3/21/24 Rochester Post

Hills looks to residents to help guide city into the future

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

ROCHESTER HILLS — Residents can help shape the new vision for the city of Rochester Hills for the next five years, officials said.

The city is in the process of updating its master plan and is once again asking the community what the future of Rochester Hills should look like.

Mayor Bryan Barnett said a master plan is a blueprint, or a roadmap, for how the community should evolve and how it should develop.

“A master plan is about guiding development in the city in a way that enhances the experiences of residents,” he said in a statement. “Of course it needs to be sustainable, resilient and age friendly, and while our community is largely built out, we still have some vacant parcels, along with some properties that are ready to be redeveloped and even modernized.”

The city’s last full master plan was completed in 2007, and it was updated in 2013 and again in 2018.

The long-range document will help guide policy and decision-making about how land is used for housing, trans-

See FUTURE on page 18A

STONEY CREEK CHEER BEST IN STATE WITH D1 STATE TITLE, ADAMS EARNS RUNNER-UP

Rochester Hills Stoney Creek celebrates its Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 Competitive Cheer State Championship win at Central Michigan University’s McGuirk Arena March 1.

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

ROCHESTER HILLS — For the past three seasons, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek’s senior group has watched its neighborhood rivals celebrate at the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 Competitive Cheer State Championship.

Rochester raised the title in 2023, while both Rochester and Stoney Creek witnessed the emergence of Rochester Adams behind

three-straight state championships from 2020 to 2022.

The Cougars’ 2024 senior class was in the rearview of Adams’ 2022 state title as state runners-up, and they were determined to make sure their high school career wouldn’t be remembered with a second-place finish.

“I think that was definitely our pushing point from that moment, because we were like, ‘We want to earn that champion-

Photo provided by the MHSAA/Hockey Weekly

Rochester celebrates retirement of two K-9 officers

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

ROCHESTER — Two of the Rochester Police Department’s fourlegged members have retired.

During a recent meeting, the Rochester City Council honored K-9s Kitt and Pearl — who both worked with K-9 handler Sgt. Michael Knight — for their years of service.

Kitt retired from the Rochester Police Department on July 28, 2023, after almost seven years of service.

“We all know seven years of dog time is times seven, so that’s almost 50 years of service,” said Rochester Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Salvia.

Kitt, a German shepherd from Slovakia, first came to the city in Octo-

Linda and Ron S.

“We

FAR LEFT: Kitt, a German shepherd from Slovakia, served as the department’s narcotics detection and tracking canine.

NEAR LEFT: Pearl, a Labrador retriever, served as the department’s explosives detection dog.

Photos provided by the city of Rochester

Library patrons work together to build a puzzle during the Jigsaw Puzzle Tournament at the Rochester Hills Public Library March 16. Jigsaw Puzzle Tournament attendees had three hours to complete 1,000 pieces.

Photos by Erin Sanchez

Cheer

from page 1A

ship title,’” Stoney Creek senior Ariana Rabaut said. “We didn’t settle for second place. We were happy at the time, but going forward we were like, ‘We’re getting this by the time we graduate.’ We did really use it as motivation, and we saw how their teams were and we wanted to embody that, but we wanted to make it our own.”

In front of a packed crowd of more than 3,000 attendees at Central Michigan University’s McGuirk Arena March 1, Stoney Creek faced off against its neighborhood counterparts in what has become a state finals tradition for the past two decades, and for the first time since 2019, Stoney Creek was the best in the state.

Besting second-place Adams 792.98791.56, Stoney Creek’s senior class entered a moment they had only replayed over and over in their dreams but could never have imagined how it truly felt. Rochester finished in third.

“I feel like we were all just so excited, but at the same time so in shock, because we had never felt anything like this before,” Rabaut said. “We had no words. We were speechless, because our name had never gotten called last, and that was probably the best moment of my entire career.”

For some Stoney Creek cheerleaders, they can’t even recall the surreal moment that led

Stoney Creek to becoming three-time state champions.

“It was almost like a blackout moment,” Stoney Creek senior Alison Kalaj said. “I don’t even remember our name getting called last, because I was like, ‘What is happening?’”

Similar to their regional showing this year that ended with the Cougars becoming regional champions, Stoney Creek stormed out the gate with point advantages in rounds one and two over Rochester and Adams.

Competing against each other all year can give the three Rochester schools insight on each other, and Stoney Creek knew what they needed to do early on.

“Every cheer team goes to cheer camps and does their clinics, but sometimes it can get a little awkward, because we all attend the same camps, games and clinics,” Stoney Creek senior Charlotte Cahill said. “We see each other at football games and stuff like that, so sometimes there’s more pressure going to a football game cheering when you know that the team across the field from you is going to be competing for a state title in a few months. I think that is pressure that no one else in the state can understand or get.”

While carrying the lead into round three, Adams had emphasized their round three throughout the season, besting Stoney Creek

See CHEER on page 22A

Stoney Creek cheerleaders: Kacey Bauer (Sr./1st team all-State), Charlotte Cahill (Sr./1st team all-State), Gracie Darling (Sr./1st team all-State), Abigail DeGraw (Sr./1st team all-State), Sofia Finazzo (Sr.), Alison Kalaj (Sr./1st team all-State), Lily Leone (Sr./2nd team all-State), Laura Machak (Sr.), Helena Merritt (Sr.), Ariana Rabaut (Sr./1st team all-State), Jane Stabnick (Sr./2nd team all-State), Sarah Adams (Jr./2nd team all-State), Ava Boland (Jr.), Sophia Brusseau (Jr./HM), Grace Pererra (Jr.), Sienna Wills (Jr./HM), Mia Badalucco (Soph.), Elle Brandimarte (Soph.), Taylor Brandimarte (Soph.), Briana Cairns (Soph.), Avery Chmielewski (Soph.), Allee Depp (Soph.), Mary Guitron Ortiz (Soph.), Audrey Harvath (Soph.), Kendall Keller (Soph.), Natalie Marco (Soph./HM), Julia McDermott (Soph.), Cassidy Niester (Soph.), Ariana Phelps (Soph.), Ally Schamanek (Soph.), Isabel Williams (Fr.), Laila Biondo (Fr.).

