CENTER LINE — It starts with a single bulb then transforms into an extravaganza of lights illuminating the dark winter sky with the annual Light Up the Sky Contest.

WARREN — For anyone who attended Van Dyke Public Schools, you probably ran into Eleanor Bates at one time or another.

FARMINGTON — It’s been two years since Farmington swim earned the fourth-place spot at the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 State Finals behind a trio of seniors in Katie Larick, Madeline Greaves and Kristen Fleming.10

FARMINGTON HILLS — Farmington Hills Mercy has held a legacy of success in girls swimming with seven state championships in school history, but it was up to its young core this season to prove that Mercy was still a force to be reckoned with.

OAKLAND COUNTY — The Oakland County Parks and Recreation Department is granting recreationalists the opportunity to gift loved ones with the great outdoors. The department encourages residents to consider giving an experience by purchasing one of their gift cards this holiday season.

FARMINGTON — A Farmington Hills resident is facing criminal charges following a shooting that took place on Slocum Street in Farmington Nov. 1.

FARMINGTON/FARMINGTON HILLS — In 2001, then-Farmington Hills Mayor Nancy Bates, along with the City Council, formed a commission following the terrorist attacks that occurred in New York and Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11 that year.

STERLING HEIGHTS — A man accused of carjacking a Jeep from an octogenarian in Sterling Heights could face life imprisonment if found guilty, according to county law enforcement.

STERLING HEIGHTS — A pair of holiday-themed events will help make the season bright for locals with special needs.

STERLING HEIGHTS — For the second time, a developer of a proposed mixed-use project known as The Wedge at Sterling Heights has withdrawn the application before the Sterling Heights City Council could vote on it.

ROSEVILLE — The family of a man who was involved in a crash on Thanksgiving is asking for the public’s help to replace his van.

EASTPOINTE — The oven mitts were off Nov. 17 to determine who makes the best chili in the city.

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The Harrison Township Board of Trustees met on Nov. 28 to discuss items including the possibility of adding sewer lines in the township from Townhall Street to Hazel Street and from Metro Parkway to South River Road.

MOUNT CLEMENS — The Mount Clemens City Commission has unanimously approved amending the city’s planned use of American Rescue Plan Act funds, dedicating the $1,695,162 to paying its monthly bills with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office for policing services.

HAZEL PARK — Each year, the Hazel Park District Library has an array of programs that help cement its reputation as a community hub. One of its most popular is Crafts with Santa, where the man in red takes time out of his busy schedule to visit children at the library.

MADISON HEIGHTS — Have an old phone you no longer need? It could save a life.

HAZEL PARK — When police officers and firefighters go to work, they don’t know if they will return safely at the end of their shift. The Project Blue Light ceremony held in Hazel Park each year is a solemn reminder of this, paying tribute to those who gave their lives serving others.

MADISON HEIGHTS — The Madison Heights City Council unanimously approved the return of the Memorial Day Parade for 2023, something that has been absent from the city since 2019.

WARREN — The holidays are here, and this is the season for giving.  Organizers said that is what the “Shop with a Hero” and “Shop with a Warthog” events are all about.

WARREN — Warren firefighters were called to assist four people who were stuck in the elevator at Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital on Dec. 1.   “No one was hurt or needed medical attention,” said Warren Fire Commissioner Skip McAdams.