Your hom etown new spaper serving Plym outh and Plym outh Tow nship for 116 years Sunday, December 23, 2001 www. observerandeccentric. com Volume 116 Number 34 Plymouth Michigan ©2001 HomeTown Communications Network™ T H E WEEK Finally, a tree moves in Plymouth AHEAD b y T o n y B e i i s c a t o two-year contract with a West Bloom­ On the go: Bryan S t a f f W r i t e r field Cpmpany to provide after-care for [email protected] Williams from World­ the tree, will cost the foundation nearly wide Tree Moving gives After months of promises and insis­ $50,000 tence it could be done, a Shelby Town­ directions to his crew “What we’re trying to do is give the while trying to move the City, township ship tree moving company has finally moved out of harm’s way the 150 year- tree every chance to survive,” said Win 150-year-old tree near old copper beech tree on the Wilcox Schrader, one of three Wilcox Founda the Wilcox house m holiday hours property in downtown Plymouth tion trustees who agreed to pay for the downtown Plymouth As of Friday afternoon, Bryan tree transfer “It’s part of Plymouth After months of waiting, the tree finally moved Plymouth Township and City of Williams of Worldwide Tree Moving heritage, and our foundation under­ said there was another 40 feet, or Thursday Plymouth offices will observe an stands that completely The alterna­ about half the moving distance, before tive is to let the developer build the abbreviated operating schedule dur­ the tree would be m its final resting condominiums, and that means ing the holiday season which begins place Crews were expected to spend destruction of the tree ” with Christmas Eve Monday the weekend backfilling dirt to keep Carol Was of Plymouth Township the tree and its root structure in place Plymouth Township offices will be stood on top of a dirt hill, watching as Williams, hired by the Wilcox Foun­ closed Monday and Tuesday, and will crews pulled the copper beach to safe­ re-open for normal business Wednes dation to move the tree and keep it from certain death as a five-story con­ ty day dominium complex is constructed on “I love trees, and it was something The township will observe the same the site, began moving it Thursday, Jack Wilcox wanted to keep because it schedule for New Year’s, closing Dec after several attempts earlier in the was important to him,” she said “They 31 and Jan 1, then returning to nor­ week failed The move, along with a should try to save it at all costs ” staff Photo by Bryan Mitchell mal hours Jan 2 Regular hours for township hall are 8 am to 4 30 p m Holiday spirit H op efu ls j 2 City offices, on the othei hand, will close almost completely between Mon­ day and Jan 2 Here’s a quick look at office hours l i n i n g u p , •, in the city ■ M unicipal services — Regular hours Dec 26 28 Call them at (734) f o r 3 r d 453 7737 If you need to report a water, sewer or other emergency during the holi day» you can call the 24 hour dis j u d g e s h i p patch center (734) 453 8600 S City Treasurer — Open from 8 B Y TONY BRUSCATO am to 4 30 pm Dec 27 28 S t a f f w r i t e r tbruscato@oe homecomm.net Tax payments may be dropped off Even before Gov John Engler puts anytime m drop boxes located in the his signature on a bill adding a third Church Street lobby entrance, or next judge to the bench of 35th District to the district library book drop Court, there are already candidates m Tax payments placed m either drop the hunt for the 8 -year term which box on or before Jan 1 will be posted begins m January 2003 On Dec 13, the House and Senate as received m 2 0 0 1 passed a version of House Bill 4788, ■ Cultural Center — Will offer sponsored by State Rep Bruce Patter­ additional open skating times durmg son (R-Canton), adding a third judge to the holidays Cali (734) 455-1782 for the court, which serves Plymouth, Ply­ complete information mouth Township, Canton Township, Also, Plymouth Canton schools Northville and Northville Township The only obstacle is a signature by facilities will close for the season Engler, and that won’t be a problem, The administrative offices on Har­ according to his staff vey will reopen for normal business “We haven’t yet (as of Wednesday) hours Monday, Jan 7 fielded the bill, and the governor will have 14 days to sign it once he receives it,” said Susan Shafer, Engler’s press secretary “However, the governor does intend on signing the bill ” L That will open the floodgates for Apartments/E5 Movie Guide/C5 potential candidates seeking the new A r t s / C l New Hom es/El position Automotive/H2 0bituaries/A7 “I think you’ll see a dozen or so peo staff photo By Bryan Mitchell Classified/E,G,H Service Guide/G5 pie in the primary,” said Peter Bee, a Holiday lights galore adorn this Ann Arbor Trail home from top to bottom, Plymouth Township attorney and for­ Classified lndex/E3 S p o r t s / B i Bright lights: and even m the trees, as this fam ily displays its holiday spirit This was ju st one o f many mer judge, who said he’s interested Crossword/E4 T a s t e / D l “There is a lot of interest piqued by the J o b s / G l T r a v e !