No. 31
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
August 4 – 10, 2016
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 26-year-old-man
accused of killing his 58-year-
old step grandfather with
blows from an ax has been
found mentally competent to
stand trial by court-appoint-
edpsychiatrists.
See page 5.
The Buy Michigan Now
Festival will return to down-
town Northville for the
eighth year the weekend of
Aug. 5-7.
See page 2.
Vol. 131, No. 31
Vol. 69, No. 31
Vol. 69, No. 31
Vol. 16, No. 31
Romulus 5th and 6th
grade students enrolled in
the Accelerated Curriculum
& Enrichment Program par-
ticipated in the Wayne-
Oakland County Science
Olympiad.
See page 3.
Vol. 131, No. 31
Vol. 69, No. 31
Vol. 69, No. 31
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
The Jefferson Barns
Community Vitality Center
has been honored with an
award from the National
Association of Housing and
Redevelopment Officials.
See page 5.
Area residents can join
Canton Leisure Services for
fun activities and a little
friendly competition the 2nd
Annual Family Field Day
andMovie in thePark.
See page 2.
Vol. 16, No. 31
Michigan State Police
Special
Enforcement
Section Troopers are await-
ing a review from the office
of the Wayne County
Prosecutor regarding recent
arrests in Inkster.
See page 3.
It may still seem like sum-
mer but the official Back to
School Supply Drive of the
United Way began last week
and will continue through
Aug. 12.
See page 2.
Belleville High School
teacher Anthony Tedaldi has
been honored as a 2016
cohort of Teaching Fellows
by the Knowles Science
TeachingFoundation.
See page 4.
Romulus City Council mem-
bers took the first official step to
build a new 34th District court-
houseMonday night.
Council members unani-
mously approved a memoran-
dum of understanding with the
court to construct a new build-
ing on themunicipal campus.
“This was very important to
us,” saidCouncil President John
Barden.
Under the agreement, the
citywill sell $14million in bonds
to pay for the facility. The bonds
will be paid over the course of
25 years through fees and forfei-
tures paid to the court. No funds
will be needed from city taxpay-
ers.
City council and court offi-
cials had been discussing
improvements needed at the
courthouse since last year.
Initially, the plan was to reno-
vate and expand the building
but when those estimates came
in at nearly $11 million, the
decision was made to look at a
completely newbuilding.
“We are no longer going to
renovate, we are going to build
new,” said Tim Keyes, Romulus
economic development director,
who will serve as project man-
ager. “The whole point is that
the citywants the court to stay in
Romulus and we're doing what
we can tomake that happen.”
The new facility will be about
45,000 square feet, compared to
about 30,000 square feet at the
existing structure.
“I'mglad that the judges were
comfortable with this,” said
CouncilwomanKathyAbdo.
“I like the fact that we went
back and took a look at this, that
perhaps the renovation wasn't
going to help us because we
really do have to plan for the
future and it looks like that's
what we're doing here-planning
for the future.”
The court serves the five
communities of Romulus,
HuronTownship, Belleville, Van
Buren Township and Sumpter
Township as well as Detroit
Metro Airport and has been
operating under an agreement
signed in 1998 that stipulates the
city will serve as the host com-
munity in exchange for the fines
and forfeiture fees.
“My intention all along, work-
ing with the judges, was to keep
that court here,” said Romulus
Mayor Leroy Burcroff. “That's
what we confirmed tonight.”
A wide selection of profes-
sional barbeque specialists, a
long list of amateur grillers and
hometown American Idol con-
testant Josh Gracin have
joined the cooks and entertain-
ers at the 6th Annual Westland
Blues, Brews andBBQ.
The event, which draws a
large crowd from throughout
the area, will begin at 5 p.m.
tomorrow, Aug. 5, at Thomas H.
BrownCentral City Park. Along
with talented musicians, All
American BBQ and a selection
of Michigan craft beers, the
event will feature professional
pit masters, the traditional
BBQ competition and free
shuttle buses.
Proceeds from the event
help support several civic and
charitable groups in the city
and during the past five years
the event has generated nearly
$150,000 which has gone back
into the community in services
and scholarships for students,
according to Westland Mayor
WilliamWild.
