As I walked my three-year-old daughter around the Arb last week, she asked a lot of questions. Where does the snow go? Why did the leaves fall down? What are those green things coming up from the dirt?

I realized this is it – this is why we moved here from Las Vegas. This is the year our child begins to understand the seasons, the cycles, the wonders of the natural world. Someday, she’ll take it all for granted and won’t remember not knowing. But in these next few months? It’ll all be magical for her and, by proxy, us.

I intend to enjoy every moment of it. And even if you don’t have fresh eyes to see it through, I hope you all get outside when you can to appreciate the glorious beauty of our town. It’s hard to stay in the present and appreciate these experiences when the world makes it so easy and necessary to agonize over the future, but it’s important to try.

The news is here. I’m partial this week to the tale of the ten-year-old kept alive for weeks at C.S. Mott by an artificial heart until he could handle a transplant. It’s just a wonderful example of the daring, important medical research and experimentation that happens at universities at a moment when so much funding is under threat.

–Steve Friess, editor

Council pushes for three-story neighborhood maximum: In an 8-3 vote, councilmembers called for putting a 35-foot height limit for apartment buildings and condominiums in most residential areas in the new comprehensive land-use plan, according to city records. The plan is being developed by the planning commission; when they are done, council must vote it up or down and can’t revise it themselves. The planning commission’s discussion of a 48-foot limit had fueled public alarm.

DTE to keep gas franchise through 2035: Council unanimously approved a new agreement that extends DTE’s contract but requires the utility to help develop and implement geothermal heat as an alternative to carbon, according to city records. DTE’s current franchise expires in 2027, so this is an eight-year renewal as opposed to the traditional thirty-year renewals. Council votes on final approval on April 21.

Council sells air rights over alley for $1.2M: Chicago-based Core Spaces, which plans to building a mixed-use twenty-story high-rise at 621 Church St., can now build part of that above a lane next to the Forest Ave. parking garage, according to city records. The city retains ownership of the ground-level property up to 25 feet. Currently, the alley sits between the office building housing Rick’s nightclub and the Korean restaurant Bopjib; the developer has an option on the Rick’s building, and the air rights would be extended if it is demolished and replaced by the project. The developer has yet to submit site plans to the city.

$18.5M Nixon Rd., $8M State St. projects OK’d: The city and Michigan Department of Transportation will share the cost of reconstructing Nixon from Huron Parkway to Dhu Varren and Green roads, including the addition of roundabouts at Sandalwood Cir., Meade Ct./Bluett Dr., and Traver Blvd., according to city records. The work, detailed here, will be done in three phases over the course of three summers. Nixon from Huron Pkwy. to Meade/Bluett will close for four months starting in May. Meanwhile, council also approved a contract to begin a revamp of State St. between South University Ave. and E. William that will add buffered bike lanes, improve the stormwater system, and add a dedicated northbound lane for public buses.

Road closures update: Church St. is shut down between Willard and Hill streets until April 26 for utility work, the city says. In addition, Pauline Blvd. is closed from Seventh to Main streets through July for a new water main; S. Fifth Ave. closes Monday from E. William to Packard streets and from Packard to E. Madison St. until June 16 for utility work; W. Jefferson St. closes Friday between Second and Fourth streets and Third St. closes from W. William to W. Madison streets for one week for utility work; and S. Division St. from Hill St. to Hoover Ave. closes Monday until Aug. 8 for utility work.

City to cover solar panel, battery storage costs: The launch of sustainable energy utility will bring an offer to homeowners to have Ann Arbor pay for the equipment installation and connection to the microgrid, MLive reports (paywall). The city will retain ownership of the equipment under the plan but residents “don’t spend anything,” Missy Stults, the city’s sustainability director, said at an informational meeting on Sunday. On Monday, council voted to create the legal language to enact the SEU, which voters approved in a referendum last fall.

DHS revokes visas for twenty-two foreign U-M students, graduates: President Santa Ono disclosed the development in a letter to the community posted today. Their names and nationalities were not made public, but previous reporting by the Detroit Free Press indicated at least one, an architecture and urban planning major, has already left the U.S. The school’s dean says U-M is “committed to ensuring this affected student will complete their degree.” The Michigan Daily reports at least one of the other students impacted is in the School of Environment and Sustainability. In a letter released today, Ann Arbor congresswoman Debbie Dingell and five fellow Democratic members of Congress from Michigan demanded answers about the secrecy surrounding the revocations, the reason for them, and options available to the targeted students. 

Dexter immigration activist manhandled by ICE: Ramiro Martinez, who is a U.S. citizen, was handcuffed and pinned to the ground by federal immigration officers outside a courthouse near Plymouth where he had gone to observe a hearing involving a twenty-six-year-old undocumented man, MLive reports (paywall). The forty-eight-year-old handyman and farmer says he was not given the chance to provide proof of his citizenship.

