2 $ FEBRUARY 9, 2024 | VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 4 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Truth or Lies: Mr. Lover Lover. Page 10 MAURICE LEGGERT #618 ASK YOUR VENDOR: ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE BLUE ... GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. Pull Over Prevention grows with community support. page 7 THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM Volunteer mechanic fixes car lightbulb. Photo courtesy of The Mutual Aid Network of Ypsilanti. • Proposal: Housing-development accelerator • Charbonneau: Open your eyes to housing inequity. PAGE 4 @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor #
2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER letter to the EDITOR "CONTINUING ON THE COMMONS" Following last issue's article by Ken Parks on "Sharing the Commons," I thought an update on the Ann Arbor Community Commons would be appropriate. Several years ago I wrote a Groundcover report on the "Campaign for the Commons," its victory at the polls in 2018 and a City Task Force making recommendations to advance the commons — which the City Council accepted. In December 2019 they encouraged acceleration of development; funding came out of the parking revenue, still being collected since 2018, when the parking lot was repurposed from "Public Land-Parking" to "Public Land-Park." Since then, the Mayor has continued to oppose the commons, and seems to have aligned the current City Council and administration to ignore, or very slow-walk, the directions mandated by the People's vote and the democratic process. A "Council of the Commons" was set up to advise the City on what to do, and they refused actually to look at plans and talk about ideas and help the commons development; instead, they said the City should hire professional consultants to advise us on what to do, and that the private funds raised for physical development should instead be used to pay the professional consultants. This "out-sourcing of creativity" also limited attention to the "central park" only — ignoring both the "civic center" and the "commons” overall as the cooperative mode of development. The commons means "everyone is invited to use it, and to be responsible for it and to respect one another." The "it" is what we can get together, beginning with the Public Land, for which we People voted and won, and other things people can donate or lend or buy. "Commonly pooled resources self-managed by the users" is a definition of the commons. Needs include a stage and sound system, lights and shade and tables and chairs and signs, wi-fi, toilets and water … with some of this the City could easily have helped, and still could. On the Library Lane surface lot, the first need is to get the cars off, so the people can easily begin to use the space. The Civic Center Building element of the commons development is a longerrange plan, waiting for more local creativity, and depending on the building plans of other neighbors and further designing inspiration for connecting the Liberty Plaza with the Library Lane and providing terraces over the Library Lane Ramps and building the Civic Center Building over Library Lane. The Civic Center is imagined in many ways, where you can go to see what's happening and new, and it is a place of last resort when you have a problem that can't be solved anywhere else … including a multi-use mix of a local food conscious cafe, special events performance space, peace place, housing and service counseling, art galleries, local history and climate 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 Simone Masing — intern ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Bauman Pony Bush D.A Roberto Isla Caballero Lara Dendel Cindy Gere Mike Jones James Manning Ken Parks Ashley Powell Denise Shearer Felicia Wilbert 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 PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Anabel Sicko VOLUNTEERS Jessi Averill Jane Atkins Luiza Duarte Caetano Zachary Dortzbach Glenn Gates Alexandra Granberg Robert Klingler Ruben Mauricio Emily Paras Holden Pizzolato Melanie Wenzel Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof 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 a.m. - 3 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, LISTEN TO OLD ISSUES + 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 classes. Lots of beautiful four-season ideas have been suggested, many partnering with the library and other possible developments including a warming place and continuing the gardens. If you want to put on a program on the commons, or are interested in helping, please contact the Ann Arbor Community Commons Initiating Committee: www.AnnArborCommunityCommons.org — Alan Haber, Commons Initiating Committee FEBRUARY 9, 2024
FEBRUARY 9, 2024 ON MY CORNER ASK YOUR VENDOR Finish the sentence: Roses are red, violets are blue ... Everything feels better when I'm with you. — Maurice Leggert, #618 What about the white one? — Roberto Isla Caballero, #347 If you don't think its true, go to the zoo! — Wayne Sparks, #615 I like a lot of money, how about you? — Joe Woods, #103 I buy and read Groundcover, and you should too! — Cindy Gere, #279 When it rains, I think of you — drip, drip, drip! — Shelley DeNeve, #22 I don't know ... I love you. — Mike Jones, #113 Honey is sweet, and so are you! — Ken Parks, #490 Health minute Most people lead busy schedules: work, family and just organizing life as a whole. The most important thing we must do is prioritize our health — mind, body and spirit. In this guide I will start with the body, and teach you the methods of living a long time, as well as having mental clarity and focus while doing it. I have to admit, I am someone who gets bored with the same old routine of going to the gym. So I have to mix up my fitness. I bike, jog, lift weights, go to the yoga studio and hit the erg (rowing machine). If you're trying to lose weight, losing the weight can add extra stress. Just the thought of doing something extra and extenuating adds pressure. The first thing you need to know is eating the right foods is the first step to a healthy body and fitness Third, eliminate sugar comASHLEY POWELL Groundcover vendor No. 595 routine. When you eat the right foods you not only feel better but you perform better whether that be in sports or on the job. If you're eating bad food and working out, it defeats the purpose. Secondly, getting up at 5 a.m might seem like a challenge but it's the best time to work out. Working out at this time can fit into anyone's busy schedule. pletely. Open your fridge and cabinets … throw out any fattening food and replace it with all whole food. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drinking water sends stress packing and removes toxins from your system. Water is also key in moving key nutrients as well as oxygen production. Sports drinks and other teas on the market contain added sugar. Anything over 13 grams of sugar is bad. Bread, once digested, becomes sugar. If you eat rice it should be brown rice. Many pastas and other grains become sugar. Let's say, you like pancakes. Gluten free or spelt pancakes taste just as good and are a healthy alternative. Some brands even offer a proteinpacked box. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 3 Ruminating on the Lions — support your home team! Going into the NFC playoffs, like many Lions fans, these were my thoughts: “I hope the Detroit Lions do good like Michigan did. Michigan won the national championship. The Lions play this week on Sunday. I hope they win. If they win against Tampa Bay, I think they’ll go to the Superbowl. I guess I’m a Lions fan. I like them because they’re my home team. I’m from Detroit, and I was born and raised in Michigan. So I like the Red Wings and the Tigers and the Pistons. The Pistons fell out right now, but maybe they’ll recover one day. It was good back in the day when they were called The Bad Boys, a long time ago. No one remembers that, but you can look it up, it’s true. Anyway, the Lions haven’t won a championship since 1957. I think that if we do win, it would be a really amazing thing, everybody would be really surprised and happy. I’ve never seen them in person, exp. 01/31/2025 only on TV. I think it would cost a lot to see the game live. I actually like it better on TV because I can pause it, I can go to the bathroom, cook something, and I don’t have to pay a lot of money for refreshments or anything like that. When you’re at the game you gotta pay for parking PONY BUSH Groundcover vendor No. 305 and all that — it just costs more. I don’t know the names of many of the players right now, but my favorite is Jared Goff, the quarterback. He’s doing good so far. He’s the best quarterback that they’ve had in a long time for the Lions. He’s doing better than Matthew Stafford, even though Matthew Stafford got paid more. Stafford was the highest paid quarterback as of 2017. I have friends who don’t like the Lions, and I used to not like them myself. They were the worst team in the NFL! I couldn’t stand them. I had no faith in them. I started to like them more now because they’re winning. I’m not saying that you need to like a team just because it’s your home team, but you need to support them. I supported the Lions even if they weren’t my favorite because I’m from Detroit. Let’s hope that they keep winning so that I can like the team that I support!” After the game reflections: I feel that they could've done better. They were doing good at the beginning but the second half they just fell off. I don’t know if they got tired or what it was. But I feel like they came a long way. Even though we lost, we made it almost to the Super Bowl, and I’d never seen them do that before.
4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS HOMELESSNESS Housing the unhoused in Washtenaw County My name is Michael Jones. I am a writer, photographer and vendor for Groundcover News in Ann Arbor. Groundcover News was founded in April 2010, as a means to empower low-income persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. Street newspapers 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 the homeless and combat the increase in poverty. Before I go any further, I would like to give a hardy thank you to the many who work tirelessly day and night to serve the unhoused and those in need: Peggy, Sheri, Lindsay, Ben and Brian from the Mercy, Peace, Hospitality and Purple Houses, respectively: I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. And we can’t forget the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County for all you guys do for the community. I say thank you to board members, staff and those who stand on the frontlines in this war on homelessness and poverty. Washtenaw County is facing a homelessness problem. During sub-zero temperatures in the middle of January, the Ypsilanti police threatened to evict unhoused people from their tent encampment along Michigan Avenue, leaving the homeless with nowhere to go. Facing imminent eviction, the people staying there chose to move on, and the county government helped with some hotel nights for them. You can read more about that in the January 26, 2024 edition. The Delonis Center, the Washtenaw County shelter, is over-capacity especially during the winter months. and what plans they have for this building, but I would like to use this structure as an example of what type of space is needed to house the unhoused in Washtenaw County. Not only would this be a place to MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 I was born and raised in Ann Arbor and like most people who grew up here, had to relocate to Ypsilanti due to the unaffordability of Ann Arbor. I was once homeless here in Washtenaw County. I was also a cab driver for over ten years and homeless or unhoused at the same time. The number of unhoused people in the United States dropped from 637,000 in 2010 to about 554,000 in 2017. But homelessness is spiking upward now, due to the high cost of living and to some degree the pandemic; and as a result, tens of thousands more people in the U.S. were unhoused in 2023 compared with 2022. On average 2,000-3,000 people in Washtenaw County are homeless each year; over half are children. I would like to share a small portion of my vision for a Washtenaw County Shelter for unhoused individuals and families. Located in Ypsi on Michigan Avenue between Hamilton and Adams Street is a beautiful building and structure; once upon a time it was part of the Eastern Michigan University Business School. I don’t know who owns that building Former site of Eastern Michigan University's College of Business, located at 300 W. Michigan Ave in Ypsilanti. house those in need, but could also be a refuge of resources within the campus area. Resources such as: mental health/ drug treatment clinics, job training and resource center, and programs to help those re-entering society from incarceration and young adults entering society from foster care. This facility will be community friendly and operated by professionals and volunteers who are passionate about helping and serving individuals and families in need. We who live in Washtenaw County are fortunate to have three fine educational institutions, the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College. I’m sure these institutions wouldn’t mind lending their expertise to help the homeless and provide internship opportunities for students to be involved in active work experience. This