Ann Arbor popped up on another “Top 10” list this week.

The city scored the No. 9 spot on financial literacy and consumer advocacy site NerdWallet’s top areas for STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — graduates.

The survey took into account the percentage of jobs that require a STEM degree, salaries for STEM and non-STEM jobs and the local economy as judged by the overall unemployment rate.

Algal Scientific and other companies in the Michigan Life Science and Innovation Center employ a high percentage of STEM graduates in their labs.

Ben Freed | AnnArbor.com

Ann Arbor is the only Michigan Midwestern city in the top 10, while Rochester, Minn., the only other Midwestern city on the list, checked in at No. 15.

The San Jose metropolitan area topped the list as the best place for holders of STEM degrees and Northern California counterpart San Francisco also was in the top 5.

According to the study, the average salary for jobs in Ann Arbor that require a STEM bachelors degree or higher is $83,759, while the average for all other jobs comes in at $47,198.

According to the Washtenaw County economic forecast commissioned by AnnArbor.com, high-wage jobs paying more than $62,000 per year have been growing at a faster rate than any other sector.

STEM jobs are spread across a number of sectors in the economy, and indications in the economic outlook point to continued growth job in categories dominated by people with science, engineering and math degrees. There are expected to be nearly 200 more private sector scientific research and development jobs in the next 3 years in the area, as well as 230 new architectural and engineering jobs.

Expanding technology companies also play a role in the STEM hiring spree in the area. Startup companies located in incubators like the Tech Brewery and SPARK Central have the potential to grow rapidly, and established companies like Barracuda Networks, PRIME Research and Menlo Innovations that have moved their offices into Ann Arbor's downtown "tech hub" have been hiring at high rates.

Those gains do not include the primary engine that drives STEM hiring in the area — the University of Michigan. The NerdWallet survey points to the university as a primary STEM employer and also notes programs like the M-STEM Academy at U-M encourage students at a young age to explore degrees and careers in science and math-focused fields.

• See the full list on NerdWallet’s website.

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

A prototype rendering of the proposed LongHorn Steakhouse building on Ann Arbor-Saline Road.

Giffels-Webster

Southfield-based Versa Development submitted a preliminary site plan to Pittsfield Township for Pittsfield Place: a six-building retail and restaurant development on the property fronting the Meijer store at 3145 Ann Arbor-Saline Road.

The parcels fronting the Meijer store were put on the market last year after Pittsfield Township completed a redesign of its master plan.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

Pittsfield Township’s Planning Commission will consider the plans at its 6:30 p.m. meeting on Thursday, July 11.

If approved, one building would be a Carrabba’s Italian Grill and one would be a LongHorn Steakhouse, according to township plans. It would be the first Washtenaw County location for both national restaurant chains.

“We do have deals with them,” said Michael Lippitt of Landmark Commercial Real Estate Services, the broker marketing the Meijer outlots for lease. “We have three other leases out right now and a whole variety of negotiations going on.”

Several parcels fronting the Meijer store were put on the market last year after the township completed a redesign of its master plan. The redesign favors mixed-use development at the site.

Lippitt said Versa is under contract to purchase the properties from Meijer. A representative with Versa did not return requests for comment.

The development — which would transform the stretch of Ann Arbor-Saline Road from Oak Valley Drive to Lohr Road — would be constructed on an existing berm that separates Meijer from Ann Arbor-Saline Road.

It would consist of full-service restaurant buildings and retail/fast casual restaurant buildings fronting Ann Arbor-Saline Road, with an access drive separating the project into a northern section and a southern section. The Carrabba's and LongHorn Steakhouse buildings would be separated by the access drive.

The proposed six-building development would be constructed in front of the Meijer building on Ann Arbor-Saline Road, with 444 parking spaces located behind the buildings.

Giffels-Webster

“The development of an entire Meijer store frontage is unprecedented,” Landmark’s marketing materials say. “The availability of this type of retail/outlot project in Ann Arbor is equally rare.”

Plans include 444 parking spaces located behind the buildings, and an outdoor seating area at the Lohr Road intersection.

According to a site plan review conducted by a Pittsfield Township planning consultant, the project would turn an “underutilized area into a viable commercial development.” Before it can be approved, Versa needs to make a number of modifications to the plans, the report says.

Comments in the report include:

• Add architectural interest and details to trash enclosure walls

• Provide architectural details and entrances accessible from Ann Arbor-Saline Road

• Amend two of the buildings to meet a 26-foot building height requirement

• Create a strong visual presence on Ann Arbor-Saline Road

• Amend development landscape plan

• Provide a landscape island or peninsula every 10 parking spaces or seek waiver from planning commission

• Incorporate better pedestrian circulation

Pittsfield Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal said a goal of the township’s master plan is to eliminate berms and big parking lots in front of shopping centers, while creating pedestrian-friendly environments.

“It is definitely one of the goals of our master plan to use existing spaces and to use them more densely, so this is definitely moving in the right direction,” she said.

A rendering of a retail/fast casual restaurant proposed on the southern section of the site.

Giffels-Webster

The Ann Arbor-Saline and Lohr Road intersection is one of the most highly trafficked in the area. It leads to the Target shopping center on the west side of Ann Arbor-Saline and a shopping complex with Best Buy, Kohl’s, Big Lots and Dick’s Sporting Goods on the east side.

Just across the street from Meijer, developers have targeted a vacant plot of land behind Chuck E. Cheese’s for a multi-family residential project. The owners of the Target shopping center intend to build an apartment complex on the site.

Lippitt said tenant interest in the Meijer outlot properties has been strong, and he continues to receive inquiries from “name brand” businesses. In addition to Carrabba’s and LongHorn Steakhouse, marketing materials list Einstein Bros. Bagels, Rx Optical, Halo Burger and Aspen Dental as possible tenants, but those leases are not confirmed.

“There’s such a good dynamic at that location,” he said. “There’s great co-tenancy, and really strong retailer volumes in the area.”

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

The University of Michigan Athletic Department launched their sustainability website on June 14.

The University of Michigan Athletic Department is continuing its efforts to engage in environmentally friendly practices with the launch of its new sustainability web page.

The page, launched on June 14, details the department’s strategy for reducing environmental impact and becoming more sustainable.

Fans are now able to read about the athletic department’s sustainability mission, learn what it means to "Live Planet Blue" and navigate through the department’s game plan for each of its four areas of focus; waste reduction and recycling, energy efficiency and sustainable building infrastructure, water conservation, chemical usage and sustainable cleaning practices and education and awareness.

