Grosse Pointe Farms — An unexpected parking issue has Grosse Pointe Park's Schaap Center revising its parking plan so that the multimillion-dollar performing arts center is ready once construction wraps up this summer and performances begin this fall With an anticipated 50-space parking lot still in limbo Schaap Center executive director Jaime Rae Turnbull said the center is planning to utilize valet services so patrons have easy access for a grand opening event slated for Oct "We will guarantee your first and last impressions will be a good one and we all know that parking is your first and last impression," Turnbull told about 100 project supporters during a town hall event Tuesday evening at the War Memorial in Grosse Pointe Farms being built on East Jefferson Avenue at the border of Grosse Pointe Park and the city of Detroit will have two dedicated parking lots on the premises staff and patrons will also be able to access the municipal parking at the Grosse Pointe Park public safety buildings next door that accounts for more than 160 parking spots for the 424-seat theater the Grosse Pointe Park Downtown Development Authority (DDA) agreed in 2021 to build a 50-space lot for the Schaap Center at 15175 E both entities were under the impression that the property was owned by the DDA the City Council rejected a DDA request to either transfer the property to the agency or allow the DDA to build the parking lot Council members said the city's legal counsel advised them to maintain possession of the asset Turnbull said the center is now planning to utilize valet services which she said will be a "simple fix" to the setback hard-working individuals to make sure that that happens and I know that we have overflow parking that we can access," she said She hinted that the jeopardized 50-space parking lot may yet become a reality "We know that somehow it will resolve itself in a meaningful way," she said directed questions regarding the lot to City Manager Nick Sizeland "We continue to have conversations that are of mutual benefit to both the City and the Schaap Center as we prepare for their opening in the fall of 2025," Sizeland said in an email Schaap Center for the Performing Arts and Richard and Jane Manoogian Art Gallery The namesake couples have both contributed millions of dollars to the project it will be the home for the Grosse Pointe's theater said the company will be happy to have a permanent location since it had been bouncing between locations for several years "We can't wait to get in and make the space our own," she said Given its proximity to Detroit (technically the campus reaches into the city) and visible location along Jefferson Turnbull believes the Schaap Center will become an asset "not just for the Pointes but for all of southeast Michigan." Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Opera will provide occasional programming there as visiting partners "This has the ability to break down borders and heal some things that we've seen in the past," Turnbull said adding that she's had discussions with civic leaders about rebranding Jefferson as a "cultural corridor," stretching from the bridge to Belle Isle in Detroit to the Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores The fundraising effort for the project is nearing its $45 million goal with just under $43 million raised as of Tuesday Backers have also pledged just over $6 million toward a $10 million goal for the endowment fund Turnbull said construction of the 49,000-square-foot main building is scheduled to wrap up in July with work on the interior continuing into August and September Plans for the grand opening weekend in October include several ticketed performance events as well as a free open house Construction hasn't been without its challenges Ambrose Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of Detroit have complained that the project caused an oily smelly substance to leak into the ground under the church and may have caused other issues mortar joint loosening and "separations in the steam line," which knocked the church's heating system offline for 10 days Turnbull said Tuesday that she felt the center's relationship with the church has improved since February Ambrose lodged its complaints in a church bulletin Turnbull previously has pushed back against the church's claims that the Schaap Center construction caused the issues An archdiocese spokesperson didn't return messages seeking comment Construction of the Schaap Center also sparked two lawsuits the city of Detroit sued Urban Renewal Initiative Foundation the nonprofit that is building the arts center for demolishing properties on the Detroit section of the development without a permit Wayne County and the Fox Creek Drainage District sued URIF contending the project ignored county warnings and built over a drainage and sewer pipeline that is critical to prevent flooding in the area The center agreed to pay $600,000 toward a $1 million project to separate storm sewers which will eliminate the possibility of flooding Sizeland said the city is paying for the rest of the project calling it "public-private partnership at its finest." "We want to continue to be good neighbors," Turnbull said "I've personally gone out of my way with St Ambrose to make sure that we are good neighbors from a community engagement aspect @max_detroitnews 1 / 40Photos provided by Skyview MediaHose of the Week: 15440 Windmill Pointe DriveA home for sale at 15440 Windmill Pointe Drive in Grosse Pointe Park Photos provided by Skyview Media2 / 40Photos provided by Skyview MediaHose of the Week: 15440 Windmill Pointe DriveA home for sale at 15440 Windmill Pointe Drive in Grosse Pointe Park Photos provided by Skyview Media3 / 40Photos provided by Skyview MediaHose of the Week: 15440 Windmill Pointe DriveA home for sale at 15440 Windmill Pointe Drive in Grosse Pointe Park Photos provided by Skyview Media4 / 40Photos provided by Skyview MediaHose of the Week: 15440 Windmill Pointe DriveA home for sale at 15440 Windmill Pointe Drive in Grosse Pointe Park Photos provided by Skyview Media5 / 40Photos provided by Skyview MediaHose of the Week: 15440 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices the water's fine" could add "but not as fine as this house" when talking about this Grosse Pointe Park waterfront estate It has everything anyone wants in luxury living: 200 feet of shoreline on Lake St a brick terrace for taking in views of the water space for entertaining — and it's on the market Located on a nearly 2-acre lot at 15440 Windmill Pointe Drive near Middlesex Road and Korte Avenue the more than 8,900-square-foot house has six bedrooms an