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12/24/25 C & G Special Edition — Macomb/Grosse Pointes

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DECEMBER 24, 2025

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Macomb County and Grosse Pointe papers

Samantha Wilkinson, Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum operations manager left; retired Eastpointe Fire Chief Danny Hagen, center; and Eastpointe Fire Chief Jason Clark discuss Eastpointe’s 1921 Model T chemical fire truck.

National search for Macomb Community College president begins BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

LEARN HISTORY TO A ‘T’ EASTPOINTE’S ANTIQUE 1921 FIRE TRUCK NOW ON DISPLAY

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BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

nyone who visits the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum in Detroit will see an important piece of Eastpointe history. Eastpointe’s first-ever fire truck is among the many antique vehicles on display. The 1921 Ford Model T was purchased a little more than 100 years ago when Eastpointe was known as Erin Township. A group of business owners pooled their money to buy the chemical fire truck. They were concerned about fires as the township grew and felt the horse and wagon used in town to douse flames wasn’t enough. The proprietors wantSee FIRE TRUCK on page 4A

Kim Schmidt, left, holds a photo of her husband, Donald Schmidt, a retired Eastpointe Fire Department captain, as he drives the fire truck in a Memorial Day parade. Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

MACOMB COUNTY — A national search to find the next president of Macomb Community College has begun. On Dec. 1, college officials issued a press release to announce that current President James O. Sawyer IV will retire June 30, 2026, which marks the conclusion of the college’s fiscal year. Sawyer has been president since July 1, 2017. Sawyer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Lawrence Technological University, and a master’s degree in administration and a doctorate in education from Central Michigan University. “I know I speak for the entire board of trustees when I say that it has been gratifying to work with Dr. Sawyer in so many meaningful ways,” Macomb Community College Board of Trustees Chair Katherine Bracey Lorenzo said in a prepared statement. “The board of trustees looks forward to identifying a visionary candidate who will take Dr. Sawyer’s good work to the next level.” The executive search profile, which outlines qualifications and information about the application process, is available at macomb. edu/presidential-search. The deadline for applications is Jan. 9, 2026, through RH Perry & Associates. See MCC on page 6A


C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

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3A/ C & G NEWSPAPER MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

The Eastpointe Fire Department takes possession of its brand-new, custom-built fire engine Nov. 17. Photo by Liz Carnegie

Eastpointe Fire Department receives new fire engine BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

NEW MURAL UNVEILED IN FRASER

See MURAL on page 7A

See EASTPOINTE on page 6A

BY ALYSSA OCHSS

Fraser Mayor Michael Lesich and artist Chelsea Hensergen stand in front of the mural at the Senior Activity Center. Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

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FRASER — On Nov. 12, Fraser officials, staff from the Detroit Institute of Arts and other guests unveiled a new mural on the side of the Senior Activity Center. The mural, called “Unity Garden,” was in part of the DIA’s Partners in Public Art program. The program has placed murals in communities since 2018 as a vehicle for community engagement. A different artist creates each mural. There are also murals located in Harrison Township, Detroit, Rochester, Center Line and so many more communities. Fraser Parks and Recreation Coordinator Chris Delmege said it was a great experience to bring the mural to life. He said they had the opportunity to choose the artist, location and other details. “Artist Chelsea Hensbergen did an amazing job capturing the spirit

EASTPOINTE — A group of young children who gathered at the Eastpointe Fire Station Nov. 17 anxiously awaited the arrival of the city’s brand-new fire engine. Their dads work for the department, and when the new vehicle arrived — with sirens flashing — the kids couldn’t wait to check it out. Also giving the custom-built truck a once-over were a number of dignitaries and firefighters, who have waited for the truck for more than two years. “Isn’t this beautiful?” City Council member Harvey Curley said. “I’m so proud for the Fire Department — a wonderful thing to happen.” The truck was manufactured by Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp., known as KME, based outside New Orleans. The red truck is considered a pumper, also referred to as an engine. The new vehicle does not have a ladder. “This is considered a pumper,” Battalion Chief Joe Zangara said. “Its main purpose is to carry water and pump water.” The custom-built engine will be the city’s main fire truck and will be utilized the most. “This will be the frontline response vehicle for medicals and


