It’s fall cleaning time for Oakland County’s roads and hundreds of people have volunteered to help.

The final Adopt-A-Road cleanup is Sept. 20 through Sept. 28.

So far this year, 381 organizations have sent volunteers to pick up litter and other debris along the county’s 598 miles of roads.

Road Commission Chairman Eric McPherson said he’s incredibly grateful for the volunteers’ deduction and asked drivers to keep them safe.

Volunteers will wear orange safety vests for better visibility and carry garbage bags while cleaning. Road commission signs will be posted at both ends of the designated road sections.

The road commission relies on groups to manage their need for more garbage bags or vests by calling the permits division groups needing additional garbage bags or safety vests can call the Permits Division at (248) 858-4891.

To learn more about Adopt-A-road, including volunteering for the final 2025 session, visit http://www.rcocweb.org/218/Adopt-A-Road or email adoptaroad@rcoc.org.

By Craig Mauger

MediaNews Group

Lansing — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on the leaders of a fiercely divided Michigan Legislature to “work together” to approve a new budget Tuesday, 14 days before a deadline that could trigger a shutdown of state government.

During a 20-minute speech inside the Michigan Capitol’s Heritage Hall, Whitmer, a second-term Democrat who returned from a trade mission to Asia and Germany in recent days, made her most direct plea to lawmakers yet, amid a months-long budget battle.

She also appeared to pull closer than before to Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, who’s been in a political standoff with House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township.

“While we stand on different sides of the aisle, we all basically want the same things: Happy, healthy children, good-paying jobs, food on the table, safe communities and a strong future,” Whitmer said at one point. “That is our task at hand. Let’s get it done. Let’s get to work.”

The governor’s speech focused on economic turmoil facing the country and Michigan, contending that tariffs imposed by Republican President Donald Trump’s administration and the lack of a budget were both sources of uncertainty that were bad for residents, businesses and job creation.

“We must work together to get certainty here in Michigan,” Whitmer said.

Whitmer has previously touted her ability to work across the aisle, but there’s been little bipartisan cooperation in Lansing since Republicans won control of the state House last November.

Hall, who has prioritized trimming spending, and Brinks have struggled to agree on budget priorities and missed the Legislature’s self-imposed deadline of July 1 to approve a new financial plan for state agencies, K-12 schools and universities. The House didn’t pass its own budget proposal until Aug. 26, months later than the chamber normally would.

Now, Whitmer and lawmakers face a constitutional deadline of Oct. 1, when the state’s next fiscal year begins. Without a budget in place by then, thousands of state workers would likely be laid off, state parks would close, some daycare programs might shutter and liquor purchases could be limited.

Hall has frequently promoted his relationship with Whitmer, but he wasn’t present for her speech Tuesday. Instead, Brinks and House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri, D-Canton Township, were in the front row.

“I know that Leader Brinks is available and ready,” Whitmer said during her remarks. “My team and I are ready to go. We can still do this on time.”

The governor didn’t harshly criticize Hall by name but said she wouldn’t sign the $79 billion budget plan that House Republicans put forward that would bring large cuts to an array of state programs, including the Michigan State Police, the Department of Natural Resources, the attorney general’s office, civil rights operations and hospitals.

After the speech, Brinks said the Senate stood with Whitmer “committed to getting a budget done” but, she added, there were “delays and obstruction” coming from the House.

“The reality is Democrats … control of the Senate,” Brinks said. “Democrats control the governor’s office.

Of Hall, she said, “And he needs to work with us to come up with a compromise. If he is unwilling to do that, he is not doing his job for the people of Michigan.”

In February, Whitmer put forth an $83.5 billion budget for next year.

Both Hall and Whitmer have said they want to find $3 billion in additional funding for roads in next year’s plan. Hall would achieve it through redirecting money from other state spending, while Whitmer and Brinks prefer a mixture of cuts and new revenue, likely from some form of tax increases.

Also, Whitmer called on Tuesday for additional “job creation tools” to make it easier to build factories in the state, to retain jobs and to incentivize innovation.

Whitmer has previously championed a program she launched during her first term called the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund to provide dollars to pay for cash incentives for businesses bringing jobs to Michigan and to prepare large sites for development.

A wide-ranging tax law Whitmer signed in 2023 provided $500 million in annual funding for SOAR over three years. This current year is the final one in which the funding is reserved.

“We have to do something to deliver more wins for Michigan because competition is fierce,” Whitmer said.

Brinks referenced SOAR’s expiration after the speech.

“It doesn’t mean that we should be without any tools,” Brinks said. “So that is the subject of some conversation.”

Brinks told reporters there is still a path to get the budget done on time. But, she said, she wants to see a “change in approach” from the House.

“Should that not happen, we will get our leadership team together and make some decisions about what the best course forward is,” Brinks said.

In a statement Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, who’s campaigning to be Michigan’s next governor, said he was glad Whitmer is “finally back from another taxpayer-funded trip overseas because the clock is ticking.”

“It’s time to lead Democrats to the bargaining table to pass a balanced budget that fixes Michigan’s crumbling roads and bridges, puts kids first by focusing on reading and math and respects taxpayers enough to not reach deeper into their pockets,” Nesbitt said. “Republicans have put forward real plans to do this.”

Lincoln Street is closed in both directions at I-696 in Southfield until mid-October for bridge work.

The detour is to go north to 11 Mile or south to 10 Mile and use either Southfield Road to the west or Greenfield Road to the east, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Lincoln Street closed early Monday, Sept. 15.

The bridge work is part of MDOT’s Restore the Reuther project. MDOT is in the final phase of the lengthy project, which involves rebuilding I-696 between Lahser and Dequindre roads.

Bomb threat made against Oakland County state Sen. Jeremy Moss

MSP, Detroit police probe crashes into buildings, break-ins

By Jennifer Chambers, MediaNews Group

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office failed to establish a timely incident command and was late to dispatch fire crews in response to the Oxford High School shooting, according to an independent investigative report released Monday.

The office did not establish a formal incident command at Oxford High School until 25 minutes after a teenage gunman who went on a murderous rampage was in custody, according to an after-action review of the emergency response to the 2021 school shooting.

The 275-page report found no evidence of neglect or dereliction of duty by individual responders, but noted that failing to quickly establish an initial command and promptly integrate with other public safety agencies can lead to severe consequences.

“Successful incident command operations in the first five minutes of a critical event often determine response success. These operations include not only ‘sizing up’ a scene, but also a brief description of initial actions, and instructions for additional responding personnel,” investigators wrote in the report’s executive summary.

Nearly 560 emergency personnel responded to the scene from more than two dozen agencies. But poor communication and inadequate training hamstrung some EMS, police and fire workers, investigators found.

Survivor accounts from the attack revealed a chaotic scene in which nearly 1,600 students and dozens of staff were fleeing the sprawling school building while emergency responders tended to the wounded and dead and police searched for the student gunman.

Although multiple ranking OSCO officers were present, the report says there was a 25-minute gap before a lieutenant assumed the role of incident commander.

“During this 25-minute period, although critical objectives were met and the shooter was apprehended, there was some confusion about where resources should be directed and coordination with public safety officials such as fire/EMS was disjointed,” the report says. “Once command was established, law enforcement agencies were aligned with the roles needed to complete the building clears, secure the interior of the building, and create a perimeter around the outside of the building.”

