16th Annual Susan G. Komen Breast lit Race See story in hometowniife on page C1 Breast cancer is not just for women: Each year, about 2,030 men in the U.S. learn they have breast cancer. 75 cents WINNERS OF OVER 100 STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS SINCE 2001 www.hometownlife. com BY SUE MASON STAFF WRITER :- -;; A proposed Model Water Service Contract has one city official w®i> dering if it is in the best interest of Westland residents. "• , ' "I wholeheartedly understand the challenges that arise when df aft:K! ing a contract of this magnitude that affects so many communities^; •£-• said Westland Mayor William Wild in a letter to the Detroit Water^&d Sewerage Department. "But while the proposed contract is a step in'; the right direction, it still falls short in addressing the concerns of indi­ vidual communities." The model contract would have a 30-year duration with a 10-year opt out clause, meaning a community wishing to withd raw from the. , water system would have to give Detroit notice 10 years in advaneeW"^ Wild likens that to the failed incinerator contract, saying that the£-; ;•: 40-year pact looked OK initially, but the marketplace changed. A 3&-. year contract, while benefiting DWSD, would eliminate future lever- ; TOM HAWLEYI STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER age of municipalities, especially if there is a change, he said. Wearing her mortar board, Violet Hipner leaves the Tinkham Center in Westland as a high school graduate. He also called the 10-year opt out "unreasonable and the penalty for early withdrawal extreme." "The problem is it's the only game in town," he said. Wild had. several other commendations for the DWSD: - The suburban communities have more say in how this system operates, how costs are determined for maintenance projects, and ulti­ mately how rates are developed, Municipal;;e- .-;! .-nilJ hi'v? ixec-ss to f-hr elate which docm-.iertts -/¾ fnrr.i-i -VC ii-i.^cajse, fu'it! snouid no* be ibreedto pimply oass along rate increases to customers. - Since municipalities are expected to pay in a timely manner, BY SUE MASON Schools. Tinkham Center while watching DWSD should guarantee adequate water pressure, quality and system STAFF WRITER It took five years of sitting in the school channel on cable TV. She maintenance and should be accoun table financially in the event of fiiil- classrooms at the Tinkham Center decided to check into it. She ure to perform. iolet Hipner clearly remem­ with students far younger than the showed up at Tinkham in Wild believes the Detroit Water Board is trying erase the bad public­ bers the day her brothers and 71-year-dld Garden City resident December 2002 with her certificate ity it has received over its water rate increases and the failure of legisla­ sisters went off to school. She and earning all of the 22 credits of eighth-grade completion from tion introduced by then Sen. Laura Toy to give the suburbs a say in-rate stood on the front porch of her needed to get her high school ' North Junior High School in setting. family's home and cried because diploma. Wayne. It was-dated June 1952. In "It's come down To here they have a model contract, but there's any stage she couldn't go. ''I'm excited, but I'm over­ January 2003, she was enrolled in things that concern me," Wild said. "It's a lot of the issues in the past - Her parents had pulled her out' whelmed," said Hipner. "It's hard high school. like rate setting. They still won't explain that of school after eighth grade because for me to say I did it." Hipner recalls that her parents "They pick the day with the highest usage. (City Attorney) Angelo • of her "nerves." "She's a wonderful example of sent her to stay with her grandpar­ (Flakas) says you'd have to have a Ph.D. to understand the formula,'' "I always wanted to graduate, but lifelong learning, that people can ents when she missed the start-of He added, that the in addition lo the rate increase, the city also is I didn't do good in school," Hipner learn at any stage of their lives," said the school year. She stayed a month expected to pickup the costs of providing the infrastructure. said. "I could have gone to a special Janet Campbell, who was Hipner's and then came home. She returned With suburban communities not having adequate representation on school in Ypsilanti, but my parents counselor at Tinkham. "She was a the next year to stay "for quite the board, they have no input or say on projects. The DWSD decides couldn't afford it with four other good example for our younger stu­ awhile" following her grandfather's and passes the cost on to the communities, he said. children in school." dents by attending every day. She death. "it appears this contract, is on a fast track," he said. ''My gut feeling is . Her dream of graduating from had near perfect attendance." She filled her teen years'with that by locking up the communities for 30 years, it gives them an high school was fulfilled Friday She was such a wonderful exam­ baby-sitting jobs and helped keep opportunity to sell the system.'