Who says beer and politics don’t mix? Certainly not Michigan Radio pundit Jack Lessenberry, who stops by Bill’s Beer Garden Tuesday evening for a free event called “Issues & Ale: It’s Just Politics.”

Bill's Beer Garden

Jessica Webster | AnnArbor.com

“This is exactly the kind of community-building event I like to feature at the Beer Garden,” said proprietor Bill Zolkowski.

“Nothing pairs better with Michigan craft beer than an energetic dialogue between smart people. That’s why we included so many long tables and benches for our seating - to put different people together side by side and encourage an exchange of ideas.”

Located in the parking lot of Downtown Home & Garden at Liberty and Ashley streets in downtown Ann Arbor, Bill’s Beer Garden has quickly become a favorite outdoor drinking destination.

“Issues & Ale: It's Just Politics” will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at Bill’s Beer Garden, 218 S. Ashley St. Admission is free. Details at www.facebook.com/BillsBeerGarden.

Local nonprofit Recycle Ann Arbor has announced it will be launching a secure document-shredding service effective Sept. 1.

The shredding service will cost $4 per grocery bag and $6 per banker's box. A grocery bag typically holds about 16 pounds of paper, putting the price per pound at 25 cents.

Don Koyluoglu of Ann Arbor dumps a box of papers into a bin at a Recycle Ann Arbor free shredding event in 2008.

AnnArbor.com file photo

Factoring in a $3 entry fee, one full bag of documents will cost about 44 cents per pound to shred.

The shredding service will utilize lock boxes for security. When customers arrive at the station, they will need to stop at the gatehouse, pay the appropriate fee, then they will be directed into the barn area and a staff member will accompany them to a lock box location.

Customers will be asked to show their receipts, and then they will be able to place their paperwork into a secure lock box.

Once the lock box is full, it will be transported a short distance to NPR Recycling in Romulus, where the documents will be shredded on site.

A certificate of destruction is available upon request.

Customers also can bring a wide range of other types of waste to the Drop-Off Station site, where Recycle Ann Arbor works to limit the amount of material sent to landfills. According to Recycle Ann Arbor, about 50 percent of all material brought to the station is sent for recycling.

The station recycles automotive fluids, mattresses, paper, cardboard, tires, metals, yard waste, concrete, electronics, plastics, glass and other smaller materials, including ink cartridges.

Recycle Ann Arbor encourages customers bringing documents for shredding to maximize their visit by bringing other materials for recycling.

The Drop-Off Station also provides a hard-drive shredding service.

Recycle Ann Arbor's facility at 7891 Jackson Road still conducts live shredding events every second Saturday of the month from April through November and does not charge the $3 entry fee. Customers wishing to see their documents destroyed on the spot can attend those events.

The same prices of $6 per banker box and $4 per grocery bag apply.

The Drop-Off Station is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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.

Michigan football held their week one Monday press conference at the Junge Family Champions Center on Monday, August 26, 2013. Head coach Brady Hoke and newly selected captains Taylor Lewan, Cam Gordon, Courtney Avery and Jake Ryan answered questions from the media as they look toward the season home opener against Central Michigan on Saturday.

Melanie Maxwell is a photographer for AnnArbor.com.

Huron volleyball's Kelsey Aaronson bumps during the district tournament last season.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

Huron started its 2013 volleyball season just four days after it finished tryouts, and coach Toney Cummer said he wanted to use the Father Gabriel Richard tournament Saturday to see where his team stood.

By the end of the tournament, he had a good idea.

The River Rats beat Northville in the finals, 25-18, 25-12, to start its season 4-0-1. Northville is the team that knocked Huron out of the playoffs in 2012, ending a season in which Huron had a school record 49 wins against six losses, while reaching the regional semifinals.

“I was impressed with the leadership from our seniors and our returning players were solid when we needed them to be,” Cummer said. “Our new setters (Julie Barnett and Kim Ayleen) did a particularly good job of stepping into that role today.”

The finals win came after Huron went 2-0-1 in pool play, including a split against Northville, to open its 2013 season.

The River Rats’ tournament win was a highlight from the the first week of fall sports competition, which officially got underway Wednesday with girls golf and boys tennis competitions. Cross country, boys soccer, girls swimming and volleyball followed two days later. Water polo also started its season last week, ahead of football kicking off this Thursday.

Every Monday throughout the fall, we’ll be taking a look at some of the top performances, teams and players from the week that was in Ann Arbor-area high school sports, in our "Fall Frenzy."

Penalty kicks win

Father Gabriel Richard players and coaches celebrate Saturday.

Courtesy of Julie Harpenau

The Huron volleyball team wasn’t the only area team to start its season by slaying a state power in a tournament final.

The Father Gabriel Richard boys soccer team went 3-0 at the Kalamazoo Hackett tournament Saturday. After a 4-1 win over Vicksburg to open the weekend, the Irish topped Hackett 1-0 and Williamston, 2-1 on penalty kicks in the final.

Williamston was the Division 3 state runner-up last year, while Gabriel Richard finished just 5-10-5.

Athletes of the Week

Emily White, Saline girls golf

Emily White

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

White started her season with a 71 in the Milford Invitational Wednesday to earn medalist honors, and followed up with another 71 the following day at the Pioneer Invitational to again earn medalist honors. Saline finished as runners-up in both tournaments. White is a two-time All-State golfer who finished sixth at last year’s state finals.

