5/10/23 Warren Weekly

Student recognized for quick actions after bus incident

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

WARREN —  The quick-thinking actions of Carter Middle School seventh grade student Dillon Reeves continue to make headlines.

At the May 3 Warren Consolidated Schools Board of Education meeting, the school board and Superintendent Robert Livernois recognized Reeves with a certificate of recognition for the courage he showed during a busing incident that could have ended tragically.

When a WCS bus driver lost consciousness April 26 while in transit, traveling east on Masonic Boulevard near

See DILLON on page 14A

Court of Appeals orders clerk to remove Fouts from ballot

APPEAL TO THE MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT LOOMS

BY GENA JOHNSON gjohnson@candgnews.com

WARREN — On April 21, the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned a lower-court ruling

and ordered Warren City Clerk Sonja Buffa to remove Mayor James Fouts from the 2023 election ballot.

Although Fouts was not a named defendant in Macomb County Circuit Court Case, Warren City Council and Ronald Papandrea v. Sonja Buffa and the Warren Election Commission, if the appellate court’s ruling prevails, this could mean an end of an era for the mayor who has 42 continuous years

of service as a Warren elected official. He served 26 years as a member of the City Council and in November, it will be 16 years as mayor.

After the ruling, attorney Lawrence Garcia, representing Buffa and the Election Commission, said, “My clients wish to appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court, and I’m working on that now.”

According to court records, the appeal was

See FOUTS on page 8A

Image provided

On the video released by Warren Consolidated Schools personnel, Dillon Reeves is seen stopping the bus and telling students to call 911.

The Reeves family, left to right, Raelyn, Ireta, Dillon and Steve, attend the press conference April 27.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

CANDIDATE FIELD SET FOR CITY PRIMARY IN AUGUST

BY GENA JOHNSON gjohnson@candgnews.com

WARREN — On April 28, the primary election ballot became official with 46 candidates vying for various elected offices within the city of Warren.

Candidates had until 4 p.m. April 25 to file and 4 p.m. April 28 to withdraw, after which all candidates were official. The candidate pool runs the gamut in experience from incumbents, veteran politicians, candidates who have exhausted their term limits in another elected position, to novices who are throwing their hat in the proverbial ring for the first time.

Mayor

In the last several months, the mayor’s race has received much attention, in terms of who can be on the ballot and who cannot. As of May 3, the following people are on the ballot as candidates for mayor: George L. Dimas, a former Warren City Councilman and the city’s current human resources director; Warren City Council President Patrick Green; resident Alfonso King; Macomb County Commissioner Michelle Nard; former Warren City Councilman Scott Cameron Stevens; and state Rep. Lori M. Stone.

Treasurer

Running for her third and final term, Warren City Treasurer Lorie Barnwell was the only candidate to file for the office.

Asked how she felt about running uncontested, Barnwell said, “I feel very honored to run unopposed and be set up for my third term. It humbles me because it obviously shows Warren residents are happy with the job that my office is doing.”

Barnwell continued, “We have done a lot with technology and growing our city investments, lowering fees for residents, the investment return has led to more revenue for the city. My office is very involved with the community, and I think residents see that.”

When asked about her proudest accomplishment this term, Barnwell said, “The launch of our payment portal was a big thing. When I initially ran for treasurer that was one of the things residents wanted the most. They wanted an in-

See PRIMARY on page 20A

ABOVE: On April 21, Beer Middle School eighth grade students Cierra Pérez, Tristen Yang and Violet Monaco, and seventh grader Emmalyn Hinman, participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. During the event, a soldier plays taps. LEFT: The floral arrangement included various flowers and a ribbon that read “Beer Middle School.”

Beer students remember the ‘Unknown Soldier’

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

WARREN/ARLINGTON, VA. — When four Beer Middle School students placed a commemorative wreath at Arlington National Cemetery on April 21, it hit close to home.

As an honor guardsman led the way, eighth graders Tristen Yang, Cierra Pérez and Violet Monaco, and seventh grader Emmalyn Hinman, remembered our nation’s fallen soldiers during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The students have or have had family members that served in the military and wanted to pay their respects. The arrangement contained red, white and purple flow-

See ARLINGTON on page 30A

Photo by Cira Mench

Photo by Maria Allard

WARREN WOODS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Together-We Make It Happen!

100% Highly Qualified teaching staff

Full Day Kindergarten Programs

College Dual Enrollment Opportunities

Advanced Placement Courses and Programs

Award -Winning Fine Arts Programs

Cutting-Edge Career and Technical Education Programs

Student progress is continually assessed and individualized instruction is provided

Updated Facilities and Technology

School ofChoice 2023-2024 School Year

Kindergarten - 11thGrade Apply February 1 - August 10, 2023 at 3 P.M.

Applications are being accepted for the 2023-2024 Schools of Choice Program for Macomb Countyresidents.Warren Woods offers an array of unique learningopportunities for students. For more about Warren Woods educationalcommunityor to obtain an applicationandenrollmentguidelines, visit our website at: www.mywwps.org orbycontacting the Pupil Services Office at (586) 439-4443.

It is the policy of the Warren Woods Public Schools no person shall on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, gender/sex, age, disability, height, weight, or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination during any program or activity or employment.

CLPS bond proposal, millage renewal pass

WWPS OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL ALSO PASSES

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

WARREN/CENTER LINE — The voting majority from two districts — Center Line Public Schools and Warren Woods Public Schools — voted May 2 in favor of three ballot proposals to support their school communities.

According to the unofficial results from the Macomb County Clerk’s Office, residents in the Center Line district passed a school improvement bond proposal with 1,300 “yes” votes to 677 “no” votes, and an operating millage renewal with 1,326 “yes” votes to 651 “no” votes.

Voters in the Warren Woods district passed a replacement operating millage proposal with 1,500 “yes” votes to 829 “no” votes, according to the unofficial results from the county.

CLPS

Center Line Public Schools district Superintendent Joseph Haynes distributed a letter the morning of May 3 to thank the district’s parents and community members for their support.

“I am exhausted and overwhelmed and extremely grateful. On behalf of all of our students and staff, I want to thank you for your support of our schools and for helping us plan for a better tomorrow,” Haynes said. “Both ballot proposals, the operating millage renewal and the school improvement bond, passed yesterday by a substantial margin due to your support. They will allow us to meet the needs of our students today and also to repair our facilities and prepare for the future of the district.”

The operating millage renewal comes

See CLPS on page 11A

LIBRARY WELCOMES POLISH AUTHOR MAY 19

WARREN — Dominik Stecula, Ph.D., will visit the Warren Public Library from 6 to 8 p.m. May 19 to discuss his book “Polish Americans Today.”

The author will paint a comprehensive picture of American Polonia and focus on the attitudes, demographics, identities and cultural activities of the Polish American community.

The presentation is sponsored by the Piast Institute, located in Hamtramck. The program is co-financed through the Polish community funds of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago.

The library is located at the City Hall building, 1 City Square. Visit piastinstitute.org to reserve your spot.

STAMP OUT HUNGER MAY 13

WARREN MAYOR CELEBRATES 26 CENTENARIANS

WARREN — Centenarians gathered in the Warren Community Center to celebrate their 100th or more birthday, receive a proclamation from Mayor James Fouts, and see the trees that were planted in each of their honor on Arbor Day, April 28.

The mayor honored members of the Greatest Generation and enhanced the environment.

“This ceremony is dedicated to members of the greatest generation who have helped to make our country great through three major wars and many events ranging from the Great Depression to the 2020 Pandemic,” said Fouts. “Like the trees we will honor with their names, this remembrance will continue to live in another century with the near permanence of a great tree. This is a more permanent and longer-lasting way of thanking them for their long life and service to our country. It also reflects our and their commitment to the environment with more trees to give life to us all and help us ensure a better life for our environment on Arbor Day.”

The event celebrated 26 Warren centenarians. According to the mayor’s office, from the initial planning stages to the day of the event, 11 of the honorees died but were still celebrated for making the century milestone or older.

The Rev. David Walters said how the mayor was instrumental in making his mother Anne Walters’ 100th birthday special.

“Mayor Fouts invited us to his office, gave my mother a birthday card, and also presented her with a signed birthday card from then-President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania,” David Walters said.

Anne Walters celebrated her 100th birthday in July 2017 and according to her son, she died in 2019.  Anne Walters was included in the celebration. Her family and friends attended the event in her honor.