Release of the Guidepost Solutions report follows a Detroit News investigation that revealed complaints from fire department officials that their crews were dispatched late to the attack. The News also reported that the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office declined to participate in a third-party review of its department’s response as recently as January 2024, a claim that Sheriff Michael Bouchard has denied.

Oakland County government officials approved $500,000 to hire a review firm three weeks after The News’ report. Guidepost was tasked with conducting a comprehensive report evaluating the multi-agency response to the shooting and the recovery effort that followed.

The shooter, Ethan Crumbley, a sophomore at the school at the time, fired his weapon 33 times in the attack and killed Hana St. Juliana, 14; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; and Justin Shilling, 17.

The report determined that, despite the misteps in response, the victims’ injuries were “inherently fatal” and that a quicker emergency response could not have saved their lives. The conclusion was based on information from a medical examiner’s report and analysis by an independent medical expert.

“Our review determined that the nature and extent of Madisyn, Tate, and Justin’s single gunshot wounds to the head were inherently fatal,” the report says. “Hana sustained multiple gunshot wounds, with resulting abdomen and chest injuries, which were collectively inherently fatal. Even with immediate medical intervention, the experts’ consensus is that the outcomes would not have changed.”

Despite the shooter being apprehended just two minutes after the sheriff’s department arrived on scene, and OCSO ranking personnel arriving on scene within the first seven to nine minutes after the shooting began, incident command was not formally established until Lt. Todd Hill arrived at 1:20 p.m. and initiated command at 1:25 p.m., the report found.

“This constitutes a time gap of approximately 27 minutes after the SRO (school resource officer) and OCSO Deputy 1 arrived on scene, approximately 25 minutes after the shooter was in custody, and approximately 24 minutes after OCSO dispatch confirmed the suspect’s arrest,” the report says. “Lieutenant Hill ultimately established incident command inside the lobby of OHS by a bench across from the administration offices.”

Guidepost found breakdowns in communication regarding the locations of officers and victims early in the response. The first two officers to enter the schools, “while understandably focused on the apprehension of the shooter,” did not provide updates on their movements, victim locations or their conditions via radio, the report says.

“Best practices suggest that, as the first responders on the scene, they are the ‘de facto’ command and should not only announce their entry point but also provide information about what they saw as they came upon the victims in the hallway. Also, due to a lack of effective communication, some efforts were duplicated. Injuries were reported multiple times and OHS surveillance depicted numerous deputies clearing the same hallways.”

A lack of training, for both law enforcement and firefighters, was identified in the report as a challenge.

At the time of the shooting, sheriff’s deputies and supervisors were not sufficiently trained in incident command and unified incident command, Guidepost found. Since that time, the sheriff’s office has instituted programs on those concepts, the report says.

“During this review numerous fire department members indicated that, when on scene at OHS, they did not feel that they were adequately prepared to deal with the chaos and pressures of an active assailant situation,” the report says.

“Departmental training was limited to mass casualty scenarios within EMS continuing education programs. There was insufficient or even non-existent training on the use of ballistic protective gear at the fire department, which was frequently stored away and never utilized by personnel,” the report says. “For many OFD members, the day of the shooting was the first time they donned ballistic vests and helmets.”

Guidepost recommended that fire department chiefs mandate bi-annual active assailant training with the sheriff’s department.

Oakland County Executive David Coulter said he was briefed Monday morning by Guidepost officials and had not yet read the entire report.

“I appreciate the report. It is comprehensive. I think it’s fair,” Coulter said. “We engaged with Guidepost because we’re committed to taking an honest look at how we respond to these kinds of emergency, tragic events, and to see where there could be lessons that we can learn from them, and it certainly appears that there are areas that could be strengthened.”

Coulter said there was a very successful and courageous response by first responders and a lot of things done right.

“And I continue to be proud of the people who responded on that horrible day,” he said.

Dispatch delay found

In its report, Guidepost identified a delay in dispatching the Oxford Fire Department in response to early 9-1-1 calls that came in at 12:52:32 with a definitive report of injury.

At 2:19 minutes into the call, at 12:54:51, the caller confirmed a victim was shot, the report says. At 12:52:59, information regarding shots fired was dispatched to all OCSO units. Oxford Fire Department was not dispatched until 12:59:56, Guidepost says.

“Best practices suggest dispatch should be within 15-30 seconds of receipt of a call, and within no more than 60 seconds. The call data reviewed indicates that the call takers recognized this incident as a confirmed active shooter event well before the decision to dispatch the fire department,” the report says.

“OCSO follows the practice of waiting to dispatch fire departments until confirmation of an injured party is established. Although OCSO asserts that this is based upon directions from fire departments, we suggest that in low occurrence-high threat events such as active shooter incidents, especially those at schools, it is logical that all necessary resources be dispatched even before confirmation of injuries.”

The Guidepost report critiqued the response and offered recommendations to improve emergency preparedness and response to incidents, including a recommendation to Oakland County to ensure that a formal after-actio review is conducted for all multi-agency critical events in the county.

In interviews with The Detroit News in 2024, Oxford Fire Chief Matthew Majestic and Addison Fire Chief Jerry Morawski said they self-dispatched their crews when the high school came under attack.

While both chiefs said the dispatch delay did not impact their treatment of victims as fire and EMS crews staged outside the school until police worked to secure the scene, Majestic told The News then that the delay cost his department valuable time to develop a plan ahead of treating victims, four of whom died. It’s an aspect of the tragedy he has struggled with for years.

“Had they toned us out, we could have been staging and ready and organized,” Majestic told The News in 2024. “I know we would have reviewed the maps, probably made changes to who is responding and where. … We would have had more people on the scene. … We could have made a better-educated triage. … You took away that opportunity of building a plan.”

The role of school resource officers

Guidepost, a New York-based investigations, regulatory compliance, monitoring and security consulting firm, found there was no protocol during the shooting for detailing responsibilities of the school resource officer in relation to non-police school security. School resource officers (SROs) are armed, certified police officers.

The issue stands out because the SRO at Oxford High School was not required to remain on campus and was not present at the time the shooting began, having left earlier for an investigation at Oxford Middle School and a stop at the substation. On the same day, the school security officer was absent on pre-approved leave.

“Consequently, a part-time armed hall monitor was the sole armed individual at OHS. Going forward, expectations must be clearly delineated regarding SROs and school security,” the report says. “There should be protocols in place between the district/school and OCSO about alternative security measures when school security is unavailable.”

Investigators did identify “certain breakdowns in command, coordination, communication, and training, which demonstrate the need for improved rapid response protocols, rescue task force (RTF) training, and enhanced tactical medical readiness.”

Fire and emergency response

In the area of fire and emergency services responses, the report says both command and communications were “hindered” during the incident when fire command at the scene moved all fire communications to a different radio channel.

“This was intended to facilitate information-sharing among all responders. However, fire personnel within OHS were unaware that the radio channel was changed and repeatedly called command on the wrong channel, receiving no response,” the report says. “Dispatch did not intervene to redirect units to the correct channel or have command switch channels.”

Guidepost recommended that dispatch be alert for misrouted communications and proactively redirect personnel to the correct channel, and that fire departments review and revise policies and practices of switching radio channels during critical incidents. The report added: “When a switch occurs, it should be announced by dispatch with a ‘tone out’ to alert all on the channel.”

