Y Your hometown newspaper serving Plymouth and Plymouth Township for 119 years THURSDAY December 30 2004 75 cents Volume 119 Number 37 www.hometownlife.com ©2004 Hometown Communications Network Fam ily takes Rock on in 2005 expect rock bands to 'Sysco Kid' get more emotionai and to draw inspiration from fresh sources suspect off INSERTED SECTION life support BY HEATHER NEEDHAM STAFF WRITER A Plymouth man suspected of nine southeast Michigan bank robberies - including Comenca Bank in Plymouth Township - died Dec 21 after family members decided to take him off life sup­ Simple & stylish port Hand built Kenneth J Rosselot, 38, of Plymouth was hospitalized Dec 17 in critical condi­ furniture stands up tion at St Joseph Mercy Hospital follow­ to years of use ing a car chase with Michigan State Police SECTION B cruisers in Canton The chase began earli­ er that day at 9 45 a m in Chelsea, where Alfred Moore of Plymouth Township wipes away the tears after a poem was read at the Memorial Day ceremony m downtown Plymouth in May Rosselot allegedly robbed the Flagstar Moore is a member of the American Legion 112 and served in the Navy during World War II Bank, and a witness watched him get into his car and called Chelsea police Rosselot eventually lost control of his car during the high-speed chase, which led state troopers east on 1-94, and ultimately Looking back, moving forward through residential areas of Canton At Paying taxes one point, the chase went right past Dodson Elementary School It ended The Plymouth when Rosselot lost control of his car, flip­ Township treasurer's r i 1 A ^ ^ ^ . ping it into the air office will be open 8 As new year dawns, Local FBI officials believe Rosselot was am to 4 p m Friday, t e a ! * responsible for nine bank robberies since Dec 31, to allow resi­ Plymouth area Sept 3 dents to pay their ^ A » h k h A - A ^ ‘We re fairlv certain that he was the taxes reflects on 2004 Sysco Kid,” said IB I Special Agent Terry The treasurer's * . 1 j ' . ‘ f Booth, referring to the baseball cap office Is located in the BY BRAD KADRICH Rosselot allegedly wore when bank sur­ township hall complex STAFF WR TER veillance tamex *™tured his image at the corner of Ann Monikers, usually pertaining to the per­ Arbor Road and Ltliey From the unusual — an intruder at a petrator’s M O , apparel or appearance, are Call the office, (734) day care being shot by police and the often given to bank robbers by the FBI a 354-3214, for more collapse of the fountain m Kellogg j Other bank robber nicknames include the* information Park — to the mundane — local elec Ziploc Bandit, a wanted bank robber ' tions business comings and goings — V . « ■ : who distributes plastic bags to tellers to fiH 2004 was an interesting year m the with cash the ‘Bandanna Bandit,” who With Friday s New Plymouth community * I! K killed himself after being captured and Year s Eve celebration i Perhaps nowhere was cnange telt ^ A ^ A A.A AA the White V?n Bandit caught after rob schedule nearing more m 2004 than in the local busi bing the same bank four times party-goers should ness community where an old eyesore Improved digital surveillance photogra­ remember that was suddenly swept clean and long­ phy and quick police work are just two Plymouth police are time businesses finally succumbed reasons bank robbers are getting caught teaming with Central Downtown Plymouth lost three of The Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Marching Band won yet another state championship and more and more these days, Booth said Distributors of Beer, its most venerable businesses this year finished m the top 10 at the national competition in Indianapolis ‘ Over the last six weeks, we’ve been very ABC Cab and many when the Little Book Shoppe on the successful in holding down bank rob­ Plymouth-area bars Park, Plymouth Office Supply and the and finally decided it was time to sell long for new suitors The Penn beries,” Booth said, adding that 50 bank and restaurants to Penn Theatre all were shut down We really can t compete with some Theatre, which finally closed after robbery casCs have been closed Still, offer "Project Safe The Little Book Shoppe opened m of the big stores, Burleson said ’We switching from old movies to first-run Michigan s year-to-date bank robbery Ride Plymouth" 1984 and was operated by Jackie are appreciative of the loyal customers films and back, with a try as a comedy number is the second highest m the through Saturday, Powers until she passed away m 1999 who supported us, but only a loyal few club along the way, has been sold and U S , at 449 Only California, with 888, Jan 1 Seller Angehque Burleson said the really shopped ’ had a higher number of bank robberies m Patrons of partici­ new owner couldn t make a go of it None of the businesses had to