Writing With Light

Bees Live In This Hill

2012-01-30T20:04:00.000-08:00

Some photos from a random Monday afternoon in Durham, North Carolina. The first two photos are of the George Watts Hill Pavilion For The Arts below. It was built in 2004 by Liberty Arts Inc., which was interested in creating a sculpture studio and bronze casting facility to facilitate the commissioning and production of artwork and develop educational programs for artists and community. This concept came to fruition with the completion of the pavilion in 2004. Read more about it here.

Lucky Strike

2012-01-30T19:35:00.000-08:00

The American Tobacco Co. was founded in 1890 by J. B. Duke through a merger between a number of U.S. tobacco manufacturers. The company was one of the original 12 members of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1896 and dominated the industry by acquiring the Lucky Strike brand and more than 200 other rival firms. Relics of Lucky Strike, the famous client of a fictitious Madison Avenue advertising agency in the hit AMC show "Mad Men," remain today in the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham, North Carolina, though none of the facilities are in use at this point. The American Tobacco campus is located beside the Durham Bulls Triple-A baseball park. The campus features an on-site YMCA, public green space, biking trails, five restaurants and prominent businesses like the nationally recognized public broadcasting station WUNC Radio.

Toast

2012-01-30T19:24:00.000-08:00

I went to a great restaurant called Toast today in Durham and ordered a delicious panini with tuscan kale and sweet and hot pickled peppers. Two thumbs up.

Mukhi and Paxton

2012-01-30T18:49:00.000-08:00

Mukhi and her male friend Paxton are the canine roommates of my friend Thea and her roommate Stacie in Durham, North Carolina. Mukhi is not quite 2 1/2 and Paxton turns 2 in May. "I call Mukhi my furry family member," says Stacie. "I call Paxton my dog," says Thea. Both were rescued from a local shelter where lots of awesome dogs are hoping for loving homes.

The Ascent Of Stan

2012-01-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

This is Stan the dog. He's a 5-month-old boxer/hound mix and he's awesome. More on him later, though. In the meantime, listen to this Ben Folds song called "The Ascent Of Stan."

Order It From Zaragon

2012-01-27T16:57:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how much the nearly finished Zaragon West apartment high-rise looks like the artist renderings from when it was drawn up two years ago. I've watched this project take shape up over the course of many months, both up close and personal and from afar, including here as seen from my downtown Ann Arbor office vantage point. The 14-story project, formerly known as Zaragon Place 2, will bring nearly 200 new beds to the downtown with ground-floor retail space. Read my story from when it was approved.

Campaigner In Chief

2012-01-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

Despite assurances his visit to Ann Arbor wasn't a political event, but rather official White House business, Barack Obama surely played the role of campaigner in chief today. This was the scene at the Al Glick Field House. Read the story.

"Michigan is all about making stuff," Obama said. "If there's anybody in America who can teach us about how to bring back manufacturing, it is the great state of Michigan."

Obama was welcomed by a receptive crowd of cell phone-waving University Michigan students.

The field house where the speech took place.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan talks to a television crew. "Tuition is skyrocketing much faster than the rate of inflation," Duncan said, adding that many middle-class Americans believe college is becoming out of reach for them.

State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, talks with Washtenaw County Clerk Larry Kestenbaum. Asked before the event how political he thought Obama might get in his speech, Irwin jokingly replied: "Six out of 10."

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje offered his thoughts before the start of Obama's speech: "I'm hoping he's going to say some stirring things and announce some programs that are going to help people get an education they can afford."

January Rain

2012-01-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

Rain, if that is your name
Let me offer an apology for how much we complain
We curse and wish you'd go away
Say come again another day
But you bring us life, you make us sustain
You don't just dampen our parades

The colors dance, with lights in trance
The garden grows, the river flows
The seasons change, and still your name
Rain, rain, rain

Refrain

Art In The Alley

2012-01-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

A recent winner of Ann Arbor's Golden Paint Brush Award, local artist Mary Thiefels of TreeTown Murals is known for her public mural work, including this one depicting the faces of veterans on the side of Alley Bar on Liberty Street downtown. The Public Art Commission decided on Wednesday to move forward on working with Thiefels on another mural project at Allmendinger Park, this one being funded by the city's public art program. She has a unique idea to involve the community in the project. Read the story.

