2011-11-03 Po
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME F a l l b a c k Daylight saving time ends . ‘T h e j P 2 a.m. Sunday Internet is pink’ Women explain why they are majority users SOCIAL MEDIA POWER PLAYERS SUBSCRIBERS - FIND YOUR COPY OF WOMAN WITH TODAY'S NEWSPAPER PRICE: $1 • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2011 • hometownlife.com Vets breakfast The American Legion 112 Post and Beasley-Za- Residents push for fire plan lesny Auxiliary will host a breakfast event to honor area veterans and By Matt Jachman ning a department facing the “Are you cutting a quarter of 24-hour shifts and supplement thank them for their Observer Staff Writer loss of nearly a quarter of its the people?” Schnettler said. ing their ranks with part-time, service to their country revenue. “I don’t know if there’s been on-call firefighters. Partnerships from 8-10 a.m. Friday, Residents of Plymouth Town The city of Plymouth is with a decision on personnel issues with fire departments in neigh Nov. 11, at the IOOF ship asked their elected officials drawing from the joint depart at this time,” Reaume said, add boring communities have also Hall, 344 Elizabeth St., about the future of the Plymouth ment, which was created in the ing that a decision could be been discussed. on the corner of Ann Ar Community Fire Department, mid-1990s, beginning in January, made at the next board meet Jim Sark, a resident of the bor Trail, just west of the echoing concerns raised a week meaning the loss of $925,000 in ing or perhaps the one after that. Lake Pointe subdivision, said former Laurel Furniture earlier. revenue, more than 23 percent of The township’s new fiscal year he’s concerned the impending store in Plymouth. Officials at Tuesday’s spe the PCFD budget. The proposed begins Sunday, Jan. 1. budget reduction will mean the There is no charge, cial Board of Trustees — which fire department budget for next The fire department is cur closure of Station No. 2 in his but donations will be ac included a nearly two-hour year is just over $3 million, vs. rently staffed with 21 firefight neighborhood. cepted from non-veter closed-door session during the $3.95 million budgeted for ers plus Chief Mark Wendel, an “You spend a lot of money on ans. The public is invited, which the department was dis the current year. inspector and a secretary. Town other things in the township,” as well, to show their cussed, according to Supervisor Resident Don Schnettler not ship officials have talked about said Sark, the civic affairs chair appreciation. Following Richard Reaume — gave few ed the funding drop when he cutting the number of firefight man for the Lake Pointe home- breakfast, the annual answers, other than to say they addressed the board toward the ers, having them work 12-hour Veteran's Day Service will come up with a plan for run end of Tbesday’s meeting. shifts instead of the traditional Please see FIRE, A8 will take place at 11 a.m. at the Veteran's Memo rial on Main Street, in front of Central Middle School in Plymouth. For more informa City candidates tion, call (734) 254-9617. profiled; election Halloween photo contest set for Tuesday \\ Calling all ghosts, goblins, witches and war- Coverage of the 2011 race for the Plym locks, our website, Home- outh City Commission continues today with townlife.com, is having its profiles of incumbent Commissioner Mike second annual Halloween Wright and candidate Diane Bogenrieder Photo contest. Prizes (find the profiles on page A4). E include free Buddy's pizza However, both hopefuls are all but guaran- and tickets to Emagine teed a spot on the seven-member commission theatres. To enter, goto — there are only four candidates this year the Don't Miss module for four opens slots. on our home page or The other two candidates, incumbent Com visit us on Facebook. You missioner Ed Hingelberg and Meg Dooley, * can vote once a day and a Plymouth Planning Commission member, encourage your friends were profiled in Sunday’s Plymouth Observer. to vote too. The contest The election is Tuesday, Nov. 8. The three ends Nov. 8, so you'll have top vote-getters will receive two-year terms, plenty of time to share PHOTOS BY BILL BRESLER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER while the fourth-place finisher will win a photos from Halloween Mary Clark is concerned about the maple trees in her neighborhood two-year term. night, and compete for The four commissioners elected this year prizes via Facebook. will take office later this month; they will be paid $20 a meeting, down from $40 a meet ing, as pay cuts the commission approved Maples marred by last year will start to take effect. The com U-M tickets mission typically meets twice a month. Our