Library offers students help with their homework

The Canton Public Library has teamed up with the National Honors Society to offer students assistance help with their homework.

The Homework Help program serves third through twelfth grade. Usually, the library has between eight to ten tutors a night, said Anna Slaughter, teen services librarian. In all, about 25 students get tutoring help on an average night. Math is a popular subject that students ask for help with, she said. All the tutors have taken a class in the subject they tutor, which is a wide range of classes.

â??We always have a kid who could do Spanish or calculus,â?? said Anna Slaughter, teen services librarian and founder of the program.

The program has helped out some students immensely. One student has been coming since the program first started, Saughter said. The middle school student, who lives with a single parent, comes every day the library offers it. Her grades have improved a great deal, she said.

The student's reaction has been really favorable, said Becky Kraft, a National Honor Society Advisor at Plymouth High School. To be eligible for the National Honors Society, a student has to have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, and be a junior or senior in high school.

"Elementary up through high school students attend the tutoring sessions," Kraft said. "We find it works very well to make it available on a regular basis." She said that between budget cuts to schools and conflicting student schedules, it can be difficult to arrange after school tutoring.

The program was started in March 2009. It was a more affordable choice to the online tutoring service the library had offered previously.

â??This is a good alternative to that service,â?? said Slaughter.

Slaughter and the teen librarian from the Plymouth District Library met with the head of the honors society. Students in NHS need to complete a certain amount of community service. The homework help program is a way to fill their need and the libraryâ??s need, Slaughter said.

"Absolutely, we see this program continuing," said Kraft about working with the Canton library. She added that NHS really appreciates how Canton libraries provide the space.

 Sign up begins at 6 p.m. and itâ??s on a first come, first serve basis. You donâ??t need a library card to sign up, but you do need to be in grades third through twelfth. The tutoring sessions are half hour time slots, and you must sign up at teen reference desk.

 Homework Help runs Monday and Tuesday, from 6-8 p.m. The hours coincides with Plymouth-Canton Public Schoolâ??s calender. When thereâ??s no school, thereâ??s no tutoring. Spring break is the week of April 16-25. The homework help ends the last week of May.

 For more information, the library can be reached at 734-397-0999 or online at http://www.cantonpl.org/.

http://canton-mi.patch.com/articles/library-offers-students-help-with-their-homework

Green Street Fair - The world is going green. You coming?

GREEN STREET FAIR
PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN
MAY 6, 7 AND 8, 2011
EVENT HOURS:
FRIDAY NOON-7:00 PM
SATURDAY 10:00 AM-7:00 PM
SUNDAY 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

The Fourth Annual Green Street Fair will return to the streets of Downtown Plymouth on May 6, 7 and 8, 2011. Green Street Fair, Inc. was founded to help educate and inform people of all ages about the benefits of green, organic, and eco-friendly products and services. To promote global interest and personal well-being, the Green Street Fair blends companies, artisans, entertainers, workshops and speakers together in a friendly and family-oriented outdoor environment. Consumers who attend the Green Street Fair will be encouraged to learn the advantages of taking strides, large or small, towards living a healthier and greener life.

The 2010 Green Street Fair had an estimated attendance of 90,000 attendees during the three day event. Over 200 exhibitors and 30 sponsors were on-site showcasing, demonstrating and selling eco-friendly, organic, and green products.

Green Street Fair TM was founded to help educate and inform people of all ages about the benefits of green, organic, and eco-friendly products and services. To promote global interest and personal well-being, the Green Street Fair TM will blend companies, artisans, entertainers, and speakers together in a friendly and family-oriented outdoor environment. We believe that even the smallest steps in going green can make a world of difference. Location: Green Street Fair TM will take place in downtown Plymouth, Michigan. Plymouth is located just 30 minutes west of Detroit and 15 minutes east of Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan. Exuberant Downtown Plymouth is a wealth of restaurants, coffee houses, retail shops and art galleries.
http://www.greenstreetfair.com/index.htm

Northville Township Leaders: Prison Should Be Sold for Commercial Use

The Robert Scott Correctional Facility property should be sold for private enterprise, either for retail stores or light industrial use, Northville Township leaders agreed Thursday night.

The township Board of Trustees approved a resolution at its Thursday night meeting to ask the state to sell the closed prison as soon as possible. Township leaders said they are acting in response to a plan by other communities to have the state turn the prison into a regional jail/public safety facility.

Township Manager Chip Snider and state Rep. Kurt Heise (R-20th District), who represents Northville, say they have been told that there are a few leaders from neighboring communities who are talking with Gov. Rick Snyder about turning the prison into a regional public safety facility. The regional plan could also include using the facility as a regional jail, Heise said he was told.

â??Iâ??m concerned that the state may get the wrong message,â?? Heise said. â??A regional public safety facility is not the desire of Northville Township, nor is it my desire.â??

Snider expressed his own concerns. â??The township has been a public project dumping ground for 50 years, with the former Maybury Sanatorium, the Northville Psychiatric Hospital and the prison,â?? he said.

â??At one time, about 33 percent of our township property was non-taxed due to institutional use. The residents need the prison property sold for the highest commercial use, to help with the tax base," Snider said. "Plus, theyâ??re getting tired of staring at the concertina wire.â??

The facility, which had been a women's prison since 1991, was closed in 2009 as a measure to save the annual $36 million operating costs. The state Department of Corrections turned the property over to the Department of Management and Budget in 2010, in preparation for a sale of the site.

Snider and Heise said the prison property, at Five Mile and Beck roads about a mile north of M-14, is the perfect place for a gateway development for the township.

â??We need that barbed wire and guard towers to be taken down," Heise said. "Itâ??s an eyesore to the community.â??

Heise said he has not been approached officially about a public safety plan. Township trustees shared at the meeting Thursday night that they were upset about not being consulted about the use of the facility in their township.

A few township leaders said the plan came up through Public Safety Director John Werthâ??s discussions with his counterparts in neighboring communities. The leaders of these communities, and public officials named as leading the plan discussion, could not be reached for comment due to the Good Friday holiday.

The governor has been pushing for collaboration between neighbors, and Northville Township Trustee Chris Roosen has been an advocate of merging capabilities. Roosen, a consultant to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, writes a blog that praises other communitiesâ?? efforts at collaboration.

However, Roosen said Friday that he will fight any effort to remove the townshipâ??s rights over the prisonâ??s fate.

