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Food Gatherers and “The Biggest Loser”

Here's what you won't see on the Nov. 25 TV special

On Nov. 25, Thanksgiving eve, NBC will air a special show that catches up with the lives of former contestants of “The Biggest Loser,” a series in which people compete to lose weight. Pete Thomas of Ypsilanti was a contestant in the show’s 2005 season, and he’ll be among those featured in the upcoming special.

Pete Thomas, right, pulls carrots out of the ground as NBC cameraman Neal Gallagher shoots from below. Dan Calderone is to the left, almost out of view.

Pete Thomas, right, pulls carrots out of the ground as NBC cameraman Neal Gallagher shoots from below. Dan Calderone is to the left, almost out of view. (Photo by the writer.)

What you probably won’t see on that show is a segment shot on a cold October morning at Food Gatherers. An NBC film crew spent a couple of hours taking footage of Thomas at the Food Gatherers warehouse and gardens off of Dhu Varren Road, on Ann Arbor’s north side. The segment was originally intended to be part of a broader profile of Thomas, who dropped 140 pounds during and after his appearance on “The Biggest Loser.”

But a couple of weeks after the shoot, NBC told Food Gatherers that their segment was being cut from the show – instead, producers planned to highlight a marathon that Thomas going to run. The Food Gatherers spot might air on NBC.com, but that’s uncertain.

The Chronicle got to tag along during the Food Gatherers portion of the shoot. Here’s a look at what goes into making a reality-ish show – even the parts that might never make it on TV. [Full Story]

More to Meeting than Downtown Planning

City council discusses budget, public art, Huron River, and more

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting (Nov. 16, 2009) Part II: The length of Monday’s city council meeting, which did not adjourn until nearly 1 a.m., might be blamed on the lengthy public commentary and deliberations on downtown zoning and design guidelines.

people standing taking the oath of office

Left to right: Stephen Kunselman (Ward 3), Sabra Briere (Ward 1) and Stephen Rapundalo (Ward 2) getting ceremonially sworn in at the start of council's Nov. 16, 2009 meeting. Standing to the left out of frame are Marcia Higgins (Ward 4) and Mike Anglin (Ward 5). (Photo by the writer.)

But it would have been a long meeting even without the downtown planning content, which we’ve summarized in a separate report: “Downtown Planning Process Forges Ahead.”

Before postponing the acceptance of the Huron River and Impoundment Management Plan (HRIMP), the council got a detailed update on how things stand on the city’s dispute with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) over Argo Dam.

An agenda item authorizing capital improvements in West Park prompted a lengthy discussion of how the Percent for Art program works.

Some public commentary calling abstractly for greater support for inventors and entrepreneurs was followed later in the meeting by an appropriation from the city’s LDFA to Ann Arbor SPARK to fund more business acceleration services.

A consent agenda item on the purchase of parking meters was pulled out and postponed.

The council also heard a detailed report from the city administrator, which covered emergency response time to a recent house fire, ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps, responses to the library lot Request for Proposals, updates on the task forces for Mack Pool and Ann Arbor’s senior center, staff reductions in planning and development, the East Stadium bridges, as well as the upcoming budget retreat on Dec. 5.

Stephen Kunselman’s (Ward 3) use of attachments to the agenda to document questions for city staff received some critique.

Also worth noting, the five winners of recent council elections were sworn in, and Marcia Higgins (Ward 4) was elected as mayor pro tem. Those topics in more detail below. [Full Story]

Column: Michigan-Ohio Rivalry Runs Deep

They’ve hated each other since before football was invented
John U. Bacon

John U. Bacon

Michigan plays Ohio State tomorrow, for the 106th time. The Buckeyes have already wrapped up the Rose Bowl, while the Wolverines are fighting to secure a bowl bid. But ESPN viewers still consider this rivalry the greatest in American sports. What most sports fans don’t know is, this one goes back before football even existed.

In 1833, Michigan was still a territory, while Ohio had already been a state for three decades. When Michigan started making its pitch for statehood, the surveyors had to figure out exactly where Michigan ended, and Ohio began. They soon discovered they’d gotten it wrong the first time: Toledo should have belonged to Michigan all along.

No big deal, you say? Well, don’t forget: at that time, the main thoroughfare between the Northeast and the Midwest was the Erie Canal – and Toledo was a major stop.

When Michigan claimed it for its own, Ohio blocked Michigan’s bid for statehood. Former president John Adams, who had returned to Congress, wrote, “Never in the course of my life have I known a controversy of which all the right was so clearly on one side and all the power so overwhelmingly on the other.” [Full Story]

AATA Adopts Vision: Countywide Service

Treasurer's report suggests countywide system budget

Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board meeting (Nov. 18, 2009): At its Wednesday meeting, the AATA board took the first of the steps that CEO Michael Ford had recommended at their meeting on Oct. 29: adopt a vision statement and start developing a plan for a countywide system. The board will continue to address Ford’s recommendations by holding  a special meeting on Dec. 8, at 5:30 p.m. at AATA headquarters to discuss formation of an Act 196 authority.

two men standing, one seated, papers getting passed out

Michael Ford, left, had extra copies made of the treasurer's report and distributed them to audience members. (Photo by the writer.)

