5/22/24 St. Clair Shores Sentinel

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

With the St. Clair Shores Memorial Day Parade now just days away, committee members and guests are gearing up to participate and have a float load of fun.

Dave Ellis, St. Clair Shores Memorial Day Parade chair, said that while it has been hectic, the parade planning is going as scheduled.

“It’s a hectic period, doing this without rehearsals, but, yeah, I think we’re on track,” Ellis said.

Fallen GIs remembered an ocean away Detroit soldier’s remains still missing

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

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

SCS Memorial Day Parade final touches going well

According to notes written out by Ellis, at the time of publication there were 180 entries, approximately 2,500 participants, more than 150 motorcycles and 330 other vehicles. They also have six high school bands and 20 other musicals groups scheduled to participate.

The parade is on Harper Avenue this year. It starts at Ridgeway Street and goes all the way to 11 Mile Road. Ellis wanted to emphasize the starting point on Ridgeway.

“There’s always confusion about that every year,” Ellis said.

ABOVE: The Netherlands American Cemetery was built on land where the U.S. 30th Infantry Division liberated the Dutch citizens in September 1944. LEFT: 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 by Brian Louwers

Photo provided by Susan Miller

See PARADE on page 8A

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SECOND FRONT PAGE

3A/ ST. CLAIR SHORES SENTINEL • MAY 22, 2024

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

In a 4-2 vote at its April 15 meeting, the St. Clair Shores City Council approved to accept, if awarded, a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant.

Councilman John Caron and Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Candice Rusie voted no.

Mayor Kip Walby was excused and Rusie conducted the meeting.

The grant, according to items attached to the agenda, would help cover the cost of three added employees for the St. Clair Shores Fire Department in the amount of $1,478,932.86.

According to the attachment, the Fire Department previously presented its case to the City Council to increase its overall staffing by three

firefighter/paramedics, thus raising each unit’s full complement to 16.

“Currently, the third off position is filled through overtime and the Fire Department has requested to change this to a full-time employee,” the item stated.

The agenda item also stated that the grant would allow the department to fill the positions

Shores council to accept SAFER grant, if awarded OLD JAIL OPENED FOR TOURS

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 Ma-

Photos by Dean Vaglia

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

Custom Closets | Garage Cabinets | Home Of ces

Laundries | Pantries | Wall Beds | Wall Units

Hobby Rooms | Garage Flooring | and more...

Walk in Closet

Walk in Closet

Bird-watching teaches patience, offers relaxation

BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Bird-watching takes patience and precision, but it pays off in the end for those looking to learn more about the magnificent creatures that fly and capture the perfect shot.

Rosann Kovalcik, a bird-watcher and birding expert from Grosse Pointe Woods, said a high school biology teacher at Lake Shore High School started a bird-watching club. A member of that club lived down the street from her and they enjoyed the hobby together. She was 16 years old at the time and now she is going to be 70.

One of the things she loves most about birding is the diversity she sees in the birds she encounters.

“Not only different species but within the species you can see how there’s the differences between how males and females act and the different habitats that they favor based upon what their food sources are and their nesting habits,” Kovalcik said. “So yeah, I really love the diversity of it.”

She also loves how she can enjoy the hobby anywhere she goes.

“You can be anyplace in the world and there’s going to be birds there to watch, pretty much,” Kovalcik said.

Kovalcik has seen around 4,000 birds over her years of bird-watching. Though most of the time she watches birds in her backyard, Kovalcik also leads bird walks at the Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, and she visits her cottage near the Sleeping Bear Dunes as well.

Kovalcik said she recommends others get involved in bird-watching.

“It’s known to lower your blood pressure, calm you down, put you in touch with

the important elements of the out of doors that just make you (a) more peaceful and calm person,” Kovalcik said.

She added that bird-watching also keeps a person sharp.

“As we age and we want to do something that keeps our brains fired, it’s a good one,” Kovalcik said. “You know you get your binoculars out, you’re looking at something, what is this, what clues am I looking for. It’s like a great game.”

Kovalcik said she saw the popularity of bird-watching increase during the COVID-19 pandemic and most of the people who got into it stayed with the hobby.

“Many people took up birding and being out of doors, so it happened both at homes and on the trails,” Kovalcik said. “It’s hugely popular now. There’s many Facebook pages that are devoted to it. It’s definitely seen a big uptick.”

Jack Padley, a bird-watcher and photographer from New Hudson, said he tries to photograph as many birds as he can in a year.

