Southgate Star, October 13 – November 10, 2022

Eighth annual Wyandotte Zombie Pub Crawl set for Oct. 15

The Wyandotte Zombie Pub Crawl returns for its eighth year on Saturday, Oct. 15.

The Wyandotte Zombie Pub Crawl is a crowd-fundraising event unlike anything else in the area. It brings hundreds of people together every October who have purchased tickets to participate in Southeastern Michigan’s largest zombie pub crawl in beautiful Downtown Wyandotte.

The Wyandotte Zombie Pub Crawl event has raised over $78,000 in seven years for people, organizations and charities of the Downriver Area that need financial assistance.

Organizations supporting well-being like “Yes, Ma’am” which provides free mammograms to uninsured women; the Wyandotte Soup Kitchen which provides free meals for all; and cultural organizations like Downriver Council for the Arts which advocates, promotes and provides opportunities for participation in the arts.

Charities like Downriver Foster Closet, which helps foster kids rebuild

their self-esteem and adapt to their new home; and Penrickton Center for Blind Children, which specializes in working with legally blind children, ages 1 through 12 with at least one additional handicap.

And finally, individuals and families of Downriver who have fallen on hard times and need a little help to pay medical bills, rent/mortgage, food and other necessities.

This year’s fundraiser is again cohosted by two non-profits, Be Well My Friends and the Downriver Council for the Arts.

The event’s net proceeds will go to the “Yes, Ma’am” program at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, Downriver Council for the Arts, Penrickton Center for Blind Children, Downriver Foster Closet and Wyandotte Soup Kitchen.

The event begins at 4 p.m. on Oct. 15 with zombies receiving wristbands graciously donated by White Furniture at check-in at the Downriver Council for the Arts, which is located at 81 Chestnut in Wyandotte.

Zombies will then crawl to some of the best pubs in Downtown Wyandotte where they will receive discounted drinks when they show their wristbands.

Pub crawlers’ carcasses will be hauled around Downtown Wyandotte on a ZomBus which is generously provided by Trinity Transportation.

While on the crawl, Zombies can participate in a scavenger hunt sponsored by On the Rocks for a $300 cash prize.

At 9:30 p.m. the zombie horde

crawls back to the Downriver Council for the Arts for the Afterlife party at 81 Chestnut, sponsored by Green Acres.

There at the DCA, in the grimly decorated former Oddfellows ballroom, the Afterlife party will have top-40 music by DJ Rotten, a costume contest with $1,600 in prizes, cash bar, raffles and door prizes.

The Wyandotte Zombie Pub Crawl and Afterlife party concludes at 1 a.m. when the zombie horde again returns to their graves to rest until the 9th Annual Wyandotte Zombie Pub Crawl in October of 2023.

Tickets are currently on sale on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/ wyandotte-zombie-pub crawltickets-409456745147?

For all up-to-date event and ticket information visit us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/ WyaZombiePubCrawl/ and on our website bewellmyfriends.org.

This was a birthday present like no other

Dave Chapman

Southgate resident Tom Moon’s red 1962 Pontiac Catalina that he bought in 1963 had special meaning to him.

“In 1963 I was looking at a red 1962 Catalina and a white 1962 Grand Prix,” said Moon. “The Grand Prix had more miles on it and was owned by a person who used the car for business and drove it hard. The Catalina was owned by a doctor who got a new car every year and didn’t drive much.”

“I thought the Catalina was the better car and bought it.”

The car was made more special by the fact that Moon’s daughter and son were both brought home from the hospital in that car. Also, it was what he filled with all his possessions

when he moved from Pennsylvania to Michigan.

Moon eventually moved on from the car but never really forgot it.

His now-adult son, Rich started looking to find him a red 1962 Catalina a while back without much luck.

Although he could not find a Catalina, Rich did find a Red 1962 Grand Prix online for sale in Harpers Ferry in West Virginia.

“I spent two of months talking to this guy on the phone before he agreed to let me come see it,” said Rich.

“There were 50 to 60 cars from the 50s and 60s in his barn.