This year, the event is
planned from 5-10 p.m. Friday,
Aug. 5, and from 11 a.m. until
10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6.
Parking will be free at the 18th
District Court, John Glenn
High School, the William D.
Ford Career Technical Center
on Marquette and at the
Westland Friendship Center,
located at 1119 Newburgh
Road. Free shuttle buses will
be provided from the
Marquette
Road
and
Friendship Center locations
from 7-10 p.m. Friday and from
3-11 p.m. Saturday.
This year, professional pit
masters Hill Billy Bone BBQ,
Heaven on a Roll, Stick a Pig
In It, Harold Ole Daddy BBQ,
Smoke Ring BBQ and Uncle
Bebe's BBQ will join the fun
offering their on-site, slow
cooked, authentic BBQ. They
will be joined by returning
local favorites Famous Dave's,
Texas Roadhouse and
LonghornSteakhouse.
In addition, there will be
Harvest Kettle Corn, Detroit
Mini Donut and Lemonade,
Heavenly Hot Dog and On the
Border to treat visitors' taste
buds. As in previous years, the
event will also feature a wide
selection of Michigan craft
beers, and soft drinks. New
this year will be the addition of
awine selection.
Some of the most notable
Blues acts in the area will
appear Friday night. Dirty
Basement Blues will take to
the stage at 5:30 p.m. followed
by Kenny Parker and Jim
McCarty from 7 to 8 p.m. and
then Lil' Ed and the Blues
Imperials will entertain from
8:30 to 10 p.m.
The entertainment contin-
ues beginning at noon
Saturday when the Jeff
Hoagland Band will perform.
Roadside Rick and the
Breakdowns will perform from
2-3:30 p.m. followed by Detroit
Blues Legends with the Boa
Constrictors from 4-6 p.m.
ThornettaDavis takes the stage
from6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The final act is the highly-an
ticipated return of Westland
hometownAmerican Idol final-
ist Josh Gracin who will per-
formfrom8 to 10 p.m.
Also set for Saturday, Aug. 6,
is the All American BBQ
Throwdown, presented by the
Westland Area Jaycees. The
judges will crown theWestland
BBQ Champion in both the
professional and amateur divi-
sions and different specialty
categories, such as ribs, chick-
en, pork andbrisket.
As a part of the City of
Westland 50th Anniversary
Celebration, the Blues, Brews
and BBQ event will close with
the largest fireworks display in
city history starting at 10 p.m.
Saturday.
“This is the 6th year for
Blues, Brews and BBQ and it
just continues to get bigger and
better each year,” commented
Wild.
“In addition to being a fun
way to spend an August week-
end, the goal of the event is the
fundraising generated through
food, beverage and swag sales
that will benefit a number of
Westland charities including
the Goodfellows, the Westland
Community Foundation and
the Westland Historical
Society. Proceeds from this
event benefit local civic organi-
For the first time in 45 years,
the Plymouth Fife and Drum
Corps will open a rehearsal to
the public.
The rehearsal, part of an open
house the group has scheduled
from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15,
will take place behind Salem
High School in the bus loop. A
spokesperson said that all ages
are invited to the event and that
members of the musical corps
would be available to demon-
strate the fifes, drums, guard
equipment and explain their his-
torically accurate uniforms.
Group instructors will also be
available to answer questions
about the group and their his-
toricmusic.
The Plymouth Fife and Drum
Corps includes students ranging
in age from12-18. It is a non-prof-
it group of young musicians and
performers who parade, in their
Colonial-era garb, while playing
the fife and drum music of two
centuries ago. The group travels
throughout the area appearing in
parades and at events and also
tours for special performances of
historic significance during the
summermonths.
The group members are from
both Plymouth and surrounding
communities and rehearse and
practice year round for their per-
formance dates.
The rehearsal is open to the
public at no cost. Salem High
School is located at 46181 Joy
Road inCantonTownship.
For more information about
the group visit
-
cblog/, or
.
com/pfdc.us/.
We are no longer going to renovate,
we are going to build new.
”
Plans for new 34th court under way
Blues, Brews and BBQ
6th annual event includes
city anniversary fireworks
Fife and Drum Corps will host open house
Josh Gracin
Dirty Basement Blues
See
BBQ,
page 5
