The theme for this year’s TEDxUofM will be “Untapped_” according to a recent post on the event’s website. From the post: ”With our theme Untapped_ we are looking for individuals to share untold stories of undiscovered potential. This theme was chosen based on the desire to demonstrate the unknown capacity of our vast and diverse campus, while highlighting the importance of every individual and their unique, important ideas.” The day-long event is scheduled for April 5. [Source]
The owners of the Literati Bookstore have announced that they’ve signed a lease and the business will open at 124 E. Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor, on the corner of Washington and Fourth. ”Our space is directly next door to Amadeus Restaurant and two doors down from our favorite happy hour spot Arbor Brewing Company. We couldn’t be more thrilled about the location! Washington Street is quickly becoming a hotspot for restaurants and businesses and we’re happy to be adding to the vitality of the area.” [Source]
On her blog Relish, local photographer Myra Klarman posts two dozen images from last year’s Pioneer Theatre Guild production of “Ragtime.” She also uses the post to highlight Pioneer High School’s upcoming FutureStars 2013 – tickets for the popular show go on sale Monday, Jan. 7 at noon. The preliminary competitions are on Jan. 11-12, with the finals on Jan. 19. [Source]
The Huron River Watershed Council gives a “sneak preview” of a new river guide: the Huron River Water Trail Paddler’s Companion. The waterproof book, with 28 maps covering 104 miles of the Huron River, will be available in March. [Source]
The Mother’s Kitchen blog shares a holiday tradition, along with a recipe for mustard roasted potatoes: “One of our favorite holiday traditions is to sneak out for a holiday cocktail together. I can remember when we first moved to Ann Arbor, we sat together in the famous hippy bar Del Rio (long closed) and enjoyed our Christmas cocktail while the snow fell in the twilight. We had to run into Dexter to pick up a last minute gift, and the town was pretty much empty, so we stopped at the pub for our cocktail this year.” [Source]
The city of Ann Arbor is conducting a survey about the effectiveness of the city’s citizen participation ordinance. The ordinance is intended to make sure that residents are aware of plans by developers that seek approval for certain types of construction or rezoning projects. Questions include “What is the best way for you to get information about a proposed development located within the City of Ann Arbor?” and “What suggestions do you have for improving citizen opportunities to learn about, understand and comment on development proposals?” [Source]
Writing on the Hail to the Little Victors blog – on the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital website – Kate Rosenblum gives advice on talking to children about tragedy. She writes: “Parents should keep their explanation simple, honest, and age appropriate. Asking questions first in order to get their child’s understanding lets parents respond to their children’s specific questions and concerns.” [Source]
An episode of the Great American Brew Trail features Arbor Brewing Co., interviewing owners Matt and Rene Greff about their experiences opening the Ann Arbor brewpub, as well as the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti and their newest venture – a brewpub in India. The roughly 10-minute segment starts at the 12:10 mark. [Source]
The Ann Arbor Ad Club has announced its intent to go into “hiatus mode” because of a lack of interest among members. From a message posted on the A2AC website: “According to the AAF [American Advertising Federation], the Addy awards cannot be held unless we have an active club with members. So, regrettably the A2AC will go into hiatus mode this year while we attempt to gather a new group to lead the way. This also means we will not hold the Addy Awards this year. … We hope this is a temporary lull in our history.” [Source]
Two Washtenaw County residents – Libby Hines and Jim Fink – have been appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to the seven-member Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board. Hines, an Ann Arbor resident, is chief judge of the 15th District Court. Fink, an Ypsilanti attorney, recently ran for 22nd Circuit Court judge. Carol Kuhnke won that seat in the Nov. 6 general election. The board, which replaces a similar Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board, is tasked with coordinating and monitoring programs and services for the prevention of domestic and sexual violence and the treatment of victims of domestic and sexual violence. [Source] [.pdf of Snyder's executive order]
