4/24/24 Shelby-Utica News

Undefeated quiz bowl team takes state title

BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com

SHELBY TOWNSHIP/STERLING HEIGHTS/ UTICA — The Gene L. Klida Utica Academy for International Studies quiz bowl team, which is undefeated in Michigan competitions, won the Class B Michigan state championship in Lansing April 13.

The team was head and shoulders above its competition. After 11 wins, no losses and outscoring its opponents 5,670-800, the team walked away with the state title.

The GLK-UAIS quiz bowl team was ranked 34th in nation in February. When new Groger rankings came out the day after the championship, the team was ranked 40th in the nation.

Senior Brendan Pawlicki and sophomore Ben Edmunds were named all-state and were easily the two strongest players at the event. Sophomore Daniel Buzdugan and freshmen Yousif Hadoo and Colin Mondoux also added valuable contributions to the victory.

Edmunds said he is proud to be a part of how far the team has come since he first joined.

“I have been involved for about a year in the team, but you can see how far we have come to be at this level. It says a lot about this team,” he said.

See QUIZ on page 20A

THE STORIED HISTORY OF CHARLEVOIX’S CASTLE FARMS

pertise on the witness stand.

The prominent forensic pathologist was sought after in the court system for his knowledge in forensic evidence and his testimony regarding many high-

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Macomb County High School Teacher of the Year is from UCS

BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com

SHELBY TOWNSHIP/UTICA/STERLING HEIGHTS — Utica Community Schools celebrated its Teachers of the Year April 2 for their service and commitment, including Michael Sekich, Stevenson High School band teacher, who won the titles of UCS High School Teacher of the Year, UCS Teacher of the Year and Macomb County High School Teacher of the Year.

Sekich is a graduate of Stevenson High School, has taught band in the district for 34 years, and his children graduated from the district.

His bands have participated in numerous community events, including the Romeo Peach Festival, America’s Thanksgiving Parade and the Sterling Heights Memorial Day Parade.

He has served as the music department chair for Utica Community Schools and on the executive board of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association.

Sekich’s students consistently win honors at music festivals and as all-state jazz and marching band honorees, and they participate in en-

See SEKICH on page 21A

EXPLORE Feature Series

The following is part of C & G Newspapers’ feature series about Northern Michigan destinations for readers to explore.

THE STORIED HISTORY OF CHARLEVOIX’S CASTLE FARMS

BY GREG TASKER

CHARLEVOIX — When most people think of northern Michigan, images of Renaissance-style castles don’t readily spring to mind.

Yet, such a castle, one with a storied history and ties to state and national memories, stands outside Charlevoix, tucked among the expansive farms, orchards, lakes and small towns of this inviting patch of northern Michigan.

Its existence perplexed me for years. Until a recent visit, I knew nothing about this castle, now called Castle Farms, except that it was a wedding venue. It turns out that Castle Farms is so much more and well worth a visit.

Built in 1918, the castle, after years of being abandoned, was restored by its cur-

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BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The Shelby Township Senior Center has had a unique featured artist for March and April.

Pete’s Class has been the Shelby Township Senior Center’s featured artist for these months. The class display has been up in the Senior Center at the Shelby Township Activities Center, 14975 21 Mile Road, since the beginning of March and will continue through the end of April.

Pete’s Class is the Shelby Township Senior Center’s featured artist for the months of March and April. Photo provided by Fu-Yuan Ciricola

NEWS & NOTES

5A/ SHELBY-UTICA NEWS

• APRIL 24, 2024

Car show and swap meet coming up at Packard Proving Grounds

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The 26th annual All Mopar Car Show & Swap Meet will take place 8 a.m.-3 p.m. May 5 at the Packard Proving Grounds Historic Site, 49965 Van Dyke Ave. in Shelby Township. Details for those interested in swap spaces and show car entries are available at packardprovinggrounds.org. Contact the show’s chairman, Marc Rozman, for more information at marcrozman@icloud.com or call (248) 398-2348.

Great Blue Heron Fest May 4

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — From noon to 2 p.m. May 4, the public is invited to Holland Ponds at 50385 Ryan Road to learn about the great blue heron, which has a large rookery in Shelby Township. The event will include all-ages guided hikes, activities and educational stations. If it rains, the hikes will continue but all other activities will move indoors to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, 4101 River Bends Drive.

PUPPY PARADE IS THIS SATURDAY

UTICA — The Utica Puppy Parade will begin at 2 p.m. April 27 at Grant Park and end at the Pioneer Dog Park.

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SHELBY TOWNSHIP BEGINS POLLINATOR HABITAT PROJECT

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The Shelby Township Parks, Recreation and Maintenance Department, in collaboration with the Macomb County Chapter of Pheasants Forever, earlier this month announced the beginning of the pollinator habitat project.

