By Carolyn Marnon – Sixteen year-old Antoine Perry, Jr. was in 29th District Court on December 28 for allegedly murdering a 19-year old outside HYPE Recreation Center on November 26, 2018. Antoine faced four charges: homicide-felony murder, armed robbery, and two charges of felony firearm.
Three Michigan State Police cars and three City of Wayne police cars were seen outside the courthouse while police officers filled the halls outside the courtroom.
The Honorable Judge Laura Mack presided over the court proceedings. She instructed those present that no pictures were to be taken of the defendant’s face or of any minor testifying before the court. She also made it clear that anyone who was testifying that day or who would testify in downtown Detroit was not allowed to view the proceedings.
The first witness was a 16-year old girl who said Antoine had been her boyfriend for a few months before the incident occurred. She said he had told her via Facetime that he was going to “jug” something. According to UrbanDictionary.com, “jug” means to steal.
Later that day, she and Antoine were hanging out in a garage with other friends where “we play music and conversate.” While they smoked weed, Antoine pulled a gun out and started playing with it. The witness said she told him he was trigger happy and that he needed to chill out.
Plans were made to get more weed. She said he told her he was going to take the weed from the weed guy.
The group pulled up behind HYPE where Antoine and another friend got out of the car. Antoine took her phone with him to text the weed guy. A bit later, the friend is running back to the car, shaking, saying “Twoin really blew that nigger” because he didn’t give him the weed. Antoine then shows up at the car, and she sees the gun. She testified they were all scared. Her sister, who was driving the car, takes off and then stops in front of Franklin Middle School. She said Antoine had dropped her phone and she wanted it back.
The second witness was in the HYPE parking lot, getting ready to work out. He said he noticed two African-American men standing by the corner and didn’t think anything of it. He went about gathering his workout gear and water bottle when his attention was then diverted back to the men. A car had pulled up to them. One went up to the driver’s side door and then he said the car took off at a high rate of speed with the person holding onto the door while it was being driven. The person tumbled from the car while firing several times at the vehicle driving away before running toward the corner of the building.
The final witness was Officer Michael Bolton of the Wayne Police Department. He says he received a report of a shooting. The victim was in the main lobby of HYPE bleeding from his stomach. Outside, he found three bullet shell casings and a phone about 3 inches away from the casings. Officer Bolton said the defendant walked up saying he was looking for his girlfriend’s cell phone. The defendant was detained at that time.
During testimony, sobs could be heard in the courtroom.
Judge Laura Mack said testimony showed probable cause. The defendant was placed at the scene of the crime with a gun. The witnesses were credible. The case was bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court.
On January 4 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in downtown Detroit, Antoine Perry stood mute as a plea of not guilty was entered by the court. The court ordered a competency evaluation. The competency hearing is scheduled for March 1.

By Carolyn Marnon – In her free-time, she likes doing triathlons where she swims, bikes and runs!
She has lived in Michigan all her life, except for a short period of time spent in Wisconsin.
She loves reading Young Adult novels and social science non-fiction books.
She was recently certified as a scuba diver and prefers warm water on her vacations.
And she lives in Northville with her yellow lab, Einstein.
Who is this woman? She is Jody Wolak, the new Library Director at your Wayne Public Library.
After a 10-year career in marketing, Jody decided to switch careers. While working full-time in marketing, she worked on obtaining her Master in Library Science. She enjoyed problem solving and being creative, but she also always loved libraries and literature.
Her first library jobs were both part-time jobs as Children’s Librarian at the Rochester Hills library and at the Wayne library. She moved on to full-time employment at the William P. Faust Public Library of Westland as the Teen Librarian.
Before coming back to the Wayne library as its director, Jody spent less than two years as the Youth and Teen Director at the Chelsea library.
The job as Wayne Library Director has turned out to be more than she expected. “I knew I loved working with children and loved reading and books since I was a young child,” said Jody. “I enjoy doing library programs for children to adults and seniors. I think my marketing background has been very helpful in promoting the library and our services and making connections in the community. I’m looking forward to doing more of that here in Wayne.”
She goes on to say, “Libraries are so much more than books and reading. We’re a place for the community to gather, a place to see your friends, and a place to expand your horizons!” Jody and the approximately 16 employees of the library are here to serve the needs of the community. The library recently conducted a survey to learn what the community felt the priorities were for the library after a ballot measure was passed in August giving the library 1 mil in additional funding. The most urgent issue to address is the leaking roof. Although expanded library hours, more programming and additions to the collection (books/DVDs/magazines) are being considered, the library board wanted to know where to focus their efforts and where the biggest impact could be made using the feedback they receive from the surveys to inform their decisions.
The library board meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Surveys were collected through January 3. The board will be able to look at the surveys at their January meeting. Jody expects the library board and staff will have their initial plans ready to share with the community in February or March. Until then, stop into the library and welcome Jody back to the Wayne library.
“We’re entering a period of growth where we’ll be able to expand our services,” said Jody. “Please come check us out if you haven’t been here in awhile.”

You are invited to help The Rotary Club of Wayne, in the ninth annual City of Wayne Spring Clean-Up Day in downtown Wayne on Saturday, April 27th. Photo by Stan Shelton

By Sarah Shurge – “If you care about your community, you’ll want to come out and make it more beautiful than it already is,” said Carol Bevard, President of the Rotary Club of Wayne.
The Rotary Club of Wayne is an organization of individuals who live or work in Wayne and contribute their time, talents, and treasure to improve the quality of life in Wayne and around the world.
In recognition of Earth Day, the Rotary Club of Wayne, will be sponsoring the ninth annual City of Wayne Spring Clean-Up Day in downtown Wayne on Saturday, April 27th.
“This is about the community coming together for a greater cause,” said Bevard.
Community members of all ages are invited to give a couple hours of their time into tidying up the City of Wayne after the winter season has passed. Volunteers will be picking up trash, raking leaves, and sweeping sidewalks.
If you’d like to volunteer, just show up. Everyone will meet at Goudy Park. Instructions will be given around 8:45 a.m. and teams/groups will be sent to their designated clean-up areas at 9 a.m.

