Editor's note: This story was updated at 9:30 a.m. with additional information about possible consolidation.

Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners (L-R) Dan Smith, Alicia Ping, Ronnie Peterson, Felicia Brabec, Yousef Rabhi and Conan Smith debate budget priorities Thursday night during the body's first budget retreat.

Andrew Kuhn | For AnnArbor.com

The commissioners met in a three-hour-long public budget retreat Thursday night to establish action priorities to direct the budget process this year before a crowd of county staff and elected officials.

It’s the first step to drafting a two-year budget for 2014 and 2015. For 2014, $3.9 million in structural cuts are needed. By 2015, that figure would compound to about $4.9 million.

Commissioners could choose to implement a four-year budget with $6.88 million in cuts to avoid a looming $9.3 million structural deficit in 2017.

“We owe it to our workforce and we owe it to the public that this ship is well to sail for years to come,” said Commissioner Ronnie Peterson, D-Ypsilanti.

Better roads quickly emerged as a priority among commissioners Thursday night. Proposals being floated in the state legislature to increase funding for local road projects have yet to hit solid ground.

There is no millage in Washtenaw County to support the work of the Washtenaw County Road Commission, which operates on a mix of federal and state funds.

Creating a new tax to fund local road improvements would have to be deliberated this spring if it were to be passed this year, said Commissioner Conan Smith, D-Ann Arbor.

“If we’re going to have that conversation, we need to do that now,” Smith said.

Several commissioners expressed interest in evaluating the cost-savings of eliminating the road commission board and bringing the governance of the road commission directly under the Board of Commissioners during the budget planning process.

“I’m certainly not interested in fixing something that’s not broken,” said Commissioner Dan Smith, R-Northfield Township. “But we need to come to that decision one way or the other.”

The road commission is independent from the Board of Commissioners and has a board of three members — Chairman Doug Fuller, Fred Veigel and Ken Schwartz — who are appointed by the county.

The road commission’s board approves its own budget, union contracts, hiring and purchase agreements. The commission is responsible for the plowing, safety, care and maintenance of 1,649 miles of roads in the county, as well as 580 miles of state highways including Interstate 94, U.S. 23 and M-14.

The Jackson County Board of Commissioners voted in January to dissolve its road commission after an ad hoc review committee found cost savings in the measure, as well as low morale in the road commission.

Other priorities established during the budget retreat Thursday night include an emphasis on addressing workforce training and access issues, continuing mass transit conversations, increasing access to mental health and public health services, as well as investing in the east side of the county to stimulate the economy.

Conan Smith said the Ypsilanti-Willow Run school district merger that created Ypsilanti Community Schools is a big issue for the future of the east side.

The systemic unemployment and poverty issues in Ypsilanti can't be solved unless the city has enough revenue from property taxes to provide basic human services, Conan Smith said.

To improve the quality of the Ypsilanti housing market, investment needs to first be made in the Ypsilanti Community Schools to make the are more attractive for growth, Conan Smith said.

"We need to present a compelling reason for someone to compete for housing in that area," he said.

That could be accomplished by expanding the Perry Nursery School for at-risk children in Ypsilanti, as well as offering universal college education for students in the district, Conan Smith said.

Though the ideas floated during the budget retreat directly related to improving the quality of life for county residents, direct implications on county departments and their budgets remain to be seen.

The commissioners were clear that the heavy staff cuts that were a part of the previous budget process would not happen again this year. Workforce capacity should remain at its current levels, Conan Smith said.

“You have asked the people to sacrifice — that day is over,” Commissioner Peterson said.

The county's 2013 Equalization report will be issued in April. The County Administrator will present a recommended draft of the budget to the board in September.

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

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington Feb. 26 after the weekly Democratic policy luncheon. Levin announced Thursday that he will not seek re-election.

AP photo

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Carl Levin's decision to not seek re-election in 2014 has set the stage for a wide-open race to replace the longest-serving senator in Michigan history.

