SUPERVISOR: EPA TO BEGIN
GOO SMOKE SHOP CLEANUP
BY NICK POWERS npowers@medianewsgroup.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Some resolution is coming at the site of the Goo Smoke Shop explosion, even if it’s just the physical part.
Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon announced on Aug. 13 that the Environmental Protection Agency would begin its cleanup at the site of the Goo Smoke Shop explosion
and that started Aug. 19, according to Cannon.
“Monday and Tuesday they’re going to allow anybody who is an investigator to come out onto the site and identify areas they want to get a closer look at underneath the debris that’s there,” he said in an interview following the announcement. “There are certain hotspots that will then be identified and uncovered. So those investigators will have an opportunity to see what was there that they were interested in.”
See CLEANUP on page 16A
New master plan on the horizon
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — In the works for almost a year, the future of planning in Harrison Township is almost here.
Already sent out to surrounding communities for review, the Resilient Harrison 2040 Master Plan aims to define planning rules for the township while setting up guidelines for how the township can position itself amidst a changing world. The plan was funded in part by a $30,000 Michigan Department Environment, Great Lakes and Energy grant that promotes building resilience toward risks facing coastal communities.
“The township knew we wanted to work on an update to our master plan since it had been such a long time since the previous one had been adopted,” said Adam Young, a senior project manager at engineering firm Wade Trim. “The current master plan obviously did not think about something like COVID or the housing market that we’re in or people working remotely instead of going into the office. So much has changed since that time, so we knew that we wanted to do this master plan update. We came across this funding opportunity through EGLE, and we also know that Harrison Township has dealt with issues like coastal flooding. We tied the need to do the master plan with the EGLE’s program’s goals to help improve community resilience and sustainability and coupled those together to create this master plan project.”
See MASTER PLAN on page 11A
The Environmental Protection Agency has started its cleanup at the site of the Goo Smoke Shop explosion.
Photo by Nick Powers
CITY, SCHOOLS AGREE TO NEW CABLE CLASS
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MOUNT CLEMENS — A month may not seem very long, but it’s a blistering turnaround time in the world of public policy, and it’s all the time that was needed to restore a program thought to be lost to the ages.
At the Aug. 19 Mount Clemens City Commission meeting, a new incarnation of the television production partnership between the city and Mount Clemens Community Schools was formed. The new program will see students produce programming for the city’s public, education and government cable channels and sees a new partner enter the equation: Hunch Free, a digital marketing agency based in Mount Clemens which currently provides its services for the city.
“Hunch Free and the school will be sharing a Hunch Free employee qualified to run the program both from an educational and functional standpoint,” Mount Clemens City Manager Gregg Shipman said. “The learning platform will mainly be based out of the school as before. A second satellite studio will be installed at Hunch Free Headquarters located on 25 N. Main Street in Mount Clemens. The studio will allow students the opportunity to learn in a real-world environment.”
Hunch Free’s employee will be shared between the agency and the school district with no contribution to the employee’s costs by the city. The city will pay for equipment out of its annual cable fee collection fund and retain ownership of any equipment it purchases. Programs produced through the partnership, including city commission meetings, will air on the city’s cable channels.
“I must say that this agreement seems much more clear, specific and less of a wavy-hands ‘all parties will work it out’ thing like our previous agreement, so I appreciate the clarity of this,” City Commissioner Erik Rick said.
The new agreement fills in a gap left by the dissolution of the Mount Clemens Cable Commission that oversaw the original agreement between the city and school district. Under the prior agreement, students produced content that was aired over the Macomb Cable Network channel and posted to the “Bath City Beat” YouTube account. The cable commission and original agreement were officially dissolved on June 30 at the school district’s request, citing budget con-
See CABLE on page 5A
Harrison Township adopts fire hiring policy, issues bonds
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Facing a shortage of firefighters and EMTs, the Harrison Township Board of Trustees approved a new student hiring program proposed by the Harrison Township Fire Department at the Aug. 12 board meeting.
Under the new policy, the Fire Department will be allowed to hire student paramedics prior to them passing their certification courses. Those hired under this policy would not be counted as staff until they pass the national paramedic exam and obtain a paramedic license from the state.
Students hired are also required to attempt the exam three times in a three-month period. If the student does not pass the exam within the three month/three attempt period, they will be asked to resign or be fired.
The starting annual salary for student hires is $50,000. Hires from the program are still subject to the normal probationary period as all other new firefighters.
“The idea here is that when we have a student that comes through and does the ridealongs, we would really like to have the opportunity to hire that student prior to them being able to count towards staffing,” Township Supervisor Ken Verkest said. “There’s a couple of reasons why. One is that if you get a young person and you like them, you want to scoop them up before somebody else gets them. Number
two is … if we can hire a firefighter and we have a student that could be days or weeks away, bringing them on at the same time and going through the training process is a lot more efficient for a department of our size.”
Trustees also approved the hiring of Devin Murray as the township’s newest firefighter, pending a background check and successful health exams. Murray was previously with the Livonia Fire Department and was a ride-along student with the Harrison Township Fire Department.
Special assessment bonds
In February, the Board of Trustees passed a resolution signaling its intent to issue bonds for the Cloverleaf Street and North Blom Drive special assessment district. Now, six months to the day out from the intent resolution, the board passed a resolution to issue the bonds.
“The board adopted resolution No. 5 earlier this year and we thought we may have been able to get this project moving along a little quicker, depending on timing,” Township Clerk Adam Wit said. “But because of some of the variability with pricing and that kind of stuff, we’re just now getting into bonding.”
The township will issue $701,041 in bonds under the name “Harrison Charter Township Capital Improvement Bond(s), Series 2024B.” Bonds will bear interest at a maximum rate of 6% per year. Interest will begin accruing on Oct. 1, 2024. The original estimated cost of the road paving project was $645,041 in January 2024.
Once I get the right diagnosis for the cause of your heel pain, I will provide you with a tailored treatment plan, which outlines exactly how we can fix your heel pain and keep you free from future foot pain. If you are ready, call me for an appointment to start your journey back to normal life, free from heel pain.
SECOND FRONT PAGE
ABOVE: Clinton Township is set to get a wind phone, which allows people to talk in a private space to their loved ones who have died. The project was unanimously approved by the Clinton Township Board of Trustees at its Aug. 12 meeting.
“Jewel,” a steel and glass sculpture by the Detroit Design Center, was unveiled in Harrison Township on Friday, Aug. 16.
LEFT: Workers install Clinton Township’s wind phone on Aug. 22, which is located at the Civic Center Park near the bocce ball courts.
WIND PHONE TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH LOSS
BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The words don’t always come when someone’s alive.
Wind phones allow you to say those things through a telephone receiver connected to nothing in the living world. Clinton Township is set to get one, which will also be the first in Macomb County. The project was unanimously approved by the Clinton Township Board of Trustees at its Aug. 12 meeting.
Itaru Sasaki installed the first wind phone in Japan following the death of a family member in 2010, according to a Bloomberg News story. Wind phone booths have since popped up around the world.
The booths have no particular religious connotation and are private.
“When I first heard about this, I didn’t quite
understand it,” Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon said. “But, when it was explained to me, I liked it.”
Fran Badalamente, who represented the Senior Adult Life Center at the meeting, explained the importance of the phone.
“It is a lovely idea,” Badalamente said. “I really think that it’s something that would add to our center and the people that are going through the process of grief.”
The township’s senior center spearheaded the idea. The Lowe’s home improvement store, near the intersection of Gratiot Avenue and 15 Mile Road, and Dignity Memorial took care of the funding for the booth.
Township Trustee Julie Matuzak said this tribute was more environmentally friendly than things like lantern releases.
Dragonfly sculpture lands in Tucker Park
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The newest piece of art for the Harrison Township public has arrived, taking the form of a dragonfly and landing in Tucker Park.
