Six different players scored goals for the Dexter boys soccer team in its 7-2 Wednesday night win over Father Gabriel Richard.

Dexter’s Max Amman gets carried off the field by his teammates after his last game before flying back home to Germany.

Patrick Record | AnnArbor.com

The player the Dreadnaughts carried off the field afterward wasn’t one of them.

More Coverage: Boxscore | Photo Gallery

Max Amman, a senior starting midfielder, played in his final game for Dexter Wednesday. In a week, he will return to his native Germany after a one-year stay in the area while his family was here on business.

“It was a great team last year and it would be a great season this year,” Amman said. “We have a great team.”

Coming into Wednesday’s game, Amman had scored three of the Dreadnaughts’ five goals, and helped them get out to a 1-0-1 start to the year.

That included a game-tying goal with five seconds left Monday against Holt.

Dexter coach Scott Forrester said he tried to find Amman a spot on a college roster for next season and have him stay for his senior year, but wasn’t able to do so in time. That means the Dreadnaughts will be losing a player he said is one of the smartest he’s coached.

“Tactically, he reads the game so well,” Forrester said.

Amman will now return to Europe, where players are affiliated with clubs instead of schools. He said he’s gained an appreciation for the American school-based sports system during his year here.

“It makes the practice a lot different, you get close,” Amman said. "You have your soccer teammates in school too, you practice right after school, which is nice. You get close, and that’s why it will be so sad.”

But if Wednesday’s result is any indication, Dexter (2-0-1) figures to be a strong club even without him. The defending Division 2 state semifinalist flexed its muscle against one of the area’s better teams in Gabriel Richard, with four goals from four different players in the first half alone.

After the Dreadnaughts’ Cory Poirier opened the scoring seven minutes into the game with a goal off the rebound, Gabriel Richard answered two minutes later with an Eric Bauters goal off a rebound.

Dexter took control from there, scoring the next six goals of the game. It marked the second time in three games Dexter has scored three goals or more in the first half.

“It’s sort of how I like teams to play, high tempo, both pressuring with the ball offensively and pressuring defensively,” Forrester said.

Thomas Canfield was the lone multi-goal scorer for Dexter -- his first came midway through the second half, when a long crossing pass deflected off a Father Gabriel Richard defenseman’s head and into the net.

Slava Yuhasz, Jake Rayer, Andrew Foghel and Luke Bazick also scored for Dexter. Joe Stolarski scored the other Gabriel Richard goal.

For the Fighting Irish, the loss continued what’s been up an up-and-down opening week. On Saturday, Gabriel Richard went 3-0 at the Kalamazoo Hackett tournament, and won the title with a shootout win over defending Division 3 state runner-up Williamston.

But the Irish opened their Catholic League slate Tuesday with a 1-0 loss to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, and now stand at 3-2 on the season.

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.

Dexter scored four first-half goals and topped Father Gabriel Richard, 7-2, Friday night at Gabriel Richard High School.

Patrick Record is a photographer for AnnArbor.com

Welcome students! Whether you are a freshman or a returning student, Ann Arbor and the surrounding area welcomes you. Do not worry, I warned all the locals that you were coming last week and they are ready to enrich your total educational experience while you are residing with us. There are, however, a few things you should remember as you embark on what may be the most fun, memorable and, relatively speaking, carefree years of your life.

A bin filled with a student's belongings sits outside East Quad during a fire alarm on move-in day, August 28.

Brianne Bowen | AnnArbor.com

There is bound to be a street-closing party on Arbor, Oakland or Greenwood streets and at various other locations surrounding Central Campus. The University of Michigan Central Campus is the area around “The Diag”—you there, freshman in the back playing with your iPhone, you have got a lot to learn while you are here including the local lingo that the hundreds of thousands of students who came before you planted on Ann Arbor and “the U” over the years, so pay attention.

At those huge parties and on the streets around such large gatherings you are bound to meet my brothers and sisters in blue. The Ann Arbor Police Department, where I proudly served for almost 27 years, and the University of Michigan Police Department are your friends and are there to help you, when you need it, 24/7 and 365 days a year.

The blue lights around the downtown and campus areas, are emergency phones in case you or someone else needs immediate police, fire or medical response and your cellphone battery is dead or, heaven forbid, you left it lying around unattended and it was stolen.

Should the police make contact with you, instead of you calling them, please listen to what they are telling you. They have done this before and know of what they are speaking. Pay attention, do as the officer says and things will go much more smoothly.

Do not try to be barley beverage bolstered Clarence Darrow or Oliver Wendell Holmes on the streets. You may think you know the law, but I promise you the men and women with badges on their chests know it better and their minds are not dulled by the brain-cell inhibiting effects of alcohol, other chemicals or “medicines.” Instead of embarking on the greatest legal speech or tirade about constitutional law that you will ever live to regret—just go along with the officer’s program.

If you do not do what the usually kind officer tells you to do, you run the risk of ticket or “code violation” or worse yet “legal jewelry” also known as—or “a.k.a.” in police abbreviation—handcuffs. If your particular brand of partying, defiance, civil protest, criminal or drunken behavior has placed you in handcuffs, please remember not to twist your wrists.

Handcuffs are made of case hardened steel in most cases. The opening your wrists fit into is oval shaped, like your wrist. If you try to twist your wrist in the handcuff, it will feel like the officer pushed a magical electronic button to torture your wrist bones when the officer has done nothing.

Again the handcuff opening is oval or elliptical shaped not round and circular. If you are having problems understanding the difference in those shapes, perhaps you could ask the engineering student down the hall to explain or attend the office hours of some “TA”—that’s teaching assistant, freshman…learn the lingo, dude—in the “Med Sci”—Medical Science—building.

The TA might even be able to show you the elliptical nature of the wrist on a real human cadaver—how cool is that? This isn’t the frog or worm dissections from Mrs. Brock’s high school biology class, Skippy. Nope, this is a world-class university gross human anatomy lab my friend and that cadaver was a real live walking talking human being a short time ago.

Incidentally Mrs. Brock was not only a great Ann Arbor Public Schools biology teacher and my biology teacher, but also a valued Ann Arbor Police Department volunteer for many years. Thanks Mrs. Brock. You, “Hoby Jack,” Ro and the rest of the volunteers ROCK!

At any rate, students, you do not want to find yourself in handcuffs or with a criminal record when you leave Ann Arbor, as that will adversely affect your ability to use your diploma and get a job. So here are a few things you should remember.

There is no problem that you will encounter, while here in college, that some other student has not had before. If you have a problem, reach out and get help. The university provides a number of counseling services for any kind of issue you might encounter. Check them out online or call the United Way 2-1-1 telephone line, for help figuring out who to call for help.

Problems usually do not just go away—catch problems while they are small, before they become overwhelming.

Students: remember handheld electronic devices or small valuable items are common targets for thieves. Stolen Apple products, for instance, are worth $100 in the dope house. So in regard to your valuables…Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware and watch out for your neighbors…you will hopefully see that again.

Even though this is America and you have the right to go almost anywhere you want when you want to…walk in groups at night for safety's sake.

