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Kurt is an award-winning journalist, having served as a reporter and editor for several local newspapers and magazines, including the Plymouth Observer He has been a journalist for over two decades. He founded Journeyman Publishing, which also publishes The ‘Ville, in 2017.
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Scott graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Journalism. He covered western Wayne County for more than 12 years at several publications before transitioning into corporate communications and media relations. A Canton resident, he has also finished his first novel and is hard at work on his next.
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KEN VOYLES – Writer/Photographer
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BILL BRESLER – Photographer
Bill arrived in Plymouth in 1977 to work for the Community Crier. He also worked for the Plymouth Observer for many years. Bill, who taught photography at Madonna University, retired from what was left of the newspaper business in 2019 and now freelances. He’s happy to be back in the Plymouth community.
BRYAN MITCHELL – Photographer
Bryan started working as a photographer more than 30 years ago, and was a staff photographer for the Plymouth Observer in the 90s. He has freelanced for The Detroit News, The Guardian, Reuters, and other publications. His photography has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the globe.
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“I hope you can be better…”
In one of her first actions as Mayor of the City of Plymouth, Mayor Linda Filipczak asked for a moment of silence to reflect on what was going on in the U.S. and around the world.
Sadly, it took a few seconds to list off the latest rounds of mass shootings and assorted hate crimes that took place in our country and Australia since the commission met two weeks prior. The world is a tinderbox; people are more angry, fearful and divisive than ever—and it is either a reflection or a symptom of the political discourse (or the lack thereof) we see across our nation and here in our community.
Commissioner Brock Minton mentioned it in his comments when he talked about ongoing responses to the update of the city master plan and the bizarre allegations that the city planning commission was being pressured into forcing more density onto its residents.
“I am concerned that if we continue down this path, we will lose the expertise of dedicated civil servants, that we will forfeit caring community members that volunteer their time…to ensure we have a representative democracy. That people will continue to be afraid and fearful.
“The local level is where it should be most urgent to solve this problem,” he added.
Moments later, the city lost one of those dedicated servants when commissioner Colleen Pobur resigned from the seat she had been unanimously appointed to a year earlier. Aaron Sorkin couldn’t have scripted it any better.
“It wears on the toughest person,” Pobur said, citing the political tenor that characterized the 2025 city commission election—and even the subsequent choice of who would be mayor. “You do this because of your love of the community. You do this because you think you can make a difference. You think your skill set, your experience and your time in this community is valuable to the rest of the community. But there comes a time when it is not worth it anymore and for me, that time has come.” Her resignation was effective at the end of the meeting and, just like that, the commission’s most experienced, longest serving member—and one of its strongest voices—was gone. No thank you, no resolutions, no autographed replica of a “Plymouth Rock,” another casualty in the war on decency. City staff offered hugs afterward, but the cameras had stopped rolling at that point.
That’s a shame, because Pobur got a bad rap. She’s served the community admirably during her intermittent times on the commission, which started in 1997 and included two stints as mayor pro tem. The city is a better place because of her efforts and her voice.
I tip my hat to Minton for his comments. We don't have room for all of them here, but I urge everyone to watch the first 15 minutes of the Dec. 15 city commission meeting. Serving the community can be a tough sell these days. We’re living in a time when the president can use an offensive slur against a sitting governor and the public takes that proverbial ball, drives by his house and hurls it at his son. And here in the City of Plymouth, a commissioner can have their character impugned, their reputation aligned and their livelihood threatened for trying to do what’s best for the community. It’s a disgrace.
“I hope you can be better, the people who did this,” Pobur said of the people who orchestrated the negative campaigning last year as she concluded her brief remarks. I hope so, too. I hope we all can. But I have to be honest: right now, it doesn’t look too promising.
“At
As director of the Plymouth Ice Festival, James Gietzen knows all about the popular event that turns the downtown streets into a dazzling gallery of creative carvings. Just don’t ask him about the weather.
“I’m usually pretty tight-lipped about that,” said Gietzen with a chuckle. “Usually, whatever I say is the exact opposite of what will happen. The good news is we’ve been doing this so long, we know how to make it happen even if it gets hot.”
The popular festival returns for the 44th year from Jan. 30 through Feb. 2, with scheduled events throughout the weekend—and downtown—and carvings available to view all
day and night. Regardless of the uncertainties of planning an outdoor event in January in Michigan—temperatures have varied from the middle 50s to well below freezing throughout
its history—it’s one of Michigan’s original ice festivals and remains among the largest, and it takes a lot of work to pull it off.
“We work all year to make this thing happen,” Gietzen said.
“It’s 100 percent sponsorshipdriven. There’s not anything at the festival that tax dollars pays for or anything like that. We’re constantly looking for new sponsors, new partners, new ways to make it special.”
Among the new features this year will be a zip line that extends down Ann Arbor Trail from Main Street to Union Street next to Kellogg Park. A mobile Tower will be set up at the Main Street and Ann Arbor Trail corner to kick off the experience—a 300-foot aerial experience that will allow festival goers a new perspective of the activities around them.
“They’ll be able to take the event in like never before,” Gietzen said. “It’s a cool add
to the festival this year. It’s something we saw a few years ago and we’ve been wanting to do it. This seemed like the right year to try something new.” Zip line rides will cost $10.
Also new will be a Hot Chocolate & S’mores Porch, located on Penniman Avenue, where festival goers can purchase a s’more kit, head to a nearby fire to toast their marshmallows and put together their treats to enjoy them on carved ice benches. Hot chocolate, coffee, and other specialty winter drinks from Continental Drip will be available, too.
award-winning ice carvers will demonstrate their craft throughout the weekend, either on the main stage—where the dueling chainsaws competition will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday—or in Kellogg Park, itself, with a college carving competition from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and a professional competition from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Those who enjoy a more hands-on experience can head to the Interactive Ice Experience Area, which features ice sculptures designed for sitting, posing, and playing, making it one of the most photo-friendly areas of the festival. It will be filled with larger-than-life characters carved entirely from ice, interactive ice pieces to site or play on---even a specially carved ice shuffleboard table.
The Miracle League of Plymouth will bring its sensory-friendly space for those who prefer a more relaxing environment. Located on Penniman Avenue near the Penn Theatre, this dedicated tent provides a quieter, less crowded area for guests who may need a break from the sights, sounds, and activity of the festival. Guests can interact with a small selection of ice carvings and take a moment away from the crowds,
“It’s another new idea we’ve been kicking around for a couple of years,” said Gietzen.
The ice carvings themselves are the stars of this particular show. There will more than 150 in all, spread throughout the downtown streets and in Kellogg Park. Each starts out as a 350-pound crystal clear block of ice—a blank, frozen canvas that artists turn into anything from popular characters to corporate logos and glittering sculptures of all shapes and sizes. Nationally recognized,
reflecting the festival’s ongoing commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and creating an enjoyable experience for all members of the community.
And community is what it’s all about, said Gietzen.
Although the event started as a relatively small competition in the park more than four decades ago, it has since become a go-to destination that is often imitated, but never matched, with the sustained goal of bringing people to town during a traditionally slow time of year.
“It turned into a first in the region and now everybody around us tries to chase the same kind of activity in the wintertime,” Gietzen said. “To
• Sensory-Friendly Space –Miracle League of Plymouth Tent
• Ice Age at The Penn Theatre (all seats $5, all weekend)
• Ice Bar & Party Tent (E.G. Nick’s Party Lot)
• Live music Friday and Saturday, 8-11 p.m.
