A rendering of the Ann Arbor City Apartments in downtown Ann Arbor shows the rooftop bar and Zen garden.

Courtesy of Village Green

Rental rates at the under construction Ann Arbor City Apartments on West Washington Street are poised to reach new highs for apartments downtown.

The monthly rates at the building — which is packed with amenities like a rooftop bar, 24/7 fitness center and underground parking — ranges between $1,435 for a 600-square-foot studio unit and $2,675 for a 1,140-square-foot two-bedroom unit.

The average monthly rent in the building is between $1,895 and $1,975, and tenants pay their own utilities.

Ann Arbor developer and landlord Ed Shaffran of the Shaffran Companies said an annual $28.70 per square foot for a studio unit in the Ann Arbor City Apartments is among the highest prices he’s seen for downtown apartments. Although, monthly rates at downtown buildings such as 111 North Ashley and Liberty Lofts — which were both developed as condominiums — can exceed $30 per square foot.

Shaffran owns 32 luxury loft apartment units in the area and said his usually rent at or below $20 per square foot.

The units at Plymouth Green Crossings, which was originally developed as condos, include fireplaces and other amenities.

AnnArbor.com file photo

So how does the Ann Arbor City Apartments building stack up? For a similar price range, here’s what you can rent around Ann Arbor:

• The mixed-use Plymouth Green Crossings building on Plymouth just west of Green was developed in 2008 as luxury loft condominiums. When the housing market grew soft, the 23-units were marketed for lease as apartments.

A 1,400-square-foot furnished 2BR is listed for $3,000 a month. The unit includes a fireplace, hardwood floors, granite counters, an outdoor terrace and stainless steel appliances.

• Looking for more space? A number of houses in the Ann Arbor area are listed for rent, including a 5BR, 3,042-square-foot home at 1789 Cedar Lane that’s going for $2,900. A 4BR, 1,924-square-foot house at 3228 Bluett is listed for $2,400.

A home at 1789 Cedar Lane is listed for lease for $2,900 a month.

He recently rented a home on Lafayette Lane in Scio Township for $2250 a month, and a 4BR home on Berwick in Ypsilanti Township for $1,800.

• Downtown condominium buildings 111 North Ashley, Sloan Plaza and Liberty Lofts have rentable units at a similar price range. An 803-square-foot 1BR in 111 North Ashley, located on the corner of Ashley and Huron streets, is going for $2,200, or an annual $32.88 per square foot.

A bedroom inside a condo/apartment units at 111 North Ashley in downtown Ann Arbor.

MLive

An 844-square-foot 1BR Liberty Lofts condo on William and Second streets is listed for $2,500, or an annual $35.55 per square foot. A 2BR, 1,494-square-foot unit at Sloan Plaza on East Huron is listed for $2,750, or $22.09 per square foot.

• Want a swimming pool and tennis court? The Lake Village Apartments on the south side of Ann Arbor have 3BR, 1,700-square-foot units listed for $2,575. Habitat Co. LLC purchased the complex in 2012 for a record-setting $115,277 per unit.

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

The 155-unit Ann Arbor City Apartments is under construction on West Washington and South First streets in downtown Ann Arbor.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Luxury apartments in downtown Ann Arbor are no longer just for students.

The under-construction Ann Arbor City Apartments on the southeast corner of West Washington and South First streets is the first luxury apartment project built downtown in years that doesn’t cater to students. It’s designed for young professional renters as well as corporate relocation.

"It's midway between the YMCA and the core of downtown where U-M jobs are," said Susan Pollay, executive director of Ann Arbor's Downtown Development Authority. "I think it feels like, from what I saw, exactly one of the things needed in this marketplace."

"(Apartment) supply has just been so limited and the demand is growing," she added.

The developer started marketing the building's 155 high-end apartment units for rent in April. The monthly price tag: between $1,435 for a 600-square-foot studio unit and $2,675 for a 1,140-square-foot two-bedroom unit.

“If the thought of a cookie-cutter beige apartment sounds about as appealing as a root canal, then you’re a perfect fit for Ann Arbor City Apartments,” the project’s marketing website says.

