Efforts to keep a long-time Rochester Hills grocery appear to be failing.

Wes Malear, Hollywood Markets’ operations director, said company officials want to stay at the current Rochester Hills location. But the company’s lease at the North Hill Plaza Shopping Center, 1495 N Rochester Road, ends Dec. 31.

“This is our home and we are part of the Rochester Hills community and neighborhood families,” he said, adding “so just maybe there is still hope if enough neighbors show support. We have looked in other areas of Rochester and will continue our search, but we have not found another location.”

Meijer has submitted a site plan to add a drive-through pharmacy. Rochester Hills planning commission will host a public hearing on Tuesday evening before voting on the conditional use request. The change would include adding the drive-through on the north side of the building and changing the Tienken Road driveway access for traffic safety.

“The only thing (the commissioners) will weigh in on is the drive-through portion for the pharmacy,” said Nathan Mueller, city spokesman. “The store itself is a permitted use.”

Without the addition of the drive-through, he said, Meijer would not need to get any other approvals from the city, because the site is already approved as a grocery location.

“It’s considered a permitted use,” Mueller said. “Obviously people are welcome to come to the planning commission meeting. I don’t want people to be misled that the planning commission is weighing in on a whole site plan.”

A 20-year Hollywood customer, Sue Evans, told WXYZ-TV she’d heard the store would likely close.

“They’re loyal to the community, they have excellent products, their meat is surpassed by none. When they are loyal to the community, we should be loyal back,” she said, adding that she hopes to see a groundswell of support for Hollywood Markets.

The Rochester Hills location is one place where shoppers can buy fresh British bangers sausages.

The city cannot compel the shopping center’s owner to extend a lease to a client, nor can it deny a permitted use of a property, he said. Each property must meet state and local building safety codes, which is why Meijer’s plan to add the pharmacy drive-through must be approved by the planning commission.

“Cities and townships have master plans to guide permitted and non-permitted uses,” Mueller said. “That’s basically to prevent something like a big-box store from appearing in a neighborhood.”

The site, which anchors the shopping center, is already approved as a grocery, so the city can’t stop Meijer from inhabiting the space, but can make adjustments to drive-through plans as a special use.

Mueller said Rochester Hills isn’t actively recruiting grocery companies to open in the city, but has at least 15 serving the city’s nearly 76,000 residents and people from nearby communities.

Those 15 include:

•  Papa Joe’s, 6900 N. Rochester Road

•  Hollywood Markets, 1495 N. Rochester Road

•  Kroger, 65 S. Livernois Road

•  Fresh Thyme Market, 2025 S. Rochester Road

•  Meijer, 3175 S. Rochester Road

•  Aditya Groceries, 2947 S. Rochester Road

•  Punjab Groceries, 2650 S. Rochester Road

•  Target 2887 S. Rochester Road

•  Aldi, 1106 S. Rochester Road

•  Gordon’s Food Service, 1370 Walton Blvd.

•  Meijer, 3610 Marketplace Circle

•  Walmart, 2500 S Adams Road

•  Whole Foods Market, 2918 Walton Blvd

•  Busch’s Fresh Food Market, 3188 Walton Blvd.

•  Trader Joe’s, 3044 Walton Blvd.

Another grocery, Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace, is just south of the Rochester Hills city limits at 6835 Rochester Road in Troy and is one of several groceries adjacent to the city.

“We do have a lot of good groceries and people patronize the ones they like,” he said. “Both Papa Joe’s and Hollywood have sustained success over the years at that location.”

He said he appreciates that people are so passionate about where they shop and the relationships they build.

Rochester Hills is far from the only community facing questions about the number of groceries. The Detroit News recently reported that Livonia’s city council is grappling with a second Meijer opening in the city of 92,000.

The Schostak & Brothers’ $60 million plan included a 75,000-square-foot Meijer and 102 apartments on a 16.5-acre site at the corner of Seven Mile and Farmington. The city also has a Kroger, Walmart and Target, with a Whole Foods proposed as part of the redevelopment of the former Comerica campus on Six Mile Road.

Plymouth Township was sued by Southfield-based Redico for opposing the development of a Meijer at the site of the former Detroit House of Corrections.

In Farmington Hills, a decision to create a Meijer at an aging strip mall led to a public outcry that the development would shutter Marvelous Marvin’s Mechanical Museum, a popular arcade. The museum’s owner announced last month that a new location has been identified, with details to be announced in the near future.

The planning commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 at city hall, 1000 Rochester Hills Drive in Rochester Hills.

Rochester Hills grocery may be replaced

Fresh from a trip to Italy, Macomb County restaurateur Joe Vicari is set to open his latest project, the new Andiamo Pasta & Chops, which promises to become one of the most visible tenants at the Mall at Partridge Creek.

Scheduled to open Thursday, the 7,670-square-foot restaurant takes the place of the former Brio Italian Grille space at the front of the open-air shopping center on Hall Road (M-59) east of Garfield Road. Brio closed in January .

At a media event earlier this week, Vicari said the menu will include a mix of Italian cuisine that the Andiamo restaurants are known for along with additional steakhouse options. Diners may choose from meats from a regular menu or all-prime selections, which cost a little more.

“The best thing about this location is there are no true steakhouses in the area,” Vicari said. “We’ll have several grades of quality steaks available at price points we brought down a little bit. We were able to talk to our vendors and they were able to reduce some of their pricing.”

The menu also features Italian breads, free-range chicken, veal, house-made pasta and seafood choices. Entrees will start at at $23 and top out at $155 for 30-day dry-aged tomahawk steak for two. All come with a choice of house salad, soup or a side of angel hair pasta.

The pastas are overseen by Certified Master Chef Daniel Scannell, one of only 72 in the country with that designation, who helps curate menu options that provide fresh, and modern Italian food.

Appetizers include fried calamari, baked clams and char-grilled artichokes and among the side dishes are steakhouse staples such as broccolini, whipped potatoes and steak fries. Steak sauces offered include classic zip sauce, peppercorn cream, pizzaiola, shrimp scampi and blue cheese brulee.

On the drinks side, Andiamo offers 12 signature craft cocktails, with wine-by-the-glass options in the $11-$25 range, and dozens of wine bottles to choose from.

Joe’s wife, Rosealie Vicari, worked with Bloomfield Hills-based designer and architect David Savage to come with a style that brightens the rooms and capitalizes on the tall windows near the mall’s water fountain. She said the eatery becomes a cornerstone of Partridge Creek Mall.

Much of the exterior and interior have been bathed in white with blue trimming. The interior has moved the lounge/bar area to the center of the building, and serves as a focal point, surrounded by two two dining rooms, two banquet spaces for private dining and an outdoor patio.

“I love bars that are at the center of restaurants,” said Rosalie Vicari. “We moved it from the side of the building to the center and now it’s like the pulse of the restaurant. And by moving the bar, we opened access to these windows looking out to the fountain. It’s like having dinner in Italy. This is exactly my vision of the way I wanted it to look.”

The opening comes as the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group celebrates its 35th anniversary. It is the 22nd largest restaurant group in the United States.

The new restaurant also brings another dining option to Partridge Creek, which is in the midst of a revival. Other new tenants expected to open in the next year include a Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. House of Sport that is planned for a portion of the vacant Nordstrom building and an $11 million Powerhouse gym that will occupy much of the former Carson’s that closed in 2018.

