4/24/24 St. Clair Shores Sentinel

Baumgarten approved as assistant city manager

Baumgarten

The St. Clair Shores City Council approved Matthew Baumgarten as the new assistant city manager and human resources director in a 6-0 vote on April 15.

Mayor Kip Walby was excused from the meeting

and Mayor Pro Tem and Councilwoman Candice Rusie led the discussion.

Baumgarten was the city manager in Berkley for eight years and previously was the assistant city manager in Lathrup Village. The previous St. Clair Shores assistant city manager, Michael Greene, left the position to pursue the city administrator position in Lathrup Village.

City Manager Dustin Lent said the pool of candidates consisted of eight people and that it was narrowed down to the top five. He also said they are extremely excited to bring forward Baumgarten as the final candidate for the position. A few of the council members reached out to Baumgarten and others for more information.

See CITY MANAGER on page 5A

St. Clair Shores Community Garden values inclusion

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

With roots planted by two previous Cool City Committee members, the St. Clair Shores Community Garden has been thriving over the last couple of years. Now, it is preparing for the new season.

Paul Bjorngaard, chair of the Community Garden Committee, said the St. Clair Shores Community Garden started around eight years ago and that this is its seventh planting season after it was built in the first year.

“And over those seven years, we’ve just kind of grown it, added more things and features and events and all that,” Bjorngaard said.

He added they started out with just one flower bed and the vegetable gardens. The committee members have been adding things over the years such as raised pumpkin beds and an English garden, and they

See GARDEN on page 4A

Beds await spring preparation at the St. Clair Shores Community Garden, located behind the Civic Arena on Stephens Road.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

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29th Annual Nautical Coast Cleanup set for May 19

The St. Clair Shores Waterfront Environmental Committee will host the 29th Annual Nautical Coast Cleanup starting at 8 a.m. on May 19 at the Jefferson Yacht Club.

Michael Droogleever, the Nautical Coast Cleanup event director and a member of the SCSWEC, said preparation is going well.

“It’s always exciting every year to see the new interest and the new talent that we can bring in,” Droogleever said.

This year, the committee has been focusing on communication and outreach. Droogleever said they’ve got some enthusiastic supporters and volunteers who are on board to expand the outreach program.

They’ve lost the continuity of the relationships with the school systems, and he would like to reattach those relationships.

“It’s important for our youth to be involved in environmental responsibility,”

See CLEANUP on page 12A

‘WHAT AN ICON HE WAS’ COMMUNITY REMEMBERS FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST WERNER SPITZ

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — From testifying at the O.J. Simpson civil case in 1996 to offering his perspective in the Chappaquiddick incident that involved Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne in 1969, Werner Spitz was widely known for providing his expertise 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 highprofile 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.

See SPITZ on page 13A

Photo by Alyssa Ochss Blossom Heath Park on Jefferson Avenue is one of the locations for the Nautical Coast Cleanup on May 19.

Photo provided by Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University Dr. Werner Spitz was for many years the chief medical examiner in both Wayne and Macomb counties. He died April 14 at 97.

Garden

from page 1A

plan to add a monarch butterfly way station.

“It’s specific native plants that monarchs eat during their migration,” Bjorngaard said.

Bjorngaard and Stephanie Kraus started the St. Clair Shores Community Garden. Both were originally members of the Cool City Committee. In an email, Bjorngaard stated he thinks the garden was originally Kraus’s idea.

“One of the missions of that committee was to add features to the city that competed with other cities to be able to bring people in,” Bjorngaard said. “So a community garden is a big draw for quite a few families and stuff like that. We decided that that would be a good addition to the city.”

From there, they started the garden and made it into its own committee. Bjorngaard is no longer a part of the Cool City Committee, and he has been the chair of the Community Garden Committee for a few years.

“We have our own committee, and all the committee members are absolutely wonderful. They’re all very involved, very knowledgeable,” Bjorngaard said.

Last year, they added a patio that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, with raised beds at standing height that are also wheelchair accessible.

“Inclusion is kind of, you know, a big part of our mission,” Bjorngaard said.

There are 20 rentals and 23 community garden beds. A $80 rental includes a 4-by-10-foot bed, compost added by the committee and a selection of vegetables, so the renters don’t have to buy their own plants if they don’t want to.

“But they can if they want to,” Bjorngaard said. “And a shed with all tools that they would need. So they really don’t need to own anything to be a renter at the garden. And there’s water on site also.”

Alex Graham, a Community Garden Committee member, said this year the garden has a couple of big focuses. One is increasing the number of events they have and also varying the type of events.

“Making sure that we have events for families but also some events for the adults in the community and places for people to gather,” Graham said.

She said the other goals are increasing volunteer participation and planting more native plants to help pollinators.

Over the winter, the beehives they had at the garden collapsed. Bjorngaard said their beekeeper attributes this to the instability of the hives due to the lack of food for the bees. One of the committee’s goals this year is to work with the city, businesses and residents to make sure there are enough native plants for the bees.

