Local Services

"He listened to me!"

Inside the family-first magic of Becky Kamp’s Wolf Pack Dog Training Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Jacob Sciacchitano I’ve never met someone whose love of dogs is as apparent—or as earnest—as Becky Kamp of Wolf Pack Dog Training. Before we even begin our official interview, Becky lets me know she’s fostering a six-week-old pit bull. “He’s learning from my beagles,” she says with a laugh. “So don’t be surprised if he howls.” Sure enough, ten minutes in, there it is in the...

Fitness

Art of Becoming

Romanelli’s Martial Arts helps kids discover who they already are Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Kevin Shea Before either brother tied a belt around their waist, Tony and Dean Romanelli were just two kids in love with Ninja Turtles and The Karate Kid. Tony remembers his first class as simply “fun—I just knew I wanted to come back.” Dean remembers the awe of watching intermediate students in their crisp uniforms and thinking, I want to be one of them. That quiet longing—to...

Arts + Culture

Stories on Every Corner

Little libraries. Big neighborhood charm. Article by Kimberly Janowicz | Photography by Kevin Roberts As a lifelong book lover—and your local publisher—there’s something magical about the Little Free Libraries scattered throughout Mount Clemens. Each one is a small but powerful symbol of community, creativity, and the joy of sharing stories. These delightful boxes, found in parks, front yards, and near schools, invite readers of all ages to “take a book, leave a book.” Some are simple and...

Life + Culture

Birdwatching Made Simple

Expert tips to make backyard birding a fascinating and peaceful part of your life. Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Pam Gors Thinking of putting up a bird feeder? You’re not alone. Backyard birding is the second most popular hobby in the U.S.—right behind gardening. Bob Gors of Wild Birds Unlimited in Macomb shares expert tips to help you get started—and get results.   Start with the Right Setup If you’re new to bird feeding, don’t overcomplicate it. Bob recommends starting with...

Life + Culture

History Beneath Our Feet

Historian Jeff Pollock regales us with fascinating tales of Mount Clemens that are hiding in plain sight Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by MCPL Digital Archives / Ancestry.com If you want to explore Mount Clemens, don’t start with a brochure. Start with Jeff Pollock. The former director of the Crocker House Museum and current Executive Director of Detroit History Tours and the Detroit History Club doesn’t lead your typical walking tour. He doesn’t just point at a landmark and recite...

Finance + Legal Services

The Honorable Thing, The Loving Thing

To HealthMarket's Sue Everett, life insurance is about making sure the people who love you aren’t lost without you Article by Marshall Zweig Earlier this year—fifteen years into her career—Sue Everett got the call no life insurance agent forgets. It was her first death benefit claim. “It was sobering,” Sue says. “I’ve spent years helping people plan for the unthinkable. But when it actually happens—when someone’s gone and the family’s left picking up the pieces—that’s when you see the real...

Home + Design

The Giving Trees

Chris Henninger reflects on trees, life lessons, and the roots of compassionate service Article by Marshall Zweig I ask Chris Henninger, owner of Live Oak Tree Service, why he chose to dedicate his life to trees. “Trees look ancient. You never know how they’re going to grow once you plant them. They're majestic.” For Chris, trees symbolize both unpredictability and grace, mirroring life itself. Chris’s relationship with trees began early: in summers, he worked alongside his father, who owned...

Health + Wellness

ASK to Heal

Profiling the remarkable therapists revolutionizing mental health healing at ASK Article by Marshall Zweig There’s a kind of knowing that lives in the voice of someone who’s sat with human pain—without trying to rush it away. That kind of knowing is what I heard in every conversation with the four women who make up ASK Psychological Services in Mount Clemens. Founded by Dr. Karen Groth, ASK is a fully women-run practice built around clinical precision and radical compassion. Alongside Karen...

Travel

A Visionary Mission

LaCroix Eye Care’s Dr. Ann LaCroix Fredal traveled thousands of miles to restore vision—and hope Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by LaCroix Eye Care There are moments in life when we’re forced to see—really see. Not just the obvious, not just the day-to-day, but something deeper. Something profound. For Dr. Ann LaCroix Fredal of LaCroix Eye Care, that moment came when she stepped off a van in the dead of night, 26 travel-weary hours from home, and saw hundreds of people—men, women...

Entertainment

Grace That Lifts Us

Inside the passion and purpose of artistic director Amber Michalik’s venerable Macomb Ballet Company Article by Marshall Zweig | Photography by Brian Weitzel Photography There’s something about ballet that feels otherworldly. The way dancers defy gravity, the way movement transforms into storytelling, the way—if you blink—you might miss the sheer strength behind the beauty.  Amber Michalik, artistic director of the Macomb Ballet Company and owner of Ann Parsley School of Dance, is the sheer...