No. 42
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
October 13 - 19, 2011
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
About 50 scarecrows, built
by various business owners,
service groups and individuals
in Wayne, line Michigan
Avenue West in the downtown
area, beginning at Second
Street
See page 5.
There are two new faces on
theRomulusDowntown
Development Authority (DDA),
after long-serving chairman
WilliamCranewas not re-
appointed to the post.
See page 3.
Nearly 100 years after he
was laid to rest, Albert Nelson
Stevens will receive a head-
stone in a dedication ceremo-
ny at Plymouth's Riverside
Cemetery next Thursday, Oct.
19.
See page 4.
Amerman Elementary
School in Northville is being
honored as a Michigan
Association of School Boards
2011 Michigan's Best Award
recipient .
See page 4.
If vandalismcontinues at the
skate park inBelleville, city
councilmembers have prom-
ised to close the facility rather
than continue to repair the
damage.
See page 3.
Vol. 126, No. 42
Vol. 64, No. 42
Vol. 64, No. 42
Vol. 11, No. 42
Vol. 11, No. 42
Vol. 126, No. 42
Vol. 64, No. 42
Vol. 64, No. 42
Comcast
recently
announced the launch of a
new program, Internet
Essentials, which will offer
internet service for $9.95 to
families with children in the
school free lunchprogram.
See page 3.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Distinguished young
women in Wayne and
Westland are being sought for
a scholarshipprogram.
See page 5.
Canton police have arrested a
15-year-old boy who was charged
last Saturday in connection with
threats left at Plymouth High
School twice last week.
A note threatening some non-
specific retaliation was reported
on Monday, Oct. 3 and all three
high schools at the Plymouth
Canton Educational Park put on a
semi-lockdown. Students were
subsequently dismissed at about
10:30 a.m.
Again on Wednesday, Oct. 5,
police were notified of another
threatening note found in a com-
mon area by a student at about
7:30 a.m.
Police believe the boy is
responsible for both notes,
according to Canton Det. Sgt.
Dave Schreiner. Police consid-
ered the incidents as a high prior-
ity, and increased presence and
patrols at the high schools cam-
pus, he said.
The case is now in the hands of
the Wayne County Prosecutor.
Maria Miller of Kym Worthy's
office said the boy was charged
with two counts of threat of terror-
ism and was charged as a juve-
nile.
Neither police, the school or
the prosecutor's office has
released the boy's name as he was
charged as a juvenile. A court ref-
eree heard the charges and
allowed the boy bail in the
amount of a 10 percent $50,000
bond.
In addition to a reward being
offered by the Plymouth-Canton
Community Schools, Crime
Stoppers had offered up to $1,000
for a tip leading to an arrest.
There was no confirmed infor-
mation as to whether the reward
was a factor in the arrest of the
suspect. The Michigan State
Police Bomb Squad was called to
the school campus at the same
time last Wednesday to investi-
gate a suspicious package which
turned out to be unfounded,
according to police reports.
State Sen. Patrick Colbeck
(R-Canton) has introduced a
resolution urging prioritiza-
tion of the I-275 Ford Road
project and asking for grant
funds to reconfigure the inter-
change.
See page 4.
15-year-old faces terrorism charges
Researcher to track coyotes in area
Restaurant donates meal prices to marching band
Coyotes have been seen
throughout western Wayne
County, but not much is known
about the animals.
Bill Dodge, a PHD candidate at
Wayne State University, hopes to
change all that. Dodge is conduct-
ing research on coyotes-where
they are and where they travel-
and has entered into a lease
agreement with the City of
Romulus to track theirmovements
on city-owned property. The lease
stipulates he'll be able to use 224
acres of property near Wayne,
Ozga/Wick roads and Ecorse Road
until the end of the year.
“One of our objectives is to cap-
ture them and put radio transmit-
ters on them so we get an idea of
their movements related to
human activity and development,”
saidDodge, aHowell resident.
He said he hopes to track nine
female coyotes using radio collars,
but has authority to tag up to 25
on-targeted coyotes, aswell.
Council President Leroy
Burcroff said he doesn't doubt the
coyotes are out there.
“I can vouch for it,” he said. “I
live on Wick Road and I've seen
them.”
Dodge said he will use special-
ly-designed foot-hold traps that
are designed to not hurt the ani-
mals. He'll check them every
morning to ensure that any animal
See
Coyotes,
page 2
When Rob Costanza first
heard that the Plymouth-Canton
Marching Band had been invit-
ed to appear in the Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade in
New York City, it made him
smile.
After 26 years of doing busi-
ness in Old Village in Plymouth,
the Costanza family has seen
most of the parents of the stu-
dent musicians at their Station
885 restaurant. When he heard
that the trip was going to cost
each of the 176 students about
$1,000, Costanza thought there
had to be something he could do
tohelp.
That help will come this
Sunday and nextMonday, Oct. 16
and 17, when Station 885 will
donate the proceeds of all meal
and drink purchases to the
Plymouth-Canton Music
Boosters to help fund the stu-
dent trip.
“No coupon, no special offer,
no strings attached,” Costanza
said. “This is a great opportunity
for these kids and a great boost
for our area and our whole state.
We just really want to help them
get there.”
Costanza noted that literally
millions of people will see the
students marching in the parade
on TV and the name of the
school district and town from
which they came will be
announced and shown. “This is
a really big deal,” he said.
Music Booster member
Audrey Schmidt agrees with
See
Band,
page 2
The Plymouth Canton Marching Band is the first from Michigan to be asked to march in the Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Looking for a treat this
Halloween?
There's no place like
Northville, thanks in part to
homeowners who trick out their
houses with elaborate themed
decor.
The city historic district now
draws so many Halloween trick-
or-treaters and curious onlookers
that officials shut down the
streets to traffic from 5:30-8:30
p.m. on Oct. 31 each year, creat-
ing a festival of fun.
Although it's hard to pinpoint
where the elaborate Halloween
home decor began, well-known
architect Greg Presley, who lives
onDunlap Street near the corner
of West, is among residents
known for extensive displays.
For the past 12 years, Presley
and a band of friends and neigh-
bors who dub themselves the
"Dunlap Street Players" present
over-the-top stage shows in
Presley's front yard that play on
popular TV programs. Past
themes have included
Hallowheel of Fortune, The Ed
Skullivan Show, Dancing with
the Scars, Monster Makeover,
and a tribute to Michael Jackson
calledNorthviller.
The Dunlap Street Players as the
cast of Dancing With the Scars,
above, during a past Halloween
stage show in front of Northville
Architect Greg Presley's home
and two years ago in Northviller, a
tribute to Michael Jackson's
Thriller dance at right.
Spooky
season...