Nominations for “Trentonite of the Year” now open
The City of Trenton is seeking nominations for the 2025 “Trentonite of the Year” Award, a prestigious recognition honoring individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the community through leadership, service, and positive influence. If you know someone in the Trenton community who has gone above and beyond to make a difference, now is the time to nominate them and give them the spotlight they deserve.
The “Trentonite of the Year” Award celebrates an individual who has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the lives of others in Trenton. Whether through volunteerism, leadership, or service to a local organization, the recipient of this award will be someone who has shown a deep passion for making Trenton a better place to live and work. To be eligible for the award, nominees must actively support an organization
that benefits the Trenton community, whether through time, talent, or financial contributions. They must live or work within the Trenton community and show a genuine concern for the community, the environment, and family values. Additionally, nominees should serve as positive role models, especially for the youth, and inspire others to get involved and contribute to the community.
To nominate someone for the “Trentonite of the Year” Award, submit a short essay (maximum 500 words) explaining why the individual
is deserving of this recognition. The essay should highlight specific examples of the nominee’s leadership, service, and impact within the community.
The deadline for submissions is February 3rd. To download the nomination form, scan the QR code or visit the City of Trenton’s website.
Send the completed nomination form to Tim Beaker at tbeaker@trenton-mi.com. For questions or more information, contact the Trenton Parks and Recreation at 734-675-7300.
This is a great opportunity to acknowledge individuals who have made a significant impact in Trenton, recognizing their hard work and meaningful contributions to the community.
WWII veteran turns 100
WWII Veteran and long-time Trenton resident, Mr. Fred Ankney turned 100 years old on December 12th, 2024.
Mr. Ankney served as an Army Tec 4 and was stationed at the 87th field hospital in Okinawa, Japan from 1943 – 1946.
Proud daughter Theresa is a member of the Monguagon Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Along with the chapter’s help, Theresa got the word out asking that her dad receive 100 birthday cards. And by his birthday, Mr. Ankney had received 237 birthday cards from all over the world.
On December 7th, courtesy of the Trenton Police Department, Mr. Ankney arrived at Mom’s Restaurant in Trenton as a passenger in one of a four police car escort, where family and friends gathered to celebrate his special day.
The celebration at Mom’s included receiving lots of love and gifts from family and friends, a Proclamation from Governor Whitmer, a Proclamation from Veterans Affairs Lansing presented by Mrs. Steffany Muirhead-Morris, and being honored by the VFW Post 1888 of Trenton, where he is a member. Members of the Monguagon Chapter, NSDAR, some dressed in colonial attire, presented a goodie basket of his favorite treats and posted a Happy 100th Birthday sign in his yard in honor of his special day.
Happy Birthday and thank you, Mr. Fred Ankney, for your service!
We Provide Peace of Mind
Website: bovitzcpa.com •
This special Christmas Kitty, Opal, is pictured patiently waiting to open all of her presents from Santa Paws! How many toy mice do you think she got?
It is obvious that Bob Arzadon of Trenton spoils his favorite feline!
Does she know she’s cute? Sure does! Willow will be turning 2 on January 26th! She’s ready to celebrate!! She thinks she needs a frozen blueberry every time she potties outside and follows Mom EVERYWHERE she goes, but her owners, the Santiago’s, wouldn’t change a thing.
Would you like to see your pet become “Downriver Famous” in our Go Big Multi-Media empire?
Send a photo and a blurb to Sherry@ gobigmultimedia.com and we will do the rest.
FROM THE MAYOR
The state of our city
On February 13th, I will have the honor of delivering my sixth State of the City Address as your Mayor. Reflecting on 2024, we have a lot to be proud of that we accomplished as a community, and it has me even more excited for some of the changes and opportunities we will continue to see in 2025. Less than a year ago, you could still see the stacks from DTE in our skyline from miles away by car, bike, boat, or plane. After demolition starting this past spring, we were thrilled to break ground with DTE on the Battery Energy Storage System at the site - one of the country’s largest coal plant-to-storage transitions bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to Trenton.
