Sterling Heights Sentry

Published January 27, 2016

CENTER LINE/WARREN/STERLING HEIGHTS — “January is School Board Recognition Month. Thank a school board member today” was written on the Warren Consolidated Schools Facebook page Jan. 12 to recognize what local school boards do every day.

Every January, students and staff in the Center Line, Van Dyke, Warren Woods, Warren Consolidated and Fitzgerald school districts find ways to show their appreciation to their respective school boards with gifts, personal notes, artwork and kind words.

Published January 27, 2016

WCS students take their bows

WARREN/STERLING HEIGHTS — Some people were meant to be on stage performing before an audience.

Jacquelyn Wrubel, a seventh-grader in the Warren Consolidated Schools Middle School Visual and Performing Arts (MSVPA) program, is one of them.

When it comes to live theater, “You are there,” Wrubel said. “You are in the experience.”

Published January 25, 2016

City, school leaders show optimism despite challenges

Local leaders at the Annual Leaders Luncheon shared their opinions, plans and predictions for the year ahead, while some called for the state of Michigan to build a fairer system for financing municipalities and school districts.

The Sterling Heights Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry presided over the annual luncheon Jan. 20 at Cherry Creek Golf Club in Shelby Township.

Published January 25, 2016

Fundraiser to benefit police killed in line of duty

MACOMB COUNTY — There will be a fundraiser from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Jan. 27 at Coyote Joe’s, 49440 Ryan Road in Shelby Township to benefit the Police Unity Tour 2016: Team Rolling Bacon.

Published January 25, 2016

In auto show’s wake, dealerships offer incentives

The North American International Auto Show at Detroit’s Cobo Center may now be closed to the public for another year, but it’s not too late for prospective car buyers to drive over to a dealership showroom to take advantage of some deals.

According to Nick Schrah, new car sales manager at Bill Fox Chevrolet, the auto show tends to bring a huge increase in business around this time of year.

Published January 22, 2016

‘The Forgotten War,’ remembered

WARREN — In the summer of 1950, less than five years after the guns of World War II fell silent in the Far East, armed conflict erupted on the Korean peninsula.

The Korean War, also known in the United States and Canada as “The Forgotten War,” would eventually result in more than 36,000 American combat deaths. More than 100,000 Americans were wounded. Theater-wide, the numbers were staggering, with more than 5 million people killed, nearly half of them civilians.

Published January 20, 2016

Sterling officials give preview of 2016 road projects

STERLING HEIGHTS — The winding down of the Van Dyke Avenue reconstruction project doesn’t mean that the city is out of the clear for construction work in 2016.

During a Jan. 5 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, City Manager Mark Vanderpool said residents and motorists are not going to get much reprieve with road construction.

Published January 20, 2016

Ford students hold second annual blanket drive

STERLING HEIGHTS — A pair of sisters and some of their allies at Utica Community Schools recently uncovered the results of their holiday blanket drive for sick children.

Nikki Sorgi, a Henry Ford II High School junior, said she helped run the blanket drive with her sister, Alex Sorgi, who graduated from Ford in 2015. With the help of the Eric Hartwell Foundation, the sisters dropped off donated blankets to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. On Dec. 23, the sisters, accompanied by other Ford students, supplied the hospital with almost 150 donated blankets.

Published January 20, 2016

Library to hold winter scavenger hunt for kids

STERLING HEIGHTS — The chill and snow of winter has finally arrived for a while in metro Detroit, and the Sterling Heights Public Library is transforming itself into a warm, inviting place of discovery.

The library will hold a Winter Scavenger Hunt for kids throughout the day Jan. 21. Jason Groth, library public relations and programs coordinator, said the timing and theme of this scavenger hunt are unique.

Published January 18, 2016

Winning automakers tout car, truck awards

The winning vehicles from the 2016 North American Car & Truck/Utility of the Year Awards could receive additional publicity and prestige when they appear on the dealership floor, according to some automotive industry insiders.

