Bloomfield Township residents packed a planning and zoning meeting Monday night to voice strong opposition to a proposed $17 million event space that could be built less than 100 feet from their property lines.

The heated meeting, which wrapped up late into the evening, centered around popular restaurateur Zack Sklar's "Bloomfield Hollow" proposal for a 30,000-square-foot venue with a 1,000-person capacity in the area of Franklin and Square Lake roads.

Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report below: Bloomfield Township residents voice opposition to proposed event venue

"I'm furious. I think it's going to destroy the value of my property and I think it's a nuisance," said John Schafer, a resident living off Berkshire Road.

Many residents shared Schafer's concerns about the proximity of the proposed amphitheater to their homes and the potential impact on their quiet neighborhood.

"We live in a quiet neighborhood and we'd just like it stay that way," Schafer said.

The venue would seat more than 600 people and be open until late in the evening, raising concerns among residents about noise levels.

"Loud noises until one in the morning," said Tryl Hartfield, another resident.

Schafer acknowledged the business perspective while maintaining his opposition to the location.

"He's going to try and sell it out as much as he can and I don't blame him for it it just shouldn't be right next to my house," Schafer said.

The project passed its initial design review a couple weeks ago. For proper zoning requirements to be met, ordinance language would need to be specially amended to allow a banquet hall in the space.

Many residents expressed frustration that they received a late notice of the plan through a postcard, feeling it wasn't adequate time to consider what's at stake.

Board Member Bruce Selik acknowledged the communication breakdown.

"Obviously, the developer did not take the time to sit with the residents. It's a shame that the residents felt that we had made up our mind 30 minutes into this meeting," Selik said.

The board ultimately voted to table both the potential ordinance language changes and the site plans for now.

Schafer expressed cautious optimism about the decision.

"Of course, we would rather just have it knocked down entirely, but to shelve it and have more discussions is a good compromise," Schafer said.

Moving forward, residents hope to have a bigger role in the conversation about the proposed development.

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For some kids, stepping onto a court or field feels like a given. But for others, it's a dream that can feel out of reach.

See the inspiring story in the video below

Unified Sports: Making dreams come true

At Fowlerville High School, one coach is making sure that dream becomes a reality, no matter a student's ability or circumstance.

The Coach Jeff Minock Varsity Club Foundation sponsors Unified Sports. His dream is to give every kid, no matter their physical, mental or financial situation, a chance to play sports. It's a dream that stems from a tragedy.

"I was the only survivor of a terrible car crash when I was a junior in high school and I think I have the ability to reach out and help people," Minock said.

Hear more from Jeff Minock on how his foundation helps in the video below

Jeff Minnock speaks on how his varsity foundation helps people

"Not many people in the world have that faith," Jason Botruff, a Unified Sports athlete, said.

Jason has played on Fowlerville High's Unified Sports basketball team since he was a freshman. It's a place for children with disabilities to play, an opportunity he never had growing up with fetal alcohol syndrome and a missing chromosome.

"And not many people are included with these sports and I feel like I wasnt good enough for the world, but when I came to this school, everyone felt like family to me," Jason said.

Kelly Botruff shows up as a proud mom, supporting her adopted son, alongside the whole unified team.

"It breaks my heart that my son had to wait until 9th grade until he was given an opportunity," Kelly said.

She said having two children without disabilities graduate from Fowlerville  before fate led to her adopting Jason as a baby  meant she turned a blind eye to what she now understands all too well.

"Im so happy that hes had the opportunities that hes got. But, again, that wouldnt have been possible without Brooke Esch," Kelly said.

"Because she is the best teacher I have ever known in my life," Jason said.

Esch helped put the Unified program together in Fowlerville for the last several years. Falling in love with special education, she's become a role model for kids as a teacher in the classroom and as a coach> Her goal is to include as many kids as she can, and her motto is that you can do it.

"I just love these kids. Setting them up so they really get to shine," Esch said.

"Not being in someones shadow. They should be in the spotlight, which they deserve to be in," Jason said.

"Feel good about himself. Self-confidence. Builds his self-esteem. Makes him feel great, like every kid should," Kelly added.

"Its truly magical. These kids getting this spotlight that they never had before. Unified, it says it all. Unification and bringing everyone together," Esch said.

Where Your Voice Matters

Mount Clemens has completed the construction phase of a $6.4 million downtown revitalization project aimed at improving walkability, lighting, and pedestrian safety in the city's core.

Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report: Downtown Mount Clemens revamp helps lift businesses

The grant-funded construction project wrapped up late last year, replacing infrastructure that was more than half a century old. Mayor Laura Kropp said the previous improvements from the 1980s and 1990s had become well-worn and needed updating.

