Federal law is not affected by Michigan law, nothing in this article, or in any companion regulatory provision adopted in any other provision of this Code, is intended to grant, nor shall it be construed as granting, immunity from criminal prosecution under Federal law. Michigan law does not protect users, producers, or distributors from federal prosecution, or from having their property seized by federal authorities under the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
This article shall not limit an individual or entity’s rights under the MRTMA, the MMMA, or the MMFLA.
It is determined necessary for the health, safety and welfare of the city to adopt this article regulating the location and operation of temporary marihuana events for the following reasons, without limitation:
(1) To ensure that the procedures utilized for this purpose are compatible with the character of the community.
(2) To protect citizens from any negative effects associated with the unregulated consumption of marihuana in public.
Marihuana use or distribution may incur civil or criminal liability. Marihuana is classifed federally as a Schedule 1 Drug under the Controlled Substances Act and is illegal to possess, manufacture, distribute or dispense. Schedule 1 Drugs have a high potential for abuse and Marihuana is not an FDA approved medical treatment. Sec. 18-426. Temporary marihuana event.
(1) Under the MRTMA, a municipality may adopt an ordinance to authorize the sale of marihuana for consumption at special events in limited areas and for a limited time. Under the MRTMA, a municipality may promulgate other regulations relating to the sale of marihuana within its jurisdiction, including zoning regulations, signage regulations, and regulations upon the time, place, and manner of marihuana usage and commerce. The city hereby establishes the procedures for obtaining a permit for a temporary marihuana event and additional regulations pertaining to such events.
(2) No person or entity may hold a temporary marihuana event in the city without a permit. The permit requirement in this chapter applies to temporary marihuana events that occur on the effective date of this article or after the effective date of this article. A person or entity who hosted a temporary marihuana event before the effective date of the MRTMA or MMFLA does not have a vested right to obtain a permit from the city.
(3) Each applicant for a temporary marihuana event permit shall pay a non-refundable application fee in the amount of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1500.00), fll out the city’s application form, and provide all documentation and information requested by the city. Without limitation, the applicant must be licensed by the State of Michigan, specify the property address of the proposed event and provide proof of the property owner’s express approval to hold the temporary marihuana event on the property. Should the application be approved, an applicant under this article shall
post a cash bond in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) to guarantee the payment of any and all costs incurred by the city as a resulted of a temporary marihuana event, such as, without limitation, costs incurred by public safety and public works. If costs incurred by the city are less than the bond amount, the city shall refund any funds not used to the applicant. If costs incurred by the City to support the event are greater than that of the deposit, then the applicant shall be responsible for any additional costs.
(4) An application for a temporary marihuana event permit must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the event.
(5) The city manager shall, consistent with the requirements of this article, evaluate and nominate for approval by the city council, those applicants which the city manager determines should be awarded a permit. In evaluating applicants, the city manager shall consider the following criteria: (1) compliance with application requirements; (2) compliance with the requirements of this Ordinance; (3) business history and experience, including previous experience with the City of Center Line; (4) regulatory compliance/legal history; (5) integrity, moral character, and cooperation level with the city; (6) fnancial beneft to the city; and (7) any other consideration relevant to public health, safety, or welfare.
(6) Upon receipt of the city manager’s nominations, the city council shall conduct a vote on each nominee, and any nominee approved by a simple majority of the city council shall be issued a permit after payment of the non-refundable permit fee.
(7) Permits are non-transferable and non-assignable and shall be specifc to the licensee and the dates and location authorized.
(8) The city may inspect any temporary marihuana event, at any time, upon reasonable cause to believe that a violation of the MRTMA, State Rules, or this article has occurred.
(9) All temporary marihuana events occurring within the city shall be subject to the following additional requirements and restrictions. To the extent there is a confict between these requirements and restrictions and the MRTMA, the MRTMA shall prevail.
(a) Exterior signage. Temporary marihuana event licensees may not hang exterior signage or displays with neon, fashing lights, or similarly noxious or obtrusive lighting or effects. Temporary marihuana event licensees may not use exterior signage or displays that contain an image of a marihuana leaf or other commonly recognized symbol for marihuana or which utilize any of the following words: marihuana, marihuana, weed, cannabis, blunt, doobie, joint, hooch, hash, or other similar slang term for marihuana or marihuana-related products.