“And then my sister and I look at the photos and the ones that I don’t know what they are, she’s always there to tell me what they are,” Padley said. “I just love being able to go out into nature and walking around and finding birds.”

Padley has filmed and photographed different birds in their natural habitats such as woodpeckers pecking at trees and herons when they’re fishing. He also said he has seen birds when they are born in the spring and has watched them grow up over the course of the season.

“So I’m more into the photography bit of it than actually knowing what each bird is,” Padley said.

Padley started photographing birds in

See BIRD-WATCHING on page 21A

provided by Bart van der Sterren Bart van der Sterren, a resident of Schinveld, Netherlands, has adopted two soldiers, including Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe, of Detroit.

Missing.

Soldiers

from page 1A

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

See SOLDIERS on page 18A

Photo

Pictured here van der Sterren stands below Wolfe’s name at the Wall of the

from page 1A

At 12:45 p.m., an advance group of police vehicles will drive down the street, Ellis said.

The parade is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on May 26.

“But we also run the motorcycles and some other groups, then some of the older cars and stuff like that, sort of an advanced guard to get the streets cleared for the parade,” Ellis said. “The worst thing (about) the parade is waiting for it to start, so we like to tee it up with something a little bit sooner.”

Lt. Matt McCallister from the St. Clair Shores Police Department said in an email that Harper Avenue will close down at 11:45 a.m. and will reopen when the parade ends.

The grand marshal for the parade this year is United States Air Force pilot Madison Marsh. According to notes written by Ellis, Marsh graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2023 with a degree in astrophysics. She was also crowned Miss America in 2024 and is the first member of the United States armed forces to have that honor.

The St. Clair Shores Veteran of the

Year is United States Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class John Atkinson. According to the notes, Atkinson is 98 years old and served in World War II and the Korean War. He has been a resident of St. Clair Shores for 55 years and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 40 years.

Ellis said there are at least four veterans who will be driven near the front of the parade who are 98 years old or older.

To celebrate the parade, the night before on May 25, there will be a lighted drone show in the St. Clair Shores social district. The exact time is not known yet, but it should last around 20 minutes, Ellis said.

“It’s the first time one has ever been done in St. Clair Shores,” Ellis said. “The parade committee’s kind of excited to bring that to the city also.”

Councilman Dave Rubello said he’s definitely excited for the parade in general.

“This is the best one we ever did,” Rubello said.

A few of the entries include the Masonic Lodge, the Big Head Corp from Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Detroit Shriners Shrine Clown Unit. Rubello said they haven’t had the Shriners in the parade in years.

“It’s good to have them back in the parade,” Rubello said. “They’ve got a clown

team. They’ve got an honor guard. It’s good for the kids.”

He also said St. Clair Shores should be proud to get Miss America to come to the parade.

“It’s the first time ever in the history of the parade,” Rubello said.

McCallister said in the email he wanted to stress to parents to keep an eye on their children throughout the duration of the parade.

“It is not uncommon at these events with large crowds of thousands of spectators for children to walk away and not remember where their parents are,” McCallister said in

the email. “Also, keep an eye on the children that run into the street after candy that has been thrown short of the curb.”

Parking rules for the parade are the same as they are on any given day and lots of vehicles will be parked on side streets along the parade route.

“It’s important to remember that these vehicles cannot block residents’ driveways, fire hydrants, sidewalks or be parked too close to stop signs,” McCallister said in the email. “I would stress the importance of driving safely and slowly due to the number of children that will be on foot in the area.”

See PARADE on page 23A

NEWS & NOTES

Historical Society to host open house

The St. Clair Shores Historical Society will host an open house from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on May 18 at the Selinsky-Green Farmhouse Museum.

Councilman John Caron explained at the May 6 council meeting that the society is an offshoot of the Historical Commission. They are looking to increase their membership. They document the history of the city and preserve historical areas.

“It’s a great way to come on out, see the farmhouse and talk to historical society members about potentially joining,” Caron said. “Appreciate anyone interested, coming out to that event.”

The museum is located at 22504 East 11 Mile Road.

Selinsky-Green Farmhouse Museum to host natural dye workshop

The Selinsky-Green Farmhouse Museum is hosting a natural dye workshop from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on June 1.

The workshop focuses on using natural materials to dye items like people back in the day did it.

Registration for the event starts on May 10 and there is a $10 fee. To register visit the library circulation desk in the library on 22500 East 11 Mile Road.

