No. 1
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
Jan. 5 – 11, 2017
w w w . a s s o c i a t e d n e w s p a p e r s . n e t
The holiday celebration
for adult education students
in Wayne-Westland classes
really was an international
event with ethnic dishes
made with ingredients they
cultivated.
See page 2.
Members
of
the
Northville
Township
Firefighters Charity Fund, a
501(c)(3) nonprofit, donated
coats and jackets along with
food and other assistance to
Northville Civic Concern this
year.
See page 4.
Vol. 132, No. 1
Vol. 70, No. 1
Vol. 70, No. 1
Vol. 17, No. 1
Romulus City Council
members recently voted
unanimously to recognize
the JORY Children's
Foundation as a bona fide
charitable organization.
See page 5.
Vol. 132, No. 1
Vol. 70, No. 1
Vol. 70, No. 1
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Westland Police arrested
an armed robbery suspect
Christmas Eve, just hours
after a morning theft at the
Family Dollar Store on
VenoyRoad.
See page 2.
Canton Township will
once again honor the memo-
ry and legacy of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. with a spe-
cial tributeMonday, Jan. 16.
See page 3.
Vol. 17, No. 1
The $2,500 reward being
offered for information
about the broad-daylight
killing of a 19-year-old man
in
Inkster
remains
unclaimed.
See page 5.
The Plymouth Township
Fire Department has two
new life-saving vehicle-
extraction rescue tools com-
monly known as Jaws-of Life
fundedbyFirehouseSubs.
See page 3.
A proposal to increase the
number and move the carni-
val rides for children during
the Strawberry Festival met
with strong opposition dur-
ing the recent city council
meeting.
See page 4.
Three suspects in two armed
robberies in Westland were
scheduled to face probable
cause hearings on multiple
charges at 18th District Court
today.
The three suspects in the
armed robberies at two 7-11
stores were all arrested within
an 11-day period by Westland
police.
Arrested and charged in the
robberies were Kyle Wooten, 56,
and Archie Lewis, 38, both of
Inkster, and Christian Brown, 29
of Southfield. The men were
arrested Dec. 20, 21 and 22
respectively.
The first robbery occurred at
the 7-11 store located at 126 S.
John Hix at 4:30 a.m. Dec. 11.
Wooten is accused robbing the
store with a firearm and striking
the store clerk in the face caus-
ing injury. Brown is accused of
assisting in this robbery, while
Lewis is suspected to be the “get-
away” driver.
The second armed robbery
occurred at the 7-11 located at
160 S. Venoy Road at 5:10 a.m.
Dec. 17. During this incident,
Wooten is accused of shooting a
store employee during the theft.
The employee suffered non-life
threatening injuries. Lewis is
also suspected to be the “get-
away” driver in this robbery as
well.
Wooten was arraigned before
Judge Sandra Cicerelli at the
18th District Court for the Dec.
17 armed robbery and before
Judge Vesta Svenson for the Dec.
11 armed robbery. In all,
Wooten was arraigned on three
counts of armed robbery; one
count of assault with intent to
See
Arrests,
page 2
A campaign promise to
restore and rebuild the frac-
tured Plymouth TownshipFire
Department is about come to
fruition.
Township Supervisor Kurt
Heise announced last week
that he has instructed Fire
Chief Dan Phillips to research
and interview potential fire-
fighter candidates and com-
mence civil service examina-
tions to fill at least six posi-
tions.
Heise said one of his priori-
ties is re-open the permanent-
ly closed Lake Pointe Fire
Station No. 2, something he
pledged during his campaign
last year.
Staffing at the Plymouth
Township Fire Department
has been the subject of much
political machination and con-
troversy during the past years.
During a special meeting of
the trustees on March 1, 2012,
board members, led by former
Supervisor Richard Reaume,
voted 6-1 to immediately lay off
six firefighters, leaving a full-
time staff of 12 firefighter-para-
medics to protect 28,000 resi-
dents.
