4 2A - Wednesday, February 6, 2008 TH ELDEST STORE IN NICKELS A RCADE T ip your hat to Van Boven Nestled between State and Maynard streets, Nickels Arcade is a quaint outdoor walkway adorned with decorative columns, stone tiled floors and a glass atrium ceiling. The walkway is home to some of Ann Arbor's old- est specialty shops. The offices there range from clothing stores to a hypnotherapy center to a law office. But of all its shops, Nickels Arcade's oldest is Van Boven's, an upscale men's clothing store. Pete Van Boven, a former Uni- versity baseball player, and two of his friends founded the store in 1921. The store replaced a butcher shop that opened in the same space five years earlier. It's cur- rently owned by second-genera- tion members of the Van Boven family. Van Boven's salesman Leona Edick said the store's custom are mostly comprised of Univ sity students and faculty me bers. He said older alumni oftenv: the store to see if it's still arout "There are still a lot of peo visiting who remember the stc from when they were student he said. "If they like what th see, they'll buy." When asked how the stc functions when students lea for the summer, Edick said t business operates just fine. Sales aren't what fluctu, most during the summer, he sa "The energy level goes do' when students leave," Edick sa Edick said it's rare that a fa ily-owned store like Van Bover which won the 2007 Ann Arbor's ard Choice Award for best men's ers clothing, would stay in the same er- location for so long. m- "There are few cities and towns that have stores like this," isit Edick said. "This kind of store nd. is disappearing fast. The larger ple stores are just too much competi- ore tion. The smaller ones just can't s," make it." iey The Van Boven Shoe Store, also in Nickels Arcade, was once ore owned by the Van Boven fam- ave ily, but it lost its ties to the men's :he clothing shop when the family sold the store to different peo- ate ple. id. The Van Bovens owned both wn the shoe store and men's clothing id. shop at the'same time for more Lean m- than 50 years before the sale. abou n's, KOJOASIEDU Ann, CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES SAID ALSALAH/Da nand tdick, an amplayee at Van Bovns fan 12 years, talks ut the histany of the shop. Van Boven has been a staple at Arbor since World War 1. The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com L7te 1Mid-lan Daily 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com ANDREWGROSSMAN DAVID GOH Editor in Chief Business Manager 734-647-3336 734-764-0558 gnaaamangmichigandaityecoei gohgmiehigandaiy.eom CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom Office hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.. -2 a.m, 734-763-2459 News Tips news@michigandaily.com tarnectians cornraensa@akhigandaily.cen Letters to the Editor tothedaily@michigandaly.com Photography Department photo@michigandaily.com 734-764-0s63 ArtslSection artspage@michigandaily.com 734-763-0379 Editorial Page opinion@inichigandaily.com 734-763-0379 Sports Section sports@michigandailycom Display Sales display@miiichigandaily.com 734-764-0554 Classified Sales classified@michigandaily.com 734-764-0557 Online Sales oelineads@michigandaily.com Finance finance@michigandaily.com 734-763-3246 EDITORIAL STAFF Gabe Nelson ManagingEditor nelson@michigandaily.com Chris Herring ManagingNewsEditor herring@michigandaily.com NEWS EDITORS: Emily Barton,KellyFraserLisa Haidostian,AndyKroll Gary Graca Editorial Page Editor gaca@michigandaily.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR IA L PAGE EDITORS: Emmarie Huetteman, Emily Michels, Arikia Milleikan, Kate Peabody, Matthew Trecha NateSandals Managing Sports Editor sandals@michigandaily.com SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Hn.Jose Bosch, Dan Feldman, Mark Giannotto, Courtney Ratkowiak, Ian Robinson SPORTS N IGH T E DITORS: Nicole Auerbach, Michael Eisenstein, ChrisGaerig ManagingArts Editor gaerig@nichigandaiy.con ASSOCIAT E A RTS EDITORS: Matt Emery, Caroline Hartmann, Michael Passman ARTS SUBEDITORS: Brandon Conradis, Matt Roney, Mark Schultz, Whitney Pow RodrigoGaya ManagingPhotoEditor gaya@mchigandailycom ASeSOCIAE aTaaaITOS:Jey Cho, achry5Misder ASSSTANTPHOE DISe;jielRbu iiI e de'S "'Sanoa Allison Ghaman Managing Design Editor ghaman@michigandaily.com ASSOCIATE DESIGN EDITORS: Bridget O'Donnel1 Iillary Ruffe BridgetuO'Donnell Managing Online Editorodonnell@michigandaily.com ^SSOCIATE ONLINE EDITORS: Tom Haynes Jessica Vosgerchian Magazine Editor vosgerchian@michigandaily.com PeterbSchottenfels MultimediaEditor schottenfels@michigandaily.com Katherine Mitchell Copyachie fmitchk@aumich.edu ASSOCIATE COPY CHIEF: Zenaida Rivera Paul Johnson Public Editor pubiceditor@umich.edu BUSINESS STAFF David Dai aisplay Advertisingsales Manager DISPLAY ADVERTISING SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Charles Hsieh DISPLAY ADVERTISING ASSISTANT MANAGER: Michael Schrotenboer David Reile classifiedtSales Manager Classified Sales Assistant Manager: Elaina Bughi Hailey Swartz Online