׉?ׁB!בCטFFu׉׉ 7cassandra://31QOYooOfYdRGt36AEBAXS6DTc2_yiClv2MUgfRjF18 `׉ 7cassandra://01k7MalcSOubOnww1dDnRHeMrt0c8jqI0cuhLfQTqdo|s`h׉ 7cassandra://5CDkCE_Tfp9sKq9hqFxS2FsYwlNvOityqDIdQb1VLoY+`g=Td\טFu׈ˁD׈Eg=Td\׉Eq2 $ MARCH 7, 2025 | VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 6 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Travels with Dreamer: the girl in the shiny green dress. page 10 MEET YOUR VENDOR: DENISE SHEARER PAGE 3 GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. Ypsilanti District Library Michigan Ave branch has been closed since July 2023. Is there a light at the end of the YDL construction tunnel? page 6 THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM • Proposal: Housing-development accelerator • Charbonneau: Open your eyes to housing inequity. PAGE 4 @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor # ׉ 7cassandra://5CDkCE_Tfp9sKq9hqFxS2FsYwlNvOityqDIdQb1VLoY+`g=Td\܁g=Td\ہ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://IHvA2copGmI7WI3Aum1XRKHUS_egXShTxaBdumdCHTgH8`I׉ 7cassandra://0aVRQ7EbbcxgTloZINeUtBqErRV6bPWzfv8tcxjLjCw`׉ 7cassandra://jLmWNsdg_I8tnstHflVZ_2e5FOkYDtW1nJvs8FAe7rAM`g=Td\נg=Td\9׉Hhttp://www.groundcovernews.orgGׁ ׁ rנg=Td\̒r9׉Hhttp://bit.ly/BeyondTheBridgeA2Gׁ ׁ rנg=Td\9ׁHhttp://www.groundcovernews.orgׁ ׁ Јנg=Td\ 9ׁH"mailto:contact@groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ Јנg=Td\\!9ׁH&mailto:submissions@groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ Јנg=Td\ˁa9ׁHhttp://aafilmfest.orgׁ ׁ Јנg=Td\̒v9ׁHhttp://bit.ly/BeyondTheBridgeA2ׁ ׁ Ј׉E2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER community EVENTS INT'L WOMEN'S DAY SHOW at UNITY VIBRATION Saturday, March 8, 7-11 p.m. Unity Vibration, 93 Ecorse Rd. Ypsi Music from Michael Anne, Juniper Rachel with Yeddie & Blues Scholars, Michelle Mermaid and Doris Angel. Sliding scale donation to benefit WILPF. BEYOND the BRIDGE: a SOLUTION to HOMELESSNESS Tuesday, March 11, 6-8 p.m. Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty St. Screening of Don Sawyer's powerful new documentary that examines the root causes of homelessness and explores comphrehensive solutions. Doors open at 5 p.m. Screening will be followed by a panel with local experts. Reserve a free ticket online at: bit.ly/BeyondTheBridgeA2 29th ANNUAL EXHIBITION of ARTISTS in MICHIGAN PRISONS Tuesday, March 18, 5-9 p.m. Duderstadt Center Gallery Opening night of the U-M Prison Creative Arts Project, the largest longest-running art show in the world featuring incarcerated artists! Reception begins at 6:30p.m.; program begins at 7p.m. ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL SCREENING: "BILLY" March 26, 9 p.m., Michigan Theater Filmmaker Lawrence Côté-Collins finds her attacker in jail. She wants to understand, forgive and support a suffering man. Billy is schizophrenic, and his worst attack left two people dead. Their epistolary prison friendship reveals the full truth about this undiagnosed and untreated mental illness. Together, they tell their stories and reconstruct themselves through intimate correspondence and unseen video archives. Groundcover is the community partner for the film. and 51st ANNUAL DANCE for MOTHER EARTH POWWOW Saturday-Sunday, March 22-23 Skyline High School, 2552 N. Maple Rd. Experience and honor Native American heritage and history. One of the largest student-run powwows in the country. MARCH 7, 2025 The oldest experimental and avant-garde film festival in North America. In person at the Michigan Theater, and other locations in downtown Ann Arbor. Everyone is welcome Bring friends. Bring family. Bring you. aafilmfest.org PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-DETERMINED INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY POVERTY, PRODUCING A STREET NEWSPAPER THAT GIVES A PLATFORM TO UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY, PROMOTING AN ACTION TO BUILD A JUST, CARING AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY. 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 Michelle Lardie-Guzek — intern ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS D.A. Pedro Campos City of Ann Arbor Jim Clark Roberto Isla Caballero Mike Jones Marie Will Shakespeare Steven Felicia Wilbert PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett 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 Elliot Cubit Matthew Rohlman Steve Ross Dillon Schweers Anabel Sicko Allison Wei VOLUNTEERS Jane Atkins Jessi Averill Sim Bose Luiza Duarte Caetano Jacob Fallman Glenn Gates Bella Fernandez Robert Klingler Ari Ruczynski Jack Weinberg Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Melanie Wenzel 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 a.m. - 3 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, LISTEN TO OLD ISSUES + LEARN MORE www.groundcovernews.org 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://jLmWNsdg_I8tnstHflVZ_2e5FOkYDtW1nJvs8FAe7rAM`g=Td\׉E=MARCH 7, 2025 ON MY CORNER MEET YOUR VENDOR GROUNDCOVER NEWS Barack Obama versus Donald Trump The natural rights, life and the Denise Shearer, vendor No. 485 In one sentence, who are you? A person who loves to make friends and help myself and others. Where do you usually sell Groundcover? In front of the DVD/CD store on Main Street and in front of Ginger Deli. When and why did you start selling Groundcover? 2018 – I wanted to meet new people and make some money. What is one place in Ann Arbor that feels like your own personal sanctuary? The library … all of them. What’s your life motto? God is love. What advice would you give to your younger self? Stop worrying. God’s got this. What is your comfort food? Hot dogs and chicken noodle soup. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring 3 things, what would they be? A radio, snacks, and water. If there was a theme song for your life, what would it be? “Holiday” by Madonna. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Frankenmuth. What is the weirdest food combo you swear by? Hot dogs and stuffing. What change would you like to see in Washtenaw County? People getting better treatment at doctors’ and dentists’ offices. exp. 06/31/2025 privacy of a human are violated when they are accosted by an ICE agent who, in a uniform like Hugo Chavez, does not understand sacrifices, and anti-fascist laws, and uses the KKK as an American symbol and wastes no time in applying imperialist Yankee laws. Barack Obama denied human rights with “castristas” laws and ICE deportations. Parents and grandparents pretend to clean the ashes of their ancestors and proudly say that there is no ICE, but with the letters ICE there lives the Nazi-Leninist ROBERTO ISLA CABALLERO Groundcover vendor No. 347 Yankee-imperialist pride. I love you, Agapito (the ICE agent). Los derechos de la naturaleza, de la vida y las privacidades de un ser humano cuando es tratado por un agente de ICE que, con un uniforme como Hugo Chavez, no entiende de sacrificios y leyes antifascistas y usa el KKK como símbolo americano y no pierde el tiempo en hacer leyes imperialistas Yankees. Barack Obama y derechos humanos con leyes castristas y deportaciones de ICE. Padres y abuelos, pretenden limpiar las cenizas de sus antepasados y orgullosamente dicen que no hay hielo, pero con las letras ICE viven el orgullo nazista-leninista yankee-imperialista. Te amo, Agapito (el agente de ICE). 