No. 31
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
August 2 – 8, 2018
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 second Annual
Downtown Days event took
place last month in Wayne
and organizers said they
weremore thanpleasedwith
the popularity of the event.
See page 4.
Two new electric vehicle
charging stations have been
installed in downtown
Northville behind 120 W.
Main.
See page 5.
Vol. 133, No. 31
Vol. 71, No. 31
Vol. 71, No. 31
Vol. 18, No. 31
The second annual
Romulus Relay for Life gets
under way at 10 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 4, and con-
cludes at 10 a.m. Sunday,
Aug. 5, at Senior Center Park.
See page 3.
Vol. 133, No. 31
Vol. 71, No. 31
Vol. 71, No. 31
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Gary Thomas has been
named to the Westland Tax
Increment
Finance
Authority (TIFA) Economic
Development Corporation
for a four-year term.
See page 4.
Canton Township will
fund a mix of public service
agencies and public con-
struction work through fed-
eral funds of the U.S.
Department of Housing and
UrbanDevelopment.
See page 2.
Vol. 18, No. 16
Residents on the north
side of Annapolis Road
between Middlebelt and
Inkster roads found them-
selves blocked from their
driveways last week.
See page 4.
The six collective bargain-
ing units representing
employees of Plymouth
Township have agreed to
changes in dental, optical,
life insurance, disability, and
other benefits.
See page 5.
Van Buren Township offi-
cials expect to learn the
identity this week of the new
tech firm seeking to occupy a
portion of the Harold Smith
FarmonMichiganAvenue.
See page 2.
The former Director of
Parks and Grants for Plymouth
Township, Michael Mitchell, 49,
is expected by federal prosecu-
tors to enter a guilty plea next
week on one count of theft from
a local government receiving
federal assistance. The charges
carry a maximum penalty of 10
years in prison and/or $250,000
fine. Mitchell is scheduled to be
arraigned Aug. 9 in the U.S.
District Court, Eastern District
of Michigan and face a plea
hearing the same day before
U.S. District Judge Terrance G.
Berg.
According to the FBI and
federal prosecutors, in August
of 2016, while serving as direc-
tor of parks and grants under
former Township Supervisor
Shannon Price, Mitchell stole
property belonging to the town-
ship, including a commercial
lawnmower, a John Deer Gator
utility vehicle, and other equip-
ment estimated to have a total
value of about $10,000.
Formal charges filed against
Mitchell last March were
reportedly the result of a wide-
ranging and on-going corrup-
tion investigation centered in
Macomb County involving
bribery and public corruption
in the awarding of trash haul-
ing and other municipal con-
tracts. Mitchell was the first
indictment of a Wayne County
official. The charges were filed
in what is known as “informa-
tion' which usually means the
defendant is cooperating with
law enforcement and has nego-
tiated a plea deal in exchange
for information.
Mitchell, a political
appointee, was hired by Price,
Mitchell was the
first indictment of a
Wayne County official.
”
The City of Inkster will have
a special guest during the police
department participation in
National Night Out next
Tuesday.
Internationally renowned
gospel recording artist Kelontae
Gavin will perform during the
event whichwill take place from
5-9 p.m. Aug. 7 in the Inkster
PoliceDepartment parking lot.
With the release of his debut
album “Higher” Gavin has gar-
nered international acclaim,
award nominations, and topped
the billboard charts. Gavin
began his career focused on not
onlymusic but giving back to the
community and youth. He often
volunteers his time for causes
near and dear to his heart such
asNational Night Out.
In addition to Gavin and his
performance, there will also be
a DJ, karaoke, 3 on 3 basketball
and free throw competitions,
giveaways, a video game truck,
bounce houses, games, face
painting, dunk tank, food, and
more. More than 40 community
organizations will have booths
set up providing valuable infor-
mation and giveaways to citi-
zens.
National Night Out is an
annual community-building
campaign where millions of
neighbors take part in the night
out across thousands of commu-
nities from all 50 states, U.S. ter-
Canton residents can take a
stand against crime next
Tuesday, Aug. 7 during the
National Night Out event in
the township.
The
Canton
Police
Department, Canton Public
Library, Canton Response to
Hate Crimes Coalition and
Canton Leisure Services will
have representatives at the
North Pavilion in Heritage
Park from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m.
