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After a long and tedious, COVID-19 plagued school year, Southgate Anderson’s seniors finally celebrated their graduation on a glorious afternoon on the school’s new synthetic turf football field. Congratulations, grads! Meet the Top 10 Anderson graduates on Page 3.

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Page 2 • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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SOUTHGATE STAR • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • Page 3

Anderson Top 10 Graduates

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS Of 2021

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

Parents: Matthew and Christine Yesh Grade School and Middle School: Chormann, Grogan Elementary and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: marching band, winter drumline- section leader/center marimba, Link crew, twirl, jazz band, national honor society, and has her own band.

College/Major: University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) biopsychology, cognition and neurosciences Minor: Criminal Justice Best memory: performing on stage with closest friends for the drama club.

Wish for classmates: Enjoy every moment you have and find those that make you happy. Be unique and yourself, dress how you want, and find peace within yourself, others, and the earth. You only get to do high school once so don’t regret not taking opportunities. Join the marching band and drama club!

Parents: Kerry and Kelly Porter Grade School and Middle School: Grogan Elementary and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: French Club, NHS, Class Congress, Link Crew, Cross Country, Track and Field, Most Valuable Athlete Cross country (2020), School record holder 3200M Track and field (2019) College/Major: Central Michigan University Statistics Best memory: Breaking the school record for the 3200 meters run during my sophomore year.

Wish for classmates: I wish for my classmates to have success in their future endeavors and to find their passion in life.

Parents: Leonard and Kristi Peryam Grade School and Middle School: Chormann Elementary and Davidson Middle School Awards, activities, and honors: Varsity basketball, varsity tennis, varsity volleyball, vice president of class congress, link crew commissioner, big sisters, interact club, and national honors society, All Downriver League, Downriver league all academic College/Major: University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) communications and media Best memory: My best memory of high school was winning homecoming queen and getting to make memories with my classmates.

Wish for classmates: I wish success and happiness for everyone’s future.

Parents: Jim and Bonnie Gasior Grade School and Middle School: Allen Elementary and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: Class Congress member, Link Crew member, National Honor Society member, Big Sisters member, Varsity Figure skating college/major: University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Nursing Best memory: Going to football games on Friday nights.

Wish for classmates: I wish my classmates the best of luck in their future and are successful in life.

Parents: Kevin and crystal Jankowski Grade School and Middle School: Grogan Elementary and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: Creative Writing Club (10th grade), Quizbowl (10th grade), National Honors Society, Volunteer at Grogan Elementary College/Major: University of Michigan (Dearborn) Childhood Education Best memory: Little moments like everyone cramming for a test five minutes before we took it or feeling like we all failed together. Hating the assignments we had to do and being confused on the same topics. Nothing major, but small things that you’ll look back on with nothing but happiness.

Wish for classmates: I wish them nothing but the best in life. I hope they figure out who they are if they do not know now and I hope that they follow the path that they want to follow, even if it is going to be hard. I hope they find courage, strength, kindness, health, and love, but above all, I just hope they find happiness.

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

SOUTHGATE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 2021

Parents: Christopher and Erin Hilden Grade School and Middle School: Shelters Elementary and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: Class Congress member, Link Crew leader, National Honor Society member, 4 years foreign language (Spanish), Yearbook staff member College/Major: Central Michigan University College of Education and Human Services, Elementary education (K-3) Best memory: Homecoming week and being on Homecoming court Wish for classmates: I wish for my classmates to take every opportunity presented to them to follow their dreams and make a difference in the world.

Parents: Jason and Sara Rasizzi Grade School and Middle School: Allen Elementary and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: NHS, AP Scholar with Honors, Link Crew Leader, Marching, Pit, and Jazz Band, and Drumline Member, Interact Club, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Coach College/Major: Wayne State University Engineering Best memory: Performing at State Finals with the Marching Band Wish for classmates: I wish everyone success and happiness in whichever path they pursue after high school

Parents: Erik and Collete Norscia Grade School and Middle School: Chormann, Allen Elementary, and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: Member of NHS, 4-year captain on football and wrestling teams, Linkcrew, All Downriver League Wrestling and football, All Downriver League Academics College/Major: Wayne State University journalism/sports management Best memory: winning homecoming king Wish for classmates: the odds are always in your favor

Parents: Bill and Jennifer Augenstein Grade School and Middle School: Grogan Elementary, and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: NHS Member, Big Brother, Link Crew Commissioner/Member, Varsity Cross Country, and Track and Field Runner, Class of 2021 Secretary College/Major: University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Movement Science Best memory: Winning Cross Country Leagues in 2019 and being on Homecoming Court Wish for classmates: I wish that my classmates always strive to be the best version of themselves and continue to spread positivity

Parents: Benjamin and Kathleen Baksic and Laura Emmett Grade School and Middle School: Allen Elementary, and Davidson Middle School Awards, Activities, and Honors: Varsity Bowling, National Honors Society, Student Council, Class Congress, Link Crew, High Honor Roll, Downriver All-Academic Award College/Major: University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Biochemistry Best memory: Make the most amazing friendships.

