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SouthgateStar.com

MARCH 23 - APRIL 24, 2019

Where nature rules

Complimentary

The Southgate Nature Center is a special place right in the center of Downriver.

A place where nature can stretch its legs and be what it used to be. The nearly 40-acre site, nestled on the west side of Anderson High School, is home to many species of plant and animal and more than 120 species of birds have been seen there, according to environmental science teacher Bruce Szczechowski, who took this beautiful shot. Read more about the center and see more of Szczechowski’s brilliant work inside today’s edition.

SEE PAGE 4

21645 Allen Rd. Woodhaven, MI • 48183 (734) 362-1111 metro.helpusell.com

Page 2 • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • SOUTHGATE STAR

Now thru April 30th

SOUTHGATE STAR • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • Page 3

‘You could get anything there’ Immigrant finds happiness in lively Southgate neighborhood PAULA NEUMAN

U

Southgate Star

rsula Zugschwert, 88, has lived in three countries, in big cities and small towns, in war and in peace, but when she and her family came to Southgate in 1963, she knew she was home.

She’s still there in the Oakdale Street house she and her husband, Hermann, a journeyman cabinet maker, bought when he found work at the Williamson Lumber Co. in Wyandotte and they immigrated to the United States.

The city, carved out of the former Ecorse Township in 1958, always has been known as a place of friendly neighborhoods and a good place to raise a family.

Ursula’s neighborhood in 1963, like many of Southgate’s neighborhoods, comprised many young first- and second-generation immigrant families like hers, and fast friendships were formed and remained strong for decades.

“It was very interesting,” she said.

“We all had a lot in common. We had a lot of kids then. We were like a very close family. I miss the lively neighborhood we had.”

The neighborhood and the people who love it have aged now. Most of the members of her generation have passed on. But the children who grew up in the neighborhood in the 1960s have kept their ties, even as they’ve grown up, scattered to other communities and raised families of their own.

“We all still see each other and hang out,” said Ursula’s daughter, Susan White of Allen Park. “Everybody’s mom in the neighborhood was mom to all the kids. If you got in trouble at (a neighbor’s) house, you got in trouble at your house. We would play dress-up and make a parade and march around the block. Any excuse. It was an idyllic place to grow up.”

The same year that the Zugschwerts

Ursula and Susan Zugschwert.

and their four children moved to Southgate, a new strip mall, Southgate Plaza, opened on Fort Street near Pennsylvania Road anchored by Korvette’s and including a Chatham grocery store. Southgate was known then as “shopping city.”

“My in-laws came to visit from Munich in 1964, and they were just amazed at how beautiful the stores were,” Ursula said. “On Friday nights, we went shopping there, and I could get my hair cut. You could get anything there.”

As the neighborhoods aged, so did the strip mall. Korvette’s closed in 1980. The entire site was vacated by 1987 and demolished in the summer of 1993. A Super Kmart was there from 1998-2014, and now a Kroger

superstore occupies the site of the former Southgate Plaza.

Things change, and no one understands that better than Ursula.

She was born in 1930 in Munich, Germany — the seat of Hitler’s following.

“Hitler came to power in 1933,” Ursula said. “My father was very antifascist. It wasn’t good to grow up in an anti-fascist family in the city of the movement. When I was 6, I remember a friend came to visit my father and he had just been released from Dachau. He was one of the first inmates. I listened when he told my father all the things that go on there. Even at 6, I knew not to talk, that the moment I opened my mouth to say something, there would be an investigation.”

Hitler opened Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp, in 1933 on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory about 10 miles from Munich.

Initially, Dachau held political prisoners.

One of Ursula’s saddest memories dates to just before Christmas in 1937.

“That’s when my mother got all the belongings of her uncle, who had been incarcerated in Dachau,” she said with tears in her eyes.

In 1940, the bombing of Munich began, and eventually 80 percent of the city was destroyed. Ursula didn’t talk about those times.

All her life, she has cared deeply about education. So when the schools SEE IMMIGRANT, Page 10

Page 4 • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • SOUTHGATE STAR

A wild and happy place

Southgate’s Nature Center is a peaceful home to wildlife

T

HANK MINCKIEWICZ Southgate Star

he frogs thrum, the birds trill, somewhere a fish splashes in a pond. The sun beats down warmly, there is a fragrance in the air and if you didn’t know better, you’d imagine you were in the middle of nowhere, miles away from people, cars, noise and civilization, in general.

But you’re not, you are in the Southgate Nature Center, smack dab in the middle of Downriver just minutes from everything civilization has to offer.

As you sit in the nearly 40-acre site, the cattails and the invasive phragmites rustle in the breeze and a dragonfly hums past; bees and other insects buzz overhead and go about their pollenating business. The Nature Center is a small bit of wild Michigan.

One of the founding Nature Center Committee members, John Nasarzewski wrote, “It is a place of openness in a place that is becoming overcrowded and where population density is increasing. It is a place to escape for those who do not have the means to travel the increasing distances to get to open areas.”

Bounded by Southgate Anderson High School to the east, Dix-Toledo road to the west, Leroy Street to the north and the former Southgate Regional Center, now owned by Christ the King Lutheran Church, the site was once a dumping area, littered with old tires and other debris. Prior to that, it was farmland back in the area’s agrarian days Today, it is an amazing place, a place filled with flora and fauna that was found in this area centuries ago.

Anderson environmental science teacher Bruce Szczechowski, who likely spends more time in the Nature Center than any other human, says the area is unique because it holds many different kind of ecosystems, from ponds and streams to meadows and even forests.

“I do most of my teaching there,” Szczechowski said. “What better classroom is there in the world?”

For years, the little plot of land, located behind a rundown bar, was a forgotten patch of Southgate.

The parched hard clay earth was home to some hardy weeks, piles worn out, used tires and assorted trash.

That changed in 1996 when some dedicated teachers and administrators joined forces, teamed up

years and on to perpetuity.”