would be rewarding not only for the unhoused and those in need, but a life changing and consciousness upgrade for interns and volunteers, who are at such an impressionable age in their development as young adults. Institutions, organizations and people from all ages from various backgrounds would gather, and work for a great cause with the aim to enlighten and redeem. I would encourage Washtenaw County citizens to see if the County could purchase that site I mentioned, or consult a developer, and build a campus structure of this magnitude or greater to be able serve at the capacity needed. Editor's note: Michigan Innovation Headquarters has purchased the old EMU Business School. It will be rennovated to be a "life science and technology hub in downtown Ypsilanti, complete with medical offices, multiple dining options, and state-of-the-art wet lab spaces," according to Ann Arbor SPARK. FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Giveaways do no good Editor's note: This is an opinion piece. Before, two or three years ago, there weren’t as many homeless people in Ann Arbor. Today, there’s too many people staying outside. I heard that all these people are coming from Detroit. I have been here for nine years; I came with nothing. Now all these people want free things. This county has thousands of people out there waiting for housing. My caseworker tries to help me anytime, but if I don’t need help I tell her, “for now I’m OK.” But sometimes I don’t know what’s happening to me. Sometimes I think I might be losing my mind. All the time, I see people asking for retirement and disability income]. I don’t understand why they pay this much money a year. This is the question: why is the United States doing so many things for these crazy people? They need to have more mental health care and hospitals so that these people are not outside in the cold. I remember in Cuba, in the 70s, ROBERTO ISLA CABALLERO Groundcover vendor No. 347 something, asking, asking, trying to work, real work. Now, in 2024, the social security administration pays a trillion dollars a year [total of both social security Castro said: either you work, or you go to jail. In America you don’t have laws like that. Everything is free. People don’t want to go to work, they want to stay in the street. The American Constitution needs to change many things. Why do people still come to America to become drug dealers, gang members, and pimps? Sometimes people come to America to work. That’s okay. But too many people come here and they don’t have a green card, or social security, or anything. Lots of bosses accept people and pay them cash money under the table. Immigration and police need to change. The White House and the Capitol are not doing anything. What needs to be done is: take out the Statue of Liberty because it’s looking bad. They need to change the Constitution. In 2016, Barack Obama went to Cuba and made a law that opened up the border. He did not make sure that people coming from Cuba wouldn't be deported though. I want to say thank you to America. I am a Cuban refugee. Finito.
FEBRUARY 9, 2024 BLACK HISTORY MONTH An old white man considers Black History Month JIM HUGHES Groundcover contributor Black History Month is an opportunity to discover more of the actual history of how people of color have been treated in the United States. The stories of enslaved people, indigenous Americans, indentured servants and immigrants are only recently getting told widely. The facts have always been there; the difference is that the facts are now being told in detail more and more by those descended from people of color. My own view is that more and more people have researched original documents, family stories and oral history so that 21st century Americans can (if we choose to) discover the whole story of our nation's history. For many years, school history books focused on the aspirational nature of the American experience as expressed in the founding documents. This gave an overview without the detail needed to listen and learn about the lived experience of people on the margins of society. Thankfully, this practice is changing from the platitudes I learned in high school. A closer look at how the United States carried out the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Bill of Rights reveals a series of hopes and dreams — both achieved and deferred. Perspective and context explains the arc of history for people in this country. The sad stories and hard lives of " STUDYING BLACK HISTORY? START AT GROUNDCOVERNEWS.ORG/ "Long and winding road toward Dr. King’s dream of ending hunger and poverty in America continues" by Will Shakespeare, January 2021 "The Black family in transition" by Will Shakespeare, February 2021 "Crossroads in STEM diversity, equity and inclusion: empowering underrepresented racial minorities" by Will Shakespeare, April 2021 "Juneteenth — a celebration of freedom" by Jaz Brennan, June 2021 "Don't take away my humanity! Remembering Anne Frank and George Floyd" by Will Shakespeare, July 2021 "Community town hall: Poverty, racism and trauma" by Ben Girodias, November 2021 "The tragedy of Aura Rosser: Police brutality, domestic violence and community policing reform" by Will Shakespeare, November 2021 "Black health and wellness before and after COVID-19" by Will Shakespeare, February 15, 2022 "Celebrating Black leadership in health equity and race disparities research" by Will Shakespeare, March 1, 2022 "The story of Ida B. Wells: Anti-lynching crusader, women's rights activitst" by Will Shapespeare, August 1, 2022 "Emmett Till's story — the horrific lynching of a 14-year-old boy in Mississippi" by Will Shakespeare, August 15, 2022 "Gentrification of Ann Arbor, my hometown, through the eyes of Shanty Wobagege" by Mike Jones, November 1, 2022 Celebrate Black History Month by competing in an online trivia contest for various prizes. marginalized folks have been obscured, causing widespread misunderstanding. What’s especially been missing from the common understanding of history has been any serious review of the myriad intentional policies, laws, cultural discrimination and economic policies that shut many Americans out of full participation in the benefits of society, politically and economically. The resulting ignorance of most Americans has infected public policy for years. As a result, we have experienced huge disparities in opportunity, wealth, home ownership, health outcomes, longevity and social capital across generations. The unfettered truth can be interesting and enlightening to those of us seeking to understand the deep divisions in our culture and society. Facing the pain and suffering of those who were once enslaved can be a liberating exercise. One important action we can take