Riverview Register, December 13, 2022 – January 12, 2023

Photo by Dave Chapman

Old fashioned Detroit muscle

Toys for Tots benefits from famous classic car drawing at Southgate Ford

Southgate to capture its arrival.

Mayor Kuspa has been asked to speak during the program. He said Detroit Lion Jamaal William and actor R.J. Mitte are scheduled to be part of the program.

“It is not very often that our city is featured in a television show,” Kuspa said. “So special thanks to Angela and Mark Babala for bringing such positive attention to our community and the entire Downriver area.

“This event is open to the public and I hope to see many of our residents there to support the Toys for Tots program. It is a great opportunity to witness the drawing, experience the production process, meet the special guests and be a part of the finalized program when it streams on the Peacock Network.”

The Mayor praised Southgate Ford and its many contributions to the local community.

DAVE GORGON

Representatives of the Southgate Ford dealership are excited to host a highly-touted drawing for a famous classic Mustang to benefit the Toys for Tots Foundation.

General Sales Manager Brian Bartholomew said everyone is welcome to stop by the dealership at 16501 Fort Street in Southgate on December 15. The program is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. with the public raffle set for about 7 p.m.

The 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 was restored on the television program “Angel’s Garage” on the Peacock Network. The show’s producers selected Toys for Tots as the beneficiary of a raffle of the classic car.

Money raised will be used by the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to purchase toys for families struggling to buy gifts for their children this Christmas. Raffle tickets start at $5 each with an added processing fee. Discounts are given for multiple

ticket purchases. Tickets are available now online at https://myevent.com/ toysfortots.

“The U.S. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is an amazing organization that has brought joy to needy families for 75 years,” said Southgate Mayor Joseph Kuspa. “It is great to see Angel’s Garage not only donating the classic 1970 Mustang to this charity, but also have the raffle drawing at one of our outstanding Southgate businesses – Southgate Ford.”

Kim Felske, the Downriver coordinator of Toys for Tots, said Southgate Ford was chosen for the drawing since it’s a Ford dealership located in a more populated area. She said Ford dealerships are staunch supporters of Toys for Tots and it will be convenient for people to stop by the dealership to see the Mustang.

“The car is phenomenal,” said Felske, who lives in Brownstown Township. “Unfortunately, I’m not eligible to win.”

Felske said Michigan was chosen to host the raffle drawing event. Once

the Mustang was restored, the car debuted in the state at Soo Motors in Sault Ste. Marie on Oct. 25 before it was trucked to Fox Grand Traverse from Nov. 7-21. From Traverse City, it made a stop at the Ford Mustang plant in Flat Rock before its destination at Southgate Ford for the raffle.

At the event, Santa Claus will draw the winning ticket.

“This Mustang is a one-of-akind and raffling it to benefit the U.S. Marine Toys for Tot program is a wonderful gesture by Angel’s Garage,” Felske said. “Every child deserves to find a present under the tree on Christmas morning and Angels’ Garage is doing more than its fair share to help.”

Angel’s Garage producers are originally from Michigan and want to help showcase the state in their program.

“We’re proud of where we come from and we want to share this place with others,” said Angela Babala, who is “Angel” on the show. A production crew will accompany the car while in

“Owner Walt Oben and his family are great examples of businesses giving back to their community,” he said. “Over the years, they have provided several contributions to our parks and recreational programs. So it is very fitting that this drawing takes place in their showroom.”

Detroit-area pizza chain Chubby Charlies has partnered with the TV show to not only transport the Mach 1, but also helped fund rare parts needed for rebuilding the car, Felske said. Chubby Charlies and Promenade Artisan Foods in Trenton will be onsite in Southgate offering samples on December 15.

Felske said the mission of Toys for Tots is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was created at the behest of the Marine Corps in 1991.

Now in its 75th year, the toy drive is part of a national campaign that was started by the Marine Corps Reserves. The toy collection is the largest in the country with 800 campaigns in all 50 states.

For more information on Toys for Tots, visit the website toysfortots.org

FROM THE MAYOR

November brought us good news and not-so-good news

My fellow Riverview residents, November has been a wild emotional ride for our city.

This month we held our very first “Mayor’s Gala.” This event was the brain-child of our Recreation Director Todd Dickman. Todd suggested this to me in late summer. This goes along with my goal to get the most use out of our premier park, Young Patriot’s Park. This event would fit perfectly with our annual tree lighting ceremony held in mid-month.

three of them with the fourth being an unreasonable requirement, which was moving the entrance to another municipality.

ANDREW SWIFT

So for no additional cost we could host a fundraiser-type event to offset the cost of not only the Tree Lighting but also a new event.

Although we could have done better getting the word out that the Mayor’s Gala was a fundraiser, we did do well raising funds. So to be clear, this was strictly for the benefit of our entertainment in the parks.

Through the sale of sponsorships we were able to raise funds to be used for more events at Young Patriot’s Park. Our goal is to increase the number of concerts, activities and family type events. These events would not be just at the park, but to hold more non-golf events at the golf practice facility such as concerts.

With having enough sponsors for the event, we were able to keep the price of tickets reasonable. All 200 tickets available were sold and the event was declared a success. Please see the Mayor’s Gala article in this paper for more information.

I would like to thank all the sponsors and those who braved the cold to support our first gala. I appreciate your support and look forward to doing this again.

Riverview held its Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony the day after the Mayor’s Gala on Saturday, Nov. 19. Young Patriot’s Park was expertly decorated again this year by our hard working DPW crew.

It always amazes me the amount of work and effort these workers put in along with all their normal everyday responsibilities. We are really lucky to have these guys.

After moving the Tree Lighting to Young Patriot’s Park we made a conscious decision to try new things at the ceremony.

Last year we added fireworks and all those who stayed late enough enjoyed the show. We received some feedback about the fireworks that suggested we move them up an hour. We did so and the response was very positive.

This year we provided some first class transportation for Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Thanks to the owner, Ken Tarter, of Max Flight Helicopters, Santa and his wife made a grand entrance into Riverview and Young Patriot’s Park by helicopter.

Unfortunately the helicopter rides were suspended because of the wind and snow. But not before several riders got an absolutely beautiful view of the park lit up in all its grandeur.

A couple new attractions to the ceremony were a bouncy house and coffee stand inside the massive tent.

The attendance of the ceremony was down this year because of the weather. But I can say that all the children and their parents had a great time visiting Santa, riding on the hayride, the train around the pond, the artificial snow pit, fire pits, food trucks, business expo, fireworks, helicopter rides, band and visiting with their friends. I am very

proud to serve as the mayor of such a fantastic friendly community.

And now for the not-so fun event that took place early in the month.

As you may have heard by now, the Wayne County Facility Inclusion Committee turned down our request to expand the landfill.

The FIC is responsible for controlling the airspace used by the landfills in Wayne County. They recently approved a landfill expansion in Canton for Waste Management after a 30 minute meeting. They will likely approve the expansion of two other landfills in the county in the next few years.

With that said, it was the recommendation of the Solid Waste Management Division Director, Patrick Cullen to not approve Riverview’s expansion based on the fact that the county has about 17 years of airspace available.

A totally unbelievable statement made by a member of the FIC at the meeting was that Riverview has the lowest tax rates of a city (as compared to townships) in the county. Maybe it’s time they pay more. So, something that we wear as a badge of honor, they held against us.

This is very disappointing to the city of Riverview after the county gave us four items to work on. We accomplished

Just like we knew the county had a predetermined decision before our meeting, we knew the results would be the same with Brownstown Township. But with the help of our former city manager, and then our new city manager, I met with Brownstown several times trying to work out an agreement. In the end they said no and so did the county.

So what does all this mean to the City of Riverview?

1. We will move forward with a combination of modified city services and tax proposal increases.

2. No moving the entrance to Allen Road, Sibley Road, or anywhere else.

3. No improving the King & Grange Road entrance now or ever at our expense.

4. No implementing the already approved curb-side recycling

5. No addition of a second drop off recycling center on the east side of Fort Street.

The city council always understood that the FIC could and would likely say “No.” We are working on new revenue streams to replace the nearly 10 Mills of revenue the landfill provided for nearly 55 years.

One big item we have going in our favor is the new gas plant at the landfill will be going online sometime midnext year. This could mean hundreds of thousands if not a million dollars a year to the city.

The city will also be taking the county up on its offer to help.

We feel there are things the county can do immediately to help us wean ourselves from the landfill in the 8 to 10 years we have left.

I am confident that council and city management will work through this huge challenge and Riverview will be a better city for it. We’ve had challenges in the past and will have them in future. With the right people focusing on this, we will be successful.

To close this article I would like to say on behalf of the City Council, city management, and myself, we hope you had a happy Thanksgiving, and have Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Mayor’s Gala a success in every way possible

The City of Riverview recently held its first Mayor’s Gala.

The possibility of holding such an event was brought to Mayor Swift earlier in the year by Todd Dickman, the city’s Recreation Director. The purpose of the event was to raise money specifically for the benefit of holding more events at Young Patriots’ Park.

Increasing the number of events such as Concerts-In-The-Park and ConcertsOn-The-Course has long been a goal of Mayor Andrew Swift.

“I’m always looking for ways to exploit our premier park and our first class golf course. The goal is to put on new and popular events that cost the city little or nothing except manpower,” said Swift.

