5/22/24 Journal

OLD MACOMB COUNTY JAIL OPENED FOR TOURS/3A

Officials celebrate start of Cherry Street overhaul

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MOUNT CLEMENS — City, county, state and federal officials gathered at the Macomb Place fountain stage on May 10 to kick off the longawaited renovation of Mount Clemens’ commercial core.

“I’ve worked here for going on 30 years now, and I’ve walked these streets, and I’ve watched them slowly become in disrepair and wanted so, so badly to revitalize this downtown,” City Manager Gregg Shipman said to begin the May 10 festivities. “I never thought I would live to see it because, quite honestly, we shouldn’t be doing this because the money just wasn’t there.”

Approved earlier that week by the Mount Clemens City Commission at a cost of $5.5 million, the Downtown Revitalization Project will see Macomb Place and the Cherry Street Mall become further pedestrianized with

See CHERRY STREET on page 14A

BOB CANNON LEAVES LASTING LEGACY IN GOVERNMENT, COMMUNITY

BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Township Supervisor Bob Cannon, the longest-serving member on the Clinton Township Board of Trustees, will not be running in August.

Cannon spent 16 years as a trustee and 24 years as supervisor for the township. He surpassed Otto

Duckwitz, who was on the board from 1898 to 1917, as the board’s longest-serving member. In 40 years, it’s hard to not leave some kind of lasting impression on a community.

In government

One accomplishment for Cannon, which took over 24 years, was making sure sewer water was not

See CANNON on page 13A

Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon is not seeking reelection this fall.

Cannon holds the record for longest-serving member on the Board of Trustees at 40 years.

Photo by Nick Powers

Local, state and federal officials get into position for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Mount Clemens Downtown Revitalization Project on May 10.

Photo by Dean Vaglia

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Supervisor attempts to switch Clinton Township’s attorney

BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — At the Clinton Township Board of Trustees meeting on April 29, Supervisor Bob Cannon attempted to bring an end to the use of attorney Jack Dolan as the township’s legal counsel.

All board members, except for Cannon, voted to table the change in the legal services contract. Dolan forcefully pushed back on all of Cannon’s accusations at the meeting, calling them “completely and totally inaccurate.”

In a statement to the board, read at the meeting by Township Clerk Kim Meltzer, Cannon outlines several areas where he feels Dolan has fallen short. He cites Dolan’s part-time residence in Florida; a high retainer for services provided; issues in “arrangement and access” between the firm and the township; and the depth of the firm compared to others. He also alleges that Dolan worked with former Clinton Township Trustee Dean Reynolds’ defense. Cannon recommended the services of The Kelly Firm.

Dolan’s firm, York, Dolan & Tomlinson, represents other municipalities including New Baltimore, Roseville, Macomb Township and Grosse Pointe Woods. There are three attorneys at the firm: Dolan, Linda McGrail and Tim Tomlinson. Fred York died in 1989.

Dolan, a lawyer who has worked with the township for 47 years, said he believes Cannon has a personal grudge toward him. He said Cannon also led the charge to get rid of him in the early ’90s and again in 2022.

“Each time it happens there’s never anything, that I think,

See ATTORNEY on page 10A

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MACOMB COUNTY — Historically, there have been two ways to go to the county jail: getting arrested or working in corrections.

But as the Macomb County Jail gets ready for its upcoming expansion, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office offered people the opportunity to tour its old maximum security and soon-to-be decommissioned D Block facilities May 15-17.

“All of this is going to be demoed, but what we want to give is an opportunity to the public to tour it,

OLD JAIL OPENED FOR TOURS

specifically the D Blocks and maximum security,” Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said. “They’re unique. It’s like something you would see in some movies or television, specifically maximum security.”

Active from 1954 to 2020, the maximum security facility was used to house inmates separate from the jail’s general population. Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said inmates who were testifying or felt the need for extra protection could be placed in a maximum security cell, while violent inmates were also moved into the wing.

“It could be the most violent, it could be those that

Dolan

See JAIL on page 4A

BELOW: The Macomb County Jail’s old maximum security block was opened for tours May 15-16. RIGHT: Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, who previously served as Macomb County’s elected sheriff, guides the media through the jail’s decommissioned maximum security block.

Photos by Dean Vaglia

LIBRARY SEEKING SHUTTERBUGS

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Are you handy with a camera and do you have an eye for shooting? The Harrison Township Public Library is looking for you.

The “Home in Harrison” photography contest, running until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29, seeks to showcase the best images of life in Harrison Township.

“We’re asking for photos from Harrison Township, anywhere in Harrison Township,” Library Director Melissa Goins said. “Once the photos are received, we will display them in the library in June and then we’ll announce the winners at the summer reading kickoff on June 22.”

Anyone can enter the contest so long as their photos are taken in Harrison Township and are submitted through the library’s website. Library staff will vote on the winners in adult and child/teen photographer classes. While the prizes for winners had not been determined at the time of publication, competitors can expect gift cards to local businesses as their reward for taking the best photo.

“(The staff judges) are focusing on capturing Harrison Township,” said Brittany Ploep, adult librarian and the contest organizer. “We’re going to be focusing on popular locations if they’re identifiable to Harrison Township, but also we still want it to be a piece of art that showcases the skills and the photography of our patrons that come here.”

Inspiration for the contest came from similar events the library held under the prior adult librarian’s watch.

“In the past we’ve had activities that have displayed local art and talent, so we wanted to continue with that,” Ploep said.

For more information about the “Home in Harrison” photo contest, visit htlibrary.org/events/event/photography-contest-home-inharrison. The photos will be displayed at the library and patrons are asked to keep their submissions family friendly.

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

Jail

from page 3A

are charged with murder, but it’s also those that don’t behave in the institution,” Wickersham said. “Those that are attacking our staff, attacking other inmates. If their classification goes up, they would end up in here.”

The maximum security facility has 60 cells arranged in an H-shaped pattern, each cell featuring a shelf for a mattress, a small table to sit at and a combined toilet-sink unit. The jail’s construction is reminiscent of an older approach to correctional facility design, with Hackel likening its iron-barred cells and divided catwalks to the infamous Alcatraz prison island.

Basic amenities are lacking. Ventilation for the longest time was limited to cutouts in the jail’s raised windows, which were so high deputies had to use special equipment to open. Air conditioning was a later addition, with fans being installed for inmates and a wall-mounted air conditioning unit for deputies being installed sometime in the 1990s.

Changes in communication equipment are evident. Phones for visitations are located just behind the watch deputy’s station, but now only mops and brooms are there for would-be inmates to speak with. On the side of the catwalk where cells were located, old phones and more recent video calling equipment show how inmates could communicate with the outside world.

According to Wickersham, the video calling equipment was installed in 2014. Video calls have since become the MCSO’s standard for inmate communications with the outside world while attorney visits, clergy visits and other special exemptions were made for in-person communications.

An open-air recreation yard with several basketball hoops is just east of the maximum security

block. Maximum-security inmates were allowed to use it for one hour each day. Hackel, a former Macomb County deputy and sheriff, mentioned how he used to play against inmates from the neighboring D Block cells.

“D Block used to be part of the actual prisoner population,” Hackel said. “What you would see up in that tower was in the D Block. They were people that had committed minor offenses and had to spend some time, so we would literally play basketball out here.”

The maximum security facility was closed in 2020 with Wickersham citing security issues and a shift toward direct supervision of inmates as the reason. Inmates that would be housed there are currently housed within the jail’s tower.

“You’ve got one individual that sits in a cage that works the controls and one deputy that makes the rounds,” Wickersham said. “It just wasn’t enough. It needed more people, so I made that decision.”

D Block is currently housing around 70 inmates, only doing so until renovations to the tower are finished in the fall of 2024. Hackel said plans are being made to allow tours of D Block once the renovations are finished. Both D Block and the old maximum security area, along with the annex and rehabilitation facilities, are slated to be demolished to make way for the new central intake and assessment center project. The four-level, 177,000-square-foot facility aims to better serve inmates with substance abuse and mental health conditions with a whole floor dedicated to mental health treatment. The facility was designed to capture large amounts of natural light.

As for the old maximum security facility, its days are well numbered. The decommissioned slammer will face demolition this summer with the D Block coming down sometime afterwards.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 4981043.

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Clintondale gets new PA system, gears up to expand busing

BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Clintondale is set to get a new public-address system in most of its schools using grant funding.

