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Thunderstorm watch issued until 10 p.m. Tuesday

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Beware of bolts and boomers in Washtenaw County Tuesday night.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for counties throughout Michigan, including Wayne, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb and Jackson.

The watch will stay in effect until 10 p.m. Tuesday.

There could be damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and large hail 1 inch in diameter, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm could also produce extremely heavy rainfall which could restrict visibility and potentially lead to flooding.

The storm will be moving southeasterly at around 30 mph.

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


U-M police: Man caught urinating in public on campus had heroin and cocaine

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Courtesy of U-M Police

A 42-year-old Ypsilanti man caught urinating in public near the Thayer Carport on University of Michigan's campus early Tuesday was also in possession of drugs, police said.

The man was arrested around 2:16 a.m. at 216 South Thayer Street after officers witnessed him urinating in an alley. Police initially placed him under arrest him for indecent exposure, but a subsequent search revealed he was in possession of suspected heroin, cocaine and marijuana, according to U-M police.

Investigators believe the drugs were packaged for sale.

The man was taken to the U-M police department, processed and released pending the authorization of a warrant by the prosecutor's office.

He could face drug charges, as well as a count of indecent exposure.


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

'America's Got Talent' recap: Saline resident's group Forte scores with 'Unchained Melody'

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Saline resident and U-M grad Sean Panikkar, along with fellow Forte singers Josh Page and Fernando Varela, made a pretty convincing argument for America's votes on Tuesday's night's episode of "America's Got Talent."

And if the singing trio is in fact voted through to the next, quarter final round of the show - which is scheduled to air on Tuesday, September 10 - they can credit their polished performance of "Unchained Melody" on Tuesday night, but they might also, perhaps, have the strong advocacy of AGT judge Howard Stern to thank.

"From the opening notes, you had me," said Stern after Forte's performance, which wrapped up the two hour show. "Now that’s the sign of true professionals. This is what we’ve been waiting for. It’s been a very strange night. I’m going to say that the pressure of the semifinals has gotten to everyone, but you guys and (singer Cami Bradley), probably. Aside from that, everyone was just a little bit off. But you guys consistently come out here, you know how to perform, you know how to move an audience, you know how to pick a song. … It was beautiful. Congratulations."


Forte, 1st Semi-Final performs ~ AGT 2013 Live by HumanSlinky

Tuesday night's line-up of semi-finalists included each of the four judges' "wild card" picks: rapper Tone the Chiefrocca (chosen by Mel B); acrobat Red Panda (chosen by Howie Mandel); Angela Hoover (chosen by Stern); and dancer/acrobats Duo Resonance (chosen by Heidi Klum).

The remaining 8 contestants, who earned their spot via audience vote, were magician Collins Key; a young gymnastics team called Innovative Force; singer Dave Fenley; comedian Taylor Williamson; singer Jonathan Allen; multimedia dance troupe Catapult Entertainment; singer Cami Bradley; and Forte.

Often, reality show talent competitions schedule the act that producers consider to be the strongest contender at the end of the program, and that clearly seemed to be in play during Tuesday evening's episode of AGT. Every act seemed to be building up to the Forte finale.

"Wow, wow and wow," said Heidi Klum after Forte's performance. "That's all I have to say. So good. Loved it."

"You solidified yourself a place in the quarterfinals, … and maybe solidified a career for yourselves," Mandel said.

Even Mel B, who'd been lukewarm about Forte in previous rounds, said, "I've changed my mind. I really bloody like you."

Fans can vote for Forte by calling 1-866-60-AGT-12, or by visiting AGT's website, or via Twitter (#voteAGT Forte). The results will be announced on the AGT episode scheduled to air on Wednesday, August 28 at 9 p.m. on NBC. 6 of the 12 acts that competed on Tuesday night will advance to next round of competition.

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.

Nominate your team to be in our Week 2 high school football Game of the Week poll

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Will Huron or Pioneer be in our next Game of the Week poll?

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file

After a record-setting first Game of the Week poll, we’re already gearing up for our Week 2 contest. And we need your help.

In a new twist this year, we’ll have two days of nominations before our new poll opens Friday. This is your chance to make your case in the comment section below as to why your team’s Week 2, game is the best candidate and should be included as one of the five choices in the poll.

Below is our Week 2 schedule of games. All games kick off at 7 p.m. Friday, with the exception of Whitmore Lake/Father Gabriel Richard, which will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The week includes three matchups between SEC teams in different divisions: Huron at Lincoln, Skyline at Dexter and Ypsilanti at Saline.

The Gabriel Richard-Whitmore Lake game features a unique coaching connection: Gabriel Richard coach Brian Lemons is a teacher and baseball coach at Whitmore Lake, and spent seven seasons as the school’s defensive coordinator.

Pioneer will venture to Metro Detroit for the second straight week to visit Dearborn Edsel Ford, Chelsea will take on Belleville, while Manchester and Milan open their league seasons against Napoleon and Riverview, respectively.

Give us your pitch as to why your team’s game should be our Game of the Week. Then get your mouse ready to cast your vote starting Friday.

Week 2 Schedule
Chelsea at Belleville
Huron at Lincoln
Manchester at Napoleon
Milan at Riverview
Pioneer at Dearborn Edsel Ford
Skyline at Dexter
Whitmore Lake at Father Gabriel Richard (1 p.m. Saturday)
Ypsilanti at Saline

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.

Planning Commission to consider rezoning to allow parking for Thompson Block

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The Ypsilanti Planning Commission will consider a request to rezone the Thompson Block and an adjacent property into a planned unit development.

The change will allow developer Stewart Beal to combine the Thompson Block property and the property to the east to create parking for the Thompson Block building project.

