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Inclement weather puts first ever Ypsilanti Community game on hold with Milan up 7-6

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Milan high school’s Jacob Friese, 56, tries to tackle Daouda Sylla, 7, of Ypsilanti on Friday night.

Patrick Record | AnnArbor.com

The conclusion of the first football game in Ypsilanti Community High School’s history will have to wait another day as inclement weather postponed the end of the game between the Grizzlies and the Milan Big Reds Friday night.

Officials suspended the game after lightning was seen a little more than halfway through the third quarter. When the lightning didn’t let up, the decision to postpone the game was made. The two teams will resume play Saturday at 2 p.m. with 4:47 to play in the third quarter and Milan leading 7-6.

More coverage: Boxscore | Football roundup

“This is just going to have to be a transition we get through,” said Ypsilanti coach Rufus Pipkins. “I told them that we’re just going to have to do this in two halves. Instead of calling it a third-quarter delay, we’ll call it the second half.”

The delay could benefit both teams as the emotional high of the Grizzlies’ first game as a team may have contributed to some sloppy play through the first two-and-a-half quarters. The Grizzlies racked up 140 yards in penalties including 105 yards worth in the first half to go along with two interceptions and a fumble.

For Milan, the break should help quarterback Steven Phifer who was thrust into the game when Milan lost starter Robert Kanitz to a leg injury on its first play of the game. Kanitz fumbled on the play he was injured on and limped to the sidelines where he immediately went to the bench.

After being looked at by trainers, Kanitz eventually could be seen on crutches in the second half wearing street clothes.

Things looked to run smoothly when Phifer took over for Kanitz as he engineered a scoring drive on his first possession, capped off by a trick play. After Austin Hoover took the snap for the Big Reds, he handed it to Phifer on a sweep, who then stopped behind the line of scrimmage and found Devin Miller wide open in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown pass. However, it would be the only score of the half for Milan.

Ypsilanti showed some signs of life on its next drive as the Grizzlies rotated quarterbacks Marquis Smith and Mike Caldwell throughout the game. Smith and Caldwell led the Grizzlies on a 66-yard drive that ended with Caldwell hitting a wide open Jalen Maxwell for a 32-yard touchdown pass. A penalty after the touchdown forced Ypsilanti to attempt an extra point from 28 yards out which was blocked.

Neither team was crisp for the majority of the game as the two teams combined for five turnovers and 22 penalties, many of which were personal fouls. Both offenses struggled as well, with Ypsilanti gaining 135 total yards and Milan 112.

The Grizzlies had a touchdown run by Caldwell called back in the second quarter after a holding penalty negated the run which would have given Ypsilanti the lead. Three plays later the Grizzlies punted.

While the delay is an inconvenience, Pipkins said his team is going to have to be ready to play tomorrow as if it were just another game.

“I’m not going to make excuses, the better team is going to win tomorrow,” Pipkins said. “It’s like being 0-0, because someone else is going to score. Both teams are going to be playing under the same circumstances.”

The game is scheduled to restart at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Ypsilanti Community High School.

Matt Durr is a freelance journalist for AnnArbor.com.


Scouting Lincoln vs. Belleville about more than next week's matchup for Huron coach

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Belleville quarterback Luke Edwards IV eludes a Lincoln tackler during Lincoln's 30-9 win Friday, August 30.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

Ann Arbor Huron High School offensive coordinator Luke Edwards III attended Lincoln’s 30-9 win over Belleville on Friday, just like the rest of the Huron coaching staff, as the River Rats face the Railsplitters next week. Huron opened the season on Thursday night, allowing the coaching staff the rare opportunity to see their upcoming opponent in person a week before the game.

Edwards wasn’t just there to fulfill his duties as a coach though. He was there to fulfill his duties as a father. Edwards’ son, Luke Edwards IV is the starting quarterback for Belleville.

Edwards III was thrilled at the prospect of seeing his son play.

“It’s gonna be awesome,” Edwards III said after Huron's Thursday game. “I’m bubbling over with excitement that I’ll get to cheer him on and watch him, just as a dad.”

Game of the Week coverage: Game story | Boxscore | Photo Gallery | Football roundup

Despite spending the entire first quarter in Lincoln’s half of the field, it was a rough night for Edwards IV and the Tigers. The junior quarterback had some highlight reel moments while eluding pressure, rushing 12 times for 60 yards. He also had spectacular 28-yard completion across the middle early in the first half.

But the night for the most part belonged to Lincoln, and Edwards was disrupted in the pocket far more often than he was able to set up comfortably. He finished 3-of-17 passing for 51 yards and an interception.

Despite the struggles, Edwards IV was excited that his father was there to see the game.

“It really feels good to have a father that coaches be here able to see your game,” said Edwards IV, who was just as happy to be playing at all after sitting out last year after transferring from Ypsilanti. “Sitting out watching the team and not being able to play is tough.”

After sitting out the year, Edwards IV won a three-way quarterback battle to get the starting nod. Having gone to high school at nearby Ypsilanti High School prior to his time at Belleville, Edwards IV was excited to play against some familiar faces as well.

“When we get out on the field it gets competitive, but off the field there’s some players I’m still cool with, Tyler Mabry, Lazon (Hicks), K.J. (Osborn), E.J. (Shaah),” Edwards IV said.

Edwards III was on Belleville’s coaching staff last season, so he thought he’d be seeing his son play for the entirety of his high school career. That changed when he joined Craig Jobe’s staff at Huron, but he relishes the opportunities he is able to see his son play in person.

Edwards III will be at his son’s game again in Week 3 when Huron has another Thursday game. Other than that, the two will be relegated to online game film on late Friday nights.

“Thank god for Hudl,” said Edwards IV.

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

Images from the Ypsilanti vs. Milan lightning-shortened football game

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Ypsilanti Community High School started its first-ever football game on Friday night, but didn't come away with its first win or loss. The game was called in the third quarter due to lightning with Milan ahead 7-6. The teams will resume play Saturday at 2 p.m.

Patrick Record is a photographer for AnnArbor.com.

Lightning pushes Chelsea football opener past midnight, stalls comeback

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Chelsea High School wide receiver Tim Mantel takes a moment after dropping a long pass against Lansing Sexton on Friday, August 30.

Brianne Bowen | AnnArbor.com

The Chelsea High School football team weathered one storm early Friday night at the hands of Lansing Sexton, but a second one from Mother Nature halted a possible comeback.

A nearly three-hour weather delay hindered the Bulldogs’ chances of a comeback against visiting Big Reds.

When Sexton wrapped up a season-opening 21-14 win shortly after midnight, roughly 100 die-hard Chelsea students and parents remained to witness it, a fraction of the typical community gathering that showed up at Jerry Niehaus Field more than five hours earlier.

