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No. 44
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
November 7 – 13, 2013
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
Wayne is now the site of a
constant and growing tribute
to Wayne-Westland firefighter
Brian Woehlke who was killed
in the line of dutyMay 8.
See page 2.
Romulus resident Harvey
Nichols was the winner of a
2013 Del Ray Scooter raffled
off by the owners of Jake's Auto
& Truck Repair for the
Romulus Animal Shelter.
See page 2.
Plymouth Community
United Way recently awarded
grants to nonprofit organiza-
tions that help low-income res-
idents throughout the area.
See page 3.
Barbara Spreitzer-Berent of
Northville is the 2013 winner
of the Andrus Award for
Community Service, AARP's
most prestigious and visible
volunteer award.
See page 5.
Visitors to Tyler Cemetery
in Van Buren Township may
notice a significant improve-
ment in the roadways through-
out the facility.
See page 3.
Vol. 128, No. 44
Vol. 66, No. 44
Vol. 66, No. 44
Vol. 13, No. 44
Vol. 128, No. 44
Vol. 66, No. 44
Vol. 66, No. 44
A disagreement regarding
the tentative police union con-
tracts apparently led to the
temporary separation of
Inkster Police Chief Hilton
Napoleon from his job last
Tuesday.
See page 2.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Westland will mark
Veteran's Day this year with
the 2 p.m. dedication of the
long-awaited
Veterans
Memorial Garden located
behind the William P. Faust
PublicLibrary.
See page 5.
Area residents will have an
opportunity to discuss their
experiences with the Canton
Township Police Department
at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Canton
AdministrationBuilding.
See page 3.
Vol. 13, No. 44
Only preliminary election
results from some of our commu-
nities were available by press time
Tuesday evening. In Northville
and Plymouth, candidates were
unopposed for council, commis-
sion andmayoral terms.
BELLEVILLE:
Two 4-year CityCouncil terms:
KimTindall
223
TomFielder
218
Robert Bolderston
128
ROMULUS:
Mayor, 4-year term:
Leroy D. Burcroff 2,422
Eva Webb 1,404
Clerk, 4-year term:
Ellen Craig-Bragg 2,894
Ucal P. Finley 770
Treasurer, 4-year term:
Stacy Paige
2,686
Kathleen Lindroth 965
SevenCityCouncil 4-year terms:
John Barden 2,367
Linda Choate 2,258
William Wadsworth 2,206
Celeste Roscoe 2,018
Harry Crout 1,915
Kathy Abdo 1,863
Sylvia Makowski 1,748
VirginiaWilliams 1,736
James Napiorkowski 1,154
DeanGilbert
976
DanielWood
932
BronsonBell
804
RobertMcLachlan
707
JacquelineKaifesh
449
Proposal One:
Yes 2,162
No 1,531
Proposal Two:
Yes 2,131
No 1,478
Proposal Three:
Yes 2,280
No 1,327
WAYNE:
Mayor, 2-year term:
Al Haidous
1,504
DonFlynn
852
See
Results,
page 5
The 37-year-old Northville
man who ran off with a 15-year-
old Plymouth Township girl will
face a preliminary hearing on
criminal sexual conduct charges
tomorrow at 35th District Court in
Plymouth.
Robert Louis Messer and
Emily Lalinsky were found less
than two days after the girl's
mother reported her missing on
Sunday, Oct. 27. Police reports
said the two were found sitting in
Messer's truck in a field in the
area of Seven Mile and Chubb
Road Tuesday, Oct. 29. State
Police arrived on the scene after
being alerted by a witness who
recognized the widely distributed
description of Messer's 1991 pick-
up.
Responding officers confirmed
the identity of the two andMesser
was arrested at the scene. The girl
was reunited with her family.
Both suffered minor injuries
whichwere treated at the scene.
Lalinsky had been reported
missing at about 6 p.m. Sunday by
her mother. The girl left a note
professing her love for Messer
whom her mother described as a
long-time family friend. Messer
and the girl reportedly met in
church and frequently spent time
together, according to reports.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym
L. Worthy charged Messer with
one count of criminal sexual con-
duct first degree, three counts of
criminal sexual conduct third
degree and one count of accosting
a minor for immoral purposes.
Police said that Messer was refus-
ing to answer questions and had
requested an attorney.
Messerwas arraigned by video
Thursday, Oct. 31, in 35th District
in Plymouth before Judge
Michael Gerou who set his bond
at $2 million or 10-percent which
hadnot beenposted at press time.
Van Buren Township Police offi-
cers will join a national effort to
improve community relations early
nextmonth.
