April 9, 2000

April 9, 2000

i^*m • ii imp pi»P« ' '¥ ^^**H^ .rt^.fr^tty^1-V lorneTbwn J.. COMMUNICATIONS •:* t ^Nr*5 NETWORK Ulcsllanci ©bsmi the Your hometown newspaper serving Westland for 35 years Sunday, April 9, 2000 hometownnewspapers.net 75c Volume 35 Number 89 Westland, Michigan O2000 HomeTown Communtcattons NetworK™ F^T" THE WEEK Budget resident-friendly 4 FmM I mmfmmw • Mayor Robert Thoma^ City Council approval, would *»t City they've come to expect. proposed city budget taxes and water-sNswer rates for the ••••"ItVa jjood,; solid:budget," Thomas includes tax cuts for resi­ budget year starting July 1. said Wednesday as he and his finance dents. The mayor will tucjKan additional director, Tim McCurley, spelled out the $60 into the same homeowner's pocket plan during a joint interview in the MONDAY BY DARRELL CLEM in 2001 - if council follows/us sugges­ STAFF WRITER BY DARRELL CLEM mayor's office. dclemQoe Jiomecomm.net STAFF WRITER tion to let a 1-mill incinerator tax Thomas' $48 million general fund [email protected] . City Hall: The Westland expire. budget will survive only if council A Westland police officer faces, " Mayor Robert Thomas has proposed Thomas' vision marks a drastic shift members agree to phase out.a special City Council will have an April. 18 court hearing follow­ from his earlier plans to keep the city's ing allegations that he sexually cutting taxes, reducing water-sewer Tax Increment Finance Authority dis­ two study sessions April rates and fixing roads in his new bud­ tax structure in place and to build a trict north of Ford Road, embracing a. molested an 18-year-old passen­ multimillion-dollar recreation center 10 at City Hall, Ford near get plan. renewed city wide emphasis. ger of a car he stopped near War­ and a new City Hall. Hi's far-reaching blueprint for change "I think there's a good chance they'll Carlson:At 6:30p.m.> ren and Wayne roads. • He has said his new plan emerged would return about $85 to a typical buy into it," Thomas said. there will be a discussion Westland homeowner who ,has a after he did some "soul-searching" for of separate water and *" Please see CHARGED, A2 $120,000 house, ways to ease the tax burden on resi­ sewer meter systems as Thomas' plan, hinging on Westland dents while maintaining services Please SUDSET,A4 requested by local condo­ minium associations. At 7:30 p.m., Mayor Robert Thomas artd council members will discuss his new budget proposal. SATURDAY eneour BY DIANE GALE ANDREASSi • 'Most are directed toward Family fun: The Ciuitan SPECIAL WRITER the rearing of children. I Bunny Brunch will take Margaret Harlow has a lot to say think parents need a lot of place 9 a.m. to noon • and she likes saying it on the sigh out­ side Harlow Tire, the 35-year-old busi­ encouragement to do the April 15 at the Bailey Cen­ ness she owns, with her husband, Jim.. right thing when it comes to ter, on Ford near Carlson. : She prefers displaying uplifting their kids.' It is. sponsored by the words to hawking sales. Westland Civitan Club ,*I would rather they think of Har­ Margaret Harlow low Tires as the place wi,th that neat ' —Harlow Tire and Westland Parks and sign," Harlow said. Recreation. Price is $2.50 : Her favorite saying, "Time Spent With a Child Is Never Wasted," greet­ When You Stoop To Help a Child." forages 1-12, $4 for ed passers-by last December and. at. Sometimes, she uses the sign to do a adults. The Easter Bunny least one of her customers was little cheerleading for- a school team will visit. Tickets are inspired. and once a year she supports a pro­ He said he read the sign every day gram reminding parents to. press the available at the Bailey and it made him think about'how he remote control. She tells parents to: Center or at the door. For felt torn between his obligations at "Turn Off the Violence" and "Do Some­ work and getting involved with his thing With Your Child." information, call Donna child's activities. Other times, .she advertises activi: Jensen, (734) 729-8075. "That gave him the inspiration to ties at.her church, The First Congre­ take the time off of work and do .what gational Church of Wayne. But she he needed to do with his child," Har­ always avoids making political state­ Seedlings: The annual low said: ... ments beyond reminding people to City Tree Giveaway will She took over the job of maintaining vote. be 9 a.m. to 3p.m. April the sign at Ford and Wayne roads Usually, she thinks of the slogans eight years ago when the old sign was herself; other times, Harlow has read 15 at the Bailey Center. refaced; it or heard it somewhere else. Seedlings of several vari­ Ever since, Harlow; hopes that she's "Most are directed toward tlie rear­ making a difference in strangers' lives ing of children," Hariow said. "I think eties will be given to West- STAFF PHOTO BY Ton HAWIXY with lines like "Honesty Is the Best parents need a lot of encouragement to land residents. For infor­ Sign of the times: Harlow Tire's sign shares hopeful messages Policy," "When a Child Looks Up to dothe right thing when it corner to- mation, call the Economic with customers and passing motorists. You. What Kind of Person Does He Development Department, See?" and "You're Never So Tall As .