Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Interested in Local Journalism?

Posted by Juliew on 20. October 2009

The Poynter Institute and Online News Association are holding events at Campus Inn over the next two days geared toward local journalists and bloggers (however you may self-identify).

The Poynter Institute’s free Community Conversation begins tomorrow (Wednesday, October 21) at 4:30pm, followed by a reception at 6:00pm, and a community roundtable at 7:00pm to discuss how Ann Arbor is faring without the Ann Arbor News. Looks like there will be several people on the roundtable well-known to the Arbor Update community.

On Thursday, October 22, the Online News Association will have a full day of “intensive hands-on training to independent, community, nonprofit, displaced and currently employed journalists and bloggers in Ann Arbor, as part of our new Parachute Training Initiative, supported by a $50,000 seed grant from the Gannett Foundation. The training has been customized based on a survey of journalists in the area, and is offered in two tracks, beginner and intermediate, to cover multimedia, blogging, mobile, legal and business issues, marketing through social networks and finding your niche on the Web. There also will be two half-day video sessions, limited to 25 participants on a first-come, first-served basis (on-site), and a session on legal issues.” This will also be at the Campus Inn and has a $10 registration fee.

More information and online registration for both days is available here: http://journalists.org/events/event_details.asp?id=80487

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Investing in Ability Week 2009

Posted by Patti Smith on 17. September 2009

This is a little ways off, but mark your calendars now!

Art and Abilities: Investing in Ability Week—Oct. 19 – 31, 2009

Presented by the University of Michigan Council for Disability Concerns
In collaboration with the University of Michigan Health System and the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living

For dates, times and locations and information on all events visit
the website here

Fourth Annual Symposium on Mental Health in the Workplace: Anxiety Disorders in the Workplace: What are they and how do they influence the workplace?

Dogs, dogs, dogs…and how they help! Meet service, assistance, and therapy dogs (and pups in training).

Afterwards: Expressive Writing for Veterans: A peer support group at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System where veterans learn to use writing to work through difficult emotions. Sixteen veterans have participated in the group since May 2008.

Many Ways of Doing Art Collaboration: Observe the partnership between the UM School of Art and Design and the AACIL as people with disabilities working with art students create clay sculptures.

Adaptive Technology Computing Site Open House: Screen magnifiers/readers/scanners, including Talking Points (location info via cellphone) and Wheel-Able (provides accessibility info about UM)

Panel on Deafness: Personal Perspectives: Dr. Philip Zazove, Nan Asher, Julianne Bonta, Taurean “Tar” Burt, Alan Lobdell and Pam McGuinty.
Sign language interpreters and CART provided.

Understanding Autism and Creative Play: Working with children with autism can also teach us how to improve the quality of our lives. Michard Solomon, M.D., Medical Director of the PLAY (Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters)

And more events at the website here

If accommodations are needed, contact disability@umich.

Contact Person: Anna Schnitzer
E-Mail Address: schnitzr@umich.edu
Business Phone: (734) 936-1402
Fax Number: (734) 763-1473

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Michigan Beer Month/Ann Arbor Beer Week

Posted by Patti Smith on 14. July 2009

Thanks to our very own State Representative Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor), July is officially Michigan Beer month! A little closer to home we have our first Ann Arbor Beer Week! There are many events happening, including:

July 13-24: Michigan Beer Cup Challenge—a competition between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti to see who totals the highest average per pints of Michigan beer). This challenge is put on by Rave Associates

July 20: Beer Trivia at Ashley’s

July 21: Beer Class at 7pm with Rene Greff (of ABC and Corner Brewery), held at Ashley’s. (Must get tickets in advance, see Arbor’s website)

July 21: Cantillon St. Lamvinus Draft Release at Ashley’s at 6pm. The only keg of Cantillion that is coming to Michigan this year!

July 22: Michigan Beer T-shirt discount (at various pubs around town). Wear your Michigan beer t-shirt and get discounts.

July 22: Rolling Beer Dinner, 5-11, at Arbor B.C.

July 22: Michigan Firkin multi-tap at Ashley’s. Starts at 6pm.

July 22-23: Meet the Brewers, starting at 7pm, at Aubree’s

July 23: Pub Crawl through ABC, The Arena, Bar Louie and Ashleys. Starts at 7pm.

July 24-25: Michigan Brewers’ Summer Beer Festival Held in the beautiful Riverside Park in Ypsilanti on Friday from 5-9 and Saturday from 1-6. Afterglow party at Aubree’s on Friday starting at 9:30. See a list of the beers here!

