Discovering Dixboro

I can't believe I almost missed it.

The Dixboro Fair got under way at 10 this morning and I couldn't find my way out of bed until 4:30 this afternoon. It's not like I was sleeping or wasting time. I was editing stories and uploading articles and photos to our Web site from my laptop. As the hours passed, I tried to justify not going.

"Lisa will be there and she'll get some great photos. I don't need to shoot video, as well," I told myself.

Then the e-mail came in from Lisa. She wasn't going to be able to make it to that event. She had two other assignments.

Then I told myself: "It's too late. Nobody will be there. There's only an hour and a half left."

But guilt took over and I thought how could I let a great community event like the 32nd annual Dixboro Fair take place without us covering it.

So, I took the short trip down Carpenter Road to US-23, got off on Plymouth Road and stumbled across the quaint community of Dixboro. Cars lined both sides of the road, so I knew I had the right place. It reminded me a lot of the annual Webster Fall Festival because the event is centered around a church and features old-fashioned fun for kids.

I took some video, which will be on our Web site by Monday, and shot a few photos. I captured Maria Scannell, 6, and her older sister, Julia, on video and in a photo making slime. The girls are from Plymouth and their mother was shooting video, as well.

Then I took a photo of Zoe Shulman, 6, of Ann Arbor doing a little shopping. She reminded me of myself as she touched some clothing while browsing the booths. I like to feel fabrics when I am browsing, as well.

Brothers Ian and Eric Steele were playing Skee Roll with their dad, Ray, of Ann Arbor, and I came across Judi Speir-Crawford of Dexter checking out the used books being sold to benefit mission trips and church projects.

For the video, I interviewed Peggy Moran, director of the Dixboro Fair. I was glad to come across her. She was very informative and her comments will add depth to our video of all the activities going on at the fair.

I left the house around 4:30 and was back about an hour later eager to get back to work, but also glad I finally ventured out of bed and experienced the Dixboro Fair. I can't believe I almost missed it.

Party Time in A2

A2 Journal held a kick-off party Wednesday night to celebrate the launch of our new newspaper, which made its debut July 9. The event was held at Kensington Court Hotel near Briarwood and I would estimate 50 people showed up. I met new people, including Tamara Real and Angela Martin-Barcelona of the Arts Alliance, and mingled with some friends -- Donna Fisher and Barb Bell -- from my days as a reporter covering Dexter. Barb is director of Community Education for Dexter schools and Donna is on the Village Council. Our publisher and advertising department staff also met with many business people interested in supporting our new venture through advertising.

The most difficult part of the evening for me was having to speak in front of the crowd. I got a "C" in speech class at Eastern Michigan University and have always struggled on this front, even though I've had to emcee Chelsea's Citizen of the Year program and I led a funeral for a friend's daughter.

It was embarrassing, to say the least. I was short of breath, I talked too fast, I lost focus, I read straight from a script, and I didn't give all the accolades that I had wanted to the members of my staff, in particular Deputy Managing Editor Terry Jacoby, whose artistic genius is behind the whole look and feel of the paper.

For those who missed out on the event, I've pasted below my speech, which wasn't much, but I wanted to share my enthusiasm for this new paper and the town I call home. Unfortunately, a video of my speech didn't turn out. Someone forgot to press "record." Really, it's true. I would have shared it with the entire world, but there's no trace of it on the video camera.

Welcome, everyone. Thank you for coming.

This is probably the time a Dale Carnegie class would have come in handy. Unfortunately, it’s still on my to-do list, so please bare with me.

This is an exciting night for all of us at the Ann Arbor Journal.

I, for one, am thrilled that we’re publishing a newspaper in the city I consider my hometown.

I grew up in Northfield Township, between Pontiac Trail and North Territorial Road. As a teenager, I started saying I was from the “north side of Ann Arbor,” even though it was technically Northfield Township and I went to Whitmore Lake Schools. But it was cooler to say the north side of Ann Arbor. By the way, I got labeled a “snob” in high school over it.

I have always considered myself an Ann Arbor resident, even though I didn’t grow up in the city. Ann Arbor is where I first learned to drive; it’s where I had my first date; and it’s where I got my first job in high school. It’s also where I got my first traffic ticket, but we won’t go there.

As a kid, I rode my bike to central campus and explored the downtown, local parks and, what kid in the ’80s could resist Pinball Pete’s? As a preteen, I rode the AATA bus everywhere. It was the passage to my freedom until I finally earned enough money to buy a car.

Ann Arbor has always been my playground –– a place to escape to after a long day at work or find some weekend fun. It’s also the place I’ve kept tabs on over the years in terms of what has been going on with local government, the schools, politics, business, cultural offerings and events.

I live in Pittsfield Township, or the "east side of Ann Arbor," now. Although I have an Ypsilanti mailing address and phone number, I am within the Ann Arbor School District and, to this day, consider myself an Ann Arborite. It will always be my home and I am thrilled to have a hand in assigning some of the stories that will come out of the community, editing the many articles Lisa Allmendinger, Jana Miller, Terry Jacoby and a number of other contributors will be producing, maintaining our Web site and social networking presence, and helping to design the pages that form the final product that will be dropped off on your doorsteps every Thursday or that you pick up at local stores.

