Stories on the tragic death of a teenage student, crime and public safety, and business news for Oakland County had a strong draw for readers of The Oakland Press in 2024.
Another top story this past year was The Oakland Press’ coverage of a 1980s-established “boy band” continuing to pull in crowds on their nationwide tour — including performances in Oakland County.
As 2024 wraps up, here’s a look back at some of The Oakland Press’ online attention-grabbers from the past 12 months:
Lake Orion student dies at national robotics competition
The student died on April 19 in Houston where he had traveled for the 2024 FIRST Championship Robotics competition. He was reportedly a member of FIRST Team 302.
In a letter to parents, then-Lake Orion Schools Community Superintendent Ben Kirby stated, in part: “Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to their family and friends. We are saddened by the loss to our school community and will make every effort to support our high school students through this tragedy.”
New Kids on the Block are still hangin’ tough after nearly four decades
In a telephone interview while taking a break from rehearsal for its Magic Summer Tour, New Kids on the Block’s Jordan Knight spoke about aging and still “be(ing) like kids” while performing on stage.
Knight and the other NKOTB members —Jonathan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McEntire and Danny Wood — are now in their 50s and have branched out into other ventures, but released its first new album in 11 years, “Still Kids,” last spring.
The group’s 2024 tour included a June performance at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Independence Township.
Victim of savage beating at gas station dies, murder charge sought
This piece from 2021 resurfaced this year as one of The Oakland Press’ most-read online stories.
Blake Louis Sanders was beaten unconscious and suffered brain trauma in August 2021 at a Sunoco gas station in Pontiac, then died several weeks later in hospice care. Rashaan Denee Redmond was initially charged with assault with intent to murder, but homicide charges were sought after Sanders died. He subsequently pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and is serving a 20-50 year prison sentence.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, surveillance video showed Redmond offering Sanders, who was homeless, a dollar to put air in his tire. As Sanders was hunched over by the right front tire, Redmond became agitated and sucker punched him in the head, knocking him to the ground. The brutal attack then continued for another minute or so, and included kicking and stomping Sanders in the head and face multiple times, rendering him unconscious. Redmond also slapped and spit on Sanders.
Recent court filings indicate Redmond claims there’s “newly discovered evidence” and he may be seeking a trial which he had declined earlier with his no contest plea.
New Chick-fil-A destined for Oakland County
Readers showed quite an interest in the news that a Chick-fil-A restaurant plan was approved by city leaders, to be located in Auburn Hills on Squirrel Road across from Oakland University.
A Macaroni Grill restaurant sat on the site for 20 years, but closed down and was subsequently demolished.
Months ago, Auburn Hills City Manager Tom Tanghe said “some start-up issues” were anticipated because of the high volume of traffic in the area. The traffic is expected to eventually “normalize” and will help the restaurant succeed, he said.
The new Chick-fil-A has a tentative opening date of March 13.
Rochester Hills grocery may be replaced
Another business-related story that drew in readers: The possibility that the popular Hollywood Market in Rochester Hills could soon be closing and another grocer would be moving in.
Hollywood Markets has operated in Oakland County since 1950. Its Rochester Hills store opened in 2007 at 1495 N. Rochester Rd. Its lease expires in January. Meijer is adding a store there including a drive-thru pharmacy.
Thom Welch, Hollywood Markets president, said he was disappointed to learn last December that the lease wouldn’t be renewed. The store’s 50 employees were notified of it this past January and that they’d have the option of working at the company’s other stores.
A Hollywood Markets spokesperson recently said the store will stay open though mid-January 2025 as assets are liquidated.
Meet the 2023-2024 top scholars for Oakland County
This story lists the county’s exemplary students for the 2023-2024 academic year, as reported by more than two dozen schools, both public and private. Not all Oakland County schools participated in The Oakland Press’ request for names and information on their top scholars.
The compilation lists more than 200 students along with their grade point averages and other achievements, as well as extracurricular activities and college plans.
Man who killed mom while a teenager learns sentence, claims jury got it wrong
This 2022 story on the sentencing for a Farmington Hills teen who murdered his mother had a resurgence in popularity this past September.
Readers may have sought out the story this year after Dateline NBC’s premier of “The Shadow in the Window,” which explored the 2017 slaying of Nada Huranieh by her son, Muhammad Altantawi.
Altantawi’s sentencing hearing in Oakland County Circuit Court stretched nearly four hours and included his claims that he was wrongfully convicted. Altantawi’s sister also spoke out at the hearing about the heartache and trauma she’s struggled with after her mother was slain. Altantawi’s father also had a victim impact statement to present, but early into it was cut off by the judge after she determined he was using the opportunity to speak highly of his son.
Muhammad Altantawi was 16 when he killed his mother and staged a scene with a ladder, Tilex, and other items to make it appear that she had fallen from the window while cleaning. Investigators determined she died from asphyxiation. She also had a blunt force injury to her head. Altantawi is serving a prison sentence of 35-60 years.
Missing Independence Township woman found dead
The search for an Independence Township woman missing for two days ended when her body was found in Waterford Oaks County Park
The family of Lacie Nicole Santia had reported her missing on April 27 and expressed concern about her emotional health, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. Soon after she was found, Sheriff Mike Bouchard said there appeared to be no foul play.
