A brand-new athletic facility is now open in Sterling Heights and city leaders say it's designed to bring the community together through recreation, competition and accessibility.

The new athletic hub features pickleball courts, table tennis, adaptive programming and more. It's all part of the city's voter-approved pathway to play and preservation millage.

Watch Evan Sery's report below New athletic facility open in Sterling Heights to bring community together

"We have a 36,000-square-foot facility, nine dedicated pickleball courts, (we're going to) have an abundance of programs from pickleball lessons to adaptive programs," said Mark Disanto, who is overseeing operations at the Sterling Heights Athletic Hub.

If you like the sound of all of that, included the pickleball pop, you'll love the brand-new Athletic Hub in Sterling Heights.

Its a nice facility, so far so good," said Sterling Heights resident Debbie Henderson.

Brian Krupp has already been here twice since Saturday's Grand Opening.

Really everything theyve done, theyve done first class," Krupp said. I think this place is gorgeous, I voted for it, and im pretty happy about it

The voter-approved $10 million rec center is part of the city's Pathway to Play and Preservation Millage.

Watch our previous coverage Sterling Heights' $10 million Athletic Hub set to open this July

Disanto has overseen all operations.

"(There are) certain amount of stress, I must admit, when you're putting something new together but when you see people come in especially who love the game and love the activity, and they get on that court, and it almost looks effortless, and theyre just playing, its a good feeling, it really charges my battery," Disanto said.

And it's not just pickleball: the athletic hub also has six table-tennis courts.

University of Michigan sophomore Steven Lee said he'll be spending a lot of time here this summer.

I was looking for ping pong places in Sterling Heights and so I saw the plans in development for this, so I got really excited," Lee said. Facilities are nice, bathrooms are clean, mural in the back, its really open."

And it's really affordable, especially for Sterling Heights residents who get in for free, and just $5 for all-day play for everyone else.

The biggest challenge I think will be just getting the feel of the building and what we can do in it, a lot of people wanna know 'Can I rent it, can I do this?', we're really just gonna get our feel we know we have the nuts and bolts to make this place work right now but I think over time, it'll evolve, because people interests are gonna evolve

Where Your Voice Matters

Family, friends and fellow firefighters gathered in Sterling Heights on Tuesday to honor Emily Barker, a Clinton Township native and wildland firefighter killed last month while battling a massive wildfire near the Utah-Colorado border.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: Macomb County community honors fallen wildland firefighter Emily Barker

The memorial service was held at Bethesda Christian Church, where firetrucks lined the street in tribute. Barker was one of three firefighters killed responding to the blaze.

Sarah Fisher, deputy chief of Fire and Aviation Management for the United States Forest Service, remembered Barker as a true hero.

"Today, we remember and celebrate the life of wildland firefighter Emily Barker," Fisher said.

Fisher spoke to the character and bravery of wildland firefighters like Barker during the service.

"The courage of our firefighters is unlike anything else. They work in heat, smoke, rugged terrain and uncertainty. They hold each other up. They are not fearless, but they are brave," Fisher said.

A 200-year-old bell-ringing tradition was part of Tuesday's service.

Watch the bell-ringing below: Final bell tolls at funeral for firefighter from Clinton Twp. killed in Colorado

Grosse Pointe fire buff John Kaled took pictures outside the service and was there to pay his respects.

"Obviously, very sad. They never go into danger expecting to lose their lives, but they're willing to make that sacrifice," Kaled said.

Kaled did not hesitate when asked whether Barker deserved to be called a hero.

"Definitely, yeah. Definitely a hero," Kaled said.

Fisher reflected on the full arc of Barker's life and the trail she blazed for others.

"She began as a teacher shaping young lives. She was a trailblazer literally building a trail in Idaho Falls as an instructor in a 130/190 class and figuratively by setting an example for women in wildland life who will follow in her footsteps," Fisher said.

Following the service, a procession carried Barker to her final resting place. She is survived by her parents, Rosemary and David, and her siblings, Nick and Lisa.