The Great Lakes Echo has published an interview with Sara Adlerstein González, an artist and ecosystem scientist at the University of Michigan whose artwork is on display through December at UM’s School of Natural Resources & Environment. “I don’t want to believe that my art is going to change the world. But I do think that art and the artist are a part of this world and need to be a mirror of what’s going on and reflect on reality. At this point in time, I think society has big problems with environmental issues. I happen to be a scientist working on the Great Lakes and understanding … stressors in their environment and the role that humans play.” [Source]
The University of Michigan Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Team will be competing on Dec. 1 in the 17th annual Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Championship, held at Loyola University in Chicago. The Michigan team won the Upper Midwest regional trophy last year. The 2012-2013 team leaders – Tracey Fu and Hasenin Al-Khersan – talk about the competition on a podcast interview with A2Ethics.org. [Source]
On her blog, Diana Dyer writes about winding up the season on her family’s local organic farm. She describes some of the photos included in her post: “Now you know we are a ‘real’ farm because we have piles of ‘stuff’ everywhere. Here are piles of top soil, wood chips, small stones, brush. We also have piles of compost and piles of field stones and larger rocks harvested from our fields….One thing I have learned is that nothing (I mean it – nothing) is nonchalantly thrown away on a farm.” [Source]
On the Eleven Warriors blog, Elika Sadeghi interviews John U. Bacon about the Michigan-Ohio State football rivalry in advance of the Nov. 24 match-up between those teams. When asked for a score prediction, Bacon calls it “one of the toughest games to handicap in recent memory.” He picks Ohio State, 28-24, adding: “But watch for this: If Ohio State gets ahead late in the game, I would imagine Coach Meyer responding less like Coach Tressel, and more like Mr. Wayne Woodrow Hayes. That said, I have more questions than answers, but I think the future of this rivalry, with both teams stabilized and recruiting well once again, is very bright, and the era of long winning streaks is probably over.” … [Full Story]
The Washtenaw County sheriff’s office annual Shop with a Cop has kicked off this season, and is soliciting donations. Deputies and other law enforcement staff take children in need on holiday shopping sprees. “Donated gift cards are provided to each child who then buys holiday gifts for their family members while shopping at Wal-Mart and Meijer…. Dinner for the children and officers, gift wrapping by volunteers, crafts, entertainment, and a picture with Santa conclude the evening.” [Source]
Writing on the Creative Rights Blog, Jordan Kifer reflects on the recent rejection of a public arts millage in Ann Arbor: “How truly open-minded are we when it comes to public art? How willing are we to redefine not only what is considered public art but also what should be legal? Beyond the large-scale art installations costing upwards of $750,000, how much does the city of Ann Arbor actually embrace public art that is created outside the constraints of city decision-making channels?” [Source]
The Sketchbook Project – described as “an interactive art exhibition on wheels, featuring a rotating selection of work from The Sketchbook Project installed in a custom-crafted library trailer” – has popped up at the Roos Roast shop (115 Rosewood) from 4-8 p.m. today (Saturday, Nov. 17). [Source]
A post on the Ann Arbor Schools Musings blog highlights legislation moving through the Michigan legislature that could have a significant impact on local school districts. The post directs readers to two other sources, including the blog of Christine Stead, an Ann Arbor Public Schools board member. Stead writes: “Republicans are pushing through two more major changes to public education in lame duck sessions: the kinds of changes that a reasonable person might want to do a bit of thinking about and research on before slamming through more massive changes with very little concern and understanding of the consequences. They both risk decimating public education…” [Source]
Received by email is an announcement that Cranksgiving 2012 will take place this Saturday. From the press release: “Cranksgiving is a food drive by bike benefiting Food Gatherers of Washtenaw County. The event will be held Nov. 17 from 12-2 p.m. starting at Zingerman’s Roadhouse. Riders will be given a shopping list and a map to local grocers. Participants are allowed as many runs as they want within the two hours. A weigh-in and will determine who hauled the most. Prizes and support provided by Two Wheel Tango, SIC Transit, Great Lakes Cycle and Fitness, Common Cycle, Zingerman’s Roadhouse. Bring a bike, yourself, a bag, and a lock.”
