The 1972 AMC Gremlin that Nolan McCann will show in the Autorama is a melding of two cars.

The 17-year-old from Madison Heights is one of the youngest exhibitors in the annual hot rod and customized car show at Huntington Place in Detroit, which starts Friday, Feb. 28.

McCann, a senior at Lamphere High School, learned car restoration from his grandfather. He started looking for a Gremlin to rebuild because he “just thought it was funky and cool.”

He bought a 1974 model and had it shipped from Connecticut for a total of about $5,200. It had more rust than he anticipated.

“That was a bit of a costly mistake,” he said.

Then he found the 1972 model that was “just a shell” and bought it for $1,500. With some parts borrowed from the 1974 Gremlin and help from friends, the reconstruction began last June.

“It’s been a lot of work and a lot of patience,” he said. “I’m super excited about Autorama. A lot of family and friends are coming to the show.”

McCann financed the work by buying, restoring and reselling 1990s-era Jeeps.

He entered vintage mopeds in the Autorama for the last two years.

Maintaining a grade point average over 4.0, he has scholarship offers from several colleges, and is particularly interested in Michigan State University and Wayne State University. While undecided on a course of study, he considers himself an entrepreneur and is leaning toward business.

McCann is one of about two dozen Oakland County residents entering cars in the show.

Murray Pfaff of Royal Oak is a car designer who has had his own exhibit, the D Lot, at Autorama for the past decade.

This year, the D Lot will exhibit 10 cars, eight of which he designed and drew himself.

Pfaff has raised $250,000 for charities over the past decade by holding a raffle of donated auto-related prizes, which have a combined value of about $50,000. This year, his efforts will benefit Make-A-Wish Michigan, which provides trips and other experiences for terminally ill and seriously ill children. Raffle tickets cost $5 each and there is also an online auction. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/thedlot.

“I feel very fortunate being in this industry,” Pfaff said. “It started out as a hobby and now I have clients who invest more than $1 million in these cars.”

Over the years, Pfaff has also entered his own vehicles after spending hours fixing them up.

How much time? “If you ask my wife, way too much,” he said.

Gary Hicks of Southfield is entering his 2023 Corvette Stingray, which has been outfitted with all manner of add-ons, he said.

He did some of the work himself and paid professionals for other amenities.

The “Lamborghini” doors, which open up instead of out, are his favorite customization.

“They make it easier to get in and out,” he said.

He also paid extra for the customized rapid blue exterior color. But that meant he got the two-tone interior thrown in for free.

Other Oakland County residents with cars in the show:

– Charlotte Davidson of Southfield  2017 Chevrolet Corvette

– John Leonard of Farmington Hills, 2005 Ford Mustang.

– Alex Della Torre of Farmington Hills, 1992 Mazda Miata

– Larry Harvey of Southfield, 2022 Chevrolet Corvette

– Mike Marmorstein of Southfield, 1932 Ford 5 window coupe

– Ernest Morrison Jr. of Lathrup Village, 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle

– Harold Sullivan of Bloomfield Hills, 1967 Plymouth GTX

– Everett Stephenson, 1971 Dodge Challenger

– Don Swartz of Rochester Hills, 1946 Ford Coupe

– Ron Kline of Rochester Hills, 1946 Plymouth convertible

– Matt and Dave Chojnacki/Gulda of Oxford, 1965 Ford Galaxie

– Justin Kowalski of Oxford, 1969 Buick

– Justin Shinouski of Auburn Hills, 1964 Mercury Marauder

– Frank Polito of Hazel Park, 1981 AMC Concorde station wagon

– Pontiac Transportation Museum, 1974  Pontiac GTO

– Everett Mero of Madison Heights, 1971 Ford pickup truck

– Vince Blaszcyzyk of Commerce Township, 1937 Chevrolet Custom Coupe

– Gerald Camico of Commerce Township, 1965 Plymouth Barracuda

– Bob Dewitt of Walled Lake, 1970 Oldsmobile Coupe

– Edward Frank of Waterford Township,1991 Ford Mustang

– Sean Gennari of Waterford Township, 2000 Van Dieman

– Joe Giummo of Waterford Township, 1980 AMC Spirit

– Phil Hargrate of Waterford Township, blue 1957 Hans Coupe 300 and 1969 Honda CT70 and his trailer home

– Ryan Lightfoot of Commerce Township, 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

– Tony Nacewicz of Commerce Township, 1971 Dodge Demon

– Tommy Shea of Waterford Township, 1977 Penton MC 5

– William Duren of Bloomfield Hills, 2014 Chevrolet Corvette

– Thomas Dorr of Clawson, 1935 Chevrolet pickup truck

– Phil Hatzos of Berkley, 1978 Chevrolet Chevette

– Mike Radonovich of Royal Oak, 1965 Ford Fastback

Autorama runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will feature about 800 vehicles.