First elected to the Senate in 1978, the 78-year-old Levin announced Thursday that he has decided to focus on serving as Senate Armed Services chairman and an advocate for his home state without the distraction of campaigning. He said in a statement that he struggled to make a decision along with his wife, Barbara, calling it "extremely difficult because I love representing the people of Michigan" and "fighting for the things that I believe are important for them."

Levin is the sixth member of the Senate to announce his retirement, creating an open seat for Democrats in a state that has backed President Barack Obama twice but where Republicans hold the governor's office and the power in the rest of state government.

Democrats, who control 55 seats in the U.S. Senate, have to defend open seats in West Virginia, Iowa and New Jersey in the aftermath of three other retirements and will try to hold onto 21 seats in next year's elections.

The last time Michigan had an open Senate seat was in 1994, and Levin's retirement could draw a large field of potential successors. Rep. Gary Peters, a Democrat who represents suburban Detroit, has been viewed as a potential candidate along with former Rep. Mark Schauer and Democratic National Committee member Debbie Dingell, the wife of Rep. John Dingell. Potential GOP candidates include Reps. Mike Rogers, Dave Camp, Candice Miller and Justin Amash and Lt. Gov. Brian Calley. Attorney General Bill Schuette said in a statement that he would not seek the Senate seat.

Levin had won re-election handily in recent years and was considered a safe bet to hold onto the seat if he had sought another term.

Levin's departure puts Democrats at a disadvantage as they already are looking for someone to challenge Gov. Rick Snyder. On the other hand, Democrats have fared well in federal elections in a state that has gone for Democrats in six straight presidential races.

Just one Republican has won a Michigan Senate seat in 40 years, Spencer Abraham in 1994, a non-presidential year.

"This is going to get very interesting quickly," said John Truscott, a media consultant who has worked on GOP campaigns.

Levin, who often presents a slightly rumpled, down-to-earth demeanor, is the younger brother of Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., and the senator's retirement will end one of the longest-serving tenures of siblings in Congress. The congressman has said he intends to seek re-election.

President Barack Obama called Levin a "true champion" for members of the military and said no one has worked harder to "bring manufacturing jobs back to our shores, close unfair tax loopholes and ensure that everyone plays by the same set of rules."

Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, said in a statement that "to categorize his decision as 'a loss' seems a sweeping understatement." Snyder said Levin has been a "thoughtful, compassionate voice in Washington."

Levin's announcement comes just days after he shepherded Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's nomination through a bruising Senate confirmation fight. The Armed Services chairman often found himself at odds with some of the newer Republicans on the committee, including freshman Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Levin pointedly pushed back when Cruz insinuated that Hagel had taken money from extreme or radical groups, and he defended the president's nominee.

Levin also has been an outspoken advocate for his home state auto industry and manufacturers. When General Motors and Chrysler faced potential collapse in 2008, Levin pressed his fellow members and the incoming Obama administration to support the companies with billions of dollars in loans. The automakers have since rebounded.

Levin also has kept a keen eye on financial matters. As chairman of the investigations subcommittee, Levin in 2002 led a probe of the activities of Enron Corp., which had declared bankruptcy the previous year amid illegal accounting methods and other financial irregularities. The investigation resulted in legislation meant to improve the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures.

Levin also has sought to crack down on offshore tax havens, which he said cost the U.S. government at least $100 billion a year in lost revenues.

He attended Central High School in Detroit and spent time as a taxi driver and an auto factory worker, years later still carrying in his wallet a fading 1953 United Auto Workers membership card. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Swarthmore College in 1956 and a law degree from Harvard in 1959. In 1964, he was named an assistant state attorney general and the first general counsel for the Michigan Civil Rights Commission.

Detroit voters in 1969 elected Levin to the first of two four-year terms on the City Council, known then as the Common Council. He served as council president in his second term, then ousted Republican Robert Griffin in the 1978 Senate election.

Levin is famous for wearing his eyeglasses down on his nose.

Someone broke a front window at the Kohl’s department store in Pittsfield Township early Friday morning and stole jewelry from a glass case before fleeing, Pittsfield Township police said.

