omelbwn COMMUNICATIONS' NETWORK UlcslLinu (Dbseroer Your hometown newspaper serving Westland for 35 years Sunday, February 27, 2000 hometownnewspapers.net Volum* 35 Number 77 Wettiand, Michigan CfiOOO HomeTown Cfcmmuneattoru NetworK™ FRIDAYS Gibbons' reviews mostly good Former City Clerk Patricia Gibbons scored cjerk, 1 thought she had a good handle the clerk's office last year. The Community Life staff of the satisfactory or better in nearly all categories on things and was doing a good job." An analysis of Gibbons' evaluations Observer Newspapers wants your for her February 1999 performance evalua­ A four-member council majority fired shows that - on a. 5-point scale - she suggestions for a new feature to tion, done by seven Westland City Council 52-year-old Gibbons on Jan: 18, anger­ scored a satisfactory "3" or higher in 20 begin Thursday, March 2, called ing three colleagues and hundreds of of 23 categories members who were her bosses then. citizens Jwho stormed City Hall to Friday's Child. Earning a "3" or better indicated that protest. she met or exceeded job expectations The old verse "Friday's child is BY DARRKLL CLEM dence from her office. The Observer filed a Freedom of when ratings from seven council mem­ loving and giving* is the basis for STA*T WRITER But some of the seven Westland City Information Act request and obtained bers were averaged, an ongoing profile we plan to run dcletn4kWthoineconun.net Council members who reviewed Gib­ Gibbons' evaluations on Thursday, Gibbons scored "4" for "good^very to recognize the contributions of An analysis of job performance evalu­ bons in February 1999 said her perfor­ after Cicirelli found copies iri her base­ good" in five categories: overseeing children who measure up to the ations of fired City Clerk Patricia Gib­ mance had improved and that she ment and turned them over -to interim elections, meeting deadlines, complying childhood adage. bons reveals that she was rated satis­ deserved to keep her $69,739-a-year Clerk Diane Fritz's office. with Open Meetings Act rules, attend­ If you know of a student who factory or higher in 20 of 23 categories. job. Still, most of the original documents ing meetings, and facilitating Zoning volunteers at a nursing home, She received the most criticism for "I saw a real'lmprOvement," council are said by council President Charles Board of Appeals matters. collects pennies for the Muscular problems such as grammatical errors member Sandra Cicirelli said. "By the MTrav" Griffin to be missing, even Dystrophy Association, gives toys in letters and other written correspon­ end of her (17-month) tenure as city though Cicirelli said she gave them to Please see REWWS, A4 to a shelter or acts unseHiab.Iy in some way for the benefit of others, we want to hear about them. The profiles will run on the first Thursday of the month in the Community Life section. Please share with us the ways in which the nominee is "loving and giving" either by calling, faxing or e- maiiing us the information. Include the child's name and age; how you feel he or she lives up to being a "Friday's Child;" and nets trial your phone^ number or e-mail address where we can reach you BY DARRBIX CLEM for information. One child will be STAFF WRITER profiled each monthIrom the pool dcltunAoe.homecooun.net of nominees we receive. The child A Westland family, shattered by a must reside in Westland, mother's accidental shooting of her Plymouth, Plymouth Township, teenage son, is striving to preserve Canton, Redford, Livonia or strong ties, an attorney said Thursday. Garden City in order to be eligible "The family relations were always and should be 18 years old or strong. This was an accident, and 1 younger. believe those family ties will still be Call Kimberly Mortson, there," attorney Ronald Grossman said. Community Life editor, (734) 953- His remarks came on the same day 2131; write Observer Newspapers, that Betty Bao-Tsai Vaughn. 