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No. 25
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
June 20 – 26, 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
One year after receiving its
initial verification, Oakwood
Annapolis Hospital in Wayne
has achieved continued verifi-
cation as a Level III Trauma
Center.
See page 5.
Jakes Auto and Truck
Repair has donated a 2013 Del
Ray scooter which is being raf-
fled off to help fund the
Romulus Animal Shelter.
See page 2.
The fire that destroyed a
downtown Plymouth Fire
Station last Sunday morning
has created new fire response
protocol for Plymouth
Township and the City of
Northville.
See page 3.
The Northville Community
Foundation is still accepting
entries for the annual
Independence Day Parade,
usually viewed by about 20,000
onlookers.
See page 2.
A 36-year-old Ypsilanti resi-
dent is recuperating from
injuries he sustained in a
motorcycle accident in Van
Buren
Township
last
Thursday.
See page 4.
Vol. 128, No. 25
Vol. 66, No. 25
Vol. 66, No. 25
Vol. 13, No. 25
Vol. 128, No. 25
Vol. 66, No. 25
Vol. 66, No. 25
The Westwood Community
School District will participate
in the Summer Food Service
Program for children and pro-
vide freemeals for children up
to 18 years of age.
See page 5
.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
The Michigan State
Historic Preservation Board
has approved the nomination
of Norwayne for inclusion on
the National Register of
HistoricPlaces.
See page 5.
Several community groups
are joining forces to help the
victims of the tornadoes in
Oklahoma with collections at
various Canton locations.
See page 4
.
Vol. 13, No. 25
Many of them are more used to
handling an artist's brush than a
yard rake, but they will be out in
force to help clean up the future
Cherry Hill Arts District next
weekend.
The new district will be at the
14-acre site formerly known as
Henry Ford's Village Industry Site
on Cherry Hill Road in Canton
Township.
The 50,000 square foot factory
and residential dormitory, built
over a portion of the Lower Rouge
River, was recently purchased by
the Partnership for the Arts and
Humanities, a non-profit organiza-
tion committed to expanding arts
in southeast Michigan. The Canton
landmark is also listed in the
National Register of Historical
Places, which recognizes historic
properties worthy of preservation
throughout theUnitedStates.
Before the group can begin to
establish the arts district planned
for the area, there is some serious
deferred maintenance and clean-
ing necessary at the site. Group
members have planned what they
call the Historical Factory Clean
Up Day from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
June 29. They are seeking volun-
teers to help with landscaping,
painting, trash and debris
removal, and general beautifica-
tion of the building, located at
50625CherryHill Road.
“By hosting this clean up proj-
ect we are making way for the first
phase of the creation of the new
Cherry Hill Arts District,” said Jill
Engel, Partnership for the Arts
and Humanities executive direc-
tor. “We hope that a large number
of residents and local business
representatives are able to come
out and support our efforts and get
a chance to witness the creation of
our arts district from the very
beginning. The overall goal of the
entire Cherry Hill Arts District is
to broaden and support the cultur-
al arts in this area by creating a
regional arts destination that will
offer both indoor and outdoor art
across 14 acres,” she said.
Volunteers of all ages are asked
tomeet in the site's parking lot and
are encouraged to bring gloves,
yard tools and additional equip-
ment to assist with the clean up,
Engel said.
The group already has a couple
The debt-ridden Inkster Public School
District could be closed by state officials and
students enrolled in surrounding districts
pending approval of a bill now in the Michigan
StateSenate.
State Bill 4813 was approved in the state
House of Representatives by a vote of 58-49 last
week. If approved by the state senate, the new
law would allow the Michigan State
Superintendent of Schools and the Michigan
State Treasurer to dissolve the Inkster Public
School District due to the $12 million budget
deficit the district currently suffers.
If that happens, students from Inkster would
be enrolled inneighboring district schools such
as Wayne-Westland, Romulus, Dearborn
Heights and Westwood which would then
receive the state per pupil allotment.
Debate over the measure was heated, with
Rep. Pete Lund (R-Shelby Township) at one
point accusing Democratic legislators of not
supporting the final bill because “that side of
the aisle (Democratic lawmakers) are afraid of
the MEA,” referring to the Michigan Education
Association.
Lund also directed his ire at school adminis-
trators in the district.
“I hope to God these people who put these
kids and these districts in this situation never
get another job in education,” Lund said from
the House floor. “I hear this bill removes local
control - what local control? If there was local
control wewouldn't behere right now.”
Rep. David Knezek (D-Dearborn Heights),
whose district includes Inkster, voted against
the bill, saying prior to the vote he felt the situa-
tion in Inkster was part of an “epidemic” in
Michigan schools.