â??We donâ??t really know the details of the plan, and we love our neighbors, but what would this cost us? Would this create a new layer of government?â?? Roosen said.

Heise said he will now take the townshipâ??s resolution to the Legislature and, in conjunction with state Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-7th District), will push to have the state agree to put the property out to auction to developers. The measure will be similar to how the psychiatric hospital site on Seven Mile was purchased by REI a few years ago, Heise said.

Whereas developers have said the retail market is not ready for development on the hospital site, township officials believe the Five Mile and Beck location, across from a large, Home Depot-anchored retail intersection already, will attract buyers that can bring about the prisonâ??s removal.

â??We finally have the chance to get this property on the tax rolls, we donâ??t want the rug pulled out from under us,â?? Roosen said.

http://northville.patch.com/articles/northville-township-leaders-prison-should-be-sold-for-commercial-use

Customer Appreciation Cook-out THIS SATURDAY

Plymouth Residents Can Drop Off Old Prescription Drugs

Ever wonder how to get rid of prescription drugs that are either expired or unwanted without flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash?

The city of Plymouth Police Department is teaming up with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to give residents a chance to safely dispose of medications from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Plymouth City Hall.

One of the fire bay doors will be open with an officer seated nearby. There will be cardboard containers available to dispose of pills only. People will keep their prescription bottles with personal identifications, such as names and addresses. Instead, they just empty the bottle into the container.

The service is free and completely anonymous. No questions will be asked.

This is the first year Plymouth is participating in the program. The city had wanted to participate last year but was too late getting involved, according to Paula Sherman, police administrator.

â??The chief was contacted by the Green Street Fair because they are going to be taking in nonprescription medications during their event,â?? Sherman said. â??And we wanted to be a little proactive and have people dispose of their prescription drugs before the Green Street Fair so they wouldnâ??t be bringing in their prescription drugs, because the Green Street Fair will not be able to accept any prescription drugs â?? only over-the-counter medicines.

"We wanted to try and coordinate the two together, so people would be able to do that to save the environment and also dispose of things properly and safely so they wouldnâ??t get into the wrong hands,â?? Sherman said.

This will also be the first year for the Green Street Fair to take in and safely dispose of over-the-counter medicines, according to Raychel Rork, one of the fair's founders.

â??I just tried to clean out my medicine cabinet in my own home, and I have two kids,â?? Rork said. â??I was trying to dispose of it (outdated medicines) and couldnâ??t even find a place I could take it. Thatâ??s when I went, this is a huge bummer. Everyone has medicines at home that are either expired or they donâ??t take anymore. What are people supposed to do?

"Thatâ??s why people resort to flushing it or throwing it in the garbage, because even if they want to do the right thing, they donâ??t even know where to take it," she said. "It seemed like an obvious next step for us to provide that as an item you can recycle at the fair.â??

The Green Street Fair is teaming up with Great Lakes Clean Water to participate in its Yellow Jug for Old Drugs Program. Great Lakes Clean Water volunteers will be on hand at the fair, May 6-8, to help sort through medications and to answer any questions people might have.

â??If you have controlled substances, those need to be taken to the one with the DEA at City Hall,â?? Rork said. â??Thatâ??s why thereâ??s going to be professionals there, sorting through everything and answering questions.â??

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the container at Plymouth City Hall will be sealed and picked up by the DEA.
http://plymouth-mi.patch.com/articles/plymouth-residents-can-drop-off-old-prescription-drugs?ncid=M255

Plymouth Mom's Blog Inspires with Ideas for Children to Help Others

Community service is not just for adults â?? this is the thought that led Plymouth mother Holly Skelton to start her own childrenâ??s community service blog called The Little Hearts Project.

Skelton, 33, is the mother of three daughters â?? Schuler, 5, Brier, 2, and Sommer, 8 months. She has been blogging for just more than a year.

â??Throughout my life, in Girl Scouts or sorority or just something my husband and I did, it (community service) was always so rewarding, so exciting,â?? Skelton said. â??But I was in a position where I had â?? well, at the time, I had two kids, I knew I was going to have three kids, and as much as I would love to make a weekly commitment, like go into a soup kitchen, the point Iâ??m at in my life â?? I just donâ??t have that kind of time.

"So I thought, what can I do with my kids? We do art projects together; we go to the museums together; why not do a service project together?â??

Skelton began looking for ideas online.

â??It seemed like everything was geared for older kids, you had to be at least 12,â?? she said. â??Obviously, little kids canâ??t do real physical things. There are things they canâ??t do, but there are a ton of things they can do. And I just couldnâ??t find a lot of resources for that.â??

So she came up with her own ideas and wrote them down in an online blog. Many of the activities that Skelton suggests are things she does with her own children, such as baking cookies, returning cans for deposit and donating the money and community gardening. The projects she blogs about are not huge but are simple, easy things to do with children. 

Skelton said she tries to stay away from one-time events and rather suggests ideas that parents can do with their children anywhere, not just in Michigan.

Skelton, author of a childrenâ??s book that just got published, was pregnant with her third daughter, just laid off from her job and found out her book was being published, all within a month of starting the blog.

â??This was just one of those things that I felt really excited about, passionate about â?? I felt it was just something I needed to do,â?? she said. â??My real hope is that people will send me their ideas, pictures of their kids, what their schools are doing or what theyâ??re doing in their family. And Iâ??ve definitely gotten people to send me things, and Iâ??m happy to post them on the blog.â??

Milford resident Jessica Beaubien has used Skeltonâ??s Little Hearts Project blog as a resource of things to do with her two children, Bastien, 3, and Hadley, 2. Beaubien said she was introduced to the blog by a co-worker, who happened to be Skeltonâ??s sister-in-law, and has been following it ever since.

â??I think Holly's idea is wonderful and commendable,â?? Beaubien said. â??When Bastien was little, I actually asked Meals on Wheels if we could volunteer â?? thinking the elderly would enjoy a visit with a fresh, new baby along with the delivery of their meal. Meals on Wheels turned us down, saying they had more than enough drivers, so I was left feeling discouraged â?? with no other ideas of how to involve a baby in service projects.

"So when Holly's blog came along, it was a true blessing, full of creative ideas that got me thinking of new ways to be active in service with my children,â?? she said.

Currently, Beaubien is teaching her children how to save money for charity.

