n ROCKETS IN OR^I f ; SaWRESTLERS I HEAD TO STATES PORTS, BJ SI HONI iWAYNE^WESTIIAND A GANNETT COMPANY PROJECTS SUBSCRIBERS -FIN D YOUR COPY OF INSPIRE WITH TODAY’S NEWSPAPER PRICE: $1 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013 • hometownlife.com ©1IVI.P.A.S. Strike! Throw a few fram es and help out the West- land Historic Village Park noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at \Ti- sion Lanes, 38250 Ford Road, W estland. Advance tickets are $20 or $25 at the continue.1 door. Tickets Include three games, free shoe rental, tw o slices of pizza and a 12-ounce to discuss soda. There w ill also be a 50/50 raffle, mystery and door prizes and m u c h m o re . m erging F o r t ic k e t s o r m o re inform ation, call Ryan at (734) 756-0769. services By LeAnne Rogers staff Writer Hockey Night As local communities coniinue to W estland Mayor grapple with declining revepues, W illiam R. W ild, along mergers and consolidations of ser­ w ith several city of­ vices are likely to continue. ficials, are once again STEPHEN CANTRELL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER For Wayne and Westland, ihe first ready to lace up their Mabel Ewald (center) shares a laugh w ith her guardians, Theresa (left) and Fred Weaver of Westland. consolidations have been creation skates as the W estland of the Wayne-Westland Fird Depart­ W ild W ings compete in ment and the Wayne-Westlpnd I^ k s an exhibition hockey and Recreation Department. A four- game against the community joint emergency dis­ Detroit Red W ings patching center and consolidated a lu m n i. The secret to a long life senior services appear to bp next on The puck drops at 7 the agenda. p.m . Friday, March 1, at Along with savings from ^haring the M ike Modano Ice the services of Fire Chief Michael Arena, 6210 N. W ild­ Mabel has many answers Reddy and other cost reductions w o o d . from the merger, the fire depart­ Tickets are $10 for By Sue Mason has lived so long. It could be Large fam ily ment also is increasing its revenue. adults and $5 for chil­ staff Writer the lack of stress, she never She came from a large fam­ Dining the goal-setting session dren. Kids under age • m arried and never had chil­ ily, but the number of siblings . die 3 are free. Tickets are Women as they age have a dren. Then again it could be eludes her these days. H er I m rev­ on sale at the mayor's tendency to fudge on them she never smoked, drank or mother died when she was 12. enue through the new vacapt home, office and the M ike age. A case in point is Mabel danced and “didn’t talk back She left her job at the funer­ blight and business self-inspection Modano Ice Arena. Ewald. When Theresa Weaver too much to my dad.” al home to care for her father ordinances recently enactpd to be Seating is lim ited to asks how old she is now, Ewald “I don’t know what my secret when he became ill. After his administered by the fire department 800. There are many smiles and replies, 1,000, then is, but I must be doing some- passing, she left Detroit and Perhaps more significantly, is activities planned for adds, “I’m lessthan you ara I tMng^right,” said Ewald. “I had moved to Westland and lived the impact of two rescue uhits now the event, including in the same apartm ents as her being assigned to fire stations. a score-o competition think.” to raise myself, that might be and chuck-a-puck. “Usually, she says 44,” said it. ” sister, Grace, who took care of “We will probably see a SO per­ Weaver who with her hus­ She grew up in Hamtramck her until she died. cent or more increase in EMS reve­ There w ill also be band Fred and church member and lived in Detroit where As she grew older, a niece nues. We will increase billable runs several raffles and Gabriella Lozano have been she worked for the U.S. post and a nephew cared for her, by one-third or half,” said Reddy. g iv e a w a y s . caring for Ewald for 18 years. office for a few years before but when the niece died of “There were limited resources with­ The truth is somewhere in taking a job at the Martinson Alzheimer’s disease, the neph­ out die merger.” between for Ewald who will Funeral Home where she ini­ ew was no longer capable to By reallocating the available celebrate her 106th birth­ tially cared for the Martin­ caring for her. A church mem- resources of die combine^ depart- Tax time day on May 28. Bom in 1907, sons’ three children and then Ewald isn’t sure why she worked for the funeral home. Please see MABEL A2 Please see MERGER^, A2 Low to moderate income W estland residents can get help com pleting their 2012 income tax returns at the AARP-IRS tax as­ 2012 crime stats sistance program held at W estland's Friend­ m S.