Hello, Ann Arborites! My name is Anna McLean, and you may have seen my name on the Observer’s website, in the paper, or, of course, on your a2view newsletter. This is my last week as the a2view intern, and I’m feeling bittersweet about it. This newsletter will serve as my farewell (for now) to you all! 

I’m a rising junior at the U-M, where I study communications and political science, but I usually just tell people I’m studying journalism. I also serve as the managing editor of the Michigan Daily’s investigative team, Focal Point, and I have grandiose dreams of becoming a bigwig journalist running around an urban landscape someday. I currently live in Ann Arbor with my lovely cat, Juno. 

I have absolutely loved writing for a2view and the Observer this summer. I want to give a special shoutout to Steve Friess, John Hilton, and Brooke Black for all of their sage guidance, and last but not least, to all of you who have read my work and had nothing but kind things to say. I will miss your feedback dearly. 

This will hopefully not be the last time you see my name in the Observer, but until the next time, adieu. 

As Steve says: your news is here! Voters approved the city and AADL’s plan to build a mixed-use high-rise and civic plaza downtown, the mystery of the shrinking pond at West Park Pond has been solved, and a rising Huron High ninth grader knows a lot about civics.

Steve wants to know why Ann Arbor’s average, non-activist voters voted as they did on Props A and B. If you fit that bill, email him.

This was last week’s most-clicked link.

– Anna McLean, intern
…with help from Steve Friess

Correction: In the July 31 edition of a2view, we misreported when the Michigan Wolverines might play in Germany. The school is in talks about opening the 2026 season, not the coming one, in Frankfurt against Western Michigan. 

Voters OK Library Lot high-rise: By a margin of about 3-to-2, the electorate this week approved two city charter amendments: Proposal B repealed a 2018 amendment that reserved the top of the Library Lane parking structure for “ an Urban Park and Civic Center Commons,” while Proposal A allows the city to sell the air rights there to the Ann Arbor District Library for $1 to develop a mixed-use apartment tower with a new library at its base, county election data shows. A lawsuit filed by two Ann Arbor taxpayers claiming the ballot language was misleading was dismissed voluntarily on Wednesday.

City receives multiple offers for Kline’s lot and 415 W. Washington: A real estate firm sent out more than 33,000 solicitations to potential buyers, resulting in nine offers for the parking lot at Ashley and William and five for the site across from the Ann Arbor Y, WEMU reports. The top four for Kline’s lot range from $12 million to more than $17 million and propose between 270 and 550 housing units plus retail space. Proposals for 415 W. Washington, where the city is requiring 157 housing units, with three offers currently under review. range from $1 million to $2 million.

Treeline Trail bridge proposal unveiled in Ann Arbor: The concept, put forth by the Treeline Conservancy, features a striking pedestrian and cyclist bridge over N. Main St. designed with laminated wood arches and stainless steel, MLive reports. The bridge would connect the Border-to-Border Trail near Argo Pond to city property at 721 N. Main St., continuing southward through the historic Allen Creek corridor. The conservancy says preliminary support from property owners is secured, and now they’re seeking council’s approval to begin engineering design.

Plummeting water levels at West Park Pond traced to damaged outlet: Locals feared for the pond’s wildlife as it shrank earlier this year, Brooke Black reports in this month’s Observer. The problem was traced to deteriorated plugs in the pond’s stormwater outlet; once they were replaced in mid-June, subsequent rainfall restored the pond to normal levels. That’s good news for its resident turtles, waterfowl, and feral goldfish, as well as the toads that noisily gather to mate there each spring.

A2, Washtenaw County left off new “sanctuary cities” list: East Lansing is the only Michigan jurisdiction still on the Department of Justice’s list, posted this week months after taking down an earlier one that included several others, the Michigan Advance reports. Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County leaders were among many nationwide that refuted the designation, which came with a threat from the Trump administration that they could be targets for federal funding cuts.

Local families agonize over possible caregiver cuts: The passage of President Trump’s One Beautiful Bill Act means Medicaid, the safety net program for low-income and disabled Americans, will lose about $1 trillion over the coming decade, spreading shockwaves of fear among parents whose children need extensive support, Davi Napoleon writes in this month’s Observer. One mom, Valerie Mates, worries about her seventeen-year-old son, Corbin, who has a rare epilepsy syndrome and requires 24/7 care that costs $300,000 a year. Michigan Medicine doctor Renuka Tipirneni says that despite claims from the right that people with disabilities will still be covered, the lost funding means that “there may be many services that are cut or limited.” Benefits that may be considered optional benefits, such as caregiver services, are likely targets.

Guaranteed income program shows mixed results: The pilot program, which provides $528 monthly to 100 low-income residents, ends in December, MLive reports. U-M’s Poverty Solutions, which administers the program, finds cash payments have improved participants’ sense of financial security but have not significantly reduced food insecurity or housing instability. The program targets entrepreneurs and gig workers with incomes below 225% of the federal poverty line. Lead researcher Kristin Seefeldt says they may see bigger changes when the second year’s data is analyzed.