In other demolitions I will get to talk about in the address, we were finally able to get the dangerous eyesore down that was Riverside Hospital. I will also have the opportunity to highlight our continued revitalization efforts before the additional demolition of the former Riverside Hospital site and also the passage of our fire and police building improvement bond (thank you again, residents!). Downtown Trenton saw a fabulous mural festival that we look to replicate in 2025. Additionally, a significant investment has been made in Rotary Park, with construction set to begin soon.
I will also be discussing the accomplishments of many of our individual departments, highlighting some of the unsung things that they strive to do every day to make Trenton a wonderful place to live, and so much more!
The format of the address will also look much different than in years past! Fortunately, it will not be as different as the year we had to do it over Zoom because of COVID. With the help of Trenton Rotary, the signature host of the event, and many talented visionary volunteers, this year’s edition has been rebranded as the “Boujee Banquet” with gourmet food and a luxurious experience.
In addition to my overview of the city’s successes, we will be giving out awards and recognition to some of our finest police officers, firefighters, and civil servants, and recognizing some folks who really go above and beyond in making Trenton a special place to live.
The “Boujee Banquet” hosted by the Trenton Rotary and City of Trenton will take place on Valentine’s Eve - Thursday, February 13th at 6:00 p.m. at the Westfield Center. Tickets are now available, and more information can be found via phone at 734675-7300 or email at kane@ marketinsights.us. Net proceeds will support the Trenton Rotary’s charities, scholarships, and City tree planting efforts.
I hope you are able to join us in celebrating so many of the things that make Trenton so special!
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!
Success Is Closer Than You Think!
A determining factor in whether or not you achieve personal and professional success is having a partner or mentor that can help you achieve your goals. When Downriver Community Federal Credit Union says that their mission is to help you “accomplish great things”, they don’t just mean financial-related aspirations.
In March 2022, Downriver CU started the area’s only chapter of Toastmasters International right here in the Community Room of the credit union’s Southgate office. The purpose of this club is to help people gain the skills they need to succeed in every aspect of their lives. There are a variety of misconceptions about what a Toastmasters club is all about. The most common is that it’s only about giving speeches. Yes, there are plenty of opportunities to give speeches, but Toastmasters also focuses on listening, giving constructive feedback, leadership development, and conducting effective meetings. The club is dues-based and is open to all adults in all
professions at any any level of speaking ability (or inability). Access to the Pathways program allows members to learn at their own pace and comfort level the skills that are important to them. Members and guests always find the environment to be supportive, encouraging, and motivating—a safe place to practice and improve the skills needed to enjoy unlimited personal growth.
Downriver Toastmasters is a hybrid club (attend either inperson or virtual) hosted by Downriver Community Federal Credit Union on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 p.m. The club is part of Toastmasters International, a nonprofit educational organization with a worldwide network of approximately 270,000 members in more than 14,000 clubs in 150 countries.
If you’d like to learn more about how Downriver Toastmasters can help “build a better you”, visit www. DownriverCU.com/Toastmasters or call Mark Tremper at 313-4600438.
ead ce t gs your neighbors had to say about us in their 5-Star Google reviews!
SKY HIGH DRUG BILL?
Didn’t the Inflation Reduction Act lower the cost of our drugs? While the IRA provides relief for some, most carriers adjusted formularies, copays, coinsurance and deductibles. This may lead to a huge pharmacy bill!
If you missed your chance to review your plan with us during the annual enrollment period, we may still be able to help.
See us Monday to Friday 11am to 5pm
Elizabeth M. Abshire Licensed Insurance Agent
Shaun Z. Abshire Licensed Insurance Agent
$73 million for road grade separation
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI06) announced the Federal Railroad Administration is awarding $73,446,704 to the Michigan Department of Transportation to complete a road grade separation between M-85 and Canadian National Railroad in Trenton. This project will eliminate a dangerous crossing on one of the Downriver Region’s busiest traffic corridors, where Canadian National freight tracks intersect with highway and pedestrian rights of way.
