2 $ OCTOBER 18, 2024 | VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 22 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Community Mental Health and Public Safety Millage — what to know before November 5. page 4 MEET YOUR VENDOR: CINDY GERE PAGE 3 GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM Denise Shearer, vendor No. 485, at the Fleetwood Diner — winner of the Best Affordable Restaurant in Washtenaw County. • Proposal: Housing-development accelerator • Charbonneau: Open your eyes to housing inequity. PAGE 4 @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor #
2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER community EVENTS ANN ARBOR PROPOSALS A-D DISCUSSION Saturday, October 19, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Washtenaw County Admin Building - 200 N Main St. in the basement Ann Arbor voters will asked to vote on four proposals this November 5th. All proposals will amend the City Charter. Speakers will share their reasons for supporting or for not supporting these proposals. A2 PLANNING OPEN HOUSE Wednesday, October 23, 11 a.m.-7p.m., Presentations at 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Ann Arbor District Library: Downtown (Multipurpose Room, lower level) Learn and give input on the A2 Comprehensive Plan, Downtown Area Circulation Study and the DDA Development Plan. HALLOWEEN DOWNTOWN Friday, October 25, 5:30-7p.m. Michigan Ave Library Plaza, Ypsilanti Celebrate the Ypsilanti District Library's annual Halloween event at the newly renovated downtown library branch! Trick-ortreat in the Library Plaza! Pick up sweets, win books, play putt-putt with Putt-RRound, and visit the "Boo"Mobile. MOVING our MONEY from WARFARE to HUMAN NEEDS Saturday, October 26, 3-5 p.m. 8200 W. Outer Dr., Southfield, Detroit Panel presentation on why cutting the bloated military budget and spending our tax money in the areas of jobs, healthcare, housing, climate control and education, would benefit ALL of us — no matter your political persuasion, gender, age or ethnicity. GROUNDCOVER NEWS ANNUAL OPEN MIC Friday, November 22, 6-8 p.m. Makeshift Gallery, 407 E Liberty St. Join us this November in honoring Hunger & Homelessness Awareness week at Groundcover News' fifth open mic event! Come listen to community members share writing, songs poetry and stories from the street. This is a FREE event. All are welcome. OCTOBER 18, 2024 letter to the EDITOR While I share the abhorrence of the death of innocent civilians occurring in Gaza and Lebanon, I take issue with calling it genocide, as many articles in Groundcover News have. The Oct. 4 article about the UN by Mike Jones is the most recent example. Genocide implies an extermination campaign. Israel warns the populace in advance of their major incursions, encouraging civilians to relocate. If their goal was eradicating all Palestinians, they would not do so. Israel has consistently targeted enemy leaders and their military infrastructure. Further, Mr. Jones blames the UN Security Council vetoes for the continued war in Gaza, never mentioning that Hamas has been unwilling to agree to any of the cease-fire agreements brokered by other nations. Israel has agreed to several. And let’s not forget that this war began when Hamas attacked Israel. They tortured, raped and killed thousands and took 250 hostages, many of whom are now dead or still being held. And that Hamas continues to intermingle its leaders and munitions with its population centers. Hamas is engaged in a war for public sympathy and Groundcover News writers are helping them win it. — Susan Beckett PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-DETERMINED INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY POVERTY, PRODUCING A STREET NEWSPAPER THAT GIVES A PLATFORM TO UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY, PROMOTING AN ACTION TO BUILD A JUST, CARING AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY. Groundcover News, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in April 2010 as a means to empower lowincome persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. Vendors purchase each copy of our regular editions of Groundcover News at our office for 50 cents. This money goes towards production costs. Vendors work selling the paper on the street for $2, keeping all income and tips from each sale. Street papers like Groundcover News exist in cities all over the United States, as well as in more than 40 other countries, in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people and combat the increase in poverty. Our paper is a proud member of the International Network of Street Papers. STAFF Lindsay Calka — publisher Cynthia Price — editor Michelle Lardie-Guzek — intern ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS VOLUNTEERS D.A. Elizabeth Bauman Jamie Cameron Pedro Campos Jim Clark La Shawn Courtwright Cindy Gere Amelia Isacksen Ginger Johnston Earl Pullen Will Shakespeare Denise Shearer Scoop Stevens 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 Jessi Averill Sim Bose Zachary Dortzbach Luiza Duarte Caetano Jacob Fallman Glenn Gates Alexandra Granberg Robert Klingler Simone Masing Anthony McCormick Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof CONTACT US PROOFREADERS Kendall Artz Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Anabel Sicko 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