Two employees working the night shift at the store at 3160 Lohr Road heard glass breaking near the front of the store about 12:40 a.m. and called 911, police said in a press release.

Pittsfield Police and an Ypsilanti officer with a dog went to the store and tried to find the suspect. The dog tracked the suspect a short distance east and south but did not locate anyone.

No one was injured in the incident, and the suspect did not see or speak to the store employees, police said. The only description available was that the suspect was wearing all black, including a long black coat.

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One year ago, the tornado that ravaged Dexter also canceled the Dexter Pioneer Arts Fair, a unique fair where artists are required to demonstrate their art or craft.

Mac Buxton, a wood carver who has participated in the Dexter Pioneer Arts Fair for many years, poses with art fair chairperson Ginny Ryan.

Courtesy photo

For Mac Buxton, the devastating tornado provided the inspiration as well as the material for his own participation this time around. Though Buxton, a wood-carver by trade, will not have a booth at this year's art fair this Saturday, but he did make a donation to the event — a maple bowl that he carved from a tree that was taken down during the tornado that ravaged Dexter.

"Last year people got wiped out because of the tornado, and this year we got a gift because of it," said Ginny Ryan, chairperson of the Dexter Pioneer Arts Fair and a member of the Dexter Area Historical Society and Museum.

Buxton has been selling his carved bowls, vases and spoons at the fair for more than 15 years, but due to his wife's serious illness, they will not be at this year's art fair.

"My wife and I have donated many bowls through the years," said Buxton, who lives in Farmington Hills. "We've always had a very good show in Dexter, and I try to do special things for the historical society when I can."

Carol Jones, the fair's publicity coordinator, said this year's show will feature 50 different artisans.

"Some of the crafts like wood carving, loom weaving, wheat weaving, rug hooking and spinning are older crafts that many people have never seen before," said Jones, who says an average of 600 to 700 people attend the fair every year.

The artists who participate in the Dexter Pioneer Arts Fair donate 15 percent of their sales to the Dexter Historical Society and Museum.

This bowl, which was carved out of a maple tree taken down by the March 2012 tornado that ravaged Dexter, was donated by Mac Buxton for this year's Dexter Pioneer Arts Fair.

Courtesy photo

"I do felting in a different way," said Turek. "I'll felt a recycled wool sweater first, then cut it and use it like fabric to construct purses and tote bags. I also hand knit some from wool yarn."

Rebecca Levenson, a 10-year veteran of the Pioneer Arts Fair, sells one-of-a-kind garments that include jackets, scarves, vests, dresses and fabric flower pins.

"I use various techniques such as needle felting, hand-painting, hand-dyeing and applique/piecing of fabrics from around the world," explained Levenson.

Watercolor painter Susan Falcone, who focuses on local native birds, has been demonstrating at the Pioneer Arts Fair since 1996.

"The show is small, welcoming, and intimate, and because the exhibitors are invited, the quality of the art and craft that is demonstrated is very high," said Falcone.

The 40th Dexter Pioneer Arts Fair is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Creekside Intermediate School, 2615 Baker Road in Dexter. Admission is $3 for adults and 50 cents for students K-12.

You won't have to sing for your supper. Let the Huron Valley Harmonizers do it for you at their Chords & Cuisine fundraiser at Stony Creek Methodist Church.

Photo courtesy hvharmonizers.org

Joining the Harmonizers are special guests, "Novelty Shop, a comedic Sweet Adelines quartet. Also featured will be the Folk/Christian band Wine Before Breakfast."

The Huron Harmonizers are nonprofit group members who "teach the vocal skills and performance techniques needed to sing four-part a cappella harmony in the barbershop style," according to their website.

Sunday, March 10. 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. $20/ general admission $15/ teens (13-18), seniors (65+), and full-time students. Purchase tickets at http://www.hvharmonizers.org/CCticketOrder.html. Stony Creek Methodist Church is at 8635 Stony Creek Road, Ypsilanti. 734-482-0240.

