Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner looks to pass during spring practice at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, April 13, 2013.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

With temperatures below 40 degrees (but Brady Hoke still wearing shorts), the Wolverines debuted a new-look offense in front of an estimated crowd of 18,000 fans.

Devin Gardner completed 11-of-14 passes for 145 yards, with one touchdown pass to freshman tight end Jake Butt. The Wolverines also got good news on the injury front, as linebacker Jake Ryan could be back sooner than expected.

Check out our complete coverage from Michigan Stadium Saturday:

Post-game coverage

Michigan tight end Devin Funchess makes a catch around defensive back Jeremy Clark during spring practice at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, April 13, 2013.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

• QB Devin Gardner completes 11-of-16 passes in Michigan spring game
  
• Star LB Jake Ryan could return by mid-October, Michigan coach Brady Hoke says
  
• Michigan's Devin Funchess, Frank Clark, Kyle Bosch among those nursing spring injuries
  
• Photo Gallery: Images from Michigan's spring football game at Michigan Stadium
  

In-game coverage

• Live blog: Michigan football gives glimpse at 2013 team with annual spring game
  

Blue Team quarterback BJ Dickey is awarded most valuable player after the alumni spring flag football game.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Pre-game coverage

• Pre-game megaguide
  
• Photo Gallery: More than 80 former Michigan players take to Michigan Stadium for alumni game
  
• Michigan spring game offers first look at new wave of starters
  
• Michigan feeling comfortable about pro-style offense on eve of spring game
  

The highlight of Saturday afternoon's Hearts on Ice Hockey Challenge at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor occurred when JoeAnne Bivins and her sisters sang the national anthem.

The 68-year-old Detroit resident has been alive for more than eight years thanks to an artificial heart pump she received at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center in 2005. Bivins has been supported longer than any patient in the U.S. by a single device.

"I feel honored that they asked me to sing the national anthem," said Bivens. "I'm not afraid of things like being in front of a crowd. Try it and get pleasure out of it. That's how I've always lived my life."

JoeAnne Bivens, (second from the left,) who received an artificial heart pump in 2005, sang the national anthem at the Hearts on Hockey Ice Challenge along with her sisters Yvette Glover (left) Kasandra Ward (second from right) and Wynonia Ward (right).

By Lisa Carolin | For AnnArbor.com

About 30 players participated in Saturday's game, many of whom are staff members from the Cardiovascular Center.

"The Blades are the surgery team, playing against the Pills, who are the medical side of the staff," explained Ruth Halben, a clinical social worker at the center, who helped to come up with the Ice Hockey Challenge fund-raiser 12 years ago.

"It's been a great fund-raiser and team builder for staff in the cardiac unit. One of our surgeons, Martin Spoor, died in the Survival Flight crash in 2007. He was a Canadian who loved skating, and his kids will be skating Saturday along with other kids after the hockey game."

The Hearts on Ice Hockey Challenge came about after a group of visiting training surgeons heard that Dr. Francis Pagani, surgical director of U-M's Adult Heart Transplant Program, director of the Center for Circulatory Support, and goalie Saturday for the Blades, played hockey.

Halben affectionately says: "He's a cardio thoracic surgeon because the NHL didn't pick him up."

Pagani's Blades team was clad in maize with blue trim, while the Pills wore blue with maize trim. The final score was Blades over the Pills 11-8 .

"The benefits of this game are twofold," said Jennifer Campbell, a clinical social worker at the Cardiovascular Center. "It's a fund-raiser for patient and family social programs like picnics, parties and support groups, and it helps build community among staff."

The players and the audience who cheered them on gave Bivens and her sisters a rousing round of applause.

Halben says that some patients, like Bivins, cannot be matched for a transplant and that the artificial heart pumps (VADs-ventricular assist devices) are for patients in end stage heart failure.

"Patients have to adapt their lifestyles around the pump, which are inside their bodies," said Halben. "They literally have a hole in their belly where the power line comes out where they have to change the batteries."

Bivins, who has been married for 50 years, and had two children, one of whom died during his first year from a heart problem, says that she accepts her challenges.

"Most days I feel pretty good," said Bivins. "If you want to survive, you can't feel down or sorry for yourself because there are so many others in worse shape than you are.

"If I can encourage others to have a mental outlook similar to mine, you can live on and on, and things won't be as tough because they're not."

The Northern lights could be visible in the skies on Saturday night, according to Accuweather.

"A solar flare that occurred around 2 a.m. Thursday morning may create a spectacular display of northern lights Saturday evening," according to a statement.

Michigan is just one state of many from New York to the west that has a chance of seeing the aurora borealis, Accuweather says.

However, viewing conditions in Michigan also are forecast as just "fair."

The light show could start at 8 p.m., or as late as 3 a.m. Sunday.

"The flare is also expected to cause vibrant northern lights from the Arctic as far south as New York, the Dakotas, Washington and Michigan, with a smaller possibility of it going into Pennsylvania and Iowa, even Kansas," the statement said.

Read more on the possible light show - and what causes it - in a story in the Christian Science Monitor.

It may not be showing up in the final scores just yet, but players and coaches say this Michigan lacrosse team is showing improvement.

The Wolverines took the field at Michigan Stadium following the spring football game Saturday, and fell to Ohio State, 17-8.

With the season more than three-quarters in the books, the young Wolverines lacrosse program is still looking for its first win of the year. In its second season as a varsity program, Michigan is now 0-12 on the season, after going 1-13 in its inaugural season last year

Senior attackman Thomas Paras, though, said he’s seen improvement throughout the year.

“We’re just looking for that one game where we put together offense, defense, clearing, riding,” Paras said. “I think one game we do one thing well, the next game we don’t do the other aspects so well, so we just need to make sure we put all the aspects together.”

Paras led Michigan with four goals and an assist in an offense that showed it could score agains the Buckeyes. It was Michigan’s defense, and it’s 50 percent efficiency, that was the problem according to Michigan coach John Paul.

“That’s never going to get it done,” Paul said of the efficiency rating.

Michigan scored the first goal of the game and led again, 2-1, early in the first. But the lead lasted not even six minutes, as Ohio State tied the game with 9:09 left in the first quarter.

“We had a great start to the game, and I think that was a testament to the energy we had and the way we all bought into the rivalry,” Paras said.

Michigan made it a two-goal deficit at 5-3 with 10 minutes left in the first half. But from there, Ohio State ripped off seven straight goals and held Michigan off the board until the midway point of the third quarter.

Michigan rallied for three goals in the fourth quarter to avoid its biggest loss of the year. The nine-goal margin of defeat ties the team’s biggest margin of the year, to then-No. 4 Johns Hopkins

“Going through what we’re going through right now, building this program, the thing I’m going to remember about this team, however we finish up, is they do not quit,” Paul said. “You see that in the fourth quarter today, you see that in how hard they continue to play, and it’s something I’m proud of.”

The Wolverines have only three more games -- including Wednesday vs. Detroit, 7 p.m. at Michigan Stadium, in the program's first home night game -- before the ECAC tournament starts May 3 in Geneva, N.Y.

Saturday’s game took place at an hour after the conclusion of Michigan football’s annual spring game. But with temperatures under 40 degrees, many of the estimated crowd of 18,000 at the football game didn’t stick around for the doubleheader.

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.

Two people wounded in a parking lot shooting involving several people have not provided police with many details on the incident, Washtenaw County Sheriff's officials said Saturday.

The incident took place Thursday night in Meadow Ridge Apartments on Michigan Avenue near Ellsworth in Ypsilanti Township.

Occupants of two vehicles fired shots at each other in what was described as a shootout.

Two people ended up hospitalized. They were the only two people left behind when the various occupants of the cars left the scene immediately after the shooting. They had tried to flee, but required medical attention before they could get far.

The total number of people involved and the reason for the gunfire remain undetermined, police said.

"However, it does not appear to be a totally random shooting," said spokesman Derrick Jackson.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to call the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office anonymous tip line at 734-973-7711 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

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Head coaches Jack Robenalt and Smith Altwood shake hands before the game on Friday, April 12. Skyline consultant Dr. James "Gil" Leaf presented the teams with a Native American lacrosse stick that will act as a traveling trophy for the two teams.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Leaf went on to fame as a children’s author -- he wrote the bestseller “The Story of Ferdinand,” which was later made into the movie “Ferdinand the Bull” -- and eventually passed his lacrosse stick on to his son.