OCTOBER 18, 2024 ON MY CORNER MEET YOUR VENDOR SCOOP STEVENS Groundcover vendor No. 638 Groundcover vendors are losing Cindy Gere, vendor No. 279 In one sentence, who are you? I am Dene Nation, Kaska Tribe, Native Canadian from the Wolf Clan Warrior. I fight for the least of us; that is my mission. Where do you usually sell Groundcover? Sweetwaters coffee shop on Ashley and Washington from 7-10 a.m. as much as possible. When and why did you start selling Groundcover? I am a humanitarian – and Christ told the world, be and do for the least of us! So I choose to work with and be part of the homeless as part of my mission-walk in life. What is your favorite thing to do in Ann Arbor? Go to all the free festivals and gatherings with my friends. What is your favorite spot in Ann Arbor? Pink is my favorite color so to calm down I go to the pink coffee shop with all the roses (House of Chimney Cakes). What words do you live by? I do what I can for who I can and when I can! What is something about you that someone on the street wouldn’t know? I have an operatic voice. If you could do anything for a day, what would it be? Hang out with real war veterans and teach them yoga/meditation. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Moose. What are your hobbies? Lifting weights and dancing. I go out every Friday to dance and party! What change would you like to see in Washtenaw County? A homeless tent community for nondrug and sober working homeless people. the war against aggressive panhandlers in Ann Arbor. In the end, Groundcover will lose this war. Before this happens, Groundcover should change its primary mission from providing employment for low-income individuals to becoming a newspaper of enlightened justice. This can be accomplished by making improvements in our freelance writing program. African American sociologist, educator and author W.E.B. Dubois wanted Black people to agitate, agitate and agitate for justice. His nemesis, Booker T. Washington, sought an accommodation with whites through an emphasis on vocational training. Vocational training is for slaves. Traditional liberal arts (grammar, logic and rhetoric) are the subjects that free people study. Groundcover should continue its social justice mission but should also publish articles that teach traditional liberal arts. This will educate the public and nurture freedom. It will also prevent Groundcover from becoming just another vocational training, dead end for the vendors. As the overall quality of journalism improves in Groundcover’s newspaper, a more sophisticated reader base will develop that will become investors in Groundcover solutions. Having an article Jamie's Choice Awards Best Thai Food: No Thai (Kerrytown). Best Billiards: The 8 Ball Saloon (downstairs from Blind Pig or enter via alley). There may be a cover charge. Best Dancing: Depending on JAMIE CAMERON Groundcover vendor No. 612 day of the week, Necto, off Liberty. There may be a cover and coat check charge. It used to be called “The Nectarine Ballroom!” Best Cinnamon Buns: CinnaBon in Briarwood Mall near JC Penney. Best Cup of Coffee: Espresso Royale off Main near Liberty. Unfortunately, all locations are now closed. Best Seafood: The Black Pearl, on Main St. near Liberty. Best Book Shop for used buy or sell: The Dawn Treader, off Liberty in downtown. Happy consuming! Halloween is a real treat What Halloween means to me is fun and treats. Halloween means to me a time to love God and Jesus more. Halloween means to me the same as Thanksgiving — being thankful for all God blessed me with. I also like to have fun on Halloween but not with spooky things. I like to celebrate Halloween with beautiful, colorful things. I like to dress up as a butterfly or a cat. I love watching the Charlie Brown Peanuts “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” I like to joke that my boyfriend Richard don’t discuss politics, religion, and the Great Pumpkin with anybody. This is part reality, though! Halloween also reminds me of the movie “Cinderella,” where her carriage was a pumpkin. Halloween reminds me of “The Princess and the Frog” movie, too. Halloween reminds me of being DENISE SHEARER Groundcover vendor No. 485 During Halloween time I also like to go to farmers markets because it’s the harvest time of the year. All the fruits and vegetables are so colorful and pretty; they are very delicious, too. Halloween reminds me of candy and hot dogs and candy apples. French fries, too. Halloween also reminds me of delicious popcorn — caramel popcorn and buttered popcorn. with my friends at Halloween parties. Halloween is not just for kids, it’s for anybody at any age who wants to have fun and enjoy treats and enjoy the holiday. It also reminds me of getting together with church groups and celebrating and getting treats. Halloween can be celebrated in many different ways; I enjoy them all except spooky things. I like to celebrate God and Jesus in every holiday, including Halloween. GROUNDCOVER NEWS Groundcover News evolution path published in Groundcover will become a literary achievement and many writers who submit articles will not have them published. In keeping with its non-profit corporation status, these articles will be evaluated and writers will be compensated according to merit. A culture of literacy that leads to more effective civic participation will grow out of the Groundcover freelance writing program. Sales will increase because of the content of the paper and the paper will, for the most part, sell itself. The vendor role will be diminished in importance but new opportunities will become available. 3 by Denise Shearer
4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS ELECTION DAY OCTOBER 18, 2024 Community Mental Health Public Safety Millage — what to know before November 5 Nothing is certain but death and taxes. The death part is obvious — if you’re a human being, you have an expiration date. But why are taxes certain? Because as long as you're alive and a human being, you or someone you know may need public services. Public services are provided by the people running the government through programs and departments. The Washtenaw County government coordinates important services like community mental health and public safety. As we live in a society driven by money, these services need to be funded to pay employees and obtain resources. Hence, taxes. The Community Mental Health and Public Safety Preservation Millage was voted on in 2017, commenced in 2019, and is set to expire in 2026. It is up for renewal in the upcoming general election in order to avoid running a special election next year. The millage is a 1 mill tax that generates $15 to $18 million a year for Washtenaw County. Five to six million dollars go to CMH, the rest goes to public safety/the Sheriff’s Office. The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office provides services like animal, boating and food/restaurant safety; disaster response; and 911 dispatch. CMH provides services like prevention (early diagnosis and mental health awareness campaigns); crisis intervention (for people facing mental and/or emotional stability challenges); stabilization (programs that support the recovery of substance abuse and mental illness survivors and people with barriers to such services due to lack of resources or homelessness); and diversion (avoiding incarceration, ER visits and JIM CLARK Groundcover vendor No. 139 rehab while providing extra mental health and substance abuse recovery services for people in jail). The impact of these services is measured in the number of people helped. There is no public impact report for the funds allocated towards the Sheriff’s Office. The impact of Washtenaw County Community Mental Health services in 2023 are as follows: • Substance abuse call line was answered approximately 250 times per month • The CARES team served 2.4 times more people that year than before the millage • The CMH crisis team visited 2,628 crisis calls in person • Served over 2,200 children and young adults • Provided over 300 hours of psychiatry • Created more than 10 programs for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District • Found emergency shelter for over 250 individuals • Provided over 800 people with support services such as therapy and case management • Created a co-response team with a mental health professional and a deputy who responded to over 540 emergency calls An additional service that the millage would have provided for is the Crisis Stabilization Center, which is not currently open. Advocates have long been calling for accountability both in terms of individual programs the millage funds, and particularly regarding the portion of the funds that go to public safety activities. Though there is reporting to involved agencies, the general public is often kept in the dark. Preceding the June 5 Board of Commissioners vote to restore and renew the millage on the November 5 general election ballot, the BOC passed an ordinance to create a Public Safety Millage Advisory Committee (MAC) that will provide oversight over the majority funds allocated to the Sheriff’s Office. More details regarding this ordinance can be reviewed in the May 17, 2024 edition of Groundcover News. Even with advisory committees, the public is unhappy with expenditure accountability. Kat Layton, LLMSW is a community-centric social worker and a former employee of Community Mental Health. When asked for the most important thing for voters to know about the millage renewal, she had this to say: “I was an employee at Washtenaw County Community Mental Health from February 2022 to December 2022. During my short time there, it became evident that the Crisis Stabilization Center at 750 Towner was no longer operational due to staffing issues, shortly after its opening in June 2020. I later noticed, reviewing meeting materials from the Millage Advisory Committee (MAC), that despite this, funds from the Public Safety and Mental Health Preservation Millage continued to be allocated to this center. “After noting this financial spending, it is concerning to see taxpayer money being allocated to a service that is no longer operational, especially when pressing needs within our community could benefit from these resources and the purposes of the millage funds are intended for these resources. I want to inquire why our millage funds have been directed to a crisis stabilization center over the last two years without providing that service. “During the 8/12/24 MAC meeting, CMH administrators acknowledged that the line item labeled ‘Crisis Stabilization Center’ visible on the bi-monthly and yearly financial reports was allocated to the renovation of the 750 Towner facility, which does not seem in alignment with the original appropriation of these funds and millage monies. CMH administrators stated this location was being ‘built up’ for transfer to another CMH department rather than being utilized for the Crisis Stabilization Center services as initially intended. This raises significant concerns, considering that millage funds, derived from taxpayer contributions, were allocated to support public safety and mental health services.” Questions about openness/ accountability are important, because if the millage is renewed, citizens should be able to monitor the associated expenditures. This includes whether funds are appropriated to re-establish the Crisis Stabilization Center which, in addition to an emergency shelter based in Ypsi, is a greatly needed resource. No matter who wins, don't forget the Americans! I wrote this article to draw out information from people who are economically challenged or poor. I interviewed five people about issues related to public policy and the election, and this is what they offered. Some said they are going to vote, and some said they will not, and some said that they are not yet 100% sure. They shared different perspectives on and about the current political climate in this year 2024. Overall it was agreed to by all five interviewees that the policies are far from resolved. If the individual presidential candidates, former president LA SHAWN COURTWRIGHT Groundcover vendor No. 56 Donald J. Trump or Vice President Kamala D. Harris, and the embodiment of the political parties that must agree, forget the purpose as they argue and finger-point at one another, they are forgetting about the American people. Many of these people are the backbone of major industries as the labor force, and the other veins and arteries that support the vast array of billionaires and those who possess generational wealth, while they are undervalued — not even human, just a poor person. As a result, the information gathered from the poor results in policies that cause even more harm and wrong-doing. Policy-makers imply that the wealthy could really, actually benefit by modeling and utilizing the data that they've collected. The only thing that's apparent is that these “benefits” always backfire on the poor. I'm going to refer to the commenters as Person A-E so that you don't know their real names. That should not matter. They want to just briefly comment on the issues and be open about their views and experience. Person A talks a little about how having monthly food stamp benefits see BENEFITS page 11