is to educate ourselves about history, to take a deeper look at the stories, culture and systems of people on the margins in America. This can be done by searching out and reading books and articles by Black authors and journalists, by visiting historic places and museums chronicling the Black experience in America, and by taking time to listen to those voices speaking out today in journalism, literature and the arts. Facts matter. Ignoring the facts and details about our history has caused repeated failure to address the disparities endemic to the American political and economic system. Despite these serious difficulties, I'm hopeful that the "Beloved Community" that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned can be realized. It will take constant effort. My own readings and explorations in recent years have caused me to believe that we white Americans should take the time to learn about and confront the sad realities of systematic, deliberate efforts to divide people since Europeans first arrived to colonize this land over 400 years ago. Sugarcoating this history has only served to maintain division, bigotry, hatred and white supremacy. I cannot change that history; however, I can learn about it and I can work to undo the disparities it has caused up to the present day in February, 2024. Honest reckoning with our past can lead to reconciliation, healing, justice and the dream Dr. King had for this nation. Jim Hughes is a Christian, influenced by the social gospel, the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Father John Kavanaugh and Dan Berrigan. Active in the Peace movement at St. Louis University, Hughes achieved conscientious objector status in 1970. He was drafted and worked with farmworkers and extended health care for his alternative service. Mr. Hughes has lived, worked and volunteered in Michigan nonprofits, churches, local and state government for many years, until retiring in 2015. GET TO KNOW YDL! WHERE TO FIND US: Online at ypsilibrary.org Call us at 734-482-4110. TO GET YOUR LIBRARY CARD: 1) Fill out the easy online form at ypsilibrary.org/library-cards. 2) Call 734-482-4110 3) Or stop by any YDL location! DON’T HAVE A DRIVER’S LICENSE? We can work with a variety of IDs to get you your card. TOOLS TO HELP Preschool and Kindergarten Resource Fair February 17 12-2pm YDL-Whittaker Chat with representatives of local schools and service organizations, enjoy school readiness hands-on activities, and take home a free book and tote bag. FEATURED EVENT Trivia Contests February 1-29 Virtual GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5 Predict the winners for the 2024 Academy and Razzie Awards and win a movie prize pack. Details at ypsilibrary.org/events.
6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS RACIAL JUSTICE Support Krystal Clark LARA DENDEL Groundcover contributor Krystal Clark is incarcerated at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti. From the website freekrystal.com, “Krystal Clark is a 39-year-old mother of four, devoted friend and caring community member.” She has been incarcerated for the last 13 years, and is suffering severe health problems due to an allergy to mold which is present in the prison. Her health issues are so serious that she is slowly being killed by the conditions in the prison. Due to her speaking out about this injustice, she is being harassed by Michigan Department of Corrections and mocked by employees and other inmates. In addition, the prison has been messing with her mail. She has been seen by doctors within MDOC, but the diagnoses that the doctors give her do not make it into her medical file, and if a doctor says her issues are due to the mold, she never sees that doctor again. At the moment, she is in need of hearing aids, which she was told she would receive, but they are now delaying her getting them by claiming they need to run other tests first. Krystal is dealing with a large amount of pain every day, with no relief. In 2019 Krystal was among a group of women to file a two-count civil rights action against the MDOC, alleging the prison is full of dangerous conditions (leaky roofs, haphazard retrofitting, inoperable windows and more) which have made it a breeding ground for fungi and molds. Doctors within MDOC will not include mold as a cause of their health issues in their files, but when the women have been lucky enough to see an outside doctor, mold is clearly listed as the cause of their health ailments. This case was dismissed by the court because the judge said that there’s no established rights of prisoners to be free from mold. This means that even if a doctor finds that mold is the cause of their health ailments, the prison is not obligated to take any action. Since it is clear that the prison is not going to take action to fix the mold problem, this means that Krystal’s health will only continue to worsen. She was not given a death sentence, but serving the remainder of her sentence in these conditions could kill her. We’re calling for the compassionate release of Krystal Clark so she can access the life-saving medical care she needs and return to her family to heal. Please contact Governor Whitmer and tell her that Krystal is being killed in prison, which no one deserves. In Krystal’s own words: “Everyone incarcerated has somebody who cares about them. The Governor says all Michiganders matter. I can’t tell when she knows my situation and others. We’re still here sick and suffering and others are dying and she has yet to acknowledge this, let alone do anything about it. The Governor says we all matter, now we’re asking her to prove it. Myself and others have families out there who love and care about them who shouldn’t have to suffer or lose their lives in here. We know there is a lot going on in the world but, Michigan, we need help. We need y’all to support our prisoner advocates who are fighting for our lives and our rights.” Krystal has petitioned the Parole Board for a Pardon or Commutation of Sentence due to her health issues. Once it reviews her petition, the board will make a recommendation to the Governor. Please write to the Parole Board and the Governor, urging them to release Krystal Clark (#435064) so that she does not die in prison. FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Krystal Clark Additionally, please call the Director, Deputy Director and Healthcare Services Administrator of MDOC and demand that Krystal be given access to medical treatment for her mold allergy, and that MDOC must address the mold problem and fix the building conditions that are allowing its growth. Learn more about Krystal’s situation at freekrystal.com and listen to her on Prison Radio (prisonradio.org) Originally published in Fight to Win January 2024.
