Sun Spots

As we go to press the world stands in readiness: Kissinger has threatened to resign unless his "fair" name is cleared up; Nixon is parading about the MidEast presumably stumping to delude voters while his cohorts are parading in front of various courts to receive their unjustly light sentences; Charles Colson has agreed, after consulting with God, to tell all; there has been an unprecedented number of tornadoes throughout the U.S. this spring, nature's warning to all; and the SUN is shining in Ann Arbor again.

Marijuana in the news -- the sacrament moves toward acceptability. Those two classic old Southern Democrats, bastions of conservatism in the U.S. Senate, James Eastland and Strom Thurmond, apparently have altered the consciousness about the weed -- they both are reported to have come out in support of legalized possession of marijuana.

And locally, the only case to come up so far which challenges the recently passed local $5 weed ordinances in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti has been postponed while the defendant tries to sell his car. It seems that Ypsilantian David Grey, who was charges under state laws when he allegedly tried to smuggle some joints into the Ypsi jail, went to court on Thursday June 6th and asked for a public defender, guaranteed under the law, since he has practically no money. But the judge noted that Grey owned a car worth $400, and ordered him to sell it in order to pay for his own attorney. The Ypsi HRP has agreed to assist Grey in any way, if only he would let them know where he is. So the case remains in limbo.

Up in Lansing "our" elected state legislators have been doing their thing. Their most recent efforts include two important bills. One, passed by the Senate and sent to the House, is a new rape law, aimed at reforming the state's 19th century law. The new law was proposed by in response to demands by the Ann Arbor Woman's Crisis Center and other organizations, and makes it easier for prosecutors to convict rapists and for rape victims to testify in court without being humiliated. Now the bill must pass through the House.

The House isn't just sitting around up there either though; Perry Bullard, Ann Arbor's state representative, has sponsored a resolution just passed making it possible for students to run for Regent -- which has previously been, as Bullard stated, "an exclusive club of non-students." If the Senate passes the resolution it will go on the ballot in November for voter approval as an amendment to the state constitution. This resolution is a big step in the effort of students to acquire control over their own institutions.

The unelected members of our government continued their efforts this week. The Nixon Supreme Court whittled away once again at the landmark civil rights decisions of the Warren Court. In one case the Court declared that although a defendant's rights must be protected, they don't have to be perfectly protected. The court decided that it was not necessary to tell a defendant of his rights, as long as complete attempt had been made to protect them. The decision overturned the Miranda case, which you may remember made it necessary for the police to inform a person of their rights so that no one would be trapped out of ignorance.

Music News: Rumors about town have it that there will be some hot acts outside the music mart this summer during the Street Fair. Old Ann Arbor favorites Bob Seger & Luther Allison are supposed to be appearing over the three days, along with the usual fine acts that appear for free during the fair. Luther will be in the area before then, appearing with Muddy Waters at Ford Theatre on June 19th, and if you check out the rest of this issue you will find the interview with Bob Seger.

More music! more music! A new "Rainbow Room" is opening up at the Shelby Hotel in Detroit. The first week's show will feature the Rockets starting June 19th, and the week after, June 26-29, will bring the incomparable Charles Mingus. Any of you who missed the unbelievable Mingus Quintet sets at the late King Pleasure ought to make it to the Shelby for this one -- it's a fine treat. There's also going to be benefit for the Hot Flash, Michigan's Rock and Roll newspaper, in Kalamazoo on the 29th of June, with Uprising, Lightnin', and Scott Morgan's new band.

And in the passing institutions department, it was announced that the site of

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the old Primo Showbar, memory lane for Ann Arbor drinkers and dancers, will soon become a hi-fi store. The old owners had to pay off, or something like that. And the Vipers, one of Ann Arbor's finest and longest-lived bands, has finally called it quits, apparently to go individual directions.

Anyone who is in need of legal help should know that there is a good counseling service available at the Free People's Clinic on Monday nights, and that the lawyers there are ready and able to help you with legal problems. If you want to get in touch, stop down at the Free People's Clinic Monday evenings after 7pm, or call 761-8952.

Another new service around town is a Car-Pool. The Community Switchboard just announced efforts to set up a car-pool through their telephone line. Switchboard has always had a long-distance ride board, but now they are offering this one for people who are based in Ann Arbor and want to get around regularly. If you drive in and out of the area on a regular basis and wish to take advantage of the car-pool, and to save on energy, on pocketbooks, and to make new friends, call the Community Switchboard at 663-1111 and get it on.

There is also an attempt to get another food co-op on the west side underway. There is going to be a benefit for low cost food and no supermarket bullshit on June 22nd at Art Worlds on Main Street.

There are also going to be films shown at the Father Newman Center on Thompson to help raise the go money for this most needed project. Other donations of course would be accepted. Call 662-4860.

And what about the state of the SUN? Things are brighter these days as summer wears on. Once again we sold every single issue of the last paper. Our classifieds are betting bigger and bigger and reports are that response to such ads in the SUN is high...We still would like to receive letters from all interested people in the community (or elsewhere for that matter) because that's the best way we can know how you the reader like your paper...if you haven't heard our deal on a loan for a coinbox, well then you ought to call us right up. Anyway, we're still down here above the Blind Pig, so stop on down. We can always use help or at least a little tea and sympathy...speaking of which, Fish Funnies will return with our next issue, out June 28 - Friday.

Standing Around Stoned with Nothing To Do?

Then Stop by the SUN!

The SUN especially is seeking investigative reporters to cover local and national news, people who relate to words as a craft. We also need book, concert, record and other reviewers, survival/useful information, graphic artists, experienced photographers and serious, careful people to work on layout and proofreading. We can pay a small sum for some of these needs, but the vast majority of SUN contributors are as yet volunteers. If you can help stop by our office daytimes or call 761-7148.