6/20/24 Macomb Township Chronicle

Board OKs fiscal year 2024-25 budget, millage decreases

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — A fiscalforward meeting of the Macomb Township Board of Trustees was held on the evening of June 12 with officials approving the upcom-

ing year’s budget and a slew of other financial matters.

The fiscal year 2024-25 budget comes in with a nearly $190,000 increase to the fund balance, which is set to close out the coming fiscal year at over $31.3 million. The increase brings the township’s general fund

Pitchford Park dedicated to family

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — At a small ceremony on the morning of June 9, the final piece of Pitchford Park was unveiled.

Macomb Township Supervisor Frank Viviano and Clerk Kristi Pozzi pulled the cover off Pitchford Park’s dedication plaque, which reads, “Pamela Pitchford and Joe Kay dedicate this lovely park to honor Joyce, Bill and Todd Pitchford for their love of nature, art and community.” The ceremony was almost seven months to the day after the park was opened.

balance to around 104%. With this surplus, township officials have made the decision to reduce tax rates while increasing spending on services and projects to bring the fund balance back down to 100%.

“Many communities are happy with a 50 or 60% fund balance,” Macomb Town-

ship Treasurer Leon Drolet said. “Macomb Township has a long tradition of maintaining a 100% fund balance in case of the worst-case scenario, a multiyear recession. In theory, we could maintain township operations for a year if we lost all revenue sources.”

The idea for Pitchford Park, located on Romeo Plank Road between 22 Mile and 23 Mile roads, began on a phone call between Pamela Pitchford and Salvatore DiCaro, Macomb Township’s parks and recreation director.

Photos by Dean Vaglia

ABOVE: Pitchford Park’s dedication plaque reads, “Pamela Pitchford and Joe Kay dedicate this lovely park to honor Joyce, Bill and Todd Pitchford for their love of nature, art and community.” RIGHT: Parents watch as kids play on the Pitchford Park playground on June 9. See DEDICATION on page 21A

The Chronicle is one of 21 bi-weekly publications produced by C & G Newspapers, a family-owned company serving residents in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties since 1981. We deliver our papers to more than 571,000 homes in 45 communities via direct mail.

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SECOND FRONT PAGE

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

MACOMB COUNTY — When Matthew Sabaugh was first appointed to the 37th Judicial District Court in Warren in 2008, his mom, Carmella Sabaugh, offered him some sound advice.

“The office is not yours. It belongs to

Community remembers Carmella Sabaugh

the people,” she told him. “You are only a caretaker. Try your best to leave it better than you found it.”

Matthew Sabaugh, who is currently a Macomb County Circuit Court judge, is remembering his mother for her love, encouragement, enthusiasm, spirited conversations, tireless work ethic and public service.

Carmella Sabaugh, who spent 24 years

Macomb County Pride finds new home for fourth festival

as the Macomb County clerk/register of deeds from 1992 to 2016, died on June 8 at the age of 85. She is survived by her former spouse, Richard Sabaugh, and their five children: Richard, Michael, Renee, Jeanine and Matthew. Sabaugh also is survived by 13 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, her sister Pauline Peterson, and many loving nieces and nephews.

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MOUNT CLEMENS — Set to kick off its fourth annual festival, 2024 Macomb County Pride will be unlike anything that came before it.

Most notably, the event will take place in a slightly new venue this summer. Planned construction around Macomb Place and the Cherry Street Mall will move Macomb County Pride to North Main Street in Mount Clemens on Saturday, Aug. 17 from noon to 6 p.m.

Sabaugh

See SABAUGH on page 13A

ABOVE: Pridegoers watch a drag performer at the 2023 Macomb County Pride Festival.

Photo by Deorbiter Photo, provided by Macomb County Pride See PRIDE on page 23A

BEHAVIORAL PROGRAM TAKES OFF IN L’ANSE CREUSE

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — It was a hit with students, a hit with teachers and a hit with administrators, and it is coming to a L’Anse Creuse school near you.

The Positivity Project, a social-emotional learning program that focuses on teaching students how to build positive relationships through improving character, was introduced to Emma V. Lobbestael Elementary School in Harrison Township for the 2023-2024 school year.

“The Positivity Project is a character traits program that has 24 traits that basically are just good traits that everyone should acquire as a person, and it is a year-long project,” said Beverly Polega, the principal of Lobbestael Elementary. “It is a year-long project, and each week there’s a different character trait.”

Taught to students in kindergarten and grades first through fifth, Polega found out about the Positivity Project while trying to find a single social-emotional learning program for the school.

“We have bits and pieces we were using

from a variety of (social-emotional learning programs,) and we wanted something more consistent to be able to focus on everybody having the same training and implementation of it,” Polega said. “As a team we explored a few different ones, and then a staff member that had experience with this in another district brought it to us. I took it to the staff, and they were interested in exploring it.”

Staff members were initially hesitant about the new program but eventually got on board with it.

“When we first started, people were scared that it was one more thing we were having to do,” said Lora Ellis, a Lobbestael Elementary third grade teacher. “A few of us had gone to a seminar for a day with a school that was doing (the Positivity Project) and it really kind of opened our eyes, and we reassured the other teacher that, ‘Hey, it’s all right there for you. You’re not having to create lessons, and it’s all just natural things you want in your classroom anyway.’”

Positivity Project lessons integrate seamlessly into established schedules. Discussions about the trait of the week are had during the first part of the day before inte-

grating the trait into any and every aspect of the class.

“Whenever it comes up and it applies, we kind of incorporate it,” Ellis said. “Or, if the kids notice something, they’ll be like, ‘Oh, they were using bravery,’ or, ‘They were using (an) other people matter mindset,’ so it has really influenced them a lot.”

The influence on students is twofold. First, teachers have noticed behavioral shifts in students as a result of the program.

“I have seen a vast change in my students choosing the calm route,” said Jessica Willinger, a resource room teacher. “We have a ‘calming corner’ in our classroom, which has been in our classrooms for years now, but they’re actually using it more this year because of the Positivity Project. They’re like, ‘I’m going to choose to be calm,’ and, ‘I’m going to choose to show self-control,’ and they do. Their choices on their big emotions that are about to come out are better. It’s just a better choice that they are making, and the change is phenomenal, actually, coming from a resource room teacher who is usually putting out fires.”

Students have also expressed support for the program. A survey of students and

staff by L’Anse Creuse Public Schools reported that more than 80% of students supported the project, while anecdotes from teachers show how that support manifests during school hours.

“We had our final send-off Positivity Project assembly, and one of the fifth graders came up to me saying, ‘Mrs. Willinger, I’m so sad that middle school doesn’t have the Positivity Project.’ And I said, ‘You know what, you don’t need them to have the Positivity Project. You can go and spread what you learned this year.’ The kids look forward to it. On the day that a teacher doesn’t do the Positivity Project, it’s like the world has ended. They are so distraught that we aren’t doing the Positivity Project because they love it and they’re learning so much about themselves and others.”

Following the 2023-2024 school year at Lobbestael Elementary School, the decision was made to continue the Positivity Project there and begin teaching it at Donald J. Yacks Elementary School, also in Harrison Township. The new school year will also see new aspects of the project come into play including community service field trips

See BEHAVIOR on page 24A

NEWS & NOTES

Mental health agencies awarded

MACOMB COUNTY — Last month, Macomb County Community Mental Health presented eight Macomb County-based mental health organizations with 2024 Mental Health Matters Awards.

The awards are designed to acknowledge local organizations that are making a difference in mental health and substance use prevention through their selflessness, advocacy and commitment to delivering care. Honorees were presented with their awards at a ceremony May 23 at the Macomb Community College South Campus in Warren.