Volunteers will hit the streets to help clean-up Downtown Wayne on Saturday, April 27th. Photo by Stan Shelton

The Friends of the Rouge will also be included in the clean-up with clearing log jams in the Rouge River.
Many community businesses, organizations, and churches will be participating.
The final numbers for the April 2023 clean-up showed that over 6,000 pounds of debris was collected.
The Rotary Club and the Wayne Historical Society are also having an Old Wayne Cemetery clean-up on Sunday, April 28th, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Volunteers will be cleaning up the leaves and tree branches that have fallen.
“The history of Wayne is in that cemetery,” said Bevard. “When you know the history, you learn a lot about your community through the cemetery.”
Andrew Noland from Silent Cities Restoration will be conducting a workshop on how to properly clean old gravestones.
“We’re paying respect to the generations before us,” said Bevard. “We don’t want to destroy any graves, so proper cleaning of gravestones is critical to preserve history.”
The City of Wayne owns the Old Wayne Cemetery, so the Rotary Club had to get permission from the city to clean the gravestones. The City of Wayne was on board.
The City of Wayne Department of Public Works (DPW) will provide trash bags and people to collect trash on the curb. The Rotary is providing a few trash grabbers, so please bring your own if you have one.
“It’s important for the community to get involved in trying to beautify the city,” said Bevard. “When people get involved it makes them care, and it creates a better environment for people to live in.”
Bevard has served in the Rotary since 2019 and has held the title of Rotary President since October 2021.
The Wayne Rotary is also hosting a Free Community Shredding Day on Saturday, May 11th, at HYPE Athletics. It is open to the public for disposal of confidential documents to prevent identity theft. There is a maximum of five boxes, and there is a camera on the truck so you can see your documents being shredded. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Rotary Club of Wayne would like to say “thank you” to the community for supporting their For the Love of Music Project which just ended in March.
The Rotary Club collected new and used instruments for the Wayne-Westland Community Schools, had the instruments refurbished, and gave them to the music department for distribution to the students.
The Rotary collected 109 instruments and spent $8,493 to refurbish them. Of those 109 instruments, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) donated five violins, two violas, and two cellos.
The Rotary would like to thank John Mills from the Wayne Historical Society for telling the Rotary about the DSO giveaway violin program.
The Rotary Club is looking for more people to join. They meet every Tuesday at Noon in the Thomas Kelly Room in the Wayne Public Library.
If you are interested or looking for more information about the Rotary Club of Wayne, visit waynerotary.com, find them on Facebook or Instagram at “waynerotary”, or contact them at waynerotary@gmail.com.

The earliest known death in what has become the City of Wayne happened in what was known as Johnson’s Tavern built in 1824. Stephen Gifford Simmons who purchased the tavern from George M. Johnson in 1825 with his wife Lavina, and two daughters moved to the frontier of the Territory of Michigan to operate the Johnson’s tavern. In one of his jealous and drunken rages in 1830, Stephen Gifford Simmons beat his wife, Lavina to death. He was captured by local authorities, brought to trial in Detroit, was found guilty of the charges, and was sentenced to death by hanging. On September 24, 1830 in Campus Martius the sentence was carried out. What you may not know is that Wayne’s own resident, Stephen Gifford Simmons was the last Michiganian to be sentenced to death under Michigan law. The specter created by his hanging in 1830 Detroit, was the catalyst which sparked the debate regarding the death penalty and resulted in Michigan becoming the first state in the country to ban capital punishment. With that background I begin the History of Wayne Cemeteries starting with:

Historic Glenwood Cemetery

Frontier graves
The practice across all American frontiers was that people were buried where they died. It is presumed that Lavina Simmons was buried near where she died. As noted in the book by David G. Chardavoyne, “A Hanging in Detroit – Stephen Gifford Simmons and the Last Execution under Michigan Law” The author states ” We do know, because of a claim against Stephen’s estate, that a local [Detroit] cabinet maker named William Durell charged the Simmons estate a total of thirty-six dollars ‘for making [a] coffin and taking the Boddy of the deceased to his farm for burial.” This account is recorded in the Wayne County Probate Case 440 (Account of Levi Cook). Presumably, upon arrival at Johnson’s Tavern, the Simmons heirs buried Stephen there, on the homestead, perhaps next to Levina or perhaps not; there is no evidence of where either of them are buried. If this was the case, Lavina and Stephen are buried somewhere between Second and Elizabeth Streets North of Michigan Avenue West. Given almost 200 years since their deaths and burials, I trust that no remains or the exact locations of their burials could be found today. This author likes to believe that the heirs chose the high ground on the western edge of their property to intern the remains of their parents. This leads us to the next burial practice:

Burial plots
Burial Plots are similar to Frontier Graves as they typically are resting places set aside on the owners property for family members who have passed. The Old Wayne Michigan Avenue Cemetery began as the family resting place for Ezra Derby’s first wife, Sarah who died in 1832. Derby selected the hill at the west end of his property just north of the Chicago road (Michigan Avenue), [perhaps it was chosen since Lavina and Stephen Simmons were already buried on this hill two years prior]. In fact, three of Ezra’s five wives are buried in the family burial plot. NOTE: Ezra Derby bought the Johnson’s Tavern from Stephen Gifford Simmons’ children. He constructed the first sawmill, frame house, store and blacksmith shop in Wayne. The Western half of the Old Wayne Michigan Avenue Cemetery was deeded to the Village of Wayne by the James Clark Family whose acreage was immediately to the west of the Derby property and whose burial plot was adjacent to the Derby Family Burial Ground. In 1918, the village closed burials with the last known burial happening in 1917.

