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Dexter Village Council awards tax abatement to MedHub on $1.7M renovation project

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The Dexter Village Council approved a tax abatement for a newly created Special Technology District on March 25. The district includes the 22,000-square-foot “old grain mill” purchased by University of Michigan spinoff company MedHub, Inc. in October 2011.

“We understand tax abatements can be controversial, especially in this economic climate,” MedHub CEO Peter Orr said in an email. “However, we feel this particular request truly benefits all concerned in equal parts.”

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MedHub's co-founders Peter Orr, left, and Thomas May hope to continue the company's expansion as it moves to Dexter.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

As part of the abatement, Medhub committed to investing $1.7 million in renovations for the old mill and plans to double its staff in the next year. The health care software company plans to move into the renovated facility in the spring of 2013.

Ann Arbor SPARK worked with MedHub and the village of Dexter to help facilitate the tax abatement. As an economic development corporation, one of SPARK’s primary activities is helping businesses interact with local governing bodies.

“It’s exciting that MedHub chose to renovate such a visible and significant structure in downtown Dexter, and is making that investment part of its efforts to attract talent to the company,” SPARK president and CEO Paul Krutko said in a statement.

“Having a business like MedHub downtown has a ripple effect on the Village economy, and on the surrounding region: Businesses want to locate where they know top talent can be attracted and retained.”

Orr told AnnArbor.com earlier in 2013 that the company has 8 employees and is looking to hire 12 new ones including a number of open source software developers.

He said that renovations to the building were necessary to attract the talent that MedHub needs to continue its growth and re-doing the interior will cost the company three times more than tearing the building down and starting over.

“This collaborative approach has made it possible to restore this unique building back to its original character,” he said in a statement. “This also provides MedHub and Dexter another competitive edge to attract very selective employees to a unique and dynamic community.”

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


Quality 16 and Rave Cinemas to show 'Exhibition' on screen: 'Manet Portraying Life'

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See a great collection of Edouard Manet's works without having to leave the county. Quality 16 and Rave Cinemas will present "Exhibition" on screen: Manet Portraying Life, an experience of world-class art, history and biography.

Manet
"Exhibition" will feature a career-encompassing collection of the works of Manet on exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. It is hosted by art historian Tim Marlow. Marlow will not only talk about the art, but he will go behind the scenes to show the work it takes to bring the collection together and on to the walls of the Academy.

The "Exhibition" series will feature Edvard Munch’s works on June 27 and “Vermeer and Music: The Art of Love and Leisure” on Oct. 10.

Thursday, April 11, 2013. 7:30 p.m. $12.50. Tickets are available now at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. Quality 16: 3686 Jackson Road Ann Arbor. 734-623-7469. Rave Cinemas: 4100 Carpenter Road, Ypsilanti. 734-973-4823.

Pier 1 Imports now open on Eisenhower Parkway in Ann Arbor

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Pier 1 Imports opened Monday in the Cranbrook Village shopping center.

Lizzy Alfs | AnnArbor.com

Home decor retailer Pier 1 Imports made its return to the Cranbrook Village shopping center in Ann Arbor on Monday.

The store opened at 10 a.m. in a 7,832-square-foot space at 926 W. Eisenhower Parkway, in the shopping center anchored by Whole Foods Market and REI. The home decor retailer filled the former Old Country Buffet space, which closed last year as part of its parent company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

"We are pleased to bring this new Pier 1 Imports to Ann Arbor and hope that our new location will inspire customers to discover the eclectic and fun merchandise that is unique to Pier 1 Imports," said company CEO Alex Smith in a statement.

Pier 1 formerly operated a store in the shopping center's outlot building, which is now occupied by a Potbelly Sandwich Shop and the under construction Tony Sacco’s pizza restaurant. Mall owner Tom Goldberg said Pier 1 closed its store in 2008 when its lease expired.

To celebrate the store's opening, the first 200 customers at the new Pier 1 Imports store each day through April 14 will receive a free reusable bag and backscratcher, the company announced in a news release.

Founded in 1970, Pier 1 Imports operated 971 stores in the United States and 81 stores in Canada as of Feb. 25, 2012. There are 33 stores in Michigan, including the location at 3785 Carpenter Road in Pittsfield Township. The Ann Arbor store will employ about 12 to 15 workers.

The store will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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.

David Sedaris to talk about 'Owls' and more at Hill Auditorium

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Trying to line up an interview with satirist and National Public Radio star David Sedaris—who’s coming to Hill Auditorium on Saturday, April 12 at 2 p.m.—is like experiencing a small-scale version of “Roger and Me”: access is, well, kind of impossible. (Hence the interview-free preview I wrote when Sedaris visited Ann Arbor in 2010.)

Understandable, perhaps, since Sedaris normally does lecture tours twice a year, and he’s currently on a 50-plus-city tour to promote the release of his newest book, “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls” on April 23. But it’s also telling that before “Owls” was even available, its pre-sales ranked the book in the top 10 on Amazon in three categories (travel writing, satire, and essays).

So Sedaris, in a way, needs no introduction.

PREVIEW

"An Evening with David Sedaris"

  • What: Humor, essayist and National Public Radio star David Sedaris will read from his work (including “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls,” scheduled for release April 23), answer questions and sign books.
  • Where: Hill Auditorium, 881 N. University Ave. in Ann Arbor.
  • When: Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m.
  • How much: Tickets cost $20 and $55 (plus service charges), via the Michigan Union Ticket Office or Ticketmaster.com.
“Owls,” according to its description, offers readers a kind of world tour through Sedaris’ eyes: “From the perils of French dentistry to the eating habits of the Australian kookaburra, from the squat-style toilets of Beijing to the particular wilderness of a North Carolina Costco, we learn about the absurdity and delight of a curious traveler's experiences. Whether railing against the habits of litterers in the English countryside or marveling over a disembodied human arm in a taxidermist's shop, Sedaris takes us on side-splitting adventures that are not to be forgotten.”