The project is located at the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center in River Bends Park at 4101 River Bends Drive. The goal is to develop 2.2 acres of land into a habitat for pollinators using native grasses and wildflowers.

The initiative will officially start with an education and planting event 1-4 p.m. May 4 at the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center. The event will include nature center staff, Pheasants Forever volunteers and American Heritage Girls youth group participants for a hands-on planting session.

For more details about the project or to learn how to participate in the upcoming planting event, interested parties are encouraged to contact nature center coordinator Elizabeth “Lizzy” Schultz at (586) 323-2478.

“This restoration project is a win-win for everyone as it will improve both the ecological impact of this area and the overall experience for park patrons,” Schultz said in a press release. “A wider diversity of animals will utilize the habitat, which will create exciting wildlife viewing opportunities for visitors. We are grateful for our partnership with the Macomb County Chapter of Pheasants Forever and the invaluable expertise and resources they have provided.”

ARBOR DAY TREE-PLANTING SCHEDULED

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The township will plant two trees at 1:30 p.m. April 30 at the Shelby Township Activities Center, 14975 21 Mile Road, in honor of Arbor Day.

Spitz

from page 1A

profile murders that drew public interest and media attention.

The longtime chief medical examiner — who performed or supervised more than 60,000 autopsies during his career — died April 14 at the age of 97. He was a resident of Grosse Pointe Shores. Many in the community are remembering the well-known forensic expert.

Warren City Council member Mindy Moore felt “very sad” when she learned Spitz died. Moore, a freelance court reporter, has known Spitz since the late 1970s when he was the chief Wayne County medical examiner. She was present for many depositions he provided over the years.

“What an icon he was. He was quite brilliant and so effective,” she said. “He had a way about him. His whole career was fascinating. When he spoke, all eyes were on him. You knew what he would say would be impactful and very important. He certainly was one of a kind.”

Sometimes the evidence presented in court could be very technical, and Moore said Spitz was always able to explain it “so any lay person could understand him.” One deposition that stands out was the time the forensics expert testified in a case to determine whether a man committed suicide or was murdered. With the unloaded firearm in his hand, the pathologist laid on the floor to demonstrate that the deceased man could not have killed himself at the particular angle in which he died.

Despite the gruesome work he did, Moore, at times, saw the medical examiner in another light.

“He had a really good sense of humor,” she said.

According to his resume, Spitz practiced forensic pathology for more than 50 years. He was the chief medical examiner in Wayne County from 1972-88 and in Macomb County from 1972-2004. He also served as a deputy chief medical examiner in Maryland.

He received his medical training at the Geneva University Medical School in Switzerland and the Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem. His resume states he was an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University, and that he worked for the Department of Legal Medicine at the University School of Medicine in West Berlin.

Throughout his lifetime, Spitz served on various committees investigating the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. He testified at various

trials in the U.S. and Canada including the “Preppy Murder” in New York, the talk show host Jenny Jones case, the Crown vs. Truscott in Toronto, music producer Phil Spector’s murder trial and the Casey Anthony murder case. He also consulted with the police in Boulder, Colorado, about the death of JonBenét Ramsey.

Steve Bieda, a 37th District Court judge in Warren, recalled how when he was in the Michigan Legislature as a state representative and senator, the elected officials often contacted Spitz for advice regarding criminal justice issues.

“He was highly regarded and would be asked to weigh his opinions based on his expertise,” Bieda said. “He was iconic in the sense of high-profile crime.”

On a personal level, Bieda followed Spitz’s work on the Oakland County child killer case in the 1970s and his work related to President Kennedy’s death.

“He was a fascinating individual and very charismatic,” Bieda said.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel met Spitz in 1981 when he worked as a dispatcher on the midnight shift for the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. On his first night, Hackel took a call from a Macomb Township

man who reported that his neighbor killed his wife and children. But the caller “was the guy that did it,” Hackel said. “That’s when I first got to know Spitz, who left an impression.”

“He was the guy that could tell you what happened just by looking at the body,” Hackel said. “He tried to put himself in their place. He wanted to know the circumstances of how they died. I don’t know of a time when he wasn’t spot on.”

Hackel said many law enforcement officers he worked with over the years were interested in what Spitz had to offer. Hackel said Spitz was always kind when speaking to families of the victims.

“I am so sad about his loss, but I am fortunate to have known him,” Hackel said. “He was the forefather of pathology. I don’t know if you will see another like that.”

During his career, Spitz taught at different colleges, including pathology at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

“He was a great teacher and a huge contributor to the field of pathology and forensics,” said Dr. Wael Sakr, dean of the Wayne State University School of Medicine. “He had a huge presence and was a consultant on many big profile cases across the country.

