6/12/24 C & G Special Edition — Macomb/Grosse Pointes

NEWSPAPERS Special Edition

REMEMBERING MARK WELLS

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

ST. CLAIR SHORES — In order for a team to achieve greatness, it’s vital for everyone to understand their role and play it to perfection for the well-oiled machine to operate successfully.

Everyone has a part to play, starting with setting their egos aside and doing what is asked of them in order to benefit the team.

For the 1980 United States men’s Olympic hockey team, St. Clair Shores native Mark Wells did just that.

“As a player, he was as good as it gets,” said Mike Eruzione, the captain of the 1980 U.S. hockey team. “He’s another unsung hero on our hockey team. Mark was awfully good, and he had a key role in our success by just doing his job. That fourth line did a great job during the Olympics.”

Courtesy of Wells’ play alongside his

JUNE 12, 2024

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Macomb County and Grosse Pointe papers

Two men to cycle 500 miles to raise funds and ALS awareness

BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Two cyclists, Mike DeLorenzo, of Romeo, and Thomas Henry, of Ferndale, are getting ready for Pedal4ALS, a more than 500-mile ride to raise $20,000 to support ALS of Michigan, a Southfieldbased nonprofit serving Michigan’s ALS community, in memory of DeLorenzo’s father-in-law, from Shelby Township, who passed away from the disease.

The Pedal4ALS ride is scheduled June 20-30 and will take DeLorenzo and Henry from Michigan to Washington, D.C. Their training and fundraising for the event began in May during ALS Awareness Month to bring greater attention to ALS and its effects on Michigan, which reportedly has one of the highest incident rates of the disease compared to other states.

“Prior to our journey, ALS Awareness Month provides us with an opportunity to come together as a community,

See ALS on page 9A

Cyclists and Thomas Henry, of Ferndale, left, and Mike DeLorenzo, of Romeo, are gearing up for Pedal4ALS, a more than 500-mile ride to raise $20,000 to support ALS of Michigan, a Southfield-based nonprofit serving Michigan’s ALS community.

ABOVE: Bowling Green State University and 1980 United States men’s Olympic hockey teammates Mark Wells, left, and Ken Morrow, right, a Flint native, stand together.

Photo provided by David Rubello

LEFT: Wells was honored at the 1980 St. Clair Shores Memorial Day Parade.

Photo provided by the St. Clair Shores Historical Commission

Photo provided by Rose Lull

or Facebook.com/UCSAdultEducation for more information

SECOND FRONT PAGE

MARINE DIVISION PROMOTES SAFE BOATING

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MACOMB COUNTY — Safety never gets a day off.

As Memorial Day kicks off the traditional summer season, Lake St. Clair is expected to be packed with boaters until the trees are ochre and bare. But the influx of boaters means there is more danger on the lake, whether from improper equipment or unsafe boating practices.

On May 23, Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham joined Lt. Gary Wiegand and Sgt. Jamie Bagos at the Marine Division headquarters in Harrison Township to highlight ways boaters can stay safe and remain in good legal standing while on the water.

Boater safety certificates are issued by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and are required for anyone looking to pilot motorized vehicles on the water. Boat operators must have a certificate if they were born after July 1, 1996, and personal watercraft operators must have a certificate if they were born after Dec. 31, 1978.

Driving a boat while intoxicated — whether through alcohol, marijuana or any other Schedule I controlled substance — is enough to net up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Penalties are increased if someone is injured or killed.

“We know that our boaters will drink alcohol while they’re out there,” Wickersham said. “If you’re going to go out and spend a day on the lake consuming alcohol, especially if you’re the owner or operator of the vessel, you have to remember it’s your responsibility to get those individuals that are on your vessel and yourself back safely, and you’re also responsible for the other boating population that’s out on the water. If you’re going to drink, drink responsibly. If you think you’re going to drink a little too much, make sure that there’s someone else on that boat that can operate it properly and isn’t intoxicated.”

Personal watercraft can be on the water from 8

a.m. until sundown, the latter defined by the National Weather Service’s sundown time, while larger boats can remain active with proper illumination.

One item all boats must have is enough life jackets, properly rated by the U.S. Coast Guard, for everyone on board, even if not worn at all times. Type I and Type II life jackets provide the necessary buoyancy for open water and can be bought in adult and child sizes.

