׉?ׁB!בCטFFu׉׉ 7cassandra://EjcY0TQYzQ1hq2dTb5zZKO40PcahYu46aHlRkcLkcoAw`׉ 7cassandra://C4S_Dv2pJDCW6C8bDs6k309I1JTOg0ckosnk7khNk2A͓o`h׉ 7cassandra://pr8JIa5ndfa9pmM7tbMv4WvjCU61CGfo5LMXieb2bdI2`׉ 7cassandra://M8YC-QiEOdNmmVsuIazU42vFnK_HwFxos62Br5TWaoEJ[B͠4dvGFז0?HSטFu׈K0Y2׈EdvGFז0?HS׉E2 $ APRIL 21, 2023 | VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 9 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Water for life: a message from the Kogi. Page 4 MEET YOUR VENDOR: GLEN PAGE PAGE 3 GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann EARTH DAY ISSUE: Climate change, sustainability and transportation justice THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor # ׉ 7cassandra://pr8JIa5ndfa9pmM7tbMv4WvjCU61CGfo5LMXieb2bdI2`dvGFז0?HSdvGFז0?HS בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://gr-AgG59Px4QoUX6OsZDPdr2T1t67VzzzeAF5wGejYY1`I׉ 7cassandra://iiXVLRBS6_JXFKp_3a5cufUMOEYjbmV3p8qvSOeYHp0q`׉ 7cassandra://YcdZcmfMh_iZfkS4r4rHIEmZMbXWNr07hbKnfJrAYTsL`׉ 7cassandra://dqBthNMtt7C87SgrAtZyQ8HXeoskC0J4tlVtBBLmfrQ̈͠ idvHFז0?HSΔנdvGFז0?HSˁǁ9׉H!http://www.groundcovernews.org%20Gׁ ׁ rנdvGFז0?HŚ܁9׉H http://linktr.ee/groundcovernewsGׁ ׁ rנdvGFז0?HŚ̤݁9׉Hhttp://gofund.me/7e62b7e4Gׁ ׁ rנdvHFז0?HSԁ̨9ׁHhttp://gofund.me/7e62b7e4.ׁ ׁ Ј׉E V2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER Conduit to the universe MARKONA LOVE Groundcover vendor No. 590 Now I See From Here To There Light Was There Now It's Here A Wing of Feathers Truth Flies In Awareness Arrives Void Undone New Day Rise Old Day Fade Open Space Knowledge Replace APRIL 21, 2023 content CORRECTION In last issue, there was a misprinted line in this poem. The poem should have been published as it is printed here. CREATING OPPORTUNITY AND A VOICE FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE WHILE TAKING ACTION TO END HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY. Groundcover News, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in April 2010 as a means to empower lowincome persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. Vendors purchase each copy of our regular editions of Groundcover News at our office for 50 cents. This money goes towards production costs. Vendors work selling the paper on the street for $2, keeping all income and tips from each sale. Street papers like Groundcover News exist in cities all over the United States, as well as in more than 40 other countries, in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people and combat the increase in poverty. Our paper is a proud member of the International Network of Street Papers. STAFF Lindsay Calka — publisher Cynthia Price — editor ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Gigi Bylinksy Robert Coulter Chris Fields Simone Fletcher Cindy Gere Markona Love Tabitha Ludwig Gregg Saldutti Will Shakespeare Denise Shearer PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Gwynn Chio GROUNDCOVER NEWS ADVERTISING RATES Size 1/8 1/6 1/4 1/2 full page Black/White $110.00 $145.00 $200.00 $375.00 $650.00 Color $150.00 $200.00 $265.00 $500.00 $900.00 Dimensions (W x H in inches) 5 X 3 or 2.5 X 6.5 5 X 4 5 X 6.25 5 X 13 or 10.25 X 6.5 10.25 X 13 Layla McMurturie Jesse Owen Anabel Sicko Sandy Smith Samiha Rahman VOLUNTEERS Jessi Averill Logan Brown Luiza Duarte Caetano Glenn Gates Alexandra Granberg Zachary Dortzbach Robert Klingler Grace Sielinski Mira Simonton-Chao Alex Tarbet Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Claude VanValkenburg Navya Yagalla Emily Yao CONTACT US Story and photo submissions: submissions@groundcovernews.com Advertising and partnerships: contact@groundcovernews.com Office: 423 S. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor Mon-Sat, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, PITCH A STORY + LEARN MORE www.groundcovernews.org linktr.ee/groundcovernews PACKAGE PRICING Three Months/Six Issues: 15% off Six Months/Twelve Issues: 25% off Full Year/Twenty-four Issues: 35% off Only run for two weeks/one issue: 40% off Additional 20% discount for money saving coupons ׉ 7cassandra://YcdZcmfMh_iZfkS4r4rHIEmZMbXWNr07hbKnfJrAYTsL`dvGFז0?HS׉ErAPRIL 21, 2023 ON MY CORNER MEET YOUR VENDOR Baby resources needed My name is Tabitha. My fiance Sean and I are having a baby in July and definitely need help with getting the things needed. If anyone would like to help out my family with this beautiful baby girl, I have a baby registry on Amazon and also at Target. The baby registry is in the name “Tabitha Ludwig.” Please help us as we have nothGlen Page, vendor No. 407 In one sentence, who are you? Glen, the world’s first fully-functioning Black superhero, at your service. Where do you usually sell Groundcover News? Between Starbucks on State Street and the State Theater, and sometimes outside of Running Fit! What is your favorite spot in Washtenaw County? Home. What is your favorite thing to do in Washtenaw County? Movies and music. Why did you start selling Groundcover? To keep the paper functioning properly. What words do you live by? Think on your feet. What is something about you that someone on the street wouldn't know? How serious I am about the paper and what my contribution to this noble cause will be. What motivates you to work hard selling Groundcover News? The crowd. If you had a warning label, what would yours say? Nuclear. What is your superpower? My ability to see through B.S. and other things. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Fish. If you could do anything for a day, what would it be? Sell the paper. What's the worst thing about selling Groundcover News? Just standing there. Home pleasures for Earth Day Sometimes your home is as good as any vacation resort. You can do all kinds of things at home for free that you can at a vacation resort that cost money. You can relax, listen to music, have a party and prepare good snacks or dinners. You can prepare good lunches too. You can party either by yourself or with a friend that you choose to party with. When you're by yourself you can watch and listen to what you want to listen to or just have quiet time. You can do your hair and nails; I personally like to trim my nails and make them short and clean, both my fingernails and toenails. You can soak your feet in nice Epsom salt water and just relax while you're watching TV or listening to music. And you can earth like flowers, butterflies, frogs and rabbits. You can decorate your home DENISE SHEARER Groundcover vendor No. 485 also dance while you're sitting in a chair or standing up to whatever music you wanna listen to. You can do arts and crafts of your choice. You can act like being at home is like being at camp and Earth Day and Earth Week is a perfect time for a home resort, too. You can do arts and crafts that have to do with the for Earth Day. You can buy artificial flowers and plants because they never die and they last forever. You can use cereal boxes and other cardboard things to recycle and do artwork with and make cards. And you can have healthy snacks for Earth Day like popcorn, corn, grapes and bananas to ensure your home is a resort. Earth Day is an important day for self care because us humans are a part of the earth and God made us to try to help take care of the earth. And take care of ourselves too. I hope everybody has a good time during Earth Day and Week! ing for the baby yet; it would be a great blessing. If you want to send money instead, we have a Venmo account @solowyte83 and a CashApp account $flyhighsis. There is also a GoFundMe camTABITHA LUDWIG Groundcover vendor No. 360 paign at gofund.me/7e62b7e4. Thank you all so much and God bless! Let's welcome baby Lena Almond to the Groundcover family soon. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 3 Remembering Antoine Antoine passed on Christmas Eve of 2022 leaving many loved ones behind, many of whom are part of the Groundcover family. Antoine was my friend. He was constantly at work. He cherished his family and friends. I will miss having conversations with him. You, my friend Antoine, will truly be missed. Rest In Peace My Brother! — Mike Jones, Groundcover vendor No. 113 Antoine was my best friend. To this very moment I grieve his passing. He was the strongest man I ever knew. Antoine was a person who put others before himself. I miss you my Brother. — Donald Abdul Roberts dvGFז0?HSdvGFז0?HS בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://V8bEaXR3QeFlyOot7NWTZe0uooBILhdsOMX0Te6ee_U `I׉ 7cassandra://Y9dmv-OrxZATmJzEsUzhWIPKeYxaMkrrcEpbhsm2sJ4,`׉ 7cassandra://nkpBgnKuBYarvpFv4-xh-jpZHNyS-qXJjYqgsCnGbqEQ`׉ 7cassandra://4rLrUloli1_i0hSrvTIGilWyrNQLHS6LabK8c7ywtkM͠ idvHFז0?HSՓנdvIFז0?HS܁ ̋9ׁHhttp://AADL.org/diyfestׁ ׁ ЈנdvIFז0?HSہ a؁̉9ׁHhttp://AADL.org/roomsׁ ׁ ЈנdvIFז0?HSځ f̘9ׁHhttp://AADL.org/printingׁ ׁ Ј׉E4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS EARTH DAY Water for life: a message from the Kogi Years ago, back in 1999, I came across a powerful film, “From the Heart of the World, the Elder Brothers Warning, Kogi Message to Humanity. Big Brother talks to Little Brother,” that shook my world perspective to the core. As an Indian, forced modern through adoption, I have tried to come to terms with this modern hypocrisy around mass consumption — trying to divorce ourselves from our excesses while at the same time crying “Save the Planet, Save the Earth.” We play games with our mind once a year on Earth Day, as we give to this charity or that organization, and in the end we can say “I did my part.” Yet, all the while, the plastic island out in the ocean is becoming a new continent of insanity. Kogi Message To Humanity I now take out segments of this film with my own ideas and my own thoughts. The Kogi lived for thousands of years in Colombia — both the coastal regions and the high Sierra mountains. The Kogi Indians lived in a holistic balance with other nations known as the Tianu. These nations lived in peace and harmony. In the words of the Kogi: Little Brother once lived here, but was removed by Creator. Away to his own lands, far away across the Big Waters away from Big Brother. But you came back, and with this, all was destroyed. Within Native American natural worldview, we are the guardians of Mother Earth. We feel like the Kogi — so the Hopi, the Kaska and Havasapi, too. Across the Americas, our voice has never been heard, because of the harshness of the truth. The Sacred Message is: We all need water. Humans need water. They must have water to live. The Earth is the same, water is sacred, but now it's weak and diseased. The animals are dying, the trees are drying up, becoming ill; new illnesses will appear with absolutely no cures or medicines. For them the reason is Younger Brother’s modern humanity: Violations of fundamental principles, total drilling into the Earth. Mining extraction of petrol, minerals stripped away from within the world. This is in fact destroying all of the world, and damaging the Earth. “BBC, tell Younger Brother to open your eyes.” You, Younger Brother, you have returned — you have come back to our high mountain lands. We wish to be apart from you, like the beams of our bridge. Apart, away, but you have returned and now we must speak to you. The Last Kaska family emerged from the woods in 1970 CINDY GERE Groundcover vendor No. 279 In 1970, the last Kaska Dene Nation family of Shamans emerged from out of the forest of the Yukon, surprising even the most seasoned Royal Canadian Mounted Police at that time. They became known as the Greenway family. They had lived high in the backcountry of the bush, on a plateau between two big mountains, living off the land and choosing to live a life of serenity and peace in contrast to modern ways. Hunting, fishing and trapping, with only 35 members of the family, ages one to 75. When the harsh abusive boarding schools were abolished, this family emerged out of the bush, choosing a new time with modern ways. The Kogi choose to stay modern, many tribes wish they had the same legacy of the Kogi nation. But the message is the same… I once had the privilege to drink pure crystal clear aquifer water, I never tasted anything so clean in my whole life. My Nahe mother gave it to me on our Tribal Lands. She showed me this cabin deep in the woods of the road. She told me "You, come here. You live here. The water is the best in this place." It was her old childhood home. I often dream of moving home, to that small strip of land. But like so many, it’s just a dream. Water is life The Kogi message is real. We are losing our water now faster than ever, and nobody understands more than the Kogi. We are now seeing what the Kogi were, in fact, talking about. The lands of the Kogi are drying up in their high Sierra mountains, where there were once glacial waters and vast snow plains. In the last five years, it has been truly challenging. To say we are in fact in a water crisis is putting it mildly. All last year, we watched as the Hoover Dam water line went lower than it has ever been in years. This has affected millions of people in five states. I feel that in the next five to 20 years, we will see real water shortages. This sacred planet has a finite amount of this resource. Yet we still use it with great disrespect. Water is running out and the Kogi tried to warn us in 1992 … yet we choose not to listen. When shall we listen to the warning? When no one can drink a drop of water? Let us see, water is truly sacred, the same way we see our religions. Perhaps then we could truly care as we do for God. APRIL 21, 2023 Awakening sound Years ago (in college), when I read of Thoreau putting his whole body on the ground — immersed deeply in the grass and bathing in the sun and sky and earth — I never dreamt that one day I would be living an adventure that would, in an unusual way, allow me to realize the gift of the earth. When I became "homeless" however, after 18-plus years of a difficult living situation, and two low-income rental situations that were beyond less than ideal, the beautiful, peaceful haven of the woods I now reside in received me. I have literally hugged and slept under trees; looked up to find stars and bats and birds already fondly or curiously noticing me; and have been cradled by higher ground and low-lying trees and bushes. Sure, I have not neglected to use the resources from my earnings to wisely create an all-weather-proof habitation to always have warmth in the cold and dry in the rain. Also, I do have life goals that likely eventually will bring my person and life back living in "my woods." It's a special, magical world of its own that deserves to be loved and respected. The air is even much lighter, healthier and easier to breathe. There, in "my" woods, I am not "homeless." I'm AMANDA GALE Groundcover vendor No. 573 to traditional "indoors." However, I am doing my best to imbue my every moment really living amidst and with nature. I feel God's presence and experience the joy and friendship of those trees, grass blades, bugs, chipmunks and squirrels. (My pet turtle Ticia is convinced that from her I must've realized the advantages of living in her natural environment.) There is an untouched beauty and peace and tranquility that is found experiencing God, being renewed, energizing and seeking the next fresh experiences and life adventures that I'm asking God to ultimately bring me to. I am so empowered, as I seek more paid work hours, continuing those I have now and my volunteering. Did I ever really hear before here? The enchanting sounds of amphibians barking out their own telegraphy; birds singing exotically, the chorus of the wind — fierce at times, gentle at other quiet moments. I pause seeking to being as best I can to receive these calls, to return to what these trees and stars and creatures are saying: praise to God and care deeply for these woods, animals and our fellow humans. After all, I've had the privilege of getting "up close and personal" with the awe and beauty of