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A Shelby Township family is grieving after police say a 67-year-old man was shot and killed inside his home, and his stepson is now facing charges including first-degree premeditated murder.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: Shelby Township man shot and killed; stepson charged with first-degree murder

Gene Seim was found suffering from an apparent gunshot wound just before 4:30 p.m. Thursday on the 48000 block of Sandifer Court in Shelby Township. Despite lifesaving efforts from paramedics and his daughter, who was on scene, Seim did not survive.

His youngest daughter, Riane Hutchinson, described her father as a loving family man and grandfather to 5.

"He was a goofy guy, he picked on you, he always said if he didn't pick on you, he didn't like you," Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said the shooting was not the result of a fight.

"It wasn't a fight, he went into my dad's room, he was doing something, and then came out, and it happened," Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson was on scene when her father was shot and attempted to help save his life.

"They had me find a clean towel and try to apply pressure to the wounds as best I could," Hutchinson said.

Police say the suspect, 38-year-old Trevin Beemer, Seim's stepson, was taken into custody at the scene. Beemer was arraigned Friday and faces charges including first-degree premeditated murder and several weapons charges.

Another sister, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she was also injured during the incident.

"I have a laceration on my right eye because my brother pushed me into the wall," she said.

She said her physical injuries are minor compared to the mental toll the tragedy has taken on the family.

Hutchinson said the family had tried to get Beemer psychiatric help.

"He's not well, he's not well, hasn't been for a very long time," Hutchinson said.

Seim's death comes three years after the family lost their mother. Hutchinson said the family is now planning to honor both parents together.

"We working on a celebration of life for my mom already, he loved my mom so much they were together so long, she was his best friend, so it makes sense to put them together," Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said her own daughter does not yet know the full extent of what happened.

"She's actually still at a friend's house right now; she just knows there was a shooting," Hutchinson said.

When asked how she plans to tell her daughter, Hutchinson said she does not yet know.

"I don't know, I'm just gonna tell her, Pop Pop passed away," Hutchinson said.

Friends and others in the community have started a GoFundMe to help with funeral and farewell costs.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Chesterfield Township voters will decide August 4 whether to approve a proposed Parks and Recreation and Senior Services millage that has sparked strong opinions on both sides.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: Chesterfield Township Parks and Rec Millage divides residents over tax burden

The 10-year, 1-mill tax proposal would generate an estimated $2.5 million in its first year for improvements to parks, recreational spaces and senior services. A homeowner with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay $100 per year.

Proposed improvements include modernization of the community center, the addition of pickleball courts, and upgrades to neighborhood and senior parks.

Township Supervisor Brad Kersten said the millage is designed to benefit Chesterfield residents directly.

"This is not an unnecessary tax; this is a tax that stays specifically here in Chesterfield Township. It doesn't leave; this money stays right here and develops our community and promotes our community," Kersten said.

Kersten acknowledged the burden taxes place on residents but defended the proposal's long-term value.

"We get it, we understand it, nobody likes to pay taxes," Kersten said. "We have a long-term vision and a long-term plan, and again, that was why we focused on 1 mil for 10 years; we believed with that amount of money that generates, we can get to that point where all of our park spaces are developed, are functional, and usable."

Not everyone is convinced. Janice Young, who has lived in Chesterfield Township since the 1980s, said she plans to vote no.

"When you factor in my water rate increases, new taxes, cost of living going up, there's just no more money," Young said.

Young said the financial impact would grow over time.

"Would cost me $103 the first year, and then every year as my taxes get assessed and that value goes up, it'll cost me more," Young said.

Young's position appears to reflect a broader sentiment in the community. When residents were asked to weigh in on the proposal in a popular community Facebook group, only a few of the hundreds of responses indicated support for a yes vote.

Some residents, however, are eager to see the investment made. Allison Lapointe, a mother who plans to vote yes, said the millage is about the next generation.

"I don't think you can ever have enough parks," Lapointe said. "Everybody wants their kids off of their tablets and playing on technology too much. We didn't have this when I grew up, and we used parks. How are we gonna create this for our generations to come? Have more parks."