FEBRUARY 9, 2024 RACIAL JUSTICE D.A Groundcover contributor The Pull Over Prevention program is a car repair clinic that started in southeast Michigan as a result of the murder of George Floyd and others during encounters with police officers. It began in August 2020, led by Natasha Abner of the Democratic Socialists of America and the Mutual Aid Network of Ypsilanti and other current volunteers. According to the Ypsilanti Mutual Aid Network, “Police and immigration officers use minor automotive issues as reasons to stop, search, fine and deport people. POP volunteers provide repair and advice for these issues, share repair skills and promote access to local resources.” Pull Over Prevention is a great endeavor that a lot of community organizations have got on board with in order to reduce unnecessary confrontations with law enforcement and bridge the gap for those experiencing financial difficulties, who are most likely unable to afford needed minor car repairs. Community organizations and the services and resources they offer include: • Bløm Meadworks donated part of their proceeds for the entire month of January 2024. They also sponsored a benefit fundraiser on January 21. I want to thank all who attended and supported this event. • Wee Wah Productions organized a big fundraiser in Ypsilanti, Michigan that raised over $1,000. • Masjid Ibrahim, a mosque in Ypsilanti, has hosted five to six POP events annually. • FedUp Ministries provides a freefood truck and lots of food assistance around Washtenaw County. • Pet Pals Mutual Aid provides free pet supplies. They do this because they realize that pets are family, too. • Car Seats of Michigan offers free car seat safety inspections and can sometimes provide free car seats. • Home of New Vision gives away harm reduction supplies like Narcan and they provide support for recovery from substance use disorders. • Packard Health dispenses free and low cost COVID and flu vaccines. • Peace House Ypsilanti is a house of hospitality that provides support for people experiencing homelessness and/or food insecurity. Also on hand are harm reduction supplies and hand warmers, foot warmers and tents for people living outside. • Ypsilanti Bike Co-op helps with free bike repairs in the spring and summer. • Washtenaw County Health Department provides free health supplies and information about local resources, and works with Packard Health to do free vaccines. • Legal Services of South Central provides Michigan free legal assistance. • Good Wolff provides free support and information for dog training. • Washtenaw Camp Outreach provides free street survival resources and camping supplies. • Mutual Aid Network of Ypsilanti is POP volunteers and participating organizations. a nonprofit that fiscally sponsors the events and also furnishes a free store which offers a variety of items such as household goods and clothing. • Michigan General Defense Committee, inspired by and with help from southeast Michigan POP, started another Pull Over Prevention that happens the first Sunday of the month in Lansing. • Huron Valley Democratic Socialists of America helps sponsor and support the POP events. I want to add that The Pull Over Prevention Program offers a booklet that lists some of your rights. I spoke briefly with Officer Bondy of the Ann Arbor Police Department and she told me that people can also be kinder to law enforcement agents. They have a very difficult job to do and they are also concerned for their safety, too. I hope to see more programs implemented by Prosecutor Eli Savit about safety when dealing with people with mental illness. I hope that we all can be treated with dignity, respect and fairness. If you’re a professional, hobbyist, curious or retired mechanic, you can help make POP Clinics and help requests possible. If you might know a mechanic, please let them know about POP. POP needs interpreters, too! Spanish and Arabic speakers often attend Pull Over Prevention. If you know someone who speaks a language other than English, either natively or fluently, please send them our way. The next Pull Over Prevention is Saturday, February 10, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church Ypsilanti (120 N Huron St.). It occurs every second Saturday at rotating locations. Instagram: @ypsi_pop Facebook: @PullOverPrevention Email: pop@ypsimutualaid.org GROUNDCOVER NEWS Pull Over Prevention grows with community support 7 "The Color Purple" movie is awesome I really enjoyed the new “The Color Purple” movie written by Alice Walker. I really think the new “The Color Purple” movie is awesome. There’s also “The Color Purple” movie from back in the 80s, too. I like both versions. I love both versions. The new one is very colorful and musical. The new “The Color Purple” movie is also very detailed and very funny. The new “The Color Purple” movie has very sparkling, colorful and shiny clothing that the actors wear. I love all the pretty clothes they wore. I loved the music, too. I like the part where Celie tells Harpo to beat Sofia and Sofia confronts her about it. I thought it was so funny when she said, “You told Harpo to beat me!” and she responds “No!” and Sofia called “Push Da Button.” I liked the part where they go to church and I love gospel singing. Another part I love is when Celie DENISE SHEARER Groundcover vendor No. 485 tells her she’s “A damn liar.” And then they start singing and dancing. I enjoyed the music because it was funny, too. There is a song called “Hell no!” The part where Celie and Shug Avery are singing and dancing is a song made all the colorful pants, and they were unique and different and Mister bought the one that no one was likely to buy. Another great part was when Celie reunited with her sister, kids and family. That was a very touching and happy-tears part that I really loved. I loved Shug Avery and Celie's friendship; Shug really brought happiness and joy to Celie. “The Color Purple” is a movie about friendship and love and family and Black culture and I will always love both versions of the story and movie. I recommend this movie for anyone to see.