Rochester Adams cheerleaders: Trisha Bartolome (Sr./1st team all-State), Lily Hittle (Sr./1st team all-State), Lindsay Kesman (Sr./1st team all-State), Reese Patyi (Sr./1st team all-State), Savannah Rambow (Sr./2nd team all-State), Hope Antonellie (Jr.), Maria Caradonna (Jr./2nd team all-State), Mei Enokida (Jr.), Ibuki Furusato (Jr.), Cara Gould (Jr.), Elle Powers (Jr.), Lia Sukkar (Jr.), Queralt Abaurrea (Soph.), Liv Carline (Soph.), Nikala Hall (Soph./2nd team all-State), Kennedy Hartley (Soph.), Natalie Hopkins (Soph.), Lauren Kantzer (Soph.), Ava MacDonald (Soph.), Valeria Martinez-Serna (Soph.), Madison Michalkow (Soph.), Lauren Redmond (Soph.), Libby Schultz (Soph./HM), Kylie Smyth (Soph.), Mia VanHulle (Soph.), Alyssa Walker (Soph.), Gabriella Montgomery (Fr./HM), Delaney Sims (Fr.), Paige Adragna (Fr.), Adriana Palazzolo (Fr.).

Rochester cheerleaders: Kelly Burdick (Sr.), Madison Carpenter (Sr./1st team all-State), Lena Cleveland (Sr./1st team all-State), Sarah Newport (Sr./1st team all-State), Morgan Calcagno (Jr./HM), Samantha Dick (Jr.), Elizabeth Faglie (Jr.), Raegan Farley (Jr.), Ivana Ghafari (Jr.), Natalia Grabovac (Jr./2nd team all-State), Isabella Gungab (Jr./2nd team all-State), Aubrey Hillard (Jr.), Riley Hubbard (Jr.), Elizabeth Orris (Jr.), Momoko Paris (Jr.), Natalie Cote (Soph.), Aubrey Dettloff (Soph.), Ivy Galens (Soph.), Lina Gianzante (Soph.), Audrey Henckel (Soph.), Lily Imlay (Soph.), Claire O’Neil (Soph./HM), Kara Sawicki (Fr.), Kassandra Nicholas (Fr.), Sienna Lee (Fr.), Ellianna Bohannon (Fr.).

NOTES

Library ‘The First 100 Years of Jewish Detroit’ April 9

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Hills Public Library will present “The First 100 Years of Jewish Detroit” at 7 p.m. April 9. In the span of a century, Detroit’s Jewish population grew from 51 people to more than 80,000. Join archivists Laura Gottlieb and Robbie Terman from the Joan Meyers Jampel Center for Michigan Jewish Heritage as they explore why Jewish people flocked to Detroit and how they created a thriving community. Terman is the director of the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, and Gottlieb is the director of cultural resources at Temple Beth El. Both hold a Master of Library and Information Science and certification in archival administration from Wayne State University. This event is open to the public. Registration is required. To register, visit calendar.rhpl.org or call (248) 656-2900.

Ramadhan open house dinner to be held March 30

ROCHESTER — Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center of Rochester Hills will host its annual Ramadhan open house and dinner at 7 p.m. March 30. The event is a continuation of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center’s efforts of peace and harmony among communities, according to event organizers.

The event will provide first-hand opportunity to understand and learn about the month of Ramadhan. The dinner is free, and organizers said the event is kid friendly.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center of Rochester Hills is located at 1730 W. Auburn Road in Rochester Hills. For more information, call (248) 293-0072 or email info. edt@ahmadiyya.us.

COMEDY ‘NATIVE GARDENS’ COMES TO MEADOW BROOK THEATRE

ROCHESTER — Meadow Brook Theatre will present the comedy ‘Native Gardens’ March 21-April 14 on the campus of Oakland University.

High-powered lawyer Pablo and his doctoral candidate, very pregnant wife Tania, have just moved into their dream house. It needs some work, but they’re excited to be next-door neighbors to community stalwarts Frank and Virginia. A disagreement over a longstanding fence line spirals into a hilarious war of taste, class, privilege and entitlement, according to promoters. “Will anyone come out smelling like a rose? Or will it all turn to ... fertilizer?”

“This show humorously challenges assumptions,” Travis Walter, MBT’s artistic director, said in a statement. “You move into a new house; you want to get along with your neighbors. Everything starts off fine, but then an assumption leads to a clarification, which leads to the truth. Sometimes that truth becomes a much bigger deal than it should.”

Michael De Souza and Stefania Gonzalez play Pablo and Tania, while Tobin Hissong and Mary Robin Roth are Frank and Virginia.

ST. PAUL’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH TO HOST CONCERT

ROCHESTER — St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Concert Series will present Amanda Blaikie, principal flute for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, at 4 p.m. April 14 at the church, 620 Romeo St. in Rochester. Blaikie will be accompanied by Seung Hee Cho on piano and organ, as well as Bret Hoag on guitar. The cost to attend is $20 for adults or $10 for students under 18.

Tickets range from $37 to $46 and are available by calling the Meadow Brook Theatre box office at (248) 377-3300 or visiting www.ticketmaster. com. Student discounts are available at the box office. “Native Gardens” is suggested for audience members in high school and up. For more information, visit www.mbtheatre.com or call (248) 377-3300.

Free visits with the Easter Bunny at The Village of Rochester Hills

ROCHESTER HILLS — The Village of Rochester Hills will be hosting free outdoor visits with the Easter Bunny this spring.

Guests can visit with the Easter Bunny on weekends in the outdoor gazebo in Festival Park. The Easter Bunny will be giving out special treats to all who visit. The Village will also be bringing in a petting farm featuring baby chicks, baby goats and ducks. People should bring their own cameras for photos.

The Easter Bunny and petting farm animals will be at The Village on a first-come, first-served basis noon-6 p.m. Sunday, March 17; Saturday, March 23; Sunday, March 24; Friday, March 29; and Saturday, March 30. The Village of Rochester Hills is located at 104 N. Adams Road in Rochester Hills.

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Police Department is giving community members a glimpse into the life of a police officer with its Citizens Police Academy.

The department launched the program in 2018 with 15 participants, and it was so popular that it was expanded over the years to include more topics.

“We want people to understand what we do as law enforcement officers, why we do it and how we do it. There’s a lot of misconceptions out there, and we just want to make certain that people know why we do certain things,” Rochester Police Chief George Rouhib said. “More importantly, this is about building relationships with our residents.”

This year’s 10-week program will be held 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at the Rochester Fire Station starting April 11.

“We’re going to go over just about everything,” Rouhib said. “We’re going to try to cover as many areas in law enforcement as we can.”

Participants will learn about department operations, dispatch and communications center programs, crime prevention, investigations, the use of force, the patrol division, and the criminal justice system. Rouhib said portions of the academy may include physical activities during hands-on scenarios and may require extended periods of standing or walking.

“We’ll have a lot of reality training and different scenarios they can practice on,” Rouhib said.

Rochester Police Sgt. Mark Lyon, who coordinates the program, said the academy is a way for the public to engage with police officers — gaining insight into their roles and responsibilities and an understanding of how the criminal justice system functions.

