Shores Magazine Feb/March

ON THE COVER

K-9 Officer 16

Teddy's Law 6

Motor City

Mitten Mission 20

SPECIAL FEATURES

Statler Maloof Dog Park 8

From Racehorse to Show Horse 12

Local Author 14

Aqua Freeze 2023 23

CONTENT

REGULAR FEATURES

Notable Neighbor 2

Smart Legal Tips 21

Stepping Back In Time 24

Shores Happenings 26

NEIGHBORnotable

Spencer Channell

SCS resident for 6 years

Favorite Spot in SCS: Dragon’s Landing of course

Occupation: Brewer

Hobbies: Sailing, diving, enjoying the summer in Lake St. Clair, enjoying the winter on Lake St. Clair

Guilty Pleasure: Strawberry daiquiris

Last Book You Read: “The Faithful Executioner” by Joel F. Harrington

Brings Me Joy: Seeing a group of family and friends having fun in any local establishment

Proudest Moment: Winning my class in the Port Huron to Mackinac Race

Personal Motto: Do what’s right, especially if no one is watching.

A Typical Day for Me Includes: Working at Dragon’s Landing, going to Dragonmead, then back to Dragon’s Landing

I Can’t Live Without: Lake St. Clair, and a beer here or there helps too

I Will Never Forget: My name hopefully

Obstacle I Overcame: Keeping a business surviving through Covid mitigation attempts

Thirty-five-year-old Spencer Channell sustains two great loves from his childhood: the water and brewing. He moved from Grosse Pointe Woods to St. Clair Shores six years ago when the “perfect” canal home became available. And, as the owner of Dragon’s Landing in St. Clair Shores and Dragonmead in Warren, Mich., Spencer has plenty of opportunities to utilize the brewing skills his late father Larry Channell taught him as a child.

“I made my first all-grain batch of beer with my dad when I was 10,” Spencer says. “I did extracts and wines and meads before that. I’ve had a huge fascination with fermentation since I was a little kid...I loved the idea of taking something that was already edible and then preserving it with bacteria and yeast. And using the microbes around us to our benefit to make another product.”

When Spencer’s father passed away in 2016, Spencer took over the reins at Dragonmead and then opened Dragon’s Landing in December 2019. Business was “fantastic” and traffic at Dragonmead increased due to the new venture. News of Covid-related business shutdowns, or “when the world fell apart” as Spencer puts it, soon followed – when he and his wife Ele were honeymooning in Bali. Despite the challenges, both locations persevered.

He feels at home not just in the St. Clair Shores brewing community, but in the city itself. “I feel like there’s more energy, like I'm in more of a community. I never felt that way before anywhere else I lived. Here I know almost all my neighbors. I’ll go to the bars with some of them. Some of my neighbors race [in sailing] with me. "

Sailing has been a favorite pastime of Spencer’s since he was a child. He owns a Morgan 35 sailboat, christened Courage by the former owners. (The namesake is John Courage export ale, not the virtue, he clarifies.) Spencer has won three Port Huron to Mackinac Races (two on Courage), and one Chicago to Mackinac Race.

“I spend every free second either on or in the water,” Spencer says. When not sailing, he enjoys scuba diving in places like Anchor Bay and the Detroit River as well as paddle boarding. He also owns a 1963 Glastron dinghy. When not on the water, he also hangs out with family and friends in the neighborhood. His mother Mariann Channell lives only one street/canal away.

“I’m never gonna leave this city,” Spencer says. “I love it. They’re gonna haul me out on a gurney when I'm leaving this city.”

Spencer with dog Tiamat

The Shores

St. Clair Shores

Volume Two • Issue One

PUBLISHER

Kimbriel Towar

EDITORIAL

Editor: Anna Swartz

Copy Editor: Patricia Austin

Assistant: Mary Ann Simmerer

Contributers: Flo Abke, George Arsenault, Patrick Simasko, Kimberly Soulliere

DESIGN

Creative Director: Stephanie Zeoli

Designer/Web Coordinator: Elaine Nesom

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Steve Foulkrod, Erin McBain, Stewart Fine Portraits and Scott Whiteman

SALES

Account Executives: LeighAnn Hildinger, Jessica Zachara, Rebecca Reyes

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS

Dave Colton, Mary Ann Simmerer

Office Manager: Mary Fitch

The Shores Magazine

(313) 882-0702

getshores.com

editor@getshores.com

The Shores Magazine is published six times per year by Towar Productions, 19803 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher and Editor. The Shores Magazine reserves the right to reject any advertising. Follow us:

Facebook.com/shoresmag @shoresmag

EDITOR’S

Pets. They’re non-judgmental on our bad days. They’re loyal (regardless of your 5th grade locker partner unfriending you on Facebook). They encourage self-care (such as naps and walks, although not always at opportune times). This is why we love them unconditionally. And this is why we devoted (almost) an entire issue to them.

Our cover story features St. Clair Shores Police Officer Mitch Morano and new K-9 Officer Ozzie. You’ll find plenty of other canine-focused content such as City Council Member Dave Rubello’s beagle Teddy (p.6) and a fight for animal rights, as well as the Statler Maloof Dog Park (p.8). In addition, you’ll learn about SCS native Holly Zecchin and how her Off-Track Thoroughbred went from racehorse to an award-winning show horse in less than a year (p.12).

Also in this issue, we wanted to give a shoutout to March as National Reading Month. In its honor, we invite you to read about SCS resident Lindsay Gizicki’s journey to becoming an author (p14). Also, if you’d like some inspiration to get you or your children/ grandchildren reading, check out some top picks from SCS librarians (p.18). In addition, our “Stepping Back in Time” feature walks you through the history of the city’s library (p. 24).

I also had the privilege of interviewing Gail Marlow of Motor City Mitten Mission (MCMM), and I encourage you to not only read their story but to support their organization (p. 20). Gail and her team work tirelessly to support the homeless, and MCMM recently expanded their services to include a Macomb County winter shelter.