The 2024 honorees were:

• Advocate Champion: Lisa Lepine, director of The Arc of Macomb

• Caregiver Champion: Elisha Oakes, parent and advocate

• Provider Champion: Mary Lessard, Belle Meade Residential home manager

• Community Partner Champion: Live Rite Structured Recovery Corp.

• Self-Advocate Champion: Kelly Rebolledo, parent and advocate

• Board of Directors Award: James Friedman, chaplain with Eastpointe Police Department

• Drita Gjokaj Award: Bruce Dunton, program supervisor with Crossroads Clubhouse

• Reducing the Stigma Award: Kevin’s Song

Mrs. Ropers romp in Ferndale

FERNDALE — Fans of the colorfully-clad Helen Roper from the television sitcom “Three’s Company” paused for a photo at the Ferndale Elks Lodge #1588 on June 8 during a Mrs. Roper Romp Pub Crawl in downtown Ferndale.

The character, played by Audra Lindley, was known for her bright outfits, fun-loving demeanor and wisecracking banter with her more reserved husband, Stanley. The effort is something of a cultural phenomenon. Mrs. Ropers from across metro Detroit and the state of Michigan attended the Ferndale romp. On Facebook, the International Order of Mrs. Ropers group page has more than 24,700 members.

MSU EXTENSION

OPENS SUMMER LAB

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Inquisitive green thumbs, nature lovers and askers of questions, your answers hotline is back. The Michigan State University Extension is opening up its insect and plant diagnostics service to Macomb County residents from June until midSeptember.

For a $7 fee, plant and animal samples can be brought to the MSUE lab at 1885 Dunham Road, Suite 12 in Clinton Township from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“We’re very excited to have this service available in Macomb County” said Andrew Cox, director of Health and Community Services for Macomb County, which oversees the MSU Extension department. “Many of the county’s residents are avid gardeners and this service will help to keep their gardens, trees and landscaping looking great.”

Residents unable to visit the lab can call (586) 469-6440 to arrange alternative drop-offs.

The Michigan State University Extension office in East Lansing also offers a variety of options available to help gardeners find answers to their lawn and garden questions such as the Ask Extension online portal, the migarden.msu.edu website and the toll-free Lawn and Garden Hotline at (888) 678-3464, which is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.

UPDATE ON ‘MUCK’ STUDY

MOUNT CLEMENS — Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller recently delivered an update alongside representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about the lyngbya “muck” found along the shores of Lake St. Clair.

The update, provided at the June 6 Macomb County Board of Commissioners Public Services Committee meeting, comes over a year after the county entered into a $200,000 two-year agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to study lyngbya and find out what is causing it to grow in the lake. The “muck” was first reported in the lake in 2010 and has bloomed rapidly between 2015 and 2022. The “muck” is greatly disliked for clogging shorelines and having a foul smell.

Alyssa Eck, an Army Corps research biologist, told the board the algae has been renamed to Microseira wollei (M. wollei for short) and is more closely related to bacteria than a plant.

“It’s a single-celled organism,” Eck said. “On the outside, it has a sheath and sometimes that sheath can have bacteria or fungi or sediment and other things around it.”

Physical removal of M. wollei from an area has been successful in the short term, but the organism has grown back within months. The Army Corps and the county remain committed to determining how the organism grows and how it can be properly managed, tracking nutrients in the water compared to growths and determining if any algicides will work on M. wollei. In 2024, the Army Corps will conduct further field sampling and develop an adaptive management plan. Miller backed the adaptive management idea, stating M. wollei will not go away and that a single “magic bullet” solution will not emerge.

Miller believes combined sewer overflows are one of the causes behind M. wollei growths.

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File photo by Dean Vaglia

Photo by Brian Louwers

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CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY

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BEHIND THE WHEEL

8A/MACOMB TOWNSHIP CHRONICLE • JUNE 20, 2024

‘I love each of them

for different reasons’

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

Kevin Dombrowski always knows which classic car shows to attend with his wife, Karen.

He keeps track of them on an Excel spreadsheet, and many of the couple’s summer weekends are spent at car events at their favorite Michigan sites.

From metro Detroit to the western side of the state — and everywhere in between — the Dombrowskis can be spotted mingling with the other car buffs during cruising season.

The only challenge is deciding which car to take: the 1960 Chrysler Imperial, the 1965 Buick Riviera or the 1947 Ford Coupe. When Kevin purchased each vehicle, he didn’t want the cars to sit in the garage. The idea was to get out and drive them as much as possible.

“It’s about the cars, but it’s really about the people,” Kevin said. “You meet all sorts of interesting people.”

“It’s a really good group of people,” Karen agreed.

Cruisin’ Hines in Westland, the Mount Clemens Cruise and Greenfield Village’s Motor Muster in Dearborn are among the many car shows for the Shelby Township residents. Vicksburg and St. Ignace also are regular haunts. Many times, Kevin and Karen take leisurely drives along scenic back roads instead of main highways to get to or from their destinations.

“We take the country roads. With the sun going down, it’s so nice and relaxing,” Karen said. “It takes the hectic out of the city. You’re floating down the country roads.”

Each car is special in its own way. For starters, the Ford Coupe is just like the one Kevin’s dad had when he was a child.

“He passed away in 1981 when I was 7,” Kevin said. Kevin holds on to plenty of under-the-hood memories, including the times he played junior mechanic helping his dad, Tony Dombrowski, doing upkeep on the Coupe.

ABOVE: Every summer Kevin and Karen Dombrowski, of Shelby Township, attend car shows in metro Detroit and across the state with their 1960 Chrysler Imperial, left; 1965 Buick Riviera, center; and 1947 Ford Coupe.

FAR LEFT: Kevin Dombrowski has always been a fan of classic cars with fins, including his 1960 Chrysler Imperial

NEAR LEFT: One feature of the 1965 Buick Riviera are the hidden headlights. Photos by Erin Sanchez

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Priority Waste to take over residential contracts from GFL

BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — The lime green trucks picking up refuse in your neighborhood will soon be yellow.

Green For Life Environmental, the waste management company that has contracts with many municipalities in metro Detroit, recently sold the residential trash collecting assets to Priority Waste. News of the sale hit social media before GFL was able to put out its official statement.

“Social media got ahead of the process,” said Matt Allen, Priority Waste’s director of public relations and government affairs.

Metro Detroit communities will change over on July 1. Residents of these communities will still be able to use their GFL bins. Garbage collection dates will remain the same. The July 4 holiday will still cause a one-day delay of service. Allen said those who are having issues with GFL should continue to contact them until July 1. GFL will retain its commercial contracts.

“This sale encompasses assets and collection operations within Oakland, Washtenaw, Livingston, Macomb, Genesee, and Wayne Counties,” John Addison, GFL General Manager for Wayne, stated in a letter to employees. “It includes the transfer of contracts with 75 municipal customers as well as 70,000 homeowner’s associations and subscription residential customers.”

Allen said talks for the acquisition began earlier in 2024. The Detroit transition to Priority Waste from GFL happened earlier in June. In Sterling Heights, the company is about a month into its changeover. According to Allen, the transition in both communities has gone well so far.

Hundreds of GFL employees impacted by the switch will be terminated, though they will be able to reapply for their jobs with Priority Waste.

“Our understanding is that Priority intends to extend offers to the majority of employ-

ees, as it will be imperative to maintain continuity of service,” Addison stated in the letter. Allen said the company is working to make the transition a seamless process so there are no interruptions in service. He said the company has bought approximately 500 pieces of equipment from GFL. This equipment will be assessed by Priority Waste in the coming months.

“We’re going to do an overhaul of their fleet,” Allen said. “It’s a very deliberative process. We’re going to overhaul, rebuild, evaluate each one based on age and hours of running time.” GFL did not respond to requests for comment at press time.