Sedaris first rose to fame after his NPR radio essay “Santaland Diaries” made a big splash in 1992. Beloved essay collections like “Naked,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim,” and “When You Are Engulfed in Flames”—with work drawn from Sedaris' featured columns in The New Yorker, GQ, etc.—followed and broadly expanded Sedaris' fan base, so that he’s now considered one of America’s premier humorists.

And although Sedaris has granted few interviews in the last couple of years, he took questions from Dutch students in Amsterdam in October 2012 for a television show (NTR's College Tour series). One student asked Sedaris if it bothered him that he’s known more for being a humorist than for being a gifted writer or intellectual.

“I would like to have it both ways, actually,” Sedaris responded. “I think when you write things that are funny, you never get the respect you long for as a child. So it helps to have things (published) in The New Yorker. … That helps you get that sort of respect that you long for when you’re writing about something that is completely banal, which is just generally what I write about. … And I used to not like the term ‘humorist,’ because it called to mind a middle-aged man with patches on his elbows. And now I’m a middle-aged man with patches on my elbows. … It’s a term I grew into.”

Another student, on the same show, asked if Sedaris sometimes did things because he thought it would be funny, and thus something he might write about.

“One time a magazine called and said, we want you to stow away on a ship and write about it,” he said during the show. “And A, I don’t want to spend time in a barrel … at sea. … But if I’d said yes, I’d be in that barrel, and I’d be thinking, ‘What’s funny about this?’ And plus, I’d have to write about it. And I want to write about things that I want to write about.”

Last year, Tavi Gevinson, the young fashion blogger who launched RookieMag.com—an online magazine for teenage girls—also got the rare opportunity to talk to Sedaris (who confessed he was a fan).

Gevinson asked Sedaris if he ever played up parts of his personality in order to get a better story.

“I was just thinking about this the other day,” Sedaris told Gevinson. “I never learned how to drive a car. And so I never really developed aggression skills. And so I’m not very good at saying no. I think that saying yes, or being afraid to say no, leads to a lot more stories than playing up a side of myself. Most people, something starts to happen and they’re able to say, 'No, I don’t want this to happen,' and, 'No, you’re going too far,' and, 'No, I don’t like the way you’re talking to me.' But I’m afraid to say that.”

Part of the fun of Sedaris’ essays, of course, is getting his dry take on the often-bizarre characters he encounters. In regard to being fair to them, Sedaris told Gevinson, “I always think that if you’re going to make fun of somebody, it helps to make more fun of yourself. I was reading something from my diary recently: I was in a hotel and I ran in (to the coffee shop) to get a quick coffee, but I hesitated for a moment and this woman got in line in front of me. And she looks up at the board and says, 'A latte. Now, is that the same thing that Barbara likes to get? The one with the whipped cream?' And I’m behind her thinking, ‘Oh, (expletive).’ That’s the last person you wanna be in line behind! And so I do kinda make fun of her, just because she’s one of those people that ask the guy at the counter, 'So, did you go to college? Where did you go? ’Cause my son went here, but he’s not working yet, but I tell him, "Rome wasn’t built in a day!" Are those lids different sizes? How do you keep them straight?' And I’ve got steam coming out of my ears. But, in the end, it’s just about what a complete jerk I can be.”

To hear even more from Sedaris, you can attend his talk at Hill on April 12, where he'll read from his work, answer questions, and sign books. Indeed, Sedaris is famous for taking his time while talking to fans at book signings.

Hmm. Maybe that’s how I can finally snag an interview …

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.

Firefighters extinguish vehicle fire at Ann Arbor gas station

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A Buick Rendezvous burns in the 2000 block of Washtenaw Avenue Monday.

Courtesy of Rashad Issa

Ann Arbor firefighters managed to extinguish a vehicle fire Monday at a gas station on Washtenaw Avenue before the flames put the gas pumps in danger.

Firefighters were dispatched at 1:10 p.m. Monday to the 3000 block of Washtenaw Avenue for a report of a well-involved vehicle fire, officials said. The Buick Rendezvous was about 10 feet away from gas pumps but the flames were contained to the vehicle.

The blaze churned out heavy black smoke and brilliant flames, which were out in about 20 minutes after firefighters arrived on scene. Officials said it took about three minutes for firefighters to arrive on scene.

The vehicle was mostly destroyed and fire officials did not have a damage estimate immediately Monday. The scene was cleared shortly after 3 p.m. Monday.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. No one was injured in the fire.


View 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.

Monday night weather forecast: Wind gusts could cause power outages

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Strong, gusting winds and cool, rainy weather is in the forecast for Ann Arbor Monday night as the University of Michigan basketball team takes on the Louisville Cardinals in the national championship game in Atlanta.

Rainy conditions in Ann Arbor for most of the day Monday are expected to continue throughout the evening.

The cool, rainy weather could have an affect on fan reaction to the outcome of the basketball game Monday night, according to local police agencies.

A wind advisory is in effect for much of Southeast Michigan Monday evening -- including Washtenaw County -- as winds are expected to reach 45 mph.

The National Weather Service warns that sporadic power outages and minor tree damage are possible effects of the gusting wind.

Wind gusts are expected to especially severe between 5 and 9 p.m. Monday.

There’s a chance for thunderstorms Monday night as well before 7 p.m. in Ann Arbor.

Isolated storm pockets could also produce hail, according to the National Weather Service.

