The Dexter High School girls basketball team hoists its Class A district championship trophy in the air after beating Huron, 34-32.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

The hugs just wouldn’t end for the Dexter High School girls basketball team. The smiles couldn’t be wiped from the Dreadnaughts’ faces.

First there was the full-team embrace after Huron’s last-second shot to tie Friday night’s Class A district title game at the Riverdome bounced off the rim to clinch Dexter’s 36-34 victory.

Then came emotional bear hugs from head coach Mike Bavineau as he handed each player a district championship medal - representing the first Class A title in program history - in a midcourt post-game ceremony.

“It’s amazing, I don’t think I’ve ever been hugged so much,” senior Emma Kill said in a rare free moment between the squeezes she was receiving from Dexter students, parents and fans that made their way onto the Riverdome court.

“We’re on top of the world.”

It was Kill who gave the Dreadnaughts the lead for good, 34-32, when she hit a post basket with 57 seconds remaining. The 6-foot-2 center then blocked a Huron shot on the other end of the court, leading to a pair of free throws by fellow senior Makenzie Svihra and a four-point advantage with 35 ticks remaining.

More coverage: Boxscore | District bracket | Playoff roundup

Huron, which had already wiped out a 10-point second-half deficit, still had a chance to tie or win its sixth district title in seven years. The River Rats (17-6) stole an inbounds pass following a Micah Robinson pull-up jumper, but came up short on its final possession.

That triggered the Dexter celebration and a spot in the regional round for the first time since a Class B date in 2005. The Dreadnaughts (20-3) will face Canton (16-5) at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Novi High School. Hartland and Farmington Hills Harrison will play in the other semifinal.

Huron's Ariel Bethea has her shot blocked in the final minute of play in Dexter's 36-34 district championship win.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

Kill summed up the underdog Dreadnaughts’ attitude with a standard “everyone doubted us except for ourselves” post-game quote. But the outside doubt was understandable considering Huron handed Dexter two of its three regular season losses, including a convincing 34-19 victory just one week ago in the crossover game between the two Southeastern Conference division winners.

(Notably, Dexter’s other regular season loss was a two-point decision against Northville in December. Canton beat Northville, 29-23, and will meet Dexter in the regional round at Novi High School on Tuesday)

This time around, Bavineau packed the Dreadnaught defense in the lane in an attempt to take away Huron’s penetration and force outside shots. The River Rats responded by hitting 12 of 41 (29.2 percent) shots, including 5 of 16 (31.2 percent) from 3-point range while matching its season-low scoring total.

Dexter, meanwhile, steadily adjusted to Huron’s aggressive man-to-man defense. The Dreadnaughts cut their turnover total from eight in the first quarter to four in the second quarter. By the third quarter, when Dexter went on a 9-0 run to take a 23-15 lead, they were playing turnover-free basketball.

“It takes a while to get accustomed to their speed,” Bavineau said. “We practiced with seven defenders on the court just to simulate it.”

Huron coach Steve Vinson - who started a pair of sophomores and a junior - thought Dexter’s senior leadership paid off in the end.

“Every time we made a mistake, they made us pay,” he said. “They’re seniors, they’re smart, they’ve been through this before. I think they deserve a lot of credit for keeping their composure.”

Dexter’s starting five seniors - Kill, Svihra, Riley McDonald, Kathryn Pisano and Teia McGahey - accounted for 28 of the Dreadnaughts’ points, including a team-high nine points by Kill.

Freshman guard Taylor Olson scored the other eight points, five of them in the final minute of the first half to give Dexter a 14-13 halftime lead.

Huron junior guard Micah Robinson scored seven of her game-high 10 points in the final 2:47 as the River Rats - who advanced to a Class A semifinal last season - battled to keep their season alive. Her three-point play on a steal and transition basket pulled Huron within 32-30 after starting the fourth quarter trailing by nine points.

Payton Sims and Bethea Ariel scored six points apiece. Auzhane King and Kamala Glenn, who each hit 3-pointers to spark Huron’s fourth quarter rally, finished with five points.

Rich Rezler is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com.

Nine Washtenaw County girls high school basketball teams played for district titles on Friday night and six walked away with championship trophies to add to their display cases.

Dexter, Saline, Chelsea, Manchester and Rudolf Steiner all lived to play another day with the title clinching wins.

AnnArbor.com Coverage

Dexter 36, Huron 34
Story | Boxscore | Bracket

Manchester 57, Arbor Prep 42
Story | Boxscore | Bracket

Chelsea 44, Jackson Lumen Christi 42
Story | Boxscore | Bracket

AnnArbor.com Washtenaw County Scoreboard

Coach Jeff Waltz and the Saline girls basketball team are district champions

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Saline 47, Temperance Bedford 41
Story | Boxscore | Bracket

Saline topped Temperance Bedford, after trailing 13-11 in the first quarter, to win the Class A district title at Monroe on Friday.

“They had the momentum early in the game,” Saline coach Jeff Waltz said. “We weathered the storm.”

It was tied 25-25 at halftime, with Saline taking a 33-31 lead into the final eight minutes.

“It was pretty much a one possession game until about three and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter,” Temperance Bedford coach Bill Ryan said.

Amanda Zylstra of Saline scored a game-high 15 points and had four steals, while Temperance Bedford’s Mallorie Sampson scored 11 and Nicole Rightnowar grabbed 13 rebounds.

