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Here are some notable stories covered in 2007:

January:

l In a written opinion issued Jan. 19, United States District Judge Nancy Edmunds orders United National Insurance Company to pay the city $10.33 million. The settlement will reimburse the city for part of the $31 million out-of-court settlement the city entered into with Hillside Productions, owners and operators of the Freedom Hill Amphitheater. Hillside sued the city for interfering with its business operations, after complaints from nearby residents. Hillside alleged they also lost money when the city denied them a liquor license.

l The Macomb Auto Theft Squad, assisted by the Sterling Heights Police Department, executes search warrants Jan. 5 on two homes in the 14000 block of Maisano in Sterling Heights, netting property valued at more than $110,000. The warrants are authorized after information from a Help Eliminate Auto Theft tip, according to Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel. Police arrested Eric Morgan, 40, of Sterling Heights. The other home on Maisano that was raided belongs to the suspect’s mother, who goes to the southern United States during the winter months.

l A Sterling Heights man accused of criminal sexual conduct in two counties faces new charges, one day after a judge granted him bond. Donald Fitzpatrick, 61, is held without bond in Macomb County on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He also faces a second-degree charge in Oakland County. Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Rebecca Oster said she signed a warrant, charging Fitzpatrick with two more counts of first-degree CSC and one count of second-degree CSC. These charges stem from an incident involving a girl younger than 12 who lives in Fitzpatrick’s neighborhood.

February:

l Gjin Kolbucaj, 42, is found competent Feb. 5 to stand trial, in an order signed by 41-A District Judge Stephen Sierwaski. Kolbucaj is charged with the March 31, 2006, murder of his wife, Ljulja, at their condominium on the 13000 block of Bonnington. She was pronounced dead the scene and he was transported to the hospital for two self-inflicted gunshot wounds. He is being charged with premeditated first-degree murder, punishable by life; second-degree murder, punishable by life or any term of years; and felony firearm.

l A real estate agency with several offices in Macomb County is accused of housing discrimination in a federal lawsuit. Town and County-Sterling Heights, a franchise of Century 21, is accused of steering prospective white buyers to mostly white neighborhoods and black buyers to mostly black neighborhoods.

l Three men are arrested Feb. 22 in Sterling Heights after leading police on a car chase through the city. According to Sterling Heights Police Lt. Michael Reese, the chase began at about 7:20 a.m., after officers attempted to stop the car on Van Dyke near 18 Mile Road. After searching the area, police arrested one suspect, who was in possession of a stolen car stereo. The other two suspects, according to Reese, were arrested a short time later.

March:

l The trial of a woman who shot her estranged husband in Sterling Heights last September is scheduled to begin. Charna Elston is charged with assault with the intent to commit murder and felony firearms after shooting her husband, Eric Elston. According to police reports, Charna Elston hid in the garage of her estranged husband’s home, waited for him to return home and shot him in the neck before fleeing the scene. She was arrested a short time later.

l A 19-year-old Sterling Heights man has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a Macomb Township man. Sterling Heights Police Lt. Robert Henigan said police responded to the Golf View Apartments on March 18 in response to shots being fired. Michael David Pastorelli, 23, was found lying on the floor, dead from a gunshot wound. A shotgun was also found on the floor of the apartment. The shooting suspect, identified as 19-year-old Matthew Thomas Kuczmarski, was later arrested at a relative’s home in Sterling Heights. Witnesses told officers that Kuczmarski retrieved the shotgun from within the apartment, and that he and Pastorelli began to wrestle over the gun.

l A man pleads guilty in Macomb County Circuit Court to charges that he starved his German shepherd to death in a cage in his Sterling Heights apartment. Jason Kraft, 22, pleads guilty to one count each of animal torture and failure to bury an animal in the death of his dog, Fonzi.

April:

l The Chrysler Group announces it will invest $300 million in its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant paint shop, as part of a $1.78 billion investment in southeast Michigan. The project includes retooling that will improve the paint process in all key areas, including pretreatment, paint mixing and the spray booth environment. The investment, according to DaimlerChrysler spokesman David Elsoff, is the largest single corporate investment in Sterling Heights’ history. The plant, which is located on Van Dyke, north of 16 Mile Road, produces the Chrysler Sebring sedan and convertible, and the new Avenger.

l Carol Lingeman, who has worked at the SHPL for 22 years, retires as library director, a position she has held since 1991. With her husband retiring within a year, Lingeman says they plan to travel, and she will focus on volunteer work and the long-term piano lessons she hasn’t had time to take. Lingeman will be replaced by Tammy Turgeon, director of the Suburban Library Cooperative.

