May 14, 2006 Serving Westland for 41 Years
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Make a difference! New moms thrive State of mind - . V'. In Michigan, 7,070 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and despite lack of sleep Optimism essential for the unemployed 1,360 will die from the disease. Join the Susan G. Komen Breast -•• -'$ Cancer Detroit Race for the Cure® Locally presented, by: Barbara Ann hometownLIFE - SECTION C HEALTH-PAGE C6 • 1 r Karmanos Cancer Institute (800)KARMANOS View daily updates of photos, news and sports online at www.hometownlife.com www.karmanos.org/detroitraceforthecure TLAND Your hometown newspaper May 14, 2006 serving Westland for 41 years 75 cents WINNERS OF OVER 100 STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS SINCE 2001 www.hometownlife.com County's life ordinances will have little BY DARRELL CLEM STAFF WRITER A former Inkster man has been found not guilty of killing effect on city drug dealer Billy Ford and dumping his body in Westland BY DARRELLCLEM problems with curfew viola in 1994. STAFF WRITER tions, Bokos said. "It's just never Boysie Walker, 46, was been a real big problem." acquitted recently by a Wayne Three new Wayne County The county also passed an County Circuit Court jury that ordinances regulating youth ordinance to restrict loud music deliberated only 45 minutes, curfews, loud noise and graffiti- and other sounds that can be Westland police Sgt. James based vandalism will have little heard outside after 10 p.m. Dexter said. impact on Westland, a judge weekdays and after midnight on Walker was arrested in said Thursday. weekends. October after an informant, The "quality-of-life" ordi Westland's ordinance is even Darnell O'Neal, told authorities nances, adopted this month by more restrictive, putting the dis that he saw Walker abduct Ford the Wayne County Commission, tance at 50 feet for radios, tele at gunpoint and drive off from pertain to issues already visions, stereo speakers and an Inkster house. addressed by Westland officials, other items that cause noise, A short time later on Dec. 14, 18th District Judge C. Charles Bokos said. 1994, Ford's body was found Bokos said. The third county ordinance is along a snow-covered roadside "It's redundant for us," he aimed at curbing graffiti by pro on county-owned property near said. "We've had these ordi viding new, stricter penalties. nances covered for years." Bokos said Westland has long Road and Local communities can opt battled such vandalism with its Michigan out of the county ordinances or rules against malicious destruc Avenue. He use their own, if they already tion of property. died of a shot have them. Violators of any of the misde I's gun blast to One county ordinance sets a meanor ordinances can face his chest. curfew for youths 17 years and penalties rangingup to $500 in was found Defense younger from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. fines and up to 90 days in jail, attorney weekdays and from midnight to Bokos said. Susan Rock 6 a.m. weekends. In some cases, youths caught argued in The county adopted the new spray-painting graffiti have December rule because juvenile crimes been referred to local programs during a hear increase for youths ages 10 to 17, that force them to clean up their ing in Westland District Court according to county officials. own mess. that Walker "did not commit According to Bokos, Wayne County Commissioner this crime." Westland has a similar ordi Bona Varga, D-Detroit, intro A Wayne County jury sided nance stating that no one under duced the ordinances because 17 can loiter on the street people had repeatedly com with Rock on April 13 and HER returned a not-guilty verdict between midnight and 6 a.m. plained to her about rowdy during Walker's trial on first- unless accompanied by a parent youths, excessive noise and van degree murder and felony or guardian, at a workplace or dalism of property. firearm charges. Lincoln Elementary School fourth-grader Amanda Burkacki watches a demonstration on how to correctly on an emergency errand. "I think most of our kids are "It was not a surprise," Dexter plant a tree as part of Rooting for the Rouge. The project, a partnership of the Wayne-Westland Community Moreover, the time is more responsible young people," she said of the verdict. "It was an Schools, the cities of Westland, Inkster and Wayne and Canton Township, involves nine elementary schools in restrictive for youths under 14, said, "but sometimes they get old case, and Darnell O'Neal the district, tt kicked off at Lincoln where students participated in the planting of six trees to replace those who face a curfew of 10 p.m. to misguided. These ordinances would not testify as to what he killed by the emerald ash borer. The