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No. 45
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
November 14 – 20, 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
Only 2,624 of the 13,080 reg-
istered voters inWayne turned
out last week to choose a
mayor and three members of
the city council and decide two
ballot questions.
See page 4.
Romulus voters chose
Leroy Burcroff as the new
mayor during the election last
week and opted to keep
incumbent City Clerk Ellen
Craig-Bragg and Treasurer
StacyPaige.
See page 2.
The crumbling, 131-year-
old, last remaining wall of the
Daisy Air Rifle factory in
Plymouth will be taken down
this month despite the efforts
of preservationists.
See page 5.
A $1.2 million state grant to
Aisin Technical Center of
America, Inc., will bring more
than 150 jobs to the area,
according to State Rep. Kurt
Heise, R.-PlymouthTownship.
See page 2.
Members of the Van Buren
Township
Downtown
Development Authority voted
6-1 to approve a new fence
along a portion of Belleville
RoadnearBelleHarbor.
See page 3.
Vol. 128, No. 45
Vol. 66, No. 45
Vol. 66, No. 45
Vol. 13, No. 45
Vol. 128, No. 45
Vol. 66, No. 45
Vol. 66, No. 45
Western Wayne Family
Health Centers in Inkster is
among the 236 sites across the
country to receive part of $150
million in funding under the
AffordableCareAct.
See page 4.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Voters in Westland opted to
return three incumbents to the
city council and elect one new-
comer making his second bid
for one of the open seats.
See page 4.
The International Festival
will return to The Village
Theater at Cherry Hill from 11
a.m. until 5 p.m. this Saturday.
See page 3.
Vol. 13, No. 45
Romulus police are continuing
their investigation into an early-
morning shooting over the week-
end that left three men seriously
injured.
According to police reports, offi-
cers were called to a single-family
home near BeverlyRoad andHunt
Street at about 3:37 a.m. Sunday
when dispatchers received a call
about shots being fired. When the
officers arrived, they found three
men at the home suffering gunshot
wounds. The victims, a 23-year-old
man from Wayne, a 20-year-old
man from Westland and a 24-year-
old Romulus resident, were all
transported to Oakwood Hospital
in Dearborn and were listed in
temporarily serious condition.
The Wayne and Westland men
each suffered a gunshot wound to
the legwhile theRomulus resident
was shot in the abdomen, hand
and ankle. Police said a .45 caliber
semi-automatic handgun was used
by the lone assailant who inflicted
thewounds on all three victims.
Investigators said they believe
there was some type of party at the
residence which may have led to
the shooting. Police said they were
still questioningwitnesses to deter-
mine the exact circumstances sur-
rounding the incident.
The suspect in the shooting has
been described as a black male,
approximately 20-25 years old with
a thin mustache, a light complex-
ion and a thin build, according to
police. The man was last seen
wearing blue jeans and a red, long-
sleeved shirt. The suspect alleged-
ly left the site of the shooting driv-
ing a newer model, red or maroon
Cadillac with a light-colored vinyl
top, and police are also looking for
the vehicle.
Police said at press time that
they had no further leads or a
known motive for the shooting but
that the investigation was proceed-
ing. No further information was
provided regarding the victims,
whose names had not been
releasedby police.
Anyone with information was
asked by detectives to call the
Romulus Police Department at
(734) 941-8400.
A grassroots organization
formed to save Central Middle
School drew a standing-room-only
crowd at the 400-seat Penn
Theatre last week.
The newly-formed Plymouth
Arts and Recreation Complex
Steering Committee (PARC) hopes
to convert the Central Middle
School property into a community-
owned center for the arts and
recreation activities and repur-
pose the surrounding green space.
By July a steering committee
comprising business people, resi-
dents and core members, Don
Soenen, Bob Doroshewitz, Debra
Modonna, Kurt Olsen, Mike
Devine and Mike Alger, had met
several times to create a mission
statement, vision and key objec-
tives for the project.
An intent audience listened
Nov. 4 as committee spokesperson
Soenen detailed the plan with a
slide presentation and drawings
depicting proposed uses for the
property that is centrally located
in theheart of Plymouth.
Committee members are hop-
ing the officials from the city, town-
ship and school district will coop-
More than $1 million will be
invested in improvements and
reconstruction of the Newburgh
Road and Cherry Hill intersec-
tion inWestland.
The project, approved by
members of the Westland City
Council last Monday, will be fund-
ed by the city and the Michigan
Department of Transportation
(MDOT) andWayneCounty.
According to crash analysis
data obtained from the Traffic
Improvement Association (TIA),
there have been 93 crashes in 36
months at the intersection, mak-
ing the critical crash rate double
that of crashes in the State of
Michigan.
