Hello and welcome to the August edition of the Focus Macomb newsletter!

I'd like to start off by congratulating winner Trey McKinney and all the other participating anglers in this month's Bassmaster Elite Series fishing tournamentheld in conjunction with the Cheers to Chesterfield festival at Brandenburg Park. Those of us in metro Detroit are well aware of the vast resources offered by Lake St. Clair and how it acts as one of the busiest freshwater fisheries in the world. It was an honor to have those from out-of-state experience the heart of the Great Lakes for themselves!

August was also National Dog Month and the Macomb County Animal Control shelter is taking care of many animals - especially dogs - who have gone missing from their homes. If you or someone you know has lost a pet, visit the Animal Control websitefor a list of missing animals in Michigan and follow them on social mediafor updates.

In addition, August marked National Wellness Month, and Macomb County Community Mental Health teamed up with the Macomb Intermediate School District (MISD) to host the Health & Wellness Fair. The event focused on both mental and physical wellness and ended up a great success. Thank you to everyone involved in making it happen.. Earlier this month, our Human Resources Healthstyles team also hosted a Health Fair for county employees. The event was well received, offering plenty of resources and a wonderful opportunity for employees to connect and learn.

I also attended National Night Outon August 5, which boasted great attendance and community support for the Macomb County Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement organizations. Our law enforcement works tirelessly day and night to help keep our community a safe place to live, work and play - so it was especially refreshing to treat the sheriff's office and other Macomb County staff to an impromptu basketball tournament in the Macomb County Jail rec yard. With demolition at Maximum Security and D-Block underway starting this week, it was our last chance to utilize the court. To learn more about the construction for the new central intake and assessment center (CIAC), visit our 'More than a jail' website.

And just this past weekend, the Romeo Peach Festivalonce again kicked off the unofficial start of fall here in Macomb County. As Michigan's second-oldest festival, it continues to bring together families, neighbors and visitors to celebrate community pride, local traditions and of course, peaches! The festival is a reminder of why Macomb County is such a special place to live.

Finally, I want to highlight that Senior Fun Fest, Macomb County's largest senior expo, is returning this year on Thursday, September 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lorenzo Cultural Center. This is the perfect opportunity for older adults and caregivers to learn more about resources and services in the community. Hope to see you there!

For more events, take a look at our upcoming events listbelow or visit the Make Macomb Your Home EventsFacebook page.

Thank you and take care,

Mark Hackel

The Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP), in collaboration with the county executives of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties and Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), has launched the Detroit Regional Defense Coalition (DRDC) to unite and strengthen the region's defense and aerospace, industries.

The coalition will work alongside the State of Michigan, local companies, the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and other federal agencies to attract new investments, create jobs, and expand opportunities across the tri-county region. The Detroit Region's defense industry already demonstrates impressive impact that highlights opportunities for future growth, including:

• Hosting two of the nation's most critical defense assets: the Detroit Arsenal and Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

• Securing $4.63 billion in Department of Defense contracts in 2023 across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties and the City of Detroit, representing 75% of the state's total contracts.

• Employing more than 7,000 workers through 360+ defense contractors in the region.

• Supporting over 11,000 residents, who earned more than $1.73 billion in Department of Defense compensation in 2024.

"Southeast Michigan has the talent, infrastructure and innovation to be the Defense Capital of the Midwest," said Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel in a joint statement. "By aligning our engineering expertise, advanced manufacturing capabilities and strong network of suppliers, we can grow high-quality jobs, attract new investment and ensure our region plays a vital role in supporting our nation's defense and aerospace needs for decades to come."

While Detroit is known for being an automotive manufacturing hub, the skills, workforce and infrastructure built from that history are highly transferable to associated industries like defense, aerospace and advanced manufacturing - making investment in these sectors a natural fit for the region and a strategic opportunity to further diversify the region's economy.

Several county offices and departments have been notified that scammers are targeting the community posing as a representative of Macomb County. Whether it's through phone calls, emails, text messages or social media, these scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their tactics.

Common types of scams

• Impersonation scams: Scammers pose as government officials, law enforcement or utility companies. They may claim you owe money or that you're in legal trouble to scare you into paying.

• Tech support scams: You receive a pop-up or a call saying there's a problem with your computer. The scammer offers to fix it-if you pay or give remote access.

• Prize or lottery scams: You're told you've won a prize, but you must pay fees or taxes upfront to claim it.

• Phishing: Fake emails or texts trick you into clicking malicious links or giving up sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers.

Red flags

• Requests for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or cash.

• Pressure to act quickly-scammers create urgency to prevent you from thinking it through.

• Caller ID spoofing-scammers can make it look like the call is coming from a trusted number.

• Poor grammar, unusual email addresses or suspicious-looking links in messages.

What you can do

• Hang up if a caller makes you feel threatened or demands immediate payment.

• Never give out personal information over the phone or by email unless you are sure of who you are speaking to.

• Verify independently-call the organization back using a number from their official website.

• Report scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

The best defense against scams is awareness. Share this information with friends and family, especially those who may be more vulnerable, like seniors. Staying educated is the first step in preventing fraud and protecting your identity and finances.

The Macomb County Health Department (MCHD) recently partnered with Urban Seed, a Macomb County-based organization committed to the transformation of empty lots into community-driven resources to help combat food insecurity, improved health, and local connections. As part of its partnership with Urban Seed, the Macomb County Health Department assisted in helping launch the South Warren Community Garden.

"We have absolutely loved being able to support Urban Seed and the important role they are playing in Macomb County," said Maria Swiatkowski, Division Director of MCHD's Health Planning and Promotions Division. "These efforts go a long way in establishing the groundwork for communities to create sustainable resources to address food insecurity and spur increased local support."

"Any time we can participate in this type of grass-roots partnership it is clearly a win-win scenario for the partner organizations, but the larger impact of this work is in the communities served by this type of collaboration," said Andrew Cox, Director/Health Officer of the Macomb County Department of Health and Community Services. "We're proud to be involved with Urban Seed and their efforts against food insecurity."

"As a small non-profit primarily focused on growing food for the community, we couldn't be more appreciative of this foundational partnership with the Macomb County Health Department. The burden of getting new gardens off the ground often falls on the individuals involved, so the resources provided by the Health Department have helped us make a bigger impact in the community, said John Hofmann, Founder/Treasurer of Urban Seed. "This strategic partnership allows us to better serve the community by fighting food insecurity through urban agriculture."

Assistance provided by MCHD included tools, mulch, shovels, tomato cages, wheelbarrows, planters made possible by SNAP-Ed funding in alignment with SNAP-Eds mission to support policy, systems, and environmental changes that improve long-term access to healthy food in underserved communities.

Urban Seed's South Warren Community Garden is actively seeking volunteers. No experience is needed - Urban Seed is looking for individuals with a willingness to get their hands dirty and help grow something meaningful in the communities they serve. For more information on volunteering with Urban Seed visit the volunteer webpage.

In addition, community members and local businesses are encouraged to:

• Volunteer to support seasonal planting and maintenance

• Donate to help fund tools, soil, seedlings, and educational programs

• Sponsor a garden bed or workshop series to make a lasting impact

• Spread the word to amplify this homegrown movement for food justice

To learn more or donate, visit the Urban Seed website.

An image of Macomb County Health Department staff members at the South Warren Community Garden can be found here.

This project was funded in whole or in part by the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Fitness Foundation.