(WXYZ) — After talking with people in Ecorse it seems to be no secret that the city has long struggled with its finances but there's definitely some problems and there's been for a little while," Steve Bekri remains unbothered by the city's financial distress but I haven't been up to city hall in I don't know how long City Administrator and Controller Timothy Sadowski told 7 News Detroit that Ecorse has $1.2 million left to run the city until July 1 He said the good news is the city expects to receive $5 million from the state revenue fund on May 20 That will help the city to continue to operate by paying its employees and providing city services it doesn't mean the city cannot borrow from other funds that it has for that month," Sadowski said He said the city would still have to find a way to pay itself back and that would come at a later date Sadowski said it all depends on operations and that the city isn't obligated to pay its bill immediately Now here's the problem further ahead: Sadowski said the city’s budget concerns extend into the next fiscal year The city is in the process of repaying a $2.5 million emergency loan from when the city faced a state takeover in 2009 Sadowski said cutting about 15 city employees is among the cost-saving measures being considered residents and businesses have moved out and have taken their tax dollars with them Here's potentially good news for 2026: the Mill Street property once the city boat launch construction is finished it gets put altogether because it's still a good city," Bekri said The City of Ecorse has about half-million dollars left of its annual budget to run daily operations until July 1 as the city implements deep cuts to staff to stay solvent City officials were warned weeks ago by Ecorse City Administrator and Controller Timothy Sadowski that Ecorse could deplete its $21.3 million in general revenue funds budget by May 1 for this fiscal year The funds are for daily operations such as as fixing water and sewer issues running city offices and paying city employees in this small Downriver community of 8,900 residents "We are running out of options," Sadowski told city council and the mayor at a special meeting last week that dealt with the city's financial crunch The city will not run out of general revenue funds this fiscal year because about two weeks ago Ecorse began delaying paying various contractors the council approved at last week's special meeting the staffing cuts that went into effect this week the city reduced the work hours of 18 full-time employees to 32 hours a week from the previous 40 hours and reduced three other positions to part time according to documents provided by the city The cuts don't affect city police or firefighters though fire chief Dan Wright was among the full-time staff whose hours were cut to 32 hours a week "The public won't see change" from the staff cuts at city offices because staff will stagger their hours to keep the same hours of services available to the public But grass will go uncut this summer on city properties because among the jobs eliminated were seasonal mowers the staff reductions eliminate $668,701 from the annual budget The immediate cash crunch for the final weeks of this fiscal year should subside in late May when the city will get an estimated $5 million in state revenue-sharing funds on May 20 The budget cuts take place as several projects intended to help the city boost its tax base have not yet come to fruition The projects include a public boat and kayak launch that was supposed to open last year Nor has the city been able to sell a 51-acre former industrial site that it hopes will bring a sizeable new development The city was counting on those projects for a hefty infusion of new tax revenue this fiscal year This city along the southern stretch of the Detroit River has faced decades of disinvestment from the steel industry The steelmaker hasn't been the city's top employer since 2020 Ecorse has had financial issues on and off for four decades including flirting with bankruptcy in the mid-1980s It operated under a state-appointed emergency manager for three years until 2013 but wasn't released from state oversight until 2017 The city also faces a projected $2.5 million deficit for the next fiscal year The staff cuts reduce part of that budget gap City officials expect the boat and kayak launches to open later this year The Mill Street property is attracting potential buyers but no sale is pending The city is also considering selling its mineral rights to the salt mines beneath the city It is also lobbying the state legislature to forgive the outstanding debt from emergency loans taken out during it years of state oversight Sadowski said those loan payments amount to around $600,000 annually for the next four years speaking during public comments at the special meeting last week asked "if there is anything folks who are interested in helping out can do" to get the state Legislature to forgive Ecorse's loan Onewu said he is considering running for the state Senate seat that represents Ecorse Sadowski replied people can contact state legislators He added the city has been seeking the loan forgiveness for years now It has not been approved so far." Sadowski said The four-foot-long alligator was found near a known drug house said the gator has been named for his aggressive behavior “He’s never gonna be friendly,” said Rosenthal as he held the squirming gator in his arms “I thought about naming this one ‘Darth Gator’ because he’s mean READ MORE: Can you own a pet alligator in Metro Detroit? Depends on which city you live in Rosenthal said when he rescues scared alligators they “usually run forward 99% of the time.” “This crazy little Darth Gator turned and charged me and went after my legs three times in a row,” Rosenthal said “I’ve never had one actually try to attack me before This gator wasn’t the first one rescued from the same alleged drug house Rosenthal said police called he and his wife to the home in November Rosenthal is frustrated finding beautiful animals like Darth Gator in bad shape and hopes to remind everyone that they’re not pets He said the plan is to keep the gator for a year or so using it for educational programs before relocating it to a licensed sanctuary in Florida and we’ll use him in educational shows,” Rosenthal said he’s going to get too big for me to handle.” PREVIOUS: Experts rescue nearly 3-foot-long alligator from patio of woman’s home in Romulus Rosenthal has been rescuing animals -- including lions He estimates Darth Gator is about 4 years old but he’s expected to grow up to 1,000 pounds Rosenthal said he and his fully licensed team are there to help -- free of charge “We never charge for a rescue,” Rosenthal said But we get more calls for gators than everything else.” Rosenthal said that’s because people are looking for clout Rosenthal said even police sometimes don’t know what to do If you need to reach Animal Magic, call 313-819-5719, email iwantanimalmagic@aol.com, or visit iwantanimalmagic.com. Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WDIV Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group When a Michigan State Police narcotics team searched an Ecorse home for drugs they found nearly 1,000 grams of various drugs The state law enforcement agency said it searched the home on Tuesday the "surprise guest," was sent to a local animal shelter according to MSP: Over 500 grams of methamphetamine; 10 grams of heroin; 6 grams of cocaine; and 371 grams of various pills A suspect was arrested and charges are pending Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at asahouri@freepress.com or on X: @andreamsahouri There’s a tough financial picture developing in Ecorse, one of the numerous small cities that surround Detroit. The city could run out of cash by the end of this month That could impact everything from city services to payroll Once dependent on manufacturing and steel plants Ecorse’s money crunch began in the ‘80s and ‘90s with the decline of the steel industry Wayne County reporter for the Detroit News the town has been searching for a new tax base “It nearly went into bankruptcy in the mid-'80s,” Aguilar explained “It had a state-appointed emergency manager for three years [until] 2013 and it really wasn't released from state oversight until 2017.” Ecorse still hasn’t finished paying off its emergency loans from 10 years ago The city has tried to make investments to turn things around. It’s been working on redeveloping a a former manufacturing site alongside the Ecorse River. The city had hoped to sell the 50-acre riverfront lot, called the Mill Street property The city also has a new public boat and kayak launch in the works Some city officials had thought at least one of these two projects would be up and running by now but environmental cleanup and permitting issues resulted in a two-year delay “It means they're facing a cash crunch,” Aguilar said They're juggling things like not paying some bills maybe lending itself some money from other funds that they're not supposed to touch to run the daily operations Aguilar said the city has also been considering whether or not it can be merged or absorbed by a nearby city but the city that comes up most often in the discussion … regarding Ecorse is just its neighbor It's a little bigger and it seems a bit in healthier shape One big difference is that they approved marijuana in their city.” While the city will soon get some state funding to carry them through the end of the budget year it faces tough decisions about how to stay afloat beyond that Some of those decisions include major cuts to the city’s 15 full-time employees cutting hours for non-public safety employees to 32 hours a week Hear the full conversation with Louis Aguilar on the Stateside podcast (WXYZ) — Police are investigating a rash of attempted vehicle break-ins in Ecorse Surveillance video shows several men quickly hopping out of a vehicle looking for unlocked cars to steal from "You see them hopping out of the car and everyone goes a different direction Everyone pulls the driver door on each car to try to see if they could get into something," Jazmeane Griffen said You can watch the surveillance video below: according to Griffen and some of her neighbors Like you're not thinking about anybody else but yourself for something They weren't able to get into her car since it was locked but she believes the reckless would-be thieves backed into her vehicle like the whole left side of it's completely messed up The whole under covering for my tire came off," Griffen said Griffen says she reported the incident and the suspect vehicle to police Other people living nearby saw suspicious activity black Saturn and they took off in between the field," John Harrison said Harrison says he saw the masked men take off but didn't say anything because his car wasn't targeted He also saw his neighbor trying to stop them Stacy Krug says some items were stolen from her neighbor's vehicle their car door was actually wide open and we had seen the car pulling off so we really didn't know what was going on," Krug said She believes these same masked men have been there before "We're really kind of sick of the crime around here We live across the street from the police station and nothing ever happens A detective with the Ecorse Police Department told me over the phone that they haven't received any reports related to the videos of the dark-colored Saturn SUV police say it's not too late to make a report Adding a time frame is helpful as well as any surveillance video that can be downloaded and shared get out before anyone woke up type of thing a small Downriver city with a history of financial straits is facing money woes again and is at risk of running out of cash by the end of April the city had about $1.2 million left of its $21.3 million annual budget that is intended to run daily operations through June 30 The daily operations include paying employees The budget crunch comes as several big projects including a public boat launch on the Detroit River that was supposed to open last year and the redevelopment of a former industrial site This has delayed a much-needed infusion of new tax revenue that city officials were counting on Ecorse, which is home to about 8,940 residents, has had financial issues on and off for four decades, including flirting with bankruptcy in the mid-1980s. It operated under a state-appointed emergency manager for three years