Macomb Matters August 2021 Issue 77

• Message from Mark
• Employee Focus
• Employee Accolades
• New Hires/Retirees
• Explore Macomb County parks during Meet me on the Trail Day
• Macomb County responds to EF1 tornado in Armada
• ‘Tell Me Something Good’ section to share good news, employee stories
• For Your Benefit: A Message from Andy McKinnon
• Volunteers needed for yard cleanup project aimed at helping homebound seniors
• Resource Corner: Ulliance Program
• Blast from the past: Share your old Macomb County workplace photos
• Providing support by keeping it casual
• Macomb County Animal Control Adoption of the Month
• MMYH Ambassadors
• Paw Print
• Recipe Corner
• Event Calendar
• Blog Log
• News Nook

Click for a pdf of Macomb Matters

 

 

Message from Mark

Hello and welcome to the newest edition of Macomb Matters. It’s been quite a summer here in the county. I can hardly believe that fall is just around the corner!

But before we start carving pumpkins and drinking apple cider, let’s try and take in what’s left of this season. For instance, we’ve got the Romeo Peach Festival, Richmond Good Old Days and the Bass Brews and BBQ Festival on the calendar, and there’s still time to go boating and kayaking on our beautiful natural assets -- the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair. For those who want to stay on shore, the county has some great places to dine along the water and there are a number of outdoor concerts at Freedom Hill lined up for the weeks ahead. Finally, for individuals looking to explore our great park systems, get ready for Meet me on the Trail Day!

So as you can see, there’s still plenty of summer fun to be had here in Macomb County. But when you’re ready to switch gears for fall, make sure to visit makemacombyourhome.com for fun places to go, things to do and seasonal resources.

 

As always, thank you for everything you do to make Macomb a great place to call home. Stay safe and take care,

Mark

 

 

Employee Focus

Danielle Devlin

 

Meet Danielle Devlin, an environmental specialist in the Environmental Resources Group at Macomb County Public Works.

Danille works on stormwater planning, grant and asset management and water resource projects such as the Clinton River Spillway habitat restoration. What she loves most about working in this capacity is the collaboration in fulfilling the huge responsibility to the public. Making sure that stormwater doesn’t flood structures or pollute lakes and rivers is a huge responsibility and obligation to the public. “We are all working towards the shared goal of improving water quality in the region and making our county more livable,” she said.

Danielle has a Bachelor of Arts in social science and a Bachelor of Science in resource management from the University of Michigan – Flint. She is a professional planner certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), and maintains her certification with continuing education training.

Danielle has an adult son living in Chicago, where he stayed after he graduated college, and according to Danielle, he is “living his best life!” For the past eight years, she has lived in Harrison Township with her significant other and her 12-year old blue cat, Jude.  Earlier this year she also became a ‘foster failure’ when she adopted Abbey, a Maine Coon kitten.

Danielle loves Michigan summers and spends a lot of time boating on Lake St. Clair with her family and friends. She likes to hang out at their cottage in the Thumb and look for cool native plants and edible mushrooms on hikes. She enjoys Fantasy Football and has been the commissioner of her league for over 10 years, with a ‘platinum’ Yahoo rating. She loves to travel and has combined that with other hobbies such as golf, craft beer and World War I and II history. A few years ago she was able to combine hobbies with a bucket list trip to Munich for Oktoberfest.

In 2013, after living out of the state for many years, Danielle returned to Michigan to work for the Six Rivers Land Conservancy. There, she helped walk landowners through the process of protecting their land and natural areas by creating a conservation easement. A conservation easement prevents development or destruction of the land and vegetation, but allows the property owner to reside on or even sell the land. The property owner will earn tax benefits in exchange for donating the development rights. The easement is recorded and runs with the land in perpetuity. Forming a land conservancy is a great way to protect land from invasive species and promote ongoing and responsible stewardship of natural areas.

During her tenure at Six Rivers, Danielle frequently held volunteer stewardship days – “I called them StewDays!“– at conserved properties like the Nicholson Nature Center, a conservancy property located behind the Public Works Office in Clinton Township.  In the spring, volunteers of all ages can help Nicholson by pulling and removing some of the species that have moved into the area, such as garlic mustard, Asian bittersweet or common buckthorn. Danielle also advocates visiting the Nicholson Nature Center, because she believes it is a great classroom for students of invasive species, but also a place to enjoy the diverse native plants in the spring. She has spent quite a bit of time in the Nature Center, and remarked “When walking the trails, I like to look at the giant trees and think about what the area must have looked like over 100 years ago when they were saplings.” She even has a favorite tree at the Nicholson Nature Center.

