When he steps down from his deanship at University of Michigan's largest college, longtime historian Terrence J. McDonald will step into another leading role at the institution where he's spent most of his career.

Terrence J. McDonald

McDonald will begin shortly after he steps down as dean. A search is underway for McDonald's replacement.

Bentley has more than 30,000 linear feet of manuscripts, published works, photographs and maps related to the history of the state and the university. The position especially is fitting for McDonald, who specializes in U.S. history.

Martha Pollack

McDonald joined the U-M faculty shortly after earning his doctorate from Stanford University in 1980. He is Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of History, and has served as LSA Dean since 2003.

The Board of Regents approved his appointment during their meeting Thursday.

The board also approved the appointment of Martha Pollack as provost. Provost Philip Hanlon is leaving in the spring to become the president of the Ivy League Dartmouth College.

Pollack, a 13-year veteran of the university, serves as a vice provost. She has co-taught a mini-course on the university budget with Hanlon, helped set tuition changes, worked to integrate the university into the Coursera platform and developed new facility space planning methods. She is a former dean of the School of Information.

Mark West

U-M Photo

The board also approved the appointment of Mark West as Law School dean.

West, the school's current associate dean for academic affairs, will be the 17th dean of the school and his appointment continues a tradition of the law school often hiring its top leader from within.

West is a scholar of the Japanese legal system and has a background as a transactional lawyer. He joined U-M's faculty as an assistant professor in 1998. He has held the directorships of U-M's Center for Japanese Studies and Center for International and Comparative Law.

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

Stephanie Jass with "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek.

photo courtesy of Jeopardy Productions

MLive reported that in her semifinal match on the show on Thursday, Feb. 21, the 42-year-old Adrian College professor lost to Colby Burnett, a high school world history teacher from Chicago.

Earlier in the tournament, Jass lost out during her first appearance, but did well enough to secure a wild-card spot in Thursday's semifinal round.

During a successful run last fall, Jass became the most successful female contestant in the history of the syndicated TV game show.

• Read the full story from MLive.

Michigan senior point guard Jenny Ryan sits on the bench at the end of Michigan's 57-39 loss to No. 24 Nebraska at the Crisler Center on Thursday, February 21.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

Updated 9:55 p.m..

The Michigan women’s basketball team was able to recover from it first scoring drought against Nebraska on Thursday night at the Crisler Center.

But a second dry spell was the Wolverines’ undoing.

Michigan gave up a 21-0 run to start the second half as No. 24 Nebraska extended its winning streak to eight games with a 57-39 defeat of the Wolverines.

“I really thought that we looked fatigued, I think we looked worn out,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico of her team’s play in the second half. “I think they really beat us in transition and they lost their fire a little bit and I think sometimes not being able to score sometimes takes the wind out of your sails.”

Michigan (19-7, 8-5 Big Ten) started the game by scoring on its first two possessions while Nebraska started with two turnovers. The Wolverines stretched the hot start to a 10-2 lead five minutes, 45 seconds into the first half off of a Nya Jordan jumper.

More coverage: Photo Gallery | Boxscore

But the Wolverines wouldn’t score again for nearly eight minutes as Nebraska (20-6, 10-3) went on a 13-0 run.

Michigan was able to recover from the first drought and took a 22-18 lead into halftime despite shooting just 32.4 percent (11-of-34) from the field.

It helped that Nebraska only shot 25.9 percent (7-of-27).

“In the first half we really struggled offensively as well, but we did a good job (defensively), they struggled as well, so we kind of went back and forth with the struggles,” Barnes Arico said. “In the second half, we continued to struggle and they were able to get out and transition and take advantage of it.”

The Cornhuskers came out a different team in the second half, shooting 53.8 percent (14-of-26) from the field, while Michigan’s struggles only became worse. A Lindsey Moore 3-pointer put Nebraska up 23-22 with 18:31 remaining and Michigan never saw the lead again.

Moore led Nebraska (20-6, 10-3) with 15 points and made of 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Both teams took 23 3-point shots with Nebraska making 10 and Michigan just three.

Michigan's Kate Thompson, right, came into Thursday's game leading the nation in 3-pointers made per game but was 1-of-10 from distance against Nebraska.

"Kate was 2-for-17...hopefully that doesn’t happen very often," Barnes Arico said.

One of the rare makes for Michigan from distance was from Rachel Sheffer to break Michigan’s second-half scoring drought with 11:26 left in the game to make the score 39-25. Though Scheffer’s shot was part of a 7-0 run for the Wolverines, they never closed the gap to single digits.

“The second half we just came out dead we didn’t have any energy,” said Sheffer, who finished with nine points and seven rebounds. “We weren’t able to find a spark from anyone or get a spark going with the team.”

“We had wide open looks we just didn’t knock them down. It happens in the game of basketball,” Sheffer said. “I think the biggest thing is we didn’t finish on the defensive end of the court.”

Jordan led Michigan with 12 points and 16 rebounds.

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

The Michigan women's basketball team never recovered from a 21-0 Nebraska second half run at the Crisler Center on Thursday and the 24th ranked Cornhuskers were able to defeat the Wolverines, 57-39.

Courtney Sacco is a photographer for AnnArbor.com.

Dexter went on a 7-0 run in the first and never again trailed as it topped Lincoln, 47-37 Thursday night at home.

Joseph Tobianski is a photographer for AnnArbor.com

Dexter's Brandon Bellottie, right, drives to the basket during a basketball game at Dexter High School on Thursday.

Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

A week ago, Dexter nearly pulled the upset of the season when it lead Ypsilanti at halftime and put a scare into the SEC White juggernaut before falling at home.

Despite the loss, Dexter left with confidence and set a goal for the last three games of the season: finish in second place in the division.

“The Ypsi game, we came close, that was one of our signature games,” Dreadnaughts forward Brandon Bednarz said. “But coming off of that, we figured we’re going to get what we can and finish off the regular season right.”

