There will be something for everyone as downtown Clarkston streets are closed and packed with food, music and other activities.

The 26th annual Taste of Clarkston is noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept 29.

People can sample authentic Italian pasta, barbecue, or innovative fusion cuisine while walking the streets and checking out local storefronts.

Taste of Clarkston originated in Bay Court Park, but has since taken over downtown each year to show off local restaurants and cafes, as well as other local vendors.

“The whole point is to feature restaurants that are local to Clarkston,”  said Clarkston Chamber of Commerce Marketing and Membership Manager Kate Masters. “It gives people samples of the menus that these restaurants that are very well known, some even nationally, offer.”

People can purchase 10 tickets for $10 and redeem them at the different restaurants who usually have four to five items to sample.

There will be local bands playing throughout the day, two caricature artists and a kids zone. The Clarkston Rotary Club will have a beer and wine tent and The Clarkston Optimist’s Club will have an Oktoberfest themed beer tent. A local Corvette Club will also be showing off over 40 of their classic cars.

“We try to make the event all encompassing with activities for families and everyone of any age can enjoy throughout the day,” said Masters. “It should be a really good time for everyone.”

“All of our musicians are from the area and we love to be able to feature them,” said Chamber Executive Director Kendal Penny Petzold. “The music has always been something that has been an element of the Taste of Clarkston and it is great to be able to feature local musicians that play throughout different events throughout the year for us as well.”

There are still openings for volunteer shifts starting at 6 a.m. when the streets shut down for set up all the way through the end of the day.

The Chamber partners with The City of the Village of Clarkston and Independence Township Park and Recreation to put on the event each year.

For more information on the event go to: https://business.clarkston.org/events/details/26th-annual-taste-of-clarkston-1799

 

 

 

An annual traveling exhibit featuring photos of older children in the foster care system will appear at a gala adoption event in Royal Oak.

The Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange, a program of the human services agency Judson Center, will reveal its Michigan Heart Gallery from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Emagine Theatre, 200 N. Main Street.

This year, the photographs of 71 young people are on display. Some of them will be in attendance.

The event includes a red carpet for the arrival of the youth and guests, a film presentation, formal program and lunch.

Attendees will have an opportunity to talk with experienced adoptive parents who can offer guidance.

“It’s a one-stop location for anyone who is thinking about giving a young person a permanent, loving home,” said Judson Center President and CEO Lenora Hardy-Foster.

“Not only can they view the beautiful photos of the older children and teenagers looking for permanent homes, but their questions about the adoption process can be answered right on the spot.”

The exhibit will travel across the state following the Royal Oak event.

“The young people are the stars of the Michigan Heart Gallery,” said MARE Director Michelle Parra. “The event is a celebration of these youth and their hopes for a bright future with their forever families.

“This is MARE’s version of the Oscars. It’s our biggest event of the year, and we’re looking forward to welcoming our young people, adoption professionals and any family or individual with an interest in adoption from foster care.”

Admission to the event is free, but attendees are encouraged to pre-register through the MARE website at www.mare.org. Parking vouchers will be available.

A Royal Oak residents’ group plans to object at an upcoming Planning Commission meeting about proposed changes in the city’s master plan that the group says will pose a threat to single-family neighborhoods.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16, in the Commission Chambers, Room 121 at Royal Oak City Hall, 203 S. Troy St.

The Planning Commission will hold a second meeting to review the proposed revisions to the master plan at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, in the same location. That meeting is also open to the public.

According to the group Protect Royal Oak, the proposed changes eliminate the term “single-family,” replacing those words with “neighborhood residential.”

The group said in a statement that the proposed new term “is code for allowing a variety of new high-density rental units including duplexes, apartment buildings and accessory dwelling units, that are currently not allowed in ‘One-Family’ zones.

“Increasing the maximum allowable building height in ‘Mixed Use Corridor” and ‘Neighborhood Edge’ districts blocks sunlight, obstructs views, impedes privacy and undermines nearby property values while pushing increased parking demand into adjacent neighborhoods. This is not the Royal Oak that we invested in,” the statement said.

City officials could not be reached for comment.

The group said the city argues that changing the master plan doesn’t mean the zoning ordinance will change.

“That is dishonest. Sure, they are different documents. But the master plan directly informs the zoning ordinance. Otherwise, why bother creating a master plan?” the group’s statement said.

The group says that after Monday’s meeting, the Planning Commission will set a date for a formal public hearing on the proposed master plan. The Planning Commission will then decide whether to recommend approval to the City Commission.

“Royal Oakers don’t get to vote on the master plan – only the mayor and the commissioners do,” the statement said.

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

Charitable activities/Fundraisers

• Shine a Light NF Walk Michigan fundraiser is 9:30 a.m. Sept. 15, Addison Oaks County Park, Leonard, to benefit the Children’s Tumor Foundation, www.ctf.org/shine-a-light.

• 20th Annual Vine & Dine Fundraising Event is 6-9 p.m. Sept. 17, at The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills, 39475 Woodward Ave., $100 in advance, $125 at the door, and $60 for young professionals under 35, premier food and wine tasting fundraiser to support the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber and Micah 6 Community in Pontiac, www.bbcc.com.

• JARC Annual Fundraising Event is 7-10 p.m. Sept. 18, at The Jam Handy, 2900 E Grand Blvd., Detroit, to support JARC, a nonprofit serving adults with developmental disabilities, featuring dinner at 7 p.m. and then an hour-long performance by acclaimed mentalist Oz Pearlman, followed by dessert, jarc.org/2024, 248-940-2617, tickets are $180+.

• Michigan Weekend Camp for Suicide Loss program is Sept. 20-23, Camp Tamarack, 4361 Perryville Road, Ortonville, programs for youth ages 7-17 who have lost a parent, guardian, sibling or friend to suicide, https://comfortzonecamp.org/event/michigan-weekend-camp-for-suicide-loss-programs-for-ages-7-17-in-partnership-with-herbert-adelman-foundation, free event made possible by a partnership with Herbert Adelman Foundation.

• Rochester Rotary, Rochester Kiwanis, Rochester Lions, and the Rochester Hills Lions Clubs are collecting new underwear, socks, diapers, and pajamas for children in the foster care system, through Sept. 20. Drop boxes are at the Rochester Hills Public Library, 500 Olde Towne Road, and Eugenia’s 3rd Street Hair Gallery, 212 W 3rd St., Rochester.

• Rochester Lions Club Hosts Charity Collection Day is 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 21, at Rochester Area Neighborhood House Food Pantry at First Congregational Church, 1315 N. Pine Street, Rochester, www.rochesterlionsclub.org.

• Michigan Walk of Hope is 11 a.m. Sept. 21, at Normandy Oaks Park, Royal Oak, https://give.resolve.org/event/2024-michigan-walk-of-hope/e596340. Registration is free.

• Timeless Hope Gala is 6:30-10:30 p.m. Sept. 26, at the Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield Twp. presented by United Community Family Services – Chaldean American Ladies of Charity. The 2024 Timeless Giving Award will be awarded to Dr. Tiffany Zair-Yalda, fundraiser to benefit the more than a dozen programs offered through UCFS-CALC including supporting families. Advance tickets are $175+ www.ucfamilyservices.org/event/timeless-hope-gala.