“Launching this web page aligns with one of our key drivers, which is education and awareness,” said Paul Dunlop, U-M athletics building facilities manager. “We wanted to draw people’s attention to the fact that a lot goes on behind the scenes and teach them not only about what we’re doing, but also about what they can do as fans, staff or students to be more sustainable.”

The Michigan Athletic Department in collaboration with the University’s Office of Campus Sustainability and the Michigan Student Athletes for Sustainability created a committee in fall 2012 to develop a sustainability plan for the athletic department in-line with the guidelines set by Planet Blue.

“Our plan brings attention to the campuswide sustainability efforts,” Dunlop said. “The University of Michigan does a lot in that area. It’s a high priority for the university and people see what the athletic department does so we can help to push their sustainability efforts forward.”

Dunlop said fans can expect to see more focus on sustainability in the future.

“I can’t tell you how it will translate in to game day experience,” Dunlop said. “But fans will see more signage and they might notice our back of house composting, which is a big step. A lot of what we’re doing won’t be visible, like making sure buildings are energy efficient and chemicals are used in environmentally friendly ways.”

The athletic department is taking a broad approach to becoming a more environmentally conscious and sustainable member of the university community, Dunlop said.

“There isn’t one particular big push,” Dunlop said. “We’re focusing equally on each area because they’re all important. It’s a lot to take on and we have a lot of work to do, but we’re excited about these first steps in the process.”

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

One of Ypsilanti’s favorite historic restaurants will join four other eateries from across the country in the June Road Trip Contest put on by "In the Kitchen with David."

Haab's will be announced as one of five finalists in the "In the Kitchen with David" competition Wednesday night.

The show will announce Haab's as one of five finalists at 8 p.m Wednesday on the QVC network.

Haab's has been an Ypsilanti staple since the mid-1870s and offers a variety of dishes — including its famous Chick in the Basket dish.

Viewers of the show were asked to submit a restaurant they believe makes their hometown worthy of being called a "must-see foodie destination."

After getting wind of the contest, regular patron of Haab's and Ypsilanti resident Dwight Burdette did just that and nominated the eatery for the QVC competition.

Out of the submissions, the five finalists will be visited by the show so host David can eat a meal at the restaurants as a part of the show and to determine which of the five contenders deserve to win.

According to Haab's co-owner David Kabat, a date for the recording of this portion of the competition has not yet been set.

“It’s really exciting for us,” Kabat said. “It’s always nice to be recognized and it will be interesting to watch them announce our restaurant tonight.”

Kabat said they were informed of their nomination, as well as selection as a finalist, on Tuesday.

“I think this will be a positive thing for the restaurant,” Kabat said. “We’ve got a long standing tradition serving Ypsilanti so we’re well known here, but it will be nice to get national attention.”

If Haab's wins the competition, "In the Kitchen with David" will consider filming an episode from the restaurant, which likely would air in August.

A single-lane closure on eastbound Interstate 94 from the M-14 interchange east to the Carpenter Road overpass Wednesday and Thursday nights is a precursor to a full closure of the lanes this weekend, the Michigan Department of Transportation announced Wednesday afternoon.

The single-lane closure will be in effect from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday, and from 9 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday for pavement repairs.

A major reconstruction project of I-94 begins Friday night as well.

Both lanes of eastbound I-94 through Ann Arbor will be closed to all traffic from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday from M-14 to Carpenter Road.

Traffic will be detoured around the closure on M-14 and U.S. 23.

I-94 is a composite roadway with a layer of hot mix asphalt on top of concrete.

During this weekend's closure, workers will be cutting out the concrete joints of the road and replacing them.

Because of the extensive work involved on the five-mile-long portion of the highway, MDOT decided closing the road was the best way to complete the work without extending the length of the project.

The weekend closure is the first of several MDOT has anticipated will be necessary to repair the pavement on I-94. The contractor has been advised of major events in the Ann Arbor area when work cannot be completed -- including the Ann Arbor Art Fairs.

• Find up-to-date MDOT road construction activity on all state routes

View MDOT I-94 construction 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.

Rubble is all that remains after crews demolished the remnants of a house, located on Gattegno Street in Ypsilanti Township, that exploded on Sunday, July, 7.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

• Previous article: Butane, assault rifle and pit bull discovered in debris of exploded house

The 25-year-old man who remains in critical condition at the University of Michigan Hospital's burn unit may be the only one who knows what sparked the explosion that rocked an Ypsilanti Township neighborhood Sunday.

“He holds the key,” said Fire Marshal Vic Chevrette. “He holds the answer.”

Chevrette plans to interview the the man again. In the meantime, the cause of the explosion has been ruled "undetermined" and investigators have finished at the scene.

“We're pretty much wrapping everything up,” Chevrette said, adding that butane or natural gas feeding the water heater — or both — could be responsible for the explosion.

“We know it was a flammable vapor,” he said.

The 25-year-old initially told investigators he was trying to relight a water heater in the basement of the home, located in the 1300 block of Gattegno Street.

Thousands of canisters of butane were later discovered at the scene. Officials said butane can be used to extract THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient, from all parts of the marijuana plant to make what is called hash oil.

The house on Gattegno was one of about two dozen locations targeted by authorities in a large-scale drug raid Monday. The home exploded before a search warrant could be executed there, police said. Lt. Michael Shaw of the Michigan State Police said the 25-year-old recovering at the hospital is not yet facing any charges and was not taken into custody.

The unharmed woman and infant witnesses saw safely fleeing the scene Sunday have not been accounted for, according to officials.

“We haven’t talked to (her) at all,” Shaw said.

In a news release issued Tuesday, state police said the seven-month investigation led to 25 search warrants being executed in four counties Monday. Authorities netted $221,509 in seized cash, 736 marijuana plants, 31 vehicles, 10 recreational vehicles, eight firearms and a large quantity of processed marijuana.

Shaw could not elaborate Wednesday on where in Washtenew, Wayne, Oakland and Jackson counties the search warrants were executed. All the people who were taken into custody were released pending further investigation.

Any charges would have to authorized by the state attorney general's office, Shaw said, and that could take more than a month.

"This investigation continues to evolve," the release states. "The search warrants have been sealed and information contained in the warrant cannot be released. More information on this investigation will be released as it becomes available."

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

Closure of the Ford Boulevard bridge in Ypsilanti Township has affected local business's bottom line.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

Since the Ford Boulevard bridge rebuild began in April, Hungry Howies owner Heidi Moga has taken on an unorthodox role for a pizza store owner - delivery person.

