Catch a high-definition screening of Arthur Wing Pinero’s The Magistrate by the National Theatre on the big screen at the Michigan Theater.
John Lithgow in "The Magistrate"
photo by Johan Persson | from the National Theatre
This screening is a delayed cinema broadcast of a live performance at the National Theatre in London.
Sunday, February 10, 2013. 7 p.m. $12-22. The Michigan Theater is located at 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor. 734-668-8397.
The Ypsilanti Community Ninth African American Read In will be hosted by the Ypsilanti District Library.
This is a national event. "The goal is to make the celebration of African American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month activities," according to the National Council of Teachers of English website.
Sunday, February 10, 2013, 2-4 p.m. at the Whittaker Road Branch, 5577 Whittaker Road. This is a free event for the entire family. For more information on this event visit the event web site at www.africanamericanread-2013.weebly.com or call 734-482-4110.
Will the presidential drama portraying Lincoln's fight for the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment walk away with the award for best picture at the 85th annual Academy Awards? Or will challengers including the likes of "Les Miserables" and "Zero Dark Thirty" steal the spotlight?
We won't find out until Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, but if you can foretell the winners in seven of the main categories you may be heading to the big screen more often next year, thanks to Goodrich Quality 16 Theater. To enter the contest, complete the online entry form with your predictions then grab your popcorn and hope your predictions were correct.
The Prizes:
Three winner will receive movie passes to the Quality 16 Theater on Jackson Road in Ann Arbor.
1st Place - 52 movie passes
2nd Place - 26 movie passes
3rd Place - 12 movie passes
The Deadline:
You have until 11:59 on Friday, Feb. 23, 2013 to enter. The winner will be announced over on the Quality 16 Facebook page.
The Details:
Responses will be scored on how many categories are predicted correctly. If there are multiple correct ballots, a random drawing will be held for each place from the correct ballots in each place category. Official contest guidelines can be found on the Quality 16 website.
The Avett Brothers play at the Michigan Theater in 2010.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo
“The Avett Brothers are a terrific success story. It's been fun to watch their popularity increase exponentially over the last few years on both the local and national scenes,” said Marianne James, executive director of The Ark, which is presenting the show.
“They're also a great example of how The Ark works with artists to help build a regional audience,” she added. “We first presented them in The Ark in 2007 and 2008 and they played to audiences of 282 and 365 people. People who were there definitely have some bragging rights.
“We presented them next in 2010 in the Michigan Theater, which is 1,700 seats, and they sold it out. Then we featured them as the Friday night headliner for the 2011 Ann Arbor Folk Festival in Hill Auditorium, which sold out at 3,500 seats. This year we've brought them back to Hill on their own and it's another sold-out show. We're big fans and glad to see them doing so well,” James said.
The band is touring in support of its new album, “The Carpenter.” The past two years have seen The Avett Brothers really catch fire, thanks to a major label deal, a mentor in the form of respected producer Rick Rubin, and their breakthrough 2009 album "I and Love and You.”
The Avett Brothers
Thanks to their past appearances here, local fans know an Avett Brothers’ live show is a sing-along, clap-along, dance-along, high-energy affair, with the audience on its feet for much of the set.
Like so many bands, The Avett Brothers are hard to classify musically, shifting from quiet balladry to power chords, sometimes within the same song. In the words of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, they're “a band that exploits the tensions between the rustic Old South and the cosmopolitan New South, between rootsy bluegrass and rowdy punk rock, between reverence and irreverence.”
Said Stephen Thompson of NPR: "'The Carpenter' carries serious thematic weight—fully half its songs address death in some way or another. But there's still an appealing sense of lightness to it, whether in the lilting 'Down With the Shine,' the churning rocker 'Pretty Girl From Michigan' (the latest in a long line of The Avett Brothers' 'Pretty Girl From [Place]' songs), and playfully stompy rave-ups like the 97-second 'Geraldine.’”
The new album’s first single, “Live and Die,” is banjo-driven, which just goes to show how much more accepted the banjo has become as an instrument, Scott Avett told Rolling Stone in a 2012 interview.
“There's teenagers playing the banjo again! When I was a teenager, that was ridiculous,” he said.
“‘I and Love and You’ was kind of the freshman attempt at Chapter Two of our existence as a band. This record is a much purer approach to that, which will be joyful and more painful in some ways,” Avett added.
