It’s been a really long time since I went to Pride. There was a time when these events were tentpoles of my summer and I’d arrange travel around hitting two or three. It was always emotional seeing contingents of dishonorably discharged queer servicemembers walking together to personify patriotism and injustice, and I found solace and inspiration from the PFLAG parents in the years when my parents still struggled.

Then I got busy with life, work, and marriage. I lived in Vegas where, surprisingly, Pride wasn’t very interesting. I felt like the “gay agenda,” whatever that was, was well on its way to enactment. I saw queer kids of the next generations coming out in high school and choosing their genders and mates with such ease it didn’t feel important for me to represent anymore.

This weekend, though, health and weather willing, I’ll take my children to Ann Arbor’s LGBTQ+ festival as a favor to thirty-years-ago me who doubted I’d ever be either legally married or a father. Jadein Black, who’s profiled in this month’s Observer, takes the stage too late for the kids, but I suspect there’ll be plenty more colorful outlandishness to amuse and thrill them.

It felt like a calm crime week until today’s active shooting incident in Saline. In other headlines, I was surprised to see that it took this long for the local court to resume in-person adoption hearings or for Ypsilanti to start looking into reparations. And we have more quirky news than usual, what with the possibility of portable toilets as public art and the dude who walked to all thirty-two AAPS schools.

As I throw caution to the wind and post to Instagram the only photo of me in (very bad) drag that exists in the spirit of the weekend’s festivities, I wish a Merry Pride to all, and to all a good week.

– Steve Friess, editor

Suspect in custody in Saline shooting that injured two: A forty-year-old woman is in critical condition and a man was listed as stable after gunfire outside the UAW Hall across from an assisted living facility mid-day Thursday, police say. The suspect, a fifty-eight-year-old Lenawee County man in a “domestic relationship” with the female victim, was arrested by Washtenaw County sheriff’s deputies after a car chase ended with a head-on crash on Willis Rd near Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Fox 2 reports.

Times details how John Dingell empowered the NRA: Correspondence and papers now available for public view at U-M add new detail to how the longest-serving member of Congress helped the National Rifle Association amass power and influence on Capitol Hill, the New York Times reports (paywall). Dingell, who sat on the NRA board of directors, authored a thirty-three-page plan in the 1970s that encouraged the group to become more politically aggressive in fighting gun regulation. although in the later parts of his career he started questioning the group’s views and tactics. His widow and successor, Debbie Dingell, told the Observer in 2018 that gun rights were a topic the two disagreed about vehemently.

Ypsi temporarily turns over homicide probes to sheriff’s office: Newly installed police chief Kirk Moore announced Tuesday that the county will investigate murders and other major violent crimes because his department only has one investigator. The mutual aid agreement begins Monday and will last about four months, Moore said in a statement posted to Facebook. His goal is to “develop a cadre of well-trained investigators to resume our jurisdictional responsibilities.”

Mental health, personal disputes fuel flurry of homicides: There have been eleven murders in Washtenaw County since July 1, the same number seen in all of 2022, and police are groping for explanations for the spike, MLive reports. Sheriff Jerry Clayton says the cluster feels a bit random and difficult to explain as none of the suspects arrested had prior convictions for violent crime. Murder rates in Detroit and Flint, meanwhile, are down considerably.

Twenty-year-old motorcyclist killed in crash: Brennan Lydick’s motorcycle collided with a van turning into the Wyndham Garden Hotel along Jackson Rd. on Monday afternoon, MLive reports.  Police continue to investigate the incident.

Armed robberies hit three gas stations in past week: Police believe the same suspect stuck up the Shell station at 3240 Washtenaw Ave. on Monday, the BP at 3031 Washtenaw Ave. on Saturday and the Citgo at 2955 Packard on Friday, according to a news alert.  Anyone with information should call (734) 794-6920 or email the tip line.

AAPS accused of covering up assault on autistic boy: The mother of a seven-year-old seen on video being hit and restrained by a bus aide in December 2021 filed a federal lawsuit last week that claims the district deliberately kept information about the incident from her for four months, the Detroit Free Press reports (paywall). The bus aide, Rochanda Jefferson, was convicted in district court in July of fourth-degree child abuse and faces up to a year in prison at sentencing next week. The boy attended Carpenter Elementary at the time. District officials say they “followed appropriate procedures in responding to this unfortunate incident.”

Ypsi activists push ballot measure on reparations: A local group, Survivors Speak, is pushing to get an initiative on the 2024 ballot to provide some form of compensation to Black residents for the nation’s history of legal discrimination and subjugation, MLive reports. The effort follows the establishment of a Washtenaw County advisory council being set up to study the matter and recent revelations that members of Ann Arbor’s city council have been discussing the issue in private emails.

