No. 15
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
April 9 – 15, 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
Cadets from the Wayne
Memorial High School
Junior Officer Training
Corps traveled to Fort Knox,
KY to participate in the
Regional Drill competition
lastmonth.
See page 3.
The Romulus Public
Library has planned a series
of programs for April includ-
ing club meetings and visit-
ing authors.
See page 5.
Everything old is new
again at the Plymouth
District Library where a new
online local history portal
has been launched.
See page 2.
Northville Township
trustees have approved a bid
of $58,525 for new pants,
jackets and suspenders for
members of the fire depart-
ment.
See page 4.
An annual tradition will
take place in Belleville on
Memorial Day when the 11th
annual motorcycle ride and
service to honor veterans
will take place.
See page 5.
Vol. 130, No. 15
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Vol. 68, No. 15
Vol. 15, No. 15
Vol. 130, No. 15
Vol. 68, No. 15
Vol. 68, No. 15
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Westland Mayor William
R. Wild presented his sec-
ond consecutive three-year
balanced budget to mem-
bers of the city council last
week.
See page 3.
Canton will once again
focus a spotlight on arts and
culture during the 5th annu-
al Canton Acts of Culture
Week beginningApril 24.
See page 2.
Vol. 15, No. 15
State Sen. David Knezek
and Rep. Julie Plawecki
have urged the federal gov-
ernment to award over $1.8
million of federal grant
money to the Inkster Fire
Department.
See page 4.
Mrs. Motor City, Shaylett
Stuckey of Belleville, was
crownedMrs. MichiganAmerica
2015.
Stuckey was crowned Mrs.
Michigan America 2015 on
March 28 in Grandville where
she competed with women from
across the state.
Stuckey holds a bachelor's
degree in business manage-
ment. She works as a sales con-
sultant, entrepreneur and
recording artist. Stuckey has
been married 21 years and has
two children.
The new Mrs. Michigan
involves herself in her commu-
nity both personally and profes-
sionally by working with the
National Association of
Professional Women, eWomen
Network, Michigan Small
Business
Association,
NorthRidge Church, the Parent
Teacher Organization and
University of Parenting. She
said she is dedicated to advocat-
ing for Work At Home Moms
through support of andmember-
ship in the Direct Selling
Association.
Stuckey told the judges that
she believes it's “never too late
to follow your dreams,” and said
she “is thrilled to represent the
83 counties making up our great
state.”
In addition to earning the
title of Mrs. Michigan America
2015, Stuckey also received the
Interview Award, Spirit of
Pageantry Award and a prize
package valued at more than
$30,000, including an expense
paid trip to compete for the title
ofMrs. America.
Now celebrating its 38th year
in its modern format, the Mrs.
America Pageant focuses the
attention of the nation and the
world on the versatility of the
contemporary American mar-
ried woman. Each of the 51 Mrs.
America candidates earns the
right to participate in the nation-
al event by winning her
statewide competition.
During a raucous meeting
peppered with fiery comments
from the audience Thursday,
members of the Plymouth
Township Board of Trustees
confirmed Wayne County
Commissioner Shannon Price
as their selection for interim
township supervisor.
Price's appointment had
been rumored for months as the
choice of Township Treasurer
Ron Edwards and the members
of the local Republican Party
Committee, many of whomwere
in the audience.
Price will replace belea-
guered former Supervisor
Richard Reaume who submit-
ted his resignation last month.
Reaume, under threat of recall,
sent his resignation from
Florida where he purchased
two homes recently as specula-
tion grew he would leave his
$111,000 job.
During the meeting, chaired
for the second time in a week by
Township
Clerk
Nancy
Conzelman, audience members
made fervent requests andpleas
to the board for public input into
the selection. Several
expressed outrage about what
they called “a sick mockery of
the democratic process.”
Conzelman asked township
attorneyKevinBennett andFire
Chief Dan Phillips to tabulate
the point scores of each of the
final eight candidates. The rat-
ing methodology was agreed to
during an emotional meeting
Tuesday. Each of the six remain-
ing board members was
instructed to choose their top
three candidates, awarding
three points to the candidate
they felt most qualified, two to
their second choice and a single
point to their third choice.
