Trenton Times September 27 — October 27, 2022

Pretty as a picture

Artists Danijel Matanic and Mary Thiefels stand in front of one of the murals their company, TreeTown Murals, painted on the railroad trestles located at King Road and West Jefferson, near the old McLouth Steel plant. Trenton is one of only 11 cities in Michigan to be designated a “Pure Michigan Trail Town.” Two land trails and a waterway trail run through Trenton and the murals are a “Trail Gateway” meant to welcome trail users and visitors who are traveling into a town’s central business district. Read more about the project in this month’s edition of the Trenton Times.

Your Elected O cials

Mayor Steven Rzeppa

Email: srzeppa@trenton-mi.com

Councilwoman

Timber R. Baun-Crooks

Email: tbauncrooks@trenton-mi.com

Councilman

Nelson Perugi

Phone: 734-931-0327

Email: nperugi@trenton-mi.com

Councilman

Richard Benedetti

Email: rbenedetti@trenton-mi.com

Councilwoman

Wendy Pate

Phone: 734-692-7729

Email: wpate@trenton-mi.com

Councilwoman

Dora Rodriguez

Email: drodriguez@trenton-mi.com

Councilman Scott Cabauatan

Email: scabauatan@trenton-mi.com

Council and Commission Meetings at Trenton City Hall

Planning Commission Meeting

September 28, 2022, 7:00 PM

Council Regular Meeting

October 3, 2022, 7:00 PM

Zoning Board of Appeals and Adjustments

October 06, 2022, 7:00 PM

Council Regular Meeting October 17, 2022, 7:00 PM

Recreation Commission Meeting October 18, 2022, 7:30 PM

City Department Contacts

Administrator’s O ce

Dean Creech, City Administrator

Phone: 734-675-6500

Email: dcreech@trenton-mi.com

City Assessor’s O ce

Joanie Barnett, MAAO, City Assessor

Phone: 734-675-6810

Email: jbarnett@trenton-mi.com

Building Department

Virgil Maiani, Building O cial

Phone: 734-675-8251

Email: vmaiani@trenton-mi.com

Clerk’s O ce

Debra R. Devitt, City Clerk

Phone: 734-675-8600

Email: ddevitt@trenton-mi.com

Controller’s O ce

Karen Sall, City Controller

Phone: 734-675-6510

Email: ksall@trenton-mi.com

Department of Public Works

Kevin Sargent, DPW Director

Phone: 734-675-8470

Email: ksargent@trenton-mi.com

Downtown Development Authority

Mayor Steven Rzeppa, DDA Liaison

Phone: 734-675-6500

Emergency Management

Paul L. Haley, Emergency Management Coordinator

Phone: 734-675-6500

Emergency: 734-676-3737

Email: phaley@trenton-mi.com

Engineering Department C.E. Raines Company

Souheil Sabak, Engineer

Phone: 734-675-8251

Email: ssabak@charlesraines.com

Fire Department

Keith Anderson, Fire Chief

Phone (Non-Emergency Contact): 734-676-1314

Emergency: 911

Email: kanderson@trenton-mi.com

Human Resources

Elisabeth Sobota-Perry, Human Resources Director

Phone: 734-675-8585

Email: eperry@trenton-mi.com

Parks & Recreation

Tim Beaker, Director

Phone: 734-675-7300

Email: tbeaker@trenton-mi.com

Police Department

Mike Oakley, Police Chief

Phone: 734-676-3737

Emergency: 911 Email: agilstorf@trenton-mi.com

Treasurer’s O ce

Michael McCullough, City Treasurer

Phone: 734-675-6510

Email: jcooper@trenton-mi.com

Waste Water Treatment Plant

Julie Willison, Superintendent

Phone: 734-676-0646

Email: jwillison@trenton-mi.com

Visit the city website for more information www.trentonmi.org

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.

TRENTON SCHOOLS

Student Leadership Council gets back to work

Doug Mentzer

The Superintendent’s Student Leadership Council (SLC) is a leadership program and a forum for direct communication between THS students and Superintendent Mentzer.

As SLC members, students will share their voices on a variety of topics, work to create solutions for select issues that are important to all students and TPS, and increase their leadership skills. The council will meet with the Superintendent several times during the year in the Board Office Meeting Room.

This year we will add a minimum of one new member to each grade. Our freshmen group will add five students.

If selected, you are committed to attending and actively participating in council meetings on the following dates (subject to change):

Monday, October 10, 2022 (11:00 - 12:00 p.m.) Lunch will be provided.

~ Monday, October 24, 2022

~ Monday, November 14, 2022

~ TBD ~ TBD

eligibility

Currently enrolled at THS, a student in good standing, and a signature from a parent or guardian approving of Council participation.

The application process will close on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. The application link is https://forms. gle/FVuFgm7sf56uLucb8

tPS Superintendent Parent Council application info

The Superintendent invites any parent of a current TPS school student to apply for a seat on the parent council.

If you are interested in serving on the council again in 2022-23, please apply accordingly, but make sure that you add that information in the comments section. In this way, interest can be surveyed and a determination can be made that provides for a council of 12-20 participants. Our goal is to have an equal representation from each grade level.

goAl/miSSion: The Superintendent’s Parent Council will build and strengthen family and school partnerships through constructive dialogue/ discussion. This is essential for helping students achieve at their maximum potential.

Trenton Public Schools believe strong parent collaboration is an important component of helping

Office furniture donation helps TPS

Doug Mentzer

Trenton Public Schools would like to extend another big “thank you” to Mr. and Mrs. Frost. Both Paul and Mary Frost’s kindness and consideration is greatly appreciated.

We felt compelled to share another note of gratitude and appreciation as we continue to find new ways to use their donation.

Most recently, our new Safety & Security Consultant was hired. As we plan for his occupancy,

rest assured that we will be using our donation accordingly.

To date, we have outfitted our natatorium swim offices, replaced office desks in different locations, used many of the file cabinets and outfitted conference rooms with newer, practical, and more comfortable chairs.

Some of the leftover desks and furniture may also be used by Dean Transportation for the new transportation hub.

all students achieve their academic goals.

