C rier’s series on p u b lic salaries: P lym outh Tw p. em ployes, pg. 10 HThe The Newspaper with Its Heart in The Plymouth-Canton, MI Community Community Crier Vol. 25 No. 3 ©PCCC Inc. February 1 8 , 1998 Canton pair jailed for ‘strong arm ’ robbery Elderly Twp. victim breaks hip in mugging BY BRYON MARTIN As an elderly Plymouth Township woman recuperates in a hospital room today, her two alleged assailants are in Wayne County lock-up, jailed for their roles in the “strong arm” robbery that led to her broken hip and subsequent surgery, according to Plymouth Township police. Det. David Hayes said Canton men Brian Jackson, 18, and Michael Smith, 21, were arraigned in 35th District Court Tuesday on charges of unarmed robbery. The “strong arm” classification, however, indicates that the pair’s alleged crime caused injury to the victim, said Det. Jim Jarvis. Adele Gray, a 68-year-old Plymouth Township resident, was rushed to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Thursday for emergency hip-replacement surgery after she was mugged in the Kmart parking lot at Ann Arbor and Haggerty roads, Hayes said. The ball in her hip’s ball-and-joint socket had to be replaced, according to Gray’s daughter, Plymouth Twp. Det. David Hayes (at left) looks on as Cyndi Gray (at right) Cyndi Gray. addresses a packed courtroom at the 35th District Court Tuesday. A robbery Adele Gray was walking through the lot when two men in a blue-green Ford Escort pulled allegedly perpetrated by Canton men Brian Jackson and Michael Smith (cen­ alongside her and wrestled her purse away; she was knocked to the ground, breaking her hip, ter) left Gray’s mother, Adele, with injuries requiring emergency hip replace­ Hayes said. The vehicle then sped off eastbound on Ann Arbor Road. ment surgery. Cyndi requested the highest possible bond for the pair at their Please see pg. 6 arraignment. A $100,000 cash bond was set. (Crier photo by R. Alwood, Jr.) 6Skene is clean’ says jury BY SCOTT SPIELMAN Skene said he placed personal checks in an estimate of how much money was miss­ gambling addiction and the exchange of A 12-person jury acquitted former City a P&R safe in exchange for cash. ing. personal checks for city cash. of Plymouth Parks and Recreation director Skene was involved in divorce proceed­ “They have yet to prove anything. Even Aides said that Westland Mayor Robert Chuck Skene on four counts of embezzle­ ings at the time, he said, and did not want throughout the trial they hadn’t performed Thomas was out of the office all week and ment Thursday in Wayne County Circuit to keep cash in his checking account. “You an audit. If you went to them and asked was unavailable for comment. court. may say that it’s morally wrong, but it’s point blank how much they were missing Deputy Mayor George Gillies did not In light of the verdict, Skene said he and certainly not illegal.” they wouldn't be able to tell you,” Boak return calls for comments on the verdict. his lawyer Steven Boak may file a slander Skene said the checks could have been said. The City of Westland hired Skene as suit against the City of Westland. cashed and that no money was missing Prosecuting Attorney Tom Dawson tried P&R director in Feb. 1993. Skene had “We’re considering it on several differ­ from the P&R coffers. “Other people did to show that Skene took the money to sup­ worked in The City of Plymouth for 18 ent grounds but we haven’t really delved the same thing,” he said. port a gambling addiction which led to years in a similar capacity, but left that job into it too much at this juncture,” Boak Some $6,900 the city said is missing losses nearing $30,000. Dawson pointed to under pressure to comply with residency said. from a week’s worth of P&R revenue is Skene’s banking records which showed requirements. Charges were filed against Skene after still unaccounted for, according to Boak. In repeated withdrawals from an ATM near a “I feel quite justified. This matter should he was fired from his job April 22 as direc­ its case the city tried to tie the missing Windsor casino. not have been placed in the criminal justice tor of Parks and Recreation for the City of money to Skene’s check-for-cash swap­ Skene admitted to having “a gambling system,” Boak said. “In my mind, there Westland. The city alleged he took as ping. The jury found Skene innocent on problem to a certain extent,” but said his was a complete lack of evidence. I felt much as $10,000 in city funds from its this charge. losses did not reach the $30,000 alleged. badly for my client, who had to be put Parks and Recreation department (P&R). According to Boak, the city didn’t have He also denied any connection between his through this.” Classic returns The Liquidator 10th in nation Plymouth AAUWplays ‘Jack Joe CarlVs auction business Co-ed squad marks highest ever & the Beanstalk’ fundraiser celebrates 10 years placing at national competition See Friends & N eighbors pg. 12 See G etting D own to Business pg. 8 See Sports pgs. 22-24 Plymouth District Library 223 S Main Street Plymouth, MI 48170-1687 Page 2 THE COMMUNITY CRIER: February 18,1998 rWHO Is Plymoi^S!i8B0tteR:!s School Courthouse could Begird Presldi$$jt? s e I p g s . 