D AN D IES: Area residents help woman surpass • f r T ' \ A’ goal for diaper collection drive P age A 3 J . l - U - A I -A—i a i p m \ V PLYMOUTH ie Lady's' skills A GANNETT COMPANY benefit free meal COM M UNITY LIFE, D1 i'. \ * » Healthy options, 04 | » Wine pairings, D4 » Holiday ham, os SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2013 • hometownlife.com Rotary Club honors first responders By Brad Kadrich “My first Monday, (Claudia) one, he ended up arresting the S taff W rite r said, ‘You’re not going to lay on suspect who robbed the Bank the couch,”’ Rozum said Fri­ of America branch at Five Mile If Charles Rozum thought day, moments after being and Beck in August. By eve­ he was going to be able to kick named the township’s Officer ning, Tiderington said, Rozum back with his feet up and relax of the Year at the 13th Ply­ had identified the suspect and after ending his 27-year career mouth Rotary Awards lun­ “was placing handcuffs on him as a police officer in Farming- cheon. by the end of the night.” ton Hills, his wife soon made it Rozum was one of four hon­ He also apprehended the clear Rozum had another think ored by the Rotary Club, which 37-year-old man who ran off coming. honors the area’s first respond­ with a 15-year-old girl last Rozum, now a rookie police ers every year. Plymouth month. That man, Robert officer in the Plymouth Town­ Township Police Chief Tom Messer of Northville, was ship Police Department, said Tiderington said he wondered, bound over for trial this week he only made it to the first as a 50-year-old man, how Ro­ on several criminal sexual Monday of his retirement be­ zum would respond as a rookie assault charges. Plymouth Rotary Club honored top first responders Friday, including fore his wife Claudia told him police officer. “He certainly is one of our (from left) EMT Scott Bernhardt, firefighter Bob Weiland, Plymouth it wasn’t going to work that But Rozum has handled police officer Mark Farhat and Plymouth Township officer Charles way. some high-profile cases. In See ROTARY, Page A2 Rozum. T o w n s h ip c it e d f o r b u s i n e s s g r o w t h ^ Plymouth Township has been recognized for their work to foster entrepreneurial growth and economic devel­ opment in a study by research­ ers at iLabs, University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Center for Innovation Research. Plymouth Township was honored along with more than 50 other communities across the state. As a five-star com­ munity, the township received the highest level of recognition possible. Plymouth Township Su­ pervisor Richard Reaume said attracting, retaining and ex­ Sam Abdallah preps for the lunch rush at Aladdin's, b i l l b r e s l e r | s t a f f photographer panding entrepreneurial ven­ tures has always been a high priority. “Plymouth Township is strong in the automotive sector and we continue to expand in FOOD IS FOCUS AT NEW the advanced technology and life science fields,” Reaume said. “We are truly honored to receive this recognition and will continue to work hard to make Plymouth Township a great place to do business for 7 8 9 BUILDING all entreprenuers.” The eCities research sur­ veyed 114 communities from 40 counties in Michigan that By Matt Jachman years in the restaurant business, owns are home to 34 percent of S ta ff W rite r the 789 Building with Nabil Kadi. Ham­ Michigan residents and nearly dan launched the project in 2010 with half of its college graduates. Plymouth foodies - and people just then-partner Ed Dombrowski, who has More than 125,000 entrepre­ looking to grab lunch or a snack down­ since left the venture. Winning city neurs with more than $3 billion town - can put three more stops on their approvals for the project took nearly a in self-employed income call checklists. year and finishing it, from ground­ the participating communities Three eateries - the Cafe Jorge cof­ breaking to occupancy, another two. home. These communities also fee shop, Yummie Yogurt and Aladdin The 789 Building, named for its ad­ had more than $1.5 billion in Shawarma Express - opened recently in dress on Ann Arbor Trail, was built on 2011 commercial construction the 789 Building at Main Street and Ann the site of a long-closed gas station that and more than 70 percent Arbor Trail. The three are the first oc­ was tom down in early 2011. Hamdan share services with other com­ cupants of what building developers said the construction price was more munities. plan as a food court with, on the second than $1 million. The communities were hon­ floor, an upscale restaurant. ored