C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

Fire truck from page 1A

ed a truck to carry more water and also allow for the pumping of water. For the next five years, the red 1921 model will remain at the museum for public viewing. At the Aug. 19 Eastpointe City Council meeting, the council voted 4-0 to approve the automobile loan agreement between Eastpointe and the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum for five years, beginning Aug. 1, 2025, and expiring Aug. 1, 2030. Council member Rob Baker was absent. Eastpointe Fire Chief Jason Clark said there was no exchange of money involved in the loan agreement, just that the museum will house and maintain the fire truck for the next five years. This is the second five-year cycle for a loan agreement. “It’s still looking good,” Clark said. “They seem like they’re doing a good job taking care of it.” On the late morning of Oct. 31, Clark, retired Eastpointe Fire Chief Danny Hagen, retired Fire Capt. Don Schmidt and his wife, Kim; and retired firefighter Joe Radzwion III toured Piquette with museum operations manager Samantha Wilkinson. Eastpointe Mayor Pro Tem Cardi DeMonaco Jr. and Eastpointe City Council members Harvey Curley and Baker joined them. Eastpointe’s first-ever fire truck was used by the city’s firefighters until 1942. Although the vehicle ceased fighting fires, it remained in the city — which for decades was called East Detroit — for parades and other events over the years. One memorable moment for Hagen came in 1981 when he and his bride, Mary, cruised in the historic truck on their wedding day. They drove from St. Jude Catholic Church, on Seven Mile Road in Detroit, to the Eastpointe Fire Station on Nine Mile Road near Gratiot Avenue, where they switched vehicles for the reception. The newlyweds drew plenty of onlookers. “We went down Kelly Road and it started to rain. My wife was the best sport in the world,” Hagen remembered. “The people were going bonkers when they saw the truck.” The museum provides informational signs for all the exhibited cars. According to the Eastpointe sign, the 1921 Model T chemical fire truck had 20 horsepower and weighed 1,439 pounds. The truck was either assembled at the Ford Highland Park Plant or a branch of the plant. The gas-powered truck drove about 25 mph and came with a two-speed transmis-

Eastpointe’s first-ever fire truck — a 1921 Model T — had 20 horsepower and weighed 1,439 pounds. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

sion. It was equipped with standard pneumatic non-skid tires, and hard rubber tires were optional. Hagen said there was a siren system in town to alert when there was a fire. “There was one hose and they used axes to open the door and open the roof to let out smoke and gases,” Hagen said, adding that axes also were utilized “for quick entry” into the home or building. Firefighters did not have all the updated equipment and safety gear available now. “There were no masks, no (compressed) air,” Hagen said. “It wasn’t in existence at the time.” While on the tour, a group of local students crossed paths with the firefighters, who shared their experiences with the fire truck. “Driving it is like driving a go-kart in the wind. It’s a big open vehicle,” Radzwion III said. “It was like an icon in every Memorial Day parade. It was awesome. You felt so proud.” “I was one of the few that drove it,” Schmidt said of those fun city events through the decades. “It brings back so many memories.” According to its history, the Eastpointe Fire Department and the East Detroit Historical Society together restored the truck and won awards at the 2008 Detroit Autorama. In 2009, the Michigan Historical Commission presented the Michigan Week Gov. John B. Swainson award to Hagen for his “outstanding contribution to the preservation of Michigan history.” The Halfway Model T chemical fire

truck contains a plaque dedicated to the founding members of the department in 1921: Fire Chief Lorenz Rein, and firefight-

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ers Cyril Derdaele, Ray Woodcock, Frank Schustler, August Zado, Fred Rader, Jess Hamner, WM Yuckey, Gottfried Eschmann and Richard Paetsch. The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum is a Michigan historic site. Piquette was the first factory Ford Motor Co. built, and where models B, C, F, K, N, R, S and T were manufactured. Visitors can view antique cars that are from private collections or that the museum has purchased, including a 1903 Ford Model A Tonneau, a 1911 Hupmobile model 20 C, and a 1916 Studebaker. The museum also has a replica of Henry Ford’s office, including a safe used to hide blueprints so corporate spies would not find them and a telescope for bird-watching. Ford, however, didn’t spend much time in his office, as he preferred to be on the assembly floor. The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum is located at 461 Piquette Ave. in Detroit. Free parking is available in the paved courtyard lot next to the building, and in the gravel lot directly across from the museum on Piquette Avenue. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. It is closed on holidays. For more information, go to fordpiquetteplant.org.

