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Next University of Michigan sports upgrade: field hockey facility

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A year ago University of Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon promised some $250 million in upgrades to non-reveue sports facilities, and some of those improvements already are in the pipeline.

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A 2011 a field hockey game at Ocker Field in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines defeated the Nittany Lions 2 to 0.

Joseph Tobianski I AnnArbor.com

The athletic department wants to build a new field hockey team center and grandstand and demolish the team's existing locker rooms, a project estimated to cost $13.5 million. A new 13,000-square-foot building is planned for the space and will include locker rooms, offices, training areas, hydrotherapy pools and broadcast capabilities.

The new stadium area will have the capacity to seat 1,500 people and will include bathrooms and a concessions stand. Ocker Field, where the field hockey team plays, will get new turf, a new scoreboard and new lighting. The project will eliminate 10 parking spots and provide about 33 construction jobs.

The school's baseball and softball fields also will be getting new synthetic turf and improved dugout and field areas at a cost of $2.55 million. Those fields would be installed in spring 2014.

"The synthetic turf product provides a consistent playing field, better drainage and allows both teams to use the fields earlier when compared to natural turf," Brandon and U-M Chief Financial Officer Timothy Slottow said in a memo sent to the school's Board of Regents.

Regents are expected to approve the projects during a Thursday meeting at the Fairlane Center on the school's Dearborn campus.

In March, the board agreed to increase the budget of a new softball center to $5.3 million. The 10,500-square-foot building will replaced the existing center and include staff and team support space and fitness centers.

In May 2012, Brandon announced a plan to pour $250 million in non-revnue sports facilities over the next decade. Future projects include new lacrosse facilities, a $25 million rowing and strength and conditioning facility and a $90 million indoor and outdoor track facility.

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


University of Michigan proposes to raise employee parking permit rates after 1-year freeze

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The University of Michigan plans to institute a one-year freeze on its parking permit rates, followed by three years of increases that range from 2.5 percent to 4.5 percent for the two highest-tier passes.

Permit fees are used to service debt for parking and transportation projects, such as the Wall Street Parking structure that's been approved by regents and will add 525 spaces to U-M's parking portfolio, and toward a $1 million-per-year contribution by U-M Parking & Transportation Services to support a $173 million renewal project of the school's unions and gyms.

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A rendering of the structure approved for Wall Street.

University of Michigan rendering

For fiscal 2014, rates will stay at current levels, which are $1,577 annually for gold permits and $667 for blue permits, the two tiers of passes that allow drivers to park within walking distance of core areas of campus. By 2017 the cost will have increased to $1,774 for gold permits and $722 for blue permits.

For yellow and oranges passes —the two lowest-level permits that cost $153 and $76, respectively— costs will remain unchanged until 2013, when they'll rise 3 percent.

The university contributes $150 annually toward an employee's parking cost and plans to contribute $163 by 2017.

The changes will be voted on by the university's eight-member Board of Regents during a Thursday meeting at the Fairlane Center on the school's Dearborn campus.

In 2017 and the years that follow, the university wants to institute a 3 percent annual parking fee increase, according to a memo to regents signed by U-M Chief Financial Officer Timothy Slottow. Over the past three years parking rates have seen a 3 percent annual increase.

U-M's Ann Arbor campus has more than 23,000 parking spaces in structures and surface lots.

Gold permits allow employees to park on the lower floor of structures adjacent to the hospital. Those permits are in short supply and high demand. Only certain staff are eligible for a gold permit, and most who are must enter a lottery system to receive one. Blue permits also allow employees to park at nearby structures and lots. Yellow and orange permits are usually for remote lots and require parkers to bus onto core areas of campus, although some yellow parking lots are near campus buildings.

Rates for permits to city structures in Ann Arbor are $1,680 a year.

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Source: University of Michigan

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

DFCU Financial opens newest Ann Arbor location

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Customers of DFCU Financial now can use 4 branch offices in Ann Arbor.

The latest branch is newly opened at Plymouth Road Plaza, a mixed-use development on the north side of Ann Arbor.

DFCU Financial was founded in Dearborn in 1950 by a group of seven Ford engineering employees. It’s now Michigan’s largest credit union with more than $3.5 billion in assets.

The credit union actively partners with community organizations. “Our involvement focuses on supporting education-based organizations, including the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation, University of Michigan Health System and University of Michigan Athletics. We are proud to be part of such a dynamic community,” said Mark Shobe, president and CEO of DFCU Financial.

There are seven employees at the branch, including a mortgage loan officer and a financial consultant who split their time between the Ann Arbor branches. The branch has a 24 walk up ATM, and the hours are:

  • Mon. - Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As part of the Plymouth Road Grand Opening, DFCU Financial will donate $25 to the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation for every account opened or loan closed at the Plymouth Road branch. The incentive will be ongoing.

DFCU joins Starbucks Coffee, Great Clips, Big Salad, and LaVida Massage at the new retail plaza which held its official grand opening three weeks ago.

Ann Arbor City Council approves 14-story high-rise at Huron and Division

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The fear of losing an eight-figure lawsuit ultimately kept the Ann Arbor City Council from rejecting a 14-story high-rise development Monday night.

Immediately after the council voted 6-5 to approve the controversial 413 E. Huron St. apartment project, dozens of residents stormed out of city hall.

Shouts of "Disgusting!" and "Shame on you!" could be heard as the pews inside the council chambers emptied.

Earlier as the council deliberated, audience members jeered and literally hissed at council members as they stated they were going to be voting for the project.

The six who voted for the project: Sally Hart Petersen, Christopher Taylor, Margie Teall, Marcia Higgins, Chuck Warpehoski and Mayor John Hieftje.

The five who voted against it: Sumi Kailasapathy, Sabra Briere, Jane Lumm, Stephen Kunselman and Mike Anglin.

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The latest rendering of the 413 E. Huron high-rise showing recently incorporated changes.