The store sits several hundred feet south of the bridge at 215 S. Ford Blvd., and deliveries that used to take five minutes to the dense residential zones just north of the bridge now take 20 minutes.

To keep orders from backing up while drivers traverse the extended route, Moga has had to take on the new role.

Still, there is a delay no matter what, and the longer trip around the closed bridge also means a significant drop in pick-up customers. The 12,000 vehicles that used to cross the bridge daily no longer do so during the five-month project.

“It feels like a ghost town on this side of the street,” Moga said, adding that she was expecting to see sales continue to climb in 2013 as the economy improves. “This would have been a great year, but half of our delivery area is on the other side of the bridge, and I’ve got customers that won't make the drive over. What used to take five minutes now takes 20 minutes. It’s insane.”

Moga said she isn’t sure exactly how much of a drop in business the store has suffered, but added, “If paying bills is any indication, it’s not going well.”

Moga and other businesses were unnerved to learn from a construction worker that the $2.6 million rebuild of the 70-year-old bridge would not be completed in August as originally scheduled, though the Washtenaw Country Road Commission says the construction is on schedule and will be done by the end of August.

A business owner describes South Ford Boulevard as a "ghost town".

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

“The schedule I have from the contractor says the end of August,” said Kelly Jones, a bridge engineer and project manager with the Road Commission. “As of right now, there hasn’t been anything that has caused it to be delayed into September.”

Jones said crews are currently pouring concrete for the substructures.

The 180-foot-long bridge spans East Michigan Avenue and Southern Norfolk train lines, and is being rebuilt on the portion that crosses railroad tracks.

That high-speed railroad line running next to East Michigan Avenue is one of the reasons there are so few places to cross from the north end of the township into the south end.

The official detour is seven miles and directs motorists headed southbound on North Ford Boulevard across the bridge to South Ford Boulevard to instead go eastbound on Holmes Road. The detour then runs east along East Michigan Avenue.

It next cuts back west along the U.S. 12 connector. Motorists are then directed to exit at the Ecorse Road exit, which runs into South Ford Boulevard.

In Moga’s case, she said her drivers mainly taking Ford Boulevard south to Ecorse Road west. They then head east on Michigan Avenue to access the neighborhoods north of the bridge.

The Night Star Party Store is one of Hungry Howie's neighbors. Its manager, Sal Zora, said his sales are down around 33 percent from last year. He is especially vulnerable because no one is going to drive an extra 14 miles to get to the same pack of cigarettes and beer that can be found much closer on the other side of the bridge.

"I haven't seen (customers from the other side of the bridge)," he said. "They try to get over but can't. I was looking forward to a good summer, but now ...."

He said he tried lowering his prices, but that has not particularly helped, and he was forced to cut back on his hours for his employees.

The Ypsilanti Township Fire Department’s main station also sits just south of the bridge, and the department is adding two to three minutes to its response time during the closure.

But the Superior Township Fire Department, which borders the township to the north, is providing automatic assistance in the event of a structure fire. Huron Valley Ambulance also is positioning one of its units north of the bridge during construction to keep down response times to medical emergencies

Moga said her store is doing the best it can to adjust, especially in a saturated pizza market. Under consideration is a “bridge out” special for $5 large pizzas and the store recently put 5,000 fliers on doors south of the bridge.

While the closure is stressful, Moga said she and her husband, who also owns the store, refuse to cut back on any employees. High turnover rates are the norm at pizza shops, but Moga said many of the employees there have been with the company for years and rely on the job for a second source of income.

“It just means (Moga and her husband) take home less money,” she said.

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

826michigan will offer drop in tutoring at Beezy's Cafe this September.

Courtesy of beezy's cafe

Nonprofit organization 826michigan, located behind the red velvet curtain in the back of Liberty Street's Robot Supply & Repair, will soon be operating out of a second location come September. The organization's says its main focus in establishing another space is to reach out to students in Ypsilanti.

The organization offers free tutoring and creative writing programs from its Ann Arbor location as well as on-site visits to schools, libraries and community centers across Southeast Michigan. The new location will offer tutoring services at Beezy’s Cafe, 20 N. Washington St., in Ypsilanti, beginning in the fall.

826michigan has been offering services to Ypsilanti Middle School students out of the actual school for five years, but because the building is closing due to district consolidation, the organization had to find a new way to serve students in the area.

“We thought long and hard about how to best fit the needs of families in Ypsilanti,” said Amanda Uhle, executive director of 826. “We could have moved to another school, but we decided we really wanted to start an evening program open to the whole community.”

Tutoring previously was only available to seventh- and eighth-grade students recommended by the middle school's administration, but once the program begins operating from Beezy’s Cafe, students from any district and between the age of 8 and 18 can participate.

“In the middle school we were serving between 75 and 80 students over the course of the school year,” Uhle said. “Before, we had a finite group we were working with in Ypsilanti, but now any student can attend.”

Uhle said she expects to serve more than 100 students throughout the school year at the new location. She said the drop-in system will result in varying participation rates, but she believes it will allow more students to benefit from the program.

826michigan hopes to offer tutoring out of a store in Detroit within the next year and a half.

Courtesy of 826Michigan

Students will be able to receive help with homework in all subject areas in two of the three rooms in Beezy’s Cafe after the restaurant closes at 4 p.m.

Uhle said 826 asked to operate out of Beezy’s because the organization has had a longstanding relationship with the restaurant, Uhle said.

Cafe owner Bee Mayhew said her immediate reaction to the request was yes because she believes 826michigan makes a huge difference to kids and future community leaders.

“To offer a space that exists and is underutilized means significant resources being saved while contributing to the greater good,” Mayhew said. “I’ve been an advocate and supporter of 826 since the cafe opened; connecting through Mittenfest when it was being held down the street at the Elbow Room.”

826michigan will take on around 30 new volunteers to support the new tutoring program, which will function similarly to the program run out of Robot Supply & Repair in Ann Arbor.

The new drop-in tutoring is a part of the another sign of the growth the organization has seen since it began in 2005, Uhle said.

“We were a two-person staff for years and now we are a seven-person staff,” Uhle said. “When we started, we were serving primarily Ann Arbor with some Ypsilanti and now we are serving primarily students from Ypsilanti with some Ann Arbor and we also serve some schools in Detroit.”

The organization works with about 2,500 students and is looking to expand its reach even further.

