brings its sold out lilt llliWKI isilS te IlISS lp fNT IIII-TASTE, PAGE BIO tour to the Palace Great rooms and home theaters FILTER-INSERTED SECTION Section niuu/yy; k, hAUST 'ibraiyofWestteuid Your hometown newspaper serving Westland for 41 years 75 cents WINNERS OF OVER 100 STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS SINCE 2001 www.hometown.life* com Residents ask city for help BY DARRELLCLEM Cicirelli pledged Monday STAFF WRITER that city workers will again canvass the neighborhood and, A rat problem is escalating in if necessary, issue a new round a central Westland neighbor­ oftickets. hood long plagued by rodents, Councilman Michael Kehrer residents told city leaders warned that the problem will Monday. persist unless property owners Concerns raised by residents cooperate. of Dowling, near Ford and "We need to eliminate the Newburgh, prompted Mayor food and shelter (for rats) from Sandra Cicirelli to order city 100 percent of the people who ordinance officers into the live in that neighborhood," he neighborhood to ticket those said. who refuse to clean up their Curylo told city leaders that property. her yard and others have Pleading for help during a numerous rat burrows. t PHOTOS BY TOM HAWLEV | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Westland City Council meeting, "I have hole after hole in my John Novak, 3, of Westland reacts as one of tHfe goats from the Whispering Pines Animal Kingdom petting zoo takes a cone from him during Turn Off the Dowling resident Heike Curylo back yard," she said, pleading Violence night at the Bailey Recreation Center. For more photos see Page A6. described the horror of driving with city officials to "do some­ along Ford Road on Monday thing." and suddenly noticing that a Councilwoman Cheryl live rat had gotten inside her Graunstadt suggested mat the car. city consider hiring a rodent Curylo told city leaders that specialist to analyze neighbor­ she almost had an accident. hoods and recommend steps to "I am still shaking from the fix the problem. Hundreds of Westland as part of the Step Up to rat in my car" she said. - "Enough is enough," she said, families turned off violent Health initiative that was Dowling resident Daniel adding later, "We owe it to our television programs and added to the program this Beadle indicated that the rat residents to get a hold on this video games last Thursday, year. ; Sr-tfft Jfif problem has become wide­ terrible problem." •-enjoying a night cm* together. Ventriloquist Richard Paul spread in the neighborhood, Graunstadt voiced disgust ; In all, 1,700 people attend­ also drew crowds for his two H**" not far from Westland's city after hearing of Curylo's rat-in- ed the city's 11th annual Turn •*"> shows'- "Duck^Sensefor Kids „ # government complex. He said the-car experience. Off the Violence program at - No Bully Club" - offering he had to kick a rat off his "What a horrible thing to be the Bailey Recreation Center. helpful tips and suggestions porch Monday morning while driving in your car - and a rat," "It was great to see all the on how to stop teasing and /•• ti having his coffee outside. she said. "That'ssick. It's bad kids and families out there," put an end to violence. "We do have a problem when enough to see one in your back Mayor Sandra Cicirelli said. "He was wonderful," said m they start jumping up on your yard." "This is certainly one of the Martin. "His shows were very porch," Beadle said. Curylo, meanwhile, also said :>.- -r- V\ xi&b. '•T* best turnouts we've had." interactive, so he had a lot of P Dowling residents last year some city officials should be, "We had a big crowd every­ people coming out of the M r- ^^V.'JJUM complained about a rat infesta­ more sensitive to the problem. where," added recreation pro­ audience." • L i Mr - • *••* tion in their neighborhood. She said she was treated rudely gram Supervisor Margaret The Wayne County Their complaints had subsided on the phone by one adminis­ Martin. "The weather was Sheriff's Department after city officials issued tickets tration official - a charge that absolutely perfect and for brought several of their hors­ to force homeowners to clean prompted a response from the this we are thankful." es and vehicles and represen­ up property that harbored mayor. Families enjoyed pumpkin- tatives of the Westland Police rodents. The city ticketed some "I apologize if you were treat­ decorating, an animal show, and Fire departments also homeowners and at least one ed rudely," Cicirelli told Curylo. a magic show and physical were there, distributing Megan Prough of Westland and Avery Wilson of Wayne (right) take part in the business, Knockouts Bar & "I don't tolerate that in my fitness challenges like foot­ barrel race, sponsored by Dad's Athletic Club of