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Earth Hour this Saturday: Ann Arbor encourages residents and businesses to shut lights off for 1 hour

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Ann Arbor officials are once again encouraging residents and businesses to take part in the annual worldwide observance of Earth Hour this Saturday.

It's this simple: Turn off all unnecessary lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

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City officials said streetlights along one block of Main Street will be turned off during Earth Hour as a demonstration of Ann Arbor's commitment to fighting greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, in addition to practicing year-round energy conservation at municipal buildings and street fixtures.

For public safety reasons, other streetlights and traffic lights will not be turned off.

"Earth Hour is another way to highlight Ann Arbor's commitment to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and raise awareness on how citizens and government play a part in addressing climate change," Mayor John Hieftje said.

Participating residents and businesses can officially sign up at EarthHour.org and pledge to turn off lights for one hour.

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 as a one-city environmental campaign and has grown into a grassroots initiative with participants across the globe. Ann Arbor joined the effort in 2008 as one of 371 cities in 35 countries to participate in Earth Hour.

According to EarthHour.org, hundreds of millions of people switched their lights off for an hour in 2012 as Earth Hour took place in more than 7,000 cities and towns in more than 150 countries and territories across all seven continents.

While the event itself is largely symbolic, and even questioned by some, many are pushing to move beyond the symbolism of Earth Hour.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, lighting accounts for roughly 22 percent of U.S. electricity consumption and is a significant contributor to the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.

The Ann Arbor City Council this month adopted a resolution supporting Earth Hour, saying the Ann Arbor community is deeply concerned about the impacts of climate disruption and believes energy efficiency and natural resource conservation are important in combating climate change.

Information on Ann Arbor's energy goals and programs is available at www.a2gov.org/energy and ways for residents and businesses to take energy action are found at www.a2energy.org.

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.


Washtenaw County plans to hire 2 new workers in its departments

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The requests of two Washtenaw County departments for additional staff have been given the first approval by the Board of Commissioners in a 9-0 vote during its Ways and Means meeting Wednesday night.

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Evan Pratt

The county’s Water Resources Commissioner has asked to hire a specialist and the Infrastructure Management Department’s Information Technology division has asked to hire a support technician.

The addition of both positions will be budget-neutral to the county’s general fund, as both departments are bringing in revenue to cover the cost of the new employees.

In the Water Resources Department, three of the employees were overloaded with work and were falling behind because of the increased number of county drain and soil erosion projects, said Evan Pratt, Water Resources Commissioner.

The new full-time employee would be paid an annual salary between $30,515 and $40,253, which would be covered by the revenue the employee would be able to bring in through an agreement between Ann Arbor and the county.

It is estimated that the position would generate $41,337 per year in revenue due to the agreement with the city for the first three years.

“I want to give our new water resources commissioner the ability to run his office as he sees fit,” said Commissioner Dan Smith, R-Northfield Township. “I am cautious about hiring more people and putting more people on the payroll.”

Temporary employees were being used to do some of the work in the department previously.

“I appreciate that you’re hiring someone instead of using temps to do the work,” said Commissioner Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor.

The county’s IT department contracts with local municipalities to provide technical support -- including Ypsilanti, Dexter Township, Chelsea Police Department, 14B District Court and the Dexter Fire Department. The Washtenaw Intermediate School District will soon be added to that list.

The department is anticipating $117,424 in revenue from its contracts in 2013 when it had budgeted for a revenue of $77,000.

The IT Department has three systems support technicians responsible for 1,580 computers at 36 offices.

Industry recommendations for the ratio of technician to computers is one to 200. In Washtenaw County, the ratio is one to 526.

Adding an employee would increase response times for service requests, according to the resolution county Infrastructure Management Director Greg Dill submitted for approval.

The new technician would also assist with the servicing of 60 new laptop computers that have been installed in the patrol cars of sheriff deputies.

The full-time employee would be paid an annual salary between $37,464 and $52,355. The cost of the new worker would be covered by a $40,425 surplus in the department's budget from new contracts with municipalities and $32,647 in a structural reduction in the department.

The hirings need the formal approval from the full Board of Commissioners meeting, which meets next at 6:45 p.m. April 3.

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

Ypsilanti, Milan and Pioneer boys basketball teams represented on AP Class A All-State team

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Ypsilanti's Lavonte Davis, pictured above is one of three Washtenaw County players to earn honorable mention on the Associated Press Class A All-State team.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com file photo

Related:

A trio of Washtenaw County seniors earned honorable mention on the Associated Press Class A All-State team, which was released on Monday.

Pioneer guard Jibreel Hussein, Milan guard C.J. Turnage and Ypsilanti center Lavonte Davis all earned honorable mention on the Class A All-State team.

Davis is a 6-foot-7 center who averaged 9.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.2 rebounds for Ypsilanti during the regular season. The Phoenix won the Southeastern Conference White Division, district and regional titles before being eliminated by the defending state champions, Saginaw High, on Tuesday in the state quarterfinals. Davis will play at Division II Northwood next year.

