Archive for August, 2009

John Hansen talks to the media – in this case, both The Chronicle (in the room) and Paula Gardner of AnnArbor.com (on the phone).

John Hansen’s title on his business card is “Transitionist” – and he isn’t kidding. Hansen has been on the job only a few days as interim president of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce, but he’ll be shepherding what could be a significant physical transition too: A possible move out of the business group’s third-floor offices at 115 W. Huron St.

On Monday, the chamber announced plans to sublet all or part of its 6,300-square-foot warren of offices. There’s too much space for the 10 or so people who work there, Hansen said, and they’re paying too much for it. He declined to say how much, noting only that “it’s very expensive” – the biggest cost after payroll in a roughly $1 million budget.

The Chronicle talked to Hansen on Monday about both transitions: The possible move, and the process of choosing a new leader for the 1,200-member group. Along the way, we learned a few things about what it’s like to be a state legislator and school superintendent, too. [Full Story]

A trailer for “Youth in Revolt” – the Michael Cera movie partially filmed in Ann Arbor – is on YouTube. It includes parts of the scene filmed at the corner of First & Liberty, with a car crashing into a building and exploding. [Source]

Donald Harrison, reusable Rubbermaid container in hand, orders take-out from Noodles & Co. on South State Street. (Photo by the writer.)

“I don’t want to be the Container Guy,” Donald Harrison told me. “I want to be one of many people – this should be a normal thing.”

Harrison is executive director of the Ann Arbor Film Festival, but the container he’s referring to doesn’t hold movie reels: It’s a Rubbermaid collapsible bowl he uses when he orders carry-out from local restaurants.

I tagged along with Harrison recently as he took his container and ordered peanut satay (with double peppers) from Noodles & Co. on South State Street. Based on the reaction of workers there, Ann Arbor has a little ways to go before this kind of thing is “normal.” [Full Story]

The Washington Examiner publishes a feature on Max Sussman, sous chef at Eve restaurant in Ann Arbor and co-author of a cookbook for kitchen newbies. (The article makes an amusing error, referring to Eve Aronoff as a contestant on the TV show “Iron Chef.” She’s actually on the Bravo show “Top Chef.”) Says Sussman: “Cooking is a ton of fun. We want people to be excited, not intimidated, about stepping into the kitchen.” [Source]

Burrill Strong, on his blog The Connective Lens, writes about the Chelsea football season: “Thursday marked the first day of full-contact practice, which means Thursday was the first day football practice sounded like football.” Strong’s photography also lets you see what football practice looked like. [Source]

Chelsea Update reports that Sleeping Bear Press, which has been located in the Chelsea Clocktower building for 10 years, will be moving to Ann Arbor offices on Eisenhower Parkway, near Briarwood Mall. [Source]

Washtenaw County administrator Bob Guenzel has done about as much as he can do. He has presented and updated the county’s projected 2010-2011 deficit over and over the last six months – best case scenario, worst case scenario, and everything in between. So what are the options? There are few. [Full Story]

The Washington Post reports on efforts to prepare for a massive swine flu vaccination this fall. The article quotes Howard Markel, a UM professor of medical history who’s advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “This is potentially the largest mass-vaccination program in human history.” [Source]

A post on MGoBlog reminds us that Sunday is the Michigan football team’s annual fan day from 1-3 p.m.: “Fans will have the opportunity to meet the players, get autographs (one per trip through the line, mind you), and this year, see the inside of the Al Glick Fieldhouse as they wait in line for an autograph from fearless leader.” As if that weren’t enough, the new “All in for Michigan” towels will also be on sale. [Source]

Jim Kosteva, UM director of community relations, and Sue McCormick, director of public services for the city of Ann Arbor. Council agendas like the one Kosteva is holding are always printed that color – i.e., there was no pandering to the university reflected in the use of maize-colored paper. (Photo by the writer.)

Ann Arbor City Council meeting (Aug. 17, 2009): When Jim Kosteva appears at an Ann Arbor city council meeting, it usually means that there’s a city-university issue before the body – Kosteva is the university’s director of community relations.

Was it the report from city staff on the status of the East Stadium Boulevard Bridge replacement that had brought Kosteva to council’s chambers? There’ll be easements required from the university to complete that $22 million project.

But no, Kosteva was not there to hand over a giant fake check symbolizing a university contribution to reconstruction of the bridges.

However, he was there to affirm the university’s support for a different project – called FITS. University support will come to the tune of $327,733 out of a total project budget of $541,717 – for the site investigation, project definition and development of conceptual plans for the Fuller Intermodal Transportation Station (FITS). The station will be nestled between Fuller Road and East Medical Center Drive, just east of Fuller & Maiden Lane, near the university’s massive medical campus.

In other business, the city council put a charter amendment on the November ballot that would relax current charter requirements regarding publication of ordinances passed by the council. The Chronicle’s coverage of that charter amendment takes the form of a column published earlier this week.

The council also revisited a resolution it had passed at its previous meeting to establish a historic district study committee, along with a moratorium on demolition within the district. That moratorium was expanded Monday night to include all “work.”