“Amanda was shooting with a lot of confidence tonight,” Waltz added.

Saline (14-8) hosts Brownstown Woodhaven in the first round of regional play at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 1.

Rudolf Steiner 35, Washtenaw Christian 22
Story | Boxscore | Bracket

Abby Andrews had 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks for Ann Arbor Rudolf Steiner, which won its first Class D district title under head coach Jim Belanger.

“Abby is a very elegant, finesse player,” Jim Belanger said. “Tessa Belanger picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and we asked Abby to step up, and she changed her game, moving from power forward to center. She had to carry the load for the two bigs, and she did a fantastic job for us tonight.”

Tessa Belanger finished with nine points and eight rebounds, and Annika Sproull added nine points.

Saline Washtenaw Christian led 11-10 after the first, but Rudolf Steiner shut them out in the second quarter and held Washtenaw Christian to 11 points in the second half.

Jurnee Tipton led Washtenaw Christian with nine points.

Rudolf Steiner plays Allen Park Inter-City Baptist in the regional semifinals at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Bellevue.

Livonia Ladywood 58, Father Gabriel Richard 35
Details not available

Michigan hockey went up by two goals in the first 11 minutes and won its third straight game, 4-1 over Ferris State, to move closer to home ice advantage in the first round of the CCHA tournament.

Daniel Brenner is a photographer for AnnArbor.com

Dexter avenged a pair of regular season losses to Huron and won its first district title since 2005 with a 36-34 win Friday night.

Courtney Sacco is a photographer for AnnArbor.com

In her final game on her home court, Manchester senior McKenna Erkfritz saved one of her best performances for last, helping the Flying Dutch win their third district championship in four years.

Manchester sophomore guard Sydnie Ahrens, reaches for a rebound during the girls varsity basketball districts agaisnt Willow Run at Manchester High School Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013.

Andrew Kuhn | File for AnnArbor.com

Erkfritz scored 24 points to go along with 12 rebounds and three blocks as the No. 3 Dutch defeated the No. 9 Arbor Prep Gators 57-42 Friday night.

More Coverage: Boxscore

“We knew we had a size advantage all week and for the first couple minutes of the game it didn’t seem like that,” Erkfritz said. “But once they started finding me and getting me the ball, we were wide open and back into our game.”

With her team trailing 16-9 with seven minutes to play in the first half, Erkfritz knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the lead to four. On the next two Manchester possessions, Erkfritz scored again to tie the game halfway through the quarter. During a five-minute stretch in the quarter, the reigning Annarbor.com Player of the Year scored nine points, pulled down six rebounds and had a block and an assist.

“That kid can handle the ball, she can shoot from the outside and when you have a player like that, how are you going to stop her?” said Manchester head coach Cori Kastle.

At one point, Erkfritz, a center served as the primary ball handler, bring the ball up the court for Manchester.

“They weren’t pinching up on me and I figured if I could bring it up court every time to relieve the pressure on my guards, I’m going to do it,” Erkfritz said.

After taking the lead in the second quarter, the Dutch didn’t trail again, shutting out the Gators over the final seven minutes of the first half.

“Honestly if we would have gone man-to-man on them, it would have been a lot closer of a game,” said Manchester's Taylor Manders. “They’re very fast and very hard to control.”

Manchester took an eight point lead into the half and extended it to 13 after three quarters.

The Gators were in control throughout the first quarter, forcing six turnovers and limiting the Dutch to just two field goals.

“We hit a little lull in the second quarter there and our shots just weren’t falling,” said Arbor Prep coach Rod Wells. “I thought they were good shots and they weren’t making them and Manchester was making theirs. It swung the momentum of the game.”

Zakiya Wells led the Gators with 16 points.

Emotions ran high in the second half as Wells drew a technical foul after arguing a call with officials. A large discrepancy in the fouls seemed to draw the ire of Wells and his players. Manchester shot 31 free throws compared to 14 attempts by Arbor Prep.

The district championship is the third in four years for Manchester, a program that had just two in program history prior to this most recent run. For Manders and Erkritz, winning a district title in their final home game was a special moment.

“It feels awesome because honestly, senior year is supposed to be your year and if I didn’t get it this year, I would have been pretty bummed,” Manders said.

Manders and Erkfrtiz, along with fellow senior Jesse Coltre comprise the most successful group in program history. But according to Kastle, the district title was the starting point.

“They’re on a mission and they’re not done. It’s tough to be a team three times but, they’re confident, but not over confident,” Kastle said.

Manchester moves on to play Michigan Center (who defeated No. 6 Concord) in the regional semifinal held at Hudson High School. The two teams played twice already this season with the Dutch winning both games by scores of 49-29 and 60-38. Tipoff for the regional semifinal is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Matt Durr is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com

Chelsea's Steve Bleise, pictured above against Holly's Mason Cleaver in a quarterfinal match, defeated Cleaver's teammate and two-time state champion Anthony Gonzalez in the semifinals.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

• Six Washtenaw County wrestlers fight back through consolations brackets to earn All-State distinction
• Chelsea, Ypsilanti, Manchester wrestlers advance to individual state semifinals

AUBURN HILLS -- The Holly High School wrestling team is not a big fan of Steve Bleise right now.