At that time, Nasarzewski, said: “The hope is that future generations, residents of Southgate and surrounding communities, will appreciate the fact that at the turn of the 21st century a group of citizens preserved what will probably be the largest parcel of open space in Southgate for their enjoyment of nature and their contemplative, restorative and healthful use.”

Among others joining with Nasarzewski at the beginning were Merle Shepherd, Bill Boatin, Eric Carlson, Jim DeVor, Mary Lou Provost, Ms. LaFortune, Stan Mazur, Mike Kell, Jim Cannon, Elmer McCans and David Pinkowski.

Today, the Nature Center is an inviting place, but make no mistake, this is not manicured park. This is a playground for nature.

Szczechowski said the Nature Center is Photo by Bruce Szczechowski home to whitetail deer, coyotes, rabbits, racoons and more. He said he and his classes with the city and and brought the Nature Center to have cataloged more than 120 species of birds in the life.

Nature Center.

The school district initially owned about 18 acres of The Nature Center is even home to one endangered what would become the Nature Center. An additional species - the smallmouth salamander.

23 acres was purchased by the city with a grant from “I tell my class every year, it is an automatic A the Michigan Department of Natural Resources if your find an adult smallmouth salamander,” said in 1999. A Meijer Wetlands Mitigation grant - to Szczechowski. “I haven’t have to give one, yet. We compensate for wetlands destroyed during the find their tadpoles often, but even with the amount building of the Woodhaven store - restored 8.2 acres of time I spend out there, I have only ever seen two of wetlands in the Nature Center in 2000. adults.”

The Anderson Ecology Club and the Downriver When asked about environmental testing of the Stream Team spent three years cleaning up the the area, Szczechowski said the great biodiversity of the site. Students from the Anderson’s CAD class mapped area points to its overall health. the site for the initial engineering survey. Students in The area’s big pond sustains a population of fish environmental science classes conducted field studies and Szczechowski said he knows that Anderson that inventoried wildlife and vegetation. assistant principal Pinkowski regularly catches bass Then, heavy equipment was brought in to move and rock bass there. The pond also has a sizeable earth, create the big pond and sculpt the otherwise population of goldfish and Koi, as people have used it flat site. Dirt removed to create the big and small as an option for ridding themselves them. ponds was used to create a rise that allows a natural Rabbits and other small prey are abundant and that observation point and provides an incline for walkers. accounts for the number of hawks and other raptors Environmentally friendly recycled plastic benches that regularly patrol the Nature Center area. were added throughout the center and paths were For people, the center offers a serene setting; a added, strategically designed to avoid nesting and place where you can go to think, sketch or just enjoy breeding areas. Today, a blacktop path connects the a few moments away for the hustle and bustle of Nature Center with the Downriver Linked Greenways everyday life. You can also jog, walk the dag, push system. a stroller or just take a few moments to be quiet and In 1999 both the city and the schools passed watch as nature goes about its business all around you. resolutions for a Management Service Agreement You can access the Nature Center off of LeRoy with the schools accepting responsibility regarding Road and parking is available in the high school’s the operation of the Nature Center. The term is for “99 west lot.

SOUTHGATE STAR • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • Page 5

Photos by Bruce Szczechowski

Page 6 • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • SOUTHGATE STAR

SOUTHGATE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Anderson senior headed to CCS on a scholarship Crystal Nguyen, a senior at Southgate Anderson High School is being rewarded for her hard work, excellent work ethic and her outstanding academic, graphic design and photography skills.

Based on Crystal’s academic and creative achievements, she has been granted a College for Creative Studies (CCS) scholarship in the amount of $72,000.

The scholarship will be available to Crystal in yearly amounts of $18,000 over four years. Additionally, Crystal will be awarded an International Student Grant in the amount of $1,500 that will be applied each academic year she is enrolled.

Nguyen is currently enrolled in the Southgate Anderson High School Graphic Communications, two-year vocational education program, and will be graduating this June. Over the past two years she has developed strong computer and hands-on skills throughout the program that have helped her to prepare for entry employment into the graphic arts and printing fields as well as advance her studies at a postsecondary school.

Through an advanced section of graphics, Nguyen is receiving “on the job training” when designing View-Thru vinyl window graphics for some of the interior and exterior windows throughout the Southgate Community School District. She is a valuable member of the team of students who are visiting site locations, meeting with staff, obtaining project scope, measuring windows, designing graphics, printing the graphics and applying the vinyl to the windows.

After successful completion of the two-year Graphic Communications program in May, Nguyen will also be awarded additional Southgate Anderson High School credits for taking the vocational course (one art credit, one senior math credit, one science credit and a second year of foreign language). In addition to the

high school credits, Crystal will also receive a Downriver Career Technical Consortium (DCTC) certificate of completion.

SOUTHGATE STUDENT WINS BIG SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Recently Southgate Anderson High School Senior, Shawn Goodman learned that he earned the opportunity of a lifetime. He was selected to receive the Wayne State Med-Direct Scholarship.

The scholarship includes full tuition for a bachelor’s degree, full room and board, a $500 book scholarship, and upon getting accepted the Wayne state medical school, a full ride for medical school as well.

Five hundred seventy-six high school seniors nationwide applied for the Wayne State Med-Direct scholarship. Twenty-five got through to interview stages, and only 10 people got the scholarship.

The student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, a minimum SAT score of 1370/ 30 ACT score, and be a U.S. citizen, and a high school senior in good standing to enter Wayne state in the fall of the following year.

Goodman had to submit a full resume, two entry essays and three letters of recommendation - two from teachers and then one from outside of the school.

“I would not have been able to pay for school without immense student loans without this scholarship. It has given me the chance I never thought I would ever have: to become a doctor without burying myself in debt.

