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hornetow i, hit • V Y O U U U l PCEP COMMUNITY Hometown Life FREEDOM SUPPORTS 'SUPER WOMAN GREEN STREET FAIR SUBSCRIBERS-FIND YOUR COPY OF JESS' 5K RUN, A2 WOMAN WITH TODAY'S NEWSPAPER MAY 6- 8 THURSDAY May 5.2011 PLYMOUTH The Observer & Eccentric Newspapers Volume 124 Number 75 O b s e r v e r WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND WHY - PAGE A5 $1.00 hometownlife fin. com a G a n n e t t c o m p a n y PIPELINE Fire millage among Streetscape update The intersection and adja cent sidewalks have been poured and the curing pro focus areas for cess has begun, Downtown Development Authority officials noted in their weekly release Friday. The curing process will citizens' group take up to two weeks. Brick paver contrac BY MATT JACHMAN G ro u p . tors are on OBSERVER STAFF WRITER “I think the proposed site and changes would drastically have begun Organizers say the new change the public safety in installing Citizens Action Group of Plymouth Township,” said new bricks Plymouth Township is here Tom Kelly, a nearly 30-year to stay. resident and, with M ann, in the The group, formed to one of the chief organizers of crosswalks advocate for keeping intact th e g ro u p . BILL BRESLER and sur STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER the Plymouth Community Mann is married to PCFD rounding Work continues Fire Department as the Lt. Chuck M ann, and Kelly is areas, on the downtown debate over the department’s a lieutenant in the Royal Oak work that's Plymouth future heated up in the Fire Department. expected streetscape township, is now focused on They say lawyers are to continue project. an informational effort and helping them navigate the through what members hope becomes legalities of getting a tax a millage campaign designed proposal on the ballot for the Underground contractors to keep department staffing November general election, were doing water main work at its current level. and point to a recent survey, on Main between Ann Arbor “The people that are in paid for by themselves and Trail and Wing. The work the group don’t want to other group members, that forced an overnight detour. see Plymouth Township go showed strong support for DDA officials note all down,” said Jennifer M ann, such a proposal. Kelly said streetscape scheduling one of the chief organiz the survey cost between issues are tentative and can ers, on Tuesday. There are $3,000 and $4,000. be impacted by factors such many critical issues facing M ann said the group needs as weather, site conditions the township, with the fire around 3,200 petition signa and crew/equipment schedul department being “the hot tures, a number equal to 25 ing. test fire that needs to get put percent of the township’s turn out right now,” M ann said. out in the last election, to get a Regular updates to the The group has drawn hun tax question on the November construction progress are dreds of people to two recent ballot. A l-m ill tax (or $1 for available at the DDA's web township Board of Trustees every $1,000 of a property’s site, downtownplymouth.org. meetings, at which many taxable value) would raise have spoken in favor of m ain about $1.4 million a year, BILL BRESLER|STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Harmonic homes taining the fire department M ann and Kelly said, enough The Michigan Philharmonic Hal Young of Plymouth Township looks over copies of the Civil War service record of his maternal great at its current staffing of 21 to keep fire department staff (formerly the Plymouth grandfather, Ralph Terry, who died in 1898 and is buried at Riverside Cemetery. full-time firefighter para ing status quo. Canton Symphony Orchestra) medics, plus a fire inspector “People need to be given announced the return of and a chief. a choice what level of gov the Symphony Home Tour. Township officials, citing ernment service they want” Participants will enjoy six unique the loss of revenue for the through voting on a tax pro and interesting homes including Shaking hands with history department, are considering posal, Kelly said. one very unique garage com cutting the full-time ranks M ann said they hope to plete with race cars and more. nearly in half, having fire soon launch a petition drive Hours for the tour are fighters work 12-hour shifts and have enough signatures noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, May Township man researches great-grandfather's Civil War service instead of 24-hour shifts, collected by the end of June. 21, and noon to 5 p.m. on and supplementing that Citizen Action Group mem Sunday, May 