associate broker with Lux Partners Global and @properties/Christie’s International Real Estate said the home's location makes it exceptional "Our team continues to get more and more international interest in Detroit and its surrounding communities "The community waterfront parks are private and beautiful tennis and pickleball courts — even movie theaters," the broker said and the historic Grosse Pointe downtown areas offer shopping and dining." Asplund said the property's 200 feet of Lake St private boat ramp and panoramic views of the water add to its allure But the colonial-style home itself is extraordinary and blends elegance with comfort The two-story brick home was designed and constructed by Detroit architect John Uznis in 1992 with an "open concept that is perfect for entertaining," Asplund said A circular driveway carries visitors past an iron gate and the home's attached four-car garage to the house's front double doors a sprawling foyer with marble floors welcomes them in The living room and dining room with a breathtaking view of the lake are straight ahead breakfast nook and pantry are to the right The kitchen boasts high-end appliances while the breakfast nook comes with a fireplace and has access to the expansive brick terrace Asplund said the home also has a Honduran mahogany-paneled library with a fireplace that provides a refined retreat and four bathrooms are upstairs along with a sitting room and the laundry room The primary bedroom's bath has two walk-in closets and a spa-like tub "The walkout lower level is an entertainer’s dream and a cozy sitting area with a fireplace," Asplund said "And outside is equally impressive with sprawling terraces perfect for enjoying stunning lakefront sunrises." See the listing here See other recent listings here Grosse Pointe Park — As a $45 million Grosse Pointe Park arts center aims for an October opening the Catholic church next door says the construction of the blocks-long project may have caused a host of damages to its property The A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Center for the Performing Arts and Richard and Jane Manoogian Art Gallery is being constructed along East Jefferson Avenue at the border of Grosse Pointe Park and Detroit. St. Ambrose Parish, 15020 Hampton St. in Grosse Pointe Park shares part of the block with the future performing arts center and gallery "There has been a poor working relationship with the Performing Arts Center project, and in my opinion, increasingly poor communication with the City of Grosse Pointe Park," wrote the Rev. Timothy R. Pelc in the Jan. 5 St. Ambrose bulletin The bulletin mentions an issue last year when an oily, smelly substance leaked into the ground underneath part of the church's property for months "There are other issues which may or may not have been triggered by the proximate heavy construction," of the art center that appear related to this massive project." the "church heating system was recently shut down for ten days due to multiple breaks and separations in the steam line," according to the bulletin The Archdiocese of Detroit and representatives for the nonprofit building the performance center The executive director of the Schaap Center pushed back on the church's assertions there has been no documentation that the issues the church has experienced were caused by Schaap Center construction," said Executive Director Jaime Rae Turnbull in an email The Archdiocese of Detroit had no further comment we're going to let the January 5th item speak for the parish," McGrath wrote in an email A Grosse Pointe Park city official says the two parties have to work out the issues themselves "These are issues that are between the two entities and we are awaiting the resolutions," said Nick Sizeland The city has heavily backed the planned arts center for years The Schaap Center is named after Grosse Pointe Park residents Paul Schaap and his wife Both couples have contributed millions of dollars to the project The 49,000-square-foot main building will include a 424-seat theater named after the Schaaps The Manoogian Art Gallery will be exhibit space for art The Manoogians have an extensive art collection including works at the Detroit Institute of Arts They are also behind the Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum in Mackinac Island Property records show an entity connected to the Schaaps began to buy property that's now part of the art center's footprint back in 2012 Other parcels that are now part of the art center were owned by the city of Grosse Pointe Park and sold to the Schaap-linked entity which then transferred the land to the nonprofit URIF Construction of the project sparked two lawsuits in the past the city of Detroit sued the nonprofit URIF for demolishing properties without a permit on the Detroit side of the development That lawsuit was settled after Detroit's Historic District Commission approved the demolitions and the developer agreed to some concessions The concessions included increasing the size of a planned public area near Jefferson Avenue and Alter Road and creating some type of historical marker of the buildings razed Wayne County and the Fox Creek Drainage District sued the URIF nonprofit The lawsuit was dismissed in September when the two sides reached a settlement has also agreed to build a 50-space parking lot for the Schaap Center The space is adjacent to City Hall and the Ewald Branch of city's public library But plans for the parking lot have hit a snag It turns out the city of Grosse Pointe Park owns the property and not the DDA which is the city's economic agency that aims to spark downtown development The DDA and the art center's URIF entered in a 2021 memorandum of understanding to build a parking lot for use by the public It has since been discovered that the city the City Council rejected the DDA's request to transfer the property to the agency or allow the DDA to build the parking lot "It's an asset to the city and I don't see how we can transfer it," said Councilman Max Wiener Councilwoman Christine Gallagher said the council's rejection was based advice from the city's legal counsel Several council members said they hope the issue is resolved quickly a sentiment echoed by City Manager Sizeland "The city will continue to work with the Urban Renewal Initiative Foundation to identify solutions that suit both parties," said sizeland Schaap Center's Turnbull said the parking lot issue won't delay the planned fall opening "The discussion regarding the 50-space lot does not affect our overall plans or construction schedule," Turnbull said in an email The Schaap Center's "Grand Opening" weekend is scheduled for October 