The Dreadnaughts did just that Thursday night, topping Lincoln, 47-37 to guarantee themselves second place in the SEC White with a 6-5 league record and one-game left in league play.

More Coverage: Boxscore | Photo Gallery

And for teams playing in a division with the Phoenix, which has won all four SEC white titles since joining the league in 2009, second place is meaningful.

“We knew we weren’t going to win the league, but this gives us second place,” Dexter coach Randy Swoverland said. “...That was our goal going into these last three games, this being the second of those games, to get second place. I think we’ve got it accomplished now, so that’s good.”

With the score tied at 7-7 early, Dexter went on a 7-0 run and never trailed as it held the Railsplitters at bay the remaining three quarters.

Bednarz had seven of his team’s 14 first-quarter points, and finished with a season-high 16 points.

“The momentum helped me, it really pumped us up,” Bednarz said. “It really took our team and we really just fought through their pressure.”

Bednarz was one of three Dreadnaughts in double figures. Brandon Bellottie scored 12, including five free throws in the final minute to ice the game, and Derek Seidl had 11. Together, the three accounted for 39 of Dexter’s 47 points.

Lazon Hicks led Lincoln with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Seven other Lincoln players recorded points.

For Lincoln, going down seven in a game featuring two slow-pace half-court offenses proved a difficult deficit to overcome.

“It magnifies every mistake offensively,” Lincoln coach Rich Marion said of the pace. “It magnifies every rebound that falls through your hands and the other team comes up with the loose ball. Every 50-50 loose ball gets magnified in a low-scoring game when possessions are that valuable.”

Dexter, a team that typically relies on its guards for the bulk of its scoring, took advantage of defensive lapses early and found open forwards underneath the hoop.

It also scored seven second-chance points in the first quarter, gaining an edge on the boards against a bigger Lincoln team.

“We got a few putbacks tonight, and that helped us,” Bednarz said. “We haven’t been a great rebounding team, and I think those putbacks really gave us momentum.

Lincoln went into halftime down by seven, and got as close as three points in the second half.

But its midrange jumpers weren’t falling, and for the second time in three games, the Railsplitters couldn’t crack the 40-point barrier.

“We had some good looks and just couldn’t get it over the hump,” Marion said.

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.

This file will be updated

AnnArbor.com Washtenaw County Scoreboard

Huron's Antonio Henry dribbles against Pioneer earlier this season.

Boys Baskeball

Huron 56, Monroe 32
Story | Boxscore

Demetrius Sims scored 12 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to lead Huron (13-5, 9-2 SEC Red) on senior night, and teammate Chris Mosely added 11 points.

"We were able to turn up the defensive pressure in the second quarter, and then converted easy buckets," Huron coach Waleed Samaha said. "The energy was really good. We understood that if didn't win this game, our next game wouldn't matter."

Huron will play Temperance Bedford for a shot at a share of the Southeastern Conference Red title Tuesday. If Huron wins, it will be the fourth consecutive division title for the program.

Ypsilanti 64, Tecumseh 26
Story | Boxscore

Janeau Joubert had a game-high 20 points, including four 3-pointers, as Ypsilanti outscored Tecumseh 30-2 in the third quarter to put the game away.

Corey Allen finished with 18 points, 12 of which came in the third, in addition to seven assists. Lavonte Davis added 12 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, while Jaylen Johnson led the team in rebounds with eight.

Ypsilanti recently clinched its fourth consecutive SEC White title, at 10-1 in the league and 14-4 overall.

Adrian 58, Chelsea 57
Story | Boxscore

With 10 seconds remaining and possession of the ball, Adrian ran a set and found an open shooter in the corner who hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds remaining.

Chelsea's (3-15, 2-9 SEC White) Luke Hollandsworth scored a team-high 17 points, and Logan Brown added 13.

"We shut down their first couple of looks, and they like to penetrate and kick," Chelsea coach Rourke Skelton said. "We picked up our defense in the third and caused problems. They picked it up in fourth, and we're not composed enough to execute it well. We have to get our own looks and make sure it's what we want rather what they're given us.

Westland Huron Valley Lutheran 46, Ypsilanti Calvary Christian 17
Story | Boxscore

Westland Huron Valley Lutheran outscored Calvary Christian (1-16) 30-6 in the first half, while Ryan Schafer scored a game-high 18 points.

Calvary Christian’s David Walker scored five points, and the Cougars host Macomb Christian on Friday to finish their regular season.

Girls Basketball

Manchester 54, Grass Lake 38
Story | Boxscore

Manchester ended its season in exciting fashion, outscoring Grass Lake 31-17 in the first half and winning the Cascades Conference by posting a 14-0 record.

“Tonight was our exclamation point to our season,” Manchester coach Cori Kastel said.

Manchester (19-1) grabbed 40 rebounds, 18 on the offensive end, and took advantage of Grass Lake’s slow defense. McKenna Erkfritz scored a game-high 20 points and had 12 rebounds.

Whitmore Lake 30, Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest 27
Story | Boxscore

After allowing two points in the first half, Whitmore Lake had to fight off a late rally to win its regular-season finale.

Whitmore Lake (3-17) led by 13 at halftime and carried a 21-16 advantage into the fourth. The margin grew back to double digits with four minutes left, but Lutheran Northwest hit three shots in a row to set up the closer-than-expected conclusion.

"That sparked them and gave them some life," Whitmore Lake coach Jen Taylor said. "We got a little too comfortable with our lead. It was scary...it got a lot closer at the end than it should've been."

Sarah Kirchner and Abby Salata each scored nine for Whitmore Lake.

Lawrence 38, Willow Run 31
Story | Boxscore

After surrendering a five point lead in the third quarter, Lawrence outscored its opponent 12-5 in final period to regain the lead.