A2 Planned Parenthood clinics to combine: Amid cuts in federal funding, the women’s health provider is closing clinics in Jackson, Marquette and Petosky, and merging its operations in Ann Arbor, Michigan Public reports. The Ann Arbor West Health Center on W. Stadium Blvd. will close on May 5, leaving the Power Center Family Health Center at 3100 Professional Dr. 

County health department loses 6 percent of budget: The Trump administration has shut down all Covid-related funding that was being used locally for vaccine outreach, a health equity council, and housing support, WEMU reports. Washtenaw County Health Department spokesperson Susan Ringler-Cerniglia tells the outlet the cuts expose a deeper problem: that public health departments rely too much on emergency funding for essential ongoing programs.

Local climate scientists on edge over federal cuts: Those who work at Ann Arbor labs associated with the EPA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tell John Hilton in this month’s Observer that they’re fearful of the direction of their work under a Trump administration that is openly hostile to research into climate change. They now must submit weekly reports to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency explaining their work. “They’re judging us without any understanding of our work or context,” one scientist says. “I could write a bullet of what I did that would make perfect sense to my boss [but it won’t] make any sense to anybody else.”

U-M chief diversity officer takes new job: Tabbye Chavous, vice provost for equity and inclusion, was named the new executive director of the Washington D.C.-based American Educational Research Association effective in August, the group announced. Her move comes following the university’s announcement that it is shutting down its DEI offices in the face of federal funding threats from the Trump administration. “This is a challenging time for those who understand the value of rigorous research and scholarship, who seek to expand access and opportunity, and who cultivate the next generation of scholars and practitioners to make positive societal impacts,” Chavous said in the AERA press release. “Our work is needed now more than ever.”

Bookseller is “emotional” about his wares: Gene Alloway, co-owner of Motte & Bailey at 212 N. Fourth Ave., tells Jan Schlain in this month’s Ann Arborite profile in the Observer that he is always curious “seeing what books sell, what books don’t sell.” After moving to Ann Arbor from Kansas in the 1980s for a library administration program, he discovered he had a knack for reselling books he found at garage sales, and by 2000 he opened the shop with partners who have since moved on. Its eclectic mix of ancient and military history, sci-fi and fantasy, kids’ picture books and more add up to a sustainable business.

Dog found in dumpster euthanized: The Humane Society of Huron Valley posted on Facebook that a large tumor on the male pitbull’s left side could not be removed and they “made the difficult decision to ease his suffering” by putting him down. Norman, as HSHV named him, was discovered on March 25 among the trash off Wolverine Dr. near Platt Rd. The dog had no collar or microchip, and police continue to try to identify his former owners. The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of whoever abandoned Norman. Anyone with information can call the AAPD at (734) 794-6920 or email tips@a2gov.org.

Chelsea councilmember who made Nazi crack resigns: Bill Ruddock, who snarked “Heil Hitler” during a March 17 meeting when faced with a citizen complaining about the city’s decision not to help the Trump administration enforce its immigration policies, quit his seat at this week’s meeting, the Sun Times News reports. He had apologized for the comment at a special meeting on March 31 and was censured by the council in a 5-1 vote this week. After that vote, Ruddock, who was elected in 2021, announced his resignation. “I do not want to be a distraction to the great work of council,” he said.

Concordia Ann Arbor to layoff forty-one in downsizing: The Lutheran university, which is reorganizing itself, notified the state in a March 31 letter that it would be terminating the employees on or around May 31. As Steve Friess wrote in the February issue of the Observer, the school is largely vacating its sprawling Geddes Rd. campus and consolidating at its health-sciences building on Plymouth Rd. The letter does not specify the jobs of those who are being fired.

Major work to start at Mitchell, Slauson, and Dicken schools: Tomorrow’s groundbreaking at Mitchell Elementary School, which is being replaced, is the first big ceremony this year related to the $1 billion voter-approved capital campaign. On April 24, work officially begins on a major modernization of Slauson Middle School, followed by a groundbreaking at Dicken Elementary which is also being replaced. The two new schools are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

Donation preserves 216 acres in Lima Twp.: The owners of the Jacob Haas Family Farm along Scio Church Rd. gave the conservation easement to the Legacy Land Conservancy, the nonprofit group announced. “I’ve spent many years caring for this land, and I want it to remain as it is for future generations,” Jake Haas said in the press release. “Protecting it ensures that the farm’s legacy—and my love of farming—will continue to thrive long after I’m gone.”