17-19 "with some very exciting plans to celebrate this remarkable regional destination," Turnbull said "We are planning several performance events ranging from $50-$250 per ticket and a public Open House with free access." will launch it’s 2025/2026 season in December at the Schaap Center The center's website says it is $8.2 million shy of its $55 million fundraising goal That includes being short $4.3 million of its $45 million capital campaign goal which is mainly for the construction of the project and $3.9 million shy of its $10 million endowment goal laguilar@detroitnews.com Officers in Grosse Pointe Park were "forced to neutralize" an aggressive dog after officials said a resident was bitten Thursday The woman was walking her dog in the area of Three Mile and Essex around 2:40 p.m the Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Safety said in a post on Facebook The resident attempted to shield her pet from the other dog the dog charged at a Public Works employee Officers responded to the scene where they found two dogs running together and attempted to capture them One of the dogs aggressively charged at an officer "and the officer was forced to neutralize the animal," the Facebook post stated The officer was not injured and the other dog eventually was secured It was not immediately clear whether the dog was killed or if it was the same one that attacked the woman walking her pet Authorities said the woman who was bitten will be OK Anyone with information about the dogs is asked to call the Grosse Pointe Park Public Safety Department at (313) 822-7400 It happened Feb. 16, 2024, on Mack Avenue, near Balfour Street. When police arrived on the scene, they found a 17-year-old with multiple gunshot wounds sitting in the driver’s seat of a heavily damaged vehicle. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. Police believe Ryan Sinegal fired a handgun multiple times into the vehicle, fatally wounding the teen. He would have been 15 at the time of the shooting. Police took Sinegal into custody April 1, 2025. Sinegal was charged Wednesday, April 2, with first-degree Murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder and three counts of felony firearm. He was given no bond and remanded back to jail. His probable cause conference is scheduled for April 16. Copyright 2025 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. 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 (WXYZ) — Grosse Pointe Park Mayor Michele Hodges is taking a creative approach to express frustration with the city's new trash service provider "It's just a fun goodwill way of trying to get their attention," said Hodges The city is one of 73 communities in metro Detroit that transitioned to Priority Waste in July when the company took over GFL's clients RELATED STORY: Priority Waste officially takes control of GFL residential accounts Hodges plans to use a dunk tank to get the attention of Priority Waste and asked community members to come air out their frustration at the city's After 6 event on Kercheval Saturday evening She had help Thursday drawing "Priority Waste" on a highlighter yellow T-shirt "I've ordered some tiny trash cans that I'm going to glue to a headband," said Hodges Residents have experienced issues with communication and trash pickup RELATED STORY: Metro Detroiters continue to wait for trash collection from Priority Waste The dunk tank event aims to raise awareness and also save a community playground The playscape is a community staple paid for penny by penny and built log by log 30 years ago by community members Their goal is to raise an initial $5,000 to powerwash the space, seal, preserve and maintain the playground for years to come Priority Waste shared this statement about their plans: "If Priority is going to take a black eye for what GLF left behind and the funds raised are going to help a children's park in Grosse Pointe then fire away madam mayor," said spokesperson Matt Allen (WXYZ) — The five Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods are set to install new state-of-the-art license plate readers in the coming weeks The initiative aims to enhance police monitoring and response capabilities while aiding in ongoing investigations The Grosse Pointe Public Safety Foundation has successfully raised over $300,000 to fund the installation of these license plate readers which are expected to play a crucial role in combating crime expressed her concerns about the rising crime say goodbye to it because it's only a matter of time before it gets stolen,” said Wereley which was locked and contained art supplies for school children adding to her distress following a recent cancer diagnosis Former Grosse Pointe Farms' Public Safety Director Dan Jensen now the Executive Director of the Grosse Pointe Public Safety Foundation emphasized the importance of these license plate readers and a lot of communities already have them," he says "It will definitely enhance the enforcement capacities of the cities when it comes to crime investigations and prevention.” There will be five license plate readers installed in each of the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods with some residents expressing support while others voice their opposition Maybe I could have said something before it became a real thing but I don't see the need for it,” said Garett Jihad she is still navigating the fall out of her car being found completely stripped near Chandler Park "It was the last thing we needed to worry about." GROSSE POINTE PARK, Mich. – Residents are expressing concerns about a firefighting response by the city of Grosse Pointe Park. The Grosse Pointe Park Public Safety Department responded to the June 15 blaze near Mack and Lakepointe, in Grosse Pointe Park. Neighbors say firefighters were on the scene without access to water to extinguish the blaze that destroyed one house and damaged several others. From their balconies and driveways, neighbors watched as what started as a small garage fire became an inferno. No one was injured, but cell phone video captured firefighters on site for at least 15 minutes without water as the blaze grew and spread. Two weeks later, neighbors are comparing notes. “The safety officers that were here didn’t get water on the fire for 20-25 minutes,” said Jason Dougherty, who lives across the ally from the burned house. A group of neighbors told Local 4 they’re still stunned by how long the fire burned, so close to their homes. The fire was eventually extinguished when Detroit fire crews arrived on the scene. Officials said DFD was on a run nearby, heard about the fire and stepped in to help. Grosse Pointe Park Public Safety