LIBRARY TO HOST MICHIGAN

NOTABLE BOOKS AUTHOR TALK

The St. Clair Shores Public Library will host a Michigan Notable Books author talk at 6 p.m. on June 13 at the library.

The author is R.S. Deeren, who will discuss his 2024 Michigan Notable Book, “Enough To Lose.” According to a press release, the book is a collection of short stories about life in rural Michigan.

“The book’s 9 short stories give snapshots of reoccurring characters’ lives in Caro, Michigan from the Great Flood of 1986 to the 2016 presidential election,” the press release stated.

This event will take place in the library’s meeting room and a book signing will take place after the talk. Patrons can preorder Deeren’s book by visiting Alcott’s Attic website at www.alcottsattic.com/michigannotablebookspreorder. Preorders will be available before the talk for pickup. Limited copies will be available the night of the talk.

All ages are welcome at this event. Registration is required and begins on May 28. To register, visit the library’s online calendar of upcoming events, call (586) 771-9020 or visit the library’s information desk.

According to the release, the event is sponsored by the Library of Michigan, the Library of Michigan Foundation, and Michigan Humanities which is partly funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Hear stories about

memorable train robberies

The St. Clair Shores Public Library is hosting Roger Scovill from the Steam Railroading Institute at 7 p.m. on June 3 at the library.

Scovill will tell stories about memorable train robberies in Michigan. No registration is required for this event and all ages are welcome.

Lake Shore Public Schools celebrates 101st graduating class

Lake Shore Public Schools will celebrate their 101st commencement this year on June 1 with 190 graduates.

The keynote speaker will be Kara Wolfbauer, a 2019 Lake Shore High School graduate. According to a press release, Wolfbauer excelled in the media production program, was her year’s valedictorian and was a decorated collegiate softball player at University of Detroit Mercy. She now works as the official game host for the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red Wings.

“For 101 years, the Lake Shore community has trusted us to educate their children,“ Lake Shore High School Principal Janelle Bross said. “It is not a commitment we take lightly. Graduation is the culmination of years of hard work from students as well as teachers and families. This year and every year is a celebration for not just the students, but the entire community as well.”

The ceremony will also include graduation programs, musical performances from the Lake Shore High School band and choir programs, and a live link for families to enjoy the ceremony together.

City of St. Clair Shores

June 2024

City of St. Clair Shores

City of St. Clair Shores

City Council Meetings

June 2024

June 2024

Monday, June 3, 2024 Monday, June 17, 2024

City Council Meetings

City Council Meetings

Monday, June 3, 2024

Monday, June 3, 2024

Monday, June 17, 2024

Monday, June 17, 2024

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

27600 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores

7:00 p.m.

City Hall, Council Chambers

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

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

27600 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores

27600 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores

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

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

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

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

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

Dereen

HOLY PARADE BATmAN!

Congressman John James voted to allow oil drilling in the Great Lakes, including Lake St. Clair!

John James voted against an amendment on January 27, 2023

Roll Call Vote Number 64 to prevent oil drilling in Lake St. Clair and the Great Lakes!

SAFER

right now instead of waiting to allocate money from the general fund.

City Manager Dustin Lent said by this approval, they would accept the award should the application process be successful. He also said this is a zero-match grant for the city and it is fully funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with no requirement of retaining the staff beyond the threeyear period of the grant.

The deadline to submit this grant was April 12 and the department submitted the paperwork on April 9.

The items attached to the agenda stated that the grant could be awarded in July, but Rusie clarified that the grant could be awarded in August.

Caron took issue with the fact that the application was not discussed at the previous two meetings and only at a work study session on March 11. He stated that the discussion at that meeting included increasing staffing to make sure ambulances were fully staffed, not to make sure an additional person was on the fire rig.

meeting. We were subsequently emailed a document the following day that had all the requirements,” Caron said.

They also received an email from the firefighters union, Caron said, that stated the goal of the SAFER grant is to comply with federal regulations. In order to do that they need to have five firefighters staffed per engine and they currently only have two.

“It actually even states in ‘the chances of being awarded a grant for three firefighters is highly unlikely as SAFER heavily weighs the department’s ability to meet NFPA 1710 prior to the award and after the award is given,’” Caron said. “So even the firefighters union itself was not aligned with administration bringing this forward.”

Caron wanted the grant application to come before the City Council for consideration and editing prior to being submitted on April 9. There were many questions he had while going through the application including what the Fire Department’s financial needs are, whether everything was compiled with and how the narrative was written within the application. He read those questions out loud at the council meeting.

