Superintendent Ryan recharging for another year, gets raise

BY MATT MACKINDER Clarkston News Staff Writer Shawn Ryan will be back as Clarkston Community Schools superintendent for the 2019-20 school year, after his contract was approved at the June 10 Board of Education meeting. His annual salary will jump from $170,000 to $175,100. “To me, this has been ongoing for the last 20-plus years,” […]

New equipment, classes at Deer Lake

BY MATT MACKINDER Clarkston News Staff Writer When Marlene Powell took over as the fitness director at Deer Lake Athletic Club last summer, one of her first priorities was to upgrade the exercise equipment and introduce new classes. “We have a lot to offer, especially with the new classes,” said Powell. “Family yoga, strength classes, […]

Clarkston musicians perform at youth fest

BY MATT MACKINDER Clarkston News Staff Writer A slew of Clarkston High School musicians was selected from over 250,000 students across the state to perform at the 57th Annual Michigan Youth Arts Festival May 9-11 at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. The festival is a weekend event highlighting the best of the best from Michigan’s […]

All nighter

Clarkston High School graduates partied the night away after their commencement safely at the Grad Night Party at the high school, June 3. The students were entertained with laser tag, inflatable twister, bull riding, chair massages, wax hands, airbrush tattoos, photo booth, DJ, casino, full menu of favorite foods from local restaurants, and many other […]

Clarkston graduates 646 at DTE

BY MATT MACKINDER Clarkston News Staff Writer The annual Clarkston High School commencement ceremony took place June 3 at DTE Energy Music Theatre as 646 students walked across the stage in front of a packed pavilion. Clarkston High School Principal Gary Kaul was his usual humorous self but did find a moment to be serious […]

Clarkston grad Aughe making the grade on, off the ice

BY MATT MACKINDER Clarkston News Staff Writer Little did Zach Aughe know that all that time playing hockey in the driveway would pay off with an NCAA Division I commitment. Aughe, a 19-year-old Clarkston native and 2018 Clarkston High School graduate, recently committed to play for the University of Maine, starting with the 2020-21 season. […]

WHAT ‘MATT’ERS: Summer, please?

The calendar might tell us it’s mid-June, but is summer really on the way? We’ve had enough rain this spring to think that Noah will emerge at some point, but I think we’ll all take that over the frigid temperatures and snow we had all winter. The Tigers are nearing the midway point of their […]

Bailey Lake’s Simecek drives away as Teacher of the Year

BY MATT MACKINDER Clarkston News Staff Writer Michelle Simecek has been teaching in Clarkston for 20 years and has loved every minute of it. On May 30, the Bailey Lake Elementary third-grade teacher was honored by the Clarkston Foundation as its Teacher of the Year, something she said was very humbling. “I was completely shocked, […]

Seat swaps on Board of Trustees

BY MATT MACKINDER Clarkston News Staff Writer The Independence Township Board of Trustees appointed replacements for treasurer and a trustee seat and also named the new clerk at the regular board meeting on June 4. Two names are familiar to the board as current Trustee Rachel Loughrin will replace Paul Brown as treasurer and Brown […]

RED day at the beach

Agents and employees from Keller Williams Clarkston were at Deer Lake Beach, May 16, cleaning up the beach, staining the picnic tables and benches, putting up a new American flag, planting flowers, and putting in new grills. The work was done in honor of RED (Renew, Energize, Donate) Day, the company’s annual event symbolic of […]