July 23, 1998
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J.PHJ.pif !.iMI ji 11 .!)••,« \\ •• i' ' i I V . Linn brothers formidable in hydroplane racing, CI ..' <: • t '•* •, <• i HomelovVn v i <O.M»HMI:.MH)N>t WH JKl^ftl , Putting you In toucrj> | Thursday with your world ^¾ > July 23,1998 Serving the Westland Community for 34 years VOLUWr 34 NOMBtR 14 Wt.STt.AND. MICHIGAN • 68 PAGES • http;//observer eccentric.com SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS O IWtBtwTimi Ca«u)a*kattoa« Network, lac j.' - : i THE PAPER 1 V " \ J. 5-: .. TODAY A parks and recreation master plarbcalls for residents want it; . ; ^; V . *Tm committed to building what the; new baseball fields, skating pathways, basket "I'll be listening to the constituents, community, wants - not what I want,"; ball courts, playground equipment and who are going to be paying the mainte-: he said Monday. ; • numerous other city wide parks improvements hanceof that building and using that A new recreation center would be COUNTY NEWS facility,'' Councilman Glenn Anderson built using Tax increment Finance; plus a recreation/aquatic center. said. , ) ":•"'' Authority dollars ^ revenues generated An ambitious new plan for upgrading recreation/aquatic center that city ofii- Some council members also indicated in a special taxing district north of Area code qhanger$*ar^ city parks and building a new, upscale cials hope to build on Central City theirsupportmay hinge on whether- Ford Road. recreation center drew support Monday l the city addresses recreation heeds The new parks plan emerged from ittg Saturdaypeople dut- Parkway, near the Westlahdpublic 1 from the Westland City Council..;. library. : '.•''^': •,•"•• such as soccer facilities and a second several months of community study , siM&the 70 area must The fiyeryear;parks and recreation "I think overall it's a great plan," icerink. / -S >•-••''• sessions, workshops, small group meet-; • dwtfi:;^-7S4.6ejfe]re!(gii"feK' master plan, calls for new baseball council President Sandra Cicirelli said. Mayor Robert Thomas, who proposed ings and unscientific surveys - all led' ingthe seven-digit tele fields, skating pathways, basketball But the 57-page plan still faces revi a recreation center and took a seven- by parks and recreation officials with! courts; playground equipment and sions, and some council members indi member city delegation on a tour of help from The Strader Group Inc. con-! phone phone nUmberi^ numerous other city wide parks cated they will back away from a recre upscale Colorado facilities, said he sultingfirm. "<•]• -••''•' - * • won't unilaterally try to impose his •*•.•*"''. * Telephones iti western improvements totaling $2.1 million. ation center unless the city launches • ' .. • .. • • , • .-L i yfayneCoun^ The plan also includes a $14 million an independent survey proving that wishes on the plan. Please see PARKS, A< now County wid Monroe County novo are included It was a dark and stormy night under the 734 area code,/A& COMMUNITY LIFE Through it all: They accept you for who you are. They're there when you need them and there when you don't. They're your friend, but best of all they're your best friends./Bl ENTERTAINMENT Fanriily fun: Make plans to attend the 149th annual Highland Games at GreenmeadHistorical Park in Livonia., Music: You don't have to travel to Boston to Hear : this famous "Pops" - ; orchestra:, They'll be per- forming at the Fox The Electric avenue: Lightning and headlights light the sky as strong storms moved through Westland Tuesday evening. atre in Detroit oh Aug, : •iL/&;;:^yr\:-rr:-;:;x: >/\ Heavy storms pounded Westland He predicted that public services "They've been working around the and controlled the flames before they AT HOME Tuesday evening, touching off fires, workers .will'continue to work for sev clock, and I'd say we probably will be could spread to other apartments, toppling trees and causing eral days to remove trees and other working all the way through the emergency medical services coordina Concrete \<ie&: Retaining widespread power outages. debris that littered city streets. weekend," he said. tor Michael Reddy said. Despite some damages, police and- "I'd say we've got at least three or Firefighters battled six fires Tues "The firefighters put a really good walls offer a variety of fire officials and Mayor Robert four days Of work," Thomas said day night, reporting some of the stop on that one," he said. styles to add beauty to the Thomas said they hadn't heard of any Wednesday morning, "Everybody's worst damage inside an upper-story Investigators were trying.to deter serious injuries to people. out working on removing trees and residence at Westland Park Apart mine how the fire started, Reddy "We were kind of lucky," Thomas branches. What they're going to hit ments on Tami Circle. said;. •''•"'..' first are the trees that fell oh houses. Firefighters evacuated residents • • Please see STORM, AS REAL ESTATE Staying safe: Real estate professionals