WINNERS OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENC^^HA^ofwSiUi www.hometownlife.com Missing BY SUE MASON STAFF WRITER There will be a femiliar face at the helm of the Wayne-Westland school board, following the election of Skip Mpnit as president. BY DARRELL CLEM Monit replaces Frederick Weaver who STAFF WRITER had served as board president for three consecutive years. It's a grave crime — literally — not to "We all know that fortunately we mention a little spooky. can work together," he said. "We don't A Westland woman turned over two stress the small things and focus on the large stones she found in the driveway of important things." a home she recently started renting on The board voted 5-2 in favor of Monit, Berville Court, in the Norwayne neigh­ with Weaver and TVustee Ed lurner vot­ borhood. Westland Police Sgt. David Heater discovered "•'. ing no. T\irner had nominated Weaver "They're gravestones," police Sgt." that Owen Jackson's gravestone was missing ; for a fourth term as president David Heater said. "It's very bizarre." from Grandlawn Cemetery in Detroit. The board also voted 5-2 to elect The 50-year-old resident had heard Cindy Schofield as vice president, from a neighbor boy that the stones were replacing Terrance McClain. Casting no rumored to be grav^markers. votes were McClain and Weaver who Sure enough, the two of them flipped had nominated McClain for a second over the heavy, granite stones and found term. The board, however, was in agree­ inscribed,on them: Father, Russell C. ment in keeping Martha Pitsenbarger Howard, 1892-1955, and Beloved Father ••.*-' as board secretary. Pitsenbarger was of Mine, Owen Jackson, Sept. 25 1908- nominated by Steve Becher who also March 30,1972. This gravestone was found missing from the was re-elected board treasurer. The The resident called police to remove Northview Cemetery in Dearborn. hoard also voted unanimously for the gravestones after finding them Becher after voting 2-5 on the nomina­ Saturday on the property, which was On Tuesday afternoon, police were tion of Turner by Weaver for the post. With the temperature in the 90s this week, DJ Dean, 8, of Westland found a recently bought by a new landlord after a arranging to get the gravestones back to Weaver and Turner cast the yes votes. way to cool off at the Bailey Recreation Center's outdoor poof. DJ was among foreclosure. the cemeteries. By Wednesday, Heater McClain thanked Weaver, saying that youngsters trying out the Aqua Climb wall, one of several improvements made at Hoping to solve the mystery, Heater had learned that the marker in Dearborn "through the years, we certainly appre­ the pool earlier this year. The wall got a high rating from DJ who said it's fun. called the State of Michigan Vital already had been replaced by the family. ciated your initiative and creativity and Records Office and learned that Howard "Apparently, it had been gone for some getting us all involved as a team." had been buried at Northview Cemetery time," he said. "I always hope our focus will be on Devin in Dearborn and that Jackson had been Heater called it puzzling that two the kids," he added. "Decisions made in Oean, 12, of laid to rest at Grand Lawn Cemetery in gravestones came from two different Lansing have put us behind the eight Vestland Detroit. cemeteries and somehow ended up in ball. Hopefully, we can continue to work 'tlimos the Heater's investigation revealed that the Westland. together." Aqua Climb gravestones have been in the driveway Anyone who has information about the Monit, who also thanked Weaver for at the Bailey since at least November, if not longer. He gravestones is urged to call the Westland his work as president, said that he looks Center Pool in called the two cemeteries, and officials Police Department at (734) 721-6311 or forward to "leading the board." Westland. 'it's there checked to find the markers miss­ (734) 722-9600. Becher also was elected as the different/ ing. Anyone found to have taken the grave­ board's representative to the Wayne said Devin. "Neither of them had any idea before stones would face criminal charges. County Association of School Boards, 1 have not that that they were missing," the detec­ whUeM^ain willbe the Michigan seen this at tive said. dclemthometowniife.com I (734) 953-2110 Association of School Boards' represen­ another pool.' tative. ;, ... The election of officers came just after Pitsepiatger and Monit were sworn in to new'fbur-year terms, Pitsenbarger had her daughter, Patti Hill, administer the oath; she is serving her fourth term on the board. Monit had his wife, Kitty, administer the oath to begin his third .