Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

Published May 7, 2013

Family fun in store for Fire Department Field Day

EASTPOINTE — It’s been three years since the last one, but the Eastpointe Fire Department Field Day is back.

The department is setting up at Kennedy Memorial Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 1 for a day of fun with live displays, bounce houses, a splash zone and more.

“It’s more or less just a fun day for the residents, to give back to the community,” said firefighter Joe Zangara. “The whole point of the day is to let the community get involved with their Fire Department, because we really are their Fire Department.”

Published May 7, 2013

Going green with technology

EASTPOINTE — Residents looking to get rid of an ancient PC, broken phone or spare computer parts can head to City Hall May 11 for Eastpointe’s first-ever electronics recycling day.

“We were kicking around ideas for our green Michigan initiative and someone on staff brought it up, and since we have our yard waste drop-off day at (the Department of Public Works), we thought electronics recycling would go hand-in-hand with it,” said City Manager Steve Duchane.

Published May 3, 2013

Brainstorming the perfect corridor

ROSEVILLE — The City of Roseville invited local municipalities and state and local organizations to a presentation on the start of the Gratiot and Groesbeck Corridors Reinvestment Plan April 30.

The reinvestment plan was not revealed at the presentation — it hasn’t been developed yet; rather, the presentation was a means to get the word out on the intended plan and collect information from organizations and municipal stakeholders with similar projects.

Published April 30, 2013

2013 Detroit Jazz Festival creates unity in jazz community

DETROIT — The Labor Day weekend is still a few months away, but already it’s promising to be another great one for jazz lovers and the city of Detroit.

Published April 10, 2013

Luddites’ latest is a ‘Twisted’ take on acoustic music

After almost 21 years together, the Luddites still haven’t suffered the ubiquitous “creative differences” that have shattered bands less than half their age.

The 11-piece acoustic group will celebrate the release of their fourth CD, “Twisted In,” with a concert starting at 9 p.m. April 13 at PJ’s Lager House. Bass player David Giovannucci, one of the original Luddites from those early days in August 1992 when they started as a five-piece acoustic act, said friendship and mutual respect have kept them going all these years.

Published April 10, 2013

The lesser-known benefit of recycling

In the bin

Come garbage day, most curbside recycling bins are stuffed with paper, plastic and glass bottles, cans, and cardboard, but there’s a whole lot more that can be added to the heap.

Published April 2, 2013

Second public hearing scheduled for CDBG allocation

ROSEVILLE — A public hearing on the proposed distribution for Community Development Block Grant funds is planned for the April 9 regular City Council meeting in Roseville.

The city is looking at another 5 percent decrease in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s CDBG program money this year.

“We took our budget from last year and reduced it by 5 percent, which brings it to $469,918,” said Mike Connors, Roseville’s community and economic development director.

Published March 29, 2013

Roseville gets ready for redevelopment

ROSEVILLE — Roseville is on track to be one of the first cities in the state to receive redevelopment-ready status under the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

The MEDC purchased rights to the program — which was previously run by the Michigan Suburbs Alliance — back in 2010 and just rolled it out for use last year, offering it to any city that was previously close to receiving redevelopment-ready status under the MSA.

Published March 27, 2013

Despite cold temperatures and damaging fungus, local nurseries are getting ready for gardening season

Though spring seems to have lost its way en route to Michigan, it won’t be long before temperatures finally rise and the ground thaws to welcome new plants and flowers into eagerly awaited gardens around metro Detroit.

Just like in fashion boutiques, there will be lots of trends that customers will be clamoring for at their local nursery this year as they plan their landscape design. According to Erma Rhadigan, co-owner of Ray Wiegand’s Nursery in Macomb Township, this year’s most popular bloom choices are going to be bright, warm colors.

Published March 27, 2013

Spring into projects: Seasonal cleaning can include much more

With spring here — at least according to the calendar — many homeowners look to the state of their houses after the long, dirty winter and aren’t happy with what they see.

Carpets are soiled by salty boots; driveways start cracking from the months-long freeze/thaw cycle; and muddy messes are exposed in backyards that will be used for entertaining, come summer.

Now is the time to fix those problems, according to local contractors, before warm-weather fun beckons and the summer home- improvement rush begins.