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

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Information Systems Management

• Masters Degree in Finance

• Vice Chair of Macomb Township Board of Ethics

• U.S. Army and Michigan National GuardVeteran of the Gulf War

• Adjunct Professor at Oakland University

• Technical Product Manager at Stellantis

• President & Founder of Gadgets-for-Good.org local charity

• 25+ years of IT systems, project, and risk management

• 25+ year resident of Macomb Township

I’Il work towards

• Restoring integrity, ethics, and transparency to the Board

• Lobbying for and improving our roads, sidewalks, parks, and other amenities

• Promoting responsible development

• Maintaining fiscal responsibility

• Actively listening to the concerns of the residents of our township

The P Promise romise

Jessica T. Phan, D.D.S.

Mark D. Berman, D.D.S.

Budget

Millage rates for general operation, police protection and parks and recreation have seen reductions to 0.6232 mills, 1.45 mills and 0.7469 mills from 0.6258 mills, 1.5 mills and 0.75 mills respectively. An upcoming millage referendum as part of the Aug. 6 primary election can also see the fire pension millage reduced completely with the renewal of the fire operating millage at 1.9 mills, the same rate as last year.

In the case of the police protection millage, the township was able to use its financial surplus to hire an additional sergeant for the township’s Macomb County Sheriff’s Office substation alongside reducing the tax rate.

“There may be some folks who look at what the board has been doing with budgets the last four years and wonder if it’s a violation of the laws of physics,” Drolet said at the meeting. “We’ve reduced taxes every year for the last four years, and yet have increased what we’re investing in our roads, our sidewalks, in our parks and recreation and our public safety. It’s not a violation of the laws of physics. It’s about prioritization. It’s also about additional revenues we’ve got from aggressively pursuing state and federal grants

(and) also from very aggressive financial investments.”

Sidewalks and roadway projects are budgeted at $1.4 million and $6.4 million in expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year. Around $2 million will be spent on new improvements and additions for parks, and a new firefighter will join the Macomb Township Fire Department’s ranks.

“Our job is to reduce people’s taxes and improve their services when we get over 100% fund balance,” Drolet said.

However, some taxes are going up. The water and sewer commodity charges will go up to $4.65 and $4.49 per 748 gallons of water used (one unit) from $4.47 and $4.25 per unit.

Town square development ordinance

Trustees made another change to the township code of ordinances, this time changing the traditional neighborhood development ordinance governing construction around the township center.

“We have a zoning ordinance over the whole township, but the town center has a completely different set of standards,”said Josh Bocks, the township’s planning director. “This was developed in the late 1990s and really implemented in the early 2000s. Not much development took off. There have been some minor tweaks over the years, but

we haven’t taken over a year to really revamp this ordinance in a way that can really make it more friendly for our town center to develop but also keep the same look and feel we see out there today.”

The amendment is the recent one made as part of a review of the township’s code of ordinances. Other ordinances amended this year include the nuisance noise and temporary sign ordinances.

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

Photo by Dean Vaglia

The Macomb Township Board of Trustees agreed to extend the township’s policing contracts with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office for three more years, adding a sergeant for the township while also lowering the police millage rate.

Sabaugh

from page 3A

“The outpouring of support and condolences over these past few days has shown us how much Carmella was loved and supported by her community,” Matthew Sabaugh said via email. “We are forever grateful for that.”

A trailblazer in Macomb politics

Sabaugh was a presence in local politics for decades. After marrying Richard Sabaugh in 1960 and starting a family, she became a trailblazer for women in the workplace. The Democrat was first elected to the Warren City Council in 1975, serving one four-year term. She was then elected as Warren’s city clerk in 1979 and as Macomb County’s clerk/register of deeds in 1992.

With a genuine desire to help others, she is credited with using technology to modernize the Macomb County Clerk’s Office to make it more efficient. She also spearheaded registration efforts to encourage people to vote, regardless of party affiliation.

“Her motto was, ‘Your vote is your voice!’ She believed the best democracy was through maximum participation. Carmella was a bright woman who wanted to help her community with the challenging issues of the time,” Matthew Sabaugh said. “Public service was her true calling. As Warren City Clerk and later Macomb County Clerk, her name is on countless birth certificates, marriage licenses and death certificates. Through all the significant milestones of our lives, Carmella was right there.”

She even once opened the clerk’s office on the weekend to help a constituent get married.

“She built the Sabaugh name and made us all proud. To this day, whenever I meet people, it is still most often Carmella they remember when they hear my last name,” Matthew Sabaugh said. “She was on a first-name basis with countless friends and neighbors. Carmella made friends everywhere she went. I remember her as a loving mother who would do anything for us and always challenged us to be our best.”

See SABAUGH on page 26A

SPOTLIGHT ON SENIOR LIVING

RON TEASLEY:

SOME CALLED HIM ‘SCHOOLBOY,’ MOST CALL HIM MR. TEASLEY, EVERYONE KNOWS HIM AS AN ICON

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

Growing up, Lydia Teasley couldn’t comprehend the importance of her last name, and who could blame her?

To Lydia Teasley, her father, Ron Teasley, was a renowned basketball and baseball coach at his high school alma mater, Detroit Northwestern High School, compiling numerous Detroit Public School League and district championships across both sports.

Ron Teasley was also the first African American student to play basketball, the first African American team captain, and the second African American to play baseball for the high school.

It wasn’t until elementary school when she first reaped the rewards of the Teasley name by being able to have complete freedom in gym class.

“I got to do anything I wanted to do,” Lydia Teasley said. “I thought, ‘Oh wait, this is pretty cool.’ I still didn’t really understand it, but as I got older, that would happen a lot. I would go somewhere and people would say, ‘Teasley? Like Ron Teasley?’ Then the person is going crazy telling me how he was my coach or my teacher. He was this or he was that. I thought, ‘Oh, this is pretty cool.’”

Ron Teasley, 97, is much more than a former coach in the dugout or faculty member in the school, and one quick internet search could speak a thousand words about his achievements.

One of three surviving members to compete in the original 1948-era Negro Leagues alongside Willie Mays and Bill Greason, Teasley accomplished just about every feat a baseball player could imagine.

Teasley’s life contains memories with some of the most prolific people across sports, including racing Jesse Owens, hitting a triple off Satchel Paige, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and conversing with the likes of Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, Jackie Robinson, Buck Leonard and other Negro League legends.

Growing up around the game

Like most young ballplayers growing up, Ron Teasley had a player he idolized. The only issue was being able to see him play live.

“When I was young, my father wouldn’t

take me to a Tigers game because of segregation,” Teasley said. “I didn’t go to any Tigers games when I was young, but I used to listen to the Tigers games on the radio. My favorite player was a player by the name of Charlie Gehringer, who was a second baseman. He was an outstanding player. He was my hero.”

Baseball was the epicenter of the Teasley household, with six children all invested in the sport, and even his older sister sported the nickname “Babe Ruth” because of her baseball prowess growing up.

“They talked a lot about baseball, and sometimes my father would go to Chicago to watch what they called the Negro League All-Star Game,” Teasley said. “There was a lot of talk about it (baseball), and my father and I would play catch. My brothers and sisters all played baseball. After that, I joined the junior baseball program in Detroit. I became very successful.”

The earliest memories for Teasley began at Hamtramck Stadium, where his father would take him to watch the Detroit Stars play, but Teasley said he was also more focused on playing with rocks under the stands.

See TEASLEY on page 19A

Ron Teasley suited up for the Carman Cardinals from 1949 to 1950, hitting around .300 and making the All-Star team, but the league never received the proper recognition of MLB scouts.

Photo provided by the Teasley family

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WUJEK-CALCATERRA & SONS: Round-the-Clock Compassion since 1913

With 15 licensed funeral directors, totaling 350 years of combined experience, Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons is uniquely qualifed to bring peace and comfort to grieving families in their time of need. And these aren’t ordinary funeral directors. Each one was specifcally sought out by the Wujek and Calcaterra families based on their individual talents and expertise.