(b) Hours of operation. Temporary marihuana events may only be held between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
(c) No drive-thru service. Temporary marihuana events may not provide drive-thru service.
(d) Ordinance. Any vendor at the temporary marihuana event selling usable marihuana as defned in MCL 333.26423(n), must, at the time of sale, provide all purchasers with a copy of Center Line Ordinance section 46-178.
(e) Odors. Temporary marihuana events may not emit noxious odors or fumes.
(f) Artifcial lighting. Any artifcial lighting at the temporary marihuana event must not be visible from neighboring properties, streets, or rights-of-way.
(g) Display of permit. The permit issued by the city and the permit issued by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency shall be prominently displayed at the event in a location where they can be easily viewed by the public.
(h) Access by minors. No person under the age of 21 shall be permitted to enter a temporary marihuana event.
(i) Compliance with laws. All temporary marihuana events must be operated in compliance with the MRTMA, all regulations promulgated under the MRTMA including State Rules, and all other applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations,and ordinances.
(10) Expiration of permit. Any temporary marihuana event permit issued by the city shall expire at the time stated on the temporary marihuana event permit issued by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency.
(11) Revocation. If a temporary marihuana event is operated in violation of the MRTMA or any applicable ordinance, or if the licensee is found to have submitted false or misleading information in its permit application, the city may revoke the permit. Any permit granted hereunder is a revocable privilege granted by the city and is not a property or other legal right.
(12) Penalties. With respect to any temporary marihuana event that is in violation of any requirement or restriction set forth in this article, the licensee shall be subject to a civil infraction of $500.00.
(a) The penalties set forth herein are non-exclusive and cumulative, and nothing herein shall be deemed to prevent the city from enforcing any other applicable ordinance.
(b) In addition to the remedies provided herein, the city may fle for injunctive relief to abate any violation hereof.
Adopted 02.03.2025
Published 02.19.2025
Effective 03.01.2025
Published in Warren Weekly 02/19/2025
Dennis Champine City Manager/Clerk
File photo by Patricia O’Blenes
The Busch Branch of the Warren Public Library, located at 23333 Ryan Road, is expected to open after school March 3.
Charges
A motion to sever is a formal request to the court to separate a defendant’s charges or cases from those of other defendants in the same case or series of related cases. A motion to sever means to ask the court to separate a defendant from other people in the same case.
“I am asking for a motion hearing date in advance of any new preliminary examination date,” Barkovic said.
Stange’s attorney, William Barnwell, however, wanted to proceed with the hearing.
“We are ready to go today. My client wanted a preliminary exam. I’m here today with exhibits. I’m here today with legal arguments,” Barnwell said. “She wants her day in court. It is our desire to proceed today.”
Also in court was Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Urban, who objected to the adjournment and to any motion being filed.
“There are certain circumstances under which a preliminary examination can be severed between the two co-defendants. We do not believe that any of those circumstances are met here,” Urban said. “We don’t feel there’s any legal basis for that motion. Our officers are here. We are ready to proceed.”
But Chmura adjourned the preliminary exam instead. The March 6 motion hearing was set for Chmura to either grant the motion to sever or not.
Stange and Carroll were arrested during separate traffic stops Dec. 20 for allegedly smoking marijuana near school grounds and driving while under the influ-
ence of drugs. According to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, it is alleged that Stange and Carroll were in Carroll’s vehicle smoking marijuana Dec. 20 at a plaza near the corner of Nine Mile and Ryan roads, within 1,000 feet of school grounds.
They left in separate vehicles. Warren police officers conducted a traffic stop on Stange’s vehicle and alleged she was under the influence of marijuana. A traffic stop also was conducted by Warren officers on Carroll’s vehicle and it was determined that she was allegedly under the influence.
Both women are out on bond and are required to undergo random drug testing. During the Feb. 6 hearing, Chmura said that Carroll has been refusing to have her specimens sent to the lab.
“We addressed this issue before in a different manner,” Barkovic told the judge. “You commented on some THC being detected in her system. I advised the court that she is a Michigan medical marijuana patient. She is in possession of a valid card. I do have a letter from a physician documenting the need for that. I’m asking that the court take no action and make a note her use is legitimate for medical purposes and allow her to continue using.”
Stange became superintendent Oct. 10, 2022. Prior to that, she served as business director and acting superintendent for the district. Stange has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in organizational development from Siena Heights University. She also earned her administrative certification through the Horizon program with the Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators.