More coverage: Boxscore | Photo Gallery | Football roundup

Also gone was Chelsea’s plan to capitalize on its depth in the fourth quarter.

“If you had seen our board, that’s what we talked about all week, get to the fourth quarter because they had more guys going both ways,” said Chelsea coach Brad Bush, noting his team had run 60 offensive plays to Sexton’s 36 before the weather delay. “Because we had run so many plays and our defense had been sitting on the sideline, we felt pretty good about it.

“When the lightning came, we thought the tide was turning a little bit.”

The first lightning was spotted by the officiating crew at 9:02 p.m., with Chelsea trailing 15-7 with 8:46 left to play. Continuous strikes kept pushing back the 30-minute, MHSAA-mandated delay. Because Sexton faced a 120-mile round-trip back to Chelsea to complete the game, coaches and officials decided to wait out the lightning.

The teams returned to the field for a 15-minute warmup at 11:32 p.m.

“For (Sexton) to go back to Lansing and have to flip it around (Saturday) - and you need officials, and it’s Labor Day weekend - I think (Sexton coach Daniel Boggan) and I both felt the right thing to do was to try to finish the game,” Bush said.

“The officials were willing to wait it out. If it was halftime or something we probably would have (postponed the game). But with 8 minutes left, that would have been tough.”

It became clear almost immediately upon restarting the game that Sexton’s players were rested and ready to play.

Back-to-back sacks of Chelsea quarterback Steve Crews left the Bulldogs punting from their own 2-yard-line. Sexton capitalized on the short field position in just two plays, when Ja’Von Wray scored on a 21-yard touchdown for a 21-7 lead with 6:01 to play.

That quick strike was similar to how the game started five hours earlier, when Sexton led 15-0 after just four minutes of play.

Javon Cooney ran past the Chelsea secondary and quarterback Malik Mack hit him down the sideline for an 88-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game. After Chelsea moved backward 11 yards on its first possession -- thanks to a false start and a botched shotgun snap -- Avonte Bell returned a punt 46 yards to Chelsea's 17, setting up a 13-yard Mack to Cooney touchdown pass two plays later.

Bell busted loose for a 71-yard run on Sexton’s third possession, but Chelsea’s defense stiffened. They stopped the Big Reds on downs and held them scoreless from that point.

“(Sexton) is a really good team and we’re a really young team and they jumped on us right away, which was probably my biggest concern,” Bush said. “After that we settled in and played.”

Chelsea made one final push late in the game, scoring on a 7-yard Crews-to-Tyler Lukomski pass with 3:26 remaining. Dominic Triveline’s second PAT cut the Sexton lead to 21-14.

The Bulldogs failed to recover an onside kick, but did force a Sexton punt with 20 seconds remaining. Any chance of a miracle finish disappeared when Chelsea was penalized for running into the kicker.

Crews, who scored on an 11-yard run late in the first half, completed the first nine passes of his first varsity start and finished 17-of-30 for 151 yards. Junior tailback Ty Nelson rushed 20 times for 62 yards. He’s taking over the position formerly held by current Big Ten backs Nick Hill (Michigan State) and Berkley Edwards (Minnesota).

Rich Rezler is a freelance journalist for AnnArbor.com.

Images from Chelsea's five-hour lightning-lengthened football game

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It took more than three hours to play the final eight minutes of the Chelsea High School football team's home opener against Lansing Sexton on Friday. It took until after midnight, but the Bulldogs eventually lost, 21-14.

Brianne Bowen is a photographer for AnnArbor.com.

Ann Arbor Art Center featuring professors' works in 'SightSee' exhibit

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"Figure/Ground Compression IV(Chimney Rock)” by Colin Blakely

Image courtesy of Ann Arbor Art Center

“SightSee” at the Ann Arbor Art Center wants us to consider the landscape genre in decidedly different ways than we’re accustomed to seeing.

The exhibit consists of work by Eastern Michigan University art professors Colin Blakely and Amy Sacksteder.

Divided by alternating heroic-sized digital photography and mixed-media paintings or drawings in the Art Center’s upstairs gallery, the display is an expansive (if not also quirkily expressive) study of our country’s landscape with a lot of interpretation tossed in the mix.

As the exhibit’s gallery statement tells us, “Working in and around the landscape genre, both artists create mediated views that simultaneously reference and call into question traditional modes of representing nature.”

What this means in practical terms is that Blakely has contributed nine oversized digital photographs whose “grand vistas” alter “in subtle yet pervasive ways” panoramic images “that disrupt the common relationships established in depictions of land.”

Sacksteder, by contrast, has contributed a restless set of eleven paintings and drawings (as well as an expansive gallery installation) that engages “the notions of transience and significance” through “maps, diagrams, souvenirs, and artifacts” exploring the connection to our country “via objects to specific places and events.”

“SightSee” is therefore a heady mix of feisty aesthetics whose abundance of spirit reshapes the notion of our countryside in such a way as to comment on the time-honored notion of the sublime through art that forces us to see the world around us anew.

Sacksteder’s half of the proceedings are measured in such a way as to reinterpret commonplace representations of the environment. As such, her “landscapes” work in differing scales with differing iconographies. Their only commonality is her willingness to work abstractly rather than try to conform to a conventional set of symbols.

“I’m attempting,” says Sacksteder in her artist’s statement, “to reconcile vitality and mortality (and their accompanying celebrations and mourning). I’m interested in records and relics of past events, of lived histories, of significant sites.

“Drawing from maps, artifacts, biographies, the landscape, and natural imagery,” she continues, “I chart my connection to those who have gone before and to resonant places and occurrences. Using this visual language, my work extends from the histories of observational and landscape painting and natural science illustration, as I re-invent the mapping and charting process to best relay my empathy and experiences.”

"Tahoe," Sacksteder’s 22-by-30-inch gouache and ink on paper with silver leaf cut out, is an admirable example of her work at its most intimate and hermetic. This handsome painting/drawing doesn’t give us a representational view of this famed Sierra Nevada Lake. Rather, the artwork’s jagged paper bottom border gives us an inferred sense of the mountainous terrain surrounding the lake. And the mottled cloud on the work’s left side is superlatively matched against a band of colorful diagonal stripes whose explosive aggregated splotches surge from a solitary vertical stem.

What are we to make of this accomplished painting and drawing? It’s hard to say since the seemingly arbitrary placement of Sacksteder’s visual elements allows for open-ended interpretation. Like her monumentally scaled “Object of….” mixed-media installation that stretches across the expanse of the Art Center’s east gallery wall: Free-associate as you like.

“Object of….” finds Sacksteder setting small mounds of stone cairns across the length of the gallery with a number of varied wall-mounted drawings, paintings, and manipulated photographs in differing styles of representation and abstraction set around three paintings (“Net 4,” “Tahoe,” and “Pyramid”). This landscape by other means is indeed the sum total of the installation; giving us varying perspectives to suit our study.

