April 9, 2000
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i^*m • ii imp pi»P« ' '¥ ^^**H^ .rt^.fr^tty^1-V lorneTbwn J.. COMMUNICATIONS •:* t ^Nr*5 NETWORK Ulcsllanci ©bsmi the Your hometown newspaper serving Westland for 35 years Sunday, April 9, 2000 hometownnewspapers.net 75c Volume 35 Number 89 Westland, Michigan O2000 HomeTown Communtcattons NetworK™ F^T" THE WEEK Budget resident-friendly 4 FmM I mmfmmw • Mayor Robert Thoma^ City Council approval, would *»t City they've come to expect. proposed city budget taxes and water-sNswer rates for the ••••"ItVa jjood,; solid:budget," Thomas includes tax cuts for resi budget year starting July 1. said Wednesday as he and his finance dents. The mayor will tucjKan additional director, Tim McCurley, spelled out the $60 into the same homeowner's pocket plan during a joint interview in the MONDAY BY DARRELL CLEM in 2001 - if council follows/us sugges STAFF WRITER BY DARRELL CLEM mayor's office. dclemQoe Jiomecomm.net STAFF WRITER tion to let a 1-mill incinerator tax Thomas' $48 million general fund [email protected] . City Hall: The Westland expire. budget will survive only if council A Westland police officer faces, " Mayor Robert Thomas has proposed Thomas' vision marks a drastic shift members agree to phase out.a special City Council will have an April. 18 court hearing follow from his earlier plans to keep the city's ing allegations that he sexually cutting taxes, reducing water-sewer Tax Increment Finance Authority dis two study sessions April rates and fixing roads in his new bud tax structure in place and to build a trict north of Ford Road, embracing a. molested an 18-year-old passen multimillion-dollar recreation center 10 at City Hall, Ford near get plan. renewed city wide emphasis. ger of a car he stopped near War and a new City Hall. Hi's far-reaching blueprint for change "I think there's a good chance they'll Carlson:At 6:30p.m.> ren and Wayne roads. • He has said his new plan emerged would return about $85 to a typical buy into it," Thomas said. there will be a discussion Westland homeowner who ,has a after he did some "soul-searching" for of separate water and *" Please see CHARGED, A2 $120,000 house, ways to ease the tax burden on resi sewer meter systems as Thomas' plan, hinging on Westland dents while maintaining services Please SUDSET,A4 requested by local condo minium associations. At 7:30 p.m., Mayor Robert Thomas artd council members will discuss his new budget proposal. SATURDAY eneour BY DIANE GALE ANDREASSi • 'Most are directed toward Family fun: The Ciuitan SPECIAL WRITER the rearing of children. I Bunny Brunch will take Margaret Harlow has a lot to say think parents need a lot of place 9 a.m. to noon • and she likes saying it on the sigh out side Harlow Tire, the 35-year-old busi encouragement to do the April 15 at the Bailey Cen ness she owns, with her husband, Jim.. right thing when it comes to ter, on Ford near Carlson. : She prefers displaying uplifting their kids.' It is. sponsored by the words to hawking sales. Westland Civitan Club ,*I would rather they think of Har Margaret Harlow low Tires as the place wi,th that neat ' —Harlow Tire and Westland Parks and sign," Harlow said. Recreation. Price is $2.50 : Her favorite saying, "Time Spent With a Child Is Never Wasted," greet When You Stoop To Help a Child." forages 1-12, $4 for ed passers-by last December and. at. Sometimes, she uses the sign to do a adults. The Easter Bunny least one of her customers was little cheerleading for- a school team will visit. Tickets are inspired. and once a year she supports a pro He said he read the sign every day gram reminding parents to. press the available at the Bailey and it made him think about'how he remote control. She tells parents to: Center or at the door. For felt torn between his obligations at "Turn Off the Violence" and "Do Some work and getting involved with his thing With Your Child." information, call Donna child's activities. Other times, .she advertises activi: Jensen, (734) 729-8075. "That gave him the inspiration to ties at.her church, The First Congre take the time off of work and do .what gational Church of Wayne. But she he needed to do with his child," Har always avoids making political state Seedlings: The annual low said: ... ments beyond reminding people to City Tree Giveaway will She took over the job of maintaining vote. be 9 a.m. to 3p.m. April the sign at Ford and Wayne roads Usually, she thinks of the slogans eight years ago when the old sign was herself; other times, Harlow has read 15 at the Bailey Center. refaced; it or heard it somewhere else. Seedlings of several vari Ever since, Harlow; hopes that she's "Most are directed toward tlie rear making a difference in strangers' lives ing of children," Hariow said. "I think eties will be given to West- STAFF PHOTO BY Ton HAWIXY with lines like "Honesty Is the Best parents need a lot of encouragement to land residents. For infor Sign of the times: Harlow Tire's sign shares hopeful messages Policy," "When a Child Looks Up to dothe right thing when it corner to- mation, call the Economic with customers and passing motorists. You. What Kind of Person Does He Development Department, See?" and "You're Never So Tall As .