They had two opportunities to bring this back for an actual approval where this could have been correctly gone through and debated and not covered afterward.”

Lent said they did talk about a lot of what Caron mentioned during the work study session.

“A lot of that is the EMS coverage,” Lent said. “But we also mentioned, and as you stated here in your letter as well from the firefighters, in order to be the most successful in applying for the SAFER grant you really do have to really structure that grant writing to be for the fire engine. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not going to significantly help our EMS issues.”

He also added that while writing a grant they try to emphasize as many points as they can get, and many other grants do not come before council before they are submitted.

Lent said they had the council’s initiative at the work study session, but Caron does not recall coming to a consensus at the meeting. No votes are cast or counted at work study sessions.

Lent also clarified the union’s letter, stating it wanted to add six individuals instead of three. He said they mentioned it briefly during the work study session and the council didn’t want to be on the hook for six individuals.

Having six more firefighter/paramedics would help with both fire rescue and EMS. Lent said he didn’t want to let go of three people when the grant expires, stating that though he didn’t want to speak for the rest of the group, no one wants to do that.

“Once you go to the service of three additional firefighters, losing three additional firefighters is a change of service to the community,” Lent said. “Is there any direct impact, no, but that’s why it was brought in front of council during that work study session and (we) said we are looking for direction.”

If the Fire Department chooses not to go after the SAFER grant after the end of those three years, they could still lay off the three firefighters hired on with the grant. Lent did recognize the possibility of retirements during that time.

“And we were also not given any information regarding the SAFER grant at that

“This is the administration trying to cover themselves,” Caron said. “This is (because) they didn’t want to have a discussion again. They didn’t provide any of the information.

“I will say at that meeting, the indication and direction that was received was, in my opinion, I could have been wrong, from my opinion, was the majority of individuals up here, was (to) proceed with the grant,” Lent said.

Councilman Dave Rubello wanted to have Fire Department representation present and suggested they should table the item.

Councilman Ronald Frederick said he’s been asking for this grant for years and thought they did have a consensus. He reiter-

from page 3A See SAFER on page 27A

Republican Commissioner Barbara Zinner

• We must retain our freedom as a nation.

• Electeds who steal from the citizens should go to prison.

• I promote strong business growth and industry (Bring it back!) for a strong county.

• The family is the cornerstone of society. We must protect our children.

• I am 100% PRO-LIFE as Father Pavone.

• I support Police, Fire, Military and Veterans.

• I work constantly for the cleanliness of our water and health.

SPOTLIGHT ON CHARITIES & NONPROFITS

Foster Care Month highlights need for loving homes, support for foster children

BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com

Around 10,000 children in Michigan are currently in foster care, but the need for loving homes remains constant.

Foster mom Michele Austin decided to open up a foster closet in her own home in 2013 to give other foster families access to items that she knew foster kids needed.

“When my very first foster child came to me, he didn’t have anything, so I started talking to family and friends and opened up the closet in my home to help other foster families,” she said.

The closet grew by leaps and bounds, and in 2018 the Oakland County Foster Closet opened as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and expanded into an office building. Today, the Oakland County Foster Closet, a nonprofit based in Farmington Hills, offers supportive services, supplies and aid to children in the foster care system and to those in crisis situations at no cost.

“We offer all of the basic essentials that kids need in life: hygiene items, clothing, socks, underwear, school supplies — everything that

they would need, and we do that absolutely for free for our foster kids and for low income,” she said.

The closet is currently in dire need of hygiene items such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion toothbrushes, toothpaste and more.

“We’ve seen a significant amount of need, because people are really struggling right now,” said Austin.

The Oakland County Foster Closet also has many volunteer options available, including one-time, once-in-a-while, and weekly opportunities for individuals and groups. For more information, call the Oakland County Foster Closet (248) 419-4487.

“It’s a really fulfilling type of volunteering because you’re seeing the impact and feeling the impact,” Austin said.

May is Foster Care Month, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel said she is thankful for the thousands of families across the state who have already opened up their hearts and homes to care for youth in foster care, but she said more foster families are needed to provide temporary care while the state works to reunify kids with their parents.

“There continues to be a need for more foster families to provide stable and safe family homes for children of all ages in the state’s care,” Hertel said in a statement.

Many foster children have been victims of abuse and neglect, and officials say they need a nurturing environment until they can be safely reunified with their parents or — in a smaller number of cases — until they can find adoptive homes if it’s not safe for them to return home.

