NEWSPAPERS n o i t i d E l a i c e Sp
JULY 10, 2024 candgnews.com
Macomb County and Grosse Pointe papers
BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — As Michigan Central Station celebrated its reopening after many years and an extensive renovation project, a longtime resident of Shelby Township shared her memories of when she worked at the Michigan Central Station in the 1940s. Angela Spalla and her daughter, Liana Spalla, of West Bloomfield, reminisce about when Angela worked at Michigan Central Station and how much it has changed since then. Angela has lived in the same house in Shelby Township since 1958 and is now 103 years old. She worked at Michigan Central Station from 1943 to 1946 before she got married to her fiancé, Frederick Spalla, who was a Marine sergeant stationed in the Philippines during World War II and who was honorably discharged prior to the end of the war because he suffered a disease from an insect bite. Angela worked as a clerk in payroll in the accounting department at Michigan Central Station. She still has her picture identification and free train pass. She said she loved her job at Michigan Central Station. With her own savings, Angela purchased the family’s first Bell telephone and the desk to set it on. “She worked on the first floor and could see the arrivals off the train, and she had to use her math skills to calculate payroll accounts for the employees, but when she had some fraction problems, she would ask one of the guys close by to help her solve the problem. Soon before she left her job, she was being trained to use the calculator, which was a little difficult at first, but then she liked it,” Liana said. Angela said she was glad she got to learn how to use the calculator for the future. She said that especially during the war years, there were mostly women, young and old, some younger men but more older men — middle aged — who worked at the station. Many military personnel arrived at the station, including Angela’s fiancé. See SPALLA on page 5A
RIGHT AND BELOW: Image
ANGELA SPALLA, 103, FEATURED IN GRAND OPENING EXHIBIT
s provided by Angela Spalla
SHELBY RESIDENT SHARES MEMORIES OF WORKING AT MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION DURING WWII
Angela Spalla, 103, worked at Michigan Central Station in the 1940s. Spalla holds her identification card from when she worked at Michigan Central Station. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Families Against Narcotics opens new offices, rebrands BY NICK POWERS npowers@candgnews.com
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — FAN is still FAN, but the letters have a different meaning. Families Against Narcotics has changed its name to Face Addiction Now. The switch reflects the nonprofit’s
expanded services since it started in 2007. FAN co-founder Linda Davis, a former 41B District Court judge, spoke about the rebranding at the ribboncutting for the nonprofit’s new offices on June 17. “When we started, we were angry families who wanted to stop narcotics,” Davis said of the name change. “We’ve grown beyond that name. We work with hospi-
tals, police departments, almost everybody in the community and we help everybody face addiction now.” Davis helped found the nonprofit following a family member’s struggle with addiction. She said this story had a happy ending, but that many similar stories do not. See FAN on page 10A