Shamaria Canada led Willow Run (8-11, 4-3 MMAC) with 14 points.

“It appeared that fatigue set in,” Willow Run coach Cliff Russell said. “I thought I saw effort, but we weren’t very energized.”

Onsted 73, Milan 20
Story | Boxscore

Onsted led 16-6 after one quarter, then had one of its most impressive quarters of the season with a 30-7 edge in the second quarter.

"We didn't handle the press as well as we did in the first quarter," Milan (2-18, 0-14 Huron League) coach Brad Baden said. "We didn't get back on defense as well as we should have.

AnnArbor.com Coverage

Dexter 47, Lincoln 37
Story | Boxscore | Photo Gallery

Pioneer 65, Skyline 55
Story | Boxscore

Terry Jacoby for AnnArbor.com

With Jibreel Hussein, Tevis Robinson and Cal Kirchen on the Pioneer basketball roster, it’s a safe bet that Pioneer center Ethan Spencer wasn’t at the top of the Skyline boys basketball team's defensive priority list.

But it was Spencer who took over and helped the Pioneers answer everything Skyline brought in the fourth quarter on Thursday night at Pioneer High School.

The senior forward scored 10 of his game-high 21 points in the final quarter to help lead Pioneer to a 65-55 win over cross-town rival Skyline and stay alive in the Southeastern Conference Red Division race.

The Pioneers (14-4 overall, 9-2 SEC Red) play at Saline on Tuesday and will share the title with either Huron or Bedford if they can beat the Hornets.

Pioneer's Ethan Spencer, pictured above against Bedford, led Pioneer with a season-high 21 points in 65-55 win over Skyline Thursday, February 21.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Spencer took advantage of every opportunity Skyline gave him.

“It was their Senior Night and they came out real strong and got up 11-2 on us,” said Skyline coach Mike Lovelace. “And that was basically the difference right there.

“Our pressure was getting to them, but Ethan Spencer made some real nice plays and hit some big buckets when we were going on some runs.”

Jack Clark and Peter Bakker-Arkema each scored 12 to lead Skyline (8-10, 5-6). Duane Simpson-Redmond scored five of his 11 points in the fourth quarter for Pioneer.

The third quarter was evenly played and featured plenty of back-and-forth action. A basket by Chris Spaly and a long jumper by Isaac Lockhart cut Pioneer’s lead to 40-33 with 1:03 left in the third quarter as the Eagles refused to go away. But a steal created a layup for Cal Kirchen and Pioneer led 42-33 after three quarters.

Like the first quarter, Skyline struggled early in the second quarter but finished strong to cut a 15-point deficit to 31-21 at halftime.

The night didn’t start out well for Skyline. After Pioneer honored its 10 seniors before the game, the home team hit their first three shots to take a 6-0 lead. A triple from the deep corner by Hussein gave Pioneer a 9-0 lead.

The Eagles finally got on the board at the 4:35 mark on a layup by Spaly to make it 9-2. But a bucket inside from Spencer, on a great pass from Simpson-Redmond, and a layup from Kirchen gave Pioneer a 13-2 lead with 2:10 to play in the first quarter.

Skyline finished the quarter on a 6-0 run but still trailed 13-8 after one.

Skyline’s Tristan Wilson opened the fourth quarter was a thunderous dunk to cut Pioneer’s lead to 42-35. After two Pioneer free throws, Sharath Anand and Shawn Triplett scored back-to-back baskets for the Eagles to make it 44-39 with just over six minutes to play in the game.

Two free throws by Wilson with 5:17 to play made it a one possession game for the first time since the first minute of the game. Skyline had the ball down 46-43 but couldn’t convert.

At the other end, Spencer scored inside to push the lead to 48-43. With 3:46 to play, Spencer scored again with another aggressive drive to the hoop to give the home team a 52-47 lead.

“Jibreel is going to be at the top of everyone’s to-stop list, but Skyline knows us well enough to know how good of a player Ethan is,” said Pioneer coach Rex Stanczak. “He played the first 12 games or so still dealing with his injured ankle from football and he’s just now getting back to the type of player we know he is. ”

And it’s not like Spencer hasn’t been contributing this season.

“He might be the only center in the state of Michigan who leads his team in assists,” Stanczak said. “So he’s a decision maker for us all the time and he made the right decisions in that fourth quarter.”

Terry Jacoby is a freelance journalist for AnnArbor.com.

Propeller's "The Taming of the Shrew"

Photo by Manuel Harlan

Watching Propeller perform offers a rare window into the genius of Shakespeare as it initially must have burst into the world.

This arises from a combination of things: the troupe's all-male makeup, as was the custom (way) back in the day; its full embrace of Shakespeare's language, rightly confident that the audience will be able to keep up; and, in the production of "The Taming of the Shrew" currently at the Power Center, its use of just enough modern touches to be inventive but not intrusive.

The University Musical Society has brought Propeller back to Ann Arbor this year for "Twelfth Night" as well as "Taming." And while the group's production of "Twelfth Night" may have some dark overtones, the darkness sits right in the center of the sometimes difficult and troubling "Taming."

Propeller's version of "Taming" is expertly done in every respect. Every single member of the company does an excellent job communicating; they don't just recite the dialogue; they fully inhabit it, bringing the audience along with them.

They're all terrific, but special acclaim goes to star Vince Leigh, doing amazing work in the dual roles of Petruchio, the man who vows to marry the "shrew" Katherine (Dan Wheeler) and "tame" her; and Christopher Sly, the drunkard in a frame story for whose amusement the bulk of the play is performed. Supporting player John Dougall deserves a particular hat-tip too, wringing every possible laugh out of the somewhat stock old-man character Gremio, the most foolish of the suitors for Katherine's mellower younger sister, Bianca (Arthur Wilson). (Wheeler and Wilson are great in what must be the very challenging situation of men playing women.)

