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No. 39
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
Sept. 27 - Oct. 3, 2012
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
More than 80 Friends gath-
ered at a home in Wayne Sept.
15 to help a neighbor take care
of some needed home repairs
andmaintenance projects.
See page 4.
Four individuals have
earned free annual member-
ships to the Romulus Athletic
Center (RAC) afterwinning the
fourth annual Strongest
PersonCompetition.
See page 5.
Richard Sharland has
announced his candidacy for
Plymouth Township supervi-
sor opposing incumbent super-
visor Richard Reaume in the
Nov. 7 election.
See page 2.
The corn maze at Maybury
Farm will open this weekend
during FarmDays at the facili-
ty, which includes other
demonstrations and events for
thewhole family.
See page 3.
Linda Combs remains the
winner of the Aug. 7 primary
election for Van Buren
Township supervisor following
a recount of the votes by the
Wayne County Elections
Office.
See page 5.
Vol. 127, No. 39
Vol. 65, No. 39
Vol. 65, No. 39
Vol. 12, No. 39
Vol. 12, No. 39
Vol. 127, No. 39
Vol. 65, No. 39
Vol. 65, No. 39
The Mighty Voices of
Thunder will appear in con-
cert at 4 p.m. this Sunday Sept.
30 at St. Clements Episcopal
Church in Inkster, a benefit for
the
Adopt-A-Child-Size
Committee.
See page 4.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
The Distinguished Young
Women of Wayne Westland
2013 scholarship program for
high school senior girls who
reside in Wayne and Westland
is underway.
See page 4.
Detroit officials are finalizing a course of
action regarding a $16 million piece of property
in Plymouth Township erroneously sold for back
taxes.
Plymouth Township was the buyer of the
land, paying $606,000 for the property, the former
site of the Detroit House of Corrections.
Township resident and independent candidate
for supervisor Richard Sharland has attended
meetings in Detroit regarding the issue and said
that he has been informed that the citywill make
a final decision based on the recent report of the
Detroit city attorney.
According to reports at the meeting, Detroit
representatives have been in contact with
PlymouthTownship regarding thematter.
Plymouth Township purchased the land from
Wayne County for back taxes late last year. The
entire 323-acre site was recorded as having been
purchased in 2006 by Demco 54 by the assessor's
department inPlymouthTownship, when in fact,
Demco 54 purchased only a 133-acre portion of
the property. Demco 54 failed to pay taxes on the
property for several years and the county includ-
ed the land in the tax sale. The county put the
entire 323-acre site up for sale as the assessor's
records indicated that Demco 54 was the owner.
All tax bills for the entire 323-acre site went to
Demco 54, rather than the bill for the 133-acres
actually purchased. Therefore, Detroit never
received a tax bill from Plymouth Township for
the 190 acres the city still owned.
State law allows options for the true owner of
the land in such situations, one of which is the
reclaiming of the land and/or financial damages
up to double the price of the property. The land
was on the tax rolls for twice $8million, or a true
cash value of $16million,
The property was valued on tax rolls at one
Canton Farmers Market
will match up to $20 in Bridge
Card purchases every market
day for the purchase of
Michigan-grownproduce.
See page 3.
See
Property,
page 2
The streets around Oakwood Annapolis
Hospital in Wayne will be teeming with fitness
enthusiasts of all ages onOct. 6.
The Oakwood Healthcare System is bring-
ing the Red October Run back to the communi-
ty for the 22nd year, and it might be the largest
event year, according to Cindy Cook, communi-
ty benefit coordinator for OakwoodHealthcare.
Cook organizes the event every year.
“We're on target to hit 1,500 registrants,” said
Cook. “That's 300more than last year.”
The increase in popularity was a bit of a sur-
prise, she said, because several other races in
Michigannowshare the same date.
“I thinkwe've developed a great reputation,”
Cook said. “I just wouldn't have predicted that
our numbers would be up, given our competi-
tion this year.”
The Red October Run offers competition for
people of all ages and skill levels, including a
10K run, a 5K run, a 5K walk and a non-com-
petitive one-mile Junior October Run for chil-
dren. The 10K and 5K runs are certified.
Everyone who finishes gets a medal, and there
are prize drawings for participants, too. The
event also includes activities leading up to the
races, including a yoga warm-up session and
arts and crafts activities for young people.
Refreshments are provided afterward.
The Junior OctoberMile begins at 9 a.m. and
the 10K run begins at 9:50 a.m. The 5K runners
and 5Kwalkers get started at 10 a.m.
Cook said the idea behind the run was to
promote fitness among people of all ages.
Earlier this year she visited schools in the
Wayne-Westland Community School District to
getmore children involved, too.