You can visit the historic Glenwood Cemetery still today.

Churchyards
Churchyards became popular during the 17th through 20th Centuries and as their title suggests, they were typically next to the church and were near town centers. As villages grew, churchyards became land-locked, overcrowded and were considered to be health hazards by the late 19th Century. Given Wayne had the Michigan Avenue Cemetery, it wasn’t until after the Catholic church was established that a churchyard was also created, that being St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. The land for which was donated by Jeremiah O’Connor, the Irish immigrant who was instrumental in founding St Mary’s Parish. St. Mary’s is now closed to new burials, though living persons who own a plot can be buried in it when they pass. Like many cemeteries in towns, church graveyards became landlocked and are closed to new lots being purchased and used – they simply are full after decades of burials.

Rural Cemeteries – Municipal
(Township, Village, City) & Potter’s field
As referenced in the discussion about St. Mary’s Cemetery, by the later quarter of the 19th Century, as villages grew, they closed off land for burials within village limits. Again during the latter quarter of the 19th Century, the thoughts were that cemeteries posed health risks and were utilizing valuable urban land, so the municipalities created rural cemeteries away from the urban areas. Municipalities created ordinances forbidding the burial of people on village residential or commercial lots. To this end, the village of Wayne opened Glenwood Cemetery in 1871 out in the rural countryside far away from the populated city center at that time. These cemeteries were more “park like” in that the lots were well organized, with rolling terrain, planned vista’s and walkways, three dimensional statues, vaults ( McGee, Stellwagen-Collins, and King) and tombstones that were works of art. In fact, many families picnicked on the burial site of their beloved relatives who had passed on, they left flowers, pebbles or coins on the markers to show their love and affection for the departed.
While many cemeteries maintained a section for the poor, the Eloise Cemetery in Westland is a special municipal cemetery as it was entirely a Potter’s Field for poor deceased patients whose families could not afford to transport their loved one’s body home for burial, or those whose bodies were never claimed.
Other rural cemeteries were corporately owned.

Cemeteries – Corporate
Businessmen took notice that money could be made in death. “Funeral Homes removed the health fears of hosting the services for your deceased family member in your front parlor, to having the body displayed and services conducted in these “funeral homes”. Their hearses were some of the first ambulances. Corporations were formed to purchase land for cemeteries and they typically hired a local attorney as their “Agent” to promote and handle the sale of lots in their corporate “for profit” cemeteries. The Merriman Family Burial Grounds and much of their farm was purchased by a Chicago Group which opened Clairview Cemetery at Merriman Road and Michigan Avenue. In 1922 during the “Jim Crow” era when many cemeteries would not accept deceased black persons, a group of Detroit Pastors purchased Clairview and renamed the cemetery Westlawn, already being the owners of Eastlawn Cemetery in Detroit. Westlawn is no longer owned by the Detroit pastor group, but it remains a corporate cemetery to this day. A unique feature of Westlawn Cemetery is their Columbarium, a mausoleum hosting remains and cremains, in the southwest corner of the cemetery.
The City of Wayne is somewhat unique in that it has within it’s city limits six types of “Silent Cities” which tell the story of cemeteries and of it’s citizens from frontier wilderness, to village and city status. Please join the Wayne Historical Society on Sunday, October 6th from 1-3 p.m. at Westlawn Cemetery for the Wayne Historical Society’s 11th Annual Historic Cemetery Walk.
“The wealthiest place on the planet is just down the road. It is the cemetery. There lie buried companies that were never started, inventions that were never made, bestselling books that were never written, and masterpieces that were never painted. In the cemetery is buried the greatest treasure of untapped potential.”

Wayne City Clerk Tina Parnell with her grandson Mark.

By Sarah Shurge – On Tuesday, April 2nd, Wayne Mayor John Rhaesa signed an Autism Awareness Proclamation, on behalf of the City Council and the citizens of Wayne, to hereby proclaim the month of April 2024 as Autism Awareness Month in the City of Wayne and encourage all Wayne Citizens to look beyond autism and see someone special.
The Autism Awareness Proclamation, states the following:
Autism refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.
There is not just one type of autism, but many. Autism looks different for everyone, and each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. Some autistic people can speak, while others are nonverbal or minimally verbal and communicate in other ways. Some require significant support in their daily lives, while others need less support and, in some cases, live entirely independently.
On average, autism is diagnosed around age 5 in the US, with signs appearing by age 2 or 3. Among the most common co-occuring conditions are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures, and sleep disorders. Anybody can be autistic; however, research shows that boys get diagnosed with autism four times more often than girls.
Living with a person with Autism Spectrum Disorder affects the entire family. Meeting the complex needs of a person with autism can put families under a great deal of stress – emotional, financial, and sometimes even physical.
Autism is a lifelong condition and an autistic person’s needs, strengths, and challenges may change over time. As they transition through life stages, they may need different types of support and accommodations.