“I found out the reason the owner didn’t want to talk was that his wife told him that he had to sell at least 20 of his cars and he had hoped I would

lose interest and he would sell other cars first and could keep the Gran Prix.”

Instead of the usual top to bottom inspection and drive before sealing the deal, the only thing Rich did after a quick once-over was start the car to hear it run. The owner wanted the car to be shipped, but Rich had a trailer with him and took the car home with him.

Once the Grand Prix was back in Southgate, Moon’s daughter, Shelley Flynn, called him to tell him she had locked herself out of her house and needed for him to come and let her in. Naturally, it was a rise.

“When I turned the corner of the block on the way to her house I saw the car,” said Moon. “My son had shown me a photo of the car on his lap

top earlier, but had no idea what he was doing. It was a total surprise.”

Moon’s Grand Prix is from the model’s first year of production. Grand Prixs were built to compete with Ford’s Thunderbird, another luxury sports coupe.

The original owner ordered this car more for sport than luxury. Luxury cars aren’t usually found with a fourspeed manual transmission and the radio delete package.

After the car was taken off the trailer and given a good going over, the body, paint and interior were found to be in good shape.

However, there were some things that weren’t up to Moon’s standards.

“Whoever worked on the car did a

Shelly Flynn, her husband Robert Flynn, Tom Moon and Rich Moon

Photos by Dave Chapman

wonderful job,” said Moon. “There were some things that just weren’t finished.”

One of the major problems was the condition of the engine.

There was nothing mechanically wrong with it, it ran fine, according to Moon. But the engine didn’t look the way it did when it rolled off the assembly line.

To get it to look the way Moon wanted, the engine had to be removed from the car to be fully cleaned and detailed. While it was out, Moon spent many hours cleaning up the engine compartment so it too looked like the day it rolled off the assembly line.

The previous owner had installed small single air cleaners on each of the car’s tri-power carburetors.

After a long search Rich found a couple of original air cleaners for the carburetors, one in Texas and one in California.

The one in California was over their budget so they went with one from

Texas.

“The one from Texas looked like it came from a hog pen,” said Moon.” It was in really bad shape and took a lot of work to get into the shape it needed to be.

The Grand Prix’s instrument cluster was removed and sent out to be restored.

So that the engine compartment would retain its original look, a custom reproduction battery was ordered that is a modern battery with the looks of an original one.

All the hard work paid off when the car finished second at Autorama in the 1958 to 1965 restored class and was a Judge’s Choice at an all-Pontiac car

show.

Presently Moon and his family enjoys cruising car events and has no plans on selling the car.

“If the right money came along, I might sell it,” said Moon. “However, it will most likely stay in the family forever.”

to clear up the confusion about

Planning ...

following definitions

legal precision, but makes it easier to get a clear picture of what may be needed in your case.

– 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!

Welcome to the team Doug Drysdale hired as city’s new finance director

Dave GoRGon

Douglas Drysdale, who recently retired as city manager in Riverview, has been hired as finance director and assistant city administrator in neighboring Southgate.

Drysdale, who has lived in Southgate for 28 years, succeeds David Angileri, who will retire at the end of October after serving the city for 28½ years.

“With the retirement of our current Finance Director, David Angileri, it was important to find someone with a similar level of expertise and experience,” said Southgate Mayor Joseph Kuspa. “We found that in Doug Drysdale.”

Kuspa said Angileri is staying on through the end of the October with Drysdale as he becomes accustomed to Southgate procedures and the city’s municipal government – “a month’s worth of transitioning.”

Angileri, Drysdale and Drysdale’s brother Todd, the city administrator in Wyandotte, are among the most seasoned appointed government officials in the Downriver area.

‘Doug is a very competent and seasoned public sector manager,” the Mayor said. “During his years in the city of Riverview, he gained a stellar reputation in his community and throughout our region. It is most advantageous to have someone who already knows local municipal finance and also has an understanding of Wayne County and State of Michigan processes. He will enter the position wellprepared.

“Mr. Drysdale knows our area well; he is Downriver born and raised. In addition, Doug and his family have lived in Southgate for the past

28 years. My administrative team works very well together and Mr. Drysdale will be a great and welcome addition.”