The set by Michael Pavelka is simple but effective, making good use of large moving cabinets for buildings and whatnot. That's all that's needed. Costumes are offbeat enough to bring smiles without distracting. (Well, except for one point where ... ah, I'm not going to spoil it.) Direction, by Edward Hall, is energetic and briskly paced.

The only thing that keeps the play from being a thoroughly enjoyable experience, unsurprisingly, is the text itself. There's plenty of great comedy on hand. But Petruchio's "taming" of Katherine remains disturbing, cruel and abusive—and the results are downright depressing.

Propeller wisely includes in this production the sometimes-omitted "induction," or frame story, with Sly, which makes it clear that what follows isn't "real." And the troupe adds a brief coda that underlines this, and somewhat redeems the play's misogynistic elements.

But those elements are undeniably present. And, of course, the question of whether Shakespeare intended to condone them has become a debate for the ages. (Personally, I'm afraid he did, but I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments below.)

So while parts of "Taming" are hard to watch, Propeller's production offers an invaluable immersion in an important and often very funny play. We're fortunate that they're here.

"The Taming of the Shrew" continues Saturday and Sunday. For tickets, visit the UMS website.

"The Skin of Our Teeth"

photo by Peter Smith Photography | courtesy of the University of Michigan

If the news (wars, crime, climate change, politics, etc.) is a regular part of your daily life, you can’t help but occasionally feel like everything’s spiraling out of control, and that we’re beyond help.

But as evidenced in Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize winning play “The Skin of Our Teeth,” now being staged by U-M’s department of theatre and drama, this particular brand of human kvetching has been a constant through the ages - ages that mankind has nonetheless survived every time thus far.

With a run time of just over two and a half hours, the first act of “Teeth” shows the Antrobus family in their modern New Jersey home, where a dinosaur and a mammoth are pets; vagrants (including Moses, Homer, and a handful of muses) press to gain entry; a giant, destructive wall of ice is headed their way, making the weather cold, despite its being August; and the father (Ben Blackman) has just invented the wheel and the alphabet, among other things. Mrs. Antrobus (Elly Jarvis) urges her young daughter Gladys (Shannon Eagen) to stop hiking up her skirts, and discourages her son Henry (Robert O’Brien) - who previously, when he was known as Cain, killed his brother Abel - from hurting others.

In act two, set during the 1980s (notice the era-appropriate Madonna lookalike in the ensemble), Mr. Antrobus is the elected President of the Fraternal Order of Mammals, and after he and his wife deliver speeches, the family finds itself on the Jersey Shore, staring down a hurricane and reenacting Noah’s escape from the flood. Finally, the third act begins as a war ends. Mr. Antrobus and Henry have a tense showdown, Gladys has a new baby, and - all efforts to exert control over her children having thus failed - Mrs. Antrobus works to put the house back in order.

What’s missing in this synopsis is mention of Sabina (Brittany Uomoleale), the Antrobus’ housekeeper, who’s always jockeying for Mr. Antrobus’ attention and often breaking the fourth wall to address the audience. Uomoleale got some of the biggest laughs on opening night, particularly when cracking wise as the actress playing Sabina, or delivering the Cliff’s Notes version of a scene she must do over, since she knows we’ve already watched it before.

Indeed, Sabina acts as the audience’s doorway into Wilder’s absurd, time-collapsing world, acknowledging regularly that she doesn’t understand what the play’s about and can’t make sense of it. In this way, Wilder reminds us not to overthink the play and take things too seriously; and Uomoleale is one of the production’s greatest assets, giving us someone to connect to while also delivering the goods comedically.

All of the leads generally perform well, and Melissa Golliday, as a fortune teller, is a charismatic standout in act two - despite the fact that this middle section is decidedly the least absorbing of the play's three parts. For while it’s true that Wilder’s speeches often bog down this overly-long play’s pacing, the first act’s novelty and innovation and whimsy inevitably charm you, while the final act’s confrontations, confessions and generational progression keep it (mostly) engaging.

Vincent Mountain’s set, lit by Aaron Tacy, is definitely one of the stars of “Teeth,” making the shift from stylish mod house to garish beachfront to hollowed-out war zone with impressive alacrity. Jessica Hahn’s terrific costumes, paired with Dawn Rivard’s wigs and makeup, are referential and fun - Mrs. Antrobus bears a certain resemblance to Hillary Clinton when she appears as the mammal president’s wife, and Sabina’s appearance calls Lucille Ball to mind at the play’s outset - thus solving the riddle of how to dress people who’re living in different eras simultaneously. And Henry Reynolds designed the show’s sound, which included splicing historical sound bites from across the decades together, so as to underscore the broad range of events and times represented in the show.

Director Jonathan Berry’s passion for the material shines through, and the students seem to be having a great time, too. So although Wilder’s heavy-handed philosophizing can become tiresome in moments, the message that we’ll find our way through our current crises is a balm.

And any play that features a dinosaur and mammoth sitting on a couch - well, you’ve almost got to give it a chance on that basis alone, right?

For background, see the AnnArbor.com preview. For tickets, see the U-M SMTD website.

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

Michigan senior defenseman Lee Moffie, left, fights for a puck against Michigan Tech during the Great Lakes Invitational back in December.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

A gross understatement.

The Wolverines started the year as the No. 3 team in the country, but with just six guaranteed games remaining, it’s entirely possible that the 10-18-2 Wolverines could finish with the worst record for a Michigan team since Red Berenson became head coach in 1984.

Michigan won 13, 12 and 14 games in Berenson’s first three seasons at the helm, but haven’t won less than 22 games in a season since.

Michigan needs to win the CCHA Tournament and secure the conference’s automatic NCAA tournament bid to avoid missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1990.

