January 24,2008 LOCAL NEWS Livonia School Board Debates Consultant's Energy Plan
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WARM THE SOUL Book helps home cooks make a perfect , schedule and the information you pot of soup to share the warmth to navigate Plymouth's ice festival 75 cents WINNERS OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE •www.hometownlife.com BYDARRELLGLEM from Westland Shopping Center. Hall. The developer hopes to move on would be built near the longtime Fitness world-class architect Minora Yamasaki, STAFF WRITER Mayor William Wild disclosed the the project this year. USA. at Wayne and Central City Parkway, who also designed New York City's for proposal Tuesday night during a "We're real happy about that," providing fitness-industry competition mer World Trade Center. It became one The Quo Vadis, a once-plush movie Westland City Council meeting, Westland Planning Director Bruce in die city's core shopping district. of the early theaters to offer cocktails to theater shuttered since 2002, could be drawing applause from an audience Thompson said. "It will make a huge improvement on a patrons. demolished as early as spring by develop that appeared as eager as city offi City officials hope the project, if it hap key corner in a highly visible area of our The theater stoodfor many years next ers who hope to build a $5 million fitness cials to sec the dilapidated theater pens, could spur other redevelopment city" council President James Godbout to the old Algiers drive-in theater, which center on the prime real-estate site. torn down. efforts around the mall, particularly in said. "I think it's a great project I'm was torn down in the 1980s and replaced Lake Bellaire Properties LLC has pro Lake Bellaire's plans will be dis long-vacant, big-box stores like the for excited about it, and if s long overdue in by a shopping center and sprawling park posed a site plan to tear down the Quo cussed during a Westland Planning mer Sam's Club, Best Buy and Service making something happen on that site." ing lot. Vadis and build a nearly 42,000-square- Commission meeting scheduled for Merchandise. The Quo Vadis opened in the mid- foot fitness center across Wayne Road 7:30 p.m. TUesday, Feb. 5, at City The new center, yet unnamed pubjicly, 1960s with a futuristic look created by [email protected] I (734) 953-2110 Remembering the dream McConnell to seek years later, district judge post BY DARRELL CLEM racial equality, STAFF WRITER Backed by high-ranking endorsements, ice elus* longtime Assistant City Attorney Mark McConnell has announced he will campaign for the judicial seat that will become vacant BYDARRELLCLEM when Westland 18th District Judge C. STAFF WRITER Charles Bokos retires at year's end. Bokos will turn 70 before the November Despite gains in civil rights, a Westland election, an age that by state minister Monday cited escalating poverty, law will prevent him from anti-affirmative action measures and noose- seeking a new term. Bokos hanging incidents as troubling reminders that w as appointed as judge in the Kt.'v. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of 1992 by then-Gov. John racial equality and justice remains elusive. Kngler to fill a vacancy, and Nearly 40 years after King was shot dead local voters elected him in outside a Memphis, Tenn., motel, the Rev. •^T" I 1994,1996 and 2002" Terrance McClain gave a crowd-rousing ^•k__lk_JB McConnell has worked speech to hundreds of people who gathered McConnell as a local prosecutor and inside the Annapolis Park Church of Christ as an assistant to City for the city's King holiday. McClain envisioned Attorney Angelo Plakas. He what King might have said, if his message has formed a campaign committee chaired hadn't been silenced by an assassin's bullet. by Bokos, the court's other judge, Sandra McClain hailed gains in political offices PHOTOS BY TOM HAWLEYI STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ference Cicirelli, and retired Judge Gail made by women, blacks, Hispanics and other The Rev. Terrance McClain of the Annapolis Park Church of Christ gives the keynote address during the city's McKnight. minorities, and he said Hillary Rodham observance of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. Behind him are posters designed by local students. McConnell also has started accumulat Clinton and Barack Obama — the only ing other endorsements, including those African-American currently serving in the of Mayor William Wild, state Sen. Glenn U.S. Senate — have broken down barriers by of the U.S. population controls more than 40 Anderson, D-Westland, state Rep. Richard emerging as front-runners for the Democratic percent of the nation's wealth, while the bot LeBlanc, D-Westland, and the city's top presidential nomination. tom 20 percent of citizens fight for