Known by the name “Jewel” and located between the senior center and the Clinton River Spillway trail, the sculpture is the latest collaboration between the Harrison Township Beautification Commission and sculptor brothers Erik and Israel Nordin. A ceremony unveiling the
Photo by Dean Vaglia
Photo provided by Debbie Travis
Photo by Nick Powers
NEWS & NOTES
4A/ JOURNAL • AUGUST 28, 2024
Boat Show comes to Lake St. Clair Metropark
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The Metro Boat Show sails into Lake St. Clair Metropark from Sept. 12-15.
The show offers attendees the opportunity to shop and compare the new 2025 season boats, cruisers, yachts, personal watercraft, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and more. Other activities taking place during the show include live music from Ron Devon, Rock and Soul, The Pool Boys and Scott Sopata. Paws, the mascot of the Detroit Tigers, will swing by the show on Sept. 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The research vessel and 68-foot US Naval Sea Cadet Corps ship the Pride of Michigan will be around for tours and the Spirit of Lake St. Clair will take attendees onto the lake for a cruise.
Admission to the show is $10 per person and parking is $10. Show hours are 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 and Sept. 13, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 14 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 15. For more information visit boatmichigan.org.
ST. HUBERT HOSTING ANNUAL PARISH FESTIVAL
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — St. Hubert Catholic Church is hosting its 38th annual parish festival Sept. 6-8. Activities at the festival will include carnival games, rides, a Vegas Room, a used book sale, live music, 50/50 and grand raffles, a tag tent, a cornhole tournament on Sept. 7 and plenty of food and refreshments. The festival runs from 6 p.m. to midnight on Sept. 6, noon to midnight on Sept. 7 and noon to 6 p.m. on Sept. 8.
For more information visit sthubertchurch. com/festival.
SPIN TO WIN AT THE HARRISON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
HARRISON TOWNSHIP— The Harrison Township Public Library is giving new and renewed library card holders a chance to test their luck.
Anyone who renews or opens a new library card during September, which is national library card sign-up month, will get a spin of the prize wheel.
The library will host other events throughout the month including a take-andmake pumpkin spice body scrub craft on Wednesdays, a Medicare 101 informational meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a Cord Cutting 101 lecture on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
For more events and sign-up information, visit htlibrary.org/events.
CMPL opens up fall with events
CLINTON TOWNSHIP/MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Split between the South Branch in Clinton Township and the North Branch in Macomb Township, the ClintonMacomb Public Library keeps moving along with events for community members.
At the North Branch, patrons can learn about the rise of Better Made Potato Chips at the Friends of the CMPL meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. They can take part in the annual plant exchange on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 11 p.m. Patrons can learn about how Ford restored Detroit Central Station on Monday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.
At the South Branch, kids can learn about and meet live reptiles with the Metroparks Mobile Learning Center on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 11 a.m., while teens can make leaf-shaped suncatchers on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
For more events and signup information, visit cmpl.libnet.info/events.
Macomb County Chamber hosting first 40 under 40
MOUNT CLEMENS — The Macomb County Chamber and its NextGEN Macomb branch are working together to host the first-ever 40 Under 40 Awards in Macomb County.
Open to Macomb County residents and workers ages 18-40 years old, submissions for the competition are open until Friday, Aug. 30.
“Our goal with this initiative is to highlight young professionals making a positive impact in Macomb County,” Alyssa Sacharski, president of NextGEN Macomb, said in a press release. “We also hope this event inspires other young professionals to get involved in their community.”
The event will take place on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Palazzo Grande in Shelby Township. For more information visit macombcountychamber.com.
Tunnels to Towers returns for 5K
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The Tunnels to Towers Foundation is hosting its third annual 5K run and walk fundraiser at Lake St. Clair Metropark on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 9:30 a.m.
The Tunnels to Towers Foundation raises money to pay mortgages for the families of deceased military personnel and first responders. The organization was set up by the family of late New York Fire Department firefighter Stephen Gerard Siller, who died when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed on Sept. 11, 2001. Tunnels to Towers has hosted 5Ks in the Metropark since 2022.
Visit www.t2t.org/venue/lake-st-clair-metropark/ to begin the sign-up process.
FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFERS ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WITH GI BILL
BY NICK POWERS npowers@medianewsgroup.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — If you’re a veteran, it’s now a bit easier to become a firefighter in Clinton Township.
The Clinton Township Fire Department is now approved by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as an on-the-job training site. Potential firefighters are now able to use their GI Bill benefits to fund the instruction. The township is the first community in Macomb County to receive this training, according to Fire Chief John Gallagher.
“We’ve identified that the on-the-job training would be suitable to our onboarding oneyear probationary period for the firefighters,” Gallagher said.
The Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, working hand in hand with the federal government, evaluated the Fire Department for training.
“We had Veterans Affairs come out and vet our facility, our training program and everything they wanted to check their boxes against,” Gallagher said.
Gallagher said Lieutenant Creg Gizicki, who is a veteran, brought the program to the department’s attention. Gizicki, a U.S. Army veteran, used the GI Bill for on-the-job training for a previous employer and thought it would be something the Clinton Township Fire Department could utilize.
“It’s huge for veterans to have an opportunity to use their benefits and then it’s going to be good for recruitment to get those highly-qualified employees,” Gizicki said.
“It’s just an added benefit to work for the Clinton Township Fire Department,” Gallagher said. “It’s an additional benefit for those who have committed themselves to serve their county.”
At the Clinton Township Board of Trustees meeting on Aug. 12, Trustee Tammy Patton congratulated the department for receiving the certification. Patton is a U.S. Army veteran.
“I think that was huge on their part for going after that,” Patton said.
Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.
straints. Commissioners and Mount Clemens Community Schools Superintendent Julian Roper were hopeful at the time both parties could reunite to create a new, mutually beneficial program.
Two properties sold, one sale tabled Commissioners decided to reconsider the sale of a city-owned lot, reducing the number of lots sold in a motion from three to two.
The three lots — 163 Court Street, 216 N. Walnut Street and Parcel No. 05-11-12354-008, located next to 216 N. Walnut — were set to be sold to city resident Charles Thomas for $1,500 in total: $500 per lot. Mount Clemens Community Development Director Bryan Tingley said Thomas plans to build homes on the lots.
Commissioners were prepared to sell all the lots at the $500 price, but not before Commissioner Spencer Calhoun inquired about the costs the city has incurred over the Court Street property. The city bought the property in October 2023 for around $9,220 and demolished the home on the site. With the city taking on the costs of purchasing and demolishing the house, Calhoun and other commissioners were interested in seeing if the cost could be more completely recouped in the sale.
“I would like to see new houses there and some new taxable value, but I do think we put a lot of money into that lot and for $500, it just seems a little low,” Calhoun said.
All present commissioners — Rick, Calhoun, Theresa McGarity, Laura Fournier and Barb Dempsey — voted to table the sale of 163 Court Street while allowing the Walnut Street lots to be sold.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
ABOVE: “The City of Wichita/Port Clinton” 1928 Ford Tri-Motor airplane rests ahead of a flight at the Oakland County International Airport. The plane was brought to the Waterford-based airport to fly attendees at the 2024 Festival of Flight air show and open house. LEFT: The interior of a 1928 Ford TriMotor aircraft reflects the need to impress passengers. In an era when flying had a rough reputation thanks to dogfighters and barnstormers, the Tri-Motor was trimmed out like a contemporary luxury train carriage.
Photos by Dean Vaglia
Ford Tri-Motor spotlights
Oakland County air show
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
WATERFORD — It is a tin can with three engines, boxy aerodynamics, fixed gears and nearly 100 years of active service. And for a brief window in early August, you could take a flight in it.
For the 2024 edition of its Festival of Flight air show and open house, Oakland County International Airport called upon the Liberty Aviation Museum of Port Clinton, Ohio to fly its 1928 Ford Tri-Motor up to Waterford and take part in the festivities on Sunday, Aug. 11.
