November 15,2007
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America's Thanksgiving Parade set to travel down Woodward Avenue along its redesigned rout! lilt r_ November 15,2007 75 cents WINNERS OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE www.hometownlife.com round up food for Salvation Army BY SUE MASON Salvation Army desperately seeking His parents say Daniel Sorensen, a STAFF WRITER bell-ringers, See story on A2 BY DARRELLCLEM former Westland resident killed last STAFF WRITER week, was fiercely loyal to friends They're lightweight and por High School which also is stag Alexander James Letkemann Jean Pierre Orlewicz and family. table. ing a food drive. The two high Standing in front of They're also sold in boxes of schools are competing for the his two-story home on 12, and when the top prize in bragging rights of collecting Westland's north side, a a food drive is determined by the most food. somber Pete Letkemann the number of items donated, When the two schools last rejected the way his it's no wonder, Ramen noodles did it in 2005, it was Wayne 18-year-old son, Alex, are a popular item in the John Memorial that won, although has been portrayed as a Shock of shocks Glenn High School Student Jones and Johnson hint that vicious criminal involved Council's annual food drive. the contest may have been in the stabbing, behead "We've got lots and lots of rigged. ing and burning of former NorthYilie noodles," said council vice "They started a week earlier Westland resident Daniel president Miesha Johnson, than we did," said Jones, "They G. Sorensen. placing packages of the noodles schedule theirs after they heard "We are chomping at on a stack that was taller than when ours was. We got 3,000 the bit to get the word she is. "They're not heavy and last time, and they said they out about the real Alex they're easy to carry." got 6,000." — not this pretend Alex Of course, there's lots of Jones and Johnson are excit they're talking about," canned fruit, vegetables, beans ed about the students' response Letkemann said. and soup to round out the this year. Normally, the The family's desire to donations that are headed for Student Council promotes the tell their story has been the Salvation Army Wayne- collection during announce hampered by attorneys Westland Corps. ments, but were delayed in get who have advised them The food drive actually is a ting the word out until Nov. 2 against talking while the competition among second- because of testing. case is unfolding against hour classes at the high school. "We're not allowed to make their son mid another Students spent last week announcements when they're defendant, 17-year-old bringing in donations. Student taking tests, they don't want us Jean Pierre Orlewicz of Council members collected to disturb them," Jones said. Plymouth Township. and counted on Monday for This food drive is just one of "Ask anybody who pickup by the Salvation Army monthly community service knows Alex and they will on Tuesday. projects done by the Student tell you that he's not like The counting is important Council. The council does a this," Pete Letkemann because the class that brings blood drive in March and holds said. in the most food wins a pizza jar wars to help raise funds to With that, he walked or sub party. Second place is donate to Friends of EB. into his house as an Map shows time line in the investigation of the slaying of Daniel Sorensen. a doughnut and bagel party, "During Christmas we plan autumn breeze blew while the third-place class gets to adopt two children," said gently along this quiet, candy bars, said Skye Jones, Johnson. well-kept street where Student Council president. "We do plan to go to a local residents are stunned fail On Monday afternoon, it elementary school and throw a that Alex Letkemann is looked as though John Retzer's Christmas party," added Jones. charged with first-degree BY BRAD KADR1CH of a 26-year-old River Rouge "This was the shock of class would win with more "We'll make cookies and do premeditated murder, STAFF WRITER man. shocks," said the neighbor, than 3,000 items turned in. face painting. We try to do at felony murder and mutila Neighbors watched Friday who asked not to be identi "He gives out extra credits," least one project a month, the tion of a corpse. Emotions among residents as several police cars, at least fied. "This is the type of said Jones. "He gives out .5 party is our December proj A neighbor who only in the Plymouth Township some unmarked, surrounded neighborhood where people credit for noodles and 1.5 for ect." wanted her first name, neighborhood of accused the family's Beacon Hill don't come out much at night canned goods. His classes are Ten to 15 Student Council Emma, used said she killer Jean Pierre Orlewicz home. One neighbor, who fre ... I'm not saying I knew (Jean hard — they're AP — classes members helped collect the can't believe the same were still running the gamut quently steps outside to smoke Pierre Orlewicz) very well, and those kids need the help." food Monday afternoon. Jones boy who played hockey among shock, fear and pro- because his wife is ill, said he but he always drove slowly Jones expects the final was grateful classrooms with in the street and who tectiveness days after the 17- thought at first the family was because of kids, and he'd help count will be between 5,000 . large amounts of food like did odd jobs for elderly year-old Canton High School "having a party." his mom in the yard. and 6,000 items and possibly Amanda Laidlaw's class with senior was arrested in connec It soon proved to be some enough to bet Wayne Memorial 1,193 items counted for them. Please see ALEX, A3 tion with the brutal murder thing far more serious. Please see CHARGES, A3 Victim's father: 'There was a lot of love' BY BRAD KADRICH son," said James Sorensen, 51, 18, and actually constituted we're very pleased with how STAFF WRITER a retail manager who lives in a consensual relationship (Danny) has been portrayed. Westland with his wife, Kim. between him and a girl who "He had some struggles, Danny Sorensen came from "He loves his friends; he'd do turned out to be 14 at the but he was a good kid." a very large family, despite anything for them. The defi time. The term "sexual preda As a youngster, James the fact he was an only child. nition of friend and family tor" appeared in headlines Sorensen said, Danny was That's because Sorensen, was interchangeable for him. and newscasts in the days "precocious." There was the killed last week in a brutal He had a lot of people who following his death, but Jim time, when Jim was a col attack police say was perpe loved him." Sorensen thinks all of that lege student in Utah and his trated by two teenagers from The elder Sorensen was has been cleared up now. young family lived in col Plymouth Township and frank about his son. For "When this first came out, lege-owned housing, when Westland, respectively, used instance, he had a record (the media) made a big issue Danny would be playing in the same distinction to define for a sexual offense when he of Danny being on the sexual the complex's yard and would family and friends. was 18 that was initially por offender registry, but I think disappear. That's why, according to trayed in the media as part of they've clarified that," the Jim would frantically walk his dad, some 200 members the reason for his death but elder Sorensen said Tuesday. the grounds, calling his son's of Danny's "family" were on has since been "cleared up," "You heard people say, 'He name, only to discover him in hand to pay their respects at according to Jim Sorensen. was a sexual predator, he got the home of another child. TOM HAWLEY1 STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER his funeral Tuesday. The case occurred in what he deserved.' Well, that's John Glenn junior Asra Najam (floor), sophomores Louissa Viilaroman "Danny was a funny per Illinois when Danny was just ignorance. By and large, Please see SORENSEN, A3 , (behind) and Sidrah Nijam (right) pack a carry out can food that was collected for the John Glenn High School Student Council's annual food drive. 5 TheObserver & Eccentric INDEX For Home Newspapers Ora lid Opening? APARTMENTS C6 in Health Delivery call: AUTOMOTIVE C9 Volume 43 Garden City (866) 887-2737 h CROSSWORD PUZZLE C5 Number 49 Pet Suppty Warehouse W 4A HOMETOWNLIFE D1 JOBS D5 Where your pets are our first priority fr-rf1tiffl^C*<S? OBITUARIES A6 Carrying Food and Supplies for j,:,,. OPINION A10 Dogs, Cats, Birds, Hamsters, pllr^v^. - . 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