I also wanted to say a special thank you to the community for your continued support. This is our sixth issue of the publication, and it’s exciting to see how far we’ve come. Every connection through an interview, meeting or phone call; every advertising partnership; every new friendship – they all mean so much. We are eternally grateful.

Editor Anna Swartz

Cover Photo by Stewart Fine Portraits

The Shores magazine is honored to be chosen as a “Shorian Friend” for the 2022-23 school year by Lake Shore Public Schools.

law

Rubello Family’s Beagle Inspires Hope in Fight for Animal Rights

BY ANNA SWARTZ

PHOTOG RAPHY BY SCOTT WHITEMAN

On a peculiarly warm day in early November 2022, St. Clair Shores Council Member Dave Rubello and his beloved beagle Teddy match – both dressed in brown and black. It’s clear that Teddy, age 5, is the baby of the house. Rubello carries him around his kitchen and living room like a sleepy toddler, and Teddy doesn’t mind one bit.

As Rubello adjusts Teddy in his arms, his voice softens. “Good boy, Teddy” and “There you go, you little baby,” Rubello croons.

The Dow Beagles

Rubello and his wife Greta consider themselves fortunate to have adopted beagle Teddy into their family in April 2019. That same year Teddy was among a group of 36 dubbed the Dow Beagles who made headlines for being force fed pesticides at Charles River Laboratories in Mattawan, Michigan. Public pressure caused not just an end to the experiment but the opportunity for the remaining 32 healthy beagles to be adopted into loving homes.

TEDDY'SFavorites

Place in SCS: Under the Covers of the Bed

Snack: Piece of Chicken

Napping Spot: Greta’s Spot on the Couch

Activity: Going on Walks

Animal Friend: Cleo (his “sister”)

Human: Dave: “Greta” & Greta, laughing: “I didn’t want to pick myself.”

Place to be Scratched: Belly

Greta Rubello followed the story closely online and was elated when given the chance to select a beagle to bring home. The Rubellos were among hundreds of hopeful families ready to provide homes for the beagles. Since it was important that the new beagle (Teddy) get along with their beagle Cleo, Greta Rubello and Cleo were the ones who made the trek to pick up Teddy.

“They brought the beagles in one at a time, and he picked me,” Greta Rubello said. “He jumped up on my knee.”

Teddy’s Law

While Teddy and the other beagles were successfully homed, many healthy dogs and cats are still euthanized after experimentation. Dave Rubello has been spreading awareness since 2019 and hoping for change with Michigan Senate Bills, named “Teddy’s Law.” The bills were introduced by State Senator Kevin Hertel, who formerly served in the Michigan House of Representatives. This year, Hertel expects the bill to be introduced in both the Michigan Senate and House.

Teddy’s Law would ensure two things: first, that healthy dogs and cats used in research can be adopted into a forever home through a state-registered shelter. Second, Michigan labs that utilize dogs and cats would be required to report the number of animals euthanized and adopted each year; laboratories that do not comply with adoption standards would be penalized.

“Dogs and cats that could go to a loving home and live a wonderful life are being euthanized for no reason,” Hertel says. “Everything is legal,” Dave Rubello says. “They can put these dogs down. Teddy’s a great dog. It would have been horrible just to kill him.”

Take Action

Progress & Opposition

“We did get a hearing in the House Regulatory Reform Committee,” Hertel says. “Dave was able to testify on Zoom with Teddy...But unfortunately, the chairman of the committee never gave us a vote on the bill.” The Humane Society and those involved in testing were also part of the hearing. According to Hertel, requirements from the FDA mandate certain animal testing. So, some changes need to be made at the federal level.

Some of the opposition for Teddy’s Law, says Hertel, comes from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and higher education institutions that utilize animal testing for research.

“In the meantime, it should be very simple for us to require that these dogs and cats go to a facility that will adopt them out to families if they are able to,” Hertel says.

At press time, new bill numbers for Teddy's Law were not yet available, as Hertel expected the bills to be introduced in late January. Stay tuned to a future issue of The Shores for updates on the bill numbers, which will allow you to view their progress online. Hertel urges citizens to write to legislators to voice concerns. Also, when the bill lands with a committee, reach out to the chair of that committee.

“I can tell you I’m wholeheartedly on board,” Hertel said. “I’ll do everything I can to get it passed.”

“DOGS AND CATS THAT COULD GO TO A LOVING HOME AND LIVE A WONDERFUL LIFE ARE BEING EUTHANIZED FOR NO REASON."

-STATE SENATOR KEVIN HERTEL

Numbers marked inside Teddy's ear are a reminder of his time in the laboratory, where he was force fed pesticides.

STATLER MALOOF

dog park

A Gathering Place for Canines & Their Humans

BY ANNA SWARTZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT WHITEMAN

John Cooper is sitting at a picnic table in Brys Park on a chilly Tuesday morning in late November. He’s commenting on the interactions he’s witnessing: “She stirs up some trouble,” “He’s a handful” and “This is Mickey, and that's his girlfriend Daisy.”

Cooper says this group of 10 or so get along well, which is good because they see each other often. Sometimes twice per day. But this isn’t a bunch of middle school kids. These are the canines of Statler Maloof Dog Park, tucked in the southwestern corner of St. Clair Shores within Brys Park.

Cooper, who has served as the Dog Park Committee chairperson for seven or eight years, became a member of the park when it first opened in 2007. Cooper and his border collie/golden retriever Dusty are at the park each morning and late afternoon. The park was largely funded by a well-known St. Clair Shores resident, the late Fred Maloof, who lived on Statler and owned a dog by the same name.

Since its inception, it has expanded to 53,842 square feet, and a separate area for smaller dogs was added. Close to 10 picnic tables, as well as towering trees, water access for the dogs, a small warming shelter and newly paved walking path make for a friendly environment for both the dogs and their humans.

A Safe Space

According to Dog Park Committee Council Liaison John Caron, the park boasts 500 members annually. Membership is open to both residents and nonresidents. Residents pay $30 (seniors 62 and older, only $22.50), and nonresidents pay $45. To become a member, one must fill out an application and attend a 45-minute dog park etiquette class. All dogs must be up to date on their vaccinations and be licensed.