After 7 p.m., there’s a 60 percent chance of rain through midnight, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures are expected to drop to about 40 degrees Monday night.

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

LIVE FEED: Michigan takes on Louisville in the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship

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The University of Michigan men's basketball team takes on the Louisville in the 2013 NCAA Men's Championship Game Monday. Follow along as AnnArbor.com/MLive.com reporters and readers live-tweet the game beginning at 7 p.m.

The game begins at 9:23 p.m. on CBS.

Contributors to this live feed include:

  • Kyle Meinke - MLive Michigan Sports Reporter
  • Nick Baumgarder - MLive Michigan Sports Reporter
  • Daniel Brenner - AnnArbor.com Photographer
  • Courtney Sacco - AnnArbor.com Photographer
  • Kyle Austin - AnnArbor.com Sports Reporter
  • John Counts - AnnArbor.com Crime Reporter
  • Kyle Feldscher - AnnArbor.com Crime Reporter
  • Kody Klein - AnnArbor.com Reporting Intern
  • Gabriel Modiga - A U-M Sophomore at the game
  • Becky Lane - Current U-M medical student from Maryland at the game
  • Jennifer Mack - An Ann Arbor resident watching the game from home
  • Shelby Carpenter - A U-M senior at the game

Eastern Leaders Group summit: Officials discuss economic revival of eastern Washtenaw County

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U.S. Rep. John Dingell said Monday at the 2013 Eastern Leaders Group summit that municipalities must work together.

Randy Mascharka | Eastern Michigan University

A rough economy, declining property values and budget challenged schools severely affected eastern Washtenaw County during the recent downturn, but officials believe that portion of the county is on the rebound.

That rebound, according to county leaders, is in part because of several recent partnerships and initiatives aimed at bringing more businesses to the area, creating better education opportunities and revitalizing vacant properties.

"Struggle in any part of the county is an issue for the whole county," said Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners Chair Yousef Rabhi during Monday's Eastern Leaders Group 2013 Spring Summit at Eastern Michigan University. "Success here means success for the whole county. The work we do is not just eastside work, it's county-wide."

More than 100 individuals attended the summit at Eastern Michigan University's Student Center Ballroom, including U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn; State Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor; and State Rep. David Rutledge, D-Superior Township.

"We're compelled to address the fact that we have to spend every nickel efficiently," Dingell said. "... We have to make cuts wisely and prudently. Our representative government only functions if we pull together... Pulling together will make all the difference in the world."

Eastern Leaders Group initiatives

ELG leaders provided an update on each program it offers to the community. Leigh Greden, co-chair of the ELG and exective director of government and community relations at EMU, said the organization is funded 100 percent by the Public Act 88 millage.

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners annually approves the millage.

Anthony VanDerworp, executive director of the Eastern Leaders Group, said the SPARK East Incubator, established in 2009, has received $1.8 million in funding from federal, state local, private and other sources since inception.

The incubator has served 26 physical tenants and 17 virtual tenants since opening and has created a total of 81 jobs.

"We have quite a bit of job creation and tenants that serve there," VanDerworp said.

Citing VC Web Design as an example of a company that used the incubator, VanDerworp said the business now is looking to expand further. VC is located at 9 S. Washington St. in Ypsilanti.

"They're looking for more space and that's a very successful model," he said.

Another program, SPARK Eastern County Microloans, provides working capital for the early stages of company development. Five local businesses have been awarded $264,000 in microloans so far and 43 jobs have been created.

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Eastern Leaders Group Co-Chair Leigh Greden, right, and Anthony VanDerworp, executive director, left, highlighted the popular Live Ypsi program.

Randy Mascharca | Eastern Michigan University

"Forty-three doesn't sound like a lot of jobs, but they're going to hire more and more people," VanDerworp said.

No loans were given out in 2012, VanDerworp said, because the ELG is waiting on repayment for some of the loans before more money can be loaned out again. About $150,000 is available for working capital this year.

CEED Microloans from the group have awarded $255,000 to 13 local manufacturing, retail and personal services businesses. VanDerworp said the loans have helped to create 217 jobs and $178,000 remains available in future funding.

"There's a lot of jobs created through this kind of loan," he said. "This money specifically is used by local businesses to buy inventory or to staff up to meet a need."

ELG's Commercial Building Re-Use Program created a partnership with the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority to bring vacant and underutilized buildings up to code and attract new tenants.

"The idea here is we had a lot of buildings that just weren't being rented out," VanDerworp said. "... These buildings weren't up to code and they were chopped up and didn't have open floor plans businesses would like to see."

VanDerworp said this program has helped to increase the city's tax base by $73,000 and generate $657,000 in private capital investments. The program also created 28 new permanent jobs. In 2012, it was expanded to include the entire DDA district.

Greden also noted the upcoming round of the popular Live Ypsi program, that provides loans to EMU faculty and staff members who buy homes in Ypsilanti. Officials told AnnArbor.com previously the program has $45,000 available for its second round, but said it may receive additional funding.

ReImagine Washtenaw initiative

Leaders said one effort showing recent collaborations between municipalities was the creation of the ReImagine Washtenaw corridor initiative.

The project is a partnership between Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township, Pittsfield Township, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, the Michigan Department of Transportation and Washtenaw County.

Consultants have been hired to draft design standards, that would help regulate the uses of the buildings along the corridor. The focus is on mixed use, that would allow for "multi-housing" and retail.

Pittsfield Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal said the goal of the project is to create a mixed-use corridor that would be easily accessible due to high-quality transit. Grewal said leaders are looking at ways to create a consistent design and streetscape along the corridor.