Humphreys & Partners Architects

The approval came after about two hours of discussion Monday night. The project has been at the center of an intense community debate for months, spanning multiple council meetings where attorneys for the developer and property owner have made legal threats.

Council members remarked it was one of the toughest decisions they've had to make, and the risk of losing a lawsuit if the project wasn't approved factored into their decision.

Much like they did with the controversial City Place development a couple of years ago, council members begrudgingly approved a project they were less than thrilled about because they felt the developer substantially met the legal requirements and would be able to win in court.

"I don't like a lot about this building, but I'm not willing to in good conscience risk the taxpayers' money," said Teall, D-4th Ward.

"Even if that lawsuit is winnable, it's nonetheless a lawsuit that's going to cost a lot of money for the city," said Petersen, D-2nd Ward.

"I worry that if we deny this, we are going to leave a legacy of ill will amongst developers," she added, suggesting it could stunt Ann Arbor's future economic growth.

Warpehoski, D-5th Ward, said he was casting a "very reluctant" vote for the project because he feared the city could potentially pay tens of millions of dollars in damages if there was a lawsuit.

"Someone suggested that we should stand up to developers — that we should take courageous action," said Taylor, D-3rd Ward.

"I don't fear lawsuits," he added. "I fear losing eight-figure lawsuits."

Hieftje took a moment before the vote to compliment the many residents who have lobbied council in recent months and have opposed the project.

"I've been talking with them and actually meeting with them for a long time," he said. "There have been statements in the community, 'Oh, this is a NIMBY response.' I don't think it's that at all. I think it's a response by number of people who really care deeply about what happens in their city."

Conor McNally, chief development officer with Georgia-based Carter, spoke on behalf of the development team Monday night. He said the building is designed to attract mostly University of Michigan graduate students and young urban professionals.

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Ann Arbor resident Widd Schmidt made this poster to show the proposed 413 E. Huron project — identified by the light yellow building — in relation to its neighborhood.

Courtesy photo

"That's absolutely reflected in the unit configurations," he said. "Almost 60 percent of the units are 1 and 2 bedrooms. There's nothing bigger than a 4-bedroom."

Even though the project has been scaled back slightly, many residents who've spoken out against it still believe it's out of character with the historic neighborhood to the north.

The proposed building measures 263,504 square feet, containing a total of 208 apartments and 513 bedrooms.

"The welfare of many people will be affected by this," said Anglin, D-5th Ward, before casting his vote against the project. "The land values in adjacent areas will probably not be what they once were. The historic district most definitely will be affected."

Lumm, an Independent who represents the 2nd Ward, said she doesn't think the developer did enough to listen to the community.

"Yes, development should occur at this site. No one argues otherwise," she said. "But not development of this size and scale."

Some council members expressed hope that the developer might still consider coming back with revisions to the site plan to make the project more popular with residents. But in terms of further substantive reductions in density, McNally said that's unlikely to happen.

Multiple council members suggested the city's A2D2 rezoning process resulted in the wrong zoning designation for the property in 2009.

The city's customized D1 zoning for the 400 block of East Huron limits new development to 150 feet, but some think D2 step-down zoning with a 60-foot cap would be a better fit.

Hieftje said he appreciated the developer making some changes to improve the proposal, but he agreed with opponents of the project that it still falls short.

"This has always been a problematic site," he added. "For the last several decades leading up to 2009, a massive, tall building could have been put on this site. The 2009 rezoning did not make this a more appealing site to build on. It actually imposed a height limit that wasn't there before."

Higgins, D-4th Ward, said the community consensus from the A2D2 rezoning process was that density belongs in the downtown.

"The place where you have the most friction in urban planning is wherever you have a downtown that rubs up against a residential area, and you will always have friction there, and you will never be able to satisfy every party," she said. "It just doesn't happen."

Hieftje said if he were a developer, he would have stopped investing in student apartment buildings in Ann Arbor "about three buildings ago." But he said some of them do have one- and two-bedroom units, and it's his hope that young professionals and other non-students will rent them.

Briere, D-1st Ward, asked what will be done to encourage recycling and composting at 413 E. Huron. While there will be recycling on every floor, McNally said, there aren't plans for composting yet.

"I am expecting you to come up with solutions for composting since the city does food composting now — raw food — and expects to move toward plate scrapings, including meats and fats, in the next year," Briere said. "I'm really expecting your project to have full composting capacity for its tenants."

McNally said that's something that could be looked at.

Briere raised additional concerns about the potential impact on traffic near Huron and Division, including on Ann Street and Fifth Avenue. She said the developer has failed to provide adequate assurances that the construction will not create a serious nuisance due to poorly designed traffic flow and poorly designed service access for deliveries and trash pickup.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

Trial date set for Ann Arbor psychologist accused of sexual relationship with patient

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Plea negotiations are continuing for the Ann Arbor psychologist charged with four charges of criminal sexual conduct, but a trial date was set in court Monday.

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David Falkner

Courtesy of WCSO

David Falkner, 61, is charged with four counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for having an “inappropriate relationship” with a patient. He was in court Monday when John Shea, his attorney, revealed he is in talks with prosecutors to work out a plea deal.

“We’ve engaged in various discussions related to this case,” Shea said. “But, we’re not able to come to a resolution (at this time).”

Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Darlene O’Brien set a final pretrial date in the case for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 5. Falkner is now scheduled to face trial at 8 a.m. Aug. 19.

Falkner is free on a personal recognizance bond while the case moves forward. He is a retired Ann Arbor Public Schools employee, where he worked as either a social worker or a psychologist, according to school officials. He worked for the school district for 25 years, according to his website.

He is accused of having the inappropriate relationship with a patient while he was working for his private practice in downtown Ann Arbor. He’s been in private practice for 15 years.

Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct is a high-court misdemeanor that is punishable by two years in prison and a fine of $500.

Any sexual relationship between a mental health professional during or two years after a patient is in treatment is a crime under Michigan state law. The consent of the patient is not a defense in these cases.