“We offer a lot of sessions in the program that cover topics that people just maybe do not know about, or maybe it’s a service that we offer that they weren’t aware of,” Lyon said.

The academy, which will conclude June 13, is open to all who live, work or own a business in Rochester. Applicants must be a minimum of 18 years old, never have been convicted of a felony or a violent misdemeanor, and have no misdemeanor convictions within the last two years. The program is free.

To apply online, visit rochestermi.org/police before April 1. Applications are also available at the front desk of the Rochester Police Department, 400 Sixth St. Residents can also

Police

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complete the application and mail or drop it off to the Rochester Police Department, Citizens Police Academy Applications, 400 Sixth St., Rochester, MI 48307.

Lyon said several Citizens Police Academy attendees have gone on to join the city’s Community Emergency Response Team, offered through the Rochester Fire Department. CERT members are taught basic disaster response skills — such as fire suppression, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, and team organization — which allows them to help first responders in the event of a major disaster or as needed at major community events, including the Art and Apples Festival; the Rochester Hometown Christmas Parade; Lagniappe; The Big, Bright Light Show; and many others. They have also assisted in various search-and-rescue operations in the area.

“There have definitely been people that are interested in volunteering in the community that have come through the program and followed up with the CERT program,” he said.

The Rochester Police Department is responsible for all police services within the 3.8-square-mile boundaries of the city.

For more information about the Citizens Police Academy, call (248) 651-9621.

CRIME WATCH

Car stolen, recovered in Detroit

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Deputies responded to the 3400 block of Vineyard Hill Drive in reference to an auto theft that had occurred sometime overnight March 6.

The complainant, a 50-year-old man from Oakland Township, told deputies a 2021 Ford Bronco had been parked in his driveway as of 11 p.m. the night before, and he discovered it missing the next morning. He believes his children left the vehicle unlocked with a key fob inside.

The auto theft unit was contacted, and detectives responded to Detroit, where the vehicle was pinging. The vehicle was located behind an abandoned house and was recovered. The investigation continues.

Men arrested for attempted motor vehicle fraud

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies responded to a car dealership in the 2800 block of South Rochester Road for a report of a fraud at 5:37 p.m. Feb. 14.

The caller told police that two males were inside of the business attempting to purchase a new vehicle with fraudulent identification and insurance.

When deputies arrived, the suspects had left, but they were located down the road in another parking lot. They were taken into custody without incident.

Inside the suspect vehicle, deputies located several pieces of mail with several different names on them. Both suspects, a 52-year-old man from Detroit and a 32-year-old man from Detroit, were lodged at the Oakland County Jail on their charges.

Man arrested for possession of meth

ROCHESTER HILLS — A deputy conducting extra patrols in the area of Crooks Road saw a red Chrysler 300 pull into the parking lot of the Red Roof Inn, 2580 Crooks Road, at 12:52 a.m. Feb. 16. After running the license plate, the officer learned that the registered owner had two valid arrest warrants. A short time later, the Chrysler 300 exited the parking lot, and a traffic stop was initiated. The driver and registered owner, a 59-year-old man from Romulus, was identified as being the subject with the arrest warrants, and he was placed into custody.

While conducting a pat-down pursuant to the arrest, the driver advised the arresting

deputy that he had crystal meth in his right front pants pocket. The suspected controlled substance was confiscated and logged into evidence for lab testing. The suspect was taken into custody and lodged at the Oakland County Jail for his warrants and later was released pending investigation for the charge of possession of methamphetamine.

Senior reports $600, pill, blank check stolen from his room in senior living facility

ROCHESTER HILLS — A deputy was dispatched to a senior living center in the 3700 block of South Adams Road for a larceny at 8:07 p.m. Feb. 16.

An 88-year-old man from Rochester Hills reported that he’d had surgery Oct. 25. Before he left his senior living facility, he said he counted $900 in cash inside his desk, in $100 bills. When he returned home after surgery, $600 was missing, along with one oxycodone pill and one blank check from his checkbook.

Police said the senior living staff spoke to him in October but have not talked to him since. The victim closed his PNC Bank account, deputies completed the report, and the incident was turned over to the Rochester Hills Detective Bureau for investigation.

Suspicious man reportedly pretends to be WOW technician, cuts phone cords

ROCHESTER HILLS — Deputies responded to the 2300 block of Culbertson for a report of suspicious circumstances at 1:54 pm. Feb. 17.

The caller said that someone had opened the gate to his backyard yard, walked to the rear of the house and was impersonating a Wide Open West technician. The victim said the person intentionally cut wires leading to his phone box on the rear of the house.

The victim told deputies that he confronted the suspect, who indicated he was from WOW and said he had a report of a down line in the rear of the victim’s home.

The victim said the suspect got “spooked,” “ran to his van and drove off.” The suspect did not have any identification and was not wearing a uniform, according to reports.

WOW was contacted and was unable to confirm any work being conducted that day.

The suspect vehicle is a white minivan of unknown year, make or model, with black-tinted side windows, white-tinted rear windows and a red ladder roof.

Police are investigating.

Woman arrested after reportedly aiming pellet gun at another car

ROCHESTER

HILLS

— Deputies responded to Rochester and Hamlin roads for a road rage incident at 1:54 p.m. Feb. 18.

A 22-year-old man from Rochester Hills reported to police that a passenger in a vehicle pointed a handgun at him after a road rage incident, adding that he and the vehicle’s driver were going to the substation to file a report.

Deputies spoke to the driver, a 22-yearold female from Rochester Hills, who said the passenger of a car in front of her threw garbage out of the vehicle, so she honked her horn. The passenger of the other vehicle then reportedly began to gesture and scream at her.

When they passed the other vehicle, she said, it tailgated them, and a handgun ap-

peared out of the sunroof.

The 22-year-old man from Shelby Township stated the handgun was then pointed at them, but both were unsure if it was the driver or the passenger who had held the firearm.

Deputies searched the area and located the responsible vehicle in a parking lot.

Both subjects, a 20-year-old woman from Detroit and a 23-year-old woman from Farmington Hills, were taken into custody. A child was in the vehicle also.

Deputies located two pellet guns in the vehicle and secured them.

The Detroit woman was released and took custody of her child. The Farmington Hills woman was lodged at the Oakland County Jail pending the issuance of charges.

— Mary Beth Almond

K-9s

from page 3A

ber 2016 and served as the department’s tracking, handler protection and narcotics detection dog.

City officials said Kitt “had a reputation for being a superior tracking dog” and was “often sought out for cases.”

“During K-9 Kitt’s first week of service, (he) confiscated enough forfeiture money to pay for his entire training,” Salvia noted.