The rooftop lounge and Zen garden areas of the Ann Arbor City Apartments building.

Courtesy of Village Green

The website unveils new renderings of the project and previously unreleased rental rates.

Developed by Farmington Hills-based Village Green, the Ann Arbor City Apartments boasts of lavish amenities targeted at the young professional crowd. The building will have an indoor clubroom with a party space, a full-service bar, dual-sided fireplace, flat-screen TVs and a games area.

A rooftop “Sky Park” will have built-in cabanas, a marble-top bar, grilling stations, an outdoor shower and a gas fire pit. There will be a 24/7 fitness center with a yoga patio, a Zen garden and a hotel-style lobby. Tenants can arrange dry cleaning and laundry, pet sitting and home package delivery.

The apartments — which include a mix of studios, alcoves, one bed, two bed and penthouses — will include stacked Whirlpool washers and dryers, wood floors, “sexy” bathrooms and luxury finishes.

“Picture soaring ceiling heights, larger-than-life windows, discreet pocket doors and translucent glass barn doors. Picture hardwood floors throughout the living space, gourmet kitchens with granite islands, built-in wine racks, contemporary cabinetry and brushed stainless steel hardware,” the website says.

Marketing materials say the building scores 95 out of 100 points on the Google Map Walkability Index, meaning it’s close to restaurants and bars, outdoor recreation, entertainment venues, schools, car or bike shares, and public transit.

The approximately $30 million project is taking shape on the site of a surface parking lot where an old parking structure was torn down several years ago. Village Green purchased the 0.57-acres of city-owned land for $3.2 million. The project broke ground in January 2012 and it is expected to open to tenants in summer/fall 2013.

The Ann Arbor City Apartments is using its "walkability score" in downtown Ann Arbor to help market its units.

Courtesy of Village Green

Pollay said the parking garage will open before tenants move into the building, although the timing hasn't been determined.

Because of the grade of the site, the number of above-ground floors in the project varies from about 8.5 stories above grade at the northeast corner to 10 stories above grade at the southwest corner. The building rises 104 feet into the downtown skyline.

Of the 155 units, 16 will be classified as affordable housing for households earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In Washtenaw County, that means the monthly rent for a one-person household could not exceed $1,128 including the cost of utilities.

The Ann Arbor DDA also provided a $400,000 grant so that four of the affordable units are allocated to residents earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income. That would make $885 the maximum monthly rent payment for a one-person household.

There are more than 12 floor plans in the Ann Arbor City Apartments building. The least expensive unit is listed as $1,435 per month for a 600-square-foot studio. The most expensive unit is $2,675 for a two-bedroom, 1.5 bath at 1,140 square feet. The average monthly rent in the building is between $1,895 and $1,975. Tenants pay their own utilities.

It’s unclear how many units Village Green has leased so far, but Jacqueline Trost, the company’s director of public relations, said it is exceeding its goals. The company is operating a leasing office at 200 S. Ashley St.

“We are exceeding our goals and are getting more traffic and rentals than expected. We are very pleased with the leasing process so far,” she said via email.

The project is coming online as developers across the country are targeting downtown Ann Arbor for high-end student apartment projects. A number of student high-rises have been built in the area surrounding the University of Michigan campus, including Zaragon Place, Zaragon West, Sterling 411 Lofts and Landmark. Meanwhile, a 14-story building is proposed on the corner of South Division and East Huron streets, and Ann Arbor City Council recently approved a plan for a high-rise to be built over Pizza House restaurant on Church Street.

Monthly rents in the new student apartment projects range between $800 and $1,745 per bedroom.

But the Ann Arbor City Apartments is different; it’s intended for young professional renters and not students.

"I think Ann Arbor has always been two Ann Arbors," Village Green CEO Jonathan Holtzman said at the project’s groundbreaking last year. "The University of Michigan is a very important part of Ann Arbor, but the business part of Ann Arbor is really why we're here doing this project today. Ann Arbor has developed into really a great city, so as you look at all the companies — automotive engineering, high-tech, biomedical — it is driving a lot of new jobs, and the jobs are attracting this professional who wants to live urban versus suburban."

