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No. 45
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
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November 8 - 14, 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
Two Wayne students
received a little helpwith their
college tuition last August
when they were named win-
ners of the Wayne High School
Alumni Association scholar-
ships.
See page 3.
City of Romulus council
members recently rejected a
bid to purchase the old animal
shelter property because the
offer was about one-tenth of
the estimated value.
See page 2.
Sandy Marulis, a 40-year
resident of Plymouth, will por-
tray Miss Daisy when Barefoot
Productions brings Driving
Miss Daisy to the stage begin-
ning thisweekend.
See page 5.
Two men died in an early
morning crash Oct. 31 in
Northville Township in the
area of Eight Mile Road and
Sports Park Drive, between
Beck andNapier roads.
See page 5.
A 69-year-old Inkster man
was found floating in
Belleville Lake last Sunday
morning by a passing jogger
who called Van Buren Police
to report seeing the body.
See page 3.
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Van Buren Police are con-
tinuing to investigate the death
of a 68-year-old Inkster man
found in Belleville Lake last
weekend. A cause of death
report is still pending.
See page 3.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Last month, the Norwayne
community, built in 1942 - 1943
marked the 70th anniversary
of its establishment at a
Founders Recognition dinner
and at the cityOctoberfest.
See page 2.
The Plymouth-Canton Marching
Band (PCMB), received top honors
for Flight I at the 2012 Michigan
Competing Band Association
(MCBA) championship event Nov.
3 at Ford Field in Detroit. This is
the 23rd time that Plymouth-
Canton has been named state
champion.
With a final score of 89.7, the
Plymouth-Canton band won all
three caption awards including
Best Music, Best Marching, and
Best General Effect. Receiving the
coveted trophy and state champi-
onship banner were drum majors
Shelbie Torok, Katie Nymberg, and
SarahWohl.
The award-winning program
titled The Last Dance is an 8-
minute show containing music
from Louis Armstrong's What a
Wonderful World and Jim Croce's
Time in a Bottle. The 172-member
band is directed by David
Armbruster, with assistance from
Jonathan Thomann, Sean McElroy,
Bobby Hazelton, Emery Craig and
MarcWhitlock and a teamof music
andperformance instructors.
The
Plymouth-Canton
Marching Band also enjoyed a first
place finish at the Bands of
America Pontiac Regional
Championship (Oct. 6), a sixth
place finish at the Bands of
America Super Regional in
Indianapolis (Oct. 20) and a first
place finish at the Huron Valley
Invitational (Oct. 27).
The state champions will now
prepare for the Bands of America
Grand National Championship
beginning next Thursday in
Indianapolis where the Plymouth-
Canton musicians took top honors
in 1999. Last year, the band did not
compete at the National
Championship because they
marched in the 2011 Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade in New
YorkCity.
Canton Fire Chief Timothy
Dunn marked the last day of
his 27-year career with the
department last Friday.
Deputy Chief Josh Meier was
selected as Dunn's replace-
ment.
See page 5.
The City of Romulus has been
named a five-star eCities commu-
nity - the highest possible ranking -
for its work to foster entrepreneur-
ial growth and economic develop-
ment in a study by researchers at
iLabs, University of Michigan-
Dearborn Center for Innovation
Research.
Romulus was the only
Downriver area municipality hon-
ored as a five-star or four-star
eCities community. Only 27 com-
munities across the state were rec-
ognizedwith five-star ratings.
“The City of Romulus knows
the importance of economic devel-
opment, business attraction and
retention, and bringing jobs to the
community,” said Romulus
Economic Development Director
Timothy Keyes. “We don't do it for
awards, but we are grateful for the
recognition by such a prestigious
organization as UM-Dearborn's
Center for Innovative Research
eCities.”
“Economic development helps
a city grow,” said Romulus Mayor
Alan R. Lambert. “It's an impor-
tant function of municipal govern-
ment. Our economic development
team has extensive experience,
plus knowledge of local and
regional development issues, and
works hard and smart every day.”
The study cited Romulus' focus
on business retention and attrac-
tion, using a proven system that
guides owners, CEOs and man-
agers through Metro Detroit's best
process of locating a successful
business in a city. Business clients
are introduced to all of the appro-
priate agencies to ensure that the
entitlement process is smooth,
quick, easy and cost-effective.
The study found that the city
operates much like a successful
business. Experts are hired to fill
key municipal positions that
enable quality service. Each busi-
ness and industry customer is pro-
vided information about the city
and its services while listing the
appropriate steps toward locating
a company in Romulus. Once a
business moves from planning to
development, city staff stays con-
nected while providing an open
door.
The study also cited Director
Keyes' 27 years of economic devel-
opment experience - both in gov-
ernment and in private industry -
and his extensive knowledge of
local and regional development
issues. Keyes is a founding mem-
ber and current chairman of the
Aerotropolis
Development
Corporation Board and Executive
Committee that is designed to
attract business and industry near
the airport. He is key to the entitle-
ment process and is involved in
every new development that is
consideringRomulus.
The city alsowas recognized for
Plymouth-Canton band is state champion
Students at Romulus Middle School may
not be old enough to vote in the Presidential
Election, but theywere able to cast ballots on
actual voting machines last week during a
mock election.
On Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 - less than a week
before the actual election - the 650 sixth-, sev-
enth- and eighth-graders were given the
chance to vote for President and other parti-
san offices thanks to a partnership between
school officials and the Romulus City Clerk's
office.
Heather Williams, dean of academic serv-
ices at the middle school, made arrange-
ments with City Clerk Ellen Craig-Bragg to
have the voting machines available in Room
100, an auditorium-style classroom. In the
days leading up to themock vote, social study
teachers at the school spent class time edu-
cating students about the election so the
youngsters couldmake an informed decision
at the polls.
Students appeared to take their role seri-
ously, studying a Presidential debate and
writing essays on what they learned, which
candidate they favored and why, before vot-
ing with classmates on “test ballots” provid-
edby the clerk's office.
“I thought it was interesting,” said eighth-
grader Christina Bryant. “I can't believe they
went through all of this for us to vote. It was
kind of nice.”
The winning candidates would be
announced before Election Day, but
Williams said the keys to the venture were
helping students understand the importance
of the election, the right to vote and doing
research on the candidates and issues before
they vote.
“Wewanted to show them that this is what
adults do - this is what responsible citizens
do,” Williams said. “If we can influence how
they process the information, the process
won't be so daunting to them when they're
older. They want their voices to be heard.
When the time comes, they will run out and
get registered to vote.”
Craig-Bragg felt it wasmore significant for
the students to vote on actual test ballots
rather than a ballot created for the mock
election.
The city clerk added that the students
who talk about the voting process outside the
school setting are encouraging parents and
others to vote.
“This is an opportunity to stimulate voter
participation,” she said.
Department of Public Works employees
See
Vote,
page 2
See
Award,
page 2
David Armbruster, director of the Plymouth Canton Marching Band, at
left, drum majors Sarah Wohl, Shelbie Torok and Katie Nymberg smile
as a Michigan Competing Band Association representative awards
them the state championship banner.
Photo by Terri Saenz
Learning experience
Students participate in mock Presidential election
Our economic development team has extensive
experience, plus knowledge of local and regional
development issues, and works
hard and smart every day.
”
Romulus wins 5-star eCities community designation
Eighth-grader Marvin Jackson casts his ballot while classmates wait their turn to vote. Helping
Jackson is parent volunteer Linda Hardeman. At right is City Clerk Ellen Craig-Bragg.