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No. 34
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
August 23 - 29, 2012
w w w . a s s o c i a t e d n e w s p a p e r s . n e t
The Diagnostic Imaging
Services Department at
Oakwood Annapolis Hospital
in Wayne has achieved full
accreditation from the
American
College
of
Radiology.
See page 5.
The transfer of a liquor
license and dance permit at
the Landing Strip Lounge in
Romulus will not happen after
all-but that doesn't mean the
establishment is closing.
See page 7
.
The Plymouth Rotarians
are getting ready for the annu-
al Chicken Barbeque when
they will serve about 11,000
chicken dinners beginning at
11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 9.
See page 3.
Northville voters will be
asked to approve a $20.87 mil-
lion bond proposal for the
school district Nov. 6 to
replace aging district technolo-
gy. It will not increase the cur-
rent schoolmillage rate.
See page 4.
Volunteers from several
groups joined forces for a spe-
cial volunteer trail clean-up
project along the I-275 Metro
Trail lastmonth.
See page 6.
Vol. 127, No. 34
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Vol. 65, No. 34
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Vol. 12, No. 34
Vol. 127, No. 34
Vol. 65, No. 34
Vol. 65, No. 34
The
Annual
Black
Collegiate Fair will take place
from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on
Saturday, Sept. 15 at the
Booker T. Dozier Recreational
Complex in Inkster.
See page 7.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Wayne County has sched-
uled a Household Hazardous
Waste Collection this Saturday,
Aug. 25 in the parking lot of the
WestlandShoppingCenter.
See page 5.
Van Buren Township Police are treating the
deaths of a family of four last week as a mur-
der suicide committed by the husband and
father, according to Police Capt. Gregory
Laurain.
The bodies of Linda Lee Vanderlinden, 34,
and her children, Julien,7, and Matthew, 4,
were discovered by police officers who went to
the home on the 6600 block of Anna Drive last
Thursday morning. The officers went to the
home after being contacted by the LaPorte
County Medical Examiners in Indiana regard-
ing the death of Michael Vanderlinden, 39, in a
head-on automobile crash near Michigan City,
IN.
“At this time we have no evidence to indi-
cate there was anyone other than the husband
responsible,” Laurain said. “We are continuing
the investigation, talking to family and neigh-
bors and re-interviewing witnesses, but noth-
ing indicates any other individual was respon-
sible.”
Officers went to the home last Thursday to
make the death notification to the family,
according to Laurain, but the officers were
unable to make contact with anyone in the
home
Neighbors told the officers that it was
unusual that no one was answering the door
and the officers found a family vehicle in the
garage. The officers tried the front door to the
home, found it unlocked and entered the resi-
dence.
After loudly identifying themselves several
times to no response, the officers began a cur-
sory look in the rooms of the home. They dis-
The board of trustees
approved a six-year tax abate-
ment for a new $2.1 million
Walgreen's non-retail facility
that will bring about 250 jobs
to the township.
See page 3.
See
Deaths,
page 2
Northville Township officials
have approved and accepted a
two-year $582,000 public safety
grant.
The federal grant, called
SAFER, Staffing for Adequate
Fire and Emergency Response,
will allow the township to main-
tain the fire department at the full
complement and recommended
minimum staffing levels required
for the 28,600 Northville Township
residents.
“My pledge has always been to
keep our (public safety) service
delivery at a safe level,” said
Township Manager Chip Snider,
explaining that the master plan
requires 30 firefighter/paramedics
for a full complement. The town-
ship will immediately hire four
more firemen for the three pla-
toons.
“Now we will be able to
increase our fire department staff
from 26 to 30 firefighters, cost-free
for two years, and we're saving
almost $600,000,” Snider said.
The grants were established for
the hiring of new firefighters and
have a two-year period of perform-
ance. The federal funds provide
fire departments with funding to
pay 100 percent of the salaries and
benefits of newly hired firefight-
ers. If for any reason during the
two-year period, the township is
unable to sustain the required
staffing levels, the grant does not
have to be retained, explained
Northville Director of Public
Safety John Werth who made the
presentation to the board of
trustees.
Snider said it's critical to have
enough staff to cover training and
sick days and be prepared to
respond anymajor emergency.
Snider said he can't take credit
for the SAFER grant but empha-
sized his pride in the work and
efforts of Werth, Fire Chief
Richard Marinucci and the mem-
bers of the township board of
trustees, who unanimously
approved the grant. Marinucci,
who has been the Northville chief
for four years, has more than 33
years of fire department experi-
ence, said the township began the
grant application process more
than a year ago..
“When we applied in 2011, the
economy was the real driving fac-
tor. When property values went
down, there was little or no new
development, plus property values
declined and accordingly there
was a decline in our revenue”,
Marinucci said. “We had to
demonstrate the need to provide a
minimum level of service. The
SAFER grant is a competitive
grant.
“We've had great deal of sup-
port from our elected officials”,
the chief added.
The two-year term of the grant
begins when the first new firefight-
er is hiredby the township.
At this time we have no evidence to
indicate there was anyone other than
the husband responsible
”
Northville wins $582,000 federal fire safety grant
Police rule 4 deaths murder, suicide
‘We Are One’
Wayne, Westland celebrate
official merger of fire service
The Wayne and Westland communities
had something to celebrate this week with
the official opening of the newly consolidated
Wayne-Westland Fire Administration
Building.
The ceremony made the move of the
Westland Fire Administration into the head-
quarters at the four-year-old station onWayne
Road in Wayne official. The building is now
called the Wayne-Westland Fire
Administration Building. Fire Chief Michael
Reddy will oversee the operation of the joint
department.
Reddy retired as the Westland Fire Chief
and is now a contract employee. The new
agreement will save Wayne about $140,000
per year and Westland about $180,000 each
year. Additionally, a new fire administration
building in Westland which had been dis-
cussed is no longer necessary.
The two communities were also able to
apply for six-month extensions on their
SAFER federal grants which currently fund
nine firefighters in Westland and five in
Wayne. The grant extensions would prevent
any layoffs when scheduled retirements are
factored in, noted Reddy. Currently, the
Westland department has 68 uniformed and
two non-uniform personnel while there are
18 on the Wayne staff. The combined force of
88 will now serve the 84,000 residents of
Westland and 17,000 residents ofWayne.
A $1.4 million Economical Vitality
Incentive Program grant would also pay for
the replacement of air packs and nozzles,
making them consistent for vehicles and fire
fighting equipment in both communities and
fund new uniforms and vehicle signage. The
grant is available to the joint operation as
part of Gov. Rick Snyder's Dashboard priori-
ties, rewarding communities that operate
using “best practices” and one set of operat-
ing procedures used inboth cities.
“I am proud to be involved in such an
innovative venture with Mayor (Al) Haidous
and the City of Wayne. With the plan being
Northville Township Fire Chief Richard Marinucci, left, and Public Safety
Director John Werth listen to Township Manager Chip Snider discuss
the new federal grant.
See
Merger,
page 2
Wayne-Westland Fire Chief Michael Reddy
displays one of the We Are One shirts com-
memorating the consolidation of the two
departments last Monday morning.
Wayne City Manager Robert English, Westland Mayor William Wild, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley,
Wayne Mayor Al Haidous and Fire Chief Michael Reddy celebrate the fire service consolida-
tion of Wayne and Westland.
Photos by Dave Willett