According to the district’s Board of Education meeting minutes dated June 26, 2023, Carroll was hired as the food services
TO THE CITY OF CENTER LINE PROPERTY OWNERS TO DESTROY NOXIOUS WEEDS
TO ALL OWNERS OF LAND LOCATED IN CENTER LINE:
AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE CITY OF CENTER LINE CODE OF ORDINANCES, SECTION 78-13, YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR THE OWNER OR OCCUPANT OF ANY LOT OR LANDS, EITHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE WITHIN THE CITY TO ALLOW OR MAINTAIN ON ANY PORTION OF SUCH LOT OR LANDS, ANY GROWTH OF ANY NOXIOUS OR POISONOUS WEEDS WHICH MAY CREATE A CONDITION DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH OR ANY GROWTH OF VEGETATION OF A HEIGHT GREATER THAN SIX INCHES OR ANY ACCUMULATION OF DEAD WEEDS, GRASS OR BRUSH.
THE OWNER OR OCCUPANT SHALL CUT DOWN ALL NOXIOUS OR POISONOUS WEEDS IN A TIMELY MANNER FROM TIME TO TIME TO PREVENT SUCH WEEDS FROM GROWING TO SEED. FAILURE OF ANY PROPERTY OWNER TO DESTROY SAID NOXIOUS GRASS AND WEEDS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND KEEP MAINTAINED THEREAFTER, AS NECESSARY WILL RESULT IN THE CITY ENTERING ON SAID PREMISES TO DESTROY SAID WEEDS AS OFTEN AS NECESSARY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PROPERTY OWNER. SAID EXPENSES SHALL CONSIST OF A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY AS PROVIDED BY LAW.
DENNIS E. CHAMPINE CITY MANAGER/CLERK
director July 1, 2023. On Dec. 21, 2024, the school board voted unanimously to place Stange and Carroll on leave effective immediately pending an internal review and ongoing criminal investigation.
In the meantime, Laurie Fournier is serving as interim superintendent. Accord-
ing to school officials, Fournier served nearly 30 years in Fitzgerald Public Schools as a teacher, school principal, curriculum director and eventually superintendent.
Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.
ORDINANCE NO. 30-1087
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE NO. 30 OF THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF WARREN, COUNTY OF MACOMB, STATE OF MICHIGAN.
THE CITY OF WARREN ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. That Ordinance No. 30 of the ordinances of the City of Warren, Macomb County, Michigan be amended to provide that the following described property: Property description for property zoned R-1-C, One Family Residential District to be zoned R-3, Multiple Family Dwelling District (25480, 25468, 25440 Schoenherr Road).
The land referred to in this commitment is situated in the City of Warren, Macomb County, State of Michigan, as follows:
One (1) parcel of land located in Section 24, City of Warren, Macomb County, Michigan; described as: Supervisor’s Plat of H. Welton Obenauer’s Garden Gate Subdivision No. 1, Lots 53, 54, and 55 including 42.19 ft. of vacated Schoenherr Road, Liber 18, Page 4. Parcel Number: 13-24-351-004 is rezoned with conditions from its present zoning classifcation, R-I-C, One Family Residential District to R-3, Multi-Family Dwelling District, in accordance with the map attached hereto and made a part hereof, and in accordance with 1) the Rezoning with Conditions map below and made a part of this ordinance; 2) Ordinance No. 30 of the Ordinances of the City of Warren, as amended; and 3) documents referenced in this ordinance. Ordinance No. 30 is amended in accordance with this ordinance.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall record the approved rezoning ordinance and rezoning with conditions agreement, and the rezoning with conditions shall run with the land and is binding upon successors or transferees pursuant to section 24.14b of the Code of Zoning Ordinances.
Published in Warren Weekly 02/19/2025
SECTION 2. The conditions offered by the Petitioner, and accepted by the Warren City Council include the conditions that the above-described property shall be developed as townhome style apartment buildings, subject to, and in compliance with, (1) approved site plans, site plan conditions, and other zoning approvals, (2) Offer of Conditions dated August 28, 2023 and signed on September 10, 2023; and (3) Conditional Rezoning Agreement between the City of Warren and Raf Ahmad (“Developer”), and all such documents are incorporated by reference into this Ordinance, and may be examined in the Department of Planning, One City Square, Suite 315, Warren, Michigan. The rezoning is further conditioned upon Developer’s compliance with Ordinance 30.