The approval was tabled at the Clintondale Board of Education’s meeting on April 22 to make sure there was a battery-powered backup system in the contract. It was finally approved at a special meeting on April 29. Maynard confirmed that the battery-powered backup system was part of the originally accepted bid.

Clintondale Community Schools awarded Division 27 the contract to redo the PA system in each of the district’s schools, excluding Rainbow Elementary. The total cost of the new systems will be $199,924.35. Funding for the project comes from two state grant sources. Rainbow was left out of this round since its PA system was updated in 2020.

Richard Lerman, director of communications for Clintondale Community Schools, said the bid was awarded after reaching out to other schools that utilized

the system. These include schools in River Rouge and Tawas.

“We got four solid bids, and I did speak with four different schools who had worked with Division 27,” Lerman said. “They all said that they were excellent in terms of the quality of work that they did, the care they took and the support they provided.”

Board Trustee Diane Zontini asked if the district always took the lowest bid.

“No, we made it clear that we would take the bid that’s going to give us the best solution and also provide us the best price,” Lerman said.

Board President Jared Maynard emphasized the importance of the project.

“There are spots in this school (Clintondale High School) where you can’t hear the PA,” he said. “We’re fixing this problem.”

Trustee Barry Powers asked when the system would be complete.

“We asked them to be done no later than August 23,” Lerman said. “They said they could definitely meet that.”

Work cannot be done when the kids are in the building and the previous system has to be working simultaneously as the new

one is being installed, according to Lerman. Once the new system is up and running, a switch over has to happen. Lerman said the old system would be in place in case Division 27 couldn’t finish the new system before the kids were in school.

“The good thing with this type of update, though, is we will still have an operating system,” Clintondale Community Schools Superintendent Kenneth Janczarek said.

Expansion of busing

Janczarek said at the April 22 meeting that the district will have busing in place for the 2024-25 school year.

“If you live more than a quarter-mile away from school, we will be finding you a bus to get to school,” he said.

Janczarek said that a survey will go out to families to see how the district can accommodate the busing needs of students.

“I’m excited we’re having busing coming back, I think that’s going to be very helpful,” Maynard said.

Board member Michael Manning questioned the cost of the expanded service.

“We have built it into our budget for

the next year,” Janczarek said.

The budget is set to be voted on in June and pricing for the expanded service is not yet available.

He went on to say that while making financially responsible decisions are important, getting the kids to school is a priority.

“The cost that it will cost us to add the busing on what we already do is not a large amount as we are a smaller district,” he said.

“We aren’t getting our own busing, we’re just expanding on our buses,” Maynard said.

He said the district still rents the buses from Drivergent Transportation. The company incurs the maintenance costs for the buses.

Janczarek said this was a chance for the district to retain students that may have gone elsewhere due to the limited busing.

“This is an opportunity for us to regain some of those students that we are losing in terms of that opportunity,” he said.

On May 10, the district posted a transportation form on its Facebook page to gather information about expanded busing.

Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.

Trustees introduce ordinance updates, stall canal SAD

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Movement and standstill defined the May 13 Harrison Township Board of Trustees meeting as a long-running special assessment was left in limbo while ordinance updates leapt closer to final approval.

The first ordinance update changes language regarding how the Harrison Township Fire Department recovers dispatching fees from parties that cause an emergency incident and adds language to allow police to recover fees through the same method. Township officials reexamined the emergency services cost recovery ordinances after a Clinton Township smoke shop supplier exploded in March, killing one person and causing damage to responding emergency vehicles.

Township officials also updated language regarding junk property infractions in order to prompt the resolution of a situation involving a derelict boat.

“I did ask one of the township attorneys to make a change to our ordinance so that we might have, at least, some opportunity to address the partially sunken boat,” Township Supervisor Ken Verkest said. “With this we will be revising our blight ordinance to address junk boats, because we’ve tried at a state and federal level to say the Coast Guard mitigates oil issues associated with the boat, and they said it’s not violating an ordinance. So I said, ‘Cool, let’s make an ordinance that says it’s not allowed.’ With any luck, we’ll be

able to enforce this.”

The ordinance revisions passed an initial reading with a second reading set to occur at a future meeting.

SAD delay

Those in support of the special assessment district to dredge the Lakeshore, Archer and Pardee canals will have to wait even longer for the work to commence. Though trustees expressed a willingness to move forward with the project by citing the 55% approval from property owners affected by the district, slow-moving communication with attorneys about bonds for the project led to the process being tabled to give counsel time to respond.

“Because the project exceeds our capability to fund internally, we bond the cost of the project (and) we pay that to the contractor,” Township Clerk Adam Wit said. “Once we get the final number, we’ll send out an invoice to all the residents … We give you an opportunity to pay the project off in full so you won’t have to incur any interest charges, and at that point anything that’s remaining on your balance will go out to your winter tax bill and you’ll be paying a portion of that each year until it’s paid off.”

A public hearing was held about the SAD which saw three people speak unfavorably about the project, two people speak favorably and one resident recommend storing the dredged soil on a barge rather than on land.

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

DOWNTOWN ST. CLAIR SHORES

Pamela Leidlein explains the importance of Clinton Township raising awareness about gun violence.

Clinton Township board OKs several proclamations, resolutions

BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Clinton Township Board of trustees approved a flurry of resolutions and proclamations at its May 13 meeting.

The board was unanimous in approving three resolutions in the township. The resolutions include making May 14 Apraxia Awareness Day, making May Military Appreciation Month and designating June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

A separate motion to put a pride flag in the board’s chambers for June came with some debate. This was the same flag that was displayed last year.

Trustee Dan Kress questioned whether the displayed flag would include all members of the LGBTQ+ community. He mentioned some members might prefer the older flag.

“Obviously, there are quite a lot of different opinions, quite a lot of different viewpoints, quite a lot of different lifestyles,” Kress said. “I’m only hesitant to put a flag in our board room that might offend some people because it doesn’t encompass their particular way of living.”

Trustee Tammy Patton, who submitted the observance, explained to Kress why the flag was picked over the older versions. She said this flag was updated to include people of color.

“All those letters represent those entities and the progression of those entities,” she said. “We’re further than we have ever been. So how we’re leaving people out on that particular flag, I’m really not sure. But this is the most progressive flag that chapters around the nation have.”

All board members voted to have the flag in the chambers except Township Clerk

Kim Meltzer.

The township’s proclamation to recognize June 7 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and for those participating to wear orange drew some discussion.

Resident Dana Dugger questioned the specifics of the proclamation, emphasizing that it should focus on people who misuse guns and not the weapons themselves. Dugger advocated for mental health treatment, education and punishment for misuse. He also questioned the accuracy of the stats in the proclamation.

“Unlike a lithium battery that can explode without being touched, a firearm must have the interaction of a human to create a violent act,” Dugger said. “A better focus would be to call this firearm accident and felonious use awareness day.”

Pamela Leidlein, who submitted the proclamation to the board, agreed with Dugger about the importance of awareness and education in the community. Leiden shared her story of losing a daughter to a stray bullet at a fireworks display. She clarified the proclamation’s importance and stood by the statistics from everystat.org.

“That’s part of what the awareness is: to get some programs started in the community that make people aware of the need for training, securing weapons, teaching children how not to handle them; if they’re hunting, how to properly use and store them,” Leidlein said.

The board unanimously approved the proclamation. It also unanimously approved the observance of Juneteenth by displaying “Happy Juneteenth” on the township’s website, social media sites and its marquee from June 17-19.

Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.

Screenshot taken from the Clinton Township Board of Trustees meeting broadcast

NEWS & NOTES

8A/ JOURNAL • MAY 22, 2024

COUNTYWIDE ROAD ADOPTION TAKING PLACE

MACOMB COUNTY — Drivers throughout Macomb County should keep their eyes open for their neighbors this May as volunteers will be out cleaning their adopted county roads.

Supported by 330 registered groups, the Macomb County Adopt-a-Road program’s cleanup period runs from May 1 to Sept. 2.

“Whether people are visiting Macomb County for the first time or driving on our roads daily, the appearance of our roadways matters,” Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said in a press release. “The Adopt-A-County Road program is a great opportunity for individuals and groups to take an active role in our community while making a positive environmental change.”

Participation in the program is free and materials to facilitate the two required annual cleanups — high-visibility vests, garbage bags and safety information — are provided by the county roads department. Road adopters are recognized with a sign along the adopted road. For more information or to request an adoption application, contact the Macomb County Department of Roads at adopt@rcmcweb.org or (586) 463-8671.