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C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

BY BRIAN WELLS bwells@candgnews.com

MACOMB COUNTY — Since taking the bench in 2011, Macomb County Chief Judge James Biernat has been involved in a number of memorable cases. In 2013, he saw a jury find Daniel Daniels guilty of physically and sexually abusing his two daughters. And in 2023, he saw a jury reach an almost $10 million settlement against Henry Ford Macomb Hospital after a jury found that a 41-year-old woman died after her surgical wound infection wasn’t properly treated by a doctor. “That stood out because I’ve never had a jury award almost $10 million, and I don’t think there has been a jury verdict in Macomb County over $10 million,” Biernat said. Biernat also recalls presiding over the case of “The Backpage Murders,” a series of killings committed by James Brown in Macomb County in 2014. Brown killed four women he met through an adult website, backpage.com, and stuffed their bodies into car trunks. The trial, Biernat said, took over a month. In the end, Brown continually refused to attend the sentencing. “He was literally afraid of the victim’s family. It was the only time I can think, especially in a capital case, where the defendant refused to show up at sentencing,” he said. Biernat Biernat was elected as a judge in 2012. In 2015, he began serving as chief judge after former Chief Judge John Foster retired. Since 2016, he has been reappointed as chief judge every two years. Since then, Biernat has overseen massive renovation projects, including moving all of the county’s circuit and probate courts into one downtown location. “When I first became chief in April of 2015, we were in the process of a massive, multimillion-dollar building project, which I helped usher in,” he said. “And bringing all the probate judges down here into the one building, along with building out all the archaic structures we had here and helping to finish our downtown campus, so to speak.” He has also seen the addition of other courts, such as the sobriety and mental health courts. On Nov. 14, Biernat was reappointed as chief judge by the Michigan Supreme Court. “It is my honor to once again be appointed chief judge of these Macomb County courts,” Biernat said in a statement. As the chief judge, in addition to maintaining a docket he said is about 90% the size of his fellow judges, he oversees the staff that manages the court system. “That doesn’t mean I don’t have a docket,” he said. “I still have trials.” Biernat also serves as the chief judge for the Macomb County Probate Court and the 42nd District Court in New Baltimore and Romeo. With his reappointment, he will also begin serving as chief judge in the 38th District Court in Eastpointe, though he won’t be added as a judge until it gets approved by the state’s House, Senate, and governor, and the Eastpointe City Council. Looking ahead, in addition to finding room to add another judge in Eastpointe, Biernat is also looking to also find more space to expand the probate court. “If that new space is in the bill, that could be in the building we’re in, or a new building, so that would be the new project in the future. Where is probate going to go, what space does probate need right now, how can we accomplish it, because of course, Macomb County is growing,” he said.

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C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

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Eastpointe from page 3A

fires,” Fire Chief Jason Clark said. A committee consisting of Zangara, Deputy Chief Alton Polk, Lt. Mike Szczesniak and firefighter James Heinzman conducted research and had many discussions within the department to determine the right vehicle for the city. “The committee solicited the firefighters on what they want to see on this vehicle and what was important to them,” Zangara said. “What do we have on our existing engine that we don’t necessarily like. What would we like to see different. Ergonomics was a big thing.” The new fire engine was built from scratch. It has a water tank capacity of about 900 gallons, and a 2,000 gallon per minute pump.

MCC from page 1A

The Washington D.C.-based search firm, which specializes in assisting higher education institutions identify and select leadership, is working with the board on the national search. RH Perry & Associates put together an executive search profile for the new president. According to the profile, the president of Macomb Community College serves as the chief executive officer of the college and oversees the daily administration and operation of the school. The president reports to the Board of

“It will be outfitted with a full array of advanced life support medical equipment,” Zangara said. “It will have extrication tools, which is basically the Jaws of Life.” The new truck also has updated technology, hoses and safety cameras. The pumper took about 2 1/2 years overall from start to finish to build. “The purchase was made in March of 2023,” Zangara said. “You do a pre-construction build where we sit at a table and line-item things out. Then it gets sent off to engineering. They start ordering parts in, and it’s a slow process.” After the new truck arrived last week, fire chaplain Kevin Lancaster offered a blessing. “Heavenly father, we come before you today with grateful hearts as we dedicate this fire engine and all who serve from it. Lord, you are our refuge and our strength and we ask for your covering to rest upon this de-