Wish for classmates: Follow your dreams no matter what.

ISABELLA VISARI

Neveah Hilden

steven porter

frank rasizzi

ava peryam

ian norscia

emma gasior

william c. augenstein

Chloe jankowski

gavin baksic

Page 4 • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • SOUTHGATE STAR

Help Wanted!

Restaurants desperate for kitchen help, offering enticing incentives Restaurateur Jeremy Syrocki has a message: His businesses are hiring.

Syrocki, who is involved in ownership of Truago restaurant in Trenton, Major Biddle in Wyandotte and Lloyd’s on Grosse Ile, said all three businesses are in need of employees, especially cooks and kitchen help.

“We need to get some staff hired,” Syrocki said.

“We’ve been extremely busy and our current staff needs some help.

Syrocki said his restaurants are looking for all sorts of help from waitstaff, to bartenders to dishwashers, but the most pressing need is for chefs,

“We are prep-intensive,” said Syrocki. “We prepare everything fresh, every single day.”

To get new staff on board, Syrocki is willing to step up and offer greater pay and benefits.

Already since the pandemic, he has increased pay for his kitchen staff by about 20 percent and he is willing to open his wallet further.

“We are trying to get creative,” he said.

One of the things the restaurants are doing to hire kitchen talent is offering four 10-hour workdays.

In addition, they are willing to pay 45 hours for 40 hours of work. That’s a pretty attractive offer.

Also, Syrocki is offering up to $500 sign-on

restaurant since it opened five years ago.

To thank the staff for its hard work, on June 28, the restaurants will be closed and all 110 employees will be treated to a special Detroit River cruise on the Diamond Jack riverboat. There will be live music, dancing, a catered meal and an open bar.

“It’s going to cost us some money, but our employees have worked exceptionally hard and they have earned it,” said Syrocki, who also recently paid bonuses to kitchen staff in appreciation of their hard work.

Syrocki said hiring cooks has always been hard, but since the pandemic and since the additional unemployment benefits given by the federal government, it has become even more difficult.

“Cooks bounce around,” said Syrocki. “That’s how they gain experience, so you’re always looking for more cooks. But now, if I can pay them $600 a week and they can make $900 sitting on their couch, it makes it tough. Hopefully, somewhere down the road there will be incentives to get people to go back to work.”

Syrocki has shown that he is not afraid to pay up for good help, but, he said, in the end, it leads to higher prices for diners.

“Margins are very, very slim in the restaurant business,” he said. “If I was paying cooks $13 an hour and now I am paying them $17 or $18, that increase is going to have to be passed on to customers.”

Ben (left), Shannah, Kimbo and Mario are some of the kitchen staff at Truago Resaurant in Trenton. They are Syrocki is acutely aware of how looking for some co-workers. important his workers are. line cooks and prep cooks. bonuses depending on an applicant’s experience “Our No. 1 goal in the kitchen has and always Chefs, said Syrocki, run the show. They set up level and the management team is looking into will be the quality and consistency of our food. the day-to-day operation, handle scheduling and, in providing health insurance for its employees.

The No. 1 goal for the service staff is to make sure general, act as the boss. Line cooks are the ones who Syrocki is a good person to work for. The loyalty every guest that walks through our door has an do the heavy lifting, standing over stoves, actually of his staff tells that story. outstanding experience with us. cooking the food that gets served to customers. Prep For example, Truago head prep chef Veronica “And the cooks are warriors, they just are. cooks, who work mostly during the day, do just Manzano predates even Truago and has worked for The restaurant business is like a drug. You get an what the name implies: prepare things for the line Syrocki for 10 years. adrenaline rush when things are crazy busy and cooks to cook.

“Our team of employees is what makes our there are a bunch of tickets lined up. Then there is Syrocki said the prep cook role is vital at Truago, restaurants succeed and a majority of them have that feeling at the end of a wild night and you look Major Biddle and Lloyds because so much of the been with the company since day one,” Syrocki back and say, “Whew, look what we just did!’” food at the restaurants is prepared daily. Little said.

So, if you are a warrior cook, looking for that comes from a freezer or a can and little is prepped Many of Truago’s employees, like general adrenaline rush, Jeremy Syrocki has a place for you. more than a few hours in advance of being cooked. manager Carrie Hancock, have been with the

SOUTHGATE STAR • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • Page 5

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SOUTHGATE STAR • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • Page 7

Chris Bogard is new 28th District Court magistrate Hank Minckiewicz Southgate Star

As you go about doing your job good or bad - remember, someone may be watching.