The Council will meet several times a year with the first meeting scheduled from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Board Office meeting room. If selected, you are committed to attending and actively participating in council meetings on the following dates:

Monday, Oct. 10, 2022 (4:30 - 6 p.m.)

~ Monday, Oct. 24, 2022 (time to be determined)

~ Monday, Nov. 14, 2022 (time to be determined)

~ TBD

~ TBD

The application process will close on Monday, October 3, 2022. Use the following link to apply: forms.gle/RXDcC4bWqKB4QSa88

Trenton Schools welcome six new educators

Last fall, Trenton Public Schools hired a Director of Human Resources and Operations. At the time, a needs assessment/analysis had validated the position and the district moved forward by naming Ms. Jill Simmons to the position.

Since that time, Ms. Simmons has proven to be a very valuable member of our district team. Since formalizing our hiring process (with board approval), she has led numerous district teams through the new hire selection process for new employees throughout the last year. On her behalf, we are pleased to share another “new staff” welcoming for the 2022.23 school year.

melAnie elliott (Vocational Business Teacher – THS) joins Trenton High School as the new Vocational Business Teacher. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Wayne State University.

Ms. Elliott brings over 20 years of business, marketing, human resources, IT and public relations experience to the classroom. Prior to joining Trenton High School, Ms. Elliott spent two years as the CTE Information Specialist for the Downriver Career Technology Consortium (DCTC). She is passionate about teaching and bringing out the best in all students.

tAmmy hArtley (4th Grade Teacher –Anderson) joins the 4th Grade team at Anderson Elementary School. Mrs. Hartley attended Eastern Michigan University and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education. She also earned her Master’s degree in Reading from Eastern Michigan University and holds a Reading Specialist certification.

Mrs. Hartley has taught at the elementary level for many years, most recently as a secondgrade teacher in the Riverview Community School District. She and her husband, Scott, have three children and enjoy traveling and spending time with family and friends. When not working, Mrs. Hartley enjoys reading, going to the movies and practicing her newly-acquired hobby of crocheting.

mADiSon Kelly (Encore Support Teacher – Anderson) joins the Encore team by teaching the new class “Explore” at Anderson Elementary School. She has worked as a preschool teacher and substitute teacher since finishing her degree in Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University in 2019.

Ms. Kelly earned her teaching certificate through Michigan Teachers of Tomorrow last summer and is very excited to have her first classroom this year.

Ann PerAino (4th Grade Teacher –Anderson) joins the 4th Grade team at Anderson Elementary School. After completing her degree in Political Science from Michigan State University, she spent some time traveling and taught Kindergarten for one year in South Korea.

In Korea, Mrs. Peraino fell in love with teaching and decided that the classroom was the place for her. She returned back to the US and completed a second degree to earn her Michigan Teacher Certificate.

She has worked in districts in Detroit, as well as the Downriver area. After taking a few years off to spend time with her young children, she is excited to be back in the classroom and joining the wonderful team at Anderson. She lives in the area with her husband, two young daughters and rescue pup.

ShAnnA PoPe (Deaf and Hard of Hearing Preschool Teacher - Hedke) joins Hedke Elementary School as the Preschool Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Teacher. Ms. Pope graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2005.

She has taught for 11 years; six years in DHH and five years in elementary education. Shanna is very excited to be working in the DHH program, which is her true passion as a teacher.

She lives in Huron Township with her husband, two sons and her daughter. Ms. Pope is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Early Childhood at Eastern Michigan University.

tyler StAwowCzyK (Young 5’sAnderson) joins Anderson Elementary School as the new Young 5s Teacher. Mr. Stawowczyk graduated from Trenton Public Schools in 2014 and received his degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Bowling Green State University in 2018.

He spent time working as a building substitute for the elementary schools in both Southgate and Allen Park while earning his teacher certification.

This past year he worked in Wyandotte Public Schools as a kindergarten teacher and loved every moment of it. When the opportunity to teach a similar grade level and serve the community he grew up in became available, he couldn’t pass it up!

Tyler used to also coach the Bubble Blowers program within Trenton Swim Club during summers when he was in college, so it feels nostalgic working with the children of Trenton all over again. He is super excited to work with the students and set them up for success on their academic journeys through Trenton Public Schools!

StawowCzyk

ELLiott

HartLEy

kELLy

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PoPE

‘Coach Jack’ Castignola Memorial Stone has a new home

Doug Mentzer

The Coach Jack Castignola Memorial Stone has found a new home.

When bond construction started a couple of years ago on our new athletic facility, things moved quickly. Bond projects for school districts are not commonplace. The learning curve for school personnel goes way beyond picking out paint colors.

Thankfully, our district team has worked collaboratively to see many of our projects to completion.

However, we discovered that some things were simply not a part of the construction planning. Recently, one such project came forward!

Over the last year, momentum gathered for a memorial for Coach Jack Castignola.

Through email, text messages, phone calls, and surprise visits, it became evident that alumni were reflecting about “Coach Jack” and the memorial.

Both of his sons, John and David Castignola, former Trenton football coaches - Arthur Wegienka, Robert Czarnecki and Larry Leapley, as well as players Mark Lybrook and George Ghindia all reached out in a relatively short period of time.

With the new complex basically completed, it became evident that it was time to find the memorial a new home.

After several on site meetings throughout the month of August that included John Castignola, Luke Baxter (McCarthy Smith Construction Superintendent), Keti Mitevska (Designer, French & Associates), Robert Czarnecki, Larry Leapley, Arthur Wegienka, Vince Porreca, James Trush (THS Athletic Director), as well

as a couple of Zoom meetings with George Ghindia and Mark Lybrook, a location was chosen.

When one enters our beautifully renovated athletic complex, he/she will see the tribute to Coach Jack placed on the southwest side of the entry.

This new location will serve as the foundation for a new beginning - a Trenton Public Schools Coaches Hall (Wall) of Fame (more information on that will be shared in the future). We are very pleased to share this with our community and look forward to celebrating our past and our future.

None of this would have been possible without the efforts of Mr. Luke Baxter from McCarthy Smith. His commitment and dedication to this project are/ were greatly appreciated. On behalf of Trenton Public

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going. When you get knocked down, you get back up.”

