WARREN — Dylan Soucy, 17, is preparing for his senior year at Cousino High School. He likes books and working with his hands. He likes building Legos and playing card games.

NOVI — Chuck E. Cheese Novi recognized the variety of challenges that children who have autism encounter, including social interaction, so the newly renovated restaurant known for its Fun Centers gave children with autism and other developmental disabilities the opportunity to be “first to play” ahead of the establishment’s grand reopening celebration July 28.

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — At its July 27 meeting, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees honored 15-year-old Sophia Vitale for her lifesaving actions.

HAZEL PARK — The old saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” And you couldn’t ask for a better helping hand than Bobby McDermott.

NOVI — The Novi Community School District Board of Education approved a contract with Ben Mainka to serve as district superintendent during the board’s regular meeting July 14.

NOVI — An 11-year-old entrepreneur is working to rebuild his business after his mobile gaming bus was broken into at a Wixom storage facility in early June.

DETROIT/GROSSE POINTE CITY — His hearing might not be as sharp as it once was, but at 90, acclaimed jazz drummer Bob Pinterich, of Marge’s Bar Band, doesn’t need it — he feels the rhythms from his fellow musicians and keeps the beat as precisely as he always has.

BINGHAM FARMS — Barbara Yolles-Ludwig started Ludwig Plus in 2019 to save her team from layoffs.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Bloomfield Hills-born Jason Boschan has run a marathon on every continent with “Run4Papa” written on his hand.

STERLING HEIGHTS — The Sterlingfest Art and Music Fair will not only offer art on canvas for people to buy, but literary art will be sold nearby as well.

WARREN — There were times in which Kaitlyn Ryda wasn’t able to get out of bed because of her gastrointestinal issues, but that didn’t stop the Warren resident from pursuing her educational goals.

WEST BLOOMFIELD — According to her son, Doug, Lorna McEwen was involved with activities to help benefit the community “from the beginning.”

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The Shelby Township Senior Center has announced that its featured artist for the month of June through August is John Mordus.

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — In 2001, Barbara Gasparski, of Shelby Township, founded the Shelby Township Fine Art Society, and today it is a club that is still very much active in the community with Gasparski as a member.

MOUNT CLEMENS — It is not every day that life falls in your lap, but that is essentially what happened to Daniel Carpenter.

SHELBY TOWNSHIP/STERLING HEIGHTS/UTICA — A sophomore Manufacturing, Automation and Design Engineering student at Stevenson High School finished in fourth place during this past weekend’s opening night of racing for the Must See Racing Series — Midwest Lights pavement winged sprint car race at Lorain Raceway Park in Elyria, Ohio.

WEST BLOOMFIELD — For over 20 years, West Bloomfield Fire Department Capt. and EMS Coordinator Gary Proctor has assisted local residents during medical emergencies.

ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester resident Marlene Stieve had always planned to be a teacher, but all that changed after she took a temporary job with the U.S. Postal Service for the holidays.

ROCHESTER — When the world shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Rochester resident Donna Dzialo found her inspiration for a new piece of artwork that’s currently on display at Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital.

SHELBY TOWNSHIP/STERLING HEIGHTS/UTICA — Stevenson High School Manufacturing, Automation and Design Engineering senior Kayli Nguyen won first place in the gas tungsten arc welding division at the 2022 Ferris State Secondary Welding Competition May 6, making her the first female competitor to win that division in the competition’s history.