Pink Ladies weigh in on the choice for county *" 4*. ico venom season's legwear - Our Views, All - Grid Picks, B1 - pink D8 October 16,2008 A 75 cents WINNERS OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE www.hometownlife.com BY SUE MASON the way to collect signatures to recall. Elected officials cannot extend its 2006-2008 collec­ has to do is run the district in a Monday when a "hacker" appar­ OBSERVER STAFF WRITER recall school board President be recalled during their first six tive bargaining agreement with responsible way and within the ently shut down the account. She's Martha Pitsenbarger, "Vice months in office or their last six the only change being class size budget" he said. "When I ran for now relying on her cell phone Four members of the Wayne- President Skip Monit, Treasurer months in office. Schofield and reductions at all levels, then voted school board, I promised that I to keep connected with people Westland school board are in the Steve Becher and Trustee Ed Gabriel were elected to the school to allow the administration to would put the students first, the interested in working on the cross-hairs of a recall by parents Turner. board in May and took office on discipline members of the Wayrie- parents second and staff and recall. People can call her at (734) angry about last week's teachers "We're not happy with the nego­ July 1. Walker was appointed to Westland Education Association" administrators third. I think I 521-9110. strike and faltering contract nego­ tiating process," said Maxwell. 'All fill a vacancy on the board on for going on strike. have kept my promise. This board She added that she will go tiations. we get out of the board is that it's a Sept. 15. Turner, a 12-year member of has more feelings towards the stu­ ahead with the recall even if the Shawnn Maxwell of Wayne, healthcare issue. We're concerned Maxwell, who has six chil­ the school board, said he is disap­ dents than people realize." contract is settled. who is spearheading the effort, about class size. We've lost faith in dren in the district, submitted pointed about the recall, saying Maxwell had been using a 'We have lost faith in the board has an Oct. 21 hearing before the board to do the right thing." proposed petition language last that parents are being misled by Yahoo e-mail address to connect and don't believe they have the the Wayne County Elections School board Secretary Cindy Friday. The language states that union officials and that there are with people interested in helping. interest of the children at heart," Commission to see if the recall Schofield and Trustees William the four school board members "a lot of falsities" circulating in the She said she has a committee of she said. language she submitted is Gabriel and Shawna Walker "rejected the Wayne-Westland district. 20 people and was receiving at approved. If OK'd, it would clear are not named in the proposed Education Association's offer to "The first thing a school board least 50 e-mails a day up until smasonOTometownlife.com I (734) 953-2112 Deaf defendant BY SUE MASON OBSERVER STAFF WRITER For most of her years teaching at Farmington Elementary School, Anne Tobias had a shingle hanging outside her classroom door, proclaiming BY DARRELL CLEM Judge C. Charles Bokos in her dental abilities: Official Painless Tooth Puller. OBSERVER STAFF WRITER June for a preliminary hear­ Any student in the school with a loose tooth was ing to determine whether sent to the Westland resident's first-grade class­ For a second time, a deaf he should stand trial in room where she would work with the youngster to Westland man charged with Wayne County Circuit Court. extract the tooth shooting and killing his deaf Catalano had been ruled com­ with no pain or giiifhei.su hat> beta found petent piiur Uj the hearing. trauma. competent for court proceed­ However, Bokos ordered a What: Anne Tobias's first chil­ "I had the tech­ ings involving first-degree second compeWicy exami­ dren's book, "Harry's Problem... nique down to and felony firearm charges. nation amid conflicting First Loose Tooth," (Peppertree a science," said The latest ruling from concerns by defense and the Saline-based Center for prosecuting attorneys that Press, 2008) Tobias. "One of the first things Forensic Psychiatry means Catalano might not have Cost: $9.95 .I'd do when I got that 45-year-old Timothy understood the proceedings Available: Online at www.ama- back to school is Catalano will return to or that he might be faking his zon.com, www.bamesandn.oble. order a gross of Westland 18th District Court confusion. com and www.peppertreepub- tooth holders. I'd on Dec. 5 for a preliminary "I want to be sure the defen­ lishing.com. A signed copy can always run