Merry Christmas! Homelbwn c:»Mni'NH:^fto_NW NKTmH^* Thursday t> December 25,1997 Hlfe0tlan& (Dteerver Putting You In Touch With Your World VOLUME 33 NUMBER 58 WESTIAND, MICHIGAN • 56 PAGES • http://observer-eccentric.com SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS ' O 18*7 Hometown Conunuole«ttoaj Network, Inc. IN THE PAPER Walgreens makes some see red TODAY Residents who live on School Street, just way it is. If I had thought 18 years ago side my property," said Prieur. "I north of Cherry Hill and east of Wayne Road, that I would be living next to a busi­ would hear traffic from a new drive-up don't want a Walgreens drugstore built on ness, I never would have settled here." prescription window until late at night, Like her neighbors, Prieur doesn't garbage and delivery trucks at all Holiday greetings: Before their corner. Thus far, the Westiand planning care if a business tears down two old hours, and no doubt lighting would be setting out on his world­ commission has denied Walgreens' request. houses on Wayne Road and builds shining in my back yard all night. I wide gift delivery, Jolly BY TONY BRUSCATO It's not the fact the giant retailer along the major thoroughfare. But the already can hear noise from Kmart, STAFF WRITER wants to build along Wayne Road, just thought of the development company and that's about a block away." Old St. Nicholas took the buying two houses along School Street It's turning out to be a battle north of Cherry Hill. It's the idea the Rezoning denial time to write a letter offer­ development company wants to tear and putting the Walgreens in her between a Westiand residential neigh­ neighborhood is upsetting. Especially Thus far the Westiand planning com­ ing his thoughts and tips borhood and the nation's No. 1 drug­ down two adjoining houses, which would put the store right in their since the store would abut her property mission has denied Walgreens' request for the holiday. /A10 store chain. line. to rezone some of the needed property Residents who live on School Street, neighborhood. "I like living in this neighborhood," "If they build the store with the cur­ "because the site plan didn't meet ordi­ just north of Cherry Hill and east of rent plans, I will have a 6-foot wall nance standards and criteria for rezon- Wayne Road, don't want a Walgreens said Virginia Prieur, 62, about her School Street residence. UI like it the along the back property line for about drugstore built on their corner. 70 feet, and another brick wall along- Please see WALGREENS, A2 COUNTY NEWS Rising trend: Michigan Merrymaking Chief's State Police say air bag theft is on the rise. /A8 Dancing at Dorsey: career all Kyle Hop­ kins COMMUNITY LIFE (right) in family dances It's magic: Interested in with his BY TONY BRUSCATO visiting dark magical buddy STAFF WRITER lands? One way is Steven A third generation firefighter has through Magic: The Gath­ Heathcote, been selected by the Westiand Civil both 9 Service Commission to become the ering, a trading card city's next fire chief. years old, Mark Neal will succeed retiring fire game that has cornered while the Chief Michael Reddy, who is leaving 70 percent of the games other kids Jan. 16 after 2lV» years with the market since coming out sing "Jin­ department. gle Bells" "I wanted to someday become fire in 1992./BX chief, and then it happened ... it's at the great," said Neal. "It's the culmination Holiday cheer: The Livo­ Dorsey of where I wanted to be. It's beep a Center rewarding and gratifying career." nia Woodcarvers have Christmas Firefighting is in the blood of.the helped bring Christmas to Party last Neal family. Neal's father and grand­ the lobby of the St. Mary father each spent nearly 30 years with week in the Detroit fire department. And a Hospital-Child Care Cen­ Westiand; fourth generation - son Scott - is cur­ ter decorating a tree with rently a firefighter in Westiand. A career in firefighting nearly didn't handcarved, handpainted happen for Neal. ornaments./B7 ._....... "I was majoring in pre-dental at Eastern Michigan University when my dad started talking to me about fire­ A fighting," recalled Neal. "He kept AT HOME Please see CHIEF, A2 Special surroundings: Canton residents filled. City man their gardens with color and variety./OS to face trial ENTERTAINMENT in shooting Band of the Year: An BY VALERIE OLANDKR amalgamation of rocka­ STAFF WRITER billy, swing, blues, R&B Two Eastern Michigan University students will stand trial in Wayne and rock V roll, the County Circuit Court for a drive-by Twistin* Tarantulas play shooting Dec. 7 in Canton, seriously constantly, and the clubs injuring a Livonia