Shelby-Utica News | Published August 9, 2023
Shelby Township Art Fair to return this weekend
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Shelby Township will be hosting the Shelby Township Art Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 12 and 13. There will be free entry and parking at River Bends Park at 5700 22 Mile Road. Visitors can also use a free shuttle service from the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center at 4101 River Bends Drive.
The Shelby Township Art Fair will feature fine artists in a juried competition. The marketplace will be home to exhibitors with fine arts, arts and crafts, homemade goods and food. There will be a kids zone — with a $2-per-child entry fee — that will include a rock wall, face painting, an “Accelerator Slide” and “Adrenaline Rush.” A free kids area will have a bounce house.
The fair also will have live music, food vendors, a meet-and-greet with public safety personnel, and the attractions available at River Bends Park, including the nature center and its animals.
The annual Better Pie Baking Contest will take place Aug. 12. For contest rules, visit shelbytwp.org/summer.
The Art Fair Kickoff Concert will take place at 7 p.m. Aug. 9 at River Bends Park and feature Soundstation giving a classic rock performance. The Shelby Township Art Fair 5K Run at the park will take place at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 10. It costs $35 and runners can register at eastsideracingcompany.com.
For more information, visit shelbyartfair.org or facebook.com/shelbytwpparksandrec, or call the Shelby Township Parks, Recreation and Maintenance Department on weekdays at (586) 731-0300.
Shelby commissioner leads Macomb Orchard Trail Commission
MACOMB COUNTY — Macomb County Commissioner Sylvia Grot, who represents Shelby Township and the city of Utica on the county Board of Commissioners, was unanimously appointed to the Macomb Orchard Trail Commission, according to a July 26 press release. The board’s vote was 13-0 for the county executive’s recommendation of her appointment.
At the Aug. 1 meeting of the Macomb Orchard Trail Commission, Grot was elected to serve as the chair of the Macomb Orchard Trail Commission.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Commission for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading the Macomb Orchard Trail Commission,” Grot said in a press release.
Find more information about the Macomb Orchard Trail Commission at macombgov.org.
Shelby Township Police Department has several bilingual officers
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Recently on its crimewatch.net page, the Shelby Township Police Department shared that it has nine police officers who are either bilingual or multilingual. According to the post, among the officers, the languages they can speak include Chinese, Italian, Macedonian, Serbian, Bosnian, Chaldean, Albanian, Croatian, Spanish and Romanian.
Sparkle Network offers affordable prom dresses
METRO DETROIT — Sparkle Network’s Dress into a Dream Homecoming Dress Sale program will come to several local locations in upcoming weeks.
• Marlaina Photo Studio in Shelby Township Aug. 25.
• American House East 1 in Roseville Aug 26.
• Front Door Housekeeping in Utica Aug 27.
• Meadowbrook Center for Learning Differences in Rochester Sept. 1.
• T-Tech Solutions in Troy Sept 2.
The dress sale program allows high school students to try on dresses for the homecoming dance and other events. The dresses are sold for $10 each. Dresses are available in all sizes and lengths. Some of the dresses are donated, while others are brand new.
Applications to set up an appointment are available at the Sparkle Network website at sparklenetwork.org. All proceeds will replenish attire for the Prom Closet Project Tour 2024.
OK2SAY shows increase in reports
METRO DETROIT — On July 25, the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released an annual report that showed Michigan State Police logged more than 7,400 tips from OK2SAY in 2022, which was a 19% increase from the previous year.
OK2SAY is a student safety program which allows anyone to confidentially report tips on criminal activities or potential harm directed at Michigan students, school employees or schools. Tips can include reports on bullying, individual threats to a specific person, drugs and alcohol use, harassment and depression.
OK2SAY is available 24/7 and tips can be submitted by calling (855) 565-2729 or texting to 652729, which stands for OK2SAY. Tipsters also can send an email to OK2SAY@mi.gov or at the website michigan.gov/ok2say. The OK2SAY mobile app is available for download in app stores for iPhone and Android.
Initial tips are fielded by Michigan State Police OK2SAY technicians. They are trained to receive, analyze and disseminate tip information to local law enforcement agencies, school officials, community mental health service programs, or the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for a timely response.
The state’s fiscal year 2024 budget includes an additional $378,000 to support the hiring of three more OK2SAY technicians to respond to the increasing number of tips.