• Several warming stations ADMISSION
Continued from page 5
have that in your downtown in the wintertime, it’s so important economically to so many of the businesses down there, to have the foot traffic and people walking through. The commerce really helps people keep going until the springtime when the traffic picks back up.”
That’s why festival organizers and downtown groups push to get more businesses involved, to spread out the activities beyond the park and urge business owners to host their own activities, like the ice bar and party tent in the E.G. Nick’s parking lot, the petting zoo sponsored by Michigan First Credit Union, or the Ice Festival Bingo, in which several downtown merchants participate.
“That’s the whole goal. It’s not just get people to come down to
Kellogg Park, it’s to get them to explore the downtown area and all that Plymouth has to offer,”
Gietzen said. “It’s one of the gems of Wayne county, it’s the downtown for so many people. It’s always good to get people out there and explore and enjoy all the little shops.
“It’s not just the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) organization that’s deciding to do these things. It’s communitydriven. There’s so many people that are proud of their town. It really just makes things happen. That’s why they’re successful down there.”
Among the most popular attractions of the annual Ice Festival are the ice carving competitions, which are presented by Henry Ford Health. Here’s this year’s schedule: COLLEGE CARVING COMPETITION
In addition, guests of all ages are invited to step inside the fun at the Interactive Ice Experience Area, where ice carvings aren’t just for viewing—they’re meant to be enjoyed. This playful space features interactive ice sculptures designed for sitting, posing, and playing, making it one of the most photofriendly areas of the festival.
Gooseneck is part of Plymouth’s robust and growing java scene
Voyles
Part art, part science, and a whole lot of love make the roasting of coffee beans an almost mystical experience for two Plymouth Township entrepreneurs. And there’s nothing quite like the aroma it produces. In fact, Old Village residents near the small, but robust roasting plant can often smell the beans roasting.
Gooseneck Coffee Company is part of a growing trend in the community. Yes, it appears
there is a kind of coffee “scene” here. Maybe not like London or Seattle, but certainly unique to Plymouth.
That reminds us - if you get a chance to visit a place like London, you may be surprised to discover the plethora of coffee shops. For a people renowned for their love of tea, the Brits have caught the coffee bug, or bean, a clear reminder of just how ubiquitous the international drink has become.
Plymouth Roast. Also in the township is the Garage Cuts and Coffee, a haircutting and coffee-drinking retreat, as well as the Farmer Brothers Coffee Company on General Drive.
Gooseneck is not far from the popular Meridian Coffee shop along Starkweather. Founded and operated by Noah Salter and Bill Streicher, Gooseneck is celebrating 10 years in operation.
What began as a social experience that morphed into a hobby is now a thriving business selling roasted beans throughout metro Detroit. Salter and Streicher are longtime friends, having met at a local church. Both live in the Lakepointe area, Salter for 20 years.
“We like to say from seed to cup,” says the 42-year-old Salter, who has taught math and entrepreneurship in the Plymouth-Canton schools for nearly 20 years. “Roasting is dirty work and it takes patience and focus so that you don’t burn the beans or ruin the flavor profiles you’re trying to create.”
As noted, the roasting smells can be intense as they waft through the building on Davis Street.
That love of coffee pervades throughout Plymouth as well. Just consider the number of cafes, shops, and even roasters located in both the city and township. Outside of a few international brands, coffee here is mostly about a small-town, independent approach, often on a modest scale.
Penniman has the longtime Plymouth Coffee Bean, Main Street has Espresso Elevado, Ann Arbor Road hosts Biggby, Scooter’s and the newly opened
“Coffee roasting is very easy and yet very complicated,” adds the 35-year-old Streicher, who also works for a local medical equipment company. “You have to keep beans moving so airflow and temperatures are really important. We roast a lot at night and the smell around the neighborhood sometimes has new people wondering what we’re doing. It can smell like baked bread or like something is burning, which is absolutely what we’re not doing.”
They operate out of a small space packed with beans, a large roaster, lots of different coffee brewing apparatus, a few comfy chairs and tools of their craft. They are fully licensed and roast
Story and photos by Ken
a thousand pounds of beans every month for their customers throughout metro Detroit.
FROM KETTLE TO CUP
While the story of their company (named after a type of kettle with a long slender neck) links the two, their personal connection to, and love of, coffee are slightly different, as are their tastes for the bean these days.
Salter grew up in South Lyon, attending Eastern Michigan and Madonna University for his education degrees. Besides teaching high school students, Salter has been hosting coffee classes at Schoolcraft College for three years, including what he calls “101” classes. This semester he is also offering an “art of brewing” class and has also offered classes at Greenmead Historical Society in Livonia.
He remembers his first cups of coffee at a Starbucks and drinking plenty of Folgers while in college. He prefers it black served through a “pour over,” where water is hand poured over
grounds in a filter, allowing coffee to seep into a pot below.
“Honestly I don’t drink it that much these days, maybe three cups a day,” Salter explains as he prepares a pour over for the curious. “Coffee for me was about casual drinking that morphed into a social thing and then a hobby trying all of the different ways to make and drink it.”
Streicher grew up in Livonia where he remembers how his father and friends would get together and drink the stuff and talk. It was a “huge” thing for them. He first tasted some coffee when he talked his mom into putting some cinnamon in a cup. It wasn’t good to the six-year-old, but by the time he was 17 or 18 he ramped up his intake, thanks to a Mr. Coffee at one of his workplaces.
“I can drink coffee all day, at least three to six cups,” he says while preparing a latte and carefully watching the roaster nearby. He likes cappuccinos and
the perfect latte, getting the foam just right to swirl patterns on the delicate top of the drink.
Their journey began one Christmas when they brought a coffee station to church. They had been experimenting with roasting, watching videos and reading coaching manuals and wanted to share their coffee.
“It was really our wives who saw the joy we had serving coffee and encouraged us to look into a business,” says Streicher. “We got a reputation pretty fast after starting officially in 2016. It was the Plymouth Farmer’s Market that did it.”
The Gooseneck name caught the attention of a designer friend who crafted the logo and brand and the partners were off.
“We knew if we wanted our own product we had to roast,” says Salter. “We’re high-end coffee with beans from around the world.”
For the first two years they roasted with a small one-pound
roaster. Later they obtained a two-kilo roaster and in 2019 partnered with Drifter Coffee in Ferndale to use their space for roasting, and gained wholesale accounts at the same time. By 2021 they had outgrown the space in Ferndale and moved into Old Village. Today the operation is still just the two partners and they have clients from Farmington, Belleville, Livonia and Ferndale.
Eventually the pair would love to do more events through a new espresso cast as well as expand the wholesale business and add more retail through cafes and restaurants. Streicher sometimes
Continued on page 10
Continued from page 9
dreams of a bricks and mortar shop as well, while Salter loves to teach about coffee and emphasizes the specialty nature of their brand.
“The coffee world has gone from a commodity to wonderful cafes and shops and now focuses on specialty coffee,” says Salter, who remembers spending lots of time in the Espresso Elevado shop on Main Street. “The community was quick to embrace us and we were challenged to keep up with demand. But ours is specialty coffee and we pride ourselves on crafting the best roast profiles we can.”
‘BLENDING BEANS’
As for Plymouth, Streicher says its coffee scene is connected with the growing one around metro Detroit.
“It’s still growing,” adds Salter, who loves the community’s small-
out” phase, they turn a yellow color in the “maillard reaction” and begin “cracking” a bit like popcorn. It’s in the final phase where the partners develop the tasting notes they want to achieve.
town vibe with its many events.
