SPORTS

The
VOL. 28, NO. 21

Belleville wins two during five-game stretch See Page 1-B

INSIDE

INSIDE

Sumpter Country Fest announces guests See Page 9-A

Area crime briefs See Page 12-A

50
THURSDAY, MAY 24, 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....Missing teenager found.

Ofcials continue wrestling with oodplain issue

been part of the National Flood Insurance Program for many years, The Van Buren according to FEMA, VAN BUREN so its path toward Township Board of Trustees met resolution was a TWP. for the third bit clearer, albeit time to deal with a painful, frustratthe publication of new ing process for some of its floodplain maps by the residents. U.S. Federal Emergency Van Buren Township, Management Agency, on the other hand, was not a complex, significant part of the flood insurance issue that surfaced first program sponsored by in Sumpter Township but FEMA, so the process by spread swiftly to Van Buren which the township would Township. respond on behalf of the These maps identified residents affected by the more than 500 homes in new floodplain maps had Van Buren Township as to be defined first. Contacts being in floodplain areas, in federal and state governrequiring the purchase of ments had to be identified, flood insurance, in some and township staff and cases for high annual preengineering consultants miums. began to work in April Sumpter Township has on what Planning and
Special Writer

By Jerry LaVaute

Economic Development Director Terry Carroll called a two-pronged approach: Remove as many township properties as possible from the flood insurance requirement. It was estimated that 376 of the 529 parcels initially said to be in a floodplain could be removed by evidence derived from aerial photography; that another 95 of the parcels didnt have a structure to insure, and of the remaining 58 parcels, roughly half would not require insurance after a formal survey of the parcel showing the low probability of flooding risk. Of the 20 to 30 remaining parcels that may require flood insurance, the township would apply

Draft a to become a letter from participatthe township ing commu- FYI Read about resident to U.S. Rep. nity in the Marie Krauses time John Dingell National crunch involving her ood and Senators Flood insurance on page 3-A. Debbie Insurance Stabenow and Program, Carl Levin, enabling requesting their assistance homeowners to purchase working with FEMA. flood insurance at a more Carroll said a recent call to reasonable annual premiDingells office brought the um as part of their current following response from a homeowners insurance Dingell staffer: We dont policy. get involved in disputes In its last Board of between communities and Trustees meeting May 15, officials voted unanimously FEMA. Draft a letter from the to defer a decision to join township to mortgage the NFIP and scheduled a lenders indicating that work study session May 21 the township is working to focus on the issue. The with FEMA and with state session lasted for more than two hours, and from it officials to resolve the came the following conclusion and next steps: PLEASE SEE FLOOD/3-A

Check out our video:

Edgemont students learn about metamorphosis.

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Township to buy 42 surveillance cameras

By Jerry LaVaute
Special Writer

METAMORPHOSIS
By Joe Gray
Heritage Media

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Edgemont Elementary students get red up over change

ave you ever tried to hold a rst-graders attention for a short amount of time? It can be dif-

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If you live in the greater Belleville area and are interested in writing about local events, news and views or even your own interests and hobbies, please contact David Veselenak at dveselenak@heritage. com.

A $70,000 proposal to purchase 42 surveillance cameras for inside and VAN BUREN outside of TWP. township buildings was unanimously approved by the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees at their regular meeting on May 15. The current 36 analog cameras were first installed in the township more than 10 years ago. Many of the cameras no longer work, and limited parts availability prevents them from being repaired. The new cameras are digital. In addition to replacing the current analog cameras, four new cameras will be installed at Fire Station #2 on Belleville Road and two cameras at the Parks Building on the I-94 service drive. Part of the cost will be offset by a $25,000 grant obtained by the township. The balance of the cost was not budgeted for 2012
PLEASE SEE CAMERA/3-A

cult. Now think about how challenging it would be to hold the attention of an entire classroom full of first-graders five days a week for an entire school year. Wow. That is a challenge, especially when the school year is drawing to an end. Melinda Rafail, a firstgrade teacher at Edgemont Elementary School, has been trying for years to keep her students attention when spring is approaching and the children are anxiously awaiting the chance to get outside. It seems she came up with a good plan: teach about the metamorphosis of various plants and animals.

First-grader Madison Yoder shows off Marshmallow, a newly hatched chick. The kids have been so excited, Rafail said. They cant wait to get to class. The students planted seeds and have been watching the plants grow. An added lesson has been that the children are required to measure the plant growth and record the progress. They have also been watching ladybugs and caterpillars grow and baby chicks hatch, which has been a class favorite. Rafail brought in an egg incubator - and despite a power failure that put the hatching process in jeopardy - most of the eggs hatched in a few weeks and nine chicks have joined the class. The kids watched the eggs hatch and they were so excited, Rafail said. You could see the light go on in their eyes. We have a saying in class. We say, You have to prove it. We said chickens hatch from eggs and we proved it. The children came up
PLEASE SEE CHANGE/13-A

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INDEX
Editorial Calendar Sports Page 6-A Page 12-A Page 1-B

Death Notices Page 14-A

Strawberry Fest committee condent in planning process

By Jerry LaVaute
Special Writer

News Tip Hotline: 248-745-4613

How confident were the representatives of the Strawberry Festival Committee that plans for everything they could

control were either tival, which had already in place, or been planned for BELLEVILLE June 12. would be in place by the festivals first Most of the day June 15? They team has been were so confident that they working with each other cancelled their one remain- now for a few years. ing meeting before the fesTheyve seen their share

of ups and downs, and they understand their roles and their planning timetables. They also understand that they cant control the weather, often a major factor in the success of the festival.

The following were the key conclusions and issues at their last meeting on May 15: The festival parade will continue to be staged
PLEASE SEE FEST/5-A
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