Website, Home- Incumbents John Barrett and David Work townlrfe.com, is giving man were eligible to run again this year but away two prime tickets leaf, trunk damage chose not to. Barrett, a ’etired educator, is to the Nov. 19 Michigan seeking a spot on the I mouth-Canton Com game against Nebraska munity Schools Board c ducatioq. through a special Face- By Matt Jachman book promotion. To enter, Observer Staff Writer visit us on Facebook and dick on the Sweepstakes Something is affecting the Party time tab, or go to Hometown- health of maple trees in her life.com, and dick on the Plymouth Township neigh Wolverine helmet in our borhood, and Mary Clark Don’t Miss module. The wants to know if they can contest winner will be se be saved. lected at random Nov. 14. Clark and her neigh bors in Country Club Vil lage Estates, a subdivision of detached condominiums on the township’s far west INDEX side, have noticed many Business......................A 10 maples in the area have Crossword Puzzle.. B10 Entertainment..........B5 been affected by dark leaf The maple leaves have black spots. The trees have split trunks. Food............................B7 spots and vertical cracks, or Homes......................... B10 gashes, in their trunks. The “Are they going to die? priate irrigation. “You give Jobs..............................B11 symptoms began appearing Can they be saved? Will it it the best conditions pos Obituaries..................B8 about six weeks ago, Clark spread?” she said recently sible,” Byrne said Wednes Opinion......................A 12 said, and the stricken trees during a tour of her street. day. Services.......................B11 Sports......................... B1 seem to be losing leaves The symptoms appeared The leaf spots, Byrne W heels........................B12 earlier than those that are on a high percentage of said, are called leaf tar, unaffected. the maples, but not all, on which is caused by a fungal © The Observer & Eccentric “If you’re on the street, Clark’s street. pathogen. Volume 125 • Number 23 you can see them every According to arborist Jan “The good news is that where,” said Clark, who Byrne, a plant pathology this disease does not signif Home Delivery: takes regular walks in the diagnostician at Michigan icantly impact the health of Brittney, 2'k, of Westland, enjoys the 'Doughnut Gal (866) 887-2737 area. State University, the trees the affected trees,” Byrne lows,' a variation of apple bobbing where dough The maples, most about 12 can be helped by improving wrote in an e-mail. “The nuts are hung on strings and contestants compete Return Address: growing conditions — the infection actually occurs in to see who can finish first. Brittney's parents say 41304 Concept Dr. to 20 feet tall, were planted Plymouth Ml 48170 when the development was use of fertilizer and, dur the spring, but is not read- they visit Plymouth's Old Village once a week so built, all within the last sev ing times of low rain during Sunday's block party was a must for the family. For en to 12 years, Clark said. the growing season, appro Please see MAPLES, A8 more on the party, please turn to page A6. You're Invited! C o m m u n it y F in a n c ia l Credit Union Open House right here right for you Saturday, November 5th 10:00 am - 1:00 pm www.cfcu.org • (877) 937-2328 A 2 (P) Observer & Eccentric | Thursday, November 3, 2011 L O C A L N EW S online at hometownlife.com Hearing ends with support for Ford Road plan By Darrell Clem Canton, publicly backed Observer Staff Writer TUesday by leaders from neighboring com Amid strong, biparti munities such as West- san lobbying by local and land, Livonia, Plymouth, regional officials, the Northville Township and Senate Transportation Wayne, made an impas Committee capped a vis sioned plea for help by it TUesday night to Can portraying Ford Road as ton by approving a pair among Michigan’s most of resolutions implor accident-prone thorough ing federal authorities fares. to provide $20.3 million Canton Township to improve the traffic- Supervisor Phil LaJoy snarled I-275/Ford Road described himself as Michigan state Sens. Tom Casperson (right) and Goeff Han area. “cautiously optimistic” sen, who came to Canton with three of their transporta In another boost to after the Senate Trans tion committee colleagues, listen to complaints about Ford a nine-year battle to portation Committee con Road traffic woes. revamp the beleaguered cluded a three-hour pub interchange, Michigan lic hearing attended by state even though a con Needing support Department of Trans an estimated 125-150 peo sultant hired by MDOT in Bartlett pledged he portation officials indi ple inside Summit on the 2006 suggested a three will relay to state Trans cated the state will sup Park.