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

Man sentenced to 6 months in jail for drunken driving at time of fatal crash

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The driver of a minivan that struck and killed an Ypsilanti Township man in August apologized to the man’s family and promised to never drink again at a tearful court hearing Monday.

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Alan Robinson

Courtesy of WCSO

Alan Robinson, who was 38 at the time of the Aug. 25 accident, was sentenced to two years probation and six months in jail for two charges operating while intoxicated with occupants under the age of 16. Robinson was driving the minivan that struck and killed Gregory Andrews, 42, while he was crossing South Harris Road at Share Avenue.

Robinson said he hasn’t had a drink since the night of Andrews’ death, which was ruled an accident by investigators.

“I quit drinking that night and I promise not to drink any more,” he said.

Robinson was charged with two counts of operating while intoxicated with occupants under the age of 16 and one count of operating while intoxicated with the presence of a controlled substance. The latter charge was dropped, records show.

Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Brenda Taylor said Robinson was not charged with operating while intoxicated causing death because Andrews was intoxicated at the time of the crash and a witness told police he stepped off the curb into the path of Robinson’s vehicle.

However, Monda Andrews said in court Monday she still doesn’t believe her brother walked into the street.

Through tears, Monda Andrews told Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Darlene O’Brien one of the witnesses, who told police they saw Gregory Andrews walk off the curb, has retracted that statement. She said the experience of losing her brother has been overwhelming.

“I witnessed my brother laying there,” she said. “I witnessed Mr. Robinson and, after that, I went into a deep shock.”

Robinson told O’Brien he was under the influence but did not cause the crash.

At the time, investigators said it did not appear the driver of the minivan had a lot of time to brake before hitting Andrews.

O’Brien ruled Robinson must serve his six-month jail sentence on the weekends during the course of his probation. He will not be allowed to use or possess alcohol or other drugs, he must do 300 hours of community service and pay $2,687 in fines and costs.

Robinson will enter the Washtenaw County Jail every Friday at 6 p.m. and leave at 6 p.m. every Sunday until the jail sentence is complete.

Taylor argued Robinson should serve a stiffer penalty, such as serving a straight six-month jail sentence. She said a message needed to be sent.

“If he’s done it before, he can easily do it again,” Taylor said. “If it’s his first, it certainly won’t be his last.”

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

U-Va. administrator to become University of Michigan dean of libraries

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University of Michigan has poached University of Virginia's chief information officer to become the Ann Arbor school's dean of libraries.

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James Hilton

U-Va. photo

Upon approval of U-M's eight-member Board of Regents, James L. Hilton will replace Paul Courant on September 1, 2013.

Hilton is a former U-M professor and administrator. He began teaching at the Institute for Social Research in 1985, after he received his doctorate from Princeton University.

At U-M he worked his way up to being appointed an Arthur F. Thurnau Professorship and serving as an associate provost for academic, information and instructional technology affairs. He was also interim university librarian.

In 2006 he went to the U-Va. to become the school's chief information officer.

He is an advocate for using technology in teaching and is working on developing the Digital Preservation Network, an archival backbone designed to catch and preserve discoveries for future. He's also a supporter of large-scale preservation and access initiatives such as Hathi Trust.

"As dean of libraries and university librarian, his vision and leadership will be essential to address the changing nature of information acquisition and knowledge dissemination," U-M Provost Martha Pollack wrote in a memo to regents, who are expected to approve Hilton's appointment at a Thursday meeting.

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

Coach won't count chickens before they hatch, predicts future and more notes

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The prediction of Huron High School water polo coach Justin Thoresen, center, that the Skyline vs. Okemos game would be a one-goal contest came true on Saturday.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

Huron High School water polo coach Justin Thoresen was careful not to count any chickens before they hatched on Friday.

Fresh off of advancing to the semifinal round of the Michigan Water Polo Association District 3 & 6 tournament - and hence advancing to regionals - Thoresen didn’t want to talk about who his team would play in the finals because of the challenge Grand Blanc presented in the semifinals.

Thoresen did discuss the hypothetical situation of his team advancing to the final, but wouldn’t go along with what seemed a foregone conclusion: that last year’s state runner-up, Okemos, would be in Huron’s opponent should it advance. This despite the fact that Okemos is the source of Huron’s only two losses on the year, is ranked No. 2 in the state and has reigning state MVP Katie Dudley in the lineup.

Thoresen was confident crosstown rival Skyline could give Okemos a run for its money.

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Skyline senior Susie Stevens shoots in the game against East Lansing on Friday, May 10.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

“I think it’s going to be a great game. I think it will be a one-goal game,” Thoresen said.

His prediction came true and his apprehension to pencil in the Lady Chieftains in the final proved prudent as Skyline beat Okemos 7-6 in the semifinal. Huron ended up beating Skyline 5-3 in an all-Ann Arbor final.

The Eagles and River Rats weren’t the only Ann Arbor teams playing in district finals. Pioneer beat Saline 8-4 in the District 4 & 5 championship at Saline High School. Just as Skyline took down top-seed Okemos, Saline beat No. 1 seed Dexter 6-5 in the semifinal round.

Pioneer, Huron, Skyline, Saline and Dexter will all compete at the East Regional championships at Saline High School on Friday along with Birmingham Groves, Okemos and Grand Blanc with the top four teams advancing to the state championships May 31 and June 1 at Rockford High School.

Bare bones

Two injuries left the 11-person Willow Run softball team with no wiggle room in its lineup on Wednesday and self-inflicted wounds eventually led to a forfeit.

The Flyers were already down to just nine healthy players against River Rouge when in the fourth inning a player was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct in the team dugout. Rather than continue the game with eight players, coach Duane Edwards chose to forfeit the game. The Flyers bounced back and beat Dearborn Heights Robichaud on Friday.

Athletes of the Week

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Chelsea High School senior Michael Hovater.

Mike Mulholland | MLive.com file photo

Michael Hovater, Chelsea track and field: Won the pole vault with a height of 14-feet, nine inches on Saturday at the River Rat Invitational at Huron High School. According to Athletic.Net, it is the highest height cleared in Division 2 so far this season and tied for the second highest height in the state across all divisions.