James “Gil” Leaf fell in love with the game, and played goalie for Harvard from 1961-1963. When the younger Leaf’s career in education took him and the lacrosse stick to Ann Arbor, he started the area’s first middle school lacrosse program in the 1980’s, before going on to coach at Pioneer High School and the University of Michigan.

And along the way, he developed a coaching tree. Among the hundreds of players who he helped teach lacrosse to were Smith Atwood and Jack Robenalt, who faced off against one another for the first time as Pioneer and Skyline’s coaches Friday night.

A few days before the anticipated matchup, Leaf wanted to add a little something extra to the rivalry. So he decided to donate his father’s lacrosse stick to become the traveling trophy, to be kept by the winner of each matchup until the next one.

After Pioneer topped Skyline, 7-3 on Friday, Leaf presented the Pioneers with the stick -- now named the Gil Leaf Lacrosse Trophy -- and a short speech about respecting the game that the Native Americans invented to honor the Creator.

That the trophy to be shared between the two teams is named after Leaf couldn’t be more fitting to the teams’ two coaches.

“I and many people who are on this field and on the sideline owe him everything,” Atwood said.

Leaf is also well known by players on both sides. He helped out at Pioneer for years, and when the head coaching job there was vacated during the offseason he lobbied for Atwood to be hired. When Atwood, a former goalie, was named the coach, Leaf decided his services as a goalie coach would be of more use at Skyline.

“I think it’s really cool that he gets an opportunity to give something surrounding this game,” Robenalt said. “I know it really means a lot to Smitty and I because he’s helped us get to where we are right now.”

Atwood’s relationship with Leaf started when he was a seldom-used junior goaltender at Pioneer in 2005. In the summer after that season, Leaf took Atwood under his wing and told him he would become a first-team All-State goalkeeper as a senior.

“I laughed in his face, because I wasn’t very good,” Atwood said.

But sure enough, Atwood earned first-team All-State honors in 2006, and went on to start for Michigan State’s club team. When the Spartans played Michigan, Leaf would be on the other sideline, coaching the Michigan goalies.

“It was kind of fun because I had goalies on both ends of the field,” Leaf said.

The two have remained close, and Atwood said he considers him a good friend and a mentor.

“I owe him everything,” Atwood said. “I owe my playing and my coaching career all to that man. The stick idea that we came up with in the last two days, I couldn’t be happier.”

It’s fitting that Leaf’s name is on the traveling trophy of an Ann Arbor lacrosse rivalry, since he was one of the first to bring the sport to the area’s youth.

After starting the first elementary program in New England, in West Newton, Mass., in 1964, Leaf started an Ann Arbor middle school program when the area’s only other youth program was in Birmingham.

“I just invited any middle school kid that wanted to play to come,” Leaf said. “It didn’t matter what school. That’s how we got youth lacrosse going here.”

And it turns out he was a pretty good goalie in his day, too. Atwood was recently in Florida, and struck up a conversation with a stranger who had happened to see Leaf play lacrosse. The stranger called Leaf “the best athlete he’s ever seen on a field.”

“To say Gil Leaf is a legend is putting it lightly,” Atwood said.

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com.

• Related story: Fit to serve: Ann Arbor school board to weigh options for interim superintendent

The Ann Arbor Board of Education may be able to conduct its next superintendent search free-of-charge through the same firm that helped the district hire Patricia Green.

Ann Arbor school board President Deb Mexicotte and Superintendent Patricia Green listen to public comment during a 2012 Committee of the Whole meeting.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo

The superintendent was hired in March 2011 after a yearlong search aided by Iowa-based consulting firm Ray & Associates. The Board of Education entered into an agreement for superintendent search services with Ray & Associates in October 2010.

The board paid the company a base fee of $21,000 to conduct a national search for the next superintendent of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, after then-Superintendent Todd Roberts left to take a job in North Carolina.

The total cost of Ray & Associates' services was not immediately available Friday. The initial estimate given to the board was $21,000 to $24,500.

A satisfaction guarantee built into the contract could mean the Ann Arbor Public Schools is eligible for a do-over. The guarantee reads:

If the School District is dissatisfied with the Superintendent within two years from the date of employment of the superintendent, or if either party dissolves that relationship by resignation, retirement, or termination within a two year period of the initial employment the firm of Ray & Associates will conduct a new superintendent search at no cost to the School District, except for reasonable expenses.

President Deb Mexicotte said the school board has asked David Comsa, the district's legal counsel and deputy superintendent, to look into the matter and to review the contract.

"We believe we are within the guarantee time frame," Mexicotte said. She added, however, there might be some disagreement in how the two-year time frame is measured.

The Ann Arbor board voted in favor of hiring Green at a special meeting on March 5, 2011. Green's contract was entered into and signed on March 30, 2011, which based on this date the school board would be beyond the two-year guarantee. However, Green's first day of employment with the district was July 1, 2011.

"So we're not entirely sure yet on this," Mexicotte said. "… If we're right, this could be an option (conducting another search through the same firm). We'll know by the time we (meet to) discuss it next week."

The board will convene a meeting next week sometime to being strategizing about how to proceed with finding a new superintendent. The board might chose to use a scheduled study session at 5:30 p.m. April 17 at Huron High School to discuss Green's resignation, Mexicotte said. But an exact date had not been set as of Friday.

• Download the AAPS agreement with Ray & Associates.

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

The Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education with Superintendent Patricia Green. From left are Glenn Nelson, Green, Susan Baskett, Irene Patalan, Deb Mexicotte, Christine Stead, Andy Thomas and Simone Lightfoot.

From Ann Arbor Public Schools

• Related story: Replacing Patricia Green: Ann Arbor could get free superintendent search under guarantee from last one

Less than two years after completing a yearlong search to hire Superintendent Patricia Green, the Ann Arbor Board of Education will embark on its fourth quest since 2002 to hire a leader for the district.

Green submitted a letter of resignation to the board early Thursday morning. She plans to retire this summer, with her resignation effective 90 days from Wednesday, or July 9.

One of the first steps the board will need to consider prior to replacing Green is appointing an interim superintendent. It's a task that begs the question: where will the district look for a temporary leader?

At least one trustee has some concerns about the collective "newness" and lack of experience among the district's remaining central administrators.

"We do not have a clearly identifiable candidate internally … I think that is an area of concern," said board Secretary Andy Thomas. "But for me, the stability of positions in the central administration is always a concern."

He said Ann Arbor seemingly burns through administrators and the current makeup of its central office likely will warrant a different approach than in 2010, when Superintendent Todd Roberts left to accept a position in North Carolina. The board named then-Deputy Superintendent for Operations Robert Allen to the interim position for the 2010-11 school year during the superintendent search process.

Allen also recently left the district to take a job in North Carolina, working under Roberts at the School of Science and Mathematics.

School Trustee Andy Thomas addresses the board at a regular meeting in 2012 at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

The remaining five top administrators in the district have an average of 2.6 years experience with AAPS. Only Deputy Superintendent for Human Resources and Legal Services David Comsa has been with the district for more than three years. He has worked at AAPS for six.

Deputy Superintendent for Instruction Alesia Flye and Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education Dawn Linden both were hired by Green in the first few months of her tenure. Flye has 21 months under her belt with AAPS, while Linden has 18.

Elaine Brown, assistant superintendent for student intervention and support services, has been employed at AAPS for three years. Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Robyne Thompson started last July.

The institutional memory for the district rests largely with the five other members of the superintendent's cabinet, with the exception of Jenna Bacolor, director of community education and recreation, who also started in July.

Executive Director of Physical Properties Randy Trent and Director of Student Accounting and Support Services Jane Landefeld have 28 years and 26 years, respectively, with AAPS; Director of Communications Liz Margolis has 10 years; and Director of Finance and Chief Executive Officer Nancy Hoover has 6.5 years.

These positions do not require the master's degree in education administration that is needed to become a school superintendent.

Each of the seven school board members also has served the district for at least three years. Trustee Simone Lightfoot, who was elected in 2010 and is one of the newest members, said when the board has more seniority than the administration, it can cause tension and frustration for both parties.

Thomas believes the board should look at whether there are any local retired administrators who might be willing to take on the superintendent's role temporarily. He also suggested asking if the Michigan Association of School Boards had any people that it makes available to serve as interim superintendents.