Grewal said a joint technical committee comprised of planners from each jurisdiction as well as SEMCOG representatives and AATA has been created to move the project along.

Education

Zemke, who was named to the House Appropriations Committee, said education and its funding will be a priority of his moving forward. Earlier this year, Gov. Rick Snyder proposed a 2 percent funding increase for public education that would go into effect for the new fiscal year beginning in October.

"We all know higher education is key to economic development," Zemke said. "Other states like Virgina have made higher education a priority by investing hundreds of millions of dollars... My job here is to make sure Washtenaw County has a voice in the legislation."

For Washtenaw County, the merger of Ypsilanti Public Schools and Willow Run Community Schools will be key to the future economic development of eastern Washtenaw County, according to officials.

WISD Superintendent Scott Menzel said there are only 83 days until the district becomes official.

"We have less and less time before it becomes a reality," Menzel said. "In spite of the belief by so many that we can't do it, I know we can and we will."

Menzel said school leaders are working on making the new district the first choice for "an exceptional cradle to career education." Menzel said the focus is on retaining and attracting new students, as well as trying to regain the 2,600 students that left through school of choice to attend area charter schools and other districts.

"(People) need to understand we’re aiming at a destination picture," Menzel said. "We believe we can bring them back and attract others from (different) districts."

Menzel said Rutledge has been instrumental in the newly-formed district securing the $6.5 million in consolidation grant money from the state.

Menzel said Rutledge also is working to help the districts be able to restructure their operating deficits, which would allow repayment over a longer period of time.

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


Vote for next week's AnnArbor.com high school team of the week

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Pioneer's Anna Borowicz competes at last year's state championships in Midland.

Mlive Media Group file

Spring sports are officially in full swing. And we need your help deciding which sports and teams to check out.

We’ve got a new Mlive.com/AnnArbor.com Team of the Week poll officially open for the week of April 15-20. There are five selections to choose from between now and noon Friday. The poll winner will be the focus of our coverage throughout the week.

The five choices are: Chelsea girls soccer, Dexter boys golf, Huron baseball, Lincoln girls track and Pioneer girls tennis.

All five will be facing off in local matchups during the week: Chelsea will visit Huron Friday following a home date with Parma Western; Dexter boys golf will visit Chelsea and Skyline; Huron baseball will face Chelsea and Dexter; Lincoln girls track will take on Dexter and Pioneer girls tennis will host Adrian and visit Saline.

Our first Team of the Week winner was the Skyline boys lacrosse team. That means we’ll have multiple stories and photos about the Eagles later in the week.

We’ll do the same with our winner for next week. So get your votes in now.

Football brawl attorney on student's plea deal: 'It's a very good offer'

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Bashir Garain

Courtesy of WSCO

The Pioneer student accused of swinging a crutch during last fall's high school football brawl was offered a deal that was too good to pass up, his attorney Walter White said Monday afternoon.

Bashir Garain pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in the Washtenaw County Trial Court Friday. A second count of assault with a dangerous weapon and two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery will be dismissed.

What's more, Garain has the opportunity to someday have a clean record. He received a deferred sentencing, which means if he fulfills all his obligations while on probation, the case will be expunged.

White said Judge Donald Shelton hasn't yet decided how long Garain will be on probation for. That decision is expected to come when Garain is sentenced in early May, White said.

The deal was struck just days before a jury trial was scheduled to begin on Monday. White said he and Garain went before Shelton for an unscheduled hearing Friday so those scheduled to testify weren't forced to show up Monday morning.

The deal was too good to pass up, White added.

“It’s a very good offer,” he said. “(Garain's) going to college. Hopefully by the time he goes to college, he won’t have anything on his record. This will be the end of it.”

Garain is one of three students charged in the football melee, which started when coaches from Huron High School and Pioneer met after the game Oct. 12 and began a verbal altercation that turned physical when assistant coach Vince Wortmann shoved Huron head coach Cory Gildersleeve.

Wortmann was not charged because prosecutors ruled he believed he was defending Pioneer head coach Paul Test. Wortmann was fired after the incident. Both head coaches have since resigned.

Garain and two 17-year-old boys were criminally charged. One 17-year-old student was found responsible in juvenile court on one count of misdemeanor assault and battery on Feb. 6. He is awaiting disposition, the equivalent of a sentencing, which is scheduled for April 30.

The second 17-year-old rejected a plea offer Monday that would have included a similar type of deferred sentencing and would have wiped his record clean if he complied with probation. His jury trial is set for June 24.

The cases have resulted in a fair amount of controversy. The Ann Arbor Concerned Citizens for Justice have protested at recent hearings, claiming the charges were racially motivated. All three students charged are black.

The Ann Arbor Board of Education also got into the fray, passing a resolution last month asking the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office to "re-evaluate the degree of criminalization" of the three students' actions during the brawl.

White also doesn't think prosecutors were right to charge the three.

“I really think it would have been better if no one had been charged out of the incident,” he said. “It was either a lot of people were guilty or no one was guilty."

John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Caribou Coffee to close its 22 stores in Michigan

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It won’t be long before the Caribou Coffee brand is a thing of the past to Michigan residents.

As part of a nationwide overhaul, the Minnesota-based coffee company announced plans to close 80 underperforming stores on April 14 and rebrand an additional 88 stores as Peet’s Coffee & Tea. Peet’s and Caribou are both owned by German investment company Joh. A. Benkiser Group.

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The Caribou Coffee store on East Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor will close as part of a company overhaul. It's unclear if it will reopen as a Peet's Coffee & Tea.

From Yelp

“Over the past few months, we at Caribou have revisited our business strategy, including closely evaluating our performance by market to make decisions that best position us for long-term growth,” said Caribou Coffee CEO Mike Tattersfield in a statement.