3 Stupor For a moment I intend to maintain control PEDRO CAMPOS Groundcover vendor No. 652 I plant my feet on the ground Watchful eyes around me Plan, project, progress Reflect It is important to review recent events Suddenly, for a moment If it is or is not intentional, I don't know I seek insanity at all costs Giving up on agreements Pre-established with myself And no one else And dive into wine And I get drunk And when I’m at the stupor point I hold on to it with all my strength And I hold for hours, days, weeks, seconds Inside I create my world Then everything passes soon And it turns out that Even before the hangover The voice inside me starts screaming again Ego, super-ego Yeah, id couldn't be alone Playful In these questions I find myself wondering Whether or not I should have control Because the sensations that invade my chest With the speed of a whirlwind They come and go, they explode These, friend, I've known for a long time Because I always carried them with me They don't respect my will Much less are predictable I'm their puppet, and I like it, and I live And I haven't even talked about love yet. Read more of Campos' work on his Instagram, @pedrocamposbrazil g=Td\g=Td\߁ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://Aj8bwgeHNA-txgZbRb2AXO09UHwVFc3CxjoD_lSLJWE `I׉ 7cassandra://Pu5DV3mVrP5YzP3BKre-wBuF0NcZHb_C2maclKDKyTc`׉ 7cassandra://Ymo7r1Gm5n2I063Lci47nDEUz-_5oriINpCY9J1GPa4J`g=Td\נg=Td]̘ց9ׁH"http://wastenaw.org/2806/Millage.)ׁ ׁ Ј׉E4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS INJUSTICE Dive into Sheriff's budget reveals predatory revenue streams MARIE Groundcover contributor This article focuses on an information session about a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by a Washtenaw County resident in March 2024. The documents in the FOIA request pertain to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) 2024 Fiscal Year budget. Research from the FOIA request was presented the evening of Monday, February 24, to a full Farmers Marketplace in Ypsilanti. The title of the event was “A Deep Dive into the Sheriff’s Budget: a Civic Education and Strategy Session.” An RSVP through the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) to the event promised: an informative summary of over 300 WCSO budget-related documents; brainstorming of community-based solutions to financial harms waged against incarcerated people, loved ones, and the community; and an exploration of current community-led initiatives like participatory budgeting committees driving the future of county spending. The event’s presentation operated like keys to unlock several issues, and opened the door to talking about them. During a pre-info session phone conference on Feb. 23, the event’s presenters Corn and Kat, along with this writer, clarified interests. Corn is a paid Michigan Justice Fund research fellow, hired in Fall 2024 by ICPJ to review FOIA documents pertaining to the FY2024 Sheriff’s budget. It should be noted this was the budget of Sheriff Clayton, not the newly elected Sheriff Dyer. Kat was brought on to the FOIA project as a research assistant, and brings previous employment experience as a social worker in the County jail. This writer is a forensic peer originally trained locally under the umbrella of a human trafficking specialty court pilot grant. (The session’s contents should not be confused with research paid for with funds directly from the Washtenaw County Public Safety and Mental Health Preservation Millage, which can be found at wastenaw.org/2806/Millage.) Corn and Kat summed the information session up as “a broad overview of what was found in the budget based on what was received … including clarification about some of the contracts.” This article weaves information presented during the education session with experiences from community members directly impacted by incarceration. Anonymized community members will be referred to as “buddy” in this article. During the Feb. 24 info session, the presenters described the documents received in the FOIA request as “not comprehensive,” because there were missing known details, lack of clarity in available documents and missing contracts. While the contents of this initial FOIA request includes Memoranda of Understanding, a lineitem-budget and other documents, some integral items are missing according to researchers. Among the documents provided, a profiteering pattern appears to have emerged. Profiteering is arguably evidenced by jails making money off of inmates, not promoting humane conditions, and conflicting law-enforcement contractual obligations. WCSO has multiple funding sources including the recently renewed millage, internal WCSO contracts and state and federal grants. During the presentation, the jail was reported as WCSO’s largest expense, notably with a jail funding shortage cited as impacting WCSO’s ability to provide quality healthcare and food to prisoners. Holes identified while researching the FOIA documents, combined with issues around current jail operations, suggest there are possible ways to address waste, improve accounting accuracy at many levels, and intentionally improve community wellness. Revenue through service contracts Among the more alarming examples of revenue identified during this FOIA research was commission-based or “for-profit incarceration” practices especially around food and telecommunication supports. Two WCSO contractual examples of “for-profit incarceration” in the presentation were reported as Securus and Canteen Services. WCSO appears to be operating like thousands of other law-enforcement agencies, as these contract holders have similar agreements with other carceral institutions. Securus Technologies LLC was presented during the info-session as the only method available for inmates to communicate with supporters. Contact between an inmate and their support network, including family members and attorneys, is currently made available via commission-based online visitation and phone calls. While some professionals may find direct access to inmates, contacts during incarceration are expected to occur via commissioned telecommunication methodology. The Securus portion of the info session included a table showing how WCSO profits through commissions of 20% when inmates communicate using Securus technology; the table showed the breakdown of additional fees that may change depending on the size of the purchased package, or at any time with 30 days notice. For comparison, 50 text messages have a package price of $5, from which