No. 37
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
Sept. 15 – 21, 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
Two people were killed
when an Amtrak train
plowed into their vehicle at
the Michigan Avenue and
Venoy Road crossing last
Wednesday night.
See page 4.
A Northville Township
Police sergeant has filed a
lawsuit in Wayne County
Circuit Court against her
employer alleging sexual dis-
crimination and retaliation.
See page 3.
Vol. 131, No. 37
Vol. 69, No. 37
Vol. 69, No. 37
Vol. 16, No. 37
A list of addresses of all
the participating homes in
the annual city-wide garage
sale in Romulus can be
found on
page 3
.
Vol. 131, No. 37
Vol. 69, No. 37
Vol. 69, No. 37
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Mayor William Wild said
Blues Brews and BBQ gen-
erated $20,000 for 10 local
non-profit organizations and
more than 20,000 people
attended.
See page 4.
Construction of six per-
manent pickleball courts has
been completed at Freedom
Park in Canton, as part of a
Community Benefit Project
provided by Pulte Homes,
and the courts are nowopen.
See page 3.
Vol. 16, No. 37
For 13 young women in
Inkster, summer meant trad-
ing in sandals and shorts for
lab coats and goggles and
learning about science, math
and the environment.
See page 5.
Plymouth Community
United Way looking for vol-
unteers to help residents in
Plymouth, andPlymouth and
Canton townships on
Saturday, Nov. 12.
See page 5.
October has officially
been named Booville at the
Belleville Area Museum
which will host several
events to celebrate the
spookymonthof October.
See page 2.
AWestland woman is accused
of embezzling more than $2 mil-
lion from the failed Veterans
Health Administration Credit
Union.
Fuataina Afutiti, 50, was
arraigned Sept. 8 in 36th District
Court on charges of receiving
proceeds froma continuing crim-
inal enterprise and one count of
embezzlement from a credit
union. Prosecutors allege that
while Afutiti was president and
CEO of the credit union in
Westland, she stole more than $2
million, money alleged to have
been used to buy a motor home
and a Mercedes-Benz, along with
the lease or purchase of five
other vehicles. The alleged
embezzlement took place
between 2012 and 2016, prosecu-
tors claim.
The cash shortfalls and irreg-
ularities were discovered during
a routine audit of the financial
institution in February, regula-
tors said. They claim that she
leased or bought six vehicles
during that time, usingmisappro-
priated funds, which were also
used to pay for Afutiti's vacations.
At her arraignment, she was
released on a $10,000 personal
recognizance bond. She was due
back in court today for a prelimi-
nary hearing on the charges.
“For a person to take advan-
tage of Michigan veterans, many
of whom are disabled and on
fixed incomes, to use the money
to live a life of excess is despica-
ble,” said Michigan Attorney
General Bill Schuette in a news
release.
The credit union was closed
and made insolvent in March
and the Public Service Credit
Union assumed the assets, loans
and shares of the institution
which had 1,297 members,
according to records. Those
members were protected by the
intervention and members had
continued access to their funds.
The
Veterans
Health
Administration Credit Unions
served employees of the Detroit
and Ann Arbor Veterans
Administration Medical Centers.
The charges were filed following
an investigation by the state
Department of Insurance and
Financial
Services
and
Schuette's office.
The
Veterans
Health
AdministrationCredit Unionwas
originally chartered in 1954.
The largest family celebra-
tion in the city, the Romulus
Downtown
Development
Authority Pumpkin Festival, is
set for this weekend, Sept. 16-18
in downtown Romulus at the
Historical Park
The 19th annual festival is
expected to draw thousands of
participants from Romulus and
SoutheastMichigan.
City staff and dozens of vol-
unteers are making final prepa-
rations for festival events
including the Romulus Rotary
Parade of Lights on Friday
night, a car show Saturday, a
tractor and lawn tractor show
on Sunday, great food, chil-
dren's games and a host of con-
tests. There will be pumpkin-
themed events and a great line-
up of live musical entertain-
ment all weekend long includ-
ing their headliner band, Your
Generation (formerly Fifty Amp
Fuse), on Saturday night. Many
of the activities are provided at
no cost.
The festival also places
emphasis on history of the city.
A number of old-fashioned
events for families are planned
and the museum and other his-
torical structures will be open
for tours.
Hunt Street will be closed
from Goddard to Bibbins over
the three-day weekend.
Goddard Road will be closed
from Moore Street to the rail-
road tracks beginning at noon
on Friday through the duration
of the three-day festival week-
end.
“This is a great opportunity
for our community to come
together, enjoy the downtown
and have some fun,” saidMayor
LeRoyD. Burcroff.
“TheDDA is proud to contin-
ue to support this special com-
munity tradition,” said Maria
Lambert, director of the
Downtown
Development
Authority and co-chair of the
PumpkinFestival Committee.