Carmen Spinoso, CEO of Spinoso Real Estate Group, which leases and manages the mall, said in a news release he “cannot wait to break bread” at the family-owned eatery.

“After seeing the build out for this incredible concept, we are eagerly looking forward to the grand opening this week,” Spinoso said in the release.

Andiamo Pasta & Chops is located at the mall at Partridge Creek at 17430 Hall Road. Starting Thursday, it will be open 3-10 p.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 3-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 3-9 p.m. Sunday.

Beginning on Monday, Sept. 23, they will be open for lunch at 11:30 a.m., and offer brunch every Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. with dinner service starting at 4 p.m.

For reservations and more information, visit andiamopastachops.com.

Ex-Warren police officer Matthew Rodriguez was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court to serve one year and one day in prison for using excessive force against an inmate while fingerprinting and photographing him at the police department.

District Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey allowed Rodriguez to remain free as he awaits to be assigned to a federal prison. The former cop also faced a $250,000 fine but the judge instead issued a standard $100 special assessment fee.

Wearing a short-sleeved plaid button-down shirt and khaki pants, Rodriguez ignored reporters’ requests for comment as he left the federal courthouse in Detroit. He also remained silent during the sentencing hearing.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Dawn N. Ison said after the sentencing police officers have a duty to protect the civil rights of everyone, including individuals in their custody.

“Physical abuse of detainees is completely unacceptable and undermines public confidence in the integrity of law enforcement,” she said in a statement. “My office is committed to accountability for all public servants who abuse the public trust, and today’s sentence is a powerful reflection of that commitment.”

Rodriguez, 49, pleaded guilty in March to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law after an inhouse surveillance system showed he punched Jaquwan Smith in the face and slammed his head to the ground in June 2013 while fingerprinting and photographing him at the police station.

Court officials said the video has been seen by more than more than 2.8 million viewers online.

According to court records, on June 13, 2023, then-officer Rodriguez was fingerprinting and photographing the 19-year-old suspect, who had recently been brought to the Warren Police Department’s jail for processing after he was arrested for carjacking.

During fingerprinting, Rodriguez and Smith got into a verbal argument and began trading insults. In retaliation for one of Smith’s remarks, Rodriguez struck Smith multiple times and slammed his head against the fingerprint room floor.

In connection with his plea, Rodriguez admitted to writing a report in which he made false statements about the incident and omitted material information in an attempt to cover up his crime.

Since being fired from the Warren Police Department, Rodriguez has been working as a truck driver.

Defense attorneys for Rodriguez acknowledge he “lost his temper” in the incident.

Steve Fishman, representing Rodriguez, asked the judge to spare his client from imprisonment. He argued Smith did not suffer serious injuries and noted Rodriguez, who spent more than 30 years working in law enforcement, including as a Detroit police officer, has already been punished significantly in losing his job and being convicted of a federal crime.

This wasn’t the first time the former officer had violent encounters with detainees.

According to the memorandum filed in U.S. District Court, he was disciplined in 2012 for what prosecutors called “a shockingly similar incident” that involved assaulting with a “roundhouse kick” a detainee he was fingerprinting and lying about it in a report later filed.

In another instance, Rodriguez used excessive force in 2017 when he served as a school resource officer at a high school in Warren. He grabbed and lifted a student by his neck and pulled him to the ground, causing the teen to hit his head on a locker. He was removed from the school following the incident.

Kristen Clarke, an assistant attorney for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said Rodriguez violated his oath to protect and serve his community. Instead, she said, he abused his power by violently assaulting an arrestee.

“This sentence should serve as a reminder to all law enforcement that a badge is not a license to answer verbal insults with physical violence and excessive force,” Clarke said.

The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Warren Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit.

Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office said the sentencing should serve as a “stark reminder” that the use of excessive force and deliberate false statements are not only criminal acts but also tarnishes the hard work and dedication of law enforcement officers who serve with integrity every day.

Smith filed a $50 million federal lawsuit against the city, Rodriguez, two other individuals and a “John Doe” about two weeks after the incident. The case is pending in front of U.S. District Judge Jonathan Grey, with a trial scheduled for January.

An Arabic woman maintained that a Black woman used ethnic slurs against her and threw a pillow at her in a Macomb County store, although her allegations were weakened slightly by some differences from her prior statements.

Ela Musaid, 19, took the stand Tuesday at the start of the jury trial for Tenia Fleming, an off-duty Wayne County Sheriff’s deputy who is charged with ethnic intimidation and assault and battery for an incident last December at the Marshalls store at 12 Mile and Gratiot Avenue in Roseville.

Musaid, who was shopping with her two sisters, testified in Macomb County Circuit Court that she felt “terrified” and her life was in danger after Fleming allegedly called her a “f—— filthy Arab,” cussed at her further and threw a pillow at her as Musaid walked away.

Musaid, who is Muslim and was wearing a hijab at the time of the incident, called Fleming’s remarks “violent and racist” and she felt “afraid for my life.”

She said she didn’t think the comments were necessarily directed at her but that she and her sisters were the only people in the store donned in hijabs.

Musaid, who spoke softly through a face mask, at times was difficult to understand.

Musaid said she did not see Fleming when she made the initial remarks as they were in separate aisles. Musaid said she and Fleming began walking in the same direction after the alleged slurs were spoken, and they both ended up in the main aisle. Video of the incident shows Fleming was about 10 feet behind Musaid when she threw the pillow. Musaid said was shouting at her but she does not recall what she said.

She said she did not say anything to prompt the initial remarks, was not on the phone with one of her sisters in the moments prior to the incident and did not recall whether she said anything further to Fleming following the remarks.

Video shows that Fleming’s husband, Kenneth, also a Wayne County Sheriff’s deputy, restrained Tenia from rushing toward Musaid after throwing the pillow.

Ela’s sister, Lamees Musaid, 23, testified she heard the initial slurs and then in a second set of comments heard Fleming say “names.”

“I do not recall the exact names,” she said. “It was a long time ago and I do not remember.”

Lamees Musaid called 911 and told a dispatcher, “A Black lady comes across and calls me names and then a pillow is thrown at us. I’m in danger,” according to a recording played in court while Lamees testified.

Police arrived, and after talking to officers, the sisters asked to be escorted to their vehicle because they were scared, Ela Musaid testified.

Meanwhile, Fleming and her husband left immediatley following the incident. Mr. Fleming was later identified from security video at the store, leading to the charges against Mrs. Fleming.

During cross examination of Ela Musaid by Fleming’s attorney, Lillian Diallo, Musaid said she did not recall some aspects of the incident or her prior statements because, “It was so long ago.”

Diallo pointed out Musaid told police Fleming made the initial remarks “under her breath,” but Tuesday said, “I don’t remember.”

Diallo also noted that twice in police reports officers did not include that Fleming included “filthy” in her remarks, although under redirect questioning from Assistant Prosecutor Patrick Coletta, Musaid noted  it is included in at least one other report.

Musaid said she also did not remember testifying that she said, “This is crazy,” as she walked away around the time the pillow struck her.

Diallo pointed out at the start of her cross examination Musaid was wearing a hijab, face mask and eyeglasses while testifying Tuesday but at the district court hearing wore only the hijab while on the stand.