- Related story: Downed wire sends Ann Arbor Roberto Clemente students home
Update at 12:10 p.m.: School officials announced Skyline students are being sent home, as DTE Energy officials are unable to guarantee when the power will be back on.
A power outage on Ann Arbor's northwest side is affecting 300 customers, including Skyline High School, DTE Energy officials said.
Skyline High School
Ann Arbor Public Schools Communications Director Liz Margolis said class currently will continue as normal for Skyline students.
"Generators are up and running. A couple of classrooms that don't always have a lot of good, natural light have been moved. But there are no plans right now to send students home," Margolis said.
Power outages have occurred at Skyline High School a few times this school year already, once in October and once in December. Students were sent home both times. Margolis said district officials have been working closely with DTE Energy to report these problems and to figure out what is going wrong.
Simons said he is not sure what is causing Skyline's frequent outages, adding that area of town is "not one of our problem circuits."
Margolis said students could be sent home today if it looks like the power will not be restored for a few more hours. She said school officials are assessing the situation.
This screenshot of the DTE Energy outage map shows the areas affect by power outages in Ann Arbor as of 11 a.m. Friday morning.
From DTE Energy
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Inclement weather is causing cancellations of Friday night athletic events throughout Washtenaw County.
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
Below is a list of games that will be played as scheduled, followed by a list of games that have been postponed. Several schools have yet to make a decision about their games, so stay tuned as we will be updating this file throughout the day.
Scheduled Games
Boys Basketball
Dexter at Chelsea, 7 p.m.
Pioneer at Huron, 7 p.m.
Milan at Riverview, 7 p.m.
Skyline at Saline, 7 p.m.
Ypsilanti at Lincoln, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Dexter at Chelsea, 5:30 p.m.
Lincoln at Ypsilanti, 5:30 p.m.
Pioneer at Huron, 5:30 p.m.
Skyline at Saline, 5:30 p.m.
Postponed games
Boys Basketball
Detroit Community at Willow Run, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Willow Run at Detroit Community, 5:30 p.m.
The former Borders headquarters on Phoenix Drive has been sold to an undisclosed buyer.
AnnArbor.com file photo
The 330,000-square-foot former headquarters of Ann Arbor-based bookstore chain Borders Group Inc. was sold this week for an undisclosed amount.
The property, at 100 Phoenix Drive, was listed in April 2012 for $6.9 million.
Jim Chaconas of Colliers International was the broker of the deal. McKinley Inc. had been manager of the property
McKinley CEO Albert Berriz said he could not provide specific information about who purchased the property or what the future use may be.
"We can't provide much more data as we are bound by (a) confidentiality agreement," Berriz wrote in an email. "However, Jim and his team did a terrific job disposing of the asset for our client."
Berriz said McKinley performed extensive repairs and maintenance throughout the building and also improved the appearance of the building.
The campus consists of two buildings, one that’s approximately 87,000 square feet and one that’s about 243,000 square feet. They were built in 1970 and renovated in 1998, and the property has more than 1,200 parking spaces.
Chaconas told AnnArbor.com last October that the headquarters were under contract and a sale was pending with a "significant" backup offer behind it.
Chaconas said at the time there were three individuals interested in acquiring the space, but he would not confirm the potential tenants. The Ann Arbor-based Gold Star Mortgage, had expressed some interest in leasing the building as well.
The former property owner, Farmington Hills-based Agree Realty Co., defaulted on a loan in 2011. Colliers was appointed to serve as the property and asset manager in December 2011.
When Agree still owned the property, the company had listed the headquarters property for sale in 2010 for more than $18 million but reduced the asking price to $10 million in 2011.
The building ranked number 16 on Ann Arbor's list of the largest city taxpayers in 2011.
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.
Aubree's will be seen on MTV tonight.
AnnArbor.com file photo
"Friend Zone" is an MTV reality show focusing on the tricky dynamic of moving a relationship from friends to something more. As described on the show's website, "Long-standing friendships will be tested as individuals try to navigate their way from best-friendship to relationship. What happens when you ask your best friend to help you prepare for an upcoming blind date... only to later reveal that the date is actually intended for the two of you! Will the feelings be mutual... or will your friendship be ruined forever?"
The episode airing at 6 p.m. today on MTV focuses on two Aubree's staff members, co-owner Sandee French said. The episode filmed in October at Aubree's and at other locations in Depot Town and elsewhere in Ypsilanti.
Aubree's plans to host a screening party at 6 p.m. today, with the two people starring in the episode in attendance.