Pearl retired from the Rochester Police Department Jan. 1, after almost five years of service.

Pearl, a Labrador retriever, served as the department’s explosives detection dog.

“In her role as an explosive detection K-9, she was on the scene at Oxford High School shortly after the shooting and was instrumental in clearing the school by making sure it was safe from any explosive devices,” Salvia said.

The city of Rochester transferred the ownership of the two dogs to Knight and his family, who adopted the two dogs following their retirements.

“We know this is really a family affair. While the dogs were in service, it was really the family (taking care of them), and now they get to continue their joy in their retirement,” said Salvia.

Former Rochester Police Chief Steve Schettenhelm said K-9 training is a continual process that involves everyday training.

“With a K-9 officer, they are training every single day, regardless of whether it’s an off day or a work day. They are work-

ing all the time, and there is that team behind the scenes that are also working on that care and feeding and making sure that they’re ready to go to work every day. The Knight family is certainly responsible for the success of these two K-9s and everything they’ve been able to bring to the city and to the area. They don’t always just help here. They have been essential in helping various departments all around the metropolitan area, whether it be for narcotic searches, tracking and … for explosive detection work all over the area. Certainly my thanks to the Knight family, as well as Kitt and Pearl,” Schettenhelm said.

Officer James Penman was named the department’s next K-9 handler. Chief George Rouhib said the next five-week K-9 Academy through Oakland County starts in May.

“At the end of the month, Officer Penman and Sgt. Knight will be going down to Pennsylvania to a kennel where most of the handlers get their dogs from, so they will go there, look at all the dogs, try to get familiar with them and then, hopefully, we can pick one out of the litter that will work well for our city.”

Once a puppy is picked, Rouhib said, it goes to an experienced handler from another agency for initial training, and once deemed ready, will then be turned over to the Rochester Police Department for training with Penman at the five-week academy.

“Our dog will be trained in narcotics detection and tracking,” Rouhib explained. “After those five weeks, the dog will be in service in the community, we hope.”

Upon graduating from the academy, Rouhib said, K-9 training will be a continual process that involves everyday training, tracking, area searches, article searches, narcotics work and more.

Call Staff Writer Mary Beth Almond at (586) 498-1060.

Photo provided by the city of Rochester Rochester Police K-9 officers Kitt and Pearl were recognized for their recent retirements, with handler Sgt. Michael Knight by their sides.

The Exterior Painters Celebrate 20 Years of Transforming Properties, Neighborhoods

Nothing transforms a property and makes it shine brighter than a fresh coat of paint. It’s simply the best and most cost-effective investment you can make for your home draped in the colors of yesterday.

The Exterior Painters have been revitalizing properties for 20 years.

“We specialize in just exterior painting, and the reason why we do that is we believe that repetition is the mother of all skill,” said owner Brian Scott. “For 20 years, that’s all we’ve been doing is outside work. When it comes to that, we do wood replacement and siding replacement. It makes us the perfect fit for homeowners who don’t want to re-side their whole house.”

The Exterior Painters replace damaged siding and boards as needed, but they’re not looking to push for a full siding replacement.

“It gets people by another 10 years and transforms the look of the house, bringing it to the next color trends of today,” Scott said.

“Another thing we do that makes us unique, we have a full-time color consultant,” Scott added. “For most people, that’s the hardest, most stressful part, choosing what color they want. Our consultant comes out and

meets with the homeowners and gives them an idea of what the new color trends are so they can make a good color choice that complements their landscaping, brickwork and architectural features.”

The Exterior Painters also specialize in brick staining.

“A lot of younger people are buying houses. We’re taking it from grandma’s house of the ’50s, ’60s or ’70s and bringing it to that HGTV look,” Scott said.

Power washing the siding — and for an additional charge, soft washing the roof if needed — can also make a big difference in terms of curb appeal.

charge, soft washing the roof if needed — can also transformed through fresh paint,

Scott said his crews often see their work spread from house to house in a neighborhood as the properties are transformed through fresh paint, siding repairs and much-needed washing.

you’re getting a bigger bang for your buck.”

It’s a win for everyone, from the crews The Exterior Painters employ and pay well to the homeowners who see their neighborhoods transformed. The company paints 30 houses a week on average in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne and Livingston counties, and boasts a five-star Google review average.

“With us you’re buying certainty. We don’t ask for a large deposit, and you don’t have to worry about anyone running off with your deposit,” Scott said. “We stand by our work. We provide a warranty and proven results by taking care of everybody in the community. We’re Nextdoor’s No. 1 preferred contractor in Rochester two years in a row. It’s that certainty factor. You know what you’re going

“It’s the cheapest home improvement you can do without breaking the bank,” Scott said.

“It’s the cheapest home

“Compared to other home improvements,

to get.”

The Exterior Painters are located at 2365 Avon Industrial Drive in Rochester Hills. To request a quote or for more information, call (248) 844-8888.

SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH

JUST KEEP SWIMMING: A SPORT FOR ALL AGES

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Jumping into a pool or lake for a swim isn’t only fun, it offers many health benefits and is great for people of all ages.

With so many opportunities for water recreation in Michigan, the most important step is learning how to swim.

“Swim and water safety are really important topics because we all live in Michigan, so we all live really close to water recreation opportunities — whether that be pools or lakes or rivers. There’s lots of opportunities for residents to get in the water and recreate, but for a lot of people, if they don’t know how to swim, that can be a dangerous situation,” said Danielle Mauter, the chief of marketing and communications for the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.

Although formal swim lessons may reduce the likelihood of drowning by 88%, studies show one of the biggest barriers to more people in the region

learning to swim is the fees.

The Huron-Clinton Metroparks is working with partners to save lives by increasing access to free swim lessons and lifesaving water skills in underserved communities through the expansion of its Everyone in the Pool swim initiative. Through this five-year plan, the metroparks have committed to providing 6,000 free swim lessons each year for adults and children with support from existing and future partners and expand opportunities for lifeguard certification and staffing infrastructure. A fundraising goal of $1.5 million has been set to make this expansion possible.

Over the past three years, the metroparks have partnered with public and nonprofit organizations in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and Livingston counties to collaborate on free water safety and swim lessons for more than 4,600 students at various recreation centers and facilities. Most lessons start in early June, and registration is already open

Huron-Clinton Metroparks is working with multiple partners throughout the year to offer free swim lessons at locations throughout southeast Michigan.

Photo provided by the Huron-Clinton Metroparks

In Memory of Heidi Joanne Dover

Heidi Joanne Dover, 54, of Rochester Hills, born March 17th, 1969, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on February 5th, 2024.