That decision was referred
the same day to then Fire
Chief Mark Wendel who was
ordered by Reaume to imme-
diately implement the layoffs.
Wendel subsequently ordered
the fire captain to inform the
affected firefighters to leave
their stations at once. The fire-
fighters were told that arrange-
ments would bemade for them
to retrieve their personal
belongings from the station at
a later time.
The next day it was report-
ed that flyers were posted
throughout the Lake Pointe
Rebuilding of fire department under way
The three suspects in the armed robberies
at two 7-11 stores were all arrested
within an 11-day period
by Westland police.
”
See
Station,
page 3
5 arrested in 2 armed robberies
Don Howard
Staff Writer
Huge blocks of ice are being delivered
and placed throughout the downtown
area while the snow-making machines
have been running 24-hours a day in
KelloggPark.
The 35th Annual Plymouth Ice Festival
will officially openwith a ribbon cutting at
7 tomorrow night in the bandshell at the
park, and producer James Geitzen says
they are as ready as it is possible to be.
“Our only concern, as always, is the
weather,” Geitzen said. “Otherwise, we
couldn't be inbetter shape.”
The festival is no small task, bringing
nearly 100,000 people into Plymouth dur-
ing the three-dayweekend towatch cham-
pionship ice carvers compete for honors,
see the artistic creations of college com-
petitors vying for top creative honors and
enjoying the professional carvings that
will decorate the entire downtown area.
“This is a very special event,” Geitzen
said. “It just has a different atmosphere
than the other festivals in Plymouth. They
are all great but the ice festival brings
people out at what is usually a dull time of
year, right after the holiday rush, and
everybody seems to have a great time.
“I think maybe people have relaxed a
little after the holidays and just want to
have some family time.”
This year, in addition to all the usual
attractions including the free cross coun-
try skiing lessons, Dueling Chainsaws, the
college competitions, the exhibitions and
the entertainment at the Party Tent, fami-
lies can enjoy the petting farm on
Penniman, the Michigan Made market-
place and a list of family-friendly activi-
ties at the Plymouth Arts and Recreation
Complex, the former Central Middle
School.
“They are having the Main Street
Opera with two performances of Hansel
and Gretel,” Geitzen said, “and just a long
list of activities plus a warming station
andhot chocolate.”
The library, too, will offer something
special with Rat Pack tribute artist Chris
Ayotte offering free entertainment during
the festival.
“This year we have carriage rides, too,”
Geitzen said. “We kept everything people
love and added new things to keep it
fresh.”
While the ice sculptures are the biggest
attraction, Geitzen said, the cross country
skiing lessons attract a huge crowd.
“I think last year they put 1,000 ormore
kids through the ski trail they built in the
park,”Geitzen said. “Kids just love it.”
The traditional Party Tent, behind E.G.
Nick's restaurant, will have fan favorites
Big Ray and the Motor City Kings and
FiftyAmpFuse.
The $3 cover charge goes to help the
Vietnam Veterans group in Plymouth and
Canton.
The festival is almost completely free,
but local charities like the Kiwanis,
Rotary, Special Olympics and many oth-
ers, benefit from the parking fees mem-
bers collect in various lots while helping
the traffic flowdowntown.
“There's a lot to do and see and even
when Mother Nature doesn't cooperate,
everybody has a good time. It think that's
what makes it so special. It's a really good
time for everybody.”
The 35th Annual Plymouth Ice Festival
will take place Jan. 6-8 throughout down-
townPlymouth. The event is sponsored by
Ford Motor Co., Genysis Credit Union,
Blue Care Network, Fox 2 News and 93.9
TheRiver.
A complete guide to the Ice Festival is
included in this edition of
TheEagle
.
N’ICE going
Plymouth Annual Ice
Festival opens tomorrow
Photo by Lovelace Photography
Lake Pointe Fire Station No. 2