CoaCH

Schools, our appreciation for your due diligence is greater than you know.

A rededication evening is planned for Friday, Oct. 14, 2022 at halftime of our varsity football game versus Allen Park.

remembering John “Jack” Castignola trenton high School Football Coach (1964–1985)

John Robert (Jack) Castignola was born in New Philadelphia, Ohio and played football for the legendary Woody Hayes at New Philadelphia High. He went on to play football at the University of Dayton, but before he could graduate he joined the Marines, was stationed in the South Pacific, and fought gallantly in the Battle of Okinawa.

After he was released from active duty he completed his education at Penn State and embarked on a 37-year coaching career.

After two coaching stints at Ohio high schools, he moved over to Monroe Catholic Central and then on to Trenton High School where he stayed for 21 seasons. Overall, his record was 231 – 87 – 6 with multiple undefeated seasons. His THS record stands at 14951-1 (this includes an 0-9 record due to forfeitures during a teacher’s strike in 1971).

However, his greater impact was felt on the players he coached, their families and the pride felt by the Trenton community.

Hall of Fame Football Inductee, Robert Czarnecki described Coach

Jack this way: “He made all of us better as players, people and community members.”

Former player, Mark Lybrook shared that “he was a great leader and a father figure for a lot of guys who needed it at that point in their lives.”

George Ghindia, a member of the 1974 and ‘75 Trenton teams, put it most simply, “Coach Jack is one of the greatest coaches in the history of Michigan high school football.”

He went on to say that “he created a tradition of excellence that was marked by undefeated seasons in 1966, 1973 and 1975.”

Jack Castignola was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1983 and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. He passed away on February 16, 1986 at 65 years of age.

Part of the wording on the memorial reads: “A leader of young people who dedicated his life to them on and off the field. He encouraged his athletes and students to obtain a college degree, to set their goals high and helped prepare them for life.”

Major thanks to the following vendors for their substantial donations to this project; without their collective contributions, completion would not have been possible. They are McCarthy & Smith Inc. North Channel Construction, Mark Salget of B&A Steel, Esko Roofing, DC Buyers, French Associates and Stoner Advisory Group.

The monument was relocated at zero cost to Trenton Public Schools.

Dennis J. Hamilton Auditorium:

Mission complete

Doug Mentzer

The Trenton High School auditorium was named in honor of Dennis J. Hamilton on March 21, 2018. Almost four years later, the “mission” to recognize his career and accomplishments is complete.

Mr. Hamilton, who spent 36 years teaching at Trenton High School and another nine years as the technical director of the auditorium, died of pancreatic cancer on March 7, 2017.

After considerable challenges, a national pandemic, supply chain issues and a change of guard, the “Dennis J. Hamilton Auditorium” signage found its home in the summer months of 2021.

Additionally, this past August, the sign was beautifully complimented with an attractive bronze plaque that was placed at the entrance of the auditorium.

Through an effort that was marked by passion and a willingness to complete the job, Dennis’ wife, Pearl Hamilton, Trenton Athletic Director James Trush and Superintendent Doug Mentzer saw the project through.

Although it wasn’t always easy, their collective memory of Dennis served up plenty of inspiration. Although Dennis is gone, he is certainly not forgotten!

Hamilton’s passion was the art of teaching. Many remember that this passion fueled him each and every day.

These words from the honorarium plaque serve us well today…

“Find what your passion is, do what you love, and you will never work a day in your life.”

Dennis Hamilton lived his life in faith, hope and love every day. He was talented, creative, conscientious and caring. He believed achievement was through education.

To touch the mind, you have to go through the heart.

His childhood dream from the 3rd grade as a student at Hedke Elementary was to teach. He lived

his dream and he wanted the same for his students.

The auditorium gave him the opportunity to teach beyond the classroom. To achieve, to celebrate successes, take responsibility for mistakes.

Never to rest on what you have accomplished, but to strive on how to do better the next time…to make a difference…to reach the unimaginable.

The entire Hamilton family on the stage of the Dennis J. Hamilton Auditorium.

Pearl Hamilton, along with her brother in law David Hamilton, examining the finished plaque before placement

Plenty is happening at Hedke Elementary

Like all schools in Trenton, Hedke Elementary is a busy place. Here are some of the things the students and staff are looking forward to.

SPirit weeK SePt. 26-20 monday - Hedke shirt / blue and gold colors; THS Trojan mascot visits Hedke

tuesday - Favorite team shirt wednesday - Favorite college shirt; THS band visits Hedke to play the fight

song; Watchdog DADS Kickoff 6 p.m.; PTO Fall Family Picnic 6:30-8 p.m. thursday - PJ day school-wide; THS Cheerleaders cheer in the lobby 3:15-3:40 p.m.

Friday - Blue and Gold; Trenton football players to sign autographs 3:153:40 in the lobby; Homecoming parade at 6 p.m.; Trenton football home vs. Woodhaven at 7 p.m. Our Fall Book Fair is also Homecoming week!

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the magic of small, the power of vision and unity

My wife, Janelle, and I got a chance to get away for a few days in August to attend the wedding of Christ Doulos’ son Nick.

Christ and Carole and Janelle and I got to hang out a bit, out Oregon-way, in Sisters and Bend, and of course, you know what I did as I went about out yonder.

stimulate the imagination, and inspire creative thought. All of them are examples of possibilities to be executed in the towns in which we live, play, eat and drink and lead.

Some of them create fundamental change, highly impactful and functional.

a different theme for every such intersection on main streets. Accomplished with paint!

areas well into colder weather. What a perfect tie-in to the Social District idea.

PEtEr roSE

Part of my takeaway was experiencing those downtowns, populated by – you guessed it – local and independent stores and restaurants galore.

Sisters is a town of 2,709, while Bend is just under 100,000. But it’s never just the shops and restaurants that grab my attention in such an exploration of them-there cities.

A huge part of the equation is the ways city governments and their departments integrate with local businesses and visionaries to create spaces that work to such an extent that without even focusing on it, people feel comfortable and energized and interested.

No matter where I’ve been – and I’ve been to lots of towns – it is the combination of the elements of a city that generates “cool places to be.”

There is almost no end to the things I’ve seen that make me covet and admire.

