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No. 23
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
June 5 – 11, 2014
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
Wayne Lawn and Garden
owner surprised to repair a
tractor sold by the store five
decades ago.
See page 6.
Summer reading programs
for teens and younger children
are getting under way at the
Romulus Public Library. The
library will host a variety of
activities for young people all
summer long.
See page 3.
Summer concert series
heats up with free noon con-
certs on Wednesday in Kellogg
Park
See page 5.
The Northville Public
School District hired one new
principal and removed the
'interim' title from another to
prepare for next school year.
See page 5.
A world record attempt and
fundraiser at the Yankee Air
Museum is successful, saving
part of the historic World War
II Willow Run B-24 Liberator
Bomber plant and preserving
an important piece of history.
See page 3.
Vol. 129, No. 23
Vol. 67, No. 23
Vol. 67, No. 23
Vol. 14, No. 23
Vol. 129, No. 23
Vol. 67, No. 23
Vol. 67, No. 23
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Farmer's market opens
today at the old site, will move
to a new pavilion later this
year when it becomes avail-
able.
See page 6.
Canton
Township's
Emergency Management
Planner
earned
the
Outstanding Community
Emergency Response Team
(CERT) Team Leader Award
recently for her role in that
community program.
See page 4.
Vol. 14, No. 23
In an unexpected move last
week, former Romulus Police
Chief Michael St. Andre entered a
guilty plea to corruption charges
in Wayne County Circuit Court
during a pre-trial hearing.
St. Andre, 53, pleaded guilty to
charges of conducting a continu-
ing criminal enterprise, embezzle-
ment by a public official and mis-
conduct in office. In what was
apparently a plea bargain, charges
including criminal enterprise con-
spiracy, uttering and publishing,
failure to file or filing a false tax
return, obstruction of justice, wit-
ness bribery, intimidating or inter-
fering in a case with over a 10-year
penalty and receiving and con-
cealing stolen property over
$20,000 were dropped. St. Andre
will be sentenced before Circuit
Court Judge Michael Hathaway
Oct. 17 and will serve 5 years in
prison as part of the plea agree-
ment.
He is not inpolice custody.
The charges against St. Andre,
his wife, Sandra Vlaz St. Andre
and five Romulus police detec-
tives were filed by the office of the
Wayne County prosecutor in
September of 2011 following a 3-
year investigation by the Michigan
State Police, the FBI and the pros-
ecutor's office. The investigation
was prompted by a request from a
highly-placed police official who
alleged misconduct, corruption
and embezzlement of drug forfei-
ture funds by select members of
the Romulus Police Department
Special Investigation Unit and
highly-placed police command
personnel, according to the prose-
cutor's office.
Also charged, along with St.
Andre and his wife, were former
Det. Sgt. Richard Allan Balzer,
Det. Richard Bruce Landry, Det.
Donald Ralph Hopkins, Det.
Jeremy James Channells and Det.
LarryDroege.
Sandra St. Andre was convicted
of receiving and concealing stolen
property over $20,000, failure to
file or filing a false tax return, con-
spiracy in a criminal enterprise
and maintaining a criminal enter-
prise by a jury Jan. 27. She was
sentenced inFebruary and is serv-
ing 7-20 years in prison.
Prosecutors alleged that drug for-
feiture money from the Romulus
Police Department was used to
pay for a tanning salon in her
name in Westland, home improve-
ments, gambling funds and trips.
Channells was found guilty of
two counts of misconduct in office
and two counts of neglect of duty
and was sentenced March 31 to 3
years probation. Droege was
found guilty of misconduct in
office and neglect of duty and was
also sentenced March 31 to 18
months probation.
Balzer, Landry and Hopkins
See
Guilty,
page 3
John Adams is named
Inkster Fire Chief and will
take over day-to-day opera-
tions of the Inkster Fire
Department in July.
See page 6.
Northville resident Anton
Nrecaj will face felony charges in
the theft of donations from Our
Lady of Victory Church in
Northville, after he waived his
preliminary examination last
week.
Nrecaj was arraigned on
charges of larceny from a building
in the 35th District Court in
Plymouth. He has also been
charged with similar thefts from
churches in both Plymouth and
Birmingham. He was interviewed
by a Northville detective following
his arrest by Birmingham police,
according to police reports.