Bleise will wrestle for the 135 pound Division 2 championship at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday after defeating Holly senior and two-time state champion Anthony Gonzalez .

Bleise's quarterfinal win earlier in the day was against another Holly senior, Mason Cleaver. Cleaver was a runner-up last season. Bleise is 45-0 on the season.

Bleise's teammate, Michael Hovater was unable to maintain his unblemished record, picking up his first loss of the season to Garett Stehley in the semifinal of the 189 lbs. weight class.

Bleise will face St. John's sophomore Logan Massa in the final. Massa is perhaps more well known for being the brother of four-time undefeated state champion, Taylor Massa, who currently wrestles for Michigan.

But the younger Massa is no slouch himself, finishing runner-up last year at 119 as a freshman. Bleise finished fourth in the same weight class after losing 6-3 to Massa in the quarterfinals last year.

Ypsilanti's Kyle Abdellatif (D2, 125) and Manchester's Eric Coval (D3, 145 both had close matches in the semifinals, but both came up short. Abdellatif lost to JacQuan Moore of Stevensville Lakeshor, 6-1, and Coval fell to Jordon Bennett of Lake Odessa Lakewood 10-4.

Championship matches will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv with the first weight class (285) scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m.

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

What did you think of the play? Leave a comment and / or vote in the poll at the end of this post:

SuzanneRegan, AlexLeydenfrost and Qamara Peaches Black in "Good People."

photo by Sean Carter | courtesy of Performance Network

But as this hilarious, smart, hard-edged drama demonstrates, defining such a thing is far more complicated than that.

At the play’s start, Margie loses her cashier’s job at a South Boston dollar store, and after talking with her waitress friend Jean (MaryJo Cuppone) and landlady/babysitter Dottie (Ruth Crawford) about her predicament, she decides to reach out to Mikey for a job, even though she hasn’t seen him in years. She ends up spending an evening in his tony, suburban home, talking with him and his lit professor wife, Kate (Qamara “Peaches” Black), and the conversation unearths some painful secrets.

Patrons should be warned that these Southie characters are foul-mouthed at times, not to mention politically incorrect. But playwright Lindsay-Abaire grew up in this penurious world, and its depiction feels wholly genuine. Plus, director David Wolber and his actors make it seem as though the characters don’t say these things with a sense of malice—not usually, anyway—but rather, they say them because it’s the only lexicon they have.

Regan is both hysterical and heart-breaking in the lead role, establishing in the first scene—when Margie keeps talking in order to avoid the axe that she knows is about to fall—Margie’s dignity in the face of desperate circumstances. Margie is wry, sometimes pushy, and passive aggressive, but we root for her not only because we understand that these qualities are necessary to her survival, but because Regan makes Margie, despite (or perhaps because of) her hard edges, a woman we can relate to and sympathize with.

The ensemble, in general, is also terrific. Cuppone utterly steals the show’s second scene, earning tons of laughs (while sporting a mile-high poof); and Leydenfrost and Black, along with Regan, masterfully handle the slow build of the second act’s pivotal scene.

Another star of the show, though, is Daniel C. Walker’s ingenious, innovative set, which initially appears like a painted, colorful illustration of the Boston skyline on four walls, slanted into an accordion. Because a number of very different locales are called for by the script - an alley, Mikey’s office, Margie’s kitchen, the bingo hall, Mikey’s home - Walker worked out a way for two different sets to rotate toward the audience on the ends, and for the two central panels to roll back to reveal a set in the middle as well. The design (thoughtfully lit by Walker also) places us vividly within the world of the play; and what a difference that makes, since “Good People” is so much about place, and where these characters come from, and how that shapes who they become.

Costume designer Christa Koerner does excellent work, particularly with the play’s women. Jean’s manipulated, tight Red Sox shirt, and her penchant for shirts with holes atop the sleeves, speak volumes about her character; and Kate’s super-chic ensemble visually underscores the class contrast between her and Margie (who, when she took off her coat to reveal a cheap-looking black and silver dress, actually elicited a groan I can only describe as “fashion pain” behind me on opening night). Finally, Stephanie Din’s wonderful props—from the mismatched coffee cups in Margie’s kitchen to the bingo accoutrements—fill in the details necessary to fully transport us to Southie.

With a running time of two hours, “Good People” will make you laugh out loud often while also challenging you to consider precisely how much of a role luck and choice play in determining our personal fortunes.

And even though we’re still in the first months of 2013, “Good People” has already earned a place in my heart as one of the year’s highlights in local theater.

"Good People" continues through March 31. For tickets, see the Performance Network website.

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

Ypsilanti Township is bonding for a $660,000 preventative maintenance project for one neighborhoods' roads.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

Ypsilanti Township will concurrently make repairs on roads and replace water lines along a neighborhood off South Grove Road.

The township will bond for $660,000 to complete the project in the neighborhood, which sits on the north side of South Grove Road just to the west of Rawsonville Road.

Repairing the roads and replacing water mains at the same time lowers the cost of both projects. The Ypsilanti Community Utility Authority will replace the water lines and pay to repave the roads it damages, while the Washtenaw County Road Commission and Ypsilanti Township will pay to repave the remainder of the roads.

Officials aren’t yet sure of a construction timeline.