Moving forward, Tattersfield said the Caribou Coffee brand will consist of 468 locations in eight states and 10 international markets. Michigan is not included on the list, meaning all Caribou Coffee locations in Michigan will close or be converted to Peet’s Coffee & Tea. There are 22 Caribou locations in Michigan, which mostly are concentrated in the Metro Detroit area.

“While the decisions we’ve made have been difficult for our team in Minneapolis, as well as our team members across the country and our guests and fans everywhere, we are working to make this transition as seamless as possible for the Caribou community,” Tattersfield continued.

It’s not immediately clear whether the store on East Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor will close entirely or be rebranded as a Peet’s Coffee & Tea.

The news comes weeks after East Lansing-based Biggby Coffee announced plans to open more than 100 new stores in the Metro Detroit region during the next two years.

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.

Excited crowds pack Crisler Center, bars and the Diag but leave disappointed after loss

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The game was being played on the television screens, instead of the hardwood below it.

But other than that, not much was different.

An announced crowd of 11,583 crammed into the Crisler Center for the University of Michigan's official watch party for Monday’s national championship game between Michigan and Louisville.

And with a student section, band and cheerleaders on hand, it was easy to forget sometimes the game was being played 700 miles away in Atlanta.

“It’s great,” Northville resident Chris Hilton said. “It’s almost like a regular game day.”

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Michigan sophomores Yasmin Omrani and Siobhan Aldridge cheers during a promotional video before the game against Louisville on Monday, April 8.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

By tipoff, only a few empty seats remained in the upper corners of the 12,693-capacity arena. The doors opened at 7:30 p.m., but many waited in line for hours. An arena usher said by an hour before the doors opened, the line stretched around the arena towards the football stadium.

By 8 p.m., the line for the main door went around the football stadium nearly to Main Street. Inside the arena, nearly the entire lower bowl was filled. In the middle of the court sat the regional championship trophy Michigan won in Arlington, Texas last Sunday.

At 9:20 p.m., the lights were turned out for player introductions, and the arena was illuminated only by the light from the screen and from the light-up glasses handed out to fans. Huge cheers went up for player introductions, notably for Trey Burke and Mitch McGary.

But the loudest cheer went up when the televisions showed Chris Webber, the former Wolverine who made a surprise appearance at the game. Webber has been disassociated with the university for nearly 10 years after his role in the Ed Martin recruitment scandal that resulted in the Final Four banners in Crisler being taken down.

The event attracted students, adults and families. Near the top of the lower bowl, John and Briita Hall of Ann Arbor found their seats by an hour before game time.

The two regularly attend women’s basketball games, but decided to make the trip to Crisler to soak in the atmosphere of Monday’s game. And the fact that John has had seven hip surgeries and walks with a cane wasn’t about to stop him from making the trip.

“I was determined to make it,” he said.

A longtime area resident who went to school at Michigan, Hall also was in town when Michigan won the 1989 national title.

“I just remember much of the same type of atmosphere,” Hall said.

On Saturday, the arena hosted the the 41st annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow, making it unavailable for game viewing. The only university viewing party was held in the Michigan Union, for students only.

But within minutes of Michigan’s win that night over Syracuse, athletic director Dave Brandon announced via his Twitter feed that Crisler would be open for national title game viewing.

The word got out quickly.

“I’m shocked,” Hilton said. “I didn’t think there would be a big turnout.”

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Michigan sophomore Tom Idzkowski takes a moment after a watch party at Crisler Arena where the Wolverines lost to Louisville on Monday, April 8.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

The crowd stayed loud and boisterous for most of a tight game. But when Louisville pulled away in the final minutes, the crowd stood in an eerie silence. As Louisville's Peyton Siva made a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left, fans walked up the aisles en masse toward the exits.

Those students crowded the streets around the arena, making a peaceful exit.

Across campus, fans simply passed through the Diag, after flooding it after Saturday night's win over Syracuse.

“All they do in Kentucky is run horses in circles!” a disappointed fan said on her way to South University Avenue.

As one U-M fan walked by, he bent down on his knees and kissed the “M” in the middle of the Diag.

The crowd wasn’t nearly as large as Saturday’s, nor did it last anywhere near as long. After a loud rendition of "The Victors", the loudest faction of the crowd ran off, calling for a “riot” and claiming it was going to “take” South University Avenue. Everybody else gradually filtered out thereafter. South University stayed relatively docile following the loss, while fires were being lit in the streets of student neighborhoods.

"It was sort of a bummer, man," a U-M student said after the crowd dissipated.

AnnArbor.com intern Kody Klein contributed to this story

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.

With video: Several fires set after Wolverines lose NCAA championship to Louisville

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Soon after Louisville doused Michigan's hope of a national basketball title on the court, the Ann Arbor Fire Department was putting out several fires in the city.

As subdued crowds streamed out of bars and the Crisler Center, where U-M staged a watch party, firefighters were responding to calls of various items being lit on fire in neighborhood streets.

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Ann Arbor firefighters put out a fire in parking lot on Kingsley Street in Ann Arbor after the Wolverines lost to Louisville Monday night.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

It took just a few minutes after the Wolverines’ season ended for students to take to the streets in the area near Vaughn and Packard streets. On Vaughn, several people pulled a couch into the street and seemed ready to light it. However, they weren’t able to start a flame before an Ann Arbor police squad car pulled up with lights flashing. An officer pulled the couch to the curb and warned the crowd.

Around midnight, a box spring, sticks and what appeared to be a desk burned in the middle of White Street near McKinley Avenue while about 200 people looked on. The crowd cheered as firefighters put it out. The street was closed just after midnight as debris still smoldered. Crews later dealt with what looked like a small mattress fire in the same area.

