Local communities mark Memorial Day Monday with parades, services
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day to honor and mourn those who died while serving in the U.S. military. Many volunteers place an American flag on graves of military personnel in national cemeteries. Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial beginning of summer in the United States.
Neighbors of a proposed 31-home development in Canton Township are strongly opposed to the plan of Pulte Group to build on the western edge of the township.
Residents of Pilgrim Hills Estates have appeared to protest the builders' plans at both planning commission and board of trustees meetings, claiming that the construction would be a disturbance to the natural habitat where wildlife flourishes. They maintain that the parcel of land has historical significance.
Residents also note that the 31.5-acres of land includes large, mature trees including one which they say has been on the land since sometime in the 1840s.
Crowds are expected to flip at the Canton Lions Club Pancake Breakfast during the Canton Liberty Fest set for June 16, 17 and 18 this year. The event will return to Heritage Park after a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
John Anthony, president of the Canton Lions Club Foundation, said this will be the 27th year the club has sponsored the breakfast which has become a tradition at the festival. As always, the breakfast is set for Saturday morning during the festival events.
Anthony said this year the breakfast would again include servers from Chris Cakes who take delight in “flipping” the pancakes from the griddle onto the waiting plates of patrons brave enough to try and catch the flying cakes from the air. He said the event has evolved over the years and “kids really like it.”
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| Motor City Josh |
The ever-popular Friday night outdoor music series for 2022 features a wide variety of entertainment to suit every musical taste, added officials.
The concerts are sponsored by the DDA; the Bank of Ann Arbor; the Plymouth Noon Rotary Club and Hines Park Lincoln.
At a time when costs are rising on nearly all goods, Northville Township residents will pay a bit less for trash collection.
During a special meeting May 12, the Northville Township Board of Trustees approved a 5-year contract with the current rubbish hauler that will provide residents with an 8-percent reduction in refuse collection fees and increase the frequency of recycling collection.
“With gas over $4 a gallon, prices at the grocery store on the rise, and interest rates increasing, we are excited to announce that we were able to save our residents 3 percent on their solid waste bill,” said Northville Township Supervisor Mark J. Abbo. “Also, in year five of the new contract, our residents will still be paying less for trash collection than they are today. This is a big win for our residents.”
Northville Township police are continuing to investigate two reports of gunshots fired in the community.
Investigators are again seeking public assistance to gather information regarding two separate reports of shots being fired, an unusual happening in the Northville community.
In the latest incident, police say that at approximately 2:45 a.m. on Friday, May 20, residents of Park Place Apartments, located near Eight Mile and Silver Spring Drive reported hearing gunshots in the area of buildings 29 and 30. A preliminary investigation at the scene resulted in no suspects in the incident.
There is a large red receptable at the township police station which is available for disposal of unused or expired prescription medications. Medicine in any form, pills, capsules, EpiPens, inhalers and patches are all acceptable at the station, officials said. Employees at the records window will provide a Ziplock baggie to secure loose pills or containers of liquid medication before placing them in the receptacle.
The box, provided several years ago by the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, is available during normal records department business hours from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Friday and is for personal use quantities of medication only. The receptable is available all year.
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| Raymond Lee Bailey |
The attorney for Raymond Lee Bailey, 38, notified Circuit Court officials last week that his client would enter the insanity plea. Bailey was remanded to the Wayne County Jail following his arraignment in August of 2020 on four counts of first-degree murder and four counts of felony firearm violations. Each murder charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The charges are in connection to four homicides that occurred on Aug.15, 2020 in Sumpter Township. According to prosecutors, Sumpter Township police received a 911 emergency call at about 12:30 p.m. Aug. 5, and officers were dispatched to a home in the 24900 block of Martinsville Road.
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| City officials were on hand to congratulate recently promoted Westland Fire Department first responders and welcome new members to the force. Bella, the arson dog, also received a new rank during the ceremonies. |
Promotions included that of Capt. Jeremy Wright who began his career with the Westland Fire Department in 2013 after spending nine years with the Lincoln Park Fire Department. To celebrate his promotion, wife Valarie Wright was on hand to attach the pin denoting his new rank for her husband.
Curbside pickup of compost began last week in Westland.
According to city officials, compostable items are picked up from residential curbs on the scheduled day for trash collection. Compostable items include: garden waste, grass clippings, hay/straw, leaves, pruning debris, tree branches, they noted.
These compostable materials are collected by a separate truck and these items should be separated from regular household trash by 4 feet. Mixed compost and trash will not be picked up.