Colin Blakely’s oversized digitally manipulated “Constructed/Disruptive Views” photography, on the other hand, seems resolutely conventional in contrast to Sacksteder’s paintings and drawings — well, conventional until they’re studied a bit more closely.

First, a word about scale: Blakely’s digitally manipulated photographs emulate an oversized scale analogous to that of 19th century American landscape genre painters. It’s therefore not accidental that he specifically references Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Edwin Church in the titles of two of his artworks. Couple these homages with our country’s reverence for our environment and Blakely’s hit a nerve that thoroughly resonates with our culture.

Lauren Fretz, co-director of Art Center Programs perceptively adds of Blakely’s art, “in every photograph there’s some tension between unadulterated nature and human impact (there’s even a parallel between his use of ‘interfering’ digital manipulation and the traditional medium).”

And as Blakely says in his artist’s statement of his “Constructed/Disruptive Views” series: “The series centers on depictions and interpretations of the landscape. Distinct from the notion of land, untrodden by human feet yet completely ravaged, the landscape exists only as an embodiment of our collective cultural imagination.

“The ‘View’ is never a neutral entity. These images strive to subtly disrupt established depictions of nature and in so doing begin to reveal the constructs that lie beneath.”

For example: Blakely’s 30-by-36-inch black and white “Convergence Disruption I and II,” disrupt his landscape composition through a frequency wave that manipulates the very surroundings illustrated. And the 33-by-22.5-inch “Figure/Ground Compression IV (Chimney Rock)” subtly alters the photograph’s monochromatic palette to enhance the landscape’s dramatic appearance.

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“Tahoe” by Amy Sacksteder

Courtesy of Ann Arbor Art Center

Blakely’s masterwork in this exhibit is “Yosemite (after Church)” whose 42-by-52.5-inch color digital photography depicts the park’s famed Tunnel View looking towards Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and Half Dome. But in keeping with Church’s spiritual impulse, Blakely manipulates his image to create a series of interior receding visual planes that draw us into the heart of the composition until Half Dome almost disappears from our sight.

As Blakely’s masterly “Yosemite (after Church)” shows us: It’s not nearly enough to merely have sight. We must also quite carefully see if we’re going to participate in the imaginative element of American landscape art.

“SightSee: Colin Blakely and Amy Sacksteder” will continue through Sept. 15 at the Ann Arbor Art Center, 117 W. Liberty St. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. For information, call (734) 994-8004.

Answering the phone call to a dream opportunity - Jeopardy!

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Don't get overly excited ... this is just inside the door to the studio. Guests (and contestants like me) can get their pictures taken here upon leaving.

Courtesy photo

Langston Hughes once asked what happens to a dream deferred.

But what about the opposite? How does it feel when a dream deferred ... happens?

How does it feel when a dream that you'd reconciled yourself to never achieving as recently as four months ago comes true?

How does it feel when a dream so tenuous it would still be a pipe dream if not for a random email from a friend goes your way?

How does it feel when you achieve something after you've failed seven (or maybe eight or more) times?

As you might guess, it feels amazing.

On Oct. 8, I will be appearing on Jeopardy!, a show I've watched since I was 2 or 3. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and the past few months, especially as it pertains to my Jeopardy! appearance, has hardened my belief.

I'd always been a game show/trivia fan and taken the Jeopardy! online test since I was a student at Eastern Michigan (I once stepped away from a poker game for a half-an-hour to take it). Some times I'd done better than others, but in the end it added up to 100 percent fail.

The 2013 test was the easiest I've taken yet, and I figured I'd passed easily. I'd read that emails for auditions usually go out in March and auditions are in May. When April came and went, I figured that so many people passed they couldn't accommodate them all and I was one of the unlucky ones.

At the beginning of May, after seeing the Facebook post of a friend, on a whim I drove to Chicago on a Saturday morning to audition for a new quiz show on GSN, The Chase. I passed the written test, played a mock game and had hopes of being called back the following day … but when they called that afternoon it was to tell me they weren't interested. (The person who sat in front of me during the test was on the premiere episode.)

The drive home was a long one, even though my not getting picked meant I could see my sister graduate from college the next day. I dwelt on the audition. Did I ham it up too much? Did I try too hard to stand out? Was it my looks? Did I just not know enough? I started to think that maybe it wasn't meant to be.

On May 21, I got an email from a friend saying that a mutual friend had a Jeopardy! audition in Detroit in July (really glad the year I passed the test is the same year there was an audition in my backyard) and when was mine? I still figured that I didn't have one … until I checked my spam folder. Fortunately my friend was prompt, as I had to respond to the email within two business days.

I auditioned with about 20 other people the morning of July 14 and left cautiously optimistic, even though I somehow lost one of my forms and my first impression with one of the people in control of my fate was asking for a replacement.

On August 1, the one-year anniversary of Stephanie Jass taping her first five Jeopardy! wins (many thanks to Stephanie for being an awesome source of advice both for my audition and for the taping, by the way), my iPhone got a call from "Culver City, CA." My eyes nearly bugged out of my head and, as a co-worker put it, I looked like I was about to jump out of my skin. When the producer identified himself and asked how my day was, I answered: "I hope this call means it's about to get better!" (It did.)

It's been one of the more incredible months of my life on a few levels. How did it end? You'll have to watch (7:30 p.m. Oct. 8 on WDIV) to find out! (Another happy coincidence/"everything happens for a reason" nugget is that Stephanie's first episode aired Oct. 8, 2012.)

I'm the type of person who often thinks about and wonders what might've been, especially at month's end.

What if my friend hadn't sent that email? What if I hadn't checked my spam folder? How would my life be different unaware that an email from Jeopardy! had come and gone?

Would I have passed the audition without the learning experience of Chicago? What if I'd gotten picked for the Chase and had to tell the Jeopardy! people that I was ineligible?

I don't know the answers to any of those questions. And I'm incredibly glad I'll never need to.

Jason Idalski is a 2006 Eastern Michigan University graduate and 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.

What it takes to get Michigan Stadium ready for game day

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Starting Aug. 1 every year, Michigan Stadium becomes a potential paradise for little boys. Vehicles of every type appear - pick-ups, vans, hi-los, golf carts, Coca-Cola trucks, construction booms.

There are men in hard hats sandblasting, paint spraying, jackhammering, window cleaning as they are suspended from the roof in their boatswain chair. There is noise everywhere - plenty of sounds to imitate.

Alas, the kids can't get in. Their hard hats would probably fall off even if they could.

But I was able to get in for part of a day, and what was going on is impressive even for older boys. Every work trade you can imagine is there getting the Big House ready for its first visitors of the football season.

I talked with Chris Ehman, facilities supervisor for the stadium, and then some of the contractors both about long-term projects and what they were doing in the days before the season opener on Aug. 31.