Shortly after midnight, authorities put out a fire in the area of Hamilton Place north of East Jefferson Street. A couch and tree branches were reportedly burning.

Crews also extinguished a fire in a parking lot on East Kinglsley Street and North Ingalls and in the street at East University and Michigan Avenue.

At around 1 a.m., firefighters and police responded to the 1100 block of Church Street where a wooden pallet had been set ablaze. The fire was doused in a matter of minutes.

Officials were searching a house around 1:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of White Street, where a bottle with a rag protruding from the top was next to the house. One man was taken from the house on a stretcher, but did not appear to have been injured.

Another couch fire was reportedly quenched at 2:15 a.m. near South Main Street and Hoover Avenue.

Flocken estimated the total number of fires reported in the city as of 2:30 a.m. at about eight. Another unconfirmed fire was reported after that.

Ann Arbor police said they had only made two arrests, one of which was of a man for disorderly conduct in the 1200 block of South University Avenue.

“It’s actually been pretty normal for a night where you have U-M activity going on,” said Sgt. Craig Flocken. “There hasn’t really been anything major.”

Diane Brown, spokeswoman for U-M police, said they hadn't made any arrests as of 2 a.m. Many of the extra patrols that were brought into the city had already been sent home, she said.

Police had put extra patrols on Monday night, hoping to avoid the damage that occurred after the University of Michigan won the NCAA basketball championship in 1989.

Personnel from numerous Washtenaw County police agencies were in Ann Arbor to assist with policing the area following the game. Among the agencies are the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, Saline Police Department, Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety and Ypsilanti Police Department, according to Ann Arbor police officials.

There was a heavy police presence at the intersection of South University Avenue and Church Street throughout the game, with several officers posted outside the various bars and taverns in that area. There were even officers posted on the rooftop of the China Gate Restaurant.

Four couches were burned Saturday night after the Wolverines beat Syracuse.

Watch video of the fire at White and McKinley below:

Firefighters extinguish a fire on Church Street in the video below.


View Fires in a larger map

Images from Michigan's 82-76 national championship loss to Louisville

Driver flees after crashing car into couple's bedroom

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A vehicle went off a street in Ann Arbor and crashed into a couple’s bedroom early Tuesday morning, and the driver subsequently fled the scene, police said.

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The driver of this vehicle fled the scene after crashing into a couple's bedroom early Tuesday morning, police said.

Courtesy of Chase Masters

Ann Arbor police Sgt. Craig Flocken said the vehicle was eastbound on Fair Street where it turns into a parking lot for the Manchester West apartments. He said the vehicle went off Fair directly into the bedroom of a nearby apartment.

The couple who live in the apartment were home at the time of the crash, which occurred about 12:45 a.m., but were in the living room watching television. There were no injuries reported.

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene of the crash and remains at large, Flocken said. There was no suspect description immediately available.

The vehicle was removed from the home by 2:50 a.m. Tuesday.


View 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.


Gault Village Plaza Kmart demolished, but Ypsilanti Township says issues remain

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The former Kmart on Grove Road has been torn down, but the project still isn't complete.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

Ypsilanti Township officials are hopeful renewed court pressure may soon bring an end to the many issues surrounding the partially demolished abandoned Kmart off Grove Road.

In early September 2011, Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Donald Shelton ordered Union Lake Associates to demolish the Kmart connected to the Gault Village Shopping Plaza that the company owns within 60 days.

But the project is still not complete.

That put Ypsilanti Township and an attorney for Sylvan Township-based Union Lake back in front of Shelton on March 27.

But township attorney Dennis McLain said Shelton ordered the attorney to bring Union Lake’s managing partner, Michael McGlothin, into the courtroom on April 24 to provide an explanation as to why the company has ignored Shelton’s order to demolish the property for well over a year.

As of April 5, the entire Kmart building had come down and crews were working on a new exterior wall next to Measurement Inc., a business that grades standardized tests for Michigan schools. Measurement Inc. was previously attached to the Kmart, so a new exterior wall has to be built as part of the demolition project.

“Apparently we got their attention,” McLain said when told that crews were once again working on the wall, though he expressed frustration that the company needed the threat of being held in contempt of court to complete the project.

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A cinder block perimeter remains and must be removed from the site.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

Among other issues, the Kmart, which is on the west side of the 235,000-square-foot shopping center along Grove Road near Interstate 94, had a collapsing roof, crumbling outer wall and mold infestation.

The store was been abandoned for more than 20 years before demolition started on Dec. 20.

The entire plaza also has seen a variety of issues ranging from crumbling walls to mold infestation.

McGlothin coud not be reached by AnnArbor.com.

Although the wall appears to be nearing completion, there are a variety of smaller issues that also must be attended to, McLain said.

Among those:

  • A cinder block perimeter remains in the ground and is considered a hazard. Per the demolition agreement, Union Lake was to leave a completely smooth surface.
  • Sewage holes where the toilets were in the store were left unplugged.
  • Hydraulic fluid was left on the site near where the hoists in the Kmart body shop were set up.
  • Mold remained on the outside Measurement Inc.'s wall.
  • No maintenance plan has been developed for the problematic plaza.

McLain said the township will have to conduct a final inspection after Union Lake says it has completed the work.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

Ann Arbor school board to vote Wednesday on 5-hour time limits

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The Ann Arbor school board will vote on a new committee structure and time limits Wednesday night.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo

The Ann Arbor Board of Education is expected to vote Wednesday on a number of policy changes that would restrict meetings to five hours and change its committee structure.

