Shortly before noon on December 31st, hundreds of residents gathered in Southgate’s municipal banquet hall to ring in the New Year. This was a free family event that provided an opportunity for children to celebrate the New Year at noon rather than waiting until midnight.
This is the ninth year that the Southgate Parks & Recreation Director Julie Goddard and her staff presented Noon Year’s Eve. The Southgate DDA was also a sponsor of the event.
The festivities included an official countdown, balloon drop and juice boxes available for a fun family toast. Several costumed characters mingled and danced with the children throughout the event. Each was portrayed by a Southgate Anderson High School student volunteer and included: Elsa from “Frozen” (Bridget Godbout), Princess Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” (Adelynn Hales), Elphaba from “Wicked“ (Madelyn Reiss), and the mischievous Grinch (Jackson Cruz).
This year’s event also caught the attention of Channel 7 News. They were on scene to report on the gathering and interviewed several of the children about the event.
At the end of the Noon Year party, each child also received a special goodie bag to take home to continue the fun in the New Year.
ead ce t gs your neighbors had to say about us in t their 5-Star Google reviews!
SKY HIGH DRUG G BILL?
Didn’t the Inflation Reduction Act lower the cost of our drugs? While the IRA provides relief for some, most carriers adjusted formularies, copays, coinsurance and deductibles. This may lead to a huge pharmacy bill!
If you missed your chance to review your plan with us during the annual enrollment period, we may still be able to help.
See us Monday to Friday 11am to 5pm
Elizabeth M. Abshire Licensed Insurance Agent
Shaun Z. Abshire Licensed Insurance Agent
Credit union brings holiday cheer with annual Santa photo event
BY ASHLEI DANG
For over 40 years, the Downriver Community Federal Credit Union has been spreading holiday joy with its beloved Santa Photo Event, featuring the same jolly Santa who has now delighted generations of families.
The event, which was completely free and open to both credit union members and non-members, provided a heartwarming holiday experience. Children had the opportunity to meet Santa, share their Christmas wish lists, and receive a beautiful printed photo of their visit in a festive holiday photo mount. Whether they’ve been naughty or nice, the children also received a gift bag filled with goodies such as jumbo coloring books, crayons, and candy canes courtesy of the credit union.
This year’s event had an extra dose of holiday magic: DCFCU’s team went above and beyond by purchasing 175 toys to distribute during the event. Samantha Rakestraw, Marketing Specialist and the organizer of this year’s festivities, shared the team’s experience shopping for the toys: “We received a lot of strange looks from shoppers as we navigated the aisles with our three carts overflowing with toys. Even the cashier, when he found out what we were doing, brought his family out to see Santa!”
After their visit with Santa, children got to choose a special toy from Santa’s sack in addition to their gift bag, making the moment even more memorable.
Parents weren’t left out of the festivities either. Each received a complimentary 2025 Downriver Community Calendar, featuring stunning local scenes from the Downriver area as well as Wayne and Monroe counties. Held during the first week of December, the event drew over 150 children over two days this year.
“As part of Downriver Credit Union’s commitment to supporting our community, it’s a joy to see the smiles on the faces of children as they visit Santa and receive toys,” said Robert LaPalme, President and CEO of Downriver Credit Union. “Giving back during the holiday season is one of the most rewarding aspects of what we do here.”
With decades of tradition and a mission to give back, the Santa Photo Event continues to be a cherished holiday highlight for families across Downriver, spreading joy and holiday spirit to all.
SOUTHERN WAYNE COUNTY REGIONAL CHAMBER
Downriver’s Business Network
Join the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber as we host Congresswoman Debbie Dingell for her annual State of the District address.
nation’s capital.
On January 27th at 9:00 AM, the SWCRC’s monthly Legislative Forum Series kicks off 2025 with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell providing an update on business legislation straight from our nation’s capital.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast prepared by Crystal Gardens and take the opportunity to engage with Congresswoman Dingell during a Q&A session.
Tickets are available at: swcrc.com/events/dingell25/
Ron Hinrichs, CEO/President SWCRC
Student writing rewarded in the 78th VFW essay contest
For the past 78 years, the Veterans of Foreign Wars has sponsored an essay contest for middle school and
school students.
Southgate VFW Post 9283 hosted the local awards ceremony for Michigan VFW District 4 and Auxiliary on Saturday, January 4, 2025. The event was held at their Cpl. Lambert A. Pfeiffer, Jr. Post located at 16200 DixToledo Road. District 4 is made up of 21 VFW Posts located throughout Wayne County.