According to Uhle, 826michigan is looking for a retail store in Detroit to run a drop-in tutoring program through as well. The organization is working to establish the right funding outlet and volunteer staff to begin the program within the next year and a half.

Ypsilanti area students will be able to receive help with homework from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at Beezy’s Cafe. 826michigan will be recruiting volunteers to help with the new program.

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

Camille Bonham from the Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Initiative, hangs up donated suits during the fourth annual Suits 4 Success clothing drive at Kilwin's Ice Cream Parlor on Liberty Street in Ann Arbor.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

The fourth annual Suits 4 Success was held Thursday at Kilwin’s Ice Cream Parlor, 107 E. Liberty St., in Ann Arbor. It was just one event held in conjunction with the larger effort in Washtenaw County to reduce recidivism — which can be a relapse into criminal behavior — in a place that once had the highest rate in the Michigan.

The Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Initiative, based out of Catholic Social Services, works to help men and women reentering society. Coordinator Mary King said the organization works to help those who have paid their debt to society looking to find work and housing, while providing everyday needs such as bus passes and money for food.

“We try to position parolees in as positive a light as we can,” she said.

Back into the world

King said the first thing parolees do is meet with their parole agent and WPRI officials through a video conference from prison. When the person is released, the parolee meets with their agent and WPRI representatives in person.

Among the usual needs are bus passes and clothing, and about 40 percent of people need housing. Finding a place to live is the first order of business, but soon after comes preparations for employment, which King said employment is the most important thing for a parolee.

“One of the things that reduces recidivism is having 40 to 70 percent of their time working on positive professional activities,” she said. “Employment is really positive, it really impacts people’s ability to stay clean and sober, get housing and get the things you and I would need for basic living.”

Camille Bonham, from the Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Initiative, hangs up donated suits during the fourth annual Suits 4 Success clothing drive at at Kilwin's Ice Cream Parlor on Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

The initiative works with parolees on interviewing skills, filling out employment applications and determining what jobs fit the skills the parolee has, King said.

Parolees often face an uphill battle trying to get a job, King said. Sometimes a person is disabled or elderly, but having a felony conviction — or multiple felony convictions — can put even the most promising parolee on the back foot right away.

“When an interviewer knows going in that a person has a felony background, they may have ideas in their head about how they’re going to act and look,” King said.

That’s where the Suits 4 Success program comes in.

Look good, feel good

In 2012, the Suits 4 Success program provided more than 400 suits, dresses, shirts, ties and shoes to parolees and people who were transitionally homeless, according to local attorney Steve Tramontin. The Suits 4 Success event is held in conjunction with the WPRI and many local defense attorneys get involved, Tramontin said.

Tramontin said the legal community recognized ta significant need for professional clothing among parolees, who usually have very emotional responses to getting nice suits and professional clothing for the first time.

“Everyone has old clothes or gently used clothes that they outgrew or don’t use any more,” he said, “and we decided to set up this group that collects donations of professional interview clothing in order to give people trying to reenter society the confidence and resources to gain employment.”

The Washtenaw County Bar Association and the Washtenaw County Public Defender’s Office are major participants in the program, Tramontin said.

After the clothes were donated on Thursday, they were taken to St. Vincent de Paul, at 1001 Broadway St., where the donated clothes will be housed with specialized space.

Tramontin said the program really pushes getting larger sizes for people coming out of prison, or monetary donations in order to help find clothes that will fit larger parolees.

King said prisoners often come out of prison bigger than when they went in, be it because of increased physical exercise or the exact opposite.

“The prison system is always challenged to feed people on very few dollars per day,” she said. “People gain a lot of weight and come out bigger than when they went in.”

Community stepping up

One of the most encouraging things about the Suits 4 Success program is the amount of community involvement it inspires, King said. It follows much of what she sees in Washtenaw County.

“We have partners and collaborators all over this county,” King said. “This county is a very generous county and cares very deeply about how to improve the outcomes for this population.”

Rose Ann Yurko, manager of the Ann Arbor branch of St. Vincent de Paul, said the organization is proud to be involved with the Suits 4 Success program.

“We’re happy because that’s what we’re here for,” she said.

King pointed to the Ann Arbor District Library as another important partner with the WPRI.

“The Ann Arbor District Library called me up and said, ‘We’re not sure we’re doing enough for the returning citizen population, what else can we do to help when people come out?’” King said. “Now, the library gives a presentation (to parolees) about all the free resources that they have.”

Tramontin said recidivism is something that affects the entire community. Many crimes are committed by people who have prior criminal records — people who return to crime because they don’t know how else to earn a living.

He said a simple suit can be the first step in turning someone’s life around.

“The main thing is just the confidence that you’re dressed appropriately, that you project that you have some resources and you’re making an effort to make a good first impression,” he said.

“That isn’t going to completely overcome gaps in a resume or criminal history … but for the most part, it’s just the confidence that comes with being well-dressed.”

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

• Event preview: Elvisfest returning for more music and fun in Ypsilanti

Everybody loves the King. That much was evident when a young girl no more than 10 years old ran up and hugged me mere minutes after I walked into Ypsilanti’s Michigan ElvisFest dressed in a full-body Aloha outfit complete with wig and sunglasses.

But why does everyone love Elvis Presley? What is it about the man that has helped keep his memory alive and his impersonators employed for so many years after his death?

Reporter Ben Freed, dressed as Elvis Presley, speaks with fan Mike Willeman at ElvisFest in Ypsilanti on Friday, July 12.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

“He didn’t have the greatest range - you’d probably have to give that to Roy Orbison - but just the emotion he put into his songs, no one could do that like he did.”

One of Days’ earliest memories is seeing Elvis on a TV program called “Detroit Remembers Elvis” when he was 3 years old in 1983. Days, who lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, was hooked and began impersonating the King professionally by the time he was 15.

“The key to being a good impersonator is doing the best you can all the time. You work on it, work on it, work on it, and then when you think you have it down you work on it some more,” he said.

“When I’m preparing a new song the first time I sit down with it and I’ll take three or four hours to go over it phrase by phrase, breaking down where Elvis was singing from and why he was singing it and the emotion he was putting behind it.”

Fans flock to see impersonators like Days at Elvis festivals and celebrations across the country and around the world. According the Elvis.com website, Michigan ElvisFest is one of 13 officially sanctioned Elvis festivals that occur between July and October. Other locations for the events include Blackpool, England; Newberry, S.C.; and Queensland, Australia.