The roads were selected because the water mains in the area need upgrades and replacements and it provides the Road Commission with the chance to complete a comprehensive asphalt overlay.

The roads are in fair to good condition, but the township regularly undertakes preventative maintenance projects because it costs less in the long run than rebuilding crumbling roads.

Among the roads are Morris Street, Bomber Street, Lakeview Avenue, Moeller Street, Bradley Avenue, Emerson Road, Ida Avenue, McGregor Avenue, Outer Lane, Pasadena Street, Snow Avenue and Wooddale Avenue.

Last year, the township spent $6.8 million on maintenance projects and complete rebuilds of deteriorating roads.

The Road Commission has regularly praised the township for its maintenance of its roads and said they are among the best roads in Washtenaw County.

“The roads in Ypsilanti Township are in very good condition, and it’s because of the commitment by the township to sell bonds, to invest in their roads and work with the Road Commission to make those improvements a reality,” said Aaron Berkholz, superintendent of maintenance for the Road Commission.

In March, the township plans to announce more roads that will see maintenance work or a rebuild. Bonds will cover some of the costs, while federal grant money is available for some of the projects.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter.

Event Manager Paul Neidermire sits behind the scorers table before the game against Penn State on Feb. 17.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

Plenty of extras make it two hours of non-stop entertainment — free T-shirts or light-up eye glasses for everyone. A half-time show featuring a unicyclist flipping five dishes at once from her foot to the top of her head. Free pizzas for a handful of people. Contests to win sandwiches for everyone in your row or a $100 gift card by making a free throw, lay-up, and three-pointer within 30 seconds. The newly-dedicated center with its displays of U-M sports greats, the band, and on and on.

There’s always something happening. Always noise. Sometimes a surprise. Cool stuff, even if it has nothing to do with the game. You won’t get bored.

At the center of the action is event manager, Paul Neidermire. Though he is everywhere, he says he would be happy if nobody knew he was there at all. That would indicate that everything is going as planned and he is doing his job well.

His explanation of why he is called an event manager rather than a game manager clarifies the reasons for all of the extracurricular activity. “In the athletic department, one of our guiding principles is to create ‘wow’ experiences,” he said. “People have the option of sitting at home and watching a game on TV. They don’t need to buy a ticket, don’t have to go out in the cold. The food is cheaper, they get instant replay and professional analysis. So in order to fill Crisler, we have to set ourselves apart from the TV provider, give the fans something that the viewers don’t get.”

He mentions also that the atmosphere is intended to create a home-court advantage.

“The noise, the music, the video boards, the cheers, make it an intimidating environment for the other team,” he said. "It’s like that in every venue, so why do the opposition any favors when they are in our building? That’s one reason it’s so hard to win on the road. It’s not coincidence that the home coach is constantly mentioning how the support of the fans helped their team win.”

In case you forgot, Michigan hasn't lost at home this year.

Neidermire arrives at Crisler three hours before tip-off. He closely works with the facility manager, and double-checks that everything is ready to go. He looks through the locker rooms and officials’ room, makes a loop around the concourse to see if the interactive televisions are working and the marketing tables are set up. He checks on sponsor locations, coordinates the care for Gov. Rick Snyder if he is attending, checks on glitches from the previous game and answers questions or fills any needs of fans. He calls himself the conduit for communications with the other athletic department team members who join to put on the event.

Before Crisler’s doors open to the public, he meets with the event staff supervisors and floor level ushers who handle the arrival and departure of the teams and officials, as well as the photographers, TV cameras, and broadcasters.

Neidermire is in his second year at U-M and is coming from a similar role at the University of Connecticut and Boston College. His original intent was to coach soccer, which he did for a couple years, and teach. But once he began doing event management, that changed. He says, “I love it, and I probably received my aptitude for it from my father who works in logistics for 3M.”

Besides men’s basketball, Neidermire also handles women’s basketball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s soccer, and baseball.

Event Manager Paul Neidermire speaks with ushers before the game against Penn State on Feb. 17.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

Pre-season meetings with these people help things run well and keep unavoidable disruptions from spoiling the party for the fans. “Last year with the construction at Crisler, for instance, we had to convey to employees and fans that all of the entrances they were used to were changing” he said. “Same thing this year. In addition, this year we did most of our planning from blueprints since the construction kept us out of parts of the building until the week of the first game. No complaints, though. They knocked an entire year off of the original completion date.”

Helping Neidermire do his job are 170-180 event staff, his boss, and five full-time members from his office. If you count next time you are there, you will come up with 90 ushers and 66 ticket takers, including scanners, six people in guest services, four program sellers, and those working the game floor and tunnel areas. Rivalry games like Ohio State, Indiana, and Michigan State University require a few more.

Neidermire said it is the event staff who help provide “an exceptional experience for every guest. A lot of schools contract out their event staff. We don’t, and that’s what makes us special. Our people wear a block M, not another company’s sweater. They are part of the building and its character. And since they are fans themselves who bleed Maize and Blue, they want to help fellow fans. Some of them know practically everyone in their section.”

During the game, Neidermire sits on the second row of the scorer’s table and fulfills the other half of his role — game administrator. If the officials need something, he is the one they go to. Right before the Ohio State game, the referee pointed out that a camera on the backboard could became a danger, so the officials had Neidermire contact the right people to get it adjusted. After every game, he is required to submit a form tracking different information to the Big Ten office.