In Michigan, the first step to becoming a foster parent is contacting a “foster care navigator” — experienced foster parents who can answer questions, help individuals find an agency that’s right for them, assist families with the foster home licensing process and provide guidance along their journey to becoming a foster parent. A foster care navigator can be reached at 855-MICHKIDS or www.Fcnp.org.

Spaulding for Children — a private, nonprofit child welfare agency located in Southfield — was established in 1968 to find permanent and safe families for children.

Spaulding for Children President and CEO Melissa Jenovai said there is an increased

See FOSTER on page 17A

Volunteers assist at the dessert table during a past Spaulding for Children holiday party for foster families at First Baptist Institutional Church.

Photo provided by Spaulding for Children

Community Choice Foundation continues to ‘Give Big’ with scholarship awards

A credit union is more than a fnancial institution. It’s a community pillar, a job of which is to add strength to the lives of its individual members and the community as a whole.

Founded in 2008 in the grip of the Great Recession, Community Choice Credit Union’s Community Choice Foundation Scholarship Program has awarded a total of $1.6 million in scholarships to 346 recipients over the 15-year life of the program.

“We are one of the largest credit union scholarship programs nationally,” said Kevin McAlpine, CFRE, the foundation’s executive director.

“Currently, we award scholarships to graduating high school seniors, people going into the skilled trades and those continuing their education.”

Tis year, 25 scholars received awards out of a feld of more than 2,500 applicants. A total of $100,000 is awarded annually.

“Te Community Choice Foundation is committed to supporting local causes and nonproft organizations through volunteerism in communities around Michigan where members and team members live, work and play,” McAlpine said. “Te Foundation supports the ‘Give Big’ philosophy of cre-

ating sustained and lasting impact on people’s lives, including causes and nonproft organizations we care about that make a positive difference. We believe in the power of giving back to our community, and with the endless support of our members and team members, we make a tremendous impact on our community by volunteering thousands of hours each year.”

McAlpine added, “Te ability

ways Community Choice Credit Union gives back through the generosity of its members and team members. Other opportunities to “Give Big” include seven Backto-School Bashes at our Hillsdale, Jackson, Livonia, Muskegon - Harvey Street, Roseville, Warren & Wyandotte member centers, where more than 3,200 backpacks will be provided for local students heading

to continue our tradition of giving means a tremendous amount to the entire Community Choice organization. We’d like to send a huge thank you to our members, team members and business partners whose support has made the program a success.”

Scholarship sponsorship opportunities are available.

Te program is just one of the

back to the classroom. Interested in supporting local children with the tools needed to thrive? Sponsorship opportunities are available, and donations can be made online at communitychoicefoundation.org.

For more information about Community Choice Credit Union, the scholarship program and the Community Choice Foundation, visit CommunityChoice.com

comb 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, 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 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.

page 3A See JAIL on page 27A

“Many foot problems in people with diabetes occur when injuries and infections go unnoticed and untreated. Healing can be delayed due to decreased feeling in the feet (neuropathy) and poor circulation. I will evaluate your feet regularly to detect any changes early, before

Foster

awareness of the need to search out relatives for foster children in Michigan.

“If we can’t prevent them from coming in, we know the next best place for them to go would be with a relative,” she said. “We have put a lot more effort into searching for those relatives up front, and the outcomes tend to be much greater for children and youth who are placed with their kinship families — there’s more stability, and there are better mental health outcomes for those kids.”

But, oftentimes, kids who enter the system don’t have a family member available, so the need for nonrelative foster homes remains constant.

“It can take a person, on average, seven years from the time they inquire about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, all the way up until the point that they decide to take that step and become one,” Jenovai noted.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services provides foster families a daily rate to help with the care of foster children based on the age and needs of the child. Foster families also receive a semi-annual clothing allowance, and many families qualify for reimbursement for the costs of day care, according to state officials. Children in foster care are

eligible for Medicaid, which pays for medical, dental and mental health care.

Spaulding for Children offers monthly online orientation classes for those interested in becoming a foster or adoptive family. In June, orientation sessions will be held 6-7:30 p.m. June 12 and 1-2:30 p.m. June 20. Register by contacting Stacey Oakes at (248) 443-0300 or soakes@spaulding.org, or visit www.spaulding. org.

“Coming to an orientation does not commit you to anything. It really just helps you to learn about the need, and maybe if you decide this isn’t something for you, then you can encourage others to reach out and provide support or learn about it to eventually become an adoptive or foster parent,” Jenovai said.

