Time for Wayne County to update o* ^ * ^ A passport to outdoor ..(, • • spectacular adventure in the state hion Our Views, A6 ^ ir-Df November 13,2008 75 cents WINNERS OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE www.hometownlife.com BYOARRELLCLEM residents who embrace the effort. to-participate curbside recycling between city leaders and recycling now have garbage collection would OBSERVER STAFF WRITER City leaders hope to implement a programs, but the new citywide plan consultants. be supplied with carts in which they long-awaited plan as early as March would use a trash-disposal tax already A majority of Westland City Council could place all their recyclable materi­ After trailing many communities, 30 ~ a move applauded by local in place from an era when local gar­ members favored a recommendation als without having to separate them. Westland appears poised to imple­ recycling enthusiasts and heralded by bage was burned at a now-demolished from Ann Arbor-based Resource Eventually, city leaders plan to extend ment a curbside recycling program outside consultants who say this city incinerator. Recycling Systems Inc. to seek com­ the program to apartment complexes that could reduce landfill costs, boost of 86,000 residents could become a "I'm convinced this is the right petitive proposals from companies to and other multifamily dwellings. the city's environmental reputation regional leader. thing to do," Mayor William Wild haul materials to a recycling facility. and provide financial incentives to Westland has twice failed at pay- said Monday evening, during talks Initially, 28,000 households that Please see RECYCLING, A3 Over there: Veterans honored for service BY SUE MASON . OBSERVER STAFF WRITER crash victim as There were times when Peter Love hummed a few bars and added a word here and there, but the World War II veteran 'loving, caring' was glad to sing the service songs for Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. BY DARRELL CLEM Love was among 34 men and OBSERVER STAFF WRITER women honored during a cere­ mony, conducted by members of Westland father James Dunsmore will be remem­ the Plymouth-Canton Chapter bered as one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the Vietnam Veterans of of the Livonia Blue Jays, a nonprofit youth foot­ America at the Westland ball league whose games he faithfully filmed on Convalescent and Rehab Livonia's Bentley Field. Center in advance of Tuesday's "He videotaped the games and delivered copies Veterans Day observance. to the head coaches," friend Gena "Your service is all greatly Thrushman said. "He did that every appreciated," Vietnam veteran week." Bob Lamourex-alCanton told Dunsmore, 42, was killed Monday residents. morning when he lost control of Dressed in combat fatigues his car on a slick patch of 1-96 near and wearing orange arm bands Davison in Detroit. Dunsmore, who to draw attention to the issue wasn't wearing a seat belt, crashed of the Vietnam-era defoliant, into another vehicle, was thrown Agent Orange, Lamourex was from his car and then hit by a third Dunsmore joined by Joe Agius of Canton, vehicle. Forrest Manley of Westland "It's very tragic," Thrushman said. and Doug Fox of Melvindale for TOM HAWLEV j STAFF-PHOTOGRAPHER Dunsmore, a medical technician at Detroit the ceremony. Agius and Fox Vietnam veteran Bob Lamoureux of Canton thanks Lee Slaughter (left) for his service to his country and veteran Joe Agius Receiving Hospital, was on his way to work in demonstrated the folding of the (behind) of Canton talks to Donald Laughlin following a ceremony honoring veterans at the Westland Convalescent and his silver Ford Escort, said Thrushman, who saw American flag while Lamourex Rehab Center Monday. For more photos on the ceremony, see Page A3. reports of the accident on a television news station explained the symbolism, before she realized who had been killed. including each of the 13 folds. Dunsmore and wife Kelly have three boys, Jacob, "When the flag is folded, men had performed on Monday the Air Force during World War 1980. Like Rettinger, it was 13, Alex, 9, and Nate, 6. Next season, the youngest there are 13 stars uppermost and there were another three II. "She wrote a letter after the something he'd always wanted son has plans to play for the Blue Jays, following in that remind us of out motto, 'In planned for Tuesday. Sullivan brothers were killed. I to do. He did his basic training his brothers' footsteps. God we trust,'" Lamourex said. "We enjoy it," said Manley. was an only son." at Fort Dix, N. J., and trained Gena and Bret Thrushman's 13-year-old son, Bret "The flag