Archive for August, 2010

Local artist Margaret Parker produced a video about the artwork she’s preparing for this year’s ArtPrize, an art contest in Grand Rapids that last year drew hundreds of thousands of people to that city. Parker’s project is titled “C’ood” – for Common Good – and will be a circular tunnel crafted from T-shirts that have a Michigan theme. The work will be displayed in Calder Plaza from Sept. 22 through Oct. 10. [Source]

The Detroit Free Press reports on the importance of Macomb County in Rick Snyder’s gubernatorial strategy. Snyder, an Ann Arbor businessman, spoke to Macomb County Republicans at the Lincoln Day dinner on Aug. 10. He emphasized the need to create jobs and make Michigan attractive to young people. Fellow speaker Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota, said of Snyder: “[He] has the most credibility with the most important issue to Michiganders – the ability to grow jobs.” [Source]

The Los Angeles Times reports on a potential new treatment for brain tumors using magnets, ultrasound and minuscule drug-coated particles. The treatment – developed by researchers at the University in Taiwan – been used successfully on rats, according to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Commenting on the treatment is Allan David, a UM drug delivery researcher: “The potential for toxicity in normal brain regions could cause all kinds of problems. I think it’s an interesting study, but it’s still far from clinical studies.” [Source]

Seven candidates will be on the ballot for the Nov. 4 election to the Ann Arbor District Library board of trustees. The filing deadline was Tuesday, Aug. 10 at 4 p.m. Four of those candidates – incumbents Barbara Murphy, Jan Barney Newman and Edward Surovell – as well as former Washtenaw County commissioner Vivienne Armentrout, will vie for three four-year terms. Three candidates will contest one two-year term: Nancy Kaplan, Lyn Powrie Davidge and incumbent Carola Stearns. Terms for the three other current board members – Rebecca Head, Margaret Leary and Prue Rosenthal – expire in 2012.

An information session for candidates will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 11 from 6-7 p.m. at the downtown library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. in … [Full Story]

At its Aug. 10, 2010 meeting, the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission voted to direct its municipal center task force to consider recommending more art for the facility, which includes a new police/courts building and the old city hall. Commissioners set a budget of $250,000 for two new pieces as well as the possible placement of a large 9-panel mosaic by Gerome Kamrowski, which previously was located near at the entrance to city hall.

The city has already commissioned a $737,820 water sculpture for the center’s exterior, designed by German artist Herbert Dreiseitl. Two other interior works designed by Dreiseitl were rejected by AAPAC. For the additional art now to be considered, the task force will make a recommendation to AAPAC … [Full Story]

At its Aug. 10, 2010 meeting, the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission voted down an art installation proposed by Herbert Dreiseitl and intended for the lobby of the new police/courts facility on Huron and Fifth.

The German artist has already been commissioned to do a large water sculpture outside the building, at a cost of $737,820. He had designed two interior pieces as well – one was rejected at last month’s AAPAC meeting, with commissioners citing budget concerns and other issues. They had tabled action on the second interior piece, asking for revisions to the work and a lower budget. Though the retooled work came in at $70,818 – down from its original $141,218 – commissioners ultimately decided the piece would … [Full Story]

Health care benefit costs for Washtenaw County employees have increased 33% since 2005, according to an update given to the county board of commissioners at their Aug. 5 working session. Diane Heidt, the county’s human resources and labor relations director, also briefed commissioners on the anticipated impact of recent federal health care reforms. It’s not yet clear how much the county might save from the reforms – and it’s possible that in some cases, the changes could cost the organization more money.

The working session also included a presentation by executives of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) and a brief update on the progress of the jail expansion. This report focuses on the health benefits presentation. [Full Story]

Barring a write-in candidacy, the five incumbents running for the Ann Arbor Public Schools Board Education will retain their seats.  As of today’s 4:00 p.m. filing deadline, no other candidates had filed petitions for any of the five open positions on the district’s board.  Trustee Susan Baskett and board treasurer Christine Stead have filed to run for the two regular four-year terms.  Board president Deb Mexicotte is running for the one two-year term.  And, trustees Simone Lightfoot and Andy Thomas are running for the two one-year terms.

