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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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5
February 2, 2012
B
ELLEVILLE
- R
OMULUS
- W
ESTLAND
Winter Frost Day
City hopes for cold weather
to host inaugural family event
The temperatures this winter haven't
exactly been stable, but officials in Romulus
are hoping for a return to more seasonable
conditions at the end of themonth, when the
first Winter Frost Day is scheduled to take
place.
“Hopefully, it'll be cold. Maybe even a lit-
tle bit of snow on the ground would be
good,” said Maria Lambert, director of the
Romulus Downtown Development
Authority (DDA).
The DDA board of directors came up
with the idea of putting on a mid-winter
event last year, she said, and have scheduled
a day filledwith family-friendly activities for
Feb. 24. The event will take place from 4-9
p.m. atMaryAnnBanksMemorial Park.
Lambert said the event will include
music, games, crafts, food, hot drinks, a
warming station and skating at the outdoor
rink at Goddard Road and Ozga Road at
FivePoints.
“This break in the winter blahs will offer
a day of fun for local families,” Lambert
said. “Our goal is to make this a unique
experience for our residents.”
In addition to theDDA, organizations like
the Romulus Rotary, the Greater Romulus
Chamber of Commerce, the Romulus
Ministerial Association and other communi-
ty organizations are pitching in, she said. It
was designed to be an old-fashioned event
with a minimal budget impact, both for the
city and attendees.
Council President Leroy Burcroff said he
hoped it would be well-received by the resi-
dents.
“I think it's neat to try something differ-
ent,” said Burcroff. “The bottom line is that
it's winter inMichigan. We should find a way
to celebrate it for the kids. I hope this works
out well.”
For more information, to sponsor an
event or to volunteer, call (734) 955-4533.
At least one elementary school in the Van
Buren Public Schools District will be closed
next year, according to board President
MarthaToth.
Following a report by Paul Wills of Plante
Moran regarding the school enrollment
numbers who projected a decrease of 500
students in the next four years.
That decrease could mean as much as $3
million to the district in state per-pupil fund-
ing, according to reports.
A public forum to discuss the study is
planning for 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at Rawsonville
Elementary School. Superintendent of
Schools Michael Van Tassel told the audi-
ence and the members of the board that he
would have a recommendation which would
include the closing of one or two schools by
the end of February. The closures are part of
the plan the district submitted to the state as
part of the deficit reduction plan, Van Tassel
said.
Toth stressed the importance of the public
meeting noting that the board did not want
the closures to be a surprise to parents.
Willis, too, urged the involvement of the
public and said providing the information
about the study before implementing any
changeswas part of the "best practices."
Van Tassel indicated that a complete
redistricting of the elementary schools atten-
dance boundaries may be necessary. He also
said that split classes at schools with small
student enrollments were not good situa-
tions.
Currently, the district has an enrollment
of 5,332 students which is projected to be
only 4,862 by 2016.
It's time to fight back against cancer.
The American Cancer Society Relay
For Life of Westland will take place from
10 p.m. May 12 until 10 a.m. May 13 at
JayceePark.
The world's largest grassroots fundrais-
ing movement, Relay For Life mobilizes
communities throughout the country to
celebrate people who have battled cancer,
remember loved ones lost, and provide
participants with an opportunity to fight
back against the disease. Relay brings
together friends, families, businesses, hos-
pitals, schools, and faith-based groups -
people from all walks of life - all aimed at
furthering the American Cancer Society's
vision of creating a world with less cancer
and more birthdays, explained Marie
Matuszak, a cancer society representative.
“Relay For Life provides an environ-
ment for everyone in our community to
join in the fight against cancer,” said
Matuszak. Donations can be made to this
local Relay For Life event and partici-
pants can start a team by visiting relayfor-
life.org or calling 1-800-227-2345.
Relay for Life sets dates
Class dismissed?
Van Buren district to close 1 school
A Romulus Department of Works employee clears water from a pond at Mary Ann Banks
Memorial Park where the first Winter Frost Day is planned on Feb. 24.