No. 46
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
Nov. 17 – 23, 2016
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
State Rep, Robert
Kosowski (D-Westland) pre-
sented a state grant check for
$100,000 to Wayne city offi-
cials recently earmarked for
the renovation of city ball
fields.
See page 5.
Tickets are still available for
the annual Northville
Community Foundation
Holiday Home Tour which
takes place tomorrow, Nov.
18 andSaturday, Nov. 19.
See page 4.
Vol. 131, No. 46
Vol. 69, No. 46
Vol. 69, No. 46
Vol. 16, No. 46
Romulus
Memorial
Cemetery has joined the
national nonprofit Wreaths
Across America for a special
veterans' memorial celebra-
tion, Say their Names, Dec.
17.
See page 3.
Vol. 131, No. 46
Vol. 69, No. 46
Vol. 69, No. 46
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Local veterans in need of
Thanksgiving groceries
should call Mayor William
Wild's office through
Monday to register for a box
of food for aholidaymeal.
See page 5.
Experience music, dance,
and drama from around the
world when the Canton
International
Festival
returns to The Village
Theater at Cherry Hill this
Saturday.
See page 2.
Vol. 16, No. 46
Two members of the
Inkster Fire Department
have graduated from the
prestigious Staff and
Command School at Eastern
MichiganUniversity.
See page 3.
Plymouth resident and
former Wayne County
Airport Chief Operating
Officer Daniel Ogden Kerber
has filed an appeal of retire-
ment fraud charges leveled
against him.
See page 4.
Belleville City Council
members agreed to put revis-
ing current zoning for med-
ical marijuana dispensaries
on a “follow up” list at a
recentmeeting.
See page 5.
Canton Township police
continue to investigate the
Sunday afternoon car crash
which killed two pedestrians.
According to police reports,
officers were dispatched to
Lotz Road and Michigan
Avenue at about 5:43 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13 following
reports of a three-car, two
pedestrian crash.
Preliminary investigation
indicated that a 54-year-old
Westland resident and a 45-
year-old Inkster resident had
been struck as they were cross-
ing the eastbound lanes of
Michigan Avenue at Lotz.
Witnesses said the two were
attempting to get from the
south to the north side of the
road when the Westland resi-
dent was struck by a 2013-2016
dark blue or black Dodge
Caravan or similar vehicle,
which then left the scene. The
victim was then subsequently
struck again by a Buick
LaCrosse which did stop at the
scene, police said. The Inkster
resident was struck by a Ford
Expedition, which also stopped
at the scene of the incident,
according to police .
The 54-year-old pedestrian
fromWestlandwas pronounced
dead at the scene by medical
personnel. The 45-year-old
Inkster resident was transport-
ed to St. Mary Hospital in
Livonia in critical condition
where he later succumbed to
his injuries, police reports said.
No injuries were reported by
the drivers or passengers of the
vehicleswhich stopped.
The driver of the dark blue
or black 2013-2016 Dodge
Caravan was described as a
Middle Eastern male, approxi-
mately 36-40 years old, clean-
shaven with short black hair.
He was wearing a dark, possi-
bly black suit with a red tie, wit-
nesses told officers who said
the driver stopped briefly exit-
ed the vehicle and then imme-
diately left the scene.
Police have asked anyone
who witnessed the incident or
who may have any information
as to the identity of the driver
or the owner of the vehicle to
call the Canton Township
Police Department at (734) 394-
5400. The Dodge Caravan or
similar type vehicle should
have significant front-end dam-
age, police said.
Speed, alcohol and distract-
ed driving do not appear to be
factors in the crash with the
two drivers who remained on
scene, police said.
The
Canton
Police
Department
Accident
Investigation Team was called
in to investigate the fatal crash.
A failing gas line in Westland
will be replaced by Consumers
Energy.
A series of inspections by the
utility provider determined that
a section of natural gas pipeline
along Middlebelt and Joy Road
in Westland needs to be
replaced “in order to ensure
future reliability for the large
number of residential, commer-
cial and industrial customers
who receive gas service in the
area.” according to a prepared
statement from the office of
MayorWilliamWild.