• “Shaken, Not Stirred” fundraising event is from 6:30-10 p.m. Sept. 26, at M1 Concourse, in Pontiac (https://m1concourse.com). James Bond themed event with cars from the James Bond film series, valet parking, culinary delights, drawing, one drink ticket, fundraiser to benefit Team Guts, to help provide fitness programs and summer camps to those with special needs and disabilities. Register at https://teamguts.betterworld.org/events/shaken-not-stirred, VIP ticket $175+.

• National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan will host its annual Women of Vision fundraising event on Sept. 26 at Adat Shalom Synagogue (29901 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills, featuring keynote speaker Rebekah Gregory, a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing. For tickets, visit ncjwmi.org/women-of-vision.

• Free Bikes 4 Kidz’ (FB4K) is collecting used bikes from the public, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 28, at 25 Meijer Stores across metro Detroit, visit https://fb4kdetroit.org/locations for locations. The bikes will then be restored with the help of volunteers at a warehouse donated by former Detroit Piston, Vinnie Johnson, through the Piston Group, and distributed to under-served youth in metro Detroit before the holidays. For more information, contact Larry Fieroh at larry@fb4kdetroit.org or 734-812-3035.

• Cornerstone Community Financial, (CCF) is collecting toys through the month of September, for its “Toddler Toy Box” for infant and toddler patients fighting pediatric cancer at DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan. CCF invites the community to purchase and donate items from the online wish lists, available with Amazon, Target and Walmart. Items are available starting below $5. New toys also may be dropped off at any CCF branch location. CCF will match donations, ccfinancial.com/toybox.

Community events

• Rochester Rotary celebrates 70 Years of service with a community ice cream social, 3-5 p.m. Sept. 15, in Rotary Gateway Park on Old Towne Road, next to the Rochester Hills Public Library.

• The City of Farmington Hills to host a series of community outreach events, at fire stations located in each of the city’s four quadrants: 6 p.m. Sept. 17, at Fire Station #1, 35725 Nine Mile Road; 6 p.m. Sept. 18, at Fire Station #2, 28225 Middlebelt Road, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19, at Fire Station #3, 29260 Grand River Ave. and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24, at Fire Station #4, 28711 Drake Road, 248-871-2500.

• The Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), a program of human services agency Judson Center, will reveal its 2024 Michigan Heart Gallery from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 21, at the Emagine Theatre in Royal Oak, 200 North Main Street. The gallery is an annual traveling exhibit featuring photos of older youth in the foster care system who are awaiting adoption, some will be on hand at the premiere. Admission is free, but attendees are encouraged to pre-register at www.mare.org.

Festivals

• Troy Family Daze is Sept. 12-15, at the Troy Civic Center, 241 Town Center, Troy, featuring family entertainment, food court, children’s activities, 5K Run/Walk is 9:30-10 a.m. Sept. 15, Troy Rotary Club pancake breakfast is at 11 a.m.($8 each), International Day entertainment is noon-7 p.m. Sept. 15, $5 admission to the festival, free for ages 10 and younger), amusement rides-ticket prices vary, free parking available at Liberty Center parking garage, 100 W. Big Beaver Road, with shuttle to the festival, www.troyfamilydaze.org.

• Funky Ferndale Art Fair is Sept. 20-22, (Friday 4-7:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Sunday 11a.m.-6 p.m.), more than 140 juried artists and authors, west of Woodward  on Nine Mile. It is joined by the DIY Street Fair, which is on the east side of Woodward, www.funkyferndaleartfair.com, free admission. Parking at any of the downtown lots or in the DOT parking structure on Troy Street west of Woodward.

• Oktoberfest is 3-10 p.m. Sept. 21, at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church,  2225 E. 14 Mile Road in Birmingham, with live music from 6-10 p.m. with Michigan’s premier German band, Die Dorfmusikanten, the Redeemer Brass from 3-6 p, dancing, German foods, German beer and wine to purchase, 248-646-6100, www.oslcoktoberfest.com, free admission.

• Annual Art in the Village is Sept. 21-22, (10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday), Depot Park, west of Main St. (M-15), Clarkston, juried art show, vintage market, food trucks, children’s crafts, music, presented by Clarkston Community Historical Society, free admission, www.clarkstonhistorical.org. (Paid parking in city lots 11 a.m.-9 p.m., on Saturdays, free parking in city lots on Sunday, PassportParking.com).

• Milford Historical Society’s 24th Annual Antique Tractor Show is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 22, in the parking lot of Huron Valley State Bank, 130 S. Milford Road, Milford, featuring a display of vintage tractors, raffle of prizes donated by local businesses to raise funds for the Oakland County 4H club. All tractor registrants will receive a free lunch. Admission to the Antique Tractor Show is free, and raffle tickets are $5.

• Renaissance Festival is 9 a.m.-7 p.m. themed weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, Aug. 17-Sept. 29, (also Sept. 27), 12600 Dixie Hwy., Holly, entertainment, jousting, vendors, www.michrenfest.com, 248-634-5552, parking pass required, ticket prices vary.

Health/Safety events

• Free Jewish Senior Life “Color Me Healthy” event is 1-3 p.m. Sept. 17, at Jewish Senior Life Meer Apartments, 6760 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield Twp., featuring Jewish Senior Life’s expert dietitian and chef, Elizabeth Freyre, RD, for reservations call 248-592-5026.

• Health and Wellness Fair Open House is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 19, at Oxford Township Parks & Recreation Senior Center, 2795 Seymour Lake Road, Oxford, https://oxparkrec.org, 248-628-1720.

• Quest Research Institute will be opening the Memory Matters Café with free memory screenings and gourmet coffee, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 19, at Quest Research Institute, 28555 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, for individuals 50+ to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease.

• Michigan Men’s Health Foundation is hosting the 14th annual Men’s Health event, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 21, at Ford Field in Detroit for metro Detroit-area men ages 18+, with or without health insurance, to take advantage of this free event focused on preventative healthcare, includes vital screenings. Advanced registration is available online at TheMensHealthEvent.com.

• The Farmington Hills Fire Department and the City of Farmington Hills Emergency Preparedness Commission are offering an American Heart Association Heartsaver class to train members of the public in CPR, AED and Stop the Bleed tourniquet training, Sept. 26. The class, open to individuals ages 12+, will be held from 5:30-10 p.m. at Fire Station #4, 28711 Drake Road. Registration fees are $10 for Farmington Hills and Farmington residents, and $20 for non-residents. An additional $20 fee is required for a certificate. Participants must be physically capable of kneeling on the floor and performing continuous chest compressions. Register by Sept. 19 at FDevents@FHgov.com.

• OPC Social & Activity Center will hold its annual 50+ Expo, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 26, at OPC Social & Activity Center, 650 Letica Drive, Rochester. Information, resources, education and fun for adults 50+, free admission.

Library activities

• Mental Health Workshop Series for Parents, Teens, and Kids is 6:30 p.m. Sept. 19, Oct. 17, Nov. 21 at Springfield Township Library, 12000 Davisburg Road, Davisburg, register at www.springfield.michlibrary.org, 248-846-6550 or lbruce@springfield.lib.mi.us.

• Friends of the Huntington Woods/Pleasant Ridge Library annual fall used book sale is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 20 and 21, at the library, 26415 Scotia Road, Huntington Woods, 248-543-9720.

Parks

• Free Park Entry Day at Oakland County Parks is Sept. 22, at Addison Oaks, Groveland Oaks, Highland Oaks, Independence Oaks, Lyon Oaks County Parks and Lyon Oaks Dog Park, Orion Oaks County Park and Orion Oaks Dog Park, Red Oaks Dog Park and Rose Oaks County Park. The following parks are always free: Catalpa Oaks, Pontiac Oaks, Red Oaks Nature Center, Springfield Oaks and Waterford Oaks, OaklandCountyParks.com.