U-M coach named in lawsuit tied to Northwestern football scandal: Bret Ingalls, an offensive analyst for the Wolverines, is accused of making racially insensitive remarks and ignoring hazing when he worked at NU from 2006 to 2008, ESPN reports. U-M issued a statement saying they had discussed the lawsuit with Ingalls, who denies the claims, and that there have been no complaints about him since he joined the team in 2022. Ingalls is among several former NU coaches referenced in the lawsuit brought by former offensive lineman Ramon Diaz, who is suing the university and not individual coaches or players.

Ohio State coach wants The Game earlier in season: The Big Ten next year will abandon its conference structure and send the top two teams to its championship game, which sets up the prospect that Ohio State and Michigan could play each other two Saturdays in a row. OSU head coach Ryan Day is floating the idea of scheduling the regular-season rivalry faceoff in October rather than its perch since 1934 on Thanksgiving weekend, Sports Illustrated reports. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh says he doesn’t care. “We’ll play that whenever it’s scheduled to be played,” Harbaugh told reporters.

Music prof pursues Baird Carillon malfunction: The fifty-three-bell, forty-three ton instrument inside U-M’s iconic Burton Tower is supposed to tell time in clangs at the top of the hour, but a new computer system has thrown the whole thing out of whack, Antonio Cooper writes in this month’s Observer. While carillonist and music professor Tiffany Ng was on sabbatical, a vendor sold the U-M an upgrade to the automated controls that Ng believes was ill-suited for the 1936 apparatus; she returned to find that it now sounds the one o’clock clang on every hour. Ng is hoping the vendor can provide a software patch to fix it.

Construction delays force renters to scramble: The second building in the  Beekman on Broadway complex was expected to open by August 28, in time for tenants to move in for the start of U-M’s fall term, but developer Morningside Group says it won’t be ready until at least mid-October, MLive reports (paywall). The 286-unit building at Broadway St. and Maiden Ln. is being delayed “by circumstances beyond our control,” according to a notice from the property manager citing supply-chain issues, labor shortages, and city’s “inability to consistently provide timely inspections.”

City launches redesigned website: The longtime Ann Arbor home to municipal information, public records and announcements, a2gov.org, began August with a new, streamlined look. Virginia-based Interpersonal Frequency, a web design firm that specializes in sites for governmental entities, created an easier-to-navigate online presence that works better on mobile devices and offers more accessibility for people with disabilities, a city announcement says.

Scio Twp. officials to get raises: Starting in April 2024, the township’s treasurer, Donna Palmer, will make $90,000, a 38.4 percent increase and the biggest of the bumps, MLive reports (paywall). Clerk Jessica Flintoft is getting an 18.3 percent raise to $99,403 and supervisor Will Hathaway will make $44,308, a 10 percent increase. The four township trustees gave themselves a 33 percent raise to $10,000. A compensation commission recommended the increases.

Humane Society of Huron Valley seeks tips on abandoned dogs: Witnesses saw a man kicking a tan-and-white puppy in the Carrot Way Apartments parking lot in northeast Ann Arbor on July 27, according to a press release. The next day, HSHV was alerted to an emaciated puppy abandoned in a blanket-covered crate in Ypsi’s Recreation Park. Both animals are now in HSHV’s care. Anyone with information on either incident should call (734) 661-3512 or file a report online here.

Ten years since Ypsi, Willow Run schools merged: The consolidation of the two low-achieving, cash-strapped districts has brought struggles, MLive reports. More than half of the students living within the boundaries of Ypsilanti Community Schools attend either a charter school or a school in another district, including some 1,100 kids attending AAPS schools. That exodus deprives the district of state funds, making it harder to pay down debt and provide services.

Beaches reopen after E.coli surges: Health officials say it is once again safe to swim in Independence Lake in Webster Twp., after closures on July 26 and July 31 when testing found high levels of the bacteria. Sugarloaf Lake Beach near Chelsea also was closed on July 26 and reopened on July 29, but officials warn swimmers there that E.coli levels “remain high.”

Dexter phenom makes pro-soccer history: Sixteen-year-old Chloe Ricketts became the youngest player to score a goal in the National Women’s Soccer League when her team, the Washington Spirit, beat NJ/NY Gotham FC on Friday, Yahoo! Sports reports. The league celebrated by posting video of the goal on Twitter. It was Ricketts’ fourth game since going pro.

Drag performer spreads positivity amid backlash: As Saturday’s Pride festival approaches, the Observer’s Trilby MacDonald writes about Jadein Black, whose troupe Boylesque Michigan puts on as many as eight shows a week. Black, who takes the stage Saturday, has endured jeers and protests from social conservatives who insist drag is a means of sexually grooming children. Paul Bowling, Black’s civilian name, teaches music in the Ypsi public schools and recalls a difficult youth made tolerable by the camaraderie and acceptance of high school drama and choir.