The essay contest consists of two categories: both with a unique patriotic theme. For middle school students, there was the Patriot’s Pen competition with this year’s theme of “My Voice in America’s Democracy.” For high school aged students, there was the Voice of Democracy award with a theme of “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?”
Over 150 students from southeast Michigan participated in the contest. Only 38 advanced to the District level: 17 middle school students and 21 high school students. Each essay was judged individually without identifying
the student and the winners were not known until the night of the awards presentation. This year’s volunteer judge’s panel was attorneys Jeffery L. Fanto and David F. Greco, along with 23rd District Court Judge Joseph Slaven and Southgate Mayor Joseph Kuspa.
The award ceremony acknowledged all the students for their hard work and patriotic essays. Post 9283 Auxiliary Senior Vice President, Sharon Lewinski, addressed the crowd indicating that all the students “were winners tonight.” However, only three
from each category would receive special recognition and a monetary award. In each age group, the top three essay writers received $300 for 1st Place, $200 for 2nd, and $100 for 3rd.
The winner of the Patriot’s Pen contest was Donald H. DeYoung. He is an eighth grade student and was sponsored by VFW Post 4434 in Belleville. The second place award went to Bella M. Mach who was sponsored by Southgate Post 9283. Third place went to Alexander J. Kearney. He was sponsored by Post 7310 located in Grosse Ile.
The Voice of Democracy competition placed Elizabeth G. Pheiffer in first place. Elizabeth is a senior at Inter-City Baptist and was sponsored by Post 9283. She also received an additional $1,000 scholarship presented by the Raymond Nowosatko family. Coming in at a close second and third were Henry Nguyen and Brooke Anderson. They were sponsored by Post 9283 and Livonia Post 3941, respectively.
Both first place winners will advance to the State competition which will take place in Kalamazoo on February 1st. If they succeed at the state level, they will go on to the VFW National competition in March. State winners earn an opportunity for a paid trip to Washington DC. They will compete with students from across the nation for the VFW National Championship awards.
This year’s District 4 Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen Chairman and coordinator was John Fleming. He was assisted by District 4 Auxiliary Chairman Sharon Lewinski and several other VFW and Auxiliary members.
SOUTHGATE STAR
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Suffering a dagger Riverview’s buzzer-beating triple tops Titans
By HANK MINCKIEWICZ
After a hard-fought battle with Downriver non-league neighbor Riverview on January 7th, the Anderson basketball team had put itself in a position to snatch its fourth victory of the season.
The Titans had scored with 10.3 second left and they led the homestanding Pirates by a point. Things were looking good for the Southgate squad as Riverview called timeout and set up a final play.
The Bucs bought the ball upcourt, swung it to the left where junior Jack Doyle found himself with the ball in the corner. He caught it, found the basket and launched.
The ball did not so much swish or snap the net, but instead rolled gently into the twine and by the time it fell out the bottom, the buzzer was sounding on Riverview’s 55-53 victory.
Doyle’s game-winning shot, one of two threepointers he made in the OT and six of the eight points he had in the game, put an end to what was a physical and entertaining game between two neighboring schools.
Riverview got a traditional old-school threepoint play to start the game and then hit a bucket to grab a 5-0 lead a minute into the game. Southgate scored the next seven points to go ahead 7-5 and from there neither team really led by more than a couple of points.
Southgate did manage to bump its advantage to seven points and one time in the second half, but the Bucs quickly erased that and the game settled back into its back-and-forth rhythm.
Southgate led 13-12 at the end of the first quarter and halftime for the two evenly-matched squads tied at 23-all.
Southgate started the second half with little burst and led 28-23. Riverview was held scoreless for the first four minutes of the third period, but led by Nathan Pinkava, who canned three straight short jumpers from the lane, rallied back and at 2:55 of the period Riverview retook the lead 29-28.
When they totaled it up, Riverview led 35-33 heading into the final eight minutes of play.
Southgate senior Logan Tatman, who led all scorers in the game with 23 points, scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter on two threepoint shots and a two-pointer and it looked like the Titan run might be the difference in the game, but the
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Dave Chapman
Bucs still had some bullets left in their guns.
The Riverview cause was helped when Tatman went down with what looked like leg cramps later in the period. He returned to the court, but was clearly struggling and he scored just three free throws the rest of the night.
The game was tied at 47-47 with 9.8 seconds to play and Riverview had a last look, but junior Noah Swearingen’s shot to win went awry.