With its corrugated aluminum body and three air-cooled engines with not much in the way of fairings around them, the Ford Tri-Motor looks about as spartan as it can be. According to pilot Ashley Messenger, keeping things as tried and true with the TriMotor’s construction was Henry Ford’s goal when production began in 1927.
“They wanted an airplane that was made all out of metal, because in the day most of them were made out of wood and covered with fabric,” Messenger said. “They wanted one with three engines for reliabil-
ity, and they were looking for a machine that would be reliable and long lasting, and this is what they came up with.”
The full aluminum construction of the plane and its few mechanical parts — no flaps and fixed gears mean fewer opportunities for mechanical failures — helped TriMotors become aviation workhorses from the start. Some planes would wind up in passenger service and ferry people across the country with interiors rivaling the most lavish railcars, while other more barebones aircraft would become pioneers in air freight. The Liberty Aviation Museum’s plane has done both.
According to Messenger, the plane began service as the City of Wichita for Transcontinental Air Transport, a company that would later become TWA. The Wichita’s early career involved daytime flights as part of a cross-country journey that involved both air and rail travel.
“They would put you on a train in New York and you’d ride all night to Columbus, Ohio,” Messenger said. “At 8 a.m. you’d get a Fred Harvey breakfast, hopped on the airplanes and you hopped to Indianapolis, St.
Dragonfly
from page 3A
sculpture took place on Aug. 16.
“It went very well,” Sue Keehn, Harrison Township Beautification Commission chair, said of the unveiling. “Nicely received by our community and nicely supported as well.”
“Jewel” serves as a representation of Harrison Township’s resilience and love of the water.
“Water for us is huge here,” Keehn said. “We are Boat Town, and we also are very fond of our Great Lakes, our rivers, our spillway right by Tucker Park, and it seemed the perfect spot to put some part of nature that was representative of our water quality and our adaptability and resilience. When we think of a dragonfly symbolically, that’s what they stand for. This particular one we named ‘Jewel’ because Harrison Township is our coastal jewel.”
Erik and Israel Nordin employed various steels and blown glass to construct the dragonfly and the cattails it sits on. Left unpainted, Erik says the finished sculpture will retain a “classic” look for decades to come.
“We want to create our pieces to last a long, long time and we have found that steel — which is carbon steel, a standard steel — and stainless-steel act well together, as the carbon steel will oxidize a little bit and get very nature-esq,” Erik said. “It will have browns and amber colors in it that marry with the landscape around it, and then the stainless steel will remain that beautiful silver color. It really plays well with the sky and offers a contrast to nature … It allows the sculpture to simultaneously blend with the landscape but also contrast with it in a beautiful way.”
Though attached to the project since it was first proposed, Keehn was stunned when the sculpture was put into place ahead of the unveiling.
“My reaction is that it’s incredible,” Keehn said. “I am so blessed to have met the Nordins when I did 13 years ago. Our community partnering with them was the best thing that we could’ve done. They understand community refurbishment, they understand telling a story and they know how to unify people.”
The beautification commission’s sculpture program has gone on for over a decade with the Nordin Brothers providing the majority of the sculptures. Of the seven sculptures created for the program, six have been from the brothers’ Detroit Design Center while one has been from local artist Curt Winnega. Winnega’s sculpture “Young and Hungry” can also be found at Tucker Park.
“What keeps us coming back to Harrison Township is 100% the people,” Erik Nordin said. “That’s the people from the community, that’s the people that work on the beautification committee, that is the (township) folks that we work with and everybody is so supportive of creativity and supportive and proud of their community and the township … The people in Harrison Township are amazing and we feel very blessed to be able to work with the township and these people, because they make it so fun. They offer different things we need to consider when creating pieces that could be considered challenges, but for us that’s the fun part of trying to come up with something that really resonates with the community. The people in Harrison Township are the reason why we have a lasting relationship and really truly love working with them.”
Erik Nordin says the brothers and the Beautification Commission have plans to work on other sculptures in the future.
More information about the commission and its sculpture program can be found at harrisontownshipmi.gov under the “Boards and Commissions” tab.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
(Oakland Co.) C & G Newspapers publishes 21 papers in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties:
@candgnews candgnews.com
Editor: Brian Louwers | (586) 498-1089 | brianlouwers@candgnews.com
Reporter: Dean Vaglia | (586) 498-1043 | dvaglia@candgnews.com
Nick Powers | (586) 498-1059 | npowers@candgnews.com
Sports: Jonathan Szczepaniak | (586) 498-1090 | sports@candgnews.com
Automotive Advertising: Louise Millar | (586) 498-1054 | lmillar@candgnews.com
Estate Advertising: Paula Kaspor | (586) 498-1055 | pkaspor@candgnews.com
Artroom: (586) 498-1036 | ads@candgnews.com For retail ad rates: Dave Rubello | (586) 489-8117 | drubello@candgnews.com Karen Bozimowski | (586) 498-1032 | kboz@candgnews.com Classifieds: For ad rates (586) 498-8100 Legals and Obits: (586) 498-1099
RAINBOW EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER OPENS
BY NICK POWERS npowers@medianewsgroup.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Rainbow Early Childhood Center held its grand opening on Aug. 14 with chants from cheerleaders, speakers and a few kids with plastic shovels breaking ground.
The center, formerly Rainbow Elementary, will now offer kindergarten, preschool, latchkey and day care. It will also provide instruction for kids not quite ready to make the transition to kindergarten called “young 5s.”
“It’s meant for students who were born between Sept. 1 and before Dec. 1,” Kenneth Janczarek, superintendent for Clintondale Community Schools, said about the “young 5s” program. “You have to be a certain age when you start kindergarten but there’s a big gap when you’re looking at September to December.”
Students who would’ve gone to the former elementary school will be attending McGlinnen Elementary School for fall classes.
Janczarek said the transition was a year in the making. He thanked the school district’s staff for making the project come together.
“From the last day of school till now, from patching walls to placing things to making our building look amazing,” Janczarek said.
Walking around the new school made an impression on Janczarek.
“I got a little chill,” he said. “In terms of seeing the little ones playing, having fun.”
“When we prep kids at this lower level,
it increases their success in the elementary school, in the middle school and in the high school,” Board of Education President Jared Maynard said following the ceremony.
Janczarek said the school shut down on the last day of school, June 14, and the renovations began on June 21. He called the transition a “pretty quick turnaround.”
“All the rooms were totally painted, cleaned, gutted and redone,” Janczarek said of the renovations.
The center offers community members opportunities to utilize the state’s Great Start Readiness Program, according to Janczarek. Maynard said that all the rooms were transformed by utilizing GSRP funds from the state. He said $25,000 is allocated for each room the district renovates for the program. Janczarek said this started last year and there are increased funds available for already opened rooms that increase the number of students by 10%.
“So to go from 16 to 18 students, we also receive additional grant money,” Janczarek said. “That grant money can be used for building updates, it can be used for bonuses for hiring as well as advertising.”
Janczarek added that the center receives more money per pupil for having a GSRP classroom five days a week. The amount per student is about $12,000.
“Financially it makes sense as well as educationally for the district for opportunities for our families,” Janczarek said.
On June 5, the district unveiled new playground equipment at the center and has since added a new fenced-in playscape for younger kids. Janczarek said an indoor
playground will eventually be installed at the center, but there’s no set date.
Clintondale Human Resource Specialist Andrew Lewis oversaw much of the day-to-day work that went into the center’s transition from an elementary school. He said there were doubts that it could get done in time but, when things started moving around, people began to feel like it could be
ready. Lewis said he appreciated the school district for supporting him in the project.
“I think it’s going to be fantastic for kids to really feel heard, for kids to feel appreciated, to have a group and support system around them that actually cares about them,” Lewis said.
Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.
