Wyandotte Warrior September 27 — October 27, 2022

Off and running of the better high school cross country runners Downriver call Wyandotte home. Seniors Michael Makuch and Sam Cost raced into their final high school season with victories at the Warrior Classic Cross Country Invitational at Lake Erie Metropark on Sept. 9. Makuch won his race by 10 seconds, Cost by 26. At the first Downriver League Jamboree, each runner was a winner again. Read more about the Roosevelt runner on Page 17. Photo by Dave Chapman

mayor and Council members Council

mayor Robert A. DeSana mayor@wyandottemi.gov

mayor Pro Tempore Kelly M. Stec kstec@wyandottemi.gov

Todd Hanna thanna@wyandottemi.gov

Council Rosemary Shuryan rshuryan@wyandottemi.gov

Council

Chris Calvin ccalvin@wyandottemi.gov

Council

Robert Alderman ralderman@wyandottemi.gov

Council

Kaylyn Crayne kcrayne@wyandottemi.gov

Council and Commission meetings at Wyandotte City hall

Zoning Board of Appeals and Adjustments

Wednesday, October 5, 6:30pm

City Council Meeting

Monday, October 10, 7:00pm

Downtown Development Authority Tuesday, October 11, 5:50pm

Beautification Commission

Thursday, October 13, 6:00pm

Planning Commission

Thursday, October 20, 6:30pm

City Council Meeting Monday, October 24, 7:00pm

City Department Contacts

27th District Court

Chief District Judge, The Honorable Elizabeth L. DiSanto

Phone: 734-324-4475

Email: 27DC@wyandottemi.gov

Animal Control Department Phone: 734-246-1328

Assessor

Ted Galeski, City Assessor

Phone: 734-324-4510

Email: assessor@wyan.org

City Clerk

Lawrence S. Stec, City Clerk

Phone: 734-324-4560

Email: clerk@wyandottemi.gov

Community Development

The Community Development Office

Phone: 734-324-4566

Email: tdrysdale@wyandottemi.gov

Downtown Development Authority

Joseph Keller Gruber, Downtown Development Authority Director Phone: 734-324-7298

Email: dda@wyan.org

Department of Public Service

Jon Allen, Superintendent Phone: 734-324-4580

Email: dps@wyandottemi.gov

Engineering and Building Department

Greg Mayhew, City Engineer

Phone: 734-324-4550

Email: engineering1@wyandottemi.gov

Finance and Administration

Todd Drysdale, CPA, City Administrator

Phone: 734-324-4545

Email: tdrysdale@wyandottemi.gov

Fire Department

Tom Lyon, Fire Chief Phone: 734-324-4404

For Emergencies Call 911

Email: tlyon@wyandottemi.gov

Municipal Services

Paul LaManes, General Manager

Phone: 734-324-7100

Email: talk2wms@wyandottemi.gov

Police Department

Chief Brian Zalewski, Chief of Police Phone: 734-324-4405

For Emergencies call 911

Email: bzalewski@wyandottemi.gov

Recreation, Leisure and Culture Department

Justin Lanagan, Superintendent of Recreation

Phone: 734-324-7295

Email: recreation@wyandottemi.gov

Treasury Todd Browning, City Treasurer

Phone: 734-324-4570

Email: treasurer@wyan.org

Eighth annual Wyandotte Zombie Pub Crawl set for Oct. 15

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

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

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

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

Charities like Downriver Foster Closet, which helps foster kids rebuild

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 9:30 p.m. the zombie horde

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

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

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

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

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

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!

www.ForresterLawOffice.com

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 developments are not negatively

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

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.

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.

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,

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.

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

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

* 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

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

* 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.

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.

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.

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.

Roosevet’s Mike Makuch still out in front

Roosevelt’s Michael Makuch has been one of the Downriver area’s top runners for a few years now, and the way he has begun his senior-year campaign indicates that he plans to stay among the best.

Running in some big fields against some top-level competition, Makuch was third in the Milan Puddle Jumper and fifth in the top division at the New Boston Huron Invitational. Only runners from powerhouse programs Saline, Monroe and Grosse Pointe South beat the Roosevelt senior at those events.

Against competition closer to home, Makuch has dominated.