^c —^. term. 2 former Farmer Jacks BY DARRELL CLEM Moreover, Kroger has indicated STAFF WRITER that, one week later, it will open at Attorney gets delay in 7-EIeven robberies hearing 8 a.m. Friday, July 20, inside the old Kroger Co. is moving quickly this Farmer Jack store at Cherry Hill and BY DARRELl CLEM June 22 at the 7-Eleven stores 1 a.m. May 24 at the Wayne- month to occupy two newly closed Merriman, Thompson said. * STAFF WRITER at Wayne and Avondale and at Avondale store. Farmer Jack stores in Westland, city Kroger's decision means that it will Merriman and Palmer, police For now, Martinelli is jailed officials confirmed. open the stores about two weeks after A court hearing for two sus­ Sgt. Thad Nelson has said. with a $750,000 cash bond and In a related development, Mayor A&P closed them, he said. pects charged in a Westland Martinelli, alone, is charged Boyce with a $500,000 bond. William Wild said it appears that an "That is fairly fast," Thompson said. investigation of 7-Eleven rob­ with armed robbery for an District Judge C. Charles Bokos independent grocer will move into the On Monday, Wild said he had beries has been adjourned until incident that occurred May 24 gave the defendants a $250,000 city's third Farmer Jack store. learned that the city's third Farmer next week. at the Wayne-Avondale store, cash bond for each incident in The latest news means that Jack store, at Ford and Wildwood, will A preliminary hearing for police Sgt. David Heater has which they're charged. Westland apparently will not have any likely open as an independent grocer. Richard.Martinelli, 20, of said. Not-guilty pleas have been big vacancies following a decision by He wasn't sure of the company's name Inkster and Mark Boyce, 20, of Police made an arrest after entered for the two men, who The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. or when the store might open. Westland has been scheduled an officer spotted two suspects are expected to learn during to sell its 66-store Farmer Jack super­ A&P officials have said Farmer Jack for July 19 in Westland District outside an apartment complex their July 19 hearing whether market chain in southeast Michigan. stores were being sold in southeast Court after a defense attorney near the site of the last incident they will face trial in Wayne "That's great news," Westland Michigan because of poor sales perfor­ sought more time to review the - — an aborted robbery that hap­ County Circuit Court. Planning DirectorBruce Thompson mance. allegations and charges. pened at 4:10 a.m. June 22 at If convicted, they could face said TXiesday. The company also decided to focus Martinelli and Boyce are the Merriman-Palmer store. penalties ranging up to life in He confirmed that Kroger plans to more on its supermarket business in charged with armed robbery The earlier incidents involved prison. open at 8 a.m. this Friday at the for­ northeastern states. and attempted robbery for an armed robbery that occurred mer Farmer Jack location at Warren incidents that happened early at 1:48 a.m. June 22 and at [email protected] | (734) 953-2110 and Middlebelt. [email protected] j (734) 953-2110 * •. - IIV t, - '/•".•-Jjv-*' •*. «*< • * * 4 ' ' '"1 % Why is Certified INDEX For Home Newspapers loans. .¾ Delivery call: ftUiuMuuvt LJ Volume 43 CLASSIFIED B6-C4 (866) 887-2737 Number 14 CROSSWORD PUZZLE B7 HOMETOWNLIFE 01 JOBS B9 •i -¾ - »fc-i MOVIE GUIDE E14 OBITUARIES A12 OPINION A8 PINK D4 REAL ESTATE B6 SPORTS B1 Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, July 12,2007 A2 <w> www.hometownllfe.cont BY SUE MASON McCallum said. the Community Crier newspaper in Plymouth. "She very much was a history buff," her sister STAFF WRITER ' "She loved what she was Even after she started teaching, she still sold said. "She had been working on a history book of doing and it showed," Garden advertising part-time, her sister said. the people of Bumbletown and Allouez. She had "Amazing" and "marvelous" are just two of City School Supt. Richard . "Her ultimate goal was to be a professor," been doing oral histories." many words Catherine McCallum uses when Witkowski said. "Wherever I Tregembo said. "She had a summer home near The family has received many notes from . talking about her friend Michelle Tregembo went in terms of the high school, Calumet and her goal was to retire early and students who attended Mrs. Wilson's services at Wilson. she was always there. She was teach at Firjlandia University. She loved working .Newburgh United Methodist Church in Livonia. "She was an amazing gal, an absolute angel," a dedicated teacher and will be with young people that age." Word of her death reached them through text' McCallum said.