Crain’s Detroit Business reports that RealKidz Inc., a firm that makes plus-size clothes for girls, has been awarded $50,000 from the Eastern Washtenaw County Micro Loan Fund, which provides loans from $10,000 to $50,000 to Ypsilanti-based startups. The article quotes founder and CEO Merrill Guerra: “What we need is traction … created from increased sales and revenue. This loan will put us in a solid position to get the next round of funding.” [Source]
This links to a video of Monday’s town hall meeting with UM provost Teresa Sullivan and Phil Hanlon, vice provost for academic and budgetary affairs. They discussed the university’s financial situation, including anticipated cuts in state funding. [Source]
Writing on his blog, David Petersen mentions the next gathering of Ink & Stein, on Saturday: “For those not in-the-know: Ink & Stein is a gathering of comic artists and writers (though we have artists and writers who are not in the comic field) where we socialize, bring our current work, bounce ideas off one another, and draw/write. We meet at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti, MI at 7pm.” [Source]
Detroit mayor Dave Bing has asserted that the city’s unemployment rate is higher than the official rate of 27% – the Detroit News asked UM economist George Fulton about that assessment: Says Fulton: “The qualitative point (Bing) was making is correct. There is more unemployment out there than is officially recorded, and it’s a very serious situation.” [Source]
In a report on a presentation by Alex de Parry for a residential housing development called Heritage Row, we mis-indentified the former president of the Germantown Neighborhood Association as its president. The current president of GNA is Beverly Strassmann. We noted the error here and have corrected the original report.
Ann Arbor Greenbelt Advisory Commission meeting (Dec. 9, 2009): During a relatively brief final meeting of 2009, members of the greenbelt advisory commission got reports on the program’s finances and its preservation activity for the last fiscal year.
Signs like these will be used to mark land that's preserved through a variety of programs, including the Ann Arbor greenbelt. (Photos by the writer.)
Also discussed was a direct rebuff to the greenbelt program from Northfield Township’s supervisor, who wrote that the township wasn’t supportive of “an outside community exerting its influence on our community.”
Peg Kohring of The Conservation Fund, which manages the greenbelt program for the city, had approached the township on behalf of landowners who were interested in participating in the greenbelt.
Commissioners strategized over how to respond, and are forming a group to talk with township officials about their concerns. [Full Story]
In The Communicator – Community High School’s student publication – Hilary Burch reports on the Dec. 11 Poetry Night held at the Neutral Zone. Writes Burch: “Poetry Night is a unique event, and it inspires its audience. After the final poet, (Jeff) Kass came to the microphone. ‘Go home and get out your notebook,’ he said.” [Source]
Monday evening on the third floor of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, developer Alex de Parry gave residents and neighbors an update on a project he’s been proposing in one form or another since early 2008.
Alex de Parry describes how the rear of the existing seven homes would in some cases be modified consistent with their period of historical significance. (Photo by the writer.)
The housing development would be located on the east side of Fifth Avenue, just south of William Street.
Previously known as “City Place,” the proposal has been newly baptized as “Heritage Row.” The new nomenclature reflects in part the expressed intent of de Parry’s development team to meet the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for historic preservation for a row of seven old houses. Behind the row of houses, three new buildings would be constructed. Underground parking would be constructed under the three new buildings.