until 2013 but wasn't released from state oversight until 2017 "What do we keep doing wrong that we expect different results and yet we're right back to this situation again?" City Treasurer Marilyn Oliver asked at an April 1 special City Council meeting the $1.2 million in unrestricted general funds could be spent by the end of April Sadowski laid out a number of steps the city could take at a special meeting earlier this month including delaying paying bills or borrowing from other funds "It doesn't have to pay its bills within 30 days The city hasn't decided which steps it will take Mayor Lamar Tidwell said "the city isn't doing anything wrong" but pointed to major structural challenges such as years of a declining tax base a stagnant population and debt obligations that keep millage rates high The city's latest money woes didn't surprise resident Chris Cardona The city has always been like that," said Cardona as he left City Hall Thursday after paying his water bill who once lived in Ecorse but moved to nearby Lincoln Park a decade ago said the city has been "struggling for years," as he exited Riverside Coney Island on West Jefferson Avenue "I left years ago because so many businesses were dying back then," said Gonzalez Future deficitBeyond its immediate cash crunch the city also faces a projected $2.5 million deficit for the next fiscal year But it is expected to get an estimated $5 million in state revenue-sharing funds on May 20 Sadowski laid out a series of potential sweeping cuts to prevent the deficit in the new budget The options include eliminating 15 full-time city employees and reducing the work week for another dozen employees to four days a week Sadowksi didn't include eliminating the police force Other possible reductions include cutting off all residential streetlights consolidating at least part of the fire department with a neighboring community and reducing the availability of SMART buses in the city though he said they will not be as drastic as Sadowski outlined at the April 1 meeting We are not going to turn off the streetlights," he said But cutting the hours of many non-public safety employees to 32 hours a week is possible and so are layoffs The merging of at least some services of the fire department with other communities is an "ongoing discussion," Tidwell said Communities can ask the governor to declare them in financial distress and then they decide on an action such as getting a state-appointed emergency manager with sweeping powers declaring a municipal bankruptcy or negotiating a consent decree that requires local governments to make certain budget moves But there hasn't been a new declaration of financial distress since Highland Park's school system exited state oversight in 2018 leaving no communities in Michigan with an emergency manager Tidwell said that because Ecorse has already had years of emergency financial management and other state interventions the state may not come to the city's rescue this time along the southern stretch of the Detroit River has faced decades of disinvestment from the steel industry The city aims to transform part of its 2.5 miles of waterfront on the Detroit River but some of its plans have not yet been realized City officials banked on getting millions of dollars in revenue from major developments that were intended to be finished by the end of 2023 but remain incomplete Those projects include the sale of a 51-acre former industrial site called Mill Street Property and the opening of a revamped public boat launch and a new kayak launch the Mill Street property has not yet been sold The boat and kayak launches are still not open The environmental cleanup and "issues with permitting" at the locations caused the long delays The boat launch could open in June and generate a "couple hundred thousand" dollars in annual revenue for the city has one of the highest millage rates in Michigan at 114.8 mills A mill amounts to paying $1 in taxes for every $1,000 of taxable value the city's taxable value was around $220 million and our taxable values are decreasing," Tidwell said About 28% of property owners are delinquent on their tax payments "It equals out to $870,000" annually in revenue that the city is not receiving "When you start talking about services for the community," Tidwell said "you got to look at everybody playing their part." Possible stepsPart of Ecorse's challenges with the 2025-26 fiscal year stem from having to pay off $2.5 million in loans from when the city's emergency manager was in place To deal with the immediate budget shortfall the city might put off paying various bills for 60 days The city could borrow from other funds earmarked for specific projects or programs which means the city would eventually have to pay itself back the city anticipates a $5 million infusion in revenue May 20 That is when the city receives its annual revenue-sharing payment from the State of Michigan's Local Community Stabilization Authority which is given to municipalities to pay for such services as police safety fire safety and ambulance emergency services will resolve the immediate cash crunch for the city Ecorse officials are blaming the lack of revenue on projects that haven't been completed The sale of the Mill Street property alone could mean anywhere between $3.5 million to $5 million for the city "If they're able to sell the property within the next 90 days then that resolves the cash flow issue for next year," said Sadowski who noted that the city has interested buyers in the site The city hopes the public launches, both on the banks of the Detroit River, will be significant sources of revenue. Tidwell told The Detroit News in 2022 that the city hoped to see 10,000 boat launches a year There is major work still being done at the launch sites though there are banners that say the facilities will be open in "Spring 2025." Kristi Newman's family has owned the Dip Net Bait and Tackle shop for 27 years She credits Ecorse for the expanded public boat launch "That really could be very popular," Newman said Sadowski pointed out that the list of cuts outlined at the April meeting are not recommendations But they need to start considering those options now if they are going to make any decisions