Chat or comment on stories and Issues in today's newspaper at www.hometownHfe.com Think warm and simple for tests three models - TECH SAVVY, D1 interior decor in 2007 H0MET0MLlfE.COM -DJ ate 75 cents 100 STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS SINCE 2001 www.hometownlife. com - BY DARRELL CLEM such amenities as baseball diamonds, soccer viable, long-range solution to address the con­ nated ball diamonds and creating a playing court / STAFF WRITER fields, an indoor pool, a two-sheet ice arena, pic­ tamination problem and move ahead with for special-needs athletes. They also said officials nic pavilions, basketball courts and walking Frontier Park, and they believe government offi­ could pave the existing soccer fields and use the An unwavering citizens group has rekindled trails. cials should move quickly. area for a parking lot. its push for avast recreation complex in After learning that city and county officials "The county and city owe the residents some­ Moreover, they believe that an 18-year-old Westland, calling the need greater than ever kept quiet for years about elevated levels of lead thing," said Todd Kangas; among three Westland land agreement between the county and the city after learning that Central City Park is contami­ in Central City Park — specifically in the ball dia­ Youth Athletic Association past presidents who already contains language that would allow offi­ nated. monds and soccer fields — CFP proponents are unveiled their latest vision to the Observer. cials to use property west of Central City Park for The group, Citizens for Frontier Park (CFP), worried that children will have no sufficient Kangas and former WYAA presidents Mark Frontier Park. proposed two years ago that city officials use place to play their games. Rodriguez and Keith DeMolay said the city and land west of the park for a 30-acre complex with They have proposed what they consider a county should consider paving over the contami­ PLEASE SEE PARK, A3 woman ng on charges BY DARRELL CLEM Dec. 26 and mostly damaged the STAFF WRITER front door area. The child was not inside the residence, police said/ A Detroit woman is facing a Coleman was jailed on a court hearing today on charges of $100,000 cash or surety bond trying to kill three people by set­ after her arrest Her hearing today ting fire to the front door area of is expected to determine whether their Westland apartment. she will have to stand trial in Keli Angelique Coleman. 28, is Wayne County Circuit Court. accused of dousing the area with If comicted.biie^uk' i^ee gasoline and starting a fire after penalties ranging up to life in mistakenly believing that the resi­ prison. dents had her 4-year-old child, The incident happened on police said. Oakview Lane in the Willow Coleman and the child's father Creek complex. When police have had differences, police said, arrived, they saw two people and the Willow Creek apartment, screaming from a second-story on Newburgh south of Ford, is unit, and a mattress had been occupied by the father's mother. thrown from the apartment, Coleman is facing a hearing according to police reports. today in Westland's 18th District A police officer kicked in the Court on three counts of assault front door and, with help from an with intent to murder and one' occupant, put out the fire, accord­ PHOTOS BY TOM BAWLEV | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER count of arson of an occupied ing to police reports. The officer Ivan and Dorothy Love hold one of 126 kittens that they have helped foster for the Michigan Humane Society's Berman Center for Animal Care. buildingl then helped the three people leave Three people inside the apart­ the apartment. ment escaped injury during the BY SUE MASON Motor Company in March fire, which erupted around 11 am. [email protected] I (734} 953-2110 STAFF WRITER • 1999 and turned to working at the MHS's old shelter in When Ivan and Dorothy Westland "after everything Love's daughter died in an on the honey do list was automobile accident in May done." 2005, the Livonia couple He went one day a week to found solace in hugging the shelter, working exclu­ their kittens. sively with the cats. He hap­ And when Ivan was diag­ pened to be at the clinic nosed with an aggressive when a woman brought in a form of cancer in December cat and four kittens just five State Sen.