22. BY MATT JACHMAN removed from Young, who is staffing with part-time fire bers would prefer the town Tickets for the tour are $15 OBSERVER STAFF WRITER 85 — has given a certain sta fighters on nights and week ship board put a tax question on the ballot on its own in advance and $20 on the tus to a family from “the other ends. The part-timers would Hal Young’s great-grand side of the tracks,” Young said. not be union members and for an August election, but days of the tour and maybe father volunteered to fight in “M y family is not a family of would be paid a lower hourly board members have shown purchased at the Michigan the Civil W ar, which began status,” Young said during an rate than the full-timers. no inclination to do so. Philharmonic office at 774 N. 150 years ago last month. He interview at his home. “W hat The private Huron Valley Sheldon in Plymouth, as well spent months in the hospital I’ve made of myself has been Ambulance, which currently REVENUE FALLING as the Plymouth Chamber before making it to the front, by my own bootstraps.” does most of the transporting The township has been of Commerce, Magnolia and was twice wounded during of patients to hospitals during hit in recent years by cuts in Home Sweet Home in Plymouth, combat, and returned to the DEEP PLYMOUTH ROOTS medical runs, would have an state revenue sharing and Showroom of Elegance in Canton Plymouth area to resume life Young, who retired from expanded role in providing declining tax receipts, and and Garden Views in Northville. as a farmer, husband and Michigan Bell as a secu emergency medical coverage. faces the loss of nearly $1 For online tickets and father, becoming active in the rity manager after a 40- Officials insist the so-called million of its nearly $4 m il home tour information, visit major organization for Union year career, was raised in hybrid model wouldn’t com lion annual fire department www.michiganphil.org veterans. Plymouth by his maternal promise public safety. budget starting next year, But Young, who lives in grandmother, Mariett, the when the city of Plymouth League meeting Plymouth Township, didn’t youngest of Ralph Terry’s chil SUPPORT FOR TAX leaves the joint department. The public is invited to a know much about his great dren. She was a housekeeper The plan doesn’t satisfy meeting hosted by the League grandfather, Ralph Terry, who married machinist Lewis Ralph G. Terry, a farmer from many in the Citizens Action Please see G RO U P , A6 of Women Voters of NW Wayne while growing up, and only B. Kammon after her first the Plymouth area, volunteered County Saturday, May 7, at the started to find out more in husband, John Watson, a in August of 1862 for Company Livonia Civic Center Library recent years while researching supervisor at the Markham C of the 24th Michigan Infantry his fam ily tree. Air Rifles Co., died. “When I Regiment and fought at beginning at 1p.m. That link to a Union vet Gettysburg. He was twice wounded Donna Matteis, the direc eran — just three generations in later battles. tor for Justice and Advocacy Please see C IV IL W AR, A3 Concerns for the SE Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will narrate a slide show about her recent trip to East Lincoln buff remembered as Tare treasure' Jerusalem. Matteis traveled with a program established by BYBRADKADRICH Lincoln scholar, a Big Band said Elizabeth Kelly Kerstens, the World Council of Churches OBSERVER STAFF WRITER musician and arranger, writer executive director of the in 2002 that annually sends and a school principal. Plymouth Historical Museum, teams to live in different areas Those who knew him best In death, friends are which has benefited from in Israel and Palestine. said Dr. Weldon Petz had remembering Petz, who died Petz’s passions over the years. For more information, several passions in his life, Thursday at the age of 88, as During World War II, Petz contact Paula Bowman, presi among them his wife, Shirley, “a rare treasure.” served in the Special Services dent of the League of Women Abraham Lincoln, music and “He cared deeply for the Band under the command of Voters, at (734) 455-4726. Santa Claus. people whose lives he touched During his life, he was a and for his many passions,” Please see P E T Z , A6 C o m m u n i t y F i n a n c i a l right here right for you Home Delivery: (866) 887-2737 INDEX www.cfcu.org • (877) 937-2328 Return Address: Apartments ...... .......B9 Crossword Puzzle ... ... B9 Real Estate ........... ... B9 *2.99% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) monthly payment example $380.63 - assuming: 2011 vehicle 41304 Concept Dr.