"I certainly don't have any candidates in mind who might be good," he said, but stressed the importance of an interim. Thomas said he or she can help keep key initiatives going during the transition period, help make decisions as needed and provide some overall supervision to the district that allows the board to focus on engaging in another search.

Board President Deb Mexicotte said how experience is weighed and valued can vary greatly from person to person.

"I think the idea of who would make a good interim superintendent is going to be different with each trustee," she said. "And that's why the board has to meet. … For example, Alesia Flye may be new to us but she's had years of experience before coming here. And she may or may not be interested in being an interim. But you have to look at the scope of somebody's experience to determine whether they would be appropriate or inappropriate."

Mexicotte said what was appealing to the board about Allen when he was appointed to the position during the search that hired Green was that Allen had no interest in filling the position permanently.

"If he had been interested, we probably would have appointed someone else and allowed him to apply … because sometimes that can be seen as an unfair advantage," she said.

But the board has done a number of different things over the years to find new superintendents. George Fornero, who led the district prior to Roberts, was an AAPS administrator who was appointed to the interim position and then later offered the position permanently.

When the board hired Roberts, there was no interim superintendent appointed. Instead, Roberts was casually recruited by the board to fill the position quickly upon Fornero's resignation.

Roberts had lived in Ann Arbor for quite some time and was commuting to Birmingham schools, where he was an assistant superintendent, Mexicotte said. Roberts had children in the Ann Arbor Public Schools and his wife worked at the University of Michigan.

Deb Mexicotte

"… Ann Arbor is a top-of-your-game kind of district. Our superintendents are head hunted all the time. The idea that we can somehow bullet-proof this process is a fantasy idea," she said of superintendent searches.

School officials said to their knowledge in the past 25 years, the Board of Education has never brought in an interim superintendent from outside the district, such as a retired school administrator as Thomas suggested.

The district has brought in retired administrators to fill other positions though, including finance director and director of special education, officials said.

The practice of hiring a retired superintendent or school administrator to serve as an interim superintendent is not uncommon. Dexter Community Schools currently has a retired superintendent from Riverview, Dennis Desmarias, leading its operations as the board seeks to replace Mary Marshall, who left in December to become the superintendent of Pentwater Public Schools.

The first decision the Ann Arbor board will need to make is whether to look for an immediate replacement or "to sit for a while because we think the timing is bad (for a search) and we think we might have an interim candidate," Mexicotte said.

She said if the board launched the process this week, it could have a superintendent selected and in place by July. But it would be difficult, she added.

"We certainly could hit that timeline with more local or internal prospects, but the second part is … deciding right away what geographic talent pool we want to tap — whether it be national, Midwest or just Michigan," Mexicotte said.

There also is the possibility that Green's resignation, because it is occurring within a two-year timeframe of her employment date, would fall under a "satisfaction guarantee" with the search firm the board used in 2010. Under the guarantee, the board would be offered a do-over superintendent search at little or no cost to the district.

• Read the story.

Mexicotte added while Green is cutting her five-year contract short, the average length of a superintendent is 3.6 years — "so she's not that far off."

Green is not penalized for ending her contract early, school officials said. She will not receive a retirement package from AAPS, nor is she eligible for a pension through the state Public School Employees Retirement System due to the length of her employment in Michigan.

A report from "District Administration" magazine shows the average tenure of an urban district superintendent in the U.S. was 3.6 years in 2010, the most recent information available. That's up from 2.3 years in 1999.

According to the American Association of School Administrators, one of the key elements in running a successful district is stability. The AASA says a "revolving door" is counterproductive and that even a three-year time period is inadequate.

Margolis said there have been no discussions at the cabinet level about how Green's retirement will impact the work loads or responsibilities of the remaining central office staff. She said Green will be at AAPS for the next 90 days and everyone's focus right now is on presenting and passing a budget for the 2013-14 academic year.

Margolis said that focus will not change. She expects it to be "business as usual" at the Balas Administration Building while the board sorts out how to replace Green.

"That's all in the purview of the board. ... We're not involved in the (replacement process) unless they ask us," she said. "The board is legally responsible for hiring and overseeing the superintendent, so we would only weigh in or offer suggestions at the request or initiative of the board."

The board has not set a date yet for when it will meet to discuss the superintendent hiring process. It's next scheduled meeting is a study session at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Huron High School.

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

Susan Martin's existing employment contract expires in July.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com file photo

While Martin and the eight-member board have at times had strained relations during her five-year tenure —the board in May reprimanded her for an argument she had with an alumnus and has told her to improve communications with regents— board chair Francine Parker says the governing body has confidence in Martin.

"The board is 100 percent behind Susan Martin. Each and every one of us," Parker said.

The board is looking to discuss Martin's contract Tuesday, but the vote may be delayed. Martin's contract is expected to be renewed, multiple sources confirmed.

Many on EMU's Ypsilanti campus credit Martin for bringing stability to the school, which has had two presidents resign in the last decade, one for his part in the cover-up of a student murder on campus and the other for overspending on the president's house.

Martin has been praised as a visible leader. She's won the respect of alumni, in part for reintegrating EMU's former Huron mascot, and helped the school reach record fundraising levels in 2012. Martin's accessibility isn't limited to stunts like rappelling off a building alongside ROTC students; student government President R. Matthew Norfleet says when he calls her office, he often gets an appointment by the next day.

Susan Martin rappelled down a building in October 2011.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

Under Martin's guidance, undergraduate enrollment has increased by 9.5 percent since fall 2008, with one of the largest freshman classes in college history matriculating last fall. Dorms are fuller than they've been in a decade. EMU's largest classroom building and its science complex have seen multimillion dollar renovations. In 2010 Martin froze tuition rates. The school dipped into reserves by $2 million in fiscal 2012, but is on track for a balanced budget this year.

"I have been here since 2005. I've gone through three or four presidents, three or four provosts, a couple of scandals and it's only been in the last several years, under the leadership of Susan Martin, that things have stabilized enough and the college has moved forward in a positive direction," said Perry Francis, a counseling professor and vice president of the faculty senate at EMU.

"That's not to say that the president hasn't had her moments that I'm sure she'd rather forget," he said, "but show me any leaders who haven't had moments they'd like to forget."

Francis praised Martin's ability to relate to alumni, manage the school's budget during difficult economic times and create a leadership team. Since Martin began leading the school, state funding for EMU has dropped from $78.6 million to $66.5 million.

Since 2008 Martin has hired a new provost, general counsel, head of of government relations, chief fundraiser and vice president of communications. She also hired Robert Heighes as EMU police chief after former chief Greg O'Dell's death.

Norfleet said Martin is respected by students and cognizant of their needs.

Faculty union president Howard Bunsis, a business professor at EMU, declined to comment for this article, saying "it's a board of regents decision."

EMU settled three union contracts last summer, including a contract with faculty. While negotiations were at times tense —in July a plane circled over the Ypsilanti campus carrying a banner proclaiming "President Martin unfair to clericals”— the board praised Martin and her bargaining team, calling the agreements a notable achievement. Another 4-year contract with lecturers was settled this winter.

Martin declined to be interviewed prior to Tuesday's board meeting.

While Parker says the board is supportive of Martin, the governing body took one unusual step regarding Martin's performance.

In May 2012 the Board of Regent's executive committee placed a letter in Martin's personnel file reprimanding her for an argument at a bar with an alumnus and mentioning previous incidents relating to alcohol. They threatened to fire her if there was ever another incident.

Martin has been told to better consult the hands-on board more often when making decisions. In Martin's early reviews, board members were frustrated by a perceived lack of communication. By the 2010-11 year, such issues seemed to be lessening as Martin began to send the regents weekly updates. But by October 2012 the board, in a review, characterized Martin's communication with regents as "inconsistent."

In the October review the board chided Martin for failing to complete a strategic review of the school on time and not reviewing certain university functions seen as flawed. The review also instructed Martin to develop a collegial environment among her executive staff and told her to complete evaluations for her staff, which she did not do one year and was late completing another year. The board pushed for her to improve EMU's stagnant four-year graduation rate, which is 12.9 percent.

Martin earns nearly $310,000 under her existing contract, which expires on July 7. Martin's contract originally expired in July 2011 but was extended in December 2010 for two years.

She is eligible for a $10,000 performance bonus in July, to be awarded at the discretion of the board.

If Martin's contract is renewed, she'll have to guide EMU through an increasingly complex higher education environment.