Te Dover family immigrated to America from the UK in 1966. Swathmore, PA was our new home. Heidi was born 3 years later in Riddle Memorial Hospital. Soon afer her birth, we moved to Arlington, Texas. An artistic side showed early for Heidi. At 8 years old she answered the phone, it was someone calling to let our family know Heidi had won a coloring contest. A brand-new bicycle was the prize. In the 3rd grade, Rochester, Michigan became home. Te Spartan motel for a few days, Stratford condominiums for a while, and then 2789 New England Drive. Heidi was in the Brownies section of the GSOA. A good student in school, she had to work very hard toward math, it did not come easy for her. A tremendous speller, contest winner, and beautiful handwriting, were her strengths. Heidi ran like the wind and was a teammate for the school track team prior to graduating in 1987. As an adult, Heidi traveled ofen and far. England, New Zealand, Amsterdam, Alaska, are just a few places visited. A pet lover, an animal rescuer, there were no visible boundaries when she was saving an animal. Waitress, hairstylist, nurse, and hospital manager and leader. A career path full of constant introduction, many lasting relationships, and some truly spe-

cial friends. Dairy Queen, Star family dining, La Marquis salon, and the three local, major hospitals was where Heidi touched many lives with her charm.

Heidi had so many friends. Emma Paddison, Janis Daoust, Char Caughran, and Cheryl Green, are the ones Heidi and her family know best. All of them have a lifelong closeness to Heidi and the Dover family. Our family had no idea how many strong friendships Heidi had within the nursing community. Tese past weeks, family and friends became intimate while coming together, caring for Heidi. Te work stories exchanged about how Heidi carried herself as a nurse are truly extraordinary. Heidi received the Daisy award at Beaumont hospital twice, a high honor for nurses and something recognized internationally. She set the highest bar and was the face everyone chose when advocating for change in the workplace. Deanne Boots and Fran Kemp were the face of the nursing community as Heidi’s health waned. It was incredible to witness them love and care for Heidi.

A daughter, sister and an aunt. Friend, co-worker, confdant, and partner. Heidi was a kindhearted soul in every

respect. Heidi was loved by her entire family and is the frst of any in America to pass. Parents Harry and Jackie, siblings Matthew(Christine), Simon(Janice), and Joel(Jen), are two older brothers and a younger one. Tim McAllister was her partner. Having no children of her own, the trio of brothers made up for it. Nichole(Milad), Jeremy(Katie), Jessica, Emilee, Harrison, Haley, Samantha, and Jacob are nieces and nephews. Natalie, Noah, Julian, Shay, Melody, and Scarlett are great nieces and nephews. Alexis, and Jessica Abbott, through marriage, and the blending and extending of family.

You may visit this link for additional information if you would like to view more www.neptunesociety.com/ If you need an outlet toward sending something in Heidi’s Honor for a good cause, please visit Michigan Animal Rescue League –A diferent breed of shelter at marl.org/ donate/memory-honor-donation/.

Swimming

from page 14A

for some, with additional registration opportunities continuing to open over the next few weeks on the metroparks website, www. metroparks.com.

After learning how to swim, it’s important to keep practicing your skills in the water as you grow.

Michigan is known for its Great Lakes, but our state is also home to over 11,000 small inland lakes — and a host of private and public pools.

The Troy Community Center provides many opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy the water year round — with both indoor and seasonal outdoor pools — including parent and tot classes, kiddie swim, swim lessons, open swim for all ages, water slides, lap swimming, water aerobics, a therapy pool and more.

From boosted heart health to muscle toning, experts say swimming and other water workouts offer many health benefits for children and adults.

“Research shows that swimming is good for your lungs,” said Troy Community Center Recreation Supervisor Morgan Thrasher. “You can swim, you can walk, you can move — there’s a bunch of different things that the water provides that you wouldn’t necessarily get on land.”

Swimming requires you to control your breathing, so it can strengthen your respiratory muscles, improve lung capacity and help build breath endurance. In fact, it’s often recommended that people with asthma pursue swimming to build their lung strength.

Swimming can also alleviate stress, boost your mood, improve flexibility, and even improve coordination, balance and posture.

The low-impact exercise offers resistance, providing muscle strengthening and toning to keep you strong and fit as you age.

The OPC Social and Activity Center in Rochester allows its members, ages 50 and older, to use a therapy pool for water exercise classes, relaxing and massaging achy muscles and joints, and a lap pool for water exercise and lap swimming.

Mandy Mullins, the fitness and aquatics manager at the OPC Social and Activity

Center, said a wide range of seniors use the aquatic facility, including the center’s oldest active swimmer, age 92.

“Some are just coming out of a therapy or a surgery and they are using the therapy pool to continue their rehab, all the way up to our folks who are still practicing for swim competitions,” she said.

Competitive senior swimmers — including one who is 79 year old — use the OPC’s lap pool to train for Michigan Senior Olympics and U.S. Masters swim meets.

“Some have been swimming all their lives and have continued on with all their competitions, and some of them are just getting into it now as seniors — they found swimming and found a group of people who were athletes in some capacity before, and this has been a way for them to compete that’s not as hard on their bodies,” said Mullins.

“For the competitive swimmers, it’s kind of like having a club,” added Delaney Zaloga, a fitness and aquatics supervisor. “They all like swimming, and they all like pushing each other at their swim practice and getting better and better at all the meets.”

But not everybody has to swim to get the benefits of the water, Mullins explained.

“There are some doctors that will recommend the therapy and warm water pool type of class to just get started, especially if there are any balance issues involved. It’s a lot harder to fall over in the pool, so it’s a really great starting point,” she said. “We also have Aqua Zumba or other types of cardio classes that are in the pool where they aren’t necessarily swimming, but they are using that water resistance and the buoyancy and really getting their heart rate going in there without really having to do traditional swimming.”

portation, commerce and recreation over the next 10 to 15 years.

In talking with many residents over the past year, Barnett said, one of the main things he heard was that many people are “concerned, interested and certainly want their voices heard about the pace of development in the city.”

The community’s feedback in the master plan process, he said, will help drive the policies that the city’s zoning ordinance and development regulations are based on.

Sara Roediger, the city’s planning and economic development director, said that throughout the master plan process — led by the city’s Planning Commission, with support from the city’s Planning and Economic Development Department over the next year and a half — there will be many opportunities for residents to share their thoughts, ideas and concerns.

“We have a lot of opportunities for public involvement,” she said.

The first phase of the master plan updating process kicked off in January with a review of the 2018 plan, workshops, visioning and a market analysis. The first phase runs through March.

The city is also currently fine-tuning a 20-question survey for residents and business owners to complete online to share their input. Roediger said the survey, which will be available on the city’s master plan update website by April 1, focuses on all major aspects of the city — in terms of housing, transportation, land use and more — and should take about 10 minutes to complete. The survey will be available online until the end of April.