You can't see it well in the photo, but the quote at the bottom right of the mural reads: "We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience." —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Chronicling The Chronicler

2012-01-26T18:50:00.000-08:00

Never let it be said that Dave Askins of the Ann Arbor Chronicle does anything but work hard, including perching atop objects to get the right shot. This was the scene at about 10 a.m. today at the groundbreaking for Ann Arbor City Apartments.

Skate Or Die ... No, Really

2012-01-26T18:39:00.000-08:00

This is the city ordinance on the streets of Ann Arbor. Good thing they're finally building a skate park. Read about it here.

It Takes A Village

2012-01-26T17:01:00.000-08:00

Farmington Hills-based developer Village Green broke ground today on the long-awaited Ann Arbor City Apartments project at the corner of First and Washington. The new apartments will sit across the street from popular nighttime establishments like the Blind Pig, Circus and Millennium, with a one-block walk to Main Street. Village Green is calling its 155-unit development the first market rent luxury apartment community in downtown Ann Arbor in more than 25 years, and it comes complete with a number of luxury amenities intended to cater to young professionals, including a sky club, business center, fitness area, and, of course, "sexy bathrooms." Mayor John Hieftje, shown speaking below, called it the kind of project that growing tech companies like Menlo Innovations, Google and Barracuda Networks are going to appreciate as they look to attract talent. Read the story.

Horse Of A Different Color

2012-01-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you don't realize you've struck photographic gold until you go back and look more closely at your outtakes and realize you've caught two politicians sitting in the crowd at a basketball game, and one of them — who earned a master's degree from Michigan State University — is wearing the rival school's colors and cheering them on. That would be Dan Smith, Washtenaw County commissioner, seen here in Michigan maize and blue, sitting next to state Rep. Mark Ouimet.

Kind Of Blue

2012-01-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

The University of Michigan basketball team took on Penn State on Dec. 29 and came away with a 71-53 win as sophomore Tim Hardaway Jr. (#10) scored a season-high 26 points . It was their sixth win in a row and the Wolverines went on to beat Minnesota in their next game on New Year's Day. They also beat MSU in a close game this past week. The Wolverines now have a 15-4 record for the season and are 12-0 at home at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor. See if you can spot "that guy" in the crowd.

Back On Top

2012-01-21T06:51:00.000-08:00

In response to reports that General Motors has regained the position of No. 1 automaker in the world in global sales, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow issued the following statement this week: "Some wrote off Michigan workers and auto companies and said we should let the American automobile and millions of jobs vanish. Clearly, those people were wrong. Michigan auto companies have transformed, once again creating jobs at home and leading the way around the world. Congratulations to all those who have worked so hard to help GM regain its position and help all our automakers become even more competitive for the 21st Century." In other good news, it was announced on Friday that federal safety regulators closed a government safety probe into GM's extended-range electric Chevrolet Volt, saying it does not believe Volts or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles.

Capitol Blue

2012-01-19T00:39:00.000-08:00

Michigan Through The Ages

2012-01-19T00:28:00.000-08:00

A few images from outside the state Capitol before Wednesday's State of the State address.

Inside The Capitol

2012-01-18T15:09:00.000-08:00

See if you can spot Michigan Sen. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, on the floor below.

Pre-Gaming At The Capitol

2012-01-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, left, stops to chat in the lower level of the state Capitol building before the State of the State address. To his left is his guest, Ann Arbor City Administrator Steve Powers, who is sharing a laugh with former Ann Arbor City Council Member Leigh Greden, who now is a lobbyist for Eastern Michigan University. The woman to Greden's left is state Rep. Lisa Brown, D-West Bloomfield. Bonus points if you can name the other two people.

State Of Emergency

2012-01-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

The Rev. David Bullock, president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Highland Park NAACP, stood alongside the Rev. Charles E. Williams II, pastor of the historic King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit, today during an Occupy for Democracy rally at a park down the street from Gov. Rick Snyder's home just outside of Ann Arbor. "We will not tolerate emergency dictators," Bullock shouted through a megaphone to a crowd of several hundred cheering supporters who came out to protest the state's emergency manager law. The rally culminated with a half-mile march down Geddes Road to Snyder's neighborhood. Read the story.