Drysdale said he has known Angileri “for about my whole career in government” and has known the Mayor the last decade through their participation in the Downriver utility wastewater authority.

“I knew David was retiring,” Drysdale said. “The Mayor contacted me a couple days after I left Riverview and we discussed it. It seemed like a good fit.”

Drysdale, 53, has spent

nearly 20 years in municipal finance.

In Riverview, he was finance director for 10 years and city manager for nine years. As city manager, he was involved in a number of financial issues. Prior to that, he worked 12 years as an accountant and auditor in the private sector.

As city finance director in Southgate, Drysdale said, he will be involved in “the day-to-day overseeing of the financial processes in the city,” including paying vendors and city employees, keeping

the books and accounting, while assisting Mayor Kuspa and his team, including City Administrator Dan Marsh.

“I’m excited to be here,” Drysdale said. “I’m getting to know the staff, meeting with the Mayor and city administrator and other department heads. It’s been good so far. I’m looking forward to working with them for a number of years.”

Drysdale said he appreciated the support of Riverview Mayor Andrew Swift and some members of the Riverview City Council

over the years.

“I’ll spend the month with David, who is going to show me everything he does here,” Drysdale said. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to soak up that knowledge. It seems like a very well-oiled machine he’s put together.

“I’ve gotten to know the Mayor better over the years. He impresses me very much with his ability to work with residents and the businesses of Southgate.

“I’m looking forward to the new challenge.”

Retiring finance director David Angileri, Mayor Joseph Kuspa and Doug Drysdale.

Fall Admissions Events At Gabriel Richard That You Won’t Want to Miss 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.

As the 2022-2023 school year is now well underway, the Gabriel Richard Catholic admissions office is working diligently to provide insightful and enjoyable events for “Future Pioneers” and their parents this fall. A couple of annual events Gabriel Richard hosts geared towards prospective families are Pioneer Exploration Day and Open House.

Pioneer Exploration Day, scheduled for Friday, October 21, is an event open to all 7th and 8th grade students interested in learning more about Gabriel Richard. This free-to-attend event will include fun games, a pep rally, pizza lunch, and mini classes with GR teachers and students. Pioneer Exploration Day will run from 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to sign up for the event visit gabrielrichard.org/pioneerexploration-day

Open House, scheduled for Sunday, November 6, is a great opportunity for families to come and learn more about all Gabriel Richard has to offer. The event will run from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. and will provide families with the opportunity to meet Gabriel Richard administrators, teachers, support staff, students, coaches, parents, and alumni. Open House attendees will learn about the college-prep curriculum, campus ministry opportunities that help students grow in their faith, visual and performing arts offerings, and the championship caliber athletic teams.

For more information about Gabriel Richard, contact Brendan Johnson, Director of Admissions, by phone, 734-284-3636 or by email, admissions@gabrielrichard.org

Splash down!

Although summer is officially over, Southgate still had a warm enough day to hold the grand opening of its new splash pad at Market Center Park last month. The new feature was made possible by a $500,000 grant award from the Wayne County CDBG program. Southgate Mayor Joe Kuspa, who helped handle ribbon-cutting duties, gave a tip of the cap to Wayne County Commissioner Joseph Palamara (D-Grosse Ile Township), as well as Darcel Brown from Wayne County Executive Warren Evans’ office, who worked to get the grant money approved. Kuspa added that the city is looking forward to a full season of use in 2023. In addition to being a great way for residents to cool off during hot weather, the splash pad can also perform as a water feature during events at the park. Each water jet is lighted from the bottom, so it is able to create a dramatic visual effect.

Downriver Community Band to celebrate jazz

The sounds of Jazz will echo again this fall in Flat Rock.

Downriver Community Band (DCB) will be performing their annual big band dinner dance on Sunday, Oct. 16. This year’s concert is sure to please when the band performs from many of the greats –including Buddy Rich, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Count Basie, Michael Bublé, Dean Martin and many others!

“The band’s Big Band Concert is jam packed with some of the best music in jazz,” said Patrick Jenson, the band’s conductor. “It’s so much fun to play such a great musical genre to a room full of people looking for a great time. The DCB always delivers a winner!”