Without this, I might not even have pursued medicine due to the high financial costs. This has set me for life. This is the opportunity of one hundred lifetimes, I will not squander it. I am the only student from Downriver to my knowledge to ever receive this scholarship.

I encourage those interested in medicine to apply for this scholarship, it will change their lives,” Goodman said.

Crystal Nguyen

Don’t wait - earn your diploma online for free Did you stop attending high school?

If you are between the ages of 14-21 and have never finished high school, Atlas Southgate Online Learning Program is for you.

The Southgate Community School District has an alternative way for you to earn your diploma online for free.

Call today to see if you are eligible for the Atlas Graduation Recovery Program.

This is a year-round program to help you reach your goal for getting your high school diploma. This program has been

created to help students get back on the path to graduation.

The district understands that some students need a flexible option, which is why our program includes, sree Internetconnected laptop, mobile support, multiple layers of support and a fully accredited diploma.

Don’t wait - connect today. Call 734-282-2861 or visit https://anderson. southgateschools.com/programs/atlasonline-learning

SOUTHGATE STAR • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • Page 7

Stay at Home HealtHcare Stay at Home Care LLC has been helping the elderly and disabled in the privacy of their own homes for 7 years. The business started as a result of both co-owners Brenda Rademan and Diana Cain having Diana Cain & Brenda Rademan difficulty finding the means to care for their own parents at home.

“You speak with the owners; we aren’t a franchise like the rest of them.” said co-owners Brenda and Diana.

When talking about your loved ones, there is nothing worse than dealing with impersonal care.

At Stay at Home Care you can expect the friendly service of hand picked employees, and a care plan that revolves around your needs. In fact they are known for their 2 hour minimum for services. This minimum insures that they can provide you with care that works for your schedule. Stay at Home Care is proud to keep people in the homes they love, as long as possible.

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Girls welcome to join Trenton Troop 1721G of Scouts BSA

PAULA NEUMAN Southgate Star

Girls ages 11-17 are invited to join Troop 1721G (the G is for girls) of Scouts BSA. The troop joins others like it forming all over the country since the Boy Scouts of America began welcoming girls on Feb. 1 to its program, and changed the name of that program from Boy Scouts of America to Scouts BSA. A year ago, girls nationwide in first through fifth grade were accepted into Cub Scouts.

The older girls are in a separate troop than the boys in Troop 1721B, which, having first formed more than 90 years ago, is one of the oldest in Michigan. Both troops — boys and girls —are chartered by the Trenton Exchange Club and are connected through the troop committee.

Brad Alderman of Riverview, an Eagle Scout from Troop 1721, is the Scoutmaster for the girls’ troop. He got involved through his daughters, Isabel, 11, and Cecillia, 7.

“They had both been involved in Girl Scouts in the past, but their troop folded before this school year began,” he said. “My youngest daughter received a flyer for Cub Scouts during a back-to-school event, and she approached me about joining. She has been enjoying it ever since. My oldest daughter has tagged along to several Cub Scout meetings and events, and started to ask more about Scouts BSA.” Isabel, now a proud member of

Troop 1721G, is working to become one of the first young women to become an Eagle Scout. Alderman, who also is assistant cubmaster for Cecillia’s Cub pack in Riverview, has years of experience as a volunteer leader at nearly all levels of the former Boy Scouts of America.

“I believe both programs, Scouts BSA and Girl Scouts, are great programs that develop a wide variety of skills within today’s youth,” Alderman said. “Girls that join are not forced to choose one program over the other. We have several girls that are currently members of both the Girl Scouts and Scouts BSA.” The girls in Troop 1721G will follow Troop 1721B’s calendar for the rest of the year, he said.

“The girls will be camping, working on merit badges and rank advancement, and performing community service projects, just like the boys,” he said. “Since the girls are starting off as a brand new troop, they don’t have any of their own equipment yet. By having a linked troop, they will be able to use the equipment that the boys’ troop already owns.”

Interested parents and their daughters can send an email to scoutsbsa1721g@gmail.com or attend a meeting. The troop meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sundays at the First United Methodist Church, 2610 W. Jefferson Ave., Trenton.

“We don’t meet on the weekends that we have a campout, so you may want to send us an email first,” Alderman said.

Page 8 • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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SOUTHGATE STAR • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • Page 9

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Page 10 • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • SOUTHGATE STAR

IMMIGRANT Continued from page 3

in Munich were closed in 1943, it was hard for her. Mothers, including hers, and young children were evacuated to the country. Girls in school in Germany in the 1940s learned home economics and similar trades, and were strongly encouraged to be good housewives and mothers when they grew up.

In 1944, “Hitler decided to close the eighth grade early, and the girls had to go to help mothers with children and the boys had to go into the Army,” said Ursula, who had been taking English lessons, never dreaming she’d one day be living in an English-speaking country.

Her future husband was a year older than she was, and he was drafted into the Army, captured and taken as a prisoner of war at the age of 15, she said.

Ursula had learned expert tailoring skills, and went to work at 14. After the war, she ended up in a couture salon, specializing in making ladies’ suits and coats. That skill has served her well all her life.

After Hermann’s release, they, like nearly everyone in Munich, now ruled by the Allied governments, struggled to find housing. “Everything was demolished,” Ursula said. “Munich was bombed out. There were so many millions on the streets in 1945.”

Her family was luckier than many, because her father was a building expert. He rehabbed a house so her pregnant older sister and her husband could have an apartment to live in.

When Hermann’s older brother got married, his parents split up their own apartment so the newlyweds would have living quarters of their own.

Three years later, Ursula and Hermann, now engaged, wanted to get married, but could find no housing.

They waited.

In 1952, sparked with a “spirit of adventure,” Hermann found a way to get the fare to sail to Canada, where his skills led him to employment in Sudbury, Ontario. He arrived in January after a rough crossing. Six months later, Ursula, too, sailed to Canada to join him.