Lights Out

2012-01-15T17:57:00.000-08:00

Joe Louis, who earned the nickname "The Brown Bomber," was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. This bronze monument, commissioned by Time Inc. for the city of Detroit, was dedicated in his honor on Oct. 16, 1986, just five years after his death at the age of 66. The monument is a 24-foot-long arm and fist suspended from a pyramidal support of bronze poles. Weighing 8,000 pounds, it rises 24 feet above the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Woodward near the downtown riverfront. The sculpture was fabricated at the Robert Graham Studio in Venice, Calif. Louis grew up in Alabama, but in 1926, at the age of 12, shaken by a gang of white men in the Ku Klux Klan, his family fled to Detroit. "Louis's cultural impact was felt well outside the ring," according to Wikipedia. "He is widely regarded as the first African American to achieve the status of a nationwide hero within the United States, and was also a focal point of anti-Nazi sentiment leading up to and during World War II."

Never Out Of Mustard

2012-01-15T16:13:00.000-08:00

More completely random shots from a recent adventure in Detroit and Hamtramck with my photographer friend and former colleague Sarah Miller who was in town from out of state along with her friend Joe. Scroll down to find out how to kill roaches for $50.

Faded Detroit

2012-01-14T15:23:00.000-08:00

The abandoned Globe Trading Company building in Detroit has seen better days. According to wikimapia.org, it was built in 1892 at Orleans and Atwater, originally as the Dry Dock Engine Works. An 1881 ad described the company as "manufacturers of steam engines, propeller wheels and machinery of all kinds." A young Henry Ford worked in the company's original building as a machinist from 1880-1892, before Dry Dock Engine Works moved into the larger building now standing at the site. Thomas Edison also served a stint as an apprentice there. The building was later occupied by the Detroit Edison Reconditioning and Appliance Shop before the Globe Trading Company, formerly located on Franklin Street, moved into the warehouse in the late 1950s. Globe sold a variety of products, including steel equipment, cabinets, lockers, folding chairs, benches, tubing, tool and die steels, and factory equipment and motors. There's been talk of renovating it for years. At one point, it was going to be redeveloped into a $15 million complex with 45 condominiums and 10,000-square-feet of retail space. The blog Faded Detroit relayed the news in September 2010 that William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor had received a $25,000 grant from Coca-Cola, the American Parks Foundation and the National Park Foundation to turn part of the building into a 17,000-square-foot play area with a rock climbing wall, playscape, obstacle course and archery range. But for now, the building still sits empty, a shell of its former self. Sadly, that's not so rare for Detroit.

Will The Real Rob Thomas Please Stand Up

2012-01-14T14:45:00.000-08:00

Rob Thomas said he looked at employment opportunities in Ann Arbor, Boston and San Francisco when he graduated from college, and he was committed to living in a city where he would not need a car. "Ann Arbor fits the bill. It's fantastic," he said, citing the area's high quality of life partly thanks to good public transit.

He's now going out and making disciples.

"In the last month in my office, I asked my co-workers to commit to getting downtown without using a car, without parking it in one of the parking structures," said the Google employee. "I expected maybe 10 people to sign up. Thirty-five of my co-workers committed to getting downtown without parking downtown in the month of January, and I hope to double that number when the summer comes."

Thomas spoke before the Ann Arbor City Council on Monday and lobbied for support of expanding AATA transit services. Even for a common muggle, many agreed he was quite captivating as he offered a vision of what it'd be like if there were more frequent bus services, more trips on nights and weekends, and connections to new areas.

"It's like the town I loved suddenly grew to be four times its size, like that part in Harry Potter where they touch the brick and you see Diagon Alley open up," he told council members. "It's like new pockets of the community I've never seen before suddenly open to me by expanded transit."

Sustainable Ann Arbor

2012-01-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

From new recycling initiatives to management of the city's urban forest to preservation of natural areas, the city of Ann Arbor is doing a lot on the sustainability front. "There probably are a handful of other cities across the country that are doing things as fabulously as we are, but not very many," said Chris Graham, chairman of the city's Environmental Commission and one of the featured speakers Thursday night. More than 80 people were in attendance at the Ann Arbor District Library for the first of four forums being held as part of the Sustainable Ann Arbor discussion series. Read the story.