“This has been a top priority for me since coming to Congress and has been a critical issue needing attention Downriver for decades, and building the business case has finally gotten these critical funds. For too long, Downriver communities have been dealing with the inconveniences and risks of atgrade railroad intersections, including everything from slower commutes to life-threatening delays for first responders and people seeking critical care as a result of a blocked crossing,” said Dingell. “I’m proud to announce this federal funding that was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the
Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program. The completion of a grade separation will make Downriver safer for all who live, work, and visit here. I will work with our state and local leaders as this project is carried out, from start to finish.”
“This federal grant will be transformational for Trenton and really the entire Downriver area. Once the project is complete, obscene train delays will finally be a thing of the past for our community,” said Trenton Mayor Steve Rzeppa. “Between emergency services en route to the hospital, children on buses on the way to school, or regular commuters on their way to work, we are all going to benefit from this massive federal investment in Downriver. I can’t thank Congresswoman Dingell enough for her years of fierce advocacy for us on this issue.”
The project will improve safety and mobility by addressing issues related to blocked crossings, including reducing vehicle idling time, eliminating trainvehicle conflicts, improve emergency response times, and improve overall transportation efficiency.
TRENTON PARKS AND RECREATION . . .
Trojans edged by top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Marys
By HANK MINCKIEWICZ
The Orchard Lake St. Marys
Eaglets, the No. 1 Division 3 hockey team in the state according to the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association, invaded Kennedy Arena on January 15th and escaped with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Trenton Trojans.
Trenton came into the game third-ranked in Division 2. Both teams also appear in the top 10 of the MHSHCA Super 10 Michigan rankings.
OLSM’s Thad Raynish did all the scoring in the game for his team and he won the game with a goal 48 seconds into the extra period. He had also scored in the first period and again in the third, before netting the game winner and completing his natural hat trick.
Both Trenton goals came from Donovan Durbin, who scored goals in the first and in second periods. Zach LaMay assisted on both Durbin goals and Nate Sparks also assisted on the second goal.
This was a high-energy back-and-forth contrast that saw the two teams combine for 61 shots on goal.
Orchard Lake scored first and Trenton tied. Trenton took a 2-1 lead and Orchard Lake tied.
Senior Evan Sivi was the hard-luck loser in net, despite making 31 saves. Trenton had 27 shots at the Eaglets’ goal.
Trenton, now 9-5, saw a short two-game winning streak snapped by the loss to Orchard Lake. Prior to that, Trenton had earned shutout wins over Carlson (4-0) and Port Huron Northern (5-0). Trenton is 3-2 since the New year. They have also beaten Gabriel Richard and lost to U-D Jesuit.
Landon Stark, Jayden Jones, Landon Leone, and LaMay scored for the Trojans in the win over neighboring Carlson. Sivi stopped all 21 Marauder shots to earn the shutout.
Against Port Huron Northern, Isaac Anderson stopped 33 Huskies’ shots and also earned a shutout. Five goals made Anderson’s task a bit easier as the Trojans got goals from Durbin (2), Ty Popowicz, Pat Rogoski, and Sparks.
Trenton started the 2025 portion of its schedule with a solid 4-1 win over Gabriel Richard. The Riverview team has a record that is not eye-popping, but the 6-8-1 independent squad has played a rugged schedule. The team’s record includes losses to Novi Detroit Catholic Central, Flint Powers, Birmingham Brother Rice, Trenton, and Warren DeLaSalle.
Trenton scored the lone goal of the first period against the Pioneers and never trailed in the game.
Durbin started the game scoring before Richard’s Mark Eshelman scored midway through the second period to tie the game.
A minute later, Jones restored the lead and Sivi made it stand up as he did not allow another goal. He made 21 saves. Meanwhile, Trenton whistled 32 shots to Richard goalie Connor Ptak, and he stopped 28 of them.
Ethan Gilbert and Stark scored unassisted thirdperiod goals to put a ribbon on the Trenton victory.
Trenton currently holds a comfortable lead over Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook in the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League Blue Division standings, but the Trojans have several games in hand on the Cranes.
Trenton has pretty much played .500 hockey since enjoying a seven-game unbeaten streak back in late November and early December. Since the end of that streak, Trenton has beaten Carlson, Port Huron Northern, Gabriel Richard, and Calumet. Over the same course of time, the Trojans have lost to Livonia Stevenson, Houghton, U-D Jesuit, and Orchard Lake St, Marys.