Alex Lasinski, Skyline boys soccer

Lasinski scored a hat trick in a 5-2 Saturday win over Petoskey to help Skyline go 1-0-2 in the Traverse City tournament over the weekend. Lasinski was named honorable mention All-State last year

By the numbers

16: Goals scored by the Pioneer boys water polo in their season-opener against Skyline last week, a 16-6 win.

24: Margin of victory, in strokes, for the Pioneer girls golf team at the Tecumseh Invite Friday.

7: Second-half goals by Chelsea boys soccer Friday in an 8-1 win over Manchester.

6: Combined state titles in the last four years between the Huron and Midland Dow boys tennis teams, who faced off Saturday in the Ann Arbor Invite. Huron, the two-time defending Division 1 state champions, edged Midland Dow by two points.

16: Number of teams in the Ann Arbor Early Bird water polo tournament, which took place over two days. Huron finished 3-1, falling to Rockford, 8-6, in a rematch of last year's state title game.

Potent Quotable

"This isn't really a rebuilding year, but it's just filling in the holes from last year. It's a side that could be comparable to last year or even better."

-- Dexter boys soccer coach Scott Forrester after his team’s season-opening 3-0 win over Hartland Friday.

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.

Some business owners have been openly critical of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, but Downtown Home & Garden president Mark Hodesh told the Detroit News’ Carol Cain that he is looking forward to implementation of the law.

Mark Hodesh in Downtown Home & Garden on Ashley Street in downtown Ann Arbor.

According to the Detroit News story, after the Obama administration decided to delay implementation of the law, the individual mandate will go into effect January 1, 2014. As part of the roll out, Internet-based health insurance exchanges where insured or self-insured can find plans will open to the public on October 1.

• Read the full story from the Detroit News.

Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Get in touch with Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2

Emergency crews were responding to southbound U.S. 23 around 5:30 p.m. Monday for two vehicles that rolled over, according to Washtenaw County dispatch.

The crash took place near Geddes Road, the dispatcher said.

Karen Gabrys with Huron Valley Ambulance said paramedics were at the scene and that two vehicles were rolled over in the median.

Gabrys said one patient was taken to the University of Michigan Hospital in stable condition while the driver of the other vehicle refused medical treatment.

Google Maps showed there were significant traffic backups on U.S. 23 at 5:40 p.m.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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

Ypsilanti Township could soon take legal action against a church if it doesn’t address a blighted home on its property.

At its Aug. 26 meeting, the Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved staff's request to ask a judge, if necessary, to order the Word of Deliverance Church to bring the home up to code or demolish it.

The house, at 1775 Holmes Road, previously served as the church’s parsonage but has sat vacant for more than 10 years.

Township Building Director Ron Fulton told the Board that the township first issued a notice of code violations in February 2012. He said the township has continued to work with the church since then to get the building brought up to code, but numerous issues remain.

Ypsilanti Township could take legal action against a church that is slow to repair a long-vacant home it owns on Holmes Road.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

“We've given them every possibility to bring the building up to code,” Fulton said. “I’m not speaking ill of them, but they need to maintain the same responsibly as everyone else in the community. They have great intentions, but great intentions don’t take it off of our hit list.”

Among other issues, the roof leaked for so long that the plaster ceiling and walls have disintegrated, though Fulton said the roof was recently repaired.

On the exterior, the structure’s brick facade has begun to crumble and some of the windows are broken. Fulton said the house has also attracted vandals, people have been discovered living in it and people have generally been “making a mess and tearing it up.”

The home sits on the northwest corner of the intersection of Forest Avenue and Holmes, which is opposite from the former Willow Run High School.

“We have worked with them in every way we know how to and they are continuing to make progress, albeit at a snail’s pace,” Fulton said.

“We’re asking for authorization (to take legal action) if necessary. We hope we won't have to make it to ‘if necessary.'"

He said the church faces a challenge because its congregation is small and the repairs are costly. Township records show Word of Deliverance purchased the home in 1992 for $100,000.

In February of 2012, the former owners of two Ypsilanti Township trailer parks abandoned the sites and left the township and county to foot the bill for the cleanup.

Earlier this month, a Washtenaw County Circuit Court judge ordered the three owners to pay the township back $92,000 and pay the Washtenaw County Treasurer's Office $12,000 for the cleanup effort and cost of paying emergency utility bills.

When the owners of WOC Realty walked away from the two properties at 2590 E. Michigan Ave. and 117 S. Harris Road, they left behind a combined 62 mobile homes where a number of tenants never moved out and squatters moved in. The park then went into tax foreclosure.

Township Attorney Dennis McLain said the owners, Robert Stahl, Kim Peters and Michael Peters, were pocketing rent money instead of paying property taxes or maintaining the park, and the township is pleased with the court’s ruling that it is entitled to reimbursement for clearing the mess.

“They let both parks go into ruins while they were pocketing the rental receipts instead of paying the maintenance on the parks,” McLain said. “The township petition also claimed they were renting units under the guise of renting to sell them, and then not transferring the title.

The remnants of the trailer park Ypsilanti Township and the Washtenaw County Treasurer's Office cleared off of Harris Road.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

“But they transferred the cleanup costs to the taxpayers when they abandoned the parks. They created the nuisance before they abandoned the park and under Michigan laws they are responsible (financially).”