Brandywine maple, Sunburst honeylocust and chestnut trees were the varieties planted in honor of the centenarians. The trees are located across from the front parking lot of the community center along the walkway.

MACOMB COUNTY — The annual U.S. Postal Carrier “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive will be held May 13. Residents wishing to participate can leave nonperishable, unexpired food items in a bag near their mailboxes before their letter carriers arrive on Saturday.

From there, the postal carriers will pick up the food while delivering mail and bring it back to the post office where it will then be transported to a local food program.

Lewis Tire Service

BELOW: The 26 newly planted trees in honor of the centenarians line the walking path at the Warren Community Center. LEFT: The mayor presented 26 plaques celebrating Warren centenarians.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

Fouts

from page 1A

filed April 27, along with a motion for immediate consideration.

Time is of the essence. If the Michigan Supreme Court were to overturn the appellate court ruling, it must do so before absentee ballots for the primary election on Aug. 8 are printed and sent to voters.

According to the Warren City Clerk’s Office, the approximate date the county sends the ballot order to the printer is on or about June 2. By law, the ballots must be mailed to members of the military and overseas voters 45 days before the election, and to other absentee voters 40 days before the election. This means the ballots must be mailed by June 24 and June 29, respectively.

Fouts said he did not expect the appellate court’s ruling.

“I was obviously surprised,” Fouts said. “I feel the Court of Appeals got it wrong and they ignored past precedent of the Supreme Court. If a proposal is not clear, it cannot go forward. It cannot pass.”

On the other hand, Warren City Council President and Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Green, who is also on the ballot for mayor, said the city charter and the term limits are clear.

“Today, the Court of Appeals upheld the will of the Warren voters. I applaud today’s decision because it upholds the will of the people and the plain language of the city charter,” Green said after the ruling. “The mayor has seven months left in office and we have to focus on things that matter the most to the residents.”

Fouts wants Warren residents to have their say.

“What’s wrong with letting the people of Warren decide who should be mayor of Warren rather than the Court of Appeals?” Fouts said. “Pat Green gets a TKO, a technical knockout, and is denied a competitive election. I think Mr. Green and all the opponents should say, ‘Let’s go toe-to-toe with the mayor.’”

Some may contend the people of Warren had their say when they voted in 2019 for term limits not to exceed the greater of three complete terms or 12 years for all elected offices. It was passed with 67.8% of the electorate voting yes and 32.2% voting no.

“The proposal was not clear,” Fouts said. “Most importantly, it did not have retroactivity in it. So, it is not clear that voters just didn’t vote for term limits going forward

and not retroactive. Judge Toia said it wasn’t clear. The ballot proposal was flawed.”

Fouts was referring to Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Toia, who wrote in his March 23 opinion and based his order on the omission of the words “any terms or years served prior to this amendment are included” in the amended Warren city charter and on the “Proposal” section of the ballot. He explained the “Proposal” section of the ballot is where the voters check yes or no. Toia ruled it was not clear to voters whether previous terms were included in the term limits voted on in 2019 and implemented in 2020, or if the term limits were from 2020 and moving forward. In 2020, Fouts was serving in his fourth term in office, after Warren voters in 2016 approved term limits for the mayor of five terms or 20 years. As a result, Toia ruled Buffa and the Warren Election Commission — composed of Buffa, City Attorney Ethan Vinson and City Assessor Jennifer Czeiszperger — were allowed to keep Fouts on the ballot and that Fouts could run for an additional term.

The Circuit Court ruling was quickly overturned in a unanimous decision by a panel of three judges — Chief Judge Elizabeth L. Gleicher, Judge Mark J. Cavanagh and Judge Colleen O’Brien — in the Michigan Court of Appeals. Jeffrey Schroder, legal counsel for the Warren City Council, requested an expedited decision because filing deadlines were looming for those running for an elected office in Warren. Candidates had to file by 4 p.m. April 25 and had until 4 p.m. April 28 to withdraw. All filings are now official.

According to Papandrea, who is named as plaintiff in this case, a member of the Warren City Council and licensed attorney, wanted to keep what happened in the 2019 election from happening again this year.

“Four years ago, four incumbent candidates (on the Warren City Council ballot) were taken off the ballot due to term limits. Their removal from the ballot was after the filing deadline so nobody else could run,” Papandrea said regarding this matter in a previous interview. “You have a strong incumbent; you’re not going to run against that person. But if you know they’re going to be taken off the ballot, you would file. The only people who filed were inferior candidates. And they got elected.”

The appellate court decision was based on three factors — clear and plain language of the charter, the language on the ballot and retroactivity.

“The circuit court identified the language as ambiguous. Language is ambiguous

if it is vulnerable to ‘more than one reasonable interpretation,’” the appellate court’s ruling stated.

The appellate court deemed that the language of the charter was clear and unambiguous and stated, “The plain language of the charter provides that a person who has held the office of mayor for more than three terms or 12 years, ‘shall not be eligible’ to hold it any longer.” The opinion continued, “Thus, the one reasonable interpretation of the charter language is that once a person has served three terms or 12 years that person is not eligible to serve again as mayor.”

In Macomb County Circuit Court, Toia relied on language of the ballot proposal in his decision and the omission of the words: “Any terms or years served prior to this amendment are included.” That language was included on the ballot’s explanatory caption but was not included on the “Proposal” section on the ballot or in the amended charter.

In its ruling, the panel of appellate court judges stated, “We did not focus on the ballot proposal language in light of the clear words in the charter.”

According to the Court of Appeals, generally, legislation is applied prospectively, meaning from this point forward.

“It (Council) did not retroactively seek to disrupt Mayor Fouts’ fourth term in office after the 2019 election once the amendment passed in 2020,” the ruling stated. “Rather, the council now seeks a declaration that Mayor Fouts is subject to the version of the charter in effect in 2023, on the basis of (the) term limits amendment passed in 2020, for the election that will occur later this year. Prospectively, the terms served before the amendment’s passage will be counted.”

The Court of Appeals concluded, “The charter language was not ambiguous, the words ‘terms served prior’ did not have to appear in the ballot proposal question section but was on the proposal section and a prospective application was applied from 2020, meaning after Fouts had completed his fourth term, having served more than the greater of three complete terms or 12 years he was not eligible to run for mayor.”

“We were very pleased to receive a unanimous decision from the Court of Appeals that upholds the will of the voters on the subject of term limits,” said Schroder.

For updates to this story, visit www.can dgnews.com.

Call Staff Writer Gena Johnson at (568) 498-1069.

Warren man charged after alleged assault at Cub Scout meeting

BY GENA JOHNSON gjohnson@candgnews.com

WARREN — Warren resident Tyrone Sledge, 26, was arraigned in 37th District Court on April 24 and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, a 10-year-felony, after an alleged assault during a Cub Scout meeting at Roose Elementary School.

The alleged assault took place on April 18. Warren police reported that it started when a woman, who is a relative of Sledge, parked in a handicapped-accessible spot without a permit. An argument ensued between the woman and a 47-year-old man from Center Line. The man and the woman then went into the school for the event. According to police, the woman called Sledge.

Reportedly, Sledge entered the meeting and allegedly threatened the victim, telling him he was armed before punching him unconscious. The victim was transported to the hospital by the Warren Fire Department. Initially, he was listed in critical condition, but that was later improved.

“This case is a sad example of a minor argument over a handicap parking space result-

ing in serious injuries to a victim,” Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said. “All too often we hear stories of relatively minor incidents resulting in shootings, serious assaults, or other unnecessary acts of violence.”

After the alleged assault, Sledge reportedly left the meeting. Police urged him to turn himself in immedi-

ately. Sledge voluntarily surrendered without incident at the Warren Police Department on April 24 and was arraigned later that day.

Judge Steve Bieda set bond at $250,000 cash or surety only. According to police, Sledge has no previous violent convictions. If released on bond, Sledge must wear a GPS tether and have no contact with the victim or Roose Elementary School, located at 4701 Marcy Ave.

On May 2, Sledge had a probable cause conference in 37th District Court and was

bound over to the Macomb County Circuit Court. Sledge remained in the Macomb County Jail at press time.

Sledge’s attorney of record, Blake Wright, was not available for comment at the press deadline.

Sledge

CLPS

from page 5A

before the taxpayers every 10 years and makes up 31% of the district’s funding. Funds are used to pay for the everyday expenses of operating the school buildings, including salaries for teachers and support staff, heat, buses, diesel fuel, electricity, afterschool activities, athletics and more.

