The intersection near Scarlett Middle School where police say a high school student assaulted a middle-schooler.

John Counts | AnnArbor.com

The 16-year-old Huron High School student charged with a misdemeanor for assault and battery for allegedly knocking a 14-year-old Scarlett Middle School student unconscious was granted an adjournment Friday in Washtenaw County Juvenile Court.

The teen appeared before Judge Donald Shelton, who granted the defense's request for a pretrial hearing before juvenile court Referee Gail Altenburg.

Shelton set the hearing for July 3.

"We'll keep this on a relatively fast track," he said.

The Huron student is accused of punching a 14-year-old in the face, breaking his teeth and knocking him unconscious after a 15-year-old Huron student called the boy over at the corner of Lorraine and LaSalle in Ann Arbor.

It is believed that the victim was chosen at random, according to Ann Arbor police.

On March 8, a petition for a charge of aggravated assault was filed. The charge is a misdemeanor punishable by one year of incarceration or a $1,000 fine.

AnnArbor.com does not name juveniles involved in criminal cases unless they're tried as adults.

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

A float goes through downtown Ann Arbor during the 2011 Fourth of July Parade.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file

When Mike Bottom takes to the streets of Ann Arbor this Fourth of July, he will have a full international contingent in tow.

Mike Bottom

The current Michigan swim coach, two months removed from winning an NCAA title, has been named grand marshal of the annual Ann Arbor Fourth of July Parade, the Ann Arbor Jaycees announced this week.

Bottom, along with his wife Lauralyn and their three young daughters, will lead the parade when it starts downtown the morning of the fourth.

The role will allow Bottom to revive a tradition from his time in California, when he helped train athletes for the 200 and 2004 Olympics. During those summers, Bottom said he would find a local Fourth of July parade to take international athletes to, and follow the trip with a barbecue.

The tradition waned when he came to Ann Arbor five years ago, but Bottom said he plans to use the grand marshal opportunity to revive it. The rosters of the Michigan men’s and women’s teams -- Bottom coaches both -- include athletes from South Africa, Japan, Denmark, China and Canada and more.

“This has got a lot of meaning to me personally,” Bottom said. “It’s a way I can share an understanding of the freedoms we have with some of these guys that come in from all these different places.”

The 23rd annual parade will start at 10 a.m. at the corner of State and William streets. The route goes north to Liberty, west to Main, then south one block back to William before ending at William and Thompson.

Parade line-up starts at 8 a.m., and judging in the children’s bike decorating contest will begin at 9:30 a.m.

This marks the second straight year a Michigan coach has been the parade’s grand marshal, after Kim Barnes-Arico led last year’s parade shortly after being named the school’s new women’s basketball coach.

Bottom came to Ann Arbor with no background in the area, but with what he said was a deep understanding and respect for Michigan and its swimming programs.

When he took the job, he sat down with an assistant and mapped out a plan to win a national title in five years. When the Wolverines’ 12th swimming national title and first since 1995 in late March, it was right on time.

“The plan worked out, which was kind of fun,” Bottom said.

The celebration hasn’t stopped since, and will continue at least another week and a half.

“It’s a thankful celebration and what a great way to do it in a Fourth of July parade,” Bottom said. “I am moved that I can stand for the team and the coaches that work so hard to get us here in the short time that we got here.”

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.

University of Michigan fans.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

The University of Michigan is home to a bunch of brainy sports fans, according a recent BuzzFeed posting.

Buzzfeed aggregated Forbes’ academic rankings of colleges and universities against USA Today’s tally of total athletic expenses for public schools and found that U-M was the public school that had the highest ratio of academic and athletic dominance in the nation.

BezzFeed's top 5 academically and athletically dominant schools:

1. University of Michigan
2. University of Florida
3. University of Texas
4. University of North Carolina
5. University of Virginia

U-M is the public university that spent the third-most on athletics, according to the USA Today database, and is ranked 57th by Forbes, which compiled a list that included public and private colleges.

• Check out the Buzzfeed post.

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.

The Dexter Utilities Department wastewater treatment plant.

John Counts | AnnArbor.com

David McBride

Courtesy of Bill McHenry

The 23-year-old Howell man injured in an April explosion that killed another worker at a Dexter wastewater treatment plant on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the contractors.

The suit, filed in the Washtenaw County Trial Court, claims David McBride wasn’t warned methane gas was present in the area where he was using a blowtorch, which caused the explosion.

“It is inconceivable in this day and age that engineers and experienced general contractors would allow cutting operations with torches to go on for nearly two days on a digester loaded with raw sewage and highly explosive methane gas,” McBride’s attorney, Bill McHenry, said in a released statement. “This is not rocket science. This tragic accident should have never happened.”