Just donning a (relatively) cheap Elvis costume entitles you to a certain level of celebrity, whether or not you are inside one of the festivals. Cars honked, men and women catcalled, and strangers asked for pictures before I even made my way to Riverside Park, where ElvisFest will continue from noon to midnight Saturday.

Once inside the festival, I was given nods of encouragement and high fives by a number of attendees and posed for a fair number of pictures. Wearing a costume, however, did not make me above reproach.

“You probably need to get your outfit trimmed a bit,” Kathy Prince told me. “Either that or you could grow a few inches.”

Prince had a tent at the festival and was selling Elvis memorabilia to customers ranging from teenagers to people who probably had seen Elvis perform in person.

“I love that the younger kids are still getting into him,” she said.

“It’s just because he’s an icon. He had such incredible charisma on stage and now these guys are duplicating him so well. They put a lot into it, too, the suits the impersonators wear can cost up upwards of $10,000. A cape for the Aloha outfit alone could cost more than $5,000.”

Prince’s husband toured with Elvis impersonators for 25 years, playing base in their backup bands. The couple now owns “Prince Products” and they travel around the country selling Elvis memorabilia at festivals. She said her favorite is the ElvisFest held every April in Milwaukee, Wis., where the couple lives.

Mike Willeman may not travel as much as Prince, but he has been to Memphis every year since he was 18 years old.

“And I’m 55 now, and I don’t plan on stopping,” he said.

Willeman is a member of the Elvis fan club in Toledo, and for him the man is just as important as the music he made.

“He was just always the person who took care of others who needed him,” he said. “He just stands out for his basic goodness.”

Prince and Willeman might be onto something.

In today’s world, we often struggle to hear popular music artists’ souls through autotuned voices and our generation of pop stars make the news for embarrassing themselves more often than for helping others. The iconography of Elvis continues to live on in the hearts and minds of people searching for that elusive “more simple era” that may or may not have existed when a young man from Tupelo, Miss., took the world by storm.

The King may have left the building, but the icon remains stronger than ever.

Take the quiz below to see how well you know Elvis:

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

Editor's note: This story was changed at 9:10 a.m. with updated information from police that said the Ypsilanti Township woman has been arrested and is the suspect in the incident.

Ypsilanti police responded early Saturday morning to St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Hospital, where two women were reportedly treated for stab wounds after they got into a fight over an ex-boyfriend.

Police responded to the emergency room for a report of a felonious assault that occurred around 4:10 a.m. in the 400 block of West Michigan Avenue, near downtown Ypsilanti and the police station.

After conducting interviews with witnesses and the women, police found that the victim, a 30-year-old Ann Arbor woman, and the suspect, a 29-year-old Ypsilanti Township woman, got into a dispute over a man that both women had previously dated. The argument turned into a physical altercation and the Ypsilanti Township woman pulled out a knife and stabbed the Ann Arbor woman several times.

The suspect also suffered a stab wound and a laceration, while the victim suffered multiple stab wounds and lacerations, the release said. Both women were taken to the hospital in stable condition.

The investigation continues. Further details were not available. The Ypsilanti Township woman has been arrested.

If you have any additional information regarding this case, please contact Detective Sergeant Tom Eberts at 734-482-9878 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAKUP (773-2587).

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Ypsilanti's Greg Sizemore prepares to enter the octagon for a fight at A2 Fest on Friday, July 12.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

• Video: The fighters and fights of the Michigan Combat League at A2 Fest
• Photo Gallery: Fighting at the fair grounds on Day 1 of A2 Fest

Pacing up and down the gravel-covered parking lot of the Washtenaw Farm Council fairgrounds, Greg Sizemore somehow appears calm and nervous -- relaxed yet jittery -- all at once. It’s Friday night at 6 p.m., an hour before Sizemore is scheduled for a mixed martial arts fight with the Michigan Combat League during A2 Fest, and three hours before Sizemore will actually step in the ring.

The music will blare through the steel canopy when Sizemore walks toward the caged octagon for his fight, but for now he keeps his headphones around his neck, focused in his own thoughts. He is alone while he paces, and a scattered few begin to fill the bleachers that surround the ring. Organizers put final touches on the ring while dust and rocks kick up from the ground beneath Sizemore’s feet.

A championship fight on the Las Vegas strip this is not.

Ypsilanti's Greg Sizemore has his hands taped before his fight at A2 Fest on Friday, July 12.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

“A lot of these gyms train by just going in and sparring, trial and error. Our gym is more technique, they teach power and strength will come behind the technique,” Sizemore said.

Sizemore said he has the two things essential to keep fighting as his recreational sport of choice: a job where it doesn’t matter if he comes in bruised up on Monday - he’s a personal trainer - and a supportive wife.

“A lot of people ask me ‘why do you let him do this?’ I don’t let him do anything. He’s going to do it whether I ‘let him’ or not, so I just figure I gotta be on board and be here to show support,” said Mignon Sizemore, Greg’s wife, who said she can’t eat days before Greg’s fights because of nervousness. She rocks with anxiety as Greg’s fight grow nearer and holds her breath when he’s in the ring.

“It’s just nerves. You can’t even explain it,” she said.

Behind the organization of the night’s fights is a man who has known more glorious venues than the dusty confines of the fairgrounds near the Ann Arbor-Saline border — Jake Short. A former professional fighter, Short is the co-owner and promoter of the Michigan Combat League, an amateur mixed martial arts circuit. When Short was asked join the bill at A2 Fest music festival he went to work on putting together a 10-fight card.

With separate stages for heavy metal, rock, hip-hop and techno at the fairgrounds, the music festival was billed as “Mixed Mayhem,” so why not feature some mixed martial arts?

“I like to say the only thing amateur about my promotion is the fighter’s status,” said Short, shortly before the first fight of the night. “Everything I do “I want my show to be an experience for everybody so they enjoy themselves…I try my best to get guys who train at legitimate gyms who do have legitimate backgrounds…I try to get the best fighters I can.”

“This is where you gain a lot of experience, really cut your teeth. You have to build yourself as a fighter and these type of shows are absolutely necessary to the process,” said Danny McIntire, the head coach at Ann Arbor Mixed Martial Arts and a former professional fighter himself. “This is awesome. With the rock shows and stuff you’re introducing the sport to new people.”

Before the first fight of the night Short has gone from calm to frustrated as several fighters are no-shows. His message to fighters shortly before the start of the show is scattered with profanity - disparaging toward those who bailed and encouraging for those who will fight.