“That’s where we got married, and where we stayed for 11 years,” she said. “That’s where all the children were born.” A series of events led to the end of her husband’s work in Sudbury,

so he went to the United States, where his skills were in demand. He found a job quickly, and encouraged by Ursula long-distance, bought the Southgate house that became the family’s beloved home.

Getting the paperwork organized for the family to move to a new country was a time-consuming chore.

“We had Canadian citizenship, but we were also considered German,” Ursula said. “We had to get Canadian papers and German papers. The children were Canadian. But as soon as I had all the papers together, we picked up our visas in Toronto, and I went back to Sudbury and got packing. A week later, we moved.”

The young mother and her four little children took a train to Detroit, arriving at the historic Michigan Central Train Depot. In a place of honor in her Southgate home, she has a framed picture of the depot where her family was reunited in their new country.

The Zugschwerts thrived in Southgate. The children were all involved in Scouting. Josef was an Eagle Scout and Andreas a Life Scout.

They played sports, and musical instruments in their school band. All attended Schafer High School.

Family members from Germany visited often, and the Zugschwerts traveled to Germany to visit, too, and for family weddings and funerals.

Ursula made all of the children’s clothes, including Susan’s wedding dress.

Ursula grew vegetables and herbs and was active in a garden club. She went back to school and earned an associate’s degree from Wayne County Community College District. It was a good life.

In 2008, Hermann died unexpectedly, and the four children helped support their mother through her grief. “We just kind of surrounded her and did what we needed to do,” Susan said.

And now, as Ursula, who still has a lively intelligence and an enviable memory, faces her own health struggles, the children rally to her again, as befits a close family from a close neighborhood in a city still known as a community of strong families. And she reminisces about coming to Southgate and finding home all those years ago.

“I don’t think there’s a neighborhood in the world like this one was,” she said.

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CULINARY CAPERS You may remember that I climbed on my soapbox recently to complain that downsized cake mixes and canned goods are messing EVELYN up some of our CAIRNES Southgate Star favorite recipes and sometimes making them unusable. One of my best recipes was for Bacardi Rum Cake, but I wasn’t able to bake the intoxicatingly delicious creation again until I accidentally discovered a website with cake and cookie recipes for the smaller mixes.

It included the rum cake, which has been revised by Bacardi and is just as delectable as I remember it, and a tangy lemon Bundt cake.

BACARDI RUM CAKE (Adapted) Cake: 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (or walnuts) 15.25-ounce box yellow “moist-type” cake mix 3 eggs ½ cup cold water 1/3 cup cooking oil ½ cup Bacardi dark rum (I used light rum) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 10- or 12-inch Bundt pan.

Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and rum. Mix well. Pour over nuts in prepared pan. Bake about 55 minutes, or until golden and middle tests done with a toothpick. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes while preparing glaze.

Glaze: ¼ pound butter (1 stick) ¼ cup water 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup Bacardi light rum Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat; add water and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Poke bottom of cake with a toothpick while still in pan and spoon about half of glaze over cake. Turn cake onto platter, then poke holes in top and spoon remainder of glaze over top of cake.

(From CookEatShare.com)

LEMON BLISS BUNDT CAKE (Adapted) Cake: 15.25-ounce box “moist type” yellow cake mix 3.4-ounce box lemon-flavored instant pudding Zest of 2 large lemons ½ cup water ¾ cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 eggs Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Generously spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with non-stick baking spray. In a large bowl, whisk cake mix, pudding mix and lemon zest. Make a well in mixture and add the water, oil, vanilla and eggs. With electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl and beat on medium 3 more minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool about 1 hour, then turn onto platter and spoon on the following icing drizzle, allowing the icing to run down the side of the cake: Icing Drizzle: 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 5 teaspoons milk ¾ teaspoon lemon extract Combine powdered sugar with milk and lemon extract, stirring until smooth.

(From DearCrissy.com) ••• Thank you, Darlene Randazzo of Trenton, for pointing out the mistake in the directions for the Eagle Tavern Potato Soup Recipe published in January. The potatoes are not cooked before they are added to the broth.

Here’s the corrected recipe: EAGLE TAVERN POTATO SOUP (Adapted) ¼ pound butter 1 small onion, chopped 2 ribs celery chopped 1 medium-sized carrot, chopped ½ cup flour 3 cups chicken broth 4 medium raw potatoes, diced 1½ teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 cups milk Sauté onions celery and carrots in butter until tender. Add flour to make a roux and cook slightly. Stir in chicken broth and potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are barely tender. Add salt, pepper and milk.

Page 12 • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • SOUTHGATE STAR

Ah, Humbug: The waiting is the hardest part BILL STEVENSON Southgate Star

Like wide-eyed children anxiously yearning for Santa’s presents on Christmas morning, environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts will have to continue to wait for the opening of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at the Humbug Marsh Unit. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which manages the site, reported the delay stating both the visitor center building and the site of the fishing pier remains under construction.

Aw, come on! Christmas is cancelled. Bah, Humbug.

But, wait. Just like the Charles Dickens novel, there is a happy ending, and Scrooge, as well as the entire story is transformed.

The new refuge manager, Susan White, who took over the position from Dr. John Hartig, in July, 2018, doesn’t seek to fix the blame, but rather fix the problems.

“We understand the frustration in the delay,” she said, “moving an urban, industrial brownfield to a hub for connecting people to the outdoors has not been without its surprises and obstacles to be overcome.”

“What many people do not know is that the site is not in our direct control at this time. Due to multiple construction problems and a default by the original contractor, the Refuge Gateway John D. Dingell Jr. Visitor Center construction is now under the control of the bond company, Western Surety.”

The Refuge Gateway on Jefferson Avenue, was owned by the Chrysler Corporation and operated as an automotive brake pad adhesive and paint facility from 1946 to 1990.

The plant was closed in 1990 and remediated to the State of Michigan industrial/commercial standards. It lay in decommissioned status until 2002, when Wayne County purchased the 44 acre parcel with the vision of restoring the area to its natural state, and making it accessible for public use.

