*#M'h Local symphony Big year-end movie preview . afternoon concert Inside today's newspaper - Hometownlife, C1 October 12,2008 75 cents WINNERS OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE www.hometownlife.com BY DARRELL CLEM approved by default Sept. 29 when tions and hurt property values on lect 6,818 signatures of registered voices heard, OBSERVER STAFF WRITER only one of three Wayne County Joy east of Newburgh. The plan calls voters within a 90-day window. DeWitt and others said the recall Elections Commission members for a three-story apartment build­ That time period can fall within a isn't strictly about the senior devel­ A recall group has started circu­ showed up for a meeting to discuss ing, duplex-style condominiums and larger 180-day window approved by opment, but also stems from a larger lating petitions in hopes of collect­ the proposal. Under the panel's single-family homes in an area long the county. concern that city leaders don't listen ing enough signatures to oust five rules, failure to have a quorum for defirted by larger lots. Recall supporters and crit­ to residents. Westland city leaders for supporting the session meant that the wording City officials have defended their ics spoke out Monday during a Recall supporter Judy McKinney a controversial senior housing devel­ was automatically accepted. decision to support developer Glenn Westland City Council meeting agreed and vowed that "we'll get the opment on the city's north side. The recall group, Save Our Shaw Jr.'s rezoning proposal, saying — the first such meeting since the signatures." Recall leader Rosemarie Rembisz Neighborhood, hopes to recall it will boost tax revenues and pro­ petition language was approved. Wild and other city leaders have conceded that "this is a big endeav­ Mayor William Wild and vide quality housing in a city with "I sincerely hope that it fails," said they hope the recall campaign or," but she said several volunteers Councilmen James Godbout, a growing senior population. They recall opponent Mary Murphy said. will not detract from the positive have agreed to help her and another Michael Kehrer, Bill Johnson and have cautioned that Shaw still has to Murphy called the recall cam­ efforts they have initiated to try to organizer, Donna DeWitt, collect Dewey Reeves for supporting a $35 conduct marketing studies and seek paign "frivolous" and said residents improve Westland. signatures of registered voters. million development that critics funding. should merely wait until the next Recall petition language was say will create overcrowding condi­ The recall group will have to col- round of city elections to make their [email protected] I (734) 953-2110 Woman, 64, charged K with shooting husband \ BY DARRELLCLEM '. OBSERVER STAFF WRITER :# A 64-year-old Westland woman faces a court hearing Thursday follow­ ing accusations she shot her estranged husband in the face at Parkcrest : >tf^ Apartments, northeast of Warren and Newburgh, police Sgt. Thad Nelson said. Mary Alice Teagues hearing in Westland ISth District Court will deter­ mine whether she should stand trial on charges of assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, felony firearm and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. If convicted; she could face penalties ranging up to life in prison. Teague was arrested following an incident that Nelson said occurred around 10 a.m. Tuesday, during an argument that erupted when her estranged husband went to the apartment. He had been staying in Detroit, and the couple had separated. "He claimed he was sitting on the couch when she pulled the gun out and shot him," Nelson said. Teague is accused of firing multiple shots from a .22-caliber revolver, and Nelson said one bullet struck the victim on the left side of his face before it become lodged inhis neck. The victim was taken to a hospital. Teague was arraigned in front of 18th District Judge C. Charles Bokos, who entered a not-guilty plea, set a $50,000 cash bond and scheduled Thursday's preliminary hearing. Teague had no criminal history, Nelson said. TOM HAWLEY jSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER [email protected] I (734) 953-2110 Attendance was close to norma! Friday at schools in Wayne-Westlarfj following a four-day teacher strike. BY SUE MASON BY DARRELL CLEM OBSERVER STAFF WRITER teachers who walked out. OBSERVER STAFF WRITER "I'm disappointed by that stipulation," said school School is back in session in the Wayne-Westland board Vice President Skip Monit, who was in the A Westland man will face trial in Wayne County Circuit Court on charges Community Schools, but the question now is when the courtroom Thursday morning. "This