Friends gather to celebrate the life of J.P. McCarthy, A13 HomeTown <;<>H>U'Mt;AT1UNH Sit rXXIIIK," Thursday November 6,1997 0 Putting You In Touch With Your World VOLUME 33 NUMBER 44 WESTLAND, MICHIGAN • 84 PAGES • http://observer-eccentric.eom SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS IW/ Home iown i^omitiuiijcAiigiujXciwprKt ipv* iN THE PAPER Thomas snags 3rd term ELECTION/RESULTS Mayor Robert Thomas captured 63.1 percent would seek a recount, but he raised WBTLAHO QBiEML EUCVON TODAY allegations that vote totals for himself TuesOAY, NOV. 4,1997 of votes compared to Kenneth Mehl's 36.9 Unofficial vote totals and Thomas became transposed in percent. Mehl made some gains since the some precincts. WESTLAND MAYOR Skate away: Eleven Sept. 9 primary, but he couldn't overcome "We think the numbers are (Four-year term) skaters from the Westland the mayor's strong popularity among voters. reversed," he said. • Kenneth Mehl-4,111 Mehl said he believes that he carried • Robert Thomas, (I) - 7,028 / I foe year t,*f*ti) Figure Skating Club com­ BY DARRELL CLEM joined his victory party at the senior STAFF WRITER citizen Friendship Center. north-end precincts where residents peted in Ann Arbor last suffered basement flooding and street- WESTLAND CITY COUNCIL Westland Mayor Robert Thomas rode "Four more years!" roared the crowd. (Top three win (oof-year terms. paving problems this year — despite week in the 1998 Eastern a wave of public support to victory One mile east at the Wayne Ford Fourth-place wins two-year term) vote totals that gave Thomas the lead. Great Lakes Regionals Tuesday, defeating challenger Kenneth Civic League, Mehl and his supporters • Sandra Cicirelli, (I) • 8,150 / (four,ear term) Mehl and winning an unprecedented somberly assessed his defeat and Mehl, a former 12-year Westland • Charles Tray Griffin, (I) - 6,099 /u*r»e*r term) Competition. /A2 third four-year term. raised charges of flawed results from City Council member, said he and his • Richard LeBlanc, (I) • 6,874 / ifour-yeaaermi This is history, and it feels fantas­ the city's electronic touch-screen voting supporters will discuss what measures • Dennis LeMaitre - 5,756 Retiring: After 20 years at tic," a jubilant Thomas said, celebrat­ system. S — if any — they will take to address • Sharon Scott, (I) - 6,752 / ircur-jew term) ing amid hundreds' of supporters who Mehl stopped short of saying he • Dorothy Smith - 4,013 the helm, the captain of Please see THOMAS, A2 Stevenson's global educa­ tion crew is cutting loose his mooring to set sail on Cicirelli a new adventure that includes world travel and possibly hosting more TV tops in race shows. /A6 for council BY DARRELL CLEM STAFF WRITER COMMUNITY LIFE Westland voters showed strong confi­ dence in local legislators Tuesday by Life's experiences: Noreen returning four Westland City Council incumbents to office. Owens used her own life Attorney Sandra Cicirelli won her experiences, including a third consecutive four-year term by stay on Alcatraz Island, emerging as the top vote-getter among six candidates — a distinction she has to come up with Adven­ achieved in all of her council races. turous Living, an empow­ Incumbent Richard LeBlanc rose to a second-place finish while colleagues erment program for teens Sharon Scott and Charles Trav" Grif­ and adults. /Bl fin rounded out the four winners. Cicirelli, LeBlanc and Scott won four-year terms, while fourth-place fin­ isher Griffin earned a two-year term. Griffin edged out challenger Dennis AT HOME LeMaitre by 343 votes in unofficial vote totals, while eight-time candidate Dorothy Smith finished in a distant Happy holidays: Here are sixth place. some suggestions to help Cicirelli garnered 8,150 votes, fol­ keep your entertaining for lowed by LeBlanc (6,874), Scott (6,752), Griffin (6,0991, LeMaitre the season a merry and (5,756) and Smith (4,013). bright experience./OS City Clerk Diane Fritz was on target STAFF PHOTOS BY TOM Hmn- with her turnout projection as 20.4 percent of Westland voters went to Celebratlon: Above, polls. Mayor Robert Cicirelli, Scott and Griffin celebrated victory with Mayor Robert Thomas and Thomas and Ted ENTERTAINMENT hundreds of supporters who poured Williams get into into the senior citizen Friendship Cen­ the chant of "four Music: The Pat Metheny ter. more years" with LeBlanc, who has had differences the large crowd at Group is beginning a with Thomas and some of his col­ yearlong world tour in leagues, quietly savored his win at the Friendship Cen­ November including gigs home with family and friends. ter as the election LeBlanc, a Ford Motor Co. employee, results were coming in Ann Arbor and credited his strong showing to an in.Thomas defeated Detroit. /El . aggressive door-to-door campaign by challenger Kenneth family and friends —. a campaign that Mehl. At left, San­ he said overcame negative attacks on Movies: Independent