sports online at www.hometownlife.com As children return to 1SIDS walk gives couple a school, many are ;p;| chance to grieve lost son burdened by anxieties HEALTH ~ PAGE C6 f. REFERENC Nef spaper classified sections. are available at the Refere Your hometown newspaper serving Westland for 42 year-s 75 cents WINNERS OF OVER 100 STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS SINCE 2001 www.hometownlife.com for new library director BY OARRELL CLEM In a 3-2 decision, the board fired "This is what he does," she said. "He a new director and to submit them in STAFF WRITER What do you think about this story? him in May amid accusations he is a one-man consulting firm. He has a suggestion box inside the library, on E-mail your responses to improperly deleted patron fines, used many years of experience doing this." Central City Parkway between Westland library officials have- [email protected]. a library credit card, proposed pay . Ultimately, Corbus will help the Warren and Ford. hired an Ohio-based consulting firm raises beyond approved levels and board narrow its field of candidates to Meanwhile, Costello said the to lead a national search for a new When reached by telephone on filled jobs without advertising them. those few who will be called in for library has continued operating library director. Thursday, consulting firm president Patane became the second library interviews. smoothly despite the absence of a The library board's vote to hire Larry Corbus told the Observer that director fired within a two-year peri- * "We don't have a firm timeline by director. Corbus Library Consultants for the search will likely take four to six od. His predecessor, Sandra Wilson, which time we want to have someone "Considering we don't have a direc­ $9,000 came Wednesday, three months. also lost the support of a library board on the job," Costello said. "The focus tor, it's going amazingly well," she months after the firing of former Corbus estimated that he has led majority. is more on making sure we get the said. "The staff is incredible, and they Director John Patane. 40-50 such searches. Some board critics have said the fir­ right person." are the reason the library is what it is., "To get the right person for this job, Library officials have indicated the ings could make it difficult to find a Corbus already has talked with It's the gem of the city. Any library it's going to be money well spent," new director will be paid $65,000 to top-notch director, but Costello said library employees. Costello said resi­ director would be lucky to work with ; board Vice President Debbie Costello $83,000. Patane, 60, was being paid Corbus has broad experience in dents also are encouraged to write this staff." said. $70,000 a year matching libraries and directors. down their ideas of what they want in [email protected] I (734) 953-2110 • VFW raises cash BY DARREU CLEM host the event at 2 p.m. STAFF WRITER,, Saturday, Sept. 9, to raise money for Wayne-Westland Calling all M*A*S*H charac­ Special Olympics and World ters. Medical Relief, a Detroit-based Surely somewhere in organization that helps impov­ Westland there's a'Hawkeye erished veterans. Pierce, Radar O'Reilly, Hot Lips "We're looking for teams to Houlihan or even a Corporal compete," said Joseph L. "Larry" Klinger. Tebor, Bova post commander. Modeled after the old televi­ Trophies will be awarded to sion show and movie, the first-place teams in each event, M*A*S*H Olympics are coming but the main trophy — a gold- to Westland for a charity fund­ painted bedpan — will go to the raiser. team that accumulates the most Get ready for races with points. wheelchairs, hospital gurneys, Already, Westland City crutches and bedpans filled Councilman James Godbout with what'organizers call a has issued a challenge, saying he TOM HOFFMEYER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER urine-looking substance — OK, is helping organize a team that Greg Miller (from left), Tiffany Boyer, Jeanette Russell, Sharon Phillips and Linda Leary have several things in common. They're all longtime employees beer. may be hard to beat. of Buddy's Pizza in Livonia. The Bova "VFW Post 9885, on Hix Road south of Warren, will - PLEASE SEE GAMES, A4 short reason Livonia schools earn time employment high marks from state atmosphere keep them at Buddy's BY STEPHANIE ANGELYN CASOLA schools. It's definitely some­ STAFF WRITER thing to be proud of." BY SUE MASON CLOSE TO HOME He's a member of the pizza line, bak­ Jay Young, director of com­ STAFF WRITER ing