No. 10
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
March 9 – 15, 2017
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
Nine young women from
the Wayne-Westland area
will be competing for the
title of Distinguished Young
Woman during a presenta-
tion tomorrowevening.
See page 5.
The opinions of more
than 1,000 people were con-
sidered in the new strategic
plan
for
downtown
Northville prepared for the
Downtown Development
Authority.
See page 7.
Vol. 132, No. 10
Vol. 70, No. 10
Vol. 70, No. 10
Vol. 17, No. 10
Romulus police are ask-
ing for help frommembers of
the public who may have
information about a man
recently charged with crimi-
nal sexual conduct.
See page 3.
Vol. 132, No. 10
Vol. 70, No. 10
Vol. 70, No. 10
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Westland officials and the
public recently attended a
ribbon-cutting ceremony to
celebrate more than $1 mil-
lion in improvements at the
MikeModano IceArena.
See page 5.
Two businesses sold alco-
hol to a minor teen decoy
during an alcohol sales
check by the Special
Enforcement Unit of the
CantonPolice lastmonth.
See page 4.
Vol. 17, No. 10
Six people were injured
and one remains in critical
condition after a fire
destroyed one building unit
at the Cherry Hill Club
apartments last Saturday.
See page 3.
Plymouth Township offi-
cials have adopted a resolu-
tion urging the state to install
a four-way traffic signal at
Ann Arbor Road and
McClumpha.
See page 6.
Contracts which have
nearly doubled in expense
were recently approved by
members of the Van Buren
Public Schools Board of
Education.
See page 7.
More jobs and development
are heading to the City of
Romulus.
Members of the Romulus
City Council approved a tax
abatement to Daehan Solutions
of Michigan last week so that
the company could open its first
Michigan plant. Daehan will
redevelop an existing ware-
house at 10401 Harrison Road,
investing more than $14 million
into the facility and eventually
creating 153 jobs.
“Our plan is to have 186 total
employees; we're investing $13
million in capital with an addi-
tional $1.5 million in miscella-
neous costs,” said Stewart
Kline, the plantmanager.
The tax abatement was
approved by a unanimous, 5-0
vote. Councilmen Harry Crout
and William Wadsworth were
absent. The abatement will
grant the company a 50-percent
tax break for eight years.
Daehan will manufacture
parts for the 2019 Dodge Ram
pickup. Kline said the firm has
a seven-year contract with Fiat
Chrysler Automobiles (FCA),
including a one-year design
phase-currently under way-and
six years of production. He said
the company would start bring-
ing in equipment into the
300,000-square-foot structure in
May of this year and begin
“pilot builds” in July. Full pro-
duction will start in January,
2018.
Kline said the company
would start advertising for
employees soon, and hire them
in intervals of 20, beginning in
June, through Michigan Works
and other avenues. There are
management positions avail-
able nowon Indeed.com.
Daehan Solutions also oper-
ates plants in Georgia,
Alabama, Korea andMexico.
“It's always exciting when
A 20-year-old assistant hockey
coach at Canton High School is
facing three counts of sexual mis-
conduct stemming from his rela-
tionshipwith 16-year-old student.
Eric Christopher Locke of
Canton Township is free on
$500,000 personal bond and is
wearing an electronic tether fol-
lowing his arraignment March 2
at 35th District Court in front of
Judge Ron Lowe. He is charged
with three counts of third degree
criminal sexual conduct, each
carrying a maximum sentence of
15 years imprisonment upon con-
viction. Lowe also ordered Locke
to have no contact with minors,
including the victim and to stay
off school property.
Police said that the mother of
the girl notified the Plymouth
Canton Educational Park school
resource officer and township
police began an immediate
investigation into the allegations.
Locke was arrested Tuesday,
Feb. 28.
Superintendent of Plymouth-
Canton Community Schools
Monica Merritt issued a letter
March 3 explaining that Locke
has been permanently removed
fromthe district.
“As always, student safety
remains the number one priority
of the district,” she said in the let-
ter.