Before I knew him, I had a lot of admiration toward him.”

Spitz returned to the school on occasion to present seminars to students.

“He was interested in human life and, sadly, was trying to solve death, particularly in trauma, accidents, homicides and burns,” Sakr said. “He had a love for the discipline in what he did and was meticulous in his approach.”

Sakr will definitely feel his loss.

“I enjoyed his friendship and his support for the department,” Sakr said.

Spitz’s legacy includes the nearly 100 scientific publications he authored, the Dean’s Award for service to the Medicolegal Community and Wayne State University of Medicine, awards from Wayne County and the Macomb County Board of Commissioners for outstanding service, and from various police departments and the FBI.

Dr. Werner Spitz testified in many high-profile cases.

Photo provided by Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University

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JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DETROIT STAGES 1 FINAL SHOW HOUSE

BY K. MICHELLE MORAN kmoran@candgnews.com

GROSSE POINTE CITY — Metro Detroiters will have one final chance to see interior designers work their magic on a majestic home when the Junior League of Detroit hosts its 25th — and final — biennial Designers’ Show House in May.

Located at 315 Lakeland Ave. in Grosse Pointe City, the almost 8,500-square-foot Tudor home will be open for tours May 4-19. A ticketed preview party that’s also open to the public will take place from 6:30 to 10 p.m. May 3 and will include cocktails, heavy appetizers, an open bar, a DJ and dancing, a raffle, a silent auction, and valet parking.

Almost 20 designers and artists were chosen to make over the home, which was built in 1929 for Dr. J. Milton Robb and designed by acclaimed architect George D. Mason.

Visitors can get ideas for things they can do in their own homes, from surprising color and pattern mixes to furniture arrangements that

See SHOW HOUSE on page 10A

LEFT: Pops of color, like olive green, stand out against the cream and off-white furniture chosen by Loretta Crenshaw, of Crenshaw & Associates, for the elegant, expansive living room.

BOTTOM LEFT: Alexandra Decker, of A Decker Design, made this small room — which she named

The Retreat — look more spacious by hanging the wallpaper so that the lines are horizontal instead of vertical.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Kelly Osten, of Closet Connections, stands in the closet she designed with Aubrey Crawford and Ashlynn Robinson for the show house.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

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Show House

are both beautiful and functional.

The living room, as envisioned by Loretta Crenshaw, of Crenshaw & Associates, is an elegant oasis with lots of green and cream, including multiple seating areas, an inviting window seat and an olive green velvet couch.

“Loretta’s specialty really is layering things — textures and colors,” Show House Co-Chair Ann Baxter said.

Although the designers work independently, threads appear each time that tie the whole home together. This year, those threads include tactile fabrics like velvet and boucle; deep, rich colors — especially shades of green — offset by cream and white; gold and bronze accents; and nods to the Scottish and German ancestry of original homeowner Robb and his wife, with plaid in particular popping up repeatedly.

“Every room is going to need some investigation,” Show House Co-Chair Julia Keim said. “There’s so much to see in every room. We’ve got a great roster of designers.”

Laura Zender, of Laura Zender Design, created a sustainable nursery with vintage dressers, organic and sustainable toys, wallpaper using sustainable paper, children’s books from a book recycler, and low chemicals and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. With its soft colors and whimsical touches, the room is warm and inviting.

“I wanted to show we could do a room that was beautiful and with a lot of personality,” Zender said.

In a nod to Show House history, the hallway leading to the master bedroom includes framed photos — designed by Michelle Boggess, of Posterity Art & Framing Gallery — of rooms designed by Hudson’s for these houses.

A sleek closet showcasing showstopping shoes and apparel was designed by Kelly Osten, Aubrey Crawford and Ashlynn Robinson, of Closet Connections.

“Our inspiration was designing for a modern woman who was working and traveling quite a bit,” Osten said.

Alexandra Decker, of A Decker Design, brought color and life to a small room she made appear larger by hanging the striped wallpaper horizontally instead of vertically

and wallpapering the ceiling.

Unexpected details abound, from wallpaper with fringe to a chandelier made of cobalt blue Murano glass to a painting hung in front of a window. Without the strictures imposed by a client, the designers are free to do whatever they feel best suits the space and their artistic aesthetic.

“The designers are designing for themselves,” Keim said. “It’s never happened (with previous Show Houses) to the degree it’s happened in this house. … One of the beauties of the Show House is a designer can step out of what they’re known for and do what’s in their head.”

Held every other year since 1976, the Show House has been the JLD’s biggest fundraiser and has raised more than $4.5 million for programs and projects in Detroit. The JLD, which was founded in 1914, also awards community grants and, since 2014, scholarships to young women.