The four-minute overtime featured 14 total points – eight by the Bucs and six from Southgate.
Doyle started the extra period with a three-point shot, his first triple of the night, despite launching a few throughout the game.
At the other end, Tatman was fouled attempting a three-pointer and he made one of the three freethrows, leaving the score 50-48.
Swearingen made two free throws to bump the Riverview lead to 52-48, but Alfredo Cantu made his second three-pointer of the night to get the Titans back to within 52-51.
The game then got a little sloppy as Riverview turned the ball over, Southgate missed a shot and Riverview’s Trevor Spenser missed a pair of free throws.
With 10.3 seconds left, Southgate’s Joshua Kennedy snuck inside and made a lay-up to give the Titans a 53-52, setting the stage for Doyles’ gamewinning heroics.
Riverview was led in the game by Pinkava, who
had 14 points. Swearingen had 10, Spencer and Ian Adams had nine each and Doyle chipped in eight.
After Tatman’s 23 points, Anderson also got 10 from senior post player Mark Brandin. Kennedy had nine and Cantu eight.
With the win, Riverview improved to 4-5 overall.
The Bucs are 2-1 in Huron League games. With the loss, Anderson fell to 3-7 overall. They are 0-4 in Downriver League games.
The Titans will go to Lincoln Park on January 16th and to Taylor on January 21st.
At the end of the regular season Southgate will play in a Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 district tournament at Lincoln Park.
Joining the Titans there will be the host Railsplitters, Riverview, Wyandotte Roosevelt, Taylor, and Allen Park.
Downriver Unified hockey Team is climbing the mountain of respectability
Last year, the Downriver Unified hockey team posted a 2-21 record and finished the season on a 14-game losing streak.
Flip the clock forward a year and things look a little different.
Downriver Unified has not turned into a powerhouse, but the club has turned things around and has played competitive hockey, with some
winning results this season,
DU is a co-op program, one that allows schools to get together to form teams that they would not be able to on their own. The team is made up of players from Southgate Anderson, Monroe, Dearborn Edsel Ford, and Dearborn High.
So far this year, DU is 6-8 with multiple wins against North Oakland and Madison Heights Bishop Foley and single wins against New Boston Huron and Mid-Michigan Raptors.
The team’s most recent win came against the Raptors in Mount Pleasant on January 3rd.
Mid-Michigan is another co-op program made up of players from Alma, Beal City, Clare, Ithaca, Mount Pleasant, Shepherd, and Sacred Heart high schools.
Downriver got two goals in the second period and two more in the third, from four different players, to beat the Raptors 4-1.
The team’s leading scorer Kaden Petrarca got the scoring started with the first goal of the game. Just over a minute later, Jackson Moul scored to make it 2-0. Garrett Worden assisted on Petrarca’s goal and Griffen Worden assisted on Moul’s marker.
It became 3-0 early in the third period when Griffen Worden scored a power-play
goal with an assist from Garrett.
After Mid-Michigan finally solved DU goalie Chloe Martin and scored, Brady Deckert finished the scoring for DU and for the game. Jacob Brown drew the lone assist.
Martin stopped 25 of 26 Raptor shots to earn the victory in net.
Against North Oakland – a team made up of Avondale, Brandon, Oxford, and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep high schools – DU won by scores of 7-4 and 7-5 to open the 2024-25 season.
Brant Kujawski had four goals in the two games against North Oakland and Petrarca had three.
Against Bishop Foley, the team secured 7-5 and 5-1 victories.
Petrarca powered the team against Foley with three goals and three assists in the two games.
Downriver Unified’s other victory this year came against a local team as they crushed News Boston Huron 9-1.
If you are looking to catch a game, Downriver Unified has 11 regular season games left on the schedule, but just four of them are at home. The home games are January 15th (New Boston Huron), January 25th (Mid-Michigan Raptors), February 1st (Carlson) and February 5th (Temperance-Bedford).
You can also watch the team at Trenton’s Kennedy Arena on January 18th (Grosse Ile), February 11th (Trenton), and February 13th (Woodhaven).
Florida Keys Vacation!
Paradise just started 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.
Welcome to 901 Mariners Club!
We are glad to have you here!
Brighten up the Southgate library
The Southgate Library invites youth in grades 1-12 to submit their artwork for display in the youth section. Artwork should be 8.5 x 11 inches and flat, to fit in the provided frames. All mediums are welcome! Submissions will be accepted until Thursday, February 13th.
