Old Media Watch Section

A2: New Bookstore

Publishers Weekly reports on plans to open a new independent bookstore in downtown Ann Arbor – Literati Bookstore – in the spring. One of the owners, Hilary Lowe, told PW: “There are a number of great niche bookstores in downtown Ann Arbor. The only thing they’re missing is a general bookstore. We’ll try to fill the void left downtown by Shaman Drum [which closed in 2009] and Borders’ flagship store closing [in 2011]. Trade bookstores are thriving here. Shaman Drum and Borders’ flagship store closed for reasons other than the trade book market here.” [Source]

A2: Michigan Economy

The Detroit Free Press runs a Q&A with Lou Glazer, president of the Ann Arbor think tank Michigan Future Inc., who argues that Gov. Rick Snyder is focusing on the wrong ranking to judge Michigan’s economic health – looking at the cost of doing business, rather than the financial welfare of the state’s citizens. From the interview: “Economic developers who court businesses tell me the first question companies ask is always about the availability of skilled workers. So when they’re doing business location decisions, they start with talent. But when they lobby, they lobby for low business costs.” [Source]

EMU: Business Dean

Crain’s Detroit Business features a Q&A with Michael Tidwell, dean of the Eastern Michigan University College of Business, who joined EMU last year and talks about his efforts to involve alumni: ”As we know, the state has had significant financial trouble over the last decade or so. We’ve seen budgetary cuts like many public institutions have seen, … so alumni, both financial support and also moral support, are really critical to the growth and development and viability of an institution.” [Source]

A2 Twp.: Domino’s Farms

The Detroit Free Press reports that U.S. District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff has issued a temporary restraining order allowing Domino’s Farms property management company – owned by Tom Monaghan – to avoid the Affordable Care Act mandate to provide employees with contraceptive coverage. The opinion stated that Monaghan, a devout Catholic, showed that “abiding by the mandate will substantially burden his exercise of religion.” Domino’s Farms, based in Ann Arbor Township, is the location of the headquarters for Domino’s Pizza, but the companies are not affiliated – Monaghan sold Domino’s Pizza in the late 1990s. [Source]

A2: Mao

Bloomberg News profiles the family of a Chinese general who fought with Mao Zedong – including one of his daughters, Song Zhaozhao, who lives in Ann Arbor. From the report: “Song Zhaozhao has a practical haircut and a quiet demeanor. A nurse at the University of Michigan’s hospital, she earns about $82,000 a year. She shares the house with her American husband, Alan, who used to work for Ford Motor Co. Despite the trappings of middle-class America, she is anything but ordinary: She and her siblings are the closest thing China has to aristocracy.” [Source]

UM: Patient Info

The Detroit Free Press reports that about 4,000 patients of the University of Michigan Health System will be notified that their health information might have been stolen. “UMHS vendor Omnicell alerted the health system Nov. 20 that electronic equipment storing patient information was stolen from the car of an Omnicell employee Nov. 14. … The information did not include addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, credit card, debit card or bank account numbers.” [Source]

UM: Sidney Gilman

The New York Times profiled Sidney Gilman, the University of Michigan Medical School professor who’s at the heart of a massive insider trading scandal involving SAC Capital. ”Colleagues now say Dr. Gilman’s story is a reminder of the corrupting influence of money. The University of Michigan, where he was a professor for decades, has erased any trace of him on its Web sites, and is now reviewing its consulting policy for employees, a spokesman said. The case also turns the spotlight back onto the finance world’s expert networks, which match sources in academia and at publicly traded companies — like Dr. Gilman — with traders at hedge funds and financial firms.” Gilman is cooperating with authorities to avoid being charged, according … [Full Story]

UM: Salaries

The Detroit Free Press reports that athletic director David Brandon is the highest-paid University of Michigan employee, with a base salary of $800,000, up 33% from last year. UM has released its annual salary report, which also shows Ora Pescovitz, CEO of the UM Health System, earning $753,805 and Doug Strong, CEO of UM’s Hospitals and Health Centers, making $625,770. President Mary Sue Coleman has a base salary of $603,357. [Source]

Washtenaw: Right to Work

Adam Zemke was one of two newly elected state representatives who were interviewed by Detroit’s ABC affiliate 7 Action News regarding Michigan’s right-to-work legislation, which was signed into law on Tuesday. Zemke, a Democrat, was elected to represent District 55, which covers northern Ann Arbor, part of the city of Milan, and the townships of Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, York and Augusta. [Source]

A2: Lansing Protests

The Detroit Free Press files a report from Lansing on Tuesday’s protests of right-to-work legislation, drawing thousands of people from across the state. The article quotes Melissa Waters of Ann Arbor: “My dad and mom were union workers. Without the contracts they bargained for, we wouldn’t have had food on our table or clothes to wear.” [Source]