All of them create a sense of space that is compelling. All of them make people want to come back and explore more and appreciate more in their towns.

All of them are things to emulate,

Some of them are subtle and quirky, that make residents and visitors alike seek out more that might amuse and/ or stimulate the senses.

When I see these things during trips near and far, I try to remember them and share them. It is not just unique shops and restaurants that ignite me, it is the towns themselves. Such towns are absolute magnets to other businesses that want to be a part of it all. Such towns find ways, together, to create such magnets.

To what, pray tell, do I refer?

Well, there are many, but here are a few examples, in no particular order of importance as I see it:

* Murals on blank walls of buildings or structures that are completely ignored. Allowing artists to show their talent and turn boring space into things that amuse or stun with their beauty requires the decision to be such a town.

They also relieve store owners from having to maintain those blank walls that cost money to keep from looking decrepit.

One great example: Somebody painted the walls of the defunct overhead train track at King and Jefferson; it looks infinitely more interesting, and so much nicer. I love it.

* Artistic crosswalks that engage pedestrian crossers, sometimes

* Wayfinding sites that are updateable that help visitors find what they might be looking for. A map and a listing of businesses and parks and other points of interest, where one can see their choices for restaurants, for instance, is helpful and can be an interesting feature in design, in and of itself.

* The encouragement of bicycle use, through cool parking stations. The simultaneous utilization of regulatory signage that keeps bikes away from where they should not be ridden. Actually being “green” can’t be just a vague concept and more cities should be the leadership.

* Flowers wherever they can be hung to create lushness and beauty. This requires a budget, which could easily be funded and maintained by asking for citizen and business support, because everyone loves flowers.

* Social Districts work (look at Wyandotte), and are a real, marketable advantage over cities that have not enacted that simple policy. Strong, vibrant signage throughout the city that advises of the strict boundaries (by law), and calls out the participants by name, with support from those businesses and others that participate for the vibe it creates to raise all boats.

* Permanent bricked conversation areas are awesome enablers that provide seating arrangements that foster such an idea. Several of them spread around the downtown area. Some I’ve seen feature chimineas for warmth that extends conversation

* Small outdoor performing arts stages that encourage more community gatherings, that bring more people together in a town center or park to watch a mini play, listen to small musical acts, or give people a voice if they want such a chance. It is a powerful, unifying element, and again, especially if coordinated with the Social District idea.

* Banners on light poles that market and publicize specific events, or “shop local” encouragement, or seasonal images, or high school spirit, or highlight the non-profits that are part of the heart and should of a city. There are a lot of reasons to have such a constant and creative force for unity and bragging.

I see these things as I go about and love them.

I admire the civic initiative, the decisions made to make these things more than just ideas, and how darn cool they look in city after city, including the two I saw out west.

The absence of these things is routine. It is much more normal to not see them. But when they are there, they make a difference, and indicate that those cities are examples of residents, businesses, non-profits, schools and government coming together to make sure that everyone gets the message that small is magic, and it doesn’t happen by accident.

Localism, folks, is a lot more than just supporting local businesses.

It is about making our towns irresistible, and ours together.

Welcome to Trail Town

Murals at King and Jefferson invite trail users to downtown Trenton

If you did not know that Trenton was a Pure Michigan Trail Town, a quick trip to the intersection of King Road and West Jefferson will set you straight.

Beautiful new murals now adorn the bases of the railroad trestles in the area near what used to be the entrance to the old McLouth Steel plant.

Trenton was designated a “Pure Michigan Trail Town” in 2021 and is one of only 11 cities now with this designation.

The designation is not only because of the city’s trails, the International Wildlife Refuge experience and rich history, but also because of the level that the community embraces it, including schools and businesses.

The Trail Town concept is meant to offer means for economic development and supports niche small businesses and revitalizes downtowns.

“Surely this project is helping to put Trenton on the map as a destination location. Trenton is poised to welcome not only ecotourism as an economic base, but also sustainable, clean new industries,” said Trenton council person and trail booster Wendy Pate.

Three trail systems – The Detroit Heritage River Water Trail, the Iron Belle Trail and The Downriver Linked Greenways – all pass through the city.

Detroit heritage river water trail

The Detroit Heritage River Water Trail is one of

Michigan’s most dynamic and diverse water trails, traveling through the urban areas of downtown Detroit as well as the serene areas of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

The Lower Detroit River segment begins in Wyandotte’s Bishop Park (which features an

adaptive kayak launch) and travels about 10 miles south to Lake Erie. The trail passes through many Downriver communities, including Trenton, as well as the International Wildlife Refuge.

Downriver linked greenways

The Downriver Linked Greenway Trails are a system of connected (and non-contiguous) trails, pathways, bike lanes and sidewalks linking communities throughout the Downriver area.

In Trenton, the Downriver Linked Greenway Trail enters downtown from the south, out of Elizabeth Park. From there, the trail turns into sidewalk infrastructure as it veers toward the river, adjacent to downtown Trenton along Walnut Street. From there, the trail utilizes sidewalk infrastructure going north along several blocks of Riverside Drive. At West Street, the trail veers west until it meets with Jefferson and goes north into the city of Riverview.

iron belle trail

The Iron Belle Trail is referred to as Michigan’s “showcase trail,” a statewide trail that touches hundreds of municipalities and crosses through 48 different Michigan counties. Using existing trails and some new connections, the Iron Belle Trail extends more than 2,000 miles from the far western tip of the Upper Peninsula to Belle Isle in Detroit

traiL

on a biking route and a hiking route. The biking route utilizes many of the state’s existing bike paths, bike lanes, and signed, designated biking routes as it travels up the east side of the state.

In Trenton, the Iron Belle Trail shares and utilizes the Downriver Linked Greenway as its corridor through the city.

The new mural, which was painted by TreeTown Murals, marks the northern gateway of the Iron Belle Trail in Trenton. A trail gateway is meant to welcome trail users and visitors who are traveling into your town’s central business district.

The artists are: Danijel Matanic (TreeTown Murals and Brush Monkeys director) and Mary Thiefels (founder of TreeTown murals), along with Lavinia Hanachiuc, Narooz Soliman, and Colin Wilson (members of the Brush Monkeys helping TreeTown murals).

