I came so close this year!

Every August, when the students flock in, I play the license plate game. You know, the one where you try to spot every state? Yes, it’s best for a long road trip, but a few years ago I realized move-in week at U-M brought all these exotic plates to our roads and parking lots. The new kids and their folks often make an end-of-the-summer trek of this, especially if they live far away, and so it’s a good time to spy a New Mexico or Wyoming plate.

The wave of cool plates subsides pretty suddenly when class begins. By Sunday afternoon, when I took my daughter to KPop Demon Hunters at the State Theatre (it’s a thing), the Maynard lot was crammed almost exclusively with Michiganders and Buckeyes again, plus an interesting number of Illini, too.

My total over the ten prior days: forty-five. If we had Hawaii, Nevada, Delaware, North Dakota, or Montana cars around, I missed them. Better luck next year!

Your news is here. Longtime Ann Arbor resident and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook is now a test case for just how far Donald Trump can take executive power, a student group is litigating over U-M’s refusal to allow a shroomfest, and Michigan Medicine won’t be providing gender-affirming care to minors anymore. And as someone who spent two hours this morning undoing my eighty-one-year-old mother’s decision to give her credit card number to a site called free-incomes.com, I encourage you to read Cynthia Furlong Reynolds’ piece for the Observer about older people falling for online scams. At least there’s a comfort in knowing that she’s not the only older adult caught in this insidious menace.

This was last week’s most-clicked link. (That event is over, but you can still lend a hand here.)

– Steve Friess, editor

Facing subpoena, Michigan Medicine halts gender-affirming care for minors: Talking Points Memo writes this week that U-M and Michigan Medicine received a subpoena in July regarding its provision of puberty blockers and hormone therapies to transgender people under nineteen in contravention of a January executive order. In response, the hospital system announced this week it will stop providing the care, a move that prompted a fiery open letter from attorney general Dana Nessel suggesting the halt may violate the state’s antidiscrimination laws. Michigan Medicine is one of about twenty entities across the country to receive such subpoenas demanding they not destroy any documents in anticipation of a civil and criminal probe by the Justice Department. Nessel joined an Aug. 1 lawsuit to block the administration from threatening criminal prosecution to restrict care. In June, the Department of Health and Human Services launched an investigation into a U-M physician’s assistant’s claim that she was fired for refusing to perform gender-affirming care or use patients’ preferred pronouns despite requesting a religious exemption.

Trump-fired Fed governor will sue to keep post: Lisa Cook, who bought a home in Ann Arbor in 2005 when she began teaching economics at MSU, asserts the president does not have the authority to remove appointed members of the central bank’s board, the New York Times reports (paywall). Trump previously demanded that Cook resign based on allegations she improperly obtained loans for her houses in Ann Arbor and Atlanta within weeks of one another, because both contracts included clauses in which she pledged to make the homes her primary residence. Cook was appointed to the Fed in 2022 by President Biden for a term that expires in 2038 and has joined Fed chair Jerome Powell in resisting President Trump’s demands to lower interest rates. In a statement, Cook, the first woman of color on the Fed board, wrote: “I have no intention of being bullied to step down from my position because of some questions raised in a tweet.”

Rashida Tlaib slams U-M over Gaza protester discipline: The Detroit congresswoman held a press conference yesterday outside the Ruthven Building to express outrage over the unversity’s continued pursuit of punishments for pro-Palestinian demonstrators who allegedly violated campus policies last year, MLive reports. Tlaib also attempted to enter Ruthven to demand an impromptu meeting with interim president Domenico Grasso but said she was rebuffed. The state has dropped criminal charges against protesters, but many were informed this summer that they face sanctions from U-M’s Office of Student Conflict Resolution stemming from interactions with police when the protest encampment was dismantled. That, the congresswoman said, reflected the university’s “deepening campaign of anti-Palestinian repression.”

Shroom festival planners say they’ll sue over denial: The university turned down a request for a permit for Entheofest, scheduled for Sept. 21 on the Diag, WEMU reports. The event supports the use of psychedelic plants and mushrooms, but the U-M cited the sale of illegal substances and safety risks in its rejection. Last year’s Entheofest featured appearances by then-sheriff candidate Alyshia Dyer, state senator Jeff Irwin, county prosecutor Eli Savit, and state representative Jason Morgan. Dyer, now sheriff, wrote on Facebook after her appearance: “Recognizing the importance of decriminalizing nature is not only a step towards harm reduction, but it also aligns with early research indicating potential benefits of entheogens in addressing issues like PTSD.”

Repairs to 150-year-old span include weight limit: The Foster Bridge between Huron River Dr. and Country Club Rd. in Ann Arbor Twp. has been closed since June 9 out of concerns about its structural integrity, and now engineers have completed design work to fix it, according to a news release. Repairs, which involve removing a cable system, will start in about three weeks; when it’s complete, the bridge will reopen with a five ton limit, barring most vehicles bigger than SUVs or light-duty pickup trucks. A Zoom meeting is scheduled 11 a.m. on Sept. 10 for people interested in hearing the details and the anticipated completion date. The meeting ID is 879 2332 8754 and the link is here.

