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Buy a Mother's Day gift and help support the Matthaei Botanical Gardens

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Flowers might seem like a cliche Mother's Day gift, but really, landscaping is expensive. Help a lady out. Buy her a hanging basket or two at the Mother’s Day Weekend Sale & Fundraiser at Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

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They will offer a large selection of hanging baskets and containers grown on site. Find Mother’s Day and nature-themed items in the Garden Store. There will also be a rhododendron sale from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday sponsored by the American Rhododendron Society, Ann Arbor chapter.

All proceeds benefit Matthaei-Nichols. Be sure to to mention that to Mom. Let her know she raised a good kid.

Sat. & Sun., May 11 & 12, 2013. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Free admission. But parking is $1.20/hr. 1800 N. Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor. 734-647-7600.


Man suspected of abducting ex-girlfriend remains at large

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The man suspected of abducting his ex-girlfriend outside her apartment Monday morning did not turn himself in Tuesday and remains at-large, police said Wednesday.

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Jeremy Abston

Courtesy of YPD

Detective Sgt. Thomas Eberts said Jeremy Abston, 27, did not turn himself in as police had hoped. Investigators had at least one phone conversation with Abston after the abduction was reported Monday morning, Eberts said, and have spoken with family members, who have cooperated with investigators.

Police are still working to identify the second suspect in the case, a man who was wearing a red-checkered shirt at the time of the incident, Eberts said.

Abston and the man are suspected of abducting 25-year-old Farrah Cook outside her apartment about 5:45 a.m. Monday in the 500 block of South Hamilton Street, the Hamilton Crossing apartment complex. Cook later escaped her abductors at The Villas, an apartment complex in Ypsilanti Township.

Cook and Abston dated for approximately four years, Eberts said Tuesday. The two of them have three children together, twin 4-year-old girls and a 3-year-old boy.

Abston is described as black, 5-feet-11 inches tall and between 240 and 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, white undershirt, dark pants and white shoes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to call 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.

Do the jobs of the future require a college degree?

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The fastest-growing jobs in America either do not require college degrees or shouldn’t, according to a story on Forbes.com. Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates that carpentry, home health aides and other “low-skill” jobs are among the fastest growing in the country. While many of these jobs require specific skills and smarts, a bachelor's degree is not a necessity.

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Michigan students who graduated last Saturday will attempt to stand out in the crowd with their newly minted diplomas.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry, writing for Forbes, also asserts that some jobs that require applicants to have college degrees do not really need them at all. He uses “diagnostic medical sonographers” as an example of a profession that often requires college graduation but can in fact be be learned on the job. According to his narrative, the job does not require a degree or the large debt load that often accompanies one.

A recent New York Times article furthered the argument, showcasing a law firm and other areas where a college degree has become the new high school degree. A university diploma is now a basic entry requirement for even the most entry-level jobs.

According to the Washtenaw County Economic Forecast, many jobs openings in the area will be in skilled trades that do not require degrees, but diplomas will be necessary for the more competitive jobs in higher-wage sectors.

This “up-credentialing” by employers has led to even further disparity in both unemployment levels and salary levels between high school and college graduates. According to the Times article, the unemployment rate for job seekers with a bachelor’s degree or higher is 3.7 percent, less than half of the 8.1 percent unemployment rate for those with a high school diploma.

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

“The Lion in Winter” at Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, Mother’s Day specials at Performance Network and the Purple Rose

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The Purple Rose Theatre is offering "buy one, get one free" tickets for "33 Variations" this week, through Mother's Day.

photo by Sean Carter Photograph | courtesy of the Purple Rose Theatre Co.

This week features three great shows for Mom! From a classic drama about familial squabbles, to a poignant story about a mother/daughter struggle to connect in the face of tragedy, to an inspiring fantasy play about Martin Luther King Jr., theater is a great way to show Mom you care while avoiding the chilly weather in Sunday’s forecast.

Both professional theaters, Performance Network and The Purple Rose, are offering "buy one, get one free" specials on a pair of tickets, making it more affordable than ever to treat Mom to an enriching AND entertaining experience. This weekend remind her what a good job she did raising you (or your kids), and give her an afternoon (or evening) she’ll treasure!

Show: “The Lion in Winter” by James Goldman, through May 12
Company: Ann Arbor Civic Theatre
Type of Company: Community
Venue/location: Arthur Miller Theatre, Walgreen Drama Center, 1226 Murfin, Ann Arbor
Recommended ages: 12+
Description: James Goldman’s historical comedy-drama tells the tale of of King Henry II and his estranged wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Driven to imprison his wife for attempting to overthrow him, Henry II brings her to his castle at Christmastime where the verbal sparring and machinations among Henry, Eleanor, and their scheming sons has caused the play to be called "Shakespeare Lite." http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/ann-arbor-civic-theatre-to-present-lion-in-winter-this-spring/
Fun fact: The play premiered on Broadway at the Ambassador Theatre on 3 March 1966, starring Robert Preston and Rosemary Harris, who won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Eleanor. It was adapted by Goldman into an Academy Award-winning 1968 film of the same name, starring Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn.
For tickets and information: a2ct.org, 734-971-2228

Show: “33 Variations” by Moises Kaufman, through June 1
Company: The Purple Rose Theatre Company
Type of Company: Professional Equity SPT
Venue/location: The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park Street, Chelsea
Recommended ages: 16+ (contains adult language and content)
Description: In 19th century Austria, Ludwig van Beethoven works obsessively on a commission he cannot complete. In present day, musicologist Katherine Brandt struggles to solve the mystery behind her professional passion: Beethoven’s oft overlooked “Diabelli Variations.” As she races against time, Katherine not only discovers the true nature of Beethoven’s work, but gains insight into the other mystery in her life: her daughter. Moving between the past and the present, 33 Variations illustrates how the very passions that threaten to overwhelm us can also save us. http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/article-8700-variations-on-a-theme.html
Fun fact: David Bendena, Daniel Britt, Lauren Knox, and Richard McWilliams all made their Purple Rose debut in this production.
For tickets and information: 734-433-7673, www.purplerosetheatre.org
Special ticket offer: 2 tickets for the price of 1 for all shows this week (through Mother's Day 5/12). Coupon Code is 33V-MOM.