If you have a ticket from row 72 on up (row 54 on the east side), you will notice the result of the biggest project of the summer - a fresh coat of gray paint. Ehman said that area accounts for roughly 35,000 seats.

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Pioneer Big Booster member Jim Gallagher installs cushions on seats at Michigan Stadium as a fundraiser for sports programs at Pioneer High School.

Patrick Record | AnnArbor.com

Niles Industrial Coating, based in Fenton, started the job in April, and dedicated 55,000 man-hours to it, often having 100 men present. Though it was originally expected to take two summers, they finished last week.

Foremen Al Giraud and Jerry Lindke said that first the bleacher seats had to be removed, then the old paint was sandblasted because it was lead-based.

"During that phase, three million pounds of abrasive were used," Giraud said.

"Sixteen blasters were going at a time and they used 1,300 gallons of diesel fuel per day," Lindke added.

A coat of zinc was put on next to prevent rusting, then a midcoat, and finally the gray. The same process was followed on the underside of the bleachers.

After that was done, they put a ceiling sealing on the structural support in two bathrooms on the north side and two on the south. They had also repainted the dark blue rim around the stadium.

When Geraud and Lindke told me that the rim hadn’t been painted in 45 to 50 years, I was amazed. That would have been the time my brother, Doug, and I worked with the athletic maintenance department during our high school/college years. One of our last jobs was helping to paint the rim.

They said we did a good job.

Ehman commented that one of the last tasks for his team now would be putting the aluminum benches back in place so all 35,000 seats are in the correct numerical order and so the seams between benches are both level and tight, in order to prevent someone from getting pinched.

The other big project, which you can’t miss if you drive by on West Stadium Boulevard, is the new 48' x 24' marquee. It stands 21 feet above the ground and was put in by TS Sports, the same company that did the two scoreboards inside the stadium. It has a row of speakers on the bottom and will have UM athletic events and information on it every day, around the clock.

Besides the big projects, lots of last-minute work was ongoing.

Gate 10 on the northeast side was revamped as a student-only gate.

Coca Cola workers were reinstalling and fixing the lines of their 75 fountain machines. What normally takes one week each year, took almost a month because they had to remove the machines for the bleacher painting, then reinstall them.

RAM Construction Services was waterproofing and putting flashing around several columns on the east side where water had been leaking to the floor below.

Mike Calhoun and others were getting the rolling carts ready for transporting M Den merchandise to their tents within the stadium, setting up grids for displaying it, and hanging signs and banners.

The columns in the Champions Circle near Crisler Arena were inscribed with the most recent U-M championship teams.

Part of the black wrought iron fence surrounding the perimeter was refinished and recoated by the original installer, Future Fence.

"The heavy salting that we do in the winter causes the fence to flake and rust," Ehman said.

A worker for Sodexo, the company that handles concessions, was moving 130 pallets of water bottles to the vending locations. Each pallet holds 36 cases, and each case has 24 bottles. That's 112,320 bottles.

Another Sodexo employee was getting all of the mobile concession stands ready (his goal was to be finished by Wednesday before the game) and checking electrical connections. A couple more were loading coke bottles into the coolers.

And Pat Helsel, a service technician from the Chicago area for Super Pretzel, was checking over the company’s 99 machines and doing maintenance on them when necessary.

So it looks as though there will be plenty of food. One warning, though: U-M acquired four hot dog stands from Ohio Stadium this year, the kind that are about 7' x 2.5' wide x 4' high. They aren't recognizable any longer as Buckeyes exports since Graphic Resource Group from Troy redeemed them by putting the U-M logo on them.

Also, a week ago, the UM Police Department sponsored a canine unit training day at the stadium. It included bomb squad experts from the state police and explosives experts from ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms), and was open to local, county, and other law enforcement units. The dogs are probably still confused by those suspicious hot dog stands.

Ehman, who oversees all of this stadium activity, worked in U-M maintenance as a student from 1987-91 and took over the head position at the stadium in 1998. He mentioned that he attended Lapeer East High School; that's for the sake of the football fanatics who will recognize it as the school of Jake Long, former U-M All-America offensive tackle and four time all-pro, now with St. Louis.

Ehman has a crew of four full-time and 10 to 15 part-time workers. They care for everything inside the fence plus the parking lots to the north and east, and the Junge Center. He said having the best facilities staff in the athletic department enables him to get everything done and done smoothly.

Most years since he has been there, he said there have been major projects during the spring and summer, one of the biggest, stretching from 2000 to 2006, the pouring of new concrete for two-thirds of the seating area. That made it possible to begin the stadium expansion in 2007.

"Right now there are no big projects slated for next year, so we will be able to catch up on routine maintenance (and) change a light bulb or two," he said.

The month prior to the first game, they help where needed with the other things going on at the stadium and do things like touch-up painting in the suites and heavy use areas, check on lights, electrical work, and plumbing.

On game days, they are there to handle trouble calls.

"We might need to get rid of a hornet nest under the stands, clean up after a fan who gets sick (it happens about a dozen times a game), mop a flood in the restroom, fix a stuck gate somewhere," he said.

But for now, everything is finally ready.

The big boys can come in and play.

Bob Horning, a lifelong Ann Arbor resident, is writing U-M game day stories for AnnArbor.com. If you have ideas for future columns, please email news@annarbor.com.


Last-minute funding from Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop saves late buses for middle schools

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Students board a bus in Ann Arbor in this file photo.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

A late bus program for students at Ann Arbor middle schools has been saved from extinction through a $40,000 donation from the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop, officials announced this week.

The busing program—which provides transportation home for students in after-school activities like sports and clubs—had been dropped for the upcoming school year after the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation dropped its co-sponsorship of the program as a result of reduced donations.

The PTO Thrift Shop had split the funding for the program last year with the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation.

Ann Arbor Public Schools had cut the program in June 2012. It has been run by donations ever since.

As of this week, the PTO Thrift Shop announced that it had enough funds raised through sales at its shop at 2280 S. Industrial Highway to foot the entire $40,000 bill for the program.

The donation means that there will be two buses at each of AAPS' five middle schools at 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, beginning Sept. 10, to transport students home.

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

Your mega guide to No. 17 Michigan vs. Central Michigan

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No. 17 Michigan and Central Michigan will face off for the first time since 2006 on Saturday.

Ann Arbor News file photo

WHO: No. 17 Michigan vs. Central Michigan.

WHERE: Ann Arbor.

WHEN: 3:30 p.m.

ODDS: MIchigan is favored by 31.5 points according to SportsBook.com.

SERIES RECORD: Michigan (3-0).

LAST MEETING: September 9, 2006, Michigan beat Central 41-17 .

WEATHER: 78 degrees, partly cloudy, 10 percent chance of rain with the wind blowing north around 7 miles per hour. Or...