In a unique partnership, most

of the Gateway is still owned by Wayne County which administers it as a part of its Parks and Recreation Division of Public Services, while the federal government, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service owns the Dingell Visitor Center. The county and federal government work collaboratively to manage the site. Together, with citizens, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and local communities—all entities seek to build and sustain the capacity of the refuge.

Just last spring, when digging the storm water ditches for the Gateway, rusted barrels of chemicals were discovered buried on the property which required coordinated remediation with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

During that same discovery, construction was further delayed by an uncovered buried power line. And, in addition to the ghosts of Industrial Past, the most recent phantom appearance seems to be the seemingly mundane, but vexing sewer problem from the Gateway Visitor Center.

According to Deputy Refuge Manager, Steve Dushane, “The sewer line leading from the Visitor Center to the main sewer is a gravity line that incorrectly runs uphill at one point.

What goes in, must go out. The surety contractors are working to solve the problem. But, the entire area of the Gateway is an active construction area—and why the Gateway remains closed.”

Through all this, Manager White reaffirms, “In reclaiming this area, the health, safety, and well being of the public is our paramount concern. Of equal importance is the restoration of fish, wildlife, and plant habitats for current and future generations to enjoy. With the unique environment and history of this area, come unique challenges.”

The Refuge Gateway property is adjacent to the Humbug Marsh Unit, a 410-acre preserve that contains the last mile of natural shoreline along the U.S. mainland portion of the Detroit River. Humbug Marsh was designated as Michigan’s first “Wetlands of International Importance” by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in

2010. Humbug Marsh contains a vast biodiversity of habitats with old and secondary forests, coastal marsh and wetlands. It is a significant stopover area for many migratory birds, and as many a fisherman knows, a great spot for thriving bass, walleye, and other piscatory populations of the Detroit River.

This whole concern about the opening of the Gateway Visitor Center and access to Humbug Marsh could have had a different ending.

Enter the Ghost of In the late 1990s, a development company, Made in Detroit, Inc. sought to build on the Humbug Marsh area-- that last remaining mile of natural shoreline.

Their original plan was to build more than 300 condominiums and luxury homes, a golf course, marina, equestrian center, and a riverfront amphitheater. A bridge was proposed to connect the mainland to Humbug Island in the Trenton Channel. Many people supported the development, as an upscale addition to an otherwise industrialized stretch of Downriver.

SEE HUMBUG, Page 14

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HUMBUG

Continued from page 12 Many more people opposed the plan. Many more.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Army Corps of Engineers held a series of public hearings to gather input on the Made in Detroit, Inc. proposal. Outraged citizens and environmental groups flooded a hearing held at Carlson High School on Sept. 15, 1998, prompting the fire marshal to shut the doors as the venue reached capacity. Michigan State Police closed the exit from I-75 as traffic backed up two miles with people waiting to attend the meeting.

The scientists came and spoke. The duck hunters spoke. The fishermen spoke. The bird watchers spoke. The tree huggers spoke. The builders spoke.

The kayakers spoke. The Native Americans spoke.

The local residents spoke. The following year, the Army Corps denied the company permits to fill wetlands or build on Humbug Island. The People had spoken!

Local politicians stood up and took notice.

Congressman John D. Dingell, Jr, an avid hunter and outdoorsman, had long been monitoring the Humbug development. As champion of the environment, he was instrumental in the passage of the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act, among a host of other significant pieces of legislation. Working with a diverse array of partners,

Congressman Dingell sponsored the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Establishment Act, which President George W. Bush signed into law, Dec. 21, 2001.

Merry Christmas.

What many may not realize, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge stretches along 48 miles of the Detroit River and western Lake Erie, as well as the Priority Areas administered by the Canadian Wildlife Service on the Ontario side. It establishes a “conservation crescent,” and is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. Humbug Marsh and the Refuge Gateway are only a small portion of the much larger preservation effort.

Deputy Manager Dushane and Joann Van Aken, Executive Director of the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance concur, “Without the concerned citizens, and private/public partnerships with businesses and different environmental conservation groups, the refuge would not be here.”

“The community is the refuge.”

So, what’s in store for an anxious public upon the grand opening of the Detroit River International Wildlife John D. Dingell Jr. Visitor Center?

For one, there will be ample, lighted parking to access the trails and wildlife of the Humbug Marsh unit. The visitor center itself will be a 12,000-squarefoot Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum design. Inside, visitors will find a wildlife observation room, two classrooms for

educational programs for all ages, a multi-purpose room, and areas devoted to hands-on activities for children.

Venturing to the Trenton Channel, there is a 740-foot dock, a 200 foot fishing pier that extends out into the river. Along the shoreline, there are three observation decks, an outdoor environmental classroom, and over three miles of hiking trails.

Passersby the area now notice bike paths that connect to more than 100 miles of Downriver Linked Greenway Trails.

And when the gates of the refuge are finally opened, there will certainly be a sigh of relief on the part of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife officials. But as people get outside and reconnect to nature, they will find their peace and say, “Ahhh, Humbug.”

The operation of the Gateway Refuge and the Humbug Unit, would not be possible without citizen volunteers. If you would like to be involved contact Shannon Nelson at driwr_volunteer@fws.gov or call 734.692.7638.

If you would like to donate to the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance in memory of Congressman John D. Dingell, Jr. you can mail your check to 9311 Groh Road Grosse Ile, Michigan or may make a credit card donation at www.iwralliance.org

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Wearing ‘o the green

Southgate celebrated St. Patrick’s day with plenty of food and fun at the Market Center Park in the Southgate Shopping Center. While the good cheer flowed like green beer, the crowd was entertained by the band Fifty Amp Fuse, a group that has become a Downriver favorite.