-elect Glenn Improving our 2005, it was the kittens he weeks old. He volunteered Anderson, D-Westland, has been • • >nomy, tackling held when he was upset. to take them home and raise chosen to serve on the Senate • 'asportation "In February (2006), I them. Appropriations Committee in the l les and secur- had surgery, 38 rounds of "After I experienced numb new state legislature. iii-funding for radiation and now hormone toes from diabetes, it got The committee makes impor­ :.iher education therapy," Ivan said. "The kit­ hard to clean those old tant decisions about which proj­ i important to tens helped me through this cages, so I started doing ects and services the government 13 community, a lot more than they can this," said Ivan. will fund. Anderson and I will use my ever know." "The rule was that we can "Michigan continues to face new role to be a That "they" is the staff at foster as long as we don't extremely difficult budget chal- strong voice for us in Lansing," the Michigan Humane keep one," added Dorothy. ^nges," Anderson said. "Our goal Anderson said. Society's Berman Center for According to Dorothy, her must be to live within our means, Anderson was elected in Animal Care in Westland. husband has a way with the while protecting critical services November to serve as the state Ivan has been a MHS volun­ kittens, a knack that has and investing in our communities. senator for the 6fh District, which teer since 2001 and for the earned him the nickname of It will not be easy, but I am confi­ includes Livonia, Garden City, past two years has, with the the Cat Whisperer. dent we can work in a bipartisan Redford Township, and Westland. help of his wife, fostered kit­ He is experienced in deal­ way to do what is best for the 6th He defeated former state Sen. tens. ing with a variety of pet ail­ District and the entire state." Laura Toy, R-Livonia. "We've fostered 126 kit­ ments - fleas, upper respira­ Anderson, the first state senator Previously, Anderson served tens and haven't adopted tory infections and parasites from Westland ever selected to three terms in the Michigan one yet, so I guess that's - and nursing kittens back serve on the appropriations com­ House of Representatives and as a pretty amazing," said Ivan to health. He has sat up with mittee, was also appointed to four member of the Westland City who has had a positive out­ young kittens, feeding them appropriations subcommittees, Council. come of his cancer treat­ with an eye dropper, slept in including economic development, He will be sworn in to office at Dorothy Love can't resist giving a hug to a wide-eyed kitten in the ment. transportation, higher education the Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. Berman Center's adoption section. Ivan retired from Ford PLEASE SEE KITTENS, A4 and general government. 10. ) The Observer & Eccentric Coming Sunday For Home Newspapers NOW OPEN! APARTMENTS B7 Delivery call: WESTLAND AUTOMOTIVE C6 Volume 42 CLASSIFIED B6-C6 (866) 887-2737 idi7i IVJUpf) Hdat Centrali itv Aiskuuv Number 64 734-326-2885 CROSSWORD B6 CAN GRILL HOMETOWNLIFE.COM D1 JOBS C2 Buy one entree get one entree • LlC O*. MOVIES E14 4. OBITUARIES A12 FREE with purchase of drink! • Nat ho* OPINION A6-7 Expire |jn. IS, .'007 • With Coupon • QLicsi(|i||,r. REAL ESTATE B6 \ i> - Jl J +ltk lift "iji» ' • f-u/OT • \ More1 In j !a-t < J-IM' rnvininrient SERVICE GUIDE CI SPORTS ««H*'MrlWI«IMIBffl^ai>^^ (W) Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, January 4,2007 LOCAL NEWS www.ftome$>wniife.com INFORMATION CENTRAL MARY TODD LINCGIN Few would disagree that Abraham Lincoln remains among the United States' most revered and iconic gifts a 2nd chance Presidents. Our national fascination with the 16th president, his administration Christmas came twice for people who attended a local radio and assassination, spills over to his station's "regifting" party in Livonia Wednesday. charismatic First Lady, Mary Todd. This Ginny Hay of Dearborn brought four unwanted gifts to the past Dec. 13 marked the 188th anniver­ party Wednesday morning at Burton Manor where Dick sary of her birth (in 1818). Purtan and Purtan's People hosted a remote broadcast for Mary Todd was daughter to a promi­ WOMC-FM. nent slave-holding family in Lexington, About 50 people attended, hoping to trade up in the after- Ky., a fact that would prompt controversy Christmas gift during the Civil War, when relatives e\change. fought for the Confederacy. Before mar­ Hay brought bath rying Lincoln, she seriously considered towels, a foam snow­ the attentions of Stephen Douglas, his man, a candy dish Democratic rival for President in 1860. shaped like a bear and a Southern debutante to ardent aboli­ stained glass candle- tionist, beau to Douglas but married holder. Lincoln: This duality is all over Mary's She walked away with biography. She was self-involved: Mary 1 the seventh season of PHOTOS BY TOM HOFFMEYER1 STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER was roundly criticized for overspending "MacGyver" on DVD, public funds to redecorate the White People brought a wide range of unwanted Mannheim Steamroller Alex Molnar, 13, of Redford and his mother, Deanna, looked over the gifts turned in at the WOMC-FM regifting House, and indeed continued to have presents - including books, DVDs and CDs - CDs, a cheese tray and a party Wednesday at Burton Manor.