Mall Ambition
“Briarwood is now charging a parking fee for premium spaces—20 feet closer to the doors!” a poster wrote on nextdoor.com. “Really? A rip off!”
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News
Tipping Point
In July, the Michigan Supreme Court restored a 2018 law that raised the state’s minimum wage, expanded sick-leave requirements, and phased out the subminimum wage for workers earning tips.
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The Next Sheriff
Despite little sleep and no coffee, Dyer was “very excited” the morning after the election. “It took until late that night for the county clerk to determine the winner,” she says, and when she finally learned she’d won, it “was just such a relief!”
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Seeking Zero
In June, the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI) celebrated the fourth anniversary of A2Zero. The $1 billion climate action plan, which aims to attain community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, was approved unanimously by the city council after Ann Arbor declared a climate emergency in 2019.
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Ron Warhurst Goes to Paris
Ron Warhurst was a U-M coach for thirty-six years—cross-country and track. He was Big Ten coach of the year four times, won nine conference championships, and coached 129 All-Americans, multiple Olympians, and a winner of the Boston Marathon.
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Market Inflation
Grocery prices have climbed 25 percent since the beginning of the pandemic, and farmers like Robertello aren’t immune.
Read MoreClerk Contenders
Larry Kestenbaum was first elected clerk in 2004 by defeating the Republican incumbent, and he’s defeated every challenger, Democrat or Republican, since then.
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The Next State Rep
Felicia Brabec, who represents Michigan House District 33, is stepping down after two terms to prepare to run for state senate in 2026. That leaves the district encompassing southern Ann Arbor, the city of Saline, and all or portions of Pittsfield, Saline, Lodi, York, Bridgewater, and Scio townships open for a new representative.
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Election Switcheroo
By waiting until after the deadline to withdraw, McClary ensured that Lamelle-Sharp will be unopposed in the August 6 primary—and, given the heavily Democratic makeup of the county’s electorate, is all but certain to win the office.
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GMA Doughnuts
On July 3, hundreds of people thronged the intersection of S. Ashley and W. Liberty to watch a live segment from Good Morning America. But only one local business had a presence in GMA’s studio back in New York City.
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Selfie Studio
Similar photo booth businesses have been growing rapidly in South Korea over the last decade, according to Sean Lee, one of four partners in the company. They have four other locations, all in California, but their goal is to open Potobox shops in every state.
Read MoreWhy Does The Restroom Want My Phone Number?
Q. I think it is great that the city is providing public restrooms, but when I loaded the app on my phone I wondered why it required personal information and phone location.
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Eli Lilly, Patron of the Arts
The pharmaceutical giant started with a single location in the Original Fair on North University in 2022. This year, it will be everywhere as the first-ever presenting sponsor of all three fairs.
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Preparing Public Defenders
The U-M Law School’s Public Defender Training Institute, led by Primus with assistance from three alumni, prepares students for the realities of work— and life—as a public defender.
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Black-and-Whites Are Back
If you’ve done a double-take lately when an Ann Arbor police vehicle whizzed by, you’re not alone. In recent months, the AAPD has been backdating the look of its fleet.
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Hands-Free Means Hands-Free
June 30 marks one year since the law banning “manual use” of cell phones in cars took effect. At their discretion, officers can give warnings or issue citations; the consequences can range from fines to community service to mandatory driving-improvement courses.
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Cancer Gratitude
An Ann Arbor native, Joan Belgrave is a two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter. Four years after her husband died, her life took another dramatic turn when a routine biopsy resulted in an especially dangerous diagnosis: “triple-negative” breast cancer.
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The Next Sheriff
Washtenaw County sheriff Jerry Clayton is retiring after four terms. Three candidates are vying to take his place in the August 6 Democratic primary.
Read MoreBYOC is Back
A regular customer of the former location on E. Liberty, Jessica Cichowlas secured a new storefront in a plaza along the burgeoning Jackson Rd. corridor in Scio Twp.
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