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MOUNT CLEMENS — For those who have been around the city long enough, the name “Upshaw” carries a high degree of respect. Soon, the family’s name will adorn a city street.
The Mount Clemens City Commission unanimously approved at its June 16 meeting renaming the stretch of Kibbee Street between southbound Gratiot Avenue and Barbara Street to “Upshaw Way,” in honor of the Upshaw family.
The Upshaw family has deep roots within the city, but some of the most notable members of the family were Bonner Upshaw and Dorothy Upshaw. Bonner worked for the United States Postal Service in Mount Clemens, becoming its first Black mail carrier in 1957 and its first Black clerk in 1959. He became the Mount Clemens Police Department’s first Black officer in 1960 and detective in 1976 and served as president of the NAACP’s Macomb County branch from 1990-93. Dorothy Upshaw worked at the Warren tank arsenal for 41 years as a supervisor and served in numerous civic organizations including the National Council of Negro Women and the Macomb County Services Board.
“If you’ve lived in Mount Clemens all of your life, you grew up around an Upshaw,” Commissioner Theresa McGarity said. “They’re good people. They’re really good people.”
Members of the Upshaw family have continued to be involved in civic life and other roles, including Trion Solutions Co-Founder and CEO Bonner Upshaw III and Malea Howard-Tipton, president of the Mount Clemens chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority.
Marijuana extension
Commissioners approved an extension of Ritz99, LLC’s conditional marihuana retail establishment permit due to issues surrounding the construction of its storefront.
“Because of the proposed establishment’s proximity to the Greiner Drain, the company has been unable to begin the construction process,” City Manager Gregg Shipman said. “Ritz99, LLC is currently working with the Macomb County Drain Commission to find a solution to the problem and begin construction as soon as possible. Because of this delay in commencing business operations, Ritz99, LLC is seeking a one-year permit extension pursuant to 24.117 section 7 (D) of the city’s marijuana business ordinance.”
The company has an address assigned to its potential future location at 397 Groesbeck Highway.
Other approvals
Commissioners agreed to have an obelisk installed by the Macomb Cultural and Economic Partnership on the city-owned land near the intersection of South Main Street and southbound Gratiot Avenue. The MCEP will pay for the construction, installation and maintenance of the sculpture.
Commissioners approved an $86,744 grant agreement with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to replace and install new electric vehicle charging stations in the Roskopp parking lot, the New Street municipal parking lot and near Rotary Park.
