Arbor Update

Site Announcements

New Contributors and Arbor Updates

Posted by Dale Winling on 17. May 2006

Arbor Update announces some recent and upcoming changes to the site in order to improve our interface, broaden our content, and increase the usefulness of discussion on AU.

First, we welcome Guest Writers Heidi Sulzdorf, Ed Vielmetti, and Chuck Warpehoski. They will be expanding our content coverage to include, but not be limited to, food, drink and dining; technology and blogging; and peace and faith issues in the community. Veteran Brian Kerr will return to a writing and tech support role.

Second, we continue to solicit tips and introductions to local issues and events from readers via the link on the sidebar at the right. We also encourage readers to announce events using Upcoming.org, also available through a link at the right.

Third, we encourage readers to tag your flickr images with an ‘arborupdate’ tag and a Creative Commons license that will allow us to post your images to AU articles. This will help us make the site more visually appealing and may also bring more traffic to your flickr site. A Creative Commons license that uses any combination of “non-commercial use only”, “no derivatives”, and “attribution required” will allow us to link to your images easily; “share-alike” will not.

We thank you for reading and for continuing to make Arbor Update a unique and useful community resource.

Comment [23]

City Council

City Council Candidates File

Posted by Dale Winling on 17. May 2006

A few late surprises mark the passing of the filing deadlines for city council, including the non-entry of Wendy Woods into the mayoral race and late entry of two candidates to join Steve Kunselman in the third ward Democratic primary. Throughout the set of primaries, it bears noting that not a single Republican candidate filed for a primary.

The full list, via the Washtenaw County Web site

Comment [60] • Read More »

City Council

City Council, Lower Town Edition

Posted by Dale Winling on 14. May 2006

Monday night, City Council revisits the proposed Lower Town Historic District, postponed from January after spirited debate. At that meeting opposition speakers outnumbered pro speakers about 2-to-1.

UPDATE: Council voted to delay consideration of the historic district due to objections by the state

Comment [53] • Read More »

Local

Arbourfest 2 Tonight

Posted by Dale Winling on 13. May 2006

Arbor Vitae, once a dance hall and now a sometimes music venue, plays host to Arbourfest 2 tonight. Following last year’s benefit for the New West Side, proceeds will benefit the leukemia and lymphoma society.

Headlining the bill is the Great Lakes Myth Society, provided they’ve recovered from last night’s rousing show at the Blind Pig. Also on the bill are locals Chris Bathgate, Showdown at the Equator, Canada, The Moodie Veto, metro Detroiters The Recital, and New Yorkers Mumu Worthy.

Arbor Vitae is the third floor above Wazoo, at 336 1/2 S. State. Doors open at 7:30 and music starts at 8. Cover is $5. Feast your eyes and ears.

Comment [7]

Local

Ann Arbor City Democratic Party Meeting, May 13

Posted by Juliew on 12. May 2006

Saturday May 13, 2006 10:00 a.m.
Ann Arbor Community Center
625 N. Main St.

Agenda
1. Discussion of Voter ID Canvassing (15 minutes)
2. Ward meetings for all five wards (15 minutes)
3. Reconvene for Issue Discussion (90 minutes)
a. Granholm campaign
b. Parks millage
c. New city hall
d. Possibility of ballot proposal prohibiting buildings (over 20 feet in height) in the three Greenway Properties (1st & William, 415 W. Washington, and 721 N. Main)
e. Possible ballot proposal prohibiting tax abatements

Comment [12]

Local

Ann Arbor Book Festival

Posted by Juliew on 12. May 2006

The Ann Arbor Book Festival revs into high gear this weekend with tours of the UM Library Book Conservation and Preservation Lab from 3:30 to 7:30pm tomorrow (May 12), an Opening Author Reception at the Downtown Library tomorrow evening, and the Street Festival on State Street and North University on Saturday from 10:00am to 5:00pm. This is followed on Sunday by the Ann Arbor Antiquarian Book Fair at the Union from 11:00am to 5:00pm.

Comment [1]

Local

Transportation Information Revolution

Posted by Juliew on 10. May 2006

Speaker: Robin Chase, founder and former CEO of Zipcar
Date: May 18, 2006, 4-5:30 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to the public
Location: Michigan Union, Wolverine Room

“We are on the verge of a transportation-information revolution. In this presentation, Robin Chase will explore and explain how we can use cheap and ubiquitous information to reduce congestion, to improve the quality of transit alternatives, to shift our relationship with transportation modes, to be a catalyst for new service options (including the successful ZipCar car-sharing model now thriving in several major American cities), and to link driving more closely with its true costs. The presentation will be of interest to academics, professionals, and interested citizens.”

Comment [34]

City Council

City Council Intrigue?

Posted by Dale Winling on 6. May 2006

Not as much as we anticipated, reports the Ann Arbor News. Intrigue is reserved almost exclusively for the 5th Ward, where incumbent Chris Easthope may face opposition from several challengers.

Comment [27] • Read More »

Local

Friday Smorgasbord

Posted by Juliew on 5. May 2006

Ann Arbor hires new Police Chief: Barnett Jones from Sterling Heights

Ann Arbor Public Schools releases names of seven finalists for School Superintendent, Bob Galardi most likely front runner.

On May 1, the City passed a resolution to shift to 30% renewable energy by 2010 and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2015.

Peter Allen peppers the city with orange footprints pointing toward Kingsley Lane.

Midnight/Moonlight Madness happens tonight with downtown stores staying open late, strolling entertainers on Main Street, and lots of sales.

Comment [12]

Politics

Author Reading & Signing

Posted by MarkDilley on 4. May 2006

Bush-League Spectacles: Empire, Politics, and Culture in Bushwhacked America

Fran Shor at Shaman Drum Bookshop, Main St.,
Sat. May 06, 7:00 PM

Shaman Drum welcomes two authors from the Factory School on Saturday, May 5th Cara Hoffman & Fran Shor. The Factory School is a learning and production collective engaged in action research, publishing, media display, and community service. They consider today’s artists, educators and activists to be the vanguard of a new generation of culture workers striving to transcend borders of nation, language, class, race, gender, institutional status, and other divides.