â??They each have three penny jars,â?? she said. â??Whenever they do a job, such as helping with laundry, putting away the clean silverware, filling the bird feeder, etc., they get nine pennies. Three go in a jar for saving, three for spending and three for giving to someone in need. And when each jar reaches $1, we take out the pennies and do with them just what the jar says. This is somewhat similar to the Change Through Chores project Holly wrote about.â??

Beaubien said she will continue to do community service projects with her children.

â??Children tend to be such innately cheerful givers, it is truly inspiring to work with them,â?? Beaubien said. â??It is my hope to raise children who have only ever known a life of giving â?? who recognize that in almost every situation, there is an opportunity to give. I believe living this way helps us live a life of awareness, purpose and gratitude.â??
http://plymouth-mi.patch.com/articles/plymouth-moms-blog-inspires-with-ideas-for-children-to-help-others

Volt and Leaf ace crash tests

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf plug-in cars both earned top scores in crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Tuesday.

Both vehicles earned the Institute's coveted Top Safety Pick award, given to cars that get the best possible ratings in side and front crash tests as well as the best scores for whiplash protection in rear impacts.

"What powers the wheels is different, but the level of safety for the Volt and Leaf is as high as any of our other top crash test performances," said Joe Nolan, the Insurance Institute's chief administrative officer, in a statement.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an industry group financed by auto insurers. Its crash tests are different from those performed by the federal government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Neither the Volt nor the Leaf has yet been rated by NHTSA.

The Leaf and the Volt each weigh almost 700 pounds more than comparable gasoline-powered cars by Nissan and General Motors.

The extra weight, mostly in the form of large battery packs, should help their performance in real-world crashes, the Institute said in its statement. In crashes between different vehicles, the lighter vehicle bears the brunt of the impact.

"The Leaf and the Volt's extra mass give them a safety advantage over other small cars," Nolan said. "These electric models are a win-win for fuel economy and safety.

Since the Institute's tests involve crashing vehicles into a fixed barrier instead of into another car, the weight advantage was not a factor in the test scores.

Electric cars run on high voltage electricity stored in batteries. That means there are some special safety considerations with electric cars including the fear of possible electrocution for occupants and those who may have to rescue them from crashes. The cars' high-voltage electric systems posed no problems in the crash tests, Institute spokesman Russ Rader said.

"Both vehicles' batteries are well shielded in the middle of the vehicle and away from any crash damage," Rader said, "and they have systems that shut off the high voltage electricity in the event of a crash."

The Nissan Leaf is a purely electric vehicle with a driving range of about 73 miles per charge, according to EPA ratings. The Volt has a range of about 35 miles, as measured by the EPA, but it also has a gasoline engine that generates electricity for driving longer distances.

The Nissan leaf recently won the World Car of the Year award. The Volt won North American Car of the Year and Motor Trend Car of the Year, as well as several other awards late last year and early this year. Both vehicles went on sale in November of last year.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/26/news/companies/leaf_volt_crash_tests/?section=money_latest

Dick Scott Automotive Group - NISSAN TENT SALE!!!

Visit Dick Scott Nissan NOW thru May 2nd
to take advantage of our Exclusive TENT SALE Pricing!!

We have extended our hours for this special event!
Tuesday and Wednesday, April 26th & 27th 9AM-8PM
Thursday, April 28th 9AM-9PM
Friday, April 29th 9AM-8PM
Saturday, April 30th 10am-6PM
and
Monday, May 2nd 9AM-9PM

Dick Scott Nissan
42175 Michigan Avenue Canton, MI 48188
734-495-1000
http://www.dickscott.com/blog/2011/april/26/nissan-tent-sale.htm

Exploring Brighton Sculpture: Landscape Sunset, American Beauty and I-275

Last week, our tour of Brighton’s public art took us to the corner of N. First St. and Cedar St. in downtown Brighton. Stopping just outside Lynn’s Café, we took a quick look at The Bird. One of the most appreciated and recognizable pieces in the Brighton Biennial Sculpture Exhibit, The Bird was created by architect and Brighton resident Piet Lindhout.

This week, we’re doing something a little different. In a few weeks, three of Brighton Biennial’s current works will be removed from display due to expired contracts. It’s those three sculptures that are our focus today.

Landscape Sunset by James Lawton

Perhaps the boldest sculpture of the Brighton Biennial bunch, Landscape Sunset is large, heavy-looking, and bright orange. Its location in the pocket part near the intersection of Grand River Ave. and Main St. is ideal for catching the attention of passersby.

During a recent visit to see friends in Brighton, Jamey Burnett of Toledo, OH said Landscape Sunset was the first sculpture he noticed as he was driving through town.

“After that, the other sculptures starting popping out,” he said. “They definitely give Brighton a cool vibe.”    

Lawton, who received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Kent State University, teaches art at Michigan State University in Lansing. A multimedia artist, Lawton usually creates pieces that address social issues. He is specifically interested in the intersection of the self and the world at large.

American Beauty by Todd Erickson

Situated next to the massive Landscape Sunset, Todd Erickson’s medium-scale sculpture holds its own. Underneath a patina of rust, the silver-faced remnants of a once-perfect piece of steel emerge. Aptly titled American Beauty, the work calls to mind the region’s industrial boom and bust.        

Erickson received an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He has taught art at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Poetic in both composition and intention, his work explores issues of the self, faith, shelter, and personal history. In homage to his Michigan roots, he recently exhibited a series of cast bronze branches, each named after Michigan rivers.

I-275 by Robert Sestock

Located across from the public parking lot near the intersection of Pierce St. and North St., Sestock’s I-275, a 72” X 44” X 40” knot of welded steel, is in plain view of visitors, commuters and downtown residents.

Unfortunately, the work is often dismissed as a hunk of junk.

“I thought it was something else until I gave it a good look,” Brighton resident Alan Kelly said.  

Brighton City Council and BACC member Claudia Roblee recently expressed concern over the idea that many of the works in the display are ignored.

“What some people don’t understand,” she said, “is that art adds to a community’s ongoing conversation.”

In most cases, the sculptures get people talking about the nature of art and whether or not it adds to the community. 

I-275 is an interesting take on a topic Brighton residents are accustomed to discussing, whether they support Brighton’s public art or not.

It’s an interpretation of a traffic jam, Sestock said.

“It symbolizes what a painter might paint if they were making an abstract painting using bold brush strokes,” he added.

There you have it. A fresh take on the drama of driving.

