Thanks to so many of you for your generosity, we easily cleared the $1,000 threshold we promised to raise for Friends In Deed in order for my daughter’s nanny, Jenna Dawson, to rappel down an eleven-story building at EMU on Sept. 23. Of course, you’re welcome to help us run up the score for a wonderful cause.

Meanwhile, we want to give one of you some money. For a piece on the constant power outages planned for October’s Observer, we’re looking for recent photos of downed power lines and/or crews repairing them. Send yours to editor@aaobserver.com and we’ll pay $50 for the one we use. But hurry – we need your submission by Sunday. Good luck!

The news this week is dominated by the deal to terminate the AAPS superintendent, the possible reshaping of the downtown skyline, and a troubling spike in opioid deaths.

As I cross my fingers that nobody has to take any new power outage photos before Sunday, I wish you all a lovely week ahead.

– Steve Friess, editor

School board approves Swift departure: The superintendent will remain in charge until an interim or permanent replacement is hired, which must occur by Oct. 31, MLive reports. Jeanice Swift, who has helmed the AAPS since 2013 and was named Michigan superintendent of the year in 2018, will remain a “transition advisor” at least until the end of 2023 and will receive a lump-sum payout equal to 18 months’ pay for termination without cause; as of July 2023, her salary was $230,000 a year. The surprise decision to terminate Swift, amid a lawsuit against the district for its response to a bus aide’s assault of a boy with autism in 2021, revealed a bitter rift in the board that will make choosing a successor challenging.

Twenty-four-story tower would be Main St.’s tallest structure: The planning commission gave a warm reception to a proposal for a mixed-use replacement for the five-story former Chase Bank building at Main and Washington, MLive reports (paywall). The proposal filed with the city includes seventy apartments, 200 hotel rooms, and other amenities. The project first surfaced last year, when the broker marketing the building told the Observer that a “developer-investor” had signed a letter of intent.

Plan calls for replacing twenty-two properties with high-rise: St. Louis-based developer Subtext hopes to demolish almost everything between Fourth and Fifth avenues from Packard to Madison St. and put a twelve-story complex of some 450 apartments, according to the concept plan presented to the planning commission this week. The developers are hoping to win a zoning exception as a planned unit development (PUD), but commissioners expressed concerns about parking, flooding, and the impact on the existing houses that would remain at the north end of the block.

109 drug overdoses deaths in 2022, up for third straight year: That’s a 33 percent increase over 2020 and the most since 2016, when 82 people died of overdoses, according to a report from the county’s health department. Nearly 80 percent were opioid-related and 75 percent were people between the ages of twenty-five and fifty-four. While 61 percent of the deaths were White people, the percentage of Black deaths nearly doubled from 15 in 2021 to 27 last year.

Ann Arbor Twp. to sue mine operator over disappearing water: Residents complain the Vella Pit sand and gravel mine owned by Mid Michigan Materials is depleting nearby wells, which would be a violation of the company’s use permit and local law, MLive reports. Township board members called the situation an emergency at a special meeting last week. 

Despite opposition, 107-home Lodi Twp. development moves forward: The Arbor Preserve, north of Waters Rd. east of Wagner., received a 5-2 preliminary approval from the township board, MLive reports (paywall). Red Equities LLC first pitched multi-family housing that would have accommodated more than 400 residents, but that sparked an outcry and led to this luxury-homes plan. Lodi residents still expressed concern about environmental damage.

Former Ypsi city manager under investigation: Michigan State Police are looking into whether Frances McMullan, who retired last month, misused the city’s credit card, the Detroit Free Press reports (paywall). A FOIA by the outlet found McMullan spent thousands of dollars on items unrelated to city business in 2019 before paying back $14,678 the next year. The matter only came to the council’s attention earlier this year after a city department head filed a complaint against McMullan that referenced it. 

$5.25M election center to be built west of M-14: Council voted unanimously to buy a $2.8 million building in the Forest Cove office campus on Miller Rd. and spend $2.4 million to remodel it as the headquarters for vote-counting and disseminating results. The facility also will boast new studio space for Community Television Network.

Sellers must disclose home energy ratings under new law: Council unanimously approved a measure last week that requires owners to tell prospective buyers how the abode fared in a city sustainability assessment, MLive reports (paywall). Penalties for noncompliance start at $500 but won’t start being assessed until next September.

Treeline Conservancy releases plan for downtown pocket park: The nonprofit posted to Facebook a sketch for 410 Miller Ave., which would include landscaping, seating, and a small climbing structure for kids. The lot is 0.6 acres that has been vacant since the group bought it in 2018 and demolished the decrepit building standing on it. Treeline says it would cost about $15,000.

