Media review: February 2014 Ann Arbor Observer

The Ann Arbor Observer's February 2014 issue hit my mailbox yesterday. Here's what you'll find when you look through its 84 pages.


Features:

James Leonard writes about the expensive mayoral and city council races we have coming up, projecting that as much as $250,000 might get spent. In amongst the profiles of large donors is a discussion of the generous donation habits of hotelier Dennis Dahlmann; the writing gets a bit awkward when it's revealed that Dahlmann is the "life partner of Observer publisher Patricia Garcia". Small town.

Jan Schlain has a good story about the re-emergence of Road and Track magazine, which is written right here in Ann Arbor.

Anita LeBlanc writes up the Creature Conservancy, an unusual collection of rescued exotic animals associated with the owners of the all-species vet practice Animal Kingdom near the Saline Fairgrounds.

Maps:

The monthly Observer crime map is noticeably bare, showing only 22 incidents for December 2013 compared to over 90 for December 2012. The editor, John Hilton, writes

It didn't seem right to me, either, but Jim checked the numbers from the U-M and AAPD. Apparently it's an especially vivid illustration of the old saying that burglars dislike the cold even more than the rest of us! 

Reviews:

M. B. Lewis goes to Aventura and likes the tapas, but isn't thrilled by the burnt paella. "That's how they do it in Spain", said the server.

Lee Lawrence reviews Cafe Felix and found the new kitchen worthwhile of treating it as a new restaurant; two visits had two very different menus. Much discussion of cocktails ensues.

Marketplace changes:

Wolverine Brewing now serves food; the Walgreens has opened on campus, with an ICEE machine; and the South Industrial Krogers is going to be replaced with a Lucky's Market. Dearly departed ex-businesses include Firehouse Subs on William and Annabelle (jewelry) on S Main. The Happy's Pizza fire gets brief note.