WCSO receives a 20% commission. However, the full price for a 50 message package, after all additional fees becomes $9.75. A package with 400 texts has a base price of $32, from which WCSO receives a 20% commision, yet the full price to purchasers after applicable fees becomes $42.15. Securus reportedly made several contract amendments during the pandemic, many of which increased costs. In addition to the financial strain of utilizing Securus features, one buddy described a stressful experience of trying to answer a call while driving because they recognized the significance of an incoming call originating from the jail. A second buddy pointed to issues with see BUDGET page 7  MARCH 7, 2025 Who does the D.O.J. serve? D.A. Groundcover writer Who does the Department of Justice the D.O.J. serve? It surely isn’t me! How does it make me feel? There does not exist any word that could express that. I’m now sure of this, if there Was ever a reason to doubt, That there is clearly bias When you are charged with Allegations that a crime Or crimes have been put On me. The D.O.J. locks me up Immediately Most of the time without “Due Process” You see! I don’t stand a chance To save my hard earned money Let alone be able to invest In order to build wealth For me and my family. The D.O.J. taking every Dime I have Even destroy my life And recklessly destroy The hearts and minds Of my innocent children Devastation passed down. By way of the D.O.J. I’m locked up While they, The true criminals get away I’m not even convicted Of a crime and my Freedom once again Cancelled Under the color of law, by the Corrupted D.O.J. I reckon I’d be free Had I committed 30 or 40 felonies. Even perhaps brought an illegal gun into The White House with a couple of keys Not to the White House. A couple of keys or kilos of cocaine Then, I could get a pardon And simply erase all 30 or 40 felonies. I’m here locked down Although I’m innocent. Oh yeah! What happened to the D.O.J. When I did not even get a ticket, Citation, not even an incident report, Video, or one piece of discovery, At the immediate arraignment? What’s up with that D.O.J.? You know you wrong as can be! Like I said And I say it again Who does the D.O.J. serve? It surely isn’t me! ׉ 7cassandra://Ymo7r1Gm5n2I063Lci47nDEUz-_5oriINpCY9J1GPa4J`g=Td\׉EQMARCH 7, 2025 BLACK HISTORY 99th annual observance of Black American history and culture The year 2025 marks the 99th year of observance and celebration of Black American history and culture. Next year, 2026, will be the centennial anniversary of Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s vision of putting the African American experience at the center, not the margins, of the great American story. Who is Carter G. Woodson? Woodson is a famous Black American historian. He was the second Black man to earn a PhD at Harvard University. (The first Black person to earn such honors was W.E.B. DuBois, author of the classic book titled, “The Souls of Black Folks.” DuBois was prophetic when he wrote in the 1890s that “the problem of the 20th century will be the problem of the color-line.” The prophecy for the 21st century is anyone’s guess. He also introduced the psychological concept of “double consciousness.” While growing up in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, at the age of 12, DuBois experienced overt racism and prejudice which made him ask, “How does it feel to be seen as a problem?”) Like DuBois, Woodson experienced racism and marginalization during his youth and adulthood. Before Woodson called for the establishment of “Negro History Week” in the month of February, he founded the Journal of Negro History. February's significance Why observe and celebrate Black history and culture in the second half of the month of February? Woodson wanted to honor Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (February 12th) and Frederick Douglass’ birthday (February 14th). Our history books and documents teach us that Abraham Lincoln did more than any politician in America to bring the moral question of slavery to a national debate. Frederick Douglass’ oratory and eloquence inspired abolitionists and moderate Republicans of the northern states during the 1860s and 1870s to help end slavery and undertake post-civil war reconstruction efforts. Those moderate Republicans of the northern regions were called, “The Radical Republicans.” The post-civil war reconstruction efforts ended in 1876 after the presidential election that some historians considered controversial. The Union soldiers were withdrawn from the southern states. Consequently, the rights and privileges gained by former slaves and their families were put at risk. Oppressive and restrictive measures put in place by the southern KKK magnified, leading to the “separate but equal” Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. That decision was overturned by the Brown v. Board of Education case of May 17, 1954, ushering in a second reconstruction in the 1960s. It was important to Dr. Woodson that each year’s observance and celebration carry a banner which he called a theme. Last year’s theme was “A Celebration of Black Art.” The 2025 theme is a celebration of Black labor. In the 2024 election there were politicians who implied that immigrants were crossing the border to take away “Black jobs.” At the Black Journalist Association meeting in Chicago, a journalist asked the candidate what he meant by that. The response was that he meant all kinds of Black jobs, but many people took it to mean low-paid jobs. Black labor is diverse. It includes presidents, teachers, nurses, law-makers, governors. Conclusion Black history transitioned from a week of celebration and awareness to a month-long event. The National Archives noted that “on February 10, 1976, President Gerald R. Ford issued a message recognizing Black History Month, becoming the first President to do so.” The previous year, 1975, Ford signed a resolution recognizing Black Awareness week, “urging all Americans to recognize the important contribution made to our nation’s life and culture by Black citizens.” In 1975 Woodson’s organization, Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month. urged Ford to sign a proclamation the next year, which would recognize a “Black History Month.” He did! Presidents of both parties have written messages to accompany their annual proclamations. President Ford’s message was indeed heartfelt. The National Archives said that President Ford called upon the public to "seize the opportunity to honor the too often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Ford’s Presidential message of 1976 inspired the U.S. Congress of 1986 to pass the Public Law 99-224 which has ever since recognized February as our National Black History Month. We recommend to our readers to Google and find images of the U.S. Post Office display of African Americans of Historical Significance in honor of Black Heritage Month. There