Attractions include a pink Barbie convertible, as seen at Disney’s Epcot Center; a giant mega transformer car; WWE wrestlers and Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzelone.

HOURS

Friday, February 28, noon-10 p.m.

Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sunday, March 2, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

ADMISSION

At Gate:

Adults, $28

Children 6 to 12 years, $10

Children 5 and under, free

Discount tickets are available at participating O’Reilly Auto Parts locations. Discounted general admission is $26 and children 6 to 12 years, $9

For more information, visit www.autorama.com or call 248-373-1700.

I-696 closure in Oakland County delayed due to weather

Man charged for home invasions to have preliminary exam next month

Multiple planets will appear close together in the sky, beginning on Friday, Feb. 28, and the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills is planning a celebration.

Experts call it a planetary alignment. Some fans of astronomy are calling it a “planet parade.” It won’t happen again until September 2040.

The Cranbrook science museum, 39221 Woodward Ave., is preparing its observatory telescopes and holding its celebration on Saturday evening, March 1, but experts say Friday evening at about 6:10 p.m. will be the best time to see some planets, especially if unaided by a microscope or binoculars.

A cloudy forecast on Friday evening could make it difficult to see them, said Michael Narlock, Cranbrook’s head of astronomy.

“A number of the planets are near to the sun, so they will disappear with the sun,” he said, which will make timing important on Friday.

“Fingers crossed, it’s supposed to clear up on Saturday,” he said. “But it’s Michigan.

Through the telescopes, visitors will be able to see the planets as well as the Andromeda Galaxy, the Orion Nebula and more.

“It’s going to be a great jolt to the senses to see all of these things in the sky,” he said.

The museum will be closed during the day Saturday and will be open from 5-11 p.m. for the planetary celebration.

From 5-8 p.m., pre-registration is required. Walk-ups will be allowed after that, but due to capacity limits, admittance isn’t guaranteed. Pre-registration will close at 3 p.m. Friday and is available at https://bit.ly/4i12CJf.

Tickets are $21 for members and $25 for non-members. In addition to telescope viewings, there will be planet-related activities throughout the museum and planetarium shows available for an extra charge.

Tickets for the museum-wide event are non-refundable. Free passes and reciprocal membership privileges are not valid for this event.

I-696 closure in Oakland County delayed due to weather

Man charged for home invasions to have preliminary exam next month

 

Royal Oak will hold a Community Resource Fair on Thursday, Feb. 27, where residents can learn about city resources, connect with local organizations, discover volunteer opportunities and more.

The fair will be held from 4-8 p.m. at the Royal Oak Farmers Market, 316 E. 11 Mile Road.

The fair will offer everything from getting a license for your dog to making a home fire escape plan, according to a release from the city.

There will also be food trucks, live music, crafts, giveaways and a kids’ activity zone.

The first-ever event was organized by the Community Engagement Advisory Board, the Farmers Market, and the Royal Oak Inter Club Council.

For more information, visit the city’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ROCityHall/posts/pfbid02hpsAoE8YisnAVgyYuUJS4cy8XXaKp3xL2MYVxYV1JJjCtWyHGxCip2RECBm6EjPfl.

A new mental health center has opened in Rochester Hills to give free assistance to those impacted by the mass shooting last year at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad.

The Rochester Hills Resiliency Center, 1970 Auburn Road, is a program of Common Ground, an Oakland County mental health services agency.

The center has trained trauma-informed staff on site and “provides a safe and nurturing environment for healing, compassionate mental health support, opportunities for community connection and other resources,” Common Ground said in a release.

In-person hours of operation are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for walk-in help and Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment.

Contact the center by phone at 248-451-2610, by email at RHRC@cghelps.org and on its website at www.RochesterHillsRC.org.

 

While the center’s primary purpose is to help those affected by the splash pad shooting, it will not turn away anyone in need. Common Ground’s resources would be used to support those with needs unrelated to the shooting.

Funding comes from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, via a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Anti-Terrorism Emergency Assistance Program.

Common Ground looks to donor dollars and foundations to help with costs that the grant doesn’t cover.

Nine people were injured June 15 when a gunman opened fire at the splash pad, 1585 E. Auburn Road, including a Rochester Hills boy who is now blind.

The shooter, Michael Nash, fired 36 rounds from a semiautomatic handgun at random before fleeing the scene. Police found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot at his mother’s Shelby Township home, half a mile away from the splash pad.

