Arbor Update

Food

Local Food Saturday

Posted by Juliew on 13. September 2008

Hungry for good food? Need to learn how to buy local food? Want to be able to talk heirloom tomatoes with the best of them? Don’t miss this Saturday’s (September 13) local food extravaganza!

Starting off the day, stop by the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market and see, smell, taste, and purchase the amazing array of produce available in Michigan in September. Michigan is one of the largest food producing states and one of the states with the most variety of produce. You will see that in evidence on Saturday. The market opens at 7:00am and goes until 3:00pm.

Once you have had your fill of the market, head over to the Home Grown Festival in the Community High field from 11:00am to 4:00pm. There will be a silent auction, a tomato taste-off, yummy local food, bands, and kid’s events.

Still haven’t had enough? Continue the fun with the Harvest Hootenany to support Project Grow at Zingerman’s Roadhouse from 4:00-9:00pm.

We are lucky to live in a state with access to so many local foods. Enjoy the bounty!

Comment [2]

Local

"Something is growing in Ann Arbor": But What?

Posted by Nancy Shore on 12. September 2008

Ok, I have to admit this is driving me crazy.

There are billboards up all around Ann Arbor with the slogan “Something is growing in Ann Arbor.” and a leaf design.

Then when I got the paper yesterday, there it was again as a sticker on the Ann Arbor News.

I’ve tried Googling the phrase, but to no avail.

So what’s the word on the street?

Comment [3]

Ann Arbor Transportation Authority

AATA: 7 new locations with bus shelters; where do you want one?

Posted by Matt Hampel on 12. September 2008

“AATA has a long-established service standard of placing shelters at bus stops with 50 or more boardings per day,” says Manager of Service Development Chris White.

The new shelters are:
Glencoe Hills
Medford at St. Francis
Washtenaw at Geddes
Hewitt Road at Fairway Trails
Carpenter Road at Coachville
Teubingen at Lancashire
Green Road at Nixon
(2 others replaced old shelters outside AATA headquarters)

I’ve created a map of AATA shelters — it only has those nine, but anyone can edit and add to it:

View Larger Map

Photo via AATA

AAPS Board of Education

School Board: Comprehensive School Improvement Plan and more

Posted by Matt Hampel on 9. September 2008

Board of Education meeting: Wednesday, September 20 at 7:30 pm. Construction and budget updates, a vote on the language partnerships, an extension of the READ 180. More after the jump.

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Politics

Impact this Weds.

Posted by Nancy Shore on 9. September 2008

Thought Arbor Update Readers might be interested in getting information about what’s going on with the Schools and Local Government straight from the people in the know.

That’s what Impact is all about. Here are the details:

At Impact 2008, local leaders will be providing conference attendees with a picture of the current state of affairs as well as a vision of hope for the future. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with leaders and administrators from Ann Arbor Public Schools and Washtenaw Intermediate School District and government officials from the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County in a community dialogue on the issues of cooperation, collaboration and shared services.

Attendees can choose from two breakout sessions where there will be a closer look at the issues and the challenges. The sessions will consist of:

1) “The Schools” Dr. Bill Miller, Dr. Todd Roberts and other school administrators will be heading up discussions on the innovative programming going on in area schools, the gaps in the financial structure and plans for developing a ‘Washtenaw Promise.’

2) “Local Government” Roger Fraser and Bob Guenzel, among other local government leaders, will be leading discussions regarding ongoing and future collaboration efforts, government efficiency, your expectations of your local government and the difficult choices ahead.

Cost is $65 for Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce Members, $75 for others. You’ll need to register for the event by Tuesday, Sept 9th at 12noon.

Even if you can’t go we can start a discussion here about these topics and how folks think they should evolve in the coming years.

City Council

City Council: Citizen Participation

Posted by Juliew on 8. September 2008

Monday, September 8 at 7:00 pm.
Agenda

Highlights:

• Approval of Citizen Participation Ordinance
• Rezoning of the Polhemus House, which was moved to Pontiac Trail, to PUD to allow a museum highlighting the African American culture and history in Washtenaw County
• Revisions to the Sidewalk Vendors Program
• Resolution to approve 42 North Site Plan on Maple Road (postponed from 7/21 and 8/18 meetings)
• Resolution establishing Ann Arbor Industrial Development District for 201 Depot Street

Comment [8]

Local Media

Fresher News: The Ann Arbor Chronicle

Posted by Matt Hampel on 4. September 2008

The Ann Arbor Chronicle, a new news site covering the Ann Arbor area, launched Tuesday. It’s already full of great information, including details from meetings (see coverage of a recent DDA session), a section for quick observations, called Stopped. Watched., and many other pieces. The site runs unobtrusive ads from local businesses.