For more about TreeTown Murals you can visit their website: www.

treetownmurals.com/about/ and a recent article on the artists https:// www.crazywisdomjournal.com/ featuredstories/2022/9/1/brushmonkeys-and-treetown-muralsbeautifying-ann-arbor-amp-beyond

“This has been an outstanding partnership for TreeTown Murals,” said Thiefels. “Representatives from the city had a clear vision for the mural project that inspired us as artists.”

“It took me about two years for this project to come to life - first finding who manages the location, then getting the permission from the Conrail railroad, securing funding, and finally for the artist’s work,” said Pate.

The mural was funded by the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) and the City of Trenton. Both the DDA and Trail Town master plans aligned to create this Gateway Experience.

“Every part of the city came together to support this. The DDA for funding, Council’s approval, Parks and Rec provided services, DPS prepped the area, the Fire Dept washed the walls, the Police directed traffic during the drawing phase,

and members of the City Beautiful Commission and volunteers, young and old, from the neighborhoods helped paint the base coats,” said Pate.

“I am truly thankful for everyone’s support. This is what makes us a Pure Michigan Trail Town!”

The West side of the mural depicts how we are using our trails, both land and water.

The East side uses each letter of the word “TRENTON” to show how transportation has evolved and made its impact on our W Jefferson corridor in Trenton. All paintings were modeled using photos from Trenton historical books.

t: Depicts our first settlers, Native Americans, the first trail users. W Jefferson is an original Native American foot trail and Trenton is the half-way point between Detroit and Toledo.

r: Shows settlers arriving by stagecoach - there is a home just a block away that still stands which was the coach house people would stop to rest.

e,n,t: Depicts the arrival of streetcars, rail, and shipbuilding o: Development brought

modernization, however the fire truck is a foreshadowing of the building behind it that would burn and usher in the decline and distress in our downtown for 40 years

n: Depicts the revival of our downtown and our future as we turn back toward using our natural resources for quality of life experiences.

“Murals tell a visual story. These murals highlight Trenton’s history while celebrating its future and what attracts people to visit, like its beautiful nature, trails and river,” said Thiefels.

“We have been blown away by the response from the community while painting. The murals seem to be making a very positive impact.”

A ribbon cutting and artist reception is being planned for early October.

“It’s wonderful that we can provide opportunities for professional artwork so that their craft can be appreciated,” said Pate, “There has been a great interest in these artist’s works. You might see their work popping up in Wyandotte and nearby communities soon.”

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Testimonials...

Candy... Excellent staff, food and service! Brunch is fabulous.

Sergio...

Name that tune was so fun on Tuesday! Had the taco salad and eggrolls app was so yum. Good service too.

Tosha... Food was amazing! So was the service!

Kandra...

I recently started going to Mr. Nicks. I absolutely love it. I enjoy the musicians that perform there. The bartender Dave is amazing. I have met so many nice and welcoming people there.

Patty... The food, drinks & service was fantastic! We will definitely be stopping by more often. Thank you Mr Nicks.

Michelle... We had a birthday party in the banquet room, comfortable atmosphere, great food and the bartender and waitress did a great job serving drinks to all our guests! Great prices for catering too!

Dan... Lunch was amazing, as always. Have had the French Dip, Burgers, Perch, Walleye, Cod in the different times I have gotten lunch. Oh yea, loaded potato skins.

OFF THE CHARTS. Prepared perfect, quick service. Stop in for lunch and enjoy.

Scott...

First time here, definitely won’t be our last. Awesome food and great portions. Great friendly service Child-friendly, Indoor Dining, Cozy atmosphere, Great food, Large portions.

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!

CULINARY CAPERS

Zucchini has to be the most versatile vegetable in the world and is one of the healthiest, besides. My favorite among the zucchini recipes I made for this month’s column included a delicious cakey cookie studded with raisins and nuts and drizzled with a tangy lemon glaze. Because the recipe yields only about three dozen cookies, which disappeared quickly, you may want to bake a double batch.

LEMon DroP zUCCHini CookiES

½ cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar

1 large egg at room temperature

1 cup finely shredded zucchini

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup raisins ½ cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, zucchini and lemon zest. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Stir in the raisins and walnuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets or parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and enough lemon juice to reach a thin spreading consistency. Spread or drizzle over the cooled cookies. The cookies are wonderful with a cup of tea.

SiMPLE FrUitED zUCCHini

BrEaD

¾ cup light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple juice or any other liquid

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 ¾ cups flour

2 cups grated or shredded zucchini

¾ cup chopped walnuts, toasted 3/4 cup dark raisins, currants or golden raisins (golden preferred) 2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar for sprinkling on batter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2x4 ½-inch loaf pan. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the brown sugar, liquid of choice, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Whisk the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into the flour, then add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients in the bowl, stirring or beating gently until smooth.

Sir in the zucchini, walnuts and fruit. Scoop the batter into the baking pan and smooth if necessary. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The toothpick shouldn’t reveal wet batter. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely. For best results, don’t slice the bread until it is cool. Store the bread a cool room temperature, well wrapped, for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

BakED ParMESan zUCCHini StiCkS

4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon dried basil ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. Place in oven and bake until the zucchini is tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Serve garnished with parsley, if desired.

hAPPy CooKing!

EvELyn CairnS

Trenton suffers first loss at hands of Carlson

Hank Minckiewicz

Trenton’s strong start to the 2022 football season hit a little bump in the road in Gibraltar on Sept. 16 as the Trojans traveled down West Jefferson and suffered their first loss of the season.

The Carlson defense shut down the Trojans offense and Marauders remained unbeaten with a 27-6 victory. Carlson is 4-0 overall and 4-0 in Downriver League play. They have beaten league rivals Lincoln Park, Dearborn and Allen Park as well as Trenton this season.

It was a dominant running game and stout defense that led the Marauders against the Trojans.

Carlson senior running back Omari Carter continued his dominant season with another 100 yard-plus rushing effort. He carried 18 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns. When he wasn’t ripping off big runs, freshman Izaiah Wright was doing his best Omari Carter imitation as he ran for 122 yards on 15 carries and also scored twice.