A2 native walks forty miles to visit all thirty-two AAPS schools: Tom Jensen, who now lives in North Carolina, stopped by his old haunts of Burns Park Elementary, Tappan Middle School, and Pioneer High, as well as the rest of the district’s buildings in a sixteen-hour, 94,000-step trek on July 12, MLive reports (paywall). The feet feat celebrated  the 1,000th straight day Jensen had walked at least ten miles and was a follow-up to one he undertook last November when he walked 113,772 steps around three boroughs of New York.

City weighs beautified portable toilets: The Public Arts Commission wants to “make the facilities attractive contributions to our downtown” by using such booths as a canvas of some sort. The idea was among eleven recommendations that council is expected Monday to vote on, a list that also includes public art for various parks, on bike racks, and in the roundabout at Dhu Varren and Pontiac Trail.

A splendido culinary marriage of two families: Paesano founders Bridget and Michael Roddy feel great about the sale of their Italian restaurant and wine bar to longtime area restaurateur Rick Buhr, Dave Algase reports in this month’s Observer. For their part, the Buhr clan is protective of their legacy. “We wanted to keep the restaurant the same and not allow it to be bought and changed into something corporate,” says Elissa Buhr, Rick’s daughter and head of marketing. They’ve retained the staff of eighty-five, and were on-site for months learning the ropes before the handoff was official in June.

Fishmonger hands off namesake shop to nephew: Mike Monahan, founder of Monahan’s Seafood Market, announced this week that he’s retiring after forty-four years and Tommy Lammers is assuming ownership of the business. Monahan’s daughter, Sarah, is now co-manager. Lammers has worked at the shop since 2018. Monahan, who hopes to finish a cookbook, will continue to help out until January.

Blackouts hasten closure of Packard site for eat: The owners say they won’t reopen the location except to take catering orders after “yet another power outage [that] caused us to lose our entire inventory,” according to an email. The closure wasn’t expected until this fall, when the proprietors planned to focus on eat’s full-service Kerrytown restaurant.

Stars to appear via video for Garrett’s Space fundraiser: The annual event, which is in person for the first time, supports the planned center for young adults at risk of self-harm in Superior Twp. A video presentation will include comments from Hollywood stars Lucy Liu, Wynonna Judd, Rachel Bloom, and others. It takes place on August 25 from 6 to 10 p.m. at WCC’s Morris Lawrence Building. For more information, click here and click here to buy tickets, which are $10 for high school students, $25 for adults 18 to 28, and $50 for anyone 29 and older.

Volunteers sought for hotdog stand at home football games: Proceeds from the operations at U-M home games go to the T. Wall Foundation, which provides services and opportunities for special needs students in Washtenaw County. Founder Tom Wall is looking for people willing to sell franks for three to four hours before each game at the Big House from a stand at 1011 S. Main St. The first game is September 2. For more information, call (734) 678-6602. 

New Ypsi clinic serves kids without insurance: Mercy Christian Health at 2900 Packard Rd. in Ypsi also accepts patients on Medicaid as well as those with traditional coverage, manager Linda Tinsley says. The “faith-based interdenominational charitable nonprofit” has providers who speak Spanish. For more information, call (734) 572-8686.

By Jennifer Taylor

Friday: Catch the 3rd Annual River Rhythm Music & Arts Festival today and Saturday featuring live music by Michigan artists on a private, riverside property near Manchester. Also, yoga, craft sales, songwriting and drumming workshops, face painting, henna, and food trucks. Camping available. Today’s headliner is Diamonds in the Rust (7:30 p.m.), a supergroup of two veteran local singer-songwriter duos: Annie and Rod Capps and Jan Krist and Jim Bizer, along with composer-percussionist Alan Finkbeiner. They perform upbeat originals and Midwest favorites. Full lineup here. 3 to 10 p.m. (Fri.) & noon to 11 p.m. (Sat.), location provided after ticket purchase. Weekend pass, $65 (kids 15 and under, $10); Sat. only, $50, in advance only here. 

Saturday: Celebrate Ann Arbor Pride with live music, drag and burlesque performances, story time, and more. Headliners (7 p.m.) are drag performer Heidi N. Closet and drag choreographer-dancer Laganja Estranga, who have competed on Ru Paul’s Drag Race. The weekend opens on Friday with “Heroes vs. Villains,” a launch party at the Necto (516 E. Liberty). Full schedule here. Noon to 9 p.m., intersection of Main St. and Liberty St. Free.

Sunday: See Purple Rose Theatre Company’s production of “A Jukebox for the Algonquin” (every Wed.–Sun. through Sept. 2.), local actor-playwright Paul Stroili’s “serious comedy” set in a senior living community in the Adirondacks. The play drew a rave review in this month’s issue of the Observer. 8 p.m. (Thurs. to Sat.), 3 p.m. (Wed., Thurs., and Sat.), and 2 p.m. (Sun.). Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St., Chelsea. Tickets $34 to $52 in advance here and by phone, and (if available) at the door. (734) 433–7673.

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

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