For Streicher, Old Village offers its own vibe. “I love what it’s becoming,” he says, “with events and stuff. It’s a fun place.”
Last but not least there remains the roasting. This is done with the green beans that are carefully “cooked” using a gas heat source and slowly rotate in a drum cooled by fans and motion. Profile types are written out by the partners, tested and repeated depending on customer needs and the desire to experiment.
“We blend beans and craft
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profiles a lot like some kinds of wines,” says Salter.
The roasting develops the flavor profile and the goal of the entire process is to go beyond just roasting.
“We have to bring out the flavor in unique and exciting ways,” says Streicher. “The secret is being flexible with what we are after. We map out the journey we want the beans to go on in terms of how long to roast and the final drop temperature.”
He adds that as the green beans are being roasting in a “drying
All that focus and science adds up in terms of time. The partners spend eight hours a week or so roasting in their current six-kilo machine. That supplies thirsty wholesale clients as well as people who purchase individual bags direct or grab some Gooseneck at the farmer’s market.
“We were born out of friendship and a love of coffee. There’s a kind of spirituality in coffee,” says Salter, with a smile while handing a cup of java to a new fan.
Gooseneck Coffee Company is located at 775 Davis Street (Suite 6) in Plymouth. For more information, call (734) 656-8929, email info@gooseneckcoffee.co, or visit www.gooseneckcoffee.co.
Darren R. LaLondeIngrid Runnion
PlymouthCanton Educational Park enjoy free admission; those who arrive between 9-10 a.m. will be charged $10 while all others pay only $5.
‘NICE COINCIDENCE’
The show is one of the biggest fundraisers for 88.1 The Park, with numerous vendors and record lovers expected to bring in money to help fund a new studio that is expected to open in the 2026-27 school year.
Setting the record straight
88.1 The Park celebrates 54th anniversary with annual celebration to vinyl
By Tim Smith
On Valentine’s Day in 1972, Plymouth music lovers flocked to stores such as Harmony House and Korvette’s to buy new records from the likes of Carly Simon or Neil Young.
Also that day, a 10-watt radio station called WSDP signed onto the airwaves for the first time. Exactly 54 years later, from 10
One station staff member enthusiastic about this year's show is Salem Senior Anya Read. Read is a program codirector with Myles Alcott and host of 88.1 The Park radio show Anonymous Was A Woman, which runs 6-7 p.m. on Thursdays.
Read said she gained an enduring love for a variety of music from parents Jessica (who was a station member in the 1990s) and Brian Read.
a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, some of those very music buyers and listeners will flock to Salem High School, where the current iteration of WSDP – now known as 88.1 The Park and based at Salem – for the 17th annual “Record Show.”
There will be more than 70 dealer tables for patrons to choose from. Students from
“It was just a bit of lucky happenstance this year, but it’s a really nice coincidence,” said Bill Keith, station director at 88.1 FM about the show taking place on the anniversary. The station’s assistant director is John Kreger.
Keith said the recent vinyl resurgence has helped foster the ongoing discovery and rediscovery of music going back even before the early 1970s. Just as important, events such as the record show bring the community together, during a time “when we’re a bit more disconnected from each other.”
Having her radio program – which solely consists of songs from female artists – only underscores that passion and gives her further incentive to rifle through the stacks of albums in search of well-worn favorites, perhaps even the 1972 self-titled album from Carly Simon.
else decades ago.”
Last year, she set aside $300 and bought about 30 albums to add to her collection, some of which are played on her program.
“I was able to get records from Janis Joplin and the Big Brother Holding Company to things like Grace Slick and her solo albums,” she continued, “even some Stevie Nicks and Patty Smyth.”
HISTORY COMES ALIVE
Reid said having the show on the station’s anniversary is “so exciting,” and finding vintage and contemporary music continues to be a value-added experience that further nurtures the personal connection between
being made,” Read said, “that’s why I also think there’s so much value in buying used copies of music – especially ones that look so heavily used –because you can see the living history and proof that people were there.”
Among the vendors on hand will be Chase Carter, working the show for a 10th consecutive year. He said the 88.1 the Park show
The best moments for me doing the shows is providing an item to someone who was looking for it.”
and Pink Floyd. Rarities from the MC5, Stooges and Velvet Underground also are available while younger music lovers will peruse offerings from the likes of Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter.
For Carter, his love of music –and collecting it – started from an early age, when he saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Those who stop by his table will find albums from the Fab Four along with a variety of classic
Documentary featuring local WWII vets premiers at Penn Theater
By Scott Spielman | Photos by Sean Power
“A Salute to Our WWII Generation, Let Us Not Forget” is not a typical war documentary, according to Mark Salloum, a Plymouth filmmaker who directed and produced the documentary. As an exploration of the events surrounding the great conflict, it may be both the first and last of its kind—a glimpse into the lives of those who prepared for and fought, as well as those who supported the war effort.
“This is not a war film, even though you’re going to hear war stories,” said Salloum. “It’s really about the impact of the war on the lives of these veterans before, during and after their service.”
The film, more than five years in the making, premiered at Plymouth Penn Theater on Jan. 8. After a packed weekend of shows there, it will be broadcast on Detroit’s PBS channel next month.
Narrated by Detroit journalist Devin Scillian, the film follows the lives of more than two dozen WWII veterans—and a few original “Rosies”—as they first learned about, then prepared for and fought in the war and the challenges they faced when they returned.
Salloum and co-producer
Keith Famie condensed more than 70 hours of interviews with the veterans and their family members into 140 minutes for the film, which also featured Plymouth-Canton High School students as they learned the heroes and the varied roles they played in the preservation of democracy.
As the number of those veterans dwindle, Salloum said he realized the importance of learning and sharing their stories.
“Less than 40,000 soldiers are estimated to be alive at
this time,” he said. “The film captures their stories of bravery, resilience, and sacrifice, offering a deeply personal glimpse into the experiences of those who served. Many of the veterans shared heart wrenching stories with us, which they have never spoken of since the war. It’s crucial that we share this with our young generation.”
It’s the second film he and Famie have worked on together, both focused on Plymouth history. That made the Penn an ideal location for its premiere, according to Ellen Elliott, executive director of the Friends of the Penn and a producer of the documentary. The historic theater shared another piece of history with the subject matter—it opened on Dec. 4, 1941, three days before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
“Some of the men that you’re going to see in this film were here to experience the Penn in those
early days,” Elliott said. “They chose to go off and fight so that we could be here today. Some of them, when they came back, still came here. It was a place of refuge for people.”
Don Folsom, a Plymouth marine, was one of them. He was listening to the radio when he learned of the attack.
“All of the sudden a bulletin came on: the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor,” Folsom said in the film. “Where was Pearl Harbor? We didn’t even know. I got a chill up my back. The war was a long way away. It was in Europe, it didn’t bother us. Then all of the sudden the Japanese brought it to us.” After consulting with his parents, Folsom, like so many others, signed up to serve.
The film follows members of all branches of the service as they talked about their lives before, during and after the war, bringing
a personal perspective to what most of us learned about in history books.
It proved to be a good fit for Chris Belch, a history teacher at Canton High School, who was looking for a new way to bring history to life for his students. Through a class assignment, the students researched
many of the veterans featured in the film through interviews with their families, documents at the Plymouth District Library and Library of Congress and other archives. They shared their presentations with their classmates and walked with photos of the veterans in the 2025 Memorial Day parade.
“The goal of the project was for students to take things on a more personal level,” said Belch. “The hope was that they’ll build an emotional connection with these characters, that they learn about people from the past and how they’re not all that different from people today. I am thrilled with how it turned out.”