Sitting just three points above last place Michigan State in the conference standings, Michigan will have to overcome a low seed in the CCHA Tournament to keep the 22-year streak, an NCAA record, alive.

“We’re pretty aware of the standings I think we’re just focusing on four games left,” said senior forward Kevin Lynch. “We’re worried pretty much about the CCHA Tournament and winning that.”

Lynch said the team needs to get some momentum going in the final two series of the year if it hopes to have postseason success. Michigan takes on Ohio State on Friday (6:35 p.m., Big Ten Network) and Saturday (7:05 p.m.) and hosts Ferris State at Yost Ice Arena next weekend.

“We’ve gotta do better than we’ve done whether its on the road or at home, whether it’s offensively or defensively,” Berenson said. “We need to have a turning point and hopefully these games can be a turning point.”

Berenson said the bye week was productive for the Wolverines, but said there wasn’t anything drastic changed outside of minor tweaks to the lines.

One of those tweaks is pairing defensemen Jon Merrill and Lee Moffie on the same line.

Moffie said any hope the Wolverines have the rest of the way will start with complete commitment from every player.

“We’re going to need everyone bought in is the biggest thing,” Moffie said . “We just gotta get it done. Gotta start doing it. No more talking, gotta get it done on the ice.”

Michigan Super Fan Mike Nichols to be honored

The CCHA will honor Michigan hocey fan Mike Nicholls as its official Michigan “Super Fan” at the CCHA Tournament at Joe Louis Arena according to a Michigan Daily report.

Nicholls has been to every Michigan game home and away since 2004 - even in Alaska - and earlier this year attended his 400th straight game.

Nicholls, an Allen Park resident and 15-year season ticket holder, told the Daily the league is giving him free tickets to the semifinals and finals and putting him up in Detroit.

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

The city of Ann Arbor plans to install 45 new LED light fixtures in the parking lot of the Wheeler Service Center, the city's maintenance facility on Stone School Road.

City officials said the wattage for each fixture is being reduced from 400 to 165 watts, reducing maintenance expenses as well as the cost of energy by 60 percent.

The city predicts the average annual savings will be about $5,106, including $4,246 in energy savings and $860 in maintenance savings on labor and equipment.

The Ann Arbor City Council voted this week to approve using $30,870 in federal grant funds to purchase the LED fixtures from Hamtramck-based Caniff Electric.

The city of Ann Arbor began its move to LED lights with the conversion of 1,000 downtown streetlights through a grant from the Downtown Development Authority.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

City officials pointed out the grant period ends March 7, so this is one of the last purchases expected under the grant. They said it brings the total grant utilization to more than 93 percent.

Nathan Geisler, the city's energy programs associate, said in order to achieve energy and maintenance savings, the city's field operations unit began the process of converting all city-owned streetlights to LED fixtures in 2007. The project began with the conversion of 1,000 downtown streetlights through a grant from the Downtown Development Authority.

"This effort was then expanded to include the conversion of the city-owned streetlights outside of the DDA using funding from various state and federal grant funding sources," Geisler wrote in a memo to council. "Opportunities to achieve energy savings through converting conventional lights to LEDs on city properties helps continue to advance these efforts."

All 45 of the new LED lights — spread out across 14 acres of lot space — will be used to replace existing fixtures located at the Wheeler Service Center. City officials said the fixture locations are included on the site plan approved by Pittsfield Township, which has jurisdiction over the site.

A grand opening for the city's new field operations and maintenance facility at the Wheeler Service Center was held on Sept. 29, 2007.

The project included an operations building (39,000 square feet), vehicle storage building (65,000 square feet), maintenance garage (40,000 square feet), salt storage dome, and fueling facility.

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

An Eastern Michigan University graduate will be appear as a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune” Friday, years after she first applied when in college.

Ashley Boelens, pictured with her cat, Ralph, and dog, Samson. Ashley is competing on Wheel of Fortune during 'Pet Lovers' week.

Courtesy Ashley Boelens

Ashley Boelens, 25, was born and raised in Michigan and graduated from EMU in 2009. Boelens now lives in Maryland.

When Boelens was in college, a "Wheel of Fortune" Wheel Mobile event came to campus. She entered her name in a drawing, but she was never chosen.

"I had to fill out a card there and that's the last I heard of it," Boelens said.

Last year, Boelens said "Wheel of Fortune" producers contacted her and asked her to come to a closed audition.

"I guess they got my information from several years ago when I tried out for college," she said.

Boelens said she and about 60 other people auditioned.

"It was a really fun group and they had us go through stages of game play and they did several cuts and I made it to the end," Boelens said. "They said you'll hear from us if you made it onto the show."

Months later, Boelens said she received a call asking if she wanted to participate during 'Pet Lovers' week.

Boelens said she thinks they were interested in her for this particular week because during her audition, she may have given clues she was an animal lover.

"I finished my test a little early during the audition and drew cats and dogs all over the sheet," Boelens said. "I told them I foster for rescue groups and I have pets of my own."

Boelens volunteers with the Pet Connect Animal Rescue group, and has a dog, Samson, and a cat, Ralph.

Boelens said the experience was one to remember and she's grateful she got a chance to participate.

"It was amazing," she said. "... Vanna (White) came in and didn't have any make-up on, she was just herself in normal street clothes. The cast and crew, from A to Z, tried to make sure it was a memorable experience for everyone."

Boelens also had a chance to chat with show host Pat Sajack and said he was a genuinely nice and warm to the contestants.

Boelens said she plans to have a viewing party Friday with all of her friends and a Skype session with her parents who still live in Michigan. While she can't disclose the outcome of the show, Boelens said she had a great time.

"When you get there you realize it's everyone's special day," she said. "The group of people that were on my show were very nice... I'm very fortunate and it was a good thing to do."

"Wheel of Fortune" airs at 7 p.m. on WDIV-TV, channel 4.