Kayla Boote, Manchester softball: Had eight hits in three games, including three doubles and two home runs and a walk-off home run, in a 9-8 win over Dexter as Manchester won its own invitational over the weekend. Boote had 15 RBIs and scored five runs as the Flying Dutch went 3-0. Boote also had five RBIs in a doubleheader sweep of East Jackson on Thursday.

By the numbers

5: Goals scored by Lincoln lacrosse player Parker Foote in a 14-2 win over Ypsilanti on Friday.

8: Goals scored in three games by Manchester forward Jessie Manders in three games as the Flying Dutch won the Hanover Invitational. Manders also played goalie for the team during a shootout win over Coldwater.

9: Goal scorers for the Pioneer boys lacrosse team in its 14-0 win over Huron on Friday.

12: Strikeouts thrown by Willow Run softball pitcher Candace Calhoun in 12-5 win over Dearborn Heights Robichaud on Friday.

13: Rounds of the shootout between the Manchester and Coldwater girls soccer teams at the Hanover Initational.

15: RBIs for Kayla Boote in three games at the Manchester Invitational. Boote had eight hits including three doubles and two home runs with a walk-off home run in a 9-8 win over Dexter.

Potent quotables

“I think it’s going to be a great game. I think it will be a one-goal game.”

-- Huron High School girls water polo coach Justin Thoresen the day before Skyline’s 7-6 win over Okemos in district play.

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


Former Ann Arborite and 'world's best artist' Mitch O'Connell to bring book signing party to Vault of Midnight

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Many artists are self-conscious and willing to be their biggest critic. Not Mitch O'Connell. His website starts with the sentence, "Mitch can be summed up in 3 words: Hot, Handsome and Hunkalicious!" And his new book is titled "Mitch O'Connell: The World's Best Artist."

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Generally, that also might be a sign of severe insecurity, but when you see him and his new book at Vault of Midnight, you'll know those are more than just things he tells himself to get to sleep at night. He is an incredible graphic artist who has been featured in Rolling Stone, Playboy, Newsweek, Time and The New Yorker, among others. And if you're looking to get a tattoo, get this book.

Mitch is from right here in Ann Arbor, and hr promises big things. Just take it from his Facebook page; there will be "the most amazing burlesque performers of the mitten state...Dolly Dagger and Gala Delish," a gallery show of Mitch O'Connell masterpieces, adult beverages, free gifts, streamers, multiple balloons and, "best of all, Mitch O'Connell- IN PERSON!"

This event is for those ages 21 and over.

Check out his website; you'll want to be his best friend: mitchoconnell.com/.

Saturday, May 18, 2013. 6-10 p.m. Vault of Midnight is located at 219 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-998-1413.

Demolition of Liberty Square townhome complex to begin within 3 weeks

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The Liberty Square townhome complex will soon be demolished.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

The end of the abandoned, decaying Liberty Square townhome complex is near.

Ypsilanti Township has received a $654,000 grant for the demolition of Liberty Square and awarded the contract to a demolition firm.

Demolition is expected to begin June 1.

The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees approved receiving the grant money and the demolition contract at its Monday, May 13 meeting.

“I know residents and business owners and the school across the street have been waiting years for this to happen,” Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo said.

The contract was awarded to Bay City-based Dore and Associates, which Mike Radzik, director of the office of community standards, said provided the lowest bid and was the most qualified company.

The 151-unit and 17-building Liberty Square complex has sat abandoned since late 2011. It was largely vacant during a two-year process to clear it of its remaining tenants and for the township to convince a court to order it vacated and demolished.

It remains a drain on township and police resources. Radzik said 15 boarded up units were broken into last week and the township has to pay $100 to re-secure each.

The grant funds were part of a $97 million settlement banks agreed to pay the state of Michigan for the banks' role in the foreclosure crisis.

That money was earmarked for foreclosure prevention and blight elimination. The settlement came after a national class action lawsuit filed by Michigan, 48 other states and the federal government.

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Liberty Square

Tom Perkins | AnnArbor.com

Selecting projects and distributing money was done through a partnership among the Michigan State Department of Human Services, Michigan Land Bank and Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

The awards ranged from a $10,000 sum given to the Houghton County Land Bank to as high as approximately $3.7 million that was given to the Genesee County Land Bank. All geographic regions of the state were represented.

According to a news release from the DHS, the state allocated $25 million of the $97 million settlement toward a Blight Elimination Program “to help communities demolish vacant and abandoned properties with the goal of promoting public safety, stabilizing property values and enhancing current and future development opportunities.”

Detroit was awarded $10 million of those funds, while 90 other municipalities and agencies applied for the remaining money.

The $654,000 includes the direct cost of demolition, but does not include the more than $170,000 the township has spent on legal fees, board-up fees, an asbestos survey and asbestos abatement.

A Washtenaw County Circuit Court judge ordered it demolished within 60 days last August. There was an appeal to the ruling by several of the vacated complex’s former owners, but no stay was filed on the order. Around nine units were occupied at the time.

The township’s efforts to get the property brought up to code or, when complex leadership failed to do that, demolished, began in early 2008 when notices of violation for upkeep issues were posted on 68 units.

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Liberty Square

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

Last month, the Michigan State Court of Appeals upheld a Washtenaw County Circuit order for the complex to be demolished.

Among the issues cited during the court case:

  • None of the units were weather tight.
  • The majority of roofs needed to be replaced.
  • Fascia throughout the complex had decayed.
  • There was extensive damage from vandalism.
  • More than 50 percent of the windows were broken.
  • Vermin, rodents and birds had infiltrated many vacant units.
  • Improper crawl space construction with lack of ventilation had caused wood rot at the thresholds.
  • Foundations at the front and rear entrances of the units appeared to be water damaged and failing.
  • There was extensive water damage in the interior of many units.
  • Most units were stripped by previous owners and vandals.
  • Wood in the buildings was rotting and “like butter”, according to an independent architect.