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Milan senior, C.J. Turnage.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

Turnage is a 6-5 guard who averaged 19.1 points, four assists, 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 1.8 blocks for Milan during the regular season. The Big Reds won the Huron League, a district championship and advanced to the regional finals before losing to Romulus. Turnage will play at Saginaw Valley State next year.

Hussein is a 6-4 senior guard who averaged 15 points per game for Pioneer. Pioneer went 15-5 on the year, losing to Ypsilanti in the opening round of district play.

The Associated Press All-State team is voted on by a 10-person panel made up of sports writers from across the state from Associated Press membership publications. The top 10 players to receive votes from the panel are considered first team All-State, players who receive two votes or more are automatically special mention and those who receive one or no votes are honorable mention.

The Associated Press Class A boys basketball All-State team, as selected by a panel of 10 Michigan sports writers:

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James Young, Rochester, 6-6, Sr., Player of the Year

Jalen Adams, Saginaw Arthur Hill, 6-4, Sr.

Wes Clark, Romulus, 6-0, Sr.

Kahlil Felder, Detroit Pershing, 5-10, Sr.

Josh Groenhof, Zeeland East 6-7, Sr.

Jackson Lamb, Temperance Bedford, 6-6, Sr.

E.C. Matthews, Romulus, 6-4, Sr.

Bishop Robinson, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 6-2, Sr.

Denzel Watts, Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 5-11, Sr.

Drake Harris, Grand Rapids Christian, 6-3, Jr.

Eric Davis, Saginaw Arthur Hill, 6-3, So.

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CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR:

Eric Krause, Midland; Chris Belcher, Grand Blanc

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SPECIAL MENTION (nominees receiving two or more votes from the 10-member panel):

A.J. Turner, Warren DeLaSalle; Martez Walker, Detroit Pershing; Bart Williams, Grand Blanc

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HONORABLE MENTION (nominees receiving one or no votes from the 10-member panel):

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Pioneer senior, Jibreel Hussein.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.comfile photo

Jonathan Williams, Southfield-Lathrup; Paris Bass, Birmingham Seaholm; D'Andre Johnson, Detroit Cass Tech; Aaron Foster-Smith, Taylor Truman; Marqywell Jackson, Detroit East English Village; Ali Farhat, Dearborn; Brian Morton, Lansing Eastern; Dee Roberts, Lansing Waverly; Javon Haines, East Lansing; Don'Quall Jackson, Holt; Nathan Lafayette, Okemos; C.J. Turnage, Milan; Jibreel Hussein, Ann Arbor Pioneer; Lavonte Davis, Ypsilanti; Luke Cordes, Alpena; Cory Cox, Fenton; Eric Readman, Fenton; J.D. Tisdale, Swartz Creek; Miles Bridges, Flint Southwestern; Tyler Conklin, Macomb L'Anse Creuse North; Keith Phillips, Warren Mott; Tyler Sykes, Sterling Heights Stevenson; Dante Hawkins, Holland; Deshaun Thrower, Muskegon; Marcus Hall, East Grand Rapids; Fernando Wade, Wyoming; Arthur Pearson, East Kentwood; Jaylen Carter, East Kentwood; Jason Malling, Lowell; Kardokh Piromari, Caledonia; Alec Brown, Niles; Trevin Alexander, Battle Creek Central; Dean Kolstad, Richland Gull Lake; Markel Bradshaw, Saginaw; Keyon Addison, Saginaw; Kyle Shomin, Mount Pleasant; Nick Daniels, Westland John Glenn, Ryan Anderson, DeWitt, Robert Geoghegan, Owosso

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COACH:

Nate Oats, Romulus

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Voting panel:

Pete Cunningham, AnnArbor.com; Mike Eckert, Traverse City Record-Eagle; Ross Maghielse, MLive-Flint; Paul Costanzo, Times Herald (Port Huron); Tom Markowski, The Detroit News; Alan Babbitt, The Holland Sentinel; Dick Hoekstra, Lansing State Journal; Steve Kaminski, MLive-Grand Rapids; Scott DeCamp, MLive-Kalamazoo; Jim Lahde, Morning Sun (Mount Pleasant)

Rally planned for Saturday in downtown Ann Arbor in response to federal sequestration

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In response to looming federal budget cuts, local political activists are planning a "day of action" in front of the Federal Building in downtown Ann Arbor early Saturday afternoon.

Brooke Fajardo, one of the organizers of the event, said she's helping to organize a new chapter of Organizing for Action in Washtenaw County.

The first action of the new group will be to inform community members of the impact of sequestration on various services in the area.

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U.S. Rep. John Dingell, shown in this file photo from 2012, said Thursday he's "tired of having to hold my nose and vote for these incomplete stop-gap bills solely to avoid the calamity of a government shutdown."