“If we pull a boat over and you don’t have enough lifejackets on board the boat, depending on other infractions or circumstances it could be as little as a verbal warning from the deputy and asking the boater to turn around and go to shore until they have the proper number of lifejackets, or it could be as simple as our Marine Division deputies giving you a lifejacket to use for the day and asking you to return it at the end of the day,” Wiegand said. “In some circumstances, though, it would be a civil infraction citation that’s written and you would have to pay a fine.”

The Marine Division is able to provide some life jackets on a day-to-day basis, but stocks are limited.

Life preservers and other Type IV throwables are another requirement for boaters. These buoyant tools can be thrown to people in the water and allow them to be pulled back to safety.

Other safety items required or recommended for boaters includes an inspected and operational fire extinguisher, signaling flares and some form of way to communicate back to shore. While many people on the water will have cellphones with them, they may not be the most reliable tool when calling for help.

“Out on Lake St. Clair there are spots where a cellphone will not work, but a cellphone or a ship-to-shore radio in an emergency is very helpful,” Wiegand said.

It may seem obvious, but dropping anchor is crucial in keeping serious accidents from becoming fatal ones.

“You want to secure your vessel so you’re not drifting into other boats,” Wiegand said. “It comes into play when you have people in the water … Over

See BOATING on page 8A

Photos by Dean Vaglia

TOP: Lt. Gary Wiegand of the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office shows off an ideal life jacket for use in open water. All boats must have a life jacket for each person on board. ABOVE: Sgt. Jamie Bagos of the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office displays two kinds of throwable devices boat owners can keep on the crafts.

‘Arsenal of Democracy’ beer honors wartime legacy, veterans

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Nearly one year before the United States entered World War II, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared the country would be the “arsenal of democracy” and supply the free world with equipment and munitions to fight the Axis powers.

More than 80 years later, FDR’s iconic phrase will adorn cans across the city that served as the arsenal among arsenals. Over Memorial Day weekend, Detroit Liquid Ventures unveiled its new Arsenal of Democracy Detroit-style lager, made with support from the Detroit Arsenal of Democracy Museum.

“I have a good friend, John Lind, who runs the Arsenal of Democracy Museum in Detroit,” Mark Rieth, Detroit Liquid Ventures founder, said. “We had conversations months back about how it would be a cool idea to launch a beer called ‘Arsenal of Democracy’ on Memorial Day weekend. That was where it started and we just took it from there, and we were able to get it done in time, which was kind of fun.”

Arsenal of Democracy will be sold in 12- and 16-ounce cans and will be served on tap at Ford’s Garage restaurants in Dearborn and Novi. In line with its wartime-inspired name, the olive drab cans feature an M4 Sherman tank with bombers overhead. Both tanks and bombers were produced in the Detroit area. The Willow Run plant built B-24 Liberator bombers, while the Detroit Arsenal in Warren built 27% of the Sherman tanks used in the war.

“They built the tank plant, and then around that nucleus all the other plants were built,” said Lind, the director of the Detroit Arsenal of Democracy Museum. “Thousands and thousands of small feeder plants were built. Ford built the bomber plant out at Willow Run. And the rail spur, which is incredibly important for shipping and receiving, the main rail spur in Detroit fed not only Cleveland but Philadelphia and Chicago and Kentucky and Toledo, where the bulk of the Willys Jeeps were made.”

Tanks and planes were built in Detroit and used by all the major Allied militaries. British and Free French forces used Shermans alongside the U.S. military in North Africa and on the Western Front in Europe,

while the Soviet Union and its tank forces had a significant number of Shermans augmenting the Russian tanks produced on the Eastern Front.

“What we did is we equipped the rest of the world,” Lind said. “We fielded the equivalent of 250 divisions, but we equipped 2,000. And that was us, the great arsenal of democracy.”

The Detroit-style lager itself has a long history. Detroit breweries like Stroh’s, Goebel, Pfeiffer, and about 40 other breweries, were supplying watering holes around the city with cold suds for decades until prohibition came into law.

“I’m a huge lager brewer (and) fan,” Rieth said. “That started back in my Atwater (Brewery) days, and I always wanted to bring back that Detroit-style lager that had been made back in the 1800s. (Arsenal) is an ode to that style of beer that was made back in 1850 when Bernhard Stroh was hand-delivering kegs in wheelbarrows.”

When the ban on beer was lifted and World War II broke out, Stroh’s and other breweries around the country picked up contracts to supply U.S. service members with domestic beer overseas.