are hundreds of them. Those images show the diversity of Black labor, Black occupations and Black working life. Also, the post office has a listing of more than 1000 African-Amercans from all walks of life that have made significant contributions to the greatness of America. Recently, many journalists and historians say the nation is at a crossroads in terms of valuing the achievements of minority groups including the African-American community. Uncertainty abounds! However, we live in a highly optimistic society. No matter what challenges we face, we are inclined toward keeping hope alive, and clinging steadfastly to our dreams. WILL SHAKESPEARE Groundcover vendor No. 258 GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5 g=Td\g=Td\ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://e8u3G82HYXl2xMpZ1vFHFDy1iylXhstlqhM17_--h5c 5`I׉ 7cassandra://OrDctRq7mhvscSUpdJuw9vD7n5ehiMxT4wezXHChl8A'`׉ 7cassandra://Y-4fHxtSwUVgMdEf5AHeYFavLA35pFZngRmhcIu-_lsT `g=Td]נg=Td\7 9׉HChttps://www.ypsilibrary.org/2023/07/michigan-avenue-branch-closure/Gׁ ׁ rנg=Td\M9׉HChttps://www.ypsilibrary.org/2023/07/michigan-avenue-branch-closure/Gׁ ׁ rנg=Td\b9׉HChttps://www.ypsilibrary.org/2023/07/michigan-avenue-branch-closure/Gׁ ׁ rנg=Td] Mm9ׁHmailto:info@icpj.orgׁ ׁ Ј׉E6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS LIBRARIES The Ypsilanti community has been missing its downtown library for a year and nine months. During summer 2023, a round of severe storms overwhelmed the roof drains and soaked the ceiling and walls, leaving the historic building with severe water damage. (The downtown library building was built in 1914 as a post office.) The water from the storms got into the building's old structure — the ceiling, all four walls and the floor. The library staff who worked the night of the storm swiftly moved materials away from the flooding, losing fewer than 100 books and some furnishings, officials said. The branch hasn’t been open to the public since that evening of July 1, 2023. Library Director Lisa Hoenig previously announced the branch would reopen in late 2023, but construction only began to repair and upgrade the library in March 2024. Hoening made announcements for a reopening many times over 2024, but supply chain issues have continue to cause an indefinite delay. C.A.N. Art Handworks, the specialty metal work artisan, did not follow through on promised completion dates and so the library and project completely redesigned youth area. The alterations are intended to offer more amenities to future patrons upon the reopening of the library. YDL librarian Aaron Smith said, MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 manager began to charge them daily fines for delaying the work in January of this year. Hoenig stated in an online update, “He is holding our library and our community hostage with his inaction … We are cautiously optimistic that this will move the work forward.” Instead, they ended up needing to switch contractors, and as of March 6, are working on a Plan B to finish the vestibule. Still, there is no formal announcement of an official reopening date. "The future is unclear, " said Hoenig. The need to address water damage prompted an interior upgrade that includes three new study rooms, a laptop counter with a view of the street, some new furnishings, and a “The front doors will be different; instead of two doors on both sides of the entrance, there will be one big door that makes it easy for handicap accessibility. The information front desk will be in the same area, but we have all new bookshelves and the arrangement of books will look different. The computer, sitting and reading areas are all new. "For those who visited the library before, one might remember on the very back wall where we had sci-fi and graphic novels, that whole area now has three new meeting rooms, so now we have three small meeting rooms that will accommodate three to four people and the big meeting room upstairs, and the big meeting room downstairs. Upstairs where the new books section used to be, that room is now a tech lab study area. “Overall, we have more space for people to do their thing. It is going to be great to reopen and I hope people appreciate it. We are also looking Read the “Michigan Ave. branch closure updates” page on the YDL website for future updates. MARCH 7, 2025 Is there light at the end of the YDL construction tunnel? forward to hearing feedback on the new amenities and upgrades.” Libraries offer more resources than just free books and media. They are warming and cooling centers, a place to access computers and wifi, bathrooms and water. Libraries offer free activities — and people can go there without buying anything first. Denise Shearer, Groundcover vendor No. 485, shared her thoughts about the closure. “I really miss the downtown library because it was one of my places I went to relax and hang out and have a good time. Sometimes I would go there just for some peace and enjoy the local scenery." City of Ann Arbor and AADL announce plans for the Center of the City affordable units and market rate units. • Provide multiple event spaces for CITY OF ANN ARBOR During the past several weeks, City of Ann Arbor staff, City Administrator Milton Dohoney Jr. and Ann Arbor District Library Director Eli Neiburger have been in discussions to develop a shared vision for the surface of the Library Lane Parking Structure (referred to as the Library Lane Parcel). These meetings resulted in a draft framework for the site. “I appreciate AADL Director Neiburger for rolling up his sleeves to imagine a shared vision for this underutilized site,” said Administrator Dohoney.“This vision takes a site that has been the source of community frustration for years and transforms it into a downtown jewel that could address several community needs. To unlock the full potential of emerging opportunities, we must prioritize strong collaboration between public institutions as a standard practice for progress and development.” In 2018, the Ann Arbor City Charter was amended by adding a new section 1.4 to Chapter 1. The amendment came about as a result of Ann Arbor City Proposal A for the city-owned public land — bounded by Fifth Avenue, and William, Division and Liberty streets — to be retained in public ownership in perpetuity and developed as an urban central park and civic center commons to be known as the "Center of the City." Moving the city- and AADL-shared vision for the Library Lane Parcel site forward will require several steps, including Ann Arbor voters voting to amend the Charter provision in an upcoming election, as well as the AADL Board and the Ann Arbor City Council supporting an agreement that would be drafted to contain the following elements: • This project will not require any new taxes. • The City of A2 would sell Library Lane Parcel air rights to AADL for $1. • AADL would build a new downtown branch location that would span the Library