• Huron-Clinton Metroparks in Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne, metroparks.com. Park entrance fees apply.

• Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas, michigan.gov/dnr. Park entrance fees apply.

Support activities/Resources

• For access to local community services, dial 211 (844-875-9211) or text zip code to 898211, for information and referrals to physical and mental health resources; housing, utility, food, and employment assistance; and suicide and crisis interventions, United Way, https://unitedwaysem.org/get-help.

• Common Ground’s Resource & Crisis Helpline is available 24/7 – call or text 800-231-1127.

• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 confidential support for people who are suicidal or in emotional distress, or who know someone who is. Calls and text messages to 988 route to a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call center, www.fcc.gov/988Lifeline.

• Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 and then press 1 to connect to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline. For texts, veterans should text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline short code: 838255.

• National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233, available 24/7.

Submit community events online at https://bit.ly/40a2iAm.

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.

A foundational piece of the Birmingham school district turns 100 years old this month.

Pierce was built in 1924 and 200 elementary students began filling its classrooms in 1925. The Village of Birmingham would not officially become a city until 1933, but the school was part of a population boom in the early 20th century. It’s longevity will be celebrated at an event later this month.

“Demand for homes was skyrocketing and people were looking outside of major cities like Detroit and Pontiac and moving to smaller villages like Birmingham,” said Birmingham Museum Specialist Caitlin Donnelly.

Even after two additions to the building in the 1940’s and 1990’s, the building has remained in continuous use as an elementary school that now has 560 students filling its 26 classrooms.

“There have been a lot of changes, but the district has really tried to restore a lot of the original floors and woodwork in the building,” said Principal Kate Trudel. “Everything is just like any other building in the district.”

Pierce has all the necessary modern amenities, but with floor-to ceiling windows, wide, spacious staircases and wood columns, something not found in modern school architecture.

“There are a lot of little quirks in the building that would not occur in modern buildings today,” said Trudel.

Among those quirks is a second floor gym situated above the school library and a Flint Faience tiled fireplace used to help heat the building that has been sealed off, but is still in one of the Pierce classrooms.

The school was built on land formerly owned by Benjamin Kendrick Pierce, brother of 14th U.S. President Franklin Pierce. He was a Union soldier who served at Fort Mackinac and purchased the 60 acre piece of land in 1819.

Two other schools, the Adams school and Quarton Elementary, were built during the same decade, helping to establish an academic foundation in the district.

“Birmingham since the late 1850’s has had a strong public education system,” said Donnelly. “Even though it was a small village, all the parents in the community thought it was valuable to have good public schools.”

Adams closed in 1980, and is now occupied by (private) the Roeper School. Quarton will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2027. Like Pierce, Quarton has continuously operated as a pre-K through 5th grade public school since it was built.

After Pierce added a new wing in the mid-’90s, students from Midvale Elementary moved over and the school mascot was changed from the Pandas to the Panthers.  Midvale was repurposed in 1995 as the Early Childhood Center and the senior center now called NEXT.

Trudel said Pierce looks and feels historic, but without appearing like the changes and additions are unnatural or awkward.

“It was developed and expanded logically and works for modern educational needs,” said Trudel. “It is a wonderful experience for our students and a great legacy to carry on for the future.”

Pierce is one of five schools in the district built before 1958 that are still in use.

“It is a testament to how much people in Birmingham love their school district that you have two very old buildings (Pierce and Quarton) that have been maintained and have been loved for this long,” said Donnelly.

The centennial celebration will be from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at the school located at 1829 Pierce St. in Birmingham.

 

 

 

A nearly-20 year veteran of the Keego Harbor Police Department was recently named its Chief of Police.

Robert Barnes, who most recently served as the department’s primary detective, was appointed to chief of police by a unanimous vote of the Keego Harbor city council. Barnes was officially sworn in on Aug. 15.

The position became available with the retirement of John Fitzgerald.

“We are confident that the City of Keego Harbor Police Department will continue to provide the same level of outstanding public safety and service that our residents deserve under Chief Barnes’ leadership,” said Mayor Rob Kalman.

Barnes began his law enforcement career with the City of Keego Harbor in 2005; promotions followed in 2012 and 2016 — when he completed detective school. As stated in a news release from the city, Barnes “has achieved a highly successful rate of warrant authorizations and criminal convictions through numerous investigations including armed robbery, sexual assaults, attempted homicides, child abuse, breaking and entering fraud and embezzlements.”

He’s also the department’s firearm and taser instructor, agency administrator and property/evidence manager.

However, the department’s police services may be in jeopardy if voters don’t approve a police millage renewal extension on the Nov. 5 ballot. The four-mill extension is expected to bring in approximately $450,000 tax dollars to fund the city’s allotted police budget of $1,072,581 for the next fiscal year. The remainder would come from the city’s general fund.

The millage extension is needed for a full-time dedicated Keego Harbor Police Department, officials said. Contracted police services could mean higher costs and reduced police coverage and response times, officials said.

The current budget pays for a full-time police chief, three full-time police officers and a full-time detective. It also funds increased training, existing contracted police services, police cruisers, increased resources for other equipment and technology replacement and new water rescue capabilities.

‘Imma shoot up the school tomorrow:’ South Lyon students charged for allegedly making threats

Oakland County business fraudster headed to prison

Preliminary exam set for Waterford man accused of sex crimes against young boys

 

On sale 10 a.m. Sept. 13

• Choir! Choir! Choir! Un-Silent Night: Dec. 13, Flagstar Strand, Pontiac, holiday sing-along, www.flagstarstrand.com, ticket prices vary.

• Trans-Siberian Orchestra “The Lost Christmas Eve”: 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Dec. 28, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• ”Golden Girls-The Laughs Continue”: Jan. 16-19, Fisher Theatre, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

Note: Events are subject to change; check with venues for updates. Tickets on sale at 313Presents.com, LiveNation.com, Ticketmaster.com or the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena.

Beats

• Usher: 8 p.m. Sept. 12-13, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Old Crow Medicine Show: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13, Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor, https://marquee-arts.org, ticket prices vary.

• Jon Pardi, Priscilla Block: 7 p.m. Sept. 13, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Dueling Pianos: 8 p.m. Sept. 13, at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, www.theroxyrochester.com, doors at 7 p.m., $25+.

• Charli XCX and Troye Sivan: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Rumours tribute band, Ghosts in Motion: Sept. 14, The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 248-820-5596, thelovingtouchferndale.com, all ages, doors at 6 p.m., $15+.

• Adel Ruelas: 7 p.m. Sept. 14, The Crofoot Ballroom, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac, all ages, https://thecrofoot.com/events, $25+.

• Songwriter’s Round: 8 p.m. Sept. 14, with Vinnie Paolizzi, Gabe Lee and Jack Mckeon, at 20 Front Street, Lake Orion, 248-783-7105, www.20frontstreet.com, doors at 7:30 p.m. all ages, $32.50+.

• The Sisters of Mercy: 7 p.m. Sept. 14, The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave, Detroit,  www.thefillmoredetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Falling in Reverse: 5:45 p.m. Sept. 15, with Dance Gavin Dance, Black Veil Brides, Tech N9ne and Jeris Johnson, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• The Shamrock Jazz Orchestra: 7 p.m. Sept. 15, at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, www.theroxyrochester.com, doors at 7 p.m., $35+.

• Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams: 7 p.m. Sept. 15, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp: 5 p.m. Sept. 15, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Freddie Jackson: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Detroit, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• A Special Tribute to the Blues ft. Dnise Jonson: 7 p.m. Sept. 16, Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit, hosted By Mike Bonner,  doors at 6 p.m., https://jazzcafedetroit.com, $25+.

• Phosphorescent: 7 p.m. Sept. 16, El Club Detroit, 4114 W. Vernor Hwy., https://elclubdetroit.com, $40.11.

• Judas Priest, Sabaton: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Leprous: 6 p.m. Sept. 17, The Crofoot Ballroom, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac, all ages, https://thecrofoot.com/events, $28+.

• The Marley Brothers: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Stephen Pearcy of RATT: 7 p.m. Sept. 19, Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield, www.dieselconcerts.com, ticket prices vary.

Festivals

• Troy Family Daze: Sept. 12-15, at the Troy Civic Center, 241 Town Center, Troy, featuring family entertainment, food court, children’s activities, 5K Run/Walk is Sept. 15, International Day entertainment is noon-7 p.m. Sept. 15, $5 admission each day, (free admission for ages 10 and younger), amusement rides-ticket prices vary, free parking available at Liberty Center parking garage, 100 W. Big Beaver Road, with shuttle to the festival, www.troyfamilydaze.org. Parade at 10 a.m. Sept. 14, starting at Walsh College, ending at Troy Community Center. Fireworks scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Sept. 14.

• Septemberfest: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sept. 14, downtown Ortonville, vendors, live music, children’s activities, entertainment, food to purchase, car show, Ortonville Lions Club Beer Tent, Sept. 13-15, opening at 5 p.m. Friday with live music at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, brandontownship.us.

• KlezMitten-Klezmer Festival: 2:30 p.m. Sept. 15, International Institute, 111 E Kirby St., Detroit, music, dancing, food to purchase, $20 general admission, free for children younger than 12, https://klezundheit.ludus.com/index.php.

• Funky Ferndale Art Fair: Sept. 20-22, (Friday 4-7:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Sunday 11a.m.-6 p.m.), more than 140 juried artists and authors, west of Woodward  on Nine Mile. It is joined by the DIY Street Fair, which is on the east side of Woodward, www.funkyferndaleartfair.com, free admission. Parking at any of the downtown lots or in the DOT parking structure on Troy Street west of Woodward.

• Oktoberfest: 3-10 p.m. Sept. 21 live music from 6-10 p.m. Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2225 E. 14 Mile Road in Birmingham, with Michigan’s premier German band, Die Dorfmusikanten, the Redeemer Brass from 3-6 p.m., dancing, German foods, German beer and wine to purchase, 248-646-6100, www.oslcoktoberfest.com, free admission.

• Annual Art in the Village: Sept. 21-22, (10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday), Depot Park, west of Main St. (M-15), Clarkston, juried art show, vintage market, food trucks, children’s crafts, music, presented by Clarkston Community Historical Society, free admission, www.clarkstonhistorical.org. (Paid parking in city lots 11 a.m.-9 p.m., on Saturdays, free parking in city lots on Sunday, PassportParking.com).

• Renaissance Festival: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. themed weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, through Sept. 29, (also Sept. 27), at 12600 Dixie Hwy., Holly, entertainment, jousting, vendors, www.michrenfest.com, 248-634-5552, parking pass required, ticket prices vary.

Theater

• 2024 One Act Fest: Sept 13-15, (8 p.m. Sept. 13-14 and 2 p.m. Sept. 14-15) at Peace Lutheran Church, 17029 W. 13 Mile Road, Southfield, https://rosedalecommunityplayers.com, ticket prices vary.

• “The Yellow Boat”: Sept. 19-22, (7:30 p.m. Sept. 19-21 and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 22), Rochester Christian University, 800 W. Avon Road, Rochester Hills, $5 for students and $18 for adults, www.rcu.edu/rcu-theatre-music.

• “The Book Club Play” by Karen Zacarías: Sept. 20-Oct. 6 (8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays), The Inspired Acting Company, 1124 E. West Maple Road, Walled Lake, 248-863-9953, www.InspiredActing.org, $35 and $30 (under 30/over 65).

• “Memphis the Musical”: Through Sept 22, Birmingham Village Players, 34660 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, https://birminghamvillageplayers.com, $30.

• “Grand Horizons”: Sept. 25-Oct. 20, Tipping Point Theatre, 361 E Cady St., Northville, www.tippingpointtheatre.com, ticket prices vary.

Art

• 2024 Birmingham Bloomfield Cultural Arts Awards: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 13, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, (BBAC), 1516 S. Cranbrook Road, Birmingham, https://culturalcouncilbirminghambloomfield.org.

• The Wild Side exhibition: Through Sept. 13, Suzanne Haskew Arts Center (SHAC), 125 S. Main Street, Milford, www.milfordvfaa.org/exhibits. Hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

• Drop In Workshop: Bookmarks is 6-8:30 p.m. Sept. 13, noon-4 p.m. Sept. 14-15, Detroit Institute of Arts, Art-Making Studio, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, www.dia.org.

• “Florilegium & Fairy Tales”-Lori Zurvalec: Sept. 13-Nov. 1, opening reception is 2-4 p.m. Sept. 14 with light refreshments, at the gallery, 20919 John R Road, Hazel Park, open 1 to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday, and at other times by appointment and at ColorInkStudio.com. Artist Talk is 2-3 p.m. Oct. 13, 248-398-6119.

• “Future-Proof” series: 6-8 p.m. Sept. 17, at 1001 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Lawrence Technological University will present a second installment of its series, “Future-Proof- Transforming Detroit from Art Deco to AI by 2050,” AI-imaging exhibition.

• “Constructing Futures”: Exhibit through September, 1001 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, demonstration set for noon, Sept. 18. Constructing Futures AI is supported by: College of Architecture and Design, Lawrence Technological University, https://constructingfutures.design.

• Nick Bair: Live chalk-art drawing at the Detroit Zoo, 8450 W. 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, Sept. 18. Times vary. Dates are weather dependent and subject to change, https://detroitzoo.org.

• Birmingham’s Art Walk: 5-8 p.m. Sept. 19, presented by the Birmingham Shopping District in partnership with the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, features local businesses and artists, musical performances, special promotions, ALLINBirmingham.com/events.

• Daniel Cascardo exhibit: Through Sept. 19, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, 1516 S. Cranbrook Road, Birmingham, https://bbartcenter.org.

• Design Day: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 21, at Cranbrook Art Museum, presented in partnership with Detroit Month of Design. Activities include hands-on art-making for all ages, curator-led tours of the exhibition, “A Modernist Regime: Cuban Mid-Century Design” and a panel discussion on graphic design, 248-645-3323 https://cranbrookartmuseum.org.

• “A Modernist Regime: Cuban Mid-Century Design”: Through Sept. 22, Cranbrook Art Museum, Art Lab, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, cranbrookartmuseum.org, general admission-$10.

• Tiff Massey-“7 Mile + Livernois”: Exhibit through May 11, 2025, Detroit Institute of Arts Rivera Court, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, dia.org.

• Thursdays at the Museum: 1 p.m. Thursdays, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, self-guided visit of our collections for adults 55 and older. Groups of 25 or more in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties can receive free bus transportation, www.dia.org/events/thursdays.