Danielle champions conservancy and stewardship of both conserved and public land, and wanted to share that there is an event at the Nicholson Nature Center for Meet me on the Trail Day on September 25. If anyone is interested in receiving more information about these opportunities, she encourages everyone to contact the local Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) and to sign up for email blasts from the organizations and resources that are of interest to you.

“It’s so fulfilling to help folks learn about and become concerned about protecting the natural resources we have here in southeastern Michigan – our quality of life depends on it,” she said. “I am always captivated by the complexity and natural beauty of the Great Lakes and our own mini great lake, Lake St. Clair. I’m so gratified to be working on projects that target the health of the Great Lakes by addressing stormwater flowing into the Clinton River and on to Lake St. Clair. People don’t always realize that no matter where you are on earth, you are in a watershed and what’s on the land gets carried to the water.”

Danielle also values travel and believes it is important for expanding a person’s point of view. She always tries to have a trip booked, whether it’s a simple trip to the woods up north or to one of her favorite Detroit breweries. It helps her look past whatever challenging tasks are in front of her, and gives her something to look forward to. She also wanted to encourage those who may be experiencing a struggle, remarking: When I was early in my career with a young child, everything seemed like such a struggle.  Now that he’s grown and I’m in the late afternoon of my career, I realize that those struggles are an important part of the roller coaster of life, and it helped give me wisdom and experience. Plus it turns out that some of the toughest periods became great memories for my son! Time moves so fast, so try to put the devices down and enjoy every minute – even the hard ones - while the kids are little and want to be close to you.”

 

 

Employee Accolades

 

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Is there someone in your office who deserves a “pat on the back” for an outstanding achievement? If so, please let the Macomb Matters committee know about it! Email Maria.zardis@macombgov.org with the details.

 

 

New Hires/Retirees

The Macomb Matters Committee would like to congratulate Matthew Murphy on his retirement after many years of service!

Tell us about the different positions you have held during your time with the county?

Since I started in 1996, I have held a variety of positions with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. I served as a Mount Clemens Substation Commander. I’ve worked in the Office of Professional Standards (Internal Affairs), as well as on the underwater Search and Recovery Team, the Macomb Area Computer Enforcement (MACE) team and for the Mobile Field Force, which provides response for crowd and/or riot control. I am a trainer in several different fields for law enforcement: Verbal Judo, which is a communication style de-escalation training for law enforcement; Pressure Point Control Tactics (PPCT); and Ground Avoidance and Escape. I’ve been on the Hostage Negotiations Team for over 15 years. I’ve served on the executive board of the Command Officers Association of Michigan union for 15 years and I served as the president for the last year. I gained the rank of Sergeant in 2005. For the last seven years, I’ve been a contributing member of our Macomb County Retirement Commission, a team which has grown the fund to over $1 billion. I have a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Eastern Michigan University, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wayne State University and I attended De La Salle High School right here in Macomb County.

What will you miss most about working for Macomb County?

I think I will miss the work family that I "grew up" with over my 25 plus years. I have been truly fortunate to meet and work with some amazingly talented and diverse people at Macomb County.

What are you most proud of during your career with Macomb County?

I have been proud to be a part of a team that could be there for our public when they needed someone to guide or protect them.

What are your post retirement plans?

I am excited to say that I have been hired by Curbside SOS as a Business Development Specialist. I am going to continue to work with first responders and tow companies. I am hoping to make a difference that benefits all of my new stakeholders. (Keep an eye on Curbside SOS. I am truly blown away by how driven and smart this team is.)

Any other words of wisdom to share?

As cliché as it may sound, time goes by so quickly. Work hard and remember that a lot of people depend on our work. We may never know how we impact others, but we certainly do. So be proud of what you accomplish, it matters!

Click here for a list of New Hires/Retirees

 

 

Explore Macomb County parks during Meet me on the Trail Day

Looking to get outdoors and explore Macomb County’s natural beauty? Mark your calendars for Meet me on the Trail Day on September 25!