May:

l A 25-year old Sterling Heights man is killed the morning of May 19, after being involved in a car accident. The driver, according to witnesses, failed to yield and was hit broadside by a Dodge truck, driven by a 60-year-old Shelby Township resident, who was traveling southbound on Mound Road. When the SHPD responded to the scene, they found the front passenger, Michael Matthews II, trapped in the front passenger seat. Matthews died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident.

l A man who died while trying to rescue another man in Sterling Heights is recognized for his heroic act. Obed Petties Jr., of Detroit, is honored with a Carnegie Medal, from the Carnegie Hero Find Commission. Petties died July 20, 2006, trying to save Peter Mattic, 64, from drowning, after Mattic’s vehicle crashed into a retention pond.

l Cooperation is the theme of the 2007 Business Expo, sponsored by the Sterling Heights Area Chamber of Commerce. The event features display tables from local business like banks, catering companies and the event’s host, the Best Western Sterling Inn. The 63 companies in attendance are given the chance to spotlight the services they provide or products they sell to nearly 300 attendees.

June:

l Sterling Heights City Manager Mark Vanderpool will continue to serve the city for at least another year. The City Council approves an employment agreement between the city and Vanderpool. Vanderpool, who has served as city manager since July 1, 2004, will receive a raise of 2.75 percent, bringing his annual wages from $137,917 to $141,710. The raise, however, is lower than the increase that Michigan Association of Public Employees Executive Group members will receive. As in previous years, Vanderpool will receive payment, up to 240 hours a year, for compensatory time he works outside of normal business hours; use of a city-owned or leased vehicle; and 20 paid vacation days.

l Even though the new addition to the SHPD drools and would rather play then follow orders, the department isn’t worried. Sniper, a 3-month-old Dutch shepherd, is added to the roster of K-9 officers. Sniper will be handled by Walt Smith, who also works with Wargo, who has expertise in explosive detection. Smith said Sniper will work an 8-hour day shift and be used as a patrol dog for narcotics tracking. He expects him to be road ready in eight months.

l Balloon animals helped Chris Linn pay his way through college, jump-start his career and meet his wife, Brandy. A balloon animal poodle may help Linn, of Sterling Heights, break a Guinness world record. Linn, 31, films an attempt in a Rochester Hills cable studio to break the record for making the fastest behind-the-back balloon poodle - a title currently held by a man from Zilwaukee. Linn’s time is 5.94 seconds, beating the current record of 7.47 seconds.

July:

l An 18-month-old boy is found dead in a Sterling Heights home, where police find evidence of a methamphetamine lab. The parents, Andrew Young, 26, and Tina Boughner, 28, are charged with operating and maintaining a drug house in the presence of a child, and operating and maintaining a drug house near a school. The home, in the 42000 block of Betley, is adjacent to Ford II High School. The pair is arraigned in 41-A District Court and bond for both is set at $400,000 cash or surety only. Both of the charges are 20-year felonies.

l After six years of intensive investigation, the SHPD is able to take down a major drug operation that has roots within city limits. According to Sterling Heights Police Chief David Vinson, the SHPD, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Internal Revenue Service, conducted simultaneous raids at locations in Sterling Heights and the metro Detroit area. The drug trafficking organization, according to Vinson, was responsible for the smuggling and distribution of more than $10 million in high-grade marijuana, cocaine and Ecstasy over the last three years alone.

l Macomb County can claim a victory in its ongoing court battle with Hillside Productions, the company that operates concerts at Freedom Hill County Park. On June 14, U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland issues a decision that determines the county is entitled to keep a 25 percent share of parking revenues when Hillside collects money from sources other than collection at the park. The sources include those from “season ticket agreements, sponsorship agreements and ticket surcharges included in sales by third party service agencies such as Ticketmaster,” according to the decision.