“It’s clear we cannot see your facial expressions right now, correct?” Diallo said. “At the preliminary examination we were able to see your facial expressions, correct? We didn’t have a jury at the preliminary examination, correct?”

Musaid replied, “correct,” to the trio of questions.

Musaid testified under Coletta’s questioning that she felt “afraid” to be testifying in the same room as Fleming, who was sitting at the attorneys-parties table.

Ethnic intimidation is a low-level felony punishable by up to two year in prison and assault and battery is a misdemeanor.

Fleming was suspended without pay following the incident.

The trial in front of Judge Joseph Toia was expected to conclude this week.

Two Macomb County automotive plants are part of a major investment plan by Stellantis to expand electric vehicle production.

Stellantis announced on Wednesday it is investing more than $406 million in three Michigan facilities to support its multi-energy strategy and confirmed that the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant will be the company’s first U.S. plant to build a fully electric vehicle.

The Ram 1500 REV, the Company’s first battery-electric light-duty pickup truck launching in late 2024, and the range-extended all-new 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger will be built alongside internal combustion engine models in Sterling Heights.

Additional investments will be made to retool the Warren Truck Assembly Plant for production of a future electrified Jeep Wagoneer, and the Dundee Engine Plant for battery tray production and beam machining for the STLA Frame and STLA Large batteries.

“Sterling Heights Assembly has performed an incredible transformation in record time and I want to thank our colleagues for this great achievement,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “Gearing up to build our first-ever Ram electric truck and the range-extended version in Michigan is a meaningful moment of pride for our teams.

“With these investments supporting both Jeep and Ram, we’re adding innovations to our Michigan manufacturing footprint to support a multi-energy approach that is laser-focused on customer demand.”

Last month, Stellantis announced it would lay off up to 2,450 workers at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant beginning in October due to production of the Ram Classic 1500 pickup coming to an end this year. Warren Truck Assembly will reduce shifts at the plant from two to one.

The Ram 1500 Classic is being replaced by the Ram 1500 Tradesman, which is slated to be built at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant.

With an investment of $235.5 million, the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant will produce the company’s first-ever battery electric 2025 Ram 1500 REV light-duty truck. The Ram 1500 REV was unveiled at the 2023 New York Auto Show and will launch in late 2024. The plant will also build the all-new range-extended 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger.

Stellantis partnered with equipment suppliers and contractors to carefully plan and execute the installation of a new conveyor system, new automation for BEV-specific processes, and the retooling and rearrangement of workstations in general assembly to be able to produce ICE, BEV and range-extended models on the same assembly line.

Approximately $97.6 million will be invested at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant for production of a future electrified Jeep Wagoneer, one of four Jeep EVs that will be launched globally by the brand before the end of 2025. Electrified models will be built on the same line as internal combustion engine versions of the Jeep Wagoneer and Wagoneer L as well as the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer L.

With an investment of more than $73 million, the Dundee Engine Plant will be retooled to assemble, weld and test battery trays for the STLA Frame architecture and to machine the front and rear beams for the STLA Large architecture. Production will begin in 2024 and 2026, respectively.

Three South Lyon East High School students are facing charges for allegedly making school threats in social media posts.

As announced Wednesday by Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, two of the students are charged with false report or threats of terrorism, and the other is charged with intentional threats to commit act of violence against school, school employee or students.

The charges stem from three social media posts from Sept. 8, according to the prosecutor’s office. The next day, a student reportedly shared a screenshot of the post which stated “[G]uys imma shoot up the school tomorrow,” the prosecutor’s office said. The teacher then reported the post to the school administration.

An investigation turned up two additional posts in the same group chat stating “I’m going to blow up the school,” according to the prosecutor’s office.

“Parents and kids should feel safe at school,” McDonald stated in a news release. “These threats directly impact students, teachers, and staff, and they also undermine our entire community’s confidence in the safety of our schools. It’s not a joke, and the charges we issued will ensure that these students face appropriate consequences.”

The Oakland Press has reached out to the prosecutor’s office for additional information on the students charged, including their ages, genders, and if they are currently in custody. It’s also not clear if they are charged as juveniles or adults, or if arraignment has occurred.  Check back for updates.

 

The public is invited to a groundbreaking ceremony for a new cricket field at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at Boulan Park in Troy.

The park is off Crooks Road between Wattles and Quarton roads.

Troy residents have been asking the city for a cricket field for years. City officials were open to the idea but didn’t have the funding.

At the urging of state Rep. Sharon MacDonell, D-Troy, the city received a $900,000 grant to develop a cricket field. The area’s cricket community also supported the project, according to a release from the city.

The game resembles baseball but is played on a round field much bigger than that used for football or soccer.

Instead of a bat, the batter uses a flat stick that resembles a canoe paddle to hit a ball.

The game has British origins. It’s popular in India, Pakistan, Australia and other areas that the British colonized.

MacDonell said about 30% of Troy’s population is Asian or South Asian, hailing from countries where cricket is popular.

Don’t understand cricket? Here’s a primer

Cricket fans will finally have proper facility in Troy

AAA report: Michigan gas prices drop to lowest since February

Annual state survey by DNR nets giant lake sturgeon in Lake St. Clair

Friendly Caller volunteer service offers weekly check-ins and conversations for seniors in need 

James Earl Jones, acclaimed actor and voice of Darth Vader, dies at 93

Meredith and Charles Stanley love Halloween and invested thousands of dollars in an annual front-yard display that has, over time, extended to neighbors’ yards on Waterford Township’s Louella Street.

Not this year.

“As we look back, it’s tearing at our heartstrings, but we want to enjoy life,” Charles said Tuesday evening.

Since they created their first faux tombstones out of plywood in 2017 and a 10-foot pumpkin-headed monster made of pvc pipes, the couple has spent much of their free time every September and October tending to a themed display that Meredith designed each year.

But the youngest in their blended family, Ryan Pacifico, 17, is in his senior year at Waterford Kettering High School as both a student and football player. The Stanleys don’t want to miss any part of that.

Their first Halloween display attracted maybe 25 people, Charles said. Last year, neighbors said they ran out of candy on Halloween because so many trick-or-treaters showed up on the dead-end street.

“Then every year as we started adding more and more, we had more and more people coming to see it,” he said. “Our neighbors would start asking us in August when we’d be putting up the decorations.”

Over the years they’ve created a haunted pumpkin patch that included more than 100 corn stalks, a good-versus-evil display and a twisted fairy tale interpretations – one based on the Three Little Pigs in which the wolf wins and another featuring the witch from Hansel and Gretal hovering over a cauldron. Every year, they dress up as different characters to match the display’s theme. Most October nights were spent in the front yard, greeting visitors.

“My wife works it out with paper and a pencil. She draws stick figures and I interpret them,” Charles said. “Then we execute it together.”

Even the construction phase attracted small audiences, including some children walking home from the nearby middle school who linger to watch the work, ask questions and sometimes make suggestions. One year a handful of girls from the middle school suggested they add a group of skeletons climbing the Stanley’s two-story home, “so we incorporated that for these particular girls,” Charles said.

As much fun as they’ve had creating the annual displays, it’s the sense of community they’ll miss most: Neighbors stopping by to chat and a boy and girl who routinely stopped to watch the action and chat with the Stanleys.