Aubree's is a longtime destination in Ypsilanti's Depot Town that has been expanding to other areas in recent years.
Aubree's is at 39 E. Cross St. in Ypsilanti. The local episode of "Friend Zone" airs at 6. For more information, see the Aubree's website and the "Friend Zone" website.
Here's a trailer for the show:
Get More: Friendzone, Full Episodes
Bob Needham is director of entertainment content for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at bobneedham@annarbor.com or 734-623-2541, and follow him on Twitter @bobneedham.
Washtenaw County lawmakers say they're encouraged by budget proposals recommended by Gov. Rick Snyder, including increased education funding and an expansion of Medicaid.
Snyder is proposing that Michigan's K-12 public schools, universities and community colleges get funding increases of about 2 percent in the fiscal year that starts in October.
He also is calling for expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act to cover hundreds of thousands of additional residents.
"Particularly given the current state of polarized politics in Lansing, I appreciate that the governor came to this logical conclusion even though it may go against the wishes of some very powerful Republicans," state Rep. David Rutledge, D-Superior Township, said of Snyder's support for expanding Medicaid. "This expansion simply makes good economic sense."
Rick Snyder
AP Photo/Carlos Osorio
"A fundamental purpose and goal of government should be assisting those who most need help, and this expansion will empower state government to do just that," he said.
State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, called the expansion of Medicaid a "one-question IQ test." By recommending that Michigan accept hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government, Snyder passed that test this week, Irwin said.
"These funds will come into Michigan to provide coverage for thousands of individuals in Washtenaw County by expanding eligibility for Medicaid to 133 percent of the federal poverty level," he said. "This will not only expand coverage, it will bring more resources into our hospitals and other health care providers, providing jobs and helping health care providers cover the cost of uncompensated care."
Irwin said he's also happy to see Snyder proposing an expansion of the Healthy Kids Dental program to provide more low-income children in Michigan with dental care.
The program is a partnership between the Michigan Department of Community Health and Delta Dental of Michigan that provides Medicaid-eligible residents under 21 with dental benefits. Snyder's plan would cover an additional 70,500 children in Ottawa, Ingham and Washtenaw counties.
"This continues the growth of this successful program," Irwin said. "Good dental health is essential for success in school and in one of the best preventative measures in medicine."
As for the governor's plan to increase funding for public education, Irwin said he's happy to see the modest increases in the budget, but they fall far short of what is needed.
In advance of the governor's budget message, state Rep. Gretchen Driskell, D-Saline, called for redirecting unspent general fund dollars from 2012 into the state's School Aid Fund. Driskell said school funding cuts over the last two years have led to overcrowded classrooms, limited curriculums, pay-to-play programs and continued depletion of school fund balances.
"If we want to move Michigan and its economy forward, we have to give children all the resources they need. Education is the first place to start," she said.
State Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor, said he remains concerned about the funding details of some of the governor's initiatives, including the expansion of early childhood education.
"I strongly support giving Michigan kids a head start by improving access to early education, but if we agree that it is vital to generations of future Michiganders, then we need to offer it to all eligible children," Zemke said. "Every child in our state deserves the best education possible, and to provide this requires funding for full access to these programs."
Zemke, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the Department of Education Subcommittee, said he supports increased funding for community colleges and universities and encouraging educational programs to produce more engineers and skilled tradespeople.
Snyder is proposing issuing a $100 million bond in 2015 to reward universities that produce engineering graduates and a $50 million bond for skilled trade training at community colleges.
"The governor and I agree on these goals, but as always, the devil's in the details," Zemke said. "I look forward to working with members of both parties and both chambers to craft a state budget that reflects Washtenaw County values and gives students and families the support they need."
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.
- Related story: Northwest Ann Arbor power outage affects Skyline High School
Students at Ann Arbor's Roberto Clemente Student Development Center were sent home Friday afternoon as the result of a partial power outage.
Roberto Clemente Student Development Center
From PittsfieldHistory.org
District spokeswoman Liz Margolis said although the power is only partially out at the school, it is a live wire and the power pole is across one of the entrances. So it's a safety issue, she said.
DTE Energy spokesman Scott Simons said the outage is affecting about 1,000 customers in that area. Crews are responding, he said.
This is the second group of Ann Arbor Public Schools students dismissed from class early Friday as the result of electricity issues. Skyline High School students also were sent home around noon because of a power outage. That outage affected about 300 customers, Simons said.
