Fighting junk e-mail Detroit rings in the requires Chinese New Year Tech Savvy-D11 filter January 17,2008 75 cents WINNERS-OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE www.hometownlife.com Back in the game Husband BILL BRESLER I STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ken Jacobs will run the Plymouth- Canton school district on an interim basis until a new superintendent is BY TIFFANY L. PARKS hired. STAFF WRITER Alan Poole looked down at the tod• dler bed and his calm voice lowered to a near whisper. District "I cherished her," he said of his 2-year-old foster daughter, Allison Newman, who died in September 2006. The child, who at the time was in the care of Poole's wife, Carol, suffered head trauma after falling 12 feet over a two-story balcony during a game of "whirlybird," according to his wife. Carol Poole, 42, of Canton has been charged with felony murder, involun• tary manslaughter and first-degree child abuse in Allison's death. Her lawyer has admitted the township woman made mistakes in not taking the child to a hospital immediately and BILL BRESLER | SIAFF PHOTOGRAPHER for lying to police about how the girl was injured, but he maintains-sthat the Canton's Karen Braun and her 4-year-old daughter, Elaina, greet Mitt Romney and wife Ann Romney at Laurel Manor in Uvonia on death was an unintentional tragedy. With Ryan, principals Saturday during a campaign stop to the area. Alan Poole, who testified Monday, leaving, schools look began crying, along with Carol, when CANTON ELECTION NUMBERS Assistant Prosecutor Jerry Dorsey IV Romney sways Canton voters; brought Allison's white bed into the at'several models Roughly 26 percent of Canton's regis• courtroom. The toddler's biological tered voters participated in Tuesday's BY TONY BRUSCATO parents, Kenneth Newman and Anne Clinton tops among Democrats primary. Here's how they voted: Hirsch, remained calm during the pro• STAFF WRITER Total ballots cast: 14,540 (8,733 BY TIFFANY L. PARKS Michigan's presidential primary. ceedings. Republican; 5,807 Democratic) The transition from the leader• STAFF WRITER The son of former Michigan Gov. Alan Poole, who was away on busi• ship of Supt. Jim Ryan to a new George Romney walked away with Republican: ness when Allison was injured, said he district CEO became more vis• Denise McGovern and her teen• 44-percent of the township's 8,733 1. Mitt Romney: 3,832 (43.9 percent) never saw his wife abuse the child. ible as interim Supt. Ken Jacobs age son helped push Mitt Romney Republican votes. John McCain 2. John McCain: 2,080 (23.8 percent) "She was always a loving, caring sat in the chair next to President to victory on Tuesday. captured 24 percent while former mother," he said, while adding that he 3. Mike Huckabee: 1,389 (15.9 percent) Judy Mardigian at Tuesday's "I looked at all of the candidates Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee wouldn't lie to protect Carol if she had Board of Education meeting. and he is the closest to most of came in third with 16 percent. 4. Ron Paul: 525 (6 percent) abused the child. "I'm not going to try to rein• the things I look for," the Canton Diana McLean is one of 1,389 5. Rudy Giuliani: 369 (4.2 percent) Dorsey, who challenged Carol's vent the wheel, but I do plan to woman said moments after she and Canton voters that supported 6. Fred Thompson: 319 (3.7 percent) claims that Allison would occasionally support the work that's already her son, Tom, 19, cast their votes for Huckabee. bang her head against her bed while in progress to provide whatever the former Massachusetts governor. "I appreciate his religious stance Democrat: she was sleeping, questioned whether it was unusual that Carol didn't call leadership I can to the process," In the statewide race, as well as on issues," she said. 1. Hillary Clinton: 3,216 (55 percent) Jacobs said. in the township, Romney topped his Another township woman Alan immediately about the whirlybird fellow Republication presidential 2. Uncommitted 2,165 (37 percent) incident. 