Locke's employment as assis-
tant coach is through CoachEZ,
LLC. Management officials at the
company issued a prepared
statement also saying that Locke
“was removed from all access to
assignments in the schools we
serve.”
“In unusual cases such as this,
our first priority is to follow poli-
cies and procedures that ensure
the safety and support of the stu-
dents,” the statement continued.
The statement said CoachEZ
“will cooperate fully with our
school partner and the Canton
TownshipPoliceDepartment.”
Locke is scheduled for a prob-
able cause conference at the
court tomorrow and a prelimi-
nary court examination March
17.
See
Expansion,
page 3
Longtime Plymouth City
Clerk Linda Langmesser
announced her immediate
retirement last Friday following
a week-long controversy regard-
ing racially-charged posts attrib-
uted to her on a political web-
site.
Langmesser, who has been
the city clerk for more than 20 of
her 30 years as a city employee,
announced her decision to
retire following a meeting with
city officials last Friday regard-
ing the much-publicized com-
ments.
Mayor Dan Dwyer said that
he and the city wished
Langmesserwell.
“She was a valuable employ-
ee for 30 years andwe trulywish
her all the best. It is a shame her
career ended thisway.”
Arab and Muslim groups
called for Langmesser's resigna-
tion following the anti-Muslim
comments and Plymouth City
Manager Paul Sincock said last
week than an “internal investi-
gation” into the incident was
under way. The posts were a
response to an article from The
Atlantic written by Rumana
Ahmed, a Muslim woman who
left her position with the
National Security Council after
only eight days into the presi-
dency of Donald Trump. Ahmed
described the treatment she
received under the new admin-
istration and listed her reasons
for leaving her job.
The site, Conservative Daily,
criticized Ahmed's account and
countered her claims of the
treatment she found objection-
able. Posts attributed to
Langmesser on the site were
critical of Ahmed and of
Muslims in general.
“Of course they don't tell the
whole truth, part of their cul-
ture. She is nothing but trouble
and needs to be sent back so she
can profess her love to the
Koran there where it is appreci-
ated, not here!” was one of the
comments attributed to
She was a valuable employee
for 30 years and we truly
wish her all the best. It is a shame
her career ended this way.
”
Racial posts prompt clerk’s retirement
See
Clerk,
page 6
Sweet
stuff
Maple Syrup
tours begin at
Maybury Farm
Maybury Farm is offering
families a sweet treat this
weekend with the annual
Maple Syrup tours.
Visitors will witness and
perhaps participate in the
entire syrup-making process
beginning with a wagon ride
to the Sugar Bush section of
the farm. There, visitors will
hike into the woods where
professional guides will
explain the growth of maple
trees and demonstrate the
correct tapping of the tree for
sap. Some visitors will have
the opportunity to taste the
sap fresh from the tree, before
taking the sweet stuff on the
wagon back to the farm Sugar
Shack.
There the sap will be con-
verted into maple syrup and
experts will explain how the
syrup is graded and how to try
making the delicious treat at
home.
At the end of the tour, visi-
tors can warm up in the
Maybury Farm Welcome
Center where hot drinks and
snacks are available.
Pure Michigan Maple
Syrup is available for pur-
chase and free recipes will be
on hand. The tour is appro-
priate for all ages.
Tours leave promptly at 1,
1:45, 2:30 and 3:15 Saturdays
and Sundays through March
26. Space is limited at the pop-
ular event, so early arrival is
recommended. The fee for the
Maple Syrup tour is $7 per
person and children younger
than 2 are admitted with an
adult at no cost. Reservations
for private tours for groups of
15 or more and more informa-
tion are available by calling
(248) 374-0200.
Maybury Farm is located at
50165 Eight Mile Road in
Northville, 1 ¼ mile west of
Beck Road, ½ mile west of
Maybury State Park. Parking
is always free with admission.
The farm is operated by the
Northville
Community
Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 non-
profit organization.
Romulus OK’s $14 million plant expansion
Visitors of all ages enjoy the creation of genuine maple syrup from tree sap they have helped col-
lect at Maybury Farm where tours and demonstrations are now under way.
Assistant hockey coach facing sex charges
Eric Christopher Locke