less than public safety officials^ Fire Chief Michael McClain pointed to gains of such leaders 4.5 percent of it. Reddy and Police Chief James Ridener. as Kwame Kilpatrick, Detroit's youngest-ever "I am concerned about that America," "It is my belief that public confidence in mayor, and Shirley Franklin, elected in 2001 McClain envisioned King as saying. "I'm con our judicial system relies upon the assur as Atlanta's first female mayor and the first cerned that 37 million Americans live below ance of well-qualified judicial candidates," African-American woman to head a major the poverty line, and since 2000,5,4 million McConnell said in a statement he issued Southern city. people have fallen into poverty." about his decision to seek a six-year judicial Still, McClain predicted that King, who In the first four years of this century, term. "With my significant experience in the died at age 39, would be saddened by the lack McClain said, the number of children living 18th District Court and courts throughout of "moral and spiritual progress" made since in "extreme .poverty" rose by 20 percent. He the state, I feel I am qualified to fill that his days as a civil rights pioneer. McClain said related that to how blacks once fought against role, and I look forward to serving this com President Bush last year sought a military segregated lunch counters, public buses and munity as a judge for all people." budget that averaged $44 billion a month. residential neighborhoods. McConnell has worked for Plakas' office "Just one month's military expenditure "The question is no longer where shall we since June 1995. His duties, among others, is more than twice as much as is needed to eat, but whether we will eat," he said. "The Michael Coats, 9, a third-grader at P.D. Graham Elementary have included drafting city ordinances and provide all 9 million uninsured children with question is no longer where shall we ride, but School, and his mother, Syivia Coats, applaud the Detroit legal opinions, prosecuting cases and negoti- health coverage," McClain said. School of Arts Male Ensemble, which performed at the He also stressed than less than 1 percent Please see KING, A3 ceremony honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Please see MCCONNELL, A3 BY DARRELL CLEM senior resources director. Inglis, who will work out Inglis has won accolades longtime deputy director, salary will be $70,083 a STAFF WRITER Wild named a for of the Norwayne neigh from officials like Carroll's had headed the depart year. mer Northville Housing borhood's Dorsey Center, predecessor, former ment on an interim basis Westland City Mayor William Wild Commission direc also formerly worked as Westland Housing Director since former Director Councilwoman Cheryl continued to realign his tor, Joanne Inglis, as a revitalization specialist James Gilbert, Wild said. Peggy Ellenwood retired in Graunstadt welcomed administration Tuesday, Westland's new housing for the U.S. Department "She comes highly recom December. Marcum's appointment and announcing his choice and community develop of Housing and Urban mended," the mayor said, Marcum has worked said, "it's so deserving." of a new housing direc ment director. Inglis will Development. describing her as "a people as deputy director for 10 Marcum will work out tor and confirming a start her new $87,303- "I think Ms. Inglis has person." years, and many of her sup of the senior center on popular senior Friendship a-year job Feb. 4, replac a chance to be a super Wild drew praise for porters years ago believed Newburgh south of Ford.. Center employee, Barbara ing former Director Terry star here in the city of naming Marcum as his she had earned the depart Schimmel Marcum, as his Carroll. Westland," Wild said. senior director. Marcum, ment's top job. Her starting [email protected] I (734) 953-2110 D The Observer & Eccentric r For Home Newspapers Garden City ' I Zfyf APARTMENTS C5 in Health Delivery call: Volume 43 Pet Supply AUTOMOTIVE C7 (866) 887-2737 Number 69 CROSSWORD PUZZLE C6 ZfJPr HOMETOWNLIFE D1 Warehouse ~-y JOBS C10 Where your pets are our first priority . i OBITUARIES A6 .A—<r- Carrying Food and Supplies for OPINION A10 Dogs, Cats, Birds, Hamsters, i i PINK D4 Reptiles, Fish, Rabbits and more! Lli REAL ESTATE C3 Open Hon -Frl. 11 am-7 pm: Sat 9 am-5:30 pm; Sun. 10 am-2 pm SERVICE GUIDE C3 Junk Food fights her 6841 Middlebelt • S. of Warren 734-266-8063 SPORTS way back to health A2 (W) Observer & Eccentric 1 Thursday, January 24,2008 LOCAL NEWS www.hometownIife.com Livonia school board debates consultant's energy plan BY REBECCA JONES Inc. presented a plan last month that Education would get a bonus equal to tive services. But, he said, based on was concerned about the cost of the STAFF WRITER they claim would result in a net sav their consulting fee.