Meet me on the Trail is a one-day event designed to promote health and wellness and celebrate the growing trail systems in Macomb County through education, recreation and stewardship. Events are being held across the county to mark the occasion, including (but not limited to) nature hikes, bike rides, restoration projects, fishing lessons, picnics, kids' games, presentations and more.

You can find all planned activities here. In fact, this event might also provide a great opportunity for other departments to host an activity related to an outreach program. For instance, MSUE will host a rousing game of "Financial Frisbee" that combines frisbee throwing skills with financial knowledge for a chance to win prizes. Alongside their activity, Macomb County 4-H will promote other activities it offers for the youth of our community. Departments that would like to get involved should complete the online form or contact Maria Zardis with questions or to discuss an idea.

In the meantime, the Macomb Matters team wanted to share some details about a park right in the heart of Macomb County facilities: The Nicholson Nature Center.

The Center, which is located behind the Public Works Office in Clinton Township, was donated to Macomb County in 2009 by James and Ann Nicholson. The park is under a conservation easement which protects the 34-acres and nearly one meandering mile of the North Branch of the Clinton River from destruction or development. Unfortunately, natural habitats in the North Branch Clinton River subwatershed are mostly fragmented, and only a small percentage remains as wooded or wetland habitat. The Nicholson Nature Center preserves a significant portion of the remaining intact habitat and protects a broad vegetated buffer in Macomb County's urbanized area.

The park offers scenic pathways, an outdoor classroom and biological research and stewardship opportunities. It is a great place for Macomb County employees who work nearby to take a quick and refreshing walk on their lunch break. Danielle Devlin, who has a favorite tree (pictured) along one of the many paths located at the park, says: "I love taking a walk along the river during my lunch break. It's a chance to get away from it all in the small forest just across the parking lot!"

If you're anywhere near the Public Works Office in the near future, stop by! And if you want to experience more Macomb County parks, join us for Meet me on Trail day!

*Many thanks to Danielle Devlin, for providing her valuable knowledge and information regarding the Nicholson Nature Center, which contributed to this article.*

 

 

Macomb County responds to EF1 tornado in Armada

As we all know, warm summer temperatures can bring about the potential for severe weather. And several weeks ago, we saw that in action as northern Macomb experienced some extremely violent storms that inflicted substantial damage on our cities, villages and townships. Armada in particular was hit by an EF1 tornado, which resulted in buildings being torn apart, power lines coming down and trees being uprooted. Thankfully, no lives were lost in the chaos, and teams from across Macomb County were able to provide support.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel recently shared the following sentiment:

“First and foremost, our dispatchers, emergency management personnel, police and firefighters took emergency calls and were on the scene to provide assistance to those in need, while our road crews moved quickly to shut down roads where danger was present. So I’d like to acknowledge every department and office that responded to that call for help. Your work ensured the safety of countless Macomb County residents and for that, I thank you.

We also saw power companies, local businesses and organizations clear up debris, resolve outages and provide localized support. This work takes time and patience, but they did an incredible job and I’d like to commend them for their efforts.

Finally, we saw neighbors on the ground helping their neighbors, high school students pitching in and even strangers showing up to lend a hand. Checking in to make sure everyone was okay after the storm and helping with clean up after the fact -- these actions are admirable and something that we should recognize. So I’d like to thank these folks for stepping up to the plate and for showing kindness and generosity during that challenging time.”

As part of the recovery effort, Macomb County Emergency Management and Executive Office personnel declared a State of Emergency, which activated the response and recovery elements of Macomb County’s emergency operations plan. This team also asked Governor Whitmer to make state funds available to offset local costs, and on August 5, she granted that request with her own State of Emergency declaration. In the days and weeks ahead, and as the clean-up continues, the county will keep advocating for residents and working with local municipalities to ensure northern Macomb fully recovers. And for that, the Macomb Matters team would like to say thank you. Thank you to everyone for doing their part during this challenging time.

 

Images via The Detroit News and The Macomb Daily

 

 

‘Tell Me Something Good’ section to share good news, employee stories

Over the last 15 months, we’ve all missed out on those spontaneous conversations where we learn something new or exciting about a coworker. Perhaps someone had an anniversary, or they welcomed a new grandchild or maybe they bought a house. All of these special ‘water cooler’ moments where we share updates and congratulations were missing from the last year. So in this edition of Macomb Matters, the team is launching a new feature - ‘Tell Me Something Good.’ This section of the newsletter aims to tell those stories so we can celebrate good news together.