Santia’s car was located, unoccupied, in Waterford Oaks’ parking lot with its keys in the ignition. Searches were conducted by the sheriff’s drone unit, search and rescue team, K-9 unit and aviation unit, as well as Waterford Township police, U.S. Border Patrol and the metroparks search and rescue team.
Sheetz eyes Rochester Road site
The announcement that Sheetz was planning to grow its company with a location in Rochester Hills was another major draw for Oakland Press readers.
Sheetz, family-owned and family-operated, has more than 700 gas station/convenience stores scattered across Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland. The stores, open 24 hours, seven days a week, offer indoor and outdoor dining, drive-thrus, groceries and made-to-order food.
Not long after the Rochester Hills proposal was made known, Sheetz withdrew its request for a zoning board of appeals public hearing to move forward with the project. Some Rochester Hills residents had complained on social media that Sheetz’s proposed location, on three lots at the corner of Rochester Road and South Boulevard, already had too much traffic.
Prosecutor: ‘Horrific’ abuse: Murder, other charges filed against Madison Heights couple for young child’s death
A Madison Heights couple is accused of severely abusing a 6-year-old boy — including beating him repeatedly and stapling him to a wall — leading to his death on July 31.
The child’s mother, Elaina Rose Jennings, and Daniel John Giacchina are charged with murder, first-degree child abuse and lying to a police officer for the slaying of Giovanni “Chulo” Jennings. Both are also charged with lying to a police officer, and Giacchina faces additional charges of felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to officials, Jennings called 911 shortly after 2:30 p.m. on July 30 to report that her child wasn’t breathing. Madison Heights police officers and a crew from the fire department responded to the home and found the little boy unresponsive with multiple injuries. He was transported to Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital and subsequently transferred to Children’s Hospital where he died the next day.
Oakland County city attempts to dump Priority
Sylvan Lake city council members ditched trash hauler Priority Waste in September and tentatively approved a 5-year, no-bid, $1.4 million contract with another company, Standard Waste. That story drew a notable amount of attention.
Since then, however, Sylvan Lake entered into another contract with Priority Waste, a renegotiated plan that includes fall leaf collection.
Sylvan Lake is one of 72 communities where service switched on July 1 to Priority Waste from GFL Priority’s acquisition of GFL’s contracts and 700,000 new customers included a significant number of vehicles in various states of disrepair, and reportedly led to weeks of poor service.
New athletic facility planned in Rochester Hills
The Rochester Hills city council voted unanimously in September to allow expansion of a shopping center next to the Meijer store on Marketplace Circle Drive near South Adams Road.
The development is expected to include a 21,058 square foot athletic facility, a 15,400-square-foot light industrial building, a 2,000 square-foot drive through facility, and a 3,600-square-foot retail shop. The athletic facility is to have a fieldhouse-style design and be used primarily for volleyball but could include other sports, according to the plan.
Bingham Farms-based Greadier Properties is the developer approved for the project on a 6-acre parcel. The parcel was the subject of a 2003 court case between developer Grand/Sakwa Acquisitions and the city which resulted in a consent judgment.
Driver crushed in White Lake collision remains hospitalized; GoFundMe accepting donations
A Highland Township man nearly lost his life in late August after being crushed by a large pickup truck on M-59.
Sawyer Pierce suffered a severe head injury, multiple broken bones and other injuries. A close family friend said that it was a miracle that Pierce survived.
The crash happened when a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 44-year-old Milford Township resident crossed the centerline of M-59 near Pontiac Lake Road and collided head-on with Pierce, who was driving a Buick LaCrosse, according to the White Lake Police Department.
A close family friend of the Pierces recently told The Oakland Press that Sawyer Pierce continues to recover. No word yet on results of toxicology reports or any charges for the Silverado driver.
Nine injured at splash pad in ‘random’ shooting, two critically; suspect dead at Shelby Twp. home
A shooting at the Brooklands splash pad in Rochester Hills in June left nine people injured. The suspect, a 42-year-old man later identified as William Michael Nash, died that day from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a home in Shelby Township where he had lived with his mother.
According to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, the two people with the worst injuries were an 8-year-old boy shot in the head and his 39-year-old mother, shot in the abdomen and leg. The woman’s other child, a 4-year-old boy, was also among the victims, shot in the thigh.
‘It was an ambush:’ Sheriff details shooting death of deputy tracking stolen car
An Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy tracking a stolen car was shot to death in June after three suspects abruptly stopped, exited the vehicle and opened fire, according to officials.
Killed was Bradley J. Reckling, a nine-year veteran of the sheriff’s office. He was struck by gunfire multiple times in the head and torso, the sheriff’s office said. Reckling, 31, was the married father of three young children with a fourth child on the way.
Reckling and two other Oakland County sheriff’s investigators, in separate vehicles, had been searching for the stolen car and located it in Detroit where the shooting happened. Sheriff Mike Bouchard called it an “ambush.”
Three teens are facing charges in connection with the homicide: Ramone Debose, Marquis Goins and Karim Moore. Debose is the suspected shooter.