Richard, Calumet, Stevenson, Houghton, and Orchard Lake all appear among the coaches association top 10 lists.
The Trojans will next play ancient and fierce rival Novi Detroit Catholic Central on January 22nd at
USA Arena in Plymouth. The Shamrocks, who have a long and storied history with Trenton, are 16-0 and they are ranked No. 1 among Division 1 teams and in the MHSHCA Super 10 poll.
After facing CC, Trenton will turn its attention to the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League Showcase hosted by Kennedy Recreation Center from January 31st-February 1st. They then close the regular season with three road games and a home contest. The last chance to see Trenton at home during the regular season will come February 11th when they host Downriver Unified, a co-op team headlined by Southgate Anderson.
After the regular season, Trenton will host a Michigan High School Athletic association D2 state regional and, in truth, it is not a difficult field the Trojans will face. The other teams at the regional are Adrian, Bedford, Woodhaven, and Wyandotte. None of those four teams have winning records.
The regional championship game is February 26th at 7:30 p.m.
The regional winner will face the Allen Park Regional winner in the state quarterfinals.
The teams playing at Allen Park are the host school, Brother Rice, U-D Jesuit, and Grosse Pointe South.
The quarterfinal game is March 1st at 7:10 p.m. at the Allen Park Civic Center.
Photo by Dave Chapman
Trenton wrestlers leave two at Wyandotte
It’s been a bit of a tough Downriver League season for the Trenton wrestling team who went winless in two of its three league quad meets.
The Trojans opened the league season by splitting their first two matches.
The Trojans lost to Woodhaven 58-24, but beat Lincoln Park 42-39.
In the win over Lincoln Park, Trenton built a 36-6 lead through the first seven matches and then held on for the victory. The lead came largely through a number of Lincoln Park voids.
Winning by pinfall for the Trojans were Brock Culpepper at 215 pounds and Blake Scrimenti at 132. Accepting voids were Evelyn Rennie, Elijah Benskey, Cole Scrimenti, Blaine Harrell, and Daniel Diaz.
In its next DRL quad, Trenton lost to Allen Park 56-23 and to Carlson 71-6. Most recently, the Trojans were in Wyandotte for another league quad and there, they fell to Southgate 64-15 and to Dearborn Edsel Ford 41-33.
The Trojans have one more league affair with Roosevelt and Taylor before getting ready for the February 1st Downriver League meet.
Team districts are February 5th and individual districts are February 8th. Individual district qualifiers head to regionals at Chelsea High School on February 12th.
MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase is around the corner
The Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League Prep Hockey Showcase is returning for another exciting weekend of elite high school hockey action! From January 30th - February 1st, top prep teams from across the region will compete at the Kennedy Recreation Center in Trenton.
The MIHL Showcase is a high school hockey fans’ dream. There will be 50 games played over three days and the teams playing are some of the best in Michigan and beyond. Among the teams playing are unbeaten Novi Detroit Catholic Central, the No. 1 team in the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association Super 10 poll. Also in attendance will be Birmingham Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook, Orchard Lake St. Marys, Flint Powers, Hartland, Trenton, Gabriel Richard, and many other top teams.
This Showcase is the biggest and most wellattended High School Hockey event of the season attracting thousands of fans from around North America.
Scouts representing junior, college, and professional hockey will attend to observe the largest accumulation of high school hockey talent in the state of Michigan.
