JOBS THAT PAY WELL, LOO* m o n e y : NO DEGREE REQUIRED lns.de. S A V jN G ' SEE CLASSIFIEDS-SECTION C KATIE COURIC'S THIS WEEK MORE LIFE LESSONS DDA TO RENT ADDED PARKING-A 3 THAN $150 WORTH INSIDE SUNDAY April 3.2011 PLYMOUTH The Observer & Eccentric Newspapers Volume 124 Number 66 O bserver $1.00 hometownlife ffil com a G a n n e t t c o m p a n y PIPELINE Plymouth-Canton Emmy hopeful "SportScience," the popu­ students top state lar television series featur­ ing Wayne State University Professor of Biomedical on MEAP scores Engineering Cynthia Birof Plymouth, was nominated for two awards at the 32nd BYBRADKADRICH Last year, the state shifted annual Sports Emmys, sched­ OBSERVER STAFF WRITER the test to only fourth- and uled for Monday, May 2, at the seventh-graders, rather Frederick P. Rose Hall, home The Michigan Department than grades 3-8, then didn’t of Jazz at Lincoln Center, in of Education released the release the 2009-10 results. New York City. fall 2010 MEAP scores Statewide, fewer than half The "SportScience” team Thursday, and Plymouth- the students passed the new is nominated for Outstanding Canton Community Schools writing test. Graphic Design and Out­ students were the same place In Plymouth-Canton, standing they’ve been for years. scores for fourth-graders New App­ Well above state averages. were up four points from two roaches, Plymouth-Canton students years ago (the last year from Sports performed in the testing which results were available); Program­ largely as they have the last scores for seventh-graders PHOTOS BY BILL BRESLER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ming, Short several years, with gains and dropped significantly. Fred Imamura is back in town after experiencing the Japan earthquake in downtown Tokyo. Jennifer Imamura Format. drops ranging from 2 to 3 Bender said it’s not a fair spent some anxious time trying to contact Fred in the aftermath of the disaster. percent. The show's comparison either way. “We’re very proud,” said “It’s a brand-new test,” first two Mike Bender, Plymouth- Bender said. “It’s not a fair seasons Canton’s director of second­ comparison to look at results earned a ary education. “It was very, {0ta| of from two years ago.” KATRINA MARCINOWSKI Six ‘Shaking like crazy’ very hard work by the stu­ Overall scores for The show nomina- dents, and hard work by the Plymouth-Canton students headed by tions ar|d staff, and that combination (with state averages in Cynthia Birof three wins has resulted in some really parentheses): Plymouth, a at the strong scores.” • Third-graders — 92 professor at Sports Township man recounts Bender said district offi­ (86.8) in reading, 98 (95.3) Wayne State Emmys. cials believe reading scores in math. University, is up The continue to remain strong, • Fourth-graders — 90 for two sports series ‘surreal’ Tokyo earthquake with students in grades 4 (84.1) in reading, 61 in writ­ Emmys. uncovers and 5 making gains over the ing, 96 (91.5) in math. sports' big­ previous year. Math scores • Fifth-graders — 93 (85.1) gest myths and mysteries by BY MATT JACHMAN increased in grade 3 and in reading, 92 (79-9) in math, using cutting-edge technol­ OBSERVER STAFF WRITER a significant increase took 89 (78.1) in science. ogy to measure momentum, place in grade 8 over the • Sixth-graders — 93 (84) friction and the laws of Nich Imamura is home in scores from fall 2009- in reading, 95 (84.5) in math, gravity. Bir, who is the show’s Plymouth Township with wife Scores in science and 88 (75.3) in social studies. Jennifer after going through lead scientist, helps viewers social studies continue to • Seventh-graders — 90 the “surreal” experience of remain strong. understand the internal and (79) in reading, 66 in writ- last month’s earthquake off The toughest part of the external forces sustained and the eastern coast of Japan. test to judge was writing. Please see MEAP, A3 generated by the body during Imamura is an executive for high-level athletic activities. Jabil Circuit Inc., a worldwide PLYMOUTH-CANTON It's great that the show is electronics manufacturer, and still being recognized in its short was in his l6th-floor office in COMMUNITY SCHOOLS format," Bir said. "I'm glad that a Tokyo skyscraper when the 2010 MEAP SCORES Wayne State has continued to be struck about 2:45 p.m. local Grade Reading Writing Math Science S.Studies a part of it and can contribute to time March 11. the science of the'show." The Tohoku earthquake, State P/C State P/C State P/C State P/C State P/C "SportScience" airs in named for the region of the 3rd 86.8 92.0 95.3 98.0 short segments at various country closest to its under­ times on ESPN. water epicenter, was a mag­ Fred Imamura talks about his experience in the Japan earthquake. 