The board is looking at her to grow the school's graduate programs and strengthen its graduation rates. To do that, the school must continue to streamline its academic advising and widen its outreach. Faculty leaders, including Bunsis, are calling on EMU to increase the number of tenure-track faculty that teach at the college. Colleges nationally are looking at how they can leverage online education.

With an uncertain future for public higher education funding, EMU will try to continue to grow its endowment, which now sits at about $51 million. Martin and the board must strike a delicate balance with tuition increases, as state lawmakers are setting caps on the amount schools can raise their tuition and receive full funding. Martin would also be tasked with implementing a strategic plan that has taken years to develop.

While Martin wouldn't speak for this story, she did tell AnnArbor.com in a recent interview that the job of leading EMU is rewarding.

"It's the most challenging job of my life," Martin said. "...No one can describe the job. It changes every day. It's been the most meaningful and rewarding job. Eastern had a lot of challenges when I came and we've accomplished so much."

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.

The University Musical Society today formally announces its schedule of events for the 2013-14 season.

Joshua Bell

photo b Eric Kabik

Ann Arbor's storied performing-arts presenting organization will offer 67 performances by 43 different artists and ensembles during the season, which, as always, will also include a variety of community-engagement activities.

“The 13/14 UMS season connects Southeast Michigan with performing artists who truly are leaders in their field, expanding and redefining the very meaning of artistic excellence,” said UMS President Kenneth C. Fischer in a press release. “I say this every season and I mean it every time: This year is going to be incredible. In addition to presenting familiar favorites, the 135th season includes 20 UMS debut performances.

"At the heart and history of UMS is our signature Choral Union Series and the 51st Annual Chamber Arts Series, both of which feature a stellar lineup of classical music concerts including the San Francisco Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, violinist Joshua Bell, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. UMS is also very excited to present artists who are genre-defying in many ways, artists who are not afraid to explore new terrain and merge unexpected influences: Jason Moran, the Kronos Quartet, saxophonist Colin Stetson, Brooklyn Rider with Bela Fleck, Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez, mandolin player Chris Thile, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, and many more. In addition, we have the International Theater series, the 23rd annual Dance Series, the Global Series, and the 20th annual Jazz Series, all of which continue to bring the very best to Ann Arbor. You won’t want to miss a thing.”

Subscription (series) tickets go on sale to the general public May 1, with renewal packages being mailed to current subscribers. UMS is again offering the option of creating a custom subscription, "Series: You," through July 31. Tickets to individual events will go on sale to the general public Aug. 5.

For series packages, more information, or to be added to the UMS mailing list, contact the UMS Ticket Office at 734-764-2538 or visit www.ums.org.

A special focus for community engagement during the season will be expanding audiences for dance. According to the announcement, "Recipients of a 2013 Engaging Dance Audiences grant, awarded by Dance/USA with the support of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, UMS has been awarded $40,000 to implement an original program that uses peer-to-peer mentoring opportunities to increase appreciation for dance. Utilizing a combination of UMS dance performances, community dance ambassadors, free UMS Night School sessions, post-show discussions, and free community dance workshops, this program provides dance “novices” with ways to gain new levels of comfort and awareness of contemporary dance as an art form. Program specifics, including a calendar related events, will be announced later this summer."

Download the full season announcements here. A chronological list also appears below.

• By date: 1314_chron_listing.pdf

• By series: 1314_Season_Announcement.pdf

September 2013

Jason Moran’s Fats Waller Dance Party featuring Meshell Ndegeocello
Friday, September 6
Venue and Time TBA

Audra McDonald
Andy Einhorn, piano
University Symphony Orchestra Kenneth Kiesler, conductor
Sunday, September 15, 4 pm Hill Auditorium

Complicite and Setagaya Public Theatre: "Shun-kin"
Directed by Simon McBurney
Puppetry by Blind Summit
Wednesday, September 18, 7:30 pm
Thursday, September 19, 7:30 pm
Friday, September 20, 8 pm
Saturday, September 21, 8 pm
Power Center

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
"One Thousand Pieces"
Glenn Edgerton, artistic director
Alejandro Cerrudo, resident choreographer
Friday, September 27, 8 pm
Saturday, September 28, 8 pm
Power Center

October 2013

Chanticleer
Thursday, October 10, 7:30 pm
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church

Buika
Friday, October 11, 8 pm
Michigan Theater

Takacs Quartet
Saturday, October 12, 8 pm
Rackham Auditorium

Chris Thile
Friday, October 18, 8 pm
Rackham Auditorium

Andras Schiff, piano
Friday, October 25, 8 pm
Hill Auditorium

"The Manganiyar Seduction"
Roysten Abel, creator
Can & Abel Theaters, New Delhi
Saturday, October 26, 8 pm
Sunday, October 27, 4pm
Power Center

Blind Summit: "The Table"
Tuesday, October 29, 7:30 pm
Wednesday, October 30, 7:30 pm
Thursday, October 31, 7:30 pm
Friday, November 1, 8 pm
Saturday, November 2, 8 pm
Sunday, November 3, 2 pm
Performance Network

November 2013

Ballet Preljocaj
"And Then, One Thousand Years of Peace"
Angelin Preljocaj, artistic director
Friday, November 1, 8 pm
Saturday, November 2, 8 pm
Power Center

Apollo’s Fire
Jeannette Sorrell, music director and harpsichord
Sunday, November 3, 4 pm
Hill Auditorium

Steve Lehman Octet
Saturday, November 9, 8 pm
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
Tuesday, November 12, 7:30 pm
Michigan Theater

Hagen Quartet
Wednesday, November 13, 7:30 pm
Rackham Auditorium

San Francisco Symphony
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Sarah Cooke, mezzo‐soprano UMS Choral Union
Saturday, November 16, 8 pm
Hill Auditorium

Brooklyn Rider
Bela Fleck, banjo
Sunday, November 24, 4 pm
Rackham Auditorium

December 2013

Handel’s Messiah
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, UMS Choral Union
Jerry Blackstone, conductor
Saturday, December 7, 8 pm
Sunday, December 8, 2 pm
Hill Auditorium

January 2014

"Bullet Catch" By Rob Drummond
Arches Productions
Tuesday, January 7, 7:30 pm
Wednesday, January 8, 7:30 pm
Thursday, January 9, 7:30 pm
Friday, January 10, 8 pm
Saturday, January 11, 8 pm
Sunday, January 12, 2 pm
Arthur Miller Theatre

Colin Stetson
Wednesday, January 15, 7:30 pm
Thursday, January 16, 7:30 pm
Arthur Miller Theatre

Kronos Quartet
Friday, January 17, 8 pm
Saturday, January 18, 8 pm
Power Center

Denis Matsuev
Sunday, January 26, 4 pm
Hill Auditorium

Fred Hersch Trio
Thursday, January 30, 7:30 pm & 9:30 pm (two different sets)
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre

February 2014

Ariel Quartet
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
Wednesday, February 5, 7:30 pm
Rackham Auditorium

Kremerata Baltica
Gidon Kremer, violin and conductor
Thursday, February 6, 7:30 pm
Hill Auditorium

One Night in Bamako
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba Fatoumata Diawara
Friday, February 7, 8 pm
Michigan Theater

St. Lawrence String Quartet
Friday, February 14, 8 pm
Rackham Auditorium

Compagnie Kafig: "Correria & Agwa"
Mourad Merzouki, artistic director and choreographer
Friday, February 14, 8 pm
Saturday, February 15, 8 pm
Power Center

Joshua Bell, violin Pianist TBA
Sunday, February 16, 4 pm
Hill Auditorium

Theatre des Bouffes du Nord: "The Suit"
Written by Can Themba, Mothobi Mutloatse, and Barney Simon Directed by Peter Brook
Wednesday, February 19, 7:30 pm
Thursday, February 20, 7:30 pm
Friday, February 21, 8 pm
Saturday, February 22, 8 pm
Power Center

St. Petersburg Philharmonic Yuri Temirkanov, conductor Denis Kozhukhin, piano
Saturday, February 22, 8 pm
Hill Auditorium

March 2013

Alfredo Rodríguez Trio and Pedro Martinez Group
Friday, March 14, 8 pm
Michigan Theater

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Zubin Mehta, conductor
Saturday, March 15, 8 pm
Hill Auditorium

Elias String Quartet
Tuesday, March 18, 7:30 pm
Rackham Auditorium

Tara Erraught, mezzo-soprano; Henning Ruhe, piano
Thursday, March 20, 7:30 pm
Hill Auditorium

Asif Ali Khan Qawwali: Music of Pakistan
Friday, March 22, 8 p.m.
Rackham Auditorium

"Restless Creature"
Starring Wendy Whelan
A new evening of dance created by and danced with Kyle Abraham, Joshua Beamish, Brian Brooks, and Alejandro Cerrudo
Tuesday, March 25, 7:30 pm
Power Center

Tenebrae
Thursday, March 27, 7:30 pm
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
Sunday, March 30, 4 pm
Hill Auditorium

April 2013

Brahms’ German Requiem
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra; UMS Choral Union
Jerry Blackstone, conductor Friday, April 4, 8 pm
Hill Auditorium

Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Thursday, April 10, 7:30 pm
Michigan Theater

Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin
Sunday, April 13, 4 pm
Hill Auditorium

The Arbor Hills shopping center is under construction on Washtenaw Avenue between Platt Road and Huron Parkway.