City Planner Teresa Gillotti said the Thompson Block is a unique, historic project, so she believes it fits for approval to be rezoned from B3 central business district; R1, single family residential; and Historic District Overlay to a PUD.

The planning commission will vote on recommending approval of the change to City Council Wednesday night after a public hearing at its regular meeting. The City Council will then take up the issue at its next meeting.

Redevelopment of the Thompson Block would provide 10,000 square feet of combined retail and commercial space on the first floor and 16 lofts on the upper floors, and the development would take up .56 acres on a busy Depot Town intersection.

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A lot to the east of Thompson Block would serve as its parking lot.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

“We see the project, if it’s able to progress, as incredibly positive for the city and Depot Town as a whole,” Gillotti said.

The Thompson Block takes up 400 through 412 N. River St. Beal owns the two properties directly to the east of the 150-year-old building at 107 and 113 E. Cross St. As part of the proposal in front of the planning commission, 107 E. Cross St. would become part of the Thompson block property.

113 E. Cross Street has a multi-unit house Beal rents and would likely become part of the project in the future.

Beal purchased the property at 107 E. Cross St. from a bankruptcy auction of properties formerly owned by David Kircher and demolished a vacant house on it. Kircher was jailed for five years after being caught pumping raw sewage from one of his apartment buildings into the Huron River and was forced to sell his properties to pay off debts.

“The lot will accommodate parking for the Thompson Block, which is a good idea for a building with commercial use and two stories with 16 lofts,” Gillotti said. “They will be doing that on a vacant lot and what was once a problematic Kircher lot. It’s a reactivation of a key corner in Depot Town.”

Beal is in the process of trying to raise $1.74 million by selling 174 shares at $10,000 a piece to partially fund the redevelopment. The rest of the funding for the approximately $4 million renovation will come through a loan, Beal said.

The project's latest timeline has its completion slated for the end of 2014 or early 2015, and Beal has been looking for potential commercial and residential tenants to sign pre-leases for an early 2015 move in.

Developer hopes to break ground on 618 South Main project in October

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Ann Arbor developer Dan Ketelaar is making revisions to his plans for a new apartment building on South Main Street as he looks to break ground in October.

Ketelaar has submitted a formal request to the city's planning department, seeking administrative approval for a roughly 4,500-square-foot increase in usable building space.

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The former Fox Tent & Awning site between Ashley and Main streets, just north of Mosley Street, is where the future 618 South Main apartment project is expected to take shape starting this fall.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

He wants to take what would have been essentially dead space on the north and west wings of the sixth floor and fill that area in with more apartments for young professionals and empty nesters — his target demographic.

In all, there would be an additional seven units on the sixth floor and one more on the first floor.

As part of the changes, Ketelaar is giving up the penthouse suite he planned to move into on the top floor and converting it into three smaller apartments.

"It just became clear the revenue was needed," he said. "It was a difficult decision, to say the least. One of my ideas for this project was to have a place to live downtown."

He said a rise in interest rates is driving his request to reconfigure the internal layout of the building, adding eight more units.

"When the rates went up, it caused some heartburn," he said, adding he's now looking at an interest rate closer to 4.5 percent instead of 3.5 percent. "The numbers need to work."

Ketelaar of Urban Group Development, 225 S. Ashley St., had been planning to start construction on the 618 South Main project in July, but the timeline has been pushed back.

He now hopes to start construction by mid to late October and welcome the first tenants into the building by the fall of 2014.

According to the revised plans, the unit mix is now as follows:

  • Studios — up from 57 to 59
  • One-bedroom units — up from 65 to 68
  • Two-bedroom units — up from 28 to 31

That's an increase from 150 to 158 units. However, Ketelaar told AnnArbor.com in an interview the unit count actually is going up from 156 to 164.

He couldn't be reached after hours on Tuesday to clarify the discrepancy.

Ketelaar announced earlier this year he was eliminating an entire floor from the building, reducing it from seven to six stories, taking the number of units from 182 to 156.

Even after adding eight units back into the plans, he noted it's still well below the maximum density allowed on the site. He said the changes won't really affect the outside appearance.

"It's not an increase in massing," he said. "The massing is almost exactly the same as it was. If you look at the elevations, it really doesn't change anything. It's still the same building."

City Planner Jeff Kahan said what Ketelaar is proposing is fully consistent with city code and the project won't need to go back before Planning Commission or City Council.

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Chicago-based Clayco has been chosen to oversee the construction. Ketelaar said they'll be hiring many Southeast Michigan subcontractors and it'll be a union job.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"I don't think you'll see much of a substantive change on the exterior," he added.

Ketelaar is responding to a request from the Ann Arbor Fire Department by moving the fire command room for the building from the main floor to an upper parking floor to provide direct access via Main Street. That's taking the place of two parking spaces, decreasing the number of spaces from 132 to 130 — which is still more than the 47 spaces required.

Kahan said a fire command room is a code requirement for large commercial or residential buildings, which feature modern fire suppression systems on multiple floors.

The code requires a room in which the fire department has access to determine the extent of a particular fire, find out where the fire is taking place, and which sprinkler systems are showing pressure, so firefighters can make quick determinations.

Another change is the extension of a handicap ramp for access via Ashley Street. The plans note a separate entry for wheelchair access has been included in the design.

Due to the increase in the building square footage, the Class A bicycle parking requirement has increased from 51 spaces to 53 spaces. The plans now include 55 spaces.

Ketelaar has been working on the project for three years. He plans to have a pre-groundbreaking tailgate on the lot — the former Fox Tent & Awning site — in late September.