That’s the lesson new 28th District Court magistrate Chris Bogard recently learned.

Bogard, three years out of law school and just beginning his career, was working with the Michigan Indigineous Defense Committee as a public defender at the 27th District Court in Wyandotte. One Bogard day he got a call from new 28th District Court judge Elisabeth Mullins, requesting a meeting.

“You don’t say no when a judge asks to meet with you,” recalled Bogard.

Bogard took the meeting and during the course of the meeting with the judge

and the court administrator it became clear that this was more than just a little get-together - it was a job interview.

Mullins asked if Bogard wanted the 28th District Court magistrate’s job.

He did.

He was honored and flattered, but also a little confused.

“I asked if she was sure she wanted someone as young and inexperienced as me,” Borgard said. “She said she had been watching me and she liked the way I handled things in the courtroom. She also said she asked around about me and said that I came highly recommended.”

Bogard had quickly made a name for himself by the way he conducted himself in court and by the way he treated his clients. Mullins, who is a new judge and still undergoing some training herself, felt he was a good fit for her court.

“It was very humbling,” said Bogard.

“You don’t realize people are watching and noticing the work you do.”

Bogard has begun his magistrate work, which allows him to still work with the MIDC and at his private practice with his father, David, and brother

David Michael.

A magistrate is sort of a assistant judge and although their precise duties may change from district to district, they often conduct mediations, resolve discovery disputes, and decide a wide variety of motions; determine whether criminal defendants will be detained or released on a bond; appoint counsel for such defendants (and, in the misdemeanor context, hold trials and sentence defendants); and make recommendations regarding whether a party should win a case on summary judgment.

Bogard said he fell in love with the law as a youngster, watching his father study for law school. David Bogard was first a navy officer, then a successful construction business owner before going to law school, passing the bar and becoming a lawyer.

“He came to the law later than most,” said Chris Bogard. “I was probably in middle school and he’d sit at the kitchen table studying and - although it sounds boring - I’d read his law books. It lit in me a passion for the law that I never knew was there.”

Bogard graduated from Trenton High School in 2010, then Baker College and finally from Cooley Law School, where he was cum laude.

Bogard said from his earliest days studying with his father he was struck how unfair the law could be to poorer defendants.

“I have always wanted to be a defense lawyer, someone to make sure people get a fair shake,” he said.

That’s why his work with MIDC has been important to him.

“I want to change people’s perception about public defenders,” he said. “I want people to be confident in the representation they get.

He said that he will bring his thoughts about fairness and his experience as a public defender to his role as magistrate.

“I think I can look at both sides of matters and make ruling that are fair to both sides, he said.

Bogard and his wife of six years, Ashley, live in Southgate with their 18-month-old son Harvey.

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SOUTHGATE STAR • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • Page 9

Rotary Club takes kids fishing

S

outhgate Rotary recently held its 29th annual fishing derby and picnic for the elementary and middle school special education students.

It was a great day as the kids fished with a Rotary partner in the morning then moved to picnic and play with Captain Rotary. The Captain brought each child a signed Captain Rotary Comic Book along with a GONE FISHING t-shirt.

Chef Don Treadwell prepared the hot dogs and hostess Liz Malkowski

handled the picnic set up. Rotary members and friends fished with the kids.

A special thanks to Michigan Memorial Park for providing the fishing pond and picnic area, Sam’s Club of Southgate for the food and soft drinks, Ron Dmitruchina of Patriot Insurance a Medicare Insurance provider who sponsored the t-shirts and Joe Reidy of Marathon who provided the protective eyewear.

From Southgate Rotary

Page 10 • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • SOUTHGATE STAR

CULINARY CAPERS In May, I was on a cake-mix baking binge. This month, it’s cookies. I’ve been EVELYN celebrating National CAIRNES Peanut Butter Cookie Southgate Star Day, which is June 12, by baking dozens of one of my favorite indulgences. To search for recipes, I headed to Georgia, which is the leading producer of peanuts in the United States, followed by Alabama and Florida. I found the three-ingredient recipe that follows on the Georgia Peanut Association website, and have learned since that the popular cookie dates back to the 1910s, and the familiar fork design to the 1930s.

The Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie, an entry in the 1957 Pillsbury BakeOff Contest, became one of the most famous recipes ever entered in the contest and one of the most popular recipes in the United States, especially at Christmas time.

If you’re a chocoholic, you’ll go bananas over the recipe for Double Chocolate Peanut Cookies, and if you’re not a chocoholic, you will be after one bite of this awesome cookie. It includes peanut butter, cocoa, chocolate chips and peanuts. The cookies are large and chunky. If you try to make small cookies from the batter, you will be disappointed. I tried to, and I was.

