I think I killed a wild turkey this week. I was driving west on US-12 as it merges with I-94 and suddenly this huge, fat bird was just … there. Wandering across the road. I swerved but it all happened so fast. There was a “bam” and a huge cloud of feathers. My son, in the back seat absorbed in his tablet, didn’t notice, and I managed not to scream or curse.

I guess I should have stopped – is there some protocol for such incidents? – but the car was driving fine and I was mostly relieved there were no cars around me when I tried to evade it. You can’t really turn around there anyway – and what was I going to do if I found him alive? Take him to a vet? My aunt wanted me to find and eat it. “Wild turkey has a richer flavor than the kind grown for food,” she texted. Who does she think I am, the secretary of Health and Human Services? On the other hand, we are paying for this; the impact cracked the car’s front grill to the tune of $1,300 in repairs.

As it happens, this was my answer to the uncannily timed question Ann Arbor congresswoman Debbie Dingell posed on Facebook the next day: “Have you seen wild turkeys?” Turns out, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants people to report sightings through the end of August via this questionnaire. The Observer recently shared its editor’s encounter on TikTok; I can only imagine how flummoxed the DNR person must have been trying to figure out how to count my entry.

The rest of the news is a bit less flummoxing this week. With the Ann Arbor Art Fair starting today, we’ve got close-ups of the three artists who created this year’s posters, a weird tale of stolen parking meters in Saline, and a lovely feature by our intern, Anna McLean, about the mania that is AADL’s Summer Game. Also, more than thirty-five years after I was accepted to Northwestern under its binding early decision program, U-M has now decided it will offer that option.

– Steve Friess, editor
…with help from Anna McLean

P.S. If you go to Art Fair, consider parking in one of the four lots where the fees go to the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County. Click here for more information.

Lawsuit challenges Library Lot proposals: Resident Lynda Asher and co-plaintiff Danielle McCluskey-Schink, who owns a condo near the downtown library, are suing to either alter the ballot questions or cancel the Aug. 5 election on grounds the language on the ballot does not reflect the purpose of the city charter’s amendment, MLive reports. Props A and B would allow AADL to build a mixed-use high-rise spanning the current site of its downtown branch and the neighboring parking structure. In the complaint, attorney Noah Hurwitz calls the proposals “a fraud on the electorate” because the changes to the city charter give AADL the ability to do whatever it wants with the property after it buys it from the city for $1. Mayor Christopher Taylor called the lawsuit a form of “campaign disinformation.” Absentee voting has already begun and in-person early voting starts July 30.

Three fairs, three poster artists: Chuck Wimmer, Andy Adams, and Brian Delozier tell Jan Schlain in this month’s Observer how their work became an emblem of this year’s Art Fair. Wimmer, a seventy-eight-year-old digital artist from Ohio, showed his piece depicting people-watching birds last year and the Guild of Artists & Artisans decided to use it for this year’s poster. Forty-five-year-old South Carolina native Adams’ “Curious” poster for the Original fair uses hand-painted block lettering as the backdrop of a cat pawing a goldfish bowl as the goldfish eyes the fair streetscape inside. Forty-year-old Philadelphia-based Delozier, the featured artist for the State Street District Art Fair, has rendered “Michigan in Bloom,” an enormously colorful and lively state map in a signature style that involves painting with dots. Delozier says the technique enabled him to work as a painter despite a catastrophic spinal injury suffered while skiing as a teenager and revived him from a deep depression. “I was, like, there’s something special here,” he says. “I love this. This is going to be my thing.”

U-M prof at center of winning NIH lawsuit over grant cuts: Katie Edwards, director of the Interpersonal Violence Research Lab, tells NPR’s Science Friday that the loss of funding for six ongoing studies has “completely paralyzed our research” and may force her to lay off fifty staffers. The lab focuses on studies into such areas as suicide and depression among trans and gender-diverse youth; letters Edwards received informing her of the funding cuts “focused on DEI, and how DEI is bad, DEI is unscientific,” she says. Edwards is a named plaintiff in a federal lawsuit filed by the American Public Health Association charging the cancellations were illegal; federal judge William Young, a Reagan appointee, agreed in June and ordered the NIH to reinstate $3.8 billion across 367 grants. Edwards tells NPR that she’s expecting the Trump Administration to appeal the ruling.

EMU launches pro-DEI ad campaign to lure Ohio students: The school is beckoning applicants with an offer of in-state tuition and a promise that “all are welcome” and will be given “freedom to grow” at a school that “honors all voices,” writes the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It’s an attempt to capitalize on a new Ohio law banning DEI in higher education and “attempting to rein in professors” – something that’s allegedly needed, the paper writes, because “liberal professors’ views cause conservative students to self-censor.” The state senator who sponsored the bill criticized EMU’s response as “inappropriate.”

