Three hours, three miles and a bad mechanical component was all that separated astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour, and 150 tweeps, from a launch Friday at the Kennedy Space Center. The six astronauts were riding in their silver "Astrovan" toward Launch Pad 39A when their van, and other vehicles in the caravan, pulled off the road and into the Vehicle Assembly Building complex. This turn stunned many of the onlookers who were gathered along the roadway, including tweetup attendees and the NASA employees, who later stated during a press conference that this was the first time a caravan had …

Patch has taken operations from the shores of Lake St. Clair to beaches of the Atlantic Ocean this week for the final launch of the space shuttle Endeavour to attend a NASA tweetup. Your Patch editor is one of 150 Twitter users who was selected in an online contest to attend the event and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kennedy Space Center and an up-close view of the launch on Friday. I'll be giving our readers an opportunity to experience this amazing event through my stories and tweets, and will have some of our local St. Clair Shores students talk with me via the Internet. This week, …

Growing up I had three career aspirations—truck driver, astronaut and journalist. As a young child, I always watched in awe as the large 18-wheelers would deliver my favorite foods to my local Great Scott market. Of course, this meant family shopping trips would be delayed as little Edward watched the trailers be delivered. Once I got into school, I set my sights on the heavens as NASA began the space shuttle program. In fact 30 years ago today, I watched in amazement as John Young and Robert Crippen rocketed into space aboard Columbia for the first shuttle mission. Over the years I followed …

  A near record crowd filled the area in front of the city hall Friday as St. Clair Shores welcomed the holiday season, and Santa Claus, for the annual Christmas tree lighting. Another bit of news from the tree lighting ceremony this week — several businesses were honored for their holiday light displays. The winners were broken down by two-mile increments. The winner from 14 to 12 Mile was Michael Agnello Jewelers, and the honorable mention was Philllip S. Badalamenti, D.D.S.; 10 to 12 Mile Road winner was Chris Fitzsimmons State Farm Insurance, and the honorable mention was Village …

It has been a busy week of family, friends and food as residents and businesses celebrated Thanksgiving in St. Clair Shores. Businesses throughout the city began decorating for the holidays and preparing to host revelers and shoppers this week. But the good times were tempered by a pair of carjackings this week. Police continue to investigate. Here are some of the stories you may have missed this week: Residents were given an extension until mid-December to clean their yards and remove tree limbs as Waste Management agreed to collect yard waste until Dec. 17 this year, later than …