The approval of the contract with Dore is contingent on ensuring that the company plans to install adequate fencing around the project. Trustee Stan Eldridge said he wanted to ensure Dore is securing the site to keep anyone from getting in during the demolition process.

“I want to make sure it’s secure and little kids don’t get in there and be where they shouldn’t be,” he said.

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

Ypsilanti's Dedrick Martin is finalist in 2nd superintendent search -- this time Kalamazoo

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Ypsilanti Public Schools Superintendent Dedrick Martin was recruited as a finalist for the superintendency of the Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency.

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Dedrick Martin

KRESA is the intermediate school district that oversees and supports nine traditional districts and five charter academies in Kalamazoo County.

KRESA's board conducted a "targeted" search for its next leader, according to a report on MLive. The board requested recommendations from current KRESA Superintendent Ron Fuller and the head of the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators. They compiled a list of eight possible candidates, the MLive report says; and those eight people — including Martin — were encouraged to apply for the position.

The targeted recruitment yielded four applications. Martin; David J. Campbell, superintendent of the Livingston Educational Service Agency; and Curtis E. Finch Jr., superintendent of the Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District north of Grand Rapids, all were offered interviews for the position, according to MLive. The fourth applicant's name was not released.

The public interviews will take place on May 23.

This is the second superintendent position Martin has been named a finalist for. He also was tapped as one of three contenders for the superintendency at St. Johns Public Schools.

Martin is one of many administrators from Ypsilanti Public Schools job-hunting in light of the district's upcoming merger with neighbor Willow Run Community Schools.

Ypsilanti's executive director of human resources, Sharon Irvine, resigned in March to accept an assistant superintendent's position with Warren Consolidated Schools; Scott Snyder, executive director of facilities and operations for Ypsilanti, is one of two finalists for the superintendency at Monroe Public Schools; and Assistant Superintendent of Educational Quality Jennifer Martin is one of four contenders for a superintendent's opening in Romulus Community Schools.

But of the above central administrators, Martin is the only one who has been offered a job at the new Ypsilanti Community Schools district. Martin has been told he will be retained as an associate superintendent for the district, although the details of his new contract have not been finalized.

The new district would have been financially responsible for honoring the current contracts of Martin and Willow Run Superintendent Laura Lisiscki whether or not they were rehired by the YCS district. Lisiscki also was offered a role as an associate superintendent of YCS.

Martin and Lisiscki's contracts had to be upheld because they are individual contracts with their districts, not affiliated with a collective bargaining unit, and there are no clauses stating the contracts can be terminated or non-renewed due to economic conditions.

Because a clause of this nature does not exist, even though the Ypsilanti and Willow Run districts will be dissolved on June 30, case law establishes the contract provisions then become the liability of the successor organization.

MLive reports the Kalamazoo RESA superintendent earns a base salary of $168,140 and has a total compensation package worth $260,000.

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

Road Commission to host Wednesday meeting on roundabout construction at State and Ellsworth

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The second phase of construction of a roundabout at State and Ellsworth roads in Pittsfield Township. The construction area is in black and is closed to through traffic, while the pink denotes the resulting road closure.

Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Road Commission

The Washtenaw County Road Commission will be hosting a meeting Wednesday afternoon to inform residents, business owners and commuters of the construction schedule for a new roundabout at South State and Ellsworth roads in Pittsfield Township.

The meeting will be 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Pittsfield Township Hall at 6201 W. Michigan Ave.

Representatives from the Road Commission will be giving a short presentation on the scope of the project, including the plan for road closures and detour routes, and then will answer questions.

Construction of the $2.4 million, two-lane roundabout is slated to begin June 3. The roundabout will take the place of the traffic signal at the intersection.

About $470,000 of the project cost is attributed to the replacement of a 30-inch water main at the site.

The bulk of the project will be paid for with federal funds from a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant and Surface Transportation Program-Urban dollars.

Costco, which built a store on Ellsworth that opened in June 2012, is contributing $500,000 to the project.

The remainder of the cost will be split between the city of Ann Arbor and the Road Commission, McCulloch said.

Additionally, Pittsfield Township will consider a resolution to invest $21,000 of its money in concrete work at the roundabout -- which the city of Ann Arbor may match.

The Road Commission awarded the contract for the project to the lowest bidder, Pamar Enterprises Inc., which is based in New Haven.

One lane of traffic in each direction on South State Street will be maintained during the construction in the project limits, which extend from just south of Interstate 94 to the Ann Arbor Airport.

However, sections of Ellsworth Road will be completely blocked during the project.

“There’s going to be delays,” said Mark McCulloch, project engineer for the Road Commission. “If you can avoid it, it would be in your best interest.”

Construction of the roundabout will be completed in five phases.

The first phase will begin June 3 and will consist of preliminary site work. McCulloch said it should last from one to two weeks.

Road closures will begin in the second phase in mid-June and should last to the middle or end of July, McCulloch said.

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Phase 3 of construction of the roundabout. The construction area is in black and is closed to through traffic, while the pink denotes the resulting road closure.

Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Road Commission

During the second phase, the west leg of Ellsworth Road at State will be completely closed to through traffic.

For drivers traveling on the east-west route, the posted detour route will be along Airport Boulevard.

Properties on Ellsworth west of State will still be accessible by way of Airport Boulevard or from the west side, McCulloch said.

The third phase will begin mid-August and last until the end of the month, McCulloch said.

During the third phase, Ellsworth Road to the east of State will be completely closed to through traffic. The posted detour route will be Research Park Drive.

The entire project will be completed by the middle to end of September, McCulloch said.
View Washtenaw County Road Commission work 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.

U-M grads (and songwriting team) Pasek and Paul talk about their first Tony nomination

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The New York Times, on May 8, published a short interview with U-M musical theater grads ('07) Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who have been nominated for a Tony Award (among others) for their original score for "A Christmas Story: The Musical." (The 2013 Tony Awards will air on CBS on Sunday, June 9 at 8 p.m.)