ice storms. Each day is revealing, inviting, full of wonder, grace and mystery. There is a mystical quality to the semi-hidden pathways, the very ground itself and the play of light or surround of dark. There is an aura — whether misty or clear. I am strengthened, healed, renewed, re-invigorated and recommissioned to bring what these woods are giving me, to others also. This conscience tempers my ecstatic discoveries with the desire to find ways to reach out and connect with others, giving and receiving to enrich our lives from and for each other, in ways that can't otherwise occur. Didn't Frost seek to persuade us, "We were the land's, before the land was ours"? The moon reaches her beams down at nightfall, assuring me I am hearing and heard. I just feel plain GRATEFUL! I just think; I would never have had the opportunity for this BLESSING if I hadn't been "homeless." ׉ 7cassandra://nkpBgnKuBYarvpFv4-xh-jpZHNyS-qXJjYqgsCnGbqEQ`dvGFז0?HS׉EAPRIL 21, 2023 HASH BASH 50th annual Hash Bash 'protest' disappoints The Hash Bash, most recently held on April 1, 2023, is no April Fool’s joke — activists fought for our rights to marijuana. This started when John Sinclair was arrested for two joints and then sentenced to two years in prison. This was his fight first. Local activists immediately jumped in with support from around the country. The John Sinclair Freedom rally held in Crisler Arena on December 10, 1971, is one of the most memorable concerts in Ann Arbor history and one of the most significant in the history of Rock and Roll. This was due in large part to John Lennon's decision to appear in support of radical White Panther leader, John Sinclair, who was currently serving 8.5 to 10 years in prison for the possession of two marijuana joints. 15,000 people attended the rally, all blatantly smoking pot during the concert. Three days after the concert, the Michigan Supreme Court issued an order releasing Sinclair on bond, which had been denied by the lower courts; and on March 9, 1972 the court held the state’s marijuana laws were unconstitutional (cruel and unusual sentence; illegal entrapment; and misclassification of marijuana as a narcotic drug) and freed John Sinclair! The first Hash Bash, a continuation of the protest, was held at the Diag on April 1, 1972. For 22 days in 1972, marijuana was legal in the state of Michigan. It is 52 years since it became the first legalization of marijuana in the United States. You don't need specific directions to Hash Bash— just follow the natural smell of weed (flower) wafting from the activist festival. I would especially like to see a designated area just for the Older Pioneer Hippies. That's who I'm hoping to share this with … I want to see who didn't give up the fight — for "Peace, Love, and Understanding," said the Hippies that I loved as a child. Ann Arbor was incredible in the 1960s and 70s, in all the best ways. I wish I never had to leave when I was young. Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan (I was lost in Michigan Stadium at three years old in 1968 and they had to announce to me over game to find my parents, actually my sister), the state of Michigan, and yes “The Big D" (Detroit) — I still find a lot to be proud of in all of the above but, most of all, the people here, there and everywhere from Michigan. The special people of this state in over 20,000 years of proven use ... or ever. Now this actual, current Hash Bash, MARKONA LOVE Groundcover vendor No. 590 made it what it was — we've been through a lot lately but, there's always time. Even time doesn't really exist, it's only conceptual and that's exactly how we need to change … with a shared concept as to how we as a whole want it to be in Michigan. It will only work if we all compromise, and come to one common agreement. Let's be the first state to show how it's done. The full combination of the experienced (uneducated) and the educated to use their strengths together. So here is step one: Let’s start by getting the Marijuana Initiative taken completely off the Drug Schedule List for Michigan. This benefits everyone in the state. Why would we want such a contrary law conflicting with another old one that wasn't ever helpful? Anyways, fewer Michigan lives destroyed by unnecessary arrest, reduced prison populations, reduced load on enforcement agencies. And then it supports a consistent tax influx into our state system! People already know about all the physical and mental attributes of this natural flower. Yes, it can be abused, so can a box of donuts. But, no death by alcohol poisoning, or violence. There has never been any proof of a death solely attributed to marijuana I personally attended and was disappointed. Bash started briefly with a few talks at the beginning from U.S Representative Debbie Dingell, County Commissioner Youdef Rahbi, Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit, John Sinclair, Matthew Abel and other activists. That was followed by no activism — not even a party. All I saw was commercialization in all forms, including illegal sale. I didn't see any sign of actual intent to create change, or proclaim our rights. Even the Bash party was lame. On a good note: I did run into a popular activist/politician from Chicago, Maryann Loncar. She was here to support other activists, here and nationally. She is trying to help us pass bills that protect patients from medical marijuana corruption from corporations like Curaleaf (abusive corporate practices) that was the largest sponsor of this Hash Bash. I would fill you in on details from an incredible interview but, the video of the interview was mysteriously wiped, like the previous interview of Lama Karma from the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow. So all I have left to end with is that in Michigan marijuana is a schedule 2 narcotic even though it is legal for recreational use by adults, and under federal law (Washington D.C.) marijuana is still a schedule one narcotic — alongside heroin. There's a long way to go; illegally panhandling and the over-commercialization of Hash Bash is not helping. Maybe next year we could actually do some activism and make some change for good. Smoke On! Weed over Greed! PEACE! GROUNDCOVER NEWS What’s Happening at the Ann Arbor District Library Open 10am–8pm Daily Hang out in any of our five locations across town, browsing books, magazines, newspapers, and more, or check out movies, CDs, art prints, musical instruments, and science tools— you name it! Study and meeting rooms, fast and free WiFi, and plenty of places to sit and hang out. Print Stuff at AADL Need to print forms, essential documents, applications, or homework? We can help! We can print up to 30 pages per person per week at no charge and have your items ready to pick up at the library of your choice the next weekday. For more information, visit: AADL.org/printing Bookable Meeting Rooms Book a meeting room with your AADL card. We have 10 available meeting rooms across the system that you can reserve for up to two hours per day, 12 times per calendar year. They’re also available on a first-come firstserved basis. To book a room, visit AADL.org/rooms FEATURED EVENT 5 Sunday, May 21 11am–5pm • Downtown Library The Gardening & DIY Fest is back! It’s a daylong celebration of gardening, nature, and getting hands-on and active! AADL plans to feature an artisan market emphasizing handmade clothes, jewelry, bath products, fibers, art, flowers, and plants. Participants can also engage in learning sessions and hands-on opportunities! AADL.org/diyfest Vendors and shoppers on South University during Hash Bash. dvGFז0?HSdvGFז0?HS בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://YRVD6bGLxMGADqvso4XKKgEGVDxo11RY43RHgMdkTdc K`I׉ 7cassandra://yscnxMbQz-7AdPevUEX3WFgsgEX-PnE_DEBgfYKCSys)`׉ 7cassandra://bU_EnoLcRuCfrZyzBeGhFR2L0KhqbhwbtXry19T2lAQN`׉ 7cassandra://RNbjrDyiZKvt3lA7ZTwi9wqY7pjh4GgJ_Y8Bf6BkfmgX8͠ idvIFז0?HSݔנdvHFז0?HSׁ Z9׉Hhttp://youtu.be/cvVsL6sdsMM%20Gׁ ׁ rנdvJFז0?HS ]9ׁHhttp://youtu.be/cvVsL6sdsMMׁ ׁ ЈנdvIFז0?HS ̙9ׁHhttp://commoncycle.comׁ ׁ ЈנdvIFז0?HS߁ ,L9ׁHhttp://mons.orgׁ ׁ Ј׉EG6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS TRANSPORTATION Walking isn't dangerous, cars are! GREGG SALDUTTI Groundcover contributor Caution, cars may not stop. It is not the kind of advice you want when crossing the road with a marked crosswalk, but it is the only advice offered at the crosswalks on Stadium Blvd. Local law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians at marked crosswalks in Ann Arbor. But should we really expect drivers to follow it? According to the City of Ann Arbor, no. This warning might strike some as just common sense in the interest of pedestrian safety. After all, the number of pedestrians being killed by drivers has been rising since 2019 — up 17% in Michigan since that year. Even through the pandemic, when fewer people were driving, more people on foot were dying. There are many factors at play, including more reckless driving; less traffic enforcement; larger, heavier cars; and more built-in distraction to newer cars. These statistics highlight the importance of doing more to ensure road safety. However, in the case of many crosswalks around the city, this doing more comes in the form of not actually doing anything, but rather, warning people on foot that they are not safe there. Importantly, these messages recognize the fact that it doesn’t matter if walkers are following the law or not — the roads were not designed to make them safe, and we are okay with that. The implied message could be read as: Hey, drivers won’t follow the law here, and we know that, so you are on your own. Motonormative Many would fall back on the "common sense" argument to pedestrian safety: wait for the road to clear. Following two incidents in March — one that involved a high school student — these usual sentiments were echoed in calls for pedestrians to be less distracted when walking, and that people need to be taught more "defensive" pedestrianism. The issue of distraction is surely at play as sources of distraction on the roads are rising — most notably in ever-larger infotainment screens on car dashboards. However, we never seem to hear any news about an epidemic of pedestrian-on-pedestrian crashes that distracted walking would surely spur. After all, being on the phone while walking carries zero risk to anyone else. But, what gets completely lost in this discussion about pedestrian "responsibility" is that both walkers were in a crosswalk when they were hit by a driver. Beyond the issue of blaming people for being hit in a crosswalk, there is another problem regarding the legal and moral double standards surrounding cars (a concept known as motonormativity). We would never give jaywalkers the same leeway to break the law as we grant cars with our crosswalk warnings. However, we would surely blame them if they were hit or killed while jaywalking. In fact, in Ann Arbor, the fine for jaywalking is virtually the same as the fine for drivers failing to yield to someone in a crosswalk. Arguments for enforcement of jaywalking routinely cite safety as a concern. While jaywalking laws are veiled in the notion of protecting pedestrians, in practice the enforcement of jaywalking laws seems to be more focused on harassing low-income communities and removing people from public space in the name of free-flowing traffic, a fact that is illustrated by the history of how jaywalking came to be. A jaywalk through history Urban roads used to be shared public spaces without priority given to any type of user. For example, the L.A. municipal code of 1925 explicitly acknowledged that all street users share equal priority when using public space. That changed around 100 years ago when auto lobbies began investing in campaigns to criminalize jaywalking and influence media coverage of events where pedestrians were killed or injured by drivers. This coverage often painted pedestrians as irresponsible and, implicitly, at fault. The auto lobbies also sponsored campaigns that presented police and hired actors to publicly shame jaywalkers, rather than simply issue tickets or warnings. In fact, the term "jay" used to be a derogatory term used for someone from the country — unaccustomed to the fast pace of city life. The end goal was to recast the shared public spaces of streets to the sole dominion of cars, and more importantly to open up urban spaces for unfettered car travel. But this came with costs. Like many social costs incurred by our social systems, it is often low income communities and communities of color that bear both physical and legal costs of our social prioritization of cars. These communities see disproportionate levels of people on foot being hit and killed by drivers. People from these same communities receive a disproportionate amount of jaywalking citations. If we think about how our metro systems are designed with cars as a priority, this outcome seems preordained. Places built for cars are inherently hostile to people on foot, and people that have no other means of transit must go on foot. Read it in the news Likewise, our moral double standards can still be seen today in discussions about "pedestrian responsibility" or other dehumanizing news headlines surrounding driver-related killings. In many cases, headlines use written cues to focus on the behavior of people on foot, implicitly blaming them while downplaying the agency and, therefore, responsibility of drivers, even when drivers are at fault. One egregious example comes from a recent ABC News article with a headline that read: "Dog walks itself home after visually impaired owner killed in hit-and-run, police say." Not only is the main focus of the headline on the dog, the person who was killed becomes the object of the sentence — the thing having something done to it — while the person responsible — the driver — is not even mentioned. This headline is qualitatively different than, "Driver kills visually impaired person and flees the scene." Good luck, and God bless Already this year, Ann Arbor has seen several people on foot seriously injured, including the death of a man who was killed by a driver plowing snow. It also isn't hard to imagine a visually impaired person being killed in one of our negligently designed It is often low income communities and communities of color that bear both physical and legal costs of our social prioritization of cars. "warning" crosswalks. Ironically, crosswalks often use voice prompts or other sounds to aid visually impaired people in navigating traffic. In our case, the voice feature is as useful to the visually impaired as a shrug of the shoulders. While roads are becoming more deadly for people on foot, years of evidence showing how dangerous our urban and suburban road design is, can we really say that a pedestrian being killed by a driver is an accident? The fact is, our public spaces only account for the safety of drivers in their design, which, unsurprisingly, means roads are less safe for the rest of us. Rather than designing less hostile spaces for pedestrians, we fall back on laws that leave far too much discretion for street level harassment and far too little effect on safety. In addition to criminalizing public space use, we continue to implicitly and explicitly defend drivers in how we talk about traffic safety. We continue to insist that people outside of cars be more responsible, and demand that everyone else be safe so that drivers don’t have to be. None of this changes the basic fact that walking isn’t dangerous — cars are. APRIL 21, 2023 " ׉ 7cassandra://bU_EnoLcRuCfrZyzBeGhFR2L0KhqbhwbtXry19T2lAQN`dvGFז0?HS׉EmAPRIL 21, 2023 TRANSPORTATION Trikes for seniors When I was battling foreclosure in Detroit, I let the car go and got a used Trailmate DeSoto tricycle. It was one of my essential tools for the final victory so that I could sell my house for the market value of $10,000. That is real estate 101 in America. That helped build two houses in Cuba and put me home-free in America. I had much advice to choose Ann Arbor as my home. Recently, I test rode a TerraTrike recumbent tricycle and decided it was worthy of follow up. Many seniors have arthritis issues, including pain while walking. I found the recumbent to be a good exercise and made cycling more fun. I went to the Common Cycle shop Sunday, March 12 and 19 to pursue the idea of getting free trikes to senior citizens. I have donated several bicycles over the years and was always number of Judy at Charity Bikes. Judy and I agreed to pursue Trikes KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 for Seniors, in part by meditating on a good relationship among ourselves as activists for the commons. We hope to set up a pipeline for donations of money and trikes. I have called Terra Trikes in Grand Rapids once and will follow through to see if they can do discounts for seniors — they make recumbent trikes. It seems like everyone wants to impressed by the love and cooperation shared among the volunteers and felt by anyone who came in. (The shared life is a good life as we experience when we are on the dance floor.) I’ve had several wonderful conversations at Common Cycle, two with Clark McCall, and the follow through is on the table now. He gave me the build a cooperative ecovillage. So let’s start with something simple such as transportation and start with Trikes for Seniors. This way, we can simplify our lives and have more time for the broader commons that includes land sovereignty in an indigenous centered way. I wrote "Standing Rock" in the December 2021 Groundcover if you want more on that theme. Ann Arbor is a center for many who are committed to the commons and the vision of sharing resources. We have the annarborcommunitycommons.org and commoncycle.com as two examples of this living aspiration in Ann Arbor. As we learn more about who we are as human beings and the struggle for the freedom to use our power in creative and beneficial ways, if we think globally and act locally we will do many good things. I will work with Ann Arbor Community Commons to set up a donation pipeline, to coordinate with Common Cycle and Charity Bikes as we move to put our feet on the pedals. I will shift between writing and organizing as interrelated activities necessary to bring anything to fruition. Let’s breathe for good transportation and start with getting trikes to senior citizens. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7 "Housing and Transportation: what's the climate connection?" presentation recap On Wednesday February 22 at 6 p.m., what was supposed to be a hybrid City Council meeting turned virtual due to the weather. Volunteers from the Citizens Climate Lobby of Ann Arbor assembled a panel that introduced solutions for the City of Ann Arbor to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, and discussed considerations for designing low carbon, highly livable cities. The “Housing and Transportation: What’s the Climate Connection?” panel members included Jan Culburtson, Jonathan Levine, Christopher Laurent and Reid Ewing — all extremely knowledgeable experts from the fields of urban planning and development and sustainability. The program began with guest speaker Johnathan Levine, a professor at the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. His presentation focused on transport and land use planning. Cities are useful in mitigating carbon emissions due to density and proximity. A study by the CoolClimate Network at UC Berkeley found that households in cities emit roughly half of the carbon emissions compared to households in remote suburbs. Levine supported this by citing Chicago, San Francisco, New York City and Ann Arbor as examples. However, these cities are still problematic. SIMONE FLETCHER U-M student contributor According to Levine, while cities are “low-(er) carbon zones” due to the increased use of public transit and non-automotive forms of transportation, it is not deserving of self-congratulation. “When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, what municipalities control directly is a drop in the bucket compared to the emissions associated with those who live, work and play in the cities.” Luckily, transportation and the heating and cooling of houses — two factors the city largely impacts — make up a large portion of carbon emissions, sitting at 42%. The next speaker was Reid Ewing, Harvard graduate in urban planning and transportation systems, and current professor at the University of Utah. His primary focus was on vehicles and their impact on the environment. He cited his book, “Growing Cooler: the Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change”, and described transportation carbon dioxide as a three-legged stool composed of vehicles and their efficiency, fuels and carbon content, and VMT (vehicle miles traveled). Ewing emphasizes that “You can’t sit on a stool without three legs, so all legs are important.” The most impactful of these three legs is VMT. The equation for reaching goal CO₂ levels (80% reduction by 2050) is: compact development, doubling transit services, double price of using an automobile with a carbon tax, and halving the amount of highway expansion. Jan Culbertson, Senior Principal Emeritus, A3C and Leadership Council Chair at Ann Arbor 2030 District, focused on buildings. She emphasized the need for a “15-minute city” — an area where necessities are within a 15-minute walking or biking distance. So, she stated, “... it’s not just about density, it’s about when and where we build.” Cities that are lower carbon zones, such as Ann Arbor, tend to push people into higher carbon zones with zoning and other regulatory rules, limiting the number of people who can benefit from the “healthier” environment. Organizations such as Cinnare Solutions find means to combat this. Christopher Laurent, President of Cinnaire Solutions, an organization with the mission of “We believe that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities,” added to the conversation the opportunities of using abandoned buildings as community centers and affordable housing through renovation. Levine had asserted that “there is no affordable housing problem in the U.S.,” but the affordable housing is far from what is needed to survive given the costs of obtaining necessities, including getting to work. So, transportation is a component of “affordable living.” Laurent and Cinnaire Solutions address this issue by creating affordable spaces in prime locations in cities. In creating affordable housing in non-food-desert locations, we can promote healthier living while making housing accessible. By accepting that the suburban-oriented template is not what is best for well-being or the environment, we can begin to make necessary changes to reach our goals of carbon reduction. And, maybe, we as a community, can soon take the necessary steps to change our goals from reduction to restoration. To watch the meeting in full, feel free to visit youtu.be/cvVsL6sdsMM or look up “Housing and Transportation: What’s the Climate Connection? Guest Host Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL)” on YouTube. dvGFז0?HSdvGFז0?HS בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://C4PdsgJLxDOtyvdyKaxWy5ZO_PKEfeZ4qK1jluFLYfI@`I׉ 7cassandra://9T2KpkUJZ0q7IThEi2Cr2IAsUTpkX5LZZ7T8mzqcVo8V`׉ 7cassandra://2-32gQUOxkb8XDXDYQr3RxJOU31fml_dM3fLdCRmPnwQ`׉ 7cassandra://MIxWGU79wgKYHhjQJhSzR9vv0PLZXW8-Du1C_KSUxIUh͠ idvJFז0?HSנdvJFז0?HS9ׁHhttp://groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ ЈנdvJFז0?HS9ׁH"mailto:contact@groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ Ј׉E 8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS AROUND TOWN Earthen Jar — family restaurant targeted? Near the corner of 5th and Liberty lies a unique place — Earthen Jar, the family-owned Indian restaurant that has been operating since 