Edwards, who reportedly
brokered Price as Reaume's
replacement months ago with
local Republican committee
leader MikeMitchell, gave Price
three points, as did Conzelman
and Trustee Kay Arnold. Mike
Kelly, a trustee who many
viewed as a possible swing voter,
gavePrice two points.
Bennett announced the point
totals, asking each trustee to
confirm their vote. Price was
first with 11 points followed by
Ray Byers and Mark Cord for
second. Byers, a former Wayne
County official, Cord a banking
and finance manager, each
received six points.
“I'm humbled...there's a lot of
work to do and I'm going to have
to provemyself,” Price said after
themeeting.
Byers said that the results
were not surprising.
“The results were pre-
dictable,” Byers said with a
smile right after the meeting.
Byers who celebrated his 72nd
birthday earlier that day said
other than the meeting on
March 31 he hadn't been to
boardmeeting since the 70s.
State Rep. Kurt Heise, the
first candidate to declare his
interest in the job, and the obvi-
ous favorite of the audience, was
obviously disappointed in the
selection and the process.
“Tonight, four members of
the township board put politics
ahead of people. They appoint-
ed someone who moved here
two months ago, with no rele-
vant education, and very little
experience,” Heise said. “There
were clearly other candidates
with superior public and private
sector backgrounds.
“Apparently, it's not a matter
of what you know, but who you
know. No wonder people are so
cynical about politics nowa-
days,” he added.
Trustee Bob Doroshewitz,
who also expressed his interest
in the job, was also visibly upset
at the choice of the board. He
said that Reaume's resignation
to make room for Price was
openly discussed throughout the
township and on the internet for
months. Arnold attempted to
rebut Doroshewitz' claims which
prompted criticism from
Conzelman.
Doroshewitz said he had a
right to express his opinion
despite Conzelman's attempts to
quiet him. After loudly casting
his no vote on Price's appoint-
ment, Doroshewitz took off his
microphone, put on his hat and
abruptly left themeeting.
“I arrived hopeful that there
would be open discussion and
we would come together to
reach a consensus. It was clear
to me that it was fixed when
Price was appointed without a
single word from any who sup-
ported him,” Doroshewitz said
after themeeting.
The voting tally followed the
usual pattern with Arnold,
Conzelman and Edwards, who
are all facing a recall effort, vot-
ing as a block. Kelly also voted
yes on Price's appointment
while Doroshewitz and Trustee
Chuck Curmi, also a candidate
for the supervisor's position,
votedno.
Spring cleaning takes on a
whole new meaning at the
Yankee Air Museumwhen area
residents are invited to the
Annual BomberBuffing event.
This is the 20th year for the
event when local volunteers
descend on the hangars and
polish the vintage aircraft to a
high gloss. This year the event
is bigger than ever, organizers
said, because the C-47 Skytrain
Yankee Doodle Dandy will be
one of the aircraft being shined.
The four engine B-17 heavy
bomber Yankee Lady and twin
engine B-25 medium bomber
Yankee Warrior are also on the
west side of Willow Run
Airport, in Hangar 1, Bay 8 and
need their aluminum skin pol-
ished. Winter inspections and
maintenance are complete, the
planes have been washed and
this is the last step in preparing
for the 2015 flying and air show
season.
There is no cost to partici-
pate in this event that will con-
tinue from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 11. Fueling the
event, a Hungry Howie's Pizza
See
Museum,
page 5
Annual ‘Bomber Buffing’ set for this Saturday
Belleville resident crowned Mrs. Michigan
Lorilee Gute, left, fourth runner up; Jackie Blankenship, first runner up; Mrs. Michigan winner Shaylett
Stuckey; Christina Ackerman, second runner up and Stacey Davis, third runner up demonstrate the
smiles that took them to the 38th Mrs. American Pageant last month.
Don Howard
Staff Writer
Tonight, four
members of the
township board
put politics
ahead of people.
”
Plymouth Township board names supervisor
Shannon Price
Volunteers of all ages participate in the annual Bomber Buffing at
the Yankee Air Museum.