Environmental group appeals $24.6M in budget cuts: The Southeast Michigan Conservation Coalition Regional Conservation Partnership Program is challenging the USDA’s decision to rescind money intended to protect 4,000 acres of farmland and forests in Washtenaw and four other counties from development, MLive reports (paywall). The coalition is looking at other funding sources should they lose the appeal, and some farmers may have to “dig deeper into their own pockets as they wait to learn the fate of the conservation easements,” coalition lead Susan LaCroix says.

Fired diversity officer sues, claims anti-Semitic remarks were fabricated: Rachel Dawson, former director of U-M’s Office of Academic Multicultural Initiative, filed her lawsuit against the university in federal court, the Detroit News reports. Dawson was fired in December, nine months after she attended a March 2024 conference at which she says she was approached by two women who “engaged her in conversation about rumors of antisemitism on the UM campus.” According to the New York Times, Dawson was accused of saying the school was “controlled by wealthy Jews” and other anti-Semitic remarks she denies making. An independent investigation concluded that it was “not possible to determine with certainty whether Ms. Dawson made the exact remarks,” but she was fired anyway. She alleges U-M “targeted her because she is Black, and that non-Black employees have made more egregious comments and kept their jobs.” 

Regents approve forty-year lease for Detroit dorm: The U-M Center for Innovation, a $186 million satellite campus expected to be completed by 2027 in the District Detroit area, plans to house students and faculty in an adjacent 313-unit high-rise on Cass Ave. now under construction, according to public documents. The residential tower is due to be completed by fall 2028.

Tenured prof fired for sexual harassment: Interim president Domineco Grasso recommended the termination of Scott Piper, who teaches in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, according to public records. Piper, a former chair of the Department of Voice and Opera, was found to have violated U-M’s policies by professing romantic feelings to a student and walking into a student recital with his arm around her, the Michigan Daily reported in February.

U-M introduces binding Early Decision application option: Applicants for the 2026-27 year would have to commit to attend, according to U-M Undergraduate Admissions. Their applications are due Nov. 1 and include an agreement signed by the student, a parent or guardian, and a high school counselor promising to enroll if chosen. Decisions would be made by the end of December, and accepted students must immediately withdraw applications to all other colleges and universities. Students still can apply under the Early Action option in which decisions are sent out by the end of January or by Regular Decision in which applicants get their answers by mid-April.

In a first, Wolverines are first-round picks in five sports: The New York Mets draft of second baseman Mitch Voit this week caps the unprecedented feat of a single school providing top recruits to all five major leagues in the same year, according to a social media post from U-M Athletics. Last month, forward Danny Wolf was chosen by the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and center William Horcoff was selected by the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. In April, the NFL’s Cleveland Browns selected defensive tackle Mason Graham, the Chicago Bears chose tight end Colston Loveland, and the Miami Dolphins snapped up defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. Back in December, in Major League Soccer’s 2025 draft, the Los Angeles Galaxy picked midfielder Jason Bucknor.

Ypsi sexual predator admits to online refund scam: Mubasher Riaz pleaded guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for a scheme in which he and his brother, who has also pleaded guilty, bought hundreds of items online between 2017 and 2023 and then demanded refunds by falsely claiming the goods were defective, according to a Justice Department press release. Riaz’s plea deal, according to the Detroit Free Press (paywall), also includes an unusual arrangement in which Riaz pays $150,000 in restitution to the two minor girls he abused, crimes for which he already was sentenced to more than fifteen years in prison. The FBI discovered the online refund scam while executing a search warrant at Riaz’s home in 2023 related to the sexual abuse investigation. Prosecutors say he and his brother, Muzzammil, would send back to the vendor an empty box, a counterfeit item, or an alternative item that matched the expected shipment weight of the return. Then they would resell the goods. The total loss incurred by online vendors was over $400,000. Anyone who believes they were a victim of the online scam can click here for more information.

Dead father-and-son Isle Royale hikers ID’d as Washtenaw County residents: Bradley Kenneth Baird, thirty, and John David Baird, sixty, of Salem Twp., were discovered on June 10 at a remote campground on the island in Lake Superior, the Sun Times News reports. The FBI is investigating their deaths as a possible murder-suicide but have not released a cause of death. According to their death certificates, John Baird was the president of Admitted Carriers, an insurance agency, and Bradley Baird was a writer. 