The first phase of the project
will replace approximately 8,000
feet of 10-inch pipeline alone
Joy and Middlebelt roads to
Elmira Street. Construction is
being expedited to enhance the
pipeline in time for the winter
heating season, according to
Wild. Workwill be performed by
Consumers Energy employees
and should be completed by
mid-December.
The new pipeline will be
installed using both boring and
trenching methods. In general,
boring will be used to install the
pipeline underneath major
roads, while trenching will be
used alongside street right-of-
ways. Lane closures on both Joy
and Middlebelt will be neces-
sary at times, but typically will
be from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday.
Restoration of affected areas
will follow construction; howev-
er, due to cold weather full
restoration may take place in
2017.
Construction questions
should be referred to Kyle
Howell at (248)794-6903 while all
other project questions can be
addressed to John Turk at (517)
262-8938 between 6 a.m. and 7
p.m. Monday throughFriday.
Members of theRomulus City
Council approved a one-year
lease agreement last week for
West Shore Fire, Inc. to use a
vacant city fire station as a fire
equipment repair facility to sup-
port its fire apparatus dealer-
ship inmetroDetroit.
“We're excited to be here,”
said Jeff Dupilka, president of
West Shore Fire. “It's a great
location for us.”
Located at 37230 Northline
Road, the fire station will keep
the name of former Fire Chief
Joe Crova. The city voted 4-3 to
approve the lease, with council
members Kathy Abdo, Harry
Crout and William Wadsworth
voting against the proposal.
“We need to get this fire sta-
tion open,” Abdo said, voicing
concerns that railroad traffic
could hinder response times
from other stations. “We need to
have a fire station on this side of
town open. I don't agree with
renting it out.”
West Shore Fire will pay
$1,600 monthly to rent the facili-
ty, or $19,200 annually. They'll
also pay an estimated $5,000 a
year in city taxes. Those funds
will be directed back into the
fire department budget. The fire
station had been vacant for
about six years, used primarily
for storage.
“My intention is to try to add
value to the fire service,” said
Mayor Leroy Burcroff. “You
havemyword that what revenue
we get we're going to try to
enhance it through people,
through equipment training and
resources. Our residents
deserve more; we want to do
more, we just have to have the
revenue to do it.”
Councilwoman
Celeste
Roscoe said she thought it was a
good idea, too.
“The monies are going to go
back into our fire department. If
after one year, it looks like we
can put our own fire department
in there, the building will still be
in good condition and we can do
that,” she said. “In the mean-
time, it's going to be revenue we
can use to improve our fire
department right now.”
Councilwoman Linda Choate
pointed out that renting the
vacant building out was a good
way to protect the money
Romulus had already spent on
the building, which dates back
to 1980.
“The city has a lot of money
invested in that building. We
built it new, we bought that large
parcel of property. As long as it's
occupied, our investment is
taken care of. If it just sits
vacant, it continues to rot. What's
going to happen then? We're not
going tohave anything.”
We need to have a fire station
on this side of town open.
I don't agree with renting it out.
”
Gas line replacement set in Westland
City OK’s lease of closed fire station
Police have asked anyone who witnessed the inci-
dent or who may have any information as to the
identity of the driver...call the Canton Township
Police Department at (734) 394-5400.
”
Crash claims 2 lives in Canton
Special celebration
Last week, the Plymouth Noon Rotary Club hosted the annual Officers of the Year presentation for both the city and township.
Chosen for honors this year were City of Plymouth Police Ofc. Tony Angelosanto, from left, seated, Plymouth Township Police Ofc.
Jeff McParland, Huron Valley Ambulance Paramedic Scott Morell, City of Plymouth Firefighter, MFR David Tabaka and Plymouth
Township Firefighter/Paramedic Jeff Mallari. Proudly supporting their officers were City of Plymouth Police Chief Al Cox, standing at
left, Plymouth Township Police Chief Tom Tiderington, Huron Valley Ambulance Supervisor Andy Savage, City of Northville Fire Chief
Stephen J. Ott and Plymouth Township Fire Chief Dan Phillips. The officers are selected annually for the honors based on their out-
standing performance of their public service duties during the year. The presentation is an annual tradition of the Rotary Club to cele-
brate and thank the police and fire personnel in the community.
Photo by Dave Willett
