The founder of Auto Workers for Trump 2024 in Macomb County thanked President Trump and predicted auto plants will reopen over the next few years during a brief speech at the president’s “Liberation Day” at the White House.

Brian Pannebecker attended the event Wednesday in the Rose Garden along with many top federal officials and 20 Michigan UAW members. Pannebecker cited the group of auto workers, who responded with cheers, during his remarks after Trump invited him to the podium on stage.

“We support Donald Trump’s policies on tariffs 100%,” Pannebecker said, pointing to the group, which included Chris Vitale of St. Clair Shores. “In six months or a year, we’re going to begin seeing the benefits. I can’t wait to see what’s happening three-four years down the road.”

In asking him to come on stage, Trump said, “He’s been a fan of ours and he understands this business a lot better than the economists, a lot better than anybody.”

Pannebecker started his comments by noting he is from “north of Detroit, Macomb County, the home of the Reagan Democrats.”

“My first vote for president was for Ronald Reagan,” he said. “I thought that was going to be the best president ever in my lifetime. That was until Donald J. Trump came along.”

He described metro Detroit as a region of closed and idle auto plants.

“My entire life I have watched plant after plant after plant in Detroit and the Metro Detroit area close,” Pannebecke said. “There are now plants sitting idle, there are now plants under-utilized. Donald Trump’s policies are going to bring product back into these under-utilized plants. There’s going to be new investment, new plants built.”

After he left the stage, Trump said of Pannebecker, “He got it right from the beginning; he got it before almost anyone else, and they (referencing the auto union members in the audience) did, too.”

“You’re going to be happy very soon,” the president assured.

Pannebecker, a New Baltimore resident and Sterling Heights native, is a retired auto worker who spoke at a Trump rally last November and has organized many pro-Trump events in recent years.

Vitale is a St. Clair Shores city councilman and recently recent Stellantis employee who was one of the 20 UAW members invited to attend the ceremony

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Vitale said before the event Wednesday morning from Washington D.C.. “They were looking for some autoworkers to show support, and I was picked to be one of them.”

Vitale said he is a strong supporter of Trump’s plans to heighten tariffs and has campaigned for them in the past. Like Pannebecker, he said he believes in the long run they will benefit the United States.

“My feeling is that the rest of the world is in a panic over these because they’ve been doing them to us for the past 60 years,” he said. “I would say in a year from now a lot of them probably won’t even be in place because the idea is to get those foreign governments to take down their tariffs on American products, level the playing field, so to speak, which is something I’ve been advocating for since 2008. Not looking for special treatment, just looking for equal treatment.”

He called the part of the negative reaction to tariffs “hair lighting on fire … nothing more than drama” because most products from Canada and Mexico initially will be exempt as part of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement. He called those reactions “scare stories.”

He said the explanation to support the tariffs is complex.

“What Trump is doing is fundamentally the right move,” he said.

Vitale paid for his trip, he said.

Vitale, who said he remains a member of the UAW, said he tested prototype drivetrains the last 10 years of his career at the Tech Center in Auburn Hills, and prior to that worked at other facilities for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Chrysler.

He was elected to City Council in November 2011 and was last re-elected in November 2023.

New Baltimore man accused of selling counterfeit air bags

Macomb County man pleads to federal drug trafficking in two states

Tuesday lunches spotlight Nautical Mile businesses

State lawmaker Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak announces Democratic bid for US Senate

Armada’s young duo helps galvanize win over L’Anse Creuse North

The Trump administration abruptly cut just over $3 million in healthcare funding for Oakland County Tuesday.

The money was COVID-related public health grants to Oakland County through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

County Executive Dave Coulter said five nurses were told Tuesday night not to report to work Wednesday. They had been hired last year to assist the county’s 146 long-term care facilities with coordinated outbreak response efforts. Since the program started on Sept. 25, 2024, the nurses responded to 123 COVID, 25 norovirus and 126 influenza outbreaks. This program was funded by a $2.5 million federal grant, with $2.1 million unspent.

At least $1 million from the county’s $1.24 million federally funded wastewater disease surveillance program must be returned. Wastewater was initially tested to track outbreaks of COVID-19 but expanded to include norovirus, influenza, and RSV in nursing homes and other facilities for seniors and people with disabilities. This year, county officials planned to expand testing to include mpox, polio and measles.

Coulter said the orders by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are reckless and not based in science.

“He’s not explaining why he’s picking infectious diseases and wastewater detection,” Coulter said. “Viruses don’t stop when these kinds of sweeping decisions get made.”

Statewide, the cuts amount to $379.3 million that pay for mental health and substance abuse services, infectious disease control and vaccinations for children and vulnerable adults.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined 23 states and the District of Columbia Tuesday to sue the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for the cuts, which total nearly $11 billion nationally.

Coulter said he supports the state’s lawsuit. It’s unclear what other cuts will be made because the Trump administration’s decisions have been so unpredictable, he said.

The two county programs canceled this week had been funded through Sept. 30, 2025.

“It’s beyond reckless and shortsighted move by the Trump administration that puts Oakland County residents at risk, especially our seniors,” Coulter said. “Wastewater surveillance and infection prevention efforts are not relics of the pandemic, but critical tools to continue protecting public health today and in the future.”

Oakland County Health and Human Services Director Leigh-Anne Stafford said the cuts undermine the county’s ability to prevent outbreaks, care for vulnerable people and respond to emerging health threats.

“These programs have been instrumental in preventing outbreaks and protecting our community,” she said.

The five nurses who signed contracts last year to help with outbreaks also helped investigate 382 cases of reportable infectious diseases. They made hundreds of phone calls to residents exposed to such diseases as ebola, bird flu, measles and rabies.

The first COVID-19 death in Michigan happened in Oakland County in 2020. In 2022, the state’s first mpox illness was diagnosed in Oakland County. This year, Oakland County identified the first measles case in the state in March. Michigan health officials have reported two cases of humans infected with the bird flu, but the county wasn’t identified.

Coulter said eliminating the wastewater surveillance program and the five nurses dedicated to infectious disease prevention does nothing more than increase the risk of illnesses in county residents.

Part of the reason the money was unspent, he said, is that the programs had to be put in place before people could be hired to support them. The money was initially granted as part of the COVID response but as the virus abated, Congress and the Biden administration agreed that the money could be used for other health programs.

“People can disagree about the need for these federal funds, but it’s the chaos – it’s hard to think ahead,” he said. “We don’t have a Plan B for grant-funded programs. When the money ends, the program ends. That’s our policy.”

The Pontiac that goes below the Phoenix Center is closed. It’s a beginning step in a long-term plan that will reconfigure downtown Pontiac and reinvent the Ottawa Towers. It’s just one issue on Tuesday’s city council agenda.

Already, drivers headed west on Auburn Road and east on Orchard Lake Road are being detoured to the north- and southbound lanes of Woodward Avenue. The two roads meet under the Phoenix Center, which is about to be demolished.

The road will remain closed for an estimated 12 to 18 months, which include rebuilding the road.

Pontiac’s city council will hear a presentation on demolition and construction plans at Tuesday’s meeting. The council will also consider adding 74 parking spaces, including three accessible spaces for people with disabilities, on Judson Street.

The temporary parking spaces will be used by tenants at 51111 Woodward Ave. and their visitors. The building is used by the state and Oakland County officials plan to occupy some of the offices once the renovation is complete.

Adding parking spaces will reduce Judson Street to two lanes of traffic. The city will post a “No Through Traffic” sign for westbound drivers to prevent them from using the street as a shortcut from southbound to northbound Woodward during the next two years. During that time, the traffic light at Judson and Saginaw streets will be off and traffic will use a four-way stop.

Once demotion is done, construction will start on a parking deck. It’s part of a long-term plan to move an estimated 700 county employees to downtown Pontiac after the county purchased the former General Motors building at 31 E. Judson St. and 51111 Woodward Ave.

The overall project will cost an estimated cost of $120 to $130 million. The county has committed $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act money to the project; the state granted $50 million for the work.

The Phoenix Center demolition will open eventually up Saginaw Street to the downtown’s south end. The city will get a park and entertainment space as part of the deal.

Tuesday’s council meeting will also include a presentation on creating a bonding authority for the city, in part to pursue a $15 million capital improvement bond to finance part of the construction for a youth recreation center. The council will also discuss using the bonding authority for other capital projects, according to the board’s president, Mike McGuinness.

The council meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, for a closed session about a real estate matter, followed by a public meeting at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall, 47450 Woodward Ave. in Pontiac. The complete agenda and packet are online at https://www.pontiac.mi.us/government/city_council/agendas___minutes.php.

Several education bills have passed in the Michigan House including one to eliminate the fee to apply for a teaching certificate and renewal.

Last week three bills passed, one of which was sponsored by state Rep. Mark Tisdel (R-55th District Rochester and Rochester Hills), eliminating hundreds of dollars in fees for teachers on everything from teaching certificate applications and renewals to new endorsements and permits.

Fees are usually $160 for the initial application and then $100 to renew every five years, or $210 for an out-of-state teacher to become a teacher in Michigan. There are other fees for more advanced certificates.

Those fees would be eliminated.

“In an age where schools are struggling to keep our best teachers on the job, nickel and diming our educators every year can no longer be an option,” Tisdel said in a statement after the bill passed. “We need to make it as easy as possible to start a career in education and stop punishing teachers for staying in that important job for the long-term.”