The legal drinking age is 21 in the State of Michigan. A minor in possession—“MIP”—of alcohol violation is a misdemeanor.

Possession of marijuana, without a medical marijuana card, is a civil infraction and $25 fine if you get caught by the Ann Arbor Police. If any other police agency catches you, in like circumstances, it is a misdemeanor violation.

Possession of uncapped alcohol on the streets or consuming alcohol in public are both against city ordinance.

If you are having a noisy party, do not think the police are just going to go away if you fail to open the door when they knock. The police have experienced this before and have fill-in-the-blank search warrants and judges on board to sign them. Open the door or it may come flying off the hinges, while your sound amplification equipment and party favors find their way to the Ann Arbor Police Department property room as evidence—and everyone underage and drinking at the party is going home with an MIP ticket. If you are drinking mixed drinks at a party, use caution. Those drinks are about 90 percent alcohol and that can lead to serious lapses in judgment, unconsciousness and even death. Ladies, please be especially careful in this regard, because many of the sexual assaults in the city are “acquaintance” or “date rape” situations that involve excessive alcohol or drug consumption.

Please use the trash receptacles around town. Do not litter our streets and sidewalks with Solo cups.

Ann Arbor is called the “City of Trees.” The trees, bushes, shrubs and grass in the city do not need watering; so do not confuse them with a urinal.

Finally, remember your college years are something really special and will make memories to last a lifetime. Make sure those are fond memories and welcome to a great community.

Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com.

Any way you look at it, “Run Lola Run” is one wild ride.

The 1998 German thriller is next up in the Michigan Theater’s Summer Classics series Sunday and Tuesday.

In “Lola,” the main character (Moritz Bleibtreu), handled a smuggling job, delivered the loot, collected the payment but left the money bag on the subway. He now has 20 minutes to gather 100,000 deutsche marks or face the wrath of his boss, crimester Ronnie (Heino Ferch).

Desperate, Manni phones his girlfriend Lola (Franka Potente), who immediately runs through Berlin’s streets to the bank run by her father. He says no, and when Lola goes to meet Manni, he’s holding up a supermarket and she’s shot by the cops.

In a device familiar to readers of Ken Grimwood’s novel “Replay,” the story begins anew with different outcomes. In one version, Lola robs the bank and takes her father hostage; in another, there’s casino cash to be won.

All Lola-Manni scenes were shot in 35mm, while scenes without them were shot in video. Other cinematic techniques on display include whip pans, jump cuts, slow and fast motion, split-screen, intercut color and black and white, segment titles, and animation.

Will Lola make it with the money? Let’s just say the clock keeps ticking.

Summer Classics film series presents “Run Lola Run” at the Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty St., Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Sept., 3 at 7: p.m. Admission is $10 (with discounts for students, seniors & theater members). Details at www.michtheater.org or 734-668-8397. Advance tickets at ticketweb.com. 80 minutes. Rated R.

Charlotte Hildebrandt, 6, learns Anglo-American dance with her family and others at the 2012 Dancing in the Streets Festival.

The annual community dance event returns to portions of Main Street and Washington Street on Sept. 1, from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Get there early to see an opening performance from 1:30 to 2 p.m., and stay late for a closing performance from 6:15 to 7 p.m.

Dance groups and musicians will perform for the crowd, dance instructors and performers will teach dances, and the general public is more than highly encouraged to participate; the main point of the event is to engage the crowd.

With four stages featuring different kinds of traditional dance and music, "Dancing in the Streets" is an opportunity to experience lots of different genres in a single event.

"This is our way to introduce all kinds of traditional dance and music to the community" said Mark Hillegonds on behalf of Ann Arbor Community of Traditional Music and Dance.

The high level of crowd participation makes "Dancing in the Streets" a unique event. It's an experience much different from watching dancers on a stage from a seat in the audience. Instead, people experience the dance forms for themselves.

Members of the group Unveiled perform at the 2012 Dancing in the Streets Festival.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

AACTMAD holds dance events and concerts throughout the year, but "Dancing in the Streets" is special. Held downtown, outside in the summer time, the event engages a large number of people from the general public.

"We have a Swing Dance Stage, which is a combination of performances and opportunities for people to learn. Susan Filipiak, who has a local studio (Swing City Dance Studio), is teaching a few different kinds of swing, and Ann Arbor Ballroom will be teaching ballroom," said Hillegonds, who booked activities for three of the four stages. The swing area will also feature a jazz performance by five miles more.

"On the International Stage, we are doing Middle Eastern dancing, belly dancing, Balkan, and Cajun. We always try something new each year. This year, we have the Hoaluha Polynesian Dancers, who will be performing and teaching hula," he explains.

"On what we call our Anglo-American Stage, we've got a new Charleston workshop with local instructor Colette Kenville," Hillegonds says. The area will also feature contra, waltz and English country dance.

"Then we have a Concert Stage (booked by Joan Hellmann), which is primarily performances," he explains. It is a spot where people can sit and watch. And if inspired, the crowd can always feel free to get up and dance.

Kids' activities have ended up being popular with adults, too. Hillegonds has noticed that "adults play in the 'Instrument Petting Zone' as much as the kids do. It's a chance for people and their kids to spend time with an instrument, pick something up that you haven't played before. It's a really cool area," he says. The event will also feature street chalk and crafts for kids.

Schedule by stage:

1:30 - 2:00, Opening Performance by Plymouth Fife and Drum Crops

Swing Dance Area (West Washington Stage) 2:00 - 3:00, Ballroom Workshop with Ann Arbor Ballroom; 3:00 - 5:15, two different Swing Workshops with Susan Filipiak and music by II-V-I Orchestra; 5:30 - 6:30, Jazz music by five miles more.

International Folk Dance Area (North Main Stage): 2:00 - 2:45, Middle Eastern Dance with Troupe Ta'amullat; 2:55 - 3:40, International Folk Dance with Drake Meadow and music by Veselba; 3:50 - 4:35, Polynesian Dance with Hoaluha Polynesian Dancers and music by Motor City Ukes; 4:45 - 5:30, Belly Dancing with Unveiled Bellydance; 5:30 - 6:30, Cajun Dance Workshop with Susan Filipiak and music by Creole du Nord.

Anglo-American Dance Area (East Washington Stage): 2:00 - 3:00, Contra Dance Workshop with Reuven AnafShalom and music by Pittsfield Open Band; 3:15 - 4:00, Waltz Workshop with Louise Tamres and music by Susie Lorand, Debbie Jackson and Alex Belhaj; 4:15 - 5:15, English Country Dance with Bob Messer and music by Betsy Foote, Susan Lazar and Debbie Jackson; 5:30 - 6:30, Charleston Workshop with Colette Kenville.

Concert Area (South Main Stage): 2:15 - 3:00, The Millers; 3:15 - 4:00, Kathy Wieland and Judy Insley; 4:15 - 5:00, Bruce Sagan and Brad Battey; 5:15 - 6:00, Laz Slomovits, Jeanne Mackey, Tom Voiles and Linda Teaman.