man. Testimony at a preliminary exam are standing room Monday in 35th District Court in Ply­ only./El mouth claimed Timothy Scott, 26, of Westiand, and Edward Bolden, 19, of Detroit, ambushed a Ford F150 truck at the Holiday Estates Mobile Home REAL ESTATE Park. Scott is charged with assault with intent to commit murder and Bolden is Warm memories: The holi­ charged with assault with intent to days are a nice time to murder and felony firearm. Scott is look back at the wonder­ Refreshments: Bobby Bean, 13, really suspected of driving the car while enjoyed the pizza and soda pop that Bolden is suspected of opening fire ful stories from holidays were served to the kids. Children with a 12-gauge shotgun. past./PX A enjoyed refreshments, received gifts Scott's attorney, Wright Blake, said and sang Christmas carols at the the victims "taunted racial epithets Dorsey Center Christmas party for and were drunk." What a doll: Each child got to pick out one gift, like "To say they played a passive role in INDEX children. Westiand police officers also this is untrue. They came at him at a Maryah Lapointe reaching for this Bean Bag Baby joined in the fun, singing carols with high rate of speed . (Scott) didn't try • Classified Index P4 doll, after changing her mind about a Barbie doll. the children. Real Estate F4 Please see SHOOTING, A2 Crossword F6 Jobs Fll Home & Service G4 Missing 13-year-old girls found in Westiand ^ Autos _: G6 [ Calendar A4 BY TEDD SCHNEIDER ager of Forest Lane Apartments on Wayne Road, on Dec. 8. I Opinion A10-11 STAFF WRITER south of Warren, in Westiand. The Plymouth girl The two girls were seen walking along Plymouth used to live at the complex with her mother, said Road near the Unisys plant by a Central teacher that I Sports CI Jennifer McCraw was reunited with her aunt and manager Dale Kendall. afternoon. They were supposed to be in detention for I Real Estate FI uncle Sunday evening, two weeks after she apparent­ Kendall believes the girls were slaying in vacant cutting a class but never showed up at the school, ly ran away from their Canton home with a friend houses under construction, just cast of the complex, according to school officials and Patricia Surrett. from Central Middle School in Plymouth. and also spending time at an apartment where n The Surretts said Friday that McCraw hadn't con­ The friend, a 13-vear-old Plymouth girl, was turned teen-aged boy lives. "I went back there (the houses) tacted them at ail since Dec, 8. The Plymouth girl's HOW TO REACH US over to police and released to her mother Sunday arid saw footprints and other indications that some­ mother said she received a brief phone call from her night. She will move out of state to live with another one was there," he said. daughter on Dec. 11. She declined to reveal the Newsroom: 313-953-2104 relative, according to Plymouth Township Police. Kendall first spotted the girls Thursday in the nature of the conversation. "We couldn't be more pleased they're safe," Rob Newsroom Fax: 313-591-7279 parking lot. He recognized the Plymouth girl, he said, Classmates and school staff were concerned about Surrett, McCraw's uncle, said Monday. "We have no but didn't realize they were runaways. the girls' absence and the Surretts hired a private E-mail: newsroomeotontlrto.com idea (what prompted her disappearance) but we're On Friday, he saw a poster with McCraw's picture investigator, Jerry Borycz of Statewide Investigation NlghWne/Sports: 313-953-2104 working to get a handle on it." at an area convenience store. Service. Reader Comment Line: 313-953-2042 McCraw, 13, was taken temporarily to an area Ho saw the girls again about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, he~ Borycz said the family was concerned because shelter for runaways while the family works with Classified Advertising: 313-6910900 said, and took them to the office, where he called there wfls no real indication of any problems with counselors, Surrett said. Ho expects her to return to police and the Surretts. McCraw. The girls didn't take clothes or money and Display Advertising: 313-691-2300 school when the holiday recess ends Jan. 6. Patricia Surrett, Jennifer's aunt and legal may have decided to leave on the spur of the moment, Home Delivery: 313-591-0500 The two girls were discovered by the resident man­ guardian, first reported her missing to Canton Police he said. ___ ( td««.tij»«i A2(W) The Observer & Eccentric/ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1997 Chief from page Al Walgreens from page Al telling me "This year, we'll handle more that fire- than 7,000 runs, with about ing," said planner Bruce Thomp­ son.