UFC fighter Daron Cruickshank, right, tapes the hands of David Ratliff before a fight at A2 Fest on Friday, July 12.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

While the young fighters bounce in anticipation of their bouts, dreams of making it to the professional ranks alive in some of them, Short takes a moment to bring the adrenaline down a peg.

“This is amateur. You’re going to go back to your normal life after this. Don’t get your (expletive) arm broke, don’t get hurt,” Short said. “If you’re in there getting (messed) up, tap out. There’s no shame in that. Live to fight another day…You’re getting in the cage, 95 percent of people won’t do that.”

As much as Short tries to remind them they are far from the bright lights of the Ultimate Fighting Championship - mixed martial arts’ greatest stage - the man who speaks to the fighters after Short is a reminder that it’s not an impossible dream. The referee for the night is Daron “Detroit Superstar” Cruickshank, a fighter now with the UFC and not far removed from venues such as these.

While a dusty cage under an open canopy at a fairground may seem as far from the UFC as a driveway pick-up basketball game is from the NBA, Cruickshank said it's an essential level for the sport.

“The amateur level is where you hone your skills,” said Cruickshank. “You get comfortable in the cage, you get experience, and you just learn your craft.”

We’ve got Blood

At 8:15 p.m., the first fight of the night is finally underway, more than an hour behind schedule. Pete Trevino Jr., known as “Mr. Throw Down”, welcomes fans and the card-girl, Tatiana Marie, walks around the ring with the round cards high above her head.

Trevino screams his signature phrase into the microphone, “It’s tiiiiiiime to throw down!” and the action begins.

A man who went by the name David Horner, above, was the first fighter to bleed, but he would not be the last.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

“Ladies and gentleman, we’ve got blood!” he screams, to the delight of the crowd.

Between bouts, Trevino explains to the fighters and crowd that the intent of his announcement isn’t meant to bring attention to the fighter's misfortune.

The blood is a badge of honor.

“That’s those guys’ hearts literally pouring out of them,” Trevino said.

A man who went by the name David Horner - making his octagon debut - is the man whose blood is all over Trevino’s lapel. He also happens to be the first to have his hand raised of victory. After having a cut above his right eye split open from a combination knee and punch to the face in the second round of his fight, Horner recovered and choked his opponent out in the third and final three-minute round.

The man with his eye swollen shut was announced as David Horner, but everyone in his corner screamed words of encouragement for "Alex." The man and his supporters declined to be interviewed after the fight, suggesting that not everyone willing to step in the ring necessarily wants it to be known.

Trainers on hand couldn’t give the man stitches, so they wrapped his eye and suggested he go to the hospital. He instead grabbed a 22-ounce can of Bud Light and made his way to the back row of the arena, watching the remainder of the fights through his left eye.

A hospital trip could wait.

The first fight the man saw through his one eye is between Sizemore and 21-year-old David Ratliff. Though the fights began behind schedule, Sizemore and Ratliff’s fight is rushed when a fighter in the match before them bails at the last second. The fighter had his hands taped, put on a pair of Short’s brand new $70 gloves, said he was going to the bathroom and never returned

Fuming, Short comes into the back and Sizemore and Ratliff both volunteer to step into the ring ahead of their scheduled slot.

“I’ll fight right now,” Sizemore said.

After the fight Sizemore would admit it wasn’t a lack of fear that made him want him want to step up. “My nerves were going, but I was ready to go…The nerves that fear, you gotta keep it to a minimum, but it’s what makes you a better fighter.”

Ratliff nodded in silent approval and Short’s satisfaction shines through his frustration.

“Let’s (expletive) do it,” Short said.

Celebratory pizza

Ratliff and Sizemore’s fight is over in the first round. Sizemore lands a series of kicks to the body before eventually getting the significantly heavier Ratliff to tap out with a rear-naked choke.

Primarily a striker, Sizemore is thrilled to land his first-ever submission victory. He jumps to the top of the cage as his brother screams in celebration from the stands. Mignon can finally breathe.

While many fighters grabbed a beer after their fights to wind down, Sizemore smiled at the thought of going home with Mignon, relaxing in front of the TV and having a whole Pizza Hut pizza to himself. Sizemore said he doesn’t drink, and said he couldn’t imagine a better way to wind down than with a “cheat meal” in front of him, and a victory behind him.

Ratliff is at the other end of the spectrum, but surprisingly upbeat after the loss. He made his way to his car with his girlfriend pushing their 9-month-old daughter, Arianna, in a stroller. They got in their car and drove off into the sunset during the night’s first intermission.

Ring-girl Tatiana Marie waits to enter the cage for a fight at A2 Fest on Friday, July 12.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

“These guys do it for pride for honor. Because they love it,” Trevino said. “That’s why I love this, the same reason I love watching Little League baseball. These guys are out here for no other reason than love of the sport.”

The intermission is over and more fighters wait to have their name called. Marie makes her way up the stairs and around the ring, while another set of fighters follow soon after.

The fighters and fights of the Michigan Combat League at A2 Fest:

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

Brothers Demos and Phillip Vulicevic along with Kaiwen Smith watch the 2013 Jackson Road Cruise, Saturday, July 13.

Courtney Sacco I AnnArbor.com

• Previous story: 5th annual Jackson Road Cruise expecting 800 vehicles on widened route

Anyone traveling on Jackson Road Saturday, between Wagner and Parker roads, may feel like they're thrown back in time. Vehicles that span the latter half of the 20th century and even some from the early part of the century are showing their stuff for the fifth annual Jackson Road Cruise in Scio Township.

The smell of exhaust and the sound of revving engines filled the parking lot at Bell-Mark Lanes Saturday morning. Many proud vintage car and truck owners proudly displayed their vehicles.

The 2013 Jackson Road Cruise, Saturday, July 13.

Courtney Sacco I AnnArbor.com

"I just had the notion I wanted to do a cab over truck," said Don Colliau of Dexter about his 1947 Dodge COE. "It's all custom. The only things that are original are the cab and the front fenders."

According to Todd Bailey, cruise chairperson, as many as 800 vehicles may be participating in the cruise, which is also a car show. Numerous businesses welcome participants in the cruise to stop by Saturday for a variety of activities. The total route is seven miles.

"Businesses on Jackson Road will reap the benefits of all the people we attract today," said Connie Kelly of the West Washtenaw Business Association.

Classic, custom, hybrid, electric, domestic and foreign vehicles were all invited to participate as well as motorcycles and trucks.

"We don't care what kind of car it is," said Bailey. "Any vehicle of interest is welcome. It's about bringing out what you're proud showing off and having fun."