OCTOBER 18, 2024 ELECTION DAY Voting while homeless: accessible, yet unequal AMELIA ISACKSEN AND GINGER JOHNSTON U-M student contributors The 2024 presidential election is an extremely close race by all polling numbers, with the Silver Bulletin by data journalist Nate Silver predicting just a 2% lead for Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump. While the foundations of U.S. democracy include the right to vote as an important vehicle for citizens to self-govern, a tight election makes each vote all the more important. With every vote counting, the votes of people experiencing homelessness become even more critical. As of 2016, the voting rate of low-income individuals was 46%, compared with a rate of 67% for people with incomes above twice the poverty line, according to a study done by Columbia University. As of 2020, US News reports that only 1 in 10 people experiencing homelessness casts their vote. The Detroit Press writes that “many barriers to voting among those facing homelessness include misconceptions.” People who are experiencing homelessness as well as the general public may not know that people without a permanent address can legally vote, or what kind of identification is needed to cast their ballots. The voices, votes and opinions of low-income voters and those experiencing homelessness in Washtenaw County are more important than ever given the continuing reality of a lack of affordable housing; specifically the lack of political and public will to better fund low-income housing. The Washtenaw Housing Alliance found that “In Washtenaw County, the standard cost (Fair Market Rent or FMR) of a two-bedroom apartment can be $1,471/month, a monthly rate more expensive than 98% of the state.” When faced with issues such as these, voting empowers citizens to advocate for the change they want to see through political participation. The role of the Michigan Secretary of State is to ensure free and fair access to voting. Local election officials who manage the voting process are trying to educate people experiencing homelessness about voting and the voting process. Grace Bartley, a member of the Washtenaw Chapter of the League of Women Voters works to clear up these misconceptions. “It’s more about making sure that people are registered [to vote], and letting people know that registering is a thing they can do,” Bartley said. “The League of Women Voters also comes out with a Voting Guide of information which is pretty cool, we’re going to start distributing it.” Bartley is correct, as any citizen over the age of 18 not currently serving time for a felony conviction can vote in the state of Michigan, including those experiencing homelessness. People can register without a house or apartment address by using a street corner, shelter, or park as their place of residence. With a state ID, one can register online. Another option includes bringing a letter from a public assistance program or shelter to the township clerk’s office for proof of residence. Additionally, when prompted for an ID at the polls, individuals can request to fill out a statement that they do not have a photo ID. By casting their votes, those experiencing homelessness offer a valuable and often marginalized perspective on candidates and their platforms, from the local to the national level. Trudy Hughes, a League of Women Voters member, argues that a major barrier between homeless people and voting is feeling isolated and irrelevant to their government. “I think there is a lack of connection to the elected officials to feel that they are making a difference in their life,” Hughes said. “It’s that barrier of not feeling like their vote is going to make a difference.” Many similar organizations are working to spread information about available options for voters experiencing homelessness. For example, the Michigan Secretary of State's Office has partnered with the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness to educate voters and offer registration clinics. Locally, the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County here in Ann Arbor offers assistance with voter registration. On September 21 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., the SAWC hosted an event at the Delonis Center in which attendees could learn about their right to vote. On the first floor, there was lunch provided, along with representatives from Ambassadors from Voting Access for All Coalition to provide information on early voting, absentee voting, and more as a person experiencing homelessness. On the second floor, attendees had the opportunity to meet privately with a representative from the League of Women Voters to check their registration status. The SAWC is putting on another event in October to register clients to vote. However, regardless of how pure the intentions were going into the event, it was clear that voting was not high on unhoused people’s priority list. Most people in attendance buzzed past voting workers on their way to get lunch provided by the shelter, as they simply needed to eat. After witnessing what people experiencing homelessness go through on a day-to-day basis, it seemed silly to think that those who were struggling to find a place to sleep at night or their next meal would care about an election, especially since a lot of these people feel they have been excluded in the policies and agenda of our government. Also in attendance was Gail Summerhill, the founder of ‘Ypsi, Can I Share?,’ a program dedicated to equalizing information for those excluded by our government, that is specifically for people of color and impoverished individuals. Summerhill was disappointed in the event. She felt it was sick to expect homeless people to step up and vote while our government continually ignores their needs at the local and national level. “People who are at the lowest places in their life are not thinking about voting because their basic needs are not being met,” Summerhill said. “If you haven’t done anything but suppress these people what do you expect from them?” As we move forward as a democratic country it is crucial to equalize voting and to ensure accessibility to all citizens. Voting is the foundation of our country, and the heart of every citizen’s inherent voice in our democracy, so we must continue to break down the barriers for the marginalized voices of the people experiencing homelessness and work to equalize voting accessibility. As we look at this years’ close election, the mobilization of such a large voting block could very well make the difference between candidates. Still, while we must not expect the silenced to jump at the opportunity to vote, it is important that these communities know that they have an opportunity, and a choice, to exercise their democratic right. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5