Keim said this last house is “very bittersweet” because a coming generation of JLD members won’t have this experience, which has fostered lifelong friendships because of the time commitment needed to put on a Show House. The challenge of securing numerous volunteers with lots of time available is one of the reasons the Show House tradition is ending.

“We feel this is going to be one of the top (Show Houses) as far as design,” Baxter said. “We want everyone to see this. The designers are going out on a high note with this one.”

JLD leaders said their mission of raising funds for needed initiatives will continue.

“We look forward to everyone joining us to celebrate this beautiful show house and support our mission of doing good in the community,” JLD President Mary Hollens said in a prepared statement. “We have incredible plans that will allow the Junior League of Detroit to more fully invest in projects and programs that continue to change lives.”

Show House tickets cost $35 before May 4 and $40 afterward. A café and gift shop will be open to Show House ticketholders and non-ticketholders alike. For Show House or preview party tickets or more information, visit jldetroit.org or call (313) 881-0040.

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You

don’t see many of them around anymore’

DRIVING IN THE ‘CROSSFIRE’

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — When the neighborhood kids want to take a ride around the block in Mel Kubiak’s 2007 Chrysler Crossfire, he’s always available for a spin.

“They love it,” the Sterling Heights resident said.

As does Kubiak.

“I get a great deal of satisfaction out of doing things for people,” he said.

Since the car is a two-seat coupe, everyone patiently waits his or her turn. Now that the weather is warming up, Kubiak, 85, is ready for car cruising season.

With its silver exterior and orangish/rust interior, the sports car always draws a crowd, and Kubiak makes sure to keep the coupe in tiptop shape.

“With some elbow grease, look how clean it is,” he said when lifting the front hood.

See CROSSFIRE on page 15A

Sterling Heights resident Mel Kubiak, 85, is ready for cruise season with his 2007 Chrysler Crossfire coupe. The Chrysler Crossfire was only produced from 2004 to 2008.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

Crossfire

from page 14A

Prior to purchasing the Crossfire, Kubiak owned a 1987 Pontiac Fiero. It was the car he and his wife, Joann Kubiak, zipped around in on a regular basis, taking it to car shows and for leisure drives.

“I had that about 10 years,” Kubiak said.

The Kubiaks were married 52 years. When Joann died 11 years ago, Kubiak felt it was time for a change.

“Because I have a lot of memories in it, I got rid of the Fiero,” he said.

The car enthusiast began looking for a new set of wheels.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to buy,” said Kubiak, who went online to search and eventually found the Crossfire for sale in Clio, Michigan. “The moment I spotted it, I liked it.”

According to Kubiak’s research, a total of 76,014 Crossfire models were made in the years that they were manufactured from 2004-2008.

“The car is made by Mercedes-Benz in Germany, and some of them were sold in Europe with right-hand drives,” he said. “The car was only made in a coupe and convertible. In 2007, my model, a limited coupe, only 1,063 were manufactured. You don’t see many of them around anymore.”

The Crossfire is also something his daughter, grandson and granddaughter admire. Kubiak is sure Joann would have been a fan as well.

“She would have loved it,” he said. “She was very understanding when it came to me and cars.”

Kubiak has always “been a car guy.”

“I remember when I was 8 or 9 years old getting behind the wheel of my brother’s car and pretending I was driving. He taught me how to drive,” said Kubiak, who grew up in Detroit with five siblings. “I used to sketch cars. I always worked on cars. I love to drive, even at this age.”

The first automobile Kubiak ever owned was a used 1938 Plymouth Coupe.

“It was green. No radio,” he said. “Nothing on it. I was probably 16 when I bought it.”

He was eventually able to purchase his first new vehicle, a 1956 Plymouth Belvedere. He remembers the details that made the car stand out.

“It had a bubble skirt on it, spinner hubcaps and lights under the front fender wheel,” Kubiak said.

Other cars in his garage over the years included a Chevy Impala, a Ford Fairlane and an “old” Ford Mustang.

“I drove a Camaro for a while,” he said. “It was probably a 1982 Camaro.”

Kubiak also has been the owner of a 1984 Chevrolet Corvette.

“I drove it every day,” he said.

One regret was not keeping a photo selection of each vehicle.

“I wish I had taken pictures of each car I owned,” he said.

One car Kubiak dreams about owning someday is a Cadillac XLR, which is a luxury two-seat hardtop convertible.

ANTON CENTER ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MOUNT CLEMENS — The wait is over. Around four months after its prior director left, the Anton Art Center announced on April 5 that Matt Matthews was selected to serve as the new executive director.

