GM to invest $300 million in Romulus plant

General Motors will invest $300 million in the Romulus Propulsion Systems plant on Ecorse Road, according to a corporate announcement last week.

The plant, originally opened in 1976, produces engines for General Motors vehicles. These components are used in some of the highest-volume GM products, including next-generation full-size pickups and SUVs. The investment builds on a prior $300 million allocation announced late last year, in response to an announced demand for expanded output. Romulus employs about 1,000 workers, and the added capacity should stabilize operations as new vehicle programs ramp up, according to a prepared statement from General Motors.

“I am proud to continue working and growing with GM in Romulus. Thank you GM for your investment in our community and bringing additional jobs and opportunities,” noted Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight in a social media post.

The capital injected into the Romulus facility will expand production capacity for high-volume 10-speed transmissions, a key component of the GM truck lineup.

GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra has consistently framed such investments as a commitment to American manufacturing and jobs.

“We believe the future of transportation will be driven by American innovation and manufacturing expertise,” Barra stated earlier this year in a  statement regarding the company’s U.S. investment strategy. The company is leveraging its flexible manufacturing footprint to remain competitive and meet the robust demand for its vehicles from customers, she said.

This series of investments paints a clear picture of an automaker doubling down on its U.S. operations, analysts noted.

“By channeling funds into key component plants like Romulus, GM is ensuring its manufacturing ecosystem is primed to support a significant production ramp-up scheduled for 2027, solidifying the foundation for its next generation of trucks and SUVs,” industry experts noted.

Scams, frauds prompt warnings from area police

Local police departments have recently issued warnings regarding scams in the area.

In prepared statements and social media posts, police from Canton Township, Romulus and Wayne said their departments had become aware of a text‑based scam in which individuals receive messages claiming they have unpaid parking fines, along with a fictitious summons containing a QR code for payment. Those who use the QR code risk having their credit card information compromised, police warned.

Additionally, at least one Canton resident has been approached by a scammer impersonating a DTE worker in an attempt to gain access to her home. Police say this scheme is used primarily to defraud or rob senior citizens.

“We are also aware of similar schemes in which suspects falsely claim to be affiliated with the 36th District Court or other law enforcement agencies,” the statement noted. Residents are reminded that legitimate courts and law enforcement agencies will never contact individuals via text message to request payment of fines.

Police warned anyone who might receive one of these suspicious messages not to click on the links or scan the QR codes. Residents should not use any phone numbers provided in the message, police cautioned but should look up the official agency phone number on its website and contact them directly to verify.

“The Final Enforcement Notice going around is not legitimate. It’s a scam designed to scare you into paying or giving up personal information,” both Romulus and Wayne police warned.

Canton cautioned residents, especially seniors, to always ask for identification. All DTE employees and most contractors carry an ID badge—residents should ask to see it.

“If you’re unsure, keep your door locked and call DTE directly at 800‑477‑4747 to confirm whether a worker should be at your home,” police said.

“If someone refuses to show ID, becomes agitated, or acts suspiciously, do not allow entry and call 911,” officials added.

Residents are also reminded that DTE employees will never request or collect payment at your home or deliver cash refunds or ask to see your bill. DTE does not sell solar panels or ever require prepaid debit cards or threaten immediate shutoffs.

Anyone who suspects they may have encountered a scam, should report the incident to DTE and contact their local police department.

Judge orders Northville officials to open downtown streets

Downtown streets in Northville will remain open to traffic until a formal ruling on the issue from an appeals court.

Last week, Judge Charlene Elder of the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Wayne County denied a request from city officials for a stay on a previous court ruling opening the downtown streets while an appeal of that ruling awaits a court decision.

The original ruling opening the streets was in response to a lawsuit filed by Let’s Open Northville, a group opposed to the closing of all downtown Northville streets to traffic. Kyle Konwinski, the attorney representing the group, said he was pleased with the denial of the motion from the city.

He noted the court called the city request to close the streets, a “veiled attempts to thwart the court’s judgment’.” He said that the city’s request to open the streets during the pendency of the appeal made little logical sense, particularly because “the entire purpose of the week-long trial was to determine the legality of the city’s street closures.”

The original decision ruled the closure of the downtown streets were illegal for a number of reasons, Konwinski said. This effort was the second time the city attempted to “skirt the court’s judgment,” he said and added that he is “hopeful that the city will finally abide by the court’s clear and unambiguous judgment, even though the city is clearly dissatisfied with the result.”