In his opinion, Judge Donald Shelton wrote that the county and township were forced to maintain the park and pay utility bills to keep the utilities on for the remaining inhabitants once WOC walked away.

"Defendants created the nuisance the Plaintiffs were forced to eventually clean up at public expense," he wrote

McLain said he plans to send a judgment to the owners’ attorney, Patrick Conlin, and begin the collection process. McLain said he isn’t sure if the defendants could file for bankruptcy.

Conlin did not return AnnArbor.com calls for comment.

As the parks dissolved, township officials were confronted with a wide range of issues.

Building inspectors couldn’t tell which trailers were inhabited and which were abandoned as they monitored the situation. Many of the trailers were gutted and torn apart by scrap metal thieves, and one had its roof completely torn off as the parks were slowly abandoned.

Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office deputies regularly responded to situations at the parks and firefighters responded to several fires. Before the park on Michigan Avenue was totally abandoned, one trailer was so packed with garbage that it spilled out windows and the front door. Residents there were also subjected to contaminated drinking water.

Neither WOC property lost to tax foreclosure was purchased in the county's foreclosure auction, and the township eventually bought them in the no-bid auction for a total of $8,500.

It plans to sell the Michigan Avenue property and there has been discussion of making a recreational park at the Harris Road site.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

Artwork displayed at the new Dancing Dog gallery in downtown Ann Arbor

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

“We’ve had about a hundred people a night on weekend nights,” she said. “We were amazed. The big crowds come after dinner and after (a show at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase), which we didn’t think about.”

Dancing Dog Gallery and Ann Arbor Guitars now occupy the former Herb David Guitar Studio in downtown Ann Arbor.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

The member-owned-and-operated art gallery opened in the former Herb David Guitar Studio at 302 E. Liberty St. on Aug. 16. It will celebrate its grand opening from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6 with music, food and, of course, art.

Founded by eight local artists, Finley said the Dancing Dog Gallery has artwork to fit everyone’s tastes.

The founding artists — which includes painters, sculptors, photographers and mixed media artists — are Matruka Sherman, Bill Knudstrup, Sophie Grillet, Sarah Clark Davis, Missy Cowan, Susan Clinthorne, Molly Indura and Finley.

Artwork displayed inside Ann Arbor's new Dancing Dog Gallery, which was founded by eight local artists.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

“It’s just so nice to have people see (our artwork) and get feedback,” Finley said.

The owners of Dancing Dog Gallery are renting the first and second floors of the downtown Ann Arbor building from Herb David, who closed his guitar shop in March. Those spaces were listed for lease for $4,000 per month with Reinhart Commercial’s Bela Sipos.

Ann Arbor Guitars, a repair shop owned by former Herb David employees, is located on the third floor.

The first floor of the building was transformed into the gallery, with hardwood floors, open rooms and plenty of natural light. The second floor has seven private work studios that artists can sublease.

Bill Knudstrup, a founding member of Dancing Dog Gallery, made the gallery's front desk.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

“The studios are full…we have a waiting list,” Finley said. “It tells us that Ann Arbor is a community that really needs more spaces for artists, and definitely a venue to show their artwork.”

The gallery also has 10 visiting artists, who pay Dancing Dog Gallery a monthly fee to display artwork in the gallery.

“We needed the renters, we needed the visiting artists, and we needed the beautiful gallery. And we’ve gotten them,” Finley said.

Leading up to the gallery’s grand opening on Sept. 6, the gallery’s hours will be: 12 p.m. to 6p.m. on Aug 29; 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Aug. 30-31; 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 1; and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 5.

Finley said the gallery will probably be open six days a week after the event, and the hours will change. (Check the website for updates)

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.

The members of The Appleseed Collective are young people who evidently have old souls - at least when it comes to music.

The group members range in age from 23 to 27 years old, but their musical passion is for vintage styles, most of which date back to the first half of the 20th century - the Gypsy jazz / hot jazz of the 1930s - ‘40s, Dixieland, ragtime, bluegrass, swing, jazz standards of the ‘30s and ‘40s, etc.

Appleseed Collective

The group also includes Brandon Smith on violin and vocals, Vince Russo on washboard and vocals, and Ben Rolston on stand-up bass. Rolston is new to the group - he joined after they released their debut album, and replaces Sophie Tulip. Rolston is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s jazz program, “so this record has even more of a jazz influence going on,” says Lee.

The group performs Thursday at The Ark, and they’re billing the show as a “pre-release” party, so they’ll be playing almost all of the songs from the new disc, says Lee. Those who attend can pre-order the album that night at The Ark - and if they do, “they’ll get a digital download card so they can download the first single, ‘The Periwinkle Blues’, for free,” says Lee.

“I think of the first album as being one made by a group of ragtag kids, while on this one, the melodies and chord progressions are more sophisticated, and more subtle.

“I also think the music is more mature,” says Lee. “Andrew is our main songwriter, and a lot of the songs on the first album were ones he wrote when he was younger. These songs are more recent, from the last year.”

On the new disc, titled “Young Love,” the group took more of a live-in-the-studio approach to recording.

“On the first record, we did a lot of separate tracking. But we’ve developed more as a group since then, and we’re now more confident in our abilities. In our live shows, we do a lot of improvisation, and take a lot of solos, so we wanted the record to be more representative of that - to capture that more improvisational approach.