“So far it’s been great,” Matthews said, about a week after he began the role on April 2. “(I’m) learning a lot and have a wonderful team to work with.”

Matthews comes to the Anton Art Center after spending the last five years as the associate director of Playworks Michigan, an organization that aims to increase physical activity opportunities for elementary school students.

“After college I worked at Northwest Missouri State University for several years, moved back to Michigan in 2010 and sort of fell into nonprofit work, and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last 14 years,” Matthews said.

The 14 years of nonprofit work was only part of what set him apart from other

candidates for the role, according to Peggy DiMercurio, the Anton Art Center’s education & community engagement manager.

“His vibrancy, his energy, all the work he had done with other nonprofits and his ability to be able to transfer what he was doing right to the art center and really hit the ground running and be able to reach out to the community to help us build our presence even further,” DiMercurio said. “He was really looking for a place to call home that was mission-based, and the Anton Art Center is very mission-based.”

It is still early in Matthews’ tenure at the Anton Art Center and much of his time so far has been spent getting used to the center and learning the Mount Clemens community, but he plans to capitalize on opportunities once settled.

“There is so much opportunity for the art center to be a center and a hub of art and culture in Macomb County and in southeastern Michigan, and we’re excited to bring folks in some different ways and share this space in different ways with folks in the

New Anton Art Center Executive Director Matt Matthews, left, stands with education & community engagement manager Peggy DiMercurio.

Photo by Dean Vaglia

CRIME WATCH Pedestrian hit by vehicle, police looking for witnesses

BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com

SHELBY

TOWNSHIP — A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle, resulting in a serious injury, at around 7:30 p.m. April 14 in the Target parking lot located near 26 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue.

The Shelby Township Police Department’s preliminary investigation shows that a vehicle was traveling westbound through the parking lot when it struck the pedestrian, who was walking southbound through the lot.

The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle remained at the

Art

from page 4A

Instructor Pete Snodgrass began taking art lessons at just 8 years old with drawing and charcoal. He enjoys painting in oil and acrylic, decoy carving and making wooden clocks.

Upon retirement, he moved into watercolor. He has attended classes in New Mexico, Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan. He also attended numerous classes at Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center and Birmingham Community House and a workshop at Meijer Gardens-Grand Rapids.

He has taught at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, the Grosse Pointe Art Center, numerous senior centers and been a juror for art club shows and a judge for the Armada Fair. He has exhibited at Twisted Fish Gallery in Elk Rapids and Crooked Tree Art Center in Petoskey.

“The experience of teaching changed and improved my own art. Meeting the people in the classes has been great; nice to see someone who never painted advance to exhibiting and selling watercolor paintings,” he said.

scene and was said to be cooperating with investigators.

Detective Jordan Haughee, from the Shelby Township Police Department, is taking the lead on the investigation.

“I am requesting if there was anyone that witnessed this crash to please contact me,” Haughee said.

Haughee can be reached at (586) 7312121, ext. 333.

Speaking late last week, Haughee said that the pedestrian was “still in critical condition at the hospital.”

No other information was being released at that time.

Call Staff Writer Kara Szymanski at (586) 498-1029.

He explained how he approaches the classes that he teaches.

“I try to have a specific technique, color mixing, composition, etc,, each week,” Snodgrass said.

Monica Weiss has enjoyed visual art for years. As a teacher, she always incorporated art throughout the curriculum. The last eight years of her teaching career, she taught K-8 at Priest Elementary-Middle School in Detroit. She is enjoying a deep dive into learning watercolors at the Shelby Township Senior Center.

“The participants are fun to work with, too. We have learned and practiced many different techniques to achieve better paintings. We are working on mixing colors now. Everything has been beneficial to my growth as a painter,” she said.

Pat Heafield has been learning to paint from Snodgrass for many years.

“I have been in Pete’s class from the beginning, and I’m not sure when that was, but it has to be at least 10 years or more. This is a fun and interesting class with a nice group of people — always something new to learn,” Heafield said.

Call Staff Writer Kara Szymanski at (586) 498-1029.

U-Haul

pulled over, pills found on passenger, driver not licensed

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 10:30 p.m. April 10, a Shelby Township police officer on patrol observed a U-Haul truck in the area of Van Dyke Avenue and 22 Mile Road with no taillights on. The officer then initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle.

Upon talking to the driver, the officer determined that the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. The passenger of the vehicle reportedly appeared extremely nervous when she was talking to the officer. The officer then had the occupants exit the vehicle. A female police officer was called to the scene to search the female passenger due to her nervous behavior.

As the female officer arrived, the female passenger reached under her shirt and pulled out several Adderall pills that she had been concealing in her bra, according to the report. She did not have a prescription for the Adderall pills, police said. The passenger was placed under arrest for possession of a controlled substance.

