^^^^^^^^T7H^ :,-1 More than 700 run 15th annual Roadrunner Classic, CI • • flomelbwTV , i;i)ntii'M<:Aimsn HH rwnHk Putting you In touch Thursday with your world July 30,1998 Serving the Westland Community for 34 years $ VOLUME 34 NUMBER 16 WESTLANO. MICHIGAN • 68 PAGES • http://observer-eccentric.com SE\-ENTV-FlVF. CENTS • im HMMTOWB C«*««4k>«tloM Nrtwwfc, Uc IN THE PAPER Fraud scheme TODAY A 35-year-old woman, who apparently had real 35-year-old woman who apparently incident, police said, estate credentials, is accused of personally had real estate credentials, is also sus­ The suspect, .who may have UBed her pected in several similar incidents in real name while working at the West- taking money intended as a deposit on an Livonia, Harris said, land office, is believed to be as far away Crime watch: A lorn man Inkster house. She is also suspected in several An investigation is continuing, and as California, Harris said. robbed Hungry Howie's similar incidents in Livonia. Harris said criminal warrants may be She is accused of defrauding would- Pizza in ifye 33700 area of A shady Westland real estate agent day8 earlier this year. issued against the suspect, who is be home buyers by. telling them to is accused of cheating a wpuld'be home The company not only reimbursed believed to be in another state. make personal checks payable to her, Ford Rodi early Monday, buyer out of $2,500, but a happy end­ the victim but also is legitimately try­ It wasn't known just how much rather than the broker company, Har­ escaping ivitk money tie ing may await the victim. ing to help her move into another money the suspect may have accumu­ ris said. •.'. -•.'„•;'; .'.••'•'.. The female, suspect is accused of p^rV house, a Real Estate Qne official said lated by defrauding potential home The casesprompied Harris and Tickh- demanfodfrom an spnally taking money intended-a8 a Tuesday. ,;'• -/' \ buyers, but Harris said the woman er to offer warnings and advice to peo­ employee, police saick/M deposit oh an Inkster house, Westland "I'm hoping she will wind up actually apparently took money from four dif­ ple seeking to buy a house/particularly police Sjgt. Tom Harris said. .;'• in a house, happy," Ellen M. Tickner, ferent people for the same house in first-time buyers like the woman The incident was reported last week Real Estate One senior vice president Inkster, /-./ involved in the Westland fraud case. by Real Estate One on Ford Road, and special counsel, said Tuesday. The suspect; apparently worked as a COMMUNITY LIFE where the suspect worked just 11/2. The suspect, described by police as a Real Estate One agent, during only one Please see SCHEME, A2 Getting ready: It's coming* Snakes alive! so they say, themillenni­ um bug is coming and if left unchecked, the things .rf^r in-life we take for granted could disappear on Jan. 1,2000, And with the clock ticking downward to th&start of the new mil­ lennium, businesses are taking the bug's threat seriously. /Bl AT HOME Fully furnished: Pull up a chairs or a table, or a chest, or almost any other *Sh~ piece of furniture - and learn about more than style in a new exhibit at Henry Ford Museum.,/D8 ENTERTAINMENT Theater; Local composers Mike Vigilant and (jerry Castle have set to meter the joy of marriage in \; their new musical, "The mddihgMng.yEl Books: JohnCovach,a Livonia Stevenson High SchoolgrQd; iscombining *.- Vtt* his scholarship with his love for rock and roll /El REAL ESTATE Think about your desires: Animal*, animals: Tom Allard, 9 (left) of Westland and Sara Biirnosky,6 (right) of Hedford react to a Burmese python snake How to get rnprewhen called'Julius Squeezer''at the Animal Planet Rescue live animal demonstration event at the Westland Shopping Center Satur­ you buy your next day. For more on the event, plejase see Page A3. • V 7iome./Fl INDEX com Clerkvote • Obituaries ,:././-. .,*» : • Classified Index ;:-;__F4 expected in November Real Estate F4 could he Crossword , F6 An $8.8 million project to widen lic services Director Richard Dittmar : : : Jobs _:'.,: .05 Newburgh Road from Ehtcrprise Drive 'said. ' •• '";'' ., "'•- '-. ': .'•- to Palmer is expected to be mostly com* ^All of the concrete should be done in Home A Service H7 pleted by mid-November, a Westland by then," he said, adding that site Automotive H8 official said. restoration and other finishing touch­ Ntwburtfi construction A new Westland city clerk could be Workers are widening the one-mile es may be delayed until spring. Newburgh Road construction hired as early as.mid-August,.as coun­ • Opinion A10-11 from Enterprise Drive to stretch to five lanes and moving New­ Construction crews this week are Van Bc*n cil members try to fill the job from a burgh under a new CSX railroad over­ expected to start working on new rail­ Palmer in Westland. • Calendar >»« slateof three finalists. pass.,- :'.''