for the next fiscal year," he said Some of the cuts "may happen next fiscal year on what's going to happen over the next 90 days." Responding to the treasurer's question at the April 1 meeting about why Ecorse continues to have money woes Sadowski provided a long answer that included decisions made during the state's receivership the cost of retiree pensions and high taxes "The only way for Ecorse to stabilize now," he said (WXYZ) — Four dogs passed away in a house fire in Ecorse over the weekend The city's fire department told us the fire started around 11 p.m 14) at a home in the 3000 block of High Street like Christmas already hard enough," said homeowner Tracy Webster Fire officials tell us that while four dogs passed away in the fire but the seven children home at the time were unharmed The cause of the fire is unknown at this time A GoFundMe, which we have verified the validity of, has been created to help the family recover funds from losses in the fire. If you would like to help the Webster family, you can do so at this link Derick Hutchinson ECORSE – An alligator that was physically and emotionally mistreated was found near a known drug house in Wayne County Sources told Local 4 that the discovery was made around 4:30 p.m It’s unclear how the alligator got there or if it’s linked to the drug house in any way is a DNR-certified rehabilitator and works with police in these types of situations He was called by police to rescue the alligator and said it is currently about 4 feet long but could grow up to 15 feet Rosenthal said the alligator is missing teeth Most alligators run away when they’re scared but this one charged at him twice and bit his left arm which is unusual and suggests emotional trauma Derick is the Digital Executive Producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports. (WXYZ) — Auburn Cafe has been in the Ecorse for 44 years Now its future is uncertain after a fire ripped through it and destroyed the inside we’re not going anywhere," said Kosta Callis Callis' mom and dad opened the restaurant which sits on West Jefferson when he was just one years old might as well be a twin brother,” Callis added Callis says his parents treated the restaurant as if it was one of their own children When his mom saw the aftermath of the fire on Friday “We lost my father about seven years ago and she came and saw this place. it was like seeing him go again,” Callis said Callis and nearly 100 customers were inside auburn cafe Friday evening when the fire broke out both exhaust fans were engulfed in flames,” said Callis No word yet on what exactly caused the fire but what is known is that customers are sad to see auburn cafe closed “We had one experience here and it was like we were going to dinner with our family the food was amazing,” said Ana Knapp of Warren “The atmosphere was amazing,” said Diana Cross of Southgate Knapp and Cross came to the restaurant on Saturday hoping to grab dinner but they quickly realized that wasn’t going to happen Knapp and Cross say they hope Auburn Cafe is rebuilt Callis says the plan is to rebuild and reopen “How can we not rebuild when you have such a strong community and strong support base how can we not rebuild and satisfy them,” said Callis A family friend and longtime customer of Auburn Cafe created a GoFundMe to support the restoration efforts of the restaurant You can find the GoFundMe here a longtime favorite Downriver family-owned restaurant caught fire Friday evening and suffered significant damage Jefferson in the Downriver city of Ecorse is well-known for its many Greek-style dishes and has been in business more than four decades Multiple reports that Auburn Cafe's roof was on fire came in after 7 p.m A video in posted within the comments on a popular downriver group's Facebook page showed flames shooting from the roof of the Auburn Cafe More: Popular downriver restaurant catches fire Friday evening Heavy smoke and flames were noted coming from the kitchen hood vent area and the "fire rapidly progressed through the void space between the ceiling and the roof," Wright stated the restaurant was occupied and all guests and staff got out safely Ecorse fire crews battled the blaze for four hours with assistance from Downriver's River Rouge Lincoln Park and Wyandotte fire departments Wright said "no firefighters were injured in its extinguishment." A late night Facebook post from the owner, Kosta Callis said they were "completely devasted by the fire." "This restaurant has been a part of our family and the community for 44 years and seeing it damaged like this is truly heartbreaking," Callis wrote Callis noted that they are grateful that staff and customers got out safely and thanked first responders and firefighters for their efforts and support Callis wrote on "supporting our staff and assessing the damage." "Auburn Cafe has always been more than just a restaurant — it’s a gathering place built on love "We are committed to rebuilding and coming back stronger." Hundreds of comments followed the post starting Friday evening on Downriver and Friends Facebook Group about the fire most expressing heartbreak and sadness adding prayers for the staff and that the restaurant is a downriver favorite JJ's Pizza in Wyandotte posted on Facebook "Prayers for Auburn Cafe." Auburn Cafe's is a well known downriver restaurant noted for its Greek specialties including its popular lamb chops and sides of lemon potatoes plus a selections of salads and gyros grape leaves and desserts of custard pie and rice pudding Auburn Cafe was featured as one of the "9 definitive Downriver restaurants," by the Free Press' then restaurant critic noted for its fresh takes on "staples like flaming saganaki garlic-laden skordalia and shish kabab — prepared out of a tiny bar kitchen that long predates the "open kitchen" trend — remain fresh to this day." Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on X (formerly Twitter.) Support local journalism and become a digital subscriber to the Free Press Michigan State Police reported an unusual find this week during a search at an Ecorse home: an alligator MSP had been executing a search warrant Tuesday with a downriver SWAT team at a home occupied by residents officials were investigating on a drug case Detectives with the Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team seized more than 500 grams of methamphetamine 371 grams of assorted pills and nine firearms from the home The home's residents apparently kept the alligator Longtooth likely grew larger than the suspects realized They had been keeping him in poor conditions without enough fresh water and had apparently been feeding the gator porkchops "Not only did we stop these people from selling drugs out of this house but we also rescued Longtooth there and hopefully he's going to live a happy Officials turned the alligator over to a local animal shelter Owning an alligator in Michigan is not illegal under state law but some communities have specific local rules against possessing the reptiles The suspects in the investigation have not been charged yet Sterling Heights Police caught a loose 4-foot alligator on Oct Owning an alligator is against the Macomb County city's ordinance Detroit inspectors also found a homeowner dead in their home with a caged 4-foot long female alligator in July In May, officials at Kensington Metropark warned visitors to be on alert after one visitor reported an alligator sighting in Kent Lake may have been of a pet alligator illegally released into the lake The reptiles are native to southeast American states including Florida and Louisiana and parts of the Yangtze River in China (WXYZ) — A project to maintain the Ecorse Creek drain is underway and raising eyebrows with some community members over tree removals that county leaders say must be done Steele says the project is a first step of many needed to mitigate an increase in flooding and will remove obstructions in the drain and improve access for future maintenance And so we really want the public to understand that a drain serves a very important public health function So we want them to start thinking about their drains and their creeks like any other utility," Steele said you would not see large trees growing around them the utility companies will work within their easements to remove those types of trees that could potentially cause problems in a large rain event or that could knock out power "So drains serve the same type of utility function So we're performing work within our drain easement to remove trees that could potentially cause some obstructions and in the future and to allow us to be able to perform more maintenance." Watch our full interview with Steele in the video player below: Steele says it was the best option for the amount of money they have to address long-standing issues Army Corp of Engineers estimates projects to remedy the issues would total over $500 million The county decided to get the ball rolling instead of wait on more money from federal or state resources by using $10 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds "This is just the start of many projects that are needed So the primary goal for this project is for us to try to make sure we have a clear top of bank," Steele said "We are also working within the drain channel itself We're removing obstructions from the drain channel So I don't want it to be portrayed as if the only thing that we're doing is just removing some trees from the top of bank." The goals and objectives of the project can be found online The North Branch of the Ecorse Creek Drain serves as the primary stormwater outlet and conveyance system for over 50,000 properties located in the following cities many of which have flooded in recent years:   there have been multiple declared disasters within Wayne County resulting in millions of dollars of damages claimed through Federal Emergency Management Agency and claims filed through local municipalities "When it rains really hard — it doesn't happen every other day — but when it rains really hard these banks back up and these pumps cannot keep up with it The city's pump house is just not down the street here," Lincoln Park resident Jeff McGinnis said McGinnis says his basement has flooded several times since he's lived in the area He'd rather have less flooding than more trees "I think they're doing their best to do the right things here and they complain Everybody complains about everything it seems While there are residents grateful that some work is being done others — particularly in the Allen Park area — are frustrated about the number of trees that are being removed "I’m upset about it simply because of the privacy that divides us from the neighbors behind us who has talked to her neighbors about the issue "Plus it's going to take away from the wildlife that we do have behind us.” They are hoping the focus will be on problematic roots and not entire trees in their area We reached out to the Friends of the Detroit River a group of community members who regularly advocates and organizes around water issues The group is working on a separate project along the watershed. More information on that project can be found on the Friends of the Detroit River's website Steele says the restoration process will begin and they are working with environmental groups on seeding they expect the process to take six to eight months after removal Steele says only the stumps will be strayed to minimize regrowth County leaders have sent mailers and held several meetings with stakeholders including with homeowners on their land They advise anyone with questions or concerns to email info@NBEcorseCreek.com or call 313-437-3155 Two people were killed and four others were critically injured in a crash late Tuesday night in Allen Park to reports of a vehicle on fire and another car crashing into a building in the 19000 block of Ecorse Road according to a release from the Allen Park Police Department A Ford sedan carrying two women was struck by an SUV The sedan’s passenger was conscious and responding to officers Three passengers from the SUV escaped the burning vehicle before officers arrived Firefighters extinguished the flames and found him dead in the driver’s seat More: Prosecutors: St. Clair Shores man accused of killing mom with broken broomstick handle All of the passengers were taken to a local hospital and were listed in critical condition "The Allen Park Police Department is not releasing the names of