August:

l Almost one year after it is adopted, the revitalization of northern Van Dyke in Sterling Heights is on schedule, with just a few minor modifications to the original plan. The city adopts the Corridor Improvement Authority to help with the redevelopment of Van Dyke, north of 18 1/2 Mile Road. A Corridor Improvement Authority, through tax increment financing, allows cities to plan, construct, renovate, repair, remodel, rehabilitate, restore, preserve and reconstruct buildings and facilities in a certain area of the city.

l One of Melissa Tarter’s hit singles is “Waiting For You to Happen.” But Melissa isn’t waiting for success to happen and for her dreams to come true; she is making them happen. Tarter, 17, is recording her own music, chasing her dreams and making a big impression on the independent music scene at www.indie-music.com

Her single, “Waiting for You to Happen,” is No. 3 on the all-genre chart and No. 1 on the R&B charts. Since its official release July 5, the single rose more than 2,000 spots to claim the No. 1 spot in only two weeks. The other single, “The New Me,” is No. 8 on the all-genre chart and No. 2 on the R&B chart. Tarter is also selected as one of the Web site’s “Featured Artists” for August.

l Improvements to the Lakeside Shopping District are one step closer to becoming a reality. The Sterling Heights City Council, during its Aug. 7 meeting, votes to “schedule a public hearing for the Oct. 2 regular City Council meeting to hear comments from the members of the public and those property owners affected by the proposed improvements to the Lakeside Shopping District.”

l A man accused of murdering his wife has been appointed a second public defender, despite objections from Macomb County prosecutors. Gjin Kolbucaj is charged with the March 31, 2006, murder of his wife, Ljulja, at their condominium in Sterling Heights. He is charged with premeditated first-degree murder, punishable by life in prison; second-degree murder; and felony firearm.

l An argument over 16 cents led to the murder of a 7-Eleven store clerk in Sterling Heights. The man accused of that murder is found guilty Aug. 21, almost one year to the date after the crime was committed. After seven hours of jury deliberations, Kenyatta Davis is found guilty of premeditated first-degree murder and felony firearm in the shooting death of Wajed Baig on Aug. 24, 2006.

According to police reports and court records, Davis and Baig argued over the price of a Taquito.

l Sterling Heights police arrest three men in connection with a murder-for-hire scheme. The intended victim was targeted, according to police, because he was currently married to the ex-wife of one of the suspects. According to police reports, Kevin Hill, 19, of Shelby Township, hid in the closet of a 38-year-old man who lived in the 35000 block of Monaco. The intended victim returned home from his job as a truck driver at approximately 3:40 a.m. on Aug. 17. As he opened his closet, Hill jumped out at him, grabbed him around the neck and placed a knife to his throat, stating he was going to kill him. The victim was able to disarm Hill and restrained him while his 38-year-old wife called police, who arrived on the scene at 5:20 a.m. Police later arrested Mario Reed, 23, of Clinton Township, without incident. Reed was waiting in a getaway car for Hill. After further investigation, police discovered that the third suspect, Zoran Vezirovic, 46, of Hamtramck, had hired Hill and Reed to kill his ex-wife.

September

l A Sterling Heights man accused of criminal sexual conduct in two counties is found guilty in one of the cases. Donald Fitzpatrick, 61, is found guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for assaulting the 7-year-old granddaughter of his girlfriend last September.

l A Sterling Heights couple accused of running a methamphetamine lab from their home will face murder charges in the death of their son. Andrew Young, 26, and Tina Boughner, 28, were arrested July 9 after Boughner called 9-1-1 to report that her 20-month-old son, Wyatt, was not breathing. After rescue attempts, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene.

l Hundreds attend the second annual Freedom Walk at Freedom Hill, sponsored by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 154, American Legion Post 4, Macomb County Fallen Heroes and the recently formed Veterans of Modern Warfare Chapter 4. More than 100 bikers met at the American Legion Post 4 in Mount Clemens to ride together to Freedom Hill in Sterling Heights in honor of Patriot Day, a day to honor the nearly 3,000 who died in the attacks of 2001, and the military and first-responders who have served and sacrificed since.

l Police arrest two suspected bank robbers after finding them covered with red dye that had exploded from a bag of stolen cash. Sterling Heights Lt. Michael Reese said Officer Al Golden was near the bank, located in the area of Ryan and 17 Mile roads, when he was told a bank employee had alerted police to the robbery.

l In 1971, John Childs joined the Sterling Heights Fire Department because, “It sounded like it was an action-orientated job and that’s what I was looking for.” During the past 36 years, he’s come through the ranks from firefighter to chief.