Previous versions of the project would have either demolished the seven houses or preserved them only in part. Now, the plan is to rehabilitate those houses to historic district standards. [Full Story]
A USA Today article on support for a global treaty on reducing greenhouse gas emissions quotes UM political scientist Barry Rabe, who does research on public opinion about the environment: “There’s a lot of public support for various climate policy approaches that diminishes as you begin to put a specific dollar figure with it.” [Source]
Forbes magazine reports on the 10 most expensive diseases, as compiled by researchers at Ann Arbor-based Altarum Institute. Charles Roehrig, an Altarum health economist who led the team of researchers, told Forbes that expenses for some diseases “are growing because prevalence has gone up, and some are growing because the cost per case has come up. It is very hard to pinpoint a leverage point.” [Source]
The New York Times reports on a UM study that examined why some women decide not to take the drug tamoxifen, even when told that it could prevent breast cancer. The article quotes Angela Fagerlin, UM associate professor of internal medicine and the lead author of the study, published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment: “When the numbers were laid out for them in a way they could clearly understand, they weren’t interested in taking tamoxifen. They didn’t think the benefits of tamoxifen outweighed the risks.” [Source]
Chelsea Update reports that the Chelsea School District board has voted to cut 1.25% from non-union, non-contract employee salaries and to raise health insurance premiums for that group. It’s part of an effort to deal with a $2.1 million budget shortfall, according to the report. The article quotes superintendent Dave Killips: “The Board does not want to make mid-year cuts to personnel, if at all possible, because of the impact on students. However, this may be discussed further depending on what happens with state funding.” [Source]
Both the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News report on a study by the Ann Arbor-based Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation, which compared personal spending on health care, by state. The study found that spending by Michigan residents and insurers is lower than most other states. The Detroit News quotes Marianne Udow-Phillips, the center’s director: “Relative to other states, a lot of the creative ideas we have (to keep health care costs down) are paying off.” [Source] [Source]
A runaway sheep gamboling through the condo complex. Perhaps an escapee from a nearby live nativity scene? In hot pursuit, a man yelling “Sheep Loose!”
Though the closing of Mack Pool was on a list of budget-cutting ideas during Ann Arbor city council’s Dec. 5 retreat, a task force continues to work on ways to save the pool, and held a public meeting on Thursday to give an update on its progress.
Thursday's public meeting of the Mack Pool Task Force drew about 25 people. (Photos by the writer.)
Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, told a group of about 25 people that the task force is focused on bridging the roughly $100,000 gap between expenses and revenues for the pool – even though the group is well aware of the city’s larger budget crisis. That broader budget crisis includes the possibility of up to 30% cuts in the city’s general fund budget through fiscal 2012.
Smith noted that the task force had come up with nearly $36,000 in net savings and revenue – about a third of the way toward its goal so far. With just over two months before recommendations will be delivered to city council, “we’re not done,” he said. [Full Story]
8:14 a.m. Two police cruisers FLYING north through the intersection of Main and Washington, sirens blaring.
On his Reflections blog, photographer Lon Horwedel shares some memories of Tios, following the demolition of the building that used to house the restaurant, next to city hall. He describes running into owner Tim Seaver: “We chatted a while about his new location, which, according to Tim, is doing quite well, but the main gist of our conversation kept drifting back to the old location. ‘It’s amazing how quickly she deteriorated after you guys moved.’ I said. ‘Well, there was no life there after we left.’ Tim replied. ‘A building needs life.’” [Source]
Fountain St. Church open house underway featuring COGIC Choir. [Photo]
A2 Skatepark steering committee meeting in progress. [Photo]
Crusty choreography by the athletic artisans at Zingerman’s Bakehouse. Trays of seeded bread and ciabattas slide into oven while peels lift out loads of freshly-browned boules.
Laschell Baker of Ypsilanti is featured in a New York Times article about issues surrounding gestational surrogacy. Baker served as a surrogate, giving birth to twins for a Grand Rapids woman. Baker later obtained a court order for custody of the children, after learning that the woman who hired her for the preganancy was being treated for mental illness. Says Baker: “I couldn’t see living the rest of my life worrying and wondering what had happened, or what if she hadn’t taken her medicine, or what if she relapsed.” [Source]
Rob Cleveland
Toyota’s Prius arguably is one of the most notable, and most recognized hybrids in the marketplace today. It’s seen as a symbol of an emerging trend here in the U.S. that embraces environmental responsibility and stewardship. In its draft, the Toyota brand has built a green, eco-friendly image that has often mitigated criticism of the company’s other pickups and SUVs with considerably poorer gas mileage.