the victims or passengers involved in the crash to respect the families who have been affected by this tragedy," according to the release Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter Videos posted on a popular downriver group's Facebook page showed flames shooting from the roof of the Auburn Cafe in Ecorse Jefferson in Ecorse is well-known for its many Greek-style dishes and has been in business for more than four decades the City of Ecorse Police Department confirmed the city's fire department was still battling the blaze at the restaurant Hundreds of comments followed the Downriver and Friends Facebook Group post expressing sadness and prayers for the staff and restaurant JJ's Pizza in Wyandotte posted "Prayers for Auburn Cafe" on its Facebook page More: Fairlane mall owner fends off move by lender More: Man, 19, charged with homicide in July Detroit block party shooting, others arrested Auburn Cafe's is well known downriver for its Greek specialties including its popular lamb chops and sides of lemon potatoes plus a selections of salads and gyros Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press HURON CHARTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A 20-year-old man from Ecorse is facing multiple felonies in connection with the theft of vehicles from Huron Township. According to authorities, thieves managed to steal multiple vehicles from the Trail Creek and Fox River neighborhoods on Aug. 14. Over the course of the investigation, Huron Township police managed to identify a few suspects, including one who was arrested Monday, Sept. 24. Julian De-Jesus Guyzik was charged with using a computer to commit a crime, possession and use of a stolen financial transaction device, lying to a peace officer, and breaking and entering a vehicle to steal property. Guyzik was arraigned Thursday, Sept. 26, and is being held on a $50,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Huron Township Detective Wesley Jolly at 734-753-4400. Copyright 2024 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Dane Kelly is an Oreo enthusiast and producer who has spent the last seven years covering Michigan news and stories. The waterway stretching from its headwaters in Romulus to its outflow to the Detroit River in Ecorse is getting a lot of attention from a local watershed group and Wayne County officials who have launched separate efforts to restore the degraded stream Friends of the Detroit River and Wayne County both have projects underway for Ecorse Creek which divides itself into north and south branches that meet in Lincoln Park The Wayne County Drain Commission received a $10 million grant from the county to maintain the north branch of Ecorse Creek by removing logjams and other obstructions improving heavy equipment access to the water and other activities The money came from the 2021 federal American Rescue Plan Act Westland and Wyandotte ends up in Ecorse Creek The creek is technically a 16-mile county drain meaning it is designated to move stormwater out of southern Wayne County into the Detroit River Separately, people from communities along the Ecorse Creek developed a management plan for the watershed more than a decade ago It calls for reducing pollution into the creek Friends of the Detroit River received a grant from the state in 2022 to start developing projects that will follow the plan working closely with people who live along its path "We feel that they should be involved from before a project is even decided on," said McKenzi Waliczek the Friends of the Detroit River stewardship director The friends group and county are not working together although they stay updated on each other's plans The area around the north branch of Ecorse Creek is highly developed She said more than 10,000 people live directly on the north branch fences and trampolines sometimes directly on the stream bank Flash flooding can cause problems for those homeowners and business owners when water seeps into basements or sweeps away stream banks limiting the habitat for important creatures like aquatic bugs and fish Water that runs into the creek after a rain trickles over a lot of pavement automobile fluids and solvents as being present in the creek Friends of the Detroit River has identified 11 sites in six communities to prioritize for cleanup projects Because Ecorse Creek pours into the Detroit River the projects will benefit the Detroit River as well The group is seeking community input before deciding which projects to seek funding for but Waliczek said those projects could involve things like restoring stream banks returning the stream to a more natural meander reducing the amount of paved surfaces near the waterway installing "green stormwater infrastructure" that slows rain on its way to the creek and improving habitat for bugs Volunteers working with the friends group already have spent hours cleaning up the Ecorse Creek the Ecorse city clerk who helps coordinate cleanups They find a remarkable variety of trash beyond run-of-the-mill litter "That was hard to get out of the water," Whitsett said "That's when they call everybody out there to push and pull." The Ecorse Creek's water level is low in Ecorse The Wayne County Drain Commissioner has started removing wide swaths of trees near Ecorse Creek who complain that they are losing the trees' benefits such as shade Whitsett said she understands that removing trees allows the county to access the water in order to remove downed trees Friends of the Detroit River's plans for improving the Ecorse Creek environment don't have a deadline Waliczek said — work will continue if there's work to be done we never think it's enough," Waliczek said there's always more recreational opportunities to enhance there's always more opportunities for public access "We're talking about one of the most degraded watersheds in the state of Michigan When we think of projects being done on pristine watersheds like those up north they're still doing work on them even though they're considered these pristine areas I would say this could probably be the rest of my career and beyond." Residents on the Ecorse River received notices earlier this year from the Wayne County Drain Commissioner's Office of upcoming work along the