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"We really just want to make sure folks in the area are aware of how important it is that Congress come together to end the sequestration budget cuts," Fajardo said.

The event takes place from noon to 2 p.m.

Sequestration is the term used to describe a series of automatic spending cuts that went into effect March 1 after Democrats and Republicans in Washington failed to strike a deal to stop them. As a result, federal agencies are now faced with cutting programs and furloughing employees.

Fajardo is expecting 30 to 50 people to attend to help pass out literature and reach out to other passersby to inform them about what's happening.

Even though Organizing for Action is an organization established to further President Barack Obama's legislative agenda, Fajardo said the "day of action" is a nonpartisan event.

The Federal Building, perhaps more commonly known as the downtown post office, is located at the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and Liberty Street.

The group invites all to attend the event, especially those in the community whose employment, business or family are being affected by the federal budget cuts.

Because the sequestration cuts happen over the next 10 years, Fajardo said, it's difficult to determine what the total impact will be for Washtenaw County in terms of dollars, but she's hoping some of the people speaking at Saturday's event will give a better sense of the magnitude.

"We've got folks coming from the Delonis Center, county commissioners, folks who are involved in legal aid, and representatives for education in the area," she said. "We have a bunch of different community leaders coming to talk about the impacts on their organizations."

The U.S. House passed legislation Thursday that avoids a federal shutdown and keeps the government funded through Sept. 30, the end of the 2013 fiscal year.

CNN.com reported the measure now set to become law reduces the impact of the $85 billion in forced cuts — called sequestration — by establishing stop-gap budgets for the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and Veterans Affairs, among other things.

U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, said he's "tired of having to hold my nose and vote for these incomplete stop-gap bills solely to avoid the calamity of a government shutdown."

He said he finds it beneath the dignity of the American people to "constantly hold them hostage" to political posturing in Washington.

The GOP-controlled House also passed a fiscal year 2014 budget Thursday, but it isn't expected to gain traction in the Democratic-run Senate.

U.S. Rep Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, said the 2014 budget blueprint supported by House Republicans targets wasteful spending and fixes a broken tax code to foster job growth.

"Our budget will not only help build a healthier economy, but improve the lives of hardworking taxpayers," he said. "It will provide economic security for employers and employees, a sustainable safety net for the poor and those retiring, and a secure future for our children and grandchildren."

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.

Ann Arbor mayor blames state for failure to demolish North Main houses by March 15 deadline

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Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from MSHDA.

Six boarded-up houses along North Main Street in Ann Arbor still stand a full week after they were supposed to be demolished by the city.

Asked why the houses weren't taken down by a March 15 deadline the state gave the city in order to qualify for demolition grant funding, Mayor John Hieftje put the blame on the state.

"I've been extremely frustrated by the pace of things on North Main and the funding agency is MSHDA," Hieftje said, referring to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, which agreed to give the city $96,000 to demolish the blighted structures at 700-724 N. Main.

"They told us we needed to get the houses down by March 15 and a check was coming," Hieftje said. "Since then, we've had very little communication with them. They're not getting back to us."

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Cars drive past the boarded-up houses on North Main Street in Ann Arbor on Thursday afternoon. They were supposed to be demolished by March 15.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Now it remains uncertain whether the city will get the grant funding, but Hieftje says the houses will come down one way or another.

The Ann Arbor City Council voted last month to accept $96,000 in Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds from MSHDA, but Hieftje said the check never came through, and the city was planning to receive the money before going forward with the demolition.

"They apparently aren't adhering to their own deadline," Hieftje said of MSHDA. "The city was ready and willing to go forward, but it just hasn't worked out."

MSDHA spokeswoman Katie Bach relayed a somewhat different story on Friday, saying the agency worked hard to cooperate with the city on the issue.

She retraced the history of the NSP grant, saying the city was awarded $909,178 in 2009. Those funds had to be used by March 15 of this year, she said, and all but $60,749 was spent.

"The problem is the city didn’t make it a priority to demolish the homes in the 700 block of North Main until eight weeks before the grant was set to expire and there were issues with those demos because they were part of a failed development project, which had nothing to do with MSHDA," she said. "Ann Arbor was trying to fix failed federal HOME-funded development properties by using NSP1 money."

Bach said Ann Arbor still might be able to demolish the homes, because there will be a reallocation window opening soon, and the city can reapply.

"There are no guarantees, though, because it is a competitive process," she said.

Hieftje said if the issue doesn't get resolved soon, the city will just go ahead with demolishing the houses using its own money.

"People like me are frustrated about this, and I can only imagine the neighbors there are even more frustrated," he said. "I want those houses down, as do many others."

The houses originally were supposed to be demolished to make way for a $15 million affordable housing project called Near North, a project that is now dead due to financing troubles.

A spokesperson for Avalon Housing, one of the partners on the project, said in September 2011 the houses would be demolished soon. Months dragged on and that never happened.