The first event that was mildly successful was the “Clubs and Chrome” golf event held last year at the Riverview Highlands Golf Course. The combination car show and golf outing allowed the Highlands to show off all the improvements done to the course and provided a great opportunity for classic cars lovers to show off their vehicles.

The second event was the very successful Concert-On-The-Course held on the Riverview Highlands Practice Golf Facility. Over 200 concert-goers enjoyed the free Pine Knob style concert with music provided by one of Riverview’s favorite bands, Shakedown.

There were food trucks and refreshments available to make the concert the success it was. Not only did attendees enjoy a great concert, they got a beautiful view from the elevation they were at.

Similar to the previous two events, The Mayor’s Gala had several sponsors who picked up the tab for the cost of the event.

“Having so many very generous sponsors allowed us to price the tickets for the event at a reasonable amount,” said Swift.

At $25 per ticket, the event sold out of the 200 tickets available in just over two weeks.

The evening started with a few announcements by the mayor acknowledging those who sponsored the event. He then thanked all those who braved the extremely cold weather to enjoy a great evening of food, drink and entertainment.

When the buffet style dinner was

served by Arnaldo’s of Riverview they found a delicious menu to choose from.

As cold as it was, the food was served hot.

Gala-goers had chicken marsala, baked cod topped with diced tomato, roasted sirloin of beef with natural au jus to pick from for the main course. Along with the main course diners enjoyed grilled new potatoes with parmesan and herbs, whole green beans, penne alla vodka, and tossed salad.

And there is only one way to top off such a good dinner and that is to end with desserts from A Serendipity and Cakery.

After dinner Santa Claus himself made an appearance and wished the crowd a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas.

The after dinner entertainment was performed by the Mayor’s favorite local band, Shakedown. The band played their holiday favorites all while trying to prevent their fingers from freezing.

“I really appreciated the band playing even with it being around 40 degrees in the tent” said the Mayor.

The premier sponsor of the first Mayor’s Gala was one of Riverview’s newest businesses, Signature Services. Michael & Dana VanMarter, owners of the business moved the entire business operations to Riverview earlier this year. Mayor Swift was quoted at the event saying “We look forward to Signature Services servicing the needs of our residents and the whole Downriver area.

Other top sponsors of the event are Rivergate Terrace, Rivergate Health Care Center, Safe Spot Storage, The Kiwanis of Riverview, Industrial Woodfab & Packaging, Al’s Asphalt, American Legion Post 389, Carlisle Wortman Associates, Charles Raines Engineering, Government Consultant Support Inc, Southgate Rotary, Tetra Tech and the Thread Marketing Group.

“Building relationships with all Riverview businesses will benefit not just businesses but the community itself,” said Swift. “Riverview is regularly accused of not attracting new businesses. There are very few empty buildings available after the growth we’ve experienced over the past several

years.”

When asked what he thought about the Gala, Mayor Swift responded, “What can I say about our first Mayor’s Gala? I am very much humbled at the turnout. There were 200 tickets sold and nearly all those who purchased, showed up.

“Attendees were greeted with some cold temperatures even inside the tent. But the tent was beautifully decorated, the food was good, the band was great, and getting to meet so many of my supporters was mind blowing. Thank you Todd for suggesting we do this. Thanks to our new city manager Jeff Dobek for help in getting sponsors. A big heartfelt thanks goes out to all those who attended the Gala.

“This was a fundraiser to support more concerts-in-the-park, concertson-the-course, and more events at our premier Young Patriot’s Park. We’ve already received some suggestions to improve next year’s event. There is one thing standing in the way, I would need to get re-elected for that to happen.”

Advisor

Clare M McMillan, AAMS™

Jonathan Hodge

Financial Advisor

14031 Pennsylvania Rd, Suite C Riverview, MI 48193 734-282-8582

565 Oak Street Wyandotte, MI 48192 734-285-0224

AAMS™

John Serb

22673 Allen Road, Suite 200 Woodhaven, MI 48183 734-672-7504

Clare M McMillan

AAMS* 565 Oak Street Wyandotte, MI 48192 734-285-0224

by banks and thrifts nationwide. All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

RCSD picks Care Solace for mental health care services

Partnership provides an added layer of support to connect students, staff, and families to mental health and substance use treatment providers

Riverview Community Schools selected Care Solace, an organization determined to calm the chaos of mental health care coordination, to expand access to community mental health and substance use treatment providers for students, staff, and their families.

Care Solace provides a Care Companion™ team who can quickly and confidently find available providers in the community. Care Solace also equips school systems with a customized online tool that gives community members a way to anonymously search for community-based providers matched to their needs.

“When a student and a family are reaching out for support, they are vulnerable and may need help quickly. Care Solace provides timely and reliable services to families to connect them with local mental health service providers in our community. Care Solace’s “concierge” approach is unique as they will assign a staff member who will research various providers so families have options for mental health care. Furthermore, students get the help they need quickly to meet their mental health needs which is so critical right now. Care Solace bridges that gap in the mental health care system to connect “real people

to real care,” said Marci Heulitt, Riverview Social Worker.

With Care Solace, families and staff gain access to a dedicated Care Companion™ to navigate the mental health care system on their behalf, calling providers to find the right fit and availability. They help families with private insurance, Medicaid, and no insurance, and are available 24/7/365 in any language.

Care Solace’s care navigation system uses proprietary technology and a vast database of behavioral and mental health care resources to find carefully verified therapists and programs in minutes.

“The effects of loss, isolation, uncertainty, and fatigue brought on by the pandemic continue to pose new challenges for students, staff, and their families,” said Chad Castruita, Founder and CEO of Care Solace. “We are proud to support Riverview Community Schools in prioritizing the well-being of its school community by providing timely access into mental health care and substance use treatment services.”

The Care Solace service is now available at no cost to Riverview Community Schools students, staff, and their families. For more information about Care Solace, please visit https://www.caresolace.org.

About Care Solace

Care Solace is on a mission to calm the chaos of mental health care. The organization provides mental health care coordination services for school systems, existing to ensure that students, staff, and their families quickly connect to verified providers in their communities. Care Solace offers proprietary software to aggregate mental health care providers and substance use treatment options.

Currently, Care Solace proudly serves three million students and twelve million staff and family members in over 300 school systems.

Welcome to the holidays

The annual Riverview Christmas Tree Lighting, which has turned into one of Downriver’s largest and most well-attended holiday events, was held at Young Patriots Park on Nov. 19. In addition to the actual tree lighting, the event featured toy train rides, the Evening Gentlemen Quartet, an inflatable snow globe, a stilt walker, American Legion beer tent, hayrides and, of course, a visit from Santa Claus. The night ended with a spectacular fireworks show.

Photos by Dave Chapman

SPICED APPLE & PORK CHILI WITH CORNBREAD COOKING CLASS

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29 TH

1:00 – 3:00 PM

Warm yourself up with this hearty & healthy Spiced Apple and Pork Chili along with a slice of homemade cornbread. The chili has a smoky, sweet flavor and is an easy to put together filling dinner. We will be making approximately 2 quarts of chili. This chili freezes well and is perfect for a quick meal.

Shirley B’s Famous Caramel Brownies Cooking Class

Sunday, February 12th 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Warm yourself up with this hearty & healthy Spiced Apple and Pork Chili along with a slice of homemade cornbread. The chili has a smoky, sweet flavor and is an easy to put together filling dinner. We will be making approximately 2 quarts of chili. This chili freezes well and is perfect for a quick meal. -Please bring a knife and any utensil that

• Please bring a knife and any utensil that you use for cutting and peeling apples. If you don’t have these, I have extras to borrow. All ingredients will be provided.

samples to munch on during class, recipe and your homemade pan of brownies to take home. This class was a big hit last time and will fill up fast! Final baking will be done at home. -Pre registration fee of $10.00 must be paid by Saturday, Saturday, February 11th. No refunds after this date. Limit of 20 participants per class. No walk ins.

• Pre-registration fee of $10.00 must be paid by Saturday, January 28th. No refunds after this date.

Limit of 20 participants. No walk ins. Register online!

Is it the decadent chocolate or the gooey caramel that makes this brownie taste so good? Learn how to make these delicious brownies and take a pan full home for your loved ones or eat the whole thing yourself! They freeze well for snacks, lunch treats or surprise for your coworkers. This class includes all supplies and samples to munch on during class, recipe and your homemade pan of brownies to take home. This class was a big hit last time and will fill up fast!

Final baking will be done at home.

Dept. Call the Recreation dept. if you have any questions regarding programs or issues with online registering.

https://secure.rec1.com/MI/riverview-mi/catalog or cityofriverview.com under the recreation tab. Please make one account per household. Check or cash for in-person registration at the Recreation Department. Call the Recreation Department if you have any questions regarding programs or issues with online registering.

• Supply fee of $25.00 cash payable to the instructor during class time.

Riverview City Hall/Senior Activity Room

• Pre registration fee of $10.00 must be paid by Saturday, Saturday, February 11th. No refunds after this date. Limit of 20 participants per class. No walk ins.

Register online!

https://secure.rec1.com/MI/riverview-mi/catalog or cityofriverview.com under the recreation tab. Please make one account per household. Check or cash for in-person registration at the Recreation Department. Call the Recreation Department if you have any questions regarding programs or issues with online registering.

