SPORTS

Belleville enters with high hopes for 2012 See Page 1-B

INSIDE

INSIDE

Museum turns into bistro for fundraiser See Page 6-C

Police briefs See Page 7-A

The
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VOL. 28, NO. 15 THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012 Weave the Web:
Make sure to click on www.heritage.com around the clock for the most in-depth coverage. See most popular stories..Brownstown Township: Teenage girls killed after found lying in West Road. Road.

Sumpter residents upset with FEMA

New oodplain maps could cause homeowners to pay more for ood insurance
By Malissa Martin
Heritage Media

More than fifty people filled the Sumpter Township Municipal Building to discuss the recent influx of residents receiving letters from their banks notifying them that their homes are now in a floodplain. Homes in the flood zone, newly mapped by FEMA, must purchase flood insurance. Theres some people that are right next to the drains that are gonna be in the flood plain, John Hennessey, vice president of Hennessey Engineers, Inc., said. And theres no

way out of it. Hennessey Engineers, Inc. was voted to be hired as the township engineer company at the township board meeting on March 27, 2012. Hennessey said the mortgage companies are mailing letters to their clients in the flood zone to pay for the flood insurance to protect their assets. Many residents blamed the townships clogged drains as the reason for being classified as living in a flood zone. Theyre making us get flood insurance when the problem is all the water standing because the drains and the ditches

arent cleaned up, a female resident said. The drains are a problem for sure, Hennessey said. But FEMAs not concerned with the drains. Hennessy said FEMA looks at the culverts that are in the roads....because those are what creates hydraulic restrictions. Because youre trying to push 100 gallons through something that can hold... 20 gallons. Thats whats really causing the problem. Sumpter Township wasnt the only community to get new flood zone maps. All 43 townships, villages

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Small plane crashes in Ann Arbor

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John Hennessey, vice president of Hennessey Engineers, Inc. explained to residents how homes are classied as being in the oodplain zone. Hennessey Engineers, Inc. was hired last month by the townships PLEASE SEE FLOOD/3-A board.

Click on the jobs tab on the home page of our websiteror a g edirectly to h e i t go . c o m http://jobs.heritage.com.

Cultural Committee moves forward

By Jerry LaVaute
Special Writer

Sailing for the New World

Students imagine themselves as Christopher Columbus
By Jerry LaVaute
Special Writer

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In its March 22 meeting, members of Van Buren Townships Cultural Advisory Committee made progress toward a final draft of the form to be used to request funding for tricommunity projects that, according to its charter, embrace and enhance arts, heritage, and the humanities. The group, whose chairperson is Carol Dolph, was first formed in 2011. It includes seven other members, including Vice Chair Ed Seyfried, Marian Caldwell, Recreation Committee Chairperson Harold Speed Gant, Helen Wylie, Jane Kovach, township trustee Denise Partridge and Recording
PLEASE SEE CULTURAL/3-A

Her bearing was dignified, befitting a queen. She wore a gold crown and a regal gown, handsomely embroidered with precious fabric. Those sharing the room with her felt privileged to be in her presence. When Queen Isabella of Spain stood among Mrs. Cuttings fifth-grade students at Haggerty Elementary School, her quiet mien commanded the room and attention of her subjects. When she was seated and began to hear the students proposals for a sea voyage west to parts unknown, she was The queen listens to a proposal from one of the teams. MacDennis Ikpeama is preregal and sat up persenting on behalf of his group. fectly straight. You may approach the throne, she Cuttings students had them in the shoes of the Empire of Spain to said, in a quietly assured recently completed a fourChristopher Columbus, yet friendly manner. PLEASE SEE SAILING/3-A part project that imagined who sought funding from

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INDEX
Editorial Calendar Sports Page 6-A Page 4-C Page 1-B

Precinct 8 voting place to change

New cemetery ordinance also passed
current site for Precinct Nine, Special Writer Savage Elementary School on Savage Road. Van Buren Township Clerk Leon Voting for one of the precincts Wright was directly involved with will be in the Savage School gym, a couple of the agenda Wright said, whereas voters items in the last trustVAN BUREN in the other precinct will vote ees meeting, during in the school cafeteria. TWP. which, the former site The closure of Haggerty for voting for Township School in June, currently Precinct Eight was moved to the the site of voting for Precinct 8,

Death Notices Page 8-A

By Jerry LaVaute

prompted the change. Haggerty and Elwell Schools, the latter school in Sumpter Township, are to be closed at the end of this school year to right-size the school districts number of students with its building capacity. Using a single site for two separate voting precincts has precedent in the township: Voters in Precincts Three and Four vote in two different rooms in township hall. Wright also said that Belleville High School has been

used in the past for two separate voting precincts. There are several things that the clerks office must do to get the word out about the change. Because the state has recently changed its voting districts, that information that was to have been sent to township voters will now include an announcement of the move to Savage School for Precinct Eight voters. Wright said he
PLEASE SEE ORDINANCE/3-A

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