Here is the game schedule:
JANUARY 30
FELDMAN ARENA
3 pm – Grosse Point South vs Country Day
5 pm – Rockford vs Lakeland
7 pm – University Liggett vs Plymouth
TEIFER ARENA
3:40 – U-D Jesuit vs Saginaw Heritage
5:40 – Traverse City Central vs GR Christian
7:40 – Sparta vs Jackson Lumen Christi
PRACTICE ARENA
5:20 – Bay Reps vs M-1 United
7:20 – Port Huron Northern vs Forest Hills NE
JANUARY 31
FELDMAN ARENA
7:30 am – GR Catholic Central vs Capitol City
9:30 am – Clarkston vs. Lake Forest
11:30 am – Howell vs Toledo St, Francis
1:30 pm – Rockford vs Hancock
4 pm – Cranbrook vs Sault Saint Marie
6 pm – Detroit Catholic Central vs Flint Powers
8 pm – Trenton vs Marquette
TEIFER ARENA
7:50 – Alpena vs Calumet
9:50 – Gabriel Richard vs Forest Hills Central
11:50 – Forest Hills NE vs Bay Reps
1:50 – Port Huron Northern vs Saginaw
Heritage
4:20 – Hartland vs East Grand Rapids
6:20 – Orchard Lake St. Marys vs Houghton
8:20 – Brother Rice vs St. Edward
PRACTICE ARENA
8:10 – Northville vs Grandville
10:10 – Salem vs Escanaba
12:10 – Bay City vs Traverse City Central
2:10 – GR Christian vs Sparta
4:40 – Livonia Stevenson vs Byron Center
6:40 – Brighton vs Notre Dame
8:40 – DeLaSalle vs St. Ignatius
FEBRUARY 1
FELDMAN ARENA
7:30 – Sault Saint Marie vs Northville
9:30 – M-1 United vs GR Catholic Central
11:30 – Houghton vs. Flint Powers
1:30 – Escanaba vs Trenton
4 pm – St. Ignatius vs Livonia Stevenson
6 pm – East Grand Rapids vs St. Edward
8 pm – Toledo St. Francis vs Orchard Lake
TEIFER ARENA
7:50 – Hancock vs Bay City
9:50 – Calumet vs Plymouth
11:50 – University Liggett vs Gabriel Richard
1:50 – Notre Dave vs Detroit Catholic Central
4:20 – Forest Hills Central vs Brighton
6:20 – Byron Center vs DeLaSalle
8:20 – Howell vs Brother Rice
PRACTICE ARENA
8:10 – Clarkston vs Alpena
10:10 – Country Day vs U-D Jesuit
12:10 – Forest Lake vsHartland
2:10 – Marquette vs Cranbrook
4:40 – Grandville vs Salem
6:40 – Lumen Christi vs Grosse Pointe South
8:40 – Lakeland vs Capital City
Photo by Dave Chapman
TFD offers free smoke detectors and CO alarms
The Trenton Fire Department is continuing its initiative to install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in single-family residences at no cost to Trenton residents. This service is part of the department’s ongoing commitment to enhancing home safety.
Residents who would like to have detectors installed can easily schedule an appointment by calling the Trenton Fire Department at 734-676-1314. Appointments are available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This free service is a valuable opportunity for homeowners to ensure their homes are equipped with essential safety devices.
Managing obesity often involves making lifestyle changes, and in many cases, medical treatments or surgery are required.
At the Downriver Clinics in Grosse Ile and Trenton, we recognize the importance of addressing all all the factors contributing to obesity. Zepbound.
Trenton Rotary announces new events for February and March
Trenton Rotary club president Noel Jackson, stepping up for a second term for the club, has just as much enthusiasm as the last time he led the group in 2012-13. There are three fantastic Rotary events coming up for the community in February and March 2025, and everyone’s invited.
“I’m excited to announce that the Rotary Club of Trenton along with the City of Trenton is revamping the annual State of the City and annual Awards Banquet to create a ‘Boujee Banquet’ which will be held at the Westfield Center on February 13th at 6pm.” Said Jackson. “Tickets are only $35 for a lavish buffet provided by One-Nine catering and beer and wine is also included.” The term Boujee is- A hip-hop slang for something “luxurious in lifestyle yet humble in character.” -- That’s TRENTON! The city will recognize an outstanding Trenton Citizen, Police and Fire will announce their best heroes of the year, Trenton Business Association will name it’s choice for Business of the Year 2025 and Mayor Rzeppa will provide a short recap of all the great things going on in the City of Trenton, MI. The event is looking for sponsors to keep the price affordable and net proceeds will be donated to benefit Rotary charities. Tickets can be purchased at trentonrotary. net. Call Kathy for sponsorships at 734-676-9561. Deadline is February 1st.