At the Warrior Classic held at Lake Erie Metropark and at the Downriver League’s first jamboree, hosted by Allen ark at Willow Metropark, Makuch was virtually unchallenged.

At the Warrior Classic, Makuch ran 16:44 and won by 10 seconds over the second-place runner. At the DRL Jamboree, Makuch easily topped the

80-runner field. He ran 16:54 and beat closest league rival John Anderson of Carlson by 26 seconds.

Running on the same Willow course four days after the jamboree, Makuch did not win, but he carved 25 seconds off his previous time and claimed fifth place in 16:29.

As a sophomore and as a junior, Makuch had a competitive pack to run with. This year, the Bears are a little thinner and Makuch is something of a “Lone Ranger.” The next Roosevelt runner home after Makuch at the Huron Invitational was Ethan Johnson, who was 25th.

At the Warrior Classic, Wyandotte was eighth in a 12-team field. Monroe won the event, edging New Boston Huron 70-75.

For the Bears, following Makuch home were Johnson (26th, 18:54), Marcus Hawthorne (54th, 20:26), Sam Bovee (62nd, 20:48) and Matt Caudill (64th, 20:50).

At the DRL Jamboree, Wyandotte

finished fourth as a team behind host and champ Allen Park, Woodhaven and Carlson.

Backing up Makuch’s gold-medal effort for the Bears were Johnson (8th, 18:29), Bovee (27th, 20:07), Hawthorne (28th, 20:08) and Malachi Bettis (42nd, 21:43).

The girls also had an individual champion at the DRL Jamboree and senior Sam Cost’s 19:32 firstplace run led the Bears to the meet championship.

Wyandotte scored 35 points to edge Woodhaven, which had 38. Cost was followed across the finish line by teammates Mercedes Dziendziel, who was eighth (22:58); Lauren Mareno, who was ninth (23:07); Abby Caudill, who was 13th (23:40) and Loreli Harris, who was 18th (24:06).

At the Warrior Classic, Cost topped the 101-runner field and led the Bears to a fourth place finish behind Plymouth, Wayne Memorial and

Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central.

The Bears edged host Woodhaven by just two points as the two league rivals squared off in what will likely be a season full of nail-biting competition between them.

Dziendziel, Moreno, Harris and Elenor Grant finished the Wyandotte scoring that day.

Cost also won the top division of the Milan Puddle Jumper, but she was the only Wyandotte runner to crack the top 10 and the Bears finished last in the six-team race.

At the Huron Invitational, Cost was second behind Eliza Bush of Ypsilanti Prep, who was the only girl to break the 19-minute mark. She ran 18:59 to Cost’s 19:44.

Events ahead on the Bears’ cross country calendar include the second DRL Jamboree on Oct. 4, the Gabriel Richard Downriver meet on Oct. 15, the DRL league championships on Oct. 20 and the MHSAA regional on Oct. 29

Photo by Dave Chapman

Roosevelt swimmers get season underway

The Roosevelt girls swim team kicked off the season with nonleague meets against Dearborn and Grosse Ile and a Downriver League battle with the co-op Southgate-Lincoln Park team, which they won.

On Sept. 22 the Roosevelt swimmers welcomed Trenton and on Sept. 24 they competed in the Downriver Classic.

If you are looking to catch the Roosevelt girls in action, here are your chances: Sept. 29 home against Dearborn Edsel Ford; Oct. 1 at Grosse Pointe South; Oct. 6 at Carlson; Oct. 11 at Riverview; Oct. 13 home against Woodhaven; and Oct 20 at home against Allen Park

< Roosevelt coaches discuss strategy with their swimmers.

Photos by Dave Chapman

Emily Sauve Paola Negrete

Bears looking to crack the win column

The struggles that the Roosevelt football team had last year while limping to a 4-5 record have carried over to the 2022 season.

Ron Adams stepped down after 16 very successful seasons as the head coach of the Bears and Chris Merrell has taken over the reins of the program.

The Bears, who last year failed to qualify for the Michigan High School Athletic Association state playoffs for the first time in 16 years, got the new season off to an 0-4 start with losses to Allen Park, Southgate, Waterford Mott and Taylor.

The loss to Taylor was the first time the Bears have lost to a team from that city in 25 tries. Roosevelt had been 24-0 against Taylor and its predecessors Kennedy and Truman since a 21-13 loss to Truman in October of 2007.

