- Vt.-v. -■ Retired doctor H U m E T O W I I M n . W promotes i V View daily updates of photos, news and sports online at vegetariair^iets www.hoinetowniife.com TASTE-PAGE B5 FILTER-INSERTED SECTION PLYMOUTH THURSDAY Your hometown newspaper March 2,2006 serving Plymouth and Plymouth Township for 120 years 75 cents WINNERS OF OVER 100 STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS SINCE 2001 www.hometownlife.com Lawyer: Federal probe is 'retaliation' BY TONY BRUSCATO Nearly a week after the Sept 11,2001, terror­ “We came to die conclusion that we couldn t STAFF WRITER ist attadcs, four men were arrested m Detroit by prevail going forward in a hearmg because we the FBI, whidi claimed they were part of a would have had government agents and per­ While serving 15 years as an assistant U S sleeper cell m the U S plotting further strikes sonnel contradicting other government agents attorney m Detroit, Canton resident Rick Convertino -was the lead prosecutor in the first and personnel,” said Morford “The court Convertino didn’t give much thought when a terror trial in the U S relating to the 9/11 agreed, and the case was dismissed ” defendant would vehemently proclaim his attadcs, and won a June 2003 conviction The public information officer for U S innocence against two of them on terrorism charges Attorney’s Office in Detroit, Sue Plochinski, However, that changed when Convertino The convictions were thrown out in 2004 said “We’re just not going to comment on the became the subject of what is now a federal after die U S Justice Department daimed Convertino matter” cnmmal mvestigation, after filing a whistleblow­ prosecutors suppressed evidence by withhold­ Convertino came under internal investiga­ er lawsuit agamst ihe Umted Stat^ government ing until after the trial a letter alleging the tion by the Department of Justice after telling “I used to see people on television, or read m prosecution’s witness lied a Senate committee of his concerns about the the paper, proclaiming their innocence, claim­ The Justice Department review was conduct­ federal government’s war on terrorism, and ing they were railroaded, and not think a thing ed by U S attorney Craig Morford, who found filled a 2004 whistieblower lawsuit agamst of it The government wouldn’t do that,” prosecutors suppressed evidefibe Morford, then-Attomey General John Ashcroft claiming BILL BRESLER i STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Convertino said “Well, they do that, and I’ve who is the first assistant U S attorney in the gross incompetence and mismanagement of seen it And I’m committed to fight against it, Cleveland office, said he conducted a file review Canton attorney Rick Convertino has started his own practice if it’s me or whoever is next m line ” of the evidence for the judge in the case PLEASE SEE CONVERTINO. A7 m Plymouth, with the full support of his wife, Valerie Board accepts Activist targets tow nship hall bid Slavens with _ i BY BRAD KADRICK STAFF WRITER in fo request 3 The Plymouth Township Board of Trustees got one step closer to setding the deal on the sale of its cur­ BY TONY BRUSCATO rent home, a move members feel will help offset the STAFF WRITER cost of their new one 'Ihe board unanimously accepted the $4 2 million A Republican activist fixim bid from Capital Acquisitions & Development of Okemos, M idi, has filed a Freedom Bloomfield Hills to purchase the property where the of Information request with current township complex is located at Arbor Plymouth-Canton Sdiools for docu­ Road and Lilley ments relating to Board of That bid was more than $1 million higher than the Education President Mark Slavens next highest bid, a $3 2 million offer from the ongi- PHOTOS BILL BRESLER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER of Canton nal House of Pancakes, represented by Commercial Stylists Bethany Lawson and Luzanne Myers separate strands of Sarah Martin's hair into even sections Sarah is 6‘ Mike Murray of Murray Real Estate Services of Plymouth years’ old and this is her first haircut Her older sister Grace donated her hair about a year ago, inspiring Sarah to do Communications filed the request 'The bid was also considerably higher than figures the same Feb 13, asking for ‘letters, corre­ the township estimated when it sfaited planning the spondence, tape recordings, notes, budget for the new township hall a few years ago data, memoranda, reports, e-mail or Township officials had figured on getting about $31 any other matenals relating to million for the property, but in preparing budgets school budget deliberations and/or they used $2 8 million Salon 'Locks' up donations budget woes — mduding personal Now that the board has accepted the bid, Capital expense reports and any financid Acquisitions will do various site studies, including an reimbursements” from 1999-2006, environmental evaluation The township hopes to Charity haircuts allow donors to help youngsters which IS the period Slavens, a dose the deal within a couple of months Democrat, has been a member of the And until