“We really do stress the safety of the dogs by having them go through the class,” Caron says. “There are other off-leash dog parks that are open to the public. We want a safe place for the dogs to interact. And people can set their schedule, so they know their friends are going to be there.”

Caron cautions that not all dogs are suited for a dog park: “People really do need to understand the mannerisms of their dogs. And how dogs react on leash versus off leash.

Those who have socialization issues, those come up quickly. That’s why all members must take a class.”

Annual Social Events

Caron’s beloved dog Kaos, who passed away in 2021, was a regular at Statler Maloof, as is his current dog Bear. He, along with the Dog Park Committee, plan annual events such as a Splash Party with kiddie pools set up throughout the park, Howl-a-ween featuring pets and their owners dressed up with prizes for best costumes, and a Civic Pool Takeover for the dogs at the Lac Ste Claire Municipal Pool at the end of the season. Up to 75 or 100 will participate in these events.

“I love the dog park,” says member and Dog Park Committee Member Lynn Bellhorn, who owns three dogs including the previously mentioned Mickey. “I come twice per day. Wouldn’t you know it – I'm at 13 and Harper.” With three active dogs, two of whom she acquired in the last few months, Bellhorn considers the trek well worth it. The park is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.

To find out more about the dog park, go to www.scsmi. net/327/Statler-Maloof-Dog-Park or call St. Clair Shores Parks and Recreation at (313) 445-5350.

Rose Drop with her dog Bowie

Doug Day with his dog John Wick

ThisseriesfollowsSt.ClairShoresresident

GeorgeArsenault’sjourney.Now95yearsyoung, Georgelooksbackatwhatitwasliketoraiseafamilyof19.

The Diamond Ring

BY GEORGE ARSENAULT

On our first date, Delores surprised me by telling the waitress that we were engaged and had 17 children between us. Marriage? This was news to me. A family of so many children, ages 3 to 17, seemed unimaginable, if not unwise, at the time.

“It was just for fun,” she said later. On our second date, we met for evening coffee, and I had a surprise of my own. I took out a little box from my pocket. It was wrapped with gold ribbon like a Valentine’s gift. “Here's a little something for you,” I said.

"Oh, George," she said, as she carefully opened the package and revealed a large gem adorning a ring. A note inside the box read: “WILL YOU MARRY ME?”

“You shouldn't have ... and look at the size of this diamond ... that’s too much money… you must take it back. I really couldn't. It's too soon… too fast... I can’t accept this. I need more time," she said, as she handed the box back to me.

"You just take all the time in the world,” I said, refusing to accept it. "You keep the ring no matter what your decision is. It'll just be a token present of our friendship."

"I've never seen one that was self-adjustable before," she said as she examined the ring more closely and noticed the split band. "This must be something new," she paused, as she began to realize the true value of the ring. "You devil! This is a fake ring, isn’t it?”

“Now we're even,” I said. "After that little engagement party you pulled on me the other night, I thought that you deserved a special Valentine’s gift. This is just for fun too."

We were just dreaming out loud.

95-year-old George Arsenault has been a St. Clair Shores resident for over 26 years. He worked for GM, retiring after 36 years, and then retired from Chrysler Motor in 1996 after eight years. He worked as a financial analyst, computer programmer and systems director. He raised a family of 19 in the Grosse Pointes before moving to St. Clair Shores.

Thank you to everyone who responded to our request for photos of your beloved pets!

HUNNA Andrew and Tena Kirkegaard

COWBOY Zoe Lightbody

CHAMP AND TURBO Mandy Bielawski

GEMMA Caden and Liv Ruthenburg

FINN Caden and Liv Ruthenburg

CODY Carole Ciamillo

MARTIN Kiden Lewis

PHOEBE AND SIMON Donna Stewart

RUBY AND ROXIE Katie and Alex Thomas

OLLY The George Family

KODY Chris and Renee

Much Love to the Furry Friends of SCS

and Alex Garcia

Mike and Deb Fuga

racehorse

SCS Native Wins National Championships with Off-Track Thoroughbred

BY ANNA SWARTZ

“He’s a Labrador retriever in a horse suit,” says St. Clair Shores native Holly Zecchin of her award-winning thoroughbred Buckeye Warrior. “He’s very malleable. He just has a perfect, compact, athletic body. Everything is easy for him.” She adopted Buckeye through New Vocations Racehorse Adoptions Program, a nonprofit that rehomes retired racehorses or Off-Track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs).

Western Dressage

Zecchin’s focus in competition is western dressage, which evaluates the partnership and communication between the horse and rider during a series of tests. Based on rules from American cavalry, dressage involves the basic gaits of walk, jog and lope. For a horse like Buckeye,

competing at Basic level, the movements include simple circles and serpentines.

“The focus is on the horse’s consistent balance, rhythm and relaxed demeanor,” Zecchin says of Buckeye. “The challenges are fluid transitions between gaits and into the halt.”

Zecchin also competes at higher levels of Western Dressage with her beloved 8-year-old horse Hawkeye, who she describes as “very athletic and powerful but all legs –sort of like trying to make a giraffe look like a horse.”

“As the dressage gets technically more difficult, you’re asking the horse to do pretty complicated things, and the ability to communicate and motivate the horse is so fascinating. It’s another language.”

Holly Zecchin with Buckeye Warrior

Photo by Scott Whiteman

show horse TO

Six-year-old Buckeye placed first out of 104 in the dressage division of the Thoroughbred Makeover Competition in Lexington, Kentucky in October 2022. The Makeover Competition is unique in that only OTTBs that received no training since December 1 of the previous year can register in January. This gives them only 10 months to train. The goal of the competition, says Zecchin, is to improve these OTTBs’ lives and value on the market as show horses. Racehorses retire around the age of 4, yet horses live to be about 30 years old.

Zecchin and Buckeye also won the Western Dressage portion of the Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP), which runs concurrently with the Makeover Competition. Competing

Bitless is Possible

Buckeye also earned the title of champion for his level at the Western Dressage World Championship in Oklahoma in September. Zecchin used a bitless bridle for this competition, and she’s the first to win doing so.