Rather than only exploring the almost 33-square miles of Rochester Hills at a largescale, Roediger said this planning process

will also focus on smaller areas within the city. Using the high school district boundaries within the city as “planning neighborhoods,” she said, gives people the opportunities to think about how their subdivisions, schools, community facilities and commercial businesses are connected.

The city plans to meet with homeowners association presidents throughout the city to get additional input over the coming months.

“We’re trying to really get a more neighborhood-level input, instead of citywide,” Roediger explained. “We’re trying to get neighborhood-specific recommendations, because what the residents up on Dutton care about isn’t necessarily what the residents down on South care about.”

State law requires a municipality to review and update its master plan every five years.

“We always take a look at it to make sure the recommendations are still relevant and if there are any major changes or priorities in the community. Really, the idea is that the master plan should be our guide for all the decisions that we make,” said Roediger.

City officials said the format of the master plan update itself will also be unique in that it will be primarily an online, interactive “story map” intended to allow residents, business owners and visitors to explore the city’s vision. The highlights of the plan will also be captured in an executive summary PDF for a more traditional reading experience.

“We’re hoping to have it done by next summer,” Roediger added.

Additional master plan updates will be provided via the city’s website and social media outlets. For more information, visit www.RochesterHills.org/MasterPlanUpdate or contact Sara Roediger at roedigers@roch esterhills.org.

Call Staff Writer Mary Beth Almond at (586) 498-1060.

C & G Newspapers publishes 21 papers in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties:

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Editor: Annie Bates | (586) 498-1071 | abates@candgnews.com

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Classifieds: For ad rates (586) 498-8100

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Spotlight on business...

The Linda Rea Team Receives Top Honors for Industry and Community Leadership

During her 42 years in the real estate business, Linda Rea has accrued numerous accolades and honors, including awards given by Real Estate One and Max Broock Realtors, membership in the President’s Council of Excellence, and inclusion in Who’s Who: a worldwide recognition of professionals and executives. Tis year the Linda Rea Team was once again awarded the #1 Top Team for Rochester and was also awarded the #1 Top Team for the Real Estate One Rochester Ofce. She has been recognized by MiRealSource as a Real Estate All-Star and is a member of the 62 Million Dollar Club. Both as a single agent and team leader, she has been a consistent Top Producer for Real Estate One and the State of Michigan, and she ranks in the top 1/4 of 1% of realtors nationwide.

and the Greater Rochester community. Last year, Linda was named as a winner of the 2nd Annual Bill Lipuma Community Spirit Award in recognition of her community pride, spirit and love of Rochester. She has twice received the Oakland Board of Realtors Humanitarian award and was distinguished as recipient of the Richard S. Elsea Award.

“Tese are the awards that are warmest to my heart,” Linda says.

“Being recognized by clients and members of the public is the greatest honor of all. Our team has built its success on a sincere commitment to leadership and service, and these truly refect that commitment.”

“Being

Yet, the recognitions that she is most proud of are those that refect her service and leadership in both the real estate industry

is the greatest honor of all.”

- Linda

Woman killed in hit-and-run crash

BY MARY BETH ALMOND AND BRENDAN LOSINSKI

malmond@candgnews.com blosinski@candgnews.com

ROCHESTER HILLS — A 30-yearold woman from Florida was fatally struck by a motorist on M-59 in Rochester Hills the morning of March 15, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman, of Lauderhill, Florida, was reportedly hit by an eastbound vehicle as she ran southbound across M-59, west of South Livernois Road, just before 7:30 a.m. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver, a 42-year-old resident of Macomb, did not stop at the crash scene, but later turned himself in to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office’s Rochester Hills substation. He told investigators he thought he had hit some debris in the road until he heard later that a woman had been struck and killed.

Police said alcohol or drug use by the driver does not appear to be a factor in the crash.

The woman was reportedly among a group involved in a series of larcenies from vehicles in the area who were under surveillance at the time by the Troy Special Investigations Unit.

When detectives moved in to arrest the suspects in a parking lot, two men fled from the vehicle they were in, but they were arrested after a short foot chase.

SCHOOL BRIEF

RCS announces superintendent candidates, timeline for hiring

ROCHESTER — The Board of Education of the Rochester Community School District has taken a step forward in its search for a new superintendent.

The board has selected four candidates for initial interviews from a total of 20 applicants.

“I appreciated seeing the full board working together collaboratively to identify the applicants to interview and address next steps in the interview process. We look forward to meeting the applicants in person and selecting the next individual to lead our district,” Board President Michelle Bueltel said in a statement.

The four candidates to be interviewed are Stephen Bigelow, superintendent of Bay City Public Schools; David Rice, assistant superintendent of Roseville Public Schools; Nicholas Russo, assistant superintendent of human resources in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District; and Carrie Woz-

Franklin Young

While police were placing the two males into custody, the third suspect, the woman, fled onto M-59, where she was fatally struck.

Three suspects from Florida were believed to be targeting vehicles in the parking lots of fitness and day care centers for theft in those communities. On March 15, the three suspects were observed breaking into multiple vehicles in the parking lot of a day care facility in the area of Livernois and M-59.

Once a theft was confirmed, officers blocked the suspects’ vehicle in a parking space to prevent a vehicular pursuit.

On March 18, Troy police announced that Danarius Young, 28, and Chauncey Javon Franklin, 21, had been charged with 10-count warrants for breaking and entering vehicles, and conspiracy. Attorneys for the suspects could not be reached by press time.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (248) 858-4950.

niak, superintendent of Fraser Public Schools.

Bigelow and Rice were interviewed at Reuther Middle School Monday, March 18, and Russo and Wozniak were interviewed on Tuesday, March 19. Both were after press time. The interviews were open to the public, were recorded and are posted on the district’s website.

Immediately following the final interview on March 19, after press time, the board met to identify the candidates who will be invited to return to the district. On April 1, the selected candidates will participate in a tour of the schools, a community forum and final interviews with board members.

The district’s goal is to begin the 2024-25 school year with long-term leadership in place at the superintendent level.

“We are encouraged by the strong caliber of the applicants who applied for the position and are hopeful that we will soon secure the future leader to take the district forward,” Jessica Gupta, Board of Education secretary, said in a statement.

More information, updates and candidate bios are located on the district website at rochester.k12. mi.us/about-us/board-of-education/superintendentsearch.

— Mary Beth Almond

Cheer

and Rochester on a regular basis.

The three-round cheer competitions consist of jumps and motions in the first round; synchronized movements along with executing certain skills such as tumbling, skill and flexibility in the second round; and visual elements, stunting and a more fun approach in the third round.