sends a bad mes­ he tried to rob a 71-year-old woman outside the Kmart store on the southeast four days lost to a teachers' strike will be made up. sage to students that you can break the law and get corner of Cherry Hill and Wayne roads. "These days have to be made up," said away with it." Gary William VanHorn, 53, was ordered to stand trial after he waived Superintendent Greg Baracy. "Unlike the union He added that MacDonald's decision leaves school his preliminary hearing Thursday in front of Westland 18th District Judge lawyer's analogy that these days were equivalent to a boards "being held hostage by teachers." Sandra Ference Cicirelli. snow day, they were not an act of God. It was a strike, In a statement issued by the Michigan Education If convicted of assault with intent to rob while unarmed, VanHorn could and these days will have to be made up; We may have Association WWEA President Nancy Strachan said face penalties ranging up to 15 years in prison. A not-guilty plea has been to use one of those long breaks to do that." that teachers were able to make the community aware placed on record for him, Baracy made the comments Friday morning just of what was going on in negotiations. VanHorn was charged after the 71-year-old woman told police she fought hours after students returned to classes following an "The purpose of the work stoppage was to put the off a suspect who rode up on a bicycle and tried to rob her of her purse after end to a four-day strike by members of the Wayne- bqard on notice and make the community aware of she left the Kmart store, police Sgt. Thad Nelson has said. The vic,tim was Westland Education Association. Wayne County the egregious and illegal behavior of the board's bar­ putting bags in her car when the incident happened around 9:45 a.m. Friday, Circuit Court Judge Kathleen MacDonald issued an gaining team. We accomplished that today" Strachan Sept. 26. injunction Thursday, ordering an end to the walk-out. said. The alert woman noticed a suspicious-acting man, braced herself and held The teachers have been working without a contract Parent KathyJIuffman of Wayne also is glad her tightly onto her purse when he approached her, Nelson said. The suspect fled since Aug. 25. The union and district had agreed to a son Zach and daughter Stephanie, students at Wayne without the purse after a witness drove up, saw what was happening and 30-day extension which expired Sept. 30, just six days Memorial High School, are back at school. started honking a car horn, the detective said. before teachers walked off the job. "This has been hard on the kids," she said. "It's been Police officers searched the area and, with help from witnesses, found the Michigan law prohibits teachers from striking and hard on everyone, but ultimately it hardest on the lads." suspect at an apartment on nearby South Parent Street, Nelson said. those who do could face fines and firing. However, VanHorn's bond had been reduced Thursday from $10,000/10 percent to MacDonald in her decision put the district on notice Please see MAKE UP, A3 $5,000/10 percent, meaning he would have to post $500 for his release. that it cannot take disciplinary action against the [email protected] 1 (734) 953-2110 D The Observer & Eccentric INDEX Coming Thursday For Home Newspapers -'are te&Rjrcfc* APARTMENTS D2 infill r Delivery call: Log on to momslikeme.com today and you'll AUTOMOTIVE C9 Volume 44 CLASSIFIED C7-D6 find a community of moms just like you I (866) 887-2737 Number 40 HEALTH B5 CI Forums * Photo sharing * Groups * Personal profiles HOMETOWNLIFE *S JOBS C3 Dl ^ Have fun at momslikeme.com! NEW HOMES OBITUARIES C4 OPINION All D2 Scary movies momsUke where Detroit moms meet REAL ESTATE *J • SERVICE GUIDE D4 and spooktacular 6 531?4 10007 8 B1 GAI*IETT SPORTS Halloween events Observer S Eccentric | Sunday, October 12,2008 A2 (W) LOCAL NEWS www.hometownlife.com LeBlanc: MBT surcharge needs to be eliminated BY DARRELL CLEM so success­ RICHARD LEBLANC BY DARRELL CLEM level, such OBSERVER STAFF WRITER ful so quickly," OBSERVER STAFF WRITER as restoring even though he Age: 50 tariffs on Seeking his second two-year acknowledged Residence: Westland U.S. Taxpayers Party imports in Age: 76 term, Democratic state Rep. an attempt the state has Education: Bachelor's degree candidate Harold Dunn Residence: Westland Richard LeBlanc singled out eco­ had to spend surprised many political to bring back in labor relations, Concordia Education: Master's degree in nomic problems as the No. 1 issue money on the observers when he declared U.S. jobs that automotive engineering from facing legislators, and he cited College, some graduate work his campaign against he said have effort.