2 $ JULY 11, 2025 | VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 15 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Undercover art intel: A chance for disabled artists. page 2 JOE WOODS #103 ASK YOUR VENDOR: WHAT'S YOUR BEST ART FAIR TIP? GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM • Proposal: Housing-development accelerator • Charbonneau: Open your eyes to housing inequity. PAGE 4 @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor #
2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS COMMUNITY EVENTS Undercover art intel: A chance for disabled artists Within Washtenaw County, there is a large disabled community made up of the working disabled who hold a job despite their disability challenges. Many U.S. military service members also have disabilities from many different diagnoses. There are non-working people with disabilities who also contribute through volunteering. Within these groups there is a small contingent of artists who work hard to create varying art pieces. It is sad that often much of this work is not seen, left in the closet or drawer of an individual artist, due to little access to large and small art galleries or art shows, not being able to access a ride or lack of computer knowledge. Many of the artists have anxiety and this can be a CINDY GERE Groundcover vendor No. 279 set-back on showing art. It truly is the worry or fear of “I’m disabled, why would anyone want to see my art, let alone buy one of my pieces?” As a Native American artist with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), I know firsthand that this fear is real for many who have any disability. I'm proud to announce one of the first shows for individuals with disabilities. From Autism to Down Syndrome, a very small show with a lot of other activities will be held in front of the downtown Community Mental Health Annex building between Ann and Huron on Fourth Avenue. It's a big red brick building. This little event will be during the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Please come, show your support and pick up great art works! Yes, my art will be there as well! — Kung Fu Panda Friday, July 18, 12-4 p.m. 110 N 4th Ave., Ann Arbor Author's note: The cover of this edition was collectively splatter-painted by Groundcover vendors at our June 27 vendor meeting! JULY 11, 2025 letter to the EDITOR This is in regards to Jim Clark's anti-capitalism article in the June 27, 2025 issue of Groundcover. Anti-capitalism is incompatible with human nature — people are wired to build, invest, to strive and be productive, to advance their family's well being. Little people like me WANT the goods and services billionaires, millionaires and average capitalists produce. Competitive markets foster innovation. Can anyone reasonably argue this country is worse off compared to 150 years ago? Try imagining life without washing machines or chemotherapy. Free markets have made life better, healthier and prosperous for billions of people. Anti-capitalist systems have been tried in other countries — think Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Fidel Castro in Cuba. Both nationalized their food distribution systems in the interests of "equity" and "access." And the result? Poverty, rationing and hunger. Grocery store shelves were stripped bare, and citizens stood in lines for hours for a loaf of bread or a bag of rice, if there was any food left at all. Bureaucrats decided what the citizens ate, when they ate and where they got it. I hope the anti-capitalists of the United States reorient their thinking. Sincerely, Anonymous 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 ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Bauman Jim Clark Lynn Gait-Bilodeau Cindy Gere Roberto Isla Caballero LaShawn Courtwright augustine jay Mike Jones Bryan Kiser Jr. Eric Kopchia Chad Naugle Denise Shearer Shawn Swoffer Kaleaf Warnya 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 CONTACT US Susan Beckett June Miller Steve Ross Anabel Sicko VOLUNTEERS Jessi Averill Sim Bose Jud Branam Libby Chambers Yumna Dagher Luiza Duarte Caetano Regina Duerst Jacob Fallman Glenn Gates Bella Martinez Anthony McCormick Robert Klingler Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Emilie Ziebarth 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
JULY 11, 2025 ON MY CORNER MEET YOUR VENDOR What's your best Ann Arbor Art Fair tip? Don't go overboard spending money. Put a budget on your spending! — Joe Woods, #103 Put on your most interesting face, and see what happens then. — Wayne Sparks, #615 Start on Main Street, go up Liberty, go down State Street up to North U, then come back down to the clock tower. — Cindy Gere #279 Make sure you know ahead of time where the bathrooms, free water and places to sit down are. — Felicia Wilbert #234 Keep hydrated and find shade. — Mike Jones, #113 Stay the heck away— if anything, go for a half day. It’s always gonna storm. — Snap, #205 Dress colorfully. — Shawn Swoffer, #574 Walk slow and don’t try to rush. — Denise Shearer, #485 July 1992 — it was the start of a great day. Cleo awoke at 7 a.m., anticipating a new hair client and