Ann Arbor Folk Festival Announces Lineup | January 26-27

Morning, Ann Arbor! Welcome to your favorite “often Monday, sometimes Tuesday” local e-newsletter! Let’s dive in.

Read Time: 3.5 minutes

Reader Count: 1,397 townies

Percent of Ann Arbor Reading: 1.16%

ANN ARBORITES SHOULD KNOW

🪕 Folk Festival 2024: Last week, The Ark announced the 47th Ann Arbor Folk Festival would feature the Old Crow Medicine Show and Emmylou Harris as headliners and actor-musician Jeff Daniels as the master of ceremonies. For the first time since the pandemic, the festival will return to its two-night format. The festival will take place on Jan. 26-27 at Hill Auditorium.

🕵️‍♂️ NCAA Investigation: In a developing story, the University of Michigan’s football program is being investigated for sign-stealing from future opponents. The investigation alleges analytics assistant Connor Stalions was recording other Big Ten coaches during games to learn what signs corresponded to future plays. According to an ESPN report, Stalions is accused of purchasing tickets to more than 30 games over the past three years. Expect more news to break this week about the investigation.

🖥 Data Breach: The University of Michigan announced that a third-party source hacked into their computer systems, prompting an internet shutdown at the start of the fall semester. The intrusion, which occurred between Aug. 23-27, compromised the personal information (social security numbers, payment information, and more) of students, alumni, employees, and others. In response, the university has engaged outside cybersecurity experts and notified law enforcement. All affected individuals were sent a letter on Monday, October 23, and are being offered free credit monitoring services.

🚗 Widening U.S. 23: Ann Arbor's City Council unanimously opposes the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) proposal to widen U.S. 23. To align with the city's aim to cut driving by 50% by 2030, the Council urges MDOT to focus on designs that don't increase private vehicle traffic. Critics argue that widening the road won't ease congestion and call for more sustainable transit solutions.

🏈 Michigan Football Tracker: Week 8 of 13

• Current Record: 8-0

• Current Rank: #2 in the country

• Last Saturday: Michigan beat MSU 49-0.

• This Saturday: Michigan has a bye.

MICHIGANDERS SHOULD KNOW

💧 Filtered Water: Under new laws signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan has become the first state to mandate that filtered drinking water be available in all schools and daycare centers. Under the new legislature, facilities must install at least one bottle-filling station or faucet filter per 100 children by the end of the 2025-26 school year. The state has allocated $50 million to assist schools and daycare centers in purchasing water filters. The legislature is part of Michigan's broader efforts to combat lead contamination, especially following the Flint water crisis.

🤖 AI in Politics: Michigan lawmakers are pushing for legislation to require disclaimers on AI-generated political "deepfakes" and campaign ads. The bills, which have passed the House Elections Committee, would impose fines and criminal penalties for any ads that failed to include AI disclaimers. Penalties could be as severe as 93 days in jail for political professionals and up to five years in prison for repeated offenses. The legislation aims to counter the increasing use of AI to create convincingly altered content that could mislead voters. Four other states have already passed similar laws. The bills now move to the Michigan House floor for further consideration.

💸 Minimum Wage Ballot Proposal: A battle over Michigan's minimum wage is likely to head to court as Republican officials on the Board of State Canvassers refused to certify an estimated 360,309 signatures that would put a proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 by 2027 on the ballot. The dispute centers on a change in the petition's wording that would require only businesses with 21 or more employees to pay the state minimum wage, potentially exempting 90% of small businesses. Proponents of the Raise The Wage Michigan campaign say they're confident the proposal will still make the ballot, even if the fight goes to the Michigan Supreme Court.

🏡 September’s Housing Market: RealComp, a Michigan real estate data company, released a report on the state’s housing market. Last month’s year-over-year (YoY) highlights:

• Median Sale Price:

  • Michigan: +6.3% YoY ($255,000)

  • Washtenaw: +9.5% YoY ($383,333)

• On-Market Listings:

  • Michigan: -13.8% YoY

  • Washtenaw: -20.5% YoY

• Avg Days on Market:

  • Michigan: +7.4% YoY (27 to 29)

  • Washtenaw: +26.1% YoY (23 to 29)

• Closed Sales:

  • Michigan: -17.5% YoY (9,255)

  • Washtenaw: -18.3% YoY (300)

ON THE MARKET

2 Bed | 1 Bath | 933 Sqft | $370,000

4 Bed | 2 Bath | 2,476 Sqft | $585,000

4 Bed | 10 Bath | 19,339 Sqft | $10,000,000

ADOPTABLE HUMANE SOCIETY PETS

Chop | 5 months | Shepherd / Terrier

Nyctibius | 7 months | Domestic Shorthair

That's all for now! Have a great week in Tree Town!

- Andrew

P. P. S - Here’s a list of Halloween events happening downtown

P. P. P. S. - The FestiFools parade will return this spring

P. P. P. P. S. - Grand Valley State made it on ESPN’s Top 10 for an impressive one-handed touchdown catch