No. 15
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
April 13 – 19, 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
State Rep. Robert L.
Kosowski (D-Westland) has
been named as a recipient of
the Constellation Energy
2017 Energy Freedom
Award.
See page 5.
Northville City Council
members have been present-
ed with a balanced budget of
$16million for the next fiscal
year.
See page 4.
Vol. 132, No. 15
Vol. 70, No. 15
Vol. 70, No. 15
Vol. 17, No. 15
On the heels of an
announcement that a pro-
posed regional outlet mall
would not be coming to the
community, Romulus offi-
cials learned that another
big business is leaving town.
See page 2.
Vol. 132, No. 15
Vol. 70, No. 15
Vol. 70, No. 15
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
The City of Westland and
AFSCME Local 1602 have
settled a contract covering
58 general labor, public
works, housing specialists
and clerical employees.
See page 5.
Local families are invited
to meet and mingle with
Canton police officers and
firefighter/paramedics at the
first Canton Community
ConnectionDay.
See page 3.
Vol. 17, No. 15
A Matter of Balance, an
award-winning program
designed to reduce the fear
of falling and increase activi-
ty levels among older adults
will be available at no cost in
Inkster.
See page 3.
Those interested is seek-
ing a position on the
Plymouth City Commission
during the November elec-
tion have until 4 p.m. April
25 to submit their nominat-
ing petitions.
See page 4.
Amy Brow, who began
her career as a firefighter
with the Van Buren
Township Fire Department,
has been hired as the new
fire chief in the community.
See page 2.
Medical marijuana will not be
obtainable legally in Plymouth
Township in the foreseeable
future.
An announcement from town-
ship Police Chief Tom
Tiderington last week that author-
ities are awaiting a decision on
criminal charges from the office
of the Wayne County Prosecutor
regarding amarijuana dispensary
in the township that has appar-
ently reopened after being shut
down last year prompted discus-
sion of the issue.
“They are operating illegally as
we speak,” Tiderington told the
members of the board of trustees
during themeeting last week.
Township Supervisor Kurt
Heise indicated that he was not in
favor of any such dispensaries in
the community and suggested that
those with permits for medical
marijuana could easily obtain it in
nearby areas such as AnnArbor.
His comments drew the ire of
attorney Matthew Abel, who rep-
resents the Cannabis Council of
Detroit.
“I don't think this is appropri-
ate,” he said in response to
Heise's suggestion that those with
medical marijuana permits could
drive 20 minutes to Ann Arbor to
fill their prescriptions for the fed-
erally-controlled substance.
Heise suggested a formal reso-
lution from the township restrict-
ing commercial operations selling
or distributing marijuana within
the township boundaries. He told
the board members that he
receives inquiries about the issue.
Township attorney Kevin
Bennett assured the board mem-
bers that no additional formal
action was necessary and that
currently medical marijuana
facilities are not allowed in the
township.
Patients using the drug for
pain relief and relief of other
acute symptoms including back
pain, chemotherapy side effects
and opiate addiction spoke to the
board members about the bene-
fits and need for marijuana thera-
py.
Trustee Bob Doroshewitz
reminded the board members
that 63 percent of Michigan voters
and a majority of township voters
in 2008 favored of allowing med-
ical marijuana and that to not
allow the dispensaries would
appear “to usurp the will of the
voters.” He added, however, that
there have been issues with the
implementation of the laws regu-
lating marijuana and that he rec-
ommended the township adopt a
wait-and-see attitude.
The board members opted to
take no official action on the
issue.
A development of new luxu-
ry homes is one step closer to
completion inWestland.
Members of the city council
approved a rezoning request
for 19.2 acres on the south side
of Joy Road, east of Newburgh
Road from R-1 single family
residential to a Planned Unit
Development zone. The rezon-
ing will allow for construction
of 70 single-family homes at
the site, while preserving natu-
ral features in the area that
abuts the Holiday Nature
Preserve.