making $400. Her client lived on the second floor of her building. Cleo was happy not having to travel that morning in the LA traffic. Cleo's client, Corey, requested having her hair braided; however, she had a two-month-old baby and was concerned about being in a salon all day getting her hair done. Fortunately for her, Cleo offered private services. Cleo went upstairs and knocked on Corey's door. She slouched to the door dragging her feet, finally opened the door and said good morning. Cleo looked at her hair and her clothing, thinking this young lady really needs a helping hand. Cleo clearly saw that Corey was depressed. Cleo said, "Good morning sweetheart, it's going to be a blessed day. Let's get moving.” However, Corey was still slow-dragging. As Cleo looked around her house, she noticed that the baby was not there. She also noticed that Corey didn't have any furniture. There was only a dining room table with four chairs, a full size bed and a baby bed. Cleo was relieved they didn't have to keep stopping to attend to the baby. She asked where the baby was at out of concern. Corey said, "With her grandmother, of course. I don't know how long it will take. I didn't want you to have to keep stopping.” Cleo asked Corey, “How about we do a makeover today?” Corey smiled and said, "What? Okay, do what you do. I will trust you!” Cleo said, “I'll be right back.” GROUNDCOVER NEWS Truth or Lies: Sisterly Love a sofa set please. That's my gift to the baby.” Corey was so amazed she was almost in tears. Cleo laughed and said, "Now don't start crying because you'll mess up your makeup.” Corey said, “I must take FELICIA WILBERT Groundcover vendor No. 234 She hurried to her apartment, walked over to her closet, selected three dresses, two pairs of matching sandals and retrieved her makeup kit. Cleo walked back to the apartment upstairs, made a makeshift station on the table and began to work. She quickly braided the young lady's hair in six hours, which normally takes longer. Corey said, “I never had my hair braided so fast and it's too beautiful. How did you make my hair feel so light? Before when I had my hair braided, my braids were very heavy. I would always take them out within two weeks.” Cleo styled Corey's hair in medium size, long individual braids. She got a $400 hairdo and a $250 makeover. After applying her makeup, Cleo gave Corey eyelashes and a pair of earrings. Corey selected a long dress with red, blue and yellow abstract flowers detailing the dress. When she got dressed and looked in the mirror, Corey was amazed. She said, "Wow, I look like I stepped out of a magazine! Thank you so much. Here is your money. How much more do I owe you?” Cleo said to her, “I'll just take $100; you keep the rest and buy you pictures.” "Yes," Cleo said, “so I can put it in my portfolio.” Corey wanted to go outside to walk and get some ice cream. Cleo told her, “Well, you better get ready for a new day because you're about to experience something you never have before.” As they approached Eighth and Alvarado Street in LA, a Spanish man on the sidewalk started whistling and shouting. “Beautiful señoritas! Beautiful señoritas!" He raised his hands, gesturing to others to move out the way, parting the sidewalk. Corey was so tickled she said to Cleo, "Wow, I've never had that kind of treatment before!" Cleo said, “That’s every day for me. It's all about the walk, the talk, and the way you dress. It's how you carry yourself, that's how men will treat you.” Corey was feeling so elated. She quickly snapped out of the depressive state of mind she was feeling earlier. She wanted to pay for the makeover and the clothing. Fortunately, Cleo said to her, “That's what sisters do for one another. When you're feeling sad, we’re supposed to cheer you up and that should cost you nothing.” “Can we go look at furniture?“ asked Corey. “If only everyone in the world felt that way, it would be a better place.” 3 Letting go of the past to save my future CHAD NAUGLE Groundcover contributor I’ve been doing a lot of thinking 12/31/2025 lately — about who I was, who I thought I’d be, and where I’m actually going. Somewhere along the line, I realized I’ve been dragging around old hopes and dreams like baggage I’m afraid to let go of. They used to be sources of motivation. Now, they’re holding me back. It’s hard to admit, but the version of my life I imagined years ago doesn’t fit the person I am today. I keep chasing goals that no longer reflect my values or reality, stuck in a loop of "what should’ve been" instead of embracing what could still be. And by clinging so tightly to the past, I’ve been sabotaging my future without even realizing it. Growth means being honest with yourself — even when it hurts. It means letting go of the dreams that no longer serve you so you can make room for the ones that do. I’m learning that release isn’t failure. It’s freedom. If you’re holding onto an outdated version of your life like I was, I hope this helps you see it’s okay to let go. You’re allowed to change. You’re allowed to start again. And your future deserves the real you, not a shadow of who you once hoped to be. Time to turn the page.