“We watched them grow up,” Charles said. “That’s what motivated us.”

A man who lived nine blocks away created a hayride from his house to the Stanleys, with a “Louella Haunted House” sign. He’d bring more than a dozen visitors, Charles said.

Pacifico once helped out by recruiting fellow football players to dress up in costumes to chase visitors. Now, he’s in his second year working at the Rotten Manor haunted house in Holly.

Meredith grew up in a family that loved Halloween. As an adult, she helped her sister decorate her Clarkston home and garage as a haunted house.

Three years ago, someone suggested they put out a donation box for a favorite charity. They chose a pitbull education and rescue and collected close to $1,000 over time. Two years ago, Meredith created a Facebook page to share photos and display information. She wishes she’d started that page earlier – and she may keep it going by adding photos from years past.

“We had such an amazing turnout with just our small subdivision and we had people donate lanterns and other halloween items. One guy dropped off a dozen tiki torches. Sometimes we’d come home and there’d be Halloween stuff on our porch,” she said, laughing.

More than anything, the Stanleys are grateful to all the people who came out and enjoyed their Halloween hobby. Their announcement on Facebook drew dozens of comments from fans, including Leah Karagosian, who wrote, “Thank you for your five years of wonderful Halloween fun!”

Her son Lou, 3, has a collection of toy skeletons, some of which are taller than he is.

“As a mom of a skeleton-obsessed toddler, we’re pretty bummed that they’re closing!” she told The Oakland Press Thursday, adding that she supports the Stanleys’ decision despite her disappointment.

“We love Halloween but we don’t get to enjoy other people’s stuff, like the haunted house on TIllson Street,” Meredith said. The Stanleys are also excited about visiting Rotten Manor while Ryan is working.

“We think it’s cool he’s taking on the tradition,” she said.

Once Ryan’s last year of high school is over, the Stanleys hope to see Salem, Massachusetts.

“We’ve had a very good run and we’ll keep some stuff and will still make a display but it will be smaller,” Meredith said. A lot smaller: The Stanleys will host a sale at their home on Friday, Sept. 13, with a goal of reclaiming their basement and garage, currently full of Halloween decor.  It’s a rain-or-shine sale, they said.

It’s routine for ITC.

However, residents in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties may not know that ITC will be conducting aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission structures and lines in areas across Michigan throughout the fall.

According to ITC, the helicopter patrols are conducted to provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system that is operated by ITC’s Michigan operating entities including ITCTransmission and Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC (METC).

The aerial inspections will cover most of the Lower Peninsula and its surrounding counties including Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne and Livingston counties Oct. 1-4, weather permitting.

Other patrols will be held:

• Sept. 9-12: Antrim, Arenac, Bay, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Iosco, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Midland, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon and Wexford.  Alcona, Alpena,

• Sept. 13-17: Allegan, Clinton, Gratiot, Ionia, Isabella, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana and Ottawa.

• Sept. 18-20: Allegan, Barry,  Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lenawee, Monroe, Ottawa, Shiawassee, St. Joseph, Van Buren and Washtenaw.

• Sept. 23-30: Bay, Genesee,  Gratiot, Huron, Ingham, Isabella, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Midland, Montcalm, Oakland, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair and Tuscola.

These patrols are required by North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC) for ITC’s vegetation management program, support proactive maintenance objectives, and are in line with the company’s model for operational excellence, according to ITC. They include inspections of all transmission structures and equipment including, but not limited to, monopoles, steel towers, wood poles, conductors (wires), insulators and other equipment.

During the flights crews check for damaged or worn equipment and vegetation hazards. The inspection flights are often conducted at low altitudes to allow accurate visual inspection of equipment  for lightning damage, wear or other potential problems.

ITC said it’s normal procedure, so there is no cause for alarm if a low-flying helicopter is sighted near transmission lines.

DETROIT (AP) — David Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run in overtime lifted the Detroit Lions to a 26-20 win over the Matthew Stafford-led Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night in a rematch of their NFC wild-card game.

The Lions lost a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter, but extended the game with Jake Bates’ tying 32-yard field goal in the final minute of regulation.

Detroit won the coin flip and took advantage of having the ball, gaining at least 9 yards on its first four plays in overtime to set up Montgomery’s winning score.

The Rams were in a position to spoil Detroit’s season-opening party when Stafford threw a go-ahead, 9-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter.

They just couldn’t make enough plays on both sides of the ball to hold on for the win.

Los Angeles put up quite a fight despite losing Pro Bowl receiver Puka Nacua and two linemen on its banged-up line.

The Lions had a 17-3 lead in the third quarter after Jared Goff threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams. They lost the comfortable cushion because their former star quarterback picked them apart and their current one threw an interception early in the fourth.

John Johnson intercepted Goff’s pass over the middle at the Rams 20, taking away Detroit’s chance to kick a field goal and restore its seven-point lead.

Stafford took advantage, leading a 10-play, 80-yard drive that he capped with the scoring pass to Kupp. He could not complete enough passes late in the fourth to keep the ball and seal the win, leading to a punt that gave Goff another shot from his 31 with 2:11 to go.

The Lions reached the Rams 14 and settled for Bates’ tying field goal that sent the game to overtime.

Rams coach Sean McVay may have regretted a decision he made in the second quarter.

With a chance to attempt a 40-yard field goal when it was tied at 3, McVay elected to go for it and turned the ball over on downs when Stafford threw an incomplete pass that targeted Kupp.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ 26-20 OT win on Sunday Night Football

It was a rare miss for the duo in Detroit.

Stafford completed 34 of 49 passes for 317 yards with a touchdown and an interception, lobbing a ball in the middle of end zone where Kerby Joseph was waiting early in the second quarter. Kupp matched a career high with 14 receptions and had 110 yards receiving.

Goff was 18 of 28 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Williams tied a career high with five catches and set a personal best with 121 yards receiving.

Montgomery had 17 carries for 91 yards and Jahmyr Gibbs ran 11 times for 40 yards — with both scoring a TD.

Takeaways from the Lions’ 26-20 overtime win against Rams

INJURIES

Rams: Nacua (knee) was hurt in the first half after catching four passes for 35 yards and didn’t return. … LT Joe Noteboom (ankle) was carted off the field in the second quarter after starting in place of Alaric Jackson, who’s serving a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. LG Steve Avila (knee) went down later.

Lions: DT D.J. Reader (leg) and S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle) were inactive.

UP NEXT

Rams: Stay on the road and play at Arizona on Sunday.

Lions: Host Tampa Bay on Sunday in a rematch from the divisional round of the playoffs, a game Detroit won 31-23.

A 50-year-old Macomb County man was convicted Wednesday of brutally murdering his live-in girlfriend following a two-week trial in Macomb County Circuit Court.

Jason Ross was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and three other felonies in connection with the beating death of Kathleen Hales, 47, in July 2021 in her home in a mobile-home community near 19 Mile and Utica roads in Sterling Heights.

He faces life without parole at his Oct. 10 sentencing by circuit Judge Matthew Sabaugh.

The jury deliberated only two hours before reaching its verdict late Wednesday afternoon following closing arguments that ended abruptly when Ross, who was representing himself, quit 30 minutes into his closing.

Earlier in her closing, Assistant Macomb Prosecutor Elizabeth Abbo accused Ross of “brutally beating” Hales with a hammer and stabbing her with three knives, inflicting 69 wounds in all.

