The American Red Cross recently honored three Farmington Hills lifeguards who helped save the life of a co-worker who collapsed at work last year.
Fana Rombou, Amy Gunn-Gill and Vanessa Hersey-Tartt received the Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders at a ceremony held Thursday, June 26, at The Hawk, the city’s recreation and arts center.
When their co-worker showed signs of cardiac arrest, the lifeguards used CPR and an AED to help her regain consciousness before paramedics arrived, according to a release from the city.
The award, which includes a citation and lapel pin, is bestowed on professional responders like lifeguards, police, firefighters and health care workers.
The lifeguards came to the aid of Janet Dabish, a senior transportation dispatcher for the city, who collapsed at the city-run Costick Activities Center.
Dabish was at her desk last September, enjoying a few minutes of solitude, when she lost consciousness. Her colleagues in transportation services called 911 and went to get help from the lifeguards.
Rombou, who was nearby, rushed over to help. She helped move Dabish from her chair to the floor. Rombou found a pulse and noticed Dabish was extremely warm.
The co-worker who called 911 placed the phone next to Rombou, who then began performing
CPR using chest compressions and rescue breaths under the direction of the 911 dispatcher.
Her teammates, Gunn-Gill and Hersey-Tartt, then arrived with an AED. Dabish was shocked once, then Rombou and a Farmington Hills police officer who had arrived on scene rotated performing CPR.
Rombou and the police officer continued to perform CPR and gave Dabish a second shock from the AED. Dabish then regained consciousness and Farmington Hills paramedics transported her to a hospital.
“Fana, Amy and Vanessa, your lifesaving action exemplifies the mission of the Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. Thank you for your willingness to help Janet, who was in distress,” said Kelly King, regional chief executive officer of the Red Cross Michigan Region.
Rombou said every second counts in an emergency.
“This experience reminded me that in a crisis, being calm, prepared, and responsive can truly make the difference between life and loss. As a lifeguard and lifeguard instructor, I know the difference we make doesn’t stop at the water’s edge,” she said.
Dabish, who had a defibrillator and pacemaker implanted as a result of the incident and is doing well, praised the three lifeguards for their heroic actions. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them,” she said.
The Red Cross has been creating courses and training people in first aid and CPR for more than 100 years. For more information, visit redcross.org/TakeAClass.
Janet Dabish, far left, looks on as the lifeguards credited with saving her life receive awards from the American Red Cross. Left to right, they are Amy Gunn-Gill, Fana Rombou and and Vanessa Hersey-Tartt. Photo courtesy of city of Farmington Hills.
An Oakland County neurologist is accused of trading medical care for sex with at least one trafficking victim.
Prosecutor Karen McDonald has charged Dr. Gireesh Velugubanti, a 49-year-old Royal Oak man, with human trafficking and drug charges.
An ongoing investigation by the county’s Human Trafficking Task Force identified Velugubanti as a possible customer of an alleged trafficking ring at the Sonesta Simply Suites hotel in the area of I-696 and Lahser Road in Southfield.
McDonald’s office has charged three other people – Antoine Fulgiam, Chanel Rackard, and Sherri Gress, in connection with the alleged ring at the hotel.
Text messages between Velugubanti and Fulgiam allegedly show the doctor arranging commercial sex with trafficking victims and purchasing drugs, according to a release from McDonald.
Text messages reveal that Velugubanti was unhappy with one of the trafficked sex workers and apparently asked Fulgiam to warn her that her “free medical care” may come to an end.
“Purchasing sex with trafficked women isn’t a victimless crime. It is abuse,” McDonald said. “This defendant and men like him, often living comfortable lives, prey on victims who have been denied personal agency or freedom by traffickers. Sex trafficking only exists because so-called ‘customers’ create an economic incentive. They will be held accountable.
“This defendant’s alleged behavior is especially shocking,” McDonald said. “According to police investigations, he effectively ransomed health care in order to exploit one or more victims. The first rule of the medical profession is to ‘do no harm.’ There are few things a doctor can do more harmful than to allegedly expect sex as a condition for care.”
Velugubanti is charged with Human Trafficking Enterprise Resulting In Injury/Commercial Sexual Activity, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine, and Conspiracy To Deliver A Controlled Substance Less Than 50 Grams, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine.
He will be arraigned in the 46th District Court in Southfield.
Velugubanti is a practicing neurologist. McDonald’s office is not aware of any affiliations with area hospital systems, the release said.