Prince Drewry Park gets path, leveled fields
BY NICK POWERS npowers@medianewsgroup.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Need to get some steps in?
Prince Drewry Park now offers a nearly half-mile path, it’s just a few feet shy, where you can do just that. The path winds around the perimeter of the park located on Quinn Road near Parker Elementary.
Department of Public Services Director Mary Bednar said that construction on the path started about a year ago. She said once the project got underway the contractor had a surplus of dirt and gifted it to the project. This filled divots in the field, allowing them to be more level.
“We worked in partnership with this contractor, who basically donated all the dirt and then regraded it as part of his contract with the pathway,” Bednar said. “So that we could make the park an even nicer place and these fields more usable for the people in the neighborhood.”
Bednar said DPS has about $200,000 in improvements planned for Drewry
TOP: Kids break ground at the newly rechristened Rainbow Early Childhood Center, formally Rainbow Elementary, on Aug. 14. ABOVE LEFT: Clintondale cheerleaders welcomed visitors to the grand opening of the Rainbow Early Childhood Center.
Photos by Nick Powers
Clinton Township Department of Public Services Director Mary Bednar cuts the ribbon for a new paved path in Prince Drewry Park on Aug. 14. Bednar is pictured with Trustee Dan Kress, far left, Treasurer Paul Gieleghem, center, Supervisor Bob Cannon, second from right, and Trustee Julie Matuzak, far right.
Photo By Nick Powers
Ford Tri-Motor
from page 6A
Louis, Kansas City (and) Wichita. That evening you ended up in Waynoka, Oklahoma, got on another sleeper and rode all night to Clovis, New Mexico and then you released the whole thing the next day.”
TAT’s cross-country program took two-and-a-half days to get passengers from New York to Los Angeles, with the City of Wichita being the second-ever plane to depart from Columbus, Ohio as part of the program. As TWA used the Tri-Motor up and upgraded its fleet, the City of Wichita began changing hands. Eventually, it wound up as a cargo plane flying throughout Central America through the 1930s to 1960s, when it was purchased by casino operator Bill Harrah and used for VIP show flights during the Reno Air Races in Nevada. The Evergreen Air Museum in Oregon eventually took ownership of the plane, which is where the Liberty Aviation Museum bought the plane after Evergreen went bankrupt in 2014.
Ford built 199 Tri-Motor planes at its plant in Dearborn. Around 25 of them remain in flying condition, which the Liberty
Museum’s plane — given the name City of Wichita/Port Clinton\ to honor its current home while remaining true to its TAT origins — has always been.
For about $100 dollars, festivalgoers could go on a brief flight on the Tri-Motor around north-central Oakland County and get a taste of what it was like to be a passenger in the early days of commercial aviation. Select members of Oakland County government and the media were given the opportunity to take a flight on the Saturday before the show.
The Tri-Motor has the luxury of a 1920s train carriage and the sensation of being strapped into a minecart at full clip.
Ashley Messenger, who pilots the Liberty Aviation Museum’s 1928 Ford Tri-Motor, addresses passengers before a flight.
were ready to get off the second it touched solid ground.
As for a review? Overall, a wonderful flight. Four-and-a-half stars. Much better than Spirit or Southwest. Would fly again.
The Festival of Flight air show and open house is free and tends to take place every year in mid-August at Oakland County International Airport. Air shows and other such events have occurred at the airport since it was built, with aviation pioneer Orville Wright attending one of the early shows.
Every turn of the wheel — yes, wheel, not yoke — and turbulence-forced correction is felt in your core. Flying straight shakes you in the seat while banking tests your constitution and gut strength, with challenges regularly posed by westerly winds reaching up to 24 mph pushing against the brick-shaped fuselage. Landing, though, is smooth, and the volume of the plane’s three Pratt & Whitney R-985 engines are quieter than their looks betray, each making 450 horsepower and pushing the aluminum brick to 86 mph. The accommodations of the Wichita/Port Clinton are nice, but a few minutes in the air is enough to see why, as Messenger explained, its original travelers
“It’s a real family-centered event,” said Cheryl Bush, the manager of all three Oakland County-owned airports. “There is a great variety of aviation, and our hope is that we can get young folks that may not have an exposure to aviation a little bit excited about the possibility of aviation in their future.”
Officially chartered as airport 000001 by the United States Department of Commerce in 1930, Oakland County has owned the general aviation airport since 1967 when it was traded by the city of Pontiac for the city’s old Masonic Temple. It is the second busiest airport in Michigan by annual takeoffs, landings and traffic for an estimated $1.1 billion economic impact as of 2019. Freight companies and private aircraft owners are the primary users of the airport.
Photo by Dean Vaglia
Master plan
from page 1A
Young says this plan takes a more holistic view of the township and its needs rather than focusing on the typical narrow land use and development scope master plans tend to have. Land use certainly has its role in the plan, but it shares time with assessment of community vulnerabilities and a circulation plan, among other subjects.
The master plan is a forward-looking document in so far as it sets some hard limits on future development while providing guidance for anticipated yet still hypothetical scenarios. Regarding the circulation section, the plan specifically calls for the township to reduce the maximum planned right of way for Jefferson Avenue and North River Road and South River Road from 120 feet to 86 feet. The township will also coordinate with Macomb County to establish a regional rail line along Metropolitan Parkway should a railway transit system be proposed.
“It’s a future plan probably to be implemented next year, and what that means is we have it on the shelf ready to refer to when we build new buildings or if somebody wants to come in and add a rail system,” said Harrison Township Trustee Paula Rose, a volunteer on the master plan project. “We thought it out. We thought about the traffic flow. We thought about what it would do to the economy if we had X, Y or Z.”
Creating the plan was not only a task for planners and professionals. Public participation was encouraged throughout the process starting with a best practices forum on Nov. 28, 2023, and followed by presentations, questionnaires and a survey. Residents and community members made use of these opportunities to provide information about the community and offered input about
A wooden sign and boatshaped planter welcome people into Harrison Township along Metro Parkway. The major thoroughfare is one of the many aspects touched on in the township’s yet-to-beapproved 2040 master plan.
Photo by Dean Vaglia
what they would like to see from the plan.
“One of the things we heard was that people were not interested in more multifamily residential, like the traditional apartment complex-type development,” Young said. “People said that we have enough of that already, so that’s something we incorporated into the plan. You’ll see different sections and statements in there about how we have a sufficient amount of (apartment complexes) and we’re not looking to expand that.”
While the name master plan may give the impression of an all-commanding document above all documents, it will have little effect on day-to-day life and will not be felt in the short term.
“It’s a longer-term perspective into the future, and the goal of this plan is to be implemented, but we know that will occur over a longer period of time,” Young said.
Approving the plan is expected to take time. The state-required 63-day period for the county and surrounding communities to review the draft master plan is underway.
The Harrison Township Planning Commission is expected to hold a public hearing for the plan during a regularly scheduled meeting in October, and Young says approval will not be far off once it passes from the Planning Commission to the Harrison Township Board of Trustees.
“The Planning Commission adoption could occur any time after Oct. 17,” Young said. “And then if the Planning Commission adopts it, it will go to the township board where they would adopt it at a regular meeting.”
The current draft of the Resilient Harrison 2040 Master Plan can be found at harrisontownshipmi.gov/residents/master_ plan.php.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW
BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com
We’re back in full swing with gridiron action at the high school level. Here are previews for the local teams in the C & G Newspapers coverage area in northern Macomb County. Find more previews online at candgnews.com.
Clinton Township Chippewa Valley
Last season’s record: 9-3. League: Macomb Area Conference Red Division.
First game: at West Bloomfield, 7 p.m. Aug. 29.
It’s a new era of football at Chippewa Valley.
There’s no longer a Schuster brother at quarterback and longtime coach Scott Merchant is now at Lawrence Technological University, so it’s up to first-year head coach Terry Wilson and senior quarterback Jordan Alston (St. Clair Shores Lake Shore transfer) to write the next chapter of Big Reds football.