Some Pumpkin Festival
highlights:
Romulus Rotary Parade of
Lights:
The official kickoff to the
three-day festival, the parade
begins at the Romulus City Hall
parking lot, located at 11111
Wayne Road and will take a
short detour around the
Wayne/Goddard intersection by
going east on Bibbins street for
one block, north onGabriel, and
then continuing east on
Goddard Road, traveling
through the downtown, and
ending at the Progressive Hall
at 11580 Ozga St. There will be
dozens of parade entries - each
covered in lights. The Romulus
Rotary Club, which coordinates
the parade, is offering $100 cash
prizes for the best entries in six
categories: commercial, motor-
ized, non-motorized, classic
cars, live music and schools. It
is free to enter in the parade
and is open to the public. Visit
, print
and complete the free applica-
tion and rules, then return it as
directed. Entries will begin
assembling at 6:30 p.m. in the
parking lot at the City Hall.
Entries do not need to pre-reg-
ister, though entrieswithout suf-
ficient lighting will be turned
away. For spectators, the
parade is scheduled to start at 8
p.m. Residents and visitors
should note that this is the
same, original, parade route as
previous years, but different
from the last two years during
construction onGoddardRoad.
Entertainment:
The Pumpkin
Festival Committee has signed
some well-known acts to pro-
vide free entertainment during
the Pumpkin Festival and will
have an impressive, main stage
to accommodate them, as well
as a side stage featuring local
talent.
Performing Sept. 16,
during/following the Parade of
Lights, will be Boogie Dynomite
and Square Pegz from 8 p.m. to
midnight.
Music and entertainment
will take place from 1 p.m. until
1 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 and
from 11:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 18.
Music starts Saturday with
Warren Commission (Jazz/Adult
Contemporary). ATae KwonDo
demonstration will be present-
ed at 2:30 p.m. Other musical
acts through the afternoon
include Trilogy (Variety) from
3:30-6 p.m., and Magic Bus
(60s/70s) from 6-8 p.m.
Headlining on Saturday, from
8:30-11:30 p.m., will be Your
Generation, which draws
crowds from all over Michigan
and is often referred to as
Downriver's best cover band.
Live dueling pianos will be pre-
sented in the “Pumpkin Pub”
starting at 11:30 p.m.
The Romulus Ministerial
Alliance will present ecumeni-
cal services at 9:30 a.m. Sunday,
The Northville Heritage
Festival, formerly known as the
Victorian Festival, is planned for
this weekend throughout down-
townNorthville.
Sponsored this year by the
Northville
Chamber
of
Commerce, the Northville
Heritage Festival celebrates the
rich history and small town
charm of the Northville commu-
nity. The Heritage Festival pro-
vides an opportunity for resi-
dents of Northville, both past
and present, to reminisce, enjoy
and celebrate the community.
Events are planned over the
two day event beginning with the
9 a.m. Friday participation of
third grade students inVictorian-
related activities throughout
town.
The Victorian Saloon at the
corner of Cady and Wing streets
will be open from 5-11 p.m.
Friday and The Shawn Riley
Band will entertain from 7-9:30
p.m.
The non-profit and vendor
booths will be open from 6-9 p.m.
and one of the highlights of the
weekend, the Victorian Parade
will take place at 6:30Friday.
Saturday events include the 8-
11 a.m. Kiwanis Pancake
Breakfast at the corner of Cady
and Wind streets. Tickets are
available at the door. The Maker
Faire Car Show and Beer Tent
will take place from 9-4 p.m. at
The Village Workshop, 455 E.
Cady St., behind the Northville
Car Wash. Live music by Global
Village will continue from 11
a.m. until 3 p.m.
The non-profit and vendor
booths will open at 11 a.m. along
with the Kids Zone onWest Main
Street. The booths will close at 8
p.m. and the Kids Zone will
remain openuntil 10 p.m.
Buildings at Mill Race Village
will be open to the public from1-
4 p.m. The historical village is
located at 215 Griswold St. A vin-
tage baseball game will begin at
1 p.m. at FordField.
The Varsity Lincoln Stage will
feature a comedy juggling show
from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and
the Joel Tacey Show at 11:30 a.m.
the Amazing Clark will perform
at 1:15, 3:15 and 4:30 p.m. The
Mind Tapped Street Theater
troupe will perform at 2 and 4
p.m.
Farmer John's Barnyard
Express petting zoo will be open
The cash shortfalls
and irregularities were
discovered during a routine audit...
”
Veterans credit union head faces charges
Romulus Pumpkin Fest
Northville marks
Victorian heritage
Festivals celebrate community spirit
See
Romulus,
page 2
See
Northville,
page 3
A highlight of the Northville Heritage Festival, formerly the Victorian
Festival, is the Friday evening Victorian parade though downtown.
The Romulus Rotary Club sponsored Lighted Parade traditionally
begins the annual Pumpkin Fest in the city. Entries are still being
accepted.