• The Hawk Makerspace: The Hawk – Farmington Hills Community Center, featuring craft space, specialized equipment including a laser cutter, 3D printer, and sewing lab. Makerspace users may purchase passes to use the equipment during Open Studio hours. Classes are also offered, fhgov.com/play,-explore-learn/the-hawk/amenities/makerspace.

• Drop-in Design: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, self-guided art-making activities in the Cranbrook Art Museum, Art Lab, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, cranbrookartmuseum.org, general admission-$10.

• University of Michigan Museum of Art, 525 South State St., Ann Arbor, 734-764-0395, umma.umich.edu, ticket prices vary.

• DIA Inside|Out: High-quality reproductions of artworks from the DIA’s collection are at outdoor venues throughout Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties, through October, https://dia.org/events/insideout-2024. The city of Rochester is participating, for locations visit www.downtownrochestermi.com/dia-insideout.

• Cranbrook on the Green: Artist-designed mini-golf is open during regular museum hours throughout the week in August, and weekends in September. One round of mini-golf is $15 adult non-members, includes admission to Cranbrook Art galleries, $8 for ages 12 and younger, Cranbrook Academy of Art, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, register for a time slot at https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/mini-golf.

Beats, continued

• New Wave Nation tribute: 7-10 p.m. Sept. 20, tribute to 80’s New Wave Music, Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn Ct., Orion Twp., https://orion.events, bring lawn chairs or blanket, no outside food or beverage, $20+.

• December ’63-music of Franki Valli and the Four Seasons: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts- Main Stage, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Twp., www.macombcenter.com, 586-286-2222, $39-$69+.

• Shovels & Rope: 7 p.m. Sept. 21, The Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, www.themagicbag.com, all ages, $30+ adv.

• “A Standard Affair-Supper & Song”: Sept. 21 at Andiamo Bloomfield, 6676 Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Twp. and Sept. 28 at Andiamo Riverfront, 400 Renaissance Center A-03, Detroit, featuring Aaron Caruso and The Cliff Monear Trio, dinner at 6:30  p.m., show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $120+, includes a four-course meal. Alcohol is not included, www.andiamoitalia.com.

• Stone Sound Collective Peace Day Concert: 8 p.m. Sept. 21, led by Oakland University Professor Mark Stone, at Varner Recital Hall, 371 Varner Drive, Rochester Hills, in celebration of the International Day of Peace, free admission.

• Zuill Bailey, cello and Awadagin Pratt, piano: 7:30-9 p.m. Sept. 21, Seligman Performing Arts Center, 22305 West 13 Mile Road, Beverly Hills, www.chambermusicdetroit.org/2024-25/bailey-pratt, tickets are $30-$75+. Senior and student discounts available.

• Leonid & Friends: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21, Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St. Royal Oak, www.royaloakmusictheatre.com, 248-399-3065, ticket prices vary.

• The National, The War on Drugs: Sept. 25, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, Sterling Heights, ticket prices vary.

• Garth Tribute: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 27, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts- Main Stage, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Twp., www.macombcenter.com, 586-286-2222,

• The Ultimate Queen Celebration: Sept. 27, Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac, 248-309-6445, www.flagstarstrand.com, ticket prices vary.

• Aaron Berofsky & Christopher Harding: 3 p.m. Sept. 29, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 620 Romeo St., Rochester, Harmony in the Hills presents Aaron Berofsky, violin, and Christopher Harding, piano, $20 for adults and $10 younger than 18, https://stpaulsrochester.org.

Books

• Picture Book Launch Party!: 1:35 – 3:30 p.m. Sept. 21, at The Detroit Shoppe, Somerset Collection, Troy, https://setsailpress.eventbrite.com.

Choruses

• Rochester Community Chorus seeks new members: New singers welcome for fall/winter 2024 season. Rehearsals are held at 7:45 p.m. Mondays starting Sept. 9, in the sanctuary of St. Mary of the Hills Catholic Church, Rochester Hills, rochestercommunitychorus.org.

• Troy Community Chorus seeks new members: Registration will take place in the choir room at Troy Athens High School, 4333 John R. Road, Troy, from 6:30-7:30 on Sept. 17, followed by rehearsals from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Rehearsals are held 7:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through the season. Cost is $45/individual or $80/couple. Interested singers should enter through the East entrance on John R Road, www.troycommunitychorus.com.

• Dearborn Community Chorus fall season: 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays beginning Sept. 10, Henry Ford College MacKenzie Fine Arts Center, room F-113, www.dearbornchorus.com, register at www.dearborntheater.com/events.

• 313 Presents seeks local choirs for holiday shows: Registration is open now for local choirs and glee clubs to perform at select holiday performances of the 2024-25 Fox Theatre Series. To participate, call 313 Presents Group Sales at 313-471-3099.

Classical/Orchestra

• Classical Series-Detroit Symphony Orchestra: 7 p.m. Sept. 17, The Hawk, 29995 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, free, tickets must be reserved in advance, TheHawkTheatre.com, 313-576-5111. Pre-concert activities start at 5:30 p.m.

• Classical Series-Detroit Symphony Orchestra: 7 p.m. Sept. 18, Greater Grace Temple, 23500 W. Seven Mile Road, Detroit, www.dso.org.

• DSO-The Music of Queen: Sept. 20-21, Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit, dso.org, $20-$77+. Conductor Brent Havens, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and a full rock band.

• European Salon Recital: 3-4 p.m. Sept. 22, “Beautiful Music by Women Composers” Cranbrook House: 380 Lone Pine Road, Bloomfield Hills, https://housegardens.cranbrook.edu/events/2024-09/european-salon-recital-beautiful-music-women-composers, ticket prices vary.

Comedy

• One Night Stans: Ben Jones-Sept. 12-14, Billy Ray Bauer-Sept. 19-21; at 4761 Highland Road, Waterford Twp., www.onenightstans.club, 248-249-1321, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle: Trae Crowder-Sept. 13-14, Anna Akana-Sept. 18; Phil Hanley-Sept. 19-21, at 310 S. Troy St., Royal Oak, www.comedycastle.com, 248-542-9900, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• Sheng Wang: 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Sept. 13, Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St. Royal Oak, www.royaloakmusictheatre.com, 248-399-3065, ticket prices vary.

• “I’m Not a Comedian, I’m Lenny Bruce”: 8:30 p.m. Sept. 14, at The Berman, 6600 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield Twp., chronicles the life and death of the controversial comedian Lenny Bruce, written and performed by Ronnie Marmo, for mature audiences, https://theberman.org, https://tickets.jccdet.org/im-not-a-comedian-im-lenny-bruce.

• “No Balls” Comedy Ball: 12:30-5 p.m. Sept. 29, Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, 310 S. Troy St., Royal Oak, comedy event to raise funds for two local charities, $125 tickets include comedy show and buffet dinner, https://nbcb.weebly.com, for questions, call 586-914-1623.

Concerts in the Park

• Thursday Night Concerts in the Park: 7-9 p.m. Thursdays through Sept. 26, LaFontaine Family Amphitheater, 195 N Main St, Milford, www.meetmeinmilford.com, food to purchase, no pets allowed.

• Uptown Friday Night Concert Series: 7-9 p.m. Fridays through Sept. 13, at Macomb Place in front of O’Halloran’s Public House, Mount Clemens, facebook.com/DowntownMountClemens.

