Cool Cat

Alan Haber poses for a portrait with his cat, Ozzie, inside the living room of his home on Ann Arbor's Old West Side. Haber is the leader of a grassroots group of citizens fighting a major hotel and conference center development in downtown Ann Arbor. Haber has proposed that the city instead create a downtown green space or "community commons" on the city-owned lot at 319 S. Fifth Ave.

"Big Thanks" Photo Slideshow

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County held its third-annual "Big Thanks" Mentor Month Celebration on Saturday at Planet Rock. About 40 big-little pairs spent the morning scaling the craggy walls inside the facility. Big Brothers Big Sisters is the nation’s largest donor-supported volunteer network of long-term mentors for youths. BBBS of Washtenaw County is part of a network of nearly 400 agencies helping about 255,000 youths - primarily children of single, low-income and incarcerated parents.










And here's the slideshow ...

Uno, Dos, Tres

Three of the top officials for the city of Ann Arbor happened to be standing near each other before a meeting I was at earlier today. From left to right are Jayne Miller, the city's community services administrator, City Administrator Roger Fraser, and City Council Member Stephen Rapundalo. All three have played key roles in the city's RFP process to solicit proposals for development on a 1.2-acre city-owned site downtown where the Downtown Development Authority is building an underground parking structure. A new development – possibly an urban park or a new hotel and conference center – will go on top.

Arrested Development

University of Michigan student Yousef Rabhi, 21, stands in front of the School of Natural Resources and Environment building on campus where he attends several of his classes. Rabhi is running for a seat on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. It wasn’t until after he was arrested for participating in a protest in U-M President Mary Sue Coleman’s office during his freshman year that Rabhi decided to formally get involved in politics. Rabhi and 11 members of a campus group called Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality staged a sit-in in Coleman’s office demanding that the university strengthen its code of conduct for apparel suppliers. Rabhi and the other protesters were arrested after refusing to leave the building when it closed.

Down On The Farm

The city of Ann Arbor's Greenbelt Program recently purchased the development rights to 286 acres of farmland owned by Bill Nixon of Webster Township for $2.14 million. Aside from being the largest chunk of land ever acquired by the Greenbelt Program, the purchase is significant because the property once was slated to become a manufactured home park. Now that the development rights have been purchased by the city, the land will be forever preserved as open space.

Colorful

Two-Dollar Show

For the price of a few beers the other night, I lent my camera to a friend who is photographing the North American International Auto Show today, so naturally I didn't expect I would be taking any worthwhile photographs on my Monday back at work. But walking past the State Theatre in downtown Ann Arbor, I came across this delightful musical duo. I ran back to my office, grabbed a dusty old Nikon D2H, and headed back to the scene. I am not familiar with the setup of this particular camera, so I didn't get anything stellar. But for purely documentary purposes, here's what I witnessed amid today's 20-degree chill for $2 thrown into a hat.

Tom Partridge

White Wedding

As a follow up to my last post, here are some shots from John and Sara's wedding day. I was the best man, so I didn't get to take a lot of pictures of the bride and groom, but I did sneak a few shots in the limo ride after the ceremony.





And for good measure ... their last hug goodbye the night before their wedding.

Stefanie

Walking With Memphis

There's something about the adventurous spirit of a young child that makes you wish you were that age again, able to marvel at the world around you as you explore life from a completely fresh perspective. Oh, to be that curious again—so easily amused by the simple things most of us now take for granted. Like our reflection in a mirror or the view from a second-floor window. I followed around Memphis at my friend's wedding rehearsal last summer hoping to catch some candid moments. Here's some of what I witnessed.

Mischief

This is Mischief, a friendly 4-year-old pooch who belongs to my friend Avram Golden in Bay City, Mich. This picture was taken on a Wednesday night in the back of Golden's photo gallery and custom framing shop after I drove up from Ann Arbor to hand-deliver a much anticipated falafel sandwich. Mischief is probably a mix between a Black Lab, Chow and Border Collie. His owner describes him as "laid back with moments of craziness." Chasing animals is a favorite pastime, but apparently not catching them. "He sheds hair rather well, " says Golden, "and if all combined fallen hair were weaved together, could potentially provide sweaters for a small village."

Film Noir

Walking down Liberty Street after lunch on Tuesday, I came across this scene. Literally, it's going to be a scene in a short film being shot by these students from the University of Michigan. I took a few minutes to take shots of them shooting what appeared to be a dramatic encounter between two guys who looked like agents from "The Matrix." It was kind of one of those "hunter becomes the hunted" moments. I bet they didn't expect to run into some guy on the street heavily armed with a Nikon D700.

More Sights From Mittenfest 2010

Kate

They Do It With Lasers

So, there we were—shivering outside the closed doors of the at-capacity Elbow Room in downtown Ypsilanti, Mich., amid the near-zero temperatures of the first Friday night of the new year. Once inside, we warmed our hands, checked our coats, and took in the colorful sounds of Mittenfest 2010, a four-day benefit concert for 826 Michigan. The music was good. The crowd was joyful. The beers were going down smoothly. And then these guys took the stage ....

Ladies and gentlemen ... I give you ... Champions of Breakfast.






And then there were these guys ... Great Lakes Myth Society