Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Sounds From Thee Underground: Saturday at the Blind Pig

Posted by Brandon on 15. October 2004

Put on your mod dress or squeeze into your vintage Levi’s. This Saturday the Blind Pig hosts a garage rock explosion, sponsored by Ann Arbor’s own No Fun Records:

Sat 16 No Fun Fest
THE SIRENS
THE AVATARS
CORONADOS
THE HARD LESSONS
SISSY
$10 / Under 21 $12. 18+
Doors 9:30 p.m.

Malveaux Delivers Keynote

Posted by Dumi Lewis on 15. October 2004

Today at 2 in the Michigan League Julienne Malveaux, one of few internationaly recognized Black female economists, will offer comments in a talk entitled, “Making Room for Sadie: Race, Gender and Access in Higher Education and Society” in honor of CEW’s 40th anniversary. Malveaux is one the nation’s leading African-American intellectuals and always provides some critical thoughts to chew on.

In "local" news:

Posted by MarkDilley on 15. October 2004

The other individuals, whose names appeared on a secret list maintained by the former Iraqi government, were Samir Vincent of Annandale, Va., and Shakir al-Khafaji of West Bloomfield, Mich., according to the report by the inspector, Charles A. Duelfer. ...

(thanks to Solomon)

Mayoral Candidates Urban Planning Forum

Posted by Scott Trudeau on 14. October 2004

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje and challenger Jane Lumm will be
participating in a forum on planning and land use issues on October 29
at 6pm. The forum will be held in the Art+Architecture Building
auditorium on the University of Michigan’s North Campus, and is hosted
by the Urban Planning Students Association and the Planners Network.

Topics will include affordable housing, the Greenbelt, local and
regional transit, historical preservation, and downtown development
issues. Both University and community members are welcome, and are
invited to bring questions for the candidates on planning issues.

For further information, please contact Richard Murphy,
murphyr AT umich DOT edu

Comment [4]

Local Election Online Resources

Posted by Scott Trudeau on 14. October 2004

> Ann Arbor News – Election News – Collection of all Ann Arbor News election coverage.

> Rob Goodspeed’s Ann Arbor Voting Guide guide – An overview of the local candidates with endorsements from ArborUpdate co-founder.

Only the candidates who are challenging incumbent Democrats have bothered building web sites:

> Marc Reichardt, 3rd Ward, Green Party – don’t forget to check out the frequently updated blog

> Jane Lumm, Mayor, Republican

There is limited information at the Ann Arbor Democratic Party’s site:

> Ann Arbor Democratic Party

What are we missing? Add them to the comments!

Comment [1]

Local Candidate Forum on CTN

Posted by Scott Trudeau on 14. October 2004

Last night, CTN aired a forum for Ann Arbor City Council and Mayoral candidates sponsored by the League of Women Voters. It will be rebroadcast repeatedly on CTN (Comcast channel 19) until the election.

> CTN Candidate Forum Rebroadcast Schedule

According the the AA News and 3rd ward Green Party candidate Marc Reichardt, major topics covered were affordable housing, city finances and the future of downtown.

> Ann Arbor News: City finances arise in debate
> Candidate Marc Reichardt’s blog: CTN Forum

Bandemer Park Flashing Suspect Arrested

Posted by Murph on 13. October 2004

A Brighton man suspected of exposing himself to women in Ann Arbor’s Bandemer Park a few dozen times was arrested earlier this week. From the Ann Arbor News:

Officer Katie Nucci said she first saw the man park his Ford Expedition at Barton Park, and said he was talking on a cell phone while she rode by on a bike. She passed him again, and he drove over to Bandamer Park.

Nucci said she stepped into a portable toilet for a minute, and as she came out, the same man sprinted past her. She approached him and noticed the man’s shorts in his hand, and he was fondling himself, Nucci said.

“As I came up, I said, ‘Excuse me,’ and he turned around with his shorts in his hand,” Nucci said. “I identified myself and ordered him to the ground. He seemed very surprised.”

The suspect has been released pending charges; the Ann Arbor Police are seeking multiple charges of indecent exposure.

> Ann Arbor News, 13 October: Exposure suspect arrested

Ewan MacGregor in Michigan Central Depot

Posted by Murph on 13. October 2004

Detroit’s abandoned Michigan Central Depot will likely appear in The Island, a science fiction movie starring Ewan MacGregor and Scarlett Johansson. From the Detroit Free Press:

According to the Internet Movie Database Web site, the movie is scheduled to open in 2006. The site says the movie is about a man—played by Ewan McGregor—who “goes on the run after he discovers that he is actually a ‘harvested being’ and is being kept along with others in a utopian facility.”

It is uncertain whether the depot will be that utopia. Most of the windows of the 18-story building are broken and the structure is surrounded by overgrown weeds. But the building—with its Greek façades and marble floors—was once an architectural masterpiece.

Mayoral spokesman Howard Hughey obviously isn’t thinking about The Crow:

“Without knowing exactly what they are shooting in Detroit, it’s still very exciting to know that people from Hollywood have an interest in our city,” Hughey said. “When they are here we certainly hope to show them how magnificent our city is.”

> Detroit Free Press, 13 October: Michigan Central Depot’s new role: movie set

Voice Your Vote registers over 10,000, catches attention of media

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 12. October 2004

By midnight on October 4, Voice Your Vote had registered almost 1,000 students in less than a day. Adding to the furious work done over the previous four weeks, that number put VYV’s tally of new registrations to 10,038.

The highly successful drive gained attention outside the University community as well as within, with articles appearing in major and minor news outlets across the country.

An excerpt from the LA Times story featuring VYV:

That mood was evident at the University of Michigan as the deadline approached for registering in that state. Volunteers from the student government’s Voice Your Vote campaign unfolded a green ironing board with blue spots on a corner of the Diag, and then drew enough of a crowd all day that students were frequently waiting in line to register.

By day’s end, the volunteers had registered enough students to push the campaign’s total for the year past 10,000, almost one-fourth of the entire campus.

The Michigan Review, a conservative monthly campus newspaper, also published an artcile about VYV in its most recent edition. The article alleges that VYV has been a part of a concerted effort to register voters using partisan tactics, and states that liberal students on campus attempted to exclude conservative students from VYV’s registration drive.

Considering VYV registered students by the stadium on football days and made numerous offers to provide volunteers and registration resources at conservative events on campus, the writer of the article seems to have been misdirected in his accusations against the group.

Also on ArborUpdate:
> 9/20/04: U-M Students Launch Voter Registration Drive
> 9/26/04: Thousands gather in Detroit to demand action
> 10/2/04: MI voter registration deadline Monday

Ypsi For Kerry: Debate Party at Frenchie's

Posted by Murph on 12. October 2004

Ypsi For Kerry is holding a debate-watching party at Frenchie’s tomorrow night—non-Ypsilantians welcome. The event may or may not also include other local get-out-the-vote activities.

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