City opens call for muralists for Dunbar Tower: The Ann Arbor Housing Commission is working with InToto Studio to find artists to paint sections of the exterior and interior of the six-story, sixty-three-unit apartment building rising at Fourth Ave. and Catherine St. The commission is offering up to $25,000 for a “prominent exterior feature mural” and up to $15,000 for other exterior murals as well as up to $2,000 for interior murals. For more information and to apply by Aug. 31, click here. 

AAPS graduation rates rise among students with disabilities, low-income students: Although the official graduation rate for the 2024-25 academic year is essentially unchanged at 90.3 percent, but the district still outpaces state averages in every demographic group, MLive reports. Students with individualized education programs graduated at a rate of 76.8 percent and economically disadvantaged students hit a new high of 81.6 percent, according to an annual report to the school board. Officials credit the gains to improved early-warning systems, personalized class-credit recovery programs, and expanded learning options.

WCC launches five new programs, freezes fall tuition: New offerings include associate’s degrees in engineering technology and construction technology, as well as certificates in semiconductor and battery manufacturing, advanced auto body repair, and education paraprofessional, Click on Detroit reports. Fall classes begin Aug. 25, with multiple start dates throughout the semester. Tuition remains $99 per credit hour for in-district students. 

Rising Huron High ninth-grader wins state Civics Bee championship: Fourteen-year-old Ashley Tall heads to Washington DC in November to represent Michigan in the national competition, according to AAPS. She bested twenty-one finalists from ten schools to place first and win $1,000 in last month’s statewide contest sponsored by the Michigan Chamber Foundation. The competition featured live quiz rounds followed by a presentation round where the top five finalists shared policy solutions to improve their communities. Tall’s presentation focused on reducing air pollution by requiring a smog test to “get rid of the ‘super polluters’ on the roads.” The national winner gets a $100,000 education savings plan.

Body found in Huron River ID’d as Detroit man: Lovell C. Jones, thirty, was found last week near Huron Pkwy. and Geddes Ave., CBS reports. Investigators say there are no signs of foul play, but the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation. Anyone with information can call the sheriff’s office at (734) 994-2911.

Ypsi man in critical condition after car-pedestrian crash: Thirty-year-old Dennis James Littlejohn was found lying in the road early Sunday in Ypsilanti Township after being hit by a Ford F-150 driven by a fifty-year-old who apparently fell asleep while driving, Fox 2 Detroit reports. Littlejohn, now hospitalized with a severe brain injury, was standing next to his car after it ran out of gas when the pick-up trick hit his vehicle and him, MSP says. The driver suffered minor injuries and was also hospitalized. Alcohol and/or drugs may have played a role, and the investigation is ongoing. Littlejohn’s family launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to cover his medical bills and take care of his family, which includes his wife and two small children.

Fallen officer honored fifty years after deadly bank robbery: Douglas Downing was thirty-seven when he died on July 11, 1975, in a shootout while responding to a holdup at the National Bank of Ypsilanti. This week, the city has ceremonially renamed a stretch of Park Street in his honor, according to a city press release. A plaque will also be installed near the site, now home to a T-Mobile store. Downing, a seven-year patrolman at the time, had been twice honored for bravery before his death.

911 call warned of danger before bodies found at Isle Royale: A caller reported an “unhinged” man shouting threats of murder and suicide near South Desor Lake Campground just after midnight on June 7, MLive reports. “We packed up and got out of there,” the hiker told dispatch. Rangers discovered the bodies of Washtenaw County residents thirty-year-old Bradley Kenneth Baird and his father, sixty-year-old John David Baird, at the same site on the evening of June 8. Officials say murder-suicide is suspected, but the investigation is ongoing. 

County sees 18 percent drop in violent crime so far this year: Sheriff Alyshia Dyer credits the decline to stronger ties with violence intervention groups and a “social work-first approach,” CBS Detroit reports. Gun-related offenses dropped nearly 50 percent, and no homicides were reported in areas patrolled by the sheriff’s department compared to seven in the same period last year.

Salem Twp.’s long sewer nightmare may be over: The Canton Twp. board’s unanimous decision to allow the neighboring township to build the line – with conditions – clears the path for engineering and permitting work to proceed, MLive reports. For years, Salem has sought a way to connect to the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority but had been rebuffed by Superior Twp. and was struggling to reach an alternative agreement to run the line instead through Canton and Van Buren townships. Last month, state officials hinted that they would allow Salem to build its own wastewater treatment plant that would discharge effluent into a creek that runs through Canton Twp. if the two municipalities could not come to an agreement. The sewer line would support a long-gestated plan to build 558 homes and condos at M-14 and Gotfredson Rd. 