sales Manager Rob Abb Layout Manager Chelsea Hoard Production Manager Margaret Lim Finance Manager FINANCE ASSISTANT MANAGER: Daniel Cheung The MichiganDaly(ISSN0745-967)ispublshedMonday throughFridayduringthefalland winter terms by studentsat theUniversity of Michigan.Onecopyis available free of charge toalreaders AdditionacopiesmaybepickedupattheDaily'sofitefor$2.Subscriptionsforfallterm,startingin Septembervia U.S.malare $t.Winter term(January through Apri)tis$115,yearlong(September throughApri is$195sU niversity affiates are subject toareducedsubscriptionrate. On-campus subscriptionsforfaltermare$35.Subscriptionsmust beprepaid.TheMichiganDailyisamenberof, TheAssociatedPressandTheAssociatedCollegiatePress, 4 CRIME NOTES 'U' staffer slips, Phone, watch Lecture on Discussion injures ankle WHERE: Thayer Carport WHEN: Monday at about 7:55 a.m. WHAT: A caller reported that a University employee slipped and fell in a carport parking lot, the Department of Public Safety reported. The woman injured her ankle and was taken to the hospital by a Huron Valley Ambulance. stolen from CCRB locker WHERE: Central Campus Recreation Building WHEN: Monday at about 7:15 p.m. WHAT: A student reported his cell phone and watch were stolen from a CCRB locker, DPS reported. The stolen items were valued at $100. Minutes later, poverty and the on whites and middle class hip-hop culture ftamps sioien bag swiped in from unlocked 1neker room WHAT: A lecture by Kather- ine Newman, a sociology pro- fessor at Princeton University, on "The Missing Class" and poverty in America WHO: Ford School of Public Policy WHEN: Today at 4 p.m. WHERE: Weill Hall, Annen- berg Auditorium, Room 1120 Political awareness talk WHAT: A meeting at which representatives of student organizations supporting presidential candidates will highlight presidential candi- dates' campaign platforms WHO: University Unions Arts & Programs WHEN: Today at 7p.m. WHERE: Michigan League, Vandenberg Room WHAT: A discussion led by activist Bakari Kitwana, called "Why White Kids Love Hip Hop," about the role of hip-hop culture in the white youth community WHO: Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs WHEN: Today at 8 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union Ballroom CORRECTIONS . Two articles in yesterday's Daily (On day of big test, unity among campusDems and Businessman Romney paying commission to student fundraisers), incorrectly said Kelly Bernero, the chair of the University's chapter of Students for Hillary, is a senior. She is a sophomore. " Please report any error in the Daily to correc- tions@michigandaily.com. Today is National Signing Day, the first day that high school seniors can sign let- ters of commitment to play col- lege football. Terrelle Pryor, the nation's top recruit according to rivals.com, has wavered on whether he plans to announce his college decision today. Obedient Sons and Daughters - designed by husband and wife duo Swain and Christina Hutson - debuted their new line of women's attire Sunday at New York's Fashion Week. The line is described as a mix of prep school form and rebel ideals: >>FOR MORE.SEE ARTS, PAGE 5A A medical student vis- iting a zoo in Germany administered CPR to save the life of a baby tiger choking on a piece of meat, the Spiegel Online International reported. a desk drawer WHERE: Medical Inn WHEN: Monday at about 8:20 a.m. WHAT: A book of stamps valued at $5 was stolen from the Medical Inn, DPS report- ed. The stamps were taken from a desk drawer that had been left unlocked. WHERE: Central Campus Recreation Building WHEN: Monday at about 7:45 p.m. WHAT: A student reported his duffel bag stolen from a CCRB locker room, DPS reported. The bag is valued at-$172. Police have no sus- pects. Meijer likely violated election laws Meijer could face sanctions for illegal financing GRAND RAPIDS (AP) - Mei- jer Inc. said yesterday an internal investigation revealed it likely vio- lated Michigan campaign finance laws in a clash with local officials over a proposed development in Grand Traverse County. The Grand Rapids-based retail- er said it may have broken the law by "providing corporate funds to support a recall election" of Acme Township officials in 2007. State law prohibits corporations from contributingto political campaigns. A violation is a felony with a maxi- mum fine of $10,000. Meijer said another possible problem was its involvement in a 2005 referendum election to over- turn a moratorium on "big box superstores" in the township. "We are troubled and concerned by what has occurred," Meijer said in a statement. "Meijer accepts full responsibility, and we apologize for the violation of trust these actions caused." Company officials said they will continue to cooperate with a state investigation into the situation and will accept any resulting penalties and fines. Meijer said italso might take per- sonnel actions related to the case. The situation is being reviewed by the secretary of state's legal and regulatory bureau. The attorney who handled the investigation for Meijer sent a letter