“True dressage aficionados would say you cannot do dressage unless there’s a bit in the horse’s mouth, but there’s nothing magical about putting pressure on the bottom jaw or pressure on the nose. You’re positioning the head either way. It didn’t start out as a mission, but now I want to convince people that you can do upper-level dressage without a bit.”

Zecchin spent most of her life as an English style rider. Western Dressage allows for horses to ride with no bits.

Since Hawkeye is agitated by them, she made the switch in 2020.

Love at First Ride

Zecchin fell in love with horses in the third grade. She started riding lessons at the age of 8, after befriending a classmate with a pony.

“[My parents] said ‘when you’re 16 and you can drive yourself to the barn, then you can have a horse,’” Zecchin recalls. “They probably figured I would turn 14 and discover boys and that would be it. But that wasn’t it.”

A 1986 Lakeview High graduate, Zecchin went on to Cornell University to pursue an Agriculture Economics degree. She stayed close to horses by playing polo at the university, and she graduated in just three years. Since college graduation, Zecchin has always taught riding lessons. She competed from 1994 to 2020 in English Eventing, three days that involve dressage, cross country and show jumping. However, “horses full-time" wasn’t a thing until 2004.

Today, Zecchin lives in Hadley, Mich., boards her horses in Oxford, competes and gives riding lessons to about 30 clients. Professionally, she is part of the Western Dressage Assocation, U.S. Equestrian Federation, and a member of the Board of the Michigan Dressage Assocation.

Buckeye Warrior from June 2022 competing at Wyn Farm in Williamston, Mich.

Photo by Megan Cole

MIddle: Buckeye Warrior and Top Right: Hawkeye

Photos by Scott Whiteman

ONEyear,TWO

Local Author Finds Inspiration in Her Children

St. Clair Shores resident Lindsay Gizicki always wanted to write a book. She gave herself a deadline, the spring of 2018, to finish writing her adult fiction novel before daughter Harper was born. Gizicki’s novel is finished, and while she “still dreams about going back and editing it,” she acquired the title of author in a way she never expected. Almost four years and two children later, Gizicki found inspiration from Harper’s wild imagination and wrote her first children’s book, “To the Moon and Back.” That was released in February 2022, and her latest book, “The Pirate Doctor” came out in October 2022.

BY ANNA SWARTZ

If you jump too high and land upon the stars… I will build a ladder tall enough to pass Venus and Mars."

“To the Moon and Back” won an honorable mention in the Purple Dragonfly Book Award's 2022 contest under the Board Book category.

Hank A Roo Readings

To release both of her books, Gizicki decided to decline several offers from publishing companies and create her own instead, allowing her to completely fulfill her creative vision for each project. Her company, Hank A Roo Readings, is named after her children. Hank is Henry’s nickname, and Roo is Harper’s nickname.

“Their imagination sparked my imagination,” Gizicki says. “They have an idea, and I just see how it could play out. I tell [Harper] to tell me a bedtime story, and we’re creating a world together. It’s a bonding experience together. One hundred percent of my ideas come from children.”

“The Pirate Doctor”

A conversation with Harper led to the idea for “The Pirate Doctor.” The book’s title was the answer to a common childhood question – “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The 52-page book follows Rue, full of bravery and ambition, who with the help of a magical compass discovers mystical stones and gems that enable her to heal her pirate friends.

It was a deliberate choice to make the main character female: “I don’t know if girls feel seen in pirate stories. I hope that other girls who love pirates can see this.”

Coming to a School Near You

“To the Moon and Back”

It was Gizicki’s husband Cyle who planted the seed for her new passion as an author of children’s books. They were discussing a funny comment Harper had made about her mischievous little brother Henry: “Mom, if you don’t watch him, he’s going to end up on the Moon.” Gizicki recalls her husband saying: “How cute of a children’s book would that be?” That same day, she sat down and wrote what eventually became “To the Moon and Back.”

The story follows a mother and child’s adventure through space. Here’s an excerpt: “Sweet baby, how I love you so… I will follow you to the moon and back. Wherever you will go.

Gizicki, who works as an editor of an architecture magazine based in Troy, Mich., has visited local schools to read to classrooms, field questions from curious students and talk about what it takes to bring a book to life. Gizicki's calendar is filling up with school visits for National Reading Month in March. She'll be presenting to all the students at St. Germaine Catholic School, as well as conducting writing workshops. Avalon Elementary in South Lake Schools will also be receiving a visit from Gizicki during March. And plans are in the works with St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School.

You can find Gizicki’s books at these SCS stores: Connie’s Children’s Shop, Kristi’s Hallmark, The Junk Drawer Mercantile and Whistle Stop Hobby & Toy Inc. For more information, go to her Instagram or Facebook at @ hankarooreadings or go to hankarooreadings.com.

Lindsay Gizicki at a recent event showcasing her two books, “The Pirate Doctor” and “To the Moon and Back.”

Photo courtesy of Lindsay Gizicki

INTRODUCING K-9 OFFICERozzie

New Role is Dream Come True for Handler/Officer Morano

BY ANNA SWARTZ

“Strength of God”

St. Clair Shores Police Officer Mitch Morano was married on a Saturday afternoon and left Sunday morning for a kennel in a small Ohio town to select the next K-9 officer for the city. Of the dogs he met that day in October 2022, a particular 1-½-year-old German Shepherd was his first choice. He named him Ozzie, which means “Strength of God” in German. Morano originally chose the name because of the spiritual meaning but quickly found out that it applied to Ozzie’s physical strength too.

“This has been a dream of mine since childhood,” Morano says of being Ozzie’s handler. “Seeing the bond between handlers and their dogs has always amazed me. I spend more time with Ozzie than I do with my wife. We’re always together. There's already a really strong bond between us.”

According to Morano, law enforcement gravitates toward German Shepherds due to their athleticism, intelligence and loyalty. These traits are essential for the tasks Ozzie completes while accompanying Morano while out on patrol on a day-to-day basis.