Pat and El Wier from Ann Arbor were showing off their black 2001 Cobra Mustang with their matching black lab mix Buddy sitting in the back seat.

"The Cobra is a racing car, which sets it apart from the standard Mustang," said El Wier.

The grand marshal of the 2013 Jackson Road Cruise Miss Michigan USA Stephanie Rushlow, of Dexter, waves during the parade.

Courtney Sacco I AnnArbor.com

"I just think it's beautiful," said the Ann Arbor resident about his car, which had the top down. "This event is a good way to meet people who enjoy cars, too."

Bailey said that the oldest car that's ever been part of the Jackson Road Cruise was a 1910 Detroit Edison car. Most of the participating vehicles are from the 1950s.

There was a parade this morning featuring the cruise's grand marshal, Stephanie Rushlow, 26, Miss Michigan, U.S., who is from Dexter.

"I am excited to be riding in a 2013 427 Corvette from the Suburban collection," she said. "It's the car's 60th anniversary."

Activities including bands and refreshments last until 6 p.m. For more information, go to http://www.jrcruise.org/events.html.

Interested in cars? See more auto-related coverage from Friday's Rolling Sculpture Car Show in downtown AnnArbor:

• Photo gallery: Images from the Ann Arbor Rolling Sculpture Car Show
• Founder of Rolling Sculpture Car Show displays homemade V8

Lisa Carolin is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

Grand Rapids resident Fiona MacKeller, 7, dances the Highland Sword Dance at the Saline Celtic Festival on Saturday, July 13.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

Previous story: 18th Saline Celtic Festival kicks off with a budget surplus

Saturday's sunny, dry weather is promising for good attendance at the 18th Saline Celtic Festival at Mill Pond Park in Saline, which runs until 11 p.m. The day kicked off with the new Mastodon Mayhem Challenge, a "warrior dash" run throughout Mill Pond Park that featured obstacles, mud and hills.

Ann Arbor Sword Club member Ben Spencer instructs Luke Veninga on historic fencing with German long swords at the Celtic Festival in Saline.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

"We've been at this Celtic festival for three years because we love the people and the culture, and it's a great venue," said bagpipe player Roger Billings.

"I've been playing the bagpipes for 42 years," said bagpipe player Michael Gunn. "It takes a lot of wind power."

The festival began as a celebration of Saline's relationship with its sister city Brecon, Wales. The Celtic traditions of Scotland and Ireland also are celebrated.

There was a Scottish and Highland dance competition in the morning that attracted participants from all over the state.

Alabama resident Mark Medlock competes in the Sheaf Toss at 22 feet at the Saline Celtic Festival.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

"I like competing and getting to travel all over America and Canada," said dancer April Thomas, 15, from Northville, who also has been dancing for seven years.

One addition to the festival this year was the relocated Saline Farmers Market. Vendors set up at Mill Pond Park just for the festival.

"I'm excited to be here," said Kristie Francoeur, who runs the Chocolate Art stand. "We're here 'til 7 p.m. and I'm hoping to attract more people."

Also new is the partnership between the festival and the Michigan Brewers Guild and Home Brewers Association, which is offering craft beers at the festival.

It wouldn't be a Celtic Festival without kilts for sale. At the Got Kilt? tent, prices on kilts range from $58 to $600.

The Flint Scottish Pipe Band performs at the Saline Celtic Festival.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

Last year's festival ended with an $8,200 surplus for the nonprofit, the Friends of the Festival, said chairwoman Amber Sotelo. She says that good weather is a major factor in the financial success of the festival. Another important component - "Volunteers, volunteers, volunteers," she said. "Many people took this week off work to set up the park. They have such passion for this event."

For the schedule of Saturday's Saline Celtic Festival events, go to http://www.salineceltic.org/schedule.html. The festival kicked off Thursday with some pre-events.

Check back to AnnArbor.com for a full event photo gallery from the Saline Celtic Festival.

Lisa Carolin is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

• Related coverage: He reigns supreme at the Ypsilanti ElvisFest, but how much do you know about the King? (with quiz and video)

For the 14th year, Elvis fans gathered at Ypsilanti's Riverside Park to celebrate the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll during the two-day Michigan ElvisFest.

ElvisFest ran Friday and Saturday and featured 11 Elvis tribute artists.

Courtney Sacco captured these portraits of Elvis fans and impersonators.

Courtney Sacco is a staff photographer for AnnArbor.com.

• Related: Fights, blood and music fill the card at Ann Arbor's A2 Fest

The Michigan Combat League paid a visit to the Washtenaw Farm Council fairgrounds on Friday as part of A2 Fest. The amateur mixed martial arts league staged seven fights during the music festival.

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

Why? Because it’s a show about smart, passionate, fast-talking, ludicrously articulate people putting on a show.

Sorkin’s previous series include “Sports Night,” which went behind the scenes of a cable sports network highlights show; “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” focused on the people involved in pulling together a “Saturday Night Live”-style, weekly late night sketch comedy show; and one could even argue that the Presidential drama “The West Wing” qualifies, too, since theater plays no small role in politics.

With “The Newsroom,” Sorkin has turned his focus to a group of cable television news producers and reporters who aim to do news the “right way” and not just do what every other news outlet is doing in the name of being first, or getting ratings via sensationalism.

Daniels’ prickly character, Will McAvoy, is a moderate conservative anchorman (so we’re told - the script often doesn’t seem to bear this out) who has a painful romantic history with producer MacKenzie (Emily Mortimer). Mac’s called up to assemble a new production team for Will after he goes on a blistering political rant during a college panel discussion, and his team leaves with Will’s co-anchor to launch a separate news program.

As a big fan of Sorkin’s past work - and as someone who works in a newsroom and gets the occasional chance to interview Daniels - I was really excited about what the show might be before it premiered last season.

But the “The Newsroom” frustrated as often as (if not more than) it satisfied in its opening season. As much as I admire Daniels’ exactly-right performance, and love the screwball comedy pacing, sharp dialogue, and sometimes whiplash-inducing swerves from comedy to drama - Sorkin has referred to young producer Maggie’s urgent announcement of Gabby Giffords’ shooting, in the midst of office chaos, as a “Radar O’Reilly moment” - questions of what’s right often seem way too easy (and too uniformly partisan), even if following through on them is sometimes hard; and the relationship plotlines - i.e., the Jim-Maggie-Don love triangle, and the Will-Mac friction - always produce the show’s weakest, most wince-inducing moments.