6:15 - 7:00, Closing Performance by Kidz Klez

Ypsilanti Community High School English teacher Amanda McMurray staples a poster into place as she arranges her classroom on Wednesday, August 28, 2013.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Not only is it the first day of classes for the 2013-14 school year, but it's also the first time the brand new district will house students from the merged former rival high schools.

The gold and black colors of the district — as well as the Grizzly mascot — have made their debut in the Ypsilanti community. Now, it’s up to the students to make the new school identity their own.

On Wednesday morning, Ypsilanti Community High School at 2095 Packard Road was a flurry of activity in the steamy humidity of late summer. Students streamed in and out of the front door to register for classes, while teachers arranged their rooms and finalized lesson plans.

Staff have been working to paint over the purple and Phoenix mascots of the former Ypsilanti High School — though lockers remain a solid purple throughout the building.

The fresh start for the newly created school district comes with the addition of new staff, including a new principal for Ypsilanti Community High School, Justin Jennings.

Justin Jennings

Courtesy

Jennings said his newness to the area will help him be forward-thinking because he's not familiar with the former rivalry between Ypsilanti and Willow Run—though he’s noticed strong ingrained allegiances among some adults in the community that he’s met.

Working to develop a new culture for Ypsilanti Community High School has been one of his primary objectives in his first three weeks as principal. Jennings has helped to oversee the merger of two districts in the recent past—Union High School and Grand Rapids Central in Grand Rapids.

“What we saw (in Grand Rapids) was the students being resilient and the adults not,” Jennings said. “(The students) took right to it.”

Jennings said that students will adapt to the merger and new school identity faster and easier than the community may expect.

“I don’t think it’s as big a deal as what adults think,” Jennings said in an interview with AnnArbor.com Wednesday morning.

For students who played sports at Ypsilanti and Willow Run high schools, Jennings said adopting the new identity of a Grizzly won’t be that difficult if their new teams are successful.

“Winning cures all,” Jennings said, smiling. “A top-notch athletic team will cure that.”

Administrators and teachers have created a completely new structure for classes and programs in the high schools that they hope intuitively will foster engaged students.

All students in Ypsilanti Community Schools will be in a small learning community that they choose. At YCHS, those programs include the STEMM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Manufacturing—Academy, and University High School, which tailors electives to the arts, humanities and logistics.

Teachers are excited about the kinds of engaged learning built in to the programs that has been shown to foster better performance from students. The merger of the two former districts by nature has created a larger student population for the new district—which means there’s a greater number and variety of course offerings.

For example, Willow Run schools were unable to offer calculus classes because there weren’t enough students that chose to enroll in the classes. Ypsilanti Community Schools is now able to offer calculus.

Scott Heister and Pam Vincent are small learning community leaders at YCHS. Heister, an engineering sciences and robotics teacher, leads the STEMM program, and Vincent, an English teacher, leads the University program.

Vincent comes to YCHS after 10 years at Ypsilanti High School, and Heister has taught for more than 20 years at Willow Run High School.

The programs in the new district will mean closer contact between teachers and students. In the STEMM program, Heister said every teacher will know every student by name and be able to greet them in the hallways—something Heister said doesn’t happen at Ann Arbor’s Huron High School where his son goes to school.

“Our goal is for every student to be involved with something after school,” Vincent said.

Teachers in the new YCS district come from both the former Ypsilanti and Willow Run districts, as well as from outside the former districts.

This is the first year in Ypsilanti for Kim Garber, an engineering and manufacturing teacher that works in the STEMM program. She previously worked for 23 years as an engineer with Ford Motor Company and for three years at Kensington High School.

“The staff (YCS) has hired is wonderful,” Garber said, noting that the team building activities that teachers have gone through in the past three weeks have helped build good bonds between teachers before the students arrive.

From her experience in the district so far, Garber said she feels the animosity between the former rival students is gone and anticipates that students will work well together this year.

Heister and Vincent echoed the sentiments of the principal regarding students being more resilient to the changing culture of the new district than adults in the community.

The former Ypsilanti-Willow Run rivalry is something Heister said he doesn’t believe will be a big issue in the classroom and that he won’t allow it to be a big issue.

“We’re luckier than every other school district in the state because we get to push the reset button,” Heister said.

Cultural traditions in both of the former school districts that hindered academic progress have been omitted, Heister said.

Keeping the pride of academic and athletic accomplishments gained at Ypsilanti and Willow Run schools, however, will be a priority, Jennings said. Trophy cases in the front lobby will feature awards from the old schools, and wearing varsity jackets from the former schools won’t be discouraged, Vincent said.

Jennings said community involvement in the schools and its athletic programs will be a key piece to the district’s success.

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

Saline is one of two Washtenaw County teams playing against Canadian teams in Week 1.

And when it comes to high school football, it’s an outright monopoly, right?

Then what in the name of Wayne Gretzky are two of Washtenaw County’s 12 high school football teams doing playing Canadian teams in their Week 1 openers? Saline is hosting A.B. Lucas Secondary School, a team from London, Ontario, and Huron is hosting Vincent Massey Secondary School, a team from just across the tunnel in Windsor.

We’ll get to year three of the “Beat Pete” picks in a minute, first let me try and wrap my head around this Canadian invasion.

I went college…er University in Canada, so it is with a certain amount of shame that I admit to being very familiar with the rules of Canadian football. There are 12 players to a side, which actually isn’t that ridiculous considering the field is roughly a kilometer long and wide with an end zone the size of Newfoundland. Said end zone has the uprights in the front.

That’s not a typo. A 20-meter post route in which the goalpost is used for a basketball-style pick is feasible GOAL LINE play in Canadian football.

Cue the Yackety Sax.

Like arena football, receivers are allowed running starts before the snap, and like the third circle of hell, there are only three downs.

There’s also a peculiar way to score a single point, known as a “rouge” in the Great White North. If the ball is kicked out of the end zone - be it on a punt, field goal attempt or kickoff - a team is awarded a rouge. This means no touchbacks.

Here is a brief rouge tutorial:

In 2003, Adrian played a Canadian team in its opener and a player - apparently very excited at the prospect of a touchback - ran backwards into the end zone and downed the ball thinking he would be awarded with a free trip to the 20-yard line.

Here is the Adrian Daily Telegram’s description of that ridiculous series of events from the August 30, 2003 edition. Thank you to our friends at the Telegram for passing this along and thank you to my younger brother for remembering reading this article like it was yesterday:

“The Lions’ unfamiliarity with American football came into play on the ensuing kickoff as their return man fielded the ball at the two, but went back into the end zone and downed the ball for a safety.”

Accidental safeties and third down punts aside, Saline coach Joe Palka explained that A.B. Lucas is somewhat of an Ontario powerhouse - Stanford tight end Alex Frkovic is a notable alumnus. Just as teams in weak conferences seek out challenges for their nonconference schedule here on the correct side of the Detroit River, Lucas tries to play an American squad every year.

“They won’t play good teams during the regular season, so their coach tries to prepare them for the playoffs by playing an American team early,” said Palka, whose Toledo Whitmer team played Lucas in 2011.

“In 2011, I thought they would have been in the upper half of our conference,” Palka said.

