That's A Lot Of Salt

Steve Puuri, managing director of the Washtenaw County Road Commission, stands in front a portion of the 20,000 tons of salt the agency will use to clear county roads of ice and snow this winter. Salt prices went up 40 percent and the agency is expecting to shell out $1 million for salt alone during this winter maintenance season.

The Man In The Alley

Just about every weekend in downtown Ann Arbor, tucked away inside a graffiti-laden alley off Liberty Street, Brian Woolridge dances for hours on end to Michael Jackson tunes emanating from his boom box. A 1990 graduate of Huron High School, Woolridge has been mimicking the King of Pop's dance moves in the alley since 1995.

Welcome to AnnArbor.com

So I took a job working for AnnArbor.com as a digital journalist in late July. Our newsroom, where I primarily work from when I'm in the building, is located on the seventh floor at 301 E. Liberty St. in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. But we recently opened our first-floor community room, shown here, which is a work space for our bloggers and anyone who wants to stop in and say hi.

Helen Thomas in Ann Arbor

Helen Thomas, a veteran White House reporter who has covered the administrations of 10 U.S. presidents since John F. Kennedy, shared tales of her nearly 60 years as a journalist tonight at the Michigan Theater in downtown Ann Arbor. Known for her sharp humor and candid views, she didn't shy away from her usual feisty ways.

"I think the real cause of our financial catastrophe is Republicans," she said at one point in the night, drawing applause.

"Everyone with a laptop these days thinks they're a journalist, and everyone with a cell phone thinks they're a photographer," she said at another point, drawing laughs (yes, I was on my laptop 10 feet from her and tweeting from my cell phone).

Vintage Italian Accordion

I came across this guy playing a vintage Italian accordion on a street corner in downtown Ann Arbor on Sunday afternoon after having brunch with friends. He said he got a good price at a second-hand shop. Unfortunately, the serial number was scratched off the instrument, so there's no easy way to know its exact age. He told me he has been playing for five months, but he sounded like a skilled veteran. He was following a fellow musician's advice and practicing in public to get over fears of playing in front of people.

Free Lunch

Tennis Pro