1997 and offers a unique experience. Serving buffet-style food, its entire menu is kosher-certified and either vegetarian or vegan. In addition to an upcoming expansion into Ypsilanti along West Michigan Avenue, it also offers a variety of packaged meals that can be found at various markets throughout southeast Michigan. In the past few months, however, Earthen Jar has had to deal with an onslaught of incidents. In December 2022, a fire broke out in an apartment on the second floor of the building that houses Earthen Jar. Although no one was harmed, the fire caused $20,000 worth of damage to the building and the surrounding areas, and marked the start of the streak of bad luck for the restaurant. Two break-ins in rapid succession followed soon after the fire — the first on December 29, and then, the very next day there was another. This trend of multiple break-ins happening within a short time of one another continued on January 5 and January 8. ROBERT COULTER U-M student contributor Everything from clothes to cash to a television was stolen by the perpetrators; “Literally whatever they could take,” said Sim Sethi, a manager for the restaurant. Just 10 days later, on January 18, there was another break-in. On that very same day, a break-in was reported at a neighboring location — although, as it was uninhabited, the break-in likely occurred earlier. From the limited evidence that seems to exist — security photos and suspect descriptions — it appears that the break-ins have been committed by multiple people and aren’t connected to one another. According to the strategic communications manager for the Ann Arbor Police Department, Chris Page, there was “nothing new in the investigation that indicates the burglaries are connected” and the police department is unsure as to why there have been so many burglaries in such a short time. On February 13th, the building experienced its sixth break-in in fewer than two months. The restaurant’s management has expressed disappointment and frustration with the police department for its failure to make any inroads into catching suspects and putting an end to the break-ins. “I think this is the straw that broke the camel’s back. I don’t think we will stay here if this kept[sic] happening,” said Sethi, and with an upcoming expansion into Ypsilanti, there may be dwindling motivation to keep the Ann Arbor location open. Sethi stated that he feels they are being targeted — why? He does not know — and he is unsure if that may be a sign that Earthen Jar shouldn’t remain in Ann Arbor. A small, family-owned business that has been around for roughly 25 years is on the brink of leaving the city due to a nearly unimaginable string of Earthen Jar is located in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. break-ins — what may this be suggesting about life in Ann Arbor? If nothing else, the direct targeting of such a business represents a disappointing direction for Ann Arbor. It should be universally condemned by the citizens, who should support Earthen Jar to help them after such struggles. APRIL 21, 2023 ׉ 7cassandra://2-32gQUOxkb8XDXDYQr3RxJOU31fml_dM3fLdCRmPnwQ`dvGFז0?HS׉E APRIL 21, 2023 PUZZLES GROUNDCOVER NEWS 9 Groundcover Vendor Code While Groundcover is a non-profit, and paper vendors are self-employed contractors, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. The following is our Vendor Code of Conduct, which every vendor reads and signs before receiving a badge and papers. We request that if you discover a vendor violating any tenets of the Code, please contact us and provide as many details as possible. Our paper and our vendors should be positively impacting our County. • Groundcover will be distributed for a voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for more than the cover price or solicit donations by any other means. • When selling Groundcover, I will always have the current biweekly issue of Groundcover available for customer purchase. • I agree not to sell additional goods or products when selling the paper or to panhandle, including panhandling with only one paper or selling past monthly issues. • I will wear and display my badge when selling papers and refrain from wearing it or other Groundcover gear when engaged in other activities. • I will only purchase the paper from Groundcover Staff and will not sell to or buy papers from other Groundcover vendors, especially vendors who have been suspended or terminated. • I agree to treat all customers, staff, and other vendors respectfully. I will not “hard sell,” threaten, harass or pressure customers, staff, or other vendors verbally or physically. • I will not sell Groundcover under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • I understand that I am not a legal employee of Groundcover but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income. • I understand that my badge is property of Groundcover and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers. • I agree to stay off private property when selling Groundcover. • I understand to refrain from selling on public buses, federal property or stores unless there is permission from the owner. • I agree to stay at least one block away from another vendor in downtown areas. I will also abide by the Vendor Corner Policy. • I understand that Groundcover strives to be a paper that covers topics of homelessness and poverty while providing sources of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. If you would like to report a violation of the Vendor Code please email contact@groundcovernews.com or fill out the contact form on our website. ARE YOU A PHOTOGRAPHER? Join the Groundcover News crew of volunteer photographers! Opportunities are assignment-based images (for publication in the newspaper) or photography at Groundcover News events (for use on social media and Groundcover communications). If you have lived experience with homelessness there may be paid opportunities. Email contact@ groundcovernews.com to learn more and sign-up for our list-serv. dvGFז0?HSÁdvGFז0?HS בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://0imbArQZIxXUevK4_CUO6m0AZPYVhz_QSsPaeZPWLG0 $`I׉ 7cassandra://jl5ILgvJa2fOW_FpCbUfp5W9Zu4TZ4vaXKNfrb3kEpc8 `׉ 7cassandra://a_4ZqvC57mC_CA0dBVQvHaJrYnooNGUEqnEMleAmR-EU`׉ 7cassandra://nkrSLrjcKlHvvCT9v_6WooNo5yhfU20jrJZr4bkGw2s͠ idvJFז0?HSנdvKFז0?HSmw9ׁHhttp://oldtownaa.comׁ ׁ Ј׉E10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS CLIMATE CHANGE APRIL 21, 2023 Extreme weather is tragic and destructive: What's the link to global warming? Extreme weather conditions and events in the United States are causing major concerns in every area of the country. Although many regions witnessed greater magnitudes of extreme weather events about a decade ago, today’s weather events are more deadly, more destructive and more devastating. Since this past winter and early spring of 2023, America faced destructive tornadoes in the Midwest and the mid-South. There were also massive and disastrous hurricanes in the Southeast, deadly wildfires and floods in the pacific West, mountains of cold snows in the Midwest and the North Central, severe drought in the southwest and the drying up of life-sustaining lakes in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Sierra-Nevada and Southern California regions. The extreme weather events are unprecedented, not only in the United States, but across the globe. Since the 1960s, when the Club of Rome convened in Italy to warn us about global warming, global temperatures have continued climbing to dangerous levels. The 2015 Paris accord was able to have more than 130 countries become signatories to the U.N. Climate Action Agreement. There have been several proposals to make the environment safer and prevent future staggering environmental disasters like the ones we are experiencing today. Now is the time for more individual and policy implementation actions to save the planet — not more talk and unworkable piles of