Families and friends packed the theater,
a large display of WWII paraphernalia presented by the Michigan Heroes Museum and the Rosie the Riveter Association of Michigan. It brought back memories for Delphine Klaput, one of the original ‘Rosies.’
Although not featured in the film, she said she still remembered the first day she walked into the Middle River factory in Baltimore, MD, where B-26 bombers were put together. She was in charge of small parts and had a crew of eight working for her. She was only 18 and the first day, she said, was overwhelming.
“I wasn’t used to anything like that,” said Klaput, who turned 101 in November. “I’m from a coalmining town in Pennsylvania. I was ready to walk out the back
But, after a tour of the factory and a few days on the job, she settled in.
“I didn’t think about it. We were helping the war effort. We were making parts for airplanes. That’s all that mattered,” she said.
Salloum said he is very pleased with the way the film turned out, calling it the biggest, most personal work of his career. Elliott said the emphasis should be on the ‘personal’ nature of it.
“The most important part of the title is the very end: we will not forget,” said Elliott. “The most important job is for us to take that history, present it to people in such a way that it helps them remember, it helps them share. The work we did on this film helps us preserve our history. It helps us remember.”
there’s more opportunities,” Dent said. “It is a big evolution. It allows for more fan engagement throughout the week. Specific details really haven’t been shared with us yet on exactly what that means having that four days. But as we get closer to the event, we will be able to share that out. But I would say fans can expect a more expanded experience, more opportunities to interact with the teams, and just a more overall an experience with LIV Golf. It will be enhanced and in a much bigger way.”
Although figures from last year’s event were never officially released, Dent said attendance was strong and that both Saint John’s and LIV Golf were happy overall in all aspects.
After receiving positive feedback, LIV Golf has decided to run it back another year at the St. John’s Resort in Plymouth when it hosts the Aramco Team Championship, Aug. 27-30, at The Cardinal.
The announcement came after LIV Golf, which became a new rival to the PGA Tour in 2022, set up its original 13-tour worldwide schedule, which begins its fifth season on Feb. 4 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In 2025, the LIV Golf Team Championship debuted at the newly Ray Hearnredesigned Cardinal, an 18-hole championship course.
Over the three-day event, an estimated 40,000 spectators were able catch a glimpse of well-known pros and grand slam major winners such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Phil
Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell and Charl Schwartzel.
“We had a lot of conversations leading up to the event, but nothing was assumed that they were coming back,” said Dustin Dent, area managing director overseeing the Pulte assets at St. John’s and The Inn at Stonecliffe in Mackinaw. “Truly, what ultimately mattered was how the community and the fans showed up to the event. The level of energy engagement and pride we saw from the golf fans made a strong statement and that’s what really played the meaningful role in getting LIV to return.”
This year’s team format hosted by The Cardinal will feature a play-in round starting on Thursday followed by the quarterfinals (Friday), semifinals (Saturday) and finals (Sunday). There will be 13 teams and five wildcard entrants.
“From the course layout for team match play to the fan experiences to world-class concerts, St. John’s Resort and the state of Michigan were fantastic hosts for LIV Golf this past season, and we can’t wait to return next August,” said Ross Hallett, LIV Golf Executive Vice-President, Head of Events. Continuing to use the motto, “Golf, But Louder,” local fans will enjoy some of the same amenities that they enjoyed from a year ago, including post-round live concerts over a four-day period instead of three.
Imagine Dragons were one of the groups to play at Saint John’s during the 2025 event and there are plans for an expanded party hole and fan zones, along with collaborations with local chefs and artists, as well as new hospitality offerings designed to elevate the guest experience.
“I wouldn’t say wrinkles,
“We are extremely proud how the event went last year from operations – period -- across the board,” he said. “We had Ian Poulter tell us that the greens at The Cardinal were the best that he had putted on. I think that’s a big statement. I thought he was just talking about the facility overall, but that is talking about the entire property. From the facilities to the golf course, we had nothing but rave reviews.
“From the surrounding
Plymouth Pulse
Plymouth Pulse
Plymouth Pulse
February 2026: City Highlights Edition
February 2026: City Highlights Edition
February 2026: City Highlights Edition
Stay on track with these highlights of upcoming deadlines, registrations, meetings, and community updates.
Stay on track with these highlights of upcoming deadlines, registrations, meetings, and community updates.
Stay on track with these highlights of upcoming deadlines, registrations, meetings, and community updates.
Expanded news coverage is available in the full digital Plymouth Pulse edition at plymouthmi.gov.
Expanded news coverage is available in the full digital Plymouth Pulse edition at plymouthmi.gov.
Expanded news coverage is available in the full digital Plymouth Pulse edition at plymouthmi.gov.
Created & paid for by the City of Plymouth | 201 S. Main Street, Plymouth, MI 48170 | plymouthmi.gov
Created & paid for by the City of Plymouth | 201 S. Main Street, Plymouth, MI 48170 | plymouthmi.gov
Created & paid for by the City of Plymouth | 201 S. Main Street, Plymouth, MI 48170 | plymouthmi.gov
DTPForward: Reimagining Downtown
DTPForward: Reimagining Downtown
DTPForward: Reimagining Downtown
Say “I Do” in a Plymouth Park.
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is seeking community input on DTPForward, a project to upgrade the downtown streetscape.
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is seeking community input on DTPForward, a project to upgrade the downtown streetscape.
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027.
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027.
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is seeking community input on DTPForward, a project to upgrade the downtown streetscape. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027.
Upcoming community input opportunity:
Upcoming community input opportunity:
Upcoming community input opportunity: Open House
Open House
Open House
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Plymouth Cultural Center (525 Farmer St.)
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Plymouth Cultural Center (525 Farmer St.)
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Plymouth Cultural Center (525 Farmer St.)
Visit downtownplymouth.org for details.
Visit downtownplymouth.org for details.
Visit downtownplymouth.org for details.
Winter Taxes Due March 2, 2026
Winter Taxes Due March 2, 2026
Winter Taxes Due March 2, 2026
Winter Tax Deadline: Payments are due Monday, March 2, 2026 (extended from Feb. 28).
Winter Tax Deadline: Payments are due Monday, March 2, 2026 (extended from Feb. 28).
Winter Tax Deadline: Payments are due Monday, March 2, 2026 (extended from Feb. 28).
Payable to: City of Plymouth
Payable to: City of Plymouth
Payable to: City of Plymouth
Important: Use separate checks for tax and water bills.
Important: Use separate checks for tax and water bills.
Important: Use separate checks for tax and water bills.
How to Pay: In-Person/Mail: 201 S. Main St.
How to Pay: In-Person/Mail: 201 S. Main St. Drop Boxes: City Hall vestibule or the Plymouth District Library drive-thru. Do not put cash in drop boxes.
Drop Boxes: City Hall vestibule or the Plymouth District Library drive-thru. Do not put cash in drop boxes.
How to Pay: In-Person/Mail: 201 S. Main St. Drop Boxes: City Hall vestibule or the Plymouth District Library drive-thru. Do not put cash in drop boxes.
For more info, check out: tinyurl.com/City-of-PlymouthTaxes
For more info, check out: tinyurl.com/City-of-PlymouthTaxes
For more info, check out: tinyurl.com/City-of-PlymouthTaxes
City Commission
Linda Filipczak, Mayor
Linda Filipczak, Mayor
Say “I Do” in a Plymouth Park. Celebrate at the Plymouth Cultural Center.