Skyline has lost power on a few other occasions already this school year.
District officials are working with DTE Energy to get power restored to both locations.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Two candidates waging statewide campaigns to lead the Michigan Democratic Party into the 2014 election have decided to make Ann Arbor an early stop on the campaign trail.
The Ann Arbor Democratic Party plans to host MDP Chairman Mark Brewer and challenger Lon Johnson at its Saturday meeting at the Ann Arbor Community Center, 625 N. Main St.
"This is the first serious challenge to Mark Brewer's leadership in about a decade," said Ann Arbor Democratic Party Chairman Mike Henry. "I am eager to hear exactly why Lon Johnson thinks his leadership will strengthen us in Michigan. And more importantly, exactly how he thinks he can mount and execute a statewide program better than Mark."
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer
AP File Photo
"I am concerned that Michigan is a blue state that is increasingly becoming red in representation," U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, wrote in a letter of his own this week. "The future of too many things we care about are at stake. Only with a diverse, vibrant and energized party can we hope to gain victories in 2014 and beyond. I believe there is one candidate that can do just that: Lon Johnson."
Brewer has served as the statewide party's chairman since 1995. Johnson of Kalkaska has been involved in political campaigns for 20-plus years and ran for the state House last year. He's married to Julianna Smoot, the head fund-raiser for President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.
Lon Johnson
The party will serve a light breakfast from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. while attendees network and mingle with guest speakers. The business portion of the meeting runs from 10 a.m. to noon.
Ann Arbor Democratic Party meetings, including the general membership meeting this Saturday, are free and open to the public.
Other speakers at Saturday's meeting include Dingell, State of Michigan Board of Education President John Austin, former Michigan State AFL-CIO President Mark Gaffney, and John Callewaert, director of the University of Michigan's Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute.
Dingell is expected to speak on a host of topics affecting Michigan and the nation. Austin, who is rumored to be a potential challenger to Gov. Rick Snyder in the 2014 gubernatorial race, is expected to address concerns about Michigan's educational and budgetary challenges.
Callewaert is expected to speak about hydraulic fracturing in Washtenaw County. Gaffney is expected to discuss the state of workers' rights and collective bargaining in Michigan.
Henry said the party's meetings also regularly attract the mayor, City Council members, Washtenaw County commissioners, members of the state House and Senate, and other government leaders.
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.
An Augusta Township barn filled with construction equipment, multiple tractors and other vehicles was destroyed after it caught fire at about 9 p.m. Thursday.
The metal barn was located at 9388 Macey Road and multiple fire departments responded to the blaze.
“It was huge," said Asst. Chief David Music of the Augusta Charter Township Fire Department. "There were multiple explosions. There were propane cylinders just outside the building."
In addition to those cylinders, Music said there was a full 300-gallon diesel fuel tank sitting about 10 feet from the building that the firefighters had to protect from the fire.
Music said there were around 35 firefighters and three fire engines at the scene from Augusta, Sumpter, and Pittsfield Townships. The fire was under control by 12:24 a.m.
Despite the extensive property damages, Music said there were no injuries and the barn was far enough from the house that the fire didn't spread.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Michigan State Police Department and is undetermined at this time.
Kody Klein is an intern for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at kklein@mlive.com
EMU President Susan Martin is slated to speak at an event entitled, " Trials and Triumph of an American Woman."
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com file photo
Editor's note: The story has been updated to include comments from Susan Martin.
Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin will speak at a March event about trials and triumphs she's experienced in her life and career.
The March event, "Trials and Triumph of an American Woman," is being hosted by the EMU student organization B.L.A.C.K., Black Leaders Aspiring to Critical Knowledge.
B.L.A.C.K. hosted a similar event last year, when former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick spoke during its Second Chances and Redemption Series event in 2011.
EMU spokesman Geoff Larcom said the event has been confirmed by the university.
The event follows an incident that occurred last year in which Martin got into an argument with an alumnus after consuming alcohol. The regents reprimanded Martin in a May 17 letter and the board's executive committee threatened to fire Martin if she did not control her drinking.
EMU President Susan Martin told AnnArbor.com she doesn't plan to "focus" on the incident, but will address it if she receives questions about it.
"My board gave me a letter and I respect them and I don't have anything further to say about it," Martin said. "I'm happy at my job... .I won't focus on that."
B.L.A.C.K. Vice President Bernoris Carter said the group met with Martin Thursday to hammer out the details of the event.