6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS CHOICE AWARDS Photo credit: Stella Lansill OCTOBER 18, 2024 A2 downtown coffee shop extravaganza! CINDY GERE Groundcover vendor No. 279 In the past two years we have seen an explosion of coffee houses across Ann Arbor. What I find very intriguing is that each coffee shop does not just serve coffee but has its signature features — whether it be happy fairy doors or the connection to the L.G.B.T.Q community. Each coffee shop is not just a coffee shop; they are meetups, gatherings, social events and meeting locations. Coffee plays a huge role in the morning; the ritual of pulling oneself out of bed is like crossing the Grand Canyon each morning. But one thing most people can agree on is the very first tasty sip that brings one back to life. As I walked around town I realized that ten years ago coffee was but a ghost of its current self. Only a handful of coffeeshops existed then: Espresso Royale, Starbucks and Sweetwaters, not to mention Cloverleaf and the Fleetwood Diner. What we have now is amazing because you don’t need to get off your route to find a coffee shop. The coffee shop will pop up wherever you now walk. Yippy! What an amazing convenience. I will now list many of the coffee shops by what makes each most agreeable. Bitty & Beau’s was founded by the Wright family in honor of their two children Bitty and Beau who have Down Syndrome. It changes the way people see other people. Just opened, the Moka & Co. is a wonderful specialty Yemeni coffee shop. Yemeni owned and operated, this coffee shop came about through family tradition from Yemen. The grandparents wanted to bring to America the delightful full taste of sun-dried, no-pesticides, all-natural coffee with a touch of cardamon spice called smoky spice blend with a full homemade flavor. Cahoots has a wonderful, modern, quiet atmosphere with high ceilings and abstract paintings. It is an L.G.B.T.Q friendly and gender-neutral space. This coffee shop is a co-working space and has a great backroom area for large events like group meetings and gatherings. House of Chimney Cake is a very child-friendly atmosphere covered in the delightful color pink (my personal favorite) with wonderful pink roses and a happy photo of angel wings. These yummy ice cream delights and milkshakes and sherbet with no milk hit the spot everytime. Hyperion is a very strong customer interaction community. Here, many have become friends. In part because the shop is so small. Hyperion has a direct relationship with the farmers and ethically-sourced coffee. Right in your cup. At Roos Roast, the staff are super friendly and extremely helpful. The other point is the warm atmosphere and very agreeable location (close to Groundcover and the bus station). If you want to see good artwork on display, Roos Roast is the place to go. My personal fave is the Miss Pac-Man table. Sweetwaters is a long-established coffeehouse; they recently celebrated their 30 year anniversary. Kids come to Sweetwaters to see the fairy door display by Jonathan B. Wright at the Ashley and Washington location. There are still fairy doors around Ann Arbor to hunt and see. Place a token for the fairy who lives there and don't forget to make a wish every time. The artworks on the wall are for sale all year long. There is a wonderful meeting area in the back for business and groups. For the furry friends there are happy pup cups (whipped cream), yum yum! Le Bon Macaron is a wonderful French-inspired cafe that has a large variety of colorful tasty macarons — pina colada, violet and rose are on the menu. All syrups are made in-house with Italian and French sodas. Their white spring atmosphere with chandelier lighting is so quaint . At Cannelle, the outdoor seating area brings on a truly tropical sensation. You will feel total relaxation as you step inside. Supermodern soft music greets you for a quiet study area. Cannelle is known for its large variety of pastries and yum yum eclairs, and amazing smells. Vendor Cuba tells us it’s the best espresso coffee around. Mr. Cuba says it can't be beat! At Toastiques, live plants greet each customer in a warm modern atmosphere with a down-home feeling and happy smiles. This coffee is ethically sourced from Ethiopia and the chocolate is from Brazil. My fave is the health boosters shots which are great during the cold season, along with good soups and sandwiches. Cinnaholic — Make your own yum yum cinnamon bun creation with a large variety of toppings to choose from! The smells are to die for — come get a taste of happy today! Bakehouse48 has the largest variety of tasty cupcakes with seasonal ones as well. They are very kid friendly and they offer sandwiches, donuts, cookies and bagels, but by far the most fun are the tiny mouth-watering mini baby cupcakes that everyone loves. Shinola Cafe is very quiet with a calm atmosphere and a speakeasy vibe. With low light and a comfortable setting and wonderful work spaces for being on a laptop, they offer a single origin espresso with a large variety of music. The popular cafe Argus Farm Stop offers a one-stop shop for a seven-daya-week hyperlocal farmers market. The relaxed mood makes a great meetup location for family and friends. They are a consignment model (70% of the sale of goods and food go to the producer). Very down-home atmosphere. Downtown Home and Garden is the location for the truly cheapest coffee in town; it has a warm homey atmosphere and don't forget happy puppy treats! Dunkin’ is brand new to the scene on Liberty: tasty donuts with cute happy donut holes!! A second location is to open on the corner of William and State Street very soon. That concludes 16 shops for your delight. Take a tour of the shops and try out new tasty treats. You never know what you will find that will change your mind and become a new favorite … YUM YUM!