Because of the popularity of this concert, tickets are expected to sell out quickly.

Tickets for the 4:30 p.m. show are $25 and include a four-course dinner. Because of popularity, tickets are presale only, no tickets will be available at the door.

The concert will be held at David P. Gohn Life Center, 23984 Gibraltar Road, Flat Rock.

The band’s president, Denise Doede said, “Considering the popularity of last year’s concert,

DCB is extremely excited to once again bring this concert to the Downriver community. The music is a blast, and even more fun to play.”

To purchase tickets, call 734.589.0322 or visit TheDCB.org.

About the Downriver Community bAnD

Founded in 1989, Downriver Community Band (DCB) is a volunteer wind ensemble of adult musicians with a mission to promote music within the organization and the community.

DCB is composed of players of various skills from all walks of life.

DCB performs locally for civic, charity and fundraising events and has performed in Hawaii, New York, Washington DC and Indiana.

Our repertoire consists of marches, big band, classical, jazz, show tunes, contemporary and original compositions. Our conductor, Patrick Jensen, is an active musician in the Detroit area. He teaches music at both Wayne State University and Henry Ford College and has been associated with Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra, The Dearborn Symphony, Henry Ford College Big Band and Frank Zappa tribute band.

Sponsorship for the group comes solely from community supporters. For more info, go to TheDCB.Org.

arlene Rose was a localist

My mother died on Sunday, Sept. 25.

She died peacefully, in no pain, with family members there for her. The day before, all of her sons were there, and she talked to all of us.

She was 90 years old and lived a long, happy, good life.

While I am sad about this, of course, I am also well aware of all of the above and so much more. This was hardly a life cut short, and that life was felt by those around her like a magnetic field or ripples in a pond from the force of her personality.

It just can’t get much better for all of us that loved her and will miss her. This column is not an obituary, though.

Long before I understood the power of localism on local economies, my mother simply preferred to shop at places that knew her name and that appreciated her patronage. My father was and is a man that wanted nothing to do with national chains of any kind, and internet purchases were just a s bad if not worse.

Together, they simply chose the local option instinctively and automatically.

Over a lifetime of spending for appliances, tires, food and well, everything, consider what the sum total of their spending was in the

Downriver region that supported our local and independently owned clothing stores.

I can tell you that my mother made a difference to the places she did business with for all the things she needed or wanted.

She was a friendly, happy, and supportive presence. And I can tell you that I continue to feel the glow of all the people that consider Chelsea and Willow Tree by so many people that are those warm and happy faces that always think local first.

Reciprocity is one of the most important concepts to get a grip on in life. It is gratifying beyond words to direct my business to people and the businesses they own that do business with us.

It is connectivity to our community, of course, but first, it is being specifically supportive of specific, impactful people that I like and appreciate, and that I do not want to be diminished in any way by my indifference.

The idea of localism is also tangential to much simpler ideas: Being grateful, and being kind. As I’ve come to emphasize in my own mind and to share often, I am dazzled by the impact that single humans make in their endeavors.

I’m grateful to each of them for their contribution to the meshwork of our community.

The people I admire and appreciate in this respect are all

obsessed with their own visions, all over the top on their commitments to their people and to the services they provide, and all kind, grateful people. The absence of which makes the world I go about in less vibrant and less happy.

In this regard, it is OK to be right up front about recognizing that supporting such people (businesses) is one of the most self-serving things you can do. As your spending decision keeps those people in work, as well as all the people they pay, you get the satisfaction of knowing you are doing business with people that matter to you. People that you would be depressed about losing. Sometimes we lose these people due to death. Sometimes the people are irreplaceable in terms of what they brought to the table of life. But through their lives, they made a profound impact on how we see the world.

As her oldest son, and one of the partners that made our version of local work for nearly all of my time in business, of course I miss her.

Expressing these emotions at a keyboard is difficult; I’ve had to take more breaks for this column than any other.

That said, most people don’t get the chance to do this, now, do they?