3-INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a spoon, thoroughly mix peanut butter, sugar and egg in a bowl. With a small cookie scoop, place scoops of dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Flatten the scoops with a fork to make the traditional peanut butter cookie criss-cross pattern. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool before removing from the cookie tray. Store in an air-tight container.

PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM COOKIES ½ cup Crisco Butter Flavor shortening ½ cup creamy peanut butter ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg

2 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt Sugar 48 foil-wrapped milk chocolate Hershey kisses, unwrapped Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Beat well on low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Top each cookie immediately with an unwrapped kiss, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge of kiss. Remove from cookie sheet to cool.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PEANUTY COOKIES 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup creamy peanut butter 2/3 cup light brown sugar 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips ½ cup unsalted peanuts Coarse salt for sprinkling Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla. Scrape bowl. Add dry ingredients on low, until just combined. With rubber spatula, stir in chocolate chips and peanuts.

Drop dough by 2 heaping tablespoons, spacing about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with pinch of salt. Bake about 12 minutes or until outside of cookies are set but middles are a little soft. Cool on baking sheets. Makes about 16 to 20 cookies.

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SOUTHGATE STAR • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • Page 11

It’s fun to play at the Y-M-C-A!

Downriver Family Y celebrates its 80th birthday

T

he Downriver Family YMCA, located on Northline Road near I-75, invited a few friends over on June 11 and celebrated 80 years of serving the Downriver Community.

The YMCA is an inclusive organization of men, women and children joined together by a shared commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living, and fostering a sense of social responsibility.

Located in the heart of Southgate since 2003, the Downriver Family YMCA has a fully equipped community facility that includes, a health and wellness center, aerobics and functional training studios, an indoor therapeutic pool, workout child watch, sauna, indoor running and walking track, indoor pool and gymnasium. The Y also has an elevator, full locker rooms and wi-fi.

The Downriver Family YMCA has provided over one million dollars in scholarships to Downriver

residents. Thanks to the generous support of YMCA donors thousands of children and families have had the opportunity to learn to swim, attend summer camps and to access health/wellness resources all year round.

The Downriver YMCA began in 1941 and it consisted of an office

and committee rooms in a house at 2956 Biddle Avenue in Wyandotte.

YMCA work expanded rapidly and a permanent location was identified in 1943. The YMCA purchased property at the corner of Chestnut and Biddle streets in Wyandotte.

The Downriver YMCA represented the first “family” YMCA branch including boys and girls as

well as men and women.

In 1959, the YMCA and YWCA together constructed a new YMYWCA building on Fort street and Eureka for a cost of $850,000. In 1968 an addition to the building added two pools and the YMCA retained full responsibility for the facility in 1998.

In 2002, the YMCA and the City of Southgate conceived of a new facility to expand services to all the communities in the Downriver community.

The new facility tripled the amount of kids, families, and seniors served by the Downriver YMCA. The current facility, The Southgate Fun and Fitness Center constructed through the foresight of the citizens of the city of Southgate, opened to the public on May 11, 2003 and has been the home of the Downriver YMCA ever since.

The YMCA has been an amazing part of the Downriver Community for more than eight decades. Hopefully, this great neighbor will be around for decades more.

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SOUTHGATE STAR • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • Page 17

I’m loving life. It’s so great. Last year, I played one round of golf. This year, I’ve played 24. It’s really cool! ~ Chris Grandy

Chris Grandy and his wife Linda

S

Dave Gorgon Southgate Star

hortly after he retired after 42 years of running the South Winds Golf Club in Southgate, Chris Grandy missed seeing golfers every day at the city-owned golf course. So he applied for another golfing job and was hired as a starter at Riverview Highlands Golf Club.

His wife Linda, a top golfer in her own right, went with Grandy to become part of a “package deal” at the Highlands, working in the pro shop and selling merchandise. Both new positions are part-time.

It didn’t take long for the Grandys to run into familiar faces and chat with long-time friends in the new location.

“The golf program has really grown here nicely,” Grandy said.

“The course is in great shape. I have nice people to work with. It’s very stress-free. I’m really enjoying it.”

As director of golf operations and a Class A Michigan PGA pro for four decades in Southgate, Grandy often faced a seven-days-a-week job with long 15-hour days. In the last year during the COVID-19 global pandemic, he found himself doing most of the work, even sanitizing the portable restrooms and bathrooms to keep up with protocol.

So retirement wasn’t as tough a decision as it might seem.

“Life is short,” said Grandy, who turns 66 in July. “For all of those years, I watched people come out and play and be with their families and friends and I never got to do that stuff. It just hits you: I need to do that.”