OCTOBER 18, 2024 CHOICE AWARDS Best Affordable Restaurant: FLEETWOOD DINER GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7 Best Place to Hear Live Music: ZIGGY'S Best Nonprofit / Grassroots Org: GROUNDCOVER NEWS Best Dispensary: BLOOM CITY CLUB BEST MURAL: Mary Thiefels and Danijel Matanic Best Hot, Free Meal: PEGGY'S PANCAKE BREAKFAST* (see page 12) Best Cup of Coffee: GROUNDCOVER NEWS OFFICE! Best Public Park: FROG ISLAND Best Free Daytime Activity: BBQ IN THE PARK Most Supportive Faith Community: ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS HERITAGE The theme for this year’s celebration of Hispanic and Latino heritage history month is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” For a long time, Hispanic and Latino Americans have celebrated their cultural heritage and history in California, Texas and other regions of the country. In the late 1960s, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a federal law which initiated Hispanic Heritage Week. It became a national celebration which was observed in every state, city and town in America. In the 1980s, U.S. President Ronald W. Reagan signed legislation which changed the weeklong celebration to a month-long celebration (September 15 to October 15). In Washtenaw County, the Hispanic and Latinx Heritage month is celebrated in many public schools, colleges and universities. It is also celebrated in city halls, county buildings, churches and some workplaces. At the University of Michigan, the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs and the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives work with groups of students, staff and faculty to design programs and schedule events which capture the interest of the campus and off-campus communities. "The Michigan Daily" student newspaper publishes lists of events from September to October and beyond. At Eastern Michigan University, events which celebrate Hispanic and Latino heritage are posted in the University’s student newspaper, “The Eastern Echo.” Across the nation, there are celebrations in public institutions such as libraries and the Smithsonian Museums. They feature guest speakers and some motif of cultural expressions which include art, movies, music, salsa dancing, cultural foods and story-telling, to mention a few. More recently, Hollywood actors and comedians of Hispanic and Latino ancestry have started to challenge the younger population to learn more about their Latino history. They want the young folks to appreciate the sacrifices made by “the pioneers of change.” Actor and comedian John Leguizamo said that young Hispanic and Latino Americans should take pride in the ancient civilizations of the Mayans, the Aztecs, the Incas, Olmecs and other indigenous peoples of Meso-America. Young Hispanic and Latino Americans are also reminded that they will inherit the future, and that they have the responsibilility to work hard and use today’s technology to help shape the future of their community and their nation. They are challenged to make meaningful contributions to American society, just as their parents, their grandparents and WILL SHAKESPEARE Groundcover vendor No. 258 their great-grandparents have done over many generations. This is a presidential election year. Presidential candidates of the two major parties, Democrat and Republican, are campaigning for all ethnic votes, including the Latino vote. With rapid demographic transition, Americans of Hispanic and Latino ancestry have gained enormous political power. The U.S. census records show that in 1960, Americans who identified as Hispanic or Latino were 6.7 million and accounted for about 6.5% of the national population. Today, it is estimated that the population of Hispanic and Latino Americans is about 67.5 million and they account for about 19.7% of the national population. Approximately 66% of the Hispanic and Latino population in America are eligible to vote. Their votes can make a difference in presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and down-ballot elections in November. Recent poll data show a tight race between the Republican and Democratic nominees for president. The Latino vote will be vital in the battleground states, especially Arizona and Nevada. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. now has a National Museum of the American Latino. The museum curators want Americans to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans in all fields of human endeavors. However, it is also important to embrace the civic knowledge and historiography of the Hispanic or Latino American experience. What are the costs and consequences of the Spanish colonization of Latin America and the Caribbean? What happened after the Spanish-American war? Why did Spanish Texas declare independence from Mexico and opt to join the Union? What caused the Mexican-American war? Why was the border changed in 1848? Who benefitted from the boundary change? Who lost territories and population? Educational Consultant E.D. Hirsch wrote the bestseller, “Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know.” He implores every American, including Latino Americans, to open up our minds and make a commitment to a lifetime of learning and reflection. When we learn, we can boldly and courageously engage in conversations, dialogues and debates on a wide range of topics. If we are able to answer the questions outlined before, we may begin to maximize our cultural literacy, harness our multicultural excellence and make members of our Latino community very proud. Gracias Amigo! Gracias Amiga! Finally, I asked six Latino Americans from Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti how they celebrate Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month. They started their answers with extra spicy Mexican or Caribbean food, some drinks, some music and some dancing. Most of them prefer house parties and two of them would like to celebrate at the Frita Batidos restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor. Right: Activist and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez worked with the famous Dolores Huerta to organize farm workers in California for fair wages and working conditions. Above: Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor is the first Latina American to become a member of SCOTUS. She grew up in a public housing neighborhood of New York City and graduated from Yale Law School. OCTOBER 18, 2024 Celebrating 2024 National Hispanic Heritage Month Left: Salma Hayek is a famous Oscar-nominated Mexican American actress in Hollywood. Her movie credits include "Bandidas," "Wild Wild West" and "Only Fools Rush In." She once said that Hispanic representation improved when she arrived in Hollywood.