“The defendant put a hammer to her head while she was defenseless, laying there yelling for help,” Abbo said.

Hales suffered from torture, Abbo added.

“This took time. It wasn’t quick. It didn’t occur all it once. It took time. She suffered,” Abbo said, telling jurors Hales died from blunt-force trauma to her head, as she suffered several skull fractures.

Ross was 30 minutes into his closing argument in Macomb County Circuit Court when he quit after being told for the third or fourth time by Judge Matthew Sabaugh to stop bringing alleged facts or issues into the case that were not touched on during the trial.

“At this point, I don’t know what I can say,” he said at the podium in front of 13 jurors. “I’m done. I just don’t got anything to say. I’m happy. I’m good,” Ross said as he walked back to the defense table.

Sabaugh asked him twice, “Is that your choice?”

“It’s my choice,” Ross replied as he sat down.

Abbo, who made the objections, declined to give a rebuttal, as allowed by law, she said for the first time in her career.

Ross, who testified a day earlier under questioning by his advisory counsel, Adil Haradhala, claimed he acted in self defense after Hales cut him with a knife during an argument.

He admitted to police he killed Hales, telling detectives they “fought like men” but that he overpowered her.

He also blamed his actions on excessive drug use.

Ross and Hales had been together a short time as he had moved in next door to her only months before.

Hales got him a job at a restaurant where she had worked for over 20 years and held several positions, according to testimony.

After the slaying, Ross took Hale’s credit or debit cards and fled in her red 2004 Ford Explorer, prosecutors said. He was captured two days later in Prescott, Mich., located about a 50 minute drive north of Bay City, in possession of items owned by Hale that tie him to the slaying scene and a weapon, prosecutors said.

The jury acquitted Ross, who has been in custody, of first-degree murder although they found him guilty of the underlying charge, larceny. He also was convicted of unlawfully driving away a vehicle and illegal possession of a financial transaction device.

Several of Hales’ family members attended the trial.

Everett LaBrash is a Children’s Miracle Child.

The son of Alex and Marianne LaBrash of Sterling Heights, he is now a year old who is continuing to reach milestones and exemplifies the healthy outcomes that are made possible through the support of the annual Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational presented by Corewell Health Foundation of Southeast Michigan and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.

This year’s golf outing raised $1.5 million.

All of the money garnered through sponsorship support, on site-donations and a live auction, which included an electric guitar signed by Taylor Swift, benefit Children’s Miracle Network programming at Corewell Health Children’s and patients like Everett.

Everett  came early at 24 weeks.

Being a preemie, he faced a plethora of challenges, especially lung development, which required a C-pap at birth, and a ventilator after developing pneumothorax, to regulate his oxygen and help with breathing.

During his stay at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital a team of health care professionals at Corewell Health Children’s Child Life Services provided Everett and his parents with care and compassion. Panda Warmers, Giraffe Omni Beds, and fold-out furniture for long stays were just some of the benefits that they received with the help of donations made to Corewell Health Children’s through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

“Our team at Troy, honestly, they were life-changing,” Marianne LaBrash said in a video released by the hospital. “They helped us through… so much. I definitely have a couple of lifelong friends with them.”

Alex concurred.

“Everyone’s easy going,” he said. “They’d lend an ear if you needed to vent to them. Thank you doesn’t wrap it up enough.”

The Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational is the largest celebrity golf event in the Detroit area, where every foursome enjoys an up-close and personal celebrity pairing.

This year’s event featured more than 50 national and local celebrities, including actors Donnie Wahlberg (last year it was Mark Wahlberg), Kevin Chapman, Jamie Denton, Marion “Pooch” Hall, Jamie Hector, and Jesse Spencer. From the world of sports, Kenny Anderson, Joique Bell, Lomas Brown, Johnny Damon, Braylon Edwards, Calvin Johnson, Pepper Johnson, Frank Zombo, and dozens of others took part in the day’s activities. It’s one of those events that everyone looks forward to, players and donors alike.

The morning began with Wahlberg accepting a “putting challenge” from three Corewell Health Children’s “Miracle” children selected to represent the more than 200,000 children treated at Corewell Health Children’s each year.

“We are delighted with the incredible success of this event”, said Lamong Yoder, a registered nurse and president of Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan. “Our gratitude goes out to the many sponsors and celebrities that are the backbone of this one-of-a kind invitational. Funds raised will be used to help the children in our communities when they need it the most.”

After golf, a spirited live auction and course contests raised about $300,000 from bids on items like Taylor’s guitar donated by Bob and Connie Skandalaris, which went for $31,000, a private tour of Rick Hendrick’s Automotive Heritage Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, hosted and donated by Jay Feldman and Rick Hendrick, a 2025 Formula 1, Monaco package donated by Nino Cutraro; an Italian villa vacation, donated by the Rugiero Family and dinner in the Celani Wine Cellar, donated by Tom and Vicki Celani.

“It was inspiring to see so many people lending their support and contributing to our cause. We are helping so many children and families with the money raised. We are already planning for next year’s event and aiming to raise even more money to continue to provide support for those families in need,” said Jay Feldman, chairman and CEO of the Feldman Automotive Group.

Supporting the fundraising event this year was its title sponsor, the Feldman Automotive Group; lead presenting sponsor Quantum Ventures of Michigan; presenting sponsors Shift Digital and Vesco Oil Corporation; and supporting sponsors including the Celani Family Foundation, CIBC, Corewell Health, The Fourth Tri Sanctuary, Aaron and Carolynn Frankel Family Foundation, Mechanical Services, NativeWahl, and Terra Capital Industries and more than 50 other generous sponsors.

Also praising the generosity shown during the invitational was Ryan Daly, president of the Corewell Health Foundation Southeast Michigan.

“Corewell Health Children’s will receive support to provide life-saving services, vital pediatric equipment, and funds for patient scholarships for families unable to afford needed care,” Daly said, while the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation will utilize its funds to improve the quality of life for youth across the country by providing financial resources and community support to youth services.

Organizers of the event included a dedicated committee of community members — Tom Celani, Nino Cutraro, Jay Feldman, Ken Noonan, Bob Skandalaris, and Sam Yamin.

For more information visit corewellhealth.org/childrens  or call 855-480-KIDS (5437). Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada.

All of the donations and money raised is used locally, to help Miracle families in nine counties throughout Southeast Michigan including Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.

For more information visit CMNHospitals.org.

After a lengthy public meeting Tuesday night, the Rochester board of education approved a three-year teacher contract despite concerns its language would pit educators against parents..

The board voted 5-2 in favor of the contract, agreed to on Aug. 1 and ratified by the Rochester Education Association on Aug. 29. Trustees Michael Weaver and Carol Beth Litkouhi voted against approval.

The new contract comes after 21 negotiation sessions and 120 work sessions between the union and the district starting back in February.

The district forecasts additional costs of $33 million over the next 3 years.

“As shortages in the workforce continue to challenge many industries, I believe this long-term contract will prove pivotal in providing increased stability for our organization,” said Superintendent Nicholas Russo. “Today’s contract approval demonstrates how our Rochester Community Schools board of education and our leadership team value our dedicated teachers.”