Jason Tallant of the city of Ann Arbor's Natural Area Preservation program, left, and Tom McMurtrie, the city's solid waste coordinator.
Kerry Gray, the city's urban forestry and natural resources planner
Matt Naud, the city's environmental coordinator
Tom McMurtrie, the city's solid waste coordinator
Jason Tallant of the city's Natural Area Preservation program
Richard Norton, an urban planning professor at the University of Michigan
Chris Graham, chairman of the city's Environmental Commission
Norton and Laura Rubin, executive director of the Huron River Watershed Council

Surveying The Land

2012-01-14T14:25:00.000-08:00

"Oaks the circumference of 9-15 feet abound in the forests ... White Oak and Burr Oak at intervals of 30-40 feet with undergrowth 5-6' high which has the appearance of being annually burnt down as I am informed it is" — John M. Gordon, October 1836, describing the country between Dixboro and Ann Arbor. (This is a slide from a presentation I saw at the library this week)

Wheels On The Bus

2012-01-14T14:12:00.000-08:00

Ann Arbor City Council Members Jane Lumm and Christopher Taylor talk over a four-party agreement for the countywide expansion of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. Read the story.

Kind Of A Big Deal

2012-01-14T11:29:00.000-08:00

This is Ann Arbor City Council Member Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, and he doesn't take crap from anybody. Also, he wears nice suits and is kind of a big deal. Here's a Q&A I had with him almost exactly two years ago.

March Down Liberty Street

2012-01-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

There's a great collection of old photographs and artifacts depicting the countercultural movement in Ann Arbor in the 1970s on display in the basement of the Ann Arbor District Library right now. It's worth checking out. This is a photo I took of a photo originally taken by David Fenton. It shows a group of protestors marching down Liberty Street downtown. If you look closely, you can see the State Theater at the end of the street, and the Burton Memorial Tower rising up behind it on the University of Michigan Central Campus. There also is a bank and coney island that no longer exist on Liberty Street. Kind of fun to look back at how much this area — which I call home — has changed over the last four decades. There also is a lot of other interesting stuff about council races in the 1970s, everything that happened around the marijuana movement and John Sinclair, and even the start of "the new food co-op."

Wicky Wicky Wild

2012-01-12T10:46:00.000-08:00

I came across a hard copy of this photo in a box of old stuff and felt it worth snapping a shot of and preserving digitally. This was taken in July 2008 at one of those wacky old-time photo studios on Mackinac Island. It's funny that I'm holding a gun and a bottle of liquor, two items you most likely will never see me carrying around in real life. Enjoy.

Wolverine State Brewing Co.

2012-01-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

What's on tap at the Wolverine State Brewing Co.? Head over to 2019 W. Stadium Boulevard on Ann Arbor's west side and find out for yourself. My personal favorite is the World's End, a U.K. IPA with a lot of hops. The microbrewery moved into the 6,000-square-foot space in the former Big George's Home Appliance Mart building in 2010. It's a great complement to a handful of other local microbreweries, including Arbor Brewing Co., Grizzly Peak, Jolly Pumpkin and Blue Tractor. Oh, and they have peanuts!

Sense Of Place

2012-01-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

Construction has begun on City Place, a student housing project being built on Fifth Avenue in Ann Arbor, just south of William Street and downtown. The project has been controversial as many residents and even city officials believe it's out of character with the neighborhood. Seven houses were demolished in recent months to make way for the development. The developer is hoping to have the project finished in time for University of Michigan students arriving in the fall.

Pumped Up Kicks

2012-01-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

These feet belong to the lead singer and guitarist for Pistolbrides, a Grand Rapids-based rock band that played during the final night of Mittenfest in Ypsilanti on Sunday. Check them out.

When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong

2012-01-02T20:25:00.000-08:00

This was the scene inside the men's room at Woodruff's bar in Ypsilanti late Sunday night during the final night of the tomfoolery that is Mittenfest. The unsuspecting victim shown here is removing specks of glitter from his eye after an apparent glitter bomb attack by a friend. They're right — it's all fun and games until glitter is thrown into the mix. Or into your eyes. Luckily I was given forewarning to cover my eyes before a glitter bomb came my way. I was not able to cover my drink, though.

Frontier Ruckus

2012-01-02T14:46:00.000-08:00

What else can you say about Frontier Ruckus that hasn't already been said? They rock. And they closed out Mittenfest during the final night on Sunday. It was a late night and by this point I was just enjoying myself, but I still snapped a few quick photos for good measure. This year's sixth-annual Mittenfest event raised more than $21,000 for 826michigan. Read about that here.

