4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS COMMUNITY EVENTS In loving memory of Ismael Ahmed TOMMY SPAGHETTI Groundcover vendor No. 669 It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Ismael Ahmed, my dear friend and brother-in-law but also my mentor of the highest order. My relationship with Ish is long and storied. I met him in 1978 at the Freezer Theater in the Cass Corridor. He attended my concert and purchased two records from our merch table. It was a practical joke because we glued our own labels onto other artists’ 45s (cheap thrift store acquisitions). This marketing ploy was intended as a prank on our fan base. After all, we were a 1970s plagiarized version of the Merry Pranksters. Ismael at our first meeting was quixotic at best, igniting a relationship that lasted 45+ years. My sister Mary brought Ismael home to meet our family and he fell in love with my other sister Margaret; he married her and produced Ena, a wonderful child who looks and speaks like her eloquent father. (My sister Mary, who introduced Ish to my family, preceded him in death 66 days prior.) Attending Ish's memorial was a 'must' for me and apparently for some of the most esteemed dignitaries in the state of Michigan: Andy Levin, Mike Duggan, Rashida Talib, Bob Ficano, Steve King, Muruga Bookervich, James Zogby to name but a few. Ismael Ahmed's impact on society can't be diminished: Co-founder of ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) community EVENTS AN EVENING OF SCENES: U-M RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE PLAYERS February 20-21, 8 p.m. RC Keene Theater, 701 East University. RC students direct and perform this popular semiannual program of five student-written comedy sketches. Pay what you can. FAMILY PROGRAM: WINTER SURVIVAL Saturday, February 21 2-3:30 p.m. County Farm Park, 2230 Platt Rd., Platt Road Pavilion. Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission naturalist Shawn Severance leads a family-oriented program in learning how to build a foolproof winter campfire and a debris hut shelter. S’mores provided, please bring anything else you would like to cook over a fire. Free, preregistration required. parksonline.ewashtenaw.org UNITY AGAINST EMPIRE: BLACK AND LATINE SOLIDARITY IN STRUGGLE Tuesday, February 24, 6-7:30 p.m. U-M School of Education Room 1315, 601 E. University Ave, Ann Arbor. Black History Month teach-in on Black and Latine revolutionary unity, examining the Black Panther Party, the Young Lords and the Rainbow Coalition. We’ll explore how their shared commitment to anti-imperialism, collective liberation and the Global South offers lessons for our movement today. NATURAL FEATURES: BUILDING THE RESILIENCE OF OUR PEOPLE AND OUR PLACE with MICHIGAN BOTANICAL SOCIETY Tuesday, February 24, 7 p.m. U-M Matthaei Botanical Gardens Auditorium, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations analyst Sean Reynolds discusses the city’s 10,000 Trees Initiative, its Pollinator-Aware Yard Care program, and its air quality monitoring program, all part of the Ann Arbor's ambitious A2Zero plan to equitably achieve community-wide carbon neutrality. "TOE TAPPERS" WASHTENAW COMMUNITY CONCERT BAND Thursday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m., Washtenaw Community College Towsley Auditorium, 4800 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor. Horses, whistlers, trombones, and … Darth Vader! Mark your calendar now and plan to join us for a toe-tapping good time as we open the new year with tunes that will dazzle, delight, and leave you wanting more! Light refreshments to follow the concert. Free parking and admission. Submit an event to be featured in the next edition: submissions@groundcovernews. com in Dearborn. Ismael Ahmed. His wife and Spaghetti's sister, Margaret, is pictured behind. ACCESS is a social service agency that feeds, houses, clothes and administers health services for thousands of people every year. see ISMAEL page 7 FEBRUARY 20, 2026 What’s Happening at the Ann Arbor District Library Open 10am–8pm Daily Visit any of our five locations across town to browse books, magazines, newspapers, and more. Check out movies, CDs, art prints, musical instruments, or even home tools—you name it! Enjoy fast and free WiFi, study and meeting rooms, and plenty of comfortable spaces to relax or hang out. Unusual Stuff to Borrow There’s more to borrow at AADL than books, music, and movies. To name a few, there are games, telescopes, stories-to-go kits, and home tools. Check out these unusual yet handy items during your next library visit. Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Print Disabled at AADL This free service loans books, magazines, & videos in alternative formats (audiobooks, large print, braille books & magazines, and descriptive video) to individuals who are unable to read or use standard printed materials. Visit aadl.org/wlbpd/apply to apply. FEATURED EVENT Sunday, March 8 • 11 AM–4 PM • Downtown Library Celebrate Super Mario Day at AADL with themed activities, bingo, warp pipe bean bag toss, photo ops, crafts, Mario Kart, and more. Costumes are welcome! Check out the schedule of events at aadl.org/marioday.
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