Mark

Early intervention and therapies can make a big difference in a person’s skills and outcome later in life.
Children and adults with autism need growth in community inclusion. It is important to remember that young children with autism grow into young adults with autism. The need for inclusion does not stop after high school – it is a lifetime goal for everyone.
The community can help by being supportive and bringing awareness to the challenges a person with autism and their family experience, making room in our hearts and suspending judgment for persons who may seem different. Because what makes you different, does not make you less. Together, we can work toward bringing hope to reality.
During the city council meeting on Tuesday, April 2nd, Wayne City Clerk Tina Parnell spoke about her own personal experience of autism within her family.
“I just want to say this subject is very dear to me as I have a grandson who is autistic,” said Parnell. “I, like a lot of people, knew nothing about autism. Was never around it, I just simply didn’t understand it.”
Parnell’s grandson, Mark, was diagnosed with autism in October 2023.
“His biggest challenge is that he’s nonverbal, and I know the biggest challenge to Andrea [Parnell’s daughter and Mark’s mom] and my son-in-law Jonathon is that they feel isolation quite often because it’s scary for them to take Mark out into the world where a lot of people just don’t understand what he’s going through or what he experiences,” said Parnell.
Parnell shared that Mark goes to therapy and is making improvements (with eye contact and saying a word ever so often).
“It’s not a negative thing. That’s the biggest thing about autism, it’s not negative,” said Andrea Carpenter, Mark’s mom.
So for the month of April, in honor of Autism Awareness Month in the City of Wayne, be sure to be kind, look beyond autism, and see someone special.

By Sarah Shurge – Mark your calendars and prepare your stomachs because restaurant week is returning to Wayne!
“We eat out at least once a week. Instead of taking your business outside of your community, just choose Wayne that week,” said Lisa Kubany, Wayne Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Marketing and Events Director.
Downtown Wayne Restaurant Week will be from Sunday, April 21st – Sunday, April 28th.
“We are bringing a unique opportunity to the city for local businesses to showcase their culinary experience, engage with the community, create new customers, and get their name out there to people outside the community that may not know about them,” said Kubany.
Businesses participating in restaurant week are encouraged to have a pre-fixed menu (consisting of specialty items at pre-fixed cost). Restaurants will have affordable options for lunch or dinners.
“It’s a great way to promote restaurants in Wayne,” said Kubany. “We’re a growing community with more than just typical fast-food restaurants. Some businesses have been here for more than 30 years.”
The following businesses are participating in restaurant week: The Avenue American Bistro (3632 Elizabeth), Billi’s Shawarma (35600 E. Michigan Ave), Brookie’s Cafe (35234 W. Michigan Ave), China Garden (35125 E. Michigan Ave), Jouli’s Coney Island (5006 S. Wayne Rd.), L. George’s Coney Island (34438 W. Michigan Ave), Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken (34250 W. Michigan Ave), My Place Restaurant (35454 W. Michigan Ave), Nick’s Coney Island (35425 E. Michigan Ave), Notre Dame Lounge (3144 S. Wayne Rd), Steve’s Coney Island (5727 S. Wayne Rd.), Taste the Smoke BBQ (35445 W. Michigan Ave), Tropical Smoothie Cafe (35131 E. Michigan Ave), US12 Bar and Grill (34824 W. Michigan Ave), Wingstop (35165 E. Michigan Ave), Karma Coffee and Kitchen (35634 W. Michigan Ave), Benders (34830 E. Michigan Ave), and Wayne Chicken and Fish (4429 S. Wayne Rd.)
“Thank you to the businesses, for having restaurants in Wayne, for the support and community outreach that is a constant and daily giveback,” said Kubany. “The City of Wayne is behind you.”
Downtown Wayne Restaurant Week has been including more participants each year, as Wayne has become more of a dining community.
“This lifts up businesses that build and bring people to our city,” said Kubany.
“They support you in events, now it’s time to support them. Lift them up and support them and be part of their success.”
Be watching Fox 2 News the week before April 21st for a commercial highlighting some of the restaurants in the City of Wayne.
There will also be a gift card contest.
“Support your local restaurants,” said Kubany. “Instead of taking your business somewhere else, make it a point to support a local business in your community that week.”

Welcome back to another Spotlight Series with Sarah!
If you’re new here, I’m shining a spotlight on hidden gems in the City of Wayne that I personally visit, experience, and review for my readers. I started this series to get to know the city more personally, while my readers can get to know me better in the process.
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I love animals. In a different life (where I’m better at math and science) I would have been a veterinarian. But my brain is better at words than numbers, so I became a writer and a pet parent.
I have a 6-year-old Great Dane named Ezekiel (or Zeke) and a 7-year-old bearded dragon named Stanley.
Zeke and Stanley love getting out of the house and going for adventures. I take them on walks, car rides, and trips to pet-friendly stores. One of my favorite places to take them is Goody’s Pet Supply.
Goody’s is my go-to place to get Stanley’s mealworms, hornworms, and new bulbs for both his basking and UV light. For Zeke, I always get his peanut butter filled bones, chicken feet, and biggest tug-of-war toy Goody’s has to offer.

Zeke gets his picture with the Easter Bunny at Goody’s Pet Supply.

