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No. 23
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
June 6 – 12, 2013
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
Members of the Wayne City
Council adopted a balanced
$16.8 million budget by a 5-2
vote last week
See page 4.
Despite some concerns over
traffic flow, Romulus City
Council members approved a
special land use request last
month that will bring a Taco
Bell restaurant to the city.
See page 5.
The Emergency Food
Assistance Program will dis-
tribute food to Plymouth and
Northville residents June 20,
at St. Kenneth Catholic
Church.
See page 3.
Students at Amerman
Elementary School in
Northville were introduced to
new principal Deborah
Madeja at the school learning
fair last week.
See page 3.
It was a real slice of adult
life for Belleville High School
students last month when they
chose their new student coun-
cil representatives.
See page 5.
Vol. 128, No. 23
Vol. 66, No. 23
Vol. 66, No. 23
Vol. 13, No. 23
Vol. 128, No. 23
Vol. 66, No. 23
Vol. 66, No. 23
Fifth Third Bank presented
a check for $530 to Starfish
Family Services on 5/3 - A day
when Fifth Third Bank cele-
brates customers, colleagues
and community.
See page 4.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
A mental competency
examination has been ordered
for the man charged with
threatening to detonate a
bomb in Westland City Hall
twoweeks ago.
See page 4.
Canton resident Liz Paruch
has received the Volunteer of
the Year Award from the
American Cancer Society
Cancer ActionNetwork.
See page 3.
Vol. 13, No. 23
The Plymouth Township Police
Department will soon be adding
two new Ford police interceptor
vehicles to their fleet. Township
officials approved the $69,232 pur-
chase at the regular board of
trustees meeting last week, noting
that the vehicles will be pur-
chased with money from the drug
forfeiture fund.
Each vehicle will require
another $7,000 in conversions and
modifications, according to town-
shipdocumentation.
Citing the need to replace two
patrol units, Police Chief Thomas
Tiderington and Police Lt. Robert
Antal said the 2009 and 2010
Crown Victoria sedans each had
over 120,000 miles, and mainte-
nance and repair costs were esca-
lating while the resale value was
dropping. In the departmental
budget request they recommend-
ed the vehicles be purchased
under the State/County program
to take advantage of special pric-
ing offers and noted that the “new
vehicles would provide officers
and citizens with safe reliable
vehicles that reflect on a township
that cares about its employees as
well as the professional image
that each officer strives to main-
tain.”
Long-time township resident
Susan Bondie said she thought it
was equally important to review
the fire department equipment
and questioned the fire chief and
the board members about the age
and condition of the fire and
ambulance equipment. At a previ-
ous board meeting Trustees
Robert Doroshewitz and Chuck
Curmi asked for complete
accounting of the fire department
staffing levels and status from
Supervisor Richard Reaume and
Treasurer Ron Edwards, which
Officials from the Michigan
Department of Transportation
(MDOT) have confirmed that
transforming Ford Road into a
boulevard near the I-275 inter-
change is their preferred fix for
the traffic congestion and safety
issues there.
The plan, developed after
another year-long study of traffic
throughout the region, was greet-
ed with reluctant approval but
some skepticism from Canton
officials.
“Obviously, something needs to
be done,” said Canton Supervisor
Phil Lajoy. “I wish they'd be will-
ing to domore.”
The $1 million study looked at
a number of options, from doing
nothing to the road to creating
new exists and 'slip' roads at
Cherry Hill Road as well as sepa-
rate access lanes from I-275 to
Haggerty Road from the existing
exit, according to MarkWendling,
an engineering consultant on the
project.
The new freeway exits and
access roads-which were out-
lined as possibilities during a dif-
ferent study in 2006-were dis-
missed as being not economically
viable and because they would
not address the capacity of traffic
on Ford Road, according to
MDOT.
LaJoy said he hoped at least
part of those proposals-a slip
road from Cherry Hill to Ford-
would find its way into the final
plan, but said that was unlikely.
The preferred plan would be
to convert FordRoad a boulevard
from I-275 to Sheldon by separat-
ing thewestbound and eastbound
lanes with a median and pro-
hibiting left turns at intersec-
tions. Turnaround lanes would be
added, as would a third west-
bound lane from I-275 to Lilley
Road and a third eastbound lane
from Haggerty to I-275. Haggerty
would also become a boulevard
for about a quarter-mile north
and south of Ford.