The idea that I expressed in one of my earliest columns was this: If my daughter owned a bakery, nobody would have to urge me to support her. I would be doing my best to

help her succeed in that best damned bakery I had ever been in. So would a lot of other people, for the person herself, as well as for the products she created. It’s a symbiotic thing, it’s a priceless thing.

But other people that don’t think local first (I mean, local only, thanks Mom) would need to be told of that amazing place. They would need to be reminded of just how awesome a place it is, right here in our Downriver homeland. Once they went, they’d never have to be told again.

That’s why I write. But if it helps, imagine my mom telling you that “you know, you really should shop locally. Everyone benefits when you do.”

Bon voyage, Momma. You done good.

arlene Rose

Florida Keys Vacation!

$295*

Night

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!

Us On Facebook

The good, the bad and the ugly Gas vs electric vehicles. Should you take the plunge?

SuSan pinkowSki

For those on the fence about you next car being gas or electric, maybe some further information will help you make the decision. Here are some facts gleaned from multiple sources that get into the murky areas.

You wouldn’t think gasoline-powered automobiles would kill people other than on the road or in accidents, but scientists have discovered a link between car fumes and lung cancer.

This might explain why so many non-smokers develop that disease. It turns out that we all have dormant mutations in our lung cells, “small errors that we accumulate in our DNA throughout life, and which normally remain innocuous,” according to Dr. Charles Swanton of the Francis Crick Institute.

These cells can turn cancerous when exposed to PM2.5 particles, which is the fine particulate matter in air pollution.

He also indicated that “more people are exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution than to toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke.”

In 2019 alone, there were about 300,000 deaths

from PM2.5s. EVs, on the other hand, don’t have any tailpipe emissions and won’t cause more air pollution.

Another downside to fossil fuel vehicles is all that additional heat that they unleash in our cities, which are already too hot.

About 70 percent of the energy from the gas in your tank is wasted as heat through the radiator and the exhaust.

Steven Blumenkranz, a mechanical engineer, indicated that the “heat dissipated by a car by all loss mechanisms combined is equal to the heating value of the gasoline burned by its engine. All of the energy in the fuel is eventually dissipated as heat.”

In order to understand the volume of heat added to a city, Lloyd Alter in his article “Cars Add a Lot of Heat to Our Cities. . .” on www.treehugger.com, compared the volume of heat (BTU per gallon) released by the average amount of miles driven by the average cars during only one day in Manhattan, to the average BTUs released by a patio heater.

The result was the equivalent of 157,336 patio heaters driving around Manhattan every day, releasing all that heat into the city. This we can

certainly do without, although picturing it is rather amusing.

EVs have other issues.

According to Brian Leli of www. theprogressnetwork.org, cobalt is a key component of the lithium-ion batteries in most EVs, 70 percent of which is mined out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The ugly part of this is the unfair labor practices and child labor issues in that republic. Further, most of the EV batteries themselves come out of China, which has a whole host of human rights issues.

Fortunately, it has been recognized that there aren’t enough minerals underground in the few countries currently mining them to power all the batteries that will be needed in the not-toodistant future, so alternatives are being sought, and countries are coming together to source these materials under stricter environmental, social and governance standards.

As reported in Bloomberg News on 9/22/2022, the countries involved are Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, the United States and the European Commission.

The developing nations that are also involved are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Zambia. This will truly be a global effort to create batteries in a more humane manner.

But what about the whole life cycle emissions?

From the mining of the components all the way through to the end life of the finished product, emissions from producing EVs are 60-68 percent lower than those emitted in the production and use of gas vehicles, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation.

That’s a pretty big reduction for our planet.

One item that is keeping a lot of potential buyers on the fence is “range anxiety.’”

We’re all familiar with how far our gas vehicles can travel before we have to top off the tank, but can we get that same level of comfort with battery power?

EVs have a simple system to tell you how much power you have left, and it even estimates the number of miles you may still travel. It’s prominently displayed on the instrument panel.

The full range on the vehicle according to the manufacturer is around 259, but if you drive it to the best of the car’s ability (and yours), you can get up to 350 miles per charge. The green will slowly deplete as will the available miles, so you just plug it in then, or any time before. Some owners leave it plugged in all the time when home.