Trenton got its hands on the ball just three times in the first half and generated little offense. Carlson scored twice and led 14-0 at intermission.

Trenton forced Carlson to punt on its first possession of the second half and took over on the Carlson half of the field. Trenton picked up a first down and was poised to get a second inside the Carlson 30-yard line, but a fumble ended the drive.

The Trojans stopped the Marauders for a second time and the ensuing possession led to the only Trojan points of the night.

Starting at their own 34-yard-line, Trenton burst deep into Marauder territory on the strength of a 45yard Ty Norgren-to-Austin Toth pass that took the ball to the Carlson 10-yard-line.

Two runs, an incomplete pass and an illegal procedure penalty brought Trenton to fourth-andgoal right at the Marauder 10. From there, Norgren again found Toth and this time it resulted in a touchdown.

A bad snap ruined Gabe Push’s extra-point attempt, but the Trojans were on the board and had some momentum.

That momentum ebbed away as the Marauder ate up a chunk of the fourth quarter with a 65-yard drive that ended with another touchdown.

Carlson then pooch-kicked the next kickoff and recovered it on the Trenton 45, leading to the final score of the game.

For the night, Trenton finished with 108 total yards to Carlson’s 347.

Prior to the Carlson game, Trenton was 3-0 with an impressive 7-6 non-league win over defending state champion Chelsea on opening night, a 28-20 win over a surprisingly resilient Southgate team and

a 24-7 win over Taylor.

trenton 24, taylor 7

Trenton held serve against the Griffins with a solid effort that included 297yards of total offense, all of it on the ground.

Ty Norgren had 123 of those yards and Nathan Ariganello had 108 as that pair dominated the running game. Peyton Culpepper had 54 rushing yards. Norgren scored two touchdowns for Trenton, Culpepper had one and kicker Gabe Push had a field goal and three extra points.

trenton 28, Southgate 20

Trenton had beaten Southgate in nine of the 10 meetings between these teams heading into the 2022 contest and the Trojans had to work hard to make it 10-out-of-11.

Trenton led the whole way, but they never could quite shake the Titan before Austin Toth made an interception in the Trenton end zone in the final minute to halt a potential game-tying drive by the Titans.

Offensively, Trenton was a machine in the game with three runners gaining more that 100 yards. Ty Norgren had 23 carries for 128 yards and scored three of his team’s four touchdowns. Peyton Culpepper had 12 carries for 120 yards and the other Trenton touchdown and Nate Ariganello had 10 carries for 105 yards.

The Trenton defense, led by Joaquin Maldonado,

trenton 7, Chelsea 6

A fourth-quarter field goal by Gabe Push was the difference in this game as the Trojans beat the defending Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 4 state champs omn opening night.

It was likely a strange feeling for the Bulldogs, who were 14-0 last season.

The game was obviously not an offensive show and the Trojans outgained the Bulldogs 207-170, with Ty Norgren leading the way. The Trojan quarterback led all ballcarries in the game with 73 yards. Peyton Culpepper had 48 and Nate Ariganello had 36.

No Chelsea runner had more than 30 yards and, despite attempting 20 passes, Chelsea quarterback Lucas Dawson threw for just 87 yards against the stout Trojan defenders.

Trenton was back in action on Sept. 23 at Lincoln Park and they will finish the regular season with games against Woodhaven on Sept. 30 (home); at Dearborn Edsel Ford Oct. 7; against Allen Park on Oct. 14 (home); and against Wyandotte on Oct. 21 (home).

Dom Calloway and Andrew Block, limited Southgate to just 42 yards rushing, but Southgate’s sophomore quarterback Jackson Sage had the best night of his young career, going 13-for-16 for 244 yards.

Trenton defenders like Andrew Block (8) and Dominick Calloway (15) had their hands full with Carlson’s Omari Carter on Sept. 16. Carter had 138 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns as the Marauders beat Trenton 27-6. It was Trenton’s first loss of the season.

Photo by Dave Chapman

Onward Trojans has been an excellent start to the 2022 season for the Trenton football team, which came out of the chute with three straight victories to start the season.The Trojans set the tone on opening night with a 6-3 win over defending Division 4 state champ champ Chelsea and backed that up with wins over Southgate and Taylor. It is a look at some of the early season action captured by Chapman.

Dominick Calloway and the Trenton Southgate

Quarterback Ty Norgren sheds Southgate tackler. Trenton’s leading rusher against

Trenton fans are ready for work.

Austin Toth gets ready to punt away the football.

The Trenton defense gangs up to stop Carlson’s Ben Przytula.

Eagle Scout completes marina boardwalk replacement project

Boy Scout Troop 1261 Eagle Scout James Quinlan has completed the replacement of the boardwalk with his fellow scouts and volunteers for his Eagle Project.

The boardwalk was underwater for the past three years due to high water causing deck boards to warp and rot.

Three hundred and fifty feet of boardwalk was replaced along with 6,500 new deck screws. More than $6,000 in lumber and materials was donated for this project to be completed. James Quinlan said the project took more than 374 hours

and that several scouts and other volunteers assisted.

Eagle Scout Mentor James Allen helped guide the project by sharing his expertise as a carpenter, builder, and providing all commercial equipment for the project. Patrick Quinlan, Assistant Scoutmaster was the Eagle coach for this project, ensuring that BSA guidelines were followed while Eagle Scout James Quinlan, led the project.

Donations for this Eagle Scout project were received from Gorno Ford, Mans Lumber, J.G Morris Jr.

Inc, Joan Strickler, Tim and Cathy Quinlan, GI Recreation, The Packline Company, Allstate, Jim M. Nelson, Ed and Hanna Hughes, Smokies Restaurant, WRYCC, Jeanette Gronda, and PTI Quality Containment Solutions LLC.

Grosse Ile Recreation Director Kim O’Farrell said, “A sincere thank you to all who participated in the Water’s Edge Municipal Marina boardwalk revitalization project. Troop 1261 of Grosse Ile did impeccable work to improve not only the safety but the aesthetics of our marina.

“Thank you again for your dedication to Grosse Ile.”

The following scouts volunteered: Nino Dioso, Cole Gilbert, Joey Gall, and Leland Peterson.