The three partial terms are due to three mid-term resignations this past school year.  Lightfoot, Stead, and Thomas were appointed by the current board to serve in those positions until the next regular school … [Full Story]

The Detroit News reports that two Ann Arbor boys – Brian Hough and Ben Swastek – will be competing in this weekend’s Pokémon World Championships in Hawaii: “The boys will be playing the ‘Pokémon HeartGold’ and ‘Pokémon SoulSilver’ games for the Nintendo DS. In the games, players, called Trainers, battle superpowered creatures called Pokémon. For the tournament, Trainers assemble a team of Pokémon and duke it out with other players.” [Source]

Writing on the Bellaire Buzz – a blog out of the University of Texas at Austin – Michael Cohodes describes the challenges of being a lifelong UM Wolverine fan who ends up going to college at UT. He ultimately came to terms with his conflicting allegiances: “I will still wear my burnt orange to football games, and scream and give high fives to people when they win the Big XII Championship. I will represent my school well, and be happy that our athletic program is one of the best in the nation. But, in the back of my mind, I’ll be bleeding Maize and Blue.” [Source]

This video posted on YouTube promotes Washtenaw County’s Stuff the Bus fundraiser for K-5 students in local public schools. From Aug. 16-20 at the Staples parking lot, 3121 Carpenter Road, volunteers will be collecting donations of school supplies, including backpacks, calculators, folders, notebooks, binders, colored pencils, protractors, rulers, gluesticks, science fair display boards and more. Supplies will be donated to children throughout several districts, including Ypsilanti, Milan, Manchester and Lincoln Consolidated. [Source]

Channel 7 Action News, Detroit’s ABC affiliate, reports that a van for the Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels program was stolen over the weekend. The segment includes an interview with Morell Boone, president of the nonprofit’s board, who says they can’t afford a new van. [Source] UPDATE: The van was recovered in Detroit – it had been dropped off, undamaged, in front of the juvenile detention center.

A New Media Watch item gave the incorrect date for “The Big Chill at the Big House,” an outdoor hockey game between UM and Michigan State, to be held at Michigan Stadium. The game will be played on Dec. 11, 2010. We note the error here, and have corrected the original item.

Writing on Inside Higher Ed, Scott Jaschik reports on Washtenaw Community College’s plans to reclassify the status of adjuncts faculty from state employees to temp employees. The article notes that Larry Whitworth, WCC’s president, said the change would allow the college to save a significant amount in pension payments, because the college is required to contribute only to state employees’ pensions. At the same time the college will increase part-time pay by 3%. Jaschik notes that an editorial in AnnArbor.com lauded the choice, but he quotes Maria Maisto – president of a national adjunct group – who criticized the college: “What kind of message does it send to students to be told ‘your professor is a temp’?” [... [Full Story]

Inga Yuditsky writes an online commentary in the Detroit Free Press about the economic potential of cleaner energy. Yuditsky is a recent UM graduate, now enrolled in the energy systems engineering graduate program at UM. She described the struggle to find a job after college and emphasized that cleaner energy could create 1.9 million jobs. The key to rebuilding the Michigan economy, she says, is to capitalize on the clean energy “revolution.” [Source]

Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg rants about the common practice of robo-calls during the election season, in the context of the governor’s race. He notes that Democrat Virg Bernero will be facing Republican Rick Snyder of Ann Arbor: “How they found a Republican in Ann Arbor, I have no idea. This is a town where people make voting decisions based on the size of the tree on the candidate’s placard. In the primary season, Snyder’s campaign slogan was ‘One Tough Nerd,’ although experts say that vote-for-the-nerd thing will be a tough sell against a man named Virg.” [Source]

Ann Arbor City Council meeting (Aug. 5, 2010): Around 75 people packed into city council chambers on Thursday night to hear council deliberations on a marijuana-related moratorium. The item had been added to the council’s agenda late the previous day – and the issue had received no discussion or mention by city officials at any previous open meeting.