Great Danes are short-haired dogs, and if you know anything about short-haired dogs, then you know they shed like no other. I’ve tried brushing him with many different styles of brushes or combs, but nothing has worked.
I noticed Goody’s offered a shedding blade dog brush (like the ones used for horses), and since I get “is that a dog or a horse?” or “where’s your saddle?” comments whenever I walk Zeke, it seemed fitting to try it out.
I purchased the shedding blade dog brush, and it has been an absolute game changer. The amount of hair that comes off Zeke when I use the shedding brush makes me wonder how he is not bald by now, but his coat is so much softer and smoother after being brushed and I’m sure he feels so much better as well.
Since the shedding blade brush worked so well with Ezekiel, I wanted my brother to get a brush for his cat too, since he [the cat] desperately needed a good brushing as well.
I noticed Goody’s didn’t offer a shedding blade cat brush, so I spoke with Tom Swim, Goody’s Pet Supply Manager, and he put in a special order for the cat brush. Within a few weeks, I received a phone call from Goody’s letting me know my order was ready and at the store waiting for me.
Goody’s is my go-to for my pets’ needs, but it has also been a go-to for my family for years as well.
In 2017, my mom bought me (for Stanley) an upgraded terrarium from Goody’s as a birthday gift. Stanley had outgrown the first terrarium I bought him, and since I was just getting out of college, I was struggling to afford to purchase the upgraded size terrarium he needed.
My mom found my dream terrarium at Goody’s (48L x 18W x 18H) enclosure with double sliding front doors and screen lids) and made payments on it until it was paid off. Swim put a “sold” note on the terrarium and allowed us to keep it in the store until it was completely paid for.
In 2018, when we brought Zeke home as a puppy, we knew we wanted to crate train him until he was older.
I fully understand that not everyone agrees with crates, however, when my mom was younger and had a Great Dane of her own, she once came home to everything in her apartment completely destroyed by a puppy she let free-roam the apartment, and I did not want to experience this same thing with Zeke.
When she offered to buy me a crate for Zeke, I did not object. She ordered the largest crate you could imagine from Goody’s but unfortunately, it didn’t arrive by the time we brought Zeke home.
Swim let us take home a smaller crate (at no cost to us) in the meantime until our larger one arrived, and then we simply returned the smaller one back to the store.
All of this aside, I think my favorite part about Goody’s is the pet photos they host for Christmas and Easter.

Stanley the bearded dragon and Zeke the Great Dane visiting Santa at Goody’s Pet Supply in Downtown Wayne.

In honor of Ezekiel’s first Christmas in 2018, I took him to Goody’s to get a photo with Santa, and I was hooked. The following year, I brought Zeke and my Chihuahua-Terrier named Bella, and my brother brought his cat, to get a group pet photo with Santa (before I had to make the heartbreaking decision to put Bella down due to health issues in January 2020.) A few years later, I decided to bring Stanley along since he deserved some photos as well.
“One of the most iconic moments was when Zeke showed up in costume and matched with the Easter Bunny,” said Swim. “You could swear you coordinated. It was just awesome, and that stands in my memory.”
Goody’s Pet Supply opened in Wayne in 1989 by the Goodlow family. Swim has been with Goody’s since November 2004, when the new ownership took over.
The pet photos have been a fundraiser that Goody’s hosts for Providing for Paws for the last 10-15 years.
Providing for Paws is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps rescue animals in need. Providing for Paws hopes to help curb the amount of homeless animal population by educating owners on the importance of spaying and neutering their pets, as well as proper pet care, such as vaccines, preventatives for flea and tick as well as heartworm.
Goody’s just hosted their annual pet Easter photos on Saturday, March 23rd.
The cost is $10 a photo and Dee Maggio Photography does an amazing job of capturing the perfect photo for every pet owner.
“We’re honored to have the opportunity to host and be a part of it,” said Swim. “All donations go to the rescue, we’re making meaningful memories, and we’ve seen lots of cool animals over the years like little pigs, a hedgehog, Stanley – your dragon, and even snakes.”
Goody’s Pet Supply and Providing for Paws will host another event in December for pet photos with Santa, but there are many reasons to check out Goody’s before then.
VIP Petcare stops by for pet vaccinations, there are girl scout cookie days, and you can check out great deals through their loyalty program.
“We host pretty much anything pet related, but there’s nothing really flashy about what we do,” said Swim. “Our mission is to serve the local community and anybody that is connected to the city. We’ll do whatever we can to serve the needs of our pet families.”
Swim was born and raised in Wayne, and genuinely loves working at Goody’s Pet Supply and serving the community.
“It’s really been a pleasure. Some people dread coming to work, and I’ve never really dreaded it,” said Swim. “Pets are the connections that I have with our customers. These are my people. They feel like family to me.”
To stay relevant and keep up with the needs of the city, Goody’s orders special items upon customer request (like the shedding blade cat brush for my brother).
“Our community informs us what their needs are. If you’re listening, you can meet their needs,” said Swim. “We’re family owned, and sometimes you don’t know what to carry, or it’s not everything everyone wants. When it’s possible, and when we have access to it, we’re happy to order it.”
Another staple of the Goody’s business model is employees carrying out heavy items for customers to their vehicles.
“If there’s anything 20 pounds or greater, we offer to carry it or insist on carrying it,” said Swim. “It’s our way of saying thank you and gives someone an extra hand. I feel weird when I don’t carry something out.”
Carrying items to customers’ cars also continues the conversation so they aren’t just standing at the counter, and other customers can be helped.
Conversation is an important part of Swim’s job.
“I’m always asking qualifying questions to see if there is an opportunity to help, to figure out what their pet-needs are,” said Swim. “Sometimes customers go looking for something and don’t even know what question to ask. They know their pet better than anyone, so questions help give me insight on the pet and clues on how I can help.”
As much as Swim is involved in helping the pet-needs within the community, he admits he couldn’t do this alone.
“It’s a team effort. My team is united in our mission with serving the community,” said Swim. “It takes a team, and really it takes a village to do what we do. Our customers are just as much a part of making decisions with the store as I do.”
Goody’s Pet Supply is located at 35340 E Michigan Ave, and is open 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday.
For more information about Goody’s Pet Supply, call (734)728-5300. You can find them on Facebook by searching “Goody’s Pet Supply”.
For more information about Providing for Paws, visit providingforpaws.org/, call (734)237-1812, or email info@providingforpaws.org.
If you liked this Spotlight Series with Sarah, be sure to check out Goody’s Pet Supply. If you didn’t like this series, check them out anyways, and be on the lookout for the next Spotlight Series with Sarah!