Prosecutors are working with law enforcement to learn if any patients were impacted or need to be informed.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald gives her rebuttal statement during Jennifer Crumbley’s trial, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. Crumbley, 45, is charged with involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors say she and her husband were grossly negligent and could have prevented the four deaths if they had tended to their son’s mental health. They’re also accused of making a gun accessible at home. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, Pool)
The Farmington Hills City Council is holding a special study session on Monday, June 23, on the future of the Costick Activities Center.
The council will hear recommendations from The Sports Facilities Companies, a building management firm, at the meeting at 5 p.m. in the Mainstage Theatre at The Hawk, 29995 W. 12 Mile Road.
The public will have an opportunity to comment. The council will not make any decisions at this meeting.
The city doesn’t have a senior center, but offers programs for older adults at Costick, 28600 W. 11 Mile.
The city also converted the former Harrison High School into The Hawk, a recreation and performing arts center for all ages.
Monday’s council meeting is part of the city’s study on whether it needs a new recreation center focused on adults ages 55 and up.
The city surveyed older adults on their recreation needs earlier this year.
Costick Activities Center in Farmington Hills. Photo courtesy of city of Farmington Hills.
Ellen Schnackel, director of the city’s Special Services Department, said if a new center is built, the city would assess Costick’s future.
She said the cost of a new center and potential funding sources are under study.
Those who want to give the council input but can’t attend the meeting may comment at fhgov.com/costickinput.
A house fire in Farmington Hills may have been caused by a lightning strike, officials say.
The fire broke out at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, immediately following a lightning strike, in a two-story house in the area of 14 Mile and Drake roads, according to Fire Marshal Jason Baloga.
The occupants of the home told the Farmington Hills Fire Department they believed lightning hit the house; the blaze is under investigation.
Flames billow from a house fire in the area of 14 Mile and Drake roads in Farmington Hills. Photo courtesy of city of Farmington Hills.
Firefighters were extinguishing the fire in the attic when the roof began to collapse. They exited the building and crews used a ladder truck to regain control. Firefighters then re-entered the building to fully extinguish the fire.
The house was heavily damaged by heat, flames, smoke and water. The city has marked it as an unsafe structure, Baloga said. No one was injured.
He advised anyone affected by a house fire to go outside and call 911 from a designated meeting spot, as these residents did.
Crews from the Farmington Hills Fire Department respond to a house fire in the area of 14 Mile and Drake roads. Photo courtesy of city of Farmington Hills.
In anticipation of the extreme temperatures predicted across metro Detroit, Farmington Hills will open the Costick Activities Center as a cooling center from Saturday, June 21-Tuesday, June 24.
The center is at 28600 W. 11 Mile Road, between Middlebelt and Inkster roads. It is open on Saturday from 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Monday and Tuesday from 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
For more information about the cooling center at the Costick Activities Center, call 248-473-1800 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. If you have an emergency, call 911.
Summer heat can contribute to adverse air quality conditions and can also impact the health conditions of older adults, children and those with respiratory concerns. Community members are encouraged to check on family, friends, neighbors and pets to ensure everyone stays healthy and safe.
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments encourages community members to take action to voluntarily lower emissions to help minimize ozone formation, including:
– Delay mowing the lawn until evening or another day: Exhaust from lawn mowers and other gas-powered yard equipment contributes to ozone formation.
– Drive less, telecommute, bike or walk: These options help to minimize traffic congestion and air pollution, as well as save money.
– Avoid refueling vehicles during daylight hours. Fumes released at the gas pump contribute to ozone formation.
– Delay or combine errands: This will reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
– Reduce electricity use: Adjust thermostats a few degrees warmer and turn off lights, computers and other electrical devices when not in use.
Those are among the many lessons that Jeremy Montney of Waterford Township taught his children.
His daughter, Taylor, also of Waterford, was one of several who responded when The Oakland Press asked readers to share what they love about their dads.
This Father’s Day, readers are remembering their dads for selflessness, hard work, dedication and more.
“My dad is not only a great dad but a stand-up man,” said Taylor Montney of her dad.
“He is happy-go-lucky, kind and always just wants everyone around him to be happy. He has taught me (and still does) lots of valuable lessons but I think one that sticks out the most is to follow through with your word,” she said.
“He has always been my #1 example that if you say you are going to do something, then you need to do it. Your word goes a long way. Another big lesson he taught us was as hard as you work, make sure you still have time for the things you love and try new experiences. Life is too short not to enjoy something every day. I am very lucky that my dad is mine!”
THE JOCKEY
“My dad was a retired racehorse jockey by the time I was born,” said Angel King of Clarkston. “My dad would tell us that no matter how tall you are or what color you are, you are just as important as someone who is 6 feet tall!”