Alston will have a healthy amount of elite-level skill position players around him with senior running back Caleb Fowlkes, senior wide receiver Eric Thomas Jr., and senior wide receiver Deshaun Lanier, a threestar recruit according to 247Sports, on the offensive side.
The trenches are typically where a lot of MAC Red games are won or lost, and Chippewa Valley is looking to have a unique set of linemen at its disposal, led by senior offensive lineman Chris Jackson and junior defensive lineman Jaelen McLemore.
“We have different types of athletes on our O-line,” Wilson said. “We have a lot of 6-foot guys with long arms, and when I say we have a lot of them I mean 15-20 guys. Our line isn’t going to be huge, but they’re going to move really well. We’ve worked hard trying to get them on the same page. We’re still trying to find out who our best five are because they’re so close in talent level.”
Wilson said he expects the Big Reds’ linebacker corps of senior A’Shaun Adams, senior Don Diegel, and senior Damari Conner to be one of the team’s biggest strengths this year.
Clinton Township Clintondale
Last season’s record: 4-6.
League: Macomb Area Conference Bronze.
First game: vs. Addison, 6 p.m. Aug. 29.
The 2023 season just seemed like a year where Clintondale could never really dig its heels into the ground.
When the wins came around, they were quickly met with losses, all six of which came by 14 points or more last season.
Graduating all-league players in Justin Hardnett and Dontrell Thomas, and an all-state player in the case of Shamar RiserPressley, who now plays football for the University at Buffalo, will be tough to battle back from.
Moving down from the MAC Silver to the MAC Bronze could help ease the transition, but only time will tell.
To Clintondale’s credit, it has reached the state playoffs in four of the last five seasons, so this program knows what it takes to get there.
Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse
Last season’s record: 4-6.
League: Macomb Area Conference White Division.
First game: vs. Linden, 7 p.m. Aug. 29.
Extending its playoff streak to five, L’Anse Creuse has built a consistent, winning program in the past few years after missing the playoffs for 15-consecutive seasons from 2004-2018.
With a player at the caliber of senior running back Donovan Rey, the Lancers are a team you always have to prepare for on the defensive side, with junior defensive lineman Jaden Zeigler and senior defensive lineman Nash Abramowicz.
The MAC White continues to be one of the tougher conferences around with Grosse Pointe South, Roseville, and St. Clair Shores Lakeview, but L’Anse Creuse will hopefully continue to hold its own.
Macomb Dakota
Last season’s record: 8-3.
League: Macomb Area Conference Red Division.
First game: at Dearborn Fordson, 7 p.m. Aug. 29.
After putting up yet another impressive season to continue a playoff streak that started in 2001, Dakota fell victim to the MAC Red side of the playoffs, being eliminated by rival Clinton Township Chippewa Valley.
Senior quarterback Jadon Ford returns in hope of a healthy season, which will be a significant boost for the Cougars offense alongside all-state running back Brady Hamby and senior offensive linemen Justin Bell (a Michigan State University commit) and Nick Battaglia, an all-region selection last year.
Defensively, Michigan State University commit Di’Mari Malone anchors the linebacking corps with Hamby while senior Tyler Torey, an all-region selection, headlines the defensive line.
Dakota has all the talent needed to make a run in the gauntlet of the MAC Red.
Last season’s record: 5-5. League: Charter School Conference Silver Division.
First game: vs. Southfield Bradford Academy, 7 p.m. Aug. 30.
Things began to look bleak for Mount Clemens after an 0-3 start in 2023, but a 5-1 finish to the regular season painted a completely different outlook for 2024.
Mount Clemens returns an all-region talent in senior Bishop Thomas (WR/DB) while senior Marcell Mason (WR/DB) is also poised for a big season.
TOP: Utica and Macomb Dakota line up against each other during a game last season.
ABOVE: Clinton Township Chippewa Valley players celebrate a touchdown last season.
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
Mount Clemens
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
14A/ JOURNAL • AUG. 28, 2024
AUG. 28
Toshokan Anime Club: For grades 6-12, 7-8 p.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - South Branch, 35679 S. Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Township, register at (586) 226-5072, cmpl.org
AUG. 30-SEPT. 2
Summer Sounds: Concerts run 5-8 p.m. Aug. 30-31 and 3-6 p.m. Sept. 1-2, The Mall at Partridge Creek, 17420 Hall Road in Clinton Township, see lineup at shoppartridgecreek.com
SEPT. 7
Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk: Supports fallen and injured first responders, military and their families, 9:30 a.m., Lake St. Clair Metropark, 31300 Metropolitan Parkway in Harrison Township, t2t.org, search for event title at runsignup.com/races
Water Lantern Festival: Design and float lantern, food trucks, music and more, 5-9 p.m., Lake St. Clair Metropark, 31300 Metropolitan Parkway in Harrison Township, waterlanternfestival.com/detroit.php
Michigan reptiles and amphibians: Presented by Metroparks Mobile Learning Center, ages 3-6 can learn through games, artifacts and activities, plus meet live animals, 11 a.m., Clinton-Macomb Public Library - South Branch, 35679 S. Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Township, registration required, (586) 226-5073, cmpl.org
Grand Prix: Soap box derby-style race featuring kids competing for local charities, also DJ, music, pancake breakfast at fire department and more, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mount Clemens Rec Bowl, 40 Crocker Blvd., downtownmountclemens.org/events
SEPT. 9
Witch’s Paddle: Dress in costume and paddleboard up and down Clinton River, 5-7:30 p.m., starts and ends at Bumpers Landing, 31970 North River Road in Harrison Township, also get ticket for free drink and enter raffle, next event runs 5:30-8 p.m. Sept. 29, register at eventbrite.com
SEPT. 11
Medicare 101: Presentation by Michigan Medicare Assistance Program, 6-7 p.m., Harrison Township Public Library, 38255 L’Anse Creuse (Suite A), registration required, (586) 329-1261, htlibrary.org/events
SEPT. 14
Gratiot Valley Railroad Club: Open house, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 281 North Avenue in Mount Clemens, (586) 468-4877, gvrr.org
Native Plants & Pollinators: Learn about benefits and receive free wildflower seed, 1 p.m., Harrison Township Public Library, 38255 L’Anse Creuse (Suite A), registration encouraged, htlibrary.org/events, (586) 329-1261
The ‘Last Laugh’ Tour: Presented by Comedy 4 Cancer,
AUG. 29-SEPT. 2
To view more Community Calendar and to submit your own, use the QR code or visit candgnews.com/calendar. To advertise an event, call (586) 498-8000.
