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PAGE 6 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN July 7, 2022

WAYNE - WESTLAND
WAYNE - WESTLAND

Bus tour

School district offers books, games,

and materials for summer learning

School may be on hiatus for the sum- “Literacy is the catalyst for all learn-
mer, but books, school supplies and ing. This important initiative helps rein-
learning materials are available at local force literacy in the next generation and
elementary schools in the Wayne bridge early literacy gaps,” said Wayne-
Westland Community School District. Westland Community Schools
BUSting with Learning will continue Superintendent John Dignan.
throughout the district through Aug. 17 Throughout the summer, buses will
and staff member have loaded up the visit elementary schools in the district.
buses to bring free literacy resources to Students and families can pick up books,
kindergarden through third-grade stu- school supplies and materials and enjoy
dents in the community. games and activities provided by the bus
Each year hundreds of young children staff.
disconnect in the summer, making it Buses will also be cruising through
much harder in the fall to succeed aca- the community, distributing books to chil-
demically, school officials said, prompt- dren in area neighborhoods. To learn
ing educators to start the BUSting pro- where BUSting with Learning is stop-
gram. ping next, visit https://bit.ly/39r2KV2.
Westland Rotary Club awards $12,000 to local students

Members of the Westland Foundation awarded $12,000 in ceremony. High School students Tina Vu Army children's summer camp,
Rotary Club in conjunction with scholarships to six high school This year, $2,000 scholarships and Ida-alot Wiafee, William D. sponsorship of the Westland
the James North Charitable students during the annual club were awarded to John Glenn Ford Career-Technical Center Jamboree at the Jefferson Barns
students Ayanna Harris and Community Vitality Center,
Justin Taylor and Wayne major sponsor of the Wayne Ford
Memorial High School students Civic League Thanksgiving din-
A'miya DUralic and Venessa ner for veterans and many other
Prush. civic events.
The Westland Rotary is an Major donations in 2021/2022
international service organiza- included $10,000 for the victims
tion that has been meeting week- of the Westwood apartment fire,
ly for more than 50 years in and $5,000 to the VFW Bova Hall for
around the city at lunchtime. development of a children's area,
The primary purpose of the club and $5,000 to the veterans for the
is to come together as business Thanksgiving dinner.
owners and try to improve our The club always welcomes
city. new members. For information
Annual Rotary Club service on joining visit the club
projects include bell ringing at Facebook page or visit
Westland Mall for the Salvation www.westlandrotary.com/index.
Army, partnering with the cham- php #CompassionateCity North
ber of commerce for the annual Brothers Ford Westland
The Westland Rotary club awarded $12,000 in scholarships to local high school students during the taste fest event, sponsorship of Chamber of Commerce The
annual presentation ceremony. the Wayne-Westland Salvation Wayne-Westland Salvation Army.
Resident

sentenced

in veterans

fraud case

The Westland woman
accused of defrauding the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs
and the Michigan Department of
Treasury of hundreds of thou-
sands of dollars has been sen-
tenced to spend up to 15 years in
prison.
Prosecutors alleged that
Melissa Flores, 55, and co-defen-
dant Steven Decker, 34, of
Wyandotte, created aliases and
obtained or created fraudulent
documents to claim veterans'
survivor benefits and property
from the Michigan Department
of Treasury. Prosecutors
alleged in court that the scheme
continued between 2013 and
2019 and that Flores and Decker
received more than $40,000 of
unclaimed property from the
Michigan Department of
Treasury and more than
$430,000 from the Veteran's
Administration.
Flores entered guilty pleas to
multiple charges which original-
ly included one count of con-
ducting a criminal enterprise, a
felony punishable by up to 20
years' imprisonment, $100,000
fine and forfeiture of proceeds
and items used during the crime;
two counts of false pretenses
between $20,000 and $50,000, a
felony punishable by 15 years
imprisonment, $15,000 fine or
three times the value of the
money or property involved,
whichever is greater; forgery of
documents affecting real proper-
ty, a 14-year felony; four counts of
false pretenses between $1,000
and $20,000, a felony punishable
by up to five years imprisonment
and a $10,000 fine or three times
the value of the money or prop-
erty involved, whichever is
greater. She was sentenced to 2-
15 years on two false pretenses
counts and one count of forgery
and 1-5 years on the four addi-
tional charges. Her sentences
will run concurrently.