“It’s a challenge to have everything surrounding the game work well.” Neidermire said. “But I like the challenge. The one part of my job that causes me some worry comes from the fact that millions of people are watching on TV. I don’t want something going wrong that gives the university a negative image.”

About an hour after the game, the visiting team and officials have left, Coach Beilein’s press conference is over, and a calm is returning. It’s then that Neidermire can leave for home.

Bob Horning is a lifelong Ann Arbor resident who writes U-M sports human interest stories for AnnArbor.com. If you have ideas for future columns, please email news@annarbor.com.

The man accused of stabbing his wife to death in January returns to court for a preliminary exam in early March, according to court records.

Jean-Pierre Trias

Courtesy of the WCSO

Jean-Pierre Trias, 44, is charged with open murder for allegedly killing Katherine Porter, 53, sometime before police responded to their home in the 4700 block of Hickory Pointe Boulevard on Jan. 11. Trias’ next court hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 5 for a preliminary exam, records show.

Trias is lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail without bond while the case is pending. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

A preliminary exam originally was scheduled for Feb. 19, but that was adjourned before the hearing.

According to police, Trias stabbed Porter multiple times in the couple’s home. It’s unknown if there was a history of domestic violence in the relationship. The couple was married since August 1995 but Trias filed for divorce in November 2010, according to court documents. The couple reconciled and the case was dismissed.

Katherine Porter

File photo

Trias is a former part-time lecturer/adjunct faculty member at Eastern Michigan University. He worked on and off at the school from September 2003 until Dec. 31 in the mathematics department.

According to university officials, Trias also worked as a coordinator of math tutoring and testing services part-time and was a graduate assistant.

Porter worked for 13 years at Advantage Computing Systems as a senior systems analyst.

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

April and Steve McCrumb brought a pop of color to the Kerrytown neighborhood last week with the opening of their Catching Fireflies retail shop.

The “whimsical gift gallery” opened at 419 Detroit St., across the street from Zingerman’s Deli.

Catching Fireflies opened last week in the former Emerald Dragonfly space at 419 Detroit St.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

From colorful printed scarves to kitchen tools and handmade photo frames, the store sells a range of items for customers of all ages. Treasure Mart owner Elaine Johns owns the 2,850-square-foot building, which now has bright awnings with the Catching Fireflies logo.

“We wanted the atmosphere to be welcoming, artful, happy and inspiring,” April said in a statement.

The McCrumbs started selling handmade paper goods at the Ann Arbor Art Fair 15 years ago. Today, they own Catching Fireflies stores in Berkeley and Rochester, Mich., they sell handmade photo frames and paper goods to more than 400 stores in the U.S., and they run an online store and blog.

The Ann Arbor Catching Fireflies store features work of more than 20 Michigan artists, the McCrumbs said.

The retail shop will host a grand opening celebration from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 16. The first 100 customers will receive free goodies; there will be live music and treats; a photo booth; and a 20 percent discount on the store’s inventory.

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

The Washtenaw County Road Commission will be adding eight full-time employees to its understaffed workforce and four new snowplows to its fleet this year.

The new heavy trucks will hit county roads next winter, said Roy Townsend, managing director for the road commission.

The road commission approved the purchase of the trucks at a recent meeting.

The Washtenaw County Road Commission will be hiring six temporary employees that drive snowplows full time this year.

Daniel J. Brenner | AnnArbor.com

The new snowplows will be assigned to the crew that clears the major state-owned roads in Washtenaw County. Trucks on those routes tend to run for 16 hours in a row during heavy winter storm events, as they’re in use by both night and day shifts, Townsend said.

Older snowplows in use on the state route crew will be transitioned to other crews within the road commission, allowing the oldest heavy trucks in the commission’s fleet to be decommissioned.

The new heavy trucks will be equipped with new technology, Townsend said. The trucks will have wing plows that will allow drivers to plow both the main lane and shoulder at the same time.

Saddle tanks full of brine also will be on the new heavy trucks. The tanks will allow drivers to spread both brine and salt at the same time - a more effective method than the way it happens now, he said.

Road crews pour water over the salt in the truck to activate it faster once it hits the streets, Townsend said.

The commission’s operations - both in the engineering department and field work - are typically manned by the equivalent of 130 full-time employees.

For the past three to four years, the road commission has been operating with about 105 employees.

With the addition of two new employees in the engineering department and switching six temporary employees to full-time status, the net gain of eight employees will mean that the road commission still has 17 vacant positions that it won’t likely be filling this year.

The road commission’s engineering department still has six vacancies, and there is a finance clerk position that is vacant.

The six temporary employees were hired in December to drive snowplows and work in the operations department, which had 16 vacancies going into this winter season after retirements and relocations. They’ll now be full time, but the operations department will be doing its job without 10 employees it once had.

Temporary employees do not receive benefits as full-time employees do.

The road commission also has reinstated a merit-based bonus program for non-union employees that it suspended in 2008.

The program gives one-time lump sum bonuses to non-union employees at the top of their pay schedule who are no longer eligible for merit-based salary increases.

Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.

Matt Kazmierski pictured conducting one of his concerts. Kazmierski is being honored for his leadership as YPS band director.

Courtesy Matt Kazmierski

Ypsilanti Public Schools band director Matt Kazmierski will receive a prestigious honor that only is given to one Michigan educator each year.