We will concentrate on the people, places, events, institutions and traditions that define Ann Arbor. The schools, local government, high school sports and youth sports will be a high priority, as will stories on local business and features on the many interesting people who make Ann Arbor great.

I’d like to introduce you to the people who will have a hand in all of this. Our Ann Arbor staff includes:

Terry Jacoby, our deputy managing editor, who also does a lot of reporting, as well as layout and design.

Don Richter, our sports editor, who will be covering sports at Skyline High School.

Lisa Allmendinger, our staff reporter, with local roots in the community (check out her video in Allmendinger Park if you haven’t already).

Jana Miller, our staff reporter, who will be covering local business and writing a column.

Mike Larson, our sports reporter, who will be covering Pioneer and Huron high school sports.

Ed Patino, our sports reporter, who will be covering Gabriel Richard and Greenhills.

Many of you, I am sure, read about them in our first edition.

Also of special interest is Ryan Michaels, our award-winning movie reviewer who is a student at Emerson School and lives in Ann Arbor.

In addition, here with us today are reporters and editors who contribute to the six other papers we produce in Washtenaw County. As many of you know, we also publish The Saline Reporter, Milan News-Leader, Chelsea Standard, Dexter Leader, Manchester Enterprise, Ypsilanti Courier and the View in Belleville.

Austen Smith is a copy editor and reporter.
Jeremy Allen is a reporter.
Daniel Lai is a copy editor and reporter.
Sean Dalton is a reporter.
and Krystle Dunham is a reporter.

You may see some of their bylines in the Ann Arbor Journal, as well, as we all work at a team and will be producing some stories of regional interest.

I encourage people to call or e-mail me. We’re always interested in story leads and any local news that you want to share. My e-mail is editor@a2journal.com and my number is 995-NEWS.

A2 Journal at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs

The Ann Arbor Journal is at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs all this week. We have a booth on Liberty Street on the south side of the alley across from the hospitality tent. I will be there from 4 to 6 p.m. today, 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Other reporters, advertising consultants and our publisher will be on hand throughout the week, as well, to answer questions about the new paper and hand out copies. I hope to see you there. Tomorrow we will have our second edition with us to share with interested residents.

On another note, if you have a soft spot in your heart for animal causes, I will be at the booth for the Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary sharing information about the largest rabbit rescue in the United States and selling fans with rabbit pictures on them. My days there are 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday. That booth is located on Liberty near Seva restaurant.

I know, when will I get my work done? I am still trying to figure that out.

Hope to see you at the art fairs.

A Fun Friday in A2

Friday was full of fun in Ann Arbor. Reporter Lisa Allmendinger and I started our afternoon at Cafe Felix for a delicious lunch. I told her it was known for its fruity martinis, but that was a no-no for us since it was a working lunch. I had a grilled salmon sandwich and she went with a cheeseburger. As we enjoyed our lunch and passed out a few copies of the A2 Journal, our very first edition, Main Street started filling up with some gorgeous cars, from Porches to vintage vehicles from the early 1900s to 1970s, as part of the Rolling Sculpture Car Show.

We interviewed Dexter resident Dean DeGalan as he polished his 2000 Dodge Viper and enjoyed a long talk with retired Ann Arbor police officer George Patak, who had a vintage Detroit police vehicle, a station wagon that used to serve as an ambulance, as well. Check out our videos on MIcentral, as well as our Facebook page.

Then it was off to the An Arbor Jaycees' Carnival. We had a blast talking with Dan Saimes, management director of the Jaycees, who we also have on video, and met lots of people who just love Ann Arbor. Misty Elliott and her son, Seven, and daughter, Veronika, were at the carnival and said they enjoy the cultural diversity that the city offers.

After speaking to Michelle Strobel, owner of Moo to You petting farm, which was set up for the first time as part of the carnival, it was back to the office for me.

I enjoyed my escape from The Saline Reporter building. It was a wonderful afternoon in Ann Arbor for someone who is used to spending her evenings in downtown A2 at the many fine restaurants. Afternoon is just as much fun, minus the cocktails.

On the Record

Journal Register Co. President and Chief Operating Officer Scott Wright goes on the record with A2 Journal Managing Editor Michelle Rogers about what readers can expect from A2 Journal, which publishes tomorrow for the first time.

Celebrating the Fourth of July in A2

I must say that the Ann Arbor Jaycees put on quite a parade. Over the last 17 years, I've covered parades in Dexter, Chelsea, Saline and Milan. But Ann Arbor, wow, what an impressive show.

The Fourth of July Parade was about an hour long and featured everything from the hosts, the Jaycees, to local businesses, preschools, twirlers, jugglers, clowns, nonprofit groups, antique cars, public safety officials and politicians.

Most impressive was the crowd, teeming with children. Hundreds lined the street. We were at the corner of Liberty and Main and people were stacked three rows deep, and that was just a small section of the parade route.

I had an awesome time and met some great people, from Doug Collier and his twins, Gabriel and Eliana of Dexter to the Ridha family of Ann Arbor, Ed and Lisa with their two daughters, Skye and Heather, decked out in red, white and blue.

We started the day with breakfast and Cafe Zola and finished with a beautiful ride home with the top down on the convertible. Slightly overcast and a perfect 70 degrees, it was a beautiful morning. Now for the rest of the day?

Check out video of the parade on our video-sharing site.