 

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Do you have something to share for an upcoming newsletter? Submit your good news here. Questions or looking for additional information? Email the Macomb Matters editorial team at Maria.zardis@macombgov.org.

 

 

For Your Benefit: A Message from Andy McKinnon

And then it was Fall.

Can you believe that we are just over a week away from Labor Day, the unofficial ending of Summer? I can't speak for everyone, but this has seemed like the shortest summer of my life. Maybe it's me getting older, but it really has flown by. 

In our office in HRLR we have stressed focusing on family, hobbies and other activities that recharge our batteries over the summer. Our work still must be accomplished and it is, but we haven't focused on new initiatives as of yet as we determined that it was important to deal with what has transpired over this past year and, unfortunately, what continues to wage on and likely will always be with us.

As we move into fall, it almost feels like Spring to me. It feels like a time of renewal and growth. A time to determine how we move forward and what it looks like as we do. 

I was recently reading an article from the Detroit News about Ford Motor Company's return to work being delayed again(Article). In the article it describes how the workplace looks very different for employees today than it did just a year ago. It also uses the term "Non-site dependent employees", which I found interesting. Everyone from large corporations like Ford to County Government like ours realizes that there are different requirements for all of our staff. Some must come in, some can work remote and some have the flexibility to make that decision with their immediate supervisor. This requires additional acumen on the part of our managers and additional understanding from staff to see that no two positions are created exactly the same. 

Further, during this time of uncertainty and learning the new work environment, it's important to have conversations surrounding it. Some employees are incredibly fearful of returning even part time and even if they are vaccinated. Some employees can't wait to get back to the office and away from their home environments, even if that means possible exposure and they don't have a care in the world and then there is everyone somewhere in between. It's important to realize that everyone's perception, risk tolerance and feelings surrounding this uncertain time are valid, important and must be treated with respect and dignity. If you have questions on how to have these conversations, or if you would like additional tools to use to create an office environment where the team has a culture of conversations, tolerance and inclusion, please reach out to Caroline Franzen to sign up for our "Navigating Difficult Conversations" training. We stand ready to help assist in any way that we can in order to coalesce as a team and create an ever better county. 

I wish you a great last week of "unofficial" Summer and a fantastic "unofficial" Fall (AKA College Football season).

Andy

 

 

 

Volunteers needed for yard cleanup project aimed at helping homebound seniors

The Macomb County Office of Senior Services is in need of volunteers to assist with a yard cleanup initiative for local seniors. The service is offered through the Handy Helpers Program, which assists seniors with a variety of one-time, minor home maintenance services.

Volunteers will provide services such as leaf raking, tree branch trimming, outdoor window washing and flower bed cleanup. All necessary supplies are provided. Currently, there are 145 homebound seniors across Macomb County who have requested this assistance and who are waiting for help.

“This is a great opportunity for an organization or business to give back to our community after a year of COVID-19 limiting volunteering,” said Sheila Coté, director, Office of Senior Services. “We are looking for small groups of individuals to volunteer for a one day project assisting seniors with yard cleanup. Our goal is to support seniors’ ability to maintain their homes while aging in place.”

Ideal volunteers would be groups from companies, civic organizations, churches or students in need of community service. This is also a great fit for families looking to give back together. 

The program will work with groups to identify a day that works well for everyone and will assign them seniors from their own community. Volunteers can schedule half day or full day volunteering opportunities. Individuals interested in volunteering can contact the Office of Senior Services at volunteer@macombgov.org or call 586-469-5228 to speak with our volunteer coordinator.

The Handy Helpers program is a new and unique program to help seniors safely maintain their home. The program launched last October and offers a variety of services including: pest control (by a licensed contractor), replacing light bulbs and faucets, washing walls and carpet cleaning, along with installing screens and storm windows. The service is open to Macomb County residents 60 years and older.  Call the Office of Senior Services at 586-469-5228 to request the service.

 

 

Resource Corner: Ulliance Program

Are you looking for career advice or coaching? Assistance for financial planning? A library packed with information to help you get through the ups and downs of life? Legal referrals? Webinars on how to achieve and maintain work-life balance? Self-care assessments? Tips, tricks and recipes to take care of yourself and your loved ones? If you’re a Macomb County employee, you have that and more available at your fingertips, for yourself and your dependents, at no charge to you, through Macomb County’s Employee Assistance Program, administered by Ulliance.