UM: Right to Work

The Detroit Free Press looks at the reasons behind Michigan’s right-to-work legislation, and the possible fallout if the legislation is signed into law next week by Gov. Rick Snyder. The article quotes Roland Zullo of the University of Michigan’s Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy: “I think that unions are embattled institutions. In Michigan, and the Midwest in general over the past decade, we have seen a huge decline in the number of manufacturing jobs. A lot of those were good union jobs.” [Source]

A2: Retirement

An article in the Wall Street Journal focuses on why Ann Arbor has become a destination for retirees. From the report: ”Take one of the country’s top public universities, add an eco-friendly environment (with 24 miles of on-road bike lanes and 60 miles of park bicycle paths), a vibrant arts community and a leading medical facility (the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers), and it’s little wonder that Ann Arbor is attracting transplants …” The article also mentions some downsides, like high taxes and the weather. [Source]

WEMU: Dave Brubeck

Several staff members of WEMU share their memories of Dave Brubeck, the jazz legend who died earlier this week. Linda Yohn writes: “When we learned about Dave Brubeck’s death at WEMU it felt like there was a huge hole in our musical fabric. We serve the Ann Arbor, Michigan area where Dave performed on multiple occasions starting in the 1950s up to 2006. He was truly beloved by music fans in Ann Arbor. He was affectionately referred to as ‘Uncle Dave’. … His sincerity, spirituality, energy, intelligence, integrity and generosity allowed him to transcend all human boundaries be it age, race or culture.” [Source]

Ypsi Twp: General Motors

The New York Times reports on how local governments – some that gave tax abatements and other incentives to General Motors over the years – have been affected by GM plant closings. The article features the impact on Ypsilanti Township, which is suing the automaker, and quotes attorney Doug Winters, who is representing the township: “We’re their own private ATM. When they need money, they come begging, but when they don’t want oversight, they say ‘get out of the way.’” [Source]

UM: Provost

The New York Times reports that University of Michigan provost Phil Hanlon has been named president of Dartmouth College and will begin his tenure there in July of 2013. The article quotes Hanlon, a Dartmouth graduate, on how information technology and other issues are changing higher education: “A second change is the nature of the workplace, which is becoming more diverse, and a third thing that is changing is that the kind of issues the world is facing — the future of health care, transforming K-12 education, balancing the federal budget — are becoming more complicated.” Hanlon became UM provost in 2010, replacing Teresa Sullivan, who left to become president of the University of Virginia. [Source]

Washtenaw: Transit

The Detroit News reports that the state might lose $25 million in federal funds for a Woodward Avenue street car, in part because Washtenaw County commissioners have pulled support for a regional transit authority. From the report: “The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution this month saying the county wants to manage its own transportation systems and funds and let voters decide whether to join the authority. Ann Arbor and several townships opted against forming a countywide bus system. ‘The whole thing is kind of coming apart,’ said state Rep. Mark Ouimet, R-Scio Township.” [Source] The county board took this  action at its Nov. 7, 2012 meeting.

A2: Union

The Lansing State Journal publishes a column by Henry Greenspan of Ann Arbor, who describes why he’s a “union man.” Greenspan, who teaches at the University of Michigan, writes: ”Do not be fooled by the rhetoric of ‘right to work.’ No competent person is being denied the ‘right to work’ in our state. No Michigan citizen is being denied the right to do anything that their God-given talents, their training, their good fortune, and their liberty make possible. I am a son of liberty. And I am a union man. ‘Right to work’ is a fraud. And so are those who are trying to force it through the Legislature before their time runs out.” [Source]

UM: Insider Trading

Forbes and other media are reporting on a massive insider trading deal involving Sidney Gilman of the University of Michigan Medical School, who allegedly gave information about an Alzheimer’s drug clinical trial to an investment portfolio manager – Matthew Martoma – prior to official release of the results. Martoma, who was arrested in Florida on Tuesday, reportedly made $276 million by trading on that insider information. From the Forbes’ report: ”Gilman appears to be participating with prosecutors, as a neurology professor at a leading medical school is listed as a ‘cooperating witness’ who has entered into an non-prosecution agreement with the authorities.” [Forbes] [USA Today] [Los Angeles Times] [Wall Street Journal] [New York Times] [Bloomberg News] … [Full Story]

UM: Stem Cell Research

The Detroit Free Press reports on the University of Michigan’s embryonic stem cell research, four years after a statewide voter referendum abolished a ban on such efforts. From the report: ”U-M has emerged as the clear leader in Michigan when it comes to embryonic stem cell research, in part, because of an infusion of funds from shopping mall entrepreneur A. Alfred Taubman, who was asked by a friend dying of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – Lou Gehrig’s disease – to find a cure. Taubman helped finance the campaign to pass the 2008 ballot proposal that lifted the ban and has been relentless in his support of stem cell research, roaring at a politician in 2010: ‘Embryonic stem cell is probably the most … [Full Story]