Another developer is preparing to build a similar project called 618 South Main, located just south of downtown Ann Arbor. Developer Dan Ketelaar of Ann Arbor-based Urban Group Development said his 156-unit project will target young professionals and empty nesters who want to downsize and move closer to downtown.

The "Sky Club" lounge at the Ann Arbor City Apartments will have a bar and lounge areas.

Courtesy of Village Green

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.

Charmaine Daugherty, a mother of four, died in March 2012 from injuries she suffered in this rollover crash. Daugherty was texting while driving.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

• Related statewide analysis from MLive.com: Disconnect: In a world of talking, texting drivers, cellphone crashes are ... down?
• Searchable database: Find details for all Michigan distracted-driving crashes in 2012

Following a statewide trend, the number of distracted driving crashes in Washtenaw County in 2012 rose from the previous year, injuring nearly 40 people and killing one woman who was texting while driving.

Statistics from Michigan Traffic Crash Facts show the number of distracted driving crashes rose from 206 in 2011 to 270 in 2012. The number of crashes caused by a driver using a cellphone remained fairly stable, decreasing from 41 crashes in 2011 to 37 crashes in 2012, according to MTCF.

However, one of those crashes caused by cellphone usage proved tragic. Charmaine Daugherty, 42, was texting at 2:55 p.m. March 27, 2012, when she lost control of her 2000 Chevrolet while northbound on Wagner Road near West Liberty Road. Daugherty’s vehicle crossed the centerline, left the roadway to the left, struck a utility pole and overturned.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derrick Jackson said that crash was a terrible reminder of the real consequences of using a cellphone while behind the wheel.

“For me personally, dealing with that case and talking about it and knowing it was directly related to texting, it allowed me to say, ‘This is the real consequence,’ ” Jackson said. “It was a tangible, clear one. This one was clearly related to texting. It does change you, and it causes you to think about it and talk about it a lot more.”

AnnArbor.com revisited the crash that killed Daugherty as a part of MLive Media Group’s analysis of distracted driving and cellphone-related crashes in 2012. The investigation showed cellphone crashes at an all-time low across the state and distracted driving crashes at an all-time high. The analysis serves as a followup to MLive's award-winning series on distracted driving from 2012.

Distracted driving can take many forms. Crashes determined to be caused by distracted driving could involve drivers eating, talking to passengers, applying makeup or grooming hair or changing a radio station, according to the Michigan State Police.

The crash that killed Daugherty was the county's most severe crash involving cellphone usage by a driver in recent years. Statistics show that three people suffered non-incapacitating injuries in the 37 cellphone-related crashes in 2012. Eight more suffered possible injuries and 24 people escaped without injuries.

However, law enforcement officials believe it’s difficult to get a real reading on how many crashes are caused by cellphone usage.

Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush said officers in the city are looking out for people who are using their cellphones while behind the wheel. However, it’s hard to tell if a crash was directly caused by cellphone usage unless witnesses or the people involved point directly to that distraction.

Bush said there have only been three reported crashes directly tied to cellphone usage in Ann Arbor so far in 2013. For the most part, those crashes have been simple fender benders.

“We don’t get called until there’s an accident and officers start the investigation,” Bush said. “The investigation reveals what was happening. As far as that goes, officers have to ask the correct questions during the investigation.”

Jackson echoed those sentiments, and said it’s tough to gauge if cellphone usage is increasing or decreasing in recent years. In fact, deputies on the road told him they barely notice any changes.

“They all kind of reached the conclusion that it’s been like this for a while,” he said. “There’s no change up or down.”

Despite the fact that texting while driving is illegal in Michigan, it’s commonplace to see drivers looking down toward their phones while they’re in the car. Be it at a red light, while driving down the street or, in at least one case, while rolling up to a red light, drivers often have their eyes trained on screens rather than the road.

John Pederson, a 20-year-old University of Michigan student, said he was in the passenger seat of his roommate’s car while they were driving in Ann Arbor last year. It was an unremarkable, but common, situation: Pederson’s roommate was looking through some text messages while slowing down for a red light.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Pederson said he assumed his roommate was paying attention. However, he barely got the chance to warn him before they rear-ended the vehicle in front of them.