Some of the contract details include:

a reduction of the salary step schedule from 18 to 15 steps;
increases in base salary by three percent in year one, three percent in year two, and $2,000 in year three;
increases in longevity pay;
mutually agreeable language on formerly prohibited subjects of bargaining such as teacher evaluations, layoffs and recalls, teacher placement and teacher rights;
Several stipend increases in a variety of areas

“This contract, from a financial standpoint, still does not pay you what you are worth, but it is a needed increase for our teachers,” said board President Michelle Bueltel.

The high school auditorium was packed by teachers, parents and students concerned that contradictory language in the contract would limit teachers in the classroom.

“Academic freedom must align with curriculum, administrative and board policies, but the following clause says that there shall be no limits on the presentation of ideas regarding humanity, society and the world,” said Litkouhi. “This opens the door for teachers to introduce personal or political views unrelated to the class, potentially without parents’ knowledge.”

She added, “The union’s push to enshrine this right may protect those individual teachers, but it inadvertently undermines parental legal rights to direct their children’s education, which is established by Michigan Law. This language will only serve to heighten tensions between parents and teachers.”

Trustee Jayson Blake and Treasurer Julie Alspach responded that language in other areas of the contract would not allow teachers to provide their students with points of view that do not conform with the curriculum, subject or maturity level and take “academic freedom” past the contract’s framework.

“There are a number of provisions in here that are just being ignored because, I guess, there is this fear that the teachers are on this mission to teach children things that are inappropriate,” said Blake. “I don’t believe that. I trust the teachers.”

Some parents spoke out against having those provisions in the contract.

“The proposed language in the contract appears to propose a significant barrier between parents and the classroom,” said parent Catherine Agarwal. “It allows teachers to withhold classroom information from the parent. This agreement fundamentally shifts the balance of power away from parents and toward an unchecked academic freedom for teachers.”

She added, “This clause seems to provide teachers with near total immunity from the consequences of their actions in the classroom.”

“Both of the parties should go back and present a contract that takes out the vagueness of these sections,” said Weaver.  “If there are actual protections to be provided, add those protections so they are clear and transparent.”

Blake pointed out the new contract did come at a cost to the district, but did not go into detail.

“We agreed to go into our fund balance to try to make this an attractive contract,” said Blake. “We actually gave a number of how much we were willing to go and it ended up digging deeper than that, but I am OK with that because I think our staff is worth that.”

Elizabeth Schroeck, the union’s president, addressed language said to pit parents against teachers and that teachers will use the contract to communicate their own beliefs without parents’ knowledge.

“The teachers of the REA are smart, they are strong and they are clear-eyed,” Schroeck told the board and the audience. “They are tired of cultivated controversies sucking up their time and energy when they want to spend it with their students. Teachers want the peace and joy to return.”

The new contract will be publicly available on the RCS website once the agreement is signed and dated.

Lou and Draga Nesin couldn’t find the right type of bracket to save space in their house, so Lou used his welding skills to invent what they needed.

“Then we thought it would be a good idea to share with consumers having the same problem, Draga said. “It’s not your ordinary bracket, it’s more high end.”

Now, their EZ Folding Bracket is one of 10 Oakland County entries, including seven from Southfield, in the Michigan Manufacturers Association’s annual Coolest Thing Made in Michigan contest. The contest showcases Michigan’s manufacturing diversity and strength. People may vote for their favorites. The winner will be announced on Nov. 6 in Lansing.

“From the tip of the Upper Peninsula to the bottom of the mitten, these nominees exemplify the broad and diverse manufacturing industry here in Michigan,” said Delaney McKinley, MMA’s executive vice president of operations.

The Nesin’s two-pound bracket can hold up to 75 pounds and keep golf bags, bikes, kayaks, folding chairs and other items off the floor, Lou said. The Nesins’ Southfield-based company produces brackets for commercial and residential uses.

Patented in 2018, the Nesins contracted with a Warren-based company to make the brackets. Their business got a slow start, thanks to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Nesins said joining Lawrence Technological University’s Centrepolis Accelerator helped them learn how to run a company.

Another item among the contest’s 44 entries is a chopping board that uses artificial intelligence and produced by Versaware of Southfield.

You can vote for the coolest things made in Michigan

Jacob Lindberg, Versaware’s co-founder and CEO described the cutting board as “a purposeful ‘Alexa for Nutrition’-style AI cooking assistant.”

The voice-controlled device is interactive and can walk users through any recipe while tracking all nutrition information.

Lindberg said the challenges people have for tracking nutrients in their food created an opportunity for innovation in the large cooking and nutrition market.

Other Southfield companies in the contest include Wareologie, which makes a portable parallel bar unit for physical therapy to patients; self-driving snow-removal robots by Snowbotix; a drone capable of delivering urgently needed medical supplies, among other items, by Blueflite; caffeine-infused sports drinks by Celsius; and, a large solar-powered outdoor canopy with enough juice to charge an electric vehicle.

Two Farmington Hills companies are also in the contest: ThinkDigits, for artificial intelligence software designed to manage supply chains, and manufacturing, and Blitz Proto’s therapeutic vibrators to improve user mobility and reduce the risk of falls.

Other entrants from Oakland County include the Wixom-based and family owned Trijicon, for a rifle scope. The company produces optical gun sights and other items for military and police use, hunting and competitive shooting.

Votes are being tallied at micoolestthing.org.

For many women experiencing symptoms caused by uterine fibroids the only option for relief was a hysterectomy and that created its own kind of pain for women still wanting to have children.

Now there’s another way.

Through laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (Lap-RFA) women have a viable and considerably less invasive option, for the treatment of uterine fibroids should they choose to seek a diagnosis and treatment.

But will they?

Dr. Jay Fisher, a Corewell Health obstetrician-gynecologist pioneering the treatment in Southeast Michigan, also known as the Acessa procedure, said up to 75 million women in the United States may experience symptoms caused by uterine fibroids, but only 1.4 million will seek care for it.

“Most of them just live with it,” Fisher said.

Once a month these women suffer a variety of symptoms such as excessive menstrual bleeding, cramping and anemia and, while a laparoscopic hysterectomy is less invasive, it still requires the surgical removal of the uterus, or womb, from a woman’s body. Plus, a lot of women are unable to take the medication (estrogen) that was typically prescribed afterwards.

Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (Lap-RFA) was  first used in the treatment of liver tumors uses radiofrequency energy to treat uterine fibroids.

“It’s really remarkable technology because it’s very precise, delivering (the radiofrequency) directly to the fibroid itself while not damaging any tissue around it.”

Among those who were trying to live with the symptoms caused by uterine fibroids was Balsam Goriel, 47, of Warren.

“Every other month I would be in the emergency room,” said Goriel, whose condition got so bad it required blood transfusions.

“It was exhausting,” she said. “I wouldn’t go anywhere. I barely ate. I was like a car without lights.”

Her doctor tried a procedure that has had some success but it didn’t work for her and it appeared that her only option would be a hysterectomy, which she was not ready to accept.

“I don’t like getting my periods but I think it’s like a detox for a woman,” Goriel said. “It wasn’t about having children.”

It’s then she was told about laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (Lap-RFA), which at one time was not covered by many health insurance plans. However, in recent years data has shown that it’s not only an effective treatment medically, but also financially more cost effective.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Dr. Fisher was amazing. He worked hard to identify the right solution for me,” she said.