He said on Tuesday he believes the project fits the community's values. He said the plan is to achieve LEED Silver certification for eco-friendly building design and operation.

The site also is laid out so zero stormwater will be discharged to the city's sewer system during storms — it'll all be captured and managed on site with the help of rain garden/bio-retention areas.

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.

Now open: Don Juan Mexican Bar & Grill on Ann Arbor's West Stadium

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A new Mexican restaurant is now serving up margaritas, nachos and chilaquiles on the west side of Ann Arbor.

Don Juan Mexican Bar & Grill opened its doors on Monday, Aug. 26 at 2135 W. Stadium Blvd. in the Boulevard Plaza shopping center.

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Don Juan Mexican Bar & Grill opened its doors this week on West Stadium Boulevard.

Lizzy Alfs | AnnArbor.com

“We were trying the first day out without really telling people, and we got customers in yesterday,” said general manager David Corona. “We got probably about 20 tables. It was fun.”

Juan Hernandez, owner of the Los Amigos Mexican restaurants on Hilton Boulevard in Ann Arbor and East Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti Township, also owns Don Juan Mexican Bar & Grill.

The concept and menu at the Don Juan restaurant is the same as Los Amigos, Corona said.

He said the new restaurant has a large menu — options include nachos, salads, burritos and seafood dishes — and he said everything is made from scratch.

“We use fresh produce, we bake everything daily, with fresh chips and salsa every day,” he said.

The restaurant is open for lunch daily, but Corona said he’s unsure when the restaurant will be the busiest. He said the daily happy hour specials from 3 to 6 p.m. could be a traffic driver.

“I don’t know how it’s going to be on this side, but on the other side of town (near Briarwood Mall), we are busy all day long. I hope we can get a busy dinner and lunch,” he said.

Ace Barnes Hardware and Arbor Farms Market anchor the Boulevard Plaza shopping center, which is located between West Liberty Street and Pauline Boulevard. Don Juan Mexican Bar & Grill is situated between Mattress & Futon Shop and H&R Block, fronting West Stadium Boulevard.

The space was listed for lease with Colliers International’s Max Goldman and Lou Frango, who are still marketing two spaces for lease in the center.

Don Juan Mexican Bar & Grill’s hours are: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 12 to 11 p.m. on Saturday; and 12 to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

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.

Midwestern Gothic hopes its short fiction and poetry will help define region

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There’s a (relatively) new literary journal in town.

And although it’s called Midwestern Gothic, don’t think Akron-based vampires and historical romance. Think short fiction and poetry that’s about, or inspired by, the Midwest and its people, all bound into a quarterly journal that’s based in Ann Arbor.

Admittedly, the crowded lit mag marketplace already features numerous journals located in the Midwest (The Mid-American Review, Passages North, The MacGuffin, etc.); but Midwestern Gothic founders Robert James Russell and Jeff Pfaller felt that what was missing was a journal specifically focused on painting a portrait of the region, warts and all.

Pfaller - who lives near Chicago - and Russell became friends while they were undergraduates at Michigan State University. They both became fiction writers, and Russell went to England to pursue graduate studies in American regionalism. (He openly acknowledges the irony of this, by the way.)

“I started thinking about regionalism in the Midwest,” said Russell. “ … I even tried to escape, but I ended up back here. I just think it’s really important to tell the story of the Midwest. We wanted to fill a niche that wasn’t necessarily being filled, and people are responding.”

They are, indeed. MWG’s website launched in 2010, in order to raise awareness and introduce the journal to the world; but the first hard copy appeared in January 2011, with several pieces by writers who were solicited by Russell and Pfaller.

Fast forward more than two years, to now, when the pair receives between 250-300 submissions for the journal’s 30-35 slots. (MWG’s poetry editor is Georgia-based Christina Olson, who grew up in the Midwest.)

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Midwestern Gothic co-founder Rob Russell at Literati, after a recent MWG readings event.

Photo provided by Rob Russell

“We read everything that comes in, and it’s exciting, because we continue to get better and better stuff,” said Russell. “ … When putting together the last issue (Summer 2013), we were flabbergasted. We didn’t have room for all the pieces we liked.”

Unlike other literary journals that get backlogged - so that even if your work is accepted, you may not see the poem or story in print for a few years - MWG selects the best of the best for each issue, and opts to give a whole new meaning to the phrase “encouraging rejection.”

“It’s more of a headache than it’s worth to try to personalize rejections, but if we particularly like a piece, we’ll write ‘Please submit this again,’” said Russell. “Sometimes it’s a great piece, and it just comes at the wrong time. But that’s a nice problem for us to have.”

Russell and Pfaller use Amazon’s print-on-demand service, CreateSpace, for its hard copy edition, but the journal is also available via iBooks, PDF, ePub and Kindle. (MWG’s website features author interviews instead of the work that appears in the journal.)

“We've just found that, as a journal, it's not in our best interest to use a traditional printer and print off a couple thousand copies of an issue in advance,” Russell explained in an email. “Our experience has been that once a new issue comes out, it's the new shiny toy that people want. Not that we can't still sell back issues (we absolutely do), but people tend to want the newest issue, and it doesn't make sense to have leftover copies sitting around. Each issue has its own ISBN, the final product is great, and the customer gets them quickly - so we're quite happy with it.”

Of course, MWG could have just joined the legion of online lit mags, and Russell acknowledges that there are many good ones out there; but MWG’s founders really wanted to have a tangible product that readers could hold in their hands. (Hard copies of MWG are available locally at Literati and Nicola’s.)

