Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Calthorpe Plan Public Hearings

Posted by Juliew on 5. January 2006

Now that the Calthorpe plan for downtown development has been submitted, three public hearings to discuss it have been scheduled. These will most likely follow the same rules as Planning Commission and City Council meetings where each speaker has a three-minute time limit.

Planning Commission Public Hearing
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
7 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall

DDA Public Hearing
Thursday, January 26, 2006
7 p.m. in the Edison Center Community Room (425 S. Main St.)

City Council Public Hearing
Monday, February 6, 2006
7 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall

The Downtown Development Strategies website has links to the Calthorpe report and other downtown development information.

Communities Worth Having

Posted by MarkDilley on 5. January 2006

You are invited to Building Communities Worth Having , an Open Space Conference, February 3-5 in Portland Oregon. I’m one of the co-convenors along with John Abbe, Ted Ernst, Brandon CS Sanders, Raymond King, Michael Sparks and others. Michael Herman is facilitating. If you’re anywhere involved in “The Movement” (place-based, cyber-space, face-to-face) for building a better world, we’d be glad to have you join us!

It’s being co-sponsored by IBESI, OSDL, ICANNWiki, SocialText

Comment [2]

[Raise] Wages against the [corporate] machine: Michigan campaign to raise minimum pay

Posted by David Boyle on 5. January 2006

Since not only Donald Trump has the right to make money, activists including Ryan Bates have been busy setting up websites to campaign to raise the minimum wage in Michigan for all us non-Trumpies, including Michigan ACORN: Minimum Wage Center, and a weblog to discuss the issue, “Michigan ACORN Minimum Wage Campaign” blog. (Click links to connect)

Give that man a raise. (Not Trump)

The effort looks good so far; and out of little ACORNs, mighty oaks may grow…

Comment [7]

Architecture course: "Settings and Rituals"

Posted by Murph on 3. January 2006

An architecture course from this past semester has set up a website of their student projects on “settings and rituals”, observing physical locations around Ann Arbor and the ritual activities that happen there, such as “going to the Farmers’ Market”, “flyering around campus”, and “riding the bus to north campus”.

Go kill some time. Then go hit ArborWiki and consider adding the settings that you consider important.

Comment [1]

AADL Board election filings upcoming

Posted by Murph on 3. January 2006

Ed posts a heads-up on an old post that the Library Board elections will be held this spring, and nominating petitions are due in a month.

Nominating petitions are now available for individuals who are interested in filing for the May 2, 2006 election for Ann Arbor District Library Board of Trustees. Three candidates will be elected to each serve a four-year term.

Petitions and election information are available at the County Clerk’s Office in the Washtenaw County Building at 200 North Main Street in Ann Arbor. Potential Board candidates must return completed petitions to the Clerk’s Office by 4:00 pm, February 7, 2006.

The election will take place on May 2, 2006, and elected candidates will begin their terms on July 1, 2006. These are four-year terms, ending on June 30, 2010.

For more information, contact the County Clerk’s office at 222-6730.

Current Board members whose terms are ending include Barbara Murphy, Connie Greene, and William Kincaid.

Comment [4]

Tell State Elections Bureau how to characterize MCRI proposal

Posted by David Boyle on 2. January 2006

The Detroit News story “Ballot language deadline set: Affirmative action initiative’s wording must be approved by Jan. 20, appeals court says” notes,
“State Elections Bureau staff will take comments and recommendations from the public until noon Tuesday and will propose the ballot language, which must be fewer than 100 words, to the Board of Canvassers by Friday. Comments can be e-mailed to elections@michigan.gov or faxed to (517) 241-2784.”
So feel free to contact the State Elections Bureau; suggesting that the ballot language mention that U.S. Supreme Court-permitted affirmative action will be outlawed, may wake up voters who think “eliminating racial preferences” means that Whiff Worthington III won’t get preferences any more for being an alumni kid…

Happy New Year 2006 from Arbor Update!

Posted by David Boyle on 1. January 2006

Best wishes to all! “For auld lang syne…”

UM sheds Coke addiction...sort of

Posted by David Boyle on 30. December 2005

The Mich. Daily says UM will finally follow (in part) activists’ suggestions and (temporarily) stop purchasing Coca-Cola, due to Coke’s human rights and environmental problems. (More info at link above) A good thing for UM to resolve for the New Year, if one may say.

Comment [4]

Happy Hanuk-Kwanz-mas

Posted by David Boyle on 25. December 2005

     Happiest holidays to you, whatever your faith or background, or even if you don’t live in Ann Arbor.
     ”Chrismukkah” has nothing on Hanuk-Kwanz-mas, by the way. And the real OC is Oakland County, as we all know….

     Drive safely! And watch out for flying reindeer and spinning dreidels!!

Comment [1]

ArborWiki

Posted by MarkDilley on 24. December 2005

This is very exciting! A wiki for Ann Arbor.

Adding the project to the sidebar.

image via CommunityWiki

> See also a kickoff post at AAIO , which I missed somehow.

Comment [1]

Keep reading: next previous