King’s father, John, died of Alzheimer’s disease at age 84 in 1996, but she still remembers him fondly on Father’s Day.
PUT FAMILY FIRST
“My dad was a true man. Loved his family and always put us first,” said Karen Pignanello-Parker of Waterford.
“He loved our mother like she was the greatest gift he ever got. He worked hard and played hard. He said when you stop, you are done. I will always love and appreciate him for everything,” she said.
THE HERO
“My dad is my hero,” said Jesse Hyatt of Waterford, speaking of his father, Gerald, of St. Clair Shores.
“I could name a million things he could do differently today or could have in the past. None of it matters. I am lucky to call him my dad,” Jesse said.
LOOK FORWARD
“My dad told me to look forward and never go back,” said Donna Carrel of Waterford. Her father, Harold Freeby, also of Waterford, died in 2015. He saw combat during the Korean War, she said.
"My dad is not only a great dad but a stand-up man," said Taylor Montney of her father, Jeremy Montney of Waterford. Photo courtesy of Taylor Montney.
Sixteen years ago, Rochester Hills’ deer cull was over almost as soon as it began.
That’s according to opponents, who are now trying to stop three other Oakland County cities that are planning culls, and to Matt Einheuser, Rochester Hills’ natural resources manager. The cull occurred before Einheuser worked for the city, but he has researched its effects on the deer population.
A cull is an organized hunt on designated land by trained sharpshooters intended to reduce the number of deer in an area where experts say they are overpopulated.
The Rochester Hills hunt, held in winter 2009, drew hundreds of protesters to City Council meetings. Some protesters even showed up at sites where the hunt was being held. Opponents filed a lawsuit to try to stop it. Opposition grew after photos circulated on social media of blood trails in the snow, allegedly left by a deer that was shot but didn’t die immediately.
“It was horrible. I can’t even listen to it anymore – so disgusting,” said Monique Balaban of Rochester Hills, who opposed the cull in that city and is now active in the Advocates for Michigan Wildlife Coalition. The group is considering several avenues – including lawsuits – to try to stop Farmington Hills, Farmington and Southfield from holding culls next year.
The Rochester Hills cull, which employed sharpshooters from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, only killed 16 deer before the city halted it, Einheuser said. Culls in other areas of Michigan have thinned the deer population by as few as 50 animals or as many as several hundred.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources generally recommends that a cull should reduce the deer population by 35-40% per year for several years. The DNR recently estimated the deer population in the Farmington Hills area at about 1,500 animals.
Two deer get close in an Oakland County backyard. Vicki Arsenault/MediaNews Group.
Vehicle-deer crashes – one of the main reasons that cities plan culls – have dropped dramatically in Rochester Hills in recent years. But Einheuser said the cull is probably not responsible for the decrease.
The city recorded 153 vehicle-deer collisions in 2020. In 2021-2024, the frequency ranged between 102-123.
After the cull, the city formed a deer management committee, which recommended several nonlethal means of controlling the effects of deer co-existing with humans.
These included placing flashing signs that warn motorists of deer crossings in areas with the most vehicle-deer collisions.
The flashing signs are more effective than older “deer crossing” signs seen in many municipalities, he said.
“Those kind of get lost in the background. Drivers don’t really pay attention to them,” he said.
The city also works with local nurseries to educate residents about landscaping that is more deer-resistant, Einheuser said.
Einheuser said experts believe the deer population in Rochester Hills shrank because of an epidemic of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, which broke out shortly after the cull.
No population estimates are available for Rochester Hills, currently or at the time of the cull, but Einheuser said researchers believe the deer herd is just now beginning to recover from EHD.
The disease, which is often fatal, is transmitted by small flying insects called midges, known in the Midwest as “no-see-ums.”
Annual aerial surveys determined the need for culls in order to keep herds healthy. Third-party wildlife biologists studied the deer populations in the parks and concluded that “data indicates herd stress due to lack of nutrition.”
None of the 13 metroparks in southeast Michigan hosted culls last year, only the fourth time since the program began more than 25 years ago.
“Population estimates currently do not reach the density threshold for management action in 2024, so no culls were, or will be, performed in any Metroparks,” Danielle Mauter, chief of marketing and communications for the Metroparks, said last year.
DNR officials believe that could be a sign that the culls worked, the story said.
Michelle Dimaria of West Bloomfield Township, also active in Advocates for Michigan Wildlife Coalition, disagrees.
“To me, anything that you have to repeat for 25 years doesn’t work,” she said.
Metroparks officials could not be reached for comment on whether the culls were held this year.
Two of the 13 parks – Kensington in Milford Township and Indian Springs in White Lake Township – are in Oakland County.
