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A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
6
August 22, 2013
After nearly 3 years, the
Michigan Public Service
Commission has determined that
Consumers Power had some
responsibility in the explosion at
Frank's Furniture Store in Wayne
which killed two people.
The company was also respon-
sible for an explosion in Royal
Oak that killed another man and
destroyed an entire neighborhood
inFebruary.
The company is going to pay a
fine and set up a fund to help
future victims. Future victims.
That would seem to us to be an
admission that there will, in fact,
be future victims and that the
measures the Michigan Public
Service Commission and
Consumers Power have taken are
no guarantee of the safety of gas
installations in area homes and
businesses. We know, the overall
number of accidents and safety
violations in comparison to the
number of installations and cur-
rent number of users is negligible.
But in that negligible number
are the two lives lost in Wayne
and the destruction of one of the
oldest family owned businesses in
that city, not tomention the severe
and catastrophic and near fatal
injuries suffered by the owner of
the store.
We understand, too, that the
utility company came to a finan-
cial settlement with the owners of
the business, one that remains
confidential, and that these fines
levied are in addition to the finan-
cial settlements already paid to
the families of victims.
The investigation also found
that the City of Wayne installation
of a cement barrier at a sewer
line nearly 25 years ago may have
put pressure on the gas line, caus-
ing it to leak into the furniture
store.
While city officials protest that
finding, the report found that the
gas seeped into the Wayne furni-
ture store from an unsealed
sewer tap into the building. At
least two area residents called the
gas company the morning of the
explosion to report smelling the
gas, but the utility employees did
not fully investigate. The company
has admitted that those safety
protocolswere violated.
It may have been the bitter
cold that prompted Consumers
Power employees to limit their
investigation into the complaints
about gas odor, but the proper
procedures, designed by the com-
pany, were not followed correctly.
These are the laws of unin-
tended consequences, in this case
far more attributable to human
error than decades old installa-
tions and construction.
Perhaps, rather than a fund for
victims, more money should be
spent on training the employees
in the field about the serious
responsibility their jobs entail.
We'd rather there were no
more victims to help.
The entire flap about Edward
Snowden has me somewhat con-
fused.
Snowden's the guy now having
his mail forwarded to Russia who
formerlyworked as an outside con-
tractor at the Pentagon doing com-
puter analysis and programming.
He's the guy who blew the whistle
and told the world that the U.S.
government was spying on its own
citizens and eavesdropping on
phone calls across the country. He
told a whole bunch of other
secrets, too, about the U.S. bugging
the embassies of other countries
and spying on diplomats at confer-
ences. Then he fled the country in
fear of the anticipated government
reprisals.
Opinions about this guy are as
diverse as Kim Kardashian and
Mother Teresa. Some laudhimas a
protector of our freedoms and the
American way while others call
hima traitor to his country.
Me, I'm still really confused
about the entire boondoogle. Why
would government eavesdropping
on phone conversations be of con-
cern or news? How could anybody
in America today even pretend
they have any privacy to protect or
safeguard. It shouldn't be news to
anybody that our government is
watching us and listening in on our
conversations. That's about as sur-
prising as the sun coming up in the
east or Lindsey Lohan going back
into rehab.
Just take a look at the younger
generation of today. Lordy, I wish I
were as interesting asmost of them
think they are.
Yeah, that was snarky, but really,
people, I cannot imagine anybody
ever being interested inwhat I had
for dinner much less wanting to
see a picture of it and I really can-
not believe that anybody cares
where these young people are 24-
hours a day, either. Hacking into
their phone calls wouldn't take an
expensive secret government pro-
gram. Just pretend you might be
interested and they will provide
more information about their lives
than anyone could ever possibly
want, for free. No tax dollars
involved. Actually, you don't even
have to pretend to be interested.
They just let it
all hang out.