“Onstage, we like to deliver dynamic, interesting performances of the songs that, because of the improvisations, are different every time. And the room we recorded in was this gorgeous room with tall ceilings, so we wanted it to sound as good as we could make it, on its own, on our acoustic instruments, and give it a natural feel, without using many studio effects.”

The two played a few songs together and discovered a strong musical chemistry, and a shared affinity for improvisation, and decided to form the band.

On the new disc, Brown wrote “seven or eight” of the songs, says Lee, while she wrote three, after not having written any for the debut album. Brown and Lee differ in their compositional styles. Brown is steeped in the music of the Gypsy-jazz / hot-jazz giants like Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, “so his compositions tend to be very influenced by those styles,” says Lee.

“As a writer, I tend to lean more toward country and folk music. I bring simpler folk-music elements to the group, while Andrew’s songs have this cacophony of different sounds.”

Before she joined Appleseed, Lee mostly listened to Dixieland and jazz standards, and was also in the local alt-folk group Orpheum Bell. As a banjo player, she started out playing in the old-time clawhammer style, but now plays more of a “hybrid of Dixieland and other jazz styles.”

As a singer, she does scat-singing on a few of the group’s tunes, and on the upcoming disc, she also did some multi-tracking of her voice to create three-part harmonies in the ‘40s-swing-jazz style of the Andrews Sisters.

“I definitely love to sing the standards, and I like doing vocal improvisation. That form is such that it really opens up, and gives you room to improvise.”

Most of the group’s improvisations, though, come from guitarist Brown and violinist Smith. “They both are just such great improvisers,” says Lee. “Andrew’s father is an amazing keyboard player, so he learned early on how to improvise, and Brandon grew up in the in the Saline Fiddlers, so he also learned at a young age how to take a solo.

“And now we have (bassist) Ben, with his formal jazz education, so he also delivers some incredible solos when we let him loose.”

Kevin Ransom is a freelance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at KevinRansom10@aol.com.

Tuesday marks the first day on the job for the new superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools, Jeanice Kerr Swift.

Hired on to a five-year contract in mid-August after a $16,279 nationwide search, Swift comes to Ann Arbor from her former position of assistant superintendent of instruction, curriculum and student services for Colorado Springs School District 11. Her base salary with AAPS is $200,000.

Jeanice Kerr Swift's first day as superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools is Tuesday.

Tuesday Swift will also have paperwork to file and will attend a staff professional development session, said Liz Margolis, spokeswoman for the district.

Swift will also be interviewing the finalists for the Lawton Elementary School principal's position Tuesday. The job has been open for about a month since former Principal Amy Conway resigned to be the assistant superintendent of school improvement for Gibraltar School District located near Detroit.

Margolis said Swift's next full day with AAPS will be Sept. 3—the first day of school.

AAPS initially offered the superintendent position to Brian Osborne—a superintendent of a school district in New Jersey—but he turned down the job and the school board voted 4-3 to offer the job to Swift.

Following former AAPS Superintendent Patricia Green's unexpected resignation at the end of the 2012-13 school year, this marks the fourth time in 11 years that the district has changed superintendents.

Amy Biolchini is the K-12 education reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.

A woman on Woodlawn Avenue said this pile of old furniture, shown here on Monday, had been sitting at the curb since last week in violation of city code.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Inevitably, a major housing shuffle goes on this time of year, as those living near campus haul belongings out of their old apartments and move into new pads for the coming year. Others are finally moving out of town, while new faces arrive to replace them.

Furniture and personal belongings left at the curb on William Street just west of Division Street in violation of city code.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

TVs, couches, mattresses, shelves, desks, dressers, kitchen supplies and other personal belongings and trash can be found lining curbs on several streets.

In some cases, items are left with signs that scream, "Free for the taking!" in hopes that they'll find a new home and get reused instead of thrown in a landfill.

But no matter the reason for abandoning them, it's still a violation of city code to leave items at the curb unless they're inside a city-provided trash or recycling container, said Tom McMurtrie, who manages the city's trash and recycling programs.

"Anything that's left at the curb outside of the container is a violation of the code and it can be subject to a ticket," he said.

The fine is $200 for the first offense, $400 for the second offense and $1,000 for each additional offense within a five-year period.

Each day of violation constitutes a separate violation, except when the maximum fine is levied, according to the code.

McMurtrie said he wasn't sure how many tickets have been written for trash left at the curb in recent days, but city officials do notice that it happens more frequently this time of year. It also happens each year in May after students graduate and move out.

"In the past, we have issued at least warnings, sometimes tickets," McMurtrie said. "People are given warnings and then given 24 hours to clean things up."

The city is in the process of rolling out a new solid waste plan. McMurtrie noted one of the action items in the plan involves implementing a biannual "community freebie" day to allow people — without penalty — to set items such as furniture at the curb for others to take.

The plan is to kick that off by next summer. Residents would be responsible for removing any items not taken during the amnesty period and disposing of them responsibly.

• See the city's tips page for bulky waste disposal options

For this year's student housing shuffle, as it has done in the past, the city is once again providing a special drop-off site for getting rid of bulky items like furniture.