The olive drab cans and tap handles of the Arsenal of Democracy Detroit-style lager feature an M4 Sherman tank and bombers. Sherman tanks were produced in Warren and bombers were built at Willow Run during World War II.

Photo provided by Detroit Liquid Ventures

Bonanza of books awaits readers at Warren’s ‘Friends’ bookstore

BY GENA JOHNSON gjohnson@candgnews.com

WARREN — Avid, voracious readers or those who read occasionally for leisure will find a variety of books, games, DVDs, puzzles, magazines and more for low prices at the Friends of the Warren Public Library Bookstore.

Located at 5961 Beebe St., the bookstore is nestled in the garage of Warren’s old Fire Station No. 4 in a building shared with the Warren Crime Commission on one end and the Warren Village Historic District Commission on the other.

This bookstore is quite unique.

“As far as I know in the state of Michigan, Warren is the only library that has a free-standing bookstore. Most of the other libraries in the area have their friends of the library bookstore inside the library — like Sterling Heights, Clinton Township and St. Clair Shores,” said Naida Okray, the president of the Friends of the Warren Public Library’s board of directors.

Having a stand-alone bookstore has its benefits.

“It gives the feeling of being in a bookstore,” said Okray. “You aren’t in a library trying to be quiet.”

Customers rave about the wide selection, how the store is organized and the prices.

“Just the variety of books to pick up, and old DVDs,” said Claudia Frenette, who has been coming to the bookstore for more than a decade. “I like mysteries. There’s a lot of them here.”

Deborah Birchfield credits her interest

in romance novels and mysteries with helping her learn to read as a teen.

“In fact, this is how I learned to read, (by) reading books. I wasn’t really good at school,” Birchfield said. “My mother used to read true romances and that’s how I started.”

Mysteries, romance novels and authors that write about consistent characters readers can follow through the characters’ life journeys were the favorites among customers on this visit to the Friends bookstore.

“I like the old authors — Janet Dailey. I like Nora Robertson, but she’s not old. I have a list that I follow,” Birchfield said. Included on her list were Julia Quinn, Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsey, Susan Wiggs and Jude Deveraux, some of whom are no longer writing or have passed away.

“I’m aging. So are the authors,” Frenette said. “That’s something I don’t think I really paid attention to 20 years ago.”

The bookstore also appeals to the younger set with its “kid club.” Those 16 years old and younger can join and receive a card. They get a free book for every 12 visits.

The bookstore is organized by topics, and the books are arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. Shoppers just go to their area of interest to find the books they want.

“It’s very well laid out,” Okray said.

Hardcovers and paperbacks can be purchased for a nominal amount.

“The most expensive of our books are $2,” she said.

That includes legal hornbooks that explain specific areas of the law. When purchased new, they are priced upward of $150 each.

The bookstore is operated by volunteers and is open every Friday from 9 a.m. to noon, except for holidays when the library is closed. In addition, every third Saturday of the month is “bag sale day” and the bookstore is open from 9 a.m. to noon.

“We sell beautiful canvas book bags,”

Okray said. “If you buy one, then come in on our bag sale day, you can bring that bag in, and you can fill it with all the books you can fit into it for $7.”

Book sales are the Friends’ biggest fundraiser, said Okray. From the sales, they have See BOOKSTORE on page 8A

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ABOVE: The Friends of the Warren Public Library Bookstore attracts readers of all ages. Louis Speelman, 18 months, flips through one of the many children’s books with Kathy Tasich, cochair of the bookstore, and Naida Okray, board president. LEFT: Claudia Frenette finds what she is looking for in the fiction section at the Friends of the Warren Public Library Bookstore.

Photos by Gena Johnson

Wells

from page 1A

linemates Phil Verchota and Eric Strobel, the U.S. outlasted some of the top teams in the world, including the Soviet Union, which dominated Olympic hockey throughout the ’60s and ’70s.

In the famous matchup with the Soviet Union in 1980, on Feb. 22 in Lake Placid, N.Y., during the medal round of the men’s hockey tournament, Wells, who was second on the team in points at Bowling Green State University the season before he joined the U.S. team, was asked to step into a certain role.