Out with the old in with the new

Landscape Sunset, American Beauty, and I-275 will be rotated out of the Brighton Biennial Sculpture Exhibit by May 31, 2011. New works, which haven’t yet been announced, will immediately replace the sculptures.

http://brighton.patch.com/articles/exploring-brightons-sculpture-landscape-sunset-american-beauty-and-i-275

Canton's Curbside Recycling Gains Traction

“Every day is Earth Day for us. This is what we do,” said Maureen Pfund, director of tours and education at Great Lakes Recycling, as she stood in front of the machines and moving conveyor belts carrying recyclable material.

Earth Day started on April 22, 1970, with a nationwide demonstration. More than 100,000 people converged on New York City's Fifth Avenue and rallies were held across thw country to demonstrate against pollution. Today, Earth Day is observed around the globe.

Great Lakes Recycling (GLR), 36543 South Huron Rd., New Boston, MI, opened in 2008 as a state-of-the-art single-stream recycling plant; the company has an older plant in Roseville. Single-stream means that newspapers, milk jugs, soup cans and other recyclable items can be put in one container for curbside pickup.

Earth Week 2009 is when Canton Township and the township’s waste hauler, Canton Waste Recycling contracted with GLR to add single-stream to its curbside recycling program for the township’s single-family homes.

“The percentage of materials recycled here was very low and we wanted to offer a more simple program with expanded materials,” said Tim Faas, Canton Municipal Services director. He said with a simpler program, residents would recycle more.

It worked. Township records show an all-time high last year, with residents pitching out 3,600 tons of material for recycling.

“The old program was very limited in what we took,” said Paul Denski, owner of Canton Waste Recycling.

Simplifying recycling

Denski said the previous program accepted newspapers but no glossy inserts and all materials had to be bundled or put in bags. The new program for curbside recycling allows magazines, phone books, envelopes, all plastics, numbered one through seven, as well as clear glass and metal pots and pans.

Denksi said Canton Waste Recycling, or CWR, is glad to be a part of a program that helps them recycle more. “It’s user-friendly. It makes it more convenient for our residents to want to recycle,” he said.

Since the program started, Canton residents who participate in curbside recycling take all their recyclable materials and place them unsorted in bins for pick-up.

CWR collects and transports the discarded items more than 10 miles, to the New Boston plant, where the sorting process begins.

“This is the only single-stream recycling plant in Michigan. And this is primarily for residential recycling,” Pfund said.

“We process 5,000 to 6,000 tons a month,” said Mary Jo VanNatter who works in procurement at GLR.

Recycled materials that have been compacted or baled in trucks are driven over to GLR’s receiving room. The materials – boxes, water bottles, paper and plastic bags – get added to the large mounds already there.

VanNatter said the receiving area holds 300 to 500 tons and it’s full every day.

Technology speeds process

“Now there’s the technology to separate it,” Pfund explained as a front-loading machine scooped the materials and dumped them into the drum feeder. The drum feeder has a moving floor that shakes and loosens the recyclables, she said.

“So the material comes into the plant as a single layer,” she said.

Once in the plant, the material moves up a conveyer belt and passes by a group of workers. They look for anything that doesn’t belong like garbage and items too bulky to go through the machines. “We just don’t want it to go clunking through the recycling,” Pfund said.

Some items, such as electronics, do not go through the machines but are stored, then sent to other GLR plants to be properly recycled.

The workers at the first sorting step also separate corrugated cardboard and plastic bags, which are sent down different conveyor belts before they are baled.

After the first sorting step, the materials cross over to a machine of steel rollers. Here, the paper is tossed up by the rollers and kept afloat, while glass, plastic and metal objects move underneath.

Then the glass is separated from the pack where it gets crushed and deposited into a large bin ready to be transported.

The remaining three-dimensional products made of plastic and metal fall down to the container conveyor and make their way to the left side of the plant and up to a giant magnet.

The magnet separates ferrous metals, like steel, from non-ferrous metals. These are collected in bins after they are separated and later baled.

The remaining materials are two types plastic – clear (typically water bottles) and opaque (such as milk jugs). In another machine, a type of electric current called an eddy current pushes the clear plastics to the side.

Finally, the remaining opaque plastics move to the end of the conveyor belt and are sorted into appropriate bins.

Each of the materials – cardboard, paper, plastic bags, metals and container plastics – are held separately in bins before being put onto a conveyor to the baling machine.

According to the introduction video at the entrance of the building, the facility processes about 15 tons of material an hour with about 14 workers. A receiving room holding at least 300 tons can be emptied in about 20 hours -- or one day.

Neat results

After the recyclable materials are hauled into the baler, where they are compacted and wrapped securely with rope, the bales are stacked in the storage area where they stay until shipment.

“The most tonnage we get is probably newspaper,” said Dan Saval, second shift manager at GLR.

The expansive storage area has neatly stacked rows of paper, aluminum cans, water bottles, milk jugs and detergent containers. Also baled are mixed rigid plastics, items like swing sets and water coolers, Saval said.

All the materials sorted at the facility would have been separated by hand at the curb to achieve the same results. “Which would make the recycling process very cumbersome,” said Saval.

“I don’t think you would get the same participation,” added Pfund.

Swift recycling increase

Participation has seen a major increase, according township statistics. Before the start of single-stream recycling in 2006 and 2007, the township recycled roughly 1,800 tons.

In 2008, Faas said the township embarked on recycling awareness, which pushed participation up. Numbers jumped further in 2009 when the single-stream recycling program started, and doubled in 2010, when 3,600 tons of material from the township was recycled.

“That was our goal,” Faas said. “Our goal [in 2008] was to double the tonnage in 2015, and we hit that in 2010.”

More information about Canton’s single-stream recycling program and other recycling activities can be found at its Municipal Services page. To see the single-stream recycling process in action, readers can visit Great Lakes Recycling online to schedule a tour of the facility.

http://canton-mi.patch.com/articles/cantons-curbside-recycling-gains-traction

Polaris CEO, No.1 Indian Dealer Talk Acquisition - Motorcycle USA

The winds of change were blowing. What exactly those changes were, Indian Motorcycle Charlotte owner Mark Moses wasnâ??t sure, but he had a gut feeling something was coming. That feeling was confirmed yesterday with the announcement Polaris Industries acquired Indian Motorcycle. The iconic motorcycle brand, founded in 1901, has a rich and storied history. Not all of that history has been good. But since Stellican Limited bought the rights to Indian in July of 2004, the company has been back on the path to respectability. Now that a major OEM is taking the reins to Indian Motorcycle for the first time in almost 70 years, the brandâ??s future has even more potential to return to its former glory.

