People

Local rapper Matt Cloonan stands next to the “Welcome to Farmington” sign on Farmington City Hall’s grounds.

Published August 11, 2020

‘King of Farmington’ clears the air: He’s king of both cities

FARMINGTON/HILLS — When Farmington Hills resident and local rapper Matt Cloonan, known by his rap moniker Clooner, uploaded the music video for his single “King of Farmington” July 20, he wasn’t expecting to be propelled into the spotlight as much as he has been.

Royal Oak High School students Nadia Weller, left, and Danya Sahib, right, hold up donations of school supplies that they are collecting to create individual kits for each of the more than 500 kindergartners in the Royal Oak Schools district.

Published August 11, 2020

Royal Oak Review

Teens create ‘Kits 4 Kids’ to help Royal Oak kindergarteners

ROYAL OAK — Two friends who will enter their senior year at Royal Oak High School this fall recently launched a nonprofit endeavor called Kits 4 Kids, in which they are soliciting donations to create a school supply kit for each kindergartner in the Royal Oak Schools district.

Published August 11, 2020

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

‘It’s the darkest day in Bloomfield Hills Public Safety History’

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — He was known around the department as a mentor for younger officers, a model father, a jokester and, more than anything, an exceptional public safety sergeant.

Published August 10, 2020

C&G Newspapers

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of end of war in the Pacific

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — He was on the verge of becoming one of the first American service members to arrive in mainland Japan at a crucial moment of the 20th century.

Published August 7, 2020

St. Clair Shores Sentinel

Golden birthday celebrated in St. Clair Shores

ST. CLAIR SHORES — Brandon Marchiori can recite the birthdays of 178 friends, relatives and neighbors without help from a calendar, and when it comes to his own, he thinks it is the best day of the year, getting as excited for it as a little kid on Christmas morning.

Published August 7, 2020

Warren Weekly

All ‘Starr’ drummer

WARREN — “Catching Up With Alumni” highlights the accomplishments of local high school graduates. In this issue, we look at 1977 Mott High School graduate and musician Gregg Bissonette.

Published August 7, 2020

Sterling Heights Sentry

Couple brings plush toys to life through children’s books

STERLING HEIGHTS — After years of dreaming and months of work, a Sterling Heights couple is having their big day as children’s book authors.

Fire Chief Johnny Menifee speaks to the media at the scene of an apartment fire in 2018.

Published July 28, 2020

Southfield Sun

Southfield fire chief appointed president of Southeastern Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs

SOUTHFIELD — Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee is the first African American and Southfield chief to be named as the president of the Southeastern Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs.

Published July 28, 2020

Macomb Township Chronicle

Author discusses Michigan’s Thumb in virtual presentation

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Which Michigan small town is the birthplace of a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame? The answer is Cass City, where Larry MacPhail was born in 1890. His son, Lee MacPhail, is also in the Hall of Fame, making them the only father-son duo in the hall.

Published July 27, 2020

Shelby - Utica News

Shelby author releases first book about pandemics during a world pandemic

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — A Shelby Township man released his first book, a teen and young-adult mystery book about a pandemic, called “Operation Arrow Fletcher” in May during a real-world pandemic.

Published July 27, 2020

Shelby - Utica News

Shelby woman celebrates 90th birthday with drive-by celebration

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Elsie Dickty, a 90-year-old, 30-year resident of Shelby Township, spent several months inside her home quarantined since the novel coronavirus hit in March.

Published July 21, 2020

Rochester Post

New garden brings pollinators to Paint Creek Trail

ROCHESTER HILLS — Bicyclists, runners and anyone else utilizing the Paint Creek Trail can explore a new pollinator garden approximately 1/4 mile north of Tienken Road in Rochester Hills.

Published July 21, 2020

Woodward Talk

Huntington Woods woman wins nursing award

HUNTINGTON WOODS — A Huntington Woods resident and nurse at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, was named as a winner of Oakland University’s Nightingale Awards.

Published July 21, 2020

Woodward Talk

Berkley child makes bracelets to support Black Lives Matter

BERKLEY — A young Berkley child looking to make a difference has been raising funds to help support the Black Lives Matter movement.

Published July 21, 2020

Grosse Pointe Times

Shores public safety cracking down on rowdy boaters

GROSSE POINTE SHORES — Boaters who moor their watercraft near lakefront homeowners and blast music, trespass on private property, or cause other disturbances could find themselves facing a judge in Grosse Pointe Shores Municipal Court.

Helen Demark, who has lived in Royal Oak for 65 years, waves to those celebrating her 104th birthday July 7. Pictured sitting is her niece, Susan Beyer, who traveled from Buffalo, New York, for the occasion.

Published July 21, 2020

Royal Oak Review

Royal Oakers unite to ring in neighbor’s 104th birthday

ROYAL OAK — With little family left in the area, neighbors who are part of the Vinsetta East Homeowners Association got together to put on a surprise, socially-distanced parade in front of Helen Demark’s home to celebrate her 104th birthday July 7.

Published July 20, 2020

Shelby - Utica News

Utica resident shares experience collecting model trains over the years

UTICA — Utica resident Jeff Carter has been collecting model trains for over 40 years, and many of those years, he collected with his dad.

Former Chippewa Valley Schools Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Ed Skiba, left, died July 10 at the age of 67. Skiba began his 44-year education career as a music teacher with Chippewa Valley Schools. He retired in June 2019.

Published July 20, 2020

C&G Newspapers

Former Chippewa Valley administrator dies

MACOMB TOWNSHIP/CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Former longtime education leader Ed Skiba, of Macomb Township, died July 10 at the age of 67.

Published July 17, 2020

C&G Newspapers

Academy renamed in former school board member’s honor

STERLING HEIGHTS/UTICA/SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The Utica Academy for International Studies is getting a name change in honor of a longtime Utica Community Schools advocate and Board of Education member.

Kaori Marikawa, 18, gets in her practice time on the violin on Pebble Lake in Troy.

Published July 7, 2020

Troy Times

Violinist makes music on the water at Pebble Lake in Troy

TROY — Kaori Marikawa, 18, of Troy, attends high school in Bloomington, Indiana. An accomplished violinist, she arrived home this spring unexpectedly due to the coronavirus shutdown.