A decade from now, though, I predict the Prius will be less known for its short-term contribution to the Toyota brand or CO2 reduction, and better known for galvanizing hybrid technology in the U.S. marketplace, catalyzing the introduction of dozens of other hybrid vehicles by nearly every car company selling here.
With roughly 21 hybrid models in showrooms right now, and other 20-plus models planned for production in the next four years, its legacy will have far more impact than any one vehicle with a 50-mpg rating. [Full Story]
Sunny morning at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market. Not crowded, but a fair number of customers braving the cold.
In a Detroit Free Press article about the UAW’s leadership transition, Sean McAlinden of the Ann Arbor-based Center for Automotive Research gives his take on Bob King, who’ll likely be the union’s next president: “He has the best education and the greatest respect of outsiders that range from financial analysts, academics, politicians and corporate executives.” [Source]
Sign for “Wacky Everything Day!” in the hallway at Ann Arbor Open School. [Photo]
Crain’s Detroit Business reports that Arbor Hospice has lowered its inpatient private care rates, and is seeking donations to make up the funding gap. The article quotes CEO Gloria Danna Brooks: “This is a mission-based decision made specifically to increase our community’s access to hospice care in these economically-stressed times. This new rate will have no impact on patient care services or clinical staffing levels.” [Source]
The Main Street Area Association has announced the winners of its recent window display contest: “Top honors go to 826Michigan/Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair for their inventive Robot Family display. Second place accolades go to Ten Thousand Villages for their week long, live window display.” [Source]
Ann Arbor Public Art Commission (Dec. 8, 2009): One day after Ann Arbor city council voted to temporarily cut in half a program that funds public art projects, the commission that oversees that funding strategized over how to respond.
Jim Kern, outgoing public art commissioner, gets a hug from Margaret Parker, the commission's chair, after Tuesday night's meeting. The Ann Arbor Public Art Commission is recruiting replacements for Kern and Jan Onder, who is also leaving AAPAC at the end of the month. (Photo by the writer.)
They hope to rally others in the community to attend a public hearing at the Dec. 21 city council meeting, when councilmembers will take a final vote on the three-year funding cut.
Several commissioners expressed concern that some councilmembers didn’t seem to understand how the city’s Percent for Art program works.
Since it was formed in 2007, the program has set aside 1% of any city-funded capital improvement project, to be used for public art. The proposal initially approved by council on Monday would cut that funding to a half percent.
Also at the Dec. 21 council meeting, a vote is expected on the program’s first major project: a water sculpture by German artist Herbert Dreiseitl, proposed as an outdoor installation at the new municipal center next to city hall. [Full Story]
John U. Bacon
The Michigan Wolverines might have the most wins in college football history, and the highest winning percentage, but the Wolverines have never captured the nation’s imagination like the Fightin’ Irish of Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s success is partly the Wolverines’ fault. Knute Rockne wanted to get his Fightin’ Irish into the Big Ten in the worst way – but Michigan’s Fielding Yost wanted to keep them out even…worser.
Yost probably expected Rockne to take his team and go home – but Rockne had other ideas. He took his team to Chicago and Boston, which had large Catholic populations, and built a following. He also scheduled games in Yankee Stadium – in front of the national media – and in Los Angeles, in front of Hollywood hot-shots.
And that’s why Notre Dame didn’t shrink without the Big Ten, but grew into the only college team with a national following. The sports writers told tales of The Four Horseman, while the movie makers immortalized the Irish with films from “Knute Rockne: All American” – starring young Ronald Reagan as the Gipper – to “Rudy.” [Full Story]
Forbes magazine profiles UM business professor C.K. Prahalad, and his belief that environmentalism and development aren’t mutually exclusive. He’ll be addressing executives at the global climate summit in Copenhagen. Says Prahalad: “The industrial system as we have it today cannot deal with another 4 billion people. What you see is the fairly early stages of the next industrial revolution, and the emerging markets are becoming the laboratory for that.” [Source]