â??In a conference call between Indian dealers today, the tone was positive and very upbeat. Long-term, this is a phenomenal, great thing to happen. Obviously there will be a little transition period for all of us to get through right now,â?? Moses said.

Moses confesses he has been an Indian proponent for the last 30 years who is driven by his passion for the Indian brand. He owned a Top 100 dealer in Ohio during the Gilroy Indian years and his Indian Motorcycle Charlotte dealership is currently the â??No. 1â?? retailer in the world for the Indian brand. When asked about the recent acquisition, Moses stated:

â??In regards to the brand, Iâ??m extremely pleased. I think long-term this is probably a marriage made in heaven. Weâ??ve got a powerful brand name and brand recognition of Indian Motorcycle teaming up with an absolute expert in motorcycle production. As long as they treat the brand as a stand-alone and donâ??t try to merge it into Victory, I think itâ??s a win-win and itâ??s my understanding that the brand will be held alone. I think itâ??s critical that they proceed slowly and pick some of the best dealers. I think the Indian dealers will be fine, thereâ??s obviously just not enough of them. We just need to cover more markets and offer better level of service to our retail buyers so Iâ??m excited from that perspective. The new marriage answers a lot of those questions that we had about the future of the brand.â??


Models like this 1946 Chief with signature styling cues like its deeply valanced fenders helped Indian at one time claim its share of the American-made heavyweight cruiser crown. With Polaris' resources, will Indian once again see its return to glory?
In Polarisâ?? presentation on its First Quarter 2011 Earnings Results, the company charted out its plans for Indianâ??s development, starting initially with product improvement, progressing to a heritage bike re-launch and culminating in global distribution expansion. Development of new, iconic Indian motorcycles fits directly into Polarisâ?? strategy and corroborates Mosesâ?? opinion as to ways the acquisition can help Indian.

â??For future product development, research and development, I think it can give Polaris the brand recognition that they so desperately need. It puts them on the fast track to utilize the power of the Indian brand and then use the power of their resources in regards to engineering and quality. For Indian, more products to market and a wider range of price points I think are critical,â?? Moses said.

Speaking of price points, everybody is curious how much the acquisition of the Indian Motorcycle Company cost Polaris Industries, to which Polaris replied â??Unless required to, we will never disclose what we paid for an acquisition.â??

We had the opportunity to sit in on a conference call discussing the acquisition today and hereâ??s what Polaris CEO Scott Wine had to say.

â??Yesterday Polaris closed the acquisition of the Indian Motorcycle Company, one of the most storied brands in heavyweight motorcycles. By uniting the Indian brand with the capabilities Polaris has developed in its 13 years with Victory, we are confident over time that we will accelerate the growth and profitability of both brands and our overall motorcycle business. A brief review of history will show that Indian built the first American motorcycle in 1901 and the worldâ??s first V-Twin engine in 1907 and went on to become one of the great motorcycle companies in America in the first half of the 20th Century.â??

â??We have no intentions of living in the past and fully recognize that the brand has had many ups and downs over the past 60 years but the heritage and style that Indian brings to Polaris significantly expands our target customer base. As we look at the breakdown of motorcycle consumers, Victory has established a strong brand position with the performance enthusiast segment where customers are most interested in our modern styling, performance, quality and value of the bike. With the Indian brand in our stable, we will gain access to what we call the â??die-hardâ?? segment where riders look for classic styling and iconic brand. This acquisition more than doubled the scope of our target market.â??

We couldnt think of a more fitting motorcycle to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial on than one of the new Indians.
The die-cast console on the tank includes a speedo and multi-function displays like a low fuel light and neutral indicator.
The Chief Roadmaster we tested came with a nifty chrome luggage rack and a small passenger backrest.
The acquisition of Indian Motorcycle expands Polaris' presence in the heavyweight cruiser division. Will there be any conflict in owning two American V-Twin manufacturers that were competitors before? Time will tell.
â??With that said, thereâ??s a distinct difference between having access to and actually penetrating any segment of the highly competitive heavyweight motorcycle market. We made this investment to pursue the capabilities, including a world-class engineering team and a demonstrated ability to execute new product introduction that are strongly correlated to what the Indian brand needs for success. Polaris can provide the short-term support to improve and maintain production of their current product line. Currently we will leverage our talented engineering, sourcing and design team to create an Indian lineup that is true to the rich heritage of the brand with the performance and quality that people expect from a premium motorcycle.â??

â??Another key benefit that we bring to the Indian Motorcycle Company is we are a strong network of dealers and suppliers. While we want to make sure that the actual bikes remain distinctly different, the compatibility of the Indian and Victory brand is compelling through offering a stronger motorcycle lineup to the benefit of our current dealers and to our much-needed dealer niche in a division of the most desirable motorcycle market.â??

â??Indian Motorcycle sales were approximately $11 million in 2010 and we project shipments will decline slightly before they accelerate with the re-launch of the new heritage bikes we develop. This business will be distributed to suppliers as we make these necessary but national investments, but we are confident that in time these investments will yield quite strong returns. We have a detailed plan and a strong team to accomplish the hard work ahead to make Indian Motorcycles the top contender and to continue its legacy.â??

When posed with the question of how the dealer network might change over the next couple of years while integrating Indian into it, Polaris replied:

â??We put a lot of thought and study into how this might work and our Victory dealer network has done a decent job of expanding over the last 18 months, but weâ??re still very much under-represented in what Iâ??ll call the top MSAâ??s or the Top 100 markets in the United States. So weâ??re not going to try and push Indian into all our of our dealers but we are going to make a concerted effort to improve and leverage the Indian brand and the strength of those bikes with Victory to establish better representation in the top markets for motorcycles in the United States. I think over the next couple of years youâ??ll see that strategy play out.â??

When asked about the cost of the acquisition Polaris replied:

â??Unless required to, we will never disclose what we paid for an acquisition. But I think itâ??s better to say that weâ??ve got a history of being frugal in most things that we do and I think itâ??s fair to assume thatâ??s with acquisitions as well. It takes a couple of years in general for us to bring a new bike to market and thatâ??s probably what itâ??s going to take to get these bikes that we think we can bring out. Itâ??s hard for us to make money in the motorcycle business until weâ??re shipping any significant volume.â??