out." hearing that will determine dant isn't playing a game," be ordered by calling Tobias at The Westland whether he should stand trial. Bokos said in June. "I don't resident retired Catalano is accused of kill­ kfnow if it's a scam on his part {734} 722-7733. two years ago ing his girlfriend of 24 years, or a legitimate concern." after 52 years Tammy Susalla, as she lay in Bokos said interpreters, ofteaching. bed around 1 a.m. Aug. 27, brought into the courtroom The things that happened in her. classroom have 2007, at the three-bedroom to assist Catalano, couldn't become the fodder for a series of children's books ranch home they shared on say with certainty how much being published by Peppertree Press. Gloria, near Merriman and Catalano understood about Her first book, Harry's Problem... First Loose Cherry Hill. his preliminary hearing. Tooth, came out in August and is available online The couple's daughter, 19 Catalano's hearing has now at amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, or by ordering at the time, was in the base­ been scheduled for Friday, from Tobias. ment when authorities said Dec. 5, after forensic experts The book is the story of a young child who loses the shooting occurred. Police ruled yet again that he is his first tooth. Written by Tobias, the book features have said Susalla wanted to competent to understand the the illustrations by her brother-in-law, Tom Tobias end her relationship with court proceedings against ofYpsilanti. m Catalano. him. Retired teacher Anne Tobias reads her first children's book, "Harry's Problem, First Catalano last appeared in Please see Loose Tooth," to Suzanne Thirjung's first-grade class at Farmington Elementary School. front of Westland District [email protected] j (734) 953-2110 BY KEN ABRAMCZYK Lafayette and Third streets in morning. The transition to the of January '09," Neill said. allows us to refocus and give the to include general customer OBSERVER STAFF WRITER Detroit. new offices is expected to begin "The critical thing for the readers what they want." service for the western Wayne "This move in no way will late this year. O&E and Mirror newspapers is Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey papers, Neill said. The Observer ££ Eccentric diminish our effectiveness or Neill had discussions with a to retain their community iden­ was informed of the relocation The O&E will continue to Newspapers will move its west­ our dedication to covering the prospective landlord earlier this tity," Neill said. "I believe read­ Tuesday morning by Neill. He office the South Oakland staff of ern Wayne editorial staff of the community of Livonia where year to remain in Livonia, but ers look at us not as Observers, said it was a sad day in the city. the Eccentric and Mirror news­ Observer group and adminis­ we have been headquartered economic conditions forced the but the Canton Observer, "It's a lot like having a good papers in Birmingham. The clas­ trative offices from the news­ during the past 37 years," said company to look downtown to Livonia Observer, Redford friend move away," Kirksey said. sified department remains in paper's main office at 1-96 and Peter Neill, general manager relocate, Neill said. Observer, Farmington Observer, "We look forward to working Sterling Heights and local retail Levan in Livonia to downtown of the Observer & Eccentric "It makes much more sense Westland Observer, Garden with the Observer in the future advertising remains on Helm Detroit. and Mirror Newspapers. "We from a company perspective to City Observer and Plymouth and continuing our relationship Street in Plymouth Township. The editorial staffs of the remain committed to serving make this move," Neill said. Observer. You will have that with the paper and its staff." USA Today, USAToday.com, Livonia, Plymouth, Canton, our customers — readers and Neill acknowledged that any local identity as long as we are The Observer's circulation PointRoll and USA Weekend Farmington, Garden City, advertisers — with the top ser­ move is difficult. "The state of giving them coverage. department and customer employees will be moving to the Redford and Westland Observer vice they have come to expect our local and state economy "It puts us in a strong position service will relocate to the Eccentric office in Birmingham. newspapers will be located on from our team." and that of our business made it as we refocus our sales, distri­ DMP Distribution Center on the fifth level of the Detroit Neill announced the move to necessary for us to fully relocate bution and editorial coverage in Haggerty Road in Plymouth [email protected] Media Partnership building at staffers at a meeting Tuesday to another office before the end our communities," Neill said.