BROADCAST INFORMATION: TV: Big Ten Network; Radio: Michigan Sports Network (local affiliates).

MICHIGAN: Roster | Schedule

CENTRAL MICHIGAN: Roster | Schedule

Coverage: All most people only know about the Central Michigan football team is that it had the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft in 2013, offensive lineman Eric Fisher. Many have wondered if Fisher would have been No. 1 if Michigan left tackle Taylor Lewan had turned pro. It won't matter on Saturday as Fisher's money is in the bank and Lewan is on the field as the Wolverines are set to square off with the Chippewas. Here's everything you need to know about the matchup:

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5 Michigan keys: Devin Gardner and the downhill running game, how will it look? (with predictions)

Michigan was able to catch a glimpse into its future last season when Denard Robinson was unable to throw a pass at Minnesota. The Wolverines turned to Devin Gardner in Minneapolis last November, and they really never looked back. How will the season go for Gardner, the Wolverines, Fitz Toussaint, the "Js" at wide receiver Jehu Chesson, Jeremy Jackson and Joe Reynolds.

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Matchups: Michigan has more talent than Central Michigan, but the Chips aren't punchless

Michigan enters Saturday's season-opener against Central Michigan as a mighty 32-point favorite. Not a surprise. But will the Wolverines re-live the sins of former Michigan teams by overlooking the Chippewas on Saturday with Notre Dame staring them in the eye on Sept. 7?

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With Amara Darboh out, Michigan's focus on three J's: Jehu Chesson, Joe Reynolds, Jeremy Jackson

Michigan will be without its perceived No. 1 deep threat this season in Amara Darboh. The 6-foot-2 sophomore, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in fall camp, hasn't made a college catch -- but, according to coaches, had all the physical tools the Wolverines were looking for on the outside. So who will step up in his absence?

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Michigan ready to play Shane Morris if opportunity arises Saturday; not hiding anything vs. CMU

Shane Morris won Michigan's backup quarterback battle this month fair and square. So, if the situation presents itself at any point this season, the true freshman signal caller will be put into the game for work. And that includes Saturday vs. Central Michigan according to coaches.

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Analysis: As Michigan coaches rave about Fitz Toussaint, Wolverines need 2011 version back

Fitz Toussaint is back. Literally, the statement is true. But when Brady Hoke and his coaching staff continually speak of seeing the "old Fitz," it's impossible to know, for now, whether it's just nostalgia for the sophomore back they first encountered in 2011. Who will we see on Saturday?

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Nick Baumgardner answers questions on Michigan's most important position, Jabrill Peppers, Drake Johnson and more

What position is most important for Michigan this year? Is Drake Johnson being designated the No. 2 actually mean he's the No. 2? What about freshman Derrick Green and the other vetran running backs? Nick Baumgardner answers all these questions and more.

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Michigan's Brady Hoke expects Jarrod Wilson to start at free safety Saturday vs. Central Michigan

Brady Hoke said Wednesday that sophomore Jarrod Wilson will "probably" be in the starting lineup Saturday while senior Courtney Avery rehabs from a knee injury. What probably means to most isn't always what it means to others. Like the time Denard Robinson's staph infection was "probably" a boo-boo.

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Drake Johnson listed as Michigan's No. 2 RB, but Al Borges not promising snaps for young guys

The Wolverines allowed six running backs to fight for the No. 1 job this fall, and listed all six on their depth chart Monday. Fitz Toussaint is No. 1, redshirt freshman Drake Johnson is listed as the team's No. 2 runner, followed by Justice Hayes and Thomas Rawls. Freshmen Derrick Green and De'Veon Smith appear to be tied for the No. 5 spot on the depth chart.

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Michigan's Jack Miller wins center battle, Graham Glasgow to start at left guard and more notes

Michigan's center battle has been settled. And, as of now, both candidates will be in the starting lineup Saturday when the Wolverines' open the season against Central Michigan Sophomore Jack Miller (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) will be the team's starting center to open the season, and sophomore Graham Glasgow (6-foot-6, 305) will play alongside him at left guard.

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Taylor Lewan expects Michigan's new offensive line to be 'punishing' and consistent

In Taylor Lewan's eyes, there are two types of offensive linemen in college football. There are those who earn starting jobs, and those who play well. And, as the unquestioned leader of Michigan's offensive line this season, the Wolverines' All-American left tackle isn't accepting anything but the latter.

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Brady Hoke: Michigan 'in pretty good shape' health-wise on eve of season opener

Michigan opens its 2013 season Saturday against Central Michigan. And, it'll be healthy -- for the most part. "We're good," Hoke said Friday evening during an interview on MGoBlue.com after the team's final walk through.

This and that:

Associated Press preview capsule

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Michigan has a chance to make a good first impression with its return to a traditional offense after running a spread-heavy scheme that took advantage of Denard Robinson's ability to run in Brady Hoke's first two years after the three-season Rich Rodriguez era.

KEY MATCHUP

The Wolverines will lean on their running backs, starting with Fitzgerald Toussaint, who is coming off a season-ending leg injury, to establish a ground game behind an offensive line with new starters at both guards and center. Central Michigan's best chance to stay competitive might a good rush up the middle on QB Devin Gardner against inexperienced linemen.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Michigan: Toussaint. The last time the senior was on the field in a game, he was sent to a hospital for surgery soon after breaking his left leg — between the ankle and knee — in a gruesome injury on Nov. 17, 2012, against Iowa. He finished last season with less than half of his total from 2011, when he ran for 1,041 yards.

Central Michigan: RB Zurlon Tipton. The senior ran for 1,492 and scored 20 touchdowns. He had at least 100 yards rushing in his last seven games and earned second-team All-MAC honors.

FACTS & FIGURES

Michigan is 31-1 against Mid-American Conference teams and the lone loss was under Rodriguez against Toledo in in 2008 in what stands as its last loss at home against a nonconference team. ... Michigan hasn't lost at home in Hoke's two seasons in charge of college football's winningest team, making him the school's first coach to win every game in Ann Arbor in his first two seasons since Fielding Yost in 1901 and 1902. ... Central Michigan coach Dan Enos, a former Michigan State quarterback, won his first three season openers easily by beating Hampton, South Carolina State and Southeast Missouri State.

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

Make your own painting: The Paint Station to open on Washtenaw Avenue

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Kendra Wilkins wants to help Ann Arborites unleash their creativity at her new business on Washtenaw Avenue, The Paint Station.

Wilkins and her business partner, Catrina Vaughn, plan to open the art and entertainment venue at 7 p.m. on Sept. 6. It’s located in the Huron Village shopping center at 3255 Washtenaw Ave., in a 1,200-square-foot space above Panera Bread.

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A Michigan-themed painting that people can recreate at The Paint Station on Washtenaw Avenue.