McBride suffered serious head injuries and hasn’t yet returned to work, McHenry said.

The suit states McBride was cutting bolts on the lid of a digester, one of two large tanks used for collecting and processing sewage at the Village of Dexter’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, when the torch he was using ignited the methane gas and caused the explosion.

“(McBride) was launched into the inside of the rim of the digester, resulting in horrific and permanent injuries including, but not limited to, traumatic brain injury,” the suit claims.

Michael Koch of Platinum Mechanical, Inc., one of the contractors named in the suit, was killed in the blast. The 48-year-old Brooklyn, Mich. man was working alongside McBride on top of the lid.

The other defendants listed in the suit are the general contractor, A.Z. Shmina, Inc., and a second sub-contractor, Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc.

McBride worked for Regal Recycling, Inc., a Howell-based salvage company that was called in to scrap the lids of the digesters. McHenry said the contractors who hired McBride should have known the digesters were still filled with methane-emitting sludge and not allowed the him to use a torch trying to remove the lids.

“The people in charge of the site should have known that the digester was still full of sewage,” McHenry said. “(The contractors) never in a million years should have allowed torches.”

The suit lists three counts of negligence and gross negligence, one count against each of the contractors.

The Village of Dexter awarded A.Z. Shmina, Inc. the $3.3 million contract to renovate the wastewater treatment plant in July 2012.

Work has continued at the plant since the explosion. The lid of the primary digester has since been removed and may be responsible for a foul odor in Dexter until a new lid can be put in place, AnnArbor.com reported Thursday.

The treatment plant contains two digesters, a smaller, primary digester that mixes and heats the sludge to help break it down and a larger digester used mainly for storage. The current lids date back to the 1970s and were not functioning properly, making them very inefficient, AnnArbor.com has reported.

Back in April, McBride had cut the bolts off the secondary digester the day before the explosion without incident. He was working with the blowtorch on the primary digester when the flame ignited the methane, McHenry said.

“He’s still recovering,” the attorney added. “The kid wants to get back to work. He’s young, he’s strong, he’s healthy, but he’s suffered a serious head injury.”

The suit requests an undisclosed amount more than $25,000, the minimum for a case to appear in circuit court.

A spokesperson for Platinum Mechanical, Inc. declined to comment about the lawsuit when reached by phone Friday. Messages were left with A.Z. Shmina, Inc. and Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc.

The explosion is still under investigation by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

The Washtenaw Area Transportation Study is expecting thousands of new residents and workers coming to Washtenaw County in the years ahead.

WATS

SEMCOG's general assembly voted Thursday to adopt both the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan and the 2014-17 Transportation Improvement Plan for Southeast Michigan.

Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County officials weren't happy to see widening of Interstate 94 in Detroit and Interstate 75 in Oakland County included, but they're embracing other projects.

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje stands in front of one of the Michigan Department of Transportation's newly refurbished railcars at a recent press conference. Two commuter rail projects are in the works — Ann Arbor to Detroit, and Howell to Ann Arbor.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Another $100,000 is shown planned in 2014 for development of a new bike sharing program in Ann Arbor, with federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality — or CMAQ — funding paying for the infrastructure, including kiosks, bikes, software and related items.

Ryan Buck, director of the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study, the agency responsible for overseeing transportation funding in Washtenaw County, said all of the projects included in the regional plans are actually Washtenaw County's own plans adopted by reference.

"So we've identified our own 25 years worth of projects, as well as our own four-year transportation improvement plan," he said. "We focused a lot on identifying regional priorities."

While the long-range plan identifies a broader vision for the coming decades, the four-year plan shows what's actually expected in the shorter term.

Buck said the plan is fiscally constrained, meaning it's based on expected local, state and federal revenues — so it's not just wishful thinking. For example, the $100,000 in CMAQ funding to launch a bike sharing program next year already has been awarded.

"The bike share is a pretty interesting project," he said. "There are significant capital costs in getting it started and operating it, but there are a lot of people interested in seeing it happen."

The plans show millions of dollars in state and federal funding coming to the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority for efforts ranging from preventative maintenance to purchasing new vehicles.

In 2016, $10 million is shown planned ($8 million federal, $2 million local) for the environmental analysis and preliminary engineering phases of the Ann Arbor Connector study for a high-capacity transit system linking the University of Michigan and other major activity centers in the city.

The four-year plan also shows a number of local road projects expected to be funded in 2014, including $3.3 million for reconstruction of Stone School Road from I-94 to Ellsworth (with another $200,000 shown coming in 2016) and $1.76 million for reconstruction of Carpenter Road from Packard to Washtenaw (with another $410,000 shown coming in 2015).