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PLAY BRIDGE The Southgate Duplicate Bridge Club meets at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Southgate Veterans Memorial Library, 14680 Dix-Toledo Road. Call director Kono Emanuele at 734-675-3687 for more information.

ADULT COLORING Coloring has gained widespread popularity among adults in recent years - it’s a great way to relax and unwind.

The Southgate Veteran’s Memorial Library offers fun and intricate coloring pages to help residents express their artistic sides.

BOOK CLUB Join us at the Southgate Veterans Memorial Library for our Book Club!

Meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome, whether you’ve read the book or not. Copies of the upcoming title will be available at the Southgate Library, just ask at the front desk.

April 17th - The Great Alone

by Kristin Hannah Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women.

The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources. But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture.

FIFTH FRIDAY SALE A Fifth Friday Sale will be held on March 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 16700 Pennsylvania Rd., Southgate.

Lots of goodies.

Evans is the newest chamber board member

For more information, contact Carol at 734-771-9480.

GREAT LAKES STEEL SALARIED RETIREES CLUB The club meets every third Monday at Crystal Gardens, 16703 Fort St. Southgate. Doors open at noon. Lunch promptly at 1 p.m .There are door prizes and 50/50 raffles. Open to any salaried retiree of Great Lakes Steel.

For more information, contact Desta Pulter at 313-842-0385.

SHRED DAY A community shred day sponsored

by The Rotary Club of Southgate will be held Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m.until 1 p.m. at the Southgate Sam’s Club.

The event is open to residents of all communities and there is a limit of five boxes of shredable material.

Examples of acceptable materials are,, standard office paper, computer paper, credit card receipts, envelopes, binders, photocopies, photographs and checks.

The event is free but participants are encouraged to make a donation for Rotary community programs oe bring food items for local food pantries.

For more information, contact Fran Waszkiewicz at 734-785-7705, ext.

7153.

SHRED DAY The Riverview land Preserve will sponsor and host a free shred dare for residents of Riverview, Grosse Ile, Brownstown, Trenton, Woodhaven and Wyandotte on on Saturday, April 13.

This is a free drive-thru event and a perfect opportunity to shred confidential

paper materials such as receipts, bank statements, medical records and tax documents. All documents will be securely shredded on-site. Shredded paper will be recycled.

Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 7,000 gallons of water and 4,000 kilowatts of energy – enough to power the average home for six months.

Thank you for doing your part.

The event will be held rain or shine and there is a limit of three boxes of shredable material per household. No businesses, please.

Rubber bands, paper clips, staples and folders do not need to be removed.

No binders, please.

ART MEETING Kathleen Robinson Young, jewelry artist and teacher, will be joining the Downriver Arts & Crafts Guild meeting at 6:30 p.m. on April 9 for a creative project at Southgate Veterans Memorial Library, 14680 Dix-Toledo Road.

For more information, contact Maureen at 734-777-6109 or email at mkeast1@aol.com. or Jackie at at 313-570-6919 or email at walock@ sbcglobal.net BINGO VFW Post No. 9283, 16200 DixToledo Road, Southgate hosts bongo Thursdays at 6:15 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m. there is a $500 jackpot; all proceeds go to the VFW Ladies Auxiliary general fund.

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13348 Dix – Toledo Southgate, MI, 48195 Will Evans (center), owner and publisher of Go Big Multimedia publications, was recently nominated and elected to the Board of Directors of the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber. Evans, along with Laura Saches and Tina Walther, are the three newest board members. Evans is shown with ATT’s Robert Jones, who is Chairman of the Board and SWCRC President Ron Hinrichs.

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Coming soon

Road repair crews for Wayne County are working feverishly to get the Dix Road bridge construction done before that start of the summer driving season. The reconstruction of the decades old roadway began in May of 2018 and was initially expected to be finished by last November, but the structure was in worse shape than expected and required more extensive repair than was first believed.

Photos by Larry Caruso

The gloves have to finally come off PETER ROSE Southgate Star

Recently, I read two stories about Amazon.com. Amazon serves well in an effort to find the definition of “The Problem.” They do need to be called out, but the problem is far larger than Amazon. The problem is policy.

Story No.1: In Fortune magazine, headline: Amazon Will Pay A Whopping $0 in Federal Taxes on $11.2 billion profits.

The article states that Amazon actually reported $129 million 2018 federal tax rebate, making its tax rate a minus 1.9 percent.

Story No. 2: Amazon announced that its “second headquarters” that was to be built in New York City would not be going forward after extensive opposition wore out their patience.

Virtually all quarters of the news, from Fox to MSNBC vilified the opposition, defended and sided with Amazon for the unfair and unwise treatment.

A sad day, they said.

Amazon built its business with tax loopholes and obsolete sales tax policy that was not corrected to address an era of internet sales. It took decades for lawmakers to even acknowledge that there was a problem. But what became abundantly clear in this foot dragging was that this failure to act was a policy in and of itself. That policy was and is a decision of favoritism, through which winners and losers get actively chosen.

The failure to course-correct had a profound impact on the allocation of dollars spent, from locally owned and independent operators to national organizations funded by shareholders.

Billions of dollars in Michigan alone were deliberately ignored. Michigan didn’t need or want those revenues.

Moreover, the negative effect on Michigan businesses was significant.

We paid the taxes and Amazon got the sales. The idiocy of this is beyond comprehension. Reckless, ill-advised, irresponsible - stupid.

We encouraged the money to leave the state; didn’t want the tax dollars. But

we surely enforced collection from the brick and mortars that were here 365, contributing to the overall welfare of the state.

And this played out across the nation, it gave Amazon all the time they needed to build an empire that today is still just an embryo. The corporate strategy was to lose money so as to build their infrastructure and the shareholders were happy to oblige the predatory (and supposedly illegal) tactics. They’re playing the long game, after all.

Amazon lost tons of money as they built the machinery necessary to capture more and more market share. That market share came from independent merchants across the nation and happened because Amazon did this on purpose.