The hearing also dealt with the city scheduling of 27 consecutive weekends of special events which would close the streets until Nov. 1, 2026.  Court documents from Let’s Open Northville objected to every weekend being considered “special” which the group alleged constituted a new version of seasonal closures -- already defeated in the June 2025 trial.  Elder agreed, stating this was “the city’s attempt to maneuver” around that ruling.

While the group also opposed the current construction on one block of downtown Main Street as possibly illegal, Elder said since the city had accomplished the demolition prior to the hearing, she would not stop this phase of reconstruction. She noted that the city had not requested approval from the court for the construction and therefore had not offered reasons the construction was necessary.

The latest ruling follows Elder’s ruling that the City of Northville must pay Let’s Open Northville $5,855 plus sanctions during the pendency of the trial as a result of past improper actions.

Happy anniversary

Wayne theater marks 80 years

 The State Wayne Theater is celebrating 80 years of serving audiences and acting as a beacon in the Wayne community.

Located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Newberry Street, the theater first opened in 1946. Today, owners say preserving its historic charm has helped usher in new audiences.

"I think it’s about consistency. It’s about the history of what this is," Cory Jacobson, president of Phoenix Theatres, which took over the State Wayne Theater in 2012 said.

The State Theater was first operated by the Shafer family in 1946 for Wayne Amusements.

The theater was originally a single screen facility, later carved in four screens, when National Amusements operated the facility.

The City of Wayne began managing the historic 1,600 seat building in early 1990 after the theater had been closed and dark for many years, offic

ials said. The city added screens and seats but did not change the retro look of the exterior, including the giant lighted marquee.

Phoenix followed that example in preserving the historic image of the building while adding heated, reclining seats and a digital cinema experience to the building.

"We want you to drive by the theater today in 2026 and have it look exactly like it did in 1946," Jacobson said.

Officials said the 80-year-old building continues to attract audiences and about 100,000 tickets are now sold annually at the historic site.

Phoenix Theatres began showing first-run movies at the State Wayne in 2015, officials said.

Residential development planned at site of abandoned school

Members of the Westland City Council were expected to approve a proposal to demolish Marshall Upper Elementary School to allow a new 68-unit single-family home development on the property.

The Wayne Westland Community Schools District is offering to sell the abandoned building and land to the city for about $1 million to facilitate the development. The school was closed in 2020 due to declining enrollment and has been the subject of criticism and safety concerns from neighbors for several years. Neighbors of the Marquette Street building claim the abandoned site has impacted their own property values and city officials have acknowledged reports of break-ins and broken windows at the site.

Currently, Westland officials are reviewing a proposal to develop this property into a subdivision with single family homes starting at about $300,000. The proposed development would require the city to use money from the Brownfield Redevelopment fund, tax capture funds utilized specifically to clean up contaminated sites. In the case of the Marshall property, given the age of the building, there are potential concerns of asbestos within the school, officials said. Brownfield funds would be used to pay for a portion of cleanup and site remediation costs.

The total Brownfield capture of the Marshall Brownfield Middle school is projected to be $4,196,426 over 10 years, according to officials. The total eligible cost of the developer, Pulte Homes, is $1,868,405, which should be repaid within 5 years of the development. The remaining 5 years will include $1,868,405 in Tax Increment Financing Authority (TIFA) revenue to the Westland Brownfield Revolving Authority.

Another $49,821 will go to the Michigan state revolving fund and $409,756 will be used for administrative fees to maintain the administration and ensure all compliance measures are met. Officials claim the development will bring more than $700,000 in new local tax revenue to the community. Currently, they said, the property contributes nothing to the tax rolls in the city.

The city previously explored turning the 120,000-square-foot facility into a recreation/community center, a project which included a potential YMCA partnership.

That plan was abandoned due to the increased costs of asbestos remediation, demolition and reconstruction at the site.

Results of the councilmembers vote on the proposal were not available at press time.

Plymouth Central Parking Deck repairs under way, tree replacement on pause

Maintenance work at the Central Parking Deck in downtown Plymouth is nearing completion, according to officials from the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the group managing the repairs.