partment, this new equipment and every firefighter who answers the call for help,” Lancaster said. “Bless this engine. May it be a vessel for protection, speed and lifesaving power. Let every tool be touched by your hands as it rolls through our city,” Lancaster said. “Let it carry your peace into moments of chaos, your wisdom into moments of confusion and your strength into moments of dangers. We pray for our firefighters. Keep them safe as they protect our people of Eastpointe. Bless this community as they serve.” After the prayers, a number of firefighters washed down the rig and pushed it into the station. “This is a tradition that goes back to the 1800s in the fire service. The firefighters would come back with their rig, and they would take the horses,” Clark said. “They would take the horses off, they would wash down the tires and wash down the steam

pump and then they would push it back into the station. To honor the tradition of the fire service, when we get new vehicles, this is one of the things that we do.” Clark thanked the City Council, administration and residents for their support with the new vehicle. “We appreciate everyone’s support on this,” Clark said. The department’s firefighters will undergo training before the new pumper is on the road. The process will take about a month. The new fire engine has a 25-year life expectancy. It will replace the city’s 2004 pumper truck. Clark said the former truck will be auctioned off and money from the sale will go back into the Fire Department. This is the second new fire truck for the city in the past two years. In March 2024, the city received a state-of-the-art, 102-foot ladder truck,which replaced the city’s 1998 ladder truck.

Trustees. The RH Perry & Associates profile states the president is responsible for supporting the philosophical tenets reflected in the institution’s vision statement, mission statement, strategic goals and values. Per the profile, the college president advances the college’s strategic agenda by providing a strategic focus for every aspect of the operation of the institution, including academic excellence in teaching and learning, student success, program delivery and expansion to meet the needs of the region, accountability, shared governance and collaboration, financial responsibility, continuous improvement and more. As part of the process to find Sawyer’s

successor, the Macomb Community College Board of Trustees appointed a 14-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee. The committee’s role is to review and evaluate applications based on the criteria outlined in the executive search profile, recommending finalists for consideration by Macomb’s full Board of Trustees. The committee members are: Lorenzo who is the chair, Presidential Search Advisory Committee; Board of Trustees Vice Chair Shelley Vitale; Mark Jansen, president and chief executive officer, First State Bank; Michael DeVault, Macomb Intermediate School District superintendent; Stacy Ziarko, president and chief executive officer,

Connect Macomb; and Macomb Community College student Dillon Hardeman. The other committee members include the following faculty staff: John Bowman, Apple support specialist, information technology at Macomb Community College; math professor Lori Chapman; Anthony Green, lieutenant, Macomb Community College Police Department; Lisa Johnston, administrative assistant, marketing; Anthony Hackett, grounds foreman, facilities and maintenance; Leslie Kellogg, provost and vice president, academic and workforce education; Marie Pritchett, dean, arts and science; and Edward Rickard, adjunct instructor, math.

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Mural from page 3A

of our city,” Delmege said. He said it was inspiring seeing the simple idea grow to something that represents the city. Delmege thanked the city staff who did a lot of the work behind the scenes. Fraser Mayor Michael Lesich thanked Hensbergen for her hard work. He said a friend of his reminded him about the importance of art, and though Lesich said he cannot draw, he’s come to appreciate it. “I think this kind of thing reminds people that Fraser is here, a small community,” Lesich said. Lesich hopes this will help start something in Fraser and they can continue to make murals like that. He ended his statements by thanking city staff, the DIA and Hensbergen. The mural starts with community outreach and refining the design processes. Hensbergen said they wanted the work to represent the core concepts Fraser residents value including community, growth, inclusion, bold colors and more. “The whole concept originated from the idea that we all come from the same

earth,” Hensbergen said. “We all have roots and lineage in the same soil, and we all have the ability to create. So all the hands in the mural are holding flowers to represent that we all have certain powers inside of us that we can extend to our community, our friends and our family to help each other grow and to create something beautiful.” To complete the mural, Hensbergen created a doodle grid and overlaid it on top of her digital image. “And I used those sizes and shapes as a map to make my main shapes and outlines,” Hensbergen said. She used spray paints, exterior latex paint and acrylic all sealed with a clear coat. The senior center wall is textured and she said she loves using spray paint on textured surfaces. “It gets in all the little cracks and crevices,” Hensbergen said. They also had to level part of the ground so she could have a flat surface for the scissor lift. Hensbergen went to the College for Creative Studies for photography and advertising a long time ago. She started painting at home in 2018 and it turned into a job. This was her second project with the DIA with the first one in 2023 in New Haven. She paints murals full time.