County officials call for tick precautions

MACOMB COUNTY — As summer draws ever closer, the Macomb County Health Department is cautioning residents about ticks and tick-borne Lyme disease.

“Because we have had a relatively mild winter and spring season, there is an elevated probability of the presence of ticks,” Tom Barnes, division director of the Macomb County Health Department’s Environmental Health Division, said in a press release. “So as we start to spend more and more time outdoors in the spring and summer, we all need to be mindful of the presence of ticks and some of the strategies to avoid tick bites, and potentially, Lyme disease.”

According to the 2022 Michigan Emerging and Zoonotic Disease Surveillance Study, Lyme disease cases have been rising in the state. In 2018 there were 262 cases of Lyme disease, rising to 862 cases in 2022. Macomb County’s case numbers have risen over the past decade from three in 2016 to 15 in 2023. Lyme disease is carried by ticks, which attach to the body and feed on blood. Ticks can be attached for up to 48 hours before Lyme is transmitted.

Full-body checks for ticks should be done after spending a prolonged time outdoors. If a tick is found, use tweezers to remove the tick and make sure the tick’s head is removed. A bullseye wound may surround the tick bite.

To avoid tick bites, wear clothing that covers the skin. Insect repellent is effective, both when applied to the body and by treating clothes with products containing 0.5% permethrin.

CITY COMMISSION MEETS FOR EARLY MAY

MOUNT CLEMENS — The Mount Clemens City Commission held its first meeting of the month on Monday, May 6. Commissioners approved an amendment to the city’s Administrative Hearings Bureau ordinance to add improperly stored building materials and recreation equipment to the bureau’s oversight. The bureau was formed to police blighted properties outside of the court system. The amendment is scheduled for a second reading on Monday, May 23. Commissioners approved an agreement with Rent Fun LLC to operate self service kayak and locker rentals at MacArthur and Shadyside Parks. The contract runs for five years. The city will pay Rent Fun a one-time $29,000 fee to operate four rental kayaks and lockers at each park. Rental proceeds will be split 50-50 between the city and Rent Fun.

ABLE summer class comes to MCC

MACOMB COUNTY — This summer, Macomb Community College will offer Academic Boost and Learning Experiences, ABLE, an academic catch-up program designed to assist students who experienced learning loss due to interruptions to in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program is open to any high school graduate who plans to begin college in fall 2024. It is part of a statewide initiative administered by the Michigan Community College Association. There is no charge for the four-week program, which focuses on preparing students for college-level math and English courses. The program is offered in a hybrid format with one class held in person each week and the rest of the material delivered online. The in-person classes will be held at both Macomb’s South Campus in Warren and Center Campus in Clinton Township.

Students can choose from one of two sessions: 8 a.m. to 12:25 p.m., or 6 p.m. to 9:55 p.m. The sessions will be held June 4 to June 27, with a mandatory orientation on May 29; and July 16 to Aug. 8, with a mandatory orientation on July 10.

Students who successfully complete the program will receive a $500 stipend to use for whatever they need to support their success in college. For more information and to register, visit macomb.edu/landing-page/college-able.html.

DIA SEEKS APPLICANTS FOR DAY OF THE DEAD EXHIBIT

DETROIT — The Detroit Institute of Arts, in partnership with the Mexican Consulate in Detroit, the Southwest Detroit Business Association, and the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation, is seeking submissions for its 12th annual “Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” exhibition.

Community members are invited to design and propose altars, known as ofrendas, to honor the memory of departed loved ones. The proposals should express clear intent, embody artistic and creative merit, and resonate with the traditional values associated with Día de Muertos.

An ofrenda is an altar that is presented Nov. 1-2, and sometimes on Oct. 31, to observe the Day of the Dead holiday, which is known as el Día de los Muertos in Spanish. It coincides with the Catholic observances of All Saints Day Nov. 1 and All Souls Day Nov. 2.

Proposals are due by May 24. Forms are available on the DIA’s website at dia.org. Click on “Events & Exhibitions” and then go to the “upcoming” exhibit heading. The application includes information and a list of required materials, available in both English and Spanish. The exhibit is scheduled to open Sept. 28, 2024, and close Nov. 3. Each selected artist or group will be provided a stipend of $500 to support their participation.

Clinton Township man who allegedly shot wife pleads not guilty

MOUNT CLEMENS — A Clinton Township man who allegedly shot his wife pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Macomb County Circuit Court on May 13.

Steven Wheeler, 30, allegedly got into a fight with his wife on Oct. 19, 2023. She called 911, telling police she was being assaulted and asking them to respond. While on the phone, she was shot multiple times and killed.

Wheeler is charged with first-degree murder, punishable by mandatory life in prison. He was arraigned by Circuit Court Judge Julie Gatti and remains in custody at the Macomb County Jail.

“The brutality of domestic violence has once again shattered lives,” Macomb CountyProsecutor Peter Lucido is quoted as saying in a press release. “This incident not only extinguished a precious life but underscores the urgent need to confront and eradicate domestic abuse from our communities.”

Wheeler’s attorney, public defender Noel Erinjeri, had “no comment” on the case.

On July 11, Wheeler is scheduled to appear before Gatti in Circuit Court for a pretrial conference.

Fraser Police Department gets 15 more Tasers

FRASER — The Fraser City Council unanimously approved funding for the Police Department to purchase new Tasers at its May 9 meeting.

The department asked for 15 new Tasers, 15 cartridges for the Tasers and 15 battery packs. The total cost was $22,897. The department currently utilizes 12 Tasers, which officers have to share. The purchase would allow each officer to have his or her own Taser.

“It’s less wear and tear if everyone has their own,” Fraser Director of Public Safety Samantha Kretzschmar said at the meeting.

Axon X26P Tasers were purchased, which is the type the department currently uses. The funding for the purchase comes from the city’s public safety drug forfeiture account.

File photo provided by the Detroit Institute of Arts

Inclusive playground expected to finish construction in fall

BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Clinton Township is moving closer to getting a park with greater accessibility for disabled children.

The Clinton Township Board of Trustees approved a presentation by Department of Public Services Supervisor Mary Bednar and Inclusive Playground Committee Chair AnnMarie Ottoy outlining features, costs and a timeline for the park.

The project is expected to begin in late summer 2024 and finish in the fall. The Clinton Township Board of Trustees approved the playground in 2019. A committee was formed to build the playground and plays an advisory role about inclusivity and other township spaces.

The equipment has a nature theme with the appearance of a river. There are frogs, mushrooms and logs incorporated around the green and brown playscapes. Special attention was given to aspects of the design like making the slides metal.

“If you have a cochlear implant you can use a metal slide more than you can a plastic slide because of the static electricity and so forth,” Bednar said. “That way everyone can slide.”

The main playscape is for children ages 5 to 12. It is accessible to children with mobility limitations and allows participants to move through most of the main structure, with space to turn around. There are swings that cater to different kinds of abilities.

There’s a smaller playscape for children ages 2 to 5 and different structures nearby like a small cave, chimes and a seesaw.

A unique feature of the inclusive playground is the sensory and quiet area. It provides kids with a place to take a break from play if they get overwhelmed. Bednar said the space, which features sitting areas and a stage,

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can help bring out a kid’s imagination.

“This is probably what makes this playground different from almost any other playground,” Bednar said.

“I think this will be a well-loved feature of this playground,” said Ottoy, who chairs the Inclusive Playground Committee.

The playground isn’t just for kids. Adults and older kids also have a separate space for physical conditioning and therapy.

More than $1.46 million has been fundraised for the project so far. The township raised $130,790 from different charitable organizations, such as the Kiwanis and Lions clubs. A resident, who was not named, donated $25,000 to the project. The project received a $1 million grant from the state. The township, at a previous meeting, allocated $300,000 for the playground if needed.

The total cost of the project is $1,467,944, according to Bednar. The cost of the equipment, from GameTime through the MiDeal program, is $1,399,998. There will be approximately $10,946 in additional costs to the Department of Public Services. She said design firm Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick was willing to do $20,000 in work for $6,000. There is a $51,000 contingency for construction costs.

“This has been a great passion of mine. I’m glad to see it come to fruition,” Clinton Township Treasurer Paul Gieleghem said.

“With our inclusive ball fields, we have a lot more than any other community in the state of Michigan,” Supervisor Bob Cannon said.