Riverview City Hall/Senior Activity Room 14100 Civic Park Drive, Riverview, MI 48193 734-281-4219 Classes are for residents and non-residents. Age 12 & up Children aged 6 -11 are welcome to sign up and must bring an adult helper. If the adult helper wants to participate and make their own Brownies they must register and pay also. This is a perfect class for friends and family to get together and have some fun!

14100 Civic Park Drive, Riverview, MI 48193 734-281-4219

Classes are for residents and non-residents. Age 12 & up. Children aged 6 -11 are welcome to sign up and must bring an adult helper. If the adult helper wants to participate and make their own Chili and Cornbread they must register and pay also. is is a perfect class for friends and family to get together and have some fun!

Students will learn easy to use self defense techniques that require little to no strength. These techniques will help to build confidence and allow them to not be intimidated by bullies.

Including: Bullying and how to address issues • How to “stand up for yourself” • Who can help when you are at school, church and activities • How to de-escalate situations

Techniques: Wrist grabs • Blocks • Bear hugs from the front and from behind • Strangulation holds

Don’t let your kids miss this class!

• Supply fee of $18.00 cash payable to the instructor during class time.

Riverview City Hall/Senior Activity Room

14100 Civic Park Drive, Riverview, MI 48193 734-281-4219

Is it the decadent chocolate or the gooey caramel that makes this brownie taste so good! Learn how to make delicious brownies and take a pan full home for your loved ones or eat the whole thing yourself! They freeze snacks, lunch treats or surprise for your coworkers. This class includes all supplies and samples to munch class, recipe and your homemade pan of brownies to take home. This class was a big hit last time and will Final baking will be done at home.

-Pre registration fee of $10.00 must be paid by Saturday, Saturday, February 11th. No refunds after this date. 20 participants per class. No walk ins.

Classes are for residents and non-residents. Age 12 & up. Children aged 6 -11 are welcome to sign up and must bring an adult helper. If the adult helper wants to participate and make their own Chili and Cornbread they must register and pay also. is is a perfect class for friends and family to get together and have some fun!

13-18 Teen Self Defense

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

6:00-7:30 P.M. City Hall Gym

$20.00 per person

Young women and men are invited to learn easy to use self defense techniques that require little to no strength. These self defense strategies will build self confidence and allow young men and women not to be intimidated by bullies or those trying to hurt them in any way.

Including: Bullying • Sexual Assault • Dating Violence Date Rape • Red Flags • Diffusing dangerous situations • Exiting parties without being teased. Techniques and how to avoid: Blocks • Shoulder grabs • Bear hugs Strangulations • Hair pulls from the front and behind • Wrist grabs • Question and answer session.

Don’t let your teens miss this life changing class!

Register online! https://secure.rec1.com/MI/riverview-mi/catalog

16+ Self Defense

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

7:00-8:30 P.M. City Hall Gym

$20.00 per person

These are easy to learn techniques that require little to no strength and no knowledge of Martial Arts in a fun and safe atmosphere. Basic techniques that will increase your self confidence and feeling of security are the focus. Men and women are both encouraged to attend as well as young adults at least 16 years of age. Including: Situational awareness • How to avoid dangerous encounters • Domestic Violence • Weapons & Self Defense Tools • Basic defenses to enable you to ‘get away’:

Palm Strikes • Hammer Punches • Elbow Strikes Wrist Grabs • Hair Grabs • Strangulation Defense

We will also discuss how to deal with dating violence, peer pressure, and other forms of abuse.

Classes are for residents and non-residents. Age 12 & up Children aged 6 -11 are welcome to sign up and must adult helper. If the adult helper wants to participate and make their own Brownies they must register and pay is a perfect class for friends and family to get together and have some fun!

CITY OF RIVERVIEW, WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN

REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES HELD ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2022

The Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.

Presiding: Mayor Pro Tem Workman

Present: Councilmembers Gunaga, Norton, Robbins

Excused: Mayor Swift, Councilmember Blanchette, ONeil

Also Present: Various Department Heads, Attorney Pentiuk

Mayor Pro Tem and Fire Chief presented Certificate of Recognition to Firefighter Joseph Strassner completing One-Year Probationary Training with his Deputy Fire Chief father Jamie Stassner presenting his Firefighter Badge.

Awarded Recognition Certificates and Gift Certificates from A Serendipity Cakery and Riverview Nutrition to the following 2022 Halloween Contest Winners: 17595 Smith – Deana and Kyle Sopko and Jennifer Hill;

17520 Brinson – Amanda and Sydney Taylor; 13228 Longsdorf – Richard and Ruth Fraley; 18370 Mulberry – The Mosolgo Family; and 17331 Quarry – The Hills.

Approved Corrected Regular Meeting Minutes of September 6, 2022, the Regular Meeting of October 17, 2022, by unanimous vote.

The Mayor offered Public Comments.

Approved Appointed of one Parks and Recreation Commission applicant Ricky Travers, Sr., for an unexpired two-year term to July 31, 2024 by unanimous vote.

Approved Consent Agenda by unanimous vote.

Approve Budget Amendments as presented.

Adopted Resolution in Support of 2023 Riverview Hall of Fame and Scholarship Foundation by unanimous vote.

Approved Change Order for Additional Pavement Base Repair and Undercut by Best Asphalt, Inc. for Grant and Garfield 2022 Pavement Improvement Project in the amount of $196,670.00 by unanimous vote.

Authorized and Directed the City Manager to Execute a Letter of Understanding with Wayne County to commit the City to financially participate up to 50% of cost of certain improvements to the King-Grange Roads intersection upon terms and conditions to be negotiated by the parties, subject to approval of proposed Extension of the Riverview Land Preserve by the County, State and other regulatory agencies; and further, subject to approval of the City Attorney by unanimous vote.

The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m. by unanimous vote.

DETAILED MINUTES/ORDINANCES AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.

Dean Workman, Mayor Pro Tem Robert McMahon, Treasurer/Finance Director Acting for City Clerk

CITY OF RIVERVIEW, WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN

REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES HELD ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2022

The Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.

Presiding: Mayor Swift

Present: Councilmembers Blanchette, Gunaga, Norton, ONeil, Robbins, Workman

Also Present: Various Department Heads, Attorneys Pentiuk and Hurley

The Mayor and Police Chief presented Certificate of Recognition to Patrol Officer Travis Jackson for completing One-Year Probationary Period in the Police Department.

Approved Regular Meeting Minutes of November 7, 2022 by unanimous vote.

Motion by Councilmember Norton to remove Curbside Recycling because of costs and due to failure of landfill expansion application. After discussion, motion was tabled until a later date.

Recessed into Closed Session for the Purpose of Discussing the City Manager’s Performance Evaluation, at his request, and the City Attorney’s Legal Opinion by

unanimous vote.

The meeting recessed at 7:38 p.m.

The meeting reconvened at 8:30 p.m.

Roll Call: Mayor Swift, Councilmembers Blanchette, Gunaga, Norton, ONeil, Robbins, Workman

Authorized and Directed the Mayor and the Clerk to Execute an Employment Agreement with Jeff Dobek as City Manager on the terms and conditions as discussed in Closed Session this evening and as drafted by the City Attorney.

The meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m. by unanimous vote.

DETAILED MINUTES/ORDINANCES AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.

Andrew M. Swift, Mayor Cynthia M. Hutchison, City Clerk

CITY OF RIVERVIEW

*****NOTICE******

The December Board of Review will meet Council Chambers, located at City Hall, 14100 Civic Park Drive, Riverview, Michigan, 48193, on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, A.D. at 6:00 PM. Said meeting is for the purpose of Correcting Clerical Errors or a mutual mistake of fact relative to the correct assessment figures, the rate of taxation of the mathematical computation related to the assessing of taxes and the error or mutual mistake is verified by the Local Assessing Officer. All Board of Review meetings are open meetings in compliance with the “Open Meetings Act”.

Additional information may be obtained in the City Assessor Office (734) 2877116.

Publish: November 23, 2022

Upcoming Events at YOUR Riverview Library

Letter to Santa Kits

He is making his list and checking it twice...

Stop by the circulation desk December 1 - December 22 to pick up a Take-n-Make Santa letter kit. Each kit includes a form letter, pencil, envelope & stickers for decoration.

Letters can be mailed directly to the North Pole in the special Santa mailbox located at City Hall. All ages welcome. Kits will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Wednesday, December 7 @ 11-11:45 a.m.

Early Literacy Storytime

Join us for songs, stories & games! Best suited for children ages 2-5. Please register your child by December 5.

Thursday, December 8 @ 5-6:30 p.m.

Drop-In: Holiday Ornament Making & Tree Decorating

Using a variety of craft & art supplies, we will celebrate all of the holidays that happen in December. Choose your favorite holiday to make into a beautiful ornament to hang on our tree. All ages welcome. No registration required.

Tuesday, December 13 @ 1 p.m.

Navigating the Web: Apps and Extensions

Join us to learn about using app stores & how to download the apps/extensions that will help make your time on the internet more productive & enjoyable. 16+ welcome. Registration required by December 10. Devices will be provided but please bring any connected device you feel most comfortable using.

Wednesday, December 14 @ 11-11:45 a.m.

Early Literacy Storytime

Join us for songs, stories & games! Best suited for children ages 2-5. Please register your child by December 12.

Monday, December 19 @ 5:00-6:30 p.m.