Aug. 7. The community organi-
zations will present the
National Night Out program
featuring the annual Canton
Not In Our Town community
event.
National Night Out is an
annual community-building
campaign that promotes
police-community partner-
ships and neighborhood cama-
raderie to make neighbor-
hoods safer, better places to
live, noted Canton Community
Relations coordinator Patty
Esselink.
The evening includes live
music, an interactive Canton
Public Safety vehicle display,
complimentary refreshments
from Kona Ice and Cruisin'
Custom Coneys, and prizes
provided by Target, one of the
event sponsors. Additional
activities include: a craft proj-
ect provided by Home Depot; a
bounce house provided by
See
Mitchell,
page 5
Blues,
Brews &
Barbecue
Westland event is
Friday and Saturday
National Night Out events set for next Tuesday
Inkster police host activities Canton civic groups participate
Blues,
Brews
and
Barbecue, the most highly-
anticipated annual event in
Westland, will take place this
weekend on Friday and
Saturday, Aug. 3 and 4.
Thousands of visitors are
treated annually to perform-
ances from some of the finest
musicians in the area, deli-
cious food and ice cold brews
at the two-day event, noted
MayorWilliamWild.
“It has been an incredible
experience to watch this
event grow and evolve over
the past eight years into what
is now one of the most highly
anticipated and well attended
events in metro Detroit,” Wild
said.
“To date, Blues, Brews and
BBQ has generated $200,000
for local community organiza-
tions, enabling them to do
incredible things for those in
need,”Wild added.
The activities take place
from 5-11 p.m. on Friday and
from 3-11 p.m. on Saturday.
Events this year include live
entertainment from The Boa
Constrictors featuring Detroit
Blues legend John Watkins on
Friday following by Broken
Arrow on Friday. On Saturday,
the Joe Stanley Band, the
Bobby Murray Band and The
Madison Avenue Band featur-
ing The Soul Men will all
entertain prior to the fire-
works at 10 p.m.
The event and entertain-
ment are free and will take
place at Thomas H. Brown
Central City Park,36601 Ford
Road in Westland. There is
also free parking available on
site and additional parking is
available at the Senior
Friendship Center, William D.
Ford Vocational Technical
School and the Department of
Public Services Building. A
free shuttle service will bring
visitors to and fromthe park.
The event features profes-
sional pit-masters who will
offer slow-cooked, authentic
BBQ and tasty finger foods.
HillBilly Bone BBQ will be
serving up the items that
made them theWestland BBQ
Throwdown champions.
Heaven on a Roll specializes
in sandwiches and the
Carolina BBQ and authentic
cheese steak hoagies they
offer are famous. Along with
sandwiches and hoagies,
Heaven on a Roll serves
fresh-cut French fries. Stick a
Pig in it has been featured on
Fox 2 Detroit and has hosted
pig roasts for the TV program
American Muscle and Seattle
Seahawks All-Pro Cornerback
Richard Sherman. They will
be bringing a selection of deli-
cious BBQ items and, most
notably, their unique rendi-
tion of a pulled pork sundae
which features mashed pota-
toes, smothered in BBQ
pulled pork and toppedwith a
cherry tomato. Ole Daddy
BBQ's food truck travels all
over Michigan to various
cookouts, blues festivals and
fairs and use only wood to
cook all the food. They will be
bringing ribs, pulled pork,
brisket and mouthwatering
pulled pork nachos. Mr. Pit
Master BBQ from Romulus
will be serving homemade
chicken, pulled pork sand-
wiches, and other menu
items. Uncle Bebe's BBQ is
licensed inDetroit and travels
around the state. The compa-
ny started small selling din-
ners about 10 years ago and
were able to expand into the
food truck business last year.
They specialize in ribs but
will also be bringing unique
items such as BBQ eggrolls
containing ribs, chicken and
shrimp.
These expert pitmasters
will be joined by returning
local favorites like Famous
Dave's and Texas Roadhouse.
For some additions outside
the traditional BBQ realm,
See
Barbecue,
page 4
Former Plymouth official to be sentenced
Don Howard
Staff Writer
See
Police,
page 4
See
Groups,
page 2
The Soul Men will join The Madison Avenue Band at Blues Brews and Barbecue in Westland
Saturday night just before the fireworks.