Courtesy photo

“(The Paint Station is) for people to come out and have fun and paint and bond with friends and unleash their creativity,” Wilkins explained. “They will complete a piece of artwork within two to three hours.”

The concept isn’t new, Wilkins said; social art venues are popular in the U.S., there just aren’t many in the Ann Arbor area. A business with a similar concept, Paint and Pour, recently opened on South Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Paint and Pour customers can bring their own alcoholic beverages and snacks.

“It’s something new and creative that’s actually coming toward the Midwest,” Wilkins said. “It’s been in existence for a while, but it’s not in the Midwest.”

“It’s like a fun night out or afternoon out, but you’re learning,” she added.

At The Paint Station, people can sign up for a two- or three-hour painting session and a professional artist will help them create a designated painting.

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The Paint Station opens Sept. 6 on Washtenaw Avenue.

Lizzy Alfs | AnnArbor.com

The Paint Station doesn’t have a license that allows people to consume alcohol, but Wilkins hopes to get one in the next three to six months. Customers can bring their own food and non-alcohol refreshments.

“We have a calendar (on our website) and we have a different painting each day and we have different times. …You go online and reserve your seat, or you can reserve by calling The Paint Station,” Wilkins said.

She continued: “We supply the artists, the easels, the canvas, the paint and the paint brushes. You complete the session, have fun networking and take your painting home.”

A two-hour session at The Paint Station costs $35 per person, or $25 for children between 7 and 12 years old. A three-hour session costs $45 per person. The Paint Station also offers private parties for groups of 15 or more.

The Paint Station can accommodate 35 to 40 people in each session. As a former jewelry store, the space in the Huron Village shopping center was easy to renovate, Wilkins said. It’s an open space with easels and tables set up for customers.

“I liked the area, and the growth in the area,” Wilkins said. “(I liked) the new construction that’s in the area and the mall across the street, and just the exposure with the other existing businesses around. We think it will be a great fit.”

Wilkins said she is still looking to hire additional artists and assistants.

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.

You must remember this: 'Casablanca' screening means summer is nearly over

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The Michigan Theater’s now-annual Labor Day weekend screening of “Casablanca” on Monday is a sure sign summer is winding down.

Most everyone knows the story.

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Paul Henreid, Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart form a love triangle in the 1942 classic "Casablanca."

File photo

Rick (Humphrey Bogart), an ex-freedom fighter, runs a nightclub in Casablanca during World War II. Despite pressure from the local authorities, notably crafty Capt. Renault (Claude Rains), Rick’s cafe has become a haven for refugees looking to purchase illicit letters of transit so they can escape to America.

Soon Rick is approached by handsome rebel Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) and his wife, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), Rick’s true love, who deserted him when the Nazis invaded Paris. They are looking to leave Casablanca as well. The painful reunion prompts Rick to utter the booze-soaked “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”

It’s just one of the lines from the movie that have endured in our lexicon since the film was released in 1942.

As the film unfolds, Sam will offer “As Time Goes By” on the piano (often misquoted as “play it again, Sam”), Capt. Renault will be “shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here” and the police will be instructed to “round up the usual suspects.”

Surprisingly, “Casablanca” was never expected to be much of a hit. Still, the public loved it, and the film has consistently ranked near the top of lists of the greatest films of all time.

If you’ve never seen it before, check it out. It might just be “the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Summer Classics film series presents “Casablanca” at the Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty St., Monday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 (free for students with valid ID). Details at www.michtheater.org or 734-668-8397. Advance tickets at ticketweb.com. 102 minutes. Rated PG.

Images from Michigan vs. Central Michigan game day tailgates

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Michigan football fans turned out early for tailgate parties and season-opening celebrations in the neighborhoods around Michigan Stadium Saturday morning.

Some University of Michigan students determined to be one of the first into the stadium under the new general admission policy waited for hours in the official queuing area.

AnnArbor.com photographers captured the following images of the pre-game festivities before the Wolverines took on the Central Michigan Chippewas Saturday.

State police looking for drunk drivers, seat-belt usage and aggressive driving during Labor Day weekend

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State police troopers are reminding motorists to drive safely this Labor Day weekend, and the agency will have more patrols out on the roads to discourage unsafe behavior.

The Michigan State Police will be paying special attention to drunken driving, aggressive driving and seat-belt usage during the Labor Day weekend as a part of a nationwide initiative, according to a statement.

Troopers will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) during the Labor Day Weekend. This work combines with the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over drunken-driving enforcement campaign.

The Labor Day Weekend patrols started at 6 p.m. Friday and will continue until 11:59 p.m. Monday. In the state last year, there were eight traffic crashes that resulted in eight deaths and four of those who died were not wearing seat belts, according to troopers.

Operation C.A.R.E. is a nationwide initiative involving officers from all 50 states and other police agencies from U.S. territories and Canada.

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

Eastern Michigan University welcomes record freshman class on busy move-in Saturday

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Volunteers Ellen Christie, left, and Michele Snyder, both sophomores, waved signs at the long line of incoming cars filled with students waiting to move in to their dormitories at Eastern Michigan University Saturday.

Lisa Carolin | For AnnArbor.com

As volunteers held signs with messages like "EMU is the place for you" and "Honk if you're excited," thousands of students and their parents streamed into the Eastern Michigan University campus Saturday.

Clothing, computers, televisions and more were being unloaded from vehicles after they made the slow trip getting to the dormitories Saturday morning. Lines of vehicles extended down Oakwood street onto Washtenaw Avenue.

EMU is welcoming the largest freshman class in its history this fall, and Saturday was the official move-in day.

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EMU new student orientation assistant Ciara Brown, left, talks to parent Jane Wilson and her son, Michael Wilson, an incoming freshman at EMU.

Lisa Carolin | For AnnArbor.com

"To see new students acclimate to the school is amazing," said sophomore Ciara Brown, who is a new student orientation assistant.

"I'm nervous but excited," said incoming freshman Michael Wilson from Ann Arbor. "I like that it's close and that the school offers a lot of options and resources."

Wilson's mother was experiencing conflicting emotions Saturday morning. "I have mixed feelings having my first child move away from home," Jane Wilson said. "I'm excited for him to take on new challenges."

Sue Lattea from Blissfield was helping her son J.J. move in and said she wasn't surprised by the number of cars and people.

"I'm happy to be here," said J.J., who chose EMU for its simulation animation and gaming program.

EMU has enrolled 2,877 freshman for the fall semester, making it the biggest in the school's 164-year history. The class can also boast about its academic achievement. It has an average GPA of 3.24, up from 3.18 in 2012, and an average ACT score of 22, up from 21.4 last year. The university's Honors College program has also admitted its largest freshman class ever and estimates a total of 1,200 students in the honors program.

"We're serious about aligning academic programs with student needs, and the job market," said Geoff Larcom, executive direct of media relations at EMU. "We have kept our costs down relative to our peers."