Kazmierski, 39, has been named the University Musical Society DTE Energy Foundation Educator of the Year for 2013.

"I am really happy that someone thought I was deserving of it," Kazmierski said. "Sometimes when you’re working your job, you don’t always notice when someone appreciates what you do and it's really cool."

Kazmierski said he was nominated by YPS Human Resources Director Sharon Irvine and it came as a surprise.

"It's a great feeling and it's a really good honor and very unexpected," Kazmierski said. "I'm excited for the opportunity to have my students exposed to the University Musical Society performances and workshops."

Matt Kazmierski

Courtesy Matt Kazmierski

Nominees must satisfy one or more of the following three criteria to be eligible for the award: excellence in arts programs, exceptional use of an arts-integrated curriculum, or creative use of UMS-provided tools.

Nominations were reviewed by a committee of UMS staff and members.

While Kazmierski is being honored for his commitment and advancement of arts education in Ypsilanti Public Schools, it was his work to ensure a sixth grade band program continued to go on despite reconfigurations that removed band from sixth grade programming.

Kazmierski said he will continue to try to keep the district's bands in place as it moves closer to consolidating with the Willow Run school district.

"I can only hope that next year we’re able to preserve sixth grade band again," Kazmierski said. "We will find out in the next couple of weeks... We're basically starting from the ground up and we're all waiting to see what happens... I'm going to do my best to fight for my program."

Kazmierski has been band director for 16 years and oversees about 350 students in the district's elementary, middle and high school programs.

He, along with another music teacher, Steven Feltner, and Choir Director Jacob Berglin, recently took on the role of teaching the entire secondary program.

"We've been running around pretty crazy this year trying to make sure every kid got their fair shake," Kazmierski said. "Last year, Steve was teaching band and choir at the middle school, which is neat, but he’s not a choir teacher. It was really challenging and not fair to the choir kids. We had help from Sharon and also the principals helped make that happen and I think it’s been a real positive change."

Kazmierski grew up in Ypsilanti and attended Eastern Michigan University for his undergraduate degree and obtained his masters from a university in Colorado.

Music was an important part of his development and he hopes all of his students leave well-rounded.

"I’m not trying to teach kids how to be music majors in college, I want them to be well-rounded students in my program and be kids that are devoted to what they love, Kazmierski said.

He hopes his students leave with an appreciation of music and the arts.

"Music is a part of our brain that’s devoted to performing music and listening to music and we don’t know how it works 100 percent just yet, but we know its connected to development, language and movement," he said. "...I have a passion for music."

Under his direction, YPS students have participated in dozens of competitions and have traveled abroad to places including England. This year the Ypsilanti High School wind symphony will participate in some festivals in the coming weeks and go on tour in Chicago in April.

The wind symphony also will be playing with the Ypsilanti Symphony during Memorial Day weekend.

Kazmierski will be honored along with world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma for the Distinguished Artist Award and the School of the Year Award honoree.

One of his classes next school year also will be treated to a UMS School Day Performance, and will receive a guest artist master class visit at school.

He will receive his award at the 18th annual Ford Honors program on March 16, and will be a guest at the Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble concert afterward.

The concert will be at 8 p.m. in Hill Auditorium at 825 N. University Ave. The Ford Honors program raises funds for UMS education and community engagement programs.

Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.

The city of Saline will consider using one of two millage options to help cover its obliged $314, 536 contribution to the Saline Area Fire Department's 2014 budget, The Saline Post reported.

The first option would be to use 0.9633 mills of the inactive 1-mill levy that voters approved in the 1994 fire special assessment. The second would be to raise the city's general operating millage to 13.3728 mills, according to the report.

The discussion will take place during the city council work session, 6 p.m. Monday at Saline City Hall, 100 N. Harris St.

In addition to Saline, the department covers Saline Township, York Township and Lodi Township.

• Read the full story at The Saline Post

Kody Klein can be reached at kklein@mlive.com.

The author is the big free ribs winner at Satchel's BBQ.

Rich Retyi | AnnArbor.com Contributor

Best Burger

Stacked patties (one, two, three, floor!—get it?) served with attitude. The key is the smashing. These burgers are juicy, tasty and aren’t overpowered by the condiments or bun. Or mean table-cleaner person telling you not to put your cup on the table. YOU don’t put your cup on the table, person!

Best Steak

I generally go with the New York Strip because I’m big-city folk, but I know their filet mignon is also great as well. That’s a lot of steak. And I know this article is about the best meat in town, but start with the wedge and get a side of fries and order a stiff whiskey drink while you’re at it and WHY AM I NOT AT KNIGHT’S RIGHT NOW?

A chicken and chicken feast at Mr. Spots.

Rich Retyi | AnnArbor.com Contributor

Ann Arbor’s wings don’t come anywhere close to the eighth-best wing shack in Lackawanna, but there is one place that would come in number nine with a bullet: Mr. Spot’s. I’ve had wings all up and down this city, and Mr. Spots has the best combination of tasty meat, perfect frying and finger-licking sauce. I always go with the original hot, a side of celery and bleu cheese, and a side of chicken fingers, but let’s not get into my ritualistic binge-eating. The wings are the thing. Give them a try.

