Observer & Eccentric CONTACT US Hometownlife.Com Call 866-887-2737
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THIEVES TARGET BICYCLES IN AREA COMMUNITIES local news, A4 WAYNE-WESTLAND FRANKLIN PULLS OFF BIG UPSET IN PLAYOFF bserver OPENER O SPORTS, B1 ALSO SERVING GARDEN CITY THURSDAY 11.02.17 II HOMETOWNLIFE.COM II FART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Meet Shelley Holt, new superintendent for district LeAnne Rogers — we had graduated together — she was graders. A lot of them had not been suc hometownlife.com going to teach” Holt said. “My mom said cessful in school.” USA TODAY NETWORK — MICHIGAN I should call and I got hired. I’ve been The move into administration was teaching ever since.” sort of accidental, Holt said. “I was a Wayne-Westland Community Schools Teaching with her friend in a self- grade-level lead. I’m bilingual and they district Superintendent Shelley Holt contained seventh- and eighth-grade needed someone at a school site who didn’t start out intending to be a teacher classroom, Holt said they were left to spoke Spanish, “ she said. “I loved being or work in education — she was a pre figure out much on their own. an administrator.” med student and planning to become a “I loved to learn. To see that spark in Bom in West Covina, Calif., Holt has a doctor. (students’) eyes, that light bulb go on. doctor of education in urban education “I had graduated college, but I wasn’t That drives me,” she said. “It was some Wayne-Westland Superintendent Shelley ready for medical school. My roommate thing I would see, especially with eighth- See HOLT, Page A2 Holt. LEANNE ROGERS “I feel like it’s a good thing to do. ... It makes me feel good that I’m doing things that help blind children. ” CHERI MUCHOW, retired teacher and Seedlings volunteer Brothers Jameson and Jackson Drzewcki feel the bumps on the pages of braille, printed by the high-speed Braillo printer, bill bresler | hometownlife.com SEEDLINGS OPENS READING TO VISUALLY-IMPAIRED Brad Kadrich Hundreds attend open house to celebrate founding get a look at the nonprofit Bonde start hometownlife.com ed in her basement 33 years ago. Bonde USA TODAY NETWORK — MICHIGAN had noticed a dearth of books for blind of Livonia nonprofit that supplies braille books children, plus the ones that did exist Livonia resident John Hillman has were incredibly expensive. heard his wife Barb rave about Seed books to children so, when Seedlings raving of his own. With a desire “to help people” burn lings Braille Books for Children for hosted an open house this week, John “I think it’s fabulous,” he said. “What ing inside her and with some help from years, but he’d never seen the book decided it was time he saw for himself they do with the funds they have is her dad, Bonde started Seedlings in maker in action. what all Barb’s raving was about. amazing. It’s everything my wife said it 1984 with a catalog of 12 books. Barb has always been a big sup After hearing the story of founder was.” “We sent the catalog out to various porter of the Livonia-based nonprofit, Deb Bonde and seeing books actually Hundreds of people streamed which specializes in providing braille being created, John Hillman did some through Seedlings on Oct. 25, eager to See SEEDLINGS, Page A3 Gathering celebrates Norwayne community, volunteers LeAnne Rogers Gene Mc eliminating Originally built to house World War II hometownlife.com Kinney, blighted defense workers, Norwayne was partic USA TODAY NETWORK — MICHIGAN Johnson homes and ularly hard hit by the recession and hous said the reducing ing crash after years of neglect. Jef It was a gathering to celebrate the 75th suggestion density. ferson and Lincoln schools, both in Nor anniversary of the Norwayne community, was made to “We’re wayne, were closed. volunteers past and present. maybe Johnson Rogers Smith here to bury “This is Westland’s first established “For those who think Norwayne has market . Shacktown neighborhood. It was a stepping stone for seen its best days, the best is yet to houses in and Shack many in the dream of home ownership . come,” said Henry Johnson, president of Norwayne, some just 827 square feet, to Rats,” Johnson said, adding Westland and a good education for kids,” said Wild, the Norwayne Community Citizens Coun take advantage of the tiny house trend. In Mayor William Wild committed to im who spent some years growing up in cil. recent years, the city has put a lot of proving Norwayne in his first State of the Speaking with former Westland Mayor focus on clearing abandoned homes, City address and kept that promise. See NORWAYNE. Page A2 © The Observer & Eccentric CONTACT US hometownlife.com Call 866-887-2737. Press 1) for Classified, Death Notices; 2) Retail Advertising; Observer & Eccentric Newspapers PARtOFTHEUSAtODAYNEtwoRK Volume 53 • Number 49 3) Billing, Subscription, Back Copies, Delivery Issues; 