Ann Arbor officials pledged last August to have the houses demolished within 45 to 60 days. Less than a month later, the development team announced the Near North project was dead.

In all, there are eight boarded-up houses from 626-724 N. Main that are owned by a limited partnership between Three Oaks Group and Avalon Housing.

The city has declared six of the eight houses dangerous buildings. That means the two southernmost houses will remain standing.

City officials said the property owners have waived all proceedings and admitted the buildings are dangerous, but they're uncertain if Three Oaks and Avalon are completely walking away from the property or what the plans are for the two houses that will remain standing.

The city was planning to pay for the demolition of the houses last year using a revolving blight fund established by the City Council. The city would have fronted the money for the demolition work and then tried to recoup its costs by putting a lien on the property.

Sumedh Bahl, the city's community services administrator, said the fact that the property went into foreclosure complicated matters. The city wasn't sure it would recoup its money.

So instead of using city funds for the demolition, the city has been counting on using grant funding from MSDHA. By going that route, the property owners wouldn't be billed.

City officials said last month the city previously received an allocation of $850,000 in NSP funds and in late 2012 applied for and later received approval for an additional $96,000 for the demolition.

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.

Ypsilanti physician among 6 doctors accused of writing illegal prescriptions in drug pipeline

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An Ypsilanti physician is among six Michigan doctors accused of illegally writing prescriptions for millions of doses of prescription painkillers that were funneled in a drug pipeline along U.S. 23 to points south including Portsmouth, Ohio.

Dr. Muhammad Ahmed, 65, of Ypsilanti and the other five doctors are among 44 people indicted on 13 counts in the federal case that prosecutors say involves the acquisition and distribution of OxyContin, Vicodin and Xanax.

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OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy.

Toby Talbot | The Associated Press

According to 2008 filings in the National Provider Index Registry, Ahmed is last known to have practiced at a medical office at 16000 West 9 Mile Road Suite 313 next to Providence Hospital in Southfield.

A staff member at that location said Ahmed no longer works there.

Ahmed’s license to practice as a doctor in Ypsilanti is active, per the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs license database.

There have been no complaints filed with the state regarding Ahmed. His medical license was issued in 1976, and expires Jan. 31, 2014, according to state records.

Ahmed also has a pharmacy license for Schedule III controlled substances that expires Jan. 31, 2014.

Ahmed can continue to practice until his license is suspended, said Jeannie Vogel, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

Representatives for the University of Michigan Health System, St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Health System and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System said they have no record of Ahmed working at their facilities.

The prescription drug scheme reportedly began in 2008 and involved six medical clinics operated by four individuals indicted in the case: Sardar Ashrafkhan, Deepak Kumar, John Check and David Vezzossi, according to the indictment.

Those individuals employed different doctors throughout the scheme, including Ahmed, the indictment alleges.

“Each of the prescribers knowingly prescribed prescription drug controlled substances outside the course of legitimate medical practice and for no legitimate medical purpose, in furtherance of the scheme,” the indictment reads.

The other doctors allegedly used in the scheme that were indicted are Dr. Adelfo Pamatmat, 67, of Farmington Hills; Dr. John Geralt, 84, of Beverly Hills; Dr. Malik Dababneh, 53 of Oxford; Dr. Paul Kelly, 76, of Bath, and Dr. Ravi Iyer, 42, of Novi.

The six doctors, as well as physician assistant Timothy Spencer, 64, of Inkster, indicted in the scheme are accused of prescribing a total of 500,000 doses of OxyContin, which carry a street value of more than $10 million.

The doctors are also accused of prescribing more than 2 million doses of Vicodin, 1 million doses of Xanax and more than 1,000 liters of codeine cough syrup.

According to the indictment, Ahmed and the other doctors made money by writing prescriptions or by signing blank prescriptions, at times without an examination of the patient.

Those prescriptions were fed to a person acting as a patient recruiter, who filled the prescriptions at cooperating pharmacies and then transferred them for illegal sale on the street.

Medicare and Medicaid patients were targeted in this scheme, so that doctor visits and medical tests used to gain prescriptions were billed to the federal programs, according to the indictment.

Billings to the Medicare program in this scheme exceeded $20 million, according to the indictment.

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

Bond increased, more charges filed against Ann Arbor man suspected in 17 break-ins

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Three more home invasion charges have been filed against the Ann Arbor man believed to be involved in 17 total incidents around Washtenaw County.

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Javare Holmes

Courtesy of WCSO

Javare Holmes, 19, already was arraigned last week on eight felony charges related to break-ins in the city of Ann Arbor. On Friday, court records revealed Washtenaw County prosecutors approved three counts of first-degree home invasion in three separate cases in Pittsfield Township.

According to jail records, Holmes was scheduled to be arraigned on the new charges from Pittsfield Township Friday afternoon.

According to police, Holmes is a suspect in nine home invasions from Ann Arbor, three in Pittsfield Township, two in the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, two larcenies from vehicles in the sheriff’s office jurisdiction and a larceny from a building in Ann Arbor.