Another concern is charging at home – what if you don’t have one? Chevrolet was offering up to $1,250 towards a 240v line installed at your home. You can also plug into a standard 110v line, but it will take longer to charge.

A further concern on charging is the source of the electricity from your provider. In the Downriver area, other than Wyandotte, our electricity is coming from DTE. Their power is generated by coal, wind, and solar but you can specify which type of power (coal or green) you want to get your electricity from. You can actually go green all the way by specifying where you want your power to come from.

If you have solar on your roof, you

can even charge your car off that.

Our beautiful state is rapidly installing more chargers than ever before.

With the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure law, chargers will soon be as plentiful as gas stations.

There are different levels of charging though – some are free while others require payment so it’s best to plan your trip up north before you need to find a station.

In addition, the batteries are lasting longer than anticipated.

These batteries are guaranteed under warranties for 100,000 miles or eight years of use, and extended warranties

is a battery recycling facility that recaptures usable quantities of metals at a cost lower than conventional mining. And technology keeps on developing. Soon overtaking lithium-ion batteries may be solidstate batteries, as they promise to deliver better across the board: Faster charging, can hold more power, and could last longer.

There’s even talk about wireless chargers and battery swapping stations on the horizon. There’s even a new formula for batteries that MIT is developing that could be a gamechanger if they’re successful.

Another concern that has pretty much been alleviated is the cost of an

Woodhaven, has been selling cars for 32 years, and EVs for 11 years starting with the Volt.

Currently, Chevrolet is selling the Bolt and soon the electric Equinox and Blazer.

Ford has the Mustang Mach-E and F150 Lightning, while Nissan has the Leaf.

There are many more out there and more to come. The problem is that whichever vehicle you decide to buy, it may take about six months to arrive after you order it because the demand is so high now. Car dealers are unfortunately finding they have more customers than available EVs.

Volkswagen also came out with an electric model, the ID.4.

David Howell of Riverview purchased the ID.4 in 2022, as he was concerned about the environment and wanted to be a part of the transition to electric vehicles.

He encourages others to make the switch because of the benefit to our planet, lower transportation costs, the quality of the vehicles and how easy they are to operate.

Howell recently took a 720-mile round trip to Canada in his EV with minimal problem, and another 450mile round trip which was relatively trouble free.

Consumer Reports has even chimed in with an opinion: “Aside from being better for the environment than gas cars, a new or used EV can save you up to 60 percent in fuel costs.” That’s a hefty percentage.

As gas prices fluctuate, always around the holidays, you’ll save even more driving an EV.

According to www. energyinnovation.org, new research has revealed that EVs are now cheaper to own and finance on a monthly basis than gas powered vehicles.

On Facebook

are available for purchase.

Nic Thomas, an executive at Nissan, indicated that almost all of their batteries are still in cars, some as old as 12 years. In addition, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal, batteries are outliving the life of the vehicle and are being repurposed into large-scale energy storage. Reusing these batteries is common in Japan and growing in the U.K. and here at home. They are being repurposed to store energy from solar panels and wind turbines.

Redwood Materials in Nevada

electric vehicle.

While some were over $100,000 initially, many of them are now in the $35,000 - $65,000 range and getting less expensive all the time. The basic Chevy Bolt has a starting price of just upwards of $26,500 so cost is no longer a deterring factor.

People are finding out that the resale value on used EVs is better than expected.

Where you can buy them is pretty much everywhere now.

Randy Warsop, a salesman with Michael Bates Chevrolet in

To recap, we see that EVs don’t pollute or emit heat like gas cars, the range isn’t a problem any more with chargers everywhere, the prices have come down, the batteries can last longer than the vehicle itself and the life cycle emissions are less than gas cars, making them better for our environment, our planet, our lungs and our health. No wonder there’s a six month or more waiting list.

If you’re in the market for a new car, hopefully you’ll at least consider an electric vehicle now!

Dave howell and his electric vehicle.

Titans in full-throated football renaissance

Sometimes you make a move or a decision and it takes a long time to see results. Sometimes, those expected results never materialize. But sometimes, when all the levers are manipulated just right and the stars align, magic happens.