Show: “The Mountaintop” by Katori Hall, through June 2
Company: Performance Network Theatre
Type of Company: Professional Equity SPT
Venue/location: Performance Network Theatre, 120 E. Huron, Ann Arbor
Recommended ages: 16+ (contains adult language and content)
Description: It's April 3, 1968 at Memphis' Lorraine Motel the night before Martin Luther King, Jr. would be assassinated there. In room 306 King prepares his speech for the coming day, as a thunderstorm rages outside. Chain-smoking Pall Malls and thundering to himself "America, you are too ARROGANT!" he is startled by the mysterious Camae, a motel maid who shows up dripping wet on his doorstep. As they strike up a conversation, sharing cigarettes and laughter, King begins to suspect that her purpose there may not be what it seems. This inspiring drama brings one of America's freshest dramatic voices to the Network stage. http://www.examiner.com/article/the-mountaintop-is-pnt-s-surprising-inspiring-look-at-dr-king-s-final-hours
Fun fact: “The Mountaintop” won the Best New Play award at the Laurence Olivier Awards in March 2010, making playwright Katori Hall the first black woman in history to win that award.
For tickets and information: 734-663-0681, www.performancenetwork.org
Special ticket offer: 2 tickets for the price of 1 for all shows this week (through Mother's Day 5/12). Just ask for the Mother’s Day Weekend special!

Age no obstacle for vintage Iggy & the Stooges

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Iggy Pop, posing for a portrait to promote his new studio album, "Ready To Die," in New York. Born in relative obscurity at their start 40 years ago, Iggy and the Stooges continues to get more and more popular with age. (Photo by Dan Hallman/Invision/AP)

Photo by Dan Hallman/Invision/AP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - When Iggy & the Stooges broke up in 1974, almost no one who'd heard of the band had actually heard it.

More than 40 years later, Iggy Pop's band has a new album "Ready to Die," a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and growing reverence for its place in music history. It's one of rock's stranger success stories, but what do you expect when it comes to Iggy Pop and the proto-punk band everybody used to hate, but really loved?

"It's true, it's a funny arc with us," Pop said in a phone interview last week. "That is the way it is, actually, in all the various numerical yardsticks of all this crud - it's bigger than it was. We have the advantage that it was so tiny when we started. It was really really tiny in numerical scope, but it's grown and all those old records still sell really nice and steadily, and they're heavily licensed. People get to hear them at sports events and on movies and in adverts."

When historians and critics sort through the band's legacy, Pop notes, they always point out the Stooges' initial commercial failure: "But I always felt I was never making them for a quick buck. I was always making them forever."

The Michigan-based Stooges broke up in 1974 after dropping a pair of influential albums, "Fun House" and "Raw Power." The group with Mike Watt on bass reformed in 2003 and guitarist James Williamson rejoined the band in 2009 after guitarist-bassist Ron Asheton passed away.

The 66-year-old Pop spoke to The Associated Press about getting better with age and the possibility of more Stooges in the 21st century:

AP: What do you think accounts for the band's continuing growth in popularity?

Pop: It got more to the general public maybe somewhere in the mid-'90s. It just sort of got to be everybody was ready to go, "Oooh, OK." I think part of that is there were fewer and fewer people doing sort of quote-unquote rock 'n' roll. It's become less and less available on a daily basis.

AP: Your guitarist James Williamson returned to the band after a long break from music. Did he struggle to get back up to speed?

Pop: There are little nuances that I hear of things that he can do that he couldn't do a year ago or two years ago. That's interesting. Ultimately in a group of this vintage, there are certain things that you can't do quite as much of that you could do when you're in your 20s. If you've got soul and know how to marshal your intelligence, you can more than make up for that by the depth you can bring and the intelligent decisions you can make as a musician when you're in your 60s and I'd say that's kind of what he does."

AP: The experts say your ability to pick things up slows down as you age. Do you agree?

Pop: No, that's a lot of cold s---. In fact, playing an instrument really well is almost a detriment to playing music if you want to play it for your own pleasure or play it as an author, as originator. ... If you read "Bound for Glory" by Woody Guthrie, the first chapter it starts out he's hoboing on a train, and he's using his guitar to shelter him from the rain, he's getting into fights with it. It doesn't even have a guitar case. And everybody knows Woody Guthrie couldn't play but three chords. I guarantee you you could start in your 50s and learn how to play guitar like Woody Guthrie really quickly. He pulled music out of his box. That's what it's about really, pulling music out of your box.

AP: You had a reputation for high-energy shows during the first go-round with the Stooges. Is it more difficult to perform to that standard now?

Pop: My personal ability to project physical energy probably didn't peak until only about six years ago, seven years ago. It was in my mid- to late 50s and that's because when I was younger I didn't work at it at all. Also the big difference was I was a little ahead of my time, seems to be the general rap on me, and so I didn't get the audience feedback then. It's really hard. You can come out and bust ass and keep that up for about three songs, but if a bunch of people are just giving you the cold stare, it gets hard to sort of not to wither. So it was kind of like fighting skirmishes. I would skirmish and regroup, skirmish and regroup. But later as people started to accept it more ... I would go to bed early, take my nap, sleep all day, rehearse really hard, and really, really get ready for that moment on stage. And then I bust a move and go home that night, and go ouch!!

AP: Do you think there will be more Stooges music down the road?

Pop: You know that's a good question. By the time I got done with this one, I been in the mood like, 'Oh, f---, am I glad that's over with. Let's get this thing out.' But that's also the tension of a modern marketing plan. They start rattling my cage and hassling me like two months before the thing comes out. ... So right now I think there's a very good chance we could and I put a lot of time into the politics of the group and trying to improve, harmonize, placate and correct the various members, none of whom are professional entertainers and all of whom are sort of in varying degrees of childish. So it takes a lot of effort. If all goes well it would be great to do something again up the line. That's the goal.

Follow AP music writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott.

Depot Town Farmers' Market to move Saturday location due to The Color Run

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The Color Run event is expected to bring more than 14,000 people through the city of Ypsilanti.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

The Color Run event this Saturday is expected to bring more than 14,000 people through the city of Ypsilanti and as a result, Depot Town Farmers' Market organizers have decided to move from its usual location.

The starting line for The Color Run event is in Depot Town and organizers realized they would have to either cancel the market or move the location. The Depot Town Market is typically held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at 100 Rice St. This Saturday's market will be held at the Ypsilanti High School instead.

“We didn’t want to cancel because it’s only the second week," said Growing Hope Market Manager Dayna Sprentall, who now helps operate the market. "We’re very grateful that the high school administration was so willing to partner with us."

The Depot Town Farmers Market opened last Saturday, May 4, with 30 vendors and more than 600 customers, nearly doubling the average counts from 2012.