“I just honestly felt bad for him,” Pederson said. “I knew his parents would get on him about it, and no one wants a damaged car. The woman he hit was really angry, it was just a bummer.”

Luckily, most of the cellphone-related crashes are similar to this— easily avoidable fender benders that don’t result in injuries. Pederson said the experience made him change how he used his phone while driving for a short time.

“I don’t think I changed my habits that much,” he said. “I did for a time. I’m good about not texting while driving but I still talk on the phone and sometimes read texts.”

If a driver is comfortable using a cellphone and driving, it often doesn't matter where they're using their vehicle, Jackson said. If they're at a red light, a surface street or on a freeway, that driver will likely continue to use a cellphone regardless of the safety risks.

Bush agreed with Jackson, and said police often encourage teens and other drivers to wait until they're parked to use their phones. Especially in a town like Ann Arbor, which has a somewhat complicated transportation system combining pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, it's important for drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

"You're just so vulnerable," she said. "People need to be paying attention to what's going on."

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

Saline High School students gathered at the Eastern Michigan University Student Center ballroom on May 5, 2013 for prom. AnnArbor.com Intern photographer captured these images as students arrived at the beginning of the evening.

The sun was shining, the grass was green, the river flowing. And as I walked along the beautiful western edge of Ypsilanti’s Water Street property on Wednesday, all I could think of was: What makes sense here?

I’m not alone in that line of questioning.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

This property - 38 acres, assembled into a single parcel more than a decade ago - started as a vision for extending downtown. Homes, businesses and riverfront recreation all belonged there in that original plan. It was ambitious and defining, and it cost the city millions before evaporating.

Developers couldn’t make the numbers work. The Great Recession descended upon Michigan. And Ypsilanti was left with a much larger than projected $30 million in debt on the acreage.

So what makes sense there?

As I stood near the southern edge of the property, I understood the complexity facing the city as it sought to determine that answer since the 1990s.

The Huron River makes it feel purely like recreational land. Yet its northern edge borders US-12 and the visibility of that high-traffic corridor, creating tension between prospective building and enduring open space.

That sense of “this or that” permeates every aspect of Water Street.

The push to sell land and spur development. The urge to step back and plan what’s there.

The sense that it’s a unique parcel, yet it’s not the only large tract available: There are expanses of vacant acreage along Factory Street and east at the township border for a developer looking for space.

The willingness of Washtenaw County to build a recreation center there as a “first in” project. The rejection of it, as others say it shouldn’t be on that property at all or in a prominent spot.

The years-long real estate listing as the city sets a priority for dense development. The renewed interest in master plan revisions amid calls for priority shift.

The natural beauty. The contamination that awaits cleanup.

The widespread marketing of commercial space. Community concerns over the two businesses that wanted to buy land: First, Burger King; now Family Dollar.

I can’t disagree that Water Street presents a special opportunity to the city of Ypsilanti. And that’s why I walked the property. I spent years driving past it; before that, I spent years working in one of the buildings demolished to clear its way. And in all of those years working there, I had no idea of the natural beauty just north of my own offices.

That makes me hope that the city can take that step: That it can afford to pause, set priorities and deliver them.

But I’m concerned about saying that, too. The property has been listed for sale for years; that listing is still online as an active development opportunity in the city. As the economy rebounds, Ypsilanti will be in a better position than it has been in the last five years to find buyers for this property. But will there be potential buyers - for commercial, for residential, for recreation - as the city resets what it wants there?

The property has had a vision for years, too. We’ve had council members direct the real estate agents toward density; toward commercial entities; toward generating taxable value.

Before that, there were consultants and downtown visioning sessions. I’ve been to at least one Water Street charrette. For more than a decade, everything that some people wanted on this property, others didn’t.

The polarization is now paralysis.

In the meantime, the debt is real: At this point, a city of 19,435 people owe an amount equal to $1,543 each on the vacant property.

What makes sense for Water Street? So far, with the stated goals and subsequent contradictions, the answer may never yield clarity then action.