"She was openly interested in doing it because it gives her a platform for the campus to know who she is," Carter said.
The March event was slated to be called, Second Chances and Redemption-- Trials and Triumph of an American Woman, but the name was changed as a stipulation of the university, said B.L.A.C.K. President Jovan Kennard.
Kennard said the name "conflicted" a few things, so the group agreed to change it.
"At first I was a little iffy about it, but I talked to some colleagues and since they're only asking for one thing, that's why I agreed to the name change," Kennard said. "People are still going to understand you can make it through anything."
EMU vice president of communications Walter Kraft said the name of the event was discussed and the university is "very comfortable" with it.
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick spoke at a similar event last year about second chances and redemption.
Chris Asadian I AnnArbor.com file photo
Martin said she the students were interested in her telling her story as Susan Martin and not as the president of the university.
"A lot of the students are interested in that," Martin said. "... I'm going to talk about myself, my career and opportunities, taking risks and facing challenges... I want to tell that part of the story how you really can try to have it all and there will be challenges in doing it. I'm never not president. I'm always on call 24 hours a day."
Martin said she will talk about what its been like to be the president of the university since she took the helm in 2008 amid issues facing the school.
Martin said when she first took the job, University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman said to her : "Nothing prepares you for it does it?"
"It's the most challenging job of my life," Martin said. "...No one can describe the job. It changes every day. It's been the most meaningful and rewarding job. Eastern had a lot of challenges when I came and we've accomplished so much."
Kennard sent a letter to Martin in early December to extend the offer to speak at the event this year.
"Since taking over as president of Eastern in 2008, you have had to rebuild our reputation, restore confidence in us as an institution and even battle your own personal challenges with the board, alumni, the media and members of the local community," Kennard wrote in the letter. "We admire the way you addressed each challenge head-on with courage, dignity and confidence."
In its letter, the Board of Regents said it was worried about Martin's "misuse of alcohol" and "concerned about you as a person," and encouraged her to seek counseling. Kraft previously told AnnArbor.com that Martin received counseling and donated her $8,764 2012 raise to a campus alcohol educational fund.
Kennard said the group is hopeful the event will shed light on who Martin is.
"We wanted to steer the event in a different direction and I knew the approach had to be different," Kennard said. "When (people) see her at games or different venues, they actually don't know who Susan Martin is."
Kennard said the group discussed extensively about potential speakers, but ultimately decided on Martin.
B.L.A.C.K. secretary Antonio Cooper said the group chose Martin because they believe she might connect better with the public who attend the event. Cooper said Kilpatrick was a big name that drew in more than 700 people, but he didn't connect with the students.
"The thing is when we started the series, it was to show that the biggest of names have fallen and just to get their side, their aspect of what is redemption," Cooper said. "With President Martin, we’re going to show that even the president of our school has fallen and has had to redeem herself. For a freshman to watch President Martin say, 'hey I messed up and I bounced back,' that would inspire anyone if you ask me."
The group said the event is designed to give individuals an opportunity to share their personal story about life-changing situations, the chances they were given and the choices they made on the road to redeem themselves.
"We are hoping it can inspire most women," Carter said. "As you know, the president is the first woman to be EMU's president and as we talked to her Thursday she explained many things she accomplished. ... She's going to speak about direct trials and testimonials to people that want to learn."
The event is free and open to the campus community and is tentatively scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. Monday, March 11 at Pease Auditorium, at the intersection of College Place and Cross Street. Martin will speak for about 40 minutes before a question-and-answer session.
Kennard said he believes President Martin has done a good job as the university's leader.
"I think she's been great," Kennard said. "She's kept it honest and is really improving this university. ... Just come out and be informed and get to know her as Susan."
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.
A Top of the Park movie crowd in 2010.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo
"Pick-a-Flick" is the festival's online promotion that lets the public vote on the movies for this year's ToP, which runs June 14-July 7 at Ingalls Mall.
Just go to the Pick a Flick website between now and March 1, and you can vote on a selection of 40 possible movies, split into 5 categories; the 12 winning movies will be selected for ToP. There's also a chance to offer a "write-in" selection. Those participating also get a chance at a $100 gift certificate for tickets to the 2013 Ann Arbor Summer Festival's main-stage, ticketed shows.
To vote or to learn more about the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, go online to www.a2sf.org.
Bob Needham is director of entertainment content for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at bobneedham@annarbor.com or 734-623-2541, and follow him on Twitter @bobneedham.