Westland, at the Turn Off the Grill, for a Dumpster area that administration." ball catch and barrel racing PLEASE SEE FAMILIES, A6 Violence. needed cleaning up. [email protected] I (734) 953-2110 rezomng Westland Thomas: City needs to protect ; W^<^SH' tf shared revenue, build tax base SY DARRELL CLEM the city must retain BY DARRELL CLEM ment to protect more STAFF WRITER | businesses and pro­ 2005 STAFF WRITER of our state-shared mote them with gov­ revenue," Thomas Westland City Council incumbent ernment cable pro­ teaa^-vS z^-'JZ- Westland City Council candidate said. "Second, Robert Stottlemyer cited the city grams, such as Our Robert Thomas cited as his top three 1 Proposal A has seri­ budget, economic development and Town on the Road. MEET YOUR CANDIDATES issues the need to protect state- ously reduced the rev­ careful rezoning as the top three "As for new growth," shared revenue, increase the local tax enue that the city issues facing elected leaders. Stottlemyer said, "our in today's Observer, we conclude a base and promote Westland in posi­ needs to operate. We Stottlemyer, 6*9, is seeking to I vacant land is at a series about the eight candidates tive ways. Thomas need to bring more defend his council seat in the Nov. 8 Stottlemyer premium. Vacant competing for four seats in the Nov. 8 Thomas, 55, is seeking his first tax base into the com­ election after five years of experience, buildings should be council term. He was Westland's munity. most recently a two-year elected strongly marketed.... Rezoning Westland City Council race. Voters will longest-serving mayor at 12 years, "Third," he said, "we all have to term. He is one of eight candidates should not be done lightly or hastily, choose among four incumbents - before he stepped down four years work together to keep our city in a competing for four seats. The job giving in to developers just to fill a Cheryl' Graunstadt, Michael Kehrer, ago. positive light. We have to give people pays $12,150 a year. vacant piece of property., Thomas is one of eight candidates a reason to move to Westland and On the budget, Stottlemyer said He concluded, "We must guide Charles Pickering and Robert campaigning for a $12,150-a-year give developers a reason to want to the city has weathered tough eco­ new development in a way that is Stottlemyer - and four challengers: council seat in the Nov. 8 election. build in Westland (in order) to build nomic times but must remain vigi­ beneficial to the city." Normie June Brazier, Lori Brist, Voters will fill four council seats. up our overall tax base." lant. Stottlemyer, a retired Westland James Davis and Robert Thomas. The Referring to his top three issues, Thomas, who is married, is a "We don't know if or when the firefighter, has been married for 49 Thomas said the city has lost more Wayne Memorial High School gradu­ state may decide to keep or come for years and has four children, eight top three vote-getters will earn four- than $5 million in state-shared rev­ ate who worked for two decades for more of our tax dollars," he said. "We grandchildren and one great-grand­ year terms. Fourth-place finisher wi enue. He said only a portion of that the city's public services department must continue to fight for bur fair child. He is a Wayne Memorial High win a two-year term.. revenue is constitutionally protected. before he was elected mayor. He share of state-shared revenues." "My solution would be to continue On economic development, he said PLEASE SEE STOTTLEMYER, A6 to ask for a constitutional amend- PLEASE SEE THOMAS, A6 ., , ,'." l\( .51 *' A2 (W) Observer S Eccentric | Thursday, October 20,2005 LOCAL NEWS wwivJibmeUiwniife.com Observer wins + ** press awards The Westland Observer won • Kurt Kuban, second place a third place award for sports feature story, Canton Observer. column writing in this year's • Brad Kadrich, second Michigan Press Association place, local columnist, Better Newspaper Contest. Plymouth Observer. Livonia/Westland sports edi­ M Dave Varga, second place amm?.x «.•-tor Brad Emons won third editorial writing, Redford -wWSteA.THE *P?*-«*£k *• — ifc. A.i*^* * &* #; place honors for best sports Observer. column. The judges wrote: "All • Tom Hawley, third place of these did what a column is for news picture, Redford supposed to do, express an Observer. : opinion emphatically and with • Ed Wright, first place for ru>~?5 •• •",.•-• y^r ^ factual and emotional backup." sports column and sports fea­ "The O&E staff is honored to ture, Plymouth/Canton be recognized for our local Observers. news content and our commit­ • Stephanie Tardy, third ment to community journal­ place design, Troy Eccentric, ism " said Susan Rosiek, execu­ • John Stormzand, third tive editor of the newspaper place for feature picture, group.