The renewed energy she experienced after the outpatient procedure enabled her to return to a normal life.

“I have not gone to the ER since,” she said, adding she has not had to call in sick to work as well. She is socializing, happy and robustly practicing the tenets of self-care such as walking and exercise, journaling, prioritizing water intake, a solid sleep routine and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” said Goriel. “I still get cramps but it’s nothing like it used to be. Now, I just have the same discomfort as everyone else.”

For more information visit beaumont.org/services/doctors.

Pine Trace Golf Course officials want to relocate its driving range closer to South Boulevard West.

The Rochester Hills’ planning commission will consider the request at a Tuesday meeting, along with a request from the Property Owners Association of Hampton at 254 Hampton Circle to replace the community building and pool and add a recreation area in the same location.

The city owns the golf course land, which is leased by Pine Trace owner-operator Mike Bylen. He did not respond to a call for comment from The Oakland Press.

The existing driving range will be demolished, according to plans submitted to the city, and a new range will be built on land on the north side of South Boulevard, east of South Adams Street, which the city acquired last year.

The work requires removing more than 350 trees, 237 of which are regulated by the city. The remaining are display trees. Pine Trace says it will plant 886 new trees.

Mayor Bryan K. Barnett said the golf course “hasn’t had a lot of work and upgrading done since it was first built” starting in 1987.

“There will be a new entrance to the golf course. The whole thing should look and perform dramatically differently,” he said. “Moving the driving range is one aspect.”

Next year, the course will be closed while the clubhouse is replaced, he said. “The current clubhouse only has a 50 or 60-person capacity. It’s tired and dated … You have to update if you want to compete in the wedding and corporate events game.”

He said more changes will come before the city council in the months ahead with the goal of seeing the course become more competitive in the  market. Bylen leased the land from the city in 1987 and opened the course in 1989. Under the current lease, his company pays the city 10% of its annual gross proceeds, an estimated $155,000 each year through 2024 and an estimated $165,000 in 2027. Past payments have at times exceeded estimates, according to city documents.

The planning commission will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3 in the Rochester Hills  Municipal auditorium, 1000 Rochester Hills Drive.

Every mother’s worst nightmare became Brandi Morey Pols’ reality last week.

After years of trying desperately to get authorities to believe her when she reported that her son’s father was dangerous, Morey Pols experienced the unthinkable: Rowan Milford Morey’s father, Michael Winchell, killed the boy before turning the gun on himself.

Now, as she readies herself for Rowan’s viewing and funeral, she made a vow to do whatever she can to change the system and stop another mother from experiencing the pain of a child’s murder.

After a weeklong visitation that started Aug. 12, Winchell, who lived in a home on East River Road in Isabella County, didn’t return Rowan to his mother as scheduled a week later.

It’s something he’s done in the past – a way to try to get under her skin and hurt her.

Winchell also shaved Rowan’s head against his will to upset his mother, who had been fighting for sole custody of Rowan in August 2019.

Indeed, the custody file in Isabella County Trial Court is inches thick, with entries for every hearing and other action that amounted to 261 entries in the Michigan Courts electronic filing system.

Not only did Winchell try to upset her, Morey Pols said, he also stalked her, and refused to let Isabella County authorities into his home after she told them Winchell didn’t property feed Rowan, making him subsist on toast.

When he was ordered to let authorities in to perform a wellness check, he had ample time to stock his refrigerator, according to Morey Pols.

When Morey Pols’ attorney filed an emergency motion Aug. 20 to give her sole temporary custody of Rowan in Isabella County Trial Court, Chief Judge Eric Janes denied the motion, instead setting a hearing for Sept. 5.

Speaking Wednesday morning in a raspy voice from crying for nearly a week, Morey Pols said something has to be done to protect children who are pawns in custody battles with parents who wish to harm them.

She isn’t alone.

Morey Pols, after getting through her 6-year-old son’s visitation and funeral this week, plans to meet with Michigan legislators next week who want to discuss with her what went wrong and how it can be fixed so it doesn’t happen to another child.

Morey Pols lives in Caledonia in Kent County, but State Rep. Jerry Neyer (R-Shepherd), whose district includes parts of Isabella and Gratiot counties, was appalled by Rowan’s murder and hopes to help in the fight give police more power to locate children who are not returned to the custodial parent on time.

“This tragedy is incomprehensible,” Neyer said by email Wednesday morning. “My prayers go out to Ms. Morey Pols and her entire family as this unthinkable situation is something in a parent’s worst nightmare.

“I will be looking at the current law to see how this could have been avoided and I will be working with our local agencies to see what steps we could take in the future to help prevent this type of event from affecting another family.”

While Isabella County Sheriff’s officials repeatedly went to Winchell’s home in search of him and Rowan, because custody cases are civil, they did not have the authority to break into the house to search, nor could they issue an Amber Alert – something Morey Pols wants changed to include parents who don’t return their children as scheduled in custody agreements.

At one point in her fight to get sole custody of Rowan, Morey Pols missed a court date because she was in treatment for breast cancer.

Rowan was showing signs of self-harm recently, and Morey Pols put him in Christian counseling through her church to try to help.

But she feels betrayed by a system that’s designed to protect children and allowed what she believes was an unstable man to have visitation with his son.

She also believes Winchell wanted her to go to his property to find Rowan so he could kill her too, and thinks both were still alive Aug. 20 when she went to her attorney’s office to file the emergency motion.

While Morey Pols is grateful for the overwhelming support and prayers offered by friends, family and strangers, she isn’t likely to let go of her anger at what she calls a flawed system that did not take her concerns seriously, instead berating her for her attempts to get authorities to listen to her and stop Winchell from harming her son.

Go Fund Me set up for mother of boy killed by father

Missing 6-year-old Michigan boy and father found dead in murder-suicide

“Help Joey Heal” GoFundme supports local man in motorcycle accident

 

 

Under bright sunshine the annual Arts, Beats & Eats festival continued Saturday afternoon.

The annual event will run on the streets of downtown Royal Oak through Monday. Sunday’s headliners on the Jim Beam National Stage are the Gin Blossoms and Chevelle. Monday, the Pop 2000 Tour will be followed by Keith Sweat.

The festival opens each day at 11 a.m. with tickets sold at entry gates along Main, Washington and Lafayette. Online ticket sales are no longer available. Sunday’s forecast calls for sunshine at a high temperature of 78 degrees while Monday will be sunny and 72.

For more information, go to artsbeatseats.com/.

When asking who’s paving the way for success for Oakland County football teams this fall, some of the direct answers might be found right here.

In 2022, the county was rich with elite running backs like Walled Lake Western’s Darius Taylor and Brother Rice’s Nolan Ray. Last year’s top-tier talent included QBs like Isaiah Marshall from state champ Southfield A&T, along with Kalieb Osborne from Waterford Mott.

This year’s list, though, is proof of the elite talent along the offensive lines throughout the area. Led by a future Wolverine, four pavers are among the top-10 — seven in the top-16 — much to the delight of some skill position players that are also scattered throughout below as well.

That being said, here’s a look at the top 50 players in Oakland County for the 2024 season:

1 Avery Gach (Birmingham Groves 6-5, 295 Sr. OL) — Committed to Michigan, Gach exhibits pro potential and is one of the more elite lineman prospects Oakland County has seen in recent years. Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Florida State and USC all came after him before he chose Michigan.