The report also found that in the absence of clear dispatch protocols, fire and EMS personnel were not informed when the shooter was in custody, delaying their entry into OHS by approximately four and a half minutes.

“The computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system did not utilize specific call types for active assailant incidents, and there was no county-wide operating procedure to guide a coordinated response. We recommend that pre-determined CAD call categories be implemented for active assailant events, not only to streamline dispatch practices but also to ensure that fire and EMS are made aware of developments as they occur,” the report says.

Records from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office show Oxford EMS staging outside the high school at 1:00:53 p.m. and transporting the first victim out of the high school at 1:06:32 p.m., 15 minutes after the shooting began.

Guidepost investigators recommended fire departments reconsider their staging practices to provide “greater clarity and coordination” and move to a unified county-wide policy. At the time of the shooting, the policy of fire and EMS departments from both Oakland and Oxford was to “stage” their response by waiting nearby until the scene is declared safe, the report says.

“This creates confusion for both personnel within the department as well as law enforcement, who remain unsure when firefighters and EMS members will enter a scene to render aid,” the report says. “We recommend that Oxford Fire Department (OFD) as well as other departments across Oakland County reconsider staging practices. This requires agencies to evaluate best practice recommendations to forgo staging during active assailant events and clarify whether dispatch instructions to stage are mandatory or advisory.”

Outdated dispatch system

Guidepost described the sheriff’s department’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system as outdated, saying it heavily relies upon manual entry by dispatchers for the transfer of information. It recommends CAD systems be updated to transition from manual to automated entry and that CAD should flag high-risk keywords such as “shot,” “injured,” “weapon,” “gun,” and “active shooter” to trigger response protocols.

The day of the attack, 911 calls were rerouted from Oxford County to Lapeer County. A total of 248 emergency calls would flood sheriff’s dispatch in the first 60 minutes after the attack.

“For example, one call from OHS administration, which proved to be the most valuable for tracing the direction of the suspect, was rerouted to Lapeer. Active shooter incidents can often tax phone systems, as they were not designed for the volume that often occurs after a tragedy. We recommend that public safety organizations establish county-wide policies for handling misrouted 9-1-1 calls and build relationships with local phone service providers to understand how large-scale incidents affect call coverage and routing,” the report said.

Reunification practices

The emergency operations plan for Oxford Community Schools had identified Meijer, a half mile from the school, as the reunification location. Hundreds of students fled there. The report says many Oxford High Schooll families reported a positive experience with the reunification process, the approach fell short in providing sufficient communication and emotional support to the families of the victims.

“The families of Madisyn, Tate, and Hana came to the reunification center with the expectation of reuniting with their children. However, after two hours and no more students arriving from the school, the parents were ushered into a store breakroom where they were informed that their children were killed,” the report says.

Guidepost investigators wrote that in discussions with Madisyn’s mother, Nicole Beausoleil, Buck Myre, and Steven St. Juliana, the families did not approve of the manner or means by which the information was relayed.

“While they understood that there was no perfect way to convey this information, Nicole Beausoleil felt that the words were emotionally disconnected and significantly contributed to the continued trauma suffered. All agreed that OCSO’s delayed disclosure of their children’s passing, repetition of additional buses coming, and overall silence gave the impression that officers were not being forthcoming,” the report said.

Guidepost suggested the reunification process could be improved by broader staff training and formalized protocols.

By Adam Graham, MediaNews Group

“Whatupdoe!” Jimmy Fallon shouted to the crowd at the Detroit Opera House on Sunday, taking the stage during a special on-the-road edition of “The Tonight Show,” which marked the show’s first-ever visit to the Motor City.

It was a lively taping in front of an animated crowd and was filled with Detroit flavor: mentions of Vernors and coney dogs, “Ja-red Goff!” chants from the audience, jokes about Eminem’s Mom’s Spaghetti, nods to Motown, an appearance by the Detroit Pistons’ dancers and a cameo from Aidan Hutchinson, the Detroit Lions’ superstar defensive end. Hutch showed up at the end of the taping and handed Fallon an honorary game ball, just hours after the Lions’ decisive 52-21 victory over the Chicago Bears just a few hundred yards away at Ford Field.

Fallon gave shout-outs to She Wolf, Buddy’s Pizza and Miller’s Bar in Dearborn, spots he had eaten at over the last few days while in town for the taping. He also gave a shout-out to Motown legend Martha Reeves, who was watching on from the box seats in the mezzanine, among the 3,000 attendees at the taping.

It was the first Detroit visit from a network late-night show since 2006, when Jimmy Kimmel brought his show to the Gem Theatre as Detroit prepared to host Super Bowl XL. Ford was a sponsor of the Fallon taping, and there were taped bits of Fallon driving around Detroit in an F-150, with a stop at Ford Field and an appearance by Ford CEO Jim Farley.

The show opened with a pre-taped segment where Fallon tried hyping himself up in his dressing room mirror, “8 Mile”-style. He then ran into his band, the Roots, who were dressed up as Kiss, explaining they thought they were going with a “Detroit Rock City” theme for the evening. The local references were already off to the races.

“We’re officially moving the show to Detroit!” Fallon said after his reception from the crowd. Soaking in the cheers, he said, “This must be how Eminem felt when he found a word that rhymes with orange.” He later joked the word “Detroit” is “a French word meaning, ‘suck it, Chicago.’”

Fallon, 50, sprinkled a sing-songy Detroit tune into his monologue, making punchlines of back tattoos of Lions quarterback Goff, the paddle pubs seen around downtown, and Vernors pop. Yes, pop: another bit had Fallon in conversation with Roots frontman Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, where he accidentally said “soda” instead of pop, and also pretended to confuse Detroit with being in the Central time zone, not Eastern.

During a brief taping break, Fallon told the crowd about when he was in Detroit in 2008 filming “Whip It,” Drew Barrymore’s roller derby movie in which he plays a small role, and he shared a story about riding a bike through downtown at 3 in the morning.

Guests on the show were Detroit actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham and rapper Common. The talk segments unfolded in front of a video backdrop of the Detroit city skyline, from which the Renaissance Center was curiously missing.

Key had joined Fallon at the Lions game earlier in the day. “You came (to the game), and (the Lions) scored immediately,” Key told Fallon. “You have to come back to Detroit every Sunday.”

Key wore a Barry Sanders Lions jersey and played a game with Fallon where he asked the host to do his best at pronouncing several Detroit street names, including Livernois, Dequindre and Gratiot. “Gra-shee-oh?” Fallon tried with the last one, to the great amusement of the crowd. Later, Key and Fallon dined on samples from Slow’s Bar BQ, the Corktown BBQ spot that is celebrating 20 years in business.

The pair also participated in a Lip Sync Battle, with Fallon taking on Björk’s “It’s Oh So Quiet” and the Billboard Hot 100’s current No. 1 song, HUNTR/X’s “Golden.” Key took a more old-school approach, miming a pair of Motown classics, The Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and Martha and the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street.” Fallon joined him on the latter and did his Mick Jagger impression, nodding to Jagger’s 1985 remake of the song with David Bowie.

Cunningham, the 6-foot-6 Pistons point guard, talked fondly about his time in Detroit and gifted Fallon a pair of Cartier Buffs. He also joined Fallon as he shot shirts into the crowd with a T-shirt cannon as they were flanked by the Pistons’ dance squad and Pistons mascot Hooper.