When asked about what exactly they are buying from Indian, Polaris said:

â??We are buying the Indian Motorcycle Company. Theyâ??re in King Mountain and theyâ??ve got engineers and assembly guys and weâ??re buying the entire business. Itâ??s very small at this point so essentially what weâ??re getting is primarily a very strong brand. But itâ??s an operating business today with sales and dealers and weâ??ll have to work from there.â??

When talked turned to future production plans and the status of Indian's Kings Mountain assembly plant, Polaris replied:

â??Itâ??s just not scaled there right now. Weâ??ve got very good assembly capability and capacity in Spirit Lake but itâ??s worth noting again that buying this iconic brand, we will be very disciplined to make sure that thereâ??s a very distinct difference between any Indian bike we develop and any Victory bike that comes out of Spirit Lake.â??

Itâ??s still up in the air as far as what role the Kings Mountain plant will play, but itâ??s believed that manufacturing ops will be moving to Spirit Lake and engineering relocated to Minnesota.

â??My only disappoint whatsoever are the people who have poured their heart and soul and relocated their families in regards to the staff at Kings Mountain. From the engineers that dropped everything to play a role in the future of the resurgence of Indian Motorcycle only then now to be kind of left aside. So hopefully theyâ??re offered positions that are available or if not, hopefully a good severance package. I know every single one of those people personally and Iâ??ve never seen a more passionate, more driven group of people that came only for the brand. There was nobody that came looking for a job. It was all about the brand,â?? Moses said.

With company buyouts, inevitably there are always innocent bystanders who get caught in the crossfire. But with the acquisition, Polaris expands its presence in the heavyweight cruiser division with the addition of a strong, iconic American brand. The pairing has a ton of potential. Letâ??s see if that potential equates to profitability.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/744/9776/Motorcycle-Article/Polaris-CEO--No-1-Indian-Dealer-Talk-Acquisition.aspx

Polaris adds Indian Motorcycle to its stable | Minnesota Public Radio News

St. Paul, Minn. â?? Snowmobile manufacturer Polaris has added heritage brand Indian Motorcycle to its roster of vehicles.

Polaris announced the agreement Tuesday with two U.K. investment firms that control Indian Motorcycle, Stellican Limited and Novator Partners LLP.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Indian motorcycles are made in North Carolina.

In a statement, Polaris CEO Scott Wine said Polaris was "excited to be part of the revitalization of a quintessentially American brand."

Indian Motorcycles was founded in 1901. It's also the motorcycle ridden by Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in "Terminator 3."

Motorcycle enthusiast Mike Sarrail serves on the board of directors of the Iron Indian Riders and runs the website, The Indian Motorcycle Community Forum. Sarrail says the community has been abuzz with the news.

"The mass majority thinks this looks great. And they think with the money and brains that Polaris has they will move the company forward. Most people are thinking it's going to be a good thing," Sarrail said from his home in California.

Sarrail said he hopes Polaris will introduce racing bikes, which Indian was known for in the early days of the company. Polaris also produces Victory motorcycles, a cruising bike that competes with Harley-Davidson.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/04/19/polaris-buys-indian-motorcycle/

2011 Chrysler 200 - Raise Your Standards

	2011 Chrysler 200 - Raise Your Standards Yes, we have become an underdog, but no, we will not be asking you to lower your standards to buy a car made here. We will, in fact, be asking you to raise them.	From:chrysler Views:2470 37ratings
	Time:00:32	More inAutos & Vehicles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tV6nEF-5uU&feature=youtube_gdata

Behind Fast Five | The Power Scene | Burning Rubber

	Behind Fast Five | The Power Scene | Burning Rubber See more behind-the-scenes footage from Fast Five at www.dodge.com , in theaters April 29	From:dodge Views:546 12ratings
	Time:02:54	More inAutos & Vehicles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOERh0pyk2c&feature=youtube_gdata

2011 Dodge Charger | The Future of Driving | Commercial

	2011 Dodge Charger | The Future of Driving | Commercial We'll let robots do a lot of things, but there is one thing they will never, ever, do.	From:dodge Views:4053 109ratings
	Time:01:02	More inAutos & Vehicles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw7_UTk0d6Y&feature=youtube_gdata

Is the age of the sub-$10,000 car passing?

Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Hyundai, Nissan

As you've likely noticed, new cars aren't getting cheaper. Pack enough options onto a new C-segment hatchback or sedan, and it's not difficult to elevate the MSRP to $25,000 or more. At the same time, there are still plenty of B-segment and C-segment vehicles that can be had for $16,000 or less, and the base Nissan Versa can still be snagged for $9,990; albeit with zero options and no radio. The same goes for the cheapest Hyundai Accent, which starts at $9,985.

How much longer can Nissan continue to offer a new car for under $10,000? USA Today thinks those days are about over, as the 2012 Versa is set to bow at next week's New York Auto Show. The new Versa appears to be better looking and more refined than the model it replaces, making a $10,000 price tag unlikely. The new Accent is another probable candidate to drop its $10K model. It's also expected to make an appearance in New York, and should be markedly improved over the current car in all respects.

So, does the arrival of the next-generation Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent mean the end of the $10,000 vehicle? Does it even matter? While the ultra-cheap stripper models are handy marketing tools for their manufacturers, a shopper with $10,000 to spend can get a lot of car for that money on the used market. With a radio and A/C to boot.

[Source: USA Today]

Is the age of the sub-$10,000 car passing? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/16/is-the-age-of-the-sub-10-000-car-passing/

Nissan Leaf NISMO RC set to electrify New York

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Coupe, Nissan, Electric

Nissan Leaf NISMO RC - Click above to enlarge

Nissan will unveil a racing variant of the Leaf electric car at the New York Auto Show, but the Nissan Leaf NISMO RC has little in common with its more pedestrian "sibling." NISMO started with a lithium ion battery pack and badging from a stock Leaf, then built a completely new vehicle around it.

There are no rear doors; the carpeting, navigation and stereo system are gone; and the battery pack has been relocated to the middle of the vehicle for better weight distribution. Speaking of weight, the NISMO RC is about 40 percent lighter than the production Leaf, as a carbon fiber monocoque platform and more compact dimensions cut total weight to just 2,068 pounds. The race-ready Leaf is also a foot shorter and 6.7 inches wider, and with a scant 2.4 inches of ground clearance.