Adults Volunteers were: Patrick Quinlan, Tony Dioso, Brian Maghran, Jim Allen, Gregg Phillips, Neil Quinlan, Nicholas Quinlan, Pat Boucher, Ron Peterson, Brad Peterson, Lori Quinlan, Rebecca Dioso, Paul Allen, Tim Quinlan and Sean Allen.

^ the new boardwalk at water’s Edge Marina.

< Scouts James Quinlan (frnt, left) and nino Dioso; wendy kearney (second row), Gregg Phillips, Chad novak, Lori Quinlan and tony Dioso; Jim allen (back row), tim Quinlan, Patrick Quinlan

trenton runners get cross country season started

As the calendar flips to September, high school cross country teams around the state and the country get the season off to a flying start. Trenton joined the crowd, running in the Downriver Watermelon run on Sept. 1 and following it up with runs at the Detroit Mercy Titans Invitational, the first Downriver League Jamboree and the MSU Spartan Invitational.

The Trojan boys were third at the Watermelon Run, held at Elizabeth Park, sixth at Mercy, fifth at the DRL Jamboree and 19th in the 26-team Bronze Division at MSU.

At the Watermelon Run, Trenton was third behind Dearborn and Riverview.

Robert Gonzalez was the leader for the Trojans, turning in a top-10 run with his 19:38 eighth-placed effort. Will Taylor was 11th (20:15), Gabe Natvidid was 12th (20:19), Ian Kramp was 19th (20:48) and Charlie Gerometta finished the scoring in 52nd place (25:29).

At the DRL meet, held at Willow Metropark and hosted by meet champ Allen Park, Gonzalez again led the Trojans with a 12th-place run.

Following Gonzalez home were Natvidid, Kramp, Taylor and Owen Hassett.

Trenton scored 102 points and finished behind Allen Park, Woodhaven, Carlson and Wyandotte.

Taylor topped the Trenton runners at the Mercy Invitational, running 31st in 19:32. Kramp, Gonzalez, Natvidid and Hassett finished the Trenton scoring. There were seven full teams and 103 runners in the race.

Finally, at the enormous MSU race, Gonzalez’s 84th-place performance topped Trenton. He ran 19:26 in the 262-runner race. Also scoring for Trenton were Kramp, Natvidid, Hassett and Gerometta.

It has been a bit of a tough start for the Trenton girls, who have not always had enough runners to field a full team at each of their meets, but sophomore Marisa Chuey, who was a start-meet qualifier last season, is off to another strong start.

Chuey was second at the Watermelon Run, second at the Mercy Invitational, fourth at the Downriver meet and 21st in the 275-runner Bronze Division race at MSU.

Fellow sophomore Devyn Dorey has given Chuey a strong No. 2 to run against and she has performed well in Trenton;s early meets. Dorey was 11th at the Watermelon, 11th at the Mercy Invitational, sixth at the league jamboree and 94th at MSU.

The Trojans were at the 38th annual Monroe Jefferson Invitational on Sept. 24 and they will be at the Marauder Invitational at Lake Erie Metropark on Oct. 1.

Soccer team looking for some consistency

It has been a bit of an upand-down start to 2022 for the Trenton boys soccer team, which won just three of its first eight games and posted a 3-4-1 record through August and the first half of September.

After splitting their first two games of the season – a 2-0 loss to Carlson and a 1-0 win over Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central – the Trojans found themselves on a three-game winless streak that featured losses to Milan and Woodhaven and a 4-4 tie with Wyandotte.

Trenton snapped that mini slump with back-to-back shutout victories over Taylor and Southgate. Those wins evened Trenton’s Downriver League record at 2-2-1.

Trenton played Allen Park on Sept. 1 and that leaves league games against Lincoln Park and Dearborn Edsel Ford before the position portion of the Downriver League schedule 3-0.

Photo

Downriver waterfront: Your opinion is wanted

SUSan PinkowSki

Do you care about the future of the brownfields along the waterfront in Trenton?

If you have thoughts on what the future of Trenton’s waterfront should look like, now is the perfect time to share your input with the folks who are working at moving Trenton forward in a positive way.

Currently, there is a web site created by a group of graduate students at University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning’s Public Design Corps led by Professor Maria Arquero de Alarcon, who are working with Trenton Councilwoman Wendy Pate, former Trenton Mayor Pat Hartig and environmental scholar John Hartig, who is the chair of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan’s Great Lakes Way Advisory Committee, the impetus for this effort.

This web site spotlights the Great Lakes Way, a 156-mile network of trails and blueways that extend from Lake Huron to Lake Erie.

With the three large brownfield areas ripe for transition, the Taubman College Public Design Corps would like to get your insight and past experiences with the outdoor recreational offerings that are in the Trenton area.

You do not need to be a resident of Trenton to take this survey; you just need to have experienced the waterfront, parks and/or trails in order to offer feedback.

Per the web site, your input will help them analyze “the accessibility, frequency of use, physical condition, perceptions, and future expectations for the future usage of the waterfront properties and the system of trails.”

You may access this informative site about The Great Lakes Way @ Trenton by going to storymaps.arcgis. com/stories or scan the QR code in the upper right.

The Public Design Corps calls this a Story Map because it traces the history of Trenton’s waterfront, identifies current challenges, offers three possible waterfront futures or scenarios, and invites community stakeholder input. The goal is to get as many people as possible involved in

re-envisioning the waterfront.

Scenario 1 is entitled Quick revenue.

The closing of those industrial sites came with a loss of revenue for the city. That needs to be recouped in some way and attracting more business and industry is a way to accomplish that.

The costs and time involved for remediating the properties for new industries and businesses is much less than it is for making the area suitable for residential/retail use and parklands. Possible industries and businesses that could be helping recoup that municipal tax loss could be “intermodal shipping, solar and nuclear energy research and production, warehouse storage and a ferry terminal.”

However, this direction comes with potential environmental impacts, and will limit public access to the waterfront.

Scenario 2 is the trenton great lakes way biennial

The goal of this proposal is to “improve the existing physical infrastructure supporting the Great Lakes Blue and Green Ways at Trenton, and to activate the trail system through cultural programming and small nodes of access to the Detroit River.”