In addition to running the course, Grandy provided lessons and oversaw pro shop operations.

“Golf was so intense – so busy,” he said. “We had tremendous revenue. We were up six digits from the previous year, which was a really good year. To work that hard seven days a week – all day, every day – it really made me think.”

Grandy never shied away from hard work. Lincoln Park High School friend Jack Moreno introduced him to golf at age 15. He remembers getting one par the first time he golfed and two pars the second time – and only lost by a couple strokes to Moreno.

“I was hooked,” he said.

Grandy remembers practicing “all the time,” then joining and winning a golf league. He played at other courses and then heard of a counter job opening in Southgate. He took the job, worked and played golf.

“I noticed how the operations ran,” he said, “and I thought I could do things differently.”

He made a proposal to the city to manage the course in

1978 and a career was born.

Grandy was a good player and knew how to teach golf, so he entered a PGA apprentice program. Five years later, he was a Class A PGA pro, which provided the credentials he needed. In addition to passing a 36-hole ability test, participants had to take business classes all around the country.

Grandy started the Southgate junior golf league, which drew up to 300 young golfers. Junior league players learned the game, grew older and got their own children involved in golf, starting the cycle all over again.

Grandy started a Frostbite Open golf outing, which became a mainstay on the first weekend of December.

He greatly increased leagues and outings at the course. In recent years, he started The Footie, a course designed for a game of golf played by kicking a soccer ball into 24-inch holes in a separate golf course layout.

One thing Grandy is proud of is his involvement in teaching golf to students at the Asher Alternative Education Program through Southgate Adult Education. He said graduates of the program still thank him for teaching them the lifelong sport.

“I felt I was able to make a difference in their young lives by introducing them to the history and the game of golf,” he said.

Grandy also faced budget challenges that required him to make cost reductions while providing “top-notch quality service to our golfers. At least in my mind, I was always able to pull that off.”

In addition to teaching golf to countless players, Grandy said the highlight of his career has been getting his family involved in the sport – and all became accomplished players. Wife Linda, whom he married in 1976, has won a women’s tournament in Taylor seven of the last eight years.

These days, they play together in a couples league.

Sons Ben and Beau were captains of the varsity golf team at Gabriel Richard High School and Ben played at Cleveland State University. They each played their first holes of golf at age 3. Their dad was the teacher.

“I always felt I ran an operation that made people feel like family: playing at a course that welcomed them, that they could bring their family to and enjoy themselves,” he said. “I had people tell me that they liked playing here because they feel like part of the family. That’s a terrific feeling.”

In his quarterly column to residents, Southgate Mayor Joseph Kuspa thanked Grandy for his years of service to local golfers.

“Through the years, his commitment to this community and the sport of golf is unprecedented,” Kuspa said. “Best wishes to Chris on his well-deserved retirement.”

Grandy has been succeeded by the Davey Golf Company in management operations of South Winds. Grandy had brought Davey aboard to oversee maintenance operations.

Now, the same company is running the entire golf course with Jeramie Lopez serving as manager.

Grandy is still giving private lessons. Call (734) 2315524 to learn more.

“I’m loving life,” he said. “It’s so great. Last year, I played one round of golf. This year, I’ve played 24. It’s really cool!”

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Chris Grandy retires after 42 years at Southgate golf course

Page 18 • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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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!

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Thursdays in Market Park returns As we slowly crawl out from under the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shutdowns, there are signs of returning to normalcy all around us.

One of those signs is the return of Southgate’s Thursday in Market Center Park, the weekly farm, craft and entertainment event that was shut down last year by the virus.

Thursdays in Market Center Park will begin this year on Thursday, July 1 and run each Thursday through July 26. There will be a total of eight market days this year.

The events will carry weekly themes and there will be live music and food trucks available.

The theme of the first event is -naturally - welcome back and the band Athens Creek will provide the entertainment.

July 8 - Is Ladies Night, with the popular local band Wisteria playing.

July 15 - Is Vintage day at Thursdays in Market Center Park and local favorite Toppermost, a Beatles tribute band will entertain.

July 22 - Is Kids Day and Christmas in July, with Category 5 blowing in to provide the musical backdrop.

July 29 - Is Broadway on the Park Day. August 5 - Brings Mexican Food Madness and the band All Directions.

August 12 - Is Whiskey and Whiskers Day and the band Weekend Comeback will play.

August 19 - Is Southgate Business Appreciation Day and the Downriver Community Band will provide the entertainment.

August 26 - Closing out the season will be Sweet Treat Day and the Band Channel 3 will be on hand to play the season out.

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

SOUTHGATE STAR • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • Page 19

Page 20 • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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

Ingredients to elevate your meals... and health!

Looking for a way to spice up meals while also heightening your wellness?

Consider these three delicious herbs and spices the next time you whip up a dish.