The game was a good one, with the teams tied at 10-10 in the fourth quarter, but Taylor scored two touchdowns to grab the lead and then held off a last-gasp Wyandotte possession to hang on for a 24-17 win.

Wyandotte’s touchdowns came on a 26-yard pass from Tyler Kurdi to Chase Cline early in the contest and on a 25yard pass to Nate Gonzalez with about two minutes to play in the game.

Alejandro Nunez also hit a 28-year field goal and added two extra points.

After pulling to within 24-17, Roosevelt got one more shot at the ball with about a minute to play, but the Bears ran four plays and could not get a first down.

In the game against Southgate, another team Wyandotte has pretty much owned the past few years, it was more of the same. This was another

close game, but Anderson scored the final 22 points and won going away 42-14.

Anderson sophomore Jackson Sage passed for 245 yards and a touchdown and running back Chase Barbosa scored three times.

The Titans last beat the Bears in 2011.

The season started with a couple of hard setbacks for the Bears, who lost the season-opener to Allen Park 55-21 and then fell against non-league Mott 48-7.

Max Biundo was the highlight of the night for Roosevelt against Mott as he carried the ball 18 times for 144 yards and a touchdown.

Against Allen Park, in a game that was part of the Xenith Kickoff Classic series hosted by Wayne State University, Biundo was again the star

of the show, but it was’t enough to help the Bears get past the Jaguars.

Biundo had more than 100 yards rushing and scored on runs of 13 and 17 yards. He also scored a two-point conversion and was named the game’s “Outstanding Player.”

The Jags led the game just 21-14 at halftime, but they pulled away in the second half.

Wyandotgte’s only points in the second half came when Kurdi hit Gonzalez with a 32-yard scoring strike and Biundo carried in the two-point conversion.

The Bears hosted unbeaten Carlson on Sept. 23 and they will host Lincoln Park on Sept. 30, go to Woodhaven on Oct. 7, host Dearborn Edsel Ford on Oct. 14 and close out the regular season at Trenton on Oct. 21.

Photos by Constance York

Losses to Allen Park, Waterford Mott, Southgate and Taylor have left the Roosevelt Bears searching for their first win of 2022

Honey bee honey harvest

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.

Wyandotte pets

Sherry EvansWill Evans

Hank Minckiewicz Blair Temple Director of Graphics

Dave Gorgon Writer/Photos

Pamela Frucci Evelyn CairnsBill Stevenson

Peter Rose Writer

Paula Neuman Larry Caruso Writer/Photos

Pat McComb Graphic Designer

Katrina Mason Graphic Designer

Creatures of the night: The opossum

elena C. Tyler

Whether it was during the break of dawn or the falling of dusk, we have all encountered the presence of the opossum. Waddling close to the ground with its small ears and prehensile tail foraging its way through the dark.

If you are one of the lucky ones, you may have even seen a mama making the daring trek to a source of food or shelter with all of her little joeys catching a ride on her back.

The opossum, North America’s only marsupial, is considered to be one of nature’s most misunderstood creatures.

Despite its widely fueled misconceptions, opossums are quite fascinating.

Beginning with their diet, opossums are known to be omnivores in which they consume both plant and animal matter such as: fruits, nuts, bugs, and small mammals.

Vital members of nature’s cleanup crew, an opossum will consume

around 5,000 ticks per year as shared by PBS’s wildlife filmmaker, Alex Goetz. Thus, there is a significant reduction in the spread and contraction of Lyme disease within the environment.

A second common misconception many individuals hold towards opossums is that they are ridden with diseases, including rabies. Although in actuality, opossums have lower body temperatures than most, making itself an unlikely host. As shared in

the article, “The Opossum: Benefits, Beliefs, Myths, and Misconceptions”, only 1 in 800 opossums contract rabies.

Lastly, in being such a solitary and reluctant animal, many are led to believe that opossums are quite an aggressive and vexatious pest. This statement is known to be false as they are considered very peaceful animals and prefer not to engage in violence of any kind.

