Archive for September, 2008

The Mid-Michigan Dining blog reviews the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market and Zingerman’s Deli. Re. the Farmer’s Market: “Even for the crappy day that it was, there were a lot of vendors and a lot of unique produce. I’ve only been to a couple in Lansing and they don’t quite compare…I could do 3/4 of my shopping there if I lived in town.” [Source] And Zingerman’s: “Zingerman’s was fantastic. Easily one of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten at. The food was great and the atmosphere was something rare and something that is hard to find. With all that said, you better bring a lot of money. Our meal was $35 for the two sandwiches, mac ‘n cheese, and one pop.” [Source]

Local Dems hosted an ObamaFest Saturday at Arbor Brewing Co., and made a video of people answering the question, “Why are you supporting Obama?” [Source]

Last Friday afternoon in the sixth floor conference room of the Larcom Building, an aerial image of the block between Fifth and Division Streets was projected on the screen. The source of the image came from a computer in the back of the room, manned by Brad Ruppel, of the city’s land development review services. Throughout the meeting Ruppel zoomed, panned, toggled between mapping tools, and brought up various other images to support the back-and-forth between city staff and members of the project team for the South Fifth Avenue Underground Parking Garage and Street Improvement Site Plan. The meeting was an opportunity for city staff to explain what revisions to the plan would be required on resubmission, which is due on Sept. 24. [Full Story]

Ypsilanti urban farmer Peter Thomason gives an update on his court case and livestock on his Thomason Family Farm blog. He reports having 43 hens, 35 rabbits, a dairy herd of goats, several planting beds of vegetables and three varieties of wine grapes. “Our court case, Ypsilanti v. Thomason has been postponed for a couple of weeks. We continue to gather more information to strengthen our argument that we have a Right to Farm here in the city.” [Source]

For an article on gasoline price gouging, the Associated Press interviews John McGillicuddy, a physician from Ann Arbor, who was visiting Columbia, S.C. and filling up his tank at a Sunoco station. “Every time there is a storm or some little thing the world markets go crazy and it’s nothing people like me or you can have any influence on. I don’t know if it’s speculators, but we’re speculators, aren’t we? We’re all worried the price is going to go up so everyone is here buying gas today.” [Source]

Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones drove to Ann Arbor to review Theatre de Complicite’s “A Disappearing Number.” “I drove for more than four hours to see the only U.S. performance of Theatre de Complicite’s ‘A Disappearing Number.’ I’d have happily gone six. Eight. Ten. Twelve. In fact, I’d have withstood an infinite exposure to the myriad displeasures of Interstate Highway 94.” [Source]

David Cole, head for Ann Arbor’s Center for Automotive Research, is quoted in a New York Times article about GM’s deal to fund Delphi’s pensions. He said it wasn’t a giveaway, and pointed to a similar investment in American Axle to settle its strike. “That was not a gift; they get a return on that, they get a return on pricing. Up front it’s about $200 million, but with improvements that come from it, the return potential is great.” [Source]

The RelaxStation expansion is expected to be complete in October. Architect Robert Black, left, takes measurements.

Seven years ago, Eileen Bristol was about to move to California when the property at Huron and First came up for sale.

“I said, ‘Oh, man, I love that building – what could I do there?” she recalls, laughing.

The building was a former gas station built in the 1930s, and what she decided to do was start RelaxStation, a small walk-in massage business that crammed a lot of personality into the tight 280-square-foot space. Business has been good – so good that “we pretty well maxed out the space,” she says.

It was time to expand, and her project to more than double the space – a $900,000 $90,000 investment – is nearing completion. [Full Story]

The Akron Beacon Journal quotes UM ecology prof Donald R. Zak in a story about the Ohio buckeye tree, which is being pushed north by global warming. The article reports that an environmental group has put up a billboard along a highway near Ohio Stadium that says: “Michigan Buckeye? Global Warming is Sending Ohio’s Buckeye North.” [Source]

One of two banners recently hung on the back of Community High School, facing the Kerrytown district.

For folks passing through Kerrytown – whether to Zingerman’s Deli, Kerrytown Market & Shops or the farmers market – it’s easy to overlook the backside of Community High School. But two new banners that now adorn its outer back walls aim to bring attention to the school and add some public art to the Kerrytown district.

Ansted Moss, a Commie High senior, designed the two 24-foot by 12-foot vinyl pieces, which are stretched like a canvas over metal bars facing South Fifth Avenue. They were hung over the course of two days – using a cherry picker lift – just before school started.

Kris Hermanson, who taught art for 30 years at CHS before retiring two years ago, describes them as “elegant, yet edgy and original.” [Full Story]

The Onion posts a “Keys to the Game” infographic for Saturday’s Michigan/Notre Dame matchup. “Two of the most self-important programs in college football meet in this utterly unimportant early season game.” [Source]

The Conservative Media, a blog based in Howell, writes about the proposed Detroit Aerotropolis, a massive economic development project aimed at creating a transportation hub around the Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports. The post quotes Washtenaw County Administrator Bob Guenzel, who’s on the project’s task force: “Michigan really needs to reinvent itself. It could not come at a better time. I’m here to tell you the business community is strongly behind this. They have kicked the tires and taken a good look at this.” [Source]

Who is making reflective address signs available? And why?

Along Zeeb Road just north of Washtenaw County’s Western County Service Center, The Chronicle noticed a small green sign with white lettering that read: “Reflective Address Signs Available Here!” [Full Story]

A Freep article gives an update on plans to build a light-rail link up Woodward Avenue from Hart Plaza to New Center, called the Regional Area Initial Link, or TRAIL. Reporter John Gallagher writes: “A rail system along Woodward also would give a major boost to an effort to build a rail line from Ann Arbor to New Center. That line, planned by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and to be paid for largely with federal money, would feed passengers to and from the TRAIL line, whose existence could help justify the expense of the Ann Arbor-Detroit route.” [Source]

An editorial in the Oakland Press talks about the importance of debates in a political campaign, and notes that the Ann Arbor-based Center for Michigan has “the ambitious goal of televising debates, town hall forums or small candidate discussion groups with candidates” throughout the state. [Source]

An article in the Toronto Globe and Mail looks at the record $500 million subsidy that Tennessee gave VW to build an assembly plant in that state, and how that amount made it difficult for northern U.S. states and Canada to compete. The article quotes Kim Hill of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor: “We’re starting to think this is a little bit unfair.” [Source]

The Corpus Callosum blog interviews Jeff Masters of Ann Arbor-based Weather Underground for a discussion on Hurricane Ike and Integrated Kinetic Energy (also IKE). Weather geeks, this post is for you. [Source]

Reuters reports that news of a UM consumer report has helped strengthen the dollar against the euro today. The September preliminary index of consumer confidence in the Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers reached its highest point since January 2008, and made the biggest month-to-month jump since January 2004. [Source]

Let's get this straight. Ann Arbor Railroad track gets measured out for straightening work next week.

“Left, a skosh!” the guy behind the transit radioed his colleagues about a half mile away along the rails. He was sighting northward up the track from where it crosses Traver Road up to Barton Drive. The guys up the track were almost as invisible to the naked eye in real life as they are in The Chronicle’s photo accompanying this story.

The late morning temperatures were in the low 70s, but without a cloud in the sky, … [Full Story]