YA Evening: Pizza Waffles & Cornhole

Participants will learn how to make savory treats with a waffle iron and play a few games of Library Cornhole. Ages 12-17 welcome. Please register by December 17.

Tuesday, December 20 @ 12:00 p.m.

Afternoon Book Club Readers will be discussing The Secret of Snow by Viola Shipman. Copies of Club books can be checked out from the circulation desk. 18+ welcome. No registration required.

Wednesday, December 21 @ 11-11:45 a.m.

Early Literacy Storytime Join us for songs, stories & games! Best suited for children ages 2-5. Please register your child by December 19.

Wednesday, December 28 @ 11-11:45 a.m.

Early Literacy Storytime Join us for songs, stories & games! Best suited for children ages 2-5. Please register your child by December 22.

December 24, 26, 31 & January 1, 2 Closed in Observance of the Christmas & New Year Holidays

Happy Holidays from the Staff at the Riverview Library

Hours September 6 - June 4, 2023

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Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Closed Friday & Sunday

Kiwanis leads effort to make it a happy Thanksgiving

The Kiwanis of Riverview, the Riverview Community High School Key Club, the Seitz Middle School Builders Club, and Pastor Jeff McNally Jr. from Grace Point Church combined their efforts to provide complete Thanksgiving dinners to 10 needy Riverview families.

For at least the last 23 years the local civic organization has provided a complete Thanksgiving dinner including dessert and a large turkey. The Congregation of Grace Point Church donated food in laundry baskets and 10 turkeys.

The Kiwanis each year shop at Meijer’s to purchase the food and deliver it to Seitz Middle School to be reassembled into individual meals. The civic group was a little light on help this year. But through the efforts of the Riverview Community High School Key and the Seitz Middle School Builders Club we had more than enough help.

The school district generously lets the Kiwanis store the food until it can be assembled and delivered. The group separates the food items to ensure the accuracy of the purchase.

Once the food items are counted they are then packed into boxes for a specific family.

Once the boxes are all packed, special treats are added for the children of the household. The boxes are then loaded into vehicles for delivery by the Kiwanis. This is a very labor intensive process, but one that needs to be done.

Kiwanis Director Andy Swift said, “We would like to thank the Riverview Community School District for providing us with the list of families that needed the assistance. And thank you to the families for letting us help them out this year.”

Riverview Kiwanis complete another Dictionary Project

The Dictionary Project: The goal of this program is to assist all students in becoming good writers, active readers, creative thinkers, and resourceful learners by providing them with their own personal dictionary. The dictionaries are a gift to each student to use at school and at home for years to come.

Educators see third grade as the dividing line between learning to read and reading to learn, so we encourage our sponsors to give dictionaries each year to children in the third grade.

The sponsoring organization for the Riverview Community School District is the Kiwanis of Riverview.

Since 2007 the Kiwanis of Riverview have provided every third grader in the district with their very own dictionary. Because of the increase in cost of these dictionaries, the Kiwanis starting selling sponsorships to fund this well received project. Letters are sent to local area businesses, parent clubs and politicians asking for support of the effort to provide these knowledge hungry students with a dictionary they can call their own. Supporters

are provided with a window decal showing they proudly support the program.

The Kiwanis put a label on the front of each dictionary that lists the supporters of the program.

“Labeling these dictionaries is a lot of fun,” said Kiwanis President Diane Kinlen. She went on to say “We work together as a group and the many hands that we have make light work.”

This year the club delivered almost 200 copies of “A Student’s Dictionary” printed specially for the Dictionary Project. These dictionaries contain 540 pages of definitions, facts, information on planets and the American Sign Language chart. The children actually look forward to receiving their dictionary, especially if they have an older sibling who has received one in the past. With this delivery complete the Kiwanis have delivered 4,088 dictionaries to the students of the school district.

Thank you to all the sponsors.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

This is a great time of year if you look forward to and love gatherings and ages-old traditions that allow, encourage, and almost force us to slow down, relax and love…if we let it happen.

To slow down and slip into a different mode, we have to want to. It seems to me that otherwise, the mad rush of time itself rushes us along in a tsunami flood, with too little if any time for appreciation. Or even noticing. Every generation copes with transition points in which people come to terms with change they don’t identify with. Many older folks make a good go of it. Most just can’t don’t want to. As a 68 year old person, I have no problem with tech, even though my brain is not wired the way 20some year-olds are. I do have issues with society that didn’t used to bother me. I won’t tell you about them because I hate hearing it from older folk, and sure don’t want to be one of those older folks. But it’s not minor stuff, you know? But I digress. Darn it, and so early in the column!

ROSE

My business is and has always been all about helping people get what they want. We have always done our best to present clothing and other things in ways that communicate the essence of the brands we sell. We take seriously the mission of keeping our stores clean an orderly, and painted and kept up, day after day and year after year. But those things are the givens. What makes the difference for people’s experiences in stores is the person that assists.

Our job is to facilitate your shopping experience through product knowledge, comparative fits, etcetera. But that’s not the factor, either is it. The key to everyone’s experiences in everything we do is the people that represent the companies. When a nice, respectful, funny, and engaging, competent person is your contact point for the items you want, your experience is happier. It is the factor, across every genre of retail there is, that makes us love the places we go…or not.

Such interactions make us slow down, and relive

stress and tension, if only for a little while. But the experience I talk about almost reverentially is not unique to stores. The thing that makes for a nice experience in a store is the exact sort of nice experience we get when someone lets us merge in. When we smile at people and greet them as we pass by. You could rattle off a whole bunch of things that qualify for you, that serve perfectly to share in my point.

Retail at my level, at the level you experience in Wyandotte and Trenton and at so many scattered cool places through downriver and everywhere is what makes life happier. The unique assortment of wonderful items at Abundant Living, combined with help from the owner as she shares her passion…or the feeling of discovery as you enter a store that could be nothing but local and independent…is rewarding, my friends. More than rewarding in a world that is insanely stressed on every front (it often seems)….it is so powerful that it can change our day. Happiness.

I struggle every month to rephrase my thoughts about the topic. Having done so for so long now, the act of writing helps to think it through. The thing is the places we go that have NONE of what I’m talking about in terms of satisfying times shopping are woven into the experiences that are all about that good feeling.

Just as we have to be better at self-talk that inspires us or steels us or reassures us, we need to seek out places to go for the necessary things we wish to buy that make us feel good. And it DOES make me feel good, every time I let myself feel good about having shopped locally, with people I like and respect and need to be here down the road….for me to patronize. It does make me as little happier to

shop with the lunatics that are passionate about what they do.

And what is the difference for your shopping choices? Yes, you have been paying attention, it’s the difference between being a good merchant and simply just being a bean counter that cuts payroll even though it’s totally counterproductive. It’s local that is engaged in our community and folks everywhere around here vs national, which tries to mimic the real thing but with indifferent, uninterested help.

Folks, it’s that simple. Do yourself the favor of shifting even more of your shopping to local and independent, and see how you feel this holiday shopping season. My guess is that you’re happier. Let me know if you think I’m right, won’t you? Because we can use a lot more happiness in our everyday lives in which we go about, interacting with people we encounter.

From Chelsea, Willow Tree, Love Wyandotte and Love Local, I thank you for what you bring to the community in which we ply our trades.

Merry Christmas. Peaceful Christmas to all.

PETER

gobigmultimedia.com/grosse-ile-grand

Rotary Club of Grosse Ile celebrates 75 years of “service above self”

...When the Grosse Ile Rotary Club was chartered in 1947, it was the first service club on the Island. Since then, club members have worked to improve their community, their country and the world.

Bruce Milkins, a long-standing Rotarian and club president in 1988, said members come from all walks of life, combine their efforts to try and make a difference and enjoy social opportunities. The members meet at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday at Perdino’s Restaurant, located at 8575 Macomb. Guests are welcome and a guest speaker is typically part of the dais.

Locally, members annually recognize a local resident as “citizen of the year” and a graduating Grosse Ile High School senior with the “Service Above Self Award.”

The honors are presented for contributions to the community, recognizing service given with no expectation of personal attention or reward.

The club sponsors such events as the Rotary Golf Outing, which brings members, neighbors and friends together to raise needed funds to positively impact the community...

On page 11 of the latest Grosse Ile Grand.

Witchy women

Since forming in 2018 The Real Witch Wives of Grosse Ile have reached near-celebrity status. That first year, the original 36 witches held secret practices, showed up to the Grosse Ile Halloween parade lineup without warning, disguised as witches. They were a massive hit, have since grown exponentially, and keep the secret society very much alive. The Witches were back in force again this year at the parade and the Halloween party has only grown. In addition to the witches’ parade, families walked the main drag, trick or treated from businesses, clubs and individuals and checked out other cool stuff, including the petting farm outside Island Animal Clinic. Once again Grosse Ile proved it knows how to do Halloween.

On pages 6 and 7.

Dec. 31, Market Center Park will present Noon Year’s Eve from 11:30 a.m.until 12:30 p.m. Come on out and enjoy some holiday fun.

On page 8.

Finance Director David Angileri retires

Long-time employee honored by who’s who of elected officials.

... Mayor Kuspa said Angileri’s “employment encompasses over 45 percent of the City of Southgate’s history as a city. So he has been around for nearly half of our existence as a city.”