While Palka said he’s entertained the thought of making a trip to Ontario for a scrimmage under Canadian rules, both sides would rather the actual games be played in the good ole U-S of-A. This is because Canadian high schools often play their games right after school in broad daylight with little to no fan fare.

Just how Benedict Arnold would have envisioned it.

“We try to get as many home games as we can, and they want to get that Friday night experience,” said Palka.

Now that we know exactly why all these Canadians will be in our midst this weekend, let’s get started with this week’s “Beat Pete” picks.

Remember to visit AnnArbor.com where you can make your own predictions and try to “Beat Pete.” Those who actually “Beat Pete” will be recognized in next week’s edition. One winner will be selected at random to receive a prize. Still working on what that prize will be, but trust me…it will be sweet.

Be sure to get your picks in early this week as there are several Thursday night games on the schedule.

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

The future site of the Family dollar at the Park Street and Michigan Avenue intersection.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

A proposed Family Dollar store is slated to be the Water Street site's first building and city officials have expressed an interest in making sure it's a model for future development.

With that in mind, the Ypsilanti Planning Commission Wednesday night unanimously approved delaying voting on a site plan and rezoning recommendation while the design details are worked out.

The issues will be back before the Planning Commission at its next regular meeting on Sept. 18.

Commissioner Richard Murphy proposed postponing the vote after an hour and a half of discussion over the project's design. He noted the site plan put in front of the commissioners came with more than 20 recommended changes suggested by City Planner Teresa Gillotti, which far exceeds the norm.

"We usually don’t take action on site plans with more than 10 conditions, and we wouldn't know what we’re approving if we took action. So I'm inclined to postpone this for a month so (Gillotti) and the applicant can wrinkle out things," Murphy said.

The commission was considering the project’s site plans and a request to rezone Family Dollar's property from B4, general business and entryway overlay to a planned unit development. The Planning Commission votes on whether or not to recommend that City Council approve the plans and rezoning.

Among the concerns are the addition of windows, landscaping questions, reduction of the number of parking spots, addition of a knee wall, questions over window shading and more.

Over the objection of many residents and business owners, Council approved the purchase agreement for the $1.2 million project on May 7. Family Dollar will pay the city $210,000 for the land, and Morning Star, one of Family Dollar’s developing partners, is proposing to construct an 8,320-square-foot store.

The store will be built at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Park Street in Water Street’s northeast corner, and a new section of Lincoln Street will extend from north to south just west of the building and south of Michigan Avenue.

The city assembled the Water Street property years ago in the hope of spurring development of a mix of businesses and residential units, but the projects never materialized and the property has sat vacant for years.

At the discussion's outset Wednesday night, Gillotti underscored that the design for the property is particularly important because it's Water Street’s first development and will set precedent for future development on the 38-acre site.

“It’s the first corner, and it will impact what happens to the south, so we set it up as the template, if you will, at least for this part of Water Street,” Gillotti said.

The city is aiming for a more “urban” feel with easy accessibility for pedestrians on both sides of the building facing streets. The city is also requiring a small parking lot, a building set close to Michigan Avenue, bike racks, wide sidewalks, eliminating a berm on Michigan Avenue, "street trees" and more.

One of the sticking points between the Planning Commission and the developer was the northeast corner of the .81-acre parcel Family Dollar owns. The building will be set on the property's west side and the parking lot will be on the east.

Chairman Rod Johnson said he would prefer to eliminate several parking spots because they are in the corner of the Water Street property.

Josh Allen, a representative from Morning Star, said he wasn’t comfortable eliminating the two spots closest to the store's entrance.

“That’s the corner of the Water Street entryway, the power corner, and we need to make a statement more than 'ease of entryway to a store,'” Johnson said. “I would still want to consider beefing up that corner because that’s the signature corner of the whole entire Water Street.”

Commissioner Cheryl Zuellig suggested a short screen wall, which Murphy said was favorable to eliminating two parking spots, which he didn’t think would have much of an impact on the corner.

Despite some disagreements, Johnson said he was confident the issues could be resolved.

"The devil can be in the details; I don’t think they're here. I think we can smooth these out," he said.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com. Contact the news desk at news@anarbor.com or 734-623-2572.

From left to right, Washtenaw County Commissioner Yousef Rabhi and immigration reform activists Javier Contreras and Ola Kaso at a Wednesday night panel discussion inside the Michigan Union.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"We are working with the clerk's office to make that happen. This could be big for us," County Board Chairman Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, said Wednesday night during a panel discussion on immigration reform at the University of Michigan.

"We're kind of tired of waiting on the state, we're tired of waiting on the federal government, and we're looking at actions that we can take right here in Washtenaw County to change the way things are going — especially for immigrants," he said.

"Congress came close to passing a reform bill in 2007, but it just couldn't get it done," said U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn. "We appear to be in a somewhat similar situation today."

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

The forum was hosted by the Washtenaw County chapter of Organizing For Action.

U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, gave a keynote address, calling the U.S. immigration system broken and in need of reform.

He cited estimates that somewhere between 11 million and 15 million unauthorized immigrants are in the country, and he said they should be able to earn their way to citizenship.

Rabhi said the lack of a government-issued ID card prevents unauthorized immigrants from accessing a variety of basic services — everything from signing up for perks at a local grocery store to opening a bank account — and it leaves them in fear of getting pulled over without ID.

If an unauthorized immigrant is pulled over for speeding in the future and is able to show a Washtenaw County ID, Rabhi said, that person wouldn't necessarily be detained.

"Because they'd be able to provide proof that they are, in fact, a resident of Washtenaw County, and say, 'This is who I am and here's my picture,' " he said.

Rabhi said unauthorized immigrants aren't the only people who would benefit from a local ID program — it also could help out homeless people and transgender people.

"If you get an ID right now from the state, you're either a male or you're a female, and we want to make sure we're inclusive to everybody," he said of how it could help transgender people.

Rabhi said county officials still are in discussions about some security issues and how to establish identities in a way that's legal.

"I'm confident we'll find a solution that will work for our community," he said. "Hopefully the capital costs will be minimal and the cards will come with a small fee."

Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, said he's worked with Tlaib, D-Detroit, to introduce legislation aimed at making Michigan a more welcoming place for immigrants.

State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, spoke about creating "a culture here in America of acceptance — of love really, rather than hate and fear."

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Tlaib is the chief sponsor of a bill that would establish an Office of Immigration Integration to help coordinate resources and services for aspiring citizens, students and investors.

Tlaib, who has a background as an immigration attorney, said she and her peers wanted to bring forward legislation that fits with Gov. Rick Snyder's message that welcoming more immigrants into the state is one of the keys to driving economic growth and creating jobs in Michigan.

"Having an Office of Immigration Integration where somebody could pick up the phone and call a department within the state of Michigan's system, I think, really will stand out," she said.

Irwin is the chief sponsor of a bill that he calls a "state-level Dream Act," which would provide in-state college tuition for unauthorized immigrants in Michigan. He gave credit to the University of Michigan for taking steps in that direction recently.