Trust me,
there was never
a time in my life that my where-
abouts 24 hours a day was of any
interest to anybody, much less a
flock of followers intent on com-
menting about whatever it was I
happened to be doing. OK, OK, so
maybe when I was a child, if my
mother soberedup, shemight won-
der where I was, but other than
that, really, I've just never, ever
been as interesting as young peo-
ple today think they are.
Some young families think that
supplying the world with pictures
of their most private moments is a
good idea, so why on Earth would
the government need to spend a
gazillion dollars spying on them?
What, the Pentagon computers
Every week lately, there seems to be a story, or two, from
one or more of our local police departments asking for help
in identifying a suspect in one crime or another.
That's not at all unusual and has gone on for years, but
lately, there seems to be a sharp increase in the number of
times police investigators ask the public for help in identify-
ing a person of interest.
It obviously works. Recently a hapless bank robber with
what we're told is a long criminal history, was apprehended
within hours of the robbery of a Plymouth Township bank,
due to tips from the public who saw his photo in the media.
With more and more surveillance photos available as more
andmore security cameras are installed at businesses, most
everyone is beingwatchednearly all the time.
It is, of course, a little disconcerting for those who have
never even entertained a criminal thought to find them-
selves the target of these cameras in banks, stores, schools,
parks, along highways and just about anywhere else.
For those intent on committing some nefarious act, how-
ever, these cameras should be a strong deterrent. Nomatter
how complete the mask, when these photos are made pub-
lic, someone, somewhere almost invariably can recognize
some distinguishing feature of a perpetrator. A tattoo was
part of the identification of the bank robber, but it can often
be something as an individual's stance or posture. People
who know us can recognize us through just about any dis-
guise asmany criminals are learning thehardway.
More and more, residents in many communities are rec-
ognizing their responsibility to help local police officials,
whenever they can, with identifying those who have com-
mitted crimes. They are not only helping right whatever
wrong has been committed, but they are exercising their
real civic responsibility to their neighbors, their community,
their church and to all the others who could be affected by
this or a future crime.
That's why the current attitude in Inkster, where there
have been 13 homicides already this year is so distressing to
police investigators and tomany civic leaders.
One investigator says that Inkster residents simply will
not get involved, no matter howmuch they know, unless the
victim is a member of their family or someone they knew
well. Otherwise, they don't want to face any possible retalia-
tion or the inconvenience of talking to police and identify-
ing those who fired weapons during drive-by shootings, or
men who apparently fired weapons randomly into an audi-
ence at a fireworks display.
They don't want to be affiliated with the police or recog-
nized as any kind of witness, for fear, often, of reprisals.
People must speak up,
even anonymously, to protect
their own families and their own futures.
”
Public has a duty to help police solve crimes
Victims’
fund is
too late
That's about as surprising as the
sun coming up in the east or
Lindsey Lohan going back into rehab.
”
Rights and expectation of privacy have been abdicated
See
Privacy
, page 7
See
Public,
page 7
Letters
Salvation Army collecting supplies
To the editor;
Back 2 School Blitz 6 kicked off
Monday, Aug. 19. While we will be
collecting school supplies all week,
we have two great efforts to collect
supplies
From 1-6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 at
The Salvation Army, 9451 S. Main,
Plymouth - The Escape will be
broadcasting from our lot. From 11
a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24
at Twisted Rooster on Belleville
Road (in front of Meijers - look for
the school bus).
Supplies are starting to come in
and many supplies have been
"adopted" by various groups. We
are seeing a need for more back
packs as well as 1-inch binders in
addition to the supplies noted.
We have 315 children already
registered for this program with
more screening appointments
scheduled. Our target is 350
children. As a reminder, this
program is for K-12 children only.
Each child will receive a grade-
appropriate back pack as well as a
$25 gift card toPayless Shoes.
Most importantly, please do not
hesitate to refer families to us that
are in need of school supplies. We
will have plenty!
Many thanks for your continued
support of this community effort
Laurie Aren
Director, Family
&CommunityMinistries
The SalvationArmy
PlymouthCorps