The Ypsilanti community is likely to get exactly what it’s had there for years: Nothing, but with fewer choices.

Paula Gardner is editor of AnnArbor.com. Contact her by email or follow her on Twitter.

Willow Run High School opened up its 2013 prom to the entire student body to celebrate the school's final year before consolidating with Ypsilanti High School.

Technically, she’s still in recovery until June. But that hasn’t stopped Randi Bennett from breaking records in May.

Saline Randi Bennett, above, set a Saline High School record in shot put despite a torn ACL

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

It’s hard to believe she’s less than six months removed from an ACL tear.

“I was really, really hoping I’d be able to throw this year,” Bennett said. “I just wanted to go out with a bang and not feel like I’m missing an opportunity to do something.”

What looked to be a promising senior year of basketball and track was thrown awry on the first day of basketball tryouts in November. During a routine post drill, Bennett went up to take a shot, and had her left leg twist out from under her.

“They actually said the way that I tore it would never happen in a million years,” Bennett said. “It was very coincidental, I guess.”

Faced with the prospect of missing both her senior basketball and track seasons, Bennett tried to convince her mom that she didn’t need surgery. But in the end, she needed two, the first to fix the ligament and the second to clean up scar tissue.

She was still a captain of the Hornets girls basketball team that won a district title, but had to spend her final season watching from the sidelines.

“Missing out on my senior basketball season was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Bennett said.

Meanwhile, Bennett was going to physical therapy two or three times per week, doing strength and balance training and stretching her knee, with her eye on track season.

It was there, after all, that she had the most unfinished business. Last year, Bennett was a regional champion in discus and the regional runner-up in the shot put. She was projected to finish top six in the state in both, but faltered at the state meet, finishing 10th in discus and 13th in shot.

“That was one of the reasons thinking I wouldn’t have this season would be so hard, because I felt like I’d left so much out on the line last year, and ever since I came in as a freshman I’ve wanted to be an all-state athlete,” Bennett said.

The doctors cleared her to throw early, mainly because throwing involves no twisting and limited pivoting. She still has to wear a bulky brace that goes nearly the length of her leg. It’s affected her form, but she’s adapted.

But to take one look at Bennett’s face, it’s obvious how thrilled she is to have her senior track season.

And her team couldn’t be happier to have her back.

“She’s such a huge vocal part of the camaraderie of the team,” Saline coach Brian Boze said. “I know she’s put in a lot of time over the years, and to see that almost slip away, nobody ever wants to see that for any of their athletes when they’re a senior. It’s rewarding on a number of levels.”

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com.

The white blooms of bradford pear trees outside of the Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College welcomed Lincoln High School students to their 2013 prom on Saturday May, 5. Photographer Adam Glanzman captured these photos from the evening of dining and dancing.

A new outpatient cancer treatment center, including a hotel and conference center, will be a reality at the University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Center if Max Wicha gets his way, Crain’s Detroit Business reported.

Max Wicha

U-M is creating a hub of cancer expertise at the NCRC. The university announced in August that it was creating the Translational Oncology Program at the NCRC. U-M said it would consist of up to 40 researchers and would attempt to better bridge the gap between scientific research and new patient treatments.

The NCRC is the former home of Pfizer in Ann Arbor. U-M bought the complex, consisting of 2.2 million square feet, in 2009. In November of 2012, the university said roughly 1,700 people were working at the complex.

• Read the Crain’s Detroit Business report.

Chelsea High School students celebrated their 2013 prom Saturday night at the Washington Street Education Center. Photographer Andrew Kuhn was there to capture these images from the evening.

Members of the Dexter robotics team work on their robot at a competition at Eastern Michigan University April 13.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

Members of the Dexter Dreadbots robotics team ended their competition season this spring with an appearance in the quarterfinals of the world robotics championships.

Team members and mentors both said it was quite an accomplishment for the young team that formed just three years ago to make it to the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics World Championships last month in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Dreadbots were one of 400 teams from around the world to qualify. This year's challenge for FIRST Robotics teams was to build and design a robot that shoots Frisbees into goals and then climbs a pyramid. The remote-controlled robots are piloted by the students and go head-to-head in a small sports arena trying to earn points during a two-minute round.