AnnArbor.com previously reported this is the first year that the Depot Town market is being managed by Growing Hope.

The market this weekend will be on Saturday, at the same time as usual, at 2095 Packard Road in the Shadford Field parking lot near the corner of Hewitt and Packard.

This is the second year The Color Run event has been in Ypsilanti. The route will be the same as the first event, in which onlookers tossed colored cornstarch at those running or walking in the 5K event.

Participants will start in Depot Town and continue to Eastern Michigan University's campus and downtown Ypsilanti, finally ending back in Riverside Park.

Riverside Park will be transformed into the "race village" and the starting line will be right across the river on Cross Street in Depot Town. The race starts at 8 a.m. and runners will not all start at once, but will begin in waves.

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

Greenhills girls tennis takes early lead in AnnArbor.com Team of the Week voting

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The smallest school in this week's AnnArbor.com Team of the Week poll is making its voice heard.

The Greenhills girls tennis team leads this week’s poll at the halfway point, garnering 110 votes as of noon Wednesday.

That’s more than double any of this week’s four other teams: Pioneer girls soccer, Huron baseball, Saline girls lacrosse and Milan baseball. This despite the fact that Greenhills has a student population of 328, more than 1,300 less Saline, Pioneer and Huron, and more than 600 more than Milan.

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Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com file photo

Our poll will stay open until noon Friday, and with just over 200 votes cast, competition is still open.

The winner will be our Team of the Week for May 13-18, and be featured with event coverage, feature stories, photos and more.

For Greenhills girls tennis, it’s an important week: the Gryphons are scheduled to face Saline on Tuesday, before its regional competition takes place Thursday at home.

But their road to becoming the Team of the Week isn't over yet, so get your votes in now.

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com.

Attorneys for woman accused of killing her father plan to argue she was insane

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Records filed Wednesday in the Washtenaw County Trial Court show attorneys defending Susan Wade, who is charged with killing her father last June in Ann Arbor, plan to argue she is not guilty by reason of insanity.

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Susan Wade

Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office

According to a witness list filed Wednesday, the Washtenaw County Public Defender’s Office plans to call Dr. Phillip Margolis, professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Michigan, as a witness. Margolis did a report that disagrees with the state’s forensic center analysis ruling Wade is competent to stand trial, according to records.

“The People are already in possession of Dr. Margolis’s report which opines that Ms. Wade was legally insane at the time of the alleged crime,” the document states.

Wade, 49, is accused of stabbing her father, Ronald Mason, between 20 and 30 times on June 9, 2012, at their home in the 1700 block of Covington Drive in Ann Arbor. Police said Wade stabbed Mason multiple times while he slept and then returned hours later when she thought she saw him moving and continued the attack. Mason was 86 years old.

She’s been declared competent to stand trial, but family members said she has a past history of drug abuse and schizophrenia.

Wade was in court for a final pretrial hearing Tuesday, which was adjourned for one week. Her trial is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. June 3.

The document filed by the public defender’s office shows Margolis will be called to testify about his report. Dr. Henry Emerle, senior psychiatric resident at U-M, may also be called to testify about “observations made or conversations had during the course of Dr. Margolis’s evaluation,” according to court records.

Wade is facing life in prison if she is convicted on one charge of open murder. She’s being held in the Washtenaw County Jail without bond.

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


Two U-M music grad students will drive new Cadillac to Carnegie Hall

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U-M music grad students David Cook, left, and Emily Wespiser, middle, will be driving to Carnegie Hall in a new Cadillac ATS this week, performing pop-up concerts along the way.

Photo provided by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra

AnnArbor.com previously reported that 32 members of the UMS Choral Union will perform with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at New York City's Carnegie Hall on Friday, May 10, as part of the Spring for Music Festival. But two University of Michigan graduate music students - clarinetist David Cook and flutist Emily Wespiser - will also travel from Ann Arbor to Carnegie Hall this week in a new Cadillac ATS.

More specific details may be found in the press release:

At 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 9, two University of Michigan graduate music students - who double as Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth Ensemble Mentors - will hit the road in a brand new Cadillac ATS to follow the DSO to Carnegie Hall for its May 10 Ives Immersion performance as part of the Spring For Music Festival.

Along the way, David Cook, first year graduate student of clarinet performance, and Emily Wespiser, second year graduate student of flute performance, will spread the word about Detroit, the DSO, and Cadillac ATS drivability by performing pop up concerts and documenting their trip [via Twitter] using hashtag #ATStoCarnegie.

Planned stops include a performance at Central Cadillac on Carnegie Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio and a visit to Lola Bistro, a Cleveland diner owned by Michael Symon of Detroit’s Roast in the historic Westin Book Cadillac hotel.

For all details about the DSO’s trip to Carnegie Hall, visit dso.org/carnegiehall.

The DSO’s participation in Spring For Music is made possible with generous support from the General Motors Foundation, Cadillac and the William Davidson Foundation. The General Motors Foundation and Cadillac have helped to pave the way from Motown to Manhattan for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this May as it prepares to perform at Carnegie Hall for the first time in 17 years.

The General Motors Foundation provided a $350,000 grant to the DSO for music education initiatives, including its involvement in the prestigious Spring for Music festival. In addition to funding from the Foundation, Cadillac vehicles will transport DSO Civic Mentors, musicians and special guests during the week-long festival.

About David Cook

Originally from Troy, Michigan, David Cook is pursuing Master of Music degrees in clarinet performance and chamber music at the University of Michigan. He holds Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Central Michigan University. David works with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth Ensembles as Civic Orchestra Clarinet Mentor and will be an Orchestra Fellow at the Immanuel & Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival this summer. He is especially excited for the Carnegie Hall performances as a result of completing his research project about the musical evolution throughout Charles Ives's symphonies.

About Emily Wespiser

A native of Lee, Massachusetts, Emily Wespiser is an active solo, orchestral and chamber musician. As the Detroit Civic Youth Orchestra mentor, she has performed under esteemed DSO conductor Leonard Slatkin, and alongside international soloist Emanuel Ax. Selected to perform and study at the Brevard Music Center for the 2013 season, Emily has spent past summers as the resident principal flutist in the Opera in the Ozarks Orchestra and performing in masterclasses for flutists such as Jeffrey Khaner, Keith Underwood, Ian Clarke, and Doriot Dwyer. Emily can be heard performing with the University of Michigan Symphony Band on their recently released CD, Points of Departure (Equilibrium Records), and with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra on their soon to be released Rite of Spring CD. An advocate for new music, Emily has premiered works by composers such as David Biedenbender, Marco Schirripa, Brendan Vavra, Peter Learn, and Gordon Stout. Emily holds a B.M. from Ithaca College, and recently completed her Masters of Music at the University of Michigan, under the direction of flutist Amy Porter.