at a ceremony at UM- “So happy to be here. It’s a beautiful Sites available Dearborn. Support for eCities town,” said building co-owner Omar Hamdan, who lives in Plymouth 2012 is provided in part by the Hamdan, whose wife Diana is running Township, said he wanted to do some­ DTE Energy Foundation, the Aladdin, which boasts authentic Leba­ thing nice for the community with the Michigan Economic Devel­ nese food. Adina St. John makes an opment Corp. and UM-Dear- Hamdan, a developer who spent 30 See FOOD, Page A2 espresso at The Corner Shop. born’s College of Business. BILL BRESLER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER See GROWTH, Page A2 SHARE YOUR THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS The Plymouth Observer is watch it on TV? Are you among you cook your turkey. Or a and on the street Wednesday, looking for your favorite the thousands of fans who just special entree, veggie or des­ Nov. 27). Thanksgiving traditions, and have to be at Ford Field for the sert you just have to have. Our panel of editors will the deadline is here. Lions game? Whatever the tradition is, select five favorites and award We’re offering rewards for Is there a favorite food that we’d like to hear about it. a movie pass for two to any the most unusual, most cre­ just has to be on your Thanks­ Share your special tradition Emagine Theatre. ative, most heartwarming giving table? Does your family with readers (send a photo, too, Just email your tradition ♦ stories. Deadline for entering help feed the homeless or sen­ if you’d like; just make sure it’s (and an accompanying photo, if is Monday, Nov. 25. ior citizens? Do you get togeth­ a JPEG image). you have one) to O b server Do you always go to the er and play a fun game of Your special traditions will editor Brad Kadrich at bka- America’s Thanksgiving Pa­ touch football in the yard? be published in our Thanks­ [email protected]. rade downtown? Or do you just Maybe there’s a certain way giving Day edition (in homes O b server & E c c e n t r ic © The Observer & Eccentric INDEX II! Ill hometownlife.com Volume 127 • Number 31 Community Life ......D1 H om es................... C2 Services..................C2 III III Crossword Puzzle C3 Jo b s....................... C1 Sports.....................B1 5 3 1 7 4 1 0 0 0 7 8 H e a lth .................. B8 O bitu a rie s.............A12 W h e e ls....................... C4 PRICE: $1 Home Delivery: (866) 887-2737 | Return Address: 29725 Hudson Dr., Novi Ml 48377 ♦ * k * i A2 (P) 0 & E Media | Sunday, November 24, 2013 LOCAL NEWS hometownlife.com police career in 2001, throat and dislodged it, mouth station of the Weiland said the rea­ service, Hood read let­ ROTARY according to Plymouth allowing the baby to Northville Fire Depart­ son for that is simple - he ters from patients Bern­ Chief A1 Cox, but was begin gasping for air. ment. just wants to help. hardt has served, touch­ Continued from Page A1 often a victim of a drop Cox noted the sense of He’d been hired in “That’s how it’s always ing letters Hood said in the numbers of offi­ empathy his officers Plymouth Township in been,” Weiland said Fri­ point out the kind of leaders,” Tiderington cers in Michigan because have in these cases be­ February 1978. He took day. “I just want to assist paramedic Bernhardt is. said of Rozum. “He’s a of layoffs and mergers. cause, like Farhat, most Red Cross and advanced the community.” “Scott shows service leader not based upon his Cox called Farhat of them have young chil­ first-aid training, got his above self every day, a words, but based upon “dedicated” and “produc­ dren themselves. Farhat ambulance attendant Top paramedic trait that cannot be his actions.” tive” and noted Farhat’s agreed that was foremost license and his EMT and Bernhardt, a Garden taught,” Hood said. Others honored Friday quick acceptance of the in his mind. paramedic licenses. City resident, began Bernhardt, with his included Plymouth police “team” concept in the “My heart sank,” Far­ He retired from AT&T working with Huron wife Erin and his chil­ officer Mark Farhat, city of Plymouth. hat said. “I think of my in 2002 and left Plymouth Valley Ambulance when dren - 3-year-old daugh­ Northville-Plymouth Cox recalled an April own kids and how devas­ Township in 2009. When he graduated from ter Ryan and 1-year-old firefighter Bob Weiland case where Farhat was tating it would be if they Northville and the city of Schoolcraft College in son Ken - watching, said and paramedic Scott first on scene when a were in that situation.” Plymouth came to their 2008.