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VOL. 18, NO. 48

Council greenlights Family Dollar

Chain store submits plans to build rst development on Water Street property
By Alex Diakonis
Special Writer

The Water Street development could be the home to a new Family Dollar store. The Ypsilanti City Council approved the Letter of Intent from Family Dollar, which details the potential purchase of 1.25-acres of the Water Street Redevelopment Area. Teresa Gillotti, Planner for the City of Ypsilanti, explained that the 1.25-acres requested was the maximum amount of land. It could be less, but not more.

The city worked with representatives from the Family Dollar to draft the Letter of Intent, which detailed the potential purchase, for $210,000. Roughly 8,320 feet are reserved for the actual structure of the self-described neighborhood convenience store, and the remainder for parking, access, and other amenities, which were required by Michigan Department of Transportation. According to the Request of Legislation, The area is slightly larger than the parcel formerly

occupied by the State Police Post on the hard corner of South Park Street and East Michigan Avenue Gillotti said that there is a stipulation worked into the proposal, which prevents direct competition from purchasing one of the adjacent lots, but that stipulation is too broad so it is still being discussed. She said that Ypsilanti would get a different model of store from Family Dollar; the model will allow for more pedestrian traffic since it is only setback ten feet on Michigan Ave and ten feet from South Park Street.

Bill Tipman, the representative of Core Resources, Inc., also gave a presentation regarding the proposed purchase, but he addressed what the Family Dollar can bring to the community. Family Dollar is in the middle of a multi-million dollar renovation, Tipman said. That renovation means that they are upgrading their older model stores and opening new stores every year 500 a year or more. Family Dollar employs
PLEASE SEE COUNCIL/3-A

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One-on-one with EMU coach Rob Murphy

Mom ghts to null dead sons student loans

By Amy Bell
Heritage MNedia

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Celeste Hawkins and Don Garrett look over the draft grant poposal on Nov. 26.

Ypsi-Willow Run vye for $6.5m state grant

Danny Shaw
Heritage Media

Unifying two school districts can be an expensive endeavor and extra funds from the state would be vital in the establishment of the new YpsilantiWillow Run consolidated district. At least thats the thought from the Ypsilanti and Willow Run school district administrators and the consolidated board of education. During theirfirst-ever meeting, the school board approved a $6.5-million draft budget prepared on the soon-to-be unified districts behalf by the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. The draft will be submitted as a grant request for the majority of $10 million set aside by Gov. Rick Snyder for eligible consolidated school districts to

help cover merging costs. WISD Superintendent Scott Menzel said it would greatly help the cost associated with closing out two school districts and establishing a new, consolidated district. We did estimate, a long time ago, that a significant amount of resources would be needed to ensure the transition is successful and that it didnt further compromise the already challenged financial status of the two districts as theyre currently configured, Menzel said, explaining the drafts $6.5-million total to the board. During the Monday meeting, Menzel highlighted several cost areas he hopes the grant money would cover. He referenced the August joint board meeting in which State Superintendent Mike Flanagan promised to

help the districts at the state level. One reason I jumped through hoops to some degree to get here is I think you can be a model for the rest of the state, Flanagan said at the August meeting. We cant, at the expense of the education of our kids, afford to have 500some districts anymore, quite frankly. While the budget is still a draft that Menzel said he and his staff are constantly updating and changing, many areas included costs of merging the teaching and support staff, continuing various summer programs and providing new professional developmental and training sessions. Quite frankly, youre blazing new trails. Districts have consolidated but not on the magnitude
PLEASE SEE GRANT/3-A

A grieving mother, stuck paying for her deceased sons private student loan, is hoping others will hear her story. Ypsilanti resident Ella Edwards, 61, started a petition via Change.org to let others know her situation, that it could happen to them and in the hope that her sons debt, now hers, will be forgiven. Ella had co-signed three student loans for her only son, Jermaine Edwards, a 24-year-old who died suddenly in 2009 of natural causes. After his death, their two federal loans were forgiven. However, a loan from a private lender, First Marblehead Corporation, was not. I dont want anyone to go through what Im going through, she said. Youre grieving for your child and you have people calling you for money to pay for something you cant use, my baby took it to the grave with him. Since starting her Change.org petition, it has received nearly 190,000 signatures from people throughout the world. The petition will be delivered to officials at First Marblehead and American Education Services. Jermaine was a graduate of Willow Run High School and had an interest in music production. After graduating from Full Sail, he returned to Ypsilanti then eventually moved back to Atlanta after he learned he was going to be a father. While living in Atlanta, he put his music career on hold and took a job at the Norfolk Southern Railroad. Even though he was miles away, he still called his mother at least two or three times a day, she said. In January, she drove to Atlanta to be with her son because he said he missed her. Two months later, he passed away. Edwards said words cannot describe what she is going through. However, she finds strength to carry on through her church, 2-year-old grandson, family and friends. And, even though she is still grieving, shes using this as an opportunity to tell others about her situation so they dont have to go through the same thing. Edwards is not the only individual on Change.org with a petition against the company. A second petition created by Angela Smith from Virginia also asks First Marblehead to dismiss her deceased sons student debt. Its inspiring to see Ella follow in the footsteps of other Change.org petition creators whove used our site to take on big financial institutions and win, stated Charlotte Hill, communications manager at Change.org. Moreover, the support Ella is earning through her petition is obviously making a big personal difference for her. Thats been the most powerful thing to watch unfold. Officials from First Marblehead Corporation could not be reached for comment.

The Ypsilanti Courier is looking for Community Bloggers!

If you live in the greater Ypsilanti area and are interested in writing about local events, news and views or even your own interests and hobbies, please contact Erica McClain at emcclain@heritage.com

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INDEX
Editorial Calendar Sports Page 4-A Page 1-C Page 1-B

Death Notices Page 8-A

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