Common was joined by singer Bilal as they paid tribute to late Detroit hip-hop producer J Dilla, performing “The Light,” a Dilla-produced track from Common’s 2000 album “Like Water for Chocolate.” At the front of the stage, an artist spray-painted a portrait of Dilla during the performance.

Hutchinson crashed the party at the end of the taping, greeting Fallon by giving him a giant bear hug.

The local taping was announced Sept. 5. Tickets for the show were given out free to fans through an online lottery, and lines wrapped around the Opera House on Sunday afternoon as fans were let in to the building.

The show taped from about 5 p.m. until about 6:20 p.m. It is set to air at 11:30 p.m. on Monday on NBC, and will be available to stream on Tuesday on Peacock.

Among those in attendance was Jamie Longenbarger of Monroe.

“I think it’s amazing to have Jimmy come here to our city. Detroit is exciting as it is, and to have someone like Jimmy here makes it extra,” she said. “It was so exciting. Every part of it. It was great. Great experience.”

Said Traci Longenbarger, who joined Jamie at the taping, “Coming out of that (Lions) game, I think (Detroit) was just super hype today. It was amazing.”

By Carol Thompson, MediaNews Group

A driver suspected of being under the influence of a substance was arrested after hitting a parked Farmington Public Safety Department vehicle early Sunday, injuring an officer and two others, police said.

The Farmington Public Safety Department officer was helping the Farmington Hills Police Department with a traffic stop at about 1 a.m. Sunday on Grand River Avenue near Drake Road in Farmington Hills when the crash took place.

A driver going eastbound on Grand River Avenue allegedly rear-ended the Farmington Public Safety Department vehicle. That driver’s vehicle then spun into traffic and was hit head-on by another driver who also was going eastbound.

The police officer and two others were treated for minor injuries at a hospital and were expected to make full recoveries. The crash is under investigation by the Farmington Hills Police Department’s traffic unit.

The department did not say in a release issued on social media what substance officers suspect the driver allegedly had been using before the crash.

In its press release, the Farmington Hills Public Safety reminded drivers to move over and slow down when they approach stationary emergency vehicles.

“We are grateful no one was seriously injured or killed in this crash,” the department said. “We would like to thank the Farmington Hills Police and Fire Departments for the care they provided for our officer and the other drivers.”

By MediaNews Group

Visitors curious about the small island in the middle of Orchard Lake in Oakland County got a chance to explore it Sunday and learn about its history and features.

Once a year, the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society offers free tours of Apple Island. Believed to have once been inhabited by native Americans and later used as a seasonal retreat for a Detroit family and their friends, it’s now owned by the West Bloomfield School District. It’s kept as a nature preserve with several archaeological sites by the school district.

The island, accessible only by boat, stretches 3/8 of a mile long. It is unique “in that it contains examples of every type of ecological system identified within the southeastern Michigan region,” according to the historical society.

“It is home to more than 400 species of trees and plants, including many rare in Oakland County,” according to the group’s website.

From the late 1850s to the late 1930s, the Campbells, Scottish immigrants with a permanent home in Detroit, used the island as vacation retreat, inviting friends and family members to build summer cottages on the island, according to a National Registration of Historic Places Registration form.

In 2018, the National Parks Service approved Apple Island as an historic site with archaeological significance with its listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

UTICA — Orchard Lake St. Mary’s proved Friday night at Jimmy John’s Field that it is one of the most dominant teams in the state, earning a 49-10 Catholic League Central Division win over Warren De La Salle.

St. Mary’s — 3-0 and ranked No. 3 in The News Super 25 poll — showed it is primed to defend its Division 2 state championship, ending a five-game losing streak in the series with No. 9 De La Salle (1-2).

De La Salle sophomore quarterback Grayson Thurston looked impressive on the first drive, hitting on 5 of 7 passes for 56 yards to set up a 37-yard field goal that missed the mark.

St. Mary’s then tightened its defense to give Jabin Gonzales short fields to work with and he did the rest, leading to a 28-point second quarter and a 28-3 halftime lead.

First, Gonzales scored on a 3-yard run to cap off a 57-yard, eight-play drive which included one play where St. Mary’s offensive line helped push Jamari Givhan for a 15-yard gain.

St. Mary’s opened up a 14-3 lead when it blocked a punt and Reece Hurst scooped the ball up at the 5-yard line and ran into the end zone less than two minutes later.

St. Mary’s showed its explosive big-play offense on the next two drives, both led by Gonzales.

Gonzales showed his arm strength on St. Mary’s next drive that started at its own 25, going up top on the first play and finding Daniel Taylor for a 75-yard touchdown and a 21-3 cushion.

“D.J. can do it all. I honestly looked to the wrong side so I kind of threw it late, but D.J. ran a great route and I threw it, kind of took a hit, and he grabbed it. Big play,” Gonzales said of his long TD pass to Taylor.

St. Mary’s defense again stepped up, forcing a Thurston fumble that Gage Nessen recovered at the St. Mary’s 35-yard line. On the ensuing play, Gonzales broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown run to make it 28-3 with 35 seconds remaining in the half.

“My O-line opened up the hole great for me, I ran through and made a couple of guys miss, ran somebody over and took it to the crib,” Gonzales said.

De La Salle advanced into St. Mary’s territory during the final minute, but defensive end Ryan Harrington stopped the drive with his third sack of the half.

“We were unstoppable,” Harrington said. “They couldn’t run the ball on us and when they were trying to pass, we were getting back all the time. We practiced hard all week and it paid off.”

And, on his sacks?

“I was just thinking, get off the ball and get to the QB. We hadn’t beaten these guys in five or six years and I’m sick of having that feeling of not beating them, so I’m happy to beat them 49-10, which is crazy,” Harrington said.

Thurston was 12-for-15 passing for 131 yards in the first half, but he was also sacked five times, leading to just 18 yards on the ground on 16 carries for De La Salle.

St. Mary’s received the ball to start the second half and continued its dominance, marching more than 90 yards for another score. Gonzales hit Brandon Adams for 35 yards to set up a 45-yard TD pass to Lorenzo Barber on the following play for a 35-3 lead with 10:48 left in the third quarter.

So, just how impressive was St. Mary’s?

Givhan ran for 36 yards to set up Gonzales’ touchdown toss to four-star junior receiver Chad Willis, but the score was wiped out due to a penalty. Givhan took the handoff on the next play and scored on a 33-yard run for a 42-3 lead with 8:22 left, putting the running clock into play against a De La Salle team that won Division 2 state titles in 2021 and 2022 and lost in the state championship game in 2023.

De La Salle moved the ball inside St. Mary’s 40-yard line, but a fumble on the handoff exchange ended the drive as Treighjan Gibson recovered it.

St. Mary’s quickly took advantage of the turnover when Givhan broke loose for a 32-yard run to De La Salle’s 31, setting up Gonzales’ TD pass to Angelo Chapman on the next play for a 49-3 advantage.

Gonzales was 5 of 6 passing for 196 yards and three TDs and ran for two scores through three quarters.

De La Salle didn’t get into the end zone until Damion King’s 3-yard TD reception with 7:45 remaining.

By Max Reinhart, MediaNews Group

In the wake of a shooting that killed right-wing firebrand Charlie Kirk on Wednesday at a Utah college campus, political figures in Michigan offered condolences while reflecting on the dangers associated with life in the public eye.