U-M files misconduct complaints against pro-Palestine activists: The Office of Student Conflict Resolution actions stem from anti-Israel demonstrations in 2024, the Daily reports. Though Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel has dropped all criminal charges stemming from the protests, the newspaper identified at least eleven people facing internal disciplinary charges and said there may be more. The OSCR can impose a range of punishments ranging from a formal reprimand to expulsion. Students and alumni facing charges allege rushed proceedings, limited time to prepare defenses, and concerns over due process. University officials maintain that protests are allowed but must not disrupt operations or safety, emphasizing their commitment to enforcing campus policies. 

Summer Game draws national attention: AADL’s wildly popular competition, about which Anna McLean wrote for the Observer’s website, drew the interest of NPR’s Morning Edition this week. Since Anna’s story, which reported 11,000 participants as of mid-July, AADL director Eli Neiburger says another 5,000 people have signed up to play for a record 16,000 participants with three weeks left to go. American Library Association spokesperson Raymond Garcia tells NPR that Ann Arbor’s Summer Game stands out for popularity but says that similar projects in Anne Arundel County, MD, and Dover, OH, are also notable.

At Michigame Design Lab, locals test homegrown board games: The Observer’s Julie Halpert goes inside a recent meetup at Sylvan Factory in Westgate where hobbyists bring their creations to see if they’re fun, if they work, and if they need changes. Regular attendees include Dexter resident Bruce Bielawa, who has several prototypes of his own in development, and Ian Zang, a former teacher with five published games. “We game designers do this for the love of the process,” Zang says. “Getting to see people have fun with your games is worth its weight in gold.”

Acclaimed restaurateur launches vegetarian takeout spot: Ji Hye Kim, the five-time James Beard nominee and owner of the upscale Korean restaurant Miss Kim, has opened Little Kim next door in Kerrytown, Dave Algase writes in the Observer. The menu, inspired by Korean Buddhist cuisine and other Asian vegetarian traditions, emphasizes local produce and a variety of vegan-friendly options, including a French-fry bar with vegan dips.

Downtown Home & Garden announces Dec. 24 closure: Kelly Vore, owner of the beloved 119-year-old business that started as a livery stable in 1906, writes in a social media post that “To echo the message of another beloved Ann Arbor small business that closed in May ‘the financial burdens have become insurmountable.’” The pandemic was a brutal blow, and it was followed by unreliable business and soaring rental rates downtown. Vore writes that she’s closing rather than committing to another lease. “Your patronage is more important than ever and we will be here until the last moment,” she writes.

At Home to close on Washtenaw Ave.: The Texas-based home furnishing chain announced via press release that the Ypsilanti Twp. store is one of six it is adding to an initial twenty-four closures announced in June. At Home, which has more than 250 stores in forty states, reported about $2 billion in debt in its June Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. No closing date has been set, but the store began offering deep discounts this week.

Volunteers sought for Saturday’s inaugural Ypsi Food Fest: Washtenaw County, Growing Hope, and local shops are hosting the event in downtown Ypsi from 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. to “spotlight local businesses and introduce folks to the wonderful, inspired, tasty food” on offer in the community, according to a press release. Volunteers are needed to set up and manage kids’ activities, information booths, clean-up, and other tasks. The first forty volunteers to sign up to work two shifts receive a free food ticket. 

Rising Hope gets $279K in state grants: The program to support formerly incarcerated people says it will use the funding from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity to improve housing access, MLive reports. The program was created in 2023 using $400,000 of the city’s marijuana tax revenue. During its pilot run, from July 2023 to June 2024, Rising Hope helped 128 county households avoid eviction and improve their housing stability, according to a program report. 

Tickets on sale for Groundcover’s fifteen anniversary fundraiser: The newspaper written and sold by individuals impacted by poverty is celebrating its milestone on Sept. 4 at the First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets for the event, which start at $25, can be purchased here. In addition, the nonprofit is seeking event sponsors. 

By Jennifer Taylor

Friday: Pick up some treasures at the US-12 Heritage Trail Sale, a Saline Area Historical Society fundraiser that’s part of a string of yard sales along the route between Detroit and New Buffalo. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (Fri. and Sat.), Rentschler Farm Museum, 1265 E. Michigan Ave., Saline. Free admission. (734) 944–0442.

Saturday: Tell stories around the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy’s Full Moon Campfire in one of southeast Michigan’s largest nature preserves. Bring blankets, chairs, and snacks; locally cut firewood appreciated. No pets. Come early to walk the trails. 8 to 11 p.m., LeFurge Woods, 2452 N. Prospect (½ mile north of Geddes), Superior Twp. Free, donations welcome. [email protected], (734) 484–6565. 

Sunday: At Café Racer’s Ton-Up Motorcycle & Music Festival, peruse motorcycles and scooters while grooving to live music by local bands including Americana band Cowgirl (1 p.m.), “crabgrass” group Black Jake & the Carnies (2:15 p.m.), Detroit psychobilly band Bat Hearse (4 p.m.), and psychedelic power pop band ZZvava (5:30 p.m.). Vendors, food concessions. Anyone under 21 must be accompanied by an adult. Noon to 7 p.m., Arbor Brewing Company Corner Brewery, 720 Norris St., Ypsi. Free admission.

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

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