to the bureau requesting details on how to pro- ceed and offering documentation. The letter said the review found that certain expenditures that should have been made by Meijer's political action committee were instead made by Meijer Inc. direct- ly. Michigan State Police are inves- tigating at the request of the Grand Traverse County prosecutor. Meijer and local supporters have fought for years with local oppo- nents over a plan to build a store in the township a few miles east of Traverse City. In 2004, Meijer and a develop- ment company called Village at Grand Traverse sued a number of township officials opposed to the project, accusing them of a conflict of interest. Meijer filed another suit in 2006 against four township board members over a proposed store in a neighboring mixed-use develop- ment. Meijer later dropped its indi- vidual lawsuits in both cases, but the Village did not. A pro-Meijer group of local residents tried to recall township board members but lost in a Febru- ary 2007 referendum. Afterward, township Treasurer Bill Boltres sued Meijer, accusing the retailer of damaging his health and reputa- tion. The suit was settled for an undis- closed amount. The Traverse City Record-Eagle reported in December that records from the suit showed that a Grand Rapids public relations firm had billed Meijer more than $30,000 for secretly managing the recall cam- paign. The firm crafted recall language, devised election strategy, wrote campaign literature and used local residents as figureheads, the news- paper reported. Messages seekingcomment were left with Boltres and his attorney yesterday. As Microsoft looks to team up with Yahoo, Google acts a Google looks to thwart potential merger between web giants By STEPHEN LABATON and MIGUEL HELFT The New York Times It could be payback time. An expensive legal and politi- cal campaign last year by Micro- soft helped delay completion of Google's $3.1 billion bid for the online advertising company Dou- bleClick. Microsoft filed briefs against the deal in the United States and abroad, testified against it in Congress and worked with a public relations firm to generate opposition. Now Google is preparing to strike back. With Microsoft bidding nearly $45 billion to buy Yahoo, Google has begun to lay the groundwork to try to delay, and possibly derail, any deal. Google executives have asked company lobbyists to develop a political strategy to challenge the acquisition, which could threaten Google's domi- nance of Internet advertising. Google's top legal officer posted a statement this weekend that criti- cized the proposed deal. Spokesmen for the two compa- nies in Washington declined to comment Monday about a loom- ing legal and political battle, which has yet to fully emerge and is likely to stay below the radar at least until the control of Yahoo seems clear. Moreover, some antitrust spe- cialists and government officials said Google might tread carefully in opposing any deal since it could backfire. Google dominates the market for Internet advertising, and to the extent it portrays the deal as encroaching on that dominance, it could help make Microsoft's case that its acquisition of Yahoo would create a more competitive marketplace. Lawmakers are responding to the takeover attempt. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said he would hold hearings to examine any proposed deal. And Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), who leads an important antitrust subcommittee, said he was inter- ested in the proposed acquisition. "Should Yahoo accept Microsoft's offer," he said, "the subcommit- tee expects to hold hearings to explore the competitive and pri- vacy implications of the deal." Google and Microsoft have the ability to wage a major politi- cal fight, the kind appreciated in Washington for the money it gen- erates in lobbyist fees and politi- cal donations for lawmakers. Both companies began their Washing- ton operations as one-man bands but now have large presences. Moreover, the size and com- plexity of a Microsoft-Yahoo deal is such that a government review is unlikely tobe completed quick- ly, particularly in an election year, and may not be final before a new administration takes office in 2009. Should Yahoo finally agree to be acquired by Microsoft, a focus of the political and legal debate will be the products and markets that could be affected. Microsoft has said the acquisi- tion would increase competition in two related and large mar- kets: Internet search and online advertising. Many ad-industry executives, who have watched Google's rise with some trepida- tion, agree. 4 0 WANT TO JOIN THE NEWS STAFF? E-mail herring@michigandaily.com BINMG IN THE CHINESE NEW YEAR WITH THE COURTYARDS! Now Leasing for Fall 2008 1, 2, 3, & 4 Bedroom Free Internet Aprm t Free Tanning Fully Furnished State-of-the-Art All utilities paid Theater Fre " Satellite TV Fitness Center Free Chinese Food and Giveaways ENTER OUR RAFFLE TO WIN SOME GREAT PRIZES THE - " COURTYARDS* 1731 A PLYMOUTH ROAD, ANN ARBOR, MI 48105 734.994.6007