For more information and to pick up a submission form, please visit the front desk. The library is excited to showcase the creativity of local young artists.
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!
NEWS FROM OUR NEIGHBORS
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Veterans honored with ‘Never Forget’ garden
The Monguagon Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently dedicated a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier “Never Forget” Garden at Oakwood Cemetery in Wyandotte.
The DAR has been a strong proponent of the Never Forget Garden initiative since 2018. The initiative was started by the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as a way to commemorate the Tomb’s Centennial in 2021.
PAGE 7
Trenton skaters passing early-season tests
Ideally, as a coach, you want the regular season to prepare your team as much as possible for the endof-the-year playoffs.
So far this season, the Trenton hockey schedule
is doing just that.
In its first five games of the 2024-25 campaign, Trenton has seen almost nothing but close games, including three that went into overtime.
And the Trojans came through the stretch with a 2-1-2 record.
The overtime victory was a thriller.
In a game played on Nov. 27 at Trenton’s Kennedy Arena, the Trojans beat Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League (MIHL) rival Warren DeLa Salle 2-1 in overtime.
Junior Donovan Durban scored the gamewinning goal on a powerplay early in the overtime. His classmate Landon Leone assisted. Senior goalie Evan Sivi – who stopped 27 of the 28 shots he saw in the game – started the play and he drew the secondary assist.
PAGE 14
Riverview students effort propels Goodfellows canned food drive
The 2024 Riverview Goodfellows annual canned food drive was a resounding success, thanks to the remarkable efforts of the students in the Riverview Community School District. Their dedication and generosity led to thousands of canned goods being collected to support a local food pantry and help those in need during the holiday season.
The drive, coordinated by Kellie Mullins of the Goodfellows, took place across all five schools in the district. Each class worked tirelessly to collect the most cans in their respective schools, with the winning classes earning a well-deserved pizza party as a token of appreciation for their hard work.
The Goodfellows, with support from Riverview Pizza Place, provided the pizza, drinks, paper plates, and napkins for the celebrations. Goodfellow Mayor Swift and First Lady Darlene personally scheduled and delivered the parties to the winning classes, serving pizza and drinks to approximately 130 students. “It’s a joy to visit the classrooms and personally thank the students for their incredible effort to help feed the community during the holiday season,” said Mayor Swift.
PAGE 8
Grosse Ile girls looking for offensive consistency
The girls basketball teams from Grosse Ile and Carlson opened the 2025 portion of their season on Jan. 6 when they met on the court at Grosse Ile High School.
The teams had been away from live action since before Christmas and it showed. Each team showed considerable rust on the offensive end of the court, but Carlson was able to shake off enough of the rust to earn a 44-33 victory,
Grosse Ile came out and grabbed a 6-3 lead early in the game, but Carlson’s pressure defense stopped the Red Devils cold and they did not score another point in the quarter. It was 8-6 at the end of the first.
Grosse Ile’s offensive woes continued for much of the second quarter as Carlson – sputtering offense and all – managed a few buckets and moved out to a 15-6 advantage.
But Grosse Ile suddenly sprang to life and scored on its final three possessions of the half and went into the locker room trailing just 17-12.
PAGE 14
WWII veteran turns 100
WWII Veteran and long-time Trenton resident, Mr. Fred Ankney turned 100 years old on December 12th, 2024.
Mr. Ankney served as an Army Tec 4 and was stationed at the 87th field hospital in Okinawa, Japan from 1943 – 1946.
Proud daughter Theresa is a member of the Monguagon Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Along with the chapter’s help, Theresa got the word out asking that her dad receive 100 birthday cards. And by his birthday, Mr. Ankney had received 237 birthday cards from all over the world.
On December 7th, courtesy of the Trenton Police Department, Mr. Ankney arrived at Mom’s Restaurant in Trenton as a passenger in one of a four police car escort, where family and friends gathered to celebrate his special day.
The celebration at Mom’s included receiving lots of love and gifts from family and friends, a Proclamation from Governor Whitmer, a Proclamation from Veterans Affairs Lansing presented by Mrs. Steffany Muirhead-Morris, and being honored by the VFW Post 1888 of Trenton, where he is a member.
Members of the Monguagon Chapter, NSDAR, some dressed in colonial attire, presented a goodie basket of his favorite treats and posted a Happy 100th Birthday sign in his yard in honor of his special day.
Happy Birthday and thank you, Mr. Fred Ankney, for your service!