• Update: Ann Arbor lifts 'boil water' advisory

Ann Arbor officials expect to lift the boil water advisory issued Thursday for the northeast side of the city Friday afternoon.

The advisory is expected to be lifted between 2 and 3 p.m., the city said in an email alert.

In the meantime, residents who live in the affected area should continue to boil water they use for drinking and cooking, the city said.

A map of the area where a boil water advisory is in effect.

City of Ann Arbor

The city advises that water should be boiled for at least one minute and allowed to cool in a covered container. Bottled water can be used as an alternative to boiling.

City officials said in a news release Thursday morning that the water system was depressurized due to a city contractor conducting scheduled valve maintenance on the northeast side. Any time there is a loss of water system pressure, a boil water advisory is issued as a precautionary measure.

The city said there was no indication there was any actual contamination.

• Read more about the boil water advisory.

Generations of Ann Arborites and University of Michigan students have ordered the grilled creation consisting of hash browns topped with a medley of vegetables and a generous frosting of feta cheese.

In this video Fleetwood Diner cook Kevin Phizacklea walks us through this original Ann Arbor recipe and even shares his secret to making great hash browns.

Melanie Maxwell is a photographer for AnnArbor.com.

Thieves broke into two vehicles, smashing a window in one, parked on Ypsilanti streets in incidents reported Thursday, police said.

Courtesy of YPD

Ypsilanti police reported responding at 8 a.m. Thursday to the 300 block of Lincoln Street for a report of a larceny from a vehicle. Police said someone smashed out a window in the vehicle and stole an iPad from inside.

Police responded at 4 p.m. Thursday to Center Street for a similar report. According to police, cash was stolen from a vehicle during the overnight hours.

Police believe the vehicle was unlocked, allowing the thief to enter the vehicle.

There are no suspects in either case, and police are still investigating.

Anyone with information on these incidents is encouraged to call the Ypsilanti police at 734-483-9510 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

View 300 N Lincoln St in a larger map

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

Charles Sutherland, Chris Manna and Anna Heinl star in A2CT's "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Photo by Tom Steppe

And while this may sound more like fun than work, director Kat Walsh—a former Texan herself—noted that the otherwise demanding nature of the rehearsals is “physically exhausting. These actors tell me that they go home and just collapse after rehearsal.”

Partly, this stems from Walsh’s philosophy, wherein the actors work as a true ensemble to create the play’s world together.

The play, which premiered in 1955 (and won the Pulitzer Prize), focuses on the wealthy Pollitt family of Mississippi. The Pollitts have gathered to celebrate Big Daddy’s 65th birthday, which everyone knows—except Big Daddy and his wife—will be his last, since he’s suffering from cancer. Big brother Gooper and his wife Mae, parents to five children, are making a play for the family inheritance, while neglected, feisty Maggie and her alcoholic, former football star husband, Brick, do battle over the coldness that’s settled over the marriage since Brick’s best friend’s suicide.

Dialogue-wise, the actress playing Maggie (Anna Heinl in A2CT's production) must carry the weight of the first act on her shoulders; but Walsh lets interruptions by Mae, Mama, and the croquet game happening outside (depicted with shadow puppets) break it up.

“That’s the gift the cast gives the leads,” said Walsh. “No one can have that intense of a conversation for 45 minutes. So Williams provides breaks to diffuse it, and uses humor. If it’s done successfully, that’s what’s supposed to happen there.”

Many people associate “Cat” with the 1958 film adaptation starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman. But the play appeared on Walsh’s radar as a young teenager who fell in love with Wiliiams’ writing.

Even so, “Cat” will mark Walsh’s first attempt to direct a Williams show.

“It’s terrifying to approach the work of Tennessee Williams, and that’s a good thing,” said Walsh. “As artists, whether you’re working at the community theater level or you’re a professional, when you’re scared, you have the potential to create something really good. Williams also just has this way of painting a picture of life in the South. Having been from there myself, I was recently talking with the cast about … two really important characters in the play: God and the land. For Southerners, they’re both just part of daily life. We may take these things for granted, but it’s important to Tennessee Williams’ world, especially in Mississippi.”