Say “I Do” in a Plymouth Park. Celebrate at the Plymouth Cultural Center.
Celebrate at the Plymouth Cultural Center.
Host your wedding ceremony & reception with the City of Plymouth.
Host your wedding ceremony & reception with the City of Plymouth.
Host your wedding ceremony & reception with the City of Plymouth.
From first look to last dance, enjoy a seamless wedding day in the community you love.
From first look to last dance, enjoy a seamless wedding day in the community you love.
From first look to last dance, enjoy a seamless wedding day in the community you love.
Annual Dog Licenses
Annual Dog Licenses
Annual Dog Licenses
State law requires all dogs (4+ months) to be licensed annually. The renewal fee is $10. Proof of rabies vaccination is required.
State law requires all dogs (4+ months) to be licensed annually. The renewal fee is $10. Proof of rabies vaccination is required.
State law requires all dogs (4+ months) to be licensed annually. The renewal fee is $10. Proof of rabies vaccination is required.
How to Apply:
How to Apply:
How to Apply:
Online: Submit application and attach your vaccination proof at plymouthmi.gov.
Online: Submit application and attach your vaccination proof at plymouthmi.gov.
Online: Submit application and attach your vaccination proof at plymouthmi.gov.
In-Person: Visit the Treasurer’s Department at City Hall (201 S. Main St.).
In-Person: Visit the Treasurer’s Department at City Hall (201 S. Main St.).
In-Person: Visit the Treasurer’s Department at City Hall (201 S. Main St.).
Dogs are welcome at City Hall, and we have treats waiting at the counter!
Dogs are welcome at City Hall, and we have treats waiting at the counter!
Dogs are welcome at City Hall, and we have treats waiting at the counter!
Upcoming Board & Commission Meetings
City Commission Upcoming Board & Commission Meetings
City Commission Upcoming Board & Commission Meetings
Virtual Tour of the Plymouth Cultural Center Room Rental Information City of Plymouth Parks
Virtual Tour of the Plymouth Cultural Center
Room Rental Information City of Plymouth Parks
Spring Soccer Registration: Now Open
Boys and girls, ages 5-12, may register for a wide variety of leagues during the entire month of January. Scan the QR codes for the Plymouth soccer webpage and registration page.
Dates: October 18-21, 2026 (3 nights, 4 days)
Location: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island
Trip is intended for travelers aged 50+ (those under 50 may accompany a 50+ relative/friend)
Go to tinyurl.com/TheGrandExperience for more information!
Gentle Hatha Yoga Registration: Now Open
Slow paced yoga that emphasizes foundational postures, mindfulness, and breath control.
No previous yoga experience required.
8 weeks, Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Class Starts - February 10, 2026
Class Ends - March 31, 2026
Class takes place at the Plymouth Cultural Center (525 Farmer St.)
Resident Fee - $160, Non-Resident Fee - $168
Registration ends February 8, 2026
Euchre Tournament Registration: Now Open
Date:Friday, February 6, 2026 6:30 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.
Location: Plymouth Cultural Center
Free to register!
Team captain to register, bring your own partner
Teams guaranteed 6 games (5 preliminary games and 1 tournament game)
Gift card prizes for tournament winners
Outside food welcome, alcohol available for purchase (21+)
officials will have a better idea— and an updated roadmap of how to get there.
The township board of trustees and township planning commission met in a joint session this month to talk about the Plymouth Township Master Plan as they work to update the document.
“It’s not about what we want but what we think is best for the community,” said Township Supervisor Chuck Curmi. “We need to be thinking about the next 20 years.”
The township master plan was last approved in 2015. Master plans are typically renewed every five years, but the township’s has not been formally updated since then. However, plenty of informal discussions have taken place, according to Laura Mangan from McKenna Associates, the township’s planning consultant.
The work to update the 2015 document began in earnest last year—the township planning commission has held six study sessions as well as other meetings and also sent surveys out to residents, receiving about 600 responses.
The idea, Mangan said, is to prepare for the future without necessarily dictating it.
“The MP is a very big picture,
not law,” she said. “The purpose is to create clear, solid decisions to defend future land use decisions. It helps guide decision making. It’s a very important document. Developers and residents look to it to determine what direction the township is moving in.”
The plan looks at five key areas: the environment, transportation, the Ann Arbor Road Corridor, the Michigan International Technology Center (MITC) corridor along Five Mile Road west of Beck Road, and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).
“We’re taking the best part of the 2015 plan that are still relevant that are still accurate that are still in the direction the community wants to move in and then we’re enhancing that with what we’ve heard recently and including an action plan,” Mangan said.
The discussion was part of a process that should be finalized in May.
Regarding the environment, township officials said they want stronger protections for trees, bigger fines for the illegal removal of them, and discussed one-year post-planting inspections to gauge the health of planted in conjunction with new developments as ways to respect township greenspace.
dedicated truck routes, filling in sidewalk gaps and how best to alleviate traffic congestion around schools, as well as a comprehensive, townshipwide traffic study on how best to manage vehicular flow—a complicated issue, given that the township does not own or maintain the roads.
The discussion about the Ann Arbor Road Corridor included
topics like how best to create a cohesive look, what types of uses should fill those lots that are currently available, like the former Wendy’s and oil change locations, the possibility of
The MITC corridor is evolving in Northville Township, where officials have recently approved some residential developments in the regional once set aside for industrial, research and technology-based businesses. Township officials agreed to halt the commercial component to projects that were already in the pipeline and keep the land west of those—which include the new Meijer, a car wash, credit union and Tractor Supply store—for its original use.
Other topics include ensuring a mixture of types of housing and promoting developments that will
“I don’t want restaurants and I don’t want retail,” Curmi said. “It doesn’t bring a lot of tax revenue and it doesn’t bring a lot of jobs. I don’t know what I want, but I know what I don’t want.”
The next step is for the township planning commission to review the draft of the plan, which will take place at its Jan. 21 meeting. After any potential changes, the commission will recommend the plan to the board of trustees at its Feb. 18 meeting. The board of trustees will look at it at their Feb. 24 meeting and possibly recommend it for
by law, the plan must be sent out to neighboring communities, affected utilities, the Michigan Department of Transportation, Wayne County and township residents. That will trigger a 63-day public input period, which would—assuming the timetable doesn’t change— end on April 30. The board could then approve it in May.
Officials said they’ve been pleased with the process so far.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for all of us to talk about the
community as it relates to planning,
ordinance,” said Township Trustee Sandy Groth. “We have identified that we have a lot of areas that need attention and that have lacked attention for a long time. I’m happy to see we’re not rushing into judgment on any of this, rather we’re investigating it, looking at it, talking about it and exploring opportunities.”
“I think we have the best interest in mind for our township residents and that makes me feel good; I can sleep at night knowing that,” added Trustee Jen Buckley. “I think this is great step in the right direction for our township.”
“I think we agreed more than we disagreed and I appreciate that,” said Dennis Cebulski, chair of the planning commission. “I think we all love our township and we want to do right by the township. We do want to hear from the citizens as we deliberate what direction we want to go in a number of different ways.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Plymouth Township officials are starting the process to update the master plan. They are targeting several issues, including the environment, transportation, the Ann Arbor Road Corridor, the Michigan International Technology Center (MITC) corridor along Five Mile Road west of Beck Road, and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). What would you like them to include as the plan moves forward? Please email your opinions to Editor Scott Spielman at scottyspielman@gmail.com.
33 years of experience in the Plymouth community and surrounding areas. LICENSED AND INSURED bring high-paying, career-oriented businesses to the community.