Licensed funeral director Dominick Astorino, managing director at Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons, is honored to be a part of this exceptional team. “My colleagues and I are career professionals,” stated Astorino. “Most of us have been with Wujek-Calcaterra for over 20 years. We are dedicated to our career in a long-standing way.

“We also have an excellent collection of younger funeral directors. As the embalming professor at Wayne State University School of Mortuary Science, I have taught many of them. I see their potential from the frst day I meet them and watch them develop.”

Tese devoted individuals represent a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds. Tey have formed enduring relationships with local families and the community. Tey are familiar with the neighborhood churches and have worked alongside their pastors. Tis allows them to connect with all types of families, putting them at

ease at a most difcult and overwhelming time.

Furthermore, their compassion isn’t strictly confned to business hours. Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons is one of the few funeral homes in the area where there is someone present 24/7.

According to Astorino, “We have never taken a day of since opening our original location in Detroit back in 1913. Christmas, holidays, brownouts, the worst snow storms – there has always been someone here to pick up the phone. We treat our families the way we would like to be treated. Tey never have to talk to an answering machine, and they know their loved one is never lef unattended.”

In addition to the 15 funeral directors, there is a support staf of 35 capable and compassionate individuals to complete the team at Wujek-Cacaterra & Sons. “We can serve all of our families, giving them everything they need – much like a personalized concierge.”

From preplanning to afercare services, Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons is available seven days a week, 365 days a year. Tey ofer two welcoming locations: 36900 Schoenherr Road in Sterling Heights, phone (586) 588-9117; and 54880 Van Dyke Avenue in Shelby Township, phone (586) 217-3316. For more information, visit wujekcalcaterra.com or follow Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons on Facebook.

Teasley

That was until he grew into the sport through the junior baseball program. A walk outside the local recreation center one day would be life changing.

“One day I came out of the recreation center and I looked across the field and saw some men playing baseball,” Teasley said. “I said, ‘I think I’ll just go over there and join them.’ So I went over there and started chasing foul balls. I was 13 or 14 years old, and they were nice to me and told me, ‘Why don’t you come around and practice with us?’ So I started practicing with them.”

The men playing baseball weren’t just average joes taking in a game of pickup, but rather experienced ballplayers, some former Negro League players, who were double the age of Teasley, taking him under their wing and showing him the beauties of the game.

If someone wasn’t able to make it to the game, Teasley would be thrown into right field as a boy surrounded by grown men, earning the nickname “Schoolboy” from his older teammates.

“They usually put me in right field hoping nothing would be hit my way,” Teasley said. “I really think about those fellas,

because they taught me a lot of life lessons. They meant a lot to me.”

Creating a baseball legacy

On the collegiate circuit at Wayne State University, Teasley, a Southfield resident, became the first player to ever hit above .400, still holding the single season record with a .500 batting average.

Teasley was a standout basketball and baseball player for the Tartars (now Warriors) before joining the U.S. Navy in 1945 with tours in Saipan and far Pacific areas from 1945 to 1946.

Once he returned home, he picked up right where he left off, dominating his opponents on the baseball field, so much so that the Brooklyn Dodgers caught wind of it and offered a tryout in Vero Beach, Florida, to Teasley and Detroit native Sammy Gee from Miller High School.

Upon his arrival to Vero Beach, Teasley exchanged pleasantries with Dodgers infielder Jackie Robinson, widely known for breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball.

Teasley spent two weeks before being assigned to the Dodgers minor league affiliate, the Olean Oilers of the PennsylvaniaOntario-New York League, but was promptly cut despite impressive numbers early on.

“When I was in the Dodgers organization batting .270, that wasn’t good enough,” Teasley said. “They released me. I never could understand that. I was actually leading the league in home runs when they released me. It’s something you always think about, no matter how old you are. You think about that, you know? What did they expect of you?”

Instead of being discouraged, Teasley continued his professional baseball career in the Negro Leagues as a member of the New York Cubans, but the league would soon become a picking ground for the MLB following the signing of Robinson, who played in the Negro Leagues in 1945 with the Kansas City Monarchs, in April 1947.

With Robinson’s performance came plenty of eyes looking for the next talent in the league, and the inevitable downfall of the Negro League began as teams were gutted, their best players departing for MLB clubs.

Robinson was the face of the broken color barrier, and with the title came plenty of scrutiny and racial discrimination towards him, but Teasley said the opinion of Negro League players towards Robinson’s signing began to split down the middle.

“We had a couple thousand players playing in the league, and then they were taking our best players,” Teasley said. “Then the owners were backing out. Some of the

players were suggesting, and even the owners as well, that we have an all-Star team of Negro League players and put them in the league, but that was turned down. They didn’t want to do that. The players were coming and going quite a bit.”

Many players like Teasley, moved north to the Mandak League in Manitoba and North Dakota.

Teasley suited up for the Carman Cardinals from 1949 to 1950 in the league, hitting around .300 and making the AllStar team, but the league never received the proper recognition of MLB scouts.

The league had a solid fanbase, but Teasley said the fans provided a different game day environment than what he was accustomed to.

“I can recall one game where I was playing third base and I made a double play where there was one player running to third base and another returning to third base, and I tagged each one of them out, and the fans were just quiet,” Teasley said. “There wasn’t that much of a reaction. I thought, ‘Wow.’ They enjoyed the game, and it turned out quite well.”

Life outside the dugout

Teasley would turn to factory work af-

See TEASLEY on page 27A

Selfridge Open House and Air Show soars to new heights

LEFT: An F-4U Corsair, piloted by Lou Herschel of Navy Legacy Flight, flies alongside the F/A-18 Super Hornet of the United States Navy West Coast “Rhino Demo Team” at the Selfridge Open House and Air Show on June 9.

RIGHT: The field at Selfridge offered attendees the best seat in the house no matter where they sat.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

LEFT: A United States Customs and Border Protection team demonstrates an interception of an illegal border crossing using patrol cars, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and dog Yoda, dubbed the “fur missile,” at the Selfridge Open House and Air Show.

BELOW: A SPAD 5744, a World War I fighter plane, is on display for guests at the Selfridge Open House and Air Show. The SPAD was once the oldest plane in the Selfridge Military Air Museum’s collection before the acquisition of a Curtis JN-4 “Jenny.” The JN-4 is currently being restored after a rough landing ended the rare plane’s air show touring career.

ABOVE: Pilot Lou Herschel sits in a parked F-4U Corsair on the Selfridge Air National Guard Base tarmac.

RIGHT: The United States Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team performs in F-16 Fighting Falcons at the Selfridge Open House and Air Show at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township.

Dedication

from page 1A

“She said that she and her husband, Joe Kay, wanted to donate a parcel of land X, this parcel of land X, for us to develop a park,” DiCaro said. “I could tell right away this call was going to be different. After further discussion it was clear Pam and Joe truly wanted to do something nice for the township, memorializing and honoring their family.”

The original land donation took place in 2021, and an adjoining property owned by the Fischer family was purchased in 2023 to bring the park’s size up to 14.1 acres.

“So often a park is named after somebody famous, but I wanted to bring light to regular families, which is my own family,” Pamela Pitchford said. “I think if you look at any family, you’ll find extraordinary stories and efforts made by people that make every family special.”

Joyce and Bill Pitchford moved to Macomb Township after their retirement and lived in the Maple Villas neighborhood for 22 years. Bill served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, and Joyce was a teacher for Utica Community Schools with many of her students still living in the area. Both were active members of the Presbyterian Church of Utica. Bill died in September 2020, and Jill died in February 2021. Todd Pitchford, brother of Pamela, was a stained-glass artist. Todd’s work can be found in a variety of businesses, residences and churches. Todd died in 2002.