SECTION 4. All other provisions of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Warren, Appendix A of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Warren, shall remain unchanged and in full effect.
SECTION 5. This ordinance shall become effective and the property rezoned, as set forh in this Ordinance and the Conditional Rezoning Agreement on February 26, 2025.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall record the approved rezoning ordinance and rezoning with conditions agreement, and the rezoning with conditions shall run with the land and is binding upon successors or transferees pursuant to section 24.14b of the Code of Zoning Ordinances.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance No. 30�1087 was adopted pursuant to the approval of the Re�oning with Conditions by the Council of the City of Warren at its meeting on December 10, 2024.
SECTION 4. All other provisions of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Warren, Appendix A of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Warren, shall remain unchanged and in full effect.
SECTION 5. This ordinance shall become effective and the property rezoned, as set forth in this Ordinance and the Conditional Rezoning Agreement on February 26, 2025.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance No. 30-1087 was adopted pursuant to the approval of the Rezoning with Conditions by the Council of the City of Warren at its meeting on December 10, 2024.
Published: February 19, 2025. Warren Weekly
SONJA
BUFFA City Clerk
Closures
That could include power outages, water main breaks or other issues that make the building unusable for the day.
Schools also could be closed for security issues, in which a threat has been made to a building or there is a community safety issue in the district making it unsafe for students to arrive at school or leave. In these cases, the district works with the Warren Police Department.
Van Dyke Public Schools
Schools were shut down Jan. 21-22 due to extremely low temperatures, Feb. 6 because of icy road conditions, and Feb. 13 for weather conditions. Superintendent Piper Bognar’s rescue dog, Harry the Snow Day Dog, helps announce snow days on the district’s website.
“The closure of school is always a difficult decision. Safety and education are the top two priorities of a superintendent, and this is where they collide,” Bognar said. “It’s impossible to predict driving conditions, walking conditions, etc., and we also know that students need to be in school. Ultimately, we want everyone to be safe while learning.”
The district’s educators are able to get caught up with lessons when they return to school.
“First of all, teachers are makers of magic,” Bognar said. “This is just something else they do daily. If you see one in the wild, buy them a coffee. Lessons are constantly altered, and instruction is updated to meet the changing needs of students.”
Warren Woods Public Schools
The district endured the same four snow days as the other districts due to a combination of severe winter weather condi-
tions, including icy roads and sidewalks and dangerously low temperatures.
“Student and staff safety is always the top priority, and these closures were necessary to ensure safe travel for students: whether they walk to school, take the bus, drive themselves or get dropped off by a parent/guardian,” Superintendent Stacey Denewith-Fici said.
Additionally, a couple buildings closed for building issues, power outages, or unexpected closures in the area.
“Closing school is always a difficult decision. It requires careful consideration of road conditions, weather forecasts, and the ability of students, buses and families to travel safely. The district works closely with local authorities and surrounding school districts to make the most informed decision possible, always prioritizing student and staff safety,” Denewith-Fici said.
“Whenever possible, we make these decisions with as much time as possible, in an effort to provide families with time to make alternate plans,” Denewith-Fici said. “There are occasions where what is forecasted is not what actually arrives. In those cases, we acknowledge that the choice to remain open, or to close, was made with safety top of mind and in good faith with the information available.”
Warren Consolidated Schools
The district had four snow days so far: Jan. 21-22 and Feb. 6 and 13. Attempts to obtain more information on the district’s snow days procedure were unsuccessful at press time.
Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.
Downtown
from page 3A
“It’s a great opportunity that we have right now,” Stone said. “I’m just hoping, through this process, it becomes proven to be successful, and we get to see that as part of that reinvigoration and revitalization in the community.”
Rogensues and Stone said the exact location of the downtown is still up for debate, but some of it will center around Warren’s City Hall, on Van Dyke Avenue north of 12 Mile Road. Stone said several new parcels have been added to the original location since 2017.
“It is city-owned property. It is where our city center is, but I do think there is additional conversation about what some of the other districts might look like and/or if there’s another place,” Rogensues said.
Rogensues added that residents have concerns about it being in the north of the city, when the south part of Warren is less developed.