“In the past, our club has hosted “Turn off the Violence” kids’ day to bring children and parents
out to play and enjoy lunch with our community.”
Jackson said. “This year’s chair, Ronnie Ruelle announced ‘Super Kids Day’ will be held on Saturday, February 8th from 10am-2pm at the Westfield Center.”
Super Kids can dress up as their favorite superhero or princess and be able to play games and create crafts at various fun stations manned by community groups. There will also be a live production reading nook. Lunch will be served to parents and children at no charge. A donation of a box of cereal for St. Philips food pantry is appreciated. For more information, call Ronnie (734)552-8590.
Get set for another fun St. Patty’s Day party on March 8th. The Rotary group is also going ahead with plans for another St. Patrick’s Day themed event “Shamrock Shenanigans” which will combine a lucky raffle drawing of $10,000 in cash and prizes valued between $250-$2,000 each, along with a fun St Patrick’s day party at the Grecian Center. The Shamrock Shindig will be a wonderful evening starting at 6:00pm and complete with a buffet dinner, open bar, raffles and DJ dancing. The cost is $65 for the party and tables of 10 are $500. Sponsorships range from $100 to $3000 sponsors including tickets to the event. The party will sell out with 300 people. Proceeds benefit
Trenton Rotary charities. To buy a party seat, raffle ticket or sponsorship visit trentonrotary.net or call Co-Chair of the event Ronnie (734)552-8590 or Jean (248) 247-9433.
ABOUT TRENTON ROTARY:
It’s easy and FUN to get involved. Attend a weekly Monday 12 noon meeting or once a month at 6:01pm - the second Monday of the month.
Some club services include: Hands on events, marketing, fundraisers, foundation fundraising, international missions, projects at schools, homeless shelters, veteran services, food pantries, local economy/community events, peace chain and conflict resolution activities, world health initiatives including water wells, literacy, humanitarian projects, youth exchange, maternal and child health initiatives, environmental sustainability and emergency preparedness.
Student writing rewarded in the 78th VFW essay contest
For the past 78 years, the Veterans of Foreign Wars has sponsored an essay contest for middle school and high school students.
Southgate VFW Post 9283 hosted the local awards ceremony for Michigan VFW District 4 and Auxiliary on Saturday, January 4, 2025. The event was held at their Cpl. Lambert A. Pfeiffer, Jr. Post located at 16200 DixToledo Road. District 4 is made up of 21 VFW Posts located throughout Wayne County.
The essay contest consists of two categories: both with a unique patriotic theme. For middle school students, there was the Patriot’s Pen competition with this year’s theme of “My Voice in America’s Democracy.” For high school aged students, there was the Voice of Democracy award with a theme of “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?”
Over 150 students from southeast Michigan participated in the contest. Only 38 advanced to the District level: 17 middle school students and 21 high school students. Each essay was judged individually without identifying
the student and the winners were not known until the night of the awards presentation. This year’s volunteer judge’s panel was attorneys Jeffery L. Fanto and David F. Greco, along with 23rd District Court Judge Joseph Slaven and Southgate Mayor Joseph Kuspa.
The award ceremony acknowledged all the students for their hard work and patriotic essays. Post 9283 Auxiliary Senior Vice President, Sharon Lewinski, addressed the crowd indicating that all the students “were winners tonight.” However, only three
from each category would receive special recognition and a monetary award. In each age group, the top three essay writers received $300 for 1st Place, $200 for 2nd, and $100 for 3rd.
The winner of the Patriot’s Pen contest was Donald H. DeYoung. He is an eighth grade student and was sponsored by VFW Post 4434 in Belleville. The second place award went to Bella M. Mach who was sponsored by Southgate Post 9283. Third place went to Alexander J. Kearney. He was sponsored by Post 7310 located in Grosse Ile.
The Voice of Democracy competition placed Elizabeth G. Pheiffer in first place. Elizabeth is a senior at Inter-City Baptist and was sponsored by Post 9283. She also received an additional $1,000 scholarship presented by the Raymond Nowosatko family. Coming in at a close second and third were Henry Nguyen and Brooke Anderson. They were sponsored by Post 9283 and Livonia Post 3941, respectively.