4th 84.1 90.0 N/R 61.0 91.5 96.0 nitude 9.0, the largest ever 5th 85.1 93.0 79.9 92.0 78.1 Egg hunt recorded in Japan. Nearly the walls all the way to the There was a spirit of coop­ 89.0 The Plymouth Lions Club 12,000 people have been con­ ground floor. eration, though, with hotels 6th 84.0 93.0 84.5 95.0 75.3 88.0 firmed killed by the quake Outside, thousands of peo­ opening their doors to the sponsors the annual Easter 7th 79.0 90.0 N/R 66.0 84.6 93.0 Egg Hunt at 10 a.m. Saturday, and resulting tsunami, and ple had gathered, many flock­ stranded, serving water and thousands are still missing. April 23, in Plymouth ing to a nearby park to stay snacks, letting them sleep in 8th 81.9 90.0 78.0 93.0 78.1 89.0 Imamura and Japan are away from the tall buildings, Township Park, located at Ann the lobbies, and making tele­ accustomed to earthquakes. Imamura said. Trains, the pri­ vision news available if they 9th 72.8 85.0 Arbor Trail and McClumpha. “It happens frequently, mary means of transportation had electricity. Participants should bring SOURCE: Michigan Department of Education but it’s usually very minor,” in Tokyo, were not function­ There was minor visible baskets, bags and cameras for Imamura, who goes by the ing and electricity was out for damage at Imamura’s fourth- photos with the Easter Bunny. name Fred, said Thursday. a while in parts of town. floor apartment. Age groups this year have “This one continued to build But people were calm and Later, Jennifer Imamura, changed and include 0-3,4-6, up.” patient — there was no panic, back in Plymouth Township, 7-8 and 9-11. Club members will The building started shak­ looting or extreme emotion, called in a panic, having been District to present also be collecting hearing aids, ing and things started fall­ “a very Japanese” reaction, awakened by a 6:30 a.m. call eyeglasses and cell phones. ing off the walls. Imamura Imamura said. from a neighbor who won­ For more information, con­ and his colleagues looked “I think the whole thing dered if her husband was OK. tact Heather Rau via e-mail at outside to see a nearby 30- was sort of surreal to a lot of “What are you talking about?” $18 million in cuts [email protected] or call (248) story skyscraper swaying people,” Imamura said. was her reaction, she said. 473-4569. with the quake — something With no trains, and taxis Her first call to Fred didn’t many Japanese buildings are scarce because of high go through, she said, but he BYBRADKADRICH shop Tuesday at the E.J. Colbeck coffee designed to do. demand, Imamura used his answered the second. OBSERVER STAFF WRITER McClendon Education State Sen. Patrick Colbeck, iPhone and Google maps to “If I hadn’t been able to Center. ‘SHAKING LIKE CRAZY' R-Canton, hosts a coffee hour plot the way to his apartment. reach him I probably would’ve When administrators “We’re going to present a for constituents 8-9 a.m. “We could actually see What is normally a half-hour had a heart attack,” said in the Plymouth-Canton plan to balance the budget,” it moving back and forth,” train ride took him took him Monday, April 4, at the Canton Jennifer, who owns The Velvet Community Schools started said Frank Ruggirello, the Imamura said. “It was pretty more than two hours to walk, Plum, an interior design stu­ looking at the 2011-12 budget Coney, 8533 Lilley, Canton. district’s director of commu­ amazing to see those build­ in part because the streets dio in Plymouth. The couple a few months ago, they were The coffee hour is designed nity relations. “With using ings sway like that.” were flooded, with people. “It’s has two daughters, Tatiana, presented with the challenge some of the fund balance, to allow Colbeck to meet with At about the 25th floor was like a traffic jam except with who recently moved to New of meeting a projected deficit we’re presenting about $18 local constituents and discuss a window-washer on a plat­ the people,” Imamura said. York City, and Sabrina, a of more than $17 million. million worth of cuts.” issues facing the local com­ form that “shook like crazy,” student at the University of Administrators believe The cuts include areas munity and the state.