The lawmakers also are pushing for getting driver's licenses and state ID cards in the hands of unauthorized immigrants in Michigan.

The Michigan Department of State was required by federal officials earlier this year to begin issuing driver's licenses to DACA — or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — participants.

Contreras, a recent Skyline High School graduate who came to the U.S. from Mexico with his family at age 4, talked about growing up as an unauthorized immigrant.

State Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, is the chief sponsor of a bill that would establish an Office of Immigration Integration to help coordinate resources and services for aspiring citizens, students and investors.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

He wasn't able to get a driver's license until recently. And unable to apply for student loans, he wonders if he'll ever achieve his dream of going to U-M.

"With immigration reform passing, I could finally get a bank loan, I could get federal aid," he said. "I can't sign up for FAFSA right now."

AnnArbor.com reported earlier this year that Contreras and his brother, Jose, have two-year full-ride scholarships to Washtenaw Community College.

Kaso, who was born in Albania, told her story of coming to the U.S. with her family when she was 5. At first, she couldn't speak a word of English, she said.

She eventually became proficient in English, excelled in her studies, and devoted herself to community service projects, but her immigration status threatened her future.

Two months before her high school graduation, she was spontaneously detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"I was led into the basement of the ICE office and handcuffed to a chair in the hallway for six hours," she said. "I was an 18-year-old honors student set to graduate in two months."

She was released and told she would be deported within a week — back to Albania, a place she could barely remember — but her community rallied to delay her deportation.

She's now a junior at U-M, studying biomedical engineering on the pre-med track — with aspirations of becoming a surgical oncologist.

Even now, two years after almost being deported, her future remains in limbo. She said she can't apply to medical schools because she's not a U.S. citizen.

"I'm an American in every respect," she said. "When I think of home, I think of Sterling Heights, Mich. When I think about my country, I think about the United States of America.

"However, under current law, there's no way for me to become a U.S. citizen," she said. "Make no mistake about it, our immigration system is broken."

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 new 48-foot-wide video marquee outside the Big House, pictured here on August 28, is just one of the several changes that will greet Michigan fans during the season's first home game Saturday.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

It's officially football season again in Ann Arbor.

That means tailgating will be in full swing this fall, tens of thousands of fans will descend upon the Big House on Saturdays beginning this weekend and Ann Arborites will be indistinguishable in a sea of maize and blue.

But included in the mix are some things fans might not be used to: a 48-foot-wide video marquee outside Michigan Stadium, a brighter bowl due to a $6 million stadium paint job and a very long line outside the stadium as University of Michigan students jockey for the best seats under the venue's new general admission seating policy.

Michigan Stadium will also be hosting it second-ever night game when the Wolverines play Notre Dame on Sept. 7.

Here's a look at seven changes you can expect at the stadium and on football Saturdays this fall.

1) General admission seating in the student section

Michigan for the first year is adopting a general admission seating policy, as opposed to the school's historic practice of seating students based on seniority. The change means that seniors and juniors aren't guaranteed student section seats near the action, as they were before. Now they'll have to get to the stadium early to secure a seat near the field or at the 30-yard line.

The policy changed to encourage early attendance to games so the stadium is full and the Wolverines have a home field advantage. Last year, the student section averaged a 25 percent no-show rate at home games, up from 21 percent the year before. On average about 50 percent of the student section was present during kickoff, according to Hunter Lochman, a senior associate athletic director in charge of the department's marketing efforts.

"The straw that broke the camel's back was probably the Northwestern game last November. We were fighting for the division lead and you looked up at kickoff and it was 50 percent full, which was disappointing," he said.

"We knew we had to try something new."

2) Main Street closure

It will be a lot easier for pedestrians to walk around the stadium on game day, but more difficult for motorists to navigate around the city. That's because the Ann Arbor City Council agreed to close South Main Street — from Stadium Boulevard to Pauline Boulevard — during and before home games.

The northbound lane on Main will be closed three hours before the games until the games end; the southbound lane will be closed an hour before the game starts and during the game. Residents who live along the affected stretch of Main and fans who pay to park in residential yards will be allowed to access properties along Main.

Traffic will be detoured using Pauline and Seventh Street.

The council approved the closures in a 7-4 vote. The university will reimburse the city for additional police presence required to enforce the closures.

"It's to help better ensure the safety and security of patrons as well as surrounding neighborhoods," Jim Kosteva, the school's community relations director, said in July, adding that U-M officials think the measure will "reduce the potential for vehicle-borne attacks."

3) A 48-foot wide marquee

Wondering what the oversized flatscreen is doing outside Michigan Stadium?

With a $2.8-million price tag, the marquee was installed over the spring and summer. The audio-capable board, which is visible from Stadium Boulevard, stands 21 feet above the ground and is 27 feet tall and 48 feet wide. U-M plans to use the board to promote athletic department events and live stream warm-ups and game plays during the game.

4) A line and chute system for student entry

If students want a premium seat, they'll have to show up early— especially for big events like the upcoming Notre Dame night game. For noon and 3:30 p.m. kickoffs, the athletic department is allowing students to begin lining up at 7 a.m. in a queue that will run from stadium Lot SC 2, head north on Greene Street and spill over onto East Hoover Avenue if necessary. Students can start getting in line at 11 a.m. the day of the Notre Dame night game.

Students will not be allowed to camp out overnight prior to the day of a game.

The student section in Michigan Stadium will have general admission seating this year.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com file

The athletic department plans to have portable bathrooms in place for students in line. There will also be a DJ, cellphone-charging stations, water stations and free food. The department is hoping to create a fan experience in the line because, as Lochman puts it, "we're fighting with 60-inch TVs and kids sitting at home pre-gaming."

U-M officials aren't allowing alcohol consumption in line. The athletic department hired a security firm to help U-M police monitor the line and enforce the no alcohol rule. Lt. Renee Bush said the Ann Arbor Police Department is not making any special plans for policing the area where students will be lining up.

About four hours before kickoff, the first 3,000 students in line will be given wristbands that allow them into the first 22 rows of the student section. The rows will be divided into four chutes, with each chute labeled a letter of coach Brady Hoke's last name. Students are allowed to pick their section until each chute is full.

Students will be let into the stadium three hours before kickoff— an hour earlier than other fans.

Getting in line will likely guarantee a student a premium seat, but it might not be necessary in order to nab one.

"One of the biggest issues we faced when we announced [the general admission seating policy] were the irate upperclassman or parents of upperclassmen who said, 'Now my kids have to wait all day in line to get a decent seat.' I disagree with that because a decent seat is in the eye of the beholder," Lochman said. "You might be able to show up half an hour before kickoff and still get a seat right at the 30-yard line."

The athletic department is launching a website to help guide students through the game day process. The website will have a webcam on which students can watch a live feed of the general admission queue. The website, which is still under construction, will also include a ticket marketplace where students can communicate about selling and buying individual student tickets.

5) A smaller student section

The student section this year includes about 20,000 students — or 2,000 fewer than the previous year. The smaller student section led the athletic department to open up 2,000 seats at the back of the section to non-student ticket holders.