According to school officials, the 31% totals $3,198 in per pupil funding of the $10,455 the district receives in state aid per student. State aid funds are distributed to public school districts across the state and placed into the general fund budgets of the districts. The general fund is the chief operating fund of the school district, which pays for staffing, curriculum, utilities, school supplies, buses, supplies and more.

According to school officials, the zeromill increase school improvement bond will not increase the tax rate being levied for the district’s current bonded debt but keeps the tax rate at the current level.

The school improvement bond will generate $17 million for needed repairs throughout the district. The bond will establish a new bond at the same tax rate of

“On behalf of the Board of Education, I thank the Warren Woods Public Schools’ voters. The district lost over $400,000 in State Aid for the 2022-2023 school year by not being able to levy the full 18 mills. Personally, I am grateful to the parents, staff, students, and other members of the community who helped us inform people about the non-homestead millage proposal. Thank you for your continued support.”

— Stacey Denewith-Fici, Warren Woods Public Schools Superintendent

the 2002 bond, which was for $8.35 million. The tax rate will remain at 1.93 mills, which residents will continue to pay. The school improvement bond is for 25 years.

When a bond proposal passes, the bonds are sold in the capital markets at a date determined by the district, a financial adviser and an underwriter. Upon closing, funds generated from the bond sale are deposited in the district’s construction fund and are available to spend for completion of the projects contemplated in the bond proposal.

The school improvement bond will fund the addition of two classrooms at Crothers Elementary; the creation of a secure entrance to the Eve Kaltz/Academy 21 building and the remodeling of classrooms to meet early childhood licensing requirements; the addition of student collaboration centers at Wolfe Middle School and Center

Line High School; and repairs to the district’s tennis courts and more.

Partners in Architecture PLC, based in Mount Clemens, are the architects for the bond projects. McCarthy and Smith, of Farmington Hills, is the construction manager. To view a complete list of projects, visit the district’s website at clps.org.

WWPS

The Warren Woods Public Schools non-homestead replacement operating millage proposal does not increase the tax rate on homesteads, which is the primary residence in which a homeowner resides. The nonhomestead tax only applies to businesses, second homes and rental properties.

The proposal was placed before the voters because all school districts in Michigan must levy 18 mills ($18 on each $1,000 of taxable value) on non-homestead property to

receive their full share of state aid. According to Warren Woods district officials, the nonhomestead levy in the district has been rolled back to 16.1889 mills. Because of that, the district lost over $400,000 in state aid for the 2022-2023 school year.

Now that it has passed, the operating millage will restore the 18 mills approved by the taxpayers back in 2005 and will eliminate the $400,000 shortfall the district is currently facing. Approval of the non-homestead millage proposal allows WWPS to levy the full 18 mills on non-homestead property and will generate approximately $4,280,000 per school year.

“On behalf of the Board of Education, I thank the Warren Woods Public Schools’ voters. The district lost over $400,000 in State Aid for the 2022-2023 school year by not being able to levy the full 18 mills,” Superintendent Stacey Denewith-Fici said via email. “Personally, I am grateful to the parents, staff, students, and other members of the community who helped us inform people about the non-homestead millage proposal. Thank you for your continued support.”

The renewal goes into effect on the summer 2023 tax bill and will be authorized for 10 years.

Warren, Center Line celebrate the National Day of Prayer

BY MARIA ALLARD AND GENA JOHNSON allard@candgnews.com gjohnson@candgnews.com

CENTER LINE/WARREN — Warren City Hall’s atrium was filled to capacity for those observing the National Day of Prayer on May 4 and the 2023 theme, “Pray Fervently in Righteousness and Avail Much.”

The ceremony was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic and returned with a tremendous community response after a threeyear hiatus.

Praying fervently was the order of the day at the ceremony. Members of the clergy from the Warren area led prayers to touch many facets of the community, as well as individuals’ lives. Each clergy member on the program was designated to pray for a specific area which ranged from praying for the police, fire, military, and first responders, to families, business and labor, schools and students, government officials, national mental health, churches and national renewal.

Songs, which for some are a form of prayer, accompanied the service. Children from Warren Woods Christian School sang

and a solo from Lady Peggy James brought the crowd to their feet.

Bishop Adolphus Cast from Life Applications Ministries in Warren started the prayers with the “2023 National Prayer for America,” which included the line, “Help us to refrain from complaining, but instead, be prompted to pray faithfully in every circumstance.”

When asked what brought them to the event, those in attendance repeatedly said the See PRAYER on page 22A

ABOVE: The National Day of Prayer observance at Warren City Hall May 4 began with a Scripture reading and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by students from Warren Woods Christian School.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

LEFT: A group of people gathered May 4 at the David Hanselman Municipal Complex for the Center Line’s National Day of Prayer.

Photo by Maria Allard

Bunert Road, Dillon stepped into action to bring the bus to a complete stop. The episode happened after school around 3 p.m. as the driver was transporting about 65 students home from school.

Several family members attended the school board meeting, including Reeves’ mother, Andrea Keller; his father, Steve Reeves; his stepmother, Ireta Reeves; and his sister, Raelyn. Keller and Steve Reeves briefly spoke to the media, reflecting on all the attention their son has received.

“I think this is so overwhelming for him, but at the same time, he’s handling it very professionally,” Keller said. “He’s an amazing child.”

“He’s settling in with the trauma,” Steve Reeves said. “His friend, the bus driver, is doing good. We spoke on the phone.”

During the meeting, a representative from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office presented Dillon with a proclamation signed by the governor. To show his gratitude, state Sen. Paul Wojno said a few words in honor of Dillon before giving him a state seal signed by the legislative delegation that represents the city of Warren.

“It was such an uplifting story, a heroic story. Your actions and what you did saved the lives of the students and the bus driver,” Wojno said. “We want to congratulate you. We’re so proud of you.”

He’s our little hero.

Because of media interest, Livernois held a press conference April 27 at the district’s administration building.

“Our fleet of buses handles about 40 square miles, and every morning and every day after school they make over 4,000 bus stops,” Livernois said. “As a result of that, our drivers are connected to what we call our home base by way of a two-way radio system. In this particular situation, the driver followed our protocol exactly and alerted the transportation base that she wasn’t feeling well. She was going to pull over to allow the transportation department to dispatch someone to come and provide relief to her.

“She didn’t make it to where she had planned to park the bus. As the bus was slowing down, she passed out (for unknown medical reasons). She couldn’t stop. As the bus was slowing down, it started to veer into what would have been (oncoming) traffic and this caught the attention of Dillon, who was about five rows in the back of the bus,” Livernois said. “He jumped up from his seat, threw his backpack down, ran to the front of the bus, grabbed the steering wheel and

brought the bus to a stop in the middle of the road. He remained calm.”

Dillon did not speak at the press conference. However, Ireta Reeves and Steve Reeves addressed the media. When asked how Dillon knew what to do in the situation, Steve Reeves talked about the times they’ve driven together in the past.

“He’s been on my lap driving country roads, pulling in driveways since about 4 years old,” he said.

Dillon also has driven golf carts.

“He’s a good driver,” Steve Reeves said. “He’s very attentive to his surroundings. He’s our little hero.”

“We asked him, ‘Dillon, how did you know what to do? How did you know how to drive that bus?’ He said, ‘I watch her do it every day,’” Ireta Reeves said. “To do something like this fills my heart. I’m extremely proud of him.”

There was no damage to the bus or property nor were there any injuries.

During the press conference, school officials played a school video of the incident that was about 1 minute 25 seconds in length. On the video, the bus driver radios to dispatch and can be heard saying, “I’m feeling really dizzy, I’m going to have to pull over.”

The bus driver slowed down the bus, and a few seconds later passed out as the vehicle was still moving. The video shows Dillon stepping up to the front of the bus to bring it to a stop. He yells to the other students to call 911. As he is giving direction, students can be heard screaming in distress.

Dillon’s actions made headlines nationally and internationally. The story was broadcast on various news media outlets, including CNN, “The Today Show,” and the British Broadcasting Corporation in the See DILLON on page 15A

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Carter Middle School seventh grade student Dillon Reeves, right, stands with his sister Raelyn during the press conference April 27.

Dillon

from page 14A

U.K. Even the New Zealand Herald published a report.

After the bus stopped, two passersby — one man walking and a woman in a nearby car — helped the students safely get off the bus after it stopped. Warren police and firefighters were immediately called.

“They were there on the scene in three or four minutes to provide aid to the driver and to help coordinate with the students,” Livernois said.

