Media
The Status of Michigan Education
In order for our students to succeed in the 21st century, we need to educate them and equip them with new and different skills. In this discussion of the status of education in Michigan, a panel of leading educators and business people presented issues surrounding education in our state. The event focused on the skills young people need for successful careers in the age of technology and information.
Panelists include:
• Dr. Jim Duderstadt, former president, University of Michigan 1988-96, director National Science Foundation and National Commission of the Future of Higher Education.
• David Schroeter, senior vice president sales, Gale/Cengage Learning
The discussion was moderated by Lou Glazer, president of Michigan Future, whose mission is to be a source of new ideas on how Michigan can succeed as a world-class community in a knowledge-driven economy.
An introduction was given be Larry T. Eiler CEO Eiler Communications and founder of the Re:NEW Michigan brand, and Dr. John Austin, president, Michigan State Board of Education, non-resident senior fellow Brookings Institution, directed Great Lakes Economic Initiative, gave a pre-recorded address to the group.
This event was co-sponsored by Re:NEW Michigan.
Media
Ann Arbor Elections: Exploring Options
The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this last of two public conversations on the current process of electing local public officials, with a look at how municipalities around the country elect their public officials.
Panelists include Professor John Chamberlin, Professor Emeritus, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, Lawrence Kestenbaum, Washtenaw County Clerk; and Professor Joseph Ohren, Eastern Michigan University, Political Science Department.
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization and the cosponsor of this event, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Media
The May 5 State Ballot Proposal: What Is It? What Would It Do?
The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this discussion of the May 5 Ballot Proposal, “A proposal to amend the State Constitution to increase the sales/use tax from 6% to 7% to replace and supplement reduced revenue to the School Aid Fund and local units of government caused by the elimination of the sales/use tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for vehicles operating on public roads, and to give effect to laws that provide additional money for roads and other transportation purposes by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees.”
Susan Smith, President, League of Women Voters of Michigan, lead the discussion, which aimed to provide information on the proposal to amend the Michigan Constitution and on new laws that would be triggered by the amendment's approval. The presentation includes information on how state revenue would be increased and how it would be spent, and discussion of pros and cons of passing the legislation.
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization and this event's cosponsor, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Media
Long Distance Hiking: Tales from the Trail
Long distance hiker Chris "Wolverine" Hillier earned his "Triple Crown" title by completing the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Appalachian Trail, covering a total distance of about 7,900 miles. He was also the first to hike Michigan's 924-mile trail that reaches from Belle Isle to Ironwood. Chris will share his love for hiking through photos and stories, and pass along some of the lessons he has learned firsthand on the trail.
Media
Michigan's Drive-In Theaters
Here in Ann Arbor, watching outdoor movies at festivals is a way of life in the summertime. But how did we get here? What is the history of Michigan outdoor film venues? And why are drive-ins so scarce?
Revisit a part of Michigan History as Martin Bandyke, morning host on Ann Arbor's 107one, interviews Harry Skrdla about his new book Michigan's Drive-In Theaters and the history of these Michigan outdoor film venues. Michigan's Drive-In Theaters is a nostalgic depiction of the state's outdoor theaters from the pinnacle of their popularity to their downfall, and the subsequent resurgence of interest in the remaining theaters through more than 200 vintage images.
Harry Skrdla is an engineer and a historic-preservation consultant based in Ann Arbor who as contributed to the preservation and restoration of a number of noteworthy structures, including the ornate 1920s movie palace the Fox Theatre in Detroit, one of the last of its kind in America. The initial preservation of the Fox Theatre was overseen by Skrdla and fellow theatre historian, Greg Bellamy.
Media
Our Auntie Rosa: The Family of Rosa Parks Remembers Her Life and Lessons
Most people know Rosa Parks as the courageous civil rights activist whose sacrifices, along with those of many others, made it possible for us to live in a more just society today.
What the majority of her admirers throughout the world don’t know is that she was also a model of excellence in daily life, and was a devoted mother figure to her niece, Sheila McCauley Keys, and Sheila’s twelve siblings.
Our Auntie Rosa: The Family of Rosa Parks Remembers Her Life and Lessons, a new book of memories written by Sheila McCauley Keys with Eddie B. Allen, Jr., is a collection of never-before-seen photos, letters, and family stories that pay tribute to Rosa Parks and show the woman behind the legend. Sheila McCauley Keys will discuss her famous aunt and this new book of family stories and photos.
Media
The Coldest Case in Battle Creek History: Authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria R. Hester Discuss Their New True Crime Book 'The Murder of Maggie Hume'
Authors Blaine Pardoe and Victoria R. Hester will discuss their book, The Murder of Maggie Hume: Cold Case in Battle Creek, about the brutal murder of the daughter of a beloved Battle Creek football coach in 1982.
Compiled from documents, videos, and interviews, this book presents the facts to the public for the first time. Blaine and his daughter, Victoria Hester, have cracked open three decades of material on this mysterious tragedy, exposing the dark secrets and political in-fighting that tore at the Battle Creek legal system for years.
Media
Bee Awareness: Protecting our Pollinators With Dr. Meghan Milbrath Of Sand Hill Apiaries
What is going on with bees? Honey bees have been all over the media lately with talks of colony collapse and the doom of our food system.
Dr. Meghan Milbrath gives a brief history of bees and beekeeping in the United States, and talks about their current role in Agriculture. She will untangle what we know are the root causes for their decline, and discuss ways that you can become involved to help their plight.
Dr. Meghan Milbrath owns and manages Sand Hill Apiaries, a small beekeeping and queen rearing operation in Munith, MI. She began working with bees with her father over 20 years ago, and has been hooked on bees since. She most recently worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Entomology Department at Michigan State University, studying honey bee disease with renowned bee researcher, Zachary Huang.
This event was cosponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA).
Media
Michigan Author Jerry Dennis: A Daybreak Handbook
Author Jerry Dennis is best known as an award-winning nature writer with work primarily focused on Michigan and its waterways. His book The Living Great Lakes was the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads selection in 2010. He's now branched out in two new directions: poetry and publishing. Jerry's first book of poems, A Daybreak Handbook, was published in 2014. Also in 2014, Jerry, his wife Gail, and illustrator Glenn Wolff established Big Maple Press, a small press dedicated to producing special editions exclusively available for sale through independent booksellers.
In this talk, Jerry discusses these new avenues in his career, how he got started as a writer, and his ongoing work with the Great Lakes. He also reads selections from A Daybreak Handbook, The Windward Shore, and his recently back in print The Bird in the Waterfall.
Media
Nerd Nite #13 - Barking Up the Wrong Tree: A Crash Course in Tree Identification
Ben Connor Barrie – Barking Up the Wrong Tree: A Crash Course in Tree Identification
This lecture will be a crash course in tree identification. Attendees will learn how to start developing their tree ID skills, not just memorize a few trees. Beginners will focus on accurate genus level identification. More advanced participants will work on species level identification. By the end of the lecture, everyone should be able to confidently identify some of the most common trees in the region.
About Ben Connor Barrie:
Ben is a Ph.D. student studying forest ecology at the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. In his spare time, he runs the local website Damn Arbor. He knows all the trees.