Arrest warrant issued in Saline water meter theft: According to a police report, then-public works supervisor Larry Sirls sold the meters in 2022 without city approval to David Adams, an Alabama resident who never paid for them, The Sun Times News reports. Adams hauled off two trucks of old water meters worth as much as $80,000 on the promise he’d pay nearly $15,000 for them. He never did, so last month Saline police issued a warrant for his arrest.

Storm does $30K damage to Gallup Park art: Embrace Our Differences Michigan executive director Nancy Margolis tells WEMU they’re unsure they can restore the huge diversity-themed murals and metal frames blown over and mangled at the corner of Geddes Rd. and Huron Pkwy. The group has put the artwork created by local children there and in Ypsi’s Riverside Park for the past four years; the Riverside murals are not damaged. Here’s an online gallery of the artwork.

State sues construction firm over alleged consumer fraud: The suit, filed in Washtenaw County Circuit Court, alleges that Hummingbird Construction Co., LLC, and owner Matthew Ashline violated the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by taking and keeping deposits for home construction projects that were never started, according to a press release. The state seeks to dissolve the company and secure restitution. Nessel’s office is also reissuing consumer alerts with tips to avoid contractor scams that include urging Michiganders to verify business licenses, get written contracts, and avoid large upfront cash payments. 

Daniel Kelly to depart Shelter Association: The executive director announced in a letter that he would leave this fall after “eight wonderful years” at the helm of the nonprofit charged with overseeing homeless shelters and other services for unhoused people. “I have to step away from this vital work for now due to ongoing and significant personal needs,” Kelly writes. A search firm has been hired to select a replacement. 

Former A2 energy commission chair picked to lead SEU: The city announced this week the hiring of Shoshannah Lenski, a former DTE’s director of gas operations, as the first executive director of the Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility. Lenski will lead the effort “to create a resilient, renewable-powered local energy system, one of the city’s most ambitious climate and equity goals supported by voters,” according to the press release. In 2023, Lenski was profiled by the Observer’s Eve Silberman for her informal role calming anxious and angry DTE customers following a brutal ice storm that knocked out power to some 500,000 homes and businesses. She left DTE in 2023 to be associate director of U-M’s Center for Sustainable Systems.

New plaque “sets record straight” about A2 naming: As a 1924 marker at Huron and First streets states, “Ann” honored the wives of founders Josh Allen and Elisha Rumsey, but the name didn’t come to them by observing the women sitting in a grapevine-covered arbor, MLive reports (paywall). An updated plaque, installed in June by the Ann Arbor Historical Foundation, explains that “arbor” referred to the area’s oak groves. Historian Russell Bidlack revealed in the 1960s that the women weren’t even in town when the name was registered.

Historic Allen Creek sidewalk decal gives history of the waterway: Known as a “ghost creek” because it runs underground, the creek has been a part of the city’s stormwater system for decades, a city press release says. The new sidewalk infographics feature a QR code that pedestrians can scan to read about how the creek has been “doing its part to help mitigate flooding and protect the Huron River for centuries.” An online map of the watershed plots the creek’s historic route and where it currently flows, and allows visitors to look at old photos. 

Gravel mine seeks permit amid lawsuit, community concerns: Mid Michigan Materials wants to create a 59-acre lake at its Vella Pit Mine in Ann Arbor Twp., but locals say the company broke environmental laws and want the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to deny the permit and issue fines, MLive reports (paywall). The mine was previously sued after nearby wells ran dry and sediment-laden water damaged wetlands. EGLE will hold a virtual public hearing on July 21 and accept comments through July 31.

Two local organizations get $10.6M state grants: Ann Arbor SPARK and U-M’s Accelerate Blue Fund are among the first eight recipients of the shares of a $60 million pot set up by the legislature to foster entrepreneurship and provide capital to startup companies, according to a press release. “This investment fuels near-term startup growth and strengthens our ability to invest in future breakthrough startups,” U-M associate vice president Kelly Sexton says. “By providing the capital to invest in a range of high-tech startups, the Michigan Innovation Fund helps diversify Michigan’s economy and positions the state as a national leader in innovation-driven growth.”

Saline tween turns rocks into college fund: Eleven-year-old Tucker Lambert hopes money earned from his startup – he digs rocks out of neighboring farm fields and sells them to landscapers – will pay for him to attend U-M, MLive reports (paywall). The rocks, if left in the ground, would damage farm equipment, so Tucker digs them out and sells them from $1 to $50 depending on the size. Customers can buy the rocks by setting up an appointment with his father. If you don’t need any rocks, you can just contribute to his GoFundMe campaign here. 