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Piles of possessions could be seen around campus Saturday morning at Eastern Michigan University, as students moved into their dormitories. This pile, complete with the stuffed Pokemon character Pikachu, was near Hill Hall.

Lisa Carolin | For AnnArbor.com

More than 4,000 students will be living on campus this fall, the highest number in a decade, EMU says.

An army of volunteers, including student athletes from swimming and diving, rowing, gymnastics, men's golf and wrestling, was busy Saturday morning smoothing the move-in process.

Freshman Caitlyn Maguire from Dayton, Ohio, got a hand from the volunteers as she moved into Pittman Hall.

"I chose EMU because they offer rowing and a good computer science program," she said.

Once students are settled in their dorms, they'll have plenty to keep them busy until classes start Wednesday. Activities are planned through Tuesday.

Among them is a family tailgate scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday. The home opener football game takes place at Rynearson Stadium at 6 p.m. when EMU takes on Howard University.

Lisa Carolin is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2572.


Scenes from the Michigan football tailgates: Who sent in the Stormtroopers?

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Mike Alexander stands with his football helmet collection, worth between $4,000 and $5,000 dollars, outside Pioneer High School.

Ben Freed | AnnArbor.com

Related:

  • 7 changes Wolverine football fans can expect at Michigan Stadium this fall
  • New Michigan football student general admission line draws sparse early crowd
  • Read more football coverage at MLive.com/Wolverines.

    On a football Saturday in Ann Arbor, tailgaters gather from all over the state, the region, the country and the world.

    Spread out across neighborhoods, golf courses, and the Pioneer High School parking lot, partiers gather with food, drinks, music and televisions to celebrate Michigan football. AnnArbor.com capture these vignettes before Saturday's home opener against Central Michigan University.

    Helmets galore:

    Mike Alexander’s helmet collection looks like it would be more at home in a museum than at a tailgate.

    “I started bringing the helmets down two years ago, and we’re undefeated at home since then, so I’ll keep bringing ‘em until they lose,” he said.

    Alexander, from Swartz Creek, said he first fell in love with Michigan because of Bob Ufer, the beloved Michigan football radio announcer who died in 1981, Alexander has been coming to every home game for the past 12 years.

    Set up in front of the food and televisions, his helmet collection spans generations of Michigan teams, and Alexander estimates it’s likely worth between $4,000 and $5,000, though he says some of the helmets are irreplaceable.

    “I can’t pick a favorite, they’re all so great,” he said. “Just the winged helmet. It’s so unique. It really stands alone.”

    The helmets are just a small part of a Michigan collection that Alexander said contains a large number of model cars, model trucks, bobbleheads, clocks and other Michigan memorabilia.

    “I wouldn’t dare say how much my full collection is worth. At least not in front of my wife,” he said.

    “It just keeps growing and growing. It’s usually better for me to ask for forgiveness after buying something than permission to do it beforehand.”

    On Lord Vader’s orders

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    Jon Leopold shows off his Stormtrooper outfit outside Pioneer High School before the Michigan football game Saturday.

    Ben Freed | AnnArbor.com

    Jon Leopold is easy to spot at Michigan football games, and if you don’t see him, you can certainly hear him.

    For the last 10 years, Leopold has been attending home games dressed as a "Star Wars" Stormtrooper and eight years ago he gave the outfit a full maize and blue makeover.

    “I come to about half of the home games in the outfit,” he said through a microphone that filters his voice to make him sound like an actual character from the George Lucas movies.

    “We’ve never lost a game that I’ve come to as a Stormtrooper.”

    In addition to home games, Leopold, who works for Ford Motor Company, also takes the outfit to Mott Children’s Hospital to entertain patients.

    “It’s a lot of fun interacting with the kids, I’ll be going back and doing it again later in September,” he said.

    Leopold said he won’t be able to attend the Notre Dame game next week due to a wedding, but he’s hoping that the outfit’s good luck will rub off on the team when he attends the official pep rally Friday night.

    “It’s the first time I’ve done something official with the athletic department,” he said. “So that should be a lot of fun."

    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

  • Humane Society rescues 3 dogs, including puppy, from garage

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    Three dogs, including a puppy, are recovering after someone abandoned them in a garage in Ypsilanti Township, the Humane Society of Huron Valley said.

    A pit bull puppy, an adult pit bull, and an adult terrier mix were discovered on Thursday when an employee from the local water department was called to turn off the water because no one was living in the home.

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    Humane Society cruelty investigator Matt Schaecher holds the abandoned puppy that was rescued from a garage this week.

    Humane Society of Huron Valley photo

    The humane society was contacted and found that the three dogs were all emaciated and dehydrated and were living in unsanitary conditions.

    "All three dogs were surrendered to the Humane Society," said Matt Schaecher, cruelty investigator. "They are feeling much better now that they've been given food, water and medical care."

    Schaecher said that the Humane Society will be submitting a report to the Washtenaw County prosecutor's office seeking charges of animal cruelty.

    Schaecher said anyone who is having difficulty caring for an animal can call the humane society for assistance.

    "The Humane Society does everything we possibly can for animals to be able to stay in their homes," Schaecher said. "We have programs to help people take care of animals and offer supplemental food."

    Once the rescued dogs are in good health, they will be available for adoption, Schaecher said.

    For more information on the Humane Society's Cruelty Rescue program, visit the agency's website.

    Michigan students not thrilled, but show up for kickoff under new general admission policy

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    The Michigan student section was packed before kickoff of Michigan's 59-9 win over Central Michigan at Michigan Stadium on Saturday Aug. 31, 2013.

    Courtney Sacco I AnnArbor.com

    Related:

    University of Michigan students held up their end of the bargain Saturday.

    More than half an hour before kickoff of Michigan’s first football game of the season, the student section was a solid mass of maize, pom-poms at the ready.

    Thanks to the new general admission policy, some fans showed up as early as 7 a.m. to stake their claim to front-row seats.

    The policy scrapped the previous reserved-seating policy for students in favor of a first come-first served system that allows students to begin queuing up at 7 a.m. for noon or 3:30 p.m. games. The line starts at 11 a.m. for any later games.

    Once in the stadium, students’ primary complaint about the new system Saturday was the difficulty for large groups of friends to sit together throughout the game.

    “It can be really difficult to coordinate all getting into the stadium at exactly the same time, and if you don’t it’s nearly impossible to all sit together,” senior Owen Brown said from row 71.

    “I had to drag one of my friends by the jersey to make sure we were able to sit together. I can’t even imagine what the Notre Dame game will be like, it’s going to be even tougher.”

    Associate athletic director and chief marketing officer Hunter Lochman said the university is prepared to listen to student concerns and be flexible with the implementation of the new policies throughout the season.