-' evening as she waited across the ple that Hipner also received a sec­ up the family home. She eventually stage at Wayne Memorial High ond, surprise honor. She was landed a job in dietary at Annapolis sffiason@hoEnetQwiiiife.:,ciiV)i (734) 953-21 \Z School's Stockmeyer Auditorium to awarded the Most Determined Hospital where she worked for 20 Janet Campbell, Student Award. Violet Hipner's counselor receive her diploma from the at Tinkham. Wayne-Westland Community Hipner happened upon the PLEASE SEE GRADUATE, A4 '^*x&&fxv^ss£Vfw&^»w&wvx>w.- A preliminary examination for a around 11 a.m. April 23 at her parents' BY SUE MASON mile-ride to Dexter and back to Westland woman accused of placing her home in the area of Joy and Hix, then STAFF WRITER Chatters Lounge on Wayne newborn in a trash bag and leaving him woke her mother to tell her that she was Road. in a garage has been adjourned for a sec­ bleeding. Gartrell's parents took her to Robin Murphy is leaving Members of the Westland ond time. St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia, nothing to chance. She's asking Police and Wayne County Valeeka Noelie Gartrell, 27, is charged where doctors told them that Gartrell God for a little help with Sheriff's Department will, pro- - with attempted murder and first-degree already had given birth. Saturday's third annual Ride vide escort for the ride which is child abuse. Relatives returned to the home and for Life, sponsored by the Motor City On Thursday, Westland 18th District found the baby after hearing cries com­ "The first year the weather HOG (Harley Owners Group) Court Judge C. Charles Bokos granted a ing from the garage. was terrible, and last year we Chapter2368. defense motion adjourning the hearing Gartrell has no criminal record, a rea­ had a few sprinkles," she said. "I hope we have 200 bikers until June 21. son the prosecution didn't oppose a bond "We were behind the storms so ... I'd be thrilled to get 200," The reason cited for the delay was to reduction that her family could meet to we had wet roads. This year, said the Garden City resident allow more time for obtaining medical allow her release from custody. I'm praying for good weather, who is getting help again this TOM HAWLEY I STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER records about Gartrell, who also has a 3- Staving with a relative in Westland, but well ride rain or shine." year from Pamela Shaw and year-old daughter. Earlier, the defense Gartrell was ordered placed on an elec­ The third annual ride will Lynette Hobyack. "All groups, A hearing for Valeeka Noelie Gartrel! on charges of had sought additional time to obtain a tronic tether and ordered not to have leave at noon from the Bailey all bikers, everyone is welcome. attempted murder and first-degree child abuse has psychiatric evaluation of Gartrell. contact with any children under 18 years Recreation Center on Ford been delayed a second time to June 21. Police believe that Gartrell gave birth old. west of Wayne Road for a 100- PLEASE SEE 1-- © The Observer & Eccentric HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT Newspapers APARTMENTS E3 Deliverycall: AUTOMOTIVE E6 Volume 43 HOMETOWNLIFE CI (866) 887-2737 E4 Number 3 CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS D1-E8 Priority Community JOBS D2 Credit Union NEW HOMES E1 1-88B-388-UEND OBITUARIES C4 www.prtorltyccu.com PERSPECTIVES A9 734-425-8300 REAL ESTATE D4 E3 28959JoyRoad«Wesflan<l e to join PCCU. SEpyscE GUIDE (4 Blocks E. of MiddlebdO SPORTS Bl ^32zrip%zsz?zttr?a&27>£4X& (W) Observer & Eccentric | Sunday, June 3,2007 www.hometownlife.com Churchill seni Seniors at Churchill High School made room in their busy schedules last month for an'activity that could help save their lives. On May 11, 24 sen­ iors and their parents made the decision to receive the Meningitis vaccine at the high BY JULIE BROWN State to study business educa­ school. *ntf STAFF WRITER tion. The daughter of Robert "I decided to get the shot to and Debbie Costello, she prepare for college next year. I Academic achievement and received $1,500 given by was extremely nervous, but it community involvement were Douglass each year in memory turned out I couldn't even feel front and center, as the of his late wife, Arlene, who the shot," said Emily Novak.