For this year's student housing shuffle, as it has done in the past, the city is once again providing a special drop-off site at East University and Oakland for getting rid of bulky items like furniture.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

The site is staffed by city employees and operates from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Ann Arbor Kiwanis Club and Salvation Army are taking reusable items from the site to sell at their shops.

Materials accepted include bagged trash, discarded furniture and curbside recycling. Reusable items accepted include clothing, nonperishable food, toiletries, furniture and working electronic appliances.

Jim Smiley, a landlord who manages 21 student rental properties in Ann Arbor, said he's been taking advantage of the drop-off site.

"When the kids move out, they leave a lot of stuff behind, so we bring it over here, which is very convenient," he said. "The problem is the kids don't have a vehicle to get around. I have a van or a pickup truck, but the students have a bicycle and a scooter and mom's car."

As a property owner, Smiley said he doesn't want to get hit with a ticket for trash his tenants leave behind, so he makes sure to keep a close eye on his properties this time of year. He said he's been hit with tickets before for trash his tenants left on the lawn after a party.

"On football Saturdays, when kids go to the game and don't pick up the cups, the landlords get the ticket," he said. "If we are dragged to court, we bring the students with us and say, 'Here's what you caused me.' That's inconvenient, but that's happened before — several times."

A student rental property near campus bears evidence Saturday morning of a party the night before.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Keith Zeisloft, the city's 15th District Court administrator, said the court's caseload for various city ordinance violations typically picks up as U-M students return each fall.

"The court usually sees a bump in the citation rate in September of each year, much of which is attributable to the influx of new and returning students," he said.

"For every year from 2007 to 2012, traffic/criminal case filings typically decline in June, July and August, rebound in September, October and November, decline again in December, rise again in January, then usually — but not always — level out for February, March, April and May."

Here's a look at that trend (download report):

A look at traffic/criminal case filing trends in Ann Arbor's 15th District Court.

Courtesy of 15th District Court

A look at civil case filing trends in Ann Arbor's 15th District Court.

Courtesy of 15th District Court

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.

A 13-year-old boy caught spray-painting a downtown Ypsilanti business Monday afternoon had the evidence all over him, according to police.

When officers took him into custody, the boy's hands had the same fresh red paint on them that matched the outside wall of a business located in the 100 block of South Washington Street.

One could say he was caught, ahem, red-handed.

Ypsilanti police were called to Washington Street at 2:02 p.m. for reports of a male suspect on a silver scooter spray-painting the business's wall and then running on Middle Drive with a can of paint in his hand, according to a crime summary.

Officers checked the business and also observed fresh red paint on the north side of the building.

The boy could face charges of malicious destruction of property.

View Larger Map

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

Over the years, the annual Old St. Patrick Labor Day Weekend Festival has become a kind of unofficial end-of-summer party held on the grounds of the Old St. Patrick Catholic Church in the rural Ann Arbor-Whitmore Lake area.

This year’s event - Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. both days - should be no exception, with plenty of music, food and fun for all ages.

Saturday’s line-up includes a Polish fare dinner (3 p.m. until the food is gone), plus music by the country/classic rock group the Rewired Band from 7-11 p.m.

On Sunday, feast on a barbecue chicken dinner (noon till gone) and participate in a pie-baking contest. Dearborn polka band The Kielbasa Kings kick off the musical menu (2-6 p.m.), followed by blues band Billy Mack & the Juke Joint Johnnies (7-11 p.m.), who always manage to keep a floor packed with boppers, rockers, two-steppers and swing-dancers.

Other activities including a petting zoo, face painting, inflatables, raffles, a rock climbing wall, bungee jumping, a cake walk and more.

Also, admission is free, and beer and wine will be available. Sounds like all the ingredients needed for a perfect summer party.

Old St. Patrick Catholic Church, 5671 Whitmore Lake Road, Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1; noon-11 p.m. both days. Admission is free. Details at www. stpatricka2.org or734-662-8141.

Forte - featuring U-M grad and Saline resident Sean Panikkar (center) - will compete in the semifinals on Tuesday, August 27 at 9 p.m. on NBC.

NBC

"We aren't allowed to leave the Radio City holding room, which is in the basement, so I have no cell signal," Panikkar wrote in an email. "I just happened to check my voicemail on the way to wardrobe. We have a dress rehearsal and then we will be here until after the show. The same thing will happen tomorrow for the results show."

Even so, through the miracle of technology, Panikkar answered some questions from AnnArbor.com via email.

Q. How are you feeling about tonight’s performance?

A. We are really excited about tonight's performance. As a group we have come so far from where we were at the beginning of the show. Forte competed in the first round, and then I joined the group for the first time in their Las Vegas round. We really didn't know each other and so it was a huge risk for all of us. We literally showed up in Las Vegas, went out on stage, and sang "The Prayer." So many acts have been rehearsing and refining their act for years and we were doing it on the fly.

Our first Radio City round was a really great experience. We didn't have any idea what to expect, but the crowd was completely electric and we really fed off of the energy the crowd was giving us. That was the biggest difference between Vegas and New York. In Vegas we were only singing for the judges without an audience.

Now that we are doing our second Radio City performance we have a good idea of what to expect. There is still a freshness to what we are doing, but we are more comfortable with each other, and we have confidence in each other. We realize we are in a high stakes competition, but we are thrilled to be here and we know how fortunate we are to be in this position.