“So not necessarily in the garden, but it’s a goal of

See GARDEN on page 14A

BUSINESS CLIP

“I’m Ray Moses, the third owner of Natural Way at 31398 Harper Ave., and I’ve learned much over the years from the two previous owners and my well-informed customers,” Moses said. “It’s a great feeling to help people feel better. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and am grateful to be trusted by my customers as a friend. The internet was a contender for our business, but now it’s creating more awareness of health, helping us mom and pop stores, where customers are free to ask questions to a real person. Special thanks to The Sentinel for helping us celebrate our 10th anniversary. Enjoy good health.”

For more information, call (586) 296- 6168 or email Moses at naturalwayllc@gmail.com.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

The Community Garden Committee is getting ready for the season. Garden prep is on May 4 and planting is on May 18.

City manager

from page 1A

Baumgarten was not present at the meeting as he was at a council meeting in Berkley.

Rusie said she found Baumgarten very knowledgeable and experienced.

“I think he would be able to help out the city,” Rusie said.

She also asked what the assistant city manager would do. Lent explained Baumgarten would act as his right-hand man.

“Being able to bring in a wealth of knowledge, we’re hoping that the transition time is going to be quicker than what normally would incur,” Lent said.

With the emphasis in human resources, Lent said Baumgarten would also work on updating any HR policies and procedures.

“Also as well working with each one of the department heads and just moving this city forward,” Lent said.

Councilman Dave Rubello asked if Baumgarten is able to write grants.

“I don’t want to speak for Matt, but any time you’re in a lead role and you’re running as a city manager, you’re always heavily involved in grants,” Lent said.

Councilman John Caron said he talked to Baumgarten and also said he is very knowledgeable.

“It may seem weird of a city manager coming over to do an assistant city manager (job),” Caron said. “Well, we are four times as big. He did say we’ve got some large projects that are going through that he is very excited about.”

Caron also said he looked at the job posting and noticed it didn’t have very many HR-related items and that he would hope Baumgarten would worry about taking the lead role and not just the policies.

“He’s a one-stop shop in Berkley for everything in the city manager’s office as well,” Caron said. “So he’s dealt with everything from hiring, negotiating. They’ve got a(n) Act 345 pension system as well.”

Councilman Chris Vitale said he didn’t reach out to Baumgarten but that he did conduct a lot of research. Through his research, he found out a lot about his background.

“He seemed excellent, well qualified for the job,” Vitale said.

Councilman Ronald Frederick made the motion to approve the agenda item and Rubello seconded the motion.

Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.

Firehouse Pub Celebrates 10 Years In The Shores

What started as a way for a three-man team of Detroit firefighters to rescue their livelihood and retirement when their department fell on hard times has grown into a four-alarm success spanning 10 years in St. Clair Shores.

Firehouse Pub and Grill on Greater Mack Avenue was founded in 2014 by firefighters Mike Urban, Brian Vogel and Jeff Smith. Vogel has since retired from the Detroit Fire Department, but Urban and Smith remain on the job there.

a dedicated staff in St. Clair Shores, including Trish and Amanda, who have been with them since Day 1, and Kelly, the pub’s head server and manager.

“We’ve got a longtime staff, and we really appreciate that they’ve really helped us over the years,” Urban said.

“We love being in the Shores,” Urban said about the pub’s reception from the moment they opened its doors. “It was challenging during COVID, but we made it through. Everything’s been great. We really enjoy it here.”

Urban said the secret to success at Firehouse Pub has been a commitment to quality and service, offering good food on par with what you’d expect to find in the city’s fire stations.

He said they couldn’t have done it without

For the 10-year anniversary, Firehouse Pub will celebrate with a new patio and bay doors that li this summer. The pub will host an anniversary party on Saturday, May 18 that’s open to the public.

Urban said the pub plans to also host a cornhole tournament this summer, and that it will be involved in the city’s social district events.

“We always want to be family-friendly, and we’ve done an absolute boatload of charity events at the pub,” Urban said. “We’re big in the community. We always have been. We always try to take care of the community.”

Firehouse Pub and Grill is located at 23018 Greater Mack Ave. For the latest events and information go to facebook.com/firehousepubandgrill.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR IN SECTION B

Youth service librarians looking for volunteers

Selfridge Museum hosting veterans’ weekend

HARRISON TOWNSHIP— The Selfridge Military Air Museum invites guests to honor U.S. military veterans during its 2024 Veterans Weekend May 18-19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Exhibits will offer a look into military service over the years, including historic military impressions and a stop of the Michigan Vietnam Veterans Traveling Memorial Wall, presented by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 154. Military vehicles from over the years will be on display in addition to more than 30 planes kept on static display in the Air Park. Food will be provided by National Coney Island, Mission BBQ, Texas Roadhouse, Faygo beverages and Better Made Potato Chips.

Base access and museum admission is required. For more details visit selfridgeairmuseum.org.

Turning Point to host dancing fundraiser

MOUNT CLEMENS— In order to support its goal of empowering domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking survivors, Turning Point is hosting its eighth annual Stepping Out with the Stars fundraiser.

