Hthe C Om M Unity Crier Retailers Eye Art in the Park
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h T h e The Newspaper with Its Heart in The Plymouth-Canjton, MI Community Com m unity Crier ©PCCC Inc. Vol. 25 No. 22 www. com m unity-G U ID E. com July 8, 1998 ’ X r n S. Mam Street 223 S ^r'Asi70-16S7 Retailers eye iouth, Ml « wv Art in the Park BY BRYON MARTIN blocked sidewalks and separated City visitors If the last few years provide any forecast, from the shops open for business, Home says. Art in the Park will bring thousands into the Profits slump during the weekend event. City this weekend but only a few into Add in parking congestion and the way the downtown stores. art fair is laid out, and “this is an event not More than 400 artists from 30 states will welcomed by the retailers in the City of bring their fine art and crafts to Plymouth for Plymouth,” Home says. what has become one of the City’s best- At the same time, she acknowledges efforts known events. from Art in the Park’s organizer Dianne Quinn With City merchants, however, the event is to remedy past ails. Quinn, Horne, other becoming known for an accompanying sales retailers and City officials have met to meet in slump, says Annette Home, chairperson of the a middle ground that will satisfy retailers and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce Retail those who back the event. Committee: certain issues with the running of Follow up meetings through they year will Art in the Park have earned their ire. monitor progress, according to Quinn. “And if it doesn’t improve” she said, “the Art in the Park opens at 10 a.m. Saturday retailers will basically go crazy.” and Sunday, and mns until 7 p.m. Saturday, 5 In years past vendor booths and stock have p.m. Sunday. W e i r d p o litic k in g BY W. EDWARD WENDOVER Q. When is a township picnic not a township picnic? A. When it’s election year. Ask the folks in Plymouth Township — where there are no trustee seats up for grabs this year — about what a “wierd” political season this is. Even without any local positions at stake, the Township’s three millages on the Aug. 4 ballot have made Plymouth Township a contributions from “private sources” to a lightning rod this election season. “trust” account, according to Supervisor Take last Saturday’s ‘Township Picnic.” Kathleen Keen McCarthy. “No township tax Via-ducked.. .W hile pulling a car-hauler full of Jeep Grand “Was it officially a ‘Township’ picnic?” dollars were spent on the picnic,” she said. Cherokees down Ann Arbor Road toward the Fox Hills dealership at Lilley asked some residents. “There was a clean line between the Yes it was, says the Township, thus no Township Picnic and the Citizens’ Road, one of the jeeps was crushed when it proved too high to make it permit or deposit was needed to hold the Committee (which is backing the Township’s under the viaduct west of Haggerty Road. Here, the driver of the Cassen event at Township Park. three millages on the Aug. 4 ballot,),” the Trucking hauler returns to his cab after measuring the height of the But the “Good Ol’ Fashioned Picnic” had Please see pg. 7 underpass. (Crier photo by R. Atwood, Jr.) Taming the tigers All in the family Kerri Nitzschke quits her E&E Mfg. prides itself on day job, opens school being a good neighbor, citizen See Friends & Neighbors pg. 61 See Getting Down to Business pg. 8 Page 2> THE CQMMJJNITY CppR :, July,*, 1998 Detroit Edison sued for court fire Law suit filed on sam e day as additional suit against C ity’s court insurers BY SCOTT SPEELMAN hazardous condition-nuisance-trespass, willful and has not yet been served to the company The suit will be heard in front of Wayne One year after the Dunbar Davis Hall of and wanton misconduct and gross negligence Draugelis said. County Circuit Court Judge Marianne O. Justice was destroyed by fire, the 35th District for its role in the July 2,1997 fire. Lew Layton, supervisor of media relations Battani, but has not yet been scheduled. Court’s insurance company filed two The suit claims at 6:10, 6:11, 6:13, 6:18 at Detroit Edison said the fire was a result of The Par Group lawsuits: one against Detroit Edison; the and 6:22 p.m. efforts were made by the fire the weather, not Edison’s inactivity. Although it is being reimbursed by the other against the Par Group municipal department to contact Detroit Edison to “The situtation is a very unfortunate result four other communities in the 35th District, insurance company. inform them that a downed wire was on the of tornadoes and other severe weather at the The City of Plymouth owned the courthouse Michigan Municipal Risk Management structure after financing its construction with Association (MMRMA) claims Detroit £W e were hoping to not have to file any suits taxpayer money in 1980. At the time of the Edison was negligent in not responding to fire about $1 million was left to pay on this calls of a downed wired which destroyed the at all, but as a sound business practice w e had original cost. building, according to Dave Rogers, an As the courthouse “landlord,” the City had attorney with Draugelis & Ashton. to protect our investm ents.} a vested interest in the structure and insured it MMRMA is also suing the Michigan for $1.9 million — over and above to the Township Participating Plan (known as the - John M cD onald court’s own $3.4 million — with a policy PAR Group) for breach of contract in not C hief Judge, 35th D istrict through The Par Group. paying any of the court’s rebuilding costs, The suit claims that through clauses in according to attorney Ed Draugelis. roof and charging the courthouse. time,” he said. “No action Detroit Edison each of the insurer’s agreements,The Par Both suits are an effort to recoup some of The suit also claims Detroit Edison was could have taken that could hae avoided the Group should pay out before MMRMA. The the losses MMRMA has sustained by paying again notified of the danger to the courthouse, incident. It’s just fortunate that no one was Par Group has yet to pay any of the claim, out almost $3.4 million to the court, and could firemen and other personnel at 6:25 p.m. and injured.” Rogers said. secure additional funds for a new courthouse told that the wire was flashing sparks. MMRMA is asking for unspecified “They haven’t denied the claim, they said attorney Dave Rogers of Draugelis & Edison failed to meet its responsibilities by damages in excess of $25,000 for rebuild simply haven’t paid anything on it yet,” Ashton. responding to the alarms earlier, and by costs, court and attorney fees and punitive Rogers said. “This is just a way to force them “The nature of the recovery is dependant allowing the condition to exist on property in damages. to come to the plate and follow the spirit of on the court’s ruling,” Rogers said. “There are which it had a vested interest, the suit charges. “We’re suing for a full recovery,” their original agreement.” any numberof variations it could take.” Rosemary Black, an attorney for Detroit Draugelis said. “W e’ve already paid out most Jim Youngblood, vice-president of claims Detroit Edison Edison, said she couldn’t comment on the of our portion of the funds, and we anticipate at the PAR group, said the firm would MMRMA is suing Detroit Edison for lawsuit because she has not received it yet. paying out the full amount (of $3.4 million) to comply with the outcome of the trial. negligence, breach of implied warranty, ultra Draugleis said the suit had been filed July 1, the court. 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