The township has held 3 community visioning sessions to discuss the proposal. The final session is scheduled for July 23 inside the community center.

Voters will make the final decision on August 4.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Law enforcement officials honored fallen firefighter Emily Barker overnight. Barker, 38, was a Clinton Township native and was one of three firefighters killed responding to a wildfire near the Utah-Colorado border last month.

Watch the procession in the video below Procession held as body of fallen firefighter returns to Michigan

Rosemary Barker's last communication from her daughter Emily was on Mother's Day when Emily sent her mother a card that she had made years ago at camp.

"It was cute. It had pedals from a flower that they glued onto a card and she wrote me a beautiful note," Barker said.

Watch our previous report speaking to Barker's family in the video below: Michigan family mourns firefighter Emily Barker killed in Utah-Colorado border wildfire

Two additional firefighters were also injured, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior and Agriculture.

"Parents aren't supposed to outlive their children. There's not much I can say this is really tough," Rosemary Barker said.

Last month in Grand Junction, Colorado, locals and first responders lined the streets for a procession paying tribute to the three fallen firefighters.

"She died doing something she loves," Rosemary Barker said.

Before fighting fires in Colorado, Emily grew up in a Clinton Township neighborhood near 17 Mile and Hayes roads. After graduating from Regina High School in Warren, she attended Northern Michigan University.

Her father, David Barker, said Emily had a passion for fighting fires and a love for snow.

"My wife calls her my fire and ice child. She loved fighting fires during summer and grooming snow during the winter at ski resorts," David Barker said.

Also last month, a moment of silence was held at the Clinton Township Board of Trustees meeting in her honor.

"Our hearts go out to her family. We honor her commitment and sacrifice," a speaker at the meeting said.

David and Rosemary Barker said the outpouring of community support has given them strength during this unimaginable time.

"You just pray that someday she's gonna retire and move on to her next adventure, but that's not how its gonna be," Rosemary Barker said.

Emily Barker is survived by her parents and her siblings, Nick and Lisa.

"In the beginning, we were concerned with her health and safety, but we learned to live with it because it was something she loved to do," David Barker said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A Southeast Michigan nonprofit that provides free clothing and essential items to children affected by foster care unveiled a new all-electric delivery van this week. It's a vehicle volunteers say will allow the organization to serve more kids than ever before.

Check out Evan's story in the video player below: Macomb Foster Closet gets new electric van to expand services for foster care kids

The Macomb Foster Closet received a 2026 GM Chevrolet BrightDrop 600 the nonprofit's first dedicated delivery vehicle funded through state and federal grants totaling $100,000.

Board member Fred Huebener said the van opens up possibilities the organization has never had before.

"It's absolutely a true blessing for us to have gotten this," Huebener said.

The vehicle offers 614 cubic feet of storage space. Before acquiring the van, volunteers relied on their personal vehicles to transport donations and supplies.

"We were doing this with personal vehicles, and most of our volunteers didn't have SUVs big enough to be able to do this," Huebener said.

Volunteer Skyler McAlpine said seeing the van for the first time left an impression.

"Seeing it for the first time was very cool, I didn't know it was gonna be as big as it is," McAlpine said.

McAlpine knows firsthand what the Macomb Foster Closet means to the children it serves. In 2018, he was a kid in the foster care system who relied on the organization himself.

"I would say I was in desperate need of everything. Just coming to the foster closet and being able to get clothes in general really helped because I had nothing," McAlpine said.

McAlpine said he believes the new van will be a game-changer for kids and young adults in similar situations.

"It's really gonna help us move stuff and pick up donations. We just have a lot more room to actually get stuff done," McAlpine said.

Because the van comes equipped with an extended battery system, Huebener said the nonprofit will have an easier time taking its mission on the road. He said the added capacity puts popcorn machines, bounce houses and refrigerator units for ice cream all within reach for future community events.

"Makes us more efficient. We're gonna get more done for the kids now as a direct result," Huebener said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited EasterSeals Michigan in Clinton Township Wednesday to announce more than $700 million in new federal funding aimed at addressing drug addiction and homelessness across the country.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: RFK Jr. announces $700M plan to fight drug addiction and homelessness

Kennedy said the two crises are deeply connected and have devastated families and communities nationwide.

