^W^B^fl^.-r .- .- ^,l".»" '^.F.r F ff »'ff ITP M i>,f il I) i. II !• . i. i. i. i. ,. _ J! ,1 Jl J l| J. ... ,. ,. , ,.,,,, I ,.,.,^ ; Glenn has hands full with Harrison, CI i' fm :'!;- . ^1 Homelhvvn .„ i. <-: Putting you in toMCti| Thursday wtthyouf worW October 22,1998 Serving the Westland Community for 34 years ;. -® ":•';• VOUJML 3.4 NUMBER 40 Wt.sii.AMj. n/lK.HM.AN * 80 t'\blh • httji.. - ohservor.eccentric.com 1-.-- c ..<• 0 19MHMMTOW» Ceuuuik«tiou Network, ift*'' j»« '' THE PAPER TODAY denies COMMUNITY LIFE Like 20/20: A goad pair 0f0^s^isptnepi^pie hm)i therri, some don't. Buta new typeof 'laser surgefy is giving people wiMpom\ eyesight a it cfaincejoseethe world plan frit withou}contactlensor ..'.'••••' . .?*-.. • e^egldsses/Bi • Carver residents succeed­ ed in blocking a business... that they feared would £ attract drug dealers and *; I AT HOME other troublemakers. *: BY DARRELL CLEM •: Holiday preparations: The STAFF WRITER J> [email protected] •* year-end holidays will be • * . upon us soon and now is Heavy lobbying p&id the time to find out how off Monday for Career subdivision residents i to decorate your home for who convinced West­ the season in a special land City Council mem­ bers to reject a 24-hO'ur edition of At Home. gas station in their neighborhood. Armed with petitions signed by near­ ly 300 people, Carver residents suc­ ENTERTAINMENT ceeded in blocking a business that they feared would attract drug dealers and other troublemakers, Midwest star: Jeff Daniels Tm ecstatic," Carver resident Sherry Mallard said, after all seven council has a new movie, a new members voted against the develop­ play and a full life. /El ment proposed for the southeast corner of MiddlebeU.and Annapolis, 1 want to thank the council for doing the right thing/';';:: .;;•'•''• ••"' ; t REAL ESTATE ut believe that; our voices were truly i' heard. tonight," resident Sabrina Guy- ton said Monday as Carver residents Helping out: Realtors: celebrated their victory outside of couhV helped build a pi fee for *: cil chambers. Tnj Very'•'pleased;'*-'';'. 1^ 3Jv**-"^-' Businessmen said they believe that kias^i&ffi residents misunderstood their plans for JefferspTi'BarhsElemen­ a 24-hour gas station, convenience store and ice cream shop. tary School. /Fl "We're not asking to put a bar there or a liquor store or a go-go bar," Tarek Zoabi said, adding that property own­ ers even altered their earlier plans for a fast-food restaurant with a drive-up window. "We've tried everything we can to make this a happy ending, if you will," he told the council. "A gas station does not attract drug dealers. A gas station does not attract crime." With a one-two-three punch, council Please see STATION, A4 purr PHOTO BT TOM HAWLBY Plans: Superintendent of WaynerWestland schools Greg Baracy (left) and Robert Volmering of Safe-Play Ser­ vices in Whitelake look over the playscape plans at Jeffer­ son-Barns Elementary Gas station denied School, Realtors and volun­ Carver Subdivision residents teers were putting up the new opposed a proposed gas station Westland structure last week. in their neighborhood. INDEX ELECTION 1998 • Obituaries A6 • Clarified Index F5 Conley says he DeHart says focus Real Estate F5 Crossword F7 Job* G5 stresses basics is working people Home & Service H8 Automotive Jl BY DARRELL CLEM first-time political BY DARRELL CLEM DeHart, 50, is M Opinion A14-15 STAFF WRITER candidate trying STAFF WRITER campaigning tire­ [email protected] [email protected] lessly against •[Calendar _ B4 to unseat a veter­ Trying to win support for his state an Democrat leg­ Sitting in Democrat election head­ first-time Repub­ • Sports islator, 18th Dis­ quarters in Westland, state Rep. Eileen lican candidate J?l House campaign, Steve Conley is on Steve Conley Eileen DeHart • Real Estate Fl his home telephone talking about edu­ trict state Rep. DeHart shrugs off any speculation that Steve Conley in cation, Crime and small business Eileen DeHart. she is approaching her third-term elec­ the 18th District - issues. ' .'