4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS ART FOR EVERYONE Art on a Journey! Let's take a journey through the wonderful culture of art here in Washtenaw County. From Ypsilanti to Ann Arbor and beyond you can find art galleries, art supply stores and everything else to satisfy one’s artistic tastes and desires. Let us begin our journey in downtown Ypsilanti and the Riverside Arts Center located on 76 N. Huron St. The Riverside Arts Center offers, promotes and nurtures dynamic arts and cultural programs through arts education, performing arts and visual and fine arts activities primarily intended to serve and engage the Ypsilanti community and surrounding Washtenaw County area. The center offers diverse and high-quality arts programming that makes a positive contribution to the image, culture, education and economic development of the Ypsilanti community. It acts as a hub of artistic ventures, producing and hosting various fine and performing artist activities in an accessible facility that includes a theater, art galleries, dance studio, artist studios and classrooms. West of Ypsilanti in Ann Arbor, Gutman Gallery is an inclusive fine arts space located at 118 N. 4th Ave in downtown A2. Not only is the gallery home to rotating art exhibitions and a gallery shop, it also provides a creative space for the community to come together for workshops and events. Gutman Gallery is the gallery of The Guild of Artists and Artisans. The gallery is open to all regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religion, racial group, etc. With artists at the heart of everything that The Guild does, the Gutman Gallery exhibitions feature artwork from both Guild artist members as well as non-members and is curated through jury selection. The gallery shop is an opportunity for current Guild members to showcase and sell their work. It offers an exceptional MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 opportunity for artists as they have highly competitive commission rates, with artists receiving a large percentage of their sales. Recent renovations to the space were made possible with support from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. Art is a journey we all experience through life itself. Moments are captured by those who choose to do so, through the means of their artistic expression. We all have artistic ways of expressing ourselves consciously or unconsciously. Those who are conscious of this expression seek to explore new ways to create something for others to appreciate. We are privileged to have a variety of resources in the Ann Arbor/Ypsi area to inspire and help us artists come up with something awesome. Places like Michaels, Ypsilanti Art Supply and SCRAP Creative Reuse are a few notable art supply stores in our neck of the woods that help us creators on our quest to create something to appreciate. In life's journey, as time takes hold and life's challenges weigh on us heavily at times, we all seek some form of therapy. A lot of artists I know express how being in a creative mode is so beneficial to their well-being because they are thinking about creating something beautiful instead of thinking about how to pay the bills, etc. (read: stress). It's all about making time and space to create. If one does not have the time and space, one cannot create a masterpiece because one is using up all his or her time to find space to exist here on planet earth. Imagine on this journey you find yourself unhoused. Imagine trying to create when displaced, and constantly on the move. Imagine having all these artistic visions in your head but not being able to manifest them because you are too occupied with basic survival.This often happens to people who find themselves unhoused: their artistic talents go unused, not allowing that individual to thrive, but only to survive. This is why Rose Marcum-Raugh started Art on a Journey back in 2019, and celebrated six years on this journey last April. Once homeless herself, but having artistic talents and knowing the difficulties involved with trying to create while on this insecure journey of homelessness, she committed to finding an artist space for those in the homeless community. Marcum-Raugh always dreamed of starting an art studio. She often saw housing-insecure and unhoused artists who could not afford to display their art in regular local art galleries. One day while volunteering at the