Department Chief Jim Bostock said the problem was a mechanical glitch. “It appears to be a one-off issue,” Bostock said. “There was 500 gallons of water on the truck. For some reason, they could not get the pump to engage to actually push the water out in volume that we needed at the time.” Like many places, Grosse Pointe Park has combined fire and police forces -- a Public Safety department – in which the same staff who do police work also put out fires. Neighbors suggested public safety officers may not have enough experience fighting fires, but Bostock insists his department functions just fine. He said he’s looking into the problems his officers experienced that day. Copyright 2024 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Karen Drew is the anchor of Local 4 News First at 4, weekdays at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. She is also an award-winning investigative reporter. The proposal will only take effect in each city if voters in at least four cities approve it Voters in six Wayne County communities will decide whether to pay a new property tax to fund senior services It would allow officials to levy 0.35 mill in new property taxes for six years Homeowners will pay $35 per year for every $100,000 in taxable value if the millage passes Senior advocates say demand for services is rising as the population in those cities ages. Krista Siddall is the executive director of The Helm at the Boll Life Center in Grosse Pointe Farms The Helm serves seniors in all six communities She says the millage revenue would fund essential programs “These are things like Meals on Wheels friendly reassurance phone calls and case coordination,” Siddall says “Things that the community needs to remain healthy and have a good quality of life.” Siddall says the older population is growing rapidly and that will create more demand for senior services She says 1 in 5 residents in the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods is over age 60 we are going to see more people over the age of 60 than we have children under the age of 17,” she says “That ‘silver tsunami’ is going to hit About 80% of The Helm’s $1.3 million budget comes from sources that can change But Siddall says the millage will provide a more reliable revenue stream “Philanthropy is going down since 2020 about 2% a year on average,” she said “We want to be set for the demographic shift we’re going to see.” The millage will raise about $1.3 million in its first year if approved Each city would pay the following amounts based on population and property values: The League of Women Voters of Grosse Pointe will be holding a a panel discussion about the senior services millage from 7-8:30 p.m at the Wayne County Community College auditorium WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today Donate today » WDET is a community service of Wayne State University CONTACT Membership Sponsorship Studio Rentals Technical Support Pitch Us a Story Help/FAQ Other Inquiries Shows Podcasts Schedule Listen Live Contests & Giveaways SUPPORT WDET Membership Leadership Circle Car Donations Business Sponsorship Broadcast Partners Program More » INSIDE WDET About Staff Jobs & Internships Public File FCC Applications This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The Grosse Pointes aren’t usually an election bellwether And maybe the Newport Rhode Island yacht club Grosse Pointe went left — electing a teacher-supported more liberal slate of school board candidates Their success offers lessons for Democrats looking to rebuild from the disappointing 2024 election Some background: Local billionaire Sean Cotton has become an institution of sorts in the Pointes Cotton and his family have invested heavily in Grosse Pointe Park’s retail strip along Kercheval (to be fair mostly for the area’s benefit) and purchased the Grosse Pointe News he’s also led a majority faction on the board that governs schools in the five Grosse Pointe communities and part of Harper Woods The Cotton majority has governed by controversy They killed previously approved plans for a health clinic — funded by a state grant and the Beaumont Foundation — at Grosse Pointe North High School with all the usual unfounded hysteria about abortions and parental rights The flip-flop had the potential to make the district look fickle and unreliable to future partner organizations allegations that led to the school’s principal resigning and a $33,000 legal bill for the district With four school board seats on the fall ballot Cotton sought to expand his single-member majority plowing $441,000 into a super political action committee to support his slate of chosen candidates More from Jeff Wattrick: What Trump has told us the truth about, and why I've made peace with it The Grosse Pointe of yore?It was hard to miss the Cotton slate’s billboards along I-94, or the Grosse Pointe News — a weekly broadsheet that embodies the finest journalistic traditions of Charles Foster Kane — often arriving in non-subscribers' mailboxes at key times The Cotton slate campaigned hard on the notion they were upholding the best of Grosse Pointe “tradition.” That might not seem to have much to do with educational policy — and it doesn’t — but it appealed to many who long for the days when Hickey’s blue blazers were de rigueur for dinner at Sparky Herbert’s the long-closed but fondly remembered Grosse Pointe restaurant WASP-ish Grosse Pointe has given way to a more socially progressive — if still temperamentally conservative — community The Cotton board’s controversies loomed as large for parents (like myself) with children currently enrolled in the local schools The success of Grosse Pointe schools is core to both the community’s identity — and property values that’s meant allowing top-flight teachers and administrators to do their thing The ideologically driven micromanagement and controversy risked driving away the professional educators who have long prepared Grosse Pointe’s children for elite universities and successful professional careers There had been an organized anti-Cotton effort in 2022 that failed to stop his school board takeover. This time was different. It's no surprise that this year, an anti-Cotton slate was organized and supported by its own PAC, which received a $50,000 contribution from Cynthia Ford insurgent anti-Cotton slate campaign essentially boiled down to: trust teachers to teach This slatefaced an uphill battle to take control of the school board especially considering what we now know was a rightward-shifting election nationally and a majority on the seven-member school board More from Opinion: Trump says he has 'no choice' on mass deportation. It