face special challenges when showing tomes./?! - Dig this. plans to involve local volunteers such INDEX A Westland historical site will be as scouting organizations. targeted excavated during an archaeological By carefully digging holes no more project that should provide a glimpse of than 3 feet deep, she hopes to uncover A3 the city's past. information about those who lived and T Westland police Friday will start • Opinton ^ ~ ; clamping down even harder on drunk And local volunteers will get to join worked on a former 80-acre cherry • Crossword F6 en drivers by beefing up patrols, partic the fun. farm where a house - the current hisi Starting in mid-September, Universi torical museum - was built in,the mid; • Classified Index - ;; F4 ularly alohg Wayne and Ford roads. Police officials, Mayor: Robert ty of Michigan student Jane Eva Bax 1850s. Autos G9 Thomas and city prosecuting attorneys ter will head the project as she earns She'll be looking for fragments of Home & Service G8 unveiled the sobering program Monday her doctorate. glassware, medicine bottles, domestic Jobs F1Q during a press conference outside the She will-lead a two-month excavation trash and other artifacts used by fori Westland Police Department, on Westland Historical Museum prop mer residents. Rentals F8 erty on Wayne Road between Cherry Westland Historical Commission • Community Life "If you're driving and drinking in this' Bl town," Thomas warned, "then you're Hill and Marquette, member Richrfrd LcBlanc finds the pro • Sports CI probably going to get caught and get Baxter will be helped by six to 10 ject fascinating. ."' • Entertainment ' ".' * El into trouble- Wayne State University students she is "What I hope it will bring to our com- teaching this summer, but she also • Real Estate Fl Plea BO see DRIVERS, A2 $fit. Peter Brokas "*" ~~ Please sec ^6, A0 HOW TO REACH US Newsroom: 734-9S3-2104 reins Newsroom Fax: 734-591-727S E-mail: bjachman^oe,hom«comm.n*t Night line/Sports: 734-SI3-2I04 post Reader Comment Line: 734-953-2042 They're not in Kansas anymore, but Charles and Kansas before coming to Westland with their three Classified Advertising: 734-991-0900 Betty Yockey don't seem to mind. sons, Danny, 13, Matthew, 10, Christopher, 9, and • Display Advcrtislng; 734-891-2300 These Sunflower State natives are tod busy run only daughter Michelle; 8. Home Detfvew 734-8.910800 ning Wayne-Westland area Salvation Army programs The children became hockey fans while living in to get homesick. :' Chicago, so they welcomed the move to Red Wings Lieutenants in rank, the Yockcys took charge of country. their first Salvation Army posts July 1 after complet "They're real excited about being here," Charles ing a two-year officer training college in Chicago. Yockey, 39, said as he and hia wife, 35, sat in their They replaced Cnpts. Mark and Sue Welsh, who office Monday. ended a four-year stint in Westland with a new Like their children, they, too, are excited about Now positions: Charles and Betty Yockey assignment in Rochester, Minn• took charge July i. 6 ¢3124 100.11 ..6 The Yockcys enjoyed a uVo^vcek" furlotigh in" -Ple*s^«M?L;IUW*IY*A2ii — .--1-~-v.i.-i.x ..i.,,:,,,^.^, ,'v,.^_ „. ••*.'.. _k.-.-J,l»_,.j., MM A2(W) Ttie Observer & Eccentric/ THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1998 Army from page Al thieir new-home, although for dif responsibilities at the Salvation ferent reasons. A former car Army church. salesman, Charles Yockey wel Betty Yockey said she came comes the opportunity to help from a family of Salvation Army society's less fortunate. "soldiers," and she helped lead \*l couldn't serve mankind with her husband into a life of serving my regular job," he said. mankind. •Roping to ease the homeless "She invited me on a Sunday problem, the Yockeys are eager night to a; family meeting," to^hire a U.S, Housing & Urban Charles. Yockey said! Envelopment case worker who Settling into their new roles, wjdl help homeless families and' the Yockeys will bemeeting a lot bartered women find the services of community leaders today they need to start anew. (Thursday), when they attend a :*It's a new HUD program, and Christmas in July event spon th> contract should be.signed sored by the Westland Commu any day," Charles Yockey said nity Foundation. The Salvation Mbnday. "I think this will help Army is one of the organizations us bridge a gap." helped by the fouridation. The case worker will work out Already, an October bowling o£the same Salvation Army cen- furid-raiser is being planned at tisr as the Yockeys, on Venoy Westland Bowl to benefit the Road south of Palmer! ; Salvation Army. ;. Tbie Yockeys also; hope to start The Yockeys' first , Army artevening hockey league for appointment has been made eas lo£al youngsters this fall, in ier by the Welshes, who left addition to continuing a wide behind extensive written infor array of other Salvation Army mation ahout the Wayne-West* programs already in place for land Army and the community it yoVrngaters.