    “We’re going to learn from every game,” he said. “Every game is going to have its own unique set of circumstances and we’re going to do our best to make this the best system for everyone.”

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    Students cheer on a Michigan touchdown during the second quarter of the game against Central Michigan University at Michigan Stadium Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013.

    Ben Freed | AnnArbor.com

    Despite their reservations about the system, most students grudgingly acknowledged that it accomplished its goal.

    “It’s unfortunate, but it works,” senior Ryan Steinberg said.

    “They had a plan, they wanted to make sure the student section was full at kickoff and it was. You have to give it to them on that one.”

    Natalie Delave acknowledged that she came to the stadium far earlier than she would have otherwise thanks to the new system.

    “The pro is definitely that you get to be here earlier and see the team come onto the field and the band and everything before the game,” she said.

    “But I’m a junior and I’d really like to be closer and I would have been under the old system even though I came much earlier than I would have before.”

    Coming to the stadium earlier also means that there is less time for tailgating and partying before the game, something that some students take very seriously.

    “It’s just terrible. They’re trying to kill one of the longest traditions we have here at Michigan,” Mike Gersten said from a row in the mid-40s.

    “Pregame parties are really a part of the bigger tradition of football here at Michigan. I’m going to be a senior and all of the credits I’ve been building up to getting great seats are now worthless. It’s kind of a slap in the face to those of us who have been here and put in our time sitting in the back.”

    Many of the upper classmen who acknowledged that the program accomplished its goal agreed with Gersten that their seniority had been ignored.

    “It’s tough being a senior and being part of the new system,” Brown said. “Even though these aren’t bad seats, no seat here is really a bad seat, we feel like we were thrown under the bus a bit.”

    Juniors Maddie Chaness and Amanda Tenenzapf arrived at the stadium at 8:30 a.m. and had seats in the very front row next to the Michigan Marching Band. The pair agreed that being in the front row is a great experience, but were unsure if it was worth waking up “at the crack of dawn” to be there.

    “The line really should have started later,” Tenenzapf said. “We had to get up so early. But we do it for the team.”

    Next week’s game against Notre Dame will likely draw stiffer competition for the best seats, and Tenenzapf said she’s ready to take the next step.

    “I would consider sleeping here to be in the front row for that game,” she said. “Maybe get here at midnight and camp out. We’ll have to see.”

    That could be difficult though. The "2013 Student Stadium Guide" clearly states, in capital letters, "Camping out overnight is not permitted."

    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

    Images from the Michigan football team's dominating 59-9 win over Central Michigan

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    The Michigan football team started its season on the right foot on Saturday defeating Central Michigan handily, 59-9. Michigan stumbled early on offense, but a jolt from the special teams and defensive units gave the Wolverines the boost they needed.

    Melanie Maxwell is a photographer for AnnArbor.com.

    Eastern Michigan erases second-half deficit to beat Howard, 34-24

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    Howard’s defense swarms around Eastern Michigan’s junior running back, Bronson Hill, 30, on Saturday.

    Patrick Record | AnnArbor.com

    Updated at 10:25 p.m.

    Down by double digits to an FCS opponent in its season opener at home, Eastern Michigan finally woke up.

    The Eagles scored consecutive touchdowns late in the third quarter and early in the fourth as they came back in a 34-24 win Saturday night at Rynearson Stadium.

    More Coverage: Boxscore

    Looking for improvement following a 2-10 season last year, the Eagles avoided an opening night upset after a back-and-forth first three quarters.

    And for coach Ron English, an 11-point comeback in the final 16 minutes of the game served as a good learning experience for his team.

    “We’ve been preaching that and preaching that and we couldn’t have had a better scenario," English said. "Because the only way you learn to do that is to actually do it in a game.”

    After Eastern took a 13-10 lead into the halftime break, the Bison scored on drives of 80 and 90 yards to go up 24-13 to open the second half. On his team’s first drive of the second half, Howard’s Jonathan Booker caught a pass along the sideline, broke a tackle and streaked 33 yards to the end zone to put his team up by four.

    The Bison again went to the big play on its next drive, when quarterback Greg McGhee raced 75 yards up the middle after a fake handoff, going all the way down to the EMU 3-yard-line.

    EMU had completed a successful goal line stand when a McGhee pass fell incomplete on fourth down. But EMU’s Donald Coleman was called for roughing the passer on a helmet-to-helmet hit, and the Bison scored on the next play. That put Howard up by 11.

    But Eastern responded with its best drive of the day, going 73 yards in three minutes, including 49 passing yards from junior quarterback Tyler Benz, to pull within four.

    “We still had about a quarter and a half to go, so we couldn’t panic or start to do things out of character,” running back Bronson Hill said.

    Just after Howard got a first down and appeared to have started another drive, EMU linebacker Sean Kurtz recorded an interception and gave EMU the ball at the Howard 15. Four Hill runs later, EMU scored the go-ahead touchdown.

    “I just kind of rovered over, and the quarterback just looked right to me and threw it," Kurtz said. "It was a pretty easy pick. It was pretty exciting.”

    After a slow start, with 38 yards in the first half, the sophomore Hill went over 100 yards rushing for the fourth time in his EMU career.

    English said he thought Hill was looking for the big play too much in the first half, before settling in in the second. His long rush for the day was 11 yards. He finished with 28 carries for 101 yards.

    “It just took a lot of patience," Hill said. "I didn’t really have that many long runs this game, no big highlight plays, so it was one of those type of games. I really had to just keep doing the same thing over and over and they got tired.”

    Benz, meanwhile, finished with 210 yards passing on 19-of-26 passing with two touchdowns and an interception -- on the one play that English called during the game.

    Eastern added the insurance with 3:14 left, when sophomore running back Darius Jackson rumbled 19 yards for the score.

    After a Benz interception on Eastern’s first drive of the game, the Eagles went 77 yards on 14 plays on their second drive, culminating in a touchdown pass to tight end Tyreese Russell.

    Howard got on the board with eight minutes left in the first half, when a delayed handoff fooled the EMU defense and the Bison’s William Parker ran 65 yards up the middle for a score.

    The Bison finished with 202 yards rushing, but 140 of those came on two runs.

    "I don't think it was really a matter of us not knowing what to do or anything like that," Kurtz said of the long runs. "We were in the right spot to make a play, Howard was just a great team."

    The Bison took the lead five minutes later on a field goal, with three minutes left in the half.

    But Benz operated the hurry-up offense efficiently at the end of the half, taking the Eagles 75 yards on seven plays in 2:24. The drive was capped off by a 33-yard touchdown pass from Benz to a diving Damarius Reed.

    Eastern now heads on the road for consecutive weeks, next Saturday against Penn State and the following week against Rutgers.

    “It’s better to learn while winning than to learn while losing," English said. "And we have some players that are going to learn a lot from this game in all areas. And we know we’ve got a tough road, too.

    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.

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