Nash, 42, of Shelby Township, did not have a criminal record but had dealt with mental health challenges, police said.

The price of eggs just hit an all-time high. Here’s how the cost of everyday consumer goods is changing under the Trump administration.

Breakfast is booming at US restaurants. Is it also contributing to high egg prices?

Romeo beats Adams, Athens to win team regional championship

House cats with bird flu could pose a risk to public health

 

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is warning the public not to come in contact with dead or sick birds, especially since there has been an uptick in wild fowl deaths from bird flu over the past two months.

The DNR has noted the increase in deaths primarily in Canada geese, trumpeter swans and scavenging birds.

The DNR said the bird flu warning is especially important for wild fowl hunters.

“While waterfowl hunters are much more likely to encounter wild birds, it’s important for all Michiganders to understand the health risks that bird flu can pose to wildlife, humans and domestic animals,” said Mitch Marcus, DNR wildlife health supervisor.

“The challenge with (wild) waterfowl is that they can be carriers but not appear sick,”  he said.

The DNR does not have numbers to demonstrate the increase in bird flu deaths in wild waterfowl since December.

Bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, is a contagious disease that causes sickness and sometimes death in birds and mammals.

The virus can be spread through droppings or any interaction between farm-raised poultry and wild birds. It’s also easily tracked onto a farm on someone’s clothing or by vehicle.

Humans can contract the disease from infected animals or materials, but it doesn’t usually cause serious illness in people.

If you see six or more dead waterfowl, gulls or shorebirds, report it at https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ors/Home?utm_campaign=hpai%20warning%20waterfowl%20hunters&utm_medium=pr&utm_source=govdelivery. You can also call a DNR office, and may locate one in your area at https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/about/contact/wildlife/wildlife-field-offices?utm_campaign=hpai+warning+waterfowl+hunters&utm_medium=pr&utm_source=govdelivery.

If you have close contact with sick or dead birds, or surfaces contaminated by them, monitor for these bird flu symptoms for 10 days after exposure:

– Fever with temperature over 100 degrees or chills (fever may not be present)

– Sore throat.

– Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

– Eye tearing, redness or irritation

– Runny or stuffy nose

– Muscle or body aches.

PRECAUTIONS FOR HUNTERS

Not all species that are affected by the current uptick in bird flu may be hunted. The state places numerous restrictions on other species. For more information, visit https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations/waterfowl/when-and-where-to-hunt.

Hunters should take the following precautions to avoid contracting or spreading bird flu:

– Cook all meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees to kill any viruses.

– Process wild birds in the field. Remains from processed birds should be buried on-site or double-bagged and disposed of with household trash.

– Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth while handling wild birds.

– Wear rubber or disposable gloves while handling and cleaning wild birds.

– Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleanser, even if hands are not visibly soiled.

– Thoroughly clean and disinfect all knives, equipment and surfaces that come into contact with wild birds.

– Do not eat, drink or smoke while handling or cleaning wild birds.

Waterfowl hunters who care for domestic animals should take these steps:

– Keep domestic animals away from wild birds and dead birds.

– Keep domestic animals away from hunting apparel and footwear that has come into contact with wild birds or their mucus, saliva or feces.

– Cooking waterfowl meat to 165 degrees before feeding it to other animals.

– Shower after the hunt and before tending to domestic animals.

– Wash hands immediately before and after caring for animals.

– Don’t share equipment or other supplies between premises.

Earlier this month, six domestic birds at a farm at Hess-Hathaway Park in Waterford Township died; Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development officials tested them and found bird flu. MDARD euthanized the entire flock of about 100 chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese.

MDARD said bird flu is always fatal to poultry and can move quickly through a flock.

Since the current outbreak began three years ago, 15 Michigan counties have reported bird flu cases in domestic poultry or cattle or both.

Raw milk is the only food product linked to illnesses so far. Health experts recommend pasteurized milk.

Health officials haven’t yet found evidence of the disease spreading from person to person.

Nationally, about five dozen people have become ill with bird flu. Nearly all of them worked around sick animals. A Louisiana man became the first death from bird flu last month Officials said he was over age 65, had contact with infected poultry and had underlying health conditions.

For more information on HPAI in domestic animals, visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/animals/diseases/avian.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

Motorists travelling on Interstate-75 in northern Oakland County may want to give themselves a little extra time.

I-75 will be closed in both directions at Evans Road, between Baldwin Road and Grange Hall Road in Holly Township, for multiple 15-minute intervals on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25-26.

The closures will allow a utility company to place cables across the freeway.