Lane Parcel and the library’s current site at 343 S. 5th Ave. • Above the new library, the project would provide a mixture of housing types, including artist spaces, condos, use by the city and the public. • Provide new outdoor public open space, improved programming, and be managed by AADL. • Provide small business development space at below market expense. • AADL would issue a public Request for Proposals and partner with a development team to develop both parcels as a single project. • AADL would conduct a community engagement process to solicit public input on the project. • The housing portion of the project would be new property on the City of Ann Arbor’s tax rolls. • The city would continue to own the parking garage until the debt is paid off in 2042. At that time, the AADL would purchase the structure from the city using an agreed-upon formula. “We’re so thrilled to have reached this point where there finally appears to be an answer for the future of the Downtown Library, and the Library Lane Parcel, that realizes the civic vision that the community has been developing for decades,” said Neiburger. “AADL is the organization best situated to develop this site into a beautiful, engaging and inspiring new asset for the people of Ann Arbor,” Neiburger added. “The library has demonstrated its capacity and commitment to professionally operate shared public spaces, sometimes in challenging environments, in a way that provides outstanding value to the entire community.” City staff recognize that some framework details could be modified once input is received from the AADL and City of Ann Arbor governing bodies. City Council is expected to consider an initial resolution at its March 3 meeting. The AADL will consider a resolution at its April 1 meeting. “This is an incredible opportunity for Ann Arbor,” said Mayor Taylor. “The prospect of a state-of-the art District Library downtown, thousands of square feet of public open space, hundreds of units of new, diverse housing, multiple event and gathering locations, all without raising taxes — is an absolute game changer. I am so excited to work with city staff, my colleagues on City Council, the AADL and the public to make this vision a reality.” We invite readers to submit their thoughts about this project to the Groundcover News editoral team at submissions@groundcovernews.com ׉ 7cassandra://Y-4fHxtSwUVgMdEf5AHeYFavLA35pFZngRmhcIu-_lsT `g=Td\׉EMARCH 7, 2025 INJUSTICE  BUDGET page 4 privacy as a reason for not utilizing jail telecommunication. The buddy's precautions proved justified as the info session section about telecommunication concluded with the example of Securus violating privacy laws and charging extra fees for location-based services. Concerns with privacy and inappropriate costs were cited as prompting a WCSO contract change in 2020. When discussing jail technology, another buddy said “it don’t work like it does in prison so it doesn’t really matter.” Food was a presentation focus on several slides; therefore the issue requires attention from multiple angles. The current food contract at the County jail, according to the researchers, is with Canteen Services LLC. Kat and Corn described food as a tool for managing inmate behavior and reducing liability. Food costs were reportedly referenced by the previous sheriff as a “significant factor in the jail’s budget deficit.” Presenters explained that the nature of the Canteen Services contract encourages a larger jail population by lowered per meal costs, and commissionable earnings potential of up to 45%. According to the presentation the 2024 FY budget report stated “rising food expenses have surpassed personnel savings.” While it may be true food costs are on the rise, there was a 2020 change reported in the contract. The current contract dictates that the larger the jail population the lower the price per meal, and the more inmates spend on commissary, the higher the WCSO commission revenues. According to the presentation, the lowered number of inmates during the beginning of the pandemic was costly as meal costs were very high, and commissionable opportunities were fewer. A buddy with food allergies shared that a medical professional suggested ordering commissary to address diet gaps. The same buddy was held on a $50 bond, never received funds to purchase commissary, could not make any phone calls, and has tested on the diabetic spectrum since being released. Regardless of who holds the food contract, a contractual challenge for the jail appears to be balancing staffing costs. Balancing staff costs is more complicated than Canteen, however the condition might be improved with a clearer understanding of all applicable WCSO contracts. A buddy summed the current status of jail technology as “not working like it's supposed to.” Revenues through criminalization A significant funding source mentioned during the info session included Kat Layton and Corn Williams present their research findings at an ICPJ civic education event on February 24. Photo submitted. state and federal grants. A 2024 contract highlighted during the presentation was a Justice Assistance Grant. This JAG grant was packaged as a state “road safety” grant, which incentivizes criminalization of driving tickets. The presenters explained many current practices tie local funding to increased ticketing. Aside from the additional cost burden to citizens, the problem with many incentivized contracts is that many prospective financial gains are consumed by operational costs including vehicle maintenance, fuel and employee wages. Grant contracts often expect a large amount of costly fund matching. Historical examples of cost sharing include absorbing bailiff salaries, tethers and/or drug testing. For those interested in combing through the FOIA request, reviewing the PowerPoint from the info session or further exploring participatory budgeting, you may contact Corn or Kat via ICPJ at info@icpj.org. Consider engaging the Public Safety expanded court hours, unpaid or underpaid peers, a lack of pay increases for employees, billing insurance companies, and out-ofpocket costs to former inmates for Millage Advisory Committee, which provides oversight on the WCSO millage revenues — and offer your insights and suggestions. In addition to other ideas, the session suggests a call for increased community participation, abolishment of for-profit incarceration, detailed transparency from the new Sheriff’s administration, and asks that funds be dedicated to addressing generational trauma from state violence. In short, better conditions are possible for all. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7 g=Td\g=Td\ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://x1wCVEH2YnKJPEFTTDvMwoKqA7nOXO6153zs8dqrL28`I׉ 7cassandra://l3FAaDeAMraVESamEnV7NQcEWq3Ruj6f022Q8w6i6bY!l`׉ 7cassandra://hOzqudvml7HgaaVrvpA3XAgLkzuaTDZDFXb9ww8eD8AR`g=Td]נg=Td]r9ׁHhttp://groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ Ј׉E=8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS COMMUNITY People in the neighborhood: Moana This is Moana’s story. Jim: Moana, how would you describe yourself to people? Moana: I’m a good person with a bad need for a place to stay of my own. I’ve been homeless for four years. All the way from Detroit to Ann Arbor. Jim: Why are you homeless? Moana: Because most places want the first and last month's rent and a security deposit and they want you to make two times the rent in income. Some places want three. Jim: What are you doing to improve your situation? Her answer was unexpected. Moana: I struggle every day, sir. I cry every day. Every day! Because I don’t understand why I am in this situation. I don’t get it. I can’t help what I don’t make. I can’t squeeze juice out of a dry lemon. It’s hard and I don’t understand why they don’t make it affordable for people on disability. Moana is receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and social security adding up to $900 a month. It’s rare to find an apartment in Ypsilanti for under $1000 a month. She would have to save most of her government assistance money for the move-in cost of $2750. Even if she saved $450 a month, it would take her six months. Jim: Why are you getting SSI? Is it a medical disability? Moana: Well I had some things going on as a kid. I really don’t know what it’s for, I just get it. I had it at an early age. The last time I remember talking about it to a worker was when I was 26. Moana will be 50 in August. She has been on SSI since she was a teenager. Jim: What did you have going on as a kid? Moana: I had a baby girl in school. I then asked her what grade in high JIM CLARK Groundcover vendor No. 139 school she achieved before dropping out. Moana actually missed the last semester of 8th grade. Moana: I was pregnant when I was 13. It was too young. I was just a baby. I had to quit school for a minute. We went back to talking about finding housing. Jim: So can you save the money? Moana: I have the money saved. The problem is they want my income to be double the rent. But even if it weren’t for that, I can’t afford the rent for most places. I asked her about other things that are known barriers to housing. Jim: How is your financial credit? Moana: My score is 525. I had someone in my life that took advantage of me and it ended up ruining my credit. Jim: Do you have a criminal background? Moana: I have two felonies. Jim: Have you ever defaulted on a lease? Moana: Once, in Detroit in 2018. Three strikes in most places. Read that again — she has the money. The other barriers are why she continues to sleep on the streets. Then she exposed one more barrier. Jim: What about sharing a space or renting just a room in a house? Moana: I would like to have my own place. I’m tired of living with people and paying them, and then having to deal with their attitudes. I’m tired of having to walk on eggshells around people who want to start fake arguments to get you to leave. And if you stay with a guy, you have to make it clear that you aren’t going to be doing anything. It’s like “I’m paying you rent man, I’m not living here for free. So if you’re looking for that, I’m not coming by.” Just because I’m a woman doesn’t give you as a man the right to ask for anything other than rent when it comes to me living there. People with privilege tend to miss situations where privilege matters. I asked a female friend for her perspective. Friend: If the only roommate a woman can find is a man then she has to decide whether to trust him or continue to sleep on the streets. There can be an assumption of sexual favors as Moana stated, and sometimes a risk of violence. According to a study (Kushel et al., 2003) cited by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, among homeless and marginally housed people, 32% of women, 27% of men, and 38% of transgender persons reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence in the previous year. In the bigger picture, it can be financial privilege that drives the increasing cost of housing. The real estate belongs to the privileged, and they can do what they choose with it. Including leaving hundreds of thousands of human beings stranded. I asked her if she’s ever had to sleep in a car. Moana: A lady and her kids just died in Detroit in their car. Because it was cold. She had been asking for help since November. Nobody wants to help, nobody cares. Homeless people’s lives don't mean anything, but then when something like this happens, everybody wants to cry and say “oh that’s too bad,” and “oh oh oh,” but when she was asking for help, nobody did anything. So what did they think was going to happen? Even a dog can find somewhere to go. Somebody will help an animal before they will help a human being. I imagine myself leaving that way too. I can’t sleep in a car again. I got frostbite once before. If it happens again, they will amputate my foot. So I can’t get frostbitten any more, ever again in life. There was a long pause. Jim: If you could go to college for free, what would you study? Moana: Science — I like subjects that deal with the planet, water, marine animals; things like environmental science. I’m very intelligent. I went to an academy. I was supposed to go to Cass Tech, I know you’ve heard of that before. It’s for smart children. Jim: If you had a million dollars, what would you do? She didn’t hesitate: “I would bring my family together, get a house and not struggle.” People in the Neighborhood is a Groundcover News column that focuses on the unhoused neighbors of the street community of Washtenaw County. Moana MARCH 7, 2025 Moana's artwork. ׉ 7cassandra://hOzqudvml7HgaaVrvpA3XAgLkzuaTDZDFXb9ww8eD8AR`g=Td\׉EMARCH 7, 2025 PUZZLES 1 14 17 20 22 26 30 34 40 43 51 55 58 62 65 59 63 66 64 67 44 45 52 56 46 53 57 60 61 47 48 49 31 35 36 37 41 50 54 23 24 27 32 28 33 38 39 42 25 29 18 21 2 3 4 5 6 Victor Schmitt 8 7 15 9 GROUNDCOVER NEWS Closing Time 10 16 19 Victor Schm 11 12 13 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 an issue more than 4 weeks old. • 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 or leave positive review of a Vendor experience please email contact@ groundcovernews.com or fill out the contact form on our website. Thank you! ACROSS 1. Chinese liquor 7. Dawn goddess 10. ___ facto 14. Agent of the French secret service? 15. Kwik-E-Mart manager in "The Simpsons" 16. Put-down 17. Keanu Reeve's costar in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" 19. Put down 20. More slimy 21. Word after tooth or tomato 22. Flag bearer, for short? 