But “The Newsroom” could, if it ever reached its full potential, provide a thematically rich discussion about the country’s political/cultural divide and media climate. So here’s hoping the new season makes an effort to right the ship, perhaps by way of these three suggestions.

1. Don’t make conservatives out to be caricatures with always-weak, ill-considered arguments. The liberal viewpoint versus the conservative perspective on “The Newsroom” has the feel of Godzilla vs. Bambi. It’s not a fair fight, and it’s not a particularly interesting fight, when the deck is so ridiculously stacked. Present the best, strongest, smartest arguments on both sides of a topic - and present smart people on both sides, perhaps with conservative pundits in the mold of David Brooks or Shelby Steele - and trust your audience to decide on the issues for themselves. (Sorkin provided this by way of Ainsley Hayes on "The West Wing," so I know it's in his power.)

2. Focus more on the newsroom push-and-pull of telling important stories and telling popular stories, as “The Newsroom” did when debating whether, and how, to talk about the Casey Anthony trial. This is exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping to see, played out even more, on the show; so as far as I’m concerned, more news stuff, less love stuff, and we’ll be on our way.

3. Make the female characters less dithering. Mac accidentally sends the entire newsroom an email about previously cheating on Will? Maggie gets splashed by a “Sex and the City” tour bus and goes on a rant? Sloan makes a really bad judgment call on live television? The “sorority girl” Will epically dresses down in the premiere episode arrives in the newsroom during the season finale, hoping to work for him? I realize the male characters have their own less-than-smooth moments, too, but really. Give the ladies of “The Newsroom” something meatier and more meaningful to work with. These actresses (Alison Pill, Mortimer, and Olivia Munn) deserve it.

So let’s go, "Newsroom" season two. I’m watching.

For now.

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.

The 37-year-old Ypsilanti Township woman accused of killing her 6-week-old son while driving drunk appeared in the Washtenaw County Trial Court on Thursday for her final pretrial.

Constance Johnson

Constance Johnson’s attorney requested an adjournment so the defense could perform further investigation. The request was granted by Judge David Swartz.

The final pretrial was rescheduled for Aug. 8 and a jury trial was set for Oct. 15.

Johnson was charged on April 5 with homicide with a motor vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, operating while intoxicated causing death, operating with a suspended license causing death, second-degree child abuse and open alcohol container in a vehicle.

According to police, Johnson struck a pickup truck parked on Foley Avenue in Ypsilanti Township while driving a mini-van on Oct. 7. Johnson and her son, Isiah Caddell, were the only two people in the vehicle.

Sgt. Geoff Fox of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office said the baby was in a standard car carrier, but he was in the front seat and not strapped in.

Police responded to a call reporting that a baby was not breathing. The infant was transported to the University of Michigan Hospital where he remained until he died on Oct. 13 due to skull fractures and brain injuries, according to Fox.

Investigators tested Johnson for chemicals on the scene. Police needed time to investigate further and get test results before any charges could be made.

Johnson was arrested April 4 and charged the next day.

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

Ellie’s Chocolate Cafe in Chelsea has returned to its original owners, Tom and Tina Diab and its original name, the “Gourmet Chocolate Cafe

Judy Radant, who owned and ran the restaurant at 312 N. Main St. with sons Michael and Steve, said the business was forced to close due to “financial issues”.

The exterior of the Gourmet Chocolate Cafe.

AnnArbor.com file photo

Tom Diab said publicity about the case had affected Ellie's. “Instantly the business went down,” he said, but declined to comment further.

The Radants expanded their burger restaurant “Ellie’s Place” in January of 2012 to take over the next-door “Gourmet Chocolate Cafe” owned by the Diabs, renaming the restaurant “Ellie’s Chocolate Cafe.”

The restaurant is located in the Chelsea Clocktower Commons, managed by the McKinley property management firm. Jeff Holman, McKinley’s vice president of Property Management, said Ellie’s closed around June 15 and was reopened a few days later by the new owners.

He described the transfer as a “seamless transition.”

“It was just one group turning it back to the other group and reopening the business,” he said.

Holman said the community embraced the change and is happy to see the restaurant re-opened.

“It’s probably too early to tell, all indications are that things are going well for the new owners,” he said.

Judy Radant said she and her family have no future business plans.

Erica Hobbs is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com. Contact the news desk at news@anarbor.com or 734-623-2530.

One of Washtenaw County's rites of summer begins this week: The annual tax foreclosure auctions of property - homes, buildings and land - that the county now owns due to non-payment of property taxes.

The process has existed for decades, but by the time the Great Recession took hold of the U.S., the number of Washtenaw County properties heading to auction climbed exponentially from a typical handful to several hundred.

This year, 114 auction lots were listed by Treasurer Catherine McClary. They range from small vacant lots to full development properties with multiple home sites; many are single-family homes.

The number of properties heading into the auctions, which begin July 16 and are scheduled to end Nov. 5, is down about 33 percent this year from 2012. And the 2012 number was one-third fewer than the 2011 peak of 639 parcels heading to auction.

The tax foreclosures represented just one aspect of the financial crisis, but it was one that local officials recognized early and took quick steps to mitigate.

McClary’s staff, for example, for years now has been actively helping homeowners understand the law and looking for solutions in hardship cases to prevent the foreclosure step.

In Ypsilanti, city officials got creative about making sure that the homes heading to auction were visible to potential buyers. They circulated marketing materials and scheduled open houses, a step that was extended this year to Ypsilanti Township.

Meanwhile, in Ypsilanti Township, officials saw the opportunity to use the community’s so-called right of first refusal to purchase seven homes and three lots that had been headed to auction. All will be sold to Habitat for Humanity.

All of this follows McClary’s effort to prioritize the auction process and make it efficient and effective for the county. That included hiring online auction companies to get maximum exposure for the most marketable properties, and setting up “last chance” sales with low minimum bids when other steps didn’t yield a buyer.

The impact of the tax foreclosures touches many aspects of the community, beyond the former owners. This year’s properties heading to auction account for a combined $1.58 million in unpaid taxes and fees. And the years-long process to reach the auction stage means that most have been vacant and unattended for some time. That so many of these properties are in residential neighborhoods means that neighbors are living with the effects of the foreclosures, too.

All of Washtenaw County has benefitted from the steps these officials - particularly McClary - have taken to restore these properties to tax-generating parcels under responsible ownership. Part of the effort is their statutory responsibility. Yet the benefits for this community stem from the creativity they’ve been able to apply to find real solutions.