He was arrested March 9 when a search warrant was served on a home in the 1400 block of Kirtland Drive. Among the items recovered from the Kirtland home were guitars, violins, computers, televisions, GPS units, cellphones, watches, laptops and digital cameras.

Holmes’s case has raised questions about the level of bond he received in a different case. He was arrested and charged on May 17, 2012. He was arraigned on first-degree home invasion and assaulting, resisting and obstructing police and given a $2,000 bond. He bonded out of jail six days after his arraignment.

On May 24, 2012, he showed up for a preliminary exam and his case was sent to the Washtenaw County Trial Court. On July 2, he missed a pretrial hearing and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Police say Holmes worked with others to break into homes and vehicles during the period he was out of the jail on bond.

The joint investigation between Ann Arbor police detectives and Pittsfield Township police detectives developed Holmes as a suspect. When he was arrested and charged in the Ann Arbor cases, he was given a 10 percent of $50,000 bond, which would have allowed him to leave jail after paying $5,000.

Jail records showed that had changed by Friday afternoon — Holmes now has a $25,000 cash or surety bond.

Holmes was in court on Monday for a pretrial hearing, which was adjourned until April 1 at Holmes’ request, according to court records.

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

Ann Arbor teachers approve tentative agreement that could result in 3-percent pay cut

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Previous story: Ann Arbor teachers union voting on tentative agreement authorizing 3-percent pay cut

The Ann Arbor Education Association ratified a tentative agreement with the school district Friday taking a 3-percent wage concession. The school board still needs to approve the agreement, before it would take effect.

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Teachers interact with students in a computer lab at Scarlett Middle School in this 2012 file photo. The teachers union agreed this week to take a 3-percent pay cut for the upcoming 2013-14 academic year.

AnnArbor.com file photo

According to an email obtained by AnnArbor.com, the AAEA Elections Committee reported the agreement passed with 91 percent of the union's membership participating in the voting process. The AAEA represents approximately 1,200 teachers.

How many members voted "yes" and "no" on the agreement is not known at this time. AAEA president Linda Carter said she cannot speak about the contract until the Board of Education also votes on the tentative agreement.

Union members voted at their buildings starting Wednesday after school and the election continued through Friday morning with all ballots due by noon.

According to union members, the tentative agreement includes:

  • A 3-percent salary reduction for all teachers for the 2013-14 academic year.
  • New MESSA insurance options for teachers that will coexist with the current health care offerings at no additional cost to the district. MESSA is a Michigan Education Association insurance provider.
  • A slightly revised district calendar.
  • A clause affirming the union's right to collect dues and shielding it from the Right to Work legislation that takes effect March 27.
  • The reinstatement of a curriculum council with teacher involvement.
  • The development of a science teacher and administration problem-solving group to address science class size issues and overfilled science labs.

It is the district's practice not to comment on collective bargaining until the negotiations are complete. Superintendent Patricia Green declined to comment on the tentative agreement at a school board meeting on March 20.

The Board of Education will conduct a closed executive session at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday for the purpose of discussing the agreement with the teachers. A regular board meeting will follow at 7 p.m. The board could place the tentative agreement on its regular meeting agenda and conduct a vote in open session that evening if it decides the terms and conditions of the agreement are amenable and no further negotiations are required.

School officials have said they are in the process of renegotiating contracts with all of the district's employee collective bargaining units right now. Across-the-board salary reductions have been targeted as one way to help the Ann Arbor Public Schools cut $17 million to $20 million for the 2013-14 academic year budget. Green also has pledged to take a pay cut.

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


Mock trial teams from Community and Ypsilanti high schools compete at state finals

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Three mock trial teams from Community High School and Ypsilanti High School are heading to Lansing on Saturday to compete in the state finals for Michigan Center for Civic Education's high school mock trial tournament.

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The CHS team was allowed to practice at Washtenaw County Trial Court in Judge Archie Brown's courtroom in preparation for state finals.

Kody Klein I AnnArbor.com

The teams are advancing after their success at the Ann Arbor regional tournament on March 2, where 13 teams competed. The CHS A-team placed first and the Ypsilanti A and B teams placed third and second, respectively. At finals, they will face seven other teams that advanced from the regional tournaments in Grand Rapids and Pontiac.

"We’ve been doing practices nonstop since the regional tournament," said Loretta Tracy, executive director of University of Michigan's student-led Future Advocates In Training, which provides student coaches to the Ypsilanti teams. "Everybody’s working really hard."

Mock trial is a multidisciplinary activity, incorporating elements of law with improvisatory theater. Each year, MICIVIC releases a new case that teams must study and act out. Students exercise legal procedure as they assume the roles of attorneys and witnesses, conducting a realistic trial with one team acting as defense and one acting as prosecution.

"I’m a lawyer for both sides so I have to argue with myself all of the time," said Julie Karr, a senior at CHS.