Daytime Warming Center at the Journey of Faith, she was asked to do some clean-up work in the basement. Once she started working in the basement she thought to herself, this would be a good space for artists like myself to practice their craft. This space would eventually grow into Art on a Journey. Art on a Journey is no longer physically at the Journey of Faith Church (the building on Manchester Road has been demolished), but now serves as a mobile gallery and online platform. Go to artonajourney.gallery to see and purchase art. Phil Huhn joined Marcum-Raugh on JULY 11, 2025 Now that Art on a Journey no longer has a brick and mortar gallery, artists temporarily display works at different cafes, galleries and other gathering spaces. Rachel (left) and Phil Huhn (right) in front of Rachel's visiting gallery at Bridge Community Cafe. this journey in 2022 by displaying his art on the website and local art shows and also making connections with local businesses and organizations to display Art on a Journey artists and their work. Huhn has a background in dance, photography, and art administration, so Art on a Journey was a good fit for him. Just like Marcum-Raugh, Huhn was once homeless and now volunteers at the Daytime Warming Center. He is great at making connections with the unhoused community and getting their art displayed in public places. He convinced me to display some of my photographs at different showings in Washtenaw County. Art on a Journey would like to let readers know they are currently looking for space to create and display art from an unlikely source — the unhoused. So, if you have space and are willing to share or have any good ideas, connect with Marcum-Raugh or Huhn and have a talk. Cheers! Rachel's paintings Seth Best with landscape painting at Art on a Journey's April 25 art show/sale.
JULY 11, 2025 COMMUNITY People in the neighborhood: Goochie legal action and Goochie was evicted. He tried to fight it but it came down to the police’s word over his. When I asked him how long he was homeless after the eviction he said “a few years.” “Can you talk about that?” I asked. Goochie replied, “Yeah, it was JIM CLARK Groundcover vendor No. 139 This is Goochie’s story. Goochie’s full name is Terril Tamon Cotton II. He is a Southside Ypsilanti native whose purlieu is the streets of downtown Ypsilanti. I asked Goochie how he got his nickname. “My cousins gave it to me when I was little; they used to tickle me and be like goochie goochie goo!” he reminisced. Goochie was born with Spina Bifida which is a hole in his spinal cord. They told his mother he would not live past three years and the doctors said he was supposed to die a long time ago. “But,” he declared, “I'm still here.” He was born in 1983 at the University of Michigan hospital. Goochie attended West Middle School, Estabrook Elementary and graduated from Ypsilanti High School in 2001. I asked him if he went to college. He replied that he went to Wayne Community College for a few classes but had a hard time writing long papers. “I felt like it wasn’t for me,” he said. “They did give me a job in the office. I answered the phone. It was my first job ever.” I asked him if he could learn anything from college without having to write papers, what would it be? Goochie answered, “I would like to study business management. I want to open something like a nightclub around here, something fun.” He is not sure what he would name it yet. Goochie became homeless in 2009 living in Sycamore Meadows apartments. Goochie had guests come to his apartment that ended up triggering an eviction. The man was staying with his girlfriend off the record. He was not supposed to be on the property, but Goochie didn’t know this. The apartment management took hard for me ‘cause I'm in a wheelchair and then when the winter comes I can’t get through snow so I have to wait for people to come bring me stuff, take me places, yeah it was horrible. The hotel places don’t give no deals on extended stays so you gotta pay night after night. The Harmony House doesn't give you deals. No week-to-week or month-tomonth breaks, nothing.” Goochie's popularity in the downtown sector of Ypsilanti has earned him the nickname of “the unofficial mayor of Ypsilanti.” In fact, when you see him on the streets he is surrounded by people and surrounded by love. It seems like he knows everyone. I asked him if he ever considered actually running officially. He