"The safety of our citizens and
visitors has always been a top pri-
ority for my administration.
When I hear that there have been
27 crashes in 2013, and 40 in 2012
at this location alone, I know that
we need to come up with a solu-
tion immediately," said Westland
MayorWilliamWild.
Construction on the intersec-
tion is slated to start in early July
of 2014, and is expected to be
completed by mid-October next
year. Private utility relocation
will begin before the road proj-
ect, starting this winter or early
next spring,Wild said.
"The partnership with MDOT
has given us the opportunity to
address this problem with an
emphasis on best practices for
drivers' safety, while allowing us
to move forward without delay,"
said Wild. "The new design will
improve traffic flow and make
the intersection safer."
The upcoming project will not
See
School,
page 5
This is our chance
to leave a legacy.
Plymouth Mayor Dan Dwyer
”
Search for shooter of 3 continues
Fate of Central Middle School discussed by group
Cherry Hill, Newburgh intersection to be renovated
Michigan Veterans Foundation Detroit
Veterans Center staff and residents may have
been taken aback recently when members of
Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 arrived at the
facility.
That soon turned to a warm welcome and
gratitude when the members of the motorcy-
cle club delivered baked goods, clothing and
toiletries, much of it donated by Romulus city
employees in partnership with an annual
effort byRollingThundermembers.
Robert McCraight, director of building and
safety in Romulus, is also a board member of
Rolling Thunder. He initiated the effort by
inviting city employees to participate. City
Treasurer Stacy Paige coordinated the collec-
tion of items and hosted the pickup at her
home.
“They give their lives for us,” Paige said.
“This is the least we coulddo.”
Vice President Keith Brockette and other
members of Rolling Thunder Chapter 5
picked up the Romulus donations at Paige's
home. Club members donated 500 pairs of
socks, blankets and other items and made the
delivery to theDetroit shelter.
Brockette said the chapter has been donat-
ing to the shelter for 15 years. Duane O'Parka
of Chapter 5 praised Romulus' participation,
saying the veterans were grateful for the
donations - especially for the warm clothing
as the coldweather starts.
“It's for the veterans, plain and simple,”
Brockette said. “They give and we're giving
back. They've very grateful.”
Members of Rolling Thunder stayed for a
meal with the veterans at the shelter.
Brockette said there are 150 to 175 military
veteranswho stay at the homeless shelter.
“These guys can't get jobs and benefits,”
said William Long, a member of the Rolling
Thunder delivery team. “It's nice being able to
talk to them about their experiences. It's
important that people care.”
Long knows all about serving his country.
He served 12 years in the Air Force, including
tours of Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition to
owning Willie's Locksmith in Wayne, he
serves as a reserve officer in Inkster.
Participating city employees also included
Mayor Pro-Tem LeRoy Burcroff and his wife,
Jerilynn, Betsey Krampitz, Linda McNeil,
DawnMalloy, Tracy Leininger, MerrieDruyor,
Jerry Frayer, Julie Wojtylko, Debbie Hoffman,
Kim Burton, Lynn Conway, Christina Parker,
Lois Gilstorff, Vickie Winter and Sharon
Raftary, along with Julie Allison, wife of Fire
Chief David Allison. Sandy Crout of the
Romulus Board of Education donated a box
of gloves.
Shampoo bottles from the Romulus
Holiday Inn Express and toothpaste and
toothbrushes from Romulus Family Dental
were also donated to the effort. McCraight
also donated the $100 prize he won for his
classic car entry during the recent Parade of
Lights during the Romulus DDA Pumpkin
Festival.
For 25 years, members of Rolling Thunder
have assisted veterans, the activemilitary and
their families, providing financial aid, food,
clothing and other essentials. As a tax-exempt,
nonprofit organization, Rolling Thunder
relies on fundraisers, donations and generosi-
ty fromthe public.
Incorporated nationwide in 1995, many
members of Rolling Thunder are veterans
and/or ride motorcycles, but neither is a
requirement.
Chapter 5 meetings take place the second
Sunday of each month at the Veterans of
ForeignWars in Hamburg. For more informa-
tion on Rolling Thunder, visit www.thepatri-
ots.com.
See
Road,
page 4
Thank you gifts
City employees donate
supplies to veterans
Participating in the donation collection and delivery of food, clothing and other items to the
Detroit Veterans Homeless Shelter are Kendra McCraight (left), young Gem Mikunda, Duane
O'Parka, Bob McCraight, William Long, Steve and Gina Mikunda, LeRoy Burcroff, Stacy
Paige, Sherrie O'Parka and Keith and Sonna Brockette.