8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS COMMONS The financial commons as an expression of the primordial commons, unconditional love is more important than arithmetic, which of course has its place. Most of us play in money everyday and it's easy to get lost in what is a real priority and what you want. A natural breath will help you focus on your priorities. Loans, grants and donations are three significant manifestations of money play. When you purchase Groundcover, you may give an additional donation when you sense that the person has needs greater than $2. Some years ago, I was invited to a Thank you Common Cycle for a comfortable and safe method of transit! KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 “Sharing the Commons” in the January 12, 2024 edition of Groundcover News focused on unconditional love as the bedrock of all the commons we share. We are born into the life of this world with a Mother’s love that gives many of us an experience of unconditional love. From unconditional love to “money” is a big jump. The truth of our lives is obscured by the barrage of brilliant distractions that the digital world uses to commodify everything with its algorithms and data mastery. This full spectrum war to dominate our awareness is looking at artificial intelligence to help them in that mission. Richard Werner, the German economist, cut through the mountain of deception that hides the impermanence of money. He demonstrated empirically in an experiment with the Bank of England, that loans create money from nothing more than the social commons whose potential can be used productively, or to create debt in nonproductive activities such as war and other forms of corruption. My assumption is that natural intelligence is more profound and complete than artificial intelligence. Can artificial intelligence tell you what its assumptions are? I think AI designers are lost in the enlightenment ideology of rational thought and the belief that reality is a machine that the rational man can master. You can have the power of the gods at your command. So we have nuclear power with all its unexpected consequences. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists just updated the doomsday clock to 90 seconds from midnight. The rational mind cannot fathom unconditional love because it is wedded to the belief in its own supremacy, an individualism attempting to prove its permanence. Brothers and sisters, we cannot think our way into the complete experience of reality because the conceptual mind is a small player in the vastness of reality. Your therapy may have taught you that the subconscious and unconscious mind are full of habitual patterns that influence decisions and actions. Even our intestinal microbiome can be addicted to sugar and alcohol. When cravings become powerful, we need to interrogate them, listen to the deeper wisdom of the body and detach from immediate gratification. Of course we want to feel good so the struggle is complex. Taste is important but how you feel an hour or two later is the real test of your diet. Theory and practice need constant upgrading on the path to the truth that sets us free. Experience tells you the truth of your life. If you have some daily practice of mind training, even a few minutes can give you glimpses of the freedom you hoped for. Patience and perseverance are key. When the financial commons is seen Kwanzaa celebration at a national guard post in Hamtramck (see “A proud American revolutionary” or whatever in Groundcover News June 30, 2023). The focus was on cooperative (and community) economics, defined as “a commitment to the practice of shared social wealth and the work necessary to achieve it.” This is the practice of the financial commons. I believe the financial commons can be understood in a way that leads us to share and promote creative living as an expression of living democracy. I hope you remember Pastors For Peace and Veterans For Peace, two important organizations in the struggle for peace in the world. When we live in the shared commons there will be peace as described by Toni Morrison: “The peace I am thinking of is not just the absence of violence but the play of an open mind when it encounters an equally open mind.” Many of you know that my peace activism led to a core family in Cuba. The extended family has brought a young mother and son to center stage. We meditate together with our shared four year old son, Santiago Alberto, who enjoys our practice of breathing together. I held Daniela, the mother, in my hands shortly after her birth on August 21, 2000, at a ceremony in the cathedral. I committed to be padrino, i.e., protector, mentor and spiritual friend. A few years ago she expressed the desire to live with me to the end of my life. We have an application with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services which is in long delay and not likely to be approved if it is processed due to their terms and conditions. I have been sending most of my income to Cuba where Daniela administers it to several households. In past years we built two houses. If you are familiar with the geopolitics of U.S. policy, you know about the blockade with its sanctions and ongoing financial crisis in Cuba. Many are leaving to find jobs in another country. The Cuban diaspora is global and our core family now has an invitation to live in Brazil with extended family. The situation looks very positive with low FEBRUARY 9, 2024 rent and a job for Daniela. I won’t need to send so much to Cuba and she can help with the family still there. I am confident, largely because of our shared meditation practice, that we have a workable situation and I can write my autobiography “Born in 42, History, Mystery and You.” The few pages of my first efforts are calling for completion. The challenge to organize travel is complex. Many countries do not allow Cubans to enter from Cuba but they can enter from other countries. Mexico and Brazil are the two I know about. There is a refugee route from Cuba to Nicaragua then Mexico for those heading to the United States. I have a stepson on this route now. His wife is already in Florida. The route to Brazil is through Guyana, so Daniela and Santiago Alberto need two tickets each which may total $4,000. “What the market will bear,” one of the axioms of the “free market,” can make life very expensive. I am appealing to the financial commons as a visionary with the belief that we can organize ourselves to move forward with building a democratic commons that includes loans in particular. I am asking for a $4,800 community loan to help us get established in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I believe that we can pay it back and even contribute to a fund in the financial commons to be used for the common good. Of course grants and donations will be accepted but I am appealing for a loan because I feel we have some responsibility that our situation will promote a financial flow that will “Return to the Source,” which also the title of a great book featuring Amilcar Cabral from Guinea Bissou/Cape Verde Islands, which like Brazil was once a Portuguese colony. Even if I were to die before a loan was repaid I am confident that Daniela would complete the agreement. The relations that we build now may come to fruition in an amazing future. Of all the possible world systems, may we be reborn in a pure land and enjoy the commons of unconditional love. In the words of the Lord’s Prayer “On earth as it is in Heaven.” May this earth become a pure land. I have given up dualism for the all good expanse of primordial purity which is the seamless nature of reality in its completely natural state. It cannot be defined but can be experienced. Our ancestors point the way. I hope annarborcommunitycommons.org picks up on this work. I believe Groundcover News has a role to play. I was involved as a supporter of the World Social Forum which was in Detroit in 2010, which talked about the commons we all share. Let’s look at another forum as we see COMMONS next page
FEBRUARY 9, 2024 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 a voluntary purchase. 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. COMMONS from last page build on the ruins of the neoliberal edifice which is collapsing around us. Dollars are no foundation for humanity. Maybe we will meet in Brazil for another World Social Forum. Some of us will prepare by studying “The Fourth Alternative” by Alexander Dugin, the notorious Russian intellectual activist who is banned from some social media platforms but lives in translation by Michael Millerman, which points at deeper participation with the commons. There is a podcast. Explore your curiosity. May all beings benefit!