250+ Hours of Training and Counting

St. Clair Shores Police Chief Jason Allen reported at the January 17 City Council meeting that Morano and Ozzie have completed over 250 hours of training together. Morano says that this is only the beginning, though: “He will go to training eight hours per week until he retires. Every day at training, we do

the same fundamental skills – tracking for lost or missing people, training in evidence searches, narcotics detection, building searches, criminal apprehension and general obedience.”

It came as a surprise to Morano that Ozzie came to him “with no training whatsoever.” Everything Ozzie knows how to do, including following the command of “sit” comes from the three months of training that he and Ozzie completed at Canine Academy Training Facility (CAFT) in Taylor, Mich.

Ozzie came to Morano, by the way, from Jessen, Germany. According

to Morano, the owner of CAFT has a good relationship with the Ohio kennel where Ozzie spent only several days before coming home to Michigan. “We use this kennel because they source those dogs straight from Europe, where their lineage can be traced.”

Ozzie’s Social Circle

Morano and Ozzie replace Officer Thomas Price and K-9 Officer Maz, who retired in November 2022. Ozzie is one of two K-9 Officer in the Shores.

The St. Clair Shores Police Department is fortunate to also have the team of Officer Travis Kaufman and K-9 Officer Rocky.

Not only does Ozzie have a fellow K-9 officer at work, but he also has a German Shepherd sibling at home, 5-year-old Tucker. “They get along great,” Morano says. “They’re very playful with each other. It’s been a really good transition.”

Top Picks for Adults from SCS Reference Librarian Kathleen Harville

Colleen Hoover Read-Alikes

(The popular Colleen Hoover writes everything from chick lit to psychological thrillers. In 2022, Hoover held six of the top 10 spots on The New York Times paperback fiction best seller list.)

• Helen Hoang

• Christina Lauren

• Taylor Jenkins Reid

• Rebecca Serle

Best for Book Clubs

• “Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson

• “Notes On an Execution” by Danya Kukafka

• “The School for Good Mothers” by Jessamine Chan

• “West with Giraffes” by Lynda Rutledge

Buzzworthy

• “The Book of Goose” by Yiyun Li

• “The Candy House” by Jennifer Egan

• “The Furrows” by Namwali Serpell

• “The Ingenue” by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Upcoming Book Releases

• “The Crane Husband” by Kelly Barnhill

• “The Librarian of Burned Books” by Brianna Labuskes

• “Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story” by Terri-Lynne DeFino

• “The Writing Retreat” by Julia Bartz

Top Picks for Young Readers from SCS Youth Services

Librarian Elizabeth Drewek

Hidden Picture Book Gems

• “Pokko and the Drum” by Matthew Forsythe

• “Salma the Syrian Chef” by Danny Ramadan

• “We All Play” by Julie Flett

• “Eyes That Kiss in the Corners” by Joanna Ho

Classics Rebooted

• “Federico and the Wolf” by Rebecca J. Gomez

• “The Little Mermaid” by Jerry Pinkney

• “Interstellar Cinderella” by Deborah Underwood

• “Snow White: A Graphic Novel” by Matt Phelan

• “Anne of West Philly: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Anne of Green Gables” by Ivy Noelle Weir

• “More to the Story” by Hena Khan

• “Shadows of Sherwood: a Robyn Hoodlum Adventure” by Kekla Magoon

• “The Prince and the Dressmaker” by Jen Wang

• “My Fine Fellow” by Jennieke Cohen

• “Pudge & Prejudice” by A.K. Pittman

• “So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix” by Bethany C. Morrow

GARDENING LANDSCAPING&

THIS SPRING, LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR HEALTHY PLANTS

ESTATEReal

How to Get Ahead When Selling Your Home

BY KIMBERLY SOULLIERE

Start your spring cleanup with a thorough inspection of your yard. Trim any broken, damaged or unwanted branches from trees and shrubs. Try to never trim more than one-third at a time, as this may cause too much stress on the plant.

Now it’s time to work on the beds. First, clean up and remove debris. Next, add a layer of fresh mulch. Never put more than a three-inch layer of mulch and don’t let the mulch touch the trunks of your trees and plants. Mulch not only makes planting areas look neater, but it also helps retain moisture in the soil, keeps roots cool in the summer and insulates in the winter. Bonus: as the mulch decomposes, it adds organic matter to your soil.

Test your soil every few years to determine the proper pH balance and mix of nutrients for optimal growing conditions. You can buy do-it-yourself test kits at your local garden center, or they can send out your soil samples for more advanced testing. Once you receive your results, you can choose the appropriate fertilizer to meet your soil’s nutritional requirements. While it may be tempting to skip this step, think about all the time and money you invest in your lawn, annuals and landscaping. Testing the pH is an easy way to ultimately create the best environment for the growing season.

In April or May, depending on the weather, fertilize your lawn. Choose a slow-controlled release fertilizer with pre-emergent crabgrass preventer. It is much easier to gain control of the grassy weeds, including crabgrass, as a seed in the spring than trying to kill it mid-summer. The right time to spread crabgrass preventer is when the forsythia bushes are in full bloom, in late March to mid-April. If you find your lawn or plants in need of some extra love during the summer, choose an organic fertilizer to improve the health of your soil. The organic compounds create the growth of beneficial microbes and organisms that help break down nutrients.

Kimberly Soulliere is a co-owner of Soulliere Landscaping Garden Center in St. Clair Shores. She is a member of Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association. Kim loves spending time outdoors, gardening, cooking and baking.

BY FLO ABKE, GRI

Spring is on the way. If you're going to sell your home this spring or summer, it's time to start taking a close look at the interior and exterior of the house to make sure everything is in order. If you have not had the furnace cleaned in a number of years, this would be the time to do it. If you have not cleaned the leaves out of the gutters since last fall, this would be the time to do it. If you have not been up in the attic recently, go up there to check for any critters, critter droppings or mold/mildew, etc. Also look at the porch, porch steps and cement driveway and walkway. If there is any crumbling cement, you may want to address this as well.

Hopefully, you will plan to do a thorough spring cleaning before putting the house on the market. That would include thoroughly cleaning the inside of the stove and refrigerator and the hardwood/laminate floors and grout on any ceramic floors and all the baseboards in the house.