“Maybe it’s a generational thing,” Russell said. “Jeff and I are 32, and we still like the hard copies. Interestingly, they sell almost as well as the e-version. We put a pretty product together, and we spend a lot of time on the look of it. … This is another vehicle to get the stories out there - just a different version. We’re certainly not offended if someone’s reading it on their Kindle, but we really like the hard copies on the shelf, too. It just looks nice.”

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.


Ypsilanti ready to consider details of plan for Family Dollar store

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A Family Dollar store is the long-awaited first development planned for Ypsilanti’s Water Street property.

As such, planners and City Council are eager to set the design standard for subsequent development on the 38-acre site.

At its regular Wednesday meeting, the Ypsilanti Planning Commission will consider the project’s site plans and a request to rezone Family Dollar's property from B4, General Business and Entryway Overlay to a Planned Unit Development.

The Water Street property was never rezoned because City Council wanted to allow flexibility for all types of proposed developments, be it retail, commercial, residential, industrial or mixed use.

City Planner Teresa Gillotti said a PUD also helps staff and Council ensure a “quality development" by giving it greater control of a property's design elements.

The project will also begin to lay out the roads, sewer and other infrastructure for the rest of Water Street, giving it more shape than is currently offered.

“Everyone is interested in the first development on Water Street being a quality development both in terms of form and landscaping for that corner of Park and Michigan,” Gillotti said.

The property will be at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Park Street, and Lincoln Street will run from east to west just south of the building.

City Council approved the purchase agreement for the $1.2 million project on May 7. Family Dollar will pay the city $210,000 for the land. Core Resources, Family Dollar’s developing partner, is proposing to construct an 8,320-square-foot store.

But the city has stressed the importance of accessibility for pedestrians, the inclusion of sidewalks, lighting, design and providing an urban feel.

After reviewing the site plan already submitted to the city, Gillotti listed 23 design items that need to be addressed before she can recommend site plan approval. Those includes changes like Family Dollar paying for sidewalks, the addition of bike racks, changes to landscaping, changes to lighting, a reduction in the parking lot’s size and more.

The planning commission will vote on whether or not to approve the rezoning and whether or not to recommend council approves the site plans.

The meeting at 7 p.m. at the Ypsilanti City Hall will include a public hearing.

Experts say that pets grieve after the death of another family pet, and helping them through the transition proves healing for everyone

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Flickr photo by Anders.Bachmann

This is been a year of change for a lot of people in my social circle who share life with animal companions.

For most of them, they knew that the inevitable was coming: an aged pet gracefully navigating twilight time, with the accompanying bumps along the way.

For others, death came unexpectedly or early.

None of us who share their life with a pet is immune to seeing them through their final transition.

As one client remarked a few days ago when I shared that Bruiser, our 13-year-old Labrador was recently diagnosed with metastatic cancer, "...it never seems right that our dearest loved ones live for so short of time." The fact that we all grieve the loss of our animal companions is evident.

But there's more to the equation.

In my experience as a caregiver of varying species of animals, I know that the dynamics among the non-human members of a family change noticeably when a pet dies — or throughout the process of navigating a grave illness.

In my own tribe, I'm already seeing subtle changes as time goes by. Though I wouldn't characterize my two dogs as playmates — not so uncommon — Gretchen seems to defer to her ailing canine housemate a bit more. Having a very strong personality, that's not something that she would normally do.

The need to pay close attention to not just the changing needs of Bruiser has been obvious, and I also feel that it's as important to recognize Gretchen's (and our cat, Silver, who has been more of a buddy with Bruiser) — and our own.

I've previously chronicled the experiences of two families with losing their pets, and one thing is clear: it's not easy, nor the same for anyone in the household.

As the end — which at this point seems at a long arm's length away — looms closer, I find myself honing in on how the animals of the family are behaving.

Experts are exploring what many of us already know: some pets grieve the loss of one of their own, and may exhibit their grief in different ways.

The notion isn't so surprising. Pets have a myopic social structure compared to humans. We have our jobs, day-to-day interaction with people outside of the four walls of the house; things that broaden our periphery.

Even with the availability of ways to enhance a dog's social element, like dog parks and play dates and agility outings, their social periphery is far more condensed than ours. The majority of their time is limited to the day-to-day interaction with the other pets in the household. When you consider the amount of time that our pets spend in each other's midst over the course of years — even a mere few months in some cases — when one animal is gone for good, a huge void is left.

That prospect, coupled with being witness to the showing of grief that humans can't help hide when a pet passes, can contribute.

“We know with dogs, they’re so tuned in to our gestures and facial expressions,” says Barbara J. King, a professor of anthropology at Virginia’s College of William & Mary.

"There’s fascinating research that they’re more attuned than chimpanzees are, and chimpanzees are supposed to be the end-all and be-all of cognition. The problem comes in when some animal grief gets dismissed (on that basis). … The depth of an animal’s response and the length it lasts seem to go beyond responding to people in the home.”

King is author of “How Animals Grieve", published in March of this year.

“I don’t want to say dogs grieve, cats grieve, horses grieve,” adds King, who specializes in animal behavior.

“I say some dogs grieve. Sometimes people contact me and say (they) had two dogs and one died and the other didn’t grieve — why not? It’s animal individuality … the survivor’s relationship to the dead, the survivor’s personality. Sometimes animals recover quickly or do not grieve at all.”

Those who have had a pet experience that sense of loss after an animal friend dies have undoubtedly seen a couple of these responses to the event:

  • Eating less (a marker widely-noted by pet owners in a study done in 1996 by the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
  • Restlessness or sleeping less
  • Lethargy
  • Increased vocalizing (barking, howling, meowing)
  • Becoming clingy

Some pets even seem a bit disoriented or confused, or avoid contact or play with other family members.