said with a smile, “They want me to run for office, but I don't know how to start. I told everybody just show me the way and I’ll do it.” Then I said, “Great, so campaign speech time! What would you do for us as Mayor of Ypsilanti?” Goochie responded, “To be honest, there is so much to do around here. Like we need a building, a permanent building for a homeless shelter. Certain roads never get fixed, certain sidewalks never get fixed. The corner of Washtenaw and Washington, it seems like those streets never get fixed. We also need to figure out a way the community and police can combine together without being at each other’s throats. We need to figure out something for people to do during the day.” We’re at 16 S. Washington while conducting the interview. There are people attending a service in the building and Goochie and a few others are at a table under the awning. I asked him to describe the event. He replied, “The main reason everybody is here is for the FedUp Wednesday meal. So Care Based Safety comes to help out in case people need wound care or medical supplies; we’re like the medical team.” From the Care-Based Safety website: “Care-Based Safety is dedicated to acting with principle and intention. We are taking careful steps in building a community response program that brings loving, unarmed support to people directly impacted by structural violence — without police. In our planning, response, and practice we center the needs of people who are Black, Indigenous, undocumented, unhoused, LGBTQIA+, using drugs, and/or experiencing mental health struggles.” Care-Based Safety’s summer program runs June-August 2025 on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 16 S. Washington St., Ypsilanti. Goochie says that most of the community issues Care-Based Safety handles are due to drugs and alcohol. Arguing and fighting are common. He believes the answer is more community programming. After several interviews with people in the neighborhood, it became apparent that many of the area's homeless people are aware of these same problems. They admit that alcohol and drugs are a problem and that they could overcome them if they tried. But it is also known that the effort needed to get sober, get a job and get housing is tremendous and without community support, nearly hopeless. The street community is populated by adults who know what they need. The police do nothing to help. The city and county do nothing to help. The business owners, landlords, and “not-in-my-backyard” minded neighbors do absolutely nothing to help. People have been demanding a 24/7 low barrier shelter in Ypsilanti, but their voices are ignored. Meanwhile people congregate and do what they do. The business owners and landlords complain, saying they are ruining the “downtown experience.” The people who live in Ypsilanti but have no shelter are well aware of how their behavior affects things, but have no recourse. The street community would be more than happy to work with the city, the neighbors, the business owners and the cops if they would listen to what the community is asking for: to be heard, to be provided shelter, educational and recreational programming and to have police accountability. The people in the neighborhood live here too. They need a voice, they need a mayor, they need Goochie. People in the Neighborhood is a Groundcover News column that focuses on neighbors of the street community in Washtenaw County. GROUNDCOVER NEWS What’s Happening at the Ann Arbor District Library Open 10am–8pm Daily Hang out in any of our five locations across town, browsing books, magazines, newspapers, and more, or check out movies, CDs, art prints, musical instruments, and home tools— you name it! Study and meeting rooms, fast and free WiFi, and plenty of places to sit and hang out Preschool Storytimes and Baby Playgroups Join our storytellers on weekdays inside the library for fun songs, stories, puppets, and movement! Visit aadl.org/storytimes to view a list of upcoming in-person storytimes and playgroups. You can also stream and download our recorded storytimes online at AADL.TV. 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 5 Saturday, July 26 • 1 PM • Veterans Memorial Park Join fellow Summer Game players and community members for a spectacular celebration of all things Summer Game! Circus performances, lawn games, ice cream, codes, and more await at our annual summer celebration.