Set to be emceed by Jessica Dupnack of Fox 2 Detroit, community leaders like Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel will take to the dance floor at The Palazzo Grande, 54660 Van Dyke Ave., in Shelby Township, on the evening of Thursday, May 2.

“We look forward to gathering again with Turning Point supporters who advocate for our mission,” said Sharman Davenport, Turning Point president and CEO, in a press release. “With hundreds of people in the room, it is a great opportunity to get the word out about our important services and to meet and support some of the survivors we assist.”

Individual tickets are $125. For more information, visit the events page at turningpointmacomb.org.

CARS AND COFFEE ON THE CONCOURSE

PONTIAC — The public is cordially invited to the Cars and Coffee event at 8 a.m. May 4 at the M1 Concourse.

The event will feature Japanese and Asian manufactured vehicles. It is free to attend, and all ages are welcome. Complimentary coffee will be offered.

The M1 Concourse is an 87-acre property that features a 28,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art event complex, a 1.5-mile closed track, 255 private garages, and a full schedule of signature events.

The M1 Concourse is located at 1 Concourse Drive in Pontiac. For more information, visit m1concourse.com or call (248) 326-9999.

MACOMB CHAMBER HOSTING ATHENA AWARDS

MOUNT CLEMENS — The Macomb Foundation, an affiliate of the Macomb County Chamber, will host the 25th annual Athena Awards on Friday, May 3, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Andiamo Warren, 7096 E. 14 Mile Road.

The awards aim to highlight women that have achieved business success and served the Macomb County community in meaningful ways. A record number of 17 nominees will vie for the award, each of them being highlighted throughout the ceremony.

“Each year, the caliber of individuals nominated is extremely impressive,” said Kelley Lovati, CEO and President of the Macomb County Chamber and Macomb Foundation, in a press release. “Thank you to the award selection committee, which had the challenging task of selecting this year’s recipient. Each of these nominees is deserving of this honor, and we look forward to celebrating them at the event.”

Tickets to the Athena Awards can be bought though mccbiz.macombcountychamber.com/events. Contact events@macombcountychamber.com for more information.

ST. CLAIR SHORES — The St. Clair Shores Public Library’s youth service librarians are looking for volunteers from sixth grade and up to assist during the library’s summer reading program in June and July.

Volunteers will help assemble take-and-make bags and help with programs. They must be reliable and responsible.

Applications will be available at the youth service desk in the library starting May 6 and are due back to the library by May 31. According to an email, any questions can be answered by calling (586) 7719020 or emailing SCSYouth@libcoop.net. Applications can be turned in by email or in person.

The library is located at 22500 11 Mile Road.

Friday morning DSO concert

ST. CLAIR SHORES — Join the St. Clair Shores Cultural Committee for a Friday morning DSO concert.

The concert is called “Disco Fever,” and it will feature an onstage dance-off as well as hits such as “That’s the Way (I Like It),” “It’s Raining Men” and others. This bus for the event will leave the St. Clair Shores Public Library at 9 a.m. for the concert at 10 a.m. on May 17. The bus will return at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Tickets are already available for $50 each at the library. The price includes bus transportation and the concert.

Summer career academies at MCC MACOMB COUNTY — Students in grades 6-11 looking to stay busy this summer may want to attend a summer career academy at Macomb Community College.

Nine hands-on career academies will be offered and are designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore a wide variety of career fields, ranging from health and law enforcement to automotive design and media arts.

There will be camps focused on healthcare, crime scene investigation, media arts, architecture, culinary arts and more.

For more information, to see a selection of the camps and to register, visit wce.macomb.edu and select youth programs under personal enrichment, then choose career academies.

Shores to host Big Brew Fest

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

The St. Clair Shores Parks and Recreation Department will host the Big Brew Fest from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on April 27 at Blossom Heath Park on Jefferson Avenue.

Parks and Recreation Event Director Henry Bowman said they will have live music including the Laughing Madmen.

“They haven’t performed much here in St. Clair Shores, so I’m really looking forward to people enjoying them,” Bowman said.

Nikki Holland and the Dirty Elizabeths will also play at the event.

“I like bringing them in because Nikki is a St. Clair Shores resident,” Bowman said.

The event will feature brews from local businesses including Copper Hop Brewing

p.m.

April 27.

Rock hunters find cool stones, spend time together

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Rock hunting is a fun pastime spent finding unique stones alone or with friends and family.

Maggie Ehrlich, a rockhound and a Grosse Pointe native, lived in California for around 20 years before making her home in Michigan once again. During her time on the West Coast, every summer, she and her husband came back to the Mitten State to visit her mother in Charlevoix. During their summer trips, her favorite thing to do was to collect Petoskey stones with her nieces.

Now she takes her children, twins Arlie and Teddy Ehrlich, rock hunting.

“I was just kind of always hoping that I would have kids and I ended up having my twins and be able to do this with them,” Ehrlich said. “It was really special when we were able to start taking them up there, too.”