The initiative, Coffee With a Cop,
is an effort to advance community
policing by improving relationships
between police officers and commu-
nitymembers, "one cup of coffee at a
time."
Local officers will be at the Van
Buren Leo's Coney Island from 8-10
a.m. Nov. 9 as part of the national
effort.
All community members are
invited to attend
According to Van Buren
Township Director of Public Safety
Gregory M. Laurain, this will pro-
vide an opportunity for officers and
residents to come together in a neu-
tral space to discuss community
issues, build relationships and drink
a cup of coffee.
"We hope that community mem-
bers will feel comfortable to ask
A majority vote of the five-
member Plymouth Township
Compensation Commission
assured annual salary increases
for all elected township officials
inboth 2014 and 2015.
The Plymouth Township
Compensation Commission
members, all nominated to the
commission by Township
Supervisor Richard Reaume,
met on Oct. 28 for the third and
last time this year.
The five-member commission
is scheduled to meet in odd-num-
bered years and reviews pay
rates for comparable positions in
other communities.
This year the members based
their decision on West
Bloomfield andCantonTownship
models. West Bloomfield, consid-
ered a full township with 32
square miles, has a population of
65,000 and Canton, comparable
only in area to Plymouth
Voters make choices known at polls
See
Raises,
page 3
‘Family friend’ faces criminal sexual conduct charges
Commission recommends raises for township officials
Van Buren Police Department hosts ‘Coffee With A Cop’
From a brand new construc-
tion to a Queen Anne farmhouse,
the Northville Community
Foundation Holiday Home Tour
again offers unique holiday deco-
rating ideas in real home settings.
The 15th annual tour, spon-
sored this year by Toll Brothers,
will take place from 10 a.m. until
4 p.m. Nov. 15 and 16 and include
five homes, each with a unique
decorating style. This year the
tour is an exceptional blend of
traditional, contemporary, earthy,
cozy and even a modern condo-
minium.
“Each home is beautiful on its
own but with our talented teamof
decorators the homes come to life
with ideas on top of ideas for dec-
orating your home for the holi-
days,” saidNorthvilleCommunity
Foundation Executive Director
Shari Peters. “Looking for a
unique way to decorate the tree?
What about a new take on the
table setting? You'll find it all at
theHolidayHomeTour.”
Homes include a stylish new
build to a 15-year-old traditional
home along with a home loaded
with unique custom features
from a “man cave” on the main
floor to the elegant kitchen and
newly-renovated lower level. The
downtown Northville home mod-
eled after a Queen Anne farm-
house is so inviting, visitors may
want to stay all day, Peters said.
Another home includes a custom
wine cellar and a London
inspired room complete with an
English “phone box”, while yet
another boasts a Scotland
inspired den and custom wallpa-
per.
To all these homes, decorators
have added some clever holiday
ideas including trees, mantles
and festive dining tablescapes
adding to the charm, Peters said.
Homes this year are being deco-
rated by David McKnight of
Emerald City Designs, Colleen
McDonald of Embellish, Martha
McMeekin of Haven, Cori Ann
Cann of Designs by Cori Ann and
GeannePepper.
“This year, in addition to our
five fabulous homes, we have
added a bonus home to the tour.
This is a new build in downtown
Northville less than six months
old. It is very upscale and sophis-
ticated and every detail in this
home has been thought out from
the open concept main floor with
the custom stone wall to the ele-
gant dining room to the children's
bedrooms that match their inter-
ests and are just too cute. This
home is absolutely gorgeous and
the Christmas decor just makes it
that muchmore stunning,” Peters
said.
Proceeds from the Holiday
Home Tour help fund the Senior
Holiday Baskets program which
provides gift baskets to senior cit-
izens in assisted living facilities
as well as the foundation scholar-
ship program for high school sen-
iors.
Tickets for the 2013 Holiday
Home Tour are $20 in advance
and $25 at the door. Tickets are
limited and the event does sell
out each year. To purchase tick-
ets, visit Gardenviews or the
Chamber of Commerce. Both are
on Main Street in downtown
Northville. To pay by credit card,
call the Northville Community
Foundation at (248) 374-0200.
Tickets can be purchased the day
of the tour at Ward Church at
40000 Six Mile Road, 1/4 mile
west of Haggerty Road. Tickets
may be purchased at the church
from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Nov. 15
and 16.
For more information visit
www.northvillecommunityfoun-
dation.org or call (248) 374-0200.
See
Cops,
page 3
Well seasoned
Holiday Home Tour is next week