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C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025


SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN IN BUSINESS

8A/ DECEMBER 24, 2025 C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION

TWO LOCAL WOMEN SHARE THEIR TRIUMPHS, TRIALS IN BUSINESS BY GENA JOHNSON gjohnson@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Colette Hughes of Warren and Jennifer Taylor Boykins of West Bloomfield credit being able to pivot as a key to their success. Hughes is the owner, broker and coach of Virtual Real Estate Services, a full-service real estate company in Warren with clients all over the world. She started in real estate in 1988 as an office administrator and quickly moved up the ranks to become a real estate agent, making herself valuable at the two real estate offices she worked at prior to starting her own business in 2015. A year before starting her business, Hughes joined a Toastmasters International club in Warren and attributes this to contributing to her success. Toastmasters is a nonprofit public speaking

organization that trains speakers. “I was the shyest person in Michigan,” Hughes said. “I was great working behind the scenes, but I couldn’t go up to people and talk to them.” Hughes credits Toastmasters for helping her to find her voice. She was inspired to start her own business when she and a broker where she worked attended a real estate event. “When it was time for me to be introduced at the event, I was left out,” Hughes said. “I cannot be left out when I am doing all the work. So I started my own business and could no longer be a secret agent.” She left that real estate office and has continued to prosper even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hughes is a proponent of the power and support of women’s groups in business. See BUSINESS on page 9A

TOP LEFT: Colette Hughes, center, owner and broker of Virtual Real Estate Services in Warren, makes her clients a top priority in servicing all real estate needs. Photo provided by Colette Hughes

BOTTOM LEFT: Jennifer Taylor Boykins, center, and her team at Nothing But Education, Nicole McDowell, left, and Kaylee Jackson have implemented literacy programs in school districts throughout the country. Photo provided by Jennifer Taylor Boykins

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C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

Business from page 8A

She is currently on the board of directors of the National Entrepreneurs Association and was named one of Career Masters’ 2025 Women to Watch. “It’s a new day when it comes to women in business,” Hughes said. “Women’s groups help to empower them.” Hughes also believes in the art of pivoting. The holiday months are slow for real estate housing sales. As a result, she started a real estate holdings company, where she holds real estate licenses for those agents not making money from real estate currently but want to hold onto their license. She pays all the yearly fees they would incur and negotiates sales on their behalf, sharing a portion of the commission with them. “When I saw the help was needed, I started the holdings company,” Hughes said. In business, Hughes said, “Women have to yell louder, fight harder and stand taller.” Nothing But Education in West Bloomfield was created to change the lives of children and inspire them by providing

strategic thought, collaborative partnerships, industry best practices and resource sharing to school districts across the country and internationally in 2019. Founder Jennifer Taylor Boykins is a former Detroit Public Schools teacher and vice president at Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, according to the company’s website, where she worked for more than 20 years. Less than a year after launching her business, the pandemic hit. When that happened, people weren’t talking as much and when they did it wasn’t an in-person meeting but by telephone. By the time she had the opportunity to use her marketing materials, they were out of date. “From the early point of business, I learned you have to be able to pivot,” Taylor Boykins said. “What you think may be ideal in the marketplace, the marketplace can change…. Pivot is the name of the game when you are in business for yourself.” That prompted Taylor Boykin and her team to develop materials that would promote continuous education while students were out of school during the pandemic or on summer vacation. It includes books, worksheets and journals. The books are designed to engage the

students. The worksheets are created to promote a deeper dive into the materials they read, and the journals prompt further reflection on what the student has read. “Things to help them really think about what they are reading and why it is important,” Taylor Boykins said. “They received it (the materials) with open arms and joy.” This program was first implemented in some of the Los Angeles area school districts four years ago and has been implemented every summer vacation since. It was a huge, hard-fought project, and a major triumph for Nothing But Education. Being in contact with the students in their space “is the best part of the business,” she said. “The tales are always around the lives that you change, the lives that you touch.” That led to her nonprofit, Bravehearts, which funds scholarships for high school seniors who are aging out of the foster care system. Students from school districts across the country have received scholarships. One student studied to be a graphic artist in Japan. Some go to college, attending toptier schools, while others have gone to trade school, including the field of cosmetology. To date, Bravehearts has funded around 40 scholarships.