3. Dennis Kucinich: 185 (3.2 percent) Please see DISTRICT, A2 candidates to nab the top spot in Please see PRIMARY, A5 Allison fell from the balcony before 10 p.m. Sept. 21. Carol called her husband at about 2:30 a.m. the next morning. When he did learn of the situation, Alan testified that his focus was on Wal-Mart expanding Allison's well-being and he didn't ask how the child got injured nor did Carol offer an explanation. Alan did admit store into 'supercenter' that he asked his wife about their dogs and whether their Emily Court home Was locked. BY TIFFANY L PARKS which sits beside a Sam's Club, calls STAFF WRITER for building a 48,000-foot expansion Before going to the hospital to see to the west side of the building. the toddler, Alan said he went home The nation's retail powerhouse has On Monday, commissioners praised to change his clothing and secure his crossed one hurdle in expanding its Wal-Mart for the building's aesthet• home, but said that doesn't mean his current operations in Canton. ics. foster daughter wasn't his main prior• The Canton Planning Commission "Thanks for keeping the appear• ity. has approved Wal-Mart's request ance unique," Commissioner Greg , He admitted that he didn't to morph its store at Ford and Lotz Greene said. understand the severity of Allison's roads into a Supercenter, thereby The plan also calls for the creation injuries until he saw her in the hospi• widening its grocery department. of a traffic circle north of the main tal. If the project is approved by the entrance used to access both Wal- Alan said Carol later admitted lying Mart and Sam's Club. The landscaped to the hospital while attempting to township board, Wal-Mart officials BILL BRESLER I STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER said they want to have the section area between the two stores will also explain how the child was hurt. open by summer 2009. be realigned. Upon completion, the "She said she was afraid," he testi• "This will be good for me," Wal-Mart will feature two entrances. Running with the bulls fied. Plymouth resident Bernice White said Wal-Mart is also expected to start If convicted of the murder charge, as she prepared to leave the depart• construction on another Canton store Chrysler made the biggest splash during the opening week of the North Carol Poole could be sentenced to life ment store Tuesday afternoon. "I get on Michigan Avenue at Belleville American International Auto Show by herding a group of bulls through the in prison. my prescriptions here so I know I Road. streets of Detroit when it introduced the new Dodge Ram. The show opens to would use the (grocery section)." the public on Saturday, Jan. 19. For more coverage of the Auto Show, please see tlparks9homefownlife.com The proposed plan for the store, [email protected] | (734) 459-2700 . page A6. (734) 459-2700 © The Observer & Eccentric m Newspapers Community Financial will contribute STOOD to THAW For Home APARTMENTS C3 in Health Delivery call: AUTOMOTIVE C8 Volume 33 CROSSWORD PUZZLE C7 (866) 887-2737 # K Community Number 58 The Heatand Warmth Fund (THAW) is a nonprofit HOMETOWNLIFE Dl organization established to provide low-income JOBS CIO families with energy assistance during crisis. For OBITUARIES A6 the 2006-2007 heating season, THAW distributed OPINION A10 (734) 453-1200 (877) 937-2328 toll free wvww.cfcu.org more than $9,528,000 in energy assistance to PINK D4 Library to host Seasonal more than 8,600 household in Michigan. PLYMOUTH CANTON NORTHVILLE NOVI REAL ESTATE C2 SERVICE GUIDE C2 Affective Disorder *See branch for complete details. NCUA Your savings federally insured to at least $ 100,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of SPORTS B1 the United States Government. t=l Equal Housing Lender. ©2008 Community Financial program by U-M experts A2 (o Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, January 17, Z008 LOCAL NEWS www.tiometowniife.com AROUND CANTON All REVOIR, RYAN Hall of Fame nominations What: Farewell party for Dr. Jim commemoration of the birthday DISTRICT PAGE Al Ryan Nomination forms for of Martin Luther King, Jr. Canton's Hall of Fame, Orchestra Canton tickets are Ryan is retiring Feb. 28, and Where: Discovery Middle School, Community Supporter and $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, Mardigian said having Jacobs 45083 Hanford, Canton Community Achiever awards and $10 for children. Tickets r sitting in the superintendent's When: 6:30-8 p.m., Thursday, are now available at the Canton may be purchased in person at chair at the school board meet• Jan. 31 supervisor's office, the Canton the Summit on the Park, 4600 ings gives Jacobs experience in Why: Ryan, superintendent since Chamber of Commerce and on Summit Parkway, or by phone running the district, under the 2002, retires Feb. 28 Canton's Web site, www.can- by calling the Summit at (734) watchful eye of Ryan. What they're saying: "It's a ton-mi.org. Completed forms 394-5460. Tickets may also "I think it's important that are due back to the supervisor's be purchased using the Village 61 Ken have experience prepar• way for people to congratulate office no later than Friday, Feb. Theater's secure online box office ing for the meeting under Jim's him on his retirement and wish 22. at www.orchestracanton.org, or watch, and Ken presiding over him well..