Non-motorized transportation plan is adopted in Westland
Westland City Council members have adopted the first non-motorized transportation plan for the city.
The Walk & Roll Plan is a set of projects aimed at improving non-motorized connectivity, safety, and comfort for Westland residents, officials said. With a thorough planning process that brought together the community, stakeholders, and city staff, the plan is a continuation of efforts in improving non-motorized conditions including filling sidewalk gaps and work from the 2017 Master Plan, officials said.
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| Carole Bales |
Bales was awarded the honor in 2020 but because of the pandemic, the official celebration was delayed until last week when she was the guest of honor at the event.
Bales has been an active member of the Romulus community for more than 50 years, moving to the city in 1969. One factor in choosing the city was the school system, Bales said. She wanted to ensure that her children attended a strong school system where they could make life-long friends.
“I'm a firm believer that if you want the value of your property to increase, and you want to create a thriving community, you have to support your local schools and city,” Bales said. She was an active member of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) during time her children were students in the Romulus system.
Members of the newly established City of Wayne Parks and Trails Committee along with several volunteers joined the effort to clean and maintain Attwood Park in the city last week. Volunteers raked, pruned overgrown trees and hauled away bags of debris from the park. The first effort of the group was deemed a success by the group of volunteers dedicated to keeping city parks, trails, and greenspaces clean and free of litter.
A routine traffic stop in Inkster by Michigan State Police resulted in multiple charges including suspected sex trafficking.
According to police reports, troopers witnessed the driver of a white Toyota disregard a stop sign at the Norfolk Street and Princess Avenue intersection near John Daly Street in Inkster the evening of Saturday, May 21.
A 19-year-old Canton Township man was arrested last week for riding in a vehicle with an uncased rifle on his lap, according to reports from the Michigan State Police.
The incident took place at about 9 p.m. May 19 when state troopers were patrolling in Inkster. The troopers observed a Cadillac XTS exceeding the speed limit in the area of Carlysle and Middlebelt Road, and executed a traffic stop, according to police reports of the incident.
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| LeRoy Burcroff |
Burcroff, 58, is accused of using campaign donations to fund his daughter's wedding. Prosecutors allege that he wired a payment of $2,400 to the Belleville Yacht Club in November of 2017 from a checking account owned by the “Committee to Elect LeRoy D. Burcroff.” Deposits into the account were contributions from individuals toward the effort to have Burcroff reelected, prosecutors alleged in the formal court filings.
Popular event returns to Maybury Farm this year
The event, postponed for two years due to the pandemic, will return to the working Northville farm from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday, June 4. The rain date is Sunday, June 5.
Farm Fest has historically been the largest summer event at Maybury Farm. There will be children's games and activities, live music by Bridge County Bluegrass Band from noon until 3 p.m., farm-life demonstrations, food trucks and barbeque, wagon rides, farm animals, and more, organizers said.
The student who posted a racially derogatory video on social media will not face criminal prosecution.
According to a statement from the office of Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, witnesses who received the threats which included “hanging, stomping and shooting Blacks,” refused to cooperate with the prosecution of the charges.
The list of Sumpter Township owned properties going up for auction will get another close look before being sold to the highest bidder.
Township officials, including Supervisor Tim Bowman and Trustee Matt Oddy, will review the list and descriptions of the various properties to ensure that they meet the building requirements currently in effect in the community prior to being sold.
Oddy addressed the issue during a recent meeting of the trustees noting that some of the properties were 80-feet wide and current building restrictions in the township require a larger frontage.
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| Director of Public Safety Eric Luke |
Luke told the members of the township board of trustees during their recent meeting that an article in the newsletter which included the safety advice was not written by him.
“It was not written by me. I never saw it and I would never present such information,” he said.
He said that the information was something a township employee found on a computer originally printed in 2007. “It was a lazy copy of a 1997 web page.”
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| Dr. Curtis L. Ivery |
Romulus resident Rita Hampton took her concerns about the Romulus Community School District to the members of the city council this month.
Hampton, who led the drive for a recall of three current school board members, addressed the city council members during the audience portion of the meeting earlier this month.
“How can the city prosper when the school district is in free fall and subject to public embarrassment. Clearly you know but remain paralyzed,” she said. Hampton demanded to know “where have you been, I ask. We all ask.”
First responders from the Romulus Police and Fire departments will show their hoops skill during a charity basketball game set for 1 p.m. this Sunday, May 22, at Romulus High School.
The officers and firefighters will face a team from Royalty Empowerment, a group of young people on a First Responders Tour. The tour is an effort to bridge the gap between law enforcement and youth in urban and undeserved communities.