Turmeric: One of today’s most popular spices (and rightfully so), Turmeric is a rich, golden color and high in anti-inflammatory properties. Try it to flavor vegan dishes, chicken or even in a golden latte.

Ginger: Having stomach issues? Give ginger a go to support gut health. Add it to your morning tea or smoothie.

Rosemary: Did you know that rosemary can help Turmeric is high in anti-inflammatory properties. support healthy blood sugar levels? It makes the is important for your mental health. By taking a perfect garnish for dishes like grilled veggies, pan day off, you’re also giving your mind and body roasted chicken, or roast. the chance to crave exercise again, improving motivation.

Why rest days are important 2. Taking the time to recover makes you stronger.

Can rest really help you meet your fitness goals?

How? After an intense workout, your body repairs Absolutely!

It’s incredibly important to give your body the the small tears in your muscles that happen naturally during exercise. After repair, they’re stronger. time it needs to rest and recover on your path to 3. You may sleep better. On a rest day, less wellness. cortisol is produced, which can result in better sleep.

Here are a few reasons you shouldn’t skip out on 4. It may prevent injuries. Too much strain on our rest days: muscles can result in overuse injuries.

1. It gives you time to recharge your mind, which

Taking one rest day each week is ideal.

The best exercise plan for you While it’s important to make fitness a priority in your life, you shouldn’t expect to do the same workout routine every time you step foot in a gym.

Instead, make sure you listen to your body when crafting a physical regimen that works for how you’re feeling.

Stress: If you’re experiencing high stress before a workout, relax your mind and body as cortisol levels are already high. Keep the intensity level of your workout at 70 percent or less with yoga or a light jog. For days you’re experiencing low stress, work on strength training.

Sleep quality: On days you’ve slept poorly, aim for gentle movements like cycling or mobility exercises. When you’ve slept well, go all out with a high energy workout like boxing, weight lifting or a run.

Injuries: If you’re injured, the best thing you can do is allow yourself the proper time to heal so the problem doesn’t become worse. Contact us for an appointment so we can help you get back to your activities ASAP. ~ Cousineau Chiropractic

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Anderson tennis team earns trip to state finals Coach Ryan Furkas’s Anderson girls tennis team capped a successful 2021 season by finishing second at a Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 regional at Ypsilanti Lincoln High School and earning a trip to the Division 2 state finals in Midland.

The Titans scored 19‑‑ points at the regional and finished behind only regional champ Trenton, which scored 21 points.

No. 1 singles player Ava Peryam and No. 4 singles player Leslie Maloney were individual regional champions. No 2 singles player Abby Neal and No. 3 singles player Jessica Edwards were runners-up.

Peryam beat Roosevelt’s Reese Blackledge 6-0, 6-1 and Maloney beat Jackie Maurino 6-3, 6-1. In the No. 2 finals, Neal fell to Allen Park’s Brooke Posey 6-2, 6-0 and at No. 3 Edwards fell to Allen Park’s Mariel Luecke 6-3, 6-3.

The Titans did not score at the state finals.

Playing for them there were, at No. 1 singles, Neal at No. 2, Edwards at No.3 and Maloney at No. 4.

The doubles teams were, Aubrey Edwards and Brianna Bumgardner at No. 1; Danica McCoy and McKenne Frietas at No. 2; Alexis Pomponio and Mirysa Thacker at No.3; and Emily Parkham and Kejsi Sulaj at No. 1.

Baseball team bows out in districts A really tough 2021 baseball season came to a close for the Anderson baseball team in the first round of the MHSAA district at Lincoln Park on June 5.

The Titans were swamped 13-3 by eventual district champion Wyandotte Roosevelt. The Bears scored twice in the first inning and then in every other inning except the second and third. Anderson managed three runs in sixth to pull within 9-3, but the Bears iced the game with four more runs in the top of the seventh. Roosevelt outhit Anderson 17-5 in the game.

It was the 12th time this season that

The Titans softball team looked ready to move on the the district finals on June 5, but Taylor scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and two more in the bottom of the ninth to end Anderson’s season in heartbreaking fashion.

the Titans surrendered 10 or more runs in a game. The team finished 2-20.

Taylor knocks softball team out of playoffs The Anderson softball team beat Downriver League rival Taylor twice during the regular season, but the Grif-

point led 6-0. But Taylor scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

Anderson scored once in the top of the top of the ninth, but Taylor scored two in the bottom of the inning to walk the Titans off and end Anderson’s season. Anderson outhit Taylor 18-11, but the Griffins got the W. Anderson opened the state playoffs by battering host Lincoln Park 18-2 in a pre-district game that lasted just four innings. Anderson scored five ruins in the first, eight in the thyroid and five more in the fourth.