Cars strafed by BB gun over Labor Day weekend: More than a dozen vehicles were sprayed with pellets early on Sept. 3 in the 1000 blocks of Lincoln Ave., Olivia Ave., and Hermitage Rd., MLive reports. Anyone with information about the vandalism should call (734) 794-6920 or e-mail the tipline.

Healthy vending machines pop up at hospitals, medical centers: The Farmer’s Fridge  serves up sandwiches, yogurts, salads and more as an alternative to the usual candy, chips, and pop, Jan Schlain writes for this month’s Observer. They’re available at the VA, Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital, and Michigan Medicine’s East and West Ann Arbor Health Centers, among others. There’s also one at Costco on Ellsworth Rd., and the Chicago-based company  says they will be in U-M dorms by next year.

Mike Hart makes more history as first Black man to head-coach a U-M game: For the second of the three games during which Jim Harbaugh is serving a suspension for possible pandemic-era recruiting violations, his second-half fill-in was the team’s all-time leader in rushing attempts and yards, the Michigan Daily writes. That was enough to break a racial barrier, however temporary. Just fourteen of the 133 Division I head coaches are Black, including Michigan State’s Mel Tucker who was suspended this week amid sexual harassment allegations. 

Dale Fisher is ninety and still clicking: The legendary photographer, known for his dramatic aerial shots, traces his career for Lenore Wiand in this month’s Observer back to the Ann Arbor High science teacher who let him use the school darkroom some seven decades ago. Those beginnings eventually led to his “heliphotos” of the Big House and other landmarks, a booming prints business, and much more. He’s now working on a humor book set there.

City holds contest to design new flag: Entries are due by Nov. 3, with $400 for the winner and $200 for five finalists as chosen by the mayor and a panel of judges, according to a press release. Among criteria for a potential winner, the city says it must be “simple enough that it could be drawn from memory” and feature two or three “basic colors.” To enter, click here for instructions.

$5.25M election center to be built west of M-14: Council voted unanimously to buy a $2.8 million building in the Forest Cove office campus on Miller Rd. and spend $2.4 million to remodel it as the headquarters for vote-counting and disseminating results. The facility also will boast new studio space for Community Television Network.

Sellers must disclose home energy ratings under new law: Council unanimously approved a measure last week that requires owners to tell prospective buyers how the abode fared in a city sustainability assessment, MLive reports (paywall). Penalties for noncompliance start at $500 but won’t start being assessed until next September.

Treeline Conservancy releases plan for downtown pocket park: The nonprofit posted to Facebook a sketch for 410 Miller Ave., which would include landscaping, seating, and a small climbing structure for kids. The lot is 0.6 acres that has been vacant since the group bought it in 2018 and demolished the decrepit building standing on it. Treeline says it would cost about $15,000.

Cars strafed by BB gun over Labor Day weekend: More than a dozen vehicles were sprayed with pellets early on Sept. 3 in the 1000 blocks of Lincoln Ave., Olivia Ave., and Hermitage Rd., MLive reports. Anyone with information about the vandalism should call (734) 794-6920 or e-mail the tipline.

Healthy vending machines pop up at medical centers: The Farmer’s Fridge  serves up sandwiches, yogurts, salads and more as an alternative to the usual candy, chips, and pop, Jan Schlain writes for this month’s Observer. They’re available at the VA, Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital, and Michigan Medicine’s East and West Ann Arbor Health Centers, among others. There’s also one at Costco on Ellsworth Rd., and the Chicago-based company says they will be in U-M dorms by next year.

Mike Hart makes more history as first Black man to head-coach a U-M game: For the second of the three games during which Jim Harbaugh is serving a suspension for possible pandemic-era recruiting violations, his second-half fill-in was the team’s all-time leader in rushing attempts and yards, the Michigan Daily writes. That was enough to break a racial barrier, however temporary. Just fourteen of the 133 Division I head coaches are Black, including Michigan State’s Mel Tucker who was suspended this week amid sexual harassment allegations. 

Dale Fisher is ninety and still clicking: The legendary photographer, known for his dramatic aerial shots, traces his career for Lenore Wiand in this month’s Observer back to the Ann Arbor High science teacher who let him use the school darkroom some seven decades ago. Those beginnings eventually led to his “heliphotos” of the Big House and other landmarks, a booming prints business, and much more. He’s now working on a humor book set there.