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

Ypsilanti Township is seeking bids for demolition of six blighted properties on which staff first took legal action around a year ago.

The demolitions are estimated to cost from $30,000 to $50,000 total. The township is still in court with some of the property owners to determine who will pay for the demolitions. Liens will be placed on each the properties when funds aren't available from property owners.

The addresses include:

1650 E. Forest Ave.

• 554 E. Grand Blvd.

• 597 E. Grand Blvd.

• 1248 E. Clark Road

• 2371 Wiard Court

• 2375 Wiard Court

The Wiard Court homes were first brought to officials' attention in 2007 when renters there were operating a dog fighting ring. The operation was busted by LAWNET and 17 pit bulls were rescued from the house.

A mold-infested house that will soon be demolished at 1650 E. Forest Ave.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

Building inspectors found numerous code violations at the homes including a serious electrical hazard. Electricity had been cut at one of the properties, so the owner of both homes was running extensions chords out of one house, across the lawns and into the other home.

Officials also found children playing in raw sewage that was leaking out of a crawl space in one of the homes. The properties’ owner lives in Florida and hansn’t responded to township requests to bring the homes up to code.

He lost the properties to foreclosure and they are now owned by Deutsche Bank, which is contending that it is not liable for the demolition. That dispute will be resolved by the Washtenaw County Circuit Court.

The house at 1248 E. Clark Road is owned by Florida-based Home Dreams but was dubbed the ‘House of Nightmares’ by township officials. It was first brought to their attention through neighbors' complaints in 2009.

Among other issues are a hole in the roof where the owner fell through and another section of the roof is completely missing. Parts of the basement wall are bowing or collapsing and the floor is wet because of moisture collecting in it. Large sections of interior walls are missing, mold-infested and rotting.

Home Dreams has not responded to the township’s requests to bring the homes up to code.

"I guess they think of Florida as a foreign country because they don’t think they need to respond to us," Township Attorney Doug Winters said. "At some point of time we’re going to pursue with some collection activity, and as they are still part of the United States, we are going to have a judge enforce the laws to the full force and credit of the constitution, even if we have to go to Florida."

Officials were led to the home at 554 E. Grand Blvd. after neighbors called because water was pouring out the basement window. A pipe had burst and filled the basement, and the water damage has left the building’s foundation rotting and unstable.

The woman who owned the home passed away last year, and her daughter, who inherited the home, died soon after. The homes' heirs don't want to take the house, Winters said, and the township will pay for the demolition.

Officials were alerted to a large Victorian home at 597 Grand Boulevard by LAWNET officers who were making a drug and prostitution bust there. Building Inspector Ron Fulton said the house is full of code violations and the owners chopped it up into a duplex without permits.

Officials suspect it was operating as a boarding house or apartment building. Winters said the township has dubbed the home the "Adams Family" house because it resembles the home in the "Adams Family."

The home at 1650 E. Forest Ave. is owned by Deutsche Bank after the previous owner lost it in foreclosure.

The bank has offered $8,100 toward demolition of the home, which is infested with mold, has a garage on the verge of collapse and “is a just a beautiful gift to the neighborhood” Fulton said.

The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees approved taking the home’s title from the bank, so it is now the township’s responsibility, though the $8,100 should mostly cover the demolition and asbestos remediation costs.

“We believe this is a reasonable way to proceed,” Fulton said.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com.

One of two kettle ponds in the new Reichert Nature Preserve in Dexter Township.

Courtesy of the Legacy Land Conservancy

The new Reichert Nature Preserve, established through the Legacy Land Conservancy of Ann Arbor, is comprised of a property in Dexter Township that encompasses two small ponds, wetlands and a portion of the Portage Creek.

It was a weekend escape for the Reichert family, instead of heading “up north” as so many others do.

The property contains a lot of habitat you don’t normally see in Southeast Michigan, said Susan Lackey, executive director of the Legacy Land Conservancy.

Lackey said it was “incredibly visionary and incredibly generous” for the family to donate the economically and environmentally valuable property to the land conservancy.

Dr. Reichert donated the property in 2006 in an easement to the conservancy. Rather than wait until his death for the property to become a nature conservancy under full ownership by the conservancy, Dr. Reichert decided in 2012 it was time to give the land away.

If Dr. Reichert had not approached the Legacy Land Conservancy with his wish to donate his property, Lackey said the conservancy likely would have gone to him because of the property’s strategic location on the Portage Creek. The creek is one of the cleanest tributaries to the Huron River.

As an added layer of security, Reichert insisted that the Livingston Land Conservancy have an additional easement on the property.

The nature preserve is open to the public by permission only, which must be obtained by contacting the Legacy Land Conservancy at (734) 302-5263 or stewardship@legacylandconservancy.org.

“Rather than being open like a public park, we need to know who is going to be out there,” Lackey said.

Portions of the property are environmentally sensitive, Lackey said, noting there are erosion concerns on some steep slopes and nicely-maintained wetlands with minimal invasive species.

The property is accessed by a shared driveway off of Dexter-Pinckney Road just east of the intersection of Tiplady Road.

Dr. Reichert, 91, was a practicing cardiologist at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor until he was about 80 years old.

Sue Reichert dives into a pond on the Reichert property in Dexter Township in this family photo. The family dubbed the place "The Farm."

Courtesy of the Legacy Land Conservancy

William Reichert, 59, is a professor of biomedical engineering at Duke Unversity. He lives in rural Hillsborough, North Carolina.

He was attending Tappan Junior High School in Ann Arbor in the mid 1960s when his father purchased the property in Dexter Township.

“We spent a lot of time there as kids,” William Reichert said.

From fishing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding, ice skating and pond hockey, the family traversed every inch of the property and has been “subject to every kind of poisonous plant you can think of,” William Reichert said.

A small cabin and horse barn on the property supported their endeavors.