Ehrlich has taken them rock hunting in Michigan and on the East Coast. Ehrlich’s friend and fellow rock hunter, Meta Martinez, is originally from Grosse Pointe and lived on the East Coast north of Boston for around 25 years. Ehrlich said Martinez watched her kids and called her a second mom to them.

“She also loves to rock hunt,” Ehrlich said. “So when she is watching my kids a lot

of the time she does that with them on Belle Isle.”

Martinez has been rock collecting and hunting since she was a little girl. She also took her own children out rock hunting. She has a small box of numbered rocks she’s kept from when she was a child that her children also played with.

“At one point I had a card that I would write down what type of rock it was,” Martinez said. “Of course, the card is long gone, and then numbered it.”

Martinez’s love of rock hunting started

See ROCKS on page 16A

MAY

File photo

The Big Brew Fest, presented by St. Clair Shores Parks

Photo provided by Maggie Ehrlich

Teddy Ehrlich shows off the rock he’s found while his twin sister Arlie Ehrich searches for more rocks.

Stewart DeLange: An enforcer on the ice, an inspiration off of it

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

If you’re playing beer league hockey in the Troy or Port Huron area right now, you may have come across a young man who enjoys the physicality of hockey and occasionally drops the gloves.

The trash talk doesn’t faze him, and if anything, trash talking someone who is 6 foot 4 without skates is probably not the best business decision.

“I was always one of the bigger guys on

St. Clair Shores

Lake Shore sophomore teammates

Blake Schrade and Jacob Barker compete in Rocket League at the 2023 MiHSEF state finals on Dec. 9 at the University of Michigan-Flint.

the team, so people assumed I would naturally want to check, especially when I played defense,” Stewart DeLange said. “I guess I fell into the role, and it stuck.”

DeLange is a St. Clair Shores native and St. Clair Shores Lakeview graduate, who is completely deaf, and he’s also a silver medalist for Team USA in the Jeff Sauer International Deaf Hockey Series.

From April 11-14 in Buffalo, New York, DeLange, 20, competed alongside 19 other deaf/hard of hearing players as they took the

Shorians burst onto high school esports scene

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

When St. Clair Shores Lake Shore esports is competing against an opponent, whether it be online or in-person, odds are you can find head coach Shayne Trail with a big smile on his face as he’s motivating his team.

“What I tell the kids is I just want to be that dad cheering you on in the background,” Trail said. “My goal is to make the student driven.” Trail, a resource room math teacher at Lake Shore High School, has an extensive history of competitive gaming on his own before starting the inaugural esports team at the high school.

While serving in the United States Navy, Trail began competitively gaming in Call of Duty, a first-person shooter game, before expanding to other games that caught his attention such as League of Legends and Smite, both battle arena games in their own right. Trail’s competitive gaming

Photo provided by Megan Isenbarger Photography St. Clair Shores native Stewart DeLange earned a silver medal for Team USA in the Jeff Sauer International Deaf Hockey Series.

Photo provided by Shayne Trail

See ESPORTS on page 17A

See HOCKEY on page 19A

Cleanup

from page 3A

Droogleever said. “That’s kind of a big part about our outreach and our communication efforts.”

Registration and breakfast start at 8 a.m.; announcements and speakers start at 9 a.m.; travel to the cleanup areas starts at 9:30 a.m.; and the committee invites everyone back to the Jefferson Yacht Club at 11 a.m. for lunch and a celebration.

This year, the Chapaton Retention Basin beach is shut down for construction, leaving the volunteers to go to either Blossom Heath Park or Veterans Memorial Park, both located on Jefferson Avenue.

Droogleever is excited for the event because it kicks off the summer.

“That’s why we have a Lake St. Clair celebration at lunch,” Droogleever said. “We encourage everyone to come back to the JYC. We have food and lunch for you. We’ll have some music. And then we’ll have booths out to educate all our volunteers on all our other activities.”

He added he is also excited because it is a great feeling to enjoy the lake. He mentioned that he, as well as others, are avid boating enthusiasts.

“For us to say, ‘Hey, let’s clean up first,’ and know that we have our priorities right, if you will, to get that over with first before (we) go enjoy the lake,” Droogleever said. “It’s the best time of year to do it.”

Councilwoman Linda Bertges, the St. Clair Shores City Council’s liaison to the SCSWEC, said the committee is always looking for more volunteers. It is free to register.

“And if you register, you’ll get a T-shirt,” Bertges said. “But you can show up the day of if you want to help, but you won’t have a T-shirt.”

Bertges said she is excited for the cleanup.

“I live on the water, so I love the idea that we do so much to clean up our waterfronts,” Bertges said.

Last year, she helped out at the cleanup with her husband, Rick Bertges.

“It was very rewarding,” Bertges said. “Met a lot of nice people. Met some young kids that were helping out and it’s really great to see young people helping out. We have a lot of young people that come out.”

They still need sponsors, Bertges said. It is $150 to sponsor the event.

She also said it’s a great event for the city.

“Being that our Nautical Mile is such an integral part of who St. Clair Shores is, making sure our coastal beaches and everything are cleaned up is just a wonderful way

to participate in St. Clair Shores and to love our lake,” Bertges said.