The bus driver has since been released

from the hospital. To respect her privacy, school officials are not releasing her name.

“She was found to be in compliance with all federal regulations for safety sensitive employees. Michigan law provides that the driver will not be allowed to drive for a period of six months following loss of consciousness,” Livernois said in a follow-up email.

Because the bus driver, who has three children, will be out of work for six months, a GoFundMe effort has been established to assist her with medical and living expenses. The address is www.gofundme.com/f/warren-consolidated-schools-bus-driver.

Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.

Warren Consolidated Schools Superintendent Robert Livernois shared details of the incident with the media.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

METRO DETROIT HEALTH CARE OFFICIALS RESPOND TO NATIONWIDE EMPLOYEE SHORTAGE

BY BRENDAN LOSINSKI blosinski@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Statistics across the country are showing a decreasing number of professionals in the health care field, particularly among nurses and general practitioner physicians.

This shortage has some worried that patient care is being negatively affected and that those working in health care are getting stretched thin, even now that the pandemic is over.

“It’s really important to address this problem because, when you have nursing shortages, you have high stress and burnout among nurses,” said professor Suha Kridli, the interim chair of the Oakland University nursing program. “This leads to higher turnover, which leads to even fewer nurses. This all affects patient care. As a patient, you want a nurse that has a healthy workload so they are able to deliver quality patient care.”

Macomb County’s Adult Day Center: Providing Relief For Caregivers

Caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s can be an incredibly challenging and emotionally taxing experience. As a result, caregivers often neglect their own self-care while taking take care of their loved ones.

To better support and reach out to Macomb County resident caregivers facing such hardships, Macomb Senior Services is hosting an open house at its Adult Day Center from 4 to 6 p.m. on ursday, June 1, 2023.

e event will give attendees an up-close look at the program’s extensive services, which were thoughtfully designed with both caregivers and their senior loved ones in mind.

“We o er caregivers a sense of peace and comfort in knowing that while they’re taking care of their own needs, such as grocery shopping or attending doctors’ appointments, their loved one is getting good quality care in their absence,” said Sheila Cote, director, O ce of Senior Services at Macomb County. “Our Adult Day Center is the rst and only program of its kind in the country that is Montessori Inspired Lifestyle® accredited. Many nursing facilities o er adult day programs but none of them use the Montessori approach, so we are really a trendsetter.”

At the heart of the Montessori approach lies an emphasis on showing deep respect for seniors by giving them a voice, focusing on their strengths, abilities and interests — and empowering them to be as independent as possible by supporting their choices.

According to Cote, the Adult Day program includes transportation to and from the center, meals, snacks, engaging activities, exercise, health monitoring, medication management, personal care and socialization.

e program’s small 1-to-3 ratio — one certi ed nursing assistant to three participants — results in more personalized attention, higher quality care, improved safety and increased satisfaction overall.

“Macomb County is committed to providing innovative programs and services that ensure a high quality of life for all of our residents,” said County Executive Mark Hackel. “Our Goldenberry facility with its rst-of-its-kind Montessori accreditation shows that commitment in action. We have an incredible team there and I know that they care deeply about the people they serve. So I hope you’ll join us for this open house and consider Goldenberry as an option for your loved one.”

“We look forward to having caregivers come and visit our program to see if it would work for their loved ones so they don’t have to struggle at home and can get a break,” Cote said. “I know rsthand how stressful and di cult it can be at times because I did it myself for a while with my father.”

Macomb County’s Adult Day program is located at 21885 Dunham Road (Entrance B) in Clinton Township. For more information or to RSVP, call (586) 469-5580 or visit macombgov.org\seniors.

Data from the Pew Research Center show that hospitals lost 2.47% of their workforce in 2022 and that hospital turnover increased by 6.4%. The Michigan Health and Hospital Association performed a survey in March 2023 consisting of 95% of the MHHA’s membership that noted there were more than 27,000 current job openings, including nearly 8,500 open nursing positions.

“Staffing shortages continue to impact Michigan hospitals and health systems throughout the state, in both clinical and nonclinical positions, ranging from physicians and nurses to food service and environmental service workers,” said MHHA CEO Brian Peters. “Hospitals and health systems remain committed to solving this crisis and are investing in innovative programs to address and improve the supply of health care workers through education partnerships, offering employees opportunities for higher education and increasing workplace flexibilities.”

See SHORTAGE on page 18A

Solutions may be required to combat the health care worker shortages and to increase the number of those studying and entering the field after high school.

Photo provided by David Jones

‘THERE’S A LARGE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WILLING TO INVEST THE TIME AND MONEY IT TAKES TO GO TO COLLEGE’

Shortage

from page 16A

Dr. Paolo Marciano, the chief medical officer at Corewell Health in southeast Michigan, confirmed that virtually everyone in the health care field is seeing staffing shortages.

“We are proud of the recruitment and retention efforts we have in place at Corewell Health in southeastern Michigan to combat the looming national physician shortage,” he said in an email. “Our continued retention of medical students, residents and fellows at Corewell Health is critically important to our success. Additionally, we are expanding existing Graduate Medical Education training programs to serve as a pipeline for much-needed specialties. We are working hard to align physician expertise with the needs of the communities we serve.”

Melanie Stosik, McLaren Health Care’s director of provider recruitment, stressed that this is an issue that most in the health care field are dealing with and said that the Detroit area remains an attractive region for employees.

“Though the current and forecasted physician shortage is affecting other regions of Michigan, and efforts are focused in those areas, metro Detroit remains a prominent and favorable market to practice medicine, attracting many physicians and limiting the current risk of a shortage,” she said in an email. “For several reasons, metro Detroit has long been a popular region for physicians to practice and establish their careers. Robust graduate medical education programs at our McLaren Macomb and McLaren Oakland hospitals provide those organizations with direct access to residents and fellows to discuss and offer career opportunities with their respective medical staffs.”

Kridli said that, while there are likely several factors causing this problem, one of the key factors — particularly in the nursing field — is that there are not enough students entering the field to replace those who are retiring.

“It’s not one factor. There is an aging population of nurses. We were not prepared for so many nurses to retire at around the same time. … COVID is part of the retiring trend, in that people reflected on their lives and career choices and were just burned out, but it’s more about not having enough graduating nurses to replace them in the workforce,” she said. “The number of students going into nursing as a career is not

sufficient to keep up with the number of those retiring. There is a large decline in the number of high school graduates willing to invest the time and money it takes to go to college. In addition, there is a significant decline in the number of high school students enrolling in college directly after they finish high school. Recently published data indicated that only 54% of 2021 high school grads in Michigan went straight to college. … There is also public skepticism about the value of a college degree. People are now questioning if a degree is worth the cost.”

This is not a local problem.

“It’s nationwide. Just this morning, I received a press release from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. It said that the number of students in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs decreased by 1.4% last year. This translates to a drop of 3,519 fewer students from the 2021 and 2022 school year. The decline in student enrollment isn’t just at the entry-level baccalaureate; we are seeing it at all levels,” said Kridli. “Nationwide, at the master’s level, enrollment dropped 9.4%. This is close to 14,000 nursing students. At the Ph.D. level, enrollment dropped by 4.1% (183 nursing students). This translates to a decline in the number of nursing faculty and advanced practice nurses, which means that there are fewer educators to educate and train future nurses.”

Solutions to the issue will likely take time and include growing the number of those entering the health care field from the ground up.

“In my role as an interim dean, I meet with representatives from different health care systems and hospitals. We frequently discuss potential solutions. We think collaboratively and innovatively,” said Kridli. “For example, we recently developed an agreement with Corewell Health, The Corewell Health Nurse Scholars Program, which is a grant from Corewell Health for $20.7 million to increase the number of students in our pre-licensure baccalaureate program. Through our Corewell Health Nurse Scholars Program, nursing students can receive up to $20,000 per recipient of grant funding. This funding is available to Accelerated Second-Degree BSN or Basic BSN students admitted to our School of Nursing. The students would have to commit to work for Corewell Health for two years upon graduation. … We also recently got approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing to expand our program. … We can now accept 99 additional students per year.”

Call Staff Writer Brendan Losinski at (586) 498-1068.

MHSAA and Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation team up for Cardiac Awareness Month

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Kimberly Anne Gillary was well on her way to an exciting athletic career at Troy Athens High School in 2000, earning a varsity letter in both swimming and water polo in her freshman year.

Wes Leonard was an athletic icon at Fennville High School in 2011 between his impact on the football field and on the basketball court.