That long, successful career is expected to come to a close Oct. 26 when he retires. Childs said he’s looking forward to retiring at the age of 59. During retirement, he plans to travel with his wife and “try to be the best grandpa I can possibly be.”

l Set in the bright, spacious and newly opened Senior Active Life Center, the 10th annual Special Day for Seniors is well-attended and well-received. The center proves an adequate location for the expo as hundreds of seniors filter through it with ease. The event proves to be another feather in the cap of its sponsors, the Sterling Heights Area Chamber of Commerce, Senior Living News, and the Advisor and Source newspapers.

l For most officers, a foot chase does not last five days and cover an entire state, but five Macomb County officers are engaged in a different type of pursuit. Five members of the Fraternal Order of Police, including three Sterling Heights police officers, run from northern Michigan to Sterling Heights during the 5-day, 750-mile Law Enforcement Torch Run, an endurance relay that benefits the Special Olympics of Michigan.

l A Shelby Township man found guilty of killing a convenience store clerk over the price of Taquitos is sentenced to life. Kenyatta Davis, convicted in August of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Wajed Baig in August 2006, receives the mandatory life sentence from Circuit Judge Mary Chrzanowski. Davis is also sentenced to two years in prison for a count of felony firearms.

l Sterling Heights police arrest two men in connection with an attempted home invasion the morning of Sept. 21. Police respond to a home on Maas Drive shortly before 11 a.m., after receiving a call about a home invasion in process. Upon arrival, the officers spoke to the 87-year-old resident, who told them she heard her doorbell ring while she was in the kitchen. As she walked to answer the door, she heard noises coming from near the rear kitchen window. Upon returning to the kitchen, she saw an unknown white male entering the window with one foot in the kitchen sink.

l A Sterling Heights man charged in the shooting death of a friend is found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter Sept. 20 in a verdict that angers prosecutors and the victim’s family. Jurors find Matthew Kuczmarski guilty of reckless discharge of a firearm and one count of felony firearms after a 3-day trial in Macomb County Circuit Court. The first count is a misdemeanor charge and the second a felony. Each carries a sentence of two years in prison.

October

l Results from an independent audit for fiscal year 2006-07 show that Sterling Heights is in sound financial condition and has managed its finances very well.

Finance and Budget Director Brian Baker presents the audit to Mayor Richard Notte and the City Council on Oct. 16. Baker said independent auditors Plante and Moran once again issued the city an unqualified opinion as part of its audit process. An unqualified opinion is the highest rating possible. In addition, for the 19th consecutive year, the Government Finance Officers Association recognizes the city for its excellence in financial reporting.

l A 44-year-old male employee of a nail salon is accused of assaulting a 23-year-old woman during a free massage. Cuong Q. Ly is charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct, accused of improperly touching the woman during a back-room massage at Four Season Nails in Sterling Heights in October 2006. He also faces a fondling charge - fourth-degree CSC - at his Oct. 30 Macomb County Circuit Court trial.

l Calling the incident an accident, a circuit judge sentences a 20-year-old man to two years and seven months in prison for recklessly firing a shotgun that killed a 23-year-old friend. With seven months of jail credit, Matthew Kuczmarski will spend about two more years in prison for the March 18 shooting of Michael Pastorelli II in Kuczmarski’s apartment on 14 Mile Road, adjacent to Maple Lane Golf Club.

l A man personally presented by President Bush with the Purple Heart Award files a lawsuit against the U.S. Army, claiming his supervisors at the Army’s TACOM complex in Warren, where he worked after active military duty, discriminated against him because of his disability. James McKelvey, 35, claims his bosses got angry at him because he parked in a parking space reserved for the handicapped, although he has a state-issued handicap parking placard. The Sterling Heights man alleges that when he complained after his bosses refused his request for a touch-screen computer and gave him meaningless job duties, they told him to get a job elsewhere.

l A 62-year-old Sterling Heights man will serve at least 25 years in prison after losing his argument against a new law that requires such a sentence for molesting a 7-year-old girl. Donald Fitzpatrick receives a 25- to 40-year prison sentence under “Jessica’s Law,” a law that took effect in September 2006 to more harshly punish pedophiles. He is the first defendant in Macomb County and may be the first in the state to be sentenced under the law, part of which requires a 25-year mandatory penalty to an adult who sexually assaults a child younger than 13.

November

l The results of the Sterling Heights City Council and mayoral election indicate citizens are pleased with the way things have been going with their city. All six council incumbents were re-elected, as was Mayor Richard Notte. Deanna Koski tallies the most votes, with 8,736, followed closely by Joseph Romano, who garners 8,704. Richard Bracci receives 8,557 votes, Barbara Ziarko receives 8,378 votes, Maria Schmidt receives 8,249 and Yvonne Kniaz receives 7,050. Newcomer John Spica tallies 6,726 votes - not enough for a seat on the council.