Those who aren’t ready to become a foster or adoptive parent can still offer support to foster children through monetary donations to organizations dedicated to helping those in the system, volunteering during an event and more.

“We really believe that the more opportunities that we involve the community in and offer our families these positive experiences that in turn helps offset some of the trauma that our kids and families have experienced over the years. The more positive events we can have, the better outcomes we hope to be able to provide with our kids and our families,” Jenovai said.

To learn more about foster care, visit Michigan.gov/HopeforaHome.

Appearance by 2024 Parade Grand Marshall, USAF Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh (AKA Miss America 2024!)

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 Sterren, a World War II buff, said via email.

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.

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.”

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.’

from page 6A See SOLDIERS on page 19A

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.

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.

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

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

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

from page 18A

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

See SOLDIERS on page 26A

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Bird-watching

from page 5A

2018 when he retired from C & G Newspapers. He uses his cellphone to take photos which he says takes quality pictures.

“My sister kind of got me into it and I started going out and, you know, taking photos while I was walking around in Kensington Metropark and other places,” Padley said.

Padley was able to keep up his birdwatching hobby during the pandemic since it was out in nature. He said there weren’t many people around and he didn’t have to wear his mask. His favorite place to go birdwatching is Kensington Metropark.

“The other parks are good places too, but Kensington is my favorite,” Padley said. “They have nature trails. They have one that’s called Wildwings and there are plenty of birds out there. And the birds are so used to the humans that they’ll land on your hands and eat bird seed right out of your hands and stuff.”

Padley added the birds will chirp at birdwatchers to feed them. He takes his grandchildren out to the park, and they get a thrill waiting for birds to jump on their hands.

See BIRD-WATCHING on page 24A

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Jack Padley, of New Hudson, started photographing birds in 2018 when he retired from C & G Newspapers.

Photos provided by Jack Padley

CRIME WATCH

Larceny report made

At 7:48 a.m. on May 2, a report was made about a larceny that occurred in the 22000 block of Harper Avenue.

At the stated location, an officer met with the manager of the establishment, a 23-year-old man, who said there was a man who was placing bottles of liquor under other items in his cart. The manager found that to be suspicious. The manager said he wanted the officers to wait out in front so they could apprehend the suspect as he left. The manager also had staff members watching the suspect the entire time through cameras at the door.

A few minutes later, the manager ran out of the store frantically and said they did not know where the suspect or the cart went. He said the suspect must have left through another door. He then pointed to a gold vehicle and said the driver was the suspect they were searching for. The suspect could have gotten scared seeing the police. The staff located the cart and believed a few of the liquor bottles were missing.

Camera footage shows the suspect go to the liquor aisle, take five bottles of liquor and stuff them under some hamburger meat. The suspect went to another aisle, took the bottles from the cart and stuffed them in his back waistband. The manager saved the video to a thumb drive.

Report made about Instagram scam

At 7:24 p.m. on May 10, a report was made about an Instagram scam that occurred in the 27000 block of Joan Street.

Upon arrival, an officer met with a 17-year-old girl and her mother, a 54-year-

old woman. The girl stated that she and a friend, a 16-year-old girl, had their Instagram accounts hacked. A person they believed was their friend asked to be added to their accounts and they added that person. Once added, the unknown suspect took control of both accounts, blocking both girls out. The suspect then reportedly stated they could get their accounts back if the 17-yearold paid them $50 and the 16-year-old paid them $40.

The 16-year-old already contacted Instagram about the issue and the company stated they would get back to her in four to five business days. The two girls did not send any money through a cash app, as requested. A day later, the 17-year-old’s mother came to the station and told police that all the information on both accounts had been changed.

Report made about stolen vehicle

At 6:08 p.m. on May 5, a report was made about a motor vehicle theft that occurred around 5 p.m. in the 22000 block of Gary Lane.

Upon arrival, an officer spoke to the victim, a 44-year-old man, who said that he thought he heard his vehicle start at around 5 p.m. An hour later, he checked outside and his vehicle was missing.

The man said he has the only set of keys and that he believes he locked the vehicle. He doesn’t know anyone who would steal it, does not have any issues with anyone and there were no signs of forced entry. The officer told the man the police would contact him when the vehicle was recovered.

— Alyssa Ochss

page 8A

The Parade Committee is still in need of volunteers. To volunteer for the parade, contact parade@scsmi.net. A volunteer training session will take place on the Thursday before the parade, on May 23 starting at 6 p.m. at the St. Clair Shores City Hall at 27600 Jefferson Avenue. There are many things volunteers can do including helping along the parade route, setting up and much more.