City holds contest to design new flag: Entries are due by Nov. 3, with $400 for the winner and $200 for five finalists as chosen by the mayor and a panel of judges, according to a press release. Among criteria for a potential winner, the city says it must be “simple enough that it could be drawn from memory” and feature two or three “basic colors.” To enter, click here for instructions.

What’s Sam Hill? BarStar’s big, playful new venue: The local hospitality group is opening an indoor-outdoor restaurant-bar on six acres along Honey Creek on Jackson Rd. by the end of September. Sam Hill’s owners tell Dave Algase in this month’s Observer that the goal is to provide a fun, trendy hangout space with elevated cuisine and designer cocktails. BarStar also owns Monty’s Public House on Packard and Bab’s Underground, NightCap, and Lo-Fi downtown. 

Ogla’s Kitchen opens at Big House: The Michigan-based fast-casual Mediterranean chain is joining a parade of other local restaurant outposts at the stadium in a lineup that already includes Big Boy and Cottage Inn pizza. Olga’s, which is seeing a resurgence after being sold out of bankruptcy in 2015, is serving up its Original Olga, Cheese Olga, Philly Steak, and Olga’s Snackers at Gate 9. 

Twelfth annual YpsiTasty Grub Crawl is Wednesday: Participants get to pop into restaurants across Ypsi’s downtown, Depot Town, and Cross Street areas for samples between 4 and 8 p.m., Concentrate writes. Participating businesses include Dos Hermanos, Go! Ice Cream, Speedy’s Big Burgers, the Wurst Bar and many more. Golden Limousine’s Trolley will be offering free hop-on, hop-off service, too. Tickets are $25 per adult and $10 for kids twelve and under; to buy yours, click here.

Free flu, Covid booster shots available for adults: Michigan Medicine has a rigorous schedule ahead this fall for jabs around the county with stops at the Bethel AME Church (Saturday), Brown Chapel AME Church (Sept. 23), New Hope Missionary Baptist Church (Sept. 24), Housing Bureau for Seniors (Sept. 30), Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston (Oct. 7), Ypsilanti Twp. Community Center (Oct. 21), and New Hope Baptist Church (Oct. 28). For hours, see the listing here. Recipients must be at least nineteen.

Tenth annual ChadTough fundraiser is Saturday: The 5K and one-mile runs honor Chad Carr, grandson of ex-U-M football coach Lloyd Carr, who died at age five of a childhood brain cancer known as DIPG. The events benefit the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation and take place from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at Saline High School and feature U-M student-athletes cheering on runners. Click here for more information and to sign up.

Mental health organization expands with millage funding: The Public Safety and Mental Health Preservation Millage passed in 2020 is helping the Washtenaw County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness offer a range of new programs, Concentrate reports. The group is pushing its Ending the Silence outreach presentations, for example, into Ypsilanti and Whitmore Lake.

By Jennifer Taylor

Friday: Check out Saline’s 18th Annual Oktoberfest, which kicks off with the annual “Tapping of the Golden Keg” and features a beer garden with German brews & traditional German food and dance bands. Tonight: Live music by Brighton rock band Local Heroes. Note: No pets after 7 p.m. 5 to 11 p.m. (Fri.) & 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Sat.), downtown Saline. Free ($5 after 5 p.m. for those age 21 & over). For more information, click here.

Saturday: Catch a show by the Dark Noise Collective, six poets from around the U.S. who perform together and were featured on the HBO docuseries Brave New Voices (2008) and the documentary Louder Than a Bomb (2010). Also, on Friday from 3 to 4:30 p.m, the collective hosts a panel discussion, “I Can’t Be Lost When I See You: Finding Strength in Artistic Community,” at UMMA’s Stern Auditorium. 7 to 9 p.m. Lydia Mendelssohn Theater, 911 North University. Free, but registration required by clicking here. (734) 783–8587. 

Sunday: Celebrate psychedelic mushrooms and other entheogenic plants and fungi at the U-M Student Association for Psychedelic Studies Annual Entheofest 2023. Billed as a free speech event, it features speeches by state senator Jeff Irwin, Washtenaw County prosecutor Eli Savit, County commissioner Yousef Rabhi and congresswoman Debbie Dingell, as well as U-M researchers and students. The keynote speaker is Unitarian Universalist minister Mariela Pérez-Simons. Live music by jazz-tinged West African kora player Mady Kouyate and African drumming group Ayinde Fondren. Participatory art project. Organizers ask that attendees not use the space for consumption of psychedelics. 1:11 to 4:20 p.m., U-M Diag. Free. See the Observer’s online calendar for many more local events.

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