While the Nissan Leaf NISMO Nismo RC is a different animal than its production namesake, it still carries a familial resemblance, at least up front. Nissan employed LED lighting all around, a driver-adjustable rear wing and plenty of NISMO/Zero Emission graphics to ensure that onlookers know this is no fossil-fuel burner.

Nissan says the NISMO RC will be used for demonstration purposes, so don't expect this Leaf to compete any time soon. The automaker does say, however, that it's considering a zero-emission spec series for the future. With an estimated run time of 20 minutes under racing conditions, the 30 minute quick-charge time (to achieve 80 percent capacity) would make for some leisurely pit stops. When the Leaf NISMO RC is in motion, its 80kW AC motor generates 107 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque; good enough for a 0-60 time of 6.85 seconds and a 93-mph top speed. No land-speed records there, folks, but we're betting this particular Leaf would be a blast to drive anyway. Hit the jump to read over Nissan's press release.

Gallery: Nissan Leaf NISMO RC

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan Leaf NISMO RC set to electrify New York

Nissan Leaf NISMO RC set to electrify New York originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/17/nissan-leaf-nismo-rc-set-to-electrify-new-york/

VFW and VVA Fish Fry

The annual Lenten Friday Fish Fry hosted by the Mayflower/Lt Gamble VFW Post 6695 and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 528 has been going on so long, Carl Glass -- who co-chairs this year's event with Ron King -- can't recall the exact number of years. But he knows this: People flock to dinner between 5 and 7 p.m. each Friday during Lent and the money raised is used to help veterans and children.



VFW Post 6695 is at 1426 S. Mill St. A 4-piece adult dinner costs $8; smaller meals can be ordered as well.
http://plymouth-mi.patch.com/articles/viewfinder-vfw-and-vva-fish-fry?ncid=M255#photo-5636884

Flying in to see what's New with Nissan :-)

We are excited about all the great things Nissan has to offer this year! But we are not the only ones......


Check out our regular visitors from the other side of the pond. Even the wild Turkeys are flying in to see what all the excitement is about!

Read on the 'net: A Look at Others' Take on Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Fiat

April 12, 2011 7:00 AM

It's spring -- and naturally, that means it's car-shopping time. Okay, maybe not for you but for someone. Whether you really are in the market for a new vehicle or just interested in some first-hand impressions of some of the new and refresheshed vehicles from Chrysler Group and our friends at Fiat USA, this blog post is for you. 

Cars.com: 2011 Chrysler 300

Autoblog.com: First Drive: 2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible

Auto123.com: 2011 Jeep Patriot North 4WD Review

DetNews.com: With 2011 Journey, Dodge polishes crossover to a ferocious sheen

Cars.com: 2011 Dodge Charger

PickupTrucks.com: Road Test Review: 2011 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman

PressHerald.com: First Drive: Fiat staging a head-turning comeback

http://blog.chryslerllc.com/blog.do?id=1373&p=entry

Michigan Wine and Food Matching Events in Novi

The state's official Travel and Tourism site, Pure Michigan, says that â??Michigan has 14,600 acres of vineyards making it the fourth largest grape-growing state in the country.  With more than 80 wineries and vineyards, visitors can enjoy wine tours and events during every season.â??

It features several great wineries that you can visit both near and far. You don't have to go far to get great wine, though. You can find great wines at Andiamo in Novi. 

It has excellent Italian dining and is a Michigan Wine Restaurant, serving a wide selection of wines from around the Mitten State. Andiamo will help you pair your meal with a well matched wine.  If you've never done this before, it is highly recommended.  

There is a strolling wine tasting event called Sassy Spring Collection on May 12 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This event is $30 per person, reservations are necessary.

The website describes the experience this way: â??Celebrate the arrival of Spring as we sample juicy, mouth-watering wines from around the globe. This is the perfect time to break out of that, 'Big Red' love affair weâ??ve been involved with all winter long. A grand celebration, kicking off the start to a wonderful season! Light appetizers will be served.â?? 

Andiamo can be found at 42705 Grand River Ave. in Novi. Call 248-348-3838 to make reservations.

Have any experience doing this kind of outing in Michigan? Let Patch readers know how it went! Tell us in the comments.

http://plymouth-mi.patch.com/articles/michigan-wine-and-food-matching-events-in-novi-2

NISSAN AND FLEET FORUM PARTNER TO PROMOTE ZERO-EMISSION MOBILITY

GENEVA (April 8, 2011) -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and Fleet Forum, the first independent association that supports humanitarian organizations to improve and professionalize the management of vehicle fleets, have partnered to promote zero-emission mobility.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two parties, Nissan will lend five 100% electric Nissan LEAFs to the Fleet Forum for a year free of charge. The Fleet Forum will rotate the vehicles among selected members for a few months each in order for them to experience the benefits of a zero-emission vehicle and to encourage them to switch to such vehicles in the future.

The participating members will be chosen by the Fleet Forum and Nissan. Eligible organizations will have professional fleet management and an environmental strategy. The program will start in the second half of the year following the announcement of the selected members.

"Fleet Forum aims to set the standard in the market for transport management on Road Safety, Green driving and cost efficiency. Fleet Forum Members enables its members to improve their performance in safety, emissions reduction and cost efficiency of operations. The partnership with Nissan perfectly fits in Fleet Forum's intent to offer our members a range of (knowledge) products and services. The participating members will benefit directly, but in the end all members will benefit. Together with Nissan we will gather and analyze the test data. We will build knowledge on electric driving. We can advise our members how to maximize the use of electric vehicles. Fleet Forum promotes electric driving because this is a very strong instrument in reducing the environmental impact of the operational activities of Fleet Forums members," said Fleet Forum Director, Paul M. Jansen.

"Fleet Forum is typical of the forward thinking organizations that are embracing the potential of zero emission mobility. This partnership will allow us to demonstrate to the humanitarian and aid community the benefits of the 100% electric Nissan LEAF, a five-seater hatchback that emits zero emissions but is also practical and economical to drive," said Nissan's Corporate Vice President, Simon Sproule.

"The program will also help Nissan better understand the unique needs of humanitarian and aid organizations, as well as the conditions they work under in order to better meet their needs," he added.

Nissan is also in talk with Fleet Forum to help it reduce C02 emissions from its fleet through the use of Nissan's "Eco Driving" technology. Nissan and Fleet Forum believe that the Nissan LEAF test program is just the beginning of a partnership which will reduce the environmental impact of fleets of humanitarian and corporate organizations.