= Please sec SI ON, A2 (734) 467-3220. rPvinl fiVnPVPflfn!!m^1^^077. ^r\nr'iyy^OY\iQhf\r\ii^h cs JL I VKJUV Ui L-t/O/ CCC/ l \JV%/\JW i/i i/g KA/UKA/K vt i vv^t vv o/ V\J'V/MIIK Tee time: Check out the Observer's special section BY DARRELL CLEM • None of the shots he fired hit anyone, although several sion of what happened early March 16. STAFF WRITER Birch, who spent time in a psychi­ dclemGoe.hoiiiecomin.net struck the unmarked police car and an apartment building, ongolf/\ns\6e atric hospital unit after his arrest, is A suspected gunman, accused of fir­ police said. now jailed on a $500,000 cash blind. .A ing an assault rifle toward an, not-guilty plea has been placed in hi^ INDEX unmarked Westland police car and a court records. • surrendered at 7:24 a.m. March 1.6, right to a preliminary hearing - a'move Apartments/19 Movies/C4 neighboring apartment building, has The Landings gunman used what been ordered to stand trial in Wayne None of the shots he fired hit anyone, that averted courtroom testimony. Arts/Cl New Homes/El police Sgt. John Buresh described as a County Circuit Court. although several struck the unmarked His decision prompted Judge C, Automotive/H5 Obituaries/A4 police car'and an apartment building, Charles Bokos to order him to stand Russian semi-automatic assault rifle. Craig Birch, 39, faces trial for seven similar to an AK-47 Classified/E,C,H Real Estate/El felony criminal charges amid allega­ police said. trial on seven charges: discharging a Birch could face a four-year prison Classified index/ES Service Guide/H3 tions he fired 26 'rounds from his resi­ Police evacuated some residents of firearm or an occupied dwelling; dis­ Crosswofd/E5 Sports/Bl dence on the south side of The Land­ The Landings and warned residents of charging a firearm from an occupied term if convicted of the more serious Jobs/ai Taste/Dl ings apartment complex, near Hunter a nearby condominium development to ; dwelling: malicious destruction of prop­ charges against him. Malls/Ce"* Trave!/C8 • and Central City Parkway. stay in their basements until the erty; three felony firearms counts; and However, a judge could sentence hi in A gunman, distraught over a ioat job Mrtiuiuff had ended. being a habitual offender. .tii an additional two years - for a total and girlfriend problems, ended a five- Ih Westland 18th District Court on Birch's attorney, Dawn I son. couldn't of six -.-'because he is charged as a hour standoff with authorities when he Thursday. Birch voluntarily waived his be reached for comment an Birch's ver­ habitual offender on the rise •jl^HMHH' Rockin* BY DARRELL CLKM chandise by. the time store officials |BMaBIBI^^M •'1 can't STATF WRITS* pulled the suspect's cash register draw- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Kfj] 4cleA#oe.bofn evomm.net =w. and compared cash and receipts. HM^NH^^H*| wait until A Westland Sam's Club caS-hieirTT- "It was determined that the (sus­ ^PHE^HPPJj^^P^ the perfor* . accused -of letting friends pass through pect's! drawer was $9,648 47 short," a - B^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^MSKJL^S^MT' . • •>^7^^^^^¾¾¾¾^¾ manco.' • her checkout line without paying for police report said. The first place to visit merchandise totaling $9,648. The shortfall stemmed from 13 sepa t The 18-year-old Romulus suspect rate transactions made by the cashier, ^Bi ^^^^^H Zrvnchik when you're looking for a could face five year* in prison and a the report said. e^^Fti B^B^B^B^BH $10(000»fine if convicted of an embez­ Police Lt. Marc Stobbe said the ^^.^ B^B^B^H -^—-———. new place to live? zling charge Sarrfs Club incident is only the latest S^K^S^S^ '^^A^te^t^r''.'" . .^BMB^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^BS The Real Estate ads She is accused of ringing up electron­ in a growing number of retail store ic equipment-, food, housewares and embezzling cafifes.

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