Best Ribs

Full disclosure: after eating ribs at Satchel’s once, I dropped my business card in the punch bowl to win free ribs and had my card pulled. So I ate more ribs. These ones free. They were delicious. Satchel’s smokes their meat in the parking lot, right outside the cell phone store. A big pile of wood and thick delicious smoke a middle finger to touch screens everywhere. These ribs are good. Real good.

A pair of dogs at Ray's Red Hots.

Rich Retyi | AnnArbor.com Contributor

Ray’s Red Hots (formerly Red Hot Lovers) serves a variety of tasty dogs, from the Chicago to the coney and all down the line. Their toppings are good and they have giardiniera. However, I hate to be one of these folks, but the place hasn’t been the same since it changed to Ray’s.

The best best hot dog in town is hard to procure because it’s not to be found in a brick and mortar establishment. I’m not kidding when I say the best dogs in town come from Big Dick’s Hotdogs. With a cart outside Circus on First Street and one on State and Madison, Big Dick’s serves the late-night crowd with huge, tasty hot dogs, great toppings and a series of special sauces. My analysis might have a slight margin of error based on the time, physical and mental state I’m in when consuming most Big Dick’s, but I’m going to stick by my choice here.

Best Meat Submarine Sandwich

Try Dibella’s. The Dibella’s Godfather is the single greatest submarine sandwich I’ve ever eaten. It’s only three meats — genoa salami, capicola and spicy ham — but it’s divine. If I’m having a bad day, if I’m not feeling well, if I’ve had a little too much to drink the night before, a Dibella’s Godfather is my delicious life preserver in a cold, cruel world. Add spicy mustard, provolone cheese and their famous oil dressing. The Godfather will be one of the things I miss the most when I leave this town. I wish I was kidding.

Best Dehydrated Meat

What are your favorite places in town to get your meat? Carnivores unite!

Richard Retyi returns to AnnArbor.com with his new column Hidden Ann Arbor. Rich will write about the hidden side of Ann Arbor and the things locals take for granted. In his day job, Rich is a social media director for a digital marketing agency in Ann Arbor. Read more of his stuff at RichRetyi.com or follow him on Twitter.

Ypsilanti Township is joining a growing list of communities offering special brush pickup services, following the winter storm earlier this week that resulted in fallen tree limbs.

Fallen tree branches were reported across Washtenaw County.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

Ypsilanti Township Residential Services Director Jeff Allen said the township decided to have a special pickup after residents continued to inquire after the storm. The township will have trucks going through the areas heavily hit.

"We have received several calls from concerned residents about the amount of fallen limbs in the area, especially on the west side of the township," Allen said.

Ypsilanti Township will have a special brush pickup beginning Wednesday, March 6. The chipping service will be extended until Monday, March 11, if necessary.

Residents who have branches larger than 1 inch diameter should place them at the curb for pickup by Tuesday evening. Allen said the branches should be under 6 inches in diameter and cut and not exceed 10 feet in length.

Smaller branches should be placed in yard waste bags or trash containers 32 gallons or smaller, marked as "yard waste." Containers should not weigh more than 50 pounds.

Township residents can also bring brush or branches out to the Compost Site Center at 2600 East Clark Road on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but proof of residency will be required.

If there is an immediate hazard, such as limbs in the roadway or branches hanging over the road, residents are being advised to contact the Washtenaw County Road Commission. For further information, residents are being advised to contact the township at 734-484-0073.

The storm knocked out power for 26,000 DTE Energy customers across Washtenaw County and caused numerous downed tree branches.

Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.

Pioneer forward Tevis Robinson takes a shot against Huron earlier this season.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Game of the Week is going out with a bang.

The Skyline boys basketball district final took home top honors in this week’s poll, the final one of the season, beating out district title games in Temperance Bedford, Whitmore Lake and Washtenaw Christian.

The district bracket includes four of the top five teams in our more recent AnnArbor.com Power Rankings: No. 1 Pioneer, No. 2 Huron, No. 3 Ypsilanti and No. 5 Skyline.

Dexter and Pinckney round out the six-team district.

The final will tip off at 7 p.m. Friday, following quarterfinals Monday and semifinals Wednesday.

And no matter who makes it to the final, we’ll be there with our Game of the Week coverage.

A man who served the United States government will receive an internment and memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery sometime this spring. Sherman Maxwell Funk died at age 87 in Ann Arbor on Feb. 23.

Sherman Funk

Photo courtesy of Funk family

Funk served as inspector general for the U.S. State Department from 1987-1994. He was appointed under President Reagan to be the first independent Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1981, and also served under Presidents Bush and Clinton.

Funk, known as "Shim," died peacefully with his family beside him. He is survived by his wife of 35 years Sylvia Grunbaum Straka Funk. His first wife was Elaine Bayer Funk, who died in 1977.

Funk also is survived by the five children he and Sylvia had together: Kathi (Marc) Sholder, Ben Funk, Eric (Gianna Lete) Straka, Marc Straka, and Paul (Amy Janowicz) Straka, along with six grandchildren.

Sylvia Funk said, "Sherman was a true Renaissance man. He taught his children how to live with integrity and love of family, and his joie de vie affected the entire family."

"My dad was one of the smartest people I knew," said Katherine Sholder. "He knew a lot about so many things and spoke with equal respect with anyone-from a world leader to the person who picked up the trash."

