AnnArbor.com News

The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office is investigating after a thief or thieves broke into four Chrysler vehicles over the weekend in Ypsilanti Township.

Continue reading Chrysler vehicles again targeted in smash-and-grab vehicle break-ins...

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Wade McCree

A media spotlight shone on a Washtenaw County courtroom Monday as the case of Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Wade McCree went before the Judicial Tenure Commission.

McCree, who is accused of having an affair with a woman who had a child-support case pending in his court, faces possible suspension, censure or removal from office.

Continue reading Judge accused of having sex with witness appears in Ann Arbor courtroom...

Island Records

Ann Arbor native and “Party Hard” rock star Andrew WK (Wilkes-Krier) has had, to put it mildly, an eclectic career.

His life in music began at age 4, when he started studying classical piano; and throughout his teens, he was part of several bands. Eventually, after WK moved to New York, his party-anthem hit "Party Hard" brought him national attention back in 2001.

Since then, he has since stayed famous by way of: motivational speaking (at NYU and Yale, among other places); an appearance at a My Little Pony conference; an apparent appointment as a U.S. cultural ambassador to the Middle East (which the U.S. Department of State revoked just before WK was scheduled to fly to Bahrain); being named spokesman for Fresh + Sexy Wipes; being co-owner of New York’s Santos Party House in New York City; and belting Ramones songs with Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg at Santos and, soon, on a world tour.

Before that happens, though, WK will play a secret late-night show in Southeast Michigan on May 25, following his performance at Howell’s Bledfest music festival. The money raised by WK's midnight show will support Ann Arbor’s Community High School. WK attended CHS from 1993-97.

Details about the location and time of the secret house party will be released via Twitter following WK’s set at Bledfest.

Continue reading Andrew WK talks about his youth in Ann Arbor, My Little Pony, and more...

Brandi Truesdell | Contributor

One of the most exciting aspects of medicine is watching the development of new technologies which continuously come along and change the way we practice medicine. One of the emerging technologies in both human and animal medicine right now is therapeutic laser treatment. Therapy laser treatments use a high powered laser to direct electromagnetic energy into cells in a non-invasive way. This helps promote healing, reduces inflammation and reduces pain without drugs and with quick results. There are many disease that can benefit from therapy laser. Almost any painful or inflammatory condition can be treated to some degree. Some of the common condition we treat in our veterinary patients are wounds, infections, hot spots, lick granulomas, cystitis, disc disease, joint disease, arthritis, hip dysplasia, sinusitis, periodontal disease, gingivitis, and surgical incisions.

Continue reading Therapy Laser in Veterinary Medicine...

This spring has been ridiculous. However, you can enjoy the good days in style with the help of the Micro Brew-Haha dinner at Paesano restaurant on the patio.

Continue reading Celebrate spring at the Paesano 'Micro Brew-Haha'...

The University of Michigan is hosting a three-day conference on the future of liberal arts at research colleges.

Continue reading University of Michigan hosting conference on role of liberal arts at research universities...

Ann Arbor Police said laptops and other items were stolen in two separate home invasions, the first of which occurred sometime Friday.

Continue reading Laptops targeted in 2 separate Ann Arbor home invasions...

Ann Arbor police said the man reported missing Thursday was located in Kentucky Sunday.

Continue reading Missing Ann Arbor man located in Kentucky...

A crash was slowing traffic on M-14 on the north side of Ann Arbor Monday morning.

Continue reading Crash affecting traffic on M-14 near Barton Drive in Ann Arbor...

Jim Wallis, author photo courtesy of the publisher.

Editor's note: This post is part of a series by Dr. Baker on Our Values about core American values. This week Dr. Baker is discussing the common good.

Restoring America’s Common Good sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it?

This week, I am inviting you to discuss the conclusions of best-selling author Jim Wallis in his new book: On God’s Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn’t Learned about Serving the Common Good. Also this week, ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm interviews Jim Wallis about the first half of his new book in which Wallis describes his spiritual inspiration. In OurValues, we’re looking at the second half of the Wallis book, called Practices for the Common Good, in which he outlines nuts-and-bolts ideas for reaching this goal.

HERE is the problem Wallis sees: “We’ve lost our civility, the ability to have public discussion that isn’t harsh or dismissive.” What we need, he argues, is a commitment to an ancient idea: the Common Good. It is “the best way to find common ground with other people — even with those who don’t agree with us or share our faith commitments.”

Wallis is a public theologian and overall editor of Sojourners magazine. The title of his new book comes from Lincoln’s famous remark, “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side.”

I hope you’ll add a comment today on our first question this week: Can we still find common ground so that we can begin to talk? Consider these responses.

Continue reading Common good: Can we still find common ground?...

Flickr photo by Hunter Desportes

Dog bite: those words have an emotional resonance, don't they?

If you've ever been bitten by a dog, you don't forget it. It usually happens so fast that it leaves you stunned.