“This legislation asks me to walk back to my
desk, press a green button and dissolve the
public schools of Inkster,” Knezek said. “I'mnot
willing to do that.”
The Inkster Public School District suffers a
$12 million deficit according to reports and has
The 20 Cleveland Select Pear Trees plant-
ed last fall at the Romulus Memorial
Cemetery now have decorative plaques
announcing the names of loved ones of those
purchasing the trees.
The plaques have been affixed to the fence
near the trees on the east end of the cemetery
along Shook Road. The trees are part of a
beautification effort spearheaded by the all-
volunteer CemeteryBoard of Trustees.
The $335 trees were purchased by people
with ties to the cemetery and the community
and were planted last October in front of the
cemetery by crews from WH Canon Co., a
Romulus-based landscaping company.
The buyers dedicated the trees to
deceased individuals or entire families
buried in the cemetery, which is considered a
key historical place in Romulus. Board mem-
bers had the plaques prepared and installed
as part of the effort.
Jan Lemmon, chairwoman of the
Cemetery Board, said Cleveland Select Pear
Trees were selected for their beauty. She said
she was thrilled with the success of the proj-
ect.
“We are all very excited about this proj-
ect,” Lemmon said. “The beautification of the
cemetery is very important to all of us. The
people who paid for the trees have loved
ones buried in the cemetery and the plaques
have been placed on the fence in their loved
ones' honor andmemory.”
Trees were purchased by people who live
in Romulus and by former residents who live
as far away as Tennessee (the Kudla family)
andConnecticut (thePorter family).
Those who purchased trees include Fire
Chief Dave Allison and his wife, Julie, Diane
Banks Lambert, Terry, Jim and Ron Bird,
Sharon Cant, Bill Crane, Sheldon and Gloria
Chandler (in honor of the Koester and Greca
families), Kenneth and Councilwoman Linda
Choate (Suzanne Lovenduske), Genevieve
Dugan, Rose Fisher, Lisa Raspberry, Ilene
Kelly, Betsey Krampitz, Brian Killingbeck,
Frank Jr. and Gay Kudla, Merlin and Jan
Lemmon, Tammy and Jesse McGrane, Brian
and Linda McNeil, Mary Oakley, Doris
OstromandOliverH. Porter.
“This was very thoughtful for them to hear
of our project and want to contribute,”
Lemmon said. “We appreciate all who took
the time to get involved with what we are try-
ing to do in the cemetery.”
Lemmon grew up near the cemetery and
has a number of relatives buried there. Her
After an absence of two years,
the Independence Day fireworks
will return to theCity of Romulus.
Thanks to the generous sponsor-
ship of Lee Steel, Safiedine
Trucking, Public Service Credit
Union, Airlines Parking, US Park
and Qwik Park, the city fireworks
display will begin at 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 29, behind schools
atWick andOzga roads.
The fireworks will be visible
from the area of Romulus Middle
School and Wick Elementary
School. Food vendors will be avail-
able.
The return of the fireworks was
announced in Mayor Alan R.
Lambert's State of the City Address
in January. Since then, the sponsor-
ships were secured, enabling the
fireworks to be displayed without
funding fromthe city general fund.
The Romulus Rotary Club has
taken the lead on presenting the
display and has even expanded on
the city efforts. Fireworks fans are
encouraged to arrive early to get
their favorite viewing spot.
"We're just excited about being
able to assist theCity of Romulus in
bringing the fireworks back to the
citizens," said Rotary President
Gary Staffeld. "People obviously
enjoy the fireworks and we always
got some pretty big crowds. The
Rotary Club is grateful that the city
came to us and asked if we could
help make it happen. We were
happy to jump in and do what we
could."
The Rotary also organizes the
annual Parade of Lights that kicks
off the Romulus Pumpkin Festival.
This year's parade begins at 8 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20, starting at CityHall
and traveling along Goddard Road
throughFivePoints.
Holiday fireworks display returns to City of Romulus
By hosting this clean up project we are
making way for the first phase
of the creation of the new Cherry Hill Arts District.
”
Living memories
Tree program thrives
in historic cemetery
Standing near a few of the memorial trees on one side of the cemetery are Doris Orstrom
(left), Gloria and Sheldon Chandler, Mary Oakley, Linda McNeil, Linda Choate, Bill Crane,
Genevieve Dugan, Diane Banks Lambert, Betsey Krampitz, Jan Lemmon, Julie Allison, Jessie
McGrane, Dave Allison and Tammy McGrane.
Photo by Roger Kadau
See
Art,
page 4
See
Trees,
page 2
See
Schools,
page 5
Historic Ford factory to be new art district
This legislation asks me to walk back
to my desk, press a green button and
dissolve the public schools of Inkster.
I'm not willing to do that.
”
State could close Inkster schools