This year's trial is a defamation of character lawsuit wherein a high school student sues a rival school for publicly accusing the student of cheating during a mock trial competition.

Despite that the case is the same for each trial, each team approaches it differently.

"Every time you see a trial, it’s a new thing," said Chloe Root, who teaches at CHS and coaches the mock trial team. "They’re trying new things every time to try to throw the other team off their game."

Of the 10 teams competing at state, only one will proceed to the national tournament on May 9 in Indianapolis. CHS teams have won six times since 1995, including the past three years.

"It’s a little bittersweet that it’s my last tournament," said Karr, who has been participating in mock trial since her freshman year.

Root said she's excited for her team to compete against the Ypsilanti teams.

"They’re both really good," she said. "They’ve got a lot of acting stuff down in a way that a lot of teams don’t."

Tracy said FAIT has supported the Ypsilanti teams for four years, during which time one team has made it to the state finals.

"I think we’re all really excited," she said. "It’s good to know that all of the kids made it."

FAIT organizes U-M law students to coach the Ypsilanti teams, helps fund the teams, and even runs a clothing drive at U-M to help provide the students with professional clothing.

"We’re trying to attract kids who might not have thought of mock trial as an activity that they would be able to participate in," Tracy said.

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

Man accused in home invasion returns to court next month for competency hearing

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The 24-year-old man accused of threatening to rob a homeowner after breaking into his house will return to court next month for a competency hearing, records show.

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Isom Hamilton

Courtesy of WCSO

Isom Hamilton, of Ypsilanti, was charged in November with armed robbery, first-degree home invasion, second-degree home invasion and third-degree home invasion. He’s being held in the Washtenaw County Jail while his court case continues.

Hamilton was arraigned on charges on Nov. 22 but his case is still at the preliminary exam stage because it needs to be determined if he is competent to stand trial. According to court records, a competency report was scheduled to be done before a preliminary exam Tuesday but the hearing was adjourned until 8:30 a.m. April 2.

According to police, Hamilton broke into a home at 4:40 p.m. Nov. 20 in the 1300 block of West Cross Street. Hamilton was seen coming out of the window of the home and was confronted by the homeowner, police said.

Hamilton allegedly stuck his hand in his pocket, as if to show he had a gun, before fleeing as the man called 911.

He was found a short time later hiding in a bush at a nearby home. A laptop, game systems, video camera, digital camera, jewelry, small bags of loose change, numerous video games and other electronic items were recovered. The items were believed to be stolen.

Hamilton is lodged in the Washtenaw County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.

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

Fire fighters rescue man after he fell more than 30 feet in to water

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Ypsilanti fire fighters pulled a man out of a lake near the intersection of Forest and Rice streets in Ypsilanti this morning after he rolled under the guard rail, said Lt. Scott Maddison of the Ypsilanti Fire Department.

According to Maddison, a woman walking her dog around 7:30 a.m. saw the man "stagger and stumble" down Forest Street and then walk down the railroad trestle near the intersection. The woman called police after the man fell and rolled under the cables which act as a guard rail.

The Ypsilanti Police Department and the Ypsilanti Fire Department both responded to the call.

Maddison said the man, who he guessed to be about 50 years old, fell between 30 and 35 feet before hitting the water and was face down when a fire fighter entered the water to retrieve him. Initially, the man was unresponsive.

Fire fighters carried the man up to the street, where he was transported by Huron Valley Ambulance to the St. Joseph Hospital emergency room. Maddison said in the ambulance he was responsive if you got his attention but not speaking. He also was being treated for severe hypothermia.

The woman who called for help said it was unclear why the man was staggering and it's unknown if there was alcohol involved. It also is unknown if the man was an Ypsilanti resident.

His condition after being taken to the emergency room was unavailable.

A2Y Chamber calls for inclusion of Medicaid expansion in state's 2014 budget

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The Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber is calling on state lawmakers to include Medicaid expansion in the state of Michigan's fiscal year 2014 budget.

In a statement released by its executive committee this week, the chamber argued there's a strong business case to be made for the expansion.

"Expansion can help protect employers from penalties, increase productivity and overall business activity, all while saving taxpayer dollars spent on uncompensated care by hospitals, physicians and other providers," said Doug McClure, chairman of the chamber's Public Policy Committee. "It's the right thing to do on many levels."

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Doug McClure, chairman of the A2Y Chamber's Public Policy Committee, on the expansion of Medicaid: "It's the right thing to do on many levels."

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Gov. Rick Snyder's proposal to expand Medicaid to roughly 470,000 Michigan residents hasn't been well received by Republicans in the Michigan Legislature who fear the state would be stuck holding the bill for health care for low-income residents if federal funding doesn't come through as promised.

The governor's proposed budget included $181.7 million coming in from the federal government for the expansion. A GOP-controlled appropriations subcommittee handling the Department of Community Health budget removed that revenue stream, as well as other Snyder proposals.