Bottoms up!

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Upcoming Stuff To Do

Posted by Patti Smith on 10. June 2009

The mayor’s 9th annual Green Fair is this Friday, from 6p-9p. (I remember going to the first Green Fair and I am suddenly feeling very townie-ish!) There will also be the Bike Fest and I heard something about Linda Diane Feldt having some goodies there, too!

If you are a bike rider, the WBWC’s monthly RAT! bike ride will commence at 6pm, meeting at Liberty Square Park.

After the crushing Red Wing’s victory on Friday night, drag yourself out of bed on Saturday and head down to the Sierra Club Swim/Hike at Pickerel Lake. If I can haul myself down there after what will surely be a festive night, then anyone can :)

Don’t forget about the various farmers’ markets and all of the other happenings this weekend! Make it a good one!

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Volunteer for the Ann Arbor Summer Festival

Posted by Matt Hampel on 9. June 2009

An announcement in my inbox heralds this outdoor opportunity:

The “Ann Arbor Summer Festival:http://www.annarborsummerfestival.org/ is launching a pilot volunteer program this year, and offering community service hours for those who request it. We are looking for outgoing, friendly people to serve as greeters at Top of the Park, welcoming patrons, answering questions, etc.

Volunteer shifts are 6-10 pm every night, and volunteers will be eligible for free tickets, t-shirts, etc.

If you are interested, we still have spots available nearly every night. You can find the volunteer application on our website. (The application IS required)

Here is a page listing shifts still in need of volunteers. (requires an email signup to view, oh well — summary: lots of greeter positions every day from June 12 to July 5)

Huge automated calendar of upcoming events in Ann Arbor

Posted by Matt Hampel on 7. May 2009

John Udell has built an automated script for pulling Ann-Arbor related events into a huge calendar list. It’s similar to Arbor Update’s calendar, but much larger and unfiltered. Potentially a source of information for local event information curators or your personal information overload needs.

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Commuter Challenge 2009 Starts May 1

Posted by Nancy Shore on 30. April 2009

The getDowntown Program is holding the 4th annual Commuter Challenge during the Month of May.

The Challenge is a month-long online commuting-competition between Ann Arbor businesses (primarily downtown) to see who can walk, bike, bus, carpool, telecommute, etc. the most.

The Goal of the Challenge is to encourage people who are thinking about trying a sustainable commute to actually do it.

As of April 30th, 2009, 113 114 117 Organizations and about 1,200 Participants have signed up for the Challenge. Last year, 114 Organizations and 1,400 Participants competed. Organizations can still sign up for the Challenge throughout the month of May.

More information about the Challenge is below:

Ann Arbor Film Festival March 24-29, 2009

Posted by Nancy Shore on 7. March 2009

The 47th Ann Arbor Film Festival will be at the Michigan Theater March 24-29, 2009.

Highlights of this year’s Festival include

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Election Night: special!

Posted by Murph on 3. November 2008

Election Night’s a good night to spend out with like-minded folk, celebrating or commiserating, as the case may be.

For those who want to go straight to the source, County Clerk Kestenbaum will be hosting a shindig:

If you want to be social on Election Night, here’s another option for you.

We’re reviving the old tradition of Election Night at the county seat, featuring immediate access to local election results, local politicos, local reporters, much election conversation and speculation, plentiful food, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Also, televisions to follow national results.

It all starts at 8:00 pm at 200 N. Main (corner of Main & Ann), in downtown Ann Arbor.

Unlike partisan victory parties, you don’t even have to pretend to have worked on a campaign. Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Libertarians, Socialists, and the unaffiliated all welcome.

You can also stroll to and from, um, partisan parties only a couple blocks away.

To my knowledge, there will be election night parties at the Arbor Brewing Company and Corner Brewery (one can expect these to be leaning, ahem, slightly to the Democrat), and the Sidetrack has a “free beer with ‘i voted’ sticker” special (requires a coupon, too – find a friend on their e-mail list).

Others?

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Reverse trick-or-treat

Posted by Chuck Warpehoski on 31. October 2008

Trick-or-treaters giving out candy?

That’s right, the UM student group SOLE (Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality) is organizing a reverse trick-or-treat (link to Facebook event). Equal Exchange is sponsoring this event as a way to educate people about fair trade by giving them fair trade chocolate and information.

Keep reading: next