Notte, who ran unopposed, garners 9,743 votes.

l A local World War II veteran and his family have a special Veterans Day this year as he is awarded the Army’s Bronze Star Medal at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren. Army Maj. Gen. Mike Lenaers, commander of the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, presents Carlo Vendetti of Sterling Heights with the Bronze Star Medal for his actions as a young Army sergeant in the South Pacific during World War II.

l Sterling Heights police search for the suspect responsible for an armed robbery the morning of Nov. 7, at a Mobil gas station on Metropolitan Parkway in Sterling Heights. According to the lone 29-year-old female employee who was working when the incident occurred at 7:30 a.m., the suspect approached her and asked for change. When the employee opened the cash register, the suspect produced a small, dark handgun and demanded all the money from the register. The victim complied and gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money.

l Two suspects remain at large following a robbery at Chase Bank in Sterling Heights, when one employee sustained a gunshot wound to the leg. At approximately 11:30 a.m. Nov. 14, two black male suspects wearing dark baseball hats and bandanas covering their faces robbed the bank, located at Schoenherr and 14 Mile roads. The suspects, both armed with handguns, ordered the 12 customers and employees to the floor. When the first suspect vaulted over the counter and demanded money from the female teller, he fired one shot at the victim’s leg.

l Ashley Wilk remembers how much it comforted her during her cancer checkups when she played with toys in the waiting room at Children’s Hospital, so when she noticed the toys were no longer available, she worked to change things. The 17-year-old Sterling Heights resident and high school senior started a toy drive at her school last December, then set up a collection site at the Sterling Heights Police Department. Because of her efforts, Wilk is honored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan with the Caring for Children Angel Award, given annually along with $1,000 toward the recipient’s cause, to acknowledge the good works done by individuals to enhance the lives of Michigan children.

l The city of Sterling Heights is one step closer to collecting money from an insurance company which failed to pay out claims from a $31 million settlement with Hillside Productions Inc., owners of the Freedom Hill Amphitheatre.

In a written opinion issued Oct. 24, U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds of the Eastern District of Michigan declares the city of Sterling Heights is entitled to partial summary judgment against United National Insurance Company. The judgment centered on several issues relating to the amount of damages the city may recover for its coverage claims from the March 2004 settlement. Although a final judgment has not been entered, city attorneys estimate it may total approximately $14 million, which would include interest from when the lawsuit was filed - on July 18, 2003 - until payment is received.

l A Sterling Heights man charged with the March 31, 2006, murder of his wife will be back in court for a hearing Dec. 7 to determine if statements he made to police are admissible in court. Gjin Kolbucaj, 42, has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder, second-degree murder and felony firearm possession in the death of his wife, Ljulja, at their condominium in Sterling Heights last year.

December

l An investigational treatment using magnetic energy has helped 23-year-old Nicole Johnson make strides along the road to independence and recovery after sustaining a closed-head injury more than six years ago. In 2001, an 86-year-old woman crashed her car into the Farmer Jack store where Johnson was working. Necessary surgery following the accident required part of Johnson’s brain to be removed. As a result, she encountered problems with her balance, had difficulty speaking and endured tremors. In March, Johnson could barely rise from her wheelchair with help. But that was before she visited Dr. Michael Opipari and his staff at the Advanced Magnetic Research Institute of Michigan, located on Schoenherr between Canal and 19 Mile roads in Sterling Heights.

l A husband and wife die when the vehicle they are in crashes during a snowstorm while traveling southbound on M-53, south of Hall Road on Dec. 1. Utica residents Dennis Young, 54, and his wife Bedelia, 57, die when the 2006 Ford truck Dennis Young was driving began to swerve and then lost control, hitting a guardrail before rolling onto its side in the median. Both victims had to be extracted from the vehicle from the Sterling Heights Fire Rescue and they were both pronounced dead at the scene. Police said alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash.

l An armed thief yells “This is a robbery,” during a holdup at an Arby’s restaurant in Sterling Heights on Dec. 3, striking an employee in the head before taking money from the register. Police respond to the robbery just after 9:30 p.m. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 30 years old, 6 feet tall and wearing black clothes.

l Sterling Heights is officially entitled to $14.6 million in damages from one of its insurance companies who failed to pay following the city’s 2004 lawsuit settlement with Hillside Productions, owners and operators of Freedom Hill Amphitheatre, according to a final judgment issued Dec. 3 by U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds of the Eastern District of Michigan. The decision results from United National Insurance Company’s breach of insurance policy after it refused to pay for the defense and indemnification of a series of lawsuits brought against the city by Hillside Productions.

l The pretrial of a Sterling Heights man charged with the March 2006 murder of his wife has been delayed until Dec. 19, following a postponement Dec. 7 due to the funeral of a judge. Gjin Kolbucaj, 42, has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder, second-degree murder and felony firearm possession in the death of his wife, Ljulja, at their condominium in Sterling Heights last year.