Ottoy said that families who have a child with disabilities have to fight for many opportunities. The playground serves as a way to connect.

“This playground is an opportunity for people to have that respite, to have peace of mind with some recreation with their family members,” Ottoy said.

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Clinton Township is set to get an inclusive playground this fall. This rendering shows a playscape for children 5-12 years old. Image provided by Clinton Township

Attorney

that he can point to that warrants getting rid of an attorney,” Dolan said.

Cannon said the first attempt to discontinue Dolan’s services was brought forward by then-Supervisor Mark Kohl at the board’s meeting on May 13, 1991.

“Mr. Kohl at the time, who was supervisor, felt it was time to take a look at other alternatives and I did, too,” Cannon said in an interview following the meeting.

Robert Steiner, Dennis Tomlinson, Nancy Dedenbach, Kay Howard and James Sinnamon voted to keep Dolan on; Kohl and Cannon voted against it.

For Cannon’s part, he said he doesn’t have anything against Dolan.

“I like Mr. Dolan as a person, as a father,” Cannon said. “He’s done a great job, but I disagree about how much money we pay him, and I disagree with the fact that he’s running the business out of Florida and that he’s got a really small firm. I believe we can do much better and pay less money.”

Dean Reynolds connection?

At the crux of Cannon’s request for

change is Dolan’s alleged involvement in Reynolds’ criminal defense. Cannon, in the statement, said he was “deeply disturbed” by Dolan’s alleged actions.

“Mr. Dolan provided Reynolds’ attorney the lengthy document in order to allow the defense attorney to argue before the federal judge overseeing the Dean Reynolds corruption trial that Mr. Reynolds’ sentence should be set aside,” Cannon said in the statement.

In 2019, the former Clinton Township trustee was sentenced to 17 years in prison and ordered to pay $15,000 on four counts of bribery conspiracy and ten counts of accepting bribes. The charges stemmed from bribes Reynolds allegedly took as a trustee to award township contracts.

Dolan, who is the township’s Freedom of Information Act coordinator, said he was providing Reynolds’ attorney Barry Powers with information he asked for via a FOIA request. Dolan said Powers wanted an explanation about the documents he received.

“My intention there was to present factual information, so that the court had before it what I thought were accurate facts,” Dolan said.

Dolan said he never personally represented Reynolds. He said, if he did, it was

when Reynolds was still a member of the Board of Trustees.

Reynolds’ attorney, Barry Powers, agreed that Dolan didn’t directly assist him with his defense. He said Dolan authenticated documents having to do with the bid process for the township in a declaration to the court.

“Mr. Dolan by implication or some vicarious principle should not be associated with that in any way,” Powers said.

Deputy Supervisor Dan O’Leary disputes this characterization of Dolan’s assistance.

“This was hardly a simple FOIA response,” O’Leary said in an email sent to Meltzer. “A FOIA is a release of previously existing documents, not the authoring of a defense strategy.”

In O’Leary’s email, he states that he and Cannon had a meeting with Dolan to discuss his involvement with Reynold’s case. In the meeting, O’Leary alleges that Dolan said, “Was I supposed to ignore an injustice? I have the right to correct an injustice if I see one,” with regard to assisting Reynolds’ case.

Availability

Dolan said he has two residences: one in Fort Myers, Florida, and one in Birming-

ham, Michigan. He said he’s been splitting his time at the residence in Florida since 2018 due to his son’s health issues.

“I’m there because I have a son, who’s the absolute light of my life, who suffers from some medical conditions that make it difficult for him to be comfortable in winter conditions in Michigan,” Dolan said at the meeting.

Dolan said working remotely doesn’t impact how available he is for the township. He said a lot of communications with attorneys are done electronically these days.

“This is what I consider to be an inexplicable red herring,” Dolan said of Cannon’s accusation that he isn’t available.

Price

Dolan explained that while the $900-aday retainer sounds like a lot, it’s less costly than what neighboring townships spend annually on legal aid. He said, on the year, this adds up to about $334,000 for the township. Canton Township spent $810,617 on legal services in 2022 and Sterling Heights spent $960,270 in the same year.

“What matters is what’s actually being paid,” Dolan said.

In 2022, bids were sent out to see if

See ATTORNEY on page 11A

Attorney

competitors would offer better services for a better price. Clinton Township Treasurer Paul Gieleghem, who was a member of the committee tasked with selecting a legal firm, said he was looking for a firm that would work on retainer instead of hourly. This would allow departments to call the attorney when necessary without wondering what the legal fees would do to their budget. He said questioning whether or not to use an attorney can lead to problems.

“I think that’s when mistakes happen and, oftentimes in local government, mistakes turn into lawsuits and increased cost exposure for the township,” Gieleghem said.

Cannon said in his statement that The Kelly Firm is highly qualified, offers the best value, is recommended by the township’s peers, offers greater bench strength and is growing but is not too big to keep the township from being a priority. The firm is located in Michigan.

Unlike York, Dolan & Tomlinson, The Kelly Firm would not be on a retainer. The firm charges $170 per hour (plus cost-ofliving adjustments) and has eight lawyers, according to a document Cannon produced at the meeting.

McGrail said in an interview following the meeting that York, Dolan & Tomlinson has three experienced municipal attorneys. This makes the firm unique compared to competitors.

“When you look at some of these other bigger firms you might have one experienced attorney, but then you’ve got a bunch of attorneys who only have a year or so of experience,” she said. “They take longer to get things done. They’re still learning, they’re still cutting their teeth.”

Following the 2022 attempt to end Dolan’s legal services, the board unanimously voted for York, Dolan & Tomlinson to provide hourly breakdowns of its services to the township. McGrail provided a summary of these reports to the Fraser-Clinton Township Chronicle with comparison pricing for The Kelly Firm. A summary shows a projected savings to the township each month. For example, in August 2023, Dolan’s firm logged 177.1 hours for the township, making it a slower month, according to the report. If converted to an hourly cost, the rate would have been $157.54. The Kelly Firm would have reportedly cost the township $30,107 for the month. Dolan’s firm charged $27,900.

Following the meeting, Kim Meltzer said she was concerned about the legal services the firm could provide while balanc-

ing contracts with other municipalities. She said she didn’t want the township to discontinue services with York, Dolan & Tomlinson, just maybe reassess them. She also said the attorney’s services are needed less these days since officials are veterans at their jobs.

“We should pay for what we use, not for what we don’t,” Meltzer said.

A secret meeting?

Cannon said that during a 2022 reassessment of the township’s legal services, a more qualified and less-expensive firm should’ve been picked. He alleges that there were behind the scenes meetings that went against the agreement of the bid process. These meetings were between Gieleghem, Dolan and McGrail. At the time, McGrail was an attorney with the firm O’Reilly Rancilio. She now works for York, Dolan & Tomlinson.

“The hijacking in the process resulted in a higher cost, lower impact firm being selected to the detriment of taxpayers,” Cannon said.

Dolan said this part of the bid agreement was to ensure there was no collusion among the attorneys in the process. He said this didn’t happen prior to the bids becoming public.

“I never spoke to anybody at O’Reilly or Ms. McGrail prior to the proposal being submitted,” Dolan said following the meeting.

Gieleghem said, as a member of the committee, he met with all the firms competing for the bids. Other members on the committee included Meltzer, Cannon, Finance Director Mary Hein, Human Resources Director William Smith and O’Leary.

“Bob’s suggesting there was some kind of nefarious intent,” Gieleghem said. “My intent was to make sure we got the best possible service at the best possible price.”

The attempt to change attorneys failed at a meeting on Feb. 28, 2022. Cannon, Trustee Tammy Patton and Meltzer voted to go with O’Reilly Rancilio. Trustees Mike Keys and Joie West voted no, along with Gieleghem. Trustee Laura Cardamone was absent.

According to previous reporting by the Fraser-Clinton Township Chronicle about the meeting, Cannon accused McGrail of a switch in firms at the last minute. Thentrustee Joie West pushed back on this assertion.

It failed again at a meeting on March 14, 2022, and York, Dolan & Tomlinson was kept as the township’s firm. The board also unanimously voted to get the hourly breakdown about how York, Dolan & Tomlinson spent its time doing legal work for

the township.

Looking back, McGrail said it was difficult hearing the accusation of collusion.

“Obviously, it’s hard hearing anyone saying anything about yourself when you try to do good work for a client,” McGrail said.