will change Michigan. Lessons learnedTwo lessons can be gleaned from this election the anti-Cottons kept the extreme left sidelined there is a small but vocal subset of Grosse Pointers who would probably tell you Stalin wouldn’t have been so brutal Grosse Pointe’s left-wing-backed candidates amounted to Jill Stein-like spoilers drawing sufficient voters from more electable more mainstream candidates that allowed Cotton allies to narrowly take a majority on the board You might argue that it wasn’t the Cotton majority that canceled North’s health clinic so much as voters who thought themselves too politically pure to vote for Cotton’s most formidable opponents The race wasn’t muddled with ideological purity tests or vanity candidates Grosse Pointe’s school board election was an object lesson: there is no such thing as a lesser of two evils only the greater of all plausible outcomes Grosse Pointe showcases the potential of taking responsibility for voting as a practical tool for collective progress rather than an expression of personal ideological purity All politics are personalThe lesson for politicians — and the Democratic Party — is to focus on issues of personal importance to voters The Grosse Pointe school board election came down to which side would better serve the district’s students people like to buy houses in good school districts The chaos of the Cotton board convinced this managerial class community that their best interests lay with a school board aligned with the teacher’s union Democratic politicians and the wider liberal cultural milieu is focused on amorphous concepts of justice than fixing practical problems that affect more people more often and even when centering abstract justice causes leads to outcomes that put the people they intend to protect at risk That doesn’t mean Democrats shouldn’t compromise on anyone’s equal rights Every person deserves to live with dignity and without fear of violence or discrimination because of who they are campaigning on practical day-to-day issues like the economy and education can win the day for Democrats even if these issues are less fashionable with activists and academics Gretchen Whitmer won re-election in 2022 on “kitchen table issues.” Now every kid in Michigan eats lunch for free at school President Joe Biden campaigned and won in 2020 on ending the pandemic Every American had access to COVID-19 vaccines Soapy Williams (a Grosse Pointe favorite son) only became a New Deal Democrat when as a Princeton student and head of the campus Republican club he recognized the Great Depression was hurting his father’s property management business these “centrist” or “establishment” leaders were able to deliver on priorities that benefitted middle and working-class Americans they could also move the needle on social issues that provide greater protection for marginalized groups — for instance the Lansing Democratic trifecta’s expansion of Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include LGBTQ+ Michiganders But it — all of it — must start with winning and what wins elections is centering the needs of the greatest common factor of voters When Grosse Pointe’s more liberal school board candidates focused on the self-interest of voters Democrats and liberals across the nation should take note Free Press contributing columnist Jeff Wattrick is a freelance writer who lives in Grosse Pointe Park. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Darren Joshua Bradford, 24, of Berkley, with the sexual assault of a 15-year-old Grosse Pointe girl. Allegedly, Bradford sexually assaulted the victim in his vehicle on Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. in the area of Windmill Pointe Drive and Berkshire Road in Grosse Pointe Park. Bradford has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct, third-degree. The 24-year-old man was charged on Wednesday (Feb. 26) in Grosse Pointe Park Municipal Court and given a $250,000 cash/surety bond. A probable cause conference is scheduled for March 12, 2025, at 10 a.m. 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. On a 2009 Grosse Pointe News photo page devoted to beautification awards Bill Krebs is described as one of the winners in the civic category for gardening at “open lots next to the Ewald Library.” When the younger Bill Krebs hears that his late father got a prize for his green thumb That’s amazing,” he says during a phone interview His dad’s hobby is one of the things that inspired “Grosse Pointe Garden Society,” the new NBC series created by Jenna Bans and Krebs that premieres Sunday night Bans and Krebs have turned to metro Detroit as a television location before Retta and Mae Whitman as three financially struggling suburban housewives in metro Detroit who become immersed in a life of crime “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” is another foray into the dark side of the suburbs It centers on four members of a garden club and their involvement in a mysterious murder The storyline keeps viewers guessing as to a) why exactly the quartet is covering up the crime by secretly burying a body b) who is the killer and c) what’s the identity of the person pushing up daisies in the makeshift grave ● Birdie (Melissa Fumero from “Brooklyn Nine-Nine) a disgraced socialite who is as flamboyant as Grosse Pointe is normally sedate Birdie is the closest thing on the show to a Real Housewife from the Bravo series of reality shows ● Catherine (Aja Naomi King from “Lessons in Chemistry”) mom and perfectionist whose marriage is crumbling and whose perfect exterior hides some personal transgressions ● Brett (Ben Rappaport from “Inventing Anna) a struggling divorced dad and garden store manager who postponed his dream of restoring cars full-time so his now ex-wife could go to law school a high school English teacher with dreams of becoming a New Yorker staff writer “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” goes back and forth on its timeline from right after the murder to six months before the crime the AV Club wrote that the show “has the ingredients that could very well make it bloom into the next ‘Desperate Housewives.’”  