Robert Lulgjuraj, a Republican candidate seeking Michigan’s 10th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House, said he looked at Kirk as an “inspiration,” given that the two were less than a year apart in age (Lulgjuraj is 32 years old; Kirk was 31) and both are outspoken in their Christian beliefs and willingness to engage in discourse with individuals with opposing political views.

He called Wednesday “an evil day in American history” but said the killing wouldn’t affect his approach on the campaign trail.

“I assure you it’s not going to silence this movement or my campaign,” Lulgjuraj said.

The killing also won’t deter state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, in her campaign for a U.S. Senate seat. She called his death “chilling.”

“But we decided on our team that it’s all the more important we bring people together publicly — It’s the only way we get out of this as a country,” she told The Detroit News via text.

The shooting, which happened around noon on the campus of Utah Valley University, brought to mind the February 2023 shooting on the campus of Michigan State University that killed three students, said Josh Cowen, an MSU professor who is running as a Democrat to represent the state’s 7th District in the U.S. House.

“My first thought was, ‘Man, this happened at another campus, another place of learning and debate,” Cowen said. “(Kirk) was famous for going into places and having debates, and he was killed for that. With political violence on the rise in this country, we all need to take a step back and look at what’s going on.”

The deans of Michigan’s congressional delegation, U.S. Reps. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, and Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, issued a rare joint statement Thursday to say they were horrified by Kirk’s shooting and “deeply disturbed” by the rise in political violence taking place across the U.S.

“Silencing voices through violence erodes our foundational principles. Instead, we must do more to protect every American’s freedom to have passionate disagreement, rigorous debate, free expression, and an open exchange of ideas without the threat of harm,” the lawmakers said. “All Americans must do their part to stop the escalation of violence.”

News of the shooting broke while the Michigan House was still in session on Wednesday in Lansing. Voting stopped on the House floor for a time of prayer as House sergeants began closing shutters over the chamber windows as an additional security measure.

State Rep. Bradley Slagh, R-Zeeland, led a prayer from the House floor for Kirk and his family.

House Majority Leader Bryan Posthumus, R-Rockford, said the decision was made to end the daily session after the prayer out of respect for Kirk as well as safety concerns. He noted it was the first political assassination to occur while lawmakers were in session.

“We decided that’s what would make sense to do in this scenario,” Posthumus said.

State Sen. Jim Runestad, chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, said he was “devastated” to learn of the fatal shooting.

“For over a decade, Charlie energized the youth of America at college campuses across the country, challenging students to dream big about their future, and inspiring generations of future leaders, legislators, and constitutional conservatives. His wisdom and dedication to upholding our constitutional rights will be dearly missed,” Runestad said in a statement.

Kirk’s killing unfolded less than a half-hour before a separate incident in which a student at Evergreen High School in Colorado opened fire at the school, injuring at least three other students.

End Gun Violence Michigan, a nonprofit that backs gun law reform, said the incidents share a commonality: easy access to firearms.

Progress for People town hall in Warren cancelled

“It is simply far too easy for those who wish to commit heinous violence to access powerful weapons,” Ryan Bates, executive director of the gun control group, said in a statement. “Our leaders need to take action now to address the national crisis of gun violence before another tragedy strikes.”

The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence across the U.S. In June, a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were shot and killed in what authorities have described as a politically motivated attack. Also that month, a man shouting pro-Palestinian slogans firebombed a Colorado gathering held in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza.

Those incidents followed the July 2024 assassination attempt of President Donald Trump at an outdoor campaign rally in rural Pennsylvania. There was also an arsonist’s attack on the residence of Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish and had defended Israel’s right to defend itself in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas but who had criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza.

“The wave of political violence gripping our nation is un-American, and unpatriotic,” Runestad said. “No American should fear for their life because of their faith or their political views.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, herself the target of an alleged 2020 kidnapping plot by political extremists, ordered U.S. and state flags lowered to half-staff in accordance with a Trump order.

“I am thinking of Charlie Kirk, his family, and the community at UVU after the horrific shooting that took place earlier today,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Political violence of any form is unacceptable and must be condemned.”

Other Michigan officials remembered Kirk for his unapologetic brand of activism.

On social media Wednesday, Walberg said, “No one has fought for free speech and challenged ideas on campuses like Charlie.” U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Bruce Township, posted “Rest in peace, conservative warrior.”

Senate GOP Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, called the killing “an act of terrorism, plain and simple.”

“People tried to shame Charlie,” Nesbitt said in a statement. “They tried to kick him off campuses so he couldn’t speak. And, finally, they tried to silence him permanently. Unfortunately, they did.”

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

@max_detroitnews

Staff Writers Melissa Nann Burke and Beth LeBlanc contributed.

A Progress for People town hall organized by Michigan United Action that was to feature Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Rep. Becca Balint (VT-at large) and be held at the UAW Region 1 hall in Warren has been postponed.

Progress for People sent out notification of the postponement on the afternoon of Sept. 11.

No new date has been set for the event. No details were given regarding the cancellation beyond “an abundance of caution for the community’s safety,”

Rep. John James was invited to the event but it is not known if he was planning to attend.

The event was sponsored by Michigan United Action, Fair Share America, United Auto Workers Region 1, Reproductive Freedom for All, Macomb Defenders Rising (Indivisible), United for Respect, and the Progressive Caucus Action Fund.

Oakland County Historical Society’s annual Oak Hill Cemetery Walk on Saturday will make history come alive, thanks to volunteers.

This year’s theme is “From Temperance to the 21st Amendment.”

The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, which prohibited “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” in the U.S. The 18th Amendment was in effect from Jan. 17, 1920, to Dec. 5, 1933.

Lois Keel, a Springfield Township resident and historical society member, volunteered to portray a nameless flapper on Saturday.

The semi-retired librarian divides her time between substituting at area libraries and performing as historical characters for schools and other groups. She’s excited about her flapper role and why Michigan had a one-year head start on Prohibition.

“Henry Ford brought in a baseball player-turned-evangelical named Billy Sunday,” she said, adding that the national alcohol ban opened a new line of business for mobsters such as Al Capone and members of the infamous Purple Gang.

“These boys were a bunch of juvenile delinquents and they really made money bringing (alcohol) in from Canada,” she said.

This rain-or-shine annual walking tour features volunteers posing as prominent figures from Oakland County’s past. Organizers suggest attendees are 12 years old or older.

The cemetery walk is an important historical society fundraiser. Tickets cost $15 per person. The tours begin every 15 minutes starting at 2 p.m. The last tour steps off at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, at Oak Hill Cemetery, 216 University Drive in Pontiac. To buy tickets and learn other details, visit https://events.getlocalhop.com/oak-hill-cemetery-walk/event/LyAwhVxsK4.

By Myesha Johnson, The Detroit News

Novi — Six bus drivers servicing Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties showed off their skills and maneuvers on an obstacle course Sunday.

The drivers moved through tight turns and drove in reverse through orange-coned areas in the parking lot of the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, hoping to keep cones upright and finish faster than their opponents.

The contest, hosted by officials with SMART or the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, was the first Bus Roadeo in four decades.

General Manager Tiffany J. Gunter, who wore a cowboy hat like many other attendees, said the family-friendly event was designed to show appreciation for the public sector employees.