“He (Mark Wells) said, ‘Herb pulled me over, and it was the only time in my career that (he did that),’ because my brother was a scorer,” said John Wells, the older brother of Mark Wells. “He was a better assist guy than a scorer. Herb tells him, ‘Mark, I don’t care if you get a goal in this Russian game, but I need you to help shut down (Vladimir) Petrov,’ who was just tearing the Olympics up. He was probably the best Russian. My brother said, ‘John, nobody ever told me not to try and score.’”

The rest has been covered extensively as the U.S. did the unthinkable, defeating the Soviet Union 4-3 and winning the gold medal two days later in a victory over Finland. As the U.S. team dogpiled onto each other after the win over the Soviet Union, Wells’ No. 15 jersey is easily visible in the television broadcast at the center of the celebration.

It was a surreal moment for Wells, who suffered a hairline fracture in his ankle four months before the Olympics on a training run with U.S. assistant coach Craig Patrick, and was the last player added to the 1980 Olympic team roster.

Off the ice, Wells carried his selflessness on his sleeve, which made the news of his passing on May 18 in Escanaba, Mich., a devastating loss for all of those who’ve had the pleasure of watching, meeting or knowing him.

A 1975 St. Clair Shores Lake Shore High School graduate, Wells was a local legend based on his Olympic accomplishments alone, but also as a National Hockey League draftee in 1977 when the Montreal Canadiens selected him 176th overall. Wells played from 1980-1982 but was unable to suit up in an NHL game in his career. He returned home and was a restaurant manager in Rochester Hills.

After suffering a fractured vertebra, Wells was forced into early retirement by a rare spinal disease that left him bedridden for nearly nine months after surgery. He battled constant pain daily up until his passing.

MEMORIES OF MARK WELLS

Luke LaPlant on what Wells thought of Herb Brooks: “Mark always spoke very highly of Herb (Brooks). He would never say a bad word. The only time he would really get fired up is when he would talk about the time that Herb told him he didn’t think he (Wells) had it after he broke his ankle. I believe Mark broke his ankle four months before the Olympics on a training run with Craig Patrick, and it was after an exhibition game in Oklahoma City. Mark had flown from Nova Scotia to Oklahoma City, and after the game Herb had Mark skating on the ice and said, ‘I don’t think you have it right now.’ Mark said he skated a circle around Herb and spit at his feet and said, ‘You’re not going to take my dream away from me. I’m going to make this team.’”

John Wells on the moment Wells found out he made the U.S. team: “After the period in Joe Louis Arena (during an exhibition game between the U.S. and Canada on Feb. 5), he (Mark Wells) said Herb (Brooks) comes up to him, and he doesn’t know he’s dressing yet, and he tells my brother, ‘Hey Mark, please meet me in section 356.’ That’s in the nosebleeds of Joe Louis Arena, and of course my brother told me he had no clue what was going on. Maybe he thought he was going to cut him, right? He had to cut somebody. He said, ‘I get up there,’ and he had to dress and shower, and Herb was up there waiting. My brother said that Herb told him, ‘Mark, you’re dressing,’ and he knew he meant Friday. Herb then just left. That’s all he told him. He goes, ‘Why in the hell did I have to come way up here?’ That’s just Herb.”

Mike Eruzione on favorite memory of Wells: “I think my favorite one was when he showed up the first year of the fantasy camp and he forgot his teeth, and I said, ‘Wellsy, where’s your teeth?’ He said, ‘I forgot them.’ I said, ‘Isn’t that the first thing you do in the morning is get up, put your teeth in, and brush your teeth?’ He goes, ‘Yeah, I don’t know. I just forgot.’ That was just typical Mark, and off he went, walking away laughing.”

The city of St. Clair Shores recognized its hometown hero in March 2014 when the Civic Arena’s Olympia Rink was renamed the Mark Wells Ice Arena.

A ceremony was held in his honor, and Wells returned the favor by making sure every attendee received a moment they’ll never forget with him.

“After that (event), he was supposed to sign autographs for an hour,” John Wells said. “It was 2014. I could not believe how many people were there. It was like, wow. I could hardly get from the entrance of the doors to the ice arena. Afterwards, we were going to meet at the Blue Goose Inn because

my grandmother worked there until she was 72. We’re just going to meet there because it’s a great place, it’s in St. Clair Shores, and grandma works there. All of a sudden, it’s getting late. Mark stayed until the last kid got the signature. I think he was supposed to end the signing at 5 and I’ll bet you he stayed till 7 or 8, but he didn’t leave until the last kid.”