= Please sec SI ON, A2 (734) 467-3220. rPvinl fiVnPVPflfn!!m^1^^077. ^r\nr'iyy^OY\iQhf\r\ii^h cs JL I VKJUV Ui L-t/O/ CCC/ l \JV%/\JW i/i i/g KA/UKA/K vt i vv^t vv o/ V\J'V/MIIK Tee time: Check out the Observer's special section BY DARRELL CLEM • None of the shots he fired hit anyone, although several sion of what happened early March 16. STAFF WRITER Birch, who spent time in a psychi dclemGoe.hoiiiecomin.net struck the unmarked police car and an apartment building, ongolf/\ns\6e atric hospital unit after his arrest, is A suspected gunman, accused of fir police said. now jailed on a $500,000 cash blind. .A ing an assault rifle toward an, not-guilty plea has been placed in hi^ INDEX unmarked Westland police car and a court records. • surrendered at 7:24 a.m. March 1.6, right to a preliminary hearing - a'move Apartments/19 Movies/C4 neighboring apartment building, has The Landings gunman used what been ordered to stand trial in Wayne None of the shots he fired hit anyone, that averted courtroom testimony. Arts/Cl New Homes/El police Sgt. John Buresh described as a County Circuit Court. although several struck the unmarked His decision prompted Judge C, Automotive/H5 Obituaries/A4 police car'and an apartment building, Charles Bokos to order him to stand Russian semi-automatic assault rifle. Craig Birch, 39, faces trial for seven similar to an AK-47 Classified/E,C,H Real Estate/El felony criminal charges amid allega police said. trial on seven charges: discharging a Birch could face a four-year prison Classified index/ES Service Guide/H3 tions he fired 26 'rounds from his resi Police evacuated some residents of firearm or an occupied dwelling; dis Crosswofd/E5 Sports/Bl dence on the south side of The Land The Landings and warned residents of charging a firearm from an occupied term if convicted of the more serious Jobs/ai Taste/Dl ings apartment complex, near Hunter a nearby condominium development to ; dwelling: malicious destruction of prop charges against him. Malls/Ce"* Trave!/C8 • and Central City Parkway. stay in their basements until the erty; three felony firearms counts; and However, a judge could sentence hi in A gunman, distraught over a ioat job Mrtiuiuff had ended. being a habitual offender. .tii an additional two years - for a total and girlfriend problems, ended a five- Ih Westland 18th District Court on Birch's attorney, Dawn I son. couldn't of six -.-'because he is charged as a hour standoff with authorities when he Thursday. Birch voluntarily waived his be reached for comment an Birch's ver habitual offender on the rise •jl^HMHH' Rockin* BY DARRELL CLKM chandise by. the time store officials |BMaBIBI^^M •'1 can't STATF WRITS* pulled the suspect's cash register draw- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Kfj] 4cleA#oe.bofn evomm.net =w. and compared cash and receipts. HM^NH^^H*| wait until A Westland Sam's Club caS-hieirTT- "It was determined that the (sus ^PHE^HPPJj^^P^ the perfor* . accused -of letting friends pass through pect's! drawer was $9,648 47 short," a - B^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^MSKJL^S^MT' . • •>^7^^^^^¾¾¾¾^¾ manco.' • her checkout line without paying for police report said. The first place to visit merchandise totaling $9,648. The shortfall stemmed from 13 sepa t The 18-year-old Romulus suspect rate transactions made by the cashier, ^Bi ^^^^^H Zrvnchik when you're looking for a could face five year* in prison and a the report said. e^^Fti B^B^B^B^BH $10(000»fine if convicted of an embez Police Lt. Marc Stobbe said the ^^.^ B^B^B^H -^—-———. new place to live? zling charge Sarrfs Club incident is only the latest S^K^S^S^ '^^A^te^t^r''.'" . .^BMB^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^BS The Real Estate ads She is accused of ringing up electron in a growing number of retail store ic equipment-, food, housewares and embezzling cafifes.