• Music is Main & Center concert series: 7-9 p.m. Saturdays, through Sept. 28, downtown Northville Town Square, www.downtownnorthville.com.

• Family Fun Zone Movies and Concerts: 7 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 10, Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn Court, Orion Twp., www.Orion.events, bring lawn chairs or blankets, free admission.

• Live music: 5-9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays through Sept. 26; 5-8 p.m. Sept. 14; 2-5 p.m. Sept. 15 and 1-7 p.m. Sept. 21; Festival Park at The Village of Rochester Hills, 104 N. Adams Road, Rochester Hills, bring lawn chairs and blankets, TheVORH.com.

• Sylvan Lake Summer Concert Series:  The Way Back Machine concert is 7 p.m. Sept. 13 at Community Center, Sylvan Lake, www.sylvanlake.org.

Dance

• Disney On Ice-”Mickey’s Search Party”: Sept. 19-22, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, 313Presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Flamenco: 2 p.m. Sept. 28, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts- Main Stage, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Twp., www.macombcenter.com, 586-286-2222, presented by Compañeros de Flamenco, learn and participate in the rhythms of Roma culture, free, but tickets required.

Film

• “Vision Quest” screening: Sept. 13, Emagine Saline with screening and Q&A with Actor Frank Jasper at 7 p.m., movie at 7:30 p.m., Meet & Greet with Frank Jasper at 9:15 p.m., at Emagine Saline, 1335 E Michigan Ave., Saline, screening with Q&A – $20 each, www.Emagine-Entertainment.com.

• Sensory-friendly film screenings: Sunday and Wednesday afternoons throughout September, at select Emagine Theatres, Emagine-Entertainment.com, ticket prices vary.

• Farmington Civic Theater, 33332 Grand River Ave., Farmington, www.theFCT.com.

• Milford Independent Cinema: 945 E Summit St., Milford, milfordcinema.org/tickets, $5+.

• Redford Theatre, 17360 Lahser Road, Detroit, redfordtheatre.com, ticket prices vary.

Fundraisers

• #ALLIN for Chris Bowling Fundraiser: 2-5 p.m. Sept. 14, at Classic Lanes, 2145  Avon Industrial Drive, Rochester Hills, www.ALLINforChrisFundraiser.weebly.com, $30 for bowlers, includes three hours of bowling, shoes, two pieces of pizza.

• Shine a Light NF Walk Michigan fundraiser: 9:30 a.m. Sept. 15, Addison Oaks County Park, Leonard, to benefit the Children’s Tumor Foundation, www.ctf.org/shine-a-light.

• 20th Annual Vine & Dine Fundraising Event: 6-9 p.m. Sept. 17, The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills, 39475 Woodward Ave., $100 in advance, $125 at the door, and $60 for young professionals under 35, premier food and wine tasting fundraiser to support the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber and Micah 6 Community in Pontiac, www.bbcc.com.

• JARC Annual Fundraising Event: 7-10 p.m. Sept. 18, The Jam Handy, 2900 E Grand Blvd., Detroit, to support JARC, a nonprofit serving adults with developmental disabilities, featuring dinner at 7 p.m. and then an hour-long performance by acclaimed mentalist Oz Pearlman, followed by dessert, jarc.org/2024, 248-940-2617, tickets are $180+.

• Crafts on the Clinton Fundraiser: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sept. 20, Farmers Market Pavilion, Dodge Park, 40400 Utica Road, Sterling Heights, art and food vendors, live music, local breweries and wineries along the banks of the Clinton River. Proceeds support Clinton River Watershed Council, www.crwc.org/crafts. Early bird tickets are $45 and include samples of beer or wine, food, Designated driver tickets are $15. Attendees must be 21+. Clinton River Watershed Council  fall rain barrel sale is through Sept. 16 and can be ordered at www.crwc.org/rain-barrel-sale, and picked up at Crafts on Clinton.

• Shades Of Pink Foundation Annual Comedy Event: 5:30-8 p.m. Oct. 1, The Community House in Birmingham, www.shadesofpinkfoundation.org/events-2-1/2024-annual-comedy-event, comedy show, dinner, fundraiser.

• “Dueling Pianos” fundraiser: 6-10 p.m. Oct. 18, at Fraternal Order of Police #124, 11304 14 Mile Road in Warren, tickets are $65 per person or $100 per couple and includes live entertainment, silent auction, raffles, appetizers and guest speakers. Purchase tickets at Thebutterflycollective.org, presented by The Butterfly Collective, a nonprofit organization that helps domestic violence survivors.

Lectures

• Detroit Music Awards Master Class: 7 p.m. Sept. 16, Schaver Music Recital Hall, 480 W. Hancock, Detroit, presented by the Wayne State University Department of Music. Master Class series featuring Martin Kierszenbaum, the Grammy Award-winning founder of CherryTree Music Company and longtime manager for Sting, www.detroitmusicawards.net, $50+.

• Oakland Town Hall 2024-2025 lecture series: The series includes four lecturers including Andrew Och presenting “First Ladies- Influence and Image,” on Oct. 9, and Robert Wittman presenting “Art Crime and the FBI: How Masterpieces are Stolen and Recovered,” Nov.13, at the Iroquois Club, 43248 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills. For registration information, call Chairman Nancy Holan at 248-673-5984 or President Diane Midgley 248-615-1232.

Misc.

• Erebus Haunted Attraction: Sept. 13 opening for the season, at 18 South Perry St., Pontiac, www.hauntedpontiac.com/jobs, 248-332-7884.

• Annual Alliance Picnic is noon-4 p.m. Sept. 14, at Firefighters Park, 1810 W Square Lake Road, Troy, games and activities for all ages to celebrate the growth made by those in recovery from substance abuse and mental health, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfJY59Qv2Qm77e3znAVhUUonyxAzO38naDD6xLwSSn3g0AHIQ/viewform.

• Detroit City Distillery 10th Anniversary Party: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sept. 14,  Detroit City Distillery’s Tasting Room, 2462 Riopelle Street in Eastern Market, Detroit, indoors and outdoors, live music and DJs, food to purchase, detroitcitydistillery.com.

• Fall Showcase Fashion Event: 12:30-4 p.m. Sept. 15, Council Re|Sale Store in Berkley, with a special $25 VIP early entry from 11 a.m.-12.30 p.m., pre-register with payment at 248-548-6664, https://councilresale.net.

• Social District Saturdays: 2-8 p.m. 2nd Saturdays through Sept. 14, Centennial Commons and W. Fifth St., Royal Oak, yard games, live music, www.romi.gov/1849/SOCIAL-DISTRICT-SATURDAYS.

• Campus Kids Day presented by Corewell Health: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 15 and Oct. 6, at Campus Martius Park, 800 Woodward Ave., Detroit, downtowndetroit.org/events, free. make and take projects, inflatable water slide, lawn games and more.

• Laila Lockhart Kraner Meet & Greet: Sept. 21-22, Gardner White to host free meet & greet events with Laila Lockhart Kraner, star of Hit TV Show “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” family-friendly event to include children’s activities, music and more. Events are 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 21 at Gardner White, Shelby Township (Hall Road); 3-5 p.m. Sept. 21, at Gardner White Auburn Hills and 1-3 p.m. Sept. 22, Gardner White, Canton. To RSVP to a “Gabby” meet & greet, visit Gardnerwhite.com.