.• road tracks that will pass over New: Council members are separately • Sports CI The measures are expected to ease burgh near Avohdale, Dittmar said. the widening project would include mulling their possible choices following • Real Estate Fl traffic problems and provido better ....- Tho entire Newburgh project will only a stretchof Newburgh from Enter­ interviews last week with three candi­ access to expanding businesses along cost about $8.8 million - a tab that will prise to Avohdale. '. dates: Newburgh; be paid with local, state and federal But state legislators in Fobruary • Pat Gibbons, acting Westland HOW TO REACH US The bulk of the project is slated for •dollars, Dittmar said. He estimated the announced that a new grant was clerk. She has been a city employee completion by mid-November even city's share between $3 million and $4 approved to extend the widening pro- since August 1977, and has served as though construction crews are now million. ~~~ Please see NEWBURGH, A2 ~~"~ ~~ Please sec CLERK, A2 Newsroom: 73*953-2104 about five weeks behind schedule, pub­ Early on, city officials had expected Newsroom Fax: 734-W1-7279 E-mail: bjachmanOoo.horoocomrn.not Picnic luncheon Basic training NighUine/Spons:1U-**MXQ4 The Westland Chamber of Commerce will hold a Navy Fireman Mark F. Dziuhan, son of Francis Reader Comment Line: 734-553-2042 picnic luncheon at noon Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the PUGES&FACES and Linda Dziuhan of Canton, recently completed ; Classified Advertislng: 734-SSi-OSOO Lions Pavilion in Central City Park. The picnic will U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Com­ • Display Advertising: 734-551-2300 bo catered by Val's Catering. i Bowling After Hours mand, Great Lakes, 111. Home Delivery: 734-551-0500 Those people who RSVP are automatically entored. The Westland Bowl will host a Bowling After During the eight week program, Dziuhan complet­ into a monthly drawing for $100 sponsored by John Hours event at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, for cham­ ed a variety of training which included classroom .Toye of Rcmerica Family. ber members and their adult guests. study and practical instruction on naval customs, Everyone who turns in a luncheon survey is Tho event will Tea thro contests and a chance to first aid, fire fighting, water safety and survival, entered inte a drawing for a free lunch. Lunch is $13 network. Dinner, bowling and door pri7.es are and shipboard and aircraft safety.- An emphasis is and reservations can be made by calling (734) 326- included in the cost of $8 a person and $16 a couple. also placed on physical fitness. 7222. • :..• • -/------^- -..-...,.../. Call (734) 326-7222 for reservations. Dziuhan is a 1096 graduate of John Glenn High -School Westland. C«3174 -10011-5 f.-T, ' I.M, , . •• ,, / ! I.HlllLii.O ji V 'i ... ' n \ *\i- '" . '"Tir ~„7,sgdag-n— i . I „ , •„ ., .t..f..., ..-.' H >~ — ' — ***) The Observer & Eccentric/ THURSDAY JULY 30,1998 On target Clerk from deputy clerk since 1992, ing as acting clerk, and Fritz has * Christine HnatiW,.Grand agreed to work as a city corisul- Xedge clerk. She has held her tant to help her former office get current job since May 1993, and through November elections. has 10 years of local government Fritz served as clerk for 20 experience, years before she retired June 30. • Linda Langmesser, Ply: She hw worked with five mayors mouth clerk. She has worked in and numerous council members. her current post since 1989 and Some of her supporters, such used to be a lower-level office as Scott and CouhcUwoman Jus­ clerit in Westland in 1978-81. tine Bams, have flaid Fritz will ; Westlarid City Council menv be difficult to replace. • bers, charged with hiring a suc­ . A three^member council sub­ cessor to City Clerk Diane 'FriU, committee narrowed a larger met with all three "finalists last field of candidates to three final- ista for last week's interviews. : week,- •;.-•;.•'•'•'•: .;•'"••.' "l think we all have our "In my opinion .1 do not see a favorites who impressed us the front-runner at this point," Scott most," Gouncilwomah Sharon said Tuesday. - Scott said. ul think from these However, she did say the coun­ three people we can get one good cil may discuss candidates Aug. candidate^ i' ' 10 and then be prepared to name "Each one had something to a new clerk as early as Aug, 17. offer," she said. "Hopefully we Regardless of the council's can come to a consensus and not choice, LeBlanc said he will sug­ turn this into anything political." gest some changes for the clerk's Council members will resume post. He said he believes the Taking aim: At left, -- discussions about a new clerk clerk should be subject toperfor- during an Aug.