Dexter's robot made an appearance earlier in April at the FIRST Robotics state championships at Eastern Michigan University. It is the Dreadbots first year to make it to the state championships as well as the world championships.

The Dreadbots started with seven members in their first year, and according to team member Ian Cook, a junior, now have 20 members. Funding for the team comes from private donations as well as corporate sponsors.

Jennifer Bryson, one of the team's mentors, calls the competitions, "A varsity sport for the mind."

Bryson said, "Now that the competition season is done, the Dreadbots are looking forward to sharing the robot with groups from the community, continuing to build their support base in terms of sponsors and mentors and recruiting new team members for next year’s team."

The woman accused of stabbing her father to death last year will return to court Tuesday for a hearing, records show.

Susan Wade

Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office

Susan Wade, 49, is charged with one count of open murder in the death of her 86-year-old father, Ronald Mason. Wade has been held in police custody without bond since she was arrested on June 9, 2012.

Records show she’s scheduled to be in court for a final pretrial hearing at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in front of Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Donald Shelton. It’s the last hearing scheduled before Wade’s trial date of June 3.

According to police, Wade stabbed and killed Mason on June 9, 2012, in their home in the 1700 block of Covington Drive in Ann Arbor. Mason was stabbed multiple times while he slept in his bed and again later when Wade believed she saw him moving, according to police.

Wade has a past history of drug abuse and schizophrenia, according to her family. She’s been declared competent to stand trial.

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

Michigan freshman Sierra Romero celebrates on her way to home plate after a Caitlin Blanchard home run on Sunday, May 5. Romero had been beaned for the second time in the game on the previous pitch.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

A day after freshman shortstop Sierra Romero hit her 22nd homerun of the season, a new single season record for the Wolverines, the Wildcats did everything to keep Romero from hurting them. Northwestern pitcher Amy Letourneau pitched around and at Romero, beaning Romero in her first two plate appearances and walking her on her four straight pitches before intentionally walking her in her final appearance.

The middle of the Wolverines lineup made Northwestern (30-21, 12-10 Big Ten) pay for the strategy, bringing Romero home after each of her four walks to power Michigan to a 9-3 win at Alumni Field on Sunday.

Boxscore

“We have more than one hitter in our lineup and I think we showed that,” Michigan coach Carol “Hutch” Hutchins said. “Our game plan was, if she hits you, let’s make it a run and she made it runs.”

Romero was hit in the head by a pitch in the bottom of the third inning, sending the crowd at Alumni Field into a chorus of boos as Letourneau had hit Romero in three straight plate appearances dating back to Friday. The boos quickly turned into cheers as Caitlin Blanchard sent the very next pitch over the right centerfield fence to give Michigan a 4-3 lead.

“It felt really good. It was just great, the crowd was all fired up, booing the Northwestern pitcher and everything and when the crowd’s into and when the whole team’s into it, it’s just so much easier to just go up there and just get the job done,” said Blanchard, who finished 2-for-2 with four RBIs and two runs scored.

Blanchard was met at home plate by an ecstatic Romero. Blanchard said what she was greeted with shouldn’t be repeated as emotions were running high after the hit-by-pitches.

“I was pretty pumped about it,” Romero said with a grin. "I have so much confidence in Caitlin, I just know she can get the job done and when she does, it’s just a great feeling.”

Blanchard and Romero were walked back-to-back the next inning - this time with Blanchard getting hit by a pitch - and Ashley Lane made the Wildcats pay with a three-run homerun to put Michigan up 7-3.

“The thing that we focus on is just do your part and Caitlin, they walk Romo and she had an opportunity, as Ashley did, and if you get your opportunity, make good on it,” Hutchins said.

Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins hugs senior Stephanie Speierman during a postgame ceremony for seniors at Alumni Field on Sunday, May 5.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

After four years of not having a conference tournament, Hutchins said she’s looking forward to its reintroduction.

‘’It’s a good way to get ready for regional tournaments,” Hutchins said. “The games are very meaningful because it’s a one and done … . it should be very competitive and you want your kids competing hard at this time of year.”