a former writer for “Desperate Housewives” and “Scandal,” and Krebs who was a writer on ABC’s “The Family” and an executive producer on “Good Girls” (both created by Bans) have a lot of experience with the TV genre of suburbs with secrets “It’s really fun because there are endless satire opportunities in suburbia and it’s also where the most dramatic things always happen,” says Bans Setting it in a suburban enclave like Grosse Pointe we’re really able to mine all of those things for conflict and drama.” “I think the garden is a perfect metaphor for our show where it’s beautiful and lush and fragrant aboveground it’s a little darker and sexier and edgier Krebs brings the Grosse Pointe cred to their newest collaboration then split his time between there and Birmingham after his parents divorced Krebs is an alum of Birmingham’s Seaholm High School and Ann Arbor’s University of Michigan “I actually studied organizational dynamics which is making businesses run more functionally.” Krebs says his stepmother was active in the garden tours that were part of Grosse Pointe’s social scene “You’d go to all these fancy houses and go to their backyards And there would be people with hors d’oeuvres and drinks and stuff and you’d see their gardens.” When Bans and Krebs set about creating their first series together the friends agreed that Grosse Pointe would provide the right vibe for the concept “What we liked about it was very much how Grosse Pointe is in the Detroit area (and also is) its own little hamlet where it’s sort of isolated,” says Krebs “It’s this pocket that is trying to contain itself from the rest of the city and hold on to this sort of old world value system that has probably become outdated over the years” they also liked that Grosse Pointe has a sense of class struggle “We liked that it‘s such a small area that no matter if you’re poor or you’re wealthy and you still kind of do the same things and you go to the same restaurants You intermingle with one another regardless of what your class is We loved that being the intersection for this garden society … wealthy people mingling with working class.”  Asked about their strengths as work partners “You picked the wrong day to ask that!” Bans explain that they had a disagreement that morning “about what should happen next in our second-to-last episode.” Bans says working with Krebs is as simple as two brains being better than one “It’s so hard to come up with a show week after week especially on a network production schedule where you don’t have a lot of time to do it where you get to write all of the episodes at once and then shoot them So I’ve done it alone and now I’ve done it with Bill It’s way less lonely facing the blank page when you have someone .. Krebs says he and Bans are able to keep each other on track regarding the show’s carefully calibrated tone But it’s a real fine line because if you lean too far into the drama then it becomes too broad and it’s a different tone So we’re always straddling those two worlds (Together,) we have a checks and balances to make sure we’re hitting the right tone.” Although “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” looks convincingly like its namesake the series was filmed in Atlanta because of Georgia’s film tax incentives Krebs says that an affluent neighborhood called Druid Hills that “looks very very much like Grosse Pointe” doubled for the Detroit ‘burb The downtown section of  Druid Hills also has a “very similar feel to Grosse Pointe,” he adds So when will the identity of the body at the center of the show’s mystery be revealed “We can say this: We’re not going to be one of those shows that teases audiences and drags it out for multiple seasons You will know who is buried in that garden before the end of the season,” says Krebs “We try to drop as many Easter eggs as possible,” he says of upcoming Motor City nods ““That’s one of my joys in writing the show.” “I think what Bill and I are really proud of is when you do find out who is in the hole Also expect to see many Detroit references such as the scene in the first episode where the four friends convene at a diner and order a round of coneys in the morning “Who eats chili dogs for breakfast?” asks Catherine Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at jhinds@freepress.com DETROIT – The driver of a DDOT bus who ran over and killed a woman in Downtown Detroit has been sentenced was behind the wheel of a Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) bus when Janice Bauer at the intersection of Congress and Griswold streets Prosecutors said Johnson was making a left turn onto Griswold Street when she struck and killed Bauer who was crossing the street on a green light Medics pronounced Bauer dead at the scene of the crash literally ran her over with the city bus she was driving and caused her death,” Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said Johnson was charged with one count of moving violation causing death She pleaded no contest to the charge on Aug Johnson was sentenced to two years of probation and one year of jail time The first six months of her sentence will be served in the Wayne County Jail and the remaining six months will be held in abeyance If she violates her probation she will serve the last six months in jail Johnson was involved in a deadly crash in 2015 ---> DDOT driver charged in deadly crash was involved in 7 other crashes, including deadly 2015 bus crash Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer. Nicholas Noecker said when he first saw his Georgian colonial home in Grosse Pointe Park 12 years ago "I wasn't looking for a place and then I came across this property," he said "I looked at it and was just overwhelmed by the beauty in everything about it." He said he considered the price and then decided to buy it because he thought "this place could be perfection." Noecker lovingly and painstakingly restored the more than 6,500-square-foot two-story house on 1 acre at 15701 Windmill Pointe Drive near Jefferson Avenue and Berkshire Road to its former glory "We wanted to give it the respect it deserves," he said But he and his family have decided to put it up for sale "This passionate mission has been successfully accomplished "It's time for my family to start our next adventure." International Extrusions specializes in aluminum extrusion manufacturing It has manufacturing facilities in Garden City and Livonia real estate broker and owner of Lucido Real Estate in Grosse Pointe Woods Lucido said the property stands out and has a great location across the street from Lake St "Windmill Pointe is a special street and this property has been known for many many years as the premier Georgian colonial on the block and in the area," the broker said "Nick updated the house but didn't change its classic look Lucido also said the home boasts a majestic exterior and exudes grandeur and elegance "The home has been curated to enhance both sophistication and comfort," he said "The expansive grounds are akin to a private country club The house is every inch a Georgian colonial-style home with its side-gabled roof and the front door and windows arranged symmetrically on the façade It also has a