Main Street near Michigan Stadium will be closed during home football games.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Student ticket prices rose 23 percent per game this year due to a $7.50 per-game increase that will be funneled to gym renovations. Michigan plays seven home games this year, one more than last year. The price, coupled with the new student seating policy, likely contributed to the decline in tickets.

The schedule could also have a bearing on student interest, although this year home games include the school's second-ever night game and the Ohio State game.

"Depending upon what your home schedule looks like, sometimes that will dictate the ebb and flow of demand," Dave Ablauf, the department's associate athletic director in charge of marketing, said.

6) A newly painted stadium bowl

It cost the Michigan athletic department $6 million, used 3,500 gallons of paint and took 50 workers to complete — but the iconic Big House now has a fresh coat of paint. Crews blasted the old paint off and applied new paint using airless spray pumps.

The result? A brighter, newer-looking Michigan Stadium.

7) A looser student loyalty program

Last fall Michigan launched its HAIL student loyalty program. The intent was to reward students who regularly attend U-M sporting events, giving them loyalty points for attending non-revenue sports or for getting to revenue sports on time.

For example, students had to get to home football games 20 minutes before kickoff and stay for the duration of the game to receive the maximum loyalty points for attending that game. Students' location was tracked using an app on their smartphones.

This year, however, students will get points for simply having their ticket scanned — regardless of when they come or leave. The change is largely due to connectivity issues at the stadium. With more than 110,000 fans filtering in and out of the stadium on game days, cellphone reception is unreliable.

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

In “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” Bob (Casey Affleck) and Ruth (Rooney Mara), an impassioned young outlaw couple on an extended crime spree, are finally apprehended by lawmen after a shootout in the Texas hills. Although Ruth wounds a local officer, Bob takes the blame. But 4 years later, Bob escapes from prison and sets out to find Ruth and their daughter, born during his incarceration. Set against the backdrop of 1970's Texas Hill Country, director David Lowery paints a poetic picture, evoking the mythology of westerns and saturating the dramatic space with an aching sense of loss. Cinetopia Festival programmer Brian Hunter saw the film at Sundance and says the film “recalls the intimate beauty of Terrence Malick with a performance from Rooney Mara that will leave you spellbound.” “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” opens Friday at the Michigan Theater.

“The Spectacular Now” is the story of high school senior Sutter (Miles Teller), an effortless charmer and self-proclaimed “life of the party” - and of how he unexpectedly falls in love with “nice girl” Aimee (Shailene Woodley). While Aimee dreams of the future, Sutter lives in the now. And yet somehow, they’re drawn together. What starts as an unlikely romance becomes a sharp-eyed, straight-up snapshot of the heady confusion and haunting passion of youth - one that doesn’t look for tidy truths. “The Spectacular Now” opened Wednesday at the State Theatre.

Opening at the Multiplex

Teen pop sensations One Direction get their turn at a documentary with “One Direction: This Is Us,” an intimate all-access look at life on the road for the global music phenomenon. Weaved with live concert footage, the film tells the story of Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry and Louis' meteoric rise to fame, from their humble hometown beginnings and competing on the X-Factor, to conquering the world and performing at London's famed O2 Arena. “One Direction: This Is Us” opens Friday.

In “Getaway,” Brent (Ethan Hawke) is a burned out race car driver who is thrust into a do-or-die mission behind the wheel when his wife is kidnapped. With Brent's only ally being a young hacker (Selena Gomez), his one hope of saving his wife is to follow the orders of the mysterious voice (Jon Voight) who's watching his every move through cameras mounted on the car Brent's driving. “Getaway” opens Friday.

In "Closed Circuit," a high-profile terrorism case unexpectedly binds together two ex-lovers (Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall) on the defense team, testing the limits of their loyalties and placing their lives in jeopardy. After a busy London market is decimated by an explosion, only one member of the suspected terrorist cell survives, and he’s soon arrested and jailed. Preparations begin for what promises to be the trial of the century. But there's a hitch: the government will use classified evidence to prosecute him - evidence so secret that neither the suspected terrorist nor his lawyers can be allowed to see it. “Closed Circuit” opens today!

Special Screenings Downtown

The Michigan Theater is proud to present R. Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet” as a special sing-a-long! This action-packed, fully interactive show features a “Dance Party Warm-Up,” sing-a-long subtitles, interactive props, and an encore song at the end of the show to leave the audience dancing. A must see! “Trapped in the Closet” plays tonight at 10 p.m.

“Casablanca,” the ultimate film classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, plays the Michigan Theater for its annual beginning of the semester screening on Monday, September 2 at 7 p.m. This screening is free for all students with a valid student ID.

Credited with inventing the genre of the modern horror film, “Psycho” has had its share of sequels and imitators, none of which diminishes the achievement of this shocking and complex thriller. Alfred Hitchcock's signature choreography of cinematic elements, featuring Anthony Perkins' haunting characterization of lonely motel keeper Norman Bates controlled by his recluse mother, has never been equaled. Psycho” plays Thursday, September 5 at 10 p.m.

“Run Lola Run” is as high on action as it is on concept, a film that deftly touches on the notion of cause and effect. Lola (in a star-making performance from Franka Potente) maneuvers her way through the streets of Berlin and through three varying, but wholly intertwined, scenarios in an attempt to rescue her boyfriend from his own seedy dealings. The problem? She only has 20 minutes and she needs 100,000 German marks. “Run Lola Run” plays Sunday, September 1 at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, September 3 at 7 p.m. at the Michigan Theater.

See you at the movies!

Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti says it expects the largest freshman class in its history this year.

Eastern Michigan University says it will enroll the largest class of freshmen in its 164-year history when classes begin next week.

The Ypsilanti school announced Thursday that it has already enrolled more freshmen than the previous record of 2,854 set in 1999.

The school says efforts to restrain tuition increases, a new $90 million science complex and improved on-campus housing are factors in the rise. Final enrollment figures will be reported in mid-September, and the school says additional new students continue to enroll.

Freshman move-in day is Saturday, and classes begin Sept. 4.

It might be a time-honored tradition to break into The Big House and run around on the field, but an illegal trip to the Ann Arbor landmark ended in handcuffs early Wednesday.

Six University of Michigan students and one visitor were found with alcohol and marijuana on the turf of Michigan Stadium, according to police.

Seven people broke into Michigan Stadium Wednesday morning. Marijuana and alcohol were found on some of the people, which included six students.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Police stated all seven were cited for unlawful entry. One student was arrested for minor in possession of alcohol, a second student was arrested for an MIP and possession of suspected marijuana and a third student was arrested for failure to provide identification.

All seven people were processed and released pending warrant authorization from the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office, according to police.

With students returning to campus this week, there's already a trickle of overly intoxicated people needing treatment.

Three people were taken to the hospital early Wednesday morning after drinking too much, police said.

One person was taken at 3:02 a.m. Wednesday from Bursley Hall, 1931 Duffield St. and a second was taken at 3:10 a.m. from Mary Markley Residence Hall, 1503 Washington Heights, to University of Michigan Hospital’s emergency room. Both of those individuals were minors but were not cited for MIPs, according to police.

