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April 13 – 19, 2023 NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST 75¢

No. 15 www .associatednewspapers.net

Northville streets to reopen November through April

Northville officials have appeared evenly divided on the
Vol. 138, No. 15 approved the reopening of question of keeping the streets
Owners of damaged downtown streets following a permanently closed.
blighted structures in sometimes contentious public Mayor Brian Turnbull said
Sumpter Township unable meeting April 3 regarding the he was fully supportive of a
or unwilling to maintain issue. Main Street from Center compromise regarding the
their properties could find Street to Hutton Street, and street closures. “Whatever we
themselves facing court pro- Center from Main to Dunlap do, we have to come together on
ceedings. Street will reopen to vehicle this,” he told the overflow crowd
See page 5. traffic each November and of several hundred audience
close to traffic in May. members, attending both online
Members of the Northville and in person. A local display of
City Council have agreed to the pink signs requesting the
seasonal closures following the reopening of the streets had
input at the public meeting. The appeared throughout the com-
Vol. 76, No. 15 downtown streets were tem- munity and more than 500 peo-
The B.L.O.C.K. Youth and porarily closed in 2020 in ple reportedly signed an online
Teen Center Lead response to the COVID-19 pan- petition to reopen the down-
#LikeAGirl and Transpire demic. The closures were first town streets.
programs recently received a extended by council members Business owners told city
$15,000 donation provided by and then made year-round last council members that the clos-
Masco Corp. August. ings have been helpful to their
See page 3. In addition to the public criti- bottom lines but agreed that a
cisms of the closures, city offi- compromise to the permanent
cials were threatened with the closings was necessary.
loss of funding for the streets by A mobility committee, the
officials from the Michigan Northville Public Schools and
Department of Transportation the Northville Downtown
Vol. 76, No. 15 (MDOT). City officials had until Development Authority all rec-
The City of Inkster mid-April to notify MDOT as to ommended at least a partial
received a $1.2 million grant the status of the streets. reopening of the downtown
from the State of Michigan Residents complained that streets.
which will be used to estab- the re-routing of traffic through Council members unani-
lish The Inkster Historical the adjacent side streets was mously approved a resolution as
Cultural Arts Museum. problematic and access to those required by MDOT to close the
See page 6. with disabilities adversely streets from late April to early
affected by the closures. Local November and for intermittent
residents and business owners closures for special events.
State Supreme Court refuses to hear water rate appeal

Vol. 23, No. 15 Increased water fees in local ” and Westland, all of which for-
Sue Hillebrand was hon- communities this year will not We are not persuaded that the questions presented mally protested the increase as
ored as the 2023 Northville include payment of the $21 mil- did other communities in both
Citizen of the Year during lion debt owed by the City of should be reviewed by this court. Macomb and Wayne counties.
the first comprehensive Highland Park to the Great Board members of the GLWA
Northville Community Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). voted last year to cut $6.7 mil-
Awards Dinner. Officials from GLWA attempt- lion related to the Highland
See page 2. ed last year to increase water the Michigan Court of Appeals of Appeals affirmed that Park water debt from overall
fees to the other 124 communi- and last week, judges at the Highland Park was responsible rate increases slated to begin in
ties in the tri-county area which Michigan Supreme Court for the obligation. July 2022. The move followed
purchase water from the refused to hear another appeal Years of counterclaims and rejection from the suburban
authority to compensate for the from the City of Highland Park legal arguments followed, with communities and Gov. Gretchen
more than $21 million the City to reconsider the ruling. Highland Park claiming the city Whitmer about forcing the con-
Vol. 23, No. 15 of Highland Park had failed to Michigan State Supreme Court had been overcharged and was tested debt onto other water
The Plymouth District pay. That increase, subsequently judges noted in the statement not obligated to pay years of rate customers.
Library will host an after- withdrawn, was set to begin last refusing to hear the appeal, “… increases. In February, the authority
hours gala in celebration of year. The proposed increase We are not persuaded that the In response, GLWA proposed board of directors unanimously
its 100th year serving the prompted formal protests and questions presented should be a significant increase in water approved a 2.75 percent
Plymouth community. threatened legal action from reviewed by this court.” costs to the other member com- increase in wholesale water and
See page 3. local officials claiming their Highland Park was first sued munities in an effort to compen- sewerage water rates for the
communities should not be by GLWA in 2014, accused of sate for the more than $20 mil- 2024 fiscal year starting July 1.
responsible for the Highland failing to comply with a 2009 lion in lost revenue. The local The Highland Park debt was not
Park debt. The court upheld agreement negotiated to communities included included in those charges.
that argument and ruled that address outstanding debt for Belleville, Canton Township, Despite a court order, officials
the debt was the responsibility several years of sewage service. Inkster, City and Township of said that Highland Park is mak-
Vol. 138, No. 15 of Highland Park. The debt continued to Northville, City and Township
A routine traffic stop by That ruling was upheld by increase and in 2015, the Court of Plymouth, Romulus, Wayne See Water, page 6
officers from the Romulus
Police Department resulted Plymouth community mourns death of Gene Overholt, 99
in the recovery of three illicit
handguns from a suspect The Plymouth community is mourning Mr. Overholt was born in Bippus, world through his work with the Kiwanis
who fled the vehicle on foot. the death of Gene Robert Overholt, 99, who Indiana in 1924, and grew up in Huntington organization. He served as president of the
See page 5. died at his daughter's home in Kerrville, Indiana. Following his high school gradua- local club and became Governor of the
Texas March 31 surrounded by his family. tion, he served in World War II on the bat- State of Michigan for Kiwanis. He proceed-
tlefield operating the communication chan- ed to go through the chairs to become presi-
nels which led to his career as a “telephone dent of Kiwanis International in 1988-1989.
man.” He served in the European Theatre He was instrumental in Kiwanis
and the Battle of the Bulge. International decision to accept women
Vol. 76, No. 15 He married the love of his life, the late into their clubs.
The City of Wayne Police Jane Johnson Overholt in 1944, and the cou- Mr. Overholt and his wife traveled to 40
Department officially wel- ple came to Plymouth in 1946 where he different countries visiting heads of state
comed new Ofc. Mohammed took a job with Michigan Bell. The couple and Kiwanis Clubs all over the world. He
Alzayadi during a recent were wed for 69 years before her death in visited the Oval Office twice and met three
meeting of the members of 2013. U.S. presidents.
the city council. Mr. Overholt served his community his Mr. Overholt was a familiar sight in
See page 6. entire life, his family and admirers said. He annual Memorial Day and Fourth of July
helped develop the Salvation Army in parades in the community, traveling in vehi-
Plymouth in 1962 and continued to serve on cles decorated with American flags.
the board until his death. He was a member As a Salvation Army Plymouth Corp
of the Plymouth United Methodist Church Advisory Board member since 1962, he
and served in many capacities during the would come in early in the mornings to
Vol. 76, No. 15 decades. He served as a Plymouth count the money from the Red Kettles
Westland Mayor Michael Township Trustee during the 1960s and is every Christmas season through this past
P. Londeau presented a $79 included in the prestigious Plymouth Hall year, friends recalled
million 3-year balanced of Fame. Among his survivors are his daughters,
budget to members of the In 1967, Mr. Overholt was among the Jodi Overholt Ring, Barbara Overholt
city council for approval dur- group of Plymouth men who chartered the (Michael) Toth, Carole Overholt Brooks;
ing the March 31 meeting. Kiwanis Club of Colonial Plymouth. He
See page 4. Gene Robert Overholt served both his local community and the See Overholt, page 3

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