If you have a finished basement or a slightly damp basement, now would be the time to start running a dehumidifier to alleviate any musty or stale smell.

Lastly, this would be the time to call a realtor and set up an appointment at your home to discuss the value of your home based on the current market and the condition of the home. Calling a realtor a month or two in advance will allow you to decide if you need or want to do any repairs or painting. It will also prevent scrambling to get things done and wasting time and money at the time you are ready to put the house up for sale. Good luck!!

A St. Clair Shores native, Broker/Realtor Flo Abke, GRI, is part of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Kee Realty team in St. Clair Shores. She is a member of Grosse Pointe Board of Realtors, Women's Council of Realtors, Michigan Association of Realtors and National Association of Realtors. Flo has achieved a multi-million-dollar yearly sales level since 1994. She is also a junior sectional judge for United States Figure Skating.

MOTOR CITYmitten

Helping the Unsheltered Every Step of the Way

BY ANNA SWARTZ

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT WHITEMAN

“I think most of Detroit’s homeless population has my phone number,” says Motor City Mitten Mission (MCMM) Executive Director Gail Marlow. She estimates that over 1,000 unsheltered individuals keep her number handy in case of emergencies. And, as indicated by the number of times Marlow’s phone rings each day, the crises are plentiful.

“I want to make a difference,” Marlow says. “I don’t want to put a Band-Aid on things. I don’t want to just help somebody get through the night. I want to help them get their life together, you know? And I get just as much out of it as they do."

Building Trust

Marlow and her team of 20, consisting of six or seven fulltime employees and some part-timers, have become a lifeline for many in the five years since the organization’s inception. MCMM is the only outreach program that operates seven days per week. Not only do they provide a daily substantial meal for 100-150 individuals, but they pass out clothes, shoes/boots, socks, tents, hygiene kits, tarps, hand warmers and more. In addition, the organization’s handmade mats and pillows (crocheted from plastic bags) are durable, comfortable necessities.

“If we don’t have something that somebody needs in our van, we’ll take a request order. And we’ll do our best to bring it out the very next day. And when we do bring it the next

day, they’re amazed. A guy downtown needed size 16 shoes, and that’s a hard size to find. I’d been carrying around these shoes for a week because we hadn’t seen him. I gave them to him yesterday and he was about in tears. It’s stuff like that. It’s all about building trust and relationships.”

That trust-building comes in handy for MCMM’s multiple programs that support individuals by securing housing, mental health services and substance abuse treatment. One facet of their services includes helping the unsheltered in crisis by collaborating with the Detroit Police Department, Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network and the City of Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department.

Homelessness Exists in SCS, Too Marlow also cautions that just because unsheltered people are more difficult to spot in Macomb County, this doesn’t mean they don’t exist. They just blend in more.

“There are a lot of homeless people in this county and in St. Clair Shores,” Marlow says. “You just don’t see it or hear about it because people are sleeping in their cars or in motels. We get calls from entire families who are living in their cars. Affordable housing has gone up. Applications and deposits have gone up. Rent is higher. If you’re somebody on a fixed income that hasn’t gone up, you're not in a great way.”

MCMM Executive Director

Gail Marlow

Tamir Newton, a MCMM chef

" I DON’T WANT TO JUST HELP SOMEBODY GET THROUGH THE NIGHT. I WANT TO HELP THEM GET THEIR LIFE TOGETHER."

-GAIL MARLOW

Macomb County Winter Shelter

A new endeavor for MCMM is the Kathy Goodrich Winter Shelter, which provides overnight accommodations on a first come, first served basis from December 4 through April 1. Guests can return as many nights as they would like. The shelter is hosted at various churches throughout Macomb County (see schedule below), and bus tickets are available for those without transportation.

• Now - Feb. 25: Trinity Lutheran Church, 8150 Chapp Ave., Warren

• Feb. 26 - March 4: First Presbyterian Church of Warren, 3000 12 Mile Road, Warren

• March 5 - 25: Trinity Lutheran Church, 8150 Chapp Ave., Warren

• March 26 - April 1: Celtic Cross Presbyterian Church, 11451 E. 10 Mile Road, Warren

To get help or give help, go to motorcitymittenmission.org/winter-shelter

LEGAL TIPSSmart

Estate Planning

When a Revocable Trust is Not Enough

BY PATRICK M. SIMASKO

You have a revocable trust but is that the right tool in your estate planning toolbox? It protects from probate, but did you know that it's not designed to protect your assets if you go into a nursing home? An Irrevocable Asset Preservation Trust (IAPT) is the right tool for this job. An IAPT allows you to transfer your assets out of your name and into the name of the IAPT. You pick a trustee to watch over your estate while you are alive. Most people pick one of their trusted children to do this, but you can also pick more than one child acting together as a checks and balances system. You then identify who will inherit your estate after you pass away. In addition to protecting your estate from probate, these types of asset preservation trusts come with the added benefit of protecting your estate from the devastating cost of nursing home care.

Is this legal? Absolutely. Medicaid allows you to protect your estate using IAPT trusts, but you must do so at least five years before you apply for these types of Medicaid benefits. This time period is called the lookback period.

IAPT trusts are very complicated, so you need to sit down with an elder law attorney to discuss this type of plan. The elder law attorney will talk to you about how you want to distribute your estate after you pass away, the family dynamics with your children, as well as any tax issues that need to be addressed.

The key is that you need to start early if you want to protect your assets from the devastating costs of nursing home care. The earlier you start, the better the plan.

Patrick joined Simasko Law Firm in 1989 after graduating from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. The practice was founded in 1955 by Patrick’s father Leonard Simasko. As well as being a successful elder law attorney, he is also the elder law professor at Michigan State University School of Law and a business law professor at Oakland University.