Droogleever said in 2020, they limited the cleanup to around 100 participants due to gathering restrictions. Though the number was easily met, he said it has taken some time since then to get some of that interest back.

“It’s complex, but I would say we are somewhere around what we’ve seen in the past,” Droogleever said.

Since 2020, the committee has been using electronic databases to keep track of the numbers and Droogleever said since then they’ve seen an increase.

“It’s not saying much because everything was shut down,” Droogleever said.

Their goal right now is to have around 200 attendants and with the current staff, Droogleever said, that number is very manageable. In the end, he said he wants to see returning attendance to strengthen those relationships and build the community up.

“When we talk about other issues surrounding the lake and environmental responsibilities, we want to be able to reach those people,” Droogleever said. “Not just once a year, not just the cleanup once a year.”

Droogleever recommends that folks wear boots and bring sunscreen. Gloves and tools will be available to use, but people can bring their own if they choose.

This is a St. Clair Shores event, but, Droogleever said those from out of town will not be turned away.

Droogleever would highly encourage those interested to register beforehand on Eventbrite. The link to register or to become a sponsor can be found on the Facebook page of the St. Clair Shores Waterfront Environmental Committee. Once registered, there will be a QR code on Eventbrite that eventgoers will need.

Spitz

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.

from page 8A

Co., Baffin Brewing Co., Jamex Brewing Co. and others.

Bowman said they were waiting for a beer event license from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission at the time of publication.

“But as soon as we have that in place, then we’re going to look at bringing in some other ones like Atwater and possibly some other ones from around the metro Detroit area that have a nice variety,” Bowman said.

Bowman guesses there will be anywhere from six to 10 beers. Food trucks will also be available for folks to enjoy.

City of St. Clair Shores

May 2024

City of St. Clair Shores

City Council Meetings

May 2024

Monday, May 6, 2024

May

City Council Meetings

Monday, May 20, 2024

City Council Meetings

Monday, May 6, 2024

Monday, May 6, 2024

Sponsors this year include Michael Agnello Jewelers, B.A.S. Security Systems, Bryant Goodreau Michigan Insurance Source and the Paul Genaw Agency - Farm Bureau Insurance.

Ryan Balicki, owner of Copper Hop Brewing Co., said the city hosts the event and reaches out to local breweries to showcase them.

He also said, weather permitting, the event is a fun time.

7:00 p.m. City Hall, Council Chambers

Monday, May 20, 2024

Monday, May 20, 2024

27600 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores

7:00 p.m. City Hall, Council Chambers

Scan QR code or visit www.scsmi.net/councilagendas to view agendas online.

7:00 p.m. City Hall, Council Chambers 27600 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores

27600 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores

Scan QR code or visit www.scsmi.net/councilagendas to view agendas online.

Scan QR code or visit www.scsmi.net/councilagendas to view agendas online.

Agendas are posted, by the end of business day, two Fridays before each meeting.

Agendas are posted, by the end of business day, two Fridays before each meeting.

Agendas are posted, by the end of business day, two Fridays before each meeting.

“We’ll have a beer on tap there and it’s really just to kind of support the city and show the people within the event what the city has to offer as far as breweries go,” Balicki said.

“The city spent a lot of money and time on Blossom Heath to make it a very community-centric area,” Balicki said. “And it’s beautiful. It’s a good time. It’s a great atmosphere and they really did a great job with the area.”

The event is for people 21 and older. Once in the event area, eventgoers must remain there and cannot bring their own alcohol. There is no admission charge for the event.

Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.

from page 4A

the garden,” Bjorngaard said. “So, one of our missions.”

Preparations are going well so far, Graham said.

Any type of plant is allowed in the garden. Graham said in the community beds a variety of standard vegetables, flowers and herbs are planted.

“We try and do things seasonally so we think about succession planning so we can switch tomatoes over to snow peas or whatever it is,” Graham said.

In the private beds people can plant whatever they want.

“The only thing I would say maybe is if it’s a known ultra-invasive plant maybe don’t bring that, but we don’t have any hard rules about what can’t be planted,” Graham said.

The season starts in late May but, Graham said, it depends on the weather when the season ends. Last year, because it was warm, programs still happened in October and plants still grew in November.

“But we start winding down for sure, like November, when it gets cold and stuff starts to die, I would say, but there’s no hard cut off,” Graham said.

Bjorngaard said it’s one of their beliefs that anyone at any skill level or financial status can be a part of the community garden.

“You don’t have to have money to be part of it,” Bjorngaard said. “You can volunteer and still be part of it. We have quite a few free events for families, kids.”

Bjorngaard said it’s exciting seeing the crops people yield at the end of the season.

“I think it’s really important that people just know how to grow their own food and grow it locally,” Bjorngaard said. “Just for environmental reasons, but also just health reasons.”

The community garden experiences high engagement from volunteers and at the events. However, they are still in need of volunteers for this season.

To volunteer for the St. Clair Shores Community Garden, email CommunityGardenSCS@gmail.com with your name and what you would like to help with.