6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS PRINT GALLERY Kaleaf Warnya Miracle Davis JULY 11, 2025
JULY 11, 2025 PRINT GALLERY Roberto Isla Caballero Eric Kopchia GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7 Denise Shearer SUPPORT CALL FOR and understanding 24/7 mental health and substance use support 734-544-3050 LEARN MORE about programs funded by the community mental health and public safety preservation millage. PEER SUPPORT: Artie Tomlin, Valerie Bass, and Marti Schneider
8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS COLORING PAGE COLORING page Color in or out of the lines, get creative and add your own details! JULY 11, 2025 by Cindy Gere, Groundcover vendor No. 279
JULY 11, 2025 PUZZLES GROUNDCOVER NEWS CROSSWORD International Network of Street Papers 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. ACROSS 1. "Check this out!" 5. Another name for "cat" 10. Good source of protein 14. A chorus line 15. Carry away, in a way 16. ___ probandi 17. Euros replaced them 18. A person's sould in Hinduism 19. face zits; puberty 20. Someone who is lost 23. Flipper 24. Femin___ (three letters) 25. "Dear old" guy 26. Bank offering, for short 28. A rival 30. Alias 32. Boundaries 34. All excited 35. Womb 37. Bucket 38. Bits and pieces 41. A crew's living quarters on a ship 42. Laze 44. "Stupid me!"; Homer Simpson 45. British street car; verb 49. Ashes holder 50. "Iliad" warrior 52. Bleat 53. ___ Verde National Park 54. Collection of planets 59. Like Radio City Music Hall 61. Army outfit 64. Omniverous fish 65. Past tense of outride 66. cooked bread; verb 67. Bird cleaning its feathers, past tense DOWN 1. Amigo 2. Moveable glass door 3. Collection of string instruments 4. "Little piggies" 5. Compote fruit 6. Latin for ultimate 7. "___ here" 8. Normal; used as a model 9. "Fiddler on the Roof" role 10. Exactly 11. Occasionally 12. Event used to generate financial support 13. "It's no ___!" 21. Black gold 22. Cutting tool 23. J.F.K. overseer 27. "Is that ___?" 29. Auspices 31. Barbie's beau 33. "How ___ Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life" (Kaavya Viswanathan novel in the news) 35. ___-friendly; technology 36. Doing nothing 39. Short order, for short 40. Pistol, slangily 41. Kind of approval; food 43. Genetic makeup 46. Overseas 47. More, in Madrid 48. Yellow fruit of passion flower 51. Bubbly drinks 53. Downing Street distance 55. Advanced 56. Advil target 57. Aspersion 58. "Soap" family name 59. Appropriate 60. "Flying Down to ___" 62. "___ to Billie Joe" 63. "20,000 Leagues" harpooner ___ Land
10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS POETRY Summer wonder LA SHAWN COURWRIGHT Groundcover writer Summertime is the greatest time for things to grow In particular the caterpillar The caterpillar munches out on a whole lot of leaves Spins a cocoon around itself Then it stays inside for a time When it comes out it is a new creature called a butterfly It remains on the branch until its wings dry After that it off on its first flight Its first fly What a summer wonder The wonderful, beautiful, majestic butterfly Be Yourself BRYAN KISER Groundcover vendor No. 670 Jumped in, the feeling never felt warming Closed my eyes and hoped for better days Mornings are hot and nights are cold Life is beautiful on the surface Underneath you see all that has expired or been lost Loss is a blessing, fuel to your fire Politics say my life is over, help is never a guarantee Sleep here, move there, many restless nights Seek and ye shall find, elders tell me I’ve searched and looked Exiled and lost Wronged and righted Laugh and cried with the pain and without it Break me down, strip away my pride Freedom, does it exist? Seeing that patience is the key My mind rambles the most Leaving my mouth untalkable My brothers and sisters suffer in silence Though our soul screams in sorrow Who can speak for the homeless when it’s misunderstood Wisdom JASON MICHAEL CHURCH Groundcover contributor Went and got benzos Thinking it was what’s needed Really just need Jesus Follow his teaching Practice what he be preaching Spread Love and Kindness. Seek help when ready Do not be afraid to change One day at a time We must all believe Recovery is possible Knowledge is power No need for the hate Let’s practice understanding Love one another Smarter JASON MICHAEL CHURCH They all throw singles Not us we are different We only throw change Now they all blame us For women getting smarter Gave them too much cents JULY 11, 2025 Summertime in Ann Arbor JOE WOODS Groundcover vendor No. 103 Summertime in Ann Arbor Michigan So many things to do 90° weather at the river cooling off as you barbecue Summertime in Ann Arbor Michigan So many things to do Sitting outside enjoying downtown Ann Arbor's vibe while eating your food Summertime in Ann Arbor Michigan So many things to do At Top of the Park enjoying live music or a movie while drinking a nice cold brew Summertime in Ann Arbor Michigan So many things to do Blistering heat during Art Fair Enjoying the festivities in the heat as you keep water on you to stay cool Summertime in Ann Arbor Michigan So many things to do People out walking their dogs getting ice cream and everybody's in a good mood Summertime in Ann Arbor Michigan So many things to do And always remember in the beautiful city of Ann Arbor our motto here is GO BLUE PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