Sierra Solo had four of Anderson’s 21 hits and Grace Piesz and Madison O’Herir-Knapp had three each.

The Titans finished the season with a 9-19 record.

After beating the Titans in a district semifinal game, Taylor’s season lasted exactly five more innings as the Griffins were blistered 15-0 by Allen Park in a mercy-ruleshortened championship game.

It then took Allen Park just eight innings to dispose of two regional rivals and win a regional title. The Jags beat Livonia Churchill 15-0 in three innings and Detroit Western 12-0 in five to advance to the Division 1 state quarterfinals.

Anderson soccer team eliminated early Anderson’s stay in the state soccer playoffs was a short one as the Titans were dominated 8-0 in a first round district game by Riverview.

Riverview was beaten by Huron 4-0 in its next game and the Chiefs were beten 2-1 in the district championship by Carlson.

Photo by Larry Caruso Carlson won the district title and fins got the last laugh, coming from the Marauders certainly earned it, beatbehind to beat Anderson 8-7 in a firsting Airport 2-0 in two overtimes, host round MHSAA district game on June 5 school Trenton 1-0 and Huron 2-1. at Woodhaven.

The Marauders were beaten 5-0 by Taylor won the game in stunning Divine Child, which went on to win the fashion. regional championship and is still alive Anderson scored three runs in the in the state tournament. first inning of the game and at one

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Sports

SOUTHGATE STAR • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • Page 21

Page 22 • June 24 — July 22, 2021 • SOUTHGATE STAR

Suggestions or Comments? We are listening at 734-282-3939

Peregrine Falcons: The return of a wanderer Karen Cleveland

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Merriam-Webster defines the verb “peregrinate” as “to walk or travel over; traverse,” and peregrine falcons are truly travelers.

Peregrines can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They may travel thousands of miles on migration, and it’s not unusual for birds to settle down and start a nest hundreds of miles away from where they hatched as chicks.

While it’s now fairly common to read about falcons nesting on a bank in a downstate Michigan city or a cliff overlooking Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula, it wasn’t always that way.

In Michigan’s early years of statehood, peregrines wouldn’t have been a common sight in our southern cities. The species nested only in northern Michigan, and then mostly on remote forested bluffs in the

Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Kristie Sitar holds a newly banded peregrine falcon chick from the nest box.

Upper Peninsula.

Our best estimate of how many birds called the state home at that time is around 10-15 nesting pairs.

Despite living in isolated and inaccessible places, peregrines weren’t safe. By the late 1950s, they’d disappeared from our landscape.

If you’re a Michigander, you likely know the story well – the buildup of toxins in the environment ranging from DDT to PCBs knocked out vital parts of the food web, sickened animals and kept them from being able to breed.

In the case of peregrine falcons, the concentration of DDT up the food chain, from insects to birds, meant the falcons’ diet contained high levels of

the poison that would be their doom. As the DDT accumulated in their bodies, the shells of the eggs they laid got thinner over time until the weight of the parents was enough to crush them, foiling reproductive success.

It wasn’t until the 1970s, when these environmental contaminants were banned, that recovery of Michigan’s peregrines became a possibility. But by that time, all the peregrines in the eastern United States were gone.

Bringing them back would rely on an infusion of birds from a different source: Captive breeding.

These efforts were ground-breaking.

A captive breeding program involves numerous facets, including researchers and falconers working together to better understand how to breed peregrines in captivity and ensure a healthy genetic mix in their offspring.

Federal scientists and regulators needed to provide legal protections, and state conservation partners would have to supply resources and expertise to find these birds new homes in the wild, along with the support they’d need to give them their best shot at survival.

The first step in the journey to Michigan’s peregrine falcon recovery was taken in Minnesota

by Pat Redig and Harrison “Bud” Tordoff at the University of Minnesota. In the early 1980s, they acquired captive-bred peregrines and released them in Minnesota.

In 1986, Bob Hess with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources approached Redig and Tordoff about acquiring birds to release here in Michigan as well.

“Bob Hess contacted me one day to inquire about sourcing young falcons for release. I had an extensive network of breeders that were supplying our releases in Minnesota to the tune of about 30 falcons a year and in order to avoid a bidding war, I told Bob I would serve as an intermediary in acquiring young falcons that were matched agewise and gender-wise for release,” Redig said, recalling how this led to the growth of the Minnesota program. “Based on this model, the program expanded to more than 100 falcons per year going to more than a dozen sites throughout the Midwest.”

Eventually, Redig and Tordoff would build a network of conservationists across 12 states and one Canadian province to share resources, expertise and research to support the recovery of peregrine falcons across the region.

It sounds simple: Get birds and release them, but that fails to capture the complex process that was involved in turning hand-raised birds into wild ones.

