Opinion 4 New West Side is an encouraging sign Sports 11 M' Nine loses in NCAA regional Jbr BttidiJulaijg Monday,June 6, 2005 Summer Weekly One-hundred- ourteen ears ofeditorial reedom www.michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXV, No. 128 ©2005 The Michigan Daily A bump along the road Plans for Tennessee beats Big House Michigan to force elimination game By Laura Van Hyfte By Scott Bell and Justin Miller Daily Sports Writer Daily News Editors OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - After The Big House will be adding a second deck to one of the cruising through the early part of its end zone seating sections, in addition to the current renova- drive to the Women's College World tions, if approved by the University Board of Regents this Series finals, the Michigan softball summer. team hit a bump in Current renovations have cost the stadium 4,868 seats the road in the form because of the addition of 5,632 seats in luxury boxes and of the Tennessee Lady other areas of the stadium. The second deck will compen- Volunteers. sate for the loss in seating capacity due to the renovations, Tennessee freshman Tonya Callahan said Michael Stevenson, executive director of athletics. drilled a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall, Stevenson said that there has been incredible support from giving her a two-run walk-off home run fans, who think that maintaining the stadium's status as the in the bottom of the 11th inning and pro- largest venue in terms of seating in the nation is important. pelling her team to a 2-0 victory. The "We've gotten approximately 200 e-mails from fans, and home run brought in the only runs of 99 percent of those e-mails we've gotten have been sup- the game and forced a final game to be portive of the expansion and renovations that we're talking played hetween the teams today. MihMIKt HUL5SaUS/saiy ahout," Stevenson said. "I knew I had two strikes on me and I Michigan pitcher Angle Danis walks off the field after the Wolverines' extrainnings loss to Tennessee. Stevenson said that fans told him that whatever is done to had to just go up there swinging the bat," innings they batted in, but they failed to an opportunity to take the lead with just the stadium, it cannot be smaller than it currently is. Callahan said, "I knew I wasn't going to get any across home plate. one out. Abbott got junior third base- "We've got the largest stadium in the country," Stevenson get anything good, so I took what was "We just had the inability to get the big man Grace Leutele to strike out swing- said. "Our fans take great pride in (that and) they don't want given to me." hit when we needed to," Michigan coach ing, before facing junior rightfielder us to do anything that would diminish that." Ritter admitted the pitch was not exe- Carol Hutchins said. "That's what fast Stephanie Bercaw. Bercaw - who was Despite the unknown cost of the project, raising money for cuted as planned. pitch softball is, it's timely hitting. We've 3-for-4 for the night when she came to the renovations was not a major concern to Stevenson. Revenue "It was a rise ball that didn't rise as had it all year, and you have to give Mon- the plate - ended up going around on from football tickets will go toward the cost of the renovations high as I wanted," Ritter said. ica Abbott credit." a checked swing on a lowball with a 3-2 and the future additions to the end zone, Stevenson said. The game was back-and-forth up until One of the most costly times of not count. The ball got behind the catcher In response to concerns that the stadium will loose its the dramatic finish, as the Lady Vol- being able to get a clutch hit came in as Findlay and Motycka advanced to traditional, symmetrical look, Stevenson said that the pro- unteers (67-14) and their ace pitcher, the Wolverines' half of the 11th inning. third and second, respectively. Bercaw posed addition will be attractive and traditional. sophomore Monica Abbott, battled with After senior designated player Nicole paused before she began running for "We believe it will be a very clean look, and there will be Michigan and its ace, junior Jennie Rit- Motycka reached first base on an error, first. Tennessee freshman catcher Shan- symmetry," Stevenson said. "There is the option of filling in ter. The Wolverines (62-6) had runners moving freshman first baseman Saman- non Doepking fired the ball to first base the other (end zone) at some point for additional seating." in scoring position for seven of the 11 tha Findlay to second base, Michigan had See SOFTBALL, page 12 See STADIUM, Page 2 Students form own residential association Group located in Fifth Ward will lobby for students and renters, promote legislation By Rebekah Hodge For the Daily A group of students living in Ann Arbor's Fifth Ward has banded together to address community concerns for student rent- ers, landlords and other tenants in an area not known for student involvement. The New West Side Association, formed last month by Rackham student Dale Winling and a handful of other students, operates pri- marily through the community, with limited interaction planned with the University or the Michigan Student Assembly. The association plans to help students and renters organize and develop a voice in local issues by giving their issues attention through blogs and meetings. The New West Side currently consists of a small number of students and renters, but the organizers plan to expand and become a registered association in the city. "The mission of the New West Side Association is to provide a forum for communication among students and renters," Win- ling said. After the proposed couch ban that the Old Forth Ward Asso- ciation brought to the Ann Arbor city council last summer, many students began discussions on blogs and other websites to counter the idea that house fires are related to the couches many students and renters keep on their porches. Because homeowners in the ward have been organized, they have been able to promote their agenda in the community. But since students and renters have in the past been highly disorganized, they have normally only associated with one another through school programs, not through neighborhood asso- ciations - giving them limited capacity to voice their concerns for the neighborhood itself. Christine Crockett, chairperson of the Old Fourth Ward Asso- ciation said she was happy to see student involvement in residential politics. "It sounds like this organization is aimed at good living accom- modations, and I think that's a positive thing - I love it when I see young people getting involved. I think it's positive whenever people educate themselves, get involved, get interested and try to make the world a better place to live in," Crockett said. The New West Side is also working toward legalization of acces- sory dwelling units, sometimes called "granny flats." The asso- ciation said these add-ons could be rented out, creating affordable means of living and a source of extra revenue for the homeowner. Crockett said the New West Side would have to work hard to get the units approved in single-family neighborhoods. "This issue came up in relation to the neighborhoods that are essentially single-family neighborhoods and it was defeated. I think it would be a real selling job in the neighborhood with single-family housing," Crockett said, adding that the units have not been an issue in family neighborhoods. In the long term, the New West Side would like to see a public transit system developed in Ann Arbor to create density and help increase the potential quality of life. See WEST SIDE, Page 8 ---------- -------------- ---------------------------------