9 4 J I o f The GUIDE to Plymouth-Caoton-Northville cost $4 m illion more (734)453-69011 Court officials balk at $9 million price tag THIS PAPER IS PROUDLY BY SCOTT SPIELMAN vice-president and project supervisor, keep­ Architects hired to design the new 35th ing the foundation is more trouble than it is Community Crier PRINTED ON USPS-340-150 District Courthouse have presented a pro­ worth. th Published weekly at 100% RECYCLED ject slightly more ambitious than anticipat­ “The needs are different with a three- ar 821 Penniman Ave., PAPER W ITH ed. story structure than a one-story structure,” he Plymouth, MI Please continue About $4 million more ambitious. said. “There were so many modifications and IS On 48170-1694. Carrier the recycling loop SOY INKS delivered: $27 per “I think everyone was surprised at the compromises to the floor plans, it’s easier year. Mail delivered: price tag,” said Steve Walters, Plymouth just to pull it out and build a bigger one. It’s $40 per year. city manager. “We were all taken aback.” not hard to do and do right.” v Periodicals postage Southfield-based Coquillard, Dundon Walters bases the inflated costs of the paid at Plymouth, MI 48170-1694. Call 1! (734) 453-6900 for delivery. Peterson and Argenta, Inc (CDPA), present­ courthouse on the earlier, soft estimates of ed the first of their preliminary drawings for the project. The estimates were based on the The Crier’s advertisers strive to hon­ t estly present commercial messages to New address? a new courthouse to the 35th District Court court’s needs until the year 2025, and on the our readers. If, for any reason, you find WELCOME WAGON® Advisory Board Wednesday. imprint of the existing foundation. problems with a Crier ad, please call can help you The plan was for a The C ourt our office at (734) 453-6900. feel at home 56,173-square foot, Advisory board will Crier advertising is published in Greeting new neighbors is a tradition with WELCOME four-story structure, 4 We were all taken now examine the fea­ accordance with those policies spelled WAGON - 'America's Neighborhood Tradition." basement included. out on the current rate card, which is I'd like to visit you. To say "Hi" and present gifts and sibility of financing greetings from community-minded businesses. I'll Total cost of the such a project and available during business hours from also present invitations you can redeem for more our office at 821 Penniman Ave., gifts. And it's all free. building would run aback. J ways to bring costs Plymouth. The publisher, solely, makes A WELCOME WAGON visit is a special treat to hetp you get settled and feeling more 'a t home." A about $9.1 million, down, Walters said. final acceptance of a specific advertise­ friendly get-together is easy to arrange. Just call me. compared to the $5.5 At $9 million, the ment (not an advertising representative) - Steve Walters and only publication of the ad signifies million 35,000-square project would be foot facility the board such acceptance. C ourt A dvisory Board very difficult to Postmaster, send change of address had anticipated. finance, Walters said. notice to The Community Crier, 821 “We really didn’t Possible ways to Penniman Ave., Plymouth, MI 48170-1694. In Canton In Plymouth Call Cathie Wallace: Call Mary Moses: know what to expect,” said Kerry Erdman, lower building costs of the building include 313/438-1049 734/459-5582 court administrator. “We found that with reducing floor space or, in a worse-case sce­ 35,000 square feet, it was difficult to get four nario, rebuilding a same-sized building on courtrooms.” the site, according to Walters. That the building’s existing foundation “The simplest way to reduce cost is to will have to be replaced, also came as a sur­ reduce floor space,” Walters said. “We have To honor the grand opening of prise, court officials said.