DREAM. DESIGN.
The New Year brought good news to Gateway Farm in Plymouth Township. It looks like the proverbial seeds they planted through 2025 will bear fruit, after all.
Bridget O’Brien and Charlie Brennan, co-directors of the farm located on Joy Road just over the western border of the township, said they are working out the final details of an agreement that will allow the farm to operate in 2026—and beyond. They had been seeking investors after owner Mary Emmett announced her intention to retire last year.
“We’ve got a great offer on the table. We have a primary investor, but we also have a co-ownership group that is forming that will most likely manage the farm,” O’Brien said. “We’ve been letting everyone know that we’re cautiously optimistic that this will go through.”
Brennan and O’Brien hosted community
open houses last year to provide information about the 13-acre organic farm and what it has meant to the community as they searched for either a single buyer or group of investors that will allow them to keep it operational. They had set a Dec. 30 deadline to secure the funding.
“Our highest goal here is to continue the farm,” said Brennan. “We believe it’s a fantastic farm with a high level of potential return in the future. Bridget and I are passionately dedicated to making Gateway and similar projects work. We feel like it is actually a gateway to the future.”
Emmett, who also owns Plymouth Orchards, purchased the land near the junction of Ann Arbor Road and Joy Road in 2014. It had been a driving range, but Emmett saw a potential new use for it — she just wasn’t sure exactly what it was. Back then, it wasn’t a snap decision; she said the property called to
her as she continually drove by.
“It was a little rough,” Emmett said. “I had this dream of something, but it wasn’t very clear.”
She brought on O’Brien and Brennan as consultants about seven years ago. They hired on as co-directors about three years ago. As they experimented with different offerings, they also devised a plan to make it more profitable and turn it into a destination, as well as a place that provides organic food and therapeutic activities.
“We knew perfectly well that growing vegetables alone will not make this farm viable,” Brennan said. “So we made it a place that people love to come to for their organic, regenerative food but also because it’s a super-interesting place. We feel pretty sure, after traveling around the world, that these kinds of places definitely a growing attraction for people.”
“We really put the net out there to see what we could do, what’s working, what’s not working and now—three years into our directorship—we feel pretty clear about what the next steps are, what will work on this farm and what won’t,” O’Brien added. “Obviously there are things we haven’t thought of, but for the most part, we’ve got a pretty clear path to move forward.”
That path took shape over the course of 2025 and picked up steam at the end of the year. The farm was assessed and valued and a farm sale campaign was launched. They also sought donations and several co-investors to provide funding to pay for new features.
“We wanted to make the best decision for everyone involved,” O’Brien said. “This might not be the highest bidder or the first bidder, it’s what is the best package for everyone: the Emmett family walking away,
is the team going to be cared for, or not, or is the community going to be cared for, or not. We’re going to get offers that are none of those
things or some of those things, but hopefully we’ll get offers that are all of those things.”
The agreement, which should be finalized next month, represents the best of both worlds, she said. She and Brennan and all current employees will remain on staff.
“The best thing about this co-ownership offering is that these are all mission-aligned community members that understand what we do and why we do it and the importance of what we do,” said O’Brien, who added that she
and Brennan wanted to wait until everything was signed before they went into specifics. “They’re fully backing us and wanting us to continue doing what we’re doing in the best way possible. We feel it’s the best outcome for the land and the community.”
Even with a tentative agreement in place, they are looking to bring more people to the farm and get more revenue out of it. They have plans to improve and stock a natural farm
animal area, create an indoor event space that could be operated year-round, and transform the former golf shack that currently serves as a farm stand into a larger farm market and café, among other ideas. They would also expand the activities that could take place there.
“We do know that the farm needs to be more profitable and it can be more profitable,” said O’Brien.
Brennan said the farm could be more profitable before those added amenities come on line, however, by making better use of the property in the meantime, like growing more food indoors, and building on its reputation within the greater Plymouth community.
“The land itself is not the best farmland in the world, that’s for sure, but what the greatest strength of the farm is its location,” he said. “We feel like we an optimal situation here: our location, our reputation, our brand and our position among the communities. We do know that people are more and more interested to engage with systems like this.”
Emmett said the decision to retire was not an easy one; she said she’s been impressed with the work Brennan and O’Brien have done—and gives them credit from growing Gateway from what it used to be to what it is now, as well as planting seeds for the future, and the staff is all well-qualified, passionate and dedicate to making the concept work.
“I just wanted to find something that works out well for everyone,” she said.
For now, the agreement allows them to continue their operation and plan for the coming year. Supporters will soon be able to sign up for the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, which is
“Our highest goal here is to continue the farm. We believe it’s a fantastic farm with a high level of potential return in the future…we feel like it is actually a gateway to the future.”
Charlie Brennan, co-director, Gateway Farm
essentially a subscription service that allows people to get weekly seasonable boxes of produce. More is planned, too.
“Over the next few weeks we’ll look at opening up our events calendar and booking rentals and things like that,” O’Brien said. “We’re still moving ahead with planning and strategy at this time.
“At the end of the day, we hope we can convey the magic that’s going on here, that people can see the way the farm has been designed and created,” she added. “It can and will be successful and the demand for what we’re doing will grow. We are ready.”
Anyone interested can sign up for the CSA program, Gateway Farm newsletter or find their social media feeds through their website, www.gatewayfarmplymouth.com.
Megan Schikora counts the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” among her favorite movies—but she set out to write something similar, but a little different.
“It’s a very polished, happily-ever-after framing of this story of two real people,” said the 48-year-old Plymouth resident, referring to the Cash biopic. “As good as the movie is and as much as I love the movie, it’s interesting to me to think about the gaps between what the rest of us see and how it really was.”
The seeds of that idea became her debut novel, A Woman in Pink, which will hit bookstores next month. In it, an unnamed female protagonist meets Dutch, a man she considers to be the Johnny Cash to her June Carter, and immediately falls in love. The novel, which Schikora describes as a love story, not a romance, chronicles their 15-year relationship. Dutch is a former addict, and the protagonist is trying to free herself from the turmoil of addiction.
“As the novel progressed and I got into it, I really wanted to show another story emerging—not this happily-ever-after that looks really beautiful and makes everyone feel really good, but something much more realistic,” Schikora said. “It’s less happilyever-after and very much dealing with addiction. I knew I wanted that to be a central theme.”
Schikora said she’s always felt compelled to write, but for most of her life her passion was restricted to her spare time.
“It’s always the way it is with writers or, I would say, anyone with an artistic endeavor,” she said. “You have to live, you have to eat, but you have this passion. It always seems to get squeezed into your spare time because the daily demands of life have to come first. It’s a hard thing, for sure.”
The change came in 2019, when she decided to get serious with her craft. With a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in English, she was teaching college-level writing courses at the time, first in Illinois
and New York and later at Wayne State University, Oakland Community College, Henry Ford College and through the InsideOut Literary Art project in Detroit. She knew it was risky, giving up those jobs to pursue writing, but she wanted to give it a go, anyway.
“Essentially, I committed to feeling like a crazy person, taking a huge, huge risk and being broke,” said Schikora, who lives in Plymouth’s Old Village. “I just wanted to try. And I also felt that I could do one book and see if I could bring it to life and see if anyone would publish it. Maybe it wouldn’t work; probably it wouldn’t work, and certainly people in my life were telling me ‘this would never work,’ but then it did. It was really risky and scary, the lack of stability and security, but ultimately it did work.”
