IWayne-Westland school candidates share views, A4 Hom<5Ibwn .". c:<iMWt Nii:/>riuwy fff f woWft Putting you In touch Thursday with your world May 27,1999 Serving the Westland Community for 34 years VOLUME 34 NUMBER 102 WESTLAND, MICHIGAN • 82 PAGES • http://observer eccentric.com SEVENTY- FH/E CENTS C\m HoricTow* CoowiuiiJiaUoM Matworfc, toe IN THE PAPER Clampdown would target rentals Westland has never had a rental property for deficiencies. budget to be adopted June 7. TODAY During a budget study session Mon­ inspection program, and some city officials One holdup: City officials would have would like to change that. Improved quality of day; Mayor Robert Thomas said he has to hire more inspectors to tackle rental known of landlords who evicted ten­ properties. housing is the goal of the program, discussed ants for complaining to city officials Even so, Griffin's proposal drew OPINION during a budget study session Monday. about inferior living conditions. strong support from colleagues who BY DARRELL CLEM 40 percent of all dwellings are rented - "It's terrible," he said. have criticized s.ome landlords - or Get Involved: Cleaning up STAFF WRITER including apartments, duplexes, condos Thomas said such incidents have "slumlords" - for failing to keep up [email protected] the Rouge is a worthwhile and houses. occurred in neighborhoods such as Nor- then* rental properties. effort that takes many After curtailing apartment growth in "There's no question this would wayne - where many duplexes and sin­ "Frankly it will make the town bet­ Westland, city officials want to begin a improve the quality of housing," Kilroy gle-family houses are rented in a high­ ter, so I'm all for it," Councilman hands, We encourage you new inspection program forcing land­ said Tuesday. ly populated area bound by Palmer, Richard LeBlanc said. to get involved Saturday, lords to keep up their rental properties. Westland has never had a rental Merriman, Glenwood and Wildwood. A decade ago, Mayor Thomas cam­ The proposal would have far-reach­ property inspection program, meaning Councilman Charles "Trav" Griffin paigned partly on a platform for curb­ June 5./A16 ing ramifications in a city where Plan­ that thousands of tenants live in resi­ on Monday suggested a rental inspec­ ing rental property development, and ning Director Tod Kilroy estimates that dences that city inspectors never check tion program, although he conceded it Endorsements: We make isn't likely to happen with a new city Please see RENTALS, A2 our endorsements for the June 14 school board elec­ Back in business tion in the Wayne-West- Youth land district. /A16 SPORTS Track action: Lutheran Westland girls track team won the Class C regional BY DARRELL CLEM and competed Tuesday in - STAFF WRITEJ, the Metro Conference [email protected] A Westland program that helps championships. /CI youths in trouble has shown remark­ able success, but officials say its growth is impeded by cramped quar­ ters and jobs lacking benefits. AT HOME Westland Youth Assistance, started in 1992, has earned a solid reputation by helping 90 percent of its youngsters Inviting interiors: Guest avoid becoming repeat offenders. rooms can say welcome in "I think we have one of the better a variety of stylish programs in the county," Mayor Robert Thomas said Monday during a budget ways./OB study session. Youth Assistance operates on a $120,000 budget, inside a small area of the city's Bailey Recreation .Center. It ENTERTAINMENT places troubled youngsters, with adult mentors, community service programs •'•. PHOTOS BT Prna WHJJAMS and other services amid hopes of Festival: 77«? V98.7 Cause to celebrate: American Power Wash on Wayne Road in Westlohd'ti^lkbtiitifS^i^^^^ improving their behavior. '.'.'•*• Smooth JazzFest, June 4- reopening following a fire last October. Activities May 18-23 had a fire prevention theme. Last year alone, Youth Assistance served' 177 youngsters referred by juve­ Bat the Village Green in nile court, police officers, educators and the Southfield Civic Cen­ Crowd scene: Above others. ter, features some of the Not only did the program help steer are owner Dan Green youngsters to better behaviors, it has biggest talents in jazz, (right) and Ohili Joe, made a tangible difference in communi­ including EarlKlugh and talking with patrons ty service projects such as cleaning the Kimmie Home./El during the reopening. Rouge River and ridding local buildings Chili Joe prepares a of gang graffiti, supporters say. batch of his famous Youths who stay out.of trouble have New exhibit:-This Satur- x earned adult-supervised rewards such day, the Cranbrook Insti­ chili at left during the as a canoe trip, a shipwreck tour and a event. At right, Green Kmcriciiu^ytny.t ^(fo.cA: V->.