May 19-25, 2013 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, so it seems fitting to kick off this week with the topic.

The following statistics speak to me clearly:

According to one study, half of children between 4 and 18 years old reported having been bitten by a dog.

The vast majority of victims were bitten by a dog that they knew, not a stray dog roaming the streets, contrary to popular belief.

Children and seniors are most likely to be bitten.

Dog bites are highly preventable, and it comes down to humans (both kids and adults) understanding what facilitates them and how to best deal with a dog who bites.

These incidents happen in all sorts of scenarios.

Continue reading Understanding dog body language is crucial in preventing dog bites...

Plans for reconfiguring the Washtenaw Avenue corridor between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti will be the topic of discussion at a series of public workshops later this month.

Officials from the city of Ann Arbor, Pittsfield Township, Ypsilanti Township and the city of Ypsilanti, working with urban design and transportation consultants, are hoping to get public feedback on future road configuration alternatives proposed as part of the ReImagine Washtenaw initiative.

Continue reading Public invited to discuss bike lanes, pedestrian crossings and transit improvements on Washtenaw Avenue...

CEO Moses Lee (center) with co-founders Jerry Wang (left) and David Jsa (right) at Seelio's office space in Menlo Innovations.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

In the month leading up to the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium, Ann Arbor startups have been attracting a number of venture capital investments.

Web-based startup Seelio, short for “see my portfolio,” is one of four companies that have closed funding rounds recently, completing a seed round that brought in $900,000.

Continue reading Internet startup Seelio closes nearly $1 million in funding to give students Web portfolios...

University of Michigan faculty are requesting a seat at the table as regents decide who the next leader of the Ann Arbor school will be.

Continue reading University of Michigan faculty want input on presidential search...

Ecorse Road, Grove Road, Washtenaw Avenue and Whittaker Road are the main commercial corridors in Ypsilanti Township — but city planning officials are envisioning much more bustling commercial thoroughfares.

Continue reading Backyard chickens, urban gardening to be revisited during Ypsilanti Township's master plan revision...

Thompson Block owner Stewart Beal provided a rendering of what the Thompson Block site will look like by the time construction is completed.

Courtesy Stewart Beal

The Thompson Block property in Ypsilanti has officially been listed. Leases and letters of intent for 16 luxury lofts and about 14,000 square feet of commercial space will be accepted over the next three months.

"Everything is going really well so far," said Howard Hanna real estate agent Tyler Weston, who listed the property Friday. "We've been approached by six different business owners. Even without advertising we've gotten quite a lot of interest. We have three people interested in loft space."

Continue reading Luxury lofts, commercial space listed for lease at Ypsilanti's Thompson Block ...

A citizen-led task force that's spent the last year studying ways to improve Ann Arbor's North Main corridor will make its final recommendations to the City Council in July.

Before that happens, the task force is seeking additional input from the community, said David Santacroce, chairman of the North Main-Huron River Corridor Vision Task Force.

Continue reading Ann Arbor's North Main corridor topic of two upcoming community meetings...

A three-woman team from Ann Arbor's Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist - "a Roman Catholic community of women … founded in the Dominican tradition to spread the witness of religious life in accord with Pope John Paul II's vision for a new evangelization," according to DSM's website - became the first established finalists on Game Show Network's "American Bible Challenge" this season, and they will compete for the grand prize of $100,000 on an episode that's scheduled to air May 23.

Continue reading Watch Ann Arbor's Dominican Sisters of Mary team compete in 'American Bible Challenge' finals May 23...

A vintage Nirvana publicity photo

When Dustin Lince organized the first Nirvana tribute show at the Blind Pig, in 2004, the year had historic significance. That year was the 10th anniversary of Nirvana singer-songwriter-guitarist Kurt Cobain taking his own life.

That show was a one-off deal, but Lince revived the Nirvana tribute concert in 2010, and has turned it into an annual event. Friday will be the third annual Nirvana tribute show at the Pig.

For Lince and other musicians his age—he's 38—Nirvana—which itself played the Blind Pig a couple of times—still stands out as one of the most important bands that came along in his lifetime.

"I was born in 1975, so they came along when I was in high school, in Pinckney," recalls Lince, who sings for one of the bands on the bill.

Continue reading Multi-band Nirvana tribute returning to Blind Pig...

Last week we looked at the basic elements of Stayman, which looks for a 4-4 major-suit fit. But suppose responder has a five-card major. How does he hunt for a 5-3 fit?

The best answer is to use transfers into the major suits. (Transfers into the minors are so rare that they should be used only by regular or experienced partnerships.)

When opener immediately shows a balanced hand, if responder bids diamonds at the minimum level (two diamonds over one no-trump or three diamonds over two no-trump), it shows five or more hearts and at least zero points. If responder bids hearts at the minimum level, it indicates at least five spades and any point-count.

Continue reading Bridge column, May 20: Responder's actions with five in a major...