"It was well-worn. We had gotten our money's worth from the projects from the 80s and the 90s," Kropp said.

Mark Revord, a Mount Clemens resident for more than 60 years, was seeing the completed project for the first time. He said the improvements have transformed what locals call "The Clem."

"I think it's a great improvement. The bricks were a little uneven and ratty. It looks terrific now," Revord said.

The construction did impact local businesses. Gary Gabriel, who has operated Gabriel's Vacuum Sales & Service in Mount Clemens for 57 years, said the September through November construction period was particularly challenging.

"Just happy it's all done. September, October, November those months really hurt," Gabriel said.

However, Gabriel is optimistic about the finished product and its impact on foot traffic and parking accessibility.

"It looks nice. Nicer than it was. Since they got the street done, everybody can walk and park. Which, before they had a hard time," Gabriel said.

Anthony Ventimiglia, owner of Aventi Jewelry, has already noticed increased foot traffic since the project's completion.

"It was looking old. Since it has been done, traffic has increased. It's a nice fresh start for the city," Ventimiglia said.

The revitalization preserved some beloved downtown features, including a statue of a young girl and an old man playing checkers that Kropp said is "a favorite of most of the Mount Clemens residents."

Spring will bring additional improvements, including new landscaping and lighting. The city is also installing a new fountain with a 360-degree stage that will be visible from all angles.

Kropp said the space is designed for mobility, with movable stone benches and landscaping that can be reconfigured for different events.

"It's just going to be more wide open and more inviting," Revord said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

For decades, a century-old lumberyard served the Lake Orion community, but for the last couple of years, it has sat dormant in the heart of downtown, awaiting its next life. Now, the Downtown Development Authority has big plans to transform one of the community's most visible spots from blight into a destination.

"A site here in town that has turned into blight. But we're turning it into something really cool. We're doing what we do best: preserving our history and telling our story," said Matt Gibbs, executive director for Lake Orion's Downtown Development Authority.

Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report below: New life for old lumberyard in Lake Orion Jeffrey Lindblom is 7 News Detroit's Lake Orion beat reporter. If you have a story idea for her, email her at Jeffrey.Lindblom@wxyz.com.

The DDA has taken the old lumberyard under their wing. The property is viewable from Broadway Street, right before heading into the city's downtown area.

"It's going to be a really cool project here in Orion," Gibbs said.

The space was once overwhelmed by blight, but the DDA is already well underway in giving it new life.

"So, the big blight that was there a year ago has been mostly removed," Gibbs said.

Lake Orion resident Larry Newman has noticed the improvements.

"It looks a lot cleaner than it used to," Newman said.

Newman says he heard about the plans to re-purpose the old structures into community-based buildings, both hanging onto history and broadening the downtown strip.

"I think it's a great idea," Newman said.

The DDA has virtually nailed down all of their plans for the redevelopment. The project will include a public market with beer or coffee, a new bakery and bike shop, an eight-room hotel and a trailhead.

"You can start your bike ride, you can finish your run," Gibbs said.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about the project. Lawrence Kostanecki, a 30-year resident, doesn't like the plan.

"I think it's a joke," Kostanecki said. "Oh, we've got to salvage that, that's historic."

Kostanecki says he doesn't understand the need for maintaining the lumberyard's history, doesn't have much faith in the project's summer construction timeline and wishes the money went toward something else.

"Five story casino... get some money in this village," Kostanecki said.

Newman is happy with the plan, especially the potential bonus of 129 parking spots.

"The lumberyard is going out and it's going to bring new things that we need into the community," Newman said.

The new space could start hosting events as early as August.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

The Detroit Curling Club is experiencing unprecedented growth as the Olympic sport of curling captures the imagination of metro Detroit residents. What was once a struggling organization on the brink of closure in the 1990s has transformed into a thriving community with a waiting list.

See the full story in the video below

Curling thrives in metro Detroit as Olympic sport gains popularity at local club

"Our club is almost at capacity because we have 400 members that's about all we can hold," said Mike Grudzinski, vice president and membership director of the Detroit Curling Club.

The sport, often called "chess on ice," involves teams strategically moving 44-pound stones across an ice sheet toward a target. Players either throw stones, sweep to control their speed and direction, or serve as the "skip" who calls the shots from the target end.

"The team agrees on the shot and has an idea of how much force should be behind it, how fast it should be traveling down the ice," Grudzinski said.

The club's remarkable turnaround from near-closure to maximum capacity reflects growing interest in curling across Michigan. The welcoming atmosphere helps attract newcomers to the sport.

"Whenever we talk to people we're not just welcoming them in, we're encouraging them to just try the sport," Grudzinski said. "We love this sport so much."