Both first place winners will advance to the State competition which will take place in Kalamazoo on February 1st. If they succeed at the state level, they will go on to the VFW National competition in March. State winners earn an opportunity for a paid trip to Washington DC. They will compete with students from across the nation for the VFW National Championship awards.
This year’s District 4 Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen Chairman and coordinator was John Fleming. He was assisted by District 4 Auxiliary Chairman Sharon Lewinski and several other VFW and Auxiliary members.
Monday: 9:00am - 5:30pm
9:00am - 5:30pm
9:00am - 5:30pm
9:00am - 5:30pm
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NEWS FROM OUR NEIGHBORS
Grosse Ile girls looking for
offensive
consistency
The girls basketball teams from Grosse Ile and Carlson opened the 2025 portion of their season on Jan. 6 when they met on the court at Grosse Ile High School.
The teams had been away from live action since before Christmas and it showed. Each team showed considerable rust on the offensive end of the court, but Carlson was able to shake off enough of the rust to earn a 44-33 victory, PAGE 17
Riverview students effort propels Goodfellows canned food drive
The 2024 Riverview Goodfellows annual canned food drive was a resounding success, thanks to the remarkable efforts of the students in the Riverview Community School District. Their dedication and generosity led to thousands of canned goods being collected to support a local food pantry and help those in need during the holiday season.
The drive, coordinated by Kellie Mullins of the Goodfellows, took place across all five schools in
the district. Each class worked tirelessly to collect the most cans in their respective schools, with the winning classes earning a well-deserved pizza party as a token of appreciation for their hard work.
Ringing in the “Noon” Year!
Shortly before noon on December 31st, hundreds of residents gathered in Southgate’s municipal banquet hall to ring in the New Year. This was a
free family event that provided an opportunity for
to celebrate the New Year at noon rather
than waiting until midnight.
This is the ninth year that the Southgate Parks & Recreation Director Julie Goddard and her staff presented Noon Year’s Eve. The Southgate DDA was also a sponsor of the event.
The festivities included an official countdown, balloon drop and juice boxes available for a fun family toast. Several costumed characters mingled and danced with the children throughout the event. Each was portrayed by a Southgate Anderson High School student volunteers.
COVER
RHS DECA students win big at District 9 competition
On January 10th, three buses filled with Wyandotte Roosevelt High School DECA students made their way to Eastern Michigan University for the highly anticipated District 9 DECA Conference. A group of 100 dedicated members participated in the event, showcasing their skills and competing across various business-related categories.
The conference proved to be a tremendous success, with numerous RHS students earning recognition for their efforts. While many students brought home awards, the experience itself was seen as the true victory. For the Wyandotte Roosevelt DECA team, representing their school and community with pride was the highlight of the event.
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children
Great Lakes moment Connecting people to nature through The Great Lakes Way
By JOHN HARTIG
A recent Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan report documents substantial progress in creating The Great Lakes Way — an interconnected set of greenways and water trails stretching from Port Huron, Michigan on southern Lake Huron to Toledo, Ohio on western Lake Erie.
In 2000, the Community Foundation polled metropolitan Detroit communities about obstacles to building greenways. A consistent answer was that local communities did not have sufficient discretionary funds or that parks and recreation did not rank high enough in municipal priorities to meet funding requirements for state and federal greenway grants. The Community Foundation responded by raising money from the private and foundation sectors to issue grants to communities to overcome this obstacle.
In 2001, the Community Foundation raised $25 million to create its GreenWays Initiative — the first of its kind in the nation — to help make match requirements so that more trails could be constructed and their many benefits like health and wellness, economic revitalization, transportation options, and improved quality of life be realized. Over time, this initiative grew to $35 million and leveraged $150 million to build more than 100 miles of greenways.
As the program started winding down, the Community Foundation asked: “What’s next?” The answer was to build on the foundation of the GreenWays Initiative and work with the many greenways partners to create The Great Lakes Way. In 2019, the Community Foundation established an advisory committee to create this coastal necklace of greenways and water trails. The advisory committee included representatives from National Park Service, Detroit Greenways Coalition, Downriver Linked Greenways, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation, and many other municipal and private organizations.