The 2012 Water Hill Music Fest
Chris Asadian | AnnArbor.com file photo
The festival is a unique event in which residents of one neighborhood play music on their front porches on a single afternoon while listeners stroll from one performance to another. Created and organized by Paul Tinkerhess, it became an immediate hit upon its 2011 debut. It takes place in Ann Arbor's Water Hill neighborhood, northwest of Main and Miller.
For more information—including details on attending, particpating in, or volunteering for the festival, see the event's website and Facebook page.
• Check out past coverage of the Water Hill Music Fest.
Bob Needham is director of entertainment content for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at bobneedham@annarbor.com or 734-623-2541, and follow him on Twitter @bobneedham.
Ann Arbor parent Ken Clark said he drove his Skyline High School student and two of her friends to school Friday after the students' bus didn't arrive at Northside Elementary to pick them up. The students waited for 40 minutes before they called Clark to come get them, he said.
"I assume the bus eventually came," he said. "But the roads on our side of town were terrible. It was a mess. Not a single roadway I drove on was anything but packed snow."
He said he wishes Ann Arbor schools would have closed as did every other public school district in Washtenaw County Friday, after a winter storm left 1 to 2 inches of snow and a glazing of ice on area roads. Most private and charter schools also called off classes.
Clark was far from alone in his opinion. Ann Arbor school officials got dozens of complaints from parents Friday about their decision not to call off classes because of the weather. But a district spokeswoman said they still believe they made the right call.
Children enjoy sledding in this AnnArbor.com file photo. Most Washtenaw County public, private and charter schools were closed Friday because of wintery weather and slick roadway conditions — except the Ann Arbor Public Schools.
AnnArbor.com file photo
Margolis said all students got to school safely, although some preschoolers arrived about two hours late because the weather kept bus drivers from coming to work. Some high school buses were also late, a transportation official said.
Margolis said district officials had been monitoring the roads all night and facilities crews had cleared parking lots and sidewalks. The district was confident students could get to school safely, she said.
Though roads in the Ann Arbor area were judged to be passable, about 15 bus drivers for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, which provides transportation for Ann Arbor, Willow Run and Ypsilanti schools, were forced to call in absent because of the weather, said WISD Transportation Director Thomas Moore.
The shortage of bus drivers resulted in Ann Arbor Public Schools officials mandating a two-hour delay for some students at the Ann Arbor Preschool and Family Center.
Margolis said only a small number of special education students attend the district's preschool program on Fridays, and an even smaller number of these students ride the bus. Because some drivers called in, the three preschool bus drivers had to fill in on regular routes and then pick up the students to take them to the family center, Moore said.
Margolis said only about 16 children were affected and all of their parents were notified.
Moore said when county transportation officials were out assessing the roads at about 4:30 a.m., they determined there was approximately 3 inches of snow on the ground in the northern parts of the county.
"There was about 1 inch in the I-94 corridor. It was snowing very lightly. The roads were not plowed and were still untreated, but there were still a few more hours before school started," Moore said. "Typically, with 1 to 3 inches it does not impede bus traffic. So our recommendation was the weather conditions were not going to impede the buses."
He added this was the message communicated, but the superintendents and other school officials are responsible for making the snow day call that is best for their specific districts.
"We always look at student safety first," Margolis said. "People may disagree with us or say teen drivers shouldn't be out in the weather. And if there is an inexperienced driver, that has to be a parental decision. It is always the parents' right to make the decision that is best for their student."
Some parents did keep their children home from school Friday morning. But Margolis said anecdotally, attendance rates do not appear to be abnormal. Specific attendance data would not be available until Monday, but building officials usually get in touch with Margolis if their school has a high number of students absent, she said.
There were some teachers who live outside of Ann Arbor, where their residence-determined districts were closed because of slick driving conditions, who had to call in. "But again, nothing abnormal," Margolis said.
Clark, the Ann Arbor parent, said he knows deciding whether to close school can be a tough call.
"I'm just not sure why Ann Arbor was still reluctant when everybody else agrees," Clark said.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
The view of a snowy road near Dexter Friday morning from a Washtenaw County Road Commission plow truck. About two inches of snow fell Thursday night into Friday morning in the area.
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
The disbelief faded as the plow truck navigated then-snowy Interstate 94 through the darkness on the west side of Ann Arbor with an ease that my Honda Civic could only dream of.
