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PAGE 4 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN April 27, 2023

WESTLAND
WESTLAND

Mayor visits school to help students celebrate Earth Day

Earth Day was celebrated in 150 EV Lightning truck and other
Westland with awards and recog- EV vehicles were on display.
nition of earth-friendly projects Londeau delivered the 2023
and initiatives during a program Mission Green Sustainability
at Wildwood Elementary School. Report and announced that the
Westland Mayor Michael P. city recycling program collected
Londeau highlighted the accom- more than 54,000 tons of recycla-
plishments of both the city and ble materials since the curbside
the Wayne-Westland Community program began in 2008/2009.
Schools, during the celebration More than 3,000 tons have been
and presented Environmental collected since the summer of
Champion awards to Westland 2021, he said.
City Council President Pro-Tem A 2022 recycling grant through
Andrea Rutkowski and the recycling partnership helped
Wildwood students and Principal lower the Westland contamina-
Christine Swanson. The award tion rate in the curbside recy-
recognized the “A Bench for cling program by 12 percent,
Caps” program. The special recy- according to the report.
cled benches were built by In addition, the tree replace- He added that the city pur- and at Tattan Park. The city has installed new
Wildwood students and present- ment program has planted 484 chased the first Electric F-150 for The Walk & Roll Plan in the LED lighting in the renovation of
ed to the city as part of their bot- trees city wide since 2017. the police department and will city is providing enhances access buildings and new streetlights in
tle cap collection project. Londeau said the city has soon be adding 20 hybrid police to paths for pedestrians and bik- the community. The various proj-
During the event, city officials worked with multiple organiza- interceptor Ford Explorers to the ers and the city has opened the ects will be completed in phases
distributed free seed packets and tions applying for grant funding fleet. He added that there are Wildwood Bikeway, a 3.5 mile and several will be funded by
free LED lightbulbs and the new for the planting of trees within currently electric vehicle charg- bicycle lane on Wildwood from grants from community partners,
Westland Police Department F- the city. ing statins at Westland City Hall Warren to Glenwood. Londeau said.
Westland District Court sobriety program proven successful

The effectiveness of the life,” said 18th District Court ans, and other nontraditional
Sobriety Court program at the Chief Judge Mark A. McConnell. ” courts. The Michigan State
18th District Court in Westland “The change in some of our par- I have been told more than Court Administrative Office,
was recently recognized in a ticipant's lives is unbelievable. assists trial court judges in the
report from the Michigan Presiding over a treatment court once that I have saved management of these courts by
Supreme Court. is the most important function I a probationer's life. providing training, education,
The state court released the perform as a district judge. It is operational standards, monitor-
FY 2022 Problem-Solving Courts really true that our state's treat- ing, certification requirements,
Annual Report, tracking the ment courts are lifesaving, and treatment courts save lives.” in three years of admission, and funding.
progress and highlighting the providing a great benefit to our The study noted that state according to the report. “Problem-solving courts
success of 207 problem-solving local communities.” adult drug and sobriety pro- The study also concluded that exemplify how we are working
courts across Michigan from Oct. Judge Sandra Ference grams grew from 98 programs in unemployment dropped by 88 to increase public trust and con-
1, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2022. The Cicirelli is also pleased with the 2018 to109 programs in 2022. percent for adult drug court fidence in the judiciary through
Westland Sobriety Court, devel- success and effectiveness of the The study also revealed that graduates, 86 percent for sobri- collaboration and compassion-
oped in 2014, is a program Sobriety Court. graduates of adult drug court ety court graduates and 85 per- an overarching goal of our
designed to help individuals “As a treatment court judge, I programs were, on average, cent for hybrid court (drug/sobri- Michigan Judicial Council,” said
overcome issues such as sub- have witnessed firsthand the more than three times less likely ety) graduates. Justice Kyra H. Bolden, the
stance abuse and lower high remarkable changes in our par- to be convicted of a new offense Problem-solving courts focus problem-solving court liaison for
recidivism rates for repeat ticipant's lives. Even people within three years of admission on providing treatment and the Michigan Supreme Court.
drinking and driving offenders. who are at first reluctant to to a program. In addition, sobri- intense supervision to offenders “What struck me the most about
“Our Sobriety Court is a lot of enter the intensive 15-18-month ety court graduates who used an as an alternative to incarcera- this report is that these pages
hard work, but it is all worth it. I program, have expressed their ignition interlock device were tion, officials said. Alternative are not just filled with numbers
have been told more than once gratitude at graduation. There nearly five times less likely to be programs include drug and and milestones; they are filled
that I have saved a probationer's is no doubt in my mind that convicted of a new offense with- sobriety, mental health, veter- with hope and humanity.”
Tattan Park set to reopen

A $3 million Mission to Mars upgrade to in the Westland Historic Norwayne
Tattan Park in Westland will include tow- District at 33800 Grand Traverse. The new
ering rocket ships, lunar rovers, slides, playground will feature an immersive, kid-
and play activities with zero gravity, city friendly dinosaur splashpad and is
officials said. expected to open for Memorial Weekend
The current Play Planet playground is Day weekend, the city officials added.
being relocated to Lincoln-Johnson Field Tattan Park is located at 36601 Ford Road.

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