We might be seeing that in Southgate where less than a year ago the Southgate schools administration hired Bobby Marten as Anderson’s new football coach.

You knew something was up right off the bat when Marten, who was only a few weeks on the job, rallied his team after a snowstorm and took them out to shovel snow for needy Southgate neighbors.

After that, the new coach went to work fixing what was wrong on the field.

And there was a lot wrong. Going into the 2022 season, Anderson had not had a winning record in seven years and they had been a sub-.500 team in every year but one since 2012.

Anderson was 3-9 in 2019, 2-5 in 2020 and 1-8 last year.

Since the 2022 season started, it has been mostly bright spots for the Titans, who won four of their first six games, including the stunning win over thenunbeaten, defending co-Downriver League champion Carlson on the final day of September.

Now, we all know about the blind squirrel finding an acorn and flukey things often happen, especially in high school football. But, if you were not at that game, know this: This win was no fluke.

The Titans simply dominated the first half of the game and when Carlson got off the mat and came roaring back in the second half, Anderson went toe-totoe with the Marauders and won.

This game was a hard-hitting, hard-fought battle. It was no fluke watching junior running back Chase Barbosa slam into the Carlson line again and again (30 times!). It was no fluke watching the Titan offensive line push the Marauders back. It was no fluke watching Ian Thomas running free in the secondary as he has all year and it was no fluke watching the Titan defense keep potential Division 1 running back Omari Carter mostly in check.

I have been watching high school football games for more than 40 years and Anderson’s drive to start the game was one of the most remarkable things I have ever seen.

The Titans took the opening kickoff, started on their own 16 yard line, ran 18 plays and capped the 84-yard march with a touchdown. The drive took an incredible 10 minutes and 33 seconds. That’s unheard of. A high school quarter is only 12-minutes long and the Titans used all but 1:27.

Barbosa, who finished the game with 115 rushing yards on 30 carries, scored on a two-yard run. It was the first of three scores on the night for the workhorse. On the opening drive he carried 14 times for 69 of the 84 yards.

Then Anderson stuffed the Carlson defense and went 45 yards to score and take a 14-0 lead. Barbosa carried five more times on that drive, but sophomore quarterback Jackson Sage stepped into the spotlight, completing important passes to Thomas and Ryan MacDonnell. Barbosa scored from a yard out.

The Anderson defense did its thing again and, using a fairly short field, Andeson struck again, going 38 yards for a score. This time, Barbosa carried in from four yards out and it was 20-0 as the whistle for halftime sounded.

As expected, Carlson regrouped during the intermission and came out breathing fire.

The Marauders took the opening second half kickoff and just a few plays later they were celebrating in the end zone.

Anderson fumbled the ensuing kickoff and recovered it on the 12-yard line. A holding penalty pushed the Titans back to the six and led to them

Anderson running back Chase Barbosa was miscast as a quarterback his first two varsity seasons. His tough-guy running and stout play at his linebacker position are key reasons for the Titans great turnaround this year.

punting from their own end zone.

Carlson got the ball on the Anderson 45 and Carter scored on a 55-yard run on the field play.

The fourth quarter was not even half over, the score was 2014 and you have the feeling the clock was striking midnight for the Cinderella Titans.

Not so fast, Prince Charming.

Instead of folding up the tents and disappointing the huge homecoming crowd, the Titans punched back.

Facing a third-down and long situation from his own 39-yard line, Sage scrambled to his right, launched a long pass downfield for Thomas, who caught it on the Anderson sideline and completed a 61-yard catch-and-run for a score. It was a sign of what was to come.

After another Carlson score, Sage went to work. He engineered a 65-yard scoring drive that included two pass completions to Thomas and two to MacDonnell. MacDonnell’s second catch of the drive covered 19 yards and earned points.

Up 33-21 heading into the fourth quarter, Anderson did what it had to do over the course of the final 12 minutes.

Carlson closed to 33-28 in the first minute of the final stanza, but Anderson took the air out of the ball with a long, 13-play drive that likely would have sealed the game if not for a tipped pass interception that gave Carlson the ball deep in its own end with time winding down.