“It was a wonderful event that illustrated Mr. Angileri’s positive impact on our city for nearly three decades,” Kuspa said. “Everyone was there out of respect for what he has accomplished and to wish him well on his retirement.”

On page 1.

Halloween happiness

auxiliary members, veterans and friends took to the post parking lot to distribute treats and serve food for the attendees, many of whom learned about the successful event via social media.

make sure that every child receives a present for Christmas and their families receive provisions for a holiday meal...

On page 3.

Trenton Parks and Recreation

... Park improvements are set to begin at Lexington Park in the spring of 2023 and new pickleball courts

gobigmultimedia.com/trenton-times

‘The Forgotten’ is the inspiration for Goodfellows

...The drawing was accompanied by the story of a young girl whose family could not celebrate Christmas because of financial hardship. Here we are, more than 100 years later, and her situation

sounds very familiar.

Though simple, the drawing had a powerful impact on readers, who responded with donations to ensure children in their communities woke up Christmas morning to find presents beneath their trees, as well as all the fixings for a holiday feast later that day.

Titled, “The Forgotten,” the cartoon generated donations the year after it appeared and marked the beginning of a service organization that would evolve to be known as “Old Newsboys” and “Goodfellows,” as we more commonly know them today...

On page 6

Making Christmas bright!

The Trenton Goodfellows are hard at work making sure they can fulfill their promise of “No child without a Christmas.” But to get the job done, the Goodfellows need your help through donations. You can do that by using the handy envelope inside today’s Trenton Times.

Planning this year’s holiday drive for the Trenton Goodfellows are Carrie Hancock (left), Debra Devitt, Chris Zboch, Trish Gearhart, William Jasman, Michele DeJulian, Mike Mace, Melanie Cvetkovski, Will Evans and Ron Diroff.

On page 1

Your kindness can make a child’s Christmas

... Although the method of collection has changed in recent years as we adjusted to the coronavirus pandemic, our focus has not wavered. We still have disadvantaged children who need help in your neighborhood. Your help is essential to helping us

and nets have been installed at Affholter Park.

Trenton Transportation is available for senior Trenton residents during the week. Please call our office at 734-675-7300 if you or someone you know may be interested in learning more about our transportation services.

In addition to the senior programs and card clubs that have resumed, the Loan Closet is back up and running weekdays from 1 – 4.p.m. at the Westfield Center. For a small deposit, Trenton residents can check out items such as wheelchairs, walkers and canes. The deposit is refunded when the item is returned to the Loan Closet.

The Trenton Community Gardeners have been busy growing to give produce to our residents while also adding beauty to our parks and facilities.

Our Fitness and Wellness programs have been well-attended and continue to expand in offerings, with several fitness pop-ups like Full Moon Aqua Yoga and Halloween Glow-Ga seeing a great turn out.

On page 9.

gobigmultimedia.com/wyandotte-warrior

Golden Leash doggie daycare honored by Wyandotte Mayor

...The tribute thanks Golden Leash for having a positive impact on the community while serving “as a steadfast and dedicated business in the City of Wyandotte.”

“It’s just an all-around beautiful operation and environment and I’m so pleased to have them in our city,” Mayor DeSana said.

The Golden Leash started in the home of Wyandotte resident Alicia Stamper, a long-time

supporter of the need of better treatment of dogs.

Stamper combined that empathy with experience gained at a grooming salon for animals to open a doggy daycare to provide a place for fellow dog lovers who needed a place for their pets to stay...

On page 5.

Wyandotte Indians freshmen win DJFL ‘Peanut Bowl’

On Nov. 12 in Taylor, the Wyandotte Indians Freshman Junior Football team beat Riverview 26-7 in the Downriver Junior Football League AFC Championship game, a game known to many as the Peanut Bowl.

To reach the championship game, the Indians,

who finished the 2022 regular season with a 5-3 record, defeated Taylor 27-0. On the other side of the bracket, Riverview, the regular-season league-leader, beat Huron River 19-7 to set up the championship game in Taylor.

Although Riverview was the higher seed in the playoffs, the Wyandotte win was not wholly unexpected as the Indians had defeated the Junior Pirates 13-6 in the second week of the season...

On page 16.

Lending a helping hand Community service projects help bring Gabriel Richard football team closer

...A number of community service projects have stood out: Players came together to plant a garden of flowers and vegetables at the headquarters of Downriver for Veterans. They helped clean up the property of an elderly senior citizen. They helped clean up a cemetery over Labor Day weekend. They distributed food for the needy at a United Auto Workers office. And they helped with “trunk or treating” during an event for autistic children in Brownstown Township.

Coach [Dionte] Allen “has done a phenomenal job of implementing his vision and getting the kids on board for that,” said [senior captain Nic] DiSanto’s mother Elizabeth,a team parent and judge in the 27th District Court in Wyandotte. “It’s phenomenal. It gives kids an opportunity to do some things they might otherwise not be doing. It’s service outside of school. It gets the football team out in the community. The energy this has created has been fantastic at the school.”

On pages 22 and 23

GET GREAT NEW GLASSES, SAVE SOME MONEY!

Many people - most, perhaps - go to an optometrist, get an eye exam and then follow the lady in the white coat over to the wall of frames and pick out a new set of glasses.

The story ends with the customer paying way more than he or she ever expected.

If that pretty much describes you, Bob Schmittou says there is something you should know: He can save you money, maybe lots of money.

Schmittou, a proud military veteran, owns New Eyes Optical, located on 1616 Ford Avenue, right at 16th Street in Wyandotte.

There are no doctors at New Eyes, just lots of frames and Schmittou, who can get you into fashionable new glasses for a lot less than all of the other chains and franchises out there.

Just bring your eyeglass prescription to him and see what kind of magic he can work for you.

“I am kind of like what the pharmacy is to your doctor,” Schmittou said. “Your doctor writes you a prescription. He doesn’t try to sell you the drugs. You go to the pharmacy. The same is true with us. You bring us a prescription and we will fill it.”

New Eyes Optical does not accept insurance, but their low prices mean that is often not an issue.

Schmittou has been in the eyeglass game for a long time. He enlisted in the Army after graduating from Lincoln Park High School and Uncle Sam sent him to school to learn how to make eyeglasses.

He did that in the Army for nearly four years and then worked for Lenscrafters and for private doctors after that.

In 2012 he opened New Eyes Optical and has been there ever since.

Schmittou said he has over 1,300 frames in his building and can make arrangements to get others if customers come in with a specific brand or style in mind.

For sunglass lovers, Schmittou said he has the largest selection of Ray Ban and Oakley sunglasses in the area.

If you come in, you will deal with Schmittou himself. He and his wife Pam are the only employees. Schmittou does the fitting of the eyewear, and Pam orders frames and keeps the shop looking fresh by arranging the frame displays and decorating.

So, if you are in the market for new glasses, would like a little personal attention and a really low price, give Schmittou a call at 313-587-4204, drop an email at neweyesoptical2012@gmail. com or contact them through their Facebook page, Facebook.com/neweyesoptical.

Florida Keys Vacation!

Beautiful Two Bedroom Luxury Condo in Key Largo

From Only $295*

The time has come for me to say good-bye

GERALD PERRY

Per Night

Ahhhhh, you’re on vacation…

Your morning in paradise starts with sipping your coffee

sitting at your nautical teak table overlooking lush tropical landscaping on your private balcony or taking a short stroll to the tiki hut at the end of the pier to watch the sunrise over the Atlantic.  The perfect start in paradise.

After a fun filled day of boating, fishing, scuba diving or soaking up the sun relaxing by one of the largest pools in the Florida Keys or relaxing by the pool overlooking the marina and Atlantic ocean, or even sinking your toes in the sand like the song says “only worry in the world is the tide going to reach your chair” on our private upland sunning beach.  There is always something for everyone!

Paradise isn’t over yet as you walk through your own private courtyard, a bricked patio garden with relaxing furniture, then up just one flight of stairs, your private oasis awaits you…where you can unwind from a fun filled day.  You can cook your fresh day’s catch in your fully equipped new kitchen with lots of natural light glistening off the solid surface countertops and the stunning stainless steel appliances and eat in comfort.  Or go “out on the town” and relax in some of the best restaurants in the area where you are pampered as your fresh catch is being prepared to your specifications as you relax drinking a glass of wine watching the beautiful Florida Bay Sunset.  The perfect end to a wonderful day in paradise.

After dinner retreat to your 1480 sq. ft. Newly Decorated Beautiful two bedroom townhouse with a smart open floor plan, 14’ vaulted ceilings.  Relax with ELEGANT Tommy Bahama furnishings and a 65” HDTV in the great room.

Now time for a perfect night’s rest as you enjoy a wonderful view from the master bedroom giving the feeling of nestling in the trees.  A beautifully tropical draped four-poster, king size bed with ultra comfort mattress assures a perfect night’s sleep and offers the ideal spot to view the 48” flat screen TV.  An en suite bath features a corner spa tub, the perfect way to end a day of sightseeing.

Welcome to 901 Mariners Club! We are glad to have you here!

Dear readers, I don’t know how many of you know what “writer’s block” is, but it is simply when you run out of things to write about.

And that is where I find myself.

Back in 2018 when the Riverview Register was about to be born, a fellow by the name of Will Evans, the owner and publisher of the Register, approached me at a Riverview function.

He said that he had heard that I wrote a book about the history of Riverview and invited me to write a monthly column involving the history of the city.