“I know that our bus drivers take community seriously, every single one of them come here to be a public servant,” she said. “This is a great way to be able to say thank you.”

About 50 SMART employees and their loved ones attended the contest, which also had live music, food trucks and bounce houses.

The Roadeo is intended to highlight the professionalism, precision, and safety of the drivers in challenging real-world driving conditions. About 426 operators and mechanics service 2,100 surface miles in southeastern Michigan according to the CEO.

The drivers sought to avoid knocking over several lined and staggered orange cones in the shortest amount of time while driving at least 15 miles per hour.

Willie Kendall, a member of the SMART team since 2018 as a bus operator, had the cleanest record in the competition and was declared the winner of the Roadeo, earning a chance to advance to a national contest in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Gunter added, “It’s really exciting competing locally to go national. This is going to be bragging rights for our operators for years to come.”

Semaj Richardson of Sterling Heights, who has six years of experience operating 40- and 60-foot buses, was excited to put his skills to the test.

“I love driving. I love dealing with my passengers every day,” Richardson said before driving the obstacle course. “Any time I can come out and show my skills and compete. I’m willing to come out and do it.

Richardson said the selection criteria was very strict and involved scouting drivers who had no accidents over the last year, violations or complaints.

“That’s why you see only see a couple of us out here because it’s a very difficult process. I pride myself on being a safe driver, no at-fault accidents, no speeding/moving violations,” he said.

Parris Bennett, who has a decade of experience servicing Ten Mile Road via SMART bus, said the most challenging part of the course was reversing to stop within 36 inches of a designated area. He knocked down some cones while making a left turn.

“We don’t normally back up … and when we’re turning it’s not that tight so it’s a lot harder,” Bennett said.

By Anne Snabes, MediaNews Group

Corewell Health leaders, doctors and other staff gathered on Monday to mark the groundbreaking of an estimated $75 million project to build a new ambulatory surgery center and medical office building across the street from William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak.

Construction on the 89,000-square-foot facility will start in the next two weeks and is expected to take 18-24 months, ending in 2027, said Dr. Daniel Cary, president of William Beaumont University Hospital.

He said the facility at 3828 13 Mile Road, called the Corewell Health Care Center and located across the street from the main hospital, will include an ambulatory surgical center, which is a space for “less complicated surgeries” that can be safely done outside of the hospital. It will also include medical office space, including for primary care, behavioral health and digestive health.

“We’re really trying to create new access, because … the population is aging and we have more and more good therapies for conditions,” Cary said. “So we’re expanding access at this site.”

Lamont Yoder, president of Corewell Health East, said at a groundbreaking ceremony attended by more than several dozen people Monday morning that it’s “a momentous time for us.”

“We’re really trying to create new access, because … the population is aging and we have more and more good therapies for conditions,” Cary said. “So we’re expanding access at this site.”

Lamont Yoder, president of Corewell Health East, said at a groundbreaking ceremony attended by more than several dozen people Monday morning that it’s “a momentous time for us.”

Cary said the new ambulatory surgery center, also known as outpatient surgery, will be easy for patients to access ― there will be two entrances off of 13 Mile Road ― and they won’t have to enter the main William Beaumont University Hospital campus to have a surgery.

He said the surgeries that take place at the center will be “low complexity surgeries” that don’t require people to stay overnight, including orthopaedic, low-risk spine, gall bladder, appendix, and ear, nose and throat surgeries. The center will have four operating rooms and one procedure room.

Several residents expressed concerns about the project as it was going through the city of Royal Oak’s site plan approval process. Cary said neighbors on the north side of the development had concerns regarding the loss of trees during the project and a barrier between the facility and their homes.

“We really appreciate the neighbors and our own building team coming together to come with a design that everyone felt good about,” he said.

He said they came to a compromise about the number of trees that would be lost. Corewell Health will also be building a decorative wall, which will serve as a sound barrier between the facility and the neighbors.

Royal Oak Mayor Michael Fournier praised the project at the groundbreaking.

“I believe we stand here today because so many people truly care about making a difference in the lives of people they will never meet,” he said. “When this project is completed, we will awe at the technological, engineering and construction accomplishments. Let’s not forget the spirit of serving others that is responsible for taking an idea and making it a reality.”

The man accused of cutting the throats of his sister and her child, killing them last week in their Hazel Park home, is no stranger to law enforcement.

As revealed at his arraignment Sept. 5, Ladamien Keith Hill, 43, has a criminal history dating back more than two decades, with convictions for violent crimes including assault and battery and domestic violence, as well as drug- and alcohol-related offenses.

He has fathered seven children, is single and has lived in Redford Township for the past six or seven years with the mother of one of his kids, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.

His occupation is listed as a self-employed roofer.

Hill is charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated homicide for the deaths of his sister, 41-year-old Linda Hill, and her child, 12-year-old son, Kardi Jackson. They were found in a “gruesome, bloody scene” at a home located at 23084 Berdeno Street by officers responding to a call from Linda Hill’s uncle on Sept. 1 shortly after 4 p.m.

 

Hazel Park police said Linda Hill’s 64-year-old uncle, who lives in the basement of the Berdeno Street home, told them he had been in the basement all day watching television when he heard loud noises; approximately 15 to 30 minutes later he went upstairs and found Linda Hill unresponsive, then called police.

Officers found Linda Hill lying facedown in the living room, and Kardi Jackson in the laundry room, police said, both with severe cuts to their throats. As of Sept. 5, the weapon used in the homicides hadn’t been recovered, and a motive for the crimes hadn’t been determined, officials said.

Ladamien Hill was arrested the next evening at a home on Whittemore Street in Pontiac where he reportedly had been staying. Officials said they recovered bloody clothing and other evidence — including Hill’s written notes about plans to flee and items he needed to do so, such as a passport, firearms and a car. Hill has also been connected to a red Lincoln seen at the scene of the slayings, police said.

Prior to his arrest — according to family members — after officers had cleared the crime scene Hill had returned to his sister’s home, asked for forgiveness and then lied down naked on Linda Hill’s bed for a few minutes before leaving, police said.

Held in the Oakland County Jail, denied bond, Hill is scheduled to return to Hazel Park’s 43rd District Court on Sept. 16 for a probable cause conference, followed by a preliminary exam a week later.

Meanwhile, a donation drive through GoFundMe is ongoing to help cover funeral and memorial expenses for Linda Hill and her son. To pledge, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-funeral-costs-for-linda-and-kardi.

Case advances against felon accused of killing man in Pontiac drive-by shooting

Suspected counterfeiter jailed; cops recover multiple items from West Bloomfield home

By Max Bryan, The Detroit News

Due to a caseload that a lead attorney said has “skyrocketed,” Oakland County prosecutors are asking for nearly a half million dollars from their local government to combat human trafficking.

Following a Human Trafficking Training Center instructional session in November, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office has handled 31 trafficking cases. This rate dwarfs the number from the four years leading up to the training, which averaged eight such cases per 10 months, according to records from the prosecutor’s office.

“Our numbers have skyrocketed in terms of cases, because people know what to look for,” said Cindy Brown, who leads human trafficking prosecution efforts in Oakland County.

Brown’s team consists of of three full-time prosecutors, a part-time prosecutor, a paralegal and an investigator. She said the team is not big enough.