2 Kam Flowers (West Bloomfield 6-0, 175 Sr. WR) — Committed to Toledo, Flowers is a power-conference prospect steal for the Rockets and the fastest pass-catcher in Oakland County this fall. He recorded 1,085 total yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior.

3 Jack Janda (Novi Detroit Catholic Central 6-6, 225 Jr. TE) — The No. 1 tight end prospect in the state’s junior class, Janda transferred to Catholic Central from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in the winter and holds offers from Michigan, Oregon, Wisconsin and others.

4 Charles “D.J.” White (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 6-2, 200 Sr. LB) — Committed to Michigan State, White is a menace sideline to sideline, with a high gridiron IQ and ferocious tackling ability,

5 Jaden Pydyn (Novi Detroit Catholic Central 6-2, 220 Sr. RB/S) — Committed to Army, Pydyn can burn opposing teams in multiple ways and will return to tailback full-time this year after playing quarterback for most of last season. He’ll play baseball at West Point as well.

6 Jayden Savoury (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 6-6, 215 Sr. TE) — Committed to Michigan State, Savoury is the No. 1 tight end in the state’s Class of 2025 and starred on St. Mary’s state-championship basketball team last winter.

7 Ben Eziuka (Novi Detroit Catholic Central 6-4, 290 Sr. OL) — The next in line in the legacy of great Shamrocks run blockers and pass protectors. Eziuka has offers from Penn State and Kentucky right now and is showing immense progress every snap.

8 Bryson Williams (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 6-2, 200 Sr. ATH) — Committed to Michigan State, Williams is considered to have a very high upside at the next level by scouts and just started to hit his stride as a prepster last season as a junior. He can stretch the field vertically or burn cornerbacks across the middle with his stellar crossing route ability

9 Liam Vaughan (Walled Lake Western 6-4, 285 Sr. OL) — Committed to Western Michigan, Vaughan is Metro Detroit’s “Pancake King” and maybe the most fundamentally-sound lineman in the area. A four-year starter, he’s posted more than 300 pancake blocks in his varsity career so far.

10 Jay Gardenhire (West Bloomfield 6-8, 365 Sr. OL) — Committed to Colorado, Gardenhire transferred into the “Swamp” in the offseason from New Jersey and is ready to make a major impact in Oakland County headlining the protection unit for the Lakers’ high-powered offense.

11 Tristan Hill (Lake Orion 6-0, 180 Sr. QB) — The three-year starter and RPO magician boasted 1,785 yards and 22 touchdowns from scrimmage last season in leading the Dragons to an undefeated regular season and the OAA Red title.

12 Ryland Watters (Rochester Adams 6-2, 195 Jr. QB) — As dangerous as dual-threat signal caller as there is in the area right now, pure electricity under center operating the veer offense for the Highlanders. He is also an elite baseball recruit.

13 Antonio Johnson (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 6-5, 285 Sr. OL) — He will be in his third straight year anchoring the Eaglets’ line play and is choosing between Penn State, Michigan State and Illinois right now.

14 Elisha Durham (West Bloomfield 6-0, 170 Sr. WR) — This 3-star prospect has Wisconsin in hot pursuit of his college commitment and is a big-play specialist in space.

15 Danilo Guberinich (Novi Detroit Catholic Central 6-5, 285 Sr. OL) — Committed to Western Michigan, Guberinich will captain the line for the Shamrocks again and remains the heart and soul of the team.

16 Spencer Beckeman (Stoney Creek 6-6, 285 Sr. OL) — Committed to Western Michigan, Beekman is tough as nails and smart as a whip up front and another in a long line of high-quality tackle prospects to emerge out of the Cougars’ Den.

17 Noah Sanders (Birmingham Groves 6-0, 175 Sr. RB) — Building off a breakout junior campaign, the son of Barry Sanders shows moves like his dad with more speed.

18 Donovan Triplett (Walled Lake Western 5-9, 175 Jr. RB) — The best running back in the LVC is ready to make a name for himself as one of the most lethal ball-toters in the state this season. During his breakout junior campaign, he ran for 1,285 yards and 14 scores.

19 Samson Gash (Novi Detroit Catholic Central 6-0, 175 Jr. WR) — Coaches and scouts are anticipating a breakout campaign for this slippery playmaker and NFL offspring.

20 Luke Johnson (Oxford 6-0, 195 Sr. RB) — The most underrated playmaker on offense in the OAA and the area’s most punishing rusher, Johnson epitomizes the heart that the Wildcats play with and could be a sleeper pick for Mr. Football.

21 Brendon Rice (North Farmington 6-4, 265 Sr. DL) — Committed to Rice, the Raiders’ defensive tackle is a high-value grab for the Owls down in Houston. Last season, he tallied 86 tackles and 10 sacks.

22 Cade Wilhelmi (Birmingham Detroit Country Day 6-6, 275 Sr. OL) — Committed to Toledo, Wilhelmi is a monster at the point attack and a natural leader.

23 Chris Little (Birmingham Groves 5-10, 170 Sr. CB) — Committed to Grand Valley State, Little is the best pure cover corner in Oakland County and has 18 career interceptions.

24 Griffin Boman (Clarkston 6-0, 195 Jr. RB/LB) — Expect Bowman to be the hardest-working ball-carrier in the OAA in 2024, building on a big-effort playoff push as a sophomore.

25 Jalien Peacock (Troy 6-3, 185 Sr. WR) — Committed to Saginaw Valley State, Peacock is the best player in the OAA that most people don’t know about yet.

The next 25:

26 Jaiden Allos (West Bloomfield Sr. ATH)

27 Lucas Tic (Troy Sr. OL) — Committed to Grand Valley State

28 Jeremiah Benson (West Bloomfield Sr. OL/DL)

29 Beau Jackson (West Bloomfield Sr. QB)

30 Jamal Shakespear (West Bloomfield Jr. QB/S)

31 Noah Oury (Troy Sr. QB) — Committed to Grand Valley State

32 Shane Rachner (Walled Lake Western Sr. LB)

33 Lucas Price (Walled Lake Western Sr. LB)

34 Axel Newell (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Sr. QB)

35 Josh Tate (West Bloomfield Sr. RB)

36 Matteo Humbert (Rochester Adams Sr. RB)

37 Anthony Cartwright (Birmingham Detroit Country Day Soph. TE)

38 Max Jansenvanjuren (Waterford Mott Jr. ATH)

39 Geno Seets (Waterford Mott Jr. QB/WR/S)

40 Kenny Brooks (Southfield A&T Jr. LB)

41 Jonathan Edison (West Bloomfield Sr. CB)

42 Trey Pochmara (Lake Orion Sr. S)

43 Jordan Melton (Southfield A&T Sr. CB)

44 Sam Fogler (Stoney Creek Sr. RB)

45 Nate Piggott (Troy Athens Jr. TE)

46 Mario Campo-Lavisco (Birmingham Groves Sr. RB)

47 Justin Greer-Sykes (Auburn Hills Avondale Sr. RB)

48 Lance Briolat (Ortonville Brandon Sr. QB)

49 Brody Pikur (West Bloomfield Sr. ATH)

50 Troy Temple (Walled Lake Western Sr. S)