I thought it over and decided to take him up on his offer.

So began my new career as a writer for the Riverview Register.

I wrote stories about a lot of things that happened to me in the past and about things that had happened in this wonderful town.

I wrote a story when my wife Jean passed away. I wrote about my heart by-pass surgery. I wrote about when our old family dog Gypsy had to be put down.

I did it, but it was tough.

Now it is time for me to turn off this computer and turn this column over to someone else who has new and fresh ideas.

I hope you have enjoyed my stories as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

I would like to thank Will Evans for giving me the chance to write about this great city and its past and present. Also, thanks to my editor, Hank Minckiewicz, for being patient and for all the great staff and others at the Register.

And thank you for listening.

Editor’s note: It is ironic that in his closing comments, Jerry Perry is thanking us. In truth, it should be us at Go Big Multimedia, the parent company of the Riverview Register, thanking him.

Jerry is a one-of-kind guy, a true home-towner. He was born in Riverview, raised in Riverview, educated in Riverview, worked in Riverview and now lives a retired life in Riverview. If they even institute a “Mr. Riverview” contest, he is surely the leading candidate.

Jerry is a guy who has never wandered from his roots. What’s more, he’s always wanted to know more about those roots and he has likely read and researched and written more about this community than anyone alive.

But it is more than just research. Jerry doesn’t have to research everything about Riverview, because he has lived much of it. He’s worked for the city police department, the landfill and the DPS. He’s headed countless city committees and organizations over the years.

He lived through and can speak to the weird old days when Riverview went through city managers faster than a sentimental person goes through tissues while watching a romantic comedy.

He remembers and knows about the origin and birth of the landfill.

He is a relentless Riverview Community High School athletics booster.

And he is a tireless worker.

He is and always has been an integral part of the city’s Hall of Fame banquet. He is, of course, a Hall of Fame member himself.

He is thoughtful, funny, humble and we are going to miss reading his recollections each month. There has never been a Riverview Register without Jerry Perry and his leaving will leave a hole in our publication and our hearts.

Thanks for all you have done and continue to do, old friend. If you even feel the need to figuratively put pen to paper, know that there will always be a place in the Riverview Register for your thoughts and words.

Thank you, Jerry, from me, Will Evans, Sherry Evans and the rest of the Register staff.

Hank Minckiewicz Editor-in-Chief Go Big Multi-Media Group

Riverview’s historic football season ends

The Riverview football team put a cap on one of the greatest seasons in school history on Nov. 19 when the Pirates lost 51-26 to Goodrich in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 4 state semifinals in Rochester.

The loss, the first of the year for the Bucs, left the team with a final record of 12-1 and the number of wins matched that of the 1997 team for the most in a single season.

The Bucs, with a largely rebuilt roster after last year’s graduation losses, won the Huron League title for the third year in a row, as well as district and regional championships.

Goodrich, after defeating Riverview, advanced to the state championship game at Ford Field the day after Thanksgiving and the Martian’s high-flying offensive ways came to an end as they lost to Grand Rapids South Christian 28-8.

As they did often this season, Riverview struck first in the semifinal game.

Gavin Blackwood went 78 yards on the game’s third play from scrimmage and the extra point gave the Bucs an early 7-0 lead.

It was the only one they would see all day.

After getting the ball, the Martians exploded and it was 41-7 before Riverview found its way to the end zone again. Goodrich scored on all five of its first-half possessions.

It was 34-7 at halftime and although Riverview outscored Goodrich 19-17 in the second half, the hole was too deep for the Bucs to climb out of.

Thanks, in part to short fields, Riverview was able to score three quick touchdowns near the end of the third quarter and into the fourth. Jacob Shank scored two of them and quarterback Lucas Thompson scored the other.

The quick flurry brought Riverview to within 41-26 and gave the Riverview sideline some life, but Goodrich responded with a touchdown and a field goal and coasted into the title game.

Afterward Riverview coach Derek McLaughlin gave credit to the Goodrich team, but added how proud he was of his team for the season it had. The Pirates reached the state semifinal game by winning three straight state playoffs games.

Riverview began its march with a 35-14 win over Adrian. The Bucs then scored a 53-30 win over Tecumseh to win the district title and then they beat Dearborn Divine Child 45-35 to win the regional championship. It was Riverview’s second win over Divine Child this year and the Bucs’ third

win over the Falcons in the past 14 months.

This season continued a remarkable streak for the Bucs, who have been to the state playoffs in each of the last six seasons. During that stretch, Riverview has compiled an amazing overall record of 54-11. Also in that time, Riverview is 37-4 against Huron League team and the Bucs are currently on a 22-game league winning streak.

2022 season

Riverview 34, Divine Child 28

Riverview 43, Jefferson 0

Riverview 33, Huron 7

Riverview 36, Flat Rock 15

Riverview 35, SMCC 14

Riverview 42, Milan 7

Riverview 18, Airport 13

Riverview 41, Grosse Ile 21

Riverview 49, Monroe 27

Riverview 53, Tecumseh 30

Riverview 45, Divine Child 35

Goodrich 51, Riverview 26

Photo by Dave Chapman

Riverview’s last win of the season came in the regional championship game against Dearborn Divine Child.

RIVERVIEW RECREATION

WINTER FITNESS & FUN

CARDIO DRUMMING GOLD

Easy to follow routines that target your whole body. This class is perfect for the beginner and is designed for any ability and can be tailored to your level. Gold classes are great for any age but targets the exercise needs of ages 45 and up. Please bring (up to 75 cm) exercise ball, drumsticks and a bucket for your ball to sit on. If you would like to give it a try, we do have some equipment to borrow. Chairs provided for those who do not wish to stand. Instructor: Lisa Magyar

Tues. 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Jan. 10 - March 28

Thurs. 7:10-8:10 p.m.

Jan. 12 - March 30

Cost: $5.00 drop in

Class Limit: 20 City Hall Gym

CLASSIC CARDIO + WEIGHTS

This awesome cardio class is taught in a lowimpact format. You'll have plenty of opportunities to "pick it up" or "keep it down" to fit your own needs. The second half of class uses light weights (instructor supplied) to challenge and strengthen muscles, leaving you stronger from head to toe. Enjoy some fabulous music and finish class with a great stretch. Leave feeling GREAT!

Instructor: Sue (Flanary) Michetti

Mon. 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 - Mar 20 (No class Feb. 20)

Cost: $5.00 drop in

Class Limit: 20 City Hall Gym

TOTAL BODY TONING

This head to toe workout will start with a quick warm up, followed by a 20 minute arm routine, a set of body toning exercises and finish up with an awesome stretch. Please bring a mat and a pair of 1 up to 5 lb. hand weights. Chairs provided for those who do not wish to go on the floor. Instructor: Lisa Magyar

Thurs. 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Jan. 12 - March 30

Cost: $5.00 drop in

Class Limit: 20 City Hall Gym

CARDIO RHYTHM WALKING

Combinations are easy to follow and so much fun. Light weights for muscular strengthening round out your class. There is no floor work. You'll be singing as you get fit with walking combinations. You should come and check it out!

Instructor: Sue (Flanary) Michetti

Wed. 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Jan. 11 - Mar 22 (No class Feb. 22)

Cost: $5.00 drop in Class Limit: 20 City Hall Gym

STRETCH & TONE

Start your day with this 45 minute, no/low impact, low intensity workout that will tone your muscles, increases your range of motion, blanace and flexibility, and help you to relieve stress. Through a series of simple stretching and toning exercises, participants will find improvements in overall functionality of the body. Please bring a mat and a pair of 1 up to 5 lb. hand weights. Chairs provided for those who do not wish to go on the floor. Instructor: Lisa Magyar

Tues. 9:00-9:45 a.m.

Jan. 10 - March 28

Cost: $5.00 drop in

Class Limit: 20 City Hall Gym

SPICED APPLE & PORK CHILI

Warm yourself up with this hearty & healthy Spiced Apple and Pork Chili along with a slice of cornbread. The chili has a smoky, sweet flavor and is an easy to put together filling dinner. We will be making approximately 2 quarts of chili. This chili freezes well and is perfect for a quick meal.-Please bring a knife and any utensil that you use for cutting and peeling applies. If you don't have these, I have extras to borrow. All ingredients will be provided. Instructor: Lisa Magyar. If the child is 6-11 years old a parent/guardian must stay to help, if a parent/ guardian wants to participate and make their own chili, they must register & pay also. Ages 12 & older a parent does not need to be present.

Supply fee of $25.00 cash is payable to the instructor at the class. No refunds after January 28th

Riverview girls looking for more showcase hardware

Last year was a great one for the Riverview girls basketball team.

Coach Rob Sauter’s team won the Huron League championship, a district title and a regional crown before falling by 11 points to Wayne Memorial in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 state quarterfinals.

Winning is nothing new for this program as its four straight district titles will attest. The names in the scorebook change from season to season, but the winning style of play is ingrained in each succeeding class.

Gone to graduation from last year are leaders Ryah Kolbusz, Olivia Stergiadis and Maelyn Sorenson. Into the breach steps this year’s seniors Elyssa Kincaid and Cady Kaminske.

Kincaid and Kaminski, who were part of a two-year undefeated junior high team, have been on the varsity since they were freshmen. They have been contributors from the start. Now they are unquestioned leaders.

Their skill and poise on the court stands out.