School board President Deb Mexicotte presented a number of policy changes before spring break last week that trustees hope will prevent the board from consistently meeting past 1 a.m.

The changes, which were proposed on March 27, include a five-hour time limit for regular board meetings, organizational meetings, study sessions and special meetings, as well as replacing the Committee of the Whole structure with a maximum of four standing committees. Regular meetings start at 7 p.m., so the five-hour time limit would mean most public meetings should conclude by midnight.

As the board has juggled increased financial challenges and lengthy reports from administration, trustees have met until 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. for several months, with the Feb. 27 meeting adjourning at about 3:15 a.m. This is a challenge for board members who have jobs outside of the school district and Superintendent Patricia Green and her executive cabinet members, who typically are required to stay through the end of the board meeting.

Standing committee meetings would not extend longer than three hours past their official start-time, according to the proposed policies. No more than three trustees would serve on a single standing committee for sub-quorum status, which would release the board from typical posting requirements and from keeping the meetings open to the public.

Trustee Susan Baskett had a number of concerns about the idea of sub-quorum meetings and not allowing the public to attend. The way the new policy is written is that giving notice is “not required.” Baskett said she hopes this does not mean the board won’t tell the public when its meetings will occur.

Mexicotte said the board will need to have a more in-depth conversation about posting.

“Transparency … is something we’ve been very committed to. However, we’ve also acknowledged there are times when it is important to have candid conversations, like in executive session where you need to be able to have some level of confidentiality,” she said, adding a sub-quorum structure gives the board the freedom to decide whether posting is a “must” or something that could be done on a case-by-case basis, depending on the agenda.

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Deb Mexicotte

Mexicotte said the board also could choose to invite in small groups of people who express interest or groups the board knows has an interest in a specific topic to a committee meeting.

The committees’ missions still are under consideration, but the topics could be some combination of the following: student achievement, budget and finance, governance, performance, planning and an executive committee.

The executive committee would be comprised of the board president, the superintendent and the chairmen of the other committees for the purpose of agenda planning; authoring or reviewing amendments to board policies or bylaws; or reviewing items referred to them by the individual standing committees.

Other changes to the board’s meeting procedures could include moving critical board action items and decisions to the beginning of the agenda to “ensure the smooth and timely operation of the district” and public participation and engagement, according to the proposed policy adjustments. The board does not get to action items on its agendas now until approximately the last two hours of its meetings.

Time limits also were tossed around for administrative presentations and board member discussions, with each school trustee being permitted a set number of minutes for comments and an increased effort to have questions answered in the days leading up to the meetings.

Across the table, school trustees largely were in favor of imposing time limits and most were on board with changing the committee structure. The primary goal of reverting back to standing committees from the Committee of the Whole is increasing efficiency.

The board went to a Committee of the Whole structure in the fall of 2011 because it had a number of new trustees who recently had been elected, Mexicotte said, adding trustees felt there was a benefit to having “everyone hear everything.”

“One of the things that we have in a (standing) committee structure is the ability to target the agenda a little better,” Mexicotte said. “… You also have to trust that a subset of the board has done the deep work and that you get a good executive summary. And you are able to get your questions answered beforehand and then that you’re able to move with some confidence.

“… I think now we realize that the (multiple) committee structure does streamline the work and does allow for a deeper dive in an avenue that is not the regular board meeting and in the (regular meeting) we should focus our agenda more closely around those questions and issues that need to be brought forward (for action),” Mexicotte said.

The board also has been working on improving its trust issues. At its March 27 meeting, the board passed an “affirmation of boardsmanship,” reaffirming what is expected of all trustees as leaders and recommitting to adhere to certain standards, principles and behaviors at the board table.

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

$10K reward offered for information in Julia Niswender killing

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A private investigator is offering a $10,000 reward for information regarding the death of 23-year-old Eastern Michigan University student Julia Niswender.

The reward is being offered by the Duvall Group Investigations PLLC., Niswender's family told AnnArbor.com.

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A reward is being offered for more information regarding the death of EMU student Julia Niswender.

Courtesy photo

"Duvall Group Investigations PLLC has posted the reward," said Kim Turnquist, Niswender’s mother. "The owner, Ryan, has been a family friend for years. We have not hired his services. We are confident that the (Ypsilanti) Police Department will find justice for Julia and my family."

The reward offer comes nearly four months after Niswender was found dead in her apartment on Dec. 11 in Peninsular Place Apartments, off campus in Ypsilanti.

Police ruled the death a homicide in January but have not released details, including how she died.

The flyer states the reward will be given for information "leading to the arrest and indictment of the person or people responsible" for Niswender's death.

"We are just really hoping that this helps spread the word and helps catch whoever did this as soon as possible," said Jennifer Niswender, Julia's twin sister.

Individuals with information are being asked to contact the Michigan State Police at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or the Ypsilanti Police Department at 734-483-9510.

Funds can be donated for distribution costs and flyer costs. Checks or money orders can be sent to the Duvall Group Investigations PLLC at P.O. Box 1822 Monroe, MI 48161, ATTN: Justice for Julia or by calling 1-800-681-0687.

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

Win not in the Cards for Michigan as Louisville prevails in National Championship

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A dejected Trey Burke walks away in a sea of confetti as Louisville players celebrate their 82-76 victory over Michigan in the national championship game in Atlanta on Monday, April 8.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Trey Burke played like the consensus national player of the year and Spike Albrecht played like the guy who has had to face him every day in practice for nine months, but Louisville was just too strong in the end. Michigan led by as much as 12 in the first half, but that lead was only one at the break and quickly gone in the second half. The Cardinals added another double-digit comeback to their resume and prevailed, 82-76.