Here's a promotional trailer.

Jenn McKee is an entertainment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.

2nd suspect identified in abduction, both still at large

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Raymond March

Courtesy of the YPD

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Jeremy Abston

Courtesy of YPD

The second suspect police believe was involved in the abduction of a 25-year-old woman from an Ypsilanti apartment complex Monday morning has been identified.

Raymond James March, 21, of Belleville, is now being sought by police who believe he assisted 27-year-old Jeremy Abston in abducting Farrah Cook Monday.

Abston and March face multiple felony charges, including unlawful imprisonment and conspiracy to commit unlawful imprisonment, according to a news release from Ypsilanti police.

"Both suspects are still at large and should be considered a threat to the community," the release stated.

Police were first alerted to the abduction at 5:45 a.m. Monday when they were called to a residence 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. The incident was caught on security cameras and about 10 people witnessed the abduction, according to family members.

Surveillance pictures of the two suspects were released. Family members told AnnArbor.com two men in the videos watched Cook getting ready before they grabbed her and put her in the Bonneville.

Cook and Abston have three children together, twin 4-year-old girls and a 3-year-old boy. Police have said Farrah and Abston dated for four years before breaking up, which seemed to be Abston's motive.

By 2:15 p.m. Monday, Ypsilanti police announced Cook had escaped from her abductors and was safe. She was located in an apartment complex off Golfside Road in Ypsilanti Township. Police said Cook was able to get away with the help from another person in the complex.

She was treated at a hospital for a sprained ankle and was back home Monday evening, according to family members.

Abston is described as 5-feet-11 inches tall, between 240 and 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, a white undershirt, dark pants and white shoes. Police said Monday he should be considered possibly armed and dangerous.

March was last seen wearing a red-and-white checked shirt.

Police on Tuesday morning said they had spoken Abston on the phone and remain in contact with his family.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Abston and March is encouraged to call the Ypsilanti Police Department at 734-483-9510 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

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

National Merit Scholarship Competition: 1 Saline and 13 Ann Arbor students awarded $2,500

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Previous stories:

Fourteen students from the Ann Arbor area have won $2,500 scholarships in the 58th annual National Merit Scholarship Competition.

These students were selected from more than 15,000 finalists.

The $2,500 awards are the second of three annual award announcements from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

The corporate-sponsored scholarship winners were named last week. There were three students from Ann Arbor who received those awards. The final scholarships to be announced will be college-sponsored.

National Merit $2,500-scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies, said a press release announcing the student recipients. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating high school seniors. There were 90 students selected from throughout Michigan.

Ann Arbor Community High School

Tamar Cohen
Probable career field: Unknown

Rebecca Shipan
Probably career field: Undecided

Ann Arbor Huron High School

Valerie Peng
Probable career field: Materials engineering

Gabrielle Steinl
Probable career field: Pediatrics

Ann Arbor Pioneer High School

Elizabeth Hines
Probably career field: Unknown

Joshua Samuel Kaplan
Probable career field: Academia

Siyan Li
Probable career field: Mathematics

Danny Luan
Probable career field: Medicine

Daniel Rothchild
Probable career field: Undecided

Siddhartha Sarkar
Probable career field: Medicine

Alyssa Skelton
Probable career field: Neurosurgery

Yupeng Wang
Probable career field: Business

Ann Arbor Skyline High School

Emma Borjigin-Wang
Probable career field: Biology

Saline High School

Jessica Lipa
Probable career field: Chemical engineering

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

3-month-long construction project begins on Rawsonville intersection on eastern Washtenaw border

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Construction began Wednesday at the intersection of Rawsonville and Martz roads on the eastern border of Washtenaw County that will affect traffic for the next three months.

The Washtenaw County Road Commission will be installing a traffic signal at the intersection, as well as widening Rawsonville Road at the intersection to add a center left turn lane to Martz Road.

The project on the border of Ypsilanti Township and Wayne County's Van Buren Township has a planned completion date of Aug. 5.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area during construction, as periodic lane closures and shoulder closures will be implemented throughout the project. Officials state traffic delays are likely as a result of the project.


View May 8 - Aug. 5 construction project in a larger map

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

Court case against man accused of robbing drug dealer heads toward trial after long delay

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The 18-year-old man accused of robbing a drug dealer in Saline in July 2011 will face trial this month after skipping out on bond and delaying the case for nearly a year.

James Brewer is charged with armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and conspiracy to commit assault with assault with a dangerous weapon. The charges stem from a July 26, 2011, incident where Brewer and a group of people allegedly robbed a drug dealer of marijuana.

The case has dragged on into 2013 after Brewer didn’t show up for an April 5, 2012, court hearing. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest and he didn’t show up again in court until Feb. 14, court records show.

Brewer had been free on a 10 percent of $75,000 bond at the time he didn’t show up for the final pretrial hearing. His trial was scheduled to begin on April 23, 2012, according to court records.

Brewer was arrested and arraigned on the bench warrant on Feb. 14 and lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail on a $150,000 cash or surety bond. He appeared in court on Thursday and a new final pretrial date was set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday. His trial is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. May 13 in front of Washtenaw County trial Court Judge David Swartz.

Brewer is accused of working with Emily Beach to rob a drug dealer at the Six Trails Apartment Complex in Saline. According to police, Beach called the dealer to set up a drug deal.

When the man went outside to wait for Beach, four men approached him, one of whom punched him in the head, according to police. One man pointed a gun at the dealer, his girlfriend and his girlfriend’s mother while another man searched through the dealer’s pockets.

At a preliminary exam in the case, witnesses testified Brewer was not the man with the gun.

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

Open letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan: Michigan schools are at the breaking point

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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, left center, and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder stop at Perry Child Development Center in Ypsilanti Monday, May 6, 2013, to speak about investing in high-quality pre-kindergarten education.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

A group of Michigan public school parents based in Ann Arbor issued an open letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Tuesday, following the secretary's visit to Ypsilanti Monday afternoon.

The letter was penned by Steven Norton, an Ann Arbor Public Schools resident, public education advocate and executive director of the Michigan Parents for Schools nonprofit organization. The letter was posted on the nonprofit's website.