“My mom had a love-hate relationship with this place,” William Reichert said, explaining how the family’s outdoorsy adventures always left them ravenously hungry in the evenings — and his mother would be charged with feeding the “mongrel horde.”

After their children grew up, Dr. Reichert and his wife began growing vegetables.

“They really bonded over this place,” William Reichert said. “The farm was definitely a big piece of their retirement.”

Dr. Reichert's oldest son, Rudy Jr., still lives in a home adjacent to the property, as do the family's longtime friends and property caretakers, Nick and Donna Rayer.

When he was younger, William Reichert said found himself spending most of his summers jumping in and out of the small ponds on what the family called “The Farm.”

As he grew older and more independent, he said he would take a kayak from the Dexter Township property all the way to Ann Arbor.

“Once you get past Dexter, there’s not much of a current,” William Reichert said. “It was just you and the birds.”

• View an aerial detailed map of the property

View 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.

The Ann Arbor Awesome Foundation awarded two $1,000 grants to local initiatives Tuesday as part of its micro-philanthropy initiative.

According to a news release, the grants are cash awards given to organizations that promote “the creation of awesomeness” in the community.

A2Awesome trustees Linh Song, Alice Liberson, Lisa Dengiz, Paul Saginaw, Heather MacKenzie and Dick Soble, with Amanda Sari Perez (third from left)

Photo provided by A2Awesome

The foundation chose a grassroots network of local entrepreneurs and a group creating a resource guide for citizens entering the Washtenaw County prison system as recipients of their funding.

“I think these two grants, when looked at together, really demonstrate just how broad our collective interests are,” dean of A2Awesome Mark Maynard said in a statement.

“The important thing for us is that these small grants of ours can be leveraged to create a disproportionate amount of awesome, and these two projects are a perfect example of that.”

According to the release, Small & Mighty is “a collaborative, scrappy little nuts-and-bolts support group” for people in the startup community. The organization has 144 members and hosts events geared toward helping small business owners interact with each other.

“Within Small & Mighty we can comfortably share our ignorance and failures as well as our successes,” co-founder John Henry said in a statement.

“We talk ‘learning curve’ all the time. I’m not sure that happens at most networking events. Someone at [an event] brought up the team ‘co-opetition.’ We are committed to each other’s success even when we’re in the same field.”

Henry said the grant from A2Awesome will be used to continue hosting events as well as building and cultivating the group’s online presence.

The second grant was awarded to Lois DeMott who co-founded Citizens for Prisoner Reform. The prisoner advocacy group is devoted to spreading public awareness on the inner workings of Michigan’s prison system.

Mott founded the organization in 2011 after she was shocked at the lack of information available to the public concerning the prison system when her own son was arrested.

The grant money will be used to print a 36-page handbook and resource guide in Washtenaw County that will help families and friends of prisoners better understand the system. The group says families of prisoners who suffer from mental illness especially need resources and ways to advocate for humane treatment.

The Ann Arbor Awesome Foundation has now given a total of $11,000 to local endeavors including tutoring program 826 Michigan, a local photographer’s book publishing efforts, and the Bona Sera Cafe.

The foundation’s grants are all $1,000 and the money is all contributions from the foundation’s 12 board members. The group is based on the Boston-based Awesome foundation and is one of 40 chapters operating around the world including chapters in Detroit and Grand Rapids.

A view of the buildings that stand at 721 N. Main looking from the Summit Street side of the property. Council Member Sabra Briere clarified the large garage structure shown here, which is being considered for re-use, is actually two buildings. One is older — and behind — the building visible from North Main. They are linked internally, she said, but each could stand alone.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

The Ann Arbor City Council voted 9-0 this week to spend $30,000 from the city's general fund cash reserves to complete the assessment — with the stipulation that a report on its findings is due to the city's Main Street Huron River Corridor Vision Task Force no later than May 31.

The City Council appointed the task force last May. One of its tasks is to provide recommendations for the future re-use of the former city maintenance yard at 721 N. Main.

Allen Creek runs through the site and creates a floodway covering about 2.5 acres, or roughly half the 5.1-acre property.

This conceptual site plan has emerged for the blighted 721 N. Main site in Ann Arbor, which the city hopes to transform into a greenway anchor park.

City of Ann Arbor

Two buildings on the flood-prone half of the site would be demolished as part of that plan.

But the task force is still investigating potential uses for the non-floodway area, where a large fleet services garage stands. The task force thinks it could be reused.

Council Member Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward, said there is no way to know the full extent of the environmental issues that rest within that structure without further study.

"It was used as a garage. We know there's asbestos," she said. "Those are just the minimum things we know. But the (task force) really believes that before determining a building should be demolished, we should explore as much as possible what it would cost to make it usable again."

Briere clarified the large garage structure is actually two buildings. One is older — and behind — the building visible from North Main. They are internally linked, she said, but each could stand alone.

The task force has until July 31 to provide its final recommendations to council, including suggestions for the future use of the non-floodway portions of 721 N. Main.

Briere pointed out the City Council also took action in December to spend an additional $32,583 — on top of the already budgeted $50,000 — for work related to 415 W. Washington, another city property where an old warehouse-style garage continues to deteriorate.

The city entered into a $44,498 contract with Tetra Tech GEO for environmental investigation work and a $26,935 contract with Rueter & Associates Architects for historic structure assessment at 415 W. Washington, where the city has plans for a second greenway park.

Mayor John Hieftje said he's toured the building at 721 N. Main and it's not fit for habitation or another use at the moment. He said asbestos is visible, so doing an assessment makes sense.

Council Member Mike Anglin, D-5th Ward, said the work being done at 721 N. Main is part of a long-term desire to look more closely at the flood areas of the city.

"I'm pleased with the groups that joined in to get this effort done," he said. "It's a long, difficult process, and it's interesting how community sentiment for it developed slowly through years and years. I guess that's the way government works … but it's good we're here now."