Q. I know you don’t want to reveal the song you're performing tonight, but was the song choice something you all brainstormed together?

A. Picking a song for "America's Got Talent" is a lot more complicated than a lot of people realize. The first limiting factor is that every act is restricted to 90 seconds. In order to find a song that can be cut down to 90 seconds without losing the essence of the original is hard. We brainstormed as a group and then had meetings with producers. Sometimes a song that we all want to do is not able to be cleared by the publishers for a TV performance, so that is an added wrinkle. I can't reveal our song for tonight's show, but it is one of the most recognizable songs of all time and I think we have a really unique spin on it. We are a classical group, so whatever song we sing, whether classical or popular, is going to have a bit of a unique take.

Q. When Josh and Fernando reached out to you to join the group, did you check out their work online before saying “yes”?

A. There was a lot that went into my decision. I have a very busy opera schedule and I am booked into 2015 with opera engagements around the world. I live in Saline with my wife Jane and our two children Maria, age 4, and Mark, age 1. Because of my busy schedule, I had intentionally turned down work this summer so I could be home with my family. I travel so much for work that I just wanted to be a husband and a father without thinking about opera. I had just returned from Texas, where I was singing Rodolfo in "La Boheme," and out of nowhere, I was contacted by Forte. They had lost a member after their first round due to visa issues which made him ineligible for "America's Got Talent." I was on the fence about it because crossover - singing popular music classically - is not really my thing, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to me. Opera is an art form that is hundreds of years old, but while it was mainstream in the early 1900s, it is struggling a bit now. If joining the group could bring some exposure to opera, then I thought it was a good move. I did listen to clips of Josh and Fernando. They aren't opera singers, but they sing classically. They also were interested in bringing together different cultures and voices to create a unique harmony, and I think that is exactly what we are doing. Individually we are all excellent solo singers, but together we are so much stronger, especially for a show like "America's Got Talent."

Q. It sounds like you had very little time to rehearse before you performed with the group. That’s very different from all the prep and rehearsal you normally do. Were you nervous and worried about how it would work out vocally with all 3 of you?

A. I was never really nervous for myself. I am used to high pressure environments. In opera, I generally have three or four weeks of rehearsal, but when I am singing as a soloist with a symphony, we rehearse and get it together in a few days. I knew that I would be prepared, but I was concerned about what the other guys were like. After meeting them in person, a lot of my worries subsided. Now I have full confidence in our ability as a group. Unlike a solo act, we have each other to share the burden, and that makes it so much more enjoyable.

Q. Have you had the time to get to know Josh and Fernando a bit better at this point? What are they like?

A. We now know each other pretty well. All three of us are very different, but we are really like brothers. Josh is the youngest in the group, so he brings a great vibrancy, and he has a "can do" attitude. Fernando is the oldest, and he is very methodical about things, like any oldest child would be. I am right in the middle. We all have strengths that cover the others' weaknesses, which is really great.

Q. Have you started getting recognized at all?

A. We get recognized all the time! That's the crazy thing. I have been performing opera in theaters around the world for 10 years, and I only get recognized by hardcore opera fans. After our Vegas round aired, we started getting recognized all over the place. When we came to NYC for the last round, people were stopping us on the street all the time and asking for pictures. It was so unexpected. It's hard to comprehend being seen by 10-12 million people, but really about 1 out of every 30 Americans has seen our face and heard us sing. It's crazy.

Q. If you advance further on AGT, you'll have to fly back and forth from an opera job in Germany. What show will you be in there? Will someone have to perform in your place while you’re gone?

A. I will be singing Macduff in Verdi's "Macbeth" with the Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden. If we advance, there are a lot of logistics with the scheduling that will need to be solved, but as of now I am anticipating that I can do both "America's Got Talent" and "Macbeth" while only missing a few days of rehearsals. It's a bit chaotic to think about flying back and forth from Dresden, but it is a good problem to have. As a last resort, there is a cover who may be able to step in for rehearsals that I miss, but I shouldn't miss any performances, even if we advance. "Macbeth" starts rehearsals September 2, but doesn't open until September 14. If we are fortunate enough to make it through the top 12 round and into the finals, the finals will be right in between my first and second performances, so it fits in the schedule as well as it possibly could.

Q. Has your family traveled with you for these performances?

A. My wife was at the last round, and she is flying in from Michigan for today's performance. My parents and my brother live in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, … so they will be driving in. My children are a little young for the show. It doesn't start until 9 p.m., so it is way past their bedtime. If we advance to the finals, I will have my wife bring my daughter Maria, because we both share a birthday of September 17, which is the date of the (AGT) finale.

Q. Where did you grow up?

A. I was born and raised in Bloomsburg, Pennsylania. My parents are from Sri Lanka and my brother was born over (there). They came to the US when my brother was 1. I did my undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Michigan. I then did my training at San Francisco Opera, where Jane and I lived for three years. When we got pregnant with our daughter, we moved Saline … to be closer to my wife's parents, her older sister and her husband. It is invaluable to have family around, especially with my busy travel schedule.

Q. What brought you to U-M?

A. I picked the University of Michigan because of its high ranking engineering program. I entered U-M as a dual major in Civil Engineering and Vocal Performance.