You can now schedule a bulk pick up online at cityofwayne.com.

By Sarah Shurge – Do you have large, bulky items that you need to dispose of but they don’t fit in your trash can and you aren’t sure how to schedule a pickup for them?
The City of Wayne and Priority Waste are proud to announce the launch of their new online form for scheduling bulk item pickups.
This service is essential for disposing of common household bulk items such as: mattresses, box springs, chairs, ottomans, couches, toilets, empty hot water tanks, etc.
This new online platform is designed to significantly enhance the city’s refuse collection services, while ensuring a more efficient and user-friendly experience for residents to request special pickups for bulk items.
The City of Wayne and Priority Waste made the process as straightforward as possible.
Special pickup requests must be submitted by 3pm at least three business days (excluding weekends and holidays) before the residents’ regular trash collection day.
It is crucial for all bulk items to be placed outside the night before the scheduled service day. Pickups will occur on regular trash collection days.
If scheduled within 48 hours before the regular trash pickup day, the pickup will be scheduled for the following week’s collection day.
The City of Wayne defines a bulk item as a large piece that cannot be accommodated by the trash cart.
Please note that certain items require specific preparatory actions by the resident for collection or are not acceptable for pickup. This includes appliances, which must have freon removed by a technician and be tagged, and doors removed for safety.
Hard pieces such as stone, brick, pavers, and concrete, large entertainment centers, mirrors/glass pieces, and tires are also subject to specific handling instructions or may not be collected at all.
The introduction of the online bulk item pickup form reflects the City of Wayne’s commitment to providing efficient and accessible waste management services to its residents and is part of its ongoing efforts to ensure a cleaner, safer environment for all community members.
For more information and to schedule your bulk item pickup, visit: cityofwayne.com.
To contact the City of Wayne Department of Public Works, call (734)721-8600 or email DPW@cityofwayne.com.

STEM Center Mice and Go.

Exciting things are happening in Wayne-Westland Community Schools (WWCS).
A WWCS collage concert will be held on Wednesday, April 20th at 6:30pm at Stockmeyer Auditorium (3001 Fourth St.)
There will be band, choir, and orchestra performances by: John Glenn High School, Wayne Memorial High School, Adams Middle School, Franklin Middle School, and Stevenson Middle School.
The concert is free to the public, so everyone is welcome.
WWCS is proud to have a state-of-the-art STEM Center, which offers immersive activities for elementary and middle school students.
“The STEM Center is a testament to the district’s commitment to advancing science, technology, engineering, and math education for our students,” said WWCS Superintendent John Dignan.
The STEM Center, located at John Glenn High School, presents lessons in a hands-on manner and encourages students’ curiosity, exploration, and innovation.
“This innovative facility will empower students to explore their creativity and critical thinking skills,” said Superintendent Dignan.
In addition to the labs available at the STEM Center and the availability of sending STEM kits to classroom teachers, John Glenn is one of the few high schools in Michigan that has a planetarium. The planetarium offers additional opportunities for students as they can explore the wonders of the universe.
“At the end of the K-12 experience, every child deserves access to a meaningful career. STEM education supports students through the awareness and exploration of potential futures by providing them with opportunities to self-assess their aptitudes and interests,” said JaCinda Sumara, Executive Director of Technology and Innovation.
The STEM Center continues to thrive as there are elementary students visiting every morning and most afternoons the STEM teachers are out in the schools presenting lessons.

STEM Center programming

In a move towards personalized education, Wayne-Westland Innovation Academy in Wayne has an innovative approach to high school learning.
Through a blend of traditional and non-traditional learning components, Wayne-Westland Innovation Academy empowers students to succeed academically and beyond. The academy offers virtual, in-person, and hybrid learning options to cater to diverse student needs.
The in-person learning experience offers a traditional classroom experience. This allows students to engage with teachers and peers directly. This learning format is highlighted by project-based learning and smaller classroom sizes.
The virtual learning program allows students to take their courses asynchronously (meaning the instructor and the students in the course all engage with the course content at different times and from different locations) so they can study when it best fits their schedule and at their own pace.
“We are excited to provide students with a transformative educational experience that meets their individual needs and preferences,” said WWCS Assistant Superintendent of Administration Scott Tocco.
Students that may have fallen behind in credits, can choose credit recovery opportunities that allow them to earn their high school diploma.
“Our commitment to innovation and flexibility ensures that every student can reach their full potential, regardless of their circumstances,” said Assistant Superintendent of Administration Tocco.
This program enables students to obtain their high school diploma even if they have encountered challenges along the way. The Wayne-Westland Innovation Academy is located at 5400 Fourth Street.

Lyla Lynn Cassel

Lyla Lynn Cassel, a bright spark in the lives of all who knew her, passed away on March 16, 2024, in Wayne, Michigan. Born on June 27, 2015, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Lyla’s infectious enthusiasm and joyous spirit were evident from the very beginning.
Lyla’s family was the cornerstone of her short but impactful life. She is survived by her mother, Chelsea Duperon, her father, Josh Cassel, her brother, Nathaniel Cassel, her grandparents, Terry and Jerry Cassel, Kendra and Tom Duperon, and her aunts, Brittany Duperon and Jessica Cassel, along with many playful cousins who will miss her dearly.
A student in the 3rd grade, Lyla approached her education with the same zest and curiosity that she did every other aspect of her life. Her teachers and classmates will remember her as a bright light in the classroom, always eager to learn and quick to lend a hand.
Lyla’s passions extended beyond the classroom to the gymnasium, the stage, and the community. An aspiring gymnast, she tumbled her way into the hearts of her coaches and teammates with her determination and grace. Her love for singing and dancing was evident to anyone who saw her perform, radiating a joy that could light up any room.