Macomb Township’s first park south of 23 Mile Road features a number of amenities including two playscapes, pickleball and tennis courts, a dog park with area for large and small dogs, a pollinator garden and a trail that rings the park. A bridge crossing a drain provides a direct connection to the park from the neighborhood to the south, while private bridges allow people to access the park from the west.

Within the park are various signs spotlighting the families that have contributed to the park. Inside the large doghouse that welcomes guests to the dog park, two dog bones reading the names Heidi and Buster are displayed. Heidi and Buster were the dogs owned by Joyce and Bill, Heidi being a dachshund and Buster being — as Pamela describes him — “a very homely” shih tzu. A garden located where the Fischer family’s house once stood bears the family’s name and recognizes the Fischer, Rewoldt and original homesteading Liebig families for their contributions to Macomb Township since 1855. A wooden frame surrounds a stone planter where the house was.

Township residents and visitors were positive about Pitchford Park.

“It’s great,” resident Paul Grewal said. “It’s great for the community and I’m thankful to the Pitchford family for donating and doing this great thing for the community … It’s nice to walk over here and play tennis and my kid can play in the park. These two things are great.”

Visitors to the township were also impressed by its offerings. Susan Palmer said there was nothing like Pitchford Park around the New Haven/Chesterfield area.

“I love that there’s two separate play zones for the big kids and the little kids,” Palmer said. “And they have all these swings, conveniences for all the kids who need assistance with swings, and all these things, so I think it’s a great park for kids.”

Palmer’s husband was one of Joyce Pitchford’s fourth grade students. Palmer has plans to return to Pitchford Park with her two kids in the future.

“I think more people need to realize how convenient the location is, and the opportunities that they have for kids,” Palmer said. “Not many parks have all these experiences, and a lot of parks don’t offer the amenities for parents with kids with special needs or impairments.”

With Pitchford Park open and active, Macomb Township Parks and Recreation is shifting its focus toward developing other parks in the community. Lucido River Park, located on North Avenue between 23 Mile and 24 Mile roads, is a particular focus.

“Right now, we’re renting it on the inside, but we’re looking to expand with a trail down (by) the river, and to expand some of the outdoor offerings there,” DiCaro said.

The former Lions Club meeting house at Lucido Park is available for rent through parks and recreation.

Outside of expanding Lucido Park, Macomb Township Parks and Recreation has its sights set on its slate of summer events and activities.

DiCaro said he always has an ear open for those looking to donate land for more township parks.

“We’re always looking for park land,” DiCaro said. “We’re always looking to grow, and things are going really good right now.”

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

“It will be right exactly where the courthouse is and will be going all the way down,” said Edward McClenney, Macomb County Pride festival committee chair. “Even though downtown has a lot of construction going on and revitalization, we’re going to utilize that long path on North Main Street.”

The move from Macomb Place to North Main Street was announced back at the March 18 Mount Clemens City Commission meeting with trustees voting 6-1 to approve the move. Working together to hold the event despite the expected construction (which has been delayed due to federal funding requiring additional steps before being released to the city) is the latest way the city and Macomb County Pride have worked together.

“It was a really easy process to work with them,” Mount Clemens Mayor Laura Kropp said. “They understand that the little bit of inconvenience that will be this year will be a great outcome for Mount Clemens in the future.”

According to McClenney, the city has worked with Macomb County Pride to provide generators, barricades and security via plainclothes Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

“From the previous years that I have been with the board, Macomb has been very supportive — especially Mount Clemens — of everything that we do,” McClenney said. “Even communities nearby like Sterling Heights, Warren and Eastpointe, all of those different local communities

have been supportive in making sure that we have a phenomenal event.”

The temporary closure of the traditional event space in downtown Mount Clemens has affected other summer events in the city, but Kropp sees these shifts as new opportunities to assess how other places in the city can accommodate significant events.

“Mount Clemens is known for having a lot of events in the summer and what we’ve done is sought out other possible locations in downtown, which has actually presented itself as an opportunity,” Kropp said. “The businesses in those other locations — for example, Main Street, Walnut Street and the other parts of Macomb Place that aren’t under construction — all those businesses have felt great that we’re moving the events closer to their establishments and it’s given them an opportunity to benefit from the crowds going to those locations.”

Events like Macomb County Pride will test the viability of hosting events elsewhere in the city and maybe even see events permanently move into the new locations. As for Kropp, she plans to see the results of Macomb County Pride on North Main Street for herself.

“I love it,” Kropp said, confirming her plans to attend this year’s event. “It’s one of my favorite events.”

Along with the shift in location, McClenney made it clear that Pride attendees can expect the events and amenities known from prior years as well as plenty of new attractions.

“We can expect to have our drag queen show as usual, a drag queen story time and various performers of the LGBTQIA community,” McClenney said. “We’re going to have food trucks galore, so different food trucks and vendors are

going to be there. We hope that people bring their kids and families out to celebrate … What I’m excited about this year is having a live DJ that is going to be there as an emcee and keeping everyone entertained the entire time that they’re there from live music to mixed music and all types of things.”

The fourth annual festival shows how much the Macomb County Pride organization has grown since it was formed.

“Macomb County Pride really started as sort of a casual conversation between a couple of folks who recognized that there wasn’t a place or time or a way for the LGBTQ community to come together in Macomb County,” said Phil Gilchrist, vice president and a founder of Macomb County Pride. “If you look at some other areas, they have establishments where people go like bookstores or coffee houses or gay bars or there’s other events like Pride festivals in other areas, and we didn’t really see any of that here in Macomb County.”

Casual conversions turned into an effort in 2019 to organize a 2020 festival, but Gilchrist said, “Some other things kind of got in the way of that.”

Efforts were redirected toward registering Macomb County Pride as a nonprofit, getting plans in place for a 2021 festival and getting involved around the county. Now four years and three festivals down the road, the volunteerled organization has been able to support smaller events throughout the year and operates a Discord server.

Gilchrist has seen a high level of support from people, organizations and businesses throughout Macomb County in his time with Macomb County Pride. Anecdotally, he

See PRIDE on page 24A

Behavior

from page 5A

and project-specific outreach to parents and guardians.

“What we’re looking at is the program is to expand and do more community service projects, and also there’s a parent component where you do parent nights and you can do some training with the parents to get them more exposed to it and understanding it,” Polega said. “That’s what we’re looking at for next year, as well as there are different extension activities that can be done. We kind of did the basics of it this year.”

With the success they have had with the Positivity Project, Lobbestael teachers have high hopes for what the project will do for Yacks Elementary and are excited for next year.

“I’m excited for next year because now that the kids have heard the language, they’ve heard the traits, (and) they’re familiar with it, I feel that it is just going to grow and it’s going to get stronger,” Ellis said.

Cars

from page 8A

“I would work on the car with him. Then we would go to car shows,” Kevin said. “As a kid, I remember bouncing around in the back seat. The suspensions back then didn’t have shocks.”

Kevin had his dad’s car for many years and was in the process of having it restored. However, too many obstacles got in the way, so Kevin bought a Coupe that looked just like his dad’s. He even kept some of the original parts as a momento.

“The intent of the car is still there,” Kevin said. “When I see it, my dad is still there.”

Because his father spent so much time tinkering with the Ford, it was jokingly named “The Mistress.” Keeping with tradition, Kevin’s orangish-red Ford Coupe also has taken on the same moniker.

“I love each of them for different reasons. The Ford reminds me of my dad,” Kevin said. “In the sun, you see the orange. In the evening, it looks more red.”

“It’s a hot rod,” Karen said. “You feel every little bump.”