\ui>:-:' Cedar Point visit, program Director tute of Science unveils its Auto Appemrmnce C»nt«t Ronaele Bowman said in a new report. (left to right), Julie • - w >*,'< newest exhibit, "Scream Hahn, office manager, Program supporters have long Machines: The Science of daughter Desiree praised Youth Assistance for helping youngsters to improve their behavior Roller Coasters."/EX Lynn, 3, and husband and avoid becoming repeat offenders in Tony Hahn, shop man­ the juvenile justice system. — ager, . stand out front And supporters say it succeeds REAL ESTATE during the grand despite some constraints. opening. For one, the program is run in a r small Bailey Center area that provides Now what? You just virtually no space for youngsters, par­ ents and mentors to interact or even moved in, and there's play a board game. work to be done. /Fl 'We don't have any room. They can't even play a game of Monopoly," Bow-' * ~ Please see YOUTH, A2 INDEX • Obkuartes Al^ Pizzeria employee escapes injury in robbery try • Classified Index F5 Real Estate F5 BY DARRELL CLEM No one was injured, and one woman tion seemed suspicious after he pulled report said. Crossword G2 STAFF WRITM walking in the neighborhood told police into a residential driveway and noticed "Both suspects began hitting his [email protected] Jobs G5 that she ran away because she feared there were no lights turned on indoors. vehicle with the wooden sticks," a A pizzeria worker nTaking a front­ that she would be assaulted. The'employee reported that he went police officer wrote. Home&Service J2 door delivery narrowly escaped two The incident occurred about 10:30 to the front door and knocked, but The delivery driver returned to Automotive J4 masked, stick-wielding teenagers Mon­ p.m. Monday when a Crazy's Pizza dri­ returned to his truck and got inside Crazy's Pizza and phoned police, and •JDpirtjon A1647 day night by running to his truck and ver tried to deliver an order that had after he saw two suspicious teens witnesses told police that the attackers driving off, police said. been phoned in for a residence on standing near his vehicle, wielding fled to a field behind Jefferson-Barns Bl B Community Life Two witnesses told Westland police Cheboygan Court near Grand Traverse wooden sticks. Elementary School and then rode off on • Calendar B4 they saw two attackers beating on the - southwest of Palmer and Merriman, One attacker grabbed the driver-side two bicycles. police said. , truck door and opene\l it, btft the owner The phone call to the pizzeria appar- • Real Estate Fl worker's 1989 Nissan pickup as he The Worker told police that the situa­ pulled it shut as hevdrove oft", a police drove off.. Please see TRY, A2 HOW TO REACH US State school bus inspection shows improvement Newsroom:734-953-210 4 7*4-591-7279 Newsroom Fax: BY JUUK BROWN tus, the highest marking. The district covers more than 2 million bus miles E-mail: bfachimMto*l>ofl>*coflitfl.w. t STArrwart** Mt.— ~~*-,, •" "--"" >_ Some that earned yellow per year, said Superintendent Greg Barney, who • Nightllne/Sports:734**3-216 4 [email protected] >-^ I status were considered safe culled the report "extraordinary." He praised the Reader Comment Upe:734*83404 2 . Wayne-Westland Community Schools officials are IC "*"»'•' for operation but had minor improved morale and spirit of cooperation that made flaws to fix. improvement possible. Classified Advertising:734-591-090 0 pleased with a report from the Michigan State Police on local school bus inspection. "Not one driver or aide In other action, the school board: Display Advertising:734-591-230 0 The district had a 732 percent passing rate this ' had a written mark against • recognized June A as School District Paraprofes-. Home Delivery:734-591-050 0 school year; up from 37 percent in 1997-98 and just them," Davis said. "Their sionals/Teacher Aides/Teacher Assistants Recogni­ 19 percent the two years before that. This year's buses were spotless." tion Day. Wayne-Westland inspection was held April 29 to The state inspector was • honored art student Jonathan Patterson, a grad­ May 12 and included 71 buses, eight of them new. strict, but fair, he said. uating John Glenn High School senior who will "I wanted improvement," said Gary Davis, district Davis praised all involved in this year's effort, includ­ attend the. Center for Creative Studies. He received .transportation director. He told those at Monday ing drivers, aides, mechanics and others. "Every­ the 13th Congressional District Art Competition night's school board meeting this is the first passing body's a team and we got through it." Award. , inspection for the district since 1987. He'd like to see more improvement. "Where do we This year, 64.8 percent of buses earned green stn- go from here? Wo go forward." rn^^M,A 2 mmem^w ^^^^^^ ^^*m w***^*a^^~m A«(W) TheObserver A Eccentric/ THURSDAY, MAY 27,1999 •* t.