Renee Wolf, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, spoke against the proposed medical marijuana moratorium: "Please don't take away my medicine – that's all I ask." (Photos by the writer.)

The measure as initially drafted by city attorney Stephen Postema would have halted all dispensing and growing of medical marijuana in the city. The moratorium came in response to the operation of some dispensaries and cultivation of marijuana in the city after the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008 was approved by Michigan voters.

In 2004, Postema had argued that the city’s charter amendment, which allows medical uses of marijuana and was approved by voters that year, was not enforceable, and said that people would continue to be prosecuted as before.

Several of the attendees addressed the council during public commentary, all opposing the moratorium. During deliberations, councilmembers made significant amendments to Postema’s proposal that took off some of its harsher edges. Amendments to Postema’s moratorium included a specific exemption for patients and caregivers, a grandfathering-in of existing facilities in the city and a reduction in the length of moratorium from 180 to 120 days. The milder version of the measure, when unanimously approved, was met with applause from the audience.

In other significant business, the council: approved the site plan for a new downtown residential development, Zaragon Place 2; authorized an extension on Village Green’s purchase option agreement for the First and Washington parcel where the City Apartments PUD is planned; gave initial first-reading approval to a ban on placement of couches on porches and other outdoor environments; and approved a change to the site plan approval process that replaces definite deadlines with a standard of “reasonable time.”

Mayor John Hieftje also placed recently-retired county administrator Bob Guenzel’s name before the council as a nomination to the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority board. He clarified that Guenzel would be replacing Jennifer S. Hall, whose term expired on July 31.

Council typically meets on Mondays, but moved its meeting to Thursday to accommodate the Aug. 3 primary election. All council incumbents who were running for reelection won their races. [Full Story]

Washtenaw County board of commissioners (Aug. 4, 2010): A day after the primary election – one that brought victories to all commissioners who were running for office – the board faced a full agenda, but dispatched most of its business with minimal discussion.

Donald Staebler, who'll turn 100 later this month, was honored at Wednesday's county board meeting. He has lived on Staebler Farm, which is now owned by the county, for 98 years.

One item, however, yielded lengthy debate: A resolution that would remove the “felony box” from county job applications, and eliminate background checks for all jobs except those deemed sensitive. Several commissioners were uneasy with even partial elimination of background checks. The resolution was ultimately amended to deal with only the felony box, which asks applicants if they’ve ever been convicted of a felony. Commissioners ended up unanimously approving the removal of that question from job applications.

The board also agreed to put a 10-year millage renewal on the November ballot for the county’s natural areas preservation program, and approved brownfield plans for the Near North housing project and an expansion of Zingerman’s Deli. Both of the brownfield projects are located in Ann Arbor – brownfield status enables them to seek Michigan business tax credits and, in the case of Zingerman’s, to use tax increment financing (TIF) to get reimbursed for project-related expenses.

Commissioners got a second-quarter budget update, which revealed few surprises. However, projections indicate that the budget surplus they need to carry over into 2011 will fall short of their goal by about $987,000. Next year will be a challenging one.

The board had been expected to act on re-establishing a land bank for the county, but ended up tabling resolutions related to that effort until next month, citing the need to gather additional information.

The meeting also included time to honor two people from the community: Joseph N. Cousin Sr., pastor of Bethel AME Church in Ann Arbor, and Donald Staebler, a local farmer whose land is being turned into a county park – and who’ll turn 100 later this month. Both men received standing ovations for their work. [Full Story]

Carol Cain, host of “Michigan Matters,” writes in the Detroit Free Press about the complexity of the gubernatorial race. While most expect an easy Republican win for Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder, Cain cautions against the dismissal of Democratic candidate Virg Bernero. University of Michigan regent Denise Ilitch emphasized the support Bernero is garnering from other Democrats. Ilitch, a Democrat, said of Bernero, “I saw him speak (this week) and he literally had people standing in the aisle applauding.” [Source]

Writing on her Four Obsessions blog, Kate reports on a trip to Matthaei Botanical Gardens to see their flamingo lawn ornament display. She posts several photos, including one of a flamingo/dragon made of duct tape. [Source]