A4 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019 THE ANN ARBOR NEWS

PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP

It takes a dining room

Christmas village has grown so large over the years the owners keep it up year-round

McKenna Ross mross@mlive.com

Nestled in the mountains, a castle overlooks

this picturesque village.

Children play in the schoolyard. Further

down an evergreen-lined cobblestone road,

the church, bakery and haberdashery over-

look the bay where the Britannia is heading to

shore.

And it’s all in one couple’s dining room.

For almost 30 years, Plymouth Township

residents Arline and John Greacen have devel-

oped their Dickens’ Village collection. The

miniature Christmas decorations have gotten

so expansive, detailed and storied that they

keep it up year-round.

In some ways, the couple believes the vil-

lage is a landmark in their neighborhood.

Friends bring visiting family members to see

it, and Halloween trick-or-treaters will stick

their heads inside after they receive a candy

bar.

Arline and John Greacen stand with the

Christmas village they collected and built

over the past 30 years in their Plymouth

Township home.

About 100 structures, 300 trees and a dis-

play that starts about 8 feet from the wall of the

couple’s front room make up Arline’s Dickens’

Village — its oﬃcial name, according to a sign

John carved and hung over the room.

In true holiday spirit, most of the mini

structures were gifts.

It started in 1990, when Arline’s mother

gave her three buildings, all from “A Christmas

Carol.” The Charles Dickens-inspired village

grew from there. The past 10 years, it’s been The Christmas village at the Greacen home in Plymouth Township is large enough to ﬁll the

too large to put away. New buildings haven’t couple’s dining room, and it has become so special to them that they keep it up all year long.

been added for about three years.

“When I look at it, I remember which build-

ings Arline’s mom gave us to get started,” John

Photos by Jacob Hamilton, MLive.com

Above and below, the Greacens’ Christmas

village is on display Dec. 5 in their home in

Plymouth Township.

Greacen said. “I remember there’s a building without stopping, and I have a long attention

with Santa Claus on the roof that my father span.”

“I’m still fascinated by it

though we’ve had it for

nearly three decades.

You can’t absorb the

The replica village isn’t about solely col-

gave her. My boss at my last employer gave us a

building one time.”

The couple said they couldn’t put a price

tag on the display; it wasn’t something they

The added detail in the village, though, had previously considered. New collectibles

makes Arline’s Dickens’ Village unique. Cot- on the Department 56 website, which sells the

ton flows out of the chimneys mimicking branded items, range from $60 to $220.

smoke. Arline Greacen created mountains by

hot-wire sculpting Styrofoam into bluﬀ shapes lecting for the Greacens, though. It’s about the

and painting ﬁve shades of brown. Traditional hard work they have put into its cultivation

Dickens’ Village ﬁgurines were too tall for their and the loved ones who cared along the way.

detail without stopping

(to look at everything).”

John Greacen, about his and his

wife’s Christmas village display

houses, so the Greacens sought smaller toys to

mill around town.

“There’s kind of a warm feeling that I

get from it,” John Greacen said. “If I had

“There isn’t a day where I don’t stop and gone on eBay and someone had passed

look at it several times because there’s so much away and they were selling the whole

intricate detail,” John Greacen said. “I’m still kit-and-caboodle, it wouldn’t be the same.

fascinated by it though we’ve had it for nearly Arline’s enthusiasm when she was build- excited about all that.”

three decades. You can’t absorb the detail ing this, it warmed my heart to see her get so

As far as continuing their Dickens’ Village

collection, the couple is hesitant to add more.

“We’d like to, but ...” Arline Greacen said.

“We’re kind of running out of space,” John

Greacen ﬁnished.

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, GREAT LAKES, AND

ENERGY

Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division

SUPPLYING WATER TO THE PUBLIC

Rule Set 2019-35 EG

Let Ou He ee Yous

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Wednesday, January 8,

2020

Tuesday, January 14, 2020 Thursday, January 16,

Providing quality &

Compassionate care to

residents 55 & older

Washtenaw Community

College

2020

Grand Valley State

University

Ralph A. MacMullan (RAM)

Conference Center

Morris Lawrence Building

LV Eberhard Center

301 Fulton St. W, Grand

Rapids

Room EC 215, 5:00 – 8:00

p.m.

4800 E Huron River Dr, Ann 104 Conservation Dr,

Arbor

Roscommon

Welcoming,

Comforting, Clean

and Healthy

Towsley Auditorium,

5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Au Sable Classroom,

5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Community

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Drinking

Water and Environmental Health Division, will hold three public hearings on the dates and

at the locations listed above from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The hearings will be held to receive

public comments on proposed changes to the rules titled Supplying Water to the Public.

Memory Lane for

residents who suffer

from Dementia,

Alzheimer’s or other

neurological disorders

The proposed rule set (2019-35 EG) will amend the current rules to provide provisions that

reduce exposure to several per- and polyﬂuoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water.

The provisions include establishment of drinking water standards, sampling requirements,

public notiﬁcation requirements, and laboratory certiﬁcation criteria.

These rules are promulgated by authority conferred on the Director of EGLE by Section

5 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 1976 PA 399, as amended (Act 399), identiﬁed as R

325.10101 through R 325.12820. These rules will take eﬀect 7 days after ﬁling with the

Secretary of State.

NO Long-Term Contracts

Respite stay available!