Most recently, in 2023, Cartier Woods deserved more time on the basketball court to play the game he loved for Detroit Collegiate Preparatory Academy at Northwestern.

“At 15, (Kimberly) was more mature than many people I knew at 50, and when I say that, her focus was on other people and not on herself,” said Randy Gillary, Kimberly’s father. “To me, that’s one of the signs of maturity, with realizing it’s about everyone else and not about yourself. She was always focused on her friends, her family and doing what she could do to help other people.”

Besides all being athletes, these young people had their promising lives cut short due to cardiac arrest during their respective athletic games. Eighty other students have lost their lives to cardiac arrest since 1999, according to the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation.

Randy Gillary, founder of the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation, has teamed up with the Michigan High School Athletic Association for the second year in a row in honor of Cardiac Awareness Month in April.

“What these foundations do is they provide funding to help schools and organizations get more (automated external defibrillators),” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “It’s easy to partner with our foundation

people who are part of that group during this month to increase awareness and really keep the conversation going. Truth be told, our efforts and the megaphone we have are probably improved and enhanced, given what happened with Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player who had a cardiac arrest in real time on national television. I think the big takeaway is, when you have certified people and you have the proper equipment, like an AED, present, minutes don’t matter — seconds matter.”

Randy Gillary and his wife, Sue Gillary, whose daughter, Kimberly, died in 2000 during a Troy Athens water polo game at Birmingham Groves High School, created the charitable foundation in honor of their daughter, and they have since made a significant contribution to cardiac awareness within schools.

See CARDIAC on page 28A

The Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation — set up in Kimberly Anne Gillary’s memory by her father, Randy, and mother, Sue — has raised more than $1.72 million and donated more than 850 automated external defibrillators to Michigan high schools.

Photo provided by the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation

Primary

Clerk

Three candidates are running for this position: resident Vince Berdy, incumbent Warren City Clerk Sonja Buffa and Macomb County Commissioner Mai Xiong.

novative and easy payment portal where they could make their payments right from their cellphone, or your computer or they can call in a payment.

“That (the payment portal) launched right at the beginning of my second term, then COVID happened, which of course no one could have anticipated. City Hall closed down. Residents who maybe wouldn’t have normally used the portal, logged on and just really liked it and now have kept using it the whole time,” said Barnwell. “And because of that our wait times at City Hall are so much lower than during my first term. Because so many people are using that portal right from their home, it gives them great convenience. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

In her upcoming term, Barnwell would like to grow the payment portal to include more city departments.

“With the payment portal, we now have several different city departments that are on the portal that we added this past term,” said Barnwell. “I want to add even more departments and make it that one-stop shop for all city payments.”

City Council

The Warren City Council has a total of seven members, two of whom are elected across the city at-large and five who are elected in districts. Warren City Council members elected to serve in districts must live in the district they represent.

The highest vote-getter in the at-large race becomes the city’s mayor pro tem. The second highest vote-getter fills the second atlarge City Council seat. The council selects its own officers: president, vice president, secretary, and assistant secretary.

A total of 36 candidates are on the ballot for the Warren City Council primary.

The candidates for City Council in District 1 are Bill Clift, Khaja Afzal Hussain, Mo Islam, Gary E. Jury, Shabbir Khan, Melody Maggee and Charles Perry.

The candidates for District 2 are Kabir Ahmed, Toni Kamel Cowper, Michael Howard, incumbent Warren City Councilman Jonathan Lafferty and Adam Sawka.

The candidates for District 3 are Jen-

from page 3A See PRIMARY on page 21A

nifer Alton, Daniel Bozek, Chris Gillanders and incumbent Warren City Councilwoman Mindy Moore.

District 4 candidates are Gary Boike, incumbent Warren City Councilman Garry Watts and Seng Xiong.

District 5 candidates are Randy Hall, Jay Michael Jackson, incumbent Warren City Councilman Eddie Kabacinski, Dana Kalinowski, Henry Newnan and Brittani Tringali.

The candidate running for Warren’s two at-large City Council seats are Marie C. Adkins, Khaja Shahab Ahmed, Jerry T. Bell, former Warren City Councilwoman Donna Kaczor Caumartin, Dave Dwyer,

former Macomb County Commissioner Joan Flynn, Jocelyn Howard, Mike Reilly, incumbent Warren City Councilwoman Angela Rogensues, former Warren City Councilwoman Gloria Sankuer and Gary Skop.

Ron Papandrea, who is currently serving on the Warren City Council representing District 1, recently withdrew his candidacy for mayor. He said this about his experience on council.

“A year and a half ago, when I saw how terrible this council was and that they weren’t going to reform, I announced that I was sick of the toxic politics which has gone on far too long in Warren. I announced I wasn’t going to run for council again. And I stuck to it,” said Papandrea. “People wanted me to run again but I’m not. I’m done.”

Call Staff Writer Gena Johnson at (586) 498-1069.

Prayer

from page 12A

power of prayer. However, not all agreed. Some held signs that stated, “This is not a church,” and “Freedom of religion starts with freedom from the other guy’s religion.”

Linda Parisi, of Macomb Township, said, “It is the power of prayer,” as to why she came. “Hoping to touch the people who were holding signs up against the windows and pray for them.”

Christopher Mclaughlin, of Bloomfield Hills, was one of the people holding up a sign.

“We are here to show our opposition for the government to endorse specific religious ceremonies on city property,” Mclaughlin said. “They are trying to turn this city hall into a church. We don’t want government officials telling us what religious ceremonies or what religious beliefs we should have.”

Brother Kenneth Kalinowski, principal and alumnus of De La Salle Collegiate in Warren, was the only clergy member to address those holding signs.

“I’m looking around this crowd and seeing signs about what are churches? St. Theresa said, ‘For those with faith no explanation is necessary, for those without faith no explanation will suffice.’”

The crowd roared.

Prayers offered in Center Line

About 25 people gathered at noon on May 4 outside the David W. Hanselman Municipal Complex for the Center Line’s observance of the National Day of Prayer.

The group went around in a circle to pray for President Joe Biden, local and state dignitaries, the sick, business leaders, the military, the imprisoned and more.

Center Line residents Kathy Hanselman and Jackie Lancaster served as prayer coordinators during the assembly, which lasted about 30 minutes.

“Americans will be united in prayer today,” Lancaster said. “In fact, there are over 40,000 events being held all across the nation today.”

Hanselman is the widow of David Hanselman, who served on the Center Line City Council for 28 years. He also was Center Line’s mayor from 2009 until he died in 2015. Current Center Line Mayor Bob Binson said this year’s prayer theme reminded him of David Hanselman.

“He always used to tell me, he told many of us, do the right thing when nobody’s watching. That was the first thing that came to my mind and we’re standing right outside the building named after him, so that’s pretty awesome,” Binson said. “I want to thank you all for coming. It’s great that we can be together and do this together.”

Also present for the observance was Center Line resiSee PRAYER on page 23A

Grandparents useMETtohelp grandchildrenwith education

The MET prepaid tuition savings program enables grandparents to ensure the legacy of their grandchildren’s future education. It is a safe, secure and fexible way to pay today’s prices for future tuition at any qualifed college or trade school in the U.S.

TOP: Center Line resident Jack “Jax” Huffman, present at the Center Line prayer service, will soon begin his 60-day journey walking from Sarasota, Florida, to Rochester Hills, Michigan.BOTTOM: Lady Peggy James sang the national anthem during Warren’s observance of the National Day of Prayer.

Photo by Maria Allard

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

Prayer

from page 22A

dent Jack “Jax” Huffman, 36, who on May 13 will start his walking journey from Sarasota, Florida, to Michigan in an effort to raise money for veterans. He plans to walk 1,500 miles in 60 days and will finish up at the Salute Our Warriors Event in Rochester Hills.

On the way, he is scheduled to travel through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Huffman said the walk also is designed to help unite and inspire communities to get walking and healthy. Binson asked for special prayers for Huffman.

“I want to ask (God’s) blessing on Jax as he takes his walk, keep him safe,” Binson said. “He’s got a long way to go, and a lot of things to go through.”

Huffman will post his journey on his website, jaxwalk.com.

The National Day of Prayer was started by President Harry S. Truman and first observed on July 4, 1952. The observance was changed to the first Thursday in May by President Ronald Reagan in 1987 and has been observed on this day each year.