“It's a great tradition,” she said. “We're here
to engage the community.”
For more information or to register, visit
www.oakwood.org/redoctoberrun.
The skatepark in Belleville will
be closed permanently following a
unanimous vote of members of the
city council last week.
The 10-year-old park, construct-
ed with money from the Wayne
County Parks and Recreation
Millage, has been a source of prob-
lems for the DPW department and
the police and fire departments,
according to city officials.
DPW Director Keith Boc said
the concrete would be removed
from the area which is at the edge
of a park behind the DPWyard and
next to the industrial park. Boc told
the council members that his
department workers repair some-
thing at the park every week, that
vandalism is constant and that
much illegal activity takes place in
the park. He said that safety bars
are regularly torn down andmoved
back and garbage cans are set on
fire and thrown into the pond.
Police Cpl. Todd Schrecengost
noted that the fence, signage and a
pay phone have been vandalized at
the park and that he has witnessed
narcotic and alcohol violations and
persons obviously intoxicated at
the park interacting with young
children. He explained that the
location of the park makes it easy
for those engaged in illegal activity
to see the police coming and imme-
diately scatter. He also referenced
the number of injuries andmedical
emergency calls to the skatepark
where, he said, many of the skate-
boarders refuse to wear helmets.
He said there have been injuries
like concussions and broken arms
and legs.
He also said graffiti at the park
includes racial slurs, vandals have
removed more than 25 feet of fenc-
ing and users climb the fence and
trespass into theDPWyard.
After 45 minutes of discussion
which included comments from
area residents, some who wanted
the park to stay open and others
who felt it should be closed, the
council members opted to perma-
nently close and dismantle the
facility.
It may be open until winter
months, but will not be reopened in
the spring, officials said.
I just wouldn't have predicted that
our numbers would be up,
given our competition this year.
”
Oakwood Red October Run registration tops 1,500
Vandalism prompts closure of Belleville skate park
We (the City of Detroit) want to get what
is ours back. This is an opportunity to
reclaim property valued at $16 million.
”
Detroit may seek return of $16 million site
There are a lot of smiles
throughout the Plymouth area
due to the work of dentist Allen
Berman, although he doesn't
take credit formany of them.
But Berman's help is a god-
send to the women and children
at a local shelter where he
donates his professional expert-
ise to help those who have found
themselves in abusive circum-
stances. He is also responsible
for the wide smiles of several
local high school students whose
educations he has helped fund
through scholarships. He also
works with the Starfish Agency
in Inkster, providing free dental
care to low income families
throughoutWayneCounty.
Then, of course, there are the
folks he helps through his one-
day a week free mental health
counseling.
“We believe in giving back to
the community,”Berman said.
The “we” is Berman's newest
partner in his 25 year-old-prac-
tice on Main Street in Plymouth,
his son, Michael, who graduated
this year from dental school at
theUniversity ofMichigan.
The pair takes the term“fami-
ly practice” seriously as they are
now treating second and even
some third-generation patients
with both the wisdom of experi-
ence and the very latest in dental
practices.
Michael Berman. 26, graduat-
ed from high school at 17 and
was accepted into graduate
school before he even entered
college. His degree in dental sci-
ence is accompanied by one in
English Literature, something he
loves almost as much as working
with his father. His father
inspired that interest, along with
dentistry, when Berman was
very young.
“I believe that interesting peo-
ple are all well read and canusu-
ally converse on any topic,” the
senior Berman said. “I guess that
advice stuck.”
Michael Berman isn't new to
his father's office having worked
there as an assistant for about
four years while he continued
his studies and then licensure.
The pair now takes care of every-
thing from pediatric dentistry to
cosmetic treatments of all types
including Zoom whitening,
porcelain veneers, crowns,
implants, bonding and Invisalign
straightening.
“We get a lot of compliments
on our cosmetic work because
my dad is an artist,” Michael
Berman said. The senior
Berman said that his philosophy
about cosmetic dentistry
includes looking at the entire
patient anddoingwhat is best for
the facial shape, age and even
skin tone of the person.
“We get a lot of referrals from
patients because of our cosmetic
work,”Berman said.
And Berman's belief in con-
tributing to the community is
also a philosophy shared by his
son.
“My daddoes a lot of pro-bono
work. He always has at least one
full-mouth reconstruction going
he's doing for free,” he said. “We
both think it's important to give
back.”
The younger dentist also
Dr. Allen Berman and his new partner, son Michael Berman, share a
dental practice, professional philosophy and a strong belief in giving
back to the community.
Photo by Dave Willett
See
Dentists,
page 2
Drill team
Father and son dentists donate
time, talent to community efforts