The plan includes the
preservation of 5.87 acres of
open space that will be
retained at the perimeter of
the site, The open space will
include extensive landscaping
to provide additional buffering
fromadjacent residential uses.
Council approval of the
plan, contested by some resi-
dents in the area who claimed
the smaller lot sizes would
impact their property values,
came at the April 3 meeting of
the council. A formal agree-
ment between the developer,
Pulte Homes, and the city can
now be signed, according to an
official statement from the
office ofMayorWilliamWild.
“The agreement will result
in the preservation of natural
features while providing the
developer the ability to con-
struct single-family homes in a
long-term, sustainable devel-
opment that benefits the ulti-
mate users of the property and
the city as a whole,” the state-
ment read.
The 70-home subdivision
will offer a 1,600 square foot
ranch-style home model and
colonial-style 2,600 square-foot
homes. The developer, said
prices for the new homes
would start at the mid-
$200,000. The open space
buffer planned at the perime-
ter of the site will help retain
valuable natural features, the
developers said.
The plan will now be sub-
mitted for final site plan
approval and construction on
the first homes is expected to
begin later this year.
“The proposal represents
an upscale residential devel-
opment that will benefit the
community in a number of
ways,” commented Mayor
William Wild. “It will bring 70
new families to the community
which will benefit the schools
as new students will be added.
It will benefit the city in terms
of economic development as it
brings more families with
more disposable income into
the area to support our local
economy, as well act as amark-
er that is used by potential
developers and retailers to be
attracted to invest in our com-
munity.”
The proposal represents an
upscale residential development
that will benefit the community
in a number of ways.
”
Plymouth ‘no pot’ policy remains in place
Housing development gets council OK
Students at the Plymouth Canton
Educational Park have long memo-
ries…andbig hearts.
On May 7, for the seventh year, they
will lace up their running shoes for the
Super Jess 5 Kilometer fun/walk, a chari-
ty event to benefit seven individuals in
the community.
The event, usually shortened in stu-
dent speak to the SK5K, began in 2010
when a 16-year-old student at the educa-
tional park, Jesse Lindlbauer, was rushed
to Mott Children's Hospital with a rup-
tured brain abscess brought on by a sinus
infection. Lindlbauer, who had no previ-
ous symptoms, was diagnosed with seri-
ous brain trauma, meningitis and other
serious complications. After 11 weeks of
in-hospital care, he returned home to
beginhis long battle toward recovery.
The medical expenses facing his fami-
ly were nearly insurmountable and
prompted several fundraising dinners
and efforts. Those community efforts
helped fund his speech therapy, in-home
care and family support.
Those efforts motivated Lindlbauer's
best friend, Tommy Halewicz, to plan the
first-ever SJ5K, hoping he might see 500
participants and help pay some of his
friend's mounting recovery costs.
Halewicz enlisted the help of Northville
High School Coordinator Beth Savalox
and the Northville students at the
Plymouth-Canton Educational Park to
help his best friend. It took months of
planning and the help of more than 100
volunteers, but the first SJ5K saw more
than 1,800 runners and raised more than
$45,000 for Lindlbauer's recovery and
medical expenses.
That success inspired National Honor
students to continue the event in
Lindlbauer's name in an effort to help
other members of the Plymouth Canton
community affected by major life chal-
lenges. To date, the SJ5K has generated
more than $270,000 to assist 19 area fami-
lies.
The event is still student-organized
and promoted and will again, this year,
help support seven local families in need
of help.
The runwill take place on the grounds
at the educational park and begin at 8
a.m. May 7.
Registrations before tomorrow, April
14, are guaranteed a memorial tee shirt.
Information about the families who will
benefit this year and registration are
available at SJ5K.org.
On the run
Students’ annual charity run
now accepting registrations
Students throughout
the area are register-
ing for the seventh
annual Plymouth
Super Jess 5
Kilometer fun/walk, a
charity event to ben-
efit seven individuals
in the community.
The event is organ-
ized by members of
the National Honor
Society at the
P l y m o u t h
Educational Park
and has raised more
than $270,000 to
help members of the
community.