Misty Lyn & the Big Beautiful

2012-01-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

Another abstract shot from Mittenfest, this time Misty Lyn & the Big Beautiful. Check her out.

Great Lakes Myth Society

2012-01-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

After being away from the stage for longer than many of us would like, Great Lakes Myth Society, arguably one of the better bands Michigan has ever produced, rocked the house Sunday during the final night of Mittenfest. The venue was packed wall to wall with fans singing along to every word. According to their Facebook page, the band includes Timothy Monger on guitar and accordion, James Christopher Monger on guitar and mandolin, J. Scott McClintock on bass, Fido Kennington on drums and Gregory Dean McIntosh on guitar. And that's Tania Monger on violin. Unfortunately, I didn't really get to photograph them due to the impenetrable wall of fans surrounding the stage, but I blindly raised my camera in the air at one point and came away with this somewhat abstract shot.

Legendary Creatures

2012-01-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

Detroit-based Legendary Creatures took the stage Sunday during the final night of Mittenfest at Woodruff's in Ypsilanti. The band includes Sarah Vaughn on vocals, along with Matt Luke, Jesse Ramsey, Andrew Davis and Nathan Burgundy. Check them out on Facebook or download their tunes.

Passalacqua

2012-01-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

They just wanna get high and drink their Pineapple Faygo. They are Passalacqua, a Detroit-based hip hop duo, and they graced the stage Saturday during the fourth night of Mittenfest 6. I'm instantly a fan. Check them out.

Red Tail Ring

2012-01-01T16:41:00.000-08:00

Red Tail Ring is a Kalamazoo-based duo made up of Michael Beauchamp and Laurel Premo. They were one of the more folksy groups to perform during Mittenfest 6. I really enjoyed their sound. Unfortunately I didn't get a shot I was all that happy with. Anyway, learn more about them and definitely consider checking them out if they're playing in your area.

Nightlife

2012-01-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

This Ann Arbor-based duo goes by the name Nightlife and they rocked the house Saturday at Mittenfest 6. From their Facebook page: "Darin Rajabian and Caroline Myrick met at a Michigan house show in early 2010. They soon discovered a mutual infatuation with dream-life, dancing, and pop music, and began work on a new project to incorporate Caroline’s soft vocals with Darin’s classic euro-disco inspired tracks. The music evolved, and after months of work, they formed the sound of Nightlife." Download their tunes.

Molly Jean

2012-01-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

Metro Detroit songstress Molly Jean was the first to take the stage Saturday during the fourth night of Mittenfest 6. She performed a handful of songs from her latest album, "Start from the Breakdown," including my personal favorite, "Projection Room." When I first heard Molly, I had a hunch Elliott Smith was a big influence in her music. Turns out I was right. Download her tunes here.

Mittenfest 6

2011-12-31T10:16:00.000-08:00

Black Jake and the Carnies stole the show Friday night during the third night of Mittenfest 6, an annual charity music festival in Ypsilanti that benefits 826 Michigan. I also caught Jehovah's Witness Protection Program, Electric Fire Babies, White Pines, Fred Thomas, and Bad Indians. Here are a few shots from the night. The festival continues tonight and tomorrow. Check out the lineup. (Disclaimer: So I can keep my pride, I feel I should point out the lighting was absolutely awful to work with, especially for an anti-flash photographer like me, so these images are what they are — raw yet reflective of a night of good raw sounds.)

Muncie Man

2011-12-31T09:36:00.000-08:00

Detroit Waves Goodnight

2011-12-27T16:17:00.000-08:00

Posted these images from Monday in Detroit in a hurry just to get them up. A short writeup and captions to come, so check back soon.

Two For Two

2011-12-23T11:42:00.000-08:00

Tony Derezinski, left, and Jane Lumm, right, are the two 2nd Ward representatives on the Ann Arbor City Council.

Candy Cane Cocktail

2011-12-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

A holiday season concoction from Valentine Vodka in Ferndale.

The Congressman And The Mayor

2011-12-18T17:54:00.000-08:00

I found these old candid shots of U.S. Rep. John Dingell and Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje from Oct. 18, 2010, when funding was announced for the reconstruction of the East Stadium Boulevard bridge spans in Ann Arbor. Figured I'd post them for posterity.