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Steven Norton

The organization is comprised of parents who are concerned about the funding problems that Michigan schools are facing. Duncan's stop at the Perry Child Development Center in Ypsilanti Monday helped kick off the federal government's push to provide incentives for early childhood education nationwide.

Duncan, who visited the school Monday with Gov. Rick Snyder, stressed the importance of high-quality pre-kindergarten education and increasing access to these programs, as well as teacher training for the programs.

Somewhat ironically, the school that hosted the secretary's visit is part of the Ypsilanti Public Schools, a district that will no longer exist as of July 1. Ypsilanti is merging with Willow Run Community Schools, another district operating with a deficit, due in part, local school officials say, to the state's underfunding of public education.

Norton and Michigan Parents for Schools ask Duncan to see what is really happening in Michigan schools. "Your calls for accountibility and equity have been used in our state as a cover to erode and defund public schools and to attack the very idea of public governance of public education," Norton writes.

The letter makes reference to reports from last month that a secret group that includes aides to Snyder is trying to create a lower-cost education model that uses a voucher-like funding mechanism. Snyder has said the work group is not an official government function, and he said he was not involved with it personally.

Read the complete letter to Duncan below or on the organization's website.

Dear Mr. Secretary:

On behalf of Michigan parents and others concerned about public education here, I would like to welcome you to our state. Michigan is home to some of the best ideas and programs in education as well as some of the most serious challenges our schools, and communities, face. We welcome your effort to learn more about the hopes we cherish and the obstacles we confront in our local efforts to educate our children.

Unfortunately, I fear that your tour may leave you with an incorrect impression of what is in fact happening in our state. The current direction of state policy is not to offer an excellent education to all children. Instead, key Michigan policy makers have adopted an extremely narrow and barren notion of "education" and have focused on how to deliver it at the lowest cost possible. These proposals take us in precisely the wrong direction.

A distorted vision for schools

The most recent example: Parents and concerned citizens across the state have been appalled by stories emerging from our state capital about a secret secret "skunk works" project to create bargain-basement schools. Their plan has two key parts: the first is a voucher-like debit card that students could use to "buy" bits of education here and there. Schools would become simply vendors. If a student "purchases" a bargain education, the balance on the card could be used for extras like sports fees, music lessons, and so on.

The other part of the plan is to create the value-priced school where students could find these "value menu" bargains. The skunk works group hopes to create schools that could operate with $2,000 less per pupil than the current minimum funding — but still allowing for vendors to make a profit.

As their documents make clear, the only real way to do this was to depend on fully online education, with a small number of teachers overseeing a large number of students in an internet-based program. What makes this so cheap, of course, is that much of the time students are interacting with canned videos and worksheets.

This "skunk works" group — including top advisers to Gov. Snyder, other government officials, former voucher school advocates, and online education vendors, has been working under the radar since December — using private emails. They explicitly excluded anyone who might argue that our local public school systems don't need to be tossed in the garbage.

Is this what education means these days? Watching videos on a computer and asking chat room questions of a teacher somewhere else who is managing 50, 70 or 100 other students? When do our children learn to think creatively or work in groups? How do they learn to get along with and even lead a group of people very different from themselves? How can a teacher figure out what might spark the interest or imagination of a child?

Our schools should do more than simply pour "stuff" into the heads of our children and call it education. Our young people need to be able to adjust to a changing and uncertain world. We're not just educating future workers, but also citizens and members of our communities. That is what we are working for in our state and what we wish for every American child.

Genuine education

As you said in a speech just one week ago: "Ultimately, a great education involves much more than teaching children simply to read, write, add, and subtract. It includes teaching them to think and write clearly, and to solve problems and work in teams. It includes teaching children to set goals, to persist in tasks, and to help them navigate the world."

I could not agree more. That is the reason why I am so glad that you will be visiting the Perry Child Development Center in Ypsilanti, home of the famed Perry Preschool Study and the HighScope early childhood education model, which grew out of that early work.

This is how the HighScope Educational Research Foundation describes the model developed in the Perry study and in wide use today:

"(A)dults encourage children to to make choices, solve problems, and engage in activities that contribute to their intellectual, social, and physical development. ... (Teachers) do not provide children with prescriptively sequenced lessons that cover a defined subject matter. Instead, they listen closely to children's plans and then actively work with them to extend their activities. ... Adults rarely ask questions merely to test children's grasp of letters, numbers, or colors. Instead, they ask for self-generated descriptions or ideas: What happened? How did you make that? Can you show me? Can you help another child?"

These kinds of ideas should be the foundation of our efforts. Instead, we are marching resolutely in the opposite direction.

All politics is local

Mr. Secretary, please be aware that what you say and do has consequences all the way down to the classroom. Sadly, those who wish to turn education into rote learning and remove the public from our public schools have been bending the Obama Administration's policy initiatives to their own agenda. Your calls for accountibility and equity have been used in our state as a cover to erode and defund public schools and to attack the very idea of public governance of public education. As you reflect on your visit here, I urge you to think about the reality of what is happening in Michigan schools and discount the highly scripted presentations developed for a press event.

Our schools are at the breaking point. We cannot afford to engage in make-believe.

Sincerely,

Steven J. Norton

Executive Director of Michigan Parents for Schools

Michigan Parents for Schools is a non-profit advocacy group helping parents and others speak up in support of quality local public education.

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

Tom Hickey's four goals lead Saline lacrosse past Huron, 13-1

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Saline boys lacrosse coach Matt Ceo isn’t bashful about talking up his best player.

Tom Hickey’s going to draw the best defender every game, and that’s why he’s going to be a first-team All-State guy,” Ceo said Wednesday. “He’s the best player in the area, period."

In the Hornet’s 13-1 win over Huron Wednesday night at Riverbank Stadium, Hickey did little to prove him wrong.

The senior scored a team-high four goals, as the Hornets (9-4) jumped out to a 5-0l lead and never looked back.

More Coverage: Boxscore

The performance came after a six-goal output from Hickey in Saline’s 12-10 win over Troy Saturday. Even more impressive was that half of those goals were scored left-handed and half were scored right-handed.

“There aren’t a lot of players that can do that,” Ceo said.

Huron, playing without several key players who are out with injuries, lost its second straight game and fell to 4-5 on the year.

Saline scored its first goal 41 seconds into the game, and notched its fifth nine minutes later, when Hornets defenseman Griffin Sibo forced a turnover and scored from 50 yards away against an out-of-position goalie.

“For those first five minutes we really wanted to pour it on early, get the game under control so we could play our game, slow it down and possess it,” said Hickey, who will play lacrosse at Colorado State next year.