Snyder's proposal calls for depositing 50 percent of the savings achieved from the expansion into a special health savings account for the first seven years through 2020.

"The account will help cover the increased share of the costs when the federal government scales back its funding from 100 percent for the first three years to 90 percent beginning in 2020," the A2Y Chamber stated this week in support of the expansion.

The Affordable Care Act calls for states to expand their Medicaid programs to include those who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $15,400 per year for an individual.

That means that routine and preventative health care would be provided to about 320,000 Michigan citizens in the first year. And more than 470,000 would be covered by 2021, reducing the amount of Michigan's uninsured by about 46 percent.

"We encourage our state legislators to implement this proposal in their upcoming budget," the chamber stated. "Upwards of $30 billion will flow into Michigan from 2014-2023 by leveraging the federal funds made available through the Affordable Care Act. In addition, the state's General Fund will see between $1.1 and $1.2 billion in savings through 2020."

The chamber argued the benefits to business and the broader community are numerous. It argued reducing the number of uninsured would ease the burden on employers that will be subject to federal penalties beginning in 2014 if they do not offer affordable health care options for employees.

It also would result in a more productive workforce, the chamber argued, by giving employees more access to preventative care, meaning less sick days due to illness.

"Expansion will generate additional business activity, by increasing Medicaid payments to hospitals, physicians and other providers, in turn creating new jobs in health care, one of our largest employers," the chamber stated. "Health care providers will expand their staffs and construction firms will be hired to expand or build new health facilities. Michigan businesses in many sectors will benefit from the newly hired health care employees buying goods and services."

Finally, the chamber argued, monies saved by Medicaid expansion could be used for other important and pressing budget issues facing Michigan and its efforts to attract and retain businesses.

Snyder said the expansion isn't dead yet. He hopes to convince lawmakers that the expansion is a good idea.

Americans for Prosperity-Michigan on Wednesday applauded the House subcommittee's move to reject the proposed expansion of Medicaid.

"The Medicaid expansion proposed by the Obama administration poses significant risk to the long-term fiscal health of our state," said Scott Hagerstrom, state director for the group. "Further, it does nothing to address the long-standing problems within the Medicaid program that have led to poor health outcomes for patients and physicians fleeing the system."

State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, has called the expansion of Medicaid a "one-question IQ test." By recommending that Michigan accept hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government to cover hundreds of thousands of additional residents, he said, Snyder passed that test.

Currently 1.9 million adults in Michigan receive Medicaid benefits.

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.

Matthaei Botanical Garden's voodoo lily to bloom by Monday

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Visitors to Matthaei Botanical Gardens in the next few days may get a very unpleasant scent accompanied by a beautifully unique-looking plant. The voodoo lily is about to bloom, and when it does, it gives off the smell of rotting flesh. It is located in the temperate house of the gardens' conservatory.

"It has bloomed here before and really caused quite a stir," said Joe Mooney, who does marketing and communications for Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

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A voodoo lilly, also known as an Amorphophallus konjac, is about to bloom in the conservatory at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. This is the photo of one that bloomed there several years ago.

Courtesy photo

Mooney says the temperature impacts when the voodoo lily blooms.

"It should open its flower between now and Monday," he said. "It has the most amazing smell and is an incredibly beautiful flower with a deep purple robe wrapped around it."

Mooney added that the smell and the bloom last for two to three days.

As of Saturday afternoon, Matthaei's events planner Heather Hunter says, "It's just starting to unfurl a little bit."

She says that anytime people hear about a unique plant at the gardens, it is a draw.

The voodoo lily is a perennial plant with the scientific name Amorphophallus konjac. It grows from a bulb-like structure called a corm. The chemicals the flower gives off, which are called putrescine and cadaverine, attract pollinators such as flies.

The plant is native to warm subtropical climates and is found in Japan, Korea, and parts of China south to Indonesia. Konnyaku, also known as yam cake, is a food made from the root of the voodoo lily, and its corms are used to create flour and jelly as well as being used as a vegan substitute for gelatin.

For an update on the progress of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens voodoo lily, go to the garden's Facebook page.

Dexter High School school board discusses setting minimum enrollment for classes

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In an effort to trim down the budget for the 2013-14 school year, the Dexter High School finance committee decided during a Friday morning meeting that they may try to cut class that don't draw a minimum number of students, according to a story on the Dexter Leader.

The board has yet to decide what the minimum number of students per class and the idea still is in early stages of discussion, the Leader reported.

Joe Romeo, a computer science teacher at the school, told the Leader he believes there still will be some classes that don't meet enrollment guidelines but are necessary to keep.

The committee's next meeting is at 8 a.m. on April 22.

Roberto Clemente offers life-changing environment to struggling students

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I attend Roberto Clemente Student Development Center and I am troubled at the idea of the program being moved to Pioneer High School.