JULY 11, 2025 POETRY 'questions answered' if my debt has been paid then why am i still afraid? why do i feel betrayed? why is my color grey? have i gone blind? will i see what's to find? how long is the grind? i'm restless and tired exhausted and wired if i can't believe blind will God have me fired? or freed from this cage? i grow stronger with age but what good is wisdom in this day and age where the devil's a wizard and i'm just a mage? i wasn't taught love it's something i know like when a rain falls and our sun casts a glow reflecting white light in a prism rainbow like when a rose blooms and the warm winds blow like fragile sparkling sky flying Snow i want to be here not so long ago i want to live now i've had enough practice why would our god give us life to retract it? these are just some of the questions i have am i missing something? please try not to laugh i'm dying inside but i refuse to hide from the almighty truth about which satan lied AUGUSTINE JAY Groundcover vendor No. 678 for that i'm a stranger i'm a caged bird i smile and sing but no one hears my words no one but God the love we all need the one thing we starve for but nobody feeds the one thing that grows without soil or seed everything was is and always will be the one thing we dig for that nobody buried to love is to synchronize forever married throughout from within and around space and time love is the only god worth all these rhymes and as long as we have it we will never die GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 Pride, Unfolding LYNN GAIT-BILODEAU Groundcover vendor No. 663 We are the colors after rain, the spectrum bold and unashamed— a thousand stories, woven threads of hope and hurt and love reclaimed. We are the laughter in the dark, the hands that reach across the room, the quiet courage, beating hearts that blossom riotously in bloom. We are the names they tried to hush, the truths that shimmer in the light, the chosen kin, the gentle hush of dawn that breaks a longer night. We are the questions, we are the song, the dance of genders, fierce and free, the right to love, to live, belong— the future we demand to see. So let us rise, and let us sing, with every voice and every hue. This pride is not a borrowed thing— it’s us, it’s real, it’s always true. Another peaceful day SHAWN SWOFFER Groundcover vendor No. 574 As the morning dew is on the grass I open my eyes When the heat of the summer hits the day I stop to listen to the busy city Author's note: I’d like to encourage folks to check out Groundcover vendor No. 139 Jim Clark’s thoughts on “Radical Love.” You can find it online on the Groundcover website. Navigate to "Street News" and then "Digital Issues" and look for the March 21, 2025 edition; it’s on page 4! Thanks for reading and stay well friends! TTFN! When evenings comes into less sounds from the city's cars and trucks I meditate into the night I feel good and happy It's been a good day I think to myself When the night blankets us with darkness I sleep into an entire nighttime Maybe tomorrow I'll have another peaceful day Another morning will stop my way
12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS ART FAIR MAP Roasted asparagus ELIZABETH BAUMAN Groundcover contributor Ingredients: 1 large bunch (about 1 pound) fresh asparagus 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil Salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and discard. Wash the asparagus and place on the sheet. Drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the asparagus. Sprinkle salt and pepper JULY 11, 2025 over the asparagus, and toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil. Arrange the spears in a single layer on the pan. Bake just until the base of the asparagus is easily pierced by a fork. Very thin asparagus will take as little as 9 to 12 minutes, thicker asparagus will need 15 to 20 minutes. Season with a small amount of grated parmesan cheese. $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 7/24/2025
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