But the Titan defense was having nothing to do with any Marauder comebacks and shut the Marauders down on four plays to slam the door on Anderson’s biggest win in years.

The Titans played at Lincoln Park on Oct. 7 and they finish the regular season with home games against Woodhaven and Allen Park. In years past, those were virtually unwinnable game, but this is a different Southgate team and the sky seems to be the limit.

Facebook

hank

minCkiewiCz

Photo by Dave Chapman

Us On Facebook

Southgate girls are tiny, but mighty

Neither the boys or the girls have enough team members to score at cross country meets this season, but that does not mean the runners competing are not making an impact.

The leader of the pack this season is Sparrow Centeno, who is not only a team leader, but one of the best female runners in the Downriver League and Downriver.

The junior proved that at the Sept. 24 Monroe Jefferson Invitational at Sterling State Park, where she ran second in the top division. Running against more than 40 other runners, Centeno clocked a 20:48 to finish behind only Viktoria Blonairz of Monroe.

Senior Lena Hales, who has been a solid No. 1 to Centeno all season long, was 7th in 22:06. Anysia Correa was the only other Titan in the race and she finished 27th.

At the two Downriver League Jamborees held so far this season, Centeno has placed among the top five runners each time.

In the first Jamboree, hosted by Willow Metropark, Centeno was fifth with a time of 21:36. She finished behind race champ Samantha Cost of Wyandotte and

runners from Woodhaven, Allen Park and Wyandotte.

Teammates Hales (15th) and Correa (23rd) followed her home.

In the second jamboree, also held at Willow on Oct.4, Centeno raced to a thirdplace finish. She ran 20:21 and was beaten by only Cost and Woodhaven’s Peyton Scheffler. Cost broke 19-minutes (18:59) and Scheffler broke 20 (19:48).

Hales cracked the top 10 at the second jamboree, running 21:48 to finish ninth. Correa and Teresea Jones also ran for the Titans.

Centeno and the other Titans runners will get one more crack at the league competition at the Downriver League conference meet at Lake Erie Metropark on Oct.20.

The Titans will take part in the Gabriel Richard Downriver meet, which is the remnants of the old News-Herald Meet on Oct. 15 at Young Patriots Park in Riverview and then go to MHSAA regionals Oct. 29 in Milan.

Fall fun at the Detroit River international wildlife Refuge

Jazmyn Bernard

It’s that time of year again! Time for spooky costumes, apple picking, trick or treating, and pumpkin spice lattes. But for us at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, it’s also time to go hiking, to watch the raptor migration and to talk about nocturnal animals.

Some of the many events we will have at the refuge this Fall are ranger-led hikes. During our hikes in Humbug Marsh, visitors can enjoy the changing colors of the leaves and see wildlife on our trails.

Visitors can also join us for the Walk for the Wild event during National Wildlife Refuge Week. This event is a 5k created by the Public Lands Alliance. The purpose of the event is to demonstrate the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s commitment to deepening human connections with nature and to protect the thriving ecosystems we depend on.

After hiking with a ranger, you can visit Lake Erie Metroparks to

experience a Fall phenomenon.

During this cool and brisk season, Michigan welcomes thousands of raptors as they migrate through the state. One of the best places to watch

the raptors is at the Detroit River Hawk Watch. For 25 years, the Detroit River Hawk Watch has been at Lake Erie Metropark.

In addition to the Detroit River

Hawk Watch, Lake Erie Metropark and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be having a Junior Hawk Watcher program. This program will help children learn about hawks and how to identify hawk species in flight. We at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge are proud to be working with Lake Erie Metropark and the Michigan DNR again this year to teach and gather information about these amazing creatures.

If you would like to visit the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, we are located on 5437 West Jefferson Ave. in Trenton, MI. The trails, fishing pier, and kayak launch are open seven days a week during daylight hours.

The John D. Dingle Jr. Visitor Center is Open Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 12:30 to 4 p.m. There are no entrance fees to the refuge or visitor center.

If you have any questions, please contact us at DetroitRiver@fws.gov

Photo by Steven Sprankle