24. "The Queen of Disco" 26. Singer DiFranco 27. Prez before J.F.K. 28. "Duck Hunt" console, for short 29. Podcast interruptions 30. Barbie, e.g. 32. The Gem State 34. Episodes that may resolve a character arc, or a description of the ends of 17-, 24-, 51-, and 59-Across 40. See 46-Across 41. With 39-Down, common fixture above a doorway 43. NASCAR sponsor 46. With 40-Across, Silicon Valley city 47. "___ guy walks into a bar..." 50. Org. concerned with lies? 51. Was a scapegoat (for) 54. Tolkien creature 55. Place to see a turkey, perhaps 56. Held, as a baby 58. TALK LIKE THIS 59. Anti-government protests of the early 2010s 62. Worshipped one 63. Fashion line? 64. Comencement speaker, e.g. 65. Prying 66. Past-tense verb that sounds like a number 67. End of many university URLs DOWN 1. Lead-in to horse or monkey 2. Syst. in which one talks to the hand 3. Format for many a film project 4. ___'clock news 5. "That's peculiar" 6. Photographer's staff 7. All crumbs, as a meal 8. The "O" of M.O. 9. Prefix with face or name 10. Kosher : Judaism :: Halal : ___ 11. Certain state of matter 12. Fit 13. They might be barked 18. Half of this clue? 21. Rap's ___ T 22. "Way cool!" 23. Grandson of Adam enos 25. "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" dedicatee 31. Gamer's woe 32. Conditional coding statements 33. Fútbol cheer 35. Irked, in slang 36. Conversely, in a text 37. Public knowledge 38. Hurry along 39. See 41-Across 42. Bit of body ink, for short 43. Play hookie, say 44. Holy city? 45. "Breaking Bad" Fried Chicken Chain 'Los ___ Hermanos' 47. Jerry's car, on "Seinfeld" 48. Motherland, affectionately 49. N.F.L. standout 52. Clarkson with the 2011 hit "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" 53. Bowling division frame 57. The "E" of Q.E.D. 59. "Now I've got it!" 60. Low-effort acknowledgement 61 "Despicable" Steve Carell role g=Td\g=Td\ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://LOH0zFJbJ9DZHPUNys5bicG9LAe4bXUOaL4-dIYlnXg _`I׉ 7cassandra://ZNxdyZ5wap9MAW2lvRPVHgWTT-RWJIJQu1_OhXx3YWU*`׉ 7cassandra://JCltiYRjvqWqYQh4dD_k9rpzzqdpS0cb_l2rGW247YYP`g=Td] ׉E10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS CREATIVE STEVEN Groundcover contributor How did we meet? How does anyone meet? Chance, fate, destiny, Divine Providence? Where did we meet? Broadly speaking: Earth, North America, United States, Louisiana, New Orleans, The French Quarter. It was on The Stairs. The Stairs are "the spot" for street kids to hang out, meet up, do whatever. It's a public access to the Mississippi River for tourists or whoever I guess. Tourists often see The Stairs inhabited with gutter-punks in all their gutteriness, and choose an alternate access. Old, torn, heavily modified blood-, mud-, food-encrusted clothes festooned with safety pins, spikes, the metal tops of lighters, patches, random zippers, parts of stuffed animals, bits of leather, shoelaces, unemployed buttons, pins for punk bands, pins with smiley faces, maybe a pin for an insurance company, really whatever pin of the one inch variety. Leather jackets seem obvious but often were the sign of a suburban poser. New clean, unaltered leather? Probably a poser. You really didn't want to be a poser at The Stairs. A loosely organized pack of angry, belligerent, hungry, drunk kids is not a group you want to be on the wrong side of. Bonus Biscuit: I don't have first hand knowledge of this but the hard rule spoken with heart attack sincerity in hushed furtive voices is “don't mess with the clowns.” Not the name of a gang or a euphemism but the busker clowns. The word was they were a very dangerous lot to mess with, second only to the cops. Was it bullshit? Who knows, I didn't test it. The few of them I saw were cool as shit. There was kind of a lot you might be concerned about in the Big Easy if you don't "act right" or "come correct." If you don't know what it means it's pretty standard, be polite (unless you shouldn't), respectful (unless disrespected), generally mind your own business. Dreamer and I were chillin’ on The Stairs, him on his ever-present, ongoing quest to get his hands on "magic mushrooms" as he called them. We all called them that back then. Me on my ever-present, ongoing quest to win life by out-partying it. It still cracks me up, Dreamer's Dream. Dreamer called himself Dreamer; lots of street people choose or are given handles. I knew his real name but always called him Dreamer or some derivative thereof. I can't remember his given name. Old boy was from the Pacific Northwest, Washington or Oregon. It was generally understood in the 90s, correctly or incorrectly, that psilocybin mushrooms (the magic fellows) grew in abundance throughout the Pacific Northwest. I'd heard stories of shrooms growing in the cracks of sidewalks after a rain — no shit. People swore to it. Dreamer, clueless to that, hitchhiked to New Orleans to find them ... No shit. He was a super sweet, loyal kid (we were both kids at 19) who killed at percussion. I wanted to call him Drummer but he wouldn't go for it. Not the hottest pot on the stove but a good road dog. Well not really but I enjoyed his company. We're chillin’ and this absolutely stunning blond girl about my age in an old, dirty, shiny green, crushed velvet dress appears beside me, puts her hand in mine then just sits there looking around like it’s the most natural thing in the world. I rolled with it. Held her hand. What could go wrong? Lots. Lots could go wrong. Lots of shitty scammy stuff. I had no inkling that might be the case, however. For one, I'd seen her around and definitely noticed she was hot. Dirty street urchin hot. Yellow blond hair, dirty, tangled, left to hang loose past her shoulders. Adorable — almost cherubic — round face filled in, maybe a little plump. Bright, twinkly, crystal blue eyes that smiled even when she was sad. “Filled in” describes her figure as well. Buxom and firm sweeping curves. Smooth pale neck, heavy breasts framed by shapely soft arms. Delicate porcelain hands flanking her womanly hips and big ol’ round booty, thighs and tiny slippered feet. With that initial meeting we became inseparable. Dreamer would bop off on his own side missions and we'd meet back up. The Girl and I didn't leave each others' side except for water closet breaks (sometimes) and the rare (one) shower at the shelter. We would hold hands but mostly she wanted to hold on to my shirt in a way like she was my girl. No conversation, no heart to heart just we were together now. It seemed her main motivations were feeling safe and covering her minimum needs. Basically food. She liked the affection I showed her but I think that was just a bonus to her. I made her feel safe and that made me love her. Love her as only a 19-year-old dumbass loves a girl he doesn't know. She did enjoy drinking and was a chill drunk with the occasional outpouring of crap she had been caused to hold in over the years. Mostly we were just fun, goofy, drunk teens. We had a blast. We both thought Dreamer was hysterical. She was on team Drummer but Dreamer wouldn't budge from his chosen moniker. He was constantly drumming in some way. His hands or sticks or plastic ware, constantly. It wasn't annoying either. He was good. It was entertaining. They were halcyon days and nights. We were living