Driver admits to drinking ‘a lot’

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — An officer in the area of 23 Mile Road and Van Dyke Ave. observed a vehicle traveling 65 mph in a 45 mph zone at 1 a.m. April 10. The officer then initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Upon talking to the driver, the officer could smell the odor of intoxicants on her, police said. She reportedly admitted to the officer that “she drank a lot.” The officer then had the driver exit the vehicle to perform field sobriety tests. After completing the field sobriety tests, the driver agreed to take a preliminary breath test, with the results being 0.21% blood alcohol content. The driver was placed under arrest for operating while intoxicated.

Credit card skimmer found in Walmart checkout

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 6:56 p.m. April 10, Shelby Township police officers were dispatched to Walmart, 51450 Shelby Parkway, for a fraud complaint. Upon arrival, officers spoke to an employee, who stated that he found a credit card skimmer on one of the credit card payment systems in the self-checkout lane. It is unknown who placed the credit card skimmer on the payment system. Police planned to review video from Walmart in an attempt to locate a suspect.

Uber account hacked

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — A man came into the Shelby Township Police Department to report that his Uber account had been hacked at 10 p.m. April 10. The man stated that he is a driver for Uber and that someone went into his account and locked it, so he was unable to access it. The department’s detective bureau was investigating.

— Kara Szymanski

UCS again is one of the ‘Best Communities for Music Education’

SHELBY TOWNSHIP/UTICA/STERLING HEIGHTS — The National Association of Music Merchants has again recognized Utica Community Schools as one of the Best Communities for Music Education.

The designation of a Best Community for Music Education goes to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in their efforts to provide all students with access to music education. This is the 10th year that UCS has received the award.

The NAMM Foundation honored 975 school districts across the United States with the designation this year.

To qualify for it, Utica Community Schools had to answer questions on funding, graduation requirements, participation in music classes, instructional time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. School officials verified the answers, which were also reviewed by the Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“This award is an important point of pride for our district that directly reflects the work of our music educators to instill in students a life-long love of music and performance,” Utica Community Schools Superintendent Robert S. Monroe said in a prepared statement.

— Kara Szymanski

Quiz

from page 1A

He said it was a great experience to play against the best players in the state. This weekend, the team will head to Chicago to compete in the Small Schools National Championship Tournament.

The team prior to the state championship had won two tournament championships and hosted its own tournament.

Pawlicki said the team has an outstanding group of advisers supporting it and the student body has been excited about the team’s success.

Pawlicki is the captain, a responsibility that includes organizing practices, creating quizzes outside of school and recommending resources.

“Sometimes it involves leading the team and boosting morale. The best way to describe (quiz bowl) is that it is like ‘Jeopardy!,’ but you can interrupt at any time. You don’t have to wait until the end of the question. And there is a whole variety of trivia questions. Categories from math and science to literature to history to fine arts and pop culture. There will be questions that contain a couple of sentences people will read through, and you can answer whenever,” he said.

Students use a “buzzer system” that lets them interrupt the reading of a question when they know the answer.

Edmunds said he likes quiz bowl because it helps him increase his knowledge of a wide variety of topics.

“I like to think of topics that come up and research them. We travel all over Michigan and had a tournament in Ohio. There

are a lot of independent resources. You can practice outside of school anytime you want to. And there are other ways — for literature, I like to read a lot, so that is an easy way to prepare. For math and science, many things you learn at school (come up as questions). As a team, we meet every Tuesday and Thursday for an hour,” he said.

The team has been practicing twice a week together for the entire school year in addition to the time that team members have put in individually at home.

Pawlicki said that preparing for quiz bowl generated interest in topics he otherwise wouldn’t have cared about. After learning about opera, he became a volunteer at the Detroit Opera House.

“There are so many concepts I have learned about in chemistry, history and fine arts that I would not have known otherwise,” he said in a Utica Community Schools press release.

Adviser William Dobbie said the school’s quiz bowl team has been good for a long time, but this has been its most successful year.

“They are pretty much the high water mark in Michigan and always among the best nationally. These guys put in an incredible amount of work. I think that the success reflects the well-rounded nature (of) the courses that these kids take. Brendan is a brilliant math student, but he also excels at literature and the fine arts,” he said.

The team members are part of the International Baccalaureate Programme offered at the academy.

Call Staff Writer Kara Szymanski at (586) 498-1029.

Photo

Community Schools The Gene L. Klida Utica Academy for International Studies quiz bowl team traveled to East Lansing to compete in the Class B Michigan state championship April 13. After 11 wins, zero losses and outscoring its opponents 5,670-800, the team walked away with the state title. It is undefeated in competitions in Michigan this year.