Another bill co-sponsored by Tisdel, allows teachers to fill critical vacancies when they have subject area expertise.

“Many schools that can’t fill specific areas will wait until next year to hire someone, and teachers who want to teach a new subject often have to go through a lengthy process instead of simply adding a new subject area endorsement to their license,” said Tisdel. “If a social studies teacher has a background in literature and wants to step in and teach English, they should be able to do so when it makes sense.”

House Bill 4153 co-sponsored by Tisdel, Tom Kuhn (R-57th District Troy and Madison Heights) and others addressed hiring local experts to teach specific classes, like asking software engineers to offer courses in computer science and bringing in retired statisticians to teach statistics.

“The private sector is laying people off and wouldn’t it be great to give them a path to coming into a classroom and continuing to show their knowledge and skills to the next generation of students?” said Tisdel.

Other bills under consideration in the House include:

House Bill 4156: Overhauling the Michigan Merit Curriculum system by allowing students to pursue paths that match their talents and interests. Alternatives include:

Allowing two out of four math credits to be replaced by career technical education or college dual enrollment classes;
Adding computer science classes to the list of courses that count toward science, math and art credit requirements;
Including coding classes as options to fill foreign language requirements;
requiring a class in personal finance and offering multiple options for electives, like business mathematics, agribusiness and computer science.
House Bill 4154: Adding trade school options to dual enrollment.

House Bill 4148: Changing the state Board of Education election process, so board members are nominated at the local level to represent their communities.

House Bills 4155 and 4159: Creating and publishing a list of proven curriculum options and resources for teachers, giving educators access to a vast array of resources in line with the highest state and national standards. In 2022 alone, elementary teachers used 444 different language arts curriculum resources statewide.

House Bill 4147: Boosting teacher pay and hiring more teachers by helping schools spend less on overhead.

“These bills are not tied together, but there is a common element to all of them aimed at making the education process easier,” said Tisdel. “They are to clear as many obstacles and fences out of the way as possible and make life a little easier for the teachers.”

“The other bills in the education package are still working their way through committee or on the floor, but haven’t come up for final passage yet,” said House Republican Senior Communications Advisor Jeremiah Ward.

Tisdel also presented two bills last year that could be voted on later in the spring.

The first bill amends the Revised School Code to require public and nonpublic schools to implement a mobile panic alert system beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

The bill requires the system to ensure real-time coordination between schools, 911, law enforcement, and first responders; and must directly integrate with local public safety answering point infrastructure to transmit 911 calls and mobile activations with continued two-way communication between 911 and the school.

The bill is a variation on Alyssa’s Law, named after 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, who was killed in a 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The second bill would ban or restrict smartphones in schools throughout the state.

Tisdel estimated that only 27 out of 538 public school districts in the state currently have some form of cell phone ban or restrictions in place and is looking to create legislation to cover all schools statewide. Armada schools in Macomb County implemented a new cell phone policy last month.

Although cell phone bans have been passed in seven different states, including Ohio, Indiana and Minnesota, Tisdel said he worked with other legislators and experts over two years to create the language for the bill rather than duplicate the policies implemented in those states.

“We started from scratch. I targeted it off of what some of the school districts have already had some experience with and established a minimum baseline and then in the legislation school districts are allowed to be more strict or add additional guardrails if they so choose,” said Tisdel.

 

 

 

The following is a list of organizations in the area that are offering Friday fish fry dinners during Lent.

• Knights of Columbus #8659 Lenten Fish Dinners are 4-7 p.m. Fridays through April 11, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church Parish, 3400 S. Adams Road, Auburn Hills, 248-852-4170, www.esacredheart.org, dine-in or carry-out, $14+, children younger than 10-free, other menu items, www.facebook.com/sacredHeart7009.

• Berkley American Legion Stanley J. Fons Post 374 hosts its annual Fish Fry Dinner Fundraiser, 5-8 p.m. Fridays, through April 18, at 2079 W. Twelve Mile Road, Berkley, dinners start at $10 for 1-piece dinner, menu prices vary, carryout hot-line 248-591-9220, facebook.com/berkleyamericanlegion. Also, bake sale will be held during Friday fish dinners. Donated baked items requested, and can be dropped off on Thursdays or Fridays.

• Clarkston Eagles 3373 offers Friday Fish Fry dinners, 5-8 p.m. Fridays at 5640 Maybee Road, Clarkston, $10-$12+.

• Friday Night Fish Fry dinners are 5-8 p.m. Fridays, at American Legion Chief Pontiac Post 377, 4819 Mary Sue Ave., Clarkston, www.chiefpontiac377.org, 248-673-9301. The menu includes a range of choices, prices vary.

• Knights of Columbus Lenten Fish Fry dinners are 4:30-7 p.m. Fridays through April 11, at St. Joseph Myrick Hall, 715 N. Lapeer Road, Lake Orion, $15 for 2-piece cod fish dinner with coleslaw, roll and French fries, $19 for three-piece dinner. Sit down or carry out, cash and credit card accepted for dinners (cash only for the beverage bar), www.stjoelo.org, 248-693-0440.

• Oxford American Legion Post 108 offers fish dinners from noon to 8 p.m. Fridays throughout the year, at 130 Drahner Road, Oxford, 248-628-9081, menu prices vary.

• The Rochester Area Knights of Columbus will be offering fish fry dinners every Friday during Lent, through April 11, between 5 to 7 p.m. at the Rochester Community House, 816 Ludlow, Rochester. Baked or fried cod fish dinners, adults-$14 and children 12 and under-$7, baked potato-$1, drinks-$1, desserts-$2. Cash or credit cards are accepted, https://kofc5452.org. Dine in or carry out is available.

• Royal Oak-Detroit Elks Lodge #34 offers fish dinners, 5:30-8 p.m. Fridays through April 18, during Lent at the lodge, 2401 E 4th St, Royal Oak. Fish and chips dinners include 3 pieces of cod, fries, coleslaw for $15, baked walleye dinners are $15, kids meals are $8, dessert included with meals, www.facebook.com/RODElks34.

• Royal Oak First United Methodist Church Fish Dinners are 4:30-7 p.m. March 21 and April 4, at the church, 320 W. 7th Street, Royal Oak, www.rofum.org, 248-541-4100, menu prices vary.

• Friday fish fry dinners are 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays, through April 18, at St. Andrew’s Society of Detroit, Kilgour Scottish Centre, 2363 Rochester Road, Troy, dine-in or carry out, www.facebook.com/DetroitScots, 248-526-1849, $15-$17+, children-$7+, cash bar.

• St. William Dads’ Club 36th Annual Lenten Fish Fry Dinners are 4-8 p.m. Fridays through April 11, and carryout only, 3-8 p.m. April 18, at St. William Parish 531 Common St., Walled Lake, drive-up service, order online at https://saintwilliam.net, 248-624-1421, Fish dinner-carryout is $15.50+, other menu items to purchase.

• Knights of Columbus Lenten Fish Fry Dinners, are 4-8 p.m. Fridays, through April 11, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 9086 Hutchins White Lake Twp., 248-698-3100, www.stpatrickwhitelake.org, dine-in or drive-thru, fish dinners, menu prices vary.

Oakland Town Hall announces the second half of their 2024/2025 program series, which is held at the Iroquois Club, 43248 Woodward Ave, Bloomfield Hills.

On Wednesday, April 9, at 10:30 a.m., James Delgado, a maritime archaeologist who works around the globe will speak on the “Lost, Unknown, and Then Found: the Forensics of Shipwrecks”. On Wednesday May 14, at 10:30 a.m. Vanessa Carr, a world-class entertainer noted for her dynamic musical performances promises a wonderful morning of music.

Delgardo, a respected leader whose prime directive is helping keep maritime archaeology alive and accessible to everyone. He has worked on some of the most famous shipwreck sites in history from Titanic, the lost fleet of Kublai Klan, the USS Arizona, the fabled “ghost ship” Mary Celeste and the atomic bombed fleet at Bikiri Atoel and his many expeditions have solved long-lasting undersea mysteries, brought closure to families and connected the modern world with powerful human stories
from the past. He has held many positions from President of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology to Senior Vice President of SEARCH, Inc. He speaks to his decades of work on and under the sea and the amazing people he has met.

Vanessa Carr has a genuine connection to audiences as a singer and dancer, she is recognized for her humorous renditions, emotional interpretations and captivating story-telling. Her ever-growing repertoire includes a diverse variety of genres: Broadway show tunes, music of the Great American Songbook and Opera. Carr specializes in singing the “Star Spangled Banner” and she has done the kick-off for the Detroit Lions and Tigers games with her rendition of the National Anthem. She was also a member of the Pistons House Band. She has starred as Fantine in “Les Miserables” and Ursula in “The Little Mermaid.” Audiences are charmed by this talented performer.

Anyone interested in purchasing reservations, may contact Nancy Holen at 248-673-5984.

On sale 10 a.m. March 21

• Babymetal: July 3, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, ticket prices vary.

• Collective Soul, +LIVE+: July 22, Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, ticket prices vary.

• AJR: July 29, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., with Goth Babe, Cavetown, Valley and Madelyn Mei, ticket prices vary.

• The Black Keys, Gary Clark Jr.: Aug. 21, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Independence Twp., ticket prices vary.