Wendling said the proposal
could reduce the number of acci-
dents by more than 30 percent-a
primary concern for MDOT.
Since 2006, six of the seven inter-
sections from Lotz Road west to
Sheldon recorded more than 90
collisions per year. The boule-
vard concept would improve traf-
fic flow, aswell.
“This option represents an
improvement in all the key
areas,” he said.
Funding sources and the time-
line for the project remainmurky.
Estimates from MDOT put the
price tag at anywhere from $26
million to $60 million, depending
on construction contracts, the
cost of securing additional rights
of way, etc. One funding source
indicated was the federal
Transportation Investment
Generating Economic Recovery
(TIGER) grant program, but
Canton has applied for that grant
four times already and been
rejected each time.
LaJoy said he's hopeful that
the next application will be
accepted.
“We'll see,” he said.
See
Questions,
page 3
This year, the Liberty Fest
really does have something for
everyone.
In addition to the full lineup of
carnival rides, games and special
attractions, there are concerts,
Zumba events, a NASCAR simu-
lator and a walk on the wild side
planned at the three-day event in
HeritagePark.
Heritage Park is located adja-
cent
to
the
Canton
Administration Building, west of
Canton Center Road between
Cherry Hill Road and Summit
Parkway. This year, the Liberty
Fest will take place from 1-10
p.m. Thursday, June 13, from 1-11
p.m., Friday, June 14 and from
10:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. on
Saturday, June 15.
The event is organized by the
Canton Leisure Services
Department and major sponsors
this year include: Atchinson
Ford; Comcast; Community
Financial Credit Union; The
Goddard School of Early
Childhood Development; Red
Holman Buick GMC; Sysco;
Twisted Rooster; The Village
Dentist and West Side Beer
Distributing.
Along with the expanded line-
up of carnival rides, games and
special attractions, the event will
feature the Family Zone.
Purchase a single day armband
in advance and save on the
admission charge. Armbands
allow access for one day only
onto all carnival rides without a
ticket. The armbands are avail-
able
at
www.cantonlibertyfest.com until
noon June 13. Mega Bands, valid
for unlimited rides for all three
days, cost $50 and can only be
purchased online by noon June
13. All sales are final. For more
information, call (734) 394-5460.
The free Thursday Night
Concert Series at the Canton
Live! Stage from 7:30-10:30 p.m.
as Air Margaritaville, a popular
Jimmy Buffet tribute band, will
perform some favorite summer
music classics. Also onThursday
from 7:30-9 p.m., celebrate anoth-
er year of Zumba® in Canton
with a special “Zumba Party in
Pink” at the Heritage Park
Amphitheater. Participants are
asked to show their support for
breast cancer awareness and
research and make a 'move' to
help make a difference.
Admission to the event is a $5
minimum donation to the Susan
Patrol car purchase prompts equipment questions
Heather Favazza-Costa has
only a few minor scratches
remaining from the accident that
left her a 21-year-old widow May
19, one day after herwedding.
TheWayne resident was travel-
ing with her groom, Jordan Costa,
toMyrtle Beach S.C. to begin their
honeymoon when he apparently
lost control of her Ford Escape
and went into the median on
south Interstate 77 in Tuscarawas
County, OH. The vehicle struck an
embankment and rolled over sev-
eral times as it crossed the north-
bound lanes, police said.
Ohio StatePolice said that alco-
hol was not a factor in the crash
and that both the newlyweds were
wearing seat belts at the time.
Mr. Costa was a youth minister
and the young adult director of
The Quest, a youth group at
Connection Church in Canton
Township. Mr. Costa hadmoved to
Canton about a year and a half ago
from the Boston, MA area to pur-
sue his career.
According to Favazza's aunt,
Sandy Felan of Wayne, the burial
and medical expenses are becom-
ing an added strain prompting her
to plan a fundraising golf tourna-
ment to help defray some of those
expenses. She said that Favazza
was like another daughter to her
and grew up with her own chil-
dren. Favazza graduated from
Golf outing planned to help young groom’s family
Obviously, something needs to be done.
I wish they'd be willing to do more.
Canton Supervisor Phil Lajoy
”
Celebration
Canton Liberty Festival
set to begin next weekend
Boulevard, Michigan Lefts planned for Ford Road
See
Festival,
page 7
See
Benefit,
page 7