CLASS REUNIONS
Michigan State Fair: Activities include live music and entertainment, midway rides and games, agriculture and livestock showcases, Shrine Circus, Beginning of Life exhibit, competitions for giant pumpkins, home brewing, baking, singing and more, 5K, racing pigs and Rock-N-Roll K-9’s, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Aug. 29-30, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Aug. 31-Sept. 1 and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 2, Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave. in Novi, michiganstatefairllc.com
AUG. 30-SEPT. 2
Arts, Beats & Eats: Featuring 125-plus artists, hundreds of musical acts on nine stages including Cheap Trick, Tesla, Keith Sweat, Gin Blossoms and Detroit’s “Queen of the Blues” Thornetta Davis, and more than 50 restaurants, caterers and food trucks, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Aug. 30-Sept. 1 and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 2, downtown Royal Oak, artsbeatseats.com
AUG. 31-SEPT. 2
Vikings Invasion at Michigan Renaissance Festival: 9 a.m.-7 p.m., 12600 Dixie Highway in Holly, other themed weekends include Wonders of the World Sept. 7-8, Shamrocks & Shenanigans Sept. 14-15, Harvest Huzzah Sept. 21-22, and Festival Friday and Sweet Endings Sept. 27-29, michrenfest.com
latest event supports local man fighting leukemia and features four stand-up comedians, gift basket raffle and cash bar, doors at 6 p.m. and show at 7 p.m., Premier Events Center, 20400 S. Nunneley Road in Clinton Township, comedy4cancer.com
SEPT. 14-15
Fall Art & Craft Show: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 14 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 15, North Walnut Street between Macomb Place and New Street in Mount Clemens, facebook.com/DowntownMountClemens
SEPT. 19
Senior Fun Festival: Free health screenings and wellness information, community safety and awareness resources, raffles and giveaways, and more, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Lorenzo Cultural Center on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, macombgov.org/departments/ senior-services/senior-fun-festival
TayTay Dance Party: Featuring DJ Swiftie, 7 p.m., Macomb Center for the Perfoming Arts on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, macombcenter.com, (586) 286-2222
Trivia Night: Also pizza, salad and soft drinks, sign up as team of six or be paired with other individuals, 6:30 p.m., Total Sports, 40501 Production Drive in Harrison Township, also Oct. 17, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12, (586) 329-1261, htlibrary.org/events
Sweet Treats and Sweet Rides: Cars on display, music and in-store specials, 5-8 p.m., Sanders Chocolate and Ice Cream Shoppe, 23770 Hall Road in Clinton Township, (586) 464-5372
SEPT. 21
December ’63: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons tribute, 7:30 p.m., Macomb Center for the Perfoming Arts on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, (586) 2862222, macombcenter.com
SEPT. 24
Cord Cutting 101: Learn about streaming, lowering monthly cable and internet bills, and modern televisions, plus Q&A with members of Cord Cutters Plus, 6:30 p.m., Harrison Township Public Library, 38255 L’Anse Creuse (Suite A), (586) 329-1261, htlibrary. org/events
ONGOING
Mexican art exhibit: “Tlatecayotl Caucualtzin” (Art is Beautiful) on display 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays until Sept. 13, also 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 7 and 14, Lorenzo Cultural Center on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, lorenzoculturalcenter.com
Farmers markets: 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays until Nov. 23, City Park & Ride Lot, 141 N. River Road in Mount Clemens, www.facebook.com/MountClemensFarmers Market, (586) 493-7600
• 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 14, John F. Kennedy Knights of Columbus Council #5460, 33320 Kelly Road in Clinton Township, (586) 610-2990
Splash pad: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily until Labor Day, Lake St. Clair Metropark, 31300 Metropolitan Parkway in Harrison Township, metroparks.com/lake-st-clairmetropark
Uptown Friday Night Concert series: 7-9 p.m. Sept. 6 (Olivia Van Goor Quartet) and Sept. 13 (Soul Commission ft. Kathleen Murray), outdoor on stage in front of O’Halloran’s Public House, 112 Macomb Place in Mount Clemens, www.facebook.com/Downtown MountClemens
Widowed Friends breakfasts: 10:30 a.m. every second Monday of month, Big Boy, 16880 Hall Road in Clinton Township, RSVP to Gerry at (586) 556-9471
• 10 a.m. every third Friday of month, The Pantry, 44945 Morley Drive in Clinton Township, RSVP to Loree at (810) 335-2096
Franklin School - all alumni and family/ friends: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 1 at Franklin Historical Museum, 26165 13 Mile Road, open house 2-4 p.m. at former Franklin School (now Huda School & Montessori), 32220 Franklin Road, and happy hour 4-6 p.m. at Franklin Community Association Park, 26495 Carol Ave., RSVP for happy hour by noon Aug. 31 at fcamichigan. org/form/m/284879
Cousino High School Class of 1969: 55-year reunion, classes of 1967-1971 also welcome, 7 p.m. Sept. 6, Roger’s Roost, 33262 Schoenherr Road in Sterling Heights, RSVP to Larry Wilk at lwilk@comcast.net
Mount Clemens High School — all alumni: Cash food and refreshments, 5 p.m. Sept. 13, Rec Bowl, 40 Crocker Blvd. in Mount Clemens, contact Ron Hiestand at (586) 463-6386 or drron82@yahoo.com with questions
Osborn High School Class of 1974: 50-year reunion includes dinner and open bar, 6-11 p.m. Sept. 20, Blossom Heath Inn, 24800 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, www.osborn1974.com
Grosse Pointe North High School Class of 1974: 50-year reunion includes cash bar, food stations, photo booth and GPN gift, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 21, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, 788 Lake Shore Road in Grosse Pointe Shores, also casual gathering 7 p.m. Sept. 20, WaterMark Bar and Grille, 24420 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores, grossepointenorth1974.com
Car shows: 4-8 p.m. Wednesdays, Louie’s Towne Grill, 79 N. Main St. in Mount Clemens
• 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays during summer, Eddie’s Drive-In, 36111 Jefferson Ave. in Harrison Township, (586) 469-2345
Social groups: Find meetups for yoga, chess, knitting and crocheting, anime, teens, book clubs, LEGO and more, Harrison Township Public Library, 38255 L’Anse Creuse St. (Suite A), (586) 329-1261, htlibrary.org/ events
Men overcoming loss ofpartner/spouse: Meetings 6-7:30 p.m. every third Tuesday of month, virtual and in person, Hospice of Michigan, 39531 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, wlawton@hom.org, (586) 263-8514
Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS): Weight-loss group for ages 7 and older, includes education, ideas, recipes, accountability, support and prizes, open house at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 10, meetings at 6 p.m. (confidential weigh-ins at 5:30 p.m.) every Tuesday, Tucker Senior Center, 26980 Ballard St. in Harrison Township, contact Barb at (586) 549-2925 or tbreardon@comcast.net
Art Center hosts handweavers league fiber show
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MOUNT CLEMENS — Felt, string, looms and more all take center stage at the latest show at the Anton Art Center.
The Michigan League of Handweavers 22nd Biennial Fiber Arts Exhibition runs from Saturday, Sept. 7 to Monday, Oct. 16 on the first floor of the Anton Art Center. Having run for over 40 years across various galleries, it will be the first time the Anton Art Center has hosted the league’s premier showcase.
“Making things out of fiber dates back pretty much as far as human history goes,” said Stephanie Hazzard, the Anton Art Center’s exhibitions director. “There has been a history of weaving to create things that we need; basket weaving is a traditional art form and so is making fibers into clothing, blankets, things like that. Even though it is quite an ancient art form, this show will showcase the use of this medium in artistic ways. The pieces can use fiber in a way to make pictures or designs or a blend of the two to create something really unique.”
Nearly 50 pieces of fiber-based art will be on display from 36 artists from the handweavers league. Artists are mostly Michiganbased with some from Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Ontario.
Fiber arts are broken down into the categories of functional and nonfunctional works. Functional works are pieces woven and stitched into clothing items like scarves, ponchos and hats, while nonfunctional pieces are purely aesthetic works.
“We have pieces that are as small as three inches, as the very smallest piece in the show, all the way up to about 135 inches,”
Cleanup
from page 1A
Hazzard said. “There’s a couple pieces that are very expansive, others that are rounded shapes. Some that are three-dimensional and are on pedestals, others that will be fastened to the wall as hangings. They’ll take form as different fiber arts such as needle felting, embroidery and classic types of crocheting and knitting. A lot of work is made on a loom by hand weaving, so we’re talking about things that are all handmade in nature; some are made with the help of a specific tool that develops a specific pattern.”
Susan Moran, a textile artist and faculty member at Wayne State University and the
Cannon said the heavy equipment started to arrive and the larger part of the cleanup is expected to begin soon. He said the equipment is currently being guarded by a security firm hired by the EPA and that the insurance company has hired security to watch over the property itself.
“It’ll start slow, but by Labor Day it will be in full swing,” he said. “They expect total, from beginning to end, (it will take) about 100 days.”
The supervisor said Prosecuting Attorney Peter Lucido authorized the cleanup.
