No. 17
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
April 28 – May 4, 2016
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
The Champions of Wayne
Memorial High School pro-
gramwill host a 5K run/walk
on Friday, May 6 at Wayne
Memorial High School, 3001
Fourth St., Wayne beginning
with registration at 4:40 p.m.
See page 4.
Northville Public Schools is
accepting Schools of Choice
applications
in
the
International Baccalaureate
Diploma Program at
NorthvilleHighSchool.
See page 2.
Vol. 131, No. 17
Vol. 69, No. 17
Vol. 69, No. 17
Vol. 16, No. 17
The winners of the Art in
Nature competition of the
Romulus Arts Council will
be revealed during the first
Sounds of Downtown con-
cert June 10.
See page 3.
Vol. 131, No. 17
Vol. 69, No. 17
Vol. 69, No. 17
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Members of the Westland
City Council have approved
the site plan for a new
upscale home development
on the site of the former
Nankin Mills Elementary
School.
See page 5.
Canton Township will
once again focus a spotlight
on arts and culture during
the 6th annual Canton Acts
of Culture Week from May 1
throughSunday, May 8.
See page 5.
Vol. 16, No. 24
More than 15 Inkster resi-
dents have filed petitions for
election to the new commis-
sion, charged with recom-
mending changes to the cur-
rent Inkster CityCharter.
See page 4.
The Friends of the
Plymouth District Library
will host two well-known
speakers as part of the annu-
al Book and Author
LuncheonMay 6 andMay 12.
See page 2.
Those looking to do busi-
ness at the 34th District
Court will have to travel to
the former Merriman
Elementary School begin-
ning late this summer as ren-
ovations begin.
See page 3.
While motorists have been
fuming at the delays caused by
trains blocking various road-
ways in both Plymouth and
Canton, officials throughout the
area have expressed concern
regarding the impact the situa-
tion could have on emergency
response times.
Last Friday, Plymouth City
Manager Paul Sincock said that
he had just sent another email
notifying the fire department of
a roadway blocked by a train,
something that has become a
familiar condition during the
past week.
CSX Railroad spokesperson
Gail Lobin said that the compa-
ny is aware of the recent block-
ages and traffic delays in
Plymouth.
“We are indeed aware of the
issues in Plymouth,” she said
last week in response to ques-
tions about the inordinate num-
ber of complaints received
regarding blocked crossings in
the Plymouth-Canton communi-
ty.
Plymouth city officials, who
say they have no control over the
railroad operations, issued sev-
eral prepared press releases
during the past weeks confirm-
ing stalled trains and blocked
intersections, causing traffic
delays and congestion. Area res-
idents say the long delays are
unusual, unreasonable and pos-
sibly dangerous considering the
hazardous materials that regu-
larly traverse the community
utilizing railway transport.
Canton Township Emergency
Planner Kathy Rich said last
Friday that the crossing at
Haggerty Road north of Van
Born was completely closed and
was expected to remain impass-
able for at least 24 hours.
“The rail needs repair,” Rich
said.
Delays in Plymouth were
blamed on a change in service.
“The issues (in Plymouth)
were a result of some opera-
We are indeed aware
of the issues in Plymouth.
CSX Railroad spokesperson Gail Lobin
”
Blocked crossings causing complaints
The Friends of the John
Glenn Planetarium celebrated
their successful efforts to reno-
vate and upgrade the facility
last week with a grand re-
opening celebration.
The 2016 renovation and
reopening of the facility will
once again inspire the wonder
of astronomy for students and
the community, a district
spokesperson said. It will also
open the door to the explo-
ration of career paths in sci-
ence, engineering and techni-
calmathematics, she said.
The planetarium, originally
opened in November 1964,
was state-of-the-art in con-
struction, technology and pro-
gramming at that time. The
planetarium was used as
Wayne-Westland Community
Schools educators offered high
school classes in space science
and astronomy and provided
planetarium presentations to
students and communitymem-
bers for nearly a half a century
until the antiquated analog
equipment fell into disrepair
forcing the closure of the plan-
etarium about a decade ago.
Parts to keep the planetarium
equipment operating and
functional were no longer
available as technology
advanced, district officials
said
The reopening was made
possible by more than $60,000
in upgrades, repairs and reno-
vations funded by community
organizations, alumni and pri-
vate contributors led by John
Glenn alumni Steve Koponen
and his wife, Sandi, who both
graduated from the school in
1989.
Koponen set up a
GoFundMe internet page to
help pay for the needed
repairs and upgrades to the
planetarium. Koponen, now a
science teacher in the
Farmington Public Schools,
learned about the dilapidated
condition of the planetarium
last June when he and his wife
wanted to rent the facility for a
small reunion of friends.
He
established
the
GoFundMe site in an effort to
bring back one of his best
memories about his time in
the school district.
One of the most compelling
reasons we study astronomy is
to satisfy our fundamental
curiosity about the world in
which we live. The planetari-
um allows students to learn in
an inspiring, exciting, immer-
siveway using current technol-
ogy that is familiar to them,
educators said.
With the renovations, the
John Glenn planetarium is
now completely interactive,
according to Astronomy
teacherDavidChristiansen.
“We tell it to do something
and it does it. It is just like a
computer at home, only we
have an entire dome.” The
new technology also offers
movies in an IMAX-like setting
that aids in teaching a wide
range of subjects.
“Not only do we have a new
projector, we've got new light-
ing and the new sound is state
of the art,” said Principal
David Ingham.
“It's all digital, web-based.
We can do a lot of interactive
City officials and educators
and administrators from the
Wayne-Westland Community
Schools including Superinten-
dent of Schools Michelle
Harmala were in attendance
last week for the reopening of
the planetarium and John
Glenn High School. Alumnus
Steve Kaponen, left, led a
GoFundMe drive for renova-
tions to the 50-year-old equip-
ment.
See
Trains,
page 2
The most prestigious award
the Van Buren Township Public
Safety Department offers was
presented to firefighter John
Henderson early thismonth.
Henderson's actions in pulling
a small child froma blazing home
last December were singled out
by the department and his hero-
ism awarded during a regular
meeting of the Van Buren
Township Board of Trustees.
Nine other public safety workers
were also honored for their
exemplary conduct during the
same house fire during which the
child's 14-year-old uncle, Savion
Robinson, died attempting to
save her.
Van Buren Township Public
Safety Director Greg Laurain
recounted Henderson's actions
during the emergency noting that
Henderson opted to risk his own
life on the chance he could save a
child.
“These are heroes you see
standing before you tonight,”
Laurain told the board members,
officials and audience members
about the men and women
receiving awards for their
actions. Laurain also said that
the fire and police departments
from Belleville and the Sumpter
Fire Department should be rec-
ognized for the aid they offered
during the blaze which knocked
out electrical lines and caused a
gas fire. There were seven peo-
ple, including three children, in
the homewhen the fire occurred.
Don Howard
Staff Writer
Eyes on the sky
Revamped planetarium opening
celebrated at John Glenn High School
These are heroes you
see standing before you tonight.
”
Life saving hero honored by township
See
Hero,
page 3
See
Skies,
page 5