A2GastroBoy posts the blog’s annual Ann Arbor area restaurant survey, with eight questions including how much do you normally spend when dining out, and what factors most often determine your choice of restaurants. You’ll also be asked to rate more than two dozen local restaurants. The results will be posted in January. The January 2012 A2GastroBoy Restaurant of the Year winner was Mani Osteria. [Source]
Muehlig Funeral Chapel has published the obituary of Robert Mitchell Dailey, who died last Friday. Dailey was a financial planner who’s described this way: “As a fourth generation Wolverine and lifelong resident of Ann Arbor, Bob loved this city, its people and its sports.” Chronicle readers might recognize one expression of Dailey’s affection for Ann Arbor in the persona of Chance Langford – a member of the intrepid “Ann Arbor Newshawks,” who create parody newscasts based on local Ann Arbor topics. The Newshawks are self-described as “Three men who make up Ann Arbor’s Number One investigative news team.” In one fake interview, with President Barack Obama, he tells the president, “Thank you, sir, but it’s not Change Langford, … it’s … [Full Story]
The city of Ann Arbor has issued some tips and reminders for the upcoming Nov. 6 general election, including a list of polling locations. “Don’t forget to bring your photo ID to vote. Voters who do not have acceptable photo ID will be required to sign an affidavit in order to vote. Peak voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Voters who want to avoid long lines are encouraged to vote during midday hours.” [Source]
Added to the Michigan Theater’s schedule for Nov. 14, 2012 is another edition of the found footage festival – “an acclaimed showcase of odd and hilarious found videos.” This year’s show features a “sexy treadmill workout video.” For more background, see this teeter totter interview from two years ago. [Source]
The University of Michigan is suggesting that one way Ann Arbor residents can help victims of hurricane Sandy is to participate in regular blood drives held here in our own backyard. A blood drive that’s coming up this weekend: Nov. 4 at Michigan Stadium (in the heated Jack Roth suite) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. [Source]
The transcript of a speech delivered Tuesday morning by University of Michigan Mary Sue Coleman at the annual Leadership Breakfast has been posted online. Coleman used the speech to announce several initiatives, including the launch of a new Great Lakes research center, a major expansion of the UM School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and a new $25,000 fellowship honoring Raoul Wallenberg. [Source]
“The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander has been selected as the book for the 2013 Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads, which occurs in January and February. The program is “a community initiative to promote reading and civic dialogue through the shared experience of reading and discussing a common book.” [Source]
Fine Books & Collections has published an email Q&A between Nate Pedersen and Garrett Scott – also known as The Bibliophagist, an antiquarian bookseller based in Ann Arbor. From the interview: ”I think any bookseller is always trying to find new or interesting stock. Broadly speaking, if you don’t end up selling your schismatic Hicksite pamphlets then perhaps you grab the next batch of sexual quackery pamphlets to come to hand. (Or perhaps you end up saddled with them both.)” [Source]
Writing on Deadline Detroit, Jeff Wattrick describes his car-less excursion from Royal Oak to Ann Arbor on Saturday for the Michigan-Michigan State football game. He took Amtrak to town, then used the bus to get around. Wattrick writes: ”Ann Arbor has a fantastic transit center on Fourth and Liberty. Even though I’m unfamiliar with Washtenaw County’s ‘The Ride’ bus system, it was easy to find the right bus. One hitch, though, bus service out in this pastoral three square miles surrounded by reality shuts down early on the weekends. I was basically stranded in a strip mall-ish part of town without a (ahem) Ride. So I hoofed it back downtown – the wait for a cab was at least an hour … [Full Story]
Applications are due Oct. 25 for the “Many Voices” video workshop at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. As many as 16 people will be chosen to create 2-3 minute videos about works of art in the UMMA collection, to be shown in the museum’s galleries. One of the instructors is Donald Harrison, former executive director of the Ann Arbor Film Festival. [Source]
In a video posted on YouTube, Jim Leija of the University Musical Society describes a free “pop-up” concert by the Chiara String Quartet on Friday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. They’ll be performing at the vacant building at 314 S. Fourth Ave. in Ann Arbor, site of the former Dream Nite Club. Leija says it’s a way that UMS is celebrating 50 years of its chamber arts series – “taking chamber music out of the concert halls and into the streets.” [Source]
