Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Can, Freeze, Dry: Home Preserving in A2

Posted by Nancy Shore on 4. October 2008

I was at the Farmer’s Market this morning just blown away by all the fresh produce and I thought this would be a great time for a post on home preserving.

As the colder weather starts to move in, home preserving is a great way for us in the Ann Arbor area to store something tasty for a snowy winter’s day.

And apparently, there are lots of folks taking up home preserving out there. I recently heard that canning supply sales are up 40% at the Ace Hardware store on Stadium.

So here’s a rundown of where to go and what to do related to home preserving in Ann Arbor. I hope this post becomes a place for others to share what they know as well.

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Register to Vote by October 6

Posted by Juliew on 2. October 2008

The last day for voter registration in Michigan is this Monday, October 6. Michigan residents will not be allowed to vote in the November elections unless they register by October 6 at 5:00pm. If you have changed addresses, you must make sure your registration is updated.

You can register to vote in several ways:

  • Walk through the Diag during the day. There has been a huge campus effort to register voters.
  • Stop by the Secretary of State’s mobile office which will be in front of the Michigan League today, October 2 from 9:00am to 3:00pm (they will be registering voters, but can also handle most other Secretary of State services).
  • Register in person Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm at the Ann Arbor City Clerk’s office on the second floor of City Hall (100 N. Fifth Avenue, (734) 994-2725).
  • For more information or if you want to see if you are currently registered, go to the Michigan Secretary of State’s web site. If you are not a Michigan resident, see the Election Assistance Commission’s web site for information.

Comment [1]

Suit Against Leopold Bros Building Owner

Posted by Chuck Warpehoski on 26. September 2008

The Ann Arbor Business Review reports that developer who bought the Leopold Brothers site is now being sued over three years of late payments at the 200 E. Washington building.

I guess that helps explain why the plans they put forward for a hotel at the Leopold site have been withdrawn.

Comment [1]

City Council: Shades of 828 Greene

Posted by Juliew on 22. September 2008

Monday, September 22 at 7:00 pm.
Ann Arbor City HallAgenda

Highlights:

  • Approval of two four-story hotels totaling 227 rooms on Briarwood property near I-94
  • Revisions to the Sidewalk Vendors Program
  • Approval of 133 Hill Street site plan
  • Ordinance to amend sections of Chapter 55 and Chapter 59 regarding Area, Height and Placement Standards

Comment [2]

Upland Green (finally) sees a grand opening

Posted by Murph on 19. September 2008

A tenant of Upland Green, at Plymouth and Murfin, requested we post on their grand opening next week. While this site is typically disinclined to post outright advertisements, particularly for national chains, the project itself has been the topic of enough past discussion that I believe any opening will be of interest to AU readers.

In small part, the interest is from the long mid-construction stall that the project went into. More interesting to me, having served a 6-year term as North Campus resident/student/employee, is that the project is the most “urban” site plan on Plymouth Road, a notoriously car-centric corridor. While parking ratios are still high, the front building is three stories, mixed-use, with parking in the rear.

But most notable is how the process played out. The development initially proposed single-story stand-alone restaurants, with parking in the front yard; the revised project was a result of the Planning Commission asking for more density, and lower setbacks, making everyone who weighed in happier. (Notably, David Cahill and I both thought it was a good development.) Hopefully it will live up to the hype and be a positive contribution to that stretch of Plymouth Road. I’ll post the advertisement with the hopes that somebody will check out the site and report back:

Panera Bread will open on Friday, Sept. 26 at 6 a.m. The new bakery-cafe will be located at 1773 Plymouth Road (across from North Campus). To commemorate the opening, customers who bring a non-perishable item to donate to Food Gatherers of Washtenaw County between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., Sept. 26 through Oct. 3, will receive a free small coffee and a post-consumer recycled tote, while supplies last.

Comment [5]

Candidate Debates Oct 13 and 14

Posted by Chuck Warpehoski on 18. September 2008

The League of Women Voters is organizing candidate debates for area offices including WCC Trustee, County Sheriff, City Council, and State House.

The debates will be broadcast on CTN Channel 19. You can see the whole schedule here.

Comment [9]

Washtenaw County Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled to Become Part of the Ann Arbor District Library

Posted by Matt Hampel on 17. September 2008

Via an AADL press release, some portions removed for length:


The Ann Arbor District Library has agreed in principle to take ownership of the Washtenaw County Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled.

If approved by both the Ann Arbor District Library Board and the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, the Ann Arbor District Library will become the sub-regional Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled for Washtenaw County. Approval is expected to take place by mid-October and the entire transition should be accomplished by January 1, 2009.

The move comes as part of Washtenaw County’s ongoing efforts to make structural reductions in its budget for 2009 to help eliminate a deficit of approximately $15 million. A complete package of recommended solutions, due largely to the loss in revenue from property taxes, will be presented to the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners on September 17, 2008.

The Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled (LBPD) is part of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress Network, and has been operating as part of Washtenaw County. It provides traditional services such as audio books, playback equipment, large print materials and descriptive videos to individuals who are unable to read or use printed materials due to physical disability (e.g., blindness, macular degeneration, paralysis, multiple sclerosis, stroke, dyslexia).

The AADL has agreed to accept many of the collections of the Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled. If the transition is approved, these collections will be housed and accessible at the Downtown Library, located at 343 South Fifth Avenue in Ann Arbor.

No details yet on where and how the LBPD will continue, or what will happen to staff. Inquiries are in to the AADL and County.

Comment [5]

World Premiere of Slacker Uprising At Mich Theater Thurs

Posted by Nancy Shore on 16. September 2008

Looking for something to do this Thursday?

Michael Moore is going to be at the Michigan Theater to

a. Give a talk on “Shooting Democracy” at 5pm and
b. Show his new film Slacker Uprising. This is a World Premiere of the movie, which will also be available online for free.

Doors will open at 4pm, A section of seats will be reserved for students, all the rest are first come, first served.

Should PFC Expand to Liberty Lofts?

Posted by Nancy Shore on 16. September 2008

I don’t know about you, but when I read this article in the Ann Arbor Business Review, I thought it meant that the People’s Food Coop was considering moving to the Liberty Lofts space from their present location.

No so.

When I was shopping at the Co-op on Sunday, I spoke with an employee. He told me that the Co-op is actually looking to add another store in the Liberty Lofts space. The employee also told me that the Co-op is surveying members to determine if the Liberty Loft space is a good location.

A paper survey is available at the Co-op at the table close to the registers. The survey asks information on where you came from, how much you spent, etc. It will help the Co-op Board as they consider this opportunity.

If you are interested in seeing another grocery store in the downtown, please take the time to fill out the Co-op’s Survey the next time you are in the store.

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Old Compost Can Pickup this Week, September 15-19

Posted by Juliew on 15. September 2008

The City will be picking up the remainder of the garbage/compost cans formerly used for compost this week. You should put the cans out on your regular garbage pickup day.

Full details are here.

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