It's important to note that these changes in behavior can also indicate an illness, so it's wise to have an examination by the pet's clinician to be sure that there's not an underlying medical cause.

Helping a pet navigate through the process of grief doesn't differ that much from the way that we find it to be helpful for humans.

Time well-spent

Shore up more one-on-one time with your pet. Walks and outings (especially to new areas or routes), playing games, even brushing them can help. The physical interaction promotes a sense of joy and connectedness, and also releases oxytocin, a hormone that increases a sense of well-being and bonding in mammals.

Happy distraction

Providing new things for your pet to do and learn can help occupy his mind and give him a much-needed boost.

Consider hiding new toys that they'll find interesting in a favorite place — even pets love happy surprises.

Foraging toys, like stuffed Kongs and the like are ideal, especially when you need to be away. You can even make them for cats.

The process of learning something new, like a trick (even for senior dogs), or even more involved asstarting agility classes, can help increase a sense of happiness.

For cats, perhaps bringing in a new cat tree for them to perch on can be helpful. Placing it in an area that can give them an exciting vantage point of the outdoors is a good idea. Click here for more considerations with cats.

Don't forget the power of catnip when it comes to your cat. The joyful effect of catnip on a feline — even though it's for a brief period — can provide a lasting emotional boost.

These kinds of things have a secondary benefit: they help us as well. Nurturing our pets in seemingly more intentional ways is healing and reinforces the bond with them.

Just like humans, quite often the appetite can suffer during a difficult time. For dogs and cats, offering an enhancement, like a little warmed canned food or healthy addition like some cooked, bite-size chicken mixed with their usual food can pique a pet's interest. Try a new, safe fruit or vegetable or serve things in an unexpected way for a feathered friend.

Usually, pets bounce back as time passes. But these ideas can help you be proactive during the transition and assist in gracefully settling into the changing dynamic that most often occurs in a multi-pet household after the loss of an animal member of the family.

Click here for more on pets grieving pets, on VeterinaryPartner.com.

Lorrie Shaw leads the pets section for AnnArbor.com and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

“The UFO Show” at Mix, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” at CCC and more

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John Seibert, Naz Edwards and Mitchell Koory in Performance Network's production of "My Name is Asher Lev."

courtesy of Performance Network

It’s typically one of the slowest theater weekends of the year, but not in Ann Arbor. Whereas traditionally theaters go “dark” (meaning the theater lights are not shining on a production) on Labor Day weekend, Ann Arbor continues it tradition of a jam-packed theater schedule all year round.

With stand-up comedy at The Mix, a musical theater show for all ages at 1600 Pauline Theater, an original musical at the Walgreen Center, and new plays on old themes (love and art) at the Purple Rose and Performance Network, there’s something for everyone this weekend.