Schikora had previously published stories and essays, but this was the first time she settled down to compose a longer project. She said she’s always been drawn to writing about troubled people.
“Someone said to me, ‘trying to write a book in your 40s is like trying to get into the NBA in your 40s.’ That stayed with me. When I got my book deal, I spoke to that person and I said: ‘I think I just got in the NBA.’”
Plymouth author Megan Schikora
“I’m not just interested in the experiences of addicts, which we hear a lot about,” she said. “I am just as interested— or maybe a little more interested—in the people who love the addicts. That became really important to me as I got going in the story.
“I always imagined the addict was sort of like a station wagon weaving and veering toward a cliff, but then I imagined all the people who loved that person were sort of tied to the bumper of the station wagon,” she added. “This book is about that.”
Finding a home for the story proved an even more difficult path. She queried agents, looked into self-publishing, made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot—all while drinking, she said, from the firehose of rejection—before she found a fit with Regal House Publishing, an independent publisher. Now she has a second book,
Breaking the Surface, under review and is putting together a third, a collection of essays and stories called Liberty Street, which is an homage to both her own journey and her neighborhood.
“Someone said to me, ‘trying to write a book in your 40s is like trying to get into the NBA in your 40s.’ That stayed with me,” she said. “When I got my book deal, I spoke to that person and I said: ‘I think I just got in the NBA.’”
Next month, Schikora will realize another of her dreams, with a book signing at the Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 20. She also has signings scheduled at Pages in Detroit and the Plymouth District Library in
March, and the Elephant Ear bookstore in downtown Plymouth in April.
At each one and in between, she said she’d savor the feeling of first holding her book in her hands.
“It’s a long road. You have to have talent, but I think even more so you have to have tremendous tenacity and thick skin,” Schikora said. “And also, I think you really need some luck. I feel like I got lucky. Now, one book has turned into a whole career for me. I want to try to just write books for a living. It might not work, but I really, really am committed to trying.”
A Woman in Pink can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sites. For more information about author Megan Schikora visit regalhousepublishing.com/ megan-schikora.
CANTON HIGH’S E-SPORTS TEAM SMASHES COMPETITION
In December, Canton High School’s E-Sports team captured a state championship at the Michigan High School Esports League (MHSEL) Fall Finals.
The finals, held at Michigan State University, featured more than 400 students from 23 Michigan high schools competing in elimination rounds across a variety of popular video game titles.
Canton earned top honors in the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate division, defeating Fremont High School in the quarterfinals, Jenison High School in the semifinals, and Novi High School in the championship match. Teams qualified for the finals by accruing points during league play over the course of several months.
“As technology becomes more integrated into our daily lives, gaming provides opportunities to build important skills such as teamwork and critical thinking. I am proud of our E-Sports teams for staying at the forefront of gaming while offering students the chance to compete for their school beyond traditional athletics,” said Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Supt. Monica L. Merritt.
As the popularity of competitive gaming continues to grow worldwide, Canton’s state championship represents more than a recreational achievement. More than 200 schools and 895 teams compete annually in MHSEL events, and success at the championship level can lead to college scholarship opportunities. In addition, 200 colleges and universities are members of the National Association of Collegiate E-Sports, with many offering financial aid to students who compete on varsity E-Sports teams.
STEPIEN NAMED FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Sylvia Stepien has been named Firefighter of the Year by both the Plymouth Rotary and Northville City Fire Department for Station 1.
Stepien joined the Northville City Fire Department, which serves the cities of Northville and Plymouth, in May of 2018 as an EMT and earned her firefighter certifications in October 2020. She is currently a top responder, Field Training Officer, and senior member of the department.
She played a pivotal role in redefining the department’s Field Training Program and consistently demonstrates excellent command and decision-making skills. In addition, she has worked effectively with surrounding agencies, strengthening interdepartmental partnerships and coordinated response efforts.
From an early age, Stepien said she knew she wanted a career focused on helping others, and right out of high school she committed herself to the Fire/EMS field. Her work allows her to support residents during their most critical moments while being part of a team built on trust, accountability, and hard work.
"I’m grateful for the mentorship, teamwork, and support I’ve received from the members of this department," she said. "No one earns recognition like this alone, and I’m proud to stand alongside such dedicated professionals.”
PLYMOUTH’S COLEMAN JOINS SCHOOLCRAFT BOARD
The Schoolcraft College Board of Trustees recently appointed Plymouth resident Jackie Coleman as the newest member of the board overseeing the college.
Coleman was appointed during a Dec. 10 special meeting. She fills the seat formerly occupied by Carol Strom, who resigned in November after serving 31 years.
Coleman, who holds an educational specialist degree in Special Education Leadership from Eastern Michigan University,
has worked in special education for Livonia Public Schools since 1996. She believes in servant leadership and has enjoyed serving in various roles throughout her tenure, including as a leader on a district committee, as a team lead for a program serving students with autism, as a union representative and currently as the department chair for Livonia’s speech pathologists.
“I look forward to serving the college in this new role,” Coleman said. “Community college changes lives, and I look forward to working with my fellow trustees to strengthen access, affordability and opportunity to our community.”
Coleman is a lifelong resident of Wayne County, living in communities including
Lincoln Park, Westland and Plymouth. She has two adult daughters who graduated from Canton High School before going on to explore higher education. She currently lives in Plymouth with her husband, Steve Coleman, who is an electrician. In her free time, she enjoys dance-cardio classes and reading.
Coleman’s term will run through Dec. 31, 2026. An election to fill the remainder of the original six-year term will take place later this year.
The Schoolcraft College Board of Trustees serves as the policymaking body for the College and is made up of seven members elected by the residents of the following school districts: Livonia, Clarenceville, Plymouth-Canton, Northville, Garden City and part of Novi.
Michigan Doctor Diagnosed
with Late-Stage Cancer After Experiencing Just One Symptom
It’s the call no one wants to get. But for one local doctor, it became a mission to save others from the “Blind Spot” in modern medicine.
(Southfield, MI)
Softball Size Tumors Silently Grew
You feel fine. You have no aches. You pass your annual physical with flying colors. You think you’re safe. But what if something sinister is silently growing inside you right now, waiting to strike? That is the terrifying reality Dr. Warren Ringold faced. As a respected family physician for 40 years, he knew the rules of medicine better than anyone. He felt perfectly fine until a sudden onset of shortness of breath sent him to the ER. The diagnosis was a shockwave: Stage 4 cancer.
A Father’s Legacy, A Son’s Mission: Full Body MRI Scans Without a Doctor’s Referral
endured brutal treatments and cruel side effects. Tragically, the cancer later returned as a brain tumor.
But before he passed, Dr. Ringold left behind a legacy—and a warning—for the rest of us.
(South eld, MI) e late Dr. Warren Ringold knew rsthand the devastating impact of late-stage cancer diagnoses. As a respected family physician, he witnessed countless patients battling illnesses that could have been detected earlier. His own grueling battle with late-stage cancer ignited a passion, leading him to create Michigan’s rst MRI full body screening center called Bionicc Body Screening.
Full Body MRI Scans Without a Doctor’s Order
The “Dirty Little Secret” of modern medicine: Here is the hard truth your insurance company won’t tell you: The current healthcare system is reactive, not proactive.
Raising Awareness Today, his son Ryan carries on this mission. ough not a medical professional himself, Ryan’s dedication to his father’s legacy drives him to raising awareness of this service for families of Michigan.
“Every week I learn of another person who felt perfectly ne, only to wake up with an unexplained symptom and discover they have stage four cancer. Once symptoms manifest cancer is usually advanced,” says his son Ryan. “My father never wanted another family to su er the emotional and physical hardships that our family and he endured. He wanted to save lives.”