• Ray LaMontagne: Sept. 20, Fox Theatre, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• Sleep Token: Sept. 26, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, ticket prices vary.

• Taylor Tomlinson: Jan. 10, Fox Theatre, ticket prices vary.

On sale 10 a.m. March 28

• John Legend: Nov. 11, Fox 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

• RAIN-A Tribute to the Beatles: 7:30 p.m. March 21, Fox Theatre, Detroit, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Burton Cummings: March 21, Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, 350 Madison St., Detroit, www.hollywoodgreektown.com/entertainment, $69+.

• Ben Sharkey: 8 p.m. March 21, at 20 Front Street, Lake Orion, 248-783-7105, www.20frontstreet.com, doors at 7:30 p.m., $20+.

• Harmony in the Hills Lenten Concert Series: Wendy Chu, piano, is noon March 21, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 620 Romeo St. Rochester, https://stpaulsrochester.org.

• Tales from the D-Dennis Coffey: March 21, Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit, hosted by Detroit musician Tino Gross, featuring performance by Spyder Turner, Ronnie Nelson Band, detroithistorical.org, $35.

• STOMP: 7:30 p.m. March 20-21, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Twp., www.macombcenter.com, 586-286-2222, $63-$89.

• Sebastian Maniscalco: 7 p.m. March 22, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Experience Hendrix Tour: 7:30 p.m. March 22, Fox Theatre, Detroit, featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Marcus King, Eric Johnson, Noah Hunt, Devon Allman, Ally Venable, (and more, lineup subject to change), Fox Theatre, Detroit, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• The Spinners: March 22, Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Road, Warren, andiamoshowroom.com, doors at 7 p.m., $35-$79+.

• Tusk-Fleetwood Mac tribute: March 22, Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac, ticketmaster.com, ticket prices vary.

• Old Days – A Chicago Tribute: 8 p.m. March 22, Younger’s Showroom, 120 S. Main, Romeo, ages 21+, www.youngersromeo.com, $25+

• Cooper Alan: March 22, Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St. Royal Oak, www.royaloakmusictheatre.com, 248-399-3065, ticket prices vary.

• Steinway Piano Recital-Ravel Festival: 6:30-8 p.m. March 22 and 3-5:30 p.m. March 23, Cranbrook House, 380 Lone Pine Road, Bloomfield Hills. Register for tickets at https://housegardens.cranbrook.edu/events/steinway-piano-recitals, $50 general admission each day, $25-full time students.

• Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October: March 23, Flagstar Strand Theatre, Pontiac, www.flagstarstrand.com, ticket prices vary.

• Newberry & Verch: March 23, The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, https://theark.org/event, $20+.

• Dwele, Conya Doss: 7:30 p.m., March 23, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Detroit, 313presents.com, ticket prices vary.

• Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass: March 25, Masonic Cathedral Theatre, 500 Temple St., Detroit, www.themasonic.com, doors at 7 p.m. ticket prices vary.

• Sarah Shook & The Disarmers: March 25, The Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, www.themagicbag.com, doors at 7 p.m., all ages, $20+ adv.

Opera

• Mozart’s “Così fan tutte”: April 5-13, Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit. Tickets start at $30, available at https://detroitopera.org, tickets@detroitopera.org, 313-237-7464.

Shows

• Backyard Pool & Spa Show: March 21-23, Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi, www.backyardpoolshow.com, gen admission is $14, free for children under 12.

• 2nd Annual Spring Arts & Crafts Show: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. March 29, White Lake Oaks, 991 N. Williams Lake Road, White Lake, admission is free, concession items available for purchase. For information, call 248-698-2700 or email rowleyd@oakgov.com, OaklandCountyParks.com.

• Davison High School Spring Craft Show: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 5, Davison High School, 1250 N. Oak Road, Davison. The  annual event is hosted by the Davison wrestling boosters. Admission is $3 for ages 14+, https://smetankacraftshows.com.

Theater

• “Vanities-The Musical”: March 19-April 13, Meadow Brook Theatre, on the campus of Oakland University, 248-377-3300, www.mbtheatre.com, ticket prices vary.

• “The 39 Steps”: Through March 21, Oakland Community College Orchard Ridge Campus – Building T Smith Theatre, 27055 Orchard Lake Road Farmington Hills, www.oaklandcc.edu/calendar, tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for seniors and students, and free for OCC students, employees and alumni, www.eventbrite.com/e/the-39-steps-tickets-1109564660769?aff=oddtdtcreator.

• “The 39 Steps”: Through March 22, presented by Clarkston Village Players, at The Depot Theatre, 4861 White Lake Road, Clarkston, clarkstonvillageplayers.org, 248-425-5842, $17.

• “Double Takes”: Through March 22, Planet Ant Black Box, 2357 Caniff St., Hamtramck, planetant.com/events for $25 or $30 at the door.

• “Alice Through The Looking Glass”: March 22-April 19, The Boardwalk Theatre, 109 S. 3rd St., Saint Clair, www.thumbcoasttheaters.com, 810-278-1749, $38.

• “Kimberly Akimbo”: Through March 23, Fisher Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. 313-872-1000, broadwayindetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• “Laughter on the 23rd Floor”: Through March 29, Avon Players Community Theatre, 1185 Washington Road, Rochester Hills, 248-608-9077, www.avonplayers.org, $28.

• “Steel Magnolias”: Through March 30, Birmingham Village Players, 34660 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, $30 (including ticketing fee), 248-644-2075, www.birminghamvillageplayers.com.

• “English”: Through April 6, Tipping Point Theatre, 361 E Cady St., Northville, www.tippingpointtheatre.com, ticket prices vary.

• Meadow Brook Theatre Guild Costume Show: 3 p.m. March 27, Rochester Community House, 816 Ludlow, Rochester. Guild members will model costumes from previous theater productions, for information, email AAUWLinda@gmail.com, no tickets required.

• “Dress Rehearsal”- The Show: March 28-April 5, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Planet Ant Black Box, 2357 Caniff Street, Hamtramck, planetant.com/events, $30+ or $35+ at the door.

• “Groundhog Day”-The Musical: March 28-April 6, presented by Grosse Pointe Theatre, Pierce Middle School, 15430 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe Park, $35 including fees (weekends) $25 including fees (weeknights), gpt.org/groundhog, 313-881-4004.

• “The Prom” musical: March 28-April 6, Hilberry Gateway, 4715 Cass Ave, Detroit, https://theatreanddance.wayne.edu/about/hilberrygateway, ticket prices vary, parking fees.

• “White Rabbit Red Rabbit”: 7 p.m. March 30, Tipping Point Theatre, 361 E Cady St., Northville, featuring TPT Artistic Director Julia Glander, the performance unfolds with the premise that the performer sees the script for the first time on stage, and performs it only once.

• Open Auditions: Grosse Pointe Theatre is holding open auditions for its Ten-Minute Play Festival, 10 a.m.-noon April 5, at Grosse Pointe Theatre’s Rehearsal Studio, 315 Fisher Road, Grosse Pointe. Adult actors of various ages are needed for ten short plays. Register at www.gpt.org/auditions.

Art

• Drawing in the Galleries: European-Medieval & Renaissance is 6-8:30 p.m. March 21, noon-4 p.m. March 23; Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, www.dia.org.

• “Building an Artistic Life: Arts Career Forum 2025 is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. March 21, at Washtenaw Community College Morris Lawrence Building, 4800 E. Huron River Drive, www.wccnet.edu/succeed/entrepreneurship-center/events-workshops, free.

• “Acrylic Paintings of Family at Home and Abroad”: Opens March 24, Farmington Hills City Hall, 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, opening reception and artist talk is 6-8 p.m. March 28, featuring paintings and poetry by artist Elizabeth Hull, www.fhgov.com, 248-699-6709.

• Public Lecture Series: Mike Cloud, 6 p.m. March 27, Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, https://cranbrookart.edu/event/public-lecture-mike-cloud, 248-645-3300, free and open to the public at Cranbrook’s deSalle Auditorium. Cranbrook Art Museum is open late and free to all on Thursdays, arrive early to explore exhibitions.

• “Anti-Inflation Art Show”: Through March 28, Color | Ink Studio, 20919 John R Road, Hazel Park. Gallery is open 1 to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday, and at other times by appointment, ColorInkStudio.com, 248-398-6119.

• Art Leaders Gallery Young Artist Scholarship Competition: Submission deadline is 6 p.m. March 31, at Art Leaders Gallery, 33086 Northwestern Hwy, West Bloomfield Twp., www.artleaders.com/young-artist-juried-exhibition, $10 entry fee.

• Artists invitations: The Northville Art House invites artists for two upcoming art fairs. The Young Artist Art Fair for ages 7-18 is May 10, apply by May 1 at https://northvillearthouse.org/yaaf/registration. The Northville Art House Art Market is June 13-15, with a March 31 deadline to apply at www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=13318. Both fairs charge booth fees, www.northvillearthouse.org, 248-344-0497.

• Deck Art 2025: Downtown Rochester is calling all artists, youth and adult, to participate in downtown Rochester’s annual Skateboard Art Competition & Exhibition Deck Art 2025. Artists are asked to provide their unique work on a blank skateboard deck. Winning pieces will be picked in each category by a panel of judges, and prizes awarded. Registration is open through April 11 (while supplies last), and the event takes place on May 15-16, www.downtownrochestermi.com/deck-art.