• Summer Eco Sessions Pop-Up Series: 6-10 p.m. Sept. 27, Beacon Park, 1901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, www.facebook.com/beaconparkdetroit, RSVP for music events, yoga and cooking demos.

• Summer Sundays with Beacon Park and Boll Family YMCA: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 29, Beacon Park, 1901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, https://empoweringmichigan.com/event/summer-sundays-with-beacon-park-and-boll-family-ymca. Each class runs for 30 minutes, starting at 11:30 a.m., followed by 12:15 p.m.,with a final class at 1 p.m.

Museums

• Ford House: Historic estate of Edsel and Eleanor Ford, 1100 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Shores, fordhouse.org/events, 313-884-4222. Story Festival at Ford House: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 14, admission is $10 per adult and $7 per child.

• The Zekelman Holocaust Center: 28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, www.holocaustcenter.org, 248-553-2400. “Auschwitz. In Front of Your Eyes,” a set of virtual tours to view in-person, 10 a.m.-noon, Sept. 22. Admission is $10 each, registration at www.holocaustcenter.org/Auschwitz.

• Waterford Historical Society Historic Village: Open for the season, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays through Sept. 25, at Fish Hatchery Park, 4490 Hatchery Road, Waterford Twp. Historic Village, Log Cabin, Hatchery House and Fire Station, 248-683-2697.

• Motown Museum, 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, motownmuseum.org, 313-875-2264. Motown Mile outdoor, walkable art installation, “Pushin’ Culture Forward,” open through early fall, along the Detroit Riverwalk, free admission.

• The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village: 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Ford Rouge Factory Tours Monday-Saturday, purchase tickets online, prices vary, thehenryford.org.

• Ford Piquette Plant Museum: 461 Piquette Ave, Detroit. Open Wednesdays through Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10-$18. Optional guided tours take place daily at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., www.fordpiquetteplant.org, 313-872-8759.

• Dossin Great Lakes Museum: 100 Strand Drive, Belle Isle, Detroit, detroithistorical.org.

• Detroit Arsenal of Democracy Museum: Seeks volunteer groups from veteran and military groups to assist with restoration. The museum is also seeking building materials and equipment to support the ongoing restoration of its vintage industrial space at 19144 Glendale Ave., Detroit, including floor grinders, clear epoxy and Thinset products for floor repairs, www.detroitarsenalofdemocracy.org.

• Pontiac Transportation Museum: 250 W. Pike St., Pontiac. Admission to the museum is $10, $8 for seniors and veterans, $6 for children ages 6-12, free for children ages 5 and younger. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, www.pontiactransportationmuseum.org.

• Detroit Historical Museum: 5401 Woodward Ave. (NW corner of Kirby) in Midtown Detroit, detroithistorical.org. Permanent exhibits include the famous Streets of Old Detroit, the Allesee Gallery of Culture, Doorway to Freedom: Detroit and the Underground Railroad, Detroit: The “Arsenal of Democracy,” the Gallery of Innovation, Frontiers to Factories, America’s Motor City and The Glancy Trains, regular museum general admission is $10.  Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. “Detroit Lions: Gridiron Heroes,” exhibition featuring the history of the Detroit Lions, detroithistorical.org.

• Cranbrook Institute of Science: 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://science.cranbrook.edu, $14 general admission, $10.50 for ages 2-12 and seniors 65+, free for children under age 2.

• Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci):  5020 John R St, Detroit, 313-577-8400, www.mi-sci.org. Regular museum gen. adm. is $18+. Standard Mi-Sci films are available as a $6 add-on to general admission tickets. Mi-Sci is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday and until 8 p.m. the first Friday of each month.

• Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm: Drop in tours on Fridays and Saturdays from noon-3 p.m., at 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, with a guided tour of the Van Hoosen Farmhouse at 1 p.m., www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms, museum members-free, non-members-$5/adults, $3/seniors and students, no registration needed.

• Blue Star Museums: Museums offer free admission to U.S. active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, through Labor Day. A list of participating museums nationwide is at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

• The Wright: The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit, 313-494-5800, open Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and open until 7 p.m. on Thursday, closed on Mondays, reserve timed tickets at thewright.org, $30+ gen adm., $20 for seniors 62+, $15 for youth, ages 5-17, free for under 5.

• Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society: Open 1st/2nd/4th/5th Sundays of the month and 3rd Fridays, 1-4 pm, (holidays excluded) with exhibits including “Four Communities” exhibit at The Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road, Orchard Lake. Admission is free, donations are welcome, www.gwbhs.org, 248-757-2451.

• Meadow Brook Hall offers Guided House Tours and Self-Guided Tours, check available times and purchase tickets at meadowbrookhall.org/tours, ticket prices vary. Meadow Brook Hall, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester, on the campus of Oakland University.

Submit events online at https://bit.ly/40a2iAm.

The Pontiac city council approved a design and engineering contract for the youth recreation center. The plan doesn’t include a pool but it does include an expectation that adults will use the building while children are at school.

Pontiac’s youth recreation millage expires in two years; voters will likely be asked to renew it.

The city may have to pursue a bond initiative to pay for the youth recreation center.

In 2016, voters approved a 10-year, 1.5 mil request to build a youth recreation center. The millage was meant to raise an estimated $9 million over a decade.

The city issued a request for proposals in March that included a six-lane pool and a waterslide, along with a gym that functions as a multipurpose room with an elevated track.

The initial estimate of $20 to $25 million for the facility has been updated and will now cost closer to $50 million.

The city council approved a pared-down, $37 million version late last month: A two-story 58,000 square-foot youth recreation facility with two gyms, a full kitchen with a cafe, a second-floor running track, meeting rooms, event and office space with an option to add either indoor or outdoor pools at a future date.

Assuming construction starts in August 2025, a facility without a pool would be done in December 2026.

Councilwoman Kathalee James voted against the plan, preferring a plan that included a pool.

District 2 Councilwoman Milanna Jones, appointed last month to complete former councilman Brett Nicholson’s term, also supported an indoor pool.

She said 11 people have drowned this year in Oakland County and she supported swim lessons especially for minority children.

Other council members said their desire for an indoor pool had to be balanced against other costs the city is facing. Councilwoman Melanie Rutherford said she supported the $37 million plan for the sake of the children but questioned the administration’s ability to manage the project.

“Three years ago if the administration said it needed $44 million to build a youth recreation center, I would have voted for it, no questions asked. That was before the high turnover rate, the failed business ventures, the (former city employees’ retirement-fund issues) and the veto of Alex Borngesser’s (raise) who put the structure and how we were going to spend these ARPA dollars in place and before we went without a finance director for six months … which means we don’t even know what we actually have,” Rutherford said, adding, “Can this administration, who has not done any of these things I mentioned, fully do this in the capacity they say that they can? This administration has not shown itself able to handle any large projects.”

Others expressed concern about ballooning costs.

One example: Demolition of McCarroll, expected to be covered by a $500,000 state grant to the Oakland County Land Bank Authority, is now closer to $800,000. Deputy Mayor Khalfani Stephens told the council the county is asking the state land bank for additional funds but they are not certain of getting it.

Stephens estimated that the city has about $20 million on hand but would need grants, philanthropic donations and municipal bonds as options to fund the remaining need.

Council President Mike McGuinness said looming deadlines led to the decision to authorize Racer Design Studios and Hobbs and Black Design Team to proceed with the full architecture, design, and engineering work.

The city plans to use at least $10 million from its $37 million in American Rescue Plan Act money. But that money must be allocated by Dec. 31 or the city risks losing it.