Scraping slush and spreading salt, the truck’s driver, Dan Clark of Grass Lake, guided the vehicle loaded with 10 tons of salt on a route that is intimately familiar to him and quickly became the same to me as well: I-94 from Zeeb Road to State Street and back again. And again. And again. And again.
Dan Clark
Amy Biolchini | AnnArbor.com
Here are the top five things I learned from the experience:
1. Road conditions change -- fast.
Friday, Clark and 45 other day shift drivers started plowing at 4:30 a.m. Clark began by scraping off the two inches of snow off I-94 and spreading salt in his wake.
The road commission also has a team of four plow truck drivers that work the main interstate highways at night from 8 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. They worked to spread salt to combat the freezing rain that hit the area between 10 p.m. Thursday and midnight.
By the time Clark and I had made the first two passes over his route Friday morning, I-94 was shaping up and by 6:30 a.m., the roadway was clear and the pavement was wet. Traffic had increased and drivers were traveling between 60 and 70 miles per hour.
Clark turned his attention to the on and off ramps for I-94, and we noticed it had started sleeting.
The sleet slowly intensified into flakes of snow. In a matter of 15 minutes, the snow went from melting on the road’s surface to sticking. By 7 a.m. I-94 was covered in a soft cover of snow - undoing two hours of Clark’s work.
Traffic slowed to a respectable 40 miles per hour.
“That’s the biggest bummer of this job,” Clark said.
To drivers that just got on I-94, the road didn’t look like Clark and other plow truck drivers had been working since 4:30 a.m., Clark said.
2. How to tell when a wet road is turning into an icy road.
As a result of working for the road commission for the past eight years, Clark can tell when a road that’s wet from melting snow is turning into ice from his seat in his plow truck.
It’s an important skill, as Clark has to make the call when the road needs to be salted and when the salt that he’s spread on previous passes will still be effective.
Clark offered these tips:
3. On a snowy morning, a highway will likely be the clearest roadway.
The Washtenaw County Road Commission targets its initial snow-clearing efforts to 581 lane miles of state highways and primary roads that are its first priority. In Washtenaw County, those include I-94, U.S. 23 and M-14.
Subdivisions and gravel roads are the last on the road commission’s list - and if snow falls on a Friday, there’s a possibility that some of the more minor roads in the county won’t be plowed until Monday, said Jim Harmon, director of operations for the road commission.
This Friday, Harmon said the day shift plow truck crews would be clearing subdivision streets by making one pass down and back on each road. Salt will also be spread down the middle of a subdivision street, but the streets won’t be cleared from curb to curb to make sure the crews can get to as many streets as possible, Harmon said.
4. People don’t often appreciate the plow truck drivers.
Part of Dan Clark's daily snow route Friday morning on eastbound I-94 in southwest Ann Arbor.
Amy Biolchini | AnnArbor.com
The reaction from other drivers on the road is not always positive. Clark typically travels at about 45 miles per hour when he’s plowing the shoulders of the roadway - which makes some impatient drivers honk their horns or get angry.
“Some people give me the thumbs up, and some people give me the middle finger,” Clark said. “There are a lot of haters out there.”
5. Enjoy the view.
The front seat of the plow truck lends itself to an interesting show on the road.
Though Clark’s regular route covers the same stretch of I-94 from State Street to Zeeb Road in a loop for hours, there’s always something Clark finds amusing.
Sometimes it’s a red-tailed hawk swooping above the tree line. Other times it’s the traffic pattern or an impatient driver.
Friday morning, the real show was the droopy pine trees laden with heavy snow that line the I-94 corridor in southwest Ann Arbor.
Drivers navigated the changing road conditions with minimal problems, and the light snow that had accelerated in several hours between 7 and 8:30 tapered off by 9 a.m.
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Marijuana advocates plan to turn to the state Legislature for legal clarification following a Michigan Supreme Court ruling on Friday that could hurt medical pot dispensaries.
Chuck Ream, president of the Arborside medical marijuana dispensary in Ann Arbor, said he's hoping to build support for legislation allowing governments to regulate dispensaries locally.
State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, announced on Friday he's working with lawyers at the state's legislative services bureau to draft a bill that would decriminalize marijuana in Michigan
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
"If we're concerned about the negative impacts of marijuana use, all of that can be improved by improving our marijuana laws and regulating the product in a sensible way," he said. "It would improve public safety to drive the trade of marijuana into the light."