In 2021, the cull was canceled at Kensington after authorities say a Royal Oak man threatened by phone to shoot the officers taking part in it. Authorities deemed the threat credible. The man was charged with malicious use of a telecommunications device, a misdemeanor.
UPCOMING CULLS
The city councils in Farmington Hills and Southfield recently voted to contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct culls next year. Farmington Hills also expects to add a bow hunt in 2027 that will be conducted by public safety officers.
The Farmington City Council voted to contract with Farmington Hills to manage the cull.
Culls are expected to cost $20,000 each for Farmington Hills and Southfield. Farmington is a smaller city and the cost is expected to be lower, but no estimate was released.
Officials in all three cities said they have looked at nonlethal means of deer population control for years. Farmington Hills, for example, enacted a ban on feeding deer in 2017. While the city did not issue any citations, ordinance officers gave a number of residents a warning.
Residents in all three cities have asked officials to address deer overpopulation for years, complaining of seeing as many as 20 deer in their yards and having landscaping decimated.
Farmington Hills and Southfield officials say the number of car-deer crashes continues to rise. Along with vehicle repair costs for motorists and the risk of the loss of human life, car-deer crashes create costs for municipalities, which often pay for the disposal of the large animal carcasses. If the animal dies on private property, the homeowner sometimes has to pay the disposal cost.
DNR officials also say the deer population in southeast Michigan is reaching a point where it may become unhealthy for the animals.
Farmington Hills and Southfield officials say all venison from culls will be donated to food banks.
The culls will not be announced. Southfield Mayor Ken Siver said the city wants to keep protesters from showing up.
Local police will be on hand to keep protesters or bystanders from entering parks and other large pieces of property where culls are underway.
Culls will be conducted over two to five nights, with sharpshooters in trees using thermal imaging equipment to locate deer.
Opponents say that despite the precautions, they still fear for the safety of nearby residents and pets, or even those who are out for a nighttime walk.
They remain unconvinced that all nonlethal methods of limiting car-deer crashes and controlling deer population have been explored. They say the DNR promotes culls as the only solution.
“There is so much bad and missing data,” Dimaria said.
Rochester Hills and Troy ranked among the top 10 best places to live in the nation, according to a new study by U.S. News & World Report magazine.
Rochester Hills ranked ninth and Troy ranked 10th. Troy is the largest city in Oakland County, with a population of more than 87,400. Rochester Hills is also one of the largest cities in the county, with a population of about 75,400.
The magazine evaluated more than 850 cities nationwide using several factors, including cost of living, education, availability of health care, crime rates and environmental factors.
The magazine used data from several sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, the Federal Reserve and the Bureau for Economic Analysis, as well as state and local agencies.
Troy celebrates its diversity every year at Troy Family Daze, where a number of international dancers perform. Photo courtesy of Cindy Stewart.
Other Michigan cities that ranked in the top 100 included Midland at 32nd, Novi at 34th and Farmington Hills at 57th.
Here are the top 10.
— Johns Creek, Georgia
— Carmel, Indiana
— Pearland, Texas
— Fishers, Indiana
— Cary, North Carolina
— League City, Texas
— Apex, North Carolina
— Leander, Texas
— Rochester Hills
— Troy
Sheetz, the popular gas station and eatery moving into southeastern Michigan, has gained approval from Orion Township for a new location on Lapeer Road.
Last August, the township’s Planning Commission approved the special land use and site plan for a 24-hour gas station and restaurant with a drive-through window.
Sheetz, though, is still working to meet the conditions of the approval and will need a formal engineering review, said Tammy Girling, the township’s director of planning and zoning.
The property at 4160 S. Lapeer Road is on a busy stretch of M-24, south of Silverbell Road. It has been vacant for years, Girling said.
Sheetz’ proposal did not generate opposition, she said.
The company did not say when construction would begin on the Lapeer Road location or when it would open.
Sheetz has encountered opposition from nearby residents in many Oakland County communities where it has tried to locate, including Royal Oak, Wixom, Madison Heights, Rochester Hills and Waterford Township. Residents say they fear additional traffic, noise, crime and light pollution, as Sheetz outlets are open 24 hours.
In Farmington Hills, the City Council rejected a proposed location at 12 Mile and Middlebelt roads. The Planning Commission approved a location at Grand River Avenue and Middlebelt.
Around the tri-county area, Sheetz says it has recently gained approval for locations at 48825 Van Dyke in Shelby Township and at 7565 Haggerty Road in Van Buren Township.
In Roseville, a proposal at a former church has spurned supporters and opponents and even potential legal challenges.