“I’m very happy with how the EPA has treated our staff and our community,” Cannon said.
The explosion happened March 4, 2024, and left one
College for Creative Studies, was brought in by the Michigan League of Handweavers to jury the show.
“I am inspired and encouraged to see the quality of work submitted to this exhibition,” Moran said via email. “It’s wonderful to find that the community of people who value work made by hand is flourishing. In so many of these fiber pieces, I found joy and devotion to materials, to exploration of ideas, to mastery of craft and to spending time mindfully.”
A reception for the exhibition will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 2 p.m. to 4
person, 19-year-old Turner Salter, dead. The business was located near the intersection of 15 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway.
Noor Kestou, the owner of Goo Smoke Shop, currently faces an involuntary manslaughter charge. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years. Kestour has a probable cause hearing in 41B District Court with Judge Sebastian Lucido on Oct. 28.
Cannon said he’s glad the cleanup is finally underway and urged residents to stay away from the site.
“It is still a site we don’t want people to get hurt at,” he said. “There are dangerous objects there. We don’t know everything that’s underneath. The EPA, while they’re cleaning this up, has to make sure the air is clean. They have to make sure everything is good for the neighborhood. We don’t want debris falling all around.”
Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.
p.m. featuring a panel with Moran and select artists. Artists from the Michigan League of Handweavers will be present in the galley on Saturdays to help guests try their hand at operating a loom and encouraging members of the public to add to a piece constructed over the course of the exhibition.
For more information about the Anton Art Center, visit theartcenter.org.
The center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with free admission.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
Nadine Cloutier’s “Redwood Tree,” far left, and Anne Flora “Les Fleurs du Mal,” right, exemplify the types of work to be showcased in the Michigan League of Handweavers 22nd Biennial Fiber Arts exhibition, held at the Anton Art Center from Sept. 7 through Oct. 16.
Photos provided by Anton Art Center
Clinton Township Supervisor
Bob Cannon announced the cleanup at the site of the Goo Smoke Shop explosion on Aug. 13 at a ribbon-cutting for improvements at Prince Drewry Park.
Photo by Nick Powers
PEDESTRIAN STRUCK WHILE CROSSING METRO PARKWAY
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — A pedestrian was struck by an SUV around 4 a.m. on Aug. 21 near the intersection of Metro Parkway and Gratiot Avenue, according to a Clinton Township Police Department press release.
The release states that the 42-year-old Clinton Township woman was struck by a gray 2017 Kia Sportage while walking across Metro Parkway. She was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.
The driver of the Kia stayed on the scene and cooperated with authorities. The release states that drugs and alcohol were not a factor.
The police are urging anyone with pertinent information about the crash to contact them at (586) 493-7802.
— Nick Powers
Drewry
from page 8A
Park’s playground equipment and other amenities. She said the township applied for and received a grant from GameTime for playground equipment for up to $125,000. These improvements help build kids’ confidence to eventually move on to more advanced playscapes and give adults places to exercise.
Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon said residents who attended the Quinn Road Reunion, a celebration that happens annually in the neighborhood on the road, appreciated the improvements.
“They love the way the park now looks, and they know it’s going to get better,” Cannon said.
Clinton Township Treasurer Paul Gieleghem said the project would not be
possible if the Clintondale Community Schools district didn’t donate land near Parker Elementary.
“This is going to be continuous improvement, and we appreciate all the people who joined in to make it happen,” he said.
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel spoke at the event and praised the project.
“These things really do make a difference in the community,” Mark Hackel said.
“I thank you for making Macomb County shine with what you’re doing here in Clinton Township.”
State Rep. Alicia St. Germaine, R-Harrison Township, also commended the park.
“I just think this is wonderful,” St. Germaine said. “I love to drive by here on the way to Target and see all the kids playing outside. I think it’s great.”
Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.
“This is the same concept but in a way that is both personal, because you’re talking on the phone, and it is more environmentally friendly,” she said.
Debbie Travis, assistant director for the senior center, said she hopes the community treats the space with respect.
“It should be viewed as a sacred space. It’s owned by everybody,” she said. “We’re all going to go through these feelings in our lifetime.”
Travis hopes the township’s booth normalizes the idea and helps put it in other communities. She said she plans to use the phone when her mom eventually passes.
“I’m guaranteeing her, I will be talking to her through it,” Travis said. “Our relationship will not end.”
Township applies to participate in DIA program
The board unanimously approved an application for the Detroit Institute of Arts Inside|Out program at the Aug. 12 meeting. The program puts replicas of famous works of art throughout municipalities that apply. Clinton Township has proposed 10 sites, the maximum allowed in the program, through-
out the township.
This year’s proposal aims to get replicas at the Tomlinson Arboretum, Civic Center, the library’s main branch, the library’s south branch, the senior center, George George Park, Joy Boulevard Park, Neil Reid Park, Prince Drewry Park and Normandy Park.
The DIA funds and insures art displayed in the program, which the township has previously participated in. If the application is approved, the art will be displayed in 2025 from May to October.
SAD millage for police, fire approved
A public hearing about a proposed special assessment district to fund police and fire departments in the township was held at the Aug. 12 meeting.
No residents commented during the hearing. The SAD was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees.
The renewed levy on residential properties is expected to be 5 mills (generating a projected total of $18,602,712) for the Clinton Township Police Department and 4 mills ($14,882,170) for the Fire Department.
For industrial facilities, police are set to pull in 2.5 mills ($19,218) and fire will draw 2 mills ($15,375).
Call Staff Writer Nick Powers at (586) 498-1059.
OUTDOOR RIVERSIDE DINING
Apartments/Flats For Rent
ST.CLAIR APARTMENTS 2254512MileRd. Spacious,1/Bedroom, Heat/CarportIncluded, $750/mo. 586-296-1912
Homes For Sale HOMEFORSALE BYOWNER 34817DrydenDr. SterlingHeights,48312. CapeCod,4/Bedrooms, 11/2Bath,LivingRoom, FamilyRoom,LargeKitchen,FinishedBasement, NaturalWoodBurning Fireplace.BrickPaved DrivewayFor6+Vehicles, 2-1/2CarGarage. $275,000 586-279-3360 Willingtoworkwith buyer'sagent.Absolutely NOlistingsolicitations!
Vacation Property & Time Shares
VACATIONRENTAL TAMPA,FL Cozy,PrivateGuesthouseForRentIncluding Kitchenettew/Essentials, FurnishedBedroom, Bathroom,Patio,Private Entrance,FreeParking onPremisesandWi-Fi. *NoPets/PartiesPlease* Call/Text 313-461-8485
Antiques & Collectibles BUYING Coins,SportCards& StampsCollections Top$$$ Call248-471-4451
Garage/Yard Sale
3264DAWSON, WARREN, Aug.28th-Sept.2nd, 9am-7pm, Electronics,Games, Controllers,New-Bikes, DesignerSunglasses.
Permanent part-time Media Specialist position $22.43 - $23.81 hourly (29 Hours per week). Successful completion of Civil Service Examination is required and applicants must meet all requirements set forth in the Employees Civil Service Ordinance. Pre-employment background investigation and substance abuse testing is required. Interested, applicants must submit an application to the Clinton Township Employees Civil Service Commission, 40700 Romeo Plank Rd., Clinton Township, MI 48038 on or before the close of business, Monday, September 9, 2024. The Charter Township of Clinton is an Equal Opportunity Employer, applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status or disability. For further information pertaining to this position or to download employment application please refer to www.clintontownship.com, click on Employment.