NOTEWORTHY news

Four Residents Recognized for Cultural Committee Photography Contest

The winners of the St. Clair Shores Cultural Committee 2022 Online Photography Contest are: Katie Molon with “Winter Berries” (first place –adult category), Glen Wyckoff with “Sponge Guitar” (second place – adult category), Nevaeh Wolfe with "Lonely Years" (first place – under 18 category) and Allen White with “Calm” (second place – under 18 category). Stephanie Hazzard, Anton Art Center exhibition manager and St. Clair Shores resident, served as the judge. The winners were presented with awards at the January 17 City Council meeting.

Leaf it to Lake Shore: 4th Annual Seasonal Cleanup a Success

Armed with rakes, student volunteers from Masonic Heights Elementary and Kennedy Middle School hit the neighborhoods to tackle the lawns of residents in need of help. Karen Walsh, who has lived in St. Clair Shores since 1971, has signed up for the Seasonal Cleanup service since its inception. "I am 81 years old and just can't do it anymore," said Walsh. "It is difficult to walk, so I use a cane. I appreciate the help a lot." This annual activity is part of Lake Shore’s Positivity Project initiative and shows #PositivityinAction.

Cool City Committee Pub Crawls Benefit Family in Need, Cops For Kids

The Cool City Committee raised $2,500 from their Gobble Till You Wobble and Santa Pub Crawls at the end of 2022; $1,500 was used to support a local family during the holidays. The committee purchased their Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas gifts. In addition, more than 1,000 toys were donated by pub crawl attendees for St. Clair Shores Cops For Kids. Pub Crawls are held throughout the year; money raised from the crawls goes to the committee’s general fund, which is managed by the city. According to Cool City Committee Chairperson Amy Florek, Pub Crawls cost $20 and include six bar stops, bar crawl bingo and prizes.

SCS Community Chorus Bestowed Proclamation from City

The St. Clair Shores Community Chorus received a proclamation from the City of St. Clair Shores, recognizing the chorus for 60 years of music in the community. Mayor Kip Walby presented Music Director Cynthia Ohrt with the proclamation at the December 5 City Council Meeting. The chorus also performed the National Anthem and a few holiday songs at the meeting.

Eagle Pointe Receives Historical Marker

The Eagle Pointe subdivision celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022. In honor of the occasion, the St. Clair Shores Historical Commission placed a historical marker on the premises.

Nevaeh Wolfe won first place in the “under 18” category for her photo, “Lonely Years”

Photo courtesy of St. Clair Shores Cultural Committee

Musical Director Cynthia Ohrt

Photo by Ally Fuchs

A group of Masonic Heights Elementary volunteers along with Positivity Project Co-Founder and CEO Jeff Bryan (back left) and Lake Shore Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Joe DiPonio (back right)

Photo courtesy of Lake Shore Schools

L-R: Amy Florek, chairperson of Cool City Committee, and Khatina Breiss, co-chairperson of the Cool City Committee, with donations to St. Clair Shores Cops For Kids

Photo of marker courtesy of St. Clair Shores Historical Commission

AQUA 2023 freeze

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT WHITEMAN

STEPPING BACK IN TIME

St. Clair Shores Public Library

A Vital Part of the Community Since 1935

Imagine a time when lounging on your couch didn’t come with Wi-Fi at your fingertips. When St. Clair Shores was a young city, the need for information required a trip to the library and a quiet session scanning the set of encyclopedias and volumes of nonfiction. When curiosity strikes today, questions rarely stump anyone for more than a few seconds. Siri and Alexa know the answers – and if they don’t, the nearest device can usually provide countless links to data. Prior to the technology boom, the library’s collection of periodicals and out-of-town newspapers provided patrons access to important information about their city, surrounding communities and the world.

With such a drastic change in the way that we gather information, perform research and read today (many prefer audiobooks), it doesn’t alter the fact that the St. Clair Shores Public Library remains a vital part of the city. Youth and adult programs, guest speakers and special events bring the community together. And plenty of patrons still think that nothing compares to the weight of a newly checked-out book in hand. Let’s look back to the beginnings of the St. Clair Shores Public Library and its evolution over time.

Humble Beginnings

The history of the St. Clair Shores Public Library dates to the early 1930s with the founding of the St. Clair Shores Study Club. One of the first projects undertaken by the St. Clair Shores Study Club, in May 1935, was to sponsor a library in the village Municipal Building at Eleven Mile and Jefferson. Books, obtained by donation and purchase, were collected at the home of Club President, Mrs. Russell Srigley. By fall

over 500 books had been processed. One of the largest contributions came from Edsel Ford, who donated $50 with which 60 new books were purchased. The St. Clair Shores Study Club opened the library to the residents on Friday, September 27, 1935.

Ina Hanson, the first official librarian, was hired in February 1936. In 1937, the complete operation of the library was turned over to the Village of St. Clair Shores by the Study Club. By 1940, the library had outgrown its room in the Municipal Building. A search for new quarters began, and in 1941, the Village purchased a new building, which had formerly served as the Lake Shore Presbyterian Church, for $300.

The small white frame building was moved from Grove Pte. and Jefferson to the south side of Eleven Mile Road just east of Jefferson on property granted to the Village by the State Land Board. The building was remodeled prior to its opening on May 2, 1943. Prior to this time, Hanson had resigned and on June 19, 1942, Delia B. Waldner was appointed librarian.

A small white frame building that formerly served as Lakeshore Presbyterian Church became the library’s second home in 1943.

By 1955 the library’s book collection had grown to 18,000 volumes, and in January the library began its first bookmobile service. The service continued till the early 1980s when a turndown of the economy resulted in a cutback of city services.

Construction of the Current Library

In the fall of 1956 (after a failed first vote), voters overwhelmingly approved a $100,000 bond proposal to construct a new library. Erected just west of the old library at its current location, this 7,200-square-foot building had shelving for 40,000 volumes and seating for 75 people.

In October 1959, Waldner retired, and Virginia MacHarg was appointed library director.

In 1970, a $738,000 addition and remodeling program began. Dedicated in 1972, the addition gave the library a total floor space of 25,747 square feet.