students got help from Westland Department of Public Works with the 6 a.m., Bokos said. are not designed to punish (earlier) told us that he saw. He planting the trees on the school grounds. "We've had a curfew for them. We simply need more was reluctant to testify. minors for years," he said. order to protect them and the "We did the best we could," Westland hasn't had many rest of our communities." Dexter said. "What more can anybody ask of us?" ; Walker, a former Inkster resi dent who had moved to Battle Recall: Trustees hire attorney Creek before his arrest, had maintained his innocence all BY STEPHANIE ANGELVN CAS0LA shows how strongly they feel to verify the signatures on along. He did not testify at his STAFF WRITER that the decision they made is recall petitions, the district trial. in the best interest of the stu continues to move forward O'Neal didn't testify that he Following a big week for a dents, the district and the with its Legacy Initiative. saw Walker shoot Ford. Rather, grassroots opposition group, community," said Gillam. From a legal standpoint, O'Neal only said he saw Walker members of the Livonia Last week, the Citizens for Gillam's role will be to make force Ford to drive off at gun Public Schools Board of Livonia's Future turned in sure "all the proper steps have point. Education aren't backing some 11,000 signatures to been followed" by those circu No testimony had surfaced as down. In fact, the board recall the five trustees for lating the petitions, and sign to what happened between the members targeted for recall their support of the Legacy ing them. He said he will be time of the alleged abduction are bracing for the legal Initiative, a plan to close looking to see that the proper and the time that Ford's body process by hiring an attorney. schools and shift grade levels forms were used, and the peti was found. This week, board members at elementary buildings in tions were circulated in the -• However, O'Neal did testify Dan Lessard, Kevin order to save money and proper manner. He will also maintain class sizes. Earlier in verify the figures being used in December that Walker told Whitehead, Robert Freeman, TOM H0FFMEYERI STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER him "not to tell anybody or Lynda Scheel and Cynthia the week, the CFLF backed by the county and city clerks, something would happen to Markarian hired attorney school board candidate, Steve which deem how many signa me." David Gillam, a partner with King. He won the election tures are required. On the campaign over incumbent Joanne Rock couldn't be reached on the Farmington Hills law firm Officials have said 8,921 Former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland speaks to guests at the Harris Kehrer Morgan by almost 900 votes. Thursday. Secrest Wardle. valid signatures are needed to VFW Post 3323 in Westland as he campaigns for Democratic "The fact that they're Even as the Wayne County congressional candidate Tony Trupiano. See story and photos on Page [email protected] | (734) 953-2110 spending their own money and livonia City clerks work PLEASE SEE RECALL, A7 A8. ) The Observer & Eccentric INDEX Coming Thursday For Home Newspapers APARTMENTS E6 in Filter Delivery call: AUTOMOTIVE F1 Volume 41 HOMETOWNLIFE CI (866)887-2737 Number 101 CROSSWORD D8 CLASSIFIEDS D2-F6 Detroit's annual JOBS Dl Downtown NEW HOMES El Mown returns ft!* OBITUARIES C4 with former PERSPECTIVES 'American Idol' it REAL ESTATE SERVICE GUIDE E2 star Josh firacin iii! SPORTS K (w> Observer & Eccentric j Sunday, May 14,2006 www.hometownKfB.com On your mark(er): Friends host program on historical sites \ On Your Mark(er)... Refreshments and a tour of the mainly because of a family rule: Nankin Mills has served Wayne i Jim Brennan's hobby is photog mill, which also has a state histori "Whenever I photographed three County since 1842. The building is raphy, a very specific land of pho cal marker, will follow the pro markers, the kids got to stop at now the headquarters for Wayne tography. gram. Dairy Queen." County Parks and houses an inter ; Brennan has spent the past 18 Nankin Mills is located at 33175 "As a result, I not only became pretive center that tells the natu years photographing the site of Ann Arbor Trail just east of familiar with historic markers, but ral and cultural history of the mill £very historical marker in the Farmington Road. Although the with ice cream stands" he said. and the surrounding Rouge River State of Michigan. event is free, reservations are rec When the Internet came along, watershed. ! Brennan has traveled nearly ommended. Call (734) 261-1990 placing his photos and informa The Friends of Nankin Mills is a 20,000 miles and to every county or visit www.nankanmills.org to tion on a Web site.