The Hornets jumped out to a big lead by controlling possession early, and continued to hold on to the ball as they slowed the game down.

“That’s something we’ve stressed the whole year is possession,” Ceo said. “We want to possess the ball at all times, especially against a team like Huron who likes to do the same thing, it was important that we get a lot of possessions. That starts with faceoffs and it goes to ground balls, and we were able to do that today.”

Brett Braun added three goals for the Hornets, and six other players each had one. Tyler Cowen started in goal.

The Hornets were able to strike multiple times by getting players open in front of the net on cuts, then hitting them with passes for point-blank shots.

“We preach opposite corner cuts all the time,” Ceo said. “That’s a big thing for us, that’s how we find our open guys. That’s why we feel like we can beat man-to-man defenses, zone defenses, because we have that off-ball action.”

Huron was able to slow down the Saline offensive onslaught after the five nine minutes, but struggled on offense as its possessions were at a premium.

“The execution wasn’t there,” Huron coach Greg Monroe said. “We couldn’t pass and catch, and that’s the first thing about playing lacrosse is you have to pass and catch.”

The Hornets, who have won six of seven since starting the year 3-3, face Skyline Friday in their final SEC game of the season. The MHSAA postseason starts next week.

“I think we’re a pretty solid team,” Hickey said. “We’ve been progressing as the year’s gone on. We started off kind of rough but we’re winning the big ones now.”

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.


Michelle Chamuel sails through elimination episode of 'The Voice'

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Wednesday night's elimination episode of "The Voice" began with host Carson Daly owning up to a voting snafu that had made it difficult for fans to vote online and via text earlier this week; but no voting "inconsistencies" - which resulted in suspicious votes being disqualified - could keep former Ann Arborite Michelle Chamuel down, as she sailed through yet another episode, having earned the most votes on Team Usher.

In Wednesday's episode, the two singers on each team (there are 4) that earned the most votes were safe, and then each team leader decided which of the remaining two singers would go home.

That means that the field has now been narrowed to 12, and thus far, Chamuel - former front woman for My Dear Disco/Ella Riot - has shown no signs of stopping.

Jenn McKee is an entertainment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.

Memorials honor police officers who have lost their lives

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West Bloomfield police Officer Patrick J. O’Rourke had reached the end of his shift on Sept. 9, 2012, but decided to assist officers responding to a shots fired complaint. The truth be told, a verified shots fired call is a “hot” call and any officer available is going to help their brothers and sisters in blue to bring that kind of call to a safe conclusion. There is usually safety in numbers — not that night.

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A black band is put over the badge of police officers in memory of West Bloomfield Police Officer Patrick O'Rourke Sept. 14 before the start of his funeral at St. John Evangelist Church in Fenton.

Ryan Garza | MLive

Upon arrival at the scene, family members told the officers they had called because they were worried about their loved one who they believed was suicidal. Officers headed to where the man was located inside the house and knocked on the door of the room he was in. The officers were met with rifle fire that easily penetrated the wall and door.

While trying to make contact with that despondent man, to try to save his life, Officer O’Rourke lost his own life. Officer O’Rourke sustained a fatal gunshot wound in the neck. O’Rourke was 39 years old, a 12-year veteran of the West Bloomfield Police Department and left behind a wife and four young children.

Officer O’Rourke was the first officer of the West Bloomfield Police Department killed in the line of duty. He was the only Michigan police officer killed in 2012 but joins 563 other Michigan officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice over the years. Officer O’Rourke was one of 120 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in the United States during 2012, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Have you ever seen a police officer’s badge draped with a black or a black and blue striped ribbon? That is a police officer’s badge of mourning. It may mean several things, but it always means there has been a death in the law enforcement community.

Either an active officer on that department has died whether in the line of duty or not — or — a Michigan police officer has been killed in the line of duty. The badge of mourning is properly worn until the fallen officer has been laid to rest.

Another tradition in some police departments is placing a blue light in a front window of the police station. The timing of the blue light coincides with the traditions as the badge of mourning. It is lit from the time of an officer’s death until their funeral.

I have seen citizens come in to police stations with the lone blue light and approach the front desk to ask about it, when they look at it closer and find the photograph of a police officer under the light with the officer’s name and either “Rest In Peace” or “End of Watch” and the date of death. The citizen then stops, looks at the light and sheepishly either nods at the desk officer or says something like, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Behind the scenes when a Michigan police officer dies, officers pass a hat during briefing or place an envelope for donations on a bulletin board for officers to donate to the family of the officer who died. Similar collections are taken up for officers in peril with debilitating injuries or severe illness. I do not recall many months that went by at the Ann Arbor Police Department where an envelope was not on the board for some officer or their family who needed assistance somewhere in the area.

Those donations envelopes were usually full of cash. I do not remember ever seeing such envelopes at non-police jobs I have held, although I am sure firefighters and military personnel probably fill similar envelopes for families in need.

Next week you may see badges of mourning and blue lights in police stations, but hopefully it will not be for an officer who fell during the week but for those who have gone in the past.

May 15 is National Peace Officer’s Memorial Day and next week is National Police Week. In 1962 President Kennedy and Congress established these two observances, to honor the men and women of law enforcement, like Officer O’Rourke, who lost their lives in the line of duty while protecting us.

In Washtenaw County a ceremony commemorating National Peace Officer’s Memorial Day will take place at 10 a.m. May 15 at the Washtenaw 100 Club Memorial Park on Michigan Avenue at Ballard in Ypsilanti. The Eastern Michigan University Department of Public Safety is the local sponsor for this year’s observance.

Next week, please take a moment to think and perhaps even say a prayer for the men and women of law enforcement. Reflect on the fact that every moment, of every day that you draw breath, there are those who have probably never met you, but have sworn a solemn oath to protect you and perhaps even lay down lives to keep you safe.

In Michigan, the state motto “Tuebor” meaning “we defend” is found on the badge placed over each officer’s heart. Next week, please remember the 564 brave souls who have given their lives to keep that promise and fulfill that oath.

If you are so moved, take the time to send a card of appreciation to your local police department, join the Washtenaw 100 Club (http://washtenaw100.org/index.asp), make a donation to the Thin Blue Line of Michigan (http://www.tblofmi.com) or just give the officer on patrol a smile and friendly wave.

For all the officers, deputies, troopers and agents who protect us: Thank you and stay safe.

Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware and watch out for your neighbors.

Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com.