Postgame coverage:

In game coverage:

Pre-game coverage

Fab Faux returning, this time to re-create the music of the Beatles' 'White Album'

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The Fab Faux

This month marks the Fab Faux's 15th anniversary. So, after that many years together, it's not surprising that the band now re-creates the music of the Beatles more expertly and meticulously, and with more finesse, than ever.

But the Faux are not a mere Beatles "tribute" band, like Beatlemania, or 1964 or Rain. Those groups focus(ed) on mimicking the Beatles' live shows (or videos) of the early / mid-1960s—with an emphasis on mop-top haircuts (or wigs), vintage early-'60s suits, psychedelic "Sgt Pepper's"-era regalia, and fake Brit accents—and less emphasis on the Beatles' actual recordings.

The Faux don't go in for any of that. They don't dress up like the Beatles, and they talk and sing in their own voices—they don't "pretend" to be the Beatles onstage. Instead, they have a laser-like focus on reproducing the Beatles' songs, the way they were recorded.

And, the members of the Faux are more musically accomplished than those tribute bands. When they formed the Faux in 1998, all of them were already in-demand studio musicians—and two were already members of high-profile "late-night bands." By then, bassist Will Lee had been a member of David Letterman's house band for about 15 years, and guitarist Jimmy Vivino had been in Conan O'Brien's house band for six years.

Lee still plays in the Letterman band, and Vivino is now the musical director for O'Brien's current talk show. The Faux also includes drummer / primary lead singer Rich Pagano (Rosanne Cash, Patti Smith, Ray Davies, etc.), guitarist Frank Agnello (Marshall Crenshaw, Phoebe Snow, etc.) and keyboardist/guitarist Jack Petruzzelli (Joan Osborne Band, Rufus Wainwright).

PREVIEW

The Fab Faux

  • Who: A band devoted to re-creating the music of the Beatles in a way that is much more ambitious and musically accomplished than the various Beatles tribute bands.
  • What: For this show, the Faux will perform the "The White Album" in its entirety, plus a couple of "related" tunes, hints bassist Will Lee.
  • Where: Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St.
  • When: Saturday, April 13, 8 p.m.
  • How much: $29.50-$65. Limited Gold Circle and VIP seating also available. VIP Tickets also include a post-concert Meet & Greet with the band. Tickets can be purchased via ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations. Charge by phone at 800-745-3000.
Actually, all are multi-instrumentalists, so depending on the show, a few of the members may switch instruments from song to song. And Pagano has two drum kits onstage—one tuned the way Ringo Starr tuned his drums during the Beatles' early years, and the other tuned in the manner that Starr preferred in the mid-to-late '60s.

So, the Faux have always taken great pride in painstakingly replicating those world-changing Beatles tracks—many of which were never even played live by the Beatles, because they quit touring in 1966. Once the Beatles got off the road, the music on their subsequent albums became more sophisticated and innovative—and employed more experimental studio effects and sound collages.

"Yeah, our goal has always been to bring the recordings to the stage," says Lee, who joins his Faux-mates for a show at the Michigan Theater on Saturday. This is the third year in a row the Faux will play Ann Arbor, and the first time they will play "The Beatles" (more commonly known as "The White Album") in its entirety for an Ann Arbor audience.

"Whereas, the tribute bands were more concerned with imitating the live shows of the Beatles early era. And, during that era, as exciting as the Beatles were onstage, those live shows were not necessarily the Beatles at their best"—because the screaming of the fans, especially young girls, was so loud and piercing that the Beatles famously complained that they couldn't even hear themselves play.

"They knew that that the best they had to offer was in situations where they had the most control over the music, which was in the studio," says Lee by phone from his home in New York City, after a recent taping of the Letterman show. "Once they quit touring, they could spend more time crafting those more complex arrangements and gorgeous textures."

Helping the Faux replicate the more orchestrated songs onstage are the Creme Tangerine Strings and the four-piece Hogshead Horns.

"The White Album" is one of the most challenging, and therefore most satisfying, to re-create onstage, because as any Beatles fan knows, it ranks just behind "Sgt. Pepper's" in terms of its use of effects and multiple sonic layers.

"We need about as many people onstage to play 'The White Album' as we do 'Sgt. Pepper's,'" says Lee. "That album has so much going on—like, there's a recorder on 'Glass Onion,' and orchestral stuff on 'Goodnight'.....Our sound check when we do 'The White Album' is our most intensive—it's about three hours long."

Pagano isn't the only singer in the group—the other members also handle lead vocals on some songs. Among the "The White Album" tunes that Lee most enjoys singing are "Blackbird," "Mother Nature's Son," and "I Will," he says. Other Fab faves that he loves to sing include "Here Comes The Sun," "It Won't Be Long," "Another Girl," "She's Leaving Home," "Hold Me Tight"....."There are so just so many!" he says.

Lee says that Walter Everett, a University of Michigan professor of music theory and a writer, has been a great resource for them. Everett wrote "The Beatles As Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul" and "The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology."

"Those books have helped us in terms of making sure what guitars and amplifiers the Beatles used on which songs, which we're very attentive to," says Lee. "That also helps us to faithfully recreate the songs, by playing the same guitar through the same amp that they played on specific songs."

Lee has performed live with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Starr, and also played on a song on Starr's 1976 "Rotogravure" album that featured a piano track that had been pre-recorded by John Lennon. "I overdubbed the bass part, and played along to the tape of John's piano, which I was hearing through my headphones," he recalls. "So, I never met John, but I feel like I got to play with him."

Kevin Ransom, a free-lance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com, previously wrote about the Fab Faux in 2011 and 2012. He can be reached at KevinRansom10@aol.com.

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