the dream. The Girl — she did tell me her name but I've forgotten, much to my chagrin and shame. It feels cheap to give her a bullshit name. Thinking of her as The Girl in the Shiny Green Dress canonizes her for me. I don't feel heartbreak or heartache for her; maybe we finished our story. It may be different for her. I know in my bones she remembers me. The Girl did tell me a bit of her story. I never asked or pressed for more. My making her feel safe was deeply profound for her. In her young life feeling safe was the exception not the rule. A far too common story of abuse by loved ones and no protection. So she split from there. Just left with only her fancy Green Dress and a beat up pair of flats. The Green Dress was a totem for her. I'm not sure why but it was special to her. She didn't even own underwear and didn't want to. Oh and a busted out pair of flats. Three things. You may be thinking, "Oh how sweet two young lovers in love," but we weren't lovers. We kissed casually with love as long-time partners might. As naturally as can be. We cuddled as if we might melt into one being never to be separated. We never got naked together. We never made out, just smooch and cuddle. If we left it at that, it might be MARCH 7, 2025 Travels with Dreamer: The girl in the shiny green dress easy to dismiss our affair, but the intimacy we felt was of a type I've never felt since and likely never will. Now, in what is called middle age, I've stories of love and marriage. Passionate crazy marathons of debauchery. Very close intimate friends. A loving family. None will ever feel the same as what The Girl and I had. It was profoundly special and unique to that time and place for us. We were our actual first loves, not unrequited crushing on each other. It was our first taste of real love. It would be fair of you to think, "All right, bullshit. A 19-year-old hormone-fueled drunk dude was satisfied and happy with this"? That’s fair. It’s true that at first I was trying clumsily and obtusely to make minor moves. When she told me her story — the way she told me her story — and I realized that I was the only person in the world who knew her story who wasn't a predator, a switch flipped. She became a fragile, unique flower blossom. She was a blossom the universe handpicked for me to protect. I can say without bluster or reservation I felt I had been knighted to protect and nurture this girl. Then I ditched her. I know I said we had finished our story, and I guess we did, but looking back all these years later I can say my dumb-ass teenage self shit the bed. I threw it away on a panicked impulse — a selfish, cowardly whim. I ran away home. More to come. "Unpublished diaries" by Tommy Spaghetti ׉ 7cassandra://JCltiYRjvqWqYQh4dD_k9rpzzqdpS0cb_l2rGW247YYP`g=Td\׉E fMARCH 7, 2025 CREATIVE Truth or lies: The never forgotten love As a youngster going to the third grade I was very excited. I remember walking down the hall. There was my teacher, Mrs. Divison, standing at the door greeting everyone. After everyone settled in, I couldn’t help but notice the pretty young lady sitting next to me; her hair was silky black and braided with several bows attached to her braids. Her skin was a smooth caramel. Her teeth were so white when she smiled. Her pink lips spoke to me from the very first time I laid my eyes on her. I was captivated by her beauty. I was eager to attend school just to sit next to Citlalli and talk to her. Citlalli made me feel like I had butterflies in my stomach every day. I dreaded the last week of school, considering I didn’t know when I was going to see her again. Citlalli told me that her father was in the Air Force and that they would be moving. Citlalli did not know where. I was so sad, even though I never let on to her. I gave her my mother‘s phone number and asked her to keep in touch with me. A year quickly passed by without seeing her. I often wonder where she was; what she was doing. I graduated I blushed and said, “One event at a time, Mom!” My dad nodded his head agreeing with me, saying, “Let the boy live his life. He’s doing swell. There’s no rush.” Even though dad took up for me, I couldn’t help but to think, yeah, l do need a beautiful wife in my life. At graduation I was so nervous even FELICIA WILBERT Groundcover vendor No. 234 from high school and college and won a full scholarship to attend the Paris School of Architecture. This was a very prestigious opportunity. I studied hard, keeping my mind on my studies. I didn’t date that often. I wanted to make my parents very proud of me. However, I still wondered where Citlalli was and what she would look like as an adult woman. Two years of school passed by too swiftly. I was rushing to the airport to pick up my parents for my graduation tomorrow. The first thing my mother said to me was, “Where is your girlfriend? You know you have to get married and have some beautiful grandchildren.” though I have been planning this for years. I had the same butterflies in my stomach that I used to feel when I talked to Citlalli in third grade. The announcer had called just about everyone’s name and I knew my turn was coming soon. To my amazement (or was I dreaming because I missed her so much) I heard her name being called, Citlalli Waters. I could not see — everyone was standing and cheering. I rushed to the aisle to get a better view ... yes, it was her but how? She’s been here with me all this time?! She accepted her degree and quickly rushed off the stage. I knew my name was next, Jeffery Welsh. I broke through the crowd surrounding her. Citlalli was amazingly beautiful. She still had pretty hair but this time it was curled. She looked like she stepped out of a magazine. We were elated to see each other. We became inseparable. Every year for Valentine’s Day I bought two roses; then as our family expanded, I purchased a rose for each addition. PUZZLE SOLUTIONS GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 g=Td\g=Td\ בCטFu׉׉ 7cassandra://RZ9nphrmUYT3cb9I_w9XGhd4US_N8haLp3J8eRk4p_0.C`׉ 7cassandra://516a18v0oVoqW7F9DK3YAFSCZDRTyrFWI3HR3H-CA-Y{`h׉ 7cassandra://Xwc7jSpk2G3JBsMJPwmkFqmPfWJuBOltq6iM70ut9iE)`g=Td] נg=Td]sa 9ׁHhttp://PEOPLESFOOD.COOPׁ ׁ Ј׉E12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Shamrock shake LINDSAY CALKA Publisher Ingredients: Half gallon of vanilla ice cream 1 cup of milk 2 teaspoons peppermint extract Green food dye Optional toppings: Canned whipped cream Maraschino cherries Directions: Take ice cream out of freezer; let set 15 minutes. Blend ice cream, milk, peppermint extract and green food dye in blender until combined and smooth. Serve with toppings in a glass. MARCH 7, 2025 $5 OFF NATURAL FOODS MARKET 216 N. FOURTH AVENUE ANN ARBOR, MI PHONE (734) 994 - 9174 • PEOPLESFOOD.COOP ANY PURCHASE OF $30 OR MORE 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 4/3/2025 ׉ 7cassandra://Xwc7jSpk2G3JBsMJPwmkFqmPfWJuBOltq6iM70ut9iE)`g=Td\׈Eg=Td\g=Td\ ,March 7, 2025gôˁD؆