Sherman Funk was born in 1925 in Brooklyn, N.Y. and grew up in Far Rockaway, N.Y. During WWII, he was a combat infantryman with the 42nd (Rainbow) Division, and his battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for holding off a panzer division in Alsace. He was severely wounded in that battle and taken as a POW and lost the use of his left arm.

Funk went on to attend Harvard University and then did graduate work in American Government at Columbia University and the University of Arizona. He worked as a teacher, wrote a weekly, award-winning column for a Maryland newspaper, and began his government career in 1958 working for the United States Air Force at the Pentagon.

He served as inspector general for the U.S. Department of Commerce from 1981-1987 and as inspector general for the U.S. State Department from 1987-1994. Among his duties as state department inspector general was supervising inspections of all American diplomatic and consular posts worldwide.

Sylvia and Sherman Funk moved to Ann Arbor 12 years ago, and he spent the past 10 years of his life battling Alzheimer's disease.

Donations can be made to Arbor Hospice, 2366 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.

Lisa Carolin is a freelance reporter. Contact AnnArbor.com's news desk at news@annarbor.com.

The exchange between Tim Bartik and Michael Van Beek from Feb. 24 about school spending and the achievement gap raises some important issues (e.g., universal preschool, smaller K-3 classes, and teacher quality) but overlooks a fundamental point: Schools alone cannot close this gap. The gap is widening, in large part because of rising economic inequality.

Moreover, the association between academic achievement and family income has grown stronger in recent years. We need policies and programs to support children and families as well as schools in order to narrow the achievement gap.

Michael Van Beek

Courtesy of the Mackinac Center

Careful research shows that high-quality preschool for all low-income 3- and 4-year-olds would both raise achievement for these children and improve their life outcomes. And the benefits to society at large would dwarf those accruing to the students themselves. Good preschool probably also improves health outcomes and contributes to better parenting later on. And we are not talking here about Head Start, as Van Beek argues. These are outcomes of high-quality preschool programs run by highly skilled teachers. These programs are not inexpensive, but society’s return on investment is enormous.

But beyond school-based initiatives, we must address income inequality directly through programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and a realistic minimum wage. Michigan’s substantial cut to the EITC is as harmful to school outcomes as recent state cuts in school aid.

Spending on effective school programs can narrow the achievement gap, but more than school spending is required. We need to invest directly in children and families by shoring up our social safety net and making sure that children of working families do not grow up poor.

Mike Addonizio

Ann Arbor

The answers to what keeps a book club compelling and meaningful lies with its membership. Just ask those women who have been attending the In Good Company book club, which has been meeting for 18 years.

Nicola Rooney, right, waits on a customer at her Nicola's Books in this 2008 photo.

File photo | AnnArbor.com

"Nicola has been very supportive of the book club throughout the years," said longtime member Veleria Banks. "If it weren't for her vision, I never would have met such a diverse group."

The admiration is mutual.

"This book club is one of our best attended, most vibrant, active and enthusiastic book clubs that we've ever had," said Rooney. "They are absolutely self-sustaining. We just provide the space."

"The book club became an intellectual, support clearinghouse for individuals in this community." said Michelle James-Mann, a member of In Good Company since 1998.

James-Mann says that the group focuses on African American books, but the membership is open to everyone no matter their ethnic identity or their gender. Currently there is one male member.

Lisa Lewis, who has belonged to the book club since its inception, sees the importance of offering an Afro-centric theme.

"It keeps us connected to our past, future, present and offers hopes for our tomorrows and that of our next generations," said Lewis.

"Our books have the lives and communities of African American people as the backdrop, and that and the fact that in many instances the characters are African American, makes the books easier for me to relate to," said Leslie Hollingsworth, who joined the club in 1996 soon after moving to Ann Arbor.

"There are so many awesome African American authors, and so many get lost in the shuffle that as a group we can find the hidden gems," said member Ingrid Peterson.

Peterson cites local authors including Beverly Jenkins and Heather Neff, who have even visited the book club.

The club reads a variety of genres. Last month's book was The New Jim Crow, a nonfiction book by Michelle Alexander.

"it's helpful to be able to discuss the issues with other African-American people," said Hollingsworth. "Reading the book then discussing it and receiving the input of other members had a major influence on me and on my subsequent community action efforts."

Book club member Frances Spackey appreciates the friendships she has made during her years in the club.

"This is a group of strong, smart, worldly members, and I have learned so much from the lively discussions," said Spackey.

"We have traveled together, celebrated birthdays, children's graduations, and weddings together, and we have mourned the loss of loved ones," said member Susan Baskett.

In Good Company members also do community service together such as school supplies drives for SOS Community Services, throwing a baby shower at the Corner Health Center for young mothers, and volunteering at Food Gatherers.

Baskett says that one of the conveniences of meeting at Nicola's is that no one person has to worry about cleaning their homes or preparing snacks. The format is up to whoever is facilitating that month.

"I joke that no matter what we read, we end up talking about sex, men and menopause!" said Baskett.

"When you arrive in one of our lively book discussions, you know that you are 'in good company,' " said James-Mann.

In Good Company meets the first Saturday of every month at 4 p.m. by the fireplace in Nicola's Books and welcomes new members.

Lisa Carolin is a freelance reporter. Reach the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.