The closures will occur from 8-10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Detours will be:

– Northbound I-75 to Grange Hall to northbound Dixie Hwy to northbound 75

– Southbound I-75 to Dixie Hwy/Saginaw to southbound Dixie to westbound Grange Hall to southbound I-75.

Sheriff: ‘Religious complaint’ may have spurred stabbing of refugee caseworker

Where is Creg Lyles? Waterford man went missing 4 years ago

Sheriff: Snowmobiler from Novi dies in northern Michigan crash

How wildfire investigators painstakingly comb through evidence to learn how a blaze began

 

Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum has cleared the last hurdle to finding a new home.

The West Bloomfield Township Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4-0 Tuesday, Jan. 21, to approve two variances from zoning rules to allow the beloved arcade and memorabilia collection to open in the Orchard Mall.

Marvin’s plans to move into the site of a former drugstore in the mall at the northeast corner of West Maple and Orchard Lake roads.

Marvin’s closed last month, as its previous location in a strip mall on Orchard Lake near 14 Mile in Farmington Hills will be torn down to make way for a new shopping center. It will house several tenants, including a scaled-down Meijer store.

The arcade needed a variance to operate its coin-operated business closer than 100 feet to a residential lot line at its rear in the new location.

It also needed a variance to allow access through a front door rather than an entrance common to other businesses in Orchard Mall.

Arcade owner Jeremy Yagoda posted on Facebook before the meeting that he considered the two items “a small road bump” on his way to moving to the new location. He expects to open in early summer.

Township Planner Treesa John told the ZBA that the arcade would be 80 feet from a residential lot line, 20 feet shy of the requirement. But Yagoda plans to use the back 20 feet of the business for storage, so the coin-operated machines will still be 100 feet from residences.

Yagoda’s attorney, Jeff Leib, said that renovating the space in the 50-year-old mall so that variances would not be necessary would pose an undue burden on the arcade.

Several West Bloomfield residents spoke in favor of Marvin’s. Miriam Leary said she is a longtime fan of the arcade and has never noted any noise from outside of the building.

“I just want to speak for all the kids who just love that place,” said township resident Karen Amick.

ZBA Chairman David Barash said the township received more than 200 emails, calls and letters in support of Marvin’s.

ZBA member Kathy Hagopian said Marvin’s will draw people to Orchard Mall and to the township.

“It’s a win-win for all of us,” she said.

Yagoda said last month that the Orchard Mall location, next to Planet Fitness, will have about 14,000 square feet, more than double its current size of 5,300 square feet.

It will have private rooms to accommodate birthday parties and other gatherings.

At least 50,000 people signed an online petition last year to save the arcade and memorabilia collection. At that time, Marvin’s announced on Facebook that it could close because its home in the strip mall would be torn down. The city later approved the building owner’s demolition and reconstruction plan.

The late Marvin Yagoda, Jeremy’s father, founded the arcade about 45 years ago.in the former Tally Hall food court in Farmington Hills. It moved to the Orchard Lake-14 Mile location in the early 1990s.

Professional ice carvers will be creating cut-outs of four Detroit Lions players at this year’s Frost Fest in downtown Rochester, as enthusiasm for the team continues to grow.

The jerseys of Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and David Montgomery will be “headless,” creating a photo op for festival visitors.

“It’ll look like you’re wearing their jersey. Your head goes where their head would be,” said Jenna O’Dell, events coordinator for the Rochester Downtown Development Authority, which organizes the festival with the Principal Shopping District.

Carving of the Lions players begins at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan 17, on E. 3rd Street, across from the Lions Club warming tent and close to the Home Bakery at 300 S. Main St.

The carving will continue until about 9 p.m. or until the carvers are finished.

During the carving, Lions fans will be able to give the team well wishes that will be drilled into the sculptures. The four Lions will be on display until Sunday night.

O’Dell said festival organizers wanted to build on the momentum generated by a life-size cake depicting St. Brown’s headstand after he scored a touchdown earlier this season.

The cake on display in the front window of Home Bakery has generated national interest.

“The cake gained a lot of traction nationwide,” O’Dell said. “We’re drumming up more support for the Lions.”

This year’s festival has a “Frozen in Time” theme, with sculptures depicting items from the past, such as iPods, vintage cameras, eight-track tapes, typewriters and more.

Forty businesses have sponsored sculptures that will be on display in front of their establishments. For a map of the locations, go to http://www.downtownrochestermi.com/ice-sculpture-map.

The festival features live music, games and other attractions. Hours are 5-9 p.m. Friday and 3-9 p.m. Saturday.

Visitors can also enjoy the Big Bright Light Show, which has been extended until Feb. 9.

For more information, visit https://www.downtownrochestermi.com/frost-festival.