• Anthony Brass “Breath”: Through April 11, Ferndale Area District Library, 222 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, www.fadl.org.

• NOXX Cannabis Mural Contest: Submissions are due by April 15. The design should celebrate what makes Detroit unique. Artists can submit up to five designs for consideration. From April 21 to May 4, the public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite design. The 430-square-foot mural will be featured on the covered parking lot wall at NOXX’s dispensary, 23622 Woodward Ave. Pleasant Ridge. The mural will be painted between May 13 and May 22, weather permitting, https://noxx.com/noxx-woodward-mural-contest.

• Warp and Weft-Technologies within Textiles: Exhibit through May 3, The Shepherd, 1265 Parkview St., Detroit. Hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, https://lscgallery.com/the-shepherd-bio.

• Downtown Rochester Makers’ Market: Vendor registration is open until April 18, vendors will be notified if selected by April 23. The market is scheduled for 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 21, at W. Fourth Street in downtown Rochester. Artisan vendors, makers, and handmade crafters are welcome to purchase a vendor space at the market. Registration forms and prices are at Downtownrochestermi.com.

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

• Painted with Silk-The Art of Early American Embroidery: Through June 15, Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, https://dia.org/events/exhibitions/painted-silk.

• Henry Ossawa Tanner-“Flight into Egypt”: On view in African American, Level 2, West Wing, D, Detroit Institute of Arts, Art-Making Studio, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, www.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.

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

Beats, continued

• Mike Zito: 7:45 p.m. March 28, Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. Doors at 7 p.m. 734-513-5030, okenlounge.com, $20+.

• Lily Rose, Payton Smith: March 28, District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, district142live.com, $20-$30+.

• Dueling Pianos: 8 p.m. March 28, Younger’s Showroom, 120 S. Main, Romeo, ages 21+, www.youngersromeo.com, $25+

• The War and Treaty: 7 p.m. March 29, Saint Andrews Hall, 431 E Congress St., Detroit, livenation.com, ticket prices vary.

• The Taxpayers: March 29, The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 248-820-5596, thelovingtouchferndale.com, all ages, doors at 7 p.m., $30+.

• The Miracles: 7:30 p.m. March 29, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Twp., www.macombcenter.com, 586-286-2222, $53-$79, ages 12 and under- $50-$69.

• The Used: April 3, 5, 6, The Fillmore Detroit, www.thefillmoredetroit.com, ticket prices vary.

• Candlelight-Classic Rock on Strings: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles is April 4, Sanctuary Church Birmingham, 300 Willits St, Birmingham, https://feverup.com/m/250445, ticket prices vary

• Dueling Pianos: 8 p.m. April 5, The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester, 248-453-5285, www.theroxyrochester.com, doors at 7 p.m., ages 21+, $30+.

• Hawaiian artist Maoli: April 5, Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit, www.majesticdetroit.com/calendar, doors at 7 p.m., 29.50+.

Books

• Author Dagnija “Daggie” Lacis: 2 p.m. March 23, Clarkston Public Library, 6495 Clarkston Road, Clarkston. Dagnija “Daggie” Lacis, author of memoir, “The Wall Falls, A Woman Rises”, in-conversation with former WDIV reporter Mara MacDonald about her memoir, followed by a book signing, register at www.cidlibrary.org/event-calendar#/events.

• Author Amy Piper: Book signing events for “Secret Michigan-A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure:” 6:30-8 p.m. April 2, at Milford Public Library, 330 Family Drive, Milford, 248-684-0845; 2-4 p.m. April 6, at Brighton District Library, 100 Library Dr, Brighton, 810-229-6571; Noon-5 p.m. April 13, at Super 8, 6951 Newark Road, Imlay City, 810-683-9079; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 26, Northfield Area Library Spring Fest, Northfield, (Whitmore Lake). The events are free and open to the public.

Classical/Orchestra

• Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony: March 21-23, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit, concert performance of the opera, dso.org, $20+.

• Classical Series: University of Michigan Chamber Music is 7 p.m. March 21, Hawk Theatre, 29995 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, TheHawkTheatre.com, 248-699-6709, all ages, free, advance registration required.

• Beethoven & Brahms: March 21-23, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit, dso.org, $20+.

• Prism Strings: 11 a.m. March 27, Hawk Theatre, 29995 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, TheHawkTheatre.com, 248-699-6709, all ages, concession, $15 adv., $20 at the door.

• Jader Conducts Brahms’s Third Symphony: March 27-29, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit, concert performance of the opera, dso.org, $20+.

• The Ferndale Community Concert Band: 3 p.m. March 30 at Orchestra Hall in Detroit, www.fcconcertband.org/event-calendar, free admission.

Comedy/Magic

• Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle: Matt McCusker-March 20-22; John Caparulo-March 27-29; at 310 S. Troy St., Royal Oak, www.comedycastle.com, 248-542-9900, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• One Night Stans: Aries Spears-March 20-22; Hip-Prov with Tam White-March 28; Chris Barnes-March 27-29; at 4761 Highland Road, Waterford Twp., www.onenightstans.club, 248-249-1321, ages 18+, ticket prices vary.

• “Comedy Night at The Crofoot”: 8-11 p.m. March 22, featuring Councilwoman Melanie Rutherford’s Stand-Up Debut, The Crofoot, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac, tickets at the door and online at https://thecrofoot.com/events, $15+.

• Michael Carbonaro: March 22, Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Detroit, www.musichall.org, $30+.

Dance

• Hula Palooza: 2 p.m. March 22, Unity East of Clinton Township, 23057 N Nunneley, Clinton Twp. Polynesian Dance Workshop, includes light snacks/refreshments, $30 per adult, $15 per child 10-17. Register via email by March 19, to uec.hulapalooza@gmail.com. Pay by cash or check at door, proceeds benefit Unity East of Clinton Township and Polynesian Arts Advocacy Council of Michigan.

• Fred Astaire Dance Studios Youth Dance Program: Ballroom Stars Youth Dance Program audition for dancers ages 6-17, and information event for parents/caregivers, 9 a.m.-noon April 12. Advance registration is required. Contact Fred Astaire Dance Studios: call or text 248-773-9392 or email bloomfieldhills@fredastaire.com.

Film

• AMC Theatres: AMC Forum Sterling Heights, 586-254-1381; AMC Star Gratiot Clinton Township, 586-791-2095; AMC Star Great Lakes Auburn Hills, 248-454-0314; AMC Star John R Madison Heights, 248-585-4477, amctheatres.com.

• Cinemark Southland Center, Taylor, 734-287-0629, www.cinemark.com/theatres.

• Detroit Film Theatre at Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, dia.org, ticket prices vary.

• Emagine Theatres: Birmingham 8, 248-723-6230; Emagine Palladium in Birmingham, 248-385-0500; Canton, 734-787-3002; The Riviera in Farmington Hills, 248-788-6572; Hartland, 810-207-5757; Macomb, 586-372-3456; Novi, 248-468-2990; Rochester Hills, 248-378-2991; Royal Oak, 248-414-1000, emagine-entertainment.com. Winter Kids Film Series is offered through March 20, with $3 tickets. Open caption showtimes are Sunday and Wednesday afternoons throughout March at select Emagine Theatres, 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+.

• MJR Theatres: MJR Chesterfield, 586-598-2500; MJR Universal Grand, Warren, 586-620-0200; MJR Troy, 248-498-2100; MJR Marketplace, Sterling Heights, 586-264-1514; MJR Partridge Creek, Clinton Twp., 586-263-0084; MJR Waterford, 248-666-7900, MJR Southgate, 734-284-3456, mjrtheatres.com.

• Oxford GQT Theater: 248-628-7101, gqtmovies.com/theaterinfo/x01tk-gqt-oxford-7.

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

• Regal UA, Commerce Twp.: 844-462-7342, regmovies.com/theatres/regal-ua-commerce-township.

• Romeo Theatre, Washington: 586-752-3455, romeotheatre.com.

Fundraisers

• St. Pat’s Party for Lost Voices Concert: 7 p.m. March 22, in the Wilcox Theater at the Plymouth Arts and Recreational Center (PARC), 650 Church Street in Plymouth, featuring Kitty Donohoe & Friends, Gretchen Pleuss and Mike Ball. Beer, wine, soft drinks, and sandwiches available for purchase. Proceeds to support Lost Voices, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing healing to kids who have experienced severe trauma through the power of music and storytelling, lostvoices.org, 313-405-7664, doors at 6 p.m., $25-$75+.

• Laugh Out Loud 4: 5:30-9 p.m. April 25, Dinner and Comedy Night with Jonnie W, at Lakeside Assembly of God, 46155 Schoenherr Road, Shelby Township, www.lakesideag.org/events/event/743/lol-4/2025-04-25, 586 726-1120. Net proceeds benefit Project Rescue, $25+ show only, (show at 8 p.m.), $35+ dinner and show.

Misc.

• “Elevate Your Well-Being” Seminar: 5-7:30 p.m. March 26, Emagine Palladium, 209 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, www.LiveWellLeadWell.us, $50+.

• Holistic Mystic Market & Meet Up: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. March 29, CenterPeace Healing and Events, 2609 Crooks Road, Troy. Immersive healing experiences including gallery readings, sound baths, meditation and mindfulness groups, www.centerpeacehealing.com, $7.