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

Two people were taken by ambulance to the University of Michigan Hospital after a crash involving a motorcycle on westbound M-14 on the northwest side of Ann Arbor Sunday afternoon.

Huron Valley Ambulance spokeswoman Joyce Williams said both were in unstable condition at the time of transport.

Williams said the crash occurred between Miller Avenue and Interstate 94. The westbound lanes of the freeway were shut down between Maple Road and I-94 for more than an hour after the crash, which Williams said was reported at 4:02 p.m. The highway was reopened by 6:05 p.m.

A dispatcher with the Sheriff’s Office said she could provide no information about how many vehicles were involved in the crash.

Further information was not immediately available.

View M-14 closed 050513 in a larger map

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Gov. Rick Snyder will make an appearance at Perry Child Development Center, 550 Perry Ave., Ypsilanti, Monday, the HighScope Educational Research Foundation announced.

Rick Snyder

AP photo

Early childhood educators and advocates, local and state educational leaders, and government officials will attend. The event, which begins at 3:30 p.m., will include a roundtable discussion.

HighScope officials have asked people who want to attend to register by contacting Sonja Caprarese at (734) 485-2000 ext. 234. Space is limited and confirmations are being accepted on a first come, first served basis.

The Perry Preschool Study, last updated in 2005, found children who attended a high-quality preschool had higher earnings in adulthood and had committed fewer crimes than those who did not attend preschool.

The Perry visit is one of three school stops Duncan and Snyder are making in the Detroit area Monday. They will also visit a fifth-grade class at Thirkell Elementary School in Detroit and Brenda Scott Elementary/Middle School, which the state Education Achievement Authority manages. The authority was created to run schools the state classifies as failing.

School will be in session at Perry on Monday and guests are asked not to park in the circle drive, which is reserved for buses.

Community High Freshman Ada Banks captured these photos from her school's prom held at the Eastern Michigan University student center ballroom on May 3, 2013. The theme of the night was "Emerald City".

The warm weather has returned to Ann Arbor - and so have increased reports of home invasions.

Four home invasions and one attempted home invasion were reported this weekend in the city, according to Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush.

In three of the incidents, the homes were accessed through unlocked or open doors. Bush said it’s important for residents to remember to keep doors and windows locked as the weather gets nicer.

An arrest was made in one of the incidents. A man reported his apartment in the 3500 block of Pheasant Run Circle was broken into sometime between 6:30 a.m. March 3 and 7:04 p.m. Friday. The man said he returned home and found the door kicked in at his apartment.

The man’s car was stolen from the parking lot, along with furniture, televisions, an Xbox and an iPad. The car was recovered and a suspect is in custody, Bush said.

However, police are still looking for suspects in four other incidents reported since Friday.

At 10:57 p.m. Friday, a residence reported hearing someone trying to break-in to a home in the 3000 block of Sequioa Parkway, Bush said. The resident and a friend both heard someone trying to enter the residence through a sliding glass door. No entry was gained. A silver-colored sedan was seen leaving the area.

Three other break-ins were reported during the overnight hours on Saturday and Sunday and four laptops were reported stolen.

A laptop was stolen from a residence between 10 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of Church Street. The suspect entered through an unlocked rear door while the resident and his roommates were sitting on the front porch listening to music.

Another laptop was stolen from a different residence between 11:20 p.m. Saturday and 1 a.m. Sunday in the 800 block of Packard Street. The suspect entered through an unlocked back door and stole a laptop off a desk in a bedroom.

Two more laptops were taken between 11 p.m. Saturday and 1 a.m. Sunday in the 700 block of Arch Street. The laptops were located in bedrooms at the home. The suspect entered the home through an unlocked front door.

There were no suspect descriptions released on the three home invasions or the one attempted home invasion.

Anyone with information on any of these incidents is encouraged to call the Ann Arbor police anonymous tip line at 734-794-6939 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

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

• Updated article: Police: Ypsilanti woman escapes from abductors
• Update: Brother of missing Ypsilanti woman: Surveillance cameras caught abduction on tape

A 25-year-old woman is missing Monday and Ypsilanti police are searching for her ex-boyfriend to question him about her disappearance.