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.

University of Michigan regents said their recent visit to California was so successful they plan to conduct a similar trip again.

University of Michigan regent Laurence Deitch speaks during a Board of Regents meeting.

AnnArbor.com file photo

The trip took place Jan. 17th and 18th and included seven of the eight regents, university President Mary Sue Coleman, provost Philip Hanlon, secretary Sally Jo Churchill, chief fundraiser Jerry May and a staffer.

The cost was $27,200, including $17,000 for Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel accommodations and food, $9,700 for travel and another $500 for random expenses.

"It was a great learning experience for all of us," Board of Regents chairman Laurence B. Deitch said during a Thursday meeting. "We talked about in years to come replicating this in different parts of the country."

The trip, he said, provided regents an opportunity to get acquainted with their two newest colleagues, newly elected regents Mark Bernstein and Shauna Ryder Diggs.

During the two-day session, the board met with Robert Birgeneau, chancellor of University of California's Berkeley campus, John Hennessy, president of Stanford University, Robert Berdahl, former leader of UC-Berkeley and other colleges, and Dan Russell, a Google research scientist.

They talked with guests about "tough and intractable problems" facing higher education, including affordability and education technology, and reached out to California donors during two events in an effort to further cultivate alumni relationships prior to launching the next capital campaign.

Donors, U-M officials said, were impressed that the regents traveled west together.

"Southern California has become an incredibly important area in terms of philanthropic [support]," Deitch said, explaining one event was a "fun," "fabulous night" during which a U-M student music group performed.

There are 41,000 U-M alumni living in California, the biggest concentration of Wolverines in any state except for Michigan. Officials have said the next fundraising campaign, expected to launch in fall 2013, will target donors from the West Coast.

"It was very important [for donors] to see the governance of the university in action," Deitch said. "We made the point, when you invest in Michigan you need to know that people are appreciative of it."

Coleman agreed that the trip "helped our development efforts" and impressed potential donors.

Added May: "It made a huge difference."

As a result of forgoing the January public meeting, the board is scheduled to meet publicly 10 times in 2013, as opposed to the traditional 11 monthly meetings each year.

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

A breakfast at the Bomber in Ypsilanti

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com file photo

We're doing it again!

We had so much fun last year -- traveling all over the state and searching for Michigan's Best -- that we have decided to launch a few for more searches in 2013.

Where will they take us?

I'm not sure. We never anticipated how much fun we would have on our searches last year for Michigan's Best coney dogs, BBQ, ice cream parlors and haunted houses.

With that said....

Our first search for 2013 will be a search for Michigan's Best Breakfast Joint.

Whether it's a greasy spoon or a trendy breakfast nook, we want to know where you go for a great Michigan breakfast.

You know what I'm talking about: French toast, eggs, omelettes, sausage, hashbrowns, American fries, pancakes, cinnamon toast, breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy, breakfast casserole, quiche -- you name it.

I even stopped off this week at Sparty's in Lansing for a ham and cheese omelette, just to get in the right frame of mind.

We're not looking for Sunday brunches, although the nominees could offer a special weekend breakfast.

We want those places where you get great food, great service and your mouth waters thinking about your next visit.

Use the comments section online to make your early recommendations. Or send me an email: gonzo@mlive.com.

The official search will follow a similar format from last year.

• On Monday, Feb. 25, local entertainment writers in all of our hubs around the state will have a story online, asking for nominations.

• The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. on Feb. 27.

• On March 1, local entertainment reporters will post a poll with the top nominees from readers. The deadline for local polls is 5 p.m. March 5.

• On March 8, I will announce the winners of each local poll, and also announce our itinerary.

• From March 11-15, I will join the local entertainment writers in their markets to sample the best in each market. The public will be welcome out and join me on the visits.

• On March 19 I will announce Michigan's Best Breakfast Joint, as well as my Top 10 ranking.

I don't know about you, but I'm hungry!

Email John Gonzalez at gonzo@mlive.com Or follow John on Twitter at Twitter.com/MichiganGonzo On Facebook at Facebook.com/GRGonzo

Update: As of 8:30 a.m., police were dealing with crashes on eastbound Interstate 94 and Ann Arbor-Saline Road, westbound M-14 and U.S. 23, westbound I-94 and M-14 and northbound U.S. 23 and Stony Creek Road.

Emergency crews dealt with several crashes on Interstate 94 and U.S. 23 Friday as snow fell in the Ann Arbor area.

At 7:15 a.m., two crashes were reported on westbound I-94 on the south side of Ann Arbor. One, at northbound U.S. 23, involved four vehicles, a dispatcher with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office said. The other crash was at westbound I-94 and State Street.

Another crash was reported on northbound U.S. 23 at Stony Creek Road about 7:50 a.m. A dispatcher said it appeared to involve a vehicle that had gone off the right side of the northbound lanes.

Other crashes occurred earlier in the morning in the same area, the dispatcher said.

Washtenaw County Road Commission trucks were out salting and sanding roads, the dispatcher said

The National Weather Service says snow accumulating to 1 to 2 inches is possible Friday. Most of that will come before 10 a.m. After that snow showers may mix with areas of freezing drizzle before noon. Later in the day, a mix of snow, freezing rain and drizzle is possible. Little or no ice accumulation is expected.

A high temperature of 34 is expected with winds gusting to 22 mph.

Friday night, areas of drizzle, snow showers, and freezing drizzle are possible before 1 a.m. After that, there’s a slight chance of snow showers. It will be cloudy with a low around 25.

Saturday will bring a chance of flurries, mostly cloudy skies and a high near 32. It will continue to be blustery with winds gusting to 21 mph.

Sunday will be mostly sunny with a high near 33.

View Crashes 022212 in a larger map

For updated weather conditions and forecasts anytime, check AnnArbor.com's weather page.