The board’s resolutions were complemented by a treasurer’s report from Ted Annis that laid out a possible budget within which the countywide system could be designed. Presentation of that report revealed some conceptual differences among board members in their preferred approach to engaging an outside consultant to do the countywide system design: (i) Here’s a budget, now design the system; or  (ii) Design us a system, then tell us how much it would cost.

Key to the budget that Annis proposed was the assumed elimination of Ann Arbor’s transportation millage – on Annis’ assumption, Ann Arbor residents would pay the same countywide millage as other county residents if such a millage were approved.

In other business, the board approved service changes to Route #2 in northeast Ann Arbor.

Also generating discussion was the plan to repair, refurbish or reconstruct the Blake Transit Center in downtown Ann Arbor, which was described as “dilapidated.”

The board also received an explanation for the decreased ridership compared to last year, and a report on the move to different office space by the getDowntown program. [Full Story]

Library Nears Deal on Newspaper Archives

November 18 | At its Nov. 16 meeting, the board of the Ann Arbor District Library got an update on a draft agreement between AADL and the owners of the former Ann Arbor News, giving the library rights to digitize the 174-year-old newspaper's extensive archives. [Full Story]

Downtown Planning Process Forges Ahead

November 18 | In this first part of The Chronicle's meeting report from Ann Arbor city council's Nov. 16 meeting, we cover the passage of new zoning regulations for downtown Ann Arbor as part of the A2D2 process. Also included in this part of the report is the discussion on design guidelines, which are expected to take 8-12 months more work by planning staff to integrate into a site review process that would be ready for city council approval. [Full Story]

Sheriff Suggests Way to Add Deputies in Scio

November 17 | At its Nov. 16 meeting, the county's Police Services Steering Committee discussed the issue of sheriff deputy patrols, and heard about a solution from sheriff Jerry Clayton to meet Scio Township's request for additional road patrols. The group also discussed the impact of a public safety millage defeat in Ypsilanti Township. [Full Story]

Eating Out on Thanksgiving

November 15 | The Chronicle gives a brief rundown of some of the restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving Day. [Full Story]

County’s Agenda: Budget, Police Services

November 15 | A look ahead at what's on the agenda for the Nov. 18 Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners meeting. Items include funding for homeless shelters, an update on the 2009 budget, a possible vote on the 2010/2011 budget, and a change in policy related to police services contracts with the sheriff's department. [Full Story]

Task Force Floats Ways to Save Mack Pool

November 13 | A Nov. 12 public meeting about how to keep Mack Pool open generated ideas to raise revenues at the city-owned facility, which has been threatened by budget cuts. [Full Story]

Parking Fines to Increase in Ann Arbor?

November 11 | At its Nov. 9 working session, Ann Arbor's city council heard a presentation from the city's financial staff on possible parking violation fine increases, based on comparable cities. They also got a report on the use of Twitter and Facebook by the parks and recreation staff. [Full Story]

Column: Returning to Iraq on Veterans Day

November 10 | PFC. Clarkson from the Michigan National Guard, on leave from Iraq but returning there on Veterans Day, suggests that those who have the day off reflect on the true meaning of Veterans Day. [Full Story]

Column: Remembering the Del Rio Bar

November 10 | Ernie Harburg, a co-owner of Ann Arbor's Del Rio, has written a memoir about that iconic bar. Alan Glenn takes a look at “Liberty, Equality, Consensus and All That Jazz at the Del Rio Bar” and at what the Del meant to Ann Arbor. [Full Story]

Public Market Seeks Clarity on Vendors

November 9 | At their Nov. 3 meeting, the Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission discussed vendor applications, upcoming events and market finances, and heard from former commissioner Luis Vazquez, who says he plans to continue raising complaints about the market not enforcing its own rules. [Full Story]

Column: On the Road

November 8 | Columnist Rob Cleveland looks at some positive signs in the domestic auto industry, and says that perhaps a comeback for the state of Michigan isn't far behind. [Full Story]

Column: Arbor Vinous

November 7 | Wine columnist Joel Goldberg reports results from the 2009 Ohio vs. Michigan Wine Clash. The Wolverine State fared well in the second year of this friendly rivalry. [Full Story]

State Board: No Funding for Stadium Bridges

November 6 | Hopes for state funding of Ann Arbor's Stadium bridges project grew dimmer after an Oct. 5 meeting of the Michigan Local Bridges Advisory Board in Lansing. The board did not allocate money to the project, and one board member wondered by the University of Michigan wasn't helping fund it. Other funding opportunities from the federal government do remain. [Full Story]