When confronted with a threatening

or hostile situation, they will “play dead.” This response is involuntary and automatic. According to citywildlife.org, “The stress and shock of the encounter triggers a comatose state that can last anywhere from 40 minutes to four hours…their body becomes limp, lips are drawn back, and drool runs from its mouth.”

In addition to mimicking the state of a dead animal, they also release a scent confusing its attacker and creating a chance to escape.

When considering their gentle manner and helpful habits as our wildlife neighbor, we should show more kindness and compassion to these local critters, especially when driving.

If one happens to cross your path while cruising down a dirt road or while driving through your city’s streets, be sure to “give them the brake” as we should always be kind to all kinds.

what’s happening wyandotte ...

Christ The King Rummage Sale

The sale will take place on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the church at 16700 Pennsylvania Road, Southgate. Furniture, clothing, household goods, tools & appliances, homemade baked goods, concessions, hot dogs and a raffle every half hour.

Salvation Army events

Golden Agers Bingo, Mondays, 10 a.m. to noon, $1. Downriver Music, Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m., kindergarten and older. Downriver Youth, Tuesdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m., kindergarten and older. Downriver Bible Study, Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m., 16 and older. The Salvation Army Downriver Corps Community Center is located at 1258 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte. For more information, call 734-282-0930.

Take it outside Photo Contest

Sponsored by the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy. Opens Oct. 1 with an entry deadline of Thursday, May 11, 2022 at 5 p.m. Open to high school

students within Wayne, Washtenaw and Monroe Counties. We are searching for photos captured locally (within Wayne, Washtenaw and Monroe Counties) that inspire us to appreciate and steward our environment: air, water, land, wildlife, resources, and ecosystems. Categories are Dawn to Dusk; Fur and Feathers; Bark and Blooms. Total of $445 in prize money. For more information, visit see https://www.ginlc.org/photo-contest

oktoberfest Silent Auction

On Saturday, Oct.1. Doors open at 6pm, PRCU Hall 1430 Oak St, Wyandotte. Proceeds benefit adult and youth activities of PRCU Society #162 including cultural dance, gymnastics, bowling, and scholarships. Event includes food, auction items, raffles galore, “Autobahn Race.” Cash bar. Reserve tables of 10 and purchase advance tickets $20 by Sept. 24. After that date tickets are $25. Call or text 313-815-5230 or email spaskoj@aol.com. For more info: www. prcu-wyandotte.org

Creative Art Society meeting

The Creative Art Society, formally the Downriver Arts and Crafts Guild, will be meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Southgate Veterans Memorial Library in the City of Southgate, 14680 Dix-Toledo Highway. Creative Art Society meetings are free and open to the public. After a short business meeting, our special guest for the evening will be Diane Krempa. Krempa received a Bachelor of Science in Art Education 1996 and Masters in Arts of Teaching 2002, Wayne State University and studied at Society of Arts and Crafts (prior to CCS rename) and OCC. Memberships are available for $25 and includes workshops and other art-related activities. For more information, visit creativeartsociety.org or contact Maureen at 734-777-6109 or mkeast1@aol.com or Kris Stanek at 206-605-1987 or sea_ kris@yahoo.com.

nature of halloween

Educational Event for the whole family

sponsored by the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30 at the Airport Natural Area, 28820 East River Rd, Grosse Ile. Join us for this spooktacular program as we learn about the natural history of the plants and animals that are associated with Halloween. For more information, email GINLC.education@gmail.com.

hike in Airport natural Area

Sponsored by the Grosse Ile Nature & Land Conservancy, enter at 28820 East River Rd, Grosse Ile, from 1-4 p.m. Event runs through Sunday, Oct. 30. GINLC hosts will be available to open the trails of the Airport Natural Area every Sunday from May to October. Spend a few hours enjoying the trails, ponds, bays, lookouts, and woods of this hidden gem. For more information, email GINLC.education@gmail.com. All GINLC programs are free to the public, but donations make them possible. Visit www.ginlc.org.

It’s always the right time to show state’s trails some TLC

By Jessica Holley-roehrs Michigan DNR

Michigan Trails Week – the annual celebration that helps shine a light on the state’s vast trails network and elevates Michigan’s reputation as the Trails State – was Sept. 18-25. Making this a great time to pay tribute to Michigan’s extraordinary trails system, maybe by finding a new trail adventure, revisiting your favorite route, sharing a photo or memory with a friend or making it social. Follow MiStateParks on Facebook and Instagram to find ideas on how to celebrate all week long.

