7/29/2019 Ypsilanti Courier front page March 28, 2013

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VOL. 19, NO. 13 THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

The

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JAN HALECommunitymembers set upmemorial fund

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SPORTSPheonix fall short to

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INDEX

BRIDGECouncil approvespedestrian bridge

funds, plansSee Page 1-D

By Leslie McGrawSpecial Writer

Community members joined alumni and studentsfrom Ypsilanti and Willow Run High Schools in apublic forum to discuss the mascot and school colors

for the Ypsilanti Community Schools.Maria Sheler-Edwards, who is a professional com-

municator and trustee on the unified school boardfor Ypsilanti Public Schools, led the group through anumber of exercises to help people share their ideas,see and vote on ideas of others, as well as the reasonsbehind those ideas. The meeting met objectives butnothing has been decided yet.

"The objective here is to come away with 5-10options that we can share with the advisory commit-tee," she said.

This advisory committee is comprised of com-munity members, business owners and alumni fromboth schools and will make a choice based on the

public forums and a community survey.The goals for the new united mascot and colors

included having a fresh start, history, uniqueness,pride and that it represents and embodies the qualityof all the people it affects.

Although participants agreed on the goals, mem-

bers expressed a wide array of opinions on how toreach these goals. For alumni and other communitymembers, the change is a way to set the new schoolapart and highlight the unique historical aspects ofthe area. Some of the choices that yielded the mostvotes were the Ypsi Flyers and the Liberators.

Shane Edwards, who graduated from Willow Runin 2004, voted for the Liberators.

"Back during World War II, Willow Run producedB24 bombers that helped liberate Europe," he said."It carries a lot of history and it is unique. No otherschool can claim this."

Ypsi Community Schools blendshistory, cultures at mascot forum

Photo Leslie McGraw

Willow Run student Brett Smith, left, didnt like the idea of the new mascot being The Flyers.

By Krystal ElliottHeritage Media

Ypsilanti City Council postponed adecision on a Family Dollar developmentproposal for the Water Street propertyuntil April 23, when a new concept siteplan will be presented.

Some aspects of the current FamilyDollar concept site plan will be changedto fit more closely to what the City hasin mind for Water Street property withinthe "Shape Ypsilanti" developmentmaster plan, which includes aligningroads within the property to the existingstreet grid. The master plan will enterthe design phase of its development mid-April.

Councilmember David Vogt, who sup-ported the delay.

"I don't think we should let the con-cerns of one parcel dictate the masterplan of the property," he said. "We shouldhold off on this purchase until the mas-ter plan is finished."

The current plan for the Family Dollardevelopment situates the building on a1.25-acre parcel of land at the northeastcorner of the Water Street property,

where Michigan Avenue and Park Streetintersect. Family Dollar would includein their $800,000 development of the sitethe construction of a private sharedaccess drive between their property andneighboring parcel.

The taxable value of the developedsite is estimated between $350,000 and$400,000 and would result in an estimated$30,000 in annual taxes.

Plans are now being discussed to movethe private access drive 50 feet west, sothat it lines up with Lincoln Street. Thiswould increase the parcel from 1.25 acresto 1.4 acres and would build the possibil-ity of converting of the private drive toa public road in the future into the pur-chase agreement.

There is also discussion about theplacement of the building on the site,

which will be included in the updatedconcept site plan.Bill Tippman of Core Resources, Inc.,

said the development company workingwith Family Dollar on the project, saidthat they would be willing to build thisflexibility into the purchase agreement.

"We are perfectly willing to work withthe city through this process and bringthis deal to a close," he said.

Once a layout fort the site has beenagreed upon and a deal made, develop-ers can begin land inspections and startthe construction process. If the FamilyDollar project is approved by the city, thecompany plans to have the store up andoperating within one year.

Some Ypsilanti community membersare urging the city to reject the proposal,including local business owner David

Heikkenen."I've talked to a lot of people about

this, and there's not a lot of favor for aFamily Dollar in the Water Street area,"he said.

Heikkenen, who owns Heikk'sDecorated Apparel at 133 W. Michigan

City councilpostpones

decision onWater Streetdollar store

By Amy BellHeritage Media

Over the last month, Ypsilanti's Lavonte Davisand the Phoenix basketball team representedan entire community during a historic chargethrough the postseason.

Though Ypsilanti's season came to an endTuesday night, Davis is still set on representinghis community- in an entirely different way.

Lavonte Davis, a senior and captain of the YHSvarsity boys basketball team, recently qualifiedfor the international DECA competition takingplace in Anaheim, Cali. April 24 though 27. Davisis the first student in the history of the school'sclub to qualify for the competition.

Not only is he a star on the court, he's also amember of the National Honor Society, the trea-surer of his school's senior cabinet and presidentof the YHS DECA club.

"I feel like I have to represent the communityin everything that I do," he said. "Whether it'sreading to kids at Estabrook (Elementary School)

YHS basketball player to head to

international DECA competition

Lavonte Davis poses with a DECA award. PLEASE SEE DAVIS/3-APLEASE SEE WATER ST/3-A

PLEASE SEE MASCOT/3-A

EntertainmentU-M presentshumorousopera

See Page 2-D

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