Michigan Is Magical

2011-12-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

Michigan is magical. Pure and simple. In fact, if you Google that phrase, you'll find actor David Arquette confessing as much via Twitter from when he was here last year filming a movie in Ann Arbor. I made it a promise to myself earlier this year to spend more time exploring my own backyard, and that included a road trip along the Lake Michigan coast in early October with my good friend Octavian, who flew up from Orlando, Fla., to accompany me. The weather gods smiled upon us that week. Temperatures hovered in the 70s and we enjoyed sunny blue skies all six days. In these images, you'll see scenes from our stops through Ludington, Manistee, Leland, and Leelanau, hiking through Sleeping Bear Dunes (where Octavian disregarded my advice not to take all of his photo gear down the steep bluff and then spent about an hour trying to come back up), an overnight stay in Traverse City (where we enjoyed city life for a night, had drinks at Jolly Pumpkin, ate delicious coconut tofu at Poppycocks and caught a flick at the State Theatre), and a three-day backpacking adventure on North Manitou Island (all I can say is I can't wait to get back there next year). We camped in our tents every night and hiked for miles and miles on the island. I saw one of the best sunsets of my life on the west coast our first night there, and then I ran along the sandy beach shore as waves crashed on my bare feet the next morning. Soul-stirring is the only way to describe it. The trail heading to the northern tip of the island isn't maintained, so we spent nearly an hour bushwhacking our way to the shoreline later that day before we discovered that we were going to have to descend about 100 feet down a cliff to get to the beach, which we did. Another of the highlights was enjoying the fruits of a generous apple tree when my food supply was running low. I brought only a 35mm lens, so needless to say my abilities as a photographer were somewhat limited. But I'm pretty happy with a number of these photos. Hope you enjoy them. (Oh, and in case you're wondering, those photos at the end are of a pair of 1930s Ford automobiles we found abandoned on the island.)

Take Shelter

2011-12-11T17:56:00.000-08:00

New And Used

2011-12-11T17:55:00.001-08:00

Big Yellow Truck

2011-12-11T17:43:00.000-08:00

415 W. Washington

2011-12-11T04:17:00.000-08:00

A look inside the vacant 415 W. Washington building in Ann Arbor where supporters of a 24-hour warming center project want the city to donate space. Read the story.

Somebody Call 911

2011-12-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

The Ann Arbor Police Department and Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office are officially merging police dispatch operations starting in March. Police Chief Barnett Jones, left, and Sheriff Jerry Clayton, right, appeared before Ann Arbor City Council members Monday night to talk about what the consolidation means for both parties. Read the story.

Options

2011-12-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

A patron browses the movie section on the first floor of the downtown Ann Arbor library. Talks are picking up again about the future of the library, three years after library officials put the brakes on a redevelopment project due to a bad economy. Read the story.

On The Verge

2011-11-30T13:58:00.000-08:00

Despite seeing increased parking demand and raising parking rates, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority is on the verge of running a deficit in its parking fund — a circumstance that would violate state law, according to an auditor. Alan Panter, a certified public accountant from Abraham & Gaffney P.C., offered an overview of the DDA's latest audit during a committee meeting today. "The parking fund is close to a zero fund balance," Panter said. Read the story.

Super Size Me

2011-11-29T09:12:00.000-08:00

Detour routes diverting traffic from State Street and East Stadium Boulevard are now in effect in Ann Arbor, and crews are preparing to demolish the Stadium bridges. But what exactly is it going to take to dismantle two 83-year-old bridge spans made of heavy steel and concrete over the next two weeks? Part of the answer: "Super-sized jackhammers." Read the story.

On Golden Pond

2011-11-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

Transforming Argo

2011-11-25T10:55:00.000-08:00

Work to reconstruct the Argo Dam headrace on the Huron River in Ann Arbor is moving along quickly. Livonia-based TSP Environmental, the firm hired last year to complete the $1.17 million project, has been hard at work since August. In a few short months, its crews have transformed the headrace — a 1,500-foot channel that canoeists and kayakers use to bypass Argo Dam — into a new series of drop pools surrounded by rocky formations. Other new features coming with the project include a wider and smoother Border-to-Border trail section and a 30-foot bridge along that trail that was installed this week. Read the story.

