2005-07-03 Po

Habitat volunteers pay to help build homes - OBSERVER IIFE PAGEB5 zoos ALL-OBSERVER SOFTBALL TEAM SPORTS SECTION B PLYMOUTH SUNDAY Your hometown newspaper July 3,2005 serving Plymouth and Plymouth Township for 119 years 75 c^nts W INNERS OF OVER 100 STATE AND NATIONAL AW ARDS SINCE 2001 www.hometownlife co m Plymouth set R y a n g e ts for Fourth fun BY BRAD KADRiCH AND TONY BRUSCATO '0 5 b o a r d STAFF WRITERS People from Plymouth, Plymouth Township and surrounding communities looking for holiday-related fun aren’t going to have to go far First, they can sit anywhere along Mam k u d o s Street from Theodore at the north end to Ann Arbor Road to the south and enjoy the BY BRAD KADRICH annual Good Morning USA Parade, sched STAFF WRITER uled to start around 7 30 a m Not long after the parade winds down, hol Superintendent Jim Ryan has developed a public iday revelers can make their way out to reputation for someone who is doing a solid job lead- Plymouth Township Park at Ann Arbor IVail mg the Plymouth-Canton school distnct throu^ and McClumphaforthe ninth annual some tough tunes Plymouth Township Picnic At Tuesday’s final sdiool board meetmg of the year, Both events are designed to provide fami the people for whom Ryan works - the seven mem lies with plenty of holiday entertainment bers of die Board of Education - agreed widi that This year’s parade is themed ‘Patriotism perception on I^rade,” and features many returning The board gave Ryan his end-of-year evaluation, floats, including the Plymouth Fife and grading bun above average m nearly every area as Drum Corps, the Plymouth-Canton th ^ turn a collective eye toward the 2005-06 school Educational Park Marching Band, Steve year 7 iCing and the Dittilies, Mark Randisi and the ‘ One of the board comments was ‘Jim Ryan is die Sounds of Sinatra, the Aces High Monster n ^ t person at the right time’ for the district,” board Thick, unicycles, clowns, pompon squads- President Mark Slavens sard “I agree with that and politicians assessment” Gov Jennifer Granholm will also be fea The board, as it does every year, assessed Ryan’s 5 tured in the pArade performance m six cat^ n es, using a 1-5 formula There will also be some new things at with a ‘1’ the lowest and “5 die highest A rating of Mondays picnic, but organizers are counting “3 equates to ‘meeting expectations” on the same thing they ve counted on for Ryans highest ratings were 4 2 marks m both mne years now to make the event a success - measuring academic success and leadership His low a hometown family atmosphere est score and the only one that fell below expecta The picnic, which takes place from 11 a m tions, was a 2 6 rating for strategic plamung to 4 p m , will again feature hot dogs, soda, Howevei, that grade was effected by the decision to chips and ice cream, all for a nickel, and move work on the distnct’s master plan mto June plenty of games and contests for kids of all I while die admmistration dealt with budget problems ages and odier issues Also available, for 5 cents, will be frozen Ryan’s review, however, was done m May, leaving dnnks by Plymouth Township newcomer that goal unfulffled Breeze êeze, whose frozen concoctions are M “It was timing, reallyj” board TVeasurer Judy made up of 100 percent fruit juices Mardigian said “When we set die goals last August, Its ail designed to provide a good time for we wanted the plan done this year, and 'with eveiy- the expected crowd of between 3,000-3,500 dimg else going on we pushed it b ^ k to June But we people did die review m M ^, and it wasn’t done The picnic will include some annual sta “That doesn’t mean we don’t have a plan m the ples, like the bike decorating contest and the works,” Mardigian pomted out “We are gouig to have fishing derby Judging m the bike contest is a master plan the time we get to October, and scheduled for around 2pm , and the fishing TOM HOFFMEYER j STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER that’ll help us make a number of key decisions ” contest goes from noon to 2 p m Magician Ryan said while he’s flattered by foe kmd words, John Sturk 'will perform throughout the Stormy weather he’s more impressed with foe dialogue that has devel afternoon oped between the board and foe admmistration New this year is a chance for kids who dec Wayne County Road Commission workers tackled the task of cleaning up Ann Arbor Road just west of ‘I appreciate foe compliments,’ Ryan said “It’s orate their bikes to nde in the Good Morning Haggerty, where part of the embankment washed out and caused a flood, during the thunderstorm that always nice when your losses let you know what USA parade Anyone 'wishing to do so can passed through the area Thursday morning Ann Arbor Road was closed for awhile, there was a power direction they want