Arbor Update

Regional

County approves end to Sheriff's patrol subsidy

Posted by Murph on 8. September 2005

At last night’s County Commission meeting, the Commissioners voted 7-4 to phase out the subsidy of Sheriff’s department patrols to parts of Washtenaw County that lack their own local police departments. Opponents of the decision plan to petition for a County-wide referendum to overturn it, which would require 15,000 signatures to be collected by 25 September in order to place the question on the February ballot.

Currently, the County subsidizes each Sheriff’s department deputy provided to local governments (“Police Service Unit”) at the rate of about $87,000 of the total $176,000 cost of the PSU; there are 90 such PSUs currently contracted for. The plan approved yesterday (pdf) would still allow local governments to contract for PSUs, and would maintain an as-of-yet unfinalized slate of “core services” (such as SWAT and K9), but would require the local governments requiring PSUs to pay the full cost, freeing up money for the County to use to modernize and expand the County Jail despite a bond proposal for that purpose being voted down last February.

Previous AU discussions:

• 6 May 2005: Sheriff Minzey plays populist
• 18 April 2005: Giant Jail Lite
• 22 February 2005: Washtenaw County Jail Millage vote today

Comment [14]

Local

AAPS posts redistricting survey

Posted by Murph on 8. September 2005

Anne Jackson sends a link to the Ann Arbor Public Schools’ survey on redistricting, and comments,

The construction of the new Ann Arbor High School is underway. School district plans are to have it completed to receive students in the fall of 2007—two years away.

Two years may seem like a long time, but plans are already underway by the AA School District to tackle the question of redistricting (again). It has recently posted “The High School Redistricting Web Survey” on the website: www.aaps.k12.mi.us until September 30, 2005. (direct link to survey)

Now is the time to let your opinions be known!

The school district is planning to use data collected in the survey to help form community forums, the first being held on October 20th.

Some questions to consider: What are your ideas about redistricting?

• What would you like the school district to know?
• How should redistricting be carried out?
• Do boundaries need to be rigidly drawn?
• What about holding a city-wide lottery?
• If boundaries are drawn, what is the most important parameter for the district to consider?
• Could gas prices affect district decisions and possibly the most
  important parameter in deciding boundaries?
• What do you think about the racial and ethnic diversity in our schools?
• Is a “neighborhood” school important?
• How do you feel about your children being bused to a high school outside of your immediate neighborhood?
• How should the district ensure quality and diversity in the new school?

Post your questions,thoughts, comments, and concerns here. Let’s candidly discuss this issue as it is complicated, controversial, and will directly affect our children’s higher education!

Comment [56]

Labor

Soapboxers and Saboteurs: 100 Years of Wobbly Solidarity

Posted by MarkDilley on 6. September 2005

“The working class and the employing class have nothing in common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of the working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things of life,” says part of the Preamble to the Industrial Workers of the World’s constitution.

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the IWW, the University of Michigan’s Labadie Collection of Social Protest presents “Soapboxers and Saboteurs: 100 Years of Wobbly Solidarity,” an exhibit from one of the world’s best collections of materials documenting early IWW history. Running Sept. 6 through November 26 in U-M’s Special Collections Library located on
the 7th floor of the Harlan Hatcher Library on U-M’s Central Campus, the display includes original letters, posters, photographs, sheet music and memorabilia.

• Read More »

Campus

Two Student Govt. Updates

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 5. September 2005

Two e-mails from MSA president Jesse Levene in the past week. Starting with today’s:

Social justice CHANGE events tomorrow:

1. Guest Speaker, Dr. Maura Cullen: Mon. 9/5 9-10:30 a.m. Michigan Union Pendelton Room
2. Community Plunge: Mon. 9/5 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Michigan Union Anderson Room
3. CHANGE Dialogues: Mon. 9/5 at 2:30pm at Palmer Commons (Great Lakes Room) by the Hill Residence Halls.

Featuring free food, engaging conversations, and service opportunities!

Sincerely,
Jesse Levine
President, Michigan Student Assembly
Register at http://www.umich.edu/~mjustice

And this one, which came a mere four days after last week’s surprise announcement:

Reps, I regret that Alicia has chosen to step down, and hope that she chooses to renew her involvement with the Assembly.

Additionally, I have considered all interested candidates for VP of MSA, and have selected Nicole Stallings. I will be making a motion to appoint Nicole as Vice President at our first meeting (which will be Tuesday, September 6th at 7:30pm).

I selected Nicole for the following reasons:
She brings an important voice to the excutive board.
She represents herself and the Assembly well, and has acted with great integrity.
She is excited about MSA and the position.
She is dependable, and has excellent communication skills.
She has demonstrated her commitment to the Assembly through her work with MSA financials.
She is currently working on instituting new reforms to the BPC application process.
She has worked with Rodger Wolf, MSA’s financial advisor to conduct the MSA audit.
She has been working with the Alumni Association to lead fundraising efforts for the Assembly, and spark communication among MSA alumni.
She has a strong understanding of the culture and work within the Assembly.
She can motivate others well.
She is an honors student from the school of LS&A.

She has also chosen to retain her Vice-Chair position on BPC, and continue her work in that arena.

I look forward to seeing you all at CHANGE (please register at http://www.umich.edu/~mjustice), steering (this Sunday at 6:00pm at Chambers), or at the general meeting.