The first step was to create a vision of how “all residents and visitors of southeast Michigan are connected
All 156 miles of water trails are complete and usable, although more kayak launches will be constructed in the future.
to and benefit from world-class freshwater, wildlife, recreation, and heritage right in our backyard through a Great Lakes Way.” Next, the Community Foundation engaged the communities up and down the coast in an educational campaign to raise awareness and build support throughout the region. Thus far, 45 communities and other trail stakeholders have signed collaboration agreements pledging support. In addition, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments developed an interactive map that traces trail routes and identifies points of interest along the way.
TRAIL PROGRESS
All 156 miles of water trails are complete and usable, although more kayak launches will be constructed in the future. For the greenways, a baseline survey was performed in 2020 to document the current status and to allow progress to be measured over time. A follow-up survey was performed in 2024. In total, the number of greenway miles increased from 160 in 2020 to 167 in 2024. This increase resulted from finding more efficient routes.
A comparison of these data from both 2020 and 2024 found that 65% of these trails were usable. However, the total miles of completed greenways — safe and comfortable for most users — increased from 61 in 2020 to 81 in 2024. The survey also found that an additional eight miles of greenways had received funding for trail construction by 2024. Therefore, the total number of usable and funded greenways increased from 104 miles in 2020 (65%) to 124 miles in 2024 (74%). This demonstrates substantial progress in completing The Great Lakes Way.
“The Great Lakes Way is more than just a trail; it is a catalyst for health, happiness, and economic prosperity, said Andrea LaFontaine, executive
director of Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and member of the Community Foundation’s Great Lakes Way Advisory Committee. “The rapid progress of The Great Lakes Way is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the many partners involved. While the Great Lakes Way has already made a significant impact, we must continue to invest in trail development and maintenance. By building a robust network of interconnected trails, we can create a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
OTHER INITIATIVES OF THE GREAT LAKES WAY
Other projects have been undertaken to help expand The Great Lakes Way, manifest its benefits, and put it into the consciousness of residents and visitors. For example, a Pure Michigan water trail application was submitted in 2024 (decision expected: 2025). In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Trans Canada Trail, Ontario’s Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, Michigan’s Iron-Belle Trail and The Great Lakes Way to promote crossborder trail tourism once the Gordie Howe International Bridge opens in the fall of 2025. To better understand the potential for cross-border trail tourism, a Canada-U.S. Conference on this topic was convened with many partners at the University of Windsor on October 22, 2024.
To help manifest the potential economic benefits of The Great Lakes Way, a study was undertaken that showed that the total economic impact of this trail system was estimated at $3.75-$5 billion annually.
“The Great Lakes Way is already contributing billions to the southeast Michigan region in direct economic development, and equally significant contributions to improved public health and quality of life,” said John Austin, senior fellow at the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College and senior author of the economic benefits
study. “But it is so much more. It’s helping more residents of southeast Michigan connect to their community, to connect to the Great Lakes and outdoors, to better connect with and understand our region’s history and our place in the world, and to connect to each other.”
For more than three decades, Canada has had a Great Lakes Waterfront Trail that helps reconnect Canadians to the Great Lakes and helps protect them as a gift to future generations. It has grown into a signed 2,250-mile route of interconnecting roads and off-road trails joining over 150 communities and First Nations. The Council of State Governments, Midwestern Office, the eight Great Lakes states, The Great Lakes Way, and other partners are exploring the creation of a U.S. Great Lakes Waterfront Trail that would mirror Canada’s Great Lakes Waterfront Trail through a series of facilitated roundtable discussions among the eight Great Lakes States. As part of this effort, the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program is helping map trail routes and identify trail gaps.
Finally, The Great Lakes Way was recognized by a professional society in 2024. PEA Group, the firm providing landscape architecture services on the project, received a Merit Award from the Michigan Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for research and planning on The Great Lake Way.
For more information, visit The Great Lakes Way website or explore the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments interactive map of trail routes and points of interest.
John Hartig is a board member at the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. He serves as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research and has written numerous books and publications on the environment and the Great Lakes. Hartig also helped create the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, where he worked for 14 years as the refuge manager.