It is a common misconception that Ulliance only provides crisis intervention or counseling when things get tough. And it is true that employees and dependents can access those services through Ulliance. But it’s also true that Ulliance provides much more in terms of resources. Visit the Ulliance website and you can read articles about career development, request referrals to legal and financial resources, learn about student resources, obtain information about retirement planning and get information about everything in-between, from breastfeeding to elder-care.

Employees and their dependents can log in using Macomb County’s profile, with the employer name (Macomb County) and the location of the employer (Mount Clemens). Users can also create their own EAP profiles, and tailor it to what matters to them. When a profile is created, users will receive a user ID and an email with a temporary password. Once a profile is created and the user has logged in, the user will have access to their newest feature, the “Five to Thrive” tool. The Five to Thrive tool explores the five dimensions of wellness: Emotional, physical, financial, career and community. Users can take self-assessments, set goals, create their own challenges, track progress and receive encouragement.

Financial challenges, familial pressures, career obstacles, social unrest, political discord, environmental threats, global conflict – it can sometimes feel like life is spinning out of control. Add a pandemic to that messy mix, and life can be downright overwhelming, leading to moments of crisis. For those situations, the resources available to employees and dependents through the Ulliance Employee Assistance Program can be a lifeline. But Ulliance can also be a “tour guide” of sorts, in that it can help employees assess their goals and point them in productive directions to meet those goals. And certainly, whether employees contact them for crisis care or life care, if the professionals at Ulliance cannot help directly, they will find the people who can.

 

Take care of yourself, in every dimension!

 

 

Blast from the past: Share your old Macomb County workplace photos

It’s Throwback Thursday - Macomb Matters edition! Yes, the social media trend where you post old photos on your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts is coming to our employee newsletter. In this edition, we get two classic images from decades ago.

The first, a picture from 1959. Seen here is the County Building Courtroom, as new county supervisors were sworn in.

The second, a picture from 1972. Seen here is the County Switchboard, which handled up to 2,000 calls per day.

Do you have an old county workplace photo(s) that you’d be willing to share with the Macomb Matters team? Submit it here and you might see it in an upcoming issue of this newsletter!

 

 

Providing support by keeping it casual

The Board of Commissioners Casual Day Program continues in 2021, but with an additional emphasis on charitable organizations.

The BOC recognizes each organization fills a specific need in the community and that certain organizations hold a special place with county employees. To recognize this and to further encourage donations, the Board has asked each county department to choose one of the 12 selected Casual Day organizations and to serve as an ambassador for it. The organization which a department chooses will receive all the donations earned on the four Special Casual Days in 2021.

It is within the discretion of each department to select which charity they choose to champion. Each department is encouraged to disseminate information on the charity throughout their office and in the community, allowing awareness and donations for the charity to be raised. Our communications team will provide each department with information on the monthly charities to be shared via social media, newsletters and other forms of communications each department utilizes, further encouraging others to embrace the charity as well.

The Casual Day Program recipients for the rest of 2021 are:

November: Sandcastles (Henry Ford)
December: Turning Point

The recipients for September and October are:

September - The Rainbow Connection -  The Rainbow Connection makes wishes come true for Michigan children with life threatening medical conditions. In addition, they provide support services to eligible wish families in need. For more info: www.rainbowconnection.org

October - Samaritan House - Serves individuals and families within our community by recognizing their needs and mobilizing the means for dealing with those needs so that suffering can be relieved, dignity preserved and love shared. Learn more: facebook.com/samaritanmich

 

 

Macomb County Animal Control Adoption of the Month - August

 

 

MMYH Ambassadors

MMYH Ambassador - Take a quiz, win a prize!

Welcome back to the MMYH Ambassadors column! This edition will feature an important program from the Macomb County Health Department: Immunizations.

After limited availability of Family Health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Macomb County Health Department announced the re-activation of immunization services in June. Immunization services are available for infants, children, adolescents and adults, and it offers all recommended vaccines.

“Now is the time for everyone – especially children – to get caught up on recommended vaccinations that may have been postponed due to the pandemic,” said Cheryl Woods, Division Director/Family Health Services at the Macomb County Health Department.