Recordbreaking Summer Game grips library fans: AADL leaders tell the Observer’s Anna McLean they expect entrants this year to eclipse last year’s peak of nearly 15,000 – they’ve already had 11,000 sign-ups with five weeks left. The modern, web-based version of a longstanding activity intended to keep kids engaged in reading while school’s out has turned into a family-friendly obsession as players scour both the libraries and the city for codes for points that can be redeemed in the AADL’s online store. While some players amass hundreds of thousands of points, spokesperson Rich Retyi says there’s no prize for topping the leaderboard: “There’s no trophy. There’s no extra anything. You play how you want to play. We just have some very competitive people.”

Thrift shop, ’shrooms shop co-exist: The Observer’s Dave Algase takes note of the eclectic space shared by Torn and Frayed and MF Shrooms in a berth long occupied by Stadium Pharmacy on W. Stadium Blvd. One offers vintage fashions plucked from estate sales, the other psychedelic mushrooms in dried or capsule forms. The latter is one of several similar businesses that have cropped up since 2020 when the city decriminalized such entheogenic substances.

Robot Supply Co. goes digital as literacy nonprofit heads to Ypsi: While the whimsical E. Liberty St. storefront itself is closing, Concentrate reports the online store will continue to sell its stock to benefit 826michigan, the nonprofit that runs it. Robot Supply sells toy robots, games, apparel, and student publications to support free writing programs for students across the region. 826michigan is relocating to EMU to bring its services closer to its clients.

First legal recreational pot shop closes: Arbors Wellness, which billed itself as “Michigan’s first & finest marijuana provisioning center,” shut its doors this week abruptly, according to a former employee’s Reddit post. In 2019, the shop sold the late marijuana legalization activist John Sinclair some joints in what is believed to be the state’s first legitimate recreational cannabis sale.

Hosts needed for international high school students: The teens may not be able to come to the U.S. to attend schools in Saline and Dexter unless Educatius can find homes, local coordinator Jyl Barnett Nolan tells the Sun Times News. They include students from Spain, Brazil, and Thailand who will be attending Saline High and Dexter High. Host families receive a $400 monthly stipend to offset the costs of hosting and training/local support to serve in this role successfully. For more information, email Nolan here or click here. 

Exceptional Journeys expands in Washtenaw County: The local nonprofit that offers day programming for adults with disabilities is doubling its space on Packard St., Fox2 Detroit reports. Founder Zee Kennedy, who says there’s a multi-year wait to get into such programs, says the goal is to offer “a supportive, inclusive environment for the individuals with special needs and their families.” Weekly programs include gardening, music, social groups, and outings, and Kennedy plans to add a full-day, skill-based program.

United Way gives $50K to five nonprofits: Recipients of $10,000 grants include Friends in Deed, Foundations Preschool of Washtenaw County, Mexiquenses Unidos de Michigan, the Women’s Center for Southeastern Michigan, and Washtenaw Intermediate School District/Trusted Advisors Program, according to a press release. United Way’s Bridget Hermann says the Power of the Purse program “isn’t just about giving grants – it’s about investing in the people and programs that are leading meaningful change across Washtenaw County.”

By Jennifer Taylor

Friday: Take part in the annual Oberun 5K, a race that ends at a beer garden serving Bell’s Oberon summer brew. Also, fire pits, sand volleyball, and cornhole. Food trucks. Proceeds help finance the Border-to-Border Trail. Rain or shine. 6:30 p.m., Wiard’s Orchard, 5565 Merritt Rd., Ypsi. $42 in advance here until full (space limited). (734) 929–9027.

Saturday: On the last day of Ann Arbor’s giant annual Art Fair, eye or buy some original works while taking in live music from over twenty acts. They include acoustic pop-folk singer-songwriter Ashley Pyle (4 p.m.) and rockers Billy King & Friends (7 p.m.) on a stage at Ingalls Mall as well as the Brain Plasticity Ukulele Collective and local blues trio Blueshouse (6 to 8 p.m.) in the Palio parking lot at E. William and S. Main. Noon to 8 p.m. Free.

Sunday: Dance swing and blues style at “KissME in Ann Arbor,” a participatory three-day festival culminating in an outdoor dance today at Island Park in and out of the river to live New Orleans jazz by The Wolverines. Bring a towel, water shoes, and swim attire. 1 to 4 p.m., Island Park pavilion and river, 1420 Island Dr. Rain location: Concourse Hall, 4531 Concourse. $25 online and at the door. 

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

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