In the Bucs’ home opener on Dec. 5 against Madison Heights Bishop Foley, the pair took turns inserting daggers into the visiting Ventures.

Bishop Foley won 20 games a season ago and has most of that same team back this year. It looked like a jayvee squad against Riverview.

Kincaid and Kaminski each had 16 points as the Bucs routed the Ventures 60-39. Brooklyn Poe added 13 points as nine of the 11 Pirates who played scored

Sauter said he is always looking for tough non-league games and he thought Foley would be a bigger challenge.

“We are a hard team to play against,” he admitted.

Indeed they are. With their aggressive man-to-man defense and their dogged relentlessness on offense, the Bucs can wear down even the best opponents.

That happened in the home opener.

Foley actually led 7-4 after one period. Riverview was clearly the better team, but shots were not falling despite the fact that the Bucs were in good position and rebounding well. It was just one of those early season quarters. Kincaid even missed four free throws, a real rarity.

But things changed in the second quarter,

Riverview tied the game at 11-all with 5:24 to play in the half and then outscored Foley 14-2 over the course of the rest of the second quarter.

Leading 26-13 at halftime, the Bucs simply pulled away from there, scoring 21 third-quarter points to just nine for the staggering Ventures.

The win was the second of the season for the Bucs, who opened the season with a 60-29 road win over

Walled Lake Central.

Riverview continued to tune up for the season with a non-league game against Woodhaven on Dec. 9 and they begin Huron League play with home games against Monroe St. Mary Catholic central on Dec. 14 and archrival Grosse Ile on Dec. 19.

Over the Christmas holiday, Riverview will play Westfield Prep and Tecumseh.

The Riverview girls basketball team won the Huron League title, won its fourth straight district championship and reached the state quarterfinals last year. Senior leaders Cady Kaminske (11) and Elyssa Kincaid (24) hope to help keep the victories coming this season

Photo by Larry Caruso

Estate Planning 101 Which plan do you need?

Time to clear up the confusion about Estate Planning ... The following definitions lack legal precision, but makes it easier to get a clear picture of what may be needed in your case.

■ Will – letter of intent of where you want your personal property to go – or not go.

■ Living Will – Documents your wishes during your final days including final healthcare choices and possibly your burial wishes.

■ Trust – This is a “company” that you start, and you become the CEO, “Trustee” and “Settlor.” The company outlives you, but continues to manage your assets as if you were alive by the successor CEO – whom you designate.

■ Power of Attorney – Financial and Healthcare – you need both – the first so someone can pay your bills, the second, sometimes called a Patient Advocate, designates someone to make “hallway at the hospital” decisions to take the stress off the family.

■ Ladybird Deed – probably the best thing that has happened to owning a home. I love these deeds – you grant yourself a life estate – in your own property - but retain the power to sell or borrow against the property. If you do not sell before you pass, this “springs” the house out of your estate, and your heirs have instant ownership, subject to any mortgage or taxes owed or similar.

Again, this is just a general description of the more popular terms – no one choice is a “silver bullet” but depending on how your estate gets planned out you can expedite a clean and clear process for the assets you worked a lifetime to save. Why wouldn’t you want to do that? Stop by or call and make an appointment and I’ll tell you what you’re going to need to do this right.

To my numerous former clients – thank you for allowing me to draft your estate plan! www.ForresterLawOffice.com

No more climate doom!

The task is not too daunting for us to undertake

Susan Pinkowski

Nothing ruins a friendly conversation quicker than someone bringing up climate change. It’s even worse than religion or politics!

If you can find someone who is willing to talk, it’s usually just a recap of the depressing current and future state of affairs.

Many, many people are choosing avoidance because frankly, climate change is downright scary, according to Ariella Cook-Shonkoff, psychotherapist and a steering committee member of Climate Psychology Alliance North America.

She stated that there’s “no doubt avoidance works as a short-term strategy, offering temporary comfort or solace while keeping gritty emotions at bay. Compartmentalizing allows us to function. But suppressing our gut responses eventually catches up to us; the “dis-ease” can cause irritability, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, loneliness, and anxiety. It can even lead to chronic autoimmune conditions.” It can also make you crabby!

Have you noticed more crabby people out there? Avoidance is not healthy.

In her article published in August of 2021 on www.grist.org she indicated

that the “problem with avoidance is that we don’t engage or take action. Instead of walking or biking, we keep driving gas-guzzlers. Instead of buying second-hand clothing or furniture, we keep ordering overly packaged things online.

And groundswell calls for government action can’t occur if we won’t address what we don’t allow ourselves to see. Our defense mechanisms become our own worst enemies, particularly when we need to act on the collective level, and fast.”

But isn’t there always another side to everything?

What if we instead turn away from the ‘doom and gloom’ and choose

to seek out what is happening on the positive side? You will be amazed with just how much good news is out there. When we are aware of solutions, we can engage and feel like anything is possible. Then we can indeed ‘act on the collective level, and fast!’

Let’s take a look at what some Michigan moms are doing, how some teachers in Chicago are making a difference, and even what grandparents are doing to get into the positive mindset. Then we’ll briefly look at how you can get your employer to help, or how you can find a green job or create a company that

recycles tons of used solar panels and corner the market.

But wait. There’s more.

There are improvements worth mentioning in mini-wind turbines for rooftops, there’s an untapped source of power right in our Detroit River, and strangely enough, our roads can be put to better use by charging electric vehicles as they drive.

We’ll wind up with how successful we were in tackling the ozone problem, how a major bank is planning to cut emissions tied to loans, and how Texas saved their consumers $7.4 billion in reduced costs in eight months due to their solar and wind energy initiatives. And we’re only getting started. So let us start with what’s most important to almost all of us – our children. Moms Clean Air Force: Fighting Air Pollution & Climate Change has a Michigan chapter which can be found at Michigan - Moms Clean Air Force. Their website states that they “are working in Michigan to fight for clean air and a stable climate. We host events, share information about what’s going on, and create opportunities for mothers to talk to their legislators about their concerns” and priorities.

If you’ve wanted to get involved but didn’t know how, this appears to be an easy way to get through to your representatives. They also focus on toxic chemicals and environmental justice, all with keeping children healthy in mind. Nationwide, they’re over a million members strong, and dads are welcomed, too!

Chicago’s teachers took a different route to make their voices heard and protect their children. They voted to use the power of their pension and retirement fund to stop investing in fossil fuels. Their plan will reach fruition by the end of 2027. Almost five percent of that $11.5 billion fund won’t be available to fossil fuel (FF) companies. What is your pension/retirement fund investing in? Might be interesting to find out what your money is supporting.

Even grandparents, aunts and uncles have mobilized and got involved.

Elders Climate Action is a project of the Elders Action Network. Their mission is “to mobilize elders throughout the United States to address climate change while there is still time to protect the well-being of our grandchildren and future generations. You can all learn together the ways you can help make sure the planet is habitable in their future. There’s a local chapter in Ann Arbor and you may contact Joe Oren at info@ eldersclimateaction.org for more information.

Taking action at work is a good step forward, too. Form a green initiative committee at your place of employment to brainstorm on effective ways of reducing the company’s footprint. Investigate areas where costs can be reduced using renewable energy and then research sustainable sources for recurring supply orders.

Instill an owner-mindset in all the employees for

an effective way of reducing costs and expenditures. For more suggestions for employers, check out 10 Ways Companies Can do More to Fight Climate Change (hotjar.com). Another good source is Climate Solutions at Work | Project Drawdown. Better yet, get a green job!

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network defines green careers as “. . .any occupation that is affected by activities such as conserving energy, developing alternative energy, reducing pollution, or recycling.” If you’re past your college years or even past mid-life, environmental volunteering is an excellent way to help and see the world. If you want to stay local, AmeriCorps Seniors has a lot to offer.

If you’re game for starting a new business at this stage of your life, there’s a market that’s practically wide open for exploring. Solar panels have been around for a number of years (since 1883!) and many of them have already been decommissioned.

Instead of trashing them, only one American firm is saving them from landfills and turning them back into valuable raw materials, to make more solar panels. Solar Cycle is harvesting all the copper, aluminum, silver and silicon from old panels.

Within the next 10 years, millions of metric tons of solar panels will be in the same situation, just ripe for harvesting.

Improvements in existing technology are also giving us hope for the future.

Wind turbines have come a long way, from being as tall as the Statue of Liberty to now a small bladeless box that outdoes 15 solar panels on a good day. Andy Corbley reported recently that ‘[t]hey are designed for small-scale, commercial use, as they’re noise free, and incapable of killing birds. Because they sit on the edge of roofs, they pair well with solar panels. If a building also has batteries to store the energy, it could be near to total self-sufficiency.”

They’re made by a company called Aeromine who is running a pilot project on the roof of a BASF factory near Detroit. They’re only for commercial use right now, but that could expand into residential use in the future.

While the rudimentary technology has existed for a while, more attention is being given to the power that can be utilized by tides, rivers, and ocean currents.

“The U.S. Department of Energy last week unveiled a major investment in renewable energy generated by ocean tides and river currents. Some $35 million from the federal infrastructure legislation that passed last year will be deployed to drive further research into the scalability of these technologies . . . Although ocean tides and river currents only generate a small fraction of the U.S.’s electricity today, the agency says they have the potential to account for nearly eight percent of the country’s annual power generation.”

