REINDEER HAS A COMMUNITY VOICE SPECIAL EDITION AREA KIDS ANSWER THE QUESTION: NOSE FOR THE JOB STRICTLY BUSINESS, A9 What is the best qift you ever received? SEE OPINION, A10 THURSDAY December 23,2010 mE The Observer & Eccentric [1 Elaia Newspapers Volume 124 Number 37 O bserver $1.00 hometownlife lilt com PIPELINE Grant pushes field Holiday closings Municipal offices in Plymouth and Plymouth Township will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the closer to reality Christmas holiday. Plymouth Township Hall BYBRADKADRICH Madonna also said some and Plymouth City Hall will OBSERVER STAFF WRITER $58,000 has already been reopen on Monday, Dec. 27. donated to the endowment for The regular hours at both A $250,000 grant from the care of the field once it’s places are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the State of Michigan has built. Donors can donate by In Plymouth, City Hall will pushed the Miracle League check or credit card; details be closed Thursday, Dec. 30, of Plymouth to within are on the league’s website at and Friday, Dec. 31, for the $100,000 of the money it www.miracleleagueplymouth. New Year's Day holiday. The needs to build a baseball org. Checks can be made out offices will reopen at 8 a.m. field in Plymouth for chil­ to The Miracle League of on Monday, Jan. 3. dren with mental and physi­ Plymouth and sent to P.O. Box In the township, Township cal special needs. 5384, Plymouth, MI 48170. Hall will be closed on Friday, State Rep. Marc Corriveau, Miracle League co-chair Bob D-Northville, whose district Bilkie said the grant is “huge” Dec. 31, and Monday, Jan. 3, and PHOTOS BY BILL BRESLER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 4. includes Plymouth, Canton because it brings the field closer John and Arline Greacen of Plymouth Township with their Dickensian village, which features some 82 buildings, 70 The township treasurer's and Northville, helped the to reality and, he hopes, con­ tiny people and more than 100 trees. office, however, will be open Miracle League through the vinces potential donors the field grant process and presented 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 31 for project is a sound investment in the check at a ceremony at the the community. those who want to pay winter site of the park behind Central “Hopefully, it gets fence- property taxes. The winter Middle School Wednesday. sitters to believe it’s really property taxes, though not “From an economic stand­ going to happen,” Bilkie said. due until February, must be It takes a village point, the last four years have “We believe the private/pub- paid by the end of the year been tough,” said Corriveau, lic partnership is the wave of in order to be deducted from who presented the check the future. We hope this is federal 2011 income taxes. on his last day on the job. just the beginning of a lot o f| Dickens display brings neighborhood together “To be able to end on such a private-sector involvement I Trash pickup personal high note for me is with projects like this.” 1 As Christmas and New Year's BYBRADKADRICH incredibly gratifying.” Corriveau said he learned I Day are both on Saturdays, OBSERVER STAFF WRITER The ballpark will be con­ about the Miracle League there will be no holiday delays structed behind Central from watching an HBO spe­ in curbside trash and recycling For Arline Greacen (and paraphras­ Middle School in downtown cial, and said the idea “moved pickup in either community. ing Hillary Clinton), it takes a village to Plymouth and will include a me.” When the Miracle Crews in both communi­ make a happy holiday season around her custom-designed, rubberized League of Plymouth started ties will begin picking up live Plymouth Township home. turf field that accommodates talking about building a field Christmas trees beginning So she built one. wheelchairs and other assistive in his district, Corriveau said, Monday, Jan. 3. Trees should Using some 80 pieces of Dept. 56- devices, giving all children an he felt he “wanted to do what­ be set out, on the regular brand Dickensian buildings — a com­ opportunity to play baseball. ever I could.” bination of her own purchases and gifts According to Deb “There’s not a lot of money to trash pickup day, without from family and friends — Greacen and Madonna, the director of be found, because every cup­ plastic bags, ornaments, her husband, John, every year construct the Plymouth Community board is bare,” Corriveau said. tinsel, lights or tree stands. “Arline’s Dickens Village” in what is sup­ Arts Council who is heading “The state sees a real value in Trees 12 feet long or longer posed to be a dining room. the Miracle League effort, picking this kind of project. We should be cut in half. The holiday display, which