10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS VALENTINE'S DAY Truth or lies: Mr. Lover Lover Content warning: This article is intended for mature audiences. Alonzo was singing “Mr. Lover Lover, I hope the girls don’t discover that I’m a Playboy undercover, that’s why I have to use the rubber.” Alonzo often hummed this song on his way to his next date. Upon his arrival, he would pop his trunk, and retrieve his condoms that were hidden under his spare tire. Alonzo stood 6'2" tall, was buff with a six-pack, was well-groomed with his hair always smelling good. He dressed with a different swagger. Alonzo had three phones; “I am such a playboy,” he thought. Yeah two phones were for the ladies and the other phone was for family and business. He stored them in his trunk under the spare tire. He used them every free moment, before and after work, always competing to get the win. He would often find himself in competition with his bros. Yeah, such an arrogant attitude he just knew he would always win, being so handsome, smelling so good and being intelligent, too — he couldn’t lose. This past week alone he went on a date with five different women. He and his bros always wanted to smash. It was three days before Valentine’s FELICIA WILBERT Groundcover vendor No. 234 He never thought that any of the girls would meet with each other or that he would ever get caught. He was in college working a job at Winnie’s grocery store as a cashier and bag boy. It was the month of February, and all the bros were laughing and bragging they weren't getting no one anything for Valentine’s Day. However, even though he laughed with the guys, Alonzo always bought the ladies a gift. He knew that was the way to keep the peace and get what he wanted. He would secretly purchase every lady he was dating a Valentine’s Day gift. He had a plan to make it simple: Alonzo would purchase each one of them the same thing. He figured that way he would never forget what he got for each lady. Day. Finally, he scored a date with Keisha, one of his coworkers. Alonzo had been asking her out since he started working at the grocery store. Keisha would warn him, “You play too much. No you won’t play with my heart. You know I’ll hurt you if you play with my heart.” Alonzo would laugh while saying, “Girl you know I wouldn’t hurt you. I got you, come on, let me take you out and show you.” Keisha finally decided to go out with him after six months of him begging. He took her out to dinner and a movie. They both had a joyous time. Alonzo asked Keisha, “Could we go out again? And can I continue to call you?” Keisha agreed, thinking that he was serious. The next day, Keisha was off work and decided to go to the mall to buy a new outfit for her next date with Alonzo. While she was in line at the store, she heard this very loud lady shouting at the phone, “Alonzo you better pick up the phone and call me back you user!” She couldn’t help but pay attention, because how many Alonzos are there? “That’s a rare name,” Keisha was thinking. She didn’t even notice herself drifting over towards the lady to hear more of the conversation. She could not help herself, she asked the lady, “Your friend’s named is Alonzo? That’s quite a different name.” The lady looked at her and rolled her eyes and said, “What’s it to you?” Keisha immediately humbled herself and said, “Oh, I’m not trying to be in your business, I just was noticing what an odd name that was.” The lady replied, “Yeah great name, but awful person. He must think women can’t be without him.” That loud lady, Simone, was next in line. The cashier heard the whole conversation and asked, “What did he look like?” Simone replied to the cashier, “Oh, he’s good looking — tall, six pack and well groomed.” “Girl, you need to sneak up on him on his job! That’s all you need to do,” Keisha said. The cashier, whose name was Kelly, replied, “Yeah do you know where he works? Don’t let no man play you.” Simone answered, “Yeah at a grocery store on Main Street.” Keisha and Simone both looked at Kelly and said, “Seems like we are all dating the same man!” see MR. LOVER next page FEBRUARY 9, 2024
FEBRUARY 9, 2024 MEDIA Could reality as we know it be broken? Throughout the course of my life the observable world has undergone many changes brought about by the discovery, creation and advancement of technology. When I was a kid I used to envy people with satellite TVs with seemingly endless channels and content to watch. We can certainly say that those days are long past and now all one needs to pay for is the internet and whatever specific streaming service. These days I often find myself watching anything I find interesting on YouTube. There's always something to watch on YouTube. Calling the content I stumbled across interesting would be an understatement – content that at times has had me question the nature of reality in my observable world. There is some weird stuff out there with countless theories and beliefs. Even though the majority of claims and corresponding videos are elaborate hoaxes, the sheer scale of these paranormal submissions begs that there is some amount of truth. I wanted to point out some theories I've come across that I found very interesting as well as difficult to dismiss — and it’s also just something downright fun to write about and speculate on. Thanks to modern technology many in developed countries possess smartphones with the means of taking pictures and videos. This obvious fact has been very impactful in documenting the realm of the unknown. I believe that paranormal JAMES MANNING Groundcover vendor No. 16 shown up in various philosophies throughout history. I struggle to really believe I'm living in a complex computer simulation, because it would render my existence pointless if I were just some random nonplayer character. However there is no way to know if that is really the case. And again, there are plenty of creepy glitch videos online. Now what interests me is the idea studies have exploded over the last decade and a half due to such access. I also believe it plays a part in milestone events such as governments around the world officially acknowledging the existence of UFOs and U.A.Ps (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena). These things just cannot