43, was- 36251 Schoolcraft, Livonia, MI ordered to stand trial for shooting her 48150; fax<734) 591-7279; e-mail 16*year-old son, Aaron, a Livonia [email protected] Franklin High School student. The boy suffered a shotgun blast to his right chest when the mother tried to defuse a father-son argument over a THE WEEK profane music CD, Westland police Sgt- Marc Stobbe has said. The shooting occurred at 7:07 p.m. Feb, 11 on Mackenzie, a residential street on the city's northeast sicif AHEAD STAFF PHOTW *Y TO*t HAWLKY "The boy is doing pretty well." tiroes- Proud moment: Breaking out in tears of joy, Diane.TavanorLhyd. (center) watches son Brett nwii said Thursday. "I believe that his Tavana win the annual spelling bee of Wayne-Westland schools. Left is her husband, David condition is very good. Lloyd, and right is Brett's former third/fourth-grade teacher, Merrell Harkema. "This was a big shock to the family." MONDAY he said. "It's a difficult situation, and it's a family tragedy, They're doing as Disbelief: well as can be expected." Talk: U.S.Rep. Lynn Not real­ As Vaughn appeared in Westland Rivers, D-Ann Arbor, will Spelling izing it at 18th'District Court on Thursday, her first, .son continued .to.recover at Garden have a coffee hour 8:30-10 City Hospital. He was listed in .stable a.m. Monday at Leon's, Brett condition, a spokesman said. 303 S. Wayne Road, south Tavana Judge Gail Mj: Knight ordered success won the Vaughn to stand trial in Wayne County of Cherry Hill in West- spelling Circuit Court for carelessly discharging BY JULIE BROWN a firearm and causing an injury1. land. All 13th Congres­ STAFF WRITER bee. At sional District residents jbrown9oe.homecomm.net Vaughn didn't try to fight the charge, right is and she averted courtroom testimony are encouraged to stop by. he Word "equatorial" will likely one of the by giving up her right to a preliminary stay with Brett Tavana all his runners- hearing. Tlife. up, Brid­ She has remained free on a Si0.()00 Brett, a fifth-grader at Vanden- get personal bond si net? the day after the INDEX berg Elementary School, won the shooting. Wayne-Westland district spelling Chalup- The mother could late a.two-year jail Apartments/£7 . Matls/C6 bee Thursday with that word: Run- ka. term and a $2,000 fine if. convicted, but Arts/Cl Movies/C4 Grossman said he will try to help her Automotive/H5 New Homes/El ~~~ Please see SPELUfM, A3 Please see SHOOTING, A4 Classified/!,©,)* 0bituaries/A6 ir,,._„ , ^., Classified ; Real Estate/El index /14 • Service Guide/H4 Crossword Sports/W, Puzzle/E8 Taste/Dl says cameras m cars a pos Jobs/01 T ravel/C$ Chief Emery Price of the Westland "It's a costly proposition," Price said Price iilso said this past week that "The area he's referring to is predomi­ Police Department said he's considered of the cameras, which would nvonitor there's no "rogue cop" in his depart­ nantly a biaVk neighborhood " putting video cameras in police cars. conduct of police and others on patrol. ment, as Karl Truss, local NAACP His department has been criticized It would cost more than $100,000 to president, had suggested. Price, Mayor Robert Thomas and by the Western Wayne NAACP for a equip all police vehicles, "Give me some hard facts that 1'cniv Truss hail a meeting set for Friday .1- , :,., "a... ..1. :,, r ,.„;.•] 0, recent traffic stop, m which a young ^We RT^ reconsidering ii and *« mnv l?J£ IJLIA), {-lit t-Mlli .><I>1*. mornin t" disc.."** oonrerns hut it was black man was arrested and injured have to end up doing it." Price'said Price also denied that Westland canceled by Truss The NAACP also says black The NAACP and defendant in the police set up cars in' the city's south Plans are to reschedule the meeting motorists are targeted for traffic stops recent case dispute that the man was end to stop motorists who are black at a later date. Price said. in Westland fleeing from police and resisting arrest. "That is ahsolutolv not true." he said Traffic enforcement effort aims to make city safer Thinking about a new car BY DAJUtm CLEM "We were looking particularly for speeders and seat The next phase will be May 2\ to .June 7, when or a good second car? STAnt ffltmes belt violations with an emphasis on young children," police will pay particular attention bi sent l>e!t viola­ dchnMtoe.hoPiecomm.ngt You'll find a huge selection Hrokas said tion* in the wake of new biws thai take effect Madh of auto ads in today's A special Westland police offensive aimed at clamp­ Some drivers violated speeding and seat belt laws 10. ing down On speeding motorists and seat belt law "Speeding does get you into accidents, and then yon As of then, motorists can be stopped for A seat U'll HomeTbwn Classifieds offenders led to wcoree of ticket* being issued this compound it bv not wearing your seat belt," Brokas violation, alone even it there- are no young children month, a sergeant said said. in the car. Hrokas .said. Police officials assigned 10 patrol officers to Wayne He sard fewer people would be hurt or killed m Right now, police cuu'l stop a driver for a seat belt and Ford roads, alone, during a two: week crackdown traffic accidents "if people would jusi learn t<-» slow offense, fil'inr.