Arthur M. Woodford was appointed library director in February 1977 following the retirement of MacHarg. In May 1981, the library circulation system was automated. The library received a $46,000 Michigan OutState Equity (M.O.S.E.) grant in 1986 that greatly expanded the Michigan History/Great Lakes Collection. Four study rooms, an expanded meeting room and an Internet service area were added to the library in 1993-1995 through an $80,000 M.O.S.E. grant. The Reading Lounge (Café and Friends Gift Shop) and the Local History Center renovation were funded in 2000-2002 in part by a $200,000 Michigan Grant for Arts and Culture and a $330,000 Federal Block Grant.

Technological Advances

Assistant Director Rosemary Orlando became library director upon Woodford’s retirement in May 2005. The biggest changes in recent years have been in library technology.

In 2005 the library received a grant from the Michigan Historical Newspaper Project to microfilm local newspapers. An English as a Second Language and International Language collection for children and adults was established. In 2008 the library joined MeLCat, a library catalog and resource sharing project among all types of Michigan libraries. In 2014 Zinio was introduced to provide digital magazines to patrons. In addition, the library joined the MILibraryCard reciprocal borrowing program that allows patrons to visit participating libraries and checkout materials.

The year 2009 brought the world of e-books and audiobooks to the library through Overdrive. Freegal music, an online music service that offers patrons access to over seven million songs to stream or download, was later launched. As of 2022, the number of patrons who checked out online materials versus those who picked up physical copies off the shelves were about equal.

Online and in-library credit card payments were introduced to allow patrons to pay overdue fines and fees. A selfcheckout system was installed along with an RFID software system to manage circulating materials. In 2013, patrons could be notified about book holds and overdue items via text messages.

Library Programs & Improvements

A reluctant reader program utilizing therapy dogs called Paws for Reading and 1st Stop for Tots, which models reading skills readiness for young children and adults, were introduced in 2011.

Grants in 2007 to 2008 included a $5,000 Metro Detroit Book and Author Society award to purchase books and conduct Family Book Discussions, a $2,500 Target Grant for Family Reading, and a $5,000 Macomb Intermediate School District and State of Michigan grant for children ages 1-4 to receive a book and literacy packet during their birthday month.

And it wasn’t just the library’s programs and services that have been improving – the library itself has been renovated. This included recarpeting, replacing bookshelves in the Local History Center and the Buy a Chair Campaign (to replace worn meeting room chairs) in partnership with the Friends of the St. Clair Shores Public Library.

In 1955, the library began a bookmobile service that continued till the early 1980s.

HAPPENINGS shores YOUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR

SELINSKY-GREEN FARMHOUSE MUSEUM

The museum is located behind the St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 Eleven Mile Road.

Museum Tours

February and March, every Wednesday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m.

Sewing Saturday

Saturday, February 25, 1-4 p.m.

Museum volunteers will demonstrate a variety of needle crafts. Adults and children are welcome to learn to sew a variety of hand stitches. Each child will be given a felt needle stitch book to practice different stitches upon. This event is open to residents and non-residents, and no registration is required.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES

Saturday, February 25 at 2 p.m.

St. Clair Shores Senior Activity Center

20100 Stephens

Miss St. Clair Shores Izzy Wallace presents a free event that includes breakout sessions on topics ranging from interview preparation to planning career goals and more. RSVP by emailing Izzy at izzywallacemao@gmail.com

STAND OUT! ADAPTIVE ADULT ORGANIZATION

Social Nights

Eos Café and Coffee House, 30625 Jefferson

All events take place from 6-8 p.m.

February 16 - Bingo/Bango - Pop Music

March 2 - Karaoke

March 16 - St. Patrick’s Day

March 30 - Bingo/Bango - ’80s Music

Events are open to the public but require pre-registration. The cost is $15 per event. Register online at https://parkregistration.scsmi.net/

LAKE SHORE SCHOOLS ART SHOW

March

Eos Café and Coffee House, 30625 Jefferson

View artwork from students, K-12, all month long at the coffee house.

ST. PATRICK’S IN THE PARK

Saturday, March 11, Noon-9 p.m.

Blossom Heath Park, 24800 Jefferson

Beer tent, food trucks and entertainment. For more details, go to Facebook. com/st.clairshoresparksandrecreation

ST. PATRICK'S DAY PUB CRAWL

Saturday, March 11, 1-7 p.m.

Pickup & Drop off at Kapones, 24301 Harper

Tickets are $20 each (cash only) and will be for sale at Kapones on February 21 from 6-8 p.m.

This is a Cool Cities Committee event. Proceeds from pub crawls fund Cool City Committee events and charity causes throughout the year.

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

March 22, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.

SCS City Hall, 27600 Jefferson

Register at redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=scspd

EASTER EGG HUNT

Saturday, April 8, Noon

Blossom Heath Park, 24800 Jefferson

This free annual tradition is paid for and put on by the St. Clair Shores

Firefighters Local 1744, with support from the City Council and Parks and Recreation Department. The egg hunt is split into three age categories: 0-3, 3-8 and 8 and up. Since the eggs disappear quickly, attendees are encouraged to arrive around 11:30 a.m.

Top Left: The Easter Egg Hunt will take place on April 8 at Noon at Blossom Heath this year.

Photo by Steve Foulkrod / St. Clair Shores Communications

Bottom Left: Cool City Committee St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl

Photo courtesy of Amy Florek

We Can help!

THE CONCRETE RAISING, LEVELING, REPAIR AND CAULKING A TEAM!

PROUDLY SERVING MICHIGAN HOMEOWNERS FOR 27+ YEARS

CONCRETE RAISING • CONCRETE CAULKING CALL THE PIONEERS DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME! $$$ Save 50-70% -vs- Replacement $$$ DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!

WHEN YOU CALL... SOMEONE WILL ANSWER! FULLY LICENSED & INSURED • HONEST ESTIMATES

• Prompt, Clean, Courteous, Proven

• EXPERTS - NOT the “jack of all trades”

• We do what we say and say what we do!

• Leaders in the industry

DRIVEWAY CAULKING RAISED SINKING DRIVEWAY

BEFORE AFTER the shores 32

RAISED SINKING DRIVEWAY www.Raise-it.org

BEFORE AFTER