Rendering by reForm Studio

• Related story: Arbor Hills developers reveal tenant lineup

It was too good to pass up: a mostly vacant Ann Arbor property nestled near County Farm Park and directly across the street from a high-volume Whole Foods store.

The largest retail development constructed in Ann Arbor in a decade is now taking shape on the 7.45-acre site, on Washtenaw Avenue between Huron Parkway and Platt Road. When Arbor Hills opens on Aug. 22, it could rival Briarwood Mall as a regional shopping destination and it will bring multiple new retail concepts — many which are found in Troy's upscale Somerset Collection — to Ann Arbor.

Developers were eyeing the property long before Arbor Hills was proposed. Ann Arbor City Council approved a site plan in 2006 for The Shops at Arlington — an ambitious 138,000-square-foot retail and residential project with underground parking that would replace vacant commercial buildings and a former car dealership.

But as the economy spiraled, the project fell apart and lender Comerica Bank sought to sell the property following foreclosure. One local developer didn’t hesitate.

“You had this site that was just sitting there doing nothing…but at the same time, it seemed to be an attractive location with Whole Foods across the street now and (adjacent to) County Farm Park,” said Tom Stegeman of Ann Arbor’s Campus Realty.

The former Arbor Hills property, shown in May 2010, when it was sold to the current developers.

AnnArbor.com file photo

“Personally, being from Ann Arbor, it seemed like a nice opportunity to clean up an eyesore on Washtenaw Avenue,” he continued.

In 2010, Stegeman partnered with North Shore Properties Group co-founder Max Reiswerg, who has decades of experience in retail leasing, to purchase the property for $3 million and propose Arbor Hills — a scaled-back version of the project originally planned for the site. Their offer on the property beat out several development groups.

A brownfield plan was later approved for the project that included $6.7 million in tax-increment financing over a period of 19 years. Of that total, $5.4 million would reimburse the developer for eligible expenditures, including removal of contaminated soils at the site, which are a result of the former car dealership and gas station.

Reiswerg and Stegeman declined to reveal the total cost of the Arbor Hills development. In comparison, the Huron Village shopping center across the street has an estimated market value of about $21.5 million based on its 2013 assessment, city records show.

In June 2012, the project broke ground. Originally called Arbor Hills Crossing, Arbor Hills totals 90,700 square feet spread across four buildings. It’s mostly retail and restaurant space, with about 9,000 square feet of offices.

“We took the (original) proposed plan, and we just simplified it,” Reiswerg explained. “We thought there was just too much in there…we revamped it as far as tenant mix and scale of the project.”

The four buildings are quickly taking shape on the site, and the developers hope to turn individual spaces over to tenants this month. The center’s grand opening is scheduled for Aug. 22.

The design of Arbor Hills is unusual for Ann Arbor’s shopping centers; three of the buildings are only a few feet from the sidewalk along Washtenaw Avenue, and parking is dispersed next to and behind the buildings. It diverges from the typical shopping center layout, with buildings set far back from the road and a sea of parking in front.

“Specifically, from day one, what we heard was that the city wanted to see buildings right on Washtenaw,” Stegeman said. “Another thing we heard a lot that we incorporated into our design was connectivity.”

A map of the Arbor Hills development shows how the buildings are situated on the site.

The developers worked to meet some goals of the ReImagine Washtenaw initiative, including putting the buildings close to the street and breaking the center into several smaller buildings.

Nathan Voght, project manager for ReImagine Washtenaw, said that kind of design helps to create a walkable environment and promotes sidewalk interest. It also consolidates curb cuts so it’s safer for bikers and walkers.

“There was a time, for a few decades, where the thinking was we need berms and landscaping so nobody driving down the street sees ugly stores…it ignored walkability and bicyclists. This development definitely moves the ball forward in that regard,” he said.

The eventual goal, Voght said, is that developments in the Washtenaw corridor will have stores with direct entrances from the sidewalk and zero or minimal setbacks. Most of the Arbor Hills stores won’t have sidewalk entrances, but the buildings have windows that give the tenants exposure from Washtenaw.

“I think when they’re done, with the windows put in and active stores inside, it’s going to make a big difference (to the corridor),” Voght said.

As part of the plans, a traffic light is being installed at the Platt Road intersection, and a covered bus stop will be located on Washtenaw outside the center. There will be 30 covered bicycle spaces and new public sidewalks. The developers are restoring the wetlands on the site, which will have a viewing platform for the public. The approved plans include 310 parking spaces, but Reiswerg said there could be slightly more than that.

The tenants in the center include a mix of national, regional and local businesses, many of which have been circling the Ann Arbor real estate market for years. The developers have 15 signed leases and Reiswerg said he is in various stages of negotiations with other tenants. There is room for about 22 or 23 businesses, depending on how space is divided.

The developers declined to reveal their asking lease rate. Online marketing materials don’t list a rate, either, but it markets the property as the “dominant retail center of its type in the Ann Arbor market.”

There will be three restaurants with outdoor patios and two of those are confirmed: Metro Detroit’s Pizzeria Biga and a restaurant by Ann Arbor’s Cafe Zola owners.

“(Michigan has) great local restaurants, and we would be selling ourselves very short if we would had put a chain in there,” Reiswerg said.

Retail tenants include: Running Fit, Anthropologie, Brooks Brothers’ Flatiron Shop, Sur La Table, The North Face, and Bluemercury, among others. (See a full list of Arbor Hills tenants) The developers intentionally did not sign a lease for an “anchor” store, choosing instead to have a mix of stores with smaller footprints.

The interior of the Brooks Brothers Flatiron location in New York City shortly after its grand opening in the fall of 2011.

Photo Courtesy Of: Phaon Spurlock | luxuriousprototype.com

For many of the tenants, this will be their first location in Ann Arbor, although about half are located in the Somerset Collection. Reiswerg and Stegeman said because Arbor Hills is a “design-driven development,” they were able to attract tenants that otherwise may not have come to Ann Arbor.

“Typically, the tenants that we’re bringing in are street tenants,” Reiswerg said. “They’re really sensitive to the architecture; they have a brand…If we would have done a typical strip center, there’s no way we would have gotten these guys, no matter how good the location was.”

Added Stegeman: “Some of these (tenants) have been looking in (Ann Arbor) for years…they just haven’t been able to find the right venue.”

Greg Teed, chief operating officer of Arhaus Furniture, said his store is making the jump from Arborland Center to Arbor Hills for one main reason: the architecture of the new development.

“Our company (has been) moving forward in the last three, four, five years in a more upscale direction. A lot of the stores we’ve been building out over the past few years have very cool architectural elements to it,” he continued. The architecture at the Arbor Hills development fits well with that vision, he added.

So what does this mean for the region’s retail landscape?

Retail is a constantly evolving industry. The big-box heyday has likely passed, and some independent retailers in downtown Ann Arbor have struggled to compete with larger chains and the rise of online shopping.

One of the under-construction Arbor Hills buildings on Washtenaw Avenue.

AnnArbor.com file photo

A retail project of this scale hasn’t been constructed in Ann Arbor in a decade, and nationwide, retail development has slowed significantly since 2008.

Arbor Hills will create competition for Briarwood Mall, which has stood firm as many residents’ go-to shopping destination for decades. Briarwood already has responded to that pressure with the announcement of several upscale tenants and a plan to renovate the mall this year.