UM: Affirmative Action

USA Today reports on the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion, issued on Nov. 15, declaring that Michigan’s ban on affirmative action in university admissions is unconstitutional. The ban, approved by voters in a 2006 ballot initiative, had been championed by Jennifer Gratz, who had sued the University of Michigan after being denied admission. From the report: “U-M has a high stake in today’s ruling. Nearly 10 years ago, the university was involved in a landmark Supreme Court ruling governing race and universities. The high court upheld the U-M law school’s use of race as a consideration in admissions, as long as there were no quotas attached, but threw out the undergraduate admissions system that awarded extra points to … [Full Story]

UM: Student Regent

An editorial in the Michigan Daily argues that the University of Michigan regents should amend their bylaws to create a de facto, non-voting student regent position on the board: ”Newly elected regents Mark Bernstein and Shauna Ryder Diggs won on a platform of open mindedness and consensus building, so it seems an opportune time to implement this change. Nearly every governor-appointed regency has either a voting or non-voting student regent position. Though the fact that our regents are chosen by general election may hinder the speedy implementation of an official, voting student regent position, a de facto student regent is the logical first step.” [Source]

A2: Judicial Award

Michigan Lawyers Weekly highlights news that the American Judges Association has established the annual Judge Elizabeth Hines Award, recognizing “judges who have made special contributions to reduce domestic violence and establish innovative approaches to achieve that goal.” Hines, who is the first to receive this award, serves on the 15th District Court in Ann Arbor. According to an AJA press release, she handles a specialized court docket of domestic violence cases and “an innovative Street Outreach Court docket emphasizing rehabilitative services for homeless, chronic, nonviolent low-level offenders.” [Source]

UM: Tax Code

Joel Slemrod, chair of the University of Michigan’s economics department and a tax policy expert, is interviewed for The Washington Post’s Wonkblog about the impact of possible changes to the U.S. tax code: “Myself, I believe that it would be good for the economy if we deal with the long-term fiscal imbalance sooner rather than later, so I would be in favor, at some point, of a package which has a substantial amount of tax increases in it. The policy question, though, is, ‘When is that moment?’ The recovery is still fairly fragile, I think, but there’s a lot of consensus that in the long term, you need a debt plan that involves raising taxes nontrivially. But it may be … [Full Story]

A2: Zingerman’s Deli

In the context of a recent expansion at Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Crain’s Detroit Business published a Q&A with co-founder Paul Saginaw. The wide-ranging interview includes discussion of the philosophy behind the business: ”We invite everyone to come in to help us run the businesses and make decisions. And we give people all the tools that are at our disposal to do so. To me, everyone that works here understands that they are personally responsible to help run the business. We share the information and the winnings. We teach rules of finance [to] keep score and share the winnings.” [Source]

UM: Election Post Mortem

The New York Times reports on the Nov. 6 defeat of state Proposal 2 in Michigan. The proposal would have amended the state’s constitution to protect the rights of public employee unions. Despite that defeat, the article notes that a different ballot proposal backed by unions – to repeal the state’s emergency financial manager law – was passed. Michael Traugott, a University of Michigan political scientist, explained a possible rationale for voters’ support of that proposal: “it seemed undemocratic to put a person in place with all those powers.” [Source]

UM: Election

The Detroit News reports from polls in the Detroit metro area, and talks with Madison Romney, who was casting her vote in Birmingham. The niece of presidential candidate Mitt Romney is a freshman at the University of Michigan: “They usually don’t believe me when I say I’m a Romney. There’s been no problem at the University of Michigan; people have been very supportive and respectful.” [Source]

UM: Election Polls

National Public Radio interviews Justin Wolfers, a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan, who recently conducted research on political polling. “What almost no one realizes is pollsters were asking, ‘Who do you think will win?’ before they ever asked, ‘Who do you intend to vote for?’ When you read The New York Times back in the day, they used to write to people all over the country and ask, ‘Who do you think will win in this local area?’ ” That kind of poll  more accurately predicts the outcome of a political race, he contends. [Source]

UM: SDS Conference

The Detroit Free Press reports on the three-day conference happening this week at the University of Michigan, commemorating the founding of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in the 1960s. SDS founder Tom Hayden is the keynote speaker Thursday evening on the future of participatory democracy. Hayden tells the Freep: “I think Ann Arbor needs to dwell on this and give it a proper commemoration. And not shy away from (being) the birthplace of SDS. I think it’s a tough issue to grapple with. SDS has a mixed legacy, especially the latter years of SDS.” [Source]