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No. 39
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
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October 2 – 8, 2014
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
Darlene Hawley was hon-
ored as the 2014 Diamond of
the Community in Wayne
Sept.16.
See page 4.
A little rain didn't dampen
the spirits of the community
during the Romulus
Pumpkin Festival last month
whichwas declared a smash-
ing success by officials.
See page 5.
Despite his recent public
denials, it appears that
Plymouth
Township
Supervisor Richard Reaume
may be preparing to leave
the community.
See page 6.
The famous Maybury
FarmCornMaze is nowopen
for the fall season and will
challenge visitors with 10
acres of thick, very tall corn
plants.
See page 5.
The Belleville Area
Council for the Arts (BACA)
is currently accepting appli-
cations for the Oct. 18 Fifth
Annual Community Art
Show.
See page 5.
Vol. 129, No. 39
Vol. 67, No. 39
Vol. 67, No. 39
Vol. 14, No. 39
Vol. 129, No. 39
Vol. 67, No. 39
Vol. 67, No. 39
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Monday was the first offi-
cial day of business at the
new Westland City Hall
located at 36300 Warren
Road in the former Circuit
City building
See page 4.
Members of the Canton
Township Board of Trustees
approved a pay raise for
about 86 percent of the town-
ship Leisure Services
Department workforce last
month.
See page 3.
Vol. 14, No. 39
The murder trial of the
Dearborn Heights man
accused of beating a 72-year-
old Inkster resident to death
in July of 2013 is now in the
hands of a jury.
See page 4.
A Michigan State Police
investigation has concluded
that Romulus police were not
at fault in a July 24 accident
that killed an 18-year-old
Romulus resident.
Public Safety Director John
Leacher said Armani Gibson
was traveling at a high rate of
speed and lost control of his
vehicle, striking a pole, as he
was fleeing police during the
earlymorning hours of July 24.
In the weeks that followed the
crash, rumors circulated that
police had rammed his vehi-
cle and caused the accident,
but dashboard video showed
that was not the case.
“There were a lot of ques-
tions, a lot of speculation that
came out of this,” Leacher
said. “Unfortunately, Mr.
Gibson is the onewho chose to
run from the officer that night.
It was his actions, and his
actions alone, that caused this
terrible and tragic outcome.”
Police had been called to a
neighborhood off Fourth
Street several times on July 23
to respond to complaints,
according to Leacher. A few
hours later, a Romulus officer
on routine patrol in the area
found a car idling outside the
residence with a single occu-
pant in it. The officer got out of
his vehicle, approached the
car and asked the driver,
Gibson, what he was doing in
the area. He indicated that he
was texting his girlfriend, but
the officer reported that he
smelled marijuana and asked
if he could search the vehicle.
Gibson refused, Leacher
said, but the officer had proba-
ble cause so he opened the car
door anyway.
“The officer did what he
was trained to do, which was
to investigate,” Leacher said.
Gibson sped away and the
officer returned to his vehicle
to give pursuit.
Traveling at a high rate of
speed, Gibson fled south on
Fourth and made a turn to
eastbound Beverly Street,
according to Leacher. As the
officer turned onto Beverly,
with Gibson's car even further
ahead of him, he saw the flee-
ing vehicle drift partially to
the left, crossing the center
line and then veering right
where it went off the road and
struck the utility pole. Gibson
was ejected from the vehicle
anddied on impact.
Leacher said the investiga-
tion showed that Gibson was
traveling at 89 miles an hour
just instants before the crash.
The gas pedal was fully
The
Wayne
County
Department of Public Health has
issued an emergency imminent
danger order involving sub-
stances branded as Cloud 9 and
Hookah Relax following the
emergency medical treatment of
six area teens who used the sub-
stances.
Two John Glenn High School
students and four teens at
Plymouth-Canton high schools
have recently been treated or
hospitalized for overdoses of the
illegal, synthetic drug, branded as
Cloud 9 and Hookah Relax, com-
monly referred to as synthetic
marijuana, I2, Spice and bath
salts. The products are controlled
substances and were previously
banned by Wayne County in an
emergency imminent public
health order issued on June 5,
2012.