• Live cooking demonstration: 6:30 p.m. April 10, with Chef Jim Oppat at Andiamo Warren, 7096 E 14 Mile Road, Warren. Guests will watch as Chef Jim creates a spring menu of the evening’s dishes. Following the demo, guests will be served a four-course meal complete with a sommelier-curated wine pairing. Reservations required at www.AndiamoItalia.com, $59+ per person.

Museums

• Founder’s Day is 2-4 p.m. March 23, The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, presented by the Rochester Historical Commission, includes a presentation on Indigenous people in Oakland County presented by Carol Egbo, Oakland County’s Historian. starting with an Irish Bagpiper and ending with entertainment from Irish Dancers. Light refreshments provided. Register at www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms, free event.

• Spring into Science: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. March 26-28, Cranbrook Institute of Science, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, explore Michigan’s ecosystems and natural world through hands-on, environmental fun, 248-645-3200, cranbrook.edu, activities free with general admission, $14 for adults and $10.50 for children ages 2 to 12 and seniors ages 65+. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 26-27 and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. March 28.

• Meadow Brook Hall: Guided House Tours and Self-Guided Tours, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester. Visit meadowbrookhall.org/tours for tour times and ticket prices. Downton Abbey-inspired Servant’s Life Tours are 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on select Saturdays and Sundays through March, tickets are $45 per person, advance purchase at meadowbrookhall.org/servantslife. Flashlight Tours are on select Tuesdays through April 4, tickets are $30 per person, advance purchase at https://meadowbrookhall.org/flashlight.

• Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm presents Cabin Fever Lecture Series, 7-8 p.m. Fridays in March, at the Calf Barn. Admission is $8/adults, $5/seniors and students; free for museum members. Register at www.rochesterhills.org/musprograms, includes light refreshments.

• The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm is open for drop-in hours, Fridays and Saturdays, from noon-3 p.m. with guided tours of the Van Hoosen Farmhouse and Red House starting at 1 p.m.

• 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.

• 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.

• Dossin Great Lakes Museum: 100 Strand Drive, Belle Isle, Detroit, detroithistorical.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., noon, and 2 p.m., www.fordpiquetteplant.org, 313-872-8759.

• Ford House, historic home of Eleanor and Edsel Ford, 1100 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Shores, www.fordhouse.org, 313-884-4222, www.fordhouse.org/events. Ford House to Host Free Community Appreciation Day on April 5, guests can choose between two free admission options: Grounds Admission or House + Grounds Admission.

• 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 welcome, www.gwbhs.org, 248-757-2451.

• 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.

• Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci): 5020 John R St., Detroit, 313-577-8400, www.mi-sci.org. Regular museum gen. adm. is $17+. 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., Tuesday through Sunday and until 8 p.m. the first Friday of each month. Kids Town exhibit provides a tinkering space for children 5 and under to explore creativity as part of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) concepts – while under the supervision of parents and caregivers. “Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family” exhibit is open through May, (collection of tyrannosaur skeleton casts, fossils, and life-size displays).

• Monroe County Museum: 126 S Monroe St., Monroe, monroemi.gov.

• Motown Museum, 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, motownmuseum.org, 313-875-2264.

• 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. First Thursday Lecture Series is 7-8:30 p.m., first Thursday of the month, free.

• Royal Oak Historical Society Museum: Hours are 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 1411 W. Webster Road, Royal Oak, royaloakhistoricalsociety.com, 248-439-1501, $10+ suggested donation. The Underground Railroad in Oakland County traveling exhibit. Royal Oak Historical Society Speaker Series by local historian and Executive Director of Selfridge Military Air Museum, Steve Mrozek.

• Westin Book Cadillac at 100 Exhibition: Westin Book Cadillac, 1114 Washington Blvd., Detroit, presented with Detroit Historical Society, exhibit explores the 100-year history of the Book Cadillac hotel, https://detroithistorical.org.

• 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. Bank of America and The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History are partnering to provide free admission to all museum visitors on the second Sunday of each month from March through June 2025.

• The Zekelman Holocaust Center: 28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills. “The Evidence Room”, exhibit is through June 15, at The HC,  28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, $10 per person or free with membership, www.holocaustcenter.org, 248-553-2400.

Contractors hired by the Oakland County road commission to construct a $43 million administration building are worried. Road commissioners put the project on hold in February.

“There is a huge effect on our business, both in terms of manpower and income. And it is not just our business but those of many other contractors that were counting on this project to be a place for their manpower and to produce income,” said Mike Gagnon, who is overseeing construction as vice president at Frank Rewold & Sons in Rochester.

The road commission approved the delay at the request of Oakland County Commission Chairman Dave Woodward on Feb. 20. The road commission and county commission operate independently and are funded separately.

Woodward wanted road commissioners to consider alternatives to bring together employees who have worked for decades at locations in Beverly Hills and Waterford. The new administration building planned at 2420 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township would have brought them under the same roof in 2026.

Road Commissioner Nancy Quarles voted against the delay on Feb. 20.

“I didn’t have enough information. The motion was put in front of us just minutes before the vote,” she said. “The project is too large for me to agree to a delay until I have more information.”

Her concerns include additional costs the road commission might incur whether the project goes forward or is canceled – and what a cancellation would do to the companies that signed construction contracts.

But she’s heard nothing from McPherson or Woodward about the decision-making process since Feb. 20.

“The project has been in the works since last August and we, along with all the other contractors, were counting on it,” Gagnon said.

“We and all those contractors must find new work to keep employees busy and to produce the income needed to keep the doors open and the company profitable,” he said. “That is not easy to do when projects take such a long time to develop.”

He said the suspension of work throws the project schedule into question. If completed on time, the building would have been ready by August 2026.

“We are in a very challenging economic climate and prices are changing daily, what does that mean to our contracts and our ability to fulfill the contract?” Gagnon said.

He wants to get the project back on schedule as soon as possible.

Others who signed contracts for the project did not respond to The Oakland Press calls and email or, like engineer Stan Richard, assistant vice president at the transportation-tech company Integral Blue, declined to comment.

Charles Hart, a Hubbell, Roth & Clark vice president and engineer, responded to The Oakland Press email to explain that his company’s work on the new administration building started in December and is expected to continue for several years, through the design and construction phases. He declined to elaborate on the effect of the delay.

Woodward said he is mapping out a plan and talking to the sheriff’s office, administration officials in homeland security and county commission staff.

He said he expects a decision before the end of May, if not sooner.

“It’s better to make a decision before we drop $40 million,” he said.

Road Commission Chairman Eric McPherson said he hasn’t talked to Woodward about the project. He’s been talking with the road commission’s managing director, Dennis Kolar, adding that he and fellow commissioners will make a final decision once they have more information.

He said he has not talked to Quarles or the third road commissioner, James Esshaki, because he doesn’t want to violate the state’s open meeting rules.

“Once we’re together, we’ll have a discussion,” he said.

Oakland County road commission delays $43 million new building

He said the issue has made it clear that road commission meetings should be documented with audio or video recordings and possibly livestreamed, but that decision won’t be final until later this year.

Craig Bryson, the road commission’s spokesman, said the board didn’t discuss the new building at their March 6 meeting and there have been no internal staff discussions on the project’s future.

County Commissioner Bob Hoffman tried to add a discussion on Woodward’s road commission request to Tuesday’s county commission meeting agenda, but the motion failed on a voice vote.

“I want to know by what authority Dave Woodward made his request,” he said.

The next road commission meeting is 9 a.m. Thursday, March 20, at the Beverly Hills administration office. The meeting agenda includes nearly two dozen items. The new administration building is not specifically listed but may be discussed under the agenda’s new business. The agenda is online at https://www.rcocweb.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03202025-332.

The message from the large group of protesters in front of the Warren office of the U.S. Rep. John James Wednesday afternoon was keep your hands off Medicaid.

The rally was organized by SEIU Healthcare union and included other advocate partners including Michigan AFL-CIO, Detroit Action, and Michigan United. James (R-Shelby Twp.) has supported the Republican budget resolution that could cut $880 billion from Medicaid.

Many attendees had personal experience with Medicaid and emphasized the wide array of services it provides, particularly long-term care for disabled, elderly, and mentally-impaired people.

Kaitlyn Williams has a three-year-old son who is disabled and requires a prescription formula that she said would cost $400 a month out of pocket if Medicaid was not available to her.

“He has had six surgeries, he has a shunt, he has a G-tube so it is more than just the formula, too,” Williams said as she stood on Van Dyke Avenue with a sign stating that Medicaid saves lives.

For retired auto worker Ted Scancella, Medicaid represents long-term nursing home care for his mother, who died a couple of years ago.

“My mom was in a nursing home facility toward the end of her life and that was partially covered by Medicaid,” said Scancella. “It doesn’t affect me personally right now, but it could in the future.

“They keep clawing away at everything so you never know.”

Katrina Manetta, who co-chairs Macomb Defenders Rising, attended the rally she hopes will raise awareness of the variety of healthcare services that would not be available to citizens if not for Medicaid.

“We are out here fighting to make sure that the community is protected,” said Manetta. “People are terrified of how they and their families will be impacted by the cuts.”

Manetta said many people may not realize the essential services for which Medicaid provides. Her mentally-disabled aunt relies on Medicaid for her long-term care and has spoken to many parents of disabled children who say they could not afford medical care for them without Medicaid.

She also said people with low income jobs that do not offer healthcare, particularly those who need multiple medications, also need Medicaid.