All the best,
Jesse

Local

Mary Beth Doyle trial

Posted by MarkDilley on 4. September 2005

“The trial for the man that caused the death of Mary Beth Doyle was held in Lenawee Circuit Court August 25th. Paul Bradley Ramsey, the driver of the car that caused the accident pleaded guilty to negligent homicide after being offered the promise of no jail time, maybe probation, but he would not have to report to the probation dept. because they told him [according to the Adrian Daily Telegram] that he could pay his fines and go to China were he claims to be a missionary.

Mary Beth’s family and I had agreed to drop the manslaughter charge if he plead guilty to negligent homicide. What we did not know was that the the prosecutor had offered this get out of jail free card.

If anyone would like to help to reverse this sentance they should send a letter to:

Judge Timothy Pickard
425 N. Main St.
Adrian MI 49221
File No.05-11650-FH

to make him aware of her impact on the planet we live on and profound affect her death has had on the lives of so many people

Anyone that would like to witness the sentencing is encouraged to come to the Rex B Martin Judicial Building on Sept 8th at 8:15Am 3rd floor Judge Timothy Pickards court room.

Please write!

David Keeney”

via comments

Comment [3]

Politics

Chief Justice William Rehnquist Dies

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 4. September 2005

WASHINGTON (AP)—Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died Saturday evening at his home in suburban Virginia, said Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg.

A statement from the spokeswoman said he was surrounded by his three children when he died in Arlington.

“The Chief Justice battled thyroid cancer since being diagnosed last October and continued to perform his dues on the court until a precipitous decline in his health the last couple of days,” she said.

Rehnquist was appointed to the Supreme Court as an associate justice in 1971 by President Nixon and took his seat on Jan. 7, 1982. He was elevated to chief justice by President Reagan in 1986.

Comment [1]

Campus

This weekend: 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in the Arb

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 3. September 2005

This weekend, Shakespeare in the Arb returns for three FREE student-only shows at 6pm Saturday-Monday. Full info is available at rcplayers.com/arb2005 (a damn good looking website, if you ask me).

Local

City announces CodeRED phone notification system

Posted by Murph on 2. September 2005

Beginning 7 September, the City of Ann Arbor will be using the CodeRED system to provide telephone alerts (pdf) of boil water advisories, chemical spills, and other emergency events to residents of the affected area. From their press release:

Ann Arbor residents and businesses are encouraged to register online to be personally alerted in the event of an imminent threat to health and safety—such as for a chemical spill, evacuation notice, bomb threat, boil water notification, or missing child alert—through the CodeRED program provided by the City of Ann Arbor’s new contract with Emergency Communications Network.

The CodeRED system is capable of dialing 60,000 phone numbers per hour, making three attempts to connect to any registered number and delivering a recorded message to a live person or answering machine within a specific geographic area or for the entire city.

To register your phone number, select the CodeRED option on the City of Ann Arbor’s main web page, www.a2gov.org, and provide your name, address, primary phone number and alternate phone number. Those without Internet access may pick up a free CodeRED registration form from the Customer Service Center, 220 E. Huron, or from the 24-hour Police Desk in City Hall, 100 N. Fifth Ave. Place the completed forms in the deposit boxes at either location.

Sign up now – the signup page says it takes up to two weeks(!) for address verification, so this is not something to put off to the last minute.

Local

A2 nanotech firm scores DoD armor contract

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 1. September 2005

The Ann Arbor News reported in early August that Ann Arbor based Nanocerox, Inc. was waiting to hear from the Department of Defense on a boost in their research funding for new transparent armor materials.

It turns out they did get the contract, worth about $3.1 million. Peter Gray, president of Nanocerox, said this:

I think the impact on our company and Ann Arbor will be wonderful. In the past 12 months, the science team here has grown from 3 to 11. In today’s world, I think that’s the most important thing – creating good jobs right here in Michigan. It’s a good feeling to see trained chemists and materials scientists having the opportunity to work in their own fields.

I can’t find a news story about it anywhere—I heard it on WUOM. If anyone wants to look over the contract to see if there’s anything else interesting in there, let us know.

Comment [3]

National

Local Katrina relief opportunities

Posted by Murph on 1. September 2005

UM President Mary Sue Coleman suggests the following means of providing assistance to those affected by Hurricane Katrina:

Here in Ann Arbor, the Washtenaw County chapter of the American Red Cross is asking for volunteers to help staff phone lines and process cash donations. Volunteers also are needed for hardship assignments of two to three weeks that will take them to the devastated areas; volunteers must be at least 18 and undergo a 10-hour training course.

The local office also is in need of donations of blood and cash for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. To volunteer or donate, call 971-5300 or visit the chapter’s website at www.wc-redcross.org.

Another local organization, the Washtenaw chapter of the Salvation Army, is seeking donations of money and is taking names of potential volunteers; there are no age restrictions and no training time is required. You may contact the Salvation Army at 668-8353, www.comnet.org/sa/, or send an email to bcarroll@usc.salvationarmy.org .

Because the situation throughout the Gulf Coast region is so unstable, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is discouraging people from traveling on their own to the region to help. Rather, FEMA is advising people to show their support by making cash donations to voluntary organizations. You can find these organizations on FEMA’s website at www.fema.gov .

Comment [9]