You can also show your love for Michigan trails by helping keep them in the best shape for everyone to enjoy safely.

Every season brings new adventures on Michigan’s trails – with almost 10,000 miles between off-road vehicle and snowmobile trails alone, plus thousands more miles of nonmotorized trails. So, it follows that every season, our trails need some TLC from those who care most about not only the upcoming season, but about the long-term sustainability of the state’s trails system and scramble areas.

Last spring, a large group of volunteers got together in the St. Helen Motorsport Area in Roscommon County to give a great example of just that – showing they care through action. Paul and Melanie Mulder, partnering with ORV and snowmobile trail maintenance groups, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Adopt-a-Forest program and dedicated Jeep club volunteers, pulled off one of the most successful trail and forest cleanup events I’ve seen in my career with the DNR.

The Mulders, both Ferris State University employees, organized the cleanup event that brought together more than 100 Jeeps and other vehicles from at least seven different groups –all volunteers. In total, they cleaned up 31,000 pounds of trash, 208 tires and even a couple of old boats from the St. Helen trails and surrounding forest areas. The trash filled three 30yard dumpsters donated by the DNR’s Adopt-a-Forest program.

Follow-up efforts included identifying locations of more abandoned boats and getting them into

a test program for recycling fiberglass boats. From trail cleanup to a future partnership with the Michigan boating industry … who knew?

These projects and many years of dedicated work on the ORV trails of the northeast and north-central Lower Peninsula earned the Mulders a Partners in Conservation Award. The Michigan Natural Resources Commission presents these DNR employee-nominated awards to individuals or organizations in recognition of their commitment to conservation, natural resource management and assisting the DNR in carrying out its mission.

I have had the pleasure of working out in the field with these two, and I learned firsthand about the hard work it takes to keep the trails in shape and cleaned up for the thousands of riders who enjoy those trails each season. Nice job, Paul and Melanie – we can’t thank you enough!

Where to next?

Beginning this month, many of Michigan’s 68 snowmobile trail maintenance organizations will hit the ground to clean up the trails and routes that we hope will be covered with snow in December. Why start so early, you ask? There’s a lot to do!

Many miles of trail are shared with

ORV users and will need to be graded one or more times before the ground freezes to ensure a smooth base for the groomers to pack the snow onto solidly.

This time of year, the majority of snowmobile trails are overgrown and strewn with downed limbs, and oftentimes whole trees that need to be cleared away. And yes, there are tires, trash and other waste. I’ve heard stories of mattresses, tents, refrigerators and even an old bathtub that needed to be removed from the trails, staging areas, parking lots and trailheads over the years.

But that’s not all.

The next step is to check each and every sign along the trail, making sure that it is still in place from last season, that it’s not too faded or broken, that the pole is in good shape, and then replacing those that need it. Do you know that, in some parts of the state, every sign is put up at the beginning of the snowmobile season and then taken down at the end of the season?

In addition, when Dec. 1 rolls around, gates on private property will need to be opened, and “no trespassing” reminders will need to be posted to ensure that the property owners will allow us to use those sections of trail again in the years to come.

how can you help? What skills and talents can you bring to the trails?

No matter which season or form of motorized recreation is your favorite, any time is the right time for you to volunteer a weekend of your time to the local ORV or snowmobile club where you live or where you ride.

There are 110 ORV and snowmobile trail organizations across the state, from the Keweenaw Peninsula to Allegan and everywhere in between, that could use a hand over the next several months or years.

For more information about how to contact any of the motorized trail maintenance organizations around the state, email me at HolleyJ1@Michigan. gov or find a listing of local clubs on the Michigan Snowmobile and ORV Association website.

If you’re interested in non-motorized trails volunteering, contact DNR state trails coordinator Tim Novak at NovakT8@Michigan.gov or get in touch with a local non-motorized trail organization.

I hope to meet you someday – with boots, gloves, chain saws and trash bags – on the trail.

Find more information about Michigan trails, including maps and ways to support them, at Michigan.gov/ DNRTrails.

Photo courtesy Michigan DNR

Tires and trash cleaned from Michigan’s snowmobile trails.