Wells aimed to be that kind of person with his fans, and sometimes his fans became part of his family. That was the case with Luke LaPlant, a friend of Wells in Escanaba.

LaPlant wrote a fan letter to Wells back in 2015, and in the blink of an eye he was on the phone with the gold medalist for two hours and appointed as Wells’ primary social media and fan mail executive.

“He was just a good person,” LaPlant said. “He would help countless everyday people who were maybe worse off than he was financially, and he would not want any credit for it. He would lend his car to people who needed it. He was very giving, and he cared for people.”

Wells would go live on his Facebook page, now renamed to “Remembering Mark Wells,” in efforts to interact with fans, and LaPlant said the page continuously was stormed with messages from fans showing

their love for Wells.

Since Wells’ passing, LaPlant said the outpouring of messages to the page has been overwhelmingly touching, and said it just goes to show the type of impact Wells had on his fans all over the world.

“He liked going live on his Facebook page and interacting with his fans, and we would get done with an hour chat on his page and sometimes we would privately call a fan and we would chat for 15-20 minutes, and he would tell stories,” LaPlant said. “He loved it, and the fans loved it.”

Bowling Green State University honored Wells and Ken Morrow, a Bowling Green and 1980 U.S. hockey teammate of Wells, in February 2022 with their very own custom U.S. hockey bobblehead for the hockey team’s Olympic night.

Wells was inducted into the Bowling Green Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992 after playing for the Falcons from 1975-1979.

John Wells and his wife, Nancy, were able to make the trip for the ceremony where John said a moment took place that he’ll never forget.

“At that event, this couple walks up, and they’ve talked to Mark, and they came up to me and said, ‘John, our daughter died See WELLS on page 10A

• Brakes, Rotors, Belts, Hoses

• Radiator & Coolant Services

• Batteries, Starters

• Alternators

• Air Conditioning Recharge (Excludes R1234YK Freon)

• Oil Changes and AMSOIL

• Wiper Blades

• Extended Warranty Work AND so much more

D2A2 bus running extended hours

METRO DETROIT — The D2A2 bus will have an additional weekend route from May 24 through Saturday, Aug. 28. Buses will leave Grand Circus Park in downtown Detroit at 11:55 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

“At the RTA, our top priority is to make it as convenient and accessible as possible for passengers to use transit to get where they need to go,” Ben Stupka, executive director of the Regional Transit Authority of Southeastern Michigan, said in a press release. “Last year, we explored extending hours during the summer months, and it was used most during weekends, so we decided to bring it back for summer 2024 during those peak times. There are a lot of concerts, festivals and other events planned for this summer, and we are excited to offer these later routes to help people use transit when traveling between Detroit and Ann Arbor.”

When booking tickets on the D2A2 website, customers must select the 11:55 p.m. departure time. D2A2 provides hourly trips between Detroit and Ann Arbor typically for 16 hours a day during the week with limited service on Saturday and Sunday. One-way fares for this service are $8 at the door or $6 with an advanced booking discount online. Other discounts are available for seniors, people with disabilities, or those buying a book of 10 or more tickets.

Bookstore

from page 5A

purchased prizes for the summer reading program, including bikes, a Nintendo Switch accessories kit, Lego sets, memberships to the Detroit Zoo, memberships to the Warren Community Center, gift cards and more.

“Our money goes to pay for programs the city doesn’t put in the budget, for instance the summer reading program. That usually runs about $12,000 a year,” Okray said. “And we are the ones that pay for it.”

The Friends pay for the prizes in the program, according to Okray.

“The summer reading program is very valuable for the city of Warren. First of all, it keeps people reading. It keeps people informed,” Okray said. “And we do our best to make sure that things are bought for them.”

This year, the summer reading program runs from June 8 to Aug.10. Babies, kids, teens and adults can participate. Those wanting to join the program can stop by any

Boating

from page 3A

the years we have had fatal boating accidents where people jump off of their boat to swim (and) they don’t realize how fast that boat is drifting away from them. Anchoring your boat properly and safely is extremely important.”

The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office provides boater safety classes at its Marine Division headquarters in Harrison Township and its main office in Mount Clemens. Information about boater safety classes can be found at mcsomsd.net/2022-boaters-

branch of the Warren Public Library or register online at warrenlibrary.net.

The Friends of the Warren Public Library have been instrumental to the library.

“There were times when we didn’t have money to buy new books,” said Warren Library Director Oksana Urban.

