No. 9
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
February 26 - March 4, 2015
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
Despite the pleas of some
avid users and supporters,
the pool at the Wayne
Community Center has been
closed by a 4-3 vote of city
councilmembers.
See page 5.
Romulus Public Library
will present a series of pro-
grams on Mondays next
month including local
authors andmake-up artists.
See page 4.
The quiet atmosphere at
the Plymouth District
Library has barely been dis-
rupted by the $2 million
major construction currently
under way at the facility, offi-
cials said.
See page 2.
The Northville Art House
will present "the mystery les-
son" - a solo exhibit of the
paintings ofy Kate Paul dur-
ingMarch.
See page 5.
The Yankee Air Museum
in Belleville is offering a
series of free Fly-Zone
Family Days beginning this
week and continuing
throughMay.
See page 3.
Vol. 130, No. 9
Vol. 68, No. 9
Vol. 68, No. 9
Vol. 15, No. 9
Vol. 130, No. 9
Vol. 68, No. 9
Vol. 68, No. 9
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Staff members at the
Westland Public Library will
ask the library board to hire
a security board after inci-
dents of nudity, violence and
drug overdose lastmonth.
See page 4.
The Canton Farmers
Market will return with spe-
cial Winter Markets on
Sundays in March and April
at the Summit on the Park
community recreation cen-
ter.
See page 3.
Vol. 15, No. 9
Inkster officials have
invited the public to the offi-
cial grand opening ceremony
of the new Inkster Justice
Center at 10 a.m. March 3.
See page 4.
A dispute regarding missing cough syrup
may have led to the beating death of a
Westland woman whose battered body was
later found wrapped in bedclothes dumped
on a Dearborn Height street, according to
testimony in 18th District Court last
Thursday.
Witnesses told Judge Mark McConnell
that Terrence Johnson, 44, and Randy Batts,
31, beat Diedre Akins, 46, in the basement of
a home on Grand Traverse in Norwayne on
Jan. 17. Witnesses said that the victimshared
the home with Johnsonwho allegedly partic-
ipated in the physical assault on Batts which
causedher death.
A man who said he had been renting a
room in the home from the victim told the
judge that Batts accused Akins of stealing
some cough syrup and narcotics from him.
He told the court that Akins denied taking
the drugs or cough syrup but gave Batts $10.
The witness said that Batts was not satisfied
and the dispute escalated. Batts then asked
Johnson, the victim's live-in boyfriend, to get
her to return the drugs. Thewitness said that
Johnson stated that the situationhadnothing
to dowithhim.
The witness said he tried to warn Akins
not to go into the basement where Batts and
Johnson were drinking during much of the
time. He said that he saw Batts strike Akins
in the facewith his fist andwrestle her to the
floor. He said he couldn't physically inter-
vene to any degree due to his own mobility
problems. He also told the court that he told
Akins to call 911 but the phone was not
charging.
He also testified that the final time he saw
Akins go into the basement of the home he
heard a loud argument and a man yelling.
Then, he said, it got quiet before he heard
Batts tell Johnson to get the victim before
she got hurt. He told the court that he heard
Akins say something indecipherable, then
quiet. He said that he did not ever see the
victim, whom he had known for about 10
years, again. He said that when he asked
Three major road projects have been
scheduled in the Plymouth and Canton com-
munities byWayneCounty.
According to County Commissioner
Shannon Price, who represents the 10th dis-
trict, Beck Road fromWarrenRoad in Canton
to just south of Ann Arbor Trail in Plymouth
township, will be reconstructed by the county
road commission. The project could begin
next month, according to a prepared release
fromPrice, depending onweather conditions.
Beck Road will be expanded from two
lanes to three betweenWarrenRoad and Ann
Arbor Road and will include work on the
storm sewer, culvert, sidewalk ramp,
guardrails, signs and some newsidewalks.
“The Beck Road project has been long
overdue,” Price, R-Plymouth Township, said
in a prepared statement. “This project will
address the poor condition of BeckRoad, traf-
fic congestion around the high school campus
and flooding issues that have long been a
problemat theAnnArborRoad intersection.”