It starts with something called a “hack box.” Since it was well known that birds often return to near where they hatched when it’s time for them to breed, one way to attract birds to nest in a location is to raise some chicks there and hope they return.

This is where the hack box comes in. It’s a large

wooden box with a barred metal door covering the front and a small hinged door in the back. Chicks that are old enough to feed themselves, but not yet ready to fly, are kept in the box to get familiar with the sights and sounds of their new home while food is supplied through the small door in the back.

Once they’re ready to fly, the metal door on the front gets opened so the chicks can start testing their wings. Over time, they teach themselves how to hunt and live away from the support of the team that cared for them.

Each chick that learned these skills and flew away was an investment in the species’ future.

With all the daily care required to give these chicks their best chance at survival, the DNR looked beyond the places where peregrines historically nested in the state and set its sights on the man-made cliffs of Grand Rapids for the state’s first hack box.

McKay Tower, the tallest building between Detroit and Chicago until 1983, was chosen to host Michigan’s first peregrine release in the summer of 1986. With access to the roof to house the hack box, feeding and monitoring the chicks wouldn’t require packing supplies for a backwoods hike. The building where the hack box was placed was situated in the heart of downtown.

Lessons learned at this first site were invaluable as the hack box program expanded first to Detroit and then to more natural habitats on the bluffs of Isle Royale and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the U.P. in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

By 1988, Michigan had its first pair of peregrine falcons defending a nesting territory in downtown Detroit. They didn’t raise any chicks that year, but their territorial behavior was an encouraging sign for SEE FALCONS Page 23

FALCONS

Continued from page 22 the future.

It was a slow process waiting for falcons to discover Michigan as a possible home where they could nest. Some of those released chicks came back, but we also found birds from as far away as Toronto and Kentucky setting up housekeeping here.

Each year, DNR wildlife biologists would watch for new nest sites and work with the landowners there to help those pairs succeed.

“The local response has almost always been very positive,” said DNR wildlife biologist Nik Kalejs.

“Elementary school classes have helped name the chicks and raise money for peregrine conservation.

Local peregrine watchers have provided valuable information about nest box use, egg laying dates and hatching dates to help coordinate banding operations.

“Audubon club field trips were organized around falcon hatching and fledging activity. Newspapers and local television stations ran yearly stories about the peregrines and the newest batch of chicks, and the local building and utility companies took lots of pride in the peregrines and the company’s role in the restoration of the falcons.

Sure, there were a few complaints about bird parts littering the ground around some downtown buildings, but the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”

With their diet composed almost entirely of birds they catch in flight, peregrines will sometimes drop an uneaten head or leg to the sidewalk below as they feed their chicks.

Over the years, the DNR built up networks of connections with peregrine landlords, birders and conservationists to keep a watchful eye on these nesting sites to protect them.

In 2020, the DNR and its partners actively monitored over 30 nesting pairs across the state.

Dina Maneval, of the Lansing Board of Water and Light, where the birds nest on the utility’s Eckert Power Station, had an experience typical of peregrine landlords.

“The peregrines chose the BWL, and we were

Peregrine falcon chicks in a nest box on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor wait for their parents to bring their next meal.

Photos by Michigan DNR

here to help support their nesting efforts. When they identified Eckert as a good place to nest given the height of the building, BWL knew we could help them be successful,” Maneval said, “I found a blueprint of a peregrine nesting box online, asked our BWL construction shop to build it, and a nest was placed on the Eckert roof in 2007.

“In 2009, working with the students and staff at Moores Park Elementary School, who collected money for a program called Pennies for the Peregrine, BWL was able to purchase and install two Falcon Cams at the nest site, which still run 24/7 to this day. The connection has helped educate local classroom students, the Lansing community and those around the country on peregrines.”

While the bulk of these birds are ones taking advantage of man-made structures, the number of birds reclaiming homes on cliffs and bluffs in the U.P. has been slowly climbing, and we know of at least seven pairs of peregrines using these sites now.

The future of peregrine falcons in Michigan will

likely be written by networks of urban landowners and U.P. conservationists.

Coal-fired power plants, like Consumers Energy B.C. Cobb Plant in Muskegon and the Presque Isle Power Plant in Marquette, once a core component in the falcon’s nesting landscape, are being decommissioned and demolished as they age, and cleaner power generation technology becomes available. The birds nested on the smokestack structures.

Falcon parents can be fearless in defense of their young and sometimes scare their urban neighbors.

Peregrine landlords who embrace their role in the protection of the species and find ways to welcome them have been pivotal in the recovery of these falcons.

Peregrine falcons have become beloved residents of our city centers and reclaimed their place as a symbol of Michigan’s rugged north woods. With care and a little luck, they’ll hold that place for generations to come.

®

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