Why, though, did Walsh seize upon “Cat” as her Tennessee Williams play of choice?

“It really is just about this family, and how they’re all trying to find meaning,” said Walsh. “We’re all trying to find acceptance, and when we don’t get that, what’s left? The land? A baby? They’re fighting for these other things because they don’t get the acceptance they crave. And that’s our story, too. The one we’ve inherited as human beings.”

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.

A 26-year-old man is charged with seven felonies for driving under the influence during an August crash where one man was killed and will be back in court next month.

David Fishburn, from the Chelsea area, is facing four counts of operating while intoxicated causing death and a charge each of operating while intoxicated, operating while impaired and operating in the presence of a controlled substance, records show. The charges stem from an Aug. 8 crash on Lima Center Road in Dexter Township.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office deputy Sgt. Geoffrey Fox said Fishburn was driving a car at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 8 with four people in it on Lima Center Road south of Island Lake Road. Fox said Fishburn tested positive for marijuana in his blood at the time of the crash.

“He was driving on a dirt road too fast, rolled the vehicle and one of the passengers died,” Fox said.

The passenger was Christopher Boyer, a 24-year-old man from the Dexter area. Fishburn also was injured in the crash and had to be treated at the University of Michigan Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

The criminal case was open on Fishburn until mid-February when he was arrested and arraigned. According to court records, charges were filed in the case on Feb. 12 and was arraigned the following day on the charges.

Fishburn was released on a $75,000 personal recognizance bond, records show. He was scheduled to be in court for a preliminary exam Tuesday, but that hearing was adjourned until 8:30 a.m. April 9, records show.

Attorney Joe Simon represents Fishburn, according to court records. When reached by AnnArbor.com Friday, Simon declined to comment on the case.

Fishburn faces a maximum of 15 years in prison on each charge of operating under the influence causing death.

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

Previous coverage:

• Data show fewer students apply to Skyline, while Community High's waitlist continues to grow
• Ann Arbor Huron, Pioneer to accept applications for in-district transfers; Skyline, Community have open seats again
• In-district transfers, Schools of Choice options coming to Ann Arbor high schools?

The Ann Arbor Public Schools fielded 81 applications from incoming ninth-graders in its first year of allowing in-district transfers to Huron and Pioneer high schools.

Ann Arbor Pioneer High School received the most in-district transfer applications from incoming freshmen for fall: 50, compared to Huron's 31.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

The district opened 25 seats at both Huron and Pioneer for students wishing to attend one of the high schools but who live outside of the schools' attendance boundaries.

Eight students from Pioneer and 23 students from Skyline applied to attend Huron High School in the fall, for a total of 31 applications. Pioneer received 50 in-district transfer requests, 25 from Skyline and 25 from Huron.

Because more students applied than there were seats available, a lottery was conducted at the comprehensive high schools. The extra 25 students who were not offered placement at Pioneer will be placed on a waiting list until September and could have the opportunity to enroll should students among the initial 25 end up not enrolling. The same is true of the six students at Huron.

District administrators are concerned about the 48 students from Skyline who applied for an in-district transfer. There appears to be a trend of declining enrollment at Skyline.

Data show that from 2011-12 to 2012-13, Skyline had 22 fewer students enrolled. The number of open-enrollment applications also has decreased since the school first opened.

How many students applied to attend Skyline for the 2013-14 academic year through the open-enrollment process has not been made available yet by the district. For the current school year, just 113 incoming freshmen outside of Skyline's attendance boundary applied, and 72 of those students ended up enrolling.

Skyline's open-enrollment process, unlike Huron and Pioneer's, accepts students from beyond the Ann Arbor Public Schools district as well. So Skyline is somewhat of a Schools of Choice school for incoming ninth-graders. However, recent data show that only as many as five freshman from outside of AAPS have ever applied to attend Skyline.

Whether Ann Arbor Public Schools will open up any of its buildings or grades to Schools of Choice for the 2013-14 academic year is not known yet. The Board of Education must approve the Schools of Choice seats annually. The board has not received a recommendation from administration for Schools of Choice yet for fall.