Q. What was most valuable about your training at U-M?

A. Everything about Michigan was great. The quality of instruction is phenomenal, but more than that I met my wife when we were freshman in the University Choir. She ended up being my accompanist for voice lessons, which made me practice a whole lot more. I had no intention of pursuing music, but because of the quality of instruction I received from my voice teachers Daniel Washington and Luretta Bybee, I ended up reaching the point where pursuing opera professionally was a reasonable choice. I never would have dreamed that this is what I would be doing.

Q. What's been the weirdest moment of this experience so far?

A. Being recognized by people is still strange from me. The fact that people know my name and recognize me is incredible. We are having such a fun time doing this, and we know how blessed we are to be given this platform. We are trying to make the best of what we have been given.

Tune in to see what Forte sings tonight, and vote via AGT's website (up to 10 times per email address), Twitter (#voteAGT Forte, limit of one vote), or phone (up to 10 times per phone line; the phone number will be announced during the show). Voting rules are on Forte's Facebook page, and you can follow the group on Twitter at ForteTenors.

Jenn McKee is an entertainment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.

Ann Arbor residents want more dog parks, and they want them within walking distance from their homes, according to a new survey.

Next to cleanliness, survey respondents cited being able to walk to the park as the second most important feature in a dog park, followed by shaded areas, size and water fountains.

Parking, lighting, benches, restrooms and dog amenities — like toys and sandboxes — were lesser concerns, the survey found.

Dogs enjoy some quality time at the Swift Run dog park last summer.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

One of the hopes is to find a more central location for dog owners in neighborhoods closer to downtown.

More than 1,500 people responded to the survey, 67.5 percent of whom said they have dogs, 26.2 percent of whom said they didn't, and 6.2 percent of whom said they were planning to get one.

Nearly 70 percent said they don't use dog parks right now, while 23.5 percent said they use Swift Run and 11.5 percent said they use Olson Park.

The survey found this:

• About 68.8 percent of respondents said they'd use a dog park either daily or weekly if it was within a quarter-mile from where they live.
• About 63.5 percent of respondents said they'd use a dog park either daily or weekly if it was between a quarter-mile and a mile from where they live.
• About 43.7 percent of respondents said they'd use a dog park either daily or weekly if it was between one and two miles from where they live.

Fewer people were willing to use a dog park more than two miles from where they live, with only 3.4 percent of respondents saying they'd use it daily, 17.9 percent saying they'd use it weekly, 29.7 percent saying they'd use it monthly and 49 percent saying they'd never use it.

A majority of people said they'd use a dog park between 4-7 p.m.

A public meeting scheduled for Tuesday night to discuss the future of dog parks in Ann Arbor has been canceled, city park officials said.

However, another public dog park meeting is still planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 11 at Cobblestone Farm, 2781 Packard Road.

The city's website also lists another dog park meeting planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at Traverwood Library, 3333 Traverwood Drive.

Park officials previously identified a portion of West Park as a potential location for a new dog park just west of downtown, but the city received pushback from the New Hope Baptist Church across the street and the idea was taken off the table.

City officials also have discussed developing a dog park as part of the plan to transform a former city maintenance yard at 721 N. Main St. into a greenway park.

Some also have suggested Wurster Park off Madison Street, an idea that residents in the area have mixed feelings about. Some are lobbying for it, and others are rallying opposition.

Some survey respondents cited concerns about aggressive dogs and unsanitary conditions as reasons why they're hesitant about dog parks.

In the case of Wurster Park, some neighborhood residents said they don't want to lose areas where their children play and go sledding in the winter.

About 61.6 percent of respondents said they would support a dog park in their neighborhood park; 50.7 percent said they would support a dog park in a larger communitywide park; and 28.3 percent said they'd support them in as many places as the city would provide them.

About 24.6 percent said they don't want a dog park in certain locations and 13.8 percent said they don't want a dog park anywhere in the city.

Survey respondents suggested several neighborhood parks where they'd like to see dog parks, including Allmendinger, Bader, Beckley, Buhr, Burns, Clinton, Dolph, Esch, Fritz, Hollywood, Hunt, Lansdowne, Maryfield, Miller, Northside, Sugarbush, Sunset, Veterans, Virginia, Waterworks, West, Wheeler, Wildwood, Winchell, Windemere, Wurster, among others.

A majority of respondents said they'd volunteer to do cleaning and landscaping at a dog parks; 45.1 percent said they'd help organize events and 33.2 percent said they'd help raise funds.

The survey also gauged support for designating specific times in portions of some city parks for "off-leash hours" where dogs could run off leash without fences; 40.1 percent said they supported that, 46.1 percent said they didn't support that, and 13.8 percent were unsure.

Survey respondents indicated that having to drive out to the two existing dog parks is an obstacle for them for various reasons — either because it's too far, they don't have a car, or their dog is fearful of car rides — but they would use a dog park closer to their home.

One person wrote "they are poorly located on the fringes of town" and "driving five miles to a dog park is silly." Another wrote: "I'd like to be able to walk to the park, not have to drive to the park."

One person offered a sarcastic response to a question asking what's nice about the existing dog parks: "Swift is great because it is right next to the city dump and a really long drive from downtown, where I live. I enjoy any excuse to drive in Ann Arbor traffic."

• Download the survey results

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.

Former Michigan goalie Shawn Hunwick, pictured above in his NHL debut for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012, announced his retirement from professional hockey on Monday, August 26.