Back in 2022, she said she read the collusion agreement that was part of the bidding process to make sure she wasn’t breaking it by switching firms. She said her decision at the time came from knowing half the board wanted her to be the town-

ship attorney and the other half wanted Dolan. Dolan reached out to McGrail, once the bids were public, to see if she wanted to join his firm.

“To me, it just seemed like a win-win,” McGrail said.

Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.

13650 E. Eleven Mile Rd. Warren, MI 48089

FALLEN GIs REMEMBERED AN OCEAN AWAY

DETROIT SOLDIER’S REMAINS STILL MISSING

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Each time Bart van der Sterren visits the Netherlands American Cemetery, he places a bouquet of fresh flowers at the Wall of the Missing.

The heartfelt gesture honors the memory of U.S. soldier Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe, a Detroit native who went missing in November 1944 during World War II. His remains have never been found.

Van der Sterren, a resident of Schinveld, Netherlands, is among many volunteers who have adopted American GIs buried at the cemetery, located in the European town of Margraten, Netherlands.

Approximately 8,300 U.S. military service members killed in combat during Operation Market Garden and the Allied push into Nazi Germany are laid to rest there. Also remembered are the 1,700 soldiers whose names are listed on the Wall of the Missing, including Wolfe’s. The cemetery was built on land where the U.S. Army’s 30th Infantry Division liberated Dutch citizens in September 1944.

Rows of crosses — each etched with a deceased soldier’s name, rank, unit, hometown and date of death — line the cemetery’s open fields. Each headstone, along with displayed flags of America and the Netherlands, pay tribute to the U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Dutch people constructed the cemetery to show their gratitude to the U.S. troops who liberated their country during wartime. The cemetery officially opened July 7, 1960.

“It is important that people around the world, especially America, read that these young heroes did not die in vain, but for our freedom more than over 78 years ago,” van der

FRIDAY 5/24

Sterren, a World War II buff, said via email. Through the Margraten Adoption Graves Foundation, volunteers can adopt an American soldier. Currently, all the graves and names of the Wall of the Missing have been adopted. Because so many people want to pay tribute to the soldiers, sometimes there is a waiting list to adopt. Volunteers bring flowers to remember the service members and also conduct research on their own to learn more about their lives. Van der Sterren said a visitors center was built recently, which he described as “beautiful” and “worth a visit.”

Van der Sterren, 58, who speaks Dutch, German and English, lives about 40 minutes from the cemetery. He visits it four times a year. Each year, a ceremony in honor of the U.S. Memorial Day is held. This year’s event is scheduled for May 26, one day before the official holiday.

This past winter, van der Sterren contacted C & G Newspapers after an article appeared in the Eastsider about someone with a last name that is similar to a soldier buried at the cemetery. He wanted to know if there was a connection, but there wasn’t.

However, there was a local tie from across the Atlantic Ocean because one of the soldiers van der Sterren adopted — Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe — hailed from Detroit. In an email interview, van der Sterren shared details about the service member and the efforts to find his remains, which so far have been unsuccessful.

Wolfe, born in 1913, was a technical sergeant with the 28th Infantry Division, 109th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion Company A. He was last seen Nov. 17, 1944, in a forest near the town of Hürtgen, Germany. He is still listed as missing in action.

See SOLDIERS on page 17A

RIGHT: Bart van der Sterren, a resident of Schinveld, Netherlands, has adopted two soldiers, including Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe, of Detroit. Pictured here van der Sterren stands below Wolfe’s name at the Wall of the Missing.

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS ON SALE AT JIMMY JOHN’S FIELD!

The Netherlands American Cemetery was built on land where the U.S. 30th Infantry Division liberated the Dutch citizens in September 1944.

Photo by Brian Louwers

ABOVE: Detroit native Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe, who has been missing in action since November 1944, is among the U.S. soldiers remembered at the Netherlands American Cemetery.

Photo provided by Susan Miller

Photo provided by Bart van der Sterren

Cannon

discharged into the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair. This led to a state-issued administrative consent order to end the discharges during heavy rains.

“(Public Services Director) Mary Bednar was the architect behind that,” Cannon said. “After $33 million plus, we now have a system that is in compliance with the state. We are very proud of it.”

Bednar was hired by Cannon in 2001 as a township engineer. In 2011, she moved into her current position as director of public services. Bednar was hired initially, in part, to help address the issue. She said Cannon was an advocate for making sure the river was clean.

“His role was always to make sure we were on track and doing what was right,” Bednar said. “He is a big fan of the river and always doing the right thing for the river.”

Barry Miller was hired by Cannon as a building inspector for the township in 2003. Since, Miller has worked his way to superintendent for the Building Department.

“In the polarizing political climate we’re in today, Bob’s always been pretty straight forward with being able to do what’s right for the people of the community,” Miller said.

Miller said Cannon has been supportive of his department heads.

“Not the type of person who throws people under the bus,” Miller said. “He backs his department heads. He cares about what he does, he’s been great to work for.”

“He was always willing to listen, but he also challenged us,” Bednar said.

Current Clinton Township Treasurer Paul Gieleghem has been working with Cannon since his time on the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. The two go back 20 years. He said he respects what Cannon has done for the township.

“While Bob and I haven’t always agreed on issues, there’s been a lot of attention paid to when we’ve disagreed, we’ve agreed more than we’ve disagreed,” he said.

Trustee Mike Keys and Cannon have locked horns a few times over the years. While he’s interested to see a “reinvigoration” of the supervisor position, he commended Cannon’s commitment to the township.

“I am appreciative of his efforts to improve the lives of Clinton Township residents and wish him well as he enters a new phase of life,” Keys said in a statement.

Impact beyond government

Cannon was a business teacher at Stevenson High School for 25 years while he was a trustee. He said he wouldn’t rule out returning to the profession.

“I loved teaching,” Cannon said. “I’m not discounting going back into teaching after I retire from this job.”

He also coached a variety of sports ranging from girls softball to boys track. Cannon had a background in this area, playing multiple sports at Lakeview High School and going on to play baseball at Wayne State University. Rick Bye, who was Stevenson’s football coach at the time, said Cannon was dependable and personable.

“He was really well liked and very supportive of the programs at Stevenson,” Bye said.

“As a coach with us he did a nice job,” said Robin Dilday, who was the athletic director for Utica Community Schools at the time.

Gold Star memorial

While playing baseball at Wayne State, Cannon shattered his left arm. This sidelined him from serving in Vietnam, but it didn’t prevent him from being an advocate for veterans. As supervisor, he helped bring Clinton Township a memorial for Gold Star families in 2021. The memorial is one of two in Michigan (the other is in Bay City). Karen

Straffon, who works with Wreaths Across America, helped advocate to get it put in the township.

“He was very, very instrumental,” Straffon said about Cannon’s involvement. “He’s got a bench out there for his uncle who was killed in World War II. He was there from Day 1 with us. There’s no other place I could imagine it being.”

“I grew up in a Gold Star family,” Cannon said. “My uncle, who I was named after, was killed. He was (in) a bomber over Germany and was shot down. I know what it’s like to have the pain of losing someone and having the families grieve.”

‘He’ll still be active’

Though he won’t be the supervisor, Cannon said that he plans to still be involved in Clinton Township.

“Honestly, even when he retires from here, he’ll still be active,” Miller said. “He cares about the community. He cares about what’s going on.”

“I think this is a good time to reflect back,” Gieleghem said. “Bob has been with the township for a long time. That’s a huge commitment he’s made to Clinton Township. He steered the township through a few rough patches. I very much respect his longstanding service to this community.”

Former Clinton Township Treasurer Bill Sowerby worked with Cannon for 20 years and has known him longer.

“He served the Clinton Township community very well,” Sowerby said. “He was committed to keeping the Clinton Township community a great place to live. For all of his years of service he now deserves a happy retirement from public life.”

“This is a community I worked hard in, that many people have worked hard to help me in,” Cannon said. “I will continue to make sure we do the best we possibly can with our limited resources. I am not going away.”

Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF HARRISON

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE HARRISON TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2024 AT 7:00 P.M. IN ROSSO MEMORIAL HALL, 38255 L’ANSE CREUSE ROAD, IN SAID TOWNSHIP, FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING AN APPEAL BY: CASE #05-24-ZBA: Wesley Howell – 41576 Clairpointe Property #17-12-16-229-002 Harrison Twp., MI 48045 (R1-C)

PURPOSE OF REQUEST: Requesting a 10% impervious surface variance from Article 14, Section 14.09, to install a concrete patio BY REASON OF: Charter Township of Harrison Code of Ordinances Article 14, Section 14.09 – R1-C

Notice is further given that the Charter Township of Harrison Zoning Board of Appeals may modify or change the variance(s) as requested, including granting of variance(s) for said purpose, which may create another and different variance(s) from the requirements of the above cited Charter Township of Harrison ordinance, all within its discretion and as otherwise permitted by law. Any interested person(s) may appear or be represented at said meeting.

