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SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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AGE
3
January 19, 2012
B
ELLEVILLE
- C
ANTON
No comment
School board will not weigh
in on new library location
International Festival is Saturday
The Van Buren Public Schools Board of
Education will make no formal recommen-
dation regarding the location of a new area
library.
A formal motion to recommend that the
new district library remain within Belleville
city limits failed for a lack of a second.
Discussion among the board members at
the regular meeting last week resulted in no
decision. The discussion among boardmem-
bers included members of the audience at
times but Board President Martha Toth
made it clear that she felt the board should
not take a stand on the issue. She told the
board members and audience at the meet-
ing that she felt it was not the business of the
school district but should be the decision of
the library boardmembers.
Others, like board member Scott Russell
who proposed the recommendation, said
that keeping the library downtown would
benefit all the students of the district, includ-
ing the 1,700 students at the high school and
hundreds at South Middle School. Other
board members said that they were con-
cerned that the recommendation could be a
political statement and felt that it was best
left to the library board and voters.
Former school board member and
Belleville attorney Barbara Miller spoke
from the audience and said that the library
board has not made a decision on the loca-
tion of the new library.
She also told the board members that the
school district is a stakeholder and “can
have an opinion” on thematter. The commu-
nity, she said, would appreciate a thoughtful
recommendation.
Denton Road home
destroyed in blaze
A home on Denton Road in Canton
Township was completely destroyed by
fire last Thursday, despite the efforts of
firefighters fromthree communities.
At approximately 12:54 a.m. Jan. 12, the
Canton Public Safety dispatch center
received a 911 call reporting a house fire
in the 4800 block of Denton Road. While
en route to the scene, firefighters
observed a large plume of smoke along
with an orange glow coming from the
area, according to a fire department
report.
Firefighters were advised that the
house fire was fully involved, and that all
occupants of the home had made it out-
side safely. Upon arrival, firefighters
found a single story ranch-style house
with heavy smoke and flames coming
from the entire rear of the house and
attached garage. Firefighters confirmed
everyone was out of the residence and
began “fire attack,” according to reports.
Because the house is located on a part
of Denton Road with no fire hydrants,
mutual aidwas requested fromVanBuren
Township and Superior Township to
assist. Initial water supply was an issue
until tanker trucks from the other depart-
ments arrived, according to the reports.
The fire was eventually extinguished with
multiple hand lines.
The house sustained significant dam-
age and will likely be a total loss, fire
department reports noted.
Six occupants were in the home at the
time of the fire-two were evaluated and
declined treatment/transport by Canton
firefighter-paramedics.
The Canton Fire InvestigationUnit has
determined the fire to have been acciden-
tal innature.
Cultures from around the world
can be experienced in Canton
Township this month during the
International Festival.
The annual festival of cultures
will take place from 11 a.m. until 4
p.m. at The Village Theater at
CherryHill located at 50400 Cherry
Hill Road.
Diversity of the Canton commu-
nity will be celebrated through
song and dance from various cul-
tural groups, a spokesman noted.
Featured dance performances will
represent various cultures and
countries, including: India, Tahiti,
Hawaii, New Zealand, Ireland,
China, the Middle East, and the
UnitedStates.
Attendees can enjoy choral per-
formances by the New Century
Chinese School and the Plymouth
Canton Chinese Learning Center.
In addition the New Century
Chinese School will present a Pipa
solo along with featured Chinese
dancers. A special performance
will be presented by Jesus Murillo
from The Verdi Opera Theatre of
Michigan.
Numerous cultural exhibits will
also be featured and cultural items
from around the world will be
available for purchase during the
event. This year henna tattoos will
also be available for a small fee.
Snacks and desserts from various
countries can also be purchased at
the International FoodTable.
Tickets are $2 at the door. This
event is presented by the all volun-
teer Multicultural Committee of
the Canton Commission for
Culture, Arts andHeritage.
For more information about the
Canton International Festival, call
(734) 394-5308 or visit www.can-
tonvillagetheater.org.