Affordable

The rules (2019-35 EG) are published on the Michigan Oﬃce of Administrative Hearings

and Rules’ Web site at Michigan.gov/MOAHR. Click on “Administrative Rules”, “Pending

Rules Activity” and then “Pending Rule Changes.” Sort by Department – Bureau and scroll

to Rule Set # 2019-35 EG and click on “Draft Rule Language.” The rules will also be

published in the January 1, 2020 issue of the Michigan Register.

Any interested person is invited to attend and present their views. It is requested that all

statements be submitted in writing for the hearing record. Anyone unable to attend may

submit comments in writing to the following mailing or e-mail address by 5:00 p.m. on

Friday, January 31, 2020. Copies of the draft rules may also be obtained by mail or

electronic transmission by submitting a request to the following address:

Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Attention: Suzann Ruch

PO Box 30817

Lansing, Michigan 48909-8311

MENTION THIS AD AND SAVE

THOUSANDS ON MOVE-IN COSTS

Phone: 517-284-6544

Fax: 517-241-1328

E-Mail: EGLE-PFAS-RuleMaking@Michigan.gov

All hearing sites are accessible, including handicap parking. People with disabilities

requiring additional accommodations in order to participate in the hearing (such as

information in alternative formats) should contact the Drinking Water and Environmental

Health Division at 517-284-6544 at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Information at

this meeting will be presented by speakers and printed handouts.

CALL NOW

734.699.2900

44401 I-94, S. Service Dr.

Belleville, MI 48111

cedarwoodsllc.com

9289986-03

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Advertiser: Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Date of order: December5, 2019

This is to certify that the Public Notice scheduled to run in the newspaper listed ran as the placement details

below and proof of publication is attached.

Newspaper Name:

Grand Rapids Press

Run Date

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Ad Size

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Caption/Position/Special Instructions

Public Hearing Notice- EGLE- Daily insertion Cost- 3 col. X 9" B&W ad

(MPl/MANSI Representative)

Slgnedb�,�

Date: December 12, 2019

Notary Public:

Date: December 12,

JAMES R. TARRANT

NOTARY PUBLIC- STATE OF MICHIGAN

COUNTY OF VAN BUREN

My commission expires April 12, 2023

Acting in the County of Ingham

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019 A9

GRAND RAPIDS

GRCC targets public works,

clean energy training

Monica Scott mscott2@mlive.com

After hearing from cities and commu-

nity organizations, Grand Rapids Commu-

“GRCC has strong

nity College is starting a training program

in 2020 targeting jobs related to water, pub-

partnerships with

lic works, clean energy and river restoration

projects.

Julie Parks, executive director for GRCC

Workforce Training, said the college is being

responsive to the demand for employees in

those focus areas.

area municipalities’

GRAND PIANOS

workforce development

work. This grant will

She said training will include the repair

and maintenance of municipal water and

wastewater systems, pipe and green infra-

structure, water testing, hazardous materi-

als removal and safety certiﬁcations.

GRCC is teaming up with the cities of

help that collaboration

Digital Pianos

grow, preparing the

region for the changes

Grand Rapids and Kentwood, the nonproﬁt

Grand Rapids Whitewater, the Grand Rap-

planned for the Grand

ids Chamber of Commerce and the Grand

Rapids Downtown Development Authority’s

River, and the continued

Whitewater Project team on the West Michi-

gan Clean Water and Environmental Certiﬁ-

importance of prepared

cations Program.

“Area water systems depend on mainte-

workforce to meet

nance and restoration, but the workforce

with these skills is aging, and there’s no cur-

these needs.”

rent pipeline to bring in new talent,” Parks

said.

GRCC President Bill Pink

JP Morgan Chase provided GRCC a two-

year, $150,000 grant for the training. Parks said hourly wages in the various categories

said the ﬁnancial services ﬁrm has long been generally range from $15 to $18 per hour to

supportive of college initiatives.

Parks said the grant will keep the cost of

start out.

For example, Hurt said an entry level

student training down to $25. She said train- maintenance assistant earns $16.03 per

ing could be 40 hours or as much as 300 hour.

hours.

“GRCC has strong partnerships with area

James Hurt, public services director for municipalities’ workforce development

the city of Grand Rapids, said he and his work,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “This

colleagues in the Midwest branch, Michi- grant will help that collaboration grow, pre-

gan Chapter of the American Public Works paring the region for the changes planned

Association have been discussing the cre- for the Grand River, and the continued

ation of a talent pipeline for nearly two importance of prepared workforce to meet

years.

He said they have worked with GRCC on

these needs.”

An employer advisory team will help

training through its Public Works Academy GRCC develop a curriculum, which will

and hope to recruit more students through incorporate national credentials for

the new training program.

stormwater and green infrastructure train-

Hurt said the city is looking for people ing.

new to public works and existing employees

Neighborhood and nonprofit groups

such as the Urban League of Greater

interested in learning new skills.

“Fifty percent of employees will be eligi- Grand Rapids and the West Michigan His-

ble to retire in the next ﬁve to 10 years,’’ he panic Center will help connect unem-

said.

ployed or underemployed residents to the

“It will be a drain on our institutional program to help ensure a diverse pool of

knowledge. We are looking to ﬁnd qualiﬁed students.

9338711-03

individuals.”

Those interested in learning more, should

Parks said the training can be pathway to email workforcetraining@grcc.edu or call

a career with a good salary and beneﬁts. She 616-234-3800.

PLAN NOW.

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, GREAT LAKES, AND

ENERGY

PLAY LATER IN

Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division

SUPPLYING WATER TO THE PUBLIC

Rule Set 2019-35 EG

THE CARIBBEAN