and cutting the pizzas and making Livonia Public Schools earned munity relations, agreed. "It's a She's also among a select group at the sure they go to the right place. mostly A's and B's last week, positive thing going into a new Tiffany Boyer of Westland has to store that have two things in common - He's also a pretty popular guy in the when the state released its 2006 school year," he said. School admit the best part of her job is tasting they've all worked there for at least 10 morning when he makes a pizza to test School Report Card data. begins in the district on Sept. 6. what she makes. years and they all live in Westland. the oven. Someone has to eat his cre­ The report, made public Coming in at the top of the Her co-workers call her a super salad Boyer's been there 10 years and ation and it's his co-workers^ Thursday, included letter grades report card with "A" grades maker, but she also whips up a mean admits she doesn't see herself as a 20- "It's still good after all these years," he for each school and Adequate were: Adams, Buchanan, Cass, spaghetti sauce and soups. Not her own year employee, especially since she's said of the job, admitting that when he Yearly Progress status - a Cooper, Grant, Hoover, Hull, recipes, mind you, but good just the studying to be a nurse. She admits she's hired in, he didn't expect to be there 22 requirement under the federal Johnson, Kennedy, Nankin same. picked up some cooking tips from years. "It was a good opportunity. It's No Child Left Behind Act. - Mills, Randolph, Roosevelt, "I don't know who comes up with the LaVerne Hatchett, who creates most of steady work, no layoffs. I'll always work The district, which serves the Taylor, Tyler, Washington and recipes, but they're delicious, like the the Buddy's recipes and uses them at in this industry." northern part of Westland, had Webster elementary schools, . tortilla soup," said Boyer. "It's spicy and home. Linda Leary started a year before scores that included 18 "A" Holmes and Riley middle has zing-.We serve it with chips and it's "It's a family style," she said. "It's my Miller. Hired as a waitress, she also has schools, 9 "B" schools and one schools. become quite popular." home away from home." worked as a bartender during her 23 "C" school. The "B" schools included: Boyer is just one of a host of workers Greg Miller has reached and exceeded years there. "I think it's a positive for our Cleveland, Coolidge, Garfield, at the Buddy's Restaurant and Pizzeria that 20-year milestone. He's been work­ "It's fun," she said. "When they hired school district and our schools," Hayes and McKinley elemen­ on Plymouth Road in Livonia who work ing behind the scenes since 1984. He me, I was married arid I needed a part- said Sheila Alles, director of tary schools, Emerson and Frost to keep the chain one of the nation's five was working at another business when time job. Now I'm a single mom and I'm academic services for the'dis­ middle schools and Churchill best pizza places as determined by the v his brother, Chris, got him in the trict. "It showcases outstanding Food Network. Livonia store. PLEASE SEE BUDDY'S, A4 academic achievement m our PLEASE SEE MARKS, A4 ) The Observer Coming Thursday & Eccentric INDEX For Home Newspapers APARTMENTS E7 Delivery call: Get a $100 AUTOMOTIVE F2' Volume 42 HOMETCWNUFE CI (866) 887-2737 CROSSWORD E5 filter Number 27 Priority Community CLASSIFIEDS D1-F8 Gas Card JOBS D2 NEW HOMES E1 OBITUARIES C4 Look inside for details about this great offer A7 and see how you're eligible to Join our Credit Union. PERSPECTIVES Pontiac will be foe place to be from PCCU! REAL ESTATE D7 , as that city SERVICE GUIDE 06 features a fpartyof SPORTS B1 music, art and •\ ^ A2 (w> Observer & Eccentric | Sunday, August 27,2006 LOCAL NEWS wwwJutmetofcnlifie.com code, 'gag order' get new look Dog Bays of Summer •times onlgke Michigan. BY DAVE VARGA who vote. been formally addressed by . Leewafcpttagetybeth^ STAFF WRITER Trustee Rob Freeman said the board. The board presi­ The Dog Days of Summer are typi­ Richardsdn Guteheon -A Story set in LIVONIA SCHOOLS the policy would prohibit any dent and superintendent will cally the hottest and most humid .asummerresort|nMaine, v *,..; When Livonia schools board member from trying to act as the board's spokesper­ times of the year. They are a phe­ Belie Ruiri.by Martha Grimes: A Trustee Torn Bailey voted on a been reduced from seven- curry favor or a job for their sons." nomenon, of the northern hemi­ mystery set in a surnmer resort.