AP photo

"I have made the difficult decision to stop playing. It's been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable memories," Hunwick posted on Twitter on Monday.

Hunwick will be an agent with Legacy Global Sports, the agency which represented him.

"We'd been, looking to fill that role for a while, since the spring and thought of Shawn in that period," said Hunwick's former agent and now colleague Alec Schall. "It’s a natural progression for some guys and Shawn has left good relationships all around the hockey world and that puts him at an advantage."

"Shawn will work with current clients who he is familiar with and move toward representing NHL players over time."

Shawn Hunwick received a surprise start at the Big Chill and never looked back at Michigan.

AnnArbor.com file photo

Hunwick has said multiple time in the past that expected to be a career backup in college and was perfectly fine with that.

But players leaving early and de-committing from Michigan, plus injuries to Bryan Hogan helped Hunwick get a chance to prove himself. He eventually became the starter, played in the national championship game and by his senior year was a captain and Hobey Baker finalist. He graduate as the Wolverines all-time leader in save percentage (.927) and goals against average (2.09) and in the top 10 for both wins and shutouts.

"His last two years at Michigan were the best of any goalie we've had at Michigan," said assistant coach Billy Powers.

Hunwick had an equally unlikely start to his professional career as he was called into backup duty for the NHL's Columbus Bluejackets at a moment's notice after injuries left the the club thin between the pipes. Outside of backup duty, his NHL playing career consisted of 153 seconds of on-ice time in the team's season finale.

Over the past year Hunwick played in Austria for a brief stint and for Columbus' minor league affiliates.

"Shawn has been around Ann Arbor a lot this summer, so we kind of had the sense he was leaning this way," Powers said. "We think of him as someone who easily could still be playing pro hockey, but it's not the easiest gig, especially with limited spots for a goalie, and not knowing where you’re going to be.

"I think that he had kind of moved around a little bit already so at some point the handwriting’s on the wall. Sounds like there was a business opportunity that was too good to pass up and that makes the decision easier."

Michigan coach Red Berenson has been know to tell players to give playing pro hockey a shot with the goal of playing in the NHL, but encourages them not to be "hockey bums" bouncing around the minor league ranks.

"That’s why you go to Michigan, so that when the career is coming to an end and the handwriting's on the wall, the Michigan degree gives you options and he’s found a way to get started in this business," Powers said.

Berenson and Hunwick were not available for comment.

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.

A 20-year-old Bloomfield Township man died when he was struck by a semi truck while reportedly walking across Interstate 94 in Van Buren Township Monday around 10:30 p.m., the Belleville View reports.

George Orley, a University of Michigan student, was pronounced dead at the scene by Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office investigators, the report said.

A witness told police Orley parked his vehicle on the right shoulder of the freeway, got out and attempted to walk across I-94 into oncoming traffic, according to the newspaper story.

The report indicates the Michigan State Police are still investigating the incident.

The U-M web directory, MCommunity, lists Orley as an undergraduate in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.

• Read the Belleville View 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.

Police investigate at a Superior Township residence where an 18-year-old woman was stabbed in the leg Tuesday.

Patrick Record | AnnArbor.com

A 23-year-old Superior Township man is in police custody following a stabbing at a townhouse on MacArthur Boulevard Tuesday morning.

The man was taken in for questioning about 1:30 p.m. after speaking with investigators on the phone and surrendering, said Derrick Jackson of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office.

Police did not say where the man was when taken into custody.

The 18-year-old woman who was stabbed in the leg was in stable condition at the hospital Tuesday afternoon, Jackson said.

Police were called to the 8700 block of MacArthur Boulevard just before noon after receiving a report of a woman being stabbed. Neighbors said they saw the woman sitting on the porch of the townhouse in a pool of blood.

When deputies arrived, the woman had been taken to the hospital and a male suspect was gone. It still wasn't clear Tuesday evening if the stabbing was intentional or accidental, according to Jackson.

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

Lincoln will open its 2013 football season Friday.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Lincoln jumped out to an early lead in the extended voting period for AnnArbor.com's first Game of the Week high school football poll, and led by quadruple digits most of the way through.

And the Railsplitters didn’t take a knee and run out the clock, accumulating another couple of hundreds votes on the final day to finish with an astounding 4,266 total votes when our poll closed at 6 p.m. Tuesday. That’s more than 57 percent of the total vote, and full 3,000 more than our second-place game, Milan vs. Ypsilanti.

As a result, Lincoln's 7 p.m. Friday game against Belleville has been named our first Game of the Week of the 2013-14 school year. That means we’ll be out there with multiple reporters and a photographer covering the game from every angle, plus holding a live chat.

The Railsplitters will look to return to the playoffs this year after barely missing it last year at 5-4. In 2011, they made the postseason for the first time in school history.

Lincoln and Belleville have opened the season against one another in each of the past two years, with Lincoln winning both.

Not a Lincoln fan? You’ve still got the rest of the year to get out the vote for your team, starting this Friday when our next poll opens. And starting tomorrow morning, we’ll be taking nominations as we select the five games that will appear on the poll.

Game of the Week chat participation

A reminder that in order to participate in the Game of the Week chats this year, users will need to sing up for MLive.com user accounts. This is separate from your AnnArbor.com user account, so be sure to get on it.

• MLive.com account registration