This is a great result for the people and nature, but not so much the bottom line.

the third scenario is Commercial and r&D waterfront redevelopment.

This might be the sweet spot that makes everyone – and the city’s coffers – happy. According to the website above: “An influx of local and state funding streams targets the project sites as critical assets to advance urban resilience, climate adaptation, and regional competitiveness in the Great Lakes Basin.

This renewed commitment to public spending animates private investors to enter into ambitious partnerships in Trenton.

As a response, this scenario offers a glimpse of how commercial, research and development could transform the waterfront revitalization district into a prosperous urban place. The transformation will anchor new local and regional uses and open up the waterfront to the public, further activating access and enjoyment of the Trenton Chanel and the Detroit River.

This scenario means increased governance complexity, larger economic investment, more stringent environmental clean-ups, and necessary controls to ensure new

the eyesore that was the closed down McLouth Steel site is now being considered for redevelopment. input from Downriver residents is being sought.

Photo by Larry Caruso

developments are not negatively impacting Trenton’s current social fabric.

Managing this ambitious urban transformation over time will also require the formation of waterfront authorities participated by public officials, land-owners, and private entities, foundations, and citizen advisory groups.

The result is the attraction of new blue and green economies and the decisive commitment to environmental stewardship that will situate Trenton as a blueprint for sustainable urban transformation and a regional destination.

The scenario’s new programmatic offerings are supported by ample access to the waterfront and related amenities, and the integration with the existing green and blue trails.”

What scenario do you want?

What ideas do you have for the future of Trenton’s waterfront?

Scan the QR code or go to the web site and take the survey. Every voice matters. storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ Also, feel free to attend the Downtown Development Authority meetings on the third Thursday of each month from now until December.

They start at 6 p.m. in the second-floor caucus room of Trenton City Hall. Let them know which scenario you would like to see in the future.

Honey bee honey harvest At the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge

Jazmyn Bernard

Did you know that honey bees throughout the United States produce millions of pounds of honey each year?

Over the last year, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge has had two honeybee hives in the prairie. Currently, there are about 60,000 bees in each hive. This large number is due to the queen bee in both beehives laying up to 2,500 new eggs each day.

An increase in the number of bees in the hives means more female worker bees to go out into the prairie to collect nectar for honey.

Our honeybees can produce hundreds of pounds of honey that can benefit both the beehives and people!

We leave between 80 to 100 pounds of honey in each hive for the bees to feed on during the winter months and can harvest the excess honey for human consumption without harming the bees. So far, we’ve harvested 250 pounds of honey!

All the honey harvesting is done by Bees in the D, a non-profit organization and partner of the refuge. This organization installed our beehives in May 2021, does routine beehive checkups and harvests the honey from our hives.

How is the honey harvested?

Bees in the D maintains 70 hives across the city of Detroit and southeast Michigan. With these many locations, beekeepers can collect all sorts of different flavors of honey.

Bees in the D has a special way of harvesting and preparing the honey they

collect, because they do not mix the honey they harvest. This allows them to harvest a variety of honey that comes in different colors and has different tastes.

How can honey be so diverse?

The secret is written across the landscape in the plants where the bees collect nectar. Because the taste and coloration of honey can change depending on what mixture of flowers bees are collecting nectar from, we can end up with many different types of honey.

To harvest honey, beekeepers take the frames with honey-filled combs from the hives to a commercial kitchen. There, the capping on the honeycomb is taken off with a hot knife. Next, the frame is placed into a machine that spins the frame to get the honeycombs to release the honey. Lastly, the honey is prepared and placed into jars.

Instead of discarding the empty frames, they are kept until the next harvest, so that the bees don’t have to rebuild the wax comb. This saves the bees time, energy and resources.

At Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the honeybees share the beautiful prairies with all sorts of different pollinators, all working hard to pollinate the many different flowers in our environment. To support our pollinators, we must keep a diverse and healthy habitat for these important wildlife to survive.

Learn more about Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and plan your trip today!

Website - www.fws.gov/refuge/ detroit-river.

Peter Rose Chapman

Paula Neuman

Pat

Dave

Pamela

Sherry

Hank Minckiewicz

Blair Temple

Katrina Mason

Trenton and Downriver Area Soroptimists’ Scholarship Awards

The Trenton and Downriver Area Soroptimists’ Club is offering several scholarship opportunities to Downriver women.

The application deadline for these awards is rapidly approaching.

The Soroptimist Prime Award recognizes young women who are engaged in volunteer activities within their communities or schools.

High school girls residing in Trenton, Wyandotte, Allen Park, Brownstown, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, Lincoln Park, Riverview, Southgate, Taylor or Woodhaven are eligible. The schol;arship is worth $800. The deadline to apply is Nov, 15, 2022.

Contact Pat Bryan at soroptimistprime@yahoo.com.

~

The Live Your Dream Award assists women who have the primary financial responsibility for their families to obtain the skills/training and education necessary to improve their employment status and standard of living for themselves and their families.

Judging is based on effort toward education, scholarship, extracurricular activities, and financial need. The scholarship is worth $2,500. The deadline to apply is Nov.15, 2022.

Contact Nancy Nagle at 734-558-7942 or nagle.nancy@gmail.com.

~

The Virginia Wagner Award - Women who are attending a college or university in pursuit of a bachelor’s or master’s degree are eligible to apply.

Judging is based on effort toward education, scholarship, extracurricular activities, and financial need. The scholarship is worth $2,500. The deadline to apply is Jan. 15, 2023.

Contact Fallon Donovan at 734-308-5466 or fdonovan811@gmail.com.

~

The Trenton and Downriver Area Soroptimist organization meets on the second Tuesday of the month at the Woodhaven Community Center, and the fourth Tuesday at Portofino’s of Wyandotte.

All women are welcome to attend.

You may contribute to the foundations that the Soroptimists support on smile.amazon.com and krogercommunityrewards. com. If you are interested in learning more about the Trenton and Downriver Area Soroptimists and our other activities, contact us at sioftrentonanddownriverarea@gmail.com or check out our page on Facebook@ SoroptimistInternationalOfTrentonAndDownriverArea.

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 selfesteem 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 co-hosted 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.