Taylor Boykins says a lot is put on women in business. “They keep piling it up, she said. But sometimes you have to say, ‘Yes, I can do that for you but not now.’” Taylor Boykins is also on the West Bloomfield Planning Commission and sits on the West Bloomfield Library’s Board of Directors.

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C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

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FORD DONATION BOOSTS CITY’S GREEN GOALS STERLING HEIGHTS — A stretch of Sterling Heights roadway is due for an environmental upgrade thanks to a $30,000 gift from the Ford Motor Co. The donation, made through the automaker’s Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center, will lead to the planting of up to 80 trees along Van Dyke Avenue between 18 Mile and 18 1/2 Mile roads. The money supports the city’s Inspiring Green program, which aims to lead, educate and encourage the planting and sustaining of the community’s tree canopy. The City Council unanimously accepted the donation at its Nov. 18 meeting. “As you know, Inspiring Green is the city’s long-term commitment to enhancing and sustaining our tree canopy, improving air quality and strengthening the overall environmental resilience of Sterling Heights,” said Marissa Russo, the city’s marketing and communications manager. “Since launching the program, we have worked closely with residents, businesses and industries to plant trees, restore green spaces and build a healthier future for generations to come.” Russo said a variety of native trees will be planted along the public right of way, including tulip, Kentucky coffee tree and black gum trees. The city will install signage recognizing Ford’s contribution to enhancing Sterling Heights’ green goals. A pair of Ford representatives attended the meeting and said the company is proud

to support efforts to “make the city beautiful.” Council members praised the partnership with Ford and acknowledged the aesthetic and environmental benefits it will have on one of the city’s key industrial corridors. “Thank you for this generous donation,” said Councilman Michael Radtke. “It’s inspiring and it’s going to activate that area. You know, we are trying to re-tree our city that was affected by both the emerald ash borer and … some zoning conditions that have been created from prior councils and prior generations that have left certain areas of the city bereft of trees.” Radtke said the trees funded by Ford’s donation will add to the “curb appeal” of the company’s property and make the area more pleasant for pedestrians. “I think this is just one more step for improving the Van Dyke-18 1/2 Mile corridor,” he said. Mayor Michael Taylor also saluted Ford’s efforts to enhance the city. “That’s a lot of money. I don’t care if you’re Ford Motor Co. or not,” he said. “That’s a lot of money to show that you’re committed to this community, that you want to improve the community and I think you’ll get a lot out of it. I certainly know the residents of Sterling Heights will, so I appreciate that.” Taylor likewise commended Russo for spearheading the Inspiring Green initiative. “This has been a great project and I’m excited to see where it goes,” he said.

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35618 Jefferson Ave. Harrison Twp. MI 48045


11A

GROSSE POINTE TIMES | EASTSIDER | FRASER-CLINTON CHRONICLE | JOURNAL | MACOMB CHRONICLE | ST. CLAIR SHORES SENTINEL

The Demers Family Art Room

Front Office

from the staff of

Sales

13650 11 Mile Road, Warren

Editorial

0230-2551

NOVI NOTE | ROCHESTER POST | ROYAL OAK REVIEW | SOUTHFIELD SUN | TROY TIMES | WEST BLOOMFIELD BEACON | WOODWARD TALK

EASTSIDER | FRASER-CLINTON CHRONICLE | JOURNAL | MACOMB CHRONICLE | ST. CLAIR SHORES | SHELBY/UTICA NEWS | WARREN WEEKLY

C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

STERLING HEIGHTS SENTRY | WARREN WEEKLY | BIRMINGHAM-BLOOMFIELD EAGLE | FARMINGTON PRESS | MADISON-PARK NEWS


12A

C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • DECEMBER 24, 2025

KEEP YOUR FAMILY & VALUABLES SAFE

LOCK UP YOUR GUNS IT’S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Peace of Mind

Mention this ad and we will pay your sales tax on all safe purchases. Expires 7/15/23

We carry all types of safes for jewelry, valuables, fire proof, commercial & gun safes

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR BUSINESS!

We Buy Used Guns

• Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer • We Buy, Sell & Trade all types of New and Used Guns • Our Specialty is 1st time Buyers

Safes & Guns Unlimited

3361 Orchard Lake Rd, Keego Harbor, MI 48320

Either Individual or Whole Estates 248-738-1500 safesandgunsunlimited.com

0383-2550


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