For more information on this interesting topic, go to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC2137118/.

Another experiment is going on locally between Ford Motor, DTE, and Electreon Wireless of Tel Aviv, Israel. Electreon has already been successful in Sweden, Italy and Israel and now they’re partnering to create an electrified road almost a mile long down at the Ford ‘mobility innovation district’ (the old train station on Michigan Avenue in Corktown). This road will charge electric vehicles as they’re in motion over the road and even just stopped on the road. The process is inductive charging, “which uses a magnetic frequency to transfer power from metal coils that are buried under the road to a special receiver on the underside of the EV.

The road will operate normally for all gas cars and EVs that are not equipped with the receiver.

The magnetic frequency method is not the only game in town. Researchers at Cornell University have been working on making a wireless charging process for US highways that would use electric fields instead of magnetic ones — a switch that lead researcher Khurram Afridi said would make the process cheaper and provide more energy.

We came together to solve the ozone problem years ago and we can do that again for the climate crisis.

The next round of global climate talks is in Egypt this month, and the push to transition to a lowcarbon economy must take center stage.

If you’re having a tough time seeing the positive side, there is additional help available at the Good Grief Network. They have a wide variety of articles, videos, quotes, poems, courses, music, and organizations all to help you and your family in this tumultuous time. Yale Climate Connections has an awesome quiz that you can take online that will funnel you right down to where you can do the most good.

For more good news, check out The Daily Climate - Good News.

The challenge is to pick at least one of these ideas and others mentioned in ‘Climate Mitigation: What Can I Possibly Do?’ previously published in this paper and available online at www.PinkowskiBytes. com under Published Articles, and run with it!

Our children and the world are counting on us.

Reimagining our waterfront Downriver residents urged to continue to mull new ideas

Susan Pinkowski

On November 2 the graduate students, who are part of the Public Design Corps at Taubman College University of Michigan, continued the conversation about the possible futures of Trenton’s Waterfront in their quest to learn what the public would like to see developed in the future.

You may recall the previous article asking for your opinion through an online questionnaire.

Well, 265 of you graciously gave them the information that the students recently presented to a group of about 25 people at the Trenton Veterans Memorial Library, where participants

were able to voice what’s working and not working on Trenton’s waterfront.

Among those in attendance were Councilwoman Wendy Pate and Councilwoman Dora Rodriguez, along with scientist John Hartig and Pat Hartig, a former mayor of Trenton.

The handouts that the students had prepared were first class – two large multi-colored accordion-folded brochures that listed the results of the questionnaire – and explained the legacy of environmental pollution in the brownfields and superfund sites along the waterfront.

They also prepared a series of maps and a video summarizing the project so far. All this information and more

is in the website at storymaps.arcgis. com/stories

The results of the Community Questionnaire revealed that 70 percent of those responding visit the waterfront parks at least once a month, with, of course, Elizabeth Park being the most visited.

That number is only going to increase with Covid getting behind us and the festivals and concerts coming back.

The respondents would like to see improvements in the public facilities, more parks and public space, more activities and more water access opportunities. They are also interested in ways to reduce pollution and

increase environmental stewardship. They all agree on wanting more access to the river all year long.

The survey also inquired about residents’ use of the greenways (walking, biking, skating) and blueways (kayaking, canoeing, fishing).

The Downriver Linked Greenways is the most used trail, but residents would like more retail along all three trails and more public amenities.

This is the idea promoted by the Great Lakes Way, a network of interconnected blueways and greenways from Lake Huron through Lake Erie.

As students pointed out, with almost seven miles of shoreline along the Detroit River, the city of Trenton has a critical role to play in this project. Maybe a coffee shop or restaurant to while away the time and enjoy the view? How about a museum on the shipbuilding history of Trenton? Bike and kayak rental? Maybe a hotel and convention center where the multitude of birdwatchers could congregate in our world-class migratory birding corridor?

Another suggestion was made to recreate what Port Huron did 20 years ago when they re-envisioned their waterfront – a major investor put up a coffee shop and a boat viewing platform to watch the freighters and other boats glide by.

Another person suggested that we link up to the metroparks as their trails are very user friendly.

The ideas were flowing!

But of course, one hitch in the plan is that some land along the way is privately owned, so a workaround would have to be figured out.

Participants were keen on sharing their ideas and expectations about the future transformation of the waterfront.

The blueways are not as widely used as could be because access is limited but that could change in the future. Ideas that were offered up were the possibility of a yearly rowing regatta.

The canal that loops around Elizabeth Park could be opened up, and a kayak company or club could form and get more people out on the water. A larger marina would accommodate larger boats and could be a hub of activity on the water. While a seasonal pastime, the fishing in this area is of major importance.

Someone mentioned that more fish are taken out of Lake Erie than all other lakes combined. It has perfect spawning capabilities and anglers from all over the world come here to fish. Being so close to the mouth of the Detroit River, surely, we can capitalize on that!

The quality of the water has tremendously improved over the years, thanks in large part to the work John Hartig has done. Industrialization has gone way down so maybe it’s time for

What’s happening ...

Table tennis, anyone?

Centennial Farm Banquet Hall is home to the Grosse Ile Ping Pong Club.

The table tennis club is free to all and is open to players from high school age on up through senior years.

The club welcomes everyone from beginners to the more advanced players and players support each other in learning more about the sport.

We are also open to all Downriver players. There is an atmosphere of friendliness, good play and healthy exercise.

Although singles play is available, there is emphasis on doubles play, which brings out a teamwork aspect, many times adding to enjoyability and fun.

Friendships have been built here and we have hosted holiday parties, the Downriver Senior Olympics Table Tennis Tournament and other events.

We hope you will visit us and see if it may be something you would like to try.

Our current schedule is: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3-5 p.m.

If you have questions please contact Viktor Brown by email at vbrown1377@gmail.com.

Santa’s Magic Forest

Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry volunteers in partnership with the City of Taylor,

more recreational and environmentally sound retail and commercial businesses to take their place near the shoreline. The waterfront is a fantastic asset of Trenton and should be put to better use.

The bottom line is that Trenton lost a lot of its tax base when the large industrial complexes went out of business and left behind brownfields where future reuse will require costly environmental clean-ups.

We must welcome year-round revenue generating light industry back into the city, in an environmentally sound way. A mixed-use riverfront could encompass all the ideas listed above.

The last activity in the public session invited participants to prioritize all of these ideas about possible sites’ futures into short and long-term priorities. The assembled group created a mid-term category as well, all of which broke down as follows:

Short term goals

Technology jobs, robotics and other technological industries, service jobs, public art, industrial jobs, constructed wetlands, retail jobs,

energy production, bike trails and related infrastructure, recreational programming, cultural programming, constructed wetlands, environmental recovery storytelling, more fishing piers, meadows and bird watching.

Mid-term goals

Small parks, large parks, playgrounds, indigenous peoples’ center/tours, kayak/canoe/waterrelated activities, retail development, green energy production, green infrastructure, and environmental jobs.

Long term goals

Hotels and other tourist infrastructure, museum/galleries, light industry, high tech industry, convention center, office jobs, research jobs, educational jobs, environmental jobs, and maybe a Trader Joes retail store with jobs for local residents.

What can you envision in Trenton? What would you like to be enjoying in five years? Ten years?

The students are continuing to compile information as the project continues.

Make your voice heard!

and with the help of Presenting Sponsor Masco, is presenting Santa’s Magic Forest at 1 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 18 at the Activity Center within Heritage Park in Taylor. Families can view the immaculate displays and take photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. General admission is $3 per person. Children under 3 are free. Pictures with Santa are $8 and are professionally taken by Rosecrans Picture Perfect Photography.

All proceeds of this event directly support Fish & Loaves to help stock their shelves and provide fresh produce, dairy and meat products this winter season. For more information on the display, including hours of operation each weekend, please visit ww.flcfp.org.

Solstice Walk

Sponsored by the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy at Meridian Woods, eastside of Meridian Road across from Meridian Elementary School, Grosse Ile, from 1-3 p.m., on Sunday, Dec. 18.

Join the group for an educational walk on the (almost) shortest day of the year. Our focus will be on signs of winter, seasonal adaptations, and animal homes.

All GINLC programs are free to the public, but your donations make them possible. Dates, times, and locations are subject to change. For more

information, email GINLC.education@gmail.com.

Discount Annual Vehicle Passes

Huron-Clinton Metroparks 2023 annual vehicle passes are on sale now at a discount until the end of 2022. Passes are $35 or $24 for seniors 62+ until the end of the year. Beginning Jan. 1, 2023 passes will be $40 for residents ($29 for Seniors 62+) of the five counties served or $45 for non-residents ($34 for Seniors 62+).

Passes can be purchased at www.metroparks.com (look for the “Buy Annual Pass” button in the menu bar) or at any Metroparks toll booth or park office.

Take it Outside Photo Contest

Sponsored by the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy. Entry deadline is Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 5 p.m. The contest is open to high school students within Wayne, Washtenaw and Monroe Counties.

We are searching for photos captured locally (within Wayne, Washtenaw and Monroe Counties) that inspire us to appreciate and steward our environment: air, water, land, wildlife, resources, and ecosystems.

Categories are Dawn to Dusk; Fur and Feathers; Bark and Blooms. Total of $445 in prize money. For more information, visit see https://www.ginlc.org/photo-contes