Additional information or comments, written or oral, will be received at the Harrison Township Offces, 38151 L’Anse Creuse Rd, Harrison Twp., MI, 48045 (586-466-1461) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday. Individuals with disabilities or impairments who plan to attend this meeting should contact the Planning / ZBA Department at (586) 466-1461 or email pc-zba@harrison-township.org if auxiliary aids or services are needed.

INTRODUCTION

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF HARRISON MACOMB, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 406

0157-2421

AN ORDINANCE TO REGULATE HAZARDOUS SCENARIOS WHICH RESULT IN THE NECESSITY OF AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE BY THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF HARRISON, TO PROVIDE FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF RECOVERABLE EXPENSES TO THE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE OF COSTS INCURRED BY THE TOWNSHIP IN CONNECTION WITH PROVIDING CERTAIN FIRE EMERGENCY SERVICES, TO PROVIDE FOR A CIVIL RESPONSIBILITY VIOLATION WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP, TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF BLIGHT TO INCLUDE JUNK VESSELS AND TO REPEAL ANY AND ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT THEREWITH.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the full text of the Ordinance No. 406, introduced by the Harrison Township Board of Trustees on May 13, 2024 is now available upon request at the Harrison Township Clerk’s Offce located at 38151 L’Anse Creuse Road. This Ordinance shall become effective 30 days from the date of publication hereof after adoption.

Adam Wit MMC, MiPMC, Clerk (586) 466-1406

Published: Journal 05/22/2024 0425-2421

Published: Journal 05/22/2024

Cherry Street

curbs being removed, traffic calming obstacles placed down and retractable bollards installed where Macomb Place intersects with Walnut and Pine streets.

“You look behind you and you see these 8-inch, 10-inch curbs; we’re raising that all up,” said Kyle Seidel, lead project engineer from the engineering firm Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick. “It’s going to be a plaza down here. It’s going to be super pedestrianfriendly and we’re super-duper excited.”

Shipman began the celebration by remarking about the city’s lack of funds for a full-scale overhaul of the downtown and declaring Mayor Laura Kropp the person most responsible for making the project a reality. As Shipman told the gathered crowd, Kropp aimed to find a way to improve the prospects of city businesses and renovate the downtown area amidst the economic environment of the then-raging COVID-19 pandemic.

“We all said she’s crazy; we said this woman has got to be crazy to think that during all this, this can happen,” Shipman said. “But she believed in it, and she got the DDA to believe in it, and in November of 2021 they commissioned a rendering of what this could look like. And then they got the City Commission to believe in it, and then we got the MEDC to believe in it. And pretty soon we were coming close to $300 million and this dream started to become more of a reality.”

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation provided a $813,000 grant, the city’s Downtown Development Authority provided $200,000 and $1.5 million came from the city itself, including $334,000 from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation. U.S. Representative John James, R-Shelby Township, was able to bring $3.5 million in federal funding to the project, making the total amount of project funding $6.05 million.

“The $3.5 million belongs to the people of Mount Clemens, and money is best spent closest to the people who have made it,” James said. “I strongly believe good things happen in the middle, and this is how this happened: a bunch of people putting partisanship aside and putting pragmatism forward to take care of people in our communities and to give them their money back.”

Kropp’s telling of the project’s founding differed slightly from Shipman’s. The project was initially trying to find a solution to flooding at the Cherry Street Mall, but even those far from the business of government and commerce could tell the area needed

more than drainage improvements.

“I have a vivid memory of walking down Macomb Place, holding the hands of both of my boys because they were little enough to hold my hands still, on a sunny afternoon,” Kropp said. “I remember Miles, my youngest, looking up at me and saying ‘Mama, they need to fix this.’ And I said, ‘Miles, you’re not wrong.’ We really need to fix this, and the time is now.”

Seidel told people the project will be completed within the year, a timeline that Kropp echoed with a plea to residents to pardon the coming dust and continue supporting local businesses.

“During this project we will be closing Macomb Place, making it inconvenient to get to the businesses of this area,” Kropp said. “Please help me in making sure all of these businesses are here for our ribbon cutting ceremony by eating out at the restaurants and shopping at all of our stores located in this area. I know I can count on our community to support these businesses during this construction.”

Support for local businesses was high among speakers. State Rep. Denise Mentzer, D-Mount Clemens, a former city commissioner, gave shout-outs to Ardis Music, Deep Cuts Barbershop, Weirdsville Records, Paperback Writers Bookstore and other businesses of the Macomb Place-Cherry Street area.

“These are the people that make the city of Mount Clemens great,” Mentzer said. “It’s not me, it’s not John James; it’s these guys who believe in the city who are here for it always … This is what makes the difference in Mount Clemens. It is the people who live and work here and have stuck this out through good times and bad.”

Excitement, bordering on shock, for the project was common among local speakers. Multiple people said they did not expect the project to happen in their lifetimes.

“I’m going to get emotional because I’ve been in this job for 24 years, dreaming and believing and wanting so much more for our downtown, and finally we got a team together that had a dream, too,” Mount Clemens DDA Coordinator Michelle Weiss said. “Dreams do come true, and teamwork makes that happen. It’s not one or two people.”

The Downtown Revitalization Project is only one of the major undertakings Mount Clemens residents can expect to plan around this year. A project to replace parts of the city’s underground water infrastructure is underway ahead of its planned entrance into the Great Lakes Water Authority while demolition of the old Manchester Mount Clemens Motel is expected this fall.

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

Photo by Dean Vaglia

Mayor Laura Kropp listens to City Manager Gregg Shipman at the Mount Clemens Downtown Revitalization Project groundbreaking as audience members applaud Kropp for her role in the project.

Image provided by Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick

A rendering of the finished Downtown Revitalization Project viewed from the Cherry Street Mall. The project, with over $6 million in funding, will further pedestrianize the area. Work is expected to be finished within the year.

PUBLIC NOTICE of BUDGET HEARING RED OAK ACADEMY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lancers reprise role as team to beat in girls track and field

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The L’Anse Creuse track and field program has used just about every surface to practice on this season — except its own track.

Back in November 2023, the school tore out the track in an effort to resurface it. But because of the Michigan winter, that never came to fruition.

On top of having their home field ripped away from them, the Lancers were also making a jump from the Macomb Area Conference Gold, which they won last year, to the MAC Blue.

“It was difficult to start off with because in previous years, we were able to get out on the track early because we had our own,” junior Moriah White said. “We were a lot more conditioned and a lot more prepared with the ways of the track compared to this season where we were running inside the hallways. It just doesn’t give the same feel. It was a lot more difficult going from the hallways to another school’s track meet and having to adjust to what you like and learning your strides and stuff like that.”

Regardless of the setbacks of practicing in narrow hallways or on uneven fields, L’Anse Creuse girls track and field dominated its new division, posting a 5-0 record in dual meets and winning the MAC Blue division championship meet on May 14 at Warren Mott High School. The L’Anse Creuse boys team, which won the MAC Gold last year, finished in a three-way tie with War-

ren Mott and Marine City for the MAC Blue dual league title and won the divisional meet.

It’s been a community effort for the girls team as throwers, jumpers, sprinters and long-distance runners have all contributed.

“It’s amazing that we have done as well as we have without having a track to practice on,” L’Anse Creuse girls track and field head coach Ken Render said. “We have practiced in the hallways of the school, we have practiced in the gymnasium, and we’ve practiced a couple days over at Middle School South. To practice hurdles and to practice relay exchanges with marked relay zones and things like that, we haven’t done that. The only kind of real-life practice we get is at meets. It’s been an incredible challenge.”

The Lancers could point to just about anybody this year as an impact player with junior Shelby Stabile (long distance), sophomore Londyn Hollins (hurdles), senior Toni Brooks (hurdles), senior Kamryn Pitts (400/800), senior Raine Redding (thrower), junior MaKenzie Johnson (thrower), and junior Cameron Krause (high jump) leading

Stabile has taken the league by storm this year, putting on a clinic at the divisional meet with first-place finishes in the 800 and 1600-meter race.