covers most the grant pushes the league hope, with the finish line in Christmas tree pickups will of the room on tables built by John, goes to $400,000 toward build­ sight, people will dig as deep as continue, on regular trash up every year around Halloween and ing the field (the goal is they can. We’re talking about pickup days, for two weeks. stays up generally until late January. $500,000). They’re scheduled building a field for children... “The kids in the neighborhood love it,” to break ground in April. we want to finish this project.” Holiday photos said Arline, who names the tiny figures Send us your favorite holi­ in the display after neighborhood chil­ day photos for a chance to dren. “They can’t wait to see where in the win a prize. village I’ve put them. It brings everyone Go to hometownlife.com together.” (Get Published) and post your Including Arline and John. While she favorife holiday photo (or pho­ puts the display together, and hand­ tos) with a short caption, then crafted the water and the snow-capped encourage friends and family mountains, John was busy putting the to vote by clicking recommend infrastructure together. There’s an elaborate wiring harness, under the photo. The top floodlights and music in the background, vote-getter will receive tickets and the total effect is exactly what Arline for two to Emagine Theater The buildings were either purchased or given as gifts, but wanted — a Dickensian village depict- (Canton or Novi). The second- Arline Greacen crafted the water and the snow-covered and third-place winners will mountains by hand. Please see VILLAGE, A4 receive a coupon for a free four-square cheese and one- topping Buddy's pizza. Supporters of The Miracle League of Plymouth happily accepted The contest ends midnight a $250,000 check from a state grant from 20th House Rep. Marc Dec. 31. Share your holiday Scout leader convicted on sex charges Corriveau Wednesday. Present for the event were (front, from left) spirit with others! Go to Miracle League co-chair Bob Bilkie, Corriveau, co-chair Deb Madonna, hometownlife.com. BY DARRELL CLEM to stand trial in August after Station 885 owner Joyce Costanza, Tricia Wolfe and Natalie Zazula, and OBSERVER STAFF WRITER 35th District Judge Michael (back, from left) Dick Schmidt, Ted Barker, Chris Kordick, Brian Finnerty Dress request Gerou heard testimony and (holding Trevor Wolfe) and Pat Olsen. The Plymouth/Canton branch A 49-year-old Canton man I Jackson sen- cited “a pattern of secrecy” of American Association of and former Boy Scout leader I tences him involving a supposed role University Women is requesting has been convicted of charges model who “was in a supe­ donations of gently used prom he sexually abused two 16- rior position to the Scouts year-old boys, gave alcohol to and party dresses. involved.” Put Some Extra "Jingle them and used his position The jury convicted Hoefling AAUW officials note, "The Hoefling Prosecutor of authority to coerce the vic­ Maria Miller of one count of child sexually In Your Holidays prom is a very important tims. said. abusive activity; two counts of event in high school and many William Arther Hoefling, Hoefling’s defense attorney, fourth-degree criminal sexual with our Special Holiday Loan girls are finding it difficult to a married father of two teen Kimberly Stout, couldn’t be conduct; two counts of using afford that special dress in our sons, was convicted of multi­ reached for comment on the computers and the Internet to current economic climate." ple charges Friday by a Wayne verdict. communicate with another to AAUW volunteers will pick County Circuit Court jury The jury made its decision commit a crime; one count of up contributions, or donors that returned its verdict after five months after Hoefling, a distributing sexually explicit can bring it to any meeting. hearing testimony from the once-respected Scout leader, matter to children; and three To arrange for pickup, con­ two accusers and weighing it was charged with crimes counts of furnishing alcohol tact S.Zaetta at (734) 455- against courtroom statements authorities said dateckback to a minor. 6366 or [email protected]; Hoefling’s wife and one of his to August 2009- The allega­ Hoefling was found not K. Bellows at (734) 421-8807 sons made in support of him. tions surfaced after one of the guilty of one count of using or [email protected]; or Hoefling, a former scout­ victims made statements to a the Internet to commit a E. Nelson at (734) 981-4938 or master for Plymouth-based counselor. crime. [email protected]. Boy Scout Troop 781, could Hoefling, who has been free face penalties ranging up to on bond, had been ordered Please see LEA D ER , A5 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 ...