». •=' i\ Actrcssos recall experiences for drama, El Honielbvvn €t>H*l\.<SU- At tO N tf N V- f %» f > H K* Putting you In touch Thursday with your world February 25,1999 Serving the Westland Community for 34 years '&• VoiUMt 34 NUMBt.R 76 WESTLAND. MICHIGAN • 74 PAGES * http observer eccontric.com S* v[\! i F u C 01W9 H«M«fown Cotsmunleathina Network, Inc. IN THE PAPER Sassafras ceremony called off BY DARRELL CLEM citizen volunteers, state legislators, At Sassafras: TODAY STAreWRJTCR city leaders and local judges, asking dclem9oe.horaecomjn.tiet *^w»*v^r The school them to attend the board ceremony. board agreed Wayne-Westland school officials have Board member Teresa Robbins, a COUNTY NEWS abruptly reversed their decision to longtime Sassafras Trails activist who in 1997 to honor community activists and state won election last year, said the snafu protect about legislators who lobbied to block devel­ could have been avoided. 51 acres of Out the dopr: Local school opment of Sassafras Trails, a district- "I just think that there's been a terri­ the nature owned nature preserve. ble misunderstanding," she said. "It's preserve, boards would be required School board President David Cox really unfortunate, and it doesn't void to expel assaultive stu­ yanked plans for a March 8 ceremony, out the fact that there were many peo­ which dents and inform local saying he fears other issues could ple who worked hard to save Sassafras sprawls prompt a lawsuit from Sassafras Trails Trails." northeast of law enforcement authori­ activist Charles Johnson. Cox asked Superintendent Greg Palmer and ties under a pair of hotly On Monday, school officials still had­ Baracy to cancel the ceremony after Wildwood debated bills passed by n't sent out notices to rescind about 35 roads. invitations mailed earlier this month to the state House,/M Please see SASSAFRAS, A2 STArr PHOTO W TOM HAWUY Happy to get help OPINION Wayne Book time: Local events, tied into the late Dr. Seuss' birthday, promote reading./MA Road COMMUNITY LIFE All aboard: With the oper­ project ations of the Under­ ground Railroad a closely guarded secret, it's hard to document four sites in delayed western Wayne County that may have played a • A Westland City Council part in ferrying former study session took a look at slaves to Canada and upcoming major and local road projects scheduled in freedom. /Bl the city. BY DARRELL CLEM AT HOME STATF WRITER [email protected] Working wonders: Almost Motorists bouncing along bumpy Wayne everybody likes to buy Road between Ford and items to help with cook­ Warren will, likely face ing, as suggested by the an even worse jaunt before they enjoy a popularity of utensils and smooth ride. gadgets for the Work previously scheduled for completion this year has, kitchen./DG STAJT PHOTO BY TOM HAWUY instead, fallen off the county's list of At home: Linda Clein jokes with her son, Jeffrey, that he likes posing for photographs recently road projects, Westland officials said. in Westland. A Westland Jaycees fund-raiser is planned to help with Jeffrey's expenses. "That road is already horrible," West- ENTERTAINMENT land City Councilman Richard LeBlanc said. County officials had planned Theater: Petula Clark, $500,000 in improvements along the best known for the song one-mile, busy stretch of Wayne. "Downtown," is a talented Bowling for dollars But Richard Dittmar, Westland pub­ lic services director, said Monday dur­ actress who stars in "Sun­ ing a council study session that the set Boulevard," opening project has been delayed indefinitely. March 2 at the Detroit Fund-raiser to help disabled boy Please see ROADS, A4 Opera House. /El BY BETH SUNDRLA JACHMAN help paying for what she needs to The lift and equipment, plus the STAFF WRITER transport him safely. alterations needed for the van would [email protected] The Westland Jaycees are plan­ cost between $6,000 and $7,000. Library REAL ESTATE When he was 3 months old, Jeffrey ning a fund-raiser for 12:30 p.m. Clein can receive help of up to Clein of Westland came down with Sunday, March 21, at Vision Lanes, $3,000 from Children's Special Showing a home: Elec­ an illness that changed his life and Ford Road east of Hix in Westland, Healthcare Services, but being on a tronic lock boxes are a that of his family forever. The goal is to raise the money Clein limited income can't afford the differ­ launches Contracting meningococcal menin­ needs to make Jeffrey safe in trans­ ence. higher-tech conve­ gitis left him severely multiply porting him. "It's hard enough to make ends nience. /Fl impaired. Now at age 13, he is still Clein recently bought a new van, meet," Clein said. confined to a wheelchair and is also but needs a wheelchair