"We certainly pay attention to our competition and we do consider (Arbor Hills) competition," Denise Murray, Briarwood Mall’s director of marketing and business development, told AnnArbor.com in March. "But (our renovation plan) has been in the works for about 2.5 years now."

It also will be interesting to see how the development alters the traffic on Washtenaw, which some residents say is already congested during peak hours due to its role as a key connector from U.S. 23 to downtown Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan campus.

Mostly, Reiswerg believes Arbor Hills will fill the upscale niche for shoppers in the Ann Arbor area.

“If you’re a mall shopper, Briarwood is a good center…if you’re a big-box guy, you have Arborland…Ann Arbor is fortunate to have a lot of cool independent retailers in Kerrytown and downtown. We’ve come in, and we’ve given that Ann Arbor shopper another choice. I think what we’ve done is completed the menu,” he said.

An aerial photo of the Arbor Hills property shows the buildings in relation to the Huron Village center across the street.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

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.

• Milan's C.J. Turnage is AnnArbor.com 2013 Washtenaw County Boys Basketball Player of the Year
• Manchester's McKenna Erkfritz is AnnArbor.com 2013 Washtenaw County Girls Basketball Player of the Year
• VIDEO: Player of Year C.J. Turnage on dunking, family and his Milan legacy
• State finalists aplenty on 2013 All-Washtenaw County Girls Basketball Dream Team
• Ypsilanti and Milan highlight 2013 All-Washtenaw County Boys Basketball Dream Team

You've seen AnnArbor.com's boys and girls basketball players of the year and Washtenaw County Dream Teams, now it's time for winter season athletes from other sports in the area to be recognized.

Here are the AnnArbor.com 2013 Players of the Year:

WRESTLING
Steve Bleise

Steve Bleise

BOYS SWIMMING
Josh Ehrman

Josh Ehrman

Notable: Ehrman is one of the three standout Saline senior swimmers who helped the Hornets win four straight Division 1 state titles, and all three are worthy of Swimmer of the Year honors.

But Ehrman’s state finals performance stood above the rest. He set a pair of all-class state records in the 200-yard individual medley and 100 breaststroke, and contributed to a pair of state championship relays, including a 200 medley relay that set a national public school record. The performance earned him Swimmer of the Meet honors.

His times not only measure up as best in the state, but are among the best in the nation. His 200 individual medley time of one minute, 47.86 seconds is just two tenths of a second from making a list of the top 12 fastest times ever swam by an American high schooler, according to the National Federation record book. His 100 breastroke time of :55.31 is a half a second from the national top 12.

Ehrman finishes his career with three individual state championships and five relay state titles. He will swim at Purdue next season.

BOYS ICE HOCKEY
Louis Marr

Louis Marr

GIRLS BOWLING
Sydney Ohl

Sydney Ohl

Notable: Ohl finished as regional runner-up among the 60 bowlers in Canton in late February. She followed that up with a 32nd-place finish at the Division 1 state meet, tops among Washtenaw County participants. That performance comes after a quarterfinals appearance at last year’s state meet.

BOYS BOWLING
Jesse Stebelton

Jesse Stebelton

Notable: Stebelton, a senior, helped Chelsea win the SEC White Championship tournament. He finished fourth at regionals, with a combined score of 1,178 pins, and finished the qualifying block in eighth place out of 60 competitors in the Division 2 state meet. He fell in the Round of 16, but his 422 pins in the two-game match would have won six of the other seven matches.

Kyle Austin contributed to this article.

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

L'ogan J'ones and Mary Little star in U-M's production of "Crazy for You."

Photo by Peter Smith Photography

But you would only be half right. Though “Crazy for You” was certainly inspired by the 1930 Gershwin brothers musical “Girl Crazy,” the show pulls Gershwin songs from several other shows; features a wholly revamped book by Ken Ludwig (of “Lend Me a Tenor” fame); and had its Broadway premiere in 1992.

Though getting into too much plot detail would be unwieldy, here’s a boiled-down synopsis of the show: a young man named Bobby, in 1930s New York, is pressured to join the family banking business, though he has dreams of dancing on Broadway. To get his mind off of his showbiz dreams, his mother sends him to Nevada to foreclose on a theater; but he soon falls in love with the theater owner’s daughter, Polly, and decides to produce a fundraising show to save the theater.

Bobby hits a few snags, however: the local cowboys can’t dance; Polly doesn’t love him; and the show has no audience. So how does anyone arrive at a happy ending?

“It’s a hard show to rehearse, because Bobby is in every number,” said Goodrich, who noted that the show’s lead actor is a sophomore. “It’s hard to do anything without him, and it’s a real workout. … He’s working on building up not only endurance, but on technique, … and how to sustain it.”

And even though the Tony Award-winning musical went against the grain at the time - taking audiences back to the days of light-hearted, feel-good musical comedy in the age of “Les Miserables” and “Phantom of the Opera” - it was, in its own way, big and splashy, with a big cast, and loads of choreography and costumes.

“It’s huge,” said Goodrich. “ … It was really a landmark musical in the way that (choreographer Susan) Stroman told stories through dance.”

Goodrich normally choreographs the musicals she directs; but because someone else was originally slated to direct “Crazy For You,” and Goodrich only got the call to do so in late December, guest artist Shari Jordan, who has previously worked with Stroman, is re-creating Stroman’s original choreography for the show.

Just sitting back and directing is an odd experience for Goodrich.

“Yeah, it’s pretty strange,” said Goodrich. “I sit back and think, ‘I could get used to this.’”

Despite the show’s relatively recent premiere on Broadway, it’s Gershwin score features classics several decades old. And while you might think of the songs as timeless, they’re brand new to many of the students preparing to perform them in “Crazy for You.”

“It’s interesting,” said Goodrich. “This generation - the Golden Era is new to them. They didn’t grow up with it, so it’s not in their ear. They’re now getting an understanding and a feel for a period that’s foreign to them.”

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.

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

Fab Faux publciity photo

Enter the Fab Faux, a Beatles cover band that tackled the entire "White Album" from beginning to end at the Michigan Theater on Saturday.

With an obsessive devotion to getting every note, beat, or far-out sound effect exactly right, the Fab Faux re-creates the songs just as they were recorded. From the start of "Back in the U.S.S.R" to their encore of the 2-sided single released along with the "White Album," which featured "Revolution" and "Hey Jude," the music sounded like the original. The difference, a big one, is that audience members got to hear the songs live and bouncing off the acoustically superb walls of the Michigan Theater—always better than an iPod.

Will Lee, Fab Faux member and bassist for David Letterman's CBS Orchestra, spoke with AnnArbor.com before the show. Another late night TV guy, Jimmy Vivino, is Conan O'Brien's musical director. And Rich Pagano, Frank Agnello, and Jack Petruzzelli have all played with big acts and had their own successes.

The 5 members of the Fab Faux accomplished their re-creation of the "White Album" with help from their string section, the Creme Tangerine Strings; a horn section, Hogshead Horns; and featured musicians Jim Boggia and Erin Hill.

In one slightly humorous aspect - but in keeping with the goal of perfect accuracy - instruments would pop up for but a moment and then never return. For instance, during "Glass Onion" a guy plays the recorder for about 2 seconds and then walks it off stage. A wave goodbye as he went got laughs from the crowd.

They musiicans also use sound effects to stay true to the original recording. This was especially the case during the chaotic "Revolution 9," which was heavy on pre-recorded sound effects. Some might wager a guess that "Revolution 9" is un-performable, but they would be wrong.

The first thing you notice at a Fab Faux show is that they do not try to impersonate the members of the Beatles. They do not dress or act like them, although Will Lee's all-white suit with an apple printed on the back was surely reminiscent. (It changed from a whole green apple to a sliced apple after intermission.)

The Fab Faux forgo the gag of impersonation for a more serious musical exploration. As stated in the introduction in the show's program, "The Fab Faux are to Beatles cover bands what the Vienna Philharmonic is to Beethoven cover bands." And the band does approach Beatles music a lot like an orchestra conductor would approach a classical masterpiece. The show was not so much about the band itself as it was about celebrating one of modern popular music's most influential ensembles. Then in addition, it was about the band's ability to pull it off.

During the show's intermission, one of the audience members had a critique. "If I saw a band or any other act, I don't want to hear a manufactured reproduction of the recording. I'd rather hear something that they put their own spin or take on," said Eugene Koziol of Commerce Township.