Some teams with a lead may try to play the final round more conservatively, but Stoney Creek head coach Tricia Williams elected to keep the fire her team was cheering with.

“With our round three, Rochester and Rochester Adams have been pretty consistently outscoring us by a little bit throughout the year, but one thing we didn’t do is we didn’t dumb down our round,” Williams said. “Our round three was full of elite, high-level skills. We do more stunts than the average team, and we’re on the floor for the full time allotment that not all the other teams are.”

Adams, who were district champions for the fifth-straight season ahead of Stoney Creek and Rochester, would come out on top in the round three but not enough to catch up

to Stoney Creek.

Adams featured one of the younger teams in the state this year with 18 of their 30 cheerleaders being underclassmen, with five seniors at the helm.

Being young and energetic, Adams head coach Brooke Miller said, her team was motivated throughout the season, and the Highlanders will be undoubtedly ready for another shot at the state finals next year.

“With this team, you ask them to jump and they say, ‘How high?’” Miller said. “They don’t care if they’re best friends with someone on the team or not, they’ll go over and help without being asked to do so. It’s truly one of the best teams as far as that is concerned that I’ve coached in a long time.”

It’s a tough departure for the Highlanders senior class, including senior Lily Hittle, who’s been a part of two state champions during her tenure.

She has an endless list of accolades to her name, including a first team all-state honor this year, but Hittle said she’s excited to see her neighborhood rivals succeed.

“I know some of those girls, and I couldn’t be happier for them,” Hittle said. “I was so proud and happy for them to take that title. Obviously, wishing it was us too, but I couldn’t be happier for them. Even when

Rochester won it last year, I was so happy for them too. I think it goes all three ways for all three schools. We’re all happy for each other.”

It may be an intense rivalry on the mat, but all three schools know they’re better because of each other and the way in which they push each other to be better.

There’s also an added element of competition when competing against friends they’ve known since they were children, which always brings a little humility to the rivalry of the Rochester schools.

“If you come to a league meet and you see us all sitting on the mat, and don’t get me

wrong, every single one of us wants to beat the other teams, because the competitiveness is definitely there, but the girls have friends on the other teams,” Williams said. “They live in the same town, they went to the same dance classes and the same Brownie troops growing up. They live right down the road, so there’s lots of picture-taking with a couple of Adams, a couple of Rochester, and a couple of Stoney girls at each level with just girls that they’ve known growing up who share the same love of the sport. We just happen to be in a different boundary line and a different high school.”

PARK MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL

Permanent part-time Park Maintenance Personnel position, $17.66 - $22.92 hourly (32 hours per week) includes benefit package. Successful completion of Civil Service Examination(s) is required, and applicants must meet all requirements set forth in the Employees Civil Service Ordinance, as well as possession of a valid Michigan driver’s license and a good driving record. Pre-employment background investigation and substance abuse testing is required. Interested, applicants must submit application to the Clinton Township Employees Civil Service Commission, 40700 Romeo Plank Rd., Clinton Twp., MI 48038 on or before the close of business, Monday, April 1, 2024. The Charter Township of Clinton is an Equal Opportunity Employer, applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, or disability. For further information pertaining to this position or to download employment application please refer to www.clintontownship.com, click on employment. 0295-2412

Help Wanted General

Zero Emissions Hydrogen Storage Systems Chief Engineer sought by Faurecia Hydrogen Solutions N.A., Inc. in Auburn Hills, MI. Responsible for leading hydrogen storage system development team tasked with developing hydrogen pressure vessels that will accelerate zero emission vehicles’ clean transportation revolution. 20% domestic and international travel. Bachelors in mechanical or chemical engineering or closely related field or foreign equivalent degree; Five years’ experience in hydrogen storage systems engineering in the automotive manufacturing industry or related role. Resume to: postingjobs@forvia.com (Req. 56004) 0409-2412

Help Wanted General

Production Control & Logistics Director sought by Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC in Auburn Hills, MI. Manage logistics activities of USA perimeter & deploy Faurecia Group’s Production Control & Logistics policy. Req’s: Bach deg in Business, Logistics or Production/Supply Chain Mgmt, or closely rel field or frgn deg equiv, + 5 yrs exp in a Quality or Production Engg Mgmt pos or in a rel mfg plant managerial role. Res to postingjobs@forvia.com (Req. No 56121) 0458-2412

Parks and Rec Part-Time Receptionist/Program Registration Clerk Send cover letter, resume, & 3 work references to ckasprzak@oaklandtownship.org

Full details at http://www. oaklandtownship.org

Start $17.65 DOQ; Benefits include pension, PTO, April 1 start date

0168-2412

HELP WANTED

Security for Corp. Bldgs & up scale gated residential home community in Rochester Hills. Looking for polished professionals for front gate concierge & access control duties. Perfect for retirees. Great pay & hours. Part/full-time positions available. Call 586-803-0003  or send resume to team@ RiccoSecurity.com

Help Wanted General 0449-2412

Senior Programmer Analyst – ASP.NET Developer for Rochester Hills, MI to dsgn, dvlp & mnt web-based s/w modules, .NET apps & related s/w sltns. Req’s Bachelor’s in C.S., Computer Engineering or closely-related fld & 5 yrs progressive post-Bachelor’s exp prfming front-end web dvlpmt & obj-oriented ansys & dsgn; prgrmming in ASP.NET Webforms & MVC using VB.NET & C#, Web Services, Web API, Entity Framework, HTML5, JavaScript, jQuery, CSS & Bootstrap; mnging SQL Server & Oracle DBs; & dsgn’ing, dvlp’ing, implmnting & providing prodctn supt for .NET apps. Mail resume to Wendy Lauzano-Hertz, FANUC America Corporation, 3900 West Hamlin Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48309. 0321-2412

Senior Engineer for Rochester Hills, MI to lead appl s/w dvlpmt for artificial intelbased robot controller sys. Req’s Master’s in Electrical or Computer Engineering, Artificial Intelligence or closely-related fld & 3 yrs exp dev’ing, training & deploying artificial intel sys for robots in prod envmnts using TensorFlow, PyTorch & Keras; dev’ing robot app s/w using C++ & Python prgrmming langs and/or ROS frmwrk; creating comp vision sys using OpenCV for robot integration; rsrch’ing & dev’ing mach vision s/w prototypes for indus robots; dev’ing fnctnl & dsgn specs and/or rqmts doc for industrial robotic s/w. Up to 20% U.S. travel req’d. Mail resume to Wendy Lauzano-Hertz, FANUC America Corporation, 3900 West Hamlin Rd, Rochester Hills, MI 48309. 0319-2412