that happens, Supervisor Richard BY BRAD KADRiCH willingness to do It Some of school board Reaumesaid, the township won’t count on the STAFF WRITER them we have trouble convinc­ “I’m domg research into the work­ money He referred to the Bathey property m the city, ing them to take off a quarter- ings of the Plymouth-Canton school to which a developer had ongin^y committed some Katherine Gulkewicz of inch, but for this they’ll do it ” district and how diey deliberate $4 5 million before pullmg out Plymouth sat nervously m the The event was part of the their budgets,” Murray said “I have a “We have to be careful not to count that money for chair at Gerald’s Salon Monday salon’s shift to a focus on chanty particular interest in Mavens, who we actually close the deal,” Reaume said “We don’t while a stylist carefully meas­ tins year The event was con­ appears to be a candidate for some want to have what happened to the aty with the ured, marked and planned for d u c t Monday, normally a day office Tm interested m how he uses Bathey property happen to us ” the haircut that would give when the salon is dosed Stylists his position” The money from the sale, assuming it doses, will Gulkewicz the shortest hair gave up ftieir own time to come Slavens is rumored to have been be used to offset the $13 1 million estimated cost of she’s ever had m After the ponytails were asked by the state Democratic P^rty the new township hall at Ann Arbor Road and Gulkewicz, and some 30 donated, stylists provided donors to run against state Sen Bruce paggerty 'That project was originally budgeted for other donors, were drawn to with free cuts Advice on color- Patterson (R-Canton 'Ibvraship) m $12 million and rose at one point to some $14 million Gerald’s Monday for a benefit mg -ms also made available the November election Patterson is before the board made some cuts for Locks of Love, the organi­ “'This year we’ve decided to completing his first six-year term in However, a sally port for secure transfer of pnson- zation established m 1998 focus on chanty,” Pilukas said ers at the new police station has since been added, which donates hairpieces to “We’ve put up the bowls and O thlr ruffibliiif^ fia^^ Slavens raising the cost to about $13 2 million, although financially disadvantaged chil­ Stylist Susan Corns readies Sandy cans for collections, but it’s just considering a run for Wayne Police Chief Tom Tidenngton did find some cost off­ dren with medical hair loss Martin’s hair for the big trim Martin not enough Now we want to County commissioner, or challeng­ sets for that addition Like the others, though, and her 6-year-old daughter, Sarah, do more ” ing state Rep Phil LaJoy (R- “We’re about a million over where we onginally Gulkewicz soon settled down donated together 'That’s why Sandi Martin of Canton Township), who beat wanted to be,” said 'frustee Steven Mann, who was and was happy she’d taken part Plymouth and her 6-year-old Slavens for the 21st House Distnct supervisor when the township hall project got started for such a worthy cause required minimum 10-inch daughter, Sarah, were in the seat in 2002 “The extra money (in the high bid) will come in and “I’m so nervous,” the 22- ponytails cut off So Pilukas salon Monday Sarah’s big sis­ “I’d be interested m why he’s look­ balance that out It gives us a little breathing room ” year-old said before the first was a “little disappointed” she ter, Grace, donated dose to 14 ing into my votes,” Slavens said “Tm The township will abo generate revenue fiom the sale of cut “I haven’t had short hair “only” got 30 inches ofhair last year When very proud of my votes, so I’m not file Department of Public Works properly on Port Street my whole life I have a real job, But salon owner Gerald Sandi read about ffiis event in worned about it I’ve had people Officials have not yet begun to markrt fiik property time for a real haircut, I guess ” Haynes said the event was an the newspaper, she and Sarah approach me about runmng for dif­ According to Reaume, the anchor for the develop­ Opinions vaned on the level unqualified success deaded to do it together ferent offices, and ftiat’s all specula­ ment would be a branch of Flagstar Bank *IWo other of success of the event, the first “I’m impressed with these Sarah, who had some 13 inch­ tion right now I haven’t made any retail buildings would also be ^ded, on the east and organized Locks of Ix>ve event young people who are (usually) es ofhair cut off, had more than decisions ” north sides of the property 'The bank would go the salon has hosted Salon so hard-pressed to give up one good reason to donate While Slavens said he hasn’t made approximately where the clerk’s office is now manager Shan Pilukas had set their hair, but do it willingly “It’s really hard to brush some­ a deasion, Campaign Services of a target of 100 donors vnlhng for this event,” Haynes said tim e when it’s long,” she said bkadrichfhometownlifecom | (734) 459 2700 to come m and have the “I’m very impressed with their “(And) I like helpmg people ” PLEASE SEE SLAVENS.