wait PLEASE SEE YEAR IN REVIEW, A7 2004 pating bars and restaurants will be able to obtain a cab ride home in the event they've had too much Sculptor works way through ice age to drink. The program is meant to encourage responsible drinking, not the overuse of Plymouth woman carves a niche into festival's success alcohol Participating BY LUANNE BERK blow torches, sanding machines of year She works her creative Plymouth establish­ CORRESPONDENT and steam irons magic on ice She takes giant ments include Doyie's In the modern world, you blocks of ice and transforms Tavern, Hermann's Old If you met Tajana Raukar on might assume that she is either them into magnificent displays Towne Grill, Plymouth the street, you could easily see a serial killer or a tree trimmer of art, expression and joy Crossing, 336 Main, her as a wife, a trained chef, a And her profession is quite Her tools become tools of Plaza Lanes, Boulders, businesswoman, even a con­ unique, definitely requiring precision and artistic expres­ EG Nick's, Compari's, tributing citizen of the imagination combined with sion as she transports ideas Sean O'Cailaghan's, Plymouth community And, as skill, but, ironically - with a from her imagination into the Benmgaa's,, Station soon as you had a conversation cold twist crystal clear blocks until they 885, LaBistecca, with her, her thick accent might Raukar spends most of her draw a symphony of ‘ oohs’” and Plymouth resident Tajana Raukar is one of the favorites for spectators Ernesto's, Plymouth lead you to guess that she is also time either in the cold elements ‘aahs’ ’ from an audience of as attending the annual ice festival Pub and the Plymouth from Croatia of the Michigan outdoors or in many as 500,000 m the down­ Knights of Columbus But if someone asked you to the confines of a very large cold town Plymouth area This sculptures are animals When back for the photo were Hall guess what kind of tools she storage freezer sparkling,crystal ‘joy’fillsthe you enter the Raukars’ Ice dwarfed by its size uses m her business, I doubt entire community during one Dreams” studio, you are imme­ According to Tajana, m the Fountain concepts you d come up with the follow­ IT 'S M AGIC week m January - this year, diately drawn to the dramatic Fairbanks, Alaska, competition, The Plymouth ing list, more akin to a medieval Jan 17-23 - at The Plymouth photo of the enormous tiger they use larger blocks of ice Community Youth battleground than a 21st centu­ Raukar is a sculptor, using a International Ice Spectacular Raukar carved m a competition since they have a plentiful Advisory Commission ry business hacksaws, chain­ simple element quite plentiful Tajana Raukar enjoys bring­ in Alaska It was so large that is accepting "con­ saws, ice picks, die grinders, at times in Michigan this time ing ice to “life” - her favorite several people who sat on its PLEASE SEE IC E, A5 cepts" for the new "Fountain of Youth in Kellogg Park The commission Coming Sunday in your Plymouth Observer recently took on the Sponsorships still open for ice festival project of replacing River Rouge the fountain m the New coffee table book park, which was The Plymouth International Ice amounts) include Sculpture Spectacular, according destroyed earlier this Sculpture Spectacular, scheduled ■ The Plymouth Middle School to Watts The students carve as a tells the story of the year. for Jan 17-23, still has some spe­ design contest ($2,500) - practical learning experience, and worlds most famous Youth throughout cific sponsorships available that Presented in conjunction with the the judging is done as away to auto factory See the community of any are an integral part of the festival, Observer £2 Eccentric Newspapers evaluate the student’s competency Sundays Observer age are eligible to and are not currently being fund­ Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade Awards are given as a reward for Life submit concepts ed m this year s budget, for busi students from the Plymouth com­ the students’ efforts, and the stu­ The concepts can nesses who want to help sponsor munity submit a design for a sin­ dents are encouraged to speak be a photograph, the annual event gle block ice carving One design with the judges and their instruc­ drawing or any medi­ Sponsors will receive promo­ (the one which looks the best as tors to obtain firsthand knowledge INIIEX um desired by the tional consideration, and the festi­ an ice carving design) is selected of how to improve their skills artist val is a nonprofit Michigan corpo­ ■ Student competitions and ■ Caution tape sponsor Apartments F6 Jobs F7 They must be ration so all or a portion of the awards ($5,000) - The High ($4,000) - Kellogg Park is At Home 81 Movie Guide E10 submitted to donation may be tax-deductible, School and College student