The Fleet Forum members operate a combined humanitarian fleet in excess of 80,000 vehicles with an estimated operating cost of US$800 million.

Nissan, together with Alliance partner Renault, aims to be a global leader in zero-emission mobility. As part of its comprehensive approach to promote sustainable mobility, the Alliance has partnered with more than 90 governments, municipalities and companies worldwide to prepare the necessary infrastructure and incentives for the successful adoption of electric vehicles.

Fleet Forum
The Fleet Forum is the first independent knowledge center within the international aid and development community that is focused on issues surrounding humanitarian fleets. The Fleet Forum was founded in 2003 in order to support humanitarian organizations to improve and professionalize the management of vehicle fleets. The Fleet Forum is managed by the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the UN World Food Programme, World Vision International, Care and TNT.

As humanitarian activities are expanding worldwide, aid organizations nowadays have a growing need for safe, clean and efficient transport capacity. Well managed fleet will have a positive impact on the delivery of aid and development programs. The Fleet Forum develops practical tools and programs which support members to improve road safety, reduce the environmental impact of transport and make transport operations more (cost ) effective.

The Fleet Forum is in fact a platform that stimulates international organizations, the UN, academic institutions, donors and corporate partners to work together and share their knowledge and expertise in such a way that all parties will benefit. At this moment the Fleet Forum has more than 40 members that have voluntarily adopted the Fleet Forum standards of excellence. In this way the Fleet Forum saves lives, planet and value.

Nissan LEAF
Nissan LEAF, which recently went on sale in Japan, the US and Europe, is the world's first affordable 100% electric family vehicle and the first EV to win the coveted European Car of the Year award. It has a range between charges of up to 175 km, as tested over the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).

The family hatchback is powered by an in-house developed compact electric motor and inverter in the front of the car which drives the front wheels. The AC motor develops 80 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of 145 km/h.

Nissan Zero Emission Website
http://www.nissan-zeroemission.com

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2011/_STORY/110408-01-e.html?rss

Show Us Your High-Mileage Jeep® Brand Vehicle!

The former Jeep® 4.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine has made a name for itself as one of the most reliable engines, and weâ??ve seen some pretty high-mileage Jeep brand vehicles on-road and off- with that workhorse under the hood. But owner Jan Richey and his 1988 Jeep Cherokee take the cake in that department. Richey has over 612,000 miles on his Cherokee with the original engine still humming along. There have been a few modifications along the way, but by and large, his vehicle looks just as clean as the day it rolled out of the factory.
 
Weâ??re sure Richey isnâ??t alone when it comes to owning a high-mileage Jeep brand vehicle, which is why we want to hear all about your long-in-the-tooth beast. Tell us the story of your vehicle in the comments section below. If you have photos to share, send them in through our Flickr page with the title â??HIGH MILEAGE JEEP SERIESâ?? so we know where they belong. Weâ??ll be featuring the best tales right here.
http://blog.jeep.com/2011/04/08/show-us-your-high-mileage-jeep%c2%ae-brand-vehicle/

Chrysler Town & Country

At Chrysler, we believe a bright future begins with a solid education for our children. That's why we're dedicated to promoting literacy by donating 150,000 books to schools across the country! Test drive an all-new 2011 Town & Country now through June 1st and we will donate five books to the school of your choice, plus an additional five books to a school in need. Visit Chrysler Town and Country Facebook page for more details!
http://www.facebook.com/ChryslerTownandCountry?sk=app_135985356473894

Dick Scott Automotive Group - New Employement Opprotunity

Dick Scott Automotive Group has a New Job Opening at Dick Scott Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Plymouth. We are looking for a new Internet Sales Representative. If you are interested visit our Employment Opportunity Page at www.DickScott.com
http://www.dickscott.com/blog/2011/april/7/new-employement-opprotunity.htm

Spring Clean-up is coming to Plymouth!

Start your "Spring Cleaning" now and take advantage of this unique service to help you get ride of all the stuff you don't need anymore!

On Saturday, May 14, 2011 Plymouth, Michigan will have a "Spring Clean-up" day! Read below to see how you can participate!

*** This will NOT interrupt your regular weekly trash and recycle pick- up ***

TOP TEN THINGS TO REMEMBER FOR SPRING CLEAN-UP 2011

1. DO NOT place your brown, automated, trash cart out to the curb for Spring Clean Up; the non-automated trucks cannot empty them.

2. NO recycle or compost pick up will occur on Spring Clean-Up Day.

3. Each household is allowed eight (8) trash cans or the equivalent, plus two (2) "large items" (i.e. washer, dryer, couch, desk, etc.)

4. All small refuse must be placed in containers strong enough to hold the weight; (i.e. plastic bags, cans, and/or boxes; but must weigh less than 50 lbs.)

5. Appliances containing FREON; such as refrigerators, freezers, water coolers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers, must have a valid certificate of FREON removal attached to the appliance. Contact any heating and cooling company for this service. It is against the law to place a refrigerator at the curb without removing the doors.

6. All items to be collected must be placed at curb in a neat and safe manner as not to pose any danger to the collectors or others.

7. DO NOT place materials at the curb prior to 24 hours in advance. (The Friday before Saturday Spring Clean-Up).

8. All trash MUST be at the curb by 7:00A.M. on collection day - OR IT MAY NOT BE PICKED UP.

9. PROHIBITED ITEMS: Tires; concrete or major construction debris; auto parts; piles of dirt and/or sod; extremely large items including, but not limited to: boats, cars, engines, motorcycles, and snowmobiles; hazardous materials including, but not limited to: gasoline, fuel and motor oil, paint thinners, pesticides, medical waste, etc.

10. Any questions, please call 734.455.1392 (Solid Waste) or 734.453.7737 (Office).

** The Spring Clean-up is for household disposal, NOT contractor disposal. **

Tomorrow is "Diva Day" in Downtown Plymouth, Michigan!

Tomorrow is the 3rd Annual "Diva Day" in Downtown Plymouth! Visitors are encouraged to visit downtown area shops and resturants during this fun event. The day will begin at the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce office on Ann Arbor Trail and the first 500 visitors will receive a free feather boa. From there, people can visit the more than 30 shops and restaurants in the downtown area that will be offering discounts, raffles and special attractions between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Rain or Shine this great event is tons of fun every year! Don't let a few rain drops stopped you from starting the Spring Shopping Season off right!