riverbanks "Work may include tree removal ..." the notices signed by county Drain Commissioner Elmeka Steele What came next startled many residents: the clear-cutting of all trees in 15-foot swaths along both the river's banks "A lot of what they are cutting are huge trees 40- to 60-foot trees; I would say in the hundreds already," said Harry Wiume who lives on Demean Street in Melvindale a stone's throw from the Ecorse River "They met with some of the property owners but the property owners weren't advised it was going to be a clear-cut." The work began at Council Point Park in Lincoln Park in May and has continued past Pepper Park in Ecorse Similar work as part of the "North Branch Ecorse Creek Drain maintenance project" is expected to occur along the length of the river — also known interchangeably as Ecorse Creek due to its narrower flows in spots — about 16 miles north to Dearborn Heights The hope is to alleviate chronic problems with flooding in the Dearborn Heights area by improving flows in the river which acts as a drainage into the Detroit River for a number of communities in the area Wayne County Executive Warren Evans directed $10 million to the drain improvement project from the county's funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill passed by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic The riverbank work is designed to "remove obstructions and re-establish the maintenance access lanes along the drain," Steele wrote in a June 18 email to Jeremy Richardson an official with the Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy's Water Resources Division Richardson had earlier that month contacted Steele's office to ask about the project in response to multiple citizen inquiries to EGLE No permits required"Subject to the availability of funding the project may also include bank erosion repair and protection and sediment removal," Steele added Because of exemptions written into state environmental law for maintenance work on designated drains by drain commissions the North Branch Ecorse Creek project requires no environmental impact study waterfowl or wildlife habitat along the river and no drainage permit into the Detroit River from state or federal environmental agencies "They don't need an environmental impact study because they don't need a permit to do the work because they are the drain commission and doing maintenance work on their easement," said Deborah Richmond "How did the drain commission get to be the most powerful entity in the country?" Greg Lockwood lives on the Allen Park side of Demean Street with the river along the backyard of his property adding yard statues and developing walking paths beautifying his slice of nature in an otherwise urban Now he wonders how much he's about to lose "Their clear-cut is going to improve the flow and improving the flow is going to cause a washout even faster and they will continue to have their 15-foot easement moving closer and closer to my home." The North Branch Ecorse Creek Drain was established as a county drain in 1861 It serves as a stormwater outlet for nine Wayne County cities Creek overflows and flooding have happened with frequency along the drain over the years, but it was a major rain event on May 21, 2004 in which more than 4 inches of rain fell in a day the creek rose nearly 6 feet in three hours Severe flooding affected more than 1,500 homes in Dearborn Heights City officials then petitioned the Wayne County drain commissioner for maintenance and improvements on the North Branch drain "The Wayne County drain commissioner has jurisdiction over the (drain) under the Michigan Drain Code of 1956 to perform drain maintenance," said Penelope Filyo a spokesperson for the Wayne County Department of Public Services Steele's office anticipates "approximately 11 miles" of the drain will require the tree-clearing "While we understand that trees have special meaning to many landowners tree removal is needed to create access to the drain; to remove logjams and debris to improve flow; and to reduce future obstructions in the drain." The stumps will then be treated with spot applications of herbicides to prevent regrowth — "only on the stumps and not in the water," Filyo said "They said they are going to maintain the grass they lay down and cut it," said Jennifer Albanys a Demean Street resident on the Allen Park side with property on both sides of the Ecorse River "How are you going to cut it when the stumps are multiple feet tall I've never seen anyone out here from them in 24 years." herons and egrets are seen in the area along the river frequently He also noted that many parts of southeast Michigan are adding and promoting green infrastructure and rain gardens to slow runoff and help naturally filter out pollution before it rushes into waterways It's going to go off all this land and rush into the creek The nonprofit Friends of the Detroit River is listed as a partner in the North Branch Ecorse Creek maintenance project "We understand that this is a complex issue and we are doing our best to achieve the most beneficial outcome," said Friends executive director Tricia Blicharski For more information, go to www.nbedc.com Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@freepress.com An Ecorse man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for sexually exploiting youths online pleaded guilty to three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor on June 5 Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced in a press release Markiewicz pretended to be 16 and engaged in sexually explicit conversations on Snapchat with two 15-year-olds and one 16-year-old between June 2022 and October 2023 He also engaged with at least 20 to 25 others between the ages of 13 and 16 on the app as with two accounts "gothamsbatman95" and "anthonyo.owoot," according to the memo a federal community defender not named in online court records could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday Markiewicz requested nude images and videos of the minors in exchange for payment and threatened to send nude photos of one victim to her employer and family One child victim's father contacted the FBI to report his 15-year-old daughter sent images of herself to an