The article explains that Pasek and Paul replaced the composer initially slated to score the show, and the duo answers questions about their first memories of watching the Tonys, what they think of the other artists in their category, and what their plans are for the evening.

"We each get a plus-one," Paul quipped. "Our families, should they choose to accept, can pay an exorbitant fee to attend."

Read the New York Times article here.

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.

University of Michigan announces new transportation research center

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The creation of a new University of Michigan Mobility Transformation Center was announced Tuesday with the aim of changing the way we think about how people and products move from place to place.

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Researchers from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute will make up a key component of the new Mobility Transformation Center.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

According to a press release from the university, a major focus of the new center will be a “model deployment” built in part on the connected vehicle study under way at the U-M Transportation Research Institute. By putting new technologies into existing vehicles, researchers can test new and emerging concepts both on and off the road.

The new center will focus on these emerging technologies as well as on the policy and economic issues that surround changing transportation infrastructure.

“Some of the biggest challenges we face are not technical,” Stephen Forrest , U-M's vice president for research, said in a statement.

"There are many social, political, regulatory and economic issues that must be addressed in order to realize the promise of technological advances. With our acknowledged strengths in these areas, and our culture of interdisciplinary cooperation, U-M is uniquely suited to address the full complexity of the challenges ahead."

University spokesperson David Lampe said in an interview that most of the new center’s participants already are working at the university’s various schools and colleges. The center will have some dedicated staff who will begin work in the North Campus Research Complex.

Seed funding for the new center primarily will be drawn from existing research funding from UMTRI, the office of the vice president for research, the College of Engineering and the U-M Energy Institute.

“We’re also in the process of approaching industry sources as well as state and federal government sources for funding, especially the U.S. Department of Transportation,” Lampe said.

UMTRI director Peter Sweatman will also direct the new center. He said in a statement that the technologies being tested at the center could both increase the safety of travel and bring economic benefits.

"Integrating the most promising approaches to mobility into a coordinated system could reduce motor vehicle fatalities and injuries as well as energy consumption and carbon emissions by as much as a factor of 10," he said.

"We also estimate that freight transportation costs could be cut by a factor of 3, and the need for parking could go down by a factor of five."

The university said in the release that the new center will collaborate with both the government and the transportation industry to make improvements to travel for both humans and cargo.

“U-M has a long history of automotive research and collaborations with industry,” U-M College of engineering dean David Munson said in a statement.

“The MTC will help us take our commitment to a new level and allow us to work together to pave the way for the future.”

The University of Michigan is in the midst of hosting the Global Symposium on Connected Vehicles and Infrastructure. The three-day event, attended by US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, features a range of speakers and panels dealing with issues related to V2V (Vehicle to Vehicle) and V2I (Vehicle to Infrastructure) connection.

Symposium attendees also will have the opportunity to meet with UMTRI researchers and learn about the ongoing connected vehicles study that includes more than 3,000 cars, trucks and busses communicating with each other and the local infrastructure.

The Ann Arbor City Council voted Monday night to accept a portion of the $14.9 million grant from the Department of Transportation that helps pay for the project. The federal funds will help reimburse the city for costs incurred while installing the necessary fibers, sensors and electronic equipment.

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

Trial date set for man accused of stabbing wife to death

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The Pittsfield Township man accused of stabbing his wife to death in January will face trial in July, according to court records.

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Jean-Pierre Trias

Courtesy of the WCSO

Jean-Pierre Trias, 44, faces one count of open murder for allegedly killing 53-year-old Katherine Porter. Porter died of multiple stab wounds and was found bloodied and bruised in a bathroom at the couple’s home in the 4700 block of Hickory Pointe Boulevard on Jan. 11.

Records show Trias will return to court for a final pretrial hearing at 1:30 p.m., June 18, when all motions in the case must be filed. His trial is scheduled to being at 8 a.m. July 15, according to court records.

The dates were set at a pretrial hearing in front of Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Donald Shelton on May 7.

It’s alleged that Trias stabbed Porter multiple times the night before Porter’s body was discovered by Pittsfield Township police officers sent to the home to check on Trias. Testimony at a preliminary exam showed Trias called his brother earlier in the day and said he blacked out the previous night, woke up with injuries to his face and he didn’t know if he hurt anyone.

Trias and Porter had been married since August 1995.

Trias filed for divorce in November 2010, but the couple reconciled. No evidence presented at this point has shown a history of domestic violence in the couple’s relationship.

Trias is a former employee of Eastern Michigan Univeristy, where he worked from September 2003 until Dec. 31, 2012, in the mathematics department. University officials said he worked off and on at the university and held a part-time position as a coordinator of math tutoring and testing services. He also worked as a graduate assistant.

Trias is being held in the Washtenaw County Jail without bond as the case proceeds. If convicted, he faces a maximum of life in prison.

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


2 contested Ann Arbor City Council races on Aug. 6 primary ballot

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The Aug. 6 primary ballot in Ann Arbor is set after Tuesday's filing deadline came and went for partisan candidates interested in running for City Council.

Five incumbents are seeking re-election this year, but only two of them — Marcia Higgins and Stephen Kunselman — will have to defend their seats in the primary.

Higgins, D-4th Ward, is up against neighborhood activist Jack Eaton, while Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, is being challenged by Julie Grand, chairwoman of the city's Park Advisory Commission.

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The winners of both primary races could face an Independent opponent in November. Independents have until Aug. 7 to file to run in November and four already have pulled petitions.

Independent Samuel Devarti, who has pulled petitions but hasn't yet filed, could face off against the 3rd Ward primary winner in November.

Independent Noah Weber, who has pulled petitions but hasn't yet filed, could face off against the 4th Ward primary winner in November.

Kirk Westphal, chairman of the city's Planning Commission, filed to run as a Democrat in the 2nd Ward and will advance unopposed to compete in the November general election.

It's expected Westphal will compete in November against 2nd Ward incumbent Jane Lumm, an Independent, though Lumm has not yet pulled petitions. Another potential 2nd Ward candidate, Independent Conrad Brown, has pulled petitions but hasn't yet filed.

Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward, faces no opposition in the August primary, but she could face Independent Jaclyn Vresics in November. Vresics pulled nominating petitions but hasn't yet filed.

Mike Anglin, D-5th Ward, has no opponents at this point. Tom Partridge, a 5th Ward resident who's known for frequently speaking out at council meetings, pulled nominating petitions to run against Anglin as a Democrat but he failed to meet Tuesday's deadline to turn in signatures.

It's unclear at this point how many of the potential Independent candidates are affiliated with the Ann Arbor Mixed Use Party, a University of Michigan student group that vowed earlier this year to put up a slate of candidates. The Ann Arbor Chronicle reported Vresics is a member of the group.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

Man sentenced to 30-60 years in prison for 'egregious, horrible abuse of an innocent child'

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Jill Miller dropped her 14-month-old son Chase off at Michael Curtiss’ home on Oct. 21. She’d never see her son alive again.

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Michael Curtiss

Curtiss pleaded no contest to killing Chase after a night of heroin-fueled abuse just before his trial was set to begin last month. He was sentenced Tuesday to 30 to 60 years in prison for the child’s death.

At sentencing, Miller stood a few feet away from Curtiss and, through the grief only a parent who has lost a child can understand, told him exactly how Chase’s death has changed her family’s lives.

She detailed how doctors told her Chase couldn’t be revived. She spelled out how her two daughters still have nightmares about Chase and his death, how they can’t stand to be away from their mother. Through sobs, she told the court how her 6-year-old daughter stood next to her dying brother, begging for him to “come back to her.”

“No words can fully describe the Hell my daughters and I have to face every day,” she said.

Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Donald Shelton sentenced Curtiss to 30 to 60 years in prison on charges of second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse. Shelton said he intended on sending Curtiss, 34, to prison long enough so he couldn’t physically harm anyone else during his lifetime.

“This is the most egregious, horrible abuse of an innocent child I’ve seen in those two decades,” Shelton told Curtiss, referring to the judge’s 23 years on the bench.

Curtiss’ prison sentence is the conclusion of a heartbreaking case that nearly went to trial before Curtiss accepted a plea deal on April 15.

It started when Miller dropped Chase off at Curtiss’ home in the 1100 block of Fall River Road. Miller and Curtiss were dating at the time. At 12:30 a.m. Oct. 21, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the residence for a report of a child possibly choking. What they found when they arrived was much worse.

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Chase Miller

Curtiss was holding Chase, who had no signs of life. The child was rushed to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, where he died despite several attempts by doctors to resuscitate him.

Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Blake Hatlem laid out the details of the crime in court Tuesday to make sure they would be read at any parole hearings Curtiss has in the future. Hatlem said Chase was thrown against a wall, held on a toilet — which he later fell into — and then forcefully shoved into a TV stand. Chase fell into the TV stand head-first, causing the blunt force trauma that killed him.

Hatlem’s description of the offense caused members of the gallery in Shelton’s courtroom to gasp and weep. At times, Hatlem could hardly be heard over the sobs of Miller and Benjamin Miller, Chase’s father.

Hatlem, who often deals with heinous sexual assaults and other violent crimes, called the incident “easily the most horrific crime I’ve dealt with in my 15 years as a prosecutor.”

Hatlem said Curtiss repeatedly lied about his involvement in Chase’s death and, for several hours at one point, told police his own 6-year-old son was responsible for the 14-month-old boy’s death.

In a damning final remark, Hatlem said Curtiss will have to spend the rest of his life thinking about what he did to the child.

“He knows what he did,” Hatlem said. “... When those lights go off and the years tick away, he will know his only purpose in life is that he is a baby killer.”

Curtiss spoke in an unwavering voice before Shelton sentenced him, apologizing to Chase’s family and his own for what happened. He said he is not a heartless person.

“All this is a terrible accident that should have never happened,” he said, adding, “I should have been more careful with Chase.”

Washtenaw County First Assistant Public Defender Lorne Brown said Chase’s death was an accident and direct result of “drugs and anger.” Curtiss told police he snorted heroin 20 minutes before the rampage that resulted in Chase’s death. He said the drug makes him angry.

“It’s not an attempt to deprive anyone of their son,” Brown said.

Curtiss’ words, and Shelton’s sentence, will come as little comfort to Chase’s family.

Jessica Dotson, Miller’s best friend who considered herself to be Chase’s aunt, said the images of Chase’s body — lifeless and bruised in a hospital bed and then a casket — will never leave her. It’s a bitter pill to swallow that Curtiss will go to prison and live, while Chase is never coming home.

“What makes his life more important than Chase’s?” she said in a statement provided to AnnArbor.com. “Michael gets to live. He will get three meals a day. He will have a roof over his head. Chase doesn’t have that chance.”

Miller ran down the formative events in a boy’s life — fishing with his father, going on his first date, going to school — and choked up, hardly able to get the words out.

“I will never see the man my son would’ve become.”

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

Woman pleads guilty but mentally ill in fatal stabbing of father

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Susan Wade will serve at least 20 years in prison after pleading guilty but mentally ill to second-degree murder for killing her father last June.

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Susan Wade

Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office

Wade, 49, admitted in court Tuesday to stabbing Ronald Mason, 86, multiple times. Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Donald Shelton accepted the plea agreement, which will see a count of open murder dismissed at sentencing.

According to portions of reports read aloud by Shelton in court Tuesday, Wade suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and was having auditory hallucinations at the time she killed Mason. In a report from Dr. Phillip Margolis, professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Michigan, the auditory hallucinations were cited as one reason for the murder.

“She could not control her behavior, goaded by the voices, referring to auditory hallucinations … Mrs. Wade killed her father,” Shelton said, reading from the Margolis report.

Wade stabbed Mason between 20 and 30 times on June 9, 2012 at his home in the 1700 block of Covington Drive in Ann Arbor. Police said Wade stabbed Mason while he slept and then returned later on when she thought she saw him moving.