“The feedback we’ve gotten is that people that volunteer to help with the parade for the day really enjoyed the experience and felt like they participated in putting on something that was pretty special,” Ellis said.

Ellis said sometimes there are folks that say it’s the same parade every year and they don’t like certain entries in the parade. He said that though not every entry in the parade is for everybody, there’s something for everybody.

“Something I might not like is somebody else’s favorite thing in the parade,” Ellis said.

Ellis served in the armed forces for 30 years and moved to St. Clair Shores. He said they found it to be a patriotic community and that was a factor in why they decided to stay in the city. He originally heard about the parade and its legacy when he was in Europe.

“I had a number of people tell me, ‘Oh, they run the best parade in the country there,’ so we’ve got to keep that standard up,” Ellis said.

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

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Bird-watching

from page 21A

So far, Padley has taken pictures of around 40 species of birds. The bird he would love to take pictures of are wood ducks, but he says he would need a better lens.

“That would be great, I’d love to see their nest up there and baby wood ducks,” Padley said.

Padley said he loves that the hobby teaches him to be patient and that it’s very relaxing. He recommends others get involved in the hobby.

“Our days are, especially when you, are so hustle-bustle that you’re always busy or you’re paying too much attention to your phone or watching too much TV,” Padley said. “And this actually gets you out walking in nature and just seeing the beauty that God created in all these creatures.”

Kovalcik warns people to not disturb bird nests while birding and to respect their dwellings. She also said not to disturb roosting birds such as owls.

“During the daytime, when owls are roosting, because obviously they’re awake at night, in the daytime is when they’re roosting or sleeping,” Kovalcik said. “You don’t want to approach too closely to disturb them because then their sleep cycle is disturbed. It uses up energy that they wouldn’t need to have used up. And if you flush them on accident, smaller owls can actually get eaten by a larger predator.”

Kovalcik said it’s a good idea for those just getting into bird watching to join field trips through local groups. Macomb Audubon Society, Oakland Audubon Society and the Detroit Bird Alliance offer field trips. She also welcomes beginners at her bird walks at the Ford House.

“It is a good place to get going and to have people explain them to you,” Kovalcik said.

She also recommends folks hang up feeders and watch birds in their yards. Kovalcik personally has seen around 139 species in her yard.

The website for the Oakland Audubon Society is oaklandbirdalliance.org. The website for the Macomb Audubon Society is macombaudubon.net. The website for the Detroit Bird Alliance is detroitbirdalliance.org. The website for the Ford House to find the bird walks is fordhouse.org.

Soldiers

from page 19A

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 attempt 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.

Jail

from page 16A

“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 maxi-

SAFER

from page 11A

ated the amount being awarded by the grant should they get approved.

“To me this is a no brainer,” Frederick said. “Why wouldn’t we do this, right?”

He did acknowledge that attrition is still a factor.

“We’re going to be at a point where we’re going to probably have to look at higher staffing numbers anyway,” Frederick said. “So, to me this was a great way to get us to that point.”

mum 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.

He pointed out that the residents award the council and the city through millages when it comes to police and fire funding.

“Whether it’s us up here or residents at home, I think it’s pretty clear that we should be doing this,” Frederick said.

He also acknowledged Caron’s frustration with the grant process but said it sounds like it was all done legally. He made a motion to approve the item before Rubello motioned to table it.

Councilman Chris Vitale did agree with Caron’s point about there being two previous meetings to look at this, but seconded Frederick’s motion to approve.

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Drive-in movie night: See “Trolls Band Together” at dusk, also food trucks, Veterans Memorial Park, 32400 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, (586) 445-5350, scsmi.net/307/Events

MAY 31-JUNE 2

Veterans Gallery Show: Opening gala 6 p.m. May 31, sip and paint

10 a.m.-5 p.m. June 1, and food trucks 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and music by Joey Vee 2-4 p.m. June 2, Trader Todd’s Marina, 24030 E. Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, facebook.com/ProjectBrotherhoodResolve

JUNE 3

Train robberies in Michigan: Presentation by member of Steam Railroading Institute, 7 p.m., St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, (586) 771-9020, scslibrary.org

JUNE 7

Native plant sale: Hosted by Yardeners of St. Clair Shores, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Selinsky-Green Farmhouse Museum behind St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, scsyardeners@gmail.com

JUNE 13

Michigan Notable Author Talk: R.S. Deeren discusses “Enough To Lose” featuring short stories about life in rural Michigan, 6 p.m., St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, registration required, (586) 771-9020, scslibrary.org