Last spring, the district allotted 170 seats for Schools of Choice. Traditionally, it has not permitted Schools of Choice at Huron or Pioneer.

School officials said the district will need to look into why it is losing students at Skyline and why the school is not attracting applications from out-of-district students as was intended.

Community High School, Ann Arbor's purely choice high school that does not have an attendance boundary, has seen an increase in applicants in recent years. The school fielded a record 454 applications from eighth-graders for the fall.

Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.

Any woman you pass on the street, maybe even someone you know, may need assistance in unseen ways. It's these very women you could help at the sixth annual Power of the Purse event.

"Through the Power of the Purse, we are building a group of dynamic business and community leaders who are committed to igniting the power of women to advance the common good," according to a news release.

Eastern Michigan University Regent Beth Fitzsimmons will be this year's Woman of the Year.

Wednesday, March 13. 5:30-7:30 p.m. $50. Register online: http://washtenawpowerofthepurse.eventbrite.com/#. Student Center Auditorium, EMU, 900 Oakwood St., Ypsilanti. 734-487-1157.

Michigan Stadium topped the list, and many other local landmarks were showcased.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo

As of Friday afternoon, the post had been shared more than 4,000 times on Facebook and viewed 100,000 times. That's just a few thousand short of the number it takes to fill the Big House, which topped the list as a “house that you share with 114,804 of your closest friends.”

Orley did not shy away from confrontation with the next two items on the list, digs at a certain “little brother” and coaches from “Ohio.” Other notable Ann Arbor landmarks making the list include Angelo’s, “where you’d love to have breakfast every morning,” Blimpy Burger, and Thursday night spot Rick’s American Cafe.

• Read the full list on BuzzFeed.

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

Insomnia Cookies' Ypsilanti location is slated to open in 2013 at 733 W. Cross St.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

Insomnia Cookies -- the popular late-night cookie business -- will open an Ypsilanti location near Eastern Michigan University's campus in April.

Renee Sarnecky, marketing manager for parent company Serve U Brands, confirmed the business's second Washtenaw County opening.

Sarnecky said the business will have between eight and 10 employees and this will be the fourth location in Michigan.

The Ann Arbor location, at 1229 S. University Ave. in the former Yogo Bliss space, replaced the company’s food truck that operated near the U-M campus years ago.

Insomnia Cookies

AnnArbor.com file photo

The business has about 29 locations across the country, with the bulk in college towns. Sarnecky said the business has plans to open more locations.

"We also have some city locations in New York and Philadelphia, but we are primarily located in college towns," Sarnecky said. "We have a bunch of other locations in the works, we typically open about two stores a month. We have no plans of slowing down anytime soon."

The store will serve freshly baked cookies, cookie cakes, brownies and milk. Delivery service will last until 3 a.m.

The building was purchased in 2011 for $350,000 by Ann Arbor’s O’Neal Construction, which also renovated the building.

The building was listed for lease with Bob Andrus of Michigan Commercial Realty for an annual $25 per square foot.

The landmark Ypsilanti retail building has undergone a major transformation and now has a more modern look after Andrew O’Neal bought the former Campus Drugs building from the late Ted Tangalakis.

O'Neal previously told AnnArbor.com he planned to renovate the building and modernize the upper level apartments, while retaining a historic feel.

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

It's safe to drink your tap water again.

The city of Ann Arbor's "boil water" advisory for the northeast side of town has been lifted, city officials announced shortly after 3 p.m. Friday.

The affected area for the boil water advisory.

City of Ann Arbor

The city issued a boil water advisory Thursday morning after the water system was depressurized unexpectedly by a city contractor conducting scheduled valve maintenance.

Any time there is a loss of water system pressure, a boil water advisory is issued as a precautionary measure.

Ann Arbor uses its Code Red emergency telephone calling system to notify residents and businesses of an emergency or potential hazard.

The system will call each registered phone number and will leave a voicemail message for residents if the call is not answered. Citizens are encouraged to register for free online.