Stone said city officials met with Gibbs Planning Group to go over the 2017 plans last year. A steering committee was then established for the project. During a presentation about options for the plan, Stone realized the community needed to be more involved. She wanted to make sure residents saw what was possible with the plans rather than just gathering a wish list from them.
“If you only have a couple people in a room and they’re going to drive this, is it really reflective of our community?” Stone said.
To get community engagement, the
city held listening sessions starting last December. Stone said the meetings were attended by about 100 residents and an online survey about the development has netted around 400 responses. Once the community feedback is complete, Stone said Gibbs will take the input and incorporate it into a plan for the space.
One thing Stone heard from the feedback was that residents didn’t feel like the previous administration’s improvements, like luxury apartments and high-end restaurants, were for Warren residents.
“For community members, they thought what was being offered was unobtainable to the community,” Stone said.
There’s still time for residents to offer ideas about the development. The online survey will be available until the end of the month at www.cityofwarren.org/town-centerdevelopment-survey. Stone also encouraged residents to get involved in the next phase, which is reviewing plans. She suggested signing up for the city’s Community Alert Network system for updates about getting involved at this juncture.
In addition to commercial and residential uses, Stone wanted to make sure there were public spaces that allowed all residents to benefit from the development, citing Royal Oak and Rochester as examples of this. Stone also mentioned the downtown as being a place where people from outside the community would be drawn in.
Warren City Council Secretary Mindy Moore said Claude Molinari of Visit Detroit sat in at a steering committee meeting for the project and suggested a conference center be included in the space. This would provide
NOTICE
CITY OF CENTER LINE BOARD OF REVIEW
The City of Center Line Board of Review will meet in the City of Center Line Municipal Offces located at 7070 Ten Mile Rd, Center Line, Michigan 48015, ** OR by electronic means if required by order. If electronic meeting is required public notice will be posted not less than 18 hours prior to the meeting at the City Hall and on the City website (www.centerline.gov). ** Meetings by appointment only on the following days:
Tuesday March 4, 2025 at 9:00 am for the organizational meeting (no appeals will be heard).
By appointment to hear appeals,
Wednesday March 12, 2025 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Friday March 14, 2025 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
The purpose is to review the assessment rolls of Center Line. Matters pertaining to the assessment of property may be brought before the Board of Review. Appointments will be taken until 4:00 pm on Friday, March 14, 2025. Appeals will also be accepted by letter.
**All letter appeals must be received by 4:00 pm on Friday, March 14, 2025. ** TENTATIVE TENTATIVE
Warren with a unique space in Macomb County.
“We have to have something that draws people, something different,” Moore said. “We’re not Birmingham, we’re not Royal Oak. We want to have something that’s going to draw people to us and still have a walkable downtown.”
Rogensues said the city is missing out when residents travel to other cities to dine out, go to parks and go shopping. She personally would like to see a family-owned coffee shop, grocery store, restaurants, an amphitheater and a park or sitting space.
“I think it’s really important we make sure we’re meeting the needs of our residents and that we’re keeping those tax dollars in the city,” she said.
Rogensues is eager to see a downtown development in the city.
“I definitely am in support of it and want to see a downtown development happen in my time on council,” she said. She acknowledged that the final development will be the result of collaboration.
Stone agreed that collaboration between council and the mayor is critical to make sure the project finally happens. She said council members have been present at the listening sessions, and Moore and Councilman Jonathan Lafferty are on the steering committee. Stone hopes council members bring back input from their districts to help benefit the project.
Moore said she wants a more concrete plan from the steering committee to present to residents. She said it was important to strike a balance between spaces for the public and businesses.
Rogensues said the first major step would be seeing what’s included in the plan and what investment the city would make in the project.
“I think those conversations are really important at the forefront to make sure we’re all on the same page,” Rogensues said.
Plans for ‘downtown Warren’ are not new
Warren Mayor Lori Stone isn’t the first mayor to take on the project. Mark Steenbergh, who was the city’s mayor from 19952007, said proposed development for the area dates back to 1964.
Under Steenbergh, portions of the project were completed in line with the original 1964 plans, including the Warren Civic Center Library and City Hall. These improvements were done with a city councilapproved bond.
“We did execute some of it,” Steenbergh said.
What stalled out Steenbergh’s push for the downtown was the City Council’s opposition to installing a main street development and parking structure.