ONGOING

Farmers markets: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays and 5-9 p.m. Thursdays June 13 and 23, July 11 and 28, Aug. 8 and 25, Sept. 22, and Oct. 6, Blossom Heath Park, south of 10 Mile Road on Jefferson Avenue in St. Clair Shores, (586) 445-5350, scsmi.net/307/Events

Music on the Lake: Concert series and food trucks, 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays June 5-Aug. 14 (except July 3), musical lineup includes Bluewater Kings (June 5), American Ages (June 12), Stone Blossoms (June 19), Devin Scillian & Arizona Son (June 26), Rockstar (July 10), Kathleen Murray and The Groove Council (July 17), Elton John tribute Captain Fantastic (July 24), Family Tradition Band (July 31), Randy Brock Group (Aug. 7) and Sunset BLVD (Aug. 14), 7-8:30 p.m., Vet-

ACROSS

1. Clothing joint

5. *Opposite of good

8. *Pre-

12. Guesstimate (2 words)

13. Sudden impulse

14. Group dice game

15. Stead

16. Naive person

17. Fancy necktie

18. *Compass point opposites (2 words)

20. A pinch between the cheeks

21. Earth tremor

22. Before skip and a jump

23. Constantly worry about something

26. More infinitesimal

30. Catch a wink

31. One weber per square meter, pl.

34. *Pre-recorded

35. Deed hearings

37. Cribbage piece

38. Bread spreads

39. Plural of focus

40. Making the way, in a way

42. “I Like ___,” 1952 campaign slogan

43. Of somber color

45. *Like bride’s accessories (2 words)

47. 60 mins., pl.

48. Indiana ball player

50. One of Three Bears

52. *Day periods (2 words)

55. Vernacular

56. Part of church

57. Soap bubbles

59. Type of small salmon

60. Bound

61. Domingo, Pavarotti and Carreras, e.g.

62. Nicholas II of Russia, e.g.

63. Key next to spacebar

64. Where users review DOWN

1. Fa follower

2. Between Ohio and Ontario

3. *Opposite of on land

4. Fluffy dessert

5. Hillsides in Scotland

6. Anti-seniors sentiment

7.

erans Memorial Park, 32400 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, (586) 445-5350, scsmi.net/307/Events

St. Clair Shores Downtown Social District: Vendors, food trucks and street games, 5 p.m.-midnight May 25, June 8 and 22, July 13 and 27, Aug. 10 and 24, Sept. 14 and 28, and Oct. 12 and 26, also live music by American Ages (May 25), Jody Raffoul (June 8), Miranda and the M80s (June 22), Mainstream Drive (July 13) and Joey Vee (July 27), Nine Mile Road and Greater Mack Avenue, facebook.com/ DowntownStClairShores

Car shows: Also food, DJ, 50-50, door prizes and awards, 4 p.m.-dusk Thursdays until Sept. 26, St. Margaret of Scotland, 21201 E. 13 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores, (586) 909-4700

• Also raffles, DJ and food, 4-7:30 p.m. Fridays starting June 7, VFW Bruce Post #1146, 28404 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, (586) 524-0449

Try-It Thursdays: Makerspace stations for ages 5 and older, 6-7 p.m. May 23, June 6 and June 20, St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road, register two weeks in advance, (586) 771-9020, scslibrary. org

Lakeside Palette Club of St. Clair Shores: Open studio events, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, St. Clair Shores Adult Education Center inside North Lake High School, 23340 Elmira, lakesidepaletteclub.org

Activities for seniors: Crafting, movies, knitting and crocheting, dominoes, euchre, pickleball and many more games, St. Clair Shores Senior Center for Active Adults, 20100 Stephens, (586) 445-0996

St. Gertrude Senior’s Club: Meets 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays, St. Margaret of Scotland, 21201 E. 13 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores, (586) 293-2240

Overeaters Anonymous meetings: 10-11 a.m. Saturdays, St. Margaret of Scotland, 21201 E. 13 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores, (586) 2930814

Sweet Mountain Strings: Dulcimer music group for all levels, 10:15

a.m.-12:15 p.m. Tuesdays, Big Family of Michigan, Suite 1, 23500 Pare St. in St. Clair Shores, (586) 777-4602

Ukulele Strummers: Jam sessions for all levels, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Lakeshore Presbyterian Church, 27801 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, (586) 321-9535

Health workshops:

File photo by Patricia O’Blenes