Above all, Lyla was a peacekeeper, a friend to all, and a helper at heart. Her innate ability to sense when others needed support and her willingness to offer it was a gift that made her a cherished member of her community.

Though her time with us was far too short, Lyla Lynn Cassel’s legacy will live on through the countless lives she touched with her kindness and the memories cherished by her family and friends. Her spirit, a beacon of love and compassion, will continue to inspire those who knew her to live with the same boundless energy and generous heart. Lyla’s life, though brief, was a testament to the profound impact one young soul can have on the world.

Addison Brown performs with the synchronized skating team.

By Sarah Shurge – Through years of blood, sweat, and hard work, Addison Brown went from learning how to skate at the Wayne Recreational Center when she was 4 years old, to representing Team USA while skating in France at 17 years old.
At the young age of four, Brown was taken to the Wayne Rec to try ice skating for the first time on a free skate day.
“I remember I didn’t want to get on the ice,” said Brown. “We left but then I realized I wanted to try.”
That same week she asked to go back and try it again.
“Then I didn’t want to get off the ice,” said Brown.
After that, Brown’s mother, Renee Brown signed her up for lessons to learn how to properly skate instead of just open skating. At 6 years old, Brown started skating on a team and doing ice shows.
Five years ago Brown started synchronized skating.
Synchronized skating (often called synchro), is where anywhere between 8-20 skaters perform together as a team. They move as a flowing unit over the ice at high speed, while performing elements and footwork.
Brown now belongs to the Wayne-Westland Figure Skating Club and is also on the Junior Hockettes Synchronized Figure Skating Team.
The Hockettes Synchronized Skating Team is the Nation’s first team.
It was created in 1956 when the team first performed during intermission at University of Michigan Hockey games and in the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club ice shows.
As people in the skating community saw the team perform, more teams came together and the sport of synchronized (precision) skating began.
“I used to prefer freestyle, but I like them [freestyle and synchronized] the same,” said Brown. “It depends on the day, but synchro will always have a big place in my heart.”
Brown has competed in countless competitions throughout the years, achieving titles such as Gold Medalist in the Preliminary – PreJuvenile Artistic Duet Championship, to Bronze Medalist in the PreJuvenile Plus Excel Championship, and many more.
As of January 2024, Brown is a Gold Tested Skater in Skating Skills, which is the highest level you can achieve.
Monday, February 26th, Brown received a letter confirming she had successfully passed the U.S. Figure Skating tests.
This season with the Junior Hockettes Synchronized Figure Skating Team, Brown has traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, California, qualified to represent Team USA at the French Cup in France, and then the U.S. Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Brown was in Rouen, France from Monday, January 29th through Sunday, February 4th.
“Representing Team USA was a big goal for me,” said Brown. “It’s my first year on this junior team, and I didn’t expect my first year to be as successful as it was. When I found out we made Team USA, it’s something everyone dreams of but I never thought in a million years I would represent it.”
The Junior Hockettes competed on Friday, February 2nd, and Saturday, February 3rd, at Centre sportif Guy-Boissière. They competed against teams from Canada, France, Finland, United Kingdom, Spain, and Australia.

(Above), Addison Brown shows off her Team USA sweatshirt.

“It was the best moment of my skating career,” said Brown. “It hit me on the ice in France, like ‘I’m really representing Team USA.’ It kinda felt like a dream. We were signing autographs and little kids would ask us to kiss papers.”
The Junior Hockettes placed fourth in the French Cup.
After returning home from France, Brown immediately had to prepare for the U.S. Championships.
Brown was in Vegas from Sunday, February 18th, through Sunday, February 25th. The Junior Hockettes competed on Wednesday, February 21st, and Thursday, February 22nd.
They placed eighth in the U.S. Championships.
Outside of traveling around the world skating, Brown is in her junior year of high school and has to maintain a skate-life balance.
A typical day for Brown after school looks like: 6 p.m. – arrive at skating practice. For one hour – off-ice work (lifts, questions, timing errors). For two and a half hours – on ice work (programs, run-throughs, drills, and training). For 15 minutes – team stretch. Some practices have ballet after ice. Around 10:30 p.m. – arrive home.
You might wonder when she has time for homework.
“For practice, I just stay up all night to do homework and study. I just ditch sleep,” said Brown. “For competitions, I have to tell teachers far in advance. Usually teachers are supportive. I get home from a competition and grind on homework for two days straight to catch up.”
Even with her demanding skating schedule, Brown keeps her education a priority.
“I try to be as smart as possible with my work, and make sure I get all my work done as early as I can,” said Brown. “Getting into college is a big goal. I want to do skating in college and then after college become a coach.”
Her hard work and actions don’t go unnoticed.

The synchronized skating team in France.

“As a parent, it’s so nice to see the hard work,” said Renee. “She sacrifices a lot of free time, time with friends, and sometimes school. She’s had to take so much time off this year and is still making everything work. I’m just proud of her that she can balance everything, and she doesn’t really complain.”
Brown skates about 20-30 hours a week.
Since skaters do testing during the summer, there is no off season. Skating is a year-round sport.
“It’s a very demanding sport,” said Brown. “It’s hard to be a skater, but at the end of the day, it’s worth it and it’s enjoyable because it’s what I love to do. Many times I wanted to quit, but I got past it because this is something I worked really hard for. You have to stay positive.”