Immunization services are offered for county residents, as well as non-county residents and are available by appointment only. Immunization appointments can be made by calling (586) 469-5372 or (586) 465-8537 M-F 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information on Immunizations, visit https://health.macombgov.org/Health-Programs-FamilyHealthServices-ImmunizationClinic;.

Costs for immunization services can be billed to commercial insurers. Some children may be eligible to receive no-cost vaccinations through the Vaccines for Children program. Adults may also be eligible to receive certain vaccines at a reduced cost. Call the appointment line if you have any questions.

Now - think you’re ready to complete the ambassador quiz and win some great county swag? Click here to get started and stay tuned for the next issue, where we’ll cover a new topic.

 

 

Paw Print

A message from Chief Randazzo

Many of us have seen free-roaming cats in our neighborhoods. Commonly called stray, or feral cats, it’s easy to feel pity for them, and to make an attempt to rescue them from their environment. It’s understandable. The outdoors seems like a brutal place to grow up and live. But beware of stereotyping these cats. These wily wanderers, more aptly named “community cats,” can have a range of behaviors and socialization levels. While some will actively seek out a friendly relationship with their fur-less two legged neighbors, others have absolutely no interest in living with a human family. Adoption is not an option for them.  Removing them from the environment, as challenging as that environment may be, is not the kindest thing that can be done for them.

Of course, just because we can’t or shouldn’t remove the animals from the environment they have become familiar with, there is something else we can do to help them.  The best and most proactive approach to protect these animals and future generations is to vaccinate them and prevent them from reproducing. Our Shelter-Neuter-Return (SNR) program is a humane and effective way to help accomplish this goal. The program works like this: Cats are brought into the shelter by members of the community, where they are vaccinated and spayed or neutered by one of our veterinary partners. The cat will be ear-tipped for identification purposes. The animal must then be picked up by the individual who dropped them off, and returned to their original territory.

Macomb County Animal Control (MCAC) is very proud of the impact SNR is having on community cats. Vaccinated and spayed/neutered animals are healthier, and happier, and the program reduces the growth of the cat colony significantly over time. The program was recently recognized by the Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization.  But the program wouldn’t be nearly as successful as it is without the support it receives from the Macomb County Executives, All About Animals Rescue, the amazing MCAC staff and a large number of residents. For more information on how you can help community cats, click here!

Speaking of healthy, happy animals, we are hosting another low-cost vaccine clinic! It’s September 11 at Freedom Hill County Park. September 11, 2021, marks the 20^th anniversary of 9/11, one of the most stunning and tragic events in American history. To honor the sacrifices of our first responders and veterans, we are going to sponsor vaccination fees for them. If you would like to help us pay tribute to our uniformed service personnel, you can sponsor a vaccine dose by clicking here. It only takes $10 to sponsor one vaccine. For more information about the low cost vaccine clinic, click here.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

 

 

Recipe Corner

Pasta Ratatouille

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked pasta (rotini, penne or bow tie) • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (1/2 medium onion) • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon  garlic powder)
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped • 1 small zucchini, cubed
• 1 small eggplant, cubed
• 2 medium tomatoes, cubed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 cup

Servings per container: 9
Calories…………………...220
Fat…………………………..7g
Saturated fat……………... 2g 
Cholesterol……………..10mg
Sodium………………..280mg 
Carbohydrate…………….32g
Fiber………………………..2g
Protein……………………..9g
Calcium……………….112mg
Iron……………………….1mg
Vitamin C……………….21mg

Directions

Wash hands and all food preparation surfaces.

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat (300 degrees in an electric  skillet). Add onion and garlic and cook until soft.

3. Add bell pepper, zucchini, and eggplant. Cook about 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Stir in tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil. Cook another 2 to 4 minutes or until  heated through.

5. Serve over pasta and top with cheese.

6. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

 

Notes

• Try adding more seasonings such as oregano, red pepper flakes or fresh  basil.

Recipe provided by Michigan State University Extension via Food Hero, Oregon State University Extension, foodhero.org

 

 

Event Calendar

 

 

Blog Log

 

A Day Out in Romeo

A Day Out in St. Clair Shores

A Day Out in Eastpointe

 

 

 

News Nook

 

Providing services during pandemic was ‘all hands on deck’ in Macomb

Economic experts: Brighter days ahead in Macomb

Kayaking in Macomb County is more popular than ever. Here's why.

 

Do you have comments or suggestions for Macomb Matters? Please send them to maria.zardis@macombgov.org