Another project includes the resurfacing
and widening of Cherry Hill Road from two
lands to three between Beck and Canton
Center roads in Canton. Improvements to the
Cherry Hill-Beck Road intersection are also
planned and will accommodate increased
traffic from new schools in the area, accord-
ing toPrice.
“With the addition of two schools and an
increase in new homes in the area, Cherry
Hill Road is also in serious need of improve-
ments,” Price said.
This project, Price said, will begin in mid-
April and also include drainage, signing and
traffic signal improvements.
Price is the chairman of theWayne County
”
The two face a preliminary
court examination on the murder
and torture charges today...
”
The Beck Road
project has been
long overdue.
Trial ordered in beating death
Beck, Cherry Hill road projects are OK’d
See
Trial,
page 4
Extra fun
Chuck E. Cheese aids
area United Way efforts
Chuck E. Cheese patrons were having
even more fun than usual last Friday as
they helped the less fortunate while enjoy-
ing the food and games.
Plymouth Community United Way staff
members accepted donations of canned
food fromguests during the evening as part
of a month-long drive to collect nonperish-
ables at theCantonTownshipbusiness.
The partnership came about earlier this
year when Assistant Manager Josh Faith
approached the local United Way with a
desire to help the community. All the non-
perishables went to pantries serving
Plymouth, Canton and Western Wayne
County residents.
“The need continues in our communi-
ties so we wanted to be here to show our
appreciation and support of Chuck E.
Cheese for holding the food drive,” said
Randi Williams, Plymouth Canton United
Way special events coordinator.
“The whole box is overflowing,” added
Faith. “I never expected it would go so
well.”
It was definitely a party atmosphere.
Children played, hopping from square to
square on the interactive games while
United Way staff gratefully accepted dona-
tions.
Cleo SSemakula and her son, Kizito, 11,
were enjoying the pizza and games. The
Canton family brought a bag of canned
foods to donate. Kizito and his father,
Emmanuel, regularly volunteer to make
and deliver sandwiches for the hungry in
inner city Detroit as part of the P.B. & J.
Program at Our Lady of Good Counsel in
Plymouth.
“He wanted to come,” said Cleo
SSemakula. “I told my son we are helping
feed people who are hungry, the homeless,
andhewanted to play games.”
Isabella Murphy-Morrow was enjoying
pizza and games with her friend Morgan
Horning. The 13-year old Plymouth girls
brought cans of corn and tomato soup to
help the less fortunate. Murphy-Morrow
has volunteered in the past for UnitedWay
raking events to help senior citizens and
people with disabilities. Her grandmother,
Marie Morrow, is president of Plymouth
CommunityUnitedWay.
“My grandma called and told me about
the fundraiser,” said Murphy-Morrow. “It
seemed like a lot of fun and helps United
Way.”
The Plymouth Community United Way
Food Drive was the first of its kind for
ChuckE. Cheese although the family enter-
tainment center collected Toys for Tots at
Christmas. The partnership continues with
a drive for new children's books in March.
UnitedWay representatives plan to distrib-
ute the donated items in time for summer.
“March is Reading Month,” said
Williams. “We want to help prevent the
summer slide that children experience in
reading during school break. We're looking
forward to partnering with Chuck E.
Cheese to help the community.”
“Lots of kids stop reading over the sum-
mer and we thought this could help,”
added Faith who can attest to the slack in
reading. His two nephews and a niece usu-
ally spend the summer playing outside or
video games inside.
The Food Drive continues through
Saturday. The Children's Book Drive will
continue from March 1-31. Customers
receive 20 tickets for each nonperishable
food item or new book brought into Chuck
E. Cheese. Tickets can be used toward the
purchase of prizes.
Food and books can also be dropped off
at the United Way office, 960 W. Ann Arbor
Tr., Suite 2 in Plymouth. For more informa-
tion, call (734) 453-6879, ext. 7 or send email
to
Morgan Horning (left) and Isabella Murphy-Morrow brought canned food for a drive at
Chuck E. Cheese in Canton Friday night. Pictured with the two 13-year old Plymouth
girls is Randi Williams, who coordinated the month-long collection for Plymouth
Community United Way.
Plymouth Community United Way staff and their families had fun while supporting a
drive to collect food for less fortunate residents of Plymouth, Canton and Western
Wayne County.
See
Roads,
page 2