film­ his candidacy. dra Cicirelli makers challenge Holly­ LeBlanc suggested that "a sense of receives congratula­ wood with films produced healing" may be necessary, although tions from Jay on shoestring budgets./El he vowed not to back down from con­ Gilbert. Six candi­ troversial issues such as his efforts to dates faced off for eliminate pensions for city council members. four seats on West- "I want it decided one way or the land City Council. other," he said. Cicirelli was the top vote-getter. REAL ESTATE Please see COUNCIL, A3 Recharging: Realtors use a number of techniques to climb out of business dol­ School policy on campaign signs sparks criticism drums. /Fl BY DARRELL CLEM Council members blasted the policy questioned whether school officials will "Pickering should know Better than STAFF WRITER and said school officials can't impose enforce it when they seek voter support to make those kinds of comments,". A Wayne-Westland school district rules stricter than state law, which for a bond issue during a special elec­ Baracy said. "It's obvious he doesn't- policy barring political campaign signs prohibits campaigning within 100 feet tion expected in February. understand the election laws." INDEX from being displayed oh school proper­ of a polling place's entrance. Wayne-Westland Superintendent Baracy also questioned why council ty - even on voters' vehicles - drew "We do have such a thing as the First Greg Baracy said during a telephone members advocate political signs on • Places & Faces A2 strong criticism Monday from West- Amendment in this country," Council­ interview Tuesday that Pickering school property but not on citv proper­ • Achievers A4 land City Council members. man Charles "Trav" Griffin said, indi­ should know, "if he is,half as intelli­ ty. • Classified F5 The controversy erupted on the eve cating that efforts to quash free speech gent as he claims to be," that state law "I would just ask the city council why of Tuesday's election as thousands of their opponents' signs aren't out in Real Estate F8 wouldn't hold up in court. prohibits school officials from advocat­ Westland voters prepared to cast their Councilman Charles Pickering ing a pro-bond issue vote on school front of City Hall," he said. Crossword F6 ballots at local schools. labeled the policy "ridiculous." He also property. Please sec SIGNS, A2 Rentals G2 Jobs/Careers G6 • Sports CI • At Home D8 • Entertainment El Permit for waste-to-energy facility approved • Real Estate Fl BY DARRELL CLEM Wayne. The project has sparked concern in other will assure protection of public health and prevent STAFP WRITER communities such as Livonia, where officials nar­ degradation of environmental quality." HOW TO REACH US ^A highly controversial central Wayne County rowly passed a resolution opposing the plan. The permit will allow project officials to upgrade tricinerator has received a state permit allowing the MDEQ's long-awaited ruling, announced Friday, municipal waste incinerators by adding boilers and plant to be converted to a waste-to-energy facility. Newsroom: 313-953-2104 cflme after MDEQ officials added tightor controls generators to produce electricity for sale. The Michigan Department of Environmental and lower emission limits to original proposals. The Newsroom Fax: 313-591-7279 Quality has issued a permit allowing the Central changes followed public hearings in which environ­ Feeling pleased E-mail: newsroom Ooeonllne.com Wayne Energy Recovery Limited Partnership to mentalists and residents raised concerns about "We are very pleased," project manager Thomas Nlghlline/Sports: 313-953-2104 proceed with the $100 million project. potential health risks. Barnett said Monday. "We never doubted this The permit becomes effective Dec. 3, although would be the outcome because we were in compli­ Reader Comment Line: 313-953-2042 "The (MDEQ) Air Quality Division has incorpo­ opponents may try to appeal the decision. rated many changes in this permit as a response to ance with all the requirements. Classified Advertising: 313-591-0900 The incinerator is located in Dearborn Heights concerns raised in the community," MDEQ director "We're pleased that the DEQ took such obvious Display Advertising: 313-591-2300 but also serves Westland, Garden City, Inkster and Russell Harding said. "We believe these changes Please sec PERMIT, AG Home Delivery: 313-591-0500 The Observer & Eccentric/ THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1997 (W)A2 • i • VW.W-% iSMm :¾¾¾¾¾¾ Volunteer named 1st citizen > Roopa Anand, a volunteer at Anand will be honored during tary. Anand has volunteered at Elliott Elementary School in a luncheon 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Elliott for more than 20 years. Westland, has been selected as Nov. 11, at Joy Manor. Reserva­ She was chosen by judges BEST the 1997 First Citizen of the tions should be made by 5 p.m.