In 2015, $5.18 million is expected to go toward reconstructing Geddes Avenue from Arlington to Huron Parkway, while $3 million goes toward resurfacing Newport Road from Sunset to the city limits with nonmotorized upgrades. Another $700,000 is identified for Border-to-Border Trail improvements.

In 2016, $5.8 million is planned for a long-awaited reconstruction of Stadium Boulevard just west of the new Stadium bridges in Ann Arbor — from Hutchins Avenue to Kipke Drive. Another $1 million in federal funds for the same project is shown coming in 2017.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

In 2016, $5.8 million is planned for a long-awaited reconstruction of Stadium Boulevard just west of the new Stadium bridges in Ann Arbor — from Hutchins Avenue to Kipke Drive. Another $1 million in federal funds for the same project is shown coming in 2017.

About $526,000 is shown in 2016 for implementation of traffic congestion mitigation strategies on Seventh Street from Scio Church to Miller in Ann Arbor.

Buck said the long-range plan for Washtenaw County contains more than $3 billion worth of improvements for motorists, pedestrians, transit riders, cyclists and freight traffic.

While the plan includes funding for improvements like bike sharing, new transit initiatives and roundabouts, Buck noted the vast majority of capital funding is allocated toward improving and maintaining pavement around the county.

"Additionally, WATS identified $3 billion worth of projects without funding," he added. "The question we must now answer as a region is whether or not we are willing to fund a modern transportation system. Whether or not new revenue is made available, I look forward to working with local communities to implement as many regional transportation priorities as possible."

The WATS long-range plan shows a $13.7 million line item for Washtenaw County's expected costs in 2015 for commuter rail operations between Ann Arbor and Howell, and between Ann Arbor and Detroit, along with connecting bus services. That remains unfunded for now.

Continuation of commuter rail operations from 2016 through 2035 is projected to cost Washtenaw County another $376 million and that also remains unfunded.

The construction of WALLY commuter rail stations in downtown Ann Arbor and near Michigan Stadium are projected to cost $7.3 million in 2020.

Meanwhile, a new east-west rail station, possibly on Fuller Road, is listed as an unfunded project with an estimated $4 million design cost in 2015 and $50 million construction cost in 2016.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

Welcome to the first segment of "Weather ... Or Not with Kyle Feldscher," the weather forecast where I read the skies and the Internet to tell you the weekend forecast.

Seeing as this is the first day of summer, I thought it would be a great time to kick off this new feature. From Top of the Park to your computer screen, watch the video to see what you can expect from the first weekend of summer.

For a more detailed weather forecast for your weekend in and around Ann Arbor, visit AnnArbor.com/weather.

Heading out of town? Check out weather reports from across Michigan at mlive.com/weather

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

The Rave movie theater on Carpenter Road is among 32 theaters acquired by Cinemark Holdings Inc. after a $240 million deal was finalized in May.

The Toledo Blade reports Texas-based Cinemark Holdings Inc. completed its purchase of the Texas-based Rave Cinemas chain after the Department of Justice reviewed the case for potential anti-trust issues. The deal included 32 theaters in 12 states, including the Pittsfield Township theater and a location in Flint.

Cinemark Holdings acquired the Rave Cinemas chain, including the theater on Carpenter Road.

Photo by: inazakira (flickr)

Rave Cinemas purchased the Pittsfield Township theater, formerly a Showcase Cinemas, in 2009. The property at 4100 Carpenter Road has a 2013 assessed value of $8,959,800, township records show.

According to Toledo Blade, Cinemark is evaluating if changes need to be made at the newly acquired theater complexes, including whether to replace the Rave brand with Cinemark.

Founded in 1984, Cinemark operates 496 theaters in 14 countries. The company was valued at about $3.1 billion based on a Friday stock price of $27.19.

• Read the full Toledo Blade article.

Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.

A 28-year-old Ypsilanti man who led police on a chase that ended in a standoff in Putnam Township was sentenced Thursday to 150 days in the county jail, the Livingston Daily Press and Argus reported.

Andrew John McCormick was charged with fleeing and eluding police, felonious assault, resisting police and malicious destruction of property after leading police on a chase March 30 from Hamburg Township west on M-36 into the Pinckney area in Livingston County, according to the report.

McCormick ran into a home where a standoff with the Brighton-Hamburg Special Response Team ensued.

• Read the Livingston Daily Press and Argus story.

John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

A two-car crash on southbound U.S. 23 near Geddes Road slowed traffic Friday afternoon east of Ann Arbor, according to dispatchers.