The upper level of the deck is expected to be closed the week of May 11 as crews make final repairs including sealant and traffic coating, officials said. During this closure, visitors can park all day at the Christian Science Church located at 1100 W. Ann Arbor Tr. All work is expected to be completed by May 22.

In addition, the city arborist has indicated that the majority of the trees on the Main Street median adjacent to Kellogg Park have died and will need be removed. Many of these trees have been in declining health for several years, officials said. As changes to the median are likely during the DTPForward Streetscape project, the “trees will not be replaced at this time.”

A broader street tree replacement program will be part of the streetscape program in coming years, according to the DDA. The Rotary Club of Plymouth plans to add additional plants in the Main Street median later this month. In addition, in mid-May the Adopt A Planter program volunteers will begin to plant flowers in more than 50 public planters around the downtown district. More than 40 clubs, businesses and residents take part in this annual tradition, according to a prepared statement.

The Adopt A Planter program has been ongoing for several decades and has received state and national recognition.

“The Plymouth DDA thanks all of the hard working volunteers that make this program possible,”  officials concluded.

New department directors are named in City of Westland

The City of Westland recently welcomed a new director of public service and a new city engineer.

Nicholas Bayley has joined the City of Westland as the new director of the Department of Public Service.

Originally from Guelph, Ontario, Bayley brings a strong background in engineering and municipal work, including experience with consulting firms, and the City of Ann Arbor, Westland officials said. Bayley graduated from the Queen’s University of Kingston Ontario in 2020. Prior to joining Westland, he spent several years working on City of Westland projects, giving him valuable insight into the community needs, they added.

Bayley and his wife Sonya are the parents of two children. During his free time, the new director said he enjoys downhill and water skiing, hiking, camping, and working on handyman projects around the house.

Dean Keffer has joined the Westland Department of Public Service team as a city engineer.

Originally from Dundee, Keffer graduated from the University of Toledo in 2016. He gained experience through internships across the country, from Phoenix, Arizona to Rockville, Maryland, before beginning his full-time career with OHM in Livonia, offiicals said.

Keffer spent nine years working as a consultant for the city before joining Westland full time.

Keffer and his wife recently welcomed their first child and said they are looking forward to involvement in Westland.

City of Plymouth Planning Commissioners apartment complex plans

Members of the Plymouth Planning Commission were expected to hear a concept review of a plan for 87 new apartments and townhomes at South Mill Street and Ann Arbor Trail.

Plans for the 3-acre site were scheduled to be presented to planning commissioners during a meeting last month for an informal review prior to submission of a formal plan for the development.

Plans were submitted by Walters Group for adjacent property at South 639 Mill St. and 166 East Ann Arbor Trail and would include a three-story, 81-unit apartment building with a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floorplans, along with two smaller townhouse-style buildings with three three-bedroom units each. 

A train viewing platform, designated parking, outdoor public spaces and pedestrian walkways are included in the plans, according to the documents submitted to commissioners for consideration.

Plans also include several public-facing elements, such as a train viewing platform, designated public parking, outdoor gathering spaces and improved pedestrian connections through the area, documents say. 

The Walters Group plan seeks a PUD designation, which would permit variance from regulated zoning requirements on the basis of “demonstrated public benefits and design considerations.”

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Fishing Frenzy in Canton

One of the longest-running traditions in Canton Township, the Family Fishing Frenzy, will return from 9 a.m. until noon this Saturday, May 9.

Heritage Park ponds will be stocked with largemouth bass, yellow perch, and hybrid bluegill. For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/ybcrrhrf

 

Farmers Market opens today

The Northville Farmers Market will open from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. today, May 7, and continue each Thursday through Oct. 29.

The market takes place at 550 Seven Mile Road.

 

Library plans public meeting

The results of a community survey regarding the future of the Northville District Library will be presented by representatives from The Ivy Group at a public meeting set for 7 p.m. May 21 at the Northville Community Center. Information regarding registration required pre-registration is available at the library website: www.northvillelibrary.org, by email at nortref@northvillelibrary.org, or by phone at  (248) 349-3020.

 

Liberty Festival dates set

Canton Township officials have approved changes to the traditional Liberty Festival set for June 18-20 this year.

The new focus for the 33^rd annual festival will be a renewed emphasis on family-friendly activities.

The traditional fireworks display will be moved to a later date in the summer to join the nationwide “America 250” celebration, officials said.