Those awards — which were based on North American journalists’ opinions — were announced Jan. 11 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The 2016 North American Car of the Year distinction went to the Honda Civic. Other finalists in that category were the Chevrolet Malibu and the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

Published January 13, 2016

Council rejects proposal to cut public speaking time

A divided vote by the Sterling Heights City Council preserved the status quo on public speaking rules after a councilman proposed to shorten the typical speaking time from seven minutes to four.

During a Jan. 5 meeting, the council voted 4-3 to reject a motion to change the city’s Governing Body Rules of Procedure in order to cut down the speaking time for public comment.

Published January 13, 2016

Foundation invites students to apply for scholarships

The end of the school year is still months away, but it’s not too early to begin applying for scholarships that are open to students who are planning to attend or who are already attending places of higher education.

The Sterling Heights Community Foundation announced that it has gathered scholarship partners who are ready to give out scholarships to qualifying students in 2016. Altogether, those scholarships are worth close to $40,000, according to city officials.

Published January 11, 2016

Auto show press preview includes statistics, surprises and apologies

It was a media metropolis at the beginning of the 2016 North American International Auto Show.

A daylong event open to media members kicked off around 7 a.m. and concluded at 5:15 p.m. Jan. 11 at Cobo Center. Those associated with various car brands made keynote presentations: Chrysler, Chevrolet, Audi, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, Porsche, Ford, Infiniti, Lexus, Honda, Hyundai and Kia.

Published January 11, 2016

NAIAS exhibits focus on visuals, content

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to tour the North American International Auto Show in downtown Detroit in January.

And in between all the sneak peeks of upcoming and concept vehicles, visitors should expect to see plenty of other sights during their visits, according to auto show organizers and exhibitors.

The media were invited to check out the Cobo Center exhibits in advance Jan. 11-12, and the general public may see the show Jan. 16-24.

Published January 8, 2016

Governor signs bill eliminating straight ticket voting in Michigan

LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder on Jan. 5 signed legislation eliminating straight ticket voting in Michigan.

Senate Bill 13, which was sponsored by state Sen. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy, updates state election law and disallows constituents from voting for single parties with the check of one box in polling places.

Published January 6, 2016

MCC receives $300,000 grant to study transfer students

MACOMB COUNTY — Macomb Community College is one of three educational institutions nationwide that will receive grant money from the Kresge Foundation’s new education program.

The Kresge Foundation, based in Troy, is an organization that works to expand opportunities to low-income individuals in America’s cities. The foundation promotes post-secondary access and success for low-income, first-generation and underrepresented students.

Published January 6, 2016

Pair of pre-Christmas crashes result in injuries

Days before Christmas, the Sterling Heights Police Department investigated a pair of traffic accidents in the city that reportedly resulted in injuries.

The first incident reportedly happened just before 9:30 a.m. Dec. 22. According to police, officers arrived to the site of a two-vehicle crash at northbound Mound Road, south of 15 Mile Road.

According to the report, a man who drove a semi-tractor that was pulling an empty tanker was at fault for hitting the back of an Econoline van that had been stopping for a yellow signal.

Published January 6, 2016

Public safety officials look ahead to 2016

As Sterling Heights’ police and fire departments keep watch over the city’s safety, they are also preparing for future events on the horizon as 2016 begins.

Near the end of 2015, Interim Police Chief John Berg was promoted from captain to his current position after former police Chief Michael Reese announced his retirement. Due to remaining vacation time, Reese actually left earlier than his Dec. 11 retirement date, and he was poised to work at another job, as the chief of the Clinton-Huron Metroparks police.

Published January 5, 2016

Four injured as semi-truck smashes into party store

Public safety officials from Warren and Sterling Heights spent the afternoon of Jan. 4 investigating how and why a semi-truck drove off the road and smashed into Frank’s Deli and Liquor in Sterling Heights, injuring several people, according to police.

Published December 30, 2015

Online guides, QR codes build upon city’s tech outreach

Residents want information quickly, and Sterling Heights has created tools to make it possible, according to a recent city presentation.

At a Dec. 15 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, City Development Director Denice Gerstenberg said city officials have taken fresh steps to improve customer service and build strong relationships with the taxpaying customer base. And Sterling Heights is using technology to achieve this goal, she said.