Tally Alley
About once a week, they tape large sheets of paper on either side of “Graffiti Alley” by the Michigan Theater. One says “eye contact” and the other “smiles.” For several hours, they make a mark every time a passerby responds.
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Community
Eric the Great
Eric Parker was a self-described “earth traveler” who lived by his wits and took great pride in his independence as a schizophrenic, unhoused man. He was highly intelligent, a lover of birds and animals, and a solo explorer of Ann Arbor and southern California. His last year of life was spent under the care of the author, his aunt, who deeply misses her firstborn nephew, a complicated, remarkable human.
Read MoreApril 2024 Home Sales
Jim Harbaugh sets another record; the dinnerware collector departs; and the Wall Street Journal says A2 is No. 3—and an anomaly.
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Pocket Listing
You know how sometimes you’re in a group chat and you come up with a really funny comment and you text it to the group and… nothing? No “haha.” No 🤣. Not even the humble :). Just… nothing.
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Louie’s Tale
In early May of 2023, Sarah Stein, general manager of the restaurant Anna’s House, was prepping for the 6 a.m. rush. Her gaze lighted on the pond just beyond the patio. A mother duck glided serenely across its surface, followed by eleven adorable ducklings. One of them immediately stood out: unlike his brown or yellow siblings, his feathers were white.
Read MoreQuestion Corner | June 2024
Q. I love the Hoyt Trail at Parker Mills County Park. However, sometimes the odor from the nearby wastewater treatment plant ruins a visit. Is there a way to know when the odor will be bad?
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Bicentennial Investments
The James L. Crawford Elks Lodge has a commanding presence at the northeast end of Sunset Rd., high on a hill overlooking the Huron River. The substantial brick-and-stone building has been a pillar of Ann Arbor’s Black community for eight decades.
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Symbiosis of the Red Bellied Woodpecker and the Eastern Bluebird
“The birds are from a mural by Jacob Dwyer on the Phoenix West building at 117 N. First St.,” writes Kathy Scott about May’s photo.
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MIFarmLink
Dohner compares MIFarmLink to “a matchmaking service that connects farmland owners and seekers who would otherwise never meet.” According to the Conservation District, land access is the greatest barrier for beginning farmers; meanwhile most farmland owners lack a succession plan. MIFarmLink neatly solves the problem with an online tool that lets owners list their available properties and farmland seekers post their professional profiles.
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Bob Lutz
For decades, Bob Lutz was one of the most influential executives in the auto industry, shaping models that ranged from the first BMW 3 series and Dodge Viper to the Ford Explorer and Chevy Volt. And now, after a succession of high-level jobs and dozens of distinctive vehicles, he’s once again making paper models.
Read MoreMarch 2024 Home Sales
At press time, the state’s database showed no March home sales in Pittsfield, Ann Arbor, or Superior townships; Scio Twp. reported sales for only half the month.
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This Old House
Residences designed by renowned Detroit architect Albert Kahn are rare—there are just six in Ann Arbor. But, Barbara Copi confides, she really wanted Noah and Lizzie Hurwitz and their three boys, to bring new life to its ornate spaces.
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Jolly Pumpkin Brewery and Cafe
“[April’s] I Spy is the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery and Cafe at 311 S. Main Street,” writes Silvia Ruiz.
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Camperships
“Sending kids to camp is an investment in our communities,” says Sally Lamkin, director emeritus of what’s now Washtenaw Camp Placement (WCP).
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Boundaries Books
First, the facts: We received 156 entries correctly identifying the Fake Ad for Boundaries Books on page 68 of the April issue.
Read MoreQuestion Corner | May 2024
Q. Why aren’t the wood planks used in the Argo boardwalk and elsewhere in our parks ever painted? Wouldn’t that help them last longer? And what about using composite materials? A. “We used treated pine boards in our boardwalks,”...
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Big Hearts
When public health prof Vic Strecher was asked to emcee the Big Hearts for Seniors fundraiser in 2018, “I didn’t know all that much about it,” he admits.
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Medical Thriller
Marschall Runge didn’t realize how many physicians wanted to write fiction until he signed up for a “Writing for Doctors” workshop—and found 300 others in attendance.
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Water Warriors
As a lap swimmer for more than thirty-five years, I hardly noticed the water aerobics classes at my pool. This was, of course, before I reluctantly joined them.
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