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Simsonian 5K celebrates its great tradition

... To date, more than $51,000 have been awarded throughout race history. All proceeds from the race go to the Steve Sims Leadership Scholarship.

The 21st annual Simsonian 5K Kick-Off Classic gobigmultimedia.com/riverview-register

...The game is considered easy to play, low impact and appeals to a wide range of people, from children to senior citizens. It’s a game resembling tennis in which players use paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over a net and can be played outdoors or indoors. A typical game is doubles with two players on each side of the court.

The sport has become so popular that Island Athletics on Grosse Ile has expanded pickleball court time to meet the demands of members. Same with the YMCA in Southgate. And at the ceremonial groundbreaking of The Bank Tower in Southgate, the builder announced that pickleball courts would be part of the apartment’s outdoor recreational facilities.

Many Downriver players can’t get enough pickleball.

Grosse Ile resident Lisa Blanzy-Glines, who has been playing for three years, now competes about five times a week: outdoors in Riverview, Wyandotte and Woodhaven, indoors at Island Athletics and sometimes in Ann Arbor for lessons and drills.

At A Glance Regarding Proposal 1

Voting YES Means: NO.

It’s up to you... Riverview! A ballot proposal regarding marijuana is on the Aug. 8, 2023, primary ballot.

will again offer both an in-person and virtual race option for all to enjoy.

The Grosse Ile traditional in-person race will be held Saturday August 19, 2023, at Grosse Ile High School 7800 Grays Drive. All participants can register before August 19 on runsignup.com. You can also sign-up on race day at the Grosse Ile High School track.

The One Mile (1) Fun Run/Walk begins at 8:30 a.m. with the 5K race starting at 9 a.m.

The course is a fast, flat course with views of the Detroit River and natural areas, with a finish on the Grosse Ile High School track. Runners receive a coveted T-shirt, DJ’d after race party, refreshments, and great raffle prizes (must be present to win).

For those who cannot join us in-person, the Friends of Sims are offering the wildly popular alternative Virtual Race experience, with the window of competition from Aug. 1 to Aug. 18, 2023. You can use your GPS to map your 5K and run, walk, or crawl your own race, at your own place, at your own pace. If you are not able to participate in the live or virtual events, supporters can donate and help advance this most worthy cause...

On page 7

Lisa Wayne, CEO of the Downriver Community Conference, plays locally and enters tournaments throughout the region, in Michigan and other states.

“You can go anywhere and play,” the Riverview resident said. “You take your paddle. You dress for it. You can play pickup games with other people. That’s the great thing about it: You meet so many people. It’s good exercise and it’s fun.”

On page 31

You DO NOT want pot

Dispensaries

Voting NO Means: YES. You DO want pot dispensaries

Cut and Save for Reference

The ballot proposal is a petition initiated by citizens seeking to initiate legislation pursuant to Section 6 of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA). The ballot proposal seeks to reinstate the city’s prohibition on marijuana and disallow the sale of marihuana in the city.

On page 1

Gearing up for some big summertime fun Riverview-style

... We have concerts planned for every Wednesday in July and August. That’s nine awesome weeks of entertainment at Young Patriot’s Park from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. And leading the way just happens to be my favorite local band, Shakedown. There will be a food truck at each event for those who want a quick bite to eat during the show.

Returning again this year to the Riverview Highlands Golf Practice Facility is our popular “Concert on the Course.” Gates open for this free event at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 16.

There are “no coolers allowed” as there will be alcohol available for sale. We will have the Poke Ur Way food truck on site to provide an affordable dinner. A Serendipity Cakery and Ice Cream treats for dessert will be available for purchase.

This “Pine Knob” style concert will have an opening act by Acoustic Guitar Live, Mr. Steve Washburn. The performers for the main event are “Bonnie and the Working Girls” who specialize in 50’s and 60’s classic rock. This five member band will be providing the concert goers with two great hours of entertainment.

Please bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Later this month we will be hosting our annual fishing derby on the Reflection Pond located at Young Patriot’s Park. This event normally took place during Summerfest, but this year it has become its own event.

We have a very generous sponsor in the Downriver Bass Association. There will be bass boats for the children of all ages to touch and sit in and enjoy. There will be plenty of prizes to be awarded for three different age groups, ranging from seven years to 16.

Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 29. The fishing completion starts at 9 and runs till 10:30 a.m.

On page 5 gobigmultimedia.com/southgate-star

Introducing The Bank Tower Downriver’s biggest structure to become an apartment building

The 14-story former Security Bank building at 16333 Trenton Road in Southgate has been the topic of conversation for months since the empty building was purchased by Gordon-Begin Properties. The new owners, along with city and county officials, were on hand on June 21 to make a public announcement on the future of the iconic building.

The structure, rebranded The Bank Tower with a nod to its past history, will become a 215-unit upscale apartment building.

The open house was held on a Wednesday; five days later there was tangible proof that the project was moving forward as asbestos abatement teams descended on the building and began remediation. The Bank Tower is expected to open in mid-2025.

On page 1

Weekly event a hit at Southgate’s Market Center Park

... Markets in the Park started June 20 and will continue through Sept. 12. Dozens of vendors are set up in a farmers market setting from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Concerts are held from 6 to 8 p.m.

Organizers in the Southgate Downtown Development Authority, the vendors and local shoppers and concert goers said they are enjoying the results.

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Sports card dealer helps collectors fill baseball and football sets

When Tom Appleby was 10 years old, he remembers opening up a pack of baseball cards and finding his Detroit Tigers hero Al Kaline. He was so excited that he ran out the front door of the Wyandotte party store that sold him the pack card and into the street where he was struck by a passing police car.

Each Tuesday, there is a different band and a different theme.

Coming up in July are the Cody Boggs Band and a country western theme on July 11, the Toppermost Beatles tribute band and retro day on July 18 and the band Weekend Comeback and the Christmas in July theme on July 25.

There are five Tuesdays in August, featuring Beats with Ben and a Hawaiian luau theme on August 1, Acoustic Beer League and movie night on August 8, the Kielbasa Kings performing on Polish night on August 15, the Boogie Woogie Kid performing on kids day on August 22 and Ain’t Dead Yet performing on Ladies night, August 29.

The summer concert season concludes with Downriver Dan and a focus on local business on September 5 and the Southgate Anderson High School band performs on Titan pride night, September 12.

Kaylee Mondrella, director of the Downtown Development Authority, said changing the theme every week “gives the community a good reason to check us out each week.”

“Come for the market, shop around, stay for the concert and get dinner in between,” Mondrella said.

“It’s a nice Tuesday out.”

On page 5

Young Tom suffered a slight concussion that day, but the memory of finding a Kaline baseball card stayed with him. Decades later, while selling baseball cards at a sports memorabilia show in Taylor, Appleby told the story to his childhood hero, who was signing autographs nearby.

“Kaline told me, ‘you can’t blame me for that,’” Appleby recalled as the two laughed.

Eventually, that passionate 10-year-old boy became a sports card collector and dealer who more than 60 years later helps find Al Kaline and other cards to help fill gaps in baseball and football card sets of collectors near and far...

On page 1

Trenton hosts annual Pride celebration

...The City of Trenton became the first community in the Downriver area to raise a Pride flag in June of 2021 and was one of the first municipalities in Michigan to enact city-wide rules against discrimination.