Dispatchers confirmed just before 5:15 p.m. Friday that a two-car crash was not blocking any lanes. One car was in the ditch, dispatchers said.

It’s unknown if anyone was injured in the crash. Traffic appeared to be backed up on U.S. 23 in both directions around the time of the crash.

There were normal traffic slowdowns around eastbound Interstate 94 and State Street and northbound U.S. 23 between the west triple interchange with M-14 and Interstate 96.

View Larger Map

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Mike Ignasiak of Saline watches his shot during play at the Michigan Amateur at Muskegon Country Club Friday.

Courtesy Photo

By Cory Olson

MUSKEGON, MI -- Former Major League Baseball pitcher and Saline resident Mike Ignasiak defeated two players in the Michigan Amateur Friday, securing his spot in the match play semifinals Saturday at Muskegon Country Club.

Ignasiak, 47, will take on Tom Gieselman, a 51-year-old reinstated amateur from Commerce Township who played in six Buick Opens as a professional.

“I’m playing solid right now," Ignasiak said. "Nothing crazy. Flat stick got hot and things are going well."

Ignasiak defeated 2007 Amateur champion Greg Davies of West Bloomfield 6 and 5 in the morning Thursday, and then beat Golf Association of Michigan Golfer of the Decade of the 2000s, Russ Cunningham of DeWitt, 5 and 3 in the afternoon.

“I’m keeping it in play, and I’m hitting it long," Ignasiak said. "That’s good on this course. My putting around the green is getting better every day."

“Eagle on No. 6 got it going, and a great up and down on No. 8 to keep the round going. I just hit the ball close enough all day that I put the pressure on Russ and Greg. Those guys can flat out play. Both guys are great competitors, great players, and I got the better of them today, that’s all."

Andy Chapman of Traverse City and Brad Bastion of Grand Blanc tee off at 8 a.m. while Ignasiak and Gieselman tee off at 8:15 a.m.

Ignasiak, who owns the Dairy Queen in Saline was confident he could win the week.

“I know I’m good enough to win," Ignasiak said. "I just have to manage my game and get my putter going. Everybody here is the same way. Everybody in the sweet 16 was good enough to win it."

Here's the schedule for tonight's Top of the Park, the free (donations welcome), outdoor component of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Descriptions provided by the festival. Top of the Park takes place in the area around East Washington Street at Ingalls Mall, except as noted.

4 p.m.: Tangle - South Ingalls Mall
Tangle takes place in a space like a giant pegboard, children and families create a landscape together, weaving elastic in many colors around tall slender golden poles.

5 p.m.: Kidzone: U-M Museum of Natural History - Kidzone Tent
Discover whether the stars really do align or if it’s just a tangled mess at “Wrapped in the Stars: Constellations from a Different Point of View” at the U-M Museum of Natural History table in the KidZone Tent.

5 p.m. Retreat: Capoeira with CDO Michigan - Power Center Lawn
Explore this Brazilian martial art, including music, dance, cartwheels, handstands, kicks, escapes, and the dance of Capoeira, with Van Robins II, also known as Professor Manhoso, from CDO Michigan.

5 p.m.: Cello-Bella; Grove Stage
Mining the American songbook for a selection of jazz, swing, and pop standards from the 20′s to today, and even playing a few rock standards and country classics, it’s the perfect music to open a summer Saturday in The Grove.

Dave Boutette

7 p.m.: Dick Siegel & The Brandos - Rackham Stage
Full of American roots influence—blues, folk, pop, rock, R&B and jazz—the sound of Dick Siegel & The Brandos breaks new ground, offering a modern take on classic forms.

7:30 p.m.: Tangle - South Ingalls Mall
Tangle is where children take control and create a giant abstract visually stunning artwork in public spaces, by stretching their bodies and their imaginations.

8 p.m.: Les 7 doigts de la main in "Sequence 8": Power Center
Packed with dazzling daredevilry, urban charm, and infectious energy, this young company has pioneered a whole new brand of theatrical entertainment with their mix of acrobatic dance, physical theater, and torso-twisting routines.

8 p.m.: The Lucas Paul Band - Rackham Stage
Known for their musicianship, unique pop vocal sound, and raw energy at live shows, Ann Arbor’s The Lucas Paul Band bring their versatile rock back to the Rackham Stage.

9:30 p.m.: The Third Coast Kings; Rackham Stage
The Third Coast Kings are Ann Arbor’s proper deep funk and soul outfit inspired by the funk groups of the '60s and '70s.

11 p.m.: After Dark w/ DJ Michael Dykehouse - Grove Stage
Come hear an electronic set by Ann Arbor-based DJ Michael Dykehouse.