Show: "The UFO Show (unidentified funny objects), Part III; En Vacances Comiques," a one-time event, August 8 at 8 p.m. Company: Emergent Arts Type of Company: Pre-professional Venue/location: The Mix Studio Theatre, 8 N. Washington, Ypsilanti Recommended ages: 16+ Description: Standup comedy with Marty Smith, Brad Wenzel, Chevy Hungerford, Germaine Gebhard, and more, storytelling with Lyn Davidge and Steven White, singer/songwriter and humorist Marc Holland. Fun fact: Emergent Arts at The Mix is now official host to The Comedy DoJo standup workshop of Chili Challis, professional comedian and coach, and former staff writer for "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." For tickets and information: www.emergentarts.com Special ticket offer: "The Truth is in Ypsilanti" T-shirts available for just $5, with $8 ticket purchase. Show: “You're a Good man Charlie Brown” by Clark Gesner, through August 31 Company: Ann Arbor Musical Theater Works Type of Company: Professional Non-Equity Venue/location: 1600 Pauline Theater Space, Children's Creative Center, Ann Arbor Recommended ages: 6+ Description: Classic 60's musical about Charlie Brown and the Peanuts characters in which adults play the roles of the Peanuts characters. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Sally, Linus and Schroeder tackle topics like homework, kite-flying, romance, and playground politics. http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/ann-arbor-musical-theatre-works-to-present-youre-a-good-man-charlie-brown/ Fun fact: On March 7, 1967, the musical premiered off-Broadway at Theatre 80 in the East Village, featuring Gary Burghoff, who played Radar O’Reilly in television’s M.A.S.H. as Charlie Brown For tickets and information: http://AnnArborMusicalTheaterWorks.com, or 734-546-5087 Special ticket offer: Thursday's performance at 7:30 p.m. is a Fundraiser with Afterglow featuring food, drinks, silent and regular auction, music and mingle with the cast. All proceeds from Thursday's performance benefit the Campaign to Create the Timothy R.B. Johnson M.D. Professorship in Global Women's Health at the University of Michigan Medical School. Show: “Translations” by Brian Friel, through August 31 Company: Carriage House Theatre Type of Company: Pre-professional Venue/location: Carriage House Theatre, 541 Third St, Ann Arbor Recommended ages: 12+ Description: "Translations," by acclaimed Irish playwright Brian Friel, is set in a rural school in the town of Baile Beag in 1833, when Ireland is under direct British rule. The schoolmaster’s son Owen has returned from Dublin, accompanied by two English officers with orders to survey the area and standardize place names - which means translating them into the King’s English. As the residents of Baile Beag struggle to find their place in this anglicizing world, young lieutenant Yolland begins to fall in love with Baile Beag as it is, its language, and a young woman who attends the school. Language itself, with its ability to both unite and divide, stands at the crossroads between imperial powers and cultural heritage, between tradition and progress in this complex play about identity in a changing world. Fun fact: Playwright Brian Friel is sometimes called the Irish Chekhov. For tickets and information: carriagehousetheatre.org Show: “Miles & Ellie” by Don Zolidis, through August 31 Company: The Purple Rose Theatre Company Type of Company: Professional Equity SPT Venue/location: The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park Street, Chelsea Recommended ages: 17+ (contains adult language and content) Description: Miles and Ellie are two teenagers in love when a youthful misunderstanding breaks them apart. Flash forward 20 years and a disenchanted Ellie has come home for what she expects to be a typical dysfunctional family Thanksgiving. Not long into the family shenanigans, however, Ellie learns that Miles is still in town and carrying a torch for her. Is it possible to get a second chance at your first love? This charming romantic comedy will make you wonder “what if?” http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/review-miles-and-ellie-at-the-purple-rose/ Fun fact: Similarly to the 1980s, rock music was also very popular in the 1990s, yet, unlike the New Wave and glam metal-dominated scene of the time, grunge, industrial rock and other alternative rock music emerged and took over as the most popular of the decade For tickets and information: purplerosetheatre.org, 734-433-7673 Show: “My Other Voice” by Alex Kipp, through September 1 Company: Alex Kipp Productions Type of Company: Professional Equity, Special Appearance Contract Venue/location: Walgreen Drama Center, 1226 Murfin, Ann Arbor Recommended ages: 16+ Description: “My Other Voice” is Alex Kipp’s autobiographical play about his battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma while a senior at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance at the University of Michigan. Kip, 25, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was given a 15-30 percent chance of survival after being diagnosed, and lost his voice during subsequent treatment at the U-M Medical Center. “No longer able to speak or sing,” he said, “I had to find a new identity.” Now in complete remission, Kip wrote "My Other Voice" with the goal of providing inspiration and hope to other cancer patients. http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/u-m-musical-theater-grad-alex-kip-to-premiere-autobiographical-show-my-other-voice-in-ann-arbor/ Fun fact: The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance was formerly known as the School of Music until it adopted its current name on July 1, 2006 For tickets and information: http://akipprod.com/tickets.html Show: “My Name is Asher Lev” by Aaron Posner, adapted from the novel by Chaim Potok, through September 8 Company: Performance Network Theatre Type of Company: Professional Equity (SPT) Venue/location: Performance Network Theatre, 120 East Huron, Ann Arbor Recommended ages: 16+ Description: Based on the famous 1972 novel by Chaim Potok, this provocative play tells the story of a boy growing up in a sheltered Hasidic community in 1950s Brooklyn, who discovers he has a prodigious talent as an artist. Struggling to reconcile his gift with the community’s Orthodox values, he immerses himself in an art form steeped in Christian imagery. When he brings forth a masterwork entitled “The Brooklyn Crucifixions,” he must decide whether or not to honor his self-expression and exhibit, potentially bringing shame on his family, his community, and even his faith. http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/performance-networks-my-name-is-asher-lev-is-a-powerful-family-portrait/ Fun fact: A backstage art show is open 30 minutes after every performance, literally backstage on the set of “Asher Lev.” Patrons can tour an art show, inspired by the themes of the show, curated by The Ugly Mug in Ypsilanti. For tickets and information: 734-663-0696, www.performancenetwork.org/ Special ticket offer: Enjoy half-priced drinks ($2 beer, $3 wine) at PNT’s happy hour beginning one hour before show time.

Detours on Pontiac Trail in Ann Arbor start Thursday

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The city of Ann Arbor has released this map of the upcoming detours.

City of Ann Arbor

Traffic on Pontiac Trail in Ann Arbor will be detoured on four separate days in the coming week to allow repairs and paving of the intersection at Barton Drive.

The city announced a temporary traffic control plan that will be effective on Pontiac Trail from Amherst to Northside on Aug. 29-30, Sept. 3, and Sept.8, weather permitting.

As part of the Barton Drive resurfacing project, the intersection of Pontiac Trail/Barton Drive will be repaired and repaved.

Pontiac Trail will be closed to through traffic. The detour route for both northbound and southbound traffic will use Northside, Chandler, and Amherst.

Local access for vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic will be maintained.

As a safety precaution, city officials ask motorist to please reduce speeds and drive cautiously through work zones.

Barton Drive is being resurfaced between Pontiac Trail and Plymouth Road as part of the city's annual street resurfacing program. Since the work started in July, eastbound traffic has been maintained, while westbound traffic has been detoured.

The city also has been studying the possibility of adding a sidewalk along the south side of Barton Drive from west of Chandler Road to Longshore Drive.

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.

U-M professor Laura Kasischke to receive 2013 Michigan Author Award

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Laura Kasischke

Laura Kasischke

Writer and U-M professor Laura Kasischke already has an impressive resume, but now she's got one more credit to add to her ever-growing list of accomplishments: the 2013 Michigan Author Award.

A press release contains complete details.

The Michigan Library Association (MLA) will present Laura Kasischke with the 2013 Michigan Author Award during the MLA 2013 Annual Conference in Lansing on October 18, 2013.

Kasischke has published eight novels, two of which - "The Life Before Her Eyes" and "Suspicious River" - were made into feature films. She has also authored eight books of poetry and received the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry in 2012. She has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as several Pushcart Prizes and numerous poetry awards.

A panel of judges representing MLA members and the Michigan Center for the Book determined the recipient on overall literary merit. To be eligible, authors must be a current resident of Michigan, a long-time resident of Michigan, recently relocated or an author whose works are identified with Michigan because of subject and/or setting. Kasischke grew up in Grand Rapids, currently resides in Chelsea and is an Allan Seager Collegiate Professor of English Language & Literature at the University of Michigan. Throughout her diverse body of work, Kasischke ties her characters to the state of Michigan.