The third intoxicated person was taken from the 600 block of Oxford Street to U-M Hospital for treatment at 3:55 a.m. Wednesday, according to police.

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

Tools and constructions materials were reported stolen from a site in Salem Township Wednesday.

An unknown person cut the lock off a tool box at a construction site in the 9800 block of Meadow View Court, the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office said in an alert sent out through the Nixle messaging service.

Multiple tools and construction materials were stolen. The incident was reported Wednesday, and sheriff’s office officials did not provide a time frame for when the theft might have occurred.

No suspect description was available.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to call the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office anonymous tip line at 734-973-7711 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

View Untitled in a 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.

George Bedard & The Kingpins had the crowd up dancing as they closed out the last Sonic Lunch for the 2013 season at Liberty Plaza on Thursday, Aug. 29. The event, sponsored by the Bank of Ann Arbor, has showcased a variety of musicians over the past several weeks including Greensky Bluegrass, Theo Katzman and Darren Criss.

• See past coverage of the 2013 Sonic Lunch season.

Melanie Maxwell is a staff photographer.

Construction of a roundabout at Geddes and Ridge roads in Superior Township won’t be finished in time to open the intersection back up to drivers for the first day of school, officials announced Thursday.

The $1.1 million project was supposed to be completed by Aug. 30 in order to accommodate the additional traffic to the South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy at 10550 Geddes Road once classes resume.

Construction signs Tuesday, June 25 at Geddes and Ridge roads in Superior Township.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

Because the completion date was set in the signed contract between the Washtenaw County Road Commission and the company doing the work, the company will now be penalized for every additional day the project is not complete, said Matt MacDonell, senior project manager for the Road Commission.

Per the liquidated damages clause, the company will be paid $1,300 less of its contract award amount for each calendar day past deadline that the work is not done, MacDonell said.

Fonson, Inc. of Brighton is the prime contractor and GM & Sons, Inc. of Whitmore Lake is the subcontractor doing the concrete paving.

“We don’t assess liquidated damages often,” MacDonell said.

Since the charter school is paying for the roundabout construction, the missed deadline means the school will be paying less money for the project.

The roundabout project was initiated by South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy as a condition the school agreed to in order to gain permits to construct the two driveways to access the school from Geddes and Ridge roads.

A graphic of the roundabout that's under construction at Geddes and Ridge roads in Superior Township.

Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Road Commission

About 70 percent of the concrete has been poured on the roundabout. MacDonell said he expects 100 percent of the concrete pouring to be finished by Friday.

The concrete then needs about seven days to cure and gain strength before being opened to vehicle traffic, MacDonell said.

The joints between sections of concrete need to be sealed, surrounding landscaping needs to be completed, signs need to be installed and pavement striping needs to be painted, MacDonell said.

Weather permitting, MacDonell said the project will be completed by the first week after Labor Day weekend.

In the worst-case scenario, the project will keep the intersection closed until mid-September, MacDonell said.

As a result of the intersection closure, the school can only be accessed from Geddes Road east of Ridge Road.

Drivers exiting the school must exit to eastbound Geddes Road or to southbound Ridge Road.

For all other drivers, the posted detour route remains in effect from Prospect Road, Holmes Road, Michigan Avenue and Denton Road.

During the construction project, the intersection has become notorious for drivers and bicyclists ignoring the “road closed” signs. Police issued 23 tickets over a period of several days this summer to motorists who violated the signs.

MacDonell said there has been evidence of bicyclists traveling over wet concrete at the intersection, including a full-body print of a bicyclist who fell over in the wet concrete.

View Geddes and Ridge roads in a larger map

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

The Argo Canoe Livery in Ann Arbor was hopping on Thursday morning, a common sight ever since the city built the Argo Cascades, a series of drops through a channel that allows kayakers, canoeists, rafters and tubers to bypass Argo Dam.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

On recent weekends, both the parking lot next to the Argo Canoe Livery and an overflow lot the city leases up the road have been at or near capacity, while cars have lined the streets.

This area of Longshore Park, separated from the playground area by series of chain-linked wooden posts installed this week, is where the city plans to allow 42 spaces of overflow parking for the Argo Canoe Livery.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Crews were out this week driving 20 wooden posts into the ground to divide the new parking area from the playground area. Those posts are now linked by chains.

The lot isn't yet in use, but it could be this weekend, said Colin Smith, the city's parks and recreation manager.

The new parking area will provide about 42 additional parking spaces for park users on weekends and holidays during canoe livery operating hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

That's in addition to the roughly 60 spaces at the Argo Canoe Livery and boat launch area and roughly 40 rented spaces up the road.

No concrete is being poured — the new parking area will remain grass, Smith said, and city park officials will be closely monitoring the ground conditions to minimize damage.

"This will be used for the remainder of this season and possibly next season on weekends and holidays only to help with the overflow parking that we need," Smith said, adding parks staff will begin exploring longer-term parking solutions this winter.

The scene at the Argo Canoe Livery on Thursday morning.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"I live right up the hill and use that park every day — it's a beautiful park in the fall," she said, worrying that a permanent parking lot there would a short-sighted solution.

After she and her neighbors received a notice in the mail on Wednesday saying it would be only a temporary measure, she said said it's not as bad as she originally feared.

The letter that went out to neighbors noted the livery saw about a 50 percent increase in visits in July 2013 compared to July 2012.

"Consequently, as you've no doubt experienced, parking demand at the livery and on the roads near it is over capacity," the letter stated, adding the new parking lot should help with congestion in the park and illegal parking along Longshore Drive, while keeping the majority of the park open.

The portion of Longshore Park that will be used does not have any programmed recreational activities and is lightly used, the letter noted.

Another look at the new wooden posts installed at Longshore Park.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Smith said staff will be making sure cars don't park too close to trees to prevent compaction of existing tree root zones.

At the conclusion of the livery season, city staff will fill in any depressions or ruts with top soil, and aerate and seed the entire parking area and any egress points.

The rules for the parking area prohibit overnight parking, consumption of alcohol in the park, parking RVs or buses, and parking on days when there is a high likelihood of rain or when prior storms have rendered the turf conditions unsuitable for parking.

The plan for expanded parking near the Argo Canoe Livery.

City of Ann Arbor

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.

Answer: Jason Idalski.

Question: Who is the latest local whizz to appear on the long-running television game show Jeopardy!?

Jason Idalski

Courtesy photo

While the 30-year-old isn’t allowed to address his results - watch Oct. 8 to see how he did - Idalski is allowed to talk about the experience.

He qualified for the show after taking an online test in January and appearing at an audition in Detroit July 14. After that, it was fast-tracked. He found out Aug. 1 that he would be headed to California Aug. 27. That left little time to prepare, especially since he was an organizer of a Scrabble tournament that was held in early August.

He watched the show on TV, answering the questions standing up and using a pencil as a makeshift buzzer. The only knowledge preparation he did was to study the presidents, an admitted weak area. “I learned them in order, forwards and backwards, along with a few facts about each,” Idalski said. It wasn’t difficult, he said. “There are only 43 of them.” (Grover Cleveland served as Numbers 22 and 24).