His friend Rick Grubb added to the thought on a positive note. "When I go see a violin concerto, the conductor or soloist puts their own little spin on the pacing or timing," he said, whereas the Fab Faux do it just like the recording. "But I wasn't alive to see the Beatles, so this, for me, is the most accurate reproduction of the Beatles. My mom tells the story about when she went to the theater to see 'A Hard Days Night,' and girls were screaming through the whole movie. She couldn't even hear the movie. So, it's a way for me to experience something my parents did," he said.

Grubb's favorite Beatles album is the "White Album," and he enjoyed hearing what it sounded like played live in a theater. "I like their reverence for the music. I could hear all the parts that you hear on the album - the sound effects, the strings. It's just like the studio recording. I think they are doing a good job," he said.

For many in the crowd, the show was a throwback to their days growing up with the Beatles. It was obvious from their energy that the 1960's generation was digging it.

"When I was young, the Beatles absorbed my life. As a child, they were all we thought about!" said Carol Rose, who grew up in Ann Arbor coming to the Michigan Theater and now lives up in Hillman, Mich. It was her first time seeing a Beatles cover band and she found it "fun and joyous," she said.

Her favorite song from the first half was "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." A lot of people in the crowd agreed with her - the song got a standing ovation mid-concert. Particularly impressive, Jimmy Vivino's guitar work was some high-level stuff (the original guitarist was Eric Clapton). "It enveloped everybody, I think. It was very soulful and beautifully done," Rose said.

Ypsilanti’s system of green space that winds through the city along the Huron River is among its greatest treasures.

There is Water Works Park, Riverside Park and Frog Island Park among the most popular destinations for residents and visitors.

And then, in the middle of that network, sits the Water Street property, which still bears scars of recently-razed industry and subsequent soil remediation.

In short, it’s a lot of dead weeds, rocks, clumps of dirt and a few patches of mostly brown grass.

Mark Maynard, an Ypsilanti blogger, hopes to transform at least part of the property from a “barren wasteland” into a place that offers signs of life, growth and color through an unorthodox approach - seed-bombing.

Water Street: Not the prettiest lot?

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

The concept is simple. A mix of seeds is packed into a clump of clay and compost. The fresh “bomb” is left to dry for a day or two. Then “bombing” begins, with 100 or so people throwing the bombs around Water Street. Within a matter of weeks, new life sprouts out of the dirt turf.

“That property is right at the heart of the city and it’s a desolate, underutilized space, and has been 10 years,” Maynard said. “We’ve been waiting for development, so here people are kind of empowered to do something themselves by creating something that will grow, and having this plot that reflects resiliency of the city."

Maynard first posted about a sunflower seed bomb in early April and immediately got an enthusiastic response. A Facebook page has since been established and has more than 160 “likes.” Maynard says he has the manpower to make the bombing happen with a target date of May 1.

The original vision involved 100 or so people chucking and catapulting sunflower seed bombs all over Water Street, then waiting and watching as a giant sunflower patch sprouted.

But the operation requires a little more attention to some details. The city didn’t like the idea of sunflowers because police need to be able to see into the site and sunflowers grow high enough to hide people.

Sunflowers also absorb pollution out of the ground and can become toxic themselves, which would require additional disposal later in the year.

The city suggested smaller plants, so Maynard began contacting a variety of experts and people from nurseries across the state. As of now, Jerusalem artichokes and a bright orange type of milkweed are among two of the choices, and Maynard is trying to find a mix of eight or so flowers and grasses that will not only look nice but have an ecological impact.

For example, milkweed is good option because the dying milkweed population is thought to be behind the drop in the monarch butterfly population.

Another consideration is the plants’ germination period. Maynard says he’s trying to find a balance of flowers and vegetation that will sprout quickly and throughout the season.

The bombing also can only take place on a roughly 1.5-acre parcel of the 31-acre Water Street site. Maynard said city officials explained there still are areas of toxicity on the grounds, but the spot that will be utilized is a choice one near the Huron River and Michigan Avenue.

But the space limit won’t prevent catapults. Maynard said his third-grade daughter’s science class built miniature catapults, and he’s hoping to incorporate them into the bombing.

After receiving the Park Commission's blessing on April 11 to adopt the 1.5-acre plot, the only remaining task is to have a small group of volunteers to maintain the plot.

Now residents will have something more pleasant to see on the site.

“When you drive up from the east it’s the first thing you see is a field where there are signs of life and the community caring about it,” Maynard said.

Washtenaw County's four state representatives are planning to hold a press conference Monday morning to announce a tax relief plan for middle-class workers and senior citizens.

House Democrats are unveiling the plan as many Michiganders are finishing their 2012 tax returns and realizing they're being hit hard by Gov. Rick Snyder's tax increases.

"The plan would eliminate the unfair tax burden placed on middle-class families and seniors," the Democrats stated in a news release. "Last session, Republicans cut taxes for large corporations by close to $1.8 billion, and forced Michigan's middle-class workers, families and seniors to foot the bill."

Washtenaw County's four state representatives, shown in this photo from November, are planning to hold a press conference Monday morning to announce a tax relief plan for middle-class workers and senior citizens.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

He also has said there no doubt would be some short-term pain felt, but the result is a state budget that is fiscally sound, and that's going to be attractive to businesses.

Among those expected to attend the 11 a.m. event at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, 1819 S. Wagner Road, are state Reps. Gretchen Driskell, D-Saline; Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor; David Rutledge, D-Superior Township; and Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor.

They're expected to be joined by fellow state Reps. Fred Durhal Jr., D-Detroit; Douglas Geiss, D-Taylor; and Bill LaVoy, D-Monroe.

The event is free and open to the public.

Washtenaw County's four state representatives held another press conference recently to report on the response they received during their statewide "Real State of Our State" listening tour. Driskell relayed concerns about financial challenges facing schools and an increase in the poverty rate.

During listening tour stops held around the state, the Democrats said, citizens called for middle-class tax relief, restoring and protecting funds to public education, eliminating barriers to health care for women, and working cooperatively to find solutions for fixing roads and bridges.

They said legislative priorities for the House Democrats will include repealing the tax on seniors' retirement income, restoring the per-child tax deduction, restoring the Earned Income Tax Credit to 11 percent and restoring the Homestead Property Tax Credit.

Also on their agenda is ensuring the School Aid Fund is only available for use in funding K-12 education and increasing per-pupil funding for schools by $320.

"Gathering as Washtenaw legislators to hear the concerns of our fellow residents about the ways state government has hurt working families during the last two years made it starkly clear that Michigan is simply going in the wrong direction," Rutledge said.

Irwin said Republican priorities have left families facing higher taxes and schools struggling to keep good teachers in the classroom.

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.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to add comment from Midwest Entertrainment owner Larry Bear.

Police are looking for suspects after someone left extensive graffiti tags on six rail cars being stored at the Artrain rail yard on North Main Street in Ann Arbor, causing what the nonprofit's director estimates may be $60,000 worth of damage.

Artrain staff discovered the graffiti tags Saturday morning.

Photos courtesy of Artrain

The railcars are owned by Greenwood, Ind.-based Mid America Railcar Leasing LLC and were brought to the Artrain site March 17, Polich said. They're being used by Midwest Entertrainment, a company with an address in Hillsdale that has been marketing weekend trips to and from Chicago from Ann Arbor; the first trip is scheduled for April 26-28, according to its website.

Photos shows the rail cars vandalized with the tags "Clams," "Raw" and others that are difficult to decipher. The vandals tagged all six of the rail cars, mostly on the side facing the Huron River. Polich said she also saw similar tags on a billboard along North Main Street near Depot Street.

"Whoever was doing this was on a mission," Polich said.

Ann Arbor police said only that there are no suspects and that they are investigating whether the tagging might be related to other tagging going on downtown. A lieutenant is spearheading the investigation.

Midwest Entertrainment owner Larry Beard said he plans to have the rail cars cleaned up in time for the company's first-ever round trip to Chicago later this month.

"it's just unfortunate that it occurred because it takes away form the type of atmosphere that we're trying to put forward with the train, which is a class act," he said.

"My memory says maybe a half a dozen times over that time," she said. "And generally it would cost around $2,500 (per car) to have our stainless steel cars cleaned with much less damage than these. Plus, they got windows … They're tagged underneath, many of the equipment boxes are tagged, what are known as the trucks. I mean, it's expensive."