Column: Leaving the Comfort Zone

November 5 | Columnist Jo Mathis admires the speakers of Ignite Ann Arbor – but she's glad she's not one of them. [Full Story]

School Millage Defeated, Higgins Wins

November 4 | In this bare-bones election summary, The Chronicle give results on Ann Arbor city council races, charter amendments, and the countywide school millage proposal. [Full Story]

More Candidates Vie for State House, Senate

November 18 | The Chronicle gives another update on local candidates and potential candidates for state House and Senate races in 2010. Among other things, you'll find out who's running as the "hot dog man" and how the races might impact other local bodies, like the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. [Full Story]

Indexed Video and the Open Meetings Act

November 17 | Linked to specific places in the online video of Ann Arbor city council meetings are now embedded in the online agendas for those meetings. The Chronicle uses those links to illustrate an error in the minutes from the Nov. 5 meeting, which were accepted at the council's Nov. 16 meeting. [Full Story]

Zoning, Design Guides on Council’s Agenda

November 16 | At Ann Arbor city council's Nov. 15 Sunday night caucus, discussion by residents was dominated by planning issues: (i) a new downtown zoning package – A2D2, (ii) downtown design guidelines, and (iii) responses to the city's request for proposals for use of the space atop the underground parking garage being built along Fifth Avenue. [Full Story]

City Council Vote on Dreiseitl Delayed

November 15 | At its Nov. 10 meeting, Ann Arbor's public art commission did not vote on any new resolutions, but did discuss the reasons behind delaying the city council vote on the Dreiseitl public art project proposed for the municipal center. The council vote, on just one of three projects that were commissioned, is not expected until Dec. 7. [Full Story]

Panel Sheds Light on Washtenaw Jail

November 13 | At a Nov. 12 panel discussion hosted by the League of Women Voters at the Ann Arbor District Library, key leaders including sheriff Jerry Clayton discussed the function and future of the Washtenaw County jail. [Full Story]

Column: Stevie Yzerman

November 13 | Columnist John U. Bacon looks back on the career or Red Wings Hall-of-Famer Steve Yzerman, and how he grew from being a young superstar into a respected team leader. [Full Story]

Washtenaw Jail Diary: Chapter 3

November 11 | This is the fifth installment of a series chronicling the experience of the author as an inmate at the Washtenaw County Jail in 2008. Some chapters are split into a couple of parts. This is Chapter 3, which is just one part – it is called "Life on D Block" and describes the author's time after "intake week." It contains language and descriptions that some readers will find offensive. [Full Story]

Column: Orpheum Bell, Handmade Music

November 10 | Chronicle editor Dave Askins spent an evening in a west side Ann Arbor basement listening to Orpheum Bell rehearse for their upcoming CD release show at The Ark on Dec. 4. In this column he describes some of what he heard there. [Full Story]

County Reorganizes 911 Dispatch

November 9 | The county's board of commissioners took the 2010/2011 budget off their agenda last Wednesday, but did approve a new tax that will raise $603,000 annually for economic development. [Full Story]

Ann Arbor NAACP Honors Academic Success

November 9 | Sheriff Jerry Clayton was the keynote speaker at the NAACP Freedom Fund dinner, held on Nov. 7 at the Four Points Sheraton ballroom. In addition to some advice to students, Clayton gave a little insight into why deputies have been writing some tickets inside the Ann Arbor city limits. [Full Story]

Council OKs Recycling, Transit, Shelter

November 7 | At its Nov. 5 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council approved a memorandum of understanding with the University of Michigan on the Fuller Road Station and gave a green light to single-stream recycling. Also approved was emergency funding to increase sheltering capacity for the homeless in the face of the approaching cold weather. [Full Story]

Column: The Legacy of “Raeder’s Raiders”

November 6 | While sports columnist John U. Bacon was composing another commentary in an Ann Arbor café, a friend told him about a group of Michigan football players who captured the fans’ imagination 50 years ago. Bacon looked into it, and decided was a better story than the one he was writing. [Full Story]

DDA Buys Shelter Beds; New Life for LINK?

November 5 | The DDA board authorized money to purchase additional beds for the homeless shelter, and passed a resolution supporting a partnership with the AATA to bring back the LINK circulator bus. Also, The Christman Company was selected as construction manager for the underground parking garage project. [Full Story]

Election Night in Washtenaw County

November 4 | The Chronicle hangs out with the Washtenaw County clerk's staff on election night as they process results from 116 precincts in the county. [Full Story]

County Board Set for First Budget Vote

November 3 | At their Nov. 4, 2009 meeting, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners is expected to take its initial vote on the 2010-2011 county budget. The board is also likely to vote on a new economic development millage, which was tabled at its Oct. 21 meeting. [Full Story]

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