More groundwater monitoring near former Old West Side factories: The new wells are the latest development in the two blocks between Third and Fifth streets south of William St., MLive reports (paywall). The camera manufacturer Argus operated in the area from the 1930s to the 1960s, according to a factsheet published by the city, though contamination from industrial solvents was not detected until 2006. A contractor hired by Argus’s successor company is assessing “potential risks associated with historical chemical releases from camera production” at two buildings, Argus I and II; Argus I tenants include the headquarters for Michigan Public, while Argus II is used by U-M for storage. The contractor is also checking nearby homes for vapor intrusion, and installing mitigation systems when it finds concentrations of the toxin trichloroethylene above regulatory levels.

Abandoned Black cemetery to be restored: Woodlawn on Huron River Dr. south of Ford Lake in Ypsilanti Twp. is so overgrown that it is “currently unrecognizable as a burial ground,” ClickOnDetroit writes. Opened in 1945 and believed to be the resting place for more than 150 people, it was abandoned in the 1960s around the time a fire destroyed its records. The township board last week approved a plan to clear the overgrowth, improve drainage, and use technology to locate and restore graves and gravestones that have sunk into the earth. Nearly sixty of those buried there have been identified through newspaper obituaries, death certificates, and other documents; several are believed to have been World War II veterans.

Ypsi boy is youngest in Michigan to receive artificial heart: Doctors at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital implanted the device into ten-year-old Lev’Veon Jones-White in September after the seemingly healthy competitive swimmer and football player went into cardiac arrest, the University Record writes. After being put on life support with what Dr. David Peng called the “worst case of myocarditis most of us had ever seen in our entire careers,” he was fast-tracked to receive an artificial heart. It kept him alive for three weeks until his body could handle receiving a donor heart.

Three Briarwood changes: Forever 21 is winding down operations with an ongoing liquidation sale following its parent company’s March 16 bankruptcy filing, Dave Algase writes in this month’s Observer, while the Korean-inspired low-cost lifestyle retailer XIMI-V has opened nearby. It’s a franchise of China-based Ximivogue, whose website boasts of more than 1,100 stores worldwide, but a local part-time manager tells Algase business so far is slow. In the mall’s center court, Starbucks has been replaced by the Latte Factory, which shares ownership with the neighboring boba kiosk Totally Tea.

Bookstore bar-cafe bows without bar, cafe: Book Love Bar opened this month in downtown Ypsi but is still “working on a bar & coffee license,” according to its Instagram profile. Jessica and Steve Tharp took over the storefront vacated in September by the eclectic retailer Stone and Spoon and held a “whisper opening” in early March.

Tabe now serving Asian fusion: The three-floor restaurant took over the space at 209 S. Main St. last occupied by Jim Brady’s, MLive reports. It is owned by 168 Group, which operates several Asian-themed businesses in the Detroit metro area.

Pickleball fundraiser for brain injury research on Saturday: Jaeden Brown, son of one-time U-M football captain and NFL veteran Corwin Brown, hosts an evening at Wolverine Pickleball to raise $10,000 for research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma that has affected many pro and college football players, including Jaeden’s father. The event’s beneficiary is the Concussion Legacy Foundation; Brown has already raised nearly half his goal through online donations. Attendees get to play pickleball, participate in a silent auction, and meet former U-M tennis star Kate Fahey who is now ranked No. 4 in the world in pickleball. To register and for more information, click here.

Registration available for Rotary Club’s yoga retreat: The May 10 event at the Kensington Hotel benefits the nonprofit’s youth programs and features a full day of seminars and activities related to breathing, movement and mindfulness. The discounted early bird rate of $60 is available until Tuesday; after that, the price rises to $70 per person. To register or for more information, click here.

Friends of AADL bag sale is Saturday: Shoppers can take whatever books, CDs, DVDs, and puzzles they can fit in a brown paper shopping bag for $5 per bag from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event takes place at the FAADL Book Shop’s new location at 265 Parkland Plaza. For more information, click here.

By Jennifer Taylor

Friday: Catch Frontier Ruckus, an experimental bluegrass-based folk-rock trio that has played Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo and developed a following for its songs about the minutiae of Midwestern suburban life. A Cleveland Scene review says that frontman Matthew Milias “recalls Michael Stipe in his vivid wordplay and oblique imagery.” 7:30 p.m., Ypsilanti Freighthouse, 100 Market Pl., Ypsi. Tickets sliding scale $5 to $25. Preregistration required at ums.org/season. (734) 764–2538. 

Saturday: Check out art exploring notable and hidden places in our town at the opening reception for Cover Art from the Ann Arbor Observer, an exhibit of fifty pieces of original cover art in various media. 1 to 6 p.m. Office Evolution, 455 E. Eisenhower Pkwy., ste. 300. Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through December. Free.

Sunday: Celebrate gardening and nature at Ann Arbor District Library’s Gardening and Farm Fest, a daylong event with all-ages hands-on activities. Also, a seed swap, artisans and farmers selling their wares, and representatives from local farms. 11 a.m.–4 p.m., AADL Downtown. Free.

See the Observer’s online calendar for many more local events. 

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