Polich said the rail cars are insured. Ben Butterworth, owner of Mid America Railcar Leasing, called the situation unfortunate but not uncommon.

Artrain is a nonprofit arts organization founded in 1971 that delivers art exhibitions and cultural programming to underserved communities via rail.

Anyone with information should call Ann Arbor Police Department at (734) 794-6920.

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Editor's note: This story has been updated to add comment from Gottlieb.

The future of Selma Cafe, a weekly gathering of volunteers who prepare breakfast in a home on Ann Arbor's west side to raise money for local farmers, is in doubt after being notified it's in violation of city zoning ordinances, the Ann Arbor Chronicle reports.

A letter dated April 3 from city planning manager Wendy Rampson to Selma Cafe co-founder Lisa Gottlieb says the operation violates city zoning codes defining acceptable "home occupations," or nonresidential uses of a home. Specifically, the city alleges that Selma routinely has more people involved in the weekly operation than allowed, that the number of daily vehicle trips exceeds the permitted 10; and that the need for parking is not being met.

"To resolve this violation, you may discontinue your home occupation or make changes to bring it into compliance with the performance standards, which would substantially reduce the scale of the activity," Rampson wrote. "Another way you may resolve the violation is to relocate these events to an appropriately-zoned location that allows for assembly use and/or a commercial kitchen."

Rampson added, "I'd like to emphasize that the City has received numerous complaints from a variety of sources, including neighbors and parents of Eberwhite students, all of whom are concerned about the concentrated traffic and parking issues that result from SELMA Cafe's operation."

Gottleib has until Monday to respond with a timetable for discontinuing the cafe operation. Reached by phone, Gottlieb told AnnArbor.com she would be contacting the city Monday but said "I'm not sure" when asked what her response would be.

"Selma Cafe is closed right now," Gottlieb said.

Selma Cafe marked its fourth anniversary in February and draws anywhere between 150 and 200 volunteers for its Friday breakfast fundraisers, Gottlieb said. She said she is considering finding an alternate location to hold the events.

"The feedback I'm getting is people are very sad that we're closing and people are sharing how much Selma Cafe has meant to them over the years," she said. "I think we have done something really unusual and unique in our community. I think we've had an incredible run and we've made immeasurable changes in the local foodshed and in supporting local farmers and artisan food preparers. I'm really proud of that."

But Gottlieb said she's not resigned to having to remain closed.

"I don't know that I'm necessarily resigned to anything at this point. I'm a pretty positive person," she said.

Gottlieb told the Chronicle she has resolved the issue of parking congestion and is seeking alternate locations for continuing the weekly breakfasts. A message posted on Selma Cafe's website says "We are temporarily closed."

Separately, a nonprofit called Food System Economic Partnership elected to end its fiscal sponsorship of Selma Cafe over a disagreement with Gottlieb, who has been pursuing making the cafe an independent nonprofit.

For more, read the Chronicle story. Below is a video about Selma Cafe made by AnnArbor.com last year.

Medical workers aid injured people at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon following an explosion Monday

AP photo

• Related: Reports from Ann Arbor-area runners at the Boston Marathon

BOSTON — Two bombs exploded near the crowded finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing three people and injuring more than 130 others in a terrifying scene of broken glass, smoke and severed limbs, authorities said.

A White House official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still unfolding said the attack was being treated as an act of terrorism.

President Barack Obama vowed that those responsible will "feel the full weight of justice."

A senior U.S. intelligence official said two other explosive devices were found near the marathon finish line, but they were safely detonated.

There was no word on the motive or who may have launched the attack, and authorities in Washington said there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The twin blasts at the race took place almost simultaneously and about 100 yards apart, tearing limbs off numerous people, knocking spectators and at least one runner off their feet, shattering windows and sending smoke rising over the street.

• See a gallery of photos from the explosion on MLive.

As people wailed in agony, bloody spectators were carried to a medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners.

"They just started bringing people in with no limbs," said Tim Davey, of Richmond, Va. He said he and his wife, Lisa, tried to keep their children's eyes shielded from the gruesome scene.

"They just kept filling up with more and more casualties," Lisa Davey said. "Most everybody was conscious. They were very dazed."

Some 27,000 runners took part in the 26.2-mile race, one of the world's premier marathons and one of Boston's biggest annual events.

After the explosions, cellphone service was shut down in the area to prevent any possible remote explosive detonations, a law enforcement official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis asked people to stay indoors or go back to their hotel rooms and avoid crowds as bomb squads checked parcels and bags left along the race route.

The Federal Aviation Administration barred low-flying aircraft from within 3.5 miles of the site.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the explosions by Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco. Obama also told Mayor Tom Menino and Gov. Deval Patrick that his administration would provide whatever support was needed, the White House said.

"There are people who are really, really bloody," said Laura McLean, a runner from Toronto, who was in the medical tent being treated for dehydration when she was pulled out to make room for victims.

About two hours after the winners crossed the line, there was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another explosion could be heard a few seconds later.

The Boston Police Department said two people were killed. Hospitals reported at least 57 injured, at least eight of them critically.

A senior U.S. intelligence official said the two other explosive devices found nearby were being dismantled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the findings publicly.

Competitors and race volunteers were crying as they fled the chaos. Authorities went onto the course to carry away the injured while race stragglers were rerouted away from the smoking site.

Roupen Bastajian, a 35-year-old state trooper from Smithfield, R.I., had just finished the race when they put the heat blanket wrap on him and he heard the blasts.

"I started running toward the blast. And there were people all over the floor," he said. "We started grabbing tourniquets and started tying legs. A lot of people amputated. ... At least 25 to 30 people have at least one leg missing, or an ankle missing, or two legs missing."

Smoke rose from the blasts, fluttering through the national flags lining the route of the world's oldest and most prestigious marathon. TV helicopter footage showed blood staining the pavement in the popular shopping and tourist area known as the Back Bay.

Cherie Falgoust was waiting for her husband, who was running the race.

"I was expecting my husband any minute," she said. "I don't know what this building is ... it just blew. Just a big bomb, a loud boom, and then glass everywhere. Something hit my head. I don't know what it was. I just ducked."

Runners who had not finished the race were diverted straight down Commonwealth Avenue and into a family meeting area, according to an emergency plan that had been in place.

The Boston Marathon honored the victims of the Newtown, Conn., shooting with a special mile marker in Monday's race.

Boston Athletic Association president Joanne Flaminio previously said there was "special significance" to the fact that the race is 26.2 miles long and 26 people died at Sandy Hook Elementary school.

The video below shows one of the explosions:

The city of Ann Arbor is moving ahead with demolition of six boarded-up houses along North Main Street using money from its dangerous building fund after losing state grant funding.

City Administrator Steve Powers informed City Council members of the decision in an email Monday afternoon, saying the demolition and restoration of the site will take nine weeks and a notice to proceed will be issued to the city's demolition contractor this week.

"The schedule accounts for the sequencing of tasks that have to be completed before demolition of the structures can begin," Powers wrote in the email. "Asbestos abatement and demolition notifications to MDEQ each have 10-working-days notification requirement. There is a likelihood that we may be able to complete this work in less than nine weeks."

Cars drive past the houses on North Main last month after they were supposed to be demolished.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

The city has determined state funding is unavailable at this time, Powers said, but the city will try to recoup its costs by placing liens on the properties for the cost of the demolition.

The city had been awarded a $96,000 grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority in September but failed to complete the demolition by a March 15 deadline and lost the money.

Asked recently why the city's acceptance of the grant didn't go to the City Council for approval until mid-February when the deadline was less than a month away, Powers said the grant was not accepted until the city received technical assistance from MSHDA.

He said the assistance was requested in December and received mid-February, and by then it turned out to be too late to execute the demolition by March 15.

Mayor John Hieftje relayed concerns from city staff members last month, saying the city was having a hard time getting ahold of MSHDA and that was the reason for the delay and missed deadline.

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

"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."

Powers said he is authorizing the demolition of the houses on the 700 block of North Main because of their location on a main gateway into the city, the length of time the houses have been abandoned, and the severity of their decay.

The City Council has established a process to demolish dangerous buildings. In January, the city's Building Board of Appeals deemed the houses dangerous.

The property owners' consent was received in January.

The city has demolition contractors pre-selected and on standby. The contractor that is available to proceed and provides an acceptable bid will be selected, Powers said.

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.

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.