legislation. We urge our readers to read the new 2023 U.N. Climate Action Report. Extreme Weather in the U.S. Recent ABC News TV reports showed the tornado-devastated ruins of communities in the mid-south of the United States. ABC News Writer Julia Jacobo's April 4, 2023 article was titled, “Is Tornado Alley Shifting due to Climate Change? Scientists explain how warming climate affects tornado activity.” Ms. Jacobo wrote, “More violent and widespread tornado activity — like the line of severe storms in recent days that killed dozens of people—is expected in the future as global warming persists, experts told ABC News.” Ohio State University Associate Professor of Meteorology, Jana Houser told ABC News that the deadly/ destructive tornadoes in the midsouth this year “is a representation of what we might perhaps expect to WILL SHAKESPEARE Groundcover vendor No. 258 happen in a particularly active tornado season, as we move forward in a warming climate regime.” A recent PBS NewsHour discussed the topic, “Why the U.S. is leading the World in extreme catastrophes.” The April 2 science conversation started with a scientific statement: “The U.S. is Earth’s punching bag for nasty weather.” The PBS NewsHour said that we can find some explanations from the circumstances of the U.S. physical geography. How? The climate scientists say, “The U.S. is getting stronger, costlier, more varied and more frequent extreme weather than anywhere on the planet.” They continued, “Two oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, jutting peninsulas, clashing storm fronts and the jet stream combine to naturally brew the nastiest weather.” Several climate change experts who talked to the Associated Press said that “Nature dealt the United States a bad hand, but people have made it worse by what, where and how we build…” In addition, it is widely believed by many climate scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that climate change has influenced the extreme weather events across the U.S. Rick Spinrad is the head of NOAA. He cautioned, “Buckle up. More extreme events are expected.” As far back as March 15, 2016, the Weather Channel released a report which categorically stated, “Scientists found links between extreme weather events and climate change.” We were warned and admonished to watch out for extreme weather events in the future. The Scientists did say that “extreme weather events such as heat waves or drought are being worsened by man-made climate change…” Reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found a link between extreme weather and climate change due to man-made global warming. The 2023 United Nations Climate Change/Climate Action report is Above: Forest fire in California. Photo by Luis Sinco, BBC. Below: Fort Myers, Florida after Hurricane Ian. Giorgio Viera, Bloomberg. highly anticipated. It is the sixth assessment report of hundreds of scientists who are members of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This 2023 report represents the key scientific input to a global conference COP28 which expects countries meeting this year to review progress towards the Paris Agreement goals. The world wants an answer to a key evaluation question: how well are we reaching laid down goals and objectives of the 2015 Paris Climate Action Agreements? The 2023 U.N. Climate Change report mentioned that the 1.5 C global temperature limit is still achievable. The global community does not want to exceed the risky and precarious 2.0 C level. The report also outlined “critical actions required across sectors and by everyone at all levels.” While the 2023 report reminds everyone in the world that increments of global warming could “come with more extreme weather events,” it emphatically stated the following: The report reiterates that humans are responsible for all global heating over the past 200 years leading to a current temperature rise of 1.1 C, above pre-industrial levels, which has led to more frequent and hazardous weather events that have caused increasing destruction of people and the planet. - Conclusion In the April 2019 Groundcover News edition, I wrote an article titled, “Earth Day: Reflections on Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability.” I noted that scientists agree nearly unanimously that human activity is causing Earth’s atmosphere and oceans to warm up, which threatens rising sea levels and warmer weather atmospheres. They say we must drastically reduce the amount of carbon we’re adding to the atmosphere or suffer the consequences in coming decades. In May 2021, Groundcover News published another of my articles, “Climate Change, Environmental Concerns and Net-Zero Carbon Emissions: Think Globally, Act Locally.” We attempted to show our readers the concerns of thousands of students at U-M and many more at other local universities and public school systems. We also shared with our Washtenaw County community what the University of Michigan’s administrators, faculty, staff and students are doing to address the risks and challenges of climate change. We definitely shared local government efforts by Ann Arbor City Council, Ypsilanti City Council and Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners to set achievable goals for reaching net-zero carbon emission by 2030. Not all climate scientists accept the statistical link between extreme stormy disasters such as tornadoes see WEATHER next page  ׉ 7cassandra://a_4ZqvC57mC_CA0dBVQvHaJrYnooNGUEqnEMleAmR-EU`dvGFז0?HS׉EAPRIL 21 2023 CLIMATE CHANGE As a current out-of-state freshman, when I told someone I would attend the University of Michigan, people often had the same recurring advice for me: "Get ready for the brutal Michigan winters.” These slightly ominous remarks caused me to anticipate far more intense winters than what I was used to in New York. I assumed Michigan winters would be endless blizzarding with unbearably frigid temperatures, perpetual iciness and bone-chilling winds. During the fall in Michigan, I mentally and physically prepared myself for the impending winter; I even went shopping for snow necessities like thick gloves, snow pants and snow boots. Anytime the temperature dropped below 40 or 30 degrees Fahrenheit, I would think the infamous Michigan winter had finally arrived and prepared myself for an onslaught of various severe weather characteristics. But my snow boots and snow pants have remained virtually untouched, collecting dust in my closet, only being worn a handful of times. With the cold season nearing its end, I would say it has been a surprisingly mild winter. I thought my experience with the Michigan winter was simply because it was not as bad as I expected, already having dealt with cold winters all my life. However, after talking to some of The firsthand accounts of Michigan GIGI BYLINKSY U-M student contributor my fellow students, I realized this strange phenomenon is not due to my own personal experience with winter but rather a reflection of the changing climate. Max Sharnas, class of ‘26, a life-long Michigan resident and current U-M student, agreed that “this year the winter has been milder. There is usually a long stretch in the winter where there is a lot of snow on the ground, for a month straight or more. Now, we’ve only had a few storms and the snow melts quickly.” When talking with Zach Elmouchi class of ‘26, also a life-long Michigan resident and current U-M student, he expressed his concern that this mild winter “has something to do with climate change, and it’s a pressing problem right now. If it continues on it could really affect the future generations and the world.” students about the changing winters align with the data provided by the state of Michigan. When reviewing decades of temperature data provided by the National Weather Service, meteorologists concluded that Michigan winters, on average, have grown warmer and less snowy. Climatologists at the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments predict that this weather trend will continue, with average winter temperatures rising and, instead of having the typical snowstorm, having rain or freezing rain. These weather assessments portray a scary uncertainty for the changing climate of Michigan and call attention to the immediate effects of climate change. It is estimated that the average yearly temperature in Michigan, since 1900, has risen by two to three degrees Fahrenheit. Although this may seem like a small number, famous Michigan ecosystems are seeing real-time changes due to global warming. Since the 1970s, the ice coverage in the Great Lakes has dropped by 63%. In January 2021, the Great Lakes reached a “new low ice cover record.” Moreover, the rising water temperatures will allow some fish like bass, that thrive in the warm water, to increase in population while decreasing the availability of trout in the Great Lakes. This GROUNDCOVER NEWS Will winter be an artifact for future generations? poses risk to the natural food chain. Climate change also poses numerous health risks; higher temperatures allow the formation of ground-level ozone, a type of pollutant that is known for perpetuating severe health and heart problems. Additionally, extremely high temperatures pose numerous health risks to individuals: dehydration, heat stroke and strain to cardiovascular and nervous systems. Not to mention long-frozen pathogens that are being released as the tundra thaws. Climate change has been typically portrayed as an issue that will have more drastic impacts on the future generation than us, which is true. But as exemplified by the changing Michigan climate, no living thing is exempt from the environmental impacts that are happening right now. It is hard to grapple with the reality that something as reliable and constant as the weather and the changing seasons may present themselves very differently from what we historically consider. However, being informed about these seasonal changes can provide an opportunity for the Michigan government and residents alike to take further action in response to the changing climate. Hopefully, future generations of Michiganders will be able to put their winter clothes to use. 11  WEATHER from last page and global change. Those naysayers among the scientific community may be cherry-picking. They accept the notion that high temperatures which mix with atmospheric moisture could lead to extreme and costly weather events. But they are still reluctant to state a definite link. Writing for the online magazine, GIZMODO, Angely Mercado brought us the viewpoints of some climate scientists on the link between tornadoes and climate change, including the views of meteorologist and Northern Illinois Professor, Walker Ashley. Ashley believes that “there is plenty of evidence that global warming fuels extreme weather…” However, he said that some climate scientists are unsure how climate change influences individual tornadoes. Why? Dr. Ashley said because tornadoes are considered small weather events. He continued, “They begin and end within a relatively short time.” On December 14, 2021, PBS NewsHour discussed deadly tornado outbreaks in the U.S. PBS reporter John Yang answered Judy Woodruff’s question about the link between climate change and tornadoes. “Judy, while scientists are confident that climate is driving an increase in some natural disasters, in the case of tornadoes, they say it’s a bit trickier," Yang said. The link is unclear. We must have a life-boat ethic on climate change/global warming issues. All hands must be on deck. All communities must be engaged. We are fighting to save our lives, sustain and preserve the planet for future generations, and do something to minimize the cost, severity and gravity of these scary and of course, deadly extreme weather events. Good luck to us in America! Good luck to the wider world!! PUZZLE SOLUTIONS 10% OFF LUNCH JOIN US FOR 122 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor • oldtownaa.com • (734) 662-9291 Dine in only, offer good Mon - Sat 11:30 am - 4:00 pm, excludes alcohol. Expires 7/1/23 dvGFז0?HSŁdvGFז0?HSā בCטFu׉׉ 7cassandra://VR6Y8p127FwBBi5PIWoLihB6UUbCCnV6NOrksqkSgBk- `׉ 7cassandra://aX_klqqQCndoxrfkCqpBw9bJChjfZHm_prIIGOovWx8͖`h׉ 7cassandra://HRBgCbjRPWP0Q0bEYNTFz7D7VfivtOSOoosdckSYhPE/f`׉ 7cassandra://Hw2SYK8MJ8MzX1Oyi2Wg9_p5JzvIRUsG9Fic0KUnE2EQn͠4dvKFז0?HSנdvKFז0?HSd 9ׁHhttp://PEOPLESFOOD.COOPׁ ׁ ЈנdvKFז0?HSh9ׁHhttp://peoplesfood.coopׁ ׁ Ј׉E 12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Silky smooth salted caramel sauce CHRIS FIELDS Groundcover contributor Ingredients: 2 cups white sugar* 10 tablespoons butter, cut into slices 1 cup heavy cream Sea salt to taste *DANGER: Sugar melts at around 320 degrees and starts caramelizing at 340 degrees. It is also very sticky. Coming into contact with molten sugar can result in severe burns if you’re not careful. This recipe is worth the risk, but caution is advised. Directions: Cut up butter into small slices and place on a plate in the fridge. Place sugar in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat. After a few minutes, begin stirring the sugar as it starts to melt. At first, it will just clump together. Keep stirring as it continues to melt and turn amber in color. As more of the sugar melts, you may think that something has gone terribly wrong. You will find that most of the sugar is molten but that there are lots of clumpy bits. Have faith. Keep stirring until all of the sugar has melted, and reduce the heat if you think it’s browning too quickly. Any clumpy bits will result in a grainy caramel sauce. Once your sugar is entirely molten, stop stirring and continue to cook over medium heat until it reaches your desired level of caramelization. While you wait, take the butter out of the fridge. The longer you cook the sugar, the • Make money on your first day • Choose your own schedule • Work for yourself • Join a supportive community • Get started this week for FREE darker it will become. Lighter shades of blonde will result in a sweeter caramel with less depth. Darker shades of amber will result in a less sweet caramel with a more complex and rich flavor. I like to cook mine until it is dark amber and just barely starting to give off wisps of smoke. Once your desired level of caramelization is achieved, turn off the heat and carefully whisk in the butter until combined. This will stop the cooking process and instantly brown all of the butter at the same time. Be careful! The mixture will bubble up and release lots of hot steam. Make sure you’re wearing an oven mitt or using a long whisk so that you don’t get burned! Slowly pour in the cream while continuously stirring until you have a rich luxurious silky smooth caramel sauce Stir in your desired amount of sea salt, tasting periodically to assess the saltiness. I suggest serving with vanilla ice cream, drizzling on top of cake, fruit or pretzels! NEW VENDOR ORIENTATIONS ARE EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, 10 AM @ THE GCN OFFICE. Trainings take 90 minutes. New vendors will get a temporary badge and 10 free papers to start. BLAKE TRANSIT Willam St. AADL APRIL 21, 2023 BECOME A GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR The Groundcover office is located in the basement of Bethlehem United Church of Christ (423 S 4th Ave, downtown Ann Arbor) $2 OFF OUR HOT BAR IS BACK! Available: Mon. - Fri. from 11-2 • Weekly menu at peoplesfood.coop ANY PURCHASE OF $15 OR MORE NATURAL FOODS MARKET & DELI 216 N. FOURTH AVENUE ANN ARBOR, MI PHONE (734) 994 - 9174 • PEOPLESFOOD.COOP One coupon per transaction. Must present coupon at the time of purchase. Coupon good for in-store only. No other discounts or coop cards apply. Not valid for gift cards, case purchases, beer or wine. OFFER EXPIRES 5/23/2023 Packard St. Fifth St. Fourth Ave. ׉ 7cassandra://HRBgCbjRPWP0Q0bEYNTFz7D7VfivtOSOoosdckSYhPE/f`dvGFז0?HS׈EdvGFז0?HSǁdvGFז0?HSƁ ,April 21, 2023dvD?UŎ|