An 'extreme supermoon' will be visible this Saturday and Sunday.

This weekend, stargazers will be able to enjoy a full moon at its lunar perigee, according to AccuWeather.com. That means the moon will be the closest it will get to the Earth this year and will appear 12 to 14 percent larger to viewers.

The moon is typically 384,400 kilometers away from the Earth, but Saturday and Sunday it will only be 356,991 kilometers away, making this weekend’s full moon an ‘extreme supermoon’. The moon is expected to be nearly full both Saturday and Sunday night.

A perigee and a full moon both occur at some point during every month, director of the Sherzer Observatory at Eastern Michigan University Norbert Vance said.

“It’s a typical full moon,” Vance said. “There’s nothing unusual or un-ordinary. It’s just coincidental that the moon is reaching full phase during this perigee point when it is closer to the earth.”

According to Vance, ‘supermoons’ occur every few years and have happened millions of times in the history of the Earth.

“You won’t be able to see it unless you’re really looking,” Vance said. “It’s not going to overwhelm you or swallow up the Earth, but one of the neat things that people take for granted is that the moon is so low on the horizon, which also makes it look larger.”

To those interested in appreciating the somewhat larger full moon this weekend, Vance recommends keeping in mind the subtlety of the change and grabbing a pair of binoculars.

“It’s not going to cause the oceans to rise over the continents or cause volcanoes to erupt and it’s nothing mystical, but this one will appear down low in the southern sky and may catch our attention while we’re out and about,” Vance said.

The best places for viewing the ‘extreme supermoon’ this weekend are the desert Southwest and the lower Ohio Valley into the mid-Atlantic and southern New England, according to AccuWeather.com.

According to the National Weather Service, the Ann Arbor area will be mostly cloudy on Saturday night and partly cloudy on Sunday night. The clouds may make it difficult to fully appreciate the ‘extreme supermoon’.

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

The University of Michigan Board of Regents has hired a search firm to assist in finding President Mary Sue Coleman's replacement.

University of Michigan Regent Larry Deitch gave an update on the presidential search during a board meeting on Thursday, June 20, 2013 at the Michigan Union.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

U-M will pay the firm $300,000 and is budgeting an additional $50,000 for expenses.

"A presidential search involves two aspects: search and recruitment because it’s not a big pool of people in this country who can lead a complex place like Michigan," U-M Board of Regents chair Larry Deitch said in an interview. "So you need the professional expertise to talk to people, find candidates, vet them, reference them. So that’s why you go out to a search firm."

Deitch said he considers picking a U-M president the most important job of the school's eight-member governing board.

The process, however, can be tricky. Possible candidates don't want to make it known they're looking to move on from their current institutions.

Some candidates aren't even looking— which was the case with Coleman prior to coming to U-M in 2002. While president of the University of Iowa she was contacted by U-M's search firm at the time and asked if she would be interested in the position.

University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman listens during a regents meeting on Thursday, June 20, 2013 at the Michigan Union.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

"Part of the job involves recruitment and convincing people that this is a great opportunity, that this is a unique institution, a good place to work," Deitch said. "Because all the people you want have good jobs. Many of them are in places of the country... where there are intangible factors that would make people want to stay where they are."

Regents used a different search firm, the Chicago-based A.T. Kearney, to find Coleman. The 2002 search cost $335,000.

Russell Reynolds Associates has worked with Bucknell University, Connecticut College and several state colleges that are a part of the Association of American Universities in finding presidents and other executive leaders.

The search firm will identify and preliminarily interview candidates and prepare a list of possibilities for the board. The board will then decide who to interview and the search firm will coordinate meetings. U-M's search will be secret until the final candidate is announced and the firm will closely coordinate interviews —which will likely be held outside of Ann Arbor— so they are discrete.

Deitch said that although the board is still discussing the shape of the search, members intend it to be inclusive.

In a two-page request given to regents, a faculty senate committee on university values requested the search for U-M's next president include broad input from professors and an advisory committee that would be able to secretly interview top candidates.

"We clearly recognize that constitutionally it’s the regents responsibility," Deitch said. "But you have to be able to pick a candidate who will be broadly accepted, so that means listening to the different constituencies and getting advice from distinguished faculty."

The search that produced Coleman included a 16-member advisory committee that interviewed candidates. Finalists were whittled down from a list of more than 200 names. However members of that committee said they did not know the regents' final choice until it was publicly announced.

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.

Dancing Dog Gallery, a cooperative art gallery, plans to open in the former Herb David Guitar Studio building in downtown Ann Arbor.