Dr. Ringold discovered he had stage four cancer with tumors as large as softballs silently growing inside his body after experiencing shortness of breath. His treatment was brutal. He su ered cruel side e ects. After his cancer went into remission, it returned a year later as a brain tumor. Dr. Ringold believed there had to be a better way. He envisioned a future where individuals could take control of their health and detect potential problems before they escalated. In his nal days, Dr. Ringold passionately advocated for MRI full body screenings, a proactive approach he believed could empower individuals to take control of their health.
Bionicc Body Screening o ers elective, full-body MRI screenings that provide a comprehensive picture of your internal health, going beyond what traditional checkups often reveal. State-of-the-art technology can detect tumors as small as a pea, aneurysms, risk of stroke and a multitude of other conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed. Screenings include scans of the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, hips, shoulders and spine.
A Life Saved
your insides. Unlike CT scans or X-rays, this machine emits NO radiation and is completely non-invasive. It scans the brain, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and spine, looking for tumors as small as a pencil eraser. It can also detect silent killers like aneurysms and stroke risks before they become life-threatening emergencies.
Scans are safe, non-invasive, emit no radiation and are available without a doctor’s referral.
Scans are safe, non-invasive, emit no radiation and are available without a doctor’s referral. Scans can detect tumors, aneurysms, stroke risk and other conditions.
While he felt healthy on the outside, tumors the size of softballs had been silently growing on the inside. He
Standard medical screenings (like mammograms and colonoscopies) only catch 29% of cancers. That means 71% of tumors grow undetected in areas doctors aren’t even looking at. By the time you feel a lump or pain, it is often Stage 3 or 4. As Dr. Ringold warned, “Once you have symptoms, cancer is usually advanced.”
Take Control: No Doctor’s Order Required The traditional medical system makes you jump through hoops. At Bionicc Body Screening, there is no red tape.
Mark B. and his younger brother decided to visit Bionicc Body Screening last spring for a proactive screening because cancer ran in their family. Mark was skeptical until his results returned a 3-centimeter mass on his lung, which tested positive for cancer. He had three-fourths of his lung removed. He credits the scan for saving his life. Meanwhile, his brother’s results were clean.
The Technology That Sees What Doctors Miss: Determined to stop this tragedy from happening to other families, Dr. Ringold founded Bionicc Body Screening in Southfield, Michigan’s first MRI full-body screening center. Using advanced MRI technology, Bionicc provides a “high-definition movie” of
• No Doctor’s Referral Needed: You are in charge of your own health.
$200 savings offer. Book an appointment by calling 1-833-BIONICC. (833-246-6422)
• No Insurance Hassles: This is an out of pocket, elective service for those who prioritize peace of mind and proactive care.
• Immediate Answers: Don’t wait for a crisis to find out what’s going on inside your body.
Do not wait until you feel a symptom. A small tumor today could be a major problem tomorrow. The only difference between a tragedy and a survival story is early detection.
Michigan’s first MRI Full Body Screening Center –Located in Southfield
The late Dr. Ringold founded Bionicc Body Screening in 2022 after battling cancer twice. He believed MRI full body screenings could empower individuals to take control of their health.
OUT& ABOUT
ICE FEST RETURNETH
The annual Plymouth Ice Festival returns for the 44th year from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1. The event takes place throughout downtown Plymouth and Kellogg Park (see related story, pg. 4). In addition to the ice carving competitions in the park on Saturday and Sunday, a zip line, an interactive ice experience area and sensory-friendly space. the event features:
FRIDAY, JAN. 30
• Juggling Show, 6–6:20 p.m., 6:40–7 p.m. and 7:20–7:40 p.m.
• Ice Bar and Party Tent, opens at 7 p.m. with live music from 8-11 p.m. in the E.G. Nick’s parking lot
Most events are free, but there is a $10 fee for the zip line and a cover charge at the party tent, which will support local veterans and their families. For more information, visit www. plymouthicefestival. com.
PLYMOUTH HISTORICAL MUSEUM CELEBRATES AMERICA
The Plymouth Historical Museum is closed until Feb. 4 to change over to a new special exhibit: America 250, Part I: 1776-1900. The exhibit will run from Feb. 4 through June 7 during the regular museum hours. The museum is open from 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for students, aged 6-17 years.
CHAMBER COFFEE CONNECTION
The Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce will
be joining with their counterparts in Northville for a combined Coffee Connection from 8-9 a.m., Feb. 11 at the new Northville Pickleball Club. It offers an opportunity for chamber members and other community members to network with one another and discuss events in the coming year. If interested in participating, contact Mary Nyhus at (734) 453-1540 or email her at mary@ plymouthmich.org.
“DOWNTOWN” ABBEY TEA AND FASHION SHOW
The Plymouth Historical Museum's "Downton Abbey Tea & Fashion Show" will take place from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb 15. Clothing Historian Jackie Jacobs has compiled an arrangement of fashions that were common during the years of the popular TV show, Downton Abbey (1912-1930.)
The event will also feature tea delicacies catered by Diann’s Catering and the museum’s own special tea, “Mary’s Blend,” a cherry and almond black tea blend in honor of Mary Todd Lincoln. Tickets are $35 for Plymouth Historical Museum members; $40 for non-members. Doors to the tea room open at 1:50 p.m. Attendees can visit the Museum's special exhibit "America
250" before the tea with their ticket as admission. For more information or to register, visit www. plymouthhistory.org.
SWASHBUCKLING HEROINES AND HIGH SEAS ADVENTURES
The Plymouth District Library will host an online author talk from 7-8 p.m. Feb. 5. The virtual event features Vanessa Riley, author of Fire Sword & Sea, Island Queen and Murder in Westminster. Fire Sword and Sea is based on the folk story of the female pirate Jacquotte Delahaye. To sign up for the free event, visit www. plymouthlibrary.org.
SPAGHETTI DINNER
The Plymouth Community Council on Aging will host a spaghetti dinner at 12:30 p.m. at the Plymouth Friendship Center on Feb. 13. The dinner will feature spaghetti w meatballs, salad, garlic rolls, dessert and beverages. Chris Ayotte, the “man of many voices” will perform from 1:30-2:30 p.m. The Friendship Center is located at 42375 Schoolcraft Road. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. For more info, or to register, call the senior center at (734) 354-3222.
EUCHRE NIGHT
The Plymouth District Library will host a euchre night from
6:30–8:30 p.m. Feb 12. Bring a partner or come meet a new one for a casual Midwest-favorite, trick-taking card game. All skill levels of players are welcome, but no instruction will be provided. Sign up at www.plymouthlibrary. org.
FRENCH AND THE FUR TRADE
The Salem Area Historical Society will host a historical presentation by Charlie Shelton about the area’s fur trade at 7 p.m. on Feb. 25 at Salem Township Hall, 9600 Six Mile Rd. Shelton, who works for Huron Clinton Metroparks, will discuss the French and the Fur Trade in the 1700s ‘New France’ area that is now the State of Michigan. The presentation will focus on what life was like in 1700s New France, including the people, the furs, the culture, and the commerce of 1750 Fort Michilimackinac.
Fort Michilimackinac became the great fur trade center of the Northwest until its relocation to nearby Mackinac Island in 1781. It was here where fur traders and Indians rendezvoused, French and British officers organized war parties and explorers began their journeys into the vast western unknown. For more information, visit sahshistory.org or call (248) 486-0669.
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