Call Staff Writer Gena Johnson at (586)

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

The National Day of Prayer was started by President Harry S. Truman and first observed on July 4, 1952. The observance was changed to the first Thursday in May by President Ronald Reagan in 1987 and has been celebrated on this day each year.

498-1069. Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.

SCHOOL BRIEFS

Group and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation’s generous support speaks to the value of this initiative and importance of collaborative and job-focused education that will benefit employers, families and the region.”

Macomb’s work through the collaborative is focused on student success and expands a pilot program of student success coaches in which students not only increase their grade point averages but persist in progressing through their course of study.

Pictured from left are David Egner, president and chief executive officer of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation; Macomb President James O. Sawyer IV; and Kayla Roney-Smith, portfolio manager Ballmer Group.

MCC receives $4.7 million for programs

MACOMB COUNTY — Macomb Community College recently was awarded $4.7 million from Ballmer Group and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation as part of its work through the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative.

The funding is part of more than $30 million committed by Ballmer Group and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation to provide support for the next three years to the D3C3 initiative. The initiative is a partnership with seven Southeast Michigan community colleges designed to ensure individuals have equitable educational opportunities and graduate with high-value credentials or degrees that lead to good-paying, in-demand jobs with local employers.

“D3C3 is about transforming our talent pipeline through innovative partnerships with local community colleges that are uniquely positioned to help students enter the workforce with the qualifications employers need,” Sandy K. Baruah, president and chief executive officer of the chamber, said in a prepared statement. “Ballmer

Warren resident, Clinton Township students place in college contest

MACOMB COUNTY — Macomb Community College’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship recently hosted the student pitch contest “Macomb Innovates! College Reimagined.”

The challenge addressed declining college enrollment, with students presenting ideas to reshape the face of the college experience. Three Macomb students competed in the college division, and six teams of two from Chippewa Valley High School and Dakota High School competed in the high school division.

Each competitor developed a 1-minute TikTok video prior to the competition to submit to the judges. The students pitched their ideas in front of a panel of judges, who graded them on the idea quality, whether the TikTok video was engaging and their professionalism.

The Chippewa Valley High School team of Mia Apone, 17, and Madi Stewart, 18, both of Clinton Township, took first place in the high school division with their concept for updated classrooms utilizing

technology and natural light to make classrooms more engaging.

Toni Faust, 35, of Warren, won in the college division category. Her idea included having the college provide transportation to help students attend classes, study sessions and extracurricular activities, all managed by an app. Faust will graduate this month with an associate degree in business management.

The high schools also competed for the 2023 Macomb County Rising Stars trophy, which Chippewa Valley High School won. All the high school students and the college division winner received a $500 award from the Macomb Community College Foundation to use at the college for tuition, fees and books. The high school competitors also took home individual Rising Star trophies designed by the college’s Media and Communications Arts program.

Upcoming WCS events

WARREN/STERLING HEIGHTS

— Warren Consolidated Schools is hosting “Festival of the Arts” until May 19 at the Warren Community Center, 5460 Arden Ave., in Warren. The show features more than 400 pieces of artwork from students

throughout the district. The show is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The Warren Consolidated School of Performing Arts will perform the musical “Freaky Friday” at 7 p.m. May 19 and May 20, and at 2 p.m. May 21 at the arts center, 12901 15 Mile Road in Sterling Heights. For tickets, visit wcspa.net.

Making melodies with ‘The Music Man’

CENTER LINE — The Center Line High School Theatre Department will present Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” at 6 p.m. May 11, 7 p.m. May 12 and 2 p.m. May 13.

The cast is led by senior Adam Grelecki as Harold Hill, a con man who goes from town to town to start a marching band, but he disappears with the town’s money before the instruments arrive.

After he arrives in River City, Hill must navigate through the mistrustful mayor, portrayed by Aidan Trenkamp, and school board members played by Cameron Ballard, Brandon Chapman, Patrick Kostrubiec and Galiana Yang. Abby Bone was cast as Mar-

Continued on page 25A

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

CITY OF CENTER LINE

County of Macomb, Michigan

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON AN AMENDMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN

2023-2053

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS IN THE CITY OF CENTER LINE:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City Council of the City of Center Line, Michigan, will hold a public hearing on Monday, the 5th day of June, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., in the City Council chambers, located at 7070 East 10 Mile Road, in the City of Center Line, Michigan, 48015 to consider the adoption of an amendment of the Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plan to extend the end date for the Center Line Downtown Development Authority pursuant to Part 2 of Act 57 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 2018, as amended.

The boundaries of the development area to which the Plan applies is identi ed in the City’s DDA Master Plan. In general, the Development Area includes the frontage along Van Dyke Avenue and E. 10 Mile Road as described in the map below.

Copies of the proposed Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plan, maps, plats, etc. are on le at the of ce of the City Clerk and on the City’s website for inspection.

At the public hearing, all interested persons desiring to address the City Council shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard in regard to the approval of the Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plan for the Center Line Downtown Development Authority and all aspects of the Plan will be open for discussion at the public hearing.

FURTHER INFORMATION may be obtained from the Economic Development Director’s Of ce. This notice is given by order of the City Council of the City of Center Line, Michigan.

Dennis Champine City Manager/Clerk

Published in Warren Weekly 05/10/2023

SCHOOL BRIEFS

ian, the town’s piano teacher and librarian.

The show will be held at the Center Line High School auditorium, 26300 Arsenal St. Tickets will be available at the door and cost $8 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens. Jeremy Adams is the show’s director. Jeremy Adams is the show’s director.

counties. Through their partnership and with the help of volunteers, children are removed from homes due to abuse and neglect and placed in temporary housing.

The May 13 fundraiser will include a 5K race that is professionally timed. There are various race brackets based on age. The family fun run/walk mile is open to all age ranges and abilities. The event will include a disc jockey, door prize drawings, food, face painting, vendors, lawn games and more.

Event day check-in begins at 8 a.m. The 5K begins at 10 a.m., and the family fun run/walk will begin at 10:05 a.m. Registration and payment are being handled through Eastside Racing at eastsideracingcompany.com. Community members who would like to partner with the school’s NHS can contact chapter advisor Jennifer Huyghe at (586) 825-2700 extension 14217 or email huyghe@wcskids.net.

2006 and coordinated by the Macomb County Board of Commissioners since 2008, encourages pre-K and K-12 students to participate in activities that promote environmental protection and the preservation of natural resources through a commitment to sustainable efforts.

The Green Advocate award went to Francesco Polonis, of De la Salle Collegiate High School, pictured, right, with County Commissioner Sarah Lucido, D-Eastpointe, representing District 13.

Warren Mott High School received the Best Visual Presentation award. Under the “Top Schools” category, the Best Evergreen award went to Cromie Elementary, and the Best Overall went to Margaret Black Elementary. Both are in the Warren Consolidated Schools district.

To receive Green Schools status, a school

must provide a description of how they have performed at least 10 of the activities listed in the program guidelines. For a complete list of honorees, visit bocmacomb.org and click on the “Programs & Events” page.d click on the “Programs & Events” page.

Teacher Appreciation Week

WARREN/CENTER LINE — This year’s national Teacher Appreciation Week will be held May 8-12.

Teacher Appreciation Week is a chance for students to say “thank you” to the teachers who have made a positive impact on them.

Through the help of parents and support staff, local schools will celebrate the week through a variety of ways, including luncheons, gifts, special cards and more.

— Maria Allard

Friends of Foster Kids fundraiser May 13

STERLING HEIGHTS — The Philip S. Killoran Chapter of the National Honor Society at Sterling Heights High School will hold its second annual 5-kilometer race and family fun run/walk May 13 to benefit Friends of Foster Kids.

FoFK is a nonprofit organization that works with the Department of Health and Human Services in Macomb and Oakland

Green schools recognized

MACOMB COUNTY — Last month, the Macomb County Board of Commissioners recognized 77 schools that achieved Green Schools status for the 2022-2023 program cycle. An awards ceremony was held at the Macomb Intermediate School District building in Clinton Township.

The Macomb County Green Schools program, initiated by Public Act 146 in

BEHIND THE WHEEL

MUSTANG SPINS ‘a lot of memories ’

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — When Charles Waggoner bought his 1965 Ford Mustang fastback nearly 50 years ago, it was in such rough condition that some of the car parts were stored in milk crates.

The vehicle had been stolen, stripped and ultimately recovered. But Waggoner still wanted the car because of one special feature.

“When my father was looking to buy it from the original owner, he noticed the VIN was a K-code,” his daughter Danielle (Waggoner) Watts, 45, said. “He knew he had to buy it.”

