No. 02
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
Jan. 11 – 17, 2018
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 City Councilman
Christopher Sanders has
officially challenged recall
petitions submitted to the
Wayne County Elections
Commission as “fatally
defective.”
See page 3.
.
Judy Wagner, who has
children in Northville
schools, was the winner of
$17,200 in the Northville
Educational Foundation
Cash For College raffle in
December.
See page 5.
Vol. 133, No. 02
Vol. 71, No. 02
Vol. 71, No. 02
Vol. 18, No. 02
The Romulus Chamber of
Commerce and Friends of
the Romulus Library will
host a bowling night begin-
ning at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan.
20 at Romulus Lanes.
See page 2.
Vol. 133, No. 02
Vol. 71, No. 02
Vol. 71, No. 02
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Three new members of
the Westland City Council
took their oaths of office
Tuesday, Jan. 2 and Mayor
William Wild was officially
sworn in for his third term.
See page 3.
The Canton Township
Municipal
Services
Department (MSD) has been
awarded the prestigious
American Public Works
Association Accreditation
designation.
See page 4.
Vol. 18, No. 02
Inkster seniors took a trip
to Lansing Dec. 8 hosted by
State Sen. David Knezek.
The senator invited 50 sen-
iors to join him as his guests
for an entire day in the
Capitol.
See page 2.
The 10th annual 88.1
Record Show is set for 10
a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday,
Feb. 17 at the Salem High
School Cafeteria, hosted by
the student operated radio
station.
See page 4.
Belleville Area District
Library Director Mary Jo
Suchy has been ordered by
the board of directors to
accept a 2.5 percent pay
increase.
See page 5.
Full-time elected officials in
Romulus may get a raise next
year, but members of the city
council want to address some
concerns, first.
The council members voted
last week to table a recommen-
dation from the Officers
Compensation Commission that
would have granted a 2-percent
raise to the mayor, clerk and
treasurer. The commission
meets on odd years to deter-
mine what, if any, increases in
compensation are warranted for
the part-time council members
and full-time officials. Those
recommendations go into effect
unless a 2/3 vote of the council
rejects them.
The council members voted
to table the recommendation
until they could host a 5 p.m.
study session prior to their Jan.
8 meeting. Councilwoman
Virginia Williams had offered a
motion to reject the recommen-
dation, but rescinded it to allow
time to talk to members of the
commission.
“I think it's putting the cart
before the horse. We're not even
in budget hearings yet and we're
recommending a raise,” said
Councilwoman Kathy Abdo,
who supported Williams' initial
motion to reject the recommen-
dation. “I think this should be
done along with our budget
hearings. It should not be done
before.”
Romulus Clerk Ellen Craig
Bragg said the city charter dic-
tated the timing of the meetings
and the subsequent recommen-
dations to council. The council
technically has 30 days to act on
the recommendation.
“That's the only reason it's
done at this time,” she said.
“The charter mandates that it's
done at this time, prior to the
end of the year.”
The compensation commit-
tee last met in 2015, and recom-
mended a raise for city officials
at that time, as well. This time,
they decided that the part-time
council people should not
receive an increase in compen-
See
Raise,
page 2
Throughout the area next Monday,
Jan. 15, communities will celebrate the
life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.
The annual celebrations mark Dr. King's
momentous contributions to the fight for
racial equality in our country and his
lifelong dedication to improving our
world and our understanding of our fel-
lowman.
This year, celebrations are planned:
InCanton Township:
Canton Township will once again
honor the memory and legacy of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. with a special
tribute, “Canton Celebrates Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.” beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 15 at The Village Theater at
Cherry Hill, located at 50400 Cherry Hill
Road.
A punch and cookie reception will
begin at the Village Theater at 6 p.m., fol-
lowed by the main program at 6:30 p.m.
This annual event is presented by the
Canton Commission for Culture, Arts,
and Heritage, members of the Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Sub-Committee, and
CantonTownship.
This year, the keynote address will be
presented by Dr. Doris J. Fields, a profes-
sor at Eastern Michigan University, who
has extensive experience in interracial
and interethnic communication.
The programwill feature performanc-
es by Canton Community Choir, under
the direction of Virginia Thorne-
Hermann andNorthridge ChurchChoral
Ensemble, under the direction of Stanley
Jordan. Lt. Dale Waltz from “Canton's
Response To Hate Crimes Coalition” will
alsomake amainstage presentation.
Admission is $2 per person (cash only)
or the donation of one canned good to
Open Door Ministry, a local food pantry
and job bank. Both will be accepted at
the door the night of the event
For more information about this spe-
cial performance, call (734) 394-5300 or
visit
In Inkster:
In Inkster, a Gospel Tribute to Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is planned for 6
p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13.
The 2018 Prayer and Gospel Tribute,
Covered With Love, will take place at
New Birth Baptist Church, 27628
AvondaleSt. in Inkster.
The celebration will feature Inkster
City Councilman Steven Chisholm as the
emcee along with a community prayer by
Pastor Charlie Kinghten of Pilgrim
TravelerBaptist Church.
Special guests at the event will be The
Men of Antioch, a Detroit choir. There
will also be performances by the St. Mark
Baptist Youth Choir, Pilgrim Traveler
We're not even in
budget hearings
yet and we're
recommending a raise.
”
Council delays raise recommendation
Events honor memory of Dr. King
The huge blocks of ice filling
Kellogg Park in Plymouth will
very soon become artistic cre-
ations designed to amaze and
delight the 75,000 visitors expect-
ed to visit the 36th Annual
Plymouth IceFestival which offi-
cially opens with a ribbon cut-
ting at 7 p.m. tomorrow.
More than 300 of the 300-
pound blocks will be put in the
hands of 15 professional ice
carvers along with teams of col-
lege student ice carvers for the
transformations.
This is the fifth year that
James Gietzen of JAG
Entertainment has been at the
helm of the event and he said he
is pleased with the growth and
quality of the festival.
“It's improving every year,”
Gietzen said. “The first year we
were trying to keep it alive and
now, with the help of our spon-
sors, we are seeing it grow in size
andquality.”
Gietzen stressed that there
will be something for everyone
to do and enjoy at the festival,
including the traditional ice
carving competitions, Dueling
Chainsaws, which Gietzen
admits is his favorite event, the
interactive sculptures, an ice
playground, face painting and a
petting farmfor youngsters along
withmany other attractions.
“This event is sponsor driv-
en,” Gietzen said. “We do not get
money from the city to present
this. The attractions are all paid
for by our sponsors and the local
merchantswho participate.”
Those merchants are offering
sales, special treats like s'mores
and hot chocolate at fire pits and
several other enticements for
visitors. Sun andSnowwill again
offer free skiing lessons for
youngsters and adults are also
welcome to try the ski trail erect-
ed in Kellogg Park for the week-
end.
One of the visitors this year
See
Festival,
page 4
See
Dr. King,
page 6
‘Coolest’ festival will open tomorrow
Elizabeth Johnson