classic portico with four Corinthian columns standing guard at the door Lucido said they were recently refurbished and refinished a spacious foyer with a tile floor and flanked by twin rooms invites visitors into the home It opens to the main hallway and staircase to the second level and there's a large chandelier suspended above a sitting room is to the left and the living room is to the right The sitting room has a wooden floor and large windows that offer a view of the grounds The adjacent living room is draped in dark wood with elegant millwork a breakfast nook and the dining room are all located on the half of the house next to the living room The kitchen has the requisite amenities of a luxury home including quartz counters and high-end appliances The breakfast nook has a bay window and a large second window The dining room's four walls have a mural resembling Renaissance art the family room has a fireplace and a lot of windows All six of the house's bedrooms are upstairs on the second floor a spacious walk-in closet and an en suite bathroom Its bathroom has a walk-in shower and a soaking tub Lucido said all the home's bathrooms were completely overhauled with marble floors and new cabinets installed the home's lower level boasts a movie theater a recreation room and access to the backyard Lucido said the level was recently finished and a pool house with a sprawling brick paver patio and pergola Noecker said the home also has ties to some interesting local history He said the home was once owned by Henry and Maralyn Domzalski The family was a supporter of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Slatkin was often a guest in their home Slatkin was the orchestra's music director from 2008-2018 and is credited with rebuilding its cachet after a six-month strike Maralyn Domzalski was also the founder of Elan Candies by Maralyn which continues to operate as a family-run business in a store in Grosse Pointe Woods Noecker said living in the home has been like living in his personal country club expansive retreat with a pool and a huge patio The view from every room makes you feel like you're in your own world even though you're in the middle of Grosse Pointe." See the listing here Michigan State Police and Grosse Pointe Park officers arrested one person this week accused of flashing a laser at an MSP helicopter The suspect in Grosse Pointe Park allegedly flashed the device at the aircraft multiple times while troopers flew over the area around 11:21 p.m. The helicopter was above a residential block at Kercheval Avenue and Bedford Road at the time according to coordinates listed in MSP's video footage of the incident posted to X Troopers in the helicopter were helping Detroit police with a separate incident when the laser lights flashed into their view Officials did not release the suspect's name or other details about the incident Wednesday Pointing lasers at aircraft is against state and federal laws in the path of aircraft or toward a moving train is a felony punishable by up to five years' incarceration or a $10,000 fine at most A Madison Heights man was arrested and charged with a felony for allegedly pointing a laser at another MSP helicopter last year "Don't find out the hard way like this person did," the MSP Second District account said on X WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – A millage is on the ballot in all five Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods for senior citizens in those communities. The millage would support services for senior citizens, such as transportation, activities, and facilities. Grosse Pointe Park Mayor Michele Hodges share why city council decided to let voters weigh in. “I speak for the body, not as an individual, felt this was worthy to bring forward to the voters so that they can help guide us on how we’re going to meet the needs of the senior citizens of the community,” said Hodges. State law allows up to one mill to be levied for senior programs through a ballot initiative However, this millage on the ballot in the Grosse Pointe cities and Harper Woods would only allow each municipality to levy up to .35 mills for services targeting senior citizens. Voters must approve it in at least four of the six communities to go into effect. The Active Adult Commission, comprised of members from each city, would distribute the funds to senior services providers. The Helm, located in Grosse Pointe Farms, could be one of those providers. The nonprofit’s executive director, Krista Siddall, said Helm would use the funds to expand its offerings, including adding an adult daycare. “Having services for our aging population is really important. We are seeing a demographic shift in our population,” Hodges said. “We want to be proactive instead of reactive. In order to do that we need to have a sustainable stream of income.” If approved, the millage will only last for 6 years. It would have to return to the ballot for the funding to continue. Shall the City of Grosse Pointe Park be authorized to levy a new additional millage of up to .35 mills ($.35 per $1,000.00 of taxable value) for six (6) years beginning in 2025 and ending in 2030 to be disbursed to the Grosse Pointe Active Adult Commission, for the purpose of supporting services to older citizens, including transportation, activities and facilities directed toward improvement of the overall health and welfare of older persons? Will Jones rejoined the Local 4 News team in February 2023 as a weekend anchor and reporter. He previously worked as a general assignment reporter for the station from 2012 to 2015. Photographer Johnny Miller joined “The Metro” to discuss his project “Unequal Scenes” and why his images are so effective at visualizing inequality The project “Unequal Scenes” is using drones to capture aerial shots of cities worldwide The images offer bird’s eye views of urban areas — a vantage point that makes the unequal distribution of wealth in some communities painfully clear shiny gleaming buildings soar over crumbling shacks and huts pristine gated communities flank struggling slums a brick barrier delineates the city limits from Grosse Pointe Park The Grosse Pointe side is lush and well-manicured So what lessons can we learn by viewing these images? Photographer Johnny Miller joined The Metro to discuss his inspiration behind the project and why the images are so effective at visualizing inequality Use the player below to listen to the full conversation — The murder of a Grosse Pointe Farms teen still remains unsolved after nearly ten years 16-year-old Paige Stalker was shot and killed when a gunman opened fire on a car that she and three others were