This year, garden prep day starts at 9 a.m. on May 4 and planting day starts at 9 a.m. on May 18. Tools will be provided. Garden beds will be rented out before then and more information will be given on Facebook at facebook.com/SCSCommunityGarden.

The garden is located at 20000 Stephens Road, behind the St. Clair Shores Civic Arena.

Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.

CRIME WATCH

Fraud reported on Brys Drive

At 5:45 p.m. on April 15, a report was made about an incident of suspected fraud that occurred the same day in the 21000 block of Brys Drive.

Upon arrival, an officer spoke to a 40-year-old woman who stated she received a fraud notification from her bank after using an Uber. She used the service for transportation from the airport. When she got the notification shortly after she got home, she realized she left her crossbody bag in the car. She canceled her credit cards and contacted Uber to see if she could get her belongings back. In the bag were several credit cards, several gift cards and her Michigan identification.

She was given a report number and advised to call back if there are any updates.

Vehicle theft reported on Northshore Drive

At 9:42 a.m. on April 10, a report was made about a vehicle theft that occurred between April 9 and April 10 on Northshore Drive.

Upon arrival, an officer met with the victim, a 46-year-old woman, who stated she noticed her vehicle missing on April 10. The last time she saw it was at 10 p.m. on April 9. She stated that she locked the vehicle and that it was taken without keys. There was shattered glass on the ground where she left it. She stated on April 9, a man walked up to her while she was sitting in her car and asked for a ride.

The man left because her dog was barking at him from the side of the vehicle. She quickly went inside after the incident.

The vehicle was later found abandoned and no arrests were made.

Rocks

from page 8A

when she was a child. Her parents built her childhood home in the place of another house that was torn down. Supposedly, she explained, there were underground tunnels that lead to the lake. There was also a lot of upturned earth on the property.

“It was kid heaven,” Martinez said. “To go out there and just start picking through the debris and the dirt and stuff that’d been turned up when this old house had been torn down. And we loved collecting stones from that area.”

She also said her grandparents had a house in Port Huron and she took trips Up North.

When Martinez lived on the East Coast, she collected sea glass.

“Which we consider our own rocks on the East Coast,” Martinez said with a laugh.

According to the Pure Michigan website, there are federal rules and regulations to follow when rock hunting.

“According to the Michigan DNR, you are only allowed to remove 25 pounds of stones per year. If any Petoskey Stone weighs over 25 pounds, the DNR has the right to confiscate it,” the website stated. “If you’re strolling the shores of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for your search, keep in mind that stones must remain where you find them.”

But Martinez said rules like these might be in place to keep people from taking home boatloads of stones to fill gardens. Ehrlich said she, as well as her nieces, would take home a couple of stones and put the rest back.

Larceny reported on Sunnyside

At 3:50 a.m. on April 15, a report was made about a larceny that occurred the same day in the 21000 block of Sunnyside Street.

Upon arrival, an officer spoke to the victim, a 53-yearold man, who stated he heard noise coming from outside and that when he walked outside, he saw a man, between 35 and 40 years old, trying to get into the victim’s car. The victim scared him off and he left. He reportedly shouted an expletive at the victim and fled west on Sunnyside.

The suspect drove a late 90s burgundy vehicle. The victim was worried he broke into his neighbors’ cars, but a check yielded no results. A canvas of the area yielded nothing of consequence.

— Alyssa Ochss

Photo by Alyssa Ochss

Maggie Ehrlich, left, and Meta Martinez, right, look at rocks they’ve collected over the years.

Esports

from page 10A

resume also included being a community member for the esports organization vVv (Vision.Valor.Victory.) Gaming and serving as a general manager for MadCap Gaming.

Given his background in gaming and already being a member of the Lake Shore faculty, it wasn’t a difficult decision for principal Janelle Bross to greenlight an esports program.

“I asked her about her thoughts on esports and she said, ‘You know what, we actually tried to get a team started before the pandemic and now the teacher is gone. Are you interested?’” Trail said. “I said, ‘Uh, yeah. Obviously.’” That’s how it all started.”

The high school esports scene is comprised of two leagues: the Michigan High School Esports League (MHSEL), sponsored by a youth esports platform called PlayVS, and the Michigan High School Esports Federation (MiHSEF), a nonprofit organization run by teachers.

The high school esports year is split into two seasons (fall and spring) with teams competing against other schools all over the state of Michigan, and even across the United States when the playoffs roll around.

In Lake Shore’s first official season, the

program fielded teams in NBA 2K, Madden NFL, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart and Valorant. Every team made it to the playoffs with NBA 2K reaching the regional semifinals in an area made up of the entire East Coast of the United States, while one Rocket League team took fourth out of 80 teams at the MiHSEF in-person state finals at the University of Michigan-Flint.

Jacob Barker, a sophomore on the fourthplace Rocket League team, said the program has been an exciting thing to be a part of.

“I think it’s been pretty awesome,” Barker said. “I’ve been here since Day 1 of making it, so I’ve seen everything. It’s come a long way and it’s going to go a lot farther.”