And finally, as had been suggested at the council’s Aug. 16 Sunday caucus, councilmembers indicated that they’d be considering rules changes at their Sept. 8 meeting. In connection with that discussion, Mike Anglin (Ward 5) indicated he’d be calling for the city to make available all city council emails dating back to the year 2000. [Full Story]

Newsday publishes an Associated Press rundown of the nation’s “marquee” football programs that are facing pivotal years – a group that includes Michigan: “Rich Rodriguez’s first season in Ann Arbor was one of the worst in the history of college football winningest program. It’s unrealistic to think Michigan will be back in the thick of the Big Ten race after going 3-9 with a very inexperienced squad in 2008. But significant progress must be made this season, because when your competition is Ohio State, slow and steady doesn’t cut it.” [Source]

The Grand Rapids Press reports that GOP candidates for governor are mixing it up. Ann Arbor’s Rick Snyder challenged rivals not to accept money from lobbyists or political action committees. Stu Sandler, a spokesman for attorney general Mike Cox, who’s also running for governor, said: “We’re not about to take a lecture from a millionaire who lives in a gated community.” [Source]

WWJ Radio reports that some dealers will be ending their Cash for Clunkers promotion today, rather than its official end-date on Monday. The report quotes Doug Fox of Ann Arbor Automotive, who’s president of the Detroit Area Automobile Dealers: “We want to make sure all of our claims are processed quickly, we’ve been advised by our various dealer associations … to really wrap this up today.” [Source]

The blog A Hamburger Today highlights Blimpy Burger‘s Quad Burger with a photo taken by Jeffery Smith. Yep, that’s built with four patties. [Source]

AATA board members Ted Annis, left, and Charles Griffith. (Photo by the writer.)

Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board meeting (August 19, 2009): Looming on a six-week horizon for Ypsilanti is the renewal of its Purchase of Service Agreement with the AATA – at a price slated for 10% higher each year over the next three years to make the agreement match actual costs. That’s the context in which three out of seven Ypsilanti city councilmembers appeared at the AATA board meeting on Wednesday.

Their collective message: Recognize the fiscal constraints on Ypsilanti, focus on the 30 years of a positive AATA-Ypsilanti partnership, and find ways to cut costs of the service without cutting service levels. Their message resonated with AATA board members, who seemed more inclined to find creative ways to cut costs than to use federal stimulus dollars to simply make up the gap. Part of that creative approach could include closing the Ypsilanti Transit Station.

The longer-term solution of supporting the AATA bus service through a dedicated countywide funding source was a theme that ran through the comments made by Ypsilanti councilmembers, as well as others at the meeting.

In other business, the board approved the construction contract for the Plymouth Road and US-23 park-and-ride, and formally discontinued the LINK service – a decision that came as no surprise given that the other two funding partners – the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority – had discontinued their funding for the downtown circulator bus. [Full Story]

John U. Bacon

On Monday, Kimberly Knight will appear before Judge Melinda Morris to discuss a little financial matter. It seems the Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association is missing a few bucks – actually, its entire operating budget, almost a million dollars – and Judge Morris would like to ask Kimberly Knight where it is.

Kimberly Knight should have a pretty good idea. From 1999 to 2007, Knight served as the association’s treasurer.

Those were heady years for the organization. Enrollment was strong, with a high of 1,200 boys and girls playing hockey. The league was bringing in enough money to pay for kids who couldn’t afford to play hockey, and start saving for a rink of their own.

By 2007, it looked like the league’s dream might be within reach. Today, it’s closer to folding altogether. [Full Story]

The Wall Street Journal reports that some universities – including UM – are upset about the sale of Bud Light beer “Fan Cans” designed with schools’ team colors. From the article: “Many university administrators contend that the promotions near college campuses will contribute to underage and binge drinking and give the impression that the colleges are endorsing the brew…In a letter this month, the University of Michigan’s lawyers threatened legal action for alleged trademark infringement, demanding that Anheuser-Busch not sell the ‘maize and blue’ cans in the ‘entire state.’” [Source]

The Chronicle has obtained the UD-10 crash report for the July 28, 2009 car accident that killed bicyclist Tim Pincekowski on Maple Road. We have uploaded it to the Ann Arbor Area Government Document Repository along with the key to various codes on the report. Code 16 is “careless/negligent driving.” [Source][Source]

SeaFood Business Magazine publishes an article on companies that are using online social networking tools like Twitter to promote their businesses. The article quotes Mike Monahan of Monahan’s Seafood Market in Kerrytown, who uses Twitter: “I’m a busy fishmonger…I can get out information early and quickly on daily specials or special fish like striped bass and softshell crabs.” Also quoted is Wendy Williams, an online marketing consultant in Ann Arbor who’s been working with Monahan on his online efforts. Says Williams: “Anytime you can get people to think about your business, it’s a victory…[Monahan's social networking] gives people a flavor of what makes you different from a supermarket seafood department.” [Source]