“It’s kind of like having a teacher who has 80 students, right? You can’t have time to spend with 80 students as opposed to 25 or 30 in your classroom,” Brown said.

Because of the caseload, the prosecutor’s office is requesting $457,000 from the county for two paralegals, an assistant prosecutor and salary funding for a chief of the team, spokesperson Jeff Wattrick said.

County Commission Chairman Dave Woodward, D-Royal Oak, confirmed Thursday that this request would be included in the 2026 fiscal year budget, which the commissioners are set to vote on Sept. 18.

Brown’s team members aren’t the only county officials with a new focus on stopping human trafficking in Oakland County. In the field, law enforcement officers with the county sheriff’s office and Auburn Hills, Southfield and Madison Heights police departments have also formed a task force to curb human trafficking, she said.

The officers have conducted stings on illicit massage parlors, which were turned over to Brown’s team for prosecution.

“These people are often violently abused, they have no ID, they have no resources,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald told county commissioners at an Aug. 20 budget hearing.

Woodward said human trafficking cases are “extremely complex” and might initially appear as a minor drug or solicitation offense. But once investigators and prosecutors start looking further, their probe could reveal evidence of trafficking in phone records and bank records — pieces of the investigation that deserve scrupulous attention, said Brown.

Brown said one case her team is prosecuting has 29 cellphones in evidence. Another case included 30 women whom the trafficker mostly communicated with through Facebook Messenger.

“One victim alone was almost 15,000 pages (of text), and that was one person, one piece of evidence,” Brown said.

On top of that, the prosecutor said there’s often a language barrier in the cases. Most of the search warrants written in human trafficking cases are in Mandarin Chinese, she said.

It’s because of these complexities that Brown said her team needs more members — specifically, more paralegals to do research. She called paralegals “the backbone” of her unit.

“There’s just a lot of discovery, and if we’re going to prosecute these cases the way they should be prosecuted, we need the resources. Because otherwise, we’re not going to have the time and the resources to thoroughly and adequately review these cases, follow up on investigations to see what needs to be done, and be prepared in court,” Brown said.

Woodward argued “no other county in Michigan” has invested the resources to curb human trafficking like Oakland County.

“I believe, as we go forward, Oakland County is going to continue to be a leader in helping to keep our communities safe,” Woodward said.

By JEFF McMURRAY and LINLEY SANDERS

CHICAGO (AP) — When Elizabeth Rivera’s phone would ring during the overnight shift, it was usually because the bus didn’t show up again and one of her three kids needed a ride to school.

After leaving early from her job at a Houston-area Amazon warehouse several times, Rivera was devastated — but not surprised — when she was fired.

“Right now, I’m kind of depressed about it,” said Rivera, 42. “I’m depressed because of the simple fact that it’s kind of hard to find a job, and there’s bills I have to pay. But at the same time, the kids have to go to school.”

Rivera is far from the only parent forced to choose between their job and their kids’ education, according to a new poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and HopSkipDrive, a company that relies on artificial intelligence and a network of drivers using their own vehicles to help school districts address transportation challenges.

Most parents drive their children to school, the survey found, and those responsibilities can have a major impact.

About one-third of parents say taking their kids to school has caused them to miss work, according to the poll. Roughly 3 in 10 say they’ve been prevented from seeking or taking work opportunities. And 11% say school transportation has even caused them to lose a job.

Mothers are especially likely to say school transportation needs have interfered with their jobs and opportunities.

Smaller paychecks, bigger vulnerability

The impact falls disproportionately on lower-income families.

Around 4 in 10 parents with a household income below $100,000 a year said they’ve missed work due to pick-up needs, compared with around 3 in 10 parents with a household income of $100,000 or more.

Meredyth Saieed and her two children, ages 7 and 10, used to live in a homeless shelter in North Carolina. Saieed said the kids’ father has been incarcerated since May.

Although the family qualified for government-paid transportation to school, Saieed said the kids would arrive far too early or leave too late under that system. So, she decided to drop them off and pick them up herself.

She had been working double shifts as a bartender and server at a French restaurant in Wilmington but lost that job due to repeatedly missing the dinner rush for pickups.

“Sometimes when you’ve got kids and you don’t have a village, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” said Saieed, 30. “As a mom, you just find a way around it.”

The latest obstacle: a broken-down car. She couldn’t afford to repair it, so she sold it to a junk yard. She’s hoping this year the school will offer transportation that works better for her family.

Not all kids have access to a school bus

Although about half of parents living in rural areas and small towns say their kids still take a bus to school, that fell to about one-third of parents in urban areas.

A separate AP-NORC/HopSkipDrive survey of school administrators found that nearly half said school bus driver shortages were a “major problem” in their district.

Some school systems don’t offer bus service. In other cases, the available options don’t work for families.

The community in Long Island, New York, where police Officer Dorothy Criscuolo’s two children attend school provides bus service, but she doesn’t want them riding it because they’ve been diagnosed as neurodivergent.

“I can’t have my kids on a bus for 45 minutes, with all the screaming and yelling, and then expect them to be OK once they get to school, be regulated and learn,” said Criscuolo, 49. “I think it’s impossible.”

So Criscuolo drops them off, and her wife picks them up. It doesn’t interfere much with their work, but it does get in the way of Criscuolo’s sleep. Because her typical shift is 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and her children start at different times at different schools, it’s not uncommon for her to get only three hours of sleep a day during the school year.

The transportation burden falls heavier on moms

Mothers are most often the ones driving their children to and from school, with 68% saying they typically take on this task, compared with 57% of fathers.

Most mothers, 55%, say they have missed work, have lost jobs or were kept from personal or professional opportunities because of school transportation needs, compared with 45% of dads.

Syrina Franklin says she didn’t have a choice. The father of her two high school-age children is deceased, so she has to take them and a 5-year-old grandson to different schools on Chicago’s South Side.

After she was late to work more than 10 times, she lost her job as a mail sorter at the post office and turned to driving for Uber and Instacart to make ends meet.

“Most of the kids, they have people that help out with dropping them off and picking them up,” said Franklin, 41. “They have their father, a grandmother, somebody in the family helps.”

When both parents are able to pitch in, school pickup and drop-off duties can be easier.

Computer programmer Jonathan Heiner takes his three kids to school in Bellbrook, Ohio, and his wife picks them up.

“We are definitely highly privileged because of the fact that I have a very flexible job and she’s a teacher, so she gets off when school gets out,” said Heiner, 45. “Not a lot of people have that.”

Parents want more options

Although the use of school buses has been declining for years across the U.S., many parents would like to see schools offer other options.

Roughly 4 in 10 parents said getting their kids to school would be “much easier” or “somewhat easier” if there were more school bus routes, school-arranged transportation services or improved pedestrian and bike infrastructure near school. Around a third cited a desire for earlier or later start times, or centralized pick-up and drop-off locations for school buses.

Joanna McFarland, the CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive, said districts need to reclaim the responsibility of making sure students have a ride to school.

“I don’t think the way to solve this is to ask parents to look for innovative ideas,” McFarland said. “I think we really need to come up with innovative ideas systematically and institutionally.”

In Houston, Rivera is waiting on a background check for another job. In the meantime, she’s found a new solution for her family’s school transportation needs.

Her 25-year-old daughter, who still works at Amazon on a day shift, has moved back into the home and is handling drop-offs for her three younger siblings.

“It’s going very well,” Rivera said.

