Local 3rd Grade Teacher Named Miss Michigan

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Morning, Ann Arbor! Gnarly weather week ahead. We’ll be pushing 100 today, followed by 4 days of thunderstorms. One of those “triple-check the weather before you head out” weeks.

Read Time: 3.5 minutes

Reader Count: 3,931 townies

Percent of Ann Arbor Reading: 3.27%

👑 Miss Michigan: Last week, Hannah Palmer, an AAPS 3rd-grade teacher, was crowned Miss Michigan. Known as Ms. Palmer to her students, she plans to use her platform to inspire young people to embrace their full potential - whether in the classroom, on the pageant stage, or beyond. As founder and CEO of the Sunflower Project, she champions mental health education and encourages everyone to “just ask ‘how are you?’” to support loved ones. Next, Palmer will represent Michigan at Miss America 2025 while continuing to teach and mentor the next generation.

🇧🇷 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Ann Arbor Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Ann Arbor BJJ), a new Jiu-Jitsu gym, opened this past Monday at 525 East Liberty Street (kitty-corner from Knight's steakhouse and right next to Graffiti Alley). The gym will be open daily from 6 AM to 8:30 PM and will offer a range of classes for adults and kids. Ann Arbor BJJ is offering a free 3-day trial for new members - you can sign up here.

🔞 Changing Demographics: More than half of Michigan’s counties (45 out of 83) now have more residents aged 65 and older than children under 18, a dramatic reversal from 1970 when kids outnumbered seniors by more than four to one. This shift has statewide implications, from shrinking school enrollments in rural districts to soaring demand for senior housing and services as the Baby Boomer generation ages. Michigan’s birth rate has plummeted, with annual births falling below 100,000 in 2023 for the first time since 1940 (when the state’s population was almost half of what it is now).

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👃 FRESH: Pure Michigan (an official advertising campaign by the state) has launched FRESH - a Michigan-themed scent that smells like "beachy vacation days in the Great Lakes State." The 4-ounce mist is available online and at Aroma Labs locations in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Chicago. FRESH is just the first of a seasonal lineup that will include HARVEST, FIRST SNOW, and AWAKENING (spring tulips).

⛳️ Lightning Round: Mother Nature hits the fairway more than I do. Last week, a lightning bolt struck the 11th fairway of the Treetops Resort golf course in Gaylord, MI. Fortunately, lightning strikes release nitrogen in the soil, which serves as a natural fertilizer for the grass.

🎸 Thursday’s Sonic Lunch Concert: Michigander (no relation, but great minds think alike)

• Style: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock

• Popularity: 366K monthly Spotify listeners

• Top Song: “Misery” with 19.4M plays

• Links to Listen: Spotify or Apple Music

• Concert Details: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm on the corner of Liberty and Division in downtown Ann Arbor

ON THE MARKET

3 Bed | 1 Bath | 996 Sqft | $450,000

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 2,600 Sqft | $589,000

4 Bed | 2 Bath | 2,482 Sqft | $1,075,000

ADOPTABLE HUMANE SOCIETY PETS

Ted | 5 years | Male

Peppers | 3 years | Male

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

- Andrew

P. P. S. - The Amtrak Social Media Manager deserves a raise

P. P. P. S. - Cool drone footage of last week’s No Kings protest

P. P. P. P. S. - Planet Earth documentary or a local Redditor’s porch camera? Part 1 and part 2

P. P. P. P. P. S. - Thanks to 1440 Media for sponsoring this week’s Michigander.

Interested in advertising in the Michigander? Click here for pricing. Bulk discounting available.