No. 07
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
February 15 – 21, 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
Nominations for the
Distinguished Alumni Award
will be accepted at Wayne
Memorial High School
throughFeb. 28.
See page 4.
Registration is now avail-
able for Maybury Farm
Camp where 22 youngsters
will spend time outdoors
interacting with the farm
animals and learning about
farmoperations.
See page 5.
Vol. 133, No. 07
Vol. 71, No. 07
Vol. 71, No. 07
Vol. 18, No. 07
Belleville Mayor Kerreen
Conley and Romulus Mayor
LeRoy Burcroff are once
again teaming up to host the
5th Annual Mayors' Ball
March 3.
See page 2.
Vol. 133, No. 07
Vol. 71, No. 07
Vol. 71, No. 07
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
The City of Westland is
currently seeking applicants
to fill vacant positions on the
seven-member volunteer
Parks and Recreation
AdvisoryCouncil.
See page 5.
Spring is arriving early in
Canton where three indoor
Farmers Markets have been
planned with food vendors,
artisans, musical entertain-
ment and children's crafts.
See page 3.
Vol. 18, No. 07
Beaumont Health now
offers diabetes programs and
services for people interest-
ed in preventing type 2 dia-
betes or improving the self-
management of diabetes in
Inkster andWayne.
See page 4.
With the future of Hilltop
Golf Course under review,
Plymouth Township has
formed an ad hoc committee
to scrutinize the 18-hole golf
course.
See page 3.
Quilts are being accepted
for the 22nd annual Quilt
Exhibit at theBellevilleArea
Museum sponsored by the
Western Wayne County Quilt
Guild.
See page 2.
The Veteran's Memorial in
Romulus will soon be coming
down, but it will return and be
better than it was before.
Officials in the City of
Romulus said the memorial will
be temporarily removed and put
in storage to make way for the
construction of a new court-
house for the 34thDistrict Court,
which will be located on the
municipal campus at Wayne and
Goddard roads.
“We didn't want to damage it
during the construction,” said
Robert McCraight, director of
the
Romulus
Building
Department.
City and court officials
agreed last year that it would be
more cost effective to construct
a new, larger courthouse than it
would be to refurbish and
expand the existing one. That
project, set to begin this year,
will cost about $14 million and
be paid for through fees generat-
ed at the court-not city taxpay-
ers.
Officials discussed the time-
line for the project earlier this
month, and the plans for the
wall, aswell.
“Our intent is to preserve the
original integrity of the monu-
ment and enhance it,” said
Romulus Mayor Leroy Burcroff.
“We are committed to honoring
and respecting our veterans.”
McCraight said the plan was
to preserve the original bricks
with the names of veterans on
them and replace them when
the monument is reconstructed
after the court project. The wall
would be expanded, allowing
room for additional nameplates,
too. If, for any reason the bricks
were damaged during the
process, they would be replaced
withnewones.
That portion of the court
process, not discussed publicly
prior to the meeting last week,
drew some concern from veter-
an's groups and supporters, as
well as residentswho haddonat-
ed to have families members
memorialized there.
“This is a very sensitive issue
for all of us,” said Jan Lemmon.
“It's like sacred ground.”
“I understand the need for a
new courthouse, but this is a
sensitive issue for me,” added
Councilman
William
See
Court,
page 2
It's going to be better than before,
and the needed repairs will get done.
I'm looking forward to see it back up again.
”
Long-time Westland Police Sgt. Ron
Merrill was honored by the department Feb.
5 as he began his retirement after 22 years
on the job.
Fellow officers and city officials congrat-
ulated Merrill who is also a veteran of the
U.S. Army where he served for three years
with themilitary police. Heworkedwith the
Wayne County Sheriff's Department for five
years prior to joining the Westland Police
Department.
During his tenure with Westland, Merrill
served as the DARE officer, the Police
Explorer Advisor, as a Field Training
Officer and was a member of the depart-
ment perimeter rifle team.
WithMerrill's retirement, the department
Westland police mark retirement, promotion
Veterans monument to be moved, restored
Second grade students atWalker-Winter
Elementary School took a virtual trip to
Antarctica recently, all to pursue their
study of penguins.
“The Antarctica Penguin Project was
amazing, and the students seemed to enjoy
every part,” said teacher Chris
Kozaczynski, who led the program.
First, the students took a trip to the
Detroit Zoo and were able to visit and talk
with zoo staff members at various exhibits.
The main attraction for the students was
the Polk Penguin Conservation Center
where they were able to see the penguins
up close and ask questions.
Following their visit to the Detroit Zoo,
students continued their research and
slideshow presentations. These
slideshows included pictures from the zoo,
penguin facts from their research, and
highlights from a Skype visit with a
research scientist.
Jean Pennycook, a research scientist
who is stationed at Cape Royds, Antarctica
studying the Adelie penguins, visited with
the students during a Skype call. During
that call, students were able to ask ques-
tions about the penguins and what it was
like to be in Antarctica for two months in
sucha small tent.
Pennycook also invited the class to
name a pair of penguins that researchers
were studying. The class voted for “Oreo
and Cookie” for the penguin pair who
were tending to a nest of eggs.
The students could then check eachday
online to see the progress of the eggs and
see which penguin was guarding the nest
while the otherwas out for food.
The students also designed and
addressed postcards which were sent to
Pennycookwho then sent themback to the
studentswith theAntarctica postmark.
Prior to the Skype call, the classworked
with high school students in the graphic
design program, taught by Mark Benglian
at the William D. Ford Career-Technical
Center to design a flag. After several
designs and a very close vote, a designwas
chosen. John Glenn High School student
Emma O'Beirne completed the flag and
the students sent it to Antarctica to be
flown at the research station.
The students could see their flag flying
when they made their virtual visit to the
research station. After the flag was
returned, the students invited O'Beirne to
speak to the class about the process and
technology used to design the flag.
“The second graders put an incredible
amount of effort in this project. I am so
very proud of what they have accom-
plished and learned,” saidKozaczynski.
Cool class
Students take virtual
trip to Antarctica
Second grade students at Walker-Winter Elementary School show off the flag they
designed as part of their lesson on penguins.
Students enjoyed a trip to the Detroit Zoo as part of their penguin lesson, along with a
virtual trip to Antarctica.
See
Police,
page 5
Westland Police Deputy Chief Brian Miller, left, Deputy Chief Randy Thivierge, newly-pro-
moted Sgt. David Skeans, Mayor William R. Wild, City Council President James Godbout
and City Clerk Richard Leblanc celebrate the recent police staff changes.