be covered up as easily as they were decades ago. Of course it can always be argued that video evidence has been doctored with computer graphics and the like. However, that doesn't explain away the sheer number of submitted videos that are out there. Also not just anybody can utilize graphics alteration software, which definitely requires specific technical skills. Another interesting theory that has come along over the years and made popular thanks to the Matrix franchise concerns simulated reality and parallel universes. Note I mentioned “made popular.” These ideas are nothing new. These beliefs have of parallel and or multiple universes and the accompanying Mandela Effect associated with multiple-universe theory. The Mandela Effect is a memory you have that you would swear by that does not match up with reality. For example, remembering the Monopoly board game man wearing a monocle. A good one for me was remembering "The Berenstein Bears" but it's spelled Berenstain. This theory involves a belief that somewhere along the way the universes we reside in somehow got swapped out. There's even a belief that experiments involving particle accelerators such as those done at CERN in Switzerland to blame for screwing around with space and time. But whatever the case is, there's no shortage of content available through modern media, just YouTube alone has hundreds of thousands of channels and top 10 or 20 lists covering every topic you can think of, with a continuous inflow of content from the uploads of anyone carrying a smartphone. So when you're talking literally millions of daily uploads, damn near everything out of the ordinary is documented. Many incidents end up having multiple submissions from witnesses so now we have UFO sightings and other phenomenon with videos from different angles due to multiple people recording them. With all this material it is not all difficult to put together a show and the result is endless content to watch on television and online. Now with Smart TVs being so common I just see no point in having a basic cable, if that even exists anymore. I’m not sure. It certainly is obsolete in my opinion when I can just get on YouTube and look up what I feel like watching and always find something. So coming back to the paranormal angle — and that government organizations no longer flatly deny such things. There isn’t much out there that gets missed. So we’re living in a very different time from just a handful of decades prior. And things have to be viewed and approached differently by global governments. And they have made attempts to be more open, more transparent as a result of modern technology itself. The point I think I’m making here being is that the ease to document and share information has broad implications. Mostly I’m glad that it's been a while since I was able to complain that there is nothing to watch on TV and have that be true. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 MR. LOVER from last page They looked at each other, then Keisha said, “Yeah we should get him back on Valentine’s Day. The nerve of that man, thinking he can get away with dating all of us.” “He probably even has other women too,” said Simone. Kelly said, “Hey, I’ll pretend that I’m going over to his place for a booty call, then we can get him. All three of us on Valentine’s Day.” They all laughed. Keisha returned to work the next day — the day before Valentine’s Day. She accepted her gift with a big smile. He never knew that she was aware of his playboy moves. She was eager to get off work and call the other ladies and make the plan to get back at him. Kelly made a date with him, pretending that they were going to have a wild date for Valentine’s Day. Alonzo was knocking at Kelly’s door at 8 p.m. with the same gift he had given Simone and Keisha. Kelly answered the door, dressed in a black sexy outfit, with a whip and handcuffs in her hand. Alonzo was shocked, but he was so turned on. Kelly grabbed him by his collar, gently yanking him into the house. When Alonzo attempted to speak, she put her hand over his mouth. Kelly said to him, “You must be quiet. I’m the boss here.” She directed him towards the chair she had planned for him. Alonzo smiled and complied, sitting in the chair. Kelly handcuffed and blindfolded Alonzo. Keisha and Simone entered the room. Simone started pouring syrup all over him. Keisha poured honey all over him. Kelly cut her pillow open and put feathers all over him. Alonzo was shocked. All three women were in the same room with him. Alonzo’s heart dropped and he got scared. All three women were shouting at him, “You think you slick! Oh, you a playboy!” Keisha said to him, “We are going to put this picture of you on Facebook.” The ladies laughed at him while he pleaded to be released. “The next time you want to play games you need to go to Toys ‘R’ Us warehouse! They have over 1,000 toys and games you can play with! Wouldn’t you rather be a Toys ‘R’ Us kid than a tarred and feathered one!" The ladies laughed and snapped a picture and uploaded it to the Internet. Happy Valentine’s Day, Mr. Lover Lover. Thank you Groundcover readers. I appreciate all the love, support and your patience. Happy New Year and Happy Valentine’s Day! Currently, I am working a job in Alabama struggling to keep a home. I would appreciate if all my Truth or Lies Mystery Lane fans please subscribe to Groundcover News under Felicia Wilbert vendor No. 234. Once again, thank you for your support and love. Stay blessed. — Felicia Wilbert
12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Carmelized onion dip ELIZABETH BAUMAN Groundcover contributor Ingriedients: 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 onions, diced 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped 1 1/4 cups sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Potato chips, for serving Directions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and brown (about 20 minutes). Set aside to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add the onion mixture and stir until well combined. Cover and chill overnight. The dip can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Serve with potato chips. PUZZLE SOLUTIONS FEBRUARY 9, 2024
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