Published March 15, 2013

Watch D.O.G.S. program puts dads in the classroom

ROSEVILLE — A new program launched this year by Reach Academy is putting father figures in the classroom.

The program — Watch D.O.G.S., or Dads of Great Students — asks fathers to volunteer at the school for at least one full day a year.

“It’s an initiative from the Center of Fatherhood,” said Bianca Heath, student-family liaison for Reach Academy.

Published January 29, 2013

Husband arraigned in fatal shooting of Eastpointe woman

The husband of a local businesswoman who was found shot to death in their home Jan. 26 faces a murder charge.

Christina Lazzana-Webster, the 33-year-old co-owner of Big Top Popcorn, was found dead in her home with a gunshot wound Jan. 26. Her husband, Anthony Webster, 45, is accused in her killing. According to the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office, Lazzana-Webster was shot in the chest.

Published August 8, 2012

Capturing summer in a jar

Can do

Eileen Haraminac will teach several upcoming food preservation courses at the Macomb MSU Extension office at 21885 Dunham, Assembly Room A, in Clinton Township:

• Aug. 18: hot water bath jams and jellies.

Published June 26, 2012

Eagle Scout project benefits Roseville seniors

ROSEVILLE — Before he even went to work on it, 17-year-old Sean Heacox knew he wanted his Eagle Scout project to benefit local seniors.

“I look at (seniors) as the backbone of our society,” Heacox said. “It didn’t matter which way or form, as long as I was giving back to the seniors was what mattered to me.”

Published May 11, 2012

Roseville softball looking to smooth things out

FRASER — As the regular season winds down, the Roseville High softball team is looking ahead to the postseason.

Preparing to face first-place Fraser High in a May 8 Macomb Area Conference Blue Division game, the Panthers talked about shifting their focus to the state playoffs, which begin May 29 across the state.

“I’d just like to see the team really work together and prepare for districts, because that’s where I think we’ll really start to shine,” Roseville senior pitcher Amanda Schankin said.

Published March 21, 2012

Lawmakers, animal advocates seek legislation to stop puppy mills

As pet lovers snuggle up with their furry friends, many may not think about where their animals came from before they found them listed online or at a pet store. But the Michigan Humane Society estimates that 99 percent of pet store puppies are bred by large-scale breeders, or puppy mills, some of which are known for their cruel and inhumane treatment of animals to maximize profit.

Published March 16, 2012

Students get a special lesson on teasing

EASTPOINTE — Students at Forest Park Elementary got a lesson on teasing when a local author paid them a visit last week.

Dana Lehman, an East Detroit High School grad, writes children’s books that offer life lessons in easy-to-learn, fun-filled stories featuring Sammy the Squirrel, his friends and family.

At the assembly on March 13, Lehman read her first book, “Adventures at Walnut Grove,” to students in kindergarten, first and second grades.

Published March 16, 2012

Seniors celebrate with Eastpointe spirit

EASTPOINTE — Local seniors celebrated their city with an Eastpointe-themed party on March 9 at the Community Center.

Mary Grant, the program supervisor for senior activities in Eastpointe, came up with the idea for the party, going out of her way to make sure every last detail was perfect.

“Everything for this party came from this community, from the plates and the napkins to the food to the desserts to the prizes,” Grant said. “Everything was purchased or donated by businesses in Eastpointe.”

Published March 14, 2012

A whiskey slamming, beer guzzling good time

An electronic sign on the wall reads “10 days, 14 hours, 15 minutes and 4.32 seconds.”

“That’s the countdown until the end of my life,” laughed Melisa Valentine, 25, of Ferndale, a bartender at the Blarney Stone Pub in Berkley.

She’s kidding of course. The countdown marks the time left before St. Patrick’s Day, the annual holiday many celebrate by bellying up to the bar. But for those tasked with handling the crowds and their beverage orders from behind the bar, it’s a far different experience.

Published March 12, 2012

New gourmet popcorn, snack shop offers good times for all ages

EASTPOINTE — While many people were home watching the Academy Awards on Feb. 26, some residents and city officials in Eastpointe were at a red carpet event of their own: The private grand opening of Big Top, a new gourmet popcorn and snack shop in East Brooke Commons at Nine Mile Road and Gratiot.