That was in early 2010, before the 20year millage was passed, which increased the library budget.

“Earlier in 2010, the Friends were our lifesavers because they gave us funds that they made selling books, and we were able to buy bestsellers at that time,” Urban said. “If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have been able to do that because we were really strapped for funds.”

According to Urban, the Friends of the Warren Public Library have been providing financial aid to the library for 52 years.

The Friends are always looking for new members. Those interested in becoming a member can fill out a form with their name and contact information, which is available at every Warren library.

safety-classes.

The Marine Division will be at increased strength this summer with its four full-time officers, four more full-time summer deputies and 80 marine safety officers working 15 vessels, including seven patrol boats and four personal watercraft.

Among other events and regular boating patrols, the Marine Division will be active during the Selfridge Open House and air show on the weekend of June 8-9. Bays surrounding the base will provide a good view of the air show, though boaters should remember to drive slowly around anchored boats and mind the boundary zone along the base’s shore.

ALS

from page 1A

advocate for change, and make a positive impact in the lives of those affected by this disease.,” DeLorenzo said.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, attacks the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord that control the ability to move, speak, swallow and eventually breathe. It is fatal with no known cure and few treatments. According to ALS of Michigan, an estimated 1,200 Michigan residents are living with the condition.

DeLorenzo’s father-in-law, Thomas H. Schippert, was diagnosed with ALS in 2015 and died in 2019.

“I was one of the caregivers for him and experienced firsthand how much assistance he required daily. This is why I am so passionate about ALS of Michigan. Without their support, grants and equipment, at all the different stages of his progression of the disease, we wouldn’t have been able to care for him and keep him comfortable throughout his battle,” DeLorenzo said.

He said ALS of Michigan gave their family peace of mind and emotional support.

“One of my passions in life, and also one of my father-in-law’s, is bike riding. This is my third year riding for ALS of Michigan in honor of my father-in-law. This year I am riding from Detroit to Washington, D.C., (and) hope to talk to lawmakers regarding more funding. The past two years I have raised over $11,000. This

year, my hope is to raise $20,000 with the help of corporate sponsors,” he said.

DeLorenzo and Henry plan to meet with Michigan lawmakers to share DeLorenzo’s personal ALS story and advocate on behalf of others in Michigan.

Henry said his connection is from the heart.

“Always give back when you have the capability and opportunity to do so. Furthermore, I’m a firm believer in karma and that the more good we do, the greater the happiness to spread, it’s contagious to be kind, considerate of others and to lend support when and where needed. The world needs more feel-good stories as well,” he said.

ALS of Michigan Inc., is a non-profit organization serving the entire state of Michigan, which provides support and services at no cost to people living with ALS, their families and caregivers. The agency provides inhome care; medical equipment loans; communication devices, transportation assistance; emotional support and other services to help “pALS” live as fully and comfortably as possible.

Rose Lull, ALS of Michigan fundraising and marketing manager, said people can help support Michigan’s ALS community and DeLorenzo and Henry’s ride by following Pedal4ALS on Facebook, donating items needed for their trip and/or donating to the Pedals4ALS fundraising page at alsofmichigan.org, where 100% of proceeds support ALS of Michigan.

For more information, contact Lull at rose@alsofmi.org or (248) 354-6100, ext. 225; or Kim Graziosi at kim@alsofmi.org or (248) 354-6100, ext. 222.

Beer

from page 4A

“Beer was sent overseas in large, large amounts, and that was to keep the GIs from trying to make their own and possibly poisoning themselves,” Lind said. “Beer was contracted out particularly to the Pacific. There was beer in Europe. That wasn’t a problem.”

For as much relief as Detroit lagers provided service members during the war, Rieth plans for Arsenal of Democracy to be more than just a cold drink with a nifty name. Detroit Liquid Ventures plans on supporting veterans causes along with supporting the Detroit Arsenal of Democracy Museum through licensing its name.

“What we’re doing is we’re trying to support in different ways,” Rieth said. “Financially, as part of it, we can’t do it on a percentage of proceeds. It’s not allowed, so we want to make certain that we make some donations to some certain charities throughout the year as good gestures. One would be the Arsenal of Democracy Museum. Obviously, we want to support them because they’re a big part of what we wanted to accomplish with the beer. Others we’re talking to are the VA hospital downtown and some others that we’ll announce over the next month or two.”