Barker, along with sophomore teammates Blake Schrade and Brendan Godawa, came back in the spring season for Rocket League and were ranked No. 3 in the state in the MHSEL, posting a 13-2 record with both losses coming to Linden High School, a perennial state champion in Rocket League.

Barker, Schrade, and Godawa have all known each other since sixth grade, so the chemistry is unmatched between the trio.

They have two league games during the week and a mandatory practice on Sunday nights where they strategize and go over different game plans.

See ESPORTS on page 18A

Rocks

from page 16A

“The fun is the hunt, right?” Ehrlich said. “And if they’re all gone, there’s nothing to hunt for anymore.”

Aside from Petoskey stones, other rocks found in Michigan include Leland blue stones, agates, various forms of fossilized coral, granite and much more.

Ehrlich joked that the pose of Charlevoix is the bent over person searching for rocks. Martinez added there was a time when her friend asked why her head swiveled from side to side while walking on the beach.

“I was like, ‘I was looking for treasures, you know,’” Martinez said. “‘And rocks and sea glass and shells and different things.’”

She added, while in the rock hunting zone, she can spot the rocks she wants from a mile away.

Both have tried using rock tumblers before, but the machines can be very loud.

“I tried it in an apartment building, and I felt like I was going to get a fine from our landlord,” Ehrlich said.

Ehrlich joined a rockhound Facebook group and now that she’s back in

Michigan she wants to explore more locations to find cool rocks. Martinez would like to go to the Upper Peninsula.

“The whole Lake Huron side is completely new to me, I was just looking at Oscoda,” Ehrlich said. “There’s like a great creek there, but also just the water line.”

Rock hunters are really nice, Martinez said, and she recalled a time when a man gave up his whole collection of rocks to a group of children who were getting frustrated with their searches.

“I think we’re all in it for the thrill of the hunt, you know, a little bit,” Ehrlich said.

Martinez said it’s nice to walk along the water and it’s a nice thing to do together with family.

“It’s just a fun thing to do together and again it’s something that you’re not going out and buying something,” Martinez said.

To find out more about rock hunting, visit the Pure Michigan website at michigan.org. To find out more about Michigan’s state parks, visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources page at michigan.gov.

Call Staff Writer Alyssa Ochss at (586) 498-1103.

Esports

from page 17A

For a game that was once a casual play with the three friends, Barker said being in esports has elevated his ability in Rocket League.

“It definitely has changed a lot,” Barker said. “In 3v3 ranks, I was probably low champ. This season, I only played with my two teammates, Blake and Brendan, and I’m pushing C3 right now. It makes it a lot easier.”

That’s the humble answer. To put it in a broader sense, Barker, Schrade, and Godawa can beat just about anyone they go up against.

For those unfamiliar with Rocket League, there’s 23 ranks with Supersonic Legend being the highest and unranked being the lowest. For perspective, a Champion III (C3) is the fifth-highest rank in the game.

In the MiHSEF, the trio is ranked No. 2 in the state and is looking to compete once more at the in-person state finals on May 4th at the University of Michigan-Flint, where the top-16 Rocket League teams go head-tohead.

Lake Shore will also have its Super Smash Bros team ready to represent as well,

battling it out against 32 other teams at the state finals. Sophomore Landon Tuladziecki, sophomore Katelyn Zelenak, freshman Connor Grosso, junior Stephen Mosley, and junior Antonio Gamicchia compete for the Lake Shore Super Smash Bros team.

Atmospheres like the in-person state finals are what esports players dream of with the audience cheering, people watching your every move with hesitation and excitement, and being surrounded by others who are just as passionate as they are about esports.

Barker said because of the role video games play in the lives of students today, he expects Lake Shore’s numbers to increase, especially if they can feel the atmosphere of it.

“Video games are a big part of my generation’s childhoods, and I just think a lot of kids are going to join,” Barker said. “I know a lot of people are already going to stick through it. It’s only going to go up.”

The esports players are eligible for varsity letters, which take around two years to qualify for depending on the player.

Trail said Lake Shore has been more than gracious to the esports program, letting them use the administration center with 12 computers and four Nintendo Switch devices where the team will livestream games throughout the week.

The players drop their backpacks and for-

get about the day when they enter the gaming room, and that feeling of relaxation and decompressing is a big reason why the program already has 36 kids in its first official year.

With the success of the program and the gaming environment Trail has created, expect Lake Shore to be a major player on the high school esports scene for years to come.

“I’m taken back by it (the numbers),” Trail said. “It’s one of those proverbial cliches of ‘If you build it, they’ll come.’ That’s really what it is. We built it, the admins support it, and the kids are willing to come. I’m fortunate to say now that we’re in a position where we can have conversations on how we can build this out more.”

Lake Shore’s Rocket League team took fourth out of 80 teams at the MiHSEF in-person state finals on Dec. 9 at the University of MichiganFlint.

Photo provided by Shayne Trail

Hockey

from page 10A

silver medal in a 5-4 loss to Canada. The tournament features a national team for Canada, Finland and Czechia.