Sheetz plans to open 50 to 60 stores in southeast Michigan in the next five to six years.
Sheetz opened its first Michigan store last August on Wick Road, near Detroit Metro Airport, in Romulus, and has two stores under construction at 29225 Smith Road, Romulus, and in Chesterfield Township on 23 Mile Road east of I-94.
Other Sheetz locations that have been approved:
— 8200 Telegraph Road, Taylor
— 20623 Eureka Road, Taylor
— 45011 Garfield Road, Macomb
— 28030 Gratiot Ave., Roseville
— 31925 Van Dyke Ave., Warren
— 19001 E. Nine Mile Road, Eastpointe
— 2103 W. Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti
— Southwest corner of 14 Mile and Utica roads, Fraser
— 45075 N. Gratiot Avenue, Macomb
— 5970 12 Mile Road, Warren
— 29455 Grand River Ave., Farmington Hills
— 39471 W. 12 Mile Road, Novi.
Later this year, Sheetz will be hiring employees for these future locations, with each store expected to employ about 35 people; most will be employed full time.
The company operates over 750 stores in Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina.
A developer of the proposed mixed-use project on the former Kmart headquarters in Troy hinted this week that the project may be dead.
“I’m a little bit fit to be tied. Maybe we’ll see you again and maybe we won’t,” said Nate Forbes, managing partner of The Forbes Co., after the city’s Planning Commission postponed a decision Tuesday, April 22, that would have moved the project forward.
Through a spokesperson, the company declined further comment.
The commission voted 7-1 to postpone a decision on a concept development plan for the site.
Commission member Toby Buechner cast the dissenting vote.
“I want it to go through, so I’m saying, ‘No,’ ” he said.
The Forbes Co. is partnering with Stuart Frankel Development Co. on the project at the former Kmart Corp. headquarters on Big Beaver Road at Coolidge Highway. The sprawling building was demolished in late 2023 and early 2024 after sitting vacant for 17 years.
Several commission members said the plans as submitted by the partnership, Forbes Frankel Troy Ventures, were not specific enough.
The partnership proposed up to 750 residential units, 500,000 square feet of office and 300,000 square feet of retail space, as well as a 250-room hotel.
“There has to be a little bit more specificity on the uses for us,” said commission Chairwoman Marianna Perakis. “For me, it’s a total free-for-all,” she said of the submitted plans.
She said she wanted to know, at the least, the minimum amount of the development to be dedicated to residential use.
“We don’t have a clear picture” of the entire development, said commission member Jayalakshmi Malalahalli. She said she wanted more assurance that the retail portion would not include uses such as drive-through establishments.
“We’re going to have to have a little bit of faith in each other,” Forbes said, adding that his company owns the Somerset Collection shopping center next to the site, and the new development would follow the same standards on aesthetics and type of uses allowed.
He said the new development would be “very Cranbrook-esque,” with high-quality brick, stone and metal used.
The Forbes Frankel partnership first appeared before the Planning Commission about eight months ago, and made several changes, such as increasing the size of a park on the site, he said.
The Forbes Co. bought the vacant Kmart site in 2009 for $17.5 million. The company has been paying taxes, cutting the grass and providing security on the site since then, and wanted to move forward on the new development, Nate Forbes said at the meeting.
Scene from the demolition of the old Kmart headquarters in Troy, Michigan. (Photo by A’Sante Lucas / For MediaNews Group)
The Forbes Frankel partnership paid for the demolition, according to a release from the city.
The headquarters opened in the early 1970s. It closed in 2006, when Kmart merged with Sears Holdings Corp. and moved most operations in Troy to the Sears headquarters in a Chicago suburb.
Scene from the demolition of the old Kmart headquarters in Troy, Michigan. (Photo by A’Sante Lucas / For MediaNews Group)
The University of Michigan bought about 11 acres of the roughly 40-acre site for a multi-speciality health facility that would provide diagnostic and therapeutic services and ambulatory surgery.
Michigan Medicine, the health arm of UM, said in a release last year that it plans to expand clinical services and increase patient access in Oakland County.
Under the Michigan Constitution, UM is exempt from local zoning ordinances. Its portion of the development can not be reviewed by the city, but plans do have to abide by state laws governing fire codes and other safety regulations.
University regents recently approved the schematic design. The 224,000-square-foot, four-story building is expected to open in spring 2027, according to a release from Michigan Medicine.
Nate Forbes, managing partner of The Forbes Co. talks to the Troy Planning Commission about a proposed project on the site of the former Kmart headquarters. Photo from video of Planning Commission meeting.
Login