Render called upon Stabile to become more confident in her abilities, and Stabile said she’s done just that.

22280 E. Price Dr, Clinton Twp, MI 48305 is holding a Public Hearing

Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 5:00 p.m., to present their proposed 2024-2025 School Budget to the public. The proposed budget can be viewed on the academy website: https://redoak.geeacademies.net/ as of six days prior to the meeting. The public is invited to attend.

Drunk Driving

• Divorce, Custody Support & Parenting Time

• Bankruptcy

• Drivers License Restoration

• Personal Injury

• Criminal

• Wills, Estates, Trusts & Lady Bird Deeds

the way.

Photo by Erin Sanchez

L’Anse Creuse sophomore Londyn Hollins earns first in the 100-meter hurdles at the Macomb Area Conference Blue divisional meet on May 14 at Warren Mott High School.

RIGHT: On May 3, Macomb Community College celebrated its 110th commencement ceremony inside the Sports & Expo Center on the South Campus in Warren.

ABOVE: Graduates Kyra Jefferson, left, David Hendren, center, both of Chesterfield Township, and Robin Averitt, right, of Roseville, were the guest speakers for the evening. Faculty awarded approximately 1,300 associate degrees for the winter semester to about 550 graduates.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

Soldiers

from page 12A

Going through the proper procedures, van der Sterren obtained Wolfe’s Individual Deceased Personnel File. Inside the file was a map the captain of Wolfe’s troop drew, indicating his last known whereabouts. It is highly suspected that Wolfe lost his life near the village of Hürtgen, southeast of Aachen, Germany.

Wolfe, 31, “died in his own foxhole during combat. Due to the rapid advance of the Germans, Wolfe and others were buried quickly on the spot,” according to van der Sterren’s research. “At the end of the Second World War, there was heavy fighting here, a battle that was given the name ‘death factory.’ The conditions in this period were extremely miserable due to violent enemy artillery fire that sowed death and destruction.”

With the help of various organizations, including the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, van der Sterren tried to find the missing soldier through aerial photographs, metal detectors and ground-penetrating radar.

“After a week of digging in Hürtgen (in 2018) and finding several hidden foxholes containing ammunition, bullets, mortars, hand grenades and personal military items, we were unable to find Cliffe H. Wolfe,” van der Sterren said.

‘I think it’s so nice to have Cliffe’s memory being honored.’

Wolfe’s family members, including nieces Susan (Wolfe) Miller and Nancy (Wolfe) Jordan, found out about the cemetery through van der Sterren. Their dad (Wolfe’s older brother) was Charles Wolfe, who served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, Charles, his wife Margaret and their daughters lived in Detroit for many years. At one time, Charles served as Detroit Public Schools superintendent. He died in 1990.

Nancy was a toddler when Wolfe went missing and Miller was born in 1947, after the war. When Miller found out about the Netherlands American Cemetery, she put together a book of photos and essays about her uncle for van der Sterren. Although Miller has not visited the cemetery, she stays in touch with van der Sterren.

“I think it’s absolutely wonderful the Dutch people have honored the soldiers all these years. I think it’s so nice to have Cliffe’s memory being honored,” said Miller, who now resides in Rochester, New York. “It was such a lovely thing to know the Dutch country was taking care of our uncle who

has never been found, but are honoring his sacrifice.”

Although Miller never knew her uncle, she felt his presence through the many stories her father and grandparents told. He was an educator at the Merrill-Palmer Institute in Detroit when he joined the Army in early 1942.

“Cliffe sounded like a lovely person,” she said. “I had a lot of pictures of my dad and Cliffe growing up. He was tall and lanky and very handsome.”

Before the Wolfe brothers left for combat, their parents — Miller’s grandparents — moved to a cottage in Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. At Wolfe’s request, his parents lit a lamp every evening at the cottage in the front window until the boys came home.

Wolfe attended Northwestern High School in Detroit and after graduation enrolled at Wayne State University, when it was called Wayne University. According to information Miller obtained from her sister, who lives in Maryland, Wolfe was in a long-term relationship with a young woman in Detroit when he left for the military.

Miller said her uncle had an interest in the Appalachian Mountains and its people. He even built a cabin nestled in Berea, Kentucky. Miller, too, sensed the pain his loss brought to the family.

“The sadness of Cliffe’s death really hung over my childhood,” she said.

‘Now it’s war time.’

As a keepsake, Miller still has the letters Wolfe wrote to his parents while overseas.

“He was a beautiful writer,” Miller said. “His expressiveness was beautiful.”

In one written correspondence dated Dec. 7, 1942 — exactly one year after the Pearl Harbor attack — Wolfe wrote to his parents about the memories he had of opening presents on Christmas Day, including the year the family got its first-ever Victrola.

“Playing that grand music, we were so thrilled,” he wrote, according to Miller. “Now it’s war time. It’s hard to look into the immediate future.”

In another letter entrusted to the keeping of his chaplain, Wolfe wrote, “Dear Mother and Pop: This may reach you if anything happens to me. I hope and pray that when all of this horrible war is over, I’ll be coming home to you. But ahead of me lies a great deal of danger and life is not very highly valued.

“We will be going into a tremendous battle soon and we all know that many will not live through it. If this should reach you because I’ll not be home, you’ll know, my dears, that my love for you continues eternally in whatever place in the universal realm our Lord has chosen to lead me. I do love you so, Cliffe. “

After Wolfe went missing, the family connected with a liaison officer in an at-

tempt to locate his remains.

“My grandmother wrote 75 to 100 letters from 1945-52,” Miller said. “The military looked so hard for Cliffe and the other soldiers. We know they searched and searched and searched.”

After speaking with the DPAA, there could be another attempt next year to locate Wolfe.

“Hopefully in 2025 another search for his remains will take place together with the DPAA and he will be found,” van der Sterren said. “In letters to his mother during the war, he wrote that if he died during the war, he would like to be buried in his hometown.”

Along with Wolfe, van der Sterren, who is married and has two grown sons, adopted another soldier named Hans Bermayr, who was killed in action Feb. 26, 1945. His hometown was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Van der Sterren does not want the members of the U.S. armed forces at the Netherlands American Cemetery to ever be forgotten.

For more information on the Netherlands American Cemetery, visit abmc.gov/ Netherlands.

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

NOTICE

To the residents of the Charter Township of Harrison, County of Macomb, Michigan.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Clerk’s Offce for the Charter Township of Harrison will post, for public inspection, the Agenda for Township Board Meetings and a Synopsis of the approved Meeting Minutes at the Clerk’s Offce located at 38151 L’Anse Creuse Road, and to the Rosso Hall bulletin board located at 38255 L’Anse Creuse Rd. The Agenda and a full text of the Minutes will be available on the Township Website, www.harrisontownshipmi.gov and, upon request from the Clerk’s Offce.

Adam Wit, MMC, MiPMC, Clerk Charter Township of Harrison Published: Journal 05/22/2024

0158-2421

page 15A

“I definitely improved in strategy more,” Stabile said. “I’ve never been as aggressive, and this year I’m learning how to race and actually be competitive and take it seriously.”

Hollins (first) and Brooks (second) finished back-to-back in the 100-meter hurdles at the divisional meet while Hollins would tally another league win in the 300-meter hurdles.

Krause added a first-place finish in the high jump while Redding earned first in discus and second in shot put with sophomore Leah Kern earning second. L’Anse Creuse earned runner-up in all four relays at the divisional meet.

Redding has had her eyes on the state finals all season after coming up just short of qualifying last year, but she should have no problem punching her ticket with the way she’s performing.

“Last year, I missed going to states by a foot,” Redding said. “I’m trying to go to states this year. Also, it was raining last year, so it was like, ‘How would I have done if it wasn’t raining?’”

L’Anse Creuse has also received noticeable contributions from its underclassmen group consisting of freshman Emma Paige (sprinter), freshman Tamara McCall (sprinter), sophomore Breanna Davis (sprinter/long jump), sophomore Addisyn Welles (sprinter), and sophomore Mya Wallick.

The Lancers needed a motivated and fired up group to make the transition to the MAC Blue, and Render said the efforts from every girl in the program have been immeasurable.

“We thought it was going to be a pretty stiff challenge for them, but our girls have done what we’ve asked them to do, and they’ve developed throughout the season,” Render said. “We’ve seen times drop, we’ve seen jumps increase and distances increase, and that has positioned us well for the MAC Blue. We wanted to come in and be competitive, and obviously you want to win the division championship, but we wanted to be competitive, and our girls rose to the task.”