McGuinness said the city also faces other important facility costs that must be addressed in the next few years, including updating or replacing city hall, five fire stations, the sheriff’s office building next to city hall, the two senior centers, the 50th District Court, the city’s two cemeteries, the Collier Road landfill and purchasing or building a public works facility.

The city currently rents space for public works equipment and supplies.

An estimated $2 million from youth recreation millage will be used for the new facility. Based on estimates, the millage will raise close to $9 million. But resources created by youth rec money can only be used to benefit Pontiac residents 21 years old or younger. The millage money is not enough to pay for a new facility or the ongoing operating costs.

Mayor Tim Greimel said a youth-only facility would be mostly empty while school is in session, so it makes sense to use the space for other residents. He said the previous administration had saved $3.2 million for the project.

All members of the council advocated for a plan that would include a pool even if other building amenities were removed or reduced.

McGuinness said the city needs to make smart decisions with tax dollars by making proactive repairs to avoid having to replace whole buildings.

The school district has plans to complete an Olympic-size pool by the end of this year, he said and the city still needs to fix sidewalks and repair potholes, McGuinness said.

Councilman William Carrington said he voted against the district’s pool plans when he was on the school board, based on insurance and liability concerns.

Tarrance Price, the city’s parks and recreation director, briefly reviewed first-year operational costs, which would be an estimated $2.2 million with a pool, creating a $760,000 gap between what the The list totalled $2.2 million. The youth recreation millage generates an estimated $1.4 million a year. McGuinness said grants or renting out the facility could help make up the $760,000 gap.

Price said questions to be answered are whether to include metal detectors and a sheriff’s deputy; whether cash would be handled in the facility which would require specialized training and rules for getting the money to the city’s treasurer’s office on a daily basis and how the building closes each night. Weekend hours would require having an on-site safe until the money could be delivered to City Hall. Some estimated costs: $52,000 for building insurance and $500,000 for liability insurance, $468,000 for part-time employees and $465,000 for full-time employees, $30,000 for pool chemicals.

He said costs without a pool are closer to an estimated nearly $1.7 million, with a funding gap close to $300,000.

Children will be able to participate in most youth recreation programming at no cost, either at the new facility or various sites around the city. The city will create a fee schedule for facility use and rentals to offset operating costs, according to city officials.

Price said it takes three to five years to amass enough data to confidently project annual operating costs.

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.

 

A Waterford Township man accused of sexually assaulting four boys, and having photos and videos of child sex abuse, will have a preliminary exam next month for a judge to decide if the case should proceed.

Logan Joseph Sutherland, 21, is charged with four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of possession of child sexually abusive material-aggravated. The boys he’s accused of abusing are ages 7, 10, 11 and 13, and the videos and photos involved in the case were found on his cell phone, police said.

A preliminary exam is scheduled for Oct. 8, where 51st District Judge Todd Fox will be presented with evidence and then determine if there’s probable cause for the case to advance to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial. A probable cause conference is to be held a week earlier than the exam, according to Sutherland’s court file.

Police arrested Sutherland on Aug. 27 at his Waterford home after detectives investigated a criminal sexual conduct complaint there involving a 10-year-old boy, police said. Since the arrest, three other alleged victims came forward, police said, for alleged assaults at Sutherland’s home as well as ZapZone, Sportway and SkyZone in Commerce Township. Sutherland had reportedly befriended parents of young boys to gain their trust and then have time alone with the children, police said.

The cell phone depicts photos of young boys other than the four identified, police said.

If convicted, Sutherland faces up to 15 years in prison. For now, he’s in the Oakland County Jail with bond set at $100,000.

Oakland County business fraudster headed to prison

 

The case against a Flint woman accused of killing her toddler in Pontiac has been advanced to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial.

Latonya Thomas, 27, is scheduled to be arraigned by Judge Daniel O’Brien on Sept. 16. Held in the Oakland County Jail with bond set at $1 million, she’s charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse for the April 25 death of her 3-year-old son, Zaveion Thomas.

The case was bound over from 50th District Court to the higher court on Sept. 6, following a preliminary exam.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the child was unresponsive when deputies responded to a 911 call for help at a home in the 100 block of Perry Place — and saw Thomas attempting to perform CPR on him. Paramedics transported the child to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy revealed the child had been injured in an assault and the death was ruled a homicide. An investigation by detectives determined Thomas had assaulted him, causing the injuries that resulted in his death, the sheriff’s office said.

Thomas was arrested in June by the sheriff’s Fugitive Apprehension Team.

Woman accused of killing her toddler in Pontiac; jailed on $1M bond

Arizona man accused of rape at Auburn Hills hotel

An Arizona man accused of raping a woman in her hotel room in Auburn Hills last month has been arraigned on felony charges.

Joel Delavara, 36, of Yuma, is charged with first degree criminal sexual conduct, second degree criminal sexual conduct and first degree home invasion for allegedly gaining access to a woman’s hotel room by having a copy made of her key and then sexually assaulting her before flying back to Arizona.

The assault allegedly happened on Aug. 14.

Delavera was arraigned in 52-3 District Court on Sept. 5 where Magistrate Marie Soma set bond at $100,000 with a 10% provision — which means $10,000 will keep him out of jail for now. The bond was posted the same day. His court file states he’s to be monitored by electronic tether.

The case will be handled by the Special Victims Unit of the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. The Oakland Press has requested a mugshot but hasn’t heard back yet.

Delavara is scheduled for a probable cause conference on Sept. 19 and a preliminary examination a week later before 52-3 Judge Lisa Asadoorian.

Delavara faces up to life in prison if convicted.

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

Henry Ford Health and Ascension Michigan plan to launch a combined organization Oct. 1 that will employ 50,000 people at more than 550 sites in southeast Michigan.

Eight Ascension acute care hospitals that are included in the partnership are:

– Ascension Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc Township

– Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Warren and Madison Heights campuses

– Ascension Providence Hospital, Novi and Southfield campuses

– Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital in Rochester Hills

– Ascension River District Hospital in East China Township

– Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit.

All of the hospitals’ related sites of care will also be included, as well as Ascension Brighton Center for Recovery, according to a release from Henry Ford Health.

All of Henry Ford’s acute care hospitals and other facilities and assets, including Health Alliance Plan, will be included in the partnership.

Ascension hospitals outside of southeast Michigan will remain part of the Ascension family.

The two health care companies announced the joint venture last fall. Henry Ford said at the time that the deal is not a merger or acquisition.

A Henry Ford spokeswoman said the entire joint venture will be branded Henry Ford Health. More information about the names of the affected hospitals will be released after Oct. 1.

Henry Ford said in a release in early September that “the joint venture will bring together Ascension’s southeast Michigan and Genesys health care facilities and assets with Henry Ford’s, enabling the newly combined organization to make a dramatic impact on the health of the communities it serves – improving outcomes, access and experience; prioritizing population health and value-based care, championing equity for all, and partnering to advance innovation, academic medicine and advanced, complex care.”

“Words can’t express how excited we are to find ourselves at this moment,” said Bob Riney, president and CEO, Henry Ford Health. “Since we announced our proposed joint venture last fall, we’ve been engaged in thoughtful planning across our organizations – all focused on how we plan to come together to build the future of health on behalf of those we serve.”

Carol Schmidt, senior vice president, Ascension, and CEO, Ascension Michigan, will partner with Riney in the first phase of the transition.

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.