Shout Sister Shout

The Michigan-based quintet known as Shout Sister Shout is the harmonious combination of singer-songwriter Rachael Davis and jazz-blues-bluegrass-funk band Steppin' In It. They stepped into Liberty Plaza in downtown Ann Arbor this afternoon with their unique jazzy sound as the latest installment of the Sonic Lunch concert series. View this year's Sonic Lunch lineup.

Playing With Blocks

Local real estate developer Peter Allen laid out a vision for the future of downtown Ann Arbor today — not specifically what he thinks should be built, but how the city and the Downtown Development Authority might go about creating the vibrant setting they desire. Allen talked at length about possibilities for the Library Block, an area bounded by Liberty, William, Fifth and Division. He thinks it's easily capable of welcoming 500,000 square feet of new development, and possibly as much as 1 million square feet — whether that's retail, office, residential or something else. "We're talking about thousands of residential units potentially," he said. "We're talking about hundreds of thousands of square feet of office potentially." Read the story.

Passing The Torch

After more than 25 years with the Ann Arbor Fire Department, Chuck Hubbard is now the city's new fire chief after being promoted to the position Monday night. He assumes the formidable task of figuring out how to maintain services with fewer firefighters. Due to the pressure to make cutbacks, the city has struggled to keep the fire chief position filled in recent years. Read the story here.

Pension Politics

Ann Arbor City Council Member Christopher Taylor, left, brought forward a resolution Monday night that seeks to address retiree pension and health care costs. Council Member Stephen Kunselman, right, had questions about the proposal. Read the story here.

No Longer A Freshman

Michigan native Brian Vander Ark, frontman for the popular '90s-era band The Verve Pipe, performed a free solo acoustic show Thursday afternoon at Liberty Plaza in downtown Ann Arbor as the kickoff to this season's Sonic Lunch concert series. Vander Ark has put out multiple solo albums in recent years and continues to tour and record music. His style has grown increasingly folksy and lyrically his songs have become more personal (he even confesses his Facebook addiction in a new tune). He made Thursday's performance a family affair, bringing his wife and daughter up to the stage during the encore. View this year's Sonic Lunch lineup.

View From The Top

Cyclone Canyon, Etc.