Ann Arbor News - Thursday, May 4

Morning, Ann Arbor! Today's newsletter is a mullet. We'll have business upfront (recent data about the state's economy) and we'll have a party in the back (ranking of the state's top craft beers). Let's start with the business.

• Michigan's economy was the 14th largest in the country last year ($490 billion)

• The state's economy grew the 25th fastest last year (1.8%), down from being the 13th fastest in 2021 (5.2%)

• But personal income only increased 0.4% - the 3rd lowest in the country

• Experts are cautiously optimistic for the state's 2023 growth

Now that that's out of the way - let's party.

Read Time: 3 minutes

Reader Count: 432 townies

Percent of Ann Arbor Reading: 0.36%

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ANN ARBORITES SHOULD KNOW

🚽 Sewage at the Arb: Due to a collapsed sewer pipe, 200 gallons of sewage spilled out of a manhole near U of M’s Nichols Arboretum Tuesday morning. The sewage flowed down a gravel pathway toward the Arb but did not reach any storm drains or waterways. Public works staff quickly replaced the faulty pipe and treated the affected pathways.

🚲 State and Hill Bike Lanes: This week, City Council voted 10-0 in favor of a construction contract for State and Hill Street that would remove on-street parking and left-turn lanes to add more bike lanes. In addition to redesigning the streets, the contract includes resurfacing the roads, improving crosswalk safety, and water main work. State Street construction will begin at the end of the month and be completed in August while Hill Street work will begin in 2024.

🔥 Geothermal Grant: Last week, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) announced the Department of Energy would be granting up to $588,000 to the city to build a community geothermal heating and cooling system for the Bryant neighborhood. With the geothermal system, the city aims to cover 75% of the heating and cooling load for 262 households, a local school, a community mental health center, and a public works facility. As one of the city's lowest-income areas (75% of households are considered low-income), Bryant neighborhood was strategically selected to receive the geothermal system and benefit from the reduced energy costs.

🚙 May Mobility Expands: May Mobility was awarded a $3 million grant from the state for its plan to hire 300 more workers and invest $18 million into its Ann Arbor headquarters. The autonomous vehicle company was founded in 2017, operates in several U.S. cities, and currently employs 197 Michigan workers. Of the 300 newly proposed jobs most are engineering related and will pay an average of $67.31 an hour ($140,000 per year).

MICHIGANDERS SHOULD KNOW

🎬 Traverse City Film Festival: Festival founder and Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore announced the Traverse City Film Festival would not return this year, ending its nearly 20-year history. In an email to festival supporters, Moore wrote it was best to end the festival “while we’re ahead, no longer in debt, and go out on top with many years of fond memories that we will all collectively cherish for the rest of our lives”.

📵 Phoneless Driving: The Michigan House passed a package of bills this week that would ban most handheld cell phone use while driving. Under the proposed bills, Michigan drivers would only be allowed to use their phones for emergency calls and hands-free navigation systems. If passed, Michigan would become the 26th state to enact such a bill.

☢️ Power Plant Controversy: Governor Gretchen Whitmer is backing the possible restart of a nuclear power plant in southwest Michigan. The Palisades Nuclear Generating Station used to produce 5% of the state's electricity but was shut down last year. However, the plant is now under new ownership, and there is renewed interest in restarting it to reach the country's goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

🍺 Michigan’s Top Craft Beers: Tasting Table has ranked the state’s top 17 craft beers. The top 5:

1. Kentucky Bourbon Stout - Founders Brewing Company

2. Two-Hearted IPA - Bell's Brewery

3. Plead the 5th - Dark Horse Brewing Company

4. Dragon's Milk - New Holland Brewing Company

5. Backwoods Bastard - Founders Brewing Company

We'll need a reader to do a taste test and report back. It's for science.

ON THE MARKET

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 980 Sqft | $375,000

4 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,512 Sqft | $899,900

4 Bed | 4 Bath | 2,905 Sqft | $1,290,000

That's all for now! Next Michigander comes out Monday

- Andrew

P. S. - If you like what you read, subscribe to get the Michgander emailed to you every Monday and Thursday

P. S. S. - At last weekend's graduation, striking U of M GSIs used a plane to protest