Holiday Inn Express proposed for vacant land near Zeeb Road in Scio Township

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The proposed Holiday Inn Express in Scio Township would have 112 rooms.

Courtesy of Scio Township

A 112-room Holiday Inn Express hotel is proposed for vacant land near Zeeb Road and Interstate 94 in Scio Township.

Tony Anton of Ann Arbor Hospitality Inc. submitted a rezoning request to the township for a 1.4-acre property behind the BP gas station at 325 N. Zeeb Road. Anton is requesting the property be rezoned from C2, general commercial, to C3, highway commercial. The C3 zoning allows hotel uses.

In addition to the parcel behind the BP gas station, the hotel would occupy a portion of the property behind the Big Boy restaurant at 497 N. Zeeb Road, which already has a C2 zoning classification.

Plans submitted to the township say the hotel would have “ample meeting space” and 122 parking spaces.

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The outlined site is currently zoned C2. Plans submitted to the township are requesting it be rezoned to C3 to allow the construction of a Holiday Inn Express.

“We believe this site would benefit from that zoning classification and fit in with the overall master plan of the community while bringing a much needed business to the community,” the plans say.

The land behind BP is owned by Michigan Commerce Bank and listed for sale with Swisher Commercial’s Charlie Koenn. Koenn said Anton is under contract to purchase the property. Anton, who is registered as the president of a Holiday Inn & Suites hotel in Farmington Hills, could not be reached for comment.

The site is adjacent to a vacant property owned by the Washtenaw County Road Commission where Costco proposed building a store several years ago.

The proposal comes as hotel occupancy rates in the county are strengthening. Rates in the Ann Arbor area reached 63.4 percent in 2012, up from 62.5 percent in 2011. Ann Arbor occupancy rates are the strongest in the state, according to a report by Charles Skelton of Hospitality Advisors.

Three miles east of the proposed Holiday Inn site, an Ann Arbor hotel owner wants to build a Hampton Inn & Suites at 2900 Jackson Ave. Akram Namou of A&M Hospitality and Executive Hospitality, also the owner of the Clarion Hotel, submitted plans in January to construct a four-story hotel containing 100 rooms, a workout facility and a pool.

There will be a public hearing for the Holiday Inn Express rezoning request at a 7 p.m. Planning Commission meeting on Monday, May 13. Scio Township Planner Doug Lewan said planning staff will be recommending approval.


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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.

Downtown Ann Arbor business owners brace for Fourth Avenue closure during construction

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Two blocks of Fourth Avenue between Huron Street and Liberty Street will be closed for two months beginning May 14 for reconstruction and water main work — including this intersection of Fourth Avenue and Washington Street.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Businesses on two blocks of South Fourth Avenue in downtown Ann Arbor are bracing for two months of construction that will completely close the road beginning May 14.

Ann Arbor City Council approved the $741,900 bid for construction at its meeting Monday and the project has been moving on an expedited schedule since then.

The pavement on South Fourth Avenue is in bad repair and needs to be redone, city officials say. The project will reconstruct the street, replace a water main and install a new stormwater collection system.

“I think every cyclist and driver would like to see this done,” said Mayor John Hieftje.

The goal is for construction to be complete before the Ann Arbor Art Fairs start July 17, said project manager Igor Kotlyar.

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A pedestrian crosses Washington Street at South Fourth Avenue in downtown Ann Arbor Wednesday. The intersection and two blocks of Fourth Avenue between Huron Street and Liberty Street will be closed for two months beginning May 14 for reconstruction and water main work.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

“There is no time to waste,” Kotlyar said.

May 14, the city will close the two-block portion of Fourth Avenue from Huron Street to Liberty Street for the duration of the project. Sidewalk access will be maintained to area businesses.

Fourth Avenue between Washington and Liberty has seen two new businesses open this spring — the bookstore Literati and the gift shop Shine — adding to the boutique shopping offerings on the street.

Shine opened in March at 211 S. Fourth Ave. Manager Kelly Hadin said she’s concerned the construction will interfere with customers discovering the business.

In time, Hadin said Shine’s boutique gift shop offerings will become a destination shop for customers — but in the first several months she’s counting on customers stumbling upon the business.

“Now being so brand new we do count on people finding us first,” Hadin said.

Ken Sing, owner of Mexican restaurant Bandito’s at 216 S. Fourth Ave., said the street looks fine to him and that he’s not looking forward to the project. The restaurant has been there since 1991.

“Fourth Avenue is Ann Arbor’s adopted child,” Sing said, calling it a forgotten corridor that rarely sees investment.

Concerned about the effect construction dust will have on outdoor seating for his customers, Sing said he’ll try to keep his patio tables open for as long as he can.

“It isn’t convenient — any construction is noise and dust,” Kotlyar said. “All we can do is try to minimize and make sure it goes as fast as soon as possible, so people can get their street in much better condition.”

Jamie Agnew, co-owner of mystery bookstore Aunt Agatha's at 213 S. Fourth Ave., said he’s glad the sidewalk will remain open for the project — as closing it would be the “kiss of death” for businesses on the street.

Most of store’s customers seek out the shop as a destination — but many of them are older, Agnew said. Customers will not be able to park on the street for the duration of the road closure.

“In no way is it a good thing, but I’m trying to keep a good face on for it,” Agnew said.

Sam Farha, manager of Sottini’s Sub Shop at 205 S. Fourth Ave., said he’s also concerned about dust issues from the project, but is looking forward to the possible business that could come from the construction workers at lunchtime.

Residents in apartments on Fourth Avenue who park in alleyways inaccessible during construction will be provided a parking spot courtesy of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, city officials said.

City engineers planned to meet with Fourth Avenue business owners May 8 in a special meeting to explain the project’s schedule.

“The project schedule won’t be extremely tight, but will require the contractor to be well-organized,” Kotlyar said. “As long as they proceed to get the work moving at a good construction speed, they should be able to get everything done and open for the art fair.”

The Ann Arbor City Council moved the project forward on its agenda Monday to approve the award of the bid before going into recess. By Tuesday, crews were already marking utility lines on Fourth Avenue to move the project forward.

“This is a project many of us have been waiting for, for a long time,” said Council Member Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward. “People are really eager to see this improvement.”

City Council voted unanimously to award a $741,900 contract to E.T. MacKenzie Co. of Grand Ledge. The company was the lowest of four bidders and came in under the engineer’s project estimate of $746,540.

Construction will replace curbs and gutters on the street, as well as curb ramps and some portions of sidewalk.