-: ship Center, 1119N. show proactive N e w b u rg h . For more inform a­ 31^ 9 tion or to make an approach to policing if f ere n c 3 appointm ent, call (734) 7 2 2 -7 6 2 8 . By LeAnne Rogers has begun to focus on two The AARP Tax As­ • Murder 2 1 -50 staff Writer things—major intersec­ 1 • Robbery 88 82 -6.8 sistance also is available tion accidents to reduce now through April 3 by Working with reduced property damage and • Criminal Sexual appointm ent only at manpower, Westland personal injury acci­ Conduct (1st degree) 48 65 +35.4 the Wayne Community police are taking a pro­ dents and alcohol-relat­ • Aggravated/Felonious Center, 4635 Howe, at active approach to crime ed accidents,”'said West- Assault 184 161 -12.5 Annapolis, in W ayne. through statistically land Police Chief Jeff • Burglary -forced entry 534 484 -9.36 There are no age or selected enforcement. Jedrusik. “And night­ • Burglary-no forced entry 77 92 +19.4 residency restrictions, That accounts for a ly, we have an officer on • Larceny -theft from building 117 -19.8 and clients must file huge jump in arrests for dnmk drivers for selec­ 146 basic/simple form s only • Retail fraud 381 485 +27.i driving under the influ­ tive enforcement.” > to have preparations ence of alcohol or drugs Each month, officers • Controlled Substance done at the site. A ll in 2012. Overall, report­ look at the city’s top five Violation 330 465 +40.9 taxes w ill be electroni­ ed Group A crimes which intersections and the • Concealed Weapons 30 41 +36.6 cally filed. range from the most seri­ cause of the accidents • Operating Under Influence 198 406 +105 For appointm ents, ous crimes such as mur­ to tailor the enforce­ call (734) 721-7460. der down to illegal gam­ ment, Jedrusik said. If bling rose 9.4 percent the main cause of acci­ 2012 from the prior year. dents is drivers running Source: Westtand Police Department Operating while intoxi­ red lights, then officers cated arrests, included in target that offense and Directed patrols ed applies to non-traffic on areas where specif­ INDEX Group B crimes, jumped send a message to driv­ That process of allocat­ offenses, too. ic crimes hav^ occurred Business...................A9 Crossword Puzzle ....BIO lOS percent in 2012. ers so that few er will run ing resources in response “We have directed .• Entertainment........ B6 “Our Ttaffic Bureau that light. to actual dim es report­ patrol approach. We focus Please see tiUME, A2 Food........................ B8 Homes.....................BIO Jobs......................... B11 Obituaries............... B5 O pinion...................A10 Police seek informatiori about missing Westland wbman Senn'ces...................BIO Sports......................B1 W heels....................B12 By LeAnne Rogers leaving the Police Sgt. Norm Brooks. A witness reported see­ concerned about her safe­ staff Writer home on “She left on foot. She has ing Balog walking north ty and welfare due to her © The Observer & Eccentric Garden that no money, no cell phone on Garden towards Hines mental health issues,” Volume 48 • Number xa Information is being she shares and no medications.” Park. Located in a neigh­ said Brooks. sought about a Westlmid with her Balog is described at borhood near Inkster Anyone with informa­ Home OeDveiy. '.... :: ' ” woman, described as mother. being S-foot-3 with a Road and MidcUebelt, that tion about Balog’s where­ (860)887-2737 mentally ill, who has been “We are medium build, shoulder- section of Garden dead abouts is asked to call missing for more than a actively length brown hair and ends at the park. Balog’s Brooks at (7 ^ ) 467-7914. Return Address: searching brown eyes. When last home is about four hous­ 41304 Concept Dc . week. Piymoufii Ml 48170 Christina Elizabeth for her and actively ask­ seen, she was wearing es from the park. [email protected] B^og, 43, was last seen ing people’s help in locat­ black slacks, a black coat “We’re not worried (313)2^2-5426 ID 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 11, ing her,” said Westland and a green shirt. about foul play. We’re Twitter @LRogersObserver A 2- (W) Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, February 21, 2013 L O C A L N E W S online at hometowrtlpfe.com she started having diffi­ An accomplished seam­ MABEL culty walking, Theresa stress, she made blan­ Continued from page A1 Weaver brought the cele­ kets, using an old Singer brations to her.