83-Year-Old Bridge

2011-11-21T09:51:00.000-08:00

With sledgehammers in hand, Ann Arbor officials joined U.S. Rep. John Dingell today in taking a ceremonial first whack at the Stadium bridges. The 83-year-old spans over South State Street and the nearby Ann Arbor Railroad tracks will be completely demolished starting next week as part of a $22.8 million project. Dingell said the federal funding almost didn't happen. "We had to yell twice as loud to get this one," he said during today's groundbreaking ceremony. Read the story.

All Aboard

2011-11-18T20:20:00.000-08:00

A recent scene at the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority's downtown Blake Transit Center, which will be demolished and rebuilt as part of a $5.5 million project starting in spring 2012 and finishing by spring 2013. Read the story.

Fond Farewell

2011-11-17T15:37:00.000-08:00

The Ann Arbor City Council offered a final farewell to Stephen Rapundalo at his last meeting Nov. 10, thanking him for his six years of service on council. "It's been a privilege and an honor," Rapundalo said. Read the story.

Chief Of Fire

2011-11-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

Meet Ann Arbor Fire Chief Chuck Hubbard. It's hard to take a picture of him that he actually likes, but he likes this one. Win.

Chief Of Police

2011-11-14T13:22:00.000-08:00

Barnett Jones came to Ann Arbor in June 2006 with 30 years of law enforcement experience, beginning as a Wayne County sheriff’s deputy and also working for the Inkster Police Department and Oakland County Sheriff’s Department before becoming the police chief in Sterling Heights. In Ann Arbor, he oversees a department that has continued to face tough budget cuts.

Last House Down

2011-11-11T16:51:00.000-08:00

The last of seven houses on South Fifth Avenue in Ann Arbor was demolished today to make way for City Place student apartments. Several passersby stopped to watch as the house was reduced to rubble, all in agreement it was a sad day. Read the story.

Cain Train

2011-11-10T11:44:00.000-08:00

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain was greeted with roaring cheers from a crowd of several dozen supporters today at the Big Sky Diner in Ypsilanti Township. Cain was all smiles and only briefly mentioned the sexual harassment allegations against him to assure the crowd he wasn't letting it get him down. "As you can tell, they're starting to come after me," he said. "They're starting to attack me any and every way they can. Since they can't kill the ideas, they're trying to attack my integrity and my character, but the American people are not buying that — they are sick of gutter politics." Read the story.

Ganesh Commands You

2011-11-09T02:27:00.000-08:00

My friend brought back these statues for me from a trip to Thailand. They're rad.

Angry Birds

2011-11-09T02:25:00.000-08:00

I feel like you can tell a lot about somebody by his or her keychain. Here's mine.

Lumm Wins

2011-11-09T02:10:00.000-08:00

With all precincts reporting, Independent challenger Jane Lumm defeated Democratic incumbent Stephen Rapundalo in the 2nd Ward race for the Ann Arbor City Council on Tuesday. The vote count was 2,079 to 1,359, giving Lumm a solid edge over Rapundalo. Cheers erupted shortly before 8:30 p.m. at her election night party at Paesano on Washtenaw Avenue where Lumm later gave a victory speech to a crowd of several dozen supporters. Read the story.

Library Lot

2011-11-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

Salvage This

2011-11-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

It's been debated over the past few years whether the seven century-old houses that stand in the way of the City Place student apartments project are worth salvaging. Apparently at least pieces of them are. Crews from Ypsilanti-based Materials Unlimited are on site today, beginning the process of gutting the seven houses piece by piece. Meanwhile, crews from Michigan Pipe & Valve are continuing the installation of new underground water and sewer pipes along Fifth Avenue. Read the story.

Preparation

2011-11-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

Construction equipment, including at least two excavators, a bulldozer, and a backhoe, has appeared on the proposed site of the controversial City Place apartments project in Ann Arbor. Read the story.

Road Closed

2011-11-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

Several downtown business leaders gave the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority an earful Wednesday about proposed parking rate increases and a $50 million underground parking structure project that's partly driving them. Herb David Guitar Studio, at the corner of Liberty and Fifth Avenue, and Jerusalem Garden, next door on Fifth Avenue, are reporting declines in business from the construction, which has kept Fifth Avenue closed for some time now. Read the story.

Shaping Up

2011-10-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

A $50 million underground parking structure being built by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority on South Fifth Avenue, next to the downtown library branch on what's known as the Library Lot, continues to take shape.