The result is carry-forward losses that result in zero federal taxes.They got a refund. This is a mutant form of capitalism that is aided and abetted by policy.

And it gets worse: Antitrust laws have been drastically under-enforced and

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outright ignored, providing advantage for “big’ at the expense of “small”, and pan-sector dominance is a new phenomenon, also being ignored.

These are policy decisions. And far worse yet is offering the moon in tax advantage to locate new facilities in whichever state wins a bidding war. The tilting of this playing field is severe.

Amazon could soon enough buy (examples): Bank of America, Quicken Loans, and Apple. Maybe Blue Cross, FedEx, Merck, or Monsanto. Or how about Google and Facebook, or all of the above - would this be good?

I, for one, want as broad of a selection of options as possible, for everything I buy, but the big are getting bigger, in all walks of life. The only way that trendline gets stemmed is lack of support for the companies aggregating their brands and power under one umbrella. It’s a general trend, not specific to Amazon. But the mercenary, predatory nature of Amazon’s game plan is different. And it’s just not OK.

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Anderson’s distance stars balanced by some good sprinters HANK MINCKIEWICZ Southgate Star

The Southgate Anderson boys cross country team finished second to league champion Woodhaven in the Downriver League chase last fall, so it figures that that distance team would be the strength of the track team this spring, And it is, but don’t count the Titans out as a one-trick pony.

Veteran coach Sam Childs welcomed 43 athletes out for his team this year and there is talent in many places.

“I think we are a pretty balanced team,” said Childs, who has been around the Southgate program in one form or another for 17 years. “We have the distance guys, but we have some good sprinters, too.”

The distance team is headed by the top four cross country guys - senior Connor Gotzfried, juniors Terry Towell and Brendon Buckner and sophomore Steven Porter.

Childs said this a versatile group that can run anything from the 800 to the two-mile, although he admitted that Porter is the “truest distance runner” on the squad.

The team is also hoping from some distance help from Ezekiel Centeno, who was often a scorer during the cross country season.

“This is a real strong group,” said Childs. “These guys can run anywhere from the 800 to the two-mile and still be ready to give a leg on a relay team.”

When it comes to sprinting, the Titans have two runners who are ahead of the pack - Matthew Thomas and Samori Dobson.

Dobson, a senior, has had an injury filled high school career and Childs said that has, “held him back.” But now that he is healthy, the Titans are looking for big things in his final year in burgundy and silver.

Thomas is a junior and Childs

Photo courtesy Michael Borg

The 43 member Anderson track team has talent at many distances

said he is, “a pretty polished runner.”

Thomas’ older brother Christian is still a school record-holder as a member of the 4 x 100 relay team and that motivates Matthew, according to his coach.

The jury is still out on the team’s inexperienced throwers, but Childs said junior Noah Szostek brings a boatload of spirit and intensity to the group.

And that brings us to sophomore Connor Augenstein, who Childs said may be the best athlete in the program.

The 10th-grader, who ran cross country, is a versatile kid who is getting a look in the hurdles and in the pole vault.

The rest of this year’s Titan team is, Nathaniel Batko, Samuelle Bommarito, Brendan Boyer, Charles Butler, Victor Cajigas, Nick Campau, Torian Clemons, Caeden Coffman, Connor Eccleton, John Farmer, Jesse Ferraj, Sean Gardner, Anthony Gutierrez, Alex Jewell, Cameron Jewell, Cortez Johnson, Jacob Keysaer, Spencer Merchant, Gordon Ng, Noah Packwood, Christian Paczkowski, Kirk Phillips, Roger Putnam, Joseph Rodriguez, Adrian Rosas, Andrew Shields, Kaydin Snyder, Logan Southworth and Cordell Wade.

GIRLS TEAM IS SMALL, BUT TALENTED After graduating 13 girls from a very strong team last season, the Southgate Titans find themselves with a small and mostly inexperienced team this year.

Childs’ 20-girls roster includes 15 freshmen or sophomores.

“Last year’s team was one of the most decorated on school history,” said Childs. “The distance team, especially, was the envy of almost everyone Downriver.

“They all graduated, so we are young , but we have some good young talent and the girls are very dedicated; I have not had a single girl miss a day of practice this year.”

One eye-popping runner who is back for her senior year is Mikayla Borg, a talented distance runner, who has already signed to run cross country for U-M Dearborn. Childs calls her, “one of the best milers around.”

And she is more than that.

“Mikayla is an outstanding student, a great runner and last fall, she was the homecoming queen - she is the whole package,” said Childs.

Borg’s classmate, Leeah Joswiak, is a motivated athlete who is moving to the 300 hurdles. Childs said last year Joswiak was one of the top 400 runners and that experience will help her in her new event.

Sophomore sprinter Joselyn Raths and freshman sprinter Alivia Ensign have already caught Childs’ eye during early practice and he said the pair, along with his two top seniors, could make a formidable relay squad.

The rest of the 2019 Titans girls squad is, Miriam Alaouie, Riley Angileri, McKenna Freitas, Jordan Hunt, Kaitlyn Jacques, Jennifer Lemus, Trinity Mayhew, Jazlynn McCoy, Kayla Mihalyfi, Delaney Minutolo, Natalie Packwood, Maggie Stanley, Kaley Taylor, Cheyanne Tyson and Kaitlyn Valrie.

The Titan teams were at the Huron Relays on March 22 and they will open the Downriver league dual meet season on March 26 against Taylor.

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Titans softballers to lean less on pitching this year HANK MINCKIEWICZ Southgate Star

Last year a very good Southgate Anderson softball team relied heavily on the pitching of Raechel Carroll, a hard-throwing strikeout artist, who now pitches for Wayne State University.

Last season for Anderson, Carroll fanned 188 batters and walked just 10.