"On behalf of the Michigan Author Award work group, it is my honor to present this year's award to Laura Kasischke,” said Chair Jillian Essenmacher of the Salem-South Lyon District Library. “She is an incredibly talented writer with an impressive and diverse body of work. We are pleased to recognize her as an author who has made a substantial contribution to Michigan's literary heritage."

The Michigan Library Association (MLA) is Michigan's oldest and largest library association spanning more than a century. MLA's membership is comprised of more than 1,500 individual and institutional members from public, academic, private and special libraries. Guided by the belief that free and open access to information is the cornerstone of a free society, the Michigan Library Association advocates for libraries and the free access of information on behalf of the state's residents.

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.

Woman stabbed in leg Tuesday expected to recover

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The woman stabbed in the leg during a domestic dispute in Superior Township Tuesday is expected to recover.

Patrick Record | AnnArbor.com

The woman stabbed in the leg during a domestic dispute Tuesday in Superior Township is expected to recover from her non-life-threatening injuries.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Geoffrey Fox said the 18-year-old woman will be OK, but he wasn’t sure if she was still in the hospital Wednesday afternoon. Sheriff’s office officials said Tuesday she suffered a “significant” leg wound during the incident.

A 23-year-old Superior Township man is in custody for allegedly stabbing the woman. Fox said it appears the two were having an argument that got physical prior to the stabbing.

The specifics of the incident are still being worked out in interviews and investigation, Fox said.

Deputies responded just before noon Tuesday to the 8700 block of MacArthur Boulevard after the stabbing was reported. Neighbors said they saw the woman sitting on the porch of the townhouse in a pool of blood.

Fox said no formal charges would come against the 23-year-old man Wednesday. The man can be held in the Washtenaw County Jail for 48 hours before he has to be arraigned on charges, or else he will be freed.

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

University of Michigan's new freshmen move in: 'It's a crazy feeling. This is our new home'

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Anna Boratyn, 18, of Arlington Heights, Ill. unloads her belongings outside the West Quadrangle dormitory on move-in day, August 28. Brianne Bowen | AnnArbor.com

Katja Molinaro spent Wednesday morning unpacking her room.

She made her loft bed, carefully arranged her pillows and hung a curtain from the loft to create a cubby where her desk sits.

A Dayton, Ohio, native, Molinaro was moving into college for the first time.

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Aaron Calderon, 18, and Jordan Amiae, 18, of Brigton move their futon into the East Quadrangle dormitory on move-in day, August 28.

Brianne Bowen | AnnArbor.com

"I thought I'd be so much more nervous," the University of Michigan freshman said as she looked around her dorm room in the recently renovated East Quadrangle residence hall. Her roommate's side of the room was still empty and Molinaro was giddy from the excitement of experiencing so many new things at once.

"Getting everything ready and seeing all my dorm stuff —my bedding and my pillows all together— is great. Seeing everyone move in is awesome."

Explained Josh Vertes, a U-M freshman from Cleveland, Ohio, who also moved into East Quad Wednesday. "It's a crazy feeling. This is our new home."

U-M is home to about 10,500 students this year, including the vast majority of the school's roughly 6,000 freshmen. Most students will move in Wednesday through Friday.

Classes begin on Tuesday, Sept. 3, so students will use the rest of this week and the long weekend to get acquainted with campus and Ann Arbor and probably attend their first football game as Wolverines.

"The mood is excitement and confusion and overwhelming," said Amy Turner, a U-M freshman and East Quad resident. "There's a lot of sweat." Turner is one of more than 800 student volunteers who moved into the dorms early so they could help move their peers in. She said housing officials recommended volunteering as a good way to make friends.

As students unpacked their belongings, the fact that they wouldn't be making the return trip home with their parents began to sink in.

"I was kind of nervous realizing I'm on my own, but at the same time it's exciting," said Madeline Dickens, a freshman from Oxford, Mich. "I'm on my own away from my family, but at the same time I am meeting all new people."

Added her roommate, freshman Ella Deaton: "I was nervous driving here and arriving, but once I'm in my room it's good."

Dickens and Deaton met for the first time Wednesday. They're both a part of East Quad's Residential College, with Dickens studying French and Deaton is learning Spanish.

Matt Pauszek, an Indianapolis native and U-M freshman living in East Quad, said he searched for the bathroom on his hall for what felt like a half hour until he finally found it.

"It's a bit hectic," he said of the moving process. Pauszek is already considering how he is going to manage his free time in college. "

You're your own man. You can do whatever you want," he said, explaining the freedom that comes with living at college. "You make your own decisions."

Molinaro is already thinking about paying her hefty out-of-state tuition bill. She said that in addition to being on a campus debate team, she plans to get a part-time job to help pay for college.

"Out-of-state tuition is crazy," she offered. The cost of attendance, which includes supplies and room and board, for an out-of-state freshman at U-M is estimated at $53,490 per year. In-state students living on campus pay about $26,240 for college and related expenses each year.

Dickens, on the other hand, is already gearing up for a workload that will make high school look like a cinch.

"At my school senioritis is a big thing, so the workload kind of slowly decreases near the end of the year," she said. "So I am kind of nervous about the college workload."

But for students moving into East Quad, the refurbished facility serves as a nice distraction. The dorm, which houses 856 students and a 430-seat dining hall, recently underwent a $116 million renovation. The renovation added air-conditioning, overhauled the dining area, upgraded the bathrooms and added and improved several community spaces.

"I lived here my freshman year actually so it's been really fun to come back and have a space that's a lot more functional," said Maddie Higgins, a U-M junior who will work as an RA in East Quad.