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Detroit Democrat whose district stretches from southern Oakland to the Dearborn and Downriver area, was on hand and urged James to vote in support of Medicaid and against proposed cuts.

“Prenatal care, mental health care, long-term care; there are so many essential services covered by Medicaid,” said Tlaib. “John James knows what he is doing, and I’m asking him to change his mind and not to cut Medicaid.”

SEIU Deputy Trustee Gabby Jones-Casey said the lives of healthcare workers and the lives of citizens are on the line, so it is important to create awareness of the impact proposed cuts to Medicaid would have.

“Medicaid covers a lot of things that people do not even think about,” said Jones-Casey. “It funds a lot of our rural hospitals, it almost completely funds home care, and it gives resources to a lot of the people who are the most vulnerable,” said Jones-Casey.

Jones-Casey said the need for home health care is growing and thus, so is the need for Medicaid.

“We should actually be talking about expanding the program, because of how impactful, positive and important it is to our community,” said Jones-Casey. “We are going to be out here doing whatever it takes to protect Medicaid.”

James did not immediately respond to a Macomb Daily request for comment.

Timing, dedication and passion all played a role in four teachers being named as Oakland County Teachers of the Year.

Earlier this week all four were surprised by Oakland ISD Superintendent Ken Gutman with their awards.

They were among the 65 teachers from 22 school districts nominated for the award.

For the 2025 awards there was a new category for Early Childhood teachers along with elementary, middle/junior high, and high school teachers.

Leah Lynady was the first recipient of the Early Childhood teacher of the year for her work at the Lamphere Early Childhood Center.

Lynady has been an early childhood teacher for over 25 years. She came to Lamphere three years ago after spending five years in the Berkley school district.

She admitted she was not looking to change districts, but after being contacted by Lamphere Early Childhood Center Director Nicole Crousore, Lynady accepted her offer before the end of her first interview.

“It was not something I was looking to do, but it has turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made,” said Lynady. “The timing just worked and they have supported everything I have wanted to do since coming here. It is an amazing atmosphere in this district.”

Crousore, who has been in the district for over 20 years and is in her third year as director, said Lynady is the first teacher she has ever hired after only one interview, but has not regretted the decision.“Having Leah here is not about the educator she is, it is about the person she is and what she brings to the table,” said Crousore. “She has changed the culture of this program since coming here. She was exactly the kind of person we were looking for.”

“In addition to her work with students, Leah plays a vital role in connecting parents to valuable resources and ensuring families have access to everyday necessities,” the district said in a statement after Lynady received her award. “She even started a care closet to provide essential items to those in need.”

Lynady said she has found a home at Lamphere and is looking forward to finishing her career there.

“This is the best possible place anyone could dream of working,” she said. “I’ll be here until I retire, I’m sure of it.”

Lynady was not the only Lamphere teacher honored with an award.

Edmonson Elementary third grade teacher Sarah Vrabel also received a surprise visit from Gutman and was honored as the elementary teacher of the year.

Vrabel has been in the district for 14 years and has been teaching third grade at Edmonson for nine years.  She was a teacher in Arizona for four years before coming to Lamphere.

She has taught kindergarten, first and second graders in the past, but loves what third graders have to offer.

“Third grade is such a great grade level. They are at that age where they are still just sponges and they love learning and want to please you, but they have an independence to them as well,” said Vrabel. “I will retire as a third grade teacher if they let me.”

Vrabel said one of her goals is to continue the type of teaching she has tried to implement since students returned to the classroom after the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on having students socializing, interacting and collaborating in the classroom rather than the solitude of at-home virtual learning.

“When we came back into the classroom, the kids needed joy and they needed to be engaged and make them want to be at school,” she said. “So that has really been my mission these past few years. Doing things like wearing funny outfits or turning my class into a courtroom and letting the kids debate with each other. Just fun ways to keep them entertained, but still working on keeping high educational standards.”

Erik Meerschaert has been dedicating himself to creating new standards for his special education students at Lake Orion High School since coming to the district six years ago.

His efforts helped earn him high school teacher of the year.

Meerschaert came to Lake Orion after ten years of teaching at Eaton RESA in Eaton County.

He works with Cognitive Impairment (CI) special education students and has been working to help integrate them with other students at the high school through a unified sports program.

The program just completed their first season of basketball playing against other schools with the same type of program.

“It is a combination of general education and special education students, with three special education players on the court along with two general education peers,” Meerschaert explained. “We typically play between the junior varsity and varsity games.”

Meerschaert said the idea for the program began when he arrived at Lake Orion through an initiative created by the Michigan High School Athletic Association and Oakland County schools. He has been working to build the program ever since and has even branched out to help create a unified robotics program as well.

“It started slowly, but now we have the basketball team, started competing in robotics this year and we hope to have a soccer team start playing next fall,” he said. “It has been a lot of work both inside and outside the district, but seeing what my students get out of it has been great to see.”

Last week the team played in an unforgettable final game of the season.

“We played in the middle of the school day in front of the entire student body which is about 2,300 students; probably the biggest crowd some of these kids will ever play in front of,” said Meerschaert. “It was a great experience and for a lot of our students that was the highlight of their season to be able to play that game in front of all of their peers and teachers at the school.”

He joins Orion Oaks Elementary teacher Norman Wright as Lake Orion recipients of the county honor. Wright was selected in 2024.

Huron Valley teacher Samantha Samuels was the final teacher to have a surprise visit to her Oak Valley Middle School classroom on Wednesday.

Samuels is a Music, Choir and Performing Arts teacher for grades 6-8 and is in her sixth year in the district. She had been teaching at various charter schools for the previous ten years.

She said interest in music and the arts has been growing over the last few years and enjoys nurturing interested students after they get “the bug” for music or performing.

“In past years I have had around 30 people in my musicals, but in the past two or three years I have had around 50 or 60 come out to be a part of the production,” she said. “Middle school is the best place for kids to explore that side of the music and performance avenue. They can learn or grow or they can decide it’s just not for them and move on.”

Samuels said the pandemic made an impact on the arts at Oak Valley and they are just now rekindling interest and getting students involved again.

“The pandemic really did a number on us and it has been a process trying to regrow our program and to spark that interest again and kids know it is safe to perform and get out of their shells,” she said.

Samuels still has former students in high school and college return and let her know the impact she has had on them.

“I absolutely love what I do. Being a music teacher is a sense of pride. It is now just what I do, it is who I am,” said Samuels. “I love those kids. The music classroom and the theater classroom is a family and these kids come back year after year. So many of them still reach out to me and stay connected.”

The award includes a $2,000 prize from the Oakland Schools Education Foundation to each winner and they will all be recognized at a special event on May 8.

A former employee of Marshall Mathers — aka entertainer Eminem — is named in a federal criminal complaint for allegedly stealing and selling some of his unreleased music.

Joseph Strange, 46, of Holly is charged with two counts of criminal infringement of a copyright and interstate transportation of stolen goods.

According to the criminal complaint, filed in U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Michigan, the FBI launched an investigation in January after employees of Mathers’ music studio in Ferndale reported finding a list of Mathers’ unreleased music — still in development — available for puchase on the Internet. The list was reportedly taken directly from a hard drive in Mathers’ Ferndale studio.

FBI tracked down multiple people who had bought the unreleased music who identified Strange as the seller, the complaint states. Strange reportedly worked for Mathers from approximately 2007 through 2021.

“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding artists’ intellectual  property from exploitation by individuals seeking to profit illegally,” Cheyvoryea Gibson,  special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan, stated in a news release. “Thanks to the cooperation of Mathers Music Studio, FBI agents from the Oakland County Resident Agency were able to swiftly enforce federal laws and ensure Joseph Strange was held accountable for his actions.”

If convicted of the copyright infringement charge, Strange could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The interstate transportation of stolen goods charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison/

“Protecting intellectual property from thieves is critical in safeguarding the exclusive rights of  creators and protecting their original work from reproduction and distribution by individuals  who seek to profit from the creative output of others,”  Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck stated in the release.

The case is being investigated by special agents of the FBI Oakland County Resident Agency, and prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys Timothy Wyse and Alyse Wu.

Clarkston man accused of having ‘tens of thousands’ of child porn images — some involving animals

Lengthy prison sentence for habitual offender for fatal Auburn Hills crash

A 47-year-old Clarkston man is facing charges for allegedly having “tens of thousands” of child pornography images — including some involving animals, officials said.

The complaint against Benjamin Guy Weeks, issued March 18 in 52-2 District Court, lists charges of three counts each of aggravated child sexually abusive activity and using a computer to commit a crime.

According to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement confiscated approximately 35 hard drives, multiple thumb drives, CDs and computer devices from Weeks’ home containing tens of thousands of files showing child sexual abuse, including bestiality.

It’s believed Weeks was attempting to create a computer server to manage and share the files, the prosecutor’s office said.

“The scale of depravity uncovered in this case is shocking,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. “Behind every one of these images and videos is a child who was the victim of unspeakable abuse. I’m committed to aggressively prosecuting child pornography cases so we can protect the next child from becoming a victim.”

The court file shows the alleged crimes dating back to 2023. Jeff Wattrick, spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, told The Oakland Press that the casa wasn’t turned over to the Oakland County prosecutor until this month and that the prosecutor’s office “moved quickly to file charges and authorize an arrest.”