The current order reinforces
the 2012 ban involving the sale of
illegal substances.
The products have been com-
monly sold as incense, in liquid
forms and as bath salts at gas sta-
tions and convenience stores.
“Wayne County is again issu-
ing an imminent danger order to
proactively protect the health of
residents and warn them of the
continued, serious and life-
threatening health risks posed by
the use of different forms of syn-
thetic marijuana, and what is
commonly known as bath salts,”
said Wayne County Executive
Robert Ficano.
“We are particularly con-
cerned with the health and wel-
fare of young people and parents
in the community who may not
realize the potential serious con-
sequences associated with the
casual, but highly dangerous use
of these substances,” he added.
Such substances have been
linked to drug overdoses and
reactions that include perma-
nent, serious psychological and
physical effects, even death, said
Dr. MouhanadHammami, Health
Officer/Chief
of
Health
Operations, Wayne County
Department of Health and
HumanServices.
“We are also working from a
public health perspective to
increase public awareness to
curb the use and sale of these
controlled substances,” he added.
To bolster the order, staff
members from Wayne County
Department of Environmental
Health will conduct random
inspections of Wayne County
retailers which sell tobacco prod-
ucts. Businesses selling the “bath
salts” or illegal synthetic sub-
stances will be immediately
ordered to stop selling the prod-
ucts and could face legal action.
The Drug Enforcement
Administration has classified
synthetic cannabinoids of this
type into the Schedule I category
of drugs meaning that the drug or
substance has a high potential for
abuse; the drug has no currently
accepted medical use in treat-
We are particularly concerned
with the health and welfare
of young people...
”
County issues emergency warning about ‘bath salts’
”
The officer did what he was
trained to do, which was to investigate.
John Leacher
See
Drugs,
page 2
State probe clears Romulus police in death
See
Police,
page 5
‘Seasoned’
to perfection
Cooks, bikes vie for more
than $2000 prize money
Things will heat up quickly this Sunday
in downtown Plymouth as the 19th Annual
Great Lakes Regional Chili Cookoff fills
Kellogg Park, The Gathering, the MGM
Grand Party Lot and downtown streets
from11a.m. until 5 p.m.
While this may be the 19th time the
event, including the Great Lakes Regional
Chili Motorcycle Show, rolls into town, it is
the first for the new board of directors
including President Frank Agostini, Vice-
president James Gietzen and Treasurer
TonyBelli.
Founders Ken and Annette Horn
announced their retirement last year after
18 years at the helmof the event which has
generated about $300,000 for area chari-
ties.
“We haven't changed much. We are just
waiting to see what works and what does-
n't,” Geitzen said. “It has always been such
a success, wehope to continue it that way.”
Agostini and Belli will have the MGM
Grand Party Lot Tent erected behind their
E.G. Nick's restaurant on Forest Street and
feature live entertainment during the day-
long event. Geitzen, the owner of JAG
Entertainment, saidhe expected crowds at
the tent as Randy Brock and his band
would be entertaining from noon until 3
p.m. and then Big Ray and the Motor City
Kings from3-6 p.m.
“They're really great,” Agostini said.
“Peoplewill have a great time.”
The chili cookoff and motorcycle show
has also benefited
Habitat
for
Humanity which
has received fund-
ing from the pro-
ceeds at the event
in past years and
will be the charity
beneficiary again
this year along
with Penrickton
School for the
Blind. The Great
Lakes Regional
Chili, Inc., is a
501©3 charity.
The event has
also donated fund-
ing, nearly $300,000 in total, to Make-A-
Wish Foundation, The Rainbow
Connection, Plymouth Salvation Army,
Bridgepoint and Michigan Youth Soccer
Association.
“The event generates funds for charity
and provides amateur chefs and area
restaurants a chance to show what they
can do,” Agostini said, “and the bikes draw
ahuge crowd.”
This year, Geitzen said, the impressive
list of restaurants competing for the Best
Chili in Plymouth title includes 21 restau-
rants, some fromas far away at Bloomfield
Hills.
“People buy tickets at the booths, locat-
ed at Main Street and Ann Arbor Road,
Main Street and Penniman and at the
See
Chili,
page 2