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EWSPAPERS OF
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5
June 13, 2013
I
NKSTER
- W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Wayne celebrates dam project
Library sponsors golf event
Inkster police find corpse
Wayne officials celebrated the comple-
tion of a $1.14 million project last week that
allows access down the Rouge River under
WayneRoad.
The project, funded by a grant from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, included the removal of a
dam installed in 1917 under Wayne Road
and a 40-foot man-made island located a
short way downstream. The removal now
reconnects 11 miles of the Lower Rouge
River and 110 miles of tributary steams to
the Detroit River and the Lake Erie ecosys-
temafter nearly 100 years of blockage.
Wayne officials said they are hoping to
see canoeing, kayaking and fishing in the
river now that the habitat is no longer
blocked.
Fish tagged and released by the state
have already been seen in the waterway,
according to officials.
“This is a happy day in the City of Wayne.
It's the beginning of new hope to make the
city a destination for recreation,” saidMayor
Al Haidous last week when he arrived at the
official ribbon cutting of the new waterway
by canoe.
Several city officials and Wayne County
Executive Robert Ficano were on hand to
celebrate the opening of the waterway and
the completion of the project.
“Who would have thought 20 years ago
we would be talking about fishing and
canoeing on theRougeRiver? It's something
of a smallmiracle,”Ficano said.
Friends of the Rouge have already
attempted to establish a Lower RogueWater
Trail which will connect with the Rouge
Water Trail and the Detroit River Heritage
Water Trail.
Inkster police officers discovered the bul-
let-riddled body of a 46-year-old resident just
aftermidnight Sunday.
The officers had been dispatched to the
area of Rosewood and Eastern following a
911 call reporting that a man had been shot.
Upon arrival, officers discovered the corpse
lying on the ground between two area hous-
es, according to police reports of the inci-
dent.
This was the seventh homicide this year
in Inkster, according to police.
Police are asking anyone with any infor-
mation about the incident to call the Inkster
DetectiveBureau, (313) 563-9856.
Inkster Det. Tony DelGreco also reported
that the suspect in the shooting of five people
in five hours last month is in police custody
in Durham, NC, on a warrant his investiga-
tion secured from the Wayne County
Prosecutor'sOffice.
DelGreco said the suspect shot two peo-
ple and killed one man on May 6 and is now
awaiting extradition from North Carolina.
The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Hemphill
or Inkster, also had a kidnapping, armed rob-
bery and felony firearm warrants from
Monroe County. He also had a warrant
issued from the Frank Murphy Hall of
Justice for failing to appear for trial on a sep-
arate armed robbery charged.
DelGreco said the U.S. Marshals office in
Detroit worked with the North Carolina
Marshal's office and arrested the suspect
who will be returned to the area for face
homicide charges.
The Friends of the Wayne Public
Library are sponsoring a family fund rais-
ing event to support the children ofWayne.
The Wayne Indoor Mini-Golf event will
take place from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Aug. 17
at the Wayne Public Library, 3737 South
WayneRoad.
All proceeds fromthe event will be used
to enhance the children's materials at the
library.
Sponsorship opportunities are still
available and include signage at the event,
on the library website and the Facebook
page.
For more information, contact library
Director PauletteMedvecky, (734) 641-4627.
Strictly legal
When Westland resident
Michel le Noel-Droui l lard
received her Juris Doctorate
from Cooley Law School in
Ann Arbor last month, her
proud parents, Matt and
Nancy Wojewski Noel of
Wayne, were on hand to
congratulate her. They
joined their proud son-in-
law, Webster, and grand-
sons, Ethan and Matthew, in
offering congratulations to
the new attorney. Also on
hand to make it four genera-
tions celebrating the gradu-
ation was Noel-Drouillard's
grandmother, Marguerite
Wojewski, of Westland.
Judge Cedric Simpson from
Washtenaw County officiat-
ed at the ceremonies. Noel-
Drouillard is a 2000 gradu-
ate of John Glenn High
School. Her mother, Nancy
Wojewski-Noel is the City of
Wayne Senior Services
Supervisor.
Digging in
Ever wonder what privy historians do? Here's the scoop. They root around in the loca-
tion of defunct outhouses and salvage antique bottles and everyday household arti-
facts from the past. Most privies are located behind the building or buildings which
they served. Local privy historian Tony Panepucci, at work, above, will lead an archeo-
logical dig behind the 1830s Miller's House at Nankin Mills. Panepucci will unearth
artifacts -- in these interactive outdoor demonstrations - which were discarded by fami-
lies who once lived in the house. He will be onsite from 1-2 p.m. June 15, sponsored
by the Friends of Nankin Mills. The dig site is located at Hines Drive and Ann Arbor
Trail in Westland. For more information, email cclement@waynecounty.com or call
(734) 261-1990.