Smoke testing of the Inkster sewer system is expected to continue through Friday, May 27, according to officials from the Department of Public Works.
The smoke test is performed to locate breaks and defects in the city sewer system are being performed by work crews from Alfred Benesch & Co., engineers for the city. The crews are using a high-capacity blower on manholes and smoke is blown through the sewer system to detect potential entry points for stormwater to enter the city system.
The smoke, officials stressed, is not toxic, is harmless and has no odor. The smoke does not create a fire hazard.
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| Westland city and police officials welcome representatives of Hegira Health to the community as the new mental health initiative takes effect in the city. Hegira will have a licensed master's level social worker on call at the police station to handle police calls with a mental-health component. |
The Westland department has partnered with Hegira Health to launch a mental health initiative led by a full-time licensed master's level social worker operating from police headquarters. Officials said this initiative will allow officers to help residents with mental health challenges receive help from a well-trained and licensed behavioral health professional. The new resource will also allow officers more time on the street rather than dealing with usually time-consuming mental health situations requiring professional intervention.
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| Restaurants expanded into the street with street closures. Photo by DDA. |
The May 9 meeting, chaired by Riley, a DDA member, was an effort to garner public sentiment regarding street closures in downtown Northville. Currently closed to traffic in the city are East Main Street from North Center to Hutton and North Center from East Main to Dunlap. Authorization for those closures will expire Nov. 1.
Five suspects were arrested by Northville Township Police following a fire at Legacy Park May 11.
Police and fire departments responded to a report of black smoke in the air at the Seven Mile Road location.
When they arrived at the scene, first responders discovered two buildings on the former site of the state psychiatric hospital fully engulfed in flames, according to police reports of the incident.
Township reporting honored
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Northville Township. This is the ninth consecutive year the township finance office has been honored with the distinction.
The township financial report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate the financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.
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| Robert Doroshewitz |
Trustee Rob Doroshewitz was named to the full-time position on April 26 following the resignation of Mark Clinton citing health issues. Doroshewitz will serve the remainder of Clinton's term which expires at the end of 2024. Doroshewitz has served on the board of trustees since 2004.
Clinton was elected to the treasurer's position in 2016 and suffered an undisclosed medical emergency about six months ago, impacting his ability to attend meetings and continue his employment, culminating in his resignation.
Doroshewitz was named to the position with an annual salary of $105,505 one week after Clinton submitted his official letter of resignation, which prompted questions from Trustee Chuck Curmi.
Annual auction at student operated radio station set for May 21
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| Plymouth Canton students present one of the multiple radio programs available at 88.1 The Park Radio, a station owned by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools. |
There will be autographed sports memorabilia, restaurant gift cards and goods and services from businesses throughout the Plymouth Canton area during the 33rd Annual 88.1 The Park Radio Auction. Students at the Plymouth Canton Educational Park radio station are preparing for the largest fundraising event of the year and hoping to surpass the $25,000 record funding generated during the event last year. During the day-long event, which continues from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., listeners can bid on items donated by local businesses. A dream board with more unique items will be available for bidding throughout the event, organizers said.
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| Anthony “Tony” L. Bruscato |
Before his tenure with the DDA, he was a reporter for the Observer and Eccentric Newspapers covering Plymouth and Canton Township. Mr. Bruscato was also well-known as the voice of morning traffic reports on WJR and WWJ radio for many years and most recently heard on WRCJ.
City, Red Cross to offer free smoke detectors
Free smoke alarms will be available to Romulus residents during a special event at Metro Commons May 24 as part of the Red Cross Sound the Alarm effort.
Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight said that during the event, volunteers will be going door to door in the city to install smoke alarms at no cost to residents. For more information, he suggested visiting the Red Cross website.
Messiah Center for Hope in Belleville will present Show Me The Money Day on May 14.
The free event will feature affordable financial products, community resources, financial workshops regarding financial literacy and budgeting. Presenters will also connect community members with free tax assistance services and discuss important tax credits, according to organizers.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at 42200 Tyler Road in Belleville, 48111.
Sumpter Township Community Center will be the site of a Vendor Market this month.
Various vendors will be offering gift items, crafts, quilts, jewelry, crochet items and other crafts under the pavilion. The event will take place rain or shine, according to organizers. Vendor tables are still available for a $10 rental fee by calling (734) 461-9373.
The sale will take place from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday, May 21. The Community Center Pavilion is located at 23501 Sumpter Road.