The newly retired police chief will fill a vacancy on the West Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees.

The board voted 6-0 Monday, Jan. 13, to select Michael Patton to serve as trustee.

“It was a unique opportunity to benefit from the 40 years of knowledge, experience and dedication of our newly retired police chief,” township Clerk Debbie Binder said.

Binder said before the meeting that five to 10 people had contacted the board to express interest in the seat.

When Supervisor Steve Kaplan resigned last month, the board selected Trustee Jonathan Warshay to serve as supervisor, creating the vacancy on the board.

Treasurer Teri Weingarden said all of the candidates who expressed interest were involved in township boards or commissions or with community groups.

Patton began his career with the West Bloomfield Police Department in 1985, becoming chief in 2010. He retired Friday. Former Deputy Chief Dale Young was sworn in as chief the same day.

 

 

The person who had flu-like symptoms after coming into contact with fowl infected with bird flu at a public park in Waterford Township has tested negative.

Oakland County Health Division officials said last week that 11 employees or volunteers at the farm at Hess-Hathaway Park had direct contact with the infected flock. The number of exposed people has risen to 12. Only one had flu-like symptoms; that person was not seriously ill, said county spokesman Bill Bullan.

The people exposed to the bird flu will be monitored for 10 days, which began Thursday, Jan. 9.

About 100 chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys at the farm were euthanized after several tested positive for bird flu.

Township Supervisor Anthony Bartolotta said a park official arrived Wednesday morning, Jan. 8, to find three fowl dead and three more that were ill and later died.

The official contacted the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which sent investigators to the farm. They took the affected animals to Michigan State University for testing. The state humanely euthanized the entire flock..

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health experts say the risk for humans of serious illness from bird flu is low.

The risk of contracting bird flu from the Hess-Hathaway flock is greatest for those who had direct contact with the fowl, said Christie Clement-Halladay, chief of Oakland County’s Communicable Disease Unit.

Bartolotta said the public stayed behind a fence in the farm’s fowl area, but the animals could approach visitors at the fence.

He said the farm has few visitors in the winter.

Clement-Halladay said anyone who visited the farm recently and has flu-like symptoms should see a health care provider, who can perform a flu test.

The farm’s fowl area is closed for 120 days, Bartolotta said. The rest of the farm, which includes pigs, goats and other livestock, is open to the public, as state officials advised the township that the other animals were at little risk of contracting bird flu.

Other amenities at the park at 825 S. Williams Lake Road are open.

Bird flu is most often spread by wild birds coming into contact with domesticated birds or cattle. Infected wild birds often do not appear sick.

Fifteen Michigan counties have reported bird flu cases in birds or cattle or both since 2022. Two Michigan farm workers who came in contact with infected cattle contracted bird flu last year; neither was seriously ill.

As of Jan. 6, there have been 67 confirmed human cases of H5N1, bird flu, in the United States since 2022.

A Louisiana man died earlier this month of bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza. He was the first person in the United States to die from the disease, according to the CDC.

Health officials have said the person was older than 65, had underlying medical problems and had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. They also said a genetic analysis suggested the bird flu virus had mutated inside the patient, which could have led to the more severe illness, according to the Associated Press.

There have been no cases of person-to-person transmission, the CDC said.

Bird flu symptoms in people may include:

– Eye redness and irritation (conjunctivitis)

– Mild fever

– Cough

– Sore throat

– Runny or stuffy nose

– Muscle or body aches

– Headaches

– Fatigue

– Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

Less common symptoms include diarrhea, nausea or vomiting.

County officials offer the following to limit the risk of infection:

– Avoid direct contact with sick or dead birds and animals.

– Use personal protective equipment if contact is necessary.

– Don’t touch services contaminated by bird droppings or bodily fluids.

– Avoid consuming raw milk or raw milk products.

If bird flu is suspected in a domestic flock, contact MDARD immediately at 800-292-3939 (daytime) or 517-373-0440 (after hours). Report unusual deaths among wild birds by contacting the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at 517-336-5030.

The Royal Oak school board has elected new officers for 2025..

The board leadership for the next year:

– President: Tim Ciechorski

– VicePresident: Erika Alexander

– Secretary: Deborah Anderson

– Treasurer: Michelle Cook

– Trustee: Maryanne VanHaitsma

– Trustee: Matt Wickey

– Trustee: Lauren Jasinski

“The Board of Education plays a critical role in shaping the future of our schools and ensuring our district remains a safe, supportive, and innovative environment for all students,” said Mary Beth Fitzpatrick, superintendent of Royal Oak Schools. “We look forward to working together to achieve our shared vision.”