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


Ann Arbor schools recalls all but 2 teachers of 233 given layoff notices

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Editor's note: This story was updated at 3:45 p.m. with additional information.

Ann Arbor Public Schools has been able to recall all but two of 233 teachers that were issued layoff notices at the end of last school year, district officials said Wednesday.

As of one week ago, about 30 teachers that had been given pink slips still had not received word from the district if they would have a job in the 2013-14 school year.

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The Ann Arbor Public Schools' Balas Administration Building.

Kyle Mattson | AnnArbor.com

Interim Superintendent David Comsa and other district officials have said that they could not guarantee that all the employees given layoff notices would be called back, but that they were hopeful that no employees would be laid off.

The two laid-off employees are the equivalent of 1.2 full-time employees. One is a full-time career and technology educator and the other is a .2 FTE dance instructor.

The two individuals were not qualified to teach any other classes and the district did not have open positions for them, Margolis said. No other employees will be laid off, Margolis said.

Administrative staff for the district have been working around the clock for the past several weeks to match employee qualifications to positions in the district left open by more than 40 retirements. The district received the latest notice of a retirement from one of its employees Tuesday.

Teachers who had received layoff notices have been recalled on an incremental basis as human resources staff have found jobs for them, said Liz Margolis, spokeswoman for the district.

“We’re so pleased that we’re able to do this,” Margolis said Wednesday. “Obviously we’d like to be able to bring everybody back … it’s a big relief.”

As a part of the new budget approved for the 2013-14 school year, the Board of Education approved a cut of 40 employees, which accounted for $3.9 million—or 45 percent—of $8.7 million in cuts the district made from its operations.

After the 231 pink-slipped employees were matched to the 40 positions that were cut and more than 40 retirements, there are still nine positions within the district that remain empty one week before school begins.

The district posted those jobs Tuesday and will be accepting applications until the first day of school.

  • Tappan Middle School: .4 FTE French teacher
  • Scarlett Middle School: part-time science teacher
  • Scarlett Middle School: social studies teacher
  • Pioneer High School, Roberto Clemente and Clague middle schools: full- or part-time Spanish teacher
  • Pioneer High School: math/chemistry teacher
  • A2Tech and Huron high schools: Full- and/or part-time general science teacher
  • Skyline High School: cognitive impairment classroom teacher
  • Full- or part-time school psychologist at a location to be determined
  • School social worker at a location to be determined

There is a possibility that there will be substitute teachers in classrooms on the first day of school if the positions have not yet been filled, Margolis said.

"We are trying to get these positions in place as quickly as possible," Margolis said.

The district is still accepting applications for noon hour supervisors and custodians for multiple schools, as well as for assistant coaching positions for several sports.

Candidates for the position of principal at Lawton Elementary School were interviewed Tuesday by the district's new superintendent, Jeanice Kerr Swift.

Classes begin Sept. 3.

Amy Biolchini is the K-12 education reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.

Images from barn fire near Milan

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Four fire departments responded to a barn fire located near the intersection of Milan-Oakville and Fuller roads near Milan on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

The owners, Marvin and Shirley Markgraff, were notified of the fire Tuesday evening when a neighbor called them. There were no injuries reported.

Fire crews from Augusta, Milan, Pittsfield and Exeter responded.

Marvin told AnnArbor.com that the barn was built in 1924 and that the only thing inside was some old tools.

It was not clear what started the fire. A message seeking more information about the fire was left with the Milan fire department Wednesday.

Intern photographer Patrick Record captured these images.

Images from University of Michigan move-in day Wednesday

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Students came from across the state and across the country to move into dormitories at the University of Michigan on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

From unlocking their dorm rooms for the first time to hauling futons and couches up stairs, students began the school year by making their rooms a little more like home. Photos are from East Quadrangle, West Quadrangle and Bursley Hall.

Brianne Bowen is an intern photographer.

Photos from EMU's commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington

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Eastern Michigan University on Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s seminal "I Have a Dream" speech with an event at the school's Martin Luther King Jr. Gardens.

Bells and chimes were to ring on campus, followed by playing of the actual speech from Dr. King.

Speakers at the event were State Rep. Dave Rutledge and EMU professor Ronald Woods.

Eastern Michigan University provided these photos of the event.

'America's Got Talent' re-cap: Saline resident's group Forte sails through semifinals

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NBC

Probably to the surprise of no one, Forte, a male opera-singing trio that features Saline resident and U-M grad Sean Panikkar, has survived the semi-final round of "America's Got Talent," and the group will be one of 12 acts competing (on September 10) for a spot in the show's finals (scheduled to air September 17).

The announcement regarding Forte's success came during the AGT episode that aired Wednesday, August 28. During the show, AGT judge Howie Mandel said of Forte, after the group learned it would advance, "I'm going to predict right now, I think these guys are going to win this entire competition."

Votes from viewers - earned after Forte's lauded performance of "Unchained Melody" on Monday night's episode - got the trio through the semi-finals, along with youth dance/gymnastics team Innovative Force; magician Collins Key; comedian Taylor Williamson; and singer Cami Bradley. Multimedia dance troupe Catapult earned a spot by virtue of the judges' vote.

Contestants sent home were rapper Tone the Chiefrocca; acrobat Red Panda; singer Jonathan Allen; dancers/acrobats Duo Resonance; comedian Angela Hoover; and singer Dave Fenley.

Next week, the September 3 episode of AGT will be another semifinal round of performances, followed by eliminations the following night, so Forte will not appear again until the September 10 episode.

Will Mandel's prediction hold? Time will tell.

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.

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