MDOT says M-14 bridge needs $150M replacement: The stretch over the Huron River and Barton Rd. was built in 1956 and is nearing the end of its useful life, according to a video news release posted via YouTube that includes footage of various deteriorating elements. It’s still safe now, but it will need to be replaced by 2035, the agency’s engineers said in an effort to persuade Lansing to fund this and other critical infrastructure projects. The $150 million cost to replace this bridge, MDOT engineer Dale Allen said, “equates to nearly four times our annual budget” for bridge replacement and repairs in the nine-county University Region.

County using 7,000 scrap tires in asphalt in Pittsfield Twp. project: A segment of new pavement laid on Ellsworth Rd. between Platt and Carpenter roads will be the first use of the new mix by the Washtenaw County Road Commission, MLive reports. The concoction is part of an experiment done with Michigan Technological University to see whether the recycled rubber adds to the road’s longevity. “With rubber in the asphalt, there are less cracks. It’s not likely to crack over the winter, and you’re not likely to see potholes in the future,” MTU researcher Zhanping You says.

A2 police wage constant battle with online scammers: AAPD is so swamped by cases that its narcotics unit “now spends some of its time involved with check fraud and identity theft,” detective Brad Rougeau tells Cynthia Furlong Reynolds in this month’s Observer. Older people, particularly less tech-savvy folks, are prime targets for internet fraud because they “frighten easily,” he says. “They get scared, they get rushed, and they fall for the bait.” It’s the fastest-growing form of crime in the U.S., with the May/June AARP Bulletin reporting that older Americans reported lost nearly $4.9 billion through fraud last year. Scammers glean personal information off social media that they use to engender trust and entice victims to buy fake cryptocurrency, engage in fake online romances, respond to fabricated family crises, and other angles.

Survivor recalls wife, father-in-law murder: Jeffrey Bernhard tells ClickOnDetroit about the trauma and tragedy of the New Year’s Day attack in Northfield Twp. in which Jennifer Bernhard and her father, Steve Smith, were shot to death and his daughter and foster daughter were kidnapped. Forty-two-year-old Shuvonne Vinson, the biological mother of the foster child, is charged with murder and other felonies in the case. Two men are also charged. Bernhard was also shot and passed out; when he woke up, he “turned and looked at my wife, and she was still sitting, and she was shot in the head, and just blood flowing down her face and off of her chin, and I instantly knew that she was dead.” He stumbled to a neighbor’s house and called 911.

Downtown church bars homeless from camping on property: Traditionally a place for outdoor shelter among the homeless, First United Methodist leaders say they face a sanitary and safety problem, WEMU reports. Staff have had to remove bodily waste left around the church, according to Rev. Jenaba Waggy, and a recent public urination incident near their preschool playground added to the concerns. The church will reopen its outdoor space in October, Waggy says.

Court tosses Skyline High Republican Club free-speech lawsuit: Members of the group in 2022 wanted to use the morning announcements to make their case against Proposal 3, which enshrined abortion access into the state constitution, Michigan Public reports. The school denied the statement as written and offered to help rework it to bring it within school rules, but the club sued in federal court claiming its members’ First Amendment rights were violated. A two-judge panel including a Biden and a Trump appointee rejected claims that the group was the victim of political discrimination. 

Planning commission OK’s Broadway Park West rentals: The four-story project includes twenty-two apartments, eighteen of which would be set aside as affordable housing, WEMU reports. It is slated to rise alongside a mixed-use condo building and a hotel, all on an expanse of former DTE-owned property on the Huron River anchored by a new park that opens next month.

Saline Middle School delays opening due to mold: High temperatures and humidity over the summer fostered mold growth as they made repairs to their HVAC systems, CBS Detroit reports. Students started class on Wednesday rather than Monday after the mold was remediated.

Ypsi driving school suspended by state: Coach Richmond’s Driving School was shut down at least temporarily last week amid accusations it failed to use the proper curriculum, did not maintain student records, and exceeded the fire marshal’s class capacity, Fox 2 Detroit reports. The driving school also allegedly used an uninsured vehicle in its classes. Anyone affected by the suspension can email [email protected] or call (517) 241-6850 for more information.

How Busch’s went from “little country store” to Michigan institution: The first market opened in 1950 in Clinton and grew to a six-store chain that was sold to a big grocery conglomerate, Micheline Maynard writes in this month’s Observer. The Busch family bought it back in 1975 when that chain went bust, then moved the headquarters to in Ann Arbor in 1990. Today, there are sixteen locations that employ 1,600 people across southeast Michigan. Whole Foods veteran Bobby Turner takes over as CEO next year. To stand out in a crowded marketplace with Plum Market, Whole Foods, Kroger, and Meijer, Busch’s stresses its connection to its nearly 200 local and Michigan vendors.