Idalzki had a strong knowledge base to begin with: He’s been a trivia hound from an early age and was a quiz bowl champ at Center Line High School.

And, yes, he did get to meet Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. Idalski was impressed. “He is as smart, funny and patient in back of the camera as he is in front of the camera,” Idalski said. “He’s the same guy off the camera and he is on camera.”

Idalski, a 2006 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a triple major in math, economics and journalism, is a Web/mobile producer and SEO specialist at MLive, AnnArbor.com's affiliate website. A Warren native, he also worked as a sports writer for AnnArbor.com.

In the end, Idalski didn’t use his new knowledge on the presidents. That’s fine, he said. “It’s good to have that content anyway.”

Idalski joins a list of locals who have found themselves on Jeopardy! Ann Arbor’s Jan Rishoi appeared in late 2012 and Milan’s Stephanie Jass set the record for the number of wins by a female contestant, winning more than $147,000 in the fall of 2012.

Janet Miller is a freelance reporter.

Skyline running back Terry Jackson, left, eludes a Hartland defender during Skyline's 28-10 win Thursday, August 29.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

“It’s beautiful,” Jackson said. “It’s a piece of art.”

Skyline’s defense led the way in a 28-10 win over Hartland Thursday night at Skyline. Ten points marks the fewest the fourth-year Skyline program has ever given up.

More Coverage: Boxscore | Photo Gallery | Football roundup

“I believe that that we’ve got to stop people on defense first, and I made a bigger commitment to our defense and what we’re doing,” Eagles coach Lee Arthur said.

The season-opening win came after a year in which Skyline gave up 34 points or more in every game, including a 42-19 season opening loss to Hartland.

Before the game, Arthur set his goal for points given up at 24, and wrote it on the locker room whiteboard. His team did him two touchdowns better, giving up less than 300 yards of total offense, with three takeaways and four forced turnovers on downs.

Ten points, or 24 for that matter, looked unlikely after Hartland ripped off 38 yards on its first two plays from scrimmage and drove 55 yards on its second drive for a first-and-goal from the Skyline 5.

But Skyline’s defense held, forcing a turnover on downs. It would be another two full quarters before Hartland made it to the end zone, as Skyline built its lead.

While Hartland picked up its yards in a consistent rushing attack, Skyline got its yards in chunks. Junior quarterback Askaree Crawford completed his second pass of the day 58 yards downfield to Kornelius Saxton. Crawford scored two plays later to give Skyline the early lead.

Skyline tacked on two more scores in a span of less than three minutes in the second quarter to take an 18-point advantage into the locker room.

The first came on a 95-yard touchdown scramble from Crawford, who found an opening when the pocket collapsed and beat two Hartland defenders down the sideline. He finished with 135 yards rushing with two scores and 111 yards passing on 5-for-15.

After Hartland took over deep in its own territory, Jackson recorded a tackle for loss in the open field on second down to help the Skyline defense force a three-and-out.

On the second Eagles play on the ensuing possession, Jackson took his first carry of the game 50 yards up the middle for Skyline’s second touchdown in less than three minutes.

Jackson led Skyline backs with 112 yards rushing on the day, after fellow back Nate Spencer had to sit most of the second half with cramps.

“That’s what we have to do, when one man goes down, the next man stands up,” Jackson said. “That’s how we play.”

Hartland scored in the third quarter on a seven-play, 62-yard drive that featured nothing but rushing.

But Skyline forced a fumble and recovered it on its next defensive possession, and four plays later scored on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Crawford to Saxton. Saxton also led the defense with 5.5 tackles.

Skyline’s offense has hardly been in question, with a returning dual threat quarterback, capable receivers and multiple running backs.

But on the other side of the ball, Skyline answered a few questions with a statement win.

“Nobody really gave us a chance to win this game,” Arthur said. “Let’s just face it, people thought we were going to come out and give up 40 or 50 points.”

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.

Huron running back Jaavid Love scored a touchdown on the first play of every quarter he played Thursday, August 29. Two of them counted in the River Rats' xxx win.

Patrick Record | AnnArbor.com.

The win was the first for the River Rats since a 65-46 win over Dexter September 9, 2011, and the first with Craig Jobe as the head coach.

“They’re excited. We talked about before the game that tonight the goal was to end a 15-game losing streak,” said the first-year coach. “The goal was to come out, get a win and start a winning streak and that’s what we did.”

More coverage: Boxscore | Photo Gallery | Football roundup

Huron will go for its first win over an American team in nearly two years when it plays a nonconference matchup against in-conference foe Lincoln, which kicks off its season against Belleville on Friday.

Jobe knows Lincoln will pose more of a challenge than the Canadian Windsor Massey team did.

“We made a lot of mistakes tonight. We were able to win and still make a lot of mistakes, but we know that it’s going to get a lot tougher from here on out,” Jobe said.

Things started right for Huron as Jaavid Love returned he opening kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown. Unfortunately for Huron, the play was negated by an illegal block. Love would score touchdowns that counted on the opening plays of each of the next two quarters.

After compiling 88 yards on four carries and scoring a pair of touchdowns, Love sat out the fourth quarter.

“He’s a great athlete. We expect him to have a great season, he did a great job when he did get the ball,” Jobe said of Love.

The negated touchdown on the opening play didn’t matter much as Huron had little trouble marching down the field. Sophomore quarterback Josh Jackson showed off his throwing arm and got the ball in the hands of his receivers, who gained the majority of their yards after contact.

Jackson connected with Duane Boyd twice on the opening 63-yard drive, including a 16-yard touchdown to put Huron up 6-0. Jackson finished the night 8-of-17 passing for 187 yards and touchdown. He also rushed seven times for 24 yards and a score.

Though it was only 6-0 at the end of the first quarter, Love scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 27-yard run that would actually stand. Trey Allen intercepted a Massey pass at the 50-yard line and returned it all the way to the goal line on the very next series. It only took Huron one play to add to its lead on a Quavon Smith run and less than a minute into the second quarter the River Rats were up 20-0.

Massey seemed finally found its bearings on the next offensive series converting its first first down of the game on a 32-yard pass from quarterback Brandon Reaume to Hugh Pawlin. Reaume connected with Omar Hayes Williams for a 27-yard touchdown on the next play to complete the four play, 65-yard drive to make the score 20-7.

“There’s a lot of adjustments (from Canadian football),” said Massey coach Dan Gray, who was a teammate and roommate of Jobe’s at Wayne State. “The field size is tiny, the end zones are tiny…habits die hard, so we took a lot of penalties today.

Smith found the end zone again on the River Rats’ next drive and Massey made a 37-yard field goal before half to make the score 27-10. Smith finished with 71 yards rushing on nine carries. Love struck on Huron’s first play of the third quarter as well with a 53-yard run for a score and Jackson would score on a keeper later in the frame.

Though Love was at Ypsilanti High School last year -- and Huron the previous two -- he said he felt the relief of getting that first win for a program that’s struggled in recent years.

“It was great. I can’t even explain it because it’s been a long road. A long hard road,” Love said.

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