“We felt at the time, and I still feel this way, that would’ve spurred a lot more development there and a quicker development,” he said. “But the council didn’t have the appetite for that second round of bond issues, so we did not do it.”
Moore served on the City Council during Steenbergh’s administration and said the economic downturn hindered the project at the time.
Jim Fouts, who later succeeded Steen-
See DOWNTOWN on page 23A
CITY OF WARREN Board of Review
Pursuant to the laws of the State of Michigan, and the City of Warren.
Notice is hereby given that the Board of Review shall convene on the 17th day of March 2025 and shall sit not less than three calendar days to review the 2025 Assessment Roll of the City of Warren and to hear complaints of persons considering themselves aggrieved by these values. Resident and non-resident taxpayers may fle his or her protest by letter without a personal appearance, unless applying for a poverty exemption. Poverty exemption appeals requires a personal appearance by either the applicant or their authorized representative.
The Board of Review shall meet in the First Floor Conference Center of City Hall, One City Square, Warren, Michigan. March 17 – 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 18 – 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. March 19 - 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The tentative ratios and equalization factor for the City of Warren, as recommended by the Macomb County Equalization Department are as follows:
THOMAS D. MONCHAK ASSESSOR, CITY OF CENTER LINE
Board of Review appointments may be made by contacting the Assessing Department from March 3rd through March 17th.
Downtown
bergh as mayor, made his own attempt to push the project through. Disagreement with the City Council again halted the project. Fouts was Warren’s mayor from 2007 to 2023 and was previously on City Council from 1981 to 2007. He said the debate to get the proposal on the council agenda lasted two or three years.
“It was an infinite amount of time with no real good justification for it not being on the agenda,” Fouts said. “At the time we kept arguing that time was of the essence with inflation and things the cost was going to go up.”
He said a public meeting was held and Fouts brought experts in to extoll the benefits of the development.
“Then the council decided they didn’t want to hear it from them, they wanted a written explanation not an oral (explanation),” Fouts said. “I said, ‘Why? We’ve got these experts here. Why not ask them questions and let them give you a presentation?’ And they refused to do it.”
Following the back and forth, Fouts said he wasn’t sure if the issue was hostility
to him or the project itself.
“Regardless, it was very disappointing,” he said. “It was a good project. I pointed out to them it would generate $2 million to $4 million of new tax revenue every year. We have studies that showed it would generate new business investment in Warren.”
Moore, who was on the City Council at the time, said council members didn’t act on the project because of a lack of transparency and not enough spaces for public use.
“His plan was giving a developer $30 million with no strings attached,” Moore said. “Didn’t have to pay it back. The (downtown development) authority didn’t have any ownership. They were going to get nothing out of that $30 million.”
Moore said data for the project was outdated and incomplete. Also, when the council contacted the entities that Fouts said were interested in investing, they were met with confusion.
Council wanted a letter of agreement from those interested, which she said the mayor declined to do unless council voted in favor of the development.
“That would be absolutely frivolous on our part to do something like that,” Moore said.
Fouts said the development would keep residents from spending their money outside the city. It could’ve also drawn in new businesses to the city.
“It was worth millions of dollars in new business, millions of dollars in people staying in Warren and not moving out,” Fouts said.
He went on to say not getting the project through was one of his “greatest regrets.”
Both former mayors agree that it will take a unified effort from the mayor and the council to make the downtown development a reality.
“The council controls the money, and the mayor tries to put forward the leadership to do it,” Steenbergh said. “There has to be cooperation to get it done.”
Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.
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.
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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. 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.
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
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the funds but was told by the agent he needed to pay them a $450 fee. After paying the fee, he was redirected 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.
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.
Larceny reported
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 footage inside shows the events as they played out. Outside footage shows the man returning to an apartment building where he was last seen walking into the darkness of the parking lot.
Help sought for suicidal man
GROSSE POINTE FARMS — At around 10:46 a.m. Jan. 18, the Public Safety Department’s crisis intervention team responded to a gas station at Mack Avenue and Moross Road because of a report about a man who might want to end his life. Police said the man — a 37-year-old from Detroit — said he was looking for help because he was suicidal and suffering from alcohol withdrawal. He told officers he had gone to Ascension St. John Hospital the night before but had been released from the hospital that morning. Police asked if the man would be willing to go to a crisis intervention center and he agreed, so officers took him there to get additional medical attention.
Vehicle stolen
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