Brown will be competing with her PCEP team in the High School Skating State Championships on Saturday, March 9th, and Sunday, March 10th – competing individually in the Excel Juvenile Freeskate championship and representing the PCEP Team during the B team Championship round.
“I wish people knew how much of an athlete you have to be to do this,” said Renee. “The Hockettes invented the sport in this state and very few people know about it. Once the Rec and the ice rink closed, no one knows it exists still, but it’s still out there and we should support it.”
This month, you have a chance to support Brown and her synchronized figure skating team locally.
You can watch the 2023-2024 Team USA Junior Hockettes perform both the Short and Freeskate Program for the last time for the season on Friday, March 15th, and Saturday, March 16th at the Melody on Ice Show at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.
“It’s not very often you get to see a Team USA member skating locally,” said Renee.
For more information about the Melody on Ice Show, visit annarborfsc.org/Schedules/MelodyOnIce.aspx.
Brown will also participate in the annual Wayne-Westland Figure Skating Club Ice Show at Mike Modano Arena on Friday, April 19th, through Sunday, April 21st.
For more information about the Wayne-Westland Figure Skating Club, visit: wwfsc.org
Brown’s private coach is Julie Marchand, who grew up in Wayne and was the Ice Director at the Wayne Recreational Center.
“I’m just reminding myself that it’s hard right now, but when I finish, I’ll feel good about myself. I’m getting used to it, and the more I do it, the more I learn to handle it,” said Brown. “It doesn’t come easy and it’s not given to you. You have to work hard for it.”
We congratulate Brown for representing Team USA and we wish her the best with her future skating endeavors!

Phoenix Theatres State Wayne Vice President of Operations Tearis Ried and owner Cory Jacobson kick-back and relax in the new seats. Photo by John Rhaesa

By Sarah Shurge – “You would have a hard time finding another business that has survived nearly 80 years. State Wayne is part of the landscape of Wayne and of Michigan Ave,” said Cory Jacobson, Phoenix Theatres State Wayne owner.
The State Wayne Theater has been serving Wayne since 1946. Phoenix Theatres has been at State Wayne since 2012, and Jacobson bought the theater in 2014 from the City of Wayne.
“We got our new recliners 10 years ago, and it really changed the face of Phoenix Theatres,” said Jacobson. “But kinda like an old shoe that you like but it’s worn and you need to buy new shoes, the chairs really needed to be replaced. Ten years have gone by and it was time for new furniture.”
Phoenix Theatres State Wayne now has all brand new heated recliners with new sherpa material that should not deteriorate like the previous chair material did. There is new carpet in the theater. The seats now have light up numbers to see in the dark, which is something new. And the hallways have been redressed.
“It’s a complete refresh of State Wayne,” said Jacobson.
With about 340 seats in State Wayne, the theater has undergone well over a $300,000 renovation project.
“Other businesses or theaters, they come and go. When you have something like State Wayne that has stood the test of time for nearly 80 years, that’s really important,” said Jacobson. “Our goal is to maintain the building with wonderful repairs, to hand it on to the next generation of people, better than it was when I got it in 2014.”
Last year, Jacobson had the entire marquee changed to LED lighting. The old framework remains, however, the faces and electronics are new.
“It was an enormous step in the right direction. Now the marquee looks clean and preserved,” said Jacobson.
Jacobson crunched the numbers and as of the end of December 2023, the new LED lighting for the marquee saved $4,914 in energy costs.
The old seats had been sat in (as of December 2023) 689,479 times.
“Seats are very important to maintain,” said Jacobson. “When people come in, they are getting the best experience they can get.”
State Wayne customers can enjoy Dolby Digital in the auditorium, with ticket prices that haven’t changed in quite some time.
“We have been able to maintain ticket prices at an affordable price,” said Jacobson. “Five dollars to go to the movies, and $8.75 at night. It brings people to Wayne from outside of the community, and we do well with Rocky Horror Show.”
The Michigan Rocky Horror Preservation Society (MiRHPS) Shadow Cast performs the Rocky Horror Picture Show twice a month (every second and fourth Saturday of the month) at the State Wayne.
The night is full of costumes, lights, confetti cannons, squirt guns, and more. Each show is unique and different from the last.
“The idea came in 2012, because we have a stage and the right atmosphere that goes with the show. It’s not something you go watch in a mall shopping center. It’s suited well for the movie theater. The marquee outside also makes it really cool,” said Jacobson.
As of December 2023, 17,621 tickets were sold for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. “We have enjoyed 12 years of wonderful support from Wayne, and we’re looking forward to the next decade,” said Jacobson. “Hopefully these improvements will have people come and check us out.”
Phoenix Theatres State Wayne is located at 35310 W Michigan Ave.
For more information about Phoenix Theatres State Wayne, visit phoenixmovies.net/theatres/classic-state-wayne/003 or call (734)326-4602. Tickets are available after downloading the mobile app, at phoenixmovies.net, or at the box office in the theater lobby.
If you’d like to learn more about the history of State Wayne or Walter Shafer’s journey to creating the State Wayne, visit phoenixmovies.net/history/state-wayne. Jacobson had a team spend much of 2016 (for State Wayne’s 70th anniversary) obtaining a collection of photographs and compiling the history of State Wayne from the past seven decades.
“If you have any photos or stories about the State Wayne that you’d like to share, stop on the website to submit,” said Jacobson. “There’s still more history to tell.”