Lizzy Alfs | AnnArbor.com

Dancing Dog Gallery, a member-owned and operated gallery founded by eight local artists, plans to open this summer on the first and second floors at 302 E. Liberty St. Visiting artists also can participate and display work.

“We’re excited just to share the art we have with the community,” said Missy Cowan, one of the gallery’s founding artists. “We’re all a closely knit community of artists, and all of us feel that there aren’t enough venues in this area for really talented artists to show their work.”

“We wanted to have a home for our art where people could come and see it and interact with it,” she continued.

Herb David Guitar Studio occupied the building on the corner of East Liberty Street and South Fifth Avenue for 30 years. David announced plans to retire in March, closing his iconic business several weeks later.

Ann Arbor Guitars, a repair shop owned by former Herb David employees, is located on the third floor of the building. After Herb David closed, the remaining space was listed for lease for $4,000 per month with Reinhart Commercial’s Bela Sipos.

“I had a number of suitors immediately,” Sipos said, regarding the vacated space. “The key was, we needed to find someone who could use both the first and second floor.”

Colliers International’s Patrich Jett represented Dancing Dog Gallery in the deal.

The artists behind Dancing Dog Gallery are painters, sculptors, photographers and mixed media artists, specializing in contemporary, original fine art. They are from Ann Arbor, Dexter, Chelsea and Ypsilanti.

Cowan said the gallery is undergoing renovations, and will open later this summer or early fall.

The gallery will be located on the first floor, with eight private work studios on the second floor that artists can lease.

“We were thrilled to find the space, it’s going to be perfect,” Cowan said. “It just has a great ambiance. We love the historical vibe, and it's just charming.”

The founding artists of the Dancing Dog Gallery are: Matruka Sherman, Bill Knudstrup, Sophie Grillet, Sarah Clark Davis, Missy Cowan, Susan Clinthorne, Molly Indura and Sue Finley.

Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.

Jennifer Lawson, water quality manager for the city of Ann Arbor; Colin Smith, parks and recreation services manager for the city of Ann Arbor; and Doug Kelly, director of golf at Leslie Park Golf Course, stand over the recollected Traver Creek.

Courtney Sacco I AnnArbor.com

Now, the public will have the opportunity to learn about the improvements to water quality, the environment and the golf course during the Traver Creek Project grand opening from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday.

The city of Ann Arbor collaborated with the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office to correct streambank erosion and address high volumes of sediment and attached pollutants that were being removed downstream.

According to a news release, the project was enacted to stabilize the creek channel and increase the drainage capacity because bank erosion and flooding have a negative effect on water quality and increases golf course maintenance.

“There are a series of state mandates on sections of the Huron River for reducing the amount of phosphorus - which causes a number of problems, reducing the amount of E. coli and biota,” said Evan Pratt, water resources commissioner at the Office of the Washtenaw County Water Resources. “Our focus was on the phosphorus and trying to continue to get that down. This project is a pretty significant bite out of the problem.”

Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation, Natural Area Preservation and Water Quality Management city departments came together to address the problem, which required the regarding, stabilization and naturalization of Traver Creek.

With the project complete after 3 years in the planning stage and 5 months of construction, downstream flooding will be alleviated and 687 tons of erosion will be prevented annually.

Officials say 6.5 acres of native area and wetland was created, which will help remove pollutants, reduce runoff volumes and mitigate peak flow rates. It also adds to the aesthetic of the park, as 79 native trees and 347 native shrubs were planted.

“I think people that are at the course a lot, whether they are golfers or walkers, will notice a difference,” Pratt said. “We would expect within two to three years, when the plants mature, people driving along the road will notice more plant life, but it doesn’t have a direct impact on everyone; it’s out of sight, out of mind. A lot of people won’t even be aware of it, but it’s cleaner and that’s what matters.”

Pratt said the event Saturday is to highlight the partnership between the city and the Washtenaw County Water Resource Commissioner’s Office and show the benefits of spending a modest amount of money to clean up the environment.

“We’re inviting people out because we don’t expect the general public to be aware of the changes that were made,” Pratt said. “We want to show people why their tax money is spent on this and why it’s important to get sediments out of the water.”

The event will offer tours, games and refreshments along with the provision of information on the benefits of the completed project.

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

Enjoy a variety of scenic bike routes, local food, music performed by Dragon Wagon and activities for kids this Sunday at the Ecology Center’s 41st annual Eco Adventure Fundraiser.

Join the Ecology Center for the 41st Annual Eco Adventure Fundraiser featuring five bike routes on Sunday.

Kyle Mattson | AnnArbor.com

Eco Ride will start and end at Ann Arbor’s Riverside Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will raise money to support the work done by the Ecology Center. Check-in and finish times vary depending on the route.