Sekich

from page 3A

sembles from the local to national levels.

Sekich was honored as Michigan’s representative in School Band and Orchestra magazine’s “50 directors who make a difference.”

According to his biography, he is proud that he still plays trumpet daily.

Utica Community Schools Superintendent Robert Monroe said Sekich has been a leader in his many roles in Utica Community Schools as a student, parent and music teacher.

“He has been a positive influence on countless generations of musicians and future teachers, and he is a true representative of the legacy of excellence that is the fabric of Utica Community Schools,” Monroe said.

Sekich said that the program’s success is due to the students.

“It is all about the students and what they do together that makes this program so successful. That is the whole purpose of why I am here. My goal as an educator has always been to create a safe, family-like environment where learning can take place,” he said.

He said that with a family-like classroom, students can trust each other, develop their skills and take risks.

Director

from page 16A

community that have not had an opportunity to experience the Anton Art Center,” Matthews said.

The first exhibition Matthews will open is the Macomb County Biennial Primary Student Show, which will showcase the works of Macomb County primary school students from April 27 to June 1.

“Our program has been defined by excellence by public performances, competitions and making the proper adjustments to assure all students are aware of the next goal as an ensemble,” he said.

At the junior high level, Derek Smith, who teaches ancient history and AP Human Geography at Shelby Junior High School, was the UCS Junior High School Teacher of the Year.

Smith is said to make the subject matter interesting and engaging for students, plus he is the school’s athletic director and coor-

dinates multiple charity drives at the school.

Art teacher Karen Borbolla, of Morgan Elementary School, is the UCS Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Borbolla is a former UCS student, a department chair and a parent. Comments about Borbolla that the district included in a press release describe her as a great artist and a kind and loving teacher.

All three teachers received $500 mini grants from the UCS Foundation.

Call Staff Writer Kara Szymanski at (586) 498-1029.

Matthews took over the executive director position after Phil Gilchrist left for a similar opportunity at Advancing Macomb in December 2023. Gilchrist worked with the Anton Art Center for 14 years, serving as executive director for eight. DiMercurio served as the interim director while the center’s board of trustees searched for a new executive director.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.

Photo provided by Utica Community Schools Utica Community Schools celebrated its three Teachers of the Year for their service and commitment April 2, including Michael Sekich, the Stevenson High School band teacher, who was also named the Macomb County High School Teacher of the Year.

Castle Farms

from page 3A

rent owner, Linda Mueller, who purchased the property with her late husband, Richard, in 2001. Since then, gardens have been replanted or added, along with other amenities, including a miniature railroad and wine bistro. More recently, a cluster of barns were revamped into Hungry Ducks Farm, a petting farm for children and families.

To visit Castle Farms today is to walk through eras of history, from the early decades of the last century to the present. Stories from its past incarnations are as plentiful as the maple and oak trees in nearby forests.

The man behind the castle was Albert Loeb, acting president of Sears, Roebuck and Company. He had an affinity for the architecture of Renaissance castles and the stone farms of Normandy, France. The castle was built not as a home but as a working model dairy farm, a place to showcase the latest advances in farm equipment, all available through the Sears catalog, the Amazon of its day.

This was a big dairy farm, part of an 1,800-acre tract that included a private home for the Loeb family. Loeb Farms boasted the most modern milking machinery and was home to 200 head of Holstein-Friesian cows. The star producer was Marion, who was milked six times a day. She consistently set records in milk production and in one banner year — 1922 — produced 35,000 pounds of milk (well above the average 25,000 pounds) and made headlines.

The cows lived a good life. They were housed in two wings — now known as the East and West Garden rooms, replicated during the restoration. They grazed in a courtyard between the wings and elsewhere on the farm. Instead of the normal white-

CASTLE FARMS

5052 M-66 Charlevoix, MI 49720 (231) 237-0884 info@castlefarms.com

Self-guided and guided tours available; guided tours are two hours and include a Tram Tour of the property (in season). Hours vary: Currently, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Hours are extended in the summer months.

wash, the barn walls were covered in tile lining and the floor was paved. The barns were hosed down regularly.

“The milking barns were so clean you could eat off the floor,” says Jessica Anderson, who is director of guest services at Castle Farms and made the time to walk me through the property and share many stories of its past.

At its peak, Loeb Farms was the largest employer in the Charlevoix region, with more than 90 people among its daily work force, Anderson says. The farm also boasted a semi-professional baseball team, the Sodbusters, who played on a field north of the barn complex.

“In the evening, during wedding rehearsal dinners, our staff regularly hear the crack of a baseball and bat from the ball diamond,” Anderson says, adding a haunted tour planned for the fall will share more ghost stories from Castle Farms.