lift and tie She has turned to local service deliveries on a ventilator, and his mother, downs as recommended by Jeffrey's clubs for help. So far the Westland Linda Clein, a single mom, needs physician to transport him safely. INDEX Please see FUND-RAISER, A3 BY DARRELI. CLEM STAFF WRITER Obituaries A6 [email protected] Classified Index F5 Westland library officials have Real Estate F5 .unveiled a new program to deliver books to residents confined to their Crossword F6 Addition to Garfield proposed homes. Jobs G5 The program, free of charge, is H7 BY MARIE CHESTNEY stantially. Original estimates pegged expected to start in early March, it will Home & Service STAFF WRITER one-time costs of the move at $100,000- [email protected] LIVONIA SCHOOLS mark the first major effort to deliver Automotive J3 500.000. services to residents since the library Opinion A14-15 To ease overcrowding in southwest But costs are still considerably lower opened in November 1996. new classrooms onto Garfield Elemen­ Calendar B4 Livonia schools, school administrators than the projected one-time cost of the "We're basically aiming this program &$ expected recommended the less-cost­ tary, 10218 Arthur. second option considered, which was at senior citizens." Niamey Cooley. Sports CI ly andnoncontroversial option of mov­ "This ensures that we won't have to turning Lowell into a middle school at library outreach director, said Real Estate Fl ing Johnson Elementary to Lowell in address this issue again in the south­ a cost of around $4.4 million. "But I'd still be really happy to serve 2000. west," Watson said. "Next year, we'll The surprise proposal came about to a student or youth maybe someone But the recommendation also came have to address it in schools in the keep about 100 Garfield students from who is temporarily homehound because HOW TO REACH US with a surprise: Superintendent Ken southeast." being transferred to Lowell to ease of serious injuries from a car accident Watson's decision to recommend build­ The proposed four-room addition to overcrowding at the cramped school. or other accident." fche said ing, to the tune of about $800,000, four Garfield would hike the total projected cost of a Johnson-to-Ixiwell move sub Please see GARFIELD, A3 Please see LIBRARY, Afi Newsroom 73+9*3-2104 Newsroom Fax734-891727 9 £-ma//;ty«chm*n9o«, homecomm.net Nightline/Sports 734-993-2104 Bank robbery suspect arrested in Westland bar Reader Comment Line734-953-204 2 Classified Advertising 734-691-0900 BY DARRELL CLKM strapped to his body was revealed as fake made The suspect put up a struggle inside Strykors. hut Display A\tvertislr)g:734-991-230 0 STAFF WRITER only of a laser, an empty candy box and a bogus deto­ Wayne police Officer Terry Webb was credited with [email protected] wrestling him under control Home Delivery 734-591-0500 nator, Borisch said. An Eaatpointe bank robbery suspect who claimed Eaatpointe detectives joined the local Metro Street Eastpointe authorities wanted the suspect m con he was carrying a bomb was arrested Tuesday Enforcement Team composed of officers from West- neetion with a Friday evening bank rohber.v, in wliu-h evening inside a Westland bar, authorities said. land, Garden City, Wayne and Inkster after author­ he gave a teller a note threatening to bomb the build Police officers arrested the man around 7:30 p.m. ities learned that the suspect was hiding out in this mg unless she cooperated, Eastpointe Heteclive while he was having a drink inside Stiykor's Bar on area, Borisch said. Handy Dirgel said Ford Road east of Hix, Westland police Officer Steve "We conducted a surveillance and spotted him. and "The teller filled the bag up with snmc mnnev. anil Borisch said. we followed him to the bar," Bonsch said "He was then the suspect ran out ol the bank and tied in a sitting there having a drink when we went in e 63174 10011 6 The bomb that the suspect claimed to have Please see SUSPECT, Afi ,.-;s ****** A2(W)1 The Ob$ervtr A Eccentric/ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25,1999 II 1)1.| M I UN 1111^ L Award winners itiHii<rniiwi - • « • « *lin III "s04Js<*t-.. «f: TheW. -*-*,^^^jijj*^^v»jte*i vi*d an iAtstftftirttl**** '****# 'Jas^T^m^A^M^..* t>cj nffwHwni Of Vfe»tNM4 | forttatMlpr- fcooti*^ L rntttenya* I want, find out what «««cft CflflflM | are, how they work and how to aatact j the best one for yew taarctv. Qat C«nplet*onofth#WioOv«ttontot*» • pointers on how so evaluate tha aita* Internet claw suggaatad, ? you retrieve. , l,-"^^p*fiuWedJwadavtMsf0^17<> \ m ww fn or im mtm CttteKrttv 1laatiRM.Itod*a ft \ hUp.//www.Kv5.com s*#MMmmmtt****>« , The recent rediscovery of tfta loat c tomb of the sons of RaMWal It (KWS) i-a pjfl.