Courses for all ability and age levels are available as well as a route suited for walkers and roller-bladers. Participants in the event select one of five routes ranging from 2 to 55 miles long.

• Tour De Falls (2 miles)- Check in opens at 10 a.m.

• Tour DeHoop (10 miles)- Check in opens at 9 a.m.

• Tour DeEcoArtFarmSolar (10 miles)- Check in opens at 9 a.m.

• Comine DeTours (20 miles)- Check in opens at 9 a.m.

• Tour De Classic (55 miles)- Check in opens at 7:30 a.m.

Riders are asked to raise money in order to bike in the event. During registration, participants can select their level of donation.

• EcoSprout (Under 18 years old)- $25

• EcoRider (18 years or older)- $50

• EcoFamily (Parents riding with children)- $100

• EcoStar (Super-fund-racer level 1)- $500

• EcoSuperHero (Super-fund-racer level 2)- $1,000

• EcoLeader (Super-fund-racer level 33)- $2,500

Money can be raised directly from the 'fund-racer' profile made by each participant. The top fundraisers will win prizes donated by local businesses.

Those not riding in the event are invited to join the festival for food, music and activities.

For further information about registration and a full description of the courses, visit the Ecology Center’s website.

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

Marty Jeppesen shot a final-round 66 to break a tie and earn his first professional win Friday at an eGolf Professional Tour event.

Marty Jeppesen waits his turn during a 2011 tournament.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file

The Saline native and former Eastern Michigan golfer finished with a 64-66-66-196 to win by a shot at the Mimosa Hills Open in Morganton, N.C.

“I needed to let it come to me,” Jeppesen said in a press release. “I had been forcing it a lot, and this week I finally just let it happen. The money is great, but I needed to know I could do it. My fiancé said I needed to win today for myself only, and I did.”

The win netted Jeppesen a $15,000 first-place prize. He now has earned $29,052 for the year, good enough for 10th on the eGolf money list.

Jeppesen finished with a bogey-free final round, and scored three birdies on the front nine to pull ahead of the pack.

“I parred the first two holes easily, then made a 15-footer for par on the third, birdied No. 4, and made another 15-footer for par on No. 5,” said Jeppesen. “That’s when I kind of knew it might be my day.”

The eGolf Tour goes to Kannapolis, N.C. for its next event July 10-13. This is Jeppesen’s second year as a professional.

Top of the Park, the free, outdoor component of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, rolled into its second weekend on Friday.

Photographer Daniel Brenner captured these images. Top of the Park continues Tuesday-Sunday through July 7 on East Washington Street at Ingalls Mall; for more information, see the Summer Festival website and watch for coverage on AnnArbor.com.

When graphic novel author and University of Michigan research librarian Jim Ottaviani reads about the history of science, he often becomes fascinated. An article, book or website sparks his curiosity to dig deeper. His comics are born from this deep love of reading and research.

Ottaviani tells true stories about scientists' lives and their discoveries in comic form. He has done Galileo, Oppenheimer, Darwin, and many other scientists with tales that fascinated him. His 2011 book "Feynman," about theoretical physicist Richard Feynman, was a New York Times Best Seller.

The lives and work of 3 of primatology's leading ladies are the subjects of his newest graphic novel, Primates: the Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute' Galdikas (First Second, 2013). It is one of the "Top 10 Comics & Graphic Novels" of spring, according to Publisher's Weekly. Massachusetts illustrator Maris Wicks created the "lively, non-realistic-cartoon style" he and his publisher were looking for in the book's visuals, according to the author.

As in his other books, "Primates" is about more than the scientific discoveries themselves. It is also a set of biographical accounts of how life experiences brought these 3 women to moments of discovery. It is the very human-oriented way Ottaviani recounts the history of science that makes this book appealing to a wide audience - comic book fans, science buffs, or nonfiction and biography fans alike.

The 3 women, all protegees of anthropologist Louis Leakey, immersed themselves in the natural habitats of greater apes. Goodall lived with chimpanzees for decades, Fossey became a leading expert on mountain gorillas, and Galdikas furthered our understanding of orangutans.

Like Ottaviani says, "their science did not happen in a vacuum." "Primates" reveals ways in which their personal lives, aspirations, challenges, and relationships influenced their careers.

"Scientists have lives too!" Ottaviani exclaims. He thinks that "the stereotype of science is that it is fairly cold, not so much a human activity. But it is, in fact, one of the most fundamental human endeavors to ask a question and then trying to figure out the answer. There is usually a great story behind why that question was asked and the answers it found."