The power behind the Chronicle comes from Mary Morgan and AU regular Homeless Dave, along with design and development work by Laura Fisher.

Comment [66]

University of Michigan

UM Move-in: Tuesday, Aug. 26 - Friday, Aug. 29th

Posted by Matt Hampel on 25. August 2008

Seven bus routes are on detour.

Street closures:

• re-routing of traffic on Ann Street (Zina Pitcher Place to Observatory Street) to one-way eastbound
• Observatory Street (Ann Street to Geddes Avenue) to one-way southbound.
• Thompson Street converted to one-way between Richard Kennedy Dr. and Packard (southbound only)
• E. Madison (Thompson to S. State streets) is limited to eastbound only.
• A change from previous years’ move-in traffic and not indicated on the maps, State Street (South University to Hill Street) will remain as two-way traffic.

From the annual press release + maps:

The University of Michigan and City of Ann Arbor Move-In Task Force, preparing for another large freshman class, has set the main Fall Move-In days of Tuesday, August 26 through Friday, August 29, for new and returning students.

...

The following U-M parking areas will be partially or entirely closed during Move-In:

Bursley Hall Parking Lot (lot NC-31) — Several parking spaces will be controlled August 26 – 29.

Richard Kennedy Drive — Parallel parking spaces for U-M service vehicles will be closed August 27 – 29.

Thompson Street Structure (W3) — Exit will be permitted on South Division only August 27 – 29.

Lot W16 (the “Triangle Lot”), located at Thompson, Packard and Madison — Lot will be closed to all permit parkers August 27 – 29.

Lot W18, located next to Parking Services and the Thompson Street Parking Structure — Lot will be closed August 27 – 29.

Lot M28, located on Washington Heights across from Markley Hall — Lot will be closed to all permit parkers August 26 – 29.

Photo: Bucket train of move-in makers (students who move in early to help move others in) from F2007.

Crime

WBWC, getDowntown: Bike Parts Thief on the Prowl

Posted by Matt Hampel on 21. August 2008

The getDowntown blog summarizes posts from the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition Google Group.

The recent rash of thefts are not of bikes (a risk mitigated by a nice lock) but of easily removable parts. Lights, bells, anything else you don’t have locked down:

Just an FYI. I was parked at the bike racks in the Washington Street parking structure on Sunday (across from Arbor Brewing Company) for a few hours and somebody stole my headlight, tail light, and bell.

Comment [15]

AAPS Board of Education

School Board: Language Partnership Edition

Posted by Matt Hampel on 19. August 2008

Board of Education meeting: Wednesday, August 20 at 7:30 pm.

The meeting will cover, in part:

• A proposed new partnership with the AAPS and University of Michigan’s School of Education to offer Spanish in elementary schools. Dr. Donald Freeman, Director of Teacher Preparation and Dr. Maria Coolican are leading from the UM side.

Some details from the presentation:

• Student teachers fluent in Spanish trained through the World Languages Teacher Education program
• Teach two 30 minute periods/ week
• all elementary schools , beginning in the 3rd grade in 2009-2010
• Expanding to 4th & 5th grades in 2010~2011
• Supervised by University faculty and field instructors
• Coached and supported at the building level by media specialists

Also:

• Regularly scheduled reports from Youth Senate , BPSSG, MPAC, PTOC, AAAA, MEA, and other abbreviations.
• A decision on storm-water containment at Pioneer (discussion about the plan is happening before the meeting, at 5:30pm)
• Briefings and purchasing approval for two US history textbooks, The American Vision (Glencoe) and 20th Century United States History (TCI-Hunter). The cost of 1800 of the latter is $145,840.
• Committee assignments

For more reading:

• Agenda on Scribd, including slides from the language education partnership (original 5mb PDF)
• Info packet on Scribd (original 5mb PDF)

The AAPS Board of Education meets every other Wednesday(-ish). Meetings usually begin at 7pm with a public commentary period, and are held in the 4th floor conference room of the Downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library. The 2008-9 schedule is online. Meetings are broadcast live on CTN and rebroadcast several times.

Comment [26]