Before the pretrial, a walker hearing will take place to determine if statements he made to police are admissible in court.

l All the individuals believed to be involved in a slew of bank robberies committed by the “AK-47 Bandits” have been identified and federal arrest warrants have been issued for them, according to Detroit FBI Special Agent in Charge Andrew Arena. The bandits are thought to be responsible for nine bank robberies in Michigan and one in Ohio since March 16, 2006, where they used AK-47s. During their most recent believed heist, a teller was shot in the leg when two of the suspects robbed the Chase Bank located on Schoenherr at 14 Mile Road in Sterling Heights on Nov. 14. Warrants have been issued for the five Detroit residents who are believed to be part of the “AK-47 Bandits.” They are Andre Jones, Sparkle Eldridge, Jawan Martin, Terez Deon Rivers and Frederick Samuel Humes Jr.

l To the relief of area officials and law enforcement personnel, arrangements have been made to keep the state crime lab in Sterling Heights open despite earlier announcements declaring it’s closure due to lack of funding in the 2008 budget. According to Michigan State Rep. George Cushingberry (D-Detroit), the Michigan House of Representatives reach a bipartisan agreement with Gov. Jennifer Granholm to include $2 million in a supplemental bill that will fund two Michigan State Police crime laboratories located in Sterling Heights and Marquette.

l If a bill recently passed by the Michigan House of Representatives makes it into law, paid career firefighters who get cancer could have their cancer-related health bills paid from worker’s compensation funds. HB 4401, which passed Dec. 12, creates a presumption that cancer for full-time firefighters is work-related and covered under worker’s compensation if they have not smoked for five years before making a claim.

l The Sterling Heights City Council votes to bring back a rezoning item that was recently denied regarding a commercial development plan that had originally touted a Taco Bell and other businesses at the site on Mound Road. During an early December council meeting, residents voice their concerns over the perceived effects of having a fast-food restaurant at that location, including excessive noise, increased traffic, debris, intrusion of personal property and the possibility of pedestrian injuries due to the lack of a crosswalk leading to the complex. Even though Poplar Properties LLC, took a proposed Taco Bell location out of the mix, the City Council voted not to allow the land to be rezoned from residential to commercial. However, a motion was later brought before the council to put the item back on the agenda, as a result of council members obtaining further input from affected residents who admitted they would reconsider the development without having the fast-food restaurant included. The motion passed and should be on the agenda Jan. 16, once residents living near the proposed development are informed of the decision.

l The average homeowner in Sterling Heights could pay an additional $9.60 for their water bill next year if the city passes along the same rate increase proposed by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, according to Sterling Heights Department of Public Works Director Guy Kebbe. An increase of 5.3 percent is proposed by the DWSD for customers in Sterling Heights, which is less than the average suburban increase of 8.5 percent. With an average family of four in Sterling Heights using approximately 15,000 cubic feet of water a year, the proposed rate hike from $12.05 to $12.69 would cost the average homeowner an additional $2.43 every three months on their water bill, or 2.5 cents a day. Kebbe said the city must first review its budget before declaring what the water rate will be for its customers in 2008-09.

l A man brandishing a knife demands money from a clerk at a Sterling Heights convenience store early in the morning on Dec. 12, and a shopper who left the store moments before the robbery occurred may have witnessed the thief. At 1:06 a.m., the suspect approached the counter of the 7-Eleven, located on 15 Mile Road at Dodge Park, produced a knife and ordered the clerk to give him money from the cash register. After the victim complied, the suspect was seen fleeing the store in a blue or purple 2000-02 Pontiac Vibe. Police would like the customer who was in the store at the time purchasing Pabst Blue Ribbon beer at 1:06 a.m., to come forward. The customer was a middle-aged, white male and was driving a white Dodge Ram van. The suspect is described as a 17- to 22-year-old white male, 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 with a thin build, weighing approximately 150-170 pounds, with brown hair and a slight moustache. He was wearing rectangular-framed wire glasses and a gray hoodie.