Staff members at Our Lady of
Victory in Northville told police
that on March 16, someone had
pried open three votive donation
boxes and removed the money,
used to buy candles.
Surveillance cameras in the
Northville church recorded a man
entering through the northeast
entrance of the building, prying
open a votive box and removing
the money. Police in Northville
took a still photo from the surveil-
lance video and distributed it to
neighboring police departments.
Nrecaj was identified bywitnesses
at Our Lady of Good Counsel in
Plymouth when Plymouth City
officers showed the still photo to
them.
Nrecaj, 30, was remanded to
the Wayne County Jail in lieu of a
$150,000/10 percent bond.
Progress continues in the City
ofWestland.
As the new city hall takes
shape on Warren Road, officials
kicked off the construction of a
new fire station that will be locat-
ednearby.
The new Ralph Savini Fire
Station will be located at 35701
Central City Parkway, next to the
former Service Merchandise
building.
The city hosted a groundbreak-
ing ceremony there Tuesday after-
noon.
Mayor Bill Wild said the city
continued to lead by example in
investing in the center of
Westland's 'Shop and Dine'
District.
“Our Shop and Dine District is
in the midst of a much-needed
economic and community rede-
velopment,” said Wild. “The city's
reinvestment is a positive course
for business owners, residents
and visitors to follow to ensure the
continued growth in this vital part
of our city.”
The new station will cost about
$3.1 million, and be funded
through the Westland Tax
Increment Finance Authority
(TIFA), so no additional millages
are needed for it. When the proj-
ect is complete-which should be
in November-the city will move
operations from the existing sta-
tion on Ford Road into the new,
11,223-square-foot facility.
“The result will be amoremod-
ern, functional fire station with
the most up-to-date technology,”
said Wild. “It will serve the resi-
dents and businesses of Westland
for years to come.”
Also charged were former Det. Sgt. Richard Allan Balzer,
Det. Richard Bruce Landry, Det. Donald Ralph Hopkins,
Det. Jeremy James Channells and Det. Larry Droege.
”
Former police chief enters guilty plea
Church donation thief waives preliminary exam
At Liberty
35th annual festival
set for next weekend
When the huge tent goes up in Heritage
Park in Canton Township next weekend, it
will mark another new attraction at the
annual LibertyFest.
This year, the township will celebrate the
23rd annual Liberty Festival with perform-
ers from theDetroit Circus, a troupe of high-
flying performers who specialize in aerial
antics on fabric, trapeze and lyra, fire danc-
ing and eating, contortion and feats of
acrobalance and strength along with circus
sideshowacts, or so claims thewebsite dedi-
cated to the group.
These cirque-style performers will join
the traditional events at the Liberty Fest
slated for June 12-14 this year.
While the circus performances will begin
Friday, the festival will openThursdaywhen
the carnival rides start up at 1 p.m.
Thursday will also see the annual Zumba
anniversary party which has plans to turn
Heritage Park pink during a fundraiser on
the amphitheater stage.
The Dan Rafferty Band will take to the
state from 7:30-9:30 p.m. to provide enter-
tainment for the crowds.
On Friday, the Motor City Street East will
bring a variety of food trucks to the park to
offer a wide selection of exotic foods includ-
ing tacos, vegan foods and wood-fired pizza.
The food trucks will not replace the usual
concessionaires at the festival who will still
have roasted almonds, elephant ears, gyros
and sausages for sale, but will provide some
unexpected choices for festival visitors.
On Friday, the PG rated Cloudy with a
Chance of Meatballs 2 will be shown on the
movie screen in the park beginning at dusk.
The nationally-known local Canton band
TwentyForSeven will take to the amphithe-
ater stage Friday evening, followed by The
CandyBand.
On Saturday, the day will begin with the
annual Liberty Run and end with the tradi-
tional fireworks display. During the day, the
Canton Multicultural Committee will add to
the festivities with presentations of various
music, dance, arts and traditions of the
many diverse cultures of Canton on the
stage.
Westland officials kick off construction for fire station
Westland Council Members break ground for the new Ralph Savini Fire
Station on Central City Parkway.
Photo by Don Howard