Help Wanted General

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MARCH 23

Egg hunts: Learn about types of eggs seen in Michigan, then go on egg hunt, 10-11:30 a.m. or 1-2:30 p.m., for ages 2-10, Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, 333 N. Hill Circle in Rochester, dinosaurhill.org, (248) 656-0999

• Also Easter Bunny photos, games, face painting, crafts and more, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m, Rochester Avon Recreation Authority, 500 E. Second St., registration required, rararecreation.org

Family Fun Day: For families impacted by autism spectrum disorders, includes art projects, inflatables and sensory room noon-3 p.m., and swimming noon-2 p.m., Oakland University Recreation Center, 569 Pioneer Drive in Rochester, oakland.edu/oucares, oucares@oakland.edu

MARCH 24

Terra Voce quartet: Concert featuring works by female composers, 3 p.m., Rochester Hills Public Library, 500 Olde Towne Road in Rochester, registration required, calendar.rhpl.org, (248) 656-2900

MARCH 26

Uncovering the Stories of Rochester Women: Learn history through photographs, diaries, scrapbooks and more, 7 p.m., Rochester Hills Public Library, 500 Olde Towne Road in Rochester, registration required, calendar.rhpl.org, (248) 656-2900

MARCH 30

Ramadhan open house and dinner: Free and kid-friendly, 7-8 p.m., Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center, 1730 W. Auburn Road in Rochester Hills, register at tinyurl. com/AMCDIftar2024, info.det@ahmadiyya.us, (248) 293-0072

APRIL 4

SCAN

Prescription Drug Disposal and Opioids: Informational program presented by Oakland County Health, 7 p.m., Rochester Hills Public Library, 500 Olde Towne Road in Rochester, registration required, calendar.rhpl.org, (248) 656-2900

APRIL 5

Prom Closet Tour: Free dresses and accessories for juniors and seniors, hosted by Sparkle Network, 3-8 p.m., Meadowbrook Center for Learning Differences, 811 Oakwood Drive, Suite 203, in Rochester, sign up ASAP at sparklenetwork.org/prom-closet-project-tour-application

APRIL 7

Antique Appraisal Day: Bring as many as five items and photos for larger items, verbal appraisals only, selling and buying not allowed, noon-4 p.m., Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, 1005 Van Hoosen Road in Rochester Hills, (248) 266-5440, rahsupdates@gmail.com, www.rochester avonhistoricalsociety.org/antique-appraisal-day-2024

APRIL 20

Paper shredding: Hosted by Caron Koteles of Real Estate One, noon-2 p.m., 1002 N. Main St. in Rochester, event benefits New Day Foundation for Families Fighting Cancer

Partnership Dinner: Fundraiser for Rochester Christian University student scholarships, featuring New York Times best-selling author Bob Goff as guest speaker, doors at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m., VIP reception at 5 p.m., Royal Park Hotel, 600 E. University Drive in Rochester, rochesterU.edu/pd

ONGOING

Easter Bunny and petting farm: Noon-6 p.m. March 23-24 and 29-30, Easter Bunny inside The Gazebo in Festival Park and petting farm in Festival Park, The Village of Rochester Hills, 104 N. Adams Road, thevohr.com

Selfies with Easter Bunny: Noon-6 p.m. daily until March 30, South Rotunda at Somerset Collection, 2800 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy, $10 donation benefits local children’s charities, www.thesomersetcollection.com/blog/ selfies-with-the-easter-bunny

Planting Pizza: Gardening lessons and snacks for grades 2-5, 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesdays April 24-May 29, Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, 333 N. Hill Circle in Rochester, dinosaurhill.org

‘Native Gardens’: Comedy about neighbors feuding over fence line, select dates until April 14, Meadow Brook Theatre on campus of Oakland University, 378 Meadow Brook Road in Rochester, see show times at mbtheatre.com

Cabin Fever Lecture Series: Learn about “Art of Illustration - Books for Children” (March 22) and “Albert Kahn: The Residences” (March 29), 7-8 p.m., Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm calf barn, 1005 Van Hoosen Road, rochesterhills.org/musprograms

Nature programs: Free indoor and outdoor events with varying themes, noon-3 p.m. March 24, April 13 and 28, and May 11 and 19, Lost Lake Nature Park, 846 Lost Lake Trail in Oakland Township, (248) 656-0999

Nature Tales Classic: Story, snack and craft, intended for ages 3-5, 10-11 a.m. every third Thursday of month, Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, 333 N. Hill Circle in Rochester, dinosaurhill.org

Story & STEAM: For ages 3-5, 10-11 a.m. every second and fourth Friday of month, Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, 333 N. Hill Circle in Rochester Hills, dinosaurhill.org

Paint Creek Garden Club: Meets 9:30 a.m.-noon every second Friday of month, Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm dairy or calf barn, 1005 Van Hoosen Road, (248) 505-4307

Mobile food pantry: 3-4 p.m. every third Saturday of month until April 20, Islamic Association of Greater Detroit, 879 W. Auburn Road in Rochester Hills, iagd.net

Harmony in the Hills concert series: Featuring flutist Amanda Blaikie (4 p.m. April 14), Paul Keller Ensemble (7 p.m. May 12), virtuosic harpist Juan Riveros (7 p.m. June 26), North Star Saxophone Quartet (7 p.m. July 10) and Detroit Symphony Orchestra String Quartet (7 p.m. Aug. 14), St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 620 Romeo St. in Rochester, stpaulsrochester. org/index.php/harmony-in-the-hills

Support groups: Join meetings for alzheimers and dementia caregivers, caring

Live music: 7-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Fork n’ Pint, 51 N. Broadway in Lake Orion, www.forknpintlakeorion.com

Health workshops: For chronic pain, high blood pressure and more, hosted by Corewell Health, free and virtual, beaumonthealth.digitalsignup.com

ADHD meetings: Hosted by CHADD of Eastern Oakland County, for adults and parents, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Zoom, see schedule on chadd.net/chapter-events/527

Lupus support groups: 10 a.m. every second Tuesday of month and 7 p.m. every last Wednesday, Zoom, (248) 901-7299, milupus.org/support-groups

M-59/Hall Road.

House Bill 5151 would designate that portion as the Officer Leroy Imus Memorial Highway. Imus was a Sterling Heights police officer who was killed during a traffic stop in 1971.

“Sterling Heights police officer Leroy Imus was a dedicated man — not only to our country, but also our community. He served in the U.S. Navy and at the Sterling Heights Police Department as an officer for five years,” Shannon said in a statement.

“This designation is a way to commemorate his commitment to the safety of our community. With this bill, part of M-53 will stand as a reminder of Officer Imus’ courage and sacrifice.”

Learn more at housedems.com/nate-shannon.