Sterling Heights Sentry

Published August 7, 2020

UCS schools, teachers prepare plans in back-to-school rollout

STERLING HEIGHTS/UTICA/SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Sept. 1, the first day of the 2020-21 school year, is quickly approaching, and the Utica Community Schools’ strategy is taking shape for teaching while keeping people as safe as possible against COVID-19.

Published August 6, 2020

Macomb County seeks submissions for 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage

MACOMB COUNTY — As the 100th anniversary of women being guaranteed the right to vote approaches, Macomb County wants to honor those who have played a role in the suffrage movement.

Published August 6, 2020

Forlini lands big victory in Republican clerk primary, will face Miller in November

MACOMB COUNTY — Aug. 4 was a good day for Anthony Forlini, who won about 45% of the vote in a four-way Republican primary for a chance at becoming Macomb County’s next clerk.

Published August 6, 2020

UCS aims for face-to-face this fall

STERLING HEIGHTS — The school district is still aiming for the typical face-to-face classroom instruction as its goal, but school officials recognize that they need to make a transitional path to remote learning involving the same teachers and classmates.

Published August 5, 2020

Prosecutor, sheriff’s races set in Macomb County

MACOMB COUNTY — Former Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Mary Chrzanowski and state Sen. Peter Lucido will face off on the November ballot in the race for Macomb County Prosecuting Attorney. And in the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office race, incumbent Anthony Wickersham will be challenged by Terence Mekoski in the Nov. 3 general election.

Published August 2, 2020

UCS superintendent announces retirement

STERLING HEIGHTS — Christine Johns’ role as Utica Community Schools superintendent will soon draw to a close, but she will still be working this fall to help the school district return back to the classroom.

Blues rocker Laith Al-Saadi will perform July 31 in a drive-in concert at the Macomb Center for Performing Arts in Clinton Township.

Published July 29, 2020

Macomb Center for the Performing Arts to host drive-in concert

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Audiences might know Laith Al-Saadi from watching him perform at venues around the state, or maybe fans will recognize him from season 10 of “The Voice” on NBC.

Becky Skates, of Royal Oak, dropped off many bags of plastic for recycling at the SOCRRA Recycling Drop-Off Center after making an appointment July 24.

Published July 28, 2020

SOCRRA re-opens recycling drop-off center, by appointment only

METRO DETROIT — For the past four months, eco-conscious consumers have been stockpiling their paper, cardboard, glass and plastic containers while SOCRRA’s Recycling Drop-Off Center was closed due to COVID-19.

Published July 28, 2020

Beat the summer heat

METRO DETROIT — Seemingly endless weeks of hot, steamy weather along with a few intense storms have dramatically increased the use of air conditioning, and at times, cut power altogether this summer.

Published July 24, 2020

Experts warn seniors to be wary of scammers

METRO DETROIT — Senior citizens are a favorite target for many scammers, and they have plenty to watch out for both from criminals and from unscrupulous businesses who seek to take advantage of them.

Published July 24, 2020

City delays vote on proposed diversity commission

STERLING HEIGHTS — A majority of the Sterling Heights City Council recently decided to wait a few weeks before voting on whether to move a proposed diversity and inclusion commission forward.

Published July 24, 2020

Sterling Heights City Council adopts zoning changes for 11 intersections

STERLING HEIGHTS — A new denser building development strategy could soon be coming to an intersection near you.

Published July 24, 2020

Amazon announces upcoming delivery station along Mound

STERLING HEIGHTS — Amazon plans to bring a greater presence to Sterling Heights’ doorstep, offering the region hundreds of new jobs, city officials said in a July 15 announcement.

Published July 24, 2020

Man protests with posters at Sterling unemployment office

STERLING HEIGHTS — After waiting weeks for answers and with no clues as to when he’d receive the unemployment insurance he had signed up for, Matthew Scherer, of Shelby Township, had had enough with automated messages, emails and red tape.

Published July 24, 2020

Election center busy as absentee voters swell

STERLING HEIGHTS — A new election center at the Sterling Heights Senior Center is ready to assist residents in exercising their right to vote in the Aug. 4 primary elections, particularly as many voters are choosing to fill out their ballots away from the polls.

Published July 24, 2020

Candidates file for school board elections

WARREN/CENTER LINE/STERLING HEIGHTS — Several local candidates filed, by the July 21 deadline, to run for school board positions in Macomb County.

Published July 24, 2020

County, local clerks prepare for upcoming elections

MACOMB COUNTY — The COVID-19 pandemic is not stopping county and municipal clerks from properly preparing for the Aug. 4 primary election.

Published July 23, 2020

Experts brace for problems as eviction and foreclosure moratorium ends

METRO DETROIT — On April 1, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order was to last until June when it was extended to last until July 15.

Published July 22, 2020

Lights, a door and a good connection are key to working from home

METRO DETROIT — Across the United States, about 5 million employees work from home at least half of the time, according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey. That number has likely been pushed higher now — at least temporarily, but in some cases permanently — by a shift in the way companies do business in the COVID-19 pandemic.