___

The AP-NORC poll of 838 U.S. adults who are parents of school-age children was conducted June 30-July 11, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.

___

Sanders reported from Washington.

One of the winningest coaches and most revered leaders in Michigan prep sports, former Birmingham Brother Rice coach Al Fracassa, died Sunday morning, the school announced on social media.

He was 92 years old.

Fracassa won 430 of his 554 career games at Royal Oak Shrine (1960-68) and Brother Rice (1969-2013), winning nine state titles in 13 title-game appearances. He was the winningest coach in Michigan football history at the time of his retirement, later passed by Farmington Hills Harrison’s John Herrington (443 wins).

The post from the school read:

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Coach Al Fracassa, a legendary leader, mentor, and unwavering champion of the Brother Rice community.

For over five decades, Coach Fracassa was much more than just a coach; he was a cornerstone of our school. With a record that ranks among the best in Michigan and nationwide, he not only built winning teams but also shaped young men. His legacy is defined not just by championships, but by the character he instilled in his players.

He taught us to ‘do it better than it’s ever been done before’ and to ‘do it right all the time.’ Not because it was easy, but because excellence demands it.

May he rest in peace. Let us honor him by practicing the values he instilled in us: hard work, integrity, and faith, both on and off the field.”

An all-state football player at Detroit Northeastern, and the president of his class in 1951, Fracassa earned a scholarship to play quarterback at Michigan State University, and was a member of the Spartans’ 1952 national championship team, and 1954 Rose Bowl team.

His coaching career started in 1955 at Flint’s Mandeville High School, and was interrupted by a two-year stint in the U.S. Army (1956-57). After a two-year stint as an assistant at Rochester, Fracassa took over at Shrine, going 44-19-5 in nine seasons.

He was a four-time Michigan high school coach of the year, national coach of the year in 1997, and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. He sent more than 300 players on to college football, with 13 making it to the NFL.

The Eastside Diamond Hoppers rolled past the Westside Woolly Mammoths with a 16-5 victory to secure the 2025 USPBL championship Saturday night.

The Hoppers had 18 hits, scoring early and often before delivering a decisive seven-run rally in the eighth inning. Myles Beale shined brightest on the championship stage, going 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, four runs scored, and two walks. Sam Schner added four hits and two RBI, while Marcus Judd delivered a clutch triple and drove in three runs. Eight different Hoppers recorded hits.

On the mound, Dylan McCall set the tone with five solid innings, striking out five while earning the win. The bullpen trio of Angelo Agro, Mike Sokol, and Jaylen Smith closed the door, allowing just two runs across the final four innings to preserve the championship-clinching win.

— Macomb Daily staff

The gray building on University Drive in Pontiac looks like other light industrial spaces. But the building’s current status is complicated by a murder, a cannabis operation and multiple ordinance violations.

Ongoing litigation has frozen the city’s ability to enforce building standards at the site, where businessman Sam Simko was killed on Jan. 12. Three men are scheduled for an April 13, 2026, trial for the Commerce Township man’s slaying.

City officials have long been familiar with the building. In 2021, then-Mayor Dierdre Waterman’s administration granted a business license to four addresses — 1012, 1014, 1016 and 1018 University Drive — to operate as a caregiver’s medical marijuana growing operation, according to city records. Justin Corlin was listed as the business owner. He could not be reached for this story.

Such operations are allowed under the 2008 Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, which states that people who are primary caregivers may grow 12 plants per patient, with a limit of six patients; they cannot grow more than 72 plants. Waterman’s administration never completed plans for a cannabis licensing process for medical or recreational marijuana. Caregiving businesses are considered a separate category.

After Simko’s death, Oakland County sheriff’s deputies recovered an estimated 50 pounds of marijuana, or 800 ounces, found with the three murder suspects. Police did not disclose how many plants were being cultivated in the building but referred to it as a large operation. The value of the recovered 800 ounces of marijuana is unclear, as area retailers’ online prices range from about $60 per ounce to more than $400.

The University Drive industrial warehouse was built in 1987 and is just over 10,000 square feet with 16-foot-high ceilings and four vehicle entrances as well as traditional doors.

While Waterman’s administration listed the four addresses, considered suites, as part of a medical-caregiver grow operation in 2021, city spokeswoman Paula Bridges said only Suites 1012 and 1014, are currently considered a “previously approved non-conforming caregiver operation” owned by Simko.

Suites 1012 and 1014 were leased by Simko from the property’s owner, Precision Investment Group. Precision’s business registration belongs to Bloomfield Hills businessman David Supal. Suites 1016 and 1018 are considered occupied by Precision.

Supal told The Oakland Press his lawyer advised him not to discuss the building or any related litigation.

City officials responding to a 2019 complaint about Simko’s operation learned he had no business license for that site. The code inspector also found that the property had been divided into suites and new addresses added without city approval. The city’s code enforcement action required an architectural drawing to show the separate suites and permits for the construction work.

Bridges said Suites 1016 and 1018 never received permits for operating as a primary caregiver marijuana facility, and “to the best of the city’s knowledge, is not engaging in any marijuana grow operations.”

On Aug. 27, 2024, nearly five months before Simko’s death, Pontiac building official Bruce Eck visited Suite 1016 to investigate a complaint. In his notes, which are public record, he wrote “marijuana facility is illegally open. They will need to cease and desist immediately.”

Eck’s inspection notes state that the operation did not meet zoning requirements and that police might get involved if the operation wasn’t shut down in the next seven days and the property owner could be ticketed.

The record shows he last visited Suite 1016 on Jan. 6 and approved the work. But the text on that same page dated Jan. 14 notes that the inspection was improperly marked and that the building’s owner still needed the city’s zoning board’s approval to operate as a medical marijuana facility. The text states Suite 1016 needed a fire-safety inspection and permits for evident construction work, as none had been pulled. The text ends with a message highlighted by two asterisks: “Please note that previous use in this building [was] never approved for medical marijuana facility.”

Bridges said Eck inspected Suite 1016 on Sept. 4, 2024, and scheduled a progress check for March 17. His notes show he planned to verify that proper permits had been obtained and the suite met standards for a certificate of occupancy. But he was fired on March 10 after three abandoned children were found in a filthy townhouse on the city’s west side. Eck is suing the city for wrongful discharge.

Because of the litigation between Precision and the city, Bridges said, “the building division has not taken any action” to re-inspect Suites 1016 and 1018 and Precision has not requested any new permits.

On Jan. 14, two days after Simko’s body was found in the University Drive building, Eck visited Suite 1018 and prohibited occupancy. He scheduled a progress check for March 18, according to city records. Litigation has also precluded code inspectors from following up and Supal’s company has not applied for any new permits, Bridges said.

Precision still “has no city approvals to operate any business (at Suites 1016-1018),” Bridges said, adding that, to city officials’ knowledge, no cannabis being grown at those suites.

Eck visited Suite 1012 on July 10, 2024, and tagged the door with a notice that the business did not have a certificate of occupancy, which is granted only after permitted work is completed and passed city inspections. He and the fire marshal returned on Sept. 4, 2024, for a final inspection. “All OK,” Eck’s inspection note said.

On the same date, Eck issued a certificate of occupancy to Suite 1014.

Suites 1012 and 1014 are each listed on the city’s building records as “a legal non-conforming medical marijuana caregiver facility.”