A water main on Fourth Avenue in the block between East Huron Street and East Washington Street is also in poor condition and too small. The 4-inch main will be replaced with a 320-foot-long 12-inch iron water main.

A new system to collect the stormwater will be installed under Fourth Avenue.

Rainwater that runs off the street will be collected in a stone reservoir under the street and then allowed to percolate back into the ground, rather than enter the storm sewer system.

The project is a part of the city’s Capital Improvement Plan, and funding for the project has been included in its water, storm, and street millage fund budgets.

The stormwater parts of the project will be funded through the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner’s office.

The city will be responsible for paying the Water Resources Commissioner’s office back over a 20-year period for the stormwater improvements in the project, with a maximum annual payment of $19,000.

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City of Ann Arbor

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

Ann Arbor school board authorizes district borrowing $10M to pay employees

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After years of budget cuts and drawing down its fund balance, the Ann Arbor Public Schools has been forced to borrow money for the first time in its history.

The Board of Education passed a resolution Wednesday night authorizing district officials to obtain a line of credit in the amount of $10 million to fund school operations.

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Ann Arbor board Secretary Andy Thomas looks at a powerpoint presentation as Finance Director Nancy Hoover discusses the district's third-quarter financial report, which shows the AAPS needs to add another $1.3 million to its current-year budget deficit.

Danielle Arndt | AnnArbor.com

The loan is necessary to ensure the district can pay employees during three different times of low cash flow from now until December.

The majority of a district's revenue is from the per-pupil foundation allowance it receives from the state. The Michigan Department of Education disburses this money throughout the fiscal year, which for the state runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, as opposed to July 1 through June 30 for most school districts.

Districts with a healthy fund balance, or primary savings account, do not need to borrow money from the state or other entity to make payments. They can front the money necessary for payroll and operations from their fund balances and replace the transfer with the money from the state aid payment when it comes.

Director of Finance and Chief Executive Officer for the AAPS, Nancy Hoover, said Wednesday the amount the district would need in its fund equity in order to make payroll is between $14 and $16 million.

"We were able to make our payrolls last year when we had $16 million (in fund equity), but it was tight," she said.

AAPS has been one of only a few remaining districts in the county that did not borrow money from the state of Michigan. Borrowing is not that uncommon due to the state government and school districts being on two different calendars/fiscal years. The Michigan Department of Treasury offers a loan program to traditional public schools to finance short-term operational cash flow needs.

However, Hoover said AAPS will not be borrowing from the state, but instead will seek a line of credit through a bank. She said it's the less expensive route, as the interest rates should be lower.

AAPS began the 2012-13 academic year with $16.63 million in fund equity. However, according to the district's third quarter financial report, which also was presented to the board Wednesday, the district will finish this school year with just $6.8 million. This in part is due to a current-year budget shortfall of $3.8 million.

It was announced that the district had a deficit of $2.5 million in February. But from February to May, the shortfall has grown by another $1.3 million.

According to the third-quarter financial report presented Wednesday, the district's substitute teacher budget was increased by $300,000; and an extra $300,000 was budgeted for health care to cover anticipated usage through the remainder of the year; and an additional $700,000 for transportation was needed, due to increased fuel costs, and increased costs for maintenance and substitute drivers, as well as costs associated with transporting homeless students.

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Nancy Hoover addresses a group of parents, students, staff and community members at a budget forum at Huron High School on May 2.

Danielle Arndt | AnnArbor.com

"Frustrated" was the word most school board members used to describe their feelings about the district's financial picture presented Wednesday night.

"I continue to be frustrated that these things keep popping up and biting us on the keister," said board Secretary Andy Thomas. "... We are talking about the price of gasoline costing us $700,000 more than we anticipated. ... And we are just now finding out about this in May.

"I would think that much of this would have become evident by October or certainly sometime in November. I am increasingly frustrated by having these budget adjustments come along six months after the fact."

Wednesday was the first reading of the third-quarter financial report and budget adjustment resolution. The board will vote on the resolution at its next regular meeting on May 22.

Hoover explained many of these issues are coming to light as the finance department continues to move from bottom-line accountability budgeting to line-by-line accountability, the first step of implementing zero-based budgeting. That method of budgeting puts every item at zero at the beginning of the budgeting process and then allows the district to allocate money for each according to its priorities.

But in addition to gas costs, Hoover said, there also were increased maintenance costs and costs incurred because the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, with which AAPS contracts for transportation services through a consortium with Ypsilanti and Willow Run, is having a difficult time finding substitute drivers. Because of this, the WISD is having to pay substitute drivers a higher rate, she said.

Trustee Susan Baskett asked: If it's the WISD's responsibility to find the drivers, then why is it Ann Arbor's books on the line? Hoover said this is because of the district's contract with the WISD.

"It's different than if we had privatized bus service," Hoover said, explaining if the district had privatized, a company then would have provided the service for a set fee. "But this is a pass-though. Whenever additional costs then incur beyond that, (they) are passed on to the districts in the consortium."

Trustee Simone Lightfoot said she was concerned about how much money the district actually saved by contracting with the WISD. But Hoover said the district previously spent about $7 million on transportation. Even with the increased expense, the district still is spending about $2.5 million less through the WISD.

Superintendent Patricia Green said the Washtenaw Intermediate School District just called a meeting about three weeks ago with the consortium districts to inform them of the increased costs of transportation.

"We were shocked at the meeting when we got the information," she said.

Hoover added that student homelessness is on the rise and is still a "new phenomenon" school districts are dealing with: "It's not really something we can project very easily. And it's not something we really have incurred in the past."

The district enacted a spending freeze around February to deal with the current-year deficit. Hoover said she is hopeful school officials will not end up spending all that they budgeted for, and the district will be able to close the budget gap and not have to transfer it over into the next school year.

Green emphasized the importance of continuing to move toward zero-based budgeting.

"Unless that takes root, this popping up (of expenses) will happen over and over again," she said. "In the old days when there was excess, you could transfer from one part of the budget to another to fill the gap, but there is no excess there anymore."

Green said the biggest thing about line-by-line accountability is "you are seeing the shortfalls. Before, you didn't know what you weren't budgeting appropriately.

"Budgets were built on projections from previous years that were not accurate. ... I won't be here in the future, but the blueprint will be here and Nancy (Hoover) is the architect going forward." Green announced her resignation earlier this year.

She told the board it would have to be patient because it takes time to recreate this process that, historically, has been done from the bottom up for years and years.

"It's building the bridge as you're crossing it."

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

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