••••• Ending his phone conversation, Con­ tion bid with complacency. a longtime Democratic stronghold. HOW TO REACH US This 32-year-old Westland Republi­ ley sits at a kitchen table as a mild "I feel good but not overconfident," A self-described moderate Democrat. she said. can seems polished and confident for a Please see CONLEY, A2 Please see DEHART, A3 Newsroom: 734-9 S3-2104 Newsroom Fax: 734-591-7279 E-mail: bjnchfn«n«o«,hom#comm,net City to spend up to $55,500 to study recreation Nightline/Sports: 734-953-2104 Reader Comment Line: 734-9*3-2042 BY DARRKLt CLKM complete its work in three months, giving city loaders on a regional and local basis to provide data on con­ STAFF WRITER information they will Use in deciding whether to sumer participation, spending habits and travel for Classified Advertising: 734-B91-0900 dclemGoe.homecomm.net Display Advertising: 734-591-2300 build a new recreation center. recreation. Mayor Robert Thomas has suggested that the city • Evaluate tho city's Bailey Recreation Center and Home Delivery: 734-591-0500 Westland city leaders are edging closer to building a new, multimillion-dollar recreation contar, needs a state-of-the-art recreation complex to nttract how it could complement a new facility. although officials say they aren't bound to tho pro­ and keep families and to become competitive with • Help the city survey residents to determine posal. communities like Canton Township. what services and programs they would want in a Westland City Council members Monday agreed to Still, Thomas said the survey of city residents "is of recreation facility. spend as much BB $55,600 to hire a Missouri firm to utmost importance" in helping officinls decide • Provide an analysis - nnd possible space study local recreation needs and to survey residents whether to actually build a recreation building. requirements - for on aquatics center, vacquetball about services they might want. Sverdrup Facilities Inc. will: courts, banquet and meeting rooms, a gymnasium, The firm, Sverdrup Facilities Inc., is expected to • Study public and private recreational facilities 8 63174 10011 6 rienso sec RECREATION, A4 mmmm A2(W) The Observer & Eccentric/ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22,1998 II'IDH m.|i». ,| nil in Conley opposes abortion but admits he won't be found on the J from page Al front line of clinic demonstra­ autumn breeie blows softly Hard work tions. He strongly opposes gov­ through a sliding glass door that is important ernment money paying for aborv; opens onto a backyard deck. It's to Conley; he . tionS.) ;'.'•'.••.'. L-? 11 in the morning. said his par­ • He believes that criminals This father of two describes ents made should be punished for their himself as a moderate on social sure of that. crimes. He opposes coddling issues but concsrvative whan it His father, them and giving them services, comes to Lansing purse strings. Marc', one of such as elaborate weight rooms,, "I want the basics— police, nine chil­ that many law-abiding citizens fire, roads," He said, "I dpn't dren, and his can't even afford. want government to build an art mo t h e r , • He demands prudent ' museum to tell toe what kind of Nancy, one spending, from his own business art I should like. : of seven, and from his government. "And I "I want to know where every grew up on know what it'siike to yneeta v• penny is spent." : small tobac­ payroll" \Ss- '.--. '"Jv^'-V.-,. Spoken like a certified public co farms in . • He believes that better ^ ; accountant. Arid he % although : eastern Ken­ roads shouldn't just be an elec­ now he owns a small business tucky. They tion-year issue, and fce Wanta to that recruits arid places accourit- knew the, hold contra'ctors respphsible for ing employees wiUx other ftrrn£. v meaning of Steve Conley their wprk.V;.V.K-^v. /,^"--A:.; Conley said he and his wife, hard work. • He(believesthat hafidgun Nancy, lead a typical middle- •Conley'a father later worked "My parents gave me a good legislation: should be uhiforih claBS life' in MiUppinte, a private for Si butcher shop, then bought foundation to know right from statewide. And tie said yfould-be subdivision on Wes^and's south- the store, then took a construc­ wrong, and they taught me core gun owners should have the : values," Conley said. "I guess I >* 'TWBWTI^TV,, west side." , '-; tion job and finally settled into a "" --•. ,- ,*•-. • 7 -V •'^Wf^.-v^vv. '• right to bear arms unless they "We have two kids," he said, career as a Ford Motor Co. pip­ was spoiled, but not a brat. I've , i i r,:.-ii? ,1 iii,i ii.i, '.ifTf>H f^iYi>/- -ni 'ti i t are former felons or have a his­ naming preschooler, Jonathan, efitter.' Conley's mother also always worked, probably since I tory of mental illness. who'll be 4 in January/and works for Ford, although the started mowing yards when I time at home, where he built the give them that same foundation "I am for fiscal responsibility third-grader T.J., who attends couple is nearing retirement. was 12 years old. My parents family deck and a wooden play - that my parents gave me. And and individual freedoms with Our Lady of Good Counsel in Like many Southerners, Con- taught me responsibility, which structure for the children. it's important to teach kids to be responsibility," Conley said. Plymouth. ley's parents moved north to find is the best thing they ever did for He freely admiis that his life me.p •.