takes on the appear­ "They tell us some very inter­ Sally Rettinger served in the in Columbia, S.C., before being Jr., played on the team with Jacob for six years, and ance of a cocked hat like the esting stories. One of the vet­ U.S. Navy during the Korean stationed in Germany. Gena Thrushman said Dunsmore was one of the soldiers that fought for George erans was a prisoner of war conflict. She was stationed in His favorite part of his four- Blue Jays' biggest fans, Washington and John Paul for three years. He was from Chicago for awhile but much year enlistment "was the girls I "He was just a very loving, caring guy," she said. Jones." Poland and when he got out, he of her four years was spent on met in Washington, D.C." "He would volunteer to do anything we asked. We Manley presented.a trumpet got $400." Grosse He. As for the ceremony, he found all became great friends. Over 250 parents were which played Taps for the vet­ Love was among several vet­ "I just wanted to do it," she it "pretty impressive." involved. Everybody knew everybody." erans. erans who saluted as the Pledge said of her enlistment, adding "I didn't know anything about Dunsmore's friends will have a candlelight vigil at Lamourex also talked about of Allegiance was recited. that her mother had to sign so the flag folding," he said. 7 p.m. Saturday at Bentley Field, next to the Livonia the history of Veterans Day He enlisted in the Air Force she could join. "I liked it, but It was after the ceremony Community Recreation Center at Five Mile and which began as Armistice Day, in 1943 and served just 18 what I enjoyed most was the that Love started singing, Hubbard, Thrushman said. a celebration at the 11th hour of months. people." belting out the Marine Corps "It's a memorial for him and to promote seat belt the 11th day of the 11th month "I volunteered, but my moth­ Sanford Woodruff was liv­ Hymn, quite apropos as awareness," she said, adding that Dunsmore wasn't. to honor World War I veterans. er got me out," said the former ing in Los Angeles when he Monday was the 233rd birthday wearing his seat belt during the accident. The ceremony was the third the Detroit resident who served in enlisted in the U.S. Army in of the U.S. Marine Corps. Dunsmore became close friends with the Thrushmans and others like Tom Tudor and Mike Groat. His friends have pictures of him at Bentley Field, including one in which he is smiling and wav­ ing from an announcer's booth. Thrushman confirmed that Kelly Dunsmore, a Tickets are going fast for Holiday Taste Fest Red Robin employee, and her sons will need help, so the Jim Dunsmore Memorial Fund will be set up at BYOARRELLCLEM be at 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. Denning's Cake Shoppe, Olga's conscious food lover. the Charter One branch at 31441 Plymouth Road at OBSERVER STAFF WRITER 2, at the usual spot, the Hellenic Kitchen, Qdoba Mexican Grill, With help from major sponsor Merr'iman in Livonia for anyone who wants to help Cultural Center on Joy Road east Red Robin, Starbucks Coffee, Ameriprise Financial and others, the family. Food lovers who wantto eat ofNewburgh. Texas Roadhouse, the Wayne- the chamber has offered Holiday Dunsmore also is survived by his parents, out without busting their bud­ "I think it's a good value for Westland school district's culi­ Taste Fest without increasing its Alexander "Butch" and Sarah "Dean" Dunsmore; a gets might want to savor this the money," chamber President nary arts program, the Hellenic prices. sister, Pam Fopma; aniece, Tiffany Fopma; and a scenario. Btookellen Swope said. "It's a Cultural Center and, from There's one caveat: Tickets are nephew, Matthew Scheida. For just $20, they can try pal­ very easy way to try out different Garden City, Dario's Italian selling fast. The family scheduled visitation for 4-9 p.m. ate-pleasing samples from 13 restaurants, and you don't even Eatery. "We sell 500 tickets, and I only Wednesday and 1-9 p.m. Thursday at the Dearborn or more places during Holiday have to leave a tip." A couple more restaurants have about 100 left," Swope said Chapel of Voran Funeral Home, 23701 Ford Road, Taste Fest, a popular event Already lined up for this year's still may join the lineup, Swope Monday. in Dearborn. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. by the Westland Chamber of Holiday Taste Fest are Ashley's said. Already, the price tag For tickets, call the chamber Friday at the funeral home, with interment at Commerce that is marking its Beer & Grill, Lakeshore Grill at amounts to little more than offices at (734) 326-7222. Oakridge Cemetery in Flat Rock. 10th year.