Aggravated child sexually abusive activity is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and/or a $125,000 fine. Using a computer to commit a crime carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine, possibly as a consecutive sentence, the prosecutor’s office said.

Arraignment is pending.

Lengthy prison sentence for habitual offender who killed driver in 2-vehicle crash, hid from cops

Judge suspends communication privileges for Pontiac woman accused of abandoning kids in squalor

‘Hockey doc’ Zvi Levran pleads to 28 sex crime charges

A Lake Orion was handed a lengthy prison sentence Tuesday for a fatal hit-and-run last year in Auburn Hills.

At a hearing in Oakland County Circuit Court, Judge Yasmine Poles sentenced 35-year-old Kenneth Briddnell Carroll to 25-60 years for the June 6, 2024 crash that killed Thomas Jerome Fisher, 68. The collision happened on Walton Boulevard near Perry Street in Auburn Hills, and also caused critical injuries to Carroll’s passenger.

According to police, Carroll fled after crashing a Kia Forte into a Ford F-150 pickup truck, trapping Fisher in the Ford F-150. Fisher was subsequently extricated and transported to an area hospital where he died, police said.

Moments before the crash, an Auburn Hills patrol officer had pursued the Kia after witnessing it speeding south on Lapeer Road and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver — later identified as Carroll — accelerated and fled, reportedly reaching speeds up to 88 mph. The officer reportedly chased the Kia for approximately a quarter mile before ending the pursuit. Further down the roadway, the officer discovered the collision, police said.

Carroll was arrested after a citizen reported seeing him in a wooded area approximately a half-mile from the crash site, police said. When he was arrested, Carroll was in possession of a controlled substance, police said.

In January, Carroll pleaded no contest to reckless driving causing death, reckless driving causing serious impairment of bodily function, fleeing and eluding, failing to stop after the crash, driving without a valid license and narcotics possession. For the drug charge, he was sentenced to the 284 days he already served in the Oakland County Jail. The jail credit was also applied to his sentence on the other charges.

A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. It can also offer some liability protection in civil cases.

Carroll got an enhanced sentence due to him being a habitual offender. His criminal history includes convictions for aggravated domestic violence and probation violation.

Fisher’s obituary states he was the father of two, an accomplished musician and “a successful and premier interior painter” with his own business. He grew up in Birmingham.

Judge suspends communication privileges for Pontiac woman accused of abandoning kids in squalor

‘Hockey doc’ Zvi Levran pleads to 28 sex crime charges

Injured man arrested, released after rollover crash in Bloomfield Township

It was 40 years ago that L. Brooks Patterson organized a golf outing as a way of turning a heartbreaking tragedy into something beautiful. What began as a gesture to honor a friend and his children killed in a plane crash planted a seed that grew into The Rainbow Connection.

Its mission to brighten the lives of sick children and their families by providing them with fun, joy, comfort and inspiration during their darkest days has been growing ever since.

“We get to grant wishes to brave and wonderful Michiganders,” said Ingrid Todt, executive director of the Rainbow Connection, who was a college intern when she started working for the charity. “I did a picnic for a wish family and fell in love with the work.

“I’ve been here ever since.”

Since the first wish in 1985, granted to a 16-year-old patient at Children’s Hospital of Michigan who wanted to meet the legendary Muhammad Ali, more than 4,300 children have had wishes granted.

One that Todt will always remember had her traveling to Washington, D.C. at Christmas-time with Adam, a 12-year-old boy who wanted to meet President George W. Bush.

“He had a very old soul and just wanted to see what it was like to have a conversation with a president in the White House,” said Todt, who remembers the trip came up suddenly and Patterson, who served as Oakland County Executive for more than 26 years before his death in 2019, secured a private jet to get the boy and his family there in time.

It was a dream come true.

Adam was ushered into the Roosevelt Room where he and his family not only met with the President and First Lady but were given enough time to have the conversation he always wanted.

Wishes are granted through a process that involves a referral by hospital staff or online application. Once the application is approved, Rainbow Connection staff will set up a meeting to discuss what sort of wish the child might like.

“It’s usually something to do with going somewhere, meeting someone, or receiving something,” Todt said, remembering a young girl who wanted a shopping spree, another child going to the Super Bowl and one little girl who had her photo taken with the entire Dallas Cowboys cheerleader squad.

Medicine has come a long way so many children with life-threatening illnesses are doing much better than previous generations, but they have to go through so much to get to that point.

“The wishes give them the opportunity to focus on something amazing and fun during their journey,” said Todt.

For Scarlett Morales, 17, of Clinton Township, who is battling cancer,  a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando with her parents and young sister was exactly what she needed.

“At the prime of Scarlett’s teenage years (age 16) she got diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia,” said Scarlett’s mother, Estela Morales. “We felt like our world was collapsing. We did not know what to expect with this new journey. As the initial weeks of treatment started to become more intense she started to feel like she was in a hopeless hole.”

That’s when she got a wish.

“When Scarlett was informed that a wish could be granted she did not know what to ask for,” Estela said, adding her daughter has always been a very grateful young lady and even something as simple as a popsicle would bring about a smile so she was a little dumbfounded by the offer.

However, after meeting with the Rainbow Connection and thinking about how her illness affected her sister she decided on a trip that would create memories for everyone in her family.

“We all went on an adventure of a lifetime,” Estela said.

Scarlett concurred.

“My happiest moment was to see all of us enjoying our time together, especially when my little sister Leah got to meet the character Stitch,” Scarlett said. “The Rainbow Connection is a magnificent organization and thanks to many generous people is able to make children’s wishes come true.”

One recipient who battled cancer as a child and grew up to become a health care professional said the charity provided her and her family with moments that impacted her life long after granting her a wish.

“This organization becomes an integral part of your family, providing financial support if needed, special events for the families until 18, scholarships for trade school/community college/University and more,” Jennifer said, in a testimonial recalling her wish 20 years ago.

“I’m never going to make a ton of money,” Todt said, of her role as the executive director of a nonprofit. “But I could never imagine doing anything else.”

For more information visit rainbowconnection.org/.

Homeowners who have outstanding property taxes owed for 2022 and prior may be at risk of foreclosure. However, the City of Royal Oak is working to provide solutions and assistance to help residents maintain ownership of their properties.

As per the State of Michigan, the foreclosure process is a three-year one that involves multiple steps before foreclosure is declared. In the first year after property taxes are owed, the property tax is determined delinquent. In year two, forfeiture occurs. Year three brings foreclosure.

“Most of the foreclosures that happen, especially here in Oakland County, are vacant land or vacant structures. So, very few are actually structures where there is someone there inhabiting it,” said Oakland County Treasurer Robert Wittenberg.

The City of Royal Oak’s treasury’s office notifies owners prior to any action taking place on their property. Delinquency notices are issued in year one in June and September, and forfeiture notices are delivered in year two along with property visits from the office and publication and foreclosure hearing notifications. In year three, there is a foreclosure notice follow-up complete with claims information before the beginning of that process.

“Before foreclosure happens, we touch base with someone, I think it’s over 12 times. They get first class mail, certified mail, and they actually get two property visits.,” said Wittenberg. “We are out there, full court press, trying to let people know that we are here to help and try to prevent foreclosure.”

In 2023, Royal Oak reported 1,183 delinquent parcels, 162 forfeited parcels, eight foreclosed parcels and no land sale parcels. The following year showed a decrease in delinquent and foreclosed parcels, at 857 and 3, respectively. However, there was a rise in forfeited and land sale parcels in 2024 with 180 forfeited and three land sale parcels.

“We are required by law to have a land sale,” said Wittenberg. “We do a virtual online land sale so any property that is foreclosed, you can go online and bid on that.”

The foreclosure deadline is March 31, 2025. Following this time, all foreclosed properties will be transferred from the City of Royal Oak to the Oakland County Treasurer’s Office. Property owners are strongly encouraged to reach out to the city’s treasurer’s office to discuss their options.

“Our goal in our office is to collect taxes. Our goal is not to foreclose,” said Wittenberg. “So, we’re doing everything we can and that’s why I’m out here trying to let people know that we are here to help.”

Starting Wednesday, March 19, the left shoulders of I-96 in western Oakland County will be used as flex lanes during heavy traffic periods in the morning and afternoon.

The flex lanes along I-96 between Kent Lake Road and the I-275/I-696/M-5 interchange are intended to improve safety and efficiency, according to a release from the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Green arrows on electronic signs over the left shoulders will indicate when the flex lanes are usable. A red “X” indicates the flex lane is not open and driving in it is illegal. MDOT will open the flex lanes only when it is safe to do so.

Flex lanes will generally be in use on the eastbound side from 6-9 a.m. and on the westbound side from 3:30-6 p.m. weekdays and during traffic incidents or other events that cause congestion

Suggested speeds will be posted on the electronic signs to help reduce crashes and slow traffic before reaching a congested area.

The flex routes are monitored by MDOT’s transportation operations centers, which house dispatchers from MDOT and the Michigan State Police around the clock.

The agencies share information by monitoring traffic sensors, distress calls and video feeds from closed-circuit cameras.

Not only do overhead signs indicate when the flex lanes are open, but they also allow operations center staff to direct traffic around incidents that block a lane.

A recently completed multi-year reconstruction project on I-96 in western Oakland County included work to make the flex lanes possible.