Neptune T-10

2011-10-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

Fancy gadgets hooked up to a fire hydrant from 1984. Rad.

Funeral For The Middle Class

2011-10-31T19:56:00.000-07:00

In honor of U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's Halloween visit to the University of Michigan today, numerous groups joined together to hold a "Funeral for the Middle Class," an event outside of the Michigan League filled with mockery of Cantor and his stances on economic and social issues. U-M graduate student Joel Batterman impersonated Cantor during a faux funeral procession and eulogy. Batterman's long-winded speech about the death of the middle class drew laughs and applause from the pseudo-rich crowd, culminating with a ceremonial hammering of the final nail into a wooden coffin labeled "American Dream." Read the story.

Main Street Halloween

2011-10-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

The Color Orange

2011-10-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

1201211

2011-10-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

Cut Down To Size

2011-10-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

The developer of City Place apartments moved one step closer to demolishing seven homes on South Fifth Avenue on Thursday, cutting down several trees on the property. At least 10 trees — some of them more than two feet in diameter — were reduced to stumps. At least one other tree in front of one of the homes had an orange X marking its trunk, indicating more could be chopped down. An industrial-sized dumpster warning of dangerous asbestos also sits on the site now. Asbestos removal is expected to be done along with the demolition. Read the story.

Above Tree Town

2011-10-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

The view from AnnArbor.com's seventh floor offices at 301 E. Liberty St.

Rapundalo Vs. Lumm

2011-10-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

The gloves came off in the first round Wednesday night as Stephen Rapundalo and Jane Lumm traded blows in a neighborhood candidate forum at Thurston Elementary School. Lumm, who is challenging the Democratic incumbent for his 2nd Ward seat on the Ann Arbor City Council on Nov. 8, used her opening statements to call Rapundalo a liar and told the nearly 60 residents in attendance they deserve better representation. Lumm, who is running as an Independent, had the help of an unruly crowd Wednesday night. On several occasions, residents mocked Rapundalo, scoffed at his statements and accused him of twisting the facts. Read the story.

Sewer City

2011-10-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

Wondering what that smell is in downtown Ann Arbor? Or what those crews are doing running big white tubes into the manholes along Liberty Street? It's part of a $1.2 million project to reline crackling city sewer and stormwater pipes. Crews from Belleville-based Utility Services Authority were hard at work at the corner of Liberty and Fifth Avenue today. Read the story.

Running The Numbers

2011-10-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Ann Arbor developer Alex de Parry has offered a rebuttal to claims that miscalculations on his part are to blame for the apparent inviability of the Heritage Row apartments project that was awaiting City Council approval Monday night. Read his letter.

Welcome To Ward 2

2011-10-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

After six years on the Ann Arbor City Council, Stephen Rapundalo faces perhaps his most formidable political challenge yet: seeking re-election against Jane Lumm. The man who once ran for mayor as a Republican and lost to Democrat John Hieftje is now, a decade later, one of Hieftje's trusted Democratic allies on council. But two weeks from now, his continued service representing the 2nd Ward depends on his ability to fend off Lumm, a former GOP council member running as an Independent. The following images were taken as the candidates went door-to-door on Thursday in different parts of the 2nd Ward. Read the story.

Grand Rapids Art Prize 2011

2011-10-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

I have to hand it to Grand Rapids. The city has my beloved Ann Arbor beat when it comes to public art with its annual Art Prize event. More than 1,500 artists from across the United States and 39 other countries competed earlier this month. More than 382,000 votes were cast by those who visited. Organizers estimated about 500,000 people attended. An artist originally from Iron Mountain in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Mia Tavonatti, took home the $250,000 top prize for her piece titled “Crucifixion."

Sharp Shooter

2011-10-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

My photographer friend Octavian informally shot some photos at Magen and Neil's wedding in Bay City. I turned the camera on him and grabbed a few shots for good measure. The last one is him in the balcony trying to be stealthy. See his photos here.

Magen And Neil

2011-10-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite people in the world, Magen Trask, was married on Sept. 30 to Neil Samyn at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church in Bay City. I believe it was the first Catholic wedding I've ever attended. And I'll say, man, Catholics really do it up when it comes to weddings! It was a beautiful ceremony and I'm beyond happy for these two. They really do make a great couple.