candgnews.com MAY 22, 2024 Vol. 35, No. 11
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SPORTS
STALLIONS TENNIS BACK ON TOP IN MAC GOLD BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK
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jszczepaniak@candgnews.com
t’s been a long time coming for Sterling Heights girls tennis, but they’re back on top in the Macomb Area Conference Gold. The Stallions, for the most part, have always been a threat in the MAC Gold over the past decade, but they have never been able to separate themselves from the pack. There were moments of shared dual-meet championships, but for the first time since 2011, Sterling Heights is standing alone at the top of the league. Going 3-0-2 in the league and finishing nine points ahead of Utica High School in the divisional meet, Sterling Heights earned a clean sweep of its conference rivals with the dual-meet and divisional meet championship. The Stallions tied with St. Clair Shores Lakeview High School for the dual-meet title last year but fell to Lakeview in the divisional meet. “We did really well last year,” Sterling Heights head coach Katie Kennedy said.
BY ERIC CZARNIK eczarnik@candgnews.com
If Sterling Heights’ 2024-25 budget maps out how the city plans to open its purse strings, city officials recently gave the public a look inside the bag during April budget meetings and a final May presentation. During a May 7 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, Finance and Budget Director Jennifer Varney gave an overview of the new budget, which the council then adopted. Varney said the total budget tops out at $252.2 million, with $125.7 million making up the general fund. The total budget is smaller than the prior year’s by about $34.5 million, or 12%, she said. She attributed the change in large part due to the ending of American Rescue Plan Act funding and changes in road funding “due to timing and the completion of Mound Road in the current year.” However, the general fund increased by around $5.6 million, or 4.7%. Varney said the new general fund budget spends more on staffing — such as wages, health insurance costs, and police and fire pension contributions.
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ABOVE: Sterling Heights junior Tanaysha Stamps waits for the ball during a team practice May 14 at Sterling Heights High School. RIGHT: Sterling Heights senior Khyra Kimble serves during a team practice. Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
See BUDGET on page 12A
See TENNIS on page 22A
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