OCTOBER 18, 2024 PUZZLES GROUNDCOVER NEWS COME FLY WITH ME Peter A. Collins 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. ACROSS 1. Picket line defier 5.___-Lorraine (French region) 11. Proust's "Remembrance of Things ___” 15. Headlight? 16. Do over, as a backsplash 17. Shakespeare's river 18. Grand story 19. "The Eras Tour" star 21. Pulitzer-winning poet of 1987 23. Don't change a thing 24. "The Addams Family" cousin 25. Coffee, in slang 26. 65-Across that dines on stinging insects 28. Drop of water? 30. Animal's coat 31. Bridge bid, for short 32. Biting pest 33. Biblical giant 36. Queue after Q 37. "All I Wanna Do" singer 40. What makes fat fast? 43. Hinders 44. "Last one ___ a rotten egg!" 48. Noses, informally 50. Store window posting: Abbr. 51. It might get stuck in a corner 52. Starbucks staffers 54. Cry of disgust 56. Scotland's longest river 57. Triangular sail 58. 2009 inductee in the Skateboarding Hall of Fame 60. "Pirates of the Caribbean" hero 62. Jai ___ 63. Fit to be drafted 64. Big lizard 65. What can be found at the ends of 19-, 21-, 37-, 58-, and 60-Across bird 66. Fellow 67. More intense 68. Understands DOWN 1. Western hero 2. Lansing, for instance 3. Somewhat 4. ___ Raton, Florida 5. "Star Wars" droid, affectionately 6. Depart 7. Eye woe 8. Feel under the weather 9. It might be decided by a nose 10. Mysterious 11. Fruit with a reduplicative name 12. Earhart or Lindbergh 13. Starts to melt 14. Big bang letters 20. Prefix with -scope 22. Vinyl spinners 26. Intensifies 27. Go bad 29. ___ Cruces, New Mexico 30. Philadelphia icers 33. Ruby, for one 34. "Oliver!" setting 35. ___-80 (classic computer) 38. Angry cats' sounds 39. Comical quality 40. Decline 41. Shipping channel 42. Crusades combatant 45. Portman of "Black Swan" 46. "You don't have to tell me" 47. 2001 Antonio Banderas film 49. Red-wrapped candy bar 51. Bashful 53. Lukewarm 54. Legendary pioneer Daniel 55. Sadat of Egypt 58. Word with sand or speed 59. Montreal Canadiens' nickname 60. Go for a leisurely run 61. Feel awful about
10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS HALLOWEEN POETRY Tricks are not treats D.A Groundcover contributor There is no treat In being dehumanized The trick is to put It in whereas it is the equal of Wearing a disguise. I’m not spooked by it It’s so obvious Open your eyes Peek-a-boo!! Let’s all come to civil Agreements I’d like to say For this We’re more wise PUZZLE SOLUTIONS The Reaper EARL PULLEN Groundcover contributor As the reaper calls in the dead of the night All you can do is run in flight To catch your breath Or though it seems The reaper comes in your dreams And in the dead of the night You hear the screams Of witches and goblins Or so it seems In the dead of night You’ll hear their screams When you wake up It's only a dream. Mirror PEDRO CAMPOS Groundcover vendor No. 652 OCTOBER 18, 2024 Veja O espelho Olha A cada um De um modo Look The mirror Glances at Each of us In a certain way -
OCTOBER 18, 2024 HALLOWEEN Truth or Lies: The Golden Halloween It was October 30,1998; Martus was sitting around the bonfire. It was his first bonfire party at his grandparents’ estate; he had just inherited the estate earlier that year. He was sitting by the fire drinking wine with his neighbors and friends, reminiscing on all the stories his grandpa used to tell him. The main story on his mind was how they would light the lanterns the night before Halloween. It was to honor the men who worked in the mountains during the gold mine era. A crew of over 50 men were trapped during a sudden earthquake. Martus was proud that he had kept his grandfather’s tradition. After the party settled down, several people were asleep around the fire. When he woke up, the fire was still blazing, but the lanterns were out. He could not understand how they were not lit. He didn’t hesitate relighting them. However, the first one blew out as he lit the second one. He looked down the path at each lantern; they started flickering on and off. Martus thought someone had walked past him, feeling a warm breeze. He decided not to light the lanterns again. Walking away, Martus turned back and all the lanterns were lit. While entering the house, he noticed a pattern of lights without lanterns. He walked into the path of lights, looking around to see where the pattern of lights would lead him. FELICIA WILBERT Groundcover vendor No. 234 He stood in the hallway. The bathroom door opened up suddenly — he jumped nervously! It was his friend Fernando stumbling out of the bathroom. He was so relieved to see Fernando. Martus decided to return to the bonfire with his friends. Several people had awakened and they were again telling spooky stories of Halloween. After his guests had left, Martus cleaned up in the kitchen. Sweeping the floor he noticed a pattern of lights once again. This time the lights were moving back and forth. They were quarter size blinking lights. He stopped then walked over to them. The lights moved, he moved forward, they moved again, he moved again, then he stopped! The lights stopped blinking. Suddenly his grandpa’s picture fell off the wall in the living room. He went to see what it was. He picked up the picture and noticed lights all over it. He dropped the picture and the lights disappeared. Martus picked it up and hung it quickly. He sat down on the sofa, spooked. Did he really see the lights on his grandpa‘s picture? Martus’ throat got dry and his body started shaking. He felt someone tapping him on the back of his right shoulder. Martus turned around to see who had touched him. He only saw blinking lights on the floor, and heard footsteps! The lights moved. He jumped up and decided he was going to follow them again. This time he wouldn't give up. The thought of his friends laughing eased the tension in his neck. The footsteps started again; frightened, he continued to follow the lights. The light shone on the wall outside of his grandfather's bedroom. He heard a tapping sound on the wall down to the floor. He shouted, “You can come out