• Register here

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

A bald eagle carries its prey in its talons as it leaves the backyard of Saline resident Michele Green Thursday.

Courtesy of Michele Green

The large bird hunted down a rabbit at the home of Michele Green of Saline, which is near the Saline Recreation Center at the intersection of Textile and Maple roads.

Green said she first saw the bald eagle sitting in her backyard holding its prey about 11:30 a.m. Thursday. There have been bald eagle sitings in the Saline area recently, Green said.

Bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in 2007 and are now seen throughout Michigan year-round, said Hannah Schauer, wildlife technician for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

A bald eagle sits in the backyard of a home in Saline Thursday.

Courtesy of Michele Green

It’s a common sight to see bald eagles now in the southern part of the state, Schauer said.

A bald eagle was spotted in February at Belle Isle in Detroit.

Bald eagles need open water in order to hunt for fish, one of their food sources, Schauer said.

The DNR does not track bald eagle sitings, Schauer said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a Michigan chapter that tracks active nest sites.

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

If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth a look.

Dexter senior Riley McDonald hit a 3-pointer as time expired in overtime Thursday night, giving her team a 37-34 win over Farmington Hills Harrison in a regional title game.

The State Champs Network, which covers high school sports in southeast Michigan, has provided video of the shot. The clip picks up in the final 30 seconds, as the Dreadnaughts' Taylor Olson records a steal, and passes to McDonald.

The March event Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin was scheduled to speak at about personal trials and triumphs she’s faced in her career has been canceled.

EMU President Susan Martin

EMU vice president of communications Walter Kraft confirmed the cancellation and said Martin just “wasn’t available” for the event, which would have taken place Monday.

The cancellation comes just a month after EMU spokesman Geoff Larcom said the event had been confirmed by the university.

“We had told them about a month ago that she wasn’t available and they had been working to find another speaker,” Kraft said.

The event, "Trials and Triumph of an American Woman," was going to be hosted by the EMU student organization B.L.A.C.K., Black Leaders Aspiring to Critical Knowledge.

B.L.A.C.K. hosted a similar event last year, when former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick spoke during its Second Chances and Redemption Series event in 2011.

The event would have followed an incident that occurred last year in which Martin got into an argument with an alumnus after consuming alcohol. The regents reprimanded Martin in a May 17 letter and the board's executive committee threatened to fire Martin if she did not control her drinking.

Martin told AnnArbor.com in February she didn't plan to "focus" on the incident, but was willing to address it if she received questions about it.

"My board gave me a letter and I respect them and I don't have anything further to say about it," Martin said. "I'm happy at my job... .I won't focus on that."

The event originally was slated to be called, Second Chances and Redemption-- Trials and Triumph of an American Woman, but the name was changed as a stipulation of the university, said B.L.A.C.K. President Jovan Kennard.

Kennard said the name "conflicted" a few things, so the group agreed to change it.

Kraft said the topic of the event was not a factor in the decision and the university did attempt to help the group secure another speaker.

“Unfortunately, the person the guys identified informed us last week that he could not speak because of prior engagements,” said Reggie Barnes, Director of Diversity and Community Involvement. “They haven't been able to find someone else, so we thought it was in their best interest to reschedule for next semester.”

Kraft couldn’t say whether Martin would be available at a later date to speak at the same event.

“I don’t know, I’m not sure what they would be looking for,” Kraft said. “ They would have to make a determination about who they might want.”

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

The University of Michigan will welcome award-winning NPR journalist Michele Norris to campus Tuesday to kick off a landmark campaign of her national project on race.

Michele Norris

From NPR

Norris asked people across the country to think about their experiences, questions, hopes, dreams, laments or observations about race and identity, her website says. Then, she asked people to distill those thoughts into a single sentence with just six words.

"The submissions are thoughtful, funny, heartbreaking, brave, teeming with anger and shimmering with hope. Some will with make you smile. Others might make you squirm," Norris wrote on her website.

And now U-M students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to become involved in the dialogue and to lead the way for other campuses nationwide.