4) leave message 6 53174 11 77890 1 for newsroom. Send press releases, calendar items to [email protected] PRICE: $1.50 INDEX Classified.............................B6-7 Obituaries. A7 A2 (W) 0& E Media | Thursday, November 2, 2017 hometownlife.com former state Rep. Thomas Brown and Dr. C. Kenneth founder of Warms Hearts, nonprofit that supports ex NORWAYNE Dryer, who came to provide medical care for defense pectant mothers through annual baby showers. workers in 1942 and practiced in Norwayne and Wayne The final inductee, Marguerite Wojewski, moved onto Continued from Page A1 for 43 years — are deceased. Brown, who was active ii Hillsdale Court in 1952 with husband Tom and, in 1954, the Lions, Knights of Columbus, Amvets and VFW, diel moved to Ogemaw Court, where she raised six children. Norwayne. in 2002 at age 85. Former chief of staff at Annapolis She lives there still. She was active in the Jefferson Ele The elementary schools may have closed in Nor Hospital and a Wayne Rotarian, Dryer died at 96 in 201. mentary School PTA, helped with Girls Scouts and Boy wayne, but Wild noted Jefferson school is now the Jef Other inductees included Ken and Carol Sharp, whe Scouts, was a member of the Women of Norwayne and ferson Barns Community Vitality Center. The demol moved into a rental unit on Muskegon Court in 1965. Tie helped provide holiday baskets for the needy. ished Lincoln school is now an athletic field. following year, they bought a duplex on Calhoun Court Other awards presented included: the Norwayne “One of the first projects in Norwayne was a new and rented half until 1969, when they converted the Good Neighbor Award to Westland police offiers Tom house on Oscoda Court. It was a mom with four girls — building into a single-family home for themselves and Rogers and Kevin Smith; Volunteer of the Year Karen two in college, two at Wayne Memorial,” Wild said. “She their four children. Trudell; and the Community Service Award to Westland plans to buy the lot next door. We’re adding green Ken Sharp retired in 1992 after 25 years as a fire City Councilman and UAW Local 900 official Bill John space.” fighter, ending his career as a battalion chief. He chairs son, who organizes holidays dinners for the needy and Held at the Jefferson Bams Community Vitality the Westland Planning Commission, is a member of the the Westland Rotary Club, which provides donations and Center, the founders and volunteer recognition dinner Lions Club and serves on the Norwayne Community sponsors community events in Norwayne. also included induction of the inaugural inductions into Citizens Council. the Norwayne Hall of Fame. Also a member of the Norwayne Community Citizens [email protected] Two of the inductees — Westland’s first mayor and Council, Carol Sharp is active with Girl Scouts and is 734-883-90391 Twitter: @LRogersObserver hometownhfe.com HOLT Observer & Eccentric Newspapers part of the usa today network Continued from Page A1 ’ublished Sunday and Thursday by Observer & Eccentric Media and leadership from the University of Southern California; a master of Newsroom Contacts arts in urban education and leader Dan Dean, Managing Editor ship from California State Univer- Mobile: 248-396-0706; Email: [email protected] sity-Sacramento; and a bachelor of Brad Kadrich, Reporting Coach arts in psychology from University Mobile: 586-262-9892; Email: [email protected] of California-Berkeley. To Holt’s parents, she said suc Follow us on Facebook: ©OEHometown cess was defined by becoming a doctor. So she said she earned her doctoral degree in education. Subscription Rates Home Delivery For the last two years, Holt had Newsstand price: $1.50 Customer Service: 866-887-2737 worked as executive director of $104.00 per 12 months home Mon.-Fri 8:30 ajn, to 4 p.m. student services for the Fontana delivery Sunday 7:30 a.m. to noon Unified School District in Cali Afterhours, leave voicemail fornia. A couple of things impacted Email: [email protected] her, Holt said, including the death of Wayne-Westland Superintendent Shelley Holt (standing, right rear), with a class at her father. P.D. Graham Elementary School “Once my dad died, it gave me a Advertising Policy different perspective on fife and All advertising published in this newspaper is subject to the conditions stated work. I asked myself where was I into one and a half months.” graphic shift in the district, Holt in the applicable rate card, copies of which are available from the advertising needed and where could I make a After riding througn Detroit and said the educational expectations department. We reserve the right not to accept an advertiser's order. Our legacy,” she said. “That was back looking at data trends, Holt said she were also high with programs like ad-takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of east.” thought she could make a differ No Cluld Left Behind.