Numbers like that are hard to replace, so the Titans won’t even worry about it. Instead the team will lean more heavily on what could be a stout offense.

“I am very optimistic,” said Coach Eric Druchniak. “We have five starters back and they are all very good.”

In addition to the starters, Druchniak also has freshman first baseman Erica Pagac, who begins her varsity career with tons and tons of potential.

“She is the real deal,” the Anderson coach said. “She has a good glove, a good bat. We expect that she will fit right in.”

Other than Pagac, it is a good and veteran infield, led by three-year senior shortstop Aleah Valdez and two-year junior shortstop Courtney Mabrey. And over at third is another two-year junior, Brooke Johnson.

Zakariea Vincent, another thirdyear player, will catch for the Titans.

Stepping into the circle for Anderson this year will be senior Kate Wolshon, not a fireballer like Caroll, but a solid hurler ready for her time in the spotlight.

“Carol, of course, is the biggest piece we have to replace,” said Druchniak. “But we have a lot of faith in Kate. She does not throw gas, but she moves the ball around well and is very capable of keeping hitters off balance. She also has a very good infield defense behind her.”

In the outfield, sophomore Maddie Bailey, who played right field last year, will patrol center field and occasionally give Vincent a break behind the plate.

SEE SOFTBALLERS, Page 23

Winter season comes to a quiet close for Titans The winter athletic season at Anderson came to close earlier this month with the Titans making little noise in the Michigan High School Athletic Association postseason tournaments.

The wrestling team did generate one all-state performer as Alec Balogh placed sixth in the 119-pound class at the MHSAA Division 1 state finals at Ford Field.

Balogh, a senior, lost the fifthsixth place match in the finals to Hartland’s Ethan Kinch. Balogh finished the year with a 51-6 record.

The Anderson competitive cheerleading team qualified for regionals, but could not get through to the state meet and the hockey team and the boys and girls basketball teams were one-and done in their tournament appearances.

The hockey team, playing in the Division 1 regional at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center, bowed out with a first-round loss to Farmington.

The girls basketball team played in Division 1 regionals at Allen Park. There, the team, which had a first-round bye, lost 43-27 to Wyandotte Roosevelt, which lost in the district championship game to Riverview.

The end of the season was heartbreaking for the boys team, which lost lost to eventual district champ Roosevelt 47-43 in the first round of the D1 district held at Lincoln Park. Roosevelt went on to beat Allen Park and then Lincoln Park to claim the district championship, its first in 14 years.

Photo courtesy Larry Caruso

The Anderson girls basketball team and the hockey team each lost in their first MHSAA playoff game this season.

A new excitement surrounds Titans baseball program HANK MINCKIEWICZ Southgate Star

There is a renewed energy around the Southgate Anderson baseball team this season and it’s source is a familiar one.

Mark Davis, a former Titan and former college baseball player at Wayne State University is the new head baseball coach and he brings with him and infectious enthusiasm.

“I am very excited,” Davis said. “This is something I’ve wanted for a while, but I had to get comfortable with the balance between coaching and working. I have that now and the opportunity arose, so I am ready to go.”

Davis is not new to Anderson. In addition to playing and graduating from there, he has been the head junior varsity coach or a varsity assistant since 2009. Now that he occupies the top seat in the program, his brother Brian Davis and Anderson varsity basketball coach Eugene Kolbusz will join him as varsity assistants.

Anderson, was once a perennial powerhouse in the Mega and then Downriver leagues, but the Titans haven’t really been relevant for a while as teams like Wyandotte Roosevelt, Carlson and Woodhaven have snatched the spotlight.

SEE BASEBALL, Page 23

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BASEBALL

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Continued from page 22 Davis, who almost always won 20 games a season as a junior varsity coach and who was part of Coach Scott Ferrante’s winning program during his playing days, hopes to turn that around.

“Last year I thought we were competitive with everyone, we just didn’t win enough of the games we were in,” Davis said. “Some of that is attitude and believing you are going to win. That’s what we want to instill in these kids.”

To help get the job done, Davis and his staff will lean on what looks like the makings of a pretty good pitching staff.

The group will be led by sophomore Spencer McMahan, who was called up to the varsity last year and responded by winning seven games.

“We were surprised,” Davis said. “He came up and he dominated. He wound up being our ace.”

A year older and a year stronger, Davis said McMahan is now throwing the ball in the 84 mph range. In addition in increased velocity, McMahon has a full selection of three pitches he can throw for strikes. Behind McMahan are a couple of other hard throwers in senior lefty Garrett Scott and junior find Zack Dalton.

“I was shocked to see how good our pitchers were,” Davis said. “All three of the top guys are really throwing the ball well and we’ve got about six other guys who are doing a great job, too. We want to get to a situation where our starters don’t have to feel like they need to go the whole way; we want them to know that when they come out, we have guys that can do the job.”

Davis kept 18 players on the roster this season, an almost unheard of number these days, but he said he wants to foster competition among his players.

“We have some really skilled position players,” he said. “I am excited to see what they can do.”

SOFTBALLERS

Continued from page 22

Others seeing time in the outfield are seniors Natalie Knight, Morgan Pawlowski and Amanda Pagac, juniors Kasey Smith and Hannah Godfrey and sophomore Kylie Smith.

Godfrey is also the team’s backup pitcher and Kylie Smith is a speedster, who will be brought in in running situations.

Last season the Titans, who lost only three league games all year, finished

second in the Downriver League, one game behind league champion Allen Park.

Druchniak said Allen Park will be strong again this year, although the team has a new coach and that adds question marks. He said that Trenton likely will be formidable, too.

If the weather cooperates, Anderson is scheduled to get on the field for the first time against live competition March 25 against Riverview.

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March 23 - April 24, 2019 • SOUTHGATE STAR • Page 23

Page 24 • March 23 - April 24, 2019 • SOUTHGATE STAR

Have an Event or Fundraiser? Let us know at 734-282-3939

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