now! The prank is over. The joke is on you!” A few minutes passed, no one came out. The sound got louder. His heart started beating faster. He walked over to the wall to see what the lights were shining on. Glancing up and down the wall, looking towards the floor. He noticed a sparkle and glimmer; peeking between the floor and the wall. It was a small hole that wasn’t noticeable the day before. The tapping got louder, the hole got bigger, the glare became brighter! He wanted to run but could not move. He was so afraid he passed out. Hours later, when he awakened, it was nighttime. He jumped up, thinking about how he was supposed to attend a Halloween party with his friends. Reaching to turn the lights on he dropped a gold coin from his hand. He looked down to see where he had dropped it. The coin rolled over into the hole on the floor. As Martus reached to retrieve it, the hole got even bigger. The glare was so bright he decided to get a hammer and chisel. Finally, he took the hammer to pound a bigger hole in the floor. The glare was so bright he forgot to cut the lights on. Skeptical, he put his hand in the hole grabbing at whatever he touched. He pulled his hand out of the hole. Looking into his hand, he saw small gold nuggets. He jumped up and cut the light on. There was gold everywhere in the hole. When he excavated the hole, he found a note from his grandpa that said, “My only grandchild, take this wealth and build houses. The gold is from 1829. My great grandpa left it for me — now it’s yours. Love you, Grandpa.” Author's note: Please forgive me for not showing up. I encountered family difficulties that couldn’t be avoided. Truth or Lies Mystery Lane: "Winter" published June 14, 2024 was true. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 BENEFITS from page 4 eases the pull on your almost non-existent budget (earned incomes/ unearned/both). Then as you mature in your earned wages/income, the food stamp program snatches the rug right back from under you — then you are back at square one again or worse off than when you began. So this benefit is needed and necessary. Its weaning function is ultimately counterproductive. Person B said that what good is a higher minimum wage when as soon as wages increase, the prices of everything else does, too. It is like a hamster running fast in that big circle wheel. Moving quickly, constantly getting nowhere. It only then serves as an illusion of what progress should look like. Person B is self-employed and doesn’t tell anyone what they do. Person C’s observations on healthcare are this: There are major areas of healthcare that would lose considerable profits if the government were to focus on providing oral health care that’s affordable or free, or mandated dental practice coverage in health insurance policies. Chewing your food right is important to overall health. And a dentist can tell a lot about a person’s health by their oral examination. Great research on aging and disease has been done and proven. Prevention is the best and most effective medicine. The patient must be able to trust the provider. For instance, this person may be a smoker or not be a smoker. (If I can’t trust you then I won’t be honest with you.) If you prevent the ill, you don't or won't need the pill. This in itself would incept the beginning of eliminating expensive and unaffordable prescription costs for seniors, our children in the future, and for those who may now require it here and around the world. Person D says that everyone alive deserves to have a variety of nutritional dietary options. Why eat healthy when one small apple or orange is $1 apiece? That's about 200 pieces of fruit for 30 days utilizing food stamps for a family. Some people get less than that. Nutrition and rest are essential to overall function. Especially during the primary years of a child's life. It is right to help other children who are hungry to have food, but what about when your neighbor's child or your own child right here in the United States is starving? Where are the billions for them, for us? So I guess crime and hunger go hand in hand, Mr. Trump. No one in their right mind can believe that causing poverty won’t challenge basic survival. No one has your number and is awaiting your call or action. Person E: The child tax credit is a good thing if they can model and re-implement that program. You can barely earn enough while working long hard hours away from your child to simply provide nutritional meals. That doesn’t even begin to address who will offer safe, effective and essential components of child care that is also affordable. The consensus when it came to the tax and budget part of the issues: there were chuckles, giddy grins and smiles on the faces of the interviewees. This is their persnickety response — we don't have any income to report and we already know our budget — scrape by on what's left, barely nothing! exp. 01/31/2025
12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Kale apple slaw ELIZABETH BAUMAN Groundcover contributor Ingriedients: 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp minced shallot 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, grated 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 4 loosely packed cups shredded kale (we like curly kale) 1 medium sweet, crisp apple (such as Honeycrisp), sliced into thin matchsticks 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped Directions: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the kale, OCTOBER 18, 2024 apple, and parsley and toss to coat with the dressing. Taste and adjust, adding more salt to taste or olive oil for richness. Chill and serve. A great fall salad. From page 7, "Community Choice Awards": Peggy Lynch notes that Mercy House also holds a variety of MISSION-sponsored nonprofit meetings at the house on Saturdays. Delicious food for everyone. Fresh ingredients for fall comfort meals. $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 11/15/2024
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