adult man on Snapchat on or about June 17 claimed to be 16 and paid her approximately $378 total for nude images of herself The girl posted a picture of her current boyfriend in a public Snapchat post after she stopped communicating with Markiewicz in May 2023 Markiewicz contacted her soon after and began threatening to send photos of the teen to her parents “'[t]he fact that Mark A[n]thony built [her daughter’s] trust all to perpetuate her trusting him and thinking he was a peer so he could ask for[…] pictures is devastating to me," the girl's mother wrote in a victim impact statement quoted in the sentencing memo He also emotionally manipulated other young girls on the app sending them messages about how serious he was about their relationships in addition to explicit messages Markiewicz admitted to similar conduct with up to 25 minors and told FBI investigators he had a 19-year-old girlfriend when he was arrested at work The girlfriend told investigators Markiewicz sought nude images of her while she was a minor and said she was unaware of his real age until she found out he was arrested "Our office will continue to aggressively prosecute child exploitation offenses to protect the children in our community and stop individuals like Markiewicz from victimizing children online," U.S Attorney Dawn Ison said in a release Monday The case ended weeks after two brothers from Nigeria were sentenced to prison Thursday for the sexual extortion of an Upper Peninsula homecoming king who then committed suicide last year Kayla Clarke – The owners of Auburn Cafe in Ecorse have started a fundraiser to rebuild the restaurant after a fire the restaurant was “devastated by a fire.” The family-owned restaurant is on West Jefferson near Visgar Road in Ecorse Firefighters worked tirelessly Friday night to save the restaurant While the restaurant looks OK from the outside the owners said it’s going to take a lot of work to reopen The restaurant has been a fan-favorite in Ecorse for decades “We are completely devastated by the fire that occurred at Auburn Cafe This restaurant has been a part of our family and the community for 44 years and seeing it damaged like this is truly heartbreaking.” A GoFundMe has been created to raise money to rebuild after the fire. We are completely devastated by the fire that occurred at Auburn Cafe. This restaurant has been a part of our family and... Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer. We are completely devastated by the fire that occurred at Auburn Cafe This restaurant has been a part of our family and.. Three Detroit police officers were injured Thursday in Ecorse after arresting a suspect wanted in connection with an armed robbery The injuries were not life-threatening and the officers are recuperating at home a Detroit police officer and spokesman for the department He said the officers were staking out a location in Ecorse in their search for an armed robbery suspect As they went to take the suspect into custody a struggle ensued and the officers were injured Police arrested five people and released three of them They said the suspect and another person remain in custody None of the people who were arrested suffered any life-threatening injuries Hearn said the investigation is ongoing and the department is not releasing further details at this time Mark-Anthony Markiewicz, 29, of Ecorse, has been charged to 10 years for sexually exploiting multiple children online. Markiewicz pleaded guilty to three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor on June 5, 2024. Court documents revealed that the 29-year-old man’s exploitation involved three separate victims between the ages of 14 and 16 after they encountered Markiewicz online. For at least two years, while pretending to be 16 years old, Markiewicz engaged in sexually explicit chats on Snapchat with the minor victims and numerous other children between the ages of 13 and 16. In exchange for payment, Markiewicz also requested nude images and videos of the minors and threatened to send nude images of one victim to her employer and family. Brandon Carr is a digital content producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with WDIV Local 4 since November 2021. Brandon is the 2015 Solomon Kinloch Humanitarian award recipient for Community Service. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker 2025 at 2:21 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}During the road work officials plan to keep two lanes open in both directions at all times though temporary​ delays and closures will be common MI — A large portion of Interstate 94 in Wayne County will undergo construction early next year Construction crews will repair nearly 13 miles of Interstate 94 from east of Interstate 275 to west of Michigan Avenue The $353 million construction project will start in early 2026 and run through at least the winter of 2028 though temporary delays and closures will be common Interstate 94 from Wayne Road to Middle Belt Road improvements: Interstate 94 from Middle Belt Road to Beech Daly Road improvements: Interstate 94 from Beech Daly Road to Pelham Road improvements: Interstate 94 from Pelham Road to Oakwood Boulevard improvements: Interstate 94/Schaefer Road Interchange (Ford Rouge Plant Gate 10 Entrance) improvements: For more information and updates on the Restore 94 project, visit the Restore 94 website Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. ECORSE, Mich. – Five people have been arrested, and three Detroit police officers received minor injuries during a stakeout for armed robbery suspects. The incident occurred on Thursday (June 13) in the 4208 block of West Jefferson Avenue in Ecorse. Officials say they had been watching two people who were wanted for armed robbery in Detroit. Police said they staked out the Ecorse location because they had intel that the two armed robbers would be there. Officials said when they went to make an arrest, there was a struggle as five people were arrested. Three of the five were released, but the two wanted for armed robbery remained in custody. Police say one of the wanted suspects was tased during the arrest and was transported to a Metro Detroit hospital. Detroit police are investigating the incident.