Teens in Canton Township can attend a unique “summer school” program this year.
The Canton Police and Fire Departments will once again offer the Youth Academy for teens 13 to 17 years old. The academy will take place from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday, June 27 through Thursday, June 30.
Participants will be provided with lunch and will participate in light physical activity every day, providing an interactive learning experience designed to Teach students about the daily operations of the police and fire departments, including the philosophy of teamwork. The program also works to promote a greater understanding between youth in the community and Canton police officers and firefighters, officials said.
Moms donate to developmental program
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The program provides adaptive recreation experiences to a wide range of participants with disabilities from ages 8 to adult, welcomed the $4,400 donation generated at the Mom Prom, a charity event in which women don their old prom gowns or bridesmaids dresses and dance the night away for a worthy cause.
Despite appearances, the two large trash bins inside Northville City Hall are not for rubbish collection.
The bins have been installed in the lobby at city hall in an effort to help Northville residents become familiar with the new trash and recycling containers which will be used by GFL Environmental USA, Inc., officials said. Officials said residents will find the large wheels make the bins easy to move in and out of garages and other storage areas.
Inkster residents do not need to be alarmed should they see white smoke curling up from area drains or sewers this month.
City officials have authorized smoke tests of the sanitary sewer in the community in an effort to locate breaks and defects in the system. Smoke testing is a technique utilized to identify sections of sewer which may exhibit inflow during heavy rainfall. Smoke testing is considered by experts as the best method to detect inflow sources such as roof leaders, cellar, yard and area drains, foundation drains, abandoned building sewers, faulty connections, illegal connections and storm water drainage system cross connections. The test can also detect structural damages and leaking joints in sewer pipes and overflow points in sewer systems, city officials said.
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| Todd Mutchler |
“Our core purpose is to connect, engage and serve the community and that includes our healthy business community,” said Township Manager and Director of Public Safety Todd Mutchler. “We are grateful for the businesses that chose to locate in Northville Township and we are here to help their companies and their employees thrive.”
Members of the Westland City Council unanimously approved the proposed spending of funds received as a part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
The councilmembers voted to accept the plan of Mayor William R. Wild during the April 18 council meeting. The first allocation of $13 million has already been awarded to the city and a second allocation of $13 million is expected this month.
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| Kevin Schmidtke |
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| Jordan Arndt |
Arndt had previously won commendations for his actions from the department. He attended Eastern Michigan University where he received his bachelors degree in criminal justice. Arndt served one deployment to Afghanistan in 2011 while serving in the National Guard. Arndt also served as the School Resource Officer at Wayne Memorial High School.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged William Scott Grant, 49, with three felonies in connection with the May 3 death of his wife, Sarah Grant, 45.
Westland police were dispatched to the Grant home in the 32620 block of Judy Drive at about 9 p.m. May 3 following a report of a possible homicide, according to a report from Worthy's office. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the body of Sarah Grant in the garage. The victim had obvious multiple lacerations across her body, according to police reports. William Grant fled from the home before police arrived, police said, but following an investigation, he was arrested later the same day.
A new video system has been installed in each patrol vehicle and each officer has been issued a body camera, officials said. Training on the use and operation of the system began last week and is continuing.
The body cameras and the in-car video system will all interact with the Dispatch Center to automatically activate under certain conditions allowing the officer to focus on tactics and techniques that will keep them safe, according to a prepared statement from city officials.
Two racially-based incidents recently reported in the Plymouth-Canton schools did not surprise some students or parents in the district.
During a meeting of the members of the board of education last month, Black Student Union President Jacob Jackson said the recent posting of a racially threatening video on social media was not a surprise to him or other Black students. He told the school board members that there is a climate of racial taunts prevalent in the schools that is often experienced by Black students.
Governor pays visit to I-75 construction site in Canton Township
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| Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks with workers at the I-75 road construction site in Canton Township. |
The governor visited the active construction site where US 12 meets I-275 in Wayne County, which is a heavily traveled corridor that provides access to Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus.
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| Henry “Hank” Johnson |
Mr. Johnson, 70, died in Ann Arbor May 1.
He was born Aug. 10, 1951 in Detroit, the son of Henry O. and Rose A. Johnson, who preceded him death. The family moved to the home on Ogemaw Court in Norwayne in 1952 and the family has owned the property for 70 years.
Mr. Johnson's involvement in the Norwayne community during his life has been the catalyst for compassion and stabilization efforts. In 1969, Westland Mayor Eugene McKinney appointed Mr. Johnson as co-chair of the Mayor's Task Force on Norwayne tasked with working to improve the development of the community.