I started Clemente in the beginning of September 2012 due to academic struggles I had in my first year at Huron High School. My academic troubles were due to distractions such as the size of the building, negative attitudes of some students, the large student population, and lack of personal attention from teachers.

There is no doubt in my mind moving into Pioneer, which is larger than Huron, these very same distractions will present themselves yet again.

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Juwan Castrejón

Courtesy photo

Roberto Clemente has tremendously helped me by keeping me in the correct mindset to maintain a 3.7 GPA for the past two trimesters. There are qualities that only exist at Roberto that cannot be reproduced at Pioneer. One of the qualities is the size of the building which is small by design. No more than about 15 students can be in a classroom, which means no student can hide or disappear without notice.

Another one of the great qualities is the personal relationships between the staff and students. Having these personal relationships makes the school more comfortable to be in. At Clemente it is clear that students have similar issues but if we move to Pioneer these issues would be criticized and targeted by not only the students but adults as well.

The reason why most students attend Roberto Clemente is because they did not do well in their comprehensive high school. If Roberto is moved to Pioneer, the negative influence or temptations that students do not need is guaranteed to affect us in some way. This will destroy what Roberto Clemente tries to create — a hard-working individual that takes on issues in the correct perspective.

I spent my freshman year at Huron High School where I failed miserably with a GPA of 0.0. I was allowed to fall through the cracks because I was not a behavior problem. After meeting Clemente staff I felt that Roberto would be a good environment for me, as did my mom. Since coming here, I can now see the value of my education. Since coming here, I am a different person. I am motivated, I am a leader setting a great example, I am confident, I feel good about my future, and I have great direction.

It is the staff at Roberto Clemente that keeps students on their feet in the most truthful way, meaning that if you are messing up on grades a staff member will confront you directly yet with dignity and the truth may hurt. Where will this occur at Pioneer? Perhaps the hallways where everyone will know your business.

If Roberto Clemente moves to Pioneer High School, it will be a terrible mistake. Our 90 students deserve better.

Juwan Castrejón is a sophomore at Roberto Clemente Student Development Center and lives in Ann Arbor.


Annual Easter egg drop draws large crowd of children

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Frog Island Park in Ypsilanti played host to the annual Jaycees Easter Egg Scramble and Marshmallow Drop on March 23. The event has been around for more than two decades.

The event allowed the organization to drop plastic eggs throughout the park so kids could then go hunt for them.

Images were captured by AnnArbor.com staff photographer Courtney Sacco.

Images from Michigan's domination of VCU to advance to the Sweet 16

Michigan needs to stop reliance on coal for energy

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Ann Arbor is an environmental leader in Michigan. It is of the utmost importance that we maintain our status. Michigan needs a leader. The largest problem we face in the state is our delay in the transition to green energy. DTE Energy generates 80 percent of their energy from coal. This is a tragically high percentage. Coal is not only the leading polluter of mercury into our water; it also is becoming increasingly expensive.

Michigan’s coal is imported almost entirely from Wyoming. The cost to transport the coal to Michigan is becoming increasingly expensive as the cost of diesel rises.

The solution is green energy. By transitioning from coal to renewable sources like wind and solar energy, rates will go down, pollution to the great lakes will decrease, and green energy jobs will be created.

The Great Lakes are Michigan’s most valued natural resource. I spent every summer of my youth on Lake Huron. I have become disheartened in that, through the years, I have watched the health of my beloved lake diminish.

I urge everyone in the state to take immediate action in the fight against coal pollution. It is our duty as Michiganders to protect the world’s most abundant source of fresh water.

Ann Arbor, it is time to stand up for our lakes. Write to Gerald Anderson, CEO of DTE, and urge him to invest in clean infrastructure. Take action and make democracy work!

Hali Greene

Detroit

Colonial Lanes hosts bowling parties for fundraiser

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The Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser is wrapping up by bowling “celebration parties.”

The bowling teams consist of four bowlers and each team is asked to raise a minimum of $300. Each member of the teams gets two hours of bowling, bowling shoes, a T-shirt and is eligible for prizes and giveaways.

The events will take place at noon and 2:30 p.m. both days this weekend at Colonial Lanes, 1950 S. Indutrial, in Ann Arbor.

Former Eastern Accents bakery will be missed by regular customers

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Seventeen years ago, Ben and Carol Sun opened their Chinese bakery, Eastern Accents, on Fourth Avenue. It was an instant hit with people who sought a comfortable, inexpensive place downtown with great food, an invariably friendly staff, and welcoming owners.

We watched Emilie grow from toddler to teen, enjoyed easy conversations with Carol’s parents, and ran into friends there all the time. If we took Eastern Accents for granted, it was because we wanted to believe it would be there forever. Now Eastern Accents has closed and many are wondering where we will find another such place. The answer is that we will not. It was Ben and Carol’s restaurant. But they also made it Our Place. This was Ben and Carol’s gift to Ann Arbor. Jeanne Paul, Tom Nicely and Richard Leahy Ann Arbor

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