The Detroit Curling Club demonstrates that Olympic sports can find passionate communities far from the international stage, bringing people together through friendly competition and shared enthusiasm for this unique winter sport.

Those looking to take a learn to curl class can sign up on the Detroit Curling Club's website.

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A decades-long partnership between Common Ground Resources and Crisis Center and Oakland Community Health Network ended abruptly this month over funding disputes, forcing 155 employees into change.

The organization issued layoff notices Dec. 11, and they were supposed to transition its crisis center operations to OCHN in February, but Common Ground says the money disputes forced them into an early exit.

Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report below: Pontiac mental health facility changes hands early after funding dispute, 155 workers laid off

"We're sad to move out," said Heather Rae, Common Ground's CEO and president. "We have to fund our staff to work. So, that's why we're leaving today."

Rae said Common Ground hasn't received months of payments from OCHN, totaling more than $1 million. She said the organization couldn't continue operating without funding while waiting for annual cost settlement negotiations to determine final payment amounts.

"We go through a cost settlement process every year. And some years, we owe them and other years, they owe us. And we haven't completed that process together yet," Rae said. "If you're not going to cover the cost of services, we can't remain here."

OCHN CEO Dana Lasenby disputed Common Ground's claims, saying the network has overpaid the organization and expects repayment of excess funds.

"And also, based on that contract, they're responsible for returning any overpayments that are there," Lasenby said.

Lasenby said OCHN had been preparing for the possibility of Common Ground's early departure and maintained the facility would remain open for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis.

"That was really the plan. It was never to abruptly transition those services," Lasenby said. "A lot of the noise and distraction that you're hearing is to take the focus off the transition and change Common Ground chose not to accept."

As of Thursday afternoon, 55 Common Ground employees had been hired by OCHN. Both organizations said they're working to place affected staff members in new positions.

"And the more people they hire of our staff, in particular the people who we don't have a job for them, the better. It's good for everybody," Rae said.

The crisis center remains open under OCHN management. People needing mental health crisis services can call 248-462-6302.

"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."

A nonprofit animal wellness center in Livonia is facing an uncertain future after a devastating flood left the facility under water and forced its temporary closure.

Laura Kuchinski, founder of Tailwaggers, discovered the flooding when she arrived at the center on Sunday for some weekend work. What she expected to be a quiet day turned into a nightmare as she found herself wading through water that had completely flooded the building.

Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report below: Livonia animal wellness center faces uncertain future after devastating flood

"Opening up Pandora's Box. The bathroom has about 2 inches of water in it," Kuchinski said.

The flooding extended throughout the facility, including the clinical areas where Tailwaggers serves upward of 70 pets per day. Water levels reached 1 to 3 inches across the floors, with the lobby resembling a lake.

"There's water everywhere everywhere," Kuchinski said. "The lobby looked like a lake."

Despite feeling defeated initially, Kuchinski called in her staff for support. Kelly Ewald, a veterinary assistant, was among those who responded to help with the crisis.

"Woah, this is a lot of water. What happened?" Ewald said upon seeing the damage.

The flooding destroyed the cat room and damaged numerous other areas of the facility. The only animals present during the incident were office cats, all of which have rescue stories. Staff had to wrangle them to safety, though Kuchinski noted they were scared but would recover with love and attention.

"They're scared, but they'll get over it. They get a lot of love and attention from us," Kuchinski said.

A plumber determined the cause was a clog 85 feet parallel to a pipe beneath a drain, which has since been cleared. However, the aftermath continues to present challenges for the nonprofit.

Kuchinski expressed relief that the facility's servers and 45,000 active animal files remained intact, calling their potential loss "a disaster."

The founder is currently working with insurance companies and expects upward of $20,000 in covered damage. However, this doesn't include drywall and flooring that will need replacement to maintain safe operations, which she hopes her landlord will address.

"Can we open? Should we open? We have bills and rent to pay and staffing, so it scares me a lot," Kuchinski said.

Tailwaggers relies entirely on revenue from its wellness center operations. The facility is currently closed as negotiations continue with the landlord regarding repairs and reopening. They're expecting to reopen Tuesday.

Kuchinski is asking the community for help through donations to supplement losses and replace damaged items like cat towers. Despite the overwhelming situation, she remains determined to continue the organization's mission.

"We're not quitters. We plug away and try to keep a positive outlook and a smile on our faces, but inside I think I'm crying a little bit," Kuchinski said.

The future of Tailwaggers remains uncertain as discussions with the landlord continue and the organization works to recover from the extensive water damage.

If you would like to donate to help Tailwaggers, you can do so at this link.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.