The K-code Mustang was a special-edition Mustang produced between 1965 and 1967 that came from the factory with a special 289 cubic-inch high-performance engine beneath its hood. Knowing this, Waggoner purchased the car in 1974 for $175.

According to Waggoner’s research, the ’65 Mustang fastback features a four-speed manual transmission and a Ford 9-inch rear end with a set of 3:50 gears, plus the special handling package with front disc brakes.

Waggoner didn’t begin restoring the car until years later, spending hours upon hours working in his backyard to bring the Mustang to its prime condition. Many times when tinkering under the hood, Watts was right by his side. It’s how the two bonded in their Southgate neighborhood, where Watts grew up.

“I used to help my dad wrench on this car. All the bodywork has been done by him. I was raised around this car. He more or less taught me different aspects of the Mustang culture,” said Watts, who now lives in Fraser. “He would test me at car shows. He would walk by, look at a car and ask me what year it was. This was something me and my dad did. This is his third baby. I say third because of me and my sister.”

Waggoner’s days of enjoying his ride came to an end when he was diagnosed with dementia. The car buff, now 76, resides in a Sterling Heights nursing home, where Watts visits him regularly. The Mustang isn’t very far away from her dad, because Watts placed an 8-by-10-inch photo of the car in his room. Watts has taken over ownership of the Mustang.

“He said, ‘It’s your car now,’” Watts said. “With all the time and effort he put into it, I’m just trying to keep it in the family. I’ve broken down a couple of times because of

See MUSTANG on page 27A

ABOVE: Charles Waggoner bought his 1965 Ford Mustang fastback in 1974 for $175. His daughter, Danielle Watts, is now the owner and is keeping the treasured heirloom in the family. Danielle Watts and her husband, Ron, of Fraser, take the twilight turquoise Mustang to local car shows.

RIGHT: The 1965 Ford Mustang fastback does not have a back seat, and the battery is in the trunk.

Photos by Erin Sanchez

Staff

Maria

LEFT: Charles Waggoner wanted the 1965 Ford Mustang fastback because he saw that the vehicle identification number was a K-code. RIGHT: Danielle (Waggoner) Watts is about 8 years old in this photo, standing by the Ford Mustang before it was restored. She was often by her dad’s side when he worked on the car.

Photos provided by Danielle Watts

Mustang

from page 26A

The sounds. The smell. The classic cars have a different smell.”

Even though Waggoner worked tirelessly on his prized set of wheels, he rarely took it out on the road. Watts, however, feels “it shouldn’t be in a garage all the time” and often drives it to local car shows and cruises. It’s usually her husband, Ron, behind the wheel.

One stop is the weekly Ukrainian Cultural Center car show in Warren, where the Mustang earned its first-ever plaque. Another trophy was bestowed on the vintage vehicle last summer at the annual Fraser Lions Club carnival. The Lakeside Mall Circle

Cruise-In on Monday nights in Sterling Heights is another hangout. Because of its distinctive color — twilight turquoise — the Mustang stands out.

“It has no back seat, and the battery is in the trunk. We have people stop us and ask us questions. In my eyes, it is a masterpiece. She is too beautiful to always be in the garage,” Watts said. “It’s a head turner because it’s not your typical color. It’s the original color, but it has been repainted. In 2018, he finished the job. I take it out and let people enjoy his work. All of the VIN numbers match except for the trans. I’m very proud of it.”

Watts has kept a history of the Ford vehicle. She has seven photo albums of pictures that chronicle the car’s restoration, along with manuals and sales receipts that date back to 1977.

Championing Foster Kids: is Month’s Mission of Hope

As “Foster Care Awareness Month,” May is a time to shine a light on the thousands of children in the foster care system across the state.

Champ Life is an all-volunteer nonpro t organization dedicated to making a di erence in the lives of children who have faced abuse, abandonment, neglect, or are considered atrisk or in foster care.

e organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary of providing hope and healing to local children through impactful camps and clubs, including a weekly Kids Club in Clinton Township that hosts 50 to 80 children every Monday — with games, prizes, music, candy, snacks and fun faith lessons — and a free camp for foster kids each summer.

“ ese are our children and our communities; how can we just stand by without stepping in to make a di erence?” said board member and activist Nathan Mayes, whose heartfelt mission is to encourage others to acknowledge and support this vulnerable segment of society.

“We hope to touch these kids’ hearts, help with healing and allow them to make good memories because a lot of these children don’t know their worth as human beings — or the possibilities that may exist for them in the future,” Mayes added.

He emphasized that as he and the other volunteers forge stronger connections with the children, their love and compassion deepens, fueling an even greater desire to make a di erence in their lives.

$1869 $3244

“At rst, the kids are guarded, but soon they crave love, hugs, and attention, and proudly share their drawings and crafts,” Mayes said. He recalls a girl at Kids Club wearing a hoodie and big glasses, barely visible. “I told her she was beautiful, just like God who made her in his image. Moments like these ll my heart with purpose and joy.”

e organization also orchestrates annual bike and gaming system giveaways, distributes backpacks during back-toschool season and arranges festive Christmas parties for

the children. Additionally, their volunteers carry out home visits to determine and cater to speci c needs within local households.

In this milestone anniversary year, Champ Life is seeking donations to sustain their ongoing mission. With a goal of raising $200,000, they aim to secure the future of their potentially life-altering programs, especially the upcoming free summer camp for foster kids aged 7 to 11, scheduled for August 7-11, 2023.

“Our volunteers are actively out in the community looking for children who would want to come to camp,” Mayes added. With about 100 kids and 100 volunteers, the camp ensures personalized attention in a loving atmosphere. Set by a lake, it o ers activities like horseback riding, swimming, kayaking, water games, camp res and birthday celebrations for those who have never experienced them before.

Each child at the camp is paired with a devoted buddy, and together they engage in morning exercises, share familystyle meals, and learn vital life skills. With intimate mealtime gatherings of 10-12 people, the connections made are truly priceless, Mayes said.

“After a memorable week last year, we’ve expanded to accommodate more kids,” he continued. “It’s heartwarming to hear these kids express how wonderful it is to be at camp, surrounded by love and care and without worry for the rst time in their lives.”

Children often arrive without essentials like toothbrushes or underwear, and Champ Life not only ensures they’re provided for but also gives them a sense of security and normalcy.

Champ Life is located at 31700 Couchez St. in Saint Clair Shores. If you’d like to make a di erence in a child’s life (or donate), call (586) 791-3590 or visit mychamplife.com. Follow “Champ Life” on Facebook and @champlifekids_ on Instagram.

FREE Summer Camp For Foster Children

Cardiac

from page 19A

After Kimberly’s passing, the Gillary family immediately began raising money toward AEDs to donate to schools, and they donated their first pair of AEDs to Troy Athens and Birmingham Groves high schools.

Since then, the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation has raised more than $1.72 million, donated more than 850 AEDs to Michigan high schools, and drew up the original cardiac response draft for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Now that the majority of Michigan high schools carry at least one AED, the MHSAA and the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation are focused on one particular objective.

“What my goal is, I want every school to be a MI HEARTSafe School, which the cardiac emergency response plan and cardiac emergency response team are part of the requirements to be a MI HEARTSafe School,” Randy Gillary said. “That’s what I’m looking for, is to have all schools become MI HEARTSafe Schools.”

The MI HEARTSafe School program, which is supported by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, was not only designed to raise awareness and help schools prepare for sudden cardiac arrests, but also recognize schools who have met certain criteria to become a MI HEARTSafe School.

In order to be part of the program, schools must have a written cardiac response plan, a certain percentage of staff and coaches having completed the CPR/AED training, one cardiac response drill per year, a cardiac response team, a sufficient number of routinely inspected AEDs and identified AED locations, and athletic group screenings that are

in conjunction with the Michigan high school screening form.

While schools continue to join the program, Uyl said he hopes more schools take part in the program.

“(There’s) not enough,” Uyl said. “Of our 748 member high schools, the number right now is a little less than 200. Obviously, the Michigan HEARTSafe schools, those are elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. Most of our attention is at the high school level, and that’s part of our reason for being at the table is that we want to see those numbers go up. There’s still work to be done. I’m never going to be satisfied because this is an area that, until you have every school that is a part of the program, that’s just not good enough.”

As efforts continue to be made to not only raise awareness, but work together with schools across Michigan to make sure another young life isn’t lost, the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation’s donations of AEDs have already been used to save at least nine lives.