you to go ” simply show up at the parade’s starting point outage in the Old Village area, power lines were down and a few tree limbs were felled, but township at Mam and Theodore by 7 a m Monday and city officials reported no major damage or injuries bkadrich@oehomecomin net | (734)459 2700 Angel hugs and T love you' greet Grami Linda's pen pal BY SUE MASON ty birth but by mail She has GRATEFUL moose from Canada and kan STAFF WRITER been his pen pal for more than “It was a nice gesture,” said garoos from Australia, post * t * two years as part of Blessing, a yeoman first class cards firom Alaska and banners “This is my oldest son,” 0PM A L E -STAR (Operation “Here we were in the middle of with their names on ihem Linda Jackson said, draping an Make a Life Ennched-Saymg the M editerrêan away from done in handpamted animals arm around Carl Blessing’s Thanks and Remembenng), a home and someone remem The kids, with Jackson’s shoulder “He’s everything I stateside volunteer group bered us I didn’t know if any help, sent him CDs, candy and thought he would be and which sends mail and care one else had wntten her, so I photos, including one in a talk i ^ o r e u , ^ g j^ g e s tP service personnel thought I’d thank her for the ing pififrire frame of two boys ''' T% ecom Tt&nt#oi^â^fr^ SWtioned aboard tê USS ship” with kangaroos that he to the face ofth©37-ye£KT-old Cle^ând, an LPD (amphibi Since then, he has wntten earned in his pocket Their Houston, Texas, native, who ous landing) ship, Blessing has from ports of call around the message was simple “We love was m Westland for four days been corresponding widi gbbe and has taken to sending you, Uncle C B ” last week to meet the woman Jackson ever since 2002 when gifts and notes to Jackson and ‘I wouldn’t have it any other he has come to know as Grami he opened a plastic Easter egg her grandchildren, Nathaniel way,” said Blessing as Linda to find a note saying she was and Chnstiaan Nathaniel sprawled across his “This is like a second home available to write They call him Uncle C B , he lap and Chnstiaan squirmed at TOM HAWLEY! STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER to me,” said Blessing, who was Not one to write to refers to them as his nephews his feet The balloons that greeted Carl Blessing when he stepped off his plane at making his first visit strangers, he stepped outside He has sent e-mails meant just Detroit Metro Airport decorate the living room of pen pal Linda Jackson's The twosome are related not the box to send her an e-mail for them, as well as a stuffed PLEASE SEE P E N P A L , AS Westland home © The Observer & Eccentric INDEX Coming Thursday F o r H o m e Newspapers A p a r t m e n t s E10 in Filter Delivery call: A u t o m o t iv e n C o m m u n it y L if e B5 ( 866) 8 8 7 - 2 7 3 7 Volume 119 Intimate Number 90 C r o s s w o r d E7 H e a l t h B8 festival J o b s El m m m s m m w Big names will N e w H o m e s E8 i i t t v a headline The O b it u a r ie s B7 Community 4 0 ^ PTmnsirtlifld. * At • Acf0ss From Bnisis Flpor Mats Spoiler Stereo' PINK BIO CD A r& More Stock #2492 R e a l Es t a t e E5 House |1*8y0*406"^ !l69 ^ LaRiGtieeiiEvy bon S m \a G u id e E10 Jazzfest in 6 53174 1©30S S GANMETT S p o r t s B1 Birmingham ( t ' • ( A2 (*) Observer & Eccentric | Sunday July 3 2005 LOCAL NEWS icwic.homHown^fe.com Success leads to life of generous giving Deputy will be charged BYJONI GOLDEN attention of school, as well as the church while the family was m the CORRESPONDENT Amentech, building A sculpture of Jesus US ■ and the com with several children graces I ve said I m going to get the in Southfieid shoot-out The benefactor behind a city pany bought the school grounds, m memory baby a T-shirt that says “Made park in downtown Farmington him out about of the Rileys’ son who died in a m America,” Rileyjoked B Y PAT M U RP HY department and a new public television five years ago tragic car accident at age 15 Dozens of children and STAFF WRITER “More recently he’s been on broadcast center has the kind At the time, The five surviving Riley chil teachers have expanded their unpaid medical leave,” Roach of life story that would make i the Rileys took dren are all Foundation board horizons with the help of the A Wayne County deputy said But standard department Horatio Alger proud 20 percent of members, daughter Kim Riley- Foundation, through scholar sheriff has been charged m the procedure calls for suspension Fresh out of the service in R'l®y the proceeds Fouts serves as its director The ships to outdoor adventures road rage madent that turned rf a deputy IS charged wifli a 1952, George Riley opened a and created organization has never taken and wilderness programs mto a shoot-out m Souffifield felony, he said.

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