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JULY 1, 2024 Vol. 22, No. 14
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Caron Koteles Riha
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CAR NEVER MISSES FOURTH OF JULY PARADE Past and present students say goodbye to Schalm Elementary CaronKoteles.com Caron@CaronKoteles.com
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
CLAWSON — The 2023-2024 school year has come to an end, and with it the final class of students has walked the halls of Schalm Elementary School. Schalm Elementary School is going to be torn down after a decision to sell the property, and all students at Schalm and Kenwood elementary schools will be relocated to Clawson Elementary School, which is being created from the former middle school. Kenwood will continue to be used for preschool students and has undergone improvements. Unlike at Schalm, there was no final walk-through for the public at Kenwood. The school district’s physical transformation is being funded by the 2021 and 2023 bonds that voters approved. Bianca Sines, the principal of both Schalm and Kenwood, thinks that the decision to merge the schools was the correct one, and she looks forward to continuing to work with students and staff under the same roof. “It is what’s best for our district at this point. Because I work here, I want Clawson to stay alive, and right-sizing in this capacity is the only way to do it,” Sines said. “I know change looks different for everybody, and I think in the long run, it’s going to be what’s best for Clawson.” To commemorate the end of Schalm and the beginning of the merger,
Photos provided by Tracy Irwin
ABOVE: Daniel Irwin, 11, visited Schalm Elementary School for the last time during the week of June 10-14 at the Schalm final walk-through event put on by the elementary school’s principal, Bianca Sines. RIGHT: The Schalm plaque will be saved following the demolition of the elementary school, according to the school district.
See SCHALM on page 2A
TACO FEST COMING IN HOT FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND ROYAL OAK — Taco Fest will return for the third year to Royal Oak July 4-7, featuring more than 50 taquerias, taco trucks and other eateries, as well as more than 100 musical and entertainment acts. Jon Witz, event producer of Royal Oak Taco Fest,
is also the event producer for other festivals that happen throughout the year, including Winter Fest and Arts, Beats & Eats, which is set to take place at the end of the summer. Planning for multiple major events each year can get challenging, according to Witz, but he and his team are constantly working to ensure that each festival has its own identity.
File photo by Donna Dalziel
See TACO FEST on page 14A
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BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
Lewis and Nicole Cash, of Dearborn Heights, enjoy the food and music at the 2023 Royal Oak Taco Fest. For 2024, the festival will have more than 100 musical acts.