Also coming in April on I-96, ramp meters will act as traffic signals on entrance ramps to manage the flow of traffic entering the freeway during periods of heavy congestion.

When activated, drivers will stop at the red signal, then enter the freeway when the green signal is shown.

MDOT said ramp meters help reduce stop-and-go traffic and crashes, improving traffic flow.

The first flex route in Michigan was built along US-23 between M-14 and M-36 in Livingston and Washtenaw counties. MDOT is working to extend that flex route north to I-96.

“Flex routes make use of the current road infrastructure to address directional congestion (heavy commuter traffic in one direction in the morning, then the other direction in the evening) at a much lower cost than building new lanes and shoulders, as well as widening bridges/overpasses and purchasing all the needed right of way to make room for such expansion,” the release said.

Man pleads guilty related to shooting death of Oakland Co. sheriff’s deputy Reckling

Myesha Johnson, The Detroit News

Workers at another Starbucks in Michigan have voted to unionize as they seek better wages and fair scheduling from the national coffee chain.

Starbucks Workers United said in a statement Monday that the Starbucks on Dequindre Road and Universal Drive in Warren marks the 18th store in the state to join the union. The labor group represents 11,000 employees at more than 550 stores who “demand Starbucks finalize strong contracts.”

Olive Gentry, who has worked at the Warren cafe since it opened three years ago, said unionizing was the only way to get better pay and stable scheduling.

“There’s a lot of inconsistencies, so we’re trying to protect ourselves,” Gentry said. “I’m excited for Starbucks to work with us on finalizing other contracts so we can move forward and have all the things that all the baristas before us have been fighting for.”

Starbucks did not immediately return a request for comment.

According to a news release, Starbucks Workers United’s core issues include living wages, respect, racial and gender equity, and fair scheduling. Workers at more than 150 stores have joined the union since February 2024 including locations in Maine, North Carolina, Texas, Illinois and Seattle.

Starbucks and Starbucks Workers United are expected to return to bargaining after hundreds of baristas across the country went on strike on Christmas Eve.

Prison inmate pleads to 1st-degree murder in Macomb Correctional Facility slaying

FDA staff return to crowded offices, broken equipment and missing chairs

Police: Woman, 77, accused of stealing ‘Ken’ Barbie dolls from Target

Max Reinhart, The Detroit News

State officials said they’ve almost exhausted the 313 area code and Detroiters will have to start dialing the full 10-digit phone number, even for local calls, starting in October.

Beginning Oct. 7, all local calls made within the 313 area code footprint must use all 10 digits. Calls placed with only seven digits won’t be completed and callers will receive a message asking them to disconnect and try their call again, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) said in a press release Monday.

Telephone service providers can begin issuing an “overlay area code,” 679, to new phone customers in the 313 area, which includes Detroit and several of its closest suburbs, starting Nov. 7. This means callers must dial all 10-digits in order for their call to go through, MSPS said.

To give customers time to get used to the change, a six-month “permissive dialing” period will begin April 7. From then until Oct. 7, local calls can be made by dialing either the seven- or 10-digit number.

New phone lines or services will only be assigned numbers using the new 679 area code after all 313 numbers are exhausted, which isn’t projected to happen until late in 2027. However, MPSC said that timing is subject to change depending on demand, and new lines could be assigned the 679 area code as early as Nov. 7, 2025.

Customers who currently have a number with a 313 area code will be able to keep their existing phone number, MPSC said.

All calls currently considered local will remain so, MPSC said, and callers will continue to dial 1, plus the area code, for long-distance calls.

The price of a call, coverage area or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay, the commission said.

Special three-digit numbers like 911 and 988 will be unchanged.

Phone customers are encouraged to identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates, customers and others.

Callers should also ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software or other types of equipment are reprogrammed to dial 10 digits if they are currently programmed to dial seven digits and to recognize the new 679 area code as a valid area code. Examples include life-safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, gates, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings and voicemail services.

“Be sure to check your business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and your personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in your telephone number,” MPSC said.

Important safety and security equipment like medical alert devices, alarms and security systems may also need to be reprogrammed, between April 7 and Oct. 7, to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems use 10 digits by default, but older equipment may not, the state said. Anyone unsure about this should contact the service provider.

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

Charles Ramirez, The Detroit News

Two Ypsilanti men were arrested over the weekend for trying to steal a vehicle after leading Southfield police on car chases, officials said.

Both have been charged, Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said Monday.

Tyree Pitts, 21, and James Harris, 18, both of Ypsilanti, were arraigned Friday in 46th District Court, the police chief and court records said.

Barren announced their arrests and charges against them at a midday news conference Monday at police headquarters. He was joined by Southfield Deputy Police Chief Aaron Huguley, Southfield Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Jagielski, and Southfield Police Lt. Mostapha Bzeih.

Pitts is charged with third-degree fleeing and eluding police, a 5-year felony, unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle, a 5-year felony, and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, also a 5-year felony.

A judge set his bond at $50,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for March 28.

Court records did not list an attorney for Pitts on Monday.

Barren said Pitts has prior convictions for assault with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, receiving and concealing stolen motor vehicles, felony assault, and malicious destruction of property.

Harris is charged with unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, Barren said.

A judge set his bond at $1,500 and scheduled his next court hearing for March 28.

Court records did not list an attorney for Harris on Monday.

Barren said Harris does not have a documented criminal history.

Two other people were arrested in connection with the attempted theft, police said.

One, an 18-year-old Atlanta, Ga., man, was given a ticket for giving police officers a false name when questioned, they said.

The other, a 17-year-old Detroit resident, was processed and turned over to his parents, the chief said. The 17-year-old will be prosecuted in Wayne County Juvenile Court. Barren explained juveniles accused of crimes in Michigan are prosecuted in the counties of their residence not where the crimes allegedly happened.

He also said police continue to investigate and determine if any others may be charged in connection with the crime.

Authorities said the incident happened at about last Thursday in the 27000 block of Berkshire Drive near West Eleven Mile and Evergreen roads.

Barren said dispatchers received a 911 call at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday from the car’s owner. She reported her home’s security camera alerted her to a man trying to get inside her parked 2017 Dodge Charger, Barren said.

After checking the video, she told police she saw multiple suspects near her car and gave a description of them.

Officers arrived within minutes and saw a suspect run to get into a white 2015 Mazda sedan, according to the Southfield police chief. They then saw the Mazda and a green Ford Fusion that had been reported stolen earlier in the day in Southfield traveling one behind the other through the neighborhood.

“Based on the officers’ observations, it was apparent that both vehicles were involved and acting in concert with one another,” Barren said. “Both vehicles were observed leaving the subdivision at the same time. Both vehicles turned in unison onto northbound Evergreen Road.”

The chief said the Ford was in front with the Mazda behind it. Officers followed the vehicles as they reached Villa Pointe Condominiums where they drove off in separate directions, he said.

Officers following the Ford shone their vehicle’s spotlight on the car and saw multiple occupants inside wearing masks.

“The Ford Fusion immediately accelerated away from officers,” Barren said. “As the driver fled, he drove over grass, and rocks, and the vehicle became disabled. The occupants got out and ran.”

Simultaneously, officers were pursuing the Mazda. Barren said the car turned onto northbound Evergreen Road, made an abrupt turn at Kingswood Place Condominiums, and continued to flee.

Police then used a so-called PIT Maneuver — using a police car to strike a fleeing vehicle’s rear quarter panel — to disable it, officials said.

“That resulted in the vehicle spinning out and becoming disabled,” Barren said.

He said the occupants remained in the car until officers ordered them out and took them into custody. Police later identified the driver as Pitts and his front seat passenger as Harris, the chief said.

No injuries were reported, he added.

On Monday, Southfield police released the 911 call reporting the attempted car theft as well as officers’ dash cam video of one of the car chases and body camera footage of the arrest of a couple of suspects.

Car thefts have become such a growing problem for law enforcement and car owners, that the Michigan Attorney General’s Office said last month it was expanding its auto insurance fraud task force to include stolen vehicles as thefts spike in the state.

“Southeast Michigan is experiencing a crisis when it comes to individuals stealing vehicles,” Barren said. “It’s also a national crisis. It’s a multi-million dollar industry and that’s what keeps individuals committing these crimes.”

Barren said the city of Southfield is attractive for car thieves because of the three freeways — Interstate 696, the Lodge and the Southfield — that run through it. It also has a lot of hotels and apartment complexes, he added.

“It can become a target for individuals who are planning auto theft crimes because the cars are on display,” he said.

Southfield police officers and the task force have arrested 43 auto theft suspects since October 2024, the chief said. Southfield police have arrested 21 people, which resulted in 47 felony charges so far in 2025, he said.

The Southfield Police Department houses the Oakland County Auto Theft Task Force, which includes officers from Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and the Southfield, Hazel Park, Farmington Hills and Detroit police agencies.

Pitts and Harris are the latest Michigan residents to be accused of auto theft.

Last week, a Warren man was charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony, after authorities linked him to an alleged auto theft ring that targeted Cadillacs in a carmaker’s lot.

Earlier this month, three Detroit men were ordered to stand trial for allegedly being part of a ring that stole hundreds of vehicles in southeast Michigan.

Last month, two Detroit were charged for allegedly being part of an auto theft ring that targeted dealerships in Macomb, Oakland, and Genesee counties.

cramirez@detroitnews.com