0326-2435
Miscellaneous For Sale
SAFE Step.NorthAmerica's#1Walk-InTub. Comprehensivelifetime warranty.Top-of-the-line installationandservice. NowfeaturingourFREE showerpackageand $1600Offforalimited time!Calltoday!Financingavailable.CallSafe Step1-855-861-4501
586-610-1209
PaintingInterior/Exterior RemodelingKitchens, Bathrooms,Finish Basement,Tiles, Drywall,Repairs, RemoveWallpaper, RepairingandStaining Decks,Powerwashing. FreeEstimates. KASETA CONSTRUCTION Licensed/Insured Additions/Remodeling Kitchens,Baths, Basements,Siding, Fencing,Decks Over30yearsexperience FreeEstimates Greg586-522-6870
Home Repairs
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 Landscaping & Water Gardens
ALLTIMATE OUTDOOR SERVICES DrainageSystem Professionals New-Construction, Yard-Drainage,Grading, Sod/Seed,Retaining Walls/Walkways/Patios, Senior/Military-Discounts Credit-Cards-Accepted Free-Estimates 586-719-1202
DOLL'S LANDSCAPING SPRINGCLEAN-UPS! Shrub&Tree-Trimming, Planting,Removal.Mulch, SodInstallation,Pavers, Garden/RetainerWalls, PorchSteps,Raise Backyards/DrainTiles, Powerwashing/Sealing, Powerrake,Aeration, Seeding,DebrisRemoval 586-634-0033
SUPREMEOUTDOOR SPECIALISTS Lawncare,Landscaping, Pavers,Walls,Shrub/Tree Trimming/Removal, Mulching,Power-washing, CementWork,Sprinklers. 35YearsExperience FreeEstimates Christmaslight install/leasing. 586-727-3924 supremeoutdoor@ gmail.com
TOTALBRICKPAVING LANDSCAPINGPROS 586-420-3531 Brickpaving,Patio, Walkways,Driveways, Porches,Repairs, Powerwash,Rock Installation,Mulch,Sod, CompleteLandscape Design.
Lawn Maintenance
2024SPRING
586-260-5218
Commercial/Residential
*Landscaping *Decks
*SpringClean-Ups
*LawnCutting
*LicensedFertilization
*Aerating&Thatching VisitFacebook: BrightHorizonServicesInc.
586-489-9226
Donʼs
LawnService -LawnCutting -Aerating -PowerRaking -Bush&Tree Trimming -Sod Since1979!
586-463-8394
TerryʼsLawn Service •ShrubTrimming •Lawn Maintenance
Painting
PAINTINGby-GPC MASTER Plaster/Drywall
CompleteRestoration &InsuranceProjects Wallpaper Removal/Hanging PAINTING!PAINTING! A+BBB-Rating/20yrs 30-yrs,BuilderLicense SeniorDisc/FreeEst. 586.899.3555(Cell) 248.566.6460(Office)
(586)229-4267
American Painting
•Residential/Commercial •Interior/25YearsExp. •PowerWashing •Insurance•Drywall •PlasterRepair •Clean-outs •HomeRepairs •SeniorDiscounts •Guaranteed-Work.
(586)795-8122 ChrisCronin Painting& StainingInc. Professionalquality. Interior-exterior. Power-washing, decksealing.Insured, References. Freeestimates. MC/VI/DC/AX accepted.
Painting
2BROTHERS PAINTING CompleteInterior/Exterior WoodRepair, Powerwash, Free-Estimates CallFrank 248-303-5897 ReferencesAvailable
PEAKPAINTING Custom-Painting, Commercial/Residential, Interior/Exterior. Drywall-Repair,Paper Removal,Carpentry. 30-yr.-exp.*WillBeat AnyOtherReasonable Estimate! Senior-Disc. Insured.Credit-Cards Accepted.References. 586-722-8381
ANDERSON Painting&Carpentry CompleteInterior/Exterior Services.Plaster/Drywall & WaterDamageRepairs Wood-Staining.Wallpaper Removal.Kitchen/Cabinet Refinishing,Insured/References.Free-Estimates 586-354-3032 248-974-4012
ANYONE'S PAINTER Interior/ExteriorPainting Commerical/Residential PressureWashing, DrywallRepairs, DeckStaining, FreeEstimates Call586-921-3654
NEBOPAINTING ServiceAllYearRound Interior/Exterior 15YearsExperience WeMakeIt EasierForYou, AllNeedsAreMet! Call 248-953-7807
MASTER PLUMBER Sewer&DrainService. Remodeling,Repairs, NewInstallations. FreeEstimates SeniorRates. 35+yrsexp.CallPaul 248-904-5822 Lic.#8109852
586.421.5520 586.524.6752 ANDY'S PLUMBING 25-YearsExperience Licensed/Insured CallUsToday ForAllYour PlumbingNeeds!! ServingThe Tri-County-Area 10%/Senior/Military/ Discounts Lic#-8004254 APEX PLUMBERSCORP 586-210-0903 35-YearsExperience Seniors/Military/ Multi-TaskDiscounts Free-Estimates •DrainCleaning •PlumbingRepairs/ Fixtures •SumpPumps/ WaterHeaters Licensed/Insured apexplumbers corporation.com Lic#8111771
Thief asks for permission before stealing gas station sandwich
STERLING HEIGHTS — A worker at a gas station in the 40000 block of Van Dyke Avenue, south of 18 Mile Road, reportedly told police that a man grabbed a deli sandwich, asked an employee, “You mind if I take this sandwich?” and then left without paying early in the morning of July 28.
An officer wrote in a report that he saw the suspect on foot along Constitution Boulevard and interviewed him. According to police, the man admitted to taking the sandwich without paying for it and added that he forgot to pay.
Police said they cited the suspect for third-degree retail fraud and let him know he wasn’t allowed to return to the gas station.
Police shoo away solicitors
STERLING HEIGHTS — Two men, including one wearing a yellow vest, were spotted by the intersection of Schoenherr and Hall roads July 28 allegedly distributing pieces of paper containing information about “their mission.”
Police added that one of the men allegedly attempted to get motorists to scan a QR code for money.
Police said they told the men they couldn’t pass things out in traffic and told them to learn about the permitting process and rules from City Hall. Police said the men left.
Fight breaks out between brothers
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 2:15 p.m. July 21, police officers responded to an address in the area of West Utica and Ryan roads for a domestic assault between two brothers.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with both brothers. Police said the suspect advised he was upset with his bother for how he was talking to other members of the family. The suspect reportedly stated that he reached his boiling point and started to wrestle his brother.
Police said the victim stated that his brother grabbed him by the neck and shoulder area and started hitting him. Police said the suspect was arrested for domestic assault and taken to the Police Department.
Neighbor allegedly uses stick to threaten another neighbor
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — At 12:19 p.m. July 21, police officers from Shelby Township responded to the area of Howe Street and Woodall Road, off Auburn Road east of Ryan Road, for a neighbor trouble report.
Officers met with the caller, who stated that she had been outside when a neighbor, who was holding a large stick, started to hit her garage and threatened
her with violence. The caller was not injured, and the suspect reportedly refused to meet with officers. The case was sent to the Police Department’s detective bureau for follow-up.
Fraud reported on Marter Road
ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 6:44 a.m. on July 30, a report was made about a case of retail fraud that occurred in the 23000 block of Marter Road.
An officer spoke to the witness, a 45-year-old woman, who stated she helped out two women. One of the two asked for cigarettes and attempted to pay with a card, which was declined. The second woman asked the witness a question about returning an item. The witness believes she said this to distract her from the other woman. With the bag attached to her wrist, the first woman walked out the door, and the witness followed. The woman stated she was getting a different card from her car, but when the second woman walked to the car, they drove off.
Larceny reported on Parkside Street
ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 5:56 p.m. on July 31, a report was made about a larceny that occurred between July 30 and July 31 in the 19000 block of Parkside Street.
A 24-year-old man walked into the St. Clair Shores Police Department and stated he parked his vehicle in the driveway at around 9:30 p.m. on July 30. When he checked it the next morning, he realized it had been entered and his wallet was missing. Several transactions were made on his credit card, some of which were declined, and others approved. He
Hauling & Waste Removal