In 2021, Evart High School’s Danny Witbeck suffered a cardiac arrest during a basketball practice, but a quick response from coaches and teammates to grab an AED helped save his life. Today, Witbeck plays baseball at Northwood University. That’s what cardiac awareness month is all about, and that’s what keeps the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation and the MHSAA going with their efforts.

“The best parts of our meetings, when we meet here, is when we get to hear the stories — from a person involved — of another cardiac save from the action plan or AED used, and that’s really what keeps our work going,” Uyl said.

To learn more about how to become a MI HEARTSafe School, visit migrc.org for more details.

Arlington

from page 3A

ers with a ribbon that read “Beer Middle School.”

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C., serves as a symbolic grave for the remains of wartime service members who have not been found or identified. Beer is part of the Warren Consolidated Schools district.

“I felt like I was honoring all of the soldiers that served and all the forgotten soldiers,” Yang said. “I felt the majority of the crowd respected it.”

As Pérez walked down the stairs towards the grave, she thought about her sister Amanda who is in the Air Force, has three children and lives in New Mexico.

“It made me happy. It made me think of her and all the memories we have together,” Pérez said. “It was interesting. It gave us an opportunity to do something that’s amazing.”

Another family member was on Pérez’s mind: her brother Dylan, who died two years ago. Although he did not serve in the military, the somber tone of the wreath-laying formalities brought up feelings of his loss.

“He would have been proud of me and happy,” Pérez said.

To make sure the Beer students followed protocol, they met with a guardsman in full honor uniform beforehand to go over instructions. In addition, the students had to follow a dress code. A crowd of visitors formed during the event, which included the students placing their hands over their hearts as a soldier played taps. Everyone was quiet during the process.

“He was really nice,” Monaco said of the guardsman who helped them with the task. “He looked strict because they have to be, but he was actually nice.”

Two of Hinman’s uncles served in the Armed Forces, as did her brother.

“Some of the things were scary, especially with my brother. I was young and I didn’t understand what it meant when he was going away,” Hinman said. “My uncle was in Desert Storm and my brother was in Iraq. It was scary what they had to go through.”

Hinman was “a little bit nervous” before the ceremony, but when the commander “told us what to do, it sent a wave of excitement” over her.

“I was proud to give something in their honor,” Hinman said. “It meant the most to me. I felt connected to it. I think it’s a symbol of protecting each other and protecting our freedom.”

The students were part of a group of 50

people from Beer — including students, parents and teachers — that traveled to Washington, D.C., April 21-23 for an educational trip. Beer teacher Justin Wesley organized the excursion to the nation’s capital through WorldStrides, an organization that offers a wide variety of educational travel programs in the U.S. and abroad.

The group traveled by bus throughout the capital, visiting various museums and monuments, including the National World War II Memorial, the White House, Washington Monument, Ford’s Theatre, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Capitol Hill and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Visiting Arlington was what Yang enjoyed most.

“I feel like my favorite part was the Lincoln Memorial,” Monaco said.

Helping the students to better understand each stop was WorldStrides course leader Bing Spitler. The tour guide, for instance, was present at the Arlington wreath ceremony, an activity that is open to any school.

“The Tomb has been here since 1921,” Spitler told the students. “It’s an honor to guard the grave.”

Spitler’s knowledge about the sites the touring group saw left an impression.

“I feel like he was hands-on,” Monaco

said. “He’s putting you out there and making you have an experience.”

“I liked him,” Yang said. “He’s a very knowledgeable man.”

Many students wished they could have spent more time in D.C.

“It was very pretty here,” Monaco said. “Three days was not enough.”

Telehealth and virtual visits

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Benefits vary by plan. ‘Ohana Health Plan, a plan offered by Wellcare Health Insurance of Arizona, Inc. Wellcare is the Medicare brand for Centene Corporation, an HMO, PPO, PFFS, PDP plan with a Medicare contract and is an approved Part D Sponsor. Our D-SNP plans have a contract with the state Medicaid program. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal.Washington residents: Health Net Life Insurance Company is contracted with Medicare for PPO plans. “Wellcare by Health Net” is issued by Health Net Life Insurance Company. Washington residents: “Wellcare” is issued by Wellcare of Washington, Inc. Washington residents: “Wellcare” is issued by Wellcare Health Insurance Company of Washington, Inc. Wellcare by Allwell (HMO and HMO SNP) includes products that are underwritten by Superior HealthPlan, Inc. and Superior HealthPlan Community Solutions, Inc. Wellcare (HMO and HMO SNP) includes products that are underwritten by Wellcare of Texas, Inc., Wellcare National Health Insurance Company, and SelectCare of Texas, Inc. Cosmetic procedures are not covered under this benefit.

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CRIME OF THE WEEK

A parade of dumpster fires CLINTON TOWNSHIP — On April 10, residents around the Metro Woods apartment complex reported three dumpster fires in the area.

One witness claimed a dark car was being driven around the complex. Clinton Township police officers spoke with someone in the area, though no arrests were made.

Man cusses at workers STERLING HEIGHTS — Sterling Heights police were called after a 20-something man wearing a black jacket and a ponytail allegedly was cussing at workers inside a store along 15 Mile Road, near Ryan Road April 9. Police said the man then went to the parking lot and was then seen behind a gas station car wash. The report did not describe what ultimately happened to him.

Woman sought for retail fraud

GROSSE POINTE CITY — An unknown woman is accused of stealing nearly $50 worth of merchandise from a business in the 17000 block of Mack Avenue April 20.

Larcenies from vehicles under investigation

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — According to police reports, an unknown suspect entered an unlocked vehicle while it was parked in the driveway of a home in the 2100 block of Hollywood Avenue between the hours of 10 p.m. April 20 and 8 a.m. April 21 and stole several Amazon packages and a gray backpack. The total value of the missing items is said to be about $60. The vehicle was unlocked at the time.

In a second incident, an unknown suspect entered a vehicle parked in the driveway of a home in the 2300 block of Allard Avenue between the night of April 20 and 11 a.m. April 21 and stole a Rolex watch worth $14,000, along with a wallet. The victim told police the vehicle was locked but a key was left inside the passenger door pocket, so if anyone tried the vehicle door handle, they would have been able to get inside the vehicle. The missing items were removed from the center console.

More vehicles taken

GROSSE POINTE PARK — Between the hours of 2 p.m. April 19 and 7:09 a.m. April 20, an unknown suspect is said to have stolen a white 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix from where it was parked on the street in the 1000 block of Wayburn Street.

On April 21, a 2021 blue Kia Forte was stolen from the 1400 block of Lakepointe Street. Police said the suspect or suspects stole the Kia without the keys.

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Police respond to screaming, items smashed

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Officers were dispatched to an apartment in the area of West Utica and Ryan roads at 3:55 p.m. April 7. Dispatch received a call from a neighbor who reportedly could hear someone screaming from a nearby apartment.

Officers arrived on the scene and could hear loud screaming coming from the apartment. Officers made contact with the residents of the apartment. The argument was between a mother and her teenage daughter. The argument ensued over the mother taking her daughter’s phone away. The daughter then smashed her tablet and started kicking her mother, according to the police report. The daughter was arrested and transported to the Macomb County Juvenile Detention Center, according to police.

Mother pushed, hits head on counter

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 6:22 p.m. April 7, officers were dispatched to a residence in the area of Shelby and 25 Mile roads for a domestic violence complaint. Upon arrival, officers interviewed all the people in the home. According to the caller, she stated that she just came home from the bar with her daughter, at which point her daughter started yelling at her. The argument escalated to the point where the daughter pushed her mother to the floor in the kitchen. While falling, her head struck a cabinet, causing a laceration. The Shelby Township Fire Department was summoned to the scene to provide medical attention to the mother. The daughter was placed under arrest for domestic violence and transported to the Police Department for processing.

Computer fraud reported

ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 5:30 p.m. on April 13, a fraud report was made after an incident the same day in the 21000 block of Bon Brae Street.

Upon arrival, an officer spoke with the victims, a 75-year-old man and a 72-year-old woman, who said she was on the computer when a pop-up window appeared. The message said the computer was infected and to call the number on the screen.

The woman reportedly called the number and provided bank information and Social Security numbers for both herself and her husband. She was then allegedly told not to tell the bank or police about it. When the woman and man went to the bank, they were informed it was a scam and were able to change their banking information before any money was taken. An officer advised both parties to check their credit report and make a police report if anything suspicious occurs.