“The Riviera is such a pleasure to drive. You just get in the car and go. The other thing that I like about the Riviera, it’s everyone’s second-favorite car,” said Kevin, describing how car enthusiasts who grew up with either Chrysler, Ford or GM often stick with those models when they become adults. “The Riviera welcomes everyone. It’s like the

Pride

from page 23A

recounts how business owners have been eager to get inclusivity stickers that were being passed out at prior Prides in Mount Clemens.

“It was a really interesting thing because when you talk about getting support from a community, like a business community for example here, and you don’t always know who is going to be outwardly supportive like that,” Gilchrist said. “But to see so many of the downtown businesses really interested in participating — not just putting up a sticker but being present, putting up decorations, really welcoming people into their stores during the festival — it’s really an incredible thing to experience. So I think that there is a lot of support around here for the LGBTQ community, I just think that it’s not always very spoken or visible.”

Even still, Gilchrist knows there is always more work to be done. Eastpointe, which was the first community in the country to recognize Pride Month in 2019, failed to recognize it in 2023 due to a 2-2 city council deadlock; the council approved a recognition resolution on June 4 this year with a 4-1 vote. Other communities like Sterling Heights have adopted perpetual Pride Month resolutions.

Vendors, performers and potential sponsors interested in getting involved with Macomb County Pride’s upcoming festival can reach out to edward@macombcoun typride.com or visit macombcountypride.com/pride2024.

her, but hasn’t been successful yet.

girl next door. You don’t see them as often. That, to me, was one of the things that was sort of special.”

For Kevin, the Imperial — with its Alaskan white exterior — is a throwback to his “favorite era of cars of the late ’50s and early ’60s.”

“The big fins and the chrome, I’ve always been in love with that style of car,” he said.

Kevin first spotted the Imperial a couple of years ago at the Packard Proving Grounds Historic Site in Shelby Township. He knew the gentleman, Bill, who owned it and said, “If you ever think about selling that car, just remember me.” About a year later, Bill sold it to Kevin.

“He’s always buying and selling,” Kevin said.

Kevin brought the Imperial home Dec. 22, 2022, right before a snowstorm. There was just enough time for him and Karen to rearrange the garage to fit in their new 18 1/2-foot automobile that is 6 inches wider than most cars.

Kevin said the original owner of the Chrysler Imperial is a woman who lives in New Jersey. He’s tried to get in touch with

“She owned the car until 1979 and then she sold it to a dealership,” he said.

For Karen, the Riviera is her favorite of the three.

“It rides like a dream,” she said. After being at a car show all day, she likes to fall asleep in the passenger seat on the way home. “It floats down the road at 55 (mph).”

Each car attracts a different crowd.

“The ’47, it’s the older, gray guys. The Riviera draws a very different niche of people. Many people don’t know the Riviera. It’s a rather uncommon car. It’s the perfect balance between muscle and luxury,” Kevin said. “The Imperial draws women. It oozes luxury and extravagance. It is a challenge to drive because it is so large.”

Kevin is a member of the Detroit Area Only Twisted Axle Car Club, which meets at 7 p.m. every Friday at Gratiot Coney Island, 28560 Gratiot Ave. in Roseville. All are welcome.

“It’s a growing club,” Kevin said. “We’re always talking about getting out and driving.”

The Detroit Area Only Twisted Axle Car Club is accepting registration for the second annual Track Day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Ubly Dragway. For registration details, text or call Kevin at (586) 822-7968. Cars from page 24A

We Fix & Replace Broken Toilets

Sabaugh

Growing up on Sutherland Avenue in Warren, Matthew Sabaugh remembers the family home “often filled with the hallmarks of grassroots campaigning: stuffing literature, canvassing, sign building and spirited discussions and debate.” He said it was his dad who encouraged Carmella to run for public office.

“She was charismatic, hard-working and kind of a pioneer in the idea of woman having the right to run for office,” former Warren Mayor James Fouts said. “I think she made a great impact upon the population, particularly when it comes to voting for a woman in a major office.”

Fouts attributes getting elected to the Warren City Council in 1981 to Sabaugh.

“I was an unknown candidate when I ran. No one hardly knew me, and she endorsed me and I think that played a very significant role in my election back in the early 1980s,” Fouts said.

‘She certainly had an impactful life’

Although they belonged to different political parties, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller, a Republican, and Sabaugh became good friends when, in 1992, Sabaugh ran for county clerk, Miller ran for Macomb County treasurer and Mary Chrzanowski ran for a seat on the bench in Macomb County Circuit Court. All

three were elected and would occasionally meet for breakfast or lunch.

“We just hit it off and got along very well. She was a remarkable woman. She had high energy and was very organized,” Miller said. “She was very creative and innovative. She certainly had an impactful life. She was an excellent public servant. She certainly will be missed.”

Something state Sen. Paul Wojno, D-Warren, noticed about Sabaugh when they both worked at Warren City Hall during the Mayor Ronald Bonkowski administration in the 1980s was how friendly she was with all the employees.

“She really liked to communicate with people. She really got to know everyone in City Hall from the department heads to the office clerks,” Wojno said. “She wanted to know what was going on in everyone’s personal lives. She was so down to earth. She really loved people. We always had a friendship and working relationship.”

Wojno and Sabaugh connected again when he became the Warren city clerk during Sabaugh’s tenure as the Macomb County clerk.

“With the local clerks, she was very supportive of what we did,” Wojno said. “She was probably the most well-respected county clerk in the state of Michigan. Carmella was great to work with. She was always accessible and had a great staff.”

Each time she ran for office, Sabaugh would be out on the campaign trail talking to people and listening to their concerns.

“On Election Day, she was always out at the polls,”

Wojno said. “She really enjoyed interfacing with the constituents in Warren. She cared about seeing individuals in her role as in the City Council and county clerk.”

Warren City Treasurer Lorie Barnwell crossed paths with Sabaugh many times over the years.

“For me, watching her innovations in the County Clerk’s Office was very significant. She was such an important figure,” Barnwell said. “She blazed the way for a lot of women not just in Warren but in the county.”

Barnwell said Sabaugh worked to make the community feel more connected to the Macomb County Clerk’s Office.

“She had a drive to offer the best customer service,” Barnwell said. “Sometimes, there’s a fear in government of technology and moving things forward. She thought outside of the box. She won all kinds of awards for what she was able to accomplish. Her reputation in the community was bar none.”

Aside from politics, Barnwell saw Sabaugh as a woman who was “an outstanding parent.” She never missed an opportunity to talk about her family.

“Her kids and grandkids were her everything,” Barnwell said. “She was so devoted to those kids and grandkids.”

Miller echoed that.

“She was very family-oriented,” Miller said. “For her, it was family first.”

The Sabaugh family will receive friends from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 23 at the Wujek-Calcaterra funeral home, 36900 Schoenherr Road, in Sterling Heights.

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

Teasley

ter the 1951 season and head back to Wayne State, earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1955 and joining the Detroit school system soon after. He earned his master’s of administration degree in 1963.

Life postbaseball was everything Teasley could’ve dreamed of, spending time with his wife of 71 years and high school sweetheart, Marie Teasley, who passed away in 2020, and raising their three children: Lydia, Ronald and Tim.

Marie Teasley was a writer and editor for the Michigan Chronicle newspaper for 25 years, taking after her father, who was the first African American to own and publish a newspaper in Hannibal, Missouri.

“She was an outstanding journalist,” Ron Teasley said. “She started out when she was 7 years old because her father owned a newspaper in Missouri, the home of Mark Twain.”

In true love story fashion, Ron Teasley was his wife’s photographer when they would go to events, which included the controversial 1986 Goodwill Games in Russia.

The Goodwill Games were brought to the forefront after the United States boycot-

ted the 1980 Olympic Games in Russia and Russia boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in California.