Slow’s Bar BQ to replace Blue Tractor downtown: The Detroit rib joint announced on Instagram their plan to add a location at 207 E. Washington, answering the mystery posed last month when the owners of Blue Tractor and its spinoff Texacano closed with the promise of a renovation and new concept to come. The Ann Arbor dining room will open in about six weeks with takeout possibly sooner, co-owner Terry Perrone tells the Observer’s Dave Algase.

Local vineyard debuts near Dexter: Social Vines Vineyard and Winery is the brainchild of Lori and Brian Herron who planted grapes on two acres on their seventy-acre Scio Twp. farm, MLive reports. The varieties include Frontenac, Frontenac Blanc, Marquette, Petite Pearl, Crimson Pearl and Itasca. Only the county’s second winery, Social Vines is open to the public 3 to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays for wine tasting and charcuterie boards from Chelsea’s Main Street Provisions.

19 Drips reopens as Rotisserie King: Hisham Ebrahim, the Yemeni-born patriarch of the family behind the business, tells Algase in this month’s Observer that he decided to go a new route because Yemeni cafes are ubiquitous now. In 2019, Ebrahim’s 19 Drips was Ann Arbor’s first; he has since added a Jackson Rd. location and turned it over to a relative who renamed it Rawaq Coffee. Rotisserie King, 2263 W. Liberty Rd., offers whole chickens as well as such traditional Middle Eastern preparations as basmati rice, beef-based kafta meatballs, stuffed potato bites, and samosas.

Rivalry Bike Ride fundraiser returns Sept. 14: The benefit for Active Against ALS starts at the Sparty Statue on the MSU campus at 7:30 a.m. and ends at the Big House in Ann Arbor. Riders can do the full “metric century” for an $80 donation, choose a “half century” from East Lansing to Stockbridge or Stockbridge to Ann Arbor for $40, or create their own ride and get a T-shirt for $35. A bus leaves Pioneer High at 6:30 a.m. to ferry participants (and their bicycles) to Sparty Land. Lunch is provided in Stockbridge. To participate or to donate, click here.

Autographed football goes to auction Monday to support Arbor Hospice: Signed by Wolverine great Desmond Howard and twenty-three other Heisman winners spanning eight decades, it’s the marquee item for a silent auction that closes Sept. 11 at Barley, BBQ & Beats, with a dinner, spirits, and live music at Revel Run in Chelsea from 5 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 11. Proceeds from the sale of the football are earmarked for Arbor Hospice’s veteran-focused care program. Click here to buy tickets to the event (cost is $65 online or $75 at the door), to donate, or to find the link to the silent auction when it goes live on Monday. 

Charity book sale at WCC is Sept. 5-7: The annual American Association of University Women event takes months of coordination and planning, Eve Silberman writes in this month’s Observer. Thousands of volumes are arrayed for browsers and bibliophiles at the Morris Lawrence Building from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday as well as 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday; for $20, shoppers can get first crack from 8 to 10 a.m. on Friday. For more information, click here. Proceeds go to scholarships for students at WCC, EMU, and U-M; last year’s sale netted about $27,000.

By Jennifer Taylor

Friday: Hear Salmagundi, a local horn-powered Motown-Memphis soul tribute band featuring vocalist Sheila Rhodes, at the final Dexter Music in the Park of the year. Buy dinner from food trucks, bring lawn chairs or a blanket, and relax on the grass. 6:30 to 9 p.m., Monument Park gazebo, downtown Dexter. Free. (734) 325–4030.

Saturday: Catch a traditional folk Scandinavian Dance Music Concert by the duo of world renowned Swedish fiddler Andrea Hoag and hardingfele (a Norwegian fiddle) player Loretta Kelley. Hosted by the Ann Arbor Community of Traditional Music and Dance. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Gretchen’s House, 2240 Oak Valley, $20 cash, check, or Venmo at the door. (734) 330-1831. 

Sunday: See the Michigan Theater’s annual back-to-school screening of Casablanca, Michael Curtiz’s 1942 drama about star-crossed lovers in North Africa during WWII starring Humphrey Bogart & Ingrid Bergman. 7 p.m. (Fri. and Sat.) and 1:30 p.m. (Sun. and Mon.). Free for students with valid ID. Reservations required online. Tickets $10.50 (children under 12, seniors age 65 and older, & U.S. veterans, $8.50; Marquee Arts members, $8).

Labor Day: Take a stroll along two miles of well-maintained dirt paths with the Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance on a “Monday Migration Evening at Matthaei,” looking and listening for birds during their southward migration. Birders of all skill levels welcome. Every Mon. through Oct. 27, 6 to 8 p.m., meet at the U-M Matthaei Botanical Gardens building front entrance, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. Free.

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

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