In court Tuesday, Wade said she only was visiting her father for a week at his home but had not been taking her medication. She was on weekly injections and taking pills daily to combat her mental illness, according to a report done by the Forensic Center.

When asked if she was trying to kill her father, Wade became choked up.

“No, I wasn’t your honor, but I was not taking my medication,” she said, pausing for breath. “I’m very sorry for what I did.”

Wade said in court she is a widow and her mother, Mason’s wife, also had passed away. She repeatedly attributed the incident to not taking her medication.

“I didn’t take my medication, so I don’t know what I was thinking about,” she said.

Wade’s attorneys, Washtenaw County Assistant Public Defenders Gina Noveskey and Chris Renna, intended to argue at trial Wade was not guilty by reason of insanity. The Margolis report would have indicated she was not criminally responsible for her actions at the time of Mason’s death.

However, Noveskey said Wade decided to waive her right to a trial and accept the plea deal instead.

Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Blaine Longsworth provided the Margolis report, the Forensic Center report and the preliminary exam transcript as proof of Wade’s mental illness.

“The defendant was mentally ill at the time she killed her father,” Longsworth told Shelton.

Under a plea of guilty but mentally ill, Wade will be subject to the same criminal sentence she would be under a normal guilty plea. However, with the plea, she will be given psychiatric care for her mental illness. The Michigan Department of Corrections or the Michigan Department of Community Health may provide the treatment, according to state law.

Shelton will set the maximum sentence at sentencing, which is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. June 11. She remains lodged at 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.

Student guilty of swinging crutch in Huron-Pioneer brawl gets 4 months probation

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The Pioneer High School student who pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge from the Pioneer-Huron High School football brawl received four months probation Tuesday.

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Bashir Garain

Courtesy of WSCO

Bashir Garain was sentenced on one count of assault with a dangerous weapon Tuesday. Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Donald Shelton sentenced Garain to four months of probation under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act. If Garain completes his probation successfully, the conviction will be wiped off his criminal record.

“I’m not a bad person,” Garain said in court Tuesday. “This is just something that happened.”

Garain pleaded guilty April 5 to swinging a crutch toward a group of players during the Oct. 12 brawl. As a part of a plea deal, a second count of assault with a dangerous weapon and two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery were dismissed.

Garain said he plans to graduate from high school next month and then will enroll at Washtenaw Community College to continue his education. Shelton made graduating from high school and enrolling in college a condition of his probation.

He also will be required to pay $1,741 in court costs and fees. He said he plans to get a couple of jobs during the summer to pay those costs off.

Three students were charged in the brawl that began after a confrontation between the two teams’ coaching staffs. The coaches met near midfield and began a verbal altercation that turned physical when assistant coach Vince Wortmann shoved Huron head coach Cory Gildersleeve.

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

None of the coaches were charged in the melee, which has ruffled the feathers of community members and resulted in protests before many of the teens’ court hearings.

One 17-year-old student, who was 16 when charged as a juvenile, was found responsible for an assault during the brawl was sentenced to six months of probation and a $50 fine last month. He too would have the conviction expunged from his criminal record if he completes probation successfully.

However, his family plans to appeal the probation sentence. The teen was found responsible for assaulting Will Harris during the brawl, but denied ever touching Harris.

A second 17-year-old boy charged as a juvenile rejected a plea offer that would have included similar deals Garain and the other teen received. He has a jury trial scheduled for June 24.

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 tops Greenhills in girls tennis, both teams look forward to regionals

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Greenhills' Rae Schuller hits a ball against Saline's Mary Hanna Tuesday at Saline.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

The atmosphere was relaxed Tuesday afternoon at the Saline High School tennis courts. One last non-league dual before the race to the state finals begins.

Saline topped Greenhills, 7-1 Tuesday afternoon as both teams tuned up for regional competitions later this week.

More Coverage: Boxscore

The Hornets won three singles matches, including a 6-0, 6-0 win by Mary Hanna at No. 1 that moved the senior to 23-0 on the season. Anjali Purohit notched the lone Gryphons win on the day at No. 4 singles, taking a three-set win over Saline’s Sonia Patel.

Saline swept the doubles portion, dropping only eight games.

Both Saline and Greenhills are ranked No. 10 in their respective divisions in the most recent coaches association rankings.

Greenhills, the AnnArbor.com team of the week, now moves on to host its regional competition Thursday. The Gryphons finished in third at last year’s Division 4 state finals.

Saline will play its Division 1 regional at Canton Friday, alongside Huron, Pioneer and Skyline.

“It’s a very tough regional and now Skyline’s up and running full bore, it’s four top ten teams,” Saline coach Andy DeBell said. “Four top ten teams in the same regional, that’s tough.”

Hanna, a No. 1 singles state semifinalist last year will be among the favorites to take home this year’s state title. And past that, the Hornets are looking for a few flights to join her in the regional finals to help the Hornets advance.

“It would be good to get, besides Mary into the final, a couple other flights,” DeBell said. “If we get three flights into the final we’re sure to make it to the state tournament. But we’ve got to play to get there.”

The Hornets’ best shot to do that is at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Both teams received three seeds in the tournament draw Monday.

“If they win their first matches, they’ll play Pioneer in the semis,” DeBell said. “We played them close all year.”

The Gryphons will host a regional Thursday that includes three of the top four Division 4 teams in the state in the most recent coaches rankings: No. 2 Father Gabriel Richard, No. 3 Grosse Ile and No. 4 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central.

“I think realistically one tries to look for flashes, sparks that you can turn into a fire," Greenhills coach Mark Randolph said. "We’re looking for kids to execute some of the stuff we’ve been working on and see if we can grab some momentum.”

The Gryphons’ top seed Thursday will be the No. 4 doubles team of Makaila DeSano-Smith and Anicka Gajar, who received the No. 2 regional seed after beating the teams from Gabriel Richard and SMCC during the regular season.

“They stand a pretty good chance,” Randolph said. "They’ve had a good season.”

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.

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