Trustees delay resolution supporting water protest
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| Great Lakes Water Authority plant in Detroit. |
Deputy Supervisor and township Trustee Tim Rush said while there are currently 18, “soon to be 19” communities supporting the protest of the recent water fees, there was an issue regarding determining the exact amount the township should demand be refunded.
The controversy was sparked in March when communities discovered that the proposed 3.7 percent water and 2.4 percent sewer rate increases were due to the non-payment by Highland Park of $54 million in water service.
Members of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees approved the language to place two renewals of current police millages on the Aug. 3 primary election ballot.
Trustees said the millages are needed to continue to fund the police department and provide the level of service residents have experienced during the past years. Both the 2-mill levy and the 1-mill request will remain in effect for 4 years if approved by voters.
Cemetery board members plan clean-up of holiday mementos
“The Romulus Memorial Cemetery has more history than any community around us,” she told the members of the council. “In the 13 years of the cemetery board, our cemetery is immaculate and that couldn't be done without the cooperation of the council.”
Lemon told the council members that she was deeply concerned when she read a disturbing article in a local newspaper about the desperate condition of Hillside Cemetery in Belleville where, Lemon said, city officials there “even suggested sending a letter to the loved ones and survivors asking them to pay fees to operate the cemetery” which is in a deficit financial condition.
Romulus residents will soon see a new neighbor, one that will provide a multitude of services to the community.
Members of the Romulus City Council agreed to lease 10,000 square feet of the former 34th District Court building to the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency beginning May 21. Mayor Robert McCraight made the request for approval of the one-year lease of the court building at 11131 South Wayne Road during the April 25 regular meeting of the council members.
McCraight told the council members that he felt the lease would be a good fit for the community and would make multiple community services available to Romulus residents.
The efforts of the Canton Township Clerk's office to improve accessibility for voters with disabilities were recently honored by a national group.
The clerk's office was awarded an honorable mention from the Clearing House Awards for a proposed plan to improve accessibility for voters with special needs.
The Clearinghouse Awards, also known as the “Clearie” awards, are presented annually across the U.S. for best practices in election administration by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), the EAC is charged with serving as a clearinghouse for election administration information.
An offender on probation for similar offenses has been arraigned on charges that he placed a camera in a Plymouth gym to view women using the tanning bed.
Brian Michael Maciborski, 40, is charged with placing the camera Feb. 23 at Planet Fitness on Main Street in Plymouth to record a 24-year-old Westland woman.
Maciborski, of Shelby Township, is accused of violating his probation sentence issued last August in a similar incident. That matter is scheduled for a May 18 hearing in Macomb County Circuit Court. In that incident, Maciborski was charged with hiding cameras at a Shelby Township tanning salon.
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| Suzanne Lynn |
“I have served this community proudly and with integrity during one of the most challenging periods of our history. It has been a true honor to represent the Northville community and I am deeply grateful for your trust and belief in me and the wonderful relationships and friendships I've developed. While I had hoped to remain on the school board for the entirety of my term, I can no longer ignore the fact that I need to be geographically closer to my mother who is struggling with a debilitating health condition,” Lynn said.
Volunteers willing to serve on several Northville city commissions are being sought by city officials.
Applications from qualified volunteers interested in being considered to serve on the Beautification Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Northville Youth Network, and Planning Commission are being accepted. The application is available on the city website. To be considered, applications must be submitted by May 13.
Following the deadline for applications, the city clerk will contact applicants to schedule interviews with the Board and Commission Selection Committee, comprising Mayor Brian Turnbull and Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Moroski-Browne. All applications will be kept on file for future consideration.
They are picking up the PACE in Westland where a site plan for 35 attached ranch homes and a facility which includes a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) was recently approved by members of the city council.
The site plan includes property between the 23-acre site of the Presbyterian Village buildings on Cherry Hill Road and the city-owned Mack Mayfield golf course where the ranch homes will be constructed.
The proposed PACE facility will be constructed at a former TCF Bank building east of the new homes. Developers said the ranch homes will be designed for those who can still live on their own, without specialized care.
Inkster is among the area communities which will changes in voting districts for the state House and Senate boundaries.
A portion of the City of Westland, along with a part of Inkster, Garden City and Romulus now falls into District 26. Democrats Steven Chisholm of Inkster, Stephen Patterson, also of Inkster, Dylan Wegela of Garden City and Allen Wilson of Romulus all filed for election seeking the term in the newly drawn 26th District.