An array of political issues surrounded the games itself, with certain countries being banned from competing.

“The first thing that struck you when you landed (in Russia) was there were no people at the airport,” Teasley said. “There’s nobody but guards. In this country, airports are jammed. There, there was nobody. The guards searched you, and we were detained for about a half an hour or so before we were even allowed to come into the country.”

The Teasleys today

Lydia Teasley knows the prominence of her last name, and her kindergarten students at Dorothy Montessori School in Oak Park also get to share in the knowledge.

Each February, Teasley instructs her students on the Negro Leagues, reading books, playing baseball outside or playing hot potato around the classroom.

She’ll show the children a video of her father talking about his playing days, but at such a young age, Lydia Teasley said, it’s difficult for the children to comprehend the importance of the Negro Leagues and how long ago it was.

She especially found this to be true

when her classroom watched the Detroit Tigers opening day game, and students asked her if her dad was playing or not.

It’s innocently hilarious, and Lydia Tealsey said it means a lot to her to pass the meaning of the game and her father’s impact on to her students.

“It’s super important, and it also turns out to be fun, because the questions they ask me are just hilarious, but they’re interested,” Lydia Teasley said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, your dad played baseball?’ I’ll tell them all the history of what happened, and I think they get it a little bit. I think they’re more interested in how to play, so I’ll take them outside and teach them some skills myself. It means so much to me to be able to talk about my dad and for them to see him on the video. It just brings it to life, and they can appreciate the history.”

Even at 97 years old, Ron Teasley is a busy man, but he prefers it that way. Whether it’s taking walks to the park, watching any baseball he can, or playing Wii bowling, Teasley stays active.

The Tigers have called upon him several times to throw out the ceremonial first pitch during the times the former Negro Leagues were celebrated, trading in their traditional home uniforms for the Detroit Stars uniforms.

He’s also made a trip with his family to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, to speak and sign autographs, and is involved in the Negro Leagues Family Alliance, which was founded by families of former players.

Lydia Teasley said her father is a popular man at the meetings because he’s able to tell stories to the families of Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, Josh Gibson, Walter “Buck” Leonard, and many other players about their loved ones.

Ron Teasley’s passion for baseball is immeasurable, but it doesn’t compare to the impact he’s made on others around him as a player, a coach and teacher.

Lydia Teasley continues the impact with the Ron and Marie Teasley Foundation, which aims to assist students in metro Detroit through scholarships, mentorships and training.

A person like Ron Teasley should always be reminded of what he brought to the game, and Lydia Teasley said she and her siblings always try to do just that.

“I just want to have him keep talking about all the great things he’s done,” Lydia Teasley said. “I never want him to stop talking about that.”

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

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Drywall

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586-755-3636 Father&Son MasterElectricians Dr.Electric Same-Day-Service! All-Residential-Wiring, ChangeFuseBoxto CircuitBreakerPanel, Troubleshooting, ElectricVehicleChargers BackupGenerator TransferSwitch, License#6109094 Senior/Discounts! Visa/MC/Lic./Insured

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GARAGE DOOR TUNE UP SPECIAL $80

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POWERWASHING

GUTTER&WINDOW CLEANING Veteran/Firefighter Owned/Operated championwindow cleaning.net 248-765-0613

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Handyman Services

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Hauling & Waste Removal ***AAA HAULING*** JUNKREMOVAL Wehaulitall! DemolitionBig&Small Residential/Commercial RubberWheelDumpsters-10,15,20-Yards, Clean-outs,Construction Material,Small-Moving, Appliances,Furniture& More!LowestRates!!! Free-Estimates Senior/MilitaryDiscounts 586-360-0681 ucallwehauljunk.com

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Heating & Cooling

EXTERIOR REPAIRSLLC. Since1999 Roofing,Siding, GuttersandMore! Reliable Ask,WeMightDoIt! FREEESTIMATES 248-242-1511

Kitchens/ Cabinets/ Countertops

MR.BACKSPLASH ·CUSTOM BACKSPLASHES ·CUSTOMKITCHENS ·COUNTERTOPS *Granite*Quartz* ·CustomBathrooms ·TILEREPAIRS *FREEESTIMATES* 586-552-5416 mrbacksplash.com

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TOTALBRICKPAVING LANDSCAPINGPROS

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Painting 586-792-3117

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ANDY'S PLUMBING

Gutters

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AFFORDABLE HeatingandCooling Greg'sHeatingLLC Familyowned company 89$servicecall 79A/Ctuneup SeniorDiscounts 586-422-8528 Home Improvement

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JUNE 21

Interactive music experience: Featuring national touring musician Evan Holler, 10 a.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - North Branch, 54100 Broughton Road in Macomb Township, registration required, cmpl.org, (586) 226-5083

JUNE 22

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day: For residents only, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Macomb Township Offices, 54111 Broughton Road, see acceptable items at macombtwp. org/trashservices

JUNE 23

Belgian American Association Band concert: Hear waltzes, marches, numbers from musicals, big band music and more, buffet dinner and adult beverages afterward, 4:30 p.m., Zuccaro’s Banquets & Catering, 46601 Gratiot Ave. in Chesterfield Township, belgianband.org/home/ ticket-sales

JUNE 28

Golf fundraiser: Hosted by Hearts for Homes (provides shelter for homeless youth in Macomb County), 9:30 a.m. registration and 11 a.m. shotgun start, includes lunch, three drinks, course games and prizes, and steak dinner, Cracklewood Golf Club, 18215 24 Mile Road in Macomb Township, (586) 709-0159, karanbg@hearts4homes.org, hearts4homes.org/golf-outing

JUNE 30

Michigan Log Cabin Day: Visit building and play lawn games, 1-4 p.m., Chesterfield Township Historical Village, 47275 Sugarbush Road, (586) 949-0400 (ext. 6499), chesterfieldhistory@yahoo.com, www.chesterfieldhistorical society.org

ONGOING

As The Pages Turn: Middle school book club, selections

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and dates include “Smile” by Raina Telgemeier (June 25), “Realm of the Blue Mist” by Amy Kim Kibuishi (July 23) and “Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year” by Nina Hamza (Aug. 19), 3-4 p.m., attend all three to receive free day pass to Macomb Township Recreation Center and free pizza at Bubba’s 33, meetings at Pitchford Park, 49625 Romeo Plank Road in Macomb Township, www.facebook.com/ MacombTwpParksandRec

Garden art sale: Open until Sept. 2, Schramm’s Farm, 21701 24 Mile Road in Macomb Township, all proceeds benefit Macomb Charitable Foundation

Macomb Motivators Toastmasters Club: Meets 6:30-8 p.m. every second and fourth Thursday of month, St. Isidore Church, 18201 23 Mile Road in Macomb Township, www.6104644.toastmastersclubs.org

Rockin’ Roll In Cruise In: 4-7:30 p.m. select Thursdays until Aug. 29, Stahls Auto Museum, 56516 North Bay Drive in Chesterfield Township, stahlsauto.com

Widowed Friends breakfasts: 10 a.m. every fourth Monday of month, Amore’s Grill, 53100 Gratiot Ave. in Chesterfield Township, RSVP to Loree at (810) 335-2096

Ostomy peer support group: Meets 2-3 p.m. every third

Sunday of month, Northside Church, 25600 23 Mile Road in Chesterfield Township, ostomysupport-macomb.org

Bereaved Parents of Macomb Support Group: Meets 7-9 p.m. every first Thursday of month, Washington Senior Center, 57880 Van Dyke Ave. in Washington Township, neilflyer@yahoo.com, (248) 425-2999

Washington Art Guild: Learn about art, listen to demonstrators and speakers, practice art in workshops, and exchange ideas, meets 6:30-9 p.m. every first Monday of month, Romeo Community Center, 361 Morton St. in Washington Township, washington-art-guild.homestead. com

Ducklings saved

GROSSE POINTE CITY — Officers were called to the 300 block of St. Clair Avenue at around 7 a.m. June 1 after someone noticed that several ducklings had fallen into a storm drain and couldn’t get back out. Using a pike pole and a basket, officers were able to safely retrieve the ducklings and return them to the custody of their worried mother.