/ C 8 brightly lit, festively decorated homes in town as the holiday season marched on M a lis / C 7 please gee jg DGEj ^2 San ta w ill have fu ll sle ig h f o r P l y m o u t h Dear Santa, brother Samuel a race guy, a rabbit, an the grass It will be there for the rein­ I would like these Arthur doll, and a teletubbie guy he’d deer Poem-restaurants are cool and things Rock polish­ really like that that is the rule in school Santa, you er, zyrofoam, wash I am going to help my mommy bake are very nice and you live by the ice and wear barby, cookies for you so you don’t get hungry From, fashion puppy, baby delivering all those toys to the boys and Laura Murphy bom, girls on the go girls We will even leave out some car­ Plym outh dolls, McDonalds & rots for the reindeers deluxe play set, Love, Santa here is my list, easy bake oven leap Dakota Borensik Maxwell James MacDonald 1 Shrek pad, bow wow bud­ Plym outh 2 Zyrofoam dies, cd player, bnt- Ps. Be careful of the candles mommy 3 ChouchouDoll ney spears cd, rock polisher, zyrofoam has m the fireplace Oh, and here’s my 4 Fashion Kitty HvmwsxY w m sMPinm. Thank you for last year’s toys picture so you don’t forget what I look 5 Polly Pockets M adison Love, like 6 Amazing Mattie Bo rensik Dakota Borensik 7 H ang m th e re Plym outh for Christmas this year to make it easi­ Dear Santa, game er for you to remember I want the I will be nice to M adison Borensik Dear Santa, Fisher Price aquatic command center others Can I please Plym outh My name is and all the guys, a big fire house for all have a notebook I go Maxwell and I am 3 my fire trucks, a big tool bench, army to get a Christmas Dear Santa, * " * * - 3/4 years old I live guys, a pizza man dress-up clothes, and tree with my friends Dont forget my in Plymouth, Michi­ an army tent with all the tools, GI Joe, I like you Santa motherbord from gan and I have been a bow and arrow, captain hook and because you are nice Justin to Santa I a good boy this year peter pan dress-up clothes, Thomas the to me You give me love computers My mom s a y s I M axw ell tram, and the real army guy clothes present every Christ­ Ju stin LaVoie Justin LaVoie should write down a Laura Murphy mas I feed the Plym outh 6 53174 10008 M acDonald like the GI Joe and commando’s wear few things I want And if you could bring my little reindeer Look on Please see SANTA, A3 To plncc a classified ad: 1-800-579-SELL Newsroom: 734-459-2700 Home Delivery: 734-591-0500 T {-,*&«■ ~V ...» A2(P) The Observer & Eccentricf SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2001 Ice F est still looking for funding PLYMOUTH PIPELINE By Brad Kadrich gala, festival fund-raising is about $4,000, which will help But other sponsors have Staff w riter about $30,000 behind where defray one of the festival’s reduced their involvement, leav­ W alk of Trees [email protected] W atts would like to see it biggest costs City of Plymouth ing the festival to make up services ground Nearly 60 families, businesses or community organizations For every big step forward, a “We’d like to be about W atts said he’s hoping city helped decorate Kellogg Park with this year’s Plymouth Com­ minor step back $130,000 or $140,000 so we can “In general, some sponsors have the kind of show we’re used costs will be around $2 0 ,0 0 0 this have cut,” Watts said munity Chamber of Commerce Walk of Trees, and the chamber That’s how it’s going these year to providing,” W atts said “They’re still important spon­ has awarded prizes to the top three days for Mike Watts, organizer Don Massey has agreed to a of the 20th-annual Plymouth “Regardless, we’re still going sors, and they’re giving what Kids from Bentley Elementary won top decorating honors for $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 sponsorship, and some International Ice Sculpture to have a really great show, it’ll they can, but they can’t give to the second straight year, followed by St Michael’s Brownie still be the biggest show of its old sponsors are back this year Troop #250 and the Joiner Family Judges for the Christmas Spectacular, set for downtown St Mary Mercy Hospital, Com- the same level they have in the kind in the country It’ll just be a Plymouth J a n 16*20 puware Arena and the Plymouth past because of the economy and tree decorating contest were Scott Smith, owner of Penr^man little smaller than we re used The festival has struggled to Whalers, the Plymouth Commu­ the world situation right now ” Gallery, and Martha McMeekin, co-owner of Haven find its financial