In an excerpt of the book available on Ottaviani's G.T. Labs website, we meet Goodall as a child. She is bright-eyed and already determined to fulfill her destiny, despite her mother's hesitations. Soon, we find her older and working as Leakey's secretary. Sometimes he is frustrating, and she suspects him of having an affair on his wife. Such tidbits give us a glimmer of insight into her aspirations and relationships.

Recounting the lives and work of real-life people is not a particularly common motif in the comic book world. Calling his works 'non-fiction graphic novels' is even a contradiction in terms.

"When I started doing non-fiction comics," says Ottaviani, who started in the mid-90s, "there were just a few that were non-fiction. I looked to read it and ended up writing the stuff I wanted to read," he says. But in an fictional action-adventure world, true stories from history can be just as compelling. "The comics medium is more than capable of handling any kind of material."

Ottaviani found out that science is "a fairly natural subject for comics," he says. "Scientists communicate with pictures. It is often times a visual endeavor. Head to the library and flip through the books in the literature and classics section. And then do the same thing over in the science and engineering section. Come back and tell me where you found all the pictures. It's in the science books," says the librarian and former nuclear engineer, who runs the UM's Deep Blue archive.

"Another reason" to share these stories in graphic novel form "is to hopefully reach folks who would never pick up science book but are fans of comics," he says.

Ottaviani got the idea for "Primates" when he was researching female scientists for his 2009 non-fiction book of comics, "Dignifying Science: Stories About Women Scientists." He did not have any particular interest in primate studies over other types of science - although, he picked up an appreciation for it along the way - but stories about Galdikis fascinated him. She was included in the 2009 book. "I thought, in the back of my mind, I should tackle all 3. And then I did it," he says about his early inklings of his newest book.

After researching the women, Ottaviani has left with a greater appreciation for their contributions to better understanding our close genetic 'cousins.' "Primates are known in conservation circles as 'charismatic mega-fauna.' They remind us of ourselves, mostly because we are so closely related," he says. The biggest lesson these greater apes have taught him; "The more you learn about the behaviors of chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans, the less special we seem to become," he says. "But I think that is actually OK."

Hear more from Jim Ottaviani at an author event Nicola's Books, 2513 Jackson Ave. (in the Westgate shopping center) on June 25 at 7 p.m. The event is free.

• Related: Extreme 'supermoon' this weekend won't 'cause volcanoes to erupt' but may catch your eye

Get your camera ready for a spectacle, because this Sunday is a "supermoon." No, this doesn't mean the moon dons a cape and mask and becomes a super hero with powers. But, it does mean Sunday's lunar orbit will be the closest to Earth this year. That's approximately 221,300 miles for those of you keeping track at home. In fact, it won't be this big again until fall of 2014. Granted, it will be a sight to behold, so AnnArbor.com photographers have compiled a list of camera tips to help.

If the weather cooperates Ann Arborites should get a good glimpse of the 'supermoon' on Sunday.

Photo By: Raja Singh

1) According to timeanddate.com, the supermoon will be full at 7:33 a.m. ET on Sunday. However, at this time of day, the moon will be high in the bright sky and most likely not colorful. A smart photographer would get a picture the night before when the moon rises just above the horizon. Technically, the moon won't be full but it will appear to be so. That will be our little secret, shhhh. We recommend being prepared to start shooting 9 p.m. ET on Saturday. The moon will be completely in the sky by 9:25 p.m.

2) Use a DSLR (Single-Lens Reflex) if available. You're going to want zoom capability along with exposure control on this one. The point-and-shoot camera from your sorority days might not cut it.

3) If you have access to an SLR, grab your most expensive lens and a tripod. Regardless of the time of day, you will want optimal stability. Even if you have been hitting the gym and sculpting your bicep muscles, grab a tripod stud.

4) Obtaining the correct exposure will be tricky. Because the moon is a reflector, your camera settings will require some tweaking. First, go ahead and set the aperture to the largest depth-of-field (~f/22). This will grant you the sharpest detail. If you can, limit the ambient light in the area. Get away from the city, turn off televisions, Christmas trees and other light sources. Make sure your ISO is as low as possible and snap a couple pictures until you find the correct exposure. Finally, set the image quality to high (i.e. Jpeg fine or raw). It would be a good idea to clean your lens, as well.

5) There are two ways to capture this image. Filling the frame with the moon. Or, choose a scene-setter or frame of reference. We suggest the latter. By all means, if you own a 400mm with a teleconverter, break that bad boy out and have at it. If not, choose a secluded area looking over the Ann Arbor skyline, or a river, or shoot through tree branches or light cloud cover. All are good options.

Share your photos of the supermoon using the form below or using the hashtag #A2photos on Instagram or Twitter and we may feature it here on AnnArbor.com