sitting on the Detroit-Grosse Pointe Park border The motive of the shooting still remains unclear and no arrests or charges have been announced The family now feels helpless and wants answers from the Prosecutor's Office that's why I contacted you guys," Avery Stalker the Stalker family has lived without answers as to who killed the 16-year-old Grosse Pointe Farms resident on December 22 Avery recalls the night her sister was killed told me what happened and after that everything just became a blur." And it was earlier that night when Paige was picked up by some friends where they then ended up parked at the corner of Charlevoix and Philip on the Detroit/Grosse Pointe Park border to smoke marijuana While they were sitting in the silver Mercury Milkan another vehicle then pulled up and opened fire with an AK-47 "There was a guy out there whose life had been threatened at the wow gas station on the east side and he went looking for revenge," retired Detroit Police Deputy Chief Steve Dolunt told us "He was driving down the street and saw there car and thought it was the car of the individual that tried to kill him There were a total of 30 shell casins at the scene The teens rushed to a nearby hospital in Grosse Pointe Paige unfortunately was shot in the head and chest Dolunt says this was a case of mistaken identity "I think our homicide section did a very thorough job," Dolent told us "They went back to the gas station and retrieved film identified a suspect i think they did everything by the book." Dolunt says detectives submitted an investigate report to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy's office "I was told the individual we identified as the suspect was incarcerated in ohio in a federal prison for a federal car jacking case," Dolunt said We reached out to the Prosecutor's Office for comment as to why the suspect was never charged “The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has worked diligently on Paige Stalker homicide warrant request The case review has involved extensive work by prosecutors in this office over the years the warrant request was denied because there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges We need evidence that we can prove in court beyond a reasonable doubt Our staff has met with the family of Paige Stalker several times over the years and it is understandable that they are extremely disappointed with this result WCPO remains steadfast in our commitment to reviewing any new evidence in this case that is presented to us by the police.” And all that Avery and her family and Steve Dolunt want is for the man responsible to be charged "I would like to see the prosecutor revisit the case," Dolunt said ""Victims need closure and Paige's dad just died and never had closure." "We will never have full-on real closure," Avery said "That's a very broad and extended word because no one ever gets closure but knowing that he is charged or whoever is responsible or however many people murder are charged that will bring more help in easing my mind at night." When my husband and I moved to Grosse Pointe in 2005 and after walking through every three-bedroom in our price range the choice came down to two virtually identical brick Colonials One was in Grosse Pointe Woods and the other in Grosse Pointe Park and a significant price difference compelled us to choose the Woods We’d be in the Grosse Pointe school district either way — that was our main concern But the Park had so many of the softer advantages I’d hoped for the Park went for Gore in 2000.” After 20 years in Indiana I missed living where Democrats reached critical mass maybe most of all I’ve come to think of the Park as a cautionary tale of a time when we will never stop fighting with one another when the red/blue template we’ve laid over everything from public health to foreign policy fully engulf every aspect of life Her neighbor put a KKK flag up. The police bought him curtains. as the only other contested races in all the other Pointes were a municipal judgeship and a musical-chairs council seat (four running for three) in the City of Grosse Pointe Campaign yard signs were sparse everywhere but the Park one could see this as a case of complacency in the other four cities and one could be right; the last mayor of the Woods served so long New blood is a good thing in local politics Or one could look at the last election in the Park, in 2021, which was so remarkable for its vitriol that I wrote a story about it for Deadline Detroit with conservatives threatening a new progressive majority and while two of the winning candidates this year might have a toe in that camp which seems to be to give development backed by wealthy donors everything it wants to residents and candidates and interested observers discussing infrastructure and public safety and economic development and transparency in public business but these aren’t red/blue issues.” Finally is what bothers me about what’s happening in the Park which I suspect will start making its way up the Lake St Even hyperlocal issues like parking and water mains and whether restaurants should go here or there will become death struggles rather than opportunities for compromise and consensus problem-solving All will be dropped into the great centrifuge whipping us to opposite sides to yell at one another Shawn Fain's UAW strategy wasn't nuts. It worked. until one member of the moderate/liberal minority — on a board split 4-3 — had his job transferred to Washington The majority had the job of appointing his replacement and reached for an obstreperous losing candidate from the last election I watched part of the candidate interviews One of the moderate minority board members asked the eventual appointee — Terence Collins whose success was assumed to be a foregone conclusion as he’d run on a slate with two of the eventual winners — about civility specifically his Facebook comment that used the term “government suckass.” He said he’d need to know the context So that’s where we are in our leafy green Eden in the same place a lot of Americans find themselves Simultaneously feeling we’re fighting for the future of democracy and so I sometimes think of the one that got away, that house in the Park. It had a beautifully redone basement family room with, no kidding, a working fireplace. I go into our plain old basement and think, man, that would have been nice. Then I remember that in 2021, it probably would have flooded during that terrible June storm and I could have found myself cleaning raw sewage out of it Nancy Derringer is a mostly retired journalist living in Grosse Pointe Woods. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.