"America faces two crises that have taken an enormous human toll, and both of them are interconnected," Kennedy said. "Since 2000, drug-related deaths have claimed more than a million American lives. On any given night, more than 770-thousand Americans are experiencing homelessness."

The funding is part of President Trump's Great American Recovery Initiative and includes:

More than $200 million for certified community health clinics $80 million for substance use prevention Nearly $250 million to improve the suicide crisis lifeline

Following Kennedy's announcement, I went to McRest in Mount Clemens, a homeless shelter, to speak with residents who rely on the resource.

McRest resident Tracey Murphy said she has experienced homelessness on and off since 2009 and is a former drug addict. Murphy said she supports Kennedy's Streets Program, a community-wide approach that places emphasis on rapid, comprehensive, and coordinated street-based engagement.

"It's not just a personal issue, it's a community issue, and we all have our passing life, and we struggle, and if there's any help like that, I think it's wonderful," Murphy said.

April Fidler, CEO of McRest, said the need for resources in Macomb County is significant.

"In Macomb County, we have over 1,000 people on the streets every given day, and there's probably only 125 beds in our county to house those individuals," Fidler said.

Fidler said street outreach plays a critical role in connecting people with services.

"Street outreach is really important, you can find the people on the street, and place them in proper areas, sometimes in shelters, temporary, while they're waiting for housing or funding for those programs that could be available," Fidler said.

For a full list of where the more than $700 million in new funding is set to be allocated, click here.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Sterling Heights has banned the sale and distribution of kratom both natural and synthetic forms making it illegal to sell the herbal supplement within city limits.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: Sterling Heights bans kratom sales, sparking debate over public safety and personal use

The Sterling Heights City Council voted to pass the kratom ordinance last week, with six council members voting in favor. The ban takes effect in early June. Businesses that continue selling kratom after that date could face serious consequences.

"If they are not compliant, they have the potential of having their business license revoked," Sterling Heights Police Lt. Lamar Kashat said.

Kashat said the department has seen a rise in kratom-related hospitalizations and crime.

"A possible breaking and entering into an area, and that individual indicated it was to feed their kratom addiction," Kashat said.

City Councilman Henry Yanez, one of the six who voted yes, said the city felt compelled to act.

"The state hasn't done anything to control it. We drew a line here in Sterling Heights to make sure we're going to keep the people who live here safe," Yanez said.

Yanez acknowledged residents who want to purchase kratom still have options.

"If people wanna buy kratom, whether natural or synthetic, they can go ahead and go to any other city around us; they just can't buy it here," Yanez said.

RELATED STORY: Clinton Township cracks down on kratom sales with new age restrictions Clinton Township cracks down on kratom sales with new age restrictions

Not everyone supports the ban. Melody Wolf, who lives in Kalamazoo, drove to last week's council meeting to speak against it. Wolf said she has relied on kratom for chronic pain relief.

"I've been a daily 12-year consumer of kratom," Wolf said.

Allison Smith, a government affairs director for the Global Kratom Coalition, flew in from Washington, D.C., to address the council. Smith argued that the natural form of kratom is not the problem the synthetic version is.

"Concentrated synthetic 7OH, these synthetic drugs you're seeing at gas stations and convenience stores, are adulterated and represent a clear and present danger; people are getting addicted and overdosing on them," Smith said.

But Josh Barnes, a recovering kratom addict I met at the city's Dodge Park, said he is grateful Sterling Heights is taking action.

"These 7-hydroxy pressed pills - that is gas station heroin. It's addictive, and you'll get sick," Barnes said.

Barnes said he began using kratom to help deal with an injury he sustained while serving in the Navy. At the height of his addiction, he said he was spending $200 a day to feed it.

"It should be illegal, should be illegal, no one should be able to sell that," Barnes said.

The debate is also playing out at the state level. House Bill 5537, which proposes a statewide ban on growing and selling kratom, passed in the Michigan House and is currently sitting in the Senate.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.