WILL GRUNDLER: Go get lost in a campus museum and you may even see some "nipple-teeth" or, as they are more commonly referred to, mastodons. PAGE 4A
FORGET THE BOOKS,WRITE SOME HOOKS
After more than 30 years honing the craft, Ann Arbor folk figure Dick
Siegel teaches the art of songwriting in a new LSA Honors minicourse.
S'SEE THE B-SIDE, INSIDE
i HI1 l
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, February 11,:2010
michigandaily.com
Regent Ihitch
says she's
not running
for governor
Shortened election allow me to run the kind of cam-
paign for governor I believe Michi-
Cycle swayed gan needs at this time," Ilitch
wrote in her statement. "And that
Democrat to stubborn fact is the one and only
reason why I am not running for
stay out of race governor today."
Ilitch, who is also a Detroit
By NICOLE ABER businesswoman, reinforced her
Daily News Editor statement in a teleconference with
reporters yesterday afternoon. In
University Regent Denise Ilitch the call, she told media outlets that
(D-Bingham Farms) announced she would have needed more time
yesterday she won't be throwing to makea successful run.
her hat into the race for governor "I felt as though much, much
of Michigan. Prior to yesterday's more planning needed to be done,"
announcement, Ilitch was widely Ilitch said on the conference call.
rumored to be among the front- "The box that continued to be
runners for the Democratic nomi- unchecked was time, and that was
nation if she had entered the race. something I could not control."
In a statement released yes- The election cycle "would not
terday, Ilitch - who has been a allow me to run the kind of cam-
University paign for governor I believe Michi-
regent since First seen on gan needs at this time," Ilitch
2008 - said said in the yesterday's statement.
she didn't -th wr However, Ilitch added that with an
think she extra six months she likely would
would have enough time before the have entered the race and had
primary election on Aug. 3 to carry enough time to prepare.
out a thorough campaign. The speculation that Ilitch was
"Through a methodical plan- considering a run for the post
ning process, I saw that the mes- began last month when Lt. Gov.
sage, resources, and many key John Cherry - widely considered
endorsements would be there, but to be the Democratic frontrun-
concluded that the compressed ner at the time - said he wouldn't
election year calendar would not See ILITCH, Page 7A
City of Ann Arbor Transportation Manager Eli Cooper in City Hall at a discussion about a new transportation project on Fuller Road yesterday.
In update, officials say Fu er
Road project is mving frwxard
New transportation Fuller Intermodal Transit Center
will include a four-level parking
center is expected lot with over 900 spaces, accord-
ing to Eli Cooper, the City of Ann
to open in 2,012 Arbor's transportation manager.
At the meeting last night, Coo-
By DYLAN CINTI per said the center, which will
Daily StaffReporter be located on Fuller Road, just
north of the University Hospital,
Ann Arbor city officials told will also feature a busing transit
a town hall meeting last night space, interior bus waiting room
that plans for a transit center are and bicycle storage area for com-
quickly gaining ground. muters.
Slated to open in 2012, the The University will shoulder
around 78 percent - or $45 mil-
lion - of the projected $60 million
total cost, a Nov. 8 Michigan Daily
article reported. In exchange for
the funding, the University will
receive 78 percent of the total
number of parking spots, which it
will reserve for hospital parking.
Cooper said the center is in the
first phase of a long-term vision
that some regard as the future of
transportation in Ann Arbor. The
plan currently involves estab-
lishing east-to-west and north-
to-south commuter trains to
accommodate the roughly 75,000
people who make the daily com-
mute to the city from areas like
Ypsilanti, Detroit and Dearborn.
At yesterday's meeting, Cooper
said the Fuller station will serve
as "a major transit corridor" for
the city. He added that the center
will also be geared toward com-
muters who rely on bicycles and
will feature lockers and showers.
"It's a real opportunity for
See TRANSIT, Page 7A
MVP announces president, VP
candidates for MSA elections
At mass meeting,
Margolis, Stuckey
say they want to
bring change to MSA
By ELYANA TWIGGS
Daily StaffReporter
The MichiganVisionPartyheld
its second mass meeting last night
to announce Ian Margolis and
Tom Stuckey as its presidential
and vice presidential candidates,
respectively, for next month's
MSA elections.
In addition to announcing the
candidates, the mass meeting
aimed to give information to stu-
dents who want to run as part of
MVP's executive slate. About 12
students showed up to the meet-
ing in Mason Hall last night.
Margolis, who was elected
internally by the party as its pres-
idential candidate, said he hopes
his leadership within the group
will attract new perspective
members to MSA. He added that
his experience as a current MSA
representative would help him if
he is elected to the post.
"We are beginning the process
to get the party moving," Margo-
lis said. "We really want to bring
in fresh voices."
Margolis said the way MSA
operates currently is ineffective
at promoting change, noting that
his record as a representative
indicates he's capable of taking
the assembly to the next level.
As a representative, Margolis
launched MSA Mondays, brought
University alumni who are White
House staffers to campus to talk
to students and was part of the
team that created the Block 'M' in
Michigan Stadium.
"This isn't about helping with
the campaign," Margolis said.
"This is about changing MSA."
"They don't accomplish any-
thing they say," he said of the
current MSA. "They sit and they
bicker about political issues in
general meetings."
See MVP, Page 7A
LOCAL ECON Ms
A2, Ypsilanti merge chambers of commerce
Silvio's Organic Pizza located on N. University Ave. recently underwent renovations to expand its space.
To better serve customers,
Silvio's Pizza gets new look
Move is an effort
to cut costs,
streamline services
By NEETHI SRINIVASAN
For the Daily
The Ann Arbor Area Cham-
ber of Commerce and the Ypsi-
lanti Area Chamber of Commerce
recently joined together in an
effort to create a more cost-effi-
cient organization that serves
businesses in the area struggling
with the difficult economy.
The merger was officially
announced on Dec. 18, but dis-
cussion of the partnership began
about five months ago during the
Community Success Program -
a joint event the leaders of both
chambers attended - according
to Mark Ouimet, the immediate
past chair of the newly combined
chamber.
Ouimet said the "great deal
of duplicate service" by both
chambers served as an impetus
for consolidating the respective
branches.
Diane Keller, president and
CEO of the new chamber, also
attributed the merge to the need
to streamline the chambers' ser-
vices.
"We're going to have one new
structure, which will be great for
the membership," Keller said.
Both organizations share the
similar goals of advocating for
and promoting local businesses.
TheAnnArbor Chamberprovides
See COMMERCE, Page 7A
Once known for ing the space with red-painted
walls and green chairs in a tribute
pizza by the slice, to its culinary heritage.
The restaurant, located at 715
restaurant now has North University Ave., updated
its space to include a new modern
spacefor 7 patrons interior, more seating options and
an expanded menu.
By LIZZY ALFS The family-run restaurant,
For the Daily established in 2005, started as a
~-hole-in-the-wall offering pizza
Silvio's Organic Pizza, a restau- by the slice, according to Silvio's
rant known for its healthy food manager Cathy Banish. But own-
and intimate atmosphere, recently ers Silvio and Catia Medoro, who
underwent renovations, decorat- do the majority of the cooking for
the restaurant, decided to give the
restaurant a slightly more formal
feel.
The expansion, which extends
into the former Beanie June Bou-
tique space, now includes a bar and
allows for room to seat about 70
customers.
"We're hoping to transition to a
full-scale sit down dining service
offering music," Banish said. "All
we've done is make a larger, still
comfortable environment offering
more tables, more seating and a
See SILVIO'S, Page 7A
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