Arsenal of Democracy will be a regular part of the Detroit Liquid Ventures lineup, joining the company’s Old Head Irish-style beers and FÜL Beverages non-alcoholic drinks. A nonalcoholic version of Arsenal of Democracy is expected to be released in the future.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Budget Hearing

The property tax milage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed

budget will be a subject of this hearing.

June 24, 2024 5:15 P.M.

at the Neigebaur Administration Building, 23020 Ryan Road, Warren, MI 48091

The budget is available for inspection at this location.

Any person with a disability, who may need accommodations and/or assistance to participate in this meeting, should contact Superintendent Hollie Stange at 586.758-0988 least ve days advance of the meeting.

June 24, 2024 5:15 P.M.

The Fitzgerald Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, gender, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, or other protected classes in its programs, services, activities, or in employment. Inquiries related to discrimination on the basis of disability should be directed to Dawn Bruley, Section 504 Coordinator, Student Services Of ce, Fitzgerald Public Schools, 23200 Ryan Road, Warren, MI 48091 or phone 586.757.4044. Direct all other inquiries related to discrimination to Jazell Hogans, Civil Rights Coordinator, Fitzgerald Public Schools, 23200 Ryan Road, Warren, MI 48091 or phone 586.757.1751.

Stange at 586.758-0988 at least five days in advance of the meeting.

The Fitzgerald Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, gender, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, or other protected classes in its programs, services, activities, or in employment. Inquiries related to discrimination on the basis of disability should be directed to Dawn Bruley, Section 504 Coordinator, Student Services Office, Fitzgerald Public Schools, 23200 Ryan Road, Warren, MI 48091 or phone 586.757.4044. Direct all other inquiries related to discrimination to Jazell Hogans, Civil Rights Coordinator, Fitzgerald Public Schools, 23200 Ryan Road, Warren, MI 48091 or phone 586.757.1751.

Published: C & G Newspapers Macomb County/Grosse

Wells

from page 6A

at 12 of a very rare disease, and we said we’d like to start a foundation to get a cure, and we asked Mark if he could help,’” John Wells said. “‘If it wasn’t Mark, this would have never gotten off the ground because he gave us stuff that we could sell, and we did and we started this foundation that’s still going today because of your brother.’ I thought that it was cool for me that he did good. He cared.”

John Wells is the older brother — by 17 months — who Mark always respected and admired. Mark scored both of his Olympic goals in both games (Czechoslovakia and Norway) that John attended in Lake Placid. Mark also has a younger sister, Lori, who is 13 years younger than him.

The Wells brothers shared the ice a handful of times as teammates throughout their life, dominating the opposition as representatives of St. Clair Shores hockey.

“Our town, St. Clair Shores, was probably the best hockey town probably until Mark and I were 15, 16, or 17 years old,” John Wells said. “Your team could only be from St. Clair Shores, but we had some good teams that were competitive, even with the Canadians. Mark and I were on a team when I was 15 and he was 14, and we played in Canada probably 30 times because we had maybe two teams in Michigan that could even give us a game. Now, that team ended up having seven or eight scholarship hockey players from this little dinky town. I have no clue why that happened, but it did.”

Before Wells’ passing, it was only fitting he was able to make it back to Lake Placid one last time as the “Miracle” team held their eighth annual Miracle On Ice Fantasy Camp in early May of this year with Eruzione, Mark Johnson, John Harrington, and many other members of the 1980 team teaming up with over 60 campers. Attendees get to play

alongside their heroes over the course of a four-day camp.

“We get anywhere from 10 to 13 players to come back, and it’s always fun to go back to Lake Placid obviously, but it’s even more fun to go back and all the guys are there,” Eruzione said. “We sit in the same locker room where we dressed and just kind of share some funny stories. We have the most immature, 60-plus-year-old men you’d ever want to be around. We’re like little kids when we get together.”

While Wells was unable to play, he served as the camp commissioner each year while also supplying plenty of laughs to his former teammates.

That’s what Wells did best: He put smiles on everyone’s faces around him.

“As a person, he’s very unique,” Eruzione said. “He’s a character. He was a funny, funny guy. Sometimes when we get together to do a Q&A and Wellsy gets a question, you have got to take the mic away from him because he’ll just keep talking, but in a good way. We love Mark. He was a great teammate. He was somebody who cared a lot about people. Not just our team, but in general. He was a very generous man. He helped a lot of different people for a lot of different causes in the Michigan area.”