Fight broken up

GROSSE POINTE CITY — Officers who were transporting someone to Ascension St. John Hospital for a psychological evaluation at around 1:50 a.m. June 1 sprang into action when they encountered a crowd of approximately 15 to 20 people outside the emergency room who police said appeared to be fighting and threatening to shoot each other. Helping Detroit police, officers from the City worked to diffuse the tense situation.

Vehicle stolen, recovered

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Sometime between the hours of 9 p.m. May 28 and 12:45 p.m. May 29, an unknown suspect is said to have stolen a 2024 Ford Escape from a driveway in the 600 block of Peach Tree Lane. The victim told police the vehicle was unlocked and the key fob was left inside it. Police said they recovered the missing vehicle in Detroit.

Stolen vehicle suspect sought

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Police were looking for the person who stole a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox from a driveway in the 1900 block of Vernier Road sometime between the night of May 31 and 6:56 a.m. June 1.

Resident scares off larceny suspect

GROSSE POINTE PARK — A resident in the 600 block of Lakepointe Street is said to have startled a larceny suspect when the resident spotted the suspect going through the interior of the resident’s vehicle — which was unlocked and parked in the driveway — at around 4:31 a.m. May 30. The victim told police he called out to the suspect, who fled the scene. The victim said a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses worth $100 were missing from the vehicle when he checked to see if anything had been taken.

Bike missing

GROSSE POINTE PARK — An orange Giant Stance mountain bike was stolen from outside a garage in the 1100 block of Whittier Road at around 4:20 p.m. May 30. A police report states that surveillance footage shows the larceny being committed by four youths.

Retail fraud reported

ST. CLAIR SHORES — On May 24, a report was made about a case of retail fraud that occurred in the 23000 block of Harper Avenue.

An officer made contact with the manager of the establishment, a 40-year-old woman, who stated she had to make a police report about stolen merchandise for her corporate office. The theft occurred on April 28 between 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Two pairs of Beats headphones as well as two pairs of Bose headphones were stolen. The total value of the stolen merchandise was $1,200.

Investigators advised the manager that there was clear video evidence of the theft occurring. The manager was present during the theft. She told the officer the store’s loss prevention investigators could email the video to detectives.

Damage to property reported

ST. CLAIR SHORES — A property damage report was made after an incident on May 16 in the 19000 block of Ridgemont Street.

An officer spoke with the victim, a 51-year-old woman, who stated her tenant, a 59-year-old man, advised her that an air conditioning unit was not working. When the HVAC company checked it out, they told her it was damaged by potential thieves and the water and power lines to the unit were cut and irreparable.

The unit was not removed from the ground. The victim was unsure of when the damage occurred and stated this might be the first time the tenant tried using the air conditioner this year.

Furniture theft reported

ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 7:37 a.m. on May 28, a report was made about a larceny that occurred in the 22000 block of Lanse Street.

An officer spoke to the victim, a 53-year-old man, who stated that his patio furniture valued at $2,000, was stolen. He left the location from May 22 to May 27. The day of the report, he noticed his patio furniture, a table and four chairs, was missing. He has insurance and video but stated the video did not capture the suspects.

Larceny at English Gardens

EASTPOINTE — According to a police report, Eastpointe police officers were dispatched to English Gardens on Kelly Road at around 10:40 a.m. May 19 to investigate a larceny that occurred the night prior. Police were told that three men arrived in a black Ford F-150 pickup truck that night, loaded up the truck bed with numerous flower pots and left the scene. Later in the morning, they returned, jumped the fence and reportedly stole clay pots along with other gardening items.

Vehicle flees police

EASTPOINTE — According to a police report, Eastpointe police officers on May 17 attempted to stop a gray Dodge Challenger and a white Dodge Charger that were driving together, citing civil infractions. Police initiated contact with them in the area of Gratiot Avenue and Toepfer Drive.

The driver of the Charger reportedly cooperated and pulled over upon being signaled by police. The driver of the Challenger, however, allegedly decided to flee. The driver of the Charger was issued civil infractions and released, while the driver of the Challenger was located a short time later and taken into custody, and the vehicle was impounded.

The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office was going to review the case and possibly issue charges against the driver of the Challenger, a 22-year-old man from Detroit.

Man attempts to break into home

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 1:25 p.m. May 7, Shelby Township police were dispatched to the 50000 block of Timbers Edge Drive, near 25 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue, for an attempted home invasion report. The caller stated she responded to her home for an alarm that was going off. At the time of the alarm, nothing suspicious was found.

Later that day, the caller stated that a neighbor had video surveillance of a male suspect attempting to enter her home. The video shows that the male was not able to gain entry into the home. The case was turned over to the Shelby Township Police Department detective bureau for follow up.

Altercation occurs

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 2:12 p.m. May 7, an officer responded to the area of Dequindre Road and Benedict Lane for a possible assault. A male caller had left the home and was in the area waiting for officers to meet with him. The man had visible marks on his face, police said.

The man stated that he had gotten into a verbal and physical altercation with his mother-in-law. The man reportedly had arrived at the mother-in-law’s home uninvited. The mother-in-law reportedly advised police that the man came to the home and caused issues. No parties wanted to press charges, and police said that all parties were separated.

Suspects reportedly steal woman’s wallet, spend $1,700

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — An officer from Shelby Township was dispatched to the 14000 block of Hall Road for a larceny complaint at 7:27 p.m May 7. The officer met with a woman who stated that while she was

shopper and a female shopper offering to help her. The victim stated that after a short conversation with the couple, she noticed that her wallet was missing from her purse. The Shelby Township Police Department detective bureau heard the call and responded to the Mall at Partridge Creek, because in similar incidents that had taken place in Shelby Township, the suspects had gone to Partridge Creek with stolen credit cards. The detectives just missed the suspects, as they reportedly had used the credit cards at the mall to charge $1,700. The detective bureau was continuing to investigate this incident.

Kia stolen, recovered in Detroit

STERLING HEIGHTS — Police investigated the theft of a white Kia Optima that reportedly happened May 10 in the 2000 block of 15 Mile Road. Police said they talked to the vehicle owner, who reportedly had parked the car by a restaurant before it disappeared.

Police later learned that the vehicle was impounded after being found May 11 on Goddard Street in Detroit The vehicle’s tires were all stolen, the taillights were taken off and the ignition was damaged, police said.

Men seen fighting, ‘rolling around’ STERLING HEIGHTS — A witness reported two men fighting and “rolling around on the ground” on the northwest corner of Van Dyke Avenue and 14 Mile Road May 19, police said. Police said they checked the intersection’s vicinity around 10 minutes later and didn’t spot any combatants.

Alcoholic beverages stolen from gas station

STERLING HEIGHTS — Two female suspects went to a gas station in the 11000 block of 15 Mile Road the night of May 18 to allegedly commit third-degree retail fraud by stealing two BuzzBallz alcoholic beverages, according to a police report. Each can was reportedly worth $3.50 before taxes.

Police said the manager didn’t want to pursue charges but wanted police to inform the suspects’ parents, if possible. The suspects reportedly ran away by the time police arrived, and police couldn’t find them.

Juveniles accused of ‘scoping out houses’

STERLING HEIGHTS — Police went to the area of Island Drive and Hayes Road May 17 upon hearing that two kids riding bikes appeared to be “scoping out houses.” When police arrived, they said they didn’t spot the juveniles.