Unfortunately, the farm closed in 1927, a few years after Loeb’s death and a family tragedy. Many visitors have some knowledge of the family’s connection to a notorious Chicago murder. Anderson is well prepared

See CASTLE FARMS on page 23A

Photo provided by Castle Farms The castle was built not as a home but as a working model dairy farm and a place to showcase the latest advances in farm equipment. Pictured here is cow auction held on the grounds.

Castle Farms

from page 22A

to answer those questions and share what she knows. One of Loeb’s sons, Richard Loeb, was convicted, in 1924, of the kidnapping and murder of a 14-year-old boy. The murder garnered national headlines. Lawyer Clarence Darrow represented the young Loeb and his crime partner in court — just before the famed Scopes “Monkey” Trial.

Decades later, the large empty stone walls caught the artistic eye of John VanHaver, a Muskegon businessman. He was also an artist and sculptor with a background in metallurgy and metal casting.

His dream? An artists’ mecca with a Renaissance theme. He purchased 100 acres of the original Loeb property, including the barns, office, blacksmith shop and manager’s house, and renamed the site Castle VanHaver. He opened the grounds to the public. Visitors could browse art but also have a cup of coffee and snacks in the Queen’s Courtyard.

Unfortunately, financial difficulties forced VanHaven to sell the property in 1969.

New owners, Arthur and Erwina Reibel, came along, initially envisioning the farm as a riding academy. Their plans, however, evolved to include an outdoor concert venue. A 50-foot wide, covered concrete steel stage was constructed and two wings (where the cows once lived) were removed to accommodate larger crowds and reserved seating.

Consider Castle Farms the Pine Knob of the north. Just about every major recording act in the late 1970s through the early 1990s rocked the stage here. That roster includes Bob Seger, the Doobie Brothers, Heart, Def Leppard, KISS, Iron Maiden, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, Tina Turner and Bob Dylan, and many more.

The music is long gone but stories linger. Aerosmith reportedly had a water fight in the artesian well in the Queen’s Courtyard. Bon Jovi carved his name in a stone in a room that now serves as a changing room for wedding couples. Ozzie Osburn is remembered as a Dracula figurine in one of Mueller’s miniature collections.

The property went up for sale — again — in 1999.

Thanks to Mueller, the castle we are able to visit today has been restored — its crumbling fieldstone walls and windows repaired, along with other buildings on the property, now just 37 acres.

Castle Farms celebrated its centennial in 2018 and opened a winery, 1918 Cellars, named after the year in which the castle was founded. The winery is temporarily closed (expected to reopen by November). It’s an

Consider Castle Farms the Pine Knob of the north. Just about every major recording act in the late 1970s through the early 1990s rocked the stage here. Pictured is a 1983 concert.

inviting place to linger after a tour and ponder the history of this unusual structure and its many incarnations.

It’s a treat to walk through the castle, to hear interesting stories here and there, and to muse over the vast collection Mueller has amassed. The 1918 Museum, for instance, honors not only World War I but includes a collection of products Sears sold, complete with the original advertising. There’s a barrel-shaped washing machine for $7.95. A 1918 bicycle with wooden wheels — a luxury then — priced at $28.95. Her collection includes wedding cake toppers, not common in 1918 but something Sears eventually mass produced and helped popularize.

Photo provided by Castle Farms

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MAY 9-11

Teeny, Tiny Gardens: Exhibit of planters designed by Shelby Gardeners Club, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. May 9, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 10 and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. May 11, Shelby

food truck, vendors, bounce houses for kids and more, 2-4 p.m., starts at Grant Park and ends at Pioneer Dog Park in Utica, cityofutica.org

Paws to Read: Children can tell stories to therapy dog, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Shelby Township Library, 52610 Van Dyke Ave., shelbylib.events.mylibrary.digital

MAY 2

Stepping Out with the Stars: Fundraiser for Turning Point, features community members performing dance routines after training with professionals, also survivor speaker, dinner, premium open bar, silent auction, raffles and wine pull, emcee by Fox 2 Detroit’s Jessica Dupnack, 5:30-11 p.m., The Palazzo Grande, 54660 Van Dyke Ave. in Shelby Township, www.turningpoint macomb.org

MAY 4

Growing, Harvesting and Using Herbs: Presentation by expert and author Bevin Cohen, 10 a.m., Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, 4101 River Bends Drive in Shelby Township, free but registration required, marietta.crabtree@gmail.com, midaylilysociety.com, smallhousefarm.com

MAY 5 North Oakland Mopar Muscle: Car show and swap meet, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Packard Proving Grounds, 49965 Van Dyke Ave. in Shelby Township, www.packardproving grounds.org