Memories

of Mark Wells

Luke LaPlant on what Mark Wells thought of Herb Brooks:

“Mark always spoke very highly of Herb (Brooks). He would never say a bad word. The only time he would really get fired up is when he would talk about the time that Herb told him he didn’t think he (Wells) had it after he broke his ankle. I believe Mark broke his ankle four months before the Olympics on a training run with Craig Patrick, and it was after an exhibition game in Oklahoma City. Mark had flown from Nova Scotia to Oklahoma City, and after the game Herb had Mark skating on the ice and said, ‘I don’t think you have it right now.’ Mark

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said he skated a circle around Herb and spit at his feet and said, ‘You’re not going to take my dream away from me. I’m going to make this team.’”

John Wells on the moment Mark Wells found out he made the U.S. team

“After the period in Joe Louis Arena (during an exhibition game between the U.S. and Canada on Feb. 5), he (Mark Wells) said Herb (Brooks) comes up to him, and he doesn’t know he’s dressing yet, and he tells my brother, ‘Hey Mark, please meet me in section 356.’ That’s in the nosebleeds of Joe Louis Arena, and of course my brother told me he had no clue what was going on. Maybe he thought he was going to cut him, right? He had to cut somebody. He said, ‘I get up there,’ and he had to dress and shower,

and Herb was up there waiting. My brother said that Herb told him, ‘Mark, you’re dressing,’ and he knew he meant Friday. Herb then just left. That’s all he told him. He goes, ‘Why in the hell did I have to come way up here?’ That’s just Herb.”

Mike Eruzione on favorite memory of Mark Wells

“I think my favorite one was when he showed up the first year of the fantasy camp and he forgot his teeth, and I said, ‘Wellsy, where’s your teeth?’ He said, ‘I forgot them.’ I said, ‘Isn’t that the first thing you do in the morning is get up, put your teeth in, and brush your teeth?’ He goes, ‘Yeah, I don’t know. I just forgot.’ That was just typical Mark, and off he went, walking away laughing.”

Spotlight on business...

Moving Sale: Clearing out for new beginnings!

Just by Happenstance is saying goodbye to its standalone location and moving three buildings south on Groesbeck this summer.

“We are moving the shop into St. Clair Glass and Mirror and blending our two showrooms,” said owner Emily Sikora. “It’s my husband,

Ken’s, business of 41 years. He specializes in shower enclosures and residential glass and mirror lines, which I believe will incorporate nicely with my products.”

Emily’s one-of-a-kind home furnishings store specializes in contemporary, transitional and mid-century modern designs. She offers an extensive range of products including Norwalk custom upholstered furniture, home decor, accent furniture, wall art and more.

“I started out with refinished furniture and evolved to more new pieces because I saw a need for something like this in the area,” Emily said, adding that she attends markets twice a year to hand-select pieces that resonate with the distinctive charm of her store.

She chose the name Just by Happenstance to reflect the way she often discovers the items in her store by chance.

“That’s how I’ve sourced my pieces — finding a little here, a little there,” she explained. “I don’t stock large quantities. Each piece is unique to

the store and typically not something you’d find just anywhere. I carry only one or two of each item.”

Over the years Emily has created a loyal customer base.

“We have lots of regulars who come in and meander through the store just to look around,” she said. “They love the layout and call it their ‘happy place.’ This is my happy place too. I’ve made lots of friends here, and I enjoy conversing with customers, striking up relationships and offering products they like. We have a lot of fun.” Emily also refinishes furniture for clients who bring her their family treasures, hoping to give them new life.

“There are always stories behind those pieces, and it’s a joy to see the happiness on my clients’ faces when they see the finished product,” she said.

For those who want to refinish their own furniture, she carries a selection of DIY paint products such as Fusion Mineral Paint, Wise Owl and General Finishes, and holds workshops to assist customers with their projects.

“Once we are over in Ken’s store we will be celebrating our seventh year in business with a Just by Happenstance birthday event,” she said. Although an exact date isn’t confirmed yet, it will likely be at the end of June or early July.

Reflecting on the prospect of working with her husband every day, Emily joked: “I’m still not driving to work with him. I need some downtime you know.”

New location: 36675 Groesbeck Hwy. in Clinton Township. For more information, call (586) 213-1914 or visit justbyhappenstance. com. Follow @justbyhappenstance on Instagram and Facebook.

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