Tuesday's kickoff marks the first partnership between the project and an American university. Norris will meet with U-M President Mary Sue Coleman and Coleman's executive officers, who each will submit their own six-word description of race. Norris also will meet with the group of students who will be circulating postcards on campus for their peers to participate in the conversation.

Cards will be distributed to students at U-M's Law School, Michigan Union, Haven Hall and the Diag on central campus, and Pierpont Commons on north campus, according to a news release.

Students make their way through the Diag on the University of Michigan campus in this 2012 file photo. NPR journalist Michele Norris will visit the Diag Tuesday and again in April as part of a partnership between U-M and her The Race Card Project.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

U-M's participation in the Race Card Project comes amid a semester-long exploration of race coordinated by the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. The theme semester, "Understanding Race Project," examines the many notions of race through a range of public exhibits, performances, lectures, symposia and more than 130 courses in several disciplines designed to explore the concept and implications of race, the news release said.

"The Race Card Project is a compelling and novel approach to gather people's immediate reactions and attitudes about race," said Martha Jones, co-chair of both U-M's Understanding Race Project theme semester and an associate professor of Afroamerican and African studies and history.

"Bringing Michele Norris to campus connects U-M and our work educating students about race into the nonacademic social world where discourse about race might be less formal, but profoundly revealing."

• Join the conversation on Twitter: #theracecardproject, #understandrace, #umtheme.

Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.

Arbor Hills Crossing is slowly beginning to announce tenants for the new shopping and dining area that is slated to open in August of this year.

And that makes existing business owners in the area of Washtenaw Avenue and Platt Road very happy.

Joe Lovill and Michelle Pischea are anticipating a newly designed facillity for Bikram Yoga in Ann Arbor.

Angela Smith | For AnnArbor.com

Bikram Yoga came to Ann Arbor 11 years ago when the idea of doing hot yoga sounded extreme. Lovill knew friends who were opening a studio in Plymouth. He tried to convince them to open in Ann Arbor, but to no avail. “I realized it would be a positive, healthy way to make a living.”

Lovill partnered with longtime friend Michelle Pischea as investor and manager. Since then the trend has flourished; there is an abundance of hotroom yoga classes in the Ann Arbor area. Lovill says the movement is growing, and that plans for an expansion of his Bikram yoga studio will commence this week.

The studio room, where yoga is done for 90-minute sessions in 104-degree heat, is getting upgrades such as infrared heating and flotex carpeting. An additional 1,000 square feet of suite space also is being added to their lease. Rather than add additional studio rooms, the space will be used to expand the community areas of the business, giving it what Pischea likes to call "a hip-industrial-zen vibe.”

“We have made several changes within our studio and we are also adding much larger locker rooms with additional showers and an entire new reception/lounge area.”

Lovill and Pischea considered client feedback in designing those areas. They’re increasing the number of showers and vanity areas in the locker rooms, adding a Wi-Fi equipped lounge, and expanding their retail area to offer more yoga-minded merchandise to their clients.

Lovill plans to offer brands like Mac and Yoga Bella, but does not feel that the retail area will be in competition with some of the rumored brands to be moving in to Arbor Hills Crossing.

Real estate sources have said stores like Lululemon Athletica and Anthropologie — which is owned by Urban Outfitters Inc. — have been looking for space in the Ann Arbor market.

“It will really offer more visibility for Bikram.”

Lovill and Pishcea have extended their lease for an additional 10 years.

“We feel as though we have the perfect spot,” explains Lovill, citing Whole Foods, Barnes and Noble and the bus route as being other contributors to the business’ success.

Michigan’s rocky economy has done nothing to impede business in the past 11 years, Lovill said. In fact, Michigan has seven Bikram franchises and continues to grow. “People need to stay strong in difficult times, and in that respect it’s been helpful.”

The construction will not impede the class schedule and is timetabled for completion in six to eight weeks. Bikram Yoga offers classes seven days a week and a variety of membership packages. More information can be found on the Bikram website.

Angela Smith is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com.