DeLange is all too familiar with most of his Team USA teammates, who he’s been competing with at a hockey camp in Chicago for the hearing impaired since he was 8 years old.

So when he received an email stating he had made the team based off of his tryout in August 2023, DeLange said he was excited to share the ice with his friends.

“I enjoy playing with my hard of hearing friends from camp,” DeLange said. “Communication between players is easier because a lot of them know ASL. I keep in touch with them between camp.”

DeLange, who does not wear a hearing aid, put on an impressive performance over the weekend slate at the center position, tallying two assists and a goal as Team USA beat Czechia 12-0 and Finland 8-3.

“I was excited to play against the other teams,” DeLange said. “It was fun seeing and playing with my friends. The competition was tough, so to score a goal against Finland was an amazing feeling.”

Sometimes, there’s just sports we’re

born to do, and hockey seemed to always be in the cards for DeLange.

Growing up a massive Red Wings fan — his favorite player is Pavel Datsyuk — and into a family with a passion for hockey, DeLange’s mother, Erika DeLange, said hockey was something that her son latched onto early.

“We’re a hockey family,” Erika DeLange said. “We grew up with hockey and love the Red Wings. My father-in-law is associated with the Red Wing alumni, so I have a great picture of Stewart when he’s, like, on skates for the very first time at 3 years old, and it’s in the middle of Joe Louis Arena on the circle, and he’s holding my husband’s hand because he couldn’t skate very well at 3.”

From age 6-13, DeLange played hockey with his father, Jeff DeLange, as the head coach, helping Stewart find his footing in the sport.

With line changes, ref whistles because of stoppages, and everything in-between in the sport, DeLange said having his father to lean on was helpful in his progression.

“He was able to interpret for me during practice and games while coaching,” DeLange said. “It helped me to understand the game.”

By the time high school hockey came around, DeLange was able to have an interpreter, Michael Colton, alongside him on the bench.

DeLange, a 2022 graduate from Lakeview, was primarily a defenseman/forward during his

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three-year tenure for St. Clair Shores Unified, winning a Macomb Area Conference White league title. On Unified, he was just another one of the guys, and the players treated him as such, especially when DeLange would show the players some curse words in sign language.

“The kid is hilarious,” St. Clair Shores Unified coach Nick Radjewski said. “If he wanted to tell someone to f-off, you knew it. You could understand what he was saying, and he wasn’t shy about doing it. If you were to ever come and watch us play and you weren’t familiar with Stew’s situation, you’d have no idea he’s deaf. I think one time in three years that we had him he hit someone after the whistle, and it was bang, bang. It was always kind of amazing.”

DeLange credits his interpreter for helping him along the way, but he had the impressive visual skills to see the reflection of the refs raising their arms in the glass to know a penalty or stoppage had occurred.

But as impressive as DeLange was on the ice, it was the awareness he brought to the forefront for deaf athletes that was immeasurable.

Courtesy of Erika DeLange and St. Clair Shores Unified, a deaf awareness night was held on Jan. 6, 2022, in a matchup between SCS Unified and Utica Unified at St. Clair Shores Civic Arena.

Parents and children who have never attended a SCS Unified game before made their way to the rink because of DeLange and what

he represented — inspiration for themselves and/or their children.

“It was great to see the community response that night,” Stewart DeLange said. “There were a few younger kids that attended. I hope that I encouraged them to try hockey.”

“We actually had families that showed up that had children with a hearing loss just to talk to us about how we got him into sports and what they needed to know moving forward, and these were younger kids, like elementary-age kids,” Erika DeLange said. “It was really cool to see them come out and know that, ‘Yeah, you can play a sport for your high school.’”

DeLange now spends his time working at Miller Marina in St. Clair Shores and competing in fishing tournaments as part of the Michigan-Ontario Muskie Club. He first got into fishing with his father.

He’s not only a hockey medalist and representative of hockey in the United States, but also an inspiration for athletes/children everywhere representing the deaf community.

As beautiful of a symbol as he’s been for the sport of hockey, DeLange said the sport itself has brought so much to his life.

“Hockey helped me become disciplined and organized, which in turn has helped me to understand the game,” DeLange said.

Call Staff Writer Jonathan Szczepaniak at (586) 498-1090.

Little Mack Ave. in St. Clair Shores, kasmarkCC@gmail.com

MAY 17

‘Disco Fever’: Trip to hear Detroit Symphony Orchestra, bus leaves St. Clair Shores Public Library at 9 a.m., concert at Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit at 10 a.m., bus returns at approximately 12:30 p.m., www.facebook.com/ StClairShoresCulturalCommittee

MAY 18

Car show fundraiser: Also prizes, food and coffee, and live music, hosted by North Lake High School and Lake Shore Early Childhood Center, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Rodgers Elementary School, 21601 Lanse St. in St. Clair Shores, dpearl@lsps.org

ONGOING

St. Clair Shores Downtown Social District: Vendors, food trucks and street games, 5 p.m.-midnight May 11 and 25, June 8 and 22, July 13 and 27, Aug. 10 and 24, Sept. 14 and 28, and Oct. 12 and 26,