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled marijuana dispensaries that handle patient-to-patient sales are not protected under state law. But justices also said the appeals court erred when it determined state law prohibits direct sales of medical marijuana between patients and caregivers.
MLive.com is reporting the ruling gives county prosecutors across the state additional ammunition to shut down dispensaries that sell marijuana on the grounds that they are a public nuisance.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette told the Associated Press that he's notifying county prosecutors that they have the green light to shut down medical-marijuana shops.
Calling the ruling "a recipe for empowering violent criminals," Irwin said he fears it could increase the amount of marijuana purchases made on the black market and through criminal gangs.
Irwin believes a law decriminalizing marijuana could help keep drugs out of the hands of children, make streets safer, and save the state and local governments hundreds of millions of dollars.
"Our courts spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with these cases," Irwin said. "Most of the money is spent on police and courts, and some of it is spent on incarceration."
Irwin said there are a number of communities to look to for guidance, but he's partial to the Ann Arbor model.
The Ann Arbor City Council in the 1970s reduced the city penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana to a $5 civil infraction, essentially decriminalizing weed in Ann Arbor. That remains the case today, except it's now a $25 ticket for first offenses.
"It's working here just fine," Irwin said.
According to a new report, there are nearly 4,500 state-registered medical marijuana patients in Washtenaw County — about 2.5 patients for every state-registered caregiver locally.
Irwin said he's still digesting the Supreme Court's ruling, but he doesn't think it will mean the end of medical marijuana dispensaries.
"It bans patient-to-patient transfers," he said. "The ruling does not say dispensaries are illegal, nor does it say there's no model by which a dispensary could be created to provide services to patients."
Irwin said dispensary owners are, by and large, creative and intelligent people, and he thinks they will find a legal means to continue operating and provide services to their patients.
City Attorney Stephen Postema, who has closely followed the debate around the state's medical marijuana laws, could not be reached for comment.
Ream said he still hadn't read the ruling early Friday afternoon, but he assumed his dispensary at 1818 Packard would remain open.
He said he'll be fighting for legislation that would let cities decide for themselves to allow dispensaries. State Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville, introduced such legislation last May in the form of House Bill 5580, but it never moved out of committee.
"We hope the Legislature will move rapidly to allow dispensaries so the people who are depending on them won't be really hurt by this court decision," Ream said.
Ream noted 63 percent of Michigan voters in 2008 approved the state law that legalized medical marijuana.
"It's time for the courts and the Legislature to reflect the will of the voters. They're still standing in the way," he said. "America is not a land of personal freedom anymore if you can't have an herb that the citizens of Michigan have determined democratically should be available."
Chief Justice Robert Young was supported by Justices Stephen Markman, Mary Beth Kelly and Brian Zahra in the 4-1 ruling. Michael Cavanagh dissented and Bridget McCormack, who won election in November, did not take part in the case, which was argued in October.
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.
Jonathan Aiden
Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office
A jury found 32-year-old Jonathan Aiden guilty on all counts in the 2006 murder of William Kenney, according to officials.
The jury reached its decision Friday afternoon, a week after the trial started on Monday.
Aiden's uncle, Shane Roscoe, was convicted last year of the murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
Aiden was charged with open murder, breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, safe-breaking, conspiracy to commit breaking and entering and conspiracy to commit safe-breaking.
Prosecutors said Aiden and Roscoe beat the 55-year-old Kenney to death during a break-in at the Jim Bradley Pontiac GMC in Scio Township on Aug. 18, 2006. Aiden and Roscoe were stealing auto-related equipment and materials and came into contact with Kenney, who worked at the dealership. Both Roscoe and Aiden were former employees of the dealership.
Prosecutors said Roscoe and Aide hit Kenney on the head with a hard object and then ran him over with a vehicle.
Kenney was taken to U-M Hospital, where police questioned him on at least two occasions before he died from the injuries on Sept. 14, 2006.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Although Ann Arbor may not have received snowfall anywhere near the large totals heading toward the New England region, the white stuff that did cover the ground is perfect for packing.
"Dwight" the snow-dino
Photo courtesy of Heidi Bratton
So we're issuing a challenge: Who can build the best snowman or other sculpture of snow in Washtenaw County? We're not expecting you to necessarily go to the lengths depicted in the Verizon commercial below, but share a photo of your snow creation with us by Monday morning and we'll feature it in a gallery next week.
To share your picture use the form below or use the hashtag #a2photos on Instagram or Twitter.
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