Render wanted to see where his team matched up with the division heading into the season, so his team competed in the Grosse Pointe North Invitational on April 13 at Grosse Pointe North High School.

Grosse Pointe North, which competes in the MAC Red, is two divisions ahead of L’Anse Creuse, so when Render and company walked out of Grosse Pointe North with a first-place finish, he knew the potential of his squad for the season.

“It was a huge confidence builder,” Render said. “It absolutely was. We were ready to compete. The Macomb indoor meet at Macomb Community College was canceled this year, so we really didn’t get a barometer of where our girls were and a feel for where they were. The Grosse Pointe North Invitational allowed us to do that.”

L’Anse Creuse will compete in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Region 10 Championship on May 17 at Romeo High School (after the Journal went to press) in efforts to punch its ticket to the Division 1 state finals.

The region carried a slew of MAC Red teams with Macomb Dakota, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, Romeo and New Baltimore Anchor Bay alongside the best of the MAC White in Utica and Fraser.

The top team at regionals will qualify for the team state finals while individuals can qualify by finishing in the top 2 in their respective event or by reaching the additional qualifying times or mark for field events, which can be found on the MHSAA website under the boys/girls track and field section.

State finals or not, the Lancers girls track program is evolving, and sweeping the league for the first time since 2013 is a huge building block for the future.

“We have a group of dedicated girls, and I think that feeds the track program because people know the reputation that we’ve had,” Render said. “We’re a smaller school in Macomb County, and we can develop talent. There’s some genetics involved in it, but the development of our talent is kudos to our coaching staff and our girls because they work hard.”

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

Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse freshman Emma Paige gives it her all in the long jump.

Photo by Erin Sanchez

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MAY 26

Remember & Honor: Car, truck and motorcycle show, plus food, music, raffles, door prizes and awards, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 33320 Kelly Road in Clinton Township, call Kim at (586) 610-2990 or Mike at (586) 823-9338

MAY 31

PRISM Men’s Chorus: 8 p.m., Macomb Center for the Perfoming Arts on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, (586) 286-2222, macombarts@macomb. edu, macombcenter.com

MAY 31-JUNE 1

Mount Clemens Cruise: Live entertainment and open cruising 5-10

p.m. May 31, car show 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and open cruising 3-9 p.m. June 1, Main and Market streets, mountclemenscruise.com

JUNE 4

Breakfast of Nations: Hear from Macomb County residents who immigrated and became successful in community, registration and food at 8 a.m., panel discussion at 8:30-10 a.m., Macomb Intermediate School District, 44001 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, (586) 7315400, info@connectmacomb.com, connectmacomb.com

JUNE 5

Preplanning seminars with Resurrection Cemetery: 9 a.m., O’Halloran’s Public House and Hall, 112 Macomb Place in Mount Clemens, also 9:30 a.m., Fern Hill Golf Club, 17600 Clinton River Road in Clinton Township, registration required, mtelliott.com/res-seminar

JUNE 8

Fishing derby: Also free lunch and prizes for kids, 8-11a.m., Lake St. Clair Metropark, 31300 Metropolitan Parkway in Harrison Township, registration and park pass required, harrisontownshipmi.gov, prose@ harrisontownshipmi.gov

JUNE 8-9

3v3 basketball tournament: Inagural event hosted by L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, for boys and girls 12-18, three-game guarantee, L’Anse Creuse High School-North, 23700 21 Mile Road in Macomb

2 3 Create a CitySpark account using your name, email and password Fill in your event information,

Township, register by May 24, ellulni@lc-ps.org, schoolpay.com/pay/ for/3v3-Basketball-Tournament/SFnfXH

ONGOING

Farmers markets: 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays until Nov. 23, City Park & Ride Lot, 141 N. River Road in Mount Clemens, (586) 493-7600, facebook.com/MountClemensFarmersMarket

• 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 8, July 13, Aug. 10 and Sept. 14, John F. Kennedy Knights of Columbus Council #5460, 33320 Kelly Road in Clinton Township, (586) 610-2990

Car shows: 4-8 p.m. Wednesdays, Louie’s Towne Grill, 79 N. Main St. in Mount Clemens

Macomb County Biennial Primary Student Show: Works by grades K-6, on display until June 1, Anton Art Center, 125 Macomb Place in Mount Clemens, (586) 469-8666, theartcenter.org

Widowed Friends breakfasts: 10:30 a.m. every second Monday of

month, Big Boy, 16880 Hall Road in Clinton Township, RSVP to Gerry at (586) 556-9471

• 10 a.m. every third Friday of month, The Pantry, 44945 Morley Drive in Clinton Township, RSVP to Loree at (810) 335-2096

Knitting and crochet circle: 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays, Harrison Township Public Library, 38255 L’Anse Creuse, Suite A, projects donated to charitable organizations, group in need of yarn, fleece craft store gift cards, (586) 329-1261, htlibrary.org

Men overcoming loss of partner/spouse: Meetings

Suspect vanishes after overpayment

GROSSE POINTE CITY — A 21-year-old Detroit man is being sought for the crime of larceny by conversion after he reportedly refused to return overpayment after he was accidentally overpaid by a business in the 600 block of St. Clair Avenue. According to a police report, the suspect was hired to work for $15 an hour at the business, but the payroll company administering the paychecks is said to have paid him $1,500 an hour instead, resulting in him receiving $16,000 for his first paycheck. The business owners called him to fix the error, but they said he stopped returning their calls and didn’t show up for work again. Police said the investigation was ongoing.

Suspects arrested in armed robbery

GROSSE POINTE CITY/PARK — A 22-year-old Detroit man and a 25-year-old Detroit man were arrested in Grosse Pointe Park May 3 after they were reportedly involved in the theft of multiple pieces of lawn equipment from landscaping trailers, including an armed robbery May 1 in Grosse Pointe City that resulted when a worker confronted one of the suspects in the act and the worker said the suspect pulled a gun on him. Police said the suspects committed several larcenies in Grosse Pointe City and Grosse Pointe Park before they were apprehended.

Cat held hostage

GROSSE POINTE PARK — A 62-year-old Grosse Pointe Park man was arrested April 30 after he reportedly found a cat that his neighbor owned and had reported missing, but he refused to return the cat. The suspect reportedly showed the victim that he had the missing feline but wouldn’t give it back. Police went to the suspect’s home but said he wouldn’t turn the cat over to them, either. The suspect was eventually persuaded to turn the cat over to an animal clinic, after which it was reunited with its owner. Police said the suspect was cited for larceny and disorderly conduct.

Sunglasses stolen GROSSE POINTE WOODS — A woman in her late 20s to early 30s is accused of stealing a $405 pair of Prada sunglasses from a business in the 19000 block of Mack Avenue at around noon April 26. Employees told police the suspect has stolen from the store on three previous occasions.

Fraud reported

ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 3:22 p.m. on April 26, a report was made about an alleged case of fraud that occurred on April 23 in the 22000 block of Revere Street. The victim, a 69-year-old woman, came into the

police station and stated she was defrauded out of $4,000 dollars. She contacted a number on her TV screen who she thought was Hulu. She was reportedly instructed to buy gift cards worth approximately $4,000.

Once the woman had the gift cards, the suspect stated they needed to prove who she was and the woman allowed them to access her phone via an app they told her to download. They helped the woman to create an Apple Pay account where more money was transferred through Zelle.

Police subdue blade wielder outside Fuddruckers

STERLING HEIGHTS — Police said they went to Fuddruckers, 40955 Van Dyke Ave., April 19 after hearing that someone with a hatchet or ax was acting disorderly.

Police said they found the man outside and confronted him, but he allegedly did not follow multiple orders to drop his weapon. The suspect also threatened to harm others and himself, police said.

Police said they subdued the man with a “lessthan-lethal weapon” and then apprehended him.

The Sterling Heights Police Department praised the officers’ performance in a Facebook post.

“The individual who was clearly suffering from mental illness was transported to the hospital for a mental petition,” the department said.

Man evicted from market for insulting, swearing at woman

STERLING HEIGHTS — Police went to a supermarket in the 43000 block of Schoenherr Road April 19 upon hearing that a man allegedly swore at a woman without cause. The man then reportedly followed the woman down an aisle and insulted her and called her an evil woman.

Police said they found the man after he