Jeremy Abston

Courtesy of YPD

Farrah Nicole Cook, 25, was reported missing after she didn’t show up for work Monday morning.

According to police, officers were dispatched at 5:45 a.m. Monday to a home in the 500 block of South Hamilton Street after receiving a report of a woman being forced into a black Pontiac Grand Prix by a man.

Investigators spoke with Cook’s family and co-workers and were told she did not show up for work and was not at her home. Police are now actively searching for Jeremy Abston, 27, in order to question him about her disappearance.

Abston’s last known residence is in Ann Arbor and police say he’s considered possibly armed and dangerous. Police believe the vehicle used in the abduction is a dark blue or black Pontiac Bonneville with a rear passenger wheel missing a hubcap and a small amount of rust. Police initially said the vehicle was a Pontiac Grand Prix.

“We are trying to locate the subjects,” Lt. Deric Gress said in an email. “We may release photos in the near future.”

Abston is described as a black man, 5-feet-11 inches tall and weighing between 240 and 250 pounds. Two accomplices are believed to have been involved in the incident as well, a man and a woman, according to police.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to contact Detective Sgt. Thomas Eberts at 734-482-9878 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

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

Five men assaulted a 20-year-old Novi man Saturday morning in Ann Arbor after he refused to give them his iPhone in an incident police are calling an attempted robbery.

Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush said the man was walking at 2 a.m. Saturday in the 200 block of South State Street. He noticed five men walking behind him but slowly getting closer.

The man told police he was grabbed by one of the members of the group and the suspect tried to take the iPhone out of his hand. The Novi man refused to give up the phone and the group began beating him.

Bush said the man was picked up and thrown to the ground, and assaulted. Nothing was reported stolen, but the man told police he had facial injuries and pain in his side.

A detailed description of the men was not available. Anyone who might have information on this incident is encouraged to call the Ann Arbor police anonymous tip line at 734-794-6939 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

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

• Updated article: Police: Ypsilanti woman escapes from abductors
• Previous article: Ypsilanti woman reported missing, and police want to question her ex-boyfriend

The brother of a missing 25-year-old Ypsilanti woman said a surveillance camera at her apartment building captured footage of two men abducting her Monday morning.

Farrah Cook

Facebook photo

Farrah Nicole Cook was reported missing after she didn’t show up for work Monday morning.

Police said officers were dispatched at 5:45 a.m. Monday to a home in the 500 block of South Hamilton Street at the Hamilton Crossing Apartments after receiving a report that a man had forced a woman into a black or very dark blue Pontiac Bonneville. Police originally said the vehicle was a Pontiac Grand Prix.

Dominique Graham, Cook's brother, said the camera footage shows a man he believes to be Cook's ex-boyfriend, 27-year-old Jeremy Abston, and another suspect watching Cook get ready for work through the window of her apartment.

"They were looking through the windows and were watching her get ready," Graham said.

Jeremy Abston

Courtesy of YPD

"You can see her unlocking her car and that's when the first suspect grabbed her and she was screaming and yelling," Graham said.

The other man was pulling on her and she was screaming for help, Graham said. By the time neighbors who heard the commotion came outside, the men were driving away, he said.

Graham said about 10 people witnessed the abduction.

Graham said Cook has 4-year-old twin girls with Abston and a 3-year-old boy.

Investigators have spoken with Cook’s family and co-workers and were told she did not show up for work and was not at her home. Police are now actively searching for Abston in order to question him about her disappearance.

Police are also seeking a male accomplice, who they believe assisted in abducting Cook, and a female accomplice who is being sought for aiding and abetting. Abston and Cook broke up in the last few weeks, according to police.